• Mature • [Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)

Rita meets Aelius whilst forging

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Rita Fenyo
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)


The feline rubbed against her wrist, it was so soft and cute. Carefully she wiped the sap off and pet the cat running her fingers through it’s well kept fur. Intently listening to what her new friend had to tell, he leaned in for her to hear. Rita had very little knowledge about the outside world admittedly. Not having many foreigners where she grew up and being lax in her studies of other places in favour of healing. So then she didn’t know what an Eidisi was nor where Viden was. Humans though she knew of, regarded by others and themselves as uninteresting and weak. Rita would disagree with that notion. She had gathered already that Aelius was intellectual and ,by what he said, gifted in his ability to learn and applied this to the full extent. Two years ahead was considerable, though if she had to guess the education system where he grew up was for humans not Eidisi.

Rita grew increasingly curious about some of the things he was saying. While she could understand wanting to explore the world during maturity, as she herself did, the reason for his departure from the university was unexpected. Aelius was evidently hiding something from her. Something secret to him. She was rather disappointed when he went quiet, so she broke the silence with a compliment. Finding herself blushing for him. Hoping to get past his guard and ask about this mysterious offer. However, he got there first.
“May… may I ask why you came to Rynmere?” he enquired, either trying to dissuade her from asking more about what he said. Alternatively it would be because he was generally touched by the compliment and found it to be out of place. Maybe she was a bit too aggressive with her tactics.
“Spreading my legs. “ It took her meer moments to realise that that wasn’t the word she was looking for. Swearing in Ithecal. “Wings…. Spreading my wings.” Putting her head in her hands, laughing it off.
“Stupid language. Well um… in all honesty I don’t actually know why I came to Rynmere. Sure I wanted to get away from home for a bit but I could have stayed on the island… but I took a boat and went north. As to why, well I kind of felt like I needed too.” She let’s the silence hang thinking it over.
“Like a tugging feeling pulling me ever onwards and eventually here. That feeling stopped in Krome and now I help the people. Odd jobs here and there, anything I can help with really. Gathering today.” She smiled and looked up at him. “Which is a good thing since I seem to have gathered more than I ventured out for. Now if you are willing to tell I would like to know more about this offer that made you leave home.” Leaning in closer.

She let this hang for a moment then sat back resting against the log, stretching out her back.
“Mmm or if not. Well you can tell me what you desire most?” It was starting to get cold now. A gust of wind sent a shiver of goosebumps through her body. Something clicked in the back of her mind and all of a sudden she felt slightly insecure. Hiding this feeling she looked him over again. Although he was still very much a stranger he was kind and hadn’t made any show of hostility, or lust. Smiling she sat up, turning her side to him and stretching out the ache before getting herself into a more comfortable position.
word count: 603
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Aelius Callistus
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)

A small smile came to Aelius’ face as Rita misspoke. Spreading one’s legs and one’s wings were quite different in the society he lived in, and besides, Rita didn’t exactly have legs to spread in the first place. He could still imply the promiscuity from how flirtatious she had been with him, blushing against her darker skin and taking exploratory jabs at his seemingly solid defenses. When Rita laughed, he did too, a short chuckle coming from his small smile.

“I understand what you’re trying to say,” he told her, hoping to alleviate any embarrassment she may have had in that moment.

He continued to listen to why she came to Rynmere, finding it curious that she did not exactly know. He took her for one to have more reason than him, more reason than simple ‘curiosity’ to drive her from place to place. Thinking about it, he supposed she did know why she left, saying she felt she ‘needed’ to, whatever that meant to her. He could say the same, he thought; he felt he needed to branch out on his own, discover something worthy of showing his knowledge thirsting father. He wanted to show his father he was worthy of the same praise and compliment of being called an Eidisi, though he would never be a pureblood like his father before him. He would always be a halfblood, a mutt, in the eyes of elitists. Halfblood or not, he wanted to show he was just as capable as any Eidisi.

It almost sounded like Rita was chasing after a calling, something beckoning her to feel useful and wanted in society. He was unsure as to how much of her being an Ithecal was to blame for people not wanting her around but it seemed she found someplace to call home. That place was Krome. He met her gaze as she looked to him, smiling. He smiled as well, showing he heard her and agreed with her new place of residence, even if others did not. The smile on his face did slowly die as she asked about the offer that made him leave home. A look of consideration overcame the halfblood as he took in Rita’s appearance and disposition. Here she was opening herself up to him, and while he had told her the story of his origin, Aelius wasn’t being fair in this arrangement, he knew.

It seemed she let it drop, figuring he wouldn’t tell her regardless of how long she sat in drifting silence. Instead, she asked about what he desired most, an interesting question to him.

“Magic,” he said almost abruptly. “The offer that caused me to leave home was magic. A mage by the name of Selvius came to Viden in search of new recruits for his… cult of mages, the Seekers. He saw me in the library of the school I worked in and approached me. He told me I had the potential to become something great, and I didn’t know what he meant. I asked him and he told me about magic, he showed me how he was able to lift things without touching them, pull and push on me without being near me. He showed me arcane I had never seen before, arcane that was truly that, arcane and misunderstood.

“I told my father about it like a fool, as if he would support me in abandoning what he spent so long teaching me: how to teach others. He didn’t believe this… magic I was wanting to pursue was worth pursuing at all. He didn’t understand, and instead of trying to understand, he nearly forbade me from learning it. I argued with him for hours to no avail, and finally I decided to go with Selvius anyway. I thought, if I could not explain to my father why I wanted to pursue the arcane, why I wanted to pursue magic, then I would show him. In order to show him, I had to learn it first.”

Aelius drew quiet again, looking to Rita as he had just divulged one of his dearly held secrets. He was a Seeker and mage, he belonged to two sects of people who weren’t exactly known about or welcomed entirely.

“I want to go home,” he said to her. “I desire to be home the most of anything.”
word count: 734
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Rita Fenyo
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)


She was glad Aelius laughed with her. She still had problems with common every now and then. This, thankfully, was the first time she made such a blunder. Clearing her throat she continued. Aelius was as polite to her as she was to him, listening intently. In a way the pair were very similar both out of place trying to prove themselves to others. That they were as good as anyone else and shouldn't be judged because of their breed. Such was the world though.

She finished by asking him to open up about the man that lead him away from home. Expecting him not to answer Rita left an alternative question if he so desired. Naturally she was surprised when he blurted out a single word.
“Magic” he leaned in as she listened going in depth over his story. There was excitement and pride in his voice as he went into detail about everything. This group called seekers was new to her, the idea of magic was not having heard of it in passing. She herself had wished to study healing magic but learned that her kind were unable to do so. It interested her deeply from a stance of curiosity and a little desire. His father didn't agree with this desire to pursue the arcane. Considering it's obscurity and the taboo surrounding it this was somewhat understandable. However, there was no justification in his reaction. Parents should be supportive and understanding of their children and not completely alienate them at the first sign of change from what their parents demand they be. She felt sorry for him. He finished going on about magic and left the pair in silence. She waited.
“I want to go home… I desire to be home the most of anything “ He finished.

Laying back Rita put her shirt back on the cold getting to her.
“Well what's stopping you” leaning forward, tail coiled up. “I mean sure your father probably doesn’t agree with your scholarly pursuit but you’re still flesh and blood. He isn’t going to completely disown you” Considering it though, she knew of children that had been disowned for less, mostly in human families, though she didn’t know about Eidisi society.
“Andaris is, what, eight days walk. Seven if you make a hard pace. Then take a boat home. Only cost you a couple silver, or if you know people a lot less. What you desire is achievable so why not go back and take it.” She stood and stretched out the ache.
“Let’s go for a walk. We’ve been sitting for a while and I could do with some food.” Offering a hand to help him up. She was enjoying the company , though in the back of her mind knew that she was expected to be back. Cross that bridge when I come to it she thought to herself. Aelius had told his desire so it be fair that she reveal hers without being asked further.
“Me, well mine’s a bit more silly. I desire to… walk on one of the moons. To see the stars and Idalos unrestricted.” Shying away slightly from her silly want.
word count: 537
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Aelius Callistus
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)

“What’s stopping you?” Rita asked.
There was much Rita didn’t know about Aelius’ relationship with his father, only the morsel of information he gave her. While she may have been right, while his father would take him back regardless of any past wrongs, Rita was also ignorant to the pride held within Aelius, the pride instilled in him by his father of all people. His sire told him to prove he was not to be looked down upon by human or Eidisi kind, that he was just as good as the both of them. That lesson manifested and grew into something immense inside the half-blood, something great and unshakeable. He would not return home so easily, not until he felt he could prove to his father he left for good enough reason, that he was his own man in more than one way.
“It’s not that easy,” Aelius said simply, not sure how to elaborate in a way Rita would understand. Perhaps it wasn’t so convoluted, and perhaps it was he who was making it seem heftier than it actually was. Come what may, it was his attitude and decision that forced him away from home and he was living with that, soundly or not.
As Rita stood, saying they should go walking more, Aelius stood too. Though it was Ymiden, and though Ymiden was a scorching time of the year, this day proved a tad cooler than the rest. Aelius assumed it was the shade of the treetops that was keeping Rita’s scaly skin from catching the sun’s hot rays. He was quite warm, not as cool as the viper before him.
“Back to town?” he asked since she brought up the want for food. He, too, was getting peckish, having not eaten in quite some time.
Following, Flavia trailed after Aelius and Rita as they strode through the forest, the caracal’s footsteps near silent as she crept behind the humanoid pair. As they walked Rita revealed her own greatest desire, to Aelius’ comfort, for he did not want to be the only one giving up a great secret. However, her desire was a puzzling one, intriguing as well.
“Walk on one of the moons?” he questioned near incredulously, his white eyes gazing at her as if she was a loon. “Just how do you plan on doing that? I know near anything is possible with magic, but your people are limited in their capacity to learn, are they not?”
He did not mean the question as a slight against Rita. He was genuinely curious, wondering how Rita planned to transcend sense itself to ‘walk’ across the moons that orbited Idalos.
“Do you mean power?” he asked. “Do you, perhaps, mean you wish to have the power and authority to ‘walk on the moons,’ to see Idalos unrestricted? One might think you wish yourself a monarch, a queen, a god.”
His questions softened, as did his gaze on her. “Tell me, why do you wish to walk on the moons? What drives you so?”
It was a feat Aelius could not imagine accomplishing. One barely knew what was in the world of Idalos itself, the rock they inhabited with uncountable others. Just how could one possibly conceptualize treading the surface of the moon itself, seeing the stars up close? He was all for questioning the impossible and improbable, but a limit had to be set, did it not? Could one carelessly want to go where no man has gone before without understanding all they see on the plane before them? Apparently so, he deduced while looking at Rita.
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Rita Fenyo
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)


Town was the plan, take him back to Gerold’s hall for something to eat and part ways. Rita would probably get a few jibes from her friend about the potential partnership of the pair which would be far from the truth. She didn’t push further into his family or past even though part of her wanted to. Holding her tongue was the polite thing to do, especially with one she knew so little about, presuming his race to be stubborn in their own way. Revealing her desire was simple explaining what it meant though that was a little more difficult.
“Just how do you plan on doing that? I know near anything is possible with magic, but your people are limited in their capacity to learn, are they not?” Aelius was evidently puzzled by this idea and questioning the logistics behind it.
“That is, unfortunately, true. We are a very hardy, defensive, race skilled in the crafting of... well armor and shields. That extends into our ability of magic, I have tried unlocking the arcane to better my healing arts, however, no such luck is to be had. Which is a pity considering I could save ten in the time it takes to save one.” She paused gathering thoughts and breath.
“Back on topic, though, we know there is very little air the higher you get, so one can presume that at a point there is no air. No air also means no… insulation. Again the higher you get the colder it is. So getting there, sure possible with a lot of magic. Staying alive not so easy.”

Really she had no idea how to achieve this desire and hadn’t thought of it further than that of an idle dream.
“Do you mean power?” Even Aelius didn’t understand “Do you, perhaps, mean you wish to have the power and authority to ‘walk on the moons,’ to see Idalos unrestricted? One might think you wish yourself a monarch, a queen, a god.” looking up to him as she thought things through, how do I explain this, his gaze was soft and enquiring.
“Tell me, why do you wish to walk on the moons? What drives you so?” She stopped and watched him. Shying away slightly.
“Why the concept of having such power is an amusing one, it is far from what I want. I literally want to walk upon the moons and see the stars up close. I am driven by… by beauty. To stand gazing off into the infinite and for it not to care. Others lust for power and wealth. Things that divide us, draw the eyes of everyone, to keep themselves grounded in physical objects. You and I we both desire the unknown, to create a worth in our own lives without the need to fill the void with material wealth. I mean how many worlds like Idalos are out there, worlds with strange creatures and flora, the beauty of the infinite, we can not see it all of course, but we can sure try and see all we can. “ Rita stopped, feeling that she had rambled and jumped around too much. Clearing her throat.
“That, however, is impossible. Sure magic can get us most of the way there, even I could manipulate gravitation in a way to propel a craft into the void. What happens after that we do not know. It’s rather stupid really.” Looking away and slithering again towards the town. For a moment she let the silence hang, that didn’t last as she felt something more needed to be added.
“When I was younger there was som… “ She stalled, choking on tears, “There was another girl and we loved each other more than the breath of life itself. Space and the stars were special to them, she taught me the beauty of the cosmos and the stories they held. Every night we went out under the stars and the moons, to be with each other, to show our love to the universe. She was everything to me.” was quietly she gathered her strength.
“She told me, that if we ever get lost we would meet again on the moon, I mean we were young at the time what did we know. Well, one day there was an accident and…” how best to put it “ I lost her. So when I say I desire the moon and the stars, I mean that both in the spirit of discovery and in the hopes of finding her again. “ Rita went quite, head down and continuing onwards.
“Before you ask no I didn’t take her loss well” She mumbled, rubbing her scar, not wanting to face Aelius and show her weakness.
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Aelius Callistus
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)

It seemed Rita did not seek the be all powerful as Aelius expected. He remained unknowing of Rita’s motivations, and so he listened as she explained that she literally wished to walk upon the moon they could see from their place on Idalos’ continents. The half-blood’s dark brow raised, his head turned and full attention on the Ithecal. He was unsure how one could be driven by the assumed beauty they would witness from the moon. There was no way to know what she saw would be beautiful, was there? Then again, he thought, beauty itself was a subjective concept, one that changed depending on who you asked.
Aelius shrugged at her question, answering it despite it probably being rhetorical. He did not know how many other worlds like Idalos there were in the universe Rita imagined. He hadn’t even thought of peering through the void to find the answer either. In his opinion, there was so much on their own world they had yet to explore, it wouldn’t be right to move on without knowing all there was about the land they walked then. In the hanging silence, Aelius considered the possibility of Rita’s motivation being that of a utopian mind. Perhaps the Ithecal wanted to escape the world they lived on now in favor for one yet discovered?
Rita spoke again, bringing the half-blood’s attention to her in full once more. Her voice faltered though, breaking in emotion that forced her to pause. The mentions of Rita’s love life came next; another woman she loved who was no longer walking in their world. He felt sorry for her, wanted to show some form of understanding, but little could be shown from him at the moment, for he had not experienced the same loss she did. He let his eyes drift down to the ground in front of them as she continued on, speaking about the tradition she shared with the now dead woman. He imagined the scene in his mind: Rita and this shadowy woman watching the cosmos through a clear night’s sky and then the shadow faded and Rita’s expression turned to one of despair and sullenness.
Rita drew quiet and Aelius stole a glimpse at the slithering woman, unsure how to proceed. They both had their heads down then, watching the road more than each other or where they were going. Flavia trailed behind them, shrinking away awkwardly as she stepped quietly behind Aelius.
“I’m sorry that you lost her,” Aelius whispered after Rita murmured. “I’m also sorry I can’t… identify with the way you feel. I could only imagine losing someone that close to you since I’ve yet to lose someone in that way.” In truth, he wasn’t one to hold people as closely as Rita seemed to. He rarely liked being touched by even those he called his companions, save for his caracal. Both of his parents lived in Viden, nice lives that he once knew. He had no lovers in his life, and quite liked being alone. As his mother liked to put it, he wasn’t a lonely loner.
“I can say though, a friend I once had, an Aukari woman, she suddenly stopped speaking to me and avoiding me, making me feel as if all that we had was for naught,” he looked at Rita, wondering if she listening to his poor attempt at consoling. “I know it doesn’t compare to your partner dying, and I give you all of my condolences, but I want to show you that you’re not alone in feeling how you do. Like you want to walk amongst the stars high in the sky, I want to master the magicks my once dear friend and I promised to master together.”
He showed her a small smile, his plump lips spreading slightly across his face. “What if, when we get back to Krome, I bought you something to drink? Something to get your mind off of this? What say you?” There was a small glimmer of true kindness in his white eyes then, the slight smile communicating warmth in his face.
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[Krome]Snake in the Grass (Aelius Callistus)

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Rita


Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/ 5
Structure: 5/ 5
Comment:

Rita, sometimes your writing was a little hard to follow. Try and make each sentence make 'stand alone' sense, so that when you read it, your meaning is clear. Examples of times that it did not included
"A gesture of peace. ", "Satisfied this man meant her no harm, relaxing completely, bringing her stave parallel to the ground in both hands.", " Curious to know more about this man with the white eyes. ", "A small laugh and a beaming smile."


Knowledge:

Gardening: Climate can change the colour of berries
Detection: Bears sound different to men.
Seduction: Playing innocent can be very appealing
Flavia; A Caracal Cat
Aelius: Humna, but not entirely.
Aelius: From Viden originally, now resides in Andaris
Aelius: Feels like he fills a gap in your life
Aelius: Feels real
Aelius: Thinks your apology is a lie
Aelius: Thinks you are not sorry for what you did
Aelius: Does not judge you
Aelius: A friend?
Aelius: You'd prefer to sleep with him whilst alive.
Aelius: His cat, Flavia, is well cared for.
Aelius: Graduated early
Aelius: Studied something his father doesn't approve of
Aelius: Doesn't speak with his father.
Aelius: Not comfortable with compliments
Aelius: Left home because of magic
Aelius: Wants to go home
Aelius: Had a friend who just dropped him.
Seekers: A group focused on magic


Loot:
NA
Fame:
NA
Magic:
These points may NOT be used for arcana
Aelius


Points!:

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/ 5
Structure: 5/ 5
Knowledge:

Ciaran: Haven't seen her for a while.
Ciaran: Might be cutting ties
Rita: An Ithecal
Rita: Your first Ithecal
Rita: Had an encounter that damaged her physically and psychologically
Rita: Enjoyed something she shouldn't
Rita: Has a condition of some kind?
Rita: Very trusting, considering you're a complete stranger
Rita: Stabbed a stranger in self defence
Rita: Was aroused at seeing a woman dying
Rita: Had sex with the woman she killed as she died
Rita: Watched two slave girls in the arena and was aroused as they died.
Rita: A friend?
Rita: Likes your eyes
Rita: Wants to know what you desire most
Rita: Seems quite practical
Rita: Wants to walk on the moon
Rita: Driven by beauty
Rita: Used to have a lover, a girl the same age as her
Rita: Her lover is dead
Detection: Focusing in a direction can help.

Loot:
NA
Fame:
NA
Magic:
These points may NOT be used for arcana

Overview:

General comments. An interesting thread, clearly a meet and greet. I felt like, at times, there were really fascinating mis communications going on. Rita seemed to be very flirtatious and Aelius quite the opposite. An interesting conversation between two strangers.
Story No major issues - a simple meet and greet. It's interesting to see the dynamic between the two as Rita is so over-trusting with information / sharing and Aelius seems quite cautious. Good stuff!
Structure All good - some comments for Rita, but those are made above. Nothing worth losing points for.

Please do PM me if you think I've missed anything or you have any questions!
word count: 527
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