Closed Under the white snow [Arden Wintervine]

[Clemens Kos]

Was given the cup, watching the steam roll up from inside the little liquid. He stayed silent for a moment, watching it raise. It smelled nice, after all. He offered a nod as he reached his hand up, going to undo the clasps of his mask, to loosen it up, and simply pull it back once again. The brown leather mask now looking more like a scarf than a piece of cloth to cover his face with, as it rested lazily around his neck. Afterwords, both of his hands were placed around the cup, closing his eyes. He didn't lift it up yet, but rather warm himself up from the cold outside. The contrast was big, as the winter outside had snow, and the warmth of the cup was numbing his fingers. He released a sigh. "Thank you." He replied afterwords, offering a smile from his now revealed lips. "I am, surprised, actually. I simply didn't expect that to be the case. Not used on such a treatment, it's all." He continued. It was the truth, after all. Not many people decided they wanted to be nice towards him, out of their sheer goodness of their heart.

[Arden Whitevine]

Arden smiled back. He seemed to be enjoying the warmth of the hot tea. She watched him as he closed his eyes, and a smiles came across his face. "You're welcome." She looked back down at her tea, swirling it around. The leaves inside spinning with the steaming hot water, the smell of warm blueberries wafting up. She too closed her eyes, breathing in the warm scent. A smile played across her lips, picking up the cup, she brought it up to her mouth and took a sip. Always a delicious tea, blueberry leaves. She looked around her small cottage, maybe she could get something for it. Get some filtering equipment, start practising her medicine. More equipment for her herbalism. Yes, that would be a most wonderful idea. Her mind spun with the ideas of getting more things for herself, more time for her to start actually practising medicine. "What do you mean? Aren't people usually some sort of kind towards others?" Arden became curious, eyes changing again, this time to purple. Sure, he did look different from others, the scars did make him seem rugged. I guess people are alot more judgemental here then in Avanthal. She looked up at him from across the table. "How long have you been in Syliras?" Arden looked at him wondering. He truly didn't look like someone that would stay in one place for long.

[Clemens Kos]

Caught a glimpse of her sipping the tea as he openned his eyes. Having his arms cupped around the cup, and it still radiating such a strong warmth, he almost didn't want to try it yet. He usually ends up burning his tongue due to not being careful enough, and then he has to spend a day or two with the odd feeling in his mouth, and not being to taste a thing. So he decided to go te safer route, and brought the cup to his lips. Parting them slightly, he blew some air against the liquid, hoping to cool it down just slightly. Aiming the stream of air to the more edged position, he watched the liquid swirl. Blueberry was the taste he was able to smell. Not something exotic, but still quite good enough to enjoy a warm cup. Finally, he leaned the cup forward as he took a sip from it. He allowed the aroma to unfold, tasting the somewhat honey-stained sugary liquid of the tea. He did indeed enjoy it, specially because it even warmed himself up, once he felt the liquid trail down his throat. "I'm pretty sure people can be nice." He replied to her question, nodding as he did so. "But most of the times people think I'm going to murder someone, so they tend to avoid me. Which is silly. if I wanted to kill anyone, I'd obviously not allow them to see me. Isn't that so?" He began to explain further, not really finding it too distasteful of a joke. His lack of communication visible shown here. "Around a year." He replied. Probably less than that, but he didn't feel like nitpicking and counting the exact days. He came to Syliras in the spring, so soon enough, it will be a year. "How about yourself?" He inquired.

[Arden Whitevine]

"Well, you proved me wrong. You proved to me that you weren't going to kill me" She laughed. Taking another sip of tea, she thought about his answer. Then she thought about her time here in Syliras. "I think I came here just before winter." She thought harder about it, when she arrived there was no snow on the ground. It had started to fall around the two week mark of her stay. "Syliras is a lot different then Avanthal." Arden sipped her tea again, a shiver ran down her spine, even with the fireplace on it was still a little chilly when the wind blew. Running out of things to say she sat silently holding her tea. She didn't know what else to say, this was the first time she had any interaction with anyone. She fidgeted, tapping the cup with her fingers, sending small ripples through that little tea she had left. Well, atleast this is some nice interaction with someone. She looked outside, it had become completely dark outside now. It was truly only about half an hour since they had came upon her cottage.And now she was unsure about how far he lived.

[Clemens Kos]

Listened to her, taking one more sip from the cup he was holding in his hands. He could feel the warmth not being so intense anymore, so his hands were enjoying a somewhat warm experience, and not the boiling sensation. He caught her laugh, noticing she at least didn't feel outraged by his comment. Which was a good thing to know, specially because his sense of humor can become somewhat dry at times. Lack of interactions does that to a man. "Different?" He repeated after her, finally breaking his gaze that was set on the cup, as he looked at her, instead. "I guess it's less cold?" He tried to inquire more. He was around, before he came to Syliras, but never has he spend his time in Avanthal. Needless to say, he slowly realized their little conversation was coming to a halt, as both of them simply stayed silent and Clemens finished the rest of his tea. He didn't mind the company, but he had a feeling neither one of the two present at the table knew what else to say. He tried to think really hard to think of another thing to say, and it didn't really work. With a hum, he set his cup down on the table infront of her. Only the spoon and the leftover leaves were resting on the bottom of it. "That was good, thank you." He commented, more out of plesantries than anything else. He looked outside, blinking somewhat surprised. It was indeed dark already. He stayed for longer than he expected to. Trully, he had no wish of walking in the night anywhere, not even the distance it took to get to the tavern. "Oh, would you look at that. Already this late?" His lips curling into a smile. "Looks like I've been enjoying the company too well."

[Arden Whitevine]

"Yea, its a lot colder up there. A forever winter kind of place. Very beautiful, always snowing, sometimes blizzards are daily." She smiled thinking about the place. The snow was always beautiful, like small diamonds falling from the sky. Then Arden frowned but understood as much. He had to leave, he too had his own place to go. Don't need to be to keep him any later. She sighed heavily, drinking the last of her tea. "It was nice of you to stay." She looked up and smiled. "I guess you have to go now don't you?" She asked, but it had become more of a statement. She didn't know if she wanted him to go or stay longer, but in the end she knew what was going to happen. He'd leave, that would just be that. She picked up the cups and placed them inside the small basin. She stood there for a while, just silently, thinking. Arden brushed the hair out of her face, It was really nice talking with someone. Making friends. She thought after a few moments had past. "How far is it?"

[Clemens Kos]

The place she described seemed to be quite cold, and uncomfortable. He never liked the cold that much to call it a plesant feeling, anyways. It always made his fingers feel numb, and walking over ice was bound to fall you quicker than most things. But the woman infront of him seemed to adore the feeling of a cold winter's day everyday. Even though he was in the warmth of the cottage, a shiver went down his spine. Thinking back on every night sleeping outside without a thing to cover up was quite painful, and that is the sole reason he liked the heat more. How odd people can become, he thought. Each have a set of arms and legs, yet their head thinks so much different. If not else, that fact alone brought a smile to his lips. He was indeed unique, at least in some aspects. "It was nothing, really. Thank you for inviting me in. I am happy you did so." He spoke out, presenting himself with an awefully genuine smile. He was happy to find someone who wanted to talk to him, no matter how he looked. It made him feel somewhat warm inside, washing away the feeling of eternal winter she described just a moment ago. "Unless you'll pull me on the sleeve and ask for me to stay, I think I took enough of your time already." The man spoke out, trying to sound somewhat jokingly, even though there was a hint of truth in his words. He wasn't in a hurry to leave, but he simply didn't want to overstay his welcome. Not that there was a lot to do at 'home' , anyways. He watched her move the cups away, his eyes carefully following her movements. She stayed silent for a moment, and Clemens wondered what it was she was talking about. His bet was on the snowy place she came from. Talking with such enthusiasm a moment ago, could be quite a good motivator. Even though, nothing about Avanthal came up. Rather, she turned to address him once more. "Well, it's not that far. I'm staying in the Traveler's Row." He admited, not trying to sound sad. He wasn't, really. He was happy he could stay somewhere, but something inside of him wanted a comfortable home such as this one. "It's inside the city. Not much, but at least it's warm." He did his best to sound positive. The Row wasn't exactly known to be the high end of any luxury, as it was quite cheap for providing a whole lot of walls and a creaking bed.

[Arden Whitevine]

Arden turned around and leaned up against the wall. "Unless you'll pull me on the sleeve and ask for me to stay, I think I took enough of your time already.” She wonder if he was joking or not. Did he really not want to go? ”Well if it's too far for the night..” Arden trailed off, not sure how to finish the sentence. She began to play with her hair again, it was a nervous/thinking habit she had developed years ago. She truly didn't know what to say, seeing as they had just met it would be strange to tell him to stay, even when it's just because it was late. She even had already invited him inside for tea. Would be nice to say he could stay until it's light enough for him to return home. She shook her head, looking up just so see a smile spread across his face. She went to open her mouth but no words came out. She was speechless, his words had dispelled all thoughts in her brain. She didn't really know how to respond, she walked back over to the table and placed her hands on the back of the chair, she looked down at the design on the table. ”I have nothing but time.” She laughed, not even she had a job so all she really did was go into the forest and find the winter dried herbs.

[Clemens Kos]

If he didn't know any better, he could of sworn whatever he just said made her nervous. The fact remained that he was an armed man, and she was a woman that invited him in. He did wonder if she still didn't get over that fact, or was there another factor. There probably was. But Clemens was not really going to bet his money on that fact. A hand was extended, his fingers being placed on the table as he watched her move back closer to him, her hands connecting with the chair. His own fingers began to drum against the wooden table, as she finally gave her answer, after a moment of silence which he by know didn't even mind. The two were silent for quite a lot of time, after all. Yet her reply kind of shocked him. Not in a major way, but it was still a surprise enough. Did she just say that because she wanted to be polite, or did she mean it? There was an odd feeling inside of his gut, as he thought about the words that were said. Was he just asked to stay the night? He tried to shake off any ill thoughts, but instead presenting himself with another smile, as his head inched closer in a subtle nod. Now, how would one go on and answer a thing like that. He didn't know. Not that he knew a lot of people to begin with, and being asked to stay was quite a big step. Whatever it was, at least that shattered all doubts in her not being used to him. It takes quite some resolve to gesture at what she just did to a man that is armed. "I mean..." He began, looking for words to go alongside the sentance he started. "If I'm not a bother..." This didn't help. He was already bad at conversation, and under such an odd feeling of pressure, he was worse than a child. Thing was, however, it wasn't really far. And even though it is dark, he doubt anything would of happened to him if he went. But he simply did not want to go. Now all he heeded to do was get that across without sounding too desperate. "If you really don't mind, then I don't need to go yet." He slowly admitted. His one green eye set on the woman that was leaning against the chair with her hand.

[Arden Whitevine]

"Would you like more tea then?" She asked looking up, he was drumming his fingers in a made up rhythm against the table. She held tight to the chair, he was looking nervous now, or seemingly pressured. "I mean, its quite dark out and the wolves come close during this time." Now she was just rambling. She was so nervous and awkward around people. She did not know what to really do in this situation. "If you really need to, you can go. I just don't know how safe it is." She said trying to make an explanation. She again walked over to the basin, and took up the cups again and walked back over to the table. Setting them down she pulled out used leaves and replaced them with new ones. She then walked over to her cupboard, she grabbed the honey again. She then waited, to see what he was going to do. For she was still unsure of herself also. Arden looked at the fire, it was getting low, so she put a few more logs on the fire to keep it burning. She poked the fire with a longer stick to move the ashes to the bottom.