A Lost Face (Paragon)

[Pahoran]

A Lost Face
Glade 15

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Pah found himself walking towards the Jaiyuan Gardens. He wasn’t alone this time as he walked. Walking next to him was his paternal grandfather Taselia. The two had flown into the city but has walked towards the Jaiyuan palace. Pahoran had told his family about the last time he had been in her just a few days before. To the Knights at large he had talked with them about the visit from the goddess, but he had only told his family about the invite from the Daizokura Marda Ahtivin, and his conversation with her.

There had been long discussions about what should they do, and in the end it was decided that Pahoran would return as he had been the original contact and Taselia, Patriarch of the family, and the one who had grown up with an unknown dead father. His grandfather had readily agreed to come but his expression had been rather blank beyond that. Pah didn’t push. He accepted that if grandfather wanted to talk about it he would.

“Do you know I don’t remember his face.” Taselia suddenly said. Pah looked over and for the first time saw emotion on his face. “I remember his hugs, I remember his hand in mine, but the decades have stolen the memory of his face.” His expression was sad. “I remember my mothers face.”

Pah put his hand on his grandfather’s shoulder as they walked. “Thank you.” Pah said quietly. His grandfather turned his head curious.

“For what?” The older man asked.

“For being there for father, grandmother and uncle.” Pah said. “For allowing father to be there for us.”

Taselia blinked his eyes rapidly then cleared his throat and said. “I am glade I was blessed not to miss any of it.” Neither spoke again, both knowing that as a Knight they didn’t always get the chance to make that choice and sometimes they were taken away forever.

The two men passed into the open palace and were shown into a waiting room by the monks who manned the doors. The two men settled down each taking some water. Pah said that they had hoped to visit with Daizokura Marda Ahtivin. He said to let her know that it was Pahoran Rayunia, and his grandfather.

[Paragon]

P A R A G O N

Into the Healing Gardens, Pahoran and Taselia were guided. The attendant was humbly dressed, easily being taken for a monk as opposed to a servant of the Great House Ahtivin. The garden was filled with herbs and plants that all could easily be identified as useful in medicinal and alchemical practices. At the center of the garden was an immaculate tree with white bark and leaves that shimmered with green and gold. The branches swayed slightly in an unseen breeze, the leaves themselves stirring as if in welcome of the two Avialae stepping into the gardens.

Marda Ahtivin stood beneath the branches of the Everbloom Tree, with her hands resting upon the knob of a polished oak cane. There were two others with her. The first was a face that perhaps Pahoran had only ever seen distantly in his work as a guard. A tall and handsome Avialae man with dark black hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore the colors of gold and white, with a golden chrysanthemum embellished with green jewels on the petals upon his chest. Upon his back were two brown feathered wings. The other figure was an unmistakably beautiful woman. Her skin was bronzed with the kiss of sunlight. Her hair was a dark black that hung down to her lower back in a loose braid. Though she wore no jewelry, being dressed only in a gown of green and gold, she needed no such adornments. The most stunning feature about her however, were her eyes. They burned with the light of molten bronze and had reptilian slits. She stood with one arm looped with the Avialae man’s. A sharp intelligence regarded both Pahoran and Taselia as they approached.

“Welcome, young Knight. I see you have brought another.” Marda’s voice was soft but welcoming. She smiled gently at the two of them before gesturing to the two beside her.

“Allow me to introduce Daizoku Vako of House Zatrian and his beloved, Lady Quiralda the Bronze.” Both Vako and Quiralda inclined their heads as they were introduced by the matriarch. There was a stretch of silence before Marda spoke again.

“May I ask…from where do you hail, sirs?”