[IC] [Genkai] Spectrum of Sapphires [ruronihs]

[Genkai]

A gentle warm breeze swept along the golden meadow outside of the city, her city, Hy Byseil.

Hy Byseil was a sturdy place, it had large stone walls and did plenty of trading with the country and far beyond it. And Urkwia was to someday make it her own, just as her parents had before her. While she was of an aqueduct age to inherit the throne and title of Queen, she refused to settle down until her questions had been answered. For about four years, she had been conducting experiments on the sapphires that were found in the river which ran through Hy Byseil from the large ocean on the beach in the north part of the city. Urkwia had been collecting various stones and testing them. Something in her heart told her that these weren't just for decoration, but that they could be something so great and powerful. And as a future leader, she needed to know about every resource the land had to offer.

Currently, Urkwia was standing in a meadow, the city wall to her back. The sun was low in the sky as it was only ten or so in the morning. She was prepared to test all day if she had to. With her, she had her pack of books and pencils to collect data and report any findings she came across. She pulled out two rather dark dark deep blue sapphires and held them up to her face. Her hazel eyes saw nothing amiss but she had to be careful, just in case. The woman stepped back and rolled the two dark stones in her hand, testing the weight they held. Taking a deep breath, she clenched her hand. They stayed solid. She pulled out her notebook and made some notes and then resumed her tentative tests. The white haired woman looked back over at Hy Byseil and could hear the faint bells from the large clock tower by the castle.

Was it noon already?

And nothing?

No progress.

Even so, Urkwia wasn't deterred in the slightest. She took both small pieces and started to hit them together, using gentle force to make a clicking sound. She did this a few times, feeling almost as though the gentle collision was resonating between both gemstones as they connected. "Maybe they're sharing energy?" She muttered to herself as she tried again, this time a few sparks of blue were seen and she felt her heart do a back-flip. Urkwia, now spurred on, did it again and suddenly a large vortex emerged from the blue sparks. It spun and spun around. Urkwia looked at the two tiny gems in her hand and then grabbed the notebook to document the specification of the event. Her eyes were wide as she circled around the swirl of blue alluring light.

"It's two dimensional...does this mean, this could be a link somewhere..." She uttered softly, currently not daring to get too close to the thing in question. She needed to do more research. She'd need to throw something in and test where it went. She'd have to see how long it could sustain itself. So many questions. Just as she was finishing her sketch of the vortex, she saw a figure jump out of it and she quickly moved away from its path. The vortex then close and she dropped her notebook in surprise. "What? Why did you do that?" She frowned and looked to see someone she didn't recognize. At first she assumed he was a farmers boy or merchant passing to go to Hy Byseil but now she wasn't so sure. Could he have originated from the gem?

[ruronihs]

The horse-drawn carriage trotted along a dirt path as Telio tinkered with his discoveries in the back. He had just found a new river -- or perhaps it was a new part of an old river, he hadn't mapped that out yet -- that held a fine bounty of sapphires beneath the surface. Imagine that, a vein of Sapphires right under their feet, and they wouldn't have even noticed it had the river not carved it's way through the earth. He wondered how many other untapped veins were sleeping beneath Eldan, his kingdom. Well, perhaps they would never know; they couldn't very well tear up the countryside on the off chance that something might be in the dirt. At least with these gems he could convince his father, the king, that this trip had been worth his time.

Telio had an ambivalent relationship with his father. The king was a good ruler in his own right and Telio was an accomplished young man that any other father would have been proud of, but the two simply didn't see eye to eye. They didn't hate each other, but they felt a sort of mutual pity. Telio felt it was a shame that his father held dominion over all of this land, yet he had never even seen most of it; his father felt it was a shame that he wasted his talents gallivanting around the country side. After all, a man his age should be establishing himself in the court, and settling down with his fiance. But, Telio had little interest in fancy attire and forced courtesy. What interested him now were those tiny blue gems.

He rolled a sapphire around in his hand, watching as the light disappeared in its dark blue crystalline form. Then, something caught his eye. Could it it just flash? He couldn't tell in this light. "Stop the carriage!" he yelled, and then hopped out onto the road before it even came to a complete stop. It was flashing! It was little more than a dim flicker, but it definitely wasn't a mere trick of the light.

"Is something wrong my lord?" The driver asked, but when he saw that the prince was just playing with their treasure again, he simply let out a sigh and waited for him to finish. Honestly, what was so special about those shiny rocks?

Telio set the sapphire down on the ground, tilting it this way and that, but got nothing more than a dull flicker. "Maybe if I use another one..." He leaped back into the carriage and sprawled the sapphires out on the floor, squinting, looking for any other gem that showed a similar spark of life. Nothing...nothing... "There!" he said, grabbing what had appeared to be the darkest of all he gems. When he set it down beside the other gem, the flickering became more intense. It was frustratingly exhilarating; he felt like he was on the brink of an entirely new field of geology. The gemstones suddenly flared with light and sparks began to crackle around them. Or magic apparently.

Something, he wasn't sure what, was causing the Sapphires to react. Then, after the brightest flash of all, a gaping vortex opened up before him. Was this a pit to hell? No, not with a radiant light like that. In fact, it didn't appear to be dangerous at all... at least no more dangerous than any other door was. He tentatively reached into the vortex with his arm, and pulled it back to inspect it. No harm. Then, a wide grin crossed Telio's face. "Tell my father it may be some time to return," he said to the driver, and then stepped through the portal.

He was a bit disorientated upon arrival. The place he landed was similar to where he was, but he didn't recognize any of it. He scanned the horizon for any landmark or point of reference that he could discern his position from, but he recognized absolutely nothing. Just how far had that portal taken him. Well, perhaps he could ask that woman that was gawking at him. "I apologize if I've disturbed you," he said, unable to tell if that look on her face was one of confusion or irritation; both would be reasonable given the circumstances. "My name is prince Telio of Eldan." He gave a small bow out of the small bit of courtesy his father had managed to instill in him. "I seem to have gotten lost. Would you mind telling me where I have landed?"

[Genkai]

Picking up her discarded notebook, she dusted it off and gave it a rather crestfallen sigh, as if it was the only one to know her misfortune. She had been so close. So close! So so so close to figuring something out and yet just as she was nearing an answer, it all vanished right in front of her and she was left with a traveler who was perhaps drunk, unable to really find where he was going. Still, she had her family's honor and reputation to uphold so she quickly collected herself to properly represent her family. He gave a bow and she gave one back. "Prince Telio of Eldan?" She repeated. Her world had no such place, none that she was aware of anyway. A tinge of discomfort soared up from her gut and landed in her head. "I've never heard of that place or you..." She said plainly, her lack of formal etiquette showing through once more.

"I'm sorry," She corrected herself. "you're nearing the great city of Hy Byseil." It was uncommon for people to happen upon the area, everyone who came, came with intention and great direction but this so-called prince of some faraway land looked lost and she was beginning to grow suspicious. Despite uncertainty, she didn't sense anything "off" about him. He didn't carry an air of distrust or ill-intent, but even so, Urkwia was careful not to get to close. Anyone could be armed. "Did you happen to see...a blue vortex of some sort?" She inquired, wondering if he had something to do with the anomaly that vanished all too soon. While her parents supported her endeavors with her research and experiments, they told her to not lose sight of other matters.

Still, the woman couldn't help but bring the topic up so suddenly, due to how she and male had encountered one another. Looking back down at her notes, she felt her expression deepen and drop slightly. "I'm doing research on blue stones, sapphires and I was in the of a massive breakthrough when you happened upon me." She decided to explain her soured mood in hopes that she'd get over it sooner. Something happened, that was enough cause to celebrate. It could happen again, somehow. She would figure it out and make it work. "If you'd like, we can go to Hy Byseil together..." She trailed off and remembered that she had still yet to give her own formal introduction. It was a good thing her parents weren't around to see her blunder countless times when it came to being a good host.

"My name is Urkwia, Princess of the realm and beyond. Hy Byseil is our capital on this continent, our sister is By Hyseil...perhaps you've heard of that?" She asked Telio as she packed up her supplies quickly, making several mental notes to organize them when she got back home. For now, she knew she couldn't waste anymore time with labels and such. If she didn't have a guest with her, she would have spent a good fifteen minutes taking stock of everything to make sure that when she left, nothing was missing from her pack. But since the Prince, Telio seemed a bit lost, she decided it would be better to get back to Hy Byseil and get something to eat and drink. Perhaps that would help him gather himself, so to speak.

Her aunt and uncle ruled over By Hyseil, which was on the other land massive. They were both large and bountiful, everything else was scattered on islands around the two lumpy lands. Every month or so, they would all come together for a typical meeting to ensure both were on the same page as far as rules and regulations were concerned. It was all a bit boring but Urkwia was hoping to take over either city when the time came, for now, she liked to tell herself that the time wasn't as close as it probably was. If she had any siblings, they would rule the other continent but that wasn't the case. So the burden fell onto her shoulders alone. She loved Hy Byseil with all of her heart, whereas By Hyseil was only a place she would vacation to.

Either way, she would love whatever place needed her most.

"So you're a Prince?" She looked to Telio, still a bit ambivalent regarding his claim. It wasn't often people pretended to have royal blood or ties. Still, she didn't think he was necessarily lying, she just wasn't sure if she knew what he was talking about and that worried her. There couldn't be another country far away that her family didn't know about. The whole world was mapped out wonderfully, and while she had never been to much of it, she was certain that she hadn't of Eldan. As they traversed through the high field and made their way toward the gate, she gave a wave to one of the guards. She knew all of them by name and many of them knew of her nightly escapades. Thankfully she could bribe them with wine and good cheese, in order for them to not tell her parents.

"Since you're my guest, I'll happily show you around and treat you to a wonderful meal." She smiled to him, putting a hand atop her heart, as was custom with the royal family when they made important statements or vows. Even if the Prince wasn't from around the area, there was no reason why she ought to turn him away. She had just the place in mind, a great pub with great food and drink. It was out of the way but that was one of the reasons she liked it to much. It was close to a bookstore, one of many that captivated her. All the old text, bound in leather and tucked away safe and sound, just waited to be opened up. Those were magical moments for Urkwia and her heart soared at the prospect of new information and ideas. Maybe she'd find something about Eldan or Telio in one of the many bookstores or libraries around the city.

As they passed through stone wall and entered through one of the six gates, she felt her mood turning around.

From distress to excitement.

[ruronihs]

It was no surprise that the natives of this land had not heard of him or his kingdom. After all, if he did not recognize even the distant points on the horizon it probably meant that his people had not made contact with this land yet. When the woman told Telio where he was, and who she was, a small frown crossed his face, though it was more of confusion than of actual displeasure. There were apparently not one, but two great kingdoms of which he had been utterly unaware, but how was this possible? Nobody had managed to circumnavigate the world, but scholars were at least able to provide an estimate for how big the world ought to be. There simply wasn’t enough room for two great kingdoms. Either Princess Urkwia was overstating the might of her lands, or somebody had made a miscalculation.

“Princess Urkwia,” the prince began in a somber tone, “I am afraid that I have never heard of you or your lands either. However,” his tone began to brighten. Even though he knew not where he was, that in and of it self was a part of his life’s work. After he figured things out, there would be one less blank spot on the maps. “Even though we do not know each other, I hope that I may be received on friendly terms. You see, even though I am a prince in title, I am also an explorer of sorts. Finding a land that nobody in my kingdom has ever heard of before… well, that is kind of the point of my work.” He gave a small laugh, hoping that his friendly demeanor would brighten the princess’s mood a bid.

Then, the conversation took an unexpected twist. “Yes, the vortex!” It was clear from the way that his expression lit up that he knew exactly what she was talking about. “That is how I arrived here, or so I assume. And sapphires? This can be no coincidence. I was dabbling with the stones myself before the vortex opened. It seems that we will have plenty to discuss. But, for now I will gladly accept your hospitality.”

Generally, Telio was obligated to accept invitations to “wonderful meals” out of courtesy, especially when they came from such prestigious people as foreign princesses. Formal dinners did tend to offer the finest delicacies in terms of food, but not so much in terms of socialization. People would sit in specific places designated by rank in chairs that were too comfortable for their own good. There would be a predictable flow of courses to match the predictable flow of pleasantries and courteous exchanges. Then, everyone would thank his father for a “lovely evening” and that would be the end of it.

But, as they passed through the streets it seemed as though Urkwia was deviating from this pattern. He could see the castle in the distance – castles were never hard – but then he saw their destination. It certainly appeared to be an affluent district with clean streets and stone gates with elegant architecture, but it did not seem to be a place where aristocrats would live. Still it was likely that there would be a high-end restaurant in the area, one that required reservations months in advanced and treated copper coins like quaint novelties. But then they stopped at one of the last places that Telio expected.

He could hear lively shouts coming from within a pub, and once again he was struck with a feeling of disorientation. The princesses he knew of ate their escargot with sterling silver forks and washed it down with tiny sips of the most delicate white wine. Roasted meats and cold ale? He wasn’t complaining, but it was just a bit unexpected considering who his host was. Then again, hopping through magic portals on a whim wasn’t exactly the most princely behavior, so he had no right to criticize. “Is it customary for your nobility to frequent pubs?” he asked, expressing his surprise in the least offensive way he could think of. “Where I come from, the aristocrats seem to have an aversion to such mirth.” He gave another small laugh, making it clear that such a place was in no way undesirable to him. In fact, it was a pleasant surprise.

[Genkai]

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.

[ruronihs]

Telio nodded with satisfaction as urkwia explained the very thin line between the nobility and the commoners of this land. It was more or less the polar opposite of his kingdom. His father was certainly a just ruler and his people were no less taken care of than those of Hy Byseil, but the line between classes in Eldan was virtually opaque. Most people hadn’t seen the king’s face, and even when he did address the people, he did so from such a high balcony and such a dense entourage that the people were still lucky if they even saw him. Only dignitaries and aristocrats were allowed in the castle, and when they traveled from they own manors, they did so in covered carriages so they weren’t bothered by the awestruck gazes of the commoners. It worked, and it kept Eldan stable, but he felt that Urkwia’s way was quite a bit warmer. He could tell by the friendly waves that the people were giving their princess that there was nothing wrong with being close to the commoners.

“What was I doing exactly?” He was pulled out of his musings by Urkwia’s interrogation, only to be plunged back into his thoughts about the sapphires. “Ah, let’s see… I had acquired some new samples from a river. I was in my carriage looking at them, and then something made me hop out.” He thought hard for a moment, trying to recall exactly what had happened, but everything was blurring together. He remembered the blue vortex, but what was before that? “I am afraid my head still is not quite altogether at the moment. I’ll need some time to gather my thoughts before I can give you an accurate account. I certainly would not want to give you false information.”

When they walked into the tavern, it was as lively as any place that Telio had ever been to. The man Gavin seemed to be particularly full of mirth. As Urkwia prepared their order, Telio took a moment to soak in the atmosphere. It was odd stepping into a foreign tavern when he was unfamiliar with the people and their customs – hell if he introduced himself he wasn’t even able to tell them if he lived north or south of here – but it was not at all unpleasant. He found that one of the best ways to bond with a new people was to share a drink; Telio had participated in his fair share of drinking contests in his travels. But, their stay was relatively short as Urkwia packed up their food and began to lead them back to the castle. Perhaps it was for the best; he certainly didn’t want to be come known as the crazy vortex man.

As the two headed back to the castle, Urkwia decided to ask a simpler question… or at least it would have been simple for any normal nobleman. “I suppose it depends who you ask what I am best known for,” he said after a moment of thought. “Among the knights, I am known for my valor and tactics in the field of battle. Among the commoners, I am known for the very thing that is commonplace in your kingdom: I speak to the people directly and am not above getting my hands dirty to help them. They call me ‘The People’s Prince’ because such things are quite uncommon in my land. Finally, if you ask my father, he will say I am most known for disappearing for long intervals at a time and showing up again at random. But, I suppose I would like to be known for my work as an explorer. I have already visited most of the unexplored regions on the mainland, and have revealed many untapped resources that are within my kingdom’s influence. Why, when I return with news of an entire undiscovered kingdom, I am sure I will knock the crown right off of my father’s head.” He ended with a small chuckle. Anything that would shake up the monotony of the court was a good discovery in his book.

It wasn’t long before Urkwia directed the conversation back to the vortex that they saw. Perhaps she was as passionate about her work as the prince was about his, if not more so. Fortunately, they arrived at the castle before he had to try to recall the muddled events leading up to his arrival once again. For Telio, castles were never as interesting as… well anywhere. Everything inside of them was just so predictable. You expected the rooms to be huge, you expected the glamour and splendor, and all the servants were perfectly behaved so as not to offend their lords. It was all so artificial that it was impossible to tell who anybody truly was in this environment.

So, when they finally sat down to eat, Telio decided to be perfectly forthright with the princess. She seemed like the kind of person that could handle honesty. “My parents are not terribly happy with anything I have done either.” He said, glad that they had some common ground that wasn’t related to crazy vortexes “Were my father anybody but the king he would have called me a success, but he does not want a soldier, a tactician, an explorer, or a cartographer; he wants a prince.” He took a bite of meat, not realizing how hungry he was until he began eating. He smiled and stifled a small laugh as Urkwia once again apologized for her lack of formality. Now would be as good a time as any to let her know where he stood on the matter.

“If there is one thing I have learned from visiting various cultures, it is not to be offended too easily. Please do not stand on ceremony around me. If you cannot be at ease, then at least do not be ashamed of who you are in front of me. Once again, I will gladly accept your hospitality and I am sure your home will be more than enough to accommodate me. Now, I know what you really want to talk about, so let us not delay the inevitable any longer.”

With food and drink filling his stomach, Telio felt his head finally start to settle, and he could think clearly again. “I think you are absolutely correct in saying that the vortex we saw is some kind of long-distance transportation. When it opened in front of me, I deemed it reasonably safe to enter, and when I did so, I ended up here. As for why it happened…” he paused for a moment, thinking back to exactly what had happened. “The sapphires were flickering. Not all of them, just two of the especially dark ones. You said you were hitting them together? Was the rhythm like this?” He knocked his knuckles on the table, emulating the rhythm of the flickering as well as he could remember. I took them outside to get some better light, and when I put them close to each other – touching rather – the flashes grew brighter until the vortex finally opened.”

He paused again, trying to put all the pieces together. “Do you think we just discovered some kind of transportation magic? It was only certain sapphires that were reacting… the very dark ones. Yes, you said yours were dark as well. Perhaps there is some kind of link. There has to be! It’s the only thing that makes sense. Portals don’t just appear and whisk people away to foreign lands for no reason. But that leaves the question how far?” Once again, Telio paused, thinking how best to ascertain where he was. “If you could, have somebody bring me a map that covers everything your people have discovered. Even if we have not found each other, surely there is a place that we both know about.” Then he let out another chuckle. “I must admit, this talk of sapphires is rather exciting. I can see why you are so absorbed in them.”

[Genkai]

Discussing the vortex and sapphire studies ought to be done out of the earshot of the public and it appeared as though Telio still needed to collect himself. Urkwia was fine with giving him time to eat and settle before they got into the heavy stuff. Telio began to explain this his father wasn't proud of his son, despite the title Telio had earned for himself. And despite the accomplishments and attempts, his father had yet to see the promise of what exploring and stone collecting could do for the faraway kingdom where he came from. Her heart went out to him. Her parents wanted her to be a Queen, not one distracted by her hobby of gems. Even so, she knew her parents were proud of her and did love her. From the sounds of it, Telio wasn't sure he was accepted by his own blood, which was quite sad.

The boy then explained that he wasn't offended easily, which she could envy. His concept of going with the flow was one she had yet to master. She could go out and chat with people but she was usually too wrapped up in her own head to act so casual and relaxed. On top of that, he had the benefit of traveling while she did not. She only traveled between the two major cities and was often polite and tried not to ruffle any feathers. She just gave a bit of a nod and pressed her lips together. Even though he said he wasn't insulted and didn't want her being ashamed of anything, the woman still felt as though she had done something wrong, in attempt to not do anything wrong at all. An unsettled pit hung in the middle of her stomach as she began to eat a bit more bread.

Thankfully, the topic went back to the sapphires and she could start to relax again.

Telio began to recount his side of the story, talking about the stones flickering. And they were dark, like hers. "Yes, that's what happened to me as well." She told him as he hit the stones together. She fetched her bag and gabbed a handful of the stones and found the two she had been using. As he spoke about how the teleportation may have worked, she began to resort the gems, she had been doing it by size but had yet to try color. In her mind, it made sense for magic to dwell in large stones but she didn't think about the color at all. "Hm?" She looked up when he asked about getting a map. That would be a good place to start. "Alright." She got up and left for a few minutes. When she returned, she had a large map rolled up. She looked at the messy table and just decided the floor would have to do.

Bending down, she unraveled the map and looked at the land and water that had been labeled. It was all labeled. Not in great detail but it was enough to guide people to and from one place to another. "This is where we are." She pointed to the marking on the map. "I don't see any place called...what was it? El...dan?" She licked her lips but saw nothing that could be it. She stood up, feeling rather uneasy about the idea. For a moment, she toyed with the notion that this was some big set-up by her parents. That Telio was a clever actor who was paid to run into her and then discount her findings once and for all. Then she'd be forced to give up and move on. But as soon as the nasty notion fell into her head, it wad quickly discarded.

Her parents wouldn't do such a thing.

And the boy seemed honest enough. Even so, she had no idea where he came from and neither of them knew of the other. Sure, the world was big but they should have had some place that they were familiar with. "What about the Falls of Delphun? They're waterfalls that feed into a great big lake." She pointed to it. It seemed Telio hadn't heard of it either. "Or what about Ceegle? It's a really seedy island where a lot of criminals like to hide." She asked him. Nothing. Urkwia walked over and got a drink, trying to figure things out. It was just so unlikely that they'd be so disconnected in terms of geology. What else was there? As she looked over at her books and artifacts, she let her mind wander to some of the stories she had read for fun.

While they were fictional and fun, she did recall some tales telling of other worlds, other places. There was a book talking about a world that was so vastly different, that it was all made of cold stone and had odd devices that let people communicate without needing a pen and parchment. Was it possible that Telio was from another world? Those ideas were only found between the pages of books or told at bedtime to scare children into behaving. "Do you think it's possible...that the reason you know nothing of our world is that..." She chewed on her lower lip, still uneasy. "Could there be another world? Another planet..." Just saying the idea was madness but she set her cup down and shook her head, her heart racing. If it were the case, it meant they had uncovered something so much bigger than what they had ever theorized.

[ruronihs]

Telio stared down at the vast expanse of unfamiliar territory that was laid out before him with a look of dismay. He didn't care that the names were all foreign to him, but the fact that their was not a single island, coastline, or geographical feature that he recognized was... disconcerting to say the least. "And you are sure that this is everything]/i]?" he asked, paying close attention to the edges of the map where they would most likely have some common ground. But, nothing. He sighed deeply and rubbed his eyes. Surely he was missing something because he was so tired. But then Urkwia began entertaining wild notions of other planets. And yet, it seemed the most plausible explanation.

"It is... possible," he said with a bit of hesitation, finding the notion of being on an entirely new world a bit unsettling. Whenever he had traveled before, getting home was a simple as turning around and heading in the other direction. Even if he was stranded somewhere, it was at least calming to know that he was breathing the same air as the people in Eldan. But another world, another [i]planet, why he had never imagined going that far from home. And yet, it made the most sense out of any theories he could come up with. "It's is more than just possible, actually," he finally admitted. "I first became interested in sapphires during my travels when I met a civilization that treated the gems as holy artifacts. They claimed that the gems could be used to communicate with the gods. Of course, I simply dismissed the idea as local superstition, but if somebody emerged from a blue disc in the ground, I can certainly see how a primitive civilization could mistake him for a god... not that I mean to imply that I am godlike in any way." He ended with a lighthearted laugh, waving his hand dismissively before any idea of his divinity could be entertained.

"But, we must not jump to conclusions," he said firmly, looking back down at the map. "There is still the possibility that the world is simply twice as large as either of us thought. have your people circumnavigated it? Have they departed from the east coast and arrived on the west? My people have yet to make such a voyage for the sea is so vast that it would be difficult to carry enough supplies to keep a crew healthy." He tapped his fingers on the table nervously. A part of him hoped that this second theory was the case. After all, if the world was simply very large, the home was still theoretically just in the other direction. He was honestly a bit scared of the idea of landing on another planet... but he was also excited. After all, he had just stumbled across one of the biggest blank spots in his kingdom's history, and if there was one unknown world...

"If this is another world, how do you propose to prove it? Not that I doubt you, but it would be best to be scientific about it, especially if we are to let word of this get out. We ought not conclude that there are entire worlds out there with civilizations on them simply because one confused traveler does not know where he is. After all, there is the possibility -- and I pray that this is not the case -- that the magic has warped my memories. I am certain that is what your skeptics will say of me." And indeed that was the burning question. How could they prove anything? All they had was one man's word that could easily be discounted as outlandishly fallible. "It seems if we are to grant any credibility to my words, we must learn a bit more about those sapphires. If we could reproduce the phenomenon, the perhaps my story will have some credence..."

[Genkai]

"Gods?" Urkwia repeated.

While people were free to worship whatever they liked, she was not one for the idea of Gods or other worldly powers. To her, everything could be explained with science. The male carried on, explaining the event in question and how people could misconstrue it to be someone of a god, rather than an incident regarding a chance encounter with two stones. Her own experiments could be seen as a fancy spectacle of art and magic and not that of detailed science and reasoning. Whatever the cause or origin, Urkwia didn't believe in Gods or Goddesses. What mattered to her was what she saw first hand, what she could explain with logic and clear delegation. Telio then went back to considering the possibility that they were from the same earth.

It seemed so unlikely. They were proud of having mapping most of their world, if not all of it. Could there really be a place uncharted that the boy just so happened to come from? The more doubts she had, the more uneasy she felt. "We have, yes." Urkwia replied to him with a firm nod. There wasn't much else to be said though. The map was as it was and looking at it wasn't somehow going to move mountains and make rivers pop out of nowhere. She turned back to the table, finding herself hungry but now unable to eat anything. When Telio began to speak again, she looked back at him. He asked about how to prove the theory, that there were two worlds and not just a massive one that challenged both of their history and knowledge. "I'm not sure. This theory isn't an easy one to test."

If they simply went from door to door, surveying people, they would be deemed lunatics.

"i don't wish to doubt your credibility." She told him. "I want to believe you're from where you say you are, while you can trust that this isn't a ruse either. It is possible this event has messed with our minds but so far, we both appear to be functioning properly." She considered and looked around. "If we wish to move forward with either of our research, turning to the sapphires themselves would do the most good." She said and picked up the two dark pieces she had used in the past. Upon close examination, courtesy of her magnifying glass, she saw there were small cracks. They weren't big enough to see with the naked eye, so surely they wouldn't damage the intended use, even so, she made a quick note in her book about the damage done.

"I hope these will last a bit longer," Urkwia lamented to Telio as she cradled them in her hand. "it appears the event has made a small crack in each gem which leads me to believe that they aren't mean to last forever." Of course she had other dark colored stones but she was quite protective of the ones she had just used which had caused such a breakthrough. another bout of uncertainty fell over her as she looked around her personal area. "If we repeat our actions and...and another vortex takes shape, do we enter it?" There would be no other way, surely. While she was fueled by curiosity and the need to break out of her comfort zone, she was getting nervous at the thought of opening some potential passage to another world, or at the least, an unknown uncharted land. 'There's no other way to move forward...' She thought as she began to hit the sapphires together, looking for another wisp of blue light.

[ruronihs]

Telio was a bit relieved to hear that the princess didn't think him a madman. "Indeed, if nothing else our reasoning faculties do still seem to be in order." But that only meant that multiple worlds was more likely. The only surefire way to prove it, though, was as Urkwia suggested: learn how the sapphires worked and how to reproduce that phenomenon. The cracks in the sapphires raised a bit of concern though. If they would eventually break, then that meant that they only had so many attempts to get this right. And that left the question of entering the portal. For Telio the answer was simple. "Absolutely." He spoke confidently and without hesitation, as if all his worries had been alleviated by the mere prospect of going forward. He would find his way home eventually, and even if he didn't, he would have the rare privilege of living in more worlds than any man alive. But after a moment, he considered the princess's position; perhaps the choice was not quite so simple for her.

"Well, at least I intend to enter the portal again. It seems to be not just the only way to prove our theory, but the only hope I have of returning home, and I presume that entering it is the only way of knowing what is on the other side. However, I can understand if you decide not to. If our theory is correct and there are two worlds, then there may be three, or a hundred. There is no telling where we may end up; perhaps a kingdom as peaceful as this one, perhaps a kingdom far less so, or perhaps no kingdom at all. It may very well be like a roulette. However, perhaps there is also a way to control it. As I said the portal opened when I place my sapphires close to one another. If we bring some with us, and coordinate with some trustworthy servants on this end, then perhaps we may have a way back should we choose to return." Telio began to get excited as the pieces fell into place. Yes, with enough gems it would be possible to set up an enormous transportation network; the possibilities for trade were limited only by the sapphires, and Eldan was sitting on a trove of them. But, before any of that could happen, they would need to reproduce the portal.

"In any case, we should begin making preparations for the experiments. We'll need extra sapphires, a reliable servant, and... ah, well it would be better to have some supplies if we land in a new world." It was rather embarrassing that Telio had left more or less everything behind when he hopped through the portal. It wasn't often that he entered a one way door so he thought little of it at the time, but he would be a true fool if he didn't learn from that mistake. Telio was sure that Urkwia would go forward with the research, as obsessed with the gems as she was, but he wondered if she would decide to step through that portal with him. It was always much nicer to have a companion to travel with, and Urkwia seemed like she would make good company, but such bold decisions were not for everyone. Some people were content just reading about the adventures of others.

[Genkai]

Would she see her home again, if she followed the unknown boy from an unknown land?

Responsibility couldn't be placed solely on his shoulders though, it wasn't fair.

Urkwia couldn't pick and choose what to investigate. She was a scientist and she couldn't be biased or afraid. She had to follow whatever progress was made. Telio was confident in his response to go and she envied that trait of bold ferocity. The girl looked off and ceased her tapping as she set the stones back on the table, almost changing her mind. Or at the least, being more careful. Telio continued to talk, mentoned that the portal would be his own way to go home. She had forgotten for a moment, that he was somewhat lost in hers, and if she were in his position, she would also want to do whatever she could to go back to her family.

Her guilt and uneasiness was cut short when he mentioned that there could be many other worlds, which would make their goal much harder to obtain. Was it possible that they could wind up in someplace else? Someplace alien? Someplace uninhabitable. "I'd like to think that...we would go where Sapphires may be found, maybe it's your world and mine, since we were the ones who had been behind the activity..." She speculated, though it wasn't just to speculate, but to calm her own nerves. Was it possible that there were others, in other worlds who were like them? People who had magic but were on the cusp of exploring its usefulness and risks? Urkwia licked her lips and took a deep breath. This was a lot to handle.

Thankfully the conversation went back to a more positive light as Telio mentioned what they may need for their potential progress.

"Y-yes. I help you with whatever you may need." She nodded faintly.

"I do have a trusted companion, I will ask him to provide his services to us-your quest." She cleared her throat. Urkwia was undecided as to what she would do. Her mind could create endless situations and possibilities but they would mean nothing when the opportunity would present itself. She let the first chance slip through her fingers and while she had no regrets, she wasn't sure she'd be able to say the same thing, the second time around. "His name is Nah and he has helped me in the past with gem studies though he's more bound by duty than curiosity." She told Telio. "Even so, he is a strong Knight and I've known him all of my life and I trust him completely." She said. "He won't be a servant per say but he has been able to assist me, more like an equal." She walked over to the stairs and headed on up.

In five minutes, she returned with a silver haired man in armor. Nah was close behind Urkwia. They looked related but they weren't. "The Princess has explained everything to me, provisions can be ready tomorrow morning at the earliest." He said and glanced to the woman, seeming uncertain about the request but he wasn't one to back down. He had sworn his life to Urkwia and if she needed him to go with the stranger named Telio, he would do so with honor.

"Thank you, that's wonderful." She smiled. "I can show you to your room, I'm sure you're tired." She looked back to Telio. It wasn't too late in the day, there were still a few hours of sunlight left, but the long haired girl wasn't sure what Telio wanted to do. She wasn't even sure what she would want to do now. Study the sapphires. "I could show you where I've harvested them..." She mused thoughtfully.

"Are you sure you should?" Nah questioned her. This earned him a look and he relented, knowing there was no point. Once she set her mind to something, near anything, there was little he could do to protect her. "Shall I accompany you?"

Urkwia looked back to Telio. "Keep a good distance." It would be good for the two males to get along but she wanted to test the waters herself and see if they would be a good fit, if not, she'd have to bring someone else up to speed. While Nah was skeptical about her work, he at least knew what she did while no one really did.