A magical place

[micaylah]

"Taran. Perhaps you could teach them how to crew upon a proper ship while Jeriah teaches them manners?" She looked at him with a faint smile in the corners of her mouth.

[taran]

Taran could not help but smile slightly at the suggestion.
"Of course I will. It would be my pleasure," he said, a sly look on his face.

[micaylah]

"You see Jeriah. Taran can teach them a proper skill and as resti...repayment for his ship, they will give him theirs. What say you to that?"

[Tismri]

Jeriah didn't hear Elyria at first. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts. Lathem, what happened? Was it something I did? Another tear joined the first. Where did you go? Why did you leave me and Zamah behind? And Jahag? It doesn't make any sense to me. Suddenly, she left a need to go express herself with a dancesong, but she didn't really want to do it in front of all these others. She stood.
"Excuse me," she said as she went deeper into the forest. There, almost before she was ready for it, the dancesong overtook her. She expressed all her worry and confusion about Lathem, as well as about the raiders and how she didn't understand Taran and Elyria. All her feelings of the moment poured themselves out into the forest, and the forest seemed to dance and sing with her, joining in her confused feelings. When she finished, she knelt down on the grassy floor of the forest and wept.

[micaylah]

Elyria sensed that Jeriah was upset. She gave her some time but when she felt her weeping she went to her. Placing her hand on Jeriah's shoulder she knelt down beside her. "What is it that trouble's you so child?" Elyria spoke with a soft, tender tone, compassion and concern on her face.

[Tismri]

"I don't understand," was all she could say, but, knowing it or not, she let her barriers down and showed Elyria all that was troubling her, all her confusion about Lathem, about Taran and Elyria herself. She couldn't understand why they were treating the raiders so. Where was Taran's compassion for them? Couldn't he tell that they were scared to death at the moment? And she also ended up showing Elyria everything about Lathem, how much she loved him, and he loved her, and how he just left in the middle of the night, not letting anyone know where he was going. Again, she said, "I don't understand."

[micaylah]

Stroking the girls hair Elyria spoke to her in a gentle tone. "Jeriah the world is not made up of black and white, good and evil. There are a thousand shades of gray separating the two. Sometimes you have to do things that you may not want to do for the greater good of all. I know it is confusing. As for your young man, just know that as the sun shall always rise, hope shall always shine."

[Tismri]

Jeriah smiled a little and gave Elyria a quick hug.
"Thank you," she whispered. She was still confused on many things, but at least she felt that this woman was her friend. After she calmed herself, she walked back to the clearing where the men were sitting. She wished she could do something about them, but she knew now that there were things that were impossible to mend on her own. She only hoped that by showing these men compassion and mercy, they would eventually do the same. She turned to Elyria and Taran.
"Do what you have to with them, but, please, don't hurt them unless they harm you first." She smiled as she remembered something her dad taught her years ago. And now she told the others here, "Never start a fight, but always finish it."

[micaylah]

Elyria smiled when Jeriah gave the raiders her words of wisdom. It took her back to her own father, Hern. Teaching her to shoot a bow and wield a sword. She remembered sitting across from him on a sunny afternoon as he told her, "Elyria, my beloved daughter, never start a fight if it can be avoided but always finish one." Elyria smiled thinking the two men would have liked each other.

[taran]

Taran kept a close eye on the raiders as the others went off into the forest. He knew they were capable of great damage and evil, but so was he. Everyone was capable of evil things, but it was up to the person to do so. He knew these men had chosen their path, and it would take great encouragement to sway them from it. Taran drew his sword and swung it through the air, not doing any particular combination or technique. A smile spread across his face at the look of terror on the raiders' faces.

[micaylah]

Elyria walked with Jeriah through the beauty of the island forest. "Jeriah...what brought you here?" she asked. They were in the middle of nowhere on an island with the battles between the Empire and the Varden looming across the sea.

[Tismri]

Jeriah gazed up at the sky, knowing that up there was the crystal who had spoken to her the day before.
"Magic," she answered, "A friend sent me here, telling me there was something magical about this place." She thought of Jahag, the werecat. She smiled at the memory of her friend. And thinking of Jahag made her think of Lathem. I wish he were here right now, she thought, He's the only one who understands me. Him and Oranthor.

[micaylah]

"What kind of magic?" Elyria thought to herself, 'Getting information from this girl is like pulling teeth!' (OOC: Jeriah what is your plan? Lost here. Gonna kill a raider soon. lol)

Elyria waited for the girl to explain further. She had the same far away, sad look she had on her face earlier. 'Maybe she is on a quest to help her friend.' she thought.

[Tismri]

Jeriah smiled at Elyria.
"Do you want to see?" she asked, glancing up at the sky where she knew the crystal was. She again thought of how it told her that she would one day choose sides. What sides? she thought. Still, she looked to the sky, glad that magic abounded in the world in most unexpected ways.
OOC: well, whatever. lol, just don't kill the raiders in front of me. lol

[micaylah]

Elyria was curious. Nodding her head she told Jeriah, "Yes. Show me this magic you speak of. Taran can watch the raiders. I'm sure he wouldn't mind at all."