[Open Topic] Getting Acquainted

[Conor]

65, Winter of 509 AV

Waves of commoners flooded through the alleys of Sylira. They shouted and cursed and most of them had never heard of the concept of a bath. Several scents and sounds assaulted Conor's senses. He felt uncomfortable inside the stone walls of Sylira, yet he liked the city nonetheless. By merely walking around he could learn several things, picking up interesting information everywhere. Most of that info was futile, or he didn't grasp the context, but it still added to Sylira's charm. Conor strolled around, not sure what to do next. He had ran off, leaving his father and escort behind him, to avoid becoming a squire. He wasn't knight material, he didn't want to take orders or patrol the streets. Al lhe wanted to do was to travel the world and learn of its inhabitants. One of his dreams was to learn how to read, and to buy books. But that was something he would commit himself to after he had finished his travels. Right now, he wanted to see the city, maybe earn some money, or whatever. What wanted to learn about the various habits here, and about the special buildings in Sylira - even though he had the gut to do it - he didn't want to harass a citizen until he had received a full guided tour.

Instead, he just wandered around, aimlessly. He gazed at the buildings, caressing the stones with his hands, and he tried to find interesting places. He passed a park, and wandered through it. It was absolutely stunning. Paved roads and cobble stones lead through the park, with carefully planted bushes and trees in several patterns. Although it missed something exotic or something wild, there was no question about it that it was beautiful. He left the park, and continued his walk through the various streets of Sylira. A caravan of carts blocked his way; there was no one who could get the oxes to move. "Stupid mules" the man cried out. A few others were already complaining, and Conor couldn't help but laugh. Damn, these Sylirans did get mad easily. The man next to him gave him an angry stare; "What are you laughing about, I' m supposed to be home by now, if it wasn't for this stupid oaf blocking my damn way!" His tirade went on and on, and Conor kept chuckling. So they had nerve to, one did not easily laugh with an armed person. Or perhaps the man felt so confident because he was inside a heavily guarded city?

"Shove off," Conor barked. The man almost lost it, but then he saw how Conor was about to hit him. The Syliran suddenly disappeared in the mass, taking a different route. Problem solved, Conor grinned. A few commoners around him left as well, with great haste they went away. The ox float was still cursing and he hit his mules with his cane. It made absolutely no difference. Conor decided to follow his own advice, and he turned around, although he took a different route then the one he came from. Then, all of a sudden, he bumped into someone...

[Laeraix Cerys]

65 Winter of 509 AV
Laeraix walked down the street and perused the outside of all the medicinal shops. She began to turn the corner into an alley to cut across the street when yet another human bumped into her. Somehow these Sylirans’ didn’t understand the concept of personal space. It was one of the huge drawbacks of the city, as she saw it. The stench of the city was the hardest part for Laeraix to get used to. Herbs, animals, people, perfume… all of it flooded her senses and left her dazed. The wilds were so much calmer, and the scents rarely changed. How she wished to smell nothing but the clean air of the sky and the grass. She looked at the boy who had ran into her. His clothes were of decent make and he seemed to be just as enamored with Syliras as she.
She grabbed her quarter staff out of instinct and glared at him. She twirled the worn wood between her fingers in a simple pattern and spoke
“You don’t look like you’re from around here.”

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

Conor recoiled after he hammered into another person. She had a very peculiar appearance, her face had something exotic and appealing, embellished with all those tattoo’s. And Conor just happened to have a penchant for those himself. The tone she used when she addressed him was less of an alluring feature. “You don’t look like you’re from around here,” she stated. Perhaps it wasn’t the tone that seemed somewhat insulting, but the twirling wood between her fingers. She looked like she was ready to hit him, just for bumping into her. If she would confront him, she would get more than she bargained for; even though she looked like she could handle herself with that piece of wood, it was no match for an armoured warrior with a longsword.

At first, Conor was tempted to reply in a similar fashion, by drawing his sword and using his sharp tongue. He managed to control himself however, there was just something about this girl - was she handsome or not, Conor hadn’t really made up his mind about that – she had an exotic aura about her, and she seemed like an interesting person. And wasn’t expanding his horizons one of Conor’s goals? Instead of reacting like an arrogant youngster, he said, after he finally made up his mind in a few brief seconds; “You’re right, I’m not a local.” Now that he had answered her question, he mused whether or not he was obligated to apologise. Yes, he had bashed into her, but she was the one twirling around a quarterstaff. He settled on apologising anyway, to win her favour. “I’m sorry for the collision, but those damn commoners here drive me mad. Too much shouting and similar noise here,” he added.

He smiled and bowed his head for a brief second. Now that he was acting all polite anyway, he might as well stay coherent. Picking his words carefully, he tried to ask her about the quarterstaff. He felt uncomfortable around it, like she about to assault him any second now. And all he wanted to do was just have a simple conversation. “Excuse me, miss, but... could you please refrain from coiling your staff around? It really irritates me.” He tried to make it sound polite, but somewhere along the sentence, he lost his flair, and he ended it quite blunt. But he was not about to apologise, she was the one threatening her with half a tree after all.

[Laeraix Cerys]

After Laeraix brushed her tunic off she looked closer at the young man. He wore a black shirt and black trousers. She wondered if he was a thief. His eyes were a stunning hue of green that reminded her of the long flowing plants she had loved in the wilds. She had never seen anything like them and they were quite beautiful. His deep black hair contrasted his light skin and green eyes. His tattoo’s were exquisite and were obviously inked by a master tattoo artist. A red dragon snaked around his left eye. It was a telling feature, and a wonderful pick to accent his features. She smiled. Anyone with tattoos couldn’t be too bad.

“You’re right, I’m not a local”

She tried to judge where he had came from, but as she hadn’t been outside of Syliras, she couldn’t quite tell. Laeraix noticed his sword. She hadn’t noticed it before but it made her wary now. He had calluses on his hands, and she didn’t doubt for an instant that he could use the blade well. He carried himself assuredly and Laeraix reminded herself that she couldn’t be too violent here, she might just meet her match.

“I’m sorry for the collision, but those damn commoners here drive me mad. Too much shouting and similar noise here,”

She nodded and replied
“I hate them as well. They smell, they yell, and they’re arrogant. Someone needs to teach them a lesson they won’t forget. They need to stay out of our way.

She waited for a moment and then noticed that he was glaring at her staff, as if it was a viper, poised to bite.
“Excuse me, miss, but... could you please refrain from coiling your staff around? It really irritates me.”
She glanced down at her staff and stopped twisting it around. She hoped that he wouldn’t notice she was nervous.
“I’m sorry, it’s a habit. Anyways, what’s your name?”

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

So she wasn’t a local either, well that figured. She really stood out in the masses that occupied the streets. Yes, she stood out in a good way. She wasn’t that bad at all, Conor figured. She despised commoners – albeit a bit more then Conor did, and she hated the smell of Syliras. Perhaps she had experienced some rather bad things in cities or perhaps she was more of a wild and unchained type. Either way, Conor was dying to find out; in all his years in Taldera, he had never met someone as intriguing as her, maybe she was a kindred spirit? She could easily pass as an adventurer, after all she was capable of protecting her – with a piece of wood! If she was an adventurer, Conor could really use some advice. All of those factors added to her incomprehensive aura that lured to Conor.

And when she stopped spiralling around her cane, Conor couldn’t help but smile. Out of all the people here in Syliras, he bumped into this captivating lady, how lucky was he? “What’s your name?” she asked. Conor grinned. He wondered if it was wise to give her his real name... Giving his real name could result in a clue for his father, and every clue that pointed his father in his son’s direction was too much. But then again, the chance that the both of them met was very small. “Call me Gray,” said. He had settled on his nickname, which he preferred over his real name. “I’m from Taldera,” he added. He didn’t know why, but it seemed like the proper thing to do.

When Conor noticed that the girl was nervous, he tried to make her feel more comfortable. He removed his hand from the pommel of his sword – he hadn’t even noticed it was there until now – and he smiled at her. “So what’s your name?” he asked. In his mind he tried to guess it, like it was a riddle. Perhaps she was an Arianna? That was suitable name for her. Or maybe she had a nobler name, like Elyse? No, it would be a name suitable for such a woman, exotic and unpronounceable , like the aura that seemed to surround her.

[Laeraix Cerys]

65 Winter of 509 AV
She was surprised that he had such a calm demeanor, it was inviting and relaxed, quite unlike that of most of the swordsmen she had seen. Laeraix didn’t know what she had expected of him, but surely this wasn’t it. She expected him to be like his sword: sharp, pointed and direct. He was calm here in Syliras, much more so than she, and she was intrigued by him. Firstly, he had tattoo’s and they both had a mutual hatred of the improper Syliran’s. She wondered about his life before here. Was he a mercenary? A thief? Maybe she was over doing it, maybe he was just like her, a simple adventurer, wandering in a massive city that seemed to have no end. She chuckled inwardly at the predicament she had landed herself in. Only in Syliras would she meet a random stranger and find herself talking to him in the middle of a dusty cobblestone street.
“Call me Gray,” he said
She nodded. Gray. It wasn’t a common name, but it seemed to suit him just fine. She found that it was easy to converse with him. He didn’t try to mix things up with scholarly words, as many of the merchants did. Nor did he try to test her patience, as the Syliran gate guards loved to do. She doubted that Gray’s story was as simple as their conversation, but time would tell as to whether she learned more about him.
“I’m from Taldera,” he added
She smiled. She had never been to Taldera, but she had heard a few stories in her travels. It was a lively place, full of many vibrant people. When Gray removed his hand from the hilt of his sword she relaxed. She tried to push her paranoid thoughts away. Maybe he was a Syliran knight, trying to find out who she really was. No, that couldn’t be true, the Syliran knights had better things to do, or so they proclaimed. She was one of many people now, and she attracted no more attention than most.
“I am Laeraix, but some people call me Rai,” she smiled and then added “I came from the wilds, on the Syliran and Cyphrus borders.”
Was that too much to tell someone? She really did need to learn more about these cities before she went about telling everyone everything.
“So, Gray, why are you here?”

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

He had guessed right; her name was as exotic as her persona. Rai, it was a strange name, yet is seemed so dynamic, a name suitable for an explorer or a mercenary. Something short but powerful that would be remembered. “I came from the wilds, on the Syliran and Cyphrus borders,” she said. How lucky could he be, Conor pondered. The next stage of his journey would revolve around those lush fields and rolling hills, and then, he would cross the Cyphrus border. Compared to the city, the wildlife seemed more relaxed but tricky. Behind every tree, a brigand could be waiting, ready to kill the next traveller. But that was part of the charm of the wildlands, you could experience the most unbelievable adventures over there, in those mysterious meadows.

“So, Gray, why are you here?” The words sounded like music in his ears. If he could only explain why he was here... telling her about his control freak dad could be dangerous if his father would ever meet her. Telling her about his travels would make him seem like a pariah – or maybe not, she probably was a traveller as well. He settled on telling her most of the truth, covering the details up with some minor lies. “Oh, I’m a traveller,” he started. “I’d like to see every region in the known world, so that’s why I’m here.” He smiled. So far, his journey hadn’t disappointed him, and although he had suffered from some minor nostalgia he was eager to continue. If every woman he would met would be as attractive and intriguing as her, he would soon be oblivious to his nostalgia.

So now it was his turn to ask her a question. Perhaps he could ask the same one? Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what she was doing so far away from her native lands. It didn’t seem like she had a true reason to leave, apart from wanderlust, like Conor now had. “So why did you leave the wilds?” he asked. And only a few moments later did he add: “Isn’t this city overwhelming for people hailing from the wilds? I come from a large village, but the noise and the smells are almost driving me mad!” He smiled invitingly to her. She seemed to be more relaxed then before now, and Conor was getting more and more hassle-free as the conversation continued.

[Laeraix Cerys]

Gray answered her question simply,
“I’d like to see every region in the known world, so that’s why I’m here.”
Laeraix smiled. It was a simple statement, but traveling all of Mizahar would be a dangerous task for even the most seasoned of travelers. Was he prepared? She didn’t know how much people from Taldera knew of the wilds, but it would be a shame for him to go into any of the wilds unprepared. She quickly ran through a list of the dangers she had encountered in the wild, and she didn’t like Gray’s odds. Inwardly, she cursed. She knew little to nothing about Gray, and she was already assuming that he was as inept as most of the Syliran’s, though he had already proved that he was not.
Gray seemed quite relaxed and his calm demeanor let Laeraix relax a little as well. The bustle of the street faded away as she focused on the first person that was normal here. His smile was quite endearing and added to his charismatic nature.
“So why did you leave the wilds?” he asked.
Before she could explain he added a side note of his own,
“Isn’t this city overwhelming for people hailing from the wilds? I come from a large village, but the noise and the smells are almost driving me mad!”
She truly did hate the smells and noise of Syliras. Certain smells, such as fresh baked bread from the town’s bakery enthralled her, but others, such as the smell of barely masked stable waste annoyed her to no end. Laeraix could wear a scarf and block most of the smells, but the noise was not so easily drowned out.
“I really do hate it, but Syliras does has many wonderful things, and I just had to explore. The wilds are amazing, but when they’re all you know, you want to broaden your horizons.”
She wondered if he would let her travel with him. No… she shouldn’t focus on that. She barely knew him. She smiled and asked,
“So, Gray, where are you headed next?”

[Conor]

65 Winter of 509 AV

Apparently, she had little affection for the “charms” of Syliras… It only made Conor like her even more. And when she announced that she was a traveler as well, Conor couldn’t help but think; she’s almost the perfect conversation partner. She agreed with him on all topics, and she was a good listener as well. He wondered whether she was also a good drinking partner; Conor was getting thirsty and a glass of gin would be priceless. “So, Gray, where are you headed next?” she asked. Conor wasn’t even sure of that. He would probably advance to the Cyphrus border, and then he would cross it and head to Riverfall. But Conor didn’t know whether it was wise to share his destination.

He didn’t fully trust her yet – how could he, he had only just met her – and although he liked her, she wasn’t a true friend yet. In his head, he tried to sum up all positive and negative aspects of telling her. Perhaps she wanted to travel with him for a while? Or perhaps she simply wanted to know it out of curiosity. But what if she was going to use the information for appalling purposes? Perhaps she was a lackey of his father, or just another pawn in his hand. No, she seemed genuinely enough, and besides, how would the two have met? It was clear that she wasn’t a Talderan. What if she was working for some marauders, who wanted to lure him in a trap? No, then she would have been more seductive. Woman of her beauty usually used their natural gifts to the full extent if they wanted to fool a man.

She didn’t seem to be one of those grand puppeteers; there was something about her, almost as incomprehensible as her exotic aura that made her look honest. What the hack, Conor thought, there was no way that she could use that info for evil. “I’m heading towards Cyphrus,” he started. But I’m staying here for a while, I want to get a closer look of the castle first.” He smiled. “I would like to ask you the same, but first I’d like to buy you a drink... Shall we head for a warm destination? Let’s say, the inn perhaps?” A nasty cold wind was cutting through the alley, and although Conor was accustomed to worse, he was getting thirsty. Really thirsty...

[Laeraix Cerys]

OOC: Conor, I am mega busy with some schoolwork at the moment, so if my posts are short, I’m sorry!

Laeraix stared at Gray for a second. He seemed to be fighting an inward battle of some sort. She wondered if he trusted her, and she highly doubted he did. He would be a fool for trusting her, or anyone in this city. Cities were much less honest than the wilds. They had shadows that hid more than thieves, and politics that could turn the geography of a city around in an instant. She didn’t trust him yet either, but she did feel safe around him, and that was a start.
“I’m headed toward Cyphrus” he said
She smiled. That area was one she knew well, and she thought Gray could handle himself there. The sea of grass was a wonder to behold; no matter how many times one had seen it. How many times had she gotten lost in the endless plains? When Conor mentioned the option of getting a drink she jumped at the opportunity.
“Of course, I’d love to.”
The cold air was more than she could take, and the noise seemed to be getting louder, if that was even possible. Syliras was beautiful, but she wanted to leave now, and go somewhere else, if only for awhile. The wilds were in her blood, and they called to here in a way that she couldn’t explain to anyone, not even Avari. She wondered if Gray would accept her Kelvic nature. Only time would tell.