Valoria

As the annual gathering at Eldergrove bustles with life, Thalos finds himself captivated by a rare book he just purchased from a traveling merchant. Completely absorbed in its pages, he weaves through the crowd, his mind lost in the words and ideas within the text.

Meanwhile, Seraphina strides confidently through Eldergrove, her icepick and rope necklace drawing curious glances as she surveys the unfamiliar surroundings. Her sharp eyes catch sight of Thalos, but before she can react, the distracted scholar collides with her.

Books and scrolls scatter to the ground as Thalos stumbles back, blinking in surprise. Seraphina, unfazed, catches herself with a graceful sidestep, her expression a mix of amusement and mild annoyance.

"Watch where you're going, bookworm," Seraphina quips, a smirk playing on her lips as she leans down to pick up one of the fallen scrolls.

Thalos, flustered, quickly gathers his belongings, his eyes meeting Seraphina's with embarrassment. "I—I apologize, I didn't see you," he stammers, still somewhat dazed from the impact.

Seraphina chuckles, handing him the scroll. "Clearly. You’re lucky it was just me you bumped into." Her tone is playful, but there's a spark of interest in her gaze as she takes in the scholarly deer. Thalos, still flustered, carefully takes the scroll from Seraphina's hoof. He tucks it back into his satchel, trying to steady his thoughts. "I'm usually more aware of my surroundings," Thalos says, managing a small, apologetic smile. "But this book... it's a rare find, and I suppose I got a bit too caught up in it." Seraphina smirks as she glances at the book in Thalos's hands. "Must be something special if it made you forget where you were walking. What’s it about?" Thalos hesitates, unsure if someone like Seraphina—a warrior type, clearly adept in physical pursuits—would care about his academic interests. But something in her eyes tells him she might be more intrigued than she seems. "It's a collection of ancient texts on the history of Veloria, including some lesser-known accounts of the Great Division. There's a section about the Tundra Tribe that I haven't seen before," Thalos explains, his passion for knowledge shining through despite his earlier embarrassment. Seraphina raises an eyebrow. "My Tribe, huh? I bet there's a lot in there that doesn't make it into the stories we pass around. Maybe you can tell me about it sometime." Thalos blinks in surprise, not expecting such an invitation. He stammers a little, "I-I’d be happy to, though I’m sure you know plenty about your tribe already." Seraphina shrugs. "Maybe. But I like hearing things from different perspectives, and you seem to have a unique one. Besides," she adds with a small grin, "it’s not every day I run into someone who can keep up with me in a conversation." Thalos chuckles, feeling the initial awkwardness begin to melt away. "Well, if you’re interested, I'd love to share what I know. And perhaps, you could teach me a thing or two about surviving in the tundra. I imagine there's more to it than just what’s written in books, and I'd love to get better sketches of the terrain." Seraphina smiles, genuinely intrigued by the idea. "Deal. But only if you can keep up." She turns on her heel, giving Thalos a wink over her shoulder as she trots away. "I'll be around, bookworm. Don’t lose yourself in another scroll before we get to talk." Thalos watches her go, feeling a strange mix of excitement and curiosity. He had come to Eldergrove expecting to find knowledge in books and scrolls, but instead, he found something far more unexpected—a kindred spirit in the most unlikely of places.