Staining Snow [Wycliff, PM to Join]

[AevumEternity]

Another icy blast ripped through the forest, sending snowflakes spraying into the air like bleached fog. The black and emerald cloak pressed tightly against the back of the figure hunching over a blaze cradled in a small bowl of snow. The icy clearing opened up to reveal the huge white Theocog laying upon its side rather comfortably- utterly uneffected by the freezing weather- only raising it great head as the cloaked woman curses again-

a sharp, long hissing sound echoed through the forest again, competing with the scream of the wind- a wedge-stone against steel. Again, Hakon dragged the stone along the curved blade of her scimitar, her bare fingertips read with the frigid air, briefly warmed by the sparks that sprung from the action. Eventually her body fell completely numb as she worked- glancing briefly at Purgatorio as the massive beast lays down once more at her back.

It did not take long for her mind to wander, occasionally focusing back on the blade as she spoke seemingly to the animal, though it obviously could not answer,"... Our time at the capital- that was rather a disaster, wasn't it? They know to look upon the Kilandre name warily now, but we aren't loved. We're just..." she trails off, pausing to examine the blade to ensure it wasn't getting too thin,"... We're just warriors, mecenaries with a name and a product. What happens when the war ends? What then-"

She rests her hands in her lap, clamping her fists between her thighs to warm her hands before returning to work,"- How am I supposed to be expected to spread my legs for anyone- when there is so much that has yet to be done when peace descends..." she mutters with a slightly bitter chuckle.

[Wycliff]

Aven trudged through the ice ridden forest, cursing his luck and gripping a long, black, snow buffeted robe. Dark fur lined the trim, which he greedily tucked against his pale skin. We're he not positive that the gods had long abandoned him, the young man would have questioned their presence. Maybe I could just go back to Uthlyn and make a ruckus, that'd be sure to draw the Mordecai's attention. Anywhere would be better than this frozen hellscape.
As the blasting of the wind took pause once more, Aven raised his silvery eyes briefly to find himself in a clearing, the sight of a figure huddled over a small fire meeting his gaze. Despite his aversion to direct light, the young man could not deny his longing for heat.
Aven waved an arm to the figure, slowed by the bite of the cold, and called out in a friendly voice. "Hello, do you have room for another?"


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[AevumEternity]

Hakon looked up abruptly, had she heard a voice? Here? Her gaze flickering warily through the bony trees before resting on an equally slender man. Even if he was a mage, there was no honor in fighting anyone freezing on a night such as this. She beckons him over wordlessly, even as she placed away the stone and slid the now frosted blade carefully into its sheath.

" of course, of course- come, quickly-" she calls out to the stranger, pulling the cloak more firmly about her as the massive six-legged horse sits up again, ears angled toward the man as its great silver nostrils flared. Trying to get a scent of him.

[Wycliff]

The figure beckoned him over, a gesture to which he smiled. It was refreshing to find a kind soul in such harsh times, in such harsh weather. As he approached, the Theocog, try as it might, would smell nothing: not even the scent of breath. The beast's instincts warned it that this stranger was unnatural, a being that should not be.
Aven arrived at the small fire, the furred robe still wrapped tight around his body, and matching boots and gloves could then be seen. Aven made no indication that he sensed the Adhara's field as he entered its range, but inwardly, he sighed. I should have expected as much. Fortunate for me, though, to find one so early into my travels in Matron's Hallow. Aven inspected his newfound company. She is pretty, that much is certain. I wonder if she is a Knight of the White Lily?
"Thank you so much, Miss: these lands are quite unforgiving to those that traverse them, and I was certainly not as prepared as you are for its perils."


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[AevumEternity]

Offering a small smile, she felt suddenly unnerved as he approached- animal instinct telling her that this one had no scent- even with her nose rather red and frozen, often one could simply breath in to discover a pleasant aroma of the same species if not opposite sex, but here... She could sense nothing, he instincts instantly firing off warnings as a result. Nonetheless, she brushed off such sentiments- he wouldn't dare to fight her, would he? All had little honor left in this world but- often it could still manifest itself.

" I myself was barely prepared, I thought the worst of the winter months had ended which was why this path seemed reasonable- alas..." she shrugs gently, smiling wryly," Here we are,"

[Wycliff]

Aven took off his gloves, seething them beside him, and began to warm his hands. In the flickering light of the flames, the young man's eyes were illuminated, revealing a soft kindness among their silvery depths. He makes eye contact with the wary woman beside him, a gentle smile gracing his features. "Well, fortunate for me you came this way; I felt as though I'd become just another block of ice to fill these barrens in another five minutes." Aven breathes on his hands, relishing the slight relief from the blistering cold. His eyes wander to her armament. "So, what brings you to these sun-forsaken lands? By your equipment, one would assume you're off to war or something." 


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[AevumEternity]

Chuckling quietly, she wraps the cloak more firmly about her body, as if to conceal telling sigils though he likely already knew," I am always off to war- if I don't fight then I have no purpose and may as well freeze," looking down slightly, the blonde-white whispd of hair falling over her face as she leans closer to the fire to try and thaw our her features- carefully keeping her gaze off of his as she continues," And what of you? I believe your attire would be more appropriate for the summer lands in the far South."

Looking up again, she offers a small, inquiring smile. By then, the massive warhorse at her back was staring directly at Aven- unblinkingly as if it could leap up and crush him at any second..

[Wycliff]

Aven nodded his head slowly, a hint of sadness playing across his expression. "It seems everyone is off to war now, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to find one more. You are correct about my attire, I was born in the south of Connloath, though I now spend most of my time in Reahj and Uthlyn." He reflected back on her previous statement, puzzling. "Is that truly the extent of your life? War?"


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[AevumEternity]

" You seem quite interested- usually people enjoy avoiding even talk of conflict when in company such as this- lest some arguement break out," she chortles faintly, rubbing her hands together as she looks up at him," What are you doing so far from the Reajh? If you're looking to return I'm afraid to inform you that you are quite lost,"

Chuckling softly, she shifts back to lean against the massive Horse's warm belly, Purgatorio snorting once before flopping his great head upon the powdered snow again. The wind whistling sharply through the make-shift camp, causing the fire to die for a moment

[Wycliff]

Aven shivers against the wind, moving a hand quickly to protect the dying flames, and as his hand cups the embers, the woman may see a small black dot float into the tiny flames, ever so briefly, and they flare back up to normal proportions. Aven's smile widens at the influx of heat, and his eyes close. "I'm searching for an end to this senseless violence: the foolish rebellion of mages, who strike out aimlessly at a force they cannot hope to conquer, and the self-righteous Mordecai, who ignore the truth that the Grand Duke so cleverly shields from their eyes. These two forces will not stop on their own, instead destined to clash until both are nothing but ashes in the flames of war."


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[AevumEternity]

" That is the natural way of things, one of us is predator, one of us is prey-" she hugs her knees to her chest, wrapping the cloak more firmly about her as she squints her eyes," But we're at war because we're trying to figure out who is who. So it won't ever end, you know?"

" Not that warfare is a bad thing- it helps us all evolve and honor Ansgar in the best way possible." Her gaze flickers to his face, watching him closely, if she had noticed the whisps, she made no indication of such

[Wycliff]

A brief flicker of recognition flashes across Aven's face. "Ansgar's Hand, hm?" He chuckles. "You aren't wrong about war in that it is natural, Miss Adhara, but you are not looking closely if you believe this particular war to be so. The world is not so black and white; rather, it is grey, every shade between." His short, combed up silver hair ruffles in the gusts of frigid air. "Tell me, do you truly believe all mages to be evil?"


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[AevumEternity]

" Hm- I didn't realize our name was becoming well known," she chuckles weakly as she turns around to rummage through a saddlebag, producing a loaf of very frozen bread which she carefully placed in the snow beside the flames," No- not all mages are evil, to believe that would be nonsense. But that does not mean I do not consider magic an abomination- unnatural... To be born without any abilities at all is truly damning, is it not?"

[Wycliff]

Aven waves the notion away. "I wouldn't say well known, I've simply met one of your order's Captains, Disgaua." Aven laughs at her statement on magic. "That's quite rich coming from an Adhara: are you not in possession of a terribly rare form of Mordecaism? Some would call that trait even less fair than magic, as it occurs far less, do you not agree? I can say for certain that I, myself, jealous of your anti-psionic and magic barrier."


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[AevumEternity]

" Captain Disgaua..?" She muses, arching an eyebrow as if attempting to recall any mention of a slender, silver-haired male beauty from her captain's ramblings in the recent past before leaning down to examine the loaf slowly thawing. A small smile curling her cherry lips," Then I'd like to apologize late, if he treated you roughly. I suppose now it is rather obvious to me you are a mage, no? No normal individual would be able to feel the effects of my aura..."

Trailing off, Hakon turns her head slightly," I have no control over my aura, it is merely a blessing -or curse- given to me by Ansgar himself. I merely wield it to fit the duty I must fulfill. Unlike most, I do not chase my quarry into range of its effects- I let them come to me if I so choose." she leans back and looks straight at him, grey-hazel eyes unfeeling and stony as she speaks coolly.

" And here you are."

[Wycliff]

Aven leans forward to the fire, a soft chuckle resounding from his chest. "Actually, in that case, it should be me who apologizes, as it was a bit the other way around. Yes, I am a Mage, but as Disgaua found out, I am anything but ordinary."
From behind him, a tendril of darkness rises, fully ignorant of the woman's field, and waves harmlessly at her. He turns his eyes to meet her cold gaze, the irises still soft and welcoming, but small black particle emanating from the center and roaming outward to the edges, where they seemingly wink out of existence. "Lightly put, it is not too tall a task for me to bring Mordecai to heel, a feat that, in most cases, does not require any harm to either side." A small spark of aggression flashes across his face, as if to say, try it, before returning to his normal, light expression. "But there's no need to demonstrate that here, we're both civil people!"


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[AevumEternity]

" Civil." She agrees flatly," Civil and cold. I'd much rather wait until the snow stops before engaging you in battle." Observing the small tendril, she reasons that it likely was a biological part of him- as only such manifestations could be created if they were naturally living within or without... Even if they were 'unnatural' in a sense. Leaning back, she shuddered once before pursing her lips- blowing a thick cloud of steam into the air, falling silent as she heard a small pop.

Looking down, the loaf seemed to have swollen and burst ever so slightly, causing her to smile as the vaguest of yeasty scents mixed with that of smoke,"... Would you be willing to share this bread with me?" she inquires looking up. It seemed this young lady was quite the master of hiding her emotions- for now at least. The rumors that swirled about Ansgar's Hand's Major always told of a woman on the edge of awe-striking madness when it came to battle, far too volatile for the Knights of the White Lily to accept.

[Wycliff]

Aven's eyes light up at the offer, the black particles ceasing to flow. "How generous! Of course, I would be delighted! Do you mind if I share a bit with my companion?" He points to the fur on his robe, apparently serious.


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[AevumEternity]

Arching an eyebrow, she nods faintly as she scoops up the loaf, breaking it in half before handing him one vaguely steaming portion. Seeming to be watching his coat with interest. If He did happen to have possession of a little companion, then perhaps if they were to fight she could use such friendship to her advantage. But not all encounters with mages ended in conflicts, just most of them-

" Of course, go ahead."

[Wycliff]

Aven smiles wider, accepting the bread graciously, then taps the fur on his robe, ripping off a third of the bread and waving it. "Tricey, would you like some?" The fur rapidly morphs into feathers, which detach themselves and all coalesce into the form of a raven, which perches on Aven's right shoulder, grabbing the bread with its beak and placing it down on the now furless robe, pecking away at it's meal. Aven seems to remember something. "By the way, I don't believe we've introduced ourselves, how silly of me! I am Aven, and this is Beatrice." He extends his left hand in a gesture of greeting.


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