PM to join Out of the Wilds

[Alyvina Theldin]

(Fall, 512 AV) A cold breeze settled across the wilds, the first whispers of the changing seasons. The chill found a place in the bones of Alyvina as she curled up in her soft bed of moss. She shivered as if to expel it from her body and pulled her tattered robes more tightly around her. But this gave her no comfort, so she sighed and sat up, groping about for her satchel. She was pleased to find a handful of nuts and berries, and contented herself to make slow work of her meal as she thought to herself.
Another winter was fast approaching. She had survived them before in the wilds, sometimes near starvation when spring had again come back around. Food was always hard to come by and warm enough shelter was scarce. The forest was of no help either, for it was in it's deep slumber.
But then there was the city nearby. Alyvina didn't know which one, and it was uncommon for her to spend time among large groups of people. Indeed, the last time she spent her days with others was on the White Isles. But that was just by chance and she knew that not all were as gentle as the Konti.
Another harsh wind blew right through her and she made up her mind. She finished her food, collected her satchel and grabbed her staff.
The city, she remembered, was on her right side when she passed it. So now she walked in a straight line back the way she came. In about an hour or so, she felt the ground even out and the makings of a road beneath her feet. Not so far to her left, she could hear the gates of the city open and close. As she approached, she heard an uneasy shuffling of armor and some whispers. Then a loud voice startled her to a stop.
"Halt, woman! What is your business here?" A mans voice called out to her. She had to remember her words, not having spoken in so long.
"What city is this?" She called back.
"This is the city of Syliras. What is your buisiness here?"
"I seek refuge from the cold. Surely you have taverns here I can sleep at?" She said.
The guard murmured to his companion, then after a moment she could hear heavy footsteps approach. A guard asked to check her bag, and once he was satisfied, he called to the gatekeepers, "Clear! Let her through!"
Alyvina could hear the gates unlock and open she carefully navigated through their berth and out onto the streets. She could hear people bustling about their daily business. The noise wasn't too bad, so she took to wondering around, being careful to avoid any business stalls or groups of people.
Soon she felt tired and wondered about a place to sleep, but upon fishing around in her satchel, she found she didn't have much money.
Out in the wilds, money mattered little and what she did have she normally used to bribe thugs and slavers to leave her alone. Now she didn't know if she had enough to get her a room or food. So she contented herself to finding a nice wall and sitting against it. Alyvina didn't feel ashamed for asking for money. She touched the cloth that was secured tightly around her eyes. Sometimes people felt sorry for her condition, but she wasn't as helpless as people thought. When she heard someone pass by, she cupped her hands in front of her and asked sweetly, "Spare change?"

[Yohan]

Fall 72, 512AV

Yohan woke from his sleep cranky and tired. The bright mid-day sun hurt his eyes greatly and and instantly he wrapped his face with his wings. At least it isn't raining anymore, He muttered to himself groggily and decided to try to look around.

He dropped down into the dark alleyway from the roof he had perched on earlier that morning. Slowly navigating the alley, he soon found himself peering from the shadows out into a busy city street. He wrapped his wings around his body to imitate a cloak or ragged shirt and progressed slowly forward.

He sniffed the air about halfway through the alley. The smells varied wildly from the rich smells of bakeries and inns to horrible body odor and garbage. But one smell caught his attention the most. The smell of rich earth and wilderness. Sniffing more he soon noticed the origin of this scent. A young human girl sitting near by the entrance to the alley.

Timidly he hid in the darkness as he examined the young woman. Her braided brown hair seemed to be coming undone at the end, and her clothes were dirty. But she seemed kind and innocent. He saw her hands outstretched and as he inched closer he could make out what she was saying

"Spare change?" She was asking. Change...oh! I have change!

Yohan became very excited all at once. Despite the color of her hair, her features reminded him very much of his Konti mother. This made him both very happy and very sad at once. He moved even closer, ignoring the worried stares he was receiving from the passersby. he was only a few feet from her now, her scent was comforting but then he noticed it. The cloth around her eyes. It then became evident why she was begging. She's blind! For once, maybe just once someone wont run from my appearance.

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a single silver Miza. He placed the money gently into her palm.

"Its silver," he whispered, his voice was somewhat deep but soft all but a low grumble. He then quickly slipped back into the alley and retreated back up to his rooftop. His heart was racing, and from his vantage point he sat and watched her, that is untill he started to fall back asleep...

[Alyvina Theldin]

Alyvina gasped softly as she felt the touch of the cold coin pass into her hand. She had been hearing something next to her, a soft breathing and thought nothing of it, until it moved closer and presented the coin.
"It's silver," She heard a soft deep voice say, and she couldn't help but smile. Yet no sooner had she closed her fingers around the offering did the stranger slip away.
She frowned slightly, for she didn't get a chance to say thank you or something polite. But her chance was gone. 'And more than likely,' she thought to herself as she tucked the coin into her satchel, 'He won't remember me at all.'
The rest of the day was mostly uneventful. At some point, she figured that people were going out of their way to avoid her. Feet rushed towards her, slowed, then made a wide arch around her sitting area. She could feel stares and hear whispers being breathed about her. This did not dishearten her, though. It was not the first time, nor would it be the last.
The street started to become less noisy, merchants began to close shop and smells of evening meals wafted through the air. Alyvina wondered if she should find a tavern or curl up in the streets. As the sun's light began to fade, she made up her mind to wonder around and maybe stumble apon a noisy tavern.
Alyvina pulled herself up by her staff, her muscles aching from sitting on the cold ground all day. She felt her way along the wall and ended up roaming down the alley. When she felt the wall end into another wall, she sighed unhappily to herself. "Is this city a maze? Here I feel more helpless than the wilds."
She carefully made her way to the other side of the alley, and was again dismayed when she felt another wall in front of her.

[Talorin Ki]

Talorin slowly walked the streets of the city in search of the easiest and fastest route from his room deep in the castle to the inn where hopefully he would be put to work. He had been doing this all day. While walking he noticed a young girl begging in the streets for money. Now beggers aren't rare, but what made this different was the clothe over her eyes denoting her blindness.

After watching her for a few moments Talorin walked over to a vendor and ordered a small hunk of bread that he chewed on absent mindedly. When he returned to his spot watching the young girl he noticed a shadow of a creature press a coin into her hands. Talorin could not hear what was said, and in an instant the man was gone back into the alleyway. Talorin watched the girl look around and when It semed there was nothing there she pocketed the coin and resumed her seat.

For the next couple of hours Talorin sat across the busy street from the girl and just watched her. He has no idea why, just something about her has caught his attention. As the sun begins it's descent she stands up and completely losing her way ends up entering a dead end street. Intrigued Talorin follows at a short distance. The poor girl sighed and mumbled something about a maze.

"Ma'am may I be of assistance?" Talorin speaks for the first time, "My name is Talorin Ki and it seems you are new to the city and in need of a guide. I am more than willing to help you along your way, help you with lodging for the night, or if that should fail invite you to stay with me in my lonely room. I would love to have someone to cook for."

Talorin balances on the balls of his heels waiting for a reply.

[Alyvina Theldin]

Alyvina was about to turn the other way when an unexpected voice startled her. "Ma'am may I be of assistance? My name is Talorin Ki and it seems you are new to the city and in need of a guide. I am more than willing to help you along your way, help you with lodging for the night, or if that should fail invite you to stay with me in my lonely room. I would love to have someone to cook for."
She touched a cheek lightly when she felt it get warm, feeling embarrassed that she didn't hear him approach. Had this been the wilds, she would have been eaten without remorse. Then she composed herself, remembering she was in civilization.
Alyvina smiled then tilted her head slightly as her stomach growled. "I wouldn't want to impose on you..."
Her face fell as she recalled the last time she tried to stay at a tavern. She was cheated out of most of her money, not knowing what the coin was really worth. It wasn't until she was about to leave that she heard the tavern keeper's wife yell at him for cheating a blind girl.
She weighed her options. Most strangers were nice to her and this one seemed to have a kind heart.
"If I were to stay with you for the night, I could give you some coin," she said. Then she remembered her manners, "I'm Alyvina, by the way."

[Yohan]

As the sun began to fall, Yohan stirred again in his sleep.

"Ugh...what an awful dream," He said as he began to stand up and stretch out his arms and wings. He looked around the rooftops, watching. Then he closed his eyes. Listening. Zith have very good hearing. He heard the noises of rats in the alley next to him. Then the soft steps of a cat, hunting the rats.

Not the best...but it'll have to do.

He then jumped down, pouncing hard on the feline, breaking its neck. But before he could begin skinning it to eat, he heard a sigh. It sounded close. He looked around himself but saw nothing. Curious as he was he flew up high into the air to have a look around.

And there, in the next alley was the girl from earlier that day. It all rushed back to him. The smell, the coin, her soft, kind voice. Yohan alighted on a rooftop looking down at her. As a man turned a corner into the alley he hid however. Yohan watched this man keenly. He took in everything. Especially the dagger. It wasnt untill the man spoke that he let his guard down.

"Ma'am may I be of assistance?" he said. Well he sounds kind enough The more he spoke, the more Yohan felt that there was no need to be alarmed. But for some reason he felt very protective of the blind girl below him. Whether it was her beauty that allured him or the simple hope of acceptance he didn't know, and currently he didn't care. All he new was that somehow, he had to talk to her.

He could hear her heart begin to flutter. He paced the rooftop, contemplating how he would intoduce himself. Taking in the reaction of her heartbeat from the other man he decided a polite introduction was in order. Perhaps, 'Hello, my name is Yohan, i gave you some money earlier today.' No no no...Then she would think I was just trying to get some recongition. Wait..am I? Oh my..

Through his mental blabbering he over heard her accept the other man, Talorin was it? In shock he moved back closer to the ledge, where he promptly slipped. Unable to get enough air under his wings he tumbled into the alley between the two with a loud grunt.

[Talorin Ki]

Talorin was just saying, "there is no need for any coin, my mama taught me that it is only right to help ....." when there was a loud thump, a groan, and a dark mass had fallen from the sky between him and the blind girl. Talorin jumps back and pulls out his little dagger, shaking visibly he tries to figure out what happened, when he realizes the thing was a person and may have hurt themselves.

"Are you ok, where did you come from?" Talorin puts the dagger away and moves forward to help the person stand, "Move slowly, don't make any sudden movements, don't want you to.....Um"

Talorin had just put his hand under the dark strangers arm preparing to help lift him to his feet when he saw the wings.

"WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are those wings, Are they real, Can you fly?" Talorin babbled quickly. "I've never seen a man with wings before."

Talorin took an invloluntary step back to watch as the dark stranger stands.

[Alyvina Theldin]

Alyvina jumped as she heard the thud in front of her. There was a groan then she heard Talorin say, "Are you ok, where did you come from? Move slowly, don't make any sudden movements, don't want you to.....Um"

Did someone fall? Are they okay? Talorin said something about wings, but she dismissed it. She leaned against her staff, calm but ready to take action.

There was an obvious tension there, Alyvina could feel it, but she knew she was in no immediate danger. She could hear the new stranger stand and Talorin grew quiet.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly. "Are you hurt or have any broken bones?"

[Yohan]

He groaned again as he stood, shaking himself a little. Yohan was honestly quite surprised by the young mans reaction. This man helped me? Looking quite baffled he looked back and forth from the excited man and curious woman.

His gaze ended on the girl. "No ma'am Im quite alright. It would take a lot more than that to hurt me." Then he looked to the man. Jokingly he said to him, "Well, apparently I can't fly too well.." He smiled, and dusted himself off. "And honestly... except for myself Ive never seen a man with wings either...

[Talorin Ki]

Talorin laughed, "You mean your an orphan also? That's sad, so am I"

Talorin looked downcast a tear in his eye, it had not been that long that his loving mother passed.

"Well, no reason to sulk about something you can't do anything about"

"Ok, well if your ok, me and this lady, wait what was your name, and what is yours?" Talorin said looking at both.

Without waiting for a reply, "We were heading to my home for some supper and a place where this lady can rest comfortably. Would you like to join us I can make a delicious stew?"

Talorin walks up to the blind girl and puts his arm on hers in an attempt to lead her in the right direction.