(Xul)

Aurenolia nervously tugged on the ends of her black curls then even more nervously let go when the curls didn't bounce back fully. She folded her hands in front of her, picking at the bows on the skirt of her hand sewn dress. She sighed, then gathered all of her courage, reaching one shaking hand for the latch of her balcony window. With the latch undone, the white wood and painted glass doors swung open and the warm summer night breeze tossed her loose hair.

She hesitantly stepped out onto the balcony. She turned around quickly, shutting the window and standing with her back against it, staring up at the bright moon, too scared to approach the railing. With her back flush against the door she took a deep breath. Two deep breaths.

Then she looked up and saw something truly unbelievable.

A person falling from the sky!

Careening straight towards her!

She reached her arms forward and solidified her stance, preparing to catch the falling figure. The person crashed into her chest throwing her back against the window. The latch snapped under the two's weight and they fell into Aurenolia's bedroom.

Aurenolia sat with the person on top of her, desperately trying to pull air into her lungs.

She shoved the young man off her then took a closer look at him...

He wore strange clothes, not Fol or Kasm clothes... more like crude, simple versions of her own clan's clothes. However, his hair was chopped even shorter than even Kasm hair.

And half his face was horrifically, disgustingly scarred. From the top of his head to his neck there was a strip of burnt flesh. His left eye melted shut and even the corner of his lips was gone.

Surprisingly, he was breathing.

Aurenolia took the time to take off her dress, pulling on a robe over her male underclothes and raked her hands roughly through her hair, doing her best to ruin the curls.

Then she pulled the strange young man onto her back and carried him to the infirmary, calling for servants as she briskly walked down the hall.