[Garden of No Return]Illusions and Svefra[Gabrielle]

[Alexis Whitewave]

Winter 36th, 511 AV.

Alexis stood before the entrance to the garden, not entirely sure if she wanted to go through with this. She was alone, which was a rare sight. She had left Lynn, the protective desert dog, to guard her boat. She had only just arrived here in Alvadas so she did not yet want to leave her casinor unattended. It was like that in most cities she arrived in, except for Syliras. She was pretty certain that there was not enough crime in Syliras to bother leaving Lynn in the casinor. Lynn didn’t like being away from Alexis and the feeling was mutual.

Alexis' aqua-blue eyes glinted in the mild midday sunlight and her shoes crunched in the gray gravel as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She took a deep breath and without another thought she stepped into the maze of hedges and flowers. No going back now she thought to herself. A light breeze blew through the small corridor of greenery and tousled her blonde hair, which was tied in an intricate braid seemingly made up of many small ones. Alexis wasn’t someone who took much time with her appearance, as you could tell by here simple pink shirt and black trousers, but she loved to do her hair as extravagantly as she possibly could. She turned a corner, brushing her hand along the hedges as she went. She suddenly felt a small weight fall onto her head. It didn’t hurt, but it was mildly annoying. She reached for the top of her head and found what appeared to be two small cherries. They were deep red and shiny.

Alexis looked up above her and saw that she was underneath a cherry tree. She thought it strange, however, that the tree would give fruit out of season. She shrugged the thought off and popped a cherry in her mouth and continued at her leisurely pace. While she was one her way she noticed a large patch of white flowers. They were small with little yellow stamens inside. Tara didn’t think much of them, neither did she seem to remember the fact that fauna was the key to escaping this place. As far as Alexis was concerned she’d be able to find her way out no problem, and if she couldn’t she’d crawl through the hedges until she got out. Simple as that. She turned another corner and frowned when it appeared to be a dead end. This whole experience was reminding Alexis of how much she loved the water. There were no barriers or restrictions on the Suvan Sea, you just went wherever it was possible to sail to.

She turned around on her heel and walked in the other direction. After a couple bells of wandering aimlessly about the maze of hedges she saw another person, wandering about like she was. Thankful that she would not have to be alone any longer (it had started to get to her) she walked up to the person with a friendly smile. ”Fun maze, isn’t it?” she said lightly. It was not like her to use normal greetings if she could start a conversation otherwise.

[Gabrielle Seawind]

Gabrielle cursed her own impulsive nature. What had ever possessed her to think that she could enter the Garden of No Return and easily find her way back out? There was a reason it was called as such. After hours of walking around the maze, she assumed that she had probably spent half a day there already. It was beginning to seem hopeless, and she wondered if there would be any place she could spend the night in. The fact that there seemed to be nobody else around seemed to add to the hopelessness of the situation.

Flora... she knew the way out had something to do with flora. Old rumours from years ago, said by a traveller whose face she couldn't remember, were all the knowledge she had. However, she had no idea about what she had to look for. Gabrielle was a Svefra, a daughter of the sea -- how could she possibly have sufficient knowledge about what grew on land?

She had already lost her patience, and her stamina was growing thin. Gabrielle jumped out of her skin when she heard another person speak -- startled, she turned around and looked at the one who had spoken. It was a young woman, roughly the same age as her. It didn't take much for Gabrielle to know that this girl was a Svefra. Her outfit said it all.

"No, it's not fun at all!" replied Gabrielle, her face scrunched into a frown. "I've been lost for hours. You wouldn't happen to fortunately know the way out, would you?"

Gabrielle felt quite relieved that she had found another person, and she was a Svefra as well. She always felt more comfortable speaking to those of her race, seeing as the Svefra were practically one big family. However, if this girl had spent most of her life on the seas just like Gabrielle, what were the chances she knew anything about botany?

[Alexis Whitewave]

Alexis grinned at the other girl, who appeared to be a svefra as well. ”I’ve only been in here a little while, I think, but I haven’t been able to retrace my steps.” she said, looking around the maze. She had obviously failed to find out all that there was to the maze, which seemed to be a lot like the rest of Alvadas; forever changing shape. She was already feeling entrapped by the maze, so she couldn’t help but feel sorry for the other svefra who said she’d been here for hours.

”I’m Alexis Whitewave, by the way.” she said with a smile, determined to stay positive. The minute Alexis gave up it was the minute she’d lost hope of getting out. She turned around on her heels and started off. She was somewhat hoping for a miracle though, or maybe even a tall tree they could look out at the maze from. ”I’m not sure I even want to know how the managed to make this place.” she murmured as she looked at the hedges surrounding her.

OOCSorry, I don’t have much time to write long replies lately.

[Gabrielle Seawind]

"Alexis Whitewave," repeated Gabrielle. The Whitewave pod was not a familiar name to her, but there were so much Svefra that it didn't really matter. "My name's Gabrielle Seawind."

Gabrielle returned her smile, and watched the other girl walk off slightly. The girl seemed hopeful, and Gabrielle couldn't tell if there was desperation as well.

"It's like the rest of Alvadas. It's governed by something I have no knowledge of..." said Gabrielle in reply. She looked up at the sky, her lips curled into a frown. As she looked back down, there was a lone lilac flower by her feet. Gabrielle leaned down and examined it -- "I know the clue to get out is in the flora, but I have no idea what one has to do exactly."

She straightened up again and reached into her belongings, retrieving a small water pouch and taking gulps from it. It was half empty -- it could probably last her a day more. She had a few food rations as well, but she wasn't feeling particularly hungry yet.

"Do you want some?" offered Gabrielle, beckoning to her water pouch. There were probably some water sources around, hence she didn't think the offer would weigh negatively later on. "Anyway, yeah, do you notice anything strange about the flora?"

OOCDon't worry about it, same here.

[Alexis Whitewave]

”Nice to meet you, Gabrielle.”
”I’m good.” Alexis said with a smile, before pursing her lips and shaking her head. ”Not really… There was a cherry tree somewhere along that way.” she said, pointing back the way she had come. ”It was in full bloom, which was a bit odd.” she muttered. She silently cursed herself for not finding out more about the flora. She’d had no idea it was the key to getting out, though even if she had Alexis didn’t know a thing about flowers or plants aside from a few common flowers and fruits.

Alexis wandered forward a little, before turning a corner. As she walked on a little she saw a patch of little white flowers with puffy little petals and yellow stamens. Bending down to study them she stood up again with a hopeful grin. ”I saw these a little while ago…” she said. She walked down a little bit more, a little faster than before. She frowned again, though, when she saw that there was a large, leafy tree with bright red fruits growing on it, rather than a pink-flowered cherry tree. She ran a hand through her somewhat untidy hair, which had come out of the braid she had put it in. ”Nevermind.” she muttered, a little disheartened. She took a deep breath, mentally dispelling her negative thoughts before perking up again.
She hadn’t been here long enough to sulk yet, so she may as well stay positive until they got out. Gabrielle may be a bit fed up with the maze, but it hadn’t lost it’s charm for Alexis just yet.

[Gabrielle Seawind]

"A cherry tree?" repeated Gabrielle, her tone inquisitive. She had not seen this tree. There was a chance she had missed it, or maybe since the maze was so erratic, she had not passed by it at all. She followed Alexis's tracks, her expression hopeful on soon getting out. Alexis pointed to some white flowers -- these Gabrielle had seen. "If you think the cherry tree is our clue... we could focus on looking for it," said Gabrielle with a forced smile. "...So... white flowers lead to it, right? Look, there are some right there. Let's try our luck, Alexis."

Gabrielle pointed a finger to their right. Along the ground were small white flowers, smaller than those that were on the base of the leafy tree. But as the path moved along, they somehow got larger, albeit not too much. She repeated her the other girl's name in fear of forgetting it somehow. The maze seemed to be boggling her mind. The girl gestured towards the flowers and followed the trail, wondering where they would lead to. After a few minutes of following the trail, they were led to a small patch of pink flowers.

Gabrielle looked thoughtful as she scanned her mind, trying to recall the little she knew about flora. Beside the small patch of pink flowers, the trail of white flowers continued. "Cherry trees bloom... pink flowers, am I right?" she inquired, giving Alexis a confused expression. "This definitely isn't a cherry tree, but do you think this might be the right track?"

[Alexis Whitewave]

Alexis followed Gabrielle, as little slower than the other Svefra. She bent down to pick up a white flower and then picked one of the pink, as a reference for later in the maze if they were to come across these flowers again.

”I’m not sure, this maze confuses me more than the city outside does. And to think I came here only to pick up some supplies” she replied, muttering towards the end a little. Alexis thoroughly regretted her jumping to the idea of venturing into the rumoured maze, and it was soon apparent to her that it was not the glamorous walk in the park she had expected it to be.

She walked on a little more when she came across a little opening in the maze, the narrow path opened into a little circular area with a white marble fountain in the centre and many other barren-looking paths entering into this same area. There was beautiful looking tropical flowers growing around the edges of the fountain, coloured brightly and in many shades of pink, blue, red and yellows. The was a large apple tree growing on the path straight across from where Alexis and Gabrielle stood and a bunch of small white flowers to their left.

Alexis walked towards the fountain and sat on the edge. She looked up at the sky, surprised to find the sun much closer west than she had expected, however not so close it would be considered evening. It was still light though they only had an hour or two before the light would begin to wane. ”Right, I’m thinking we should go that way.” she suggested, gesturing to the path with the small white flowers.

[Gabrielle Seawind]

Gabrielle looked worried as she looked at the sky. Night would come in an hour or so, and she had no idea if they were anywhere near to the exit. She was comforted by the vision of the fountain though. It was the first time Gabrielle had set her eyes on it, and that meant they were no longer going around in circles.

The white flowers were indeed leading them somewhere. If it was towards the right path, they didn't know yet.

"Uh huh, let's go," replied Gabrielle. Before she followed Alexis, she leaned down and cupped some cold water from the fountain, drinking from it. Gabrielle was parched, and the water was refreshing to her throat. Giving a sigh of relief, she followed Alexis towards the small white flowers.

They followed the path through longwind paths and turning corners.

"Something tells me we we're getting there..." muttered Gabrielle. Then they came to a path which led to a fork. There were white flowers in both paths, and Gabrielle looked worried again. She couldn't see a difference between them. With a frown and desperate eyes, she looked at Alexis, hoping the other girl would have a good way to decide. Perhaps the other Svefra could see something else that Gabrille could not?