[Closed to Rosie] Heart of the Academy.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

I am honoring the old alliances am I not?

The civil war in Corone took it's toll on neighboring lands. Even Scara Brae, and that was the reason he was there. The finely dressed gentleman was reviewing the documents in his hand. They were legal notes, deeds, information to the land he was meant to develop for Queen Valeena. The Trading Company had it's foothold in Corone itself, but they had only just started gaining influence in Scara Brae. The necessary contacts lead Elthas and his group of workers to a run down town located nearby to Valeena Lake. The glistening waters of the lake seemed to reflect the brightly shining afternoon sun. It was a pleasant day overall, fairly warm, and the wind came it slightly from the East. Elthas wore a nobleman's suit as he typically did. He was someone who favoured fashion, especially Radasanth cut fashions. His fedora was weathered and dark brown. A constant mainstay of his attire, Elthas wore it at all times and it never left his side. The suit he wore consisted of a three piece embroidered suit, a well trimmed belt with a nice buckle featuring The Trading Company emblem, and a leather trench coat. His hands were covered in black gloves that were meant for warmth more than style or combat functionality. Elthas was armed primarily with his daggers. His daggers NEVER left his side.

He wore his trench coat open that day. His suit was embroidered lightly with a gold fabric. His entire ensemble was black. He didn't wear a tie that day, instead, he wore a signet amulet that bore The Trading Company marks. Elthas felt the light breeze, his kind were sensitive to the way of nature. He was an Elf. Most importantly, he hailed from the forest of Ruild. (Concordia) Brokenthorn Forest in Scara Brae was NOT HOME, but it was a forest none the less. It would provide the materials for survival that The Trading Company would need. Elthas looked at the documentation one more time. They were just outside the town itself. It was a small town that's main attraction was the old academy. It was a school, at one time in Scara Brae's history, where the nobles of Scara Brae would send their sons and daughters to get their fine education in the way of the world. Elthas knew the drill, the town needed skilled workers. For there to be prosperity, there needed to be strong leaders. Elthas took charge of situations quickly. He looked at the various members of his party, all Trading Company workers with various degree of skills. Some were entry level workers. Elthas addressed the gathered.

"This appears to be the place. We were officially hired to help rebuild this town." Elthas explained. "We will come in, typical procedure and earn the trust of the locales. We will do whatever it takes to help get these good folks back on their feet." Elthas was a good man at heart. Though he was oft very serious, and a revolutionary, he was a good man none the less. Good men desired simple things in life. He noticed the serious expressions on the faces of the workers.

"Heard some bad stories about that place." One of the workers said.

"As have I." Elthas responded truthfully. "However, we will get to the bottom of this." Elthas moved carefully towards his companions. There were about ten Trading Company workers all together. All them had some sort of skilled training in the ranks of the growing faction. Elthas's eyes moved across his companions. He knew they were all good. A Trading Company worker was worth their weight in gold. Elthas replace the documents in his hand, the contract, back in his pack. "We will be expected to uphold the traditions and values of The Trading Company while we are here. If people need help, help them." Elthas said. "But the rebuilding of the local infrastructure, and main economic centers is the main point of interest. If we do a good job, I was told we can establish a central head quarters here in Scara Brae. But that's a secondary concern, not a primary one." Elthas said casually. "We start to work on the morrow, for the meantime your contact in the town is Elder Ryan Klemp. You are all encouraged to take the time to tour the damage in the town, and assess who needs what. I will be doing that as well, you all can rest assured. There is a particular building of interest to us." Elthas stated. "That building is an old education center. If we can get it rebuilt and augment existing facilities, the locales will realize we are here to stay." Elthas then saluted to the gathered. It was just standard protocol. He then turned towards the new comer, the girl. Elthas knew she was there to complete her initiation into The Trading Company. But also, he just wanted a friend along for the job at hand.

"How do you feel?" Elthas asked of the girl.

[Rosie]

“I’m more anxious than anything else.” Rosie answered Elthas as she approached him. It hadn’t been long since she and he discussed the opportunity to bring back the old school left behind in this town. It was once a great institution but had gone out of commission since its last operating year. “But I’m very hopeful.” She finished. Rosie carried herself very well, taking everything one step at a time and never rushing through assignments.

The day had already seemed to drag on endlessly as the Corone sun beat hot on the back of Rosie’s tender white neck. Her skin was more than pale and the sun tanned it splendidly as the young psychic needed some vitamin-d after her days spent shut up in her book store. Scara Brae was far from home for Rosie but she left her previous store front in the more than capable hands of Alister her suitor. Truth be told as she and Elthas the leader of the TTC walked into town she thought of nothing other than her mission and the inevitable move she would have to make to run the institution they planned to open.

Rosie yawned as the two entered the town, everything looked just as damaged as Elthas’ initial report had detailed. But it was a hub of activity as far as that went, children happily playing in the setting sun and more than just a few travelers wandering around. There was plenty of activity and plenty of clients for Rosie to mold into the most extravagant scholars of Althanas.

“I believe that this is the place.” Rosie said as she stopped dead a few feet in front of Elthas. She hadn’t told him of her unique abilities but she was sure that he had picked up that she was no normal girl. She was clearly smatter beyond her years and seemed to be able to read people well. Off to her left down a long dirt gravel road was a run down but inspiringly large manor. “The old Highlands Institute, what a marvelous sight.” She said taking in all its glory.

[Elthas_Belthasar]

The buildings in Scara Brae were only somewhat different than the buildings near Radasanth.

Elthas took in the environment around, the surrounding Brokenthorn forest, and carefully analyzed what he could of it all.

Last time he was in Scara Brae was many years earlier, at a different portion of his life. Time flowed different for the immortal folk of Althanas, and for Elthas, it was no different. He saw that the trees were the very same trees of his youth, and that the sky was the very same sky he always stared at. The constellations would be somewhat different, a few additions to the Scara Brae region, but nothing too drastic. The trees were a constant, no matter how much the face of Scara Brae itself changed. He then turned his attention back to Rosie. She'd spoken to him, and he had heard it all, every last word. He'd paid attention to all of his colleagues concerns. Especially the new comers to The Trading Company who were just starting their training. Elthas locked eyes with her for a long moment and nodded.

"I will protect you." For a moment, he saw a flash of Hylda Terrentius on her face. It was faint, but there, and he shrugged the image away. Hylda oft haunted him those days, perhaps as a result of getting older. Elthas was older then, and had the mindset of a gentleman and scholar. He was raised, long since prior, by a fellow named Seth Terrentius. Many moons since, a lifetime ago it now seemed. For a moment, it appeared that Elthas' eyes were haunted by ghosts of the past and his face visibly darkened. However, that moment soon passed. He continued to look at Rosie and for a moment, he heard Hylda's voice as Rosie spoke. But that moment passed soon too. Elthas was not confused, he was able to discern Hylda from Rosie, but the fact that he was seeing her at all during those waking hours bothered him quite a bit. He shook his head. "We have a lot of work to do here, but I assure you that fixing up Highland Institute is top priority on the agenda. It will take time and dedication, but it will get done." Elthas was a sincere man, and he always kept his promises. Seth taught him that much. As he stood there, he felt a warm breeze coming in from the east. The breeze, contained the sound of locals in them. Planning, waiting, afraid...perhaps of some hidden threat.

His other workers dispersed into the town moments earlier. Elthas looked at Rosie and nodded. "I'll explain the job as we go meet our contact. He's a contractor, gave me the job personally about two or three months ago." Elthas explained calmly. "I have known his family for a long time, reliable workers." It was easy to forget, because of Elthas' still youthful face, that he was well over five hundred years old. He'd come from a different age of Corone's history, but it was the Corone of his youth, the Corone of song and poetry. It was the dawning of a new age of Heroes.