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

[BeaMichelle]

Kari closed her eyes as she tried to remember everything from that moment. Everything up to the giant being stabbed by the clansmen was focused on the fallen warrior. Then came memories of Firefly, then cuts in the tree, and finally images of her arm being reset. All in all a normal set of events for a battle.

Four Leaf opened her eyes and shook her head, her cropped blonde hair shifting with her denial. "I dinnae remember anythin' out o' the ordinary, Love. It's all a blur to me."

The guardian looked over to her friend and studied the wee read head for a bit. What she had said sparked Kari's interest. She had not heard any of the whispers Molly had apparently been privy to.

Kari took one last swig of her drink and set the mug down. She wiped the remnants of liquid from her lip before asking, "Wha' kind o' tales 'ave ye been told, Firefly?  

[Seraphi Thorne]

Cheshiyre

Turning her smile to Asmyrra, the angel stands and retrieves her cloak. "Perhaps you could show me around the ship?" she ventures as she settled the fabric over her shoulders again.

Giving Eva a last lingering look of concern, Asmyrra offered a faint nod before turning towards the door. Raising a hand, she offered a gesture to the pale woman beside her, indicating for her to go first, before her own quiet steps trailed behind. Pausing at the door, Asmyrra half-turned, that purring soprano still colored with a small bit of concern as she addressed Evalin.

"The others are guests at the Kae'Dryn's tower for the night, as Ash mentioned... We will do our best not to disturb you, so that you can get some rest." With that, Asmyrra summoned a reassuring smile for Evalin, trying to conceal some of the concern still clouding her mind, before quietly shutting the door behind her.

Turning towards the pale Angel, those features darkened almost immediately. Motioning for Ash to follow, she made her way towards the small kitchen the ship had, arranging the words racing through her head into a sensible fashion. Once within the small, neatly appointed space, Asmyrra made her way towards the cupboards, where she knew a collection of metal cups hung in convenient storage, and snagged a pair of them. Once they were filled with a measure of the ruby wine she had found earlier in the day during her investigations, she moved over to the table, setting one of the cups nearer to Ash as she herself settled.

"...It could be how insane this day has been, but... I cannot help feeling that things are slipping out of control with increasing speed," that purring soprano eventually stated, after being fortified with a hint of the deep red liquid. "Legendary heroes from stories long gone suddenly appearing in the home of the most dangerous Weaveshaper my people know. Said hero seeming to be aware of our mission from the earliest stages, and possessing an uncomfortable level of knowledge about at least a few of us... And a wounded companion, who has been watched for fear of being a Paladin's Rod assassin, spontaneously recovering from what I was beginning to fear to be life-threatening injuries..."

Shaking her head softly, Asmyrra took a longer draw from her metal cup, trying to force her strained mind to work at its usual speed. The day was truly beginning to have too much of an effect on her, possibly because of the number of shocks and the small measure of sleep she'd managed the previous night. "I need to know how she has recovered so quickly, Lady Ash. I had numerous spells cast upon her to slow her body down, buy us some time to get her attended to. Combined with the drugs Talise produced to make her sleep, and the visitor I am certain was not merely some raven leagues away from where it should be... I have to know."

"I have to."  

[Talise Anora]

Gabriel.. yes, that was the name. The angel that had come to the Elves with the female angel, Ash. There was another as well. An older gentlemen she believed. Johannes.. the name did not ring any bells. Oh fiddlesticks. If only she had paid more attention in history lessons!

The little elven maid eyed the knight person curiously. He knew of the angels. He was here on a quest to vanquish an evil that, according to his explanation, is ripping the leadership of the angels in two. Her tender heart went out to the suffering that must be a reality in the southern lands. Although she knew nothing of this "Beast" he speaks of, it must be a genuine threat if the angels were allowing it to divide their ranks.

"How awful.." she murmurs compassionately. "And that is why you are here? To see what information about this creature the Kae'dryn might be able to provide?" Her pretty brow furrows in thought. "I cannot say she has ever mentioned it. But that means very little. The Kae'dryn has many secrets."

"To be honest, we didn't even know about the female angel's arrival tonight. It was as much of a surprise to us as it seemed to be to you. We all thought her dead and gone for many, many years. She wasn't at all the visitor we expected tonight.." That last revelation reminded her of the visitor they had expected to show up that evening. Inwardly Nae cringed to think of how that lack of visit would contribute to the Kae'dryn's already foul mood. What a mess!

Another thought struck her then. "So the angels.. they are known to your people? I wasn't sure.."

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Cheshiyre]

Seraphi Thorne

"...It could be how insane this day has been, but... I cannot help feeling that things are slipping out of control with increasing speed," that purring soprano eventually stated, after being fortified with a hint of the deep red liquid. "Legendary heroes from stories long gone suddenly appearing in the home of the most dangerous Weaveshaper my people know. Said hero seeming to be aware of our mission from the earliest stages, and possessing an uncomfortable level of knowledge about at least a few of us... And a wounded companion, who has been watched for fear of being a Paladin's Rod assassin, spontaneously recovering from what I was beginning to fear to be life-threatening injuries..."

"I need to know how she has recovered so quickly, Lady Ash. I had numerous spells cast upon her to slow her body down, buy us some time to get her attended to. Combined with the drugs Talise produced to make her sleep, and the visitor I am certain was not merely some raven leagues away from where it should be... I have to know."

"I have to."

Having followed Asmyrra down the corridors and into the kitchen, Ash had settled opposite of the blue tinted Elf and accepted the mug of wine gratefully. The idea of getting to sit down with the commander and relax for a moment was promising, to say the least. However, that pleasant image quickly disintegrated with the exasperated monologue delivered by her poor friend. Guilt rose in her gullet and the angel tried desperately hard to swallow it down. This was all her fault.

"Oh Azzy," she sighed, setting her cup down to give her full attention to the other woman, "I am so sorry. This is all my doing. Please believe me when I say it was not what we intended. Johannes had no idea that your gypsy would guide you here, else I would have come at a different time. We were never supposed to meet..."

And how well that had worked out. Uncomfortable level of knowledge? That slip about Evalin must have been even worse than she thought. What was she thinking? This was Asmyrra. The woman doesn't forget anything. Every little stumble Ash took, Azzy would catch. This was why they weren't supposed to meet. But now they had. There was no turning back. Ash would have to try to make it right before she burned everything to the ground.

"Oh! Why does it seem that every time I appear I manage to leave damage with every person Johannes cares about?" she cried wretchedly, her hands coming up to cover her face briefly as she growled out her frustration. Her fingers continued to drag into her hair and gripped momentarily, her forehead resting in her palms, her elbows steadied on the table. "It's a wonder he lets me out at all. First Relm, then you..." That last bit almost seemed to be directed more to herself than Asmyrra.

Raising herself up straight again, her hands came down to grasp Asmyrra's forearm. "There is so much I have to tell you. So much we have to explain. But now is not the time. If you think that Evalin is in some kind of danger, let us wait until she is asleep. You can sneak in and do your own delving on her. I will stay here with you tonight and keep watch. If you find she is in much worse shape than she seems, I will attend to her with or without her consent. All right?"



 

[Seraphi Thorne]

Asmyrra watched the pale woman on the other side of the table with no small amount of befuddlement. For the life of her, the Spellweaver could not place exactly what it was that Ash was talking about... But there was a faint hint of amusement in all of this. Apparently, Asmyrra had just encountered someone who was as apt to dramatic mood swings as she herself was... Apologetic to extremely exasperated to dejected, all in the space of less than a minute.

But there was some sense in the angel's words. Taking a calming breath, Asmyrra finished the measure of wine still lingering in her cup before offering a firm nod, those violet eyes connecting a gaze with the paler woman's azure orbs. "Later tonight, then... There was little to no time for me to try to see truly the shape of the bird as it departed, but I do not think it was one of the Angels from the Cathedral. That, or they were pots calling a kettle black, with the talk of my Weaveshaping being the arts of a heretic," she idly concluded, the wryly dubious amusement in her voice showing the likelyhood of that particular scenario.

"Let us see about arranging a billet for each of us while we wait for Eva to fall asleep, then. I will check on her in a few hours, and perform the delving while she rests. Perhaps it was merely the Kae'Dryn escaping her tower to vent a little, and she decided to help our fallen comrade on her way," she concluded, and rose to her feet. Motioning for the angel to follow, Asmyrra went in search of a distraction in the small number of other rooms within the airship, doing her best to anticipate the point when Eva fell asleep and she could slip in without disturbing her...

. o O ((Just to let folks know, it is well past midnight at the Tower and airship. Will be attempting to wrap things up for the night, so we can continue moving the story along, ^.^ )) O o .  

[--Winters-Cruel-Fate--]

Beast?

The word struck a core in her, her heart started racing. Her eyes widened and she stopped what she had been doing, Ky said beast, right? As in the same one who ended her parents life? She felt her hands tremble, she hadn't thought of them nor their death since her arrival. The whole reason to why she was there were due to the appearance of that creature. How could she have forgotten? She had been so caught up enjoying what she did there that the sadness and fear that originated before she got there had vanished from her soul. Was that even good?

Cyrillia turned to him, her jewels upon her headdress gave a soft chimed as she did so. Ky and his accompanies was fighting the beast? How could they possible hope to beat it? She didn't know what it look like or it's power but she feared seeing more people being harmed or die because of the creature. She brought her shaky hand up to her chest and took a deep breath, she hadn't really been listening to the conversation and didn't know what was going on, her mind still wrapped around the fear of the beast.

"Aren't you scared?" she asked now, her soft tone seemed to have vanished at that instant. Though her voice still held it's melodious charm, she spoke louder than usual. Cyrillia's green orbs looked to Ky many different emotions flooding over her; fear, worry, determination, sadness. What would she gain by knowing this fact or not? Was she hoping to hear that she was not the only one who feared such a thing who could destroy just by appearing? She felt a chill run down her spine, 'I want to know.. if there are people of all races fighting even though they're frightened of the outcome..' she thought.

 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Hmm yes, the female angel. Ky was still struggling to wrap his head around that one. How could she? How did she? Why did she? So many questions to ask her. The knight hoped there would be time. Not just to have his questions answered, but he also saw a possibility of bringing the angels back from the brink of extinction. It was not his demand so, heavens no. He would leave that for the Lady Ash to decide.

He nodded in apprecation of Naelonni's empathy. "The angels are worshipped by my people as one's chosen by the divine." He shifted his eyes to meet hers. "Even though, as you most likely know, they are not." he assumed. Johannes had told him much, and Ky had a hunch these young maids were aware of the celestial's true nature.

Cyrillia Fythrin

"Aren't you scared?", she asked now. Her soft tone seemed to have vanished at that instant.

Ky looked over to the dainty maid with some surprise. Then the weight of the question set in. "Scared?" he murmured. His eyes went distant then. They went where his mind took him to the many horrors he had witnessed over his short military career. Nothing set him on edge more than memories of the fiend and it's destructive wake.

He wanted to break. He wanted to cave to every fear he had ever experienced and shout it from on high. Keeping it together was so easy for the heroes in the tales of old, but actually doing it was another thing entirely. But he could see the desperation in the woman's eyes. That wasn't what she needed to hear. He had seen that look before. The search for hope where there is none.

His eyes returned to the present as he smirked. "Yes, I am scared." he confirmed. "Even terrified at times. But then I consider those who are not soldiers. The common men who do little more than provide for their families. The women that tend to all the nececities of the home, or even the family business, while the men are away at war or dead. The children who dream of what the future holds while seizing what the day had brought them."

"I consider the sheer, unbridled, horror they must endure as the Beast makes itself seen over the horizon. I then remember that I am one of many who swore an oath to protect those people. That...that oath." he trailed off. Ky looked down to his hands. They had drawn themselves into numbingly tight fists as he spoke. With a deep breath he relaxed his hands and returned his saphire eyes to Cyrillia's green ones.

"That fear becomes determination. A determination powered by hope. I can not allow myself to waver while so many suffer."

Ky brought his right hand up to his eyes and rubbed them again. They were heavy with fatigue and ached with repressed tears. "I...am terribly sorry." he apologized. "The day has been long."  

[Thaedrian]

Never mistake tears for sadness...

Evalin didn't want to see the tower, she wanted to go home. She also wanted to believe that Ash would leave her be but that, too, wasn't going to happen. Her paranoia rising, Evalin waited until the door closed and set her arrows aside. Slowly, carefully, she eased out of the hammock, setting her feet on the floor. Rising, she found that walking was manageable as long as she shuffled. Upon reaching the door, she slid the lock into place though it offered little in the way of sercurity. Presumably it had been put there in mind of privacy and not as an actual deterrent.

Looking specutively at the rest of the room, she spied one of the larger crates. It took some time to open and the musty smell contained within sent her to coughing. It was half filled with some kind of material. Still, it would do. A bit of charcoal in her bag and a scrap of parchment served as a message. Tracking runes, the same she would leave for the soldiers Evalin had once scouted for, just the two: Return and Noon. It would have to do. Taking one of her hunting arrows in hand, she stuck the note to the wall above her hammock and gathered her things.

Throwing them into the crate, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders then paused. Well, it hardly made sense to have a locked door and the note. Slipping the lock, she opened the door just a sliver. There. As Eva was crawling over the lip of the crate, she could feel her bones begin to ache. As uickly as she dared, Eva slid the cover back over, leaving just a small opening for air then placed the seed in her mouth. The water in the skein tasted flat but the healer-witch's warnings stood out her mind yet.

Eva sighed as the seed began to work. Honestly, if Ash found her even now, she gave up. It was too much trouble to worry about her anymore and Eva was so very, very tired...

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[Talise Anora]

Rikki Tikki Travi

He nodded in apprecation of Naelonni's empathy. "The angels are worshipped by my people as one's chosen by the divine." He shifted his eyes to meet hers. "Even though, as you most likely know, they are not." he assumed. Johannes had told him much, and Ky had a hunch these young maids were aware of the celestial's true nature.

The little elven maid's brow furrowed and her whole face scrunched slightly in disturbance. The angels were known to the humans.. and worshiped? Like gods? Of course they are not gods! Surely they are one of the oldest races known to the planet, but in all of the thousands of years the elves had worked with them, they never tried to pass themselves off as gods! The thought was horrifying to the young miss. So this is how they tried to protect themselves against extinction? Pretend to be gods?

Her mind filled to brimming with this new revelation, Nae Nae barely heard anything else of what Ky was saying. The utter nerve! The foolishness! Everyone knows that the humans have no respect for the true gods. Their own self created deities never last long. After watching over them all of these years, the angels must realize that placing themselves on that throne would only bring about their cataclysmic downfall! By the (true) gods, what were they thinking???

And this knight! Chocolate eyes flicker back to the rambling gentlemen. He knows they are not gods... but he serves them anyway? Does he facilitate this facade? Does he think himself somehow superior by being in on their secret? No wonder the elves had not heard much of the angels since the war. Under no circumstance would they ever be forgiven for such a charade!

Confused, flustered and even a little angry now, Nae Nae quickly served the knight a bowl of stew and placed it before him on the counter.

"It is very late," She unwittingly agrees, having not really heard the end of Ky's conversation. Her whole demeanor retreats into a mask of formality and authority (that last bit rather foreign to her), giving herself a blessed distance from the chaos plaguing her mind. "You may eat in the kitchen if you wish, but I would strongly recommend taking it back to your room. The Kae'dryn is not in the best spirits tonight and you do not want to be caught alone with her should she decide to wander."

Turning to Cyrillia, she voices in a tone that brooks no opposition. "Come Cyrillia. We must to bed."

Giving Ky a parting bow, she waits just long enough for the other elf to follow her before briskly exiting the kitchen.

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Ky regarded the young maids with a respectful bow of his head as they left in quite the hurry. He had opened his mouth to wish them a pleasant night, but he had not the chance before they were gone. He noticed that Nae's attitude shifted quite a bit from when she asked of the angels. Perhaps something he said during his rant troubled her? He hoped that wasn't the case. He figured she was still perturbed about his earlier indescresion.

Heeding Naelonni's advice, the knight takes the bowl of stew and makes the lonely trek back to the guest rooms. It doesn't take him long to engulf the contents of the quaint bowl she had served the meal to him in. Eat now and taste it later was what his instructors would tell him.

He removed the majority of his armor and stretched his limbs. It hadn't been very long, but he felt as though he'd been wearing that armor for days. Down to just his undershirt, slacks, and boots the young knight picks up his sword in his right hand. In his left he carries a chair from his quarters.

Ky walked across the hall and set the chair beside the door leading into Talise and Domini's room. He thought about knocking on the door and informing them of his presence, but then he thought better of it when he realized they were most likely asleep. With an exhausted moan he falls back into the chair.

After wrapping the straps of his blade's sheath around his wrist, Ky crossed his arms and lowered his head. It did not take long for his eyes to follow suit. Although he looked out cold, his rest was the half sleep of a soldier. Always with a figurative ear and eye open for danger.  

[Seraphi Thorne]

Sleep was being no friend to the Kael'dorei magi. Ash's arrival had called to mind all the stories that had been passed around among the Elven folk, and for the life of her, Asmyrra couldn't stop the curse of her memory from calling up every detail.

And the detail of those who told the tales to her. And the details of that person's fate...

Which inevitably led to the memories of the war. The. War.

It took the bitingly cold air on the deck and a couple hours of disciplined meditations to finally still those memories... Oh, how her fellows never really understood this side of being able to remember everything. It really did mean everything... And, of course, everything reminded you of something. Johannes had seemed to understand, at least. Some of the memories from that time seemed to have a universal clarity, no matter what point of view they'd been seen from.

Oddly enough, it was the occasional flickers of unnatural lightning in the northern skies that finally calmed Asmyrra's mind enough to resemble it's usual clarity. Slowly rising from the place she had been sitting, Asmyrra quietly made her way below deck. Pausing outside of the room Evalin was bunked in, Asmyrra took a small down feather from one of her numerous concealed pouches.

Focusing her mind on a minor cantrip, sibilant consonants whispered forth, slender fingers tracing a couple eldritch symbols with the feather deftly captured between. As the minor Weaving concluded, Asmyrra deftly placed the feather on her tongue, where it dissolved completely... And made the feet that whispered into the hold apparently of virtually no weight, for the floorboards sounded with neither creak or footfall.

Once inside, her keen Elven eyes noticed the discrepancy immediately: Evalin was no-where to be seen. The note above her hammock was immediately scanned, the mind behind those violet eyes blurring briefly across a stream of memories containing those runes, before Asmyrra slid said eyes closed, reaching out through the Weave. The enchantments she had worked in Eva's favor should be able to be felt, if she were anywhere near----

Those slanted eyes snapped open as she felt not her Weavings, but instead a much darker... much more typically sinister form of shaping. Near-silent footfalls carried her over to the crate where the feelings were sheltered within, and Asmyrra carefully tested the threads for several long minutes... It was clear that the Weavings present were of a darker Art, but... It was also clear that they were doing nothing malignant. Asmyrra was no real student of those shapings, but experience had left her familiar with at least that much of the magic worked on Evalin.

It was subtle, to say the least... And it was Elven. That much was a boon to Asmyrra, dissuading any idea that the aid had come from the Paladin's Rod far to the south. After all, if one Angel had strayed up this far, it was not unreasonable to believe a second could, as well. But there was nothing to be had of it. The steady, if somewhat laboured, breaths from within the crate indicated that Evalin was deeply asleep, and Asmyrra couldn't bring herself to disturb the wounded woman on account of her paranoia.

Instead, near-silent footfalls carried the Spellweaver outside once more, a minor cantrip placed on the room to awaken her if someone broke the threads of the Weaving. That attended to, Asmyrra made her way towards the kitchen once more... The couches in there were comfy enough, perhaps she could find a little rest this night.  

[--Winters-Cruel-Fate--]

Cyrillia felt bad for the way they both left but she had noticed Nae's shift in mood and did not want to upset her further so scurried after her without a word to Ky. She had much to say to his response yet she kept them to herself for the time being. He feared the Beast and still he fought back with a determination from hope that one day it no longer existed. She could not explain it but she sensed the same feelings she had had when hearing of her parents passing, the determination and hope to help to make things better.

But here she was. Under the eyes of the Kae'drynn, studying and perfecting her magic which in the long run would help.. if there even was a long run to be. Cyrillia frowned as she came to her door, she watched Nae as she continued to head off to her bed chambers. She smiled warmly at her fellow elf, "Goodnight, Nae." she murmured and opened the door to walk inside, the candle that had been lit was out. The wooden shutters that close over the stoned window was creaked allowing the moonlight to enter. She closed the door behind her, the darkness closing in around here with only a small light to guide her.

Cyrillia walked forward and began to take her headdress off, the jewels giving a soft chime as she did so. She placed the circlet upon the table once coming up to it, the moonlight was shining upon her magic book she had had all her life. She smiled at the unique book, remembering just how she got it and the people she miss dearly, with the humans sudden arrival here Cyrillia could sense the strong urge to help them. Not because they needed it but because she wanted to help many different races and people recover from the damage. How would she do that though? Would they take an elf? And what of Nae? The Kae'drynn? Surely they would be disappointed of her for wanting to go and help these visitors.

She frowned and walked over to her bed, getting under the blankets she sighed and placed her hand upon her pillow. Her mind raced with so many questions and all seemed to go unanswered. 'What can I do..?' she thought closing her eyes to try and rest.  

[Talise Anora]

The young elven miss woke to the early light of dawn with a clear head and sense of new beginnings. After attending to her own toiletries, Nae quickly moved to the kitchen to start up the water for the Kae'dryn's morning tea. Next she slipped into the bathing rooms adjoining their guests and prepared everything they would need for a hot bath when they woke. As she left from the room the two young ladies were sharing, the sleeping figure of Ky sitting watch outside the door gave her pause.

Perhaps it was the clarity a new day can bring, or perhaps it was the appeal of his noble gesture tugging at her tender heart. Whatever the reason, Nae began to question the conversation the three of them had the night before. It could be that she misunderstood what the knight was trying to say. It was very late and he had been through so much in so short a time. Quickly determining that she must grant him a second chance, she quietly tip toes over to his slumbering form. A gentle hand comes to touch his shoulder as she attempts to rouse him.

"Sir Kiske. It is dawn Sir. It is time to wake up." she murmurs softly to him, the formality in her words more a reflection of politeness now than the distance she showed him the previous evening.

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Talise Anora]

A beautiful roaring scream, of joy and sorrow so extreme...

The quiet stirrings of the elven apprentice in the next room tugged on the gypsy's consciousness, but did not present a convincing enough argument to rouse her from her slumber. Especially as she was so happy and warm right where she is. Still avoiding any true coherency, Tali takes note of the small, cuddly figure with whom she is currently entwined.

It had been a short while since she had last traveled with Domini for any length of time, and Talise had missed her cuddlebug companion a little more than she'd care to admit. Or maybe not. Half asleep and therefore immune to any embarrassment or logical pestings, the gypsy allowed herself to contemplate that possibility. Now that her caravan was destroyed (thankfully the lull of dozing buffered the feeling of loss that came with that thought).. well, she didn't really have a home anymore. No home. No family. No one but Domini. And in a way, wasn't her quirky friend all of those things anyway? Home. Family. Affection.

Perhaps it was time to take her nomad ways to the sky on a more permanent basis. She knew in her heart that the little inventor would not refuse her. At least, curled in the warm confidence of her sleep induced haze she was sure. After all this mess was dealt with, she'd have to find some cute, inventive way to spring this on Domini and convince her. Yeah.. she muses to herself with a yawn. That's what I'll do.

There is a love in me raging. A joyous, magical feeling...