Siorai's Return To Ayenee:

[Siorai]

As twilight creeped through the narrow alleyways and hidden courtyards of the old, old city, a cloaked Figure making way through the familiar surroundings of Ayenee. Returning to a place what ones had held great memories as well as bad, the Figure kept on moving with only one goal in mind. The cities gnarled fingers unlock ancient secrets of dark deeds that lie entombed behind crumbling walls. It whispers into the shadowy recesses of a forgotten parts of Ayenee, disturbing the sleep of the long departed and the City of the Dead stirs once more into ghostly, ethereal life...

The night when darkness engulfs the old courtyards and silent graveyards of Ayenee’s oldest and spookiest quarters. The night when dark shadows flit across the face of the moon and twilight’s gnarled fingers scratch their way through the city of the dead. Still wandering along the paths looking and overlooking what ones had left behind, the feeling of happiness aroused when one was gone for such long time that nothing had changed all to much of what one could remember from the past...

Sometimes it seems as if the innocent wonder and amazement that life used to hold for us has been dimmed with time and the world seems to be sinking, falling into darkness and despair. But even in the darkest night, hope shines through like a brilliant star, bringing color and life and goodness into this world once more. Some people find hope easier to hold onto than others, some people in this world are born with a kind of restlessness of the imagination, a kind of creativity that wells up inside them and overflows into everything they do and experience in life...

For them, life holds vibrancy and possibility, and they believe that dreams can always come true, no matter how bad things gotten. As the cloaked Figure walked on and finally had made it to where the goal of it’s desire had laid, stepping closer to the old rugged wooden doors to knock. Slowly pushing back the hood of the cloak to get an even better look at what was missing in ones life smiling as the hood of the cloak was suddenly pushed backwards and off. To anyone who might been following the journey of the cloaked one through the old City of Ayenee, one could now see it was a female that was standing in front of the her Family home...

As dark auburn hair was now tumbling out from beneath the hood and down to her waist like a cascading waterfall of tantalizingly wild locks. Her eyes when they settled where the color what a poet would call bistre a deep and lustrous darkness, like a forest pool under the shade of ancient oaks. Accept for the left eye where the iris had a scarlet color shone around the dark pupil, making her unique...

The gaze of her eyes upon the entry as her mind and heart was racing, she was nervous and breathing heavily when she balled her hand into a small fist to knock upon those very doors. She stood there now waiting with patients to see if someone would answer to her knocking. Her mind was going in circles as her eyes closed for just a small bit of time to remember back to when she last had set foot inside the old Family home...

But couldn’t seem to remember that time period or even really what had happen between her leaving and her returning, as she continues to wait for someone to answer. As she stood there awhile longer, a cool breeze had come up and she was pulling up the hood of her cloak again as well as wrapping the cloak around herself much tighter. She had grown tired as she began to lean against the doors and closed her eyes lightly for a few minutes, then re-opening them and looked one last time to the doors...

She sighs deeply before she began to turn around with heavy heart, so that she may leave and walk off to go else were. As she began to slowly step one foot in front of the other, she turns ones more looking back then back to the front and started to walk down the steps...

 

[Rhysis]

"It has been many years since someone lived in this place, ma'am." The innocent voice of a child, a child impossible to forget, sounded through the wind. The voice was filled with the hint of innocent laughter, and true purity. It was the voice of the eternal child, enchanted long ago to forever remain a youth, until such a time as he could handle the truth of his existence.

He had been taken in by a kindly couple, a man and wife who owned a tavern only once visited by Siorai. Still, despite the years, the boy remembered the mysterious woman, just as he did everyone that had even momentarially stepped foot into the place that was his home. The time that had passed since those years when he could truly be considered a child easily explained his fluent grasp of the language.

The twinkling eyes of the boy as he bounced his only toy, a strange acting light blue ball, though obviously filled with the experience of time, were also filled with the honest curiosity of his extended youth. "Why have you only now come back to this place?"

 

[Siorai]

As she was making her way down the steps, her gaze then befell upon a cloaked figure coming closer and closer, thinking to herself who that could be to be approaching her Family Home in such hours. When the cloaked one began to climb the steps up while she was walking down she passed midway and just goes on. As she reached the bottom steps, she turns ones looking after the cloaked one. She blinks asking herself ^ Could it be ^ but simply shrugged and shook her head as she sighs deeply. Her eyes then leaving the figure and she began to turn to the path she had come up on before she turns ones more for that she had gotten a familiar feeling about the cloaked one. As she turned she looked to see what was going on and suddenly her voice rang out like a beautiful instrument.”Excuse me if I may beg yer pardon, only fer a moment an' a small question an' I promise I will be quickly letting ye go back about yer business”...

She stood her ground silently and then looked upon the figure seeing if a response was going to be made. Wishing she would know what had happen to all these years she had been missing in her life, all these years that where as if she was off to guard the North Walls from the wars with other Legions. Never knowing if she would ever find the Family that she had left behind and was now so desperately looking for. Her thoughts went back to years past when times where happy and grand. Her delicate hand arose to push back the cloak from her fine-featured face just enough to able look up at the cloaked figure better and to let a glimpse of herself show. When she looked one could see just a faint glow upon her face, her eyes sadden and her lips lightly trembling with fear of what the cloaked one would answer ones she would ask the question. Ones she would find out about her Family, Her Parents that as well as her Brothers and Sisters and their whereabouts. She continued to look upon the cloaked one waiting for an answer patiently...

She was still waiting for the first answer, herself was breathing deeply a few times now before she went to ask what was on her mind even before the cloaked one could answer. “ I wish to ask about ta whereabouts of ta Family that once lived within these walls, have ye gotten a slight idea?”. She stood there ones again waiting for the one to reply. Her eyes sad, her body tired from wandering, her mind to tired to think on how to go on for that she needed her Family's guideance, love and care. She looked to the cloaked one in hopes of him having some sort of a plausible answer for her. But her hopes where not as high as they should have been simply for that she was afraid to get bad news and wouldn’t able to go on if her hopes where to highly placed. Slowly and nervously she brings her delicate hands up to her hood and then begins to remove it ones again...

Ones more reddish-blond hair was tumbling out from beneath the hood and down to her waist like a cascading waterfall of tantalizingly wild locks. She surely was a sight to see, beautiful as well as graceful were her delicate features, her skin fair noticed as a perfect shade of ivory that now graced the presence of the one before her. Ones more her unique colored eyes glance upon the cloaked one, but it was hard for her to make out his features for that he was wearing his own hood pulled rather far into his face. Standing there it was too silent for her she shifted the way she stood and was now looking over the courtyard as well as the countryside that was aligned to her Family home's surroundings. As a slight sigh escaped her lips ones more, her lips now forming into a small smile as she began to think on the happier days past she had dwelled within these very walls. Her gaze then went back to the cloaked one and was patiently waiting for the answer she so desperately seeks...

As she stood there and had finished her questions, she looked to the cloaked one. Yet he did not speak a single word, as he moved onwards and by-passed Siorai and vanished. She didn't know what to make off of this, but was about to say something yet stopped before she was able to speak. A voice, a young voice had piped up and she was slightly startled for that she hadn't seen where it came from. Letting her eyes gaze about not seeing anyone standing close by, yet only heard to what the voice had spoken off. The words off no one living within the dwelling for years, were settling within her mind. She looked around once more, perhaps able to make out the one that was speaking. Then she saw a young boy, playing with something she hadn't seen before. She looked at him and walked to where he stood, as she listened to what else he asked. The question to why she had just now returned home, was asked and truly Siorai would have to explain to the young lad to what had happened and to why she just now came back...

Looking at the lad she went down onto one knee, just to able be around his own size. As she looked at him and tried to give a pleasant smile. Yet the smile didn't come as she had wanted, it was more of a pain filled one then any. She spoke up in a soft voice, so she wouldn't frighten the young lad. "Do ye know where da Family is, tat once lived within these very walls?. She looked at him in hopes that he would know, yet remembered to what he had asked her. "I'ves bene fighting ta war at the North wall, for tat I'ves juss returned home ta see me Family". She then looked at him while tilting her head to one side, as she waited to see what he had to say to her question. She was fearing the worst and most likely it was as she had known all along...

[[P.S: The Cloaked one was only within her imagination]]

 

[Rhysis]

The boy stopped bouncing the ball, though it continued on its own until he shot it a peculiar glance, at which point it simply fell to the ground and rolled behind his feet. Were the situation different, the toy would likely raise a few questions, but this woman's were far more important than the inquiry of a child's toy.

As Siorai paused her questioning, he nodded as only a child could, leaving no doubt that he did, indeed, know what happened. At the very least, the highly affirmitive response certainly made it seem like he thought he knew. He waved his arm around in a circle, signaling her to follow him, and he moved around to the back of the house, the ball trailing behind him like a lost dog. There he would lead her to a single stone monument, worn down by time and climate. Though the initial impression given would be that of a memorial stone, closer inspection would reveal something quite different. Sadly, the boy's description of the reason for the stone solve no puzzles, only perhaps created more.

"They left, long ago. Far was their journey, for reasons revealed in this piece of rock." Closer inspection would show that there was, in fact, writing towards the top of the monument, far too high for someone his size to make out. But height alone was not all that was needed to read the message written on the masonry. No language commonly known throughout Ayenee would understand the etchings. Perhaps a family code, or some encrypted message. The child did not know.

"You say you were in a war to the North, but the conflict you speak of ended many years ago. Even I could walk the distance from there and return here in less time than you have." The child tilted his head for a moment, looking upon her with deep inquiry written on his features.

 

[Siorai]

She watched him closely wondering to just who he was. He seemed familiar yet, time had passed by and she couldn't be too sure. He had played with his ball of some sort the entire time, when he stopped the ball would continue on it's own until he had stared at it. She would disregard this for the time being as he waved her on, to follow him towards the back of the house. She did as asked and made her way after the young lad, once they came around the home to the back. Her eyes befell upon a stone monument, it looked rather aged to her. She walked closer towards the monument to take a better look at what it was all about. When his voice suddenly piped up once again, saying that they had left a long time ago. Her eyes adverted from the monument back to him in a question sort of way...

Her fears of what she would find written there made her slightly sick to her stomach. As she sighed and then stepped even closer to the solid stone contraption. The words of his ringing in her ears, to when he said that something was written about their Journey upon this rock. She went to inspect it thoroughly now and found writing above, to high for the little lad to see. The writing was within her native tongue and revealed that this had been a tombstone for the departed Family. She swallowed deeply as her fears had definitely come to be the truth. Looking over the etching of the stone, her fingers now lightly trailing over the inscripted words. Making her feel even more lost then she had been before she arrived...

Her Family had died years ago, while she was off fighting the war for King and Country. While she should had been here with them, her thought where going in circles. Yet his voice brought her back to reality once again, his statement of the war being over for years didn't make any sense to her at all. What could be been talking about,? Perhaps another war somewhere else, yet she didn't know for sure. He looked to her and she to him as she was trying to let the news sink in. Her thoughts going to her Journey, She had come from far, making her way across the plain fields towards the towns market and its taverns...

Passing them all by just to get to the House she ones had called her home. What for really she wondered, only to find out that she no longer belonged. She sighs again but thanked the young lad and then bid farewell to him, she needed to figure out what would come next and with that she was slowly turning to leave. She was going to make her way back down the long and winding path to head for the nearest Tavern. She turned once more to look at the lad, perhaps he was alone as herself as she asked him. "Ye wantin ta go weth meself to da Tavern?, I'ves could use food an' drink an' restin me tired feet". She waited for him to speak up, wondering if indeed he would come with her to the next best Tavern...

 

[Rhysis]

A tavern. She had actually offered to take him to a tavern. It was his turn to reflect on his past. The vast majority of his memory had been spent under the care of his adoptive parents in their tavern and in. What was the name of it again? ...Something Dove. He couldn't remember any more. Amoura and Devil...Christian...whatever it was he went by the most, they were simply mommy and daddy to him, had taken him from the care of his guardian, by his own choosing. So many experiences had taken place in that tavern. Where his parents were now, he had no idea.

The boy looked around the empty house as his mind seemed to clear from somewhat of a fog. Why had he come here in the first place? Had it simply been to direct this woman to this monument? He wasn't sure, and likely never would be. Still, the offer of a tavern, a place of familiarity to him, would be nice.

The child held out his hand, and the ball leapt to his grasp. He then moved over to the woman and, with a somewhat more childish tone to his voice, he spoke quietly. "I would love to go."

 

[Siorai]

Siorai stood there for a moment looking at the young lad, wondering what he was thinking off. It seemed that he was in deep thought for a moment's time. Watching him as he held out his hand for his toy to come to his grasp, made Siorai wonder just a little more to who this young one was. As he then came walking over to where she stood, saying that he wanted to go. She smiled towards him "Aye tene shall we'd be goin along". She said it less in a questionable meaning, yet trying to move the two of them along. With this she set off walking again with the young lad beside her. Making ways upon the path towards the center of the market square, to where all the shops and taverns where located. Once her eyes gazed upon the one closest, she began to turn and walk towards it...

As she stepped within the dim light of the Establishment she looked up to the old rugged wooden doors, a small sigh crossed her delicate lips as she began to walk up the stairs and in front those very doors. Looking to the side of her, if the lad was still beside her. If indeed he was standing beside her she would now, lay her gloved hands upon the doorknobs and pulled them open. Once the task was accomplished she stepped within. Holding the door open for him to slip in as well. Once this task was handled she would now let her eyes wander about the place. She stood there for a mere moment, before making her way over to then empty table close by the bar. To where she would pull out a chair for the lad to seat himself and then one right next to him for herself...

Standing there with her dark cloak about her figure, as she slowly began to pull it from her form. Her attire beneath was of simple garment, not too much in covering her well curved body, knee-high dark-brown leather boots were tight about her legs. She had carried a bow and arrows below the cloak, as she unstrapped them from her form and laid them aside. Now seating herself as she watched the young lad for a mere moment to ask what he wanted before she would go on and order. "May I'ves ask yer name lad?, an' secondly wat isit yer wantin ta eat an' drink?". With that she grew quiet and waited for his reply on both of her questions. As she was now looking for the tender to make a request. Her eyes scanning the place as she spotted the tender down at the other end and signaled for him...

 

[Rhysis]

She hadn't chosen the main tavern. For that he was glad. He preferred to not step foot into that place, simply because it reminded him way too much of his old home. This one was much more comfortable, though he admitted to himself that it had been many years since he bothered coming into one, at all.

As they moved and found their seats, he looked around at the few people who were there. He recognized none, and yet knew them all. Many a patron had come into the tavern and inn that was his home. He had seen all types, and each of these reminded him of one of the people who had once visited his family.

He snapped out of his reminiscing daydream, once more, to answer the woman's questions. "Anon. My name is Anon. I'm don't really need anything, but if you want, you may get me something. It doesn't matter what." Most parents would have been appalled at that thought. Their child, consuming any random food and drink that was brought to them. This was an age when children were given the weak dinner wine as soon as possible, to prevent consumption of the parasites that formed in the liquids, and here he was unconcerned with what he consumed? It was not fitting with his obviously age-defying intelligence.