[Flashback] What a Wonderful Day [Elisse]

[Crismento Miren]

52nd of Summer, 508 AV Crismento was walking down the streets alongside a tall man. Cris wasn’t short himself, but walking side by side with this big, well-built guy he appeared rather small and felt that way, too. Tanned skin of his companion suggested that the man had spent quite a bit of his life at sea. ”It’s amazing just to think about it, Nemur,” the man spoke. His low voice felt soft and reflected the joy he was feeling. ”Wife, kids… All that cost money. You think you will be working hard till the day you die just to feed them… Sailing around the world, barely having time to see your children grow up… But then opportunity presents itself and saves you from a dire fate like that.” The man smiled at Cris. ”Well, life has its own ways to surprise you,” Cris returned the smile. ”That is true,” the man laughed. ”But just to think that it will be my last job… Unbelievable!” The sailor closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as if to fill his lungs with elation. ”When I return, I will take my family to Silyras immediately. That is the place to live! All shall be ready by then, right?” Crismento nodded. ”With the sum you agreed to provide, my friend, you will be living as if you have been a successful merchant your whole life. And for all it matters, you can pretend to have been one.” ”Imagine that…” the tall man looked down on Cris. ”Nemur, my friend, words cannot express how glad I am to have met you." Crismento turned his head up to the man. ”Oh, but the pleasure is all mine, Denon,” Cris smiled again. ”It’s not every day you meet such shrewd people who possess great business acumen. It makes my life so much easier and enjoyable, too.” The two men stopped. ”Well, my ship sails three days from now,” Denon said. ”So maybe we could meet at the docks the day before to finish the deal?” Cris shook his head. ”I don’t think it is a good idea,” he tried it not to sound too rude. ”You have a lot of friend around the docks who might take an interest in what deals you are making. And there is no greatest threat to friendship than envy. You will have to spend seasons with those men on the same ship, it’s better they remained friends. Why don’t we meet right here instead?” The sailor nodded. ”You’re a smart man, Nemur. It’s no wonder I feel so confident about this.” Of course, Cris being smart had little to do with why Denon was so confident about the deal. The young man had other methods to achieve that. ”Then we shall meet here in two days at noon, my friend,” Crismento offered his hand for a shake. ”We shall,” Denon accepted the gesture. His firm grip was a bit too harsh on Crismento’s gentle hand, but the liar's face didn’t show it. The sailor turned around and walked back the way they came. Cris remained standing there until the tall figure disappeared around the distant corner. He was very happy with himself. It didn’t take him long to notice that many people just wait for the good things come their way instead of trying to find and take them themselves. Then, when the opportunity appears, it only takes a few gentle pushes to make them run into it head first without thinking, giving their treasures away for a life they had always dreamed about. And Crismento knew how to push gently. Cris looked around to see where he was. After all, he would have to come back here in a couple of days. He noticed he was not too far from the Old Quarters, the University of Zeltiva part, to be more exact. The first half of the day was great and he could not have been more cheerful. ’Spread the joy! Celebrate!’ He thought this to himself and laughed.

[Elisse]

It was, yet again, another glorious Summer day. The bright, golden sunshine had lured Elisse from her room earlier than usual, and she had debated long and hard with herself about what to do with the day. There were no classes at the University today, as the students had a short break during the Summer. While most relished the opportunity to forget about their work, Elisse usually found herself at a loss with what to do. Books and studying took up the majority of her time, and she had very few friends. She decided to pay a visit to the University Library to see what she could find. After scouring the shelves for a while, but nothing caught her eye. She trudged to the desk and after a few questions, she exited the library holding a new book on reimancy. The courtyard was full of people, teachers and students alike, and Elisse quickly realized she would get no peace there. Around 30 chimes later, she found herself wandering the streets of the city, not too far away from the Old Quarters. Surprisingly, the streets were relatively empty. Against her better judgment, Elisse was reading and walking at the same time. She rounded a corner, passing by a rather tall, tanned man. She spared him a quick glance - he appeared to be a sailor of some sort. She returned her attention to her book and continued to walk up the street. She was so intent on the paragraph she had found, that she didn't notice another man standing in the street. As she passed, her shoulder nudged into him and her book fell from her hands. She glanced round. "Ah, I'm so sorry!"

[Crismento Miren]

Crismento’s mind, which was flying somewhere high above, was quickly reminded that he was still a physical being on this world by a rather gentle but unexpected bump into his side. He took a small step back to keep his balance and looked at the assaulter. It was a pretty young woman who apparently didn’t expect the minor collision either. Upon their contact a book had flown out of her hands and now was resting opened on the ground. ”Oh, please, allow me,” the already smiling Crismento’s face lit up even more. ”There is really no need for the apologies. In fact, I should be the one saying sorry, because I wasn’t paying any attention to the surroundings. After all, people don’t stand in the middle of the street like that for no reason.” Cris picked up the book and glanced at the cover before holding it out to the girl. ’Reimancy. So a magician then,’ a quick assumption ran through his mind. ”Here you go, miss. Safe and sound, as if nothing had happened.” Still smiling Cris was looking straight to the girl’s eyes that were of a charming shade of blue. ”There’s not too many people, who roam the streets with books, so I suppose you are a student here, correct? There is simply no way that this young and pretty face would belong to a professor. And please do not misunderstand me since I say this with sincere intentions to compliment you.” With a few short glances Cris examined her figure and clothes looking for any other interesting clues. ”So how is this cute student doing on this very fine and warm summer day?"

[Elisse]

Elisse was a little stunned and confused when the man she had walked into smiled at her. Usually people scowled at her or raised their voices. This was the first time someone had smiled. It was a slightly strange, but the girl quickly shrugged it off. "Well people don't usually walk and read, so I guess today is a day of firsts." Eli gave him a small smile and made to pick up the book that was lying a foot or so away. She pulled back quickly when the man got to it first. She wished, for a moment, that she had been quicker. He had surely seen what she had been reading. Not that it was bad of course, unless he hated mages. Then it would be bad. She smoothed her worried frown into another smile when he stood and offered the book to her. "Thank you." She took it from him and tucked it under her arm. She was caught slightly off guard when she glanced up at him, to find him looking directly into her eyes. It took a few moments for her to compose an answer to his question, it was not often people complimented her after all. Actually, it was not often people talked to her in general. "Um, yes I'm a student." She flicked her gaze away from his, looking up the street before back to him, avoiding his eyes. "I'm well, thank you..." She paused. "Yourself?" Elisse wasn't used to holding a conversation with a complete stranger, especially one where she had to do a lot of talking. She was more used to listening and nodding at the correct times to keep one talking.

[Crismento Miren]

Girl’s confusion slightly amused Cris. Of course, there were no visible signs of that because he had already looked as cheery as it was possible. Shy, uncertain, puzzled, unconfident… This was Crismento’s evaluation of the girl as he observed her reactions. He might have very well been wrong, but she was incredibly good at leaving such impression. It was apparent that his gaze was making her uncomfortable as she tried to avoid eye contact. The girl kept her answers short and her attempts at a chat felt more like a polite duty than actual interest. That was quite likely the truth. Cris decided that it would be a good idea to tone his presence down. His usual confidence in situations that called for a conversation could have been seen as intimidating by some, who may not share his enthusiasm to talk to people. Especially when that confidence was boosted by the high spirits of recent success. ”Please,” his overly joyful smile was now transformed into a more subtle, gentle one, while he let his eyes that had been fixed on hers wander away from her face in an attempt to create a more comfortable atmosphere for the girl. ”There is really no need to feel frightened by my many words and questions. I am but a young man who could not resist engaging in a small and hopefully pleasant conversation with a lovely young woman, such as yourself, now that opportunity had apparently just fallen into my lap. Occasions like this do not occur that often.” Cris refrained from using any type of aid such as winks trying not to scare the seemingly shy girl away. He had hoped that words would be enough to make her more comfortable and sociable since he took some pleasure in the current company and the prospect of enjoying it for at least a little while longer. So far no other factors that would warrant the use of more aggressive techniques had surfaced. ”Oh, but my complete lack of manners of any kind must be what had caused you to be so wary!” Cris gently threw his hands in the air and his expression turned from a cheerful to one of dismay; none of it was genuine. ”I ask you to accept my humble and most sincere apologies for I did not act in ways that are appropriate. If I am granted your excuse, I would like to introduce myself.” Cris put his right hand on the left side of his chest and bowed slightly. ”Samiir Jafa.” He stood up straight again. ”I hope that you would award me the privilege of knowing your name, if you see that I made up for the boorish behavior I displayed earlier. I would very much like to meet you.” Cris extended right hand palm-up to the girl. ”If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of scholarly pursuits are you after in the famous University of Zeltiva?” Obviously, Crismento already had an idea to what it might be, but that didn’t matter. Things that people think and say about a subject are as interesting and important, if not more, as the things that one already knows about it. Facts, after all, are only made significant by the feelings that people have towards them.

[Elisse]

Elisse had the strange feeling that she was being mentally evaluated by this man. She was unused to someone paying her so much attention - the students at the University were usually too occupied with their own studies to notice her. The ones that were using their study time for...other pursuits seemed to not hold reimancers in favour. Elisse figured that if she were to get on with others in the world outside Zeltiva, then she should try to be a little more open and approachable. She looked up at the man and gave him a tentative smile. His gaze had finally shifted from her own, and she felt a little bad for being so un-approachable. "Ah, no I'm sorry. I don't usually hold lengthy conversations." She paused, unsure how she should phrase the rest of her words. Though it seemed she needn't worry, as the man filled her silence with more speech. She nodded once and her smile grew a fraction. She was slightly taken aback at his bowing, nobody had ever greeted her in such a way before, but she tried not to let it show on her face. "My name is Elisse." She tentatively shook the hand the man offered. "It's nice to meet you." When he asked about her studies, she paused again. The girl figured that he already had some clue, after all, he had been the one to pick her book up from the road. "I uh, I'm studying languages... and I've also dipped into the arcane a little." Though she had decided to tell the truth, she hadn't told all of it. Her "dipping" into the arcane had been more of a leap. Elisse was a full reimancer, and she had a rather strong control over fire. The man could probably sense that there was more to what she was saying, though she would wait for him to enquire further, if he did at all. She decided to attempt to make conversation herself. "What brings you to Zeltiva, if I may ask?"

[Crismento Miren]

A hesitant smile, weak hand shake, uncertainty masked by polite words. This girl was either still wary of him, or perhaps people in general. Nothing that Crismento couldn’t fix. He gave her another warm reassuring smile. ”Elisse," he repeated. "That is a beautiful name. Perfectly fitting for such a pretty girl as yourself. If you don’t mind me saying that, of course. Please, do not hesitate to stop me if my untiring mouth offends or bores you.” Cris chuckled lightly. ”In any case, it is most wonderful to make your acquaintance, Elisse.” He considered moving her hand close to his lips in what he considered to be a nice and charming gesture, but figured that it might have appeared too aggressive for such seemingly shy girl, scaring her away. Instead Crismento simply responded the gentle shake and released her hand. Cris laughed inside his mind when Elisse told him about her studies. One did note “dip” into the arcane. One dived into it and never came back to see the surface again. He had experienced it himself. And no matter how afraid he was of employing his art and how many times he had told himself that he was able to resist the temptation to use it, Cris just couldn’t overcome the enticement of doing something that so many were not capable of. He knew very well where this was leading him, and yet almost against his will, he was marching down that road. Nobody was different, nobody would be. ”Languages and magic? That sounds quite interesting. I’m not really sure what one would do with such knowledge of alien tongues under their belt, but it’s fascinating nevertheless. Perhaps you are considering traveling this violent world that we are living in and visiting cultures that lie far away?” Cris then looked down at his feet and when he raises his eyes at her again, there was a slightly embarrassed look on his face. ”I would ask you about the mystical art as well, but I’m afraid my knowledge of subject is clouded by ignorance. Maybe, if that is not too insolent thing to ask, there is a chance that you could explain my painfully imprudent self what it is that you actually engage in?” What he said was partially true. Cris really didn’t know much about various fields of magic beyond that that he practised. In a way that made him a bit wary of wizards, because he knew the dangers they are capable of, but not the extent of it and not how difficult it would be for them to see through his art. ”Perhaps we might take a walk to wherever you are going as well, if you would allow me to accompany you? I really hope I am not disturbing you.” The question that Elisse had asked him was a perfectly reasonable one in such situation. Cris had put much effort into getting rid of his Sunberthean accent, but he also didn’t sound native to Zeltiva. He had many generic answers prepared for such situations. Crismento’s face loured a little. ”At first I came here on a wildly insane quest to find my father. I knew nothing about the man, so right from the start it was a lost cause, but I have nothing keeping me back at home anymore, so I might as well spend my days here in Zeltiva.” The con artist let his face be adorned with a smile. ”It is truly nice in here. Especially when you get used to Kelp beer.”

[Elisse]

Another smile graced the girl's mouth, though this time it was warmer, more genuine. She let her hand fall back to her side as she gently shook her head once at one of his comments. "Thank you. And by all means continue speaking." Stories always intrigued her. Perhaps that was why she was naturally quiet; she would much rather sit and listen to others spin tales than tell them herself. "I'm not sure. I was planning on returning home when I finish here. Though perhaps one day I might seek out a new place. I just found the idea of other languages interesting." Again, she was trying to open up a little, to actually try and engage in a proper conversation. She supposed that now was as good as any time. Of course, there were others who she sometimes talked with such as Hadrian, but he was a man of few words. She noted a faint hint of, was that embarrassment in his eyes? She nodded slightly at the question that followed. "Oh. Uh yes of course." She motioned to the book that was still tucked under her arm. "I suppose you saw the title of my book when you picked it up? Reimancy is my primary study." She paused for a moment. "It's a way of controlling elements. Like earth and things." She wasn't sure how much he knew already, but since he asked she had given him a simple explanation. Elisse had recently furthered her skill in the subject and started to explore her second element, which had turned out to be earth. It was quite a complicated subject, so she wasn't sure how to expand on her explanation, instead she would answer any question he might ask about it. "Did you not even have a name?" She was responding to his own answer now. "Some of the residents here have lived in the city for a very long time. They might recognize a name if you had one." She glanced up the street in the direction she had been heading when their shoulder collided. "You can walk with me of you like. I'm only going back up to the University though." She was feeling a little more comfortable talking to the man, a step in furthering her poor social skills. "But I agree with you, it's a lovely place." She waited to see if he would accompany her. If so, then she would resume her journey up the street.

[Crismento Miren]

Elisse mentioned returning home which meant she too wasn’t originally from around there. “Home” might have indicated that her family remained there, wherever that is. No old and trusted friends in Zeltiva, too, perhaps? It probably depended on how long she had been studying and living in the town already. The girl appeared to be no older that Cris for sure. A few years younger? Possibly. Where would that place her in the timeline? A student of a year or maybe two already? Elisse seemed shy and not overly outgoing, so friends were likely not an abundant resource. Lecturers that could have taken a liking to the young, cute student were another matter, but that would be a question for later. ”Ah, so you too are not native to Zeltiva?” Crismento asked her with a voice that sounded as if he found the only other person who was an outsider to the town. ”And from where do you hail if I may ask?” Her answer would probably rule out one city from Samiir’s origins, unless he found a way to usefully work that in. ’So she noticed me glancing at the title of the book,’ Cris noted to himself unhappily. This particular event didn’t matter much, but he would have preferred to be able to do such simple things without others being aware of it. The con man didn’t hide the slight embarrassment, but instead offered some words that would make the girl interpret the reason for it differently. ”To me ‘reimancy’ is but a word that I don’t happen to hear very often. I’m afraid you would have to deal with an overwhelming ignorance of mine.” Cris presented another guilty smile and then changed his expression into one full of interest as Elisse briefly explained what the particular school of magic was. Her words almost covered the full extent of what he knew about the subject. ”That… That sounds powerful… And dangerous,” the man warily commented on what she had said. He wasn’t sure how people in Zeltiva normally reacted to wizards, but from his own experience hidden or open caution was among the most common responses. Fear and distrust where up there, too. But that road wasn’t meant for Samiir Jafa. ”And yet… attractive,” that must have been the right word to describe it. It was how his mentor had felt about it. Deep down inside Cris had to agree it was how he felt about it, too. ”Controlling earth is beyond my wild imagination.” He laughed somewhat nervously to himself. ”Do you build grand and magnificent mountains? Destroy them? Or perhaps make the ground open up and swallow annoying people you meet, such as myself, and send them into oblivion?” Crismento smiled at the girl. Quite inquisitive this one was. He liked people who would prefer to babble about themselves better, but on the other hand, those, who asked questions, allowed the man to steer the conversation with his tales towards where he wanted. ”Sadly, the name is all I know about him. Vincent Jorlane. Of course, I’ve been given my mother’s name, since the man didn’t even wait for me to come to this world,” he didn’t need for the girl to walk around the town asking about some “Jafa”, should she feel the need to help organizing family reunion on her spare time. It was his favourite Zeltivan alias and Cris didn’t want it to accidently get famous and be ruined. ”My quest has lead me nowhere and I’m starting to think that my father might have never even come to Zeltiva or perhaps left the city long ago,” he ended on a sadder tone. Cris was genuinely glad that the girl accepted his company. ”Oh, the University sounds exactly like a place I would like to pass through today. Please, why don’t you lead the way?” As they started walking, Crismento started the conversation again. ”How about your family? I sincerely hope the state of it is much better than mine.”

OOCUsually being quite slow, I'm not sure I'll be able to match your pace in terms of posting Sorry about that

[Oracle]

Name: Crismento Miren

XP Award:

• Acting +3
• Observation +2
• Rhetoric +1

Lore:

• False Name, Zeltiva - Samiir Jafa
• Lying like Breathing

Notes:
Oh Bravo, wish it hadn't been cut short. I want to see more of Crismento's charming self.

OOCLeft Elisse out of the grading since the PC is retired
If you have any concerns with this please PM me and let me know.

A.S. Oracle