Ilianash 1x1

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

His answer was careful, though she couldn't quite figure out why. She nodded then; she would have been satisfied with just that. It was a relief to know that he wasn't looking out to support anyone; already she'd been forming a plan in her mind of how to make it would. She would pay him, perhaps less than the others, but he wouldn't see the money himself...no, she'd find a way to get it straight to where it needed.

There was no need for that, however, since he didn't have anyone that relied on him.

The fact that he continued to explain a little bit surprised her, and his answer...well, it made her feel incredibly ignorant. Honestly speaking she hadn't had much to do with the elves; she had no particular love of them, but had nothing against them either. Ilia was well aware of the nuisance they could be...but in her mind it was simply misdirected energy and not a trait inherent to any race. She'd seen humans do horrible things too...why blame it all one on race? "Oh...I...I had no idea," she said slowly, though she imagined the look on her face would be unreadable. She felt bad; it wasn't pity, no, more like...that something needed to be done, or perhaps that they as humans could learn a lesson from that incredibly selfless way of living.
"That's...very good of you all. They don't talk much about what good the elves do, as you probably already know. It's...nice to hear something else, for once," she said softly. Not that elves didn't do good things; it was just that no one talked about them. And it wasn't like she had elves that she could talk to herself...they avoided the humans just as much as humans avoided them.

The information Ilia provided was lapped up; or at least, it seemed to be. There was little-to-no change in his expression though she supposed she wasn't really expecting much. About this elf the woman had no idea what to think; all she knew was that this would-be-horse-thief wanted her stallion and had something that the Sheriff would use for leverage. Ilia liked to think that the thought of her pressing charges was enough to scare him into being complaint, but she'd expected a little more resistance from him...no, there had to be something else. A threat that was far bigger than anything she could pose...else he'd be testing the boundaries with her.

Or maybe she was just being paranoid. Ilia really, really hoped that this was the case.

It was at the mention of Molly that there was finally a reaction from the elf. It was subtle, but she could see the trepidation on his face...it caused her to relax. Molly was a hard worker and she knew her stuff, and she was one of the most trustworthy and handy people to have around her farm. When it came to the men, however, she just liked them a little too much. She was one of the staff members who lived off-property, hence why she had her own horse as well.

She didn't much notice his hesitation in following her, and once they were inside she was going to point out a few key features of the barn. Before she could do this, however, the person in question just earlier came in. Ilia's eyebrow was raised at the greeting...oh? She was expecting someone else? Hello, Molly. And I'm doing quite well, thank you," she said politely, knowing it was only a matter of time.

Really, this girl was far too quick for anyone's good.

Molly acted quickly, sidling up to Avanash in a way that had him quite stunned. Already she was attempting to work her magic; that neckline of hers had plunged a little too low for what was generally appropriate for work hours. It was painfully obvious that he was uncomfortable; he was stunned, not at all liking this. Most men hardly knew how to react around the girl, though she had a way of twisting them around her fingers quite quickly. Ilia was glad for his reaction though; it meant that Molly would have to work that much harder...if she was allowed to.

And she wasn't going to be.

"Now now, Molly. You let the man go. You've got plenty of your own and you certainly don't need another," she chastised gently, her words also an indication to what exactly she was like. Molly collected men like pets...and she had plenty of them to do her bidding.

The looks throughout the exchange were not missed, and with each insistence Ilia grew less and less amused. Molly was a sweetheart, but she didn't know when to lay off. "I think that's quite enough, Molly," she said sternly then. Avanash was all but running away from her...and she was still giving chase. "He's here to work and nothing else, alright? I'm quite capable of showing him around myself, as I've got a few specific jobs in mind. But you'll leave him alone, understand? I don't want to have any further discussions about this," she said, her tone clipped and her words curt. Ilia meant business.

She heaved with a sigh; Molly meant well, she really did. "I saw Warrick's horse in town," she said then, knowing that he was one of her favourite wanderers. The girl brightened visibly, for she had withered under the force of Ilia's words. Deflection was probably the best tactic right now, but she did glance over at Avanash...he wasn't out of the woods yet. Molly really was one of her favourites (she'd never admit that though, for it was highly unprofessional) and the woman had been with her for quite some time...but she'd he harsher if she had to.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash stepped up by Ilia as she lectured her employee about not bothering him. The elf didn’t need to be warned more than once about what kind of woman was currently coming on to him. Most men would be happy to pursue that kind of relationship: all the fun and none of the commitment. Avanash wasn’t a one-true-love kind of person. He wasn’t objecting because this was immoral or anything like that. Relationships in general made him nervous, was all.

Luckily, Ilia stepped in and asserted her authority. Her tone got increasingly sharp as she made absolutely sure that Molly understood. The overly friendly girl had been clearly chastised, though the mention of some other partner of hers seemed to bring her right back up to her high spirits. “Yes ma’am.” She replied to Ilia. “I’ll get back to work then. See you around, Avanash.” Cheekily, the girl sent a wink the elf’s way and headed out to do whatever her daily jobs were.

Avanash couldn’t help but let out a relieved breath as she left the barn. “There others like that?” He asked, a bit of worry creeping into his voice. He didn’t want Ilia to think he was scared of anything, but this was not something he was comfortable with. If she kept to her work and he kept to his, there wouldn’t be any problems. He hoped not, anyway. If there were more though…

He coughed to cover up his embarrassment over the experience. He could avoid Molly if it came to that. If there weren’t any others, it would all just be power struggles with other men and that was at least normal, if not pleasant. “Was there uh…anything in here you wanted me to do?” He’d been thrown off kilter by the encounter and was having a bit of a struggle recovering his blank expression. He’d get there soon enough, but right then he felt more vulnerable. Talking about work would be a neutral subject to focus on and perhaps make the heat in his neck go away.



“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For the moment Molly had gotten the hint, though she suspected that she'd try at least one more time. She'd be a little more subtle about it though; woo him into her bed (or worm her way into his, she had no preference) slowly. It would be a challenge for her, a game...unless he was prepared to counter it.

The relief he felt when she disappeared was palpable; she hardly blamed him. There was concern and almost even worry in his voice as he posed his next question, and thankfully she had a good answer to that one. "No, thankfully. There are two other women on staff but one is happily married and the other mostly keeps to herself. You won't have any trouble from them," she explained.
"She's not quite finished with you yet...so be firm with her. She likely won't come on quite a strong, but it'll start out slow. She'll sit with you at meal times, she'll work with you around the farm. Then she'll want to take you into town and buy you drinks; all of it will be harmless. But if you give her an inch, she'll take a mile, you know? Before you know it she'll be in your lap and you won't know what hit you. Just draw the boundaries clearly early on...she's actually quite a nice girl, once you get passed her...habits," Ilia continued. And she would step in if she had to, because the poor thing looked absolutely mortified that this could happen again.

It was clear that he was having trouble recomposing himself, and Ilia didn't embarrass him further by drawing any attention to it. He smartly switched the topic to work, and she ran with the topic.

"At present, no. It's just good to know what's in here; the stables are out that way," she pointed to a large set of double-doors to her left, "and this is where we do most of the sorting and whatnot. In a month's time the calving will start...and you'll be needed in here."

Ilia started walking again, pointing out a few important features; the entrance to the hayloft, the milking room, the gates for sorting the bison. It was fairly normal as far as barns went, but it was all still good to know.

She led him back outside then, and they were overlooking the pastures. "To start with...well, as you can see, we've got a lot of fencing. Last year we had a massive storm and it knocked quite a few bits out, but we haven't been able to properly fix things. Start with what you see here, and then go further...you can borrow a horse for those days, if you'd like, since there is quite a bit of land to cover. Come calving season we'll put you to work with that...mostly its guard duty at night, but you'll have days off. We rotate, but as you can imagine it's an exhausting task. Usually it's just giant eagles and hawks...a few times a griffon has come down...and pray you don't meet one of those. Even Ithildin cowers when they come 'round...and you're not allowed to kill them, cause it's considered poaching," she said, though it was clear that she was rather...conflicted. They were gorgeous, majestic creatures...they should be protected. And yet, they were highly dangerous and a real horrible thing to have coming in for a visit...she'd heard horror stories of entire flocks being devastated.

A sigh escaped her lips, and she shook her head, "Thankfully they don't make it this far very often...we're in a good spot here." They stuck closer to the floating mountains, which were quite a distance.

"That's the mess hall there, where all the food is served," Ilia pointed over to her right, then, to a building just this side of the bunkhouse. "And I think that's it, really...for now, anyways. There's plenty more, but this is all you need to concern yourself with. Anything else you need to know?"

Something else occurred to her then, and for a moment her blue eyes twinkled with mirth. "Oh...and you might want to stay away from that rocky ground on the other side of the barn. The ground is...unstable," she told him, thinly-veiled amusement in her voice. Avanash, of course, already knew this. But just in case...he should probably know for future reference.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash was sure Molly was a nice girl. She was just a nice girl who liked to be very close to people and the elf was not quite so fond of that. He liked his personal bubble just fine, thank you. His head bobbed quickly as Ilia told him about setting limits. The elf was certainly not going to any bars with Molly (Or likely anyone here). His eyes moved to the door she had left through, as if making sure she was gone. They swung back to Ilia soon enough though, as she had mercifully moved topics with him.

Each room was added to his mental map of what the area looked like. The last thing he wanted was to get lost and need to ask for directions. That could get him sent anywhere.

The fences did look in need of fixing. That would be a lot of work but it wouldn’t be anything that he couldn’t handle. “You got wood piled around or is it something I’ll need to get?” Going into town and talking to lumber workers wasn’t too much of a challenge, but it would be easier to have it here already.

His eyebrows rose as she talked about griffons coming to attack the farm. He knew well the stories of what a hungry beast like that could do to a farm. The elf wasn’t too keen on trying to fight one off himself. They were not a creature to mess with. There were stories of brave, ancient warriors who tamed griffons and rode them, but no one in recent history had done so. Most thought that those were just stories. No one was crazy enough nowadays to take on that challenge.

His eyes cast over the distant mountains that floated off by the horizon. The griffon would have to be awfully hungry to come this far.

“Elves used to have to climb up there and steal a griffon feather to prove their bravery. If you presented a feather to the father of the girl you wanted, it showed you were the best choice. They’re supposed to bring you strength and courage and warn you of danger.” He said softly, eyes becoming distant, almost dreamy, as he thought of the old songs. There were many elves who fashioned feathers in their hair to emulate those ancient ways, though the certainly didn’t have any powers. “Legend says if your heart was pure, you could just ask the griffon to share it with you.”

He snapped back to the present and shook his head quickly, casting off the dream and returning to reality. He took note of the mess hall (that was important) and shuffled his feet, wondering when she was going to drop him. At the mention of the rocky ground, Avanash’s feature set into a hard grimace. He doubted he would ever live that particular incident down.

“Yeah. Figured that myself.” He muttered, turning a sour expression to those rocks. They’d betrayed him.

He gave a sigh and looked back at Ilia. “What do you want me doing for the rest of today?” It would be close to a mealtime right then. “And you said somethin’ earlier about washing up. There a place you want me to do that?” He asked, taking a quick glance at his dirty clothes. He really was filthy. It was amazing Molly had wanted to touch him under all the dust.


“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The question of the wood for the fences had her pausing; oh, that's what she'd forgotten. An apologetic smile crossed her face and she pointed towards another building, a small one, on the other side of the barn. "That's the work shed. I don't exactly expect you to fix them with your hands, of course," she grinned a little; Ilia was cracking a joke, "so everything you need is in there. To save time we had wood delivered, but...well, you can see how far we've gotten. If it runs out, we'll get more of it."

To the woman's great surprise, then, he launched into a tale of his own people. Ilia knew very little about the elves, just what people told her (and it was rarely good), but she'd always wanted to know more. As a child she'd been fascinated by them; the odd colour of their skin, particularly the dark elves, had entranced her. It had led her grandfather into a few embarrassing situations, of course, because the mouth of a child was always honest. Ilia had since learned to hold her tongue, thankfully, but she lapped up this information quite eagerly.

He looked distant as he spoke, and she tried not to watch him too carefully; she didn't want him to think strangely of her. "That's fascinating," she said then, genuine awe in her voice. "I've always loved to hear about such things...there just hasn't been anyone around to tell them to me," she said gently and, for a moment, she almost looked a little sad.

If it was even there at all it was quickly gone, however; Ilia was a master at hiding any and all emotions.

They were back to business soon enough, then, and despite all that she did to keep everything in check she just couldn't help but let out a laugh at his rather hostile glare towards those rocks. That sound was not often heard around the ranch, and as it were one of the guys came barrelling passed them on his horse (wingless, of course) and in catching the sound immediately pulled his horse up.

Ilia rolled her eyes. "Keep moving, Sam," she called out, and the young man was off again with a cheeky smile and a tip of his hat.

"That's Sam...he's kind of like my own personal pony-express. He's the fastest rider here, and probably the best as well. He helps out in the fields, which is where he's going now," the woman explained, even if he hadn't asked.

The elf questioned what he was to do for the rest of the day, and she had to think for a moment before shrugging. "Whatever you want, really...well, within reason, of course. At some point I'll have to head down to the other side of the property to get a few things done myself." Which meant that she'd be up for the better part of the night...it was work that was supposed to be done earlier this morning...but he'd kind of thrown a kink into her plans. Ilia always did her best to pull as much weight around here as the others did, if not a little more, and without complaint regardless of the circumstances.

"On the opposite side of the bunkhouse to your room there's the bath house, which is quite secure, I assure you. Molly knows she's not to try anything funny in there," Ilia assured him, figuring it would be on his mind. It was quite clear that there was a separate area for the male and female staff, and that these boundaries were not to be crossed.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash looked over at the work shed as she pointed it out. He might get to work that day if he needed to. He might not have had much sleep and his body might be sore from falling off of a horse and then the ground, but he could pull his weight. At the very least, he might go look out at the broken fences and see just what kind of shape they were really in. That would at least be productive.

When the elf had finished his story, he had been a bit embarrassed for having been caught up in it. He was surprised by how much interest Ilia showed though, having expected the woman to mock him, or at least carry on like it was nothing. It wasn’t part of business after all and that seemed to be what she was most concerned about. He caught the small moment of sadness, though it was brief and Avanash had to wonder if it had been there at all. Why would she be so interested? What did old stories about griffin feathers have to do with anything in her life? It wasn’t her history, her culture. It should have been beneath her.

Her laughter was even more of a surprise, though not quite as much to him as it apparently was to this Sam person. Avanash was getting the impression that Ilia was a very serious person without much time for frivolity. The elf wasn’t much of a party-goer himself, but among his own folk he was at least more relaxed. Avanash had assumed any harshness the girl displayed was because of his presence, but the reactions of her workers was making him think that she was like that with everyone.

He was glad to hear that the bathhouse was secure from the advances of Molly, though that didn’t necessarily mean it was safe from the male workers. He’d have to take that chance though. He wasn’t fussy about being clean, but there were limits even for him. Besides that, if Ilia was going to be out working, this might be a chance for him to look in at the house while others were working in the fields.

A glance up at the sun’s position told him that they were past lunch, but had some time before dinner. Avanash hadn’t eaten at all that day, but he was used to having small amounts of food and it wasn’t too big of a deal. He could wait until 6.

“I want to take a look at some of that fence today. Then I’ll wash up before dinner. That alright?” After a moment, he added, "You don't have to follow me along there. I won't cause any trouble."


“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If he wanted to do work today there was certainly nothing stopping him, so Ilia shrugged. "Sure, if you'd like. If you need anything...ask for Seth, he should be around. Or ask Sam to come and find me, if you see him," she said, though she assumed that everything would be alright; she'd only be gone a few hours, and she doubted he'd want to work after dinner when she was back at it again.

It did strike her as a little odd that he was so eager; she didn't think he actually cared about this place. He wasn't getting paid...honestly she thought he'd take any opportunity to slack off that he could. Unless he was up to something...no, no she couldn't think that. It would be absolutely wrong of her, and he'd blame it on the fact that she saw him as an elf and nothing more. Well, she saw him as a criminal...and she realised that she probably wasn't treating him much like one. Then again...how much trouble could he get up to? There were plenty of eyes and not even Molly would let transgressions slide. When she wasn't around this area Ithildin was always with her, so he couldn't try and lure the stallion away with kind words and treats.

So she figured it would be alright, then.

There was a nod of her head, then, and she looked like she was going to leave him. "Well, I should be going. Believe it or not I've got plenty to do before the sun goes down. I will see you at dinner," she said, turning away from him with a light wave.

Ilia headed back to the other side of the barn, whistling for Ithildin as she did so. The stallion appeared from the other side of the bunkhouse, his mouth still full of sweet, green grass. It was one of the few places right now that had the stuff, since it was colder, but leave it to him to find it. Quickly she saddled him up, and they had taken to the skies once more.

With Ithildin she flew over the ranch, aiming for the other side of it. It was in this flight that she realised how exhausted she was...she hadn't gotten much sleep last night either. She might very well fall asleep in the saddle...no, she wouldn't do that. Hopefully. She shook it out of her system for now, though; there was no use dwelling on it since she had to get her work done first.

Beneath her was the vast expanse of the herd. Despite their ability to fly they generally stayed near to the ground; there was more food that way, after all. There were measures in place to keep them from going too far, of course; because there as always one. Usually a rogue bull or something and, as her luck would have it, it was usually the best one of the bunch.

Before dinner she would move the herd, tag some of the yearlings and make sure the pregnant cows were faring well; she'd re-stock the food supplies if they needed it and she'd make sure that they had ample access to water. Then after dinner she'd have to finish off the tagging, double-check the boundaries and then head back to the barn where there was a horse or two to start backing...and then make sure that the eagles were happy in their roost for the night, and that Ithildin was secure. These things would probably take her well into the night, but it was all just normal for her, really.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash wasn't initially planning on getting real work done. He just wanted to scope out the area before he needed to get busy. There would be places to hide if things got messy. He'd also like to know what kind of damage had been done so he would know how much work would need to go into this. The elf didn't think the sheriff would care much about what work actually got done so long as he got his information. Ilia was the one who cared, since she thought he was actually there to work off a debt.

He watched her call up Ithildin and take off to do whatever it was she needed to. His eyes followed the graceful figure of the Pegasus, envy filling him. It would be amazing to fly like that.

It was not likely to happen anytime soon though, so Avanash scuffed his foot on the ground, kicking up more dust, and headed off to walk the fence.

He wasn't going to get too far along the way. Ilia had said he would need a horse, but a quick look would give him some idea of what he needed. The storm had done a number on these fences, most were barely standing if they existed. Avanash would have quite the task ahead of him.

He brushed his hands over the wood, feeling how tired it was. These fences had stood long and proud over this area, but now they'd withered with wind and rain. They were nothing to the trees they'd once been though. He felt an air or old memories of leaves and roots, forgotten over the years except for an ancient longing to reach.

His hand came to rest on a post that was leaning almost to the ground. A soft breath escaped his mouth as the elf's eyes fell shut. The wood was dead, and there was not much of a presence in it. All the same, it would answer an ancient call.

The elf breathed slowly, letting his own spirit stretch out to find those traces of strength in the grains. Once he had a hold, he coaxed the wood to reach high once again, stretching out to the sky and the sun that once beat down to give it life.

As the magic worked, Avanash pulled the post back to it's position. It shivered as it remembered being a tree, just for a moment. Streaks of green sought their way through the wood to find the ground, memories of roots bringing new strength to the post.

Avanash lifted his hand away, sweat beading at his brow from the brief stint of magic.

It was working though, the green streaks were spreading through the connected wood, creating a web of green veins through the brown. Nothing was about to come back to life, but it would hold up much better now. He would just have to replace the rest when he could. If there are other people around he wouldn't be able to do anything like that again. Hopefully no one would notice this before the wind covered it with dust.

That act had taken more out of the elf than he expected, and he flopped down onto the ground by the post, bumping his head back as he rested.

He sighed softly and looked out over the fields. It would be a long six months there, wandering around these fields, herding the bison... Not getting paid...

He had messed up, and while he needed to keep himself from showing his frustration with everything while Ilia was around, now that he was alone it all came rushing back. A long sigh escaped him and his head came down to rest on his knees. He was practically a slave and it didn't even really have to do with him being a thief. It was a greedy sheriff taking advantage of an elf.

He hit his fist against the ground, feeling some satisfaction in the movement, though it was short lived as a sharp pain ran up his arm.

Avanash rubbed his hand and glare down at the offending rock that had disrupted his brooding.

He grabbed it and chucked it across the ground as hard as he could, a shout of frustration sounding over the empty area and chasing the falling rock.

Only it didn't fall. It bounced once, cracked, and then hovered over the ground, spinning lightly with the momentum it had carried.

Avanash stared in shock, and then scrambled to his feet to chase after it. Could it be?

He snatched up the rock, all anger forgotten as he lifted it up to his face to inspect.

The elf was very superstitious and this find had all sorts of insinuations.

He was turning the silver rock over in his hands when he heard horse hooves coming up nearby. He quickly pocketed the rock to deal with later and looked up at the man who had stopped before. Sam, he thought.

"What you doing, partner?" He was asked in a friendly enough tone.

Avanash was hesitant to accept any kindness from them, doubting its sincerity. "Checking out the fences. Miss Vallen said I'd be working on them tomorrow."

"Bit far from the fence." Sam observed.

"Looking at the distance." Avanash replied evenly.

"Right." Sam said, eyeing him. He shrugged eventually and moved on, "I'm heading back to get ready for dinner. You want a ride?"

Avanash was tired and really could have used the lift, but he didn't trust where it might be coming from. "Nah. I'll be out a little longer."

"Suit yourself." The messenger was gone with a kick of his heels and the elf was left to finger the rock in his pocket.

He took a glance over the fences again and made his way back to the main area to wash up and put on the work clothes he had been given. He wouldn't have time to search Ilia's house before dinner, but after maybe. After she'd gone to sleep, perhaps.

Cautiously, Avanash entered the mess hall, looking for the cook and a place to sit far from everyone else.

Sam caught sight of him and intercepted his attempt to be alone. "Don't be shy partner! Come and join us!" Avanash was not so keen on that idea though and backed away. Sam looked a bit putout and glanced around for an ally to help him bring in the elf. He wasn't a bad guy and he figured this new worker might need a friend. It wasn't everyday an elf came to work with them. Sam wasn't stupid though. He knew not everyone would be happy about their new coworker. He wanted to help out. Avanash wasn't easily helped though.

“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Of course, today would be the day when the herd decided it was going to be difficult. It was supposed to be a routine task; nothing too difficult. Tagging the bison was painless for them, if only a little annoying, but usually they paid her no mind. Apparently this yearling crop was particularly bull-headed, however, because the moment she touched town to reach out and start they had bolted. The herd of the young ones, which was separated from the others for now, went careening towards the other side of the paddock...great. Just what she needed.

It didn't stop there.

Once she had them all in a reasonable place one decided to take a challenge at Ithildin. The winter winds had picked up a little, and since the bison didn't have wings and instead used air currents to fly, stronger winds meant for restless bison. Maybe it was the phase of the moon or something, making people and animals go crazy like this...

The young bull took a running charge at Ithildin, who thankfully wasn't really that much fazed by all of this. He'd been on this farm his whole life too; he was used to these things. There was a bit of a stand-off then as it became clear that the stallion wasn't going to budge. With a flare of his wings the other halted, and Ilia decided to take the opportunity to tag him before things went further. And it was going well...until he seemed to figure out what was going on.

As she was reaching over to snap the tag onto his ear (she was quite quick at this usually; he was just proving difficult to begin with) she'd barely grabbed a hold of him before the bull reared then pulled away, effectively wrenching her from the saddle. Ilia landed on the ground roughly, the momentum sending her scraping across the ground a few feet before coming to a stop. Quickly she stood, knowing that bison weren't like horses and she could easily get stepped on...especially now that the herd was all very much in a collective state of worry.

Ilia watched as the bull took off, sending the herd into a frenzy once more...just what she needed. There was pain in her hip and her shoulder from the impact; her hair was mussed and she knew she was covered in dirt. There was quite a good scrape down the side of her arm as well...which meant the staff would know she'd run into some issues. Great.

Climbing back onto Ithildin she decided to start with the other side of the herd; she needed to get this done.

It was pretty much around six that she finished, and Ilia knew she was going to be late for dinner. She was pretty much dead on her feet; the fact that she'd been unseated so easily probably had more to do with the fact that she'd not really slept last night than anything. Thankfully she had actually gotten some of it done, though the herd was definitely still in a state. When she finally walked through the door in the mess hall she looked in such a state that not even Mary gave her a hard time about it.

She was the last into the room and she saw that Avanash had done his very best to be alone. She acknowledged him, then, but as she got her food she didn't sit with him; he wasn't here to make friends, after all, and he was a grown man. Elf or not, most of her staff were pretty good and wouldn't think too much of it. New workers were generally integrated fairly quickly; of course, she'd never had an elf on the station before.

With a sigh she plopped herself into a chair beside Seth, who was also sitting away from the others on the end of the room. "You look like hell," the man said as she sat down; there was no emotion on his face, but she knew he was amused.

"I think there's something in the water," she muttered, digging in. When she was finished eating she'd go and talk to Avanash; sitting in the chair just further accentuated her tiredness. She kept an eye on him though, knowing that he could sneak out at any second...and she was also keeping an eye on Molly. The woman was throwing him glances but nothing more just yet; hopefully it wouldn't come to a head.

In her observations she also spotted one of the other men, Derrin...and he wasn't exactly looking too pleased that there was an elf around. From where she was sitting Ilia gave him a hard look; Derrin was a harsh man, but he was a good worker...he out of all of them would probably cause problems, but she was hoping that he'd be professional enough to at least keep his distance. As he caught her gaze she saw him frown but turned to his meal and those sitting around him; well, at least she'd not have to worry about it right now.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Sam, for reasons that were beyond Avanash, ended up bringing his food to sit next to elf and spent a good portion of the meal having a one-sided conversation. He managed to coax out the elf’s name and draw out some dialogue on different jobs Avanash had done, but for the most part it was all the messenger.

Avanash’s eyes were inevitably drawn to Molly, though it was mostly to make sure the woman was not about to approach him like Sam seemed to be doing. She was looking at him, but seemed to be occupied with her own food. There were others in the room that he sensed were not happy, but for the most part people seemed tired and absorbed in their own foods. It wasn’t going to last, Avanash knew, but for this night at least, no one quite knew why he was there and wouldn’t cause too many problems.

Friends of Sam’s joined them and they chatted around Avanash until he decided he wanted to make an escape. He said a quick good bye and handed off his dishes into the receptacle by the cook. Then he slipped out into the night. He wasn’t sure exactly what to do then though. It would be good to go and look in Ilia’s house, but he couldn’t be sure exactly how long she would take to eat and what she might do afterward. If she had more work to do after dinner, then he could search plenty. If not though, he might get caught and things would get worse.

Everyone else was eating though, so it gave him some chance to look around without worry about running into anything. He ended up walking around towards the house, looking into the outskirts so he could find easy ways to sneak in. Ostensibly he could just be going for a walk around the area.

He didn’t get far though, as a large hand grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.

“What’re you doing, pointy-ears? Hope you’re not thinking of sneaking into Ilia’s house.” It was a gruff, falsely friendly voice. Avanash turned around, breaking free of the hold to see who it was and shaking his head quickly to deny that idea.

It wasn’t a man he had been introduced to, but he held him up long enough for a big man from the mess hall to come join them. Derrin sneered at the elf and stepped up next to the other man. “Jesse, did you catch a thief?” He asked the man who had grabbed Avanash.

That was true, but the elf would rather they not know that. “Not sure, Derrin. Seems to be a sneak. Found him creeping around the house.”

“They’re all thieves. What you here for, elf? Stealing some pretty jewelry or something?” Derrin walked forward, using his weight and presence to try to push the elf back.

Avanash glanced around for an escape route and then set his feet in the ground, not allowing the two men to push him any further back. “Ain’t stealing nothing. Just walking after dinner. Which you’d best get to, I hear the cook don’t like people being late.” He nodded to the one named Jesse. He glanced at the mess hall, wondering how much time he had before Ilia came out. He didn’t want to be rescued by a girl. “Don’t need no trouble now. Just walking around.”

“Sure you are.” Derrin muttered, walking forward again.

Jesse squinted at the elf and then said, “Wait, I seen you. I heard about you in town. Horse thief, they said.”

“That so?” Derrin asked. “Well, then Jesse, I’m not sure this elf knows his place. Think we should teach it to him?”

Before either of them could try to grab him, Avanash kicked the ground with his foot, whispering a soft prayer to the wind to help him out. A fairly large cloud of dust rose up from his foot, smashing into the two men and sending them coughing for just a moment. It was all the time the elf needed. He darted into the shadows of the house, away from the two larger men and crept around the side to find an entrance. They wouldn’t search for him inside the house…hopefully.

He could hear them coughing and swearing outside as the dust settled again, the small spell having run its brief course. The elf hid away from the windows where they wouldn’t find him if they just glanced inside.



“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

((Back from Hong Kong. Also rather tired. So if something doesn't make sense there, sorry. xD))

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dinner was rather uneventful. Ilia kept a casual eye on the elf, just to make sure that the others didn't give him trouble. She noted how Sam made it a point to go and sit with him; he was a nice young man, she had to admit. He suited his job particularly well, if only because he was so personable. He was a bit of a heartbreaker, from what she understood; the girls in town absolutely adored him but he never gave anyone more than a few moments of his time and a heart-stealing smile...she did have to admit, though, Sam was one of her favourites. He was an orphan too, and she very much saw him as the little brother she'd never had.

As more workers poured in Sam was surrounded by his usual group of friends, and so consequently was Avanash. Ilia did have to admit that it was rather amusing watching the elf; he clearly wasn't wanting any of the attention he was getting. Either Sam didn't notice or he didn't care, though eventually his new friend (because that's what he would be to Sam, whether he liked it or not) took it upon himself to leave. There was a moment when she thought that maybe she should follow - he didn't exactly have the greatest track record when he was alone on her farm, even if it had only been a day - but Seth directed a question to her that opened up a topic that needed her attention. Consequently she didn't notice how Derrin got up and left; though it wasn't abnormal for him to be finished early, she might have thought something of it this time.

"Well, I should get back to it. Ithildin should be finished his dinner and those yearlings aren't going to tag themselves," she said with a nod, standing up and depositing her dishes so that they could be cleaned. The woman was exhausted but there was not much she could do about it; she needed to get this done.

Outside she came across a rather interesting sight; at first she thought something was wrong. "What's the matter?" she asked, the urgency in her voice a contrast to her otherwise calm appearance.

The two men exchanged a look, causing her to frown. "Nothin', Ma'am. Just making sure we ain't got no problems with the new...staff," Jesse replied.

Ilia studied them a moment. "Don't you two go stirring up any trouble for me, alright? You know I value your work, but you also know that there are lots wanting to try their hand at working here," she said sternly, her meaning quite clear.

It was a real threat, and they knew it. Ilia didn't fire people lightly, but she had a point. Derrin snorted, obviously put out by her defence of the elf. "An' if we catch him doing something we just supposed to stand and watch?"

"Of course not, but you mind your own business. I don't want you assuming he's up to something unless he's clearly doing something wrong. Is that clear?" The men grumbled a response and she sent them on their way, though Ilia knew she was a fool to think that this would be the last of it.

A sigh escaped her lips and while she knew she needed to get back to work, she realised that she needed something from the house first. It was her safe haven; the place where no one else disturbed her. Upon entering the front door she closed it and leaned her back against it, allowing the fatigue to wash over her a moment. It was going to get colder as the sun went down and she knew she'd be out long after it set; she needed a coat.

Peeling herself from the door she moved through the main part of the house to the back where her bedroom was; it was out of the way and down a few, twisting hallways. Once her coat was secure she decided to go into the kitchen then, to pack herself a snack...being hungry wouldn't help her any, and she knew she'd be out there a few hours at least. There was a cat that joined her then; a stray, really, but it seemed to have adopted her after her grandfather had passed away.

"Hmm...suppose I should feed you, eh cat?" she asked, and gained a good few meows in response. It twisted its body around her legs then, purring and mewling; she knew she'd not get away without feeding it. "Everybody wants something," she said with a sigh, but pulled out some cat food nonetheless.

It occurred to her, then, that the cat had been outside this morning and she hadn't left anything open in the house for him to have gotten in, and it hadn't come in with her. Call it paranoia, but she couldn't help but wonder...the cat could have gotten in on its own, but she didn't see how. "How did you get in her, eh buddy?" she asked, glancing around the room, but seeing nothing. Ilia proceeded to move around the house, checking windows and doors...she didn't think anyone would have come in, so she checked the usual safe places just in case...nothing was missing, so far.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash wandered about in the big house once he was sure the other workers were gone. He knew what he would say if Ilia came in, but for now he wanted to see what he might find that he could tell the sheriff about. Ilia had only shown him the way to her grandfather’s rooms and this was a large establishment. He didn’t know where her room was or anything else of importance, so he was going to have to look by himself.

His footsteps were silent as he made his way around. He wished he could make himself invisible like the hunters of old were said to be able to do. They could bend the winds in some way to hide themselves. That art had been lost to the westward push though. Avanash wished he knew of a way to find those old magics but he did not know of one.

He wasn’t planning on stealing anything, just getting acquainted with the area. He found his way into what must have been someone’s study based on the number of books and papers around the desk. The elf crept around, glancing at the decorations set up. There was an old painting of a family. He had to assume the woman was either Ilia or Ilia’s mother standing next to an older gentlemen.

Avanash drifted past the painting and over to the papers on the desk. Those probably contained important information, but the elf had a bit of a problem there that he bet the Sheriff hadn’t really considered. It was something the richer end humans tended to take for granted, after all.

Avanash couldn’t read.

He’d never been to school or had any real need to learn. He knew his numbers and some of the letters, but it hadn’t ever been necessary to learn. The elf had started work as soon as he was big enough and never really thought about learning. Now he wished he had.

Abandoning the study, Avanash found himself walking down a back hall. He didn’t dare turn on any lights, but his eyes adjusted well enough to see the walls and not trip. He found himself entering the kitchen and spotting a cat eating dinner. He ignored it at first, but then realized that the cat had to have just been fed, which meant that someone else was in the house. That someone was probably Ilia.

He could keep sneaking around—he really hadn’t seen much yet, or he could make a quick escape before she noticed he was there. That seemed like the best idea, but as he started for the back door he heard voices outside. It just seemed like a crowd leaving dinner, but it was a large amount of witnesses to his trespassing. He scrambled back the other way and tried for another exit.

On his way, he caught sight of his boss’s skirts and inwardly cursed. He was stuck. Making a quick decision that he was probably going to regret, he stepped up behind the girl and gently tapped her shoulder. If he announced his presence, maybe he would get in less trouble.



“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The more she moved through the house the more she felt like there was someone else here, even if her search was proving fruitless. There was little of actual value in here, of course, and anything that was was well-hidden. In her grandfather's room there was a safe that housed some important documents - the deeds to the land and whatnot - and most of it was stuff she hadn't bothered to look through. There were a few family treasures locked away as well; her grandmother's wedding ring, a necklace that had belonged to her mother. Sure they would earn a pretty penny in a market, but really they were trinkets. Common things, almost; hardly rare jewels.

Still...Ilia knew that there were people that wanted her property. They wanted her to fail, which was why she was working herself to the bone. To prove that she could do it, that they were all of them wrong.

The woman had made her way back to where the cat was, for her snacks for the evening were in there. She had decided that she was just being paranoid; that the cat had found a way in or perhaps slipped in behind her when she wasn't paying attention. He did have a way of sneaking about; that's how he'd gotten in in the first place.

However, just as she began to feel that things were alright, there was a tap on her shoulder.

If there was one thing Ilia absolutely hated, it was being caught off-guard. A sharp, startled gasp was drawn in and she whirled around, eyes wide and blazing as she sought her assailant.

Oh. It was just Avanash.

And then 'just Avanash' suddenly became a worry for her.

Perhaps, over the course of this day, she had somehow forgotten that he was in fact a criminal. She wasn't paying him; she wasn't here to coddle him. To make him happy. He was here not as an employee but to pay off a debt; one that he would rather not be paying. And, recalling their conversation from the night before, he knew of the rumours and the struggles that she likely endured because of them. Was he perhaps seeking to find a weakness? To knock her feet out from under her and have his sentence reduced?

Lips were pressed into a thin line, and it was clear that she was, at the very least, apprehensive as to why he was here. Ilia didn't want to assume the worst. She didn't want to lump him in with those of his kind that often resorted to criminal behaviour, even if he had already proven that he definitely had those tendencies. She didn't want to be like everyone else...in any way, shape or form.

"What are you doing in here, Avanash?" she asked then, blue eyes studying him very carefully, "Please, please do not make me regret my decision to treat you as one of my workers, not as a common criminal. I really don't want to see you back in the hands of the Sheriff." There was no accusation in her tone, but there was perhaps a warning. Her words were at least sincere; she didn't want to see him in the cells, where she knew he wouldn't be treated well at all. His life here wouldn't be easy; none of theirs were, but a least he'd have a warm bed to sleep in, warm meals and decent food, and a place to wash up. It was much more than he'd get in prison.

[Ellentasia]

Avanash Lightfoot of the Willouik Tribe
“No soul that aspires can ever fail to rise.”
–Annie Besant

Avanash didn’t know what he expected Ilia to do when she found him in her house. Maybe scream and send him to the sheriff. Maybe just kick him out. Aside from the surprised look (he had snuck up on her, after all) she didn’t seem horribly irate. Apprehensive, yes, but not really angry. That was at least something. Maybe he wouldn’t be in trouble. Not much, anyway.

He found it odd that she didn’t really want to send him back to the Sheriff. Why not? He wasn’t really her problem. Whatever might happen to him there was not her concern. She certainly wasn’t short-staffed. Extra hands were useful on a ranch, but not necessarily required here.

She hadn’t accused him of anything yet, but he felt the implication in her words. If he was up to something, which he was, there would be a reckoning. The woman was probably waiting for him to screw up. He understood that well enough.

“I was lookin’ for you.” Avanash answered, a frown setting on his face. “I figured you’d come back here after dinner and it would be better to wait here for you.” The elf hadn’t stolen anything, and as far as she would be concerned that was the end of his intrusion into her living space. “I was gonna tell you the fences closest to here should last you another few years, but you’ll be wanting to replace them after that. Maybe before. I checked ‘m out. And I was wondering if you had small tools that I could use. Polish, chisel, that sort of thing. Stuff will stand up better in the wind if it’s carved right.” More importantly, he could polish out the rock he’d found, but he didn’t want to mention that just yet. It was in his pocket and might look stolen, which it was, and Avanash didn’t want it taken away.


“That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendor in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.”
-William Wordsworth

[Elenielle]

Ilia Vallenxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The apprehension in her eyes softened as he explained himself, though it didn't fade completely. She was still cautious, after all; she didn't like people in her house uninvited. She didn't usually lock it; it was a general rule that they didn't come into the house without being invited. This was her one safe haven, and she would like to keep it that way. Her grandfather never let workers into his house period; it was a change that she'd even let them in at all.

Ilia heard him out, finding it still a little strange that he was in her house, but she supposed it couldn't be helped.

Finally she relaxed, a sigh escaping her lips. She was a little surprised that that much of the fence was alright; perhaps she needed to actually take a good look at it all herself. She had just assumed that it was all ruined. "I guess I didn't do a very good job of showing you that before," she admitted then.

Without saying another word just yet the woman moved, picking up her coat and putting the food into a side pocket for later. "C'mon, I'll show you where all that stuff is. Next time...talk to me at dinner, alright? And it's generally a rule that people don't come into the house uninvited. Which I supposed I didn't really say, either," she said, though she felt as though that was a given. Maybe it was a cultural thing? She had no idea.

Leading him out around the opposite side of the barn to where they'd been before she showed him the tool shed (she thought she'd pointed it out earlier, but she supposed they hadn't actually seen it). Not wanting to leave any loose ends she pushed her way inside, pulling the string to flip on the light. "Here...the tools are all over on the left, and everything else is...well, everywhere else. I haven't had a chance to come in here and organise it, or get anyone else to. It's not too bad...well, not bad enough to warrant my attention right now, at least," she said with a nod.

Ilia went from inspecting the space in front of them and turned her attention back towards the elf. "Anything else? I'm heading to the far side of the property again and I won't be back until late, so I probably won't see you until breakfast." Tomorrow she'd sleep in a little...which just meant she wasn't getting up to do any work before breakfast, like she usually did.