<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"Coming from a man that had named me as the one asking so many questions. I will not answer another question until you give me your name! That's my only condition, then I will give you more of my reasoning for being here."</span></span><br/><br/>A smile, her words elicited from him and of contentment a spark glinted in his eyes. He was not expecting such a company, let alone someone who knew something about his destination. A stranger he was in a stranger land, yet the man was no stranger to recognizing the wise from the foolish. The difference between the two was that the fool always spoke because they have to say something, while the wise only spoke because they knew something, and this woman not only delighted his eyes, but she was wise and that delighted his understanding.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“Yes, we may be breaking the law sitting here, m'lady, but rules are made to be broken.”</span></span>Julian winked at the Madam and turned his face to the fire he brought to life.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“To answer you,”</span></span>he sat in a more comfortable position across the female, the warm fire between the two, quietly roaring away.<span style="color: #80BFBF"><span style="font-style: italic">“I have traveled for the past six months lost at sea. I hail from a land where magic is almost non-existent. Ireland is my home, although, there are those who still celebrate the old ways, the ancient traditions, mystery and folk magic. Technology and the modernization of the world made humanity turn to science but the curious ones would still seek these old folks, these pagans. Some of them were special. We call them witches. Men and women would seek these gifted ones for fortune telling, or for healing spells, potency, luck.”</span></span>Julian paused and shifted eyes of a storyteller to the female.<span style="color: #80BFBF"><span style="font-style: italic">“Even ... love. They truly believe that these magic spells could make one's heart slave to you, and for eternity.”</span></span>He resumed to what he was doing only a moment ago, picking up a thin stick and slowly pocking the fire with it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“Magic in our world is different. Simple to understand, easier to comprehend. In reality we did not come to trade, we are lost. We sat sail to Norway, a country very similar to Arendelle. It was bright day, waves still and gleaming. We then descended into the unknown. I have come to understand that our two worlds are very parallel to each other, but one cannot see the other. An island was then sighted. The inhabitants persuaded us to stay, rest and feed until we are ready to sail away. Their healer conveyed something to me. He believed that there was this man from Misthaven who detained a great knowledge of the unknown, that this man, or this beast as he described him, will be able to aid me in my journey home. My men beleaguered with emotions, this healer's words restored faith in them. Even though my men are very happy to be here,”</span></span>Julian locked eyes with the woman, certainty and determination enlarging the pupils of his greys.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“-I must get to the enchanted forest for them, even if they refuse to follow me back home I would have at least tried to get these men back to their wives and children. I know that deep down, my men have settled for this life, here in Arendelle, because this is all they got, perhaps they fear to be lost again or end up ... dead, like the others. A funeral pile.”</span></span>A sad sigh escaped the man's lips, jaw clenched and eyes wondered up to the sky. His mouth grew dry and his palms suddenly began to sweat. He passed them through his long front locks and looked away.<br/><br/>Momentarily distracted by a sweet scent nearby, Julian got up on his feet and advanced towards the woody climbing vines a few feet away. He crouched and gathered some of the flowers in his hands before returning to sit by the woman. This time on the same blanket where she was seated.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“I was born in a noble family, Duke of my peerage. His Grace, my father, was against the idea of me pursuing my dreams and so, young I fled towards my freedom, away from the banner and the field. I am not only a sailor but I am also a man of science. I am very certain that our worlds are not too different than one another.”</span></span>An intelligent smirk played on his lips as he glanced at the female and hesitantly touched her left hand. In his world and era, it was considered unseemly to allow a man's skin to touch a woman without wearing gloves, but giving it a second thought, he took her hand in his to place a cluster of yellow and white bell-shaped flowers in her palm, followed by a few red berries he collected from the flowers.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“Honeysuckle flowers and berries, native to the northern hemisphere. My world cultivates them too. In my land, we use them to cover unsightly walls and outbuildings as decorations, but here in the wild,”</span></span>Julian paused to suck the honey off the end of the flower.<span style="font-style: italic"><span style="color: #80BFBF">“-we drink from them and eat their berries, at a small, moderate quantity. A sweet treat I must add, but some of them can be poisonous and will stop your heart.”</span></span><br/><br/><br/>One corner of his mouth quivered. There was a rough touch in his voice, low and with a breathy quality as he parted his lips, regarding the female.<span style="color: #80BFBF"><span style="font-style: italic">“Julian. Julian Aindréas O'Donovan, and I am but a man who has been through bitter experiences and has traveled far, tainted by death. I am also a man who enjoys even the sufferings of time spent venturing into the unknown. It is the only thing I dream of. Knowledge is power. I have seen what little others have seen, so I agree with you m'lady. Death may be waiting for me, but I must seek this man. They name him ... Rumpelstiltskin. How about you? I desire to hear what brought you to the forest tonight.”</span></span>With a genius half-smile, eyebrows rose slightly and the man locked an unflinching focus on the female while slowly shewing on a single berry. Little did he know just how dangerous making deals with the Dark One was and how great the fear he invoked in many with his dark power.