spirit_touched | Lost in the Gardens

She didn't know what it was, a sharp pulse in the air that took her breath away. Tim, her boss, told her to drop what she was doing and go look, a strange knowing in the shamans eyes. Distrustful of that expression, Ana was reluctant but went anyway, gathering her back and her magically charged coat.

Prepared and protected, the coat like armour to most things, Ana latched on to the residual touch of magic in the air and followed it to it's source, quickly finding herself in the Gardens of her city. Following the main path, and cutting across a neat green lawn to the gathering of figs close to the university, Ana slowed as she felt herself get close. Reaching for her personal wards and readying them, she peered into the shadows. Someone was there. Someone vibrant, their aural signiture like a brilliant band of colour.

What were they?

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Arguing with the tree in what might not be a verbal tongue at all, yet it looked rather heated and confused, after all being told one was in a place they'd never even heard of when they'd just been a mile or two from where they were currently calling home just previously wasn't the most pleasant experience. And the tree's all looked different to him, for the most part, not quite right. His magic close, but still so far apart.

He was dressed in a loose linen shirt and tight leather trousers, a belt had a sword on it, a boy strapped to his back with a quiver of arrows hiding under his thick mane of hair he hadn't done up today, yet he reached for neither. He'd been out to get his friend some meat for supper, or for him, it didn't really matter, all that mattered was this wasn't home and these nymphs weren't any the wiser than him, or, at least, they weren't confessing to him what had happened.

She could almost hear the exchange, the aged figs loving allies of hers. She felt the embrace of their presence as she studied the man... or whatever her was, hearing as the wights told her what she needed to know.

A stranger, sent by magic, not human, maybe dangerous, certainly wild.

The witch paused where she was before clearing her throat.

"Excuse me?" If he turned, he'd see a woman of average human height, a mane of reddish curls hastily tamed back from a pale face. Her garb was simple, a green coat over a reddish brown shirt and a silvery skirt that hid the tops of her heavy black boots. What power he'd feel was hidden for he most part, present but far from threatening.

"You need some help?"

He turned when he heard her, and while most soldiers would reach for their weapon when encountering a stranger, he didn't. his hand didn't even lean towards it though it would have been so simple to do that. Instead, he looks at her, curious. A human. A witch? She smelt like magic, too, at least to some degree.

'It's fine... I seem to be a bit. Lost.' his accent was probably strange to her, but whatever had sent him here had made sure he seemed to be speaking the right tongue, at least.

She nodded, gaze moving from the weapon to his hands before returning to his face. He didn't seem likely to attack for the time being which was... handy. She only had a rod to defend herself with, though she trusted the figs to help.

"Yeah, it looks like it." She said moving closer towards the tree, reaching up to run a hand over nearest branch.

"Do you know how you got here?"

I know I was in the Duchesses forest around Myrica to catch a deer, and then I walked through some trees and I came out around here. Which is distinctly not the right place. The nymph of this tree keeps insisting there is no Cormont or Myrica or Erilea... but that cannot be so, a world does not simply vanish.'

Though he is clearly upset, he hasn't hurt so much as a twig, and nor does he look like he's about too, though his breath is a little uneven and his mind very much disquieted by such a turn of events.

'I wouldn't put it past them to drag me to a different forest but this is something else entirely.'

As he spoke, Anas eyes had grown wide. He was definitely not from the area... or Any area she'd heard of.

"No, they don't but I have heard of people falling through before..." Just not like that.

"Agreed. You're a long way from home, I'm afraid."

'I'm sorry, my lady... I did not ask who you were. Or introduce myself. My name is Torin Pike.' he bows his head but only for a brief moment before really giving her an considering look with his deep brown eyes, closer to her though still giving her a few feet of space. He had a presence, a natural magic which ran through every vein, over ever piece of skin on his body. A warmth designed to pull people closer even though he tried to control it.

Lady? That was... Ana had to fight a shiver. She ran with enough reainactment groups to be used to the term, but coming from him it held weight.

She inclinded her head, dipping in a slight curtsey. She could feel the pull from where she was, a heady little call that spoke to the sides she kept buried unless she delt with her patron. The parts of her that ached to chase and be chased and to- Ana cleared her throat.

"Ana Adams." She said, risking giving her name. "Ah... You're in Brisbane. These are the gardens here."

'Bris...bane. I've never heard of such a place. It is certainly not near where I was. Your tree's are different. They even sound different.' he wasn't worried about how loud he spoke, though in truth his voice was quite soft, and had an edge of tangible feeling to it, like silk or velvet to brush along her skin and he wasn't even trying. Magic was so much more common in his world, and nymphs more obvious. Most would be used to the hint of it he gives off without helping it.

"And I've never heard of... Myrica." She faltered a bit on the pronunciation and looked up to the fig towering above them.

"Considering you're probably from a wholly different world, it's not that surprising." She was in trouble. His voice was having a powerful effect, tugging at the things she kept bottled away while she was in public. Looking down she drew in a breath to calm herself.

"Ah, would you like some help? I... I can tell you're familiar with magic, but most people here aren't."

'...I did not think travelling to whole different worlds to be possible.' he frowns then, drawing his lower lip into his moth, biting on it, sucking a little as he tries to think. If there was a way here there was surely a way back, but he hadn't come under his own steam which meant the gods, or the nymphs... or something else entirely. He really didn't know.

'Why would people not know magic?'

"Neither did I, to be honest." She stared for a moment at his mouth and then looks away clearing her throat. Yeah Big trouble. Very big trouble and distantly she feels amusement from Someone n particular.

"Ah, well... Long story. New faith came in, declared all other gods and magic to be evil... Became the dominant faith. People stoped believing in it."

'Yet you stand here and I feel magic in you, there are nymphs in the trees and I'm sure I'd find them in the water bodies if I knew where they were... faith alone should not abolish belief in something so fundamental to life.' he walks a bit past her, to look around some more, his arm brushing against hers. His magic was like it came from nature itself, from the gods, fresh, bright, warm like his skin. He moved in almost complete silence, smoothly, even smelt like he deserved to be licked from head to toe, like he was made for such a purpose.

"Well... I didn't mean that magic left, just that people stopped taking notice of it..." She trails off at the touch, breathless. THat feeling, wild free and complete, rich with life and the movements of nature the passing of the seasons. It was like touching her God, her Goddess...

It was such a surprise that she swayed a little, her knees weak.

That, he noticed, and without really thinking about it, scooped her up to keep her from falling without hardly any effort at all.

'Are you alright My lady?'

She yelped when he picked her up, arms drawing close to her chest. He was touching her, her was touching her, dears Goddess and God, he was touching her...

It took a moment before she could answer, fighting back the sensory overload.

"Ah... Yeah, just a bit... You've got a presence, did you know that?"

'I do? I shouldn't have to much of one, I keep it mostly locked away...' and he really did, there was so much more hidden under this surface magic that he couldn't get rid of even if he tried.

"You do." She said a little breathless, certain her cheeks were very pink by then. She gave a little shrug. "It's a... been a while sice..." Abort! ABORT! Ana coughed and looked away. "Sorry, it was just a surprise to me."

'I would set you down but you really don't look like you'd stay standing if I tried...' even through his clothes his skin would feel so warm, alive, the magic he's got thrumming under his skin flowing over him.

She didn't know if touching him was safe or not. If this was the first steps he was taking into her world... Anything out of left field would skew his percepions of mannerly behaviour.

So that meant no kissing those lips.

"I can't tell if you're amused or not. Or what youu're... You know what. Nevermind. I came here to offer help." She looked at the arms holding her.

"believe it or not."

Lips that were so close to her, on a handsome face that was watching her closely, concerned for her welfare.

'Is this place safe? Is there somewhere you'd like me to take you? I take directions well.' it's meant innocently enough, yet.

Anas cheeks burn but she nods. "Ah... yeah. I work not too far from here, but this place is pretty safe. No wild beasties here."

Except for him. And... her.

She figited in his arms. "You can put me down you know."

'As you like, my Lady.' he sets her down, carefully, though doesn't step away from her, he's only inches, now, in case she will fall, if she does she will only land against him, or in his grasp.

She manages to stand and away from him her head begand to clear and she felt a gentle reprimand for letting herself get so carried away but a simple touch.

Sighing, knowing she will pay for it later, Ana gave Torin a small smile.

"Ah. I have to go work but... my hospitality is yours and my help. If there's anything I can do."

'Where should I go? In this Bris... bane place?' he really doesn't no where to go, other than stay here, in the trees. 'I suppose I could stay here...'