Painting Trip

[Demeter]

: Rowen tucked a stray lock of blond hair behind his ear and settled down on a hill. A sketchbook was propped against his knees and a piece of charcoal in his hands. A box of paints lay nearby, the lid absently placed on.

He sighed. It was rare he found spots like this one - still untouched in Eraklyon. 'Civilization's slowly destroying my favorite locations,' he thought to himself. Soon, he'd have to stop making trips to Eraklyon and focus on new regions, new realms.

Something felt different - the air was blowing strangely. Rowen's head tilted back and he listened carefully to the Voice of Nature. "Something does not bode well," he murmured to himself. Perhaps he should go look for that old friend of his, Demetrius. If anyone knew anything about the events happening in Eraklyon - it would be him.

[Demeter]

: Rowen snaked along the various paths and trails, always listening to the Voice of Nature. Something... wrong... happened and it was bound to affect the other realms. He heaved a sigh. Eraklyon always seemed to bring some sort of strife to the other realms.

-

He perched on the branch of a tree, watching the guards. One of them had to be his old friend. His left arm hadn't moved from his side since his trek to the castle - the reminder of his attempt at being a hero before it went all wrong. He gave a familiar three note whistle and hoped his friend was listening.

[Sky]

Standing attentively at his post, Demetrius heard a distinctive whistle coming from somewhere in the distance. Knowing at once that that call could come from none other than his old friend Rowen, the guard grinned, immediately reminded of their childhood together - one that had been filled with numerous pranks and silly antics. Smiling nostalgically, Demetrius nodded to himself. Those certainly were the good old days. Things nowadays just couldn't compare - for one, life as a guard could get boring. Nothing but watching posts all day had the tendency to get rather dreary - and the fact that he wasn't getting any younger didn't exactly brighten his day.

Gesturing for one of his fellow guards to hand him a pair of binoculars, Demetrius stepped forward and gave an answering whistle. Placing the binoculars against his eyes, Demetrius scanned the landscape, wondering if it was possible to spot a single person amidst all that foliage . . .

[Demeter]

: Rowen knew he'd soon be spotted so he snapped a quick salute to his old friend and gracefully flipped out of the tree, landing on his feet. He'd be feeling that later, that was a clear fact. "I'm getting too old for this," he muttered to himself.

He walked up the path slowly and stopped in front of Demetrius. "Hello, old soldier."

[Sky]

Demetrius's face lit up as he saw his old friend approaching. Glancing down at the heavy pure gold watch, a gift from King Aldrich for his many years of devoted service to the royal family, that adorned his left wrist, Demetrius smiled. Calling out merrily to Rowen, he said, "Perfect timing, old friend - my shift for the day has just come to a close."

[Demeter]

: "I'd reach over to shake your hand, old friend, but my good arm's occupied," Rowen said with a wry grin, poking fun at his injury. He knew it irritated his friend when he made light of the injury but at least it kept him in good spirits. The injury had effectively killed any chance of his being a hero - but thankfully, didn't kill his artistic career.

"How have you been?" Rowen asked.

[Sky]

Frowning, Demetrius replied, "You know it still bothers me that you insist on making light of your injury but since I doubt you'll be doing otherwise any time soon, I'll just close my ears to your jokes." Smiling so that Rowen knew that he meant no ill will, Demetrius continued, "As for me, well, I'm about as good as can be expected. Same old me - just a bit older. Not so quick on my feet anymore, I'm afraid. One of these days I have a feeling I'm going to be replaced as head guard of the royal family. Of course I won't be kicked out of the palace on my behind - but one of these days, mark my word, all I'll be is a mascot to the young, agile guards. Can't say that I'm looking forward to that day-" Demetrius cut himself off, "But that doesn't matter right now because today isn't that day. And besides that's enough about me - how are you doing?"

[Demeter]

: "I've been well, all things considering," Rowen said. "I still ocassionally wake Wystie up at night from the night terrors," he said quietly, wincing at the painful memory. "I'm sure you know which ones I'm referring to," he said, his gaze drifting down to his worthless arm. "Other then that, I'm here working. Although, Wystie keeps saying I should give up my painting career because it's not bringing much money in and that I could make myself useful around her shop."

Rowen shook his head. "So, you're not as quick as you were. You've kept that princeling alive for how long? It's a miracle you're still alive. From what you told me in those letters, he sounds like he's still quite a handful." He chuckled. "And speaking of handfuls, my daughter's a second year student at Alfea and you know how much trouble girl children can be."

[Sky]

Demetrius smiled almost wistfully, "It must be nice, though - having a family, I mean. Sometimes it feels like an eternity since I've seen mine - sometimes it feels like I'm just an old bachelor. Ever since that wife of mine, Filomena, moved back to her home realm to be closer to her parents and took our kids with her . . . well, I'm man enough to admit it - it's lonesome. If I remember correctly, it's been about eight or nine months since I've seen her and our boys. That's one of the downsides to being a guard, I suppose - I don't get much personal time. I always have to be ready to travel off with the royal family on a whim. Don't get me wrong, though; I love my job and I'm proud to be in the service. Wouldn't have it any other way, in fact."

[Demeter]

: "I understand, old friend. Remember, I was almost in your shoes," Rowen answered. "If only I had been quicker with my sword, then that creature wouldn't have gotten my left arm, maiming it to such an extent that I can't use it." His tone had turned bitter then and anger at himself laced his speech.

[Sky]

"That wasn't your fault; there wasn't anything that you could have done. No one could have reacted as fast as you did and still . . ." Demetrius trailed off, leaving his sympathies unspoken. He knew that speaking them would only humiliate his friend, something he would never dream of doing intentionally.

"Besides, that's all in the past. Today is a beautiful day and I think that we shouldn't put such a gloomy damper on it, don't you agree?" Without waiting for a reply, Demetrius continued, "So tell me, Rowen, what brings you back to Eraklyon this time? More painting?"

[Demeter]

: Rowen grinned at his friend. "Ah, you know me too well. Yes, I'm on another painting trip, as indicated by my lack of using my right arm due to it holding my artist stuff."

He sobered and looked at his friend. "But there's something I need to ask and I would like to do so where the walls don't have ears."

[Sky]

Demetrius frowned as he detected the serious note in Rowen's voice. Nodding his head curtly, he gestured for Rowen to follow him into the nearby woods.

As the pair walked a suitable distance into the woods - a distance that would keep them out of the line of vision of curious guards - Demetrius stopped and then turned toward his friend. "All right; you've captured my attention, so start talking."

[Demeter]

: "You know my people can hear the Voice of Nature and are quite in tune to it," Rowen started. He paused a long moment and looked at Demetrius.

"As I sat, getting ready to start a painting, I could hear it, screaming. It was like nothing I have ever felt before. I could feel a darkness in it, as if a curse lay on the land."

Rowen looked at his old friend. "I just have this feeling that something is dreadfully wrong here and you know I would do anything to help right it."

[Sky]

Demetrius frowned, deeply concerned by what his friend was telling him. "And . . . and you are certain that you heard correctly? There is no mistake? It isn't that I doubt you, Rowen - but I must know that this threat is real before I alert King Aldrich." Shaking his head, Demetrius cast his gaze in the direction of the royal palace that loomed in the distance. "I just hope that this danger isn't directed at the king and queen; they have enough to worry about as is." His body tense, Demetrius continued slowly, his voice growing with conviction, "But . . . if this danger is aimed at them, I will do everything in my power to keep them safe. I took that oath when I first became a royal guard and I will be damned if I go back on my word."