Mirrors (Episode 1)

Radu smiles as he pulls several dates from the tree, then presses one of them into his mouth, chewing. He closes his eyes and enjoys the fruit. Rosie picks a coconut, which Radu cracks for her. Having never tried one, they find the taste of the milky liquid within quite refreshing and pass it around, though mostly between the two ladies.

When he heads back the way they came, he asks Talosh, "My companions wish to see the hedge maze. Anything we should know before venturing within?"

"The maze in not that complex on a normal day." Talosh answers Radu. "Only on special occasions or events does it become ensorcelled and changes to the whims of the enchanter. It should be rather easy to navigate no matter which way you choose."

"Most excellent," Radu says. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Talosh. We will see you again with the council."

The three of them head south after taking their leave of the physician, and enter the hedge maze.

Scene 6: Conversation in the Library

Following the audience with Lord Orb, Kris and Lucian are guided to a plush chamber in one of the palace's towers.

Lucian takes in the room they've been led to from the doorway. After a moment he moves further in to wander around and look closer at things that interest him. Useless jumps from his shoulder to sit on the back of a chair by the fire and pivots to keep the others in sight. "Well, they certainly have comfortable rooms." He picks up the odd item from the room and looks at it before setting it back where it came from and moving on to the next. "I've lived in worse places. How about you?" Lucian makes his way to stand beside Useless and then looks over at Kris.

"I lived in a vardo growing up." Kris answers Lucian. "There wasn't much room and I had to share it with the old witch who pretended to be my grandmother." She moves around the furniture and goes to stand before the fireplace, turning her head to face Lucian. "When I went to the academy, my dorm room was nicer than I had known previously. But this place is by far the most luxurious I have spent time in so far."

"How about you? Do you have family..or friends back in your world?" She inquires.

It wasn't a word he had heard often, so it took him a minute to recall what a vardo was. Even then he realized that, as they came from different worlds, it could mean something different. "A vardo is a type of wagon you live in, correct? Travel around with your house sort of thing?"

At her question he gave a small snort and stroked a finger along the middle of Useless's head. The little dragon probably enjoyed it more, but they both liked it. "Once, although I would use the term 'family' rather loosely. They were nobles who lived in similar luxury to this and thus, for the first ten years of my life, I did by default as well. Even back then this little dragon was my only friend - although if he had a name back then he didn't tell it to me. My family died, Useless stuck around, I nicked some shit from the house and went on my merry way. Eventually, I bought Marengo as a yearling, and I'm pleased I could bring him as well. I hate to admit it, but the tendency to enjoy the finer things in life never left. Dirt just doesn't compare, but I take what I can get." He shrugs slightly before shifting the topic back to Kris.

"You went to an academy? How nice. What did you study there? Is it related to the title you don't bother with?" Which, when he thought about it, weren't all thier titles (if possessed) rather useless here? Lucian glanced at Kris's monkey companion but didn't mention it yet. He had probably tossed enough questions at her for now.

Kris reaches up to rub the little blue fuzz on the top of Blue's head, as he continues to perch on her shoulder. "Yeah. Family is overrated. I have never met my father and apparently, by what I have learned, my mother bargained my soul off to some devil for thirteen years and gave me away to the old witch to hide my existence." She stares into the fireplace. "The Toletum Academy, actually. I graduated top of my year." She tugs out a medallion hanging on a fine chain about her neck and holds it up for Lucian to see. One side has 001 and the name KRIS embossed into it and the other the profile of an imp. "Demonology. I majored in demonology. It was a natural choice for me. I have this gift for it. Summoned Blue when I was quite young." She reveals. "He has been my only true friend and companion throughout. The only other real friend I have ever known is Tamblyn. She was my roommate at the academy. She's a musician. I haven't seen her in a couple years through."

Kris points at Lucian's staff. "Are you an arcanist, Lucian?"

Lucian was both surprised and not to find another connection between them. Families sucked in all worlds - this did not surprise. At the mention of Blue's name gave him a nod in acknowledgement, as did Useless. He took notice of her medallion when she showed it, and his eyes narrowed briefly before returning to normal.

"Of a fashion, I suppose. Nothing so fancy as many I've met. It's rather instinctual and I make it up as I go really. I assume, seeing Blue, you didn't study demons with the end goal of eradicating them all?" If she was inclined to mass destruction that could be awkward.

"So, magic is in your blood. I get that." Kris comments, gathering Lucian is a sorcerer by his words. "No. I am not of a mind to rid the multiverse of demons. Some of them can actually be quite useful it you know how to handle them. Others..well, not so much. But the same can be said of many mortals as well." She confides to him.

"I have to admit to some relief there - it would have been rough going for us, getting along wise, had you thought otherwise. As it is, it might work out well." Lucian paused a brief moment before continuing.

"It's no great secret where I come from, and you having the skills you do mean it is probably wise to have one person know. I have a passenger, although whether the teo of us are separate or one mind now is beyond my knowledge. Sometimes I'm more in thier mindset than my own, so try not to kill me if I disturb you. Useless here keeps me fairly grounded."

Useless gave a quick snort and nipped Luci's ear, earning a glare. "I'm fine right now, you twat." The little dragon gave a huff, as if saying 'I knew that, I was showing her.'

Kris' brows knit together out of concern for what Lucian is confiding to her. "Are you possessed, Lucian? Possession demons are some of the worse to deal with unless you know their true names, especially if attempting to remove them from a host body."

Lucian shrugs lightly, more wary of watching Kris than the demon. "Perhaps? I'm afraid it has been passed down my family. You seem to know more than me already about the subject. It and I have been stuck together for...sixteen years now? All I could figure out with my limited resources is that it passes from head of the family to the eldest heir on their death. I have no idea if my experience is the norm, only that it is mine. If I can be rid of it without dying myself, grea. If not, I'd like to not be randomly murdered in my sleep."

He looks at her with one eyebrow slightly raised. "Do you kill people in their sleep?" It was possible, and no judgement, but he'd rather know now than later.

Kris listens to the details of Lucian's condition carefully. "Hmm? So, sounds like possession or maybe a curse. I'm afraid that I am not yet powerful enough to deal with either of those, unfortunately."

She laughs at his next question. "No. I've never offed anyone in their sleep. I've felt like it a few times, but NO."

"Have you?"

As Kris and Lucian are conversing, suddenly there is a noise at the northwest door. The latch turns and the door opens. A young Eldren female takes one step into the room and stops abruptly. "Oh..pardon me. I didn't know the library was occupied. The Lady Sibylla requested a book..."

Kris turns toward the sound and the interruption. Seeing the young blue-eyed Eldren she relaxes from the sudden tension raised in the room at the unexpected entrance. "Uh—hello. No trouble. Come in and find that book you need. I am Kris and this..." She gestures toward her conversation companion. "..Is Lucian."

Lucian was about to answer Kris, feeling relieved she hadn't seemed to kill someone in their sleep. Assuming that he could take her at face value, but he saw no immediate reason to think he couldn't. He couldn't help but tense and straighten at the woman's entrance, and stepped slightly around the chair to have his back closer to the wall. When introduced he nodded. "The room seems large enough for more than two people, so I don't see why you can't find the book you need." He turns somewhat to address Kris while still being able to reasonably keep an eye on the new woman. "No, I haven't. The prospect doesn't appeal and can be difficult to explain."

The blonde female slips through the door and moves quietly towards one of the many shelves surrounding the room. "Thank you both for being so understanding. I'll only be a moment, then leave you to your conversation."

As she reaches up on her tip-toes to grab a volume from a higher shelf, her silken blonde tresses shift enough that the large ornate tattoo of a Chaos symbol can be glimpsed centered on her bare upper back and shoulders.

"I am called Erothii by my master and his sister. Good to meet you both..."

Lucian's attention is drawn to her tattoo, but his eyes don't linger and he doesn't bring it up. He is curious about something though. "You say your master and his sister, who are they? Is Erothii your name, one they gave you, or both?" It was entirely possible her master had named her when she was young or had no name, but also possible they were an ass. He'd seen both ways, really, and it mostly depended on if it was 'master and slave' or 'master and servant'.

Holding a sizable old tome to her bosom, as she pulls it off the shelf, the blonde turns toward Lucian. "Master Fane: High Priest of Slortar and the Lady Sibylla. I am bound to him, but serve them both. Erothii was chosen by my master. Though, I very much approve of it. My true name is far less easy on the tongue of most mortals and could be used against me or my master, if it were to be discovered."