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Wolf #944395 Sat 06/10/18 16:58 UTC
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Cesare

As he listens to Lyric, knowing this would be coming but underestimating how much the telling would affect him, he finds a rhyme going through his head.

Quote

Deer are first to raise the gates
Turn that capstan round and round
Chains will release and drop the weights
Gushing water will start to sound.


None of them will be the same after that and the memory of Kadri will live on with them.

He says nothing but he stretches out and gives Lyric's hand a squeeze. It is a story they all share though each played a different part. He just wants her to know that she is not alone.

Wolf #944516 Sun 07/10/18 23:59 UTC
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Eleni, as dinner finally ends, and Tomomi, after dinner

"Oh, I would never actually do anything like that..."

Eleni Allaine let out a long sigh, propping her elbows on the table and dropping her chin once more into her palms. Her eyes narrowed just a bit as her nose wrinkled.

"And yes, Mother will come up with a New Great Pan. Which is actually scary, since she's probably going to get bored once Kisa gets home and sits in the big chair at Dawnview Castle."

Eleni's eyes went wide at that conclusion as if she just realized exactly what it meant to have an Allaine at loose ends, looking for something to keep herself occupied. Indeed, even Kisa blinked, sitting up a little straighter, as she also now realized the level of domestic danger the Allaine siblings were about to fall into. Eleni looked across the table, to her sister, and then she let her sharp — but blurry — gaze slip between Kisa and Daxia. Kisa, alas, was safe it seemed. Or at the least, safer.

"Oh, you got it easy. She can try, but you are the Khorall, dearest sister. Not only have you made your choice but Mother no longer may command you. But me? Hoi. I am the one to whom both political and familial duty will fall on like a sack of merebeasts. Will it be some lordling from Kierkegaard? Who will want to drag me off to Highgaard? Or some merchant Prince to further our economic strength? I would not be a wife but an investment. He'd probably make me wear that gaudy jewelry from Talantal. All ostentatious and without style. But the truth, with my luck? It will be a deranged Nehmeristel priest who will pay more attention to his horse than me. Wait. That might not be the worse thing in the world. Yes, dear. No, dear. Don't worry, dear. Go back to the fields while I take care of things, no need for you to worry your horsey-mind on less important matters like running a keep and taking care of, well, you know, people."

"And you know it goes both ways, da?"

Immediately, with just a shift of her head, Eleni had changed subjects. She brightened a bit, managing a small smile, as she returned to the question of their fosterling brother.

"If anything ever happened to Kisa and me, I suspect he'd break all the rules and laws on the mainland to rescue us. And in return, it's often been my suspicion that his Father never outright disowned him, in part, because he knew that would have turned us from just annoying neighbors that might occasionally need dealing with to outright hostile ones that had to be dealt with.

"I am very glad about the Council. But then Dorian Korie is many things, but an idiot? No."

And then, then it was time for a tale, a story told by a minstrel, one painted in so many different shades of black.

"Wuffs..."

Eleni whispered that one word as if to test its flavor. But then, as proper and polite, she stayed silent to hear the remainder of the powerful story. Indeed, she even remained completely silent when the tale of Loch Faast Keep came to its conclusion. Her features were pale. Her older sister understood the patterns of the world in broad strokes, how the great powers worked on the world. But Eleni, she had less vision. Perhaps less was the wrong word; her Allaine gift was more focused. She saw the implications of actions on people.

There was one, however, at the table, who heard that story and whose expression did not darken. It was surprising, perhaps, because it was one who had shared that darkness, who had toiled as a tool in a Dragon's very belly, who — in her life as a tool — had her hands burned by raw darksteel, who hadn't had a name beyond her use until she met a lone Rhoni lass. Tomomi smiled. And when she smiled, it was sweeter than sunrise and starlight.

"But you came back."

The Mouse hugged herself tightly before leaning up against her forever friend, reaching for the other girl's hand.

"That's all there is to it. You came back.

"Don't you know how much that means?"

Tomomi closed her eyes. She took her strength from Keiko.

"Worth means so much to us. If a tool has no more worth, it is discarded. Thrown out. They’re all safe and harmless words, so you don't have to say we were killed. Executed. Even now, even now I get scared sometimes, wondering if I should be me, do I deserve this soul I have been given? Would it be better if I was just a mouse like I was born to be? And then I remember. I have a forever friend. And I know in my heart that if something bad were ever to happen to me, she'd come back for me. If our paths part, it would not be forever and every day is just a day closer to our greeting each other once more."

The Mouse-girl's words were bright and light and infectious.

"That long night, you all came back for us. Not just for us as all of us, the Forest Folk, but for each and every one of us individually, too. We were no longer tools. We were a people who deserved to be rescued — to be rescued at whatever the cost.

"It was, it is, undeniable proof that each and every Forest Folk has worth, that we not only deserve to live, that we deserve to live not as tools but as each other, as exactly who we just are."

All of a sudden she was sitting on the table, next to Lyric, patting the minstrel's soft hair.

"Don't you realize? You came back and saved One-Fang. No one had ever done that for the Pack before. Ever ever.

"If the Pack ever had any doubts that they were doing the right thing, you proved it.

"There are those we shall never be able to Mouse again. But you gave their passing value, gave them worth. And because of that, they would not wish you to mourn."

Small hands reached down and turned the minstrel's head up, soft eyes meeting cloudy ones.

"If you are crying, let be it just like my tears — tears of joy.

"You all came back for us. You made us people."

There was that soft smile again.

"Imagine all the good you have brought to the world. We now live to ensure we are deserving of the worth you gifted us."

She stayed quiet for a little bit. Tomomi's words were a strong complement to Cesare's simple motion, bringing the very silent Rhoni's feelings to light for all to share.

"If you write a song about Loch Faast Keep it should not be a dirge. It should be the truth; a celebration.

"So smile. If I can, you can — because you have worth too. That night proved it."

With that, Tomomi leaned back again. Her expression was bright, her whiskers twitched. She grinned at Keiko and said something odd and inscrutable, yet it silently concluded, for now, their previous conversation.

"I have enough worth to feel comfortable doing this right here and now..."

** HOP **

And suddenly the Mouse was gone, her leaving marked only by the pop of wind filling the space where she once was.

"EEEEK!"

Both Allaine sisters squeaked at the suddenness of Tomomi's departure. Kisa recovered first, her expression almost chiding, a look as if she knew that she should have expected it, all the clues had been right in front of her all the time — especially Miss Emerald's arrival at her wedding. But she hadn't expected to see it, right now, right in front of her, while she was watching, and so calmly and blatantly.

"...so that's how they do it."

A scholar's observation. Eleni was much more scattered and almost panicked.

"Where did she go?"

The younger sister first rubbed her eyes, of course, then leaned forward, then looked all around, behind her, under the table, under one of the platters, in one of the carafes; she looked for a tail peeking behind a curtain, up in the rafters, beneath her chair, behind Keiko's chair and other sundry spaces.

"She's not here! Did she vanish? Get eaten by an invisible grue? But the hall is well-lit!"

"It's not fair. You all know I can't see well! Where are you hiding Miss Mouse? Will I ever get lace? Will she come back?"

It took a long while to calm Eleni down. However, it was an excellent way to fill the time between Tomomi's departure and her return.

** HOP **

The little Mouse-girl suddenly appeared exactly where she had been, except her comportment was completely different. She had her arms wrapped around her tummy so very, very tightly, eyes closed shut, and she immediately fell on her side with a solid whunk. And she was laughing. She was laughing so very, very hard. When she could catch her breath, she held one arm straight up.

"First. Master Renyard was there. He'll be coming to Dawnview as soon as he can.

"Second, One-Fang sends Lyric a head rub and ear rub, which I'll do as soon as I... as I... hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

"It was after dinner. Soft was telling the New Ones a story, One-Fang, Broke, and Wuff-Wuff were wrassling over a hank of meat that Wrath had grabbed up while they were wrassling, and Lady was just happy to see me and know we were all doing well. When I asked her if she knew about an alliance between the Pack and the Allaines, her ears flattened, her eyes narrowed, and she immediately called out 'BROKE'! And the Wuff lifted her head from the wuff pile with a confused 'WUT' look on her face and Lady stormed over to her all stiff and fierce-like, and she asked her about this alliance thing. Broke narrowed her eyes and barked that it seemed like the right thing to do at the time and of course that didn't help matters one bit, and then it was Broke's turn to look panicked as Lady didn't swing at her, no, Lady walked back to the table, took up one of Renyard's big pieces of parchment, where he records what's been happening, he makes sure we all know how to read and write a lil' bit, and she rolled it up and THEN went after Broke, chasing her in circles and swatting the pack leader over and over going 'Bad Wuff! Bad Wuff! Bad Wuff!'

"So...

"All's well both here and at Home."

Wolf #944556 Mon 08/10/18 13:08 UTC
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Lord Protector, Her Ladyship Verchovai Daxia Yurisdotter
[Daxia serves DAYALA... the GM ESPECIALLY should get this right]

There's a brand new morning rising clear and sweet and free...

Daxia looked at Kisa as she made her proclamation, rolled her eyes, and finally shook her head.

“Really, Kisa? I love you. You know that. But... really? Proclamations?”

She sighed.

“Proclaiming that I’m the Knight of Dawnview Castle was plenty. Thank you.”

Dazi turned to watch Eleni as she came in, trailed by Nadya and Anatoli. She didn’t bother hiding her smile.

“I’m so glad you agree with me, Eleni!”

The Knight looked around her liege and grinned at Eleni as she sat down. “I remember that day! You hated it. Kassia was heard to mutter in the vicinity of the Cobble Block that the Flutterby might allow some sort of knowledge to seep into her brain. I certainly wasn’t going to tell the priestess that you were too miserable to learn anything.”

Dazi also nicked a piece of cheese from Kisa’s plate as she looked at her. “You’re just afraid that I’ll ask Lyric to sing The Snowqueen if you allow her to sing the Bordertown song. And Eleni... there’s nothing wrong with being refreshing. The summer rains can be refreshing, the winter snow can be refreshing. Why can’t you? The answer... you can!”

Biting her lip, she looked at Kisa when Eleni rested her head on her arms, an eyebrow raised questioningly. They waited. Then they waited a little longer. Finally, Daxia’s gaze turned to Nadya and Anatoli. She just barely managed not to burst out laughing at the poor lad. That wouldn’t have been kind, yet it was extraordinarily funny. When Anatoli finally rapped Eleni lightly on her head, Dazi giggle.

Looking at Cesare, she winked.

“Da. Definitely refreshing!”


"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Kel #944558 Mon 08/10/18 14:46 UTC
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Bekkah

Eleni's declaration of the possibility of arranging a marriage caught her by surprise. Something that didn't truly happen to her often. At least not in a manner that left her speechless. She honestly, didn't think Eleni was serious, but she was smart enough to not push it. She chose instead to ignore her and hope the idea dropped. Then Dazi spoke up for her. Again she said nothing but when she caught her sistyer's eyes, she mouthed a silent "Thank you" with a nod of her head.

Wolf #945074 Fri 12/10/18 16:54 UTC
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Cesare

He listens quietly as Tomomi talks to Lyric, nodding slowly every now and then. He agrees with what she says but maybe he feels what Lyric is feeling? The emotion is there, very close to the surface, for everything that they tried to do and for the losses they had. It is still raw.

And the Tomomi pops out and then back again.

And this time her story telling of home brings a smile to his face. He can just picture it all. There are times he wishes they were back there where life was just simple and good. But deep down he knows it is not for him. His tides have bigger waves, bobbing on a calm sea is not his path.

As the conversation continues in a more lighthearted tone, he catches Daxia's expression and grins, adding a very definite nod of agreement.

Wolf #945101 Fri 12/10/18 23:12 UTC
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[[ OOC note ... Gypsy's most recent post for Cesare, which appears to be responding to the evening portion of this thread, serves excellently as a very good closure post for the previous evening's discussion. Unless Phoenix wishes to post a similar final closing post for Lyric, we should now continue with responses for the morning conversation, of which the latest is Kelly|Daxia's "There's a brand new morning..." post.

Also, on a side note, while introspection is good, reaching out to interact with your fellow players is always better smile Remember, the only mind-reader on The Heartwood is a certain Forest Folk Fox! ]]

Last edited by Wolf; Fri 12/10/18 23:13 UTC.
Wolf #945295 Sun 14/10/18 14:48 UTC
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OOC- Introspection seems fitting to close the previous evening out.

I have become very confused as I read again, then reread this thread. I am trying to separate the posts so that I can follow the morning conversation and am having trouble. We really didn't do a good job of separating the parts of our posts out when dealing with the fact that we were doing the evening and morning concurrently. I, myself, did it in a few places but not all. For that I am sorry to all. This will be my last post for the evening prior- I responded to Tomomi because there is value in it for my character. The second part of the message will be the 'Next Morning' part of the thread. I am just going to have to drop in there again because of my confusion as a player, and I will attribute to the weirdness of the character.

*****


Lyric, a final introspection on the night that was

"Oh Tomomi, sometimes I feel like I know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Thank you for your words of encouragement. I can not find the words to describe my feelings or my emotions... Odd, for a Minstrel who wishes to be a Bard... But, it is deeper than loss. It is more than the responsibility of creating a plan that was not perfect, nor could have been perfect. I just..."

Lyric reached out and drew the little mouse to her, holding her tightly in an embrace. Even this action, with the emotions felt and imparted, was still at the edge of something foreign to her. "I think what I am feeling is Love, little one," she said softly but still within the hearing of the others gathered about. "Love itself, both beautiful and terrifying. A word I knew from stories I learned, songs I sang. It thrills me. It scares me too."

Releasing the Mouse, she wiped her eyes. "In time, perhaps I will see the path more clearly and the song I write tomorrow might not be the song I would write tonight. But now I know there is a path from here to there and I will find it."

Quote
"I have enough worth to feel comfortable doing this right here and now..."

** HOP **

And suddenly the Mouse was gone, her leaving marked only by the pop of wind filling the space where she once was.


Lyric smiled. Eleni shrieked. Lyric chuckled. Others comforted the young Khorall. Lyric relaxed and sighed with some contentment. But that 'Edge' where she metaphorically stood was an unyielding obstacle on her journey. To take the next step forward might require her to do something that would change everything...

And those were her thoughts until Tomomi returned with word from Home. Some it it

She smiled as Tomomi promised to deliver the physical aspects of One Fang's message. Maybe the little mouse realized that the message was more than just a the words she spoke and that the distance between them could not be bridged so easily. Tomomi was indeed like this perfected idea of a little sister though. Except that Lyric didn't have any siblings of her own. Thus watching the exchanges between her and Keiko was equally enchanting and confusing. She longed for the emotional connections but wasn't sure she understood them beyond what she could see with her eyes and feel with an empty heart.

It was true, hearing words spoken by One Fang gave her a sense of peace. Hearing the joy in the Mouse's words as she told her story gave the Minstrel peace as well. And yet...

It would be very hard to explain exactly why she still felt grief and couldn't seem to let go of it. Maybe that too was something she would discover if she took that step forward to fall from the Edge.

(Done with the night before)

****

Lyric, a Minstrel at breakfast... Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Tiger

In Truth the Minstrel was really inclined to sing any song at all this early in the morning. The young Khorall certainly did not appear as though she was at her finest in the part of the day when She who would Cross was just beginning the Journey and might not appreciate music right now. In fact, the Khorall looked as though she might nod off again. Her own group had gathered early around the table. The Minstrel, herself, had already been up while the sky was still at it's darkest. It was harder and harder to be the first one awake though. Not because she herself had any difficulties in waking, but rather because Lyric was now in the company of more very early risers. Each dawn of the travels from Bordertown to Snowgate Keep had prepared the Minstrel to be ever more vigilant with her own morning activities and rituals. Fortunately she didn't require much sleep, which appeared to be the opposite of Eleni who was obviously in training for the DawnView Vale's Sleeping Championship.

"My mandola has warmed enough that I was able to tune it again. If music would be the request of our host than I am honored as well as obliged to offer it."

"Khorall?"

Wolf #945349 Sun 14/10/18 19:06 UTC
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The Heartwood
Dawnview Vale
Snowgate Keep
Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Tiger


Bekkah, Cesare, Daxia, Keiko, Lyric, Anatoli, Eleni, Kisa, Nadya, and Tomomi

"But it's one of the few fun things I get to do. I do not want to be known, when they write the annals of Dawnview History, that Kisa Allaine was a minor ruler during a time of general peace that is only remembered by how dull and staid her proclamations were. I wish to make good proclamations."

Kisa replied to her Knight in deeply serious tones as if it were something that was a True Concern. There was, of course, a very obvious reply, one that came from the younger Allaine as she set her chin on folded arms, determined to try and stay awake for a little longer this time.

"Kisa. Five Words Day was a really, really, really bad proclamation."

The elder sister tilted her head.

"Three words?"

"EEEEK!"

Eleni then shut her mouth and buried her head back in her arms, knowing all too well when to let sleeping shaggies lie. Kisa smiled and in turn rested her head on Daxia's shoulder. It was very very rare that others — besides Daxia — saw this side of the quiet scholar. Eleni only looked back up when a small crockery cup of kavass suddenly appeared beside her. Behind Eleini her manservant stood quietly, his appointed tasks most successfully carried out when they were not noticed at all. Still, the waking of his lady had been noticed and only now was his blush starting to fade. Luckily he was allowed a distraction when, after taking a sip of her morning drink, Eleni asked a simple one-word question.

"What?"

Without a pause, her servant responded.

"Hasday."

With that answer, Snowgate's ruler bit her lower lip and sighed.

"Hasday is Court Day. A day of listening, trying to sit all day in one place, being asked to determine if the beast two farmers are bickering over was a horse or a mule, having to discuss the levy on grain coming in and fancy dresses going out, whether I can come to see the new windmill set its sails, figure out the punishments for those the sheriff brings in, wonder why we have a merchant from Brementown asking for an appointment — I mean, does Brementown even have anything to sell, and why here, as they are Highgaard's problem in the first place — and I could really use a piece of bread and... oh, there it is."

A hunk of bread dashed with a splash of honey had appeared beside Eleni. She picked it up and nibbled... that was until Lyric spoke up. At her last word, the two sisters looked at each other, their gazes locking. They stayed that way, as they both were Khorall. It was, as Eleni's eyes narrowed, very definitely some manner of contest, a silent battle of wills, until Kisa just smiled and closed her eyes. She was far too comfortable at the moment, and this was her little sister's Keep.

"Music would be good. Perhaps something without words, because, well, then we'd have to listen and I'd rather talk. No. Not because I like to talk, well I do, but it's like I never get to talk to really interesting folks."

Eleni paused and looked straight ahead, definitely not looking behind her.

"Nadya is giving me that 'I just said something really wrong' look, isn't she?"

Eleni was correct. She, however, just continued.

"So, what are your plans this morning? Of course, you are welcome at Court come noon, but it's never the most exciting thing in the world. We've got the best markets in the Vale, there are the terrace farms and, of course, our small sunset temple. It's not like the Castle where we welcome Her each day, but it's kind of nice to be the last to see Her before She sleeps."

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Lyric

While it wasn't her intent to create a moment of tension between the sisters, she was intrigued by the silent exchange that took place. Perhaps she should have been more specific in word choice. She should have used the word Host as it was Eleni to whom she was speaking. But, upon final thought, it was probably better that the sisters settle these things themselves.

She smiled and nodded.

Never without the Mandola she slipped it from the bacl of the chair and removed it from the carry bag. It would be a minute or two more before she was ready to play.

(Just a spacer post)

Wolf #945392 Mon 15/10/18 02:50 UTC
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Lord Protector, Her Ladyship Verchovai Daxia Yurisdotter
[Daxia serves DAYALA... the GM ESPECIALLY should get this right]

Daxia poked Kisa’s arm. “Five Words Day was a terrible proclamation. You’re not going to be known by the Vale’s future generations as a minor ruler. You’ll be known as the Khorall who made an Alliance with the People of the Forest, whose Knight kicked a couple of hornets’ nests on the High Tarn, set two new stars in the sky, snatched down another one, and marked the locations of our lost Temples. Sadly, I will be more famous than you. However, you may still be known as the Khorall who happened to make terrible proclamations as a way to tease her sister.”

Dazi grinned and rested a cheek against Kisa’s red hair. “I think you should make more proclamations that will let future generations know you have a sense of humor. In fact, the two of you can make a game of it. Who can make the proclamation that will cause the most people to giggle while showing that you are not only sisters but the best of friends?

“And I see that look, Nadya. I trust the two of them to keep the well-being of their people foremost in their minds. Dama Linnell didn’t smile enough. I don’t want either of her daughters to forget to smile.” Her eyes darted to Anatoli for an instant before turning back to Nadya. “Eleni will be fine.”

The Knight’s smile grew as the youngest Khorall outlined her day.

“The Koromov admonished me to stay away from Court... although I suspect part of the reason for that advice was simply that she doesn’t care for it. But you pose an interesting set of questions — Why is there a Brementown merchant here? Why is the Brementown merchant not trading in Cragside or Kraigskell or Highgaard? What could a merchant from Brementown possibly have to trade?”

She looked around the table and shrugged the shoulder not occupied by Kisa’s head.

“I can’t imagine anyone else would find court interesting, but I wouldn’t mind it. Perhaps during the morning, I’ll visit with my Temple sisters here. How many of you want to knock me on my behind, Captain?” she asked the Dayalan closest to Nadya.

There were two possibilities there, of course. There could be an inordinate amount of jealousy in the ranks causing the Keep’s Dayalans to have a desire to knock a brick from her tower. Or they could be interested in sparring with someone new, something that also had the potential to land Daxia on the ground.

Well, there was a third possibility. They could already have fallen under His Magnificence’s spell and be lining up to offer him apples. Who would be interested in a mere Starlord when a Unicorn was in the stables?

“I visited the sunset temple when I was here with Gilly.” Daxia looked at Lyric and Keiko. “I think both of you would enjoy it... Lyric, if for no other reason than it’s a new experience. The Rhoni artist Keiko will enjoy the colors that She shares as She says fare thee well to the Vale. In any case, it’s beautiful.”

She sighed and smiled at Kisa. “The only thing that comes close to comparing is watching Her set from the piers of Talesan’s Village.”


"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Wolf #945417 Mon 15/10/18 13:40 UTC
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Cesare

No, he is not going to eat another pastry though he is tempted. He needs to some exercise, maybe he can find something along those lines for the morning?

"I've always managed to avoid courts.."

His eyes twinkle.

"But attending for no specific reason has appeal. I should like to see how things are done. This morning I need to do something more physical, combat practice, crossbow practice or maybe I can just walk and explore.. or maybe a combination of all three."

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Keiko khal’Nakano Hoshiko
[pronounced KAY-ko... do you think the GM has memorized this yet? Nope, not yet...]

Keiko considered Dama Eleni’s suggestions as well as Lady Daxia’s recommendation, then gave Cesare an odd look when he proclaimed he’d like to visit the Court session. Having heard the stories of the Elders Council meetings from her mother and grandmother, Keiko wasn’t sure Eleni’s Court would be any more interesting. Even the mystery of a Brementown merchant — an unlikely personage based on her visits to the town. He might be a traveling Rhoni trading items from his Caravan that stopped last in Brementown, though. Still, if that were the case, she’d find out eventually. She’d let Lady Daxia work that one out.

But she smiled at the Khorall and the Knight. “I would very much like to see Her setting from a new location, Dama... Verchovai. I would also be pleased to share this beauty with my friends. But during the day?”

She tilted her head toward Cesare, letting her dark hair fall over one eye as she grinned mischievously. “I have yet to see your skill at the Dances, kinsman. Shall we Dance this morning? I will even give you the slight advantage of Storms against your Daggers.”

Keiko chuckled before turning to Tomomi and Lyric. “Afterward, perhaps visiting the terraced gardens would be nice. I’ve never seen the ones rumored to be along the Sea of Pearls in Gh’orre.”


"Everything is bad except unicorns." -- Phoebe
Wolf #945656 Tue 16/10/18 16:04 UTC
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Cesare

He inclines his head towards Keiko with a smile.

"I would be honoured kinswoman.. on the condition that you don't show me up too badly."

He grins.

"It will be interesting to Dance with someone who knows the forms. I have never done that before. I might find I don't know them as well as I think I do!"

The prospect however does not dampen his enthusiasm.

Wolf #946496 Sat 20/10/18 20:18 UTC
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Lyric, a song for an experience

Lyric was ever so gentle with the instrument at first, as though she were a lover making that first touch. To feel the instrument with her fingers as though she had never felt it before. To look upon it as if this revelation of its presence quickened her heart and shortened her breath. She stroke her fingers along the neck as her other hand caressed the body and cradled it to her lap and belly. The conversations around her might well have been lost except that Lyric treasured the excitement of sound. Her own music, the voices of friends, the song of birds, the chatter of mice, footfall across the stone floor, and a distant bark of a dog. That was just a few of the songs, each of them electric upon her skin, the reaction hidden and protected. So many more sounds, a cacophony if they all played at once at the same volume, but that was the beauty of sounds to Lyric. Nothing was cacophony at all. Everything that could be heard and felt was priceless.

She ran her fingers along the strings, feeling the sound they might make and turned the pegs so they would make the sound they should. She tuned the mandola with hearing a single note. But she knew her instrument.

Finally she looked up, smiled at Daxia and nodded. "Then I am eager to to see the setting of the Sun." And with less than a breath of time to space her words and her attention she shifted to Keiko and Tomomi. "I wish to see these gardens as well." To Eleni, with the same economy of effort and energy, she continued. "If I might also observe your council meeting. I am intrigued by how such things work but it was never my place in my own village, except to be present for things when called upon."

Lyric settled herself in her chair, shifting her hands once more to ready herself to play. As she spoke she surveyed her audience.

"I wish to do everything there is to do, all of it, but i understand if some things must happen at the same time. But watching each of you practice your martial skills, and wandering in Gardens, and watching a ruler balance mercy and law, as well as Chaos with Order, and bidding She who Crosses the Sky a safe rest and warm return... all of these things are experiences."

"I am ready Khorall Eleni," she said as her focus settled on the young woman. "I will play something new, something that I am going to create right now as I play... for you. I think I will call it, The Guardian of the Gate."

((It sounds something like this))



Wolf #946722 Mon 22/10/18 00:56 UTC
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The Heartwood
Dawnview Vale
Snowgate Keep
Hasday, the Twelfth Day of Tiger


Bekkah, Cesare, Daxia, Keiko, Lyric, Anatoli, Eleni, Kisa, Nadya, and Tomomi

"Fighting, fighting, fighting, and more fighting? Is that all you ever think of? It is so unfair. I mean, while Kisa and I were taught to us a dagger, it's not like there are many threats in the Vale..."

Eleni had lifted her head, shook out her short hair, and finally seemed to have woken up to her rambling self as she looked at the two Rhoni. As she continued on, Kisa latched onto her last few words. Glancing to Daxia and then to Keiko, the older sister simply cocked her head a little bit, as if she were silently putting pieces of several conversations together.

"...but it's just not fair. I wish I could learn that too. I have never liked feeling like I am the littlest of us and it really hurt when that old witch Kassia said the best way for me to fight was to hide behind one of my servants."

Now it was time for one of those servants to squirm a bit and turn a lighter shade of pale.

"I'm supposed to protect them, not hide behind them, right?"

"No."

That last word was spoken from a woman in armor, the one standing behind them all. She, too, was a redhead with hair that was clipped short at her shoulders. In fact, it looked like Eleni's rough trimming was an attempt to match the other woman's pragmatic choice. She wore a hauberk of brigantine — white with silver fittings over which she wore a black and white surcoat identifying her as serving Snowgate Keep. The white and silver? Perhaps they were a hint of her home, as those were the colors of Glacier Keep.

"Of course, respectfully no, my Khorall. It is our task to do the protecting. Your task is to rule this keep and watch over the entrance to the Vale. While we are the first line protecting Dawnview Vale, you are its last and best hope, you see what we cannot, you are the one who wields us. You will be the first to see the hints of trouble that walk through those gates. Every day you look down that pass and cannot help but know the cost of defending them. Knowing this, it is also our task to trust you, to believe that if it was ever to come to such, you would not ask that of us lightly."

Eleni's head immediately dropped back atop her arms, nose to the tabletop.

"Great, wonderful. Perfect. Thank you, TeeCee, for totally ruining the mood and reminding me just how life-or-death important every little thing I do is. You're worse than Nadya, you know. She just swats me and tells me to stop being a child."

TeeCee simply smiled and nodded her head politely.

"You are more than welcome, my Khorall. And I would, but my hand is a lot harder than Lady Nadya's and it would not do to have you go into Court with a black eye. As for black eyes, now that is a different subject."

The Captain of Eleni's guard looked at Dazi, choosing then to answer her Sister's query.

"Actually, none. If one of us actually has a desire to knock one of us on our backsides, I usually grab them by the scruff of their neck and find the closest watering trough."

Beside her, another of the Snowgate guards, dressed in the traditional black and silver with matching long black hair, bit her lip and looked askance.

"Sparring is to help each other learn. However, to that very end, there's a pair of roughnecks who I wouldn't mind seeing some good honest sense beaten into them. For their proper education, of course. One came from Bordertown and one from, oh, some odd little mountain town at the end of nowhere. Where was it? What was its name again? Trimbletown? Trufflesville? Topsy-turv..."

Before she could complete that last syllable, the black-haired initiate twisted her nose and grumbled a response.

"Trundle-on-the-Hill."

"Oh yes! That's it, Trundle-on-the-Hill."

TeeCee nodded once, her attention having never left Daxia.

"Would you be up to that, Verchovai Yurisdotter? If so, we gather at the chapel courtyard a little after breakfast. I'm sure Rishka here could show you the way. That correct, Rishka-ling?"

The dark-haired lass wrinkled her nose again.

"Yes Captain, my Captain, my one and only Captain who I owe everything too and is sure to remind me of that every bloody day, too. Bother. Pah. Apologies. Bloody isn't lady-like."

It certainly seemed that Daxia wasn't the only one saddled with unique apprentices. TeeCee took it completely in stride.

"Correct."

All that was left was to then go off on their appointed tasks.

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