-╪ Tuatha De Dannan ╪- [ Medieval Fantasy / Steampunk ]

[Thaedrian]

Never mistake tears for sadness...
It had been one of the soldiers. A lucky strike, perhaps, or just her own weakness showing in close combat. Running on adrenaline, she hadn't noticed the pain until afterwards. She had fallen to the ground trying to dismount, collapsed with a small cry. Then it had consumed her world.

Even now, pressed to sleep by drugs, her dreams were filled with it. The unnamed 'they' had broken her hands, reduced them to so much useless meat. The blade rose to her left eye and in fear she cried out. She would have sat up if her injuries had allowed it. Instead her body jerked upwards for a moment before collapsing against the fabric of the hammock, teeth clenched tight against the new wave of agony. Her sweat-soaked clothes clung to skin that had gone deathly pale from blood loss. She felt wrung out, a deep weariness settling in her bones. She stared up at the strange ceiling and tried to stop the shaking.

"Just a dream," she whispered. "Only a nightmare."

It had terrified her, the thought of losing her hands. Slowly, she raised them up to eye level, flexing each finger, and sighed with relief. A horrible vision, to be sure, but still just a dream. It was then that some instinct warned of another presence. She turned her head, blinking the sleep from her eyes, and strongly wished she had the strength to lift her bow. Evelyn had never felt so weak, so vulnerable in her life. Now, even with her blurred vision, she knew this was not one of her companions.

"Who are you?" she croaked, her throat dry from thirst.

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[Talise Anora]

It took the unfamiliar voice of the pale guardian to cause Nae Nae's gaze to rise from their chastised lock on the floor. Her breath catches momentarily as she stares at the winged woman standing near the Kae'dryn. A female angel. Like the legends! Chocolate eyes grow very large as her brain processes this new information. The Kae'dryn knows the angel of legends! Her teacher! Pride and admiration for their mistress swells in her heart. Oh Heron.. We are so blessed to be here!

She had a million questions. Where had she been this whole time? Were the stories from the Dragon Wars true? What happened to the ancient dragon that fought with her? Was it really the last of its kind? Why was she here now? Was something going on?

All of these thoughts suddenly come to a screeching halt when the guardian speaks, requesting Cyrillia take the visitors to some lodgings. Instinctively Nae freezes. Legend or not, she doesn't take orders from anyone that the Kae'dryn hasn't specifically okayed.

Even though the request wasn't directed at her, she still shifts her weight nervously from one foot to the other and gently bites her lower lip. Her eyes dart an unspoken question to the Kae'dryn..

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Urban Thorne]

It was inconceivable. Intruders in her home, in her territory, and now they were making requests of shelter for the night. Combined with the absolute wreck of her "greeting" for them, and the appearance of her thought to be long-lost friend, the Kae'Dryn was slightly off-balance, mentally...

And beginning to grow angry once more.

But it was the shifting in the wards in the upper floor that struck home, in the end. The feel of someone who was supposed to be here, someone who was planned and welcomed here, departing abruptly, that caused frustration and exasperation to win out. Golden eyes closed for a long moment as one of her apprentices rather foolishly acknowledged the request of these people, and a bitter half-laugh, half-sigh escaped past those lips.

Shaking her head, the ancient magi turned and began ascending the stairs, her chime-like voice trailing behind her. "Of course, be at your ease in the tower of the Kae'Dryn. Let it never be said that she was anything other than welcoming and cordial to unexpected, and indeed, uninvited guests," the words stated, the bitterness combining marvelously with the wry sarcasm heavily laden in the woman's voice.

"I am certain we can all have a wonderfully enjoyable chat in the morning, after all. Do sleep well, my dears," the magi concluded, half-turning on one of the steps to allow faintly glowing golden eyes to stare down at the people arrayed at the bottom of the tower. Letting the gaze linger for a moment or two more, she turned and began climbing the stairs again... Until her form seemed to shift into a shadowy replica and spiral swiftly apart, disappearing.  

[Cheshiyre]

A long metallic black nail idly stirred the contents of the wooden cup resting in her opposing hand. She did not look up when spoken to, nor did she seem surprised at Evalin's wakefulness.

"My name is of no consequence, as surely you will only force yourself to speak it out of feigned politeness," comes the quiet, accented reply. Her tone is steady and nonchalant, with a slight apathetic quality highlighting how little she cared. "I prefer honesty or no conversation at all. Therefore you may refer to me as heretic, or witch or whatever other term you generally attach to my kind."

Colourless eyes flickered to the halfing's face for just a moment, catching her reaction to such a statement before returning to the object against her palm.

"Let us say that you and I have a common acquaintance. A common ... feathered acquaintance"

She tapped the tip of the stirring nail against the edge of the cup then extended the item to Eva's lips. Crystal-like irises connected with the halfling's gaze.

"Evalin."
 

[Urban Thorne]

Watching the ancient magi make an irritated retreat, Asmyrra couldn't help but feel at least partially to blame. It was true that they had forced themselves on the usually reclusive mage, but... Her personal thoughts had always been that they would ask their questions, hopefully receive their answers, and depart quickly in peace. The requests of her compatriots had completely thrown that plan off, however...

It was the sudden ripple in the Weave that marked the disappearance of the older Weaveshaper that brought Asmyrra's mind skidding to a halt, though. The feeling of the magical energies reminded her of the compatriot that was still languishing in the hold of the magnificent ship that had brought them here... The compatriot suffering from wounds none of her fellows had the power to treat. When those thoughts combined with the icy dismissal that the Kae'Dryn had offered in departure...

"...If it is the desire of the rest of you to remain here, I shall not ask you to accompany me," that quiet soprano finally voiced, the muted chagrin quite apparent in its purring flow. "However, I will not intrude upon the Kae'Dryn after such a rude introduction. Instead, I shall return in the morning."

Taking a deep breath, those violet orbs settled on the albino angel starting to make her way towards the stairs. "On the other hand, I would ask that you come with me... Lady Ash," she continued, hesitating with the title that had to belong to the female angel. Stepping forward, those slanted eyes still filled with concern, she continued. "One of our compatriots was grievously wounded in our flight from the Paladin's Rod, and is far beyond our ability to heal. You, however... You might have a better chance..."  

[Cheshiyre]

The irony of Relm's little speech was not lost on the pale angel and the sudden disappearing act was even more cause for concern. Granted the night had not been graceful thus far, but surely now that things had settled down Relm could not be too upset? Was there something else going on that she didn't know about?

So distracted by these thoughts was she that it took a moment for her to register her name as it came from somewhere behind her. Her mind still very much on the recently departed magi, she turned towards the source. Between worry over the woman upstairs, fretting over how she might be able to salvage this and still recovering from her unexpected unveiling, preoccupied did not begin to describe the poor angel's state. Still, she put forth considerable effort to focus on Asmyrra's plea.

They encountered the Paladin's Rod. That was enough to bring a slight cringe. Grievously wounded? A small frown traced over her lips as she replayed the last few minutes of their encounter, mentally taking roll call of everyone recently gracing the entry.

"Evalin?" she asks aloud, coming to the only face not accounted for. "Evalin is injured? How grievously?"

 

[Talise Anora]

The young elven maid had rarely felt so helpless. Her mistress was obviously upset. Most of these newcomers seemed to have all of the grace and mannerisms of the same barbarian stereotypes the elves usually associated with human-kind. The ancient sorceress wasn't usually much for theatrics, so the dramatic way she took off had to mean she was very displeased indeed!

With a sigh she turns to the human knight person. "My name is Naelonni and this is Cyrillia," she tells him, motioning to the other apprentice. "We are wards of the Kae'dryn. If you would just follow Cyrillia, she can take you to some quarters for the evening. I can bring up some supper if you'd like."

She tries to ignore the nagging feeling in her gut telling her that the worst is yet to come. Wasn't the Kae'dryn expecting other company tonight? Nervous eyes attempt to unobtrusively circle the upstairs balconies within range. Where was the witch? She very much doubts these people would get along with her so well...

Not to mention the angel!

Oh no! The angel! Her eyes widen a little in horror as she turns to look at the guardian presently talking to the blue skinned elf. Yes, please take her away! She and the witch will not get along at all!

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Ky was shocked by Domini's panicked reaction. Not only had no one ever turned down his assistance in such a manner, but he had greatly underestimated how much energy she had left in that little body. His flapped his hands a bit to shake off the sting of her rapid battings. He then put his hands up and conceded, "Or I could leave you be. Whatever is best for you."

He huffed with disappointment and stood back up to face the direction of Asmyrra and the angel. When he heard his Commanding Officer refer to the angel by name he felt it apt. Ash, certainly fitting considering the color of -

Hold on a moment, he thought. How could Commander Asmyrra know this angel by name?

A second question cropped up when Lady Ash knew their injured compatriot by name. How was that possible if they had never met? Ky's youth fueled curiosity was at its peak. Then again, so was his sense of caution. There were too many questions and not enough answers. Something was afoot.

He approached the pair and interjected as politely as he could. "Begging your pardon, but I believe it would be best if I accompanied. The commander is still on the mend, and we are in strange territory. It would be beneath Lady Ash to dirty her hands should something happen. Plus, the Kae'dryn has given her vow of sanctuary. Talise and Domini should be safe without me."  

[Cheshiyre]

BeaMichelle

She dropped the call and took up arms once more. With a squelched grunt, she rose to her feet. Her emerald eyes looked around the battlefield. They glistened with pride as she witnessed the clansmen gain the upper hand. Though her body screamed to be allowed to rest, the guardian ignored it. She would not rest. Not so long as she bore the shield of her clan upon her left arm. As the wolves of her family crest stood back to back, so she would guard the back of those who depended on her.

It did not take long after the call for the quick shuffling of skirts and nimble feet to join Kari in the clearing. Although fiery red curls had already escaped the confines of her hood, the young woman was forced to push back the thick woolen cloak behind her shoulders to free her arms. With a distracted nod to the guardian, she tossed her satchel atop one of the fallen trees and knelt down beside the downed warrior. Not a word was spoken as one hand gripped the syjmbol around her neck, the other laid a hand upon his chest, her eyes closed and lips moving in quiet prayer. Satisfied with the delving, she finally spared a glance to her upright watcher as she pulled out several small bundles from her bag.

"E's got a couple o'broken ribs and a wee concussion," comes the relieved verdict. "Nay be any bleedin' on the inside though. We'll be needin' a few strong hands to get 'em back to the village. I can dress the mild scrapes an' slashes 'ere before e's moved." As one of the most well traveled in the villiage, it was not uncommon for the miss to speak in the more common trade language. Or at least, her own heavily accented and butchered version of the tongue.

Shooting a quick survey around them, the red-headed maid continues, her tone growing incredulous. "Wat 'appened 'ere then? Decide to take the 'ole forest down?"

((Thanks Bea for waiting so patiently while we got the other players back in the game!))

 

[Thaedrian]

Never mistake tears for sadness...

Her eyes slid close, as much against the next wave of pain as a fruitless shield from the stranger's presence. If she could not see her... well, it was a child's fantasy but still Eva was mildly disappointed when she opened her eyes and the witch was still there. Eva's sight had cleared some and curiosity swept away all other feeling for the moment. The witch's very appearance was strange. She was certainly not human. But what she was...

Eva had never wandered so far in her life. She hardly knew where she was, now, beyond the 'ship' she had glanced at for a moment before succumbing to her wounds. Feeling displaced and unlike herself, Eva found it hard to summon any emotion beyond that faint curiosity and a growing sense of apathy. She was hurting, and she was tired. If this... creature, whatever she was, had expected some sort of violent reaction, she was to be sorely disappointed.

"Eva, if you please, and I've never feigned politeness in my life. I don't have it in me to lie so well. Terribly bad card player, or so I've discovered."

She smiled weakly at her own joke, eyeing the cup with some trepidation. It was with a sense of recklessness that she tilted her head up and drank and a moment later choked on the liquid at the sound of her name. How does she know me? Feathered acquaintance?? Her mind lept, first, to Johannes for it was he who consorted with heretics. Then she was focused on regaining her ability to breath and the pain that would surely wash over her when she stifled her coughing.


[Ah, Evalin. You try to be world weary and end up choking on liquid a potentially dangerous stranger gave you. She really doesn't think things through.]

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[BeaMichelle]

Kari returned a smiliar distracted nod to Molly. Something had been eating at her since the run in with the giant. It had been a fleeting thought at first, but she couldn't help but dwell on it as time passed.

Her thought was momentarrily broken by the healer's inquiry. Kari couldn't help but chuckle at the notion. With an amused tone she replied in the same trade language, "Tha' would be quite a story for the boys over a pint, wouln' it? Nay, Ah 'aven't a clue wha' brought this tree dewn. If ye go' things handled here, Ah fancy having a look."

The guardian, all the while on guard, followed the tree to it's base at a quick trot. She mused at the possibilites of what brought the mighty tree down. A prior failed attempt at uprooting it, perhaps? The tree didn't smell dead, nixing the possibility of dumb luck and timing, Whatever it was she thought of, it didn't come close to preparing her for what she laid her brilliant green eyes on.

One of the things she had suspected was someone had hacked at the tree prior to the skirmish. On the contrary, the stump of the tree had one, no, two clean cuts coming from opposite directions. Clean! One slice from each side. One horizontal, and the other (facing the tree itself) angled upward to meet the first. This meant the tree had been brought down in that direction on purpose. More troubling than that, Kari didn't know of any creature that was strong enough to pull off such a feat. Not just strong but quick as well. The creature had come, sliced the tree, and left without anyone noticing.

Kari studied the stump for a few seconds more before returning to Molly. The look she gave her friend was a mix of bewilderment and nervous amusement.

"Well, Ah'd love teh tell ye wha' I saw, but ye'd think me a liar...or mad" She admitted with a half hearted laugh.

((No worries, dear. I knew you wouldn't leave me hanging.))

 

[Cheshiyre]

Surprisingly, the small amount of liquid that seeped down her throat brought a pleasant numbing sensation that stilled Eva's restless cough. The dark skinned woman paused in her administrations to allow the halfling to regain control before offering her the cup again.

"Interesting. I was my observation that you've been quite diligent regarding your manners of late. After all, the target would hardly come to trust you enough to get close to her if you were allowed to truly speak your mind," her demeanor remains comfortably unconcerned. If she had been looking for a more dramatic reaction, it certainly did not show. If anything the lack of change in her stance could be said to speak of approval that the conversation be allowed to contiue undaunted by theatrics. The smooth Elven accent continued her musings, the words emerging fluid and cultured. "Of course, that must have been his request wasn't it?"

That crystalline gaze traveled slowly over your face, her tone taking a contemplative quality. "Yes... I imagine it was. Deception and manipulation are tools he has well honed over the centuries. It is strange, is it not? An Angel ordering you to play happy families with a heretic? But then, he has been known to consort with my kind himself... When it suites his purpose."

Colourless irises settled their gaze to meet yours. "Particularly when his first choice has failed."


 

[Urban Thorne]

Rikki Tikki Travi

Ky was shocked by Domini's panicked reaction. Not only had no one ever turned down his assistance in such a manner, but he had greatly underestimated how much energy she had left in that little body. His flapped his hands a bit to shake off the sting of her rapid battings. He then put his hands up and conceded, "Or I could leave you be. Whatever is best for you."

Nodding vigorously in agreement to the knight fellow's words, the little inventor scrabbled quickly to her feet, still running high and fast on the adrenaline rush of almost being blown up. Reaching a hand over to Tali, she helped tug the Gypsy girl to her feet as well, before turning those mismatched eyes on the knight folks and the now-visible angel lady. And there she stopped, those exhaustion-reddened eyes widening as realization truly set in.

Talise had been right. Ash.

Now, the Rosso line had never been one to just accept stories and whatnot at face value. If they had, they never would have begun laying the keel for their brightly shining dream, due to the fact that it combined Earthen craftsmanship with Elven magic in a completely forbidden fashion. But, even with that... It was one thing to disregard all the stories of the Dragon Wars. It was another completely different thing to actually have one of the legends of said war Right. In front. Of. You.

But, of course, just as they had been doing the ENTIRE trip, the knight folks throw a wrench in the works. Watching the Ash lady get cornered by Ky and Asmyrra, a disgruntled scrunch of the inventor's features appeared, her thin lips twisting in almost petulant displeasure. They wanted to go back to the ship? Fine!! See how they liked swimming in the frigid lake while they tried to figure out how to get the ladder down!!

Huffing to herself, the Rosso monster instead marched herself over to where the apprentices were kinda hovering, dragging the still-ensnared Tali along with her. Coming to a stop before them, her free hand offered a wave to the brown-eyed one offering food, and the nearly inaudible one, her high soprano emerging in a vigorously clipped form of the shared native tongue between the three. "Bed is good. Hot bath is good. Fooooooood.... Food is epic. Food is legendary. I haven't eaten in a looooooooooong time, so thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much food is required," the inventor stated, holding her hands (including Tali's) as far apart as her wingspan would allow.

"You lead the way, we'll follow. As long as there's bed, bath, and food at the end!!"  

[Urban Thorne]

I had a feeling that there might be a touch of trouble with this little stunt. These northern folk are plenty smart enough to come up with tactics to stave off supernatural foes, despite not being properly armed or strong enough to match them. It wouldn't be much of a stretch for them to ponder it odd that a perfectly healthy tree would fall directly on a giant about to squash a downed comrade and their erstwhile defender.

I won't take it back, though.

Our leader may be too paranoid. Her paranoia is probably even justified, considering that she was betrayed and thrown into the arms of the people that broke us by our own kind. I wasn't like that. As the light faded from my eyes, and the enemy closed in, I watched my people fighting... bleeding... Dying. For our cause. For me.

Her paranoia and worries have kept us alive, though. In the shadows, out of sight from the world while we try to glue ourselves back together, piece by piece. She's one of the main people holding us together. I was one of the voices that called for her to stand as our commander, our banner bearer, and I would vote exactly the same way today. Tomorrow. A year from now.

But I can't make myself watch these brave fools die protecting their kin, while the more cautious of us figure out exactly what we're doing in these woods. Not if I can get away with it without being spotted... Without technically breaking the rules.

Let this be just another story that gets handed around at the campfires, then. A little glimmer of the "craziness" that seems to lurk in the woods. Maybe it'll give them a bit of hope. Song and stars know that they need it...