Whistle In The Wind (Dexius)

[Silisea Nerine]

Spring 56th, 517 A.V. "Alright...thank you..." Silisea replied for the 30th time. She had been asking where the inn was but they all had said Alvadas will lead you there if you just follow, or, Alvadas will surely make you end up there, or ten other worthless possible answers. She never got this place and how it worked no matter how hard she tried. Or maybe it was the fact that she just wasn't good at memorizing places. Silisea looked to her horse who had been following her all this time. For the most part, the horse didn't look at all tired in any sort of way. So, Silisea figured she could just ride her. She stopped in the middle of an ally walked to the right of her horse. Silisea crawled her way up on the horse and layed on its back on her stomach with each side of her hanging loose on the sides of Sei Sei. Her body layed limp as she groaned. "Move horse." The horse shook its head neighing 'no' in reply. Silisea sighed as a cool breeze blew by. She furrowed her eyebrows agitated that the horse wouldn't walk without her leading it. Just as she was about to close her eyes, the clear sound a of a whistle could be heard in the distance. Silisea raised her head at the same time as the horse towards the noise. It was the sound of a flute. Silisea sat on the horse the right way and squinted out in front of her curiously. "We'll never know where the sound is coming from unless we go and find out, huh Sei Sei?" She encouraged the horse to head towards it by kicking her side a little. The horse started to trottle towards the whistle as Silisea nervously held on to the horse's neck. Her hair swept to her left over her shoulder held up by a white blood stained ribbon not more long than short. The sound of music was beautiful, intriguing her as to who this musician actually was. She was definitely sure to give a coin to this street performer, at least, that's what people had done around Alvadas. She only had witnessed one or two street performers here but both of them were absolutely confusing and awesome. Once Sei Sei and Silisea had gotten close enough to see who exactly was playing the sound of a flute, she instantly smiled. It was a man who seemed close to her age, but more importantly, Symenestra. Silisea slowly got off her source and walked to him sitting at a distance but still close enough in front of him. Her amythest eyes sparkles in amazement watching him perform. Her cloak was in her knapsack so she her silken clothes were very visible. She took in the Symenestra's features wondering where he had been, and what he was doing here, and just who was he?

[Dexius]

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It had been a stressful time for Dex over the majority of the past two seasons. Having not gotten out of his home again recently he finally understood the air of caution other Symenestra gave in crowded areas. But his were not the common fear of broken bones but came from something deeper. Every Alvad he shuffled by in the city street that managed to run the slightest touch to his body without his knowing caused his inside to boil.

He knew the threat was gone. That the ghost that used him like a puppet was no more and he was free of the burden it brought upon him. But still in the back of his mind he still could not let go of the feeling of dread that held him for almost two seasons. He wondered if it would ever cease.

Probably not.

But today was not a day to think of the things that were holding him down, it was a day to relax and hopefully feel more open to the world once more. After finally pressing through the crowded part of the city he found himself in a small place of reprieve finally revealed itself to him. Dex half walked half jogged towards a small patch of grass with a few trees scattered about.

A sigh of relief escaped the Symenestra's lips as his tense body almost collapsed into the soft grass. "Ionu be praised for a little peace.."

In that moment Dex realized that this was the first time he had ever whispered any kind of thanks to the god of illusions even after staying in his city for so long. The thought was quickly pressed aside as the swordsman removed his pack from his back and rested against the tree.

A lanky arm reached into the removed backpack as he watched the few people in this part of the city pass in front of him in what he could only assume was their daily routines. His fingers grasped around the item he was looking for and pulled out his small metal flute. It had been some time since he had considered playing the thing especially considering the condition he had been in during the winter season.

Dex twirled the thing around in his fingers for a moment. The flute shone in Syna's light just as it had the day it was gifted to him and he hoped it never dulled.

With the flute now pressed to his lips Dex breathed life into his beloved instrument but he was very out of practice. He struggled to get his fingers to move to even the simplest of notes for a few moment. Finally after a few chimes the rhythm of a very basic song returned to his body and for the first time in a very long time Dex sat and played his flute.

With his fingers busy moving to the correct notes Dex did not even notice at first that he had garnered a one person audience. Well, two if you count the horse which he didn't. The thing that really caught his eye about his observer was that the woman was very obviously Symenestra.

His people were not exactly rare to find in Alvadas. It was after all the closest city to Kalinor as far as he could recall and was just as open to his people as any other. The thing was that he hadn't had any direct interaction with any of the other Symenestra he had come across in his travels in the city.

Dex paused from his playing and pondered the woman for another tick or two before placing the flute down onto his lap. An inquisitive eyebrow rose as he pressed words onto the Symenestra. "Can I help you, miss?"

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[Silisea Nerine]

Silisea blinked twice looking into his bright blue eyes. It was different from a regular Symenesta's eye color, but, most certainly heard of. It took Silisea awhile to get out of her thoughts and come up with a response to his question. "Hmm? I was just hearing your music and I just wanted to listen." she stated simply. The sound of the trees swayed in the wind as Silisea gave a smirk. ''My name is Silisea." she introduced herself. It wasn't everyday she saw one of her kind right when she left her home Alvadas. It was just nice to speak her native tongue once in awhile. Sei Sei started to search the grass under them, busy with grazing for the mean time. Silisea took her bag off her back and placed it next to her. The shade of the trees felt nice on her skin making her body relax with every tic that passed. Although, deep within her, she hoped he wouldn't ask her for her last name. Most Symenestra judged her by her parents and because her mom was Esterian and never liked harvest but did it anyways, it made things...difficult for her. Some people would say se was the daughter of a coward. "What's your name?' she asked genuinely curious as to who he was. It was always a treat to hear about another person's lives and experiences. Especially who their families were. Silisea always made sure not to just judge anyone for their parents past or present mistakes though, it would be the most unfair thing she could ever do. Silisea glanced at her horse occasionally watching out for Sei Sei just in case she wandered off. She just hoped it wouldn't be a problem in the future. Just because a people passed by every now and then didn't make this place any less peaceful. The breezes and shade counteracted the warmth of the weather and the heat of the light that shinned upon them. The grass was also a factor in this, making a cool comfortable sitting ground for Silisea. Her eyes shinned brightly awaiting for his answer feeling a sense of anticipation.

[Dexius]

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"Silisea huh?"The Symenestra's name rolled off his tongue in a familiar yet slightly forgotten manner. It was not often that Dex got to speak in his native tongue, and ever rarer was it to say another Symenestra's name in it. "And I didn't mean to seem rude, it's just that I don't see many of our people around and I talk to them even less of them."

Dex placed the small flute back into his back before turning back to the woman. He peered at the common features of his people in her. Her pale skin, jet black hair, and amethyst eyes were almost a relief for him to see. She was most certainly a full blood Symenestra and not a half breed, not that he would have cared.

His hands ran through the cool grass as he leaned his head back to rest against the tree propping him up. He had missed the outdoors, that was for certain, and he was glad to feel the gentle breeze of spring on his face. Dex returned the woman's smirk and then replied to her question. "Dexius, but most people call me Dex. I must say it's rather pleasant to speak in Symenos again. Common is...well..the most common language here and it's never felt quite the same to me."

Dex closed his eyes as he rested against the tree. The warmth of Syna's light cut through the leaves and warmed his pale skin. This was certainly weather he could stand to get caught talking to somebody in. Especially if they were another Symenestra of a similar mindset.

"Are you new to the city? I'm only saying that because there are bards aplenty in Alvadas yet you stopped to listen to somebody like me who could barely play a lullaby if he wanted to." Truth be told he really didn't want any company today. It was a day to finally get out, stretch his public self out a bit, and then head home. But at least his company was somebody who could possibly be relatable.

Though it was an inevitability for the woman in front of him to remind him of the last Symenestra woman in his life. A small frown overcame the smirk he had just a few ticks prior but he quickly dissolved it into a neutral look. Today was not the day for the past it was for now.

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[Silisea Nerine]

The name lingered in Silisea's head when he had said it. She took note of the nickname and nodded comfiring she was listening and the fact that common never really felt...natural. Even though she learned the language back home, it was not the main language. Talking the language made her a bit self conscious, but on the other on the hand, it's better to speak her second language her since she can keep practicing it and never slose the language. "Are you new to the city? I'm only saying that because there are bands aplenty in Alvadas yet you stopped to listen to soomebody like me who could barely play a lullaby if he wanted to." Silisea saw his face shift a bit ending up into a neutral expression. Thinking nothing of it, she took a moment to analyze his question and shrugged in reply. "Well Dex, that's just nonsense, it's not often I hear a flute so I thought I might as well listen in. You were actually pretty good, but yes, I do happen to be pretty new here." Her answer was pretty straight forward, except for the fact that part of her reason of being here was because he was Symenestra. "Where did you learn to play?" she asked moving the conversation along. Sei Sei kept along grazing, every now and then raising her head to look around. The horse eventually walked to a tree and slumped her body up against it. Silisea watched from the corner of her eye and a wave of relief swept over her. At least while she was making conversation with the Symenestra, Sei Sei was resting instead of making trouble or just disappearing. 'Maybe I can give my horse to...no...' she thought pitifully 'he would have as much trouble as I am with the stupid horse.' Despite her constant whining of the horse, she had a love-hate relationship. Even if Dex would say yes, it would still be hard for her. Her eyes glazed over in thought as all these worries and thoughts came to mind about her horse. She quickly focused on Dexius again making an innocent smile. Sometimes, her mind would focus in and out of this if something really bothered her or excited her. This was one of those times.

[Dexius]

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As much as he loved being able to talk to another Symenestra in Symenos Dex quickly began to realize how off it actually felt compared to speaking in common. Everyone in the city spoke common if only at a broken and basic level at the very least. He presumed very few non-Symenestra spoke in Symenos and the thought made him feel a bit out of place the same as he had when first arriving in the city.

People passed around in their daily business around the two spiders in the grass. Ever since coming to Alvadas he had slowly begun to understand the strange way of living the Alvads had. They had funny accents, never seemed to know where they were going, were never in a rush to get anywhere, and spoke in common. Over the past few seasons Dex also began adapting the local habits and in fall it was fairly common to see him wander the streets in no particular manner.

Silisea was clearly no Alvad, not that he was yet anyway, but she wore the same look on her face that he could only guess he did during his first season. Perhaps she would learn to be like everyone else, if she stayed in the city that long.

The swordsman's eyes drifted to the woman's mount as it rested under a nearby tree. He had not known many Symenestra to ride horses but then again there was not much need for them underground.

His gaze returned to the woman as she spoke to him, her words in the soft language drifted off of her tongue like rustling leaves in the wind. "Well i'm glad you enjoyed the little show, it wasn't exactly what I came out here to do today but at least you found some delight in it."

The next thing that came from the woman's mouth was something that of course gave him pause. It seemed no matter what he did she would always get brought up. Dex shook the scowl he now had off of his face and pushed to break a small smile at the woman. "An old friend taught me. Somebody from back home actually. Now, what brings you to Alvadas, Silisea? It's not exactly the easiest city to get along with so I hope you're prepared for it."

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[Silisea Nerine]

Silisea nodded and kept her bright smile. She saw his expression turn into a frown. Silisea was not the type of Symenstra to pry open people's personal lives, but, it seemed that something was definitely bothering him. Although she felt small temptation to ask and comfort him, she didn't know him well enough to do either of those things so it overpowered that whole entire desire. Her eyes sparkled in the rays of light as he asked her the question. Silisea thought about the question for about a minute or less as to how she would answer it. "I would think that you might compare me to a traveler in search for adventure, but, I'm not as passionate as one. I think of myself as a person who just wants to find answers to questions that haven't been asked and ones that have been but are mysteries to the soul and heart." Silisea replied content with her answer. "Like questions of life's importance...the harvest..." Her face darkened a little as she mentioned the harvest. Just the thought of it disgusted her. Yet, their race was dying and the harvest preserved it. At least, that was her dad's view on the matter. She couldn't tell what her's was but she knew that she was bias for her mother's side (no harvest). Silisea flipped her hair back, yet despite the effort, big strands of hair went back to their position. She smirked, wiping the darkened look she had on her face for quite a few tics. "Other than that, what are you doing outside of Kalinor? What's your reason for-" a loud snore from Sei Sei interrupted her making her swallow back a scowl. She cleared her throats repeating her question. "What's your reason for-" again another more booming snore from the horse interrupted her. "What's your reason for leaving?" She asked, this time as fast as she could managed. Silisea let out a small sigh her smile becoming less sincere. She gave a glare to the horse and chuckled a little embarrassed. "Sorry...she snores..." she apologized tapping her index finger on her leg. "The horse is mentally disabled." This was half her truth but, at least this might keep her reputation alive. She really didn't want to resuscitate it if the horse actually stole or did something to Dex. Desperate times calls for desperate measures, right? Aside from the horse, she really hoped that this Symenstra would share maybe some belief of the harvest being completely wrong. At least some big reason to rid of the small part of her that hoped the harvest was a good thing.