Arc 721, 18 Ashan
“Someone like me? How do you mean?” He had gone on to talk about the talent she apparently possessed, although Elisabeth had no idea what he was speaking of. If he looked at her, he would see a minute amount of confusion but nothing more. If he refused to answer the question, she wouldn’t push the issue.
The familiar whined, causing Elisabeth to gently rub his head again, unsure of what he wanted but intending to provide some measure of comfort to him, speaking softly. “It’s alright. Everything is alright.”
The man told her that she shouldn’t apologize for acting within her nature, but Elisabeth didn’t quite agree. “Perhaps, but our natures also shouldn’t be defined or absolute. We, as creatures, evolve and change every trial. Every experience and person we meet changes us. Sometimes for the worse. Sometimes, the better – but always different. I’m not sure I’ve ever met another where I wasn’t different in some small way by the end of the interaction. Then again, maybe I’m just a bit odd that way. I like thinking that people leave ripples behind. Unseen but powerful.”
She talked. He didn’t, much…but what he did say always gained her attention. Elisabeth was an avid listener – a collector of information. It seemed her companion was similar. That trait was on full display when he questioned her interaction with an Andaris. “Royal Family? Really? Huh. He never said so to me. We discussed blade training and my need for it. His first name was Xander. We only met once. Things progressed in Rharne quickly and I never had the chance to follow up with him.”
Elisabeth told him of her thoughts on their original meeting and his remarks were…interesting. Arching her eyebrows a bit, she nodded her head with a smile but wasn’t going to let the comment slide without retort. “Yes, but what would your motivations have been to get me to lower my guard? I wasn’t lucid. There was no advantage to gain for you. Thus, I choose to believe you were being truthful and kind. Just as I am truthful in telling you what the words meant to me. The point still is – sometimes we don’t know the impact we make on others until they tell us. I’m telling you. Do what you will with that information. “
Honest. That was what Elisabeth was. Sometimes perhaps too much so but such was the life sometimes of someone so young in the ways of the world. That didn’t mean the young mage wasn’t quickly gaining experience, knowledge, and wisdom but that was only something time could grant to one. There was no rushing it.
“Woe…why do you think you are here again? Again, I don’t confess to know much about dreams, but it seems odd that you found me a second time, or is there something I don’t understand?”
It was a fair question, at least from her perspective. Elisabeth wasn’t discounting that there was something she was missing. In fact, it was highly likely. She was the novice and he, more experienced. Perhaps Woe had some ideas.