The Hovel of Ardyne D'Enae

[Ardyne D'Enae]

She streched and yawned, before snuggling back into the warm spot in her bed. Her eyes slowly opened, her long dark lashes framing her beautiful green eyes. Light peered through the crack between the heavy canvas she had pinned over the window, offering a dim view of the small room she now owned. She stared at the light, watching the particles of dust shimmer and swim in it, finding something vaguely familiar in the way it swirled.

She sighed and pushed the light blanket away as she sat up and placed her bare feet on the cold wooden floor. She stretched once more as she stood and padded across the floor to the emerald dress she had draped over a wobbly chair the night before. It slipped over her head easily, flowing smoothly over her curves as it made its way down to her ankles. Feeling her feet quite cold, she hurried to put on the soft slippers that matched.

She moved to the window, pushing the canvas aside and hooking it around a nail embedded in the frame. With a deep breath, she took in the warmth of the starting day. She found her brush on a small table near the window and took it in her hand as she went to a small mirror on the opposite wall. Her long brown hair was rather unruly this morning, but came back to order after a few strokes with the brush. She pushed her thick hair back over her shoulder, falling in soft curls to her lower back.

As she washed her face with a small cloth, she wondered what she might do today. She had spent 3 months in this city, meeting a handful of people, and finding odds and ends that would allow income enough to finally pay for this ... hovel. No one seemed to be able to tell her who she was or where she was from, only that she had appeared at the local Inn, disoriented, with little money, and looking for a small meal and warm bed. People seemed wary of her because of her more "pronounced" ears, the innkeeper's wife said that it was because they implied she was an elf and Arcana was in her blood. She wasn't sure that it was true since she could not call upon any type of magical ability, though she did meet other elves who stated the same, however, upon finding that she had no knowledge of their culture or Arcana they quickly avoided her as well. The cultures that surrounded her confused her and she felt different from all of them.

The innkeeper's wife gave her a name, Ardyne (for Arcana and force that moves mass) D'Enae (dove, for her kind hearted nature), as she was sure that this elf was special. She insisted that Ardyne had come from a great distance for something of great importance, yet this poor creature had no idea even who she was or what she was capable of if anything at all!

Ardyne's full lips smirked as she thought of the kind innkeeper's wife. She made sure to smooth her hair over as much of her ears as possible before she turned to leave. She had decided to go visit the innkeeper's wife today, and perhaps stop in some areas of the market to see if there were any other odds and ends that needed doing.