Masquerade for Remembrance

Allan was lying on the bed at night, in an inn, remembering the day's events. He had made a mistake, and got his pride hurt. He did what he thought was right: he challenged the offender to a duel, as he'd done time and time before. It was what he knew, how he acted. But there wasn't something right about this battle.
Could it have been because his target was a woman? No, she was capable of defending herself.
Was it her attitude? Maybe, but that doesn't seem like it.
What about her physical condition? She did seem particularly weakened from the start... but... She still seemed like a strong one.

Allan turned over many times as his thoughts kept revolving around the woman, and their encounter. Eventually he drifted to sleep, but then he could only dream about these things. They were terrible... They were nightmares... Each dream was a duel, and in each, something would go wrong... Sometimes a pistol would shoot the woman fatally, sometimes he would accidentally knocked her out of a window, down to the streets below, and other times the two men would end up killing her. Allan couldn't take any more of it. Even in his sleep he had enough will to force himself to wake up. He shot up and jumped out of bed. Walking over to the window, he opened the curtains, and let the light in. It was morning now, and he had made it through the night... amazingly with his sanity still intact. He had an idea: maybe going to a ball would help get his mind off the matter. He dressed himself in his normal clothing, though without his hat or bracers, then went out into town, looking for ballrooms that would be open later. Only one was going to have a dance, and it would start about mid-day. Allan grabbed some food, ran to the Cassandra to grab his 'good clothes,' then returned to the inn. He ate the food, washed himself up, and put on his clothing that he wore out to special events. He wore a similar shirt, pants, and waistcoat, but he changed into a thinner frock-coat that was grey, with gold-colored lining. He also made a point not to wear his bracers, hat, pistols, sword, or headband when going out like this, as it may give him away.

Allan set out to the ballroom, but upon arriving there, he found out it was a masquerade ball. He needed a mask. He quickly searched around town a mask that would do, and soon found one. It displayed the pirate stereotype, which quickly grabbed Allan's attention. He paid for the mask, went back to the inn, then grabbed his hat, and left again. On the way he put on his mask, and then his hat, to help make him look just like what he already was. It seemed a little silly to him, but it worked: he was granted entrance to the ball. His mask was rather hard to see through, so he couldn't really tell what other people were dressed as, nor if some even had their masks on. Not long after entering, he found a suitable table in a corner where he could sit in peace. Allan rarely partook in dances, but he loved to attend them just the same. Suddenly Allan got an urge to just get up and dance. He stood up from his chair, then looked around for someone who was also alone, finding no one at first. It didn't take long, however, to locate someone who Allan had just witnessed sneaking in, apparently lost. For some reason, he was in such a good mood that he waltzed himself right over to the person, and suddenly grabbed their hands. Clearly it was a woman, and she was undoubtedly taken by surprise when Allan started to spin around with her. After several minutes of some very clumsy dancing, on the woman's part mainly, Allan came to an area at the side of the room where there were less people dancing, and tried to see who he was dancing with through is mask. He couldn't make out many details, so he pried off his mask, and stared right down into the very same light blue eyes he'd seen just the day before.

"I... M-M-Madam? I... What are you doing... here, in a ballroom?" Allan was so much shocked by the matter that he had to sit himself down at the nearest table. His widened sage green eyes never lost sight of the woman's amazing light blue eyes. He realized he was still holding one of her hands, and quickly let go, putting his arms at rest, one on the table and the other on the back of the chair. What could she want here? Why did I have to run into her again?

OoC: Okay, my tenses might be a little confused in this, but please bear with me X.X

BiC:

"W-what am I doing? What are you doing?"

I had crept into the building to take a brief rest, having wandered about the town all day. While I had seen many wonderful and beautiful things, everyone seemed too busy to explain to me what they were and where they came from. No one seemed to have the time to tell me the stories I wished to hear, or to even give a brief greeting. All these people seemed to do all day was rush about, and those that did have time merely scorned me as some country girl. Apparently, those were as good as trash here. Slowly, it became clear to me why the pirate had attacked me. He had seen me as some back land country girl, who had been stupid enough to take pity on someone of a higher class. No wonder he had been offended...

And then I had realized what a mess I had thrown myself into. I had been standing in some massive dance hall, where music and laughter was echoing everywhere. People in fine attire were dancing in graceful circles, hiding their faces with strange masks. The floor was taken up with these dancers, and those who were not engaging in such activity crowded around the walls, speaking lightly to each other. I had only been able to stare at the bright colors of the banners and streamers tacked across the ceiling, the potpourri of perfume making me dizzy. The whole scene was like the bedtime stories my father had used to tell me, where lovely princesses would dance with their princes across a room of eloquent beauty. Never in my life would I have guessed that I would someday walk right into one.

Unfortunately, I had not been able to gawk at the gaudy dream for long. Without warning, a man had suddenly grabbed me, a dark mask covering his face. I would have protested, but I had no breath with which to speak. It was all I had been able to do to stay on my feet as the man swirled us around, a broad smile on his face. I had clung to the man fearfully, blood rushing to my face as he held me. It had felt as if at any moment he could suddenly drop me, gaining all of the attention of the finely dressed dancers around us. It seemed like they were caught up in their own fantasies, flirting with each other as they swung across the floor.

And then the man had suddenly stopped. He had pulled his mask off, revealing the face of the pirate I had fought, and falling to a seat, exclaimed, "I... M-M-Madam? I... What are you doing... here, in a ballroom?" After giving him my reply, I could only stare. I felt suddenly weak, as if I would faint. All around me, the swirling colors were making me sick, and to realize I had been in the arms of my attacker was overwhelming. I wanted to run, but my sense of direction was entirely confounded. It was difficult to even stand, much less, move!

Allan regained his composure quickly, and sat himself up. "What am I doing? I'm attending a ball, clearly. I happen to enjoy them very much, though under normal conditions, dancing is difficult to me. Thanks to you, it would seem, I can dance more easily for a time." He looked the woman over for more detail. She was obviously confused at having met him again, and in such a manner no doubt made it much worse for her. "Now then... We should get you out of here. Take no offence, but this is not a place for a low-class "commoner" like yourself. Let's go, before someone reports you." Allan took the woman's arms immediately after standing, and waltzed with her over to where she had slipped in, then proceeded to pull her out with him. "Now that we're clear of that... I ask again, what are you doing here?

"Unn..." I hardly heard the words Allan spoke, my stomach churning almost as hard as my head was spinning. With a good deal of reluctance, I laid my head on his shoulder, using him to keep myself from falling. "Could you please refrain from doing that again?" My voice was a moan, just as weak as the rest of me.

In the back of my head, I tried to remember what the pirate had said, but it was impossible when my mind was reeling. It had been something offensive, something about being 'common', but I honestly did not care at the moment. I just wanted to keep from falling on the filthy stone ground beneath me.

OoC: Short post, but...eh...nope. Can't find a good reason for it.

Allan thought the woman was on the verge of fainting, and so put her arm over his shoulder, then brought the rest of her up into his arms. He ran from where he was, through a very crowded street, commanding everyone out of the way. Most people moved, but Alan was still forced to dodge several bystanders who hadn't noticed him. As he ran through the uphill street, a fancy looking inn caught his eye, and he made that his destination. He burst through the doors and ran with the woman to a couch in the lobby, where he set her down.

"Get some water!" Allan gruffly commanded the inn staff nearest him to fetch some water for the woman. When the water came he supported her head, then put the fine glass cup to her lips. She was just strong enough to drink it at first, but after she could feel the cool, clean water running down her throat, it seemed to energize her a bit. Allan grabbed a pillow from the edge of the couch and put it under her head, for a much softer support than his arm. "Madam, are you feeling any better?"

"Who are you two?" A deep male voiced boomed out angrily from behind Allan. He turned to see a slightly overweight, pompous man standing just outside of a door. He seemed to be the owner of the inn, based on his attitude and looks.

"This woman was fainting, and I had to do something about it, sir. Please, she needs to rest for a moment or two." The man walked over the Allan and looked him right in the eye.

"What are you doing bringing a dirty ragweed in here!? That couch is VERY expensive!" The man was fuming, clearly upset because of what Allan had done.

"Sir, I will ask you to never speak of this woman in such a manner." He turned back to the woman and crouched beside the couch, asking his question once again. "Are you alright?" The owner was taken aback by Allan's action, but simply stormed off back into his office.

OoC: Whew...that took a while...

BiC:

Low class, Commoner, Ragweed? I am not—With sudden realization, I looked down at myself, realizing feverishly that I was indeed unfit for such a lavish place. While I had had a chance to bathe this morning, my travels had rendered my clothes dusty, covering my boots in mud. Here, my homespun clothing appeared rough and ragged, while in Bren, such would be considered lucky to have. The finery of these noble men and women...such things I had only dreamed of seeing. In this strange foreign place, it was these people that received any kind of respect. Those without generally seemed to avoid the places Allan had whisked me into.

Allan, the pirate...

I gazed up at the man bending over me, noticing for the first time just how deep his green eyes were. They reminded me of the tall pines of the mountains I had traveled, whose sturdy build allowed them to survive in the unforgiving climate. Their sharp needles were as green as the man's eyes, though their pointed ends could not match the sharpness of them when he was angry. It was odd to see such concern in them now, and I suddenly realized my folly in believing that he had been cruel to me.

When I had stolen Allan's honor, he had challenged me to a duel. If he had considered me a ruffian, as these other people did, he would not have hesitated to shoot me, or even beat me for my rash action. Instead, he offered me a fair fight, protecting and offering me aid when he had finished. Even now, he was treating me as nobles treated their women, with respectful names and polite gestures. My stomach clenched to remember how he had rushed me down the street, carrying me so carefully in his arms. He had no way of knowing that no one held me like that, that no one would so much as touch the hand of a creature like me. How had I ever gained the nerve to think so badly of him?

And then I realized that there was a question I was supposed to answer. I had been so lost in thought that I had neglected to answer the pirate, who was still waiting patiently at my side. What on earth had moved him to such kindness towards me?

"I am well." I answered suddenly, hoping I had not annoyed him with my delayed reply. My head was finally starting to clear, with large thanks to the water Allan had given me, and I managed to smile. For one odd reason or another, I could not find it in myself to reprimand him for putting me here in the first place. My unwilling dance with him now felt more like a fortunate chance of events, as he seemed to be the only person in the town willing to tolerate my company. I felt a sudden urge to confide in him my wishes to learn more of this strange place, knowing that he would not scoff or laugh at my ignorance. He was not like these pompous men, though his fine appearance could fool anyone.

But I could not bring myself to ask the man for his help. He had already given me too much, and I had pulled him from his fine party. I could not help but smile to remember how he had grinned at me, so jubilant that he would pull away the nearest woman to dance with him. Had I not been so taken aback from the brilliant surroundings, I may have actually enjoyed the event. I had never engaged in dancing while I had lived in Bren, though Hemanias used to comment that the way I moved in battle looked like such. This had only made me laugh, for I never suspected that I would know what it felt like to engage in such activity. After sweeping around the floor with Allan, I much preferred facing off against his pistols. Absentmindedly, I wondered how he would feel if he knew a dance would have caused me to faint much more effectively than a duel would.

"I fear I have troubled you enough, and yet..." I broke off suddenly, my hesitation making it difficult to give him my request. His expression was still kind, but for some reason I could not fathom, it made it more difficult to ask. "May I ask for your help?"

Allan had waited several moments for a reply from the woman, and he got one. Moments after she confirmed that she was feeling better, she asked a question that seemed strange to Allan, yet didn't surprise him. This woman, who he had met him just the day before in a duel, was now asking for his help. But what did she want from him? Was there a task she had come here to complete, and needed aid in it? Was she lost and needed directions? Whatever it was, Allan saw it as a perfect chance to finally learn the woman's name. He deserved it by now, did he not?

"Madam, I will be more than happy to offer my assistance as long as I am on shore-leave... But under one condition: I ask of you only for your name, as it has thus far eluded me. Grant me this, and I shall do what I can for you during my stay." Allan stood and helped the woman up, then walked with her outside while she seemed to contemplate his request. Even Allan himself thought it sounded a bit silly, but it would mean a lot to him.

"You desire my name?" I smiled slightly at this, glad that the pirate wished for such a simple thing in return for his help. "I am Leonna, and despite what appears to be the popular opinon, I am not a ragweed." I stopped suddenly, gazing shyly at the man's face. How would I even begin to tell him what I desired of him? What would he say if I told him I wanted to know everything about everything around me, to hear every story and myth he knew of? It would take hours to glean such information, and a great deal of patience on his part. Would he take offence to the odd request as he had when I offered him my medicine? Would he think I was stupid?

And on top of that, he was not some fool wandering around aimlessly. He had things to do, and was certainly limited by his...shore-leave, was it? Such a term I had never heard of. In my short time in this town, I had heard many such words, like "gun" and "farthing," "cookie" and "swordfish." In fact, such strange things there were so many of, and I could only guess what a "swordfish" looked like. Was it a narrowly shaped fish that looked like a sword, or was the term not meant to be taken literally? Was a cookie something you simply cooked, or was that a name meant only to symbolize something? Why did it all have to be so confusing?

Not knowing how to even start, I simply asked the first question that came to mind. "What is shore-leave? And that weapon you carried...what is it?"

Allan was a bit surprised when the woman, who he now knew to be named Leonna, asked the meaning of a term he'd known of nearly his entire life. "Well, I'm a sailor, meaning I work on a massive wooden vessel that floats along on the water. I spend most of my life on these ships, as travelling between ports, like this one, takes a very long time. When our ships are docked in these ports, we take a sort of break from floating around in the ocean. This break is called 'shore-leave' because we're taking leave on the shore." Allan tried to explain it in very simple terms, but if he went too simple, he would go on for ages explaining each term. He felt like he was explaining things to a child, and he really sort of saw things in that way. This innocent woman had never seemed to have been a part of such a place as his own, and thus was like a child coming into the world. He felt good around Leonna, and yet this better feeling really made him feel worse for attacking her.

Allan motioned for Leonna to follow him as he walked, with the inn he was staying at set as his destination. "I carry a few different kinds of weapons. Mainly, I have nine pistols." He glanced down at Leonna's face, only to see a sign of confusion. "A pistol is... Well, it... How to describe it... It's like a tube with a handle, that uses the force of an explosion to push a tiny ball out of the tube, and forward very fast. It... Well quite frankly, it's used to kill..." Leonna was clearly upset by the purpose of the weapon, but didn't say anything about it. "The sword I use is basically the same thing, but with a large blade attached to it, for melee attacks, like any sword. Other than those, I also carry special bombs. Bombs cause explosions like in my pistols, but much larger. MY bombs, on the other hand, aren't used to kill. One type, as you've seen, creates a thick cloud of smoke that allows me to escape unseen, or attack without being targeted. The other kind I carry create a very bright flash of light that will temporarily blind people close to it." Allan felt like he was starting to ramble, and stopped speaking for a short moment. He looked at Leonna, then asked a question of her. "And you... What about the weapon you carry? Just as my pistol is foreign to you, your staff seems quite foreign to me."

I felt my trepidation ease as Allan carefully explained the answers to my questions. He almost seemed to enjoy it, filling me with an excitment I had not felt since I first discovered the ruins near my village. It was a massive uncovering of knowledge, an entrance to a world I had previously been oblivous to. Allan appeared to be walking to some destination of his own as he spoke, but I could not care less. I followed him willingly, hanging on every word he said.

When Allan inquired about my staff, it took me a moment to switch my train of thought to the fragile looking object. The crystalline thing was a mystery to me as well. "There is little I know about it myself, save that it was there when--" I stopped myself suddenly, unsure of what to say. What came to mind was, it was there when I was born, but that was not entirely correct. To say I had been born that way would be to say that it was the sky that had created me. To say that my staff had somehow come from my homeland as I had would be to claim myself as a creature from another dimension. I would have to start over to get it straight.

"It was a gift." A vauge answer, yes, but what more could I say? Would he really believe the qualities of this staff, which I was convinced was formed by magical means? I had come to learn that humans feared such things, calling it demonic or witchcraft. And yet...Allan had not once accused me of such. He knew I was something more than human, but that was as far as I wanted to go. Eventually, he would surely come to the same conclusion as all had, that I was merely a strange human. Of course, that would be difficult since he had seen my healing powers.

But it made me feel horrible. Witholding information when he so kindly gave it to me was more than just bad mannered, it was unfair! I wanted to please him, to understand him, and it was silly to expect such when I treated him so badly. But what could I do? I could not reveal myself in this place...not as long as there were so many people about. Perhaps if I waited for an opportunity for us to be alone...then I could show him what he desired to see. He told me the day before that he had been looking for fae, and while I did not believe myself to be an actual fairy, I certainly was a creature of magical nature. The thought of this made me suddenly eager to show him, but fear was also strong within me. I did not want to be rejected again as a monster, as I always had, and these few moments I had with him were precious. There was so much to learn, and it felt...wonderful to be in someone else's company for a change.

"It would be easier to show you, but," I sighed deeply, resolving within myself to actually carry out the promise I was about to make, "as you can surely see, such would be difficult to do in this particular area. When a quieter place presents itself, I would be willing to show you."

As we continued to walk down the street, something caught my attention that caused me to stop. Before me was another shop window, thick english printing stained on the glass. I could not read it, but the contents within the shop's display were fasinating. There were brightly cut out sqaures, circles and triangles of strange composition, some appearing to be decorated with fuit. Most of these strange decorations were lined with delicate white bumps or drizzled brown lines, some looking soft and others glossy in the afternoon sun. These objects seemed to be painted in many different colors, some even being a bright pink. The shape that caught most of my attention, however, was a perfectly yellow cube. On its face was a thick cream-like substance with a few chopped strawberries sitting in a bunch on the center of it.

"What on earth is that?" I wondered aloud.

OoC: I'll give yaz one guess what kind of cake it is that she's musing about...

OoC: I don't know much of anything about cake types.

BiC (pens, lol): Leonna had seemed rather uneasy at answering his question, as was indicated by her pause, and subsequent change of wording. Clearly she was hiding something, and wouldn't be revealing it for a time. "It would be easier to show you, but," Leonna sighed, then continued, saying, "as you can surely see, such would be difficult to do in this particular area. When a quieter place presents itself, I would be willing to show you." Allan nodded his head with understanding approval, but when he looked up again, Leonna had stepped in front of a bakery, which displayed several different, beautifully crafted cakes. He smiled as he watched Leonna observe each cake in order, then focus her sights on a single cake, near the back of the display. "What on earth is that?" she asked, in a tone of curiously. Allan stepped beside her, and looked at the cake himself.

"That... is a cake. It's made from several items which come together to make a batter, a thick food substance, then baked in an oven. It goes from a pan of batter, to a cake in a few hours time. Then it is topped with icing, which is a very sweet substance that is used to make the cakes look and taste better. Some cakes even consist of a few layers of cake pieces, and icing. Personally, I do not know much about fine cakes like these, as I'm usually stuck eating dry bread, crackers, and occasionally potato ca...kes..." Allan's voice trailed off as a certain cake, off to the left of the display caught his eye. This cake looked two be made of two layers of chocolate cake, with a layer of jam in-between them, and then covered on chocolate frosting. Allan's mouth began to water, and he forgot all about Leonna for a time, as his desire for such a wondrous looking cake overpowered him. Without thinking he spoke to Leonna, without even moving his gaze from the cake. "How about you and I go get some, would you like that? I can pay for the both of us." He finally turned away from the cake, and led Leonna inside the bakery. A man behind the counter came out with a big smile on his face.

"Welcome, me friends! Please, seat you selfs down in zee chairs. I will be wiz you in just a mooment." He walked back behind the counter, and through some doors which clearly led into the kitchen. Allan sat down, but Leonna wandered around inside, taking in every detail she could. Within a few minutes the man came back out. "Now zen, what would joo like from me fine bakery, hm?" Allan stood and walked over to the display.

"I'd like a slice of this cake here," he pointed to the chocolate cake, "and my partner here would like to have a slice of the cake there." Allan pointed to the yellow cake Leonna had so wondered about.

"Yez, yez! Very good choice, sir!" The man immediately grabbed two plates, a knife, and a small spatula, then walked to the cakes, cutting a single slice from each, and putting it on a plate. "Here you are, sir. One slice each. Zat will be zeven coins, please." Allan reached into his coat, only to find six coins.

"Oh dear... I seem only to have six coins... I'm sorry for troubling you so, but it seems I cannot pay for both slices." The man came to Allan shaking his head quickly.

"Oh no, no, sir! Do not be worrying, please. Six coins will do just fine, sir." Allan nodded, then handed the man his six coins.

"Thank you kindly, sir." The man nodded back, the returned into the kitchen. Allan walked over to Leonna, and asked her to follow him to a table, to which she agreed. They sat down, and Allan placed the plate with her cake in front of her, then fetched two forks. He handed Leonna the utensil, then immediately dug right into his own slice. As soon as it was completely in his mouth, he let out a long, deep "mmmm." He held it there for a moment, then started to slowly chew it. It was one of the most flavorful cakes he'd ever eaten in his life... and he had gotten a deal on it. After eventually swallowing the piece, he spoke again. "After we're finished here, we can continue on our way to the inn I'm staying it. It's quite comfortable, and rather secluded. No one should bother us there." Suddenly the man burst out from the kitchen, giggling. He had obviously been eves-dropping on them, waiting for something.

"Joo are a couple, I knew eet! Joo look zo wonderful togezer! Such a beauteeful wooman, and a strong, handzome man! Ah-haha, lovely!" Allan blushed with such speed it seemed almost is if he did the impossible.

"I- No, no! You've got it all wrong sir! She and I... We're not a... um, a couple, no." Allan's voice sounded very awkward as he stumbled over his words a bit. He heard a little giggle to his side, clearly coming from Leonna. This only made him blush more. To not seem cold, he let out an very awkward sounding laugh, but it trailed off.

"No, sir, I know zeez t'ings! I can zee you two are a couple! Hehe!" He walked back into the kitchen, leaving the two alone again. Allan turned quietly back to his cake, and started to eat it again, noiselessly. Moments of silence followed, but when Allan looked up at Leonna, he could see her smiling just a little to herself. He sighed quietly, and finished up his cake.

OoC: STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE! Nummy...

BiC:

As soon as the baker with a strange accent gave me a slice of the cake, I realized that it was indeed some sort bread. It was much too fine and pale to be made out of cornmeal, and I was amazed to think that it was made from flour. Such a fine substance was extremely difficult to come across in Bren, and I could not honestly say that I had ever tasted it before. I was eager to try the cake once the baker placed the strange dish before me, but I was at a loss at how to eat it. Normally, I would not have hesitated to eat it like normal bread, but Allan handed me some kind of three pronged tool. It looked almost excatly like a pitchfork, save it was much, much smaller, fitting lightly in my hand. I grasped it and stared at the pirate, wondering what on earth he was going to do with it.

Thankfully, I did not have to wait long. Allan was eager to eat his cake as well, and he quickly dug his fork into his piece, bringing a chunk of it into his mouth. I thought it was a most bizzare way to eat food, but not wanting to offend him, I copied his actions, using the strange pitchfork to eat the cake. It felt truly akward, but this was soon forgotten once I had a taste of the cake. The whole bite, cream and all, was so sweet that it tickled my tongue. I giggled in response to the sensation, quickly covering my mouth as to not offend Allan. It was another moment before he spoke again.

"After we're finished here, we can continue on our way to the inn I'm staying it. It's quite comfortable, and rather secluded. No one should bother us there." My stomach tightened at the sound of revealing myself so soon, but...maybe I did not need to. The pirate had only questioned my staff, but it would be difficult to explain its qualities without showing him why it worked. The staff and I were almost melded together, our ablities not complete without the other. I could use my flame without my staff, but it served so well as a catalyst that my magic was significantly easier to use when I held it. Likewise, my staff was merely a hard crystal object without me, not able to absorb and release energy without me touching it. I would not be able to explain this 'energy' accurately without revealing the fact that I was some sort of fire demon. How would Allan react to that?

Without warning, the baker suddenly came in again, giggling mischeiveiously as if he had caught two lovers in a secret embrace. "Joo are a couple, I knew eet! Joo look zo wonderful togezer! Such a beauteeful wooman, and a strong, handzome man! Ah-haha, lovely!"

I laughed at the strange conclusion, both puzzled and amused at how it caused Allan's face to redden. He seemed almost embarrased and immediately went back to his cake. I continued to smile as we ate, realizing that the baker had at least been right about one thing. The pirate was strong and...handsome, as the baker had said. His strength I had painfully learned of yesterday, but his looks...I had been so taken with everything around me that I had never really had the chance to look at him. His skin was a hardy tan, probably from all of his sailing, but it appeared smooth, rather than rough. Even his face was nicely shaped, strong and angular as a grown man's should be. His hair had been smoothly pulled back into a small ponytail, a hair style I had never seen before on a man. Strangely enough, it did not seem feminine in any way, rather, it made him look foriegn to me.

But what was with that stripe of gray in his dark black hair? Allan was not old enough for it to be a sign of age--his lean, muscular body was not that of an old man's. I wanted to ask him why he had such a thing, but such a question seemed impolite. After all, he had not asked me about my strange eyes, which had not appeared to bother him in the least. They were more than just a strange human trait; they were not human at all.

And then I suddenly wondered, was this man something more than human as well? He could use his pistols with amazing speed and accuracy, able to use them effectively even when he was not firing them. He had that odd mark in his hair, and he was not disgusted by me as most of the townspeople had been. I was beginning to notice that I seemed to attract the odd humans I came across, while I repelled all of the normal ones. Such had been the case when I had met the great king Haradin of Alzio, right on a deserted mountain, of all places! While I knew Allan was no king, there was still that air of mystery about him, as if I was meeting some kind of character that belonged in the stories from my past. Of course, I knew it was silly, as there was still so little that I knew about the world. Seeing all of these things I had only dreamed about, even the ocean, it all felt so surreal.

My thoughts came to a sudden halt when Allan looked up at me. I should have known better than to stare at him, and quickly averted my eyes, a new kind of tension working its way into me. Not good. I did not need more to worry about, especially if he thought of me...

No. I would not do this to myself. Already, I was setting myself up for rejection, and I did not need to add more to it with false hopes. Friends I could never have, and so much as thinking of having something more than that was simply stupid. Besides, I hardly knew the man! For all I knew, he was a cold blooded murderer who put on a fancy mask whenever he was not out robbing unsuspecting merchant ships.

I know he is not. Surely, such kindness cannot be false!

But he had attacked me on the very day we had met! I had not forgotton how he had pursued and insulted me when I had risked myself to try and help him.

He could have shot me! He could have left me to those horrible men, but he risked his life to protect me. Allan has honor!

But what was he going to do? When we reached the inn and my questions were through, what would he think? He had no idea that I was a monster, not some lost fae creature trapped in a human establishment. There was no way he knew the innocent deaths I had caused, the horrible pain I had inflicted on the very people I loved! After the terrible events in Bren, I had promised never again to cause such pain, and as a creature of destructive nature, that meant that I had not choice but to separate myself from those I came across. Otherwise, the tragedy would repeat itself.

"Shall we continue?" I gave him an empty smile, trying hard to conceal the new emotions that now weighed me down. The pirate nodded and stood, and we both left the warm smelling bakery with the baker smiling after us. As we walked again, I felt the need to keep my mind off of my inner thoughts, and so came up with another question to ask. "Allan, I do not mean to pry, but that wound you had on your right leg...how did you get it?"

OoC: Okay, a little angsty, but...that's just Leonna. Hope yaz don't mind.

OoC: Heh, angst is fine by me, and quite understandable, given the situation. As for the cake, I have yet to see a shortcake with frosting on it.

BiC: Allan was feeling quite embarrassed by the man from the bakery, and as such, when Leonna asked to leave, he stayed a bit of a distance from her, hoping no one else would get the same idea. They were not a couple at all, only two acquaintances... That was all. There couldn't be more. While Leonna did make him feel good, there secretly was another for whom he would some day give his heart, even though he wouldn't admit it to anyone. His thoughts started to fade, but Leonna asked another question... a rather personal one... She was asking about his leg injury... His skin felt cold all over, and his stomach crunched a the thought of it. He kept his gaze forward, searching for the inn.

"I... I'd rather not speak of it here. Like you, I have something to hide from the masses, lest I be beat under their iron fists, called law and justice." Allan's voice was very soft, and he hoped only Leonna would hear him. She nodded, and there was a long moment of walking, and thinking. Finally Allan could see the corner that would lead to the inn. "We'll be there relatively soon, mada- Uh, Leon- Um... How should I address you?"

OoC: I think I said it was cream, not frosting...oh well. Loved the angst, by the way.

Again I smiled, amused by Allan's strange mannerisims. "Leonna is sufficient." Just another name, nothing more. What amused me, however, was that he spoke of his past so warily, though he walked so easily in the crowded streets. While pirates certainly were criminals, I supposed no one had suspected that Allan was one. It was actually quite amusing, seeing how confidently he had announced to me that he was a pirate. Apparently, he either trusted me with the information, or he simply thought that no one would believe me if I dared to accuse him. Or perhaps his words were merely an excuse, and the matter was too private for him to speak of it freely. My curiosity was aroused at such an idea. What would be so deep that he would not wish to reveal it? Was it something that might prove he was more than a normal human? Or was it something more personal...perhaps a great loss? A friend, a family member...a lover?

It had not yet occured to me what kind of connections Allan might have. If he was truly as rich as he looked, it was very possible that he had some power in the world of men. What if he was a captain, or someone of high class on a ship? That would explain his high status in the town. Someone with skills like his could easily put him in a place of power on a violent pirate ship. So why was he spending time with me? Did he not have more important buisness to attend to?

With a slight smile, I turned to Allan again, wondering just how much of his past I would actually be able to uncover. Would it even be truthful? "Allan, what do you think of the ocean?" It was a bit of an odd question, but if he did not wish to speak of piracy, he could at least tell me of the great waters that seemed to go on forever. What would dedicate a man's life to a life on water?

Allan slowed his pace to think about Leonna's question. It wasn't one of learning... More like one you would ask if you wanted to know more about someone. He kept thinking for a moment more before answering.

"The ocean is not so much a love for me, as it is a life. I don't have any exceptional love of it over land because it's simply my life, and always has been. But it also provides a greater freedom then land..." Allan trailed off a bit, trying to think of a way to explain such personal matters without mention of being a pirate. "You see, I was born in a ship on the ocean, and lived the very first year of my life there. After being taken to land, I lived with my mother, and my sister Cambree, while my father continued his business. I was born into a family of traders, so I was brought up very well... But it took my father seven years to return home, at which point he had a year with which to get to know me better, and I him. I was finally taken back on a ship after that year, and started working with my father. During my six years there, we had been attacked by pirates once, but won easy..." Allan's walk stiffened a bit as he thought about what happened next. "I... We're almost to the inn... I'll finish there..." Allan turned away, clearly upset, but still spoke. "Anyway... as I was saying, the ocean provides a freedom not found on land, but also a restriction: I'm confined to only a single ship for a year or more at a time... and with a captain like mine... Let's just say shore-leave means more to me than some of my crew-members, haha." Allan glanced up ahead, and saw the inn, which was situated on the edge of a cliff, and had a wonderful view of the port.

When the two got to the entrance, they were stopped by an employee. "Who is that?" the man inquired.

"She's with me." Allan gave the man a sharp stare, and he backed away, letting them in. Allan bent down to Leonna's ear, and whispered. "Stay close. This may be a nice inn, but many of my crew are staying here. If you wander off without me, I can't protect you." Leonna seemed uneasy at Allan's comment, as she should have been, but nodded and stayed by his side. They walked through a large lobby, into a hallway, up a set of stairs, down another hallway, and finally to a door at the end. As Allan was unlocking his door, one of his crew had been eying Leonna, giving her a sort of dirty look.

"Eh, who's this bit a treasure ye pulled in?" The man had been leaning against the wall but started walking towards Leonna. Allan frowned, and stepped between the two, seeming to tower over the man.

"That is none of your business. You would do best to find another woman. Now get out of here." The man winced at Allan's deep, commanding voice, then nodded, and walked quickly away. Allan walked back to his door, opened it, then motioned for Leonna to step inside the room. He closed the door behind himself after entering, walked over to the window, then opened it, revealing a clear view of the port, about a mile away. He turned to Leonna, and his manner relaxed. After throwing off his frock-coat, he began to speak again. "I couldn't tell you more of my life, nor anything about my injury as they both tie in directly with my occupation, and I didn't want to reveal myself to all those people." He sighed, then continued. "My family's ship was attacked a second time, and we weren't so lucky... Half the crew was killed in the attack, and my family and I were put up for ransom. A rich tycoon bought my sister and I, thus I was taken from my parents... and even worse, I was separated from my sister and set to work on one of the tycoon's ships. Some time later, I found out the truth about this 'tycoon'... One day, the ship I was on met up with several more, and we travelled together few some more time. Eventually, our ships started to attack a mass of Royal Navy ships. I was thrown below deck, but soon someone handed me some pistols, and told me very quickly how to use them." Allan sat down on his bed and continued. "That day I killed nine officers of the Royal Navy, an unforgivable crime in the eyes of the government. I was knocked out, but when I came to some time later, I was with the tycoon, and he awarded me with the nine pistols I currently have. He was a pirate... I worked with this man for a good while, as a pirate myself, but..." Allan seemed to lighten up a bit, and he smiled lightly. "Then I met Captain Kaida Wilcott. She's strong, and has such loyalty from her crew... She's amazing, but goodness, she won't give up!" He looked at Leonna, clearly having lost her with what he'd just said. "Oh, well... you see... she, uh... She's very insistent in the matter of a relationship between us. To me, she's my captain, plain and simple... She, on the other hand, is madly in love with me, and often times tries to seduce me." Allan started feeling uneasy, and coughed. "Aaaanyway, a few days later, I left the service of the tycoon, and joined Captain Wilcott. Some years after I had climbed through the ranks, I'm now First-mate, we had attacked a ship." Allan stood up, and walked to the window. He paused for a long time, and shivered once.

"Maybe I-" Leonna tried to speak, but was cut off by Allan.

"No no, it's alright. A boarding party and I had boarded the ship, but suddenly many Royal Navy officers burst out, and attacked us. During the battle, one of them... One of them tripped, and his sword was thrust right into my leg. Part of the bone was shattered, and it never really healed. After we won the battle... Well I'll be blunt... I ordered the ship and crew sunk for housing officers of the Royal Navy. That's really all there is to my life. I'm a pirate, and I sail around committing acts of piracy. Works well for me, as you can see, haha." Allan turned to Leonna, not really able to tell what emotion she was feeling. It seemed like several emotions were rushing through her. He stepped closer. "Are... are you alright, Leonna?"

"I...I cannot pretend to understand your ways, Allan." I sank down into a wooden chair beside the table in his room. His story had been so many things at once, both happy and sad. He had lived on a ship for the majority of his life, taken from his family and forced to kill when he was still young. From then on, his life had been one of bondage and freedom, forced to kill but free to disobey the law. As he had pointed out, he had indeed done quite well for himself in such a profession, but at what cost? He had no family, no law to protect him, and a ship full of crude men to call home. Allan seemed content with it, though not entirely happy.

Something within me told me that I should be afraid of this man, that he was in fact a murderer who had avoided the law. However, this was sidetracked by the sorrow I felt for him, and the great kindness he had shown me. It seemed that he felt no powerful guilt or happiness in killing, which I had seen before. Men who took on the lives of soldiers and fighters learned how to desensitise themselves to death. When they saw so much of it, they eventually became accustomed to it, violence as natural to them as drinking water. It was no life to be jealous of, but it was tolerable, and beneficial to those like Allan who had learned to do well for himself. Despite this, however, I did not believe that any man could truly relish such a life when he knew he was destroying nature's greatest gift. Somehow they had to realize that they were killing their own brothers, that death brought nothing but pain and emptiness.

And this made me angry. Humans were creatures of choice, choosing upon which path they trode upon. In all of their freedom, they chose to kill, to inflict sorrow where it was not needed. With their families and fortunes, they still found themselves as poor, always needing something more to satisfy their greed. Even with the world itself at their very feet they would find sorrow for themselves, unable to turn to the world for help. If I had thought that way, if I had ignored the gifts of nature itself, I would not have had the pleasure of wallowing in self pity. I would be dead.

Unlike these humans, I did not have a choice. The energy that flowed through my body did so against my own will. I had to contain the flame that wanted to burn outside of my body, the flame that would destroy everything it touched. The people of Bren had known this, and they had done well to keep as far away from me as possible. Even in my efforts to protect them, I had harmed them, unable to use my flame to destroy only that which threatend them. My presence brought pain and suffering upon those I associated with, for I was an outcast, a freak that did not belong to the world. Those that took pity on me were shunned as fools and conspirators, hated because they would accept the unacceptable; a demon.

It escaped me entirely why those without a curse like mine would choose to destroy. I loathed my very being because consuming was the inherent nature of my body. It absorbed heat and released flame, like a match that would never go out. Everything around it would burn, and so it had to be contained, kept far away from all it could harm. As one who could do nothing but destroy, I could never have what these humans did. They could live around others without fear of harming them, and yet they willfully chose to do so. Why?

With a deep sigh, I propped my elbow up on the table, resting my head upon my hand. Allan's tale had stirred me deeply, but now was not the time to dwell on such things. After all, nothing would come of this. Soon enough, he would desire me to show him what I truly was, and this polite pretense between us would end. I would probably be the first monster of magical nature that he would meet, and I imagined he would try to kill me. Men had so little patience for the creatures they deemed to be inhuman. I would be forced to flee, if he did not succeed in shooting me first, and then it would be best to leave the town completely. All that I had learned here I would keep safe within me, but in the meantime, I had to glean as much information as I could.

"It would seem that your past holds many sorrows, and for that I am sorry. I, too, know of such things, though I have never set foot on a ship before. Now," I smiled slightly, trying to lighten things up a bit, "there is something else that has bothered me for some time. Do you know what a swordfish is?"

One of Allan's eyebrows moved up. Certainly one of her sillier questions. But allas, he did make a promise.

"I may not be a fisherman, but I do have something here..." Allan walked to his red frock-coat, dug through it a bit, and took out a small, leather-bound book. "It's a book about some common fish. Let's see if I can find a picture for you..." Allan flipped through half the book, stopping only twice before finding the page he desired. He showed Leonna a picture of a blue and silver fish with curved fins, and a long, skinny extension coming out of it's upper lip. Allan turned the book back and proceded to read the page.

"Swordfish: Xiphias gladius
Max length: 455 cm
Max weight: 650 kg
Swordfish are so named for the long, thin bill that protrudes from their upper jaw. Most hunt at night, thrashing their sword-like bills around to kill or stun their prey. Adult Swordfish have very few natural predators, including only large sharks, sperm whales, and orcas. Some Swordfish have been mistaken for Marlin, but they are shorter that Marlin, and their bills longer. Swordfish are a popular fish for hunting, as they provide a challenge to hunters, and are also good fish for cooking."

Allan looked at Leonna. "That's what the book says about them." He flipped to the next page. "Oh, there's more. I'm sure you've got the basic idea, though." Allan put the book away then stood himself firmly in front of Leonna, and cleared his throat. "Now then, we're alone. None of my men would dare eves-drop on us, and we're at the edge of a cliff. There's no one to see or hear us." Allan's glace turned to Leonna's staff. "I've answered your prying questions, so now I ask that you answer mine: What is that staff you carry?" Allan noticed his pose, and stepped back, loosening up. "Please."

"Forever polite, I see." It was true. Even in anger, Allan was chivalrous to the point of being quixotic. Such nature was perhaps the thing that distinguished him most from his other men, and I could not begin to guess how he had acquired it when living the life of a pirate.

I let my nervousness settle in before I stood again, unsure if he would be satisfied with what explanation I had to offer. Unlike him with his pistols, there was very, very little I knew about the object I had possessed for more than half of my life. "This staff is merely a staff. I know not of what it is made, where it was made, or how it was constructed. Neither do I know how it works or why it does strange things when hit with metal. I know only that it was given to me by a very precious friend, and I have kept it since." This was only half true, as I had theories about where my staff came from and I knew very well how to use it for my magic. Of course, Allan was not to know of my magic. He had seen enough as it was, and digging in deeper would end our pleasant confrontation.

Digging in the back of my mind, too, was the book Allan had in his coat. He had no idea of how much I loved books, especially when they contained so much information about nature. Unlike people, books would yield their secrets and knowledge without question, freely speaking of a world I knew so little about. When the pirate read to me in his rough human language, I felt the excitement of days passed, when Hemanias had allowed me to study his books on plants. He used to read to me, too, as I still struggled with human words. Of course, that did not stop my insatiable need for information, and it felt like the desire was burning even stronger the more Allan told me. He had defined for me one fish, and then given me the mystery of three more. I wanted to behold the strange beast with my own eyes, as I had the many specimens in my own book.

But even in my excited thoughts, I felt dread. The expression on Allan's face was not quite satisfied. If I changed the subject with another question, would he suspect I was hiding something? Would he refuse to give more answers when mine were so vague? Almost inadvertently, I was testing the extent of of his patience. How much longer could I drag this on until he fell into suspicion? With the two of us alone, there was nothing to distract him. I needed to be creative, to catch him off guard.


"And what of this eavesdropping? Who was that man who spoke to you?" In the back of my mind, I wondered how his infatuated captain would feel if she found out about our meeting. Almost everyone we came across seemed to think of us as a couple.

Allan frowned. Even when there was nothing to fear, Leonna still hid something from him. Allan was curious to know, but didn't want to pry too much, thinking that he'd scare her by getting too rough without even noticing. When she asked about the man he'd spoken to, he turned to the door.

"Daren Willfield. He's one of the troublemakers when the captain isn't around. I can't throw him in the brig without the captain's approval, so even though he does fear me, he can get away with being the way he is if the capain isn't near. He especially 'likes' women, but not in a good way, which is why he asked about you." Allan hoped that Leonna would understand what he meant... It was something he didn't want to explain. He looked at her... stared at her. She went from wanting to learn about Allan's world, to prying into his life, as if she were looking for something... something she thought his life held. He wanted to know about her, but she held back... she hid herself from everyone. It wasn't exactly fair, but maybe it wasn't any of his business in the first place...

There was a knock at the door. And another. Allan walked over and opened it a tad. "Allan, we need you for a moment." Allan nodded and turned to Leonna.

"Stay here, and don't let anyone in." He pointed at a strong-looking latch on the door. "Lock this door, and don't open it until I return, understand? You have to slide this," he pointed at a metal slide, then continued, "into here." Without waiting, Allan stepped out of the room, and closed the door behind him, leaving Leonna entirely alone.

Do not let anyone in? Just how vile are his men? What had he meant about liking women, anyways? His men were not that bad, were they? With a great deal of confusion, I went to the latch he had mentioned to and locked the door, wondering what business it was that he had gone off to. It was understandable that he could not drag me around everywhere he went, but it sounded as if it was somehow hostile here. I absentmindedly entertained the idea of ignoring Allan's command to stay, but such would be blatantly rude. He surely meant to come back...right?

With a sigh, I looked around the room, searching for something to keep my mind busy. It was fairly neat and plain, with whitewashed walls and a dark paneled floor. The room itself was also fairly large, able to fit a bed, bookshelf, table and chairs with plenty of space between everything. Beside the bed there was also a small table with a vase and bowl, probably used to drink and wash from. The pottery was finer than any I had ever before seen, appearing to be made from delicate white porcelain. In my village, earthenware was all that was available, as anything better was far too expensive for anyone to afford.

I laughed softly to myself at the thought. Should I not be used to this by now? Allan seemed to have the finer things of men at his disposal.

With brimming curiosity, I went over to the bed, where Allan had been sitting while he had told me his story. The covers were made from smooth cotton fabric, dark blue against the firm wooden frame of the bed. I pressed my hand on the thick cushion beneath them, gasping at the softness of it. It must have been stuffed with feathers rather than straw, another luxury unknown to the people of Bren. With childlike curiosity, I sat on the bed as Allan had, giggling when I sank into it. The people of this city certainly did know great comforts...

And then my eyes wandered over to the bookcase at the end of the bed. I quickly went over to it, my eyes scanning greedily over the many bindings that stuffed the shelves. Each one had finely painted printing on them, but to my dismay, they were all written in English. Such should have been expected, but trying to check them all would take forever. English was still a somewhat troublesome language for me to read, but since such an opportunity had presented itself, I decided I might as well try to decipher one of them. I reached for the most attractive binding, a blue cover with silvery words on it. Taking it carefully in my hands, I stared at the cover, trying as hard as I could to decipher the words on it.

"Crea...ture...s of Mys...ti...cal Na...ture." My eyebrows furrowed as I slowly pieced the words together, trying to remember their meaning. Creatures of mystical nature...was that not what I was? I flipped the book open, staring in disbelief when the first page of it was covered in small text. Many of the words were large and unfamiliar, so I turned the pages rapidly, searching for some sort of picture or symbol that would make more sense. There were detailed sketches of dragons and nymphs, even elves. I occasionally stopped to read a little bit about them, but I was soon discouraged because the text was full of convoluted sentences and words. I smiled, however, when I came across the picture of a fairy.

The creature had been carefully drawn, the veins of its wings and fine strands of their hair clearly visible. It was a woman with bee-like wings, who stood in front of a giant flower. She wore some sort of garment made from petals and leaves, looking just as delicate as the thin wings on her back. The creature looked a little bit like me, though she seemed more childlike, more fragile. She had no sign of sadness about her, as if she was indeed ignorant to the harshness of nature and humans. It bothered me as I took these details in, so I quickly turned the page.

Whump Whump... A sudden knock at the door interrupted my reading, and I quickly put the book back on the shelf. I hesitated before going to the door, remembering Allan's instructions.

"Stay here, and don't let anyone in. Lock this door, and don't open it until I return, understand?"

Allan had never told me when he would return, and I had no idea if it was him at the door. Whoever was knocking did not speak, and I immediately became nervous. What if it was that Daren he had told me about? Starting a fight in an inn full of pirates just did not seem like the best idea. So, with great trepidation, I crept to the door, listening for some sort of sign that the person was Allan...