[u][b]‘Blue Haired Boy’ ((NPC))[/b][/u]

Alaric would see a smile spread across the older boys lips.

“Excellent.” The boy bent down, untied, and discarded his shoes. He crossed his gangly legs and sat on the seat facing Alric, scooting back so that there was plenty of space between them. “Quick?” He was wearing an old brown jacket, he reached to an inner pocket and pulled out a blue pouch, from that pouch he pulled a stack of cards, their top sides all blue. 

“Quick? Perhaps just a three card spread then…”

He shuffled the deck, Alric would only see the top sides of the card, they were all uniform, all blue. He had long quick fingers that shuffled the cards masterfully. Then finally he would select three cards and set them face down.

He turned over the first, the one to Alric’s right side. 

“The Emperor.” There was a picture of a man with a long beard in a long robe on a tall stone throne. He seemed to be on a mountain. The card was upside down, with his feet in the air. The arms of the throne were carved into the shape of phoenix heads, the emperor carried a crystal ball and a long wand in each hand. “This is your past. It indicates strong leadership and stability. You’ve got a good foundation, or perhaps a strong role model, that has ruled your life in the past… Either that or you're going to marry someone wealthy.”

He flipped over the next card. “The Ace of Cups.” There was a golden goblet in the center of the card, five streams of water spouted from the top as if it were a fountain. The cup was held by a hand without a body, it’s wrist emerged from a cloud. “This is a card that marks new beginnings. You're probably starting a new endeavor… perhaps school…” The boy rolled his eyes and winked at Alaric, as if sharing some inside joke. Then he tilted his head to and fro, as if considering a serious matter “... Don’t wait too long to say ‘yes’.”

Then he touched the last. “This one is for the future…” He flipped the card to reveal a young man in a long robe. He stood before a table. On the table was a goblet much like the one in the middle card, a sword, a wand, and a large coin. “This is The Wizard! You're going to be a wizard!” He laughed then, a bit too loud for comfort. “You silly things…” he touched the un-dealt deck gingerly as he spoke. 

“[i]Soh[/i]. The wizard… about him… I mean [i]you[/i]… your future… ahem… You will become empowered only when all things are in balance. Every tool is available to you, your own discretion is the only obstacle. You have been wishing for something a long time, do not give up hope, but become more [i]shrewd [/i]and discerning as you work toward your goals.” 

He clapped his hands and gathered up the cards. “Quick enough for yo--” A blue card slipped from the pile and landed on the floor. “Ooops!” The boy scrambled to pick it up. “Your not done yet I see!” He pushed the card toward Alaric. “Look.. It’s the moon!”

In a dark blue sky the moon was painted with a smiling face, a womans face. Below her on the ground were two towers and two wolves, they mirrored one another astride a long path that lead into a river on the bottom of the card. In the river was a scorpion. The scorpion was black and seemed to be walking toward one of the wolves, it's venomous tail was raised threateningly. “Yes… be very shrewd indeed! Beware of betrayal! You're going to be invited to a party, listen closely, and think before you accept!”

He put the card back in the pile and began to shuffle again. He hummed a low tune as he did so. He tossed the cards between his hands like a stage magician might. “I’m Nathaniel by the way.”