Old Siram Posts

It was just like any other early morning in the crystalline kingdom of Siram; silent corridors, the streaming, rain-like fall of water in the bath halls, and the endless Drip. Drip. Drip. of water droplets striking the same old metal plates of the time collector in Micah's room. As each new water droplet struck the plates of the counter, a new second of life was marked; collecting together in a small, yet endless pool of water at the base of the clock. For a while there was just the peaceful audio of rain like drops of water collecting; however, as time passed, it soon came time for active life to start once more; time for the Menelaus Aquae, the Little Princess of Tides, to awaken from her peaceful slumber and join the rest of the world, until the sun set once more. As it came time, a peaceful awakening was in order; the collection of water droplets building, until the volume reached its max, and spilled over the brim of the water fountain like clock on her dresser. As this chain of events occurred, a new metal plate was struck, this time signaling a music box to open. The melody that slid forth from the tiny music box was loud enough to fill the candle-lit room with a gentle piano melody. It took only moments of this calming noise to flutter to Micah's ears; knocking gently on the doors of her conscious mind, and greeting it like an old friend. Soon, she was awake; pulling her small figure up into a loosely knit sitting position on her overly large bed. For a moment she sat in silence, letting the gentle melody sooth her muscles and tease her small face with a sleepy smile. She lifted a hand after a moment, brushing the sleep from her eyes, and running her small hands through the beautiful mess of hair atop her head. She then reached over to her desk, plucking a rather large brush from its surface and passing the gentle bristles through her hair once-over, then twice, three times. She counted out 100 strokes, before smoothing the soft strands of hair with her fingertips and setting the brush aside. Well, it was time to get up.

It took a moment to pull herself steadily out of bed; having stumbled once or twice during her attempt. Once she was finally standing upright, a delighted giggle passed her plump, rosy lips; laughter by her own failures. She closed the distance between her bedside and the elegant, clothing-stocked closet area on the other side of her room, stepping into the separate space and allowing her fingertips to lightly trace the smooth silks, cottons, and cashmeres of her wardrobe. What to wear? The lights from her younger sister's clan lit her way through the separate, clothing filled room; eyes wandering over the many different colors and fabrics, until they reached a suitable pair of clothes. With a warm smile, the little princess gave a feeble pull to the clothes, allowing them to slide gracefully off of their wracks and into her arms. She then changed directions; heading of of the wardrobe, out of her room, and down the vibrantly lit cobblestone corridors of the underwater kingdom, her destination being the bathe halls. Of course, they weren't really halls, nor where they rooms, or even individual showering areas. The bathe hall was really just one large room, lit by both candles, and the orbs of light from Liwanag. Inside of this room were several open bathes; hot tub like structures, built into the cobblestone floors. There were also cooler pools of water, for casualties, as well as naturally made indentations in the walls to provide for relatively private showering areas. The bathe hall wasn't really all that private; everyone would be out in the open, showing themselves to all others in the room at the time. However, no one really cared, or where bothered by this fact. It was an easy, peaceful, and harmless freedom; the only true privacy being the fact that there were separate bathe halls, for women and men. Other than this, all were pretty much free inside of the bathe halls.

As she made her way into the women's bathe hall, a short moment was taken to observe the others in the room with her. Not very many seemed to be up this early, only a few women could be seen taking warm bathes to wake themselves up, or relax before they had to go off to do their daily dos. With a short nod to herself, she set the clothes she had brought, along with the towel she picked up by the doorway, into once of the dry shelf like areas and slid out of the clothing she had worn to sleep. These shelves were separated from the actual bathe hall, in a smaller room just off to the side of it, for safe keeping of individuals belongings. Once her clothing was set aside, she wandered her way back into the bathe hall and found an empty showering cuby, setting the bar of handmade, natural soup, as well as the small bottles of natural hair cleaner, on one of the small indentations in the wall. It only took a moment for the water to spill itself from the ceiling; coming from the gradient like patterns in the ceiling that are always filled with water. These patterns defy gravity, so to speak, water collecting inside of them like they would in the cracks of the cobblestone floorway, and remaining there, until one would use their manipulation over water to create a steady flow of water, to rain down on them. The flow she created was much like a mild rain; strong enough to create an almost massaging like pressure, but thin and light enough as to not overpower, and create a refreshing brush of water on her body. She stood under the relatively warm water for several long minutes, before taking the small bottle of hair cleaner and lathering the soup-like liquid through her long hair. After a minute or two she then washed the soup out of her hair, replacing the bottle with the bar of soup, and lathering a good amount of the bar's smooth surface onto her skin and working it into the pores. Once her body was cleansed, she washed the soup off of her and stood a few more minutes under the water, before letting its flow slowly die out above her. With a small smile, she then wandered out of the showering cuby, into the wide open area of the room. She lightly ran her fingers through the long, wet, and glistening hair as she exchanged smiles and small waves with a few of the other women in the room, before taking her leave to the dry room, where she would proceed to dry off, dress comfortably, and head back up to her bedroom.

As she wandered back into the obnoxiously large room she had been granted as a birth right, her eyes took stock of the room, and she mentally compared it to the image she had before she'd left. Everything seemed to be in order, accept for the fact that there was now an elegantly dressed platter of food atop her dresser; containing several different types of fruit, from the island no doubt, raspberry jam-covered toast, small amounts of lemon-dribbled fish meat, and a tall glass of what looked to be pomegranate juice. And though this was a large amount of food for a relatively small girl, she appreciated the variety of foods they had prepared for her this morning. Advancing toward her desk she took a seat, picking small pieces of fruit occasionally from the platter to eat, as she gathered the papers she needed for todays work. The ball was coming soon, and she had taken on the responsibility of writing the invitations to the other clans. Of course, other members of the council had told her they would write them, but she felt that it was more personal, coming from herself. And so, she picked up a pen containing soft, pinkish ink, that smelled like herself after the shower; freshly bloomed roses, dozens of them. And then she started to write, using the 'fancy paper', as her mother used to put it, to write out each individual clan's invitation to the Grand Ball, occasionally eating bits of the food, or taking a drink of the juice, as she did so; a delighted smile on her face.

A young boy, fourteen years of age. Talented and energetic, he was, however poor and underprivileged. Growing up in the beached villages of Siram, one of his favorite pastimes was playing in the ocean. Riding the waves, and playing amongst the ocean life were the only things the young boy had to live for. Robbed of his father before his birth by disease, and living with a mother who also had fading health, there wasn’t much more he had access to. It wasn’t unlike any other day, as the young boy rode the waves on his bare feet, controlling his own buoyancy as the water carried him wherever it pleased. He had gotten quite far from the island on this day. He had actually travelled far enough to remove it from sight, but it worried him not. He could always find his way back home. Incidentally, however, He found his way to land first. It just so happened, that a man was standing on the shore which the boy had been carried to. When he looked at the boy, the murder in his eyes was undeniable.
“Well if it isn’t one of the water-loving Siram boys.” He said, a cryptic smile on his face. The sands shifted under the boys feet as the waves crashed onto the shore. He backed away from the man, who approached him slowly, drawing a blade from his side.
“I don’t want any trouble.” The boy told him. But it was too late. Trouble had found him. The man charged him full speed, and raised the blade above his head, preparing to slice the boy in half vertically. Thank Halsey for his quick reflexes. For he just barely backed away, only taking a cut to his left eye. His heart raced. His adrenaline pumped! He would not be killed here! He wouldn’t! His grey colored eyes were overtaken with a white glow, and his arms waved across his body. As he did so, his energies merged with those of the great ocean, Bringing forward a massive wave that encompassed his assailant, knocking the blade up onto the beach. The mass of water, as it covered the swordsmans body, crystallized, and formed a case of ice that floated out into the ocean. The boy looked to his right, to see the blade of his assailant laying in the sand.
Sachiel sat up in his bed, and looked out the window. “That dream again…” He said, as he tossed his legs over the edge of the bed, and walked over to the window to see the sun shining down from its early morning position. The sounds of the waves crashing down on the beach could be heard as he walked into his kitchen, and opened the latch to a hidden door. He followed it to his basement, where there was a collection of all his old things. It wasn’t much, but it was his. He walked all the way to the back of the basement, and pulled a set of tiles from the ground. Beneath the tiles, was a blade. The same blade from his dream. The same blade from his past… He had no time to reminisce, however. It was time for him to go to the Kingdom. He would be expected within the hour. Little time to prepare, He went into the bathroom, disrobed, and cleaned himself. He took no time to eat, no time to relax. Punctuality was a necessity. He ran out his door, and straight toward the shore, and beneath the surface of the water, gills revealed.
Moments later, he would arrive at the Underwater Kingdom. Another week of work to come. Not that he minded. He loved his job. It had always been his dream. And now, it was his reality. Being able to pass his knowledge on to others. He nodded to the guards, as he was allowed to pass, and went to announce his arrival. He was to answer directly to either her majesty Micah, or to A’Nailiah. Either would be acceptable to announce his arrival. It was just a matter of locating either of them… He knew there was an event to come soon, and the Guardians would be needed. He would need to discuss what his part would be, or if he would even be needed, and for this, he needed to speak to her majesty directly. However, he was not so bold as to simply stroll to her chambers. He would wait for her to make her appearance in the courtyard to discuss such matters. For now, he should get ready for work.

Another day, another opportunity. An opportunity to pass on his knowledge to others. An opportunity to strengthen the land he cared for so much. Sachiel arrived at the training grounds of the Guardians with his roster. The morning class was for adults only. This was beneficial to Sachiel, for he had business that needed to be handled as soon as possible. His class was lined up and standing at attention, awaiting his arrival. Their discipline made him proud. He looked through the formation, and checked his roster to it. As usual, all were present, but one. A’Nailiah… He was quite perplexed about this particular one. She was indeed a Guardian, however, she was his superior, due to oversee his training sessions at any time. However, he had never once seen her. Of course, his time within the Kingdom had not been long, about a year, in fact, but it did seem odd that she had evaded him in such a manner. He laughed at the thought silently as he put his “students” At Ease. Evading him… Surely it was just a coincidence that he hadn’t run into her during his time staying within the Kingdom. Micah had told him that he would know her when he saw her, but he was yet to see such a person. Regardless, He had other matters to attend to. He turned to the formation of Guardians once more, and spoke out to them.

“We’re going to begin with your trailing exercises!” He spoke out. His voice was strong and held the power of a true leader. However, he never saw himself as a leader. Only an Instructor. The Guardians positioned themselves in a circle. The Highest ranked of them with a bucket of water positioned before him. He took a deep breath, and extended his arms. He trailed the water from the bucket, and the sounds of a trinkling river could be heard. In a swift motion, he trailed the water to the Guardian beside him, who took control of it, and passed it to the next. This exercise was a game of Sachiels invention to teach them control. Guardians would pass the water to the next Guardian. They could pass to the left, or the right. If a Guardian were to spill a single drop of water, he was out. The last remaining Guadian was the winner. “I have some matters to tend to. If you complete this exercise before I return, begin with defensive maneuvers.” With that he turned and left. Sachiel considered himself to be a skilled teacher. He always came up with creative ways to teach the methods that successful Siram Guardians should know, especially for the children. It was his passion, but he also had responsibilities to the rest of the clan.

He would be forced to make an appearance at Micahs chambers, as much as he hated to do so. He had never been advised against it, however, he simply felt it rude. The crystalline hallways never failed to amaze him, and this day was no different, as he made his way to his destination. He was never exposed to things like this as a child. He shook his head as he passed the Mens wash room. He hated that place, but for the remainder of the week, until he went to his home in the village of “commoners.” He would be forced to wash there as well. “Who’s idea was that anyway?” he asked himself, but he silenced himself as he neared the room which he was seeking. He felt unworthy to make an appearance in such a place. He was no Royalty. He was simply an employee of the Kingdom. His feeling of being out of place caused his heart to race, but when he turned the corner toward the door, it stopped cold. Brilliant blue hair, flawless olive skin, and the most beautiful voice he had ever heard… She was walking toward the door to Micahs room as well, only from the other direction. “Is this… A bad time?” He asked her. As Micah had stated, he knew well her identity. The Guardian who was consistently absent from his training sessions. No… perhaps absent was the wrong word… perhaps, “Exempt” would be a more proper term. A’Nailiah… For a moment in time, he had forgotten the reason which he had come, stopped in his tracks, and simply looking. Not looking at her, nor the door. Simply somewhere in between, as if lost in a world all his own. Perhaps it WOULD be best, if he came back later…

An instant of pure laughter threatened to overtake Sachiel as the distraction caused A’Nailiah to spill water into the hallways. She would definitely be out if she were playing his training game. However, laughter did not break his silence. Only a brief smile came to his face. And before that smile could fade, the water that the blue eyed beauty had dropped to the floor had faded into vapor, leaving the hallway as if she had never come through. He was surprised when she spoke his name. Surprised that she could identify him by name as well. He didn’t know why, obviously she was a higher up. It was her job to know such things, was It not? His eyes fixated on the door before him as she asked what had brought him to this place. What else, of course? He was here to see her majesty, as was she. But how to say that without coming off as disrespectful? Her voice was soothing, even as she spoke, and it brought a smile to his face. She wanted to give him grief? He could play along. “Oh, so you HAVE heard about my classes?” he said with a laugh. He stopped at the door, beside her, forgetting to knock, however quite entranced by the woman before him. “Perhaps you’d be so kind as to grace us with your presence one day then?”

She had a natural affinity for bringing a smile to his face. Everything from her mannerisms to her speech. The little fish from her story was particularly funny. His smile faded momentarily, however, when she mentioned that the fish had one eye. This reminded him of the eye he had almost lost. His face was contemplative, as he fought the urge to run his finger over his scar. His smile returned once more, however, upon her “Threat” to wash his mouth out with whale jelly. His mother used to issue him the same threat, though it was a punishment he never suffered. Did whales even produce jelly? “I’m afraid I haven’t seen that fish. I’ll have to keep an eye out for him though.” A part of him wondered if, within the vast ocean, such a fish could exist, but he quickly shook the thought, marking it ridiculous, as it was. Embarrassment played on his face when the young beauty knocked on Micahs door, for he had forgotten to do so, and he too, had come here with business in mind. “Professionalism doesn’t bar one from enjoying life.” He said to her, shaking his embarrassment and offering a sincere smile. “It simply means one takes his work seriously. And I would enjoy seeing you there. Perhaps you would be the one to have a story for the fishy come next high moon…” he said with a laugh. He then turned to face Micahs door, as not to find himself staring at her. He made a few motions with his hands, though his actions would not be identified. A’Nailiah would find out, however, upon her departure from this place, which would likely be well after his own.

She was making this very difficult for him. Not waiting for Micah, mind you, but avoiding looking at her. Every word departed from her lips was like a magnetic force, pulling his eyes in her direction, and forcing a smile upon his face once more. “I suppose you’re right about that. Searching for something is often the very thing preventing you from finding it.” A wink. A yawn. A moan… Her mannerisms were adorable, and she herself was quite the attractive one. Sachiel hated that. It was distracting. But, at the same time, he loved it. She personified life in its freest form. He shook his head and looked toward her once more, careful to look into her eyes, and not the work of art that was her body on display. “You misunderstand me.” He told her. “I love my job. But realize that my duty is to the closest thing that Siram has to a Military. Unfortunately it can’t always be about smiles and colorful fishies.” While he said this, he considered his demeanor as he carried himself within the kingdom. He had never considered himself to be “Stone-faced” but now that he thought about it. He did carry himself more strictly while he was there. He tried to portray himself in a manner similar to a Military Officer. Perhaps it was so that he would be taken seriously. After all, he was truly a commoner. A low class one at that.

His “stone face” returned as A’Nailiah explained that she had secretly watched in on some of his classes. It wasn’t that he was offended that she would do such a thing. He was moreso upset with himself that he hadn’t been able to detect her. Perhaps that was indication that she could be much more of a threat than she put off… He smiled once more and offered her a daring smile. “Even you don’t have enough clout to get me to change my methods.” He said with a laugh. His statement was both true and false simultaneously. His training methods for his classes were real. He taught Guardians to do their job; to guard. However, he also believed that they should know how to fight, for he knew a time would come when they would be forced to. However, he did not teach those lessons during time he was being paid by the Royal Family, nor did he teach them on their property. He held lessons and offensive training on a separate island, only to those who chose to take them. Though the content of those lessons were quite different, his methods were the same. Something inside him told him that A’Nailiah would enjoy his training sessions, which often consisted of a variety of games. The fact that she could sit in on his sessions without his knowledge made him want her to participate. He wanted to see the extent of her abilities, for something told him, she would make a good training partner…

Laughter once more escaped the mans lips as he listened to the womans rant of sorts. He found humor in it, for, while she spoke true words of wisdom, she spoke them as if through the mouth of a child, experiencing the world for the first time. It made it difficult to tell whether he should take her seriously or not, but it made her easy to open up to. Her reaction to his statement about her clout took him by surprise. It seemed she misunderstood him. He actually took a step back, as she began her tirade. “My apologies ma’am.” He responded quickly. He bowed as he did so. “I’m afraid you misunderstood me. My intention was not to belittle you, or the authority you command here. Simply to state that the greatest of kings and queens will not affect my teaching methods. I feel they are the best suited, for me at least.” He hoped his explanation covered exactly what he meant to communicate the first time. He looked to Micahs door, hoping that she would make her appearance soon, as he now felt uncomfortable.

But she seemed to have forgotten her frustration as quickly as it had come on as she went on to the next topic without wasting a beat. His fingers traced the scar over his left eye as he thought back to that day. He had just dreamed of it that morning, in fact. “When I was young I used to go out and play in the ocean, almost every day. One day I went a bit too far out, and found my way to land. I was attacked by a swordsman, who wished to kill me, simply because I was from Siram. I managed to survive that day, but not without nearly losing my eye…” That day was the cause for Sachiels beliefs on peace and war. Though he never shared those beliefs with his clansmen. He would simply have to do what he could to be ready, when violence inevitably found them. He bowed once more when she introduced herself. “Yes, I did know that, however unfortunately, I cannot say it was due to my clout, for I have little to none.” He said with a smile. He looked to Micahs door once more. “Are you sure she’s in there?” he asked, beginning to wonder.

Lost in her own world… Sachiel couldn’t blame her. He found himself in the same place quite often. Reflecting… Projecting… Plannning. Sometimes it was best to look inward. Many saw it as strange, but to him, it was as normal as breathing. Somewhere along the line, she came back to earth, and continued speaking. It was the nature of thought. A rare occasion indeed, at least within the walls, Sachiels grey colored eyes lit up, upon A’Nailiahs acceptance of his apology. He truly hadn’t meant to insult her. He would have to watch his tounge more carefully. He laughed at what he projected her reaction would be, if he had said that out loud. Perhaps she would attempt to physically watch her tounge. Or perhaps break off into one of her little rants. It wasn’t long before he realized that he had drifted off into his own world as well. That was simply how common the habit was. “Absolutely not.” He responded. Slacking up on his work was essentially the same as slacking up at life. He had worked his ass off to get his dream job. Now was no time to get lazy.

He stood patiently as She examined his scar. He could imagine what she was thinking. Her facial expression said it all. She had probably never had a scar in her life. Probably imagining if she had one. How she would react. He, on the other hand, had plenty. But that one in particular held a particular value to him. He would probably cry if he woke up one morning and it were gone. He remained silent as she spoke of the peace loving Siram, and how no one would ever want to hurt them. There was nothing he could say. Not aloud anyway. But that was the very reason his scar meant so much to him. It kept him gripped to reality. The people of Siram had kept a veil over their eyes for Generations. Believing that they were immune to hatred and violence, because they were believers of peace. The truth, was that they were just as susceptible as anyone else. And what had truly kept them safe for so long, was their location.

“So long as people exist, violence will exist…” His voice was low, and his eyes were directed at the ground. He hated the words that he spoke, but he knew them to be true. Some people would hate them, simply because they refused to fight. Some would accuse them of feeling they were “above” war. Some people were simply insane. There was no telling what the motivation of another was, until you were close enough to get into their mindset, and by that point, it may have been too late. This belief, made Sachiel different from the other members of Siram. While they went to bed believing in peace, he went to bed praying for it. He would always be an outcast. A controversial figure. But what he did, he did for the sake of his people. They wouldn’t be ready when violence found them. But he would ensure their protection. He too, stepped away from the woman who had so graciously kept him company. He leaned his back against the opposite wall, and slid, until he found himself seated on the floor, head buried in his knees…

He felt lower than dirt. How could he have drained that smile? Brought the most cheerful person he had met in his life to a state of silence? He looked up at her, to see her fighting back tears, attempting to hide behind a weak smile, but she couldn’t fool him. He knew how full of life she was, for it made him feel lively as well. He had never thought of himself as a gloomy guy, but maybe it was time he reevaluated himself. He had never shared that portion of his life with anyone, and perhaps it was best he never did so again. The people of Siram were happy. Ignorance is bliss, after all. “I’m sorry…” His words were soft, but they carried through the hallway well enough to be heard. What was he sorry for? For draining that gorgeous smile from her face. For putting the weight that he personally carried on her shoulders. It wasn’t her problem, she shouldn’t have to stress over it. Sachiel was quite surprised when A’Nailiah made her way to his side of the hall, and sat next to him. He couldn’t imagine she would want to be anywhere near him at the moment.

He was even more surprised when she leaned her head on his shoulder. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized his heart had started beating again. In fact, it was racing like an Olympic swimmer. His demeanor was calm as ever though. His breathing was normal. He barely looked over to her. Then, he felt the tears hit his shoulder. Did he mind the water on his shoulder? Not at all. He was more than happy to be there, if she needed his support. However, he hated to see her cry. His left hand made its way before her face, palm open. His fingers closed together, and his hand moved away from her face, as if he were grabbing something in the air. With this movement, her tears floated away from her face, and faded. “That face should never be soiled by tears.” He said. A soft, yet sincere smile on his face. He now looked toward the woman, offering her his smile, in hopes to exchange it for her own. There wasn’t much more he could say at this point. He supposed they would simply… wait.

Writing, rethinking, erasing, rewriting. Repeating. Repeating. Endless Repeating. Before she knew it, Micah had gotten so far into these invitations, she'd lost track of the reality of life around her. You see, Micah was a perfectionist of sorts; at least when it came to her own work. Every thought, every feeling, every action; they had to be perfect. She was the Little Princess of Tides, of course: taught the proper etiquecies that came with being the leader of a nation. Her words, phrases, even her hand writing had to be perfect. So far she had written out 4 of the 5, and the announcement to her own clan had also yet to be made. Busy, busy, busy... She's spent most of the day couped up in her room, busy at work. She would have imagined Naili would have been around by now, to check on her at the least; then again, she had spaced for a while, as she was working... In one swift stride she swept gracefully her small figure from the cushioned chair, taking several long moments to stretch her body out. Once the tightly wound muscles were content enough in their newly lax state, she turned back to her desk once more; fingertips trailing daintily over the rose-tinted calligraphy she had so carefully scrawled across the 'fancy paper's' surface, like the admiring caress of an air-lightened feather. Slowly, her fingers plucked each page from the table's surface, sifting carefully through them, taking stock of their order. After a moment she placed them once more onto the table, a pivot of the ankle landing her face-forward toward the opposite side of the desk. It took her a moment to find and sort out the correct envelopes for the invitations, however, it too her only seconds to sweep them inside of the paper-pockets, address each envelope with the leader of each clan, and place a soft-sealed kiss to each surface. Then, with a delighted smile, she straightened the small stack of envelopes into her hands, and headed toward her closet.

With a flick of a small, remotely visible switch, a parade of lights illuminated the large, walk in closet area in which her clothing was kept. She knew it'd be time to grace herself with the company of others soon, but to which extent she did not know. Best to dress semi-formal then, right? She set the stack of envelopes atop a shelf and sifted rather quickly through her designated 'semi-formal' section of the closet, her small, dainty hands resting almost at once on the articles of medium length, gently flowing dress; its silky appearance that of an almost kimono-like white cover, vibrantly rosy cherry-blossom patterns weaving through the smooth fabric, with hints of blue that somewhat represented waves. This was a rather stunning article for her to wear, especially with her frame; and really, she knew no one would really question it, because she had become known for wearing clothing such as this on random occasions. It took her only a moment to slide out of the clothes she had changed into earlier, fastening the kimono-like dress around her tiny, yet oddly curvaceous figure and gently sweeping a hand under her hair to bring it atop the newly changed into clothe. With a glance in the mirror, a delighted smile immediately came to her lips. The reflection she saw standing before her was indeed a beautiful one, and she'd have been outright stupid to disagree with that. The way her long hair fell over her shoulders and just barely across her face, like finely spun strands of light; how her eyes glimmered like jewels in any light, even in none; the grace and sensuality she moved with; she was stunning to the eye, and appreciated this fact greatly.

So, she stood several long moments in front of the mirror, admiring her pretty figure. Eventually, though, she broke away to once more sweep the stack of envelopes into her arms, switching off the light on her way out of the closet. As she advanced to the door, a short pause was taken to survey the room; everything in order. With a short smile, her hand twisted on the idle doorknob, and she stepped out into the warm, gentle light of the corridor... only to find that the person she had been meant to go see first, Naili, as well as Sachiel, a man she had watched teach on several occasions, where sitting together on the same side of the hall her door was on. They seemed to be having a conversation, from the looks of their close proximity; maybe even something more? This confused her greatly, for she hadn't known they were so close. It even, dare she think, made her a bit jealous; to see her older, sisterly figure Naili, so close to someone besides herself. What were they talking about so intently? She couldn't see or hear well from her position, and so she leaned into the doorway silently, obscured by the naturally formed; watching, and waiting for a good time to step in and make her presence known.

The moment in the hallway with A’Nailiah had gone from cheerful, to intense, to saddening,and now calm and silent… For this reason, It was a moment after Micah opened her door that Sachiel even realized that it had been opened. He had started to believe, actually, that she wasn’t within her chambers, and would arrive from the other direction. He looked over at A’Nailiah, and nodded, helping her to her feet, as he made his way to his own. He wondered what they must have looked like in such a position, and it made him feel even less worthy of being here. He didn’t want to cause any trouble by being indecent, especially considering his position as an outsider here in the Kingdom. He looked from A’Nailiah, to Micah, unsure what he should say in that moment. He still felt uncomfortable making an appearance here without being invited, so he decided to speak to her where he stood. He bowed to Micah, and offered her a smile. “Greetings, Ma’am.”

His natural instinct was to allow the lady to state her business first. But something told him that her business here would take much longer than his own. Not only that, but he had left his class alone for quite some time now. He looked toward the blue haired woman who had kept him company in his wait, to assure it was ok with her, before turning back to his leader, and clearing his throat. “I’m sorry to bother you so early in the day, ma’am. But I wished to inquire as to the upcoming even with the other clans.” Pause. As eloquently as the man spoke, he always felt sub-par among royals. “I’m sure the Guardians will all have their assignments on that day, and I assure you they will be more than prepared to execute their duties to your expectations. But I wished to inquire as to what you would have me do to serve you on the day of the ball?” He had only, that morning, realized that he, himself, was not a Guardian. Furthermore, he had his worries about exposing the sheltered people of Siram to outsiders in mass. He wanted to ensure he could be of as much help to Micah, and his clan, as possible on that day. He took a small step back, and awaited her response. He didn’t know what she may ask him to do, but he would be prepared to do anything, except nothing…

Micah couldn't have expected her presence would go unnoticed for very long, despite her obvious ability to keep silent in almost any circumstance. Of course, she was slightly disappointed her secret lasted such a sort time, but what could you do? With a self-sided shrug, her small figure broke away from the arch in one graceful sweep, bringing her forward without hesitation until she was standing not a foot away from the two. She idly figured that her sudden advance forward without so much as a word prior might slightly discomfort Sachiel, and maybe even Naili, but this wasn't her intention. Micah was bold, some could say; she didn't hesitate to do what felt natural to her, and often times what was natural for her was very unnatural for others. Things such as standing oddly close to people when talking, and keeping constant eye contact, no matter the situation; her childishly large, deep ocean eyes having been said to pear into a person's soul and judge the content of their character in an instant. For the moment her face was rather listless, eyes searching both the face of her 'sister' and Sachiel for answers. To start, Naili's eyes were slightly red, and rather puffy; a hint of crying. And Sachiel, well... he just looked uncomfortable, which when taken into account the circumstance, wasn't very surprising. It was interesting to see the way people reacted to her presence when no one else was around. Sure, Naili was there, but that seemed to be hardly any comfort, as he probably knew the closeness of Naili and Micah. And for some reason, Naili diverted her eyes from Micah... which, to say the least, was quite hurtful to Micah; though she new this wouldn't last long.

"Good morning, Sachiel..." A diversion of the eyes toward her sister, "Naili." The words that passed her lips presently seemed odd on her tongue; not half as informal than usual, especially at this early hour. With a quick revision of her initial statement, an over done smile developed within her and planted itself on her lips. "I mean, uhm... G'Mornin!" But, this wasn't right either. A flustered expression quirked her face now, eyes lifting into the space above their heads in thought. After a moment, she lifted a hand to ruffle loosely through her finely spun hair, eyes returning individually to each of their faces. The play of emotions over her face would most likely spark the hints of a laugh, and were so convincing to the eye people would think she hadn't planned her words as carefully as she had. The tension in the corridor at this point was so much, it had been the only thing she could think to do that would break it down a bit. With the hints of a small, sincere smile, her hands drew the stack of envelopes closer to her oddly developed chest, a few locks of hair obscuring her eye site momentarily. "Its quite alright, Sachiel, no need to be so formal," an eyebrow lifted ever so slightly, hoping he would get the hint, that he didn't have to act so... uncomfortable, humiliated, separate... none of these were the right words, of course, but for the moment it was far too early to assess things well enough. "Anyway, I was actually thinking you might possibly want to escort my little sister, Aureila, and her party? I'm sure Liwanag's leaders will be enthusiastic as ever to come, and since Naili will be here to escort myself, I need someone I trust to watch over my little sister as well." Yes, she was indeed saying that she trusted Sachiel enough with the life of her little sister, the very Princess of Liwanag, and so she hoped he would get this hint as well. "Think about it, let me know if you are willing. Please keep in mind though, this is not an order, so you have every right to refuse my request." And he did, and she wasn't afraid to let him know this.

Once she had spoken her piece to Sachiel, it was only right to indulge her 'sister' in a short conversation as well. "Naili, I would like to go out today, to all of the clans. Invitations need to be delivered for the Ball. Do you feel up to it?" The smile on her lips was unstoppable, like a force. She couldn't help but to give in to her childish side when she was around Naili, and this being the case, her happiness swelled. In a moment she stepped closer to her 'sister's side, shifting the envelopes carefully into one hand, and allowing her other hand to seek out Naili's and entwine their fingers together loosely. She was sure her sister would want to accompany her, whether to protect her, or just spend time with, was what she did not know. Of course, she hoped with her very heart and soul that Naili enjoyed being around Micah as much as the reverse was true; and if it turned out to be that Naili only did so because it was her 'job' to protect the Little Princess, then Micah would not hold her to doing what she did not wish to do. For now, though, she would stand on the hope that the prior was true, and would stick to Naili's side as per usual. Her eyes lifted from Naili's face then, wandering over to Sachiel once more, who was even closer to her now since her advance toward Naili. "It was good seeing you this morning, Sachiel. Maybe me and Naili will stop by later on to watch your class?" Her tone raised at the end of the sentence, eyes shifting to Naili questioningly. The smile on her lips, however, remained still and strong.

A’Nailias words insinuated that she was reaching a new truth in her life. An enlightenment, if you will. However, Sachiel couldn’t help but feel that he had corrupted her in some way. That he had robbed her of just a shred of that innocence, that made her so… well, A’Nailiah. This being said, he felt it his duty in that moment to be there to comfort her. Not that he didn’t enjoy it, for her company was quite pleasing, but he felt responsible all at the same time. When he spoke to her the words that he believed to be so true, a smile once more returned to her face. color returned to her cheeks. In fact, there was a hint of pink in them as well! Sachiel would likely consider this the greatest accomplishment of his day. He noticed her embarrassment, and discomfort, when she realized that they had come into the presence of Micah, in their semi-intimate moment, but he would not be able to comfort her any longer. He could only relate, as he shared those feelings as well.

Micahs greeting was actually somewhat comforting to Sachiel. Perhaps due to the fact that she, herself, seemed to be searching for the correct thing to say. A smile came to his face as he realized this, if only a small one. And he absolutely would not laugh. He could not behave as familiar with her as he had with A’Nailiah. She was the clan leader, after all. This made it all the more amusing, of course, when the first thing she said to him, was that he need not be so formal. “Yes ma’am.” He said, his smile brightening, as he bowed once more, not quite as low as before. It seemed it would take him a while to get accustomed to life within the Kingdom. It pleased him that Micah had already thought of an assignment for him. It made him feel less of an outsider, and more a part of the team. He listened carefully to her request, and answered immediately. “I would be honored to execute this task on your behalf. I mean…I’d be glad to do it.” Was that right? He ran over his attempt to be less formal in his mind. Something about it didn’t feel quite right, but he shrugged it off. There was no way he could take it back now. In any matter, Micahs insinuation that she trusted him brought him joy uncomparable.

He remained silent as Micah spoke with A’Nailiah. His eyes followed Micahs hand, as it link itself with A’Nailiahs, as if she were reclaiming her from him, and a silent laugh escaped his lips. They were cute. Almost like children. He waited patiently, until he was dismissed. “Pleasure was all mine.” He told her. “And I would enjoy your visit very much.” His eyes shifted to Naili as he spoke his last words. “Particularly, if you opted to show your face.” He teased, in reference to her watching his class in secret. With that, he bowed and made his way back to his class. He had left them waiting long enough. A rose, made of ice was left at the end of the hallway. It must have been the task that he had executed with his hands earlier. He didn’t stop to look at it, however. He had left his class waiting long enough.

Sachiel returned to his class to see each Guardian still working hard. Three of them were still involved in the trailing exercise, where the rest of them had broken into threes, and begun their defensive training, where one Guardian acted as the attacker. One was the person being attacked, and the third was the Guardian assigned to defend that person. After each drill, they would shift positions, and play a different roll. Sachiel nodded his head. Glad to see that these men were hard workers, even in his absence. He made his way to the three trailers, who still hadn’t managed to spill a single drop of water. “Impressive.” He told them, as he walked up, and the Guardian possessing the trail held the water in place. “Thank you, sir.” He said, bowing his head slightly. “Not at all.” Sachiel told him. “You all deserve it. Mind if I join in?” The three guardians showed only an instant of hesitation, before deciding that they were confident, and could continue in the game, even with Sensei involved. So they made room for him, and he entered the circle. The four of them continued to pass the trail of water a few rounds, but once Sachiel received the trail for a fifth time, he decided to make the game a bit more interesting. He received the trail from his left, extending both hands in that direction, centering it in front of his body with his energy, as expected.

But instead of passing the trail to the right, or back to his left, he split the trail in half, spreading his arms, and sending one half in either direction. This immediately caught the Guardian to his left off guard, causing him to spill several drops of water on the ground, and removing him from the game. The remaining two guardians would have to play with Sachiel, and two trails of water. Sachiel masterfully controlled the water, sending it in spirals, and different patterns, and occasionally sending both trails to the same Guardian at once. It wasn’t long before both of the students were out, and the game was over. “From now on, the three of you are to do this exercise with one hand behind your back.” He told them. It wasn’t his intention to be harsh. But the objective of training was to get stronger, and if they had surpassed the training exercise in its normal form, they were going to have to change the method in order to continue growth.

He placed the three of them in a group for defensive training, and sat in order to evaluate their performance. They were often seen as the most highly skilled Guardians in the Battalion. Tripp, Ryoga, and Zaria. They would each make excellent Platoon Leaders one day, and when they were ready, he would recommend them to Micah. They prepared for the exercise at usual. Tripp retrieved a large bucket containing plastic balls from the other side of the room. He would be the attacker. He would attempt to hit Ryoga, who represented a royal family member, with them by propelling them with water. Zaria would play the role of the Guardian. It was her job to protect Ryoga using whatever power she had. The attacker and the defender were allotted only one bucket of water to do with as they pleased. Trailing water from the bucket, Tripp picked up a ball, and formed the water around it. Using this technique, he could make the ball to float however he wanted by controlling the water around it. He swirled the ball around him a few times, to ensure he had control, then eyed his target, as Zaria took a defensive stance.

Thrusting his arm forward, the assailant sent the ball flying toward Ryoga. Sachiel watched on silently, occasionally nodding his head. Zaria, with her quick reflexes quickly created a path of water, much like a river, which altered the path of the ball, allowing it to pass Ryoga safely. Tripp, however, could easily turn the ball around, and using water pressure, propel the plastic ball from the water, bringing it to strike Ryoga in the back. However, the defensive Guardian was still prepared. She formed the water she wielded into a disk, and froze it into solid ice, which repelled Tripps attack. Though the ice wasn’t completely formed, and it cracked upon contact, Sachiel was quite impressed. She was the first Guardian to grasp flash-freezing, and she executed it well.

Tripp was unperturbed, however. He, being the best at trailing, took possession of seven balls at once, and prepared an assault from all sides. Meanwhile, Zaria used her natural skill over form to evaporate both the water from her bucket, and a large proportion of the remaining water from her opponents bucket, and form a thick mist, concealing herself, and her target from view. Sachiel, sitting on the out, stared into the mist, appearing as if he could see what was happening on the inside. After a few moments passed, he stopped the Drill. “Tripp is the winner.” He said. He turned to Zaria, and shook his head. “Your ability over water form is impressive, but it was not a wise decision to put yourself in a position where you can’t sense the person you’re trying to protect. It’s nothing to your target to take you out, along with his target, so while obstructing his view is a good idea, obstructing your own is a fatal mistake. “With that, he stopped the class. They had been going non-stop since he left, and they deserved a break. Not only that, but he wished to visit Liwanag, and familiarize himself with it, before the time for his assignment came. Twenty-one years, and he had never once set foot there. He dismissed his students, and announced the time of their next meeting, He and his students all cleaned the training center, and he saw to it that each of them left before he did. He took a deep breath, and prepared for his trip.

the sound of rushing waters could be heard near by as sotaynru continued his odd placed journey. what was his reason for leaving his desert curiosity perhaps? no sotaynru had reason for all he did even if said reason wasnt revealed right away. finally he had entered the clan lands of his sister clan the siram. approachign the delicate beach he finally sat down closign his eyes the sand arround him rustled together and soon emenated a massive dust cloud to shwo that there were visitors at the shore of siram. his gaurds then sat beside him as he meditatd and waited to be met to enter the city. he could maybe enter through other means but this only seemed the polite way to enter anouther home land by escort in hsi land he didnt care very mcuh if you survived throught he desert long enough to find one of the clan areas you were worthy of being there with all the foulest of creatures massive worms and such that would devour most in a single gulp. then the desert wolves with there black fur they roamed the land scavenging whatever they may find. they were beyond massive enough to ride. among many other creatures and bandaits and such that wsould attempt to use your skin as a blanket