BEGINNINGS FINAL

The hooded figure stood impressively for a moment but after a minute of silence there was an odd awkward pause before a burst of laughter sounded from behind them. Looking back the boys saw master Talya holding her sides wiping away tears of mirth as she guffawed.

"N-now...haha...don' be a waggin' tha' little tongue at me and mine little miss! You're quite a few centuries to young ta give me pause." Towards the end of her scolding master Talya gave a scrutinizing look to the hooded figure and the intense aura immediately disappeared as the hooded figure did an awkward shuffle beneath master Talya's own intense gaze. After a good long stare to remind the hooded figure who ran the show, master Talya continued.

"Now listen here little lady tell me straight an' true what ya want an' don' be talking to me with that hood or glamour on, that's just being rude to your elders!" With a final glare master Talya crossed her arms and waited impatiently. Azaire and Jared shared a look before turning back to the interesting show before them. A tired sigh came from the recesses of the hood before two, delicate looking, pale hands reached up and pulled the hood away.

After removing the hood, and a glamour apparently, what stood before them was a pretty blonde warrior woman. You could tell she was a warrior woman because when she took off her hood firstly she was wearing sleeveless armor and armor leggings that seemed to be made of an enchanted wood. There were also old scars here and there on her arms and even a scar on her forehead above her right eye that seemed to have been for centuries yet still showed faintly. But even these scars could not take from her beauty.

She had dazzling emerald colored eye's and a pink kohl covered her eyelids. Her blond hair was short enough that it could not be grabbed during a fight and seemed to have been sawed off with a sword or something similar. She was clearly short after the hood or glamour or whatever was removed this was much easier to notice as she only stood about 4'9 but she still easily carried herself like a 6 foot bear of a warrior and it was very easy to disregard her actual size as only a fool would be ignorant enough to underestimate that aura. Her entire body was toned and fit and her face was a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

It seemed at odds with her normal military bearing and as such it was an odd expression on her face, albeit others would no doubt deem it cute. "Honorary Fairy King Titania! What could have brought you to such a place?" Jared exclaimed having immediately recognized the current ruler of the Fairy Country and before giving her a chance to speak immediately questioned her.

The woman...Titania ...looked over at prince Jared in surprise as if just noticing he was there and who he was. "Prince Jared? Hmmm...so you're here to." Titania took it in at pace and nodded before carrying on as if that was the end of the issue. Azaire who was now thoroughly flustered with the situation could only turn to look at Prince Jared's curious expression, and his master's unperturbed expression and had to realize he was the only one who had not instantly been able to tell Titania's true identity.

Azaire shot her an accusatory glare as if his being the odd one out was her fault. Sensing Azaire's frustrated emotions Titania frowned before turning toward the young man. A look of surprise suddenly bloomed on her face. This young man.....he seemed...familiar didn't he? She looked deeply at Azaire for a second before something slightly strange happened. Her eyes glazed over for a moment nearly going glassy and her intent gaze on Azaire disappeared.

She only found the young man vaguely familiar but she did not know him and could not know him so there was no reason to dwell. After her subconscious had decided this her eyes cleared up and she just gave the young man a patient smile instead of an irritable glare that she originally intended. How could she be rude to such a nostalgic young man?

Azaire felt somewhat guilty and childish seeing her mature response to his unwarranted judgement, so he decided in his heart and mind to forgive her and let the matter rest there as if the problem had nothing to do with him still.

"Lady Talya." Titania acknowledged master Talya like a sergeant acknowledging a superior officer. "I'm here to formally request your unsurpassed expertise with flora and fauna to heal the tree of life. It has gotten very sick! No one can figure out what's wrong but it's clearly not healthy and not getting better. At this point we'd be lucky if we had a century left until it...."

Titania stopped there as if saying anymore would be to commit blasphemy. "Any way forgive me for barging in as so, glamouring your guards and attempting to glamour and coerce you with unscrupulous means but I have never been too good with politics and social niceties. This is very important to the Fairy Country and we of course willing to reward you greatly."

Titania stood straight and still as any trained soldier as she awaited a prompt reply. "Tch. Still so militant aren't we lil' girl? You don't have ta tell me about your tree problems I've known for a minute it's hard for me ta ignore really. Unfortunately there's a more urgent matter right now but if you're so impatient you can just travel with me and the lads here and once prince Jared's urgent matter is arrested we can jump to yours lass." Azaire could tell his master was getting frustrated as her accent was starting to peek out more and more but with the way things were going the best he could do was shut his mouth and let things pass.

Titania who had been about to argue on the importance of HER mission, changed her mind when prince Jared's name and master Talya's look stopped her from being rash. "As you say then." Titania acquiesced smoothly before asking about lodging as she waited for us to get started. While Titania went off with Talya for very temporary accommodations, Jared convinced Azaire to come with him to grab his stuff then let him follow Azaire home for Azaire's own packing. It really had been a big day and barely any time had passed and he already had his first big adventure lined up with a Beastmaster, a Fairy, A Giant, and a Blacksmith. It sounded like the punchline to some complicated joke. As Azaire led Jared through the door to his home his last thought before entering was: How's that for a beginning?