1 - Daughter Of The Storm

09 - The Dreamer

1st day of the scythe season 2447

Fayne stared at Azéna with displeasure. She opened her mouth to speak, but she preferred abstinence to protest. Her friend was eating like a starving barbarian. It had been so long since she had had a meal she enjoyed that she couldn't help but devour everything she could get her hands on. The difference between their gastronomic tastes was, at that moment, very obvious. The Kindirah's plate was filled with meats, cheeses and appetizers while Fayne's was resplendent with vegetables, fruits and pasta.

"One day you're going to get sick," warned the brunette.

Azéna stopped her frenzied gluttony and looked away from her dish to her friend.

"I'm still young. We have to make the most of our youth, if you don't remember what it's like," she chortled. "Besides, my best friend is an herbalist. I'm sure she'll find a way to save my stomach."

Fayne seemed quite unimpressed. Her interlocutor let out a sigh. She knew that what she had just said did not make sense. It was necessary to prevent, not to cure.

"I'll eat like a rabbit when I have forty years behind me."

"If you live that long. That's not going to stop the disease from driving you to your death," Fayne replied calmly, slowly enjoying her lettuce leaf.

When the aeromancer opened her mouth to protest, someone stole her chance.

"She's right, you know," said the boy sitting across from Fayne.

Azéna hastened to take a look at the stranger's plate and noticed with horror that it was identical to her friend's in addition to bark.

When she examined his face, she opened her mouth, completely speechless. Since she didn't know him by his first name, she used his last name:

"Murkwan," she finally spat out while pointing at the elf.

The two ladies had not noticed him during the whole ceremony, unless he had arrived late.

"Excuse my rudeness," he said, smiling weakly. "I should not have interfered in your conversation."

Once again, Azéna tried to speak, but was cut off.

"It's nothing," Fayne replied, ignoring her friend's glare.

She paused briefly to observe the boy with forest green eyes and long mint hair, a portion of which was tied back in a ponytail. She noticed that his ears pointed at a lower angle than the moon elves' and were full of piercings.

"Oh, you're an elf," she confirmed for herself.

"Well seen," he answered, smiling softly. "More specifically, I am a sylvan elf. My people have very long ears contrary to the gray elves and the moon elves."

He blushed slightly.

"Excuse me. My name is Teriondil Murkwan. You have beautiful hair. I rarely see wavy hair where I come from."

He squeezed Fayne's hand as her cheeks began to turn pink. It was rare for a boy to compliment her and it embarrassed her every time.

"I'm Fayne of the Litf...ow House."

Before the herbalist could finish, Aéna interrupted her by raising her voice:

"We were in the middle of a discussion!" she grumbled.

"I'm sorry," Teriondil apologized, taking his hand away from Fayne's.

He didn't seem to be disturbed by having bothered the two girls. On the contrary, he remained serene.