So he knew of sapphires as well?

Interesting.

Urkwia slowed down and began to think about the event that had just occurred. Since she didn't get close to the spinning disc of energy, she didn't have much to go on as far as ideas went. But was it possible that it was a link to another place? If neither of them had heard of one another, was it really so far-fetched? It was a leap to suggest, so she kept her thought to herself as she walked along the cobblestone road. Everything around them was sturdy and strong, to not just block any enemies but to also keep its own people safe and comfortable. But they were a long era of peace and prosperity. No one thought much about war, if there were moments of rest, they were usually condensed to two near by villages or clans.

Nearing the pub, she turned to Telio who asked if this was customary of someone with such status. "My family and I do not draw a very thick line between us and the people we serve." She explained. "While we have an image to uphold and vows to keep, we do not distances ourselves from the people. We go out and travel and we speak to people and should there be a problem, we do our best to fix it, rather than to allow Knights and Servants to become our masks. I hope this doesn't make you uncomfortable. If you'd rather be taken to the castle, I would understand." Of course it was one thing to mingle with the commoners and a whole other to dash around the city at night in a heroic disguise.

Her parents needn't know that though.

Some of the men who passed them in the street waved to her and she gave a slight wave to them and looked back to the self proclaimed explorer. There were many questions she had for him in regards to his origin and reason for stumbling upon the area. The odds of him studying sapphires and exploring the world and coming into contact with her were so slim. It couldn't be a coincidence. It had to be connected. She looked around and saw that things were still a bit busy near the pub, as most fishermen and workers felt no need to wait until sundown to enjoy a cool drink. She led them down an alleyway so there would be less noise to distract her. Digging for her notebook, she flipped through the pages she had just recently marked down.

"I have been working with these stones for several years and I've never seen what I saw today and I think it means something. You're involved somehow and I need to know what happened before you saw the vortex. What did you do, exactly?" She asked him. Urkwia had hoped that this would be able to wait but she was unable to contain herself any longer. Ideally, she wanted to get them both fed and take him back to her personal library and lab but it couldn't wait. She couldn't wait. In the back of her mind, she could hear her father scolding her for being rude and narrow minded, that she ought to be polite and tend to her guest's needs, rather than her own. "I'm sorry, I got carried away." Urkwia glanced down at her notes and told herself to pull back a little.

A Princess had to be polite. Polite wasn't what she was being right now. She was being a pest and a pest didn't get anywhere in the world. "I think if we get something to eat, we'll both feel a little better." Urkwia considered, putting a hand to her forehead to note how warm she was thanks to the heat, as well as the odd situation and encounter. "I think we could get some food and take it back to the castle." That would be a good enough compromise for them both. She turned back around and led them back toward the pub. Upon entering, many of the drunkards raised their mugs in greeting. One of them falling off his seat in the process. Many of his friends laughed and Urkwia shook her head. "Gavin, you really need to stop getting an early start on your drinking."

She walked over and helped pull him to his feet. She took a step back and moved to the bar and ordered a selection of meat, cheese, bread, fruit and wine. Then she asked that it be prepared to be taken back to the castle. The barmaid mentioned that Telio looked a bit out of place and agreed that it would be best. Urkwia was keen to get back as well. As much she enjoyed the people, the stress was making her even more unsettled than usual. Too much chit chat made her uneasy but her parents insisted that she go out more and get to know people's names and family history. And she was doing her best. But with the fantastic breakthrough, she was more keen to put social activism behind her so she could continue to focus on the sapphires and their untapped power.

Once a basket had been fixed for her, she carried it and motioned for Telio to come along. "So where exactly are you from? What are you most known for?" She asked as the led them back to the castle which was in the middle of the city. It was large and held many events for the city. Many festivals and celebrations took place around the castle which would be decorated for every occasion. "I have a theory that sounds pretty crazy but I think the vortex generated," however that happened. "transported you from your home to mine...I'm not sure how far that is but we've never heard of one another...and my gut is telling me that whatever happened...however it happened, it's not a fluke. At the event in question, I was hitting two dark colored sapphires together and saw wisps-sparks of blue energy-"

Her story was cut off by them approaching the main entrance to the castle. "Home sweet home." She glanced to Telio and smiled before a guard came and retrieved her belongings. 

"I'll put these in your study." He said.

"Thank you, could you set up our food? I'd like to show my honored guest around." Urkwia smiled and kept walking. The inside of the castle was spacious but decorated with gold, red and blue. The family crest was an owl with gold feathers. There were paintings and sculptures and books everywhere. "We don't have to meet my mother and father just yet, I think you and I have things to discuss before we need to bring them in. To be honest, they were never too happy about my obsession with our sapphires." She admitted with a sheepish smile as she descended down a long spiral stone staircase to where her library and lab were. On the floor above was where her private quarters were. The bulk of the eastern part of the castle was hers and while she had friends over, it was rare for her to be seen with a male, which was why many of the maids and servants were watching them out of the corner of their eyes.

"If you need a place to stay, you can look no further than here, we have plenty of room and I'm sure your knowledge with travel will be a great benefit for us, so please don't think that you're any sort of inconvenience." She said, being quite upfront as she found their food laid out on a round oak table, just as she asked. Urkwia felt some sense of protectiveness, as if she were responsible for the male falling into her life, while it was a bit weird and troublesome at first, her mind was spinning at all the ideas and now she had a second brain to pick. Someone who was invested in the stones! "I don't have many guests here so try to understand I am a bit out of depth in regard to...acting properly." 

That didn't come out right.

Shaking her head, she adjusted her glasses and motioned for him to sit and make himself comfortable, wondering why she stumbled on her words when she had been doing okay before. "Do you have anything you wish to ask me? Please, feel free." She smiled as she poured them both wine, preferring to serve them herself, rather than to bring someone down into a place she worked. If she ever caught someone trying to tidy up, she'd give them a quick wave and frantically try to fix whatever it was that had been moved by someone else. Urkwia was a private person, a bit too caught up in her own work at times, she knew she needed to talk to people more and see the word and she wanted to but deep down, she was scared. And a Queen couldn't be that.