Those! (Open)

[Runas]

Summer 45th, 511 AV, Sunset


Runas slumped against the great alley wall, feeling the urge to vomit rise in her stomach. She felt so sick, so weak, and she couldn't understand why. From eighteen years of life, she'd never once been sick. It was supposed to be an impossible notion. Ethaefal didn't catch the flu like other people did. Even in their mortal seeming they were particularly resistant. She was in her mortal form now, as the sun tipped the edge of the earth, and she literally felt like crap. Maybe it was just a result from getting so drunk on the solstice a few days ago, but she couldn't be sure. She'd never lost control so thoroughly before.

A painted hand lifted to brush strands of hair out of her dark face. She felt so sticky with sweat that she repulsed herself.

She knew the only other possibility for what she was going through was pregnancy, but that was also highly improbable for her. She rarely got close enough to mortals anymore. She hadn't liked watching them grow old on her. Her few variations on that were Kye, Seven, and that Victor Lark she'd had so much fun toying with. Only two knew of her dual identity, and one of those two was far north in Avanthal where she didn't follow. The other was here, in this city.

So, scratching out pregnancy, Runas closed her dark green eyes and allowed the flash of her transformation to overtake her. Syna had departed and Leth had come. Once it finished, silver eyes slowly opened from under long black lashes and dark emerald horns curled out from her temples gracefully. Her skin was pale now, the paint stark against her flesh. She felt glad to be in the partial seclusion of an alley, for she'd not bothered to hide the flash of her transformation. If anyone saw, she didn't know if she'd even feel the strength to hypnotize them into silence. She still felt so terrible, but the urge to vomit had left. She was probably just suffering the late affects of drinking too much or something.

[Xalet]

In a city filled with Knights, seeing a man dressed in full plate armor was not unusual. Seeing a seven foot tall man dressed in full plate armor, however, was slightly more uncommon. Even to the untrained eye it was clear that Xalet was not a full Knight. The armor he wore had long since lost its buffed finish. The plates were filled with scuffs and scratches, and the mail beneath had some rings that were broken or misshapen through time and use. Still, the armor itself was functional, but it was clear that was the only intent. The most battered part of the armored ensemble was the helm, which looked like either Xalet or one of many unfortunate squires before him enjoyed taking blows to the head. Given the height advantage Xalet had over most others, it was more than likely the ladder.

The life of a squire was filled with labor, both physically and mentally challenging. Sometimes you learned of the Knights code, sometimes you learned of combat. Sometimes you learned of the Knights code while participating in combat. It was a strict life, and one that did not cater well toward the dishonest or the weak. From what Xalet knew of his people it seemed like an appropriate style of life to live.

As he walked home from his daily regimen of training, he noticed a figure slumped up against a wall within the alleyway. The large metallic figure stopped and turned to face her, simply standing there for a moment. Out of courtesy and proper etiquette when dealing with others while not participating in combat or other military inspired functions, Xalet removed his helm and tucked it securely beneath his underarm. His black hair was wet from a day of training, and fell flatly down the sides of his face and the back of his neck. His skin tone was revealed for the first time, the dark hue of violet strongly contrasting with the light silver of his eyes.

Akalak's were sometimes a difficult bunch to understand immediately at a glance. Their stoicism made it hard to determine if they were looking on with interest, or with the desire to rip a heart out. The semi-volatile state they remained in added to this uncertainty. Xalet was not born in a culture with a heavy Akalak influence however, so his emotions, while still nothing close to the typical human, were slightly more apparent. "You alright, ma'am?" he said plainly after a moment. Direct and short-winded, he had definitely inherited that from his people.

Most unusually though Xalet had an interesting gaze about him when it came to females, especially when facing someone of unnatural beauty. Despite his youth, of which he clearly had some of whilst still clearly being an adult, he looked at females with eyes most solid. This was due to meeting the woman of his dreams once already. It was his youthful ignorance that caused this chosen woman to actually be a genuine Goddess.

[Runas]

Runas heard the sound of greeting and turned her now silver eyes to a tall figure in full armour. His helmet tucked underneath his arm and his dark hair damp and unmistakably sweaty from a bout of what had to be training. The hue of his skin was what drew Runas' interest the most. She had encountered Akalak before, but not one of his skin tone. She'd seen green and dark red and the natural blue hues common to that race. To Runas, the Akalak race were not the favoured race. She disliked them, not for any real reason, but just because she could. She was unsure why and she never bothered to ponder it. However, despite that dislike, she was very careful to exude only her amusement and aloofness to them. She was not fond of the thought of spiking the dark nature in an Akalak with her contempt for them.

Even now, a smile crept up her lips, curving them slightly in the same smile she presented everyone she met, either as an Eypharian or an Ethaefal. She raised her silver eyes to find his, another habit like the smile, and stirred into a more comfortable position against the wall. She wondered when she would be able to get to her feet. Hopefully soon.

"Me? I'll be fine." She waved a dismissive hand and began to pull herself to her feet, using the wall for assistance and leaning against it. "I'm just dizzy. It is probably the heat. Such an unsightly, unpleasant thing." She flashed another smile at him. As usual, the smiles she gave barely even echoed in her eyes. Very few people saw her real mirth these days, and no matter how hard she tried to belittle them in her thoughts, she felt like she could be happy. She'd not let them, including that adorable half-spider and his human mate, know that. She had secrets, as did they. Hers were probably more superficial though.

"Are you a Knight, Akalak?" She said eventually, leaning against the wall and pulling her thoughts from her mind. She had seen only one other Akalak here, a temperamental green one, and she wondered why this one didn't share the unstable nature of most others. The possibility that he was Ethaefal too, although one of Syna's seeing how he wasn't in Ethaefal form, passed her mind. It would be amusing to know another of her race was in Syliras. "What is your name, Akalak?"

[Xalet]

If there was anything out of the ordinary, Xalet didn't notice it. He seemed to just respond in kind, although his first response bordered between rhetorical and interrogative. It was meant to be affirming, but he was never known as the best socialite when it came to others. Most of his breaths during a day were spent trying to keep air in his lungs. The rest of his dialog was mainly internal. "You will?" was the words he responded with, but they were quickly followed with, "Very good."

He approached her area of the alleyway, taking the time to look toward the walls that stood up in either direction. They were of course just walls, but to a squire alertness was often tested. It hadn't just been once that the crafty Sergeant had ambushed him. Not always with violence, sometimes simply to utilize him as a guinea pig for one of her concoctions, thus it was always best to remain attentive.

"I am not. I am a squire. My name is Xalet, squire to Sergeant Irine Braklin." he replied. Irine Braklin was a Konti Knight and a daughter to one of the first wing families in Sylrias. Of course to Xalet, she was his skilled torturer. There had been talk that she was known for making and expecting great things from her squires, if they could survive of course. "I do still have a duty to Syliras and it's people." came the addition to his previous declaration, bringing the underside of his gauntlet to his mouth. The top portion of the hand guards were made of articulated metal plates, but the bottoms were simply raw-hide, allowing a firm and stable grip to be made for any weaponry. He pulled his glove off, his teeth securing it in place while his hand slid out, before he allowed it to fall into his helm. He then offered his hand to her, "I can escort you somewhere, if you wish."

[Runas]

The short responses of the Akalak brought another faint smile of laughter to Runas' silver eyes. He was just like his brothers in that regard. Well, except for the green Akalak. That one preferred to scream insults rather than act like a dignified member of a long-lived race. He was almost too Akalak.

"Irine Braklin? An interesting name for a Knight. You have an interesting name as well, Xalet. My name is Runas, and I am neither squire nor Knight." Almost lazily djed began to stir in her silvery gaze. She'd tried her Hypnotism once already upon entering Syliras and now she would do it again. This Akalak may say he was merely a squire, but one day he would become a Knight, and then Runas could keep toying with him throughout his life. At this time, her djed was whispering to him, trying to lull him so he would not look at the apparently still walls for sign of attack. A good source of amusement was not one on the verge of a nervous breakdown from paranoia of solid walls. His suspicious actions were not welcome.

"I'm not really a resident of your city. I just wander through every year or so and stay for a Season. Summer sounded nice this year, and here I am... Well, Summer in Syliras is better than Summer in Ahnatep at the least." A smile curved her lips again and she reached out to accept his hand, the mere touch aging where their skin brushed a single day. An almost imperceptible gift, but one that was fun to practice during spare time. "Hmmm... Well, Squire Xalet, are you particularly hungry? I'll buy you something to eat if you would accompany me for the evening." Her hypnotism burned much more forcefully now. Even with Victor Runas had not felt the need to expend so much djed at once, but that was because Victor actually showed signs of interest before she'd even looked him in the eye.

[Xalet]

Xalet didn't know a thing about magic beyond what he had seen from a few skilled people and heard from his peers. His deductions were that it was dangerous stuff, mostly due to that potential for power. The limits people were willing to go to when expanding their magical skill seemed far greater than when attempting physical or mental activities. Xalet worked hard for his Sergeant and the Knights. He sweat, his muscles burned, he had scratches, cuts, and bruises, and pulled muscles. He never spontaneously started bleeding from his orifices though, and that possibility was enough for him to keep away from magic, especially since it was probably just the type of lustful power-hungry relationship his dark brother would have liked.

He had an interesting name? Well that was nice. He felt he should return a positive verbal gesture in kind. "Thank you Runas. You have...excellent posture." Well, at least it was something. Xalet didn't appear nervous, he didn't fumble over his compliment, it just seemed he wasn't used to giving them out. "Those with good intentions are welcome in Syliras."

Listening further it seemed she was asking...to buy him dinner? A dangerous proposition to an Akalak. That large frame needed a lot of fuel and it certainly took no hesitation in quickly burning it during a days training. Still, it didn't seem like a bad idea. He was hungry after all. He was always hungry after training. He was usually hungry before training as well, a growing Akalak indeed. "Yes, I am hungry, there are quite a few places for meals. What is it that you do, Runas? Do you come to Syliras for your trade?" he asked, prepared to lead her from the alleyway.

[Runas]

Her smile returned again at the compliment. Unlike most others, she didn't find this a cause of great concern. She was quite pleased his first comment wasn't about her horns, or the colour of her eyes -which he seemed to share, nor the general shimmer given off by her skin. He seemed to view her as nothing more than a normal woman, and she found that the greatest thing of all about meeting him. She could have kissed him, if she were inclined to such a foolish display of emotion.

"I am... Glad you think that, Xalet. I practice archery, and I. Archery and I prefer to keep a good posture. You share that trait, it seems. The posture, at least. I don't know enough about the Knights to know if Squires practice their hands at the bow." She was rambling. She didn't even know why, but she was. Not a good thing for her.

"My intentions here are neither good, nor bad." Her eyes flashed with secret laughter at exactly the things she did find interesting. She wondered where poor Seven was and if she should hunt him down at the beach tonight, but discarded it. She had someone to entertain right now, and so she would. "Don't make me bankrupt, Ser. My job doesn't pay nearly as much as I'd like." She smiled mischievously.

[Xalet]

"A fine skill. It depends on the Patron. Often the Patron will have sway in what the squire learns, so I use a crossbow at times, much like my Patron." the akalak said, pleasantly surprised at her apparent interest in weaponry. Of course that didn't exactly answer his question. Was she then a hunter, or a furrier? Did she sell meats or animal parts, or was it simply a necessity due to the dangers of the world? Xalet decided to leave that alone for now. Slowly he led her away from the alley toward the serving establishments.

Being with an akalak had its advantages, such as the ability to move through any potential crowds with relative ease. "You've no need to worry. Abuse of such a good gesture would be quite the sin." He turned to look at her whenever he spoke, as he understood it, it was only proper. Many people were often in a hurry, Xalet included, but there was always time to pay proper respect to people.

"Places like the White Swan would make anyone bankrupt. There is no monetary payment for being a squire, so normally we eat within the facility. The Rearing Stallion is much more reasonable, and as it is run by a retired Knight I trust the taste there." It seemed Xalet was opening up a bit now, whether by hypnosis or a slowly growing comfort to converse with Runas it wasn't clearly apparent.

[Templar]

Xalet: Observation +2 - Interrogation +1 - Rhetoric +1 Lore: Manners and Proceedure with Civilians, Always be Aware, Finding Comfort in Company Additional remark: If you have any complaints or feel you have been mistreated. Please send me a PM with your complaint and I will address the issue.