Closed The Dancer, The Fox and The Actress (Silarial, Niloc)

[Silarial]

Slowly, Silarial felt the weariness creep into her system. Being involved in someone else's play without any warning and the anxiety that had been weighing her down for such a long time had taken its toll on her. She inhaled a lungful of air before expelling them out into the cold frosty air of Avanthal. She placed a pale hand over her wildly beating heart, willing it to calm down. Silarial felt she needed to at least say something to the actress and the quiet young man who stood in for the part of Gado. She turned her attention to the man, only to see him about to leave. "Wait!" As if on instinct, her hand had reached out to him, slender fingers coiling around his arm. Silarial stood there staring at him with a pair of dark, round eyes. "Ah! I... well, um..." She hadn't really thought about what she wanted to actually say to him. Now she's fumbling over her words like a baby. 'Silly Silarial! Why did you have to hold him like that? What if he gets angry at you for getting in his way? Just say something already!' To Silarial's surprise and relief, the actress appeared before the two of them and bowed. Hopefully, this would shift the man's mind from her to the actress. The half-Vantha took this chance to remove her hand from the man's arm, her cheeks coloring a bit from embarrassment. Listening to the actress, she soon found out that her name was Lucy. Silarial smiled awkwardly at being called Anne. Come to think of it, the Anne in the story was a dancer just like her. Very ironic for her to be pulled into a play to depict a character very much similar to her. "I'm Silarial, hello Lucy." The man was next to be subject to the actress named Lucy's notice. Silarial watched the interaction between the two, a soft giggle escaping from her lips. "I can't say more than that lady. Hey! Did you consider being a real storyteller, an actress?" Silarial tilted her head to the side, trying to take in Lucy's words. She shook her head slowly, a small smile gracing her lips. "Not really. I suck at telling stories, and I'm a horrible actress." She laughed, scratching the side of her head sheepishly. "I'm a dancer though. It didn't occur to me to try something other than dancing, so I'm not really good with anything else besides that." She replied, thoughts of excusing herself from the two already forgotten in their company. It seemed so long ago when she was last talking to people just to stay in their presence longer. It was very enjoyable, just taking it easy with everyone else. OOCAhhh I am so sorry this reply took so long to come out! I know it's inexcusable to make you wait for so long, but... Please forgive me?

[Niloc]

OOCDon't worry about it, it's perfectly on time for me to write a reply before I go on vacation for the next week No need to be sorry
Before he could go anywhere, Niloc heard someone call out behind him and lightly grab his arm. Once again feeling slightly panicked, he turned around and found himself staring at the pretty young woman who had filled in as Anne.
Niloc felt his face turning red, noticing she had not removed her hand from his arm. Trying not to make a fool of himself, Niloc opened his mouth to speak, but noticed "Anne" was doing the same. She stuttered as she tried to tell him something, and Niloc looked towards the ground.
Just say something, she must expect you to say something. She had got his attention and told him to wait, so she must expect him to reply.
But he didn't know what to say, so Niloc looked back up and ended up staring into her eyes for a few seconds.

Niloc felt a small bit of relief as the actress walked in front of them, bowed, and started to talk. Niloc felt the other young women's hand slip away from his arm. He scolded himself for being such a fool, surely she wouldn't want to talk to him anymore. He listened as the actress very cheerfully introduced herself as Lucy, and the other woman as Silarial.
She looked at him with a smile "And your's Gado?"
Gado? Wait was that who I...?
Niloc's heart almost stopped as Lucy suddenly embraced him, and then pulled back, still holding his arms.
"I was LUCKY that you came. You aren't a Vantha. You look so different from us, your eyes are interesting. Tell me where did you come from?"
Niloc once again felt himself blushing profusely when she spoke to him. He felt a lump in his throat, and another sense of panic. He had to say something, he couldn't just act like he didn't understand what she said, and then walk away. Could he? These thoughts raced through his mind as quick as lightning, induced by panic and shyness. Still blushing he spoke to both of them, still feeling bad about the awkward exchange he had created with Silarial a few seconds ago.
"I'm...umm...you're right, I am not Vantha. I'm a Kelvic, hence the eyes you mentioned were...uh..."
He blushed even more, now trying to avoid eye contact with the beautiful "interrogator".
"...interesting. So I guess I'm kinda...well not really...but similar to the character in the story, to Gado...my name is Niloc. I can assume the form of a fox, a red fox, at will. That's where I get eyes like this, they're the same as when I'm in my other form."

Disgusted at himself and his inability to interact with people, Niloc stepped back from Lucy. He couldn't talk to anyone, especially pretty women like these two without making a complete fool out of himself, or blushing as bright as the sun. Feeling awkward and deflated, he hung his head, still avoiding eye contact. She at least seemed content with his answer and moved back to talk with Silarial. He had completely dodged the question about where he was from. He felt like they would regard him differently if he mentioned that he wasn't really from anywhere, in particular. Not for the last several months, at least.
Niloc listened to the exchange between the two women, tugging uneasily at his bowstring, which he had taken off his back instinctively while being so nervous. He once again entertained the thought of just running off, but these two seemed friendly enough. He decided to stay with them, wouldn't hurt. However, still unable to muster up the courage to say anything else, Niloc continued to occupy himself with his finger tugging at his bow.

[Lucy Snowsong]

OOCGuys I'm really sorry, because I have this thread only with you for the entire season :S

She wasn't surpised that she saw a kelvic at Avanthal. It was probably more suprising he wasn't a polar bear one. But she didn't care about this, she enjoyed herself a bit. She also noticed Niloc was about to do something with his bow. She just pulled out an arrow from his quiver which he kept on his back. "A shy fox, who doesn't feel safe between two beautiful women? You must be a smart man. Be awera, women can be tricky." She laughed and didn't give the arrow back to him yet.

Instead with this arrow she pointed at Silarial. She shook her head. "No, dear no!" She started. "This is not how you reach the audience and me. More confidence! You are not that bad actress. I'm not perfect either... I'm far from that." She smiled at her. Then she grabbed Silarial's hand gently and looked into her eyes. "Just don't be afraid to talk with others. Storytelling is not that hard, acting neither. Practice is the KEY! You start simple stories, just like this romantic story. They will love them, oh and if you put Morwen's wisdom to it, they can't turn their head away. Oh and if you can dance, you know how body language can be also important." She giggled and let her hands and stepped back from her. After all she didn't want to make her uncomfortable... that much. "Of course it's not that easy to get other's attention all around the world, and to get inspired with stories I need to get experiences. So that's why I decided, I want to travel, I want to see the world and tell stories. "

She looked back at the kelvic. She was poking him with the arrow she stole and raised her eyebrows. "And you? How about you be an actor? Or don't you want to travel with me? A man who can use a bow and even careful with women."

[Silarial]

Silarial's breath hitched when an arrow was pointed at her all of a sudden. That's dangerous, she wanted to say, but was unable to find it within her to speak up. Lucy reminded her so much of a young Vantha friend who she haven't seen for quite a while. She missed her and her uncanny ability to brighten up the people around her, that Inia. Lucy lectured her on how she should have more confidence in herself. Silarial chuckled at the irony of the situation. She was always so confident before. And then he came and turned my life inside out. She wondered when she can regain whatever self-esteem that had gone with that man. Silarial blinked when the actress held her hand, her mind pulled back from thoughts of the Spring past. Silarial chuckled softly, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ear. The older woman was giving her unsolicited advice on how to tell stories. What intrigued her though was the reason why Lucy was telling her about all of this, and about her desire to travel around the world. To be honest, Silarial shared this desire to see what was beyond the walls of Avanthal. Visions of other races and civilizations plagued her constantly. But to really set forth like her beloved friend Svasra, will she be able to do it? To leave Areeyah behind and the city that took her in? The sprightly actress asked the man, a fox Kelvic named Niloc, if he wanted to travel with her. That was a very bold move, Silarial thought. She hadn't even met him until now but she had readily offered to go with him, a person whom she barely knew, on a journey across the lands of Mizahar. Come to think of it, this was just like how she invited You- Ah. Silarial's face contorted into a grimace. Why was it that her mind automatically connects him to every other thing that she sees? It's so exhausting having to constantly think of that man, that boy who betrayed the trust she had wholeheartedly given him. The Snowsong chewed on her lip distraughtly. She wanted to forget everything about him. Everything.

[Niloc]

Niloc was quite surprised as Lucy suddenly snatched an arrow from his quiver, and began casually waving it around as if it was nothing at all. She spoke to him,
"A shy fox, who doesn't feel safe between two beautiful women? You must be a smart man. Be aware, women can be tricky." And once again Niloc felt like slinking back into the shadows. Certainly, he was shy, but the way she seemed to think it was obvious he didn't feel safe with the two of them, it kind of stung. Sure, he was nervous, but he didn't want to come across as being scared of them. He opened his mouth to say something, but Lucy had already started talking again to the other woman.

Niloc once again was surprised when Lucy turned the conversation back to him, by poking him with his arrow. She had mentioned to Silarial how she wanted to see the world, which is something Niloc had always been interested in too. He loved the outdoors when he was younger, but in the past several months he had felt less and less enjoyment from, well, everything. Maybe it was worth it to stay around. She raised her eyebrows and spoke again, "And you? How about you be an actor? Or don't you want to travel with me? A man who can use a bow and even careful with women."
Careful with women? What does she mean by that? The thought of becoming an actor brought a sense of nausea, but the mention of travel made him smile. Maybe THIS is what he needed. Someone to travel with? He felt the need to say yes, at least to travel with her, to feel as if he was important.
"Acting...isn't really my thing, if you hadn't guessed. But I think...I think that I would really enjoy travelling with someone." He looked into her eyes as he spoke, trying not to look shy or scared.

After he spoke, he quickly looked over to Silarial, and noticed a troubled look on her face. She looked worried, uncomfortable after Lucy had mentioned him travelling. It figures, really. After what happened earlier, when I couldn't even speak to her...why WOULD anyone want to travel with me. And Lucy seemed so happy, obviously the other woman would have liked the idea of travelling with another performer like herself. He felt silly for immediately thinking he would fit in with them. Hanging his head and speaking softly again, he said "Actually...maybe...I'm...I...it's not the best idea. I mean, maybe I shouldn't go...if she might not want..." He trailed off, unable to speak again. Cursing himself for jumping to conclusions that this would actually be a good idea. He took the arrow that Lucy had pointed at him from her hand, and back into his quiver with one motion, and, in a movement he had attempted many times today, turned to leave.

[Lucy Snowsong]

Lucy was shaking her head when Niloc started to hesitate. "You said you are coming so you are going to come with me... erm us. Don't be stupid. She looks like that because you looked so good as a Polar Bear Kelvic in the story, she can't even speak now." She looked at Silarial and trying to guess from her face what she wants to say or what is she thinking. She couldn't read anything from her face."So? How about you?"

She wasn't quite sure where to go either. She didn't really heard anything about the world they are in, she was always in Avanthal. She wanted to break out, she wanted to go out and see what's the world holds for her. She needed inspiration, and she needed friends for it. And maybe she found them now. She hoped she did.

[Silarial]

She snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Niloc's movements from the corner of her eyes. She looked up to see him turning to leave again, and confusion washed over Silarial's face. Why was he leaving? Did something happen? She asked herself, a pair of concerned eyes darting to Lucy for answers. Apparently, Niloc had agreed to travel with Lucy but decided to back out. And more importantly, "...Us? Wh-what... D-do you mean, I'm coming with you, too?!" Silarial took a step back, her uncertainty in the notion very much obvious in her face. "I'm not so sure... I mean, this is too sudden!" She gaped incredulously at Lucy and then at Niloc, unable to think of what to say next. After a few moments, she continued, "Sorry... I know the idea of leaving had been playing in my mind for quite some time-- no, for a very long time now. I've been dreaming to step out of these ice walls, to find who my father was. To find who I am. But..." Silarial stared deep into the Vantha's eyes, searching them for the answers she cannot find for herself. "I just met you now and," she forced a laugh. It came out strained and uneasy. "...I don't know if I can trust you. I've let a complete stranger in my life, not so long ago, and he b-betrayed me. I'm not s-sure if I can will myself to trust both of you enough to leave everything I've ever known and travel with you to places unknown..." The Snowsong sighed heavily, lips caught between her teeth as she tried to keep herself from crying and making a fool of herself in front of the two. Deep inside her, she knew she longed to grab the opportunity to see the world, to learn about the things she never would by staying home. And she can find her father, too. She would finally be able to find that part of herself that had long been missing. But she was scared, and very much so. She had trusted so much before, look where it brought her: Broken and unable to recover the broken shards of her heart. But... what if this kind of opportunity never comes by again? Would she be able to live through the regret of being chained down by all these what ifs? Finally, she looked at them again and in a tremulous voice, tinged with a tiny speck of hope, asked, "Can I... Can I trust you? Can I believe in the two of you?"

[Niloc]

He couldn't help but smile at Lucy's ridiculous excuse to Silarial's sudden silence. Looked so good as the polar bear kelvic, I just stood there trying not to show I was freaking out. Perhaps she noticed that and was teasing me for it...

Niloc's smile vanished quickly, as his attention was drawn back to Silarial. She was troubled, like him. Worried about travelling with people she didn't know if she could trust. He never really had anyone he could relate to, until now,he understood how she felt. He felt terrible for once again almost abandoning the both of them.

"Can I... Can I trust you? Can I believe in the two of you?" Silarial spoke to the both of them, but Niloc found himself glancing over at Lucy, expecting her to reply. But why shouldn't he? He knew how she felt, to some extent. He didn't want to seem shy and pathetic like before either. No. He had to say something.

He walked closer to the two of them. "Look, Silarial...I know how you feel. I've never had...anyone, really, that I could trust. I've been alone, with no one to depend on, and I've spent the first couple years of my life like this. Wandering alone, wondering what it's really like to have...friends." he felt himself trailing off. This wasn't easy. He hung his head, slightly embarrassed for venting like this. "This is the first time anyone has ever asked me to travel with them...it's rare anyone talks to me." smiling at himself, he continued, "granted, I don't really make it easy for anyone to." He hoped he was holding their attention, that they didn't see him suddenly as being strange for rambling to her. "Really...what I want...want to say is...you can trust me. We all have the same goal...to see different places...I think it will be good to go together. I want to help both of you get there."

Taking a deep breath again, feeling a little relieved for not passing out in the middle of that, he looked to Lucy, and placed a hand softly on her shoulder. He looked into her eyes. She really did have nice eyes... He scolded himself again. Focus. "And Lucy, thank you. I'm sorry for nearly running off, but I...really...I really would love to go with you...uh...anywhere." That was terrible. He blushed at his awful choice of words. Making a fool of himself again. He couldn't keep eye contact with her, either. "Why am I such a fool?" he thought to himself, before collecting himself enough to say, "Err...I...I mean, to travel with you, and Silarial."

And with that, he took a step back, withdrawing his hand from Lucy's shoulder and started fidgeting with his bow string again. The hopes of finally travelling with someone gave him a warm feeling inside, he just hoped he didn't mess anything up with his poor ability to speak with others...

[Lucy Snowsong]

Lucy's smile became bigger. She stepped to Silarial and hugged her. "We are Morwen's children. We are vanthas, we are Ice Reavers. Because you know and I know that we both has her mark. Need any more connection? We are sisters." She said and let her be. She turned back to Niloc. "I'm going to trust you. Kelvics are our friends. Hope you are not an expection, Niloc." She hugged him also.

She felt he was warm. Then she stepped back from him too."So then are you ready to start our adventure?" She openned her arms and waited for the answer. Finally her dreams may come true. And with her new friends who wanted to see the world too, she knew it will be fun.

[Silarial]

"Sisters?" Silarial echoed, face visibly falling. "I'm not even a Vantha. I'm just some half-blood that doesn't even know who she really is." Her body trembled in agitation, but it was never directed at Lucy. She was upset with herself, and in how she felt so helpless and lost all the time. Like now. She shook her head, confused. "I'm sorry. I have to ask my mom about this first. But I'm not sure she will even allow me to go, given everything that's happened lately." Silarial sighed, looking sadly at the two people in front of her. She wanted to be with them, but she knew she will be nothing but a burden during such a long journey. It's hopeless for her. "I... I hope you have a fun journey ahead of you." She stood awkwardly for a moment in front of Lucy and Niloc. "...Please excuse me." Hesitantly, she bid her goodbye. Silarial trudged through the snow with a heavy heart. She will probably never see them due to her inability to trust in herself again, and she will probably regret it in the future. OOCPlease don't delay due to me anymore than this.