On the Road (Dris)

[Lion]

Sword training was never the same without a partner and slicing through the air didn't give her much of a challenge.  But because Cassa was but a simple Guardian, she couldn't very well busy herself with attacking plants and trees.  Such was against her code and there was really no need for her to do that.  The plants never did anything wrong to her.  Guardians were pacifists but that didn't excuse the need to train and practice one's skills with their weapon.  A Guardian was to be prepared for anything at anytime and Cassa couldn't afford to let her skills get rusty.

She'd been traveling for sometime down the road to the city of Arca, a place she'd never been too, but was looking forward to seeing.  She was on a mission up north and though it was imperative that she move as quickly as possible, she would take as much time as possible to get a feel for the outside world before she would reach the ruins.  A primary aspect of her status as a member of the Order was to be beyond one's own perception of things, to think and feel the world around them in the moment.  She would pass through the city and enjoy the time she had there, even if it was a short one.  There was something greater on her mind after all: the Fire Scroll.

Cassa, even through her training and manipulation of her own Mana, was finally getting tired.  The road to Arca was long and had eventually made her weary.  So the first thing she did when she spotted a cut down tree trunk along the road was sit upon it.  She took with her no more gear than she could carry and so set nothing aside as she crossed her legs in preparation for some recuperative meditative trance.  Such a method was used instead of sleep.  What rest was gained in seven to eight hours of sleep, could be rounded and absorbed through about then to fifteen minutes of meditation.  That was when one found the time, silence, and place to carry out such a task and measured how deep their trances went.

Sheathing her sword along the side, she breathed rhythmically and poised her hands on her lap, keeping her back straight as she did so.  And her meditation began, deep and introverted, wallowing deep into herself along the way.  Her mind was a blank slate, not thought entered her active cognition.  It was like coming away from the world into the deepest sleep.  But nothing passed before her mind like she were asleep; she did not dream or endure a nightmare.  Nothing but nothingness passed before her mind.

But Cassa almost completely entered the trance when suddenly the sound of horses coming along the road resounded in her ears.  Immediately made alert, she perked her head up and watched as a small band of riders came into view, the clopping beat of their hooves on the road echoing closer and closer.  From what she could see, they were garbed in the silver glint of armor suits, from the fit and fashion looked to be of the Serenian military.  "Hm," she muttered, watching the riders come closer.  She wondered if there was anyone important riding among them.

[Anonymous]

The bright round sun hovered in the bright blue sky. The wispy, gray clouds moved lazily around, splattering the sky with all shapes and sizes. A small yet still powerful wind blew across the land just outside of Arca, the trees and long grass moved along with the wind, rustling, a few leaves were blown from their perch and flown into the face of a young man who woke up suddenly, almost falling off. Steadying his hat, the man closed his eyes again, trying to get some sleep, which was extremely fustrating, for he was on a horse. Grumbling, the man decided to use his magic and cast a small spell and keep him from feeling the horse or from falling over, only ending if the horse stopped completely.

Drauis Hethryn had absolutely no idea why he decided to come along with these knights. He guessed it was because he hated being stuck in the stupid castle doing paperwork and other such stuff. This was one of the few times he could leave the castle and out of Arca, if only for a few miles. He was not close to the others that decided to go on this trip, they stayed away, it was as if they felt uncomfortable riding with the regent of their land. Sighing, he decided to take out a deck of cards and practice a bit of magic and flourishing. Spring the deck from hand to hand, he sighed in boredom, he just couldn't wait until they stopped and he could relax and sleep. Some of the men he was traveling with watched his flourishes of his cards with a bit of amazement, it was not something you saw everyday.

It was strange really, Dris was the first to notice a young woman sitting by a tree. Meditating. That was what it looked like. Drauis never did understand meditating, but that didn't really matter. Sitting taller in his horse, he squinted slightly and was even more suprised. The woman was very, very pretty. No, not pretty, beautiful. Dris found himself staring at her, drooling slightly. Shaking his head quickly, he wiped the drool off on his sleeve and blushed to himself slightly. He began rubbing his slightly pointed ears nervously. It was a habit he developed and did when he was embarrassed or nervous. That, he was now, to meet this woman.

The group dismounted, for they were a bit suprised at why a woman was just sitting there. Dris stood by his horse with both hands moving simultaneously, doing incredible things with his cards, faster and faster as he grew more nervous to meet this woman. He felt very uncomfortable right then and decided to stay back and watch what happened, even though his body felt the urge to walk forward and introduce himself.

This was going to be trouble.

[Lion]

This was a most unusual encounter, even for someone like Cassa whose social encounters included strange humanoids falling out of trees and being spied upon.  So far she'd grown used to the prying eyes of others, most of them were harmless and bothered her little.  They were, she supposed, unused to seeing a Templar Guardian just as she was unused to seeing the ordinary everyday outsiders.  It wasn't really her fault that she had grown up in captivity, but she was looking forward to meeting new people, no matter how strange they were.  There was much to this land to be experienced, things she'd never heard of that were unique in their fashion, having never been recorded into the many books she read in her past.

But there she was, a strange armor-clad woman sitting upon a tree stump along the side of the road.  The knights before her approached quickly and immediately came to halt when they saw her there.  There were approximately six of them, three to the rear, one in the center and two remaining at the front, each one wearing the crest that she recognized to be of the kingdom of Serendipity.  Hm, she wondered what they wanted.  She watched curiously as the first knight lifted the visor on his helmet and looked at her with an unusual scowl.  But she didn't flinch as he spoke to her harshly, "You, peasant!  What are you doing on the side of the road?  Do you not see the Regent of Serendipity seeks to make passage here and yet you remain seated?  Show some respect woman lest I have to teach you some manners."

Unperturbed, Cassa tilted her head curiously.  "Regent?  Who's this that's so important that I must stand?"  She readjusted her seating and fixed the angle of her sheathed sword so that she could quickly grasp it should she feel the need to do so.  She hoped that she wouldn't have to; Guardians never killed without necessity and to do so would be in defense only.  Murder was unacceptable and not the way of the Order.  It was best for all of them if she could endure this small encounter as painlessly as possible on either of their parts.

The first knight closest to her, the one that had spoken, immediately removed his helmet thereafter, seeing her will did not bend.  "What are you, woman?  A fool?  Everybody knows who the Regent is."  Irritated, he moved his horse at an angle, backing up a little and pointing to the odd man at the center.  "This," he said throwing his arm to the side in a presentation fashion.  "This is Draius Hethryn, Regent of the Kingdom of Serendipity.  Now stand and bow in respect."

Still, she remained seated and stared at the group of knights, roving her eyes over the lot of them and spotted the one in the center.  She didn't pay much attention to them before and she thought it extremely odd that he was staring at her.  "Oh, you mean the one that's drooling?" she said, unsure if the first knight had made the right decision.

[Anonymous]

Oh the embarrassment. Drauis put his hand to his face and groaned. He was turning a bit red, and he really didn't want the young woman to see him like this. He had been so embarrassed, he had almost missed her talking, and her voice was like the sound of heaven. It was very pretty and . . . Drauis shook his head. He was losing his mind, and falling for a woman that he didn't even know. Sighing once again, he removed his hand and finally decided a good answer to her . . . statements.

"It is alright men," Drauis commanded. "and to you, yes I was drooling and yes I am the Regent of Serendipity, and no you do not have to bow or kneel, I was drooling because I was admiring your beauty."

He paused and wondered if he sounded a bit odd. He was even more impressed with this young woman's guts and boldness, and if it was an insult to him, even an unintentional one, he could take it like a man. He was after all drooling. His sentence sounded a bit unconnected. That was probably because of the girl.

Dris decided that he liked this woman a lot more then he did before. Her beauty and boldness . . . were complimenting her. She was going to be an interesting one.

"My name is Drauis Hethryn, or Dris, the Regent." Drauis said, bowing with a flourish. "Enchanted to meet you, Miss . . .?"

[Lion]

Cassa wasn't quite sure what to make of the man that called himself a Regent.  But then again, she wasn't quite sure what a Regent was.  She'd read about such people that held the position of a King while he was away for something.  Perhaps there were matters to be taken care of abroad that called for another to take his place; in that case then it all made sense now.  She would have to ask her questions later, for now there was the moment to deal with these unpleasant knights.

"Ah, sir, it's good to meet you, Mr. Hethryn.  I am Cassa Rine."  She smiled in good humor, hoping the whole situation would blow over.  The knights themselves seem a bit disappointed about being told to leave her alone.  They certainly didn't believe that her responses were alright in nature at all.

She didn't blush when she thought about when he said she was beautiful but merely thought that comment was natural.  Even so the thought of drooling at one's beautiful was rather appalling and she couldn't quite seem to connect the two.  "You're comment is taken kindly, sir.  I thank you."  It was only now that she stood from her positioning on the stump and righted herself.  Her left hand remained clutched at the hilt of her sword, a necessary safety measure for the lot of them.

"So what, may I ask, sir, are you doing on the road?"

[Anonymous]

Drauis wasn't sure what Cassa casual reply to his comment on his beauty meant. It could have possibly meant that she was used to it. He sighed, why was it whenever he met a woman that he almost instantly fell in love with, also somewhat strange -- no . . . different. She seemed dangerous. Dris liked Dangerous. He was finding that the men he was with were more and more annoying, completely killing his chances at all to win her over, if there was any.

Cass Rine . . . a pretty name. Yet also seemed to have a . . . he couldn't put a finger on it. A certain . . . mysteriousness that Dris wished to explore. "You're very welcome, you deserve it." Drauis said. "and please call me Drauis or Dris, I feel really old if people called me Mister." Drauis actually had no idea why they were here. He just came along for the ride to more fresh air. "Unfortunately, I have no idea what we are here for, I needed some fresh air . . . so I came along with these men."

Drauis was feeling more and more awkward with the men just standing there. "All of you, you may continue along your way, I don't want you guys to be late for anything." Drauis said, giving a warm smile, even though he just wished for them to be gone. The knight that had taken off his helmet looked sharply at Drauis before nodding ever so slightly. They climbed back onto their horses, making more noise then Dris had first thought they had when they had left the castle. Dris watched them off before looking back at Cassa. Removing his hat, he pulled a pure white rose out of it and offered it to Cassa.

"You are obviously not from around here, by the your looks and clothes," Drauis inquired. "Might I ask where you come from?"

[Lion]

Yes, from an outsiders point of view, Cassa was strange.  Though such truly wasn't her fault, merely the fault of her captivity.  She wasn't naïve in the slightest, merely...ignorant.  Cassa was impersonal at the moment, having no real reason to be the opposite.  She thought not much of this man before her nor much of the soldiers, only that their intentions were good whatever they were.  The knights that rode off at the order of the Regent who seemed content to want to be alone with her, though for what reason she couldn't tell.  She would, however, understand this man better as she spoke to him.  Diplomacy was one of her strong points.

But as he offered her flower, an odd notion far more than the drooling, she peered at it with narrowed, curious eyes.  The real definition of such a gesture was not entirely lost on her, but she did remember reading somewhere that some people made such actions toward others when they wanted to be friendly.  Reaching out, she took the flower and inspected it closely.  It was a fine rose it was and she could feel the life energy vibrating through it.  And without any notice she stuck the flower into a fold in one of her pauldrons and gave a smiling nod.  "Thank you, uh, Dris.  A fine specimen of life.  Well, what life will remain in it.

"Excuse me, I am from the Templar Hieron situated at the location others refer to as Zantaric.  And if you would allow me a question of my own, why did you have a flower in your hat?"

[Anonymous]

Oh no. Drauis did not think that Cassa was strange. Not at all. Drauis believed that Cassa was more . . . intruging the strange, a person who is different isn't automatically strange. If she were to be classified as strange, then so would ever other person in the world. The meaning of strange depended on what a person's perception of the word was. If a "normal" person believed that a person that liked to wear odd hats was strange, then that was saying anyone that wore different kinds of hats was strange. But to one of those odd hat people, they might have a different meaning of strange and say that those "normal" people were the ones that were strange.

Dris sighed and finally looked away from the sky. People had said to him, "The sky is the limit!" He did not know for what, but from the first day he had heard it, he had decided, he was going to reach farther than the sky. His gaze returned to Cassa and he finally answered.

"Ah, yes Zantaric." Drauis said thoughtfully. "Besides being the Regent of the land of Serendipity, I was once a magician, albeit more of a card magician, I have done all kinds of flourishes."

Dris pulled out a elegant feather that was also pure white. "Would you like a feather?" Drauis smiled lightly and collapsed it and pulled his hands open, there in between was a short sword which Dris twirled in his hand before throwing it up. "Or a sword?" Dris bowed slightly. "Or a black rose to go with that white one?" Dris put his hand out, and from the sky, there fell a blood-red rose. The sword had completely disappeared. He swiftly pulled off is cloak that he had been wearing and waved it in from of him and the flower. When he smoothly put it back on, the flower was no longer one, but a bouquet of them. What also changed was his clothes. They were no longer like a peasant, but of a prince. Dris did a small bow and offered her the flowers.

[Lion]

Cassa clapped at the show he presented her, pulling out feathers, swords, and even more flowers.  She couldn't sense any real magic from such tricks but they were entertaining to her nonetheless.  Laughing congenially, she applauded a final time and took the bouquet offered to her.  "Very nice.  Where did you learn such tricks?"  She didn't say it with a tone that was meant to offend but really she had no tact when it came to conversation.  It was one thing to speak through the mind during meditation and quite another to attempt to have an engaging conversation with someone outside of her field of knowledge.

Holding the bouquet curiously in her hand, she inspected it for a time, feeling the energies that craved within.  Because the flowers were snipped of their roots, they were dying slowly yet steadily in her hands.  She frowned slightly at this, and then threw the stems into the ground in the dirt beside her.  The throw was so precise they landed like a dart into the soil and then she kneeled down and blew a puff of breath on them.  Immediately, as if they'd been there for years, they bloomed into a rose bush, vines growing and vines gnarling.  Satisfied, she stood up and said quietly, "Flowers are to grow, not to parade around.  Ah! I'm sorry, they were a lovely give though.  But I think I like this one more."  She flicked the white rose she stashed into on of the folds of her armor.

[Anonymous]

"I've gone to many places to learn such tricks," Drauis said, smiling. "I've gone to every corner of Serendipity, Adela, even Zantaric and traveled in secret to Connlaoth." He paused. "Then of course they found me out in Connlaoth and tried to capture me so I had flee back here."

He smiled at the memories. Of all the things he had possibly done throughout his life, his travels to so many different and unique places meeting equally different and unique people was his favorite parts of his life. He had met so many different talented individuals, musicians, knights, other magicians, princes, kings, peasants. He had possibly met every single type of talent that could be found in the land. It was something that had made him into who he was now, what he was good at, how he acted. It all was because of different people and different things he met and had to face. Good or bad.

He had found himself thinking of Cassa as one of those different individuals. Not in a bad way, just different. If she had something unique about her, he would want to know. After all, humans were curious creature! Drauis smiled again and nodded. "Oh yes, you are quite right, I guess I will have to stop taking the lives of flowers then." Dris looked into the sky again and reached his hand up and grasped the air. "Yes, I like the white one better, it was the flower that I believe has the most unique . . . difference from the others, you see, I like different things, I like people that aren't at all the same as the rest."

He paused again and returned his gaze to Cassa. "So what brings you here, to Serendipity? To Arca?"

[Lion]

Cassa nodded in understanding.  "Life is a very precious thing.  Do not take it for granted and have no regrets."  That was a lesson that everyone in the Zantaric Hieron had to learn before first and foremost before they dared to embark on the treacherous path of a Templar Guardian.  It was a journey that wasn't for all and only the most mentally and spiritually prepared could successfully become one.  Cassa made no regrets in her decision to join the Order and believed ardently in their way of life.

She was not precisely a knight, nor was she quite a priestess in any manner.  Such stations were rather rigid and the Order stressed how easily the foundation such rigidity could crumble.  She was a Guardian, no more, no less and adhered to the gentle flow of the principles of the Mana, the energy of life.

"Nothing quite simple really.  I am on a quest.  And Arca is along the way, so I thought that I might see the city.  Do you have any reason to be on this road other than fresh air?  Do you recommend any parts of the city that I should see?"

[Ugh!  I am so sorry for the delay!]

[Anonymous]

(Ooc: Sorry for the long delay, at least, it was long for me, writer's block was blocking. ^^)

An inward sigh. That was what he seemed to be doing.  Doing one thing seemed to have made it that he did not think life was not precious. He never did take things for granted, and he almost never had any regrets, he did when it came to women though. This was all that he thought, but he did not reply. He just gave a small nod. He never had good taste in women. Well . . . he did, just . . . they were always very . . .tough, stubborn, bold, brave, and never slowed to even consider going out with him. They were all too busy on some important mission or something otherwise close to that.

And he liked Cassa. That, for the most part, meant that she had something she wanted to do, and would not consider going out with a guy like him. She was pretty, and Drauis cursed himself silently for the kinds of women he fell for. He glanced into the sky and took in a deep breath and released it. He wanted to just . . . fly away somehow . . . Dris sighed, in reality this time, life was not kind to him

"A quest?" Drauis said, it was really a rhetorical question; what Cassa had said confirmed his thoughts that she was on an important mission of sorts. "Well, I really have no other reason besides fresh air, so I can probably help you look around the city a bit . . ." Drauis thoguht for a bit. "Probably one of the best places to visit is the highest point in Serendipity castle, where you can see the entire city really, and is also a beautiful place to watch the sunset or sunrise, I tend to do that a lot." He paused, his idea kind of fell a bit.

"But you have to be a certain level in power to be able to travel the inside the castle freely, I can, because I am the person who is taking care of business while the king is gone. He looked down from the sky and at Cassa. "You would have to be a lady of the castle at least, or a princess, or at least an important someone's wife or something close to that, none of which you are." He averted his eyes to look at a tree in the distance. "A pity really, you could have picked many places to see from there."

[Lion]

Cassa frowned at his last statement, though not for significant reason.  "Yes, I see.  That is quite a pity.  But quite the least of my worries."  She tried to perk herself up again and she smiled at him, hoping to smooth the moment over.  Perhaps there was still a chance she could see the sights of this place, a chance for him to show her just what Arca had to hold.

"You're standing regent aren't you?  If indeed, don't you have some kind of power to show me what sights to see.  Things that may or may not be significant to my journey are entirely acceptable.  I would have to ruin a short meeting such as this.  Perhaps we may talk more if it so pleases you?"  Cassa knew that it would be best to make connections early on, to have friends in high places, or to at least create a ripple in the Mana strong enough to make the right echo.  Through this life-giving force, Cassa was intent on using her connections to take her closer to her goal of finding the Fire Scroll.  Perhaps, there lingered just a light hope, that Draius might help her.

[Anonymous]

Drauis stared off into the distance. He felt an urge to do whatever he could for her. Which was strange. He would know if anyone was casting magic to impair his judgement and control. So this was his own desire. Strange. He almost completely missed the meaning of Cassa's words and was just listening to the sound of her voice. Very strange indeed. But it was because of his sharp listening skills that he didn't sound like an idiot when he replied.

"Yes, yes I am the standing regent." Dris said, preoccupied with what he was going to say and do. "Everything depends on whether or not I can get you into the castle. Even I am not allowed to bring them into the actually castle without an appointment to meet someone inside, and if you did so like that, then it could take at least a few days." He paused. "I doubt you have that much time here." He thought carefully of what he could do. His mind moved fast, throwing away any ideas that were impossible. Then he just decided to go with a simple one. "Talking seems fine."

He led Cassa through the front gates of the castle and in. No one stopped them. That is, until he actually thought that they were safe. A voice called out behind him and Cassa. "Who is that you got there? Has she an appointment?"