Capher's Journey

[Capher]

Quote:"I think perhaps we may be of some help to one another," Ta'las starts, seeing the man's eyes are no longer glazed over. "You mentioned the name of someone for whom I am looking. A woman named Talia, who I fear is in some danger, and obviously you have great concern for. Do you know such a person?"

The old man shook his head.  "Are ye daft in the head boy? I never mentioned anyone by the name of Talia.  If ye be hearing things, then I am not sure I want to be with ye."

The old man paused as he looked at the young man.  He scratched the stubble of his beard.  Keeping an eye on the young man, he rummaged around in his pack.  His food was all gone.  "I tell ye what.  Me stomach is a growl'n.  If'n you have any food I will sup with ye and we can talk about this Talia person.  Is it a deal?"

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las blinks, a little confused by the man's behaviour.  Why is he speaking with such an accent?  He must be addled, Ta'las thinks to himself, but he shrugs it away.

The Shendar nods and says, "I have food to share, and I would be happy to speak with you.  Perhaps we can share the road a little ways, as well, since we seem to be travelling in the same direction."

Ta'las rummages through his pack and removes some salted meat, some bread and redberries, which he passes to the man.  He also hands the man a waterskin.

"Before we go too much further, I am Ta'las, son of An'thavin.  It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ta'las

[Capher]

The young man shares some dried meat, bread and berries with the old man.  He talks about traveling together.  The old man took the food and began to eat hungrily.  He took the offered waterskin and drank deeply.  The food and water, helped him much. I was talking like I was an old fool. Why was I doing that? Still it did not scare him away. It would have me.  He still wants to be around me. Even travel with me.  But, what would he do if he saw me change into a wolf?  Probably kill me.  The old man thought of other things as well. He said I mentioned the name of Talia.  He used the female, 'her' expression. Is she a friend of his?  Do I know her?  If I do, how do I know her?  Too many questions.

The old man shook his head. Then the younger man introduced himself.

Quote:"Before we go too much further, I am Ta'las, son of An'thavin. It is a pleasure to meet you"

" I thank you for the food and water.  I seem to be more myself.  Forgive me for my show of emotion.  I usually do not allow them to come to the surface so readily, especlially in front of strangers.Now where did all that come from? Now I am talking as if I were a noble or something?  Is this how I usually talk?  Am I a noble?[/]

The old man looks down at his cloak with all of the designs and markings sewed into it Sewed into it by his own hand!  Though he had no idea what they meant. Or that he knew how to sew! No, not a noble, perhaps a cl

"Ta'las, son of An'thavin.  Pleased to meet you as well.  It seems we got off on the wrong foot, sort of, between you and I.  Of course in these times, it is always prudent to be cautious of strangers" The old man replied, surprised but pleased at his speech.  "I wish I could tell you my name and parentage, but alas, I was robbed and left for dead outside of Chykallis and I can not seem to remember who I am.  But I am sure it will come back to me in time.  As long as we are heading in the same direction I would be pleased to have you along.  You seem to be a decent sort of man and maybe we can explore the possibility that we know of this woman, Talia, of whom you speak of."

The old man looks at the young man's mount towering above him..  "That is an unusual, but somehow familiar animal you are riding.  What is it? And what is its name?  And speaking of strange...or should I say out of the ordinary, at least from what I have seen; your own appearance and clothing seem out of place.  Where are you from?"  

Capher.

Edited by: Capher at: 6/25/05 3:40

[Talas Anthavin]

Quote:"I thank you for the food and water. I seem to be more myself. Forgive me for my show of emotion. I usually do not allow them to come to the surface so readily, especially in front of strangers."

Ta'las nods and smiles at the man.  "That is understandable in these circumstances."  He listens as the man tells him the story of his journey and the hardships he has suffered on the road since leaving Chykalis.

Quote:"I wish I could tell you my name and parentage, but alas, I was robbed and left for dead outside of Chykallis and I can not seem to remember who I am. But I am sure it will come back to me in time. As long as we are heading in the same direction I would be pleased to have you along. You seem to be a decent sort of man and maybe we can explore the possibility that we know of this woman, Talia, of whom you speak of."

"It seems you have had a difficult time.  Perhaps as we travel, we can learn more of your past and who you are.  And also your reason for travelling this way."  Ta'las rubs his chin and looks thoughtful.  "Maybe this woman, Talia, can also help."

Quote:"That is an unusual, but somehow familiar animal you are riding. What is it? And what is its name? And speaking of strange...or should I say out of the ordinary, at least from what I have seen; your own appearance and clothing seem out of place. Where are you from?"

The Shendar looks up at his mount with a warm smile on his face, and pats the Aj'nuvic on the flank.  "This is Desert Rose.  He is an Aj'nuvic and a trusted friend."  Ta'las rubs Desert Rose behind the ears and the Aj'nuvic emits a soft rumbling sound.  He looks back at the old man.  "The woman I am seeking and you have mentioned, Talia, also rides one.  We are Shendar, from the desert lands known as the Rahaz-Dath."

Then Ta'las looks away wistfully.  "I understand what you mean by strange.  For though this land is beautiful, it is not my home, and feels strange to me.  Just as I must seem strange to you."

The Shendar looks over the old man's finely embroidered cloak and cocks his head.  "You know, your manner of dress is also different from that of the people I have met in this part of the world.  It would seem to me that you are also from elsewhere."

"As we travel, we can speak more of this.  You have been travelling on foot for some time.  I wonder, if I speak kindly with Desert Rose, would you feel comfortable riding?  He is normally very stubborn, but he will listen to me."

Ta'las

[Capher]

Quote:The Shendar looks up at his mount with a warm smile on his face, and pats the Aj'nuvic on the flank. "This is Desert Rose. He is an Aj'nuvic and a trusted friend." Ta'las rubs Desert Rose behind the ears and the Aj'nuvic emits a soft rumbling sound. He looks back at the old man. "The woman I am seeking and you have mentioned, Talia, also rides one. We are Shendar, from the desert lands known as the Rahaz-Dath."

The old man listened carefully as he heard the young man tell him what the animal's name was and where he came from.  He tells him that the woman he seeks, Talia, also rode one.  They were Shendar's.  "I...I believe I have been in your country.  I don't know why I believe it.  But I do.  And your animal, "Desert Rose" he is a magnifcent animal.  The old man became quiet and thoughtful, How do I know?  Why does this animal and the dress and even the name Shendar seem so familiar?

Suddenly the old man's eyes glazed over once again.  He was riding a large black horse and there riding next to him was a woman, she was smiling and laughing as they talked.  Her braided dark black hair hung down the middle of her back. Other companions rode with them;  A grim looking man who wore the clothes of a knight. A red-haired woman who looked liked a warrior, she did not smile much.  Another companion was a strange looking person, the person was female, but she had green tinted skin.  They all seemed to be freinds.  The dark haired woman spoke to him, calling him by name..."Capher"  then he replied naming her...Talia.

Tnen as sudden as the vision came it left but before it did he softly whispered her name..."Talia"   He blinked and he was looking at the young man, listening to him.

Quote:Then Ta'las looks away wistfully. "I understand what you mean by strange. For though this land is beautiful, it is not my home, and feels strange to me. Just as I must seem strange to you."

the old man replied. "Ah, I can understand.  Home is always best."  Then Ta'las asked,. "

Quote:You know, your manner of dress is also different from that of the people I have met in this part of the world. It would seem to me that you are also from elsewhere."

The old man looked down at his cloak and suddenly saw clearly what Ta'las meant. He thought, How many people that you have come across wore such decorated cloaks?  Do clerics?  The old man was not sure.  "Really?" he asked, Ta'las.  "You have never seen a person wear a cloak before?"

Quote:"As we travel, we can speak more of this. You have been travelling on foot for some time. I wonder, if I speak kindly with Desert Rose, would you feel comfortable riding? He is normally very stubborn, but he will listen to me."

The old man listened to the question and looked up at Desert Rose.  "Well, if he will not mind.  I will give it a try, though it seems difficult to even mount him as he is so tall, much less ride one."  

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las chuckles at the man's question about wearing a cloak.  "You are correct, many people wear cloaks.  It is just that I have never seen such intricate designs."  He peers more closely at some of them and furrows his brow.  "It almost looks like magical markings, but they are much more complicated than any I have ever seen."

He shrugs and then smiles politely at the man when he expresses concern about mounting his Aj'nuvic.  "I think you will find it easier than you imagine."

The Shendar tugs on a broad leather band that runs horizontally around Desert Rose's chest, up to its back, under its tail and back to the chest.  "This is the main riding band."   He then points to a series of several smaller bands attached the the broad band, which then run over the back to the other side.  "You see these straps?  They are are fixed to one other to give you support while riding.  An experienced rider can even stand and wield a weapon."  Ta'las then points to another set of bows that hang down from the leather straps.  "Here, attached to this set of bands are several bows that you slip your feet into when mounting and riding."  

"Desert Rose can kneel for you until you get used to him.  The only thing to make sure of is that you don't touch his head.  He has bitten people, and his mouth is very strong.  Also, stay back here," he warns as he pats the middle of Desert Rose's back.  "If you get too close to his neck he will tip you off.  Finally, do not worry about directions.  I will be here to direct him, and if need be, he is smart enough to figure out where to go."

The Shendar then looks Desert Rose in the eye.  "You will be nice to this man.  He has shared his camp with us."  He watches in surprise as the Aj'nuvic looks over at Capher and sniffs quietly and then bends its front legs.  Ta'las has never seen Desert Rose so docile with a stranger.

Ta'las then smiles at the old man.  "He likes you.  Would you like to move on now?"

Ta'las

[Capher]

The old man was a bit startled when the desert animal looked him over, sniffed him and then kneeled down for him to get on.

He had barely heard Ta'las explanation on how to get on.  So he looked wondering at Ta'las and pointed to one of the straps.  "This strap I take a hold of and pull myself up?" he asked, a bit hesitantly.

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

"Very good," Ta'las says as he moves the old man's hand to the correct strap, and then kneels down to place his left foot on one of the bands used to push up onto the Aj'nuvic.

"Now all you do is push yourself up with your left foot and lift your right leg over so you are sitting back here," Ta'las says and pats the large part of his Aj'nuvic's back.

Seeing the man's uncertainty, Ta'las helps direct him up onto Desert Rose.  "When he stands, keep your hands on the straps to balance yourself."  The Shendar continues to help his new companion.  "Just let me know when you feel comfortable and we can be going."

Ta'las

Edited by: Talas Anthavin at: 7/8/05 3:00

[Capher]

OOC Ta'las you do not know Capher's name.  He does not even know it...but is getting ideas what his name is by his visions.  I am just an old man.

The old man smiled at Ta'las. "I thank you for your expert tuteledge.  This is quite high," he says as Desert Rose raised up.  "But, I feel quite comfortable now.  We can continue.  Where are we heading anyway?  I was going to go through this forest.  But I doubt if Desert Rose could get through that tangle of roots and underbrush.  So which way should we go?" The old man asked and paused.  "Oh! I forgot you are a stranger here as well.  Let me think."

The old man paused, closed his eyes and soon he felt a pull toward the river and then northward from there.  Why he felt this pull he did not know.  But he noticed that when he was calm he could feel and hear things that he thought were impossible to do; the feel of the Caelereth's heart beat, the whisper of the trees in the forest, talking to one another

And the most amazing thing he could hear what they were saying.  Even the insects, birds and animals all around he could hear them and feel them.  In a way he felt as if he were part of all of it.  As if he were seperate, but not seperate from all of creation.  It puzzled him, yet it also made him feel...not so quite alone.

He thought about telling Ta'las what he felt but thought better of it.  He might think I am Crazy!  He spoke up.  "Why do we not follow the river northward.  We may be able to find an entrance to the forest that way."

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

OOC:  Sorry about that Capher.  I've edited the previous post.

Ta'las frowns when he realizes that he may have miscalculated his Aj'nuvic's ability to travel through the elven wood.  He has not travelled extensively in forests, but as the old man mentioned, Desert Rose may have trouble navigating the dense understory of the woods.

He looks up at his new friend hopefully when he mentions continuing northward to find an entrance into the Quallian.  "I hope you are correct, my friend.  I had not thought that I might be forced to leave my Aj'nuvic behind to reach the elven city.  I have not been to Aer'Ylferian, nor have I been to this part of the world."  Ta'las eyes the old man and detects no duplicity in his voice or eyes, but the Shendar begins to think that the old man has remembered something about this place.  That or else he has the use of magic to aid him, Ta'las thinks.  The old man sounded quite certain that they needed to travel northward along the river to find an entrance into the forest.

"Northward sounds like a great idea to me," the Shendar says with a smile and then pats Desert Rose's flank.  "Come on, my friend, this time I will run beside you instead of on your back."

Ta'las sets off at a fast pace to keep up with his Aj'nuvic, but he is happy to be moving again and enjoys the chance to stretch his muscles.

Ta'las

[Capher]

OOC, No problem Ta'las. We all make mistakes.

The old man looked down at Ta'las and wondered why he was running instead of riding his own animal.  He asked, his voice a bit jarred by the animals gait, "Why do you run instead of ride?  Is there not enough room up here for both of us?  I do not want to take away from your ride.  I should be the one running, not you, after all Desert Rose is your animal."

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las looks up at the old man.  "You are right - there is room enough for both of us, and there is definitely need for haste to find Talia."  He pauses to catch his breath before speaking again.  

"I do not understand why, but I feel a sense of urgency around us.  However, It is good for a Shendar to spend some time with his feet on the ground," he says, his voice shaking.  "It helps one remember we all come from the earth.  I will join you after a short time so Desert Rose can carry us both."

Ta'las pauses again and grins.  "Besides, he would not forgive me if I were to slow him down too much."

The Shendar finally stops, just as mid-morning is beginning to approach, and he feels an aching in his legs from the effort of keeping up with Desert Rose.

"If you please," he gasps.  "I will ride now."  Ta'las climbs atop Desert Rose with ease and sits in front of the old man.  "Desert Rose, make haste now."  He pats the Aj'nuvic and the animal starts away again, slowly at first to avoid jostling his passengers, but quickly gains speed and races northward.

Ta'las

[Capher]

The old man hung on as Desert Rose gobbled up the land.  Ta'las had climbed aboard after a vigorous run and now they were heading northward along the river.  The old man looked to his left and the sparkling river flowed on down.  He liked the way Injera, Injera?  Where did that name come from?  He thought, That is the name of the orb of light in the sky, my friend.  A voice inside the old man's head told him.

The voice startled the old man and he thought it was Ta'las that had spoken to him, he shouted,  "What did you say?"

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las is overwhelmed by the array of plant life around him, most of which is foreign to him, and takes in the scenery with great interest.  Even at the furious pace his mount carries he and the old man at, the Shendar is able to take in most of what he sees, storing the images in his memory for a later time.  Such a beautiful place! he thinks.

The trees are closer together here, and in places are dense enough to form small stands of trees with undergrowth.  He wonders if they are close to the entrance the old man spoke of earlier.  The air is still and humid, and filled with the smell of wet grass and pine needles.

He begins reminiscing about home again, and how different life is here compared to that in the Rahaz-Dath.  Ta'las's thoughts are interrupted when he hears the old man call from behind him.  

"I am sorry, but I did not say anything."  Ta'las looks over his shoulder.  "The only other one here is Desert Rose, and I doubt an Aj'nuvic would speak," he says loud enough to be heard.  Ta'las looks forward and ponders something for a moment.  With a mischievous grin, he looks back again and continues, "unless of course, you can listen to the trees.  Now that would be a useful skill!"

Ta'las

[Capher]

The old man laughed. "Listen to the trees?"  Then he paused and thought, could he listen to the trees?  The soft spoken voice in his head spoke again, You can do anything you will yourself to do, Capher.  You are a part of the begininng, a part of Ava's creation, of the Tree of Life, you are a race as old as Caelereth itself.  You are a servant of Seyella, and of myself.  Let your mind go, let your heart and spirit go.  You will find yourself again.  You must or else all is lost.

The old man almost lost his balance and almost fell.  He gripped hard upon the harness as he tried to grip his own sanity.  He did not know what to do.  He was terrified, he leaned forward and hid himself in Ta'las's cloak at his back.  He screamed.  "What does it all mean?"  

Capher.

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