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 Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:37 pm
Taniel Ansterh Lorelei watched the woman anxiously as she talked to the standard bearer, and then- then it was white light and silence and...
When her vision cleared, the first thing she heard was Vanna's cry. It had lost all melody and was simply a shriek of... fear. The girl was kicking and screaming, torn as she was from music and meij. Lorelei looked to her to quiet her again, but her eyes only widened more when she saw how her daughter looked. A normal child.
At least - and this was an odd thing to be thankful for - she still hurt. That meant that she was still unrecognizable. And she supposed that this had been, in a way, what she had wished for for Vanna. But... it had been more to protect her from something like this!
Rocking Vanna, trying to quiet her (with no luck), she looked over at the standard bearer. She wanted to scream and rail at him for hurting her daughter, but the only words that passed her lips, quiet and nervous, were:
"When will this fade?" The banner bearer rolled his eyes. "Will what fade? I have done nothing, but take away the glamor of your false magic." With that, he turned heels and continued to walk along. However, a woman coming alongside Lorelei said casually in between bites of a bit of braised VeediBeast, "Oh, the White Secters are all like that. They know other magic exists. They just don't recognize it." She looked at Lorelei, then bit of a large bite and spoke through the juicy meat as it rolled around in her craw. "You'll be fine after the ceremony's over. White Secter Magic never lasts long."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:42 pm
Lorelei felt tears pricking at her eyes as she turned to look at the woman beside her. Vanna was still crying, fighting against her mother's arms. She was suffering without music. Lorelei tried to hum to her to soothe her - and no sound passed her lips. She grimaced, resorting to just rocking and hugging the girl. Slowly, Vanna calmed to a manageable level, and Lorelei returned her attention to the woman.
"What if I just left the celebration?" she asked, holding her daughter tightly to her chest. "Would that free us, too? My daughter... I can't... she's hurting."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:46 pm
"You can leave the parade, but the effect won't wear off until the Peress is chosen. The festival will be tongiht." The woman noticed the crying infant as if for the first time, and she pulled a brightly colored sweet gum out of her pocket. It was in the shape of a star. "Here you are, little one." She looked at the two. "Just try and enjoy the festival while it's here- the Secters mean no harm. They're just a bunch of blusterers. ...This would have happened to you later in the proceedings, anyway. I think you just angered the Siphoner. She wouldn't have called for your purification this early, otherwise."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:51 pm
Sniffling, Vanna took it. She stared at her hand for a while, marvelling at her pale skin. Then she popped the gum into her mouth and wrapped her hands around her sweet, partially crushed by her flailings earlier. She held it like a talisman.
"Siphoner?" Lorelei asked, trying to remember anything she had heard about the Choosing. Nothing. "I'm so lost here... I don't really understand any of what's going on. I don't want to take up your time, though - you must want to rejoin the procession, and... and..." She sighed, trailing off and hanging her head.
"Thank you for your help."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:57 pm
"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm from Enallas, so nothing phases me." She patted Lorelei's arm, still eating with her other hand. It was true- Enallas was the second largest trading town on this side of the continent- obviously, the Port being the first. And it's a good rule to say that those who are traders... know the gamut of life's experience.
The woman continued to look forward, but talk to Lorelei, "So... the Siphoner is that pinched job you knocked down. They're the ones who carry the Scrying Juice that will be carried from the city's edge to the heart, where they will be set down and used in the ceremony. I don't know exactly how- I've not ever been to a Choosing before." She smiled. "Should be exciting." She took the opportunity to snatch another treat from a bearer walking by- this time a sweetbread filled with a thick, greyish cheese, and took a hearty bite. "Mmmm, this is good. Anyway- any questions you have, just let me know. Come on. Walk with me. No good to leave the festival now."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:03 pm
Lorelei smiled a little, weakly. Vanna was now chewing on her gum without a sound, much calmer than she had been only a short time before.
"Enallas?" she asked, beginning to walk alongside the woman. "I met a woman once who was from around Enallas. She used a... blarnbird to talk with me."
Looking around, she cast a questioning glance at the woman. "Would you mind terribly if I took down my hood? It's getting quite warm... I only ask because I... ah... don't look my healthiest, to say the least."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:09 pm
Gwynna joined the throng with Nusa on her hip. The little girl stared around at the lights, petals, and people, burbling happily to herself. When the torches and treats came by, Gwynna accepted one of each, biting off a piece of the candy and giving the rest to her daughter. She kept the unlit torch tucked under her free arm, content, for the moment, to enjoy the sights and sounds. It had been years since she had last been among such a crowd. Since Shade.
She frowned slightly at the thought. Shade's family line wasn't nearly as impressive as they made it out to be, but of course they put on airs worthy of any empress. And naturally, the mere thought of Gwynna marrying their son was a blow to their honor and standing. A sudden hint of a memory flitted through her mind. Gwynna stopped suddenly, nearly tripping a woman pressed against her. "Sorry, sorry!" she exclaimed, her words lost in the hubbub. And that little hint, whatever it was, was gone. Gwynna deliberately forced her musings away. There was no use thinking on what might have been-- the present: her daughter and her gypsy sisters, they were what mattered now.
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:14 pm
Oqaia The priestess continued to direct Caroline and her daughter along with the crowd, the white marks on her face unique, as were all White Sect Priest marks. Her touch was gentle, and she continued to smile down at the woman. "It's wonderful that you already have a child." She practically whispered down into Caroline's ear. "And go ahead, have some of the fruit. It's delicious- candied, and braised. It's only prepared for special occasions."
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:21 pm
Baptiste is still a bit confused amid the noise and the people. He's used to crowds, sure, but none of them had ever been so...contained, so controlled, so formal. He stays close to Tamlin, guiding them to the bearers of the colored liquids. People seemed to be giving them a wide berth, so the edge of that space was the safest place to walk. He is cautious, though, and keeps his eye on that saucer of liquid--is it oil, perhaps? Little whorls of songs break out, and Baptiste of course adds his voice.
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Posted: Fri Dec 22, 2006 10:57 pm
As Irina was swept along with the crowd of women, she kept Kalpana close in her arms, making sure the badger couldn't get away. She grabbed a few sweets from trays for herself and Kal, popping them in her mouth, and then in Kal's, savoring the flavor of the food.
It was then that she felt someone at her arm...
It was a woman, dressed in white, with markings on her face.
"Hello," Irina greeted the woman simply before giving her a broad smile. "A beautiful day for a parade, eh?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 12:02 am
After taking a moment to discern the melody Tamlin pulled out her flute and softly accompanied Baptiste adn teh already present music with a sweet harmony.
She was confused why people were avoiding them, but the music seemed to be if not welcomed, well recieved adn so she continued walking, playing, and observing.
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:38 am
Oqaia A flash of the cheetah fur can be seen far in the distance ahead- and, to the right, a woman in a beautiful grey dress with rune symbols at the hem. In her hand, she holds a diamond flute.
"Kala!" She sighed spotting someone with a diamond flute. She watched her for a minute and then couldn't resist.
"Excuse me, your flute there is beautiful!" She smiled looking down at it. Heather loved her own flue but she had never seen a diamond one.
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 6:54 am
Marissa started. "The Anklets? Why, yes, I have indeed heard of those. I've read the history books myself...and I intend to collect the set. If that were ever possible." She paused. "To the east, you say? Do you, by any chance, know where?" She marveled at the coincidence that had befallen her.
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:33 pm
Taniel Ansterh Lorelei smiled a little, weakly. Vanna was now chewing on her gum without a sound, much calmer than she had been only a short time before.
"Enallas?" she asked, beginning to walk alongside the woman. "I met a woman once who was from around Enallas. She used a... blarnbird to talk with me."
Looking around, she cast a questioning glance at the woman. "Would you mind terribly if I took down my hood? It's getting quite warm... I only ask because I... ah... don't look my healthiest, to say the least." The wman nodded. "Oh, the older folks in the village tend not to learn many languages- they stick around and expect the traders to come to them. ...Hmm? Your hood? Oh, please. Don't mind me." She took a sweetmeat from a passing tray. The woman never ceased, it seemed, in her eating.
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:36 pm
Gwynna Chirilo Gwynna joined the throng with Nusa on her hip. The little girl stared around at the lights, petals, and people, burbling happily to herself. When the torches and treats came by, Gwynna accepted one of each, biting off a piece of the candy and giving the rest to her daughter. She kept the unlit torch tucked under her free arm, content, for the moment, to enjoy the sights and sounds. It had been years since she had last been among such a crowd. Since Shade. She frowned slightly at the thought. Shade's family line wasn't nearly as impressive as they made it out to be, but of course they put on airs worthy of any empress. And naturally, the mere thought of Gwynna marrying their son was a blow to their honor and standing. A sudden hint of a memory flitted through her mind. Gwynna stopped suddenly, nearly tripping a woman pressed against her. "Sorry, sorry!" she exclaimed, her words lost in the hubbub. And that little hint, whatever it was, was gone. Gwynna deliberately forced her musings away. There was no use thinking on what might have been-- the present: her daughter and her gypsy sisters, they were what mattered now. The figure near her did almost trip, but another figure caught her, and stood her upright. The woman gave one look at the man who had caught her- about to thank him, but then, paled and rushed off through the crowd. It was then that the man turned to Gwynna, instead, and beamed a smile that seemed beyond reproach. "I guess she's not used to them," he said, a honeyed voice almost drawing attention away from what is very obvious: this beautiful man- masculine and perfect in nearly every respect- boasts a very large pair of white, angelic wings.
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