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Wolf #586550 Thu 15/03/12 18:22 UTC
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Mikal

He looks at Romana in surprise when she moves to the bar, and then in a little alarm as she spills her pouch across the top of it. Who knows what might spill out?

He gives the barkeep a hard look and when he changes his mind and takes a smallish gem he frowns, but doesn't intervene. She overpaid a bit, but not terribly, and it was their fault, not the barkeep's.

He sighs, and glances to Daxia. "Perhaps a lesson on what things cost for Romana would not be out of place?"

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Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn


Daxia had simply blinked at Romana's transaction with the barkeep, watched with as much attention as she watched the activities at the Allaine court. When Mikal spoke, she merely sighed. "Perhaps it is a difference between cost and worth, Mikal. If Romana is happy, then it is worth a blue sparkly bit, even if the value of the sparkly bit and the cost of rooms and meals do not match." She smiled and shook her head. "And I certainly don't know the value of the sparkly bit now in the barkeep's possession, or the value of Romana's other... sparklies and trinkets." she said.

"Romana, Romana, happy happy Romana," she said to the princess, "Thank you for the lovely bartering you did. Please be careful when displaying your pouch of sparklies, though, hmmm? There are people who do not know Romana is a big fish, and might want to take Romana's sparklies." Daxia lowered her voice. "No troubles, no excitement, ok? Just happy Romana, everybody friendly, yes? Good, good!"

Then she returned her attention to Celi, head tilted to one side and lips pressed tightly together, and shook her head. "Tcha! Celi not listen... Celi not invited anymore."

She looked again at Bekkah. "Or I will walk you over to Lady Kay, and investigate the ruins with Romana in the afternoon." Glancing at Romana again, she said, grinning, "Romana like everything except bugs and worms, yah?"



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Wolf #586603 Thu 15/03/12 21:06 UTC
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KAdri:

"ROmana. . . please be very careful. Now many in the place have seen what you have in your pouch. . and they will be very happy to empty it for you - and not give you anything in return. Here. . .your position, whatever it may have been, means nothing."

She sounded very serious.

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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Restday, The Twentieth Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

"What valuables?"

The young woman peeked back from her hood, head tilting, as if it were both an honest and a so important question. One arm reached out and then extended, hand flat and pointed. From her wrist hung three hooped bracelets.

"Shiny steel? Sparkling silvers? Rarest platty-pus-eee-ums? Platty-pus-eee-eyes?"

"Romanas not know. Romanas not care.

She shook her wrist and they jangled together, like the jangle of faire belles, so light, so frail, so pretty. She closed her eyes and smiled.

"Music, makes Romanas smile.

"Sharing day with good, interesting folks ... makes Romanas smile."

She then opened her eyes and beamed.

"Not being woken up when even Sun yawning long shadows ...

" ... Romanas smiles lots"






" ... what is valuables ...

" ... can not be held, bought or solds."


Last edited by Wolf; Thu 15/03/12 23:47 UTC.
Wolf #586635 Fri 16/03/12 00:20 UTC
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Originally Posted by Wolf
The Heartwood
Bordertown
Restday, The Twentieth Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623

Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

"What valuables?"

The young woman peeked back from her hood, head tilting, as if it were both an honest and a so important question. One arm reached out and then extended, hand flat and pointed. From her wrist hung three hooped bracelets.

"Shiny steel? Sparkling silvers? Rarest platty-pus-eee-ums? Platty-pus-eee-eyes?"

"Romanas not know. Romanas not care.

She shook her wrist and they jangled together, like the jangle of faire belles, so light, so frail, so pretty. She closed her eyes and smiled.

"Music, makes Romanas smile.

"Sharing day with good, interesting folks ... makes Romanas smile."

She then opened her eyes and beamed.

"Not being woken up when even Sun yawning long shadows ...

" ... Romanas smiles lots"






" ... what is valuables ...

" ... can not be held, bought or solds."



Kadri

"And I agree with your thoughts, Romana. Really I do. But see. . .THEY don't agree. And they might be completely willing to HURT you to get a hold of your shiny things. Hurt those around you."

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Daxia
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She regarded the odd-speaking dark-haired girl for long heartbeats, and then smiled. "I don't think you quite understand, Kadri. I think what Romana means -- in addition to the most valuable things being intangible -- is that the shiny bits are not valuable. TO HER." Daxia looked between Romana and Kadri, and shook her head. "If someone wanted to take her shiny sparklies... she would just give them over. And no one gets hurt." She shook her head again, more vigorously. "It might take many days, perhaps handfuls of days, to come to grips with that state of mind."

Daxia turned her attention to Romana again. "Romana should remember, though, that the sparklies and shiny steel and sparkling silvers can be traded for nights in soft beds with warm blankets where no one will wake Romana except Romana, so that Romana can smile and smile and smile," she said with the hint of a smile of her own. She lowered her voice and spoke close to Romana's hood-covered ear. "Dazidazidazi likes to see Romana smile."



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Kel #586734 Fri 16/03/12 11:46 UTC
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Cesare

If anyone has a particular need of him he will listen but he would rather spend the day with Darian and he is not sure whether they will be up before Romana. A trip to the market might be interesting and Darian has furs to sell. He turns to her.

"Want to visit the market tomorrow? We could sell the items whilst the others get on with their day? Or is there something else you would rather do?"

Kel #586736 Fri 16/03/12 11:51 UTC
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Originally Posted by Kel
Daxia
with the Gang at the Dragonstooth Inn


She regarded the odd-speaking dark-haired girl for long heartbeats, and then smiled. "I don't think you quite understand, Kadri. I think what Romana means -- in addition to the most valuable things being intangible -- is that the shiny bits are not valuable. TO HER." Daxia looked between Romana and Kadri, and shook her head. "If someone wanted to take her shiny sparklies... she would just give them over. And no one gets hurt." She shook her head again, more vigorously. "It might take many days, perhaps handfuls of days, to come to grips with that state of mind."

Daxia turned her attention to Romana again. "Romana should remember, though, that the sparklies and shiny steel and sparkling silvers can be traded for nights in soft beds with warm blankets where no one will wake Romana except Romana, so that Romana can smile and smile and smile," she said with the hint of a smile of her own. She lowered her voice and spoke close to Romana's hood-covered ear. "Dazidazidazi likes to see Romana smile."



Kadri


"No, Dazi - I understnd that - but I also know that there are those who would not bother to ask forst and even give the opportunity to give them away. I know this very well, Dazi. Many people are . . . Not nice."

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Darian

"Market be good," she answers Cesare. "Darian trade furs. Cesare trade other things."

ividia #586753 Fri 16/03/12 12:36 UTC
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Cesare

He smiles, nodding his agreement.

He is feeling quite mellow. Good food, an ale, out of the cold in this fine inn, opportunity to rest a while, spend time with Darian, especially private time.

Life seems good just now.

He snags a piece of meat from his plate and reaches down to offer it to Longtooth.

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Daxia
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Daxia nodded to Kadri. "Oh, yes," she agreed. "Many people are not nice. But that is true everywhere, da? True in Bordertown, true in Cragside, true in your land and mine and Romana's," she said, emphasizing the latter's name so very slightly. "And yet, here we are... having managed to eventually... hmmmm... evade the not nice people who might have tried to harm us." She regarded her friend, demeanor quite serious. "I think you might be underestimating Romana's ability to keep herself safe, yes?" she said, head tilted and eyebrows raised.



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Kel #586967 Sat 17/03/12 14:58 UTC
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Bekkah

She smiled at Romanas' words.

*So true* she thought, starting to view the dark haired girl in a different right.

She looked over at Dazi and saw the little seven year old who looked up at her, whose smile could light a room and she smiled.

*So very true. Maybe not bought or sold, but hold, yes* she thought, thinking of the days, she held a very young Dazi in her arms.

She caught Dazi's eye and gave her a wink and a loving smile. Dazi may not know exactly what she was thinking, but she'd know how much Bekkah loved her.

Last edited by Nivek; Sat 17/03/12 15:29 UTC.
Nivek #586976 Sat 17/03/12 15:30 UTC
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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Restday, The Twentieth Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623


Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

"Maybes ..."

The slender dark haired young woman considered both words in agreement and the words of warnings.

"Isn't being nice better? Romanas know, not enough keep bad away. But when bad things come ... Romanas told ... that when good have friends."

Her words were soft and it was impossible to tell whether the last word was capitalized or not.

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Darian and Longtooth

The hound happily accepted the other meat though he had already finished his meal. Darian chuckled a little at him acting like a greedy pup. She could not fault him for it. Their journey and hunts had been long and sometime arduous already and without the benefit of the frequent play and fellowship of their Pack. She hoped their time here would be able to bring back the balance. Cesare's presence had helped with that, for both of them.

She too offered Longtooth a bit of extra food, running her hand along Cesare's leg on the return trip.

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Daxia
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"Oh, yes. Being nice is better, Romana."

Daxia caught her sister's look and twisted in her seat to hug her. "Being nice is always better," she said both to Romana and Bekkah, and anyone else listening, as she released Bekkah.

She looked around the table at her comrades before turning back to the dark-haired Eastern girl. "Romana was told correctly. When bad things come, it is good to have friends." She met Romana's eyes, and held her gaze for a moment before nodding ever so slightly.



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Kel #587078 Sun 18/03/12 01:03 UTC
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Kadri:

"Of course it is, Romana"

She says equally as softly.

"And if they try to take advantage, I will have to. . well, never you mind what I will have to do, but I will have to do it nonetheless. I. . .just don't want to see you get hurt - because you are much more pleasing when happy, yes?"




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Daxia

"Happy Romana, happy Kadri, happy everyone! Hoi, Kadri! Cesare is going to market with Darian tomorrow," she said. "Maybe he will sell our trinkets and you will come play in the ruins with Dazi, huh?"



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Kel #587116 Sun 18/03/12 01:51 UTC
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KAdri:

She pauses for a moment.

"I will come. . but this place would be important to you, yes? You sure that I would be. . appropriate there?"

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Daxia

She looked at Kadri, puzzled for a moment before her eyebrows raised, accompanied by an emphatic nod. "You are my friend. That makes you welcome."



"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
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Cesare

He feels Darian's hand on his leg, probably a signal that she is as eager as he to retire to the privacy of their room. It is all he can do to remain seated, rather than to rush off in indecent haste dragging her behind him.

But it does speed up his eating and downing the remainder of his ale, he stands. Little point in trying to be subtle at this time, everyone knows what is going on.

"Coming?"

He offers Darian a hand.

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Darian

"Aye," she answers with a smile taking his hand and standing up herself.

"Good night," she tells the table.

"Come along, Longtooth."

Gypsy #587230 Sun 18/03/12 18:53 UTC
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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Restday, The Twentieth Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623


Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

There is an old saying that crosses cultures and lands, true in Talesan's Village and true in the Fifth Ring of Grand Talantal.

You get what you pay for.

While expensive, the rooms in the Dragonstooth are a decent size, clean and well appointed. They ring the second floor of the tavern, reached along the arcaded gallery balcony. Each has a pair of windows, the one in the exterior wall is tall and narrow, of diamond paned leaded glass with some panes stained in reds and blues and yellows to add a splash of color into the simple quarters. The other is larger, two lites in a sturdy wooden frame which can be thrown open to look out into the central court. Each room has a sturdy wood frame and rope netted bed, upon which is a wrapped mattress of goose own; warm woolen blankets toped with a quilt. there is a small stand of drawers, with water and a basin atop; and while the crockery is plain it is more than is found in most inns. two chairs, wooden with homespun pillows on seat and back provide the rooms final touch.

It is quite a different experience than the spare bed in a farmhouse or the more austere and spartan day's travel inns along the merchant highways.

After a long day's travels, after a warm meal and cool drink, the day finally came to an end. The small group broke up, each to their own rooms. Bekkah and Celi, Darian and Cesare and Longtooth, Kadri and Camelia and Daxia and last Dean and Mikal.

Romana chose to stay up later than most, standing on the balcony, overlooking the courtyard, looking up to the night sky and the stars.

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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623


Daxia, Mikal, Darian, Cesare, Bekkah, Celi, Kadri, Dean, Camelia and Romana

Morning came with the smell of fresh baked bread, with the sizzle of meat echoing from the kitchen and the clatter of tankards and mugs. The barkeep was not to be seen, but a pair of kegs were missing from their racks; obviously replacements were being wrangled; if not from the stores then from the market. There was a continual bustle between the kitchen and the commons; the barmaids taking breakfast orders and the other patrons - mostly merchants it seems. One could tell by their girths and their fine clothing, that and their hired guards; similar to Mikal's arrangement with Daxia it was an all to common arrangement in this mercenary town. It seems that not just bread warms the baskets set in the center of each table but pastries too; buns heavy with cinnamon, flaky rolls, turnovers filled with hot fruit.

Eventually, after everyone else has woke and the morning repast taken, a sleepwalker drifts into the commons. Or at least she appears so, a lazy sleepy pace that seems to follow her nose. And it is a chaotic path that is meandered, following one barmaid and then another as paths intersect ... or rather, following the scents in the baskets they carry. Finally Romana stumbles upon the others. Wrapped warmly in cloak and hood she peer at the pastries, blue eyes sparkling. One she selects, and taking the blueberry filled cup sized breakfast in both hands she raises it up, as one might something treasured to be shown and celebrated.

"Muffles!"

With a bright smile she nibbled her sweetcake to a happy demise.

"Muffles ... muffles ... muffles ..."

A comfortable start to the day.

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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623


Those going to market

Outside, a cool Crown of Ice morning awaited.

For those going to market it was not hard to find. Just down the street the paved way opened up. Within was a slowly building maze of carts and chests; most merchants operating off the back of their wagons, some spreading a blanket on the cobbles to show off their wares. the chests served not only as stores but as chairs and tables as needed.

"Wool for sale ... Kierkegaard wool ... half crown an arms-spread ..."

"Spiced mead, hot hot hot! Can't start a winter day without something warm!"

"Ice wine from Lilia's Castle ... Mead from the hives of talantal ... Amber beer from far off Talesan's Village ..."

"Fish for sale, get it while its fresh and before it goes to the ruffs! Fresh water fish, get it before noon, cook it for summer ...

"Silk ... softest silk ... from far off Dawnview Castle ... if'n your wife ain't happy, this will make her so!"

While not as large or as bustling as the Cragside markets the Bordertown market was ample and varied. Food and goods of most kinds could be easily found, harkening from the length and breadth of the Highland path, from all the keeps and towns. Including marble blocks from Montague, jewelry from Talantal, daggers and swords and shields from Brockmans and the smithies of this very town; horses and mules and oxen from the scattering of farms, a little bit of everything. The buildings surrounding the market provided shelter for the larger and more permanent shops. There was a dry goods and general store, a true blacksmith and wheelwright, a fine imports gallery, a woodcarver and carpenter's shop - displaying mostly furniture - as well as a small chapel to Marrennenn. Though it was hard to tell; the so called chapel looked and sounded more like a usury and mercantile exchange than anything religious.

It was an easy task, that morning, to exchange their collected goods for a pouchfull of coins.

Leaving the rest of the morning to investigate both market and town.

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The Heartwood
Bordertown
Rameday, The Twenty-First Day of the Month of Crown of Ice, 2623


Those going to The Ruins

"Hey, lass.

"That's right, you. With the sword."

The words were not friendly, but they were also not unfriendly. The barkeep, or at least the lad behind the bar who was watching over things while his master was replacing the beer kegs, accosted Daxia as she started for the door and stairs down to the courtyard.

"Daxia Yurisdotter, that your name?

"Good. Courier came by a week or so ago and said you might be coming by."

He set a small pouch on the table; the cloth was soft and it was tied with a white ribbon. It was the size of a small apple.

"Was paid enough to leave it be and to pass it on to you."

The lad then returned to his morning labors; making sure that the mugs and goblets, the crystal and pewter, were set to last all day without a pause or hiccup to inconvenience their patrons.

The ruins were not the easiest things to git to.

While they and the tower that rose atop them, were easily seen, the gatehouse that opened directly south had long ago been walled in. Not just the portcullis dropped and forgotten but actually infilled with carefully carven blocks of stone.

The safer route was out the western gate; to come under the shadow of the Forest of Roth in the least way possible. The town was already awake by then and this street was the busiest. The southerside was dominated by the collection of buildings serving as the New Jvrillian Guildhouse. It served not only a place of worship butas a hiring hall, a training hall, a garrison for the local troops and for mercenaries just passing through, stables and a place where weapons and armor was smithed. Across was the caravan staging yard; where merchant wagons could be prepped the night before to leave upon the dawn and where incoming caravans could offload and distribute their wares. Though in the shadow of the western wall there was one oddity. A small house tucked in between two larger, looking much worse for the wear. Upon its stoop sat a rough looking man; his hair was long and unkempt and he wore leathers; a jerking and breeches. They seemed sturdy but they were definitely self crafted, and what ever he was good at it wasn't the crafting of leather. A bow taller than he was leaned against the half open door to his hovel and a pair of canines rested at his feet.

But they were not ruffs. Nor were they snarkhounds.

They were wolves. Gray, feral seeming wolves.

He just watched the small group pass him by.

He watched.

Every single one.

It was a relief then, to pass through the gate - pay the toll - and start the trek around town towards the terraces of broken and worn stone. Even Romana hugged her cloak tighter about herself.

The path uphill was rough, it was uneven, but at least it was a path. It was only a person wide as it wound its way towards the summit. The underbrush was not just thick, it was lush. Even in winter the vines were a deep evergreen, they were thick and tangled. The trees which rose had macabre roots, like a hundred spiders legs they reached out and down, a tendril like maze linking them to the slow rise of the ruins. Animals of all sorts chittered and scampered, never seen but heard and there were at least a handful of ravens that looked out of the shadows, their silhouette mysterious, their eyes beady. Every now and then, however, the sounds would fall completely silent, as if some larger larger predator was passing by, unseen within the thick brambles.

Sometimes the path was frozen stone and earth. Sometimes it was carven stone steps. Sometimes it was a path over rubble, though the rubble seemed to be regular, a tumble of carefully cut rectangular stones worn by time and by the passage of those who had walked this path before.

Finally they reached the top.

The top of the ruins was, in general, fairly flat, like some fine plaza that once overlooked the High Tarn. There were hints of an earlier structure; lines of foundation walls, the shadow of what might have been a blockhouse before it lost its battle. Upon the older foundations rose two small buildings, at right angles to each other. One was obviously a small stables, and from within came a whuffle of horses. It had sturdy doors and looks that it could be, in an emergency, could be sealed up tight. The other building looked like a small two room farmhouse; simple, small, with a plume of smoke rising from its chimney.

In the corner rose a tall tower, of significant girth. It looked to have been built from the rubbled stones of the ruins; it appeared to have at least three floors and was capped by a tall, faded banner of blue.

In the center of the summit was a carven well. A solid stone circle, it was inlaid with runes.

And it appeared unused.

An older woman, thin and gaunt, looked up as her unexpected guests arrived. She was in conversation; in truth, ending a small transaction. She was offering a handful of pennies to three of the towns children, each of who look to have brought two buckets of water up from the town.

After giving the newcomers a wide birth, the children scrambled their way off, down the trail and - hopefully - safely back to town.

"Good afternoon ..."

Her voice was old, with a hint of weariness in it.

"Can I be helping you? You look all well?"

She was dressed like Bekkah, in robes of Imperial white.

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