<em>"Are you all right, Lhurriel?"<br/><br/>"Saint's alive, Roland, I am perfectly fine! You mustn't follow me as if there's something wrong," the girl snapped, yanking her arm away from her escort. The knight's expression didn't change, but for the slightest lowering of one edge of his right eyebrow. The young man examined her for a moment - resplendent in full attire as a Master-Mage, her stark black robes embroidered and lined with beautiful silver and accessorized with blue stones set in silver jewelry. She was one of the most lovely young women currently residing at the Palace, a curse and blessing if ever there was one. All the young squires and knights as yet unmatched who trained there hounded her every movement; puppies they were, with not a whit of sense to even realize that the lady-mage's interest in them only extended so far as their ability to get out of her way. Lhurriel Keladar was interested in only those who could exercise her mind and heart - and any who could not, she gave politeness. Those who could only excercise her mind, she gave her deep friendship; only one could ever say he had claimed the orphaned Clan girl's heart.<br/><br/>Roland was he, though he could already sense a change in the girl's destiny. She was not meant to be his - and when she spread her wings further, she would return their relationship to that of friends, but no more. However, she was only seventeen, and did not have Roland's keen sense of people to guide her choice in a mate. The knight adored her endless wit and compassion, as well as her extreme obstinance and determination. She knew very much for only being seventeen - or at least, she did when matters came to the government, politics, or magic.<br/><br/>The poor girl knew nothing of society's strictures, and sometimes it showed rather glaringly, as it had tonight. She'd all but snapped when one of the more "showy" and catty nobles had insinuated that Lhurriel made her bed with every knight in the palace. Roland had watched as Lhurriel had flushed, said something that made the woman blanch and turn green, then flounced away after saying something else that made the other ladies turn pale. Sensing pain in her, he had followed after making his excuses.<br/><br/>"Lhurriel... you would not be in such a temper were there nothing wrong," Roland said softly, the lilting voice of his out-Land accent cooling her conflicting emotions. She stopped silently when his hand touched her shoulder briefly, where he could feel stiffness, tension, fury... and trembling?<br/><br/>"Ree?" He asked, surprised.<br/><br/>"How do you do it everyday, Roland?"<br/><br/>"Do what, my dear?"<br/><br/>"You are a knight of this country, sworn to its and its people's protection. You have taken the oath of knighthood to defend her and her people to your last days, or die doing your duty." She whirled around. Roland saw the angry, despairing tears clouding her eyes, and when he drew the weeping girl into his arms, he felt the pain that knifed so deeply inside her. "How can you not regret having to defend such despicable people, who would probably leave you for dead were you in need, despite all that you have done for them and theirs?"<br/><br/>Kissing her hair and folding his arms about her defeated form, Roland smiled gently, tilting her head up to look at him.<br/><br/>"I do not regret it because even as there are the selfish and the greedy, there are also the selfless and the giving. There are kind souls who aid others in need, even when they are themselves in need of aid." Roland smiled down at Lhurriel, his affection for her obvious when he stopped briefly to lay a gentle kiss on her lips.<br/><br/>"There are those with compassionate hearts and strong minds, who will do all in their power to spread good." He smoothed back tendrils of hair that had escaped her simple hairdo, framing a face that looked up at him with love sparkling in gray eyes.<br/><br/>"And every day that I see the sunrise, I do not regret taking the oath of knighthood. Because I made the vow to protect people like you, Lhurriel."</em><br/><br/><br/><br/>"Are you all right, Ree?"<br/><br/>"Corsair, I'm fine. Alasdair, you needn't put your hand on my shoulder as if I'm about to race back to that room and blow it up in my temper. There is nothing wrong, you two, however well-meaning your actions," Lhurriel snapped, shaking her arm and shoulder free of her two friends. Corsair sighed, but bowed and returned to his guests, knowing she was not to be consoled at the moment.<br/><br/>"And yet you would not be so disturbed were you fine... now would you?" Alasdair murmured quietly as he escorted her up the stairs.<br/><br/>They were silent as entered her dark room, and the crystal mage lit the fireplace and crystals using his magic. The crystals and fire flickered in the violet of his magic before returning to their natural colors. He turned around as Lhurriel stepped behind a screen and changed into simple robes to work in.<br/><br/>They were still silent when they walked back down the stairs, but the younger water mage finally spoke. They headed in the direction of the parlor room, in which Lhurriel had so recently told off the local ladies of society. She would have to apologize to the knights for disturbing their evening with such rude words. They both stopped when they reached the door, staring through it at the men, who were now coversing calmly, seated around the fireplace opposite the door.<br/><br/>"I find it difficult, sometimes, when mingling among the<em>well-born</em>, as they are known... that they are so determined to tarnish my name and ruin my credibility, despite the fact that I am probably more well-learned than they, understand the workings of the country better, and risk my life everytime I leave the palace to protect them and theirs. Sometimes I wonder why I ever thought to take the Mage's Oath of protection and healing, when I would be protecting those who would not be grateful... healing those who do not deserve to keep their life. And those who deserved to live long, rich lives and die in warm beds from old age... It is disheartening to know that often those who deserve our aid the most are the ones who die first of danger."<br/><br/>Alasdair cracked a haunted smile. "I wondered the same thing, when a close friend of mine was killed during a failed diplomacy outing. He was a knight, and we had uncovered evidence of traitors. Traitors whom he and his fellow soldiers had been in service protecting for their entire careers. He told me that he did not regret it because even as there were the selfish and the greedy, there were also the selfless and the giving. That there were kind souls who aided others in need, even when they needed aid themselves. And also, he said that there are those with compassionate hearts and strong minds, who did all in their power to spread good despite the obstacles they faced."<br/><br/>He paused and watched Lhurriel as her face went blank in recognition of the words she had heard before. She struggled to remember who had given her the sage advice, but she could not bring a face to mind. "He said that every day that he saw the sunrise, he did not regret taking the oath of knighthood because he had made that vow to protect people like the beautiful young mage waiting for him to come home to her." When she turned her head to look at him, Alasdair smiled and straightened mysteriously.<br/><br/><em>Those words- so familiar...</em>Features began piecing themselves together in her mind, slowly because time had blurred them quite thoroughly.<br/><br/>"The others in the factory will be retiring for the night, Lhurriel. Good night, my dear... and do cheer up. You certainly gave those women a piece of your mind... I doubt they'll come sniffing by our Corsair anytime soon."<br/><br/>Lhurriel put together a handsome, roguish face with a gentle smile before she laughed at Alasdair's words, her humor banishing the long-lost features. She didn't sense the experienced, light touch of the crystal mage blurring the recognition in her mind... she did not need to know that it was he who had three years ago been the messenger of death, with news that her beloved and his company of men had been slaughtered brutally to prevent traitors from getting their due. She did not need old wounds to be reopened... not now, with so much on her mind.<br/><br/>"Good night, Alasdair." She bowed, as did he - Alasdair's lips curled in a satisfied smile as the young woman he had been charged with guarding strode into the parlor room to greet the others.<br/><br/><em>Roland... she continues to spread her wings.</em><br/><br/><br/><br/>"Ah - Lhurriel. I was afraid you wouldn't be coming back. I was just telling Sir Kaeden and the others that I had enlisted your services tonight in my factory, and that perhaps after our little disturbance you might be headed straight there." Corsair smiled apologetically, but the mage waved them away assuredly.<br/><br/>"I'm quite sorry for my rather indelicate words earlier this evening," she chuckled, greeting the gathered men with a bow.<br/><br/>"I hope you are not too disappointed, and I sincerely hope that I did not spoil your evening by inciting them to leave."