Stonewall Abbey

[Bayvin Opry]

~Johnathan Cohen~

"My home is your home." John signed simply as a white bird flew through a broken window. He put it on his list of things he needed to fix. He flipped to Romans 12:13 which read "Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality." He then stood up and offered her his hand. He planned to go to his shack and retrieve his note pad, it would make communication much easier. ((sorry writers block))

[daintyone]

[[ sorry for the wait. My internet died and deleted my post. -.- ]]

The woman's eyes caused her to turn her head to view the avian mammal. As she did so that dark blue hood attached to her cloak fell revealing more of her pale face and a fine pair of pointed ears. They were just odd enough to mark her as something else, along with those dull colored eyes. Gil looked at him quickly, almost ashamed and her fingers came to the edges of her hood, tempted to pull it back on. Something tells her that John isn't like the other townsfolk, that he wont mind.

So She drops her hand leaving the hood off her head of white. After she read the moral statement in his book she looked down at his hand. A moment of uncertainty flooded her. Gilrin had a very strong fight or flight reflex. Giving him the benefit of the doubt she took his hand considering priests were supposed to be completely good. Then again, they weren't supposed to drink either, the thought crossed her mind as she glanced down at the wine she still held.

[Bayvin Opry]

~Johnathan Cohen~

John led her out of the abbey to the back, the path was well maintained and opened to a courtyard. He pointed past the courtyard to a small shack surrounded by a lush garden. He let go of her and lead the way to the shack. He quickly went inside and walked out again with his notepad and paper. Writing quickly he scrawled down "It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Johnathan Cohen. My brothers left this place to spread the word of god and go were they are needed. I was elected to stay and take care of the abbey. My home is your home anytime you need me. I do not partake in the consumption of alcohol, but I would love to see what you do with the tavern. I make wine from the grapes to trade for supplies in the town, take it as a welcome gift. I have never met a foreigner before, please excuse my unpreparedness. " He handed the paper to her and bowed apologetically. John motioned to two wooden chairs and a table next to the entrance to his home to indicate a place to sit if she wanted.

((it's cool))

[daintyone]

The overgrowth in the courtyard caused many butterflies and grasshoppers to be flying about. Various patches of color formed from wildflowers growing among the green grass. A stray cat hunted field mice and gophers as they walked past.

Gilrin dropped his hand and ran her fingers across one another over the neck of the bottle in her grip. As he returned she eagerly took the paper and help it close to her eyes, squinting and going line by line. It was a much clearer paragraph of all he was trying to to say in the Abbey. She looked at him happily. "I'm sure I can count on you to supply me too? " Gil would love to offer her new patrons a taste of the local produce.

Seeing the chairs she decided to take up his offer, sitting down and looking up at the clear sky. It had even warmed up a bit with a crisp breeze moving through the trees. It swayed their tops in a way that sounded like a distant waterfall. The girl leaned back against the side of the shack with her eyes closed and head tilted towards the sun like a flower. A moment later she looked at him again, opening her almond shaped eyes once more. "What a nice day it is." She said this as if it had been a long time since she had seen one.

[Bayvin Opry]

~Johnathan Cohen~

John began to scrawl again and looked over his home. It was quite beautiful. He loved it there, constant proof of god's love and goodness. He handed her the notepad and nodded. "Yes quite beautiful, I prefer to let nature take it's course. God provides us with sustenance and beauty. I would love to provide you with wine as much as you require. Anything to help a neighbor and a friend." John wrote and handed to her. It was quite a beautiful day. He made a list in his head of what he would accomplish if god willing, but he also felt the need to make sure Gil was home and safe. Despite it being a small town it could be vary dangerous.

[daintyone]

Her fair hand took up his notepad, reading his writing.

"Uh yeah, he certainly does," She agreed, looking up for a moment before going back to read the rest. She held the notepad out to him, "Thank you very much John. You are a good man. Well," She patted her hands on her thighs which were covered in a long whit skirt under her cloak. "I better be back to The Crystal Palace before that brute falls asleep." She laughed and rose from her chair.

"You're welcome to come, or stop by later." She informed him with a pleasant smile, happy to have made a friend so soon after finally venturing into the town in this form. Gilrin pulled the hood of her cloak back up and turned, heading back towards the door to the Abbey and that wicked bridge.

[Bayvin Opry]

~Johnathan Cohen~

John nodded and grabbed his walking stick. "Let me accompany you." John wrote and handed it to her as they walked. It wasn't to far till they reached the town and the tavern. He bowed to Gil when they reached the town and turned tail and headed back tot he abbey. It was a walk back and the weather had turned. 'I guess no working tonight' John said stepping inside his home. It was small and comfortable. Everything was simple with three rooms all connected. A living room with a fire place and a writers desk, a sparse kitchen, and then his bedroom. John sat himself down at his desk and began writing his daily prayers, and letters for citizens of the town. It was how it spoke to his parishioners.

[daintyone]

She nodded after reading and found herself forced to cross the bridge as she took the lead and she couldn't turn back with him in tow.

On the other side she let out the breath she was holding in a hidden sigh of relief. As they reached the porch of the inn she waved good bye and stepped inside, looking over her shoulder at the priest one last time. Once inside she found the owner, behind the bar counter fast asleep with a few candles sputtering about him. Gilrin rolled her placid eyes and stomped up tot eh counter, flicking the man on the forehead with her index finger.

"Wake up! I'm here to pay for this building." She told the sleeping man who was no longer sleeping. He looked at her with gummy eyes after being so rudely awakened and he coughed, clearing his throat. "Well, didn't think you'd be back so soon." He licked his lips and rubbed his hands together which made the young girl rather uncomfortable.

She moved her eyes up and down over him quickly and produced a red velvet pouch from inside her cloak. The string was drawn tight and as she produced it the rustle of gold inside proved it to be enough. "Yes, well, I"m here now. Here is your gold, I would like the deed and if you don't mind leaving tonight I.." She trailed off, catching his eyes upon her in the most lustful of ways.

"Such a sweet young girl.." He murmured. "All alone." His eyes glinted now. Gilrin had enough of it. Her light eyes soon shifted dark, the whites turning a deep blue darker than her cloak even. and the irises turned the color of the sea, black pupils barely and turned to horizontal bars. "Do not mistake me as weak old man." Her melodic voice now boomed as if it was more than just her talking.

Shaken, he immediately snatched the gold from her, putting his hands up in a defensive manner. "Alright alright! Just let me grab a few things from upstairs and it's all yours.. " The man's fat jowls shook with fear as he spoke. Gilrin's eyes had returned to normal after just a few blinks and her voice was melodic as she told him "Thank you," with a smile.

The former owner exited and the cloaked girl went outside after him, watching him leave and removing the for sale sign. She goes back into The Crystal Palace, shutting the door against the cold night wind that has begun to howl. She wonders if John is warm in his little hut. Silver eyes look around, taking in her newly purchased property. "Not bad for the price." She said to herself, feeling accomplished. There were cracks here and there allowing water to drip during heavy rain. The lighting was dim and everything seemed to be very old and dusty.

[Sir Curtis Prise]

The hike here was a nightmare for him. Curtis had long since trusted horses to cross the distances for him so he was mostly on foot, cursing all the while. He had overshot his energy, his coat was more than a little dusty from the trek, and he reeked of his own musk and that of all the inns he stepped foot in on the way here. Some of very distasteful theme.

"Some vacation." He hummed through his jagged teeth. The whispers of riches attracted him here. Now, usually he was no treasure hunter. He preferred to find his gold (not so much silver) in the pockets of rich men of questionable morality. But, this was a vacation. And traveling safely out of his own city and the reaches of his enemies and associates was good enough for that. However, he thought he might as well poke around this curious town he heard of to see what other surprises it could possibly offer.

But for a town said to have hidden riches, it didn't seem like much. Curtis tilted his head, inspecting the mountain's buildings that he passed. They seemed to him like they were from a brief age before his, but what else could be expected of a town excluded by the landscape, he guessed. So far the town to him wasn't awful, but gave off a feeling that one would have when looking at a vintage trinket. Admired for the novelty but pitied as it just doesn't seem to fit the modern world any longer.

Though, he admitted, the scent of sleeping goats and sheep in abundance did more than tempt him, he stayed on track as he made his way through Ironbluff. For now, the objective is to find another place to stay as night dominated the skies. Fatigue had been brewing in his muscles for sometime now, and he barely had enough energy to hug himself for warmth. He was beginning to lose hope in finding a hospitable place before the porch of the The Crystal Palace was spotted. Curtis made his way to the entrance and knocked loudly to beat out the loud voice of the wind.

[ursi tonitru]

Shhhlluuuuuuuuuuuuuurk-

The striped, drooling creature was three-legged and walked in a lopsided fashion. It resembled a gazelle, crossed with some sort of herbivorous dinosaur. It was either an animal that was its own bizarre species...or the deformed result of coitus between a zebra and a dragon. At least the woman on its back was normal-looking.

The thing's reigns were clasped tightly in Muka's hands as she tried to lead the creature forward. It had other ideas, as it kept wandering over to the side of the road to nibble at whatever plants happened to be available.

To make matters worse, the woman had no clue where she was. She was clad in modern clothes, something that made her stand out in the current setting. Who would've ever thought that a simple hike could escalate that quickly?

"This is why I hate magic", she groaned. "Be out hiking, some guy with a staff shows up. Fall into a portal, end up in the middle of nowhere..." She trailed off, muttering obscenities to herself as she studied the little rural buildings. Still, no matter how old fashioned this all seemed, maybe she'd find a friendly face who'd be willing to offer her an explanation...and food.

She tugged at her steed's reigns, trying to pull it away from a clump of grass it was noshing on. [******** move."

It paused and lifted its streamline head. Underneath thick folds of scaly brown skin, its beady eyes met her eyes in a blank stare that could only be an act of defiance. Then it went straight back to chewing.

"..."

((Kind of a filler post for now just to see where things go. sweatdrop ))

[daintyone]

She had moved forward a bit, running cold fingertips against the gnarled wooden bar in the back of the room.

The wind was whirling around the entire building making the rafters creak. She shivered and gave a soft squeak as the door rattled against the wolf's knocking. As quietly as she could Gilrin crept to the door and pressed her delicate pointed ear against it. "W-who's there?" Her voice asked through the entrance, meek but trying to sound bold.

She wasn't expecting company and she was worried it was the old drunk, angry at her rejection. "What do you want?" She asked now with a bit more confidence.

[Sir Curtis Prise]

"Oh hello! I just-" He stuttered with his reply, trying to place the voice. The vague familiarity in it and the wind together sent a shudder down his spine. He couldn't imagine who he'd meet again all the way up here. "I just need a room." The wolf was hesitant about revealing his name to her first question. If he couldn't remember who was on the other side, then who knows if it was a past antagonist in his life. But she sounded so sweet, and afraid. As he scanned through his memories, placing those traits together, a picture was forming in his mind. The beauty behind the voice. It was slowly coming back to him now.

"The name is Curtis!" His previous irritable attitude dissolved, and he eagerly awaited the door opening. "Curtis Prise. I couldn't find any other inns in the area, not in this dark. Would you mind?" He added in an enticing tone. His nails tapped a small rhythm against the door, awaiting her response.

[daintyone]

Her keen ears recognized the voice behind the wood immediately and quickly she opened the door at the first hint of his claws.

"That's because this is the only one." She informed him with a bright smile. "Come on in." Gilrin said, holding the door open and stepping aside for him to enter, quickly shutting the door behind him. "What brings you all the way up here Curtis?" She gave him a once over as she said this. His dapper attire all dull from the dust and he seemed rather worn.

The Crystal Palace was equipped with five small rooms to loan out and a little loft for the owner on the second floor. "And of course you can have a room." The equine waved a dismissive hand at him conveying it was no problem and free of charge. The place was kind of shabby anyhow and she wouldn't feel comfortable charging him.

[Hail to the Dervish]

Helion grumbled to himself as he made his way up the road towards the town before him. He was thankful for the passing farmer that had pointed him in the direction of the town, but the walk here had taken it's toll on him. "This....This is the reason I don't like travelling by foot." He sighed heavily though it would be hard for anyone to guess how far he had come. He was a large man by many standards at six foot five in height with a mane of silver hair and bright gold eyes. Thick corded arms gave the image of a life spent before a forge, hammering iron for days on end. He was dressed simply, a plain black shirt and only mildly dusty pants. His heavy boots were well worn from his travels but in otherwise good condition. He carried no pack with him, or even so much as a coin purse. How he had managed with no supplies is a wonder. As he meets with the entrance of the town he stops to take in his surroundings, nodding once or twice to a passerby before he noticed a welcome sight. "A tavern! The Gods smile upon me this day." without hesitation he makes his way towards the building, stopping only to ensure the door was unlocked before making his way inside swiftly. Once in he glances around before giving a silent nod of greeting and claiming a nearby seat. He didn't wish to interrupt any conversation so he simply waited for a convenient moment.

[Sir Curtis Prise]

"Haha!" Just who he assumed it was! The surprise was a nice one. The impulse to give her a friendly hug was thought of but ignored. Instead he rushed inside with a shiver as if he was shaking off the cold itself. "Only one? Well that'd explain it!" He laughed light-heartedly, before addressing her question.

"To be honest, it is only a getaway. A long deserved one, I may add! And I heard such nice things about this place." He mostly meant the treasures, but he imagined he heard something about beautiful scenery, nice people, or a triviality of that nature which he paid little attention to. Looking around now, he could honestly say that he has seen worse inns. And definitely better ones. The roof may have been less than pristine, judging by the creaking noises that constantly twitched his ears, but a roof over his head was all he could ask for right now.

"Enough about me, Miss Gilrin. Do tell me, is this place yours?" He self consciously began to preen himself. Dusting off his shabby coat was a start. He knew he could use another shave, as well. Curtis cared for first impressions, or reunions, too much to be seen as he was in the present.

Speaking of first impressions, the wolf stepped out of the other gentleman's way in time and replied to his greeting gesture with a nod as well. Curtis paid special attention to him, because it was seldom he felt small in his own height and stature. A pair of murky yellow eyes followed the large man to his seat. He guessed he was a regular- judging by the way he stepped right in casually without a knock or warning.