Araia felt small standing close to the mage, and although physically smaller she was and by more than half a foot, it was also the fact that wizard Kos was worldly, had a reputation, carved history into his name whereas Araia was only a young lady who was merely not even nineteen years of age and had experienced little in life outside her father's estate. Her murky green eyes, a colour that resembled the hues of warm sea water in the tropical isles, sparkled a little as she watched him read the letter most theatrically with quirky facial expressions and sighs and slight hand gestures. Little did she know that her curious nature, the need to know all that was unknown, tugged at her and made her inch closer to him to try and peer at the letter. She had not realized she had drawn close to the Archmage Kos until he paused to study her being, looked at her with some sort of curiousness of his own, and then with a brief smile, she took her place away from him to where she originally stood near the almost trampled flower.<br/><br/>An abundance of questions roamed through her mind, and Alraia bit her tongue to prevent her from making any inquires concerning the letter. It bothered her too when the wizard said not a word concerning the content of the letter, and a gasp, one made from surprise and concern came from her when the letter was eaten and fully devoured by flames.  The Archmage then asked his questions, and those brilliant green eyes of hers widened with greater surprise. She was not prepared to answer those particular questions, and truthfully, she could not answer them or be sent away...she pondered this as a possibility, yet in her heart she knew she could not disappoint her father. Being an intelligent woman, although a little naïve at times, perhaps too kind as well, Alraia knew all the same that the time came where she had to tell a lie to the mage: she had no interest in magic, although learning something new always interested her, and that truthful statement, she thought, would perplex or vex him. She twisted another strand of her long golden hair, and offered a lovely smile to him as the wizard Kos spoke of payment. Her father never discussed that with her, but he did say 'at all costs, Alraia, girl, you must learn. Do not disappoint me'. There was a tinge of maliciousness in her father's voice, and she dared not press the issue, but still, she had no desire to be the apprentice of this particular wizard.<br/><br/>Alraia shrugged her thin shoulders that were bare, exposed to the sun and faintly tanned; the garment she wore, the dress with the full skirts and tight bodice, exposed her graceful neck and shoulders, and revealed the gentle swell of her youthful bosom where a golden locket rested. She searched for the right words as she looked at the Elm, looked at him crouched by the Elm, and then  before she could answer, Kos spoke with venom in his voice. Alraia shook her head, and felt the silky tresses upon her shoulders.<br/><br/>“I'm sorry!” She stated and dared to draw closer to him.  “But you do have a prickly personality that does not let a person answer you without some sort of hesitation and so you must excuse any wasted time as a person gathers what little wits they have while trying to converse with you.” Alraia paused to catch her breath.  “Please, Archmage Kos, it is vital that I learn from you, and regardless of my reasons to learn the art of magic, whatever the price you see fit, please name it and my father or myself shall see that it is acquired for you.”  The young woman did not know if it was appealing enough for the wizard, and as an after thought she added:  “Surely there must be something you desire?”