Sarai<br/><br/>(http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv110/jelly_beanjlw/Sarai.jpg)<br/><br/><br/>Sarai finished the distance to the village at a very quick pace. Her mind and body eager to be there, to experience it all. Freedom, entertainment, independence ... all the things she longed for. The gates to the city were opened and she entered easily.<br/><br/>The very first thing she saw was a juggler. Never having seen one before, she stood transfixed for the longest time just watching him. Sure, juggling wouldn’t be that entertaining to most adults, or so she thought. But to Sarai it was wonderful. He juggled apples, peaches, and a few oranges. Around and around they went, even behind his back and between his legs ... one after the other. Someone bumped into her and broke her enchantment with the juggler.<br/><br/>She carried on her way not yet sure what she should do first. Sarai had never experienced anything like this, the throngs of people acting as if they’d suddenly been set free. People of all races, types, and shapes. Exotic smells of foods and burning incense melded together in a wonderful assault on her nose. People with varying accents and tones surrounded her, their voices music to her all to excitable ears. The assault to her senses the city brought about should have been frightening to a small village girl such as herself. But it doesn’t, instead she’s left with the most excited feelings she’s ever felt.<br/><br/>She almost laughed aloud when she finally stopped to rest, just off the main street. She stopped in front of an Apothecary. Her Grandmother had been a healer during her time in the city and often told her of apothecary shops. In fact, she’d basically had one of her own in her home. Some of Sarai’s earliest memories had been collecting ingredients for her grandmother’s various concoctions.<br/><br/>She stood for a long time, watching the crowd. She’d even seen an inn just across the street, where she would probably stay her first night. It seemed like the view of the city from it would be inspirational for her first letter home. She pulled out a loaf of sweet bread and munched happily while a magician (Magicians being lesser mages who did tricks for a few pieces of coin) walked along in front of her chasing children with breaths of fire.<br/><br/>Happily she stood there, perhaps more than a bit overwhelmed for the first time. She wasn’t frightened, however, but it was quite a bit to take in. It was then a rather pleasant young woman walked from the Apothecary. Sarai studied her as she too took in the city. There was something about her that perplexed Sarai. The girl’s skin was much smoother than hers, her movements more graceful. Her hair reminded Sarai of soft bleached silk.<br/><br/>Overly curious, as always, Sarai followed the other woman. The girl’s attire was that of which made Sarai’s plain brown dress appear drab and dull. She wore white robes, like those a mage would wear outlined in the softest hues of blue. It did nothing but and excellerant to Sarai’s fire of curiosity.  The other girl seemed friendly enough, but it wasn’t until Sarai saw her hands that she decided she would indeed strike up a conversation with this young woman.<br/><br/>“I can’t tell you how many times my hands were stained that shade of green after collecting flowers and herbs for my Gran.”<br/><br/>She had fallen into step with the other girl, apparently headed in the direction of the smaller crowds of younger people at the opening of the gate.<br/><br/>“My name is Sarai, my Gran was a healer, her home looked much like the apothecary.”