Arch Surprise

[Lucinda Noru]

 The last few days had been pretty busy for a certain blonde princess. She'd met a lot of new people, she'd bathed naked in public, she'd seen the Arch of Ages. At the moment, Lucinda wasn't in her room though. Rather, she'd had some servants prepare her a target in the gardens and was practicing her archery. The bow she'd purchased in the market place a few days past, firmly in hand, quiver of arrows strapped around her waist. To watch the princess practice archery, one wouldn't get the impression that she was unable to defend herself, as arrow after arrow hit the target on mark. 

"Excuse me, princess? Mi,lady?" A servant ran up, slightly out of breath, to interrupt her archery session. Lucinda, startled, turned the bow quickly, crouching in a natural effort to steady herself. The servant looked at her, surprised to find an arrow pointed at him and gulped. For her part, Lucinda also looked shocked. She stood, releasing the tension of the bow slowly and dropping it to point at the ground. "My apologies. You startled me. What do you want?" she asked briskly, obviously annoyed. The servant took a deep breath, still eyeing the bow nervously. "Ah. A letter has come for you, Princess Lucinda. It's from the Headmaster of the Arch," the servant said, producing said letter and then quickly excusing himself with a bow. Lucinda, having taken the letter, didn't mind that the servant left so quickly, didn't really blame him for not wanting to stick around. What was wrong with her today anyway? she asked herself as she opened the letter. It was from Adrain, asking if she'd be available this evening for a little surprise at the Arch. 

Lucinda walked quickly to the target, yanking out the arrows and shoving them into her quiver then proceeded to make her way back to her room. Once inside, the princess penned a quick reply to Adrain, sealing the letter and sending it out with a royal courier. She then made her way into her walk in closet, mumbling to herself. Then realizing she was leaving Alli in the dark, looked at the likely confused house dragon. "I'm going to the Arch this evening, Alli. You can come if you wish, you might like it. It's a huge, magical tree set on a ley line nexus," the princess explained quickly, before ducking back into the closet. 

---

The princess found a suitable guard to escort her a distant outside the castle grounds, past where she knew the invisible barrier was that Roland had put up months before to prevent teleporting and such inside the royals home. She had chosen a wine colored dress, simple, sleeveless. The hem and neckline were decorated with dusty gold colored runes and symbols in a language she didn't understand but it had been her mothers. She wore a plain white wool shift under it, the sleeves supplementing for the dresses lack of, were long and hugged her arms. Her shoes were plain winter boots, hidden by her hem, and she wore a matching gold belt around her waist to define the skirt. Light makeup adorned her features, making her blue eyes stand out a little more, her light pink lips a little more plump, her lashes a little darker, a little longer. Her blonde hair she had half up, her bangs framing her face under the hood of her white cloak, which was the invisibility cloak she'd bought a few days prior.  

The guard stood, looking around anxiously as they waited. It was dark, two hours after sunset as requested by the Headmaster. The princess, for her part, carried nothing additional and yet still seemed unworried. "As soon as the Headmaster arrives, you may return to the castle," Lucinda instructed. 

[Deleted]

Within two minutes of Lucinda and her escort arriving outside the castle, a purple rift opens ten feet away as Adrain steps through the portal. The mage was wearing a black robe with a golden insignia of the Arch on each shoulder, the edges embroidered in gold. His hair blows faintly in the wind from the rift's presence causing a strong movement of air. He smiles at Lucinda, bowing his head. Noting the guard's presence, he kept the formality up.

"Good evening Princess, shall we depart?" he states, waiting for Lucinda to accept. He extends a hand to lead her through the portal, waiting for her to accept, leading her through the rift once she was ready. Lucinda would for a moment witness an endless purple rift with varying colors and swirls before they end up on the other side.

As Lucinda arrived at the Arch, she would see before her a large black marble platform extending several hundred feet in each direction. At the center of it was an ornate crystal structure that functioned as a fountain, a number of water gems at the top, pouring down into a circular basin below. The water would then shoot back up to be reabsorbed into the gems in a mist. Ornate stone furniture would be arranged in a dining table or alternatively a meeting table. At another end, there was an outdoor parlor with finely crafted couches and a low, long bookcase with a number of tomes within it. White flowers grow along the edges of the parlor on the walls that curl up and around the bookcase and the fencing.

Once the initial look around the platform wears off, Lucinda would look around to see a canopy of tree branches and leaves extending in all directions, with the center area clear to see the night sky, the darkness allowing the stars to be especially bright. The full moon provides just enough light to cause a glow to fall upon the platform. Prismatic light similar to the aurora rises to the sky originating from the tree branches providing a light spectacle.

After a moment, Adrain smiles at Lucinda.

"Welcome to the Headmaster's Terrace. It is a sanctuary of sorts for the Headmaster of the Arch of Ages and whomever they invite. It is situated at the top of the great tree. It's not complete yet since I haven't dedicated much time to laying out the area, but the parlor is comfortable at least. What you see above you is the excess mana the arch absorbed being radiated into the air. During the day it isn't active but at night, the aurora is quite lovely to watch...though perhaps not as lovely as the guest tonight." he says with a coy smile, walking to the parlor side of the terrace.

"Tonight there will be a meteor shower, the Casilid Flurry as it is called by some. The sky will alight with many shooting stars. You wouldn't really be able to see it as well in the city due to the lights, but here, well it speaks for itself." Adrain says, taking a seat on one of the couches.

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda assumed Alli was staying behind as she didn't follow her outside the council and the princess shrugged. Sometimes, house dragons just liked to stay at home apparently. The purple rift took her off guard but she smiled when Adrain stepped out of it in what appeared to be his official Headmaster robes. She gave him a confused look as he actually bowed his head, following his gaze to the guard and grinning.

"Good evening, yourself, Headmaster. You don't keep a lady waiting long do you?" she asked rhetorically, stepping forward and placing her hand in his. Lucinda allowed Adrain to pull her into the rift, her mind racing with excitement and little nervousness. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it was very purple.

Once she stepped from the rift, Lucinda took a moment to steady herself and looked around, not bothering to hide her amazement. She walked slowly around the center crystal at first, watching the water flow in its pattern before turning, taking in the beautiful stone furniture and noting the outdoor parlor. Her interest wandered over the bookcase for a moment and she moved closer, examining the gorgeous white flowers on the walls and fencing.

Finally, Lucinda looked up and gasped lightly at the view present there. The sky was clear, framed by the branches of the great tree as rainbow light danced from them, competing with the moon and stars for beauty. Adrain didn't wait for her to ask, seeming to time his welcome and explanation perfectly as the princess settled her gaze on the mage, still looking fairly awe struck. "Thank you for bringing me here, Adrain. This place is beautiful, amazing, even if it isn't complete. I wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything, honestly," Lucinda said, her voice oddly hushed. Realizing this, she cleared her throat lightly, giving the mage a sheepish grin that blossomed into a faint blush, barely visible in the moonlight, at his compliment. "You know, you're rather handsome in your robes as well," she retorted, smiling, "So this is what Aria was asking about the other day? The excess mana? What a unique way for the tree to channel it. It's gorgeous,"she added.

The princess followed him out to the terrace, looking surprised when he told her about the meteor shower. "I've never seen a meteor shower," she admitted, looking rather excited by the idea of it. "I'll have to commit this to memory so I can paint it later," Lucinda said thoughtfully before taking a seat next to Adrain.

[Deleted]

Adrain chuckles at Lucinda's complement about the area. A large part of it was that Adrain hadn't fully figured out what exactly he would want to put up here. He was certainly open to suggestion. "Well one thing that could complete it is a beautiful woman sitting up here on a regular basis." the mage says, taking a step back on the way to the parlor and holding his hands up in a frame with Lucinda in the center in a joking manner with a slight laugh. When Lucinda mentioned being handsome in his robes, his grin shifted to a little more mischievous.

"I may be handsome in them, but I think you like it better without them." he says, hinting at the fact he saw the glances from Lucinda during the springs visit a couple days ago. At the inevitable blush and flustering, he would laugh a little more openly. He nodded when Lucinda mentioned the mana situation with the tree and what Aria had said.

"Yes, the Arch is special in a way, nobody properly knows where it came from, but it sort of embodies the fact that we are all linked through the mana in one shape or form. The mana released from the tree typically drifts off around the world, the touch of magic in everything. While some of it accumulates at the roots in the red crystals that are annoying to deal with, the majority shows like this. I sort of wish that more people could view this, it puts perspective on the world in my opinion." he says, his gaze looking upon the light.

"I would like to see that painting when you are done with it." Adrain says with a smile before he reaches over and pulls a bucket of ice out with a bottle of wine. "This is an Elven blend of white wine, would you like some?" the mage offers, knowing Lucinda's apparent like of wine from the springs.

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda smiled at the compliment, managing to take this one in stride and mentally giving herself a little pat on the back, then giggled when Adrain mocked framed her. "I'm not sure anything could make this more complete, but you're welcome to try," the princess teased. Her own compliment for the mage was turned into a reminder as Adrain pointed out her obvious eye candy session at the springs and her face lit up like sunshine on an apple. "You noticed then. I.. ah. You're not exactly wrong. What I mean to say is, you look good no matter the circumstance, it would seem," Lucinda fumbled, finally coming out with something that sounded reasonably poise.

She was enjoying the back and forth with Adrain, but was also a bit grateful as the topic shifted to the tree and mana. "I didn't know that about magic. I always thought it was kind of contained, if you will. You're of the opinion that everyone has magic then? Do you think that if more people saw this, could understand the link, that magic would be viewed more favorably?" Lucinda asks, watching the light filtering through the leaves and into the sky.

Lucinda grinned, looking a big sheepish and also surprised when Adrain said he'd like to see the painting. "I'm not sure how long it will take, but it's a deal. Perhaps you could keep it here, if its good enough," she offered, then nodded as he offered some wine. "Just a little, thank you," she said,"I'm actually not used to really drinking more than a glass at a sitting," she admitted.

[Deleted]

"An artificial hot springs and a lack of clothing?" Adrain says, continuing with the friskiness that had accented their interactions to this point. Adrain then laughed openly when Lucinda got flustered about the springs incident. His mission had been achieved for now!

"If more people saw this, I think at least a few people would be more open minded. I do believe thoroughly that everyone is capable of magic to some extent. It takes work and effort to harness it, to be sure, but there is so much potential for everything. A world where nobody wanted for warmth, food, shelter. Entirely possible. Some of the students come up with some astonishing uses of magic through inventions and enchantments." he says with an enthusiasm to his voice and a smile.

"But it will likely be many years yet before that point ever happens." he says, with a small shrug and a sound of reluctance in his voice. "I will continue to work to try to bring a brighter future for this world. Eventually I'll come up with something brilliant enough to sway the majority." he says with a smile.

Adrain nods and pours two glasses of wine, handing the first to Lucinda. "It's quite alright, I can get you another drink when you want. I do look forward very much to seeing your painting. That isn't really a skill I've had a strong knack for so I admire greatly anyone who has a skill with it." he says as he leans back and looks at the sky.

Against the backdrop of prismatic mist radiating from the tree, a few assorted shooting stars streak across the sky.

"It won't be too long before the shower starts in earnest." Adrain says, looking at Lucinda with a smile. "There are those who think if you make a wish on a shooting star, it may come true. You certainly have many opportunities tonight."

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda laughed at Adrain's suggestion for an artificial hot springs, her bell like tone ringing clear in the quiet night. "You know, that wouldn't be a bad idea," she said, then sighed. "Oh I am being so un-lady like," she muttered.

She turned her attention back up to Adrain, having looked down at her lap in the midst of her muttering. "That is something I would see achieved as well, if it was within my power to help you at all. If only the world could see some of the work you do here," the princess mused, her offer very sincere. "Really though, If you think of any way at all that I can help you, don't hesitate to ask."

When he hands her the wine, she sips it casually as he goes on about her painting. "Thank you, I don't want to be a bother though. As for the painting, I've been doing that since I was a little girl. My parents even got me a tutor for it. I was working on a piece before going to the springs the other night, actually. That's why I had paint on my face and toes. I get a bit messy,"Lucinda explained, giggling a bit. "What do you do when you're not being a headmaster? For fun?" she asked curiously.

The princess followed Adrain's gaze as he pointed out that the shower would start soon, noting the first few stars flashing across the sky already and made a small ooo noise. As he made the comment about wishes, Lucinda smiled. "what else could I possibly have to wish for?" she teased, looking again as more shooting stars streaked across the sky. The mana mist from the tree glittered in the night. "This is very peaceful. Something I've been sorely lacking of late," she sighed happily.

[Deleted]

"Should I stop with the more risque banter?" Adrain says sensing perhaps a slight discomfort on Lucinda's end. Adrain admitted that he was certainly being a little more open to the more carnal side of jokes and banter. That was sort of the flirtation that accented their growing bond, but the mage was careful not wanting to push Lucinda into the point of discomfort.

As Lucinda spoke of an offer to try to help with Adrain's dream, he nodded. "Thank you Lucinda, you may very well be the first person I would bring a plan." he says, listening at Lucinda went on about her painting and her history with it. The painting explained that spec of blue that Adrain thought he saw on Lucinda at one point. When the question turned to Adrain's hobbies, he shrugged.

"A number of things, I enjoy fencing when there is someone to do it with here, it is an elegant art of swordplay. Also I have a penchant for running about the countryside looking for various sources of knowledge or at times trouble. Oh and there is the violin, I have something of a knack for it." he says, going off the first few things that came to mind.

A few more shooting stars fall before Adrain responds to the comment from Lucinda about wishes. "Well you tell me, there is always something people want, even if it is small or silly." he says with a small laugh. "Yeah, it really is...that's probably one reason the Arch is situated outside the city, to allow the mages to take in the sights like this and clear their minds. You would always be welcome to come here, granted I can't promise a meteor shower, but maybe I can fake it.." Adrain says, raising his free hand to the sky and causing a few wisps of light to float around just above them.

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda looks up at Adrain, her expression a mix of surprised and apologetic. "No of course not! That is, I mean, I rather enjoy our banter and the, ah, freedom of our relationship, if that makes sense. It's just conflicting with my upbringing. Proper ladies are not supposed to behave as I have lately with you. I just don't want you to think badly of me because of it, that's all. It's fun though," she explained, her blue eyes holding a pleading look.

She smiled as he assured her that she would likely be the first person he'd bring any such plan to and then listened as he answered he question about his hobbies. "That's exciting. How often do you find trouble instead of knowledge, though, or do they come hand in hand? Judging by your spell the other day, I'd venture to guess that you're very capable of handling yourself in either case," the princess says, smiling. When he mentions the violin, Lucinda smiles excitedly. "Oh do you really? Perhaps you'll grace me with a score or two sometime. I love music, I play the harp myself," she says, glad they actually had something in common.

Adrain's comments on wishes had Lucinda looking thoughtfully at the sky, watching as more seemed to start falling. "You have a good point. People make tiny wishes all day long. I've made a few today, already," she said, smiling and giving Adrain a look that suggested at least one of those wishes had to do with him. When he continued with his musing on the Arch, Lucinda nodded. "That makes a lot of sense. I can imagine being able to and having a clear mind is quite essential to doing magic correctly," she commented, looking at the mage as he insisted she would always be welcome. The princess smiled, blushing, and then gasping lightly as he created a little light show of his own. "That's amazing..." Lucinda said softly, sighing.

[Deleted]

"Why would I ever think that Lucinda?" Adrain says, looking at her incredulously when she suggested that he would look down on her for cutting loose. "I know as well as anyone that the prim and proper thing a lot of times is a script that has to be followed, but I hope you feel like you can show this side of yours around me without feeling judged. At the very least you can do so here." he says with a warm smile. "At least assuming this is really an aspect of yourself and not a way you feel obligated to act around me."

"Usually they come in pairs." Adrain says with a small shrug. "But I can handle myself, that spell you saw in it's current form isn't really practical, but when people or creatures see levitating stones or fireballs or whirlwinds they usually decline to engage in combat. Deterrence saves a lot of trouble." he says, laughing a little when Lucinda said she plays the harp and wanted a performance from him. "Only if you join me with that harp." he retorts.

"Oh do tell." Adrain says coyly, not expecting Lucinda to actually go into what wish she may have made. When she commented that it was amazing what he did, he looked at her with a slightly mischievous smile.

"As I said, it's something anyone can do. In fact let me show you, this is a bit of a cheat, but you can channel a spell in progress and manipulate it. Don't worry, it's safe." Adrain says, reaching for Lucinda's free hand as a white light glows for a moment on the contact, a warmth enveloping the hand before he withdraws his hand.

"Go ahead, just let your will dictate what the light does."

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda looked up at Adrain, blinking for a moment as what he was sunk in, then her whole face lit up. "You really don't mind. It's so wonderful having someone actually understand that being a noble is a lot of pressure. Most people just assume it's all a walk in royal gardens, so to speak. I appreciate that you're willing to let me just be myself. Thank you," Lucinda said, sounding very much sincere and resting her free hand on his knee for a moment.

The princess's eyes widened as Adrain started listing ways he dealt with threats and nodded in agreement when he finished with explaining about deterrence. "That would certainly deter me, if I were some kind of ferocious beast. Perhaps also if I were not," she said, adding that last bit after a moment's thought and laughing. When he insisted that she would have to join him on her harp, Lucinda grinned. "It's a deal, then. Though I suppose it'll have to be another time. I left my harp at the castle, of course," she said, sounding slightly disappointed.

She laughs, though, at Adrain's coyness. The comment clearly being somewhat rhetorical. "Now, if I told you that, I'd not get any of my wishes, would I? Though I suppose you could guess and that wouldn't count," Lucinda said playfully.

She blinked, a curious look settling on her face at his mischievous smile, as she wondered what she said to illicit that response. A moment later and she didn't have to, instead looking nervous as Adrain explained about this little bit of a short cut. Lucinda let him take her hand though, both it and her face growing warm in the process, for two very different reasons. She gave him another nervous look as he told her to let her will dictate the light. What did that even mean? Still, Lucinda turned her attention to the light and concentrated, moving her hand, probably unnecessarily, in a slow circle. She watches, a growing excitement in her eyes, as the light mimics her movement, then grinning at Adrain.

[Deleted]

"Of course Lucinda. I'll always know when to go through the motions to protect your image, such as the formality when I picked you up from the castle. And it's not a matter of being willing to let you be yourself, I prefer it." he says, looking at Lucinda's hand for a moment, his leg twitching ever so slightly but he didn't protest it.

"Violence rarely is the answer, fortunately it's not often it comes to that. But yes, we should agree on a piece to learn and both play, perhaps here in a lovely sunset setting just before the mana begins to pour into the sky leading slowly into the prismatic aura."

As Lucinda basically invited him to guess, Adrain takes a playful, thoughtful pose as he puts his empty hand to his chin, tapping it three times before he replies. "Does one wish involve less clothing?"

Back to the stripping jokes indeed.

Adrain smiles looking at Lucinda captivated by the light spell manipulation. "Did you really think I would do something dangerous? I felt that tremble for a moment. It is not too much different than using a magical item, have you tried that cloak yet?" he says, then watching her play with the light amused. He leans back a little deeper into his seat and closing his eyes with a content exhale.

Above, the shooting stars begin to increase, as more of the streaks of light graze the canopy of the sky. The rate would slowly increase, but not reach the apex yet.

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda listened, smiling, as Adrain assured her that he would help to protect her image and he preferred her to be herself. "Thank you," she said simply, willing to let the subject drop there. Not that there was anything left to it, really.

The princess nodded in agreement as he continued. "You're right. I wish I could say that violence is never the answer, but unfortunately that is not the case. Even if humans were never violent, there's still wild animals to take into account and those can't always be reasoned with," she mused, her expression then turning to one of excitement at his next suggestion. "It's a deal. Pick anything you like. Perhaps we could even come up with our own piece, a way to put this into music" she said, taking her free hand off Adrain's knee to motion up and around them.

Lucinda wasn't expecting Adrain to actually attempt to guess and in fact had chosen just that moment after making hand gestures to take a sip of her wine. So when he guessed that one of her wishes involved less clothing, she blushed, choking a bit on the wine and coughing. She set the glass down quickly on the nearest flat surface then looked at Adrain, grinning but apologetic. "I'm sorry, I was unprepared for that. Excuse me," she said, laughing. "Oh but I've got commend you. That's a very good guess."


Adrain's perception was spot on and the princess blushed again, giving him a sheepish smile. "No, I trust you. Do you think I'd be here alone with you if I didn't?," she pointed out, gently, "No. I'm just nervous. I've never done anything like this in my life. And I don't just mean the light," she finished, looking at Adrain as she continued to play with the light, and shaking her head. "I haven't actually gotten a chance to try it out, but this I did wear it tonight," Lucinda admitted, falling silent as Adrain relaxed. The stars were quickly outshining the light she was playing with but she continued to bounce it around in abstract shapes anyway, fascinated.

[Deleted]

Adrain nodded as Lucinda commented on the nature of violence, content to let it drop there since the vibes of conflict weren't really in line with what the goal was today. "I sort of like the idea of making our own piece, do you have any particular leanings or preferences? Perhaps something a little more lighthearted." the mage says, looking at the princess's blue eyes with a half smile.

Adrain feels guilty as Lucinda seemed to have a brief choking fit. He puts his arm around her back to support her if she needed it, but seemed to recover in quick enough time. When she said it was a good guess, the mage could not help but to laugh for a moment.

"Oh is it? Do you have a suggestion for another wish?" Adrain says, then taking off his robe, revealing a relatively loose black shirt beneath. The buttons at the top were undone showing just a little of his upper chest to the likely to be more blushworthy to the princess.  This was more a humorous indulgence of what Lucinda sort of was hinting at. It was fun to watch Lucinda blush and witness her flustering. It shows how fascinating Lucinda was as a person.

"Mmm, well I'm glad you came all the same." Adrain says, watching her play with the light amused. He takes a draw on his wine. "Well you'll find it an amusing tool when you get to using it." he says, looking up at the night sky, counting the stars in a sense, remaining a bit quiet. He was thinking about something quite deep and Lucinda would have an opening to take advantage of his inattention.

[Lucinda Noru]

Lucinda considered his question concerning the music for a moment. "I'd have to say not really. I know a variety of songs I can play from memory, it depends on my mood. But I like your suggestion. Something lighthearted would be nice," she said honestly, sipping on her wine a bit and smiling.

The princess gives Adrain a grateful look at his effort to assist her with her choking fit but didn't actually end up needing it. After recovering, she smiles as he laughs at her hint. Then blushes as he takes off his robe, looking away at first. "A suggestion for another wish? That depends, are you trying to make them all come true?" she asks her tone lightly teasing.

Lucinda smiled when he assured her that he was glad she came. "I am too. Thank you for inviting me here," she replied, then looks confused at his next comment. "You mean magic? I never thought of it as a tool though I suppose that would be an accurate description," the princess mused as she watched more stars steak across the sky. She looked over at Adrain, noting that he seemed to be thinking of something as well and not paying attention, and takes the moment to look him over, appreciating how the fabric of the shirt exposed his chest and made his hair stand out. Her fingers twitched a bit and she folded her hands as best she could in her lap while holding the wine glass. "What are you thinking about, if you don't mind me asking?" she questioned, her upbringing clearly still holding her back.