Excavation

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

Daniel Carter: -Emain Macha loomed in the distance as glorious as it had been described to him. The buildings were dizzyingly high, the streets packed with people, and the castle most magnificent in structure. The young and ambitious acheologist took a moment to adjust his glasses to cut off the glare from the sun. "It's... well it's not what I expected." He said aloud, but not talking about the capital. The gargantuan silver-scaled Wyrm beside him chuckled which coming from such massive lungs came out as more of a rumble. "Not what you expected, Daniel? And just what did you expect, a set of finely preserved ruins for you to study?" Daniel craned his neck to look up at the looming beast with pretend annoyance. "That's how I like my cities. Deserted and crumbling." (C)-
Daniel Carter: -He retorted, shifting the weight of his backpack from one shoulder to the other before giving up and setting it down. The dragon erupted in rumblings again, twitching his big silver wings and refolding them gentle over his scaled back. "I'm sorry to be a disappointment, my dear boy, but one of these days you will have to learn how to get along in cities that are currently populated." Daniel finally cracked a smile. "Enough of your sarcasm you poisonous reptile. I'm trying to work." The dragon nodded with a toothy smile, sitting perched on a rock with his long tail wrapped around his clawed feet. He coudl see Emain Macha perfectly from here, but he seemed to be the only one that wanted to. His human counterpart was below him in a small pit studying with some C)-
Daniel Carter: -considerable frustration a set of glyphs and a language no one spoke now that was scribed into the wall. "This is truly amazing, Halar." He murmured from below. The dragon yawned lazily, as if feigning aloofness at the human for a moment. "No, really, how did you find this place?" his voice had some excitement to it. Halar smiled some. "I saw it and thought you might like it." Daniel ran his fingers along the glyphs and markings beveled into the sandy rock wall in wonderment. "I can't believe I never thought to look here before." He looked up then for a moment at Halar with a squint into the noontime light. "Nor can I believe that you yourself can't translate the meaning of this scripture." He said in an almost accusatory way. The dragon laughed a deep and throaty laugh. (C)-
Daniel Carter: -"You forget my boy, I did not hatch in Ulster nor is my... area of specialty in human history and language. I'm afraid you're on your own." Daniel shrugged with a grin. "A challenge then... well fine then!" He was rather pleased at the thought and turned back to the wall covered in an array of now fading pictures and chipped symbols that with any kind of luck he could get a fix on before the sun went down that day. The silvery dragon flicked his reptilian tongue out and in a few times. "So, boy, what does it say?"(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Word travelled fast when dragons were in the area, but to no ears but Kahlan's did such a signal reign supreme. The dragon within her coo's at the thought of another dragon in the area, oh yes there were several but they never did like to come out of hiding. Deep within her the Dragon which had long been submerged is allowed to...play. It scurries to the edges of her conciousness, scouring every detail in the room and beyond. Five hundred thousand pages in this library, lovingly tended, with a third of them being leather bound, another third being bound by twine, and the last third bound by a special wood only found in Ulster, specifically the Irish territory. Oh what a field day the dragon was having! All the while her eyes are on the outside world, which the Dragon busily sets <C
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair To accounting for when its attentions turn. Not a few times did she have to wrench its conciousness away from something shiny while it whispered 'Mine. Want. Give. My treasure.' like a child whining for some toy. The dragon within the High Queen was not one to be given color to for it was essentially multi-colored, in her purest of angelic forms this dragon appears either black or even stranger, with iridescent clear scales lit from within by fire. A brief glance into Kahlan's eyes would give pause for a double take. Eyes slit with draconic pupil's appear for just a moment against the brilliant blue background, yet a double take would prove no good for the pupil's would be gone, back to normal. Finally after the dragon within her has counted nearly all the hairs on the heads <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair The visible soldiers in the courtyard, and a few not so visible, she reigns it in with a decent measure of struggle. Quietly she strides out of her Study and takes the stairs down to the main level before walking to the door and taking the stairs to the courtyard two at a time. She is simply clad in a pair of brown trousers and a billowing white shirt which is tucked into the trousers, a pair of dark brown boots sets the deal off and the glistening crest of Ulster shimmers beneath the flapping slightly open neckline of the blouse. Her hair is bound back in a single braid, making her look uniform yet uncharacteristic of a High Queen. She motions to Lleu whom is never in his stable unless bad weather approaches. The horse trots over and paws at the earth as she runs her hand along <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Sleek black neck. He seems just as in tune with her as she is with certain aspects of her Kingdom. A light tug of his mane and a tug on his shoulders heaves her sleek body up and onto the war horse. Guiding him out of the castle walls and quickly through the streets, she leans down into the mane of the horse before giving the signal to Lleu, a simple squeeze of her thighs against his body, and it sends the horse into a full out gallop. His mistress guiding him by the signal that the Dragon gives out. Once they are within range she sits up and despite her unstately manner, she unmistakably gives off an air of importance without meaning it to be so. The necklace of Ulster laying hidden beneath the folds of her offwhite shirt. Lleu, despite animal tendencies, appears to remain <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Calm around the Silver. "Good day to you." Her voice is directed first at the dragon but then she hears mutterings from in a hole and frowns, sliding off her horse she strides towards the entrance of the hole and looks down in it. "Well, what do we have here?" The sun glints off of her fiery gold hair as the braid slides over her shoulder while she stands with her arms crossed. <E>

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

Daniel Carter: -Daniel furrowed his brown in annoyance. "Don't rush me. I don't work well under pressure. These things take a lot of concentration, you know." The dragon smirked and flicked his tongue out a few more times, tasting the sweet scents on the air around Ivernis today. "A fancy way of saying your Gaelic is rusty, I assume." Daniel kept his eyes focused on the glyphs with a further furrow of annoyance. "I don't see you helping, lizard." The banter was a usual presence. Nine years of living together, growing older together, and learning from one another (though that was more one sided than it sounded) had allowed them to settle into a very humorous and comfortable relationship. Most people would be too scared to talk to a dragon, especially one as big(C)-
Daniel Carter: -and toothy as Halar, let alone be so intolerant and orobing as Daniel was with him. But first and foremost they were friends, species relations be damned. They were both scholors, and for them, that was enough. "This is amazing, Halar, these ruins must be over six thousand years old!" the archeologist exclaimed, forgetting his psuedo anger for the moment. "This was a temple to Lugh, I'm sure of it. Here, look at these markings... the crest on the head has to be his. And here..." He skimmed his fingers over to a set of characters presumably written formal script. "It's hard to make out the translation, damn Gaelic always has to be read in a certain way... but from what I can tell it's a story... almost like the pictographal system we saw in the Athskalan jungle."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -The dragon laughed cheerfully. Daniel ignored the obvious potshot at his enthusiasm and continued with his speech. "A girl... I can't tell the name, it looks like weather damage. But she was celestial, see, this here? This is in a celestial alphabet. I suppose that's only to be expected as this was a temple to a god but it's still a rare find. She fought in battle and was given a gift... a draconic essence of some kind that ... well I can't tell how." He sat back, hand on his chin chewing his lip in frustration. "This is strange... too strange. It's rubbed out perfectly, just enough so that the character is dismantled or the pictograph is halved. It looks like weather damage but the pattern of it is so... soo..." He looked up only to find the dragon's toothfilled snout(C)-
Daniel Carter: -right next to his head, studying the wall with a sudden surge of great interest. Daniel imagined that the mention of a draconic essence would be enough to capture Halar's attentions. "It would appear..." The dragon began hesitantly, "That someone did not want this information to be found." Daniel nodded in concurrance. It was not something that they hadn't come across before. "The question is..." Halar continued. "Who, and why?" Daniel shook his head. "Could have been anyone, local government, new religious order... history is written by the winners, Halar, you know that. " But Halar was no longer listening to him. He had raised his head in sensing another approach, a skill he knew Daniel also had, however, he also(C)-
Daniel Carter: -knew Daniel's apathy to anything not regarding ruins, glyphs, or anything of antiquity. A smile crossed scaly lips as the beautiful young looking woman approached. "And good day yo you, Madam. Daniel, we have a visitor." The young man, still obscured by this point by the various ruins and rock piles in the pit was not paying attention. "What I don't understand is why just this one name? If they were trying to wipe out a religion or a martyr, why not the others? There are plenty of subdivinities mentioned here. It's hard be believe that someone had a personal vendetta against one woman. Rather a long way to go to try to strike someone from history completely..." He mused. The dragon sighed. "Daniel, a young woman is here(C)-
Daniel Carter: -to see us." He urged again, a wink of a slippery eyelid to the one he recognized as Kahlan Lothair. The mutterings continued, mostly in gaelic, as Daniel read the panels back to himself again. "Tell her I'm busy." He replied, annoyed. Halar turned his head and barked a deep bark in draconic. "Daniel!" The young man jumped with a start and turned around, hoisting himself on a rock to see who was there, a look of aggrivation at having his work interupted when he stopped short and saw Kahlan. He did not recognize her, for he'd only heard things about the Queen all the way here in Ivernis. He was heading towards his thirties, a bit of a scruffy beard and a loose tunic, standard wear, no real weapons. He was young, and handsome(C)-
Daniel Carter: -in a ... well... nerdy kind of way. He looked at her with impatience wondering what it is that she expected him to be talking to her about and finally after several moments of awkward silence he furrowed his brow once more and said. "Well? What do you want?"(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Amusement dapples her features as she crouches with serpentine grace given only to those of great training or other such things. Brilliant green eyes take the man's features in and she glances up to Halar and chuckles. "How ever did you get such a spirited human?" Her draconic tongue is flawless as she stands and walks over to Halar, paying her respects to the dragon first. "I always thought you rather favored the spirited for lunch, losing your touch old dragon?" She jests with the dragon as if she had known the wyrm for ages. Delicate features are made more pronounced by the sun kissed complexion. The mutterings of Gaelic had made her chuckle before and she saunters over to the hole. "Trying to read something in Gaelic?" Without giving him any idea of whom she might be, she<C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Plants a hand on the ground and jumps down into the ruin with him. "Excuse me, if you will." She says with a smirk that dances in her eyes, eyes that are instead directed up to Halar. Long fingers trail the familiar script. She knew exactly what this one said. "You are trying to translate a very old script, Sir." She says adding the 'Sir' as an afterthought. She had lived this story and even Halar had no idea of such a thing, though he knew of her draconic tendencies. Bending down she eyes some of the lower runes and pictographs. "Im sure you went over everything. There has never been a name as long as I can remember. Ive studied these ruins for several years now and havent found a single ruin." Instead of speaking to Daniel in the common tongue she instead chooses the <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Ancient Gaelic dialect. The words roll off her tongue with almost flawless grace as she rests a hand on her hip. "What I want to know is, what interest do you have in this site?" Her brows furrow together slightly giving an almost soft pout to her features. A light tilt of her head gives her the added edge she might need. She knew what she was talking about and that was obvious. Yet what else could she be intending by this visit to Invernis? As close as it was to Emain Macha, it had been Halar, not Daniel that had piqued her interest. Finding her footing on some stone that was obviously put there at a later time than the runic symbology, she plants her hands and heaves her body out of the hole, turning to seat herself on the edge with her legs dangling into the hole. Dusting <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Hands off she smirks. This man didnt know who she was and she would play that to the fullest of her ability if she could only have some fun. Theo knew how it was and wanted to disguise himself, and so did she from time to time. Aimlessly her mind wanders for a moment before she realizes that she is looking wistfully to the west. Coming back to her senses she accidentally knocks a dirt clod in Daniel's general direction. <E>

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

Daniel Carter: -Halar chuckled at her, an old friend of his. One he had not seen in some time. Though even souls as old as the Silver Wyrm did not know all of the Lady Kahlan's secrets, he knew her well enough to joke. He also knew her well enough to play jokes on, and it was in this vein that he bit his reptilian tongue and did not tell her that Daniel could indeed understand her draconic. Daniel could use some exposure to the refined and... well, to the feminine. Too much time in pits and snooping around caves and altars, in Halar's opinion. He once had to remind the boy that he only had a good decade left to find a mate, but Daniel was decidely indifferent to the idea and stayed happily married to his work. "It is good to see you again as well, Madame."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -the dragon chuckled. Daniel on the other hand, would not give such an inviting reply. He folded his arms over his chest indignantly. "Firstly, I can understand you." he said with some tone of irritance, "And secondly I wasn't trying, I was actually reading it." He said, his frustration at being interupted building. He did not need strange women coming and taking over his fresh new digging spot. He wanted to open his mouth and protest as she jumped down into the pit with him, tell her that she was in no way excused and that maybe she should go home or entertain Halar (who at this point was smiling very mischeviously from his perch on the rocky crop) when she informed him of her 'discovery'. "I'm well aware of how old it is, thank you for telling(C)-
Daniel Carter: -me something I already know." He said, almost afronted that she would barrel in and just take over, as was very against the archeologist's code. When she asked what seemed to him an obvious and stupid question, Halar's laughter broke through and he could not help but quip in. "You'll have to forgive him, my Dear, you see, too much time in empty cities makes his manners a little worse for the wear." Daniel looked up with a frown at his friend. "Daniel is a friend of mine, I brought him here. He is an archeologist, you see, one of the experts on cultures of antiquity. I have had interest in these Ruins for quite some time, and now that he is back in the Kingdom I thought I might utilize his knowledge of all things ancient to decipher them."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -The dragon exclaimed with glee at having caused Daniel so much social anxiety for the moment. The young man was still standing with his arms folded over his chest frowning at Kahlan at having his space invaded. "Quite." He quipped coldly at the pretty woman who had so gracefully and unwantedly barged on his scene. "Of course, that doesn't explain what you're doing here..." he started before Halar swatted at him with a mighty paw. "What he meant to say is... ah, to what do we owe the pleasure, my Dear? It is hardly ever that we are priviledged with such an esteemed guest, isn't it, Daniel?" The young archeologist tilted his chin up and then nodded in a sulking defeat. "Yes... that is to say, what is your business in Invernis?"(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He looked down at the clump of dirt she so non chalantly kicked his way and grit his teeth. One thing the dragon never had taught him was politesse, but for the sake of his own sanity he would try his best to keep his mouth from going off half cocked.(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Oh the joy of it! It had been a long while since she had so much fun creating ire in one such as this. "Oh? An Archaeologist?" She says and a cryptic nod and then a smile to Daniel. "I know several such men. They would have nothing to do with life unless it were dead and riddled with ancient symbology!" She tilts her head back on the graceful neck as she laughs, part of the chain of her necklace appearing to the world before disappearing down into her shirt once more. A smirk comes to her features as she looks up to Halar, in no way slighted by Daniel knowing the wyrmkin language, wouldnt he have to know such a thing to travel with one? "So, my old lizard friend, you wish to know about these ruins? Per chance that they have to do with something Draconic has come to your <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Interest?" A twinkling in her eyes and then a smile, a simple rogue of a smile before she directs her eyes down to Daniel. "Its a great Tuatha De Dannan story. Tell me you have heard of it! Surely you have come across it in other parts of Ulster?" She says and eyes Daniel with a merry look in her eyes. "You must understand it from what little is given here at this original site! Its the story of the Angel Girl also known as Angel Child or perhaps more primitively known as 'Dragonfly'. I will be ashamed if neither of you have heard of the tale!" She chuckles amiably and keeps her gaze, hawk-like but not prying, upon Daniel. A few whisps of the golden mass trickle down to brush against her cheeks as the wind rustles her hair and clothing. She would leave her title for some <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Other time. She really didnt care how Daniel acted in such a setting. He was prone to his own judgement about the way things should be and she couldnt grudge him that. Her attempts at ruffling his feathers had thus far worked and she was plainly, blatantly, enjoying every minute of it. <E>

Daniel Carter: -He grit his teeth harder with a look that seemed to say 'there's nothing wrong with things that are dead and riddled with ancient symbology.' Halar nearly laughed himself at his human counterpart's reaction to intrusion, but for the sake of Daniel's feelings did not. He was not one to have his toes stepped on, Daniel Carter wasn't. But he was a good man with a kind heart underneath. He just needed to reset his priorities. But Halar, having practically raised Daniel in scholorhood, knew well enough to be gentle with him, for he sometimes bruised easily. Daniel however was no longer paying attention but had turned away, fuming, back to the wall to make a a fifth pass at deciphering the half erased pictographs. He was stumped for the moment. (C)-
Daniel Carter: -Only one name... none of the other heroes depicted here had been erased. This temple was man made, he could tell. The script was flawed in some places, in common speech in others, only a few words here or there or maybe a symbol tacked on the end that let him know that it was not something divine that shaped this place. Still, it was the absence of that name... and the marking... this marking... Halar had turned his head and though listening to Kahlan was watching Daniel with some interest. He was not one for things of the human world. He always had enjoyed watching Daniel do his work. "You are a keen woman to pick up on such a thing." He smiled, long teeth showing, "Daniel has informed me that there is something here(C)-
Daniel Carter: -that might interest me in my quest for the origins of my own race, yes. However it is more for his pleasure that we're here than it is mine." the sly old wyrm replied in an effort to give Kahlan a slight hint as to the relationship between him and the human archeologist. But he could see that once again Daniel was not listening and was absorbed in his own world. "Yes, he was just telling me all about it before you came, actually. I would assume he of all people would be quite familiar with the tale." Halar answered for Daniel as he swished the very tip of a massive tail back and forth, wisps of sand billowing from it. "What is it that you've found, Danny?" He asked in benign interest seeing Daniel so fixated on a particular symbol(C)-
Daniel Carter: -Daniel's brow was furrowed, his fingertips tracing around the edge of a carved character in the rock. "This symbol..." he muttered more to himself than to the old friends having a laugh at his expense. "It's perplexing..." He added. Halar quirked a scaly brow, "What is it?" he asked, his curiousity growing by the minute. "It's in the celestial alphabet..." Daniel trailed off again. Halar waited for a few long moments for him to finish, but being patient about it as he knew that with most geniuses one had to wait for them to collect themselves before answering anything. "It's a strange character, one that I hardly ever see. In fact, I hardly ever encounter celestial writing of any kind. It's strange to find it... here... in a man made temple..."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He shook his head and took off his glasses to clean them before replacing them and taking a second look. "Unless I miss my guess... it means "Infusion". But it's the only symbol in the area, no carvings around it at all, and the pictograph below it has been painstakingly removed. I will have to give this more thought..." He said, trailing off again to which Halar thought, this time for good. The great silver dragon nodded intently. "You see?" He cheerfully said to Kahlan, "He has many uses. He's one of ten men in the world known to be able to read ancient celestial script, you know." he said, a hint of pride creeping into his voice. (F)-

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Her smirk is expertly hidden beneath a hand as she watches the two so intently delve into something so vividly alive for her. "Celestial script you say?" She feigns surprise in her tone as she watches quietly. Drawing one knee up to rest her chin upon she eyes the monument with admiration. It had weathered many a storm and still kept its secrets safe. A stone monolith to ages that have all but passed and gone. "Daniel is it? Say, I have a few things that you might be interested in, since you seem so well versed. I havent been able to place their ages, but I assume they are very old. They came with the place I bought." A lie to say the least, but at least it would benefit the man. She knew every detail of the things that she would show him, but she would still like to <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Get his judgement on them. Her eyes turn to Halar, whom knew who she was, and yet whom knew so very little about her past truely. It wasnt something she delved into and for good reason. She smiles lightly and looks back to Daniel. "What do you say?" <E>

Daniel Carter: -At first, he did not hear her, or atleast he did not process what she was asking of him until moments later. For this moment his gaze was locked tightly at the ground. Something was out of place. Something he couldn't put his finger on. Daniel's sharp mind was photographic in its memory, and he was noticing something he had not seen there when he had last inspected it minutes ago. Ah, yes, he zeroed in on a small red patch down by the bottom of the scripture. He knelt down in the sandy dirt and brushed some of the clumps of dung and clay like soil from what he was inspecting. There was indeed a small red marking beneath the sand. He must have uncovered it when he was moving around. He put out a hand to rest it on the wall, and suddenly(C)-
Daniel Carter: -to him the world went black. Then light. Sunlight pouring through a large temple held by pillars bigger than he had ever seen before, pictures spanning the lengths of the walls and carved Gaelic script running all four sides of the iconic room set with idols at all ends and a long table in the middle. And then as soon as it had come to him the vision faded, just another annoyance of his underdeveloped talent that he begrudgingly lived with. But occassionally, such as times like this, the information was useful. So this was only the very top of the ruins! There had to be a whole Hall buried underneath this soil! The realization dawning on him he tried to hold in his excitement, running his hand again along the glyphs in front of him with care.(C)-
Daniel Carter: -This... could be the big one. His meditation on the possibilities, however, was interupted by Halar's deep voice again. "Daniel, when a woman speaks to you it's polite to answer." The Dragon was chiding at him, for Halar often probed Daniel about his lack of a love life. 'Can books really keep you warm at night?' he would ask, and Daniel would ignore him. But this time, Daniel was not annoyed. He stood up quickly and turned around. "Of course, my apologies." He said dusting himself off, "Sometimes I suppose I get a little absorbed." He looked over at Kahlan with a small smile, seeming to have improved in disposition at her offer. "Yes, actually, I believe I would like to take you up on your offer, Miss, but I have some(C)-
Daniel Carter: -business in the capitol first that needs some attending to, that is, if you're able to wait." He said, the tone of his voice still scholorly, but more cheerful than it had when they were first introduced. He took an arm up to wipe his brow with his sleeve, sweating in the hot afternoon sun, and adjusted his glasses before offering a dirty, calloused over hand to her to shake. "Yes, I'm sorry for not introducing myself. I often get scattered when someone interupts my work. Dr. Daniel Carter, but just Daniel is fine."(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair A smile finds her features and one that is often times there when in the presence of friends. "Pleasure to meet you Daniel. Im.." She pauses for a moment and glances up to Halar and then smiles for a moment to herself and looks to Daniel. "If there is something you seek in the Capitol then be at ease, you can merely ask me. I am Kahlan Lothair." The twinkling in her eyes is back. "Yet many suffice to call me High Queen, your majesty, your grace, and other such nonsense titles." She squeezes his hand and shakes it again. "So please, call me Kahlan, I would much prefer it." A gust of wind buffets her, causing her to retract her hand from his grasp. The very removal of that hand seems to take some sort of innate warmth with it. Fending off the sand that has kicked up, she <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Shakes her shirt and out pops the medallion of Ulster. Famed in legend and known to have several counterparts but all worn exclusively by the High Queen. The crest is unmistakable for it is on all coin in the land. A wolf and a dove together with a crossing of swords and the banner of ulster beneath it. However, this particular image is in color, gem encrusted and itself very old. "It is high time that I get back to Castle Emain. Will you join me?" Placing two fingers in her mouth she makes a distinctive call, a bird native to the area, and Lleu perks his head and comes back to the area at a trot. Her gaze, crystaline and blue now instead of green levels upon Halar. "You know you are always welcome Halar, you must join us also, the Castle grounds are plenty big enough to <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Accomodate you." A smile dances over her features once more before she holds her hand out to Daniel with the intent to help him out of the hole. "If you join me we can make better time, Lleu is a war stallion of unsurpassed speed." The horse trots up behind her as black as midnight during the new moon phase and nuzzles her from behind, threatening to knock her into the hole with Daniel. <E>

Daniel Carter: -His mind was racing miles away from here. Did Halar know what they had stumbled upon? If his vision was correct they were standing forty feet or more above the temple's actual floor! Why would a temple to Lugh have such magnitude... unless... maybe there was another level? It wasn't uncommon for primordial culture to use the space beneath a temple as a buiral place for priests and high ranking members of the cheifdoms. Still for a temple to be this big and this grand there had to be someone of great importance that it was in dedication to. And that symbol still bothered him. It was rare to find a single piece of a script standing alone. Normally there was some kind of context for it, but none of the other passages had even made mention(C)-
Daniel Carter: -of it. All he could think about was that picture that was so neatly scrubbed off the wall. Until he felt a hand grasping his, the name Kahlan Lothair, High Queen, and other such nonsense? His eyes snapped from their half lidded state to wide and awake, looking at her a moment as if she were in jest. But after looking at Halar who had a wide smile and a nod of the head for him, he knew that she was not. "High Queen..." He echoed, "It is... an honor... to finally meet you." He said, taking a sharp breath in. To think all this time he had been running his mouth off at the ruler of his country. He was lucky she had taken it in good humor. "I'm sorry, I didn't recognize you. I've lived in Ulster all of my life, but I've never seen you, nor your picture..."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -It wasn't that improbable, after all, Invernis was a small town even by Ulster's standards and most of the folks went about their lives without even a second thought about Emain Macha or the goings on in their capitol. Halar bobbed his scaly head in a no fashion. "My thanks, Dearest Kahlan, you know your offer is appreciated, however you know that old men like me enjoy being as far away from the cities as possible. I trust you'll take good care of Daniel for me, though." he said jokingly, both of them knowing full well Daniel was not in any need of a chaperone. He waved the hand that was offered, prefering to get up on his own, and he did so with little difficulty. A lifetime of climbing and snooping around places with no viable stairs or ladders(C)-
Daniel Carter: -showed. He was by no means unhealthy in shape, though he rarely noticed. He glanced at Kahlan and then at the horse. He didn't like horses. They rattled him. He was much more used to riding on Halar's back than he was on a horse, but she was the Queen and she had just offered him a free ride to where he was already going. He shouldered his backpack again and nodded. "If that is what you feel is best... I suppose..." He trailed off as the horse reached for his face with its muzzle to sniff him over.(F)-

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair A laugh falls from her once again as she watches Lleu check Daniel over. "He likes to make sure you wont do anything to me or to his image." She winks at Daniel and with the very same graceful serpent like grace she hauls her body onto the stallion's back. Reaching down to grab his forearm and help him up she smiles. "Its alright, I have to drive though, Lleu wont let anyone else do it." Before he can protest she has her hand, surprisingly strong and gentle all in one, on his forearm. "No sense in backing out now Daniel." Giving a heave that seems to be only the tip of the iceberg, she attempts to give him some leverage with which to work with. Her braid begins to fall from its tie until the single black satin strip wafts to the ground and her hair, in all of its fiery <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Radiance, springs to life in a myriad of curls and waves. To her luck a gust of wind picks the hair up and blows it back so that it doesnt become an encumberance. She turns her head to see where the tie went and spies it. Looking longingly at it she sighs and then turns back to deal with Daniel. The black satin strip dances on the breeze and is picked up and drifts lazily in the direction of Halar. If he manages to catch it, he would smell her scent, first human, but secondly the draconic undertone, which smells of fresh earth mixed with the sea amidst other natural fragrances. Her humanesque scent seems to work in unison, feeding off the natural draconic scent that she has, but managing to override it enough to protect herself. <E>

Daniel Carter: -Getting pulled on the horse to ride halfway across Ulster with the Queen, formerly a woman he didn't want around him was not exactly how he had expected his day to turn out. Before he could protest she was pulling him up and for the sake of saving his grace he was forced to go along with the plan and mounted at her behest. He was, however, unsure of where to put his hands and gingerly rests his fingertips on her waist. The ribbon danced past him while he was in the midst of his dilemma over socially appropriate behavior and slid on past to Halar who took it gentle in his mouth. Sweetly human and yet... hmm, how interesting. The wise old dragon thought to himself as he allowed the scent to travel up into his gigantic nostrils, taking in all(C)-
Daniel Carter: -that he could. Draconic blood, have we, my dear? He thought to himself as he pondered the unison of the two smells. A roving eye spied the character Daniel had pointed out before on the wall of the temple... the celestial marking meaning 'Infusion'. How interesting. Perhaps his young human charge had stumbled onto something after all. The dragon chuckled to himself and raised up onto his powerful back legs, spreading old and leatherly but still strong wings in order to take flight. "Take good care of him, Kahlan! And Daniel, try not to work too hard!" the dragon called as he lifted from the ground. Wind gushed by them both as Halar rose up into the air and spiraled off towards the caves he called home. Daniel watched him go(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He knew Halar would not have minded dropping him at Emain Macha, but he also knew Halar would make up a reason to leave and do so before Daniel could even ask. Halar was of the belief that Daniel did not get away from his work enough to truly enjoy life. 'Someday Danny, you might regret spending all your time with the dead humans instead of the ones who are alive.' the dragon would say to him in a gently mocking way. Well, today at least Halar got his wish. Daniel was stuck on horseback headed for the most populated place on the island alongside the High Queen. He sighed. Another day, another adventure, he told himself.(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Rolling her eyes she snatches his hands and clasps them over her belly. "You are on the back of a horse, holding tentatively onto my sides wont keep you from falling off. I wont bite, I promise." A series of clicks and that gentle squeeze given to the horse sends him off like at a gallop. Her body is in perfect rhythm with that of the horse and in good faith the horse leaps over an otherwise concealed ditch, making Daniel see how well her advice should be taken. For a moment she simply holds on with her legs and grabs her hair and ties it back in a knot, without the tie she had no way of really keeping it back other than knoting it. It would hold for now anyway, and give Daniel some time to see. "Hanging in back there?" She asks as she turns her head to look back at him, her <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Graceful neck is long but not so long that she looks like a giraffe, yet it bears all the quality of royalty. Indeed she had poems dedicated to her by admirers to her neck, of all things. This causes a chuckle to bubble from her lips, but it is lost on the wind that is encasing their bodies as Lleu picks up speed. She buries her fists in his mane and it doesnt seem to affect him in the least, in fact he seems to see it as an encouragement to pick up speed. The rhythm of his feet pounding the earth reverberates through her body as it is lifted from time to time by the gorgeous equine movement beneath them both. To many she would look like a valkrye after claiming a human soldier prize to whisk him away to Valhalla, and yet simplicity brings out the most complex in this woman of <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Myth and legend. Daniel had no idea what he had stumbled into, but like she said she wouldnt bite. She lets go of Lleu's mane once they near the gate, roughly a few hundred yards away. The gates already opening at the sight of the horse and mistress. They knew who it was, they were an unmistakable pair. She gives a courteous wave to the soldiers on the ramparts as they pass at a gallop through the gate. People scatter like feathers in the wind as they pass, finally slowing to a trot. "Wasnt that exhilirating!" She exclaims with a vibrant glee. "Daniel, are you alive back there?" <E>

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

Daniel Carter: -How brutal! He was yanked forward to wrap his arms around Kahlan and he wasn't sure, but he thought his eyes might roll right out of his head. "I... ah... " He stammered, his face turning a wonderfully tortured shade of pink. But all of his embarrassment was soon forgotten as the horse lurched forwards and went sailing over the ditch in a very avant-garde style that caused him to not only hold on tightly, but more for dear life. He clung to her, jaw clamped shut, eyes wide as the horse barrelled down the flat plains towards Emain Macha. How could people DO this all the time? He could only hope the gear in his backpack was well secured, for he couldn't bear the thought of losing an important map or tool, yet somehow he would(C)-
Daniel Carter: -doubt that if he did inadvertantly lose something there was no way in Hell that the horse was slowing down enough to go back and find it. As she grasped the mane and looked back to him, he didn't respond, but his chattering teeth and the death grip he had on her waist would be enough to tell her how he was feeling about the subject. The horse picked up speed, and if he could have, Daniel would have groaned. Things were much smoother on the back of a dragon. The poor archeologist wasn't used to things like speed, and he didn't know how to ride a horse, well, not like this. Walking from one town to another to get supplies, that was one thing. But really riding? Well, that was a challenge all together lost on him. He wondered now(C)-
Daniel Carter: -What on earth he was getting himself into. Emain Macha was a big place with too many people for his taste. He could get lost, he could get mugged (on second thought, who would mug an archeologist?). And finiding the council... entering his plea... Well, it would be a challenge. The horse's speed picked up again as they blurred past the gates and made him jump, and then at long last slowed to a managable pace. He was still clinging to her when the horse slowed to a stop, but when she went to dismount his arms fell limply to his sides. His glasses were set all askew and his hair was more than a little 'windblown'. He was sitting, mouth open as if to speak, but wasn't saying anything. Finally with a silent creak his head turned to look at her and tell(C)-
Daniel Carter: -her and the look on his face told her exactly how he was feeling about the whole ordeal. He looked like he might fall right off the horse's back, but finally through some feat of will was able to swing his leg over, silde down from the animal, stagger to a corner, and sit down crouched on the floor to regain his senses.(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Covering her amusement she dusts herself off and looks up at the castle. Her work was rarely ever done but now she had a poor tormented soul to deal with too. He would be alright however, that much she knew. Stretching long arms she looks toward the castle in enough time to catch the whispy form of Aerillia disappearing back inside. Poor creature, sick as ever with what everyone thought was a stomach virus. She would have to talk to Theo about that and the impending fall that brought with it a chill. She tears her concious thoughts away from that situation and looks to Daniel. "So shall we? I have several artifacts that I think you will be very happy to see." Dusting his shoulder off she smiles disarmingly before walking up the front stairs of the castle, her inner dragon <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Counting all of twenty two steps. Something Kahlan had always been much to busy to do, except for in her childhood. Ah childhood...her thoughts soon run to her daughter wondering what the little darling must be doing. Finding it absolutely impossible to settle on one thing she looks back to Daniel, "Come along, the first example is nearest the door and one of my more prized possessions." She enters and leaves the front door open, a door which is huge by any standard. While just inside she reaches up and lifts a sword and scabbard off the wall. Not just any sword and scabbard. The markings on the hilt and the black marble casing are true to only one sword. "Do not pull the sword from the sheath yourself, you must allow me to do so.." The lore around this sword is legendary <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair And transcends generations and civilizations. It is the elemental sword of fire, as he would soon find out by looking at the runes on the hilt, some of them seem to be lovingly caressed by an inner flame, primordial and seductive on the most basic of levels. With it in his hands he would be able to sense a deeper connection between she and the weapon and the element itself. "What say you Daniel?" <E>

Daniel Carter: -He was actually quite happy for the moment in the corner of the barn, reclaiming his thoughts and the function of his stomach. If he didn't already know any better he would have thought that his internal organs were now tied in knots that were tied in even more knots. And she seemed to be fine with this! "This, Halar, is why I don't want anything to do with women. At least the dead ones are more logical." He muttered under his breath as he stood shakily and dusted himself off, swept a hand through his hair and straightened his glasses, the air of dignity now returning to him. He sighed and cracked his neck. "Alright, alright. We'll go and see the artifacts." he said more to reaffirm for himself why he was here than to let her know he was(C)-
Daniel Carter: -going along with her plans. He trudged up the stairs behind her, mind wandering over several small nuainces he had seen on the temple's wall, running over them again and again until she lead him inside of a door. He looked up to the aritfact that she held in her hand, and readjusted his glasses. "A sword of the elements... the celestial sword of fire." He remarked cooly, looking over it with an intensity he had with most of his studies. "Forged in the early third century supposedly by a god, though which depends on who you ask. Passed to the Salamander it was infused with a connection to the raw power of the element itself... brought to earth and named Dragan Faicail. I didn't know these still existed. I was under the impression(C)-
Daniel Carter: - they were lost or diffused of their power by now." he said looking over the runes again with some interest. "Some people say the only ones who can weild an elemental sword is someone of divine birthright, but if you take the indcations and context of the scripture with it, that means royalty so I'm not all too surprised you have it. It would be interesting, though, if they were speaking literally, don't you think?" The flames from the weapon licked over the blade and the heat began to sear. He felt the rim of his glasses begin to heat and he stepped back from it, removing them. "Impressive." Was all he said. Perhaps the sword had more of an impression on him, yet he could not help but feel that Kahlan was testing him, feeling him out to see(C)-
Daniel Carter: - if he was as good as the reputation that preceeded him said he was, and so he held back on his prior enthusiasm until there was something more obscure for him to identify. (F)-

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Nodding she chuckles lightly and actually draws the sword from its scabbard. The heat he had felt was nothing compared to the raw intensity with which this sword shines. "This sword, well, Ive had it a while." She says with light merriment. The very blade of the sword upon drawing it ignites a few runes on the obsidian colored blade before the fire licks up the blade with a fervent need. Shrugging she sheathes the sword once more and puts it back in its resting place. Wiggling a finger she brings him by the elbow into her study and motions to everything in the room. An archeologists playground to say the least. Books thousands of years old, some things that are so rare that it would be amazing that she even had them. "I tend to collect artifacts, most of which fall into my <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Lap." She eyes him closely for a moment before walking over to the only empty space on the wall to wall library in the study, housing the oldest books she owns amidst other artifacts. She runs a long index finger in a cryptic pattern across the wall, from it slowly emerges a heavy door to a safe, where once it was concealed apparantly -within- the wall. After opening it she pulls out a black satin bag and nudges the safe door so that it is only slightly askew. Long legs carry her to him once more and she seats herself on the edge of her desk. A focal point of the room, and very old in and of itself, made of the wood of a tree that no longer exists. Reaching into the black bag she withdraws her hand and holds it open towards him, the bag in one hand, and the Phoenix Tear in her <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Outstretched palm. Shining in all of its secretive glory as the sunlight catches it from over her shoulder. Spirals of rainbow and fiery colors are splayed across his chest and she smiles. "A particularly interesting artifact has just found its way to me. I believe scholars call this the 'Phoenix Tear' gem, do you not?" One of the, if not the, rarest gems in the entire world and here she had one the size of her palm. A grand sight and specimen to say the least. Most that have been found, a grand total of five, have all been small, some even fragments of the whole piece. The test is over, now she wants real information. Could it be that she was in fact interested in what he could tell her about this rare gem and possibly its origins? <E>

Daniel Carter: -He could not hold back his amazement at her study. Most people that walked into such a place would shrug at the well placed antiques and resign themselves not to touch anything for fear of breaking or misplacing something, but Daniel being the confident man from such a rich background in archeaology was just the opposite. In fact he was having trouble not touching everything he saw. Fingers ran over the titles of books he didn't know were even in print. There had to be just about every ancient historical account of Ulster housed here. Why these texts weren't serving for the use of public knowledge he could not fathom, but then he had to wonder just how much the public would care about these rarities. Some of them were worth(C)-
Daniel Carter: -triple their weight in gold if you measured by that kind of a standard. Daniel found that the knowledge within bound covers was often too precious to put a price on. There were several artifacts, weapons and crests lining the walls that he stopped to look at. A few caught his eyes in particular. "My god, Kahlan, you have things here ranging from the original copy of the Treastie of Ancient Magick all of the way to a partial collection of the Cardigenia artifacts... these are no toys, I hope you know that..." he said with a furrowed brow as he ran his fingers again over a spear he was sure was used in the original war for the mainland that the elves used to fight off the natives already in place on the continent. "A gyphon claw, a unicron horn, that would be one thing..."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He said, rambling on about the glory of history, "But these... these are priceless. The knowledge inside these books is incredible!" He said picking up a particularly heavy one and roving through a few pages of it. It was in an old desert language that's entire basis for speech was pictures. Add one symbol to this symbol, get a new word. "This is something else... the old Athabaskan writing system... did you know that Athabaskan can be written vertically, horizontally, and even diagonally?" He asked, not taking his eyes from the pages for even a moment. When she crossed to him holding something of value he closed the book and set it down to look at what she brought him. His jaw nearly dropped completely, and his mouth hung open agape at(C)-
Daniel Carter: -what she had in her hands. "Oh my god..." he breathed. "A Phoenix Tear... I've never seen one, only heard about them. I won't even ask how you got one." he said taking it gently from her hands. Then all was dark and a picture started to form. The gem, coalescing in her fireplace, the man who retracted from it, but there wasn't enough time for him to see the rest. He was jolted unceremoniously back to the real world. "It is a Phoenix Tear, isn't it? You know what this can do, don't you? It binds planar animals, stops their regeneration until the gem is smashed or the geas upon them broken. You can turn any regenerating being into a djinni if you wanted to with one of these. They are highly prized and feared..." He said turning it over and over(C)-
Daniel Carter: -in wonderment in his hands. "Such a thing, such a small thing as this... is more valuable than your entire kingdom..." he said in that mumbling way he had when he was thinking about something and not really paying attention to the conversation. His head snapped up again, though, as he felt he was becoming too entranced by the gem and he handed it back to her. "Count yourself among the few and lucky..." He said with a small, quirky smile, "To have ever even got to have seen such a thing in this world."(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair It felt good to have someone else interested in all of the things she was interested in. She knew the exact weight of every book, had read every page except for those of two books. Time had whisked her away before she had the chance to decipher the language for herself. "I know the value or likewise the priceless nature of everything within my possession. Your mentor does not embellish when he says you are one of the best." She slides the gem back into its pouch and crosses her arm giving him a smile. "I am impressed with your knowledge Daniel. In fact you could prove highly useful to me. I have two tomes that I have not had the chance to decipher yet." She lends him a dramatic pause before continuing. "I would like to know if you would decipher them for me and then teach me<C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair The language. You will find me to be an eager student Im sure." Her hair finally falls out of the knot and falls to frame her face. The sun backlights her and causes her to seem otherworldly, encasing her in warm light. "You have confirmed my suspicions of this Gem," she says while indicating the gem by lifting the bag slightly, "and I thank you." Hollow footfalls bring her back to the safe where she performs the procedure she did to get into the safe, backwards. The two tomes of which she speaks are indicated to him by a slender finger outstretched. On her desk is a folio and one book bound by twine with a wooden cover for protection. The folio is obviously much older than the book, but their age is unmistakable. "They are the only two in my entire personal library that I <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Havent read." The larger book has its title obscured by a piece of parchment while it rests atop the folio obscuring that title as well. A smile finds its way onto her lips this time, but in admiration for the young man, awaiting his surprise at the only two undeciphered books she owns. <E>

[Dr. Daniel Carter]

Daniel Carter: -He beamed at the compliment. It was one thing for her to know it. He as well expected the queen of his country to know all about the historical things she kept in her halls, after all, she was the queen and from all he had heard she was well educated and sharp in the wits. He did not feel he had to express his thoughts on her intellegence as such things were more or less assumed by this point. After all, the tales of her comings and goings were enough to satisfy him on her life, and her treatment of him here was more than enough to validate all of those claims. "Teach you?" He asked lofting a brow then walking to her desk to leaf through the old tomes she pointed out. He did not for a second think to ask if he could touch them. He touched everything(C)-
Daniel Carter: -Occassionally he would get a flash and a vision about something telling him a little more about its background. Touching was seeing, he supposed. Also the fact that his profession superceeded the need to tell him to be careful with it. Careful would have been his middle name had his parents not gone the conventional route of 'Phillip' instead. He opened them, running his fingers over the bindings in sheer admiration for the books themselves. He did so love books, which was a shame really, a handsome man in the prime of his youth wasting his looks and age on things that had been long since dead by the time he got there. If he had even an ounce of the passion he had for archeology in the department of women he would surely be married by now.(C)-
Daniel Carter: -But right now the books had his attention. "These... " He looked up at her. "These books predate our common era. They're primordial, aren't they?" He looked down again in astonishment. There was very little from before the common era of Ayenee. There had been tribes of roving shamans here and there spotted on the mainland and a few meager towns along the coast of foreigners from Faerun and the like. "Tamil he said, looking over the elegant script which to the untrained eye looked like well written squiggles with dots here and there. "Amazing..." He looked up at her. Even teaching it, such a chance to read these books was... too good to pass up. "I'll do it.." he said hesitantly, "But I need you to do something for me."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He closed the book and readjusted his glasses again. "I need to have a chance to make a plea before the council. I want to ask for a grant, I assume that they would be the ones to give it to me. I will draw up a proposal and present it if you would like." he drew in a breath and licked his dry lips. "Does that sound amenable to you?"(F)-

-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair An amiable chuckle at his excitement and then a nod. "Yes you are very insightful." Her thoughts wander for a moment before she is pulled back by his request. "Mmm? The council doesnt deal with the land directly. You only have to put your request to me. You are granted to do as you see fit with the site." She knew about the site and knew that the -name- he would be looking for would have been carefully erased from record. He was of no threat to her. In fact she was fond of the poor gent. Pushing her fingers through her hair she smiles and glances out the window for a brief moment. "There is one other person here that bears an Elemental sword. She is bound to the element of Air. You would have to ask her what the name of her sword is however and address her as to seeing it<C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Which I am sure you will enjoy. Wasnt the Elemental Sword of Air the one that was first lost? It has long been out of context with the rest of the world, Dragan Fiacail being the second to be lost." Two others were still at large, but she had a clue as to where they might be. "I will put it down in writing as soon as I can, that you are granted permission to dig on that site as long as you dont hurt anything." She knew he wouldnt and she smiles and nods to him before walking over to the fireplace and leaning against it. "Until then you may use my Study as you see fit to decipher the books and read as many of them as you like. You will also be paid for your time, I do not expect you to do it for free." Stretching she resumes her spot against the fireplace, arms crossed and <C>
-High Queen- Kahlan Lothair Head tilted back. The position one of someone that has for years protected herself and mayhap recently been scratched? Perhaps something far deeper than a scratch. A smile dapples her features instead of a frown where one might have thought it would be so a moment before. Sudden bursts of squealing and the sounds of her daughter bring her out of her current reverie. "It would seem that Willow, my daughter, is giving her nanny the royal run around." A chuckle and a half smile as she continues to rest against the wall, contentedly drinking in the warmth of the sun as it passes through the heavens on its routine journey. <E>

Daniel Carter: -He nodded and continued to flip through the book. "Thank you for your charity. Though I don't think you understand what I need the grant for..." he said, still unable to take his eyes off the Tamil text infront of him. So much to read and to learn. "I need to do a full excavation of that site. And I mean full indeed. Those ruins... that's only the top of that temple, Kahlan. There's a whole other section below it that's been buried over time, and unless I miss my guess a chamber even further down. I don't want to get excited about it, but I think it might be some kind of necropolis, a place where burial rites took place for people of some importance. This could be a huge find for the historical community, but I'm going to need man power, money and equipment."(C)-
Daniel Carter: -He took off his glasses and sat down in her chair, rubbing his eyes. "It's no small task, either. It's going to take weeks to even get through the top layers of dirt. If I'm right we have a good thrity or forty feet until we actually hit bottom." he went on. Though it was late afternoon and not time for bed, he was tired, and a little hungry. Handsome features were slightly sunburnt from working in the pit all day and he was dusty and marked by the tawny clay that was native to the area. He so hated working with clay, it was very hard to excavate things out of it, but for this dig he would do anything he could to uncover it. He looked up to her, putting his glasses back on his nose and watched her for a moment. Perhaps if he touched her he could glean(C)-
Daniel Carter: -a little bit of a context for her motives, but he did not want to impose. It was common knowledge, the loss of Ulster's King. The village had been in mourning for an entire month in an effort to support their queen, though he found it odd that it was a queen they had never even met. He had kept to himself in the caves studying alongside Halar, who up until today had never professed any knowledge of Kahlan or anyone else in Ulster save for the late Dr. James Carter, Daniel's father. He supposed the old reptile had more tricks up his proverbial sleeve than Danny had imagined. "I don't want to keep you if the princess is waiting." He said more quietly, letting her know he would be fine and well occupied in here for a good long while(F)-