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Eddard digested Sh'Khin's words, remaining emotionless all the while, allowing Sh'Khin to finish his explanation. When Sh'Khin finished his formal introduction, Eddard could only do one thing. He knelt on one knee and lowered his gaze. "Forgive me Lord Sh'Khin, had I known I was in the presence of one such as yourself, I would have shown a greater deal of respect."

He continued, his knee still firmly planted to the ground, "The land I come from has a similarity to your own. Humans of my world do not follow the old ways and as a result, the very beings they once worshipped as gods weakened over time. In the era in which I was born, these beings were forced into a similar situation as yours in that they are forced to share a human body. However, for the most part humans remain far too engulfed in their own mundane ways to take notice, thus the beings forced to take on a human host continue to weaken and die unnoticed by those who refuse to acknowledge them."

"I myself was born human, but my Grandfather was host to one of these beings and by some freak of nature, no, by destiny, I was blessed with most of the attributes of these beings in such a way that mankind shouldn't have continued to deny their existence. Yet they continued to do so and in increasing number deeming me some sort of mutation. These beings, Changelings or Fae as they had come to call themselves, held gatherings and courts in order to become organized and insure their survival, a failing ploy. The courts were divided into two major factions for the most part, the half leaning more to good leading in the spring and summer while the more evil of the two leading in the fall and winter. I myself was knighted, a rare occurrence seeing how I'm not actually a changeling, by both courts and swore an oath to protect them all."

He came to his feet again his, his gaze locking with the much smaller man's before him. "Though you are not the same as they, the predicament is too similar. I'm now further obliged to offer you what aid you may need, this I swear on my house, my name, and my life." A twinge of hope grew in the back of his mind, though not his own. Eddard could only assume it to be the hope of success here in this world since he was destined to fail against the odds in the world he once knew.

Eddard nodded to his new friend, "Keep in mind that the oath I swear before you is applicable to all in your predicament.. I will not hurt others of your kind just on someone's will alone, and the same extends to those of innocence as I follow a code of chivalry to always be just and honorable. I will never, never be directed in an unjustifiable course of action lest I fall into folly."

"Run away in fear?" Eddard looked Sh'Khin over once more, "Perhaps when your transformation is complete you will seem far more intimidating, but I have both aided and opposed changelings that inspire the deepest nightmares of man. I have traveled the shifting lands of the Dreaming and in many cases, wondered far from the road that keeps many from losing themselves. I have traversed the chaotic Umbral realms that inspire madness in many who find themselves there. I've witnessed and participated in great battles that bring out the darkest depths of a man's soul. Lastly, I have seen my share of plagues and leprosy on the isle of Britain and sat with the dying." Eddard smiled, shaking his head a little, "No, you are not so intimidating in appearance as to turn me on my heels."

"As for books, no, I do not carry any with me for I am familiar with the history of my world, mundane and magical alike, and such things tend to take up valuable pack space on wilderness treks. I also had no intention of getting lost and finding my way here." Eddard could see the city better as they drew closer. My how cities could seem so small from a distance, but always managed to spread out as one drew closer. This was getting interesting. "And what of this honored use?"

Eddard's attention was focused on Sh'Khin until the pendant was brought forth, dangling in front of him. Only Eddard could hear the shriek of a falcon, "Vigilance?" he muttered. Eddard's arm began to swing up, half in a grab for the pendant and half to provide a perch for the friend he had not seen in years.

Vigilance was once thought to be Eddard's imaginary friend as a child, a great blue falcon that guided Eddard and kept him on the path of honor as a boy and from injuring those other children who taunted him for his strange blue eyes. During puberty, when more of Eddard's otherworldly physical traits began to manifest themselves in the corporeal world, so to did Vigilance. Believed to be a chimerical creature (a creature of the dreaming) by the changelings, Vigilance was applauded by the courts.

Later, human mages explained the falcon to be a manifestation of Eddard's avatar, his inner soul, made corporeal as a falcon largely due to a combination of Eddard's unique situation and his childhood perceptions. After this realization, Vigilance began to appear less and less as Eddard began to look within himself for moral guidance and not to an exterior example.

Eddard stopped himself, for he knew Vigilance wouldn't be coming. Somehow, this pendant was Vigilance or a force similar. He felt attuned to it, as he had felt attuned to Vigilance. Though intrigued, Eddard began to feel a growing emptiness within himself. Had this pendant taken Vigilance? Eddard dismissed the notion, choosing to accept Sh'Khin's explanation. "What must I do?" he asked without considering further implications.

Eddard followed Sh'Khin through the city. Though he was excited to enter the city, seeing it under the influence of Destruction did little to make him feel welcome. Still, he felt a driving force drawing him to the Pantheon as if he didn't need Sh'Khin's guidance.

As they entered the Pantheon, a strange familiarity blew through Eddard but was quickly set aside as his friend Sh'Khin quickly maneuvered him up the stairs and into some living quarters, preventing him from seeing much of the establishment. Even though Eddard caught Sh'Khin's warning glare, he couldn't help but be curious. Was this "Twin Crown" so foreboding?

Eddard looked around the room. It was sparse looking, as if Sh'Khin had been here for a short amount of time. Eddard made no mention, however, assuming he would learn more of Sh'Khin as time passed. With the suggestion of rest, and noting only one bed, Eddard went about unpacking and unrolling his bed roll. Seeing how dirty it was, Eddard, went to the window and shook it out best he could after asking permission. He himself would need to bathe soon after realizing how smelly he was once in an enclosed environment. It could wait for the morning, providing Sh'Khin wasn't bothered, when he could take the time to properly clean his bedroll or make living arrangements for himself.

Eddard settled down to sleep. Low, rhythmic snoring would ensue.

As the sun rose over the horizon, Aeneas woke, shuffling around the small room she called her own. It branched from her Lord's, and was almost as empty as his own, save for the futon that lay on the floor, and the ball of yarn that rested in one corner.

Today, she was to retreive something for Lord Sh'khin--something important. The simple thought of it was enough to excite her. She wanted to serve her master as effectively as she could, and thus far, he hadn't given her a task as important as this. She had been told that one would accompany her, and that this journey was a kind of test...

Lord Sh'khin had not been more specific, even though she had asked for more details. He had denied her the information with a twisted smile, and though it worried her slightly, she tried to push the thought to the back of her mind. Surely he wouldn't do something to put her in jeopardy...

Though she hadn't served him long, she thought she was a humble servant, and worthy of protection. Especially since her Lord didn't seem to have many followers. So far, she thought, she was the only one.

As she opened the door and headed into her master's chambers, ready to prepare breakfast, she noticed someone else in the room, lying on a bedroll on the floor. Perhaps this was the man that would be coming with her. She crept silently by, getting a better look at him. He was rather large, she noticed, and he looked old...much older than her Lord. If she only knew why he was coming along...

Shaking off the suspicion, she moved toward another room off of the main room. It was a small kitchen, with dark stone floors and walls. There was a refrigerator, stove and oven, and of course a sink and countertops that lined the walls. A few cupboards hung above Aeneas' head, and she opened them one after another, looking for proper food for Sh'khin and his guest.

Eventually, she decided upon eggs, bacon and toast, and she began getting pans and dishes out, trying her best to stay quiet. She was a clumsy sort though, and as she pulled out the frying pan, metallic banging ensued. She flinched, hoping it hadn't woken either man, and continued with her work.

As Aeneas heard Eddard speak, she jumped in surprise, almost flinging the strips of bacon from the frying pan. "Oh! You scared me!" she exclaimed, breathing sigh of relief and looking back down at the pan to ensure breakfast was still intact. " Welcome," she said, giving him a curtsey. "I am Aeneas, Sh'hkin's Aoide." She smiled and looked back at the pan ."I'm doing alright with the food for now, though I hope you don't mind dark toast," she said with a giggle, pointing to a plate of -almost- burned whole wheat toast. "My kitchen skills are still developing, but I'm good at other things, really!"

She turned the bacon strips over in the pan, taking care to stay away from the burning fat, and as she finished, she looked over to Eddard again. "There's a bathroom right off the main room of my Lord's quarters, just opposite the door to this very kitchen," she said, moving to the door and pointing across the main room to another door with a bronze handle. "Feel free to make use of it."

((OOC Note: It looks much like the kitchen, with stone floors and walls, but there is a bath mat on the floor, and all the plumbing is modern. There's a claw-foot bathtub with a shower, a sink and a toilet. Still, nothing on the walls.)

Sh'khin awoke not long after Eddard, and the smell of bacon cooking made his stomach growl. He got up and threw on his clothes, padding toward the kitchen with bare feet. It was there that he came across Eddard, who seemed to be chatting with Aeneas.

"Good morning Eddard, Aeneas," he said. "Feel free to clean up a bit before breakfast Eddard. After we eat, I shall explain your task for the day."

"Morning Sir Eddard," Sh'khin said with a nod of his head as Eddard headed for the bathroom. As he closed the door behind him, Sh'khin's attention turned toward the scent of food. His stomach grumbled, and he sniffed the air, giving Aeneas an approving grin. "Looks as if you're improving," he said complimentary, snagging a piece of bacon from the serving plate.

"Thank you my Lord," Aeneas said, her cheeks heating slightly under her fur. If her face had been covered with skin instead of fur, one could see her blushing. "I will do my best," she nodded, sliding fried eggs onto individual plates and then she proceeded to move everything to the sparse table in the main room, readying everything for the meal.

"I need you to go with Eddard to pick something up for me today," he said to Aeneas, taking a seat at the end of the rectangular wooden table and helpinig himself to breakfast. "He needs to prove himself to me, and I think I have an excellent task for him. All I ask is that you open this urn when he isn't looking," he said, a twinkle in his eye as he reached down beside his chair and picked up an urn that seemed to have wispy smoke coming out of it. "... and let out the creature inside it," he said, tapping the side of the crystalline urn. "It will need to be intact and inside this urn when you arrive at the location. The shopowner will not trade you unless it is fully intact."



Aeneas looked at the urn, eyes wide. It creeped her out a bit, as she had a feeling what was inside it, but she nodded to Sh'khin, understanding that she would need to stay out of whatever would happen this day. Though it was her job to start the chaos, she could not be the one to cease it. "Yes sir," she said, pouring him a glass of orange juice, and also filling up Eddard's glass, just as he was emerging from the bathroom.

"You're right on time," Sh'khin said, picking up another piece of bacon and taking a bite. "Aeneas here has created quite a wonderful feast for us. Come, sit. We need to talk about what you're going to be doing today..."

"I am merely a servant Sir Eddard, and you are a guest. Guests should always take their food first," Aeneas said with a nod, making an attempt to get him to fill his plate before she. But seeing as how he wouldn't give in, she sighed and went ahead and filled her plate, making sure there was plenty left for the two men. "I shall be in the kitchen, if you need me," she said, bowing to Eddard, and then to Sh'khin. As she stood, she winked at her master, and headed back to the kitchen where she would eat at a small table.

"You are too kind Eddard," Sh'khin said as he watched Aeneas go. "Usually Aeneas gets anything left over. I'm sure she will appreciate your presence while you remain in my quarters," he said with a nod, smiling at his guest. He took a bite of his eggs, sopping up the yolk with a piece of buttered toast, and chomping it down happily. Today would be a good day, he couldn't help but think.

There was a twinkle in his eye when Eddard asked about his task for the day. Plague smiled. "Today, you will take this urn," he said, pointing to the urn on the table. "... to a shop in the next town over. The shopkeeper will trade it for something else, and you will need to return to me with the item she gives you. This is very important Eddard, and you might say my life depends on it somewhat. If you truly are devoted, you will complete the trade with both items intact. If you do not arrive with the urn just as it is now, I'm afraid there will be consequences to pay..." He looked to Eddard's face, trying to discern his feelings about the mission. Sh'khin thought it was a good test of Eddard's loyalty, and hopefully, Harmodius would feel the same way. Sh'khin would hate for Destruction to punish him for giving Eddard an inappropriate mission.

"Aeneas will be coming with you, to watch over you. But please remember that she is my aoide...My first follower. She is very important to me, and if she is hurt in any way....I just...don't know what I would do." The look he gave Eddard was one of pure malice. If Aeneas came back hurt or dead, there would be hell to pay. "If she returns with anything more than a scratch, I will have to take you back out to the woods..."

He was implying several things, but he didn't want to say them. He just wanted Eddard to return to him, everything (including Aeneas) intact.