Kythe had managed to find herself a decent dress for the Ball; though how was quite beyond her given she had only just arrived and was still recovering from her injuries. Kiba was worried about her; but that was nothing new given the state of her on her arrival - had it been the other way around she would have tied him to a bed in the Infirmary and set up wards to ensure that she was alerted the minute he dared put a foot out of bed… something she felt he might do when he realised she had snuck out again. A small smile crept onto her face as she thought about the man she saw as her son telling her what to do; now a grandfather it didn't surprise her that he would want her to remain in the Fortress until they found a cure for the poisoned wound 'Father' had inflicted upon her right shoulder… but she was too stubborn and too proud to sit in bed and rest; she had been his teacher and protector once and she had shown too much weakness as it was - she knew he didn't judge her for that, he never would, but Kythe would not allow that lapse ever again, it meant her Gods were winning when she did. 

Brushing down the skirt of her dress Kythe let her emerald gaze flicker over the Ball, taking in the sights and drinking it all in. The mirrored onyx floor was stunning and the dancers twirling in time to the music even more so in their myriad of colours and styles - like butterflies riding the thermals or ribbons caught in a breeze. How long had it been since she had last danced? Her wedding to Pol? No… they danced in DaeLuin several times after that she was sure of it… after they had had the children then? When she and the triplets were healthy and strong? It had been a long time… she knew that much. A sad smile flickered over her expression and the woman sighed heavily and turned towards the tables where the food was laid out; each dish with a name of a God beside it. Cocking her head to one side the woman raised an eyebrow at this; here was a first, she had never seen this done at a Ball before but at least this way you could thank the Deity for the feast they had provided she supposed. Nothing particularly caught her eye; she was more curious about the dancers in attendance. 

Turning towards the dance floor she pulled on the long velvet sleeve of her dress, trying to loosen it slightly from where it had tightened on her right shoulder, pressing into her wound uncomfortably. 'Oh the things women did for vanity and a pretty dress.' She thought as she closed her eyes against the painful ache in her shoulder, gently pressing her hand to the wound in an attempt to cause a little numbness in it. Centuries ago she would have baulked at the idea of wearing a dress and attending a Ball to dance and socialise with nobles who could honestly have cared less about the people 'below' them; Kythe had been exiled and cast out by her own family, by the Royals and nobles she came to hate after a time, when she took on her title she did things differently - without the 'common' folk those of noble birth would be lesser and she knew it. Now? Well she still abhorred the nobles who believed themselves 'better' than other people but she had long since learnt to tolerate such archaic views and laugh at them for what they were - ancient nonsense bred into ignorant and frightened fools. Not all were that way inclined of course; Kythe knew just as many good people amongst the higher ranking people of the worlds… but Revaliir was new to her save for Kiba really, she had yet to make friends or meet anyone for her to truly understand how this world yet worked. 

Standing to one side she watched the dancers, happy in her own thoughts for the moment. 

Dress

Saving a man's life apparently gave one access to a party. A day ago she had been traveling across a regular dirt road when she had spotted a carriage getting robbed. With her magic and her golden dragon Chai, they were able to stop the robbery and catch all the thieves. The richly dressed man had been terrified and was at her feet thanking her. After calming him down, which took a while, she was able to figure out why they had stopped in the first place. His carriage had no horse. Tristana ended up convincing a village's horse to come and help using her commune with beasts spell. The noble gave her an invitation to the ball in thanks then continued on his way.

She still had the letter in her hands as she approached the Celestial Hall. Instead of a beautiful gown, she had a simple brown robe with a hood covering her head. A ball. Wasn't that a round toy that children played with? Perhaps was an event where everybody would be playing a ball game? That was the best guess she had come up with. Her clothes were what she normally wore.

She had never heard of a ball before. An oddly dressed armored guard stopped her before she entered and gazed at her with suspicion. She gave him her letter then she was allowed to go in. A flow of music hit her as soon as she stepped in. Violins, pianos, flutes, and thousands more instruments were playing in a perfect symphony. Sparkles of light attracted her attention as she gazed up at the wall. Impressive carvings were made into them to add more depth to the design. Hundreds of gorgeously dressed people were matched up with their partners and gliding across the floor.

Confusion passed across her face. What was this? She had never seen anything like it before. The robed woman could tell that these people were dancing. But where was the ball? Was that just a term for this event? There were many prettily dressed people here. Her hand reached up and pulled her hood further over her own face. An ugly scar stretched from her forehead to her chin. She didn't want to scare anybody.

They all looked so happy. Tristana didn't want to ruin their night. A shadow was cast upon her face. The only thing a person could really see was part of her face. A woman wearing a velvet dress caught the robed woman's attention. There was a slight pain that momentarily crossed the lady's face. Perhaps the poor woman was in need of healing. Quietly, Tristana made her way over to Kythe. 

"Hi." She spoke awkwardly, "Um, do you have pain? I mean… I noticed you looked uncomfortable. Is there something wrong?" 

A fabulous introduction….

Crunch, crunch, crunch… The sound heralded each step up the stairway to the cathedral. Fat white flakes fell all around, piling on the stone stairs cut directly into the mountain. The looming building seemed dark in the quiet snowfall, surrounded all in white. Brwlyan might have thought it abandoned, if not for the winged sentries that stood to either side of the great onyx entryway. "Who goes there?" one called as the hooded man scaled the landing.

The cloaked figure paused at the top of the stair, hands lifting to pull back his snow-dusted nut brown hood. It fell back to reveal long, pointed ears under black hair, framing dark smiling eyes. "I am Brwlyan of House Peredhil, from the Kingdom of Endapano in Canelux. I've come for the Ball." Each word came out in a puff of mist.

One winged sentry looked him over and gave a curt now. The other reach and tugged open one of the large black doors. "Right this way, m'Lord." The guard motioned inside, whispering to another half-angel that stood within. This one wore servant's garb, and stepped up as he entered the foyer. "Welcome, Lord Peredhil, please allow me to take your cloak."

"Thank you," Brwlyan said, flashing the servant a sideways smile as he shrugged off the cloak. He held it out with one hand, snow sliding to the dark floor. The servant took it and stepped back to the inner door, cracking it to whisper to someone beyond before swinging it open and standing aside with a bow. The wood elf crossed the threshold to stand alongside a handsome young herald, all blue eyes and blond curls falling over a doublet of black trimmed and slashed in white. In a few years he'll be every maiden's dream. he decided as he looked the lad over. The herald nodded to him and turned toward the floor. "Brwlyan, of House Peredhil," he cried, "from the Kingdom of Endapano: the elven realm!" He strode in with self-assured swagger, nodding to those he passed and brandishing his best smile.

The interior of the cathedral was nothing short of spectacular. The over the polished onyx floor rose walls of swirling blue azurite and stark black neptunite. Gold and silver engravings depicted mythological events traced their way around the perimeter of the room. Beautiful angels of shining green malachite hung from above, limned in the gentle light of the bewitched labradorite that was set into the dark ceiling - shining like stars in a night sky. The greatest of the angels hung in the center, pouring out neptunite studded with labrodorite stars from a glowing black opal vase. Below her stood a massive moonstone, around which danced the many partygoers.

The elf paused a moment to take it all in. It was far from what he was expecting - when he'd heard that the event would be held at the half-angel's cathedral he imagined a great marble affair, all in shining white and gold. This was far different, far darker.

Fretting over the his look in the dim light, he set about finding a privy. He entered the washroom and pulled up short of the mirror for an inspection. He stood tall and elegant, his black hair pulled back save for two braids that framed his olive-skinned face. He had dark eyes, with a sharp features and a strong jaw. The elf wore a fine velvet of olive drab, slashed and trimmed in nut brown. The sigil of his House, an archer standing with bow raised and drawn, was embroidered in the same brown on his breast. His sleeves and trousers were made of warm lambswool, his hands gloved in fine felt, all in nut brown. His belt and knee-high boots were made of shining leather dyed olive, as was the sheathe that held the dagger at his hip. It's hilt was rosewood, and it's covered blade was made of dark cold iron laced with silver. The outfit was tightly-cut to accentuate his lithe body, and in the dim light the colors were barely discernible - just a few shades short of black. He looked almost roguish with his dark eyes and cocky smile. Brwlyan decided that he approved of what he saw. A little devilish, just the one to tempt an angel to fall.

He swaggered out into main room, eyes gazing around like an eagle in search of prey. Soon they found a beauty with raven hair that fell over snow-white wings. With fair skin and striking blue eyes, Brwlyan immediately became enamored. Her eyes caught his, and she gave him a shy smile. The wood elf toward her, skirting the edges of the dance floor. He paused to wave down a nearby waiter. "Garcon! Two glasses of wine, please. Elvish cherry." The man nodded, but as he turned away Brwlyan grabbed a wing to give him pause. "On second thought, make it three glasses, and bring the bottle."

His eyes were focused past the raven-haired half-angel, where two other women stood near the food talking. One was tragically underdressed, in a simple wool robe with the hood pulled up. The other was a ghost from a previous life.

What if I pretended not to know her? Would she recognize me? The wicked thought prompted a mischievous smile. His former guildmaster had been a friend in his early days - when he had run away from Oakwood and his noble family to live in the wilderness. That had been back in his fifties, when he'd been a brash and willful adolescent full of naivete, idealism and foolish pride. He'd had the hunting and shooting skills of a man grown, but had still been half a lad for all that. Kythe had taken him under her wing then, admitting him to the Rangers and teaching him the ways of Dae Luin. Tired of a world where everyone judged you by your last name, he had left his name behind and adopted the moniker Ardenator. That was the only name she had ever known him by. Had only ever seen the rugged outdoorsman. Would she recognize him as the rich playboy? Bathed and perfumed, in fine garb and the soft features of youth chiseled into the sharp features of a man, he would be a very different sight. Truth be told, he nearly hadn't recognized her in her fine dress and hair done up. He'd only ever seen her in mail, with weapon in hand.

"Pardon my interruption," he said as he approached with a polite smile. "I am Brwlyan of House Peredhil, from Endapano. Who might you lovely ladies be?" His eyes floated from Kythe to the hooded girl. His eyes narrowed as he noticed something underneath that hood. "Excuse me, but if I may…" Leaning in, he reached out and softly pushed her hood back. His hand tenderly slipped behind her head, to brush out her long hair out of the cloak to spill down her back. "Much better," he said, flashing his signature lopsided grin as he looked over her approvingly. "I knew it. You have beautiful hair, my lady." And it was, flowing and red and with a youthful fullness and shine. The girl sported a jagged scar running down the left side of her face, which she had been trying and failing to hide. But she also had cute freckles, brown doe eyes, and fair skin. All in all Brwlyan thought the lass quite pretty. Some might find the scar distasteful, but the wood elf thought it made her mysterious. Unfortunately, she seemed much embarrassed by it. "If I might offer a word of advice, my Lady: don't hide what you are. Embrace it, wear it like armor… Make it a part of who you are, and it can never be used to hurt you." He gave her a wink and an assuring smile.

A change in song caught the man's attention. "A waltz!" he grinned, "my favorite. My Lady," he turned back to Kythe and held out a hand, "may I have this dance?"

Brushing a strand of dark brown hair out of her face Kythe's fingers flickered across the mark of a dragon that covered the left half of her face, a scar cutting across her left eye and into her cheek. Suddenly a voice spoke to her and Kythe turned her face to look at the hooded woman; offering a small but welcoming smile to the girl. "Oh nothing that should worry you Miss; I have an injury on my shoulder that gives me trouble if I move it in certain ways that's all." She replied gently, the girl seemed nervous as though she felt as though she should not be in attendance and Kythe had no intention of frightening her if she could help it. "My name is Kythe Sitari, it's nice to meet you." She added, nodding her head in greeting to the young woman. 

She was about to say something else when a familiar scent caught her attention and Kythe looked around herself in shock. It couldn't be… Well… it could she supposed given that Kiba was here and so too was Sabishii's son… To think another of her old friend's was here and one who had stood beside her through some of the worst days of her life. Despite the perfume that she could smell wafting off of the now approaching man there was no mistaking the scent beneath that belonged to someone she had not expected to see. Removing the shock from her expression swiftly when she looked upon him and barely recognised the man coming to join her and the girl; he was not the same Ranger who had stood beside her in the Battle of Raining Blood nor the countless other battles they had suffered through, time really did change people. 

Smirking as he introduced himself Kythe curtsied politely. "The Lady Kythe Sitari at your service Lord Peredhil." She replied, realising that he was clearly playing a game - there was no way he did not recognise her in return unless he had suffered a severe blow to the head and suffered amnesia! "He's right you know." Kythe smiled as she looked at the girl. "You have nothing to fear or be ashamed of, especially here. Wear it with pride and hold your head high; each of my own scars come with a story and prove that no matter what life throws at me I come through it stronger than before, including the one that brought you to me out of concern before, it is merely another story to tell, another scar added to the collection." 

"You may my Lord, wait here sweet one we will be only a moment or two." Kythe spoke softly to the girl before placing her hand in his and letting him lead her onto the dance floor with the others. Placing one hand on his shoulder she smiled and him and chuckled. "Well Arden you certainly have changed since last I saw you. Who did you rob for such fine clothes, fancy name and overpowering aromas?" She teased, winking at him. "The Ardenator I remember smelt of musk and soil and the earth and forest, now you smell as though you've bathed in the flowers of a meadow!" Looking into his eyes sincerity fell upon her face as she looked at him. "I'm glad you're here love, alive and well, if it was not for the fact that I fell into Kiba's arms on my arrival here and met Sabishii's son a few days hence I would not have believed that you were truly here. It's been too long." She whispered. 

"Okay. Only if you will be fine." Tristana responded with a soft smile, "My name is Tristana. It's lovely to meet you too."

Bits of concern remained in her eyes but she didn't push the subject further. Instead her eyes went back to all the people on the dancefloor. There were so many of them. Realizing that she hadn't the faintest idea of what she was supposed to do, Tristana just stood there awkwardly and watched everybody else. Some wore masks while others had none. A mask. Why hadn't she thought of that? At the sound of another voice, she spun around to see a man. 

"Oh, hello." She said with a smile. 

Suddenly he leaned in. Her eyes widened in surprise and held traces of learned fear. Most people did not come that close so quickly. Her hood was down. The scar was visible. It wasn't the first time but she still felt extremely uncomfortable. At the touch of his hand behind her head, she looked down to avoid anybody's gaze. Her smile remained to hide anything else but kindness. This was a holiday! People were supposed to be joyful and happy. 

"Thank you. The both of you for your kind words." 

She did not mention why she had the hood. It was to protect others from having to look at something so ugly. Perhaps she could wear it but she wanted to be mindful of the other people around them. Whenever most looked at her scar they seemed to become upset or show pity. Tristana only wanted to make them feel comfortable and happy. The scar was in the way of that. But all of this was not necessary to say to these strangers. They had a night to dance and enjoy themselves.

Maybe they would even find a ball to play with, since that is what she assumed that they had come for. Why else would it be called a ball? She watched as the two left to the dance floor. An idea popped into her mind. Maybe the Lady Kythe could deny that she was in pain but Tristana had something that could fix that. A servant had taken her bag for her when she had entered the room and placed it in a safe place. Kythe told Tristana to stay where she was but Tristana would only be gone for a moment.

She headed over to a servant and asked to have her bag back temporarily. Her backpack was given back to her. Then she asked the servant if they had an extra mask. Luckily, Tristana was able to get one. The mask was white and had golden vines that spread across it. This mask would only cover the areas around her eyes. It would not cover her entire scar. But it was better than nothing. After thanking the servant, she headed over to a small area away from the banquets and the dancing. Tristana plucked out a bottle full of a slightly pinkish red liquid.

A rejuvenation potion. But it didn't seem enough to just give the potion to the lady. Today was a special day. And everything else was decorated. Tristana noticed a bit of decorational ribbons had fallen to the ground. They were red and silver. She used both ribbons to make a little bow on the bottle. Then she took out some ink and a quill to write a little message on one of the ribbons. 

-Have a happy festival day. May all your hopes and dreams come true.- 

It seemed a little unfair to only give to Kythe a gift. Tristana searched through her bag and noticed the quiver of elemental arrows that had been stuffed inside it. Yesterday she had bought the arrows and quiver since she thought them so beautiful. Otherwise she had no use of them. Perhaps Brwlyan would like them.  After wrapping the quiver up in decorative silver and blue ribbons, she handed both gifts to a servant and asked her to deliver them to Brwlyan and Kythe. Brwlyan had a note too.

-I hope that you have a lovely festival day and that your dreams come true, whatever they may be.- 

Tristana headed back over to the area that she had met the both of them. Hopefully they wouldn't have noticed what she had done. 

The wood elf gracefully trotted her out onto the dance floor as the waltz began. Deftly he pulled her in and began the steps, though no sooner than they had started to dance she called him by his old name. There was no sneaking anything past this one. Ardenator barked with laughter. "Ah, the game is up! And we had just begun to play…" He pouted a moment while she teased him, all the while effortlessly leading her across the dance floor. "You wound me, my lady. Do I not strike a proper figure in these clothes? I had thought so… Truth be told, places like this were my home long before the forest." He had never told Kythe his story, nor any of his old friends from Dae Luin for that matter. Brwlyan hadn't wanted them to think of him differently because of his birth. Well, I might as well come clean, he thought with a rueful smile, she's the last of them, and who knows how long she'll remain for. 

"I was born to a the noble elven family Peredhil in the world of Wythia. I spent my childhood living the pampered, sheltered life of a nobleman. Perhaps that is how my legendary arrogance developed." He flashed her a wink as they twirled about the blackened floor. "In my adolescence, at around fifty, I decided to strike out on my own. I had tired of a world where people only cared about your last name, so I took on a moniker so I would have none. Thus, Ardenator was born. After many adventures and ups and downs I followed my friend Gamgi to the world of Dae Luin. That is how I came to meet you and join the Rangers. It seems so long ago now… I was still half a lad then, full of youthful idealism and foolish pride. But what times those were!" His eyes lit up at the memories. "We had some great battles, didn't we?" 

He smiled as she mentioned young Hiro. "Yes, I ran into Hiro not long after arriving in this world. I had been at the hot springs with this beautiful young nymph back in Dae Luin. I wanted to take her, but she said I mustneeds catch her first. She swam into a short tunnel to another pool, and I dove after her. But as I passed under the rocks they seemed to undulate, and the water itself seemed to shiver. When at last I surfaced I found myself in a new land. Luckily that land was Endapano, the Kingdom of the Elves. Even so, I was naked and penniless. Fortunately, I still remembered the lessons I learned as a young nobleman all those years ago. Between my knowledge of court, my rugged good looks, and my animal charm, it was only a matter of time before I was invited to the Endapano aristocracy." He gave her a wink as the song ended, pulling her in and dropping her in to dip her low.

"But Hiro, yes, he's a good lad." He said as he led her off the dance floor. "Idealistic and headstrong, just like his father. Shares his direct fighting style, and his love of fire and explosions. He's quite a bit better with women though, which I found out to my pleasant surprise." His expression sobered once again. "I wish I could have been there, at the end. Sabishii should have had one of his companions at his side. All I can do now is watch out for his son, and do my best to make sure he walks the right path. Ah, our wine!" The bottle of elvish cherry wine was waiting at their table when they approached, along with the three glasses. Brwlyan lifted the bottle and poured out glasses for all three of them. 

"I like your mask," he complimented the girl as he proffered her a glass. It beat having her hood up, that was for certain. The scar streched from under it, lending her a certain air of mystery. Brwlyan approved. He handed the next glass to Kythe, then lifted his own. "To the great friends we left behind. Gamgi, Schubaal, Squall Endymion, Sabishii Kouen, and all the rest… We shall never see their like again." Brwlyan lifted the glass to his lips and downed it in one swig. I must drink enough for each of them, to do them honor. And each of them had quite the thirst. He filled his glass again, and looked up toward Kythe with a nostalgic smile. "You were right about one thing, big sister, it has been too long. Oh, what's this?"

A servant had approached, holding something in her hands. She bowed, holding it up to him. "For m'Lord Peredhil." He pulled a note from beneath the ribbons, his smile growing as he read. "How sweet! I wonder who could have written this?" He flashed the little redhaired girl a knowing smile. Peeling away the silver and blue ribbons, he found a finely-made quiver underneath. The elf whistled as he pulled an arrow from it and turned it over in his hands, inspecting the shaft. As an Arcane Archer, he had no trouble reading the runes that inscribed it. Elemental arrows… a kingly gift! His eyes lit up with delight. Positively bouncing, he put the arrow away and set the quiver on the table so he could turned and scoop the redhead up in his arms. "Thank you!" he shouted, all auspice of decorum abandoned as he laughed and spun her around before finally setting her down again. "I love it! However can I repay you? I know! What if I teach you how to dance? Would you like that? Once they play a tune that you like, find me and I'll show you how it's done. Don't worry, I know all the different steps." He flashed her a wink before returning to sip his wine glass. He saw that Kythe was being offered a gift as well.

Suddenly a thought came to mind. "Kythe, how did you come to this world? Suddenly it occurs to me that back in Dae Luin I had heard you were dead. I also heard that you had retired with some man to bear his children, and that you had returned to your home world. I figured that whichever story was true, I would not be seeing you again, like so many of our old allies. What happened to you back then? And what brought you here?"

"Oh I'm far tougher than I look sweet girl; it's the dress that makes me look weaker than I am." She smiled, winking at Tristana. As Arden spoke with the girl she watched carefully to ensure that Tristana felt comfortable; she knew from her own past experiences that she had found it difficult to let people see her scars at first, in her youth she had seen them as ugly but as she had grown older she had become proud of the scars, wearing them like trophies - it showed the battles and wars that she had won and come through alive… why wouldn't she be proud of such accomplishments? 

As Arden led her to the dance floor and began to pout at his rouse being ruined so swiftly she laughed. "My deepest apologies my darling friend but if you think that perfume can mask your scent to me then you were greatly mistaken; though I have to admit that you scrub up rather well my Elven Lordling." She chuckled, taking her hand from his shoulder to run her fingertips across the side of his face gently, winking as she did so. Two could play that game - he had never really seen her flirt but Kythe had never been shy to the game… her heart may have been elsewhere but even her own logic told her that Pol would not find her now… time moved differently in all the worlds and he was no Immortal. "Oh you look extremely handsome in these clothes my friend but I still think I preferred the rugged Ranger with whom I shared a great many adventures." She chuckled. 

He told her of his past and she smiled, letting him lead her in the dance as they spoke; no she had never known who had been prior to their meeting but she had never pried either - if he had not wanted her to know such things then she had no intention of pushing him to tell her either. She laughed. "We did; and I have a strange feeling that a few more may be on the horizon if we have been brought back together my old friend. I mean when did you and I ever have a quiet life when in the vicinity of one another?" She winked. 

Chuckling as he winked at her once more she rolled her eyes at him; had he always been this arrogant? She could not remember the Arden she had spent her time with being this cock-sure but she had to admit she rather liked it at the same time; he was relaxed and happy and it made her forget the pain in her heart to listen to him speak of their past so fondly. As he dipped her Kythe gritted her teeth together against the pain in her shoulder as she jarred it; she would not let him know she was injured, not now - he didn't need to worry about her and she would not have him fussing while they were enjoying a celebration. 

"He's far too like his father it's almost terrifying." She laughed. "Yes… it was hard to hear that he had already left this world before I got here; I wish I could have said goodbye." She muttered, stopping Arden in his tracks for a moment as she looked at him seriously. "Promise me this Arden, that when the time comes for either of us we will not be alone. I will not lose another dear friend in my life without being there. I could not bear it." She said softly before taking a glass of wine, returning the smile to her face swiftly as she came to stand beside Tristana once more. "To old friends loved and lost but never forgotten, and to old and new friends and the future which we shall share together." She continued confidently, holding up the glass to the pair in a toast before putting the chalice to her lips and draining it in one go, winking at Arden. "Hope you're ready for me to drink you under the table once more youngster or do you think you've grown enough to finally best me in a drinking contest?" She grinned; he may go by his true name now but to her he would ALWAYS be Arden. 

As the servant brought the gift to her Kythe scowled slightly in confusion, taking it from him and reading the note with a small smile. "I have nothing to give in return… I've barely been in Revaliir long enough to have possessions and it took some bargaining to get this damned dress!" She laughed. "To the giver of my gift I offer my undying thanks and protection; should you ever need a friend or protector then my sword arm and my life are yours to call upon." She bowed her head and pulled out the stopper of the potion, draining the bottle. It might not heal her wound but it would stave it off enough for the evening for Kythe to enjoy herself properly. 
"Not dead; I went home." She said softly. "You remember my husband Pol? The once Guardian of Earth? Before we left DaeLuin we had triplets; I should have died in childbirth but when you give birth in the Temple of Death that becomes less likely it appears… however my son was born with… problems. He was born blind and without the ability to shapeshift like his sister's; we went home to Myna to see if help could be found there but all I found was darkness and despair. I killed Father - the God of Life and Death within my world, I ended his tyrannical reign and earned the title of Godslayer but in doing so his siblings, the other Deities of Myna, grew fearful of me and my hatred towards them for their complacency and childish antics - they attacked me and cast me out and I found myself here in Revaliir on the doorstep to Lokir's Fortress with my surrogate son Kiba waiting to catch me, of all people. I cannot go home; I will never see my husband or my children again… but I find myself here at least, with old friends and new." She smiled sadly as she looked from him to Tristana. "But such tales are filled with woe and are not appropriate for tonight, after all we have been reunited and we have a new friend to get to know. Tell us about yourself Tristana? Let us get to know you as well for we have left you at a disadvantage that this Lordly creature and I know one another and know one another well." 

"Thank you." She said to Brwlyan.

At least the mask was making a couple of people happy. Tristana would have joined in their toast, if she knew what that was. By watching the other two, she could tell it was some sort of ritual. She stood there awkwardly not really knowing what she was supposed to do. Tristana looked at the liquid. Alcohol. She didn't particularly like it. It had a bitter taste with no sweetness in it. Or at least the alcohol she had tried before. But she didn't want to make anybody feel bad. Tipping her head back slightly, she chugged the wine down as quickly as possible. It wasn't as bad as the beer but it still had a bitter taste to it. She maintained a smile and put the glass on the table.

Juice was much better than alcohol in her opinion. Silently, Tristana listened to the two. It seemed that they knew each other well. The servant she had talked to earlier brought two presents over for Brwlyan and Kythe. Spotting the knowing smile that Brwlyan gave her, she was surprised. How had he known she was the one to give it to them? Maybe he had a mind reading spell or he was just good at guessing. She watched the both of them in anticipation as they opened up their gifts.

Trying her best to hide her smile, she wondered if they would like their presents. Brwlyan let out a whistle when inspecting the arrows. Since Tristana didn't really know how valuable or important elemental arrows were, or if he would even have use of them, concern had been running around in her mind. He was practically bouncing up and down. Joy in her heart swelled.

He enjoyed the gift! Before she could understand what was happening, she was being scooped up and swung around in the air. Her orange hair flew around in the air as she was being swung. A smile was on her face. Her head was a bit dizzy after the spinning but she was happy none-the-less. Brwlyn offered to teach her to dance once she found a song she liked.

"Thank you." Tristana responded.

When Kythe offered the giver of the gift protection and friendship, Tristana was surprised. These rejuvenation potions weren't too difficult to make. Even the greater ones. Tristana appreciated their gratitude but was very surprise at the high level it was. It felt nice. A small smile appeared on her lips. Kythe began to speak about her old home and family. The robed woman listened to Kythe. Kythe's words were eloquent and beautiful to listen to, even if the subject was sad. After her story, Kythe turned to Tristana mentioning her.

"Oh!" Tristana said in surprise, "I don't have anything important to tell."

Her hand was on her neck rubbing it. A bad habit.

"Um, well I'm a traveler." She said, "I'm trying to find out who my parents are and if I have any family."

Perhaps that was too much information. However, Kythe just poured out her heart and story. A thought came to her mind. 

"If the both of you need any money or any items, let me know." Tristana said, "It sounds like you both are newish to this world."

Traveling to another world couldn't be easy. 

The elf's expression sobered as his old friend begged him not to leave her alone when the time finally came. "Don't worry," he said, touching her back and offering a reassuring smile. "I'm not going anywhere. I was always the lucky one, remember?" He flashed her a wink, and laughed when she winked back and downed her glass. 

"You drink like a true Ranger, I had nearly forgotten. However I've been practicing for decades now, so I think I'll be up to the challenge. If it's to be a proper drinking match though… We'll need something stronger." He punctuated the statement by reaching behind his back and producing a large metal flask. Twisting it open, he held it out to Kythe with a devilish grin. 

Brwlyan listened patiently as Kythe told him her story. It was full of deities and drama, prompting his smile to curdle into a frown. Classic Kythe. All the more confirmation for my inkling to stay well away from deities and their ilk. The mythologies of every culture the elf had encountered were full of tales of mortals interacting with gods and goddesses to their great misfortune. Kythe's experiences were no different. Why anyone would risk playing with immortals was well beyond him. For the power, I suppose, though they all realize too late that that is a poisoned chalice. 

"Well, that is one hell of a tale. Now you really need this drink." Brwlyan handed the flask over and flashed her a mocking smile. "After all your troubles with deities, the first thing you do here is visit to a god's temple? It seems you're a poor learner." His old friend turned her attention to the girl, asking her for her own story. Her words prompted Brwlyan to nudge Kythe playfully. "So you think I'm lordly?" He puffed up with mock pride.

He turned his attention to the little scarred girl, his heart swelling as she spoke. "Awwww!" he exclaimed. She was just so cute, he couldn't hold his tongue. Look at this sweetling, he thought, marveling at her innocence, here I stand, in Lordly attire, a nobleman of Endapano, and she's offering me money! He wanted to laugh and scoop her up again in his arms, but thought of a better idea. "Excuse me a moment ladies." 

The girl's discomfit with the wine hadn't escaped his notice, though she did her best to hide it as she drank. Brwlyan hounded down a winged servant and had him fetch a pitcher, a bottle of chardonnay, passionfruit juice and white grape juice. When the servant returned he mixed all of them together in the pitcher, then went over to the food platters and dropped a handful of strawberry and peach slices in to top it all off. The elf hefted the pitcher and strode back to the table, setting it down before the girl proudly. "Here sweetling, try this one. I call it White Sangria. You may find it more to your liking." 

Brwlyan lifted his own glass and took a drink of cherry wine as he waited for the girl to taste his concoction. He cast a sideways glance at Kythe. "Enjoying that whiskey?" She seemed flushed, her cheeks and the tip of her nose rosy. Seeing her like that, with her hair done up and and that pretty dress on… It stirred something in him. Brwlyan had never thought of Kythe like that before, but then again, he'd never seen her like this. He made no attempt to hide it as he looked her up and down with a smile. "You know, I think I prefer the dress over your armor… Perhaps it's time for a change of wardrobe." He flashed her a playful wink and took another sip of wine. 

“All stories are important to tell and all stories should be heard; you’re far younger than we are but your story is no less important than ours - your past shapes who you are no matter what occurred within it. Good or bad.” The woman said with a small smile; sadly Kythe’s story was long and full of hardships - but the longer you lived the more miserable you tended to become because of the things you had suffered through.
She smiled once more. “Don’t worry; I always manage to find work so that I might pay my way, not to mention my adoptive son and his family live here - for now I shall manage until I’m back to full strength and able to sell my talents once more. Not a word from you Arden, I know how that mind of yours works.” She snorted; suspecting that ‘talents’ was going to somehow get skewed.

Rolling her eyes at him she snorted. “The Gods only know how you were the lucky one amongst us. The amount of times you pushed your luck even with me… I mean honestly.” She chuckled at her friend; eyeing the flask carefully - she knew this man all too well and for all her love of him she wouldn’t trust him as far as she could throw him however she could not say no to him either… they had all been apart too long for her to refuse a drink from him, taking the flask she took a large swig and immediately regretted it.
Whiskey.
It was the one drink that she tended to avoid - the Dragon within her consumed whiskey too quickly and in her Elven form it did not turn into fire within her belly rather it turned into fire within her veins causing her to get intoxicated far quicker than she would on any other alcoholic drink. Narrowing her gaze she scowled at the man - damn him he’d gone and bloody remembered the last time she had refused to drink whiskey that he had offered her.

“Oh shut up. The damn creatures are attracted to me… and my adopted son was there so clearly I was drawn to his presence not a Gods.” She chastised him, poking him in the chest with a finger. “Yes, Lordly in ego alone young one.” She snorted.

Raising an eyebrow Kythe gave a violent shake of her head to try and rid her brain of the warm, fuzzy sensation already settling there from the whiskey. “You… conniving…” Kythe muttered at the Elf as she took another swig of the deep, rich liquid within the flask, shivering in pleasure at the heat as it flooded her body and set her veins on fire.
Smiling she held the flask out to him. “Make it fair boy, at least drink the same as I rather than some piss-poor excuse for alcohol hmm? And I wear dresses plenty, you just aren’t around to enjoy seeing me in them.” She stated simply.