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Alice Starlight

"With music and Kiva I can conquer anything!"

0 · 914 views · located in Halcion

a character in “Across the Wilderness”, as played by ~Living-Dead Doll~

Description

Alice Starlight
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With music, I can conquer all! 



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Name: Alice Leih Starlight
Nickname: Alice, Alex
Age: 18 in appearance
Sexuality: Straight
Species: Elven descent
Occupation: bard, occasional dancer and bars maid
Likes: *Dancing
*Music, especially violins
*Shiny things
*rain
*festivals
*walking in the woods
Dislikes: *Extreme hot weather
*complete silence
*Religious officials
*The prince getting hurt
*Being 'preached' at
*cooking
*leaving Kiva's side
Hobbies: *Singing, dancing, playing the violin
*reading when she can
*following the prince when he is not busy
*fortune telling
*working in a pub (listed here because it is not a job to her)
Fears:*Being burned
*Being banned from seeing the prince
*Losing her hands (because then she couldn't play music..so mainly not being able to play her music)



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Skills and abilities: Alice isn't physically strong but she has the heart and courage of a lion! She is good at encouraging people and giving them hope when all seems to be lost. She also has talents in persuasion, bartering, and theft (though this skill is no longer used unless someone took something that did not belong to them). When it comes to music, she is said to be the best violinist in town, but that could be because she is the only one who stays there constantly. She is pretty proficient in dancing as well. Since she spent several years with a band of gypsies, she learned how to dance, fortune telling, and various other helpful skills such as sewing.
'Powers': Almost all of her powers come from her violin, which was enhanced with magic.
**Lullaby- When she plays this certain song, she is able to put the enemy to sleep, if they are able to hear the song. (If the person is def, this and all other attacks from the violin would not affect them.) The sound waves are directed to the enemy, so comrades will not be affected, unless they are within 5 feet of the enemy.
**Freeze- A very high pitch tone that is played to 'stun' the enemy. The effects last generally 2-3 minutes, if she is lucky, however that is for weaker enemies. If used on a stronger enemy, the effects will not last as long. However, there are the 'side effects' of this song that make the enemy dizzy, even if they do not get stunned.
**Loving Song- A song that slightly heals allies. Generally it heals cuts, scrapes, and very small/light gashes. That is unless Alice is very attached to the person who she is healing. Her healing abilities then become somewhat stronger, though they would not be able to bring someone from the dead.
**Battle Dance- This is a dance she learned from the gypsies to throw off the enemy in battle, while still being able to fight them. It is basically dancing while fighting the enemy.
**Wild Call- A tone that calls her wolf, Kiva, to her aid.

Weaknesses: Physically, Alice is weak, except for her legs (since she likes to run and dance). Her main strengths are mental, however that is not to say she does not have weaknesses there. Though she doesn't concern herself with what others think of her, she does worry about what the royals thing, especially the prince. Another weakness is Kiva, though he is also a strength. If something were to happen to him, she would crumble. She also isn't very good at cooking.

Equipment: Her general equipment is mostly found in a small leather bag (think along the lines of a messenger bag in style), which contains: 2 sewing needles, thread, a container for water, snacks for Kiva, snacks for herself, and extra strings for her violin bow. On her, she carried her violin/violin bow and a small dagger in her left boot. Alice generally has a leather bracelet on her right wrist and sometimes other accessories that she has made. For clothes, she wears clothes you might see a gypsy in, along with her cloak. However, she also wears pants on occasions when she is going out of the city.
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Flaws: Alice is definitely bad at cooking! She often thinks that her appearance is a flaw, as she does not see the beauty in herself that others see. One of the main things she hates is that she is so short for elven standards, since she stands around 5 foot 6 (probably 5'5). Also she hates that she is physically weak. Others might say her temper and outgoing-ness is a flaw as she hardly ever stops from speaking her mind.




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Personality: Alice is a very outgoing and outspoken person. She often speaks her mind, especially if someone opposes what she thinks. However, there are some that she is not so outspoken with, such as the prince. Around him, she acts a little more reserved, because she understands that his reputation is important. When he is around, she tries to keep her emotions inside and tries to refrain from speaking too much.
Despite being outspoken, Alice has good manners and generally gets along with people. She is very respectful to those who are older and those who deserve it. Even commoners, if she deems them deserving (which would be anyone who has ever had to work for something), she gives them the utmost respect. That is, except most religious figures. Since she spent several years with a tribe of gypsies, she grew accustom to the persecution of 'her kind' by religious figures, which has created the dislike for them.
When alone though, Alice is a very calm person and loves to take walks in the forest. It helps her 'reconnect' with nature, which is something that is very important to her. This is also the time she reflects on things that are going on and often over thinks things. However, with a little music, Alice become calm again. Music is the rain that tames her fiery emotions. Though Alice is respectful to most, she also has a bit of a temper on her at times.
Alice spends most of her time, when she is not following the prince, helping others out. She has a true passion for helping others, especially those who try their best. It is not odd to see her helping out in the taverns, tailoring places, or even the bakery (though this is usually just helping the customers while the baker cooks).
History: Alice was born into a very small clan of elven folk. Her father was one of the main hunters, so she did not see him very often. Her mother was a healer of sorts and was often off helping out everyone in the clan. The clan was nomadic for the most part but stayed in one spot as long as they possibly could. She lived by the same set of woods for almost five years before they uprooted and tried to travel west. However, they ran into bandits who raided everything they had, including her. She was then bought by an old gypsy woman who took her in as her own. She learned many things from the gypsies over the years, including how to sew, dance, read fortunes, steal, and play the violin. Though the elders taught her stealing was wrong, the younger kids pressured her into it a lot of times. However, she never stole from anyone who was struggling, only the wealthy. In her mind, they wouldn't miss the change she stole, as they had plenty to spare.
When she was about 10, the band of gypsies traveled to a town where it seemed like everyone was wealthy. She met a boy around her age who was complaining about his violin. She couldn't help but to notice the object, since it was one of her favorite instruments. She asked him what his problem was but being as he was so upset he shoved the violin at her and said she could have the stupid thing. It was her lucky day. She cherished the violin and earned quite a bit of money with it, playing on the streets.
When the gypsies came to Halcion, Alice performed on the streets with her violin almost every day. She even joined a small group of bards who played for a festival and was invited to join them. To her amazement, the group was a success and even a few from the royal family came to see them. This is where she met the Prince. She wasn't really surprised that he seemed to full of his own stuff, but she noticed something she couldn't really put her finger. That something about him caught her eye and she became somewhat interested in him, or more- interested in finding out what sparked her interest in him.
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So begins...

Alice Starlight's Story

Setting

Characters Present

Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Ash
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Alice Starlight


Slowly the young girl's eyes opened and scanned the area. She could feel the sorrow that had been absorbed in the rubble that remained from the dragon's destruction. She could still hear the screams as the dragon destroyed the area, leaving nothing but rubble, fire, and ash in its wake. Shaking the memories from her mind, she leaned down and scooped up her bag and then grabbed her violin. For a moment, she choked back tears as she could almost feel the loss of the ones still trapped in the rubble. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a second and let her back slowly slip till it was touching the ground. Her feet moved forward three steps before her eyes opened and she moved her violin bow to the opposite hand of the violin. She cleared her throat and bowed her head. Slowly, she began to play the melody she had played almost every morning since the attack.

With her eyes closed, Alice stepped forward three steps forwards before the violin bow slowly slid across the violin strings. Her head was arched to one side, leaning almost against the violin. Again, the bow ran across the violin strings, making a sorrowful sound of morning. The wind started to blow lightly, as if the spirits themselves enjoyed the melody. As if the spirits controlled the wind, it blew through her hair and seemed to caress her cheek. The melody picked up to a faster pace and there in the middle of the rubble, the small elven girl danced. She danced for love and in mourning of those lost. Her auburn hair whipped in the wind as it blew, almost encouraging her. As she danced, a long chained necklace moved in and out of the v-shaped neckline of her form fitting gray tunic, which had a shirt under it to preserve her modesty. The belt she wore clung to her hips that swayed slightly back and forth to the music she played. The wind seemed to dance with her feet that were clad in tall leather boots that were obviously odd and a bit holy from continuous wear.
As the song came to an end, she bowed her head and the wind even seemed to die down, as if the spirits had been dancing along with her but they were now finished too. Alice sniffled a bit and carefully wiped under her eyes. "Someday you will be avenged and then you will find peace." She whispered with her head bowed. She gave a small smile before she turned on her toes to face where she had once sat and her bag still laid. Beside the old leather bag laid a large black wolf with a red tint to its fur. She smiled lightly as she walked over to the creature and grabbed her bag. The wolf gave a small whimper before standing. With ease, she patted his head without having to bend over, as the canine came up a little past her waist. "Good boy. Stay here for a little bit." She instructed before placing the violin bow in her bag and tossing it over her shoulder. Again, the wolf whimpered before laying back down. Without another thought, she headed into the heart of the city, where there were less traces of the destruction.

In the town she could see things were bustling as normal. A small smile crept onto her face as she walked into the tailoring shop. "Ello" She greeted the older woman before bowing her head. "Greetings, Alice." She later smiled brightly while waving with one hand. The woman was already busy with her regular duties. "May I help you today?" Alice asked while trying to look to see how many orders the woman had for the day. "Deary, shouldn't you be in town with the other bards?" The woman asked in a sweet voice. "They are trying to raise money for the Prince. I am not sure why he is askin for money, but I hear tale of him fighting Cyrodil. I am sure the King is not thrilled about tis at all." Alice gave a concerned look towards the woman before nodding. "Thank you." She said while bowing her head and rushing out of the building.
Without running, but still swiftly, Alice headed for the town square. "Alice my'dear, have you heard?" One of the older bards asked as she came close enough to him. "The Prince is askin for money. Can you believe it? Royalty in need? Ha" She smiled kindly at the elder man, who looked to be in his forties if not older. "I heard he was raising funds to battle Cyrodil." Alice replied while her eyes darted around people, trying to find the Prince. "Aye, I heard the same. I also heard he is recruiting since the King couldn't spare any of his men." He old man gave another laugh before grumbling something under his breath, but Alice wasn't able to tell what he said. Suddenly she spotted the Prince and bowed her head lightly to the old man before rushing over to see what the Prince had to say.

After his speech and the other citizen's protest and complaints, she watched as three men stepped forward. They surely looked the part of warriors where she didn't, but she couldn't help but to think she was made for the adventure. His words made sense, however she was sure that only a few would donate, since most would not have the money to help out. Then again, most of the citizen she knew wouldn't give him money, even if they had it.
As she stood there thinking, she heard another man call to the prince, promising him his service. She glanced over at the guy but did not wait for another to step forward. As quickly as she could, Alice pushed passed people and made her way to the clearing where the first three men stood. "I too promise my service to you." She called while bowing her head in respect. Her eyes then moved up to stare at the prince, hoping she showed bravery.

Setting

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius
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Prince had gathered the few volunteers, made due preparations, and led them out of one of the city's gates. The traveling merchant Hakim was already waiting with his trade caravan, supplies for the journey, several horses, and other members of Prince's retinue.
A look of concern shown on Hakim's face.
"But a few of them carry the status of fighting men..." Hakim said to Prince in private. "The blacksmith? A young girl? A man is remembered by his company, my Prince."
"Even mere pawns can prove deadly when set to purpose." Prince replied plainly. "Soon their numbers will multiply and Cyrodil shall hear the thundering footsteps of an army approach."
Prince paused a moment before he was about to mount his horse Curia.
"Alice." He said to her deliberately. "I keep in memory the few moments I've heard your music at the bardic circles. Even the gods would envy me for it."
"I've made it my creed to protect all those under my banner. But I will not be held liable if you were to witness or fall victim to an unfortunate event. Beyond these walls, no one will treat you as they should a young girl. So neither will I. You will not be coddled."
"You have not seen the evil that men do. People are seldom how we would have them to be."
"I will not hold it against you should you choose to change your mind on joining me. Would you find it agreeable if I advised that it is better to be a wise coward than a brave fool?"

Setting

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Elion Ondovir Character Portrait: Ash
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When the Prince was gathering all volunteers, Alice followed them to the outskirts of the city. At the cities gates she gave a loud whistle and hoped that Kiva would hear. As she waited, her eyes drifted back to the others who were speaking amongst themselves and preparing for the journey. Silently, she prayed they would not panic when Kiva arrived, since he was such a large wolf.
"Alice"Her head jerked in the direction of the Prince before she walked closer to him. Before she had even stepped closer, her guard was up and she was ready for him to tell her to go back. However, she knew she would protest and try her best to convince him that she was ready for such a journey. She was surprised when he complemented her music, and she couldn't help but to smile. It was an honor to be praised by anyone, but more so when it was royalty. His next words were not so sweet to her ears though. Her eyes stayed on the ground as he spoke, her jaw clenched.
"I will not hold it against you should you choose to change your mind on joining me. Would you find it agreeable if I advised that it is better to be a wise coward than a brave fool?"
Suddenly her head jerked up and she stared with intensity at the prince. "With all do respect, sir, I do not find it agreeable." She paused for a second as she heard a low bark before Kiva ran up to her, placing his head under her hand. She gazed down at the large beast with a cheshire cat like grin. "I have a protector and I have skills. I will make this journey with you and I will not expect anyone to look at me as some girl. I will fight like a man and I will travel as well as any of these men." Her eyes moved back to the Prince for a moment, as she tried to calm herself. "Instead of thinking of me as a girl, look at me as if I were just another man."
With that, she headed over to the merchant to see what he had for sale. The large wolf looked to the Prince for a moment, before following being Alice.



Prince and his followers traveled down the road heading North. They were not many, yet Prince occasionally looked back and gazed upon them with a look of pride on his face. His banner blew high in the wind as the sun crept over the horizons. They set up camp by a river, lit campfires, and prepared food.
"We head North." Prince said as he took a seat by his new companions at a campfire. "Days past, I had received message from Lord Thaddeus, the Earl of Larkshire. He will provide aid to our cause where the King and his council have not. I confess I do not always heed their commands. Why should I of those who drive this kingdom to piss and shit? Every leader builds his nation in his own image. The King has grown soft and indecisive. Forever blown in every direction by sweet words spoken in his ears by his councilmen."
"There is talk of rebellion brewing all throughout the kingdom. The Earls are refusing to give their loyalty and homage to the King, yet I would voice no argument with them. The thing worse than rebellion is often the thing that caused it. Opportunity presents itself. Change is often made easier amidst chaos. I would bring order and unity back to this kingdom by force and brandish the memory of my banner on the peoples' minds."
"But first, I would seek to know every one of you personally." Prince said, passing wine to each of them. "What do each of you hope to accomplish by journey's end?"

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Elion Ondovir Character Portrait: Ash
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#, as written by Guest



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That the prince seemed to be amassing a sizeable retinue was heartening to Elion, though in the end, having a larger number of people would slow them in their progress through the forest, as they would be more apt to draw hostile creatures towards themselves. It was also simply the case that more people carried more things, and with increased volume of bodies, there was a greater chance for something to go wrong. And yet the need for expediency could not be the only consideration—much as the elf desired to find his friend, he knew quite well that a dragon was no simple beast to slay, least of all Cyrodil, a creature as much dark magic as reptile. He could not say if such a thing could even be accomplished, only that he would be there to make the attempt.

The group’s progress was halted shortly after it began, by what appeared to be a young woman. The prince addressed her with slightly more familiarity than Elion suspected a stranger would be due, and from their conversation, he surmised that the lass must be a bard of some skill. The points to her ears gave her away as a cousin of his kin, though it seemed to him that there might be some human lineage in there somewhere as well. He’d encountered such people before, of course, though only infrequently. He understood that those without specific place among either humans or elves were often treated with regrettable hostility, and often found refuge with gypsy bands or similar outsiders. From this girl’s manner of dress, that may well have been the same in her case.

Her spirited answer to the prince’s query made him smile, as did the presence of the large, blue-eyed wolf. Were she a witch, he would have called the creature her familiar, and indeed one of such size and nobility would have marked her as a worthy witch indeed. Perhaps the notion still applied to some degree. His pleasant expression fell a little as he contemplated what a journey like this could potentially do to innocence like that, but in the end, he supposed that she must know the risks, and took them of her own free will. Perhaps it was some attachment to the prince, or perhaps simply her own intrepid sense of adventure, but either way, it certainly wasn’t his place to tell her not to come, and he could not help but think that a little music would be most welcome as the miles grew long and difficult before them.

Among his other companions, one stuck out for his sheer size, as well as that of the steed he rode. The man was crowned with quite a length of dark hair, and a beard grew with just as much defiance on his face, obscuring much of it from view. He had a thoughtful look to him that seemed seasoned rather than scholarly. Elion couldn’t help but wish to converse with him, to see if that hypothesis held water, but he knew not how such a person would react to the presence of a wizard. He had met many who disdained his magic—it was a prevalent cultural attitude in Halcion, save among his own people and the fey. He couldn’t blame them, exactly; magic was quite dangerous, especially in the wrong hands. Even so, he did not desire to be looked down upon because of his own. It had taken him no trivial number of years to bring it under his control, to allow it to flourish and bear the fruit of power, and that was not something to be scorned.

Either way, he would not assume that he would be condescended to here, just as he was unable to assume he wouldn’t be.

Nightfall found them camping, their small number arranged about a fire, taking a simple, but delicious repast of the kind of foods one could find naturally in the forest, as well as a brace of rabbits for stew. Elion had left the hunting of them to one of the others, but he had skinned the creatures and cooked them, along with herbs, vegetables, and broth. He did not believe in waste, and was always grateful to nature for what it provided. He’d volunteered to prepare the meal, and was quite pleased with the result—aromatic and tender, it was about as good as camp food got. He’d ignored the comments from one of the trio of first volunteers about womanish work—what about providing for the livelihood of oneself and others was particularly feminine? Or masculine, for that matter? He hardly thought it would have mattered even if it was. He did not find it an insult, to be called a woman, only very inaccurate.

The prince seemed inclined to start a conversation, and Elion was only too happy to oblige. “I do not know if you remember, Highness,” he started amicably, his tones warm if a bit quieter than most, “But we have met several times already, if briefly. Your mother is a dear friend of mine, and has been since her girlhood. While our contact has been only through letters in recent years, she is still my friend, and I owe her much. I hope to pay that debt to you, and recover her in the process.” He smiled slightly, dipping a bit of crusty bread into his stew and chewing it over before he continued. “My name is Elion Ondovir, and I’m what one would call a ‘wizard’ in this tongue, though the word my people would use is a bit different. All I want from this journey is to see that the members of my friend’s family survive it—and that we all do, if possible.”

Setting

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Elion Ondovir Character Portrait: Ash
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#, as written by Sirk
The preparations to leave the city were thankfully quick, if they had been any longer Ash feared that Lightning would have become fed up and made his own way from the city. Ash would have found that funny normally at the moment he figured it would not help endear him to his traveling companions. But thankfully they left the city quickly and without incident. Once outside the city Lightning tugged the reins from Ash’s hand and walked happily beside Ash. Shortly after leaving Ash fell in line behind the three bandits who had joined before him, he was watching studying them he had an idea of what they would do but he wasn’t sure and would not act without details.

So intent on his quarry he almost walked into the bandits he was watching when the prince called for them to stop. Apologizing he took a step back and took a look at the party he was traveling with, it fairly large given how the prince didn’t handle his speech well. Ash’s height let him see to the head of the group where the prince was talking with a young woman. Ash felt a pang of concern for the girl, she was small and did not look suited to the kind of hardships they would encounter on this trip. But Ash kept it too himself, one was free to do what they chose with their lives. Even though he respected her choice to travel he was relieved when she called a wolf to her side. At least she had some protection and even though he doubted the wolf could kill a dragon at least it would keep her safe from the advances of the men she was traveling with.

Shortly after the Prince's talk with the girl they stopped and made camp. After quickly setting up his own tent on the edge of the camp Ash watched as the others hurried around. He ate his own meal not taking partaking in the meal the elf cooked. He had no intention of getting close to those he traveled with, he would find out what the bandits were doing and stop it. After that he wasn’t sure whether he would stay with the group or set out on his own. Being on the edge of the camp he was far from the fire and he was stuck in the cold night air. He sighed wistfully, he missed his forge and the blessed heat it brought. Reaching in to his pack he pulled out a bottle of alcohol. Taking a swig Ash grimaced, his drink was a local moonshine and it was strong enough to paint peel. Had he been anything but a half giant he probably would have thrown up, but he was a half giant and instead of throwing up he felt a warm feeling spread though his chest, it felt good.

Ash approached the fire when the prince called them together. The prince wanted to talk and get to know his companions. Ash sighed to himself; he had been hoping to avoid getting to know those he was traveling with. The first to talk was the elf who revealed he was wizard. Ash was surprised by the revelation, but he felt no distrust towards the elf. Magic was useful and he had good and bad encounters with magic users over the years. One that came to mind was the first time a mage had been sent with a group of soldiers to hunt him. It had been a tough fight he had lost a few men, but the mage had not expected to fight a half-giant. He was arrogant and thought it would be an easy fight, but learned quickly that one should prepare for the worst. Unfortunately it had been a short lesson for the mage ending with his head a few meters from his body.

After the elf spoke Ash decided to speak up “ Your Highness I am Ash the smith. You have probably never heard of me, I am no master smith. I do some work for the army making weapons and army but nothing special. I want to kill the dragon because of a legend I have heard regarding dragons
 They say that inside the bellies of fresh dead dragons there embers that burn hotter than any other fire, I hope to collect some from the corpse and make a name for myself.” Ash said. Falling silent Ash looked at the Prince. The killing the dragon was true as was the legend, but Ash could care less about the fire. He thought it better they thought he was greedy smith rather than who he really was and why he was motivated to kill the dragon.

Setting

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Elion Ondovir Character Portrait: Ash
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Alice Starlight



While the men talked with the prince, Alice sat just outside their circle with Kiva at her side. She could feel the grass against her legs, making them itch slightly. There was a slight breeze that she normally would have appreciated, but with the sun dying, the wind caused a small chill. This too was ignored as she had more important things on her mind. Moving her bag in front of her, she began to to through it to see what all she possessed, which wasn't a lot. She pulled out the leather pouch of treats before handing one to Kiva. "I'm not sure how long we will be gone, gotta go easy on 'em." She explained softly to the wolf while patting his head. The red tint to his fur was not very noticeable in the dim light, but she couldn't help but to admire how soft the fur was. He was the only wolf she had ever seen up close, but she couldn't imagine any others have such soft, almost silky fur. Her hand slid from the top of his head to the middle of the wolf's back, her fingers slowly sliding down the animals long fur. With her hand resting on the middle of his back, she smiled at him, thanking the gods he was at her side.

Moving her attention back onto her bag,she started pulling out items one by one. First was the extra strings for her violin and bow, then a change of clothes that were made of thin material. Silently she hoped they wouldn't come across weather that was too cold, as she would not be prepared. The more she pulled out of the bag, the more she realized she was hardly prepared for the journey at all! For a brief second, Alice considered turning back. This thought did not last long as her determination quickly killed that thought.

"When ye can, find a friend my'dear. That is how we survive." The words echoed in her mind. The faint voice of her "grandmother" was soothing and even if it was only a memory. Slowly, she leaned her head back to look up at the sky. The stars shined down upon her and everyone else, as if the gods were watching them. A small breeze stroked her cheek, making her smile. In her mind, the spirits were reminding her to keep her head up. This thought, as childish as it might have been, made her smile.
With her grandmother's advice in mind, she gazed at the men she was traveling with. She wasn't sure how much she could trust any of them, but the man who cooked seemed nice enough. The extremely tall man almost frightened her with his height, so she doubted she would make friends with him easily.
She listened as Elion spoke and couldn't hide the shocked expression that came to her when he proclaimed he was a wizard. They too were somewhat outcasts from her understanding, though it was out of fear of them unlike the gypsies, who were cast out in disdain. She suddenly had the urge to get to know the man, however she refrained from moving closer at the moment. Slowly she started putting everything back into her bag, still listening to everyone.

With everything back into the bag, she slowly stood up. Brushing off the dirt and grass that had attached to her as she sat, she moved closer to Elion. She gazed down at the ground for a moment while standing before him. Her mind was racing and she moved from side to side slightly, fidgeting. Her anklets chimed ever so slightly with the movement. In her mind, he was on the same level of deserving respect as the Prince, if not higher. He knew the pain she had felt of being an outsider and possibly even being unwanted. It made her have the utmost respect for him, but consequently, also made her nervous around him.
Her eyes stared at the food he had prepared for the group, but her mind traveled to what the other three men had been saying about Elion. She gave a small smile to him before speaking. "I think it is a wonderful that you can cook. It is not a skill many men have." She whispered meekly before gazing up at him. "If there is extra, do you mind if I have some?" Honestly, she felt stupid for asking, but admitting that she couldn't cook would be even worse.

Elion waited patiently for the young woman to speak-- he was somewhat used to engendering nervousness in others, though she seemed not afraid of him so much as... shy? Perhaps reticent. He knew not the reason for it, but in the end he supposed it didn't matter. She would speak or she would not, and either way, he would not put any pressure on her. When at last she did, he smiled, a small, gentle gesture, and nodded pleasantly, immediately picking up a bowl and spooning some of the stew inside.

"Of course you may, Alice. I made enough for everyone, and frankly I'm glad it's appreciated." He did not often hear words of praise or thanks, but then that might simply be because he did not often hear any words but his own. Hermitage had its disadvantages, certainly. He'd noticed the soft clinking of the metal bands around her ankles, and, seeking that she should not be uncomfortable with him-- he never liked it when people were-- he thought it only polite to make an inquiry. "I understand that you're a bard, and with jewelry like that, I take it you must have learned from the Windfolk?" Windfolk was the more polite name for the gypsies that wandered Halcion. They called themselves such because they went where the wind took them, and like the breeze, never lingered too long in one place.


Alice gave a thankful smile while taking the bowl from Elion carefully. Gazing at the food, she was more than thankful for him cooking. "I appreciate this very much so." she whispered, trying to be as respectful as she could. Her bright green eyes stayed on the ground as she listened to his inquiry. Windfolk The word was a delight to hear and her face showed it. "Yes, sir-" she bowed her head slightly as if a half bow. "-I was taken in by a cavern at a young age and picked up on the trade easily." She explained with a bright grin. "That word is so tender and rare to hear, thank you for using it. Many are not very kind to my people--" She finished with a saddened look on her face before she whispered in a low tone that showed sorrow "-nor yours" The expression on her face showed her pain admitting the fact, however she moved her eyes back onto him and gave a small, obviously forced, smile. "I must thank you again for your time and the food."

Elion's smile was tinged with a bit of sadness, but all the same, he nodded thoughtfully. "An unfortunate truth. But please, there's no need to call me sir or anything like that. I've always preferred just going by my name, if that's all right by you. I hope, Miss Alice, that if you ever feel you need help with something along the way, you will not hesitate to ask me. Even those with brave hearts cannot face all their obstacles alone, and I should like to help, where I can." He wondered what she would say, if he told her she reminded him a little bit of Rowan at the same age. Perhaps it was an observation he would keep to himself for now.


Alice bowed her head one last time with a small smile before slowly making her way back to Kiva. After sitting down next to him,she ate the wondrous food Elion had prepared and noticed that the very tall man was now speaking. She caught his name, Ash, and that he was a blacksmith. Silently she wondered if he was the same one all the other shop keeps told her about. If so, he was said to be a loner and didn't enjoy conversation or the company of others. Yet, here he was speaking to the prince and everyone else. He appeared to be the same man. After all, it was hard to miss someone who rose to such height. As she gazed at everyone and listened to their motives for traveling, she thought about her own motives, while continuing to eat. She knew it wasn't for fame or to become something great. 'Windfolk' the word echoed in her mind again, bringing a slight smile to her face. Yes, it was for her people. Recognition that not all were bad and they deserved recognition. They deserved respect, even if it was only slight. After all, it was hard enough being nomadic but to also be scorned and looked down upon wherever you went was nearly unbearable.

When there was a small moment of silence, Alice began to speak. "I wish for a rather simple thing to come from this journey. I hope everyone returns to their old lives safely but also-" she paused for a second while staring a the ground. When speaking to the prince, she knew she should chose her words wisely, which was reason for the pause. However, in seconds, she continued. "-I wish for recognition for my people. Windfolk do not deserve the scorn or hatred they so often receive. I would like to prove us all worthy." She finished with a small smile, as if her words had already brought among some sort of triumph. With that though, she grew quiet and listened for anything to be spoken to her, or about her own wishes.

After finishing the small bowl of food, she scooped up her bow and violin. It was a whim thing and she honestly wasn't even sure what she would play. However, the bow slowly slid across the strings and the melody seemed to just flow right. It was a rather upbeat melody. As she played the wind seemed to pick up a slight bit, making leaves dance around her area. To everyone, it seemed like coincidence, since there had been a slight breeze the entire time they had been camping. As the melody continued, Alice began to dance while playing. It was something she did often and didn't even think about. She moved closer to the fire, where the others sat. She danced around them and the fire, like in the stories of fairies and playful spirits. A smile was perched on her face as she played. Some might find this all rather childish, but Alice did not consider this fact as she was a bard. It was in her nature to play music and dance.

The song lasted a good five minutes or so before she brought it to an end. She ended the song by Elion, since he was the only one she had really spoken to. With the song now finished, she bowed her head to Elion, then everyone else. She huffed slightly from all the movement. It wasn't a full workout but it was enough to leave her slightly winded, which was a good dance in her mind.

"I believe I will retire for the night, if it is all the same to everyone else." She stated before heading towards Kiva. Sitting down next to the large beast, she then scooted and cuddled up against him, laying her head where his shoulders were. His long fur would offer the warmth she needed for the night, or so she hoped as she did not have anything else to use.

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight Character Portrait: Prince Aurelius Character Portrait: Ash
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#, as written by Sirk
What would kill a dragon? Ash tilted his head as he thought about that question. He hadn’t even thought of making a new weapon, he had intended to kill the dragon with his axe but making a better weapon would significantly improve his chances of survival. Some ideas popped into his head, but he had never killed a dragon and most of the materials he thought of were either legends or damn expensive. He shook his head dismissing the foolish idea’s, he wouldn’t even be here that long. He looked back to the Prince but before he could answer the young girl girl spoke up. "I wish for a rather simple thing to come from this journey. I hope everyone returns to their old lives safely but also I wish for recognition for my people. Windfolk do not deserve the scorn or hatred they so often receive. I would like to prove us all worthy."

Ash’s gaze focused on the girl when he heard those words, he felt disgusted. He hadn’t expected there to be a gypsy traveling with them, he didn’t hate gypsies. No, the disgust was at himself over what he had done to gypsies during his years as Black Axe. As a bandit he had often hunted gypsies when there were no merchants or other ripe targets in the area. They made easy prey, soldiers didn’t care and gypsies were not a violent people. Ash put his head in his hand as he thought of how many he had killed or sold to slavery or worse given to his men to ‘play’ over the years he was Black Axe. He felt sick to his stomach, he bent over to hide his face from the group so they wouldn’t see the troubled look on his face, but that didn’t matter the girl took everyone’s attention as she began to dance and play her violin. He watch mesmerized as she danced around the fire, her music was beautiful it had been years since he had heard any music but his own set of pan pipes and he was no bard. He watched mesmerized his own self-disgust forgotten as the young gypsy made her music.

When the girl finished Ash quickly stood and faced the prince speaking quickly “Your highness I wouldn’t know what would kill a dragon seeing as I’ve never killed one. 
 I do have a few ideas but they’re long shots. Ah 
 of course if you come across anything and you want me to make a weapon from it I will be glad to do so. Provided I am still alive and in the possession of a forge.” Turning to his own tent he left without waiting to see if the Prince would say anything.

As Soon as he turned from the group he felt tears fall silently from his eyes. The girl’s song had made him more aware of what it was he had killed. Such joy and happiness destroyed by his hands crushed when it had done no crime but live. As he reached his tent the bottle in his right hand fell to the ground as pain shot through his right hand. Ash stared at it; it was shaking violently the old injury acting up punishing him for what he was. He fell to the ground by his tent far from the view of others. He lay there as the pain in his hand became almost unbearable but he kept his mouth shut he would not call for help, this was his penance. Soon it was over and he stood up picking up his now empty bottle and went into his tent. He prayed he would sleep peacefully tonight but he doubted it.

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Character Portrait: Alice Starlight
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Alice Starlight


Alice laid there, completely relaxed against the large wolf. Though there was a slight breeze, Kiva had moved his large bushy tail across her legs. Kiva had been her companion for almost five years now, but she was still amazed at how smart the creature was. Clothing covered everything except her legs, and he knew that her legs would be cold because of this. On the other hand, it could just be animal instincts that told him to cover her legs because they felt colder than the rest of her. Though this was possible, she liked to think he was very intelligent. There had been other time in her life where he had helped her and it seemed more like intelligence than animal instincts.

After about an thirty minutes, Kiva whined a little before shifting, obviously trying to move without disturbing Alice. She smiled before moving to make it easier on the creature. Kiva whined a little more before getting to his feet and gazing at her with a look that was somewhat an apologetic one (at least, as much as an animal could make). However, him moving did not bother her. She had figured he would have gone hunting long before this. "I don't mind Kiva. Be safe during your hunt." She whispered to the large wolf before rubbing his side slightly. With that, he quickly ran off into the woods to do his regular hunting. Alice grabbed her bag, rearranging the clothes so they would be thicker and hopefully make the bag more comfortable. After a few minutes of working with it, she finally got comfortable and started to dose off.


Alice looked down at the green grass she sat in. She was in a valley of grass and bright flowers. It all seemed very familiar..... It was a memory.
"Ye 'ave learned much in such a short time, Chavi." Baba Puridaia stated while smiling at Alice, who sat in the grass listening intently. The old woman was the leader of the cavern she had been taken in by and didn't know very many words that were in the common language of the kingdom. During the time with the Wildfolk, Alice had learned many of the words they used.
"Devlesa araklam tume. Me dikh zor in tu. Akai is tu own lavuta for tu romipen." The old woman moved her arms from behind her back and presented a hand crafted violin to Alice. The small girl's face lit up with delight as she carefully took the violin and inspected it. She had been using a fellow Windfolk's for the longest. This one seemed specially crafted as she saw spots for special items. The crafting of the instrument was the best she had ever seen.
Tears swelled in her eyes as she knew what this meant. She was now an adult gypsy. Days of being a child were now over and, if she wished, she could now leave to start her own life. "Tu Ves'tacha chey" Baba Puridaia muttered while wiping under her own eyes. Alice quickly jumped to her feet and while being careful of the violin, hugged her beloved adoptive grandmother. "Nais tuke Baba!!" Alice cried while cringing to her grandmother. The old woman patted her back gently before smiling down at her. Though she had only been with the cavern for three years, Alice had learned so much and the old woman had grown extremely attached. However, she knew of the events to come and that she would not be here for the girl much longer.
"Me give tu ruv. Ruv xa mas." With that, Baba turned and whistled a few times. Alice waited with large eyes. She had encountered a few wolves before, though they were wild and tried to attack her. Her heart began pounding against her chest as she waited and looked in all directions. She trusted Baba, but a wolf was a bit different and she was not so sure of. However, if Baba trusted him, she knew she should too. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she saw a large black wolf running in her direction. The sun shined down, illuminating the red tint to his long fur and all fear seemed to fade away. The creature was beautiful and elegant as he ran towards them. His large eyes shined a bright blue and there seemed to be a odd calmness to him. As he stopped in front of Baba, he lowered his head, as if bowing. She petted him lightly before motioning to Alice to move closer. Slowly, Alice moved her hand to the large wolf who came up to her waist. He was easily the largest wolf she had ever seen. Her hand slowly touched his fur and she was surprised at how soft it was. The wolf nuzzled it's head against her hand, which made her tense up a bit. "No worry, chey. Ruv protect." Baba reassured Alice before speaking to the wolf in words that Alice did not understand. Though she did not know what Baba was saying, the wolf seemed to understand completely.

When Baba had finished her speech to the wolf, she turned her attention back to Alice. "Te merav, tu protected." Baba stated in a loving tone before looking to the right, where in the distance a large city could be seen. It was Ingotstone, long before the dragon had attacked. It was the first real 'city' that the cavern had been to since Alice had been taken in by them, and she was ecstatic to see what the city had to offer. In the many towns they had traveled through, they had been greeted warmly by some but scorned and hated by others; though the majority of them loathed the Windfolk.
"Alize, 'ome join us."A young woman called from a small wagon. Alice looked to Baba, who nodded her head, telling her it was alright, and told the wolf to follow her. Alice swiftly made her way to the woman who was a dear friend. "Look look!!" She said, showing the woman the magnificent violin Baba had given her. "Yes, I know. We all berry proud of tu." The woman replied lovingly before moving her dark eyes upon the wolf who followed Alice. "Eh? Who 'this?" She asked with a large smile, glad that the girl now had a guardian to protect her. Alice looked over at the wolf then shrugged. "Baba didn't tell me his name.." she answered, wondering what his name could be. "He is yours now. Name him." The woman stated before turning to the wagon, pulling things they would need to make camp to the front.
Alice stared at the great beast and tried to think of a name that might suit him. "Rikono?" She asked the wolf but the woman behind her scoffed. "He a ruv not a rikono." Alice nodded, thinking that naming a wolf 'dog' was quiet mean. "Hmm...." She thought some more before looking to the woman. "Kiva?" She asked, wondering what she thought. "Kiva? That sound good. What tu think?" The wolf looked at the woman then Alice and gave a small bark, that seemed like it was pleased. "Kiva it 'tis!" Alice cheered while moving her hand to pet the wolf. All the worry she had felt before was now gone as she could 'feel' he was to protect her.
The woman smiled at the girl and her beast before turning and looking back at the cavern. "Ah- we need so much..." she mumbled.
Slowly, everything seemed to fade, though Alice knew there was more to the memory. It was as if she was being pulled away.


"Gag her." A man whispered from the right of Alice and before she could react, a man who stood at the head of her tied a rag around her mouth. She tried to scream, but it was muffled. Since almost everyone else was on the other side of the camp, no one would hear her.
Alice's eyes darted around as she tried to find something to grab, however she realized her hands had already been bound. Her heart began to race as she prayed that Kiva would show up and alert the others. "Good thin shes light, eh?" One man laughed while another tied her feet together. She tried to kick as much as she could, however the man who had been to the right of her put all his pressure on her legs. "Stop squirming!!" The man at the head of her nearly yelled while slapping her hard across the face. "Shut up! Do you want to wake the whole damn camp?" The one at her feet asked in a loud whisper. Alice winced in pain as she could feel the hand print the man's hand had left on her face. Despite this, she still tried to wiggle free and scream. These efforts were pointless. Soon, Alice was completely bound and one of the men had tossed her over the side of a horse. With a note left by the camp for the prince, the three bandits took off.