DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Hall of Fame - Latest Top 10 completed games HWD: The Heartwood HWD: Introduction

Daxia
<with Camelia, Cesare and Dandelion>

Daxia chuckled at the comment made by the sleepy Dandelion. "Never seen lazy Dayalan, not even lay members." The redhead was obviously more relaxed now, more comfortable with the surroundings and people in the common room. She settled into the silence of their small grouping easily, though, while waiting for the server to bring their food. Her eyes never seemed to stop moving, however... watching everything. The swordsman they'd arrived with, who was known well enough to get them through the gates after dark, chatting companionably with Dandelion's men... the young girl sharpening her knives... the other woman brushing out the fur of her ruff. That particular sight brought a smile that even reached her eyes. Kadri with the Squire and Lady... even the proprietor and the servers. It was not the wide-eyed naive stare of a country girl, however, but more a canny cataloging of people, places, connections.

When their food arrived, she thanked the server and, after a spoonful of stew -- Dandy was right, it was quite good -- she turned her deep blue eyes to Camelia, as though she was searching for something. "If you not mind telling, why you leave Imperial palace? How you come to this place... why now?"

Camelia with Daxia, Cesare, and the sleeping Dandelion

Camelia stared at the over-abundance of food placed before her with wide eyes. It was simply a portion larger than she could possibly have eaten. After going so long on thin rations and then days without anything at all, and her first real meal in all that time coming just last night. She couldn't help but stare at the bowl for a moment. And then came the question she expected, but dreaded.

Truths and Lies? Duty or Self?

Those same wide yees, as blue as blue could be looked up at the Red haired woman who also had deeply blue eyes and she suddenly found herself fixed like a prey animal, a hart, all over again.

Camelia had promised to explain everything to Comfrey, but now she had been asked directly. Again she was resting in the comfort of someone else's hospitality. Again, she would have to make a choice.

And a long moment passed between them, hoping that somehow, someway, something would occur around them and she could be saved from having to address this matter.

"Oh, its pleasant enough, as these places go. Gives me a living. Anything in particular you are looking for?"

Daxia
<with Camelia, Cesare and the probably-just-faking-sleep Dandelion>

She sipped the cider as she raised an eyebrow, the only outward reaction to Camelia meeting her eyes... and Daxia's own observation of the look in those eyes. She regarded the younger woman for a moment after lowering the mug.

"Do not mean to... cause discomfort." She ate another spoonful of the stew, chewing and swallowing slowly to give the other woman time. "But," she said finally, "am seeing... patterns, yes? And holes in patterns." Daxia shrugged lightly, but kept her eyes on Camelia. "Thinking maybe you fill part of holes." Her gaze wandered around the room again, lastly stopping at their little group and giving Cesare and Dandelion longer looks, before returning her eyes to Camelia. "Many holes to fill, yes?"

<Comfrey with Conrad and Kadri>

A new topic of conversation that doesn't have the impact the last bit appeared to, Comfrey thought but didn't say aloud.

Instead she waved a hand airily, "Oh, whatever you two would like to share about it. It may be I'll be hereabouts a while."

Darian

She met Longtooth's gaze evenly every time he gave her that look. She spoke in quite tones to him, words meant only for his ears spoken too softly to be heard over the crackle of the fire or the murmur of other conversations. "It has been too long since your coat was seen to properly, since before Hakar sent us away. I don't suppose you know of any other Packs who might treat with us. These folk seem nice enough, but..."

She longed for the companionship of her Pack, something she had not been able to think of or name until seeing these others here. She was near certain enough that Longtooth felt the same. They were the only ones left. They stood alone against the world.

Finally his fur was untangled. She cleaned the brush and tucked it away then scotted around so he could put his head in her lap if he wanted. Her fingers stroked the fur between his ears, as much a comforting gesture to him as to her.

Her gaze wandered about the commons, occasionally lingering on one or two who reminded her of those she had known. It also went to the sellsword with whom she had struck up an easy rapport.

Conrad

"Well, you will be working with the Lady Lillisdotter and my own elder sister Heine. The hospice is a warm and well cared for place. i think that you will find it a good home in which to learn and serve." he said to Comfrey.

KAdri:

"I spent time with. . the lady Constance at the Hospice for . .some time. She is a good woman."

She said, rather on the quiet side.

Mikal - with Horde, Darian, and Celi

After tapping mugs together, and before drinking the toast with the mercenary, he tips his glass and spills some ale to the floor. "A partially empty mug for the loss of friends." He says softly. He then drinks his ale down. Thanking the man for his kindness he orders another round for them and pays for it with his own coin. While he waits for it to arrive he notes Celi finishing cleaning and sharpening her weapons.

"Interesting blades, those", he says. "Any story behind them?"

The Heartwood
Between Dusk and Dawn, the Town of Cragside
Marketday The Twenty-Fourth Day of the Month of Raven, 2623

Everybody

Without opening her eyes, Captain Koromov adds her half crown to the conversation between her sister and Daxia.

"That is what we in the Horde call a tag."

Camelia with Daxia, Cesare, and the 'no doubt shes's faking sleep' Dandelion

"Hmmm," grunted Camelia at Dandelion's interjection.

She looked first to Cesare and then to Daxia, before responding to her 'sister'.

"If you are going to make comments instead of sleep, then maybe I should wait until you are rested, or allow you a moment to refresh yourself. Sha?"

An arched, questioning eyebrow changed to a shake of the head in just a moment. There asa no point in waiting further, for no one would raise a significant enough matter to deter the red-headed woman and she wasn't inclined to be... 'tagged' any further. "Tcha!"

She returned her attention to Daxia and Cesare.

"What I will tell you will be the truth, but not all of it. It is just the way of it. I do not know you, any of you. I do not trust anyone, save for perhaps the lady of Aterra. And I do not mean that with disrespect. Quite the contrary. I am grateful for all that everyone has done for me when I desparately needed help. But a friend of mine is in danger, her life at risk. I accepted my fate to save her, but that threat still exists and anyone, anyone at all might be an agent of a conspiracy. I accept what you say about yourselves, because I have no way to know differently. But, until I came to this place I knew nothing of the things you say. I know not what a Dayalan is, or this word Verchovai, or half of what you speak of when you talk amongst yourselves. You tell me I am a Koromov, and maybe even Rhoni. I am not sure I know what any of that means, save for the fact that being the former could get me killed. I was raised in Trundle on the Hill and taught the way of things there, and to conduct myself as such. My mother taught me things, privately, secretly, but without context or background. I accepted that my mother had secrets, and I kept them as best I knew. I am from Trundle on the Hill. That place is my home, my world. I have never been far beyond the sight of those walls before. It is all I know."

She paused.

"Now that I have said that... I will answer your question. I was abducted from the Deynekko wing of the Imperial Palace, more than six handfuls ago. Dark Riders on White Steeds, all of them. Took me from the Palace, before the dawn, while there was still the dark of night to cover their ill deeds. Bundled through the city and out the gates, I can only suppose. And by conspiracy I mean, who could think to abduct anyone from within the palace and hope to escape less they have help? Who they were, I never knew and where I would be taken... likewise. They abandoned me along the Road East, between the the Black Mountains and the Dirkwood, some days walk from the Plainsend Inn. That is where I met those five who allowed me safe passage here and tended to me when I was near death from exposure and thirst and chill."

Celi with Darian and Mikal and Longtooth

"My Grandmother had them before me," Celi said. "She taught me their use, once I had proved myself ready. First I learned to care for them, then to handle them as if they were part of my body, like the softpad's claws. Then I learned ways to defend myself with them; and last, how to kill, when the time comes for such things."

She started to repeat the coven mantra, but realized in the nick of time that outing herself would be very, *very* foolish ... if not even immediately fatal.

"My Grandmother was very thorough, but I have been lucky. I have not had to use them in such fashion. I try to be calm, avoid angering others, and look for ways to accomplish my needs in a more gentle manner.

"What of Talia and your sword? Are there tales in the offing, how thee came to be together? If it is not considered bad manners, I would be most echanted to hear such a telling."

She would have been even more enchanted to hear about Longtooth and Darian, but she feared stepping on toes should she ask that question.

<Comfrey with the alliteratives

Her gaze went between Conrad and Kadri and she nodded before asking further, "And the rest of the place?"

Mikal - with Celi and Darian

"Talia? She's a mare. No one rides stallions in battle who has any sense." He chuckles at the image.

"Anyway she was payment." He leans back to get more comfortable. Apparently it's not a short story.

"I rode with Cameron's Light Horse for several years, before the Montague forced them to disband. Derrick supposedly was heading this way, so I guess I might run into him again. Josef went West. Haldrick and Jennis were going to hunt gyphons", he shakes his head at that. "I think Haldrick ended up inside one actually."

"Killian the Red and I traveled together for a time. He was my best friend in the Troop. It was he who took me in as a frightened, half-starved farm boy back too many years ago."

"Finding contracts was hard for a pair. Many merchants could only afford one. So after a couple of months we split up. He went North towards Sherman's Keep, or at least that was what he said. I kept to the road. Was going to stop at Highside Heather and then head towards MacMurphy's Tavern."

"One day I was attacked by robbers on the road. I fought them off, but Dallian", he pauses a moment. "Sorry. Dallian was my horse. A nice bay with a gentle gait. Anyway, Dallian shattered her foreleg in a burrow hole during the fight. I had to put her down." He sighs with feeling.

"After packing my gear on my back I walked on for a few days til I came upon a small village on the highlands. The village was run down. The livestock scrawny. The people looked starved. They hid from me at first. I was about to keep going, no matter how much my feet ached, when a woman came out of one of the huts. She was holding a sword."

He laughs. "The sword was a Greatsword, and was as tall as she was. She couldn't even lift it up for more than a few seconds before it's weight dragged the point back to the ground again. She told me to leave or she'd fight me."

"She looked like my mother for a moment, and I was speechless in shock. But, after I recovered from my surprise and assured her I meant her no harm, she hesitantly took me in. She even offered me a bowl of watery soup with two small pieces of carrot floating in it."

"Then she told me her story. Seems a group of bandits had decided that it was easier to keep coming back to this village and stealing food and anything else they had. They kept watch on the only road in and out to make sure the people could not send for help, and honestly the village was so remote that if they got two visitors a season it was a busy year. The bandits took a few of their maidens to make sure they stayed in line."

"I felt bad for them, but I didn't see much I could do alone. But it kept nagging at me how much she resembled my mother. She could see that I hadn't bolted so she told me more. They'd had an Old Jvrillian pass by some months earlier. He had agreed to help them and had ridden off to charge the bandit encampment, screaming battle cries."

"About a day later his horse had come walking back to town, riderless and it's saddle covered in blood. They took it and hid it in a cave outside the town, not wanting the bandits to find it. The woman looked at me and, I swear to Jvrill", his hand slaps his chest, "my mother's voice came from her throat. She said, 'We have nothing to give you to help us, except the horse. Is it enough?'"

"I honestly could not breathe for a few seconds. I took it as a sign from Jvrill. That night she took me to the horse. It was a beautiful Silver Bay Crusader. Cavalry trained. It looked at me." He gazes more intently at Celi. "I am telling you it looked at me as if it was sizing me up." He shakes his head side to side.

"In any case I accepted the contract then and there. As if I had a choice." He smiles ruefully. "It took me almost a month. I had to hide during the day and ambush them at night, and I could not take on more than one or two at a time, nor could I let it look like I was coming from the village or they'd take revenge on them."

"I rescued the maidens first, but I couldn't let them go home. That was hard. Convincing them to stay with me in the cave until it was safe, but I managed. Eventually I'd killed so many of the bandits that they decided to move on. I returned the girls to their families and took the horse. Named her Talia, which is sort of an inside joke. That's the name of the Sister of the Lord of the Montague. Makes me smile every time I mount her." He grins.

"She and I have been together ever since. She's my best, and my most loyal friend. She has saved my life more than once. And that whole episode led me to my current career."

Darian

She looked up as Mikal and Celi spoke, her amber eyes watching the sellsword as he told his tale.

Always appreciating a fine story, she softly said, "It is a good telling. It seems to me you should have many of them."

Conrad

"The rest of the place should hold until tomorrow. It is getting late and I would be off to sleep. I have prayers in the morning and then I must see you delivered safely as promised."

<Comfrey with Conrad and Kadri>

Her eyes began to narrow a bit at his last words but she quickly lowers her lashes and nods acquiescence. "Of course," she murmurs. "May your rest be a comfortable one."

KAdri, with COmfrey and COnrad:

"Yes, however, between you and I, should you wish to ask me anything in the meantime, I am, of course, willing to answer."

She looks over to Conrad.

"Good night to you, squire. May warmth and the black of night enfold you, and your dreams be placid. Peace upon your night, until the sun arises."


She bows her head briefly.

Sometimes, a part at which one has had practice, and long practice, is easy to play. . .

She looks back to COmfrey.

"I am considering retiring for the night - if you are. . similarly inclined, I could show you where that is?"

Squire

"May I escort you both to your room then. It would set my mind at ease."

KAdri, with Comfrey and COnrad

"As far as I am concerned - by all means - let your mind be at ease."

She nods and smiles ever so slightly, again, essaying a slight bow, arms crossed, each to the opposite shoulder.

<Comfrey with Kadri and the very polite Squire Conrad>

"That would be most kind," she murmured again and stood. She would look around the room again and if she caught Camelia's eye she would nod her goodnight. Hopefully they could catch up in the morning but it appeared her friend was with those who could provide comfort.

The three of them headed to the Kadri's room and the squire bid them goodnight. The two women went inside. <Kadri/Comfrey convo continued in mesages>

Daxia
with Camelia, Cesare and the most-definitely-awake Dandelion

“Most sincere apologies, Camelia Ayannasdotter,” Daxia said with a bow of her head. “Was raised in Dayala’s Temple since four years old, and never left Dawnview Vale –- where all know Dayala -– before end of Scholar.” She shrugged. “So we have in common being away from home for first time, and not knowing so much of the world, yes?

“You not know me, I not know you. Okay not to trust too much. But I tell you things. Dayala? She is Sun. She from First Age. She make order from chaos. She make Chaos Lords very angry. She... begin everything. Dayalans? We Her children. Stars at night? Our sisters who go before us. Verchovai... Imperial word closest is “knight.” Title of respect, yes? Is also...” Head tilted slightly, she eyed the Dayalan who feigned sleep. “Rank, maybe you say? I am Initiate, Dandelion is Verchovai.” Again, the redhead shrugged, then took another sip of her cider.

“What you say before, about ones always buying time? Is what we do, is who we are. Gilly say it more simply: we protect. Like Knights of Rames, only Dayala came first.” She grinned a little at that before becoming serious again. “Will not endanger you or friend; more likely to offer protection, if you want to trust me later. No more questions about that then.”

Daxia studied the young Imperial for several moments, then said, “No new threads for patterns today, but I think I learn something important. I think Imperials I meet today named ‘Koromov’ good people. I like. Might even pester Verchovai Dandelion as much as I pester Verchovai Gillyflower,” she said with a grin. “Am also happy to know others helped you,” nodding towards the others still in the room. “Would be poorer for not meeting you. Look forward to meeting others who help you.”

Camelia with Dandelion, Cesare and Daxia

At the mention of her traveling companions, Camelia flashed a glance towards Comfrey and Conrad. She felt guilty, time was sliding away into the later part of the night already. She had promised them a better understanding of who she believed herself to be, a step closer to the Truth. Truth had suddenly become a very flexible thing though and she no longer felt she had a grasp on it.

The Redhead's explanation of a couple of terms gave her a better understanding, but still she lacked any context. It was like she wanted someone to tell her a history as though it were a story.

The redhead had a name. Of course she did, but saying it made it more personal and doing that committed her to caring. Camelia had a strong emotional connection to her environment and adding to that threatened to upset the careful balance she had fabricated as a defense of herself.

"Thank you," she replied. She didn't receive compliments very well. It made her uncomfortable as though it was unwarranted attention, undeserved in her own eyes.

"You should know that I did not believe my mother used that phrase casually, to describe something as you did. It was not just a concept to her. She was speaking about something in particular. A purpose, a task... Something that happened once and a commitment to 'defend' from then on, one that was hereditary... No Dayalans left in Trundle, and it became the duty of those who came after, to be the ones to keep this promise, this commitment... One that I would have to take up when it was my time... They stole something from a place called the Thousand Towers, and lost it to them again, and all of that came at a cost... Mother would have to pay soon she said, and then it would be my turn. I suppose my whole life has been to make me ready for the day I would have to face the Thousand Towers and buy time."

Celi with Mikal, Darian and Longtooth

Celi clapped her hands softly, enjoying the tale. "O most brilliantly recounted, Milord Mikal!" she enthused. " 'Tis as if we were there. You honor yourself in the deed *and* the telling."

She grinned impishly. "It seems the old woman chose wisely... as did Talia. After all, she could ha' rolled her eyes and gone back to grazing.

"Where do the roads lead you now, Milord? What do you seek, besides a post to help you weather the winter?"

Daxia
with Camelia, Cesare and the most-definitely-awake Dandelion

Daxia nodded. "No Dayalans left most places. Don't know Thousand Towers, but..." She paused, and seemed to be working out a particularly complicated puzzle. "But you decide you want to trust Daxia Yurisdotter, maybe you have Dayalan to help you, yes?"