The tentative relationship the two young men were forming made Torin feel things he wasn't used to. Accepted for one. He did not seem to be seen as greater than or lesser, which is how he was with everyone else. Aurin was greater than him in a benevolent way, one the young runesmith wanted, but it was still not equality.
In his old village, he had been seen as a charity case, an orphan who had been strange when he'd arrived and never really grown beyond it. In the city, he was a newcomer, a country boy who would never really be one of the other apprentices. More so since he had passed his test, made his first original project, and become first among them in their master's eyes. He was even expected to teach some of the others on occasion, separating him farther from the comradery they shared with each other.
Here was another apprentice who seemed to know enough to be left to his own devices, they were in a similar place in their lives, seemed to be of a similar age. Perhaps Sivan had been an average boy where he came from but here he was an oddity and that made Torin feel a kinship.
His ears would have been perking if they'd been able. He had heard the word for dragonshard before but having it carefully enunciated for him by a native held value. He repeated it several times under his breath trying to catch the lilting quality of the pronunciation. His voice was still deepening and it sounded different coming from him into his own ears but he tried.
Moving with the other man to stand before the display of small dragonshards he inspected them, trying to feel for their potential. The usefulness of being able to read the auras of magical items was becoming more valuable in his head. He knew that many of the highest quality runesmiths had the rune to do so inscribed on their bodies. It made the use of the aether glass less of a necessity. Aurin had the rune as well.
The thoughts gave him an idea and he searched out the bright blue of Aetherstone. He found two pieces that were similar in size and shape and held them out to Sivan. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do with them but he had the stirrings of an idea. Aetherstone wouldn't go to waste in a runesmith's forge regardless. He pulled coins from his pocket equal to the cost. It was more money than he'd ever spent on something on a whim. With the exception of the things he'd needed to make the communication pendants, it was the most money he'd ever spent at one time. But he had the money now, having received his seasonal wages from his master. He'd known that he would be paid but it wasn't something he was used to, having spent the first season of his sojourn in Kalzasi earning his place without pay.
"Thank you." It was a phrase he knew well in the elf's language but he tried to correct his accent now that he was receiving an example of it.
He was a little taken aback by the dreamstone, which was oddly pretty for all it looked drained. He considered the question. It was the sort of thing he'd never been asked. The memory of telling Aurin about his wet dreams came to mind and caused a faint color to rise high on his cheeks. His eyes never left the stone, as if he was able to see the things he spoke of in its depths.
"I dream of home, sometimes, of the green of it. The forest I grew up in. The city is beautiful in its way but I'm still not used to it. I miss the sounds, wind in the leaves." He sighed and then looked away, blushing farther, "I dream about work and normal things too, when I dream at all."
Realizing Sivan might have meant a different kind of dream he added, "When I'm asleep, that's what I dream. For my life?" He looked up toward the higher shelves of the shop as if looking for direction,
"I think all I really want is a place of my own, work to do, maybe a few people who think of me as a friend." It didn't sound like much, spoken aloud; it felt childish and he made a face at himself.
"How much is the dreamstone? I know it's probably no use in 'forging, but it's pretty." He took the delicate stone gently into his own palm, examining it, glancing up at Sivan he returned the inquiry.
"What do you dream?"
In his old village, he had been seen as a charity case, an orphan who had been strange when he'd arrived and never really grown beyond it. In the city, he was a newcomer, a country boy who would never really be one of the other apprentices. More so since he had passed his test, made his first original project, and become first among them in their master's eyes. He was even expected to teach some of the others on occasion, separating him farther from the comradery they shared with each other.
Here was another apprentice who seemed to know enough to be left to his own devices, they were in a similar place in their lives, seemed to be of a similar age. Perhaps Sivan had been an average boy where he came from but here he was an oddity and that made Torin feel a kinship.
His ears would have been perking if they'd been able. He had heard the word for dragonshard before but having it carefully enunciated for him by a native held value. He repeated it several times under his breath trying to catch the lilting quality of the pronunciation. His voice was still deepening and it sounded different coming from him into his own ears but he tried.
Moving with the other man to stand before the display of small dragonshards he inspected them, trying to feel for their potential. The usefulness of being able to read the auras of magical items was becoming more valuable in his head. He knew that many of the highest quality runesmiths had the rune to do so inscribed on their bodies. It made the use of the aether glass less of a necessity. Aurin had the rune as well.
The thoughts gave him an idea and he searched out the bright blue of Aetherstone. He found two pieces that were similar in size and shape and held them out to Sivan. He wasn't entirely sure what he would do with them but he had the stirrings of an idea. Aetherstone wouldn't go to waste in a runesmith's forge regardless. He pulled coins from his pocket equal to the cost. It was more money than he'd ever spent on something on a whim. With the exception of the things he'd needed to make the communication pendants, it was the most money he'd ever spent at one time. But he had the money now, having received his seasonal wages from his master. He'd known that he would be paid but it wasn't something he was used to, having spent the first season of his sojourn in Kalzasi earning his place without pay.
"Thank you." It was a phrase he knew well in the elf's language but he tried to correct his accent now that he was receiving an example of it.
He was a little taken aback by the dreamstone, which was oddly pretty for all it looked drained. He considered the question. It was the sort of thing he'd never been asked. The memory of telling Aurin about his wet dreams came to mind and caused a faint color to rise high on his cheeks. His eyes never left the stone, as if he was able to see the things he spoke of in its depths.
"I dream of home, sometimes, of the green of it. The forest I grew up in. The city is beautiful in its way but I'm still not used to it. I miss the sounds, wind in the leaves." He sighed and then looked away, blushing farther, "I dream about work and normal things too, when I dream at all."
Realizing Sivan might have meant a different kind of dream he added, "When I'm asleep, that's what I dream. For my life?" He looked up toward the higher shelves of the shop as if looking for direction,
"I think all I really want is a place of my own, work to do, maybe a few people who think of me as a friend." It didn't sound like much, spoken aloud; it felt childish and he made a face at himself.
"How much is the dreamstone? I know it's probably no use in 'forging, but it's pretty." He took the delicate stone gently into his own palm, examining it, glancing up at Sivan he returned the inquiry.
"What do you dream?"
