It was an odd place to find peace for most, but not uncommon for Aeolus.  For all the hustle and bustle that cities and towns held, there was something more than serene about the natural beauty of a forest.  This particular forest, though, was one that Aeolus had yet to explore, and while he was warned before hand that it was dangerous, he blew those warnings off.  After all, it was danger that made him feel closer to alive than anything else.

As he made his way down the darkening trail, he started to grow hot, as the heat from the sun was trapped below the complex weave of tree branches and leaves.  His silver hair stuck to his forehead, which he brushed away, annoyed at the feeling.  He stopped for a moment, regretting not bringing the majority of his trail supplies with him, thinking the stroll would be much easier than it was, but still, he was smiling.  He wasn't entirely bored.  

He took his cloak off, setting it to the side, and sat down on a partially uprooted tree, leaning back against it and closing his eyes, listening to the sounds of the forest.  Birds.  Animals crying out.  Insects buzzing about.  

He cracked an eye open as they all stopped.  Hmm?  He stood up, his hand going for the blade at his belt.  The silence was almost eerie, and even the usual, overconfident Aeolus felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise.  

His ears trained hard for any sound…which he finally caught.  A voice, yelling…growing louder, and louder, coming from above.  He quickly checked his surroundings, then jumped, rebounding off of the trees, higher and higher, till he broke through to the open sky.  Immediately, he was met with a strange, tiny woman, whom fell into his arms, cradled so that his arms took the impact of the fall.

"…" Aeolus stared down at the woman in confusion as they seemed to hover in the air briefly.  "Er…hello?"

Well, this was highly unfortunate.

Her brown hair was cascading all about her like a raging river and her silver eyes were stretched in fear. Her wings were spilling blood thanks to a few lodged arrows. Her voice was shrieking as she fell. But still, her mind was more like… How did this happen?

It had been all a blur. She had been enjoying the beautiful late spring weather that the skies had when suddenly a small airship had come out of nowhere. It was behind her and she was careful of it as all avian-like things had to be in the skies.

Rosemary was a small angel with wings as long as her body. They were a cream color until the tips when they went into a gold. Her skin was tan like most of her mother’s race. A cream colored dress with deep pink details was on her body. It was once pristine but now bloody.

She blacked out halfway through the fall but when she didn’t impact, much to her surprise, she found herself stirring awake her silver eyes to his. At first, she panicked and her small body began to try and flail against his. “GET OFF OF ME.” She was shoving him but it was almost too gentle like she had no strength left. She had big heaves of breath leave her mouth as more blood fell from her wings. “The arrows they hurt… please.”

Her eyes began to roll back but she had one more thing to say. “Get out of the sky.” She was sure that the airship of whoever shot her down wouldn't be that far behind now.

After the initial confusion wore off, Aeolus noticed immediately that she was wounded.  Arrows in her wings.  He grimaced, though, as she woke up, flailing about, yet there was barely any strength behind her blows.  She finally seemed to settle down, though, realizing her situation, and turned her attention to the arrows, stating how much they hurt.  The silver haired celestial frowned, and her last words before she passed back out were to leave the sky.  

He had briefly considered unsealing his wings, but her warning had merit based on her condition, and instead he let gravity take hold, once more returning beneath the trees, landing on every other branch to stagger his fall.  As they made it to the ground, Aeolus laid the woman down, carefully to make sure her wings were not damaged more.  She's so small…  He looked her over once more, checking to see if there were any other wounds other than her wings.  When none were found, he went to the arrows.  One of them had broken during the descent into the forest, but the other was intact.

I've never dealt with anyone this small before…I hate to use it, but…  He pulled out a small, flower like brooch, a magical item that he had come across during his travels.  He placed it on the woman's chest, and then moved to the arrows.  "I don't know how conscious you are, but this is going to hurt," he said in a calm, soothing voice.  the broken arrow came out first, easily enough.  Breaking the other arrows, though, required a bit of force, and with that pain.  However, it was quick and efficient.  With the arrows gone, he placed his hand over the brooch, pressing down on it.  It reacted to his touch, and a healing mana flowed through her body.

"There," he said, removing the brooch and placing it back in his pocket.  Not likely I'll need it, but I still hate wasting it.  But it's better that she lives.  I've got other tricks, if it comes to it.  He looked around, noticing his cloak a few feet off.  Bringing it over, he gently tossed it over the angelic woman's small frame, and then went to sit. 

She was conscious enough to let out a few hefty screams as he pulled the arrows out. She tried to jolt up on several occasions but she was still so weak. Rosemary closed her eyes and let the healing magic take over as she felt the mana flow into her wounds. “I know that brooch very well.” Her voice was weak as her eyes drifted towards it. “To think I would find a random person who had one.” She chuckled a bit as she tried to keep happy thoughts.

Rosemary closed her eyes again after he removed the brooch. “It’s a very special thing you got. You should cherish it greatly.” Her fingers took hold of his shirt or really anything she could get her hands on as she pulled on him. “Thank you.” It wasn’t long after that when Rosemary had his cloak on her. She huddled under it and shivered thanks to the blood loss.

She would need her rest for now. Though the half angel did not rest for long maybe an hour at most before she woke up in a bolt. Her eyes fell on him and for a few brief moments, she had to recall what had happened. “What’s your name?” She was sore still but she had felt pain before and she would work through it all the same. Pulling the cloak a bit more tightly around her she tilted her head and got a bewildered look on her face. What thoughts were going through the half angel’s mind couldn’t be read from her face as she stretched her legs. Her bare feet extended their toes and she took the grass in. The anklets on her feet were shimmering from the light hitting the gemstones. “My name is Rosemary…” She thought it ever so rude of herself not to introduce herself first before she demanded his. “Sorry if I came off a bit rude when asking for your name. I should have given mine first. I’m not exactly thinking straight right now.”

As Aeolus sat down, he watched the half angel woman, his eyes trained on the signs that she was, indeed, alive.  So this brooch is special, he though to himself, thumbing the item in his pocket.  For nearly an hour she rested, until finally she awoke with a start.  Aeolus barely moved as she tried to get her orientation, and finally, she spoke.  As she stretched out, Aeolus stood up,doing similar motions to stretch out his own limbs.  

"Rosemary," Aeolus repeated.  "It's a good name."  He noted that she was barefoot, but the anklet seemed pricier than any shoes…it was probably a choice.  "My name is Aeolus.  And it's not rude, at least, not after falling from the sky like that," he said.  "Careful, though.  You lost a lot of blood.  Don't move too much.  I'd offer food if I had it, but I didn't bring any into the forest with me."  He was kicking himself for that.  He should have been more prepared.  Still, things had turned out all right.  At least so far.

"So, Rosemary," Aeolus said.  "Might I ask why you were being attacked?"  He pointed to the remains of the arrows.  "Hunters of some kind?  Or maybe an accident?"  His viridian eyes stared into hers, looking for an answer, whether it be a look of fear, anger, or anything else.  A lot of the time, people's bodies spoke more than their words.  So far, though, Rosemary had not spoken nor moved enough to tell anything.

She's so small, though…. 

“Technically it’s Rosemary-Raine but that is an impossibly long name.” She gave him a smile and laughed. “Mother used to be all about the long noble names.” She let out a puff of air as she tried to move by herself. Though now he was telling her to be careful. “Thank you. That brooch did a lot of good.” Thinking about the food she merely nodded and looked around the area. “I might know where there is a safe place here where there’s food. Might be a good idea.”

When he asked her about the sky incident she merely turned her eyes to him. “I don’t know. It was almost like I was game to them. The airship came out of no where and I know better than to get near the magic that keeps them off the ground. So I flew at a far enough distance… That’s when I had three arrows lodged into my wings and started to fall.”

Rosemary was oddly calm. The way she held herself was noble and calm. Yes, she was scared but she was raised with a healer and in this type of situation she had watched her mother remain as cool as possible. Nothing good ever happened from anger or sadness. Grief was the ultimate factor in whether or not some people lived or died. She knew that so she was calm and held herself with grace as she clasped her hands in front of her and moved her weight from one leg to the other. It was more of a habit then helping her since she was so featherlike but she was in a thinking mood.

Standing there exhausted she went to move and staggered. Frustrated at herself she looked up at Aeolus with pitiful eyes for a moment or two. “This is going to sound weird but can you carry me? I know where we can go.” A little awkward moment here and a little awkward moment there they were now on their way. “Go to that tree right there.” This was what the journey was like the whole time as she checked certain trees.

Finally they got to a large tree that seemed out of place. “Okay get me close.” She knocked on the truck with her hand in a particular note set as a door appeared. “And there. Safe house.” It was more like very small cottage inside thanks to magic. She had him put her down by the fireplace. Pulling out one of the tinderboxes near by she lit the fireplace and looked about. There was lots of fresh food. “Have as much as you like… We have to cook the meat though if you want to eat it.”

Using the furniture she got a little more stubborn as she got up and made her way to a three panel screen that was stuffed into the corner. Throwing her bloodied dress over it she missed the panel completely and it went on the floor. “So… Aeolus… This forest doesn’t normally get visitors for no reason. Why are you here?” She peeked her face out and looked at him as she reached and grabbed a mint colored dress off a dresser. It took her a few moments to shimmy it on before she came back out. It didn’t fit her well and was rather long on her but she held it up enough not to trip.

“This is my family safe house. Whenever they travel in Virens they make a point to stop in here. My sister Daphne is a tree nymph and she stocks it whenever it’s needed. I was actually only flying by on my way back home when I was shot down."

The celestial watched Rosemary with curious eyes.  She was well trained, from what he could gather.  Despite her situation, she was acting level headed, though it seemed there were moments when her calm slipped into frustration.  Events like this didn't happen often to her.  So she's not hunted.  It was all a game to them.  A moment of anger flashed across his eyes as he heard that.  While he held little interest in most people, the fact that there were those who could hunt other sentient beings rightly infuriated him.  

But all of that was irrelevant at the moment.  Right now his focus was Rosemary.  She was having difficulty moving.  Perhaps the brooch wasn't as effective as advertised.  Or, perhaps, she had lost much more blood than he had initially thought.  He frowned at that though.  If he had been a moment later, she might not have recovered.  Assess the situation faster.  React faster.  

"Hmm?" He looked up as she gazed at him with pitiful eyes.  It was almost adorable, had it not been for her bloodied dress.  "I can carry you, if need be," he answered.  It took a bit of adjusting, but they ended up making their way.  She's so tiny.  Feather light, as well.  It was strange, carrying her around, but he enjoyed helping her.  It made him feel a bit better that he was able to aid her in this situation.

With Rosemary's instructions, they went from tree to tree, until finally, they found a special tree that seemed, upon second glance, out of place.  "Ah…here you go."  He moved her close, and with a secret knock, she opened the door.  They made their way into the hallowed tree, which seemed much cozier than one would think.

"This is some high level magic," he said, a little surprised.  "I haven't seem something this complicated in a very long time.  It's impressive."  Aeolus moved to the fireplace, letting the half angel down.  When it was offered, he made his way to the fresh food stores, and found some bread and an apple.  "I'll cook something later.  For now, this should do fine."  It took him a moment to find a knife, but when he did, he cut the bread and apple into small pieces.  

Rosemary started to change, and Aeolus made a note to avoid looking in that corner of the room.  He didn't need a misunderstanding.  Not another one.

"Would you believe me if I told you I was bored?" he said, eating a piece of apple.  "The cities and towns are crowded with people.  They tend to be predicable and boring.  Street brawls play out the same, thieves are unoriginal, and politics…" He shivered.  "Anyway, I like the forests.  They're calming.  Also, unpredictable.  You can't always read a beast like you can a sentient form."  He grinned.  "The closer to the unknown I get, the more excited I get…"

The closer to death…the more alive I feel.

He sighed.  "I pass the time by helping people.  I'm mostly a sword for hire, but I only take select jobs.  I'm…taking a break, though.  The last one was particularly annoying.  So, I wandered into the forest, and low and behold…you fell from the sky."

“If I had my way I would be walking. I don’t want to inconvenience you like this.” She waved her hand at him before they were on their way. It was weird as she wrapped her arms around his neck at times to give herself stability. She needed to be able to see the marks on the trees and guide them to their destination.

Once they got to the tree she chuckled at Aeolus. “My whole family almost specializes in complicated magic. The lot of us can do amazing things together. These safe houses are common across the land for us. All you have to do is look for our mark. Know our knock and you can get in. It’s been this way for at least the last two hundred years… Before that, we would just stay in little taverns. However, Basse had an issue with at tavern owner and punched them out so the majority of my siblings including myself aren’t welcome. I don’t know if that’s still the case but Basselina has gotten us into countless troubles for her temper.” She gave a grin. “I may not look it but I’m three centuries old now. I understand that my appearance makes me look… a lot younger than I am.”

Once he put her down she thought about it. “I don’t mind making you dinner for helping me out. It’s been a while since I cooked for anyone so it might taste a little funny. I tend to use too many spices when I cook.” She rubbed the back of her neck as the thought crossed her mind. “Probably the reason why that date went so bad back in Sularia…” She mused. A blush crossed her face and let out a laugh. “No wonder Momma was mad.”

After she got changed she came around the panel and stared at him for a minute. “I would believe you. Sometimes I fly up to the highest point where Zets’Ki Cradle is on the other continent just so I can look at snowberries. Now that is weird.” She began to touch each of the fruit as it looked like she was playing a game. “I guess it’s a pear today.” She took the pear and bit into it. “I guess in that respect,” she caught herself with a mouth full as she swallowed. “Daphne is a bit different. She understands animals more than people. Though my kind at least half of my kind. The Rosenites are closer to nature so we understand animals and plants better than most.”

She seemed distant for a moment before she snapped back to reality. “Plants cry and sing just like the people do. Animals have a way of telling you with their eyes what they will do. Everything that is in the circle of life has a way they move and I suppose that they are all predictable in a way. As my mother would say…. They are unpredictably predictable. Though in the long run, I guess anyone who has never been around my mother or heard her talk wouldn’t understand that phrase.”

She rubbed her right arm uncomfortably for a moment. “To be honest, my mother is something that no other person in the world could ever understand. You’ve probably seen her sigil or heard whispers. If you haven’t that’s amazing. My mother is almost like a myth. I suppose I owe you this much as an explanation about the brooch you have. My mother is Angela and she created the brooch you used. The goddess of Life and Love. The brooch is in the shape of the Tudor rose… It is the symbol of my family.” She approached him and reached into her dress pulling out a necklace in the same shape and color as the brooch.

The half angel blushed a bit more and was uncertain what she could say next. “I was on my way home to Sularia. Long flight but I was planning on stopping for a break in Laeto Rainforest to see my sister Daphne… or maybe Corydalis… I have over one hundred siblings all over the world. They all do these awesome and amazing things… I feel like I’ve been goofing off the last three hundred years because I haven’t done some of the things they have done.” There was a laugh from her lips now. “I keep talking because I don’t want the silence to be awkward… Though I feel like I might have made it more so.” She rubbed her neck again in uncertainty.

After a few moments, she bounced over to the fireplace with a limp. “I can make you dinner like I said I would.”

Aeolus chuckled, hearing about the tavern issue that her family apparently had.  It wasn't uncommon for brawls to start, so he couldn't help but wonder if there was some ulterior reason they were no longer allowed, but he wasn't about to push the issue.  Instead, though, Aeolus focused more on the conversation at hand, his eyes trained on her as she started to talk excitedly.  He even found himself enjoying the conversation, which surprised him.  But after all, it wasn't often that one spoke with the daughter of a Goddess.

"Ah, so you're well experienced," Aeolus said in reference to her age.  "I…am not as old as I appear, either," he stated cautiously.  "To be honest, though, I've lost track of my age.  But that's not really a concern.  My age tends not to affect my day to day life."  He smirked, "But you look great for 300."  He found a stool, and sat down in it, stretching his arms upward.  

"Dinner would be appreciated," Aeolus replied, answering her question.  "I don't mind helping, though, if you would like."  As she finished changing, and started to limp about, she seemed to get distracted, eyeing some fruit, seeming to play a game.  As she chose a pear, and bit into it, Aeolus leaned in to listen to her talk about the plants and animals.  "So…so you're a Rosenite."  Aeolus had never met one, but had heard about them.  His information on the race, though, was fairly limited.

Aeolus listened to her talk for a moment longer, and finally, though awkwardly, Rosemary admitted that she was the daughter of Angela.  "Ah," Aeolus replied.  This…makes things interesting.  "The daughter of the Goddess of Life and Love…" he said.  "You're just full of surprises, little angel, aren't you."  He chuckled, and shook his head.  "Sorry.  I shouldn't have called you that.  Rosemary.  You seemed shy admitting that Angela is your mother…"  He pulled out the brooch in his pocket, idly turning it over in his hands.  "It's a beautiful flower, and a worthy symbol…"

Aeolus pocketed the brooch once more as she mentioned her original intentions, and how her plans had been derailed.  "All right then," he said, clapping his hands together.  "Since you're in no condition to travel alone, I'll take you to Sularia.  And anywhere you may want to stop on the way.  I can't, in good conscious, leave you be."  He smiled.  "Awkward or no, Rosemary, it would be an honor to help someone of the Rosenite line.  Besides…I have a few other tools that I'm sure have come from Lady Angela's grace.  The least I can do is escort one of her daughters."

Rosemary finally broke the silence, and offered once more for dinner.  "Dinner would be appreciated, little angel."  He paused.  "Rosemary.  Sorry…How can I help?"

“I would lose track of my age too but my mother… She always keeps track of it and throws it around when we do something dumb. Mostly its Basse she does it too. Basse is… well… Have you ever been to the Highlands? She was raised there by her father so… She embodies the spirit of the Highlands. Very proud people. Dumb but proud.” She blushed a bit at Aeolus for his words. “I look about average for a Rosenite.” Her finger came up and curled a lock of hair around it.

As she chewed and swallowed part of the fruit she put up a finger. “Half Rosenite. My father was an angel from god knows where and I don’t even know who he is. Most of the people who bedded my mother never really care about their children that spring forth from the bond. Some people like Basse’s father do but mine never did care. It probably wasn’t viewed as legitimate in his eyes. Rosenites tend not to care so much about the marriage aspect in life as other races. I stopped wondering why a long time ago when it came to my father. Ma does her best to care for every single one of us. She is the Mother of all things after all.”

His nickname made her blush more and she waved her hand a bit as it didn’t bother her much. “Don’t worry about it. If it makes you feel better it is cute compared to some of the things I have been called… Mutt being one of them.” Half creatures weren’t accepted everywhere and she had the signs of it from her elvish like ears to her stature. “There are people in this world that would take advantage of her being my mother in terrible ways Aeolus. You just seem like someone I can trust not to do that.”

An angel could always tell these things one way or another. Sometimes she was led astray and other times she was not. “Are you sure you want to go that far?! That’s all the way at the end of the continent!” Her face was stuck in a state of utter disbelief for a moment before she began to ponder. “I mean…” She rolled her eyes thinking about something. “We will have to stop at Corydalis’s tribe village for supplies before we cross Vada… into the Desert… We should be able to run into one of the Desert Rosenite tribes from there for more supplies. It’s doable.”

There was a smirk now as she thought. “If you think the flower is beautiful wait until you see Sularia. Have you ever been that far north before? The desert is a terrible place but just when you give up hope Sularia seems to crawl from the grains of sand and emerge. It is a haven.”

Once he decided dinner was good with him she began to collect meat and vegetables. “Can you cut these?” She stuffed his arms full of the vegetables and took the meat so she could cut it up. “I will make a stew. It’s probably the only thing you won’t die of if I make it.” It was more of a joke as she swung the knife she grabbed around in a silly manner.

She filled the pot, cut the meat, worked the seasonings, and before long everything was in the pot cooking. There was some bread that looked like it had been just dropped off on a high shelf. Getting a chair she went over and got up on it as she grabbed what she needed from the shelf. “I wouldn’t get mixed up with too many of us. We’re all different. The rumor of the pirate that’s been blowing up the coast? That’s my sister Furtuna. Though I’m sure she is blowing up the coast for good reason… I do have a little faith in her. My sister Jessamyn in Kurayo is a… well…” She struggled for the word. “A lady of the night? Is that a good term for what my sister does? She is part succubus and Furtuna is a wind genasi. Corydalis is just a Rosenite her father was part of a tribe in Laeto as the shaman so she took over when he passed. Then my other sister Aaryona is the leader of a vampire clan in Kurayo. Varsha is a half-drow and she works as a mercenary. There are lots more of us like I said but we each do different things with our lives.”

She brought the bread down and cut it up before giving him a few slices. “We’re all trouble… but what gets us most in trouble is… well, fights and drinking?” She blushed and bit and laughed. “Basselina runs tabs up from Adeluna to Sularia and Mother has to pay them off. Furtuna is no better. They sound like they live poor lives but each are so incredibly talented.” She got sad for a moment and frowned. “I don’t really do anything extraordinary I suppose. I like to watch life. I like to explore the skies and the ground. I’m not warrior, pirate, lady of the night, or even a healer like my mother before me.” There was a laugh now. "I'm rather boring I suppose."