To Ask A Falcon ... (Striker please)

[Viskyia Crow]

TS: Third Brightening of Pontius, Spring, Era II, XIV (pf)

Late in the morning, still burly eyed with lack of sleep, Viskyia slipped away to go see if she could find the man she'd spoken to at the gate the two brightenings ago Amelia and herself had entered Paxia. He seemed knowledgeable and very sincere in his pursuit of getting things done in and around the slowly rebuilding city. His name, she'd learned, was Jasper Burrows and he was one of the more interesting fellows in the Falcons. So indeed, she really hoped that Burrows would be at the gate and willing to take a moment or two in order to speak with her.

The terrifying and haunting events of the past evening had well and truly effected Viskyia in a way that hadn't happened to her before. The young half-esh was part of an adoptive legacy that spanned more than four generations. Titus had said, when it was time, she'd know. How could last night, and what happened here leave her totally unaffected? No.. she had to ask...

And so she did, walking straight up to what was left of the city gates, and waited for a moment to speak with the two guards.

[Striker]

Perched upon a cube-resembling piece of cement that might have been a part of the foundation of the Winged Gates before its fall, the amenable Jasper Burrows sat, tracing small but shapely circles in the thin layer of debris that had recently paved the ruins of Paxia. Seemingly amused by the inelegant outlines that the tip of his lengthy twig pressed into the dust, he finally glanced upwards as the cadence of falling feet summoned him from reverie.

“M-miss Crow…?” He stammered, rising immediately to his feet and bowing at the waist to convey a level of respect normally afforded to the higher commands above him. The soft gleam in his darkened gaze betrayed the respectful feelings that surfaced to his face as he regarded the half-Esh’lahier, the woman who had so altruistically parted with her mule and loads of supplies that could certainly have been spent or exhausted elsewhere and for some exceptional promise of income.

Viskyia’s donation had not been forgotten in the middle-aged soldier’s eyes, and it was certainly one that had played a greater role in helping the people of Paxia than the city’s lethargic three-thousand legionnaires combined!

“Can I help you?” he asked, running a dusty hand through his shortly-cropped black hair, a gesture that left imprints of gray specks upon his head. His other hand instinctively fell to the pommel of his long sword as he glanced curiously over Viskyia’s shoulder as if expecting another person to arrive at any minute. He seemed surprised, however, when he realized that the half-Esh’lahier was alone.

“You didn’t come here by yourself…” the seemingly anxious soldier prodded, more so because he of anyone knew the dangers of traveling the unwatched roads alone. Given the limited supply of Falcon soldiers on watch, it was generally inadvisable for anyone to move about unattended by at least one other person.

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia's eyes lit with a rare smile as she recognized The Falcon and nodded. "Yes, thank you for remembering me Falcon Burrows." She glanced behind her without quite turning her head and appearing to look, perhaps following his gaze and the motion of his hand dropping to his sword. She didn't tense, but she did seem somehow to come 'on guard' as he made the motion, then relax as he seemed to as well.

"Yes, I did come alone. Thats how we often come into the world, Sir, and how most of us depart it. I figure the journey in between has its fair share of that as well." She said thoughtfully. And as she spoke, she drew her cloak aside, tucking it casually under one arm. It would be then that he'd notice several things about her. First she was armed with a fair amount of daggers across her chest in a loose sheath that encircled one shoulder and under the opposite arm. Next, if he was really sharp-eyed, he'd note her pants weren't the standard fair. No, they had an insert within the inner thighs like those men who rode or fought a great deal. The extra panel of material allowed the wearer to move freely either in kicks or spins that would cause undue strain on breeches cut in the normal way. Her long boots also, though sturdy, had soft flexible soles. There could be only one conclusion. She was more than likely a Zinn'ka artist, one well versed in the use of arms, especially small blades. Because, indeed she was alone, and while observant, didn't seem to be too nervous about the fact. Though, in truth, her confidence didn't ooze arrogance.

"I had an experience in the night that left me wondering... while I don't need to really go into detail, I was curious about the state of children left here without parents. You see, I am adopted myself, as was my adopted father to his parents. I recently lost him.... and since I am unmarried and have no children of my own that means my house is quite empty. I have a successful jewelry store in Nexus, and I am in the process of opening a Shaasskah School as well, so I have the means to support a child or two. And I was hoping to run into you today here, in the event that you knew of anyone who would be needing a home that has no means to support themselves because of their age and circumstance." She looked thoughtful.

"Coming here has... almost been a sign to me that its time I opened my life..." She said, suddenly feeling almost foolish for speaking so frankly to the officer. Viskyia met his gaze a moment, then glanced around at the rubble. "I cannot imagine the horrors that happened here. I don't pretend too. Forgive me for being so forward, but I feel compelled to ask you. I can offer something of an escape to a child or two if you know of anyone who wouldn't mind Nexus and being around a jeweler so much..." Viskyia didn't mention age, nor did she mention a sex or race. To her, everyone had value and merit and such things did not matter in the least.

[Striker]

“That is true, Miss Crow, but most people would like to avoid the inevitable for as long as possible.” the candid guard replied. His calmly smiled widened as his eyes fell to Viskyia’s frame, most of which was strategically garbed enough to afford the astute sentry some means of understanding the half-Esh’lahier’s latent confidence. “But I suppose that some of us are better at taking care of ourselves than others.” He added for good measure, tilting his head back and laughing embarrassedly as he noted the sheath of knives situated along the woman’s shoulder.

He had no doubt that she could use them quite well.

As Viskyia began to spill her tale, the middle-aged soldier’s head periodically bobbed, more so to signal for the woman to continue as he listened intently to everything that she had to say. There were few occasions in which the civilians of Paxia broke from their routines to inquire anything of Jasper, and thus he welcomed this rare opportunity, whole-heartedly gifting the woman with every aspect of his attention as he considered an accommodating answer.

“Of course I am uncertain what experience you are talking about, Miss Crow, but I am thankful that, for whatever reason, you had it.” Nodding tenderly, the soldier’s broad shoulders lowered as he inhaled deeply. “There are so many children here in Paxia in need of help, most of whom were left behind either because their parents were killed or never found. They are truly the ones in need. Whereas many of the other children escaped with their respective guardians, the ones that remain in the city really have no other place to go. We’ve been doing our best to tend to their needs. You can’t imagine how many charitable families have taken in orphans and whatnot, but there are still many little ones left.”

“And I am sorry to hear of your father. If he was anything like you, I can imagine how incredible a person he was.” Offering a commiserating smile, the guard paused silently as he did not wish to evoke in Viskyia any painful memories that she might have wished to have forgotten.

Sensing the momentary hesitation in the woman’s voice, Jasper proceeded to chuckle as he watched Viskyia’s stare stray earthward. “It’s interesting Miss Crow, but despite the horrors that happened here, they had a strange way of bringing out the best of so many of us. I remember the days when the Mercantile District was merely a place of business. Orphans and children ran the streets even then but few did anything to help them. Yet in this time of despair, people have truly learned to care for one another. Obviously I wish that the orcs had never come…but in some ways, perhaps it is a good thing that they did.” Shrugging equivocally, the sentry pointed to towards the eastern district and then slightly north.

“I admire your conviction, Miss Crow. I wish that more people had it.” The guard’s head dipped firmly, “If you head back to the residential district, steer a little northward and you’ll find the remnants of what used to be a former school. It’s nothing like what it used to be, but you can recognize it by the painted pictures on the walls. You can’t miss it. There’s a man who has been taking care of many of the children for only Ioannes knows how long. I’m not sure how he does it, but I am sure that he would more than welcome your help.”

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia nodded thoughtfully at the Falcon's words in regards to her father. When she did speak, her voice was without hesitation, and firm in only the way that Burrows knew regardless of the truth of her next statement, the girl believed it wholeheartedly. "Titus Crow was a good man. He was a warrior priest of Aslan, and one of the last people on Telath who recognized Jorel and his minions as a true threat. He knew such things even before a tragedy like Paxia here brought the reality of his beliefs into clarity. The souls of such devote dedicated men are never lost though. One day he will be back, perhaps in a new form, to take up the fight again. Most of the rest of us can only dream of being so fortunately blessed. He fell fighting Jorel's army out on the Arium plains. I was there. It was a good death." She said softly. There was pain within her, but it didn't show in her eyes. How could it? Titus died as he wished, defending what he believed. How could she begrudge him that? "Thank you for comparing me to him. You honor me." She added, as if she had to explain herself before she offered her thanks. Titus deserved to be remembered, regardless if it was only for a brief moment in time.

She met his gaze and nodded. "If horrible things must happen, its good that we take them and learn from them, growing as a people... and as a community. It also teaches us that sometimes we must do horrible things to achieve our goals. Sometimes even our very survival depends upon it. Paxia will never be the same again. But thats a good thing. Of all the cities in Aelyria, she will never be caught off guard again. That, I think, is a rare gift of community awareness. You are lucky to call this place home, Falcon Burrows." The half-esh said, standing still and straight in a casual yet alert manner. Her citrine eyes kept moving, taking in all the small things even as she focused her attention on the Falcon. The girl it seemed, was much like the community... was unwilling to be caught unaware ever again.

Then he gave her instructions, a pathway to follow to a formal school. There, it seems, was what she sought. Viskyia nodded, and slipped her hand into a belt pouch. She pulled a handful of cards from an inner pocket. He could see most of them were business cards for a jewelry store called The White Crow. One, however, had a personal address, not a place of business and was hand decorated with a white crows feather and the symbol of Aslan. It was one 505 Raintree Ln in Nexus. Viskyia offered it to him. "If you need anything, Falcon Burrows, that you think I can help with. Do not hesitate to contact me here. I will do what I can to help further as there is need." And with that, she gave him a deep bow, and turned on her heels.

Then, surprisingly, she jogged off. Light on her feet, the girl traversed far more distance at a steady jog than she did walking or riding anywhere. It was one of her passions in Nexus, and it kept her as a moving target. Maybe a bit bold for Paxia, but Viskyia always felt a target in motion was a harder target to hit. And so she took her chances, following the directions until she did indeed see the building that was indicated. The paintings were intact, for the most part, on the school itself. And they made her smile as she scanned the area and mounted the steps still at a jog.

Pausing finally there, she rapped smartly upon the door and waited.

[Striker]

“You are one of the most insightful people whom I have ever met, Miss Crow. And it is you who honor me time and time again with your kindness.” the humble guard replied, and his head lowered to emphasize his sincerity. As he straightened and returned to his normal posture, Viskyia would notice that the guard’s rugged features included a smile. And given Jasper Burrows’s normal demeanor which was generally cheerless and dismal, it was discernible that the half-Esh’lahier had done the fatigued guard a great service in gracing him with her presence. “You cannot imagine how many people pass by here without a single glance to me, Miss Crow. Thank you for taking the time to remind a weathered old man like myself why I dedicated my life as I have.”

“And you are right.” he continued, once again looking to the landscape behind him that had once been possessed of the most admirable qualities of any city. “I love Paxia and I am proud to call this place home regardless if it no longer resembles anything like before. Even more so, though, I love what Paxia brings to its people. I love what this city has done to bring everyone together, and I am grateful for those who it has brought…” And with that, the middle-aged man lowered again into a bow, that same bow that few were the recipients of. As he accepted the woman’s business card, his eyes, tempered by the throes of war, softened. “I wish you luck, Miss Crow. You have been far too good to me and this city, and I hope that you find what you are looking for. I will always be here if you don’t.”

At the latter comment he chuckled. Jasper had resigned himself to the life that he lived; it was the life that he always wanted; it was the life that he would lead until the end of his days. Sighing finally as the woman prepared to depart, he merely nodded and watched as she endeavored back to the city and ultimately the lives of those who needed her –they just didn’t know it yet.

Following Jasper’s directions, it would not be long until the half-Esh’lahier arrived at her destination. Throughout her short trek several civilians paused to regard her hurried plight, and several soldiers even followed her with their gazes as she disappeared into the horizon to confirm that everything was okay. As the wise sentry of Paxia’s gates had inferred earlier, Paxia had indisputably changed since its destruction. The community had become more tightly knit, and the people were united by a common aim to survive.

On the outskirts of Paxia and situated between the eastern district and the precarious north, the building that Viskyia sought was indeed impossible to miss. The four walls of the diminutive structure still remained intact, murals of crudely painted images discernible despite the scorch marks all about the compound. This particular building had suffered under the tremendous heat of a wayward fireball but somehow it had survived through that hellish ordeal. The door of the entrance was unhinged; in fact, the door itself actually leaned against the archway of the exterior and thus when Viskyia knocked the entire panel rattled slightly.

“Hold on a minute. I’m coming!” came the response shortly afterwards.

The voice, detectably masculine, was soon drowned out by the giggles and laughter of multiple children inside. A crash! and a bang! ensued, shortly followed by a stream of muffled curses accompanied by another wave of laughter emanating from the children. Finally, after a minute or so, a hand appeared and pushed aside the makeshift door.

Standing in front of Viskyia was a young human with fiery red hair, unkempt but restrained by a black bandanna tied around his forehead. His eyes were a dark shade of brown, and his cheek bones were set high in an elegant fashion. He was handsome by all accounts, though his appearance would probably have been more appeasing to the eye if complimented by a nobler garb. He wore a simple white tunic strewn of cotton and his trousers were a sickly olive hue. “Serale…” the man said. His brows shifted peculiarly as he glanced Viskyia over for a long while until finally looking upwards to meet her stare. “I’m sorry, um, was I supposed to be expecting you?” He asked, obviously confused.

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia stood assessing the man for a moment. The first thing she looked at was his hands. Always, for her they were the most important. Were they scarred from delicate work? Rough with calluses from a weapon? She noted their shape and texture, then lifted her eyes to his face. Viskyia ignored his good looks. They didn't matter to her much anyhow. She instead concentrated on his eyes and his stance, and whats surprised when his greeting came. "I have interrupted. I apologize. No, we do not have an appointment. Falcon Burrows directed me here when I made some inquiries of him." She took a deep breath and decided finally that this man must be the one the Falcon referred too.

"My name is Viskyia Crow. I am a jeweler from Nexus Prime visiting Paxia for the first time. The situation here is unbelievable unless viewed first hand, unfortunately. Most of us business people in Nexus are truly cluess to the depth of your city's suffering. I cannot imagine what most people have been through here, nor how many are homeless or lost, especially the young. I asked Falcon Burrows if there were any children in need of a home. I am a single woman with no husband or children, but I operate my own business successfully and have plenty of room in my home. I thought to offer to take a child or two home with me. It's not much help for the community overall, I'm afraid, but it would make a big difference in someones individual life." She said simply, studying the man.

The problem would be simple, as far as Viskyia figured it. She didn't come across as a doting loving woman. There was steel in Viskyia, rather than the good red blood of most mixed humans. Furloin, her gnomish assistant, often said if she cut herself, she'd bleed silver not crimson, because her thoughts were so deep and her emotions so well buried that must be what her heart pumped.

She was capable of love, and a great deal of it. Just publically, it was something she never shared with others, especially strangers. Her only hope was that the redheaded man would see past it. If he could not, she would take it as a sign from Aslan that she was meant to continue walking the world alone.

[Striker]

“No need to apologize. It was my fault entirely…” the young man said, flashing a charming smile despite the obfuscation of his response. Stepping away from the side of the threshold, the human glanced over Viskyia’s shoulder briefly, peering from left to right as if expecting others to materialize and introduce themselves as she had. When none came, though, the man’s smug grin returned as he appraised the half-Esh’lahier with a lengthy, silent stare.

“So Jasper sent you…” He reiterated, and one of his brows arched above an eye as he pointedly glanced southward to where the former Winged Gates stood. The human’s immaculate complexion brightened. “I’m glad he did then. You see, Miss Crow, we, and by we I mean myself and the children here, don’t receive very many visitors. Won’t you join us for a meal?” He innocently asked. The man’s shoulders bounced upwards as a small chuckle erupted from his gut and streamed out of his lips. Moving from the archway of the door and bidding Viskyia to enter first as any gentleman should, the man would then follow in line behind her.

Upon entry the jeweler would immediately find herself within a large room, the only room of the entire building. The floor was layered by carpets of multiple colors, or rather, smaller individual carpets that had been rudimentarily laid upon the ground in a haphazard manner. Many candles had been dispersed upon pedestals throughout the area, though they had purposely been situated above reaching hands to circumvent the possibility of an accidental fire. A horde of blankets had been stockpiled on the right-hand side of the room, and the leftward side contained a small blazing fire pit and a large black cauldron atop it. There were no tables in the room; there were no beds.

But there were a lot of children.

Half a dozen pairs of eyes gazed upwards at Viskyia as she entered with the human who, the half-elf might notice, watched her with a hearty grin. Two young girls, one with black hair and the other blonde, rose to their feet and leaped across the room, immediately clinging to the thighs of the man beside Viskyia. He tilted his head back and laughed with them, playfully lifting his legs one at a time to carry the two girls forward.

“Hey! I wanna turn too!” cried one boy, an elfin child whose ears were peculiarly long even beneath his bushy mane of silver hair. Rising to his feet –and they were quite small- he toddled towards the older man. Some of the other children, sensing that it was time to play, eagerly jumped to their feet as well and rushed at their caretaker.

“Wait wait!” the man pleaded with a lighthearted smile. As he spoke the children rushing at him came to slow pauses. “I’ve only two legs and they’re both already taken, but Miss Crow over here is quite free! Go get her!”

A song of hoots and giggles ascended into the air as several of the children branched away from their original course and charged at Viskyia. The small elfin boy was the first to reach the half-Esh’lahier and he plopped unceremoniously atop her foot, hooking his own legs and arms around her calve. “C-c-carry me!” he giggled.
Two other children, conscious that there was only one foot left available to be hefted on, dove at Viskyia in hopes of claiming her leg. One was a small human boy with a mess of golden hair and the other was a bald toddler who tripped after nearly being bowled over by the previously diving boy

Meanwhile, another boy, quite heavy-set and already more than a meter behind the others who raced towards Viskyia, labored for air and paused to regain his breath despite only being a few steps away. His cheeks were large and his tummy leaned over his much-too-small trousers (his pants fell short of covering his ankles entirely). He had a bulbous nose and an impressive growth of natty brown hair atop his large head. It was not just any boy, though, it was an adolescent dwarf –yes, such a thing did exist apparently. “G-g-g-g-guys…w-wait fer..fer me..” he panted.

The man beside Viskyia merely grinned.

[Viskyia Crow]

What was he staring at? Viskyia gritted her teeth, and plastered on a friendly smile. Why does everyone in this city seem surprised that she's alone? By Aslan... she met his gaze, glanced behind him into the building, then widened her eyes as he invited her to dine with them. He hadn't even given her his name. That struck her as odd, and put her on edge. "I would have brought something if I knew I would be interrupting your meal." She said politely, uncertain here. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

The half-esh thought it was unusual that this man and the Falcon Burrows seemed on a first name basis, as well. The Falcon had been so polite and helpful, while this one.... She hadn't quite decided on yet. Neither had given this one a name... and as she followed him through the doorway, she instantly forgot as the chaos of the inner room, the busy children... overwhelmed her.

He threw her to the wolves. That much was instantly clear. They came in a great big pack... short tall round thin delicate and stout. She halted in the middle of the room like a skittish horse, backed up two steps, and all but snorted. It was too late though. She was being taken down by the pack. One had her leg, two more had her other one, and an enormous child was heading straight for towering over the others. She threw him a look of sheer panic, then instinctually dipped down and snatched up the toddling one out of the path of the big one.

She threw the red-headed man a 'help me' look, and tried to steady herself under the barrage. War was easier than this, and she instantly felt overwhelmed and out of her league. "Hey guys...." She started out, took another breath, and balanced the toddler on her hip. "You kids remind me of a pack of wolves. Don't eat me alright? When I was invited to take a meal with you, I didn't think I was going to be the meal...." She tried to wade forward, with all of them clinging, but was having little success.

Outnumbered, overwhelmed, she stood half in panic, not even able to register the individual children out of the mass of them. She had no idea how the red-headed man did it.

[Striker]

“No interruption at all, milady. The children could do for a surprise visit this evening.” the unnamed human said, grinning widely as the boys and girls inside rushed at Viskyia. Even as he carried the two girls on his legs across the assortment of carpets, the crimson-haired caretaker tended to the boiling cauldron, briefly lifting the lid and releasing a cloud of pleasant-smelling food into the air. The room became redolent of stew soon enough, though it was suppressed shortly afterwards when the man replaced the lid over the pot.

“Supper should be ready soon. Your timing couldn’t have been better.” the man continued to say with a wide smile. By now Viskyia’s legs were covered by encircling hands and feet, and it was difficult to tell where one child began and another ended. The comical sight caused the human to laugh, and he crossed his arms amusedly as the girls sitting atop his feet begged him to walk over so that they could greet the newcomer as well.

Meanwhile, the obese dwarven boy, the one whose stomach was hanging over his undersized belt, sat down a few steps in front of Viskyia, obviously struggling for breath. Wiping a mess of brown hair from his enormous eyes, the dwarf frowned as the others continued to play around Viskyia, and it almost seemed as if moisture was beginning to develop in the corners of his eyes.

“Come now, Phim…” the red-haired man said to the small dwarven boy. “She’s not going to walk over to you. Get up and say serale now.”

A few tears streaked the dwarf’s cheeks.

“Wolf? I’m an elf! See?” the silver-haired child declared seconds afterwards, and he pointedly turned so that one of his unusually long ears was displayed to Viskyia. Waiting for her to acknowledge his clarification, the tiny boy’s hands tightened around Viskyia’s leg. “Lift me higher! Lift me higher!” He pleaded, features brightening in anticipation of the ride to come.

By now the golden-haired human had secured Viskyia’s leg, but unlike his elven counterpart, this boy was rather quiet. He seemed comfortable upon the half-elf’s foot, and he made no demands. He was, well, quite content where he was.

Saved from a potentially fatal collision with the golden-haired child, the toddler in Viskyia’s arms wriggled for seconds before settling happily in her grasp. He could have not have weighed more than ten pounds, and his hazel-colored eyes contrasted beautifully with a few miniscule strands of black hair springing out of the top of his head. He gazed at Viskyia, wide-eyed and unblinking, from the moment he had been lifted in the air.

“They’re a harmless bunch, Miss Crow. They don’t get visitors very often. You’ve made their day.” the man interjected afterwards, “And by the way, can I get you anything? A cookie or something?”

[Viskyia Crow]

Viskyia was startled for a long moment. She simply had no idea what to do with the children clinging to her and the toddler in her arms. It took her a long long time to realize.. perhaps three deep breaths, that they expected a game. A game? She noted the redheaded man wading across the room with the children clinging, and then she slowly started to smile as understanding dawned. Stoically she waded forward, one foot lifting up high and tromping gently down as she made her way to the dwarven boy who was crying. "It's alright. Seriously... don't cry. We all made it over..." She said, shifting the toddler to one hip and patting the dwarven boy on the head, ruffling up his hair.

"I don't think I caught your name yet." She said again as she reached the seating and looked around thoughtfully. When he'd answered, she smiled and said... "Are you here running this all alone?" Stroking the toddler on her hip, she shifted the child and set them down on the floor alongside the dwarf but far enough out of the way that the boys would not hurt each other, then she gave each child on her leg a hug and untangled them as well. "And no, I don't need anything, I'm fine." Truth be told, she was a bit shocked at how they all lived. It didn't appear that the children had more than pallets on the floor to sleep in. And there was a decided lack of real toys. It disturbed her on so many levels.

"The Falcon said you had children here in need of a home. I just didn't realize there were so many. I live in Nexus, and though I do have some successful businesses, I'm not married and don't have any children. I thought I'd see if anyone really needed a home badly and wanted to come back with me." Viskyia was unwise to the way of the world especially a childs world, and that little ears had a habit of overhearing things... things they readily understood. "But now I think you need a lot more than that. Is anyone helping you at all?" She could see immediate needs. Beds, clothing that fit properly, books, a teacher to help him experienced in little ones... she'd come here in hopes of adopting a child or two, but now she was seeing the need was greater by far.

She waited for him to respond, then went on.

"I have a business that makes far more than I can use. I can start sending you shipments each cycle if you'd like until you get things more suitable here. Beds, clothing, that sort of thing... Are there families willing to adopt children here or is it hopeless? I could start a list in Nexus for people that might have room in their lives... or you could just come to Nexus.. though I think that might be too big of a change...." She started to ramble, then stopped, flushed, and bowed her head, touching the child next to her gently... the silvery haired elf boy with extra long ears.

"I'm being presumptuous. I don't even know if you'd welcome any help. I'm sorry.. its unbelievably rude of me. This might be all you require... for all I know." She replied, feeling embarrassed. Viskyia had the social graces of a jolo and felt about as big and brutish as one at the moment. She sighed apologetically, and looked him straight in the eye. "I didn't mean to imply your not doing the best you can. They look amazingly happy considering their circumstances. You can't replace love with money, even I know that." She said gently and ran a hand nervously across her tightly braided hair and waited for his response. While she did so, she absently brushed a strand of golden hair out of the human boys' eyes and stroked his cheek gently. He seemed so quiet... she wondered why.

[Striker]

The miniature dwarf’s tears vanished with one swipe of his hairy arm, and a wide smile appeared upon his round face. Delighted that the kindly woman now progressed towards him, he leaped to his feet, reaching upwards for the half-Esh’lahier to lift him into the air. Unfortunately, being a dwarf he was much heavier than the typical child –perhaps even more than a cannon ball. Meanwhile, the hazel-eyed toddler situated in Viskyia’s hand, possibly recognizing that his esteemed position might soon be surrendered to his playmate, strategically rested his bald head upon her shoulder, and his small little arms wrapped around her neck.

“He’s adorable, isn’t he?” the man said, grinning as he eyed the crafty child in Viskyia’s arms. The two girls continued to sit and giggle upon his feet as he walked in place, raising one leg and then the other and then repeating the motions over and over again. The girls were clearly enjoying the ride, though, and yelling ‘wipee!’ or ‘yay!’ with every rise. “Call me Elam,” He finally answered, “I would offer you my hand but it seems that yours are busy already.” The man seemed to ignore Viskyia’s other question as he moved to a tattered cabinet nearby the cauldron. He leaned down and whispered something so that both girls could hear, and they immediately alighted from his feet and opened the cabinet, procuring handfuls of bowls and spoons at a time and bringing them to one of the carpets situated in the middle of the room.

“You must mean Jasper. Yeah, he would send you here, Carmelya bless his heart.” Nodding sincerely, Elam checked the boiling cauldron again, wafting in the steam before returning the lid as he had done before. “You’re not married?” He asked, not making eye contact as he rummaged through the cabinet on his hands and knees to procure a large, wooden ladle. Rising to his feet, he frowned as his eyes drifted up and down Viskyia’s form. “That’s quite shocking. I’m surprised that a nice girl like you isn’t married already and living happily ever after.”

“But I guess that’s life for you…you never know what direction it might take, or for how long either…” Sighing exasperatedly, Elam untied the bandana from his forehead, allowing his crimson hair to fall messily down his face. After wiping the sweat from his nose and cheeks, he returned the bandana around his head again. “And that’s very kind of you to make that offer, Miss Crow. I don’t ordinarily like to ask for help, but for these children, that would be absolutely lovely. They deserve better than this…much better.” He said, staring sadly as the group of adolescents continued to play as if nothing else in the world mattered.

“And don’t apologize,” he said later, smiling weakly at Viskyia, “You’re the first visitor that we’ve had since Gena’ra came to check on us. He’s the senior aedile if you didn’t know and a great katta too. I think that aside him, no one else even knows that we exist.” Nodding slightly, Elam gestured for Viskyia to make her way towards a red carpet where eight settings were displayed. “I wish that I could offer you more, but as you can see we’re barely making ends meet. But please join us for a meal. It’ll do the children well to have company for once.”

“And thank you for coming. I’ve been praying for these kids for months, hoping to dear Carmelya that someone, anyone, might walk through those doors claiming to be any of their parents. Sadly, though, I realize that it’ll never happen. But perhaps the Goddess has something else in store for them.” He shrugged again, “We’ve been making it by okay, but again, these kids deserve lives unalike the ones they’re living now. And…I don’t mean to sound rude, Miss Crow, but no one has even come to play with these children let alone offer them salvation from this wretched place…tell me, then, why do you?” It was a neutral question, but one that was obviously very important to him. He looked at her suspiciously.

[Viskyia Crow]

"Yes, they all are adorable. This one's wiser than most though. And its very nice to meet you Elam." She said, stroking his hair as he rested his head on her shoulder. "Does he have a name and a history?" She asked softly, though looking around Viskyia knew it would be really really hard to leave any of them. She touched the dwarven boy's head again, and tickled the extraordinary long ears of the other boy. The blond was a charmer too. She wondered, briefly, as she observed Elam's actions, why he was sweating and looking so... uncomfortable.

"No, I'm not married. In the past I've been a bit too busy with my career. It's settled down a bit now though. And well, I don't think that sort of thing is for me." What she didn't say was that such situations were reserved only for the freeborn, but that wouldn't do to bring it up here. Talking about very personal things made the jeweler a bit nervous. Viskyia didn't get close to men as a rule because the one or two she'd looked seriously at had changed her mind on dating as a whole. Most didn't understand her, or worse yet wanted her for window dressing. None of them knew her. But she wanted Elam to understand she was alone, that there was no male figure in her life. A child going with her wouldn't have one either.

Hence the loneliness.

She listened quietly to Elam's words, nodding where appropriate. The jeweler smiled at this last question though. "Well, once upon a time I lived on the streets of Nexus. I didn't have even a crown to my name, and things were as bad as I thought they'd ever be. A man took me off the streets, helped me perfect a tradeskill and later adopted me. If he hadn't, I wouldn't have survived. I have a great deal in common with these children, though I don't remember having loving parents. I really hope they do. There could be nothing better." She said gently, and hugged the boy in her arms once more. "What about you? Whats your story? Why are you here with the kids? Have you always lived in Paxia... did you used to teach before or something?" She meant before the war. Everyone here, it seemed, knew what 'before' referred too. She wondered too if an