“Wow okay than!” Harrow backtracked from the mirror and seriously regretted coming into Viren’s studies in the first place! He only came down here seeking Virens counsel but the most part was to find Viren because he borrowed his favorite fountain pen two months ago and hasn’t returned it yet.
Now he was face to face with a tall ethereal figure inside the mirror.
Aaravos did not think anyone save for Viren would be visiting him, if they even knew of his existence that was so he was not expecting to find a tall dark human gawking at him when he turned to replace a book he had been browsing through.
At first they simply stared at each other, but then Aaravos adjusted his hood, pretending to not actually see the man on the other side, curious to what he would do next.
Harrow stood there motionless as the two locked eyes. He knew the creature inside the mirror can see him because his golden eyes were fixated on him. Whatever Viren got himself into, this couldn’t be good! It must be some sort of conjuring spell he used with the help of dark magic!
He straightened back with his shoulders squared and his head held high to showcase the crown. Harrow wasn’t the kind of king who would strut is crown around to bluster his title to anyone, to make himself feel powerful. But now he felt like he needed too. An inexplicable unknown reason why to show this creature that he’s the King, not knowing why but somehow this creature was beyond him. Something powerful and something ancient.
“Who are you?!” Harrow commanded in a voice that would send his legion of men to their knees. “Who summoned you?!”
Aaravos dropped the pretending he couldn’t see the man on the other side as he saw that the man was not fooled by him.
Instead the startouch allowed a slow smirk to creep along his lips and tug at the corner of his mouth. His golden eyes watched the dark man puff himself up and noting the crown atop his head he was no doubt the king of wherever his mirror had been taken. Viren did not mention much if anything about it nor had he thought to inquire about it up until this point as there was no need.
Harrow’s lips were moving and Aaravos could understand him as he was quite skilled at reading lips. But he faked not understanding and raised one starry hand to his pointed elven ear, giving it a flick before tilting his head, miming that he could not hear him. Which was actually true for that part.
Harrow growled knowing the creature was mocking him. He gripped the rims of the mirror than he blinked when the creature smirked devilishly tapping his ear. “I see then.” He pulled back his hands and his eyes narrowing in realization.”You can see me but you can’t hear me.” For some reason this confirmation made him feel slightly better as if the creature on the other side wasn’t as omnipotent and this mirror was keeping him bound. Somehow he knew this…
Aaravos nodded as the king made the realisation out loud that he could not hear him.
Lowering his hand the elf backed away from the mirror and looked about his library. He most likely could persuade the man to perform the same ritual he did with Viren but perhaps there was another way. One in which would allow the king to continue to feel in control of the situation. ‘Power bottom?’ he pondered as his long fingers brushed across the book he had been seeking.
Pulling it from the shelf he brought it back to the mirror. His eyes glancing up at the man as he opened the book and started searching its pages.
“Hey! Where are you going?!” Harrow barked at the retreating creature as he descended deeper into his domain. A picturesque library something out of a fairy tale storybook he used to read as a kid. Harrow pawed at the mirror his hands touching the cool glass feeling an almost desperate pull to lunge at the creature for some reason. He studied him on the other side of the glass watching him… read something?
Aaravos ignored the obviously distraught man on the other side of the mirror as he brought the book back. They would be communicating in due time, the human was just going to have to be patient, human or no.
The tall elf was flipping paged, searching for a spell that would allow them to communicate without having to go through the entire ritual he and Viren did before. As he was reading his gaze got caught by the man and he looked up. A smirk tugged at his lips and he brought one hand up to his mouth, gently licking his thumb to wet it before bringing it back down to turn the thick page of his book, his eyes never breaking away from the man until the page was completely turned. Then he cast his golden hues back down.
Aha! He had found it, perfect. He stood up tall then and lifted a hand to the man to halt him in his fussing and to pay attention to him for a moment.
Harrow gritted his teeth and inhaled sharply. No way a fountain pen was worth this!, He thought begrudgingly gazing at the tall creatures golden eyes in the mirror. His eyes were sharp and intelligent and also demanding. With his eyes, he was telling Harrow to pay attention.
Harrow squinted at the pages the book the creature was holding. It was an illustration of pastel paintings of white, blue and purple flowers. They were small and delicate the petals appear to be almost alive in the book. His heart panged recognizing the flowers and he sucked on his breath remembering-
Sarai smiled at him as beautiful as a dream as she walked down the aisle. Her dark inky black hair woven with garlands of white flowers.
The garlands of-of
“Baby breath!” Harrow breathed out.
Aaravos waited calmly, a slight encouraging smile on his face as he tilted the book for the dark man to see better.
He pointed to each item in turn.
Baby’s breath flowers, river water, a bowl and fire.
Once he was finished pointing to all the items the startouch lay the book back down and raised his hand, palm up to the man as if imploring him to find those items and return to him.
Harrow glared at the book at first not knowing what the creature would want him to do. The illustrations of the flowers, river water, a bowl, and fire were all colorfully drawn with bright pastel paints. Reminiscent of a children’s book. Harrow was glowering at it as if waiting for the pictures to “pop up”
Did the elf take him for a fool?
But quickly realizing that the elf was pointing the items, silently telling him to retrieve them.
Harrow looked up at his eyes.
“You want me to get them for you?”
Aaravos locked eyes with the man and offered an encouraging smile. This was no dark magic nor was it even a binding spell he was suggesting silently from his position on the other side of the mirror. It was purely innocent in the grand scheme of things he has done. Especially regarding the things he had done with the dark mage thus far.
He offered a small nod and stepped back awaiting the man’s decision.
Gazing at the pages and the silent answer from the elf Harrow knew this was a ritual of some sorts. Not a dark one but a ritual at the very least. He wasn’t a green man, he’d dabbled in minor forms of dark magic in his youth and the one the creature wants him to perform appears to be innocuous enough.
Perhaps the elf was trying to humor him.
Harrow smiled inwardly at that and looked up to the elf and nodded, “Alright I’ll get the items then,” I’ll play your little game. “I’ll be back,” I’m dealing with flowers. I’m outside and he’s trapped inside the mirror. He can’t harm me!
Perhaps the man did not understand as surly as he had first assumed.
So lifting his hand to his ear he gave the tip a few flicks before gesturing to the book and then to the man in hopes of him understanding this was a spell for communication.
“Oh I see,” Harrow realized tapping the mirror,” This is to allow us to communicate!” But he stopped, regaining his wits. Was it such a good idea to have the elf speak and that he was able to hear him? There is great power in someone’s voice and one of the few things Viren has taught him. Well if worst comes to worst he can always shatter the mirror or toss it over a waterfall. He had multiple backup plans.
The diamonds on his cheeks sparkled brightky as Aaravos smiled finally seeing that the man understood his intentions.
He read his lips with ease and nodded along then turned and walked away from the mirror to gesture at the door that led to his library before coming back and replacing the book back in uts respective place on a shelf.
