Fantasy The Aspect Saga

[Flutterby]

Seren watched the bear-beast get pulled into position, but spared Grim a glance. He wasn't wrong- this like this, at least in the stories, started out much easier than they ended.
LazyDaze
She scowled at Ivarr's back. Her expectation had been correct. He responded to her with a flippant, dismissive statement, and invited himself to touch the disc.
She had taken a few steps forward to get a closer look, but when the disc broke apart and swarmed his arm like bees, she quickly stumbled back, into something of a defensive crouch. Her face showed a hint of surprise, her eyebrows pulling upward.
But it relaxed as the disc reformed, and was back to its mask of neutrality when she gave Ivarr the seemingly obvious answer to his statement.
"The normal probably die." The young woman moved closer again, determined to see it up close now that it was established as 'not dangerous' to her.

It looked ancient, damaged by years of wear. No, she told herself, it is meant to look that way. The lines were almost orderly, in the way that the veins of a tree leaf were. And far too clean, there were no ragged edges. She felt compelled to also touch it, but didn't dare. She wasn't sure who here knew she was lineaged (or who even knew her name), but she wasn't about to share more than necessary.
"I suppose the artifact would be well guarded by one that wears it. But it seems too easy, to only kill the bear." Her voice was barely above a murmur- mostly making a note to herself, but forgetting to not speak aloud.
Her bag twitched angrily, and she reached back absently to undo the top. Arwen's head popped out with an indignant bark, but the marten seemed to have the good sense to stay put.
Baconhands Goonfire SilverFlight

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri took a few moments to observe Ivarr's arm, briefly glimpsing the purple scales that peaked out from his sleeve. A rueful grin tugged at her lips, one that she knew she should have tried to suppress, as her mind finally registered the high-pitched screams of the men around her. She beat the broadening smile back, wrestling to keep her expression as neutral as possible.
She knelt beside the disc, trying to figure out a way of transporting it. Upon Rollo's question, Kadri turned her head and offered him a look filled with speculative uncertainty. "Honestly, I don't know... Whatever it is, it stopped after it realised Ivarr was some form of lineaged."
Goonfire

Her attention turned back to the disc. Grimly, she nodded her head as the story-teller and Seren made their points. "And I unfortunately think you're both right. This could easily be the artefact of Nixhem; it had a guardian protecting it, and it appears to have had a significant impact on its surrounding environment." She rambled, her inexperience coming through. "But..." Kadri continued slowly, "I thought it would be a lot more difficult to take down than that. Clearly this is of some significant importance, otherwise that bear wouldn't have had it embedded in its chest. Perhaps... keep an eye on the forest in case something else-"
Flutterby LazyDaze

Her head suddenly perked up, revelation in her eyes. "I think only a lineaged of Nixhem or something created by her can touch... let alone use this artefact." One by one she looked to her companions, trying to assess, albeit futilely, whether they were lineaged and if so, what kind of lineaged they were. "We have to take it regardless," she finally said. "Clearly it's fine with the plants touching it... maybe an animal would be fine as well... then we just put it into a bag and I can get it safely to Volk. If nobody here can use it that is."
Flutterby SilverFlight LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “I would raise no opposition to testing your theory,” he admitted with a shrug. His comment suggested malice but the way in which he said it sounded nonchalant and indifferent, almost apathetic. “Now... who has a bag?” The assassin then muttered through the side of his mouth, “And don’t volunteer me, because that is one thing I refuse to pick up again.”

“Oh, I got it!” Rollo interjected, taking a handful of seeds and letting them sprout in his hand. As he worked them, one could see the vines twisting and weaving into a sort of woven bag or pouch. He still didn’t have much stamina after the throw-down, though he still pushed himself for the purpose of securing the artifact. He scooped it up, taking care to not touch it with his bare hands. “How’s this?”

Baconhands Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren tilted her head, watching Kadri scramble for an idea. She wasn't necessarily disappointed in the young leader's lack of knowledge- it was obvious this was knowledge lost to most of the world- but more curious as to how she though she would ever succeed. But maybe she had no choice, with the dead-raising woman following her.

She felt inclined to ignore Ivarr's response completely, to not encourage him. She tried to ignore the crawling of her skin, and instead, she mused, "I believe most would call that murder, and we're a little busy to attend your hanging."

Once Rollo had secured the disk, Seren motioned to it, and asked, "So now we take it to Volk, and see if there's a stray Nixhem-lineaged there who can make it work? Or we try to find something more?" She originally directed the question to Kadri, but looked around the group as she finished. She was used to a cooperative existence, and couldn't help but wonder if someone else in the group knew more than they were letting on. Or were more than they were letting on.

"Should put it in someone's pack, to keep from the prying eyes. Plant-bag is clever, but something to be stared at." Seren glanced at the faces around her, some of which still looked terrified of the object, and pulled her bag off her shoulder. She opened a pocket on the side, one that had been added by hand. There was a few strands of something like purple-blue grass at the bottom, but otherwise it was empty.
"It will fit in there, out of the sight and the mind."

Baconhands SilverFlight LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[LazyDaze]

"I'm never too busy to attend a hanging," Grim said as he perked up. He had been disinterested for much of the ordeal although Ivarr's display of recklessness was intriguing to say the least. He thought the answer was obvious given the circumstances. The artifact had some sort of intelligence no matter how artificial it might have been. It was as if it recognized a lineaged, but not the lineage that could unlock its power. Grim avoided facepalming as the group bounced ideas off of each other with Seren seeming to be the most level headed and shrewd of the group. Ivarr was a lunatic, Kadri was just trying to get a clue, and Rollo was just happy to be there. Seren, something about her made even Grim feel a bit uneasy. Nevertheless, back to the matter at hand, this artifact probably had some relation to Nixheim in one way or another. There was no way a simple object could effect its surroundings to such an extent by some basic form of magic. Given what he had seen, no one here could probably utilize the artifact which meant their journey would continue as they hoped to get lucky.

The latter part of the conversation involved them deciding where to place the artifact. Of course, Grim could have stored the object in his hat "dimension", but he decided against it, for the same reasons he decided to demote himself to cheerleader during the battle.

At Seren's last statement Grim shrugged his shoulders as he chuckled, "Aye, but sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Grim then glanced at her pack and then back at Seren. "Volk sounds like a wonderful plan. However, simply finding a lineage does not mean they will cooperate. Who knows, maybe this artifact can help lead us to others like it after the hanging. All and all, it doesn't matter what we think. That's for our leader to decide."

Goonfire Baconhands Flutterby

 

[Baconhands]

"Good work Rollo," Kadri said with a smile, watching as the wrestler weaved a makeshift bag for the artefact. She made her way over to him, holding out her hands almost expectantly, not too dissimilar from a mother waiting for their child to hand over some form of contraband. "I think that's possibly safest in my hands for now," she suggested, briefly examining his somewhat weakened form after she'd glanced at Seren warily; suspicion was rife in Kadri's eyes.
Goonfire Flutterby

Slowly, she surveyed her companions as they provided input on where to go next. A flash of contemplation existed in her features for only a moment. "This is a race against time," she started to explain. "It may take weeks or months to find a lineaged that this artefact is compatible with. My... personal thinking is that we should find the other artefacts as soon as we can and distribute them when or if we come across someone that can use them and only when we can trust them." Kadri paused for a moment, before she let out a gentle, defeated sigh. "It's not that I don't want... to trust other people it's just that... these items are extremely powerful and in the hands of the wrong people they... will bring about an unspeakable amount of suffering. Like Grim says... we don't know if they'll cooperate." Another pause followed, "Besides... Aezi probably can't take us to Volk just yet. He is... to an extent mortal. The further he travels the more energy he expends. He needs to rest. He might be able to take us to a nearby settlement, however. We could... see if there are any lineaged there or any people of a good enough nature who would like to join us. And it will give any of you an opportunity to leave if you so wish; I imagine it will only get more difficult from here on out."
LazyDaze Goonfire Flutterby SilverFlight

 

[Goonfire]

“Oh, I love hangings!” Ivarr retorted in a chipper tone. “They’re such a spectacle, perfect entertainment to accompany a feast.” It appeared the implication that it would be his hanging flew over his head completely. “Perhaps some wine, a goose, some cheese, and turnips... though if the turnips are underdone—“
LazyDaze

Ivarr snapped out of his murder fantasy as soon as Kadri began planning a trip to Volk. “Right... a nearby settlement... Hopefully, if there are lineaged out here in the sticks, they’re not complete country bumpkins.” Clearly, his idea of life outside cities was a tad skewed. He paused for a moment to think again, muttering, “Although farm boys are cute if they’re not covered in poop...”
Baconhands

Rollo held up the bag, freezing for a moment when both Seren and Kadri requested the artifact. “Um...” His eyes darted between the two. This was a bad situation; he didn’t know either very well and one was sure to be displeased if the other received it.

So what did the big dumbass do? He dropped the artifact into his bag. “Problem solved!” he announced with a goofy grin. Then, he pulled the two close to discuss the plan to reach Volk. “So we’ll only teleport every now and then?” he summarized the warning before continuing to agree with the strategy. “That’s fine. I’ll be staying with you, too; I came here to hide the artifacts from people like that one lady.”
Baconhands Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren blinked between Grim and Kadri. It was obvious that both had suddenly become suspicious of her and her intentions. Her, the only person who had showed up at the inn completely independent of Kadri's cryptic notice. Her, the one who didn't give a sliver of a rat's rear end about anything but learning her own abilities. It would've made her angry, if it wasn't so deeply tiresome.

The young woman had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. There was little she could do about the rest of her expression, but she calmly flipped the pocket shut and pulled her bag on, as Rollo dropped the piece into his own bag.
"Well done, Rollo. You are.. a man of the team sport." That phrase wasn't quite right, and she knew it. But, she clapped him lightly on the shoulder and gave him her best corner-of-the-mouth-slightly-lifted anyway.
Goonfire

"I will fetch my arrow, and then we can do the.. teleporting again." She didn't wait for a response. The arrow that had struck the bear's chest hadn't stayed there, by some strange magic. It was about six feet from where the best had fallen. When she picked it up, she frowned at the chipped, charred end.
Quickly, she returned to the group. More than ever, she wanted to leave the horrid metal forest.
LazyDaze Goonfire SilverFlight Baconhands

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri eyes couldn't have gone much wider; did Rollo just pocket the artefact? Her irises darkened almost to black, and lightning started crackling along her forearm. What was he planning? Did he mean to steal it? Rollo didn't seem the sort but maybe that was all an act to get her to let her guard down. Seren didn't seem to care - when she'd stepped forward and clapped the wrestler on the shoulder, the lineaged was so surprised that her anger dissipated in a moment. The lightning stopped. A sheepish expression was swift to conquer her features and she nodded at Seren's suggestion.
"That... that sounds like a plan," she said quietly. "Um... let's... let's head out of the forest. I'll bring Aezi back to us... we can move on from there..." Kadri paused, thinking for a moment, as she started walking back the way they had came. "Esthaven is the capital of this colony, if my memory serves correctly. I'll try to get him to bring us within a mile of it. I can't imagine that people are going to react well to seeing a pegasus and... I think she has eyes everywhere." Kadri stopped walking, and turned to face everyone. "At least by walking a bit, I think we'll be less of an obvious target."
Flutterby Goonfire LazyDaze SilverFlight
------------------------------------------------
As the party drew to the forest's edge, light grey clouds began to fill the sky, though the sun continued to work diligently and worked to burn its way through. A light rain, barely noticeable and little more than a drizzle, began to fill the air and a gentle, cooling breeze started rolling through the grass, letting loose a whistle every so often.
When they were clear of the forest, Kadri performed the ritual to summon Aezi and she fought to stay standing this time, her vision blurring for a moment before she recovered. She gave a glance to her fellows; a quick warning that insisted she was fine.
A shaking hand fell on Aezi's back, and once everyone was in place, Kadri closed her eyes, envisioning where she wanted to go. Aezi's wings spread, flapped once, and the party was transported.
----------------------------------------------
When the light faded, and their feet returned to earth, it was immediately obvious that they had not been brought to some grand city teeming with thousands of people, but nor were they entirely out in the wilderness. A dirt road ran in two directions; south and north. For the former, it continued to traverse the plains and grasslands for miles, eventually merging with a collection of black dots that may have been distant buildings. For the latter, about a quarter of a mile away, was a small village, no larger than a few dozen single-storey buildings made primarily of a dark or silver wood. A handful of penned fields marked farms just beyond the furthest structure, though it was not immediately obvious that there were any animals around, or that any crops were being grown. A few humanoid shapes shuffled among the buildings.
Kadri dismissed Aezi with a laboured nod, and the pegasus vanished once again.
"Seems quiet," she remarked somewhat optimistically, positive energy overcoming nausea. "Perhaps there's an inn; we might be able to stay here for a couple of days."

 

[Goonfire]

Ivarr grinned deviously; he loved a good catfight. He huffed in disappointment when Seren put a stop to the drama. “Right... Let’s get back to civilization. Just be certain no one is watching us,” he commanded all party members before pointing to Rollo. "And you, our hulking friend: no blurting out horribly mispronounced names." He then proceeded to exit this uncomfortable neck of the woods.

Rollo’s mouth stretched into an even wider beam at Seren’s compliment. “Man of the team sport? Never heard that before, but I like that!” He stopped grinning like a goof and raised an eyebrow. “I did what now?” It seemed he forgot about his butchering of names. Regardless, he was glad to be leaving; he preferred his plants green, not bronze.

With the others gathering on the outskirts of the forest, the two also joined Aezi and teleported out. While the killer drama queen was more focused on how the universe clearly revolved around him and his nausea, the brawler noticed the familiar signs of exhaustion—the faint sway and strained voice that accompanied complete exhaustion. “Kadri...? Are you sure you’re okay?” he questioned discreetly, his voice conveying genuine concern. He had a knowing look in his eyes, possibly coming from years of working with other athletes his age.

After finally hurling, Ivarr breathed a drawn-out sigh and stated, “I’d love to reach the city right now, but I think we need to get our beauty sleep and redo our makeup—okay, maybe the latter only for me, but you understand.” His makeup was smudged and running, for sure.

Baconhands Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren followed along behind the others on the way out of the forest. She was mulling over Kadri's reaction to her and Rollo's willingness to carry the disc. On one hand, she understood it was a very powerful relic and they were strangers. On the other, there was an argument to be made for.. the Common expression suddenly eluded her, but she knew it had something to do with baskets. The important point was, that woman was after Kadri, and didn't need to also get a hold of multiple relics if she caught her. But Kadri has been so angry, and Seren couldn't puzzle out if that was her personality, or something specific to these objects.
In any case, she had committed now. Seren watched Kadri sway and almost buckle, but respected the almost-glare. If she did not want help other than assistance in a fight, that was fine with her. Seren placed a hand on Aezi, and squeezed her eyes shut.

This time was almost worse, because she was anticipating the feeling. She scowled, and heard a chatter from her pack that voiced Arwen's similar feelings. She reached back and held out a finger; Arwen bumped her head against it and then gave a sharp nip.
"Fair enough, little witch, but get used to it." Seren mumbled, examining her finger to make sure Arwen hadn't broken the skin.
She glanced between the two settlements. No way did she want to walk to the further, so she adjusted her pack and turned to look at the smaller.
"Small place like that, strangers will stand out. Shouldn't stay more than one night." She remarked calmly, glancing over the buildings. She didn't add this, but something about the way the village looked made her want to be in and out as quickly as possible. She brushed it off as being similar to home, even though the landscape was so foreign, and tried to convince her stomach to settle.

 

[Baconhands]

"I'm fine," Kadri snapped at Rollo, straightening her back as if to prove her point. A wave of realization rolled over her, and she blinked back her anger. "I'm fine. I'm... no... no I'm not but... not because of... sorry." The lineaged inhaled, and then let a shaky breath escape her lungs. "Travel takes this out of me. Just... stress and... the exertion that comes from doing a bit too much magic. Don't concern yourself too much; I know how to handle it."
Goonfire
Her eyes moved to Seren; the lineaged nodded in agreement. "One night. It looks peaceful enough. I don't think that we'll be much disturbed here. It seems too small for trouble." she stated with some confidence. "But..." she added slowly, "we'll keep an eye out. Don't expect anything luxurious, don't expect anything overtly hospitable, and don't expect to be treated well." A pause followed. She sighed, adding under her breath, "I should have put that on the posters."
Flutterby

There was no hint of luxury whatsoever in the room, but Kadri did not care. A bed was a bed, a room was a room, and exhaustion was quick to catch up with her. The search for lodgings had been blissfully short and the negotiations even shorter; a small pouch of gold coins placed on a desk, a quick inspection of said coins, and the party had a whole property to themselves for the rest of the day, as well as the night to come. The building was one storey tall and consisted of three rooms which were divided by not by doors but by long and ragged sheets of fabric. The largest room contained a fireplace and a few chairs, as well a section for food to be prepared. The other two rooms were smaller, and contained straw beds with wooden frames.

Kadri let herself lie back against one of these beds, a reminiscent smile on her face. A gleeful sigh escaped her as she began to speak absentmindedly, "Sigrid, Hendrik, and I used to stay in places like this when we went to tournaments in Volk. At least for the smaller ones. For the bigger ones Sigrid insisted we stayed in better conditions than this but... by the Aspects I miss beds like these."
SilverFlight Goonfire LazyDaze Flutterby

 

[LazyDaze]

Grim musingly followed the others without making his usual quips since they appeared to be doing just fine without his help. Then it became time to transport. Grim was actually looking forward to the thrill of feeling as if your brain dropped to your stomach. It wasn't everyday your entire being suddenly jumped from place to place; what a pleasure it must have been to been blessed with such an ability...what a lucky horse. When they arrived Grim could not help but notice this wasn't so far off from the horrid shack they had met in. But hey, at least that had beds made of straw! Grim took a deep inhale and exhaled.

"Ah, I totally understand your nostalgia Kadri. I remembering unspeakable things in places like this. Can't speak on them though." Grim said as he pulled a rabbit out of his hat and then placed it back. "Too cliché," he then pulled out an unusually small violin before tossing it aside as junk. "Well that's just taking up space, shame I never got to use it." Grim continued to rummage through the space of his hat before finally pulling out a night cap. "I was wondering where I put you."

After placing it on his head he glanced around the inn, noticing the sheets that divided them were not incredibly thick. "(Any purpose to these things?) Anyways, Kadri you and your love triangle used to participate in tournaments? No wonder you didn't get eaten by the bear. Actually, a matter of fact, we might have even crossed paths accidently. Me and my traveling circus frequently provided entertainment for such events."

Baconhands

 

[Flutterby]

Seren gave a soft grunt, although it was difficult to tell if it was an agreement or not. She found herself almost amused that Kadri spoke about not expecting anything luxurious, or even fair treatment. Did the girl just talk to talk, or did she truly think that someone who had left the Fenn was accustomed to feather beds and kindness? It was almost enough to make her crack a smile. Almost.
Baconhands

Once inside, Seren tossed her bag down near the bed next to the one Kadri fell onto.
"Isn't 'too cliché ' itself a cliché?" She murmured, an edge of irritation creeping into her voice. That man really, truly never shut his mouth.
Seren let Arwen out of the pack, and the marten began investigating their lodging. No doubt she would find a mouse or something inside, or demand to be let outside soon, but Seren took the moment to stretch across the straw bed and rest her eyes.
"Also incredibly cliché." She muttered, in the same tired-almost-annoyed tone.
LazyDaze

As she had suspected, Arwen found the door and barked at her. Seren propped herself up on her elbows, and they stared at each other. After what felt like forever, the marten seemed to give up, giving a soft growl and plodding away from the door. Arwen stalked along the edge of the rooms, and pointedly did not look at Seren again.
Seren glanced at Kadri, waiting for the pleasantries about the housing to be over so she could ask about their next move.
SilverFlight Goonfire LazyDaze Baconhands

 

[SilverFlight]

Once the creature was brought down Bron stood back. Her arm was sore from on particular blow of the giant bear's paw and her shield, though mildly dented, seemed to have weathered the blow well.

"Oi," Gray sauntered up to the bear's body and pulled a small dagger from a soft place in an armour chink. "The next time you feel like gettin' a merry wee band te follow ye ou' inte the wilderness, I'd lead with the giant, man-eaten metal monster!"
He settled into silence after that, content to glare at Kadri's back.

The talk of Volk made Gray (who had been hanging back nearby Kadri) perk up.
"Oh aye. Volk. Very good idea tha'."
He deflated a little when Kadri refused.
When she nearly collapsed again from summoning the damn horse he twitched instincively, ready to catch her, but stopped himself when she didn't need help.

Bron called her dog and in no time they were in a completely different place. Grim had the assassin's sympathy, because poor Gray felt about the same. Bron and the dog didn't seem fazed at all...lucky devils.

As they made their way to what would be the establishment of their lodgings, Gray vanished. He would not return for a few hours. When he did come back everyone was settled into the small apartment.

"Seren." Bron said quietly as she adjusted the thick collar around Blue's neck. She was sitting on one of the straw beds, armour stowed and wearing her thick wool tunic still, her own curtain drawn back for now.
"That is your name right? You...don't seem particularly happy to be here."
It was an observation. She had heard her last few comments from the archer, they were sharp, and cold.

"Oh are ye sure? She seems a righ' ball o sunshine te me." Gray cut in sarcastically. He threw himself into a chair moodily.
"Neither do you for that matter."
Gray glared at her, then his shoulders sagged.
"I can' leave. I've a job te do."
He turned to Kadri suddenly. "An wh' abou' you? Eh? Why's this gotta be you?"
He gestured about them, indicating the whole endeavour.
"It's a fool's erran an' we all know it. So wha' is it tha's drivin' ye lass?"

Flutterby Baconhands LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri watched, bemused, as Grim pulled out seemingly random items from his hat; the rabbit hadn't kicked up too much of a fuss, and she was concerned that it may have died while being in whatever dimension was inside the story teller's hat. She wanted to question the magic - Grim's comments stopped her. Her eyebrows furrowed to a frown, which then developed to a glare. Had she heard him correctly? She led her head back, letting out a frustrated sigh, his words lingering in the back of her mind.
"I remember; used to love the entertainment; was half the reason for going some times," she said, a smile tugging at her lips. "I don't recall you at all - not to say that I didn't run in to you, just don't think you left much of an impact if I did."
LazyDaze

At Gray's voice, Kadri rolled her eyes. The lineaged forced herself to sit up, her head spinning a little as she did.
"A fool's errand that you willingly joined," Kadri retorted. "One that's already produced results." She put her hands either side of her, as if ready to push herself to stand, but as she recalled the dizziness from mere moments ago, the lineaged relaxed them and slumped a bit. Kadri tried to hold Gray's gaze, but found herself faltering after only a couple of seconds. Her eyes met the ground. She let out a frustrated huff before she found his eyes again, "Why are you doing it if it's a fool's errand? You said you've got a job to do. What is that job?"
SilverFlight

 

[Flutterby]

Seren watched Arwen lazily, making sure the creature didn't get into anything she wasn't supposed to. The marten had ventured closer to Grim, and while she didn't think the entertainer would purposely hurt her pet, she wasn't sure he wouldn't do something accidentally.

But she did spare the knight most of her attention, with a short glance and a shift in her posture. She purposely relaxed her shoulders, released the tension in her hands. Made herself at least look more approachable.
"Seren is correct enough. Seren-Nur is my given name, but it always sounds wrong on the tongue of foreigners." As she spoke, she watched Gray return and flop into a chair, cutting into their conversation.
With a twitch of her nose, Seren chose to answer Bron with mostly truth.
"I am often accused of seeming unhappy to others. I believe it is what you would call.. a difference in culture." Her eyes drifted over to Gray and Kadri, now picking at one another about the adventure they were on. "But, I will admit that I find other travelers tiresome. Too much ego. It is a shame that I also find them necessary. "

Seren was obviously listening to the conversation between Gray and Kadri, she made no effort to hide that from Bron.
Almost under her breath, she commented, "I sure hope his job is not to lead that.. witch from the tavern to us again."

 

[SilverFlight]

Gray smiled, though it was hard to tell whether it was friendly.
"You are doding my question." He spoke carefully.
"Tha's no' how this works. We both know you've better things te be doin'." He threw her a pointed look. "So, why you?"
Baconhands

Bron looked a little more hopeful. She gave Seren a careful smile. "Cultural difference. I'll try and keep that in mind."
It was at this point that Blue decided to investigate the object of her master's attention, and tried to lick Seren's face. Bron shooed the dog away.
"Sorry, I don't think I can explain cultural differences to her."
She noted he archer's remark.
"He doesn't seem that trusting." Bron admitted, "but at least if he were a spy, he wouldn't be so...conspicuous."
Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Seren noted the smile, and returned it with a tiny nod.
She almost caught the dog, her hand flashing out with the practiced ease of someone accustomed to handling animals. But much, much smaller animals. Blue managed to get a few decent licks on her bare neck before Bron got her free.
From across the room, Arwen watched long enough to see Seren unhurt, and then glared at the dog for a few seconds before returning to stalking about.

"The animals have their own culture, no one can fault them for that," She said, edging toward good-natured.
Slowly, the corner of her mouth lifted into the trace of a smirk.
"So then if anyone were to be the spy, I should suspect you?" There was a twinkle in her eye when she glanced at Bron, then across the group. They were all deeply conspicuous, but Bron and Kadri in the least obvious way.

Gray was pushing the subject with Kadri, insisting on knowing why she had selected herself as the head of this mission. From her spot on a straw bed, Seren gave soft snort through her nose and another glance at Bron.
Arwen had completed two laps by then, and turned her attention to the beds that dotted the floor. Each one would need to be thoroughly sniffed, of course.

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri's darkened to a deep grey, a rising frustration in her tone. "I wasn't aware I was going to be interrogated once I'd started relaxing," she growled. "Don't see it as dodging, so much as refusing to answer until I know who I'm answering." The lineaged forced herself to sit up straight, attentive, watching for any sudden movements from the increasingly suspicious man in front of her. "You're dodging my questions too."
SilverFlight
Her ears perked up as she heard someone mention the word spy, and her eyes deepened to an almost black colour as she turned them on Gray once again, accusations running through her mind. She was tempted, oh so tempted to give them a voice; one did slip pass her lips before she could stop herself. "The lich did not show up at the tavern until you did." She stated at first confident; then her voice grew meeker as the sentence continued.
What a stupid accusation to make! she internally screamed. Her eyes found the floor again, slowly fading back to a lighter, overcast grey. Kadri didn't say anything for a few moments; she wrapped her cloak tighter around her, slowly realizing what she had said. "Guess there's not much point in trying to dodge that question any more," she said quietly. "Um... well... look I don't want to... I want to give... let me... give me a moment. I just need to... figure out... what I should say. I don't want to endanger anyone more than necessary." Another pause followed, before she sighed and nodded, her voice growing in confidence ever so slightly, "If you have to know. I'm doing this because I'm scared. I'm scared about what she can do - I'm scared for my country, I'm scared for my friends, and I'm scared for my family." She lifted her head to look at Gray once again, "Is that a satisfactory answer?"
SilverFlight Goonfire LazyDaze Flutterby

 

[Goonfire]

Rollo rubbed at his eyelids with his thumbs. “This is all new to me. Never traveled too far,” he hummed, still taken aback by Kadri’s foul mood. As things grew more heated, he felt the need to intervene. “M-maybe we need to settle down, maybe get back on the topic of motivation when we’re better rested,” he suggested with a fragile, nervous grin. What the hell was he doing? He was waiting to get his head ripped off by the two clashing associates.

Ivarr’s head bounced back and forth as he tried to get all the juicy news. When the word ‘lich’ hit his ears, he shrieked, relying on his reflexes to cover his mouth to muffle it. “The what?” he dramatically whined through gritted teeth. “I thought those were monsters of legend.” He was unnerved and a bit off-balance from the revelation, but the diva stumbled over to the windows to check outside. No, he wouldn’t be sleeping well tonight, between the lack of amenities and the literal undead creature stalking them...

SilverFlight Baconhands

 

[SilverFlight]

Bron leaned in to Seren with a dead serious expression. "Oh absolutely. I am the best spy there is. Though, if you want the true mastermind..." she put a hand to the side of her mouth. "She's over there." Bron pointed to Bluebell, who was rolling on the carpet. When she caught the two women staring at her she stopped, flat on her back, gravity lifting her jowls to give her a squinty-eyed grin. She waggled her rump happily.
Flutterby

At Kadri's flat refusal Gray gaped like a fish. "You..." he pointed a finger at her as he tried to think of what to say, he became less intimidating by the second. "...are..are stubborn!" Gray finished lamely, and lifted his chin in childish arrogance. When she accused him however, a flash of hurt darted across his face.
"And did ye think te ask why she dinnae find ye sooner, hm?"

He was ready to battle on, but Kadri's sudden admission left him completely unbalanced. Anger he knew how to answer...but honesty?
Gray's guarded expression melted, and in his eyes there was the new light of respect, and admiration.

"You're not here because you're afraid."
Bron's voice lifted through the room.
"Everyone is afraid. But not everyone stands to face what frightens them. Kadri...you are here, because of your courage. I admire you for that, and it is why, I will lend you my sword, until this is finished...or I am."

Gray rubbed the back of his head, suddenly feeling stupid for pressing.
"Aye, that'll do..." and then, he surprised even himself: "I'm sorry...Kadri."
The next words were for her and her alone and he leaned in to whisper by her ear.
"Suffice te say tha' there are people with a vested interest in yer continued existence. Tha' is why I am here."
Baconhands

Finally he shot Ivarr an irritated look. "Lad, accost my ears with a screech like tha' one more time and I'll make sure you never do it again."
Goonfire

 

[Baconhands]

Kadri winced at Ivarr's screech, her eyes snapping to him as a disapproving scowl leaped to her face. Her features softened after a few moments; she supposed it wasn't too much of an overreaction given the news. Half a smile graced her lips when Gray berated the Consul and she did little to hide it. It lasted for only a moment, however, before she slowly nodded. "Legends... yes... originally... until about five years ago..." Kadri said quietly. "Monster... I don't think she's quite brainless enough to be considered a monster. She's certainly not beyond using them."
Goonfire

Her attention was turned to Bron, though her mind was focused on what Gray had said. Had he already known about the lich? If so, how was that possible? Indeed, what he was claiming was that he had run interference and kept her safe for-
Kadri's eyes went wide with sudden realization as the assassin whispered in her ear. She'd been that easy to find? She mentally rolled her eyes - of course she had. Of course he had found her. Of course they had come after her. The lineaged shook her head, and stated, a lot louder than she had intended, "I'm not going back until this is done." She surveyed the room, and tried to make it look like she had said it as a statement of courage, but her body failed her - exhaustion was quick to downplay any sort of heroic pose she might have struck and she led back against the bed with a resigned sigh.
SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze

"Rest sounds good," she agreed, indirectly agreeing with Rollo. "I'm sorry if I've come across as distrusting. Seeing her at the tavern got to me." She turned her head upwards to look at the ceiling. "I... I'll try to stay awake to answer any of your questions but I can't guarantee I won't fall asleep."
SilverFlight Flutterby LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[Flutterby]

Seren turned and followed Bron's eye to Bluebell, who quickly became aware of their attention. This time, she gave a short, sharp laugh. It sounded suspiciously like Arwen's bark. Now that was the kind of joke she appreciated. There was a ghost of a smile on her face when she looked back at Bron for a few heartbeats, before returning to Kadri and Gray.
SilverFlight
Arwen started at Ivarr's screech, and gave an indignant chirp in response. She had been stalking about, eyes seeming to follow a specific target, but clearly the loud noise had interrupted whatever hunt she thought she'd been on.
Goonfire
Seren watched Kadri and Gray with open interest now. Kadri was just approaching hostile, getting hot enough to make it interesting. And then she backed down. Seren was sure that was the wrong move- she was hoping Kadri would goad Gray into revealing more about himself.
But maybe she was wrong. Gray backed down too, seeming to sincerely care what Kadri thought of him. He looked hurt, even, and implied that he was helping Kadri long before they met.
The corner of Seren's nose twitched as she filed that bit of information away to be mulled over later, as Bron smoothed over the hurt feelings in the room with a very knightly speech. Seren suppressed a grimace.

Her hunt spoiled, Arwen marched back to Seren, a symphony of soft chirps and barks emitting from her. Seren scooped her up once she was close enough, and set her on her lap. Arwen fell silent as she curled up on the warm surface and surveyed the room with displeasure.

"I do have one more question. This.." Seren had to really consider the way the word sounded before she repeated it. "Le-each?"
A faint frown crossed her face, but she got closer the second time. "Lich. This word, I am not familiar with. I've never heard it used before. I don't know its meaning."
SilverFlight Baconhands LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[SilverFlight]

Graham seemed to relent and raised his hands in modest defeat when Kadri was adamant about continuing.
"Oh I know lass, ye've set yer mind to i'" He stepped away and rubbed his temple, mumbling: "You'll be the death o' me yet."

"There!" Bron pointed at Seren's ghost of a smile with triumph in her eyes. "That wasn't so bad now, was it?" Her smile was wide and bright. She lay back on her pallet, still smiling. "I think we'll get along yet."

At Seren's question Gray decided to speak first:
"No' the sort of guest ye'd wan' a' dinner parties. Lich are masters of death. Skilled necromancers, an' powerful sorcerers. The one tailin' you." He pointed to Kadri seriously, "is just such a one. I caugh' some of her spies before I found you. She's righ' clever though tha' one is. I cannae tell ye much a' all."
Baconhands Flutterby