Sentimentalism

[Ford Edevane]

21st of Frost, 4622

The continued efforts of the Griscian had not been in vain. Even though the conversation had taken a turn, one of his more recent attempts at delving into the world of Mages had turned out with some useful information and a conundrum. Once he had finished for the day, he had begged for leave and promised to return, much to the Guild’s dismay. Wandering around the area, Ford had a piece of paper in his hand, something that had once been folded in half twice. As he walked, his footsteps carried him toward a tavern. He was putting a great deal of focus on whatever had been on the paper, but the paper was too small to be anything worth reading but large enough to have something Ford could study. Once he had realized he was in the shadow of something, his blue-eyed gaze finally tore from the paper, and he looked up, realizing he was in front of a tavern. A tilt of his head in either direction, and he shrugged as he entered the establishment, pressing inwards and pausing where his eyes would adjust to the lighting.

Once his eyes were adjusted, the blonde, who stood at 6’10”, clearly was taller than the average human, which gave some people the impression that something was off about him. Either way, easing into a seat at the tavern’s bar, the unfolded paper was placed on the bar top as Ford ordered himself a drink. Nothing too special, just something to help him think because recent conversations had brought up a great many things for him to think over. When his drink arrived, Ford offered a polite smile and paid for his drink. There were no plans for it to be an extended stay. He had to get back. He had just needed a moment’s respite before continuing.

Picking up the piece of paper, he leaned forward, elbows on the bar as the man’s muscular build strained against the white collared shirt he was wearing, with a navy-blue tie, which saw the shirt tucked into a pair of tan-colored slacks and black leather boots. Whatever had been on that paper earned a smirk from the male as he turned it one way, then the other. And for anyone who had been close enough during the time he’d had the paper more visible, they would see that it was some kind of design for a piece of jewelry. A ring of sorts that had some form of script that not many would be able to read, not unless they knew the very specific region and the very specific people the language came from.

Giving a single chuckle, the paper was pulled up and folded back into its smaller square and slipped into one of the pockets in his pants. Ford was close to finding someone who could make it for him, and it would just need to take someone with enough skill to do it the way he had wanted for it to be as perfect as he needed it to be. It would not work for its intended purpose if one thing was off about it.

Lifting his drink to his lips, he took a moment to glance around the tavern. Always curious, always interested, Ford was in fact, a die-hard people watcher. Something about it was cathartic and brought him relaxation. Relaxation was easy for him to come by at home or in someone’s particular presence, but out and about, where he could watch how others interacted, that was a gold mine for him.

[Sola]

Ex Troubles

Luna’s day had been a whirlwind of emotions. She’d finally found someone to sell her services to, only for one of her exes to confront her and make a scene. He’d even gone so far as to slap her in the face. Needless to say, the experience had scared off Luna’s customer so she had nothing better to do than run after her ex and try to make peace with him. She followed him all the way to the tavern he wandered off to.

Luna walked into the tavern and scanned it briefly. It was hard to miss Ford who was nearly seven feet tall and probably the largest human she’d ever seen. Her gaze would linger on him for a moment, captivated by his appearance. He looked to be a handsome man worth approaching, but approaching too many men was how she got into this mess to begin with. She tore her eyes from him and spotted her ex in the corner with not one, but two pitchers of ale all to himself.

Luna made her way to her ex, leaving behind a slight fragrance as she did so. Her clothes were thick and were not made of exceptional quality. They were simple and not indicative of her profession. The only hints to what she might do for living were the gentle, almost naturally inviting glances she gave as she passed by. There was also her makeup which accentuated her eyes and brows.

Luna’s cheek still stung from the slap, though the redness had already faded. Her expression was bitter when she sat down across from him and held out her hand to touch his. She tried to explain things and get him to understand her words through his drunken stupor. What she really wanted from him was confirmation that he’d never bother her again. He merely grunted, groaned, and drank more.

When it was clear her strategy wasn’t working Luna tried extending an invisible tether from her fingers to his. The tether danced up his arm and ultimately connected with his brain and from there Luna was able to start channeling positive, happy emotions into his psyche. It was not an easy process to make a sad person happy. She gauged her progress by staring into his Mural that was a depressing dark blue. She found herself using a considerable amount of ether, so much so that the glow of her neurocrux began to glow purple.

Luna did not ordinarily cast magic out in public, though she had recently begun to do it more often ever since learning how to make her tethers invisible. She was somewhat aware of the glow in her eyes but nobody had ever pointed it out to her so she’d always assumed that it was just too feint for people to see. However it was very much visible when she was using this much ether. Thankfully her eyes only needed to glow for a short time before her ex’s sadness faded away. After that, he simply leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling.

It wasn’t the effect Luna was hoping for, but she supposed it was the best she could do. She sighed and buried her face in her hands, wondering whether she was just wasting her time.

[Ford Edevane]

Luckily, or perhaps unluckily for Ford, his head had been on the slow swivel as he looked around when he caught sight of the woman who had come into the tavern. His gaze passed over her, but he could feel the lingering eyes on him. For the moment, he continued the aimless perusing of different faces in the tavern to see things happening around him. As he was glancing over to a table, watching a man who was deciding whether he was going to continue drinking or faceplant into the table, Ford had caught sight out of his peripheral of the woman who had been looking in his direction.

Lifting his gaze, he watched as she approached a man sitting in the corner with quite a bit of ale for himself. Lifting his drink for a sip, he was about to move on, unable to hear the conversation, which meant it was boring, and what he could figure out would simply be conjecture based on body language. Ready to move on, something had caught his eye. Something he had not intended to see or even look for outside of the Guild or the Covenant. His aim had been to talk with people who were Mages and had experience with magic, but he could not focus only on those with positions of status and power. He wanted to talk to this in the middle or even those at the bottom of the pyramid.

Instead of a discussion between two people, he noticed that the woman’s eyes had begun to glow. This paused everything for Ford, as he would not take a drink nor move on from the scene that was happening semi-conspicuously in the corner. Unfortunately, Ford was not well versed in every type of magic; he knew of some and what the marks reflected, but from his vantage point, he would not be able to tell much of anything.

Whatever had happened, whatever had been done, when the glow faded, the man’s expression seemed to change. Rather than having the emotion written plainly as day across his face, his head fell backward, and stared up at the ceiling. Both of the blonde’s brows rose in curiosity, as he had never witnessed anything like that. Blinking slowly, Ford set his drink aside and watched as the woman buried her face into her hands.

Clearly, it was some kind of lover’s quarrel or dispute between two people who had been intimate at some point. The body language was wrong for people who were simply friends who had a spat. What was intriguing, though, is that if he had not noticed the glow, he would not have seen the immediate change between the man’s demeanor before the glow and how it had changed, albeit minutely, once the glow had dissipated.

Slowly, his blue-eyed gaze slid to one side, then the other, and landed back on the woman in question. It was not polite to merely walk up to someone and barge in on the apparent intimate conversation, which had turned… Well, he didn’t know what direction it was in. The man looked relieved, and the woman looked dissatisfied. That thought made him chuckle to himself as he took another swallow of his drink and set it aside, pushing it further onto the bar.

Perception meant a lot of things to Ford, and his curiosity and willingness to learn outweighed his desire to just walk out of the Tavern and return to the guild to talk to people who would tolerate his presence with annoyance. Slowly, he pressed himself up to a stand, swiped up his glass, and meandered towards the table with the elated man and depressed woman and paused beside it. “My apologies for intruding on what seems to be a….” A glance between the woman with her face in her hands and then to the man who was… Whatever he was doing. “…private conversation. But may I ask for a moment of your time? Just a question or two, really. I promise to make it quick.” He offered this to the pair, but his gaze down upon the table was in the direction of the woman with glowing eyes.

[Sola]

Ambient Snores

Luna’s mind was swirling around with what she ought to do next. Half of her told her to stay and the other half told her to go. Managing multiple relationships was so much more of a hassle than she ever thought it’d be. It was times like these that made her think that she ought to introduce a middle man so that she wouldn’t have to deal with the “business” side of her job. Maybe someday.

Luna was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice the massive man coming towards her. She’d just been staring at the table through the gaps between her fingers. She listened to the faceless words without moving and only looked at him when he’d finished speaking. She formulated an answer and then turned her head so her cheek rested in the palms of her hands. Her expression had been bored but upon seeing who was speaking, she became surprised. Why was he of all people coming to speak with her? She couldn’t imagine what he could possibly want to talk about. Surely, he wouldn’t be so tactless to hit on her when she was with another man, right? In any case she gave him a welcoming nod and a tired smile.

Luna looked to her ex whose eyelids had half closed already. He was likely to pass out at any moment. One second… two seconds… there it was. He started snoring softly and his body leaned over to one side. The scene might have been amusing had it not been so pitiful. Luna added, “don’t mind him. Believe it or not he’s gotten this drunk every time I’ve seen him. That’s kind of the problem.”

She then looked back at the tall stranger and said, “I don’t think he’d mind if you pulled up a chair. What’s on your mind, stranger?”

[Ford Edevane]

The developments at the table were… Strange. Perhaps it was because they were in a tavern, which did make sense. But apparently, she knew this man which had him casting a raised brow in her direction as she spoke, talking about how drunk the man would get each time and then over to the man who had begun to snore. Slowly blinking, he looked the man over before sliding his gaze over to the woman and pulled up a chair before sitting down.

“My name is Ford Edevane.” Glancing to either side and then behind the woman, he spoke softer and gestured to his eyes with his index finger, pointing at one of his eyes then the other. “What was that?” He asked and leaned into the table just enough for the table to groan under the weight he had placed upon it. “I am not asking to intrude or do anything with ulterior motives. I am looking for people with magic so I can ask a couple of questions. Mostly, how did you come by your marks and a little about your history of using it.”

He did chuckle at his forwardness, mostly because he was still polite. Still, with her brazen openness to see it in the tavern, he had chosen to intervene and head off anyone else who might have also seen it, considering Radenor was not exactly the safest place for non-Guild mages or non-Covenant mages to be doing much of anything without it being sanctioned.

“Would you mind telling me some of that? Promise I will only keep you for a short while before I let you back to your business with your friend here. I am sure he could use the sleep.” The blonde’s elbow rested against the table, and he allowed his chin to rest on his upright hand, curling his thumb under the chin and looking to the other as he awaited to see what kind of answers she could divulge to him.

[Sola]

Ambient Snores

Luna’s eyes opened wide when he mentioned magic. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in and her brain went into overdrive trying to process her options. Option one was to try to kill him. It was the one she’d mentally prepared for if she ever got caught. It’d seemed like such a simple plan but not considering the nuances of murder went to show how good she was at tactical planning. Even with magic, how was she supposed to defeat someone so large? Could she even push him even with all of her magical might? Would she even have time to attach a tether to him before he’d have the chance to knock her out with one swift punch? If he’d seen her eyes glow he’d probably be looking out for signs of it happening again. Her stomach sank when she realized that she had to think of something else.

The rest of the thoughts that popped up in her head didn’t sound any better. Running, lying, all of that seemed pointless to someone who’d clearly seen her do magic. What was it he said again? Her eyes? How could she have been so foolish to think that someone wouldn’t notice? How was someone supposed to hide their eyes for fuck’s sake?

Luna took an understandably long time to answer Ford’s questions. She said carefully, “I won’t introduce myself, if that’s okay with you?” she said questioningly. She figured that if he intended to capture her or turn her in there was no point in trying to fight, but if she could somehow escape without giving away too much about herself then maybe it’d be hard for her to get found. This was also a silly plan because her ex could always be questioned and he knew exactly where she lived… but she was doing her best.

Luna would lean forward and heard the table protest some more. It’d have to just deal with it. The mage would put her face reasonably close to his, if allowed, and whisper anxiously, “my father marked me several years ago. And my history, I use it from time to time to make people more… amenable. That’s all I’m saying before I know your angle. Are you trying to blackmail me?” Her words sounded desperate. She was desperate.

[Ford Edevane]

That was allowable in Ford’s mind. He was, in fact, a stranger asking about magic in a land where Guildless mages weren’t really allowed to be out and about practicing magic. As she both stated and questioned in the same vein about disclosing her identity, Ford gave a simple nod to her in response as an answer. Lowering his non-supporting hand to grab his glass, he had just been about to lift it when he realized the woman’s face had gotten quite close to his, to the point that she was whispering into his ear. Both blonde brows rose at the surprise, and listened to the words she was giving him.

With her words delivered to his ear, his brows furrowed and slid to the side to look at her head as he listened to her final words. That was a curious thing to leap to, but it was also why he talked to people from so many different walks of life, especially those of the renegade variety. So when she spoke of her father and then blackmail, his head shook slightly as he spoke softly. “No, I have no intentions of blackmailing you. I am merely interested in sociologically and psychologically surveying and understanding information from a wide breadth of people who have been gifted or given marks of control.”

Ford had not bothered to move, not yet, since it seemed more amenable to just talk this way since it was convenient. A slow slide of his eyes to the other side as he spoke, his eyes alone looking in the opposite direction of her. Ironically though, with her becoming that close, she would smell a soft scent of lavender and chamomile, odd scents for a man of his stature to either bathe in or wash his clothing in. “Why did your father initiate you into magic? Was it by your choice? Or someone else’s? His voice was not accusatory, nor did it hold any judgment. He had heard quite a few stories already, so he was quite interested to know how her father had used magic to change her life, whether it was for the perceivable goodness or badness in society.

“Also, thank you for your honesty in answering my questions. You are not the first I have spoken to; I believe you will not be the last.” And with that, he fell silent, so he could listen to her story without interrupting her.

[Sola]

Relief washed over Luna’s body as she was told that he didn’t have bad intentions. She’d heard stories about how mages were basically slaves the some kind of guild and she definitely didn’t want to live that sort of lifestyle. Of course, there was no way of knowing if she could really trust him, so she knew she would have to keep some details of her story vague. She didn’t need her murderous uncle somehow finding out where she lived, or anyone that might somehow think she was a traitor to her homeland for that matter.

She took a deep breath, smelling the man’s scent inadvertently as she did so. He smelled much unlike how most men smelled. He really was an odd one, now that she thought about it. Had they met under different circumstances, she might be the one questioning him about his history.

“That’s good to hear,” she said as she leaned back and took another deep breath while collecting her thoughts. She was anxious to get back home but if he was willing to keep her secret safe then it was the least she could do to help him satiate his curiosity.

“Alright, hmm… where to start then… well, I hail from the northern area of Daravin. My father was a mage and he was supposedly damned good at it. He was Valran, actually, if that term means anything to you. He had merit based status and he wanted his children to succeed, so naturally he wanted his children to follow in his footsteps.”

Luna grabbed one of the pitchers and took a big gulp then continued, “He’d never really pressured me into learning magic when I was a child. He said that I could learn politics, or something like that and become successful. But I was a slacker. I admit it, I didn’t care one bit about starting a career. So one day he decided to give me an ultimatum. I either had to initiate or get kicked out of my home. So, he gave me the mark and started teaching me, not that I was any good at it.” Her expression darkened as she recalled how terrible getting initiated had been.

“So to answer your question directly, it was by my choice but you can imagine that I didn’t have many other options. You can imagine how tough being disowned would be for a young teenager who was used to a somewhat luxurious lifestyle. It seemed akin to a death sentence at the time.”

She paused then looked him in the eyes and continued, “You’d asked me about my history of using it. I’m not sure whether you know what “it” is but… it gives me the ability to affect emotions. I used it a lot to help me get here from Daravin. I still use it, typically to make people happy when they want to be anything but. I suppose from now on I ought not to use it in a public place ever again, not if it’s so obvious that you spotted me. Now, are you satisfied with my answers, or did you have more? What's this all about anyways? Why go around looking for mages? That's just asking for trouble, especially in this city.”

As Luna drank more she didn’t think she’d chatting more. It was nice to be able to get the truth off her chest.

[Ford Edevane]

Ford was after details, so any details the woman would provide would be good enough. With the woman talking about her father and her being from Daravin, his brow perked at the term of Valran. Ford was familiar, but it was not here nor there, really. He was not after that bit of information. Slowly, he nodded with his chin resting in his hand, listening to her. Though his eyes did slide to the entire pitcher of ale she had at the table and drank from it rather than from a glass. Blinking slowly as the pitcher was returned to the table, then back to her face as she spoke more.

Lifting his head from the lean on his hand, he sat upright in his seat, his back straightening as he allowed his eyes to rest on hers while she spoke, giving her his undivided attention. The Griscian was following her story until she spoke of being a slacker and how her father had given her the ultimatum. Then his eyes deviated from hers and slid to the table, seemingly staring at something that did not exist, but surely it seemed Ford could see it.

The blonde’s eyes quickly snapped back to her as she spoke that her choice of learning magic or going on her own had been a death sentence. Blinking slowly, he nodded as she began explaining her ability to affect emotions, which helped her get to where she was. “If you were on Guild business overseen by the Guild or the Covenant, it would be another matter entirely. But if you are not affiliated with either of them and are caught using magic on anyone, it might be a different trip than you might have planned to take.”

Regardless of the topic, he smiled and looked down at his half-emptied glass. “I am looking for people who utilize magic, who are not necessarily nobility. I am studying how those people came across their marks and where they are at in their current lives. But also…” He trailed off for a moment as he lifted his glass to take in another bit of the room-temperature alcohol within it and set it back down. “I am also curious to know, given your mark and how you attained it. Do you feel that it sets you apart in society? Do you feel mages should serve society or be above it?”

His question may have seemed loaded, and in truth, it perhaps was to a certain degree. But he was quite curious, having already received a few answers from those with marks. This one was slightly different, so it made him all the more interested in her ideologies concerning magic and its placement in a sociological aspect.

[Sola]

Luna could just feel that Ford was a good listener. He reacted to what she said, and seemed to absorb every detail that she gave him. He gave of the impression that he actually cared about what she had to say which was a welcome change from men who were more focused on talking than listening. She felt comfortable talking to him and appreciated that he wasn't just trying to talk over her. Ford made her feel heard and understood, which was a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time.

Luna nodded in agreement at his warning and tilted her head to the side when he explained a little more about the focus of his study. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he was going to get himself into trouble. His words made it clear that he knew what she was doing was illegal and yet he didn’t seem to care. On top of that he was looking for mages who were not from nobility. She couldn’t piece together what he planned on doing with the information he sought, but she doubted his line of questioning came purely from curiosity.

She was hardly one to judge so she continued to answer his questions after another swing from the pitcher. She smirked when she thought of her answer. “Well of course it sets me apart from society. You saw what I did to him,” she nodded towards her ex, “and I wouldn’t even consider myself that powerful. Also, I can…” her brow furrowed as she thought of the right words to explain The Mural. “I would even go as far to say that I can read one’s mental state. Imagine if I was a competent political negotiator, it would be trivial to outsmart someone without magical powers. It’s easy to view regular people as… lesser.”

She took another sip, though not as large as the last since she was busy thinking. She hadn’t talked to anyone openly about magic in years and she’d never talked to anyone about it since she became halfway decent as a Mentalist. She hoped she wasn’t confusing him. She looked in his eyes to answer his final question. “I believe an ideal society would be run as a meritocracy. It’s not that I think that mages should lord over society, but if we are measuring people based on their ability… it’s hard to picture my hypothetical meritocracy being run by the non-magical.”

She thought she gave a fair answer though she was aware that her answer was a little naive. The world wasn’t perfect, after all. She knew that some would say mages had an unfair advantage and they should be kept in check. Of course the sheep would want to protect themselves from the wolves.

The alcohol was starting to get to her and it emboldened her to ask, “So, Ford, what are you planning to do after your study is complete? I can’t help but feel like someone asking about whether mages should rule or serve society might be up to something.”