[PLOT] Little earth angel in the Great Tree (Lily & Rais)

[Menelie]

As she approaches the Great Tree, Lily gapes at its enormity. It's even more magnificent up close! Lily stands staring at it for a moment, breathless. She feels a little tug at her heartstrings--she belongs her, she's sure of it. Smiling and with a skip in her step, she makes her way inside.

Once inside, Lily must take another moment to gape. It surpasses anything she coeuld have imagined! It's like a beehive of busyness, and she almost becomes dizzy watching the Faun go about their daily routine. She runs her fingers through her hair a few times to straighten what the wind outside had disheveled, and sets about to exploring. She doesn't want to disturb anyone, and stopping to chat might destroy this moment.

She makes her way around the base of the Great Tree, and finds a set of stairs winding up the trunk. The way the Faun lived in harmony with the tree itself is amazing to Lily, who runs a finger along the wall lovingly as she walks. So enthralled with the beauty and wonder of this place, she doesn't notice the stares.  

[Teigra]

The Faun, all residents of Laisidhiel, attempting to go about their routines, some prepping and packing away supplies for the storm that was building strength outside, stared at the stranger. Some whispers traveled from lips to ears, growing to create a soft murmur that filled the base of the Great Tree. A strange Pae indeed, but certainly no Faun...what was she doing here?

The murmuring grew, almost like a low rumble...no, wait...

It would take something powerful indeed to shake Laisidhiel herself. She stood tall and strong as she had for centuries, however, a slight rumble could be felt through her fibrous timber. The vibration grew, low enough at first that one might believe they imagined it completely...to a definitive, trembling motion in the floor of the Great Tree itself.

Busy with checking the arms preparation and weapons storage, Rais had been preoccupied with his duties for some time now. It wasn't until Laisidhiel began to whisper in his ear with concern, an intruder, one with wings... Rising immediately to his full height, the Faun Chieftain wore a frown as he whirled towards the exit of the storage room, galloping off for the main hall without bothering to set aside the bow he'd been restringing.

His hooves pounded along the floor, sending vibrations rippling outwards from his path and announcing his impending arrival. He emerged from beneath the base of the stairs that wound their way upwards, green eyes narrowed and scanning the room to identify the threat to his home and his people.

It wasn't hard to locate her. Even with all the extra Faun taking shelter from the storm, of all sizes and coat colors, her wings stood out clearly above the crowd, even if she herself wasn't all that tall or imposing. She had wings...like leaves? It gave the Faun Chieftain pause, if only for a moment, before his protective instincts took over once more. She was no Faun. Therefore, she was an intruder in the ancestral home of the Faun.

Reigning in the instinct to strike first and ask questions later, Rais slowed his pace, taking slow, deliberate steps towards the intruder, his expression grim. Never underestimate the enemy...not even the young ones. Not a mistake he'd be making, not this time...

"What is the meaning of this?!?" His voice carried easily over the hall, amplified by Laisidhiel's natural acoustics...or maybe that was just the magic of the connection between the two.
 

[Menelie]

Lily whirls around as she hears strong hoofbeats behind her. Normally the sound of hoofsteps is comforting to her. It reminds her of Father. But these weren't Father's soft clop-clop steps on a dirt floor. These were purposeful, angry, galloping steps.

She finds herself face-to-face with a very tall, very decorated, very powerful-looking Faun. And he did not appear happy with her. Lily bites her bottom lip and blushes. She hadn't realized she'd needed to ask permission to visit the tree. "I-I'm sorry," she begins, trying and failing not to stammer. "I didn't mean any h-harm...I just wanted t-to explore."

Lily suddenly realizes she should have brought some kind of proof of her connection to this magnificent Tree. She realizes, belatedly, that she must look very strange among all the Faun. "I feel, um, drawn here," she says, blushing even more deeply. It had sounded much better in her head.  

[Teigra]

Rais almost snorted, halting to stare down at the teen with derision and disbelief. Arms crossed over his chest, bow still in hand, he raised an eyebrow at her protests. No harm meant? Yes, so said the Blood Pae many centuries before...and that had turned out so well for the Faun.

He wouldn't be easily fooled.

"And your explorations just happened to bring you here, I suppose? Oh yes, completely plausible," the irate Chieftain commented snidely. Drawn here, she claimed? Ha! Only Faun would be drawn to the Tree, as she so put it. Obviously, she was a liar as well as a trespasser.

With a glare that would wither a newborn sapling, Rais rephrased his question to the strange Pae. "I ask again: What is your purpose here? You had to come here with some purpose in mind. What intentions could a Blood Pae have that would bring you to Laisidhiel, the ancestral home of the Faun?" Eyes focused on the young Pae, Rais listened carefully for her answer. For all he knew, she could be a spy of some sort, sent because her appearance would be taken as unassuming, allowing her access where other Blood Pae may not tread. At the first sign of deception, lies, even just a hint that her motives were less pure than she led him to believe, Rais was prepared to evict her from the Tree and back out into the building storm.  

[Menelie]

Lily begins to blink back tears as the tall Faun tears into her. She isn't a bad person, she's sure of it, and she knows she didn't mean to upset anyone, but having him yell at her like this is making her feel like she'd done something awful.

He'd misunderstood her words, she can tell, but she isn't sure how to correct him without making things worse. Not that it seemed things could get worse at the moment.

Her expression changes when he calls her a Blood Pae. It was like, a stumbling backward. Her eyes widen in surprise and her brows furrow with confusion. "A what?" She asks, tilting her head to the side a little. "I'm not a Blood Pae, at least, I don't think I am....I don't even know what that is."

He'd asked about her purpose. Did she really have a purpose here, other than to find out about this half of her lineage? She wonders if she'd told Father where she was going, if he'd have warned her not to. Maybe he'd have known this is what she'd face. Maybe he'd have come with her, been proof that she belongs here. Lily bites her lip. No, this was something she needed to do on her own.

"I..." she begins. "I've been here once before, as a baby," she says. "I don't remember it, but Father tells me stories, about how there was a gathering of all the Faun, and a call like an invisible thread pulling at his heart. He said that we felt it too, my sister and I, since we got all fussy when it happened." She takes a deep breath. "My name is Lily, and I have been dreaming about this place ever since I was small and heard the stories about the gathering. I...I don't know why I decided to travel through the wind and the rain to be here today, but I know that the closer I got, the stronger the pull was. It was almost like the Tree itself beckoned me onward." Lily blushes.

[I'm operating under the assumption that Rais' call to the Faun to take shelter in Laisidhiel went out and reached her.]  

[Teigra]

Still wearing a skeptical expression, Rais had to take a moment's pause. Something didn't seem right here; not if the girl were supposed to be a spy, at least. If she were a spy, she wasn't a very good one, rambling on like that. Did spies cry? Maybe only the good ones. Hmm...

Despite his hostile posture, however, Rais was starting to feel just the slightest bit awkward. The child looked like she was about to burst into tears; and he, towering over her in a threatening manner, as if about to beat her to death. Even if she were some sort of deceptive threat, he'd never bring himself to strike a child. There were other ways to deal with problems. Something else was bothering the Faun Chieftain anyway.

Somewhere, something in her rambling explanation rang true.

Even if he didn't want to believe it.

Rais took a deep breath, exhaling slowly in an obvious effort to relax his posture...somewhat. "Your confusion seems genuine. If you are an agent of treachery, you're not a very well-informed one," he muttered the last part, thinking that perhaps such a public audience might not be the best place to begin spreading word of deception and suspicion. Not yet.

He cleared his throat loudly, then lowered his arms, the bow now resting at his side. "I don't remember seeing you before, but..." he paused, realizing that while he prided himself on knowing his people, there had been so many new faces at the gathering, and so many important events unfolding, that perhaps he could have missed a strange baby somewhere among the crowd of Faun. She knew of the gathering. That was a point in her favor, and now, she claimed to have felt the calling again? But only those blessed by the Tree, in tune with her natural earth magicks...

Could it be? He waved a hand distractedly at the gathered Fauns, signalling that he had the situation handled and that they should return to their preparations for the storm. His suspicions grew as he looked the child over with fresh eyes. Was it possible? Maybe...but, of course, he'd have to make sure before he could truly trust her. For now, questioning her was all he could do, however, as the storm was imminent and he couldn't leave his people in this time of dire need. Those that were coming for shelter were already here, and the rest had hopefully found other arrangements that would keep them safe. So many concerns to weigh and manage.

With a subtle gesture, Rais steered the young winged teen away from the center of the grand hall and out of the center of attention. "Lily...was it?" he questioned, voice still steady and strong, like the Great Tree herself, only quieter now, less demanding. "Tell me, child...who is your father that you mentioned? For that matter, who are your parents?"  

[Menelie]

Lily breathes out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. So he wasn't going to shoot her, or throw her back out in the storm; at least not for now.

"My father's name is Theron," she begins to explain. "And my mother's is Leilani. She's not a Faun, though, she's an angel. Father rescued her from pirates, it's the most romantic story..." She clears her throat. "Sorry. Anyway, I don't know if Father grew up here or not, he doesn't talk about his childhood very much. I have a twin sister named Tamara, but she's always taken more after Mama. We live near the ocean, but I've always felt the forest is really where I belong. The smell of the earth, and trees, and growing things." She inhales deeply; this place was filled with that smell.

Amid her explanation she realizes she's being steered away from what appeared to be the main part of the Great Tree. Strange as it is, Lily feels comforted by the powerful Faun's gentle grip on her elbow. He reminds her a little of Father. "Where are we going?" she asks, green eyes wide, darting around, trying to capture and commit to memory every root, every groove, every detail, in case she was made to leave and never return.  

[Teigra]

The names were not familiar, though the Chieftain instinctively tensed, the hair on the back of his neck rising, as the child mentioned her angel mother. Remain calm; neither this child nor her parent had done anything yet to threaten Laisidhiel or her residents. It had been a long time; perhaps these modern Blood Pae were different.

"A complicated tale, I'm sure," he responded, wondering what this business was with pirates, but he'd have to pursue that angle later. "I cannot say that I know your father personally, however, our people have already begun to spread over the land, and it is not unheard of that some wayward branches of the Great Tree may yet be finding their way home."

He led the young woman towards an area reminiscent of an outdoor cafe...only it was inside an enormous tree. Several simply carved tables were arranged, accompanied by chairs, three to four to a table, except for some of the larger ones. He led her to one of these tables, gesturing to indicate that she should take a seat. "I only wish to speak to you, child. I thought we might do so somewhere a little less conspicuous than the center of the great hall, and a little more comfortable as well. Please wait here a moment; I shall return shortly."

He left her there, crossing towards what appeared suspiciously much like a bar. He spoke briefly to a Faun nearby, and returned to the table shortly with a pair of wooden cups. Setting one in front of Lily and taking the other for himself, he explained. "Simple dandelion tea, flavored with honey and mint." To alleviate suspicion, he took a sip of his own drink first. Likely, he was the more suspicious of the pair anyway.

"Now, child," he resumed their earlier conversation with a thoughtful look. "Offspring of a Faun and an Angel. Most interesting," he mused, still half talking to himself. Realizing he should say something more to her, he continued, "You said you were called. That you were only exploring. Well, what do you hope to accomplish now that you're here?"

The storm would arrive soon. It was already too late to send her back outside if she'd have any hope of returning home before the storm's wrath broke upon the Great Tree. And while he was a protector of his people, and a great warrior...Rais was not a murderer of children. She was likely stuck here until the Air, and Water it seemed, had spent their fury. At worst case scenario, if she proved false, she would have no chance of calling for back-up from outside, and the Chieftain could handle one young troublemaker. And if her story proved true? He would not risk making a mistake that would cost her dearly for it.

Besides, Laisidhiel's earlier murmurs of concern and alarm at the intruder had quieted.
 

[Menelie]

Lily takes the offered seat, continuing to marvel at her surroundings. It's like a magnificent city in here, all contained within the benevolent tree! She barely notices when the chieftain Faun leaves her alone momentarily; so enthralled by the intricacy of the Tree's inner workings, and the intimacy and harmony with which the Faun lived and interacted with it. She sighs dreamily--what she wouldn't give to live here forever...a little daydream forms, then is interrupted when Rais returns.

"Oh! Thank you..." she says, blithely sipping her tea. Trickery doesn't even cross her mind. She's convinced nothing here would hurt her. The tea is marvelous, and she closes her eyes and lets a smile float across her face. "It reminds me of Father a little bit. He likes tea quite a lot." The longer she stays here, the more painful the thought of leaving becomes.

What did she intend to do now that she was here? Lily blushes softly. "Um..." she laughs a little nervously. I feel like I'm being tested. "I....I don't know that I had a plan, really. I just....needed to see it for myself. I've dreamed of coming here since I was very small, and....." she bites her lip. "And this whole experience has been wonderful....and I understand if....if I can't be here because of...my wings, or my heritage, or whatever....but....but I'd certainly love a place in this society, if I can find somehow to fit in." She smiles a hopeful little smile.  

[Teigra]

Rais sighed softly, resisting the urge to shake his head tiredly. Not exactly a well-thought out plan. Just like a child. Then he had to fight an amused quirk at the edge of his mouth. When had he become so old? Next, he'd be complaining about this generation and their new-fangled gadgets and crazy ideas and...

...oh wait, he already did that as well.

Turning his attention back to the child, Rais' expression was still stern, betraying none of the varied thoughts he'd just been entertaining. "Well, your plan seems non-existent at best. And yet, as events stand, you seem to have succeeded, if only for the time being. It's too late now to send you back home." He regarded her with a judgmental eye, pondering his next statement before continuing.

"I'm not sure you'll 'fit in' exactly," he stated bluntly, eyeing her wings. "However, at least for the length of the storm, you'll have our hospitality. I can speak for that much with my people. Their own feelings, well...are their own. And while you will enjoy our hospitality, it will not be free. Everyone here must pull their own weight. Everyone, teenager and adult, all have jobs to do right now, to ensure that we, the Faun and the Great Tree, ride out the storm safely. We will have to find something for you to do as well. In return, you'll have shelter, food, and a place to stay for the duration of the storm. I trust this will be acceptable?" Rais lifted an eyebrow questioningly. As if she really had a choice.
 

[Menelie]

Lily blinks a bit. Lodging? For a storm? She looks up and around, wondering how long they expected to be shut up in here for. Should she be worried about Mama and Papa and Tamara? She bites her lip and looks back at Rais. "H-how long do you think the storm will last?" she asks. "I mean, I'm so grateful for your hospitality, and I will enjoy every moment of working alongside my Faun kin. I'm just...worried about my family. We live by the ocean..." she trails off a bit. Suddenly coming here seemed like an impulsive, childish decision. Yet, how could she not have come?  

[Teigra]

Rais managed to keep his expression still, even when the child referred to 'her Faun kin'. "I'm afraid I cannot say," he admitted honestly. "The signs say that this will be a furious storm, and a long one, but for how long, I cannot say. We can only prepare and hope for the best until the storm spends its fury."

Thinking of at least one of his kin that had chosen not to return home for safety, Rais sighed deeply, closing his eyes. "Those who did not answer my call, I can only hope have realized the danger and found other refuge in which to weather the storm." He looked towards Lily again, frowning. "Your father did not answer my call for some reason. Perhaps, he had stronger reasons to stay, than to leave."  

[Menelie]

Perhaps he had stronger reasons to stay than to leave. Lily smiles suddenly, thinking of her mother. That must have been it. Their love for each other had been constant throughout Lily's whole life. Somehow she feels better about her family, knowing Father had stayed to protect them.

"You're right," she says with a nod. "So what can I do to help?" she asks. "I'm not very strong, but I'm quick, and I can fly." Her wings twitch at the mention of flying. It'd been a while since she'd really gotten to stretch them out in flight. "Father taught me how to cook, too, if I'm needed in the kitchens." She leans forward slightly, eager to begin pulling her weight, as Rais had said.