the long road

* this is a sideblog to thexunseenxone. alea | djinn | sub-class ghula " Hello there, restless wind. Please pick me up off my feet just one last time and take me where you've gotta go. I've been tied to a mast, anchored to a shore Buried in the earth and rooted to the floor. Just take me from here. "

[aleaghxla-blog]

zaidxalmuluk:

— Expecting more of a … vehement reaction on her part, Zaid mentally BRACES himself for the harsh, psychological impact of her words. In his experience, women are notorious for overreacting and pitching fits when things don’t go their way. But in Kaf, those in possession of royal lineage are given far more leeway than their commoner counterparts. And Alea — she certainly doesn’t fall under the former category, her family and station in life considerably average when compared to his own. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t capable of hysterics or tantrums, which is why he anticipates her throwing one upon seeing him after so many years of evasion … 

… And yet nothing of the sort happens. Just the opposite, actually.

At her muttered response, the marid NARROWS his eyes and purses his lips, white lines of ire bracketing his mouth. 

Wasted his time, has he? 

She wishes.

But before he can SAY as much — as he longs to, along with a few other, choice words - Alea declares the conversation over and beats a hasty retreat toward the elevator, her actions signifying an end to their brief exchange. 

Mouth falling open in shock, he stares after her retreating back, almost in a daze. But then his fury rekindles, and he immediately sets off after her, reaching her just as she punches the elevator button in her haste to escape. And when the double doors ding, then slide open, he abruptly grabs her by the shoulders and pushes her inside, waiting only until the doors have closed again before herding her up against the wall, trapping her against it with his own body. “Then say nothing,” he BITES out, fingers tightening around her shoulders as he leans his face down close to hers. “And yield to me.” Then he swoops in for the kill, taking her mouth in a kiss of such ferocity that their teeth knock together —

Deep and wet and intense, a melding of lips that defies aversion, the indent of her teeth in his bottom lip leaving small, bloodied welts in the wake of his ferocity. 

But he doesn’t mind — because he finally has her RIGHT where he wants her, where he’s always wanted her.

— Praying he doesn’t follow her — but knowing him, he won’t be able to resist; he’s the type of person who can’t stand not having his way, too used to other people, weak-minded djinn, mostly, clinging to his every word and scrambling to please him — Alea makes a beeline for the nearest elevator, the sensitive skin of her nape prickling from the intense eye-lock she is trying very hard to ignore. She can practically feel the heat — and worse yet, the passionate fury —  from his stare drilling a hole into the back of her head. He was always so brutally straightforward and monarchical in his treatment of her that she very rarely could hold his gaze for longer than a few seconds, uncomfortably aware of their differences and the difficult, unwelcome situation forced upon her by his desire to add her to his harem; she was expected to willingly giving herself to a man who would never see her as anything more than a possession — at least until he decided it was time to replace her. But she couldn’t stomach the thought of the shame-filled, dismal future awaiting her if she gave into her family’s demands and took her rightful place as concubine ... and so she ran away from home, wanting only to live freely without concern for a ghula’s responsibilities.       Yet somehow, despite it all, she still ended up here.                 In the very situation she hoped to avoid.

— Fingers trembling, she presses the elevator button, and — watching as the numbers drop, one by one, until, finally, the elevator dinged, and the doors slid open — she breathes a little sigh of relief. But before she can make good on her escape, strong hands suddenly descend onto her shoulders, and she takes a few stumbling steps forward, too surprised to fight the firm hold on her shoulders. “What do you think you’re doing?” She snaps up at him, feeling a twinge of unease at how skillfully he has her trapped against the wall. “Let me go—” Alea starts to say, but then a small gasp escapes her when — without warning — his lips crash down onto hers, hot and demanding ... and intense, so intensely aggressive that their teeth smash together, hard enough to wring another gasp from her. Without thinking, she bites down hard on his bottom lip, her teeth leaving bloodied indents in his skin as she struggles to free herself from his grasp.     But it’s much harder than she thought it would be, her strength no match for his own.         “Stop,” she rasps into his mouth, desperate to end it and whatever strange warmth she can feel pooling in her belly.                Before she completely loses herself.

[asimbabbxar-blog]

           “some people say your luck is determined by the roll of the dice.” his fingers closing around the dice he nearly always kept on hand, a crooked half-smile grazed his lips. “what do you think? is our fate determined by these tiny, insignificant things?”

[aleaghxla-blog]

— “Is that true?” She can’t help but ask, unfamiliar with that particular saying. None of her people have ever said such a thing, luck rarely playing a part in determining their fate. “I thought we determined our fate ... but perhaps I was wrong. I did overhear a woman tell another that Lady Luck is smiling down on her ... ” At the time, she questioned it — but if those dice really did have something to do with it ...

[aleaghxla-blog]

holang-ix:

“It’s a human tradition,” Ki-Woong pointed out, as if that explained why some might not care about establishing a new year resolution. He certainly didn’t. “Human traditions are odd.” But she did have a point - kind of. The idea itself was rather interesting. “Do resolutions require you to be resolute, I wonder … ” He was resolute in his desire to find his human charge before other predators stumbled upon him, thus shortening his life by years. “And I wouldn’t bother with a GPS - they tend to glitch all over the place.” Or maybe that had more to do with the fact that he was prone to technological mishaps.  

— She doesn’t know how to respond at first, a little caught off guard by the boy’s comment. Does it being a human tradition mean that others don’t take it as seriously? But — being quite familiar with the djinn community, it doesn’t really surprise her to find that someone clearly not human doesn’t intend to celebrate the new year or truly make a resolution of their own. “Some are,” Alea acknowledges, really not all that acquainted with human customs; just this one, but only slightly. “And I would like to think so. Why else would they name them resolutions if they don’t intend for you to be resolved in doing what is needed to achieve your goal?” Otherwise, it just doesn’t make sense.

— A glitchy GPS — not exactly what she’s hoping for. “I get so easily turned around as it is — I’d rather not have such a thing compound the issue even further.” And with her luck, that’s what it would do ... compound the issue.

[aleaghxla-blog]

lucienxstratos:

“KIND OF GETTING PERSONAL THERE, DON’T YOU THINK?” He quirked an eyebrow, not entirely serious but at the same time reluctant to engage in talk of new year resolutions and the hope and good luck they were expected to bring. “HUH. BY INDEPENDENT, DO YOU MEAN NO MORE MOOCHING OFF RELATIVES OR STRANGERS?” But mooching was a hard habit to break. It’d take great determination on her part to see it through. “I’M HOPING TO HAVE AT LEAST TWELVE KIDS BY THE END OF THE NEW YEAR — NAMED AFTER THEIR RESPECTIVE MONTH.”

— “Was I?” She frowns in self-consternation, wondering if she should offer an apology for possibly offending this man by kind of getting personal. But then thinks better of it and offers a nod in response to his question. “I suppose that’s one way of looking at it.” If by mooching off relatives or strangers, he referred to her running away from home to escape an arranged union with a self-centered marid ... then yes. “I’ve always liked the thought of being able to live independently from what is expected of me.” Her stubbornness didn’t form overnight. It took years to reach that point. 

— Then, as if just realizing what he said, she blinks, a giggle slipping through parted lips. “Wait. Twelve? That seems a little excessive.”

[aleaghxla-blog]

— “I find the concept of a New Year’s resolution interesting, personally.” She takes a moment to gloss over the pamphlet the friendly woman gave her a few minutes earlier — before a small, curious smile grazes her lips, and she lifts her head to ask, “What resolution have you settled on for the coming year? I hope to become more independent myself ... and learn how to navigate my way around a map, GPS or no GPS.” She’s only just recently learned what a GPS — global positioning system — is.

[aleaghxla-blog]

zaidxalmuluk:

— Standing with his feet braced slightly apart, arms hanging loosely by his sides in a display of nonchalance he is far from feeling, Zaid gazes down at her in INCENSED silence, the muscles in his fingers cramping as he contemplates seizing her by the arms to give her a firm shake. He’s finally found her after years of searching, and the only thing she can think to ask is what are you doing here? The NERVE! “Come now, Alea. I believe you to be an intelligent woman. Surely you know why I’m here.” His voice trembles slightly with barely leashed fury, but he’s had centuries to learn how to control it. Centuries of squeezing the life out of the violent anger that must have found a home in him the instant of his birth. 

But Alea … 

… SOMETHING about her has always incited his more uncontrollable emotions, threatening to turn them loose on everything within the vicinity. 

And yet he’s never once considered the merit of physically punishing her for daring to put him through this. Laying his hands on her in violence has never appealed to him.

“I’ve obviously come for you.” With every harshly uttered word, his ACCENT grows thicker, an indication of the intensity of his feelings for her and this situation.

— She wants so badly to deny his claim, but the truth is she knows exactly why he’s traveled so far away from home — and why he’s currently standing opposite of her, his imposing presence bringing a flush to her face.      She dislikes how he makes her feel, dislikes it on a level of such intensity that her heart feels seconds away from bursting free of her chest.          Squeezing her eyes shut, as if to pretend he doesn’t exist in this narrow field of vision she deliberately forges in her futile attempt to ignore something that refuses to be ignored, Alea takes a deep, shuddering breath and lets it out before finally opening dark brown eyes that flicker with an irritated kind of weariness, then pins him with a pointed, bitter look.            “I have an idea, yes,” she mutters, wanting this overdue confrontation to be over with so she can finally move on with her life. “But you’ve wasted your time, I’m afraid.” She has absolutely no intentions of returning to Kaf with him — or going anywhere with him for that matter. “I have nothing more to say to you.” 

— Seeking an end to this train wreck of a conversation, the ghula spins on her heels and begins to walk, at a fast pace, in the direction of the elevator, wanting to put as much distance between her and Zaid as humanly possible.               She’s had enough excitement for one day.

[zaidxalmuluk-blog]

For aleaghxla

— Days have passed since his search led him to cross the desert, thus taking that first step into the heart of Las Vegas, leashed hinns scenting the air every few steps in order to find his missing betrothed. Days with no sign of her PRESENCE. Days of disappointments and frustrations, both threatening to boil over. And this day should have gone much the same way. Perhaps it would have if the hinns didn’t manage to pick up a scent as familiar as their own, a SCENT which led him to the lobby of a grand hotel. 

And surprise, SURPRISE — in that lobby stands the very woman he’s searched all over the world for, both theirs and this one.

“lam naraka mundhu muddah, Alea,” Zaid greets coolly, dark eyes narrowed on the beautiful face of the ghula responsible for driving him away from his home. “You look … well.” Well doesn’t do her justice. But exquisite —  exquisite is far more appropriate for the feelings she ROUSES in him. 

Desire … and fury.

[aleaghxla-blog]

— Homeless is a concept she’s never had much cause to research before. But arriving in a new, heavily populated city with absolutely no funds to her name — and no family or support system to fall back on; although it has been that way since long before the humans took her captive — has opened her eyes to the cruelty of fate and what she intends for the ones who so carelessly go against her wishes. But instead of surrendering to hopelessness, as most would have done by now, Alea slowly makes her way through the large, elegantly decorated lobby of one of several grand hotels scattered throughout Las Vegas, cautious of her surroundings.       In a crowd this size, it’s easy to lose oneself.          But not Alea. She’s learned over the years never to allow herself to become distracted. Distractions too often lead to mistakes, and mistakes can be fatal.              And yet, h e — of all people — still manages to catch her completely off guard.

— With a sharp gasp, Alea whirls to face him, hand immediately going to her throat. It’s been years since she last laid eyes on her betrothed, and she can’t help but notice that he hasn’t changed a bit in all that time. He’s still just as handsome and as imposing as she remembers him to be. “Zaid,” she whispers, not wanting to draw further attention to herself. “What are you doing here?”

[aleaghxla-blog]

potniaxtheron:

Watching as the woman claimed the seat beside her, Artemis tilted her head in question at her muttered comment. There was truth to her words, but the nervousness she sensed surrounding the stranger called to her far more strongly than this truth she’d offered in lieu of a greeting. “Inescapable - an interesting word.” It said quite a lot about the bearer of such interesting words.

“Nothing is ever truly inescapable. Where there is a will, there is a way.” She’d always liked that saying and felt it would be an appropriate addition to their conversation. “You just have to look for it.” She was no longer talking about nature versus nurture - not when she could sense … almost skittish undertones in her speech.

— Biting her bottom lip as she considers the woman’s words, Alea ducks her head, the long curtain of dark brown hair hiding her expression from view. It gives her some semblance of privacy, security even — enough that she feels comfortable enough voicing what has been on her mind for weeks now. “True enough, but some ... things have proven much harder to escape than others.”          Her whispered words are rife with disquietness, but a hesitant smile graces her lips when she shoots the woman a sideways glance. “I-I apologize ... It was never my intention to saddle you with my troubles.”                 Even if done unintentionally, she still feels guilty for allowing herself to fall victim to the unease living in her heart, just begging to be released.

[aleaghxla-blog]

potniaxtheron:

Sitting on a bench in the middle of the park, Artemis watched people come and go, lips tipping up into a small smile when she noticed little girls clinging to the hands of their parents; innocence untouched. 

“How sweet,” she said, looking down at the thick, hardback book titled Nature Versus Nurture; Which One Prevails? propped open in her lap. “Nature versus nurture, huh? An interesting subject.”

— It’s a beautiful day. A cloudless sky stretches as far as the eye can see while the sun bathes all who stand beneath it in the warm, yellow glow of its light. But Alea finds it hard to relax despite it all; she still worries over the possibility of him tracking her to this city. And so when another woman decides to speak up in that moment, she tenses without realizing it, but then forces herself to relax as soon as she realizes this stranger means her no harm. So far. “Nature too often proves inescapable,” she mutters and quietly takes the seat beside her, hands folded primly in her lap as she watches the children play on the swingset with such abandon, envious and wistful of their obliviousness.

[aleaghxla-blog]

drakongoch:

Drakon had considered himself homeless for so long, having fled from his family at such a young age that her innocent question brings up a lot emotion. But over 2000 years has to mean something and so he nods, trying to ignore the fact that his mind is flooded with thoughts. “Yes, that’s where I’ve lived most of my life. Been here a couple weeks.” He could almost ignore the blanks in his memory of the last couple of years if not for the fact that he occasionally recalled flashes. “Feels like the blink of an eye a day does.” As you aged moments seemed to fade into the background unless they were spectacularly interesting. “Oh, how rude of me. Pleasure to meet you, I’m Drakon.” Carefully he reached out, gently taking her hand with a careful shake, but just as quickly as it been extended it was back at his side.

“Only the truth,” he responds. “Freedom is something to appreciate,” he agreed quietly. “And this world is rather amazing, no matter how much of it you see that feeling will never fade.” Amazing and horrific all at once, but all the same it was awe-inspiring. “Truth be told, I haven’t a clue. Suppose you just take the time to find your footing.”

— How hard it must be to adjust to a new city with a significantly different culture. The only reason Alea herself hasn’t become overwhelmed by her new living arrangements, not including her habit of getting lost whenever she’s trying to locate something or other, is because she’s used to moving around. But then Las Vegas is nothing like Hungary ... or Kaf, for that matter. “It certainly does,” she agrees soberly. “Time flows ... differently where I’m originally from, so it took quite a bit to grow accustomed to how quickly a day passes in the realm of man.” It took longer mostly because she spent her days seeking refuge where she could — until her capture. Only then was she finally given the chance to breathe ... when they weren’t experimenting on her. “The pleasure’s mine, Drakon.” It’s a quick handshake, but she doesn’t mind. She’s just happy to have met a friendly, helpful face among the others who simply can’t be bothered. 

—“Excellent advice,” she adds with a smile. For what it’s worth. “I imagine it will take time, but I’m not exactly running short on time, so it should be fine.” They’re a long-lived people. Time is the one thing they rarely must concern themselves with. “But I suppose I should get going now. I wouldn’t want to take up more of your time than I already have.” Waving her hand in a gesture of farewell, Alea starts to walk in the direction he originally pointed out, more confident in her ability to find her destination than she was when she first hailed him down — and if she gets lost again? ... Well, she has all the time in the world to find her footing.

[rebeccaxtorres]

She could read the surprise on the other’s lips and cursed internally, it wouldn’t do well to have someone questioning her after all. “Oh it’s not problem, dear.” The smile is small but well faked enough that someone might interpret it to be genuine especially when paired with the soft gentle tone of her voice. “I don’t mind, or I most certainly would not have offered.” Her words were punctuated by a soft laugh, airy in nature.

“Good, sometimes others complain that my words are too lofty.” The smile was still on her face though now she appeared more amused whereas before one might have taken her as comforting. It was true what she said, her coworkers and occasionally even her victims complained about her rather excessive use of words of all sizes. “But the people who make the profit off of the tourists need somewhere to spend their money and as a rule they’re not willing to shop where the tourists do.” The humans here seemed to exist in two different worlds, only colliding where necessary and it was almost magical. Not quite though, for she had witnessed magic and it was far superior to anything the humans had created. “Neither have I so all is forgiven. Pleasure to meet you Alea, I’m Doc-” She cut herself off, realizing that she had started to introduce herself as she might to a patient. “Sorry, still have my work brain switched on evidently. I’m Rebecca.”

[aleaghxla-blog]

— Relieved to have found someone willing to show her the way, Alea breathes a soft sigh of relief and smiles. “You’re a real life-saver.” In more ways than one. “And I had no idea humans led such complicating lives or followed their own codes of conduct not necessarily verbalized.” It’s obvious that there is still much to learn regarding humans and their cultures — which isn’t surprising, since what she currently knows stems more from the time she spent with the humans, under lock and key. Because, before then, she was constantly on the run and didn’t have time to stop and take everything in. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Rebecca,” she adds cheerfully, wondering what the other woman does for a living. “What do you do — if you don’t mind me asking?”

[drakongoch]

“Rates of success only rise with practice,” he said with a wry smile. At first he hadn’t been able to find anything but now even after only a few weeks of wandering, he was familiar enough with what he needed to be. “They used to indeed, or at least the people of Wales did.” Though he couldn’t speak for the rest of the world, he could clearly remember the people in the nearest village depending on constellations for directions and the sun for time. He didn’t see why that couldn’t still work aside from it seeming a bit strange in the modern society. “Only thing you have to lose is time but you never truly lose that.” You lose time but gain memories - and even if you’re lost he reckoned that you could still experience wonderful things.

“Well, I live to be helpful.” He returns the smile with his own beaming grin. The human side of his nature had always loved being helpful to contribute to his sense of purpose. “Most certainly not, after all one who was doltish surely wouldn’t wish to learn.” He had met people and creatures alike who knew very little and had no desire to expand their knowledge and in his opinion they were the very worst sort. “I did and it wasn’t so hard after all. I suppose I need a readjustment period to get used to the idea of being lost and wrong.” It had been a long time since he hadn’t know where he was.

[aleaghxla-blog]

— He has a point. If she gives up long before she’s given herself enough time to learn something new ... then hasn’t she been a failure from the very beginning? If you don’t try at all, you fail. It’s simple, really. But sometimes, it’s just easier to turn a blind eye to anything not within the boundaries of their comfort zone. “Is that where you’re from — Wales?” She isn’t worldly; she doesn’t know where some of these locations can be found. That doesn’t stop her from asking, though. Because curiosity is something not so easily curbed. “Time does seem to fly by awfully fast here.” Kaf was different. Time slowed in Kaf. A year in the realm of mortals equals a week in the land of Kaf. “But you raise some excellent points ... “ She pauses suddenly, a frown grazing her lips when she realizes she doesn’t know his name. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced? I’m Alea.” She holds out her hand to him, a gesture she saw many humans do when they greeted people for the first time.

— “You’re kind to say so,” Alea says lightheartedly, referring to his comment about her not being doltish. “It’s just ... I find this world so confusing at times, but it’s something worth marveling at as well? And, well, I feel ... free,” she finishes on a whisper but then shakes her head sheepishly. “Pay me no mind.” And, as if to get her point across, she immediately seizes the opportunity for a subject change. “How does this readjustment period work?” She isn’t quite familiar with that term and what it may entail.

[rebeccaxtorres]

What she sees on the other’s face is  a mixture of confusion and concentration and in a brief moment of kindness, Rebecca felt worried that the other would get lost. The streets of Las Vegas were very busy and even the simplest of directions could be forgotten or misunderstood. Resisting the temptation to glance at her watch to check the time for she didn’t want to appear rude, she made a split second decision to offer her further assistance. “If you’d like, I could walk you in the direction? I am headed that way for an appointment anyways.” There was no appointment but the other certainly didn’t need to know that, after all no harm, no foul.

“Most tourists wouldn’t, what with there being a whole industry in this town that claims to be able to provide everything you need.” Said industry was an utter scam in Rebecca’s mind, just yet another example of greed and selfishness though not the worst one she had ever witnessed. “It makes more sense if you take into consideration that the tourist shops are only concerned with profit and there’s a high turn-over rate with them due to a lack of quality. Whereas the local stores rely on locals and thus have to focus on a steady profit but also a reputation for honesty and high-quality wares.” It was ridiculous and unfair, but not completely incomprehensible. 

[aleaghxla-blog]

— Feeling rather guilty for keeping the other woman from whatever it is she’s in the middle of doing — it looked like she had a set destination in mind when she first hailed her down — Alea isn’t expecting her to actually offer to show her the way, so when she does, she blinks, lips parting slightly in surprise, before she gives a quick nod of relief. “That would be wonderful, thank you.” But then she frowns when she realizes her state of hopelessness would be affecting someone else. “Oh, but I wouldn’t want to trouble you any more than I already have.” She never wants to be looked at or thought of as a bother, but sometimes it can’t be helped.

— “That makes sense,” she says softly, mulling over the woman’s words. Human cultures are beyond her understanding; she’s tried to learn about them so that she can imitate them with some success — to better blend in — but she hasn’t been very successful with it. But hearing about such things from another person gives her hope that maybe, just maybe, she isn’t a total lost cause. “It must be quite difficult for the local stores to compete with the shops that supposedly cater to the tourists, especially since this city seems to make the most profit off of tourists.” So even humans have their own share of problems. How strange to sympathize with them when so many were responsible for her capture. But then, not every human participated. Just as not every djinn wished for her enslavement. But there’s still a part of her who despises both species. “Oh!” She exclaims suddenly as her gaze finds the woman once again. “Where are my manners? I haven’t yet introduced myself, have I?” She’s been terribly remiss. “I’m Alea.”

[drakongoch]

He chuckled at her joke, a deep rich chuckle with a smile that slid across his face similar to how butter slides across hot toast. “Oh how I wish there were such a thing, it would truly make life much easier.” He shook his head to indicate that he didn’t mind answering her question while pondering over how to word his answer. “Honestly, I don’t. I go to the same places, travel in straight lines. Trial and error though I suppose if I were somewhere I could see the stars in the sky, I’d use astronomy to help me travel along my way.”

“I’ll try to learn for the both of us, I’ve adjusted to light switches so the rest shouldn’t be too much of a problem.” Which probably sound ridiculous to humans and even Drakon couldn’t pretend that it was true, after all technology had only gotten more complicated after the invention of light switches. “Perfect,” he mumbled, tapping the letters to spell it out before pressing the little magnifying button to search. His eyes lit up when directions popped onto the screen. “It isn’t a problem at all, is only what people should do. And I was totally wrong about the directions earlier.”

[aleaghxla-blog]

— It’s a relief to know she isn’t the only one who thinks it would be a good, clever method of finding their way around an unfamiliar area. But too bad for them; it’s still an impossible dream — a p i p e dream even. Maybe if she invests in a dreamcatcher, she’ll be able to catch the dream itself and breathe actual life into it. She gives an inward shake of her head, both disbelief and amusement filling her at the direction her thoughts have taken. “For me, there would be more error than trial, I’m afraid,” she answers lightly. But she can also see the appeal in using astronomy. “And ironically, human technology hasn’t always been around, so they may have used your way once upon a time.” If she recalls, humans used to follow the north star — supposedly the brightest star in the sky. “But this trial and error method ... Maybe I’ll give it a try. What do I have to lose?” It isn’t like she isn’t lost anyway, so getting even more lost won’t be that much of a hassle.

— “That would be most helpful, yes.” She offers him a small, slightly amused smile. Whatever he learns, maybe he can share it with her, and she won’t feel so ... so ... inadequate. “You must think me a little ... doltish.” Who can blame him? Even she’s beginning to think of herself as doltish. But when he accomplishes what he originally set out to do, his expression saying as much, she peers at the brightly lit screen, curious by how it works. “Oh! You got it to work, then?” There are words typed neatly across it, so he must have. “And I wouldn’t worry overmuch about being wrong. It happens to the best of us.” Even her, especially her.

[rebeccaxtorres]

Rebecca had long ago secured the ability of acting as if none of the sights around her were anything to be surprised or amazed by. To go along with this skill she had learned to learn cities quickly, memorizing maps so that they seemed like the back of her own hand. So it came to no surprise that despite living their only for a matter of months since being offered this new job, Las Vegas had already become a type of home for her. She had become so numb to all that it had to offer that she wasn’t surprised when a stranger called out to her looking rather lost, instead she felt herself feeling rather annoyed.

She nodded to indicate that she knew where the Venetian Hotel was located while mentally mapping out the most simple directions to give the other. This granted her a moment to look her over - deciding that she wasn’t completely hopeless in what to the other girl might be a heartbeat but she had long forgotten what her own beating heart had felt like. “Of course, you’re going to want to go three blocks that way then turn left and if you walk that way, it’ll be on your left.” She paused for a moment, “If you go to a non-tourist shop, a bookstore on the corner of the strip and Sands to be specific, you should be able to acquire a more helpful map.”

[aleaghxla-blog]

— Reading body language has always come easy to Alea, considering how much of her time was spent running from the marid and his hinn. Not only that, but living with the kind of family she did ... if she didn’t become proficient at it, she would have been found out a lot sooner — her desire to leave Kaf and everything she’s ever known far, far behind her. So, while this woman she manages to flag down actually agrees to aid her without argument, Alea can practically sense her annoyance. But then, having a complete stranger come up to you, asking for directions, is likely to annoy anyone, especially if they’re currently busy doing something else.

— When the other woman nods, a gesture of affirmation, she breathes a sigh of relief. Maybe now she’ll be able to reach her intended destination in time to sign up for the gondola rides. So many people have suggested she look into going so many times this past week that she feels she has no choice now — not with such a glowing recommendation. “Three blocks ... that way ... “ She absently points in the direction the woman is talking about, delicate lines of concentration forming between her brows. “I see. Thank you,” she adds, grateful for her aid. But when she also suggests she visit a non-tourist shop in hopes of acquiring a more helpful map, Alea’s eyes widen slightly, but then she frowns, thinking it over. The stranger has a point. She’s in desperate need of a new map, one that won’t be nearly as confusing as this travesty of a map. “I would have never known to visit a non-tourist shop. I wasn’t even aware they carried tourist maps.” But that’s probably not the only thing she doesn’t know. She releases a soft laugh and shakes her head. “Don’t you find it ironic how tourists would find better anythings in non-tourist shops? It makes little sense.”

[drakongoch]

“Maps can be rather useless but that one is a whole new level of bad. Challenged only perhaps by the maps of old that depicted the world is flat,” he agreed, nodding slightly. He had avoided using maps for the most part - travelling in straight lines and going only to the same handful of places but he understood the frustration - this city seemed like a maze with no correct way out. 

He chuckled slightly as a blush rose onto his cheeks. “I’m terrible with technology - more of habit than actual reasoning I suppose.” It was rather embarrassing to admit that he had never adapted to the technology, but it all still seemed so foreign to him. “Ah okay there’s the maps application. You said the Venetian Hotel, correct?” Drakon was almost certain that’s what she had said but he needed to make sure.

[aleaghxla-blog]

— It’s good to know that she isn’t alone in her confusion; she’s even tempted to write a strongly worded letter to the shop and ask that they distribute easier-to-read maps, because this one doesn’t meet the mark. “Perhaps I ought to invest in an internal compass,” Alea replies jocosely and shakes her head. She’s not nearly naive enough to believe such a thing is easily acquired - one must be born with it, yes? - but the concept itself is rather interesting. “How do you manage to get around in an unknown area without using a map, if you don’t mind the intrusive nature of my question?” Surely there’s an easier way than this.

— “We have that in common, then.” It doesn’t matter how it came about; just because she has a legitimate reason for having little knowledge of how technology works doesn’t change the fact that she too is terrible with it. “And yes — the Venetian Hotel.” A smile of relief touches her lips as she peers in slight fascination at the brightly lit screen. Humans certainly are capable of amazing feats. “I thank you for your kindness in offering your assistance ... I really do appreciate it.” He doesn’t realize just how much of a life-saver he really is.

[drakongoch]

Drakon was still slightly lost looking around the bright world that was Las Vegas - it was so very different from the empty cave and hills that he had called home for so many years. When someone called out, he turns to look at them slowly approaching feeling a sense of trepidation - after all the world wasn’t nearly as safe as it once had been. He stood next to her - glancing briefly at the map and almost bristling at how obtusely confusing it appeared.

“Oh um, well I’m not entirely sure but I believe that it’s three streets over,” he offered though he was almost sure it came out as more of a question than an actual answer. “I could be wrong - oh hold on maybe I can check on my smartphone.” He pulled out the phone that saleslady had told him was a good starter smartphone and struggled to unlock it with his clumsy fingers that were more acclimated to being claws than using touch screens. 

[aleaghxla-blog]

— Usually wary around males — past experiences have left her with a slightly sour taste in her mouth; certainly not the fault of this kind, helpful man — Alea unconsciously tenses at his closeness, but then slowly relaxes when it seems as though he only means to offer her assistance, nothing more. “Of course it is,” she mutters to herself, having hoped the map would lead her to the correct street. But alas, it didn’t and now she has little choice but to find her own way. As a djinn, it’s only natural to resort to magic to uncover a hidden route among the many, wrong ones. But she really wants to do this as a human. Unfortunately, the map has made that very unlikely. 

— “Does this look readable to you?” She asks as she gives the map in question a slight shake, hoping she isn’t the only one who finds it so confusing. But when he takes out his smartphone, Alea’s dark brown eyes widen in awe ... before a look of disappointment overtakes them. “I intended to purchase one for myself, but djinn and technology don’t mix well together.” Something about her innate magic damages electronics every time she touches them. In fact, she can only operate a television by using a remote, and even then, it sometimes doesn’t work.