A Girl Like That . . .

[Parin d'Aulaire]

The day was warm and spring-like despite the fact that it was early in the season. Try as she might, Parin couldn't find a way to work her new cloak into her demonstration today, so she decided to keep it in a cloth satchel she'd also found abandoned in the apartment. Despite how ransacked it had looked on first glance she'd found quite a few things in tucked away areas, thought not the keys to the locked closets and nothing else magical. Oh well today she'd rely on her own sparse magical abilities.

There was already a crowd of villagers in the square and funnily enough they were all standing around in a circle not tightly by any means but certainly all in one spot. Parin walked up and after greeting him, politely asked a man what was going on.
"Hello young one," said the man, " a stray dog seems to have died here in the night, someone just ran to get a couple of shovels to put him on that cart there. They plan to bury him in Farmer Greene's Orchard just outside town."

This seemed to be Parin's chance. She moved to the center of the croud and said; "I'll do it. I will move the dog to the cart." Everyone protested especially two mothers in the crowd, they didn't want Parin to get her hands dirty, they said.
"My hands won't get dirty, I don't need to touch him to move him. Please stand back." They did so, realizing she was one of the new magic users in the city. Some were slightly afraid but also curious to see what she would do.

Parin closed her eyes as if concentrating then opened them focusing on the dog who appeared to be peacefully sleeping, if stiffly. She then made a circling hand motion over the dog then lifted her other hand up in a commanding way. To everyones surprise but her own the dog lifted off the ground and with a pushing motion she managed to float him over that cart, then she let her first hand down again, and the dog was places gently on the cart, not a hair out of place.

Just then the men with the shovels showed up, every surprised that the dog was already in the cart. When they heard what Parin did they shook their heads, but decided it was for the best anyway. They got in the cart and drove away, thanking Parin for her assistance.

The croud was about to disperse, but Parin asked them to stay. "I am looking for a job. I can make almost anything move and some things I can move more than one at a time. Today on this square I would like to demonstrate. Does anyone have a suggestion? After a few tense moments a woman asked if she could pour a goblet of water, and the demonstration was off. Once two goblets were borrowed from a shop Parin first poured water from her own canteen then into one Goblet then the other. The encouraged one of the crowd to take one and drink but no one stepped forward, until . . . .

[Malachy]

Malachy had been walking into the square and had noticed the dog. It was unfortunate, but there was little anyone but a Necromancer could do for the canine. Not that any would want this corpse to become a Necromancer's puppet. Any way he heard two men say they where going to get shovels. and decided that The towns people would take care of it. He didn't need to intercede but he decided to stay around anyway. he had a feeling something significant might happen here.

Indeed something did happen. A young girl came to the crowd. She offered to move the dog for them . and with out touching. the half-elf Male was instantly intrigued, knowing she would be using magic. He watched as she lifted the dog and placed it in the cart. He was the only one in the cowed that wasn't awestruck. However he went unnoticed. He had the hood of his forest green traveling cloak over his head to hide his pointed ears. Few humans where comfortable around half breeds.

After here little show she began asking people if they might hire her. Then she demonstrated her magic once again, by pouring water magically into goblets. Then she offered people a drink. The the people went silent. they where somewhat afraid, it seemed, of magic. and thought it may have contaminated the water. Malachy knew better. Just as girl was about to give-up he stepped forward.

He smiled pleasantly at the child. He knelt down to her level, and took the goblet with out a word. then acting as if to stumble, with out spilling a single drop of water, and catching himself, he was able to get his lips within whispering range ans he gave her a silent message. "You for got to add Ice. he said as two spheres of ice formed in he water before her eyes." His voice was kind and considerate. As if he was speaking to a friend. He got back to his kneeling position, gave the girl a wink, and took a sip of the water. "It's positively refreshing, young lady." He said more loudly so that the crowd, had been waiting with baited breath since the goblet touched his lips, could here.

"I also believe you have a rather marvelous gift, How old are you child?" He asked. brushing a piece of blond hair behind his ear, revealing briefly the pointed edge, of his half even ear. only she could have seen it. She was someone she could trust with his identity. He didn't know who she was, but children where inherently innocent, holding no true malice towards any person.

[Iris]

Iris stood within the crowd, watching as the poor thing asked to do the work of the men for them. The poor dog was dead, but she had learned that there was nothing anyone could do for a dead person. "But, young miss, you'll dirty your hands!" She protested, as the young girl asked. She couldn't help but think that the poor thing didn't need to do the work for those men. What was this world coming to, that young girls did the dirty work of men? It seemed as if she was going to have to stop the girl, when she made an odd proposal. She would lift the dog without touching it. It seemed as if the girl was about to use magic. Iris had learned a trick or two, but it was mainly just making little flashing lights of different colors.

She watched as the girl made some little hand signs. Apparently they were part of the spell. Pretending to be surprised, horrified, even, Iris watched as the girl lifted the dog and placed it in the cart, and realized that she could deal well with such a talented young girl honing her skills under her. And she looked like she needed a place to stay, as well. Iris let her mask drop for a second as the half-elf boy brushed his hair aside. A half-elf, eh? Well, he must think no one saw that. I guess I'll let him have his little secret.

While everyone else was making noise over the goblets, Iris wrote a little note on a piece of paper. She walked forward, and glared at the girl, as she stood there about thirty centimeters away. "Get out of here, you filthy little thing! We don't want to see your kind around here!" Iris stepped forward, and pushed the girl, slipping the note she had written into the girl's hands. She hoped she had made enough of a scene to distract people from the note she had passed, which said:

Bravo, young miss.

That was a spectacular performance, if I've ever seen one. Maybe you would like to work for me? If you think you wouldn't mind, come to the alleyway at dusk. Come alone, or with other talented friends.

Yours, Iris Wilder

She then turned haughtily, and left the area, hoping for the young one to follow her...

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"Oh!" said Parin as she saw the handsome blond's strage ears. Instantly a memory sefaced in her mind, one so vauge it old told her one thing for sure . . . that this was a elf out of magical legend. Parin drew her breath, he was so beautiful, and so kind too! She was amazed when he made ice out of her water, and wished to ask if he'd teach her that, when suddenly . . .

"Get out of here, you filthy little thing! We don't want to see your kind around here!" and shoved her almost to the ground, while stuffing a piece of parchment into her hand at the same time. The second goblet fell from the air, for the two opposite actions had confused Parin and broken her consentration.

"I'm sorry!" said Parin and rushed to pick up the Goblet. She set it gently on the near-by seat, but the strange woman's words seemed to ignight something in the towns people.

"You brat! Why would we hire you? You and your kind have never given anything but grife!"

"Why don't you use you magic to disapper, you filthy thing!"

"How dare you contaminate our lives with you unholy magic! You've never worked a day in your life for anything!"

Parin was very frighted. Didn't the king of this land say she was allowed to stay here? If they didn't like her magic they didn't have to hire her, they needn't scream at her! In their eyes Parin recognised all too well the hate and bubbling violance she'd experinaced in Aesir. She also saw there was no where to run, the croud was closing in on her. She screamed loudly and ran uncontiously into the only arms that didn't seem to wish har harm - that of the Elf-boy's.

[Malachy]

The Half- watched as the rogue woman came and made her insult. Malachy was ashamed. not of Parin or himself, but at what happened next. He had left a note in her hand, but if this was the way this person tried to make allies this young girl had no business associating with them on any level. The biggest reason that what the rogue did was wrong was the insult itself, basically exiled the girl from the town. Something that could quickly make the worst impression on an innocent mind, and if left alone would have corrupted the girl, as she would find no place to go but with that rogue once she decided everyone hated her.

The towns people here seemed rather impressible, taking the word of first person to really pass judgment. This two caused the half human to pity these peasants. They like many others that all magic was evil, when in fact the people of the church use magic themselves. They feared only what they didn't understand and because they feared it, they saw it as negative.

Then the girl did something that surprised him, at first. He felt her thin arms wrap around him. She trusted him enough to what his comfort. He was frozen for a second in in shock. but quickly collected himself, he needed get her out of this. He wrapped his arms around her gently and whispered in her ear. "You'll be fine." he wanted to calm her a bit.

He turned and looked up to the crowed. "Am I to believe that the fair people of Avaren are such cowards as to insult a child so cruelly?" The crowd became silent. "I see nothing evil about what see did. If you do then so be it; I shall help the girl. you need not worry you heads about her hurting anyone, I'll make it my responsibility to see that she doesn't." The crowd looked shocked.

One person piped up, "Then on your head be it when the witch curses us and brings us misfortune."

Malachy merely grinned. "Then on my head be it." He said. with that he stood, the girl was shoulder hight on him, he looked down. "I think i can keep you under control and keep evil magic at bay." He said looking at her. it was clear that he meant to protect her. The tone in which he said it showed he said the things only to appease the crowd and get her safely away from them. He took her had. and walked down out of the square.

(insert Parin reactions if any)

"My name is Malachy, what is your name?" He asked ones they where out of ear shot of the crowd.

[Parin d'Aulaire]

Parin was quite relived and shocked when the Elf-boy put his arms around her. "You'll be fine." he told her kindly. He then told the crowd off for treating her so harshly, and said he would take responsibility for protecting her.

Parin's heart leaped and sunk at the same time. Last time I heard that was in Aesir, she thought, and nether person stayed long enough to help me when the war started. Still maybe this one was different, maybe at last she'd found . . . but as she looked up into his eyes, butterflies filled her stomach. He was soo beautiful!

Then the oddest idea popped into her head as they were walking away from the crowd of angry villagers. It would be so nice to kiss him on the cheek! It looks so smooth and soft . . . Parin slapped her hands to her mouth, thought the words were only in her mind, she didn't wish them to slip out accidentally.

"My name is Malachy, what is your name?" he asked of her. Parin was suddenly shy of him. How could she tell this boy she had no name? "I-I- kinda don't have one . . . but my necklace says Parin d'Aulaire so I go by that. Now that Aesir is all gone, I will never know the truth of what happened to me."

She then told Malachy what she did know, about waking up in the cylinder and wandering down to the town that hated her for having the mysterious necklace that refused to come off. She told him how -from what she'd gathered- the Parin d'Aulaire's were amazingly, rich and well respected wizards, but that the family died out a long time ago, and the people of Aesir thought she was taking the name in vain or something.

"I thought I'd be safe here, but now people hate me for an entirely different reason." She felt like bursting into tears but something in her didn't want to do so in fount of Malachy.

[Malachy]

He looked down and smiled pleasantly at the somewhat shy young girl. he had never been bet with her type of awed curiosity, He knew that some people believed that elves where folk of unparalleled grace. and great with magic. It was true that Elves where more agile and had an inherent ability to use magic, but their race was over rated, at least in his mind it was.

Elves where basically immortal and other races died off too quickly to really become attached to. Also as short as a human's life was he envied their ability to adapt to there situations so swiftly.

He could see in her eyes that she needed someone that cared about her so he decided to give her some comforting advice. "They hate you for all the wrong reason. Magic is only bad if used in a bad way, and blood lines should not make a person, the choices are what make a person who they are. So how long have you been using magic?" He asked teh girl curiously,

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"I have been using what little I know since I awoke in the cylinder. But no one at the school will take me in . . . it has been almost a year and a half and I still know nothing of the kind of magic they teach at the school . . . or did. Now the school is all but destroyed."
Here she hung her head and sniffed. "But I suppose if I get a job my magic will get stronger on it's own anyway. They say that we magic users don't work hard in life, but I say magic it very hard to learn, it can't be self taught like some of the 'arts' these villagers know. If they understood that . . . maybe we could get along."

Parin sighed and smiled at him. "You are very wise to believe those things. I agree it is mostly choices that make a person . . . but circumstances often end up to be great influences on our choices." She'd absently put the paper in her pocket, not really caring what information it may or may not contain . . . she could find out later.
"So Malachy, do you have a place to live or a tribe or something?" Something about him made her stop short of telling him how she'd always wanted to visit a Elven settlement. It was almost a familiarity . . . like there was something about him that reminded her of herself - all alone in the world.

[Malachy]

Parin had asked a question that he knew she would learn the answer too eventually. But she might as well know the truth. Malachy thought about what to say and the n replied. "No, But I think it is time that you learn a bit about myself..." He then continued to tell her how his mother was an elf and if father was human. How Neither side would allow a union, and why he was unable to go back. It was a sad story but at least he was old enough to fend for himself.

"So no I have no tribe to go back to The elves of the settlement my mother came from are more picky about who they let live with them than some humans. Elves, as fair as they are , can be extremely vein." He said trying to dispel some of the more enchanting notions some humans had about elves. "But my elven half has made my mind better able to understand magic than a human, I can probably help you to some degree. But as for shelter, well, I've sort of taken on the life of a ranger. I live off the forest, but I have enough gold to pay for a night at the tavern for the night."

[Parin d'Aulaire]

"Oh . . . that so sad." said Parin at the end of the story. "I am kind of surprised you are so fair . . . usually only dark elves behave that way." Now how in the would did she know that? She shrugged at herself . . . there was no way to find out where or how she found out anything she knew anymore. it was useless to think about and besides, it seemed that notion was quite wrong anyway.

When Malachy got to the part about how he had enough gold to sleep in the local inn, Parin shook her head.
"Save your gold and come stay with me." she said. Then she whispered to him about the hole in the wall apartment she'd found, that no one had come back to claim. "I think the locked doors are full of magical artifacts, but I haven't been able to find the keys and I am pretty sure even if they could be opened the magic inside would be too much for me to handle." She took his hand, hoping he would be willing to at least look at her apartment, if not stay there.

[Malachy]

What do you mean by that. I wouldn't trust a Drow, if i where you." He said in response to her comment about dark elves. He didn't trust normal elves either they. Both where extremes he didn't like.

Malachy looked down at the young sorceress in the making, and grinned. "Alright, we might as well see what you have to offer." He said. And then gestured for her to reveal the way.

[Kina]

Kina stalked behind the two, carrying a dagger. He pulled his mask over him and darted behind several trees.