[Euphenia]

It was a glorious day the morning that a young half-breed, Euphenia Vallas, began her "official" duty of cleaning up Xanth's Quadrangle. It wasn't a traditionally beautiful morning with its overcast sky and crisp breeze, but in the eyes of the winged nymph sweeping debris out from where it had clumped under the Goddess's statue, it couldn't have been more lovely.

In honor of her first day acting as Xanth's acolyte, Phen had decided to shuck her usual woolen outer garments and had donned a long sleeved dress instead of work pants and a sensible top. Such garb would be reserved for future days, when she wasn't basking in the memory of her Lady's voice. The skirt portion of the dress was full and had many light layers that often "floated" about the pale nyad like multiple butterfly wings. Whenever Phen moved, a ripple of motion would make her lilac hued dress dance. The prettifying effect of the dress ended at the nyad's wrists, though, as Phen did have the good sense to wear leather work gloves instead of some delicate and easily torn fare. Her shoes were also less than elegant in appearance, being a sturdy pair of closed toe tan sandals rather than the dress shoes one might have expected. Perhaps her long and silky hair helped to make up the difference. It was mostly undone and flowing behind her like a ghostly gold drape, and the ribbons that Phen had used to tie up half of the wind tossed mass to keep it out of her field of vision not only matched the color of her dress perfectly, but they amplified the nyad's natural adorableness to a brain numbing level.

Anyway, the last thing Phen was thinking about right then was her appearance. Her recent conversation with her Lady teased her as the nyad swept furiously at stubborn rocks and other clutter. The nyad had kowtowed to her goddess, and Xanth had not approved. Such was baffling to Phen at the time, though she had hid it well, and ever since she'd been turning the event from one moment to the next in her mind. Was it not the nature of the Goddess to expect such displays from Her progeny? Much of what Phen had read about Xanth had suggested such was so, but her personal experience bucked the concept. Had the goddess been having an "off day"?

From high above, coiled around the statue of Xanth's head, Sanna watched her nyad with mild interest. Visiting the place of stone and tall leaves was fine with her, but did her nyad have to make such a show of it? It wasn't like the stupid yappers weren't going to use the place for their waste again. Better to just find another place, one that smelled less like yappers and screamers and had more water. Yes, more water! Every place ought to have more water.

Piper's Boutique # Raine # Celestial Star # DaFont # Angel

[Txelu]

It was a glorious day when Txelu didn't have to put up with the messmaking of a certain loud-voiced nymph. Ella was probably fussing right now and wondering where her vampire was, but Txelu didn't care, because he was busy sleeping. He had arrived in the Quadrangle quite early that morning instead of heading to work, and he laid comfortably on one of the benches facing away from Xanth's statue. He wasn't completely emersed in dreamland, but the only sign of life came from a fluffy ball of fur on top of his chest. It was half tucked in his dark overcoat so that only a creamy spot of fluff could be seen poking out. Then a head emerged to reveal a small creature with large, frilly ears.

Wide amethyst eyes surveyed the vampire's face from close distance. Sophy tilted her head in curiosity. Oooooh, her owner looked so peaceful and cute when he was asleep. Innocently tranquil, with not a single crease of worry on his features. Should she disturb him? Sophy initially decided to retreat back into her warm nest in his coat, but then she was suddenly distracted by Txelu's hair. In a rush of flickering fur, she plopped down right on top of his face to play with his bangs.

With a sharp intake of air, a startled Txelu fell right off the bench and onto the hard earth. He couldn't stifle an "Ow!" and quickly reached up to pry the mewling windfur off of him, because the chances of Sophy swallowing his head seemed to be escalating to an alarming 51%. And on top of the fact that Ella would probably launch a juggernaut at him the next time she saw him... that wouldn't make a good day at all.

When he finally managed to get up, he noticed that there was someone near the other side of the statue. The full effect of the blonde-haired girl's beauty mostly flew over his head (although he did note the interesting snake), but then again, he had just been rudely disrupted by a certain lemur.

"Good morning," he said with an apologetic smile, since she had more than likely noticed the fuss even from the other side of the statue. He calmly patted down his clothes, frowning a little in mild embarassment, and tried to straighten out the disheveled creases in his coat where Sophy had been holed up. The windfur had settled on his shoulder, gazing with amazement and wonder at the lilac-clad angel. She made a curious mewling noise.

[Euphenia]

As expected, Sanna reacted before her nyad did, and the angel snake partially unwound herself from about the statue to flick her tongue in the direction she'd heard the thump and "Ow!" coming from. Spreading her wings in an instinctual reaction to try and look more intimidating, Sanna hissed the angel snake equivalent of, "Be afraid, be very afraid! I'll bite you, I will!". Despite being such a slender and overall tiny reptile, Sanna managed to look almost as threatening as a half-grown kitten.

"Hush, my Lily," the angel snake was gently scolded in Sylvan. The muffled thud of Txelu hitting the ground had been enough to bring Phen rushing around the juggernaut of a statue, her broom being passed to be held right-handed. "Good morning," she responded in her lyrical voice, smiling softly as bright twilight eyes slid to greet the mewling Sophy perched upon the vampire's shoulder before returning to Txelu's face. "Are you alright?" she asked with a glance down at Txelu's feet to where he'd only a moment before been on the grass, darting her attention back up immediately so as to not appear rude, "I hope that you both slept well?"

The nyad had noticed the slumbering man and what she presumed to be his pet upon her arrival some hours earlier, and had done what she could to avoid disturbing them. Xanth's Quadrangle was a sanctuary for all, and if they had come to find peace, who was she to interrupt? Admittedly she had checked to be sure that both the man and what turned out to be a windfur were alive and for the most part unhurt, but other than that she'd let them be. The pair had been the recipients of several curious looks, some directed his way by the winged nymph herself. The sources of the rest Phen had quietly corralled away from Txelu's bench. "Please allow them their rest," she had whispered, or a variant of, "Greetings. My name is Euphenia, one of Xanth's acolytes. If you would accompany me, I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have."

There hadn't been much cleaning done as a result of Phen's keeping the early risers away from the quadrangle's peaceful sleepers. It didn't help that Phen found Txelu to be handsome. Which was to say, the nyad did not want to think about his physical appearance very much. She didn't trust herself after Dante's disappearance, and then what nearly happened with Kiel, so when Phen's hormones alerted her to the fact that the quadrangle's slumbering male visitor was attractive, she promptly tried to shut that part of herself off and went about her business. How her business became fending off curious onlookers was partly selfish. The longer the man slept, the greater the chance Phen would finish her cleaning duties and get out of there before he woke up.

Sanna hissed again, only that time it was more of a resigned, "Fine, whatever." She did slither to be wrapped around the statue's right arm, though, all the closer to where her nyad was making noises at something that smelled of wind, fluff, blood, dust, and linen in no particular order.

Piper's Boutique # Raine # Celestial Star # DaFont # Angel

[Rea]

Rea moved slowly. Statues freaked her out, sort of. It was more of how their eyes followed you as you walked by. That was the only problem she found with them. Shaking her head she looked about her new surroundings. She was getting used to wandering around on her own away from her room turned laboratory and experiment space, or the library. The whispers were becoming a bit much for her to handle sitting inside for a while. Her skin was pale from the lack of sunlight and fresh air, though the window of her room often was open to let the light in it was not the same as just going outside. The truth for her it was not the whispers that bothered her too much it was the fact they were whispers and it was becoming harder for her to simply leave her door open to keep the air circling without feeling someone was watching her.

The problem was she did not wander much or far and this was strange for her. She could hear people, but it did not sound like many of them, but she was not sure. Licking her lips she moved her arms about. She had an old worn saddle bag across her shoulder that held a notebook and writing utensils as well as her tool-kit. Three things she would rarely be caught without. Her wings were folded about her shoulders. They were more convenient wrapped then folded behind her; she found it much easier to move. She noted a blank space and moved to take a seat upon the ground crossing her legs and pulling her notebook from the bag and a writing utensil she began studying some of the dried herbs in the pages and making small notes here and there.

[Txelu]

"I'm fine, thank you," Txelu replied to the girl's first question. To the second he laughed lightly at himself and brushed off a clump of grass that was stuck to his arm. "And yes, at least until a moment ago... but I suppose this is what I get for being careless."

He cast a wary glance at the seemingly ferocious angel snake but quickly dismissed it as threatless. He turned his attention back to the girl, meeting her gaze calmly and just a little curiously. He had either not seen her or not paid attention to her when he'd arrived in the Quadrangle, but now that he had a closer look, Txelu realized that there was something unique about her. She had wings of an anyeli, but smooth, flawless features that belonged more to nymphs. A half-breed? he wondered in mild surprise. A sudden gust of wind brought the faint scent of her blood to his nose, hidden under the aroma of her clothing and nearby nature.

Most likely a hybrid, he decided, although it didn't really matter to him beyond a point of interest.

He smiled, deep blue eyes meeting twilight ones kindly. "Pleasure to meet you. My name is Txelu," he said conversationally. He looked in appreciation around the Quadrangle, catching the sight of another girl, an anyeli. He turned back around after a fleeting glance. "Do you work here? I apologize if Sophy and I disturbed you."

At her vampire's words, Sophy bowed her creamy head at Euphenia in agreement. Her large soul-filled eyes kept locked upon the nymph's head, but more specifically, the ribbons in her hair. Her little heart began pounding furiously in desire. Riiiibbons! So pretty! And glittery! Her paws grasped a strand of Txelu's hair in an attempt to pull him in the ribbons' direction. Get some for me! Get some for me! she mewled.

"No -- don't do that, Sophy!" Txelu protested as he tried to free his hair, completely oblivious to what Sophy wanted.

With an irritated hiss, Sophy let go and flew off of his shoulder. While Txelu was not looking, she began gliding in the direction of the other winged lady with the notebook instead, coming up stealthily from behind Rea's head in preparation for fluffy attack. Bah! Let him and the lilac girl do what they want. She had found a new friend to keep her entertained...

[Rea]

((ooc: to the immediate storyline the first and last paragraphs are important. I let my imagination get the best of me and went on a minor fieldtrip in developing a bit of who Rea is. I thought it was a fun write so I hope it is a fun read, if you choose to read it.))

Rea sat with her legs folded examining a green leaf she had pulled from her notebook. This one was not dried like many of the others in the book. It was one of the few plants she was currently working with and it had been ct gently from its plant that morning. The leaf had a slight shine to it caused by and oleaginous layer that made the piece of paper it had been on have an oily stain as well had a strange color tint to the leaf. Licking her lips she was looking at the leaf curiously in her hand. She chose to goad at the base of it with a sharp pointed tool she had. This caused white liquid to form in clumps at the end where the tool had been. Placing the leaf back into the notebook she jotted down some notes. It was a few moments later that she placed her writing utensil down and wiped her tool off and placed it back into the kit and she looked up.

She could hear people talking, a man and a woman, maybe? She shook her head. She had never had a swain of any sort, not to her knowledge anyway. But then again what was she to expect she did not go out much or socialize openly. People did not go to her to buy things. She had a kit and a makeshift lab in her room, but she did not have a shop. Her room was a penumbra to the rest of the world. She was her own entity in Cloud Palace. She was her own entity in general. But then again it was not saying much. She was short which made her odd, but t was not something that made her any less of who or what she was. Though people tended not to gravitate towards her, but for the most part she did not mind. It was only slightly hurtful if a group of people went out and she was not asked to come along, but then again it was not like she went out of her way to do anything special.

The Manichean idea seemed simple. There was a space for all beings in nature, but in the same sense nature was not there for the simple benefit of those who used it. The other side was that the beings took care of nature in return. Nymph or not it seemed like a good idea. Anyone would wonder why she smelt so much of plants as there was an abnormal sort of scent on her clothes from living with her plants and working with them as much as she did. She sniffed herself as her mind wandered and then shook her head. She was being silly. People weren’t going to avoid her because she smelt weird, would they?

Biting her lip she flipped to another page with a newly cut leaf on it. There was a certain red hue to the leaf that gave it a more occidental characteristic to it. The leaf chose to kowtow as it did not really move on its own. She her mind went on a small tangent about the idea of if trees would hug bag the tree huggers or if they would smack them up back the head for touching them. When you think about it, it would be awkward to be playing a game of and base was a tree and you put your hand on the designated tree and it thwacked you upside the head. Rea blinked a moment and rubbed the back of her head instinctively. She let the thoughts slide away as he refocused on the leaf on the page.

Her tool kit was a bathos when put in comparison to so many people’s highly treasured items. It was old and looked its years if not a bit older with edges sort of falling apart a bit. The tools on the inside were pristine and shiny and had an almost new look to them. Years ago Kani had showed her how to make a simple solution that cleaned and helped to strengthen the materials of the tools. It was help for other things besides her tools, but it worked much better on them than when used on or with anything else. She had trouble attempting to fathom her life without the woman, but it sort of escaped her.

Rea was currently living back at Cloud Palace as she had when she had been very young, but she had not been there when she had been living and learning from Kani. Licking her lips she began to think about her old teacher and role model. It had been years and the only thing physical she had to remember of the woman was the tool kit that she had taken out of her bag and was now laying open beside her. She looked at with a little glimmer in her eye as she began to fall into her memory.

The ruth Kani had possessed for everyone that had gone into the little shop she had to seek her help had been awe inspiring. She had been a wonderful teacher and sweet woman. She was not an Anyeli, at least Rea did not think she had been. She could not remember her having wings, had she? A tear welled up in her eyes and she shook her head to push it away. Simple things and details about her teacher had seemed to slip out of her memory. She remembered the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes the herbal and mixture lessons she had been taught, though she had the notebooks she had been keeping reminding her, but still.

Her mind moved away from her sad feelings about her teacher to remembering a day that she had been working in the shop and a juggernaut came bumbling in. He had to have broken at least a shelf and a half of mixtures and disheveled another shelf of herbs. The man had been so furious, for what she could not even remember, it had some noctivagant background, he had looked so tired when he had come in. But Kani had come out smiled handed him a small pouch of what seemed like yellow dust and told him to put a dash on his pillow every night. The yellow powder was a strong sleeping agent. Though Rea was still trying to learn what actually made up the power and gave it the yellow tint. Kani had been afraid to teacher her how to make it, it was one of three things she had not taught Rea to make.

Shaking her head she pulled herself into the present. She had a sense for the vernacular, but she did not use much of it. Small talk was one thing, but she did not know all too much about anything beyond her field of study. She closed her notebook and looked up into the sky. There was something coming up behind her that she would not notice until it was too late and it did what it was intending to do.

[Euphenia]

Rea's entrance didn't escape Phen's notice, and her reaction was to widen her eyes in shock. An apali, in New Alexandria? No, scratch that. An apali in Xanth's Quadrangle, not ten feet from Phen's own feet? The nyad's shoulders immediately tensed, and for a long second she stared after Rea as the anyelos went on her quiet way past Xanth's statue and settled onto the ground. That woman was of the opposite faction as Phen's own mother, not that it mattered much in anyeli society as far as Euphenia was concerned. She wasn't allowed to chose a side. If her genetics had favored her mother over her father, perhaps things would have been different. Nevertheless, she watched Rea with great caution. She was somewhat used to being around skotadi, but the apali were an utter mystery to the winged nymph. She knew hardly any stories about them, and her lack of knowledge made her as curious about them as she was wary.

Sanna lifted her top half up as Rea passed by Xanth's stone image, watching the winged woman perhaps even more intently than her nyad. The angel snake didn't hiss, only observed as Rea settled with her paper and writing implement. She stayed that way far longer than Phen did, as if fascinated by whatever it was Rea was writing down, or something like that. Maybe it was because of Rea's white wings? They were the same color as Sanna's, only their size dwarfed the angel snake's pair. That was provided if Sanna could even see Rea's wings. Angel snakes weren't known for their sharp eyesight.

Phen tore her focus away from the quadrangle's unlikely visitor and gave Txelu an apologetic smile and a slight tilting of her head that the dancers in The Birdcage always said made Phen look "even prettier". She really had no idea what made the alteration in her pose so significant, only observers would be able to tell that the change in angle made her eyes better able to catch and draw in light, resulting in them sparkling all the more like polished gemstones. "I am glad that you are unhurt," she said with sincerity, "Perhaps the next time you seek sleep in the presence of the Goddess, the grass will be clean enough to serve your purpose."

"Txelu and Sophy, is it?" Phen asked when the windfur's name was mentioned. She leveled an amused smile at the lovely creature, then turned to offer one of similiar import to Sophy's vampire. As was her way, Phen had pronounced their names with great care to mimic each syllable as Txelu himself had said them. "I'm known as Euphenia, an acolyte of Xanth. So in a way, I do 'work' here. It's a pleasure to meet you both, and there was no both-"

"Oh!" Phen gasped when Sophy took off, "I hope that Sanna doesn't ... Oh dear."

It was too late. It was a simultaneous mash up of general confusion. Txelu raised his voice, Sophy hissed, and Sanna added to the din with a hiss of her own and a leap from Xanth's statue taking her into a downward swoop in the same direction that Sophy was heading ... directly towards Rea.

"I'm very sorry," Phen apologized softly, "Sanna has been in one of her 'moods' today."

Then, without further explanation, the nyad turned on one heel and followed after the windfur and angel snake both. What happened next was pure instinct on Phen's part, mostly because it wasn't just Sanna and the apali getting mixed up in the matter. Phen's full rosy lips were licked moist, closed, and then parted again to allow her sweet soprano voice to croon a melody that could have passed for a lullaby. It was in Sylvan, the language she felt would appeal to Sophy and Sanna the most, which only added to its mysterious appeal. Unless of course, the listener was a nymph. Then it would just be a reminder of home, which had the potential to be just as alluring in its own way.

"Sweet child of mine,
Love of my years.
Return to my arms,
I'll dry all your tears.
My heart is all yours,
There's no need to ask.
I'll stand by your side,
Take on every task.
I'm forever, never leaving.
So don't fret, my dear.
I'm forever, always loving.
I'll always be here.
Please remember, my love,
That I'll always be here."

Piper's Boutique # Raine # Celestial Star # DaFont # Angel

[Txelu]

An acolyte of the Goddess? Txelu studied her in wonder then, although not in a rude or lingering way, for his expression quickly changed to one of respect. He had never met anyone with such a close relationship to Xanth before. "That's very special," he said with a smile.

Then Sanna suddenly hissed and dove in Sophy's direction.

Txelu immediately stepped to the side to get out of the angel snake's way, and he followed Euphenia when the nymph glided after the two creatures. He was concerned, especially about Sophy. The windfur certainly liked to get into trouble. Txelu at least knew exactly what he had to do to stop Sophy in her tracks, as he'd needed to demand obedience out of the windfur many times before. And so he was completely prepared to save the note-taking anyeli from eminent harm in the form of fluff, until Euphenia took care of that for him.

As soon as the words came from Euphenia's mouth, Txelu recognized them as Sylvan. He knew that from working around Ella. She sometimes spoke the language to customers who were nymphs, and occasionally she liked to insult him with it. Unbeknownst to her, he had managed to pick out bits of vocabulary over time. He watched Euphenia thoughtfully, trying to understand pieces of what she was singing.

Sophy had been hissing, angry at Sanna for chasing her so ferociously. But I've got you! Sophy's eyes glittered as her furry wingspan descended upon the unsuspecting girl. And then... music. Enchanting music. She halted in midair, barely an inch away from the back of Rea's head. As a windfur, she possessed a particular attraction toward the Sylvan language. So when the sweet-voiced, alluring words drifted to her ears, she couldn't help but turn around and float peacefully back in the direction she'd come. She felt as though she was making a hegira toward a mystical forest. Eyes locked on Euphenia's face, Sophy lightly sprawled down on top of the singer's pretty ribboned head.

"Sophy."

From a few feet to the side, Txelu's voice was barely above a whisper. The windfur turned around. He held out his hand expectantly toward her, expression unreadable toward anyone except Sophy, who knew he wanted her to "come here right now". She had the good sense to obey her owner, but not without gently releasing and taking one of Euphenia's hair ribbons with her. She returned happily to Txelu's arms. He sighed slightly in annoyance.


(( ooc: I hope you don't mind the slight G-modding at the end, Colly ; Please tell if edits are needed! ))

[Rea]

There was hissing and chaos seemed to break out over the area around the statue. It was a flurry of motion as all of her materials went into her bag in a matter of moments. As Sophy was in midair Rea was on her feet. It was only another second as her wings shot up and out going to their full length defensively. The instinct of get bigger and scarier and it will go away went through her. She hoisted her bag over her head to rest on her shoulder. Her wings snapped quickly around her shoulders as she spun awkwardly to see the windfur.

Licking her lips she then looked up at the angel snake. The reason for leaving her room and coming outside was peace and quiet. The chaos that had ensued agitated her and rubbed her the wrong way. There was singing all of a sudden and the two creatures that had been heading for her ceased. She was moving quickly to leave the area. It was not that she did not like people and it was not that she was not enjoying the nice day; she did not appreciate the breaking in simple atmosphere.

Rea wanted to concentrate and from the moments that had caused her to get up, this was not going to be the place for it. As she was about half way out of the area she paused. The song sounded familiar, it was the language more than the lyrics that seemed to pull at something in the back of her mind. There was something familiar about it, something that triggered something in her memory.

She sat on the old warn desk Kani looking at her and shaking her head. There was something in her arms, but Rea couldn’t focus on it enough to figure out what it was. The words coming out of Kani seemed to blur but they had the desired effect as whatever it was in her arms seemed to relax. Biting her lips Rea was watching Kani tend to the thing in her arms with a few of the mixtures that were sitting beside her on the desk.

Rea shook her head and looked at the girl with wings in a slight daze shook her head and continued on her way out. Her head was bowed as she did her best not to stare or gawk at the others in the quadrangle. Her intent on moving was to hegira where she could focus and not feel as awkward as she now did.

[Euphenia]

Sanna tried to resist, she really did, but there was something about her nyad's voice that never failed to absorb all of her attention. She had to keep flying, of course. The angel snake had been going too fast to do otherwise. Yet instead of potentially crashing headlong into either Sophy or Rea's side, Sanna wheeled around in a circle. She then corrected her course to go on a hegira, one intended to take her to the source of the beckoning music. White wings beat the air in an effort to slow down, and so Sanna did. It wasn't before she'd already buffeted Phen's cheeks with her feathers and slithered into the pale gold forest of her nyad's hair, but at least she tried?

Phen kept singing till her song was done, even after getting a face full of Sanna. She'd raised a hand in an attempt to stroke Sophy's fluff before the windfur returned to her master with her prize, so it was up to chance whether or not she was successful. Long windblown hair that shimmered like clear water over white coral one moment and golden sunshine dappling pearls the next cascaded over the left side of Phen's face, the same side that had been relieved of its ribbon. The winged nymph swept the hair away from her forehead with deft fingers. Unfortunately, she'd forgotten that she was still wearing her work gloves, so dark earth streaked wherever the dirty leather brushed her skin. Phen tucked the errant strands behind her ear as if nothing had happened. "All is well now, I hope?" she asked with a pleasant smile that was only slightly smaller than the one she'd worn when Txelu had first seen her.

Twilight eyes slid their gaze to take in Rea's retreating form. They did not linger long, for Phen was one to respect another's need for privacy. She did however offer up a silent prayer to Xanth for the apali's safety and well being.

Phen's focus returned to Txelu's face, and she gestured to the broom that she yet held. "In truth, I can easily be considered still 'in training', as it were. This is my first day as an acolyte of our beloved Lady. I was hoping to finish cleaning Her quadrangle by this afternoon, but there's just so much to be done."

Piper's Boutique # Raine # Celestial Star # DaFont # Angel

[Txelu]

"Yes, I would say that all's well," Txelu said, glancing down briefly at Sophy. The windfur was joyously playing with her new ribbon and no longer paying attention to anything else.

He followed Euphenia's gaze toward the anyeli's retreating form. Normally he would probably have gone to apologize to the girl on Sophy's behalf, but the fact that the anyeli had not exchanged a single word with them throughout the whole commotion told him that she would be better left alone. Besides, he hadn't missed Euphenia's earlier wary looks toward the apali, and there was a good chance that Rea felt the similarly about her. Anyeli had opposing factions, after all, and he didn't want to make either of them feel uncomfortable.

Right now though, Euphenia in particular seemed to be anything but such. Compared to before, she looked well, quite disheveled. Yet even with half of her hair loose and the streaks of dirt on her face, she elegantly continued the conversation as though nothing had happened. It seemed so funny that Txelu couldn't help but smile, his eyes sparkling along in genuine amusement for the first time that day. "You -- you have something on your face there," he said, voice wavering as bits of laughter escaped from his lips. His hand inadvertently reached in the direction of his pocket, until he realized that he wasn't carrying with him any handkerchiefs or tissues or anything to that effect, really. Oh well.

He shrugged apologetically. "Now you definitely look like you've been working extremely hard," he remarked, unable to resist teasing just a little. "Anyway, I would be happy to help you clean. I don't have any... plans today." A brief mixture of smug amusement, guilt, and fear flickered over his face, although it was quickly replaced by a polite grin.

[Euphenia]

"On my face?" Phen repeated oh-so-intelligently. Queen of comebacks, that was she.

The nyad then used her free hand to run gloved fingers over her dirt smeared cheek, which of course only worsened its condition. In her defense, Phen wasn't paying her actions much mind. The winged nymph was thinking about the apali girl and hoping that she hadn't offended her somehow. On top of that, Phen also found herself developing a fondness for Txelu's laugh, or what little of it he'd let her hear. He had kind eyes, the sort that made most folk feel safe. Phen wasn't so easily lulled, but she had to admit that they were ... nice.

It was when he said that she then looked like she'd been "working hard" that Phen had her chance to laugh. Hers was less restrained than his, and amplified the musical quality of her voice. Soft, but cheery, the sound drew Sanna's head out from under Phen's hair to flick her tongue a few times in question. "As long as it's on my face and not my dress, I have no complaints at the end of the day," Phen mirthfully remarked.

She slid the broom around till its handle was between her and Txelu, then set it at an angle while gripping it with both hands. The emotions that played across Txelu's face were watched with benign interest as she held her pose. About the same time that Sanna went back into hiding was when Phen replied, "I'll gladly take you up on that offer, Txelu! I have some cleaning cloths in the gray satchel over there, on the bench next to the one you chose for a cot."

That last sentence had been spoken with a hint of teasing in her tone and a crooked half smile. Hey, he'd joked lightly with her, hadn't he? It reminded the nyad of how she'd become friends with Kiel. Maybe it would work with Txelu, too? Phen was also kind of hoping that she would be able to distract Txelu from whatever was the cause of his distress. Amusement played a role in what she'd witnessed, but the nyad had already decided it was more that of a prisoner escaping their cell for a day rather than actual enjoyment. "There should also be a pot of marble polish in there," Phen instructed as she went back to sweeping, "Please use both to rid our Lady's statue of any impurities."

The winged nymph kept herself busy as she waited for Txelu to get his supplies. She didn't want to invade his privacy any more than she'd desired to pester the apali to learn her reasons for leaving. At the same time, though, she was curious as to why he had chose to come to the quadrangle that day. She'd never seen him before, so he likely wasn't a frequent visitor of the Lady's sacred place, and that peek into his emotional state had nearly driven a question or three out of her. Still, Phen resisted. It wasn't her place, and she didn't want Txelu to feel uncomfortable.

So, what did she have left to make conversation with when probing questions were no longer allowed on the menu?

"Just before spring is my favorite time of year," Phen divulged as she bent at the knees to grab a dust bin and start whisking debris into it, "When winter is fading and spring is waiting in the wings, preparing for her grand entrance. Xanth's quadrangle is all the more beautiful then, and the world has a hush hovering over her. She waits for what happens next, and we all wait along with her."

She was rambling. A faint pinkness bloomed across Phen's cheeks, and she put more energy into her cleaning as she added, "And so go the words of an acolyte who's apparently been spending more time talking to her angel snake than she ought."

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[Txelu]

"It is a nice dress," Txelu commented. Much too nice for mere cleaning duty, actually. Then again, he supposed that Euphenia wished to honor the Goddess with what he himself thought of as pleasing apparel.

She was an acolyte. He could easily see how devoutly she dedicated herself toward "our Lady", yet to him, Xanth was ultimately simply an acknowledged existence and nothing more. He had never met the supposed creator of Elysia, had never been religious even on Earth where religion incited so many charitable, hostile, and foolish actions. He did not say any of that, of course; it wasn't in his place to judge Euphenia or the Goddess. And what did it matter anyway? He watched her kindly as she adjusted her broom in front of him.

When Euphenia mentioned the cleaning items, Txelu directed himself toward the said satchel without further ado. He self-consciously averted his gaze upward when the nymph brought attention back to the place he had been just earlier that morning. "Ah yes, it was a little silly of me," he admitted half playfully, remembering the surprise windfur maneuver and the less than spectacular fall. Thank goodness Ella hadn't been there to witness, or else he would see no end to her taunting. "Xanth apparently didn't want me there," he joked.

He moved Sophy to one arm and bent down to retrieve the cloth and marble polish. Sophy, still captured by the beauty of her ribbon, nonetheless realized that her master had something to do and climbed out of his arm to settle again on his shoulder. She curled comfortably against his neck and returning to playing with the nymph's ribbon, twisting and folding it this way and that while watching it shift shape and hue.

Txelu meanwhile began polishing the statue with the care and calm focus he lent to all work. It seemed to him funnily ironic how he managed to land himself with labor even when he skipped his job, but he felt no desire to complain. The cool wind breathed nicely, Ella wasn't anywhere in sight, and this winged nymph actually had a pleasant personality.

He moved as close as he could toward Euphenia's general vicinity so they could converse more easily. He listened to her talk about the two seasons.

"Compared to a cold, monochrome winter," Txelu added casually, "spring is refreshing and vivid, isn't it?"

A breeze ruffled the air. He glanced over at her when she accused herself of talking too much with her snake. "I'm sure no one minds," he replied, smiling.

[Euphenia]

Phen had murmured a thank you when Txelu complimented her garb, and of course she blushed like a fool while doing so. Thankfully she'd resisted the impulse to rub at her overheated cheeks, having remembered how dirty her gloves were at the last second.

"Ah yes, it was a little silly of me. Xanth apparently didn't want me there."

"Perhaps She thought your time would have been better spent polishing rather than dozing," Phen agreed with a light laugh to show that she wasn't serious. "The quadrangle certainly appreciates the extra effort. It disheartens me that so many come here, yet help so little."

The nyad stood, having emptied her dust bin into a large sack she'd brought for the occasion, and listened as she began to sweep once more. With a nod, Phen half sang, "With winter's will waning, gather the golden gifts."

She took a moment to build up her pile of rubbish and leaves before continuing, "There is much power in winter. Winter is to our soil as the man who couvades on behalf of his child's mother. He lays down under ice and wind, suffering by inches, and waits for the spring to release him and his beloved from their burden. Yet I find myself preferring the in-between. In the moments between discomfort and triumph, slumber and joyful agony, all is at peace. There are no extremes. Some green pokes through the encompassing cold, and warmth returns slowly, refueling the soul."

Phen sighed, stilling in all but breath as she turned to smile at what she could see of Txelu's face. When she spoke, it was softer than before. "That is kind of you to say, though I suspect not all would agree."

Sanna chose then to slither out of her sanctuary, and perched on Phen's shoulder so the passing breeze could ruffle her feathers. Her nyad's jawline got a headbutt from the angel snake, as if Sanna was more feline than reptile. That drew out a low giggle from Phen, and gloved fingers were raised to rub under Sanna's chin as her reward.

"My dear Lily," Phen murmured in Sylvan, "Would you like to meet Txelu and his Sophy in a more proper fashion?"

The angel snake couldn't speak, of course, but she did flop her tail over Phen's shoulder. Its tuft along with Sanna's wings made the nyad look like she was wearing a exotic variety of feather boa.

"I'll take that as a maybe," Phen said with a chuckle before starting to walk with caution toward Txelu. "Would you like to be introduced?" she asked, keeping Sanna within the field of her peripheral vision. If the angel snake started to "freak out", Phen was fully prepared to calm her pet down and nix the whole idea.

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[Txelu]

Sophy's ear twitched as she listened to Euphenia's chattering about winter, although she personally had no clue what the nymph was blabbering about. The winged lady spoke weirdly sometimes, although there was a hidden melody under her lyrical voice which the windfur liked. She shifted around languidly by Txelu's neck while her owner worked to remove a particularly stubborn smear on the giant statue. She purred gently, sniffing his hair happily while hugging her ribbon like a cherished doll. Ah... she really did love this spot dearly. Thank goodness that weeks of persistent clinging and cuddling had rendered Txelu no longer ticklish around the neck area.

Txelu meanwhile listened to Euphenia's words with actual understanding, unlike his pet. "How poetic of you," he remarked with amusement in his clear eyes, which were still focused on the stone in front of him. "You happen to remind me of someone..."

He trailed off. The "someone" would be a person from his past life -- a certain lofty-loving mountain hermit, to be exact. Hmm, what would she say, now? he wondered in mild curiosity. It didn't take much effort for Txelu to predict Irena Sealey's response: "Very well-spoken, my dear! Not only is winter a time of exalted sacrifice for Mother Nature, but also one of cleansing and purification so that the hasty world may be relieved of its stains under an embrace of serene crystal white. Then spring may reincarnate with fresh color and sound, tender and delicate like a newborn child. Winter and spring are not separate; they simply move as two points on the glittering thread of an endless circle ever pulsing with the spirit of life..."

Txelu paused from his work. He suddenly felt a nagging sensation that his aunt was thinking of him at that moment, that time, that second. I hope Irena is faring well, he thought, although she was the one person in the world whom he knew would never lose sight of herself.

He lowered his arm from polishing the statue and turned to Phen when she offered to introduce him to her angel snake. "Yes, that would be fine," he replied, smiling with encouraging interest. How cute of her to treat her pet like a person, although he definitely understood that from taking care of Sophy. He glanced sideways at his windfur and tickled Sophy's furry cheek in good humor. "Sophy? Why are you still playing with that ribbon? Time for some socializing."

[Euphenia]

Sophy was adorable. There was no and, if, or but about that. When Txelu gently scolded the windfur for her haptic play with the ribbon she'd commandeered, Phen shook her head slowly side to side. "Please, let her play?" she asked with another of her slow smiles, "I don't mind. I'm glad someone else likes them as much as I do."

"Sometimes I find it easier to speak in prose," Phen mentioned as she drew nearer to the vampire. The nyad was trying to stay casual, drawing from her experiences with Kiel and Lazuli to tame her paranoia. Being in Xanth's Quadrangle helped, also. Phen could practically feel the goddess's presence, and she wrapped it around herself like a familiar and comforting blanket. "So I'll hope the memories I bring to mind are pleasant ones."

Sanna remained astride Phen's shoulder, though by the time her nyad reached Txelu and Sophy her tail was quivering. She hissed softly, then flicked out her tongue, memorizing what she could pick up of the vampire and windfur's scents.

"Txelu, Sophy, this is Sanna," Phen began with a slight nod to each named party. She had to be careful of how quickly she moved, for Sanna had never ceased to be sensitive about that. Then she spoke softly in Sylvan to her pet, stroking under the angel snake's chin as she did so. "Sanna, this is Txelu and Sophy."

Looking contented, Sanna pressed the side of her body against her nyad's arm and rubbed. Then she just kept going, slithering forward as her tail wrapped around Phen's bicep and forearm, and brought the front of her body out toward Txelu. The angel snake's head swerved, and her pink tongue repeatedly lashed the air.

"She wants to smell you better," Phen explained, holding out the arm that her pet was using as an anchor to her nyad. The action brought Sanna a couple of inches closer to the vampire, and her tongue worked double time. "She won't hurt you or Sophy. I promise."

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[Txelu]

"So I'll hope the memories I bring to mind are pleasant ones."

"Ah yes, I suppose." Txelu honestly didn't know whether to label the memories of his aunt as "pleasant" or not. They were really more strange than anything else, mostly due to Irena's uniqueness. He decided to avoid the option of going down a weird, lengthy trip through memory lane.

Sophy perked up again when she heard Euphenia introduce them in Sylvan. She stared at the angel snake, named Sanna, with giant eyes filled with both curiosity and a certain firm caution. This creature had tried to chase her just earlier! She even hissed, too! And she could fly just like her...

A feeling of wary rivalry churned up inside the windfur. She gripped Txelu's shoulder tightly with her claws, causing him to feel small stabs of pain. 'Sanna' is dangerous! she tried to send a warning message into his mind. She flies dangerously, too! Like an arrow! She tried to attack me! Pointy! Dangerous!

Although Txelu got that Sophy felt unsettled, any specifics going on inside her mind were unfortunately lost upon him. He did keep a hand on her though, in case she decided to make any sudden movements. Sudden movements would probably not do any favors for them, based on what happened earlier. "Please don't do anything rash, Sophy," he whispered to her.

When Euphenia explained that Sanna wanted to smell him, Txelu promptly leaned forward slowly and carefully toward the nymph's outstretched arm, which the sinuous creature had wrapped her body around. Sophy immediately and quietly retreated behind his neck, poking her creamy head out from the other side to gaze intently at Sanna. Txelu looked into the snake's bright blue eyes intently as well. Hm, could she tell what he was, he wondered?

[Euphenia]

"Ah yes, I suppose."

Ah. Well, that wasn't very encouraging. Who did she remind him of, Phen wondered? Hopefully not a family member that he preferred to avoid. Phen had learned of such folk by listening to others talk about their extended families. She didn't understand why anyone would want to exclude someone from their life that should be important to them. Wasn't the connection of family something to be cherished?

As Phen wasn't certain how best to address Txelu's uncertain reply, she skipped over it and focused on the introductions. That was probably for the best, and Sophy looked nervous. "Fear not, child of the wind," she mumured in Sylvan, her twilight eyes focused on what she could see of Sophy's sweet little face, "My friend may be a sky hunter, but you are not prey, nor shall you ever be."

Sanna swayed to the hidden music in her nyad's voice, her hiss gentle and low. Her white wings untucked and fluttered briefly before returning to cover some of the angel snake's back like a feathery cloak. Phen's wings mimicked the motion, partly because right then she was hyper aware of Sanna's movements.

The angel snake wove to be closer to Txelu, till there was little more than two inches between her tongue and his chest. Phen had taken a few slow steps forward to ease the process. Then began a solid minute of Sanna tasting slowly up and down of the air directly in front of Txelu. The angel snake wasn't in a hurry.

Oh, Sanna knew what he was. How could she not? They all had that same flavor, tucked under whatever coverings they tried to throw on top, as if ashamed. Which was ridiculous. They were what they were, so why hide it? She had no quarrel with the hunter or his flying pillow. He'd given the pillow pettings, hadn't he? Sanna arched up and unfurled her wings, then flapped them for that extra inch that allowed her to try and bunt the underside of Txelu's chin with the top of her head. If he could be trained to give her pettings and snacks, then he might be a worthy of her nyad's attention.

"I believe she likes you," Phen decided with a brighter version of her smile. As such pleased her greatly, the nyad crooned a short melody in praise of her pet's decision. Sanna soaked it up as her due. Could a reptile appear smug? If so, she was doing a fine job.

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[Txelu]

Sophy's wide moon-like eyes blinked slowly at Euphenia's gentle face, comforted somewhat by the nyad's kind, musical words. But not enough to become cuddle-buddies with her winged snake quite yet. The windfur still made no effort to approach Sanna, although she relaxed her muscles a little so that she no longer poked Txelu with her tiny claws.

Although he was concentrating more on Sanna, Txelu had listened closely again to Euphenia's murmurings, trying to pick out the words in the nymph's language. Wind, hunter, and prey? He smiled a little in mischief. If Sanna wanted to open her jaws and swallow Sophy, then she was in for a nasty taste. The nymph's words seemed to sound remotely Greek, not that it helped him, really. Txelu hadn't stayed on Earth long enough to learn that dialect. Perhaps he could ask Ella to teach him Sylvan sometime, he mused, but quickly ditched the idea after deciding that the playful lady would teach him all the wrong words so he could make a fool of himself when he used them.

When Sanna touched his chin, Txelu drew back slightly after making contact and lowered his head so that he was almost eye level with the creature. He smiled at Sanna with dark amusement in his mismatched eyes, almost a playful smirk. The angel snake's vivid azure eyes gleamed with such intelligence that it would be silly to suspect ignorance on her part. At least she didn't seem to mind that he was a vampire, although he found it both amusing and lonely when some people became ludicrously meek...

His expression shifted into a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you, Sanna," he said warmly, extending a hand to stroke the snake's pearly scales if she allowed. "You are a beautiful one, aren't you?"

He laughed gently at Euphenia's words. "Well, that makes me feel better," he said, raising himself back up to meet her pleased gaze. Sophy meanwhile returned to playing nonchalantly with her ribbon.

[Euphenia]

Just because Sanna was used to being told how beautiful she was by her nyad didn't mean that she couldn't appreciate someone else who had good taste. With a delicate hiss, the small winged snake looked the vampire directly in the eyes and tickled the air before his face with her tongue. All but her wings remained still so Txelu would't be discouraged from petting her as much as he wished.

"She's a glutton for affection," Phen commented with a wry smile, though her tone only enhanced the fondness she directed toward Sanna. If she weren't still holding the broom, the nyad just might have joined in the stroking of the angel snake while she and Txelu continued their discussion. "If she lets you, she loves being rubbed under her chin."

Things were going pretty well so far. So, what should she bring up next? Phen glanced up to search Txelu's face for inspiration, then blinked when she noticed something the nyad suspected she should have before. The quadrangle's visitor was a vampire. Well, either that, or he thought wearing a set of fangs was entertaining. She doubted they were one of those cheap fake pairs she'd seen in the occasional gift shop, as his voice wasn't being effected at all. Didn't fake fangs cause lisping?

Oh, Goddess, had she been staring? Phen fought to not jerk her head down in embarassment, though she couldn't help the pink flush that was quick to spread across her cheeks. She knew all too well what it felt like to have people look at her intently and then hide their faces when they realized Phen had caught them in the act.

"Change the subject! Ask him something, anything!" her mind shouted, but what came out was, "I feel comfortable around animals. They don't expect us to always have perfect manners, or know just what to say."

"Not bad. Now, slowly look up to meet his eyes. Don't look at his mouth again, not just yet."

Phen followed her own mental orders to a tea. Sanna, sensing her nyad's discomfort, put herself in reverse to back up Phen's arm. The winged nymph's chin soon was the receiver of another scaly headbutt. With a soft laugh, Phen closed her eyes and nuzzled the angel snake. "I'm alright," she assured her pet in Sylvan, "Just let my surprise get the better of me. I'm alright."

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