Safety in Memories [Any of Jazz's best friends]

[Jazz]

Jasminai of Carmine Tower sat on the ledge of Balor's Needle, looking out across the City. This was, of course, an extremely precarious position. But Jazz was, indeed, a Wildmage, and flight was a second nature to her - indeed, she was in no danger. Jasmin sat, her curls tied up out of her face to stop them from irritating her, swinging her legs, deep in thought.

They were to leave in a week to the Yamani Islands. Jazz was excited to go, but she was unsure if it would be easy. She'd only just recovered - two months ago, and she could have run up the stairs, and now even walking tired her out. She was unsure. Unsure if she'd ever get back to her old shape, unsure if the diplomacy trip would go well, unsure if it wa smorning or afternoon. She could only seek safety in memories.

Tortall was in peace now, of course, but the country had only just come out of morning for the dead. There was a time before all those horrors. Even during them, she had plenty a fond memory to recede to. She'd trained as a page and squire, made friends, been knighted. She'd discovered her magic, and fallen in love. At times like these, she felt so old, for all she was twenty-three. All these experiences, everything she'd been through, by Mithros. Retired knights hadn't seen was this young woman had.

[]

[Sapphire]

Sapphire walked slowly up the stairs to the Needle. She sighed, thinking of all the things that had happened so far. She had seen her friend walking up and had remembered how Jazz had told her how the Needle helped her think. She remebered all that had happened so far. Sapphire had been away for alot of it. In other parts of the world, but the accounts on the war ect had haunted Fhire ever since she was told them. She felt extremly guilty. She should have been there for her friends and yet she hadn't been there. The accounts became real in her dreams and that is whats scared her the most.

She looked up at the winding steps and shook her head. She hated these steps. She looked at Jazz's small figure up in the distance. Jazz had been so battered and Fhire knew her friend was worried about the Yamani Islands trip. Sapphire sighed again. She knew her friend was scared that she was to weak and that scared Fhire. For all the years that Sapphire had known Jazz, Jazz had always been do strong. Sapphire knew that her fears were irrational, and she made sure that no one knew she was scared, or guilty for that matter. She didn't want Jasmin henning over her.

She shook her head and started running up the stairs. No-one could see this unlady-like behavior and it was liberating to rush up the stairs. The wind tugged at her curls and pulled at her dress. Her hair started springing free from it's many pins that had held it into place for the days dealings. She run on, not minding that she was out of breath. She let the wind blow away all the negative thoughts in her mind. She got to the top laughing and taking in deep breaths.

"Hi Jazz. Are you alright, "She asked, concerned for her friend. The steps had been hard for her so it was a wonder how hard it must of been for Jazz. But that was part of why she was concerned. Jazz looked upset, whistful. Maybe she also had been playing through the years past events. Fighting. Falling in Love. Discovering her wildmaguic. Sapphire knew the year had been bitter sweet for her friend.

[Rose]

Rose had decided to walk outside of the palace for a breath of fresh air. And she needed to think. She needed a place where she could just think about what had happened in the past and what was to take place now.

Having been appointed King's Champion, and having accepted that honor, Rose was bound to represent Tortall in the monarchs place if something came up. In this case, a diplomatic mission was being sent to the Yamani Islands, and the monarchs were trying to catch the former lady of Longlake, who was believed to be hiding in the Copper Isles. Cynthia of Longlake was wanted for treason, and Rose was to head that part of the mission.

She sighed, and then looked for a place to think. Balors Needle caught her eyes. She smiled. Hardly anyone went up there. She walked to the base of the tower and began the long walk up. She stepped in and was suprised to see both Jasmin and Sapphire there.

"Wow...looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to think." she drawled to her friends.

[Jazz]

"Hi Jazz. Are you alright?"

Jasmin didn't show any surprise as Sapphire approached her, but the corners of her mouth turned up as Sapphire reached the top of the stairs laughing. She'd felt her friend coming. Sapphire's magic was extremely trong and blare in her sensors like magic. Otherwise, she didn't move at all, her face calm and serene as she gazed out at the view below her. "Yes, Fhire, I'm fine, thanks," she said softly, her eyes still fixed on Corus, spread out beneath her. Her black curls whipped around her face with the breeze, having come loose, and she lifted a hand to brush them away. "You?" Jazz didn't feel like talking so much now; her friends understood her so well, they understood what was worrying her. Another beacon of magic shone in Jasminai's mind, now, a vibrant amethyst that she knew only too well. Any second now...

"Wow...looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to think."

"It seems not," Jazz replied, unfazed, in the same quiet, distant voice that she'd spoken to Sapphire in. "Hello, Rose." She was perched precariously on the railing, her legs swinging in the open air. But this gave her a great sense of freedom, as well as that much loved sense of danger that Jasmin knew scared Sapphire. Jazz had always loved that thrill, that feeling of danger, though - as she now admitted - she could sometimes overdo it. And large doses of it weren't very good for you.

[Sapphire]

"Yes, Fhire, I'm fine, thanks,"

Jazz's voice was distant, far away. She knew her friend didn't feel like talking and she wasn't about to disturb that. She plonked herself down next to Jazz. She smiled slightly at her friend. Jazz was always there for her and know she would be here for Jazz.

"You?"

Sapphire thought for a second and pondered the best answer for that. How was she. She was.......tired truthfully, but not as tired as Jazz. She was actually in quite a good mood though, despite whatever morbid thoughts had been running through her mind a couple of minutes age. "I am actually quite good. I could be worse. Could be better. So so, you know?"

She smiled as she heard Roseanna running walking up the stairs.

"Wow...looks like I wasn't the only one who wanted to think."

She smiled. "So it would seem, Rose. " She looked at Jazz who answered Rose's question in the same distant voice. Poor Jazz!

[Rose]

"Hello, Rose." Jazz had said in a distant voice. Rose raised her eyebrows. Obviously Jasmin had a lot on her mind. And Rose had a pretty good idea what it was on. Goddess, with the diplomatic trip to the Yamani Islands coming up, anyone would be rightly justified to be so distant.

"So it would seem, Rose."

Rose smiled back at Fhire.

"Yes, I guess we all have a lot on our minds. With the trip comingup to the Yamani Islands, I think we all have lots to think about. Speaking of which, lets talk about the trip. Will we or will we not be traveling to the Emperors Palace?" she asked.

[Jazz]

"I am actually quite good. I could be worse. Could be better. So so, you know?"

Jazz smiled, peeling her eyes away from the wonderous sight below to meet Sapphire's eyes. "I know how you feel. And it's good to hear that you're okay. Just don't get too happy. Before you know it, we're back in the Islands where facial expressions are frowned upon." She spoke quietly and calmly, but she didn't seem so distant anymore. Now she was having a conversation. She swung her legs around the rail, so that she back was to the view, and she was facing the inside of the platform. Not as much of a precarious positation, even though she was only supporting herself with one hand. But Jasmin was a fighter, and her balance was excellent.

"Yes, I guess we all have a lot on our minds. With the trip comingup to the Yamani Islands, I think we all have lots to think about. Speaking of which, lets talk about the trip. Will we or will we not be traveling to the Emperors Palace?"

She made a face at Roseanna, but she was only joking. "Yes, we will. We leave in a week, sail from Port Legann to the main harbour at the capital in the Islands. We will be escorted through the city to the palace, and we all have to stay there. Even Fhire and myself, and we have homes in the city. Oh, and when we get there, we will meet the Emperor seperately. I know it sounds a bit strange, but, you know," she explained shrugging. "Fhire and I will go first, together, and then you, Rose, unless someone get's injured, in which case they will go next so that they can finish quickly."

[Rose]

"Yes, we will. We leave in a week, sail from Port Legann to the main harbour at the capital in the Islands. We will be escorted through the city to the palace, and we all have to stay there. Even Fhire and myself, and we have homes in the city. Oh, and when we get there, we will meet the Emperor seperately. I know it sounds a bit strange, but, you know," she explained shrugging. "Fhire and I will go first, together, and then you, Rose, unless someone get's injured, in which case they will go next so that they can finish quickly."

Rose nodded.

"So I go in by myself, correct?" she said. She added a mental note to herself to refresh her memory on Yamani Ettiquette. She hadn't studied it since she was knighted, and it probably wouldn't hurt her to study up on it. Jazz would probably help if she needed it.

"And what exactly are we going to be diplomatic about? Is there a specific reason? I mean, I know I'm going to speak to the Emperor about Cynthia, but what else?" she asked.

[Sapphire]

"I know how you feel. And it's good to hear that you're okay. Just don't get too happy. Before you know it, we're back in the Islands where facial expressions are frowned upon."

Sapphire smiled, glad that her friend was taking part in the conversation. She tweaked a curl and tilted her head, "It won't be that bad. And besides my expression never gets frowned at!" she grinned up at Rose, "Also think of it this way, with our dear Rosy organising there won't be a glitch!" She was actually looking forward to the upcoming trip. Tortall was home know, but it was going to be lovely to go back to her roots.

"And what exactly are we going to be diplomatic about? Is there a specific reason? I mean, I know I'm going to speak to the Emperor about Cynthia, but what else?"

Sapphire smiled. This was her part of the plot. This was where she fit in. And that suited her fine. "Well, we would be reviving the peace treaty that was brought about around 10-20 years ago. Basically making sure that all runs smooth."

[Rose]

"I know how you feel. And it's good to hear that you're okay. Just don't get too happy. Before you know it, we're back in the Islands where facial expressions are frowned upon."

It won't be that bad. And besides my expression never gets frowned at! Also think of it this way, with our dear Rosy organising there won't be a glitch!"

Rose laughed lightly at Sapphire's last comment.

"Well, thanks for that vote of confidence." she said with a grin. "But I'm definitly going to need to freshen up on my Yamani Ettiquette in that small amount of time. I haven't studied it since I was a page. Long time ago ya know." she said.

"Well, we would be reviving the peace treaty that was brought about around 10-20 years ago. Basically making sure that all runs smooth."

Rose rolled her eyes. She hated peace talks, but they were a necessity.

"How...fun." she said dryly, though her eyes danced. "I simply cannot wait to begin." she said with a wink.

[Sapphire]

"But I'm definitly going to need to freshen up on my Yamani Ettiquette in that small amount of time. I haven't studied it since I was a page. Long time ago ya know."

"It's not that hard, just don't be un-ladylike and don't ever raise your voice and you will be fine," she said a little to sarcastically.

"I simply cannot wait to begin."

Sapphire grinned and shook her head, everything that Roseanna hated about peace talks sapphire loved. Debate was one of her favourite things to do. Sorting out problems, mending what was broken. It was as exhilarating to her as it was meaningless to Rose.

"I happen to love peace talk Rosie. And besides, someone has to do it!"

[Rose]

"It's not that hard, just don't be un-ladylike and don't ever raise your voice and you will be fine."

Rose sighed inwardly. All the things that her mother had drilled into her head about being a lady were about to come into practice. Except her mother had been extremely displeased when Rose decided to become a Lady Knight instead of the Lady her mother wanted her to be. Being a Lady meant dressing up in finery and frippery, which Rose loved to do...sometimes.

"Well then, that doesn't seem so hard. I can pull that off easily." she said with a grin.

"I happen to love peace talk Rosie. And besides, someone has to do it!"

Rose laughed. Fhire was indeed wonderful at debate. And when she got started at debating something, it seemed like hours before she would finally finished.

"And who better to do the peace talks than you Fhire? You're perfect at it. Thank the Gods you're coming with us." she said, smiling at her friend.