Snacks In The Temple

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A10: Temple of Eluna *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

         Eluna's temple stands near her brother's, and trees of the grove often wander their vines that way, only to be chased away by the priests--much as two children might battle in the back of a cart. Eluna's temple is composed of solemn, alabaster pillars and marble, as ancient as Her brother's though more austerely kept. Each pillar represents a phase of the moon, over which She has dominion. Their surface is scribed with the words of ancient dreams, those first recorded in the known world, when mankind was first awakening to their significance.

         In the center of the temple lies a grand pool. Serene in its surface, it reflects the open sky overhead, though the temple is covered by an arched ceiling. At all times within the surface may the stars be seen. Surrounding this pool are a number of tasseled rugs, on which petitioners sit and meditate, or seek counsel for interpretation of their dreams.

         Warriors of Daeus are often found here, providing guards where the wards of Eluna prefer introspection and contemplation. These fighters bear dual symbols, signifying the tie between divine father and divine daughter. They and the priests here speak in quiet voices, reminiscent of Eluna's place as the Dreaming Goddess.

         To the north of the temple is a modest library, its function primarily in the way of records--recording of dreams, of meditation, of theories of the proper use of magic--teachings directly opposed by the Shadow Goddess, Taara. It is this last shift that has seen an increase in the number of guards among the temple, and the increased adoption of the Star of Tears among the belts of Seers.

---

There are many that find their way to Eluna's temple. Scholars, seekers, priests, wonderers. From all across the known world. Petitioners sit on beaded rugs to whisper their prayers to her. Priests and warriors speak in hushed tones as befits a place that is filled with the power of the Dreaming Goddess. Reverence thrums though the quiet serenity of the temple...

...but in the little north section of the temple. Near its modest library there is a touch of a stir.

Well not a stir really. More a gaggle of acolytes, whispering to each other as they watch a solitary figure carry an armload of books to a table to slip one open. A gaggle of acolytes that includes at least one curious guard.

"Whats he doing?" Whispers one.

"He said he had a lot of reading to do..."

"Wasn't there some kind of disturbance at the gates to do with him?"

"Well I know there was a riot..."

"The Priests wouldn't have let him in if he was trouble though!"

Speculation abounds but the subject of the speculation is growing used to it. After all it isn't often that a Shadow Elf walks and is welcome in the halls of Eluna.

Lorik does his best to ignore the talking, his cloak pulled back to reveal the dark skin and dark hair, the hoops of silver shining in his elven ears as he carries his newest aqusition over toward a reading table. "So much to know." He mutters to himself. "Just...concentrate on one thing at a time, Lor." He mutters softly to himself. "Knowldge first then everything else..."

And he /tries/ not to think of what trouble Rori and Shiv are getting into while he's reading. That is the hardest part.

Shivani has arrived.

Off in the part of the temple nearest the neighboring temple of Gilead, another male elf walks with slow pace but the elegant posture of a ballet dancer and the silence of the fae. At the commotion of others nearer the temple library, he looks in that direction and sees the mul'niessa with the new book. He has the soul of an explorer and the boldness of an adventurer, so he strides over, past the murmurers, and speaks directly to the mul in a mild, tenor voice, thick with the exotic accent of the deep woods near Llyranost. He says, "Don't be bothered by them. You are indeed welcome here if you do honor to the Silver Huntress, or even if you are merely curious. I am Ga'Elian, a greenwalker and fiend hunter. Niessa is the divine patroness of my tribe, the Faravanilas of the Perianath." <sildanyari>

"...and then in the dream I slide down a hill where every slug I have ever eating is waiting for me. They do not have eyes but I know they are staring at me as if to say something. Probably something like 'hey, thank you for eating meeee, and bringing me closer together with all of my spirit frieeeends.' or something like that. Don't you think?"

Everbright would be one way to describe her expression as she walks with two acolytes who have the 'I've seen some shit' look on their faces, looking between one another and then back to Shivani. One opens his mouth, as if to give his expert opinion on dream interpretation while the other one reaches easily over her head to touch his shoulder and shake his head no. Instead, a wizened voice of gravel gives Shivani the best advice she might find in this place, lest her dreams be almost literally crushed.

"In all things related to the dreaming, Eluna leaves room for you to divine. And so you have done so. Ah, there is your friend, as we promised."

Then, she is there, running at a full pace to leap onto the long table butt first and slide towards Lorik until she comes to a stop, so very close to toppling his books. She plants an elbow on one, and tilts her head to the side. "LORIK! Have you ever seen a temple like this? It is so bright and welcoming and there isn't blood anywhere, it's so weir-OH. Hullo."

Immediately she lifts her other hand to salute at Ga'Elian, a customary greeting in her carnival circle. "Whut's a greenwalker?"

Aya has arrived.

The musical language of his people draws Lorik up out of the book as he looks up towards the other elf that approaches. There is a surprised blink as he is addressed directly, but the surprise fades into a smile as he nods towards Ga'Elian with a touch of relief on his face that he isn't being shouted at or whispered about.

In the same language he replies easily, though his one accent is more clipped sounding. Rapid fire and slightly harsher. "In truth they aren't throwing stones or garbage, whispers and thrown words is an improvement over yesterday and I'm glad for it." There is a wry smile then. "But I am glad to be welcomed. I do follow the Sky-Singer, as a Seeker of what is lost. And I am Lori'thalik Vel'skorinath. Though most people tend to call me Lorik." Again that darkly amused smile crosses his face. "Sadly I think if I still followed my families patron here, I would not be as welcomed as I am."

This doesn't seem like a place for Taara.

That might even be why one of the guards is still posted here. Vel'skorinath is a family name well known to Taara's enemies as one who zealously follows the path of Shadows.

The Inquisitor pauses a moment though as he hears another familiar voice and sloowly turns at the sound of running feet. Almost as this happens very often by the time Shiv is sliding down the table he's already picking up his books just in case. Though she stops before knocking any of them over.

He can't help but nod though. "I admit this is different. No undead, no blood, no errie chanting. I think I might like it though." He adds towards the other Mul with a flash of a smile before glancing over towards Ga'Elian. "Ah and this is my cousin, Shivani." A look back towards the agile little Mul. "And I think he means a forest walker? He knows his way around forests?" A glance again towards Ga'Elian for confirmation of that one.

He's guessing here.

Ga'Elian nods. "That's right. And, how you describe your other temple experiences sounds... repulsive. There are many who do not take well to sight of your race, especially in light of the recent tensions with Charn, but Alexandria is as cosmopolitan a city as one is likely to find in all Ea, and I, for one, am not so shocked by the mul'niessa I see here. Now if I had happened upon the pair of you out in the remote villages or wilderness, you might have several arrows in you by now." He smiles coyly, as if possibly teasing, but possibly not.

"Oh with this much green all over outside your city I suppose it must need people to walk on it, like you are massaging the green. Giving it all a good back rub, yus?" Shivani's accent is most severe even in tradespeak, hailing from the lowest of the low in her city, but one can always count on the musical, projecting nature of her voice and ever-uplifting demeanor to get her meaning through. "Yus where we are from, only temples to Taara and her dark darkness. They do some messed up shuzz in those places, let me tell you."

Word that they might have been enfiladed with arrows in short order brings her eyes wide, and she shifts them in Lorik's direction, before looking back to Elian. "Well...THEN IT'S GOOD WE MEET YOU HERE, C'MON PAL!"

Shivani slips from the table and steps forward in an attempt to wrap Ga'Elian in a big, big hug. As big a hug as someone of her slight stature and mediocre height can manage. "Thank you so much for not finding us and putting holes in us you are our best new friend ever. Other than that one girl who helped save me from prison. And our friend who is very close to Eluna, you would not even believe the stuff she talks to Eluna about. Also there is another pale-elf who uses lots of worrrrrrrdsss..."

She could go on and on, really. She has lots of new best friends in this place. The bar is appropriately low: Don't try to murder her, and it seems you're good people.

A gathering of mul'niessa in the city is fairly rare, and in the temples even more so. Perhaps that a somewhat familiar face, in general and not her own reflection is what draws Aya's attention to the Elunite temple. Moreso at the moment than the norm, that is.

Wherever she and her attention were, they are now both in the immediate vicinity.

"You should be cautious of fleas," she notes from beside a contrasting alabaster pillar where she was not present moments ago. "His ally is likely riddled with them, and neither bathe often... or so I've been told."

"Well now that I know there are other ways, it does sound repulsive." Lorik says with a easy smile as he sets his hand on the books in front of him. "Until then though it was...just how it was done." There is an apologetic shrug at that. "I know it sounds horrible but...its what I grew up with. Shivani too." There is a twist of a smile as he glances at the other Mul. "Now you might understand why we left, eh?"

"I'm glad that we didn't meet you out there then. I've been on the business end of arrows more than once and don't really enjoy i--"

But then Shivani is reacting...how...she does and Lorik pauses to sigh slightly.

"Sorry. She's a hugger. And enthuastic." He says with a shake of his head. "But its true. A priestess of Elune helped us escape, and now here we are. Hopefully we won't cause too much trouble in the city here. Though if we meet more people like you it seems like it will go better for us!"

But then there is another voice, an unknown one. Lorik's eyes shift towards the new figure with a surprised look. "I...what?" He bathes! He swares he does! "I mean I've been on the road to get here some time but I don't think I'm that bad off, especially after the stop at the inn with the proper bathtub yesterday..." A longer pause as he looks towards Aya. "...I mean. Er...hello? I'm Lori'thalik, but Lorik will do."

Jenner has arrived.

Aya arches a brow at the enthusiastic and/or embrace-inclined. "Left from where? Escaped from whom? There are many places and people many would like to avoid."

As the embrace concludes, she steps back to see... another Mul! It brings excitement to her violet eyes and a beaming smile to her face, right up until the suggestion that she may have fleas is made. This is not offensive, but she does reach up to vigorously scratch at the back of her head. "No no, no fleas. I check all the time. Also the prison-people checked. Do not worry, they were just confused and thought I was an evil spy meant to destroy all of their city. Hullo! I do not have fleas, but I do have a pouch of slugs, still mostly fresh and alive from our trek to the surface. Some are still glowing, are you hungry?"

As if to menace, and reach for a weapon, she reaches for a slime ridden sack of collected slugs.

"As for escaping, well, in the Undercity where we were from, being someone who does not like the Shadow Council or Taara can usually get you gutted. Usually. Sometimes not." She winces a little, and makes a wavering motion with one hand extended palm down.

"BUT YOU KNOW THiS MUL PAL, I mean, wait. Were you born up here, or down there?"

"Oh, yus, my manners suffer. You may call me Shiv, hullo!" She says this, after reaching for the slugs, to Aya.

Grey, veiled by mist. Windless-- as though covered a wet cloth. Classic weather near the sea-side, and the click of claws give way to the tap-tap of booted feet.

Quick steps lead the stride of Jenner's calm pace, brought short by the sight of elves within the temple enclosure. *Shadow* elves.

One can practically read the indecision: Fireball? Lightning? Parlay? Choices, choices...

One corner of Aya's mouth lifts in bemusementand she gestures to Ga'Elian while looking to Shiv,"I was referring to him. You might have them now." A exhale of understanding follows as Shiv explains from whence she came, along with a roll of one shoulder. "One is free to choose any ally they wish. So long as you choose a powerful one, and they remain so, you'll be fine. Thul, Taara, Maugrim... they are all influential, in their own ways. Just as the pantheon is, here..." Now she gestures around the temple square vaguely.

"Usually so." Lorik's tone is much more polished than Shivani's but that same harsher edge to the accent is there. "So as my cousin said, left the Undercity and escaped from the priests of Taara, and came here. Which is much more hospitable. Less variety of mushrooms, but I can live with that if it means less possibility of being gutted." There is a touch of a laugh there, as he glances down slightly.

"More books too. Books on a variety of topics and I approve of that!" Again a smile before he shakes his head, glancing towards Shiv for a moment before he sighs. "...yes, that whole thing with the guard was entirely a mistake. Which I am glad got cleared up." And surely won't come back to haunt them.

Jenner's appearance causes Lorik to tilt his head slightly to look around Shiv and her pouch of slug snacks and wave tentatively. Not in a spellcasting way. Please no fireballs those hurt.

He turns to look back at Aya though and a twinge of embarassment comes for a moment. "Oh. OH! He's a forest walker and...yes. Sorry!" He's gotten to used to people flinging insults at him. "Though you're right, Taara is very influential. Just...also very jealous."

Ga'Elian is perhaps slightly startled at Shiv's enthusiastic hug, but it hardly shows as he is quick to reciprocate warmly. In response to the talk of fleas, however, he says in a perfectly serious tone, "Oh, Erithamiel and I bathe all the time. I enjoy the river and the lakes most heartily. Anyway, hello Aya. This is about the last place I would ever expect to find you." Then, "Hi, Jenner. It's been a while."

Jenner gazes for a few seconds more, the hackles of his posture settling as he releases a slow breath in exhale. A brief moment of embarassment follows-- he reaches up, head bowing as he adjusts the eyepatch over his features, striding forward with a calm demeanor.

"Well, at least you are at a good place," he offers, voicing a quiet chuckle. "Eluna has a tendency to gather strays of all sorts, so her temple should be a safe place to rest. Or, so I am told." He turns his eye on the gathered Mul'niessa, curiosity alighting his features. "I am Jenner Talaskir.I presume you are not here to pillage, loot, and otherwise do unspeakable things to the environs? Greetings Ga'Elian." He grins in bemusement, shaking his head. "...fleas?"

Aya now lifts her brow to Ga'Elian, though it also seems to draw the lipcorner beneath it upwards as well. "Why is that? I'm as curious as anyone else. I even met a refreshingly open-minded Sunblade a week past, and we determined that I won't, in fact, immolate to a cinder stepping onto Daeus' blessed grounds. Despite what some may believe."

Her eyes shift to the settling chuckler and her head dips in a nod. "One of the things I am curious about: what manner of strays might collect here."

"How can you do an unspoke-able thing, I have a hard time doing something I cannot speak about. Let me think though."

The blank stare, fixated just past Aya and on a pillar can practically emote the gears turning. Shiv sniffs once. "Mmm... I forgot again what it was I was trying to figure out but I very much like your eye patch. It makes your other eye so much more vibrant green. OH! Ga'Elian is a GREEN WALKER. Do you think it means he could possibly step into your eye and use it to a portal to another dimension?"

Into the bag her hand goes, and from it she pulls two glowing slugs, one blue, one orange. The first she flicks into her mouth and noisily chews away until bits of it highlight her smile. She in turn offers the other, the orange one, to those gathered.

"Very juicy, not to tart. Very very good. I have been feeding them good food I got yesterday."

In fact Shiv has a small sack tied onto her belt labeled 'sawdust'. In fact, she has been feeding them nothing of substance and has likely been putting them out of their misery. "Try one Jenner! It is so very nice to meet you since you do not seem like you wish to arrest or keel us!"

"You would be surprised," the human says,reaching up to brush his chin in thought. "Various elves, obviously, but sometimes wilder, more unusul sort. Egalring of wild winds, not ready to rejoin an aerie. Certain..... afflicted." He glances up at the moon, sighing heavily. "As close as this civilization is to various wildlands and forests, it is a common thing for the Druids to take part in sharing what they can. Werewolves."

To the offered slug, the mage bites back a quick laughter. "Thank you," he says without preamble, accepting the glowing slug with a curious eye. "Though I am not sure how one eats them. I tend to keep raw food to a minimum. Close to civil strands; too much wildness makes it hard to keep focus on the spell lines. As for eye-gates...

He pauses, trailing off in thought before he pops the slug up with a grimace. "Let us try that at a firm and settled time."

Aya lifts one hand to decline, though it adjusts into a gesture of encouragement to Jenner. Far be it for her to deny another their glowing, slimy snacks.

"Well Eluna gathered me," Lorik says with some amusement as he taps the holy symbol arrayed on the side of his belt. "So I can confirm that much Master Talaskir." Titles are hard around here. He isn't sure what he should use. "I'm Lori'thalik, but please its easier to call me Lorik. And all I am here to do is catch up on a half-century of lost reading time." He adds with a flash of a grin before glancing towards Aya, then towards Ga'Elian.

"...it is amazing how many people seem to know each other around here. Are you all in similar business?"

Then Shivani goes on about eyegates and Lorik just shakes his head again. This is about what he's used to, but when Jenner just goes with it there is a grateful smile that comes to the seekers face.

"You may want to keep hold of the snacks you have, Shiv. They might be harder to come by up here." He points out towards the happily chewing Mul.

Though there is a pause from Lorik for a moment before he glances back towards Elian. "Erithamiel?" He caught the name, but no one else seems to be here. And the lady's name is Aya. So much information coming at him so quick. He needs to buy a notebook.

Ga'Elian glances around. As the gathering has grown, other onlookers withdraw to whisper to each other at a greater distance. The ranger says, "Trees? Yes. They make fine portals, but eyes? I'd never have considered it." Then, "Lori'thalik, we who have been around the Adventurers Guild for a while do tend to at least recognize each other. And Erithamiel is the griffon with whom I am bonded. Eluna is, as I think I said earlier, the divine patroness of my tribe, but more Sylvanori put the Green Word first in their faith. I draw the power for my magic from the Sky Singer, but I bear the mark of the Great Stag in my flesh."

Jenner struggles gamely--DEAR GODS THE SLIMYCHEWYNESS-- swallowing with a heavy shudder, before he coughs heavily. "A companion," he manages, gesturing towards the wild elven before pounding briefly on his chest. "Interesting testure. Like the old seasickness cure we use aboard ship." He coughs, grimacing as he exhales with a shudder. Bending at the waist, he reaches for the pouch at his side, shaking fingers digging into the worn leather for an old rosewood pipe. "Please. Call me Jenner. I haven't gone by 'Master' since I taught at the Academy."

He lifts the pipe to his lips, tamping a quick (and heavy) dose of tobacco into the bowl before summoning a hot ember with a whisper. "Nor 'Talaskir' since longer than that. Ser Ga'Elian's an old acquaintance from teaching days. A few odds and ends and tricks."

When Aya declines but Jenner accepts, Shiv seems happy enough, tying the bag back and elbowing Lorik just a little. "They will go bad! They do not last long out here in the light places. It burnsssss them. But a stomach? Seems dark enough." A wink, and then she has a chewing contest with Jenner until the slug is gone from her mouth. Of course she notices Jenner's reaction, completely mis-interpreting it. "Ets good, right?! Spell lines? Gryhuns? Stags?! I would love to know everything about all of these things as long as it does not mean any more reading."

Did an errant book just get knocked from a pile as she shoves her bottom back against the table? Probably. Probably an accident.

"But tell me.."

Shiv looks to Aya here, one eye a bit larger than the other with her strange expression, as if recall itself were painful. "Whut was your name again? You are looking most nice today by the way despite having no slugs so, good job on that. Do you adventure in this guilde as well? Are they okay with Mul'niessa having a part in this? LORIK! We should do this."

"The Adventurer's Guild attracts, and encourages, all manner of individuals," Aya agrees and confirms with Ga'Elian. She looks to the curious slugtender. "Thank you..." She seems slightly uncertain whether it is truly a compliment. "I do. When work needs completed, biases can be overlooked, at least temporarily. Of course, the rising concerns in the city have made mul'niessa more a target than before."

Slug already accepted, Lorik's assistance can do no more and the Mul can't help but cover a smile as Jenner chews. "Jenner then. Ah you both used to teach?" He glances between the one eyed human and the elf for a moment in suprise before he chuckles slightly. "Ah no offence, it is harder to gage age and experience for me."

When your family gaged power by what kind of undead they can raise its sometimes hard to gage other people. He's trying though.

"Oh! I've heard of the Adventurer's Guild..." A flash of a grin towards Shiv. "...and I think you're right. I mean we have to have some way to support ourselves, we can't just rely on the temple forever." A pause for a moment as he glances back towards Aya. "Recennt trouble with the Mul'niessa? I mean we were stopped at the gate, and someone bribed some guards to arrest Shivani..." A nod towards the slugtending girl. "...but I thought that perhaps that was normal?"

His 'normal' is way off center.

"But if we do good work we can maybe get them to look beyond the concerns, at least hopefully!"

Ga'Elian shakes his head, "The only time I've ever been in a classroom was when I was being studied or that time when I needed to ask an expert for help with a mystery box."

Smoke drifts from the pipe bowl, a swirling curve of faint steel-blue and smoldering grey. "Just be useful and the city elders overlook everything," Jenner growls darkly, a champing on the stem of the pipe before he relents. Grimacing, he takes another draught of the smoke, filling his lungs before exhaling once again. "Mmmf. I'm being impolite."

Shifting his grasp on the pipe, he sketches a brief bow, nodding to the collected. "I did," he answers, turning towards Lorik, puffing softly. "For a time, I taught a class; a few years later, I was specifically a tutor for a young lady, before the Strangeness came down on the city and whisked it away.. He glances towards Shivani, puffing thoughtfully. "Perhaps, but I do not know. Just be careful and cautious, especially when walking the streets at night."

He grins, glancing slyly at Ga'Elian. "Ask him about his skills treating with nobility and the theatre some time."

There is an audible gasp that splits the air just shortly after exchanging an encouraged look with Lorik. This Guild sounds like a good way to make a new life! "WHUT. A mystree box?! Did you get it open? Huh? Did you? C'mon man don't tell me you have this box that no one knows what's in it and you won't tell us. C'moooooonnnn."

At this, Shiv reaches out to poke at Ga'Elian in the ribs, chiding him as she might any old friend. "AND you mingle with nobles in a theater? Did they dance with you? Sing with you? Was anyone executed?"

Like Lorik, her normal is a little off of the normal world they now inhabit.

"If any were," Aya glances to Ga'Elian with mild curiosity, "I regret having missed it. A few less nobles is usually the path to a better future, given that they're only noble in title."

As Shivani starts to poke and proad at Ga'Elian, Lorik just shakes his head as he closes the books. Quietly picking up the one Shiv knocked off accidently(on purpose) and blinks for a moment. "I'm sure no one was executed, Shivani. It doesn't seem like it was that kind of theater." He says easily as he starts to stand. "But we should find this Guild, and see what work they might have for us! It was a pleasure to meet you all though!"

Lorik nods his head. "And thanks for the advice..." A pause. "...come on though, Shavani. I'm sure Ga'Elian can tell us about the box later?" A glance at the ranger for a moment. "...and we should go find out where Kael and Ithiliel got off too." A pause. "And if Rori has set anything else on half-fire."

...how do you even set something on half-fire?!

There is a slight wince about the comment about nobles, but he doesn't seem to disagree with Aya before he starts packing what goods he's allowed to borrow.

Ga'Elian nods, "Yeah. The mystery box had a letter in it, in which a conspirator was telling a would-be partner-in-crime his plans and how the recipient could help. The authorities arrested them, and that was that. And for the nobles and the theater, I couldn't really say if the people there were nobles, I suppose they might have been, but I was there to experience the city's cultural phenomenon that is theater. I didn't know how the process worked nor what went on, but on several ocassions, I'd seen crowds of people either queueing up to get in or pouring out, and so I thought I'd check out what was going on. Anyway, ai had recently met a human called Kisaiya, and she told me she was a princess. Anyway, she happened to be at the theated when I came by. Seeing her familiar face, I told her what I was about, and she helped. While we were in the line to be seated, it occurred to me that dressed as an adventurer as I was, my attire didn't seem to match the wardrobe of the other theater-goers. A while before that, I had been on a Guild mission to provide security to a Myrrish prince at a fashion show and ball, which was my first exposure to such activities. In the course of that mission, the one who hired us, a woman called Madame Gelfure, rewarded our service by bestowing a gift of togas upon each of us, as the ball ended up with all the guests in togas. Anyway, back at the theater, I asked Princess Kisaiya whether I oughtn't change. She enthusiastically agreed, so I stripped down right there in line and then put the toga on. Apparently while I was changing my raiment, there was some kerfuffle that happened, but all I knew was that once I was dressed again, the princess took me to some seats that were grouped into something called a "box". And some old lady was ejected from the theater for trying to get in without tick-ets, whatever those are. I gather Princess Kisaiya dealt with the matter of tick-ets, because I still don't know what they even are, and was just glad that I didn't get ejected too."

The sound of her voice bubbling through her throat should give only a moment's warning to the whole of the temple, as Shiv throws her head back in a cackle so mad one might imagine her dancing about in blood and entrails while raising double daggers to the cavern ceiling. Really, there are a few things you can't leave fully behind when you've grown only to know evil, and her laugh is one of those things. Bubbly, joyous at first, and utterly mad.

"THEY LIVE IN FEAR OF YOUR DANGER NOODLE! Ghuz fa, that is some terrible nonsense right there. Most of the theaters where we are from being naked is a feature. But then, you get your clothing pretty messy in the first few rows, you know?"

Lorik tells her to come along and it snaps her away from her new friends, but she looks at Aya, in her neat clothing and mysterious way, and then Ga'Elian and finally Jenner, and concludes that though their time was short, she would love to meet all of these people again.

"Look man that is some crazy shuz, nobles are always making things crazy and sometimes dead in fact. We will talk again soon but for now we have to go do something with all of Lorik's stoopid books on who knows what."

Her smile, cast at lorik, beams bright. Clearly, she is joking. Right?