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Post by unknown on May 15, 2005 21:02:38 GMT -5
Grace was on the move again.
Though these days it seemed to her that that was all she ever did. Move about. Had her life lost it's purpose?
No, she was determined to find out who her parents were, and why they had left her in the Burial Grounds. Her beginnings brought new meaning to the phrase "left for dead".
As well versed in spoken languages as she was, Grace could not read. When she looked at the page that held her true name and identity, all the symbols seemed to move about on the page.
Dyslexia was a terrible thing to have, when the ability to read was the only thing she wanted.
Still, Grace moved on. The letters must have been in a strange or even dead language, though. For everyone she asked could not tell her what it meant, and she had been asking for years now.
The closest she had gotten to an answer, was a seer, who was able to tell her she was a half elf; human, and high, then no more had been visible to the old harridan.
Sighing as she noticed the sun going down, Grace found an empty cave, and made a fire in it to keep her warm for the night.
"Perhaps tomorrow." She said to herself, as she gazed into the fire, and grew tired from her day's walking.
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on May 17, 2005 1:00:25 GMT -5
Surreal smiled as wind rustled through the tree she was seated upon. The moon glowed softly in the sky, a pale lantern to those who had lost their way-and those looking to find those who had lost their way, Surreal mused as she heard the piercing cry of a wolf break the silence about her.
The quiet rustle of feet alerted Surreal to the coming of another. She moved farther back in her perch so that the shadows covered her like a heavy cloak, only her bright aqua eyes refleting light rather than dark. Those eyes followed a young woman's treck through the woods to a cave. A whisper reached Surreal's softly pointed ears.
"Perhaps tomorrow."
Surreal wrinkled her nose and jumped from the tree, her pale aqua hair flying above her before reaching for her waist once more. She landed with a soft thud and walked quietly towards the cave, her bow scratching across the back of her green mesh dress which covered black shorts and an orange tank top. An foot-long knife was attatched to the outside of her left leg, two smaller knives strapped to the inside of her forearms, and finally two swords hung at her sides.
Surreal smiled at the woman, all warm friendliness so as not to startle her. "Hi there," Surreal said, holding out her arms slightly to show that she held no weapons. "I heard you moving through the forest and decided you could use someone to talk to."
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Post by unknown on May 17, 2005 23:08:09 GMT -5
Grace looked up sharply when she heard the thud of someone landing. Out late at night, in the mountains particualarly, you never knew what could be at the other end of such a heavy sound as that.
She was relieved when it turned out to be another person, a high elf by the look of her. Company was often welcomed by the fire side, and Grace didn't bother with racial prejudices, individuals on the other hand, they could get up her nose. But she was doing her best to control her temper.
"Hello," she said, looking at the beautiful elf from the other side of the flames.
"I didn't know I made that much noise," Grace half joked. She knew she made some, she was part human, and therefore loud and clumsy, but she wasn't all human, and had been living in the woods for a long time.
"Please, pull up a rock. I was just about to heat up one of my travel cakes for my supper. You're quite welcome to share with me if you like."
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on May 17, 2005 23:18:38 GMT -5
Surreal did as was suggested, smiling amusedly as she moved stealthily, making no noise while picking the rock up and moving it over. "Do not worry, you did not make that much noise...I am just particularly adept in the skill of hearing."
Setting her bow next to her as she sat, Surreal looked at the travel cakes. "No thank you. I am quite well-fed, and I would not want to take from your own rations for travel."
Shaking her head, Surreal looked out at the stars. "I heard your call," she said softly. "'Perhaps tomorrow,' you said. Is there something on your mind worth sharing?"
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Post by unknown on May 18, 2005 5:08:47 GMT -5
Grace looked at the lovely creature now sitting next to her, and tried to think how to begin. "You are a Cala'quessir, yes? Well, I'm only an Elandili, and my parent's left me in the Burial Grounds, in a small pit, wrapped warmly in a sackcloth. I don't know who they are, and I have spent my life looking for them. I still am." Grace said. She knew it would be pointless, and that no one anymore could read the apparently dead language written on her scrap of paper, but she showed it to the High Elf any way. Somewhere among these strange symbols is my true name, and the names of my parents. She thought to herself. And I'm showing to someone I don't even know. She dismissed the idea. "Oh, I'm Grace by the way, what's your name?" She asked, sticking one of her travel cakes on the end of one of a handy stick and holding it out to the fire. (Cala'quessir = High Elf, Elandili = Half-Elf. For reference; www.grey-company.org/Circle/language/phrase.htm )
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on May 18, 2005 22:33:43 GMT -5
Surreal listened intently to the story and looked at the paper...something looked oddly familiar about it. When Surreal realized what it was, she nearly hit her head on a rock. "I'm Surreal, and yes, I am a High Elf, but that's not important. You paper...it can be translated by looking in an old tome in the underground archives of the Elven Library." Surreal didn't mention that you needed special access to get in, and she wouldn't mention it unless Grace decided to go alone.
"I would love to escort you there," she said, her tone entirely friendly, but keeping something hidden. "The library is about two hours walk from here."
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Post by unknown on May 19, 2005 18:12:52 GMT -5
Grace couldn't believe it. She could find out who her parents were, maybe even why they had left her.
The High Elevn Library, an old tome, could it be so simple? No, of course not. She couldn't read, she was incabable, dyslexia struck again.
But Surreal had said she would come, perhaps she could read it.
"I would truely appreciate it, Surreal." Grace said,before she noticed again how dark it was.
"Oh, but it's getting late, perhaps better to leave it until morning."
After all, she had been Grace now for at least two decades, another night wouldn't hurt.
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on May 19, 2005 21:10:24 GMT -5
Surreal smiled warmly at Grace. "Let us turn in then for the night, and in the morning we shall go in search of the answer to that note." As Surreal awaited Grace's approval or disapproval, she began a complex spell to shield, protect and hide them overnight.
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Post by unknown on May 20, 2005 3:05:50 GMT -5
Grace nodded, glad and somehow saddened that she would discover her true name on the morrow. She had been Grace for so long, could she bear to become somebody else? And what kind of person was she going to discover in the morning?
Grace watched as Surreal wove a spell of protection, far superior to anything she herself could create.
"In the morning." Grace agreed, as she lay down to rest her body for the night, safe in the knowledge that when morning came, she would be ready for whatever the new day could throw at her.
"Quel kaima, Surreal."
(Quel kaima=Sleep well.)
{EDIT: What now?}
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on May 25, 2005 22:49:50 GMT -5
Surreal smiled at Grace, scrunching her nose slightly at the young one's need to use elf speech. "Good night, Grace." Surreal laid down, not bothering to set down a blanket for sleeping or anything. Despite her closed eyes, Surreal stayed awake for a long time wondering where Grace had come from. Just when she thought she would never fall asleep...
****
Surreal rubbed her eyes, groaning loudly as she stretched her legs. She opened her eyes to slits, letting them adjust to the pre-morning light as she stretched her arms. By the time she was finished, Surreal was able to open her eyes wide. She looked at Grace who was still sleeping peacefully and smiled. The habit of waking up an hour and a half before dawn was something that stuck to Surreal, so she generally awoke before her friends. Rather than go back to sleep, however, Surreal began a small fire and called in breakfast food including sausages, pancakes, and fruit. Setting the fruit aside, Surreal placed the pancakes near the fire to warm them and set the sausages on a branch over the fire so they would cook quickly. Soon the aroma of a fresh breakfast filled the air, calling hungry stomachs to partake in a good meal.
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Post by unknown on May 26, 2005 17:47:33 GMT -5
Grace's nose twitched at the smell of food, and slowly rose from the depths of sleep.
Rolling over, Grace saw Surreal at the fire, cooking, and slowly made her way into a sitting position, clutching a hand to her head.
She had used a rather uncomfortable rock as a pillow.
"Good morning Surreal, uh," She didn't really know what to say.
Why was Surreal making breakfast? But what was the hurry?
Grace riggled a little so that she was sitting more comfortably, and began to re-pack her few belongings before she looked over Surreal's shoulder to see what she was cooking.
Though her nose told her well enough.
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on Jun 1, 2005 23:29:07 GMT -5
Surreal smiled as she rolled another piece of bacon and set the pancakes that were ready on a leaf. "Good morning," she said cheerfully. "I'm a bit of an early bird, so I hope you don't mind me making breakfast."
Setting some fruit and the leaf with the pancakes in front of Grace, Surreal waved a hand at the food while keeping another on the sausage sticks. "Help yourself to the fruit and pancakes, the sausages are almost done."
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Post by unknown on Jun 2, 2005 3:15:51 GMT -5
Grace smiled sheepishly when Surreal said she was an early bird. She wasn't in the habit of waking early, but she was never tired when she did wake.
Taking Surreal's que to eat, Grace shredded a pancake and devoured it, appreciating the taste of the flat doughie dish, of the fruit, an apple caught her eye, and it wasn't long before she was biting into the red and white skin to the almost perfectly white flesh beneath.
"This is really the most delisious breakfast I have had for a long time, thank you Surreal." Grace said, slipping the seeds from the apple core into a small wallet and depositing the core itself into the fire, while the apple was delicious, the core, Grace had found, made her feel a bit ill.
"I'm glad that you didn't just leave, though, in all honesty, I would have expected that last night would have been a dream if you hadn't." Grace said as she sat down beside the fire, poking it with a stick.
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Surreal
High Elven Archmage
I will defend, to your death, my right to an opinion.
Posts: 75
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Post by Surreal on Jun 11, 2005 16:10:06 GMT -5
Surreal laughed and shook her head at the comment about the breakfast. "I'd expect any warm breakfast would be the best breakfast you've had in a while." Surreal took the sausages and bacon from above the fire and placed them on a leaf. Delicately picking up a grape from the other leaf, she popped it into her mouth.
"About leaving, I promised I would stay, and I don't break my promises," Surreal had to remind herself that she hadn't told the young woman who she was, elsewise she would have been at least slightly offended. As it was, Surreal just smiled. "No worries about me scampering off, I'll lead you straight to that tome." With that, Surreal picked up a piece of bacon and a pancake and proceeded to-delicately-stuff herself.
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Post by unknown on Jun 12, 2005 19:15:11 GMT -5
Grace smiled the sheepish smile of youth, and returned to eating, though Surreal was only partly right. Grace had had many hot breakfasts, usually only when she had done some hunting the day before though, and then it was some of the heated leftovers from dinner the night before.
Nothing so delicious as pancakes and fruit.
But Grace was eager to be on her way. She had been searching for years for an answer to who she was, and now she felt like she was only moments away. She wasn't going anywhere though, until Surreal was ready to leave, as Grace didn't even know the way.
She had been to nearly all the cities, but usually she had only found her way there after weeks of wandering, and had happened upon the gates by accident, she couldn't remember how she got there.
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