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[h1][b]"Myrr" Velasien[/b][/h1]
[h2]--- Eastern Edge -> Center of Settlement --- [/h2]
[h3]Interactions:[/h3]
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The forest was quiet, save for the gentle rustle of leaves and the soft crackle of dry branches beneath Myrr’s boots as she walked along the narrow, winding path. She had been traveling for a while now, the air crisp with the scent of pine and earth. Her golden hair, flowing down her back, glinted in the light as she walked, her cloak of forest green fluttering softly with each step. She was alone, save for the book she carried in her hands… “99 Strange Plants and Where to Find Them”, a book given to her by her grandmother when she left her home and that had captured her heart. She did not know if the plant information written in it was true or even if the plants actually existed, but she was hopeful.

[color=39b54a]"[i]The Nightshade Orchid only blooms in the most hostile of environments, where no light reaches for days...[/i]"[/color] Myrr murmured aloud as she walked, her voice soft, as though speaking the words to the very trees themselves. [color=39b54a]"[i]Its petals, when properly harvested, can be used to create a potion that obfuscates the drinker... but be wary of its venomous roots.[/i]"[/color]

She paused for a moment, looking thoughtfully at the page. The name felt so formal, so detached. Nightshade Orchid. It sounded too much like a warning. Myrr pursed her lips, tapping the page lightly with her finger.

[color=39b54a]"Orchie,"[/color] she declared with a grin. [color=39b54a]"Much friendlier that way."[/color]

The book seemed to approve… or so she imagined… so she carried on, flipping to the next entry, her boots crunching against the dirt and dry leaves. The forest began to thin around her, the towering trees replaced by shadows of another kind: fragments of abandoned civilization. Yet, Myrr hardly noticed. She had turned the page and was absorbed in a description of another plant. [color=39b54a]"[i]The Heartvine, found only in abandoned ruins, grows in places where sorrow lingers...[/i]"[/color] The name was beautiful but weighed down by its somber origin. Myrr wrinkled her nose.

[color=39b54a]"Harty,"[/color] she said to herself, her voice chipper. [color=39b54a]"Much better. Harty sounds like a companion, not a tragedy."[/color]

She wandered through the village ruins, her eyes on the text rather than her surroundings, the crumbling remains of the village passing by unnoticed. Myrr’s thoughts remained filled with plants and their curious properties. Though what she didn’t realize was that she wasn’t as alone as she thought. People… others who had arrived in the village before her… were also among the ruins, but Myrr didn’t even notice. She only kept soft murmuring plant names carried faintly through the air, completely disregarding who could be paying attention to her. She walked with such intent focus, her nose buried in her book, that she seemed utterly oblivious to the world around her.

It wasn’t until her foot struck a loose piece of stone… a jagged remnant of a crumbled wall… that Myrr stumbled. Her arms flailed, and she let out a startled yelp as she struggled to catch herself. She managed to avoid falling, but her heart raced from the sudden near-tumble.
[color=39b54a]"My stars,"[/color] she muttered under her breath, brushing off her cloak and glancing down at the offending stone.
Then she froze. A tingle of awareness crawled up her spine as she looked up and realized… There were people. Her stomach flipped as embarrassment washed over her. She straightened herself hastily, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeves as if to regain some shred of dignity, though her ears already had flushed a soft pink.

Myrr cleared her throat, avoiding eye contact, and pretended to read her book as if nothing had happened. The words on the page blurred together as her thoughts raced.

[i]They saw that. Of course they saw that[/i], she thought, wincing internally. She shifted her weight awkwardly and adjusted her satchel, determined to look busy. Her mind buzzed with embarrassment, but a small, wry smile crept onto her lips as she scolded herself silently.
[color=39b54a]"Well, Orchie and Harty,"[/color] she muttered under her breath, gripping the book tightly, [color=39b54a]"we’ve officially made fools of ourselves. Congratulations."[/color]

And though her face still burned, she couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle at her own clumsiness.