An Unlikely Proposal

[rissa]

"An island north of Iskiela?" Loros parroted, his face lighting up at the mystery, "Really?! And not from the 13 Melodies?" It was plain as day, the cogs turning in his mind as he thought up another devious plan. "I'm quite familiar with the charters and the maps north of Iskiela, of course, but outside of the Melodies and the frozen bits we claimed half a century ago, nothing should be growable!

"How interesting!", Loros said with a smile, pausing long enough only to take a few more bites of stew. "If we enjoy our travels down south, why don't we travel north, next? After we get things settled in the Melodies? A thesis, perhaps, on unexplored and unchartered waters."

He smiled wistfully, but returned to the matter at hand after half his bowl was finished.

"We'll start easy, of course, with magic." Loros reached forward and placed a hand atop hers, "It can be tiring, so please, don't fret if you need to take breaks. The difficulty rises with age; summoning the magic from within.

"Do you have any inkling on what your innate magic could be? What do you feel strongest about? What moves you to tears or laughter with only the slightest provocation?"

 

[Karo]

Elowen looked adoringly at Loros as he shared his surprise and excitement about the plant. She was happy to have found someone who took as much interest in the world around him as she did. She saw it often in his eyes, typically when they were watching the sunsets on the ship. His eyes would widen and sparkle each time like a child's. Elowen found it endlessly endearing.

"I'd love to explore the north," Elowen chirped. "I've heard that if you go far north enough, you can see the rays of colored lights dancing in the night sky."

Elowen smiled at Loros as he placed his hand on hers. She felt as though he could sense how nervous she was and appreciated the calming gesture.

"Innate magic?" Elowen pondered out loud. "If there's anything that can move me it's the night sky. I find the stars so fascinating."

 

[rissa]

"Heaven's Light!" Loros said excitedly, his smile broad and his eyes filled with wonder, "Oh, Elowen, it's so beautiful— I've seen them twice now —once when I was a child and the moon disappeared from the sky, and once when I traveled north with my professor, because he wanted me to feel how magically charged and enlightened the world becomes under their gaze."

He intertwined his fingers with her own absently, getting lost in his memories and the cadence of her voice, mindlessly thumbing across the back of her hand. It was good that she knew what held her spark— that would help immensely.

"Close your eyes," Loros said softly, his stew finished, forgotten, and pushed aside. "And picture the night sky in your mind's eye— picture the constellations dancing across the evening landscape, the way the moon peeks behind the lazy clouds, and the stars, always so bright, shine and fall for us."

There was a small vibration within their intertwined hands, a thrum of anticipation and joy. Elowen need only reach and grab it.

 

[Karo]

Elowen closed her eyes and focused on imaging the night sky, letting Loros' words guide her like some kind of spiritual mentor. She could see it so clearly, the way the moon illuminated the violet-black sky, wide and round in a sea of twinkling stars. Her favorite constellation, the Wind Nymph, stood out among the rest. Zephyra, the nymph, had been in charge of keeping the skies calm. She did this successfully for many centuries until one day, an unprecedently large storm blew in. She attempted to calm the skies, but as she flew amongst the clouds, she was struck by a bolt of lightning. Her essence shattered into eight pieces that transformed into stars, landing and coming to rest in the night sky. Elowen had always been fascinated by that story.

As she imagined, a warm static feeling crept from her heart, down her arm and out of her fingertips, emitting a sudden yet painless shock. She jumped in surprise, eyes flying open.

"Loros, what just happened?"

 

[rissa]

"Magic," Loros whispered, finding himself thoroughly impressed with her near instantaneous summoning. He could feel Elowen's magic in the palm of his hand, too subtle and too new for him to actually see, but he could feel it— the spark of her blossoming magic.

"Whatever you were thinking of, remember it," Loros said softly, "With how fast you were able to summon even just a spark... the thought, object, desire, or whatever it may be, may be able to become a totem or representation— a physical one —that will help you channel more consistently and efficiently, which will be necessary for more difficult spells and divinations."

He sounded amazed.

"Did that feel comfortable?" Loros asked, testing out the waters before, "Do you want to try something a bit bigger?"