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

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Ky had sat himself on a stool to stay out of the way of the young ladies' dutiful work. He watched as they maneuvered around the kitchen, gathering all the needed supplies to put together a meal. He had to admit that the elves had a certain air of grace that human's lacked. Not just in appearance, it was in other subtle ways as well.

The young knight was snapped out of his contemplation by Naelonni's question. With a kind smile, he was more than pleased to answer her. "I was knighted by Lord Johannes when we were still associated with The Order of the Paladin's Rod. It is a title usually granted to commanding officers in their army. So I would suppose that would make it of court, since I don't answer to any one specific king."

He glanced down at his plated belt and grazed his fingers over the word etched into it. HOPE. Ky had done the deed after learning of a war long past from his lord. The story had stuck with him. How the human's had stirred bad relations among the elder races centuries ago. He aimed to change that.

Returning his attention to the young elven maid he kindly asked, "Would it be safe to assume that I am the first human either of you have met?"  

[Cheshiyre]

BeaMichelle

Emerald eyes raised from the cider to the wee healer. A moment of silence passed before the guardian finally uttered, " Aye. A single deep strike ta both sides. I can't stop thinkin' about it. There's no sense to be made from it."

Silence trailed after Kari's comment as emerald eyes followed the wisps of steam as it rose from the contents of her mug. It was indeed a mystery, but perhaps not entirely unheard of. At least, not for the scruffy little healer.

"I've 'eard stories now and then, some from villagers, some from the for'est folk. It's not sumthin' they like ta talk about much," she shares, thoughtfully. It was an understatement to claim they didn't like to speak of these things. It had taken Molly years to get even the smallest tidbits of information from the dryads, and the wisps were of no help at all. If she had not seen the eyes herself, she might never have pursued the topic in the first place.

Glowing red eyes.

"Did ye see anythin'? Ye know, in the for'est when it happen'd?"
 

[--Winters-Cruel-Fate--]

Cyrillia had been tending to some extra stuff to add with the stew, she listened to Naelonni and Ky as they spoke, it was fascinating. The young elf enjoyed learning and took it as her getaway at times but how was she to learn of humans if not around them? It bothered her that she was easily intimidated by almost anyone even her dear friend Nae had her moments. Cy could not really explain why she felt uneasy around people, perhaps it was due to the fact that she had no one growing up; after her parents died she was left alone in a large manor with everyone so busy.

The blond snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Ky's question and turned to him slightly with a smile, "Yes. At least to me you are." she replied cheerfully, looking back to the different herbs she was crushing up for one of her special drinks. Cy peeled the herb she held into the bowl with the others she had already gotten too, "I do not get out often but it's probably very obvious." she gave a laugh, still watching her fingers as they pulled leaf upon leaf from the steam.  

[Talise Anora]

Nae couldn't help but shift at the slightly blunt question poised by the knight. Obviously they were not the first Elves he had ever met, but still.. to just outright ask seemed a little.. tacky. "Your party represents the first visitors from the South that have come to the Kae'dryn's tower since my arrival, yes," she answered, taking steps to carefully phrase the tricky sentence to show more grace than the question might otherwise permit. She was satisfied with the response after it came out. When she first arrived at the magi's tower, her conversations were filled with um's and uh's and all sometimes even slight stammers.The Kae'dryn would be so proud of her now, sounding all confident and mature. The thought made her smile warmly. How much she had grown since she came!

His explanation for knighthood rises back to the forefront of her thoughts. "Paladin's Rod?" He said it was some kind of Order, but she could not remember ever hearing about it. "That sounds religious somehow." Mentally she grasped for any information she had ever heard about the humans and their ways. She remembers the Dragon War tales and the angel warriors that fought with the other elder races. What were their names? She thought one of them started with a 'G'. Where they even known to the humans anymore? That stops her in her tracks and causes her to chew her lip softly.

According to the stories, all of the elder races cut contact with the humans after that war. Well, all that she knew about. Were the angels part of that? He had seemed surprised at the lady angel's appearance, but couldn't that just be because they all thought her dead? He must have some familiarity with them as a species. He tried talking to her. Hesitantly she tests the waters.

"This Lord of yours, is he some kind of leader of the Order?"

I am a leaf on the wind...

 

[Thaedrian]

Never mistake tears for sadness...

As yet unable to lift her gaze, Eva listened hard for any reaction. Suddenly it mattered very much what the woman thought out of an odd combination of gratitude and grudging respect for a clearly talented healer. And perhaps... well, she had spoken fairly candidly with Eva and tht was a novelty in and of itself. Iris said nothing for a long time but finally...

"They are coming," ... "The 'seed' will put you to sleep. Do not take it until they have left"

Eva nodded sharply, murmuring a quiet "Right," as she hid the bundles underneath the blankets. The stranger ws well-meaning but incompetant so perhaps that meant they didn't need to know the how's and wherefore's of her healing. Eva was about to ask whether she should mention the witch at all in her asurances that she needed no further healing and perhaps also to close the window for the chill when she disappeared behind the crates and a raven appeared in her stead.

It was almost certainly the witch, somehow transformed. Lifting her right hand, Eva waved half-heartedly at the departing bird. There was a small pang of jealousy. How it might be to fly in such a way...! And then annoyance at the porthole left open. Grumbling a little, Eva considered struggling out of the hammock and closing it but a new spasm of pain decided her against such a course. Chewing resolutely on one of the witch's roots, she did lift her quiver from the floor, selecting a handful of arrows that needed care then settling the rest back on the ground. If she was awake and busy when the stranger entered, perhaps it would help convince them that Eva was well enough. Grimacing as a new pang shot up her spine, she shook her head.

Convincing as long as she could keep from convulsing.

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[Urban Thorne]

Cheshiyre

"Forgive the intrusion," she offered simply before snaking her arms around the other woman's waist, bracing herself and launching into the air.

To say that the Spellweaver was caught by surprise as the leap and surge of wings from her pale companion took them into the air was, perhaps, akin to saying water was wet. Asmyrra was spared the embarrassment of a shriek escaping from her throat only because the slim arms around her waist compressed her lungs as they launched, depriving her for a mere instant of the ability to verbally exclaim. It was all for the best, however... By the time Asmyrra's wits had back up to her, they were already settled on the deck of the craft.

Wings. Why didn't she think of that? Travelling through the air for an Angel had to be as natural as walking was to her... It was just a little of a surprise that the slim figure before her looking about the ship possessed such strength...

Watching the other woman look about did lend those violet orbs to spot the dark-feathered little intruder departing the ship so quickly. It only took a moment or two for Asmyrra's mind to put together that she'd seen only one other animal in these lands during the walk to and from the ship... And that time, it had been a raven, as well. Unconsciously, her feet took her on a path towards the railing as those slanted eyes watched the departing bird, the mind behind those eyes already putting together half a dozen reasons why that odd creature might be a sign of concern. After all, it had been a rather rough day.

The sudden concern present in those pale features might have explained a part of why Asmyrra did not seem to notice the Angel's comment, instead turning towards the door as the raven vanished from view into the deepening darkness. Making her way quickly over to the crank, Asmyrra's eyes narrowed faintly as she recalled the particular trick their pilot used to lock the wheel. Accomplishing it, she hurriedly began unsealing the door leading into the depths of the ship.

"...We need to check on Evalin as quickly as we can... Perhaps we should not have left her unattended while we traveled to the tower of the Kae'Dryn. I have not seen any animals in these mountains, but to see that one twice now..." That purring accent trailed off, the sudden worry in it indicating something of how troubled Asmyrra was becoming...  

[Cheshiyre]

Urban Thorne

"...We need to check on Evalin as quickly as we can... Perhaps we should not have left her unattended while we traveled to the tower of the Kae'Dryn. I have not seen any animals in these mountains, but to see that one twice now..." That purring accent trailed off, the sudden worry in it indicating something of how troubled Asmyrra was becoming...

The sudden agitation in Asmyrra's tone brought a slight frown and her gaze quickly scanned over the area looking for some intruding beastie. It was more than likely Relm would have various wards dit-dotted around her territory that would inform her of any intruders. The traveling group had set off one such ward on their way in. However, using an animal to spy on people was not the magi's way and Ash found it difficult to believe any such visitor would have been sent by her friend. Her own brow furrowed in concern and her hands instinctively raised the hood on her cloak to hide her identity. She had been gone from the outside world too long. She had to be more careful.

Quickly the angel joined the blue-tinted commander and followed her into the bowels of the ship. This time her observations were not driven by wonder, but by caution. As she was not a weaveshaper, she could not simply detect the presence of others by the energies they emit. Thankfully they encountered no other living soul until they reached what seemed to be Asmyrra's intended destination. Ash held back when they approached the door, allowing the other woman to decide how they would make themselves known to the inhabitant inside. Meanwhile she mentally braced herself for any conversation to be had with this newest acquaintance.

Ash knew she must not show any recognition. Too many slips like she had back at the tower and she could seriously blow everything... Especially with Eva...
 

[Seraphi Thorne]

. o O (( Well, nuts... Sorry about the delay, gotta love when mild writer's block gets compounded by the little detail of one's FRIGGIN' ACCOUNT BEING HACKED. Awesome... Will be posting from here until it's all fixed, hope to be not quite as distracted... -.-; ) O o .

Swiftly moving down the stairs, Asmyrra made her way down the short hallway to where the "guest quarters" were, her mind still going over the various self-recriminations about leaving a wounded comrade unattended. Coming to the door, she forced herself to slow down, quiet down... Bring that expression under control, woman. Taking a deep breath, she placed a hand on the door handle, and slowly opened it, mentally preparing at least one or two quick response spells...

...Only to have them muddle at the sight of Eva settled in her hammock, attending to her arrows as any well-trained archer had a penchant for doing. Violet eyes went through a quick shift from surprise to concern as she quietly stepped in, trying to unobtrusively study Eva for any signs of ill effect. How had she awakened so quickly? They had poured enough of the sleeping potion into her to knock out a platoon...

Recovering a bit of her mental balance, Asmyrra cleared her throat softly before addressing the woman who should have been unconscious until at least dawn... "Apparently I can tell Ky that I am no longer the only person with a penchant for recovering from death's door on short notice," that purring soprano quipped, injecting a note of amusement into the words. "Are you well, Eva...?"  

[Cheshiyre]

The angel entered quietly after Asmyrra, taking note of her slightly agitated state. She had a pretty good idea of why. The commander was known for being conscious of those around her, especially those under her command. The blue tinted Elf was probably feeling some guilt about leaving the wounded solider unattended while they made the trek to the Kae'dryn's tower. The angel was less concerned. She knew Asmyrra wold never have left an injured party in serious straits, particularly when they were with a group and someone could have stayed behind to keep watch. The obvious conclusion was that the girl wasn't that bad off and Azzy was just suffering from a bit of self recrimination.

Thus she was unsurprised when they find said wounded comrade looking a little tired but otherwise in workable condition, presumably attacking her boredom by tinkering with her arrows.

The same red and white arrows that Johannes had pulled out of the commander just over a week before...

Ash shook her head softly to clear those thoughts. They would seriously need to get her some different arrows.

Lowering her hood, she allowed her step to bring her alongside the bemusedly disheveled Asmyrra and offered a genuine smile to the halfling. "Good evening Evalin. I am a... friend of Johannes's." Internally she struggled for how to introduce herself. Several members of the group, namely the Elves, knew her identify beyond a shadow of a doubt. There would be no point in attempting to conceal it. But Evalin was a more delicate situation. Having been raised by the Order since a very young age, Ash could not be sure if the halfling was with her parents long enough to have been told any of the Elven folklore featuring the female angel. Because all of that nonsense had occurred in the Northlands, the humans really hadn't caught word of her existence during the war. Upon their return, Gabriel and Sean had kept an iron grip on such information, ensuring it never left the upper levels. Even Johannes, when discussing the Dragon Wars with Ky, had not mentioned Ash. Le sigh.

"My name is Ash. I've been informed that you were wounded before embarking towards the tower. If you'll permit me, I'd be happy to offer some assistance."
 

[Thaedrian]

Seraphi Thorne

"Apparently I can tell Ky that I am no longer the only person with a penchant for recovering from death's door on short notice," that purring soprano quipped, injecting a note of amusement into the words. "Are you well, Eva...?"

Cheshiyre

"My name is Ash. I've been informed that you were wounded before embarking towards the tower. If you'll permit me, I'd be happy to offer some assistance."

Never mistake tears for sadness...

Eva had thought it might have been Tali or perhaps Ky bringing the stranger. To see Asmyrra instead was... surprising, to say the least. It comforted her some that the witch seemed equally off balance, if only for a moment. Seeing Eva awake must have given her a shock. Suppressing a grin, she nodded.

"It is a useful skill to possess. Downright handy, even."

She paused, considering possible evaluations, then grinned lopsidedly.

"Still in some pain but I will survive."

Eva punctuated the sentence with a shrug, the picture of nonchalance. Her gaze was already trailing past the witch to the door even as she spoke, anticipating the second arrival. When the stranger did show herself... well, certainly not what Eva expected and being a friend of Johannes was hardly a comfort. Possibly the opposite. Ash... the name was unfamiliar to her. Eva wondered if perhaps she should know who the woman was. The healer-witch seemed to think she was important; seemed to think that Lord Uriel and Lord Gabriel would think her important. Smiling blandly, Eva shook her head.

"Thank you for the offer, truly, but I am better off mending on my own, now."

Just a few more minutes and she was in the clear. Eva tensed unconsciously, the arrow in her hands held tight, the arrowhead pointed out. The pain had been bad enough, was yet bad enough. If the woman, Ash, insisted on healing her... But the bland smile stayed on, polite and dull.

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[Cheshiyre]

Ash could not help but smile at the independent nature of the halfling. It felt good for her to see such spirit in someone who had been more or less raised by the Order. So many were just content to follow...

The angel's smile grew and she shook her head softly, approaching Evalin on the hammock. "It really is no trouble," comes the gentle assurance, "The commander seemed very concerned as to the extent of your injuries. However comfortable you might feel now, it is possible the damage is worse than it seems. I can easily assess that damage, even without applying any healing."

Slipping her cloak from her shoulders, Ash drapes the fabric over the same crate that the dark skinned witch had used as a seat during her administrations. "Or if you are tired, I could stay tonight and simply check on you in the morning? See how you feel then?"

With her cloak off, the slight breeze from the porthole catches her attention. A small frown graces her lips as her gaze locates the offending orifice. "Azzy, could you close that?"

 

[Seraphi Thorne]

Asmyrra offered a faint frown as violet eyes looked towards the mentioned window, her mind speeding along the pathway of it's own concerns quite handily. She remembered those portcullises well, as she had been terribly concerned the debris from their trip through the Blasted Lands would shatter the small round windows. Closer examination had shown them to be almost ridiculously thick, with a complicated latching system. How under the stars could one of them be open now...?

She had already started making her way over towards the offending window by the time her mind tripped up on the second nagging rattling around in the back of it.

Azzy.

There was only one person on the planet who called her by that name, beyond the few people decades behind her in the city she once called home. And even there, only her parents tended to call her by that shortened name in the privacy of their home, as the name was almost scandalously short as it was. It was something of a sign, between her and the one person who used that name... A sign that they had privacy, and could speak at their ease.

And so those slim, tattooed hands worked mechanically on their own to close the window, a dark-hued lip being absently caught and worried between the spellweaver's lips as her mind pondered. Once the matter of the window was attended to, she came up quietly beside the pale Angel, her features visibly dismissing some concern as Asmyrra turned her attention fully to the cautiously ambulatory Evalyn...  

[Thaedrian]

Cheshiyre

"It really is no trouble," comes the gentle assurance, "The commander seemed very concerned as to the extent of your injuries. However comfortable you might feel now, it is possible the damage is worse than it seems. I can easily assess that damage, even without applying any healing." ... "Or if you are tired, I could stay tonight and simply check on you in the morning? See how you feel then?"

Never mistake tears for sadness...

Eva's smile faltered for a moment then stabilized. Gods, my cheeks are aching. Faking a yawn, she nodded.

"In the morning would be best though you needn't stay. I wouldn't want to keep you from your own rest."

Or have you be here while I can't keep an eye on what you might do. The healer-witch's warning repeated itself in her mind, enforcing her own paranoia. Almost as an afterthought she added "Besides, I've been known to snore."

The self-effacing smile, the half shrug of the shoulders, and a repressed wince from the pang the movement caused. Hearing Ash's request, Eva turned to Asmyrra, cocking an eyebrow. Azzy?

The diminutive seemed strange when applied to the commander. To the woman she had meant to kill. Her gaze dropped to the arrow in her hands. It was nothing special, this arrow. But there, the red and white fletching. All the pieces of the puzzle in one room and here they all were, worrying that the would-be murderess might be gravely injured. A wonderful piece of dramatic irony. Even with her somewhat limited knowledge of him, Eva felt Uriel would find the situation amusing. Perhaps the healer-witch might, too, though Eva doubted she would show it.

Glancing sideways at Ash, Eva sighed inwardly. Well, amusing as it may be, she really hoped the woman would take the hint and let sleeping halfings lie.

...that will only bring you grief.

 

[Cheshiyre]

Azure eyes caught sight of Asmyrra's disturbed expression before they shifted back to the halfling. Was the girl's condition so altered from what Asmyrra expected? Ash thought that Azzy would be more relieved than disturbed. How very strange. Either way, the young lady clearly seemed to think she was all right. Still, it wouldn't do any harm for them to bunker down here at the ship and check on her in the morning. The halfling obviously wasn't going to die in her sleep.

"Don't be silly. We wouldn't dream of leaving you here unguarded. Besides, I'm sure there are enough lodgings here for the three of us. The others are staying at the tower of the Kae'dryn," the angel replied, her smile concealing her more complex inner thoughts.

"That way we'll be in reach if you need something during the night. If you are still feeling up to it, you can return to the tower with us in the morning to discuss things with the Kae'dryn. It seems unfair for you to have traveled so far and not even get a glimpse of the tower!"

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.

 

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Ky thought about the best way to answer the question. It didn't take long for him to come to a proper conclusion. "He was, yes. He ruled alongside a few other angels, but that changed shortly after The Beast emerged from whatever Hell mouth spawned it."

His mind wandered back to that troubled period. His eyes wavered. The knight's voice became solemn as he read his thoughts aloud to the young maids.

"It was awful. The division between the tactics of Lord Johannes and Lord Gabriel only made things worse. Whole towns burned while angels bickered. Lord Johannes soon formed a splinter army called the Iron Fist to combat the beast directly. Now we are in a civil war while that monster takes more lives."

His focus snapped back to the present. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. It was an unconscious gesture meant to wild the memories from his vision. Ky then lowered his hand and took a deep breath.

"My apologies. I became lost in my own little world for a moment." he admitted with an uncomfortable chuckle. "I swore allegiance to Lord Johannes. I could not just sit idle while the beast raised our cities and slaughtered our people."