A Quiet Place for Paint ((Jon))

[Nikora Sanjo]

Nikora was bored, as usual. The terror of the Dark Lord and Headmistress Lestrange was taking it's toll. Many students had dropped out of Hogwarts, their parents persuading them to not come once again, and the amount of new students this year was surprisingly low. This made for the fact that Nikora didn't have many friends.

So, in place of friends, she often wrote or drew. Drawing was her life, her passion. Well, besides Quidditch. Nikora was an artist, and had planned to be so all her life. Yeah, she knew she was a witch, too. But that didn't stop her aspirations. She loved art, and would not falter from her dream. Although, she would have another job besides being an artist, a job where she could earn good money. Heavens knew she had the grades for it.

Nikora found herself returning to the Room of Requirements. She had been here recently, doing a painting of the lake. Her thoughts, as always, were this; I wish I had a room where I could paint. A room with all the needed easels, paper, and utensils. A room with a good view of the lake. And she received what she had asked for.

The view was breathtaking, really. It was wonderful in the afternoon, as the sun sunk below the mountains, the splashes of color simply amazing. And she planned to capture that. The sun had already begun to sink behind the mountains. Her painting was nearly finished. She was working with watercolors, probably one of her worst media. Well, not as bad as acrylic.

The waterpaper showed nearly a clone of what you could see outside. Only the lake and the pinks were not yet there. And there was a difference; you could tell it wasn't a photograph. But, hopefully, when she was done, it would be hard to tell at a distance. Nikora was now glad that she had taken those summer art classes during the break. Without them, she wouldn't be here, really.

Nikora sat at the easel, and grabbing the odd thing that held her paints. It was different, strictly for watercolor. There was a large place in the middle, for mixing. Surrounding that on three sides were slanted compartments for the blob of watercolor. It was covered in plastic. Nikora took that plastic cover off, and added a little bit of water to each color, so that it would work once again.

She dipped her paintbrush into the pink, and started to run it across the paper, looking at the window every once in a while. She built many layers, adding shade and tint, and it began to take shape.

Finishing the pink in the sky, Nikora focused on the painting. It wasn't as good right now as it could be, but it was getting there. Sure, Nikora could probably use magic to do the same thing, but it was much more fun to actually paint it. Besides, she was proud of her Muggle heritage, and liked to show it. Looking at the painting, she noticed a shadow that was not there before. It was a shadow of a human figure. Crap! Nikora thought, [/i]I forgot to close the door![/i] Slowly, Nikora turned to face the person behind her.

[Jonathan Garcia]

It seemed everyone knew about the room of requirements or more simply just 'the hidden room,' Everyone but Jonathan. He had heard vast amount of tales about the room but he had thought that a room like that never was possible. But then again this is Hogwarts, the prince mused. So everything is going to be possible.

I am never going to get use to this, he thought. His hands were deep in his pockets as usual. His coal-black hair was as it had been: always neat and trim. Comes from being the prince of Tortall, he thought. But thank the gods I had not forgotten my manners. Or mother would have my head like always. The thought made him grin. His mother was forever always warning him to have good manners while at Hogwarts.

Lost in his thoughts, Jonathan of Conté did not knew he was on the seventh floor. He blinked with surprise as a door was swung wide opened. Another person was already there. He decided to leaned against the door and watched until she noticed him. It didn't take that long.

"Hello miss," he said pleasenlty, speaking in his deep gentle voice. His sapphire blue eyes were filled with gentlness. He looked at the painting. "The painting is absolutly wonderful. Have you been painting long?"

[Nikora Sanjo]

Although she had seen the shadow, Nikora still jumped at the boy's voice. Luckily for her, her paintbrush was nowhere near the paper. That was good. She sighed in relief when she saw no harm to the painting. She bit her lip, wondering if she could spend another day on it, getting the lake done, and finishing the shades and highlights, in favor of some actual conversation, something she hadn't had much.

She carefully set her watercolor palette on the counter next to her, swished her paintbrush in water, and set it aside as well. Then, she turned around on her stool, facing the person that stood in the doorframe. The guy was pretty cute, really, but she shook her head, ridding her head of that thought. His words were spoken somewhat softly, but with a voice that demanded one to be heard. A voice of a leader; a voice of a king.

"Oh! Uhm, hi." She replied, smiling sweetly. At his following words, she blushed. "Oh, it's really not that good..." She replied, looking down. "But, yeah, I've been painting for a good while..." Her blush deepened, embarrassed. She often was complimented on her work, but she herself never found it good enough.

[Jonathan Garcia]

Jonthan chuckled to himself. "I find it pretty myself. Just like the artist who painted it," he smiled at her. If Raoul was here he would have dragged the prince away. The young prince tried not to laugh at the thought. Really though, the thought. It is worth it getting away from the properness of court and palace life.

"Allow to introduce myself. I am Jonathan." he would have given his full name but the prince knew better than that. Like with all his friends at Hogwarts he will tell the girl when he is ready and not a moment to soon.

Now what was I coming here for? the prince asked himself. Oh yeah. I need swords or trainable weapon. he thought. In an instant a few weapons appeared on the shelves. Perfect, he thought, picking up a long sword his mother called the glaive. Queen Skinkokami knew how to use it and have been teaching her children how to defend themselves with it. Jon prefered the sword better. But what can you do?

He looked back to the girl. "Do you have any siblings?" he asked, more curious now.

[Nikora Sanjo]

Nikora blushed at his words. She had never found herself pretty. Yeah, she liked herself, but she never categorized herself in the pretty department. She was just herself, and did what she wanted. "T-thanks..." she stuttered, looking down at her feet nervously.

Then he introduced himself, and she looked up at him. "Nice to meet you, Jonathan. I'm Nikora, Nikora Sanjo." She told him, watching as several weapons suddenly appeared on a nearby shelf. Nikora flinched. She hated it when something new appeared right in front of her, whether she needed them or not. It was just so....odd. Then, the person picked up a long pole that had a blade. A long pigsticker, really.

Doe-eyed, Nikora watched him hold the weapon carefully. She thought that he was about to cut her head off with it, how long it was, although, she knew he probably wouldn't. He seemed too nice to do such a thing. At his words, Nikora only nodded, her throat too dry to reply. She swallowed, and then said, "Yeah, but he doesn't go here..."

[Jonathan Garcia]

Jonathan chuckled. "No need to get nervous Nikora," he reassured her, his eyes twinkling. He easily blanced the glaive on his palm. The prince flipped it into the air and easily caught it, not once losing his balance. "I would not hurt you. My mother will cut my head off and do something worse gods forbid," he muttered under his breath.

"Did he already graduate?" he asked. "For I have two sisters going here myself. My youngest sister is a first year. My older sister is a year ahead of me. And she's rotten spoiled than me," he added with a twinkle in his eyes. If Aiyanna had heard him say that she will beat him senseless. And thats saying something, he thought amused.

He did a few passes with the glaive with ease. Then he got into the more complicated moves that required more flexibility and more thought. Great Mithros, he thought how long has it been since I praticed with this thing? Coming out of his daze-he always lost himself in his training-he gently placed the glaive down and looked at Nikora with his eyes twinkling.

[Nikora Sanjo]

Nikora nodded at his words, her eyes on the glaive. The thing was long, and dangerous. When he flipped it into the air, Nikora gasped, her eyes wide and frightened. The thing could easily chop off any body part of either of them, for it was long, and could easily hit her if Jonathan threw it up the wrong way. "Well, accidents happen." She replied, her eyes glued to the weapon. She would know best about that, for she was quite clumsy at times.

At his following words she tore her eyes from the stick. "No, but he doesn't have any magic, actually. I'm the only one in my family to have magic, oddly enough. I also have a younger sister, but she also doesn't have magic." At the mention of Jonathan's family, a sparkle lit in her eyes, and she let out a soft laugh.

But then he went on working with the glaive, and Nikora was once again drawn to it, mesmorized by the ease in which he held, and worked with, it. Her paints forgotten, she watched him spin and lunge with it. When it came a bit too near for her comfort, Nikora let out a small squeak. It wasn't much of a practice of killing or hurting, it was more like a dance. A dance in which the boy and weapon worked as one. Finally, the dance came to an end, much to Nikora's relief. "T-that was stunning. Scary at times, but amazing..." she told him breathlessly, looking into his twinkling eyes.

[Jonathan Garcia]

Jon had to laugh. "It may seem sharp," he told her. "But its not really. I just had the tip dull before I came here. The guards at the palace knows me so it is easy...." his voice trailed off, working out on what he had just said. Oh Mithros, he thought with a silent moan. I just spilt the beans. "Don't go all formal on me," he advised her, his eyes twinkling.

"Really," he commented with a frown. "I wonder how it is possible for you to be the only one in your family to have the magic. Everyone in my family has the magic. I get it from my father's side.

He chuckled at her. "Well thank you. I have been working on it almost all my life. Since I was ten really." he shrugged.

[Nikora Sanjo]

Nikora swallowed. “Well, that’s good then...” she gave a nervous glance. But his following words confused her. Palace guards? Wait....he was a prince! Or a noble at least. Wait a second...he was that prince! The prince of that new islands place....Tortall! That was it. Nikora’s grew round. “Oh, uhm, I won’t. I wouldn’t even know how to, for goodness’ sake.” She told him, laughing airily.

“Yeah, really.” She replied, grinning. “Well, I’m muggleborn, for one. I don’t know why none of my siblings are, though. They’ve not shown any trace of magic at all. Odd, really.” She chuckled lightly. “Really? That must be interesting. Wait, don’t you have that weird magic, too? What can you do?” She inquired, extremely curious. She had become quite curious about the new lands when she had heard of them in her second year, and had done research on them.

“Have you? Well, I don’t think I could ever work with something like that. I’m clumsy, really, but I have good hand-eye coordination. Especially with Quidditch. I’m good at that, and writing, art, and learning. That’s all.” She said brightly. She was interested in how you could make wielding a weapon look so graceful, although, she knew she never could do it. She had a hard enough time walking down steps without tripping.

[Jonathan Garcia]

Jon chuckled. "Well thats good at least." he joked. He then frowned then shrugged it off. "Most people have magic or at least to some degree. Thats what the priests had told us. Gods they were boring." he groaned and then laughed.

He had to pause for a moment. "The only thing I can do is heal people at times. I can also fight with the Gift-thats what they call it back home-only when I want to. But the problem is it takes a lot of energy out of you for a while. Then you have to do light work in order to restore it back to full health," the prince sighed and ran a hand over his hair. "Complicated thing to explain." he remarked with a grin.

He smiled brightly at her. "Well some people are better at doing things than others my dear. If you want-" he moved ever so slightly so he was standing right behind her. "I can teach you how to use it," gently taking both of her hands, he placed it on the glaive. He looked down at her.

[Nikora Sanjo]

Nikora smiled at his words. “Yeah, I guess so.” Her family was an odd one, yes. But the rest of her family had no magical powers. “Well, if they do, it’s to a very small degree, one so small they can’t do any magic.” She replied, shrugging. Then she laughed when he mentioned the priests being boring. “Are they now? I don’t think I could stand to live with any type of priest for five minutes.”

Nikora listened, interested in his explanation. Healing a person, that was a useful talent, no matter how small his power was. “That’s amazing,” she breathed. “It’s just...so different. But still very interesting. Even if you can’t explain it properly.” She grinned, watching him. He was a very handsome young man, really.

Nikora shrugged in response to the first part of his talking. “Well, yeah-” she was cut off because he came to stand behind Nikora, surprising her. Her eyes grew large, and her face became slightly red. “I don’t think I coul-“ once again, she was cut off by him. But this time, he had taken her hands and placed them on the long staff-sword. Her face grew redder, hotter. A blush crept onto her cheeks as she looked down at their hands, both touching the cool staff of the glaive. She cleared her throat, to repeat her previous words that had been stuck in her throat. “I really don’t think I could learn in any way how to use this big pigsticker.” She told him, looking at the wall. She didn’t want him to see her red face.

[Jonathan Garcia]

Jon titled his head to one side as he worked out his thoughts. "Well some people have magic and others don't." he said slowly. "Thats how it is done back home. Some people have the Gift and others don't. Then again there are various kinds of Gifts. It comes in colors though. It varies by people." He called on his Gift and his hand glowed sapphire blue just to show her. "See?" he closed his hand and the glow vanished. He laughed. "But you can't sleep in class either," the prince told her with his eyes twinkling. "For they always caught you."

The prince smiled back. "It is hard to explain though. Lets see," he raised his hand, thinking for a moment. "There's battlefire with the Gift, healing, and other kinds," he tapped his hand gently. "And a lot of other things as well."

"Its not that hard at all my dear," he siad kindly. "Its rather easy to learn," he laid his chin on her shoulder and then withdrew it, smiling.

[Nikora Sanjo]

“Hm, interesting.” Nikora murmured, watching him. Her eyes widened when a sapphire blue shone from his palm. “That’s amazing...,” she breathed, astounded. The magic of the Isles was something that she was not familiar with, and she was glad to see it, finally. It had been years since the Isles were found, and their children started to come to Hogwarts. But, being the recluse she generally was, she had not met anyone from there. “You can’t? That must suck. What if you couldn’t sleep in Binns’s class? That would be horrible.” She said, shocked.

There were even different kinds of magic? Okay, perhaps she really had known that fact, but for him to state them in front of you, was different than reading it. “Really? That truly is amazing. Our magic doesn’t really have all these different kinds of things. It’s simply magic.”

“I don’t think I could do it. If you see me on normal days, you would think I wasn’t the same person. I can barely use a normal knife without cutting myself.” She murmured, still looking away. Then she felt pressure on her shoulder, and turned to see his face right in front of hers. Nikora suppressed a squeal as her face turned bright red. She hadn’t expected his face, a lovely face, to be right there in front of her. Not to mention that after that, he withdrew and smiled. Smiled!