Eyes of a Dog [Ell]

[Lyrt]

It was midday, the sun staring down from right up above cheerily peeking out from in and out of the clouds. All was tranquil, not even a leaf drifting out of place in the Elven Capitol. Light laughter and soft melodies filled the air fragrant with the spring blossoms. There was no disturbances to break the glistening serenity, the painting of peace. Things were never how they appeared, it was a deadly beauty like none other masked just like the residents were.

It had always been like so, little change ever occurring in a land filled with the ancient. Time never seemed to pass, life always seeming the same in the end. Cycling over and over like the seasons, every day, every month, every year. It would almost make a sane person go mad, or the mad appear sane, little sense to be made from it.

Yren did seem to find it exceptionally frustrating, his people were set in such stone that rivaled the stubbornness know to the dwarves. They were not the people of the mountains yet it fit far too well to not be pointed out. Yet whenever he did mention it some looked at him with confusion masking their disapproval of such 'puns'.

The utter silence was simply deafening, he was so tired...so very tired. The last night was spent in meditative punishment for breaking a vase. yet not just any vase, a vase his master had spent the last few weeks working on exclusively for an important individual. It was not his fault completely, it was an accident after all.

A small squirrel had wandered in while he had been sweeping up the workshop. Manual tasks were always assigned to him, supposedly it built patience and pacing one's self, and when that came he could use magic instead. On the other hand there had not been any sort of change other than the deep crater of boredom boring a hole into his soul.

He had spent most of his short life in training in Ilirea and it was really no different. Work, work, work, patience, settling down. Being chased down by the frightening library people whenever he tried to hide from lessons up on a book shelve. Though now there was really no change everything moving so slowly along.

Yet then the squirrel had just strolled in so happily and he just had to go play a bit with it. After all, he had been sweeping for a half hour already and it seemed long enough to get out the dust. So he quickly tossed down the broom and slipped off frolicking about happily chasing a squirrel. And the he was airborne having tripped over the very broom that he had dropped down. the young elf was flying, soaring, and then crashing into the large ornate vase knocking it out the window it had been set by to dry and down onto the tree roots where it shattered. From there he had received a horrible scolding from his master, the elder elf Dûrion Nhaésdar and been forced to sit silently and still for the whole night contemplating his wrongdoing.

Now his head was drooping rather dangerously close to the mound of clay left on the kick wheel he was supposed to be practicing with. His elbows were positioned on his knees his hands grasping at the small glob tightly and then his small pointed nose dove into the precise center as he began to doze off once again.

A loud grunt pulled him from his sweet slumber followed by a flash of pain on the back of his head. Yren let out a sharp cry his head jerking up as he rubbed at the back of his head. "T-that...that hurts!" he whined loudly lips pulling into a pout as he stared up at Master Dûrion a vein throbbing from rage in the man's forehead.

"Go, wash up before anyone sees this, you look like a child who was playing in the mud. It is simply disgraceful" the elf hissed hastily motioning to his clay splattered face and then to the rinse bucket positioned by the doorway.

Breaking into a smile Yren nodded happy to have an excuse to leave the cluttered work space for just a moment. He broke into a hopping stride towards the entrance humming a merry tune to celebrate his temporary freedom. Hastily the elf reached up pulling off the cloth strip that he had tied about his forehead to keep the blond waves out of his eyes as he worked. Even if he would only be outside for a few moments he would still enjoy it to the fullest.

Yet with no one about to clean up besides for a single lowly high spirited apprentice the dreaded broom sat in the middle of the floor in the same place it was left. His foot hooked over it the boy in far too good a mood to be paying attention to such little things and he lurched forward with a cry. Desperately he flapped his arms as if they were wings trying to stay somewhat airborne for a few moments more. Luck as usual was not on his side and he plummeted down falling onto the bucket and knocking it up into the air. He watched transfixed from the ground as it soared up and then began to fall back towards the ground. "Oops..."

[Elloria]

Josk yawned. Something had pulled him from his slumber, but he was not certain what. He lay in his bed for several long moments. Nothing felt out of place – there was no one present who should not be, no one had recently left, nothing was missing from its proper place…so what had disturbed his slumber? He scrunched his face in another yawn and rolled over, hoping to fall back asleep. It had been a long night at Malakian Headquarters and Josk was in no mood to get out of bed just yet. After watching the sunrise, he had drawn the curtains on both the windows and his four-post bed to prevent the sun from awakening him. That could not have been so very long ago. He still felt exhausted. Perhaps it was time for a vacation. Josk would need to speak with the lieutenant about that, but he was fairly certain Vencari would not reject his request out of hand.

He tossed about in the bed, trying to become comfortable once more. And then it hit him. It was entirely too warm for him to sleep. It was only by a matter of a few degrees, but the temperature was just out of his comfort zone. He tossed the covers off his body and just lay there for a few more moments, trying to return to slumber. But it was to no avail. He was awake now, he had no interest in stripping out of his pajamas to sleep naked, and he certainly wasn’t going to waste energy on a cooling spell. Moreover, he did have business in town that needed attending to. Granted, he would have preferred sleeping in since he was not currently needed and he had no ongoing experiments at headquarters. But if sleep was going to be an elusive bitch, then Josk would just have to give up and get out of bed.

He grumbled as he jerked the bed curtains aside and climbed out of bed.
-----------------------
Two hours later:
Josk paused outside the potter’s hut. Master Potter Dûrion Nhaésdar had informed Josk yesterday that his vase would be ready to be picked up today. It had been several weeks since Josk had placed the order, but he knew it would be worth the wait. Master Nhaésdar was a skilled potter and Josk wanted someone like that to make Niko’s gift – an ornate vase with a flowering cherry tree etched into the side, as a tribute to the memory of Niko’s deceased companion Mchumba. Upon hearing of the vase’s completion, Josk had sent a note saying he would stop by around or after midday to pick it up. It was now approximately midday, so Master Nhaésdar should have been expecting him. He didn’t expect Master Nhaésdar to be waiting there for him, but he could have at least set that strange apprentice out to wait. Well, what the master potter did was his own business. The man was at least five centuries young with an excellent reputation.

With a sigh, Josk moved forward to enter the shop…only to be slammed into by some wooden object and subsequently splashed with what he could only guess – and hope – was water. He just stood there shocked beyond words, soaking wet and snorting water out of his nose. Droplets slowly streamed down his face and clung to his long, black eyelashes while his hair now gleamed under the sunlight from the added moisture. The fine silk shirt and trousers now clung to his lithe frame, highlighting his form far more than he was comfortable with. “Oops...”

Perhaps it was the fate of his clothes – both a light rose color because he had finally started expanding his wardrobe colors and he’d looked absolutely stunning in the color – that finally snapped him from his shock and into a state of fury. One did not just get silk soaking wet. One took great pains to take care of pure, natural silk lest it become weakened from moisture exposure.

Or perhaps it was that innocent, quiet little oops. Whatever the case, Josk tilted his head downward to glare with eyes darkened from dancing silver to storm-cloud grey at the apparent cause of his current state of dampness. The elf’s obvious youth did nothing to deter Josk’s outrage. Neither did the clay spattering the face nor the lovely blonde hair plastered to the youth’s face. No, Josk only felt increasing frustration and anger which in turn caused his fists to clench. His voice was cold as an arctic wind as he asked, “Why are you just lying there instead of getting me a towel to dry off with? Are you such a hopeless fool that you cannot even manage that little bit of courtesy?”

[Lyrt]

The bucket twirled about in an elegant spiral towards the heavens water sloshing about not yet starting to trickle out. the young elf watched it, somehow transfixed by the simple way the sunlight danced on the water, fat drops flying out as it started to fall. Everything seemed to be moving slowly, the world silent.

Then it began to fall, really begin to fall. Bottom over top and over again gaining speed quickly. With a loud 'CONK' it ricocheted off something and landed on the ground rolling smoothly out the door and out of sight. He stared after it laying sprawled on the floor his knees stinging softly from the way he had tripped.

Slowly he raised his sapphire pools skyward staring at what the bucket had ricocheted off so smoothly. A tall elf stood in the doorway outlined dramatically by the noonday sun. He seemed to gleam, dark hair framing elegant features, a sculpted face skin pale as the moon. A sight to behold, an imposing figure standing over him, even when glaring still devastatingly beautiful. The stormy eyes seemed to draw him in making it unable to look away.

At first his icy tone did not even register in the young elf's mind, still transfixed by his eyes. Lips parted as if to speak his eyes wide unable to think for a moment. A fist swung down smashing into the back of his head nearly pitching him headfirst into the ground and smashing his already bruised nose. "Are you hard of hearing?!" The elderly elf began to rage at his young apprentice grabbing him roughly by the wrist and pulling him up to his feet with ease and slapping him hard on the cheek for good measure. "Go, now, get our guest a towel and dry him off! Immediately!"

Yren shifted for a moment reaching up to gently brush his fingers over his wounded cheek. It stung, and he bit back the words that had risen to respond knowing it better not to say anything when his master reached the point of rage that he was at in the present moment.

The boy nodded and scurried off into the back starting to search for a towel to dry off the visitor. Where were they kept again? He stood rubbing his sore cheek turning slowly around the back room trying to find where they were stored.

---

Dûrion rubbed his temples in frustration over his useless apprentice and let out a soft sigh stepping forward to greet Josk. "I apologize Josk Finiarel for my hopeless fool of an apprentice, yet he does show much promise." He smiled at the younger elf disregarding his now ruined attire as he welcomed him inside. "You arrived in time, I have it ready for you" he led him over to a table in the corner the vase standing in all its glory. It was flawless, as if it had never shattered in the first place. The tree's branches snaked its way up and about littered with soft colored blossoms. "It is a masterpiece, one of my finest works and I do hope that you are satisfied with it- YREN!" He raised his voice, barking for the boy to hurry it up with the towel.

---

The boy jumped having already forgotten about the towel he was supposed to be getting. He was nearly halfway out the window staring at a plump rabbit staring back at him. It was so soft, he just wanted to lift it up into his arms and rub his cheek to it. Yet he had to work...

A soft pout overtaking his lips he grabbed a towel off the top shelf where they were hiding and began to skip back. Humming a merry tune he dodged around the elder elf and reached up holding the towel to try to dry the dark locks. The boy grumbled in frustration at the difference in their heights unable to reach his head. He jumped slapping him on the head with the towel harder than intended trying to dry the top that way before moving on closer to his own height. Something he was far more comfortable drying someone at.

Yet as he dried the silky strands he began to forget his motive starting to play with them absentmindedly. So nice...his own hair was like a cloud, floating about his head in soft waves. Nothing like the silky smooth feel of this man's hair.

His master stood behind him growing more enraged by the moment as he watched the idiotic apprentice play with Josk's hair. Yet the elderly elf was rendered speechless from rage and embarrassment unsure what he was supposed to do anymore.

[Elloria]

Josk merely grunted at the potter’s assurances about the boy’s potential competence. That was not something for the mage to determine – the fool was not his apprentice, after all. He silently followed Nhaésdar into the shop, feeling the familiar tingle of discharged magic in the air. The feeling grew stronger as they approached the vase he had ordered, causing Josk to frown. He had been under the impression that Nhaésdar did his work by hand, like any other craftsman. Josk circled the vase with a critical eye. Why was there a sense of magic around the vase? Why had the potter used magic to…the apprentice. The bumbling, clumsy apprentice had probably knocked the vase over at some point yesterday after Master Nhaésdar had sent the message to Josk and instead of spending several more weeks on a new vase, the potter had simply used magic to flawlessly reconstruct it. Josk frown instantly morphed into a pleased smile. He certainly didn’t blame the elf. Something this magnificent would have been difficult to duplicate – who would want such work to go to waste like that? That was acceptable then.

With his mind now satisfied as to the reason behind the magic, Josk shifted in sudden awareness of how wet he still was. The smile vanished once more as he wondered where on earth that damned apprentice was with the towel. He didn’t feel like wasting his energy to dry himself out with magic, especially if towels were readily available. As if reading the mage’s mind, Master Nhaésdar bellowed his apprentice’s name. He turned as he heard skipping and humming approaching them, marveling at how miniscule the apprentice was by elven standards. The marveling quickly turned back into irritation as the apprentice – Yren or whatever – started drying him off. First of all, Josk was perfectly capable of drying himself off. He had asked for a towel and nothing more. And second of all…this idiot had just slapped him on the head with the towel! Josk blinked in shock. What…what was this midget doing? Playing with his hair?

He looked over at Master Nhaésdar, but the older elf seemed to be too outraged and embarrassed to know how to react. After a moment in which neither mage nor potter made a move, Josk finally lost his temper. The look of awed delight on the apprentice’s face only made Josk’s eye twitch. His hands snapped up to snag the apprentice’s wrists in an unforgiving grip, halting the way the young elf was playing with his hair and causing the towel to drop to the floor between them. This closeness reminded him far too much of Rensu.

He met the elf’s startlingly cerulean blue eyes with his own storm-grey ones. In a calm tone that was at total odds with his darkened eyes and cruel grip, he said, “You seem to be particularly adept at aggravating your master’s customers with almost no effort whatsoever. Is there any particular reason why you are playing with my hair as if you have any right to do so? Think carefully about your answer because it will affect my future actions.”

[Lyrt]

Yren cried out in surprise as his wrists were grabbed suddenly in a harsh grip causing the soft strands to slip through his fingers. He watched in silence as his work started to unfurl before his eyes. So beautiful as the light hit it, shining softly with each slight movement. "Now its all ruined....such a pity...." the young elf said wistfully still staring at the strands before slowly drifting his attention to his own entrapped wrists.The fingers that wrapped about this skinny wrists were far paler than most elves would be. It was odd, this was the first time he had seen someone besides for a human having skin of such a shade. Yet there seemed to be some slight silver undertone to it, like moonlight. The nails were perfect opals, smooth and flawless. Slowly he raised his eyes up to meet the storms that ranged in the other's while his voice was soft and calm as he questioned him.

Without even the slightest bit of hesitation to the slight threat hidden in his words Yren replied in a light cheery tone. One who did not know him well would almost think that he had ulterior motives or was going out of his way to be especially rude. Yet no malice lingered in any of his words, so endlessly blunt that it was frightening.

"Well your hair is rather soft and silky, dark is such a nice shade too. Its fun to braid, straight hair is like that, my own is rather hard to do anything with so its fun to spend time fiddling with. It is right here laying out, I don't see the problem with playing with it just a little, you shouldn't keep such things all to yourself. Squirrels do that with nuts, you don't really look like one...though people in general don't look very much like them."

He tilted his head to the side staring up at him curiously "though...I should have asked first." He admitted a sheepish look overtaking his features. "Lastly...this hurts...can you let go...they are already hurting from before and this is making it worse..."

---

Dûrion stared brimming with a silent rage as his apprentice continued to embarrass himself in front of an important customer such as this. He shook as his apprentice continued to prattle on and on about utter nonsense over and over. It was too hard to stand there while he continued, his composure was long gone as he reached out smashing a fist atop the boy's head to silence him. "Yren, be silent, stay silent, do not speak again in such a manor! Carry the item for the customer and deliver it to where he wills it to be. Then re-tu-rn here" The man emphasized his last words the rage frightening on the elderly elf's face as he turned and stalked off into his workshop.

[Elloria]

Josk could hardly believe the tripe that was spilling from this child’s mouth. What sort of elf was this? He had no restraint, no inhibition, and no manners whatsoever! It was as if the boy had never been taught anything. And that was surely not the case because he would have been sent to Ilirea for education. Every elf child was sent to Ilirea. That was just how it worked. Even those who hated the Order knew their child would receive the best education possible in the City of Dragon Riders. So how had this one failed to learn anything? Josk was only slightly mollified by the youth’s acknowledgement of its inappropriate response to Josk’s admittedly lovely hair.

He narrowed his eyes at the youth’s request, though his irises were no longer the dark grey of storm clouds. They had become much brighter, though by no means had they returned to their usual silvery color. He did not release the younger elf, but he did relax his grip in response to Master Nhaésdar’s violent rebuke. He turned his head to watch the older elf storm off into what was surely his private workshop, one eyebrow raised quizzically. The last thing he wanted was for this idiot to follow him home – carrying the precious vase that entire distance, no less. Josk mentally cringed at the thought. But he supposed there was nothing else for it and he let out a soft sigh of resignation, finally releasing the youth’s wrists as he did so. Without looking at the boy, he said, “Be grateful Nhaésdar-ebrithil is your master and not I. Your punishment would have been far more severe were it up to me. Now retrieve the vase, boy. And try to not break it while you do. I would rather not see my brother’s gift shattered due to your carelessness.” He crossed his arms and waited for the order to be carried out. This was going to be one of the longest walks of his life. He could just feel it.

[Lyrt]

Yren reached up immediately rubbing at the new bump atop his head. It hurt, he hadn't done anything wrong at all and had gotten hit all the same. His master was being rather cruel today was he not? He would have to cheer him up with an apology and some hard work later that would bore large smoldering holes into his mind.

He straightened up and turned watching the older man stalk off waiting for it to be safe to move and breathe without being scolded again. Smiling merrily he skipped towards the vase and lifted it up into his arms cradling it carefully against his chest and he twirled round and round moving towards the doorway grinning broadly. "I wont break it...again, I am being extra careful can't you see-"

He broke off letting out a cry of surprise as he tripped back over the very same broom. The boy fell backwards the vase flying up into the air and tumbling down to crash. He slammed one palm down against the ground jarring his elbow with a horrid pop as he caught the vase with his other it balancing dangerously back on his palm.

"Ah...see I told you I was being extra careful!" he squeaked in slight pain from his jarred eyes pressed closed. He twisted up onto his feet holding the Vase more securely under one arm the other hanging by his side. "You have a brother? A real brother like humans have? I have never heard of an elf with an actual sibling under four hundred years and you only look double my own age give or take a decade."

He chirped happily a spring in his step as he walked out the doorway his golden hair bobbing with every cheerful step. It was nice out, and he had an excuse to spend more time out in the forest too. Clay! If he stopped by the riverbed and brought out a fresh batch of some really nice consistency he would be safe from anymore of his master's wrath. Starting to sing to himself happily he started off in the other direction before even asking which way the man was headed.

[Elloria]

Yup. Josk had correctly assumed this would try his patience. The younger elf was brazen, careless and contemptuously naïve. And he…what was he doing? Had he already forgotten the broom? “Watch out, you fool!” But the boy was already crashing down and Josk’s heart jumped into his throat. He gave a strangled cry as he leapt forward, already calling upon his magic to halt the vase’s descent – only to stop short as the apprentice miraculously caught it single-handedly.

"Ah...see I told you I was being extra careful!"

They hadn’t even left the shop yet and already the young elf had almost broken the vase. He should have brought Tathar along – then he wouldn’t have to deal with this youth’s clumsiness. Josk waited for his heart to slow as the youth carefully clambered to his feet. This…could this really end well? He felt his whole body trembling from the adrenaline rush and sincerely hoped this boy didn’t give him a heart attack on the way back to the estate. Just last until the estate, Josk. You can do that, can’t you? Of course you can. Treat it like you would an interrogation – with a calm and collected mind.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as the apprentice continued to babble. “You have a brother? A real brother like humans have? I have never heard of an elf with an actual sibling under four hundred years and you only look double my own age give or take a decade.”

A light flush pinked Josk’s face at the youth’s statement. This boy couldn’t be much older than seventy-five – probably hadn’t even hit eighty yet – and he thought Josk looked to be about one hundred and fifty? That was nearly a full century younger than he actually was. Admittedly, he took excellent care of himself – he was vain like that – but to be considered that young? It was…flattering. But he wasn’t going to act as though he was flattered. “You must be older than you look, boy. I am nearly two hundred and fifty years old. And so is my brother, Niko.”

He followed the apprentice out of the shop and shook his head incredulously. “Where do you think you are going?” he asked. His tone was sharp and cold once more. “The nobles’ district does not lie in that direction.” He glared as the apprentice froze and turned around, filled with amusement and contempt as a sheepish look crossed the boy’s face. Without waiting for an apology, Josk turned on his heel and strode off in the direction of the nobles’ district. He kept his pace slow and his strides shorter so that hopefully the midget of an elf would have less difficulty trying to keep up with him – and in reducing that difficulty, reducing the likelihood of the vase falling to the ground and shattering.

[Lyrt]

It truly was a wonderful day out, warm with the air not too thick with moisture and not too dry. The forest was lively with the slight warm wind that thrashed about playfully about them. He just wanted to curl up in the grass and sleep the day away. That was it, the perfect way to spend such a day, some time would have to be set aside for that as well! Wasting such perfection in the world must be a crime of great measure, and he would not let it pass by so aimlessly! Well...he would fix that after he finished with the vase.

He pranced about happily a large smile on his face as he stared up at the cloud speckled sky before freezing in place at the sound of the man's voice. "It can't be the wrong wrong way~" Yren replied cheerily spinning on his heel back towards the direction the man was headed one leg stretched out delicately. "If the world is an orb then no matter which way I go I will always end up where I want to in the end, so no way is ever the wrong way and no one can ever be lost."

Then with a soft jump to his other leg and a spin and then back again and again he danced around the customer keeping up with a relative ease for his size. Small and agile he was more like a monkey than an elf. Especially from the way he was holding the jar so loosely with an arm curved about it. Yet he seemed so endlessly cheerful over nothing all the same, singling happily as he pranced around him brimming with energy.

His mind slowly focused on the statement the man had made just moments before about his age, and even more a brother. The young elf paused and hopped right in front of the man's walking path leaning up on the very tips of his toes the curious pair of blue eyes inspecting his face carefully. He really did look young, much too young to be Two hundred already "Your brother must look much older then right? You sucked the youth out of him?" It was hard to tell if the statement was serious or not from the smile on his lips.

Tossing the vase up in the air he stuck out his hand to the man rather rudely for any elf. "My name is Yren, and yours is?" He stared up at him and leaned in close staring at his face carefully as if to commit it to memory. "What is a brother like? Who is he? Where is he currently?" Questions poured from his lips as he balanced the vase on his heel steadily one arm held out for balance as he swayed from side to side.

[Elloria]

Ignoring the youth’s constant babbling – and that was incredibly difficult, even for Josk’s remarkable talent for calculated indifference – Josk was certain that he would have enough reason to strangle the boy from his physical movement alone. The apprentice was prancing around with Niko’s vase. With absolutely no regard for the fragility of said vase – or for his own clumsiness! He just wanted to scream at the boy to be more careful. Or better yet, snatch the vase from his grasp so that it wouldn’t shatter against the earth. But an elf did not just go about snatching things away from others. They did not scream at the top of their lungs in public. This was especially true for someone born into a noble family and Josk had a reputation to uphold. And it was getting more and more difficult by the minute to remember that and behave accordingly.

Josk gritted his teeth as the boy made the rather stupid remark about Josk sucking away Niko’s youth. While the brothers certainly looked somewhat different now – if only because Niko’s features were sharper than Josk’s – they were still twins and for the most part they did bear a strong resemblance to one another. If one twin looked older, it was only due to his expression rather than any physical aging.

Josk’s eyes widened in horror as the apprentice tossed the vase into the air and began balancing it on his heel. And the way the boy was staring at him – it reminded Josk of Addison’s intense gaze and made him feel uncomfortable. It was almost worse than when the boy was playing with his hair. Now he just needed for…what was the boy’s name? Yren? Whatever, now all Josk needed was for Yren to suddenly become brazen and cocky like Jeralt and he would become one of Josk’s greatest nightmares – his lover, his admirer, and his sex buddy all rolled into one. What a terrifying thought.

“What is a brother like? Who is he? Where is he currently?”

Josk’s eye twitched ever so slightly and what little control he still possessed over his anger and frustration evaporated. He halted in his tracks. The air around them seemed to crackle with magical energy as Josk leveled a glare at Yren that could have frozen dragon fire – the mage’s irises now so dark with his outrage that they seemed almost black. In the imperious and withering tone that in childhood had held the power to stop the hot-tempered Niko in mid-tantrum, Josk said, “Remove that vase from your heel and hold it in a manner that will not allow it to topple to the ground. How dare you treat it so carelessly? Is that vase a gift for you? Do you have any right to behave so recklessly with it? Will you be able to recompense me and your master the time and money spent on that vase should it shatter beyond repair? Because if so much as a single shard goes missing, there will be no chance of mending it.” Josk leveled a finger at Yren, gently tapping the boy on the chest for fear of making him topple over and thereby breaking the vase. Many elves had stopped to watch the exchange, curious and disapproving of such a flagrant display of emotion. Josk merely ignored them; he had become much accustomed to the reaction due to his time in Ilirea – where the stares had been constant companions for him and his younger twin. “Behave with the decorum that is befitting an elf or else hand over Niko’s vase this instant and return to your master in shame for I will not allow you to accompany me another step if you insist on disgracing yourself, your master and me.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again. They were no longer nearly black, but still a much darker grey than was usual for the normally placid mage. “I have neither the time nor the patience for your infantile antics. If you wish to pry into my life and ask such ridiculous questions, you will do so in a far calmer and dignified manner than you have done thus far. Do I make myself clear, Yren?”

[Lyrt]

Yren froze something stifling filling the air about them and pressing in sharply. It was tense, far too tense for his liking everything feeling as though it might shatter from the slightest breath. What was causing it? Rarely did he ever feel it, not that he really went out very much in general and spoke to very many people. He did not even know the common tongue well enough to speak in a full conversation. Tongues were not something he was gifted with in any sense.

He focused back on the man's face watching his expression closely. Was it anger? Had he angered him mistakenly? It was slightly frightening the way the eyes seemed to pierce him, boring holes in his own eyes. He watched him quietly waiting for something, anything to break the utterly painful tension.

“Remove that vase from your heel and hold it in a manner that will not allow it to topple to the ground. How dare you treat it so carelessly? Is that vase a gift for you? Do you have any right to behave so recklessly with it? Will you be able to recompense me and your master the time and money spent on that vase should it shatter beyond repair? Because if so much as a single shard goes missing, there will be no chance of mending it.”

He was angry! He really was! Yren stared at him stunned not able to respond right away. He did something wrong? Truly wrong? The boy's lip began to tremble staring up at him with wounded eyes as he slowly took the vase back into his arms holding it carefully to his chest. Gaze towards the ground he stayed silent not knowing how to act. Had he really done such wrong?

“Behave with the decorum that is befitting an elf or else hand over Niko’s vase this instant and return to your master in shame for I will not allow you to accompany me another step if you insist on disgracing yourself, your master and me.”

An elf? He despised acting like an elf. Elves were so harsh, so stotic always keeping everything bottled up. It was agonizing going through the motions expected of him, unable to speak of things he liked, unable to laugh the way he liked. He had too though didn't he now, it was his job to deliver the vase all the way. "I..." he mumbled still staring at the ground "I understand..." It was what he needed to do even if it was painful, as long as he lived among elves he would need to put on the elven farce.

“I have neither the time nor the patience for your infantile antics. If you wish to pry into my life and ask such ridiculous questions, you will do so in a far calmer and dignified manner than you have done thus far. Do I make myself clear, Yren?”

The boy let out a curt nod his lips pressed together into a thin line to stop them from trembling. He fixed his posture after a few moments of shifting from leg to leg, standing tall and straight. The deep blue pools were the only thing that betrayed his emotions. Wounded and pained they were almost like that of a animal reprimanded by something or someone it trusted. At least he could still ask questions.

Walking at a more steady pace and holding the vase tightly to his chest he continued on waiting a bit before speaking again. "So...whomever you are....what is it like to have a brother? Is it...different than other things?" His voice shook slightly and he kept his face hidden head still hung.

[Elloria]

With the boy’s quiet response and curt nod, the tension immediately melted away from Josk’s stance. The magic he had been unconsciously discharging dwindled away to nothing. He had finally gotten through the child’s remarkably thick skull and the near-instantaneous suppression of the disgustingly bubbly energy was a balm on Josk’s frayed nerves. Feeling much calmer, he resumed walking towards the nobles’ district, his pace steady without being sluggish and he was pleased that Yren was now matching his pace.

Josk didn’t particularly enjoy losing his temper like that. It was always something he regretted because he knew that – without fail – he would hurt someone’s feelings when he was that angry. For all his bravado, the one thing Josk despised was causing unnecessary emotional pain. And the wounded look in Yren’s eyes spoke volumes of just how deeply Josk had pained the boy. While that didn’t sit well with the older mage, but he couldn’t take back what had happened.

Still…at least the boy wasn’t bouncing around and practically squealing his questions at Josk. That would forever be a plus, no matter how badly he hurt the boy. He didn’t need another Niko in his life – though admittedly Niko had mellowed immensely during the twins’ education in Ilirea. Josk supposed that was good. Niko finally had a real focus for his wild energy which meant Josk would no longer be pulled along on any number of harebrained schemes that would invariably end with one or both twins sporting bruises and bleeding fists, if not a few cuts and broken bones as well.

“So...whomever you are....what is it like to have a brother? Is it...different than other things?”

Josk blinked, pulled from his musings about his twin by the quiet query. Ah, yes. He had implied that Yren could continue asking questions, so long as the boy went about it calmly. The mage shivered ever so slightly. He was not quite used to someone who was neither a servant nor a subordinate obeying him so quickly and thoroughly. It was rather thrilling. But he couldn’t think about that – it held no relevance in this moment. So he shoved it aside and considered Yren’s question. “Well…first of all, my name is Josk. Were you paying attention earlier, you would have known that already. Second of all…well, I suppose it’s not much different from having a friend.” Josk frowned. That didn’t convey how much Niko was to him with any kind of accuracy. But how did one go about explaining the supreme importance of your other half without delving into the realm of the extremely personal. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “My twin is my best friend. But…Niko is also much more than that. He is my friend, confidant, protector, companion, schemer – the better half, in my opinion. He was always the bright light of the sun when life would send us both barreling into the deepest abyss.”

A warm smile slowly spread across Josk’s face as he thought back on his life with Niko. If one were to look at him in that moment, they would see a glimpse of the happy child he had been whenever Niko was with him. “I doubt any other siblings can claim a familiarity and understanding like what Niko and I share. Perhaps that is because we are twins. I do not know. We sometimes disagree or do not see things the same way, but there is no one who will ever replace Niko’s presence in my life. And I like to think he feels the same about me.” He glanced over at Yren, the smile turning into a sly smirk. “So yes, I suppose having a twin brother is different from other things. I take it you have no siblings?”

[Lyrt]

“Well…first of all, my name is Josk. Were you paying attention earlier, you would have known that already. Second of all…well, I suppose it’s not much different from having a friend.”

Yren listened watching the ground to make sure he stepped in a proper manor as to not trip over anything. If he did the man would shout again, and it hurt when he shouted at him when he made a mistake, His master never made him feel like that even when he was attacked by him for making a mistake. Yet somehow that one moment that he was shouted at by this one it scared him more than ever.

"Josk..." he said the name in a whisper recalling that it was indeed mentioned beforehand. Josk? It sounded vaguely familiar beyond the day, as if he had heard it before in another context. It was soft, oddly simple for one of his status. It seemed to be the higher they climbed up the tree of power the more complex the names would become.

The boy had to bite back a whine in reply to his question about a brother though. A sibling was rare, there had to be more than simply a mere 'friend'. Siblings were supposed to be...unique...different unlike another other relationship.

Yet before he voiced his complaint at the brief answer Josk elaborated. "My twin is my best friend. But…Niko is also much more than that. He is my friend, confidant, protector, companion, schemer – the better half, in my opinion. He was always the bright light of the sun when life would send us both barreling into the deepest abyss.”

"So...he is irreplaceable?" he asked raising his head to glance up at his face. "Where is he?" the boy asked curiously trying his best not to pry needlessly into his life but...it was so...he really wished to know. It sounded so special, so unique. Something he would never be able to understand no matter how hard he tried.

“I doubt any other siblings can claim a familiarity and understanding like what Niko and I share. Perhaps that is because we are twins. I do not know. We sometimes disagree or do not see things the same way, but there is no one who will ever replace Niko’s presence in my life. And I like to think he feels the same about me.”

A smile seemed to bloom on the elder elf's lips and it was odd, he could make expressions like that. Most of his people would never show such expressions so openly. Yet it was soft unlike the harsh expressions he saw before. Above all it was kind, yet he seemed to notice the boy's staring and it slowly melted into a smirk. “So yes, I suppose having a twin brother is different from other things. I take it you have no siblings?”

Yren nodded "siblings are very very rare...so I do not have any." He stared up at Josk's face once again and skipped to keep up with him not even noticing the change in his walk to the slight hop. "How far are we from your home?" he asked suddenly looking around the slightly unfamiliar area. He rarely ever came to this 'district' and did not know his way about very well. Suddenly he pitched forward with a cry seeming to trip over nothing as he pitched forward not knowing what to do to protect the vase with it held in front of him in both his hands.

[Elloria]

“Hmm…yes, Niko is irreplaceable,” Josk mused. “It saddens me that he wastes his time in the Grand Library of Ilirea when he could be here causing havoc with me.” He looked at Yren, frowning slightly at how the boy was back to skipping. Honestly, was there just no teaching the boy? Josk thanked his good fortune that he had never taken on an apprentice, least of all one like Yren. He probably would have killed the boy by now. But so long as the brat wasn’t dancing, Josk supposed he would allow this indiscretion to slide for the moment.

The mage looked around him, not having realized that they had entered the nobles’ quarter. They were roughly two-thirds of the way through the quarter already, which meant they were perhaps another five minutes from his home. Sometimes he wondered why the older noble families felt the need to live so far away from Ellesmera proper. He mentally shrugged before turning his head to answer Yren – just in time to see the boy literally trip over thin air. He lurched forward, hand swiping at thin air in an attempt to grab the boy as he shouted, “Do not let the vase break!” The words left his mouth before he’d even had a chance to think of a proper spell, the magic fleeing from him to enforce his will on the world. There was a sudden drop in his energy that made him stagger slightly, but nonetheless he was pleased with the outcome of his impromptu spellcasting. Yren was hovering about six inches off the ground – plenty of room to keep both boy and vase from touching the ground. With a sigh Josk reached for the pool of energy in his obsidian ring, held his hand out and murmured, “Set the boy on his feet.” Once Yren was securely on his own two feet again Josk released the magic, ending the spell. The mage could feel his eye twitching in irritation. “How, pray tell, does one manage to trip over thin air?” Sarcasm practically dripped from his lips as he glared at the boy.

[Lyrt]

Yren cringed preparing for an impact with the ground. How silly was it that the body did the exact opposite of what it should be doing in the moments most crucial. Instinctively he tensed up, yet it was best for him to relax, the pain would be less.

The vase though, he had to protect it! He had said that he would, and among the many oddities he was a liar was not and would never be one of them. It was so beautiful, and he had already broken it once by accident. If it broke again...he could not even begin to imagine what would follow after.

The kind smile that took on Josk's face when he spoke of his brother convinced the young elf that he was kind even if he always seemed so harsh. His brother seemed to be so important to him, and the vase was a present for him. He would never see that expression again if it broke. It was so soft, so genuine, never before had he seen one like it with his people always so stoic.

He let out a soft whimper hugging the vase close to his chest bracing himself for an impact that never came. Floating, he seemed to be floating in midair his hair falling into his eyes. "Ah...ah?" he cracked open a blue eye staring down at the ground that was miraculously not flying up to meet him. Confusion flitted across his features and he turned his head staring at Josk.

His hand was outstretched fingers delicately splayed out as a tension seemed to be held there. Softly he was set back on his feet the vase miraculously unharmed. "I...I am very sorry sir!" he exclaimed the apology frighteningly sincere for the way he had been earlier. "I was irresponsible with your precious possession for your brother..."

Any remnant of the smile was wiped clean from the older elf's face replaced with annoyance and a large irritation. He had never meant to make him irritated! It just seemed to happen spontaneously. "I don't know...it always seems to happen even when I am most careful...how do I always trip..."

He hummed softly relaxing now that the vase was safe in his arms. The scenery was changed, the houses far more complex and decadent as they drew deeper into the nobles quarters. It was beautiful to look at, such tall lush trees stretching up towards the sky. How he would love to climb up into one and take a long nap in the lingering rays of the afternoon sun "Pretty..." he mumbled eyes widening as he stared up. The few times he had been here he had not looked around so intently nor had he even taken a moment to examine the surroundings.


It was heavily populated by birds and the like, so many perched up singing sweet songs to the wind. Yren smiled staring up at it all. He did not like the idea of living in the noble's area, it was far too much of realm of politics and such things far beyond him. The raw forest he would choose any day over all of its splendor. It was all riddled with little secrets if one just knew where to look.

[Elloria]

Josk rolled his eyes. He had never met such a clumsy elf in his 245 years. Now granted that was a very short span of time to an elf, but even so – how many elves could honestly claim to be clumsy? As if they were nothing more than an ungainly, bumbling human? He sighed in quiet exasperation and started towards his estate again, not even bothering to reply to the fool’s babbling. He just had to endure a few more minutes. Then he could send this Yren skittering and skipping back to the potter’s workshop while Josk made plans to ship the vase to Ilirea.

Soon, the twenty-foot-high brambles that comprised the estate walls finally came into view. As always, the imposing tangle of thorns and branches soothed Josk immensely. He was now home. Beyond the main gate that Josk and Yren were approaching stood the towering Sabino Cyprus that Josk’s ancestors had seen fit to shape and grow until it was tall and vast enough to become the family’s five-story manor home. Josk could feel his muscles slowly losing their tension as they neared the gateway – the thick thorny branches of the encircling blackberry brambles which had been carefully interwoven to form two large doors. As the mage and the apprentice drew closer, the guards on duty silently opened the gate. Josk gave the two men a slight nod before striding past them. “Don’t stand there gawking, Yren,” the mage said as he started the ten-minute walk to the house itself, knowing without even looking that the boy was most likely staring at the estate walls and the grounds that lay beyond. It was going to be one of the longest ten minutes of his life.

[Lyrt]

Yren's aquamarine pools grew at the sight of the large intimidating walls of thorns that rose up to nearly double his height. Yet what lay behind was even more awe inspiring, it being the largest building he had ever seen in Ellesméra. Or had ever seen beside for one or two in Ilirea that were far thinner than this mammoth of a home. He stood still blinking slowly and staring his features frozen in a stunned expression.

“Don’t stand there gawking, Yren,”

The man's voice slashed through his astonishment like a knife pulling him back to the reality. "It's like a palace! Or something like that..." he chirped hurrying to catch up to him as he locked eyes with the blackberry bramble walls. They looked so large, juicy, and plump far too perfect to believe it was natural. Yet growing that high it was doubtful that it was. The jam he could make from such berries...

"You really are an important person..." he mumbled absentmindedly tracing the patterns across the surface of the pottery. It was still a distance from the house and he was not going to risk nearly dropping it again. Or he would do his best not to, his luck was rather horrid yet he did make an attempt to keep his karma on the good side.

The silence was feeling far too tense and he could not help starting to babble to brake the slight sense of discomfort. "Ah...well you must have really wonderful jam" he began staring up at him with a soft smile on his lips "though blackberries really do make some nice dyes and even glazes~ The tree on the pot has blackberry dye as part of the color~ It has some strawberry for coloring on the petals and the leaves coloring comes from copper. Well...not only those things are in the color but they are the most prominent. Yet-"

Yren shut up suddenly pressing his lips together into a straight line "Im sorry for babbling...I will be quiet now." If his master found out he had started to babble once again and driving Josk to annoyance he would be sure no good would come of it from either of them. Josk was already angry at him for nearly dropping the vase, it would be better not to prod an angry lion or in this situation a panther.

[Elloria]

Josk didn’t respond to Yren’s amazement and wonder. It merely spoke of the boy’s more humble origins. After all, anyone raised in the nobles’ quarter wouldn’t have as strong a reaction to the Danta estate. They would know it was one of the oldest estates and that no one outside of the family had anything to do with the growth of the cypress and bramble walls. So Josk let the silence stretch out between them, counting down the minutes until they reached the cypress that was his home.

It was only when Yren started babbling about blackberries, jam, and glazes that Josk tuned back in to what the boy was saying. Josk had never considered using the fruits that grew in abundance on the brambles as a glaze before. The servants certainly made all sorts of blackberry concoctions – concoctions which were frequently given as gifts to other nobles or family members – but the glazing might be interesting to experiment with for his sculptures. He was almost saddened when Yren suddenly closed his mouth and apologized for babbling on. Josk shrugged, though his lips were quirked into a wry smile. “I feel your master will be more displeased than I am that you are sharing his secrets. I am merely surprised that you could maintain focus long enough to learn all that. You seem rather scatterbrained and too easily distracted to be taught much of anything.”

A few moments later, they arrived at the base of the massive cypress. Josk paused just outside of the door that was embedded in the tree and turned back to look out over the landscaping that was occurring on both sides of the cobbled drive which led from the gate to the tree. He had finally begun the process of shaping the front gardens to his own liking. He’d found some fairths down in the vaults that were of the original gardens. Inspired by the images, he had taken it upon himself to erase his mother’s taint upon the estate and restore the gardens to their former glory. They were mostly bare right now, save for the arbors in the center of both gardens. The two arbors were shaped like the sun and moon with red roses and blue rosemary, respectively, slowly growing on them.

He smiled as he opened the door and stepped in, ushering Yren in as he did so. Josk was surprised to see Tathar standing at the foot of the staircase that spiraled up to nearly all of the floors in the house. The mage raised a slender eyebrow at the presence of his servant. The elf shared his lord’s nocturnal tendencies, so it was odd to see him up and about during the daylight unless Josk had some task for Tathar to do. The servant’s only response was to hold out a letter to Josk. The mage frowned and walked over to Tathar, taking the letter from him. Looking down at it, he noted that it was from Niko – which explained why Tathar had been there to greet him. Tathar was the only person he trusted enough to accept correspondence from Niko when Josk was not there to take it himself. His frown only deepened, however. He had just received a letter from Niko last week – which meant that the feeling of disquiet he had felt two days ago was probably not something he should have ignored. “Tch.” Without glancing at the apprentice again, Josk said, “Tathar, take the vase from Yren and follow me up to the fifth floor. Yren…you are free to return to your master now.” He stepped past Tathar and began heading upstairs – when he finally read the letter, he wanted to be in the comfort of his suite rather than anywhere else.

[Lyrt]

Yren glanced up at Josk quietly stopping right in his tracks for fear of tripping over something while he was not paying attention. The elder elf had had an almost sour expression for nearly the whole walk because of his near accidental destruction of the precious vase more than once. Yet somehow he was smiling now, it seemed slightly mocking but it was a smile no less. Elves did not smile sincerely often, and it was nice to see one.

A soft smile bloomed on his own lips and he hid with the vase as he cast his eyes back to his feet and hurried to catch back up to him. "My master does not like natural glazes as much as I do...so I make them. They have softer colors than mineral glazes do but they look warmer somehow. Though I make most of the glazes now since Master seems to like the way I make them so they are more of my secrets now." A soft swell of pride bubbled up that he had seemed to impress the other with his knowledge of such things.

"Its something I like so it is easy to maintain focus of it, colors are so bright and wondrous...they really are more interesting than sword fighting or politics." Yren walked along staring quietly at the endless expanse of a garden around them and the massive cypress that stood in the center that Josk herded him into.

There was another elf there who looked stoic handing Josk a letter immediately that he entered. It seemed to trouble him and he handed over the Vase to the other elf with a nod. "Have a nice day Josk~" the boy piped up as he went off back to his work.