Peace Is In Our Grasp

[watchfulcub13]

Man, Hazy was really starting to enjoy spending time with Seyénna. She hadn't really had any extended interaction with elves, either full-blooded or partial. Still, Seyénna and her father seemed like kind-hearted people, and she was glad that she'd found her way to their home. She coudln't imagine what it would be like if she hadn't come across the beautiful meadow and the Athenial home.

Taking another sip of her tea, Hazel kept glancing at Seyénna. She wasn't sure exactly what she was looking at, or for, but there was just something about her companion that maded the young BPRD agent feel completely at ease. Of course, because she didn't have much experience with elves, she found herself wondering if they possessed the power to calm the nerves of others. Hazy often wished for that sort of power; to be able to settle people down just by being in the room with them would be amazing.

Though still feeling sorrow for the fate of Seyénna's mother, she felt that a change of topics would be welcome. And, since her companion had asked her a question, she felt there would be no better topic than an answer. Explaining her power made her feel as though a weight had be lifted from her; she didn't normally talk about her powers. Her parents and most of her fellow agents knew what she could do, and she didn't mention it to people outside of the BPRD. Most humans weren't equipped to handle that kind of truth. Of course, as Seyénna was only half human, with her other half being a supernatural creature, it was different.

“That is a big responsibility, I bet, to c0ntrol such things.” Hazy nodded. "It can be, yes. But I am offered many chances to improve my control," she replied. "And I love my work. It's a great honor to work for the people." She grinned. She loved being a BPRD agent and working for the government, amazingly.

“Yes it is a blessing for both of us you ‘landed’ in New Zealand.” Hazy listened as Seyénna chuckled, and joined in. “This is a beautiful spot. It will help you heal, Hazel Greene.” She nodded, because she had already felt that.

“Have you met any other elves? I would so like to meet another of my kin besides my grandparents and father!” Hazy shrugged, but nodded again. "I met one. Her name is Nuala. She's a princess, I think." When Seyénna frowned, Hazy wondered what was wrong. “But I could not ask you to take me with you. It is, as you say, far too risky. Ah well. Perhaps I will meet another one soon.” Hazy frowned, too. "I really wish I could take you with me when I go home," she replied. "I'm sure that Nuala would be happy to meet you."

[seyennaathenial]

As they talked, Ennya rustled around the kitchen, cleaning things up. When that was finished she told Hazel, “Hold on just a moment. There is something I wish to show you.” She never showed her sketches to anyone, usually just the finished product, but Hazel was a good enough friend already in this meeting for Seyénna to believe that her sketches would not be made fun of. She went out of the kitchen and came back moments later with a thick pad of parchment. It was more like the books one might see from the fifteen hundreds, with a heavy brown spine and leather on the front and back.

Smiling, she sat down with her. “I have captured many people and things on these pages.” She told her. “I travel extensively. When I was little, my father traveled a great deal and I followed him of course. He told me of his first exhibition, that started in 1796. He would be embarrassed to have me say so, but he had no idea what he was doing, and the whole ship probably would have mutinied, if not for Gargodon, a educated the cave troll! He told me all about him, and I drew him as best I could. Then on this page here, there are a few drawing of the buildings around New Zealand, and how it has changed from when I first came here to how it is now. I am two hundred and twelve years old.” She told her with a grin. “But I tend to act how I look – twenty one.”

Her tone quieted as she turned the page. “These are my grandparents, only they don’t know it. They adopted me because I go by my middle name – Etera, meaning star – whenever I visited them. When I entered the Elven realm in 1845, they didn’t recognize me because the last time I had seen them was when I was four, so we have an ok relationship, as long as they think I am a pure blooded elf.” Her fingers traced over the lines on her grandparents faces and she sighed.

Thankfully however, the topic changed again, this time to powers. Ennya said it had to be a lot of responsibility, and Hazel replied, "It can be, yes. But I am offered many chances to improve my control,” and Seyénna smiled. “And I love my work. It's a great honor to work for the people."

“I can see in your eyes what you say is true. You are noble hearted, Hazel. I wish more people were like you.” She said softly, and then grinned. “Though if they were, I would always be helping them up.” And nudged her playfully.

Seyénna asked her if she met any other elves, and Hazel said, "I met one. Her name is Nuala. She's a princess, I think." And Ennya’s eyes went wide.

“You have met the princess? You are very lucky! I have heard she is very beautiful, kind and smart.” She was still in awe that Hazel was friends with a princess…and not just any princess but the Elven princess! “What line of work must you do to run into her?” She murmured thoughtfully, almost to herself then.

Hazy frowned, too when Seyénna said she wished she could come with her. "I really wish I could take you with me when I go home," she replied. "I'm sure that Nuala would be happy to meet you."

“Oh, oh, I could never meet Princess Nuala. I am of noble birth yes, but…” She looked down and winced slightly. “I do not think she would like me. Oh no. For I am an abomination, you see. The little witching, the half blood.” She muttered, and picked up her pencil, drawing to soothe herself. No, she did not deserve to be in the presence of one so pure of blood…

[watchfulcub13]

Hazy watched Seyénna go about the kitchen. She felt that she should be helping. She was about to say as much when her companion announced, “Hold on just a moment. There is something I wish to show you.” Hazy nodded, knitting her eyebrows in confusion. Seyénna was a lot different than what her limited experience had told her about elves. They seemed to have little emotion, at least as far as relationships went. She'd noticed a sort of polite distance from the half-elf before, but it was slowly melting away. She was happy about that, though; she didn't have many friends outside of the Bureau, and she was glad that she could meet others and instill friendship. It sort of made her proud, really.

Seyénna returned, and dropped into the seat next to Hazy, holding a thick, leather-bound book. “I have captured many people and things on these pages.” Seyénna said. “I travel extensively. When I was little, my father traveled a great deal and I followed him of course. He told me of his first exhibition, that started in 1796. He would be embarrassed to have me say so, but he had no idea what he was doing, and the whole ship probably would have mutinied, if not for Gargodon, a educated the cave troll! He told me all about him, and I drew him as best I could. Then on this page here, there are a few drawing of the buildings around New Zealand, and how it has changed from when I first came here to how it is now. I am two hundred and twelve years old.” Hazy glanced away from the drawings in awe, and turned to see another bright grin on Seyénna's face. “But I tend to act how I look – twenty one.”

"Wow," Hazy said, glancing at the pages as Seyénna turned them. "212. I never would have guessed. But these pictures are amazing. The artwork of somebody who's been practicing a long time." She smiled.

"These are my grandparents, only they don’t know it. They adopted me because I go by my middle name – Etera, meaning star – whenever I visited them. When I entered the Elven realm in 1845, they didn’t recognize me because the last time I had seen them was when I was four, so we have an ok relationship, as long as they think I am a pure blooded elf.” Hazy shook her head. It didn't seem right that Seyénna's grandparents would only love her if she was a certain way. Of course, if they knew that she was aerokinetic, Hazy's grandparents probably wouldn't have been as fond of her as they were. As it was, she considered herself very lucky.

“I can see in your eyes what you say is true. You are noble hearted, Hazel. I wish more people were like you.” Seyénna said, and Hazy shrugged. "Most of my friends, the people that I work with, are even better people than I am," she said. “Though if they were, I would always be helping them up.” Seyénna said with a grin, nudging Hazy lightly. The young agent returned the gesture, and then giggled a little.

Seyénna got pretty excited when Hazy mentioned Nuala. “You have met the princess? You are very lucky! I have heard she is very beautiful, kind and smart.” Hazy nodded. "She's really nice, and really pretty. I haven't had any real, extended interaction with her, but I'm pretty sure that she's smart, too."

“What line of work must you do to run into her?” She heard Seyénna say, almost to herself. They were treading dangerous water again.

“Oh, oh, I could never meet Princess Nuala. I am of noble birth yes, but…” Seyénna said when Hazy suggested her sorrow at not being able to bring her friend back to meet the other Bureau agents. “I do not think she would like me. Oh no. For I am an abomination, you see. The little witching, the half blood.”

Hazy frowned. "I honestly think that Nuala's good enough to not give a horse's false teeth about what kind of blood you have. Like I said, I don't know her well, but she can deign to talk to lowly humans, then certainly she'd enjoy meeting a being that's a great mixture of elven blood and human blood." She shrugged. "She spends a lot of time with Abe, and he's not human or an elf. If she likes hanging out with him, why not with you, too?"

[seyennaathenial]

Every picture had a story behind it. A memory. That was the secret to her successful art career. She smiled and touched the worn down pages which had yellowed in age. The book alone was an art form, or so she felt. It had soft worn leather on it, and each page – when she touched it – brought the memories alive. It was a bittersweet experience to say the least.

She stopped for a moment as she looked at the portrait she had drawn of Andon Xund. He was such a complicated fellow, and not just because he was entirely mechanical. No, he had no real reason to be with Nuada. He had once been his enemy in fact…and yet he fought for him and created things for him. He also was unconventional in the fact that he encouraged her – a female ‘elf’ to his knowledge – to read, write, discuss and ask questions. The elven culture for women was more than a bit sexist at times…but he wasn’t. Perhaps it was because he claimed to be a Dark Elf? She did not know.

Seyénna returned to the topic at hand, pulling herself out of her sadness, and touching the page with her grandparents on it. “I long to tell them I belong with them not only with adoption but by blood, but I cannot. The last time they saw me as me was when I was four, and my aunt called me an abomination.” She shuttered. “I tried to prove myself but it did not work…it is sad that my culture and yours clash so. I wish for peace.” She murmured softly.

"Wow," Hazy said, then. "212. I never would have guessed. But these pictures are amazing. The artwork of somebody who's been practicing a long time." She smiled.

“Oh thank you, Hazel. Thank you very much!” She exclaimed and blushed lightly, so lightly, and yet it was so apparent on her pale elven cheeks. “Perhaps you will let me capture you on paper? You are a living work of art.” She complimented. “I am sure it sounds odd, but from an artist’s perspective, you have excellent cheekbones. I can already imagine the shades I would use to portray them…” She trailed off softly, thinking about it now. Yes perhaps she would draw her, and when Hazel came back to visit next, Ennya would have the portrait ready for her!

Seyénna certainly was excited to hear about Nuala, because she had never met either of the royal family, only heard rumors and saw glimpses here and there in the crowded streets. She said she couldn’t meet Nuala because she was a half-blood however, and Hazel frowned. "I honestly think that Nuala's good enough to not give a horse's false teeth about what kind of blood you have. Like I said, I don't know her well, but she can deign to talk to lowly humans, then certainly she'd enjoy meeting a being that's a great mixture of elven blood and human blood." She shrugged. "She spends a lot of time with Abe, and he's not human or an elf. If she likes hanging out with him, why not with you, too?"

“Who is Abe?” Ennya asked her curiously then. “Is he a half blood too? Or does he have abilities like you?” She asked. She didn’t mean to bother her. She was just so curious…