Reminiscing and the Unknown JY-30 ET(open)

[Skylar]

Skylar's visit to the house she had grown up was a short one. She played with her siblings until they were good and tired. After playing she spent some time talking about what she had done after she suddenly up and left Roque a few months back. They talked for the better part of a mark and he reassured her of how happy he was that she had returned. After they were done, the maiden lent her hand in tidying up things. Then she told him that she wanted to go for a short walk. He hugged her and she returned the favor and gave him a peck on the cheek before departing.

It felt good for the girl to walk familiar ground once more. There wasn't the hustle and bustle of places like King's Court or The Citadel. It was more quiet, peaceful, and she seemed to like that just fine. The relative quiet of her native home was welcomed. It was times like this that she was able to just wander, and think. Think about her life, and what she wanted to do with it.

For as long as Skylar could remember, she had wanted to become a healer. That all changed during the war though. She had seen enough blood and suffering to last a lifetime. The maiden had done quite well during that time, and she had saved more than one life, yet the realization came to her that that wasn't what her calling was. Even being a scout was something that seemed to lose interest. The only scouting she had done was during the war, and again it proved to be more than what the young immortal bargained for.

Perhaps being home once more could help the girl figure things out. That's what she thought as she found a place to sit and rest for a moment. Her head gazing skyward to look at the night sky. Skylar let her mind drift for a moment, and she wondered if her mother felt the same way that she felt now when she was young. Skylar wondered if there were any more like her out in the vast world. There had to be. She couldn't be the only one. Could she?

Perhaps one day the maiden would in fact go to see if there were others like her. Others that perhaps felt as she did, and had experienced some of the same thoughts that she was having. Another like her in which to share the solitude of immortality with. "One day," the blonde found herself saying out loud to no one in particular. The sound of her own voice startled her.

Skylar stood up once more and stretched deeply. The air felt good, and there was a comfort that the night seemed to bring her. Suddenly she felt the urge to spread her wings and fly. To take flight and just float on the currents of air. It had been some time since she had just flown around with no real care. There would be time for that as well. Now wasn't it though.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Perhaps there was more to Skylar's urge to fly than simply wanting to soar through the air, for at that moment a hard body slammed into hers. A notebook went sailing past her, as did a bag and a few pieces of parchment. Before she could fall, strong long-fingered hands grabbed her arms and steadied her. She found herself looking up ... way up ... at a very tall young man with both confusion and concern showing on his quite handsome face. His hair was dark blonde and curled softly at the nape of his neck. His eyes were a vivid green. He was dressed simply but neatly.

“Are ... are you hurt?” he asked, dropping his hands from her arms. Dylan didn't usually stutter, but he was stunned by the beauty of the young woman he had just run into. She was quite possibly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. For once, it looked as if his absent-mindedness had paid off. The last time he had slammed into somebody, that somebody had given him a black eye and a broken jaw.

He tried not to stare, but it was difficult not to. Her eyes were such a lovely blue he felt he could look into them forever. He didn't even notice that his notebook was no longer under his arm or that his inkwell had flown from its bag and shattered on the cobbled street. His only concern was for the beautiful woman standing in front of him.

“I'm sorry I ran into you,” he said, thankful he was no longer stuttering. “I wasn't watching where I was going, which, unfortunately, is a bad habit of mine. I hope you can forgive me.”

[Skylar]

"It... it's okay," Skylar said as she was almost to shaken to form a complete thought. It was also probably the only thing that protected him from the knee jerk reaction to defend herself. Or maybe it was the hands that kept her from falling. "I am not hurt," she said then stopped suddenly as it dawned her that she didn't know what the man's name was. The maiden half shrugged and motioned with her hands and furrowing of her brow to perhaps help her to cross that bridge that was now suddenly placed before her.

"Sorry what is your name?"

[Viviana Kaleyis]

“Dylan,” he said. “Dylan Oralia.”

The name he had given himself slid smoothly from his lips. It was becoming easier and easier as time wore on. He even thought of himself as Dylan now, and not ... well, he wouldn't even think about that. The past was the past and he was now a bit of success in pursuing his dream. That was all that mattered.

As he reluctantly pulled his eyes away from her, he noticed the ink-spattered bag and his beloved notebook lying on the street along with a few loose pieces of parchment. The inkwell could easily be replaced, but the play ... the last scene was fantastic. He would never be able to recreate it if it was now lost.

He snapped up the notebook and gathered up the parchment. A gentle wind blew one piece away from him and he had to pin it down with his foot to stop its movement. The scene was all there, though, every precious word of it. He just hoped the director liked it as much as he did.

After picking up the bag, the young man stood up, tucking the newly written scene in the notebook, and smiled at Skylar. He was far past due at the theatre, but he didn't really want to leave his new acquaintance. Perhaps ...

“I'm going to the Performance Hall,” he said. “I'm writing a play that will be performed there. Would you like to come with me? It's a very interesting place, and I'll make sure you aren't bored. Oh ... and since you now know my name, might I ask yours?”

[Skylar]

For just the briefest flicker, the maiden wanted wanted to just make up some name. She didn't know the reason why, she just did. Yet Skylar wasn't the best of liars, and the last lie she told had hurt someone that might have been willing to help her very deeply. Besides, the man before her seemed to be harmless enough for her not to really worry to much.

"Skylar," the tall blonde said as she actually began to perk up a bit. It had been some while since she had felt comfortable around people that weren't related to her. A shyness that the girl couldn't remember when she developed the condition, she just knew that she was. "It's very nice to meet you," she finished with as she looked up at him.

Boy was he tall, Skylar was no half pint herself. She was in fact head and shoulders taller than her mother and step father. Maybe that was why at first she felt hesitant with him. He was a good bit taller than she was and that was something that Skylar wasn't quite used to.

"The performance hall," Skylar than questioned with a slight gleam in her eye. "I haven't been there in two or three yahren," she proclaimed. The last time in fact was a family trip with her mother and siblings. Pa wasn't really into performances as much. He had been a man of the cloth and perhaps he still held on to some of his old beliefs.

Then Skylar blushed momentarily. It had dawned on her that this total stranger had asked her out on a date! HER! Of all the people in this town he had asked her. And he wrote plays, not that she could recall meeting anyone that wrote plays, but it did seem to be a fascinating concept. At least to her.

"You must be famous then," the maiden said as she took a step closer towards him. Her face not to far from his. She was so close to him that she could catch his scent. He smelled of boy, kind of like her brother, but different. "And you could get as good seats too since you're famous right," Skylar then queried as she looked up at him coyly.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Dylan lowered his eyes, not used to such flattery. “Oh, I'm not famous ... but I hope to be soon. Maybe after this play.” He raised his head again, and his eyes were shining when they gazed into Skylar's. “See, this is the first play I've written ... well, the first one that's going to be performed. The Performance Hall's last playwright left. He just disappeared. Master Prine said he knew it was coming because the man did not like having his plays dictated by what the Oneists would find acceptable. So anyway, they hired me, and I hope this play is everything Master Prine desires. I just finished the last scene this afternoon as I sat by the Mer. I don't know why, but the Mer inspires me. It seems as if my best ideas come when I sit on her shores.”

He smiled at his beautiful companion. “There's not a performance tonight. The play won't be ready for many weeks. Rehearsals should start in the next day or so after the cast choices have been finalized. But I can show you around now, while I wait for the verdict on my final scene. Actually, I think the Hall has a better atmosphere when it is empty. You can even walk around onstage if you wish.

“And when the play opens, of course I'll be able to get good seats.” He hoped he would be able to earn them with his play writing skills. If not, he would have to get them the other way, even though he had promised himself he would make it on his own, without the advantages at his disposal. He would make an exception for Skylar, though.

“I would love to take you to the first performance. But, please, say you will come with me now as well. We can get to know each other better and you'll also get to see what goes on backstage.”

The young man held out his hand to her, hoping he would have the chance to show her a bit of his world.

[Skylar]

Suddenly a cloud of doubt had started to form in the young maiden's mind. Why would this complete stranger ask her to go somewhere with him when there would be no one else there except for them. Caution flags were whipping around as if being driven by hurricane force winds. He did seem harmless and innocent enough, and as for what Skylar knew, Roque was for the most part a relatively safe place. Yet something just didn't seem right, and even the innocent faces of harmless looking children could be the masks of murderers.

"Well," Skylar said with a doubt tinged voice. "I don't know," she went on to say. Skylar felt pretty confident about defending herself in the need ever arose for the most part. After all she did have a fight with three thugs once. That had to count for something. Right?? she mused silently to herself. He did seem harmless enough, but her mother's cautions to her were came storming back into her mind and they were hard to ignore.

"Maybe if there were other people there..." Her voice trailed off. "It's just that," again her mind shut down when she so desperately searched for an excuse to just say no without hurting this poor man's feelings. After a few flickers time she finally got it in her to say what she had to say to him.

"I would like to go with you Dylan," Dylan, it was good to say his name. It made it seem more sincere and personal that way. "I would love to walk on the stage but I don't think I should go if nobody else will be there. You understand don't you?" He had to understand. A pretty girl like her, a guy like him, or any other guy for that matter. The risk was too much as things stood now.

"I could be a killer," she then said with half of a smile. It was a bluff of course, or just something to make her feel better. Or maybe she said it just to lighten the mood. "Who would protect you or find your body if something unfortunate were to happen?" Even though she said it to him, it was more to put her own self at ease and to make her feel less vulnerable.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

“There will be plenty of people there, Skylar,” Dylan said, a bit taken aback. “We won't be alone at all.” He wasn't used to being rejected. Women usually fell all over him, not for who he was, but for what he represented. That was one reason he had left his home and family; he wanted to be known and respected for who he was, not who they were. He wondered if Skylar would change her tune if she knew his true name. He was tempted to tell her, but if she told anyone else ... no, he wanted his play to be accepted because he was a good and creative writer, not because of the family he had just happened to be born into.

He dismissed the notion that this beautiful young woman could be a killer. There had been an attempt on his life once before, but no one knew his real identity here. Not to mention the fact that an assassin would never admit to being one. That would spoil the whole thing. And his friends would certainly come to his rescue even if she did try to kill him. The theatrical crowd was very creative and resourceful. One lone killer would never stand a chance against them.

“The performance area itself may be empty, but the backstage area never is. There are always people hanging about, hopeful actors and actresses mostly, but others as well. And everyone's quite friendly. It's like a party there most evenings, and a lot safer than the taverns around here. A lot safer than walking about these streets at night too. But if you don't want to go,” he said, looking a bit sad, “I understand. I do have to go there myself, though.” He waved his notebook. “I have to deliver this play to Master Prine.”

[Skylar]

Suddenly a wave of embarrassment came crashing over the young maiden. She had made the assumption that it would be just the two of them there at the Hall when in fact there would be many. A slight rose colored tinge formed on her cheeks and she could feel their warmth as she began to speak.

"Oh then please forgive me Dylan," Skylar said as she began to regain some of her lost composure. She then flashed her smile which could disarm almost any man before continuing. "I just had to make sure that there would be other people around. After all it's not safe nor is it proper for a young lady such as myself to walk around unescorted." It was rather ironic considering she was doing just that. Skylar stood firm, took a deep breath, and held out her arm for him to take a hold of.

"Then I will be delighted to join you," there was an air of enthusiastic confidence about her. "That is if you will forgive me for making assumptions." Assumptions like he would take advantage of her, or even more outlandish, her being a killer.

[Viviana Kaleyis]

Dylan's heart did a strange little flip-flop when Skylar smiled. She was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever met. Yet it wasn't just her beauty that drew him to her; she also had a delightful personality ... at least what he had seen so far. She was confident, but a bit shy, and didn't seem to even know she was beautiful. That was a welcome change from most women he knew, especially ...

Karina.

He'd forgotten all about her. With any luck, she wouldn't be there. He'd only gone out with Karina once and she'd spent most of the time talking about herself and what a wonderful actress she was. He had the strange feeling she didn't care for him at all, only what he could do for her, which probably meant she thought he could coerce Master Prine into giving her the lead female role in his play. Since that one awful evening, he wanted nothing more to do with her, but she kept hanging around him anyway, as if she owned him. She even gave nasty looks to any girl who looked his way. Dylan had been taught to respect women, and he had no idea how to tell her politely to leave him alone. It was against his nature to physically or verbally hurt a woman.

Pushing those unwelcome thoughts out of his mind, he smiled back at Skylar. “There's nothing to forgive,” he said. “I can see why you would be wary of someone you only just met. In fact, I find that a lot more appealing than a woman who would just follow along without asking questions.” The latter description fit almost every young woman he'd met before he changed his identity, most of them pushed towards him by parents who wanted their daughters to make an advantageous marriage. Dylan wanted more than that in a life partner. He wanted someone who loved him for him, and someone he could love in return, not those silly little spoiled girls who were always begging for his attention. And he didn't want someone like Karina either, who seemed to see him as only an accessory to her own perceived greatness.

“So let's go!” He took the arm, she offered him and started walking in the direction of the Hall. “I never really thought you could be a killer, anyway, “ he laughed. “You're not the type.”

He couldn't say the same thing about Karina.
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The story continues in this thread: At the Performance Hall