Carantathraiel

Wanderers

Envy fell silent, grateful for more than just her delightful company. It was wonderous to see. To experience. He had heard talks about how beautiful the seaside sunsets were, but this had to be his favourite. Nothing would ever top this.

And he chuckled as she asked about his comfort. "I'm alright." He promised. "As I don't get sunlight often, I'm accustomed to the cooler temperature. But," He tilted his head, pointing his face at her for a moment. "If you're feeling a little chilly, I should take the opportunity to wrap my arm around you. I hear it is called something of a 'move'?" He grinned, before shifting and raising his arm. Only mostly aware of where she was compated to his body, he gently rest her arm against the back of their seat, running his hand along her opposite arm.
He hummed. "I suppose I do feel like I have successfully made a move." The Kartaian chuckled.

---

"Many thanks." Ysaryn said, taking a deep drink of the ale she offered. Unlike Ruli, however, she found the taste to be a bit sharp, and wrinkled her nose. "Mmm." She mumbled, before taking another drink with a shrug. "I will make my way in a bit." She announced as Kire departed once more. No fires yet, no, and the leaves were doing their jobs and helping those with fevers, at least. She'd stay another few rounds, trying to get a better feel for the scents before she'd retreat to rest.

Ruli, despite his efforts, was hardly awake when Kire entered. He blinked heavily at her, without raising his head, then grinned when she kissed him. "Get in here." He beckoned, wrapping his fingers gently around her arm to urge her to lay beside him. "'Ssume Etta's fine." He said, shifting slightly to make room for her.

Wanderers

"There will be time, sure. For now, I would like to stay here." He said, still studying the fields that stretched forth, the clouds that stood out brightly in the darkening sky, their own structures illuminated by the setting sun. "To be honest, I'm not sure of my appearance prior to the burns." He answered her. "We had few mirrors where we lived. I know what my people look like. Aside from the missing ear, I'm not too different. Or at least I wasn't."
But he shook his head. "Since the burns, no. I haven't seen much since, and never bothered to ask. Somehow I feel like it would bother me."

---

"That's not all dragons are capable of doing." Ruli reminded her. "For all we know, you'll be flying tomorrow. Or have a desire to hoard treasure." He leaned in, grinning wickedly. "My skin is coloured like a metal. My hair like jewelry, one jeweled elf once said." He leaned back, then nodded as she mentioned she'd be going back for the elf. "The sightseeing can wait." He pointed out as she stood, watching her walk toward the innkeeper.
He waited for her to go before he downed his own ale, thanked the innkeeper, and stood, arching his back in a stretch. After a moment of deliberation, he wandered up the stairs to his room and lay himself on his back, waiting.

Wanderers

"Now that I have seen the gardens, I could technically arrive here whenever I choose, but I think I may still bother Ruli for help." Envy said, admiring the light. It didn't bother his eyes, make his skin crawl, it just looked ... beautiful.
"It occurs to me that I may have to ask Ruli to show me what you look like. Though appearances hardly matter, or you wouldn't look twice at my calico face." Envy grinned, wondering if Narda would look his way, and, if she did, if he would want to see his own image. He only knew what he looked like from Sid's ramblings as she cared for his burns, Ruli and Zeke had always been careful not to show him what he looked like.

"You are very fortunate to have such a lovely and safe home." Envy complimented.

---

Ruli studied the Ring as she removed it and held it, then he looked over her. He could see no sign of a fever immediately trying to show itself, no change in appearance no matter how miniscule. "Well, then you wouldn't have to worry about abdicating. You'd just be run out of town." Ruli teased lightly before leaning on his elbows. "If you do manifest anything, like Etta, you're not alone." He reassured. "For all we know, the Ring helps control it. Keeps it from growing too quickly and you from losing control. After aqll, you already know how to handle it. That boy does not."

Wanderers

Envy grinned again, snaking his fingers with hers and gently squeezing. He positioned himself to sit comfortably beside her, relaxing his own great limbs as she did. Gently, he reached into her mind, deciding to announce himself with a caressing feeling of warm. He had considered using an aroma of tobacco, but he didn't want to blanket the smell of her garden.

He inhaled, seeing the view from her perspective; the layout of the garden, the culprits behind that particularly sweet scent in the air.
And the sky. Envy could only follow her gaze, but the stretch of slowly darkening sky above them was breathtaking. It really did look as though the meadows were blushing, the hue of soft orange and red creeping over the reaching faces of the flora.
"I could get used to a sight like this." Envy breathed, taking in as much as he could.

---

Ruli thanked the woman and dragged his ale closer, taking an experimental drink. It was slightly sour, no doubt they'd used some citrus fruit somewhere in the process. Liking the taste, he took a deeper drink, barely reacting when she asked about the slip he'd made. "Not even slightly." He said indifferently before immediately avoiding the topic further. "And what about you? You were chosen by the Seer, why, because you were powerful? I doubt it was your stubborn streak that called to them. So, if you take off the Ring, how do you feel? What powers will you generate on your own?"

Wanderers

"Just because the wards don't detect anything now doesn't mean the legends about your heritage aren't true." Envy stated. "Magic comes in many forms, afterall."

His steps were careful, still, his free hand tense and splayed. He tried to count his steps in his hear, making a mental map of the manor and the gardens.
Which smelled lovely. Envy relayed his thoughts, complimenting what was undeniably a flourishing garden. The aroma of the plants as they closed their petals for the night was pleasing to his nose.

"No, you will not." Envy answered. "Those with magic would sense a pressure. A tension. You would, too, if you were to resist. Nothing more than, say, when you're laying on your arm strangely and your muscles ache. If I sense that, I won'RMT press, so don't worry." He explained, letting her have as many details as he felt would comfort her.
"To let it work, all you do is look. And relax. I connect our minds. If you prefer, I can give you some tell that let's you know I am sharing your conscious. A scent, or a warmth. But it's simple. Safe." He gave her a reassuring smile. "You know you're not obligated, right? Hearing you describe it it just as lovely."

[Hr]

Ruli pressed his lips together as she spoke, listing her worries. It always marveled him how women had the ability to worry about so many different things at once, simply because they were minutely connected.
He would have lopped this all in a single box in his mind. 'Today'.

"Maybe you could approach Janes about it. Work on a solution together. She seems the rational sort. She might have some insight from the perspective from the non-magical side. You know, assuming she still is one." He added. "It would smooth over the transition, as well. If you're not ready to make it obvious, give Ed a task. Daryll is already working with you. Make it look like a family effort."

Wanderers

Envy turned his head her way as she mentioned what Ruli mentioned; for a fleeting moment, he worried she would ask about the conversation in the tent camp. But when she mentioned her willingness to try to show him what he could see, he grinned. "It is harmless. Especially since I don't think I have the ability to be malicious in any way. Especially not to you." He reassured. "I have a few times seen views through Ruli or Zeke's eyes. It is how they showed me Úvano. How perfect it was. But I have never actually seen a real sunset. Not from start to stop. Only when the sky is already violet." He inhaled and rose, taking careful, measured steps towards her, mentally counting in his head so he would be able to get around later.
"If you're really willing, I'd love to see it with you. More than to just sit beneath."

---

Ruli chuckled. "Empress of Amria and non sequiturs, I see." He teased. "Of course. But I want a pint of my own. I want to taste more Amrian drink." Ruli informed her, starting back down the hall toward the common room. "This is where you get the real taste of the country. The rural inns on the sides of the roads. The crooked hostels and the shacks that reek of piss. This place is far nicer than that, but something still tells me it'll have more genuine drink than whats in your royal stores."

As they reached the common area, Ruli turned toward Kire as he waved for two more drinks. Easily understood, even without words. "So. Speak your thoughts. What will be keeping you up alone in your room?"

Wanderers

Envy grinned. "A moment to collect my bearings, perhaps, and I would be happy to sit beneath a sunset with you." He answered her, moving to sit upon the bed. Immediately, he was delighted with how soft it was. He wiggled momentarily, deciding he was be very unwilling to wake up in the morning. "Uh." He said after a pause. "I should perhaps inform you that I am not the best at being woken up. Perhaps inform your personnel to avoid entering in the morning." Envy grinned crookedly. "I hear Kire has the same sort of reluctance. Imagine the empress with a bestial growl and fangs."

---

Relieved at Gavin's promise, Ruli let him in, spotting Kire at once, then noticing the pint she held. He made no comment on the drink, glancing at the woman behind the counters who would serve them, silently wondering if she spoke the commmon tongue. Not that that mattered. It was easy enough to order drinks when languages weren't shared.

He followed her upstairs, watching in amusement as Gavin all but collapsed onto his bed. It'd been a long day, and working so diligently on wards and runes exhausted the mind.
As they paused in front of his own door, and she asked how he was doing, Ruli glanced toward Gavin's door again. "Not quite as tired as he is, but well." He answered. "And you? Your days here typically end in pints?"

Wanderers

Ruli smirked at Kire when she mentioned the gold, nodding silently at her in response.
"How much am I to get?" Ysaryn demanded.
"You?" Ruli arched an eyebrow. "What have you even done? Beside smack a poor child with a blanket?"
"He was on fire!" She gestured, annoyed.
It was Envy's laugh that made her lower her arm and leer at Ruli. "We'll be back." Ruli said to her, leading the way to Narda's manor, dragging the four of them along.

He straightened when they arrived, finding it rather impressive. "I'm not sure why I expected some sailors shanty on the foamy shore." He muttered, glancing sidelong at Envy. The Kartaian, in another completely unfamiliar surrounding, was standing stiffly, his hands splayed slightly, as if afraid to move lest he bump into something.
"You know, Narda." Ruli said quietly. "You take his hand, and give him permission, he can see what you're seeing."
"That's enough." Envy cut in. "Magic makes many uncomfortable."
Ruli only shrugged, about to grab Gavin and leave, only to see him tailing the others toward Envy's room. With a sigh, he followed, watching Envy cautiously step and shuffle along the halls.

Standing in the doorway, Ruli tilted his head. "Do you have many guests who are as tall as you are?" He wondered. "Or, having to put up with regular sized beds when you travel, you decided to grace people with appropriate sized mattresses?"
"Regardless," Envy said, moving to stand near-ish to the bed. "I think we'll be building a bed this size for when you come to stay with us."
Gavin yawned, and Ruli glanced his way for a moment before looking to Envy. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"
Envy snorted. "I think I am perfectly fine. A soft bed my size? I won't complain."
Not what Ruli meant, exactly, but he only nodded to Narda. "I'm taking the apprentice back with me, then. I'll return in the morning."

They arrived in the in, appearing at the doorway and giving a small bird a start. As it fluttered off, Ruli turned toward the warded city behind them. "No wandering out tonight." He instructed to Gavin. "We don't go in there without a second. If anything happens, we'll need help. Got it?" He demanded gently before he opened the door to the inn and stepped inside.

Wanderers

Ruli was quiet while they worked, throwing his focus on the task at hand, and finishing before any more incidences arose. He wouldn't allow himself to dwell on his little slip; how he was angry at himself for it. Never mind that it was in the shadow of people being harmed and afraid. He feared that opening up the wound enough to let Kire in, to tell her a little bit about his past, had rendered the wound open. He would have to leave it alone for it to heal again, to let it become another scar.
Envy, seeming to understand his mood, made idle talk; asking about the view, the people, the forest itself. Gavin answered almost all of the questions, giving Ruli the silence to bury everything he hated about himself once more as his hands flew over their runes.

When they had finished, and the ward was placed along the outside of the camp, Ruli and Envy stood uncomfortably inside. While they'd made gaps in the wards just to allow the Kartaian's sun-blocking charm to continue working, he could still feel the effects of the wards. The ants on their skin, the cold sweat on their spines.
The moment he was asked if he would stay, Envy shook his great head. "No." He said far too quickly. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. Just. The wards."
Ruli nodded. While he seconded the Kartaian's dislike for being within them, he would tolerate them for now. "We allowed for your portals in case of emergencies, like the fires. But Ysaryn and I will have to leave in order to travel."
The fuchsia haired elf grunted unhappily. "This explains why I feel much heavier."

The promise of the inn, outside of the city gates and their wards, was inviting. Envy still looked town, then turned toward Narda. "I would hate to presume anything of you, but I would hazard a guess your furniture is, perhaps, slightly more accommodating? Is your couch long enough? Or, er, strong enough?"
"We can always press two beds together." Ruli offered. "Or take you home for the night." But Ruli grinned at Narda. Not going to make me drag him home, are you?

Wanderers

When there’s a greater power influencing the bearer of the magic, I would detect that signature alongside the individual. Ysaryn tilted her head. "So it is like cooking meat?" She asked, and Ruli shot her a glare for the comparison. She raised her hand, continuing. "Meat is their magic. But the season and the marinade, it is the influence. Is the burning pine the boy or the influence?" She asked.
"My guess is the pine is the boy." Ruli muttered, glancing the child's way again. "It is unfortunate that you're the only once who can smell the signatures. We'd be much more helpful." He added to Kire.

As he followed Gavin out to get to work, Envy ducked out and joined them, desiring to avoid the flammable patients as well as put his hands to use. Ysaryn continued to circle. As Kire asked if she'd stay, she shrugged. "I have good nose. Maybe I can pick something else up, if not like you." She said, deciding to linger and help. "It may not be combat, but it is still a fight."