Jhaan Trisgwyn

Keeva felt Jhaan take her hand in his. She wasn’t used to such simple contact. For the last 50 years she had limited physical contact to others, and even within the tribe that was sparse. She was shocked to find the simple gesture so comforting given its unfamiliarity. She left her hand be warmed by his and smiled at him as she listened.

~”For me, in my line of work, it’s all about who you know. And where you can find that big cash out so you can wander for… 5, 10 years?”

Her heart ached at his last statement. She longed to travel and explore the world for even just a year. Glasswater was the farthest she had been in 50 years. She wondered what she could have seen if she had spent that time traveling. 

“It certainly isn’t my normal environment to be sure.” She sighed. “That is the main reason I came. It is something new and exciting, even if it can be a bit… overwhelming.” The constant barrage of new experiences was thrilling but had quickly become almost too stimulating for Keeva. She was grateful for the quiet peace of the patio. “But I suppose any new experience could prove as such. My tribe has very little interest in new experiences. I am not sure if they even know this ball is happening.” She shook her head, laughing lightly. The thought of some of her wildling family trying to navigate the ball was entertaining, she was sure her own attempts were strange enough. 

“What is it like? Being able to travel all the time, see new things. Go wherever you want. It must be wonderful and exciting and terrifying all at the same time.” Keeva was a bit embarrassed she had let her excitement rule her mouth and flood Jhaan with questions. However, they had settled into such a comfortable company so quickly that she couldn’t help herself.

Jhaan couldn’t help but sigh as he thought of how to answer her question. There was so much he could say. There was so much that he loved about the travels that he took. It was hard to describe it. Yet he wanted to. He wanted to talk to the girl, to tell her everything he could about the wide world that he lived across. He knew he couldn’t tell her everything. He never would be able to.

“I don’t know if I have the words to explain it. It’s freedom. In the purest way possible. I can sit on a mountaintop, and stare out at the land, and look around the four directions... and I see it all... all the opportunities. All the places to go, people to meet, people to be. When you’re up there, you realize that any bonds and constraints that have been placed on us... they’re all artificial. We can go and be who we want, do what we want, love who we want. That all it takes to do anything you could possibly dream is to set your mind to it, stand up, and go and do it. I love that feeling. More than anything. That feeling of just... total freedom.”

He let the moment sit. His eyes glanced to the sky for a moment, to a far off mountaintop, one unrivaled by nearby pinnacles. One where he could sit and see for miles. Then his eyes slowly came back down to the smaller hand in his, the woman’s. A smile returned to his face as he looked at her. “You should come with me.” He breathed out, too fast to even stop himself. “We’ll find our lives on the road.”

“No, you never wanted to make a fuss over yourself, so let me do it for you. I insist,”  Avi decided, trying not to get too pompous about it.  “It’s an official invitation, Jhaan.  And it would be my honour - as well as an excuse for the both of us to return to Rajayer. I haven’t been home as often as I should.”  He wanted Jhaan to reluctantly agree, wherein the reluctance was borne merely out of the old knight’s polite stoicism.  He didn’t want Jhaan to reluctantly agree because he felt he had no other choice.

It was always a delicate balance, to treat those in lesser stations, as friends.  It became even more complicated when one was a half-elf, who had seen more than Avi could ever imagine, and would outlive him by centuries.  An Archduke’s power seemed so insignificant when matched against even a common-elf’s long live.

Jhaan’s reply was polite as ever, and distant as if Jhaan had something else on his mind.  But Avi wasn’t perturbed, considering Jhaan hadn’t been to Rajayer for decades, and the half-elf likely had plenty to keep him busy.

“Yes. Well, let’s not think about any of that bother tonight.  For now I have two questions for you, Sir Jhaan.  One - please do your knightly duty and escort this fool of a sailor out of this nightmare plant trap.” Avi motioned around them, at the hedge maze.    

“And two - I mean it, I want to know more about what you’ve been up to.  You and your vagueness…that certainly hasn’t changed.”

“Old horses don’t need comfortable saddles, and they don’t ride in parades. That’s why I don’t need much pomp or circumstance around me.” Jhaan answered as he glanced around, starting to lead the Archduke through the maze that they had chanced upon each other in. 

Jhaan certainly wasn’t opposed to going to Rajayer. However, if things were to stay on the path that he wished them to be on, he would need to be sure that he was available to bring a particular guest along as well. 

“I would have to sort out some affairs down here and around before I was able to travel. In fact... there was a young woman I had met tonight that I was thinking of potentially traveling alongside. At least for the time being.” The words were the truth, his warm embarrassment unable to be hidden even by his mask or behind his curtained hair. He had found himself liking the girl more than he had wanted to. Unfortunate as that idea was.

“Ah, a knight.” Rosaline nodded in a bit more understanding. “Unbothered by politics? That I don’t believe. Seasoned, or not - it does influence your line of work.” Her brow rose as the man offered his services, even after she’d been so blatantly rude. “So it’s business then.” She clarified between them, “The Northlands does not have a pressing need for mercenaries at the present time, but I do commend your bravery for throwing yourself to the dogs during a festival. Who are you exactly? I’m not fond of business with strangers.”

“It influences our work so much as who it is I come asking for a job, not so much my day to day. Everyone needs a rat-catcher once in a while.” He answered, the slight joke inherent in the comment shining through. “It’s always business. I prefer my personal affairs to be more... lost to history than a dalliance with a noblewoman would ever allow.” His answer was honest, even if it was somewhat dismissive. “The name is Jhaan Trisgwyn, my lady. I’ve been in this game for... more than 700 years now.”

“Jhaan” Keeva repeated, smiling and enjoying the sound. She hadn’t met many half elves, or many elves for that matter. Tonight was certainly changing that. His name sounded as lilting as some of the full elven names she had heard throughout the evening. She studied Jhaan for a moment trying to determine his age. He had called himself an old wanderer; Keeva hadn’t believed him due to his appearance but if he was a half elf, there was a chance he was older than even herself. Resigned to not being able to discern his age, she continued. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She took another deep breath of the night air, feeling herself relax even more. She glanced up at the night sky. The night was when she felt most comfortable, most alert. She could hear the breeze in the branches; smell the cornflowers and the sweat on the brow of the dancers that had just left the patio; feel the warmth of Jhaan standing next to her. She was vividly aware of how close he was. It was different from dancing, there was a formula to that proximity. This was different, something she was so unused to but not unwelcome. Her hand brushed up against his and she left it there as she looked at him again.

“So, if the ball doesn’t appeal to you, why come? Surely there must be much more fascinating things for a wanderer to see.” An unseen eyebrow lifted behind her mask and she grinned at him curiously.

Jhaan smiled warmly in response. It felt so natural, it even surprised himself. There seemed to be a part of him that wasn’t entirely hardened to the world and those who had what he did not. That was a peculiar thought indeed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Keeva.” He responded, warm as the dawn. It felt... strange. He considered that he may like the feeling of the warm words in his mouth. That he might genuinely enjoy hearing and saying her name.

Feeling her hand against his, he moved his hand closer, and took hers in his. He took a long, slow breathe, and turned his eyes to hers. “To be honest... I tend to come to these types of things as if they’re networking. For me, in my line of work, it’s all about who you know. And where you can find that big cash out so you can wander for... 5, 10 years?”

He smiled. It was a smooth, calm, in control smile. He knew what he was doing and the question he was going to ask. “So what about you? Doesn’t seem particularly like your favored terrain.” He asked before thinking for a second. “Are many of your tribe here?”

Avi cleared his throat.  “Well…they didn’t know you,” Avi replied, with the confidence of a man who truly thought he understood Jhaan.  As if Avi’s own perception of the half-elven knight wasn’t coloured by the idealism of youth and the idolatry of a person who’d gained the Archduke’s favour.

“Rajayan memory is ever-shifting as the sea, so now that I have you here, I can officially extend an invitation to visit, hm?  This invitation is coming from the Heir Apparent of House Kumara, so you know it’s no light entreaty, Sir Jhaan.”

Avi paused then, letting that revelation sink in for the other man.  “My father - he’s getting older,” Avi’s tone was grave, his eye contact unwavering.  The Kumaras generally didn’t talk about the decrepit state of the Archduke, but Avi felt like Jhaan should know.  If only because sometimes in moments of lucidity, Archduke would address one of his councilmen as ‘Jhaan’.

“And my older brother Tazar and his family drowned, only two years back.  So the mantle of Heir Apparent falls on my shoulders.”  He tipped his head slightly.  “So perhaps instead of an invitation, I should hire you as a retainer.  I’m better known as a buccaneer, than a ruler.”

Belatedly, Avi remembered that the Knight’s duty wasn’t just to listen to nobility go on about their lives as if it was the most interesting thing ever.  He clapped Jhaan’s shoulder.  “What about you?  You probably have your own adventures to share, I’m sure.  Hopefully less dire than mine.”

Jhaan smiled slightly at the younger mans words. Certainly the boy would’ve thought he knew the half-elf better than anyone. Or at least that his family would’ve. Though the depth of the wanderer’s secrets were enough to drown even the best of Rajayan swimmers.

“Perhaps one day, if my travels put me in that area of the map again. Currently I am just going from village to village. No need to make too much fuss over myself, eh?” He offered, the sort of non-commitment he always made when asked to go somewhere. He never really knew where the roads and rivers would take him. At least not until he was there.

“It’s a shame to hear about your brother though. I’m sure you will find a way to make the most of that type of situation though. You can lead, I’m sure of it.”

Rosaline was unimpressed by the stranger’s comments, “Oh.” She breathed, turning away from him slightly, “And I see I’ve been allotted the company of an oaf.” She rolled her eyes, finding it next to impossible to believe him and his cluelessness. “If you’re going to test my patience, I would suggest you find yourself back inside, shortly.” She didn’t have the tolerance for conversations that didn’t get straight to the point after so much political talk previously.

Jhaan smirked straight through the insults. It was nothing he had never heard before. “Many knights have been called oafs before by royalty, I’m sure.” He answered as his arms crossed, his eyes scanning the woman before huffing out a dry laugh. “I’m not one who’s particularly bothered by politics. When you reach my age you’ve seen everything at least once. Though if you are who you claim, my services are always for sale.”

“I would love to.” She said against her better judgment. She knew she shouldn’t wander off with a stranger but she couldn’t deny a level of comfort that she felt already with this man. 

A walk can’t hurt. I always have a way out after all.

They didn’t have to wait long as the song dwindled to an end and the dancers slowed. The ballroom applauded politely and Keeva let the man lead her towards one of the glass doors out of the ballroom. 

They walked out into the warm night air onto an empty patio overlooking the hedge garden. Rows of manicured hedges and flowers bushes swayed lightly in the night breeze. They were beautiful but Keeva was shocked to see so many plants so neatly trimmed instead of growing unabated, it was a strange sight. 

She walked over to lean on the railing, enjoying the breeze and the night. The air was warm but not nearly as humid as the swamp and Keeva was happy to be in a less sticky climate. 

“Thank you for the dance” She glanced at the man next to her, smiling again. She debated internally a moment before deciding she no longer wanted to uphold the mystery of the masquerade. “My name is Keeva.”

Jhaan’s chest rose heavily as he took his first inhale of the night breeze. The open air was different. It was lighter and more free than the air inside any building. Especially one with as many bodies as that room had. 

Watching her lean against the rail, he slowly made his way next to her, leaning against the rail. Looking out into the open air, he breathed in quite deeply before turning and looking at her. 

As she spoke, he couldn’t help the smile that broke across his features. They were really starting to connect well. “Jhaan Trisgwyn.” He answered, his eyes locking back onto her. “It’s an elvish name. I am half.” He admitted, placing his hands on the railing, one only millimeters away from the woman’s own hand.

She smiled in response. So she had guessed right, it seems he was used to being on the open road; and if he was renting a room he must not be from Glasswater.  

Tightness.

Keeva knew what he meant. There was a rigidity to the ball despite its decadence. Maybe it was the grandeur of it or the formality, she wasn’t sure, but the atmosphere felt almost suffocating at times. She was enjoying herself, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to stand the ambience for a long period of time. 

She realized then that she missed home, not the mountains as she normally did with the tribe but the tribe itself. The swamp. The feel of soft moss beneath her bare feet unlike the hard cold floor they danced on now. The longing for home wrestled with indecision. Keeva wasn’t sure if, with all she had recently learned, she was ready to go back yet.

Or ever.

The man’s question ended her train of thought and brought a fresh blush to her face. She laughed lightly at his compliment.

“Well it certainly is beautiful. But I think like yourself I would prefer somewhere in the open. In the wilderness. There isn’t enough freedom here.” She used the word freedom and immediately regretted her choice. She had to be careful about her word choice. Freedom made it sound like she was sympathetic to the rebellion, something she hoped the man didn’t misinterpret. “Freedom from formality to be more specific.”

A blonde eyebrow quirked above the semi-obscuring mask at her statement. Freedom was a very valuable pursuit, the rebel had to admit. Hell, wasn’t that part of what their entire movement was based around presenting to everyone? Or was it just about letting a new group of people to rise to power over those who had been in power since the dawn of time? Jhaan had never worried too much about the reasonings of the rebellion or the others who supported it. The only convictions he needed were his own.

There was something about the throng of people they were surrounded by that seemed to heighten the feeling of tightness in the ballroom. He wanted to find a way out, if just to be somewhere where he had more control. Somewhere that he could breathe more freely. Somewhere he felt like he didn’t need to try and play at being something he wasn’t. 

Quickly, he let his eyes glance about the room, just to find the areas where there was more free space and less wandering eyes and ears. “I understand what you mean. Freedom is... something that seems to be in short supply quote often. Though I especially am confused by much of the formality in places like this.”

After a momentary silence, he decided to speak yet again. “How about after this dance we go outside for a moment, find some nice space to just... breathe.”

“Jhaan,”  Avi repeated.  An elvish name that spilled naturally from his lips, despite the rather challenging pronunciation for a Rajayer.  But, Avi quickly realized, of course it came naturally - that was what happened when one practiced saying a name, over and over, until he got it right.

“Sir Jhaan Trisgwyn! Is that - “  All wariness fell from Avi’s frame, as he grabbed one of the hedge lanterns and rushed towards the other man.  He came to a short halt in front of the blond man, studying his features with reserved excitement.  Jhaan looked exactly as Avi had remembered him: handsome and tall, looking more human than elf, if it wasn’t for the fact that the older man hadn’t seemed to age for over 20 years.

“It’s I - Avitej Kumara.  From Rajayer.  You served under my father Archduke Aman for a time when - when I was young.  Much younger than this; but given your errant ways, I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me after all these years.  I have grown.”  But seeing Jhaan brought back all of Avi’s teenaged memories like a flash storm out at sea: uncontrolled and unpredictable.

Avi reached out to clasp Jhaan’s arm.  “I can’t believe I’m meeting you again.  You’ve been missed at Rajayer Keep.”  This was only a partial truth, but Avi was too elated to say anything but fond words.

A dry and heavy chuckle escaped the half-elven man’s lips at the young man’s excitement. “I’m sure I have more than my fair share of folks out in Rajayer that were not sad at all to see the back of me. Though that was... quite a long time ago.” He mused quietly as he looked the other man up and down.

Even with the lengthened life and slowed aging of his elven heritage, Jhaan could still appreciate the length of 20 years and the distance it gave one from another. When he had know the other, the human had been but a youth. Though it had been one of the longest lengths that Jhaan had stayed settled for, it still had not been all that long of a time. So he was pleasantly surprised by the recognition from the other man.

Clasping Avi’s arm he smiled at the young man, a smile of recognition. “You certainly have grown. How go the years in your area of the world?” He asked as he released his arm, glancing around the maze to determine the presence of anyone around them.

Keeva laughed along with him. She didn’t need to think about where her feet moved anymore. They had fallen in sync as easy as breathing. 

“I’m enjoying our dance very much. Tell me, if you would, what does an ‘old wanderer’ like yourself make of such a ball?” She met his gaze, searching his face for some hint of identity. She had used his self given title, unsure if he wished to remain under the anonymity the masked ball provided as she had seen others do. She assumed as much since he hadn’t given a name, nor asked hers. 

Not that she didn’t enjoy the mystery. Something about this stranger had drawn her in. The mystery, the challenge behind his eyes, and the way he seemed to lose himself for a moment in his laugh. But it was the intrigue that made her long to know more. She had always been told she was too curious for her own good.

“Well, I will admit that sometimes I find places like this a bit stuffy. I don’t exactly fit in to these areas.” Jhaan answered honestly as he looked at the woman, a smile naturally flowing onto his face as he tilted his head to the side. “I much prefer the room I rented in a local tavern. Or being out in the open air. I can’t really handle all this... tightness.”

“The same.” Rosaline answered the stranger, shifting weight on her feet before she added, “Though I’m not in the habit of trailing behind noble women who seem to be stepping out alone.” Her gaze moved across the garden, noticing that most of the other wanders had ducked back inside the Keep already. Not that she was overly concerned, the assigned guard had only backed away so far. If she had been anyone else, it would have been seen as too paranoid and cautious. As things were though.

“I’m surprised you couldn’t find other company to keep you entertained,” Rosaline commented, eyebrows raised as she leaned to look back at the keep over the man’s shoulder. “There are plenty of attention-starved souls inside.”

A small shrug pulled Jhaan’s shoulders up as he looked at the woman in front of him. “I wasn’t really all that aware of who was in front of me. Nor did I know you were a noblewoman.” The man responded, telling a half-truth. He did pay quite a bit of attention, though he didn’t make too much of an effort to change his actions based on the people around him. 

“Maybe I’ll go inside at some point. I enjoy the open air. You grow used to it after a while.” The man responded, not fearing speaking in response to the woman. He had learned long ago that every bad reputation could be rehabilitated if it needed to be.

~“It’s just you and me here.”

It wasn’t a hard statement to believe. Keeva was so focused on trying to let herself step with the music that she couldn’t pay much attention to anyone else. She was surprised to find that after a few moments, the movement became natural. 

She had been told by some in the tribe that she had a predators grace but she never quite understood what they meant. This humanoid form to her seemed clunky and much more disjointed than her true form. However, now as she spun in easy circles she started to wonder if this was what they meant. 

The man’s frame held firm as she relied on him to lead her. Keeva found herself falling quickly in time with him, so much so that she was able to look at him without fear of stepping out of place. She smiled at him relieved. 

“You were right, not too difficult”

Jhaan couldn’t deny that he found the woman enchanting, even as they danced around the floor. Even as he knew what she was. There was a way in how she moved, how she expected to be a different size, to have different dimensions... She expected to be a dragon.

He kept dancing with her, his smile meeting hers. Their feet moving in time, their bodies flowing together through the steps and beats of the music. They were in sync. “I hate to be the person who says I told you so...” He joked quickly, a chuckle breaking from his lips as he looked at her.

“I hope that you’re enjoying our time together as much as I am.” The half-elven wandered whispered as they continued to move along the floor, his hazel eyes still meeting hers. “I’d hate to be a burden in any way.”