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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Dec 23, 2008 16:45:16 GMT -5
"My thanks to you all for freeing both myself and the cityfolk of Garoth. I will send forth my messengers informing the governors of my ascension as King." Salogem said, bowing to Itsaki as Anor vanished. "It has been 1,140 years since a light Sindarin has ruled over the Dark Forest, 1,140 years since we have lived in peace. I must address the elves. Please excuse me." Prince Salo' inclined his head again, then walked out of the throne room to change out of war gear and into his robes.
Kaelia watched him go quietly, reclining backwards. "Thank you, Itsaki. Anor. Tarya. And all of the elves that came here to help. I hope your losses weren't too great..." She sighed, standing slowly with a groan. "While...While I was fighting, I was thinking. Itsaki, do you remember when we met? I was about 900 years old, still but a child in everyone's eyes. I appeared to be nary 15 years of age. I had been alone, wandering the world outside Sindaria for 550 years or so before then. King Thranduil died when I was 357. A child of only 10. My mother died when I was 93. The physical age of 5. But when I was banished after watching Thranduil die, I was scared. I took Trotter and Dakota with me as I fled the castle, beaten within an inch of my life. I didn't think I would live, especially because I was so young. But I did. I learned how to live. I had already known how to fight. We learn young so we can defend ourselves from the feral creatures in the forest. "All of my clothes were pretailored. As a member of the royal family, a tailor comes in, evaluates us, and arranges all of our clothes up until we reach the physical age of 30. As you may have figured out by now, whether from the battle, Anor, or my own slip of tongue, I am the princess here. Sister to Salogem, daughter of Thranduil and Lilien. But I have spent more of my time out there," She gestured vaguely out the window, "Than I have in my own homeland. I feel slightly out of place. My accent is different. I dress different. Hell, I even look a little different. But, I guess, what I am leading to is...Um, Can I come back to Akess?" She blurted out the last quickly, eyes dropping to her feet shyly and submissively. Her body shook from exhaustion and fear. Fear of the future. The unknown. Her royal life was open to her, but that wasn't what she wanted. Kaelia suddenly felt so young, like a simple child again. She may have appeared to be around 20 years of age, but she flet like she was 9 again, facing her father after she had gotten into trouble. Though being in trouble was a norm for the elf-girl, Kaelia could feel her hreat racing as she waited for an answer, flashes of her Uncle going through her head from way back when. Before he poisoned her father. Kaelia suddenly wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry, hiding away from her pains, her old scars. Ryaj's face kept popping up in her mind, large and disporportionate, looming down on her 7 year old self. 'This won't hurt...' His voice kept saying to her, playing over and over in the elf's mind. Her young voice's protests to him, then to her father about what Ryaj had done, her father's disbelieving tone as he dismissed her from his office. Kaelia wanted to be away from this place. This room. This palace. Anything. Her body shook harder, her emotions making her head pound as she struggled to contain her tears, rage, and any other emotion that threatened to overboil. "P-please Itsaki, let me come to Akess." She practically whimpered. It occurred to her in the back of her mind that the mindlink may still be open, and her face flushed with shame at the prospect of Anor or Itsaki knowing what she had just been thinking. She had only shared the information with Thranduil and Salo', niether of which had taken her seriously. And she doubted her brother even remembered those stories anymore. Kaelia struggled to clear her mind of the awful memories. "Please?"
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Itsaki
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Post by Itsaki on Dec 23, 2008 20:39:03 GMT -5
Itsaki was a bit taken aback at Kaelia. "Of-of course you can come back." He stammered. His only mental connection to her was through Anor, who was actively blocking everything that went on in her head, keeping his own thoughts and reactions behind fifty feet of titanium. "You know I have no problem with you, nor does Anor." Keena sensed something more to the whole plot, but he was only here to help out Itsaki. He nodded his head to Kaelia. "M'lady." He put a hand on Itsaki's shoulder. He bent closer and whispered, "Take care of her, she- she's having some bad flashbacks being here." Itsaki nodded, and Keena vanished. Anor perched on a thick branch above the castle. He tried forcing the images from his head, the memories that had flooded into him as quickly as they had flooded into her. He couldn't sever the mindlink, she had become almost as permanent as Itsaki. He let out a lone roar of pain and despair, not for him, but for her.
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Dec 23, 2008 23:42:49 GMT -5
"Thank you." Kaelia whispered, a huge sigh of relief escaping her. She dared to raise her blue-green eyes to glance at Itsaki, then turned away from him and faced the King's Chair. How many times she had come before it, talking to her father. Pleading with him about many, many things. Legend appeared in a puff of smoke and dropped onto Kaelia's shoulder with a sad squeak. He added to her many images of Ryaj just one, heartbreaking picture. "No...." Kaelia moaned, dropping her head again. "Not Reyann..." Legend squeaked sadly again, licked her cheek, then disappeared. Salogem entered wearing his formal robes. "Guard Ant said that everyone has gathered out front..." He trailed off, looking at his sister with concern. "Kaelia?" Refusing to raise her head, she mumbled, "Reyann...Was killed in battle..." She choked out, "And I'm leaving, Salo'. After your coronation, I'm returning to the outside world. I will visit, but I cannot live here anymore." Kaelia still kept her head down, now to hide the tears that slid rapidly down her face more than anything else. Garoth City, her home, was now a source of pain to her. Salogem moved to put a hand on her shoulder, but she stepped away from him. "Go. You have things that must be done." Kaelia whispered, backing further away from him. Salo' looked pained for a moment, sad that he could no longer provide her with comfort. She was in a place beyond comfort. He moved out onto the balcony to address the gathered cityfolk.
Kaelia stood there, feeling dark, dirty, and alone. Her head shot up suddenly, eyes targeting Itsaki. "I'm sorry. I don't know what has come over me." She said, standing there pathetically with tears on her face. She placed a hand to her forehead, then ran it through her snarled hair.
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Itsaki
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Post by Itsaki on Dec 28, 2008 7:32:02 GMT -5
Itsaki felt helpless. He hated the feeling, knowing that there wasn't much if anything he could do to console his friend. "I-I'm sorry about your friend. And, I'm sorry about whatever it is that's troubling you." 'YOung one, do not pain yourself with these burdens. You have a painful past, but as a warrior, you must forget. As a woman you must let go, and as a being, you must move on. Darkness will cloud you and bind you if you hold onto these memories. Pain and sorrow will overwhelm you. You must forget.' Anor thought to her as he walked into the room. His age old boots made no sound against the floor, covered with dried and crusted grime and blood from the war that killed him. His dark brown armor made him hard to see against the tree structure. He was young looking, with the appearance of only twenty five. His beard was neatly trimmed, for as was his fur, and the hair on his head was stiff and combed straight back, and was a dark red, like his fur. His Green cloak swirled around him as he regained what he had once lost. He walked proudly and confidently on two legs, just as he would four. "Keena has been helping me the past couple weeks. Going from frour legs to two is difficult." He took a few steps closer to Kaelia, until he was just a foot away. "My dear," his voice was peaceful and mellow, rarely did it change. It sounded as it had mentally, like cool water flowing over rocks. Anor hesitated, but he held his arms out to the elf, though she was a couple feet shorter. "My apologies for your losses."
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Dec 31, 2008 12:05:18 GMT -5
"I don't try to remember any of it. Just...This place... Haunts me. I'm sure you have your own demons that would be resurrected if you stepped into a trigger zone." She snapped, anger flowing quickly through her. But as she watched Anor move closer, it melted away to be replaced with her very usual, calm and collected demeanor. Rather than accepting the offered hug, Kaelia took his hands in hers and lowered his arms, folding them in front of Anor's torso. "My thanks." She replied simply, "You and Keena have done well on making you an elf again. Interesting power.? She released his hands after a moment, then backed up. "If you'll excuse me, I have things to attend to. Feel free to wander the palace and city at your own will. Dinner will be in the dining hall at 7:00. It is located four stories below us and to the right. After dinner, at 9:00, will be the coronation. It is tradition here to be crowned at night. That will take place out front." She curtsied slightly, looking mildly silly in her war gear, then wandered out into the hallway. On her way out, she put up a strong mental barrier after asking Anor politely through her mind, 'Please stay out, okay? I know you could bust through my barrier if you wanted, but I'd like to have my thoughts to myself.' Rather than taking the formal stairs, Kaelia slipped into one of the hidden servant's tunnels and took a dumbwaiter down to her level. She moved quickly through the tunnel, parallel to the main hallway, until she reached her tower entrance. The elf popped out of the tunnel and said a few words, permanently removing the magical lock. With a grunt, she pulled open the stiff door (It hadn't been opened in over 1,140 years, after all) and walked in. She walked up the stairs to a second, unlocked door, and went into her room. It was Kaelia's second visit here since the murder. But now, it was hers. Completely. No more sneaking around. The room was definitely owned by a royal girl, that much was obvious. But it wasn't overdone. Her bed was a four post canopy bed, and she had many fine pieces of wooden furniture in the giant room. The second level of it was only half a floor; a banister kept people from accidentally falling off and back down to her sleeping level. The second level held her weaponry and cherished items. The stairs only appeared to those she wanted going up there. Those that were worthy. Kaelia, of course, could always see the stairs. And to be a snot about it all, if one that wasn't given permission yet looked up there, it would appear empty. But rather than ascending up there, she went through a third door and into her bathroom. A bathtub large enough to fit three men into was in there. The elves had perfected the technology of running water for the bathtub. To get hot water, a permanent magical fire sat underneath one of the water reservoirs, keeping it warmed up. However, this plumbing had not yet advanced to the toilets, which were still simply holes that ran all the way down into the ground. The large window in the bathroom provided Kaelia with a grand look out over the royal gardens. A section of the gardens was a huge maze with a beautiful flower garden and bench in the middle. Kaelia left the bathroom and went back out into her bedchamber to look out that window. It overlooked only a small section of the gardens, mostly facing the dark forest. Kaelia loved the forest and could sit there for hours staring at it. Salogem's tower overlooked the city and market square; he was situated on the urban side of the palace. And of course the King and Queen's chamber overlooked everything. It had a 360 degree view. Soft footsteps on the stairs alerted her to the arrival of her personal maid. "Maria." Kaelia said softy. "Welcome home, Princess Kaelia." The short, gangly limbed elf replied, her brown eyes sparkling amidst her almond colored hair. The pair hugged for a moment, then Kaelia returned to gazing out the window, now with Maria at her side. "So much has changed since I left, yet nothing seems changed at all." Kaelia said, folding her arms in front of her chest. "You have changed." Maria laughed softly, "You were just a little peanut when I last saw you." Her eyes grew dark, remembering that fateful day. "I'm glad to see you survived the beating Ryaj gave you. Princess-" Kaelia cut her off with a wave of her hand, "It is of no matter. I knew you couldn't help me without risking your own life. I survived. I left the forest and used my fighting skills to protect myself. And the seamstress lessons you gave me provided me with clothing." Kaelia turned her head slowly, gazing at Maria's profile. The maid elf, over 10,000 years of age, looked sad, but Kaelia could see the joy there, too. Life, though not returning to normal, was going to be good again, if not better than during Thranduil's rule. "I won't be staying, Maria. Tomorrow I leave again." "I know. I knew you wouldn't. After the 500 year mark passed, I knew that once you freed us, you couldn't live here anymore. You wouldn't. But do remember to visit, please." Maria said, turning and pinching Kaelia's cheek lightly. "Well, off to prepare the Coronation feast. I will see you at dinner." Maria curtsied, then left the room. With a sigh, Kaelia climbed into the window and sat easily on the sill, watching elves dance, play, and talk in the royal gardens.
((Feel free to describe anything you see however you want to. My tower is the one that mattered, and since this Dark Forest is in YOUR world, I am leaving everything vague so it won't resemble my real home too much.))
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Itsaki
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Post by Itsaki on Dec 31, 2008 14:42:44 GMT -5
Anor sighed. He watched the girl go and shrugged. He looked to Itsaki and walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the tower. He decided to take Kaelia's advice and look around the castle. He wasn't worried as to where Itsaki went. He wanted to get a feel for the layout of the castle, but he strayed away from venturing into any doors. His feet were soft against the ground. He found the front door and decided to see the damage done in the battle. In the main courtyard, he found a group of Siranian's bowing in prayer in a circle. They stepped aside for Anor, and he looked down upon the seven bodies that lay, uncovered, on the ground before him. Their armor had been mangled and they were bloody. Itsaki stood across from him. The elven bodies lay beside the Siranian. Anor shifted his shape until he was in his Coristor form. Flowers had been layed on and around the bodies, and their were plenty of mourners. Anor roamed the faces, male and female, until he came to one. 'Reyann.' he thought. He touched his nose to her cold forehead. 'May you rest in peace.' Anor stood, a Siranian, and walked up to Itsaki. "I have business to attend to in Akess. I will be back soon." Itsaki nodded, his eyes never leaving the face of one Siranian, Itsaki Neki, his grandson. Anor put a hand on Itsaki's shoulder.
A bell rang somewhere in the city, signalling seven o' clock. Itsaki had transported to Akess and dressed in his dress armor, a small silver crown sat atop his head. Anor was yet to be seen. Itsaki was anxious as he was seated at the long table, seats being filled quickly. Suddenly, Anor appeared in the seat beside him. "Where have you been?" "Getting ready." He looked much neater, his face cleanly shaven, making him look much youger. His hair was combed and his dress armor shone. 'Trying to make an impression, eh?' Itsaki said into his mind.
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Jan 5, 2009 23:17:23 GMT -5
Kaelia remained hidden in her tower all afternoon, her thoughts a jumble in her now- fragile mind. She hand't felt this delicate in so many years. A magical spell gave the city the ability to experience day and night is the outside world was at the same moment, despite the fact that the trees were thick in the city and no one could see the sky. The light was fading, and the city lights were being lit now. Footsteps approached once more, and an exasperated Maria entered again. "Princess Kaelia!" She hissed dangerously. The elf girl's eyes widened, and she dropped to the ground and attempted to scamper away. "It is after six o clock! For shame!" Maria, the look of an Angel of Vengeance on her face, gave chase to the escaping princess. "Maria! No way. It's a simple dinner!" "It is your brother's pre-Coronation dinner! Bath. Now!" Maria glared, and Kaelia slipped into the bathroom, Maria hot on her heels. Without hesitating a moment, the elf-maid stripped Kaelia down mercilessly as the bath filled with hot water. Maria then proceeded to scrub the princess as if she were still a little child, and by the look on Kaelia's face, Maria wasn't too far off. "Id ulg sur! It's after 6:30 now Ai! Kaelia, why must you be so slow? Out!" Maria swept out of the room as Kaelia clambered out of the bath, her skin rubbed red. "Your a filthy child! Here, you best!" She pulled out a dress that made Kaelia's jaw drop. "No way. I'm not wearing that frilly crap." "Oh yes you are." "Hell no." "Watch you mouth young lady. This is your brother's pre-Coronation dinner! You will show proper respect, not go rampaging down to dinner like some brutish ogre in your battle gear." "Why not? The soldiers do, and I am a soldier." "You don't have a dress uniform. You will go as a princess, not a warrior." And that ended the conversation. Despite her status, Kaelia knew better than to try and sway Maria's mind. She reluctantly put on the dress and let Maria do her hair.
"Just in time. 5 minutes to spare. Get your tush down to the dining hall using the main hallways, please." Maria said, popping into the side pathways. Heaving a sigh, Kaelia walked slowly to the dining hall. Kaelia placed her hand on the door handle, holding her breath for a moment. Her mind a blank anyway, Kaelia took the mental barrier down in her mind as she opened the door. The golden light of the dining hall hit her white blond hair, making every curl shine. It wasn't in it's usual braid, but rather had been curled slightly so it fell lusciously about her shoulders and framed her face perfectly. A slight hint of makeup accentuated her face even more, making her appear aristocratic and, quite frankly, beautiful. It had aged her slightly, so she appeared a few years older than her true age. But the most amazing apparel she wore was her dress. It was a deep, emerald green with royal blue accents. Overall it was simple, but had a grandiose appearance and made her eyes stand out beautifully. Kaelia walked with her shoulders squared and head held high, looking every bit the princess she was. A server took the door from her while another elf announced her. "Princess Kaelia Lara Vreslet, daughter of the late King Thranduil Jorn Vreslet!" She inclined her head to the other dignitaries that were now seated at the table, her eyes attempting to catch Anor's and Itsaki's gazes, a weak smile on her face. A server pulled out her chair, which was across from Itsaki's. They were at the right and left hand of the head chair, which was where Salo' would be sitting. Kaelia took her place, the server pushing her in slightly. But Kaelia knew better than to get comfortable, and sure enough, a soft gong rang just loud enough to stop the chatter at the table. The announcer said, "Please rise." The people around the table stood as the door was pulled open once more. "The Prince and to be King Salogem Pasco Vreslet of the Dark Forest." Salogem entered the room wearing similar colors to Kaelia- emerald green, but rather than blue, he wore a dark grey mingled with dark purple. He, too, was in simple clothing, but it made him look just as outstanding. As he walked through the room to his spot with the same air as Kaelia, he smiled at the people around the table. He stood beside his seat for a moment, kissed Kaelia's cheek affectionately, then turned to Itsaki. He placed his hands on the giant man's shoulders (with some difficulty due to the height difference) and said, "Mik tala corsum. Welcome, brother." He released the Siranian, arms open, "Please be seated. Dinner will be served shortly." He sat down, everyone else following suit afterwards.
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Itsaki
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Post by Itsaki on Jan 6, 2009 12:16:40 GMT -5
Itsaki and Anor talked lightly for a few minutes until they both heard Kaelia's name being announced. They stood, although probably unnecessary. "My lady." Itsaki said as Kaelia sat. He sat, and Anor said, mentally, 'You look beautiful, Kaelia.' When the Prince and King to be entered, the pair stood again. Itsaki nodded thanks to Salogem as he spoke, then seated beside him. "Congratulations, Salo'" He said. 'Yes con-' Anor halted. "Sorry, habit. Congratulations on becoming King. I'm sure you will be a loved lord, if the people love you as much as they loved your father, may he rest in peace." Anor said. Itsaki could not help but to continually return his gaze to Kaelia, the way her hair flowed or the way her eyes sparkled.
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Jan 6, 2009 13:22:58 GMT -5
'Thank you.' Kaelia thought back, glancing up at him, 'You look nice as well.' She turned her gaze to the other people at the table, 'I recognize so many of them. Wow, this is a serious flash back in time. Just move me down a seat, put my brother where I am now and my mother where Itsaki is.' It occurred to her that this was the first time she had mentioned her mother in years, and was rather saddened to discover that both of her parents were dead and had been for many years. She'd never thought of it like that before. And ironically, she'd watch both of her parents die, unable to help in any way. Kaelia quickly turned away from these thoughts- she could mourn them later- and back to the conversations at hand.
"I thank you very much, Lord Itsaki. Unless you have another title you'd prefer?" He turned his grey eyes to Anor, listening intently with a small upturn to the corners of his lips, "I hope they do. I will certainly try my best. And I fervently hope we can forge an alliance between our countries- I believe it is time the Dark Forest started seeing the rest of the world, rather than dealing in our own things. You came and saved our country, and I am indebted to your own world. "I do hope you will attend the funerals tonight for all that have died. We will be honoring the fallen King Thranduil, as well as the many others that died in the battle this day. Will you allow your fallen men to be in the procession? You may take them after wards and have your own ritual, I will not stand in the way of another man's lost friends." Salo' clasped his hands in front of him, eyes dark as he thought of all the fallen elves and Sarmatians. A stream of nicely dressed servers poured out of the kitchens and began to serve the first course- an apple wine with fruit salad made of many rare and exotic fruits found only in the deepest parts of the Dark Forest.
Kaelia's eyes continued roaming through the room, her right hand playing lightly with a curl that had defiantly gone astray. More than once she caught Itsaki looking at her, and it made her exceptionally nervous. With food finally in front of her, she politely began ignoring the babbling dignitary beside her and sipped her apple wine. Kaelia slid her eyes closed for a moment, savoring the sweeter flavors of the wine, then the more dry under layer that came in, followed by another, slightly sweet taste of the apple. She had missed the simple drink; other forms of apple wine could be found throughout the world, but to her, none tasted as perfect as Sindarin Apple wine. Kaelia was also pleased at the fruit selection- apprentice cooks must have spent all afternoon searching for the freshest of the rare fruits.
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Post by Itsaki on Jan 8, 2009 11:18:58 GMT -5
'Thank you, princess.' Anor replied to Kaelia. "I have many titles, it does not matter which is used." Itsaki told him." "Ah. I would love to have an alliance with the elves of this forest, but that is Itsaki's realm of expertise. I really have no claim in any of that." Itsaki rolled his eyes. "What he means to say," Itsaki entered, "is that he's too lazy to take up any actual work." Itsaki laughed. His tone turned serious, though, at the mention of the fallen warriors. "Yes, of course, the Siranians can be in the procession. I do not know how your funerals are carried out, but for us we burn the bodies. It allows the sould to escape into what the Siranians call "Anichaline", or the After-Paradise, for a literal translation." Itsaki stopped when the wine appeared, and gave a nervous glance to Anor. Anor gave him a sharp look in return. As a Coristor, he could down six barrels of wine. They both had the same thought, of course, that as a Siranian, Anor could probably take a proportional amount. Anor decided that he would watch himself. The wine was delicious, it tasted far better than either of them had ever had, and neither could name or identify some of the fruits in the salad, but either way it was delicious. They wondered what the main course would be like. A few times, Itsaki quickly averted his glance when he saw Kaelia's eyes meet his, and he became embarassed, so he kept his eyes down on his plate. 'Having nostalgia?' Anor asked Kaelia mentally. 'Your thoughts are hard to discern. Mind you, I am trying to keep my distance, but again, you are somehow connected to my mind almost as much as Itsaki. It is curious, as is your mind. I apologize for being nosy, anyhow.'
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Jan 9, 2009 1:20:45 GMT -5
Salo'joined the laugh, "I have a few advisors around here that would rather chase the ladies than stay focused on their work, some days. Maybe some of them will have shaped up after the reign of terror." He leaned back, a server going around collecting the empty plates. "We burn them as well. I didn't want to send your men up without your consent. We call it Stovokor. 'Land of Life'. But I guess, essentially, we all go to the same place. Names mean little to the vastness of eternity." After all the dishes had been collected, the servers brought out the main course- The large, cooked body of some animal. "A delicacy. Cooked Sifnids- the giant spiders that live in the depths of the forest. If they aren't cooked just right, the poison remains in their bodies and kills anyone who eats it." Salo'sais with a laugh. It was hard to tell if he was serious or not. After five of these spiders had been placed on the table, the servers began cutting and serving the people, leaving the rest of the bodies cut so more could be had if desired. The meat was dark red with hints of really dark purple in it. With that came a red wine that was surprisingly not dry. It had a velvety taste that could make one think of a cool drink on a hot, dry day. "Don't worry, it's edible." Kaelia said softly, a grin pulling at the corners of her lips. The meat was strong and couldn't really be compared to any other meat. It wasn't sweet, but rather a bit spicy and had the effect of making your lips tingle slightly. An after effect of the now-safe poison. 'You're fine, Anor. I'm not thinking about much, and I have come to like your company rather than feel awkward with you in my head. I guess I am being a bit nostalgic.' Rather than trying to explain her thoughts, she sent him images of the past. A young elf girl, about 47 years old, sat in front of the mirror. She was unmistakeably Kaelia, despite the major age difference. "Hold still, child. Let me finish." Said the elf behind her. This was Lilien, Kaelia's now-dead mother. "But-" "Please, Kaelia. Have patience." The woman kissed the girls cheek affectionately, and continued crushing her hair. The image changed, now showing Ryaj sitting across from Kaelia. Lilien sat beside Ryaj, right beside a man that Anor would not recognize in Salo's seat- King Thranduil. He looked so much like his brother, Ryaj. Beside Kaelia was Salogem, looking much younger. Just a boy. The room looked almost identical, one would notice as the young girl turned her eyes and glanced at the rest of the room. Some of the colors were different (Ryaj had his own sense of style and taste) but overall, everything was the same. As Kaelia's young child's eyes glanced down the table, many of the dignitaries seated there, though younger, were the same ones that were seated there now. Even the man seated directly beside kaelia was the same. A few faces had changed- some were the children or advisors of the diplomats. The image changed again, still through the eyes of Kaelia (What else could the vision possibly be through?) Her breathing was hard as she dashed through the main doors into the dining hall, a grey fluffy tail swinging before her. "Run, 'Kota!" She breathed heavily, whipping through the dining hall, past servers and other people in her rush. As she truend the corner on the other side of the hall to go through the doors, she ran square into another elf's legs, "Kaelia!" Salogem scolded, pulling her off her bottom. "You are such a pain. Dakota, sit." The half-warg sat on command, tongue lolling out of her mouth tiredly; the pair had been running like the dickens for a while. "You are going to be in so much trouble." Salo continued to scold, taking Kaelia by the hand and leading her up to her father's throne room. Another image popped into her head, this time of the maze. An elf her age walked beside her, grinning happily. "How much further?" The girl asked, excitement in her voice. "Not much further, Rey'." Kaelia laughed with childish delight, suddenly dashing ahead and running through the maze by memory. They popped out into the center garden, and Reyann drew her breath sharply in amazement. The flowers were in full bloom. The smell was absolutely amazing. Kaelia made sure Anor got as much of that smell-memory as she could send him. The gardens were... beyond stunning. "Wow..." Reyann breathed, walking ahead of Kaelia, trying to take it all in. The pair stopped in front of the pond, their reflections wavery in the water. Kaelia was about the same age as the last few visions, about 47-49. Her face still had the child's roundness to it, her hair long and naturally wavy. "This could be, like, our secret hiding spot!" Reyann exclaimed, eyes shining brightly as she grabbed kaelia's hand. They spun around in circles for a moment, then fell down on a patch of grass. Kaelia hugged her kneeslike she always did while Reyann dropped backwards, hands behind her head. Both were in simple dresses, made for their child antics. The image remained essentially the same, expect the girls suddenly aged, the flowers weren't fully bloomed yet. They were in their late 80's early 90's now. "Kae...Is it true?" "..." Kaelia looked away from her best friend, eyes searching for something to latch onto. Something to hold her together. "Kae, don't hide things from me! Is she really gonna...ya know...die?" The image blurred, then Kaelia stopped transmitting to Anor. 'Sorry. Not really sure why that popped up.' She thought sheepishly, 'Too depressing for today.' She offered him a grin, continuing her meal. 'Block themif you don't want to see anymore.' She thought lightly, letting all her random thoughts and images pop over to Anor.
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Itsaki
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Post by Itsaki on Jan 10, 2009 13:36:18 GMT -5
"Ah yes, we have plenty of commanders who'd rather chase than command. And yes, I'm sure names don't matter much, they all describe the smae place." When the giant spiders came out, Itsaki's stomach knotted a bit. He had never eaten giant spiders before, although he had heard that they were a delicacy in many places, and he hadn't ever much wanted to eat one. He was quite surprised, although, to find that the meat set before him was quite good. "Well, if their's still poison in it, I'd rather eat more before it kills me." He laughed as he took another peice.
'A lot of people flinch and scream when I stay in their heads too long.' he smiled. He watched Kaelia's memories intently as he absentmindedly ate. 'I'm sorry about your mother. How did she die?' he asked hesitantly. He didn't want to tread on thin ice.
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Jan 14, 2009 20:15:34 GMT -5
'A stupid elvish law of magic. My mother had bonded herself to her best friend through magical means. When her friend was tragically killed while out hunting, it made her sick. Ultimately, the magical bond took her life. She slowly deteriorated over the period of a year before finally submitting to the magic. That's the way it is.' Kaelia thought back with a mental shrug. She helped herself to more meat, savoring the flavor. "I missed being home, I admit it." She said aloud, sipping at her wine. Salogem looked over at her, his face momentarily unreadable. Then he broke into a smile and said, "I missed having you here. And I missed you demonic behavior." Kaelia laughed softly, wondering if Salo was remembering the same troubles as she was. As the elves stopped eating the meat, it too was removed. They were left without food for a while, allowing some digestion time. A few of the dignitaries even stood and walked to the window to continue their discussions and smoke their pipes. "Intermission." Kaelia said by way of explanation, standing up herself to stretch. "Then dessert. And then a fabulous speech delivered by my brother dearest." She grinned widely at Salo, who scowled playfully in return, "Followed by the funeral procession. A wonderful way to spend an evening." She wandered over to the tapestries, studying one intensely. Ever since Anor's tale about the final stand of the Coristors, she wanted to find evidence of it on one of the many tapestries throughout the castle. Kaelia could already see where they were going to put up a new tapestry about the reclaiming of the city at. As she moved through the ages by tapestry, she finally came to the one she had searched for. It was, of course, out in the hallway (There's a lot of history, Kaelia thought in mild surprise) and depicted many coristors gliding through the air while some were on the ground. Many men stood against them. Kaelia scratched her head, trying to figure the whole thing out. Tapestry reading was not one of her strengths.
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Itsaki
Administrator
Has negative infinity karma.
There is a time and a place for everything, my love, and let no one tell you different.
Posts: 774
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Post by Itsaki on Jan 15, 2009 4:35:55 GMT -5
Anor nodded at Kaelia's explanation. At "intermission", Itsaki sat back and stretched. He knew that Kaelia's comment about a wonderful way to spend the evening was sarcastic, but it still got to him.
Anor walked up behind Kaelia in the hallway. "Ah, the great battle. Arin 4, 5151. Ten thousand Coristors, three million Men. Well, they're really accurate with these things, I wonder who made this." Anor said. He looked closely. "There's the God-Coristor." He pointed to a huge dragon-Coristor with white fur and huge wings. "Look, there's Itsaki." He pointed to a Siranian in the front lines. He was young, much, much younger, and he looked different, but sure enough, it was Itsaki. "He was 2304 years old. An adult, at that time. It killed him, having to face his brother. He and Carai and Tarya and Salem." He went down the line of utterly familiar Siranians. The elves. Men. Dragons." He pointed to lines of black, approaching the battlefield. "If this is as accurate as it seems," Anor analyzed the tapestry. "I am...here." He pointed to a much younger Coristor, just over two thousand years old. His yellow fur was marked by a red streak down his back. "I don't know who made this, but they must have been there." He ran a finger over the shape of his old self, his memories aching to be free from their prison in his mind. "But that's just history as I saw it, I'm not much of a tepestry reader, either." He withdrew his hand.
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Post by Shu'al Raethir on Jan 16, 2009 1:12:35 GMT -5
Kaelia listened with rapt attention, awe on her face. This was so long before her time. Of course, because she had been forced to leave home at such a young age, her schooling was incomplete. She was intelligent, yes, but her history was completely screwed up. "Of course, young man, we were there. See?" An old elf said softly, pointing to a section of strangely clad elves. "We fought beside the Coristors and elves. You see, they were encroaching on our territory, and when we heard about a battle to come between the large world forces, we wanted to push his," the old elf pointed at the opposing army, "Forces away from our home. I am the tapestry maker." His faded grey eyes twinkled lightly. "I was too old, even so long ago as this battle, to participate in the fighting. I stay in the background and record history so it may never be forgotten." He sipped his wine, admiring his work on the wall. The elf appeared to be nearly 70 years old- this guy was ancient in true elf years. "Now I must start the outline of the new tapestry. Hmhm." He chuckled, raising his glass in a salute to Anor before turning to the other tapestries. Kaelia smiled weakly, 'That's Weyuun the Elder. No one knows how old he really is, but some have guessed around 25,000 years old. I don't think that is too far off from the mark.' Kaelia thought with a touch of humor. 'He's strange, but really funny.' "Anor? What year is it on the calendar you use? You said this battle took place on 'Arin 4, 5151', but that isn't anything I'm familiar with. Our calendar here is different, and is the one I have always used. I never learned the outside world's form of timekeeping. I know we use the same hours, but the names of day and the change of seasons are different, probably because we have only two seasons in the forest." Kaelia said aloud, glancing up at Anor a moment before wandering back towards the dining hall- dessert would be served soon.
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