[center]20[/center] --- Calixta had been silent for the most part, observing with quiet eyes as each of the other Sages exchanged greetings. Even the fire-man had extended his hand earlier than she did, but that was mostly due to the fact that she kept her eyes on the strange man, trying to decipher the feeling he gave her...it was interrupted, however, by a tall man with eyes as clear as the blue sky. She maybe reached up to his chest in height, but she was used to being so small in comparison to everyone else, especially those outside of Nymphe. Her eyes flicked upward to meet his own, and she nodded her head in answer to his question. What was his name...? Something Grimward? Most everyone seemed to recognize him as someone important, but Calixta shrugged off the thought; nymphs rarely kept track of the outside world as the matters of men flew by in the blink of an eye when compared to the nymphs' eternity. "Yes, the...Water Sage." She kept her mouth open, debating whether to tell the group about her predicament of not actually being the [i]true[/i] Water Sage, but she believed fate had brought her here for a reason anyway. But for now, she would stay silent on the matter. "Your eyes...they're so clear! Like the sky at noon when the sun shines on a cloudless day..." Calixta smiled up at him and let out a tiny giggle. "I'm guessing you...well, you look like light, if I had to guess!" A small breeze flew through the courtyard which ruffled her long raven locks, whipping them around and blowing them upward into a girl's face. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Calixta squeaked out, gathering her hair and placing it over one shoulder. At first glance, she noticed the girl's elven features, and she was a beautiful elf at that! But there was something else in her eyes, a look that she couldn't place...no woman on Nymphe carried herself in such a manner that the elf-girl did, and it was confusing and foreign to Calixta's mind. She cocked her head to the side a bit, but gave her the same smile she gave the human man. "You're very pretty," she said, spilling out the the first thoughts that came to mind. Summer felt a blush rush to her cheeks, but she managed to return the Nymph's smile with one of her own. "Um... thank you," she said, "You are very pretty as well." In response to Calixta's comment about his eyes, Ostel chuckled and bowed his head in respect again, "Your words are kind Calixta. I regret I may not be as poetic as you are in compliments, but I hope that with you by our side we will conquer our foes." He said as he punched his sword hand into his shield hand at chest level and then bowed to the Sage of Water. "Sire... you are... strange," Summer said to Ostel after he completed his motion, "Does everyone do that?" Turning to his elven companion, Ostel smiled and answered, "It is an old variant of the knightly salute that I prefer. In one of our tales of old many mighty warriors, both friend and foe, would use that motion to show respect to one another." Then he shrugged and his voice became a bit light-hearted, "I just figured since we are all Sages that it seemed proper to revive that old custom. Seemed to fit anyways." he said rubbing his hand beneath his chin. Summer nodded her head to show her understanding before she turned back to Calixta, "My name is Summer," she said, "I'm... um... I'm the Sage of Wind apparently." Calixta found the bowing motion strange, and her eyebrows furrowed together in further confusion. Apparently, the land-walkers had strange customs of greeting...or rather respect. But, if he wanted to exchange such customs, then she was more than happy to oblige. She waited until he straightened up just enough for her to reach him, then she kissed him on the cheek, a dazzling smile upon her face. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Ostel!" Her beauty seemed to radiate around her, and the tiny nymph turned toward Summer, eyeing the elf-girl with a careful look. Did she call the man 'sire'? Why? Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, she was able to recall that it was the men who held the power in politics, society and general everyday life on the lands obove the sea, and she almost chuckled at the ridiculousness of the idea. But she wasn't culturally insensitive; if anything, she was the exact opposite because of the amount of traveling Acheron exposed her to. Coming out of her momentary trance, Calixta bit her lip nervously and steadied herself against the wave of emotion that seemed to rock her whole being...but she wouldn't succumb to it. Not now. Instead, she smiled again and hid the sadness deep within herself. The only indication of anything was the thin film of wateriness that lined her seafoam-green eyes. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a bright [i]SQUAWK![/i] interrupted her and a whirl of white feathers disrupted the group's composition, ending in the form of a peacock perched upon the edge of the fountain. [i]SQUAWK![/i] It nipped its beak lightly on Summer's sleeve, looking up at the elf with curious, beady eyes. Calixta sighed. "And now I present to you, Queen Raina's spoiled peafowl, Garon. Please don't entertain him, he's really very annoying..." A few other incoherent grumbles left her mouth as she glared at the peacock, a frown situated upon her pretty face.