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 Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 5:40 pm
Soibhan's mind was in turmoil, thoughts whirling around like a damn typhoon. Rajani had dumped so much information on her that her brain had needed time to process it all. They had arranged to meet again in a few days, during another of Rajani's sets at the tavern they'd met at.
Until then, the gaelic woman would be wandering Northport looking for more stories about the wolves and the Guardians of Sunderland.
After an hour of aimless walking, she'd found herself at the docks, and now sat atop one of the larger pylons holding the dock sunken into the water below. The waves of the Iron Sea lapped gently below her, a handful of ships anchored off shore due to the lack of space at the docks themselves.
Even at this hour, men carted goods back and forth between the warehouses and ships, important looking men with shipping manifestos in their hands barking out orders and tallies and instructions.
She watched them, but her eyes saw nothing as she thought of Rajani's Guardian, the Awakened Oberon. Such a magnificent creature, and though he had looked rather aloof and graceful, he was no doubt a fearless fighter against these almost demonic wolves that plagued Sunderland's woods.
Though she hated her captors for stealing her from home, she felt compelled to thank them for taking her here instead of somewhere closer to the great Wardwood. She did not need to be dealing with wolves right now, as lost and vulnerable as she felt.
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Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2013 10:07 pm
The Amaranta had docked in the afternoon the day before, taking advantage of the limited open space in Northport. Competition was high, especially between the merchant vessels that could all benefit from being close to shore, but the Amaranta had long occupied a spot in Northport, and the clipper's crew enjoyed the luxury of being able to step off her deck and directly onto solid ground.
The Amaranta would spend the next two weeks moored in Northport while half of her crew transported her cargo upriver to Palisade and the rest remained to restock her holds for the next voyage. After months out at sea, the men were eager to get to all the things sailors loved best: food, fine rum, and finer women to quench an altogether different kind of thirst.
For Oliver Tiller, the sight of the Amaranta's billowing white sails had been magical. He had begged leave of the beloved clipper for one voyage and the months - months! - that had separated him from his brother had been far, far too long.
Ignoring the loading and unloading that was already happening all along the dock, Ollie's eyes searched along the shore, until he caught sight of a familiar figure moving between crates stacked high along the water's edge. "ROB!" He didn't need to yell twice. The dark-haired, dark-skinned youth that was his younger brother whipped about just in time to see Ollie vaulting over a pile of sacks. In moments, they had flung themselves at each other in a hearty embrace, each trying to squeeze the life out of the other in unbounded enthusiasm.
"Where the hell you been, Ollie?" Rob demanded, untangling himself and shoving his brother back. Ollie had quite neglected to inform Rob of his imminent departure - on purpose, of course, knowing full well that Rob would not have approved of his proposed journey inland - and the Amaranta had set sail all those months ago before the younger Tiller had realized his brother was not aboard.
"Ohh, I missed you too, brother," Ollie said with a laugh, shoving back before fishing into his pocket to draw out a pale totem, newly adorned with a chain. "This is why I left."
Rob could only stare. "That? A bloody trinket? That's the stupidest thing I ever heard, innit?" He snatched the totem out of his brother's hand to inspect it with a frown.
Ollie grinned. "You'll understand one of these days," he said, clapping his brother on the back as he carefully extricated the totem from Rob's grasp and strung it around his neck. "It's not just a bloody trinket, that."
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 4:33 pm
Soibhan watched the exchange in silence, unmoving atop her perch. She missed her brother, and seeing these two embrace made her miss home. Was Maedoc looking for her, even now? Did he even know what had happened to her? The worst part was not knowing if her family thought her taken against her will, or perhaps just gone on a willful journey of rebellious youth. She'd never hidden the fact that she had wanted to travel.
When the one man pulled a small, faintly glowing totem from his pocket, her attention centered in on it, and even in the gloom of night, she could make out the vagueness of its shape.
It was a small deer.
Would she be so lucky? Rajani had said the numbers of the Guardians and chosen were climbing, but weren't overtly strong as of yet. And yet here stood a man with a small, deer shaped totem being very vague on its details to his brother.
Pulling her knees up to her chin, she wrapped her arms around them and watched the two for a moment more, until they'd finished speaking for a moment. Than she spoke out of the darkness, accent thick with curiosity, "That totem. Where did you get it?"
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 5:42 pm
"Not just a bloody trinket?" Rob was not convinced. "What is it then, worth its weight in gold?"
"Well, no, it's a magic--" Ollie was interrupted by a female voice. He spun to see the tousle-headed blonde perched atop a pylon by the water's edge, and a lop-sided grin broke across his face. "See, m'lady understands me," he declared brightly.
Rob's expression darkened, though whether it was displeasure at having their reunion interrupted or at having a stranger affirm Ollie's departure from common sense was anybody's guess. For a moment, he looked as if he might have been set on shooing the girl away from their business, but he changed his mind and fixed her with a searching gaze instead. "You're from Gaels, eh?" Her accent was telling, and Rob had always had an ear for such things. He turned back to his brother, his expression serious. "What would she know? Far's I know, the Wardwood isn't in Gaels, is it? That forest's bad country there, Ollie. Bless your sorry heart, you're better off at sea."
"Don't you pay attention to my brother, miss," Ollie blurted out after a moment's silence. "Rob doesn't believe in socializing." He clapped his brother across the shoulder, much to Rob's dismay, and turned to the girl. "My name is Ollie. And this, in case you didn't hear, is from the Wardwood."
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 7:50 pm
Suspicions confirmed, she leapt agilely down from the pylon, swinging the strap of her violin case over her shoulder as she did. "I thought as much," she said to Ollie, but then she turned her attention to this Rob. "The Wardwood may not be in Gaels, but I'm not in Gaels at the moment either, so it is more relevant to my interests than ya might think."
The night had grown chill since she'd first plopped herself down on the pylon, and she wanted to know more about where Ollie had gotten his totem. "Ollie, lad. Do ya mind buying me some ale? I can play ya a pretty tune in exchange, seeing as I lack any coin currently. I'd also like to hear more about this Wardwood."
She grinned at Rob, seeing him as the type to rankle at the suggestion. Sure they had just reunited, but what better way to celebrate a reunion than with some good ale, hearty food, and stories? "Oh, and my name is Soibhan," she added, as charming as can be.
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Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2013 8:26 pm
"Then you'd do just as well t'keep away from them trees, innit?" Rob spat onto the ground beside him, as if the very mention of the woods left a bitter taste in his mouth. He could not understand this obsession with the Wardwood, though few would have expected him to do so. The Amaranta was his, as far as obsessions went, and he was singularly ill at ease on land. Anywhere that did not have a view of the ocean or a river at the very least hardly seemed like a decent place to be.
"Ah, wouldn't I be happy to? Don't worry none about the coin, I'll take that pretty tune and drinkin' company anyday." Ollie pocketed the totem and gestured toward the inn that glowed yellow in the dying light. So long as there was ale, he would be right as rain and no doubt Rob would be as well once he had had his fill of liquid reassurance.
"Ollie!"
"Come along, Robbie," Ollie answered jovially as he led the way. There was much and more to be said about the Wardwood and the vast tree at its center, draped in endless totems. "You were the one wantin' to know where I was, innit? And we can hardly let Miss Siobhan go lonely, can we?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:07 pm
She gave each of them a coy grin and sauntered to the inn. She noticed almost immediately that it was the same inn that had drawn her earlier in the night, where she'd played a thrilling set on stage with the gypsy, Rajani. The massive Awakened Guardian Oberon had been in the alley the entire time, a stalwart, silent protector.
And here she was, returning to it only hours later, with another Chosen.
The inn was a deal less crowded at this hour, the patrons mostly sailors fresh off their late docking ships. She sat in a corner table, her back to the wall so that she could see the entire establishment. Though the drunk cretin from earlier was no doubt long gone, she didn't want to take any chances.
"Sit, sit," she beckoned to the two brothers, placing her violin case on the table and beaming at them. "First, I would have the ale. Than I shall give ya a song, and ya give me a tale. We be havin' a deal?" Soibhan asked Ollie.
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Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:57 pm
It was early yet, and the inn was quiet. They passed two tables of customers before reaching their own. No doubt the place would liven up as the hour grew later and stomachs grew hungrier. As far as food went in Northport, this was decent and many sailors were repeat customers, even if for no reason other than that it was the closest inn to the docks.
"Deal," Ollie agreed, sprawling into a chair and making himself comfortable while Rob lowered himself reluctantly into the seat next to him. "But the night is young, and nothing is more important than the drink." Even Rob would not argue that, and Siobhan seemed just as likely to agree.
Ollie flung a hand into the air, yelling, "Barkeep! Three, if y'please! Make 'em big, if you got a heart for some poor sailors."
When their drinks arrived with a clunk, Ollie passed the mugs around, and both brothers lifted their cups simultaneously, taking long and hearty drinks. Their mugs returned to the table, and Rob ran a hand through his thick hair. "What's a lass like you doin' here? Gaels' a safer place'n Northport." The way he said it suggested that, had he been in her shoes, he would have taken the first ship out of the port and back to Gaels. Would have begged a spot on the ship, even. There was no room for lost women here, especially not in the winter and not with all the tales of wolves circling about. And soon, the winter seas would get so rough that maritime traffic in and out of the city would stop, and Siobhan would be stranded until spring.
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Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:06 pm
She slid the mug gratefully towards her, taking a long, deep pull of the amber liquid. It tasted so good to her that she had to sit there a moment to gather her thoughts back from the euphoria of delicious drink.
Then she raised a brow.
"A lass like me? Pray tell what kinda lass I am, Mr. Rob," she said with a vicious smile, before adding, "I didna come here of my own will. My village was invaded while the men were away on hunt." She looked away, disgusted at herself. "I was the only one captured. Took them almost a week to bring me here." Taking another swig of ale, Soibhan gave them a wolfish grin. "They came back drunk earlier this evening, and I beat the lot of them senseless and bloody before making my escape."
Allowing herself to get captured had been such a terrible thorn in her side the entire journey to Sunderland that she had cursed her ineptitude every night. But beating her captors and escaping felt so satisfying that she could almost forgive herself.
edit: DAMNIT *shimmies out of muleskin*
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:23 pm
"Any lass," Rob muttered, more to himself than anything. "Does it matter?" If he had to reflect upon that comment, he might have realized that it was the thought of women putting themselves in harm's way when they deserved to be safe that made him uneasy. As it was, he was unwilling to admit any sentiment of the sort. He took another drink, quite ready to get many more pints of ale inside him to wash away the bitter taste that being interrupted had left in his mouth.
"My brother means that in the best way possible," Ollie added in intervention, only half joking despite the broad grin he wore on his face. The elder Tiller had a smile that crinkled the corners of his hazel eyes and that bespoke pure amusement, but it had none of the wide, toothy brilliance of Rob's. Rob had a nice smile - when he did smile.
"M'sorry to hear that. It can't be your fault, you weren't expecting nothing. If y'need any help bookin' passage back home... plenty of lads in Northport owe us a couple favors." Or they could simply owe someone a favor in return. Most of the sailors who came through Northport returned frequently enough and there wasn't a ship in port on which Ollie didn't have connections.
Beside him, Rob had made good progress on his ale and was motioning for a second while he finished his first. "I don't suppose they're still looking for you?" He said, wondering how willing he was to be ambushed by Siobhan's kidnappers if they were out for revenge. Men in these parts didn't always take well to beatings.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:42 pm
She chuckled as she remembered the look of them laying in the road, groaning and bleeding. "No, I dun think so," she answered Rob first. "Even if they are, I'll just throw them all into the sea. Passage won't be necessary either. I'm not leavin'. Something....draws me to stay. And before ya be gettin' it into your head that I'm a wee flower in need of nurturing, think again, lad," the warrior woman growled, but her smile was amiable. She truly enjoyed a good ale, and it was already starting to warm her humors.
The gaelic woman thought about her conversation with Rajani and brought the image of Oberon to mind. Lifting the battered violin case to the table, she unsnapped the locks and lovingly lifted the instrument from the bed of velvet, bringing it to her shoulder.
"You'd be havin' your song now, yes?" she asked with a wink, taking a long pull from her mug before lifting her bowstring expectantly.
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:03 pm
"There are worse places t'be than Sunderland," Ollie answered with an amiable shrug, cutting in before his brother could say any more to antagonize her. Rob did not let go of anything he latched onto, whether it was an argument (sometimes especially an argument) or a person; the safest course of action was to simply prevent any such attachment.
Ollie took a moment to admire the well-worn violin as Siobhan brought it out. Music was not a talent either of the Tiller boys had been born with, though both enjoyed a hearty sing-along as much as any man. They could sing in tune for the most part, but producing real music was another matter entirely.
"Have at it!" He declared, raising his mug in salute before downing what was left of the ale.
Rob waited until she had begun to play before leaning over to his brother. "She looks plenty wee t'me."
Ollie just flung an arm around his younger brother's neck. "She's fine, Robbie," he said with a chuckle. "Don't you take too much on you. We all know you can hold your drink, but too much is still too much. You know what you're like drunk."
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 4:42 pm
Soibhan closed her eyes to play, but beneath the lively tune her bowstring pulled from the instrument, she could hear the brothers talking, though the words were too soft to hear. Let them talk, she thought. Let them think I am delicate, while I drink them under the table. Is this Rob a betting man, I wonder?
She would never get the answers she wanted unless she earned Rob's respect. Ollie seemed amiable enough, but they were brothers, and kin always came to the defense of its own. Much like her brother no doubt would, once he knew where to look for her.
Maedoc had been on her mind lately, and as much as she wanted to see her brother, she no longer wanted him to take her home, but how could she convince him to leave her here? He would throw her over his shoulder if need be, even as she threatened him with castration. Though other men saw her as small and soft, he was the only one that knew her for the warrior she was. Him, and her father.
Frowning, she focused again on the task at hand, leading the men along with her jaunty tune, one from her own lands, a lively drinking song that could get her entire clan up and dancing before the hearth with such gusto that their raucous singing and stomping could be heard from a mile away.
When she finished, she felt flushed and energetic, not immune to her own music. Unable to hide her grin, she slammed her mug on the table before tipping her head back and downing what was left of the ale. She didn't even notice if the brothers were still whispering to each other or not.
"Another!"
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:07 pm
"Rum ran out three weeks ago," Rob said darkly, staring at his nearly-empty mug as if he was reliving the horror of the days at sea without nary a drop to drink. He lifted his gaze and locked it dramatically with his brother's, eyes widening. "I need a drink, Ollie."
He waved the barkeep over for more alcohol for the table as Siobhan's tune picked up in tempo and by the time the new mugs came, Ollie had yanked him to his feet to join in the haphazard dancing.
It would take a good number of pints to bring Rob down, but the frown had left his face and Ollie could tell that in a few more drinks, his brother might even be smiling. And much as Ollie would have liked to drag Rob away from the intoxication that was bound to happen at some point down the line, his brother had 20 pounds on him and there was limited dragging that Ollie could do.
He grabbed one of the new mugs as Siobhan's song drew to a close and raised it high with a cheer. "Pretty little tune, that," he yelled above the clamor of the crowd. "You're plenty good with a violin."
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Posted: Mon Feb 25, 2013 5:57 pm
Grabbing a mug from the table, Soibhan downed it, throat working as she drank the entire thing in one go. Then she slammed the mug down much like the first before picking up her bowstring again.
"I'll play ya another, fair Ollie!" she shouted, eliciting cheers from the crowd. Her song had drawn in more men from the docks, filling the inn's common room with plenty of people to enjoy her songs. She propped open her case and turned it to the crowd, hoping for some coin at the end.
Then she dove right into another boisterous song, one more well known to the Sunderlanders surrounding her. Again, it was a drinking song, and as she jumped up onto the table, she toed another mug of ale towards Rob. "Maybe more drink and I can get a smile outta ya!"
She hadn't forgotten the totem, but caught up in the moment as she was, it had been pushed to the back of her thoughts. Traveling in the back of a smelly covered cart for a week had dampened her spirits to mud, but this! This is what she'd needed!
And then she began to sing.
"Let them sing of their treasures and Airesh good cheer,
But we'll sing of the pleasures of stout Sunder beer;
Belastranans with their vodkas and meager pale ale,
Will always be bested by a Sunder beer tale;
All the wine sipping Gallians are the nicest you'll meet,
But your beer drinking Sunders can never be beat!
Let's sing for our supper and dance for our mead,
Or ask a dear Sunder for the beer that we need!"
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