Magi Travels to Kaeltwn

[:: Pandie ::]

:::Stepping off the streets, Xukuth walked up the wooden steps onto the porch of the Tavern, drawing in a deep breath, she hadn't been in the tavern since Zessazar had dragged ehr by the arm through it. So much for a neutral zone. Pushing the door open she let the scent of ale and food hit her. She was wearing the same outfit as before this time in black and a deep sapphire blue. Letting the door close behind her she moved effortlessly through the tavern, playing ehr usual self of ignoring everyone and looking to Anis who gave her a smile, sending Dez out the back to get the usual bottle of wine. Xukuth shook her head gently as she stopped at the bar.:::

"Just an apple juice for me please Anis."

::: She slipped to a bar-stool and waited for the drink to be served, keeping herself quiet as she sat there contemplating, the tavern was slightly busy yet still quiet, a few Elves, Dwarves and mostly humans seemed to decorate it. All the same it was peaceful within the tavern, and a better place to be than hiding in her cottage:::

Magi had never been so glad to cart around the Staff of Elements as she was at this very moment. Leaning the majority of her weight upon it, the black robed mage was able to study herself. She absolutely detested travelling by portal. Alright, so she'd never done it before, but she didn't plan to do it again either! Blasted thing almost made her lose her insides something fierce. She quickly scanned her surroundings, just to ensure that no one witnessed her arrival, though it wasn't anything illegal it most certainly was disgraceful. Her right hand snaked up to press cool fingertips to her forehead. It wasn't dizzy so much as unnerving, travelling by way of portal rather then magic, horse or foot. No no, she most certainly would not be making habit of it. Magi patted the cloak hood, satisfied that it had remained on her head, and cautiously took a step forward. Her knees never gave way, and thus she took another. With each step, she built up her confidence a little more until she was walking slowly, no longer using the Staff of Elements as a cane so much as one might carry a stick, the bottom quietly tapping the floor of the Tavern with each step. When she came to the main room, Magi scanned the crowd, a bit one but not overly crowded. Her small frame began shifting through the crowd in attempt to reach the bar.

:::Xukuth sat having a conversation with Anis as she served a few people, at least the two seemed to be able to talk abotu anything, this conversation seemed to go on about baking. Very strange conversation. Turning her head to the tapping of the staff, Xukuth looked to the black robed figure, she recognised her and she gave the slightest of smiles before she looked back to Anis again.:::

"I'll work on it. Thank you."

:::She would nod her head to Magi as she watched her moving towards the bar, it was easy to get through, most people were sat down drinking and laughing.:::

"Greetings again."

:::She spoke softly and watched as Anis went off out back while Dez would move to the bar and serve Magi as she finished off with some other patrons.:::

"Put it on my tab Dez."

:::Xukuth looked to MAgi again and gestured towards a booth.:::

"If you're not meeting anyone here, perhaps you'd care to join me?"

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Magi glanced up and towards the voice that spoke a greeting. Seeing the woman's eyes on her, Magi gave a slight nod of her head, her own version of a greeting. Her voice was low and quiet.

"Lieutenant."

Magi then turned to the man behind the bar and placed an order of a glass of red wine, before turning back to the woman she had encountered just the day before in Tranquility.

"Thank you, child, I think I will."

She stood idly by, shuffling her feet, whilst she waited for Dez to place the glass of red wine down infront of her. When it was delivered, Magi enclosed the fingers of her right hand around it, the Staff of Elements in her left, and turned to face the woman again.

"Lead the way, Lieutenant."

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:::Xukuth was a little taken aback byt he use of her title and she gave a nod of respect to Magi as she watched Dez and picked up her glass of juice. This time she didn't make a comment on being called child, perhaps she could let it slide with this person.:::

"You can call me Xukuth, it is only those I serve who call me Lieutenant."

:::Of course there's others as well, but everyone really just calles her Xukuth or even Xuk. She moved towards a booth, looking back at the one she liekd to sit in that was occupied. She never took the back seat for once, Magi was here and perhaps she wished to have the view of the Tavern, so Xukuth set her drink on the table and would slip in on the other side of it and set her back against the wall, one leg raised and foot pressed on the seat. Another hint of her paranoia.:::

"If you wish soemthing to eat, this is the best palce in the lands for food. Anis, Paige and Dez can cook a great meal."

:::She had the urge to ask what had brought Magi to these lands, but she did not, somehow it was nice just haveing a face of recognition before her:::

Magi followed the woman to a booth, and waited patiently as Xukuth choose her spot, and then Magi herself settled in. The Staff of Elements tapped roughly on the floor beside where she was seated.

"Shirki muan."

Then Magi released it and it stood there, as if of it's own accord. It took Magi a few more moments to get comfortable, she hadn't really gotten used to sitting down in her black robes in a booth just yet, but after a moments shuffling, she was settled well enough.

"Is it now? Potatoes, perhaps?"

Magi reached up and carefully removed the black robed hood. The last thing she needed was people staring at her in attempt to see what the cloak was hidden.

:::Shuddering at the sight of the use of magic, but at least it was aimed at the staff and not her, sliding herself int more of a comfort she watched Magi only briefly as she let her eyes drift about the tavern and finally back again as Magi had settled into her seat.:::

"I am sure there's some if you wish, all you need to do is call Dez or Paige over and Anis I believe is in the kitchen."

:::Unfortunately even with the hood lowered people would look over. Most of them wondering what sort of person would keep company to an Ice Elf, others just curious anyway. Most would be talking of plottings between the two, but hey. Xukuth had learnt how to block that out. Seeing as more often than not when she was in the Tavern there was some sort of plotting going on and something usually happened afterwards.:::

"I apologise if I was a little raw with you in the forest. You caught me at a bad time, or rather, mood."

:::Alright so bad moods were often her thing. She could pretend otherwise.:::

Magi gave a stiff shake of her head as it was mentioned of such a foul mood. Who was magi to judge, afterall? Aww, who are we kidding. Magi judges Everyone! Her voice was low, as it always was.

"You owe me no apology, child."

Actually, Magi was rather rude herself the other day, leaving the strangers alone in the Forgotten Forest. Disappearing by way of magic so that she couldn't be followed. She, however, made no attempt to apologize. That was Magi.

"You survived the forest. I am still waiting on that one man war you promised."

A small joke, but Magi didn't smile. She wasn't accustomed to being social except with other black mages, though even then it was scarse. She had sought out the portal in hopes of enjoying a glass of wine without the looks or people trying to toss her out. Magi wasn't welcome in the Tavern in Tranquility anymore. She had to go somewhere! When she spotted the Lieutenant within this very tavern, Magi figured fate was playing a joke on her. We'd see who was laughing last.

:::That was a first, someone not taking the apology from her, it did make her feel a little better that her rudeness hadn't been taken personally and she nodded in respect to that. Chuckling at Magi's next words and shaking her head.:::

"Give me a couple months and I am sure I will give you one you'll remember."

:::In a few months she figured her hormones would be going crazy and who knew what kind of mood she was going to get in.:::

"Just let me know where you want me to start it and I will see what I can do for you."

:::Magi would know she was joking, but any listening in might have second thoughts on that, but it seemed people would begin to just ignore the two of them, too many sides to that coin to get caught in on.:::

"So, might I enquire as to what brings you here to these lands, or rather the Tradewinds Tavern?"

:::She did ask the question as though Magi had a choice not to answer, she seemed to not answer a lot on their meet before.:::

Magi lifted her glass, swirling the red liquid around before she bothered raising it to her lips to draw a small sip. Barely enough to swallow, and she lowered the glass once more to the table. The silence stretched, and it seemed as if Magi wasn't going to answer at all, and then finally, her whispered voice came.

"It was the first Tavern the portal popped to that would let me enter."

An answer, sure, but one that would provide just as many if not more questions as any other.

"And what of you, child? Surely in your condition, the Tavern offers little for you."

Yes, Magi knew.

:::Xukuth seemed to get a little mesmorised by the swirling of the wine as she sipped her juice. It did raise a question, then again Xukuth wasn't a fan of portals, and only used them if necessary, mroe than likely someone was dragging her through them. Xukuth much preferred the use of the Void, even with it's little side effects, the Voice was more comfortable.:::

"Would let you..."

:::She stopped, Magi's next words had caught her off guard and if it was possible for her to drain of more colour, then she did. Swallowing a dry lump in her throat and sipping the juice again, clearing her voice. She wanted to say she didn't know what Magi meant but took a deep breath and waited for a few moments.:::

"It is jsut a place to relax, it is a neutral zone, a safer palce for me from my enemies rather than waiting like a sitting duck in my cottage.:::

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The corners of Magi's lips twitched, as if threatening to smile. No smile came, unless you counted that of a small smirk. She had expected the woman to call her out, to deny the situation at hand. When she didn't, Magi's quick remark was swallowed with another sip from her glass. It was the explination that actually shocked the black robed mage. A neutral zone, really now. Magi would do best to remember that.

"I see."

She passed a moment of silence by allowing her gaze to travel around the occupants of the Tavern itself. It was a little stiffy, but the crowd was either accustomed to black robed mages, or they stuck strict to the neutral zone law. With her eye's still out among the crowd, Magi whispered.

"A sitting duck waits for no spear. And does the father know you leave without escort?"

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:::She could deal with the smirk, it was a change, seeing it was usually her that sat there smirking away, but there was not one to come at this time, she seemed to have gone blank and vacat for the time being, glnacing around the tavern, wondering who else knew. It was only Zessazar that would drag her form a neutral zone, no one else would, others would order her out. No one would be paying attention to them now, they jsut didn't seem to care as they watched a group of loud Dwarves enter and sit themselves in a booth, some sticking their axes into the wood of the table.:::

"This duck has a few spears waiting to get her. I shouldn't think a few more will be joing shortly either."

:::Shaking her head and almost laughing but not.:::

"I do not care of the father, when this thing is born it will either go to my Queen and be raised as a soldier or left in basket outside his Palace with the guards to deliver to him. One of his slaves of wives can raise it."

:::She turned her head away and looekd at nothing in perticular ahead of her, she still couldn't accept how it was conceived.:::

"Where the baby is concerned I will follow the orders given to me."

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Magi didn't adknowledge that she heard the woman's reply. Children really weren't of any importance to the black robed mage. As a matter of fact, she hated them. Screaming, snotty little thing's that deprived you of perfectly good study time.

"One can mark their accomplishments by how many enemies they have."

It was an old saying that Magi lived by. Quite true, really. If you accomplished something worthy of the history books, you are bound to make a few enemies. Jealous fools whom look only to try and earn their way by picking on those whom have already done so. Magi would know. She had plenty. That only further supported the theory that she had accomplished much.

:::Chuckling softly to the words, Xukuth would only agree.:::

"Yes, but those enemies are always out there lurking and waiting for you somewhere."

:::Well most of Xukuth's were made becasue she was given orders and people didn't seem to like her orders, especially those which meant kidnapping someone. It didn't matter though, she could live with that all the same. She really only had one enemy to actually fear at the moment, the rest were minors to her. Though she could truely count her blessings that at least this one would leave her along until the baby was born. Then she would sink into hiding, even if he expected her to go into hiding before hand.:::

"you mentioend when we first met you had enemies, do you count yourself as well accomplished in your deeds of the past and future."

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Magi was impressed. The woman actually had a head on her shoulders to have thought of such a question. She settled more comfortably in the booth, her left hand reaching out to touch the Staff of Elements nor for need, but for comfort. Habit. She was thinking of the right way to answer such an impressive question.

"My accomplishments of the past have generated many an enemy, child. For those of the future, only time shall tell. I shall be blessed of living a full life if I am delivered to eternal slumber by an enemy. Only then, will it be known I have lived a brave and accomplished life."

Magi turned her eyes towards the woman whom she was addressing, her face tired, much much too tired for someone of her young age. Perhaps it was just the eyes of knowledge that portrayed her as considerably older then she really was.

"Do never to forget that, Lieutenant. The greater the enemy, the greater the accomplishment."

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:::Well, Xukuth was impressed with the answer she was given, but the touch of the staff unnerved her a little, perhaps it wa becasue of it's magical abillities, but it did make her a little more cautious.:::

"But let us hope this day does not come to soon."

:::Xukuth knew she would rather be taken down in battle defending her the honour of her Queen before she lets an enemy take her down, she would not express that, for it was typical of a soldier and it was her training. She was literally born to die and that's the way her life went.:::

"You are wise beyond your years, perhaps there is a lot I could learn from you if but I had the chance take on teachings."

:::Magi's last words were not comforting at all, and the look on Xukuths face would show it. Perhaps there was a little bit of sarcasim in her voice as she spoke, something she couldn't help.:::

"The greater the enemy the greater the price to pay. Of which the price is apparently never paid anyway."

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Magi didn't choose to answer the first question, at least not at this time. Normally, she would have gladly spoken up on matters of knowledge and training, but the remart Xukuth had made about the greater the enemy the greater the price to pay struck a sour note with the mage.

"Nay, child. The price to pay is always great, no matter how great the enemy. It is in knowledge of such an enemy as it's title that praises one's accomplishments. Eventually, for all enemies, the price paid is the same."

Magi lifted her glass of red wine to her lips and took a slow pull, allowing the bitter bite of grapes to sting her tongue before she swallowed it.

"All enemies want the same thing, and until it is delivered the payment is never complete. It is never wise to assume a lesser enemy is not as equally out for your life as that of your greatest."

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:::Xukuth usually hit a sour note at some stage, she couldn't help it, there were a lot of negatives flowing about her at the moment:::

"Something tells me we're not going to agree on this one."

:::She wasn't going to start an argument, no, that just gains attention and looks from the tavern staff, last thing they need is arguments and fighting. Though she did sit and think about it, frowning more to herself as she glanced down to her stomach finger nails tapped gently on the glass of apple juice, parting those gentle blue lips to speak, stopping herself and then going for it.:::

"So we get that I'm better at being a soldier than thinking clearly about situations. Going in for the kill is always easier. From what you are saying I get the feeling that it would benefit me more to turn this child over to the Emporer, the enemy of my people, rather than have it trained as a soldier to fight against it's father?"

:::If she didn't look confused, she was confused, but Magi was kind of herlping ehr think.:::

Magi chuckles, though it came out more as a whispered panting. Her voice just wasn't loud enough to permit a chuckle, which was why she was drinking the wine. Too much spell casting earlier had worn out her voice, and the wine helped moisten her throat.

"The darkness, no, woman. The child should be trained, but only if it lacks other skills. Not all whom gain enemies are trained in combat. When he reaches the age of 13, he will know what he wants. Until then, he should be raised with both possibilities near to his grasp, or thee shall find thy trained well a new enemy."

Magi spoke from personal experience on that one. Her brother's had insisted Magi learn to fight as knights, as they did. Magi had no skill for a sword. She was.. well, magi. She was magic. Her brothers learnt the hard way not to train someone to be like them if they did not long for such standards. Of course, they learnt it at the end of her staff. The last lesson, either of them ever discovered.

:::She knew the child did not have that option, if it was seen from birth that he/she could fight, then that is what it will be trained to do. The baby was going to have the same life that she had if it were to live in Iverlind and she didn't want to think of it in the hands of Zessazar.:::

"That is not the way of the Ice Elves. The child as an enemy is a risk I am willing to take."

:::She hoped everyone else agreed with her, then again it would not be her decision at all, but there was par tof her starting to think like a mother while the other part of her was screaming at her for the thoguhts.:::

"Perhaps Is hould just go into hiding and try and froget about it all."

:::She laughed softly as she drank more of the juice, the cold liquid now having turned warm, but oh how she was craving a good glass of red Elven wine right now, or some of that whiskey that Ness keeps in his tree house.:::

"It'll be a confused child whatever happens. There is plenty of time yet."

:::She moved to change the subject, perhaps to an earlier one.:::

"So, you mentioend that the portal 'let' you in here? Implying it wouldn't let you elsewhere?"

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Magi gave a slow nod of her head, her finger tracing the lip of the nearly empty glass infront of her.

"Aye, child. The tower in Tranquility has such a portal designed by the high sorcery mages of all three orders. It allows only magi to travel through it, activated by blood. Designed, originally to allow those of each order to travel from tower to tower without the use of magic, the mages soon discovered it could do much more. However, it's transportation is limited by the individual mage wishing to travel. There are some places black robed mages are forbidden to visit. With our blood, the portal controls our trips."

Ceasing to play with her beverage, Magi rose it to her lips and drained the last of the rich red wine. She swished it around in her mouth, masking the bitter taste of it with an empty expression. Then, Magi lowered the drained glass to the table infront of her and returned her right hand to her lap.

:::Xukuth listened, she had never heard of black robed Mages before, she had just figured that Magi had just liked the black robe, so she was learnign quite a lot and she would remember it all, something to think about, or rather head to a library and read about as well. Either way her interest was perked.:::

"If I did not already have some basis of knowing of magic, I would say it was a little crude to use blood, but, from wha tI ahve heard over time, blood seems to be a commen use, mainly in black magic, necromancy."

:::That did make Xukuth smile, it was the whole evilness of it, black magic and necromancy, yes she could live with that quite happily.:::

"I cannot see it turning you from the Tradewind Taverns, all sorts enter here, with both good and bad intentions. I would not allow something to control where I was going. I would rather know myself."

:::Perhaps why she did not trust portals and thus mainly trusted the void, she knew where that would take her when she passed through it:::

"My apologies, but I may have to depart soon."

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Magi tapped her fingertips along the suface of the table that seperated the two.

"Tis quite alright, child. I should be returning to my studies."

Slowly, Magi struggled to her feet, her robes falling automatically into place around her short form. Her left hand reached out and took hold of the Staff of Elements, while her right disappeared from view beneath the many folds of black cloth.

"Watch ever weary of your coming days, child. The road will not be pleasant."

She did not thank her for the glass of wine or company. Magi never thanked anyone, having always assumed it was their blessing, not her own. She did, however, stand and wait for the woman to rise. Magi was no fool. No one walked behind her when she had not enough strength to ready a spell.

:::Xukuth was not sure if the words were a threat or a warning, but something had told her things were about to get far less pleasant than she could ever wish for. Nodding her head to Magi she handed coins to Desz as she passed them and Xukuth slipped from the table.:::

"Safe journeys to you Magi. perhaps I will see you again soon enough. I shouldn't not doubt it."

:::She gave the gentlest nod of her head and a soft smile. Moving to the main tavern door, a different one that what Magi would leave through. Xukuth would move to step out into the streets of Elyndra to make her way home for the night, perhaps Alexander was still there, or perhaps Woob had moved him on elsewehre. Who knew:::

Magi moved in the opposite direction as Xukuth, heading back the way she had come. The trip across the room was slightly more difficult now then it was on her arrival, which only marked the late hour of the evening if the Tavern could thus pick up that much. Magi rounded the corner and stood for a moment, frowning at the portal. She didn't relish the idea of stepping into it once more, but at least this one did not require blood. Finally, heaving a heavy sigh, Magi gripped hold of the Staff of Elements with her left hand, and stepped forward, into the Portal.

(There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like home. )

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