The swan maiden stumbled over a root from a tree, careful not to trip herself. Trees seemed to be her enemy, with their roots arcing into the air then back into the ground, and the branches just low enough to scratch her in the face. The pale swan-maiden glanced about the surroundings, observing the lake side. No one around, only her and a very large lake. The expanse of water could have swallowed Lomedor city whole, easily, or so she thought. Her experience had only been from a distance, since she didn't like the city too much. It was far too noisy, too busy, no sense of calm to it at all.

Her bare feet dug into the sand of the lake easily, and she smiled. Oh, this lake brought back memories, not all pleasant, but memories all the same. Sky's hands brushed her dress, picking some random leaves out from the romp through the woods. She had just migrated, and although she hardly knew why she still migrated even though she was now welcome in human towns, she didn't question her instincts. That was simply something one did not do!

The former swan's hand extricated the last of the leaves from her pale blue dress. The dress was in itself a long story, specifically since the swan maiden had no money to call her own. It was a figure fitting cloth construct, made by a tailor of no real renown in Lomedor city, when she had dome some quick work for him. It had ended with the dress, the dress that had now seen nearly three years of consistent abuse.

Abuse meaning there were numerous tears within it, all revealing the pale flesh beneath, and although they were mostly centered around her legs there was a notable tear across her back. The bottom fringe was mottled with a variety of outdoor living stains, which she planned to clean today. She strode into the water without a pause to check the temperature. It was to say the least cold, ice cold, but she hardly cared thanks to her swan based resistance to such a thing. Although it would be much, much, much warmer with waterproof feathers.

As soon as she was up to her knees, she set upon scrubbing the hem of her dress with her fingers. Oh, it was beyond cold! Hunched over in the water, she made quite a sight. Even worse, Sky felt even more primitive than she actually was.(and Sky was even more primitive than a druid hermit on an island with a single coconut tree, or so she believed) This ended with her feeling rather disturbed at that paranoia based feeling of someone nearby.

"If there is anyone there, please present yourself!" Sky declared to the surrounding trees. The trees, in kind, rustled at the interference of a pleasantly warm breeze. She righted herself, standing with good posture yet again, as she flicked her black orbs across the tree line.

Tarn Va Thaeindor moved through the trees with an agility he had forgotten he had. After the time spent in darkness, he had been worse than a human in his abilities, but being back amongst the trees for such a long while had restored much of it to him. He ran out on branches and gracefully jumped over roots, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying as he did so. The forest sill did that to him, even after so long among the branches.

The air was warm today, and he felt a certain moisture in it that had not been there earlier. With a sigh he stopped running and began to walk carefully through the underbrush. He had heard something...a yelp. Of an animal or human or elf, or some other strange creature, he was not sure, but his curiosity overwhelmed his common sense and he walked toward the sound. Instead of reaching out with his mind, he just listened carefully and watched his surrounding, making sure that he was not be followed, and that he was still on the trail of the whatever-it-was.

Tarn Va Thaeindor's lithe body swayed in the light wind, one with everything around him. His mind was at peace, and his body was finally becoming used to the air here. With a grin Tarn Va Thaeindor began to run again, but quietly, so his feet made no sound as he moved. They were bare, as always. He had no shoes and had no wish to wear them. He had not even remembered their existence while living in this forest. He had worn some when he was in the city, so long ago, but once he left he had no desire to wear them ever again.

Tarn Va Thaeindor listened carefully, and caught the sound of quiet breath from somewhere ahead. He also sensed a great wetness, a lake. He smiled and turned toward the lake. He heard a gentle swish of water as he moved closer. Tarn Va Thaeindor climbed up a tree without any difficulty, and looked out over the lake, to see who had joined him in his forest home. Of course, there were others that had come by, but he had not been interested in them. But now...now he was ready to meet another person.

Tarn Va Thaeindor searched the surface of the lake for anything irregular, and his eyes finally settled on a girl. A strange girl, wearing a ripped dress. From here, it was too hard to tell if she was an elf or not, but she gave off a distinctly different aura. Her hair was white, for one thing, and if he was seeing correctly, her skin was near that color. A new race, perhaps, or it could just be a girl who spent too much time indoors.

"If there is anyone there, please present yourself!" The girl called out. Even her voice was strange, with a pure tone quality that stunned Tarn Va Thaeindor. After such a long time amidst human and elves, a voice more like his own was intensely comforting. He practically flew from the tree, landing lightly on the ground with not so much as a thud.

He walked out into the water until he was knee deep, side by side with the girl. Her hair was certainly white, and now he could see that the tips were black. How strange... Tarn Va Thaeindor thought. He had never seen the likes of her before. Her clothes were torn in several places along her legs, and He had seen a big gash through the material on her back. She had obviously been wearing the thing for a long while.

"My name is Tarn Va Thaeindor. I am pleased to meet you." His knowledge of the common tongue was much better now, and he had even begun to learn some other languages he had heard. He had known from the first that he would be able to learn the language, but so much else was different. Men here did not turn their wrist, they nodded. It had taken a long while to get used to that, but he still turned his wrist before remembering to nod.

"And what may I call you?" he asked politely, hoping the girl would not be frightened, as so many others had been. Being polite was obviously something so foreign that the people here were scared of it. What a terrible world Arda would seem at first glance. But he had gotten used to it, at least a little bit. There were many beautiful places in Arda, and many beautiful people. One just needs to open their eyes, and then they would see.

Airell Tarenn flew over the treetops, keeping an eye out on what was going on in the forest below. He liked the calm of the forest better than the rush in the cities, particularly Lomedor. Here, at least, it was peaceful.

Airell looked forward, remembering from memory that Lake Aelin was near here. He flew in the direction of the lake, intending to rest there for a few moments and regain his strength. He had flown far and long, and his wings were beginning to protest each time they flapped. He had no desire to land in the forest, where he would have to get through the trees on foot. His mind was filled with thoughts about branches catching themselves in his wings and white feathers being pulled out.

The angel was just about to land near the lake, when he caught sight of a woman wading into the water. She appeared human, but was like no human Airell had ever seen. Her hair was white, tipped with black at the ends, and her skin was quite pale as well. For a moment, she reminded the angel of a swan.

"If there is anyone there, please present yourself!" she called.

Airell watched in silence as an elf jumped nimbly out of the tree, landing without a sound. The elf walked forward, no doubt going to converse with the strange girl, and Airell felt it wise to make his presence known as well. Besides, the ache in his wings was beginning to grow.

With a rustle of white wings, Airell landed gracefully, getting to his feet and bowing courteously to the girl and to the elf, who had introduced himself as Tarn.

“My name is Airell Tarenn,” said the angel, “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

The pale woman observed as an elf leapt from the trees. Not even she could mistake the pointed ears. He was graceful, without a doubt, something she found absent in most men. She appreciated it, in all truths, but she didn't expect it. Sky gave him a sweet smile and nod to acknowledge his presence, then listened to his momentary comments. She already knew he wasn't evil, that was a simple thing she knew about everyone, but she didn't know why. At the exact moment she prepared to speak, a disturbance in the water caught her attention. An angel, great white wings filled her vision, and brought sorrow to her heart. Feathers, he had white feathers, the pain of loss flooded back to her momentarily and the hope she would one day reclaim her own feathers.

"Hail and well met, friends! My name is Sky, and it is a great pleasure to meet you both, I'm rather usually solitary out here in the wilderness." She explained, her voice jovial. She had been worried it might have been something out to eat her, or perhaps even steal her nonexistent possessions. Many a thief had tried that, but let her go after they realized they were stealing from someone who was so wretchedly poor she immediately offered to forage for them. The swan maiden brought her hand up to her chin, and gave it a thoughtful rub in an attempt to stimulate the thought process.

"Well, what is happening in the cities of Arda? I avoid them, you see, and only enter when someone is in open need. I hope nothing bad? And wasn't there a war at some point, I heard some rumors about that! Scary thing, war." Sky chattered. Her long absence from society had perhaps triggered a sudden and necessary urge to discuss and receive all the information humanly plausible from the few she did meet. At least she would pause and allow someone else to speak, unlike some hermits and fellow wanderers. The swan maiden suddenly noted how they were looking at her. She glanced at one of her nearly snow white hands, making certain she didn't have any odd markings or cuts on her. Then she realized exactly what was so puzzling to them.

"I used to be a swan, you see." Sky stated. That wasn't the whole truth, but it would explain to most. Further, most swan maidens hardly needed the knowledge of their existence, too many desperate men abounded in the world, and too many unwitting maidens. Remembering the little she knew of civilized culture, the swan maiden presented them each with a snow white hand. She hoped they would shake it, and declare themselves friendly to her. She smiled warmly to hopefully hint at it, since some people didn't seem to know how to shake hands. Quite a few had simply stared at her hand as though she wanted something until she gave them a verbal hint.

Tarn Va Thaeindor was surprised at the arrival of the man with wings, the likes of which he had never seen before. He looked carefully, wondering how the man looked when he flew, and what an awkward sight that would be. With a smile and a turn of the wrist and a nod Tarn Va Thaeindor welcomed the man with wings, Airell Tarenn, into their midst. The pale girl spoke animatedly for a few minutes, saying that her name was Sky and she was solitary and cut off from the world, and something about war, but Tarn Va Thaeindor had no idea at all what war was. When the girl paused, Tarn Va Thaeindor was about to ask about wars, but he was interrupted once again by the girl, who spoke suddenly.

"I used to be a swan, you see," she said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Tarn Va Thaeindor could only stare. Swans were birds, weren't they? The white ones, yes...perhaps he had misheard her? For some reason Sky was holding out her hands, one to him and one to the man with wings. Tarn Va Thaeindor looked puzzled for a moment, then finally remembered that this was a way of greeting. He reached out and took hold of her hand firmly, then released and stood back a ways.

"I do not know of this...war...Sky, as I also avoid cities as best I can. But please, did I mishear you? Did you say you used to be a swan?" He asked, unsure if it was rude to be asking or if it was rude not to. With a slight grimace at his lack of knowledge of their culture, he turned to the man with wings. "And if you don't mind my asking, Airell Tarenn, how did you come to have wings?"

((Sorry, it really is unbearably short but I do not wish to presume overly much on the part of either of your characters, as I do not know them well. :)))

Airell listened as the woman introduced herself as Sky. He frowned as she mentioned the war. It had been a horrible war, and although he had not fought in it directly, he had heard many tales of the destruction wrought by the war.

Airell’s blue eyes widened in surprise as she said that she had once been a swan. He had not expected that, nor had he heard of any swans who had the power to become human. Then again, the angel conceded that although he had lived many human years, he was still young for those of his kind, and as such, still had a lot to learn about the world. Still, he found himself believing her. She did resemble a swan, in a way.

She extended a hand towards them, intending for them to take it. Airell found himself wondering what to do for a second, before remembering that this was a customary human greeting. He took the hand, shaking it. The elf took her other hand, shaking it as well.

"I do not know of this...war...Sky, as I also avoid cities as best I can. But please, did I mishear you? Did you say you used to be a swan?" asked the elf.

“I am also puzzled by that,” said Airell, “As to what you were saying about the war, yes, there was a war between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. Beyond that, I don’t know much. I did not directly participate in it.”

Airell turned towards Tarn as the elf spoke.

"And if you don't mind my asking, Airell Tarenn, how did you come to have wings?" asked the elf.

“I don’t mind at all,” said Airell, “I am a Celestial—an angel. I was born with these, just as you were born with those ears that mark you as an elf.”

Airell smiled warmly, intending to show that he was not the least bit offended by the question.

Sky was particularly glad that they had accepted her hands. Although they weren't so eager as most people, and the whole shaking of the hands seemed rather awkward. Oh well, the odd ones like herself were seemingly attracted to this sort of person. Her question about the cities had gone unanswered, unfortunately, and she decided to check on them herself. After all, someone had to drag news back to the wanderers and the hermits. The swan withdrew her hands, and decided it would be applicable for her to tell something of herself.

"Oh, yes, I used to be a swan, and some circumstances forced me to humanity, lets say three years ago. Forced as in I used to be able to shift shapes, but the item that allowed me to do so was destroyed." The swan explained, slowly picking through her words. She had let enough on, and the swans in the lake not so far behind her didn't need to have their identities revealed. One of them gave a honk, and quite a few kept their beaks in her direction.

She recognized all of them, even though to anyone else they would look the identical. Her head twisted over her shoulder, gazing silently at the swans. They were so beautiful, and so distant at the same time. They wouldn't come near her with men nearby, swans were naturally seclusive creatures. She pivoted about fully, ignoring her companions momentarily. The swan-maiden walked deeper into the water, up to her waist.

With that, something made contact with her foot. The swan maiden glanced into the murky water, giving a pause for thought, murmured 'ow', then considered what to do. She felt about the object with her foot, and then bent over. She submerged herself fully for a moment, feeling about for the object. Moments later, she drew up a golden vessel, full of pure water. The swan gave it a sniff, and stared for a moment. It didn't have the scent of the life and minerals within Lake Aelin. She took an experimental sip, and noted that it tasted almost like nothing. Sky twisted around, and glanced to her compatriots.

"Hmm, I'm feeling rather lucky today." The swan-maiden declared. Her mood had taken yet another swing upwards, belying her depression at the sight of old friends who she couldn't even risk approaching. As she strode back, her foot caught on something. Her toes slipped beneath the object, fastening them in place, and physics did the rest of the work. The rest of her body continued to move forwards, although it was bound by the axis of her foot. Thus, she fell forwards, and into the water in perhaps the most ungrateful splash possible.

Did I mention she gave a very audible squeak of surprise moments before she hit the water? Sky twisted about in the water, and searched about the fine mud on the bottom of lake Aelin for the offending object. She lay her hands about it, reaching around with her fingers, and then lifted up. Momentarily she struggled with it, forcing the mud and clay that made up the bottom to give way to her will. The sudden release of the lake's hold on the object triggered Sky's sudden return to the surface world. She had a sheathed blade in hand, and simply took the moment to stare at it. Her eyes took in the weapon of death, and the realization of it made her heart skip a beat. She also realized she was no longer holding her cup, and launched a rescue mission. Sky emerged from the water not too far from where they stood, cup and blade in hand.

"Oh, I guess I am rather lucky today!" She declared with a nervous laugh.

([/horriblepost])

Tarn Va Thaeindor did not entirely understand what the swan was saying. How could a mere item, as she so cautiously phrased it, turn someone into a swan? It did not seem likely, but then again why would anyone lie about something of that sort, and if they were to lie, wouldn't they make up a better one? She did look like a swan, so white and her neck was abnormally long...

He watched as she craned her head around to look back at the rest of the lake, and Tarn Va Thaeindor noticed that there were swans swimming nearby. They seemed to be the object of her attention. She turned and began to move toward them, completely ignoring the celestial and Tarn Va Thaeindor. With a frown he watched after her, wondering what exactly she was doing. Wouldn't the swans shy away from her? Or...

A sudden thought occurred to Tarn Va Thaeindor. What if all of these swans were also shape shifters? Tarn Va Thaeindor cleared his throat nervously and glanced back at the celestial who also seemed to be watching the girl's progress. "She seems a bit odd, doesn't she?" Tarn Va Thaeindor asked quietly. It was not insulting, in fact, he meant it only as an observation. It was not in Tarn Va Thaeindor's nature to insult anyone, least of all a woman.

Suddenly the swan maiden stopped and looked down into the water, then moved her body around in strange positions, reaching out with her legs deeper into the water. His eyebrows rose in astonishment as she bent down and picked up something that shone brightly, the name of which Tarn Va Thaeindor did not know. She sniffed it lightly, and the Aerin Ishtheh wondered what was wrong with it. Then, she took a sip of it. Tarn Va Thaeindor blinked rapidly, unsure if he had seen that correctly. Did she really drink out of a shining, sparkling...thing? Were they meant to drink out of? With a puzzled look he watched as she turned around and called out.

"I'm feeling rather lucky today!" Tarn Va Thaeindor did not reply. Why would she feel lucky? Perhaps the shining item was valuable. After several more silly antics and splashing on the swan's part, she finally came back to them, brandishing a sheathed weapon and the goblet. "Oh, I guess I am rather lucky today!" Her voice was more nervous this time. And why wouldn't it be? It was odd to find two objects hidden in the sand of the lake where she just happened to be walking. After an unusual silence, Tarn Va Thaeindor spoke rapidly.

"May I ask, Sky, what exactly that, ah...sparkling...item is? I have never seen anything of its like before." Of course he hadn't. It seemed that whatever this was, it was only here on Arda. Tarn Va Thaeindor barely suppressed a chuckle at the name of the word. Arda meant aardvark in his own tongue. He looked at the girl's white hair, and the black tips and thought of how different she looked.

((This was also an unworthy post...))

Airell frowned in thought at Sky’s words. He had also never heard of an item that would allow someone to shapeshift into a swan. He had known that there were people with the ability to shapeshift, perhaps she was one of them. But then, if she was, then she would have no problem shapeshifting into a swan.

Besides, the angel had no reason to doubt her word. She seemed to be a good person. There was also no reason to doubt that.

He watched curiously as she turned around, heading towards several swans on the other side of the lake. She seemed to know them somehow.

"She seems a bit odd, doesn't she?” asked Tarn.

Airell nodded in agreement.

“She does seem a bit strange,” he said, “However, for some reason, I believe her story. She doesn’t seem the type who would make up something like this.”

He watched as she began digging around in the water, pulling out something golden and sparkling. As the angel watched, she began to drink from it.

"I'm feeling rather lucky today!" she said.

As the angel watched, Sky tripped, falling into the water. He spread his wings, intending to help her up, but she had already gotten up before the angel could even reach the lake. In her hand, she held a sheathed blade.

"Oh, I guess I am rather lucky today!" she said.

Airell sighed, landing near the edge of the water.

“Are you all right?” he called to her.

((Behold, the most unworthy post of them all…))

((May I drop in?))

Silvexian dropped into the water and made a large splash. Human Form, he couldn't breathe under it! He poked his head out. After that nasty showdown with Gerbilb Shares in the air, Gerbilb put a curse on him so Silvexian couldn't change forms! He sighed and saw three others in the distance. One being what appeared as a pale skinned female, another who looked as he was fit and in his 20's, and another appearing as an angel. He heard one cry, "Oh, I guess I am rather lucky today!"

((Behold, the new most unworthy post ever!))

((No, I believe this topic is inactive...sorry Silvexian.))

Tarn Va Thaeindor glanced from the angel to the swan maiden and sighed deeply. The angel was fascinating, to be sure, and the swan girl made a fantastic study, but he did not want to linger any longer by this lake. He had spent plenty of time here already. He needed to continue to move toward his next goal, the Taurerosa Rainforest.

"Well, it's been nice meeting you, but I really must be going. Goodbye, perhaps we will meet again." And with that Tarn Va Thaeindor left.

((Crappy post, but it isn't meant to be good, it's meant to say that Tarn Va Thaeindor left and so therefore is no longer a part of this RP.))