RP:Naga Correspondence
Summary: The day after his fight with Manasa, Reginae seeks out the member of the Mage's guild to size him up. Anyone strong enough to face Manasa and live is someone worth knowing. The naga decides to use the normally disarming child disguise to deliver her own message, while asking a few pointed questions along the way. Dyraxdiin is not fooled, but accepts the letter and waves her and her questions off.
Village Path
Dyraxdiin is on his way back to the Mages Tower this afternoon. The Mage is holding his Xalious wood staff in his right hand, using it for a walking stick just as much for a show of rank here in the Village. He inhales deeply, smelling all of the flora and fauna that this small sanctuary contains. The Xalious village really is a tranquil place, one that he promised to protect in place of his own brood. Even still, he hasn't quite gotten used to walking among the people, his path to steer clear of the other Mages coming and going and the villagers as they go about their business. He half expects a Naga to come bolting out of the nearby bushes at him, due to his last stroll down this path. He might even be seen to grip is staff a little more tightly.
Reginae, when she was not traveling into well known territories, often took the form of a small white haired child when traveling. The full length of her hair, normally stopping along the crest of her hips, remained intact and trailed along the dirt as she walked. The child wore nothing more complicated than a battered black robe and fur lined snow boots, which seem out of place in this weather...even for winter. Her azurite eyes are still sharp and keen, absorbing her surroundings with a more mature gaze. She spots the human and his walking stick from her position on a nearby path and diverges to catch up with him. Hey! She calls, those otherwise uselessly small legs of her taking longer than the naga in disguise would like. You dropped something. Out of his pocket had tumbled a small package of some sort, or so Reginae thought. It might not even be his, but hes on the path and so is the package. It made sense it should belong to him. Her small boots kick up a fair amount of dust for her size. If he examines her magical properties he will not detect a spell or disguise magic on her. Its pure shapeshifting, at its finest. Some have eyes enough to see through, but they are few and far between.
Dyraxdiin turns his head when he hears someone call out. Blue eyes dart this way and that, when they finally come to rest on the small child before him. Interesting. Diin squats down low so as to be at eye-level with the child, "Oh? What do we have here?" He doesn't make a show of investigating the child with arcane, for he really doesn't care. Such a thing would be hypocritical of him to do; he himself disguised nearly all of the time. "I'm afraid I didn't drop this, little one." He inspects the package with a lofted brow - it is common for mages to walk about with packages, come from herbologists and many-a-merchant. Mages frequently use all sorts of imported goods in their studies of the not-so-mundane.
Reginae blinks. For a moment, she forgot this skin was not her own and wanted to know why he would call out to her as if she was so young. Of course. The human child’s lips pull back in a small smile. “Apologies, sir. I could have sworn…” On the back of the wrapping there is some writing that her hand had obscured before. ‘Care of the Mage’s Guild’ it read, in a faded ink. The package is lightweight but malleable. It’s a letter, the crackle of parchment undeniable between her fingertips. “Do you know where I can find someone that works for the Mage’s guild?”She inquires with bright, curious eyes. “I don’t think it’s too far from here...though I’m not familiar with Xalious beyond the destinations...I mean…” Reginae caught herself, sounding a bit too old. A common problem, when she forgets herself. Inside, if Dyraxdiin should open it was a sketch of an old mosaic depicting a scene of Naga creation. The letter attached says ‘This artifact was recovered from Frostmaw. The Alithryian government would like to request an associate of the Mage’s guild for assistance with uncovering the rest of the mosaic. If you have any information on the whereabouts or any other pieces, we request that they be returned to the city immediately. Signed, Reginae Naginis.’ Of course Diin had not dropped it, it was a message she’d wanted to deliver without making herself known. The child holds the package out again, in the hopes he would take it from her and deliver it as adults tend to do when encountering a child with an important message.
Dyraxdiin has a whole new reason to raise a brow at the child. Xalious. Destination. These are words that children do not know, or care to know. Instead of asking her how she learned to speak, Diin states, "I've been overseeing things in the Mages Guild - I am more than likely the best one to deliver the letter to." He accepts the letter from Reginae, and does indeed open it to investigate further. "Reginae Naginis...." He rolls the name off of his tongue. Where has he heard that family name before? In a book, perhaps. "And you didn't see who dropped this, little one?" Again, with the little one. The great wyrm stands up once again, his eyes to flit about the area. Alithrya meant Nagas... and Nagas do not go about unannounced easily, their bodies far too... uncommon to remain conspicuous. Unless. He looks back down to Reginae, the disguised, innocent child. Manasa had shown him her ability to shift last night - what if they all can do it? "Lithrydel is host to many things that are not what they appear, indeed." He repeats that mantra of his while studying the small child.
The child starts to look nervous. “It was on the ground, I’m not a thief you know!” Her sharp tongue called back, azurite eyes fluttering away to look at the ground and point to a random spot in the dirt. “There, that’s all.” His gaze made her very uncomfortable. Like he could easily see she wasn’t what she appeared. Reginae -liked- feeling secret. Hidden. It made her feel safe. Too many creatures disliked the naga and would attack any chance they got. Humans were the worse, because they assumed nagas to only be beasts and not intellectual beings. “Later gramps,” She says at last, turning as if to leave the man to his package and walking stick. Shame she didn’t get his name. A few paces and she paused, to turn back to him. “I thought the leader of the Mage’s Guide was missing. Did you kill him?” What kind of question was that?
Dyraxdiin doesn't say anything in reply to her first words. He just continues watching her, betwixt stray strands of unkempt brown hair. The letter is placed neatly within the folds of his half-robes. His other hand, holding the Xalious staff, releases its hold upon it. The staff disperses as easily as it came, back to wherever the thing rests when not in use. He will watch her go, until she turns around to ask him that question. Kill. Another word many children don't understand. "The leader is missing, but the Mages Guild is not one to stand idly by without guidance. I took it upon myself to help in its time of need." He pauses, inspecting the child anew, "I'm not certain if he is alive still, but I have had no hand in his disappearance." He waves the child off just as he resumes his stroll back up to the Tower.
Reginae takes his answer but her expression doesn’t change. There’s nothing more for her to say before running off back up the path, out of sight.