>>6114547Off to the side, slightly obscured by cloth, there is another painting, tempting you with the proposition of revealing the unknown. On impulse, you lift the veil, inspecting the image as you did the others. This one is much older than many of the works on display by decades - perhaps even centuries. It is a rustic painting made with lesser skill but a deep passion, portraying a young darthiir woman. Epitomizing sylvan beauty, she is lithe, with chestnut hair and full lips. It takes but a moment for you to realize that this is a picture of Arara, at a point in her life when she was younger than Ilanis. Shaking your head, your eyes wander downwards to the bottom of the image's frame where you spot the title:
<span class="mu-i">Aestar</span> - 'One Heart.' The best translation in the human language would be 'True Love' or mayhaps 'Marriage.'
A sudden illness overtakes you, as though some sort of baleful curse has been placed upon you by a malevolent deity. Your heart knocks against your ribs, as though eager to escape, and your stomach threatens to revolt by ejecting its contents unless pacified. You are overreacting. The age of this abominable <span class="mu-s">thing</span> is definitive proof that it is all in the past. There is simply no way that he... and she...
"Ah. Hello Sindiira. Your hair is different," says Amaranth with the slightest tinge of disappointment as he approaches from the other side of the room. Pivoting to face him, you muster your strength to put on a stoic expression, nodding toward him. "I apologize for the mess. With Lael succeeding me as the High Sorcerer, I am obliged to turn over ownership of the tower to him. I..." he pauses meaningfully, taking a pensive look at his surroundings. "... am merely packing away the remainder of my belongings before I depart. There are a few things that I believe we should discuss," he mentions vaguely. Exhaling deeply, your successfully retain your composure, looking him in the eye to address him.
You may choose no more than three.
>I want to make my feelings clear to him in detail this time. To explain to him why he is without equal in my eyes.>It is time for me to confess. That I am not Sindiira Torani. I am Jezyrene, and I have deceived him and everyone else - for legitimate reasons.>That painting of Arara... the two of them... are they...?>He seems to have something that he would like to tell me. By all means, he has my undivided attention.>I recently purchased a device, and would greatly appreciate if he could explain the mechanics of its operation to me...>[Write-in.] 