Part 2 – Raavik Yaan

“Forgive me, I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Raavik Yaan.” The elderly gentleman said to the young lady as he took a bow and her hand. 

Raavik had been out of the hospital for a little over a week. He had been seeking for a way to return to the Nexus, for his master was calling him. He had somehow impressed a wealthy merchant and been invited to a party for his progeny, a daughter to be exact.

Within the week Raavik had acquired gray clothes that seemed to both be tight and loose at the same time. His gray rat eaten cloak covered his aura of elegance that no man had exudued in decades. The cloak covered this only so much that he was seen as little more than that of the wealthy merchant. 

The daughter was a bit awestruck by Raavik. For when she looked into his cool blue eyes, she saw a prince that could command legions to die and they would do so. But she also saw the wrinkled face that the eyes sat in, the face that looked as if it had seen a thousand lifetimes, seen the rise and fall of empires and even assisted in the building and reckoning of a few. She saw that he had the wisdom and power of stars . His grip was well worn, gentle, but strength and power was still emittinating through the touch of his skin. 

She felt her knees weaken and she nearly falter, but his grasp was still gripping her and she felt his strength push into her and her resolve grew beyond what she had known. What power it was. The power of ages.

She felt the need for something sweet to eat.

Raavik released his grip. Though it felt like she had spent a year with the strange man, she looked around and resumed the party after only a few seconds. She went and found a drink and sat down for a few minutes before a servant came and found her for her father’s introduction for the feast.

“Mistress, Mistress Mia? Your father is asking for you.” The servant said shaking her by the right arm. 

Mia awoke from her trance and composed herself and walked into the light of the center of the room to take her place next to her father. 

To everyone in the crowd, save one, it appeared that stars shone all around her and that the heavens themselves had taken notice of her and blessed her with exceptional youth on this night. 

Raavik Yaan stood at the back of the crowd and siphoned off one or two years off of everyone in the crowd except for the princess at the front. His elderly appearance shrank away. Now, a middle age man stood at the back of the crowd and slipped away into the shadows of the city lights.