Private Tales Trinkets for Taking

[Faelyn Daestra]

Yellow eyes looked up and down the dark, empty hallway outside the library in the College of Elbion. Moonlight trickled in through the patterned window panes, fading as clouds passed overhead. Getting this far hadn't been easy, especially since maps of the College seemed particularly difficult to come by, but a few drinks into one young lad out and about the city after classes and she'd found a few good tidbits of information. The broad campus had been easy enough to navigate - getting past the sentries and the magical wards around the walls was a bit of another matter. More patience and time than was initially considered had been required, but in the end, Faelyn had found her way in.

Faelyn stepped quietly towards the library door. Slowly, she inspected the lock. It was simple enough. The mages must be very confident in the abilities of their guards and wards to use such a simple mechanism to keep their precious books protected. She tested the door first - perhaps students were up late studying in the great hall? - but no, it did not give. She looked to the hinges - they appeared well oiled. Rubbing her gloved hands together, she set to work.

The lock was easy enough to pick. She opened the door minimally, peeking through the slit of the opening. An empty librarian's desk, covered in papers. Rows and rows of exceedingly tall, wooden shelves. The smell of old books.

No one was there.

Opening the door a little wider, Faelyn squeezed her small frame through. She peeked back into the hallway to ensure no one had seen her and closed the door very, very slowly behind her.

Archives, archives, archives. She peeked down each of the book-filled corridors. If I were a mage, where would I put my most precious books and foci?

The night was young, but the clock was ticking, and there were valuables to be found.

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

It didn't matter that he'd been studying magic longer than most of his students had been alive, Maester Ivorn was a right prick and nothing could convince Cosmin otherwise. 'Really, it's elementary material,' the old prune had said. 'Didn't you learn this years ago?' Sure, the old professor may have been some high-and-mighty adventurer in his youth, but that was before his bones had withered halfway to dust. Hell, the finest collection of pilfered goods gave no right to base a class's final exam on something well beyond the scope of the course!

Even a student as diligent as the young diviner was sidelined by his professor's decision to include material in the final test that one couldn't hope to learn in ten days, let alone the five that remained before the exam. That was why Cosmin had found himself attending to the College's archives, thumbing through tome after tome in his favorite oft-overlooked corner. It was an hour after noon on his second day of nearly ceaseless researching when he began reading the same sentence over and over, too exhausted to go on, and suddenly--... Hrk, zzz...

The student shot awake. No light filtered in through the lofted windows of the archive, and Cosmin's candle had long since burned into a snub and smothered its spark to death. How long had he been passed out for? The young man could only begin to guess as he rose onto sleep shaken legs, stumbling his way through the dark on footfalls a fair shake louder than he would have liked.

It was then that he began to do something singularly unusual for the facade he'd spent years putting up.

As he made his way slowly to the library's entrance, Cosmin began to sing. It was a low tune that fitted well to his youthful baritone, and the lyrics only grew more crude and raunchy as he improvised further along. The library was empty, after all; No one there to stop him from singing just as loud as he liked.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Every square inch of green elf froze as the sound of footsteps echoed in the hall. Where is it coming from?! Faelyn frantically looked down the shelved corridor she was closest to. Seeing no one, she scampered quietly down the isle on leather booted feet, only to slow after a moment.

Was that...singing?

She paused - the sound eminated from the beyond the shelf to her right. The voice sounded human. She would have sighed with relief if she wasn't trying not to be discovered: she had little fear of being either seen or heard then, what with humans having downright terrible senses. Faelyn almost felt sorry for them. But it was the lyrics caught her tapered ear. Faelyn raised her eyebrows at the words, then nodded. The vocalist had an impressive imagination. His singing voice could use a little practice, though. She couldn't help but peer over the top of the books in the shelves between her and her mystery musician to see who it was that had managed to get themselves locked in the library. Obviously not a guard nor a librarian. with footsteps like that. Her eyes hard mostly accustomed to the dark, but it was still difficult to see. No matter.

She waited until the human had passed before continuing down the isle, making her way to the back of the library. The archives ought to be at the back - no one put archives and valuable materials at the front of a library. Just as she came to the end of the isle she paused.

She hadn't locked the library door.

Faelyn gritted her teeth and hoped to the seven hells that the human would be too tired, or too oblivious, to notice. Her normal caution for a quick escape was biting her in the backside - it wouldn't be the first time, of course, so she rushed silently forward towards an alcove that could only be the archives - or something else of somesuch importance. She peered around for books that might be chained or locked - and viola! A large wooden table with not one but six books chained to it's legs greeted her in the darkness. Faelyn grinned and brandished her lock pics again, looking for the book with the most gilding. She paused, listening, hoping to hear the singing fade away in the hallway...

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The mystery singer continued on his notably merry way, stride picking up a noticeable rhythm as he went. Towering shelves slowly fell away in favor of their smaller counterparts, becoming much more manageably sized as they grew closer to the entryway. Long, deft fingers dragged their way along the spines of shoulder-level books, feeling the binding that held their aged pages together as touch alone guided the student back to the hall. Once, Cosmin could swear he felt something akin to skin grace his fingertip, but the dark was thankfully oppressive enough to save his eyes from the sight of whatever human-bound tome resided on the shelf.

The student reached the library's entryway before long, quieting his singing as he drew near for fear of some Maester skulking in the hall beyond. His hand took a firm hold on the imposing door's handle, giving it a push and a twist as it swung quietly open. Cosmin, ever given to habits, turned his gaze upward to make sure that nothing wished to drop down onto him from above and gave his hip a pat.

Luckily, no spiders or assassins lurked above the doorway and sought to do him harm, but his first pat begot another. Then another. Something was wrong, and even through his brain-dead state of exhaustion, the student took notice. It was on the fourth pat that he realized what was missing.

His cards. A diviner often needed some tool to work their craft, and Cosmin had become rather fond for his deck of the Major and Minor Arcana. Before his mind could conjure a proper plan of action, the young man's body had already spun into motion. He turned on a heel, striding back through the door and pulling it shut behind him. His legs pumped with renewed vigor, growing more precise with every step he took back towards the archives.

Those cards were not only the preferred implement for his trade, but they were one of the few superstitions the logic-laden student had allowed himself. Perhaps it was just the esoteric nature of his craft, but Cosmin had grown to admire his deck and the luck it seemed to bring him, no matter how illogical the idea may sound. He wasn't terribly keen on losing them to tired incompetence.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

A faint sigh escaped purple lips as the footfalls faded away. Lock picks poised, quick work was made of the lock on the first book. Faelyn paused. Wouldn't there be magical guards of some kind against such thievery? But another twist and the lock came free. Not one to test her luck, gloved fingers grasped the spine and fore edge of the book, and lifted. The book ascended an entire inch off the table before Faelyn set it back down. The damn thing was heavy.

Books may have been a bad choice.

Yellow eyes peered around for other loot. There had to be something else of interest in the archives. Gilded scrolls? Precious gems as foci? Golden wands and scepters? Mages love scepters. There was another desk, this one littered with papers and scrolls and books. Faelyn brushed a few pages aside. A deck of cards? She shrugged. Why not?

Pocketing the cards, the green elf turned her attention elsewhere. She stepped towards a glass case lining the thick stone wall. Ah, yes, scepters! Or were they staves? No matter - they were intricately designed, gilded with what appeared to be gold and precious jewels. Success! This was more like--

The footsteps were back. Green shoulders sagged as Faelyn threw her head back, rolling her eyes. Of course. The footfalls were decisive, focused. Different from before. Surely whoever was in the library didn't know exactly where she was?

Wisps of white hair whipped free from her hood as Faelyn looked for a place to hide. There was no time! Her small feet flitted to the other side of the archive room and Faelyn tucked herself next to a wooden shelf full of scrolls, pressing against the wooden side.

Go away, go away.

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

Mere moments after Faelyn slunk into the space between two shelves, an imposing silhouette erupted into the small alcove of an archive. With his robes billowing out behind him, Cosmin looked every part of some great warden sent to protect the library at all costs, but this illusion of authority was quick to fade. The student's sprint had caught up to him, and his past two sedentary years brought a sag to his shoulders while his breath grew notably more ragged. Two long strides carried him to the desk he'd fallen asleep at, and he was quick to begin rifling through the stacks of papers.

How hard was it to find a deck box?! The thing seemed to have up and vanished over the course of his nap, and the student wondered if someone had pinched it from him while he sat vulnerable. Perhaps he could scry out its location - Locating objects was one of the mainstays to his field, after all. Once more, his hand fell against his barren hip, and Cosmin realized the futility of trying to seek out his prized focus without anything to concentrate his efforts.

The student slumped down against the desk, resting on his elbows and pushing his face into his palms. A single, harsh syllable road across his tongue and sounded out across the shelves. It was a foreign curse from a long time ago, though it's implication was just as clear as any other cuss; The man wasn't happy.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

The green elf didn't dare to breathe - the intruding human was certainly doing enough for the both of them. Seven hells, he was loud. Faelyn couldn't help but peer from her haphazard hiding spot in the shadows. A child? No - too tall. Faelyn pouted. She hated when humans were taller than her; it wasn't enough that she was practically a runt of an elf, but to be shorter than a human? Humiliating.

Green eyebrows furrowed at the human's rummaging. What was he even doing? Clearly not looking for her, which suited the elf just fine, but she had work to do, things to find, treasures to abscond. Faelyn rolled her eyes. How long was this young one going to take? Her gaze flickered to the glass-enclosed displays on the other side of the room. So close, so close, yet so far. There was nothing to do but wait - and hope she didn't get caught.

Faelyn wasn't good at waiting.

She tilted her head, thinking. The cards... gloved fingers quietly lifted the flap on the pocket of her jacket. Maybe he was looking for these silly things. She pursed her lips and shrugged. Peeking around the edge of the shelf, she tossed the cards - right for the edge of the table. With any luck they would land just beyond the table's edge, as if the human had simply missed them in his search.

Shoo, little human, she willed, Shoo shoo.

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The student was just about to start hammering his forehead into the desk when a quiet thump caught his attention. Cosmin slowly straightened out, resting his hands against the edge of the table and peering over to where his cards had miraculously appeared. The deck box laid atop an open book that he'd shuffled aside in his frantic searching, flap resting halfway open against the page. He took the small focus in hand and gave his wrist a well practiced flick, revealing the series of cards within.

Pulling one at random, Cosmin was met with the image of a woman bound up and blindfolded, surrounded by a number of blades driven into the ground. The Eight of Swords; The Victim; One who is helplessly at the hands of others. The student glanced back to the book, creasing his brow in concern. 'Gregor's Guide to Theoretical Kinetomancy'... He hadn't been reading that one when he passed out, and it was closed before he began searching. How the hell did his deck wind up on its open face?

The student turned slowly, giving the room behind him a slow, steady glance. The darkness obscured much of the surroundings, and his book-addled eyesight did little to help matters. "Avast," he called to no one in particular, still combing the shelves with his gaze. His voice was even and deadpan, not a single trace left of his merry sing-song tone.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Okay, human boy, you've got your cards, now turn around...

Shoulders sagged. This one wasn't going to go away so easily. Despite his proclaimatoon, it was obvious he didn't know it was her, or where she was. His gaze wasn't even in her general direction, his body turned more towards the end of the archives, rather than the opposite wall she gathered against. Her assumptions have proven correct: his eyesight was just as poor as any other humans' was in the dark. A small relief. She may get herself out of this predicament yet.

Options, options...she could reveal herself, which was ridiculous and out of the question, she could stay quiet, which would likely incur his further investigating, or....or she could create a distraction. Passing one of her lock picks to her other hand, she carefully, quietly, tossed the small metal object towards the opening of the archives, hoping the human would turn and investigate and leave her to her pilfuring. Tiny clinks echoed off the stone walls at the entrance of the archives as the small, thin curtain pick clinked, bounced, and skidding to a stop near the end of the bookshelf outside the archive.

Holding her breath, Faelyn peeked around the edge of the shelf, watching to see what the human would do.

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The sound of metal plinking off stone echoed throughout the library, causing Cosmin's shoulders to tense up with surprise. He froze, slowly turning his gaze to the archive's entrance and watching for any signs of movement. When none came, he crept closer to the noise's origin, though the faint thump of his boots against the floor and the rustling of his robes were hardly stealthy.

The student stepped out into the hall of shelves, looking up and down the corridor's length. Shadows danced at the corners of his vision, inspiring primal fears of ghosts and shades lurking just out of sight. Without truly realizing he was doing it, Cosmin pulled another card from his deck and tilted it towards a high window. The Ace of Wands was caught in a shaft of moonlight, and the diviner's brow wrinkled in momentary confusion. An abrupt change in wealth...? Well, he had gotten his cards back. Perhaps it was a sign to cut his losses and leave? The thought didn't occur to him that maybe someone else's wealth would be changing that night, and he began to slowly pace towards the exit.

Something went skittering across the floor, spurred to motion by the young mage's stride. He froze yet again, watching as the small, dark shape ran to cover beneath a shelf. It was then the student had a choice to make; Continue along his merry way, or sink to his knees and go pawing for whatever was trying to evade his sight. A thought burbled to mind-- The Ace of Wands... It might be something good.

Cosmin set down onto one knee, then the other, laying against the ground and pushing a hand into the shelf's cobweb-laced underside. His fingers brushed something small and metallic, and he withdrew what looked to be a small lever of some sort. How peculiar.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

As soon as the boy was turned the short elf tip toed from her hiding place, lock picks in hand, and proceeded to the glass case. She kneeled before the horizontal display, quietly inserting her tension wrench and other picks into the circular spring lock. Applying light pressure, she maneuvered until she found the binding pin, listening for the faint click of success. She gently pressed the other pins - eight in total - until the lock began to turn. Purple lips grinned.

Gloved hands delicately opened the glass casing, elven ears listening for any squeaking or grinding of the hinges, but there was none. The mages kept good care of their possessions, it appeared. With hardly a glance, those same hands quickly snatched up one, two, three of the rods from their velvet cushion before the elf peered over a shoulder to see where the human ended up. She blinked, the human's backside looking back at her as he knelt on the floor. Shaking her head, she tucked one rod at her back into the leather straps surrounding her torso, the other two slipping into the straps under her shoulder blades. The three rods - or wands - or whatever they were - would impede her movement, but that she would work with it. It was like wearing a corset. Sort of.

Oh? And what was this? A tiny jewel twinkled at her in the darkness. It was simply too cute not to take. Deft fingers grasped a small amulet and slipped it into one of the many pockets adorning the thief's leather pants. Silently turning back to the arched entrance of the archives, she peered into the darkness. Now the human was on the floor.

Humans were strange.

But now was an opportunity... small feet stepped lightly towards the arched entrance of the archive room.

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The student rose to his feet rather abruptly, a lockpick pinched between his fingers. He'd seen such implements during his time working the docks, but how had it wound up in a place like this? The diviner had to stay his hand from drawing another card, a nervous habit he'd picked up ever since learning the basics of fortune telling. Instead, he slipped the metal crook into his belt and hummed in thought.

Cosmin straightened out his back, giving the archive one last look before he made his way out of the library. He froze mid-turn, met with the sight of a grey-green woman caught partway through creeping past the door. Even in the pale moonlight, her nearly white hair contrasted harshly against the dark wood of the all-encompassing shelves, haloing her head with an almost ethereal light.

Now, the diviner had a great memory. It had carried him this far in the College, and it would likely carry him to being a Maester in eight year's time. This talent for remembering the esoteric sadly didn't extend to recognizing the faces of his fellow students, but something told Cosmin he would've remembered seeing a pretty greenish lady lurking around campus.

For once, the deadpan diviner was at an utter loss. His mouth hung agape for a moment before he finally choked out a pair of words. "... Good evening," he said slowly, his voice rather telling to his surprise.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Just a little farther...

The elf froze mid-step as hazel eyes turned on her, the edges of her cloak swaying against her calves before the fabric grew as still as she. She swallowed nervously. A thousand situations flew through her mind, crashing into one another: he was going to call the guard; he was going to attack her; he was going to order her to stop; he was going to cast some kind of spell on her; he was--

Going to greet her.

"...Good evening," she replied hesitantly.

Faelyn cursed herself. It wasn't the response she had anticipated, but it was a good one, for her. It bought her some time. She was so close to sneaking by; he hadn't even heard her. That stunned look on his face, however... Maybe...maybe she could still turn this situation around. The elf took a proper look at the human before her: he was young, still, for a human, the last traces of youth still adorning his cheekbones, traces of maturing adulthood along his jaw. His robes looked in decent condition, and his stance was non-threatening. A student then, not a professor. Good. She could, potentially, hopefully, use him to her advantage.

Okay okay okay. He doesn't know why you're here. Think, girl, think. She was a thief and a burglar - and she'd gotten out of tougher scrapes than this before. She forced herself to relax a little, appear less threatening (and less threatened). So she fidgeted, looking left and right, faking embarrassment and discomfort, the nervousness of a young person in a new, overwhelming place. It was a good thing humans were terrible at guessing elven age, or the ruse she was mustering might not work.

"What are, uhm, what are you doing here so late?"

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

Cosmin blinked twice, preparing to bullshit how he'd made it into the library so late. When the woman looked just as bewildered as he was, a touch of tension dropped out of his posture. 'Okay, neither of us are meant to be here', he thought, taking a half step away from the greenish grey lady and squaring his shoulders once more.

"I was studying," he deadpanned, narrowing his eyes onto hers. There was a trouble with elves that he'd grown aware of during his time at the college; They could be just as much of a neophyte as he was, or they could be someone's great, great grandmother. Worse yet, there was hardly ever a tell for which camp a given elf fell into. The woman was nervous, though, so he chose to err on the side of caution and treat her as a lost student for the time being. After all, nobody could just sneak onto college grounds if they weren't meant to be there.

"Then I had to retrieve something of mine, but you don't know anything about that, do you?" His eyebrow arched a subtle degree, and he gave her a brief once over. Faelyn's attire was a far cry from the loose fitting robes common across campus, but Cosmin wouldn't have guessed that was due to a trio of foci resting just out of his sight. "You look lost."

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

"Uhm, ya, makes sense," she said with a small smile, shifting her feet. She looked at him, then away at the floor, then up him again, allowing a blush to creep up her cheeks. Every creature loved to be flattered, for another to be held awkward and flappable in their presence - starting with a little innocent fake crush was a good place to start, she figured. He was just so...expressionless.

Come on, sell it, girl, sell it.

"Uhm, ya, actually I am," she replied, clasping her hands in front of her, turning to face him a little more squarely, "The library was the only building I could remember. I'm new here. I guess - I guess I was too embarrassed to ask for directions. And then I got locked in." She laughed softly at herself, raising an arm and bending elbow to scratch the back of her head self-consciously, her cloak draping enough to conceal most of her clothes underneath.

"Do you think you could show me back to the students quarters?" she gave him a half-helpless look.

"Oh! I'm so rude. My name's Mareena," she lied, not giving him a chance to reply, lowering her hand and extending it towards the human a little awkwardly, as if she didn't quite know what she was doing. She looked down at her hand.

"This is how humans greet others, right?" She asked, looking back up at his hazel eyes.

"Sorry, did you mention you lost something?"

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

Cosmin fixed the girl with an even gaze as she floundered, slowly explaining how she'd gotten herself stuck in the library of all places. Was she getting cold? The awkward fidgeting of her hands and the slow coloration of her cheeks lead the student to believe as much, and his expression softened slightly with sympathy. Even if it wasn't for her desired reason, Faelyn's ruse was quickly pacifying him into amiability, and her offered hand and apparent confusion at human customs sealed the lie. Hell, she could even make out the faintest curve of a smile on his lip, accentuating his handsome features with something other than absolute expressionlessness.

"You must be coming in for the spring semester, then," he said, meeting her hand with his own and giving it an exceptionally gentle shake. "You've already got a grasp for our greetings, so that must mean you're a quick learner. My name's Cosmin," the young man truthed in response, stepping squarely into her trap. For the first time in what felt like a while, his expression brightened further to the point of potentially being confused for a grin. And who could blame him? Mareena was flustered, and pretty, and new-- Which means she hadn't heard any of the nasty half-truths about him. That was enough to make anyone's night.

"And, yes, I did mention losing something. A deck of cards, actually, but I found them in the end. Sorry that I, ah--..." The young human trailed off, glancing briefly at a nearby shelf. Maybe it was the fact he hadn't apologized for anything in over half a year that made him stumble over his own tongue, or perhaps it was the embarrassed green lady he'd stumbled upon in the library. In either case, it only took him a moment longer to steel himself before continuing. "Sorry that I accused you of nabbing them. It feels, well, rude in retrospect. Come on, I'll show you to the dormitories."

Cosmin turned, heading back towards the exit and waving for 'Mareena' to follow. "You'll catch your death in a place like this, but the beds should be warmer. I heard the Falwood doesn't get quite so wintry as Elbion, but I've never been down that far south myself."

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

His body language softened, his expression eased, and a small smile even tugged his lips; she couldn't help but return that smile as he shook her hand. Her deception was working admirably. A normal person might feel relief at the trickery, or thankfulness at being undiscovered, but Faelyn felt her heart race with excitement and victory. She always had to be careful once a deception was set - that was when it was easiest for it to fall apart.

"Nice to meet you, Cosmin," she replied. Now how do I get rid of you?

Her heart froze when he stumbled over his words, looking towards the shelves. Her eyes darted in the direction he was looking. Would he figure it out on his own? That her story didn't, exactly, line up? How suspicious it was that she, apparently locked in the utterly dark library, had tried to sneak past him to get out instead of simply talking to him and asking to be let out of the library like a normal person?

Not this time. She almost sagged with relief when he offered to show her the dormitories.

Picking up her feet, she followed after him, making a little bit of sound with her steps this time, but still quiet on the leather soles of her boots.

"We get snow sometimes," she admitted, the truth this time of what little she could remember of her homeland, "But not nearly as much as Elbion does. And even then it doesn't last that long. I'm still getting used to how cold it gets here at night." This was the part she hated the most - the little things, the attempt to establish a small relationship with the deceived, one that would, of course, benefit her exclusively. This was where it was easiest to get tripped up, easiest for the lies to stumble over the truth, easiest to get caught.

"Have you been at the College long?" she asked, turning the attention of the conversation back to him. Maybe she could pry more information out of this student. It was unlikely the students quarters held anything truly valuable, not for her purposes at least, but that didn't mean she couldn't find out where to go after her ever-so-kind knight in shining armour dropped her off at the dormitories

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The student cut closer to the left of the shelf-lined hall, offering Mareena enough room to either walk beside him or sprint past in a pinch. Cosmin had no suspicion that he was walking straight into the woman's web of lies, already dismissing much of what had occurred in the past few minutes as a matter of happenstance. One strange detail remained in his mind, however, and it was the lockpick looped inside his belt. Nevertheless, he was helping someone out- for once -and 'the case of the mysterious appearing pick' could always be investigated at a later date.

"Apparently this is going to be one of the rougher winters to hit in a while, so I don't envy you in the slightest." Cosmin granted her a small smile as he spoke, shrugging one shoulder in a sluggish arc that made his building exhaustion apparent. Finals season had not been kind, and studying for that bastard Ivorn's exam may still be the death of him-- Faelyn was nice reprieve from the endless toil, even if her presence wasn't so sweet as she made it seem. "I'm certain somebody could show you a warming cantrip to keep the night at bay," he offered, not exactly extending her his service in such an affair. Still, there was a kind edge to his tone, faint but most certainly there. The lad had a soft spot for folk new to the college grounds, and he didn't often have a chance to help them out.

The diviner's shoulders raised slightly at her questioning, and it was apparent that he wasn't fond of talking about himself. He could complain until the end of time, but boasting always left a bad taste in his mouth. "This spring marks my sixth term, and I've been here just over two years. Seven and a half more before I'll be on my way," he answered, wistfulness creeping into his tone. Cosmin didn't exactly want to piss his youth away in Elbion, but if that's what it took to become a Maester, it's what he'd do.

"How about you, then," he queried, glancing back to Faelyn as they neared the doors. "What are you hoping to study?"

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Faelyn picked up her feet as Cosmin made room next to him walking in step with him. Match the mannerisms, the body language, the tone, the expression - an easy way to win over unsuspecting prey. The lessons she learned over a lifetime came to her almost without thinking.

Oh, I'm certain somebody could show me a 'warming cantrip' to keep the night at bay, too, she thought with a small, internal snicker. She eyed him up when he wasn't looking - he wasn't unattractive, for a human. Though his robes hid the most interesting parts of him, which was a true shame.

Outwardly, she blinked and raised her eyebrows at him. It was too bad she had to deceive him so. His small small smiles, his willingness to assist her even in his tired state, his half-hearted shrugs, the faint kindness in his voice; it was apparent the world hadn't broken him yet. If she'd been able to she would have had compassion for him, but that part of her heart had broken and died a long time ago.

So, the boy didn't like to talk about himself. Faelyn cursed silently. That would make things more difficult. Most humans were so self-absorbed they'd take any chance to prattle on about their boring lives, another easy way to a solid deception: no one noticed they were being conned when they could only hear themselves.

"What am I studying?" she repeated. Faelyn didn't even know half the magical paths or the different magical languages. She was lucky enough to know how to read or perform basic arithmetic, given her upbringing, if it could even be called that.

"Truthfully....I haven't decided yet. Got any suggestions?"

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

Cosmin hummed quietly in thought as they approached the grandiose double-doored entrance to the library. He pushed past one of the doors, holding it open in his wake and closing it once Faelyn made her way through. "If I'm being honest, I didn't know what I wanted to focus on until this year," he confided to her as they set back to walking, taking a hall that wound its way throughout the archival building. The student took odd turns here and there, calling upon shortcuts he'd picked up during his time at the college to minimize their time spent outside in the cold.

"Divination is my chosen school from here on in. It's, ah--" He cut off, chewing his lip as he sussed out the best way to phrase his passion without coming off as a pompous ass. Finding the words he wanted, the young man continued. "It's the magic people use to see beyond our normal senses. Most diviners are fortune tellers of some type or another, using things like cards or tea leaves to predict the future. Like, uh, here." The flap of his deck flopped open in a well practiced motion, and Cosmin plucked out a card at random. "Temperance," he said, putting on a mock grandiose tone that quickly faded to his usual, smooth bass. The card's face depicted an angelic woman, wings outstretched behind her and catching the dim light of the hall. "It means to consider moderation and avoid temptation."

Temptation; It's a funny thing, and some say it can come from anywhere. Cosmin gave Faelyn a glance as he pushed his card back into the deck, and for a moment, he wondered whether or not her lips were naturally that color, or if they felt half so soft as they looked. His gaze tore away unsubtly, and he instead faced the path ahead while giving his shoulder another lazy shrug. Even as he turned away, though, there was no denying that telltale redness that crept across his cheeks. "But I, uh... I didn't put any power behind that one. Just a random draw, all chance... Anyways, if you want my suggestion, I think divining's worth a shot."

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Faelyn squeezed through the doors, her movements fluid and graceful, the natural way of the elves. She fell in line next to him again, having to pick up her stride every so often as he changed direction, taking short cuts she couldn't have guessed. She kept her eyes open, trying to determine what other areas they were passing, if she should come back later for a closer look.

Don't get too relaxed with this one, Faelyn, she reminded herself, You've got a job to do.

A green eyebrow quirked at the card drawn. The artistry was simple but impressive. Her lips twitched in a small smirked at the irony.

She looked up just in time to see Cosmic wrench his gaze away from her. Seven hells, it's almost too easy, she thought gleefully. Oh Cosmin, what a dear you are. You'll make a lovely human adorably happy some day. It was a shame she had other priorities that night - he would be a tasty little morsel, and she did so enjoy showing the freshly-ripened a trick or two. It was for their own personal betterment, really. A further to their education. An act of service, one might say.

Well noted, little card, she thought to herself, I can't allow myself to be distracted.

"What else does the College teach? I've heard there are a few...off-limits practices." She knew enough about the reputation of the College to know they banned necromancy, but that was about all.

"And what was it that made you choose divination?"

Green ears twitched as they rounded another corner. Was that music floating towards them?

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

The pair passed classrooms and private studies along their path, many of which looked identical from a passing glance if not for the varying styles of architecture at different points in the College. That was the issue with having an institution that predated the city around it-- Over the centuries, more space was needed for an increasing student body, and the college's previous management saw it fit to simply add more buildings and connecting halls on top of what they already had. Thus was the labyrinthine status of the modern college assured, leaving Cosmin to guide Faelyn through the winding, unmarked halls.

"Off-limit practices," the student echoed, though there was far less question to his tone than hers. "There are a few, and most are banned on grounds of bending the Five Laws on College grounds. Attempting teleportation isn't allowed, same with resurrection - Doubly so for necromancy. On the other hand, there are a plethora of studies that are encouraged. Evocation for the fiery-tempered, channeling elements and the like. Some people take on abjuration, the art of countering or, in rare cases, outright absorbing magic. That sort of thing."

Cosmin sniffed once, picking up the telltale sound of music a few moments after his partner had. He thought for a moment that they were bound to be caught until he remembered just where they were headed, and his body relaxed once more. "Concert hall," the diviner said plainly, offering Faelyn an assured smile. "Likely abandoned at this hour, but the performers don't know that. I can show you what I mean, if you'd like." His offer hung in the air for a moment as their quiet footsteps padded on.

"Though I'd best tell you why I'm studying divination first, shouldn't I?" Cosmin's smile faltered a moment as thought took hold of his expression. It had been just over a semester since he focused his efforts on the field, yet in all that time, he hadn't come up with a proper reason for his choice. Perhaps it was an instinctual desire to see what was hidden and bring the unknown to light, or maybe he was just denying the avarice that drove his every action... In truth, Cosmin couldn't say. He simply put on a charming, faint smile, and deadpanned as plainly as ever. "I just want to know which pony to bet the house on, that's all."

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

Though her feet kept propelling her forward, Faelyn felt her heart jumped as her mind went numb. Magical absorption? She didn't hear a single word he spoke after, thoughts and memories tumbling through her mind. Memories of her parents overwhelming disappointment at her lack of magical prowess surfaced, unbidden and unwelcome. She may have forgotten what their faces looked like, but she would never forget the shame and humiliation they projected onto her when they finally realized, after tutor after tutor failed, that she was unable to wield magic. After all, what was an elf without magic? Defective. Useless. A scandal to her bloodline. A burden and a dishonour on her family and the elven community around her.

"Did you say magic absorption?" she asked - or tried to, just as two students stumbled out of the concert hall doors, giggling and laughing. A small, hurting place in her heart ached, a part of her she thought she had silenced long ago. It was a foolish hope, but it materialized nonetheless: what if - what if the reason she couldn't wield magic was because she was meant to absorb it?

"COSMIN!" one of the students shouted loudly, a wide chalice in hand, dark red liquid spilling onto the stone floor around her.

"Shhhh!" the other student shushed the first, grabbing her robed arm, "Th' profezzors will hear you!"

"Cosmin, comon, comon," the first student slurred, wriggling free of the other before grabbing the edge of Cosmin's sleeve and tugging him towards the concert hall.

"Shu'up, Tara!" the second student groaned, rolling his black eyes.

Faelyn skirted around them both and peered through the large oak doors leading into the concert hall. Tall, ornate archways adorned the inside of the hall, plush chairs in stepped rows descending towards a large, polished wooden stage where half a dozen other students played a variety of instruments, some of them Faelyn recognized, and some completely new to her. Students mingled both on and below the stage, their overly-loud laughter carrying easily thanks to the curved, acoustic design of the hall.

"No, you shu'up!" Tara stuck her tongue out at the first student.

"You know wha' a wet blanket he is," the first student grumbled, glaring at Cosmin, jealousy written over every line on his face.

"Wha'ever, Coal," she retorted snarkily, "Cosmin's in mah didination class, 'n Master Iven, he's a prick. There's nooo way we're gonna pass da test with all tha' las'minute stuff he gabe us."

Yellow eyes sparkled with delight. This night was getting better and better. Faelyn noticed a few of the richer students in the crowd - robes trimmed in gold, fabric cut to flatter, belts made of soft leather instead of rope, expensive rings and bracelets adorning what little skin could be seen. Even better, they were half-drunk already, stumbling into each other, chalices in hand. Treasures were ripe for the picking. There were certain to be better pickings elsewhere, but the elf couldn't pass up an opportunity to steal from the inebriated.

"Come on," Tara whined, pieces of her purple hair falling out of the braid that ran down to her mid back.

"Don't mind if I do!" Faelyn replied, already slipping through the oak doors and into the crowd of students.

Tara turned back to Cosmin, blue eyes blinking in surprise. "Who'z that?"

 

[Cosmin Lowdust]

Cosmin wasn't surprised by any stretch that his classmates would shirk their studying. He also wasn't surprised that they would be partying with finals looming on the horizon. What he was caught off guard by, however, was when two students emerged from their raucous revelry to pull him into the fold. By the time Tara had grabbed his robes, all thoughts of answering Faelyn's questions were set aside for later rumination - The young diviner hated nothing more than unsolicited contact. Even the much smaller woman's grasp of his sleeve was enough to make his stomach drop, and the two drunkards' rapport was nearly lost on him amidst the tides of discomfort.

"Agreed, there's no way you're all going to pass," Cosmin replied, finally finding his tongue as he was tugged into the grandiose concert hall. His first remark notably left him out of the failing majority, though he hoped his fellow students' current states would keep them from noticing. "Not if you're half as intoxicated as you are now, anyways. That's Mareena." He swept a hand after the green woman as she vanished into the crowd of lavish robes and plunderable goodies. "She's-... New."

The faintest glint of a smile tugged at the young man's lips, though it was once again quenched by his fellow diviner's continued tugging at his sleeve. What was it with people assuming others wanted to be touched, anyways? Cos would never understand... Before long, the trio landed in front of a table of refreshments. Tara went to fill her chalice yet again, having lost half of its contents in her haste to greet Cosmin beyond the door. The diviner saw his chance, quickly dipping off into the crowd to seek out his olive-green ward. Coal stared daggers at his back all the while, feeling thoroughly scorned by the whole affair.

Cosmin made the mistake of traipsing close to the stage only to feel a hand clasp him roughly on the shoulder. "Coss, Cossy!" An all too friendly voice greeted the startled student as its owner spun him around by the shoulder. "You play an instrument, right? A-- An--... A thinger, yeah? I saw y'playing at the bar that one time," A tall, spindly half-elf beamed down at Cosmin, but for the life of him, the diviner couldn't remember his name.

"Yes," Cosmin replied slowly. "I quit playing a year ago, mate. Sorry." It was a lie, of course, but he was rather good at telling those with a straight face. He'd never quit playing the lyre, per se-- He merely got better at doing so in private. One student catching him was enough, he didn't need others finding him plucking down at the docks.

"Ahhh, a year? Y'can still figure something out!" With little warning, Cosmin was once more grabbed and tugged along, this time up onto the polished stage. His eyes remained fixed on the ground all the while, pretending to admire the woodwork right up until a half-harp was shoved into his hands. "Evr'yone!" The half-elf beckoned out to the hall, grinning with the faintest hint of malice to his tone. "Gath'round! Cosmin's gonna play us a tune!"

The called-out diviner swallowed hard. His entire mouth tasted like he was going to vomit as the din quieted a minute degree. A number of eyes from the stage and beyond turned to take in his measure, and those that recognized the sardonic smart-mouth seemed eager to watch him blunder his way through a song. His own gaze, however, swept through the crowd, trying to pick out an unusually grassy face among the gathered students.

 

[Faelyn Daestra]

The archways and cushioned seats were even more impressive up close - was that red velvet trimmed in gold? On literally hundreds of seats? And was the ceiling hand-painted? And were the columns made of hand-carved mahogany? Mages certainly knew how to decorate.

The green elf wandered gracefully through the crowd, her thin green fingers entering pockets of the drunken without anyone's noticing, pilfering mostly small golden coins, as well as more than a few used handkerchiefs (gross) until the pocket housing her hand suddenly pulled away from her, sharply. Surprised despite the state of sobriety of the students around her, Faelyn lost her footing and fell against the owner of said pocket, knocking them both over and into one of the seats.

"Uhm, hi," a short, red-haired human blinked sheepishly at Faelyn.

"Uhm...hello..." Faelyn replied, mimicking back. The red-haired girl blushed furiously, averting her brown gaze.

"Oh ho! Looks li' Adelina has another girl in 'er lap - does yer girlfriend know, Lina?" someone from the crowd jeered. Adelina glared towards the sound of the voice, but judging from her expression, Faelyn could tell her search was fruitless. The green elf pushed herself to her feet and offered her hand to the girl.

"Sorry about that," Faelyn smiled, faking sheepishness, thankful that the coins she had snagged had managed to remain in her own pockets, "It's my fault, really." Adelina blushed furiously again, shaking her head before groaning, placing one hand to her forehead and the other to the robes over her stomach. A shame she's already taken, Faelyn thought with a sigh at the sight of the girl's lithe wrists peaking through her robes. The elf idly wondered if Cosmin was into trifectas.

"Ugh, no more tequila..." the red-hair girl slurred. The other students that had started heckling the two of them quieted down only to start cheering at the stage.

"Give us a show, Cosmin!" one yelled.

"Play us something fun!" Tara's overly-cheery voice yelled from somewhere else in the crowd.

"Ya!" Coal yelled from somewhere else. Faelyn rolled her eyes and sighed. What a waste of skin.

The short elf withdrew her hand from the fallen girl and meandered through the crowd until she could see better (why are all these humans and mages so. damn. tall?! Is it a damn prerequisite to study magic!?).

Green eyebrows raised. Yellow eyes looked from the harp to the human holding it as if to ask 'I didn't know you could play?' or maybe 'Are you okay?' Cosmin looked positively miserable up there on the stage. Faelyn looked around the crowd, pursing her lips annoyedly at the other students, some of them clearly enjoying Cosmin's discomfort, others too drunk to comprehend Cosmin's obvious displeasure. That was when Faelyn made a decision - a reckless one, if she was honest with herself, and not the type of reckless decisions she was so fond of making.

Ducking back into the crowd, Faelyn wormed her way towards the back of the stage (snagging a few more coins along the way, of course). Purple lips grinned, catching sight of her prey. In a few quiet strides Faelyn withdrew her dagger and slashed at the rope holding the heavy velvet curtains. The red fabric fall across the stage - on the opposite side of Cosmin. Leather-bound shoulders sagged and yellow eyes rolled skyward as half the crowd of students made sounds of confusion while the other half continued to heckle the hazel-eyed human. Why must it always be the hard way? It was too dark and too far to see where the rope was bound on the side of the stage, even with Faelyn's vision.

Hidden as she was in the strange shadows cast by the torches below the stage, Faelyn doubted anyone could see her. It was with that thought in mind that the short elf jumped upwards, extending her arms and legs - and deftly stuck to the wall. Hastily, she clambered up, like a spider, and made her way over to the other curtain, where she promptly cut the other rope holding the heavy fabric above the stage - which promptly fell on the group of musicians, Cosmin amoung them.

Landing quietly next to the curtain as more than one student struggled beneath the weight of the velvet, Faelyn held a gloved hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter.

"Shall we make our grand escape?" she asked one lump in particular with a suppressed giggle, "What timing."