Another day home

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

"Oh great, another boring day in the same stinking old city in the same stinking old Empire. Hurrah!" Carhac thought as he struggled to sit up straight in his bed. It had only been two cycles since is parents had been killed by a noble's guard for badly painting his dog, but he hadn't been pulled away from his bed by the loud noises his parents always produced early in the brightening when they left home. His parents were dead and Carhac loved it. It wasn't so much that he had bad parents. They usually weren't around anyway. It was more the fact that now he could really do what he wanted and did best. Nothing.

The young Moriquendi pulled himself free from his blankets and got out of bed, the cold feeling of his bare feet touching the cold marble floor sending a shiver through his whole body. Quickly he got out of his nightgown and started putting on his regular clothes. His midnight blue trousers, followed up by a loose fitting midnight blue blouse. Both made of silk. He remembered how he had bugged his parents to buy him those clothes although they were much too expensive. He had kept bugging them until they finally caved in. They always did. Slipping into his soft black leather boots Carhac slowly started moving to the other side of the room, slowly opening the door that lead to the small hallway. The dimly lit corridor barely showed a flight of stairs leading down and another door, leading to Cahac's old bedroom. On this floor were only two rooms. His parents' room, the one he had taken after their deaths as it contained a larger bed and he was too lazy to move it two his own room. And ofcourse his former room which he now used to loiter in, as he did with every room.

Foot by foot the pale elf started inching down the stairs, leading to yet another hall. Directly across from the stairs was another door, leading outside, but instead of opnening it Carhac took a right turn and entered the kitchen through an open doorway. Quickly he went through various cabinets only to find nothing. He had to remember to do some shopping or he would die, something he didn't want. Not now that he had gained so much freedom.

With an annoyed look on his face Carhac opened the door from the kitchen that lead into the livingroom where he sat down on a soft couch where he sat for a few moments, pondering on what to bore himself with next or waiting for something interesting to happen.

[Peach]

It wouldn't take long for the young Moriquendi lad to get the excitement that he so desperately needed. There was, indeed, something different about that day. Perhaps it was the sun rising later in the sky with the waxing of winter that did it, but everything seemed to be moving a bit slower. Adult shuffled slowly about the residential quarter, leaving their luxurious homes through courtyards of rich vegetation or sun-lit patios. Birds lazily trilled their rambling melodies up in the whispering trees, stopping at random intervals to pluck up a fourth breakfast or catch their breaths. It was a good day for loitering in the usually-busy city, a quiet home of softly broken silence set aside from the hubbub. It almost seemed as if the energy of the city was concentrated elsewhere, in the more populous mercantile regions.

The delicate rhythm came almost suddenly enough to be shocking to one caught unawares. It disrupted the perfect balance of the morning, throwing off the gentle lolling tune produced by the lazy. This beating of the stones was unmistakably the sound of shoes, no matter how soft and noble. The person in such a hurry towards the abodes of the Moriquendi could obviously afford to shod their feet in luxury. Such shoes were made for only casual strolls about the shops of the more wealthy areas, or the varnished floors of a mansion. These were the feet of the highly privileged beating incessantly at the unmoving ground. And it was true that the patron of the shoes was a member of the upper-class, albeit a small one.

Not many of the more elderly took much notice to the young teenage girl flying down the street. It was dismissed as only a game, or the hasty actions of the youthful. Even so, she was a sight in all of her finery. The Moriquendi's pale young body was dressed in a slightly rumpled gown of fine rosy-colored silk, its lavish folds rustling with her motion. Her slender hands clutched the sides of the dress, keeping its laced him from dragging upon the dust of the stones. Her velveteen shoes were of the same flowery color, as well as the bow that held her slightly curly hair from her severe dark elven features. Her blue-gray eyes were wide with fear, usually pretty features contracted. En'ye Varhas desperately needed a place to hide.

The house couldn't be too rich in quality. Anyone who was in league with her mother would certainly find out her secret. It had to be the abode of a more common elf, one with enough kindness to let her lay low for a few hours. At least until the scene down town cleared. Her prayers for such a home were soon answered as she passed the more stately mansion into the suburb-type areas. Her slippered feet quickly carried her to the closest abode, through any gardens and swiftly up to its front door. Her lace-gloved hand knocked a few times in rapid succession before En'ye paused to catch her breath and straighten out her garments. Her piercing eyes glanced down the street, watching carefully for any guard that could be following her.

No one in sight... yet. Again, the young girl knocked on the door, more delicately this time, but still with a sense of urgency. If there was no answer soon, she would need to move onto the next closest house. And perhaps the pale elf would have, if she had known the situation inside. A child running their own home was unknown, unacceptable to those of high class. This was a job kept only for the adults of the city.

ooc: Sorry for the delay in moderation, I was away on vacation. There will be another one while I visit my dad, but after that I'll be back to normal. Again, I apologize for the waiting periods.

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

A rapid series of knocks awoke Carhac from his boredom, his back straightening itself in only a moment. His eyes shot towards the door as if he expected it to be opened by someone. When nobody did open the youn Moriquendi pushed himself of the couch with a deep sigh. It were these moments when the young lad felt any regrets about his parent's deaths. He had to open the door himself.

Slowly the Elf started making his way towards the door, dragging his feet lazily across the floor. As another few knocks resonated through the marble hallway Carhac's bored voice answered. "Alright, alright, keep your pants on, I'm coming."
His pale skinned hand rested on the doorknob for a little while before he pushed it down, opening the door a little, just enough for him to peek out. "Yes?"

Carhach peered through a strand of hair which had fallen over his face. Just outside stood a Moriquendi girl, probably his age, or maybe a few patterns younger. Her hair was held back by a little bow and fear was written on her face as she peered down the streets. Carhac's heart jumped with excitement as he felt like the perfect opportunity had just knocked on his door and was there for the taking.

The Elf hesitated for a little. This girl could mean two things at the same time. On one hand she presented an opportunity for him to be an adventurer, a great hero like he had heard about from his parents. A hero like the ones which had inspired them to paint.
On the other hand, being a hero, or even helpful meant work. Work that would cause him to well... work.

In the end Carhac developed a plan so cunning that it amazed even him. He wouldn't open the door any further. No, he'd just wait to see what this girl wanted, how much trouble she meant and then decide to let her in or not.

[Peach]

En'ye's delicate pink lips curled into a slight smile as she saw who answered the door, most of the traces of fear leaving her face. It would be all too easy to manipulate this one into letting her hide away for some time until the coast was clear. Perhaps he would give her something to eat, as well. She hadn't had nourishment since lunch the day before, and her stomach was starting to growl in complaint. This was, however, only a minor problem compared to the one that she had now. Her pleasant expression almost turned into an angry scowl when the Moriquendi boy didn't open the door all they way. Perhaps this would be more difficult that she thought. He may have had the kind of parents who were over protective, trying their best to ensure the safety of their children. Unbeknownst to En'ye, neither young dark elf had received such treatment.

The crashing of armored shoes against the stones resonated throughout the neighborhood, accompanied with the deep shouts of grown men. The young teenager's face set firm, leaning into the door until she could squeeze past Carhac and into his home. The armored men would soon find the culprit that they had been searching for if she didn't do something about it. Once inside, the young noble rushed to the nearest window and peered out. The guards were starting to knock on the doors of domiciles, starting at the end of the street. There was little time before they reached the one that she was in. En'ye swallowed heavily, slowly turning around to face the boy that she had just pushed aside. "Er, I'm sorry, sir. It's just that these bad men are chasing after me, you see." Her face contorted into a fake, but quite convincing, expression of dismay.

The pale elf's keen mind was still in a state of panic. The lies that she was so used to telling were a bit more slow to come than usual. Frantically, the girl searched for one that the boy could possibly believe. "You see, they think that I stole bread from some silly store. I wasn't even at the crime scene! Looking for a scapegoat, they are." She had, in fact, not stolen bread. Her crime was much greater than that. "So if they come knocking on the door, it would mean a lot if you, well, didn't answer it. By the way, my name‘s Alysia." What a blunder that had been. En'ye would have been surprised if the boy fell for it . Instinctively, her hand went up to clutch the necklace resting upon the silken folds of her dress.

It was a strange thing for such a young girl to have, a diamond as big as a thumb nail set into a back of platinum, ringed with sapphires. Such a thing could cost as much as a small house, or at least half of one. Obviously, by the way that she was handling it, the girl had owned the necklace for quite some time. How she had gotten her hands on such an item, however, remained a mystery. En'ye tucked the jewel beneath the collar of her dress and instead slipped a ring off of a slender finger. It wasn't as magnificent as the necklace, but still beautiful in its own way. The band was silver, and plain, and the jewel was a single, blood-red ruby. Carefully, she held it out to the boy. "I'll give you this for your troubles, sir." If this boy was more materialistic than maternal, this approach could work better than the last emotional one.

A loud knock sounded on the door. "Anyone in there? Open up for questioning, in the name of the law!"

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

Carhac muttered a few foul curses under his breath as the young Moriquendi girl so rudely made her way past him. Quickly he slammed the door shut, his hair thrown up by the sudden movement of air. He turned around, his face twisted with anger and surprise at the rudeness of this young woman. Where did she get the nerve to barge into his home like that.

As soon as he had turned around the girl started spewing her lies. Empty words to cover her true intentions. Carhac just knew it. He knew how to make a story sound true, and this girl wasn't doing a good job at it. Being chased by armed men for stealing a bread? Bah, must have been the most delicious piece of bread on Telath ever to be made then. Carhac thought to himself as he tucked away an annoying strand of hair behind his left ear.
His hand reached for the silver ring as he only listened to the girl with a half ear, playing with the silver trinket in his usual bored way. It was only to hide the interest the girl had aroused with him. Not the girl herself, or the excitement she brought, but the reward she was willing to give him. That trinket would bring up quite a nice sum of crowns, and that was what Carhac needed most right now.

As soon as she was done talking he looked at the Moriquendi with a blank expression on his face. "Please don't insult my intelligence with petty lies about stealing breads. No sane peron would send armed men after you for such a thing, and even if it were true, where on Telath is that bread?"

Before Carhac could even continue a loud knock interrupted his speech. The you Elf let out an annoyed grump at the disturbance as he walked towards the door. "Alright! I'm coming, must be quite important if you need to shout as if your pants caught fire?!" The Moriquendi placed his pale skinned hand on the doorknob and threw a quick glance over his shoulder, his eyes signalling the girl to hide herself.

Carhac took a deep breath, shook his head to get some hair in his face as if he just got out of bed and opened the door. "What do you want?" He said as flat as he could, pretending to be his usually uninterested self.

[Peach]

Her lips turned quickly from a nervous smile to a slight pout. This one was smarter than she had initially thought. Perhaps the whole truth would need to be told, eventually, for he was about to save her from the knocks of armored fists growing ever closer. At least, that was what En'ye hoped. The ring was already in the boy's eager little hand, closing off any more deals that she could easily make. The next piece of jewelry would be worthy of a much more tidy sum, if needed at all. The dark elven girl bit the inside of her cheek softly, not hard enough to draw blood. The salty taste of it was vile, a thing that she never wanted to encounter beyond the occasional nosebleed that ran out of line. It was frustrating, to say the least. Couldn't the youth be more compliant to her wishes? A large part of her still didn't remotely understand the male gender.

Her glittering eyes, set like two gems into her face, widened at the sound of voice beyond the door. The noble couldn't make a word come from her reluctant throat as she looked in dismay at Carhac. Not seeing her standing there as any sort of help in the future, the teenager ran quickly from the room, working her way as far back as possible into the house. The thought of her potential capture drove her to speeds that she had never ran at before, adrenaline coursing through her veins. Soon, Carhac had lost sight of her as the girl in the rose-colored dress rounded a corner, into his room where she dove neatly under the bed with only the planks that supported the mattress to stare up at.

Once more, the knocks sounded before the door was opened. Outside of the threshold stood two typical soldiers of the royal guard. The mythril enchanted armor plates that provided them protection from weapons and mages were sewn onto sturdy, and ornately decorated black cloth. Emblems of the house Yeranthas were stitched with threads of fine red silk on every available surface. The protectors of the noble house were formidable presences indeed, standing with the sun glinting off of their armor and long-shafted spears. One soldier with light brown eyes and short cropped hair looked down at the boy in front of him, lifting a single alabaster eyebrow. It was growing increasingly popular to have boy servants to answer doors and do simple cleaning, but such jobs were usually reserved for humans. This must have been a child of the adults who lived in the building.

"Good morning, little sir." A smile crossed his amicable features. The man's voice had almost a musical quality to it, something that wasn't often heard from one of his profession. "We're looking for a little girl about your age. We suspect her to be from a noble house of the city. Perhaps Areth'ya. Our sources didn't catch what exactly she was wearing, but apparently it was a dress of fine make. Has anyone fitting the description passed by here?" The second guard, a man with sharp features, chuckled gruffly at his friend's gentle words. He always had trouble getting mean with the young ones.

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

(OOC: The ring Carhac was playing with was actually his own. He never took the one from En'ye...)

Carhac glared at the guards in front of him. Why couldn't guards be more fun to deal with. They were always so rude, so uncivilised. This one was no difference. Little sir. Bah! This guard probably couldn't understand how a oung Moriquendi could run a hom on his own. The only thing remotely interesting was the guards voice, almost musical in tone and quite gental, for a guard.

The young Moriquendi leaned out of his doorway a little. "Yes, I actually saw her," he said softly, not to let Alysia hear him and to make sure he had the guard's attention. Slowly he brought up a white skinned hand, pointing.... further down the street. "She ran that way." Carhac looked both Guards in the eyes for a short while, his face blank as if he had just told hem to get to the nearest bakery. He knew they'd soon find out he had lied, but if he told them he didn't have her, it might make him more suspicious. For all he knew people further up the street pointed the guards his way, for all he know his neighbours said they saw the girl running down the street. If Carhac denied deeing her, he'd be in trouble, probably with the guards searching his house. Now he had hopefully bought enough time to get Alysia out of his house. As he played with the family ring on his finger he looked at the guards, trying to find out if they bought his story.

[Peach]

The friendly-looking guard turned his fair head from the boy to the man standing beside him. The gruff Moriquendi revealed his straight, white teeth in a cat-like smile. Nodding once at his companion, who shook his head in disapproval, the severe-featured guard leaned forward, the sunlight glinting from his armor shining in an uncomfortable way in the dark elf boy's face. The iris of his eyes were strange in color, a golden hue more metallic than the common honey-color of his race. The soldier's sun-bright orbs narrowed, surveying the boy's serene demeanor. There wasn't time to tell if this one was lying or not. He seemed to be pretty certain that the girl had ran down the road. The tip of his spear lowered ever so slightly, pointing directly at Carhac's throat, almost in a teasing matter. "You better not be lying, boy. Next time, let your parents answer to door."

With a motion of his gauntlet-enclosed hand, the rough-edged guard motioned the more gentle one to follow him. With an apologetic glance from the more amiable man, both left at a quick pace down the street, heading towards the closest door. In a way, Carhac's thoughts had been overly obsessed with problematic situations. The guards would have no idea who had lied along the way when the noble girl was no where to be found. His house was only one of the many that had been interviewed. Safety was assured, at least, for a temporary time.

Underneath the bed, En'ye Areth'ya began to stir. The sounds of the House guards were fading gradually from the range of her keen elven hearing. Eventually, the clatter of boots upon cobbled stone stopped, the dreadful noise of her impending doom fading into oblivion. The girl breathed deeply, inhaling a few dust particles along the way. Meekly, coughing delicately at a few intervals, the fallen noble crawled from her place of hiding. Her once-pristine dress was rumpled slightly, the bow askew in her hair. The mixture of fear, fatigue, and hunger had brought a slight blush to her pale cheek bones.

Her shoes had long since been lost underneath the bed. En'ye had no desire to retrieve them at the moment, thoughts driven by more important things. Slowly, she made her way back to the sitting room, looking up at Carhac through long, snow-white eyelashes. This boy, no matter how common her was, had saved her from death or a life of servitude. Bare feet patting softly upon the floor, En'ye made her way to the couch, where she promptly collapsed. "Thank you..." Her voice was breathy, not as strong and defiant as usual. For once in her life, she owed a great amount of gratitude to someone she hardly knew. A situation such as this wouldn't do for her house. Certainly, such a thing would need to be mended, concealed as best as possible.

"My family would certainly give you anything that you desire for such an act of kindness." Her voice faltered slightly, bright blue eyes lowering towards her slender, scholarly hands. "But, I suppose, you want the full story." A difficult one to tell. "You see... our family has never been able to rise up in the ranks. There have been rumors, I'm certain that you have heard, about the house Areth'ya and it's origins. Even I, the heir to the throne of the house, believe some of them. We aren't called the Wolf Pack for nothing." She grinned, almost wolfishly in a way. "It's said that the founder of the house was a werewolf trying, in vain, to hide his true nature. Due to such... heritage, we've received some poor publicity."

"Perhaps Yeranthas, just under the Sun throne, saw us as a threat of some kind. An impurity of sorts. Too rooted in Vaen Darthien culture to extend their shadow of power over the civilians." En'ye sighed, lowering her head so far that her spine began to protrude in lumps along the skin of her neck. "The First Prince of their house... The one in charge of the dirty work. He wished to eliminate our family, our last bit of pride." The teenager's breath began to come in gasps as she held the tears back. Her voice had developed a raspy tone, one of great rueful sorrow. "I saw him in the square. He saw me. It was late..." A knot started to develop deep inside of her, squeezing the last feeling out of her heart and stomach, causing the blood to run cold through her veins. As cold as the night when his body collapsed upon the cobblestones, against a back drop of fountain spray.

His shadow haunted her in her dreams, in every corner of every room, every cranny in her mind. She was a murder. A cold-blooded murder at such a delicate age. "I needed to do it, I needed to! He may have moved first, he may have..." Her throat blocked up. No more words could be formed by the tongue, laying so useless inside of her mouth. There was no blood... No carnage from my crime. No carnage from what had needed to be done.

ooc: Sorry 'bout that. And the kinda rambling post, it's pretty late my time >.<

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

(OOC: Don't worry, I really enjoy this thread!)

The glinstering of the armor was quite annoying to Carhac, yet he didn't really fear the spear pointed at his throat. He wasn't brave, not at all, but just too arrogant to even consider the fact that he might get killed. In his mind that sort of stuff couldn't happen to him. As the guards moved on Carhac threw an annoyed look at the 'nice' guard as he looked at him. Lazily the Moriquendi boy closed the door and turned around, just in time to see the girl walk bare footed into his livingroom, making herself comfortable on the couch. Carhac knew she was actually collapsing but he couldn't stand the girl. They way she had entered his home so bluntly and now sat on his couch, it just bugged him. But before the young man could even utter a word the girl had started rambling, seemingly quite emotional.

Carhac listened to her, although not quite interested he sat down in a chair anyway, playing with his family ring as he always did when he was bored. The young Moriquendi didn't care for this girls House, her family or how it had been put in a bad light. He didn't even care for the fact that she ahd murdered someone. In fact, Carhac couldn't care less for the girl. He had always been like that. People aroused his interest, only to annoy and bore him after a few moments, and this girl was not different. The only thing remotely interesting was one of the first things she had said, the part of getting anything he desired from her family.

Suddenly the Moriquendi noticed the girl had stopped talking."Would you shut up for a moment?!" He blurted out before he knew it. Usually he was able to control his irritations, but the run-in with those Guards had made him a little less stable than usual. "Yes, you're a bad person, you killed a man. Now what are you going to do about it?" Carhac couldn't stand people who pitied themselves. Why did they care so much for other people? It sickened him. "I don't care for your family or House, I don't care for you. All I care about are the ways your family can help me. Tell me more about that."

Carhac wasn't about to offer her anything, not a glass of water, something to eat or anything like that. He wanted her out of her house, and soon. As soon as possible. As soon as she told him about what her family could give him.

[Peach]

To En'ye, it couldn't matter less if this boy was interested in her topic or not. It just felt good to tell someone, something with warm flesh and breath that drew air. Someone who wouldn't land her in the gaol for her offence. Luckily, she wasn't too long-winded. The Moriquendi girl's speech ended almost as soon as it began, at least to her own ears. This could have been an eternity for Carhac, or any other poor soul that could happen to be listening. The noble was ready for some sympathy, or at least a surprised reaction. Not the one that she had just received. Her pristine white teeth gritted together inside of her mouth, the former body-numbing tired feeling lifting from her limbs. Such ignorance! Why was such a phrase needed when she had already stopped talking? A low, growling sound issued from En'ye's throat as she turned her sharp, sky blue eyes towards Carhac in rage. How dare he speak to a noble with such a tongue.

"No, I didn't say that I was a terrible person!" Somehow, the dark elf failed to realize that her former tone gave off that sort of message of deep sorrow. Perhaps Carhac wasn't the only 'ignorant' one in the building. "And I would appreciate it if you showed the slightest sign of respect." The Areth'ya grumbled softly, settling her back in a comfortable way against the pillows of the couch, ignoring the fact that she hadn't been given a signal to sit or relax. All that this boy could think about was the reward that was involved. Perhaps this was why her family had stopped giving charity to the commoners, the poor and unfortunate ones living in meager two or three-story houses.

"What can my family do for you?" The teenager chuckled dryly, almost in a sarcastic way. "What do you want? Money? Houses? Jewelry? Power?" Hopefully, he wouldn't pick the last option. Their house wasn't very popular outside of the military circles, as Carhac may have already guessed. He could, indeed, be given that option through land ownings and business deals. Areth'ya's influence over the city was more indirect than that of most noble houses. It was true, however, that the dark elven boy could be made very comfortable through doing favors for nobility. Especially the notorious ones. They could risk more by lavishly giving to a single commoner, rather than the masses. It would be simply written off as another quirk of a strange house.

The Moriquendi carefully inspected well-manicured fingernails, apparently taking all of her attention away from Carhac for the moment. After perusing all the nails on one hand, En'ye sighed and looked up. "But I suspect I'd need to take you back to the mansion. You'll need to speak with my father about this sort of thing." At least she would have another chance to show off. Her home was rather lavish for one of the fourth teir of nobility, a gem left over from the days when Areth'ya had a much higher ranking in society. Perhaps it was one of their only saving graces, the thing that kept them above all of the lower houses. To the outside world, the mystique of their house was perfect.

ooc:

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

Carhac counted to ten sloly. This girl must be utterly stupid. The Moriquendi always thought that nobles were highly educated, but this girl actually thought Carhac believed she had said that she was a terrible person. And then the courage to call him disrespectful towards her, when she had been the one who rushed into his home without permission. The girl should call herself lucky that he didn't hit women. Or was too lazy to do it even if he wanted to.

There was another reason for Carhac not to introduce En'ye to the palm of his hand: She had something to offer, something he wanted. Power. The boy wasn't sure what kind of power En'ye's house had, but he figured that if he could get it without too much trouble he'd take it if it was anything substantial. He would just try to get to a better position if the opportunity showed, and if he didn't have to work for it too much. Much to Carhac's regret this meant that he'd have to change his attitude towards the noble girl a little, as she might change her mind if he kept this up.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm not used to this kind of stuff." Carhac said, as sincere as he could. It wasn't a lie. Not completely at least. It was true that he wasn't used to this situation, but he wasn't sorry at all. "What power does your House have to offer me?" Carhac tried not to sound too greedy as it might give the girl an opportunity to manipulate him. Instead he kept his true plans for himself. If he didn't like what he was offered he could always tell the family of the murdered boy who had killed him. Ofcourse he'd leave out the part where he hid her, or make something up to make it look less severe. The Moriquendi put the ring back on his finger and got out of his chair. "If we need to go to your mansion, I'd suggest we go now."

Without saying any further words Carhac turned around and started walking towards the door, trusting the girl to follow him.

[Peach]

The girl nodded in acceptance of the apology, a smug look on her face. En'ye wasn't sure if he really meant it at all, however. Commoners were like that, sneaky and dishonest, only speaking good of a person while they were in front of them. It was people like this who dealt so dirtily with the Vysstichi all those melania ago. Even if they didn't mean anything, they dark elf was calmed slightly by his words. At least the boy did have enough knowledge of nobility to know that he would need to keep his tongue in check when rewards were offered. Indeed, he wouldn't have much experience with this sort of situation, nor would others of his kind. Rarely did the higher houses lavish rewards upon a single individual.

Their focus was broader than that, more upon making the whole of Ethgan'tor accept them than anything else. If most civilians were like this one, then it seemed that none of them would even deserve gratitude. It was all too bad that she was duty-bound to give him what he asked in return for saving her freedom, or even her life. The pale elf was forced to use all of her willpower to hold back a cringe at the boy's answer. She wasn't sure at all what power could be given to the teenager beyond that of an honorable position in the house. With such a position, he could gain part of the property taxes from the surrounding areas owned by the house, along with the inept noble ability of ordering people around. En'ye sighed with annoyance, slowly pushing herself off of the couch.

By now, her tired feeling was feigned, a ruse to gather the pity that would most likely never come. At least he was eager to get to her home, almost as much as the girl was, herself. After standing for a few moments to build up the tension, En'ye began to walk briskly in front of Carhac, leading him through the residential district. The mansion was a bit farther away from the boy's house than the dark elf remembered, although it was still in rather close proximity to the suburbs. It was separated from the other homes by a sweeping lawn, covered with some of the most finely-kept gardens in the city. Roses of all different hues spilled over from rings of lime stones, along with flowers of many different colors. They, along with the bright green grass, extended almost to pristine white-marble walls of the five-story manor.

A large marble statue stood in the very center of the lawn, surrounded by a circle of cobble stones. It was of a woman dressed in the finery of a paladin, holding a glaive upright in one hand and a sharpened stick mounted with the head of a male light-elf in the other. The expression upon her delicate features was serene, her eyes of stone seeming to follow all that entered the yard. At her feet was a placard, reading the house motto: And we shall water their fields with the blood of their sons. The house, itself, was as well-kept as the gardens. No plant life had been allowed to crawl along its surface to break the perfect expanse of white which was its walls. Domes of the same pure stone decorated the building, along with statues of mythological creatures peering from every enclave.

Without pausing to glance at her ominous home, En'ye continues along the path until she reached the great double-doors of the most polished ebony. Inside was yet another courtyard, ringed with the same flowers that were present outside. The blue winter sky vaulted above, the bright sun shining down into the open space. A fountain stood in the middle, holding clear water high into the air. Near the end of the courtyard was a weapons rack, holding almost every sharp and blunt means of war known to man.

An adult Moriquendi male stood by the fountain, absorbed in what seemed to be a complicated practice-dance with a long-bladed spear. A shock of slightly-curly white hair hung in a casual way along his angular features, framing eyes of a midnight-dark blue. An expression of complete concentration stood upon his face, teeth gritted and eyes half-shut. His clothes, although finely tailored, looked almost to belong to a simple store-clerk. Above his bare feet were loose trousers of a simple brown color, their cuffs rolled up past his ankles. His white button-up shirt of a thin cotton material hung open, revealing a lanky figure with the lean musculature of a warrior elf.

"Dad? I'm back." Sven'amos Wolfgang Areth'ya looked up, setting the spear upright against the ground. A smile crossed his pleasant features, slender hands working quickly to button up his shirt. "En'ye, you made it back safely! Ah, I can't believe you missed the boar hunting, was the best in years... Who's your friend?" The girl turned motioned lazily towards Carhac. "He helped me hide from the guards..." En'ye looked towards the boy, eyebrows raised. She'd never really learned his name.

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

Carhac followed to noble girl through the residential area, into the suburbs of Ethgan'tor. A smile formed itself around his thin lips as he thought of the way he had possibly achieved power without working for it. But suddenly something struck him. Why didn't he take the girl to the murdered boy's familiy right now? He'd probably get quite a reward for turning in their sons killer.

Too bad for Carhac they already reached the Mansion, which was surrounded by a sweeping lawn. A statue stood in the center but the young Moriquendi boy couldn't care less about who is was, let alone what was written on the plaque. Instead he looked at the marble mansion. At first Carhac marvelled at the cleaness of the building, the domes and the statues, but the interest in them faded away like snow before the sun almost instantly.

Quickly the Elf followed the noble girl through great ebony doors onto the courtyard. The rack of weapons drew Carhac's attention and gave him the impulse to flee, as if they would kill him for no reason at all. After a few moments of struggling, unnoticable to the people around him Carhac regained himself. He lazily straightened out his clothes and took off his ring, playing around with it in his hand as he watched an adult Moriquendi perform some kind of dance with a long bladed spear. He didn't feel like getting into trouble with that one. "My name is Carhac Ser'Aeveich, my lord." were the only words he could utter when asked who he was. He didn't know how to speak to a noble, nor did he really care. Yet he figured he'd have to learn, somehow.

[Peach]

”Ser'Aveich…”, the Moriquendi adult paused, as if contemplating the formation of the syllables upon his tongue. There was something familiar about them, something that rung a distant-sounding bell in the back of his mind. Perhaps a tragedy had fallen on this family, or at least the favor of some other house. Whatever it was, Areth’ya never had anything to do with this boy. To Sven, he was but an average-looking child, one that had unsuspected fallen into favor with a house that could provide him with much more than money. A family that could give him the edge that he needed to maintain the interest of the public. Even if the boy wasn’t material for receiving such an honor, Areth’ya didn’t have much of a choice.

If their escape was to take place quickly and easily, there would need to be a replacement in store. One who could take care of the manor, the business, anything that had to do with the upkeep of an upper-class establishment. Granted, Sven would have wanted an elf a little more experienced with life, aged in human years enough to have gained some common knowledge. It simply seemed that this Carhac had been in the right place at the right time, and had enough youthful curiosity to answer the door for a complete stranger. This, the fresh outlook on life that a young adult could possess, was almost exactly what the house would need to finally rise up in the ranks. Enough foolish ambition to try something that the current leaders never would. Hopefully, the boy would take a grab at the opportunity that lay ahead of him. Nobility could, in a way, be a burden to some commoners. Those not trained enough to know for certain how it could benefit themselves, or the ones close to them.

His serene brow creasing into a frown, the current leader of the warrior house turned back to the weapons rack, picking up a pair of socks and boots with he quickly jammed onto his feet. Soon enough, the Yeranthas' would try searching for the guilty at its source, something that should have been apparent when the chase had first begun. It was all too bad that they gluttonously enjoyed a wild romp after prey in the woods of marble and steel. This was the way of the houses of the first tier. Although they appeared to be devout, searching only for peace in themselves and the city, a few dabbled in darker deeds. It was the way of the mortal to do so, and even one with the wisdom of the elves would usually be overcome by power or greed. And perhaps it would have been better to maintain power only within a few families of the most noble breed. There would be less inter-housel warfare, less of the falsity that the holy place was subjected to every day.

It would only take one bad apple to spoil a whole barrelful. Yeranthas had already begun to go to seed when they started ‘weeding’ the system, trying to pick out flaws as they saw fit. No longer would this happen if the boy could go through with the plans that had been carefully mapped. It wouldn’t matter if Carhac could remember the faces of any of those that he had seen that day. All that mattered was what lay ahead in the future, what was soon to be plainly lain out before his feet. Even if he didn’t carry through, if Areth’ya forfeited their positions to the houses below them, none would care any longer. The line of tradition, to the eyes of many, had already ended.

"And I suppose he wants his reward, no?" En'ye nodded her head, lips still in a grim line of disapproval. Her father had always been strange, but not to the extent of handing most of their wealth off for a simple favor. Haltingly, the girl reached behind her neck, removing the diamond that had been shown to Carhac not many minutes ago. Holding it out to him almost hesitantly, the teenager began to speak. "The details are enclosed in the book that is contained in the antechamber down the right hallway." Without waiting for a response, En'ye fled down the hallway that lead towards the main building, followed afterwards by her father. There was no time to lose in the face of danger looming so closely. Although the boy may likely never find out, select members of the family were scheduled to flee to an Eli'tha colony. Without any interruptions from the government, such a plan would be almost flawless. That was, at least, if they were successful.

Again, the sounds of armor and weapons against pavement could be heard in the back ground. The chase was up again, and this time the lead was true.

[Carhac Ser'Aeveich]

Charhac listened to the noble pronounce his name slowly. Nervously the young boy played with his ring. Hopefully then man wouldn't make the connection between him and his failed parents. Luckily for Carhac the man seemed to have more important things on his mind.

The Moriquendi boy watched the older warrior put on his boots in quite a hasty manner, something Carhac didn't quite understand. A sigh of relief left his thin lips at the mention of a reward. This could be good. He'd get his reward and get out of there as if the Cyraxians were chasing him. Something spooked him about these people. He looked at the noble girl's disapproving face. Without thinking about where he was Carhac answered her cold looks with a look equally cold until she suddenly took of her necklace and handed it over to him.

Carhac's mouth opened in protest. He hadn't asked for wealth. He wanted power, but before he could say anything the young girl started babbling about details enclosed in a book and ran off. The elven boy stood dumbfounded. He turned to the girl's father, only to watch him run off as well. Again Carhac opened his mouth to say something to the man while he was still within hearing range when he was interrupted by the sound of jingling armor and thumping weapons. The young Elf growled. He hated interruptions, and he had been interrupted twice in a few moments.

Quickly Carhac tucked away the necklace. If these were the same guards from last morning he didn't feel like being seen with the necklace in his hands. Hesitating only for a few moments the young boy started walking down the hallway to the right, looking for the Antechamber and that 'book'. He felt miserable. He didn't care about this stupid House, about that ignorant girl or her father. He shouldn't have opened the door this morning. He should have stayed in bed. Hurrah for excitement! Carhac thought with a bitter smile on his face.