A Talk Beneath the Trees

A quiet breeze ruffled through the trees of the park, stirring strands of silvery hair around the face of the fae woman that sat beneath one of the old oaks, a bundle of white cloth in her lap. Amani had left the shop that afternoon to have some time to herself, and was certain that Binx was able to handle any mishaps on his own, as well as a few other nasty little surprises for anyone trying to break in. Shadow magic had its perks after all. So she had made her way to the park, passing through the crowded areas to find a quiet place where she could be over looked. No that she really had anything to hide.......but the bundle in her lap could attract some unwanted attention.

The bundle itself was rather bulky, seeing as it was wrapped in two towels. The bag that she had carried it in had barely been able to hold it along with her notebook and tablet, but if anyone had really asked it could have been made to be her picnic blankets. Now she unwrapped the bundle carefully and slid on some latex gloves so she wouldn't mix any oils into the precious ink on the pages. Her notes were spread out beside her as she poured over the ancient writing, her brow furrowed in concentration. She had not been able to crack the entire language fully, and that little problem was beginning to irritate her. It was an ancient fae dialect, one that was obscure and almost primitive, which was saying something given the fae lifespans, but Amani lacked the final detail for fully understanding what was written in the text.

She huffed in irritation, even though her hands were steady at flipping the delicate pages of the book. What exactly was she missing? Did she not get every artifact that was at the site? Perhaps there was something else there that could help her piece together the language? These were questions that she continually asked herself, and they almost never had a satisfactory answer. She might have to go back to the place she found the book in the forbidden forest, which was going to be just as difficult a task as it was the first time around. She sighed and leaned her head back against the tree trunk, gazing up at its leaves and the patches of open sky. Looks like she was going to have to plan another expedition.




@Vinny

It would have been nice to say that the afternoon passed in peaceful solitude, but that wasn't what was going to happen for Amani. Instead of the quiet, relaxing afternoon against the warm tree, someone starting spouting some romantic nonsense behind her, startling her out of her study. Amani looked up from her book with a frown, peering behind her to see who was uttering the romantic nonsense, but could only see bushes from where she was sitting.

The passage was beautiful of course, she couldn't deny that. It also sounded vaguely familiar, but it was so hard to remember everything that she had read throughout her many years of life. Books seemed to run together at times, and the only ones that really stood out to her were the treasures that she found on her expeditions. Or acquired from some unknowing student who needed a quick buck. Those acquisitions gave her the most glee, since most of the students didn't always know what treasures they had. She snorted irritably, closing the book in her lap.

"If you're looking to shoo away a besotted lover you should probably work on your delivery," she called over her shoulder, hoping that the person would just go away. "If you spout that nonsense she's.....or he....or it....will just cling on longer."

There was a sound of startled surprise, and then some furious movements coming from the bushes behind her. Amani's brow furrowed and she turned, only to find a large man falling to the ground next to her. She quickly moved the bag away while trying to keep her composure, brushing leaves off of the old book that she had in her lap. To her amusement, the man checked to make sure that his book was still intact from where it had fallen, and when he turned to face her......

All she could do was stare for a moment. Startling blue eyes met hers, his hair the color of gold. He was at least a foot taller than her, and she found that all she could think was that he was one of the most handsome men she had ever encountered. Which was saying something when the fae were considered the most beautiful. She blinked when he cleared his throat, bringing her back to the moment at hand and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

"I think he's lovely," she said with an answering smile, which surprised her. "But if you're trying to turn down a lover I wouldn't suggest spouting all that. Turns even the most angry ex into a lovesick stalker." She raised a thin eyebrow, looking him up and down. "I'm assuming you're okay......ungainly poet?"


@Vinny

"Words are powerful things," she said in answering amusement, wondering what else he "got into". If the poetry he spouted was any indication, she had a feeling that he also enjoyed plays and owned a few. It was actually a bit refreshing to find someone who appreciated the arts. "If you aren't careful they can take you to all sorts of places." Amani knew that all too well, since her books took her to dark and unexplored places. The book that rested in her lap was proof of that.

She could tell that he was slightly embarrassed by being caught and then promptly falling in front of her, but his laugh held the mirth of someone who knew how to laugh in the most ridiculous of situations. It was pleasing to the ear, and she smiled again as he offered her his hand. In fact, she hadn't stopped smiling since the moment he fell in a heap.

Amani carefully moved the wrapped bundle from her lap onto the soft grass, standing up and brushing a few bits of debris from her own pants before placing her hand in his. "Amani Mellarc. I See You, Zera Mortii," she said formally, lifting her chin. The name sounded slightly familiar to her, although she couldn't say where she might have heard it from. She had heard many names over the years, so perhaps she had simply heard it in passing. "What is a man like you doing reading Mont Blanc?"