Nakaida turned to glance up at him, having been lost in her own thoughts, and looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh - thank you," she said, taking the little white blossom. For a moment she wondered in trepidation what one did with a flower when given one. After a split second of indecidion - the sisters' training had not encompassed what to do in these sorts of situations - she tucked it under the band of cloth she wore to hold her hair back, where it hung like a small white star against her tanned skin.

Feeling as though some sort of reciprocation was in order, Nakaida got to her feet and stood on tiptoe to give Orindil a light kiss on the cheek. "That's very sweet," she told him, with a smile.

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Orindil ducked his head to conceal the faint tinge of red in his cheeks. Gods, was he actually blushing? He disgusted himself. Clearing his throat to break the awkward silence, he beckoned her to follow him to the center of the clearing, where he also signaled Aeryn, Naidele, and Khienro.

He got directly to the point. "Why is Okandar after you?" he asked bluntly.

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(Have you come to where Gabilon and Raven??)

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Will be going to London on March of the 30th

Nakaida glanced at Naidele. "Well," she began uneasily, "Okandar happens to know that we have the power to dethrone him. Understandably, he's rather upset."

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When no one answered him, Aeryn shrugged and shut his eyes again.

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Just became a college freshman; be on sparingly

(not yet)

Naidele cleared her throat nervously wondering how much should be said. She nodded to what her sister said. "Yes," she added, "We are really all that is standing between him and unimaginable power."

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I'm back!

Nakaida looked thoughtful for a moment, and then suddenly reached out her hand in front of her. Immediately wind whistled through the clearing, whirling around her and lifting her cloak and her curtain of blonde hair in a swirling cloud. At a word from the girl it died down, and she took a deep breath and looked at the others. "We have...powers," she explained hesitantly. "Naidele, show them yours."

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Naidele gaped at Nakaida for a moment, but in the end she decided that her sister had done the right thing. She held out her hand, palm up, and above her palm a small dancing flame appeared. She gave an apologetic look to Khienro, Aeryn, and Orindil. "Sorry we could not tell you sooner." She closed her hand and the flame disappeared.

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I'm back!

Orindil nodded and remained outwardly calm. Too bad the facade couldn't define his inward thoughts. Dabbling cleric that he was, he was familiar with the individual elements that pieced together the world. Ancient legends, long forgotten, long forsaken, swirled once more to his mind. The Goddess... could the two young women before him be her emissaries... her Keepers even...?

And suddenly, he was frightened.

He felt his emotions shrinking back from both of them, like a blade of grass blends to an overpowering wind. And if they were truly who he thought they were, what did it mean for Okandar's reign?

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Nakaida watched the subtle change in Orindil's expression, her own face troubled. "We...we are Keepers," she said almost in a whisper, unwittingly confirming his thoughts. A breath of wind caressed her cheek, ruffling the fragile petals of the flower he'd given her. "But you need not fear us," she continued, now looking at the ground and speaking to them all. "Those who are friends of the Goddess need not fear us."

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Naidele bit her lip in worry when she noticed the change in Orindil's manner. She didn't want them to come to fear her and her sister. She looked to Khienro, hoping he would not show the same change. "Please, my sister speaks the truth," she said, "We mean no harm to you or any of those opposing Okandar."

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I'm back!

Khienro stared blankly at a tree behind Naidele, looking rather emotionless. Nodding slowly, he spoke,

"Keepers.... So..." Realzation dawned on him, "Oh by the stars! You mean to tell us that we just left 2 of the most important people on this planet to fend for themselves?!" He threw his head back and sank to the ground, "I am so, so so sorry..." He then sat, and then looked back up at Naidele, a sorry look in his eyes. He then pondered how much he wished he could do what she could. It would sure help him on the job.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

"No use," Orindil said sharply, glancing at Khienro. "If we'd gone back for the others, we'd have all been captured." His musing gaze fell once again upon Nakaida and Naidele, and once again he was struck by how unworldly they seemed. Exotic and powerful they may be, but were they truly prepared to take on the most powerful sorcerer in the land?

"So you were sent to defeat Okandar." The statement fell flat.

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"Yes." Was Nakaida's rather abrupt reply. "I know it seems impossible. That's why we are who we are. That's why we need all of us, and any help you can give us."

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Naidele nodded. "We were taken at birth and have been trained by the five original Keepers since then," she said, thinking to give the others some information, "We were to be named Keepers on my 18th nameday, but the need arose to annoint us sooner. We were sent here as soon as possible." She took a deep breath. "If we fail there is no hope...." She thought about the power Okandar would have if she and her sisters no longer had their meager control over the Elements. He would rival the Goddess herself. She turned back to Khienro. "Do not be troubled," she said, "Orindil is right. There was no other way."

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I'm back!

Khienro lowered his head, nodding. He tried to take it all in. The keepers. Two of which were sitting right infront of him! And they were both very beutiful, especially Naidele. at that. Willing that one thought out of his head, Khienro opened his mouth to speak but found no words. He tried again a few moments later,

"So... If you wern't to defeat Okandar..... What would...What would happen?" He asked his brows lowered, giving him a rather secretive or sinister look as the sky darkened, letting the firelight dance about his features.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen