:[ PLOT ]: Mystics in the Forest (Criofan & Kurt)

[Menelie]

Portia narrows her eyes at Kurt shrewdly, considering what to make her offer. She couldn't just outright say what she wanted. Then he'd wheedle her down until she wasn't getting what she wanted. Besides, it isn't the value of the pearls she wants, it's the pearls themselves. She'd heard her aunt was very particular. But then again, perhaps she wouldn't want just any old pearls. Her letter had made it seem as if she'd wanted the pearls from Portia's pond. Perhaps she wanted one of these weird not-pearls instead? Then why would she have said "a string of pearls to wear with my wedding dress"?

Portia realizes she'd been staring at Kurt with sort of an odd expression for some time, leaning forward intently. She relaxes and leans back, shrugging casually. "What can you offer?" She feels bad bartering for this weird thing she'd found, but if she merely gave it away then there would be people coming from all over for one--news of free things traveled fast, of course--and then how would she protect her pond from those who would misuse it?

EvilSilverDragon

Seiana_ZI

 

[EvilSilverDragon]

Kurt didn't know what to make of her staring at him as she was doing. To be honest it made him uncomfortable. Shifting in his spot he glanced over to the Fea hoping he could be of some assistance. After a painfully long silence, the demoness started to talk again.

He had worked long enough at the port to earn what he had, bartering was something he picked up a little bit. Trouble was, he was very, very bad at it. Proof positive came with his answer, "I don't have much of value right now. I have an ancient helm, few alpaca fibers left that were spun into string cord. That could be useful." The staff he couldn't part with, same goes for the sword. The idea of letting go of the helm was very distressing. What else did he have? Just a thick cord of string from the spun alpaca fibers.

Considering long and hard, he looked around weighing his options. She didn't have the area to keep an alpaca even if he was willing to part with one of his girls so that was out. A hand went to his necklace as he fiddled with the lightening bolt charm. His items were as much a part of him as anything else, he loathed the idea of losing them either.

Partly because he was out of ideas he threw in, "I have the canteen and gathered food as well as a thermos of stew?" For something so unusual and alluring, that hardly seemed enough. What he wouldn't give to have a power that would be useful in this case.

Looking back to the fae, he had hoped the other would jump in with something but then maybe he wasn't interested? Or was this a trick to get one of the items he had gathered that were of important to the quest?

One deep breath later, he turned his pink eyes back to the demoness awaiting her judgement as to if it was enough or if he should try to up his game at all.

Seiana_ZI

Menelie

 

[Menelie]

"A string cord?" she repeats, eyes widening. "You mean like a rope?" She narrows her eyes. This pae didn't seem resourceful enough to carry something as valuable as a good strong rope on him. "May I see it?" she asks, looking him up and down. Could she trade this not-pearl for a rope? She did have others. Perhaps the yellow fae would have something different to trade.

EvilSilverDragon

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Rope? She was willing to give a pearl up for rope?

This would be easier than Criofan thought! As he stood there and waited, he took a mental inventory of what was on him. He had his messenger bag, of course, meant for carrying any items he may have come across on his travels. As offers for trade, he had a few of the smaller items Ei-Kal had made recently that he wasn't keeping--and Criofan was willing to let go of--or just trading on his own. Perhaps this demon would be interested in something pretty?

He had a few simple necklaces on him. They weren't much by themselves, but at the same time, they were beautiful in their simplicity. Plus, a few of them had places where other things could be attached to them--gemstones that she found herself, perhaps.

With a place this magical, there had to be something around she could inset in these, right?

Criofan reached into his bag and took out one of the necklaces, a pretty silver that shined in a similar color to Portia herself--though it was more of a pure color than her blue undertones. While he did not speak immediately, he did hold onto it to show that he had something to offer, as well.

EvilSilverDragon

Menelie

 

[EvilSilverDragon]

Kurt was happy enough to oblige. Turning his back half to the demon and the fea, the angel opened the top of his sheet pack and riffled through it. By this point in his journey it was mostly empty with just food supplies, and blankets. He had a canteen but he'd have to retrieve it from where it was chucked.

With a little more shifting, he found what he was looking for, the rope. It was wrapped like a ball of twine for simplicity's sake. Alpaca fibers didn't burn easily and they were strong. He had pulled together everything he had left for one last use partially not to waste a single fiber and partially because he didn't have much else. Most of it was white but there was the golden from the fawns mixed in here or there.

In total there was about a foot to a foot in a half of the thin spun fibers. It was his intent to use them for repair because for as thin as they were, alpaca fiber was strong as well as light. Holding the fiber up for her to inspect he got a look at the lovely necklace the fea held. His offering felt like it paled, a practical bit verses a lovely impractical but nice offering.

Menelie

Seiana_ZI

 

[Menelie]

"Ooh," says Portia, delighted at the sight of it. She'd expected something rough and scratchy, but this string looked soft. Who knew all the things she could do with it! She takes it from him and pulls the end of the ball out, then snaps the string between her fingers to test its strength. It's well-made, which quite frankly surprises her, and it looked to be of a decent length if she didn't cut it.

"Trade accepted," she says, tucking the ball of string underneath her arm and giving the blue-silver pearl over to Kurt.

Her eyes land on the yellow-hued winged fellow hovering around. He'd pulled something shiny out of his bag, and while the string would be hard to top, it seemed only fair to let him have a chance too. He seems keenly interested in the pearls, and she did have more....lots more, if the number of oysters in her pond was any indication. She turns her attention to him. "And what've you got to offer?" she asks.

EvilSilverDragon

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

She ... took the string offer. Well, she'd have to take this, right?

-- She better, necklaces like this were pretty much all he had on him --

Criofan lifted up the necklace he was holding, letting it shine under the dimming light. "I have this," offered Criofan, simply. "It's a handcrafted necklace. There's nothing inset in it right now, but as you see, there's a place to set something if you wish. Perhaps a pearl of your own?" There was a charismatic smile on his face, hoping she would go for it.

It sounded like Portia had more to offer, at least, since she was asking him what he wanted to offer after she had offered a pearl to Kurt. That was good. Criofan wouldn't have to convince Kurt to let go of his today, although he was certainly tempted...

EvilSilverDragon

Menelie

 

[EvilSilverDragon]

He had to look at her for a few heart beats before he took the pearl. Convinced what he gave wasn't enough, he almost wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. Once one neuron found the other one and tapped it on the shoulder, he shook his head to clear it and reached up. "Thank you," he said remembering to be polite before taking possession of the item.

No longer paying attention to the fae or Portia at this point, Kurt held the offered pearl like it was as fragile as a bird's egg. As he stood still he inspected the pearl like time gently moving it around just a little bit. He didn't know exactly what it was or if it broke easily.

With his concern for the new item, he looked at and quickly dismissed the idea of using his pack to transport. There was no choice but to go home with it and keep it there where it was safe. A perfect treasure to go along with his helm that he had recovered.

He seemed to remember there were others around him as he took his eyes off the pearl like object he held and looked back to Portia and the yellow one.

Seiana_ZI

Menelie

 

[Menelie]

Portia can't control her expression. She blinks a few times at the yellow male, as if he's particularly stupid. A necklace? What on earth would I do with that? She tries to put on her best shrewd expression and taps her chin lightly. "Haven't you got anything else...more useful?" she asks with sort of a smile, trying not to insult him. It wasn't his fault he thought jewelry was valuable.

Seiana_ZI

 

[FA Mysteries]

As contact with Kurt's hands warms the surface of the strange pearl, something odd begins to happen. The pearl begins to grow in size, shedding the silvery-blue luster and taking on a different color. It grows and grows, until it's about the size of a grapefruit.

EvilSilverDragon

 

[Menelie]

The commotion gets Portia's attention, and she watches with wide eyes as the pearl grows and changes. When it seemed to calm again, she looks back at the yellow fae, blinking rapidly.

"On second thought, I need something pretty to wear to my aunt's wedding. Trade accepted." She steps back over to the pond and peers into it. Odd, nothing had happened when she had touched them. Although there was that one weird-looking one. She'd keep an eye on it. She reaches into the pond and swipes out a pearl, quickly offering it to the other male. She sort of wants it gone. That transformation had freaked her out pretty intensely.

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Wha--

Seriously?

How on Telrunya was he supposed to get rid of-- wait, he knew how to do this. Easy.

Criofan was about to open his mouth to offer a suggestion that she use the necklace to barter for better things if she was not fond of it, as he was certain the quality to get much more in exchange than just one "useful" item, when he saw the pearl out of the corner of his eye grow. Pearls didn't do that unless they were in an oyster, right? There was no way the thing was just growing and just changing color like that that was in no way normal--

Apparently Portia agreed, because she decided that she wanted his trade after all. She seemed to want to off-load the pearls pretty fast, because it was not long before he found himself being handed one, the necklace being taken in exchange--

Wait, aunt's wedding? The only wedding he had heard of recently was Venus', was that--

That wasn't possible, he doubted that...

Was this pearl about to mutate like the other? Great. What in the Clearing's name had he gotten himself into this time...

EvilSilverDragon

Menelie

 

[EvilSilverDragon]

It took everything he had not to toss the pearl out of shock. He stared as it got larger and larger. The angel was afraid to move as he held on to the now grapefruit sized wooden looking sphere. Holding his breath, he waited to see if it was going to change any more.

When he could no longer hold his breath, and the sphere didn't seem like it was going to change again, he let out a breath. Shifting the sphere gently in his hands he traced the golden markings with a thumb absolutely fascinated with it. In all his life, he had never seen anything like this object before.

As he looked up, he caught the end of the interaction with the fae and Portia. The pearl was hastily given to the other and he watched. Would it change like his had? He didn't want to move until he saw for sure one way or another.

Seiana_ZI

Menelie

 

[FA Mysteries]

Despite his obvious reservations, it's too late for Criofan to give the pearl back. As contact with his hands warms the surface of the strange pearl, something odd begins to happen. The pearl begins to grow in size, shedding the silvery-blue luster and taking on a different color. It grows and grows, until it's about the size of a grapefruit.

Seiana_ZI

 

[Seiana_ZI]

Criofan sputtered in disbelief.

It grew and changed color. This was surreal. Something was very wrong with this pearl, and the one that Kurt possessed as well. At the same time, though, was this the treasure? Was there something about this that was so rare that it was the treasure that he sensed?

--No way, the treasure he sensed was most definitely the pond with the silvery sheen--

Right?

The golden faerie's face was still twisted in some sense of disbelief, especially considering how large the once innocuous pearl had become. "What--what is this?" He asked, looking up to Portia, expression demanding some sort of answer. "This isn't an ordinary pearl." He coughed. "Of course, a blue-silver pearl is not exactly normal in the first place, but... This pearl seems to be growing without an oyster to grow it."

And she had taken the trade, so he couldn't just ... demand it back now ... he'd have to take this back home. Maybe quarantine it in a corner far away.

EvilSilverDragon

Menelie