♛ 04 - Plucking

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[If you're walking through the garden, one might hear the faint plucking tunes of a stringed instrument (sounding like this), an upbeat tempo that at the same time would have been at home in a more formal occasion for a polite dance, but fit the atmosphere of the garden well if one was out for a simple stroll. 

And if one followed the sounds, they'd find Ashura seated in a small area on a large pillow, a stringed instrument in his lap, fingers plucking along with a sure familiarity, though they lacked some of the smoother grace of one who played such a thing for a profession. And sitting beside him, forgotten as he concentrated on his playing, was his journal and a feather pen, so the music was free to float through the magic system. Whoops.]

If you can, meet me in the gardens some time this afternoon, or later this evening in the library. Just let me know when you can make it.

[ooc: Journal and actiony! Taking a nice relaxing break after the big fights. Whee]

Comments

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

[a bit of a face] No, nothing like that. Oh, we've got magic enough, I guess, though that's usually reserved for the gleemen. You know, slight of hand and the like. The actual stuff... well, that's channeling and its best to stay well and good away from that, if you know what's good for you.

But I've been wandering about this place for awhile now. I've learned a little bit, I suppose. [a smile] And I've got pretty good instinct when it comes to guessing when knowledge runs out, so there's that.

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[Ashura had to smirk at the boy's seeming aversion to magic. If Ashura was a creature of anything, it was power, and it manifested in him in the form of a crystal sword and fire. Both were quite real, quite deadly, and it always amused him, those that thought it some charlatan trick. For now, he resisted performing a little magic for Mat, but only just.]

Then I suppose I don't know what's good for me then, heh. I'm a magic user, though in my land we call it having Talent - an affinity for an element.

And do tell me what you've learned. It's good to hear the perspective of others rather than simply go only from what your own senses say.

[He flashed a sweet, charming smile, golden eyes glowing warmly.]

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

[aw, Light... Why'd the pretty ones always have to be Aes Sedai... or whatever they were called in this bloody place. There's a bit of a cringe, a tightening around his eyes, but he manages to keep that smile in place... though it's a little less easy, now.

Pretty she might be, but he didn't really feel like getting caught up in those strings again. No thank you.

Of course, if he realized she was a he... well, that reaction would be much more violent]

[clearing his throat] Well, mostly it's just the little things. Like...castle seems to collect drama, but you can avoid the worst of it, you spend a bit of time in town. [blood and ashes... last thing he needed was magic users hanging out about the town] 'Course, skills like you've got, you're probably just fine here at the castle, I s'pose.

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[Ashura saw the tightening of his eyes, heard the change in the way Mat spoke, alert to small things like that after working the intricacies of court for close to 300 hundred years. It... irritated him, this sudden notion of what he was like because of his ears. Gilgamesh made constant points of making him into something he was not for a mere physical feature, and he let his own eyes loose some of their warmth.]

Mat, I hope you are not letting my physical features color your view of me. I know I look like an 'elf' - I think that is what most people refer to me as - but I am not elf, or fey, or any other word you wish to call me. I am Ashura, a Shuranian, and in my world my ears are normal. I am no trickster and I have no wish to cause harm to people.

Really, it grows tiring to be judged based on other people's experiences in their own worlds, rather than taking into account I am not of yours but my own.

But, aside from that, I thank you for the insight. I had noticed that castle... doesn't exactly discourage awful things. The battle with Riful proved as much....

[He drifts off and touches his chest, an old wound throbbing. Not one Riful caused, but it ached all the same.]

Where would you suggest visiting though? I have only gone to the town to collect flowers and other fauna to color my room.

1/2

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

Wha-

[blinking]

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

I don't care what your bloody ears look like! Light, I don't even know what a bloody elf is! [he knows he should probably watch his language, but irritation at finding an "Aes Sedai" and at being accused of something he didn't do has him not really caring]

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[Ashura watched him a moment, then inclined his head in acknowledgement.]

Forgiveness, for misinterpreting your reactions. I have merely.... had unpleasant dealings with some people because of the shape of my ears. 'Elf' as I have come to understand it is a long-lived creature, often works some sort of magic, and are generally... not viewed kindly.

I would rather a possible friendship not be torn asunder simply for the fact my ears are not round.

[He sighed and set aside his instrument, whispering a quiet request to the castle and an elegant bottle of scotch appearing between himself and Mat, along with two glasses.]

I know you said you were an ale sort of person, but perhaps we can meet in the middle and go for scotch?

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

Can't say someone's ears ever made much of a difference, where I'm from.

[now the Channeling...that was another matter, but he's not about to bring that up at the moment]

[considering the glasses, he'll nod and take one] Sounds like a fair trade. [holding up the glass in a salute]

T-this is so overdue *FAILS*

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[Ashura takes his own and nods his head in regard to the salute and sips lightly, setting it aside quickly in favor of the tea he already had by his side.]

Tell me about where you are from, Matt.

No worries

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

[sipping his own, he'll shrug] Isn't much to tell, really. Home is the Two Rivers, but burn me, I've seen a lot since I left there. I was maybe thinking of trying to go back there when I ended up here instead.

Re: No worries

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

No place like home?

_{[There's a fond smile on Ashura's lips, not necessarily directed at Matt so much as thoughts of his own home.]}

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

Guess not. More like they might be in a lot of bloody trouble...

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

[He sobered at that, casting a look at Matt.]

Trouble in your lands?

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Least, that's what it looked like. It's how I ended up in this light-forsaken place, actually. I was looking for answers and ended up here.

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you shall find some answers here then? At least that is what one can hope, yes?

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

Seeing as how everyone says we forget them when we get back home, don't know what good that'd do me. But Light knows it can't hurt, I guess.

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

Out of curiosity, what is this 'Light' you keep referring to?

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

[eyes widening just a bit] What's the-

Why, the Creator of course!

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

Creator?

_{[The brow is still up, blinking in interest.]}

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

....the one who created everything? Big power facing off against the Dark One? [kinda... staring at him in confusion. The worlds couldn't be that different... could they?]

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

Ah, this Creator, this Light is your being of worship.

_{[It clicked on like a light bulb.]}

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

I guess? I mean, near enough. The Creator's the one brought us all out of the darkness and started the pattern weaving in the first place... but other than wishing for the Light to ward off the Dark One and any of his lot, I don't know if you'd really call it worshiping...

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

So he is the basis for your religion then, basically. My, what an interesting one.

[no-bloody-lord.livejournal.com]

[an uncomfortable shrug. Mat had never paid much mind to the ritual of it. It was just something everyone believed. He'll just take another sip of his whiskey]

[wishmadeinfire.livejournal.com]

<sub>[Seeing he had made the other uncomfortable, he decided to drop the topic. It was an intriguing one, but making the other uncomfortable was not worth satisfying his curiosity at the moment.

He put aside his whiskey and took up his instrument again, tuning it for a moment before beginning to pluck out a quick tune, something of a reel.]</sub>