Closed Let me tell you a story. [Cirrus]

[Aerdoria]

18th of Spring, 513 AV Early in the morning. Zeltiva. Early in the morning, on the 18th of Spring, on a sunny, bright day, the Zeltivan market already having a full plate as it is, would be swarming with people. The sun's rays making their way downwards, shining onto the Zeltivan streets ever so peacefully, it's composed, gleaming rays almost emitting tranquility to the inhabitants and visitors alike. As many wake to the sun, many are already up in the market, haggling with the merchants in order to lower the prices for a bit and get a fair bargain this amazing morning. As the streets gyrate with people, a smile is set on Aerdoria's face. She's extremely happy, because she's one of those people who just love the morning sun, and would not wait for it just to be grumpy or in a bad mood, as instead - she'd be overjoyed to see the sun rise, as a sign of an almost new life, and hope for eternity. Though the market would be crowded, this is not where Aerdoria would actually be located. Instead, she'd a bit away from the market, observing all the action going on - leaned against a wall as she'd be examining all this. Of course, this is all just accompanied with her humming a soothing, but upbeat little tune that would force a smile and a positive attitude on even the darkest individuals. As the sun shines onto her dark, leather armour - Aerdoria can't help but smile, squinting her eyes due to the sun. As much as she loves and cherishes it, she can't quite help this. As the traffic at the market would constantly be helixing, Aerdoria would cast her gaze into the distance, clearly in deep thought - her steel gauntlets fitting just right onto her hands, along with the crossbow brace that she has herself equipped with. Exculpating herself, she'd release a semi-loud yawn, covering her mouth with the back of her right hand as she'd do so. "Aaaawh.." - she only mutters whilst yawning, stretching just right after. Occassionally, a few people would pass and give her a weird look, but being a positive person she is - Aerdoria would just shrug it off and carry on with being lazy - waiting for someone who has never heard of her made up adventures in which she defeats a vast variety of creatures that don't even exist. Her imagination runs wildly as she picks up a few new faces at the market, all with a wide smile, dreaming of adventures she has yet experience, and people to meet. The busy, vivid and animated streets keep Aerdoria occupied, as she enjoys observing people early in the morning, examining their facial expressions. Even though most are not grumpy, a few odd-bodds would always be found in the crowd, with unsure, forced smiles on their faces in order to look polite in front of other citizens. Eventually, all the continous, boring standing would force Aerdoria to sit down onto the ground, and examine the market from there. She breathes in the fresh air, closing her eyes before leaning her head against the wall, with her head tilted up towards the sky. "Life is beautiful." she mutters aloud before cracking her light blue eyes open to examine the world as she knows it, smiling - knowing how everything is in order this morning, and knowing how it's time to think of new, fun adventures - or perhaps trying to find someone worthy enough to join her in her little illusion, in her own perfect world in which she's a widely renown adventurer, the slayer of beasts and an amazing person. But as that's a far-away dream, Aerdoria has quite a lot to learn and do before even setting the first step on the journey of several thousand steps. As most know, Aerdoria is always sticking around in public places, waiting for someone to talk to her so she can tell a story or two, and get a compliment jabbed in towards her, just so she knows how she should have some faith in her crazy dream of becoming a glorious adventurer to journey over the lands. As she's stuck in her train of thoughts, people would be rolling through the market, and an eventual price raise would be heard from the background. She, however, wouldn't mind it in the slightest, up until the part where the sun's beams slam directly against her eyelids. "Awwh, right now?!" she'd only mutter before slowly hauling herself up into a standing position, turning her head away so the sun doesn't get into her eyes. Standing there, leaning against a wall and observing the crowd. A wonderful way to start a new, beautiful day.

[Cirrus]

Cirrus Cirrus leaned out from the street corner in which he crouched, his face a mask of menace, the children sat on the street floor staring at him in mock-mortal terror as they tried to contain their laughter. "The snake whooshed out from under the trees! A snake with wings! A Balicani! Rearing up as big as a house, it roared its displeasure for the world to hear and looked down on our brave hero, saying 'Speak, Ossis, for I would hear your last words!" "How does it know his name?" a somewhat petulant voice rang out from the back "It's magical. It knows everyone's name. It knows YOUR NAME!" Cirrus roared, and the whole crowd squealed and giggled. "And if you don't let me tell your story it'll come and get you when you sleep!" "Okay," the voice grumbled with a tone that suggested the folding of arms and pouting of lips. Cirrus chuckled, and continued. "Ossis saw the creature and was afraid - its great angry jaws and sharp horns thrashing with its arms to reach him. But Ossis had a trick. The wizard he'd met on the road had given him three things - a cloak, stone and sword. Now he drew out the first thing - the stone." "But why the stone?!" several voices protested at once. "Why not the sword?!" called a boy at the front, and leapt to his feet, making hacking motions in the air. "I bet it could cut right through the thing! Cut it in half! Rend it in twain!" "Someone's learned a few new words. Would you like to tell the story?" Cirrus asked, friendlily. The boy blushed, and, fuming, sat back down. "Now, where was I-" "The stone! The stone!" "Ah, yes, the stone. Ossis LEAPT at the beast, and grabbed onto his sinuous body as hard as he could while the creature lashed and screamed. 'Let go of me, man-thing!' it called. 'You only slow your doom!' Ossis said nothing. Slowly, he began pulling himself up the snake like you would climb a tree or a pillar. The thrashing nearly threw him off, and when he reached the top he hung by a single finger. Just one!" Cirrus held his pinky up high to emphasise. "But he still had the stone. And into the creature's mouth he tossed it, and down it went, and the creature squealed like a pig. 'Curse you, man-scum!' it cried, and fell dead, Ossis standing triumphantly atop it." The children cheered, which Cirrus never got tired of. "Now come back tomorrow and I'll tell you what happened next." "Awwww!" went the chorus. "Now, don't complain. I'd charge you for this if I weren't nicer. Shoo!" and they scattered. Cirrus stood up and stretched, and picked up his lyre's case where it lay. Looking around, he started walking away, wondering if he'd ever meet an adult interested in stories. They seemed to be the domain of children. He was about to leave the street when he walked past a girl who was watching him as intently as he was suddenly watching her. Now that, that is a storyteller. Watching their surroundings for details. He smoothly fell in and leaned against the wall next to her. "Good day, and a good one it is. My name is Cirrus the Wanderer, and I'd be honoured to know yours."

[Aerdoria]

Aerdoria's only actual response, temporarily would be a smile. She would blush almost immediately, shyly looking up at him. She gives him a slow, slight nod before speaking, her voice so sweet, evoking a certain amount of tranquil, a slight stutter there as well. She slowly grinds her steel, teethed gauntlets against each other as she speaks. "My na-..name is Aerdoria." she responds as her steel gauntlets lock their teeth, and then shrill against each other as she moves her left forearm up a little. With an easeful smile, she stops her actions, moving her left hand downwards, allowing her arm to hang by her side. She now holds her right, gauntlet-clad hand out to him, her palm open. It's evident she's offering a handshake. However, she looks into his eyes, her cheeks still red. A slight draft of wind rolls by, strong enough to sweep her hair to the side a little, it getting into her face, just the moment she offers the handshake. Before he's even able to accept it, she blushes intensively, placing her right hand onto her face, pushing her hair out of it. "Stupid!" she says as she struggles with getting her hair out of her face, now using both her hands - it looks quite stupid, but also quite adorable for an adult to be struggling with such a minor issue. Her abstract movements would capture quite a few looks from the city, before she'd finally stop, giving up with the wind blowing her hair into her face. "Okay.. hello." she says, awkwardly gulping before turning her head about, making it even more awkward. As she turns to the direction of the wind, she grimaces, closing her eyes. "Eep!" she yelps before turning her head back to him, brushing her hair out of her face - but this time with ease. She straightens her posture to look more serious, but her childish smirk doesn't quite allow this to happen. However, she would also extend her right hand, to offer another handshake, hoping not to fail as much as she did with the last one. She first slowly, and quite carefully shakes her head, making sure to face away from the direction of the wind. With the friendly-mannered handshake offered, she speaks up once more, with a lot more confidence in her tone than last time. "Hi, I've se-... see... seen the earlier events, yo-..you were telling a story to the children!" she remarks with a smile. "I once killed this big flying monster, but that's not a tale wor-.. worth telling!" she also comments, smiling even wider than earlier whilst trying to stay as serious as possible.

[Cirrus]

Cirrus Cirrus laughed, not unkindly, and shook her hand. "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman," he flattered as his hand returned to its side. "I am no slayer or performer of great deeds, I fear, but I do sing and tell of them. I am a travelling bard and storyteller, I walker of the many roads and a teller of the many tales and a flatterer of the most outrageous kind, and I won't hesitate to tell you that I could sing a song of your alabaster skin and raven-black hair that would make the gods weep to hear, let alone any deeds you may have done. What of this giant monster? I think Ossis would be offended if I dismissed him outright, but perhaps I can at last tell a tale to the children with a grain of truth in it, were I to hear your story?" He sat down cross-legged and straight-backed and produced his lyre, beginning to idly strum out dramatic chords as he watched the street bustle by.

[Aerdoria]

With a light chuckle, she blushes upon hearing the compliment. "Why, that's nice of you!" she responds to the bard, smiling at him ever so politely, her smile like one of a child - completely honest and full of emotions. "Well..." she parts her lips as she begins telling her tale to the bard, already imagining him singing songs about her. "It was a cold - very, very cold day. It was in the mountain range about Zeltiva, you see. This creature was... a giant, bird-like beast. Yes, it could fly!" she annotates, her hands trying to describe the shape of the imaginary creature she had fought. She'd display it like a raven - except far bigger than usual. But this raven would have antlers, thus it'd make the tale quite an odd one. After all, who could possibly imagine a bird with antlers? "The creature's black body flew over me - casting it's shadow onto the snow-covered peak!" she describes the initial situation before carrying on. "It then flew about, turning before heading right at me! What was amazing was that it narrowly missed - it's talons just flying by my head. I think I was near it's nest!" she illustrates, images running wild within her head. "As it flew overhead, I simply turned around and aimed at it with my crossbow. I aimed about an arm's length in front of it - and I managed to score a hit!" she waves her arms around whilst explaining, blushing heavily. It's more than evident she's overly excited and hyped about sharing this with a bard. With a brisk motion, she pivots around to demonstrate her turn. "Woosh!" she adds some sound effects to her story before continuing. "The creature turned, displaying it's midnight-black beak to me before uttering a loud scream, the bolt lodged between it's left wing and chest! With blood seeping out of the wound, it had a go at me again, but I dodged the attack and loaded my crossbow in just a few seconds!" she boasts, smiling as she looks at him. "Then, the next time it flew over - I jumped up and cut one of it's talons off with my gauntlets! It was amazing, but unfortunately, I couldn't pick up the talon due to the fact it flew off the peak.." she responds, faking sadness at the apparent end of the story. "But that wasn't enough!" she gets a bit louder. "It attacked again, again, and again - up until it was exhausted! I was covering behind this rock formation with a good look at Zeltiva! Yes! I could see this spot we're located at from up there!" she says, once again waving her arms around to tell her unbelieveable tale. "It also had antlers! But it wasn't able to use them because I wasn't a big target! I have triumphed, and the beast had collapsed down the cold peak - rumbling all the way to the bottom of the mountain, slamming itself against some trees. Or so I suppose, I couldn't see that!" she says, finishing the story with a massive blush on her face, knowing how much she had exaggerated this one.