Here We Are [[ Anna ]]

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien sat against the trunk of large birch tree carelessly twirling his short sword in his hand. It was a beaten up piece of steel but it was pretty much all he had. His pack sat next to him and it was filled with an extra pair of clothing and what was left of his food supply. He would need to go hunting soon or find berries or some sort. It had been a few days since his arrival in this place he heard other inhabitance call Narnia. It didn't seem like a terrible place to live at all. So far he had seen no trace of elves of any sort. While knew of humans living here, thanks to a few birds who made whispers of their names, Damien didn't feel threatened here at all. It was a nice feeling.

He watched as he spun the sword around and around. Each time he did echoes of the screams of Ilina and Lalaith alike shot through his ears. Eventually Damien could take the torture no longer and dropped the weapon. It gave a soft thud when it hit the ground and everything was silent. Damien brought his knees up and held his head with his hands. Why did the guilt and sorrow have to follow him here?

He plucked a handful of grass and clovers from beside him and began to tear them to littler pieces. Throwing them to the breeze Damien hummed a soft tune. It was about midday and Damien got up now he could cover more ground before dark. Trouble was Damien didn't exactly feel like moving.

[Anna Lehmann]

Her employer at the old tavern in the little village she lived in had insisted she take the day off, not being fond of her usual tendency to work near all day every day. So Anna was out for a walk instead. It was so peaceful here, with woods that rang with the singing of birds rather than distant air plane engines or other sounds of war. The air was so fresh and crisp. Though she had to admit she did rather miss being around people - though it was nice that only one here so far had made any threat at her life based on her heritage. She was starting to get used to the strange creatures and talking animals as well, and having a more predictable life was definitely a bonus.

Lost in her daydreams - quite a new luxury - she stopped short when she saw something, or rather someone, ahead. It was the glint of a spinning blade that caught her eye, though that quickly fell to the ground as the figure traded that for shredding the grass instead. Why, she could never guess. He seemed distracted, frustrated. Or maybe just bored. She cautiously approached him, not wanting to startle him if he indeed was angry about something. "Are you alright?"

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien jumped at the sound of someone else’s voice. He looked up to a see a pretty young faced women standing before him. She had long blonde hair and light blue eyes. Damien felt a lump in his throat. He sat up a little and grabbed onto the sword sitting next to him. A look of caution filled his face.

“That depends.” He answered. “Why would you care?”

The words came out harsher than Damien had expected. He couldn’t help it though. One look at the girl and Damien thought he knew he was starring into the eyes of a Golden Elf. The question was, how did they find him? He was in another world completely and they still managed to haunt him here. It was unfair and a rotten punishment Damien was sure even he didn’t deserve.

“How did you find me?” he asked pushing his back against the tree and pushing himself to his feet.

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna took a step back. Tally two on the people-who-drew-a-sword-when-she-spoke. She held her hands up to hopefully show she meant no harm. "I am sorry. I vas just asking. You seemed...out of sorts. I vanted to help. That is all, I promise." As he rose to his feet, she took another step back, making a personal memo to invest in some form of personal protection next time she got the chance. If she got the change. This man seemed to mean serious business, and was not at all pleased to have been disturbed. "I vas just out for a valk. That is all. I promise. I vasn't looking for you. I vasn't looking for anyone. Just valking. I'm sorry to have interupted you. Really. I can leave. I von't tell a soul you are here, I promise."

She took another step back, not liking the sharp weapon in his hand and not liking the idea of facing another trial or worse: the age-old prejudice without trial. And this place had seemed so peaceful...

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien’s expression softened in light confusion as the girl went on to speak more. Her accent was something he had never heard before. His arm dropped back to his side, the sword hanging loose in his hand. He sighed and the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile, his cheeks turning a shade of pink.

“I’m terribly sorry.” He apologized. Damien bowed his head to her. She wasn’t a Golden Elf, he could see that now but he felt foolish for thinking it, even more foolish for brandishing a sword at the innocent lass. He scratched his head and stepped forward a little. “I thought you were—someone else.”

Damien glanced down but did a double take. He studied the face of the girl more thoroughly. He may have come off as weirdo for starring at her in silence but there was something oddly familiar about her. It was impossible for him to know her though. She was very much human; Damien was able to just sense it now.

He apologized a second time, “I’m sorry. You didn’t really interrupt anything at all. I was just sitting here resting. I didn’t mean to scare you. I couldn’t slay a boar with this thing if you want the truth.” Damien swallowed.

“I’m Damien. May I have your name? If it isn’t too much or too rude of me to ask.”

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna smiled slightly. He really did seem quite nice once you got past the awkward intro. "No need to be sorry. To be honest, I am rather used to less-than-varm velcomes," she said with a laugh, then hurried to add, "I have not done anything wrong, of course. Just...vat vith being German and all..." She didn't want him to get the wrong impression and ruin any chances at company, if she hadn't already.

She smiled at him. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Damien. Of course you are not being rude. My name is Anna." She paused, watching him and wondering if she should ask. Well, no harm, right? She could just apologize if he took it offensively. "If it is alright to ask...vat are you doing out here? I have not seen a single person since I left the village until I met you."

((OOC: Argh! So short! I'm sorry!!))

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien sheathed his sword still feeling terrible for pointing the sword at her. He tilted his head smiling not believing her. He got caught up in her accent for a second before he shook his head. “I can’t possibly imagine anyone not giving you a warm welcome Besides myself that is.” he muttered. Damien was curious about her. He stepped forward a step or two.

“German?” he questioned. Damien had never heard of a race called ‘German’. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t understand. Is that your race of humans, or do you have something that marks you different from humans?”

He gave a nod of his head. “It is a pleasure to meet Anna.” Damien liked the name. It was simple. He had to double back out of his thoughts and try to recall what she had just asked him. What was he doing out here? Damien’s eyes lit up for a second with recognition.

He said, “Oh. Right. I’ve just been wandering through this land taking in everything. I’m not native here, I’m from a place called Runia. I’m not sure how I managed to get to this place though. Maybe on the wings of a dream.”

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna had to smile. He was so sweet! His words were a little confusing, though, but still. "My race of humans?" she asked with a slight laugh. "You say that like there are others. No, I mean I am from Germany. The country. Though where that is from here, I do not know. I am not from around here either. Not that I would want to go back. Not that I can. But that is besides the point. It is good to find someone else not from around here." Though where he was from, she couldn't guess. His appearance, voice, name, everything, seemed quite foreign. Yet she found she rather liked it all; he was quite the unique individual and whatever God was up there (for such an existence was often-doubted when running for your life across all of Europe), she thanked Him for having the chance to talk to Damien.

His good mood was very catching and she could herself smiling all the while. He said he was new here though, and that he was wandering. She knew well enough what that was like and it was not something she would wish upon anyone. Especially not someone so warm-hearted as Damien. She was fortunate enough to have found a place in this new world. Perhaps she could help Damien. She offered him a warm smile. "Damien, vould you care to come back to the village with me for lunch? I know it's quite a bit better out in the wilderness. I promise I wouldn't keep you, just thought I might offer. It is alvays nice to half company and all."

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien nodded feeling foolish as Anna cleared up the confusion about German. He gave a smile feeling connected to Anna. She didn’t desire to go back to her world and neither did Damien. He wondered what was causing her to stay. Damien couldn’t imagine anyone not wanting her around. She seemed nice and sweet enough. There was no reason Damien could see for an exile.

“Lunch?” He repeated. Damien thought for a second and his stomach gave a gurgle. He blinked and laughed. “I suppose that answers that question.”

He patted his stomach and smiled at Anna. “I could use a meal. The wild would suffice, but if I am offered the company of a nice young woman I can’t very well turn it down. What would the people of this world think of me?”

Damien adjusted his bag on his back and walked up next to Anna. His smile faltered for a moment, she reminded him almost too much of Lalaith. His heart felt heavy again and he avoided eye contact with Anna. “It is good to have company. I’m not used to it in the past years.”

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna laughed aloud at his - or rather, his stomach's - answer, feeling quite free from having to worry about being judged and all that sort around Damien. He seemed so light and carefree himself, it was easy to be carefree too. "Lunch it is then. And dinner too, if you like. Actually, if you are in need of a place to stay as vell, you are more than velcome to stay with me." She laughed. It was an odd thing: someone treating her so respectfully and being so sweet and all. And stranger still, she found it meant a good deal more coming from him.

And then her light mood dropped like a stone in the river when he came up to her. Where he had been so nice a moment before, he was suddenly seeming reluctant, regretful even. "I am sorry. Have I said something wrong? I did not mean to." She searched his expression with some degree of worried panic. Certainly, saying the wrong thing could, at least in the past, be a very dangerous thing, but she was more worried now about losing someone she had already labeled a good friend.

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien gave a slight bow to Anna. Her kindness was exceptional. He had met a few mortal humans back in Runia, but they never showed him any sort of kindness. “A place to stay would be nice too. I have no other place to go, I don’t know these lands at all.”

Damien looked over and saw the worried expression on her face. Quickly he shook his head and forced a smile. “No! It’s nothing you did I promise. It’s just been difficult for me in my life. I’m not used to kindness from others, there was only one person who really showed me endless kindness.” Damien hesitated and a genuine smile appeared. “I guess you sort of remind me of her.”

He cleared his throat, “Do you know who rules here?” He asked, the question suddenly popping into his mind. “Would you know if they, a fair ruler I guess. I don’t know. I’m not used to a country that is free of trouble.”


(bah sorry it's so short x.x)

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna gave him a sad smile as she started walking back, making sure to keep a decent pace so they could walk together easier. "I really can not imagine anyone not being kind to you. You seem a perfectly good person to me. What reason could anyone have to be cruel to you? Unless it is just foolish prejudice, which, if you ask me, makes them the ones at fault, not you."

She fell silent, realizing that her voice had been rising slightly as she spoke; she didn't really talk about such topics with anyone because growing up around them made them a source of great frustration at least. Her mother had always told her brother and her that complaining about a problem wouldn't make it any better. There was something about Damien's case that was different though. If it was indeed prejudice, it only made it all the worse. She herself had learned to live with it, but she was already growing rather font of her new friend and the thought of anyone treating him unfairly for no real reason was infuriating.

His question brought her back to reality and she shook herself out of the old mood slightly and smiled at the irony: yes, one could possibly say she knew the rulers. "Yes, I do. I have met them before. There are two kings and two queens, all four of them..." she paused, trying to think of the English word before giving up and replacing it with ones she did know, "brothers and sisters. They are very fair." Another pause. "Though from the news I have heard around the village, there is war coming, I fear. I know little about it, but the people speak of some witch who has returned. I suppose she was here before and caused some amount of harm and then left, because everyone seems quite frightened of her being back. Past that, though, I do not know."

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien smiled at Anna. Her kindness was wonderful and even though he wasn’t sure if he wanted to say it out loud just yet, he was glad to have met her. She was so much like Lalaith it was almost disturbing. He shuddered for a moment as he imagined Lalaith’s face where Anna’s was.
“It’s true that there is prejudice where I come from. It rules the land and fills the minds of all of its inhabitance. It doesn’t seem to be the same here. Maybe I’ll stay for a while.” He hesitated. “Though I don’t suppose I have a choice, I don’t know how to get back or even how I got here.”

He didn’t smile again for a long while. His thoughts became troubled with Lalaith and the ghost that haunted him and seemed to follow him into this world. Keeping his head down to the ground as they walked he nodded with everything Anna had to say. It was a bit of shock to hear that this country would soon be at war. Damien guessed there was no world without war. People were cruel and full of jealousy, the makings of war.

“I’ve never heard of a place with four rulers before. I’m sure if they defeated this witch before they can do it again. I’d like to meet these sibling Kings and Queens someday.”

Damien scratched his head and turned to face Anna. “Have I mentioned how kind you are? Where I’m from I would not receive this kindness from anyone, even humans.” He laughed nervously. “I guess I did mention that already didn’t I?”

[Anna Lehmann]

Anna frowned slightly as she listened. He seemed so pained by something, like being in this Narnia place was… like a trap or something, even next to the world ruled by prejudice he came from. She watched a bird fly off, startled from its tree branch, her solemn, somewhat sad eyes never leaving the spot long after the leaves had again fallen still. ”I am sorry to hear about your homeland… If it means anything, mine was the same way. I suppose the only reason I am happy here is that I have no reason to go want to go back. And people do not care who you are or where you are from here. It is… free. I wish you could be happy here too, though I know some things you can not change easily…”

There was a pause that seemed to last just long enough to be a little uncomfortable. She smiled at his hopeful words. ”Yes, four rulers does seem strange, does it not? But they work well together. I am sure you are right; no witch has any chance!” Anna fell silent, trying to think of something else to say; why was she so horrible at conversation! She was saved from embarrassing herself, by, well, being completely embarrassed. Her face burned at just that particular shade of red that isn’t quite iridescent, but can’t be played off as anything either. When she spoke, she found her voice was, as though the blushing wasn’t bad enough, just as nervous-sounding as his laugh. ”I…uh…thank you. You are very kind yourself, Damien. Really. I am glad to have met you. And that you agreed to stay a while,” she added with a smile.

It was odd, talking to anyone like this, though once she got past that during her search for something to say to end the silence, she realized something even more odd. "Damien? If I may ask, and I promise I do not mean to offend you or anything, not at all...but...the way you keep speaking of humans, like they are...different." All the while she watched him with a mixture of curiosity and wariness - not because he may not be human, but that he may not like her saying anything. He looked, for the most part, human. Well, except she'd never seen any human with such smooth features, or such clear eyes, or-...she snapped from her thoughts when she remembered her own words and hurried to add, "Not that that is bad! I was just...what is the word...confused? I am only used to humans, animals, and the part-animal creatures that live here. Really, I am not being prejudiced!"

She gave up trying to explain herself, looking forward and holding back a wince in furthered embarrassment. Why had she opened her big mouth!? She pushed her fingers through the hair framing her face, half to get it out of the way and half to hide her face. Idiot, idiot, idiot, she kept calling herself over and over. With a sigh, she shook her head, though still didn't look at him. "I am sorry..."


((OOC: I don't know about you, but I'm just following you now, lol. At least until they get to the village (and even then, it's not much, lol). So let me know at any point whenever you want to cut to the village. No rush though.))

[Damien Gilreed]

Damien’s brow knitted together upon hearing that Anna was under similar circumstances. There was something about Anna in the way that she spoke that could make any person feel the exact same feeling she was feeling. Anna had a strange bit of special magic Damien was certain she was not aware of. He flushed again as Anna gave him the same compliment he gave her. Damien sighed and gave a nod.

His head turned toward her as she spoke his name in a question. Damien blinked and thought for a minute on what Anna had said. In a way he wasn’t sure what she was trying to get at. He gave a shrug. “They are aren’t they? I mean, we have them in Runia but their numbers are small. They don’t do much except try to pick sides. Like they can’t even think for themselves. They align themselves with whatever side has the most power. They can’t even stand up for themselves there seeing as how their numbers are trampled by Midnight Elves and Golden Elves.”

The way he spoke about humans he sounded almost put off by them. Damien’s mind had crossed over into the politics of Runia and for a minute he had forgotten he was speaking with a human at this very moment.

Damien frowned realizing what he was saying. “I don’t mean that all humans in any world are like this of course. You have no reason to be sorry. I’m the one running my mouth over here.”