(M) Traveling Light (Ghanon)

[Anonymous]

Lana's first steps onto the land of Northern Serendipity were tentative, foreign.  If onlookers had known of her royal origin, they would've whispered to one another that she hardly looked the part of a renowned and respected Queen.  Not months ago she had been the very picture of divine perfection, the most telling feature being her eyes.  Crystal blue, when in the company of those that worshiped her, they would emanate confidence, regality, power.  This day, they dulled to a deep purple glaze framed by dewy lashes.  The passion that had so possessed her was now veiled, replaced by a warrior's lost, ghostly gaze as she neglected to react to her new surroundings.  Her hair was slightly tussled with little stray yellow hairs rising above the thicker mass here and there, and the tips of her curls grazed her backside as she walked.  Most noticeable about her as she passed by was her white-knuckled grip on the tar black hilt of a blood spattered sword.  It was sheathed, but evidence of recent battle, perhaps within the last few weeks, remained.  It seemed to be imbued with a surreal darkness, both this and its color contrasting against the background of her sheer ivory gown.  What was left of her gown, that was.  As she continued down the marketplace path, Canis in toe in his arctic wolf form, the bolder tradesmen approached with fruits and jewels to sell.  However, they instantly were deterred by the expression of deep sadness in her face.  Old, dried streams of tears left their trails in the ash and dirt that had lightly coated her cheeks during travel.  She stopped, suddenly awake to the world, to run her fingertips along a turquoise silk bag with embroidered oriental flowers.  For a moment, her white knuckles loosened as if she were going to lift her hand away, but then tightened with two-fold strength as if she were suppressing some sinful desire.  Canis, now in his recognizable mortal form, laid a hand against her back and met her eyes with his.  She held his gaze for a moment, and they seemed to exchange silent conversation before she turned away and began to leave the display.  Canis pulled out a pouch and handed the tradesman three silver coins, and tucked the turquoise bag into his satchel.  

Though weather beaten and exhausted, Lana still retained her imposing strength.  Her life as Queen had not weakened her, but rather through battle and tribulation, reinforced her ability to survive and defend.  And her first order of business was to find a place to rest.

[Lion]

There was something utterly exciting about the robes of a wandering magician.  They were usually colorful enough to seem slightly ridiculous and overtly gaudy without seeming pretentious.  And yet, just entertaining enough that just wearing them was an experience all on their own.  Ghanon rolled up his sleeves in this mortal form, black hair glinting starkly where his usual blonde might have reflected the sunlight.  Hazel eyes shone with glee, hazel eyes that had replaced the silver that he had always borne.  In fact, if not for his hair and eyes, he might have appeared exactly the same as he always did.  For the robes were an interesting away of dark blues and blacks, yet it was probably the red belt and yellow-shaded scarves that hung around his neck negligently.

There was a charm to pulling hats out of rabbits and manifesting jewels from thin air.  Even for a place like Serendipity that was positively alive with the threads of magic (maybe much less now than it was in the past), people still liked to be entertained even with minor magics.   Ghanon wandered the streets of the market area, enjoying the sights, repelling the smells.  It seemed like eternities past before he could recall the last time he'd ever been in such lively surroundings.  Street vendors certainly did not resemble hair-weaved servants who sore their regalia and noses so high that it was hard to tell which was which.

As he strolled, he kept his eyes open looking for any irregularities, peculiar faces or people that seemed to differ from all the rest.  While people were busy buying and selling, his eyes fell on a down cast woman, or at least she seemed so from the way her shoulders seemed heavy, her steps appeared weighted as if she may as well have been dragging along an iron weight behind her.  Ghanon continued to walk normally, walking in her opposing direction until she came nearer.  There was a strange aura about her, something that seemed not of this world.  What was she?  And why would she come here of all places?  Ghanon watched her as she passed him and also as her comrade (he'd seen them walk together from the tradesman's booth) took the turquoise bag and placed it in his satchel

A grin graced him and Ghanon visualized the inside of the satchel, waving his hand momentarily as a small, almost completely unnoticeable portal appeared from beneath the satchel, causing the turquoise bag slip out and onto the floor.  The portal vanished without a trace as quickly as it had appeared.  As he stepped toward it, he picked it up and called out to the woman and her companion just before he started toward them.  "Miss, miss!  I believe you dropped this!"

[Anonymous]

The world was silent to her; all of the voices, the sound of squeaky wooden wheels as carts sped to their destinations, even the conglomerate of odors wafting by hardly grazed the tip of her senses.  It was as if she were in a world void of everything natural except the replaying memories of weeks past.  She strode along, the scraggly tail of her dress, torn that way due to rough travel, lingered on behind her wiping away her footsteps in the dusty road.  Canis walked carefully at her side, and just behind, feeling some small relief from his good deed.  Perhaps his gift would bring her some happiness, or if not happiness, a moment of distraction from her heavy laden mind.  

They had barely left the stand where he had purchased the turquoise purse when they encountered another full of ripened fruit and fancy, sweet sauces.  Canis' stomach growled and he thought of the last meal they had consumed, and when it was.  It was a mere shared loaf of bread and a bit of water aboard a trade ship, but he remembered that Lana had chosen to take nothing from the meal for herself.  Nourishment was not one of the higher priorities on her list.  First, they needed a place to settle and adjust.  She could not return to such luxuries as food until she was sure of her surroundings.  

It was then that a sound did interrupt her trance, and both her companion and herself turned 'round and stealthily clasped their swords, though they were careful not to make it noticeable to whoever may have addressed them.  Canis, ever alert to the protection of his Queen, mentally noted that the stranger did not address him, who had purchased the item without her knowledge.  This individual was possibly more interested in seeking the attention of Lana rather than him, and he was diligent to keep an eye on the stranger's every move.  

Lana, being confident of her own prowess, chose to take a few steps forward.  With her free hand, the other still poised at her weapon in case of any sign of a threat, she extended her reach to the gentleman.

"Thank you." she wrapped her fingers around the silken object, "Although, I don't believe I've purchased this."

Canis, his intention to surprise her with the gift now utterly ruined, spoke, "You did not, my Lady, however I did."

Thanks would be owed later, but for the moment she merely acknowledged the kindness and took the object from the colorfully dressed man.  She was somewhat distracted by the noticeable difference in his attire.  Everyone here seemed to be wearing variations of brown, pea green, dull salmon pink, black and potato sack tan.  He certainly had no qualms with making himself known to the public.

[Lion]

Maybe the red sash was really pushing the envelope, but to dress ridiculously was really the point here.  Entertainers obviously would always have the most entertaining outfits.  Of course, he could always excuse himself to being some eccentric lord, but that was far too easy.  Ghanon liked a challenge when it was favorable or had something worth being rewarded for in the end.

Ghanon strode ahead confidently, meeting the woman that thanked him even as she claimed not to have even purchased the bag.  This he saw, but did not care to comment on it.  Her companion, however, seemed slightly indignant at having this pointed out, but corrected that scenario all the same.  Ghanon ignored her companion for now as he did not seem of that much importance.  Yet, he would keep him in mind in case further scrutiny was needed.  As for now, however, his attention was on the lady.

She was decent looking, but Ghanon had met and effected many lives throughout time and the universe was not always an easy thing to keep track of and neither were the many faces of the mortals within it.  But he had certain advantages that not even the gods, with all their power, could not even hope to gain.  And remember somebody's face was a task he was good at.  Yes, he'd seen women more beautiful than her.  Became women that were more beautiful!  But there was a familiarity to her eyes that he did not miss.  They didn't seem very...normal, he should say.

He relinquished the bag and folded his hands behind his back.  Tilting his head to the side, he grinned congenially and said, "I would not dwell on it.  It was an easy mistake to make, Miss, err?  What shall I call you?"

[Anonymous]

OOC:  Sorry it took me so long!  I've been sooooo busy with work, school, music lessons, etc.  Here I am!

IC:

There was something annoyingly.... quirky about this gentleman.  It was a somewhat pleasant trait and yet also rather irritating.  Lana, already in a foul mood, detected that he gazed at her a bit more deeply than she would have liked or expected.  He gave her the feeling that they somehow knew each other, though perhaps not well.  Canis, seeing no form of threat from his object of scrutiny, returned to his arctic wolf form.  It was quite uncommon for his people to shift to their true forms in the presence of someone untrusted, and even was considered to be a bold, wild thing to do in public.  But here, in this world, he had a feeling that shifting in front of the town folk was the least of his worries.  

Lana raised an eyebrow at the inquiry, and took a step forward, making the space between them uncomfortable in the interest of intimidation.  She didn't go so far as to appear confrontational, but she wanted to send a message that she was not here to make friends who she might invite over for tea.  

A vast array of pseudonyms flashed through her mind, and she instantly settled on one, "You may call me Eleana." she glanced over his face for a long second, letting her eyes rest on his chest as if she were determining the level of respect he deserved, and met his gaze again with a pair of wry lavender eyes, "And what do others call you?"

[Lion]

[Don't worry!  Totally understand!]

Ghanon watched her companion transform back into a wolf, a white one by the looks of it.  That was a nifty trick wasn't it and told him that perhaps this fellow was someone to keep an eye out for after all.  If he wasn't a shifter, or didn't reveal himself to be something out of the ordinary, he might have been tempted to turn a blind eye.  Ghanon kept this notation to himself to be considered for later.  It wasn't every day you bumped into a pair of otherworldly strangers, even if one of them proved to be more interesting than the other.  But he kept an open mind; whatever they were doing here, they were obviously strangers.

Ghanon was receptive to her body language but did not allow himself to appear defensive by her sudden need to send a message to him.  He kept his countenance calm and his body relaxed, leaning on one hip and waited for her reply.  When she gave it, Ghanon nodded.  "It is a pleasure to meet you Eleana," he said with a friendly smile.  He did not extend a hand for her to take, seeing that it probably wouldn't be well received, but he kept his place, even as she had stepped closer.  He couldn't be threatened by proximity.

"Others call me lots of things, most of which are silly and ridiculous.  It's hard to make a living if people think you're a fool.  But you may call me Magus.  Like you seem to be, I'm just passing through here.  But if I'm mistaken then excuse my impertinence, I mean no harm by it," he said, taking half a step back, offering her space if she so desired, but turning it into an honorary bow.

[Anonymous]

A chill wind cascaded along the street and lifted her long straw yellow tresses from her shoulders.  For a moment, it could have appeared that she had a pair of gilded wings poised for flight at her back.  A curl fell into her eyes and upon her lips, hugging their rose shape.  Her eyes narrowed against the dry breeze.  Around the little town signs of an ensuing storm became noticeable, where minutes ago the sky was as tranquil and lovely as from a fairy tale.  A drop of liquid landed on her shoulder and tried to make its way down the length of her arm, but was dried away by the livening wind.  There would be much more of this land to explore, and she could see that there was a spirit of enchantment that only made itself known to a newcomer once they had acquainted themselves.  It was as if this world was meeting her for the first time as a separate entity, with sensitivities and personality all its own.  She was accustomed to such a world overflowing with a magical life force, where everything from the grass to the deified beings that walked upon it was embellished with a sort of secondary life.  Lana could feel a similar imprint in her surroundings as her bare feet gripped the course dirt road.  A kinship was forming, a trust, between herself and all that flourished here.  

A wave of sadness traveled through her eyes as she realized that she could only sense so much, and then, it was gone.  Her mind tried in vain to reach again for a connection, but it faded as quickly as it had come, continuing to taunt her with a taste here and there.  Her eyes, still locked on Magus, blinked and she returned her attention to the bowing figure.  

Like you seem to be, I'm just passing through here.  But if I'm mistaken then excuse my impertinence, I mean no harm by it.

A wanderer? she thought.  A wanderer like herself...  Her defenses were beginning to soften ever so slightly, though her paranoia of being exiled to such an unfamiliar place was far from at ease.  

She sighed, and for the first time in days her hand left the hilt of the blackened sword to lift the rogue curl from her lips, "Then, I assume you have no suggestions as to where we might stay for the night..."

Canis began to lap at a trail of ants that were pouring from a hole beneath the fruit stand to form a delicious river of tiny workers.

[Lion]

The aura of the world around him flickered and fluctuated, and he tried to place himself in tune with it.  The vibration of life, this world was alive with it, vivid and wondrous, though not unlike other worlds he'd visited.  Travel was something he could never be bored with, yet many worlds mimicked the energies of the other, continually flowing eternally until the end of Time.  Was the energy life, was it magic, was it an intricate combination of both?  Ghanon could never know.  But what he did know that interruptions in that energy affected, even the smallest ones, could affect worlds beyond.

This person before him, this Eleana, something about her told him that she was not exactly as she appeared to be.  Whether she had an alias to protect herself from harm, he did not know, not without inspecting her mind, but there was something decidedly different than the flux and flow of life here on this plane.  If he wasn't mistaken, he could sense specs of astral energy on her.  Only a deity, or one in relation to it, would have that on them.  Could it be?  And then the unusual shade of her eyes, not that he could complain with his own being of silver.  He decided, if given half the chance, he would do his best to find out exactly who she was.

After he'd introduced himself as Magus, Ghanon kept his face unassuming and vaguely innocent, but not unknowledgeable.  "Oh my lady, you assume incorrectly.  I may be a wanderer, but I've been around here once or twice. I believe I might know a place that may or may not be suitable to your liking.  If you would like, I can take you there.  And your friend here," Ghanon looked down at the wolf that now seemed to be enjoying a trail of ants, "he will certainly be welcome too."

[Anonymous]

Lana's heart palpitated in response to an utterly new and thrilling feeling.  It was as if the spirit of this world were opening up to her own, blooming and enveloping her brokenness within its velvet petals.  It had been months since she'd felt such tenderness.  It spoke to her in hardly audible whispers whose soft sound communicated the gentle meaning that the obscurity of the words could not.  Though it was faint, and unlike her communion with her own devastated Kingdom, it gave her grounding.  

I thought I might never be in touch with life ever again...  This thought overcame her for an instant, until she recognized she had taken far too long a pause before responding to Magus.

Magus was too polite...  Everything about him was exaggerated.  It could have simply been that he was indeed an eccentric performer with little social finesse, or perhaps their coincidental meeting was not so haphazard and there was more than meets the eye.  

Lana veiled her moment of distraction by feigning disinterest, "Lead the way."

[Lion]

Ghanon was sure to lay it on pretty thick.  Even if he usually had an ulterior motive, sometimes it was best to improvise and see where a moment took you rather than simply working the board of the game of life.  Nothing was as it seemed, and anything is possible, after all.  A mantra he kept in mind everywhere he went.  If she was in some relation to a deity, or some sort, well that could mean a whole world of things on its own.  But for now, it was best to be sure before action was taken.  And even if he was sure, what actions were there to take?

Magus, as he called himself, nodded in a bow of deference as he was wont to show even complete strangers, and moved so that she could walk beside him rather than behind him.  It was simply impolite anyway.  "I don't suppose you've ventured here before have you?" he said as he walked when she chose to take her place.  "Our destination is little more than a small diner and tavern, on the nicer part of town.  And by nicer I mean it is a place where at least most middle class merchants may find themselves, rather than a rowdy bar.  Though for the right price, a hot meal there isn't bad at all."  He was casual and spoke with his hands, but kept a polite distance from her.

They wandered through the crowds of the market area, vendors calling out to them to look at their various wares, food and colorful cloths that made all else seem drab in comparison.  Though the town was small, the tavern they happened to stand in front of was at least presentable from the outside.  A sign hung outside that said: Canary Roses.

Ghanon stepped aside as he opened the door.  "You go first, milady," he said.

[Anonymous]

If it didn't already bother her that she looked like such a foreigner, Magus' comment made it clear.  He seemed to focus on her inability to blend with these crowds, and as she thought about it, it was telling that he had noticed her so abruptly in the road.  Lana hadn't really attempted changing her clothes or cleaning up, and in fact, she noted that clutching a deadly weapon as she did was not likely a common sight among the townsfolk.  

In reply, she nodded, "I am quite new to the area."  Here, she began her lying, "I remember passing briefly through Serendipity as a child...." she smiled a little, "Though, having grown up with parents who could never quite settle in one place, I hardly remember it now."

She proceeded to listen as he gave her a mental picture of the place they would arrive at.

A hot meal.......  Nothing sounded better at the moment.

And indeed, just as her mouth began to water, they had come to the doors of Canary Roses.

Magus' attempt at a demonstration of gentility seemed somehow out of place.  However, Lana saw no harm in humoring the entertainer to play a little more at "gentlemen and ladies".  The look of the tavern was of no consequence to her.  More important was the feeling of grounding that overtook her.  For someone having endured the fragmenting effects of traveling through crude portals, the unpredictable sea, long days spent near the hot sun in flight, and being subjected to the lowest form of travel, walking as a mortal through dense forest and treacherous deserts, finally having her feet upon a cool, polished wood floor was like finding that a mirage of water was no mirage at all.  The scent of others, musty and warm, was very pleasant to her.  She was now within a society brimming with social activities, real, live people, and soon she would lay claim to her own comfortable bed for a long night's rest.  Without regard for her companion or Magus, she grabbed her coin purse and marched to over to purchase a room.

[Lion]

He was beginning to tell that the act was getting to her and it seemed she thought it to be a little more than ridiculous to have a man act a little more formal and friendly than necessary.  Even if she was a foreigner, the chances of her going to great lengths to protect herself were more than necessary and methods of which he'd gone great lengths to perfect himself.  Strangers just 'passing through' a place were not uncommon, but here they were, especially armed strangers.  And rarer still were strangers without a past.

Magus listened to the digressive detail and grinned.  It was believable.  Not that he believed it, but it was believable and that was all he had to say about that.  Magus bowed when she passed him into the tavern and closed the door behind him after her wolfish companion passed through.

Here the establishment was unlike most others.  It was a rather well maintained facility and although smoke rose up not only behind the kitchen and from the rolled cigars and pipes of a men as they smoked nonchalantly.  Their eyes did not raise up out of suspicion or curiousness to the newcomers that had arrived.  In fact many patrons by the bar merely raised their glasses in welcome, some a little drunk, and they continued to puff away on their smokes.  Though it was clearly a men's establishment, women were more than welcome here as they sat beside their male companions, laughing amongst themselves.

He took a seat an empty table by the side while she went off to speak to the counterman about what he guessed was purchasing a room.  By then a waitress came around and greeted them with a smile.  She seemed a little surprise of the large wolf that had followed them inside but smiled nonetheless as it was her job to do so. She set down some menus at each end of the table and would return when they were ready to order.  When Eleana returned to have a seat, Magus pushed the menu in front of her.   "I have a few friends here in this place.  Feel free to order anything you like."

[Anonymous]

A room there was decidedly inexpensive, and though the surroundings were rugged and maintained an obvious amount of regulars, she was still surprised at how such a seemingly popular tavern could survive at such meager prices.  Lana assumed that the wine and mead must be quite good to sustain them financially, and from a cursory glance she could not see one glowing, rosy-cheeked customer without a pint in hand.  

She made her way over to the chosen table slowly, her hips swaying ever so as her eyes glanced here and there at the smiling and sometimes listless clients.  She absorbed as much of her surroundings as possible and instantly felt the warmth of comfort.  Here, it was rather impossible to stand out in a crowd of commoners who cared to do little more than coexist without question of one another.  She enjoyed the charm of the little pub, and happily took her seat across from Magus.  Canis' wolfish instincts drove him to sniff out the crumbled bits of forgotten food on the floor.

Lana stared at the menu with widened eyes after it was offered.  She knew of the currency here and had some knowledge of the people, but the food available was quite foreign to her.  She was accustomed to taking nourishment from the natural cycles of her earth, feeding off of the energies of life and end of life.  Eating as a mortal ate was still extremely alien to her, and though her stomach rumbled in response to the succulent scents floating from the kitchen, she felt ill at the prospect of consuming something through the full digestive process and allowing her body to work so hard to gain the nutrients it needed.  It was a habit she would have to conform to quickly.  The difficulty it posed to her was one of the many reasons she had neglected to eat on the voyage there.  

Another problem was presented to her.  If she gave any clue to her ignorance of food, and what all of the dishes consisted of, it would not only expose her lie about her supposed childhood, but also raise suspicion that she was not just any passerby.  Though she was highly unsure of what most of the dishes were defined as, some words stood out to her.  Bread, soup, fish....  A visible chill disturbed her.  Fish....  A living thing....  The idea of grey, lifeless flesh becoming a part of her own, absorbing into her system, somehow bringing her energy from loss of energy...  Of course, death in her world had renewed her life force just as life had.  However, death for her people was never truly death, but a maturing, a second birth of sorts.  Here, it was the opposite, a finality.  

Lana looked up to her apparently well-known companion.  Did he mean to boast about his connections here?  Although, it did bring her some solace that wandering with him was not entirely without benefit.

Cleverly, she ventured to feign indecisiveness, "Even so, I wouldn't want to choose the most expensive meal out of ignorance.  What do you enjoy here?"

As she met his eyes and let her own fall upon his features, she noted that there was something almost inconstant about him....  It was as if he wore his face, rather than possessed it.....  A very disturbing idea to her.

The strangeness of the moment passed, and she took it as nothing more than the meanderings of an overburdened mind.  She could not fathom why or how such a notion would even come to the surface of her consciousness.  It was strange indeed, and she wished to forget it instantly.

"You'll have to forgive me..." she smiled, the first true smile since their introduction, "It will have to be something... a little fresh.  I don't prefer meat myself."

[Lion]

Identities were never just masks for Ghanon.  Perhaps they were merely different manifestations for differing facets of himself, but they were all wholly-encompassed identities that Ghanon embraced to the fullest.  Amidst the faces most familiar, he kept them to a minimum, each new identity gaining the undivided attention of the bearer.  Perhaps the only reason he'd bothered to keep his own face at all was to find some semblance of reality for the man that continued to question the reality of all things.  It hadn't been long before he'd realized that reality was what you made it, not the other way around.  Magus may have been another identity, but he was as real as any flesh and blood customer in here.

Magus had sorted through the items on the menu while he waited for Eleana to return, though thinking her with that name, it matched only in the places she deemed fit didn't it.  She was clever, he could see that enough, and the interest he had in discovering who she was, well that only grew the longer he sat there.  He kept his face pointed down at the menu as she treaded to where he was, and he his eyes darted upward to gaze at her without changing position.  He sat back when she took a seat and brought a smile to his already quite jovial face.

He watched her trying to decide what it was that she wanted to eat, eyes that studied but never landing on one thing for more than a few seconds at a time.  Then she seemed visibly shaken and he tilted his head a little, furrowing his brow and looking slightly taken aback.  But it was a reaction that came and went before she went on to speak for herself.

"Well, do not fret, Eleana," he sat up to explain.  "The menu here can be very daunting because they serve so many wonderful delicious meals.  They are not at all expensive, so regardless of what you choose, there would be no problem as to covering for it."  Magus leaned forward a bit and propped down his own menu so that she could see where he pointed as he searched for the meal of his own choosing.  "This one will do very nicely if you don't want any meat.  Vegetable stew, a thick soup made up of potatoes cabbage, beets, carrots, with just a hint of garlic.  It is very good.  Though, that is merely a suggestion.  Please continue to look over the menu still if you'd like to decide for yourself."

Magus nodded and looked at his menu again.  "I think I'll have the beef stew, which is right beside the vegetable one.  And just what would you like to drink?  A mead, ale, wine?  I'll tell you the wine here is very good, though feel free to choose whatever you want.  A here comes the waitress."  Just as he spoke, she arrived with a booklet, ready to record the objects of their desire.  "Yes, dear, give me a good mead and the beef stew if you don't mind.  Thank you."  She wrote it all down and turned to his companion across from him and wrote it down when Eleana had chosen.

When that was done she took the menus under her arm and soon returned with their drinks.  Magus held his close and took a sip.  "So, Eleana," he began with a grin.  "How long have you been traveling so far?"

[Anonymous]

They seemed to study one another with the same probing motivation.  Minutes ago she may have hardened to find that he was unafraid to study her as deeply as she did him.  However, the long awaited comforts of company, music, and the common nourishment of body and soul dissolved her icy outer shell and allowed her youth to bubble over.  She leaned backward and slouched a bit in her chair, a mass of tangled curls pressing in against her cheek between her shoulder and face.  She was well aware of the effects of alcohol on the mortal body, but having never exposed herself to it, she yearned to know what the consequences might be for herself.  It was in her nature to try those things that might bring her closer to her mortal blood, and so she ordered a full bottle of a strong red wine, and a bowl of water for Canis.  He was ever watchful of her new-found companion, and though Lana found herself quickly becoming enchanted by this homey place, Canis would not let down his guard.  

Lana's nose scrunched at the idea of having to watch Magus consume the spoiled flesh of a once-living animal, but she said nothing and resolved to simply eat her own dinner as fast as possible to avoid any thought of the carnivorous nature of these beings.  

As he spoke, she became distracted by a jolly group of drunkards dancing to a happy tune just over his shoulder.  Their glistening sweat seemed not to deter them, and one of the more attractive waitresses was coerced into joining them and soon was having a good time of her own.  Dancing had not been very common where Lana came from...  In fact, most of life seemed to move in a very peaceful slow motion.  Even waking every morning to greet the sun with its gift of morning dew was ceremonious.  

It was the arrival of their drinks that disturbed her from her thoughts.  She had not known how large the bottle of wine would be, but she now realized that it was massive enough to satisfy at least three individuals.  She poured herself a tall glass and, first taking in its bitter sweet scent and touching her tongue to the rim of the glass, took a sip.  It dried her throat and tickled her mouth, and after her first swig she found she soon wanted another to repeat the lofty sensations.  

Magus then asked her a simple question, and she gave none of her lack of preparation away.  

"I have been traveling for months now, perhaps longer.  Time is fleeting when you are adjusting to new environments rapidly from one minute to the next."  She took yet another sip of her wine and set it beside her.

[Lion]

Magus gripped his mug and buried his smile deep into the mead and savored the spicy, fruity taste the cold beverage offered.  It smelled wonderful, much in the manner of being in a room filled with spiced pies that were baking to perfection.  Magus had taken a deep, long, thoughtful drink before he had set the mug down on the table in a gentle manner.  It was a very good drink since it was brewed fresh her in the north rather than being imported from the more expensive breweries to the south.  Local brews were almost always the best ones, he'd always say.

He wiped off his moist lips with a rag and turned his head to look over his shoulder at the more than drunk dancers that were having one hell of a good time behind him.  He laughed at the way they tossed each other around while trying to maintain their drinks in their hand.  Another good thing about the place, he reminded himself.  There was almost no end to the welcome here and after all the party was only beginning with the way the drunks were only starting to teeter in their places.

He turned back to her as she answered and noticed the size of the bottle of wine she had ordered.  For just a moment he wondered if she planned on finishing that thing all by herself.  Casting a glance down at his own already half-emptied mug of mead, he also considered asking her if she minded sharing a glass or two.  It didn't matter, it was all going to be paid for anyway.  He could always order another bottle.

"Oh, yes indeed.  Time is fleeting," he said knowingly, perhaps a little too well.   "How's the old saying go?  Ah, it's 'Time flies when you're having fun!'  I don't suppose traveling far from the south can be much fun at all.  Have you ever been this far north before?  Just exactly where are you headed?"  He took another drink from the mug and checked its contents.  One quarter left.  He hoped that waitress came back soon.

[Anonymous]

It had never occurred to her that she should even think of sharing her bottle of wine, though not due to any disregard for Magus.  In fact, her ignorance of the substance itself and the customs of drinking created a rather humorous situation, unbeknownst to her.  Lana entirely trusted the waitress to have brought her whatever amount would make her seem 'normal' to those around her.  And so, seeing others around her mimicking the gesture with much smaller bottles, she wrapped her tiny hands around the trunk of her beverage and took a deep, long swig of it.  The smell was overpowering.  It crawled along the back of her throat and into her nostrils, the tannins of the fermented grapes drying her mouth.  She pursed her lips after swallowing one last time, and suddenly felt very warm.  Where was this heat coming from?  Her whole body seemed to relax into a state of heaven, and even her sword sank in its sheath at her side as if it too had partook.  Canis lifted his rested head from his paws and raised an expressive eyebrow at her.  What could she think she was doing?  Perhaps, soon, he would have to retreat to an unnoticeable dark corner and return to his mortal visage.  Everyone around them who had tasted this elixir was acting out of their minds!  Whether the same effect would be seen upon her would shortly be found out.

The dancing had gradually begun to slow as the subjects of such gaiety stumbled onto some nearby cherry wood benches.  Lana smiled at their behavior and returned her attention to Magus.  Surely these people were mad....

Magus replied, "Oh, yes indeed. Time is fleeting.  How's the old saying go? Ah, it's 'Time flies when you're having fun!' I don't suppose traveling far from the south can be much fun at all. Have you ever been this far north before? Just exactly where are you headed?"

Canis' ears were perked in Magus' direction.  He wasn't keen on the inquisitiveness of this stranger they had barely begun to know. Canis could only hope that his Queen, though wise in spirit but very much unwise to this new world, would possess enough cynicism to suspect the motivation of these questions.

Lana indeed realized how narrow the spectrum of their conversation had remained.  However, Magus' curiosity could also be regarded with the understanding that they had one thing in common:  they were wanderers.  And in the spirit of drifting into a more vague and friendly conversation, she consistently left out details.

"Fun..." she scoffed, "I wouldn't venture to use that word, no.  And as I said, I've been here before, but only briefly as a child.  So in truth, I have been this far north, though my mind is blank as to the roads and landmarks, even the patterns of the land.  For this reason, I really don't know where I'm headed."  She smiled, "I suppose, then, I was headed here."

It had been too long since the last euphoric gulp, and so she swallowed yet more of the wine and made a satisfied sound.  She almost didn't feel the need to eat.

The attention was greatly upon her, and she realized she knew nothing of Magus.  The tables were ready to turn.

"You, on the other hand, seem to know so much about Serendipity.  You must have been here long?"

[Lion]

The mead had run dry and his mug was empty.  He sat leaning back against the wooden chair, his arm crossed over the top and his legs cross underneath the table, leaving his other hand playing with the grip of the empty cup.  He'd call for more later.  Magus couldn't stop smiling, but really, when could he ever?  Wasn't he supposed to play the entertainer?  Indeed entertainers even had to entertain themselves at times.  And this was more than an opportune moment.  He laughed at the way this woman took swigs from the wine bottle, drinking it as if it were little more than water and she'd just returned from a long trek in the desert.

He had a feeling he was partially right, she had the air about her that she'd been traveling for a very long time.  Just when and from where, he couldn't be sure.  But if given half the chance he would be sure to find out.  Magus grabbed the bottle and ducked his eye to the top, peering through to see if there was even anything left.  He took a massive swig as well and called to one of the waitresses by the bar.  "Send over two more please!  My friend here is very thirsty!"

He was glad that she was feeling at least slightly more relaxed, at least a bit more than she had when he first encountered her outside.  The bottles were brought over immediately just as the food was nearly finished in preparation and he popped off the top of his own as soon as it hit the table.  She answered as he poured the bottle into the empty mug, filling it to the brim.  With a nod, he shrugged and brought the drink to his lips, taking several large sips.

"Oh for quite a long time.  Little more than a year or so.  I've traveled around either on foot or with anyone willing to give me a ride.  Trust me, wagon travel might be fast, but it is not at all comfortable when the roads are ragged.  If you keep heading north, soon you'll hit the mountains.  Though we're quite near them already, so for all intents and purposes you may need a coat.  It won't take long to know the lay of the land if you bother to pay attention at all."  He took another long drink and refilled his mug even though it wasn't even empty yet.

"This bottle is delicious!  I don't suppose you're some sort of wine connoisseur are you?  You sure know how to choose a bottle.  Do you drink often back from where you're from?  Here have some more!  You're missing out!"  Magus popped open the second new bottle and shoved it at her.  They all needed to relax.

[Anonymous]

Lana was already feeling a little... strange.  The warm liquid was too delicious to stop drinking, and was filling her empty belly better than any food had, though there wasn't much experience with food to really compare.  Magus seemed highly ecstatic about the alcohol, and she quietly assumed that this was probably one of his favorite hobbies.  He seemed to know so much about it, too...

Her limbs suddenly feeling heavy and uncoordinated, she plopped her elbow loudly down onto the table without a flinch and leaned her cheek into her hand.  Her eyes were half open, a deep ocean blue with a twinkle of delight at the center.  This was a stark contrast to the saddened and mellow lavenders and purples that had fluctuated earlier.  Color flushed to her face, as if she had pinched her own cheeks as many women did to achieve an attractive rose hue.  Her mind was so foggy, after having nothing to eat and drinking so much of the wine, that she could only think of a few things at once.  This was a great relief, as this meant her worries were very far from her.

Magus continued to speak.  He was a man of many, many words, she found...  

"Oh for quite a long time. Little more than a year or so. I've traveled around either on foot or with anyone willing to give me a ride. Trust me, wagon travel might be fast, but it is not at all comfortable when the roads are ragged. If you keep heading north, soon you'll hit the mountains. Though we're quite near them already, so for all intents and purposes you may need a coat. It won't take long to know the lay of the land if you bother to pay attention at all."

Lana was grateful for this bit of information, though it came across a little arrogant, as most things he said did.  It was perhaps her own perception, and the mood that she had encountered him in that enticed such critical analyses.  Wagons...  She had ridden in quite a few and knew exactly what he spoke of.  And they were a pretty price.

"This bottle is delicious! I don't suppose you're some sort of wine connoisseur are you? You sure know how to choose a bottle. Do you drink often back from where you're from? Here have some more! You're missing out!" Magus was now quite excited about his hobby, and Lana gave out her first very genuine laugh.

"I am no connoisseur, but I suppose I have a sense."  Wine?  What exactly was the difference between wine and ale and mead....  In fact, she had no sense at all of what she was drinking, but she had no inkling to give up his compliments to her, and after pressing the bottle to her lips again to consume yet more, she set it down very wobbly, and continued, "I've never drank much, but it is something I really enjoy!"

Why the sudden desire to have something in common with him?  The thick filter that normally existed between her thoughts and her mouth was growing thinner, and started to shed pieces.

"Do -you- drink often?" She giggled, and again drank more.

Finally, the food arrived, and she wearily set the bottle aside and dipped her fork into the vegetable stew.

[Lion]

Darken Vei had been flatlanded province to the south and grew steadily hillier and mountainous the further north and west.  Where they were now, as still to the south and the cold hadn't yet hit them.  Even in summer, there were light snowfalls at night and he had a feeling there would be one such one coming their way.  As he drank, he paused for a moment and closed his eyes, seeming to be savoring the taste of the wine.  He held his breath as a vision passed under his eyes, images of snow and wind.  Traveling tonight, while possible, would be highly unrecommended.

He passed it off as a sigh and downed the full contents of his mug before filling it again all the way to the top.  "It's rare to find well-drinking company these days," he said absently and watched as the food arrived.  He let the smells of the stew enter into his nostrils and inhaled it like it was a new high.  Perhaps it even gave him a little bit of a buzz.  He took a hearty taste of the broth, the chunks of meat there giving it a thickened, but scrumptious taste.

He swallowed it down with another swig of the wine, this time from the bottle.  "Drink often?  From time to time, I do enjoy a bottle of wine here and there.  But I'm by no means some drunkard.  I prefer to enjoy it rather than to vomit by a curbside.  What about you?  How often do you find yourself tossing back a few hard ones, eh?"  He offered a chuckle as he ate and looked at her expectantly.

[Short! Ugh!  Sorry!]