conjuredskies | Lessons in Advanced Door-Opening [for Amelia Ronsam rogueinladysclothing]

The hen behind the desk is kind enough to direct him up to a room on the second floor. Up the stairs, around a corner, and about halfway down the hall. There's nothing distinct about the door, but as he approaches, Felix can hear a familiar voice humming a soft tune and the sound of stone against metal. Inside, Amelia's sharpening her blades as she hums a song of summer in the hopes of dispelling the cold feeling from her bones - and for keeping her mind focused as she works.

He's making no effort to sneak, so if Amelia is the watchful type, he's sure she'll hear his boots on the hall floorboards. Just as he can be sure he's at the right door: he smiles to himself as he listens, pausing just an extra moment before he knocks.

"Good afternoon!" he calls, the better to warn her who's come calling.

The call is a nice touch - she wasn't expecting any visitors, so it's nice to know who's on the other side of the door before she opens it. Her weapons are quickly set aside and she opens the door with a smile. "Good afternoon, Felix. This is certainly a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?" She motions for him to follow her inside. No need to stand in the hall to talk about their business now that he's here.

Upon stepping in, Felix can see the room is simple, containing a bed, a desk and chair, a mirror, and a dresser table with a a basin and pitcher on it. Her weapons are laid out across the desk and a beautifully sketched family portrait hangs on the wall behind it. Felix will immediately recognize the woman in the center of the portrait as Amelia. Alongside her stand an older man and woman, two men roughly Amelia's age, and a girl who looks remarkably similar to the rogue but about half her age.

When he steps inside, a moment is taken to survey the room, especially the array of weapons. But by the time she's closed the door, his eyes are on the family portrait. There's something curious about it, if he could just put his finger on what...

Ah, but first Amelia is owed a smile. "Well, in part I merely wanted to pay a social call. But I have to confess I was equally hoping to seek out your expertise - and to make good on my offer of a dance in exchange."

The portrait has all the earmarks of a family portrait, but two questions are spurred by that line of thought: If it's a family portrait in Amelia's room, then the family pictured is Amelia's family, right? If so, how did she manage to get a portrait of her family while trapped in the Nexus away from them?

Curious thoughts, aren't they?

"Oh? And what does my dashing mage friend need from a rogue on this fine Winter's day?" That smile of hers is inching its way toward a smirk and she can't keep the mischief out of her eyes. A reason to get out of her room and use her most honed skills is definitely something she wants to hear more about.

"Well, something quite terrible has happened in our little guard post. Terrible and wonderful." He leans forward a little, earnest expression marred only by his smirk.

"You see, I've come across a mystery. Two mysteries, in fact! I think they may be connected. And while a mage loves nothing more than a good mystery, you'll appreciate that officers can't abide them. Perhaps you can help me solve these puzzles before anyone else need be confounded by them."

She leans forward slightly, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "We certainly can't let the outside world know you're puzzled by something, much less by two somethings. Anything I can do to help, you have but to ask." How she's able to keep from laughing is a mystery.

"Lady, you are my savior." He fishes around in a pocket for a minute before producing - ta dah! - a lockpick. "First, there's the question of this peculiar implement, the use of which I can only begin to guess at."

This time she can't help the laugh. She carefully takes the lockpick from him and examines it. It's remarkably similar to what she's used to from her world, so at least she'll be able to help him figure out how to use it without too much trouble.

"You've never seen someone use a lockpick before? My, this will be an interesting education for you." She laughs softly. "I take it you at least know what it's used for?" If he's going to ask her to teach him, he's going to have to expect some amount of teasing.

"Seen them, yes. I've just never had the privilege of seeing how they work." His smile is easy: he can take the teasing. He does try to amuse his friends. "I understand you put one end or other into a lock, wiggle it about and the door opens for you."

"Well, you know the basics. That's a definite help. Come on." She motions for him to follow and then steps out the door, locking it behind them once they're both in the hall.

"The lockpick itself is actually two pieces," she says once she has his attention again. The lockpick he gave her is held at eye level for him and she explains what she means by pulling a 'matching' half from a pouch on her belt. "This one," she wiggles the piece he brought, "has a small bend in it to hold parts of the tumbler inside the lock. The other is used to pull on the latch assembly inside to 'open' the lock. Let me show you."

She kneels down in front of the door and inserts the small pieces into the lock on the door. The one he brought is inserted bend-first into the lock, followed by the piece she provided. With practiced hands, she feels around to find the spot for the bend to sit and then begins slowly turning the other in a clockwise motion. Her movements are small and calculated and after a few seconds, they hear the click of the door unlocking. She quickly removes the lockpick and then opens the door to prove that it is, indeed, open.

"See? Not too hard." The grin on her face suggests otherwise. "Care to give it a try? I promise we'll be able to get back into the room no matter how many lockpicks you break."

One benefit of working with a mage - they're attentive students when they want to be. Felix crouches down to watch and tries not to block the light, though after a few seconds he realizes that this is not about sight. It's about getting a feel for the trick, and until he's got his fingers on the picks there's going to be only so much Amelia can show him.

"That seems easy enough." He's half-joking: it's never that simple, that'd be like watching him throw down a summoning spell and thinking the motion was all it took. Once she's locked the door again, he'll happily take the picks and kneel down to try for himself.

It'll take all of a second before he's frowning, feeling carefully around with the bendy piece. "Ah, so how do I know where to place this...?"

Amelia purses her lips as she tries to think of a good way to describe it, but nothing she can think of seems good enough. "Here, let me guide you through it the first time." Despite the fact that physical contact tends to make her rather uncomfortable, she carefully places her hands under his as she grabs onto the picks. Slowly, she guides him through the whole process.

"The idea is to find the catch for the first pick and then carefully move the second without actually moving the first." It sounds like a contradiction, but as she demonstrates a second time for him in that same slow manner, it should become obvious. The concept is easy, the execution slightly less so until the whole motion becomes second nature.

The contact may discomfort her, but apparently not Felix; he relaxes easily into letting her touch guide him. His eyes are half-closed as he focuses on the tiny vibrations through his fingertips.

"Hmm. I think I can get that..." He at least has a sense of how to place the first pick now, but once he starts trying to move the second it won't be long before he slips and snaps a pick. "Damn. And you made it feel so easy."

Edited 2016-01-19 20:32 (UTC)

"Years of practice will do that," she teases. "But there's no need to fret. There's plenty more where that one came from." She pulls back her hands just long enough to retrieve another handful of picks from a pouch on her belt. Once the offending, broken pick has been discarded, she inserts the fresh one and nods for Felix to try again.

"Take all the time you need with this. If you need me to guide you through it again, I can. But for now, why don't you lead? If after a few more tries you can't get it, I'll correct you as you go. Sound good?" She gives him an encouraging smile. He can do this, of that she's completely certain.

"Thank you." He nods, takes the pick, and gets to work, taking it step by step. Place the bend...

"So," he says absently as he works, "is this trade part of your family's business, or more of a personal hobby?"

Slow and steady, Felix. No need to rush.

"This is a purely personal skill I developed," she says with a small laugh. "If my father had known what I was doing, he would have locked me away from the entire world. Or tried to, anyway."

Oh look, another broken pick. Not to worry - Amelia's still got the spares out for him.

"What about you? Is magic something that's always come naturally to you?" If he's going to ask about her, she's going to ask about him.

"Now that would have been a crime. Lucky for us that you evaded detection!"

Amelia is a generous - not to mention tactful - teacher. Felix will keep trying: he's really doing his best not to break them.

"Oh, certainly. But then, my family was on the lookout for it. All my father's family were some kind of mages. Mostly Legion battlemages. Less magic on my mother's side, but... oh, not another one. This is more delicate than dissecting torchbugs."

"Lucky for everyone, really." Had she not become the rogue she is, she would never had made her family noble. She tries not to let her smile fade at that thought, but she doesn't fully succeed.

Amelia's also been in Felix's position. The first few hours of practice are always the hardest. It only gets easier from there.

She laughs softly and quickly replaces the broken pick. "That's why there are so many available," she teases. But then back to the questions! "So, magic tends to be a patriarchal thing in your family, then? Not too many lady mages?"

Felix nods slightly, eyes on the lock. "Sometimes we need people who know when to- let's say 'bend' the rules."

Her guess does get him to glance at her in surprise. "Far from it. My female ancestors were just the same. Aunt Arvenna - my father's sister - was a battle-mage in the Eighth Legion. And I happen to be named for Great-aunt Felicia, who I... think was a legate with the Fifteenth." Okay, okay he hasn't broken this one yet. Nice and easy does it...

There's nothing she can add to that without coming across as an ungrateful, spoiled child, so she's going to focus on Felix's story instead.

"Wow, that's rather impressive. Does your world have so many people in it that your army can support that many regiments at once?" She's used to her world feeling small compared to the many Earths she's heard of, but she is thoroughly impressed if Felix's world is that big, too.

He's almost got that lock open. Just another few seconds and he'll have it...

"The Empire's a big place." Even nowadays. "Not all of the old legions are still active, but there've been more than twenty at different times." Almost snapped the pick there, but he's carefully, gently...

Click!

Felix blinks, peering into the lock hopefully. "Was that it? did that work?"

"Twenty regiments at a single time?" Well, she certainly feels tiny and insignificant right now.

The click gets a surprised blink from Amelia. Carefully, she releases her hold on the pick and turns the door handle - and the door opens. She turns to Felix with a bright smile. "Well done! Now, let's try that a few more times to make sure you've got it down." He can sulk while she locks the door again.

"Well, when needed." Not that they aren't needed now. But the ten or so legions they can still field are recruiting hard just to get up to strength. For all the rumors about another two or three being raised, Felix hasn't heard anything sure.

He smiles with obvious surprise as well as pleasure- and a sigh when she sends him right back to work. He starts again, hoping his success wasn't all luck. "Of course."

"And what about your homeland? I've still met few people in the Nexus who come from a realm so like mine."

"That's still more people than my country could manage for regimens. Maybe across the entire world, sure, but I don't know all places in the world well enough to say for sure." She's likely giving her world too little credit, but it is obviously still smaller than his.

Sorry, Felix, but Amelia is firmly of the 'practice makes perfect' teaching camp. She'll leave her hands near his for now, though, to guide him if necessary.

The question changes the air about her to one of unspoken sadness. "What about my world? Is there something specific you want to know?" It may not be effective in such close quarters, but she's trying to keep her easy going manner and smile up for him. Being away from home so long after she left obviously hurts, though.

He'll be glad of her help. It's a little embarrassing how quickly he can get stuck again after that taste of success.

"I'm just curious about what kind of place it might be. How far the similarities with my home might go. Are there great forests, fog-shrouded swamps, snowy mountains? What are the people like? I'm not very specific at all, I fear." He seems oblivious to her shift in mood for the moment, perhaps because he's so intent on the picks. Oh no, now he's not sure the curved bit is in the right place at all...

Another broken pick isn't a problem. They have plenty of spares and all the time they need. It's not like Amelia has anything else going on these days.

"There are some large forests and mountains, but I'm afraid I don't know what a swamp is." If only she knew the lack of climate differences from region to region caused the relatively boring weather patterns on her world she might understand why there are no swamps on her world. Maybe someday she'll understand. "The people of my world are pragmatic, humble, and usually very homely. They know nothing of magic but old tales that no one is certain are true." She pauses, a small sigh escaping her. "I know better, as do my friends back home, but... I'm not sure any of us really understand what we've seen."

None of this is easy for her. Speaking of her world, her friends, reminds her of all the things left undone when she arrived in the Nexus. Even worse, of all the things she never knew she wanted to do that are no longer an option here.

This time, it appears it's going to be Amelia's fault for breaking the pick.

He can't help the startled look for a moment - she's never heard of a swamp? Well, lucky her, perhaps - they're not the most charming of landscapes. But it's the matter of magic that captures his attention.

"Oh? Might I ask-" He winces at the breaking of the pick, assuming it to be the fault of his wandering attention. At least, unless Amelia's hands are shaking noticeably against his. "There I go again, sorry."

The shaking, while subtle, is definitely noticeable. She withdraws her hands quickly. "Sorry. I... That was my fault. I'm sorry."

Deep breaths, Amelia. Your world is still there. There's still a chance of getting home. Even if you've been here a very long time, and Spring is coming...

"I didn't mean to derail you. Or cut off your questions. Please, continue." Slowly, she raises her hands again and nods for him to start again. Distractions are good, and she will use her current teaching position to her advantage if she must.

"Oh, there's nothing to apologize for." He blinks at her despite the quick reassurance. If she wants to keep going, he'll take the new pick and start again, but he's paying an awful lot more attention to the rogue by his side.

"I only meant to ask what sort of magic you'd encountered," he says carefully. "Perhaps I might be able to shed some light on what you saw..."

Amelia's gaze stays fixed on the work in front of them as she speaks. "I know what I saw, but I don't understand its place in my world, or how anyone brought something like it about in my world." She hesitates, but she doesn't sigh. This is obviously not an easy topic for her and is one that largely shaped her view of magic before she arrived in the Nexus.

"It was a demon. It stood nearly 7 feet tall, with a face like the helmet of an armored warrior, but it made entirely of bone and with holes where the eyes should have been. It had the body of a strong, fit soldier, but it was covered with bone-like armor and some kind of... red, molten ooze poured out from any wounds we inflicted. And when my friends and I killed it, it erupted in a spray of more of that same ooze." No matter how many times she tells others about that monster, she still shudders when she thinks of it. Today is no exception.

"Such things shouldn't exist in my world. I have no idea how or why it came to be."

He's distracted from the lock, but in some measure that actually helps: he can't overthink it, so he's working more by feel, as he's meant to.

"That sounds... not unlike some constructs or daedra summoned by practitioners in my world. If I may ask... when you say demon, is that a particular sort of being in the tales of your world, or a general description?"

It's an unexpected side-effect of the conversation they're having, but one Amelia wouldn't object to if she realized it was going on.

She gives a half-hearted shrug. "It's the only word I have for what I saw. Perhaps it's not right, but my world doesn't have constructs or daedra. 'Monster' is a generally accepted term for what I fought, but it was more than a simple, mindless brute. It had at least some amount of a mind, and that's why I call it a demon."

"That's fair. I just wanted to make sure we were reading from the same page, so to speak." He nods. (In Felix's view, there is no correct way to use the word 'demon', but that is a whole other pet peeve that he can't reasonably apply to other worlds and tongues.)

"The ooze that came from its wounds - was it hot? Fiery? Did it speak?"

Best to leave talking of pet peeves for another day. Amelia's worked up enough as it is.

"It was hot and molten, like liquid metal when it's been heated by a blacksmith, and it burned where it was in contact with the skin long enough." She has a few small scars to prove that. "It didn't speak, but it anticipated movements, listened to our calls to each other and changed directions of attacks based on them. Until we really angered it, that is, at which point we prayed for enough strength to make it through and fought with all we had against the raging brute." There's one large scar to remind her of that part of the fight, too.

He nods, understanding that all too well. "It took a great deal of nerve to stand and fight something so... unknown to you. The adventurers of my world- well, they've heard tales of such otherworldly foes, if nothing else."

He tests carefully with the pick, still finding questions to ask in the meantime. "So, ah, the bone armor it wore - did it look like something constructed? Or grown?"

"I don't envy them that." She likes her simple world with its lack of magic. Or, rather, she liked it. After this incident, she can't claim the same simplicity she once did.

It's getting harder to suppress the shaking of her hands as she continues to answer his questions. "Grown, I think. It was as if... the armor was a part of it, not something separate." How are the details so fuzzy already? For months on end she had seen it every time she closed her eyes.

...had the year and a half since the incident really passed so quickly?

"It has its charms, I assure you..." But a mage would say that, wouldn't he?

Noticing the shaking, he sets the delicate picks aside and catches her hands gently, studying her face with concern. "I'm sorry, Amelia. I didn't mean to distress you. It's often hard on a person to recall such things - I should have remembered."

That whole 'physical contact for comfort' thing is still something she doesn't understand. She jumps at the sudden contact and intakes a breath sharply. There's a fleeting moment of terror until she's able to process what's going on. Felix isn't going to hurt her. She knows that. They may not know each other very well, but if her friends trust him, then she should, too.

That said, they aren't that close and she's not a physical person when the topic isn't violence. She carefully pulls her hands back with a soft sigh. "No, it's all right. You were curious and I respect that. I'm the same way, after all." There's a small smile for him here, but it's a sad one. "It's difficult to speak of anything related to my home, though. I've been away for so long and it... rather hurts."

Damnit, Amelia, don't you dare start crying in front of Felix. Wipe your eyes and be done with it. There's nothing nonchalant about the movement, of course, but hopefully it's not enough to cause a scene with him.

Okay, touching was a mistake, if not a tad presumptuous. He withdraws when she does, inclining his head.

"I understand. I get quite homesick when I start speaking of Cyrodiil." It would be ten times worse if he were trapped here. But Amelia clearly doesn't want to make a scene... "Perhaps we should speak of something else while we finish our lesson, and then go for lunch."

Many people in the Nexus are from some version of Earth, in which frequent contact is completely normal. It's not a terrible assumption to make, but it's one that most people don't make twice with Amelia.

She wants to lie, to say she's all right, but there's little point if he's offering to change the subject. "Thank you, I appreciate that." With a deep breath and a quick nod toward the door, she gets in place to begin their lessons again.

"So," she says after a moment, "I'm sure you don't want to talk about it, but what could possibly draw a legionnaire to the art of lock picking?"

Felix himself is particularly tactile for Tamriel, but he's used to there being strict rules about what's allowed within different relationships. He's not used to people being as wary as Amelia is, but he takes the message that she doesn't consider him close enough for that, and adjusts accordingly.

He may be able to coax more out of her later, but trust needs to be earned.

"Well, that's simple enough. I'm sure you can imagine how many locks we have around our barracks and forts. Somebody needs to test them... or at least work out better ways of defending them." That answer is smooth and easy and really incomplete.

Time and patience will help on that trust front. Felix has little to worry about for earning it eventually - Amelia already likes him as a person and her friends trust him, which is a great start.

The answer may be smooth, but it's also complete and utter bullshit. And try as he might, she knows that. "You're a mage. You don't need to know how to pick locks when you can open or knock the door down with magic."

Felix will find that lying to her, or even misleading her, is an easy way to add to the amount of time it'll take to earn her trust. At least when it comes to things that could come back and bite her in the ass. She frowns at him. "Why won't you tell me the truth? I'm not some maid in need of protection, if that's your worry."

"Well, but lock-opening spells are definitely not in my school of magic. I'm not sure anyone even knows those any more," he points out. Not that he should expect Amelia to know these nuances.

"I don't doubt you know how to use that pretty armory you have inside, but suppose it's better for both of us that I don't commit to any details?" He likes covering his own ass too.

"You really expect someone to come back and ask me about it?" She raises a curious eyebrow in his direction. "Furthermore, you think I would say anything? And before you even ask, I know my way around truth telling herbs well enough to counteract them." ...well that says a lot about what she does with her free time, doesn't it?

That's certainly something he doesn't hear too often. Felix finds himself blinking at her before he snaps back to the present and sighs. "I don't know. There just isn't much to tell yet. I want to add to my repertoire of skills. There's a new trick I'm in the midst of developing, and I can't perfect it without understanding how to do- well, this."

"Trick?" The concept of magic tricks is completely foreign to her, which is understandable given the lack of magic in her world. Sleight of hand is one thing, but no one ever claims it to be a magic trick. "I don't understand what you mean."

If Felix ever wondered why Amelia has so few friends, he can be assured that he's now found the reason. She is trying to work on it, though.

"Oh, we mages have our tricks of the trade. Just as I understand thieves do. Perfecting this one - this particular spell - requires I learn the feel of a lockpick. And since I don't yet know what I'll use it for - nor if it will work at all - I'm a little shy about the details."

"Ahh." She doesn't fully buy it, but she shrugs it off. It's obvious she won't get anywhere by pressing him further. "Good thing you knew a willing rogue to help you in your quest," she adds after a brief pause. He should be able to tell she's teasing again by the smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Indisputably,” he agrees with a warm smile for her. “Believe me, there’s nothing I appreciate more than a well-placed friendship – even if you can’t always answer all of one another’s questions.” It’s an admission, and a promise – he’d do the same for her, few question asked.

“All this pinching is going to cramp my hands,” he adds. “Do you have a recommendation as to where we go for lunch? I know the food here is excellent, but you know the area better than I.”

"Not all questions need answering," she quips. Someone knows all too well the importance of not giving away everything.

"A break might be in order, then. But... I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with a lot of the restaurants in the Nexus. I don't... really go out that much." Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink as she withdraws her hands from his. "But the food here at the inn is amazing. Wonderful hearty stews and breads, fresh roasts, and a few sweet wines, if you're so inclined. I don't know if you were hoping for something different from what you would normally eat in your world, though. If you are... I know a place with delicious pizza we could go to." Someone was never meant to be an explorer, it seems.

“‘Pizza’?” he echoes, before it clicks. “Oh, is that how you say it? I haven’t actually tried it, although it seems to be on all the menus here. What is it like?”

"It's hard to describe in terms of foods from worlds like ours, but basically it's a very thing bread-like crust topped with a tomato-based sauce and cheese. It can have more ingredients on top as well, such as various meats, vegetables, and fresh herbs. It's actually quite delicious and there are literally thousands of combinations to try with all the variations that have exist." It's hard not to smile when she talks about pizza, because pizza also means more ginger ale. And that is something amazing that must also be shared.

Anything that gets his companion smiling is first preference in Felix's book. He's attentive that way. Besides, Amelia seems a little embarrassed by her lack of experience, so letting her show off a little seems like a good way to cheer her up.

Also, of course, to add to his own exploration.

"Well, now I think you have to show me. It's something like a... bread-based tart?"

She appreciates that, even if she won't mention it.

"Not really. The crust - that's what they call the bread at the base - is lighter, thinner, for most kinds of pizza. And it doesn't enclose the other ingredients - those actually sit right on top of the crust itself."

This is getting harder and harder for her to explain by the second, so she decides that it's time for some show, rather than tell. She stands and nods toward the entrance of the building. "Want to try it?" She still needs to get her weapons from her room, of course, but that's a quick and easy thing to do.

Felix still wants to get the hang of this, but a), who says they can’t meet up again and b), if pizza is really that good then yes, he wants some. Besides, his hands are finding all this tension and unfamiliar positions a strain.

“Why not?” he agrees cheerfully, waiting while she retrieves her weapons (one mustn’t go out undressed, after all). “So, where does one find really good pizza?”

They can always meet up again. Amelia's easy enough to find these days, after all. There are always more locks to try that won't get them in trouble when he's ready for more practice.

Her weapons are quickly retrieved and they can be on their way in under a minute. "There's a few places in the Commercial District where you can buy pizza, but there's a restaurant I've been to in particular that I like. I'll take you there." She smiles and leads him outside into the cold at a brisk pace. No need for them to be outside any longer than is necessary!

Felix tugs his hood up as they step out, shivering a little at the bitterness of the wind. He's got a leather skirt and no trousers beneath, after all. Goodness knows how legionnaires survive that in Skyrim. "And do they have dancing there, or will we need to find somewhere else again for that?"

"Oh, I... hadn't thought that far ahead." Were her cheeks pink before because of the cold? Certainly that must be it. "I really don't know where people go to dance around here. Certainly not how I like to dance, anyway." She may know how to waltz, but she certainly prefers the more lively styles of dance from her world. Sure, a good pavane never bothered her, but she would never pretend that it was her favorite kind of dance.

The restaurant is easy enough to find. No one raises an eyebrow about an armed rogue and a legionnaire walking in together - it's just another day in the Nexus for those that work there. Amelia snags them a booth away from most of the tables in case they decide to speak of less reputable activities while they're here. She orders them each a glass of water and a ginger ale before picking up her menu. "They offer some pre-set pizzas, but feel free to look at the whole ingredients menu before deciding what you'd like. Any combination you'd like to try, we can. We can also order two smaller ones so you can try multiple varieties if you like, too." Because trying new combinations of ingredients on a pizza is something Amelia is more than happy to do today.

"I'm sure we can find something. We'll simply follow the music that sounds most familiar." Business arrangements aside, it's nice to know someone else with the same sort of world as his. Someone whose yardstick for normality is similar- at least in non-magical matters.

"I rather like the idea of experimenting, if you'll indulge me." He flashes her a smile before he peers at the menu. that's quite a list of toppings! "Which combinations have you tried before?"

"The snow has a way of muffling sound outside right now. We might have to step inside quite a few places to find the right kind of music..." Not that she's suggesting this would be a bad thing, of course. She's been enjoying Felix's company since he arrived and that's certainly not going to change in the span of a few heartbeats.

"I've done some very basic things, like fresh basil and oregano, as well as the listed special with all kinds of meats on it. Right here." She leans over the table a bit to point out a pizza offering three different kinds of sausage, pepperoni, and ham on it. Once she's certain he's got it, she sits back down. "I've also tried mushrooms on a pizza, which was surprisingly good."

"Then I may even begin to learn my way around the district." He grins. Really, any chance to explore is fine by him, but having good company is just as important.

"All that meat is tempting," he admits, studying the choices with interest. "This isn't a silly question, I hope- but what is pepperoni?"

"You mean you haven't figured it all out from the seat at your desk?" She grins right back at him. He'll figure out quickly that she's quick to pick up on the teasing, if he hasn't already. It's the habit of an older sister that she'll likely never grow out of.

She laughs softly, shaking her head to make sure he knows she's not laughing at him. "It's a variety of spiced sausage, I think. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure myself. It's delicious, though."

Felix laughs. He's definitely used to fraternal teasing, even if Stratos' style is different. "Not yet. Clearly I need to buy a better telescope."

"Pepperoni and mushroom it is," he says cheerfully, once he's looked over the choices again. "We can find out together."

She tilts her head slightly in question. "What's a telescope?" Apparently she hasn't gotten to read about astrology in her reading of various sciences.

"I like this idea." She smiles and then turn to the waitress when she arrives with their ginger ales. Amelia then orders them two individual-sized pizzas, one with pepperoni and mushrooms, a second with oregano, sausage, and roasted red bell peppers. It seems like a well-rounded variety for them. "

"Ah, it's a device like a metal tube, with glass lenses inside. The smaller varieties fold up so you can pocket them. They're used to see over long distances - by sailors and scouts, for example. Scholars often have them to look more closely at the heavens."

Felix lifts his glass to Amelia once the waitress departs, ready to clink glasses. His cheerful ease is going to be broken by spluttering as soon as he tries to take his first mouthful though - 'ginger ale' in Tamriel definitely doesn't come in a fizzy variety.

"Oh! A spyglass!" She smiles brightly. "I've seen those before. Can't say I've used one myself, but it seems like something useful if you're going to be stuck at a desk for hours on end." More teasing. She really can't help it with him.

Amelia happily clinks glasses with him and then takes a big swig - which she then almost chokes on when Felix loses it from the bubbles. She sets her glass down and laughs for so long it starts to hurt a little. Dreams, how long has it been since she laughed like that? "I'm sorry," she finally manages after a few minutes. "I forgot to warn you about the bubbles. We can get you something else if you'd prefer." Her glass is staying firmly away from her for the time being, given she can't stop giggling. No need for both of them to splutter all over the place and waste the ginger ale.

“Ah, that’s an excellent word for it. A spyglass – that’s exactly what I need.” The Imperial Legion: dare to be a better snooper.

Felix looks abashed, coughing and clearing his throat. “It’s- it’s fine. Fine!” He coughs squeakily, grabbing a napkin to mop up the mess he’s made. “Simply didn’t exp-” cough, “expect that. Ahem. Not quite the drink I expected.”

He takes a much more cautious sip before pronouncing, “I like the taste, I just… need to be careful with this one.”

At this rate, he may have recovered a whole fraction of his poise by the time their pizzas arrive.

"It's the term I'm used to on my world. We don't look up at the stars with something like that." She can see the draw, but why would her world focus on that when there's still so much going on around them for them to study?

...don't laugh at Felix, Amelia. Don't.

...okay, a few more giggles are fine. "I'm sorry I didn't mention them before. I honestly forgot." Which is to say she was too excited for her own that she didn't bother asking him what he would like to drink. "I promise not to buy before I ask what you want next time."

"Oh, no- no need to apologize." He might say that anyway, but he is the one who assumed he knew what the stuff was and decided to gulp it down unthinking. "I like getting recommendations: it's a good way to find new and interesting experiences. Even if sometimes they take me by surprise."

He grins sheepishly: a sense of dignity is not one of his qualities, for better and worse. And it's quite nice to see his roguish companion break down giggling.

"So..." he adds, unable to restrain himself from asking. "How do your people track the stars?"

"I'll still try to let you know next time," she says with one more small laugh. Felix is so much more easy going than any of the men his age she's used to dealing with. Her brothers would have yelled for hours about this and the incident would have caused a fight between her and her closest male friend back home. It's refreshing, and it makes her smile a little more.

"We have a few charts that have been made using sextants, but my world is very small. There's not usually a great need to navigate by the stars, because even the longest journeys take only a few days. And with a compass, there's no need to worry about losing your way." It's almost a sad thought for her, really, to realize how small and insignificant Kairn is compared to the rest of the multiverse. But it's home, and she wouldn't trade it for anything.

“Clever,” he teases back. “Now I’ll feel obliged to warn you in turn.” Being easy-going and attentive is Felix’s winning strategy, especially when he’s dealing with someone he wants to keep working with. He might be a touch of a people-pleaser (and this might be half the reason his brother worries about him).

His curiosity isn’t quite abated. It makes sense that they wouldn’t need stellar navigation, if all the destinations worth reaching are so nearby. But… “What about astrology? Or- oh. Do your people mark the influence of the stars at all?”

"That might not be necessary - I think I'm a little more cautious about new things than you." She flashes him a smirk before taking another drink of her ginger ale. Felix being a people pleaser isn't a bad thing in Amelia's mind, and it certainly makes for a more interesting time together. Then again, she isn't the one controlling his time or asking him to do things, so she's not a great judge of that particular trait.

She blinks at his question. "Influence of the stars? What do you mean? I thought the stars were just..." She flounders for the right word and ends up motioning vaguely into the air above her. "Just there. Are they supposed to mean something?" Different worlds means different beliefs, but she is thoroughly confused by his questions.

“Ah. I don’t suppose you would be familiar with the subject, all things considered. But stars – in my realm, at least – are one of the main sources of magic. Their motions influence events and people on the mortal plane; the great constellations influence the nature of those born under them.”

He sips his ginger ale before adding thoughtfully, “Though if the moons aren’t magical on other worlds, either…"

"That's the thing about my world - there's no reason to believe in the influence of something when you don't believe it has significance." She takes another sip of her ginger ale before continuing. "My world is simple, its people pragmatic. If something doesn't have a practical application, it's likely hasn't been thought of." So she hopes, anyway. Given what she's seen on her world, anything's possible.

The pizzas arrive at an opportune moment, allowing Amelia to ask for more ginger ale while the waitress is at the table. After getting her refill, Amelia turns back to Felix and motions for him to grab the first slices. Once he does, it's time to dig in to the oregano, sausage, and pepper pizza, which turns out to be as delicious as it smells.

From the way Felix blinks at her, this is a whole new worldview to him. Well- perhaps not quite, he's met hard pragmatists before, but it's hard to imagine a realm full of people inclined that way.

He considers this while they start tucking into the pizzas... and is then distracted, perking right up at the taste. "Mf!" Swallow... "This is good!"

She smiles brightly across the table at him. "I'm glad you like it. Try a piece of mine when you can. It's really good." Of course the ulterior motive for telling him to take a slice of hers is so that she, in turn, can take a slice of his. It's much simpler than hers, but equally delicious.

"Your choice of toppings was fantastic," she tells him after a few bites of his pizza. "I really like this, too." Add this combination to the list of 'would eat again.'

Felix is clearly a man who enjoys clever tricks and sneaky motives: Amelia elicits another chuckle when her invitation turns into a trade. All the more reason to enjoy his not-very-hard-earned slice of her pizza.

“I didn’t expect the sausage to work so well on this,” he observes. “But you made a wise choice adding the peppers. Mmm… definitely my new favorite food in the Nexus. I’ll take a chance on some of the stranger toppings next time.”

He’ll let them enjoy the pizza for a while: he has something particular in mind to discuss, after all, but he’s not certain how much discomfort it will bring his roguish companion and he has more manners than to spring indigestion on her at the start of a meal.

"Don't get too overzealous," she warns, pointing a finger at him to distract his attention while she snags another slice of his pizza. Dreams, it's good. "There's plenty of time and pizzas in the multiverse to try all those combination ideas floating around in your head."

After another refill of ginger ale and most of the pizza is gone (did she really eat the equivalent of a full pizza on her own? Yes. Yes she did.), Amelia leans back into the booth they're sitting in with a contented sigh. "It's been such a long time since I had pizza. Thanks for the excuse to come out." She gives him another wink, but it's well-intentioned this time. She's spent far too much time inside as of late and Felix has been a wonderful distraction from her thoughts.

Still, she notices the tension in his shoulders, the slow degradation of his posture. Something's on his mind, something uncomfortable, by the looks of things. She tilts her head to the side slightly. "Something on your mind?"

"Oh, of course," he agrees (only to make a lie of it in the near future). "I'll have to space it out a little. Pizza once a week, perhaps." Did another slice disappear? Hmm. Better steal one back to make sure...

He bows - or, between the stiff leather he's wearing, his full belly, and the enclosed booth, he tries to bow. "Giving my friends an excuse to live well is a fine purpose, in my estimation."

She's noticed his quiet contemplation though. Felix isn't the sort to hide his feelings by default (only when it benefits him), so he lets out a 'hmmm' and nods. "I've been thinking over what you told me of the- ah, demon in your world. I did offer to share my expertise, but I'm uncertain how much you wish to hear. Or whether you'd prefer to discuss it another time."

It's nice to be referred to as a friend. She doesn't think she deserves it yet, but she won't tell him that. No need to bring down the jovial mood.

She nods slowly before offering a small shrug. "I am feeling better. Talking about it earlier... it caught me off guard." She looks around a bit. "We can speak on it now, but perhaps somewhere more private would be appropriate." Discussing her world is hard for her and doing it in public is likely to make things worse. Surely Felix can see that in the way her body has begun to close in on itself.

As far as Felix is concerned, she's a friend until proven otherwise. Even if she doesn't know it yet. Despite what one might assume, it's not naivety, just a knowing and calculated gamble.

Besides, half the trick to making unexpected friends is being willing to come out and declare them so.

"Of course. Some other time, if you prefer. I doubt there's any urgency." He gives her a reassuring smile: she can ask when she feels the need to know, and he won't push her.

"Perhaps... after dancing," she offers with a small smile. Because that's certainly not something they should ruin with talk of such dangerous and sad things.

Despite the fact that Felix is supposed to be paying for their delicious food and drink - per the terms of their arrangement - Amelia offers a few gold coins to the waitress without comment when she comes to offer them the check. It's not worth waiting for her come back around again when Amelia's ready and knows how much everything cost without asking.

"Shall we go?" she asks, motioning toward the door.

He accedes to her suggestion with a nod, followed by surprise when she beats him to paying. Whatever her thoughts on the matter, it strikes him as a generous move and he murmurs his thanks.

"Indeed." He rises, shooting her a grin. "I think I owe you a few drinks now - and any amount of dancing."

Despite their earlier talk of wandering in search, Felix can remember a few places where he's heard music of their preferred ilk around the Nexus. Naturally he uses that knowledge to take them the long way around, to give himself more time to digest his food. He's danced with Amelia before, he knows he won't keep up unless he gives himself every advantage.

Thus, the first place he suggests they try is a tavern where there may be music, but inside it's standing room only. No hope of a dance there. Perhaps the club across the way? ...No, apparently not.

She makes a small face at the offer of drinks. "I think... another dinner would be better, actually." That pink in her cheeks is most assuredly due to the sudden cold of the air outside, right? It would have nothing to do with embarrassing memories. Nothing whatsoever. Nope.

Amelia can tell that Felix is meandering, but she won't argue. The movement keeps them warm and they can laugh and talk as they go. Felix is an easy going soul, one so different from her own, and Amelia finds herself relaxing in spite of her ever present desire to keep track of everything. Laughter is such a rare thing these days, but with him? It's easy to forget her worries and sadness, if only for a little while.

After they've tried half a dozen taverns and clubs, though, she decides to call him out on his scheme. "I know you already have a place in mind," she says with a smirk. "Do you want us to lose our feet to the cold before we arrive?"

“Not in the least!” he protests. “Just to wear you out so I might stand a chance of keeping up.” What’s the fun of ulterior motives if they stay ulterior?

Still, with a grin he leads them around another turn and almost at once they’re in the doorway of a long stone building with a high vaulted roof. Felix actually looks surprised to find it there, but he’s quick to step up and open the door for Amelia – sweeping a bow, of course. The air that flows out is warm and tinged with wood-smoke, bearing the strains of some promisingly lively music.

Inside is a great hall that wouldn’t be out of place in a Cyrodilic castle, though this one’s clearly open to the public. A typically mixed crowd has gathered, to drink and enjoy the crackling fires, or to dance in the open central space. Felix hands a few septims over to the elf attending the door, who promptly waves them through with a smile.

Although Amelia takes note of paying off the elf at the door, she's quickly too distracted to care. The sights, the smells, the sounds... It's like the largest tavern in her home city back on her world. She laughs with happiness as she turns back to Felix once they're a little further inside.

"How did you find this place? It's perfect!" She can't stop smiling. It's too perfect. It feels so much like home.

She stops and takes a deep breath before letting down her hair. After she's undone the tight braids that her hair had been pulled into previously, she quickly pulls it back into a single braid and carefully stows her hair pin. While it would likely be fine with the dancing, she doesn't see any reason to risk its safety.

"Do you need a drink to warm up? Or are you all right with at least one dance before a drink?" That grin is a challenge, Felix. Will you rise to it?

“Imperial luck and a nose for comfort,” he answers with a grin. The occasions he’s been wandering in the Nexus aren’t near as frequent as they ought to be, but when he does… well, even with his adventurous intentions, a hint of the familiar can’t help but draw one in.

He knows that grin and its cousins so well; his own might be one of them, despite the feigned uncertainty. “Well, it wouldn’t be quite right to drink before working up a thirst, would it? I think I can make it through one- no, two dances before I wet my throat.”

He offers her his hand, bowing slightly. He may regret this in a minute, but he can’t possibly back down.

She takes his hand before giving him a small bow of her own. Her grin matches the playfulness in her eyes, but she's not about to wear him out on the first few dances. What a travesty that would be.

Luckily for Felix, their first dance doesn't call for a large amount of movement. There aren't too many dancers in the place who know the steps, but Amelia's happy to take the lead and show them all. Despite the weapons hanging from her belt, she moves around with grace and ease, every movement fluid as she leads the circle of dancers. Being the center of attention doesn't seem to bother her, but she doesn't revel in it either. She leads with easy smiles and laughter - a stark contrast to many of the sides of her Felix has seen today.

When the dance ends, Amelia looks to her legionnaire companion with a grin. "One more? Or are you in need of a drink?"

What in all the worlds has Amelia been doing, hiding away for so long? She may not crave attention, but it’s obvious to Felix that she’s quite at home when she’s leading the dance. Entirely at ease among so many people. She’s almost a different woman, and he wonders what it’s cost to deny herself moments like this…

Not that he has time to dwell on his thoughts. Someday he might actually thank Stratos for all those sword drills – he’s not even out of breath by the time they pause. He even fancies he followed most of the steps. He reminds himself it’ll be even easier once his limbs warm up properly and grins at Amelia.

“One more,” he says. “The ale here is really rather good, but I can’t drag you away from the dance just yet. The others need someone to show them how it should be done.”

Despite her social ineptitude with friends, Amelia excels at leading groups of people. Organizing and ~~manipulating~~ persuading are two of her strengths, and they work well in a setting like this. She can also distance herself from everyone by telling them what they want to hear while not believing a word of it herself. It's an unfortunate talent that she uses often.

"All right, but remember that you asked for this." Her grin only widens as she takes his hand and leads him to the musicians in the corner, explaining what kind of song she wants next with a few well placed notes and beats. With that taken care of, it's back to the dance floor, where she organizes the second dance, which is far more complicated than the first. There's lots of bumping and laughter, and, once everyone is more comfortable with the steps, 'poaching' of partners when one dancer slips into the dance where another should be. Amelia allows herself to be poached out several times, only to sneak back in when no one expects it. The tavern goers can try often, but they can't seem to stop her from getting what she wants.

When the dance finally ends, Amelia smiles over at Felix and nods toward the bar. "Shall we see if this ale holds up to your promises? I'll have you know my eldest brother is a brewer, so I do know a thing or two about ales." It's the oldest sibling's right to pick apart what the younger do, after all.

This dance is much harder to keep up with, but by the end Felix is sure he’s just out of breath from all the laughing and jesting - and thieving in kind, when his partner gets poached.

He’s more than happy to go for a drink once they rejoin one another, and leads the way to the bar. “You’re making me afraid I’ve oversold it, now. Just remember I’ve been in mead country for the last year.”

"To be fair, I'm not the brewer. I've just picked up a few things." She laughs easily. "Though I admit I haven't had much to drink since arriving here, so I'm likely to enjoy it unless is absolute swill." Which is a fantastic way of avoiding saying 'sorry to put so much pressure on you.' It's hardly a surprise she'd avoid saying 'I'm sorry' - she never lived her life to allow for apologies until coming to the Nexus.

“Well, this is the Nexus – I can’t promise there won’t be surprise bubbles,” he teases. His is a very untroubled soul indeed. “But I do hope it passes muster. A shame if we had to choose between our drinks and our dancing.”

It’s a little crowded around the bar, but one of the bartenders (who might be part elf herself) spots the new customers and nips over to take their orders. Given all the dancing they’re doing, Felix orders an ale he knows, light, refreshing and faintly nutty from what he remembers. He glances at Amelia enquiringly. “I don’t know if you’re willing to trust me…”

She rolls her eyes in response to his teasing. Typical younger brother behavior. Normally it would annoy her, but it's been so long since she's dealt with it that she actually rather likes it. It makes her a little more fond of the legionnaire, or at least cements how much she enjoys his company.

"I trust your judgement," she answers with a smile. It's not exactly the same as trusting him, but it's a big step in the right direction.

Once they have their ales, Amelia leads them to a small, standing-room-only style table. She offers her mug for a toast, and to clink if he'd like. "To new friends sharing the joys of the oldest of traditions. And to meeting every challenge offered." She gives him a small smirk before raising the mug to her lips and taking a swig. It's a nice smooth ale with a faint hint of nuts, which Amelia finds really enjoyable. Don't mind her if all of that ale disappears in such a short period of time...

Felix practically earns his living as The Younger Brother. Wherever he can make it work for him, it’s an easy role to fall into, and Amelia has the wit to make the playful approach fun.

“To opened doors,” he adds with a smile as they clink. (Perhaps not the most politic toast, given her demonic woes, but he doubts she’s aware of that interpretation.) Earning even partial trust is a step forward, a success to savor along with his beer. Not to mention her obvious pleasure in the ale. Perhaps he’ll earn a little more credit, by and by.

“It’s a shame you don’t get out dancing more,” he says while they drink. “You seemed quite at home there, even among strangers.”

Her ale is finished before Felix makes his observation about dancing. She sets the mug aside and leans on the table slightly, giving him a wry smile as she does so. "Strangers don't ask questions. They don't remember the name you gave at the end of an evening of drinking. They don't even care if there's violence involved in your interactions. Strangers care only about themselves. Among them, I can get in and out without really being noticed."

Her attention turns to the dance floor, where one of the other patrons is trying to rouse up some interest in an organized dance. The man lacks any real skill or crowd presence, though, so the suggestion falls flat quickly and he finds himself forced to single out a partner for a dance instead. "I'm more at ease with people who won't remember me when the morning comes," she adds. "It's easier to move through all levels of social standing if no one can recall who I am when I've left their sight."

“I can see the advantages,” he concedes, sipping the remnants of his ale as he listens. “But there are many to being remembered, too. Strangers are less likely to come to your aid when you’re in real trouble. To guard your back in a crowd. To tell you what you truly need to know.”

He nods to the luckless fellow with his new dance partner. “Sometimes one friend is all you need, to get on with.”

"I never expected to need them, because I never expected the world to be so big either. And now that I know it's just a small part of a larger multiverse?" She sighs and turns away from the dance floor, resting her forearms on the table. "This whole fucking place is too big and I'm just trying to find my small corner again."

"I understand. I think everyone has that revelation at some time in their lives - at least if they have some luck. It's rather dizzying. Finding your foothold again, securing a place of your own... that's a sensible way to go about things."

Someday she'll explain fully her intent with that statement, but for now...? Best to let the night be full of revels rather than sadness.

She nods in agreement. "My only problem is that the foothold I want is a place that no one can find. It's as if my world decided I needed a new adventure and sent me here." She sighs dramatically, but it's a cover for the pain. Being stuck here has wreaked absolute havoc on her sense of self and the idea that she might never get home again makes it that much worse.

He really might understand, for all he doesn't want to drag her mood down again. Felix is a man of Tamriel, an Imperial to the bone. He may delight in gallivanting through strange new realms, studying the mysteries and beings from beyond Nirn... but he knows where he belongs. He can't begin to conceive what he'd be without it. Aside from terribly, dangerously upset.

"Perhaps it's fate," he suggests. "Your world may need you here yet. I know that may seem a small hope to cling to, but it's a real possibility. And if not, there are... many ways between the realms, to say the least. Mine, for example, is closed to most beings from outside and yet, even they find the means to influence our world."

She laughs half-heartedly at that. "Everyone wants me to find meaning in being here, wants me to believe that things are happening for a reason. Can't it be that I ended up here as the result of some freak accident and that the reason I can't get home is because there wasn't supposed to be a connection between my world and the Nexus in the first place? Can't I be stuck here for no reason other than 'just because'?"

If she seems upset by his question, he shouldn't take it personally. Things have been difficult for her lately and she's gotten tired of all the optimistic talk about things getting better if only x, y, or z thing would happen.

A soft sigh escapes her and she shuffles one foot against the floor in thought. "Maybe it would be better if I kept my mouth shut. I seem to get a lot of lip from all the optimists here." Being a true pragmatist in a sea of optimists means she's usually being told she's being too hard on herself or taking things the wrong way. It's tiring and she's ready to be done with it.

Felix blinks, taken a little aback. But he stops watching the tavern around them and focuses entirely on Amelia’s face, listens quietly while she airs her thoughts and hurt. He waits until she’s finished before smiling slightly, an expression that’s half sympathy and half apology. It’s always awkward to have your attempt at comfort go sideways, but he can’t exactly blame her for being sick of assurances. And at least she didn’t just ~~smack him~~ tell him to shut his mouth.

“Sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to join the chorus. I suppose few people would want to tell you it’s hopeless. Or that you should stop looking for a path home.” He swills the dregs of his ale, lifting a hand to signal a server for refills. “And from my perspective… perhaps it’s easier for me to believe that some greater power has a hand in every matter here. It's my natural assumption, you might say."

The fact that she didn't yell at him means at least some small part of her therapy is sticking. She'll take all the progress she can get.

"No, I didn't--" She hesitates and runs a hand over her face while debating her next words carefully. "What you're saying makes sense. I forget that other worlds look at things so differently sometimes." She sighs and hangs her head, pushing her mug aside despite the fact that he's called for a refill. The last thing she wants is to be overcome by that awful feelings of drunkenness in public. "Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. That wasn't fair to you. Forgive me."

"Already forgotten," he assures her. "Besides, it is easy to sink into platitudes when speaking of troubling things. It's fair to chide me for that. I'm not certain I could be so... composed in your position."

He's quick to forgive as a rule, but it's all the easier because she apologized on her own.

"There are always bad days," she admits, "but others are better. Today... today is a better day." She offers him a small smile and thanks the elven bartender when she switches out their empty mugs for full ones. Not that she's excited about more alcohol, but at least the ale hits a hell of a lot softer than wine does.

"Could you... tell me more about it? Your world, that is. I'm very curious to know how much like mine it really is." They've spoken about it generally in the past, but now she wants to know more. Anything to keep the topic off of herself and her world for a little while.

“Hmm.” It’s a question that needs a little thought.

“In some ways, I suppose they’re not so alike,” he admits. “Tamriel is a great continent, divided between many different inhabitants. Humans, elves, cat and lizard-folk all have their own lands, but the greater number of them live together in the Empire. Especially in my home province, of course: Cyrodiil is the heart of the Empire, and there are probably as many people from other races as there are Imperials like me.” He grins, quite proud of his people’s cosmopolitan ways. It's their hat.

“Magic is also relatively commonplace, of course. At least in Cyrodiil. Most people aren’t really mages - I mean, they don’t train for it – but lots of them can work at least some small spells. Some races practice it almost as easily as breathing. And then there are many beasts that use magic, as well. But those are just the obvious differences. We have our noble families too, though they answer to the Emperor. There aren’t any electrical gadgets in everyone’s pockets, no… phones or miniature timepieces.”

"No pocketwatches?" Amelia's obviously surprised about that one. Even Kairn, as far behind in technology as it is, has clocks of various sizes. She's even kept the one she brought from her world lovingly repaired so she'll always know what time it is back home. "I... find that hard to believe, actually."

With the shock out of the way, she'll address the rest of what he said. "Perhaps it's not so different as you might think. My world is, mostly, one large continent as well, though it's only divided into two nations. A third nation does exist, but it occupies a large group of islands south of the main continent and I'm afraid my knowledge of it is very limited. The other nations, however, are each ruled by their own king and have nobles that are loyal to them. In my country, major cities that aren't the capital, like the one I come from, are ruled over by a Duke, who has nobles under him. There's no emperor uniting all of the nations, but they get along peacefully." Or they do now, at least. But no need to delve that far into history tonight.

She pauses to take a sip of her ale. "As for magic, well... you know about that already."

"We have other ways of keeping time if anyone really needs to mark it so closely." Felix shrugs, clearly doubting how common that need is. "And in cities - at least in Cyrodiil - the chapel bells ring the hours for everyone."

He thinks over what she's saying before observing, "Your system sounds something like our provinces with their kings and nobles. In Cyrodiil the cities and surrounding counties are governed by counts and countesses on behalf of the emperor. Otherwise the nobles don't hold direct power, except in whatever position the Empire chooses to grant them. Civil ones, mostly. There aren't many hereditary posts any more... well, officially. I'm sure you know how that can be."

"But... what happens if you need to meet someone in a different city at a certain day and time and they don't have a clock tower? How would you keep track of time for that?" Because being late doesn't seem like much of an option with some people.

"Nobility is passed from one generation to the next in my world, unless a lord or lady falls out of favor and needs to be replaced." She shrugs lightly at that, as if that's simply a normal thing. "Or, as in the case of my family, there's extenuating circumstances to make them noble. That's much more rare, though." So how did she manage it, hm?

She cracks a small smile between sips of her ale. "So similar and yet so different. I never would have expected that, even if I should have."

"Meet at dawn, or noon, or some hour in between them." He shrugs. "If you're going to do business in such an uncivilized place, you should really know what you're getting into." Which isn't to say people don't get upset, but such arguments between the city slickers and the provincial workers aren't Felix's problem.

"Well, nobility is one thing, you know. Importance..." He grins. "Not to doubt yours, of course."

Maybe it's the ale and the pleasant company, but he adds, "Who knows, maybe you'll end up visiting one day."

"That doesn't always stop people from trying to put you off-guard by claiming you're late," she points out. "But I suppose that can't be helped sometimes." Mainly because people in the habit of claiming such things are going to be jerks no matter what one might do to dissuade them from being that way.

She gives him a small, half-hearted laugh and shakes her head, an almost wry smiles coming to her face. "I'm just a girl who wanted to give her family a better place in the world. Nothing more." What an unapologetic way of professing that she feels worthless compared to her family. And how odd it is that she feels that way, given all she's showed Felix tonight. How can someone so fearless in the face of crowds of strangers and breaking into places she shouldn't be think she's worth so little?

"Oh?" A slow grin spreads across her face. "Given the similarities, I think I'd be able to get around without having to buy new clothes. What a change that would be from previous experiences." And how much more fun it would be without having to worry about leaving her weapons behind on an unfamiliar world.

Lessons in Advanced Door-Opening [for Amelia Ronsam rogueinladysclothing]

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