Old Friends

-== New Scene: Isaac Moongrave sits alone at a tavern in Sol ==-
Isaac sips from his mulled wine, looking out the window towards the slowly setting sun. As the light reflects off the sands of the desert on the horizon, he reflects on the events that had taken him here. Being chosen as one of the ambassador's advisors had taken him far outside his comfort zone and brought to bear many of the doubts he had struggled with as of late. The entire natural order of the world seemed to be in a state of chaos, and his heart screamed that this was not the end that his people had awaited.
A crash of pans from the kitchen snaps Isaac back to reality. He surveys the room, seeing the establishment was mostly empty. That was the goal in coming out now, to avoid the crowds, but he if tarries much longer, the place was due to start filling up for the evening rush.
Isaac’s eyes are drawn to a nearby patron reaching into the pocket of a tan sleeveless shirt. A dark skinned human with a cut lip, raggedy clothes, and dreadlocks adorned with silver rings, his hand emerges, filled with what appears to be sunflower seeds. Making eye contact with Isaac, he holds his hand out as if to offer some. In response, Isaac's eyebrows furrow as he shakes his head no, and he promptly stands up to move across the tavern. As Isaac sits down, he hears a chime from the front door opening, but he does not turn to look at the new visitors. His only focus is avoiding the gaze of the strange human with an uncomfortable drive in his eyes.
The soft sound of chimes rattles above the door as a red-headed high elf enters the tavern with the rest of her party following close behind. The open door gives way to a dry heat that billows across the stone floor, leaving small particles of sand scurrying about. A porcelain face flushed from the outside's heat looks quickly over to the barkeep, tossing an awkward wave in his direction. "Some…cold water for my group here..Please?" She says to the man behind the bar as he runs a rag along the rim of a tankard.
A setting sun leaks through the tavern's dusty windows as tankards of water are placed down across the bar. Elara stumbles to carry more than just two and instead gives up and hands them off to her friends. "Make sure you stay hydrated… after all this travel, it's important, you know?" A soft smile before turning on the heel to seek out a nice table or booth to rest their tired legs. Eyes settle quickly on a man tucked away at his own table. A moment of pause as Elara stands there with her tankard of water, giving a few blinks and a closer gaze as a feeling of familiarity sets in.
"I-Isaac?" The soft-spoken woman says as she steps closer; her pendant dangles down around her neck as she leans forward and to the side slightly, catching the light of the setting sun and glistening across its silver border and deep blue center. "Isaac!? Ah…It is you! What in the world are you…doing here? In Sol!?"
Hearing his name Isaac turns to face the woman, guessing that one of the members of the embassy had found him here. He had assumed they would avoid mingling with the locals and that he could get some peace from them, but apparently it was not meant to be. Seeing and recognizing Elara though his expression, normally placid, shifts to one of shock and confusion.
"Elara, you... should not be here."
He pauses briefly, looking away from Elara while considering his words and his following actions. Making up his mind he turns back to her, directly meeting her gaze.
"Elohim is hunting your father. I am stationed at the embassy here meant to further that goal. The others would not hesitate to use you as leverage," he says matter-of-factly.
He glances over her shoulder, to the group she had come in with whose attentions were now starting to focus on the two of them. Seeing several heavily armored figures as well as some distinctly Elohimian elves, Isaac sets down his glass and cautiously stands. Lowering his voice and without taking his eyes off of the group he asks,
"Are you well?"
Issac’s expression of shock causes Elara to recoil back slightly. Her hands fidget around the tankard she holds while looking down at him with a concerned expression. “Perhaps not..” She says in a mumble. “But there are things…we need to do.” Her eyes flicker slightly to her side with a glance at her group.
“But my Father?” Her head tilts to the side. “Why would they be hunting…” She trails off to think it over. “Why would you be…” Her attention is returned to Issac as he stands up. She smiles, placing her tankard down on the table, taking his hands and folding hers around them. “I am well…with all things considered…” She turns slightly to look back at the party. “This is an old friend of mine from back home.” Eyes settle on Da’in and Fredrick for a moment. “Some already know of him, I would imagine, but Cass, Atlas, I’d like you to meet Isaac.”
She looks back up to him for a moment. “And you? Have you been well? I feel like there is a lot we should talk about, this hunt for my father, Elo, and…Arhor’ha.” There is a sense of panic in her words and eyes as she looks up at him. Behind the warm smile of the young high elf, something is troubling her.
Isaac hesitates for a moment as Elara takes his hands. His surprise at the unexpected contact fades as he is reminded what an affectionate person she is. As she introduces the group in front of him, he hears the warmth in her voice and realizes that these are friends and not captors. Isaac pulls his hands back to himself, putting one behind his back and another on his stomach as he gives light bow to the group. As Elara asks further questions he looks around the bar and out the windows. This would probably be the safest part of town to speak. The others at the embassy would never come around here once the place starts to fill with nonbelievers. He looks back down at Elara, just in time to see a smile barely concealing deep concern and fear in her eyes.
"This tavern should be safe to speak in, though I will need to return to the others soon. Your father has involved himself in major events, and if the effects on Elohim have not been explained then they should be before you go anywhere. We should all sit."
Cass calmly watches as Elara welcomes her old friend, the statements of Nuts being hunted peeking her interest. "It's nice to meet you, especially given the circumstances... A nice face is always welcome." Being aware of military tactics, his comments make her reflect on their next move. "I don't want to seem forward, but do you know how much time until the following forces will arrive?"
Elara’s head turns to look at her good friend Cassandre as she speaks. Cass, taking a confident militia tone to her voice in response to Issac, reminded her of her father and a path that was carved out way before she had a say in it. She hated it, but in this moment Elara realized that there is something to be said for how those with military training handle themselves in situations of pressure both on the battle field, and in a dusty Tavern where caution and planning come from conversation.
Elara leans her staff up against the table as she takes a seat, placing her elbows on the table and folding her hands together to rise at the base of her chin. “Even if it is but five minutes of time, I think it would be good to hear what my father has done, from another perspective that is…” She speaks with a touch of spite in her voice about him. "If its....cut short we can leave out the other door there." She tilts her chin up in the direction of the back door.
As the group begins taking seats, Isaac takes the chance to collect his thoughts, and thinks of how best to address their concerns.
"We should have some time here. The locals are going to start congregating any minute now, and the others in the embassy do their best to avoid consorting. They might be concerned if I am not back by sundown. I should not stay long."
Isaac takes a quiet sip of his drink, looking around the table before continuing.
"My knowledge of your father is based on common knowledge around Elohim, and what I was told was relevant for this posting. As head of the White Flame he was responsible for Elo's protection after he awoke, and for getting Elo across the mountains to begin his search for his other half. During that journey Elo was attacked and somehow sealed away, the passage they were taking becoming inaccessible. Your father is reportedly alive and has not come back to Elohim to report. As such he is wanted for dereliction of duty, though I have also heard talk of treason and heresy. This leads me to believe that while Elohim may not want to admit it, they believe that this was a coordinated betrayal of both Elo and the Faithful."
Isaac pauses another moment to let that information sink in before continuing,
"They are quite serious about catching him. I cannot remember another time where Elohim has attempted diplomacy at this level with outsiders. Their priorities may be shifting now though. Things have gotten quite... odd... recently. Regardless I would not see you become tool for or against your father's machinations again, at least not without warning you first."
Elara keeps her hands under her chin, resting her head as she meets eyes with Isaac and listens to every detail he speaks. As he makes mention of the situation with her father, she can’t help but feel a sense of concern for him even after all the annoyance she has felt towards Nuya, the White Flames, and Elohim. There is a silence that fills the air once Issac finishes speaking. Blue eyes look around the table to the others as her hands fall from her chin and rest across her lap.
“I was… under the impression that what he has been doing since we’ve met with him was still in relation to the city or rather, there wasn’t a hunting party for my father at the time. The more I think over your words Issac, leaves me with even more questions…” She lets out a sigh of frustration. More questions, always.
“What would have changed for him to leave Elohim with the intentions of protecting Elo and then changing the plan and sealing him in the mountain? Not only that, but to seek us out and agree to train..” Her eyes glance to Atlas for a moment before returning to Issac. “I’d like to know where you stand currently, I trust you, I have always trusted you, but I’d like to hear it from you regardless. You are right, there are a lot of odd things happening, we are currently on our way to find out what those are, unless there is more to this that you are eluding to?”
Isaac reflects on Elara's direct question.
Where do I stand?
Isaac reflects on the things he's seen and mulled over for decades. He knows the conclusion, but has been avoiding it until now. Faced with Elara and the evidence of the past weeks, he realizes that this isn't something he can avoid any longer.
Speaking with renewed confidence he meets Elara's stare and continues,
"Elohim is misguided. The signs point to an upcoming end, but I do not believe that it will be the salvation of our people. Whatever your father's intentions, I believe he made the correct choice; Elo is not our savior. I stand on the side of saving my people, from themselves if necessary... and I suppose I stand with you, Elara. I have worried about you since you left the city and am glad to see you alive and well. I trust you too, and tell you all this because I believe you of all people will understand."
Seeing nobody reaching for weapons at his declaration of heresy, Isaac continues,
"I am neither an idiot nor blind though. You have clearly been in contact with your father, and this... Atlas... appears to be related to you. I have many questions as well, but I will suffice with this... what is your goal?"
Elara lets out a sigh, leaning her elbow on the table and resting her cheek in the palm of her hand as her eyes look out to the sandy streets of Sol. “Elohim being misguided is such an understatement the more I hear about the things that city is doing.” There is ire in her voice when she speaks of that place, and there is no regret in her heart for leaving.
Her gaze falls back on the elf when he calls her out about Nuya. “Yes, we have. My father is…as you would remember him. That much has not changed.” More ire. She lowers her voice,“But our goal is to stop Elo.” Elara pauses for a moment and a silence fills the space around the table. It is a risky thing to say, but they need comrades on their side. She leans forward some to get in closer proximity to whisper.
“The Star Wanderer gave me Atlas, the brother of Elo. If we do not help Atlas succeed in his fight against his brother, Arhor’ha will cease to exist.”
Elara leans back in her chair with a nervous expression. For such a short sentence, there is a lot to unpack in those words. “So… that is what we are doing. Training and trying to learn more about it. I-I’m sure you have much more questions, but I don’t think even we know enough at this time to answer them.”