Planting Seeds (Claire/ask to join)

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Jeon was never satisfied with his collection of plants. He was always in search for new species to study. On his stroll through the forest today he hadn't found any new plants so it was starting to just turn into a stroll. The sky was covered in harmless clouds creating a cool breeze than ran through the trees of the forest. With his ability to manipulate wind and plants, Jeon could feel everything around him. It was the reason he always felt home outside. It's the same reason that the dusty and complicated life of the court stressed him. He always felt alone and useless among the men of politics, but he could feel his presence loved by the plants of the forest. He let his magic flow from him and touch all the flora surrounding him. It was nutrients to their veins, and their aura energized his mind and body. He felt one with the world.


He continued his way through the forest. His attention was caught by a tree, old and large, broken through a large boulder. Jeon could tell this tree went through a lot, but with its patience it tore the boulder to pieces. Jeon could feel the true power of this large tree. It had truly accomplished something that no one would expect from a tiny acorn. This excited Jeon. He ran to its trunk and placed his hand on its trunk. Closing his eyes he spilled himself into its bark and throughout its branches. Each vein of its leaves pulsated and it gained nutrients from the fruitful earth. Jeon motioned for the tree to give him one of its seeds and it gave freely. A few sprinkled from its branches and fell to the ground. The mage picked them up with ease and placed them in his satchel for later. He could easily grow trees and maintain them at a smaller size. To show his gratitude, Jeon pulled from his satchel a bag of nutrient heavy mulch and spread it under the roots of the tree. The mulch disappeared into the ground and Jeon could see its nutrients being sucked into the tree. The tree seem to sway in happiness.

Jeon sat down on a nearby rock, pulling out his lunch that he had prepared. There was a nearby pond with clean water that he also drank out of. It was going to be a great day.

[Claire]

From the shadows, someone was watching. Someone had been watching for a while now, hidden in the darkness, debating what to do. There were several options here, for the fate of the young man sitting in the woods with his fine clothes and his smile.

This man was Jeon Noru. And Claire remembered him. Their encounters has been brief, but she could recall the kind and soft-spoken and clumsy young man. She did not remember seeing him at the execution, but it didn't mean the man wasn't there. So she hid in the shadows of the tree, thinking of what to do.

There were a few ways to move forward- she could kill the young man and send his body to the castle as a warning. She could hold him for ransom, but that would send the dogs of the palace after her again. She didn't have enough forces to do such a thing. She could try talking to the young man, see if he recognized her like this. See where his sympathizes lay. And if he didn't, well. There was always option one.

Claire ran a hand through her short hair and adjusted her jerkin. She looked like a man here, and she repeated her new name over in her head. Castile. His, him, he.

Castile whistled from the trees, a merry tune, like he was just walking by when he stepped out of the shadows of the tree. He smiled when he seemed to notice Jeon, lifting his hand in greeting. "Ah, hello there! Good day to forage, isn't it?"

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Jeon quickly glanced at the man who was a few feet away, then looked continued eating his lunch,"If foraging is your thing, I would recommend different woods," Jeon could feel the heart beat of the young man racing as an animal on the prowl. He was surprised he didn't sense him sooner. The trees must trust this person.

"I have nothing of value on my person besides knowledge. Whatever it is you seek, I promise I can give you none," as a precaution Jeon held grasp of the wind in preparation for an attack. To show his power he stilled the air perfectly. Silence blanketed the forest. The sway of the wind in the leaves ceased and the air became thick and warm. The humidity coming from the nearby waters became very apparent among the dense trees. The small pond grew still and Jeon's reflection became still. He could see his red hair gleaming from the few rays of sunlight peaking from the treetops above. He finished his lunch, stood up, and stared into the eyes of the man.

[Claire]

Castile raised his hands, his smile wry as Jeon addressed him. "Do you talk to every stranger like they are after your head? Do not fear, I mean you no harm. See?" He lowered his hands to the sword on his belt, undoing the leather and letting the short sword fall with a thump to the grass.

Castile raises his hands again, raising an eyebrow at the young man. "Nothing to fear. I was just passing through. But..." He nodded his head to Jeon's lunch. "Odd place for a finely dressed man to be taking a lunch."

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"No, just the ones that are after my head."

Jeon looked down at his mage robes. They were crafted with fine material, but it was a common garb for people in this area. He was slightly confused,"Do you not see many mages? It is common for a man, as myself, to be wondering the woods pondering nature."

[Claire]

Claire clicked her tongue against her teeth, laughing. “Paranoid kid, aren’t you?” she dropped her hands to her sides, pushing the toe of her boot against the dirt. She smiled at Jeon, eyebrows raising. “If I were after your head I wouldn’t have made myself known. It’s easier to kill a man if he doesn’t know you’re coming. I'm just passing through is all.”

Claire tilted her head, looking down at Jeon. She raised an eyebrow- a mage, huh? She couldn’t remember if she knew that already. She walked forward casually, leaving her sword in the grass, and extended a hand to him. Thick, rough leather gloves covered her hands as she held it out to Jeon, eyebrow raised in expectation. “Don’t bother much with magic, no. Name is Castile. What do I call you, or should I just call you Mage?”

[Deleted]

"I am Jeon Ambrosius of Dalarus,"he cautiously took the hand of the man and shook. The leather gloves felt rough against his soft hands. "This man has a firm grip." He thought to himself. He looked intently into his eyes. There was something familiar about how he held his face.

"Do you visit these parts frequently...Castile?"The named rolled funny off of his Novian tongue. He eyes squinted inspecting his face. It was a pretty face for a man. Jeon was honestly gaining an interest in this person. They seemed to have an ulterior motive to just be "passing through" this part of the forest.

He released his grip and took a step back.

[Claire]

“Glad to meet you, Jeon Ambrosius of Dalarus.” Claire repeated back as she shook hands. She tilted his head as Jeon looked over her face, raising an eyebrow. The boy was looking much too closely. “Do I have something on my face?” she asked, her hand falling back to rest on her hip.

After a moment, the woman laughed boldly and fully. “Of course I do! I live nearby.” she jerked her thumb back over her shoulder towards the thicket of trees behind her. “So you’re a mage? What do you do, exactly? I don’t know too many mages myself. Not part of my trade.”

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Jeon blushed when he pointed out the extensive glaring,"Uuuuuuhhhh...oh, no no no....sorry....you're not from around here, are you? Your complexion and accent give you away,"he gave a sheepish smile after asking the question. He took another step back creating a more comfortable and friendly space. Jeon had a moment of a fidgety aura - his eyes glanced at the trees around trying to avoid any awkwardness - and then he made eye contact again.

He leaned to glance past Castle's shoulder toward where he was pointing his thumb. It was further into the woods. The river wasn't much farther from here, so his home must have been closer than Jeon would have anticipated.

When Castile asked how what he did as a mage, his face cracked into a wide smile. He seemed to glow. His body relaxed and said,"I am the head of the Elemental department at the Arch. I teach novice mages how to use their natural connection with nature to manipulate the world around them,"after he finished speaking a clear indication of an idea swept over his face. He raised a fingering indicating that Castile should wait and watch. Jeon bent toward the ground with his knees hovering the soft grass. Using his index finger in his right hand he made a twirling motion and continued this movement as he rose. Following his finger a vine sprouted and hungrily pursued his finger as if it were the only food it had seen for years. He then put his hands together in front of him and then spread them apart. The large vine popped open, revealing a large flower of a deep crimson. Jeon seemed fairly excited by his own creation. He squeezed his hands together by his face, cheered shortly and hopped in place. He looked at Castile, awaiting his reaction.

[Claire]

Claire grinned a bit too broadly when Jeon’s face went red. Aw, that's cute. The kid was skittish. “Got a good ear on you. No, I’m from very far away originally. But now I’m here, just as Novian as you Jeon Ambrosius of Dalarus.”

She took a measured step back as Jeon did, giving him the space as he began to… well. Show off. She tilted her head, hands resting on her hips as the young man gestured for her to wait. As the young man began to manipulate the plant with magic, her eyes grew a bit wider, her eyebrows raising. When the flower sprung to life on the vine, she lifted her hands and clapped. “...huh. That’s…” she laughed. “That is impressive. Do you just do work with plants or are you capable of more complicated things?”

[Deleted]

"I am a pure breed Novian, thank you! Both of my parents are from this region,"he was still examining the flower he brought forth from the ground. Feeling its petals and sticking his hand inside and upturning the pollen and letting it fly out. He had his tongue out in concentration.

"I am an elemental mage I can control all forces of nature. Some better than others, but that is my profession,"Jeon whispered a few words of enchantments. The air around them began to thicken and the humidity increased. The average day began to become unbearably wet, and hot. The plants were cheering as though they had reached nirvana. They enjoyed the wet air. Jeon did too, but his clothes were not suited for the situation. He continued to analyze the plant in front of them,"the wind is a beast to control. Also, ice can be temperamental too. I only recently got a grasp on it."

[Claire]

“And yet you are still Jeon Ambrosius of Dalarus.” Claire grinned again, still looking over the flower. As the air grew hotter around them, she frowned and tugged at her collar a little. Humidity. “Are you the one doing that? You can control the weather as well?”

That was curious- most mages she had run across would use their magic for illusion or combat, vain reasons mostly or to aid their fighting. Or the occasionally scrying. She tilted her head at Jeon once more. He was really Jeon Noru and she knew that, but she wondered why he insisted on the name Ambrosius. Probably because she was a stranger in the woods, and one didn’t give their royal title to someone just passing through with a sword. “Do you come to these woods often then? Maybe I’ll see you again.”

[Deleted]

"The Ambrosius' family is famous for their long line of magical blood. It is a name to be proud of. I have more respect for it than.....the other side of my family. True troublemakers they are; can't go a century without arguing among themselves,"he said with a smile. While analyzing the plant he pulled off a giant petal and used it as a sack for nectar and pollen: wrapping them up and holding it in his hand. A good amount of pollen had smudged across his face, and trace amounts streaked his red hair. The yellow residue blended in well with his bright red hair. He brushed off what he could from his robe with his free hand.

"Not the weather, but the wind. The plants love the humidity. They suck in all the moisture they can! Oh, they are loving it!"he could feel the energy of the trees and plants around him. They were in joy as the thick air filled their veins. He closed his eyes feeling their presence; taking in the atmosphere,"I do come to these woods often. I can also tell that you have been through here often: the trees speak fond of you. You use the fruits of the seasons in plenty,"he gave an awkward laugh before he next few statements,"I am sorry I was so rash with you at first. I can feel your goodness now. I hope that we see each other again,"he raised he free hand, still covered in pollen, inviting Castile to shake. He gave a smile with a short and gentle laugh.

[Claire]

Claire laughed as the young man managed to rub pollen on his face. He was rather adorable, she had to admit that. A truly hopeful young man. She raised an eyebrow at him, grinning. “They speak fondly, huh? Good to know.” she returned to her dropped sword, strapping it back to her waist.

“Sorry for scaring you, Jeon Ambrosius of Dalarus. If you find a cottage by the river not far from here, feel free to knock and share a meal. It is where I live. I will see you soon, yes?” she extended a hand, shaking one last time. “Have a good journey home.”

Claire pulled away and walked back into the woods, disappearing from sight.