The Wanderings (vampirekiss_lover of matt)
 

Initial minimal bio:
Name: Valinth, prefers Val
Age: 20
Race: Human
Appearance:http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/3...imeboyl.th.jpg

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Val should have listened to the Elder. The mage had been instructed to follow the path until it branched and he was to follow the right branch; but he didn't. Instead, he had decided he wanted to explore the woods outside the village a bit, thinking that he would never get lost. Well. He was lost. Utterly and completely lost, he hadn't bothered to keep track of where the path was and had become distracted by the birds and other creatures that inhabited the trees in the near vicinity. Eventually, he had realized that he really had no idea where even the village lay.

"Well, the Master is definitely not going to like this," making sure his cloak was still spotless, Val found a protruding tree branch and settled himself on it to eat a bit of food from his satchel and ponder about what his next step should be. "I won't be able to reach the Nether Vale to find a magic focus now." There was nothing to do but hope that there were not flesh-eating creatures anywhere near, his spells were good, but they were weak without a familiar to help augment and focus his abilities. He'd be dessert for the next unfriendly creature that decided to take a chunk out of his flesh.

Zelda was very unhappy with the way her family and village tried to control her, raise her, and train her. Hard. She was out in the woods of her village Practicing her bow, and hunting for her next meal when she was almost killed. It wasent her fault! She kept telling her family. They didnt believe her. So, on the night of the full moon, she packed a few things, and headed east of her village.

Zelda looked at her map, and looked around at were she was. "damn, Im Lost.." She said, kinda worried. She had plenty of arrows so she should be fine from danger...Zelda decided she would camp for the night, she gathered some sticks, rocks, moss, anything that would burn and started a small fire that she fed, she had some rabbit that she killed earlier that day, and roasted it.

He could smell smoke, though Val was unsure which direction it was coming from. But after looking around for a few moments, he detected the faint glow of a campfire not too far from his position. Maybe it was someone who could tell him where he was? After all, if it were someone with ill-intentions, they wouldn't have built a fire in the middle of the woods, right? Right, an unfriendly would have found themselves a nice cave to hole up in for the night. He hoped. So the mage hopped off his tree root and made his way as silently as he could in the direction where he could see the fire. It was barely reaching night-time, so the glow was still very minimal. When he got close enough to see who the campfire belonged to, Val relaxed slightly. It looked like an elf, and elves were not known for attacking without reason.

"Greetings, elf," he didn't want to surprise her, so he kept a distance and bowed from the waist, as the Elder had taught him in the early days of his education. "Might I trouble you to tell me where I am? And in which direction the Nether Vale is?" He kept to his vow, praying to his awaiting familiar that the elf would find no offense with his posture.

Zelda was about done with her Rabbit when a mage approached her. She stood and bowed back. "Sorry, I have no clue...To tell you the truth I am a bit lost as well." She said with a slight smile. "Ive never heard of the village you speak of, I am from The Eleven woods, West from here, I think..." She said looking around. "Would you like to join me? I have some meat here, if your hungry, and a map, maybe that can help you?" She said with a friendly smile. She wasn't sure if he was a threat at first, but even if he was, she would not harm her until he got what he wanted.

And so far, he looks normal. Zelda hoped that she could help him, maybe he could help her in return.

Wincing, he straightened out of his bow. "It's not actually a village, it's pretty much a big hole in the ground filled with magical essences and spirits," he had indeed strayed way off course. The Elves' woods were nowhere near the route he was to have taken. "I'm not hungry, thanks, just ate some of my rations," he returned her smile with a muted one of his own. Val had never actually met an elf, though the village elders liked to tell stories of them. Although at the moment he felt he probably could have paid more attention when the Mages' Master was attempting to teach himself and the two other mage apprentices how to read maps. "As for the map. . . I don't actually know how to read them," Val felt his face heat up in embarrassment and tried to shake it off.

"My name is Valinth, by the way. Call me Val,"

Zelda smiled. "Hm, Well I could help you with The map" She said. Val seemed to be Unconformable around her. Why she wondered...She pulled out the map she had and looked for the Big hole he spoke of..."Well...Its not marked on the map its self, but there is a large spot that is unnamed, maybe thats it?" She walked over to him, showing him the map. "Oh, you may call Me Zelda." She said with a warm smile.

She hoped she was a help, and to be honest she liked having someone to talk to.

Eagerly, Val looked at the map, just to see if he could recognize anything. "I can't really tell if that's the Vale, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check it out at least," he nodded, setting a plan of action in his mind. "I was starting to get really worried I might have to try and find my way back to my home village, that wouldn't have been pretty," wincing, he thought of hos two fellow apprentices and how fond they were of making fun of him. Shaking thoughts of the two off, he settled his cloak more securely around his shoulders. "It's starting to get a little late, so I guess we should set up a camp or something," his eyes closed when he smiled again and he looked around to see what they could use for shelter.

"If I may ask, why are you out here by yourself? From what I hear, elves rarely go out of their woods alone," he was genuinely curious and tilted his head. "Especially female elves, since your menfolk protect you very fiercely."

Zelda handed him the map when he came over. "Darn, well yes it wouldn't hurt to check it out." She said, then looked around the woods. "Yes, It is getting rather dark, I hadn't noticed until now...I have a small fire already, But I dont know what we would use for Head coverings." She said.

When he asked why she was out here alone she hesitated. "Well, I ran away.."
She said, Not wanting to get to much into it. "What about you? Why are you out here? A Quest I presume?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. "Oh and No man In my Village wanted anything to do with me...."

Deciding not to really ask about her reasons from running away from her people, he gave a bit of serious thought to her rather intuitive question of why he, himself was out in the woods. "Well, I am indeed on a quest. When I reach the Nether Vale, I have to complete a ritual to ask a magical spirit to bind itself to me and become my familiar for the rest of my life," chuckling a little uncomfortably, he gathered a few dry sticks from the ground to stock as fuel for the fire she had. "If I don't have a familiar to focus my powers, my spells will be mediocre at best, and downright shoddy at worst." Scratching the back of his head, Val looked up at the tree branches to judge how much shelter they would be. Deciding they were too high up to be much shelter if the heavens decided to pour rain on them, he looked around to see if he could find a cave nearby. Old forests like these always had caves nestled in little hills throughout.

"If you don't mind my saying, I don't see why your menfolk don't want anything to do with you. You're a very beautiful young woman," he kept his eyes in motion, looking for the telltale void that signaled a cave in the twilight of near nightfall.

Zelda blushed. While too, looking for shelter. "Ah, There is actually an old cave north from here, I know where it is!" She said, packing up her things, she could tell it was about to rain, She always had a way of knowing things about nature, and the woods especially. When she put out the small fire, and packed up the wood she stopped for a moment. "Oh, By the way, thanks for the comment...But The men Thought of me as a freak, and not pretty, Lets just say...I didn't quite like the Traditions in my village" She said.

She stayed still for another moment. "Yes, There is a storm heading, we must hurry to the cave" She said. "I find your quest very interesting, It would be an honor to help you find where you need to be" She said, now done packing her things. "Ok, this way" She said heading north to the cave.

Smiling cheerily, Val bowed gracefully to his new traveling companion. "Lead on, Fair Lady!" He straightened up and gave the elf a cheeky wink, settling his pack more comfortably on his back, even though it was near impossible to see under his cloak. "I don't believe either one of us fancies being cold and wet, or sleeping on muddy ground either," listening intently as he followed behind her agile form, Val frowned at her reasons for running away from her people. They were certainly good reasons, but he could not imagine feeling himself so oppressed by the villages' customs and the pressures from his mentor and fellow apprentices that he felt the need to get away from them all.

"Well, I do believe that the men of your home must be entirely mistaken. You don't look like any kind of freak to me," he offered quietly. But he let the subject drop for the moment, he didn't want to make her angry at him before their companionship even truly started. "Thank you, I don't think I would survive trying to find the Vale by myself," there, a safe topic that they could discuss with no fear of his hurting her feelings whatsoever. Well, he would try not to hurt her feelings, as Val had not had many dealings with females. Of any species or race.

She smiled, Val was a kind soul. She wished her Menfolk back home new how to treat a lady. Val Changed the subject, so Zelda felt the need to not press it either. "Yes, I would hate to be cold, wet, and muddy..." She said with a chuckle. "I only know of this cave because When I was A child I came out here all the time to play." She said. She never had any friends, but she decided to leave that part out. She could tell he thought of her reasons to runaway were somewhat ... Immature. Maybe they were, but She was a rebel. Or so Her mother called her everyday...Maybe it was childish to leave, but she would have never been married off....

The clouds were forming, and they were dark. "Its just up this hill, Its a bit of a hike, but if were hurry we will make it before it rains" She said pointing to a very steep hill, it would be more of a huge, hike to your death than anything. She headed up the hill, grabbing onto branches, and anything that would help her up the steep hill. "Are you alright back there?" She said looking below her. Thats when The first of the rain started.

Valinth tried not to think too deeply on why a small child, especially a girl, would feel the need to play in the woods. He frowned but didn't comment on it, sensing that it was a sensitive subject for the elven girl. Then he had to forget all about that as he saw the 'hill' she mentioned. That was more of a cliff than a hill! He'd have to work hard not to tumble off and hurt himself, so he followed Zelda's lead and grabbed branches and protruding rocks to help him on his climb. Hearing her ask if he was alright, he tilted his face up to peer at her "Yes, I'm fine." But he apparently spoke too soon, as the heavens suddenly decided to let their wet intentions be known and started sprinkling their watery minions upon the two.

"I think we might have to climb a little faster?" He really didn't like being wet. Especially since he really liked his fire spells.

Zelda Nodded. "Yes, we do need to climb a bit faster" She said, Speeding up her climbing process. She reached the top right as The big drops of rain hit, thunder too. She looked Back at Val, and held her hand out too help, he looked miserable being wet.
Once he was helped up and there were the small cave, she put her things down and and began making a fire. "Once the fire is made, we can dry our clothes and our Supplies" She said. The thunder and Lighting, and rain Heated up. "Just as I thought...Its going to be a long night..." She said.

"Are you hungry? Or Did I already ask you?" She said. " I am so sorry, if I am a bother"

Faster? Val wasn't sure if his limbs could handle 'faster'. He was a mage for star's sake! Mages were not built for physical labor, but he still trudged on, feeling himself get soaked to the skin and he had a pretty good idea he probably resembled a half-drowned rat by that point. Thankfully, they soon reached the cave and he followed in after the elf girl, ridding himself of his cloak and setting it on a nearby rock to dry. He went and helped her start the fire, feeling his skin drying more quickly once the blaze started. He then went to his pack, which he'd set next to the cloak, and was happy to see that its shielding spells were holding up so it was not wet at all.

"I'm not hungry, though I can't remember if you'd asked or not," this girl seemed to be pretty insecure about herself, considering she was an elf. "You're really not any bother at all. At least, not to me since you've decided to try and help me reach my destination," he cocked his head, his hair still dripping water, and peered at her through his bangs. "Technically, you could be my savior since I wouldn't have found this cave on my own."

Zelda blushed at his kind words. "Well--um--th--thanks!" She said half shivering and half stuttering. She took of some clothing to let dry on a rock, and by the fire to get dry, she felt warmer and dried fast, the storm got worse. "We will be here awhile..." She said looking outside the cave. " Yeah, I guess it is a good thing we ran into each other, I couldn't imagine anyone is this mess alone" She said.

She started to cook another one of her rabbits. "Good thing I hunted, I have just enough food to last through the storm" She said.

"No problem at all," he smiled slightly at her and returned to the task of taking off the articles of clothing that were wet. They weren't much, his cloak which had already come off, and his shoes, since they were of a tough cloth material that still absorbed water I should have put on boots. He frowned a bit at the discomfort of the cold stone but shrugged, it couldn't be helped. The elf mentioned they'd be there a while and he shrugged. "There's really no hurry for me, since my teacher said I could take my time to complete my task," he sat on a rock and watched her cook the rabbit, marveling at the fact that he had actually met and would travel with an elf. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined it. "Oh, I'm sure there's someone out in this wretched storm, but probably not anywhere near us, since as far as I know there's only your people and some animals nearby. I hope." He really wouldn't be much use if they had to fight anything that was determined to end them.

Zelda nodded. "Yes, there are only my people and bears and other such animals. But dont worry, were fine up here, I used to hunt and camp up here for play, and fr training, before I left anyways." She said, not eating her Rabbit. She knew the woods very well, so well that she was certain she would not be found in this cave, in this weather, besides, her family nor her people would bother looking for her, if she had not left, they surely would have stoned her to death....She took everything off, except her under clothing. She was used to being almost naked around people so she did not find it weird. "Sounds like you have a good teacher" She said smiling Finishing off her Rabbit.

Val tilted his head, wondering how she could be lost when she'd practically admitted she lived in these woods her entire life. She'd even known how to find the cave! But he shrugged and decided not to make an issue of it; it wasn't his place to ask why someone would do such things. He was still not feeling particularly hungry, so he let her eat her rabbit and fished around his pack for his book of spells. If he left off studying even one evening, the Master would know and he would receive quite an earful when he managed to make it back home. He found it slightly odd that the elf stripped to her underclothing with a male present, it seemed that modesty was not of great importance among elven folk. "My teacher is harsh," he chuckled. "But only when my fellow apprentices and I don't do quite what we're told. He is very kind when he's not teaching us though. He's the most respected person in my home village." Turning his head, he gazed at the violent downpour of water just outside the cave's mouth, wondering when it would let up. He would never be able to sleep with all that noise, and he felt sure he'd need all his strength the coming day if he wanted to make it to the Vale in one piece.

Zelda knew he had caught on to her, she was not really lost, She just wished she was.....She rubbed her arms, it was chilly...
"Sounds like a great Man." She said, wishing she could say the same about any man in her Village. The men In her village called her 'freak' and 'ugly' She was at the age to be married off, yet no man had wanted her. All she ever wanted was to be happy, yet in her home village that was not possible. So zelda ran away, maybe she will find another Elven Village who will accept her.
" I am training to be a warrior, so it is a great honor to help you on your quest, maybe when you have completed it, I can meet your master." She said and smiled, then looked at his books. "What are you doing?"

He sensed the elf was troubled by something, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what it could be about. She was an elf for crying out loud! Elves were some of the most fortunate creatures on their planet, due to their elongated life cycles compared to that of humans. He wasn't sure how to comfort her, however, since he didn't feel like he knew her well enough to ask about what was bothering her. Besides, he was a man and didn't have much experience with comforting people; especially girls, no matter what her race was. So he concentrated on formulating an answer to her question about what he was doing.

"I'm studying. As much as I wish it was, magic isn't intuitive like in all the stories we are told when we're children. There is structure to it that can have unfortunate consequences if a spell is not formulated quite right," frowning, he tried to figure out a way to better explain it. "It's almost like an alchemical equation, if you use the wrong amount of a material, you will get something other than what you wanted. With magic, if you use the wrong amount of force, or the wrong type of element for a specific spell, you can end up corrupting something pure and turning it evil." Val was unsure as to whether he made much sense, but he wasn't a teacher for a reason.

She nodded. "Yes, That makes perfect sense!" She said with a smile, He was very smart. "Your master would be so proud of you" She said with a soft smile. Here he was in a horrible storm and he still studies for his quest, he is very determined and he will do great things, Zelda could feel it. She wondered to herself what it would be like to be so important to a village, a home, a family....

She could feel tears welling up at the thought, and laughed it off and sat closer to the fire so she wouldnt freeze. "Your strong, you will do great things." She said in full confidence. Someone how, she knew things....she wasent sure how or why, but like she knew about the storm...she knew about him, it was just a feeling she got sometimes, so strong..