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

[ooc: Why don't we say Celi found Mikal and Daxia but chose to respect their sleep, returned to the inn where she is catching some z's curled on a bench.]

Bekkah

After unsuccessfully being able to speak to Lia, she returned to the common room to get a light meal. She hated to do it, but she'd have to see if she could get some coin from Dazi. She had almost none with her. Where she'd been in the last few years, coin was of no value. If she was going to remain in towns, she'd have to get some. Generally, she'd be offered meals and lodging wherever she went, but she couldn't always count on the hospitality of others.

Mikal

He rolls over when his internal alarm clock tells him it is time to get up, or perhaps it was because Talia nipped at his butt, having grown tired of his smelling up her nice stall. Hard to tell exactly.

In any case, once up he brushes the hay out of his hair and clothes, heads outside to the water trough and washes up. Going back to the stall he brushes and feeds Talia, then packs all his gear and gets his tack ready so he can saddle Talia quickly when it is time to go.

He then heads inside the inn to see if he can grab an early dinner and check on the others. Once it gets dark, they'll need to finish packing and get reay to move to the warehouse.

Celi

Celi started and sat up abruptly, for a moment uncertain as to where she was.

That happened to her a lot, indoors: unfamiliar scents and sounds, a mild but uncomfortable claustrophobia, the absence of moving air.

She looked around wildly, then recognized the inn common room and the surge of panic passed without further incident. She saw Bekkah, rubbed her face with both hands and pushed her hair out of her face, and got to her feet.

"Bekkah? Hello. I'm Celi." She pronounced it "SAY-lee."

"Cesare suggested I might see about acquiring supplies for our little trip, but did not say what or how I was to gom about paying for them. I don't suppose you could help me with either question...?"

Bekkah

"Hello again Celi." she greeted the younger girl with a warm smile.

"I suppose some of the merchants would have supplies for sale. Unfortunately, I have no coin. I have been traveling for the past few years and I have had no use for coin. I suspect we shall both have to wait for others."

"While we wait for them to wake. Tell me something of yourself dear. From where do you hail?"

[ooc: How old does she look? Bekkah is definitely late twenties, early thirties]

Celi

Celi invited Bekkah to sit with a courteous gesture. She was small and fit and because she had apparently lived most of her life out of doors, she was just weathered enough to make her age indeterminate: younger than Bekkah, but by how much, it was hard to tell. At times she showed the relaxed confidence of an experienced old hand, and at others she was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

"My life is far from interesting," Celi said. "I was raised by my Gran on the wildlands 'tween the Dirkwood and Brown's Toll, where the hills lay soft along the Blackwater rush. I cannot recall aught of my parents, save fire, bloody steel and death ... but thankfully, the dreams do not come any longer.

"That was when Gran found me; I rode a long way with her, on her old gray mare. But the mare suffered not at all; I was tiny, and all skin and bones. My Gran lived alone; our house had but three rooms, and 'twere sunk into the hills for shelter. The Blackwater flowed nearby, though the soft burble of the waters was a trap. If you let your mind wander, things would come out of the water to savage your ankles, and you had to beat them in the head with a branch to make them stop. They were good eating, though. That is where I learned to fish, using things other than my own ankles for bait.

My Gran taught me to live as part of the world around me, to fit my life to the pattern of the Sun and Mother Nature. BUt we seldom went where others lived, and even more rarely did we travel the Highland Path, which crossed the Blackwater at the Toll.

"It sounds like a life of sheer boredom, does it not? But it wasn't. I learned so many things. It was an idyllic life, in truth, until as must eventually come to us all, my Gran died. Now it came to me to travel to neighbor farms and trade for flour and jam and the like, It were where people were meant to live, *with* the world instead of against it, but it could be also very lonely. Fortunately, Gran had taught me how to read Nature's partners, the infinite creatures that share Her world with us. It filled a place in my heart that I did not even know was empty.

It was at this time that I came to see that nothing tied me to that place any longer; and so I saddled the gray, and rode south alongside the Blackwater, and as I rode, the land slowly became filled with other folk. As time passed I learned how to use my skills to make my way among the other folk, in stables and caravans, on farms and the like, and I learned the method of exchange and the value placed on coin. I still make mistakes, and I do not have very much of it, but I am better than I was. These folk ... they do not easily understand the other creatures who share our world under Nature's purview, but such knowledge came rather easily to me.

"And so, now I am here. For whatever reason, I turned my path in the end toward Cragside, where, apparently, I have thrown myself in with a pack of incorrigibles."

She grinned. "What of you, Mistress? Wherefore ha' you come to be in this place, and what do you wish from our company?"

Darian

The door swung open to admit Hunter, Hound and Rhoni. Darian made no move to drop Cesare's hand unless he pulled away. She caught the attention of one of the serving girls and ordered for and drink for the three of them.

"Shall we sit with them?" she asked quietly indicating the two of their group already present.

(Since Mikal only mentioned a specific time and others haven't yet, I'm just going to assume Kadri has made her way back.)

Kadri walks in from the direction of the stables, holding an apple in one hand and eating, humming some little tune to herself.

Bekkah

She listened to Celi's tale in silence.

"I spent much time amongst the people of the land. Poor some would call them, but they had a richness of spirit that some nobles will never know. I see that spirit within you Celi. You take the time to notice things and be thankful for even the smallest of things. That is a blessing. Don't ever lose that."

She thought about asking her something when other's showed up and she decided against it.

"So you long to be away from here, yes? I know I do as well. I spent days traveling in the back of carts to get here, but already I long for peace and open space. Hopefully, we can leave here soon."

Celi smiled wistfully. "The Wild would indeed be sweet. Getting back to where I fit. Cesare has concerns about our group's ability to forage, and wanted us to acquire road supplies. Just *how*, be was a little vague. I think we will be fine, but I am used to such a life."

Cesare

"I had hoped others would be here too but perhaps they will be here soon to eat."

He makes not move to drop her hand either and the two make their way as one with a smaller shadow dogging their heels.

"Celi, Bekkah."

He names the two as he and Darian take seats by them. He seems in good spirits, smiling as he greets them.

"Where is everyone?"

(aww. Noone even noticed that she was there<g>)

[Ooc: one whiff of that cologne and everyone is *afraid* to notice you...]

Mikal

Late afternoon and Mikal enters the commons, asking after some cheese, fruit, and bread, as he expects a hot dinner is not quite ready and he's hungry.

Taking a seat with the others he nods in comradely fashion. "Talia's ready, and I am packed. Once it gets dark we can move."

Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons

The last to arrive -- just as dinner time was beginning -- Daxia came into the Commons from the stables rubbing the back of her head, hair a frightful mess, and almost looking as if she'd been in a scuffle except for the broad grin on her face. She'd removed her vambraces, but still wore her greaves; she had the heavier walk of one wearing ring armor under her gray quarter-panel riding tunic. Coming up behind her sister, she reached over Bekkah's shoulder to place a yellow apple on the table in front of her, then hugged her from behind. "Know yellow Bekkah's favorite!" She kissed the top of Bekkah's head, then went around to the other side of the table and sat down across from Bekkah, next to Kadri. After greeting the rest of her companions, she eyed Cesare and Darian for a moment, then grinned broadly. "Hoi! Pretend not so pretend, yah?" She chuckled. "You find way out beside front gate?"

Darian

Their lunch was long done but the ale still flowed. Cesare's warmth was at her side and Longtooth's at her feet.

"Aye, but not for four leg. Tricky for two leg."

Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons

"How tricky? Too tricky even for Longtooth?"

Darian

"Maybe aye, maybe no. If place can jump up, no. Elseway, aye."

Daxia
with the Gang in the Commons

Daxia looked around the room. The few townsfolk who'd come in were giving them wide berth; the only people who might possibly be within earshot were members of her Temple-sister's troop. She nodded, then propped an elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm. Still, she spoke quietly when she finally did speak. "Many thoughts..." She sighed. "Don't like split party, but if best idea... ok.

"Need all to help with ore, yes? Make hole two walls... move ore, crates to neighbors... fix holes. Leave empty wagons, yes? More help, faster finished, sooner leave. So... I ask fast, you think slow, ok?" she said with a grin. "Or fast. That ok, too."

Daxia sat up and ticked the questions off on her fingers, looking at each person as she addressed them.

"Kadri... any... ah, what word? Pulley? Winch? Thing move crates easier.

"Celi... you say, mmmm, confuse path? Yes? Group must be tight together... or long line down road ok?

"Darian... if split group, Longtooth not able to get out tricky place... Hunter, Hound stay together? Or Hunter go through tricky place, Hound come with horses?

"Mikal... what advantages for split group? If split, who go first? How much before others?" She looked at him, perhaps not gravely, but certainly seriously. "If Mikal think split group best idea... convince Dazi why.

"Other ideas, anyone, please say, yes?"

She regarded them all again, then turned to get Nessa's attention. She ordered food and drink for everyone, and exchanged a few pleasantries with the girl, before turning back to her group. As she placed her palms flat on the table, something caught her attention; her brows furrowed as she inspected the back of her left hand. "Ha!" she said to no one in particular as she moved her forefinger around. "That Barris... he sneaky like Kadri. Dazi have bruise there tomorrow, reckon."

Daxia leaned back in her chair, looking more relaxed and content than any but Bekkah had seen her. She waved her hands at them, smiling. "Talk, talk... plan, plan!"

Celi

Celi spoke right up. "I say split the horses, which can travel much more rapidly and would find the foot pace annoying. Of the foot travelers, split that group in twain. The deft should travel off the beaten path; they can avoid leaving a clear trail by watching where they pass and where they put their feet, and help us by scouting ahead as we travel.

"The not-so-deft should travel in the middle of the beaten path, moving in single file and carefully treading only where the one ahead in the column has trod. That will leave a single track, which is hard to distinguish and will thereby muffle our number. The last in this not-so-deft line should drag a willow broom, bound with twigs of fresh cedar and sage or raw peppermint, either of which will discomfit any scent tracker they might try to employ while muddling our footprints."

Kadri:

"The warehouses are built for it. They have heavy raters, tools, block and tackle. . .all the tools needed to move heavy things around. Should be not a problem."

She turns towards Celi.

"At least for a while, some of our horses might be able to take two people, if we are not moving at full speed - might be better for any who are not comfortable walking long distances or covering their tracks."

"Then you have three groups, not two," Celi pointed out. "Walking, riding, and encumbered riding, who could neither flee nor fight. Which among us cannot walk or drag a broom?"

Cesare

"I don't think the way out we found is feasible even for all those walking. With more time to purchase ropes, rig things ready.. then yes.. but we have the added problems of the watchers. They would know. So I think that we should all go together through the gate at the same time, that being the only feasible way out tonight."

He pauses.

"There are still problems though. How to get from the warehouse to the gate without someone raises the alarm. That might be achieved by leaving the horses at the inn and us leaving the warehouses more openly as if we are just returning here, then at the last minute we go for the gate. Gives anyone wanting to stop us the least time to react. Then we have the problem through the gate of the speed of travel being that of the slowest and whether we have enough supplies to gain enough distance to put off pursuit. Laying a false trail here and maybe going in an unexpected direction might help."

He looks around those gathered.

"Anyone seen Lia?"

Darian

"Which more need, speed or stealth. If stealth, Celli plan good, what understand of it. If speed to gain more distance, then all stay to road. Or do both. We be eight two legs, there be three horse, one hound. Six ride horse, look like three with horse..."

She looked at those about jusdging size and accouterments. "Dazi 'n' Bekka, Mikal 'n' Lia, 'n' Celli or Cesare with Kadri. Other run with Hunter and Hound and scout also before and behind."

She had given those with armor the one's she judged to be the lightest and least encumbered among them. She knew little of Celli but perhaps she could scout. Her words seemed to indicate so.

[OOC: Lia is sitting with us, quietly for now. Sorry I didn't make that clear.]