Completed Searching for a Vecerem

[Syveris]

52nd of Fall, 513 AV

The Enclave. Once again. Syveris had gone to the place just the day before, distracted herself with a falconry book, and forgotten all about the second (but most important reason) as to why she had gone at all - to research and find a picture of a vecerem, so she could study the animal and do a believable print on the adornment Lavira had asked her. She knew how a vecerem looked like, but she didn't trust her memory enough to make a figure of it without researching first. It wasn't something she saw in a daily basis, after all.

Now, the problem was how to find a suitable picture of it. The Avora was sure she could find many in hunting or Kalea's fauna related books. However, she wanted something more artistic than the didatic pictures such books had, and so, she was unsure on where to search for it.

Maybe she could find something in pictures books on the glasswork section of the Enclave, although what she was looking for was so specific that she doubted there would be something. Well, there was no harm in trying, was there?

Syveris walked to the section and began to look for some title related to figures in general. There were many books of that kind, mostly for molds and things that were possible to do with glass. However, they rarely contained a picture of a specific animal, focusing more on vases, dishes and stained glass. On the occasions that an animal picture was present, it was a picture of beautiful and huge animals, such as tigers, eagles and horses, or common animals like falcons and dogs. Syveris couldn't remember a time when she had seen a vecerem. But she had to try to search for it, anyway. In the worst case, she would just ask someone for a indication.

Taking three books that seemed interesting, she placed them on top of a desk, flipping through the pages. None of them had a picture of what she was looking for, so she just returned the books to their places and searched around some more.

Syveris suspected her trip to the Enclave would last longer than what she was expecting.

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[Syveris]

A whole bell later, she still hadn't find anything. It was starting to get really annoying. With a sigh, Syveris returned the last book she had searched to the shelf, leaning against it and thinking if she should try the hunting section, after all. Well, it would be easier just to ask someone. Decided, Syveris turned around, searching for someone who might know how to help.

And then, she saw him.

Her heart clenched, and all the feelings she felt in that single tick were overwhelming. It had been a whole season since she had last seen the man, and it was time enough for her feelings to turn into something else than love. And yet, looking at him, Syveris realized that 'something less than love' didn't mean much, and she still liked him way more than she had thought.

Arin was writing, bent over the table in the exact same way he always had, one arm around the paper he was writing in, as if trying to hide it from view. His red hair was the same shade she remembered, but it wasn't nearly as messy as before. For a moment, she wondered if she was mistaken, if, in fact, the man sitting was just very similar to Arin. As much as she wanted to believe it, it was very unlikely.

When he looked up, all her doubts went away. The green eyes that glared at her were his, she was very sure of it. Syveris felt her heart race, knowing there would be no more way to deny the identity of the man.

Arin kept staring, in the same way he always did. Everything about him, except maybe for how his hair wasn't messy anymore. Syveris knew a single season wasn't a very long time for someone to change, but it seemed like so long before since she had last seen him, that the Avora was sure many things would be different.

The stare didn't end, and Syveris felt herself blush, against her will. She couldn't decide on whatever or not go talk to him. She could always just ignore him, but after a chime of standing and glaring at each other, it was pretty obvious that Syveris had recognized him. If she ran away, he would know that she was still affected by him. Besides, she wasn't a coward. She wouldn't run away.

Straightening up, Syveris walked to the table, her eyes never leaving his. The Avora had to force herself not to tremble, not because she was afraid, but because the sensations and feelings inside her were just too... powerful. It wasn't normal to still be affected like this, or maybe it was. Syveris couldn't say for sure. What she felt for him... It was affection, as if nothing had ever happened and they were friends, like always.

But something had happened. And, although it was small and someone could say, even unimportant, it had made her feel like a complete stranger, someone Arin didn't trust enough even for the smallest things.

She reached the table, and tried to face him without showing anything on her face. She wasn't sure she had achieved it.

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[Syveris]

The Avora faced the Chiet for another whole chime, waiting, wanting him to say something. Just a word that would tell her Arin recognized her, that he had missed her company, even if just as a friend, anything. But, like all the times she waited for him to speak, the words never came, and her patience began to lower.

"It has been a while." Syveris greeted, her voice filled with every emotion she was feeling. The Avora hated it. She didn't want Arin to know she had missed him. It felt like she was loosing on some kind of weird game. "How are you doing?" at first, she had asked only as a courtesy, but she was surprised that she truly wanted to know.

"I'm fine." Arin replied, his eyes never leaving hers. "Things have been very good for me." the answer made her feel betrayed. It wasn't like she wanted him to suffer, but she had wanted that he, at least, would say that he missed her, and not that 'things were really good now'. It was a selfish thought, specially since she had been the one who severed the ties between them. But the Avora had done it because she didn't want to suffer, which would certainly happen if she stayed by his side. She didn't want to care for him, see him everyday just to be reminded each time that she wasn't special. She was just someone he spent time with, and that was it. Suddenly, Arin added, almost as an afterthought. "I'm living with Lissa, now."

Syveris wasn't expecting that, and she wondered if this woman was the same that she had seen leaving his room. The room he never allowed her to enter. It still made her jealous, that even after three years of friendship, Arin hadn't thought it was worthy to share his life and feelings with her. Before, she had thought that she wasn't a friend in his eyes, and now, she was sure of it. Arin was fine without her, didn't miss her even after meeting again. Well, she didn't too. Unfortunatelly, there was nothing to support that claim. Syveris wasn't living with anyone, wasn't seeing anyone. But the last thing the Avora wanted was for him to think she was still in the same situation.

"I'm Endal, now." the words left her lips without a second thought, and they didn't feel like lies. In fact, they were her victory on the unspoken competition she had created between them. Syveris didn't like it, but it was already done, and she wouldn't back away. Arin nodded.

"That's impressive. I bet you are very happy. But, if I may ask, what are you searching in the glasswork section of the Enclave?" Syveris cursed herself. She had forgotten about this small detail.

"I miss it, sometimes. I came to search for a fauna book of Kalea, and ended up in the glasswork section." his eyes told her that he didn't believe a single word, and she was sure that her face told him that she knew it. It definitely wasn't a lie anymore, it was a pretend game between the two, one that Arin was allowing to play, for whatever reason, and one Syveris had to play, otherwise her pride would be shattered.

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[Syveris]

"I can show you the way to the fauna section, if you want." Arin offered, and Syveris wondered if she should accept. No, she didn't think so. To accept would be to have to talk and walk besides him for longer than she was comfortable with. She couldn't allow the feelings to return for a more definite time. It just wasn't possible. But... With a sigh, Syveris nodded.

Arin didn't smiled, his face stayed the same. The man simply got up, and lead the way to a section of the library, far away from where the glasswork books were. The Avora walked after him, biting her lip and cursing herself once more for having accepted the offer. Why couldn't she just control her petching impulses?

"So, how did you bond?" Syveris almost growled at the question. How was she supposed to come up with a bonding story out of nowhere? At least Arin wouldn't ask for a name. She was awful to come up with names.

For a while, Syveris stayed quiet, wondering if she should just ignore the question. But she couldn't stop the game. It would be to admit defeat, to run away from it. She didn't run away. Never.

"Nothing big, really." Syveris mumbled, annoyed. She wanted to come up with a grand story, but she couldn't think of anything fast enough. And even though she knew he wasn't believing her, a game was still a game. "I just spent a lot of time on the Aeries."

Arin nodded once more, and pointed to one of the bookshelves in the section they were in, before turning around and returning to where he had been. Syveris watched him go, biting her lip. It was a little sad, to watch him go without even saying goodbye, but it would be better, anyway.

Sighing, she turned to the shelf, and began to search for something she could use. The Avora was sure that she could built something up if she found enough images. It would be even better, since it was going to be something original. Or as original as she could do.

While she searched, her mind became more and more focused on the task, and she forgot about the encounter, focusing only in finding suitable pictures for the adornment.

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[Syveris]

After another half a bell, Syveris had found some books with a few pictures of vecerem and vecerem's body parts, such as claws and fangs. It wasn't exactly what she was searching for, but she could do something with it.

Now, she needed someone who could draw a very faithful picture, so she could take the drawing to the Glass Reverie, something she wouldn't be able to do with a book. Turning around, she looked for someone who seemed to be able to draw, and her eyes fell on a Chiet woman, who was drawing sharp lines with her quill.

Syveris approached the table she was in, looking over her shoulder and to the paper. It was a child's face, and it was very beautiful and incredible well detailed. It was just who she needed.

"You are very good." Syveris told the woman, as a way to announce her presence. She knew the Chiet was already aware of her, but since the woman hadn't said anything, Syveris thought it would be quicker just to call her.

"I'm very happy that you think so." she said, a wide smile appearing on her face. "Is there some way I can serve you?"

"I would say help, not serve." Syveris answered, frowning. What a weird way to put it. The Avora placed the books on top of the table, pointing to the animal. "Do you think you could draw a vecerem in the position I ask you to? I'll give the instructions, it's just I'm not very good with a quill, so..."

"No problem, no problem at all!" the Chiet exclaimed, too happy for such a simple request. "It's always a pleasure to help an Endal!"

Ah, that was what the happiness was about. Syveris winced, uncomfortable, both because the woman had clearly heard her talk with Arin and because she believed it.

"I'm not..."

"Oh, I know you are not forcing me! No, no, it's my pleasure! Say, how do you want it?" no matter how much Syveris tried to tell that she was only an Avora, the woman wouldn't listen. She kept repeating that it was a pleasure to help, and kept asking how she would want the drawing. In the end, Syveris only huffed, annoyed, and let the woman believe whatever she wanted, giving her instructions on how she wanted the vecerem drawn.

After what felt like an eternity, Syveris left the Enclave with five different pictures of a vecerem in very detailed poses. The Chiet seemed to still believe she was an Endal, since the woman had been babbling happily until Syveris got tired and just left her alone, something she didn't seem to mind. Well, the Avora didn't, either. Let the Chiet believe whatever she wanted to.

Walking to the Reverie and entering the place, Syveris sorted her papers on the workspace. She would try to do some training prints now on the discarded glass, so, when the colored glass was ready, she would be able to print the vecerem in the adornment without much trouble. Or so she hoped.

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[Skerry]

Grades

Syveris

Skill	XP
Impersonation	1
Observation	3
Research	2
Socialization	2
Subterfuge	2

LORES :

• Still in love with Arin
• Subterfuge: Hiding emotions
• Impersonation: Pretending to be an Endal

Notes:
Pretending to be an Endal didn't work out well here, did it? Maybe one day she'll be telling the truth though, fingers crossed!

Remember if you have any questions or problems with your grade then feel free to PM me.