Nirael could not help but feel a bit of dread as the evening's shadows reached over him, about the day that lay ahead now. He had argued for the sake of keeping the kobold woman alive in the hopes of learning more but also to not kill someone who came in without harm in mind. True, her ultimatum was likely for her own kind's sake, but he still felt it was a start. Besides, he was not used to seeing people like her. Nonetheless, he had to admit he felt the hostility in the village towards the kobold girl made it clear she could not stay and they couldn't hold her for long anyway. A difficult situation.<br/><br/>However, by then another matter had left him puzzled, that of how easily he was tempted in by Lunari's form, how easily he was misled into another's arms. Sighing wearily, he gazed upon Lunari and Nilari as he sat down after returning to their home after the walk. He felt he had to come clean to them, secrets kept in the dark from those two would come out eventually and harm things. He might disappoint them but he hoped that they could come to forgive him for it in time.<br/><br/><strong>"I made a mistake today. I wanted to wander alone, to see about the people and the place, thinking I was ready for it. I was... <em>arrogant.</em>"</strong>He scratched on his cheek gazing up at the two, then shaking his head and trying to force himself to calm down despite the news he had to share, news he was fairly sure would leave him with a cold bed outside their bedroom. Different kind of life or not, he had mistaken another for Lunari and felt she had the right to be mad at him for such a mistake, being mislead so easily, especially given his own race and the secrets he had been made privy of.<strong>"I was met on my walk by whom I thought was Lunari. I was surprised but pleased to see her, and with my mind still occupied by the surprise of the digger question, I failed to notice what in hindsight should have been obvious signs of deception."</strong>He drew a long, tired breath at this.<br/><br/><strong>"Mistaking her for Lunari, and being teased by her seduction, and wanting to just enjoy a moment of pleasure to get my mind off of the trouble awaiting in the distance now, I joined with her, thinking I was embracing Lunari. Despite the mounting differences, I found myself realizing the deception only after it was already done."</strong>He swallowed awkward and sighed.<strong>"Given that it was even told me that there might be others carrying a touch of changeling heritage here, I should not have been so easily mislead, but in the end that is what happened. I thought I was finding pleasure with Lunari but it was another borrowing upon her form."</strong>He gazed up at the two women.<br/><br/><strong>"While I considered how to deal with this, I found myself unwilling to hide it. I hope that I am allowed to stay in your presence and I will not wander off alone like that again, but I find myself groveling in this case because despite the reasons, I'm the one who thought he was ready to go about and the one who mistook another for Lunari."</strong>He lowered his forehead to the floor, at a kneeling position at that. It might be a bit much, but he genuinely liked her, and though he had not sworn to be chaste and keep things to her company only, he had sought to know those he was with since meeting her, and this was someone he had no idea about.<br/><br/><hr/><hr/><br/>With his confession made, Nirael then soon allowed himself to focus on the planning for the coming day. Regardless of his distractions he felt he should try and find out about the mystery lover, and come clean to the matriarch on that as well. Besides, their earlier conversation was sadly interrupted, leaving him wondering about the waters and what lay beyond them, in a sense. He also needed to try and find the mystery lover, though he wasn't too hopeful with the lack of clues. It would be difficult, to say the least.<br/><br/>He'd have to take some time to try and talk with the kobold, learn about her and try and convince her to tell him all she could and was willing to tell, but he wasn't entirely sure he could manage that. Still, he'd have to put some hours to it and give it his best shot because Anju shouldn't have to take too many days off her usual schedule for his selfish ideas, he admitted. He also needed to continue hius studies, and devoting a good chunk of time to that would be necessary to balance his fact-finding mission outside.<br/><br/>Towards the end of the day he'd probably be rather exhausted. Even without trying to teach Sirana that day, he'd be wiped before the evening, but he hoped he'd be able to find some solace in Lunari and Nilari when the night's shadows would grow darker once more.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">"Day 4, Scheduling"</div><div class="spoiler_body">6 - 22 time awake, of which the first 6-7 hour spent preparing his magic for the day, leaving him with the rest of the day's hours to schedule, 15 hours total to divide then.<br/>* 1 hour to inform Matriarch Nameer of the events that took place, also ask about the source of the waters mentioned.<br/>* 2 hours with a guard wandering to track down the 'mystery lover'.<br/>* 3 hours interrogating kobold Pooit for any additional information, trying to find out about the men she saw. (Diplomacy approach)<br/>* 2 hours to study Alher's magical notes<br/>* 2 hours to study Lirialla (the staff)<br/>* 2 hours to study Artifact half<br/>* 1 hour to attend worship<br/>* 2 hours socializing with Lunari &amp; Nilari, hoping to make up for his earlier mistake.<br/><br/>For all I know he is taking it way harder than Nilari &amp; Lunari might, but hopefully if nothing else it amuses them to see he holds her in high esteem.<br/></div></div>