And You Are? [AzrethxZel]

Azreth nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest. He took a sip of the tea, thankful for its warmth, and stared at the now-diminishing embers. "I think I could light it again, once I warm up a bit." His words shook, but with either cold or fear, even he wasn't certain. "And I agree. I think whatever I've been searching for has found me. I think.." The boy's words trailed off as his eyes unfocused for a moment."[/i] I think we need to go north. Almost all the way to the edge of the Isle."[/i]

Azreth's stomach did a flip. It was easy to forget that the Isle was miles up above the Lands Below, with nothing but clouds between the two worlds. Unless one was right on the edge of the Isle of course, looking down into miles and miles of nothingness. There were no fences along the edges of the Isle; only on the eastern side was there some sort of barrier. The mountains were a deterrent for any who strayed too far, but Gods forbid if they climbed the giant peaks and fell off the other side...

Azreth pushed down a shudder, this time having nothing to do with the cold. "I wonder how we'll find whatever it is we're looking for, Zel." The Prince turned green eyes on the Alchemist. "I mean, if Azrein really did exist or are coming back, you'd think that someone would have found traces of them, right? Or even one or two, with how many adventurers we have exploring. A frown marred Azreth's features as he thought for a moment.

"But when my ancestor found the Azrein for the first time, from what Father told me, King Alarein didn't know what he was looking for either. And Azreth kind of just...came running," he finished lamely. "I wonder if it'll be like that for us, too. I mean, Alarein was about to kill himself when Azreth came to him, but I don't think despair is the only way we can find them, right?" Azreth blinked; it was odd that he had been named after the first Azrein, and using a name that was his and yet wasn't was a bit disconcerting. Not to mention, the Isle was named after the first Azrein as well. It was enough to make any boy's head hurt.

The Prince flexed his fingers around the fired-clay mug, finally regaining some feeling in the digits. They tingled unpleasantly, but other than that, they seemed fine. The young boy nibbled on his lower lip, looking at the dull embers as if they were a snake about to strike. "So, how do I bring the fire back, Zel? I don't think I can make it flare up again, unless there was some high emotion." Wasn't that something that made Skill-users become more proficient? The stronger the emotion, the stronger the manifestation of Skill? Azreth shook his head to himself. If that were the case in this situation, he didn't think he'd be able to make the coals even fart, much less burn again. He was numb, but physically and mentally at this point.

He turned green eyes to the Alchemist, setting his mug of tea down on the ground beside him. His gaze was intent, focused, and the boy had the posture of a very dedicated student. If he was going to learn this, he needed to do it right, and it had to be quickly; with his busy life, he didn't have the luxury for the kind of study and years of dedication Magick took.

He observed the youth, watching the shuddering with a patient eye. Far north? Hmm, that would be quite dangerous thought Zel. Including all the monsters that lay in the forest and bordering mountains, there was that rather nasty drop. It really would put a damper on someone's day if they fell off without the proper equipment. Then again, who would be stupid enough to parachute down from the island to the land below? A few names came to mind, but really nothing worth mentioning.

" Considering what just happened, we probably will know it when we see it. " he gave a small chuckle before leaning back on his elbows. The cold ground did seep through to his skin through his layers, but it wasn't unpleasant by any means. In fact, Zel seemed actually pretty relaxed considering someone just tried to burn his eyebrows off unintentionally moments ago then proceed to nearly have a panic attack. Mentally, Zel was still a little shaken from that experience, but someone had to pretend they knew what was going on for the sake of sanity, right? Right! " No need to worry over it now. We now have a heading. Come morning, we'll just head north and keep on the trails. And remember to keep some spare change in our boots in case bandits decide to pay a visit. " Never mind the sheer oddity that an entire species of sentient equine vanished off the face of a planet; though, that too was most troublesome to the Alchemist. He refrained from frowning, preferring to mentally mar his face instead, and smiled before motioning to the fire. Hurry up silly boy, let there be light!!

The question was endearingly worded. Zel found himself smirking and was mildly amused that his face decided to quirk without asking first. Wetting his lips, he eased himself onto one side, raised his left hand and held it up, spreading the worn and well groomed fingers. " Emotion is only part of it. If you want a burst of power, yeah. Tap into that teenage angst and pray to the gods that you don't die in a spectacular boom. " Figuring that the Crowned Prince wanted the quick and dirty version, and that he knew the very basics of the elements, Zel spared him the four hour lecture he could recite from the many research papers written by himself from the library at the Arcane Archives. He jumped straight to the bare bones, deciding to use a visual demonstration and a sort of puppet method that his own master would scoff at the simplicity and impracticality of use. " So... Basics; Fire, Earth, Water, Air. Right? Good. Now assign each of those to a finger, doesn't matter which one. You want fire, right? Draw a mental strand of fire from your finger to the smoldering coals and coax them back to life. No flares, just get the flames back going. Even if they're small it'll be fine. You did it before, right? Do it again. Small flames. Like, candle flame. Try. "

The directions were vague, but the able student was so eager and was asking for a challenge with a mental hitch against flaring fire... And it was a relatively easy task for someone that was used to working with that element. Might as well start him there and see what happens. " Oh, and keep back from the fire pit in case the coals get a little too eager to burst into flames. Your father would kill me if you lost your eyebrows or --heaven forbid-- that peach fuzz you call a beard. "

The Prince shot a glare at Zel; he hadn't really had the time to shave in the past few days. The boy opened the fingers of his right hand, looking down and visually assessing each one. Assign an element to a finger. Well, he doubted he'd ever be using earth, so that could be the pinky. Fire seemed the most natural to him, so the index would work for that. Air could be the middle, and that left the ring for water. Azreth nodded, squaring his shoulders, looking as if he were about to charge into battle.

Taking a breath to calm himself, the boy extended his index finger, willing his mind to draw a searing line of white from fingertip to the bed of coals. A hot line traveled up from his stomach, to the crown of his head, down his face and neck and shoulder, shooting along his bicep and forearm with astonishing speed. With a gasp, a pinprick of heat escaped his finger, and the coals on the fire flashed a bright white. Wincing, squinting his eyes against the brightness, Azreth took his lip between his teeth and pushed. Suddenly, the white turned to a healthy, friendly glow of yellow and orange, and small flames poked out from between the coals.

Azreth let out a sigh and deflated, finally remembering to breathe. "I...I think I did too much at first." He blinked spots out of his vision and turned his head to look at Zel, head tilted to the side inquiringly. He hadn't the first idea of where Skill originated from. He had felt it start around his abdomen somewhere, but then it went to his mind and kind of just...intensified before scorching a path down his arm and out his finger.

It was an interesting sensation, to be sure. Almost painful, but not quite. Hot and cold at the same time and...
Well, wasn't he just the biggest walking oxymoron?

Azreth rubbed his eyes, still slightly off from the searing whiteness of the coals earlier, letting out a sigh. He was beyond tired at this point, and it was hardly the tenth hour of the night. The Prince raised his arms in a languid stretch, his muscles heavy and eyes growing heavier by the minute.

" Ah! Good. Very good. I honestly didn't expect you to pull it off the first try after that outburst, " he admitted with a rather wide grin on his face. His fingers twitched as he reigned in the excess energy , and rather messy execution, of the lighting of the fire, but Zel didn't want to tell the prince that he had accidentally tried to use his own body heat to light the fire just yet. Probably a stupid thing to ask the boy to do in hindsight, but a necessary one. At least he was being kinder than his own teacher had been. " A little sloppy, though nothing a good night's rest won't fix. We'll work on feeling for energy instead of using it tomorrow morning, aye? "

The alchemist observed the tired boy for a moment, then reached out to gently grip his shoulder and catching his attention. " Go lay down, Azreth. Sleep. I'll watch tonight, don't worry. I'm used to all-nighters. Hmm...which reminds me. . . " Attention back on the fire, Zel frowned, snarled and flicked his index and middle finger left across the flames. The pale yellow turned a dull blue and purple and grew a few feet. " Kir'ma vyoths, nil. " He muttered utter nonsense that he associated with Magefiyre. It would give off heat and this special blend would illuminate the little area around the circle just nicely without being seen for a few miles out in case anyone happened to meander by. Call him crazy, but there really were some nasty characters that roamed on the outskirts of the 'civilized' lands. " ... I'll teach you Mage's fire later. Sleep. "

Zel drew himself from a languid lounging position to sitting on the heels of his boots, and poking the fire with a long stick. There really was no reason for it other than it was something to pass time with. Course, he would spend a few hours just changing the color of the fire for shits and giggles. Yes, Zel was a pyromaniac. Weren't all magic users at heart, though? The night really wouldn't be too long though. Sun would rise in about six hours, the moon would rise and set, and the stars would twinkle out as the sun kissed the ground in the morning haze. Ah, there was just something about sunrises that Zel adored. Half the time he pulled an all-nighter just to see the new day's sun greet the world after a cold night. And that was probably when he was going to wake the poor boy up and feed him warm food in his dreary state and get them on the road before the dreary creature could discover his nefarious plot . Traveling you wake up with the sun and camp with the moon to keep moral high and muscles lean and prepared.

Azreth smiled wearily at the Alchemist's praise. "I didn't think I was gunna be able to pull it off either." The boy's words were slightly slurred. Green eyes frowned down at his index finger, as if he had an unpleasant substance under his nail. The not-pain he had felt just before the fire had come back was odd, and he didn't know if that was normal or not. He had absolutely no experience in the Skill, save for Compulsion. The Prince nodded at Zel's words, his response time slightly lagged. "Yeah. I don't think I wanna use energy for a while." He quirked a grin at the red-head, turning his eyes to his bedroll.

Sleep sounded absolutely wonderful, but he really shouldn't let Zel take watch throughout the whole night. After a few feeble protests, Zel convinced him that he would fine, and with a look overflowing with gratitude, the boy slid his boots from his feet and tucked himself into the heavy fabric. He had just closed his eyes when a dance of blue and purple flickered across his eyelids. Azreth opened heavy eyes, blinking in wonder.

The fire was blue! And purple! The boy had never seen such a thing, nor had he even known that changing the color of flames was possible. He had heard Zel muttering to himself, but he figured that the man was just eccentric. Of course, that might've had nothing to do with the color of the fire at all. Did one even need to speak to use the Skill? A frown creased the boy's brow, and before he could frame words to ask the Alchemist, he drifted off into sleep.

Darkness surrounded the boy, a pinprick of brightest blue right in front of him. The boy knew he had to be dreaming; no where on the Lands Below or the Isle could ever be as dark as where he was now. Green eyes took in the area around him; everything seemed to be a bit unfocused, hazy even. He heard a gentle sound, the exhalation of breath, and the blue light flickered, unsteady in its form. Squinting against what seemed like the sun in the abyss of black around him, the boy took soundless steps towards the glow.

"Hello, Citizen." Whatever the thing was, the Prince was giving it the benefit of the doubt; Citizen was a title for anyone, common or blue-blood, that lived on the Isle. Better to be polite with someone or something you didn't know, even if hostile. "I'm Prince Azre-"

::I know who and what you are. I know your hopes and your fears, secrets and aspirations. I know what it is you seek, and I know where you can find it. I know the highs and lows, every second of every minute of every hour of every day that you have lived, since your first breath. I know your name, your father's name, your father's father's name, all the way back to the very first of your line that has seen the sun rise. I am you, and you are me, Azreth.::

The voice in his mind was like sun rising after a night of storms; strong and clear, reminding one of how no matter how dark it might seem, a new day would always dawn. The boy dropped to his knees, body shaking and lost for words. The Prince's eyes were riveted on the glow, now beginning to take shape. It was ethereal, always moving, always changing. But here, he caught a glimpse of wings; and there of hooves and four strong legs. Between one heartbeat and the next, a winged stallion was before him, shining in its brilliance.

::You must come to me, Azreth. Fly like the wind, and stop only for food and rest, for nothing will keep us apart. Time will be warped, the very fabric of the skies will twist to bring you to me safely. Fear not beats nor bandits, nor the broken leg of steed, for I will bring you to me safely. Fly like the wind, and stop for nothing.::

Azreth reached out a slender hand towards the nose of the beast, but suddenly the bright of the stallion was replaced by the brightness of the sun. The Prince choked on a sob as he sat up, finding tears on his cheeks, and looked around at the camp. He met Zel's gaze, eyes wide and glassy, and opened his mouth to speak before he lost consciousness.

" GOOD MORNING AZ--Azreth? " His cheerful smile was attacked by this bleary eyed, tear stained boy that seemed to be searching for words. Well, more like a zombie of a boy that sat up quickly then passed out again. How do parents deal with this sort of thing, Zel wondered for a moment as he made a quick gesture with his hands supposedly to ward off evil spirits. Well, this certainly will prove to be an interesting day.

Steeling himself for another pass at this, Zel frowned and yanked the covers off the boy to expose him to the chilly and refreshing morning's chill., ' Oi! Get up. The sun is almost up and we have miles to ride before lunch break. " He ignored the tear stains, nor did he really want to know what the boy had been dreaming. Assuming it was a nightmare, those sorts of dreams should be kept with a lock and key not shared willy-nilly like a Lady at Court. " Pour yourself a mug of breakfast and get packed. " Gesturing to a camp pot filled with some sort of herbal soup with some sort of meaty bits in it, Zel saw no need to mention that he forgot to change the flames back from a pink and white color. He had fallen asleep after that color combination and awoke to a muzzle in his face. Apparently his unnamed mare already picked up on his wish to be woken up at ' O 'Dark -Thirty' and more than happily obliged with the request for breakfast for herself and companion. Wandering over to his pack, he dug through the pockets and pulled out what looked to be a horn with a cork on it on a string. It was similar to a calling horn, but the cork?

Without so much as word, Zel tossed it at Azreth, " Put a few of the smoldering coals in there. Hotter the better. Use your riding gloves if you can't pick them up with your bare hands. Or be a tool user and pick up the coals with a couple of kindling sticks. " Ooh...that would be fun actually. Zel grinned from ear to ear and started the fun process of locating and retrieving his pebbles from the radius of camp. It probably would take him about fifteen minutes, though his hazel eyes fell always back to the young boy to make sure he hadn't fallen into the fire or set the pot on fire --which would have been utterly hilarious either way. Done, he wandered back and grinned, " Awesome... Put the fire out. Get dressed, run some water through your hair and lets head north. Hopefully we'll find a small inn or something to grab some of the winter cider. Oh! Maybe grab some of the roasted pumpkins or chestnuts. Maybe buy you some proper clothes. You look like a pansy prancing around in that, no offence Azzy. "

He jibbed and laughed while he absently brushed down his mare and saddled her up. Soon he was upon her and pretty much ready to get going. " Come on sleepy head." he said through a smirk, " We aren't getting younger. . . you might though if you sleep in all the time. " He really was pointedly ignoring that haunted stare when he woke Azreth up. Ugh. . . creeepy glazed eyes were creepy and very unsettling. Reminded him of corpses. Eww... Dead people.

The boy's skin prickled as the heavy fabric was ripped from him, and with a grunt he sat up, blinking in confusion. He listened to the Alchemist ramble on, green eyes tracking him as he set about packing up the camp. The horn Zel tossed his way conked the child in the head, and if looks could kill, three daggers would have been in between Zel's shoulder blades. The Prince rubbed his head before pulling on gloves, proceeded to put the lumps of coal into the horn with the...cork.

The boy growled his way through getting dressed and putting out the fire, blinking in shock that Zel had not only described his sluggish movements as prancing, but also that he looked like a...pansy. Azreth shook his head, bewildered at the man's so-happy-he-might-be-throttled-by-a-Prince attitude, and set about saddling up his stallion. He whined and groaned all through breaking camp, but as soon as he was in the saddle, the boy became a Prince once more.

"Zel, in my dream, I found what we're looking for." Azreth cocked a self-righteous grin -- and rightly so, for they would have wandered for days without the stallion's guidance. He repeated verbatim what the voice had said, and relayed the entire dream to the Alchemist. "So, no stopping at any Inns for you nuts and cider. We're going it rough or we're gunna keep on going." A roguish twinkle lit the boys eyes, and his lips parted in a wolfish grin.

"And no worries for the horses, either; that stallion said he'd keep them safe, and I've a mind to believe him." The boy touched heels to the flanks of his steed -- the first and last time without ever warming him up -- and let out a joyful whoop.

"We ride!"

Bending low over his stallion's neck, the beast beneath him sprang forward with more vigor than ever before, hooves thundering on the damp grass beneath him. Looking back over his shoulder, Azreth laughed at the dumbfounded expression on the Alchemist's face. Blonde hair streamed behind him, violet cape flapping in the wake of their speed, know that finally, finally, he was going to get some answers.

After a time, the Alchemist's sturdy mare had caught up to his prized Courser -- mostly because the Prince had reined the regal beast in, of course -- and the boy slowed the stallion's gait to a comfortable canter, side-by-side with Zel.

"I think the old legend says that the first Azrein spoke to my ancestor in the same way, Zel!" Azreth said over the wind. Gone was the burdened, somber boy of the day before. In his place was a man that looked the part of an eager Prince, ready to bear his responsibilities. "I think you were right; the Azrein really are going to come back!"

The absolute hatred that radiated from the boy at the less than awesome wake up call made Zel all the more merrier. He was practically cackling madly, or at the very least he was snickering under his breath and whistling a very merry tune to a very improper tavern song. It was really amusing to treat the boy like any other child if they were going to act like one. Maybe he'd figure it out, maybe not. And it would never get old poking fun at Azreth's attitude in the morning.

Zel would just have to hide all the sharp objects and projectiles for a while.

On the road, after he double checked to make sure the cork was set firmly and the screen for the horn was secure to allow the coal not to suffocate, Zel raised an eyebrow at the declaration of some sort of confirmation of their journey. His face turned into a scowl and he was about to point out that the voice didn't mean not take needed rests to keep their animals and themselves in good condition when the boy shot off from a standstill. For a moment Zel had his face burried in his hands and sighed loudly. " By Al'kiva, he's going to get himself killed. Or worse, break a bone. Scrape a knee. Ugh.. Come on... let's go after, shall we? " Clicking his tongue, he eased the mare into a trot then a full run. No, he didn't expect to keep up with the bred coursar, but at least keep him in his sites.

And when the foolish boy decided to allow the slower, bred for power not speed animal to ride beside, Zel reached over and smacked the boy across the back of the head. " Stupid! Your horse could have torn a ligament or muscle and where would you be now? Huh? Think before you do something stupid like that again, Your Highness. "

Clearing his throat, Zel grinned crookedly, " If what you dreamt was truth, then indeed these are marvelous times we live in. But we're still stopping for my chestnuts and drink or so help me, Azreth, I'll probably scorn you for about a month. "

The boy grinned good-naturedly, even after the whack to the head. "You'd tell the bringer of the end of the world to just hold on a moment for your cider and nuts, wouldn't you?" The boy reached down, giving his stallion a pat on its proudly arched neck. The beast twitched an ear, snorting in reply.

"And Gods save me, not scolding, Zel." He laughed, ducking another rap to the head. Zel could have his fun, and the Prince could have his.

The bitter cold of the morning had lessened in the face of the sun, and though the day would be chill, it wouldn't be unbearable. The two had quite a ways to go yet, and Azreth was thankful for the mildness of the day. Of course, he didn't really think they could make it all the way north without stopping; for sure, he'd want a stable for his horse and a bed for himself at least a few nights. And he'd politely ask the Innkeeper to put Zel in the stables, of course.

Azreth stifled a laugh, turning it into a choking cough, at the mental image of Zel waking up on a pile of hay. The Prince stretched in the saddle, working some of the stiffness from his muscles. While he wouldn't complain about sleeping on the hard ground, his body was still used to the softness of featherbeds. He imaged, before this trip was over, he'd be sorely missing them, if not just plain sore.

He eased Zeke into a trot, turning in the saddle to look at Zel. "You said something yesterday about learning to feel for energy last night, before I fell asleep. I imagine you mean the energies of the land? Or did you mean all energies, in general?" The boy frowned in thought. "Sometimes, I think I can feel when there are people nearby, but I don't know if that's related to my Empathy or not." He grinned in apology.

Poor Zel. Not only did he have to deal with a Prince, but he had to deal with a Prince who asked incessant questions.

" And I would demand gift wrap my cider and nuts for the trouble that will come, thank you very much. Maybe even throw in some fresh olive loaf. Mmm... Nothing beats warm olive loaf on a spring day in the orchard. " He coughed and focused back on the meandering ride before them. " Its traditional out here away from the city. Cider and roasted nuts, and a troupe or a bard for the holiday then back to work the next day. " Ah, the culture of the country compared to the city... Azreth had a lot to learn.

" You really do stand out like a sore thumb out here. Like some snotty rich boy that's father owns half the land and can galavant around like a pratt pissing on anything he sees. " Now Zel was grumbling in good nature. By the gods, if he was going to protect the boy, Azreth would have to learn to pay attention to the world around him. Which brought the question asked to the forefront of his mind.

Drawing his mare to an idle lope, seeing it better than a trot, Zel again hooked his reins and rubbed his hands together with a devilish grin. " Okay. I suppose we have nothing to do until we break for camp for the night. " He eyed the sympathetic smile and tapped into a very large amount of skill, far more than he would need for this demonstration. It was to try to get the prince to notice it. That and the fricking ball of icy cold water that Zel now held in his hand would be a good indicator. Which it really wasn't " Let's make this more interesting--cause I'm fricking bored-- by adding in a bit of reward and punishment. Try blocking my energy. The faster you do it, the less wet you get. "

Realzing this trial was a little unfair ( though necessary given the amount of knowledge the boy had to learn in a short amount of time not to explode himself in his next emotional tissyfit), Zel decided to explain what he was asking, " This is reaching out, feeling the threads of the elements that make up the cloth of our lives and tugging at certain ones to will a shield. Remember the strings. Now...think fast! " With a grin, he used the hand that wasn't holding the cold water to flick smaller golfball sized water globes at the prince. " Remember to duck! And keep your mouth shut~ Better yet, gape! Gape! It'd make a perfect target. "

The first ball of liquid hit him squarely in the face, leaving him irate and spluttering indignantly. The next three followed the same pattern before the boy regained enough wits to manage to duck the remaining. Before the Alchemist had bent water to his will, the Prince had felt a sort of tug from the man's consciousness.

Azreth finally got the hang of it, and was by this point managing to evade the globs that Zel chucked his way. The Alchemist pulled a dirty trick then -- lobbing one his way, and directly behind that was another of smaller size. Seeing the other hurtling towards his eyes, Azreth unconsciously willed the air before him to bend like so and harden here, stopping the water in its tracks. As if looking from the other side of a curved pane of glass, rivulets trailed down the air in front of the boy's face.

Azreth held up a hand, motioning for the Alchemist to hold, and blinked in confusion. He had never pulled up a shield that quickly before. Always before, he had had to concentrate quite hard to attempt even something half as effective, and even then it had dissipated after a few heartbeats. But this once was still there, and when the Prince reached out a hesitant hand, his fingertips brushed against the surface of his shield.

To his disbelief, it wasn't hard and unyielding -- like all of his previous attempts had been -- but was in fact flexible, as if he were touching a hide stretched almost taut between poles. The boy frowned, and as he tried to figure out what he had done differently, the shield folded in on itself -- when Zel promptly launched another ball of water at him.

"Gods take you, Alchemist!" the boy's tone was laced with humor, showing he was more amused than anything by the man's tricks. "I've never put up a shield that quickly before." He looked at Zel, eyes puzzled. "Even when I had had mud thrown by a horse straight into my face, or something along those lines. He paused for a moment, thinking hard. He noticed that Zel didn't speak; did the man want him to figure out the answer on his own? Probably. All teachers did, and even though Zel wasn't his [i]official teacher -- yet, at any rate -- he was sure it was the same.

"Before you started chucking those cold -- needlessly cold, I might add -- balls of water my way, I felt you sort of...tug at something." Green eyes unfocused for a moment, body swaying with the easy gait of Zeke. "You tapped into the energies around you?" He looked up at Zel for conformation.

"But when I made that...shield thing, I didn't consciously think of where to pull the energy from. It just sort of...happened."

It really was fun lobbing balls of really cold water at a prince. Some would dare call it stress relief therapy from all the snooty nobles kicking dirt in his face. But that really was neither here nor there. And since both of them appeared to be enjoying it --some more than others and by the gods the animals sure looked mildly amused by the human's antics-- there wasn't much harm in it. It beat trying to get the boy to shower in a stream to get that stench off him that was called ' Musk'. Stunk. But that's boys.



Eventually, lobbing golf ball sized balls of freezing water grew boring for Zel, and he indeed decide to vary the volumes. Big ones, small ones... none as big as a person's head thankfully. But when that small ball of water splattered onto that solidified air, Zel paused for a moment to regard it. In fact he mentally reached out ( minding the cold water in his hand of course), examined the weave and was rather pleased. Subconsciously pulling air to fight water... very clever. Almost glass like. It did seem rather unstable though, and no sooner did he think that did it collapse and flutter away to get its identity checked over, or at least the traumatized Aeros elements that is.

Zel glanced at the sun for a moment to determine how much time had passed. Not much. Hm... Azreth could do better. And no sooner was that thought, did little Azzy start spluttered and damning him to the gods to acknowledge that Skill preformed. Obligingly, Zel did his best to bite back a smirk as he nodded. His eyes sparkled in amusement as he listened to the amazement and wondered look gifted in his direction.

Then that water comment came. Well, that was rude. He worked hard on keeping the water frigid. Raising an eyebrow, Zel let quite a bit of Pyros back into the water, heating it to a comfortable bath water temperature. " Yes. Yes I did. And I'm doing it again right now, just a little less obvious. It works better with gentle urging than forcing it to do your will. Now...Do that again. And don't worry, the water'll be much warmer. And excuse me if I get bored and start making them into shapes. Balls are so boring. " He grinned and this time blew over the warm water. Bubbles rippled off, changed into all sorts of shapes including rings, triangles, and even a little bird. Soon, they filled with water and pretty much flew right at the boy's head; save for the bird that just kinda circled around being every annoying in its garbling warble song. " And we're deflecting the other projectiles to hit the bird. Cause just protecting yourself isn't clearly challenging enough if you figured that out in such a short time.~ "


Zel borrowed a little bit more energy from the air around him, letting that orb of water float while he gently patted his mount's neck in reassurance that she wouldn't get wet intentionally. Absent as he appeared, he was keeping tabs on the boy through the curtains of his red bangs. " And remember... We're getting you new clothes in the next town, so don't worry too much about your appearance. Consider it bath time. Ooh a bath... that really does sound like a luxury. Its all about the bubbles...and the water ripples. Really relaxing you know. "

The Prince watched the shapes with wonder for a moment before remembering what he had been tasked with. Deflecting the projectiles, and rerouting them to the bird. How in the hells was he supposed to accomplish that? Unthinkingly, the boy brought up his feeble shield once more, saving him from an obtuse burst in the nose as he thought. Well, this one had certainly stumped him. Green eyes watched the bird for several moments as he pondered.

Azreth took his bottom lip between his teeth, eyes narrowing in concentration. Since his shield was almost elastic, he supposed he could use the momentum from the water and redirect it. But that seemed like it wouldn't work in an everyday situation. Although, if a bolt of pure Skill had been arcing towards him, he definitely would want to send it right back to the person who had cast it.

The blonde pushed with an effort of will, and he whooped in triumph. A triangle of liquid bounced off of his shield and headed for the bird. Of course, the bird flew out of the way and it missed entirely. Well, obviously an enemy could move just as well as an aquatic avian, if not better. The boy brought a hand up the moment he felt his shield waver, and the warm water drenched his sleeve.

He glared at his hand. His hand...maybe...?

Extending the finger he had assigned to water, drawing that imaginary line from finger to sphere, the boy forgot to breathe. A chill swept from his stomach to his head, then down his neck and through his arm, causing him to shiver. His fingertip felt numb, and with eyes wide, he saw the sphere of liquid head towards the bird. Seeing the path of trajectory was wrong, knowing the small missile wouldn't hit was he was aiming for, the boy grunted, pulling with his mind.

The ball of water elongated into a stream as it shot towards the bird, angling sharply away from its former path. The jet of water hurtled not an inch behind the bird's tail, missing it. But it was closer than he had gotten before. A warm triangle splashed against his cheek, and the boy flung up a thin shield, irritated at himself. He had to learn how to do multiple things at once if he was going to be able to please Zel.

With a start, the boy realized that he actually wanted to please the Alchemist in the tasks he set for the young Prince. Which said a lot, considering how the boy normally didn't care a lick about the dealings of magick. Nodding to himself, finding resolve, the boy tuned out everything besides himself, his shield, the bird, and the water coming towards him in steady shapes.

He was going to do this right.

The effort the boy was putting into almost made Zel proud. However, he had to help a little bit near the end. One couldn't do this forever and expect to be okay. Thankfully with the sun a little after midday, Zel was quite pleased with the progress, having moved to a few birds flying around and the success rate a whopping three out of seven. ( Which was pretty good for just learning this today.)

Now, Zel was walking along side his horse, enjoying just walking instead of riding. " Snazzy. A little sloppy, but its amazing you picked it up quickly. So the Fresiya woods.... Hmm... I only know one settlement up there and thats up at the near edge as a trade hub. Perhaps there? "

The boy absolutely beamed at Zel's praise; it was rather hard to come by, and he would appreciate anything he got! He stroked his stallion's neck with an open hand, a smile gracing his features. Fresiya Woods, that sounded about right. Though he wasn't sure if a trading area would be the best bet to find whatever they were looking for.

"Sounds as good of a place as any. I for one would enjoy a bed, as opposed to lumpy rocks." He grinned wolfishly. "And maybe a pretty girl to serve me venison; wouldn't that be nice?" He winked brazenly at Zel, hoping for a laugh. "Regardless, I think we'll have to get away from civilization to find what we're looking for. But I'll not have us sleeping in the cold."

The alchemist apprentice blinked as the boy made a mention to some sweet thing --probably well over his age-- that most likely ended up in a bed with him. Zel's eyebrow rose and he shook his head. " Honestly... We country folk are known for our strong morals. You'll get those loose broads back in the city at the..what was it? Something with an elk in it.... Elk's tines? No...er... Bah, its not imporant. " Zel muttered, waving a hand as though throwing that idea away.

But the boy was right, a warm place to sleep would be good for them. So would a good warm meal. " We could just stay for a day to resupply and hear the buzz about what's going on so we know what area's to avoid. Bandits tend to flock around trade towns. So if you know any how to use those pretty little adornments on those hips of yours, speak up now or forever be labeled a palace pratt. " He didn't mean those words, but so many nobelmen could only use their swords in duels that never lead to death and that was just not really useful in any real world situation. Especially on an expedition such as this.


---------------------------

With the small four building town, Zel managed to secure a couple of rooms at the inn, and feed and water for their steads. He also, in secret, bought a less conspicous set of tack that was being fitted while they enjoyed a warm meal inside. Zel was quietly enjoying his roasted dear chunks in some sort of broth with bread and what looked to be some sort of medly of cellar roots. He was poking at what looked to be a turnip with the crust of his bread. " . . . Is that a carrot? No. too pink. But ..hmm... You know, I think they made the wine out of this stuff. " he muttered lowly so that only his dining companion could hear. " And stop gawking at that barwench! She's at least twenty years your senior and probably could crush you with her thighs. "

The young prince snorted into his cup, nearly choking on his watered wine. He set his cup on the table and coughed sporadically to cover his laughter. "H-her thighs." Azreth grinned and shook his head. The boy concentrated on his dinner, picking idly at the vegetables while hungrily spearing the venison with his belt-knife.

"You know, I'm glad we decided to stop here for the night." Azreth looked around the humble little inn, comforted by the fire popping gaily in the hearth. "Though that rumor of bandits worries me a bit, you have your magic and I have my blades, so I think we'll be alright if something happens." The boy lifted his shoulders in a shrug and wiped his knife clean before re-sheathing it at his belt. "We need to get an early start tomorrow, though. Bandits don't usually rise before noon, from what the Weaponsmaster taught us." Azreth smirked. "And in all the plays I've performed in, the same holds true."

Oh, how Zel would peck at him for relating playacting to the real world. Of course, he did it just to get a rise out of the man. He always enjoyed needling him, for some half-sadistic reason. Call it dealing with grief.

" . . . Really? Before noon? " Zel just stared blankly at the kid for a moment and just sighed, shaking his head. " Why would that be, I can only wonder. " He decided not to to into a lecture on trade routes and other fun stuff like that. The child would eventually learn these things. " If that's the case, then I suppose we should just skip our meal and head out now to beat the waking of these bandits. But if you want to stay, I'd love to see how you battled it out with Miss Thunder Thighs yonder way. "


So not only was Zel dealing with a prince who never traveled outside the realm of his servants and courtiers, but he had an actor as well. Mentally, Zel made a wager with himself about how long the jovial nature of the boy would last about this trip. He'd give it a month at the latest, and earliest a few weeks before a mental breakdown about being away from home for so long without a comfortable bed. In thought, he absently tapped his finger against his plate. Supplies would have to be bought. And that's right, clothing.... Of the non rich and noble kind.

Quietly, the alchemist decided to comment on acting and reality, " You know, there is much truth in the plays. Its a shame no one realizes that all the hero's are fools that are blessed by the gods. Kinda like, you. "

The young Prince arched an eyebrow at Zel's comment of the innkeeper and just shook his head mutely. So crude, really. What if she had overheard? Then the boy would have had to challenge Zel to a duel to defend her honor -- even though her thighs really were abnormally large -- and that would have just been a giant mess. Stifling a sigh, the boy took a sip from his cup.

Azreth frowned at Zel's last words. He wasn't entirely sure how to take that -- as a compliment or as an insult. What went on in that man's head? "Fools blessed by the Gods?" The Prince paused for a moment. So he was a fool, who the Gods favored? He shook his head, utterly confused. "What, precisely, are you trying to say?" As Zel opened his mouth to reply, the boy grimaced and held up a hand, cutting him off. "You know what? Nevermind. Probably best I don't know."

Change the subject, when in doubt. "We can head out now, if you'd like to. It really makes no difference to me, though it really is best if we avoid those bandits. I just hope the horses have had a good enough rest."

" I mean that----" Zel bristled as he was interrupted. Well, fine! He'll just keep that very nice compliment to himself. Quietly, Zel decided to focus on his food instead, suddenly displaying excellent table manners for someone not just a night ago pretty much ate like a barbarian. He sniffed at the suggestion of leaving. " Why? After all, you said the bandits won't be up until noon. And they wouldn't know that the prince would be waltzing about the woods. And that would most certainly give us an edge on them. "

The child really was new here, but Zel soon did call over the innkeeper and politely complimented her on her choice of dress ( something about her figure) then asked for a couple mugs of cider for this evening. A conversation about Zel's teacher occured and the woman asked to tell zel's mentor that her sister sent the best. Figuring the prince would probably be noticed, Zel introduced the boy as a cousin from the east. It was hooked, and then he went back to his meal, giddily clapping his hands and thanking the innkeeper when the booze arrived.

" To the harvest! " Zel said, tapping an edge of his wooden mug against Azreths, and taking a good sip or two...maybe a gulp? " Hmm... So... cousin... person...thingy.... You're getting the rug. I booked one room for the night. And their rugs are quit comfortable. Imported from the land below and quilted with wool from the local flocks. "

The young king made polite noises at the woman as Zel introduced them, breathing a sigh of relief as she went off to get their cider. He would rather not be affiliated with anyone having to do with Alchemists. Zel was more than enough for him. The Prince took a cautious sip from his own mug, allowing the sweet flavor to sit on his tongue for a moment before swallowing.

"That's fine with me. I've slept in worse places before." Not really worse, per se, though a rug was certainly better than the floor of the stables. That was a brilliant idea of his, but it was for a good reason. His favorite mare when he was younger had been having trouble giving birth -- to his current stallion, actually -- and wasn't going to make it. So he had decided to sleep in her stall with her after the colt had been born, and that was one of the most uncomfortable nights of his life -- both emotionally and physically.

Well, at least he didn't have to sleep in the same bed as Zel. The man probably hogged the bed and snored like a cave bear. "The rug will be fine, Zel." Azreth smiled warmly, sitting back in his chair with a sigh of content. "You know, this isn't so bad. It's good to get away from the castle for a while. Though I hope dad's doing alright." A shadow passed over the boy and he felt his heart twinge. He pushed the emotion out of his mind roughly. He could think of that later. "Anyway, I'm glad you came. You have interesting stories and know so much. It's pretty neat, actually."

The waves of apprihension that flew off the boy was almost enough to knock Zel out of his chair. Temporarily he would ignore it, but evenetually it would have to be brought to light. Like after the woman left them to their drinks. And after the poor boy said his peace. Zel's mouth quirked in a small smirk, " I know no more than what I have read or been told by my Elder's and Betters, Azzy. " That dark cloud brought a cold spike to the room, or at least Zel noticed that sudden mood swing. He snapped his fingers in front of the boy's face, his own faced marred with open concern.

" Just say the word, and we will go back. I'm sure he is doing as best he can, and I'm sure he is quite grateful that his son is off getting worldly experiences instead of dealing with the horrors of court. " Zel was quiet for a moment as he thought, bringing the cup to his lips, but not a drop was consumed. " Hrmph.. But really, if you want to hear tall tales, you should hear ol' Nam Althos blabber about the day's of Gods and Dragons, and --her personal favorite-- how the Island came to be. " A hand was held up with three fingers, and Zel looked like he really didn't want to admit something, " I had to sit for three weeks listening to that stupid story about the Island. And that's just one telling of it! Five more for the damn thing to be memorized. Blasted woman.... Best Magus this side of Sal'vandyr. Actually, the only Magus. On the Council too. Hates nobles. .... Okay, so she might like you, if you learned how to act less proper, but still. "


Zel thought for a moment, frowning as he remembered something, " Loved your grandfather though. Actually, she loved your grandmother more. Nice woman, she would go on about that fantastic garden the palace has and how always purple and yellow roses were to be arranged--fresh always--- in the entry halls.... Then again, Nam is a Magus so probably this is all made up in her head from too much use of magick...." Zel found himself blabbering and quickly nommed a rather large chunk of bread that'd take a few moments to chew.

The prince started as Zel's fingers snapped in front of his face. He listened intently, and his mouth made an 'o' of surprise. "S-She knew my grandparents?" Well, this was new information. He wasn't aware that his family had ever dealt with Magi before. Maybe she had even known his mother?

His father had told him his mother had died giving birth to him, but Azreth had had dreams of a woman with brown hair and green eyes singing softly to him, and nightmares of that same woman on some sort of table, coated in blood and ringed by fire. The boy suppressed a shiver. When he had told his father of those dreams, he had blanched and had said that it was simply a manifestation of him not knowing her. Then he had forbade his son of speaking of that nightmare ever again. But he wasn't so sure about that -- his father had rarely lied to him, and the Prince was sure that his father had done so.

Shrugging to himself, the boy took a sip of the cider, framing his next question. "Did...Did she know my mother, Zel?" Green eyes were intent on the Alchemist, and every one of his tutors would have given their tongues to see the boy so attentive. "I don't even know my mother's name. No one ever speaks about her, and any questions I ask are oh-so-politely ignored."

Perhaps Zel's Magus might know. And speak openly about her to boot.

The sudden apt attention sounded warning bells. This was a touchy subject, and Zel didn't have an answer. " I... I really don't know Azreth. She seems to skip over your father other than he is a very kind man and speaks nothing but praise about him. Your mother isn't even mentioned. I'm sorry..." He reached a hand over and clapped the boy on the shoulder in a sympathetic gesture, and a reminder that they were in public. A boy his age should cry behind closed doors.... Or at least where no foe could see. He was wracking his brain, trying to remember some of those stories, but Zel didn't quite remember those. He had been really young when stories of the current King were told. A five year old's attention span wasn't good for telling epics.


" I... All I remember was that she was said to be beautiful and also a kind soul like your father. Azzy, I don't know much else. But my Nam avoids that subject like the plague sprouted eight legs. Anyways... You have that dream you're chasing, huh? You aren't going to light the place on fire now are yah? That'd be a shame... they brew good cider. Want another? "

The Prince couldn't help but smile at Zel's change of subject. He was really coming to cherish the man's odd ways and occasional social awkwardness. Azreth merely smiled and nodded, pushing the thoughts of his parents out of his mind. The Alchemist-In-Training was right. They were chasing after a legend, and he was right. Azreth needed to focus his attention on the present and future, not on what happened in the past.

The boy grinned and tossed back the remainder of his cider, setting his mug down gently on the scarred tabletop. "Actually, no. I'd rather not have a fogged head when we set out tomorrow, but you go right ahead, Zel." Azreth had already had a hangover once, and once was quite enough for him. When he was older, perhaps, he'd appreciate drinks more, but not now, and not when something so important was going on.

They could possibly be writing history right now, and he didn't want the tale of it to end along the lines of "The young Prince and famed Alchemist drank themselves stupid. The next morning, they fell off the edge of the Isle because they were hungover. A tragic end to what could have been a turning point for the Isle." The boy snorted and laughed to himself.

"Well, I'm sure we can ask your Magus later, when all this is settled. Do you have an idea of what route we should take tomorrow? I believe there are two main routes that the caravans take, though there are some less-traveled paths I think."