The Miracle of Defiance (Starring Lorelai Dannehur and Erit of Eastcris)

[Erit of Eastcris]

This would be the seven thousand, six hundred and forty-fourth day in a row that Irasel Grimst experienced without incident, not needing to use a drop of his power for anything. A new record, really, as Irasel had tended to draw trouble in his younger days. After he'd made a decent fortune by simply conjuring the gold out of thin air, he'd bought a few small shops in town and rented them out for a decent price. Ever since then, his livelihood had practically made itself.

At the moment, Irasel was reading an old book, written about four hundred years ago by a dear friend of his. As far as Irasel knew, his was the only copy of "Life As The Living" that had escaped the ravages of time. He put this relic down, however, after he finished the chapter he was on, noticing that the sun was starting to descend from it's zenith and that he had still not done something very important. Standing up with a spry little hop—as far as his body was concerned, Irasel was still a fit and healthy twenty-year-old man—he strode to the wall where rested a prize like no other; the demon-eating sword wielded first by the Itreda Shalou, Isiah Tael, and then passed down through his line for generations. Sadly, even the Tael dynasty had to end; when the wielder was slain in the lair of a Centennius Spydr, the sword, Seatr, had lain there for many years before Irasel found it. Ever since, the sorcerer had made it a daily tradition of his to polish and oil the blade. It was a magical artifact of unmatched prestige and power, and deserved to be respected as such.

And so it was that Irasel went about this job, humming softly to himself as he ran the cloth over the midnight-black blade, washing the ebony hilt and black leather scabbard, polishing the silver leafwork on both. It was, indeed, one-of-a-kind; Irasel had already had to remove more than one would-be thief from the world that had slipped past his treant sentries. It was about two hours before he was done; and with the sun setting, the immortal sorcerer elected to retire early. He had work that required the darkness of predawn to do tomorrow, and did not want to miss the chance to get it done as soon as possible.

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

RE: The Miracle of Defiance

To say Lorelai was familiar with hardship would be an understatement. Her parents had died when she was only seven, effectively leaving her an orphan. Shortly afterwards, a kind-hearted middle-aged man had found the girl wandering the streets and took her in to raise as his own in spite of the fact he had fallen on hard times himself. He treated Lorelai as he would have his own child and taught her everything he knew about being a top-notch thief. Unfortunately, Lorelai once again found herself alone in the world at the age of eighteen when her elderly guardian was captured and dragged off to prison for his crimes. After that she cut down drastically on her pickpocket habit and stopped breaking into houses altogether, doing her best to keep on the straight and narrow path of the law. She liked working with her hands and became pretty good at fixing up the buildings around town. There was always work to be found as someone usually had a small favor to ask of her from washing windows to patching up a drafty hole in their house. It was only occasionally she went back to thieving as a way to make quick money, and only once she was certain there was a good chance she wouldn't get caught.

Two years had passed since she'd lost her guardian, and Lorelai was currently only a month into her twentieth year. She'd found work where she could during the day, but at night she was stuck sleeping in a back alley when she couldn't work in food and shelter into the bargain for fixing up a building. Sadly, there were a few stingy folk in the town she was stuck in. She'd had to spend last night under a makeshift shelter she'd put together with four wooden poles and the corners of an old abandoned tablecloth tied to each end. She'd only acquired one work request that morning for repairing a hole in someone's roof which hadn;t taken her very long to complete. Once she'd finished her work and collected her pay, Lorelai headed into the pub where she paid two coins from her carefully guarded stash for a small meat pie and some cider. It was there she ran into a rather shifty man who had gotten wind of her thieving skills and was in need of them. Not for anything too difficult, he'd told her. All he needed her to do was break into a certain house and do a little snooping to find a sword. She didn't have to take it, Lorelai only had to make sure the sword was there then nip right back and tell him. In return, he'd give her a small sack of gold. The gold had been the clincher as with that much money, Lorelai could live comfortably for years. Perhaps she could even give up thieving altogether, maybe buy herself a carriage and leave town to go adventuring while living off the land. That certainly sounded like a much better plan than staying stuck in one place where her freedom was limited.

It was just a little past midnight when Lorelai crept like a silent phantom up to the assigned house dressed all in black: hooded cape to cover her fox ears and tail, loose fitting long-sleeved shirt, baggy pants for freedom of movement, gloves, even her long curly red hair had been done up in a tight braid and wound around her head with a black handkerchief over it to keep her hair out of the way. It was also easy to be mistaken for a young man the way she was dressed, and tended to wear men's clothing instead of dresses as she felt a young single woman wandering about on her own at any given time would most likely be hazardous to her health. Lorelai had no need for a lockpick to force her way in. Instead she transformed into a beetle and squeezed through a small crack in the window. Once inside she fluttered to the floor where she turned into a small black cat and let her eyes get used to the dark before silently padding around the room until she came across the sheathed sword hanging on the wall in plain sight. Lorelai tilted her head to the side and twitched her tail in suspicion as moonlight from a nearby window played over the sword. It definitely matched the description, but Lorelai still had to check to make sure this was indeed the sword her employer had sent her in to find. The hair on the back of Lorelai's neck stood on end and her tail fluffed out as something told her so far this had been too easy. Only a fool would leave something so valuable out in the open...unless for some unknown reason they were confident nobody could easily walk away with it. Unfortunately, Lorelai still had a job to do if she wanted that sack of gold her employer had offered. She carefully morphed back to her true form and reached for the sword to see if the blade was as black as the sheath like the sword that had been described to her, but before she could even lay her fingers on the sword there was a loud popping noise accompanied by a bright flash of light that sent Lorelai sprawling on the floor completely dazed. She must have activated some kind of anti-theft spell which meant this was the home of a wizard, something her employer had failed to mention when he'd hired her. Her last thought before her vision faded to black was, Wizards! Meddling with wizards isn't worth all the money in the world! and vaguely wondered just what sort of mess she'd gotten herself into before she fell unconscious.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

As it turns out, she'd gotten herself into the sort of mess that mortals generally don't come out of. Irasel awoke around two hours past midnight, descending from his room only to find a still-unconscious thief being held quite stably by one of his guards. He sighed irritably, rubbing his brilliant violet eyes as he yawned before sweeping his hands back through his hair, which seemed to shine a brilliant gold in the light of the sun and a burnished silver under the stars. He cupped the youth's face in a slim, somewhat tanned hand, looking over his almost feminine features and searching for any kind of associative mark. Finding none, he clicked his fingers together to bring him back to the realm of the wakeful, a mildly bemused expression on his face. "Well, now, this is certainly a surprise. Most people don't make it past the forest without my express permission. Then again, they can be rather..." He glanced up at the one holding the interloper, an empty, placid expression on it's birchwood face, "...dense. So, what did you do to slip past them? Put a leaf on your head and pretend to be a moving bush?"

He sighed and turned away, "Ah, nevermind. I see you were after Seatr. So I guess that means you're the same as all the rest; ambitious and more than a little foolhardy. So, how would you like to die?" He meandered over to the bookshelf, reading over the many rows of tomes and grimoires therein as he wondered aloud, "Skinned alive? Boiled in oil? Impaled on a tree and left? Hanging? Or perhaps I could simply snuff out your existence. Quick and painless, that one; also quite boring... Well?"

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

As Lorelai slowly regained consciousness, she had to blink a few times to get her vision to focus. Her eyes became wide and round as saucers from fear as she clapped eyes on the man in front of her. There was no mistaking the features of a wizard. Under less threatening circumstances and if Lorelai had been a safe distance away from him, she might have considered him handsome but at the moment only thought of the man in front of her as menacing especially with the way he was looking at her. While she listened to him talk Lorelai decided not to answer exactly how she'd gotten into the wizard's house until she knew just what exactly he planned on doing to her for breaking in. Instead she replied, "Um...beggin' yer pardon sir, but I had no idea you was a wizard. Else I would have steered clear o' this place entirely. Sure I'm a thief, but I don't go raidin' wizards a-purpose. That's just plain askin' for it. The shifty bloke what hired me promised me a bag o' gold to just pop in here and check to see if you had a certain sword. After I made sure it was the sword he was a-lookin' for, I was to just report back without takin' anythin'." Lorelai scowled in anger as she concluded, "I bet HE knew you was a wizard and just conveniently forgot to tell me, the jackass. I oughta steal that sack o' gold right out from under him, that'll teach'im to withhold important information." Since she'd been caught, Lorelai felt she ought to come clean and tell the truth. She had no qualms ratting out the man who'd hired her seeing as he hadn't been entirely truthful about her job.

As soon as the wizard's musing aloud exactly how to kill her registered, Lorelai gave a panicked shriek and squirmed to get loose of the wooden guard that was holding her as she frantically shouted, "NOOOOO! I'm too young to die, I'm still in me prime! There's still too much I want to see and do! I want to see the world! So if you'll excuse me, I think I'll pass on lettin' you kill me!" With that, Lorelai quickly morphed into a mouse and dropped to the floor before scurrying out of the guard's reach. From there she once more changed into a beetle and flew to the nearest window, but in her hurry she chose the wrong one without realizing it and scurried back and forth along the sill searching in vain for the crack that had let her in.




((OOC: Sorry for the delayed reply, I wasn't notified you'd posted even though I subscribed to this thread.))

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

((It isn't a problem; I have nothing if not the virtue of patience, and I guessed such a thing had happened.))

"Not..." he started, extending his power and gripping the beetle-shifted interloper with a gentle but firm in a cage of solid air. He crooked a finger, bringing the beetle to hover in the center of the room, then enlarging the invisible barrier in case it decided to change back. "...so fast." He finished. "Shift back, will you? Perhaps if you do I may yet abstain from wasting time on your death." He turned away from the bookshelf, leaning his shoulder against it and watching, waiting to see if this specimen did indeed meet his expectations. "Oh, and for the record? Never mistake me for a wizard again. What they consider 'miracles' are better known to me as parlor tricks. I am unto their best and brightest as their best and brightest are unto you. Can you understand, child?"

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai reluctantly shifted back to her normal form, all the while eyeing her captor warily as though waiting for an unseen attack. He'd threatened to kill her, and Lorelai took that kind of threat very seriously. She didn't plan on letting her guard down unless he proved he was trustworthy first, and that most likely would take some time. Lorelai frowned in puzzlement as her captor warned not to mistake him for a wizard again as she replied, "Alright, alright. I didn't mean no offense. It was an honest mistake seein' as I do me best to avoid folks with magical powers if I can help it. So...if you ain't a wizard, what do you want me to call you then?" Lorelai's frown deepened as she tried to work out her captor's last statement before heaving a weary sigh. "Oh yes, I understand you. Yer the best o' the best and I don't even stand a chance against the advanced...er...magic folks. So either way I'm outmatched, right?" Lorelai didn't know what other term to use besides 'wizard' but since it had offended him before, Lorelai didn't want to risk bringing it up again in case he used it as an excuse to change his mind about letting her live for the time being. However, he struck a nerve with Lorelai in calling her a child. Temporarily forgetting her fear, Lorelai shot him an angry glare and stood up to her full height with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'll have you know I ain't no child. I just turned twenty last month, I did." Since Lorelai thoroughly detested being stuck with degrading labels, she paused a moment before reluctantly adding, "Me name's Lorelai." Growing up in a small country village had made Lorelai's grammar rough and she'd never seen any particular need to change it since everyone she communicated with talked the same way she did.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

Irasel couldn't help it. He snickered, then chuckled, and soon enough his lilting, noble tenor was filling the room with a fit of gay, musical laughter that went on for quite some time. He had to sit down in the well-cushioned chair at his desk, he laughed so hard. "Ah," he chuckled, smiling and short of breath, "I must thank you, boy; I haven't been so entertained in..." his expression changed to one of amused bewilderment, "...why, in at least seventy years." He sighed, chuckling still and grinning. "Well," he cleared his throat with a soft *hrm* as he raised his left ankle to rest on the opposite knee, his jaw resting on his right hand, "Lorelai, you're not entirely wrong in your assumption of my power... Simply put, I am a Sorcerer. Some say Thaumaturgist, but that is more referring to one whose power stems from alchemy, rather than will... I digress. I am of an entirely different level from Wizards. The greatest mage is bound still by the constraints of 'truth' and 'lie', but those such as I," He shifted locations, in his chair one moment and behind Lorelai the next, in the time between heartbeats, "...are bound solely by our beliefs and drive."

He grinned and stepped back, giving a small bow and letting the cage vanish as a show of faith. "One might consider you fortunate, lad; you have demonstrated the requisite capacity for defiance to learn the craft, and the necessary obedience to be taught. And I could do with an apprentice to occupy the next few decades." He clicked his fingers, a contract and inked quill conjuring to his will. "Signed in steel, not blood, I assure you. What do you say? It's a much more amusing craft than fingersmithing could ever be, if I do say so myself."

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai narrowed her eyes in suspicion at her captor's sudden need to laugh. "I fail to see what's so funny here, would you mind 'splainin' it to me? And how many boys have you heard of goin' by th' name Lorelai?" He'd completely lost her when he started speaking of different methods of magic and only raised a skeptical eyebrow to show she didn't believe he'd been around for seventy years considering he looked to be her age. However, Lorelai gave a startled "YIPE!" when he suddenly appeared behind her and jumped a foot in the air clutching at her heart while frantically trying to put as much distance between them as she could. She hadn't really been expecting him to penetrate his own barrier.

She calmed only slightly as he stepped away, her eyes narrowing once again in suspicion as he dropped the barrier. What exactly was he up to? She thought he'd made it clear he didn't want her escaping, so what else was he planning? As he addressed her as 'lad' yet again, Lorelai's face flushed a healthy shade of red. "I already tried tellin' you, I'm not a boy. I don't appreciate bein' called a boy anymore than you did my callin' ye a wizard." To emphasize her point, Lorelai lowered her hood and undid her handkerchief revealing her red braids along with her fox ears which were flattened against Lorelai's head at the moment reflecting her foul mood. As Lorelai was presented with a contract to sign along with the offer to become his apprentice, Lorelai actually jumped back in alarm as she shouted in a frantic tone, "Now hold on just a minute! I want nothin' to do with no contracts until I know EXACTLY what it is I'm signin'!" Her face flushed red again as she reluctantly admitted in embarrassment, "Anyway, I...I can't write...or read. Weren't no need to in me line o' work."

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He nodded, shrugging slightly. "Then you have my apologies, young lady; the clothing is very unflatteri— my, my, before my eyes stands a natural. I haven't seen one of you in a few centuries! But I'm getting distracted again. Outfit makes you look like a boy, yadda yadda... Oh yes! Contract!" He drew the paper over to him, turning the vellum this way and that before poking a hole in it with his finger, which he immediately mended before giving an exaggerated shrug. "It's blank. Simply place your mark on it," he waved the vellum back to the girl, "And you will, under my invocation, be lent a fraction of the power I wield, until your own is developed enough for you to practice with. It will also entitle you to one favor, to be asked of me at any time, and so long as it is reasonable I will grant it. Oh, and immortality, but that's a moot point. I will provide you with the necessities, such luxuries as I see fit, and any knowledge I possess I will share with you. In return, you will assist in chores and whatever events we may find necessitates our intervention, and will at least once a week subject yourself to a lesson."

He smiled at her, leaning his hips against a windowsill and folding his arms over his chest, crossing his ankles. He was eager for her to accept, really; having another sapient creature around might make the place a little less dreary, and even though Irasel didn't possess terribly much of a libido—or, rather, he very vigorously repressed it to the point that it rarely surfaced anymore—he did quite like the prospect of a female companion to admire when he got bored.

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai's head was whirling from trying to keep up with the thought process of the strange man who she didn't even know the name of yet. She only crossed her arms and glowered at the man as he made a comment on her unflattering clothing to show she took offense at that remark, but otherwise didn't say anything and decided she'd save a smart retort for later after some of her questions had been answered. Her eyes narrowed to mere slits as she listened to the details of his offer and she replied curtly, "What's the catch? Forgive me for sayin' so, but yer offer sounds too good to be true. Why the devil are ye so keen to hire someone like me as your apprentice anyway?"

Lorelai hoped he'd at least be able to answer the two questions she'd given him before his apparently short attention span bounced to something else entirely. She was inwardly seething though she tried her best to hide it as she wondered just what sort of an idiot this man had taken her for. First he'd threatened her life and now all of a sudden he wanted her to become his apprentice? Ha! As if she'd fall for such a trick. Until he proved otherwise, Lorelai was under the firm suspicion the man had thought she'd be so grateful for his keeping her alive that she'd jump at the chance to become his apprentice without even bothering to ask about the consequences first. Perhaps his random pattern of unexpectedly jumping from one topic of discussion to the next was simply a method of distracting her and a way to avoid answering any inconvenient questions. Well, Lorelai had already been tricked once tonight and by golly she wasn't going to allow it to happen again, not if she could help it! Especially when there was a contract involved. Contracts were no laughing matter in Lorelai's eyes as they tended to be binding and more often than not came with unwanted obligations which was why Lorelai went out of her way to avoid them.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He tilted his head, considering the question for a moment while he tried to wrap his head around the current situation. This was unexpected; who in their right mind would turn down the chance to be cared for in exchange for learning a very interesting and lucrative trade? Madness. "I suppose you would wish to know something like that, yes." He shrugged, "It's very simple, really; I've been alive for a few hundred years now, and I've had my fill of this world." He spoke in his usual brisk-but-calm manner, talking in the same way he might talk about what she wanted to eat for dinner that night. "But, I cannot simply pick up and leave this world without a Sorcerer; it could be millenia before another stumbles across the craft without guidance, and even then one mistake can prove disastrous without a mentor. In other words, I'm looking for a heir: to pass on my knowledge, my powers, and status." And once he had one he'd finally be able to die in peace. "But, someone suitable is hard to come by indeed; as I said earlier, you have demonstrated the requisite defiance to learn the craft, and the necessary obedience to be taught, and you are the only person to have done so since I first accepted my own apprenticeship." He flicked his gaze over her, his deep purple eyes analyzing every detail, weighing and measuring and tucking away the information in a corner of his ancient mind before he continued speaking. "You seem distrustful. I assure you, if I meant you ill will your suffering would have begun already."

He sighed softly, shaking his head. "Times certainly have changed. When I was your age, Lorelai was considered a name for very lucky men indeed, the kind with more wealth, titles and women than he'd know what to do with. And people certainly wouldn't turn down the offer I'm making you. I suppose I may owe an apology, however; you meant no harm in coming here..." He frowned slightly, turning himself around, staring down the hill and through the forest at the town he'd watched over for so long. "I am a bit annoyed, though, that people have already forgotten who Irasel Grimst is. It's only been a hundred years since I bought those shops; you would think them decent enough to remember the landlord they're paying."

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai listened without interruption to Irasel's explanation. Once he was done Lorelai took a few moments to ponder over everything he'd told her before replying, "So lemme get this straight. You wish to find an apprentice so you can go off and die somewhere? If you want me to even so much as consider signin' that contract, then I'll need an oath from you to make sure I'm fully trained and we've got a replacement lined up for me whenever I decide to finally kick the bucket. Think you can do that?" Lorelai hoped she was doing the right thing by putting her trust in him. It was still a wary trust, but trust nonetheless. She just hoped he wasn't one of the types who had every intention to follow through with their promises only to fall short and land in disappointment instead. At his remark that she seemed distrustful, Lorelai gave a shrug as she replied, "When you live a life on the streets you learn not to trust everyone ye meet. That could easily turn fatal as there are plenty o' folk who wouldn't hesitate in takin' advantage o' that trust. Anyway, yer a complete stranger so o' course I'm gonna be wary."

Lorelai raised an eyebrow and wondered if Irasel had grown so bored with the world he'd made himself a recluse if he was that far behind in the times. "Yep, things have definitely changed if ye come from that far back. Nowadays Lorelai's mainly a girl's name and it's awful rare for a boy to have it. Any boy caught with the name now is ridiculed for havin' the name of a girl. Only reason I kept me name even when I had to disguise meself as a boy was 'cause it felt like givin' up part o' me identity if I tried goin' by Daniel or somethin' o' the like." Lorelai actually grinned and gave an amused snicker at Irasel's complaints about the town forgetting who he was after a hundred years. "Ye can't really blame'em, usually folk only live te seventy or eighty. That's only if they're lucky, most die in their forties or fifties what with all the diseases goin' round and everythin'. Maybe everyone assumed ye'd died and they're payin' someone else fer their rent?"

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He sighed, giving a patient smile to the little girl who was so ignorant of the ways of magic. "The detriments of fragile mortality aside. I will promise you that I will share all my knowledge of magic, all my skill in sorcery, and any other wisdom you may request, and trained you to your fullest potential, long before I even consider leaving you to your duties. However, I cannot promise you your second request; I had to wait eight hundred years to find you, little one, and unless you're fortunate you won't find your apprentice for a few decades at the least... I suppose I could fashion a few Servants to keep you company after I'm gone, though." He locked his eyes onto hers, a very small plea in them alongside a flicker of hope. "If you like, you can even stay here for a day or two while you consider it, and I'll care for you. I'm certain you have no reason to object that, as last I checked most any human liked being catered to."

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai frowned thoughtfully and absently chewed on her lower lip with her eyes closed and her arms crossed over her chest, utterly absorbed in her own thoughts as she carefully weighed the pros and cons of Irasel's offer in her head. On the one hand, if she accepted and signed the contract it would certainly open up quite a number of possibilities for her: not only would she learn magic which admittedly Lorelai found a fascinating prospect, she would get a roof over her head and regular meals if Irasel turned out to be true to his word at taking her in. It sounded like this was a long-term deal so she definitely wouldn't have to worry anymore about fending for herself or where her next meal was coming from. It seemed the only downside was Irasel warned her he'd die someday, which confused her since he'd claimed to be immortal, and then she'd be stuck looking for her own replacement. That was pretty much Lorelai's only worry as she couldn't help thinking of the possibility that she might grow emotionally attached to Irasel like she'd done with her previous guardian who she had thought of as a second father. Lorelai had already lost her parents along with her friend and mentor. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle losing someone close to her for a third time.

As she came to a decision, Lorelai opened her eyes and let out a long sigh of resignation as she stated, "Alright, I'll do it. Just don't make me wear any dresses, that's all I ask. They're hard to breathe and move around in so I don't like'em! I like the outdoors so anythin' I wear is bound te get dirty anyway, so that's one o' the reasons why I like wearin' boys' clothes. Nobody cares if those get dirty." Lorelai paused a moment to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything before adding, "And I enjoy me freedom an' bein' independent. I'm thankful to ye fer wantin' to bring me into yer home an' givin' me food, but I don't think I'd like bein' catered to very much. I got two hands o' me own so if I feel I need somethin' I'll get it meself, and if I think it's necessary I'll ask for yer permission first. So...think we got a deal? I just need te draw me personal symbol, right?"

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

"Aw, and here I was looking forward to seeing you in a ball gown. Alas. I will, however, see you in finer attire than that if I have my way. And perhaps get you to speak with a bit more refinement than mortalkin." He nodded, and the paper and quill proffered themselves to Lorelai. "Indeed, little fox, simply make your mark and you will be safe forevermore. You will have plenty to eat and drink, comfortable clothes to wear, a warm bed to sleep in, a compendium of near-boundless knowledge at your disposal, and the world at your fingertips. A very generous bargain, I must say." He smiled at her, waving his hand. "Go ahead, sign. On my honor, you get to keep your soul and virginity... unless you want to get rid of them." He waited a breath. Two breaths "I jest," he finally said, "of course."

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai gave an amused snort and rolled her eyes as she stated, "Me? In a ball gown? Not in this lifetime, mate." She gave a casual shrug at Irasel's wanting to see her in finer clothes and replied, "So long as I ain't gotta wear dresses I won't complain. I'll just keep me old clothes for muckin' about outdoors then." While Irasel rattled off his promises of good things to come, Lorelai's brow furrowed in concentration as she very carefully drew out her own personal trademark of a fox wearing a mask and cape with a sword strapped about its waste. Lorelai may not have learned how to read and write, but she had been able to teach herself how to draw and enjoyed playing lively tunes on her hand carved wooden flute whenever she got the chance. Once she finished, Lorelai looked up as Irasel was mentioning all the knowledge she'd have at her disposal and blushed as she shyly admitted, "Well, I...I would indeed like te improve meself. Maybe even learn how to read'n write. I just never had a chance te learn anythin' other than how te survive up till now." She grinned and had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she hit upon a sudden idea. "Say, would ye mind if I nipped out real quick and paid that lyin' weasel what hired me a visit? I'd like te take that sack o' gold I'd been promised right from his room while he's asleep, that ought to teach'im!" Her grin quickly vanished as she glared daggers at Irasel for his crude sense of humor. "That AIN'T funny! I'm very attached te both and perfectly happy with'em, thank ye very much." Thanks to his crude comment, Lorelai was seriously pondering the idea of sleeping with one eye open with her hand resting next to a frying pan in case he tried anything funny.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He spluttered with a short fit of his musical laughter, though this time it only lasted long enough for a heartbeat to pass. "Most certainly, Apprentice, you may. I can even Send you there" something in the way he spoke the word made the air reverberate with the faintest hint of power; as well it should, for Sending was one of the first spells any Wizard learned, and one of the most useful. A flick of the wrist, and no longer was the subject here, but there, all in the space of an eyeblink. Sadly, Wizards could not directly effect themselves with most magics, "and Call you back, if you wish. Or simplify matters and Call the man in question, purse and all. He should have known better than to try crossing a Sorcerer, really." He smiled, "Either way, would you like a hot meal before or after this little endeavour?" He thought towards his own stomach in saying that, remembering there had been another reason he had awoken and decided it no longer necessary; why attempt to Scry for his future apprentice when she was standing right in front of him?

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai grinned as Irasel agreed to her idea, but cheerfully shook her head at his offer to assist, "Thanks, but I won't be long. I'll be back in half an hour tops, and b'sides I enjoy th' run. I'd like te eat when I get back if that's alright with ye, but ye go on ahead now if yer hungry. Ye don't need te wait on me." Lorelai was out of the house like a shot and quickly morphed into a black crow before winging her way back toward town. True to her word, Lorelai was back in half and hour and grinning from ear to ear as she playfully tossed her newly acquired sack of gold in the air before catching it again. Lorelai positively beamed as she gloated, "That ol' goat didn't even know what hit'im! Can ye believe he had one o' the cheapest locks on his chest money could buy? It only took a quick try with a bit o' wire te get it te open b'fore I shut th' chest again neat as ye please. 'E won't suspect nothin' till he notices one o' his bags're missin'. Oh, I hope I get te see th' look on his face then! Say, think we can pay him a visit tomorrow and tell'im th' good news that I'm now yer apprentice? Seein' as he hired me te snoop on ye, I fgure he's got a right te know." Lorelai gave Irasel another of her mischievous grins while her eyes danced with playful humor.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

The Sorcerer nodded, smiling as she left; the violet-eyed immortal had a sneaking suspicion on who this man in question was, and was glad that Lorelai had proven so eager to take out a bit of petty vengeance on that one. Irasel, however, would not be satisfied with the simple taking of a coin purse; as his Apprentice would soon enough learn, they had no real need for money. No, Irasel more desired to purge this particular nuisance from the world once and for all. He glanced back from the window, towards the sword that had started all this, and sighed. There was, he supposed, some truth to the legend of that sword; that Isiah's blood would seek the sword with which their progenitor transcended the boundaries of mortality by the consumption of a true evil. Still, that as no excuse for thievery and harassment; Seatr belonged to Irasel now, else it would have destroyed him when he first picked it up. He stood there, watching the sword of otherworldly beauty simply exist, for a few moments.

And then, with a shrug to himself about many things, he set about adding a new room to the house adequately equipped for Lorelai's studies, with it's own writing desk, a comfortable chair, bookshelf, wardrobe and a bed large enough to fit three of her quite comfortably, with generous room left over for moving about. In the wardrobe he conjured several outfits that he figured would match both Lorelai's tastes and his own; vividly-colored, sturdy silk coats, shirts and breeches with a touch of femininity to them with several varieties of flower and leafy vine patterned onto them in a polished silver thread, with several pairs of boots in black, brown, and white leather, polished to a mirror shine and built to last ages. He smiled at his work, happy to already be doting on his charge, and as an afterthought added a little surprise into the back of the wardrobe, hidden where she would only see it if she looked for it; a noblewoman's dress, dating back to his time. A thing of elegance and extravagance that certainly made it very obvious the wearer was a woman of such power she did not really need to be concerned with hiding her gender. It was a vain hope, but a hope nonetheless that she might consider wearing it.

Onto the bookshelves he summoned, of course, books. Very simple books, for now, things for her to practice her letters with and, as a reward for the accomplishment, entertain herself when she had a free day if she did not want to play outside. The present he hid here was a little less appropriate; a book of particularly detailed poetry that no woman would admit to even knowing the existence of, but that most no doubt enjoyed when their husbands were away. He conjured quality quill and onyx pens, along with several stoppered pots of fine ink, and enough loose-leaf vellum and parchment to make several novels, along with an enchanted candle that would never burn down and always light the first try. His welcoming gifts thus bestowed, he went back to the living room to wait for Lorelai's return. His conjuring and arranging had only taken the space of a moment, and so he had much time in which to exercise the skill he'd perfected two centuries ago; waiting.

When she arrived with a face-splitting grin, he gave a small smile in return. "I am glad your first endeavor as my Apprentice has gone well. For tomorrow... we shall see, I suppose. Though I can not think of anything else that might occupy our time, unless you wish to start your lessons." He thumped his heel on the floor, summoning a table and pair of chairs, and atop the table he placed a satisfactory feast for her and he, then took his seat and waved for her to do likewise. "After you've had your fill, I have prepared a room for you, just over there," he waved his hand towards the new door which lead to the newest addition to the house, "complete with some presents for you. I hope they're to your liking." He smiled at her, pleased that finally he had a hope for his ordeals to end. Eight hundred years he'd waited for his replacement, that he might finally rejoin his old Master and lover in the next life. Alas, she had abandoned him, in much the same way as he would leave Lorelai behind when the time came; though if he could help it he would not leave her in heartbreak.

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai's eyes grew round in complete amazement as she watched Irasel stomp on the floor to summon up a table complete with enough food to feed a small army in Lorelai's personal opinion. "Oh my...how'd ye do that, if ye don't mind me askin'? I hope we're not takin' food offa someone else's table." Lorelai figured all that food had to come from somewhere. Surely there was no way it could've been hiding all this time under the floorboards just waiting to be eaten. However, that didn't stop her mouth from practically watering as the tempting smells of good food filled her nose. At Irasel's bidding she gladly took a seat and started filling her plate with a chicken leg, potatoes, small roll, salad greens and a small bunch of grapes. Content with water to drink, Lorelai picked up her fork and set to eating her food with quiet enthusiasm. She'd been taught enough in table manners by her previous guardian to know how much it was polite to put in one's mouth at a time and to always chew with the mouth closed, but as soon as Lorelai finished thoroughly chewing one morsel it was quickly replaced by another. She'd just finished everything on her plate and was reaching for seconds as Irasel mentioned her new room. When he mentioned presents for her Lorelai was so overwhelmed at everything he was doing for her she only managed to stutter in a feeble protest, "Oh, but-but sir! That...that's much too much! Ye don't have te do all this for me, really!"

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He chuckled softly as she gave the expected reaction of awe. "As I said," he smiled to her, a glass of steaming cider appearing in his outstretched hand at the snap of his fingers for him to sip from as he spoke, "what a Wizard would name as an act of some god or goddess, I name a parlor trick. All of this," he gestured about to the food, the table, the house and everything in it, "with but a handful of exceptions, are the result of such parlor tricks. The power of a Sorcerer stems from defiance of the laws of nature, of the subversion of 'truth' and 'lie'. If I felt so inclined, I could have made my home in a flying castle made of gold with diamonds for windows. This food did not come from anywhere, and neither did any of your welcoming presents. I simply made them." He smiled again at her, this one more gentle and... well, it was the kind of smile one shares with a person they truly care for. And he did truly care for Lorelai, in spite of how little he knew her, for in accepting the contract she had given him a greater gift than he could ever truly repay. "Now hush, Apprentice, and let your Master spoil you a little, else I might be temped to give you a Servant on top of it all." He chuckled at the thought; in all likelihood she would hate having a Servant, always trying to do everything for her and let her relax, trying nonstop to please her in every way. Irasel did not use them often, because he found it distasteful to play God in the manufacturing of life simply to be able to lay about all day or to satisfy some primitive desire. "Granted, there are some things which Wizards have a simpler time of, which is why I will teach you a blend of techniques. Perhaps we shall start with some letters and speech, though. What would you like?"

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai listened with rapt attention to Irasel's explanation of conjuring while she worked on her second plate of food, but couldn't help the amused giggle that slipped past her mouthful of food at the image of Irasel going around in a golden castle with diamond windows. She found the image ridiculously extravagant and it didn't seem to fit Irasel's tastes if she compared a flashy, attention-grabbing golden castle to everything else in his house. She blushed and suddenly felt shy at the warm and caring gaze he bestowed on her. Not sure where to look under such attention, Lorelai averted his gaze and returned her attention to her plate until he mildly threatened to give her a servant. As Irasel predicted, Lorelai's face was scrunched up in distaste at the mere thought of a servant following her around which made her look as though she'd eaten something particularly sour. In clipped tones that clearly expressed her disapproval Lorelai simply replied, "No. Thank. Ye. That's where I draw the line. I'm perfectly happy without a servant, so if it's all the same te ye, I think I'll pas on that one." Lorelai presently finished off her second plate and, feeling warm and sleepy she absently propped her face in her hand while fighting to keep her eyes open. While Irasel talked about possibly teaching her letters and how to speak properly, Lorelai absently mumbled in response, "Aye...I'd...like that...very much." Only shortly after finishing her sentence, Lorelai slumped back in her chair with one arm dangling over the back while Lorelai emitted soft snores that showed she was already out like a light.

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

He gave a bemused chuckle at her snoring, setting his glass down and rising from his seat with a subtle, graceful flourish. He tucked his arms under his Apprentice's legs and shoulders, lifting her small frame from the chair as he dismissed the entire dining set. He held the girl close to him as he carried her into her room, laying her down, taking off her boots and cloak and fluffing her pillows before tucking the covers under her. Twenty she may be, but as his Apprentice she was still, in some ways, like an adopted daughter to him. He swept some stray hair out of her eyes, and with a whispered "Dream of happiness, little one" he wove an enchantment for peaceful slumber over his charge, before snuffing out the candle as he left. Himself, Irasel went outside for a moment, looking to the stars. After a moment of searching, he found a constellation known largely as The Lady, though he knew it as the Crown Of Eventise. It was said that the Crown was comprised of the spirits of all the world's greatest heroes, starting with Jesin of Nezzare. He remembered it still, when his Master announced her aid no longer required; she dissolved into so many particles of pure magic, and once it was all over Irasel watched as a new star blinked into existence along the Crown Of Eventise. He spoke to that star, sometimes, and thought of his old love. Today, he spoke for a similar reason. "You were right, Ea. I have found them. And soon enough, I will join you up there. Just wait for me a little while longer..." He yawned softly, shaking his head back and forth to fend off drowsyness as he went back inside and upstairs to his own rooms, where he changed into more comfortable sleeping attire before climbing into bed for himself.

He awoke at dawn, and got himself out of bed before changing into day attire. He descended the stairs as he did every day, with nothing ahead of hum. And then he noticed the new door in his living room, and suddenly he remembered. He allowed himself a small smile, flicking his wrist at the center of the living room and calling up a hearty breakfast for his young guest to enjoy when she eventually awoke, sitting in his plush reading chair and resuming his umpteenth re-read of Life As The Living. The Archmage's apprentice had just set fire to her robes, and was trying desperately to hide from her friend lest he get to admire her fully-formed body with nary a stitch across it. It was a book for the more mature reader, for certain, but the interactions between the characters and their environments were quite amusing.

 

[Lorelai Dannehur]

Lorelai slowly drifted back into the realm of consciousness from her warm comfortable fog of sleep. She wasn't really used to getting a decent amount of sleep which only made her feel more groggy when she woke up. The fact she found herself in such a soft comfortable bed didn't help her current state either as she found the cocoon of warmth very tempting to the point she actually drifted in and out of wakefulness for another hour before finally becoming alert enough to reluctantly pry herself from her fluffy pillow and get out of bed. Once she was up and about, Lorelai gazed in complete awe around the room she found herself in as she deduced this must be the room Irasel had prepared for her that he had mentioned last night. Everything looked like top quality from the books to the paper and ink complete with its quill pen set, Lorelai felt like such a filthy dust rag in comparison that she was afraid to touch anything for fear of leaving dirty fingerprints. The clothes he'd picked out for her simply took her breath away with their vibrant colors and elegant designs. They looked very comfortable and thankfully not a dress was to be seen among them which meant he'd actually paid attention when Lorelai had voiced her abhorrence for wearing dresses. She wasn't aware he'd actually hidden one deeper inside her closet. Completely overwhelmed with the kindness of her new benefactor, Lorelai rushed from the room out into the living area. Once she clapped eyes on Irasel, Lorelai impulsively threw her arms around his neck and sobbed, "Th-thank ye! Everythin's so-so beautiful! Y-Ye really outdid yerself, ye didn't have te! Yer too kind, just...thank ye!"

 

[Erit of Eastcris]

The sudden rush left Irasel in a daze as he was suddenly onset by a warm pleasure, starting at his neck and slowly beginning to creep through the rest of him. He looked down to see a pair of fox ears peeking out of a head of curled, rust-red hair and smiled, patting the young woman's head gently as he put down his book, "Now, now, Apprentice. I like to keep my word, and I said I would shelter you and see you in finer clothing." He chuckled softly, cupping her slightly dirty chin in his slim, fair fingers, clean and smooth from years of care. He tilted her head back to look his charge in the eye, speaking in a soft but authoritative tone. "And don't you ever worry about your next meal or rest again. If you do I might just have to give you a palace!" He laughed a little at the thought of Lorelai living in such an extravagant court as that seemed a comical impossibility. "Now, hush and go eat your breakfast. After that, I'll draw a nice hot bath for you so you can get changed, and then we'll go to town. The world deserves to know it has a young and attractive new Sorcerer waiting in the wings, and that stranger you mention deserves my thanks for earlier this morning." He chuckled, "And rest assured, I won't peek while you're washing or dressing."