18th of Spring, 522 AV (Flashback)
Farren did not expect to come out of an even larger dovecote, but looking around she saw that was exactly what it was and it wasn’t only stone doves populating the eaves that spiraled around the grand pillars to her left and right. No there were all sorts of doves here, kinds she didn’t even know existed, and a pretty one with a white coat flapped to the floor in front of her to peck at some seed on the ground. Farren smiled tentatively, still taking it all in. She was standing outside of two massive double doors, her back to a grand wall that wrapped around the place she was currently looking over. Over her head a blanket of stars stretched across a cloudless night, and the full face of Leth illuminated the tops of the buildings there with a silvery sheen.
It was so strange to see almost nothing made of the wood she was used to, with most of the buildings here being made of elaborately carved stone and more solid than she thought a structure had any right to be. Everything here was just so well made, and there were people here, plenty of them about even as the evening turned into night. They strode about the shadows laughing, joking, and distantly there were quite a few instruments playing. Here was a warm night, but not nearly as humid as it was back in Sunberth so she didn’t shirk her cloak just yet even though she was sweating under it. However she did let it lay loosely gathered about her shoulders as she took a few steps forward to look out onto the courtyard below.
Everything about this place had a pleasant design to it, and it smelled a far sight better too Farren thought, picking up the smell of nearby flowering bush as she took a sniff. It smelled sweet, almost honey like with small white flowers blooming from a deep green bush. As she took a step closer, she saw that they had little golden straws coming from their middle. Farren took another long sniff, savoring how much different the night air was here as she heard the great double doors open behind her.
Reflexively she tensed as she turned around to look up the stair and saw a man that she did not recognize looking at her with a warm smile. Farren felt strangely like she had been caught doing something she shouldn’t have, and stammered. “I’m sorry, I was just looking. I didn’t touch your busy. I’m new here.” She rattled off the information as quickly as it came to her head, not sure exactly who this man was or what he wanted to hear and feeling totally off balance because of it. To her surprise the man simply raised his hands and made a gesture like it was nothing.
“Feel free to smell or look at the flowers as much as you like. You can even pick one if you want. Their nectar tastes a bit like honey.” The man said in a tone that was equally as warm as his smile, and confidently he walked down the stairs till he was on the same one as her. Reaching to the bush on the opposite side of the stair, he plucked one of the white flowers then drew out one of the straws from the middle, holding it up for a moment before popping the end in his mouth. He grinned. “You should try it. Its quite the interesting experience.”
Farren gave him a confused look, glancing over at the bush on her side and back at the man before shaking her head. “No thanks, I’ll pass. I was- well, do you know where the Inn is?” She asked, biting her lower lip as she chanced a look down at her feet before looking back up at the man. It was the first time that she really, really looked at him. He was wearing a dark colored vest that didn’t cover much of his bare chest, and had on what she could only figure was a dark colored skirt that trailed down to his ankles with a slight gap up the side so he could move easily with it. She didn’t know what to make of this peculiar fashion choice but she kept her emotions mostly from her face as she looked back into those soft gray eyes of his.
Despite the skirt he was very masculine in appearance, with a square jaw covered in light brown stubble that merged with his shaggy brown hair that he wore short. The skin around his eyes was a little more weathered than the rest of his face that created deep wrinkles whenever his expression changed, but that wasn’t to say that he looked old. More like experienced which made them more handsome than anything else. As an amused looked crossed over his features, Farren belatedly realized she had been gawking and flushed with the realization, averting her face slightly as she brought her hand to her mouth.
“You really are new to these parts. Its alright, you’ll get used to the dress here eventually and maybe even adopt the fashion as I have.” He said, gesturing to himself before producing a small slip of parchment from his vest pocket. “This is a general map of the Outpost. It lays out the popular locations. See you are here.” The man said, pointing out a position on the north side of the map where the top of the wall started. “If you follow along this route here you can reach the Khamsin Inn within a few chimes at the most.”
Farren took the map, slowly following his finger before looking up from the map to get her bearings. It really didn’t seem that far if she was to go off of this map. Certainly far easier than traversing the breath of Sunberth. Still, she was nervous about doing so in the dark although in general the public areas seemed to be well lit. She traded a nervous look with the man before extending her hand. “Thank you. My name is Farren by the way. I’m- well I was in Sunberth before I came here.”
Recognition shifted within those soft gray eyes of his as his bright smile tempered somewhat. “You don’t have to fear the dark around here Farren. The Keiss patrol these streets, and keep everyone safe. No one will steal from you, or try to do anything you don’t want them to, rest assured. My name is Paul Resan. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He said, giving her a firm handshake as she looked around once more out onto the courtyard below. Farren wanted desperately to believe what he said was true, but she couldn’t believe such an impossibility on his word alone. Every instinct of hers was telling her quite the opposite as she pulled the cloak about herself despite the warm night. She threw over the hood of her cloak for a little bit more covering but still she felt exposed and vulnerable.
“Thank you Paul. I will be sure to keep that in mind.” She said, her words drifting as she picked out the route she would take through the courtyard before her. Then suddenly coming back into herself, she looked back at Paul and gave him a small smile. “I hope to see you again in the morning when the world is not full of shadows. Have a fair night Paul.”
“You too Farren.” Paul said, letting go of her hand and simultaneously reminding Farren that she had kept her fingers lingering there for far too long. Petch, she really was out of sorts tonight. She gave Paul a slight embarrassed nod as she started walking down the last few stairs and out into the well lit courtyard where quite a few musicians were busy entertaining any that passed by. The music was fairly eclectic with a range of styles that where so unlike the music that haunted the average den in Sunberth. It was almost good enough to make her want to linger, but exhaustion tugged at the corners of her eyes as her adrenaline had long since worn off. She needed a warm bed to pass the night, and preferably even a meal if one could be had.
WC - 1,393
.
