It was raining, it was dreary, it was a bit cloudy, and it was Solitais' day off. There he was, sitting in a boat, with a large umbrella covering the boat to keep him dry. He thought to himself, "Every now and again it's nice to just take some time off and practice magic alone. So what does a elementary student of living magic do to practice in a rainstorm? Why he pulls out a potted plant and tries to make it of course!" Solitais brought out the small potted plant he had been practicing on. The small red flower had been used time and time again. This was merely one of many flowers he had used to practice the grow spell. Although he was a student of living magic, it helped him keep his focus for the future. He studied the flower carefully and spoke out loud as he prepared himself.

"I wonder who will come and find me today. That woman..that human from yesterday. I never even got her name..."

Speaking the monite for grow, he ran his finger up the stem of the flower, helping the little flower grow.

On such a cold a dreary day, it was difficult to imagine anything growing so much as hiding out until the sun returned. Nonetheless, Solitais' field warmed and expanded, Solitais could almost taste the feeling of dry air and the scent of rain disappeared from his nostrils. The flower seemed to twitch, then lengthen, sending out small, green tendrils and flared into leaves. Buds formed, then blossomed, three more in total.

The plant was now twice it's original height and roughly three times as wide, though it was still a thin creature. It wasn't a species that grew to large sizes or formed a bush, so this was a good result.

Sol smiled, it was the just the thing he needed to brighten up his day. The feeling of warmth that was brought from his expanded field was inviting and lovely. The mona had truly blessed him this day. But as that thought crossed his mind he thought more about his belief of it. As he did, he found himself speaking out loud. As he spoke he found himself wishing that one of the fabled gods was there in his boat, and he if one was, he spoke to that being.

"I have often questioned the meaning of the mona. As we have learned in school there is no proof as to who grants us the mona, but yet we the galdor are granted such a power over elements. But we have also learned that we do not have this power to our own wish, but to the wish of the mona's will. It expects us to have good meaning and reason in which to cast our spell. Yesterday a wick was crippled to near death by a constable who was protecting himself from a wick. If such a spell was granted by the mona then it would be assumed that the mona wanted that spell to be cast.

If gods are the reason we can cast spells then it would say that gods stand up for the might of the galdor. The galdor do not control the elements but they are blessed by gods that allow us to manipulate our fields and cause great things to happen. After all, magic that requires only the strictest recital and the intent of heart must be regulated by a sentient being yes?

But this itself brings with it a question of the god's intent. For if galdor are blessed by the gods with the power of the mona, then why are passives separated as outcasts? Is that the mere whim of the gods? Would those passives grow up to be reckless with that power? Is it devoid of reason and only to cause some unseen balance? No matter the way the passives of both galdor and wicks does not fit into the idea of there being any gods in this world."

Solitais became disgruntled, because then the thought of wicks crossed his mind. He stared at the flower, wishing that it had a face that could respond. Perhaps the plants knew more of this then the galdor?

"The wicks...they are something else...Although they are blessed with some amount of mona, they are also cursed with the inability to use it...This makes them dangerous to others and destructive to the galdor. Their spells are weak and sometimes they explode with unbelievable and uncontrolled power. If there are gods then what is it to be said of the wicks? Do the gods curse us with these freaks because they want us to fight them? Why would gods even allow something to have a partial blessing.

If I stand by the belief that gods choose who can and who can not be blessed by the mona, then I can say that passives are chosen with a divine wish. But then these gods would be guilty of insanity by allowing wicks the power they have, and this would prove that there are no gods.

Humans are beyond this, they neither have magic nor the heritage of using it. It has always been divided that way. Humans birth humans, galdor birth galdor, wicks birth wicks, and passives are born of either galdor or wicks. The answer is simple my little flower god. It has nothing to do with gods.

The mona does not choose who receives and who suffers, it is decided by the blood we carry. Humans can not wield magic, galdor can wield magic, and wicks can wield magic that is not stable. All because of the heritage they hold. And if we could hold true to the idea that these three statements are infallible, then we have no reason to honor gods, only the mona in it's undefinable and unpredictable reason."

He wasn't satisfied with his answer. Although it made sense to simply say that there are no gods and it's all heritage, it would be just as simple to say that gods know better and all that is, is for a reason. Even the parts that cause chaos in the world can have reason if gods truly did exist. The nature of a god is to be divine in thought. There must be some way to prove that a god exist...

"By the mona, I have grown this flower. And by that gift the mona has allowed me to do this. But is it my intent of pure wish for the mona that buds the fluency of my power? Or is it the decision of some great power? If my power is to be given to me by my pure intent to serve the mona then I say that just as I have raised this flower to life, I could just as well destroy the flower the same way. Not out of the vain idea of entertainment, but to truly see if a god would allow me the same chaotic reasoning that they use to create passives and wicks.

If I were to speak the words of the mona to destroy this flower, would the mona allow me this? If there are gods, would they allow me to know of their existence? And if there are such gods, what do they wish of us? Will I know this world to be a world for the galdor? No. This is not the world of the galdor, though vienda is the city of the galdor.

The balances of life must be respected, and this is what causes the wars between galdor and lesser creatures. It is because they wish to have more then what they have been given by the mona. They fight that power and claim that deserve to live in our cities, marry our daughters and sons, live in our homes, prepare our food, dance and sing with us, and yet they have not and can not prove to be the same worth as a galdor.

I tell you this flower god, you will die this day. For as I sit here I will speak to the mona and recite the words of wither. As I lay my testimony down I challenge the gods that this world is our and we will make it our own with the gifts that we receive. If I destroy you flower, it will either be that the mona has allowed me, or that the gods do not want me to know of them. If I can not destroy you, then it is because the gods see my reasons as impure, or the mona is simply not acting right. Either way I can see myself being hurt by this, and if I am, then so be it. I have suffered the slings of insults from the people that infest my city. I will suffer the slings of pain that come from the unknowable."

He placed his hands over the flower, his eyes focused as he flexed his field with every ounce of his concentration, he spoke the words several times in his mind with the greatest amount of respect for the power he was wielding. And as the rain fell down, Solitais the permit officer, a simple clerk desk jockey, a man without his true family, spoke the monite for wither with every intent of sucking the very life out of the plant he had just raised. As he did a tear went down his face. In the back of his mind he thought to himself.

Forgive me flower god. For as my parents death was meant to serve a greater purpose, so will yours serve a greater purpose then if I had simply put you on my window sill.

The mona were all for learning. They truly encouraged it. They were not, however, particularly fond of creation with the intent of later destruction. It was a waste of their gift and their time, of their love.

Soltais felt the snap of his field drawing in as he cast. His spell was successful, he saw the flower shrivel and die, drawing up into a small circlet of brown matter. His hands ached as the spell completed. He felt dry, like he hadn't had anything to drink for days. It was an unpleasant feeling.

He would not be able to revive this flower. It was doubtful that the mona would feel particularly receptive to any more attempts to grow anything on this day. The rebuke was a mild one that would not stop him from casting but it was still a rebuke that he would need to heed in the future.

(changed the date so zalika can join, already discussed with sol)

Zalika rejoiced in days off. They were a blessing, especially when so many days were spent chasing off clocking wicks. Breathing in the damp morning air, she strolled through the city in a fine teal gown, bastian in make with a high backed collar and slender skirt. It shimmered almost irridecently in the morning sun, silvery embroidery and beading catching the light like so much frost. Carrying a light parasol - a lot more feminine than one of those clunky canvas umbrella's - she found herself leaving the city gates. It was so green outside, compared to the grey and brown brickwork of Vienda. And the flowers, it was almost like a little tiny slice of Bastia's center...without the finery of course.

Making her way towards the bridge, she glanced out over the river, ignoring the wicks camped like dogs on the grass over the other side. There was a small boat just below her, and inside, a rather familiar looking gentleman. Smiling, the turquoise eyed bastian called out.

"Well, fancy meeting you here, my good sir. Boating today? Truly a lovely day for it."

The galdor looked up to see the woman that had addressed him. When his eyes reached up to see, he was overcome with happiness. No one had given him that feeling in some time. He was still feeling a bit bitter in the mouth after the spell casting. As his inner tension released, he relaxed his field and moved the potted plant, shriveled from the wither spell, to the side. He straightened himself up a bit, making sure he wasn't a complete mess, before standing up and greeting the woman as a proper gentleman.

"We are given the water so that we may drink, the earth so that we may grow, and the sky so that we may reach up to the stars. And we are given the mona so that we can best understand all these things. Forgive my demeanor, I was not expecting company. Would you like to come aboard?"

He extended his hand, but held his tongue. He was lying. There was always an expectation that some foolish wick or scruffy human might want to pick a fight. What he did not expect was the company of a beautiful woman. In his defense he had very little skill in romancing, but in school he learned to be a proper gentleman. Sadly to say that was all he was capable of pronouncing himself as in public. Despite the shriveled plant of his blasphemous thoughts of mona and gods, he put those aside for now and welcome the smile of the woman.

Nodding with a smile, she walked down the bank of the river, taking his extended hand and delicately stepping into the boat. Parasol held up to shield from sun and any impending light rain, she held his hand for a moment.

"Thankyou, sir...you know, I never got your name the other day, after all that happened. It was such a mess, and then I couldn't find you afterwards. I felt compelled to thank you for you kind assistance, but its impossible to thank a stranger with no name."

Sole held the woman's hand, under the protection of the covered boat the rain pattered against the covering like small footsteps. He smiled and bowed, gently kissing the hand of the seventen before looking back up at her. To say he was captivated with the woman's elegance would be an understatement. He was nearly downright floored by it. A woman of duty, a woman of elegance, a woman of charm, he hadn't met a woman like that in his life. The day was shaping out to be a most interesting day it seems.

"If I could, my name would be the morning sky. If I could, my name would be the gentle stream. If I could, my name would be the warmth of a fireplace at the end of a long day. I could only wish my name brought the same pleasurable memories that those things do. The other day was an unfortunate day, I had also run off without your name. But I will amend that now. I am Solitais Bolave, and who do I have the pleasure of joining me on a trip down the river?"

Sole lacked any reason in his life to be charming or romantic, but he was most certainly pleased to have the woman's company. He stood back up straight, holding the hand of the woman softly until he could hear her name spoken.

Zalika blushed demurely, lowering her parasol under the cover of the canvas. She couldn't help but be captivated by the way Mister Bolave spoke, it was like poetry. It was so much like the young men in Bastia, with their sonnets and hymn's of lovesick woe. Bowing a little in acknowledgement, she looked at him with turquoise eyes.

"You do yourself injustice Mister Bolave, thinking your name does not bring those sort of pleasurable memories to someone. I at least, feel some warmth knowing your name. It is good to finally meet a gentleman in Vienda with some education and class. It seems that the high population of wicks and humans here have tainted most of the galdori. They are disgracefully sympathetic, and I feel embarassed to be associated with them. But I digress, my name is Zalika Baia."

Smiling widely, he released the hand and offered the woman a seat.

"Zalika Baia...Were you born of the Bastia region? I only ask because your elegance and name can not hide your heritage. I would not be surprised though as you have fully shown what it truly means to portray eloquence, even in the most dire circumstances. I am dreadfully sorry that I left in such a hurry, there was so much I wanted to say. What became of the brawl? I'm glad to see you were not hurt. Before you answer, perhaps I could steal you away for the afternoon on a small trip down the river?"

He quietly slid the withered plant behind him with his foot. The ores of the boat were at the side and he smiled as he envisioned a peaceful trip down the river with the woman. He kept his gaze on the woman, a gentle eye contact to show the attention that she deserved.



Her words were frightfully true, in his own offices he would be chastised for being so strict with wicks applying for permits and writs. Days of work were hardly as enjoyable as the time he was spending now. The woman's words renewed the peace in his heart. The city of Vienda had not taken such a toll on his personality that he had lost the reasoning for his disgust towards the lower races. Perhaps this woman was the answer the mona had for his questions? He could only smile happily as he took a seat across from the woman.

Taking her seat, Zalika closed the parasol, placing in the floor of the floating craft. Straight backed, she placed a hand over her heart.

"You guess correctly, Mister Bolave. I am Bastian, alas my Seveten postings do not give me choice in where I stay. Vienda need's more guards here, and so I was posted. I admit, compared to Bastia this place is...so ugly. But we do what we must under the duty of the Queen and King." Pausing for a moment, she glanced over the water, sighing.

"Oh Mister Bolave, you may steal me any afternoon for a boat ride. This is the nicest place I have seen since I came to Vienda. Something about being on the water stirs my blood. Perhaps it is my father's side that I get it from." Looking back at him, she shook her head.

"The brawl? It had dissapated by the time I got there. I am not so sure there was any brawl, but all reports must be investigated since the Riots."

That didn't surprise him in the least. That human Eran, he didn't know his name but he knew his face. He had sputtered out an insult along with everyone else at that riot because of the fate of the simple minded wick. Solitais remembered much more about that day now that he thought about it in that light. He figured to himself that human must have been working with the other wick too. That kind of assumption just isn't enough evidence, he thought to himself. But perhaps it would be best not to focus on that. Zalika was here to enjoy her time, not run an investigation. It was up to the galdor to do his best to carry on a deep and meaningful conversation with the woman. The kind that she could remember fondly.

Sol smirked as he spoke to the woman, "I met that human last week during the riot with constable Bryan. I would not put it past the man to have lied to you. It is unfortunate that the wick got away. But I won't fault you for that. You were right to follow the correct protocol in that situation."

He recalled constable Bryan, though she had handled the situation poorly, Sol did feel worried. He didn't want to convey his lack of sympathy for one seventen officer in front of a beautiful seventen officer. That thought disgusted him a bit. Suddenly he felt like he was jumping hoops for the woman. But Sol knew that was necessary despite his deeper wishes to better know the woman? On that thought, Sol leaned forward and spoke to the woman seriously.

"How is she? The constable, the one who got hurt during the riot? I could not help her from being hurt that day and I wondered if perhaps you knew her. She was in a most unfortunate incident and I hope she was able to get away from there."

(sorry, was sort of waiting for the other thread to pan out..but it fizzled.)

Zalika shook her head, turquoise eyes glancing out over the water with something akin to anger.

"Constable Byran? She's well as can be expected. A bit hurt, but its her reputation thats suffered. I doubt she'll retain her position, and after a disgrace like that I would safely assume she'll possibly quit the Seventen completely. Honestly, I was not there, but from what I heard, she was an embarassment." Smiling at Solitais, she tilted her head, brown hair falling down one shoulder slightly.

"You were there, correct? I wonder, what did you think of her? Stories from a second hand source are sketchy at best. I could trust you would have a better idea of how it got so out of hand."

Sole's heart skipped a beat when she smiled at her. He pulled up the ores of the boat and pushed the ship out into the river, letting the boat mostly drift calmly down the river. The river had been pretty crazy for a while but it was uniquely calm today. The galdor kept his hands firm on the ores as he replied to Zalika, realizing that: One, he had made a good impression on the woman; and two, that he had to be very tactile with his words. If he was too hard on constable Bryan he would appear to be cruel, but too nice and it would belittle the opinion that Zalika just gave. Sole nodded and sighed as he began to speak.

"Yes, it's true. I did not want to say it as bluntly, but the constable did little to prevent what happened to her. The only first thing I remember was the Seventen standing in front of a butcher who was flailing a meat cleaver about like it was a torch to a group of hatchers. It was quite the sight. I wanted to have sympathy for the constable, but she could have done much to keep the event from happening. In the end the ruckus attracted the eyes and ears of the neighbors, all human and wicks and sympathizers. Some simply commented on the tyranny of galdori, a retired seventen who was there was giving sympathy to the wick, and anyone who wasn't talking began rioting. I ask about her only because I know she was hurt, at least to some degree."

He paused and then changed his tone, he drew from his study of literature and the arts to channel a bit of flair and poetry into his words.

"But softly I speak, for not to disturb the humble flower on the river's bank. Verily I would speak never a word to cause your smile to falter. Less I be run through with the sword, or burned by the mona."

He chuckled, there really wasn't a reason for him to start speaking as if writing a play. But something in him screamed to go along with it. Hopefully his decision didn't leave a rift in the conversation that he was having with the enchanting woman.

"Ahem, but that is about all that happened. In the end I had little sympathy left for the constable for handling the situation so poorly. I know that if you had been there the situation would not have been handled so poorly."