Strange Meetings (Private Eyvind)

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebram rode out from the Palace again the Brightening. To many of the family had taken to living in the peace and tranquility of the de Lylles palace. He was riding one of the palaces horse and paused to look over the road. The major through fare between Mystique and the rest of the Empire.

His green eyes took in the world around him as he pulled the light weight cloak closer. He didn't have to look back to see a guard ridding a couple dozen yards away. He contiuned to watch the rode enjoying seeing the various people pass.

[Eyvind Redbeard]

Riding his Carmelyan Warsteed, a pure black beauty by the name of Arthalof. The stern horse a reflection of its armored rider. Eyvind wore his scalemail and his long green cloak. Pending on his backs was his kite shield, on his yellow scabbard his longsword and on his right hand was his spear. In his saddle he carried some bags containing his belongings.

Eyvind rode from Mystique to Riparia, the first part of his returning home journey. Well, not home but the city he had been living in for the last few months, Aelyria Prime. Tired he was as his mission in Mystique hadn't been exactly the type he was used to. Too much paper work and bureacracy, still he faced the road ahead of him with his cold blue eyes and a resilience only known to his race.

The road was being used by people although not too many people and therefore he could ride easily and fast to his destiny that was when he saw a man riding a little bit slower than the rest. Shaking his head the Vagaran thought it was best to say nothing and to continue riding. He passed the man and carried on until he heard the noise of something falling. Glancing back he noticed one of his bags was missing. Pulling the reigns of the horse he slowly returned to where the bag had fell. Unmounting and picking it he noticed one of the strings had broken, luckily he only had clothes in this bag and nothing besides the string was broken.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebramsom motioned his horse forward along the rode, having noticed the stranger stopping to retrieve something. He pushed back his hood revealing his elven heritage, and wealth of blond currely hair. He stoped a few feet away and called. "Is there any help I can offer you sir?" His green eyes taking in the world around him, and that of the stranger ridding along the road.

[Eyvind Redbeard]

Once the bag was reattached to the saddle the Vagaran prepared to mount again but that was when by the corner of his eye he saw the slower rider approaching. Not mounting and turning to him Eyvind waited for the man to speak.

When the elven face was revealed the soldier realized that the man before him was certainly one of noble birth. His clothes, his horse, his posture and the way he spoke said so. But Eyvind wasn't someone to be impressed by the way someone looked, the Vagaran prefered what was inside.

Green eyes found cold blue ones. The warm South met the cold North. But eyes were eyes even if some phylosofers said they were the doorway to the soul. A smiled appeared in Eyvind's face. He didn't want to look like a threat and this was a easy way to do it.

"Serale."

He greeted.

"Maybe there is. I am heading to Riparia on my way to Aelyria Prime, would thee know the quickest road with the best inn?"

Simple question which required simple answers. This was the way Eyvind wanted to meet this man.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

The youth tapped his chin a couple times as he looked down the road. Then he turned back to this traveler. "The quiest roads lacks the best Inns. The fast route to Riparia lacks many inns. A few resides along its routes, but have much lacking. Asking for shelter for the night from locals would be the best if you take that route. The other route to Riparia while longer allows you to stay in the quaint village of Frigid River." Ebram said. "Oh course if my person were on there way to the City Imperial, and in a hurry, I would take the southern route through the kemite city of Zinn'Sunn, past the Castellian Keep and onto Medonia and take ship to the capital."

Ebram smiled and waited to see what the man had to say. Near the end of his speaking the youth voices had given that tell tale squeak that came to all males.

[Eyvind Redbeard]

The Vagaran looked to the elven boy with a suspicious face. Was this some trick to foul him into an ambush or was the lad speaking the truth? Trying new roads and even going as far as taking an unknown ship in Medonia, a city he didn't know at all, to Aelyria Prime wasn't exactly what Eyvind was planning.

"Are you sure that taking the road to Medonia is the fastest way? I am...in a hurry"

He said, hesitating for a moment when he was about to tell for who he was working. Openly tell he was on a mission for the Ministry of War could originate some undesirable reaction in the elf.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebramsom smile a gentle smile. "Yes it most certianly is the faster direction, unless of course one suffers from sea sickness, even then though it is faster, just less pleasent." Ebramsom said with a humorus expression. "Which ever direction you wish though." Ebram watched the hesitation. "I am Ebramsom." He then nodded his head. "And might I know who you are?"

[Eyvind Redbeard]

"Seasick? Me? A Vagaran?"

Eyvind laughed like he hadn't laughed for a long time.

"I was almost born in a boat!"

The soldier cleant a tiny tear that had shown up on his eye do to laughing with his hand.

"I am sorry. I just found it...hilarious."

The Vagaran said with a smile.

"My name is Eyvind "Redbeard" Avornmagor, Daekin in the Jade Legion for the moment being. I think I will follow your idea Mister Ebramsom, but unfortunately I don't know the best road to the city of Medonia, would you mind in pointing it out to me? Or maybe come along with me?"

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

The laughter suprised Ebram, not because he wasn't used to laughter, and wasn't trying to be funny, but the intensity of it. "I am sorry most humans I have be blessed with meeting have been of the Medonian, and Kemite verity, so don't have much knowledge about the Vagaran."

Ebramsom smiled. "Ebram please, my full name is a mouth full, and it seems to stretch on forever." He chuckled. "I can provide you with direction and even travel with you as far as the cross roads." He said motioning down the road. "It is always a please to meet with people, especially soilders, I always am honored by the precense of they who place their lives on the line for the empire."

[Eyvind Redbeard]

The Vagaran smiled to the Elf.

"There is no need to be sorry, it is a mistaken easily forgiven for most and I myself don't consider it an offense at all. My people lives far away and you aren't forced to know everything about everyone."

Mounting his horse the Daekin turned it to Ebramsom.

"I will accept your guidance in this journey and I will certainly remember your name and face in the future."

Eyvind smiled.

"Don't consider us the only defenders of the Empire, the Provincial forces also do their share although most of my comrades tend to deny that. But well, that's the way life is. So...shall we? I don't know this roads."

The soldier laughed a bit and waited for Ebramsom.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebramsom smile at the human and motioned for him to follow him towards the east. "The road will head eastward until we come to a cross roads a few miles beyond the Palace." The blond youth said with a way of his hand. "At that point one needs to take the south eastern form which heads to Zinn'Sunn and then beyond."

"I agree that the provincial militaries are just as important." He waived around the country side. "The legions are important but the provinical milita understand this lands better then the legions." He smiled. "The two roles are different and with out each other really nothing could truely be achieved."

"So were are you from originally." Ebram said as the rode forward.

[Eyvind Redbeard]

The Vagaran listened to the Elf as they rode. Nodding slowly to what was said to him the human was appreciating the landscape something he really hadn't done before. The large extents of grass that covered this Province were quite different from his cold homeland.

"If you find it interesting I started out in the Militia of my home village, just after that I decided to enlist in the Legion.

My home is in the far North. In the Carmelyn Province. Actually in the Protectorate of Jaedaxia, but I never paid much attention on who ruled us since my village was far too small and remote to be given any importance. Oh you should see it."

Eyvind smiled as he remembered his home.

"The Suns illuminating the ocean between the mainland and Trident Isle. Yes, mine was the closest mainland village to the Trident Isle, although I never went there myself. I still remember the morning breeze that much pleased the fishermen and the silent of the woods around the village. It has been months since I left and maybe some more shall pass before I finally manage to go there but I will return there one day."

He kept smiling as he rode.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebram listened as the man spoke nodding his head occasionally. "It truely does sound wonderful. My only realy experiences with the ocean was during my brief stay in the city Imperial. Which in all reality wasn't anything. Mine time was taken up with study and social gatherings. One of the nice things about here in Lauryl. Social gatherings are more meaningful, and less of a bland nature, full of gossip and frivality with out any form or real purpose."

"I was privalage to grow up near a lake, and it was occasionally that mine parents would picnic with me along its shores. I grew to love that places as the era's passed by."

[Eyvind Redbeard]

The red haired man nodded to the Elf.

"The only social gatherings I remember were those on the tavern."

He smiled.

"Aside of that I never took part in any. I was never a person whose interest was on other people's life."

When Ebram spoke about his father, Eyvind remained quiet for a while.

"My father...died in the line of duty."

The Vagaran said slowly. He still missed Bjorn and the good times they used to spend when he happened to return from his duties in the Legion to visit his family. He missed the man but he knew he was on a better place now, Aslan had provided such. Eyvind had seen his father's ghost, he had spoke to him and he had been told that Bjorn had only returned to carry a message from the Lion God to his firstborn: Eyvind. The Daekin knew that that only meant his father was one of Aslan's chosen to his realm in the afterlife.

[Ebramsom de Lylles]

Ebram also grew silent at the mention of his companions deased father. His own eyes grew troubled. His father lived, but his mother didn't. It was a strange time, a really strange time. Ebram had been the first to find his mothers body, and the image still haunted his mind. The stream turning red around her cooling body. His eyes grew unfocused. He was quiet for another long moment.

"My mother has also passed beyond this realm, and into the next." The youth said quietly "I don't actually know why she died."

"Well how have you enjoyed your time in Mystique, and Lauryl?"