PM to join The Wandering Sapphire meets the Diamond in the Rough(Seryk)

[Sayren WindDancer]

50th of Summer

It was another day in Nyka. The morning sun had risen and she stretched in her bed. Yawning as the sun drifted into her room and greeted her with its warming presence. She started with a few basic stretches. Allowing her muscles to loosen with each simple routine. The Biceps. The abdominal muscles. It was about half a bell before she had finally finished with the warm ups. Figuring she had a few bells to herself today, it would be good to take her faithful Strider out for a stretch too. That brought a smile on her face. It's been at least ten days since she had even left the school for anything. Being able to explore Nyka might do her some good.

She began to stroll out of her room and towards the stable where she had kept the stallion waiting. Each day she had came out to check on him. Feed him, bathe him, and such. However, today, he was going to get exercise. She approached the Strider slowly, greeting him with a few gentle strokes down his lochs. He welcomed her with a simple nudging towards her.

"Happy to see me this morning, Garel?" She asked her Strider. He nodded and dug his hoof into the ground a few times. He was about to lay down to be ready for her daily grooming when he noticed she was reaching for the riding gear. The Strider tilted his head with a puzzled stare. She raised an eyebrow while she began putting the gear on him, "What? You need exercise too. No need for getting lazy on me." The horse sighed, letting out a big exhale of breath as she tightened some of the straps. However, she paused for a moment, noticing that he took a big breath out. It wasn't until he sucked it back in when she tied up the last one. "Nice try Garel, I remember last time you did that to me. Made me fall right off cause it wasn't tight enough." The strider chuckled as she quickly mounted on his back. The strider glanced back over at her with concern. Sayren patted his cheek for relief, "Don't worry boy, we're not going to get lost." The horse sighed in disbelief. "Thanks for the vote of confidence..."

And with that, she veered him towards the gate, and trotted him off the grounds and into the city of Nyka. The streets hustled and bustled with large crowds, but people knew when to back away from a horse. They stood out so much in a crowd. Which made it easier since the Nykans already kept their distance from those considered to be Foreigners. Surely even another set of eyes of unfamiliar to these lands would spot her. In which, a pair had. The owner to the eyes had even approached her in front of her Strider. Rather odd considering the Locals shrugged away from her so effortlessly. She cocked her head to the side as she looked upon the stranger, "May I help you?" Seemingly unsure and weary of his approach.

[Seryk]

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the aperture wasn't being freaky and seryk's daily ration included some of his favorites couple that with the fact he didn't have work till a bit later in the day this day was off to a great start already. A perfect time for him to take niko out on a ride again. He hadn't been able to do anything else then visit him in the stable once a day a ride would do the both of them a lot of good. He might even be able to get a good look tot he other quarters of the city without being harrased or beaten down. That thought brought a big smile on his face and he darted out into the city. Eager for the day at hand. That eagerness was slowly fading as he tried to work his way through the crowd. As much as he disliked to admit it, he was short enough to escape most people's notice or to be an attractive target for an asshole or drunk nykian to try and bump into him or otherwise try to provoke a fight. There were few of those, but every city had it's rotten apples. So he needed to constantly keep a lookout. “Just you guy's wait till I'm with niko. Then You'll see me coming.” He groused as he dodged around another nykian. That was when he saw another rider making her way through the crowd, that in its own wasn't that an uncommon sight. Her tatoo's that were in plain sight on her chest however were. Even though they were differen't then the ones his father was, the style of them made it obvious that they were windmarks. He couldn't believe his luck that he ran into a real drykas leagues away from endrykas! He quickly hustled and made his way towards her. When he was close enough he waved towards her. Ignoring her wary look and just giving her an honest broad smile. “Help? Not really, I just wanted to talk with ya!” He said in mostly decent pavi, his accent was all over the place and his pronunciation could use. “Haven't seen a drykas in long time. Nice meeting you, I'm seryk who are you?”

[Sayren WindDancer]

Sayren tilted her head in mild confusion when she heard the young boy speak to her in pavi. It was decent, but she was able to tell it rather clearly. She welcomed the small boy with a greeting as she moved her arms about as she introduced herself, "I'm Sayren WindDancer. Member of Diamond Clan and Youngest daughter to Dangrie WindDancer. Are you a Drykas too?" She asked as she got to her feet beside her strider. That's when she realized just how small the boy was, standing at her confident and straightened posture, her eyes kept with his, making her head tilt a bit to make up for his lack of height. If she had to guess, he must've just begun the trials of maturity.

She brought her hand towards the boy in a pointed manner, "And what brings you to Nyka?" She inquired. She kept her eyes keen on the young man. He didn't have any Windmarks that she could see, and no Drykas would be ever be shamed to hide their marks. Her strider tilted his head as he too was examining the boy. Leaning over to give a quick sniff, before snorting at him. Pulling back to poise himself in a high and mighty stand.

Sayren narrowed her eyes, "Easy Garel, there's no need for that here. He hasn't done us harm nor does it seem that he intends to." She brought her attention back to Seryk, "Sorry, Garel tends to get rather...jealous when I'm around other males. He's been very protective of me ever since he became my strider."

[Seryk]

Seryk shook his head. "No Don't have a strider, didn't even grow up in endrykas but in syliras. But me dad was one though. That's how I know pavi and some stuff about the drykas." He wracked his brain for a few moments as he tried to remember the things his father told him. "I think he said he was from the sapphire clan." he looked towards the horse that was also examining him with intelligent eyes leaning closer to sniff him. Just as he was about to carefully try to pet the horse on his head. The strider just snorted at him before seemingly trying to stare him down. "It's not a problem, I can see why he wants to keep other males away though." He said with a mischievous grin. "As for why I came to nyka. I was pretty bored of living in syliras' walls. So when I was old enough to strike on my own I got some gifts from me granddad and mum to help me on my travels and I joined a caravan that went to nyka. I heard a lot of tales about this city. About how the stone was alive and that wondrous things crawled through the alleys at night." His face fell as a involuntary shudder crawled over his spine. "They were pretty right about that. They just forgot to mention that nightmares can also be pretty wondrous if you look at them from the right angle. Not to mention that the creatures lurking around this blasted city are downright insane." He shook his head, trying to get the memories of those blasted nights and days out of his head. They plagued him at night already, didn't need to screw up his days as well. "Anyway I was about to get Niko and take a ride with him, would you mind if I joined you and Garel on your morning ride? Riding around is always more fun with more then a single one right?"

[Sayren WindDancer]

The young Drykas listened to the man. He denied owning a strider and that he never lived in Endrykas, however, his Father had. Which was how he came to know about the Drykas and how to speak Pavi. He took a moment to think more, then resumed by telling her that he believed his father was of the Sapphire clan. Rather mystical bunch her father had always told her. He tried to to pet Garel, quickly realizing his mistake when she warned him.

He quickly patted off the snort from Garel with understanding as to why he'd keep other males away from her. Granting her a rather wicked grin. Charming. He then continued on as to what brought him to Nyka. He had grown bored of his life in Syliras. So when he came of age, he gathered a few things and traveled along with a caravan to arrive in Nyka. Then he remembered the Alleys, telling her how they seemed to crawl at night. She had heard of similar tales from her master. The roads of Nyka were very dangerous at night. Even with as adventurous as she was, she never dared leave the school grounds during nightfall, least till it was near dawn's approach.

He changed the subject to how he was fetching his horse Niko to go out on a morning ride and was wondering if she would care to join him. Telling her it was always more fun to have others along for these rides. She smiled. She was wondering how could Seryk could be on a horse. Maybe he had decent skill for a quick race? Garel seemed to have been on the same thought as well as he looked back at her with a confident grin.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she patted her Strider gently, "Sure, we wouldn't mind. Perhaps a race as well if you believe you can muster it? If not, then there's no reason why it can't be just a simple ride around the city."

[Seryk]

Seryk gave a glance to the crowded streets around them at the offer of a race. "Maybe if we can have one of we find a less crowed street. I wouldn't want to accedentally trample anybody. The monks would kill us for that." He wasn't sure if they would really kill them for it. But he had seen some of their ways of dealing justice before and he wouldn't put it past them. "I wouldn't know were to find a less crowed street unless it's that one bridge that nobody uses. But I'm not stepping on that one for all the money in this city. The nykian's avoid that place and that's enough reason for me to do as well. This city got some scary places." He shook his head, his hand unconsciously gripping the handle of his sword for comfort. "Niko is still in the stables, you mind going with me to get him? Or would you rather that we meet up somewhere else?" He got back on topic. "I don't know the city that well yet, but there have to be at least a few places in the city we both know about if you rather look around the city then go back to the stables." He waited for her response.

[Sayren WindDancer]

Sayren smiled at Seryk when he told her about finding a less crowded street. No need for trampling on anyone or else the monks would get onto them. She nodded to the statement, "Of course. I'm glad to see you have the concerns of others put forward."

Then he told her that he wouldn't know of any streets that would be so vacant. Aside from the bridge, she had a feeling he was talking about the Cursed Bridge. She could understand why the man would want to avoid the place. Especially since it hovered right over The Aperture. He continued to speak, saying that Niko was still at the stables and was wondering if she would like to join the man in retrieving the steed? Or would rather just meet elsewhere? She tapped on her chin in thought before answering him, "It maybe best if I come as well. I don't quite know the city that well myself. Partly because I've been training at the Iron Fist school for so long now. I've barely took time for myself to explore."

Another thought came to mind, "Here, how about you get behind me and we can ride Garel to the stables?" Garel turned his head to narrow his eye Sayren. She returned the gesture, "Don't give me that. I was just trying to be helpful to him." Then the strider shook his head, pretty much telling her, 'Whatever.' Sayren sighed as she offered her hand to Seryk, "So what do you say? Want a ride or will you just lead the way?"

[Seryk]

"The iron fist school? Never heard of that school before, is it some kin[d of combat school run by a monk or something?" It had to be a combat school, he doubted they would teach little kids to write and read there. Though with how violent nyka could be at times he couldn't quite put the idea past him. "Would you mind pointing out where that school is? I could use some lessons in how to fight sometimes." At the offer of a ride on the back of garel he gave a quick glance to her horse. On one hand, the horse didn't like him one bit when he was off his back. On the other hand this was an offer to take a ride on a strider. That was a chance he just couldn't miss out on. "If you're sure he won't throw me off I'll gladly take you up on that offer. The faster we too the stables the faster we can go on that ride." He said with an exited grin as he took her hand put a foot in her saddles stirrup and hoisted himself on the back of garel and grabbed her waist to keep himself steady. "So lets get going. The longer I'm on the back of garel the bigger the chance he decides to try something."

[Sayren WindDancer]

As Sayren helped pull Seryk up, she smiled, "Sure thing, I'm sure Ximal would teach you. So long as you pass his test. And as far as I know, he is not a monk. I know he's taught a few of them combat, but I don't believe he himself is a monk."

She glanced down at Garel. He was uncomfortable with the man being behind Sayren...AND on his back. Sayren smiled as she patted his neck for reassurance, "No worries boy, I doubt he's going to do anything. Besides, this will give you a chance to prove you're still the fastest." The strider narrowed his eyes, are you kidding? He was the fastest. She giggled at the overconfidence in her strider. She whispered a quick phrase and the strider darted off.

Sayren could feel Seryk's arms tighten around her hips. She knew it was nothing on his part, just a means to make sure he didn't fall off. Taking her time guiding Garel through the streets, she asked Seryk a few questions, "So what jobs do you do around the city? I'm sure work must not be too kind on you these days." Or so she thought. He wanted to fight so she figured he may have been a brawler of some sort. But due to his size. She wasn't too sure of it.

[Seryk]

if the prideful monks went to a non-monk to get training, he could only imagine how strong the man would have to be to get them to swallow their pride and ask him to teach them. "A test? Does he only teach people who already know how to fight, or is it more him figuring out how good you already are?" As soon as he had clambered onto garel he thought he had felt the horse tense up. When sayren gave the horse a few words of reassurance he knew he had been right. "Of course I'm not going to do anything. That horse would buck me off if I tried anything while I was on here." Seryk deadpanned. "I'm not stupid." he tightenend his grip as the strider darted of, by priskil this horse was fast. He looked up when Sayren asked him a question. "nah, it isn't that bad. I've had worse. As for a job, I work as a cook in the bubbling pot eating house. It's in the southern quarter. It's actually a pretty awesome job. You hear a lot of things while you are preparing their food and at times you can have a bit of a chat with others when it isn't busy. The head cook is a bit of a hardass though, but if you are always working and keep yourself busy she doesn't chew your face off. She isn't a bad person if you get to know her either." Seryk rattled of with a wide smile on his face and an obvious happyness in his tone. "So what do you do around here? Aside from learning at the school and taking rides on garet?"