The Stars' Lament [Hadrian]

[Seven Xu]

"Oh, me." Seven tilted his head, eyes finally floating up to meet Hadrian's. His blood was not something he discussed often, even if it dominated his thoughts most of the time. "My mother is of mixed blood, Symenestra and Human. My father is Human. So, it's hard for me to tell. Less than half, I suppose." He smiled sardonically then rolled his eyes, "Enough that it was a bad thing." Seven wasn't sure what it was about Hadrian that made him want to open up. Perhaps it was merely the fact that the hydromancer could find out exactly what he wanted even if Seven didn't say it aloud. Maybe it was that they shared something in common Seven was unable to admit, sometimes even to himself.

"I find it hard to connect to people as well." Seven admitted, sipping his tea. "To tell you the truth, most of my friends I have met by chance. I find it difficult to reach out to people on my own, I mean ... people can be terrifying. Not to say that you are terrifying," Seven blurted, pink rising in his face. "You aren't. Not at all. I suppose if I thought that I would not have invited you over, right?" The blush darkened and Seven's brow wrinkled. You're being an idiot. The albino leered into his tea cup, now half-full, and forced a diplomatic smile. Change the subject.

"I told Ken this already, but, I wish you the best of luck on your travels. I envy that you are both so worldly. Education is something I myself cannot seem to get enough of, and it is something that goes largely underestimated in this world." Seven relaxed again, leaning back in his chair. "I am glad whenever I meet someone that shares that passion to learn new things."

[Hadrian]

Hadrian nodded, surprised at how easy it was to get that out of Seven. Earlier that season, he had poured all his minimal hypnotic power into his flute playing and had beguiled young Devlin out of his thoughts and feelings. Emboldened by that, Hadrian was eager to try it again; not to hurt a person or take what wasn't his, but the mere exercise of djed excited him. It seemed like he wouldn't even need it with Seven. Strange. "I don't think it's a bad thing," he said. "And Syliras is fairly cosmopolitan. You might get the odd stare, but so long as people don't cause trouble, the Knights allow them to live peaceably here. Even Zith and full Symenestra. You shouldn't have too much to worry about. And I don't think I'm terrifying either, even with the magic. But tell that to some people... Everyone's afraid, I think. Of something or someone." He let Seven change the subject, following him to the subject of his upcoming travels. "You could come with us if you like," he offered, sort of on a whim. "But Ravok might be less accepting of you. You might have to pose as my slave. Or Kendall's slave. They are rather human-centric. It'll be dangerous, but hopefully... educational."

[Seven Xu]

"I have enjoyed myself here so far. Syliras makes me feel insignificant. I mean that in a good way." Seven grinned as he finished his tea with a decidedly content nod. "Lhavit has something akin to your Syliran Knights; they are called the Shinya. They are incredibly well respected, but different than Knights. It is hard to explain ... they are Zintila's guardians and uphold the values of the Star Lady and her city." Seven seemed content with that description and smiled, nodding again. The mention of full Symenestra living happily in Syliras piqued Seven's interest, and before Hadrian and he parted ways he made a mental note to ask the man if he had seen other Symenestra in the city.

The opportunity to map more of the world would have made Seven's heart leap out of his chest had he not had a reason to be where he was. Instead, it sank in self-depreciation. "I cannot leave Syliras until I find her," Seven exhaled in a despondent sigh. "My mother, that is. I came so far to see her, I could not bear to leave this city until I know she is either here, or not. I appreciate your offer though, it would be an experience of a lifetime and I certainly would not turn you down if my circumstances were different." The half-blood clicked his tongue and stared complacently at the lantern on the table for a few seconds before something Hadrian had said caught his attention again. He hesitated, then tapped his mixed nails against the wooden table.

"Is Ken's full name Kendall? That is an interesting name, I like it."

[Hadrian]

"I do want to see Lhavit someday," he said, and his mind turned briefly to ideas that he had written down somewhere, ideas that he could only share with a deity. "I'm curious to meet deities such as Zintila, though Nyka sounds a bit too dangerous even for a risk taker like me." His smile was somewhat self-deprecating. He was occasionally a risk taker in the pursuit of knowledge, but he wasn't exactly a bloodthirsty berserker. "Your mother," he acknowledged, looking down into his tea and taking a sip so Seven wouldn't feel his eyes upon him. "That's who I saw." He was quiet for a moment, savoring the tea. "What is her name?" he asked diffidently. "Perhaps I know her, or someone who might know her. I grew up here, you know. And yes, Kendall is his name. I suppose he just goes by Ken nowadays."

[Seven Xu]

"Her name?" Seven's eyes grew wide as he repeated the question. It certainly was a good one, something he would love to know the answer to as well. Any thoughts of the blond lush with the feminine name evaporated. "I ... do not know her name." An exasperated sigh and a finger slipped into the china cup to press a black nail against the mess of liquid and rosemary leaf residue that remained in the bottom. "My father would never tell me anything about her."

Mention of his father came with venom on his tongue and Seven resisted the urge to delve deeper into the subject. He covered the resentment with a thin smile and a genuine sparkle in his eyes as he spoke of Lhavit's patron goddess. "Zintila is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I never met her personally, but she attended our festivals. I respect that she is such an active part of Lhavit." A head tilt as he lifted his leaf-stained finger from his cup to examine it. His nails were getting a bit long again. Seven dreaded filing them, it was always a long and somewhat painful ordeal. But, it was better than having two useless claws on one hand. "If you do ever make it to Lhavit, I highly recommend sticking around for the midsummer festival, if you can. It was a personal favorite." A pause, then the smile grew. "Actually, any season's festival is impressive. I suppose I just prefer the warmer months."

Then, a slightly off-topic question bubbled up in Seven's mind and he felt the need to blurt it out before Hadrian could comment on Lhavitian festivals. "Does it get very warm here in the summer?" A trivial concern, but a valid one nonetheless. Already Syliras seemed quite warm for spring, and coming from a mountain city, he dreaded the humidity and heat to follow in the upcoming season.

[Hadrian]

"Ah," was all he said to that, sipping his tea. Had he the resources, he might make a blood-compass for Seven. With tinkering, he could alter the design from the prototype he had created for his thesis project for the fisherman Hrair in Zeltiva. It would be necessary to direct it toward his maternal line or else it might very well lead him back to his father. Or perhaps he could make the bauble intelligent enough and sensitive enough to let the bearer's thoughts indicate which bloodline to trace. But he let those thoughts die down for the nonce. If he found himself in Kalinor, perhaps those experts in hematology might help him direct his experimentation. The knights would likely not finance his work for the sake of one strange lad in search of his mother. He didn't mean to be dismissive, but Seven himself didn't seem to want to talk about it and Hadrian wouldn't push. The enchanter was uncomfortable with emotions in any case, and wouldn't know what to do if Seven became despondent or, worse, cried. "It gets warm," he said. "Not so warm as Eyktol or Falyndar, I'm sure, but the sun comes out and stays out for the most part. Do you dislike the heat?"

[Seven Xu]

"It bothers me," Seven admitted with a thin smile tugging at his lips. It was obvious that he certainly wasn't going to cry and whatever hint of bitterness he had from speaking of his father had melted away when his thoughts were distracted by Zintila. Zintila, the only woman Seven would likely ever bring himself to love without the relation of blood being involved. "Not to say Syliras will bother me," A fear he was being a terrible patron in the enchanter's city caused his irises the flare and the need for an immediate explanation arose. "I am just used to night life. I grew up sleeping during the day and playing at night, as is normal where I am from. That, combined with living at such a high altitude I suppose I just dread burning to a crisp in the summer sun."

The smile evolved into a grin and he held out one ghastly pale arm as if to illustrate his point. "I am glad most of Syliras is inside this vast citadel. Which is beautiful, by the way. Unlike anything I have ever seen." An appreciative nod, then Seven leaned forward to wrap his fingers around the kettle. A sign of offering to Hadrian, but also a question on his intentions. It was getting late, after all, and Seven had forced down a yawn or two to hide his drowsiness. A true artist of the hosting craft, Seven would stay awake all night if his guest wished to remain. "Would you like some more tea?"

[Hadrian]

"I'll see it one day, Lhavit," he said, paraphrasing his previous statement, but he didn't really have anything else to say on the topic. He had a pitch for the Queen of Heaven, but he couldn't think of another way to reach her save by traveling to her earthly domain. He chuckled at Seven's attempts to placate him, not that he had really been ruffled. Syliras was Syliras, good and bad. Lhavit would be Lhavit, good and bad. He saw no reason to take exception to someone honestly criticizing or praising any place. "Parts of Syliras are beautiful," he allowed. "You should see the pre-Valterrian buildings in Zeltiva if you like architecture. And yes, please. More tea would be nice. Do I... unnerve you?" The question came rather out of nowhere unless one was used to the strange nature of his conversational habits.

[Seven Xu]

"I would love to see Zeltiva. I have heard of the university there." Seven leaned over to re-fill Hadrian's porcelain vessel with steaming rosemary tea. Hadrian's last question seemed to come out of nowhere. It caught Seven off-guard and he paused for a moment to stare hard at the enchanter. "No." A curt response left him before the impact was softened by a sincere smile and a quick head shake. The smile faded as quickly as it came, replaced by a look of concern as his brows knitted together. His eyes fixated on the kettle as he carefully poured himself a second helping of tea before setting it back down on the tabletop.

"Do I give you the impression that you unnerve me? If I do, I apologize." Seven's nails tapped against his own mug. "It wasn't my intention." If anything, Seven revered the enchanter. The impressive display at the fountain, the way Hadrian seemed to have the ability to look right through him, even the difference in physique - though thin, Hadrian towered over the silver-haired teen. It would all be a bit daunting if not for Kendall's loose lips to soften Hadrian's image.

In fact, the sudden assumption that the inquiry brought on had rattled Seven more than anything. "My apologies." His scarlet gaze stared hard into the wood that separated them, at his books, and the glowing lantern. Air escaped from between his pale lips in a worried sigh, then, a hint of defeat muddied his words. "I suppose I've lost my touch when it comes to being a good host."

[Hadrian]

"No. No, I'm just not very good at being social. Sometimes I worry that I'm giving off the wrong impression... and misread those of others. I didn't have many friends in Zeltiva because of this... but it is beautiful there. The University is wonderful. One can learn almost anything there. You should consider going someday. I'm sure you'll make friends faster than I did." He considered the strange young man. Well, everyone was strange to Hadrian. His eyes unfocused for just a moment as they realigned to take in the Auristic spectrum as well as the normal visual spectrum, trying to figure out from what he saw why it felt like he was missing something or Seven was holding something back. Perhaps that was inevitable. "What did you and Kendall... er, Ken... talk about? If you don't mind me asking."