Rayner Brandt
Location: Prisma's Lair
Accompanying: Prisma Phantasia, Gastelle, Selene Gaspard, Germund Brandt, some kid Rayner hasn’t seen before

Rayner's eyes narrowed significantly at Prisma in consideration. He could accept the outstretched hand and play into this madness that he apparently had been recruited for as a child. While the deception pissed him off, he was here now and had made it this far. What harm could seeing this through lead to? He didn't have to have contact with them if he didn't agree and this was not binding. Already he decided to cut Germund out of his life for good. The lying old snake. He obviously just sent him to the college to train him for whatever this mess was.
Rayner could feel Gastelle's eyes peering past him and he gave the man a bit of a glance. His look waned from anger slightly when he looked at the man that had come looking for him with his friends. Gastelle didn't owe him that level of loyalty, not after the awkward way they left things the night before he was taken. Either way, the sight of him made Rayner's pulse jump and a softness form in the man's expression. He gave him a nod, realizing his tension meant that Gastelle still had his back now if he needed it. Somehow, that comfort from a friend made him more willing to at least hear what Prisma had to say. He wasn't sold of course, but he knew that if things went to hell, he could rely on Selene, Gastelle, Kasper, and Frederik to get him out of there.
"Honestly, your pitch sucks. But I'll hear what you have to say." He took a step and took her hand, getting a strange scoff from Adaire.
"Try show." She muttered before their vision was swallowed by darkness....

Rayner's senses exploded with feelings and sensations. He felt anguish, pain, fear, and desperation as the world around him was covered in smoke and debris. Above their heads, the sky was rippling with a strange black and blue energy as strange wraith-like beings poured from the skies. As one came into his space, he threw out a hand to stop it with ice, it failed. What? His Magis was gone? Was the weird sky causing that? As his vision began to blur, he saw people and soldiers falling around him in heaps. People like Selene...Germund...Gastelle....Prisma....All dying under the weight of the powerful force that assaulted them. The painful darkness and noise swallowed him whole, leaving him in an empty, death-like state.

Rayner woke from the vision with a gasp of breath, his breath escaping him in a plume of steam from the cold. He ripped his hand away from Prisma, holding it close to himself as he looked from his hand to the two women. "What the hell was all that?" He asked and Adaire gave him a strong look.
"The future, if you don't help us..." Her words made Rayner tense, his gaze shifting then to Prisma.
"But why me?"
"It's not just you. It's the purpose you will serve. You just have the right requirements we are looking for. She needs someone to replace her. We don't live forever and the world needs the Eccentrique to keep the balance and protect Liphilius from destruction. We are her protectors...her hands, eyes, ears, and mouths to prevent the end of the world." Adaire gave Prisma a gentle look, hoping the woman had something else to say. She did as she was bid and spread the coming of this travesty to the one who might see it come in his lifetime. Right now, she could sense he was on the fence, close to tipping over to their side with just the right push...

The placating gesture did little to calm the drake and instead made Eir’s scales start to show. Malachi surely did find this a dangerous occurrence and knew how close he came to the end of a sword? Eir almost fainted when Ifram only confirmed that. He understood people found Sehrish attractive, even if Eir was never one of the people that did. She was more of a sister and close friend, someone he remembered meeting as a child when his grandmother would take him to the archives with the other children after temple visits. Eir was the type that once you became extremely close with him, romance and the like was off the table. Even malachi had caused him to pause a moment in consideration, but Eir was never much for the bold types. As with himself, Eir found himself drawn to those with a more quiet, reserved nature and intellectual interests. Independence and knowledge were two things the drake found attractive and those were hard to find in congruence. But that was beside the point--
While he understood Malachi wanting to sleep with Sehrish, why in Vaelor’s fiery hell would he ever pursue a married woman? That was just asking for political outrage and problems. Ifram would have been within his right by Glaperan customs to kill Malachi or at the very least castrate him for touching his wife. Of course, the only thing that saved him was his station in Phonax and the need for that alliance to work.
Eir was almost sweating with anxiety when the men started agreeing to not say anything. Thankfully, that calmed him a little and made him let out a sigh. Especially when Sehrish gave Ifram a pat and went to Eir’s side.
“And your friend was not alone in his thinking. I apologize, friend. It won’t happen again.” Eir gave her a suspicious and scolding look before he melted into the hug she gave him. Malachi’s apology only softened the drake who nodded along with the news that he understood what a dumb decision that was.
“Understood, brother. I’m just glad you are safe.” He said but paused when a letter was produced. He went forward, taking it from Malachi and giving it a glance as he removed it from the envelope.
“Son, if such a visit is as advantageous as you believe then I will explore the possibilities with Lord Aluanas and the family. A formal invitation has been sent to Lord Aluanas, his wife, and the matron of the household to request Eir’Asa Aluanas’s visit to Phonax--” Eir’s eyes widened and instantly his head whipped up to Malachi. He seemed suspicious or in disbelief before it all seemed to click.
“I...I get to go to Phonax?!” He instantly beamed, all previous anxiety forgotten as he pulled Malachi into an almost crushing hug, not knowing his own strength when excited. He pulled away and looked to Sehrish, noting she also looked wide eyed and excited.
“Oh my Lothtor! You’ll get to see The Grand Hall of Archives in the capitol!” Sehrish gushed and Eir nodded excitedly.
“And the city itself! The history and study there is fascinating. Oh and I’ll have to learn the language! The literature, the culture, the Magis, the healing! AH!” He almost bounced with joy at the idea looking like a child being told they got their weight in candy. He then looked to Malachi and gave him a happy smile. “I don’t know what to say, brother. Are you sure you wish to have me in your home? I mean I’m more than honored and excited but I don’t wish to be a burden.”

The day began like any other day in the small, island port town. The sun rose and the ocean carried the humid sea air across the dunes and plains and to the gardens of the temple situated beside the sea cliff. On a normal day, the temple would have been filled with silent contemplation and priests and priestesses milling about to place the flower offerings to the God of fertility and marriage. Today a new sort of offering made its way into the halls and into the eyes of the ever watching god, who’s large dragon presence stood tall, immortalized in mable above the dias. Beneath its watchful gaze stood a priest, Eir, Bryer, and Dimitri. Dimitri couldn’t help but fuss with the cuffs of the outfit he was in, a formal sort of suit that one would see in the weddings of Alessandria. With his hands clasped before him, anticipation grew in him like a light of hope that warmed him from the inside out. He beamed to himself, happier than he felt in his life time to be standing in a temple as he was waiting on the love of his life to emerge. He hadn’t been allowed to see her in the dress and even for his fantasies and thoughts, he couldn’t have predicted the fantastic sight before him that emerged down the aisle/
His breath caught at Nesryn, the blinding white of the satin and the gold shining in the soft light filtering in from the stained glass windows. Her face was only partially obscured by the thin veil, but Dimitri still lost himself in the sheer majesty of her presence. She resemble a goddess, ethereal and radiant, as she seemed to almost glide closer to him with her effortless steps. The closer she got, the more he felt his heart filling with this profound joy. By the time she was there beside him, happy tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he struggled to remember there was anyone else in the room besides her.
“You are just so…” He lost his train of thought, just staring into her face still obscured by the veil. Before he could stand there dumbstruck, the priest cleared his throat and Dimitri blinked, blushing deeply with a rueful grin. “Ah--Breathtaking. You look…” He gently moved the veil from her face, pausing to admire her a moment longer before his hand drifted to take hers, “stunning.”
The priest began his spiel on the sanctity of marriage and how it was the binding and uniting of two wayward souls in the world and bringing them home to each other. That this would bind their souls together, committing to a love that would forever be multifaceted and changing, like the glow of the ocean, constant and eternal. Dimitri gave her hand a squeeze as if to reassure her that the words meant exactly as they should. However the priest paused before the vows could be said and Eir passed him a book that he had been fiddling with and translating with help for the priest that spoke Duthl.
“As I’ve been told, this pair are not followers of Ingeir in his natural form, but a being that perhaps shares the realm of his love and care. So today, we will honor the pair with vows of meaning. Now, I am told the tradition of the All-Mother are sacred to the Elvi and I will do my best to be sure they are exact. So join me in celebrating their union. Ahem,” He held the rings in his hands, the book in front of his face as he read.
“Dimitri Valcrow and Nesryn Zoya have chosen to commit their spirits to one another, creating a connection between them that will span eternity, no matter what physical form their love may take in their next cycle. This sacred vow you take with the All-Mother is to be honored and committed to, not easily broken by time nor hardship. Is it your intentions to honor the All-Mother in this way? Please say, it is.”
“It is.” Dimitri said without hesitation, even if hearing Nesryn say it as well damn near caused his heart to explode with glee.
“Dimitri, will you share in Nesryn’s strife and seek to protect her from it? Will you rejoice in her joys and celebrate your love? Will you share in her hardships so that you may grow together? Will you temper all anger to strengthen the bond between you and the nature from which we are all born? Will you honor and respect her as an equal in this bond? Will you commit your spirit, reborn from the earth at the All-Mother’s blessing, to her’s, even as we are called into her loving embrace at the end of our cycle?”
“I do.” Dimitri said to her, feeling completely prepared for whatever came their way as long as he had her...He was handed the ring, which he placed on her finger.
“Nesryn, will you share in Dimitri’s strife and seek to protect him from it? Will you rejoice in his joys and celebrate your love? Will you share in his hardships so that you may grow together? Will you temper all anger to strengthen the bond between you and the nature from which we are all born? Will you honor and respect him as an equal in this bond? Will you commit your spirit, reborn from the earth at the All-Mother’s blessing, to his, even as we are called into her loving embrace at the end of our cycle?”
“I do.” As the ring slid on his finger, Dimitri could have kissed her right then, but the priest was quick to move on as he saw he was quickly losing his enamored groom’s attention.
“These two have proclaimed their bond in the sight of Ingeir and the All-Mother. Their spirits are bound and their futures united. By the power vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the--”
“The priest didn’t get to finish before Dimitri sealed their vows and prayers with a kiss…
~~~~
The local tavern that afternoon was alive with people and celebration, as the locals wanted to throw them something special for joining their community. In a small isolated place, weddings, funerals, and births were always cause for some big gathering. The new couple were hardly exempt. As the band struck up a more lively tune, Dimitri pulled Nesryn in close, chuckling to himself as he noted Lina pulling Eir into a dance nearby and a suspiciously chatty Bryer with the aforementioned altar boy.
“Care for a dance, Mrs. Velcro? Or are you content to call it an evening?” He asked, kissing her temple to reassure her he didn’t care and it was whichever he wanted. He knew she wasn’t much for crowds or a lot of attention on her. Already she had been oohed and awed at by the local women and had been congratulated enough times that it could have been a local sport at this rate.

Ifram looked to Eir, partially surprised he had no idea of the affair and partially glad. The lad had always been trustworthy and Ifram wouldn’t have known what to think of him. It would seem he still maintained his strong morals. The soldier had already established that he could trust the drake. As a younger man, newely engaged he had been aggressive toward the soft spoken man. Sehrish and he spent many hours in the library together and Ifram was not about to sit in a dusty library to see if his intentions were clear. So the drake had confronted him outright, and was slightly bewildered that he had not even the slightest attraction in that way to her. As an emotional and hormonal lad he’d found it almost impossible to believe that not every man could stare at her slack jawed in awe. Satisfied with the man’s baffled answer, he was comfortable with them spending time together.

Malachi gave Eir a placating gesture and a sheepish smile as he shouted in distress, “Perhaps- But I’m not dead! See? Everything is fine!”
“I was a hair away from slitting his throat” assured Ifram, thinking that would help the man’s point.
Mal winced and looked at him trying to smooth over the situation with calming words, “I-It’s not that bad. I’m hardly going to mention this to father or any Phonaxian. So you can be assured no political mishap shall come of this. As long as Ifram doesn’t decide to spread the word himself?”

Ifram gave the man a frown, knowing full well he could destroy the foreigners reputation and cause a rift between any future relations of the Phonaxian and Glaperans. However, Ifram knew that would benefit nothing, not even his pride. Acts of revenge hardly ever satisfied an angered sense of injustice.
“Of course... I shall not mention it...”

Malachi looked to his friend apologetically.
“I didn’t want to involve you since I knew it would... distress you... But I see know the error I made. If I had told you, you would have talked sense into me and none of this would have happened. I hope you can forgive me? After all...”
The Elvi reached to pull out a letter sealed with a silver and blue crest. The Hythian coat of arms.
“I have a letter for your parents that you might enjoy...”

Nes watched him as he spoke and gradually relaxed more and more. It would seem not only did he want to try for a kid, but he really really wanted one. The notion that he wanted a baby as much as she did made her heart go a flutter and she found it hard to focus back in for a moment. She could understand the desire for him to want to work to support them; her own pride she knew would have to wait if she expected to be in right health and mind to tend to a baby. But the funds were there if they needed it. Though she wanted her own home with Dimitri, she did think that perhaps it was a good idea to remain in the same house as Eir while she was trying to conceive and perhaps even through pregnancy to ensure everything was fine.
“I-I do... I want a baby...” she said softly “Very very much”
Well it was out there now. She’d said what she truly desired and there was no shying away from the fact. Nesryn had only shied away from verbalising her dream because it somehow made it real... tangible and able to be disappointed. At that moment she decided that she would try her best and pray to the All-Mother so that they might both achieve their dream. She set aside the breakfast things which she thanked Dimitri for before climbing into his lap. She gently pushed some of his curls out of his face before planting a kiss to his forehead.
“Hearts Fire, I can’t wait to be your wife and I can’t wait to be the mother of your children”
She sat there for a long moment, watching and admiring his face, a hand brushing his cheek.
If there were anything she loved more in this world than being here with him, she had no knowledge of it. Her heart ached at how full her souls felt and she couldn’t help but smile up at him, giving him a more lasting kiss.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Nesryn stood in one of the anti-chambers of the temple, fiddling with a strand of hair that seemed to want to hang in front of her eye. She had no idea why she was so nervous at this point. She was about to marry her fiancé; something she had dreamed about since he proposed. Why did she feel like she might be sick? That she needed to pee? That her stomach was full of nervous butterflies. Looking in the mirror she adjusted one of the gold trims, only for Luna to give her a disapproving look and put it back where it was.
She was fussing around with things and she knew it. She needed to relax.
Luna had already made to comment twice that she should ‘try looking like she was about to have one of the best days of her life’ not about to ‘walk up to the altar to make Dimitri a sacrifice’
Even now she caught her expression in the mirror and gave a small sigh. Nes couldn’t always help her serious expression, she was used to that being her go to face when emotion threatened to take over her. The furrowed brow, the tight-set lips...
As Luna gave her a gentle look and brought the veil down, she calmed a little. At least her face would be slightly less visible now-
“Are you ready?” she heard someone ask, and she gave a painfully nervous smile and nodded. With Luna holding her train, they shifted to stand outside the temple door. Hurried whispers ensued and in a wave of air, the door opened gently to reveal her as she began her way up the aisle toward Dimitri.
Seeing him there pushed away her nerves and she wavered in favour of excitement and the overwhelming feeling of love she had for him. He looked so handsome standing there watching and waiting for her and she couldn’t he’ll but let a smile slip into her expression. Bryer and Eir were there at the dias and Bryer was grinning as if the whole thing were his master plan. Of course, Eir’s line of sight fell just behind the bride, no doubt to Luna. The woman also looked stunning in the dress she had chosen to wear and as usual was lovely.
A few more steps and Nesryn was standing beside Dimitri at the altar.