The Pretty Blooms

[Kender Bard]

Kaylin knelt amongst a clump of wildflowers that had grown up to the stone walkway in this area around the temple. The pollen and scent of the flowers tickled her nose and delighted her. She knelt down and sniffed at them.

"What a gorgeous spring it's been," she murmured aloud to herself. "And summer promises the same."

[Darastrix]

"It's the same all over," a voice behind her said. "Several of the visitors to the temple have said as much. Efil has been especially generous to us these past months."

[Kender Bard]

"Oh!" Kaylin yipped with a start, jerking back up, then laughing nervously at her reaction as she twisted around. "I'm sorry, you startled me. I don't usually talk to myself like that."

[Darastrix]

A young man stood a pace behind her, leaning against a tree that stood near the path. He was mostly shadowed by the shade, with dapples of sunlight here and there that managed to penetrate the leafy canopy above him. He appeared to have something of a tan, though not nearly as dark as someone from the Beastlands or Naurorod might be, but positioned as he was, his hair seemed to be completely obscured by a low-hanging branch.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Well, for all I knew, you could've been talking to the flowers. I didn't mean to give you such a start, though. I'm Nuo."

[Kender Bard]

Kaylin smiled and rose to her feet, dusting herself off a little. "It's all right," she told him with a touch of a laugh. "My name is Kaylin. Are you a pilgrim here?" She walked closer a step or two, trying to get a better look at his face.

[Darastrix]

"Aye, from Ilyamen," Nuo said, stepping away from the tree. He had wide, sleepy-looking brown eyes that were canted ever so slightly and a straight nose that, when viewed in profile, stuck out a bit farther than some would like, though from the front one could hardly tell. However, his hair was his most noteworthy feature. Now that he was no longer directly under the leaves, it could be seen that his hair hadn't been hidden so much as it had just blended in with the surrounding foliage--it was long, with shorter, feathery bangs framing his face, and it was green.

[Kender Bard]

"Oh!" Kaylin exclaimed, eyes widening. She'd never seen such a thing. "Oh my, your hair is green! Is that... Is that natural for you?" she asked. She was probably being very rude but sheer curiosity was overriding her courtesy.

[Darastrix]

What if I said it was natural? Nuo wondered as he resisted the urge to burst out laughing. No, better not. He'd startled the woman enough.

"Forces, no," he said, a hint of laughter in his voice despite his intentions to the contrary. "It's just dyed. See?" He took a step closer and traced the curve of a pale eyebrow with one finger. "My hair's actually blond, so it takes the dye pretty well."

[Kender Bard]

He's quite friendly, Kaylin thought happily. Sometimes Sirius would keep her company but he was a dour and moody man. She had to resist the urge to touch the man's hair though. "Why green, if I may ask? Not that it isn't agreeable. Certainly it is very eye-catching once you see it."

[Darastrix]

"It's different. Do you have any idea how hard it is to stand out in a place like Ilyamen? I mean really stand out?" Nuo shook his head. "You've got all signs and people from all over coming through to trade. The uncommon is practically common. Of course, all I'd really have to do here is put on a Taedean's robes, but I'm not so starved for attention that I'd want to offend the Forces to get it."

[Kender Bard]

Kaylin couldn't help but grimace at the idea. "Once, that would not have been so bad. But after the war... I agree, offence might be taken. And not just from the Lifespring. But you'll certainly stand out here. Say! Since you're new, how about I show you around a little? I'm no priest, but I've lived in Acoia my whole life, in the temple, so I can show you just about everything around it and inside if you like."

[Darastrix]

"All right," Nuo agreed. "I have to say, I'm more interested in around than inside. Since you've lived here so long, maybe you've heard a thing or two about fey living in the woods around Acoia? I know I'm probably a little old for faerie tales, but I love them."

[Kender Bard]

Kaylin paused in surprise at that. It'd been a long time since she heard about the faeries.

"Actually, I do know a thing or two," she admitted, wondering how much to say. "A while back ago there were some living in a man's home. They chased him out and he ran all the way here to the temple to seek help. The templars investigated but they weren't sure what to do so they asked some mercenaries to assist them. I'm not sure what happened but it got rid of the faerie. Presumably without killing them. I don't know if there are any others still around or not. Possibly..."

[Darastrix]

Nuo's eyes lit up at Kaylin's words. "Do you have any idea where some might be if there are? Just to maybe get the chance to catch a glimpse?"

[Kender Bard]

"Not precisely," Kaylin protested. "I could make guesses, but that's all they would be. If you like, I can take you to where the faeries were. The man never did want his house back after that. They spooked him something terrible, apparently."