Lost in Shadow (John Vicari)

[Iris Dove]

2 Winter, 510 AV

Iris was sitting on the docks, her bag resting in her lap, her legs hanging off the side, swinging wildly back and forth as she watched the sailors and merchants carrying in the day's catch.

Iris wasn't sure why she was sitting on the docks, she hated the smell of the fish, thinking the stench to be nothing short of positively vile, and impossibly hard to stomach, enough to make her want to vomit.

She supposed the only reason she could tolerate it was because of the sight of the sea, so very beautiful, the way the sun lit it up, causing it to shimmer brightly, despite its dark appearance; and the seagulls that circled the sky, cawing loudly to each other. Iris looked up at them as she ran her comb through her long blonde hair, liking how soft it felt after each stroke.

Iris smiled, it was a nice enough day today, she thought to herself, as she put her comb back in her bag, and smiled shyly out at the sea for another moment, before getting up, and walking slowly along the docks, humming a short and upbeat tune that reminded her of robins singing outside one's window first thing in the morning.

Iris walked through the area, ignoring the obnoxious whistles the sailors were giving her, as she strode by. Her bag was strapped tightly over her shoulder, and bumped into her left hip with each stride.

Iris sighed, soon, she'd reach a patch of grass, and could escape all this. Right? she thought to herself, as she walked upwards from the docks and into a small section of grass and low-rolling hills. Iris sat down on the bottom of the hill, the grass tickling her hands as she sat and plopped her bag down next to her.

Iris lay back and looked up at the sky, her blonde hair splaying back against the cold ground, like the sun's rays across the vast sky. Iris breathed in deep, absorbing the subtle sent of the sea and fish from the docks. It least it's not as bad as down there, she thought, as she crossed her hands in her chest, and looked up at the fluffy little clouds in the sky.

[John Vicari]

John lost track of how long he walked and how many people he left behind as he came to the port city. Why was he here? He was not sure really. His clothing was clearly worn out as he kept a bag along his back that was filled with items of little to no use to most people yet he had no weapon other then a dagger on his belt but even then he had no skill with it. His skills were always elsewhere.

He was just a normal human both in looks and race as his eyes scanned the people of the city. He felt more in the mood to rest and eat then look for work even if he knew the most work he could find in this city dealt with the port and sea life. He just use to be a bookstore running person yet he always felt like his boss under paid him for the work he did so at last after working nonstop for seasons on end he just left.

Why this city of all cities? He had no idea other then it really was the first one he came upon as walked along the docks. He had yet to find any real food yet he did have a few rations on hand that he had brought before he left the city still. It would seem that food shortages were rather common in the city which told him so many things so quickly before he found himself walking on the outer banks of the city limits.

He found himself along a grassy hill and his eyes laid along rather pretty looking human at first glance, blonde hair and fair skin. The dress she wore fell past to her feet and was a simple white looking dress. Yet he was not sure if he should have walked near her or not due to his own outfit was a mix of cotton shirt, pants, leather boots and a cape with gloves. Yet all of the same dark brown shade of color and still clearly worn out from his travels. Compared to her he looked like a poor commoner in his eyes.

However he just came near her and lowers his own bag. The dagger was clearly seen yet he paid it no mind along his belt. Yet he spoke before any misunderstandings came about in case she thought he was a random stalker or killer.

“Hello, sorry to brother you miss. Yet do you mind if I sit next to you, rather have had a long trip and the city seems less grand then what the stories are. Don’t worry I don’t mean you any harm.”

Yet as he spoke his words were laced with Djed, he might not have had any skill with weapons however he did have rather good skill magic yet it was not the type that was flashy or pretty but it was the magic of the mind. Hypnotism. It was not the first time he used it on a person yet he was growing to be using it more and more on people for his own gain. Would it work on her? He was not sure, the djed he laced was to send out a simple suggestion that could not be picked up on a conscious level in most cases unless the person knew about it. The simple suggestion was that he did not mean her any harm. Yet in the end was that true?

[Iris Dove]

Iris watched as a young boy approached her. He was wearing a shirt, pants, cape with gloves, and boots. They were all dark brown, yet tattered and worn, as if he had traveled a long way from home, and was unable to get a new pair, they generally gave him the appearance of a commoner.

The boy appeared to be about 17, he had light blonde hair and blue eyes. He was rather thin, but perhaps the baggy and worn clothes made him appear far more gaunt than he actually was. He limped as he walked, and Iris couldn't help but wonder as to why that was.

When the boy had reached Iris, he lowered his bag, exposing a dagger. Iris looked at it, glared at it really, wondering just what this boy had intended on doing.

“Hello, sorry to brother you miss. Yet do you mind if I sit next to you, rather have had a long trip and the city seems less grand then what the stories are. Don’t worry I don’t mean you any harm,” he said. Iris looked up at him, studying his features, his appearance, his subtle movements for any sign of danger, but the boy looked too young and too worn to be much of a threat, so she lightly patted the ground to her left. "Sit," she said simply, before finishing with, "so what's your name?"