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 Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:20 pm
"It was someone bigger who tried to explain it..they probably had an easier time." Hadrian admitted. He fluttered rapidly to the end of the log to peer at the break. He called back to Galatea from where he had disappeared over the edge.
"The inside looks healthy I guess. I don't really know how to tell about wood other then burning it, and that's not a very good way to test it I don't think. I'd like to be able to tell I think..."
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 10:40 am
As he trailed off, Galatea appeared at the edge with him, going down on her knees to hang her head over the edge and squint at the inner rings of the log. The way her breath was coming fast and shallow, it was obvious that she had run the length to get to him. After staring for a moment, she once more lifted her head and studied him instead. "Burning?" she asked, clearly fascinated. Then she seemed to remember her manners and added, "Mr. Hadrian. Do you have matches then? Or a lighter?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:34 am
Hadrian looked up at the question, smiling widely - like someone who has been asked to about their favorite topic.
"No, just magic. Fire is my element." He said it with just a touch of pride in his voice, as if this magic was an accomplishment he was proud of, even as his phrasing downplayed its impressiveness.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:51 am
Despite his put-on modesty, the younger feien stared at Hadrian with obvious new interest. "Fire," she repeated. "That must be so very useful. Are you skilled with it? Can you do a lot of different things?" A lopsided, sheepish smile appeared on her face. "My element is blood but I do not think I have any talent in the way of magical castings."
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:19 pm
"It is useful." Hadrian said, as if he were considering it. "Not more useful then anything else really, but its good for keeping warm."
He smiled warmly, the sort of smile that makes you want to smile back.
"I didn't think I was ever going to learn to cast anything either. I'm still not that great at it, but I've learned alot."
The fire feien selected a twig from the bed of leaves beneath him, and flew back up to join Galatea on top of the log. He stood a bit away from her - he was always very careful when other feien were around, he had been since he had accidentally frightened Irisa so long ago.
"I can light things..." A little flicker of fire started on the twig like a lit candle. Hadrian looked at it as if it made him really pleased just to be able to do that, but as he watched it, the flame flickered and shrank - then suddenly lept up and twirled and danced. As it moved, the fire feien's expression slowly settled into concentration.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:31 pm
Galatea's pink eyes widened until they dominated her face and she sunk down to sit cross-legged on the log and watch him avidly. "That is amazing," she murmured, voice soft and mild as she prayed that she would not distract him. If she could do something like that, maybe her Captain would be proud of her and praise her. But Hadrian was fire. What could a blood feien do? Back still straight, Galatea leaned forward to watch more intently as the flame danced. It felt warm and the light of it cast a golden sheen on her upturned face.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:55 pm
The display went on for a bit, Hadrian's golden eyes staring intently at the flames, until suddenly there was a little burst and a piff, and the fire - which had run out of twig to burn - met Hadrians fingers and disappeared.
"Oops." He blinked, and looked at his hand sheepishly.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:03 pm
That very nearly earned a giggle from Galatea but the impulse was smothered quickly as she hopped to her feet and moved to peer at his hand. Glancing up as if asking for permission, she held out her own hand to take his. "Did it hurt?" she asked curiously. "You aren't injured, are you?" She squinted at his fingers in disbelief. "You aren't. Part of your magic?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:25 pm
"Mmhmm." He wiggled his unburned fingers, grinning at her apparent concern, "Its sort of a learned thing, not burning. I dunno how it really works exactly, but it must have something to do with magic and being connected to an element."
That was about as far as he ever managed to get in thinking about how magic worked. It was intuitive for him, not something he could quantify logically and understand any other way.
He was secretly just a touch disappointed that she hadn't quite giggled. He was discovering a bit of a performer in himself lately, and he enjoyed making other people laugh.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:33 pm
She nodded, releasing his hand with a faint blush and quickly knotting her fingers together behind her. Relief colored her expression, though, that he had not objected to her taking such liberties. "Do you believe then that we all have an inherent level of magic with us?" she asked, quite, quite serious. "And that our element flows with that and we should simply know what to do? And how much we can do?"
Apparantly, Galatea was very, very big on questions.
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:53 pm
Hadrian, unfortunately, wasn't generally the person one ought to go to for answers. He did, however, give the question very serious consideration. He'd thought about it before a bit, but had never come to much of a conclusion.
"I think...well I don't know really. But I've never had anyone to teach me magic, so I think you can know what to do without...er..well having someone tell you. Or reading it in a book."
He tapped his chin with a finger, while he paused to think about it a bit more. It was clearly a fairly impressive amount of consideration for him.
"Sometimes when I think of something to try and do, it takes a really long time to figure it out. Like its right there on the edge of you mind...like a word you can't think of but you are so SURE you know?"
He shrugged, "I think its just how much practice it takes a person to get it. I don't really think you should just...know how to do it all at the begining and if you can't then you won't ever be able to learn. Does that make any sense?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:12 pm
Even though her expression clearly said she didn't, Galatea nodded firmly. She never wanted to appear stupid and Hadrian was so very nice. "I don't know much of anything yet," she admitted. "I am trying, though." Her posture straightened and she lifted her chin determinedly. "There is a lot to know and I will work hard to learn it all. I'm going to be strong some day, you see. Stronger," she ammended. "I can already lift a great many things."
Suddenly, she drew up short in her earnest tirade and blinked at him, flushing. Oh, dear. She was probably boring him now. Quick to mend her slip, she smiled a bit. "I'm sorry, sir," she murmured. "I just want to be useful. I didn't mean to talk so much."
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:28 pm
Hadrian blinked at her sudden stop. There were all kinds of things he had been about to say, regarding what she had been talking about, but now that she had brought herself up short, he was preoccupied with her habit of cutting herself off to apologise.
"Did I look like I didn't want to listen?" He asked, carefully, tilting his head to peer at her like a confused bird. "You can talk as much as you want. I really don't mind."
And then, because he couldn't think of a more polite way to put it, he just asked.
"Why do you apologise for almost everything you do?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:31 pm
Instead of answering his question directly, Galatea swallowed hard and dropped her head once more. "I'm s... Is it wrong? If it bothers you, I'll stop."
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Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 2:38 pm
That was definitely not the reaction Hadrian had been going for. He floundered a bit, trying to backpeddle the conversation and stop upsetting the girl.
"No! No I didn't mean...it doesn't bother me. I just," He frowned slightly, "I just wanted to know why you apologised without doing anything...you know...that was wrong."
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