Sense of Self

The Silver Mage

The abrupt thud of knocking is what awakens Evanora the following morning. Disoriented, she blinks away the crust in her eyes and cranes her neck to get a rolling crack from her upper spine. With a shiver, she leans up and stares in confusion at the unfamiliar room she was waking up in. It took several seconds, but slowly, she began recalling the events of the night prior.

The walls had changed in color and were now a dark neutral blue that was easy on the eyes, and she had hung some handcrafted chimes and charms made from vines and threaded crystals over a body length mirror on the wall. She had filled her closet with her clothes and put her empty suitcase up in the top for safekeeping. She had also placed crystals and various colored candles on the top shelf of her desk, as well as stacked some of her books across horizontally. She had laid down a fur rug beside her newly fitted bed, which was now clad in pale lilac sheets and a hand quilted blanket with unique oriental silk patterns stitched into it. A decorative violet curtain was now hung over her head as well, acting as a gentle hug to her headboard and the beading and lacework giving a comforting regal air to the room.

Another series of knocks has her head snapping to attention, and her mind catching up to the reason why she had awoken in the first place. Now in a hurry, she scrambles from her blankets and blinks down in realization at her frilled cotton nightgown. Cursing to herself, she rushes to her closet and calls to her visitor.

"Just a moment!" Pulling the gown over her head, she pulls another of her blouses from the closet and replaces the discarded garment with it. Quickly, she pulls it as far down her stomach as it would go before retrieving an ankle length sapphire skirt with silver patterns embroidered into the frills. Now at least somewhat presentable, she scampers to her door and pats down her wild mane of hair before taking a breath and opening it to greet her guest.

To say she had guessed what was awaiting her was a stretch. When the door swings open, she's met with pressed, high-end black jeans and shiny shoes cocked with one hip jutted in a waiting pose. A rather expensive watch jitters as the hand holding it taps away at a phone screen absentmindedly. The mocha wrist beneath it leads back to rolled up sleeves at the elbows of a charcoal gray button-up shirt, which was undone at the first few buttons for a more casual look to the formal piece of clothing. With silvery white locks tied back into a half ponytail this time, save for the wispy strands over golden pierced, pointed ears and framing tired eyes, the unbothered expression of the last person she ever expected blinked down at her.

He had flicked his gaze away from his phone, seemingly to size her up. Her rushed preparations were apparent in her wild ebony locks as well as her bare feet and otherwise comfortable wear. Or so he assumed.

"I assume I woke you?" he comments, nodding to her garb and clicking a button on his phone before placing a hand in his pocket and holding the device more idly in his other hand.

She blinks in confusion, stammering and looking down at her feet as she plays with her hair. "S-sorry... um, I wasn't expecting anyone to come by," she explains.

"I'd be surprised if you were," he counters. Placing his phone in his pocket, he extends a hand to her expectantly. "Balthier Corsair, reigning valedictorian of this year's juniors," he states matter of factly. "We'll be attending the same classes for the remainder of the year."

Bowing her head slightly, she accepts his hand. After giving a curt shake, he turns her hand to examine her oddly painted nails before quirking a brow and releasing her.

"Evanora Ravenscroft," she returns. "Is there something you needed of me?"

He raises his brow and gives a surprised turn of his mouth, fixing his head slightly. "Needed? Well, if you consider going to class a necessity..."