Just Mossin' Around [Æros]

[Hilana Chenzira]

23 Ash, Year 122

[Closed, Æros]

It was early, too early for many. The sun was only just cresting the horizon, and Hilana was already at work. Granted, she had an early morning lesson with Vasilei before the shop would be set to open, but the differing hours served the daughter of the Vastii quite well. Vasilei knew that she worked hard and if she missed some hours one day, she would make them up going forward on others. Eliana had been right about that, the girl’s work ethic could not be faulted. And having had a chance to actually get some sleep the other night meant she was back to her usual levels of energy and enthusiasm, even if she was still feeling the pain from her hunting adventures before the Equinox.

Still, her mentor had checked her over, and helped her reapply the abdominal bandages. The bruises had gone from being black to purple, and while she still felt pangs if she ran around enough to really make her lungs expand, her movement was back to normal. The pain in her calf and bicep were also at the stage where she could ignore them, not that she had taken anything for the pain aside from just keeping the wounds clean to make sure that they healed without incident.

Today’s lesson, it seemed, was on moss and lichens. Vasilei had brought a couple types out, some fresh, some dried, and some ground, and together at the big tables, with Tiaz draped over her shoulders, the lecture began. Northern Imperial Moss, which certainly got Hilana’s attention, what with Gel’Grandel and the Imperium and the Great Tortoise, was also known as pearlwort, and its foliage was bright green with little white flowers. It was useful, her mentor explained, for its mucilaginous properties, and it was a good nutritional plant. That meant it could be combined, especially fresh, to make a gelatinous substance to mount other plants within it as it was thick and sticky, and the fact it was also nutritious just helped the body as a secondary intention. That one was far more useful fresh than dried, though it could be dried and used in teas for its nutrients.

The next type, sphagnum moss, could be found in many places, including Atraxia, but only where there were swampy areas and bogs... so not many. She would have more luck finding that elsewhere, but samples could be grown in the greenhouses under the right circumstances, which was also smart. “With Elementalism?” she asked him, then, touching the new plant. It grew on the surface of the swamps, and on the soil, and its bright green foliage felt soft.

He nodded. “Just so. Useful that Rune is for us, isn’t it? Now, you don't necessarily need it, but it is valuable if you can use it,” he glanced at her. Hilana had never bothered inquiring about such things before, and he wondered what prompted it in the girl who had been thus far content to do everything the hard way. She nodded in turn. He knew it was a sticking part in a silent war against her father. The Unstoppable Force against the Immovable Object. A battle of wills that the two of them were too focused on to see the valid points of both, and Eliana had already warned him about that with her. It had been left alone, even if it was cutting off her nose to spite her face. Some lessons had to be learned the hard way, or let her come around on her own to it. It wasn’t mentioned again as they talked instead about the properties of the plant, especially for treating wounds. Fresh or dried, it could be applied as part of a dressing, or if fresh, the whole dressing. Its long fibres and water retention meant that it was pliable and pure, and it could also be used for starting seeds and planting some more delicate flowers, like orchids.

Through it all, Hilana made notes. As good as her memory was, as fast as she learned things, she would one day be well on her way to making her own massive tomes like Vasilei had, and her Great-Aunt had, but for now, hers was growing. Just like she was. Eventually, the moss was put away and the table cleared up, and Hilana brought out the thick floury scones studded with chunks of dates from her bag, and the man chuckled. “You don’t settle much, do you?” he asked her as he brought over the honey from the table.

“No,” Hilana admitted. “You know me. I like to be busy. I feel better when I’m doing something, or learning, or moving. It’s a blessing or a curse, depending on who you ask.”

“Consider it a blessing. It serves you well as long as you can stay in control of it instead of letting it urge you into stupid decisions. Be that as it is, may that Wildness never fade,” he shook his head at her. “If it stays with you, you’re going to be an unholy terror by the time you reach Eliana’s age.”

“To Wildness,” the girl raised her scone to her mentor.

“To Wildness,” he chuckled, taking a bite once he’d drizzled honey over it. When the door opened, the little bell tinkled, and the two Vastii looked towards the door, and Hilana would certainly brighten to see who came in.

[Aeros]

TIMESTAMP: -
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Æros was certainly not a man who at all enjoyed waking up early in the mornings, at least when he lived up on the surface where the brightness of the sun was found in abundance. Now, however, he had taken up a more permanent residence down in the Umbrium, though his family had estates both down there and up on Luxium’s more brilliant sands. That being the case, he lived in neither, preferring to keep some distance between himself and his kin. Such would be the case for now and the foreseeable future, though many of those bonds could still be as yet fixed. The Fæ himself, however, was stubborn– he certainly did not believe such a thing to be at all possible.

Nonetheless, he found himself awake and when he looked at the clock, he was surprised to see the hour. Usually, he’d find himself roused far later into the day, but if the display before him was correct, it was still before noon. In an odd sort of way, this almost disgusted him. Though he wanted to go back to sleep, he found himself unable…so instead, he groaned and dragged himself from his bed to dress and otherwise make himself presentable. He wore a loose sort of layered robe, most of the fabrics being sheer aside from that which was meant to keep his decency, tragic as such a thing was. To add a bit of a unique touch, the Færie wove a flicker of æther through his rune and employed a slight amount of Masquerade to blend the colors of cloth into one another creating an almost watercolor-esque effect that swam over the fabric like running water in cool tones which complimented his skin.

Prior to leaving his demesne, he tipped a questionable amount of a tincture, distilled opium within, into a shot glass and added alcohol of an equally questionable strength. Such a thing was normal for the Star-crossed Fæ, unwise as it was. Taking the rest of the tincture with him, the man moved from his bedchambers to the living area of his flat and adjusted the violet plant that had almost unceremoniously died during his absence earlier in the month. To his great relief, it yet lived upon his return and he’d been babying the little flowering thing ever since, gradually nurturing it back to life. Once watered, he made his way out of the building in which he lived and into the somber darkness of the Umbrium.

At least the gentle magicked lights down here were easy on his tired eyes. With a sigh, however, it occurred to him that he’d made a friend at the beginning of the season and he had also made a promise to return to see her again. The problem with this, however, was that she resided up on his half of the city’s much brighter twin. Given how late he usually woke up, he had continuously failed to find the time or the proper opportunity to visit her again. Well, there was that, but also the fact that he was gone for an entire week and then swept up into a veritable political sandstorm way out of his depth. But such was life, right? So it goes. So he still drew breath, much to his own chagrin, though now he did have things to live for.

His steps were slow as he wandered through the streets of the Umbrium and towards the path that led up towards the sun. They became almost leaden as he treaded that path, squinting in discomfort as he stepped into the light. With skin dark and patterned like the velvet night, he stuck out even more in Luxium as he at least looked like he belonged down in the moon-kissed darkness.. Up here? He was an even more eldritch sight, though some of the upper nobility would recognize him for who he was. His family name and his blood, being Starborn crossed Fæ, gave him some modicum of notoriety by default, though the only thing that really supported a reputation of any kind was the fact that he had managed to master a rune at a young age. He was also a brilliant dancer, though some people side eyed his choice of venue at times.

Pace faster now as he did not like being out in the sun, he hurried along to Port Vasta, eyes of dark gold searching for the herbalist’s shop he remembered– Sweet Remedies. It didn’t take that long for him to spot the sign and quaint as the storefront was, it was utterly covered in plants. While many other businesses did not eschew a bit of greenery, this was…a lot. Knowing now he was in the right place, he approached his destination and entered the establishment with a knock on the door's frame to announce his presence. Within, he saw the familiar face of the woman he’d met in the past along with that of a stranger. Perhaps the mentor she mentioned?

With the raise of a four-fingered hand, he offered the two a friendly wave before he spoke. “Apologies for not making my way back sooner– I’ve been…busy,” a sentiment punctuated with a sharp exhale and an almost bashful yet apologetic smile. “Is the offer to see that fabled overgrown plant in the greenhouse still on the table?”

- - -

'Thoughts'

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Vastien Tongue/Speech"

"Valasren Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana brightened to see Æros again, waving quite happily and getting up from her seat at the table. She had clearly been eating something as she hurried to swallow, all the while offering the half-Fae a bow. Vasilei took his cue from her, since the two of them seemed to recognize each other, and rose as well, matching Hilana’s bow. The girl’s symphony and her movements showed she was doing better than she had been when they had come across each other during the Radiant Mass at the Templum Solis Radians... and what a difference a few days could make for her, apparently. “Good morning, Dominus Æros, how are you?” The girl asked him cheerily. Even at such an ungodly hour, she was back to the same energy she had had when he had first met her. She was still bandaged at her arm and abdomen, but all in all, they were in an apothecary, and presumably she was quite capable of treating whatever injuries she had sustained a few days ago. And if she wasn’t, then her mentor had to be, if this shop was worth anything in that regard. Her skirts today were a pale violet purple at the top near her hips, hanging off of her hips, and the fabric darkened into a deep blue as the fabric went on to her hems. Perhaps she was just as much of a fan of purple as he was.

“It’s quite alright, really,” she assured him. She understood busy all too well. While they had had an opportunity to chat within the group after the Radiant Mass the other day, there had been a great deal going on for both of them... him more than her, more than likely. “Dominus, this is my mentor, Leandris Xandros Vasilei. He is the proprietor and Master Herbalist of the shop,” Hilana made the introduction, and Vasilei inclined his head. He was also Vastii, though certainly a good bit older than his student. The tall man was broad-shouldered with darker skin than the girl beside him, with curly black hair that close-cropped to his scalp, and a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee. He wore a long-sleeved navy-coloured ankle-length tunic over a pair of undyed linen pants, and he bowed once more to the Fae.

“Welcome back to Sweet Remedies, Dominus,” he told him as he straightened, offering him a friendly smile. At the mention of Hilana’s monstrous moonstone snake plant, his lips quirked with amusement that he managed to chase away before he chuckled. “Ah, she’s told you about that one, did she now? By all means. I am sure Hilana would be delighted to give you the tour of the greenhouses and show it to you.” Vasilei nodded down at her when she glanced up at him. “Go and show him around the greenhouses,” he encouraged his student. “Bring back some more marshmallow when you’re on your way back, hm? You can make some more salve.”

“I will,” Hilana assured him, grinning widely at Æros before turning back to the table. She took yet another scone and drizzled honey over it, grabbing her own before coming over to the doorway. The dancer would find himself presented with the large, triangular floury biscuit that was almost as long and as wide as Hilana’s hand, and certainly a couple fingers thick. There were chopped up dates visible that had been mixed in, and honey beaded along the top of the fairly substantial confection. “Have you had breakfast yet?” She asked him, the python still hanging out around her neck and shoulders. Even if he had, there was surely room for another warm baked good. Who didn’t like scones?

“Let’s go. They’re not too far from here, about two blocks away,” she reassured him, looking up at him, and when the half-Elf was ready, she would head off down the still quiet streets, taking another bite of her scone. There were faint hints of cinnamon and cardamom mixing in with the toffee-like taste of the dates, but the spice was not overwhelming - there was just enough to complement without taking over. She was a bit surprised he was up and about so early, but she was glad of it regardless. “Your outfit is beautiful,” Hilana told him. “The fabric is really something, is it enhanced with arcana?”

[Aeros]

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The woman’s very sunny disposition matched the radiance of the Atraxian sands on the hottest of days– those days where the horizon blurred and one was prone to hallucinating from heatstroke. If Æros was more bitter a man, he might find her enthusiasm and energy to be exhausting or a nuisance, but he wasn’t. He actually found it quite admirable, much as he absolutely could not relate to any real degree whatsoever. Granted, he’d spent so much time wanting to die that it was so very difficult to find oneself enthusiastic and happy to even be awake and breathing.

He did recall that at the Radiant Mass, Hilana had been…moving strangely, her Symphony ringing oddly with tones of dissonant pain to her happy disposition. Such quivering notes still existed today, but they were far, far dimmer and didn’t cause such a tinny, bright clash with the rest of the music that resonated from her very æther. It was welcome to hear, really, both from a selfish perspective and not. The Symphony of somebody in pain can be horrid to listen to, almost screeching at times. Plus, he liked the girl– the sound pulled at his empathy.

“Ave and good morrow to you as well, dear Hilana,” he spoke in a most familiar manner that might come across as odd to both her and her mentor, but the patrician lacked a single care to give. He was open with his emotions and opinions of others for the most part, at least when it was at no cost to him to be so. “Purple is a lovely color on you,” he added. It was his favorite color in general.

And to the other figure in the store, Æros regarded with a nod when Hilana offered his name. “I am called Endymion Len’Sælyan Æros. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Vasilei– Hilana sang your praises on my last visit. So much so that I was honestly rather disappointed I missed your presence that day,” he spoke with a smooth sort of voice and ended the sentiment with laughter. It was true, and he meant to flatter the other man and perhaps embarrass his friend just a tad, though Vasilei was likely used to her expressive nature.

Regarding the moonstone plant, “Yes. The idea fascinated me, truly. I’ve heard of the Ecithian wildlife growing rampant and wild, but I’ve never witnessed such things myself, unfortunately. Leaving the sands for the jungles just…really has not interested me. Not fond of Orkhan or humidity, unfortunately,” he said with a bit of a threatric sort of shrug.

When the girl approached him with an offering of food, the gesture warmed him and was genuinely something he appreciated. He had not, in fact, consumed anything since he’d opened his eyes that day. He’d forgotten. Such a thing was not abnormal despite the fact that given everything else that he would imbibe through the day, he really ought to not leave his stomach empty. “I…haven’t, actually. The gesture is kind, I thank you.” He replied with an appreciative sort of smile as he took the pastry from her hand and into his own, which dwarfed hers, despite the fact that anatomically, he naturally missed an entire finger.

Having taken it, he regarded the python next, “...and is your lovely little friend here doing well? The brightness in her eyes almost rivals that of your own,” he remarked, sort of in jest, but the snake did possess a vibrancy to her that very nearly mirrored her master.

As the two left with serpent in tow, Æros would passively begin to eat the scone while they walked. The flavor profile was harmonious and the quality of the bake was really rather lovely. “Did you or your master make these? If not, where did you get them? It’s both well made and such a nice recipe.” He offered this inquiry prior to answering hers, but then continued, “...the fabric itself is mundane entirely. I’m using Masquerade to enchant it, which does occupy some modicum of my focus but it’s…more convenient, really, than having everything enchanted through Runeforging. This way, I can make the same outfit look unique infinitely, no? …and it costs nothing,” he replied with a chuckle, though cost was not much of a concern for him.

- - -

'Thoughts'

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Vastien Tongue/Speech"

"Valasren Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana’s levels of energy and enthusiasm were not for everyone, and that was something she had been told time and again. She was too much for a lot of people at full-blast, and as a result she was very selective as to who she let that kind of energy loose around. She was usually careful to try to rein it in, because being too much could annoy the wrong people, and that kind of negative attention was unnecessary. But she had met the half-Fae twice now, and he didn’t seem to overly mind… Still, she knew it was better not to get too carried away on him yet, but so far, she had felt they had meshed quite well. Granted, she had had only two encounters with him thus far from which to judge, but Hilana certainly enjoyed his company.

She was pleased at his words, and she inclined her head at the compliment, all but beaming. Purple was one of her favourite colours, and she had more than one skirt in different shades of purple, but it was a colour that was soothing and easy to connect with. Vasilei chuckled at Æros’ introduction. “I believe you know well how she is,” the Vastian was amused, looking sideways at his student. Hilana was utterly unashamed of her mannerisms in this regard, as she had happily told her mentor all about the exotic-looking Elf that had been in and gotten some Ecithian violets and had tea. There was no mention at all of the wrap-around spider, so with luck, the girl had left that unsaid when she had been talking to Vasilei. Considering there had been no harm done, the Dominus had not been upset about once he had had tea and dates, she was content to never mention it again unless Æros brought it up.

“I am honoured. I believe that I have heard a great deal about you, too, Dominus. It is nice to have a face and name to put her descriptions to. Please feel free to drop in any time, we are happy to have you here. Hilana can show you the plants that we have from Ecith in the greenhouse, and we did get some from the North across the seas, too, just recently in the last couple of days, actually. Those have been identified and replanted. No Orks involved, thankfully,” he shook his head. He was somewhat more diplomatic about the monsters than the girl was, but he had also been around quite a bit longer than she had. He still detested the brutes, that much was clear: the visceral hatred was a shared sentiment amongst the three within the shop.

But he would wave them off, and as they started up the streets, Hilana smiled at the horned man. “You’re very welcome. Always good to start the day with something in you, and I always like these when I have the opportunity,” she was cheerful. “They’re not exactly traditional fare for nomads, but we do carry with us little portable ovens and we can bake and cook as we go. Mostly pitas, but I’ve always been partial to scones. Tiaz is doing well,” the snake seemed to agree with her, flicking his tongue out and tasting the air, his head lifted off of her shoulder in Æros’ direction. “He’s up to his usual tricks today, which is to say lazing and lounging. We’ll see if he wants some exercise in the greenhouse, there’s a tree in there I like to put him on and see if he wants to do some climbing,” the girl’s eyes danced with amusement. Apparently, even pet pythons needed exercise from time to time. “He is a little spoiled, but at least he’s not fat yet,” she chuckled. She seemed to know what she was looking for in the serpent’s body condition, and thick though he was, she apparently considered that all muscle and no fat.

“I’m glad you like them,” she was pleased at his words. “I made them last night and they’ve been warming a little bit while Vasilei and I had a lesson this morning before opening. I always love dates and they go so well with cinnamon and cardamom, and sometimes I put other spices in them... but I decided to keep this batch a bit mild. We were talking about mosses and lichens... different types from both here and abroad, and what they can be used for and how,” she knew from their first encounter during the dreadful days when smoke covered the Luxium that he had at least a passing interest in botany, so figured he might not mind the subject. “I can show you those too when we get there. The honey comes from Vasilei’s hives, though. He has a whole bunch of them on the roof of Sweet Remedies, more at his home, and more still at the greenhouses. He also has a number of them around the agricultural fields and the vineyards, too - the vintners like it because the bees pollinate their grapes, and they don’t have to worry about maintaining that, we do it. Same with the farmers. We also have some at a couple different oases, but those ones had to have a couple of wards put on them,” she looked amused. “You might be surprised how many wild creatures would happily destroy the hive boxes for a treat of their own.”

She listened as he talked about the fabric and the use of Masquerade. “I think that that’s very smart, actually,” Hilana nodded, peering at it as they walked. “It’s great for your imagination and for training your abilities in the Craft while being complex enough that it’s a smart exercise to keep up. And on top of that, it takes up less space rather than having multiples of the same thing.” She may have been poking fun at herself, too, since for the most part... the girl seemed to be wearing a variation of the same outfit each time he had seen her. The cut and styling of the shirts were different, but they were by and large the same, and while sometimes her tiered skirts were asymmetrical, other times they had varying amounts of tiers and different colours that fanned out along her legs as she walked or flitted around the shop. It was entirely possible she had other clothes and he hadn’t seen them yet, but Founders only knew. “And lets you spend money on other things, too,” she chuckled. Equestrian though she was, Hilana did not choose to dress like one of her Caste with the garish, ostentatious outfits that many wore to prove a point and flaunt their wealth. "Like plants."

[Aeros]

TIMESTAMP: -
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And so it would appear that Vasilei was not at all surprised at the fact that his student spoke of him at length, excitable and verbose as she apparently was. And it would also appear that she bore no shame for her zeal. Admirable, really, to be unabashedly oneself, circumstances permitting.

However, Æros was a bit surprised to hear about the fact that she had apparently regaled her mentor with the tale of his initial visit some few weeks ago. To be fair, though, once he actually thought about it, he realized that it made no real sense to be surprised at such a notion. She was likely as open as he was when it came to sharing the events of her days with those she considered a friend or held any sort of admiration for, so really, her doing that was perfectly in character.

"Oh, she did, did she? How very flattering, indeed." He spoke with a lightness to his words, and vain as he was, he made the assumption that whatever it was she had said was positive. Why would it not be? They had gotten along perfectly well, and any surface level comments simply had to be since the Fæ was a remarkably beautiful creature.

At the notion of plants from the northerly realm, "oh, really? Well, color me intrigued! I have always wondered what grows there, what with how diverse that continent is in terms of biomes and the like." He spoke with much transparent interest, because if nothing else, the notion of traveling was enchanting to simply witness the world's majesty.

"I do hope to see the environs in which they naturally grow, which I…do not plan on doing regarding those that grow naturally in Ecith," he chuckled at the thought, but the idea of going to the jungle really did disgust him.

Æros and Hilana waved farewell to the man shortly thereafter, beginning their trek to the nearby greenhouses.

He quirked a brow when she spoke of the cooking practices of her nomadic kin, such things being largely unknown to him. "Interesting…do others of your kin employ any sort of magic to aid in the daily endeavors? Many in the city do even for simple things like baking. Truthfully, I'm not sure how common runes even are among the nomads." This was true, though he was under the impression most who lived within Solunarium's borders held some fondness for magic, Hilana being a bit of an anomaly.

Regarding Tiaz, "snakes can get fat?" He asked the question almost musingly, though really there was no reason why they couldn't. "What a strange thought," he laughed. "...but I do suppose for such a thing to happen it would be a captive serpent, loved as your Tiaz is." He spoke with a playful sort of chide in his tone. For as lovely as affection is, he imagined it would be easy for Hilana to find herself spoiling anything in her care.

When Æros inquired after the source of the scones, his companion launched into an explanation that quickly segued into a tangent about her morning and then to bees. It was charming, really, and all subjects held at least some interest to him so he was happy to listen.

"Came up with the recipe yourself then, did you? Kudos to you," he offered his compliments.

"Mosses and the like are pretty…I think they look lovely in parks and on buildings, but I am unaware of their actual, ah…uses beyond aesthetics, in truth. How useful are they?" Now this was an open ended question that could end up getting a very long answer, but he did not mind that prospect at all.

"I bet anyone else who grows plants in the vicinity of those bees is ever grateful. How much honey is produced by such a volume, however? I imagine much of it gets sold?" Ever the curious sort, the half-blooded Fæ only responded by posing yet more queries.

And regarding the utility of Masquerade and fashion in general, "that is true, though I do tend to wear somewhat similar styles and cuts of fabric. That's in large part because I know what flatters my form, but I do endeavor to keep things varied enough. Masquerade as rune, however, is pretty new to me. One of my sisters is a master of it and I a master of Mesmer, so she and I traded, essentially. I am still but a fledgling with her Craft. She's a storyteller– crafts illusory scenes that move with actors on stage for shows in many a high profile theatre. Most of the family members I don't dislike are artists, funnily enough." And here, he went on a bit of a tangent himself– he was fond of this particular sibling over the rest. Her work, too, was brilliant.

"...but yes! My wardrobe is, admittedly, smaller than anyone would ever guess for precisely that reason. It does free me up for spending on other things, plants included, though I do need to be a bit careful in the future. I intend to be making a very large purchase soon…and much as I wish such a thing did not have to be so steep, it was a promise and I won't go back on my word. Which is usually why I never promise anyone anything, ever, but the one to whom this agreement was made…" he trailed off for a moment and clicked his tongue, "...seems to have me a bit spellbound, I'll admit." He was being somewhat vague, somewhat bashful, which was markedly unusual when compared to his usual confidence.

- - -

'Thoughts'

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Vastien Tongue/Speech"

"Valasren Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

[Hilana Chenzira]

“Many employ magic,” Hilana admitted. “It’s quite common, actually, just as it is here. I am just an outlier in that regard.” The girl with no runes was not ashamed to speak of that, though she knew the reason as to why might seem entirely unreasonable to the Dominus that was coming with her. “My mother, for example, was an Elementalist of some skill. My father has Negation.” Her tone didn’t change at all at the mention of her parents, but there was almost a growl in her symphony at the mention of her paternal parent and his Rune. It wasn’t something aimed at Runebearers in general, but there was something deeper at play here. Her tone and expression were perfectly normal and unchanged, as she took a bite of her scone while they walked, along the street, but for one like himself with Crafts to help discern what went unsaid...

She did laugh though at the notion about snakes getting fat, and she nodded her head. “They really can, especially when you keep them as pets. In the wild, you know, they’re usually moving a lot and they don’t always get a regular meal. They don’t need to eat as often as say birds or mammalian pets,” Hilana explained. “They digest quite slowly, truthfully, and snakes usually don’t travel too far over their lives. They stick to an area, mostly, and they get intimately familiar with that area. But the territory really isn’t that large, but it does depend on the snake and the species of the snake. Some will travel a bit further for mating, if they have to. For females, it’s okay for them to put a bit of weight on if they’re going to breed, but Tiaz is very much not an egg-layer,” she smiled at her python, who was just flickering his tongue and smelling the Fae as they walked on. “You can tell their body condition by finding their spine. If their sides are bulging out and there is an indent along their back to indicate their spine, that’s how you know they’re chunky and they could stand to lose some weight. If they’re triangular, and the spine is prominent and pointing out, then they’re too thin. So when they’re just nicely rounded, they’re right where they are supposed to be,” the Vastiana grinned up at her horned companion.

“I’ve watched others make the basics for scones, but once you know how to do that, you can build it however you like. You just have to take into account the composition of ingredients and how they react when you’re baking them. Like you could substitute grapes or dried cranberries or other dried fruits for the dates, and then you can change up the spices to accompany them. Or you could use fresh fruit, but then you need to keep in mind the moisture that that fruit adds to the recipe because if it’s too wet, it becomes gummy, and you can’t just decrease the flour without messing up the ratios. Cooking you can throw everything in together...and it can probably work. It may taste funny, the textures may be off... but it can probably come together. But baking is a bit trickier... and I love it,” she admitted. “Know the rules to break them, right?” Hilana laughed.

“That depends on the type of moss,” She was happy to relay that from her lesson this morning. “There are some that are more groundcover with benefits in the right hands, and some that are more easily accessible to those without all the proper training.” She told him, guiding him around a corner. “For example, the pretty Northern Imperial Moss, since that’s where it grows best... it’s green, its relatively thick, but it doesn’t actually do much by itself in terms of helping treat a sickness or some sort of ailment or injury... but it’s useful more as something to mount other ingredients in. It actually produces this really thick plant jelly, for a lack of a better word, but that’s basically what it is. And you can take that, and it will stick to things... so you can add other herbs and plants that wouldn’t really stick on their own, and mix it into it... while the jelly also provides nutrients for the body. So in some ways, if you don’t have honey, you can use that to make something similar. Then there’s bog moss, which is sphagnum moss... which grows on top of swampy areas. It’s amazing at holding moisture, and it has very long fibres... so you can use it by itself to act as a dressing, which protects the skin and keeps it moist, and you can use it for potting and growing new plants. It is also amazing at helping to treat infection.”

When he asked about hives, Hilana had to think about it. When she had come to Solunarium, most of her experience with bees was stealing honey from wild hives. Carefully humming, sticking her hand in, and carefully, carefully pulling out a chunk of honeycomb and taking it back to her friends. She had been stung plenty when she was young before she had figured it out. “I think that a good hive can produce around 100 pounds of honey each year. That’s for a mature, well-managed hive, mind you. I think it would be a bit more, but I’d have to check with Vasilei. I only started learning to tend bees when I came here last season,” the girl had no problems admitting the limit of her knowledge. But she clearly wanted to make sure she was giving him accurate information, too. “I would say that half to maybe two-thirds of the honey that comes from all the hives he has everywhere is sold just as it is. Households, bakeries, restaurants... it is a thriving endeavour. The rest of it we use for remedies and treatments, because honey by itself is very potent, so is the propolis, which is a byproduct from the hives. Vasilei is also getting into making mead as a new side hobby, so he uses honey for that, too. Some craftspeople crave the wax in order to make candles,” she added. “Well-managed beehives benefit everyone, really. Sure, it could likely be done with elementalism... but if you can conserve your aether, why not let nature do what it is supposed to do?”

She nodded along as he spoke about Mesmer and Masquerade. The two of them really did go hand-in-hand; it was harder to think of Runes that were more complementary to each other. "This is true. I wear by and large the same style, since that's what I like... but I've been accumulating a lot more skirts than I normally would have," she seemed thoughtful. He had a good point. But it seemed that the Dominus understood family being difficult, and Hilana didn’t need to be a Mesmer to recognize that. “That I can understand,” she smiled. “Family can be difficult at the best of times, isn’t it?” Like as not, that went back to that discordant note in her Symphony earlier. Family troubles, be one a little Vastii, or one with Noble Elvish blood in their veins, seemed to be universal. And it was hardly something one talked about. But Hilana likely understood such things, because of her own alluded experience. Her head tilted a bit at his tone, at his expression, at his words. The way he spoke, the changes from his usual manner... A big purchase that he had promised someone that was important to him. “Purchasing someone important, I take it, Dominus?” They were coming to a stop in front of a larger, longer building that was further away from the hustle and bustle of the more prime shopping area of Port Vasta, but from what Aeros could see through the enormous windows... they had arrived at the first of the greenhouses.

Hilana withdrew a set of keys from a pocket hidden in her skirts, and unlocked the door, stepping inside. Where there was the steady dry heat of the desert outside, this world was decidedly more tropical. There was an unfamiliar humidity here, which while not as bad as one might have found in Ecith, it was also a taste of it. And Hilana’s hair, piled on her head as it was, was definitely starting to curl up some more as soon as they got into the greenhouse. Where Sweet Remedies had had much more pungent scents of spices and drying plants and flowers mixed in with the fresher ones, the greenhouse was much more earthy to one’s nose. Everywhere Aeros looked, there was green plants of all shapes, sizes, and colours. Some of them had flowers, some of them did not, and those that did sported blossoms of all sizes, ranging from white to yellow to orange, to red, blue, purple and black, many with different shades in between. Some he may have recognized from his earlier visit to Sweet Remedies when Hilana had shown him violets and snake plants, but there was an awful lot to look at here. “Here we are,” the girl said cheerfully, leading the Fae down one of the aisles. Plants were everywhere - on tables, on the floor in pots, in raised gardening tubs made of metal or wood or clay, others hung from the rafters. Some were supported with braces or trellises. There were a number of smaller trees towards the middle, and it was towards those trees that Hilana went, finishing off her scone, and lifted her python to rest on one of the branches. “What do you think?” she was clearly rather pleased with this spot, smiling at him.

[Aeros]

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Regarding the possession of cardinal runes, the nomadic Vastii of the desert and Hilana's family in general, Æros was a bit surprised at her overall response. It made sense to him that what Vastii wandered the deserts employed magic, yes, but what perplexed him then was why the girl did not possess one herself. This was increased twofold with the knowledge that her own mother had carried Elementalism while her father held Negation and then there was the fact that, while nothing was expressed external, her Symphony rang discordant when her father's rune was mentioned. Well, no. It did so when her father was mentioned, and while there was a bitterness towards the very magic he possessed, the root of the dissonance was very clearly the man himself.

Whilst continuing to consume the scone witj an impassive expression, Æros used a bit of æther to pinpoint the exact difference, the precise origin of the discordant note, and, while he always held himself open to the Symphonies of those around him at this point in time, he did choose to affix to her a more focused channel with which he would use to listen in far greater detail. Some might claim this to be…invasive, perhaps, but the man was a curious, nosy sort and having used the rune to gain insight his whole life, he'd actually become rather blind to the fact that most people would…not expect their Symphonies to be read at any given time.

Nevertheless, he identified two things: she was not a fan of her father and that her trepidation towards magic was woven really rather tightly around her disdain for the man then further enforced by a rather stubborn nature that was, in many more ways than one, self defeating. Internally, the mix-blooded mage frowned at this, lover of magic that he was. He debated the concept of meddling with her Symphony to perhaps change her mind but, for now, decided against it as he didn't like shifting people's minds on any subject without a fuller sort of context, which for the moment, he did not have. However, he fully intended to figure out exactly what her father had done to make the very idea of wielding a rune herself so very unappealing.

"Mm, your mother had Elementalism but did not confer it to you? That is…unfortunate, I feel like you'd wield her Craft with marked grace." Æros knew there was a risk of Hilana taking offense to this statement given the fact that he knew not the current state of the girl's mother nor did he know how she felt about not having her mother's rune, but in this regard he did take a few precautions.

For one thing, his tone was nothing if not sympathetic and encouraging towards the direction of both continuing and honoring her mother's legacy, regardless of where she was, alive or not. Secondarily, as he spoke, he wove that encouragement and his own admiration for her into Hilana's Symphony for the purpose of blunting any negative response to what he'd said. And, lastly, if he were to detect anger or upset directed towards his words, he was prepared to pluck those melodies away altogether. Manipulative, maybe, but he was so used to doing this to people that he was nearly blind to the ethical concerns thereof on top of the fact that he genuinely believed what he was doing was a net positive. Perhaps arrogant, but of this he was oblivious.

Considering how magic is used in Solunarium with such freedom and frequency, he used his Mesmer on pretty much anyone that didn't block him off with their own magic– that being either a Mesmer rune of their own, Negation, or anti-magic items. Much to his vexation, many a Mesmer were very cagey individuals who did not like to be poked at by other mages. He, on the other hand, made no attempt to resist the ministrations of other mages up until a point. Given his own skill, he could always tell when somebody was altering his own Symphony and could outright stop it if he wasn't a fan of the direction they were conducting him– otherwise, he actually found it entertaining, in its own way, to play along with another's music, so to speak. However, context was incredibly important regarding his own response to such things, though this was mostly because a lot of people use the magic with really rather malicious intent.

That aside, the conversation then moved forward to the subject of overweight serpents. What she said made sense, really, all things considered. Animals of that nature are not designed, anatomically, to function in a domestic setting wherein their every whim was catered to. As such, it sounded rather easy to turn one into quite the glutton all things considered. The thought of a truly fat snake made him audibly chuckle a bit...quite rotund, perhaps it would look a bit like a stuffed sausage with a spine.

"Such a thing would be a rather funny sight, I think," and while he spoke, his eyes shifted from his Vastian companion to the beady little ones of the snake that adorned her frame.

The snake regarded him back with curiosity and he looked back at the little beast with much the same. He could hear from within Tiaz's own Symphony that curiosity and friendliness were present, and in an effort to communicate with the animal, channeled a bit of æther towards him in a way to come across as both disarming and friendly. He liked Tiaz and wanted the snake to not perceive him as any sort of threat, strange as he could potentially come across to any other living thing.

The next subject they'd moved on to was that of baking. Many of the servii for his family found a hobby in baking, and he had a cousin beneath his family's head that absolutely adored it and would often find himself in the kitchen alongside them. However, that was the extent of his knowledge– simply consuming that which they made…because they made quite a lot and it was always lovely.

"All I know is that baking is as much of a chemistry based science as being an apothecary is," the half-elf laughed, "...and of either of those fields I am woefully ignorant, but I do have admiration for those dedicated to the precise knowledge thereof. Given my…circumstances, food and medicine preparation were not at all necessary for me to think about unless I wanted to and…my focus was, ah…elsewhere." He sounded entirely normal until near the end of this sentiment where there was marked hesitation.

Æros, for the moment, opted not to elaborate upon this. The truth of the matter was, should he have even had an interest of any sort into either subject, it would've been entirely debatable as to whether he would have been allowed to pursue any particular thing. Most of his hobbies and subjects of focus were chosen for him in his youth, hence the myriad ways he had then chosen to act out in rebellion in response– such behaviors were desperate attempts to regain control of himself as a person. Ultimately, he very much failed in this endeavor and eventually broke underneath the pressure of it all. That, however, was not the most pleasant of conversation subjects and as a result, he often avoided it.

Further, she answered his inquiry about moss with the very same enthusiasm for which he had come to expect from her. Fascinating, really, that a natural sort of adhesive was so easy to come across. Well, in the north, he supposed. That moss might not be so easy to come across here, and neither really would the other she mentioned, given its preference for swampier biomes…but it would still be easier to find than something from the northern continent.

"That's surprisingly useful, actually. Could you use that to get other plants to stick onto and grow on walls or other odd surfaces?" If yes, the applications for aesthetic design were many. "I was also unaware that moss, of all things, had use in first aid. I suppose that might be useful if ever I'm in a pinch were I to come across some." He very much hoped such a thing would never be the case, however.

And then to the farming of bees. This was really rather fascinating as it sounded like the care for them was much like other farm animals, just on a far smaller scale. While bees themselves could be self sufficient, the interference of a caretaker could raise the production efficiency and overall quality of life for the little creatures. That, and the honey, wax, and royal jelly produced by bees had nearly infinite uses for mankind as a whole– truly, the relationship between the two was one of the most symbiotic he'd heard of.

"Personally, I know little of the specifics regarding actually raising bees, but I am a fan of many of the products thereof. Perhaps I've bought things from Vasiliei's bees in the past and just never knew, hm?" This could very easily be true when one considers there's probably not a massive amount of other bee farmers in the area.

Family would appear to be an odd subject for both of them, all things considered. He heard the discord in her Symphony again when he brought up some of his own troubles on the subject, but at the same time, it was juxtaposed to the high opinions she clearly had of the family on her mother's side. Always complicated, family was, especially when one has mixed opinions on varying members.

To her comment, "...yes. For all the good well-meaning members of my family have done, others seem quite intent on ruining that with haste." There was a bit of a hiss on the 's' of haste, a bitterness on his tongue– though again, he didn't elaborate. He would, however, if asked, but usually he left it up to the other person to figure out whether such questions were appropriate.

The next question she did ask, however, caught him a bit off guard. "Someone, huh? You caught that? I only meant to imply I was buying a thing for someone, but…yes, it actually is a person I'm purchasing. Not for any particular need of a servus…but when one finds oneself enamored with a slave, it is an inherently risky relationship. To, ah…sully another man's property is most frowned upon," Æros laughed at this, albeit awkwardly. The sentiment was true, however; this certainly was a significant faux pas.

"...and so, lest I continue to risk my reputation, I have to either stop toying around with the boy or…buy him. I've chosen the latter route– my intent is to, eventually, liberate him, but I can't do that right away or that would also look exceedingly questionable on my part. This would then be exacerbated further by the circumstances under which the man, a former patrician, mind, even found himself enslaved in the first place. I just hope he doesn't beg for it immediately lest I cave to that doe-eyed look he has," though his affection waned into the slightest bit of annoyance towards the end, it was obvious that annoyance was directed more at himself regarding his weakness to the other's pleading. His apparent fondness for the other man was crystal clear.

He explained this scenario as the two of them approached the greenhouse, its huge glass walls offering a preview of what lay within from the outside. The inside, indeed, was incredibly impressive. "Do you and Vasilei employ others to help manage…all of this? I feel like this is…quite a lot." He spoke with a tone of voice that almost resembled awe.

And as they walked a bit, he continued to look around, responding again after she allowed Tiaz to slither up onto a branch. "It's gorgeous and not as painfully humid as I anticipated. Have you any foreign berries? I find myself weak to fruits of any kind, to be frank." While such things might not be able to be grown himself, he would have great interest in buying the product.

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'Thoughts'

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Vastien Tongue/Speech"

"Valasren Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana had no such Runes or skills with which to sense that Aeros was investigating her. That he was sussing out her lack of Runes and chances were, even if she had, it wouldn’t have mattered. This was a Master, someone who used this ability like he breathed, subconsciously, and likely with about the same amount of effort. Even if she’d had a Rune and some training, she still likely wouldn’t have even noticed. If she had, she would have appreciated that he was only peering into her Symphony in that regard, rather than trying to change it and twist her around against her own set path. Considering what her father had spent most of her childhood wanting to do, the idea of the Magical Lobotomy Special, as she subconsciously referred to it, was something she dreaded.

Perhaps surprisingly, no offense was taken at his inquiry about her mother. Instead, she just shook her head slightly, and she appreciated the compliment all the same. “That is very kind of you to say, Dominus, thank you. It has occurred to me that it would be incredibly useful with what I do with the plants... but no, she didn’t. My mother passed away when I was two... complications from childbirth with what would have been my younger brother,” the Vastii explained to him. “Two of my sisters did take that Rune, though, when the time came for such education. My eldest sister took Negation... but she always was our father’s favourite.” Her lips quirked in a small smile. She didn’t like her sisters either, his sleuthing would tell him. It was less visceral than that growl when it came to her father, but the dislike was there, and just as deeply rooted. And deep as it was, that may have been a chasm far too broad to cross. Where relations might be reparable within his own family, this was something else entirely. The girl who was so upbeat and cheerful was harbouring some very intense negativity within her Symphony when it came to her family... but she wore the mask well.

Her maternal grandparents had encouraged her to take up Elementalism when she had spent those two seasons with them. They could have gotten her started, taught her the ways that were passed on, things her mother might have taught her had things been different. But that encouragement had reached a dead end, because Hilana knew one thing. That if her father had gotten wind of it, her time in the sands would have come to an abrupt halt. She would have been dragged into the city and stuck there away from everything and everyone that she knew and loved. Whether she would admit it or not... in that regard, she very much was her father’s daughter. Both of them were stubborn, and both of them had gotten past the stage where they could listen to each other when their horns were locked.

“It would be funny,” she chuckled. “But sometimes it’s just sad. I see some people that bring their animals in, and they’re just grossly overweight. There was this Equestrian family in Tertium that had a sandcat that was so fat that it waddled. It couldn’t jump and pretty much had to be carried everywhere,” she puffed her cheeks full of air as if to imitate the feline. “They thought they were just spoiling it, though. I never could get them to understand that they were doing damage to their pet like that.” Tiaz’ tongue flickered and his head lifted off of Hilana’s shoulder, and he was moving closer to the Fae, continuing to check him out. The girl had definitely done a good job of socializing him, because the python was certainly not shy in the slightest.

She nodded as he spoke about his cousin’s interests, and it made her smile. “Different people like what they like. It’s part of what makes us who we are...and I think it would all be incredibly boring if all any of us ever did the same things, right? I know people that enjoy weaving and sewing... and I can’t sit still for that kind of trade myself. But I will sit and tend to plants, or bake, or cook, or prepare remedies or try making tea. I was fortunate enough to be able to find out what I liked and had the freedom to practice and learn most of it.” She wondered if he liked pursuits that his family didn’t approve of, and that was why he mentioned his circumstances. Being of noble ranking seemed to her to be more troublesome and complicated than it was perhaps worth. Her head was tilting, thinking it over, but at the same time, she knew she had to be careful with what she asked and how much she asked. She didn’t want to offend him and end the little adventure that they were going on so soon after it had begun, and if she did offend him, she’d be lucky if that was as far as it went.

That was a good question, and she thought about it. “I don’t think it would hold up to too much weight,” Hilana admitted. “It will keep tinctures and salves in place, but actively holding something heavier...though I think someone that was skilled in alchemy could probably draw that aspect from it and combine with something else to make such a substance, though. Wouldn’t that be interesting, sticking different plants onto walls to grow.” She at least seemed to have some ideas regarding that particular branch of world magic, and that one she was...actually interested in, from her Symphony. Though her knowledge of it was mostly second-hand, and what beginning of the reading she had started on it from her new book that she had picked up a few days prior was enough to pique her interest and open up the possibilities. But she hadn’t had much time to go in-depth in her research, much less look into finding some place where she could learn it from someone who knew what they were doing. But alchemy combined with her knowledge of botany and medicine... and quite possibly poisons, if she was so inclined... Alchemy, something that didn’t show up as a Cardinal Rune... was apparently excluded from her rejection of the arcane. “The sphagnum moss you can find along the coasts,” she offered. “Especially up north along the coastal areas of the Vasta... there’s a number of swampy areas, and that’s where we usually get it from, though we also bring it back here and grow it. I’ll show you inside,” Hilana was cheerful. Plants were something that the girl was fond of, fascinated by, and he didn’t need Mesmer to know it.

But family trouble... that she knew. And she knew it well. “That’s always the way, isn’t it?” the Vastiana was sympathetic. “Appearances and demands as to appearances, regulated, controlled, shaped just so to the image they want rather than the image that you are...” she let out a sound. “It’s too bad, sometimes... but I guess that that is the cultural expectation, isn’t it? Parents didn’t get to have or manage their own lives, so they are going to ruin that of their children and keep that cycle going. I’ve met enough Peregrini to think that maybe they are on to something with the freedoms allowed to them, sometimes...” Dragged into the city and forced to deal with it. It had been successful for three out of four of his daughters, so the odds had panned out well enough for the Tertrian merchant, but the fourth one, the stubborn one, obstinance personified...

The girl was still attentive, though, and she offered a small smile at his surprise. “I find that when there is genuine care for someone...or something... that it does change things a bit for how we look and how we speak. And that’s a good thing. I don’t think there’s enough feeling that way shared,” she offered. “The echoes bound to a joyful sound, but shrink from voicing care.” But she was nodding. She could understand the predicament. It wasn’t uncommon for servus to be enjoyed, but enjoying someone else’s that wasn’t necessarily a brothel pet... There was also the social concern with his being of the rank that he was. That was another layer of difficult for him, too. But at his description, there was something in her Symphony that suggested curiosity, wonderment, and even a bit of hope. And that hope was growing. She looked, too, like she was considering naming a name, and then kept it quiet for a moment. A doe-eyed former patrician boy turned slave... Maybe... just maybe... She knew better than to get her hopes up, though. But oh, she desperately wanted to. She decided to leave that until they were safely inside the greenhouse. That was one of the few places she trusted in the city to not have too many ears, after all.

“You probably have had treats that have been sweetened with that honey,” Hilana chuckled. “There are other apiarists... beekeepers... but Vasilei has hired others to help care for the hives all over, and they also work with kinetics to harvest the honey from the frames. I help tend to those here in the city, and if I’m making a trip outside to go forage something and I’m in the area, I check on those hives to make sure that all is well. The greenhouses, now... they’re not so bad on their own, so aside from some guidance and cleaning, it’s more maintenance... but there are others that step in every so often. He does have elementalists come in from time to time if something is acting off that we can’t get on our own... But he and I are the only two in the shop,” she explained. Tiaz was slowly slithering along the branches, so apparently, the python was taking Hilana’s words about not being an overstuffed chonk of a sausage to heart. She didn’t seem worried that she would lose the beautiful snake amongst the foliage, though; Hilana just trusted in her ability to find him.

And there was also the fact that Tiaz could be decidedly lazy, and she knew where he liked to have his nap in here.

“Exotic berries...yes, this way,” she smiled, leading him on in. The further they got, the more there were some trees with fruit on it, but it wasn’t to those delicacies she went to. “These are lychee,” she explained, pointing at the red firm fruits in the palms. “They are not berries... but you’ve had those, I’m sure? They seem popular amongst the higher castes,” if he hadn’t, then she would make sure he got to sample them before they left. “They do come from Ecith. Vasilei started growing them from their seeds quite a while ago, but they’re a favourite, I find, and they actually grow very well here due to the sunlight. They’ll grow all year,” Hilana added. “But something I think you might not have had...” She continued to make her way through the aisles, her skirts swishing along the floor of the greenhouse before stopping in front of a long, wide planter. Growing in it was quite a brambly, thorny bush, and it was studded with blackened berries. Deft fingers easily picked some, gently, but swiftly moving through the thickened foliage to find the ones that were just where she wanted them. And now the girl offered them to him in a cupped hand. “These are blackberries, Dominus. They actually come from the northern lands, well across the seas.”

The ripened berries that she was offering him had a sweet, but tangy taste, and looked like larger, extended raspberries, but for their colour, weight, and density. She was watching him for his approval to see if he liked them or not, and popped one in her mouth. “The slave you spoke of...” she hesitated before deciding to take the risk. “His name wouldn’t happen to be Khyan, would it?”

[Aeros]

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Æros did not actually like to use his Mesmer in the more invasive ways he knew it could be used. This wasn’t because of reasons moral or ethical, rather it was because he found simply forcing people to bend knees was a bit…crass, a bit boring. It had its place, of course. Sometimes, one had to if one wanted to reach one’s goals. But in casual conversation? Among friends? In encounters with little to no stakes? The use of brute force simply did not interest him at all. For one thing, he simply enjoyed listening to the song of another’s soul. For another, he thought the game of conversation was far more fun with a more delicate, subtle approach. And for the last, if he cared at all for the person with which he spoke, he still wanted them to keep their autonomy. The Færie was well aware of the pain it caused to lose such a thing– it was the lack of his own that caused him to fall on his own sword and give up on enjoying existence.

Because what was the point? What was the point in living if one were to be a thrall?

When Hilana replied to what he had said, the response drew a small frown on lips dark as night. He felt the hurt, the pain that rode through her symphony in melancholy sort of waves when she mentioned her sisters. It rang deep and strong, though it was not as sharp, not as bright as the feeling she held towards her father. A feeling that, for him, rang true and vibrant as nothing short of hate.

The thing about that was that even deep-seated hatred could be undone by a master Mesmer. If ever she truly wanted something like that to be undone, he could do it, but otherwise he would not meddle that far. That would have far reaching consequences to her and her life and he was absolutely not the one to make that type of decision for her, fate altering as it was.

However, her disdain for her sisters really did make him sad. There were two primary reasons why Æros would never outright kill himself. For one, his pride. For two, he had a total of five siblings and he loved two of them dearly. His mother and one of them? He felt the very same seething sort of hate for and he held more tentative opinions of the other two, but the two sisters he cared for kept him from dying by his own design. He wondered if she had anyone further in her extended family with which she took comfort.

“I…get the picture that due to the proximity to your father, you wouldn’t feel comfortable asking one of them for Elementalism then, hm?” He phrased this carefully, trying to imply he came up with this guess without having heard it in her Symphony. “A shame. I don’t have the rune myself…I could probably convince a family member I don’t loathe to confer it to you one day, if you ever are of the mind. Of course, no rush, no pressure. I just want to extend the offer to you. Of what family I do care for, I am close to.” The man he was referencing was actually a cousin, the son of his family’s head. “Either that, or I could get it myself, train a bit and then confer it to you. Bearing many marks is nothing if not a sign of prestige,” the mixed-blood laughed. “Though for me, personally, it is not high up on my list, I’d be happy to do that. Helps us both, in the end. If I could say I bear four, five…maybe more? Runes, that would be impressive, no?”

Unlike the man’s brother, he and Æros had always actually gotten along. However, his mother disagreed with the parenting style of his uncle and consequently kept the boys apart as many times, Æros would come back quite a bit more defiant of her wishes. Of course, she could not argue with his uncle because of her place in the family, but she could do what she wished with her son. That is, while he was a child. Being an adult, that uncle had actually been attempting to reach out to him of late. The Fæ did not know why because he was doing his best to ignore his family as a whole, but it was getting to a point where he could no longer reasonably do so without causing some modicum of upset…soon, he’d have to find out what it was the man wanted. Which, unknown to him, was a markedly good thing…but that’s a tale for the future.

And when it came to collecting runes, he, at present, had two. Soon, he would collect his third, a gift from his beloved partner. He also held Reaving in his heart as a rune he did so desire, Kinetics would be very useful and then so would Negation. Elementalism, of course, had its appeal but he was not sure how he should prioritize the others once he managed to get Reaving. Nor was he entirely sure where to get Reaving, for that matter. His family was one that typically held things like Semblance, Mesmer, Masquerade and coincidentally, Elementalism, but not really many others. A lot of them passed these runes back and forth, thus keeping them rather pervasive within his house.

As such, his Mesmer had been from his mother, a choice that ended up stabbing her in the back. As she wished, he excelled with it. However, his excellence and majesty with the rune kept her from being able to manipulate him with it, even though she was a master. He, too, rose to mastery early in life. If she had chosen to have another rune granted to him instead, his life would likely be markedly different– a thing he preferred not to think about.

Later, he intended to poke a little more at what it was her father had done that vexed her so, but he preferred she open up a bit more organically. He was able to be patient in this way, to bite back his curiosity, purely because he knew he’d be able to force her to speak if he really wanted to. Such confidence inspires patience in a man who would otherwise possess markedly little thereof.

Regarding animal obesity, he pursed his lips and an expression of disgust as well as a frown appeared on his features. “That is…well, you’re right. I didn’t think people would actually let that happen for…some reason.” He actually sounded somewhat annoyed that people would be that careless with their animals, but was he really surprised? People treated their servii in extremely varying ways, the same principle being applied to animals really ought not to be a shock. He sighed, “...I can understand ignorance from the outset but to deny the opinion of somebody more knowledgeable? A bit…foolish.” His tone of voice indicated a large amount of disrespect towards those he was referring to.

When speaking of hobbies and the ways people spend their time, Æros laughed a bit at the mention of weaving. “I feel much the same. I love weaving conceptually. I've met many weavers and their work never ceases to amaze…but I would never have the patience, either. I prefer things a bit more physically draining, personally.” True enough. He did have an academic mind, but when it came to hobbies, he preferred things like dance and ætheric manipulation. Whether the drain be physical or ætheric, he would end up tired all the same.

When the subject shifted towards plants, Æros was a bit disappointed to learn that the moss did not have the strength to hold up things of much weight. He was, however, quite intrigued when she mentioned the possibility of using alchemy to make something that could accomplish this idea. He could also tell that alchemy as a practice interested Hilana, and like all world magics, alchemy would also benefit from Elementalism. Did she know that, actually?

“Have you an interest in alchemy? I’m sure you could find a mentor in the city. There’s many alchemists of repute. Speaking of Elementalism, however, are you aware of the crystallize ability it has? One can crystallize the essence of a spell into a solid object…and then one can use the resultant crystal as one would use a dragonshard. Such a thing has myriad uses in world magics, alchemy included.” He might as well tell her, and he did cheat a bit using Mesmer to soften her stubbornness regarding Cardinal runes. If anything, this was to help soften bias rather than to create it. He genuinely believed she’d find the applications of the rune to be to her benefit, far beyond whatever it was that created her disdain.

It was painfully on the mark to say that oftentimes, people regained their own sense of control in life by exerting it upon others, particularly when it came to their offspring. He was silent for a moment after she spoke, the subject evocative of feelings most bitter. “Such as it is, yes. Being an anomaly as I am, I had the combination of a mother whose nature was most controlling on top of the fact that everyone expects the world out of those dubbed ‘Starborn.’” A blessing and curse, that.

And when Æros spoke of the complex web of a situation that was the purchase he intended to make, he nodded at her answer. It was an encouraging one, really. “To be fair, he has a distinct advantage over others. I’m naturally…a tough nut to crack when it comes to getting me to become attached, but ah…he has an odd quirk to his Semblance rune, and then when one combines it with my Mesmer and the fact that we’re both masters, it ah…spirals…most pleasantly.” He was trying to give her a bit of an idea about what he meant whilst still maintaining decorum in his speech.

“Granted, it is not as if magic is the only reason. It just accelerated our path, I think.” Without it, they would still easily fall into one another, all things considered, but it would’ve taken quite a bit more time to have opened himself up to the idea of spending such an extravagant sum on the other. And money aside, it was a binding act, too. Even if he did free the boy down the road and part ways, the choice would forever impact both of their lives.

He did note an odd aspect to Symphony at the mention of his paramour, but he couldn’t figure out why such a thing would manifest, given the fact that she lacked context to really have emotions like that regarding him and his situation. It was puzzling, but not altogether strange enough to mention.

Æros watched as Tiaz began to move among the branches as he listened to Hilana speak, noting her apparent lack of worry that the serpent would slither away and disappear. Worst case scenario, really, he could locate the creature by the sound of his Symphony now that he’d heard it enough times to recognize it.

“Ah, well, it’s good to know you have help should you ever actually need it.” While he said this, it did perplex him a bit that two non-mages ran all of this. Dedicated, they truly must be.

To his inquiry about fruit and the like, she offered to lead him and he followed along eagerly. He was quite curious about what they had and perhaps if he’d come across something he’d not seen before, and failing that, something he’d only seen at parties among the upper class. The first thing she pointed out fell into the latter category, something he was familiar with but wasn’t altogether common.

“Yes, actually. They’re served often at parties and gatherings that feature mostly elves, so I have noticed.” He laughed a bit at this, because it did ring true that the events of just elven blood genuinely did serve refreshments of a slightly different flavor than when the Vastii were allowed to partake. A matter of taste, he thought, but funny nonetheless.

The next thing she offered to show him resembled larger, darker versions of a raspberry, but he’d actually not seen this particular type. Or was it a different thing altogether? "Oh, how fascinating…how long have you had these? Are they related at all to raspberries…?” The Færie asked these things as he accepted her offering of a few, and while they were markedly different from the other berries they resembled, he liked them quite a lot. “They’re lovely…I can only imagine how nice baked goods with these would taste.”

He was sufficiently distracted so as to be a bit caught off guard by the next question she asked, immediately confused as to where she had gotten that name. Æros gave her a quizzical look, pausing for a moment before he answered. “...yes, actually. That is his name. Are you familiar with him?”

- - -

'Thoughts'

"Vallenor Tongue/Speech"

"Vastien Tongue/Speech"

"Valasren Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"