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 Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2005 8:22 pm
"Ah. I see. Oh, you've seen Anjette? How's she doing? I knew she was back, but I haven't really seen her... Voltaire? He's her new father, right?" Silver was of course wondering what had happened to Anjette's mother, but did not voice those thoughts.
Aisrhan looked at Rojiza's tail and then back to her own. She wiggled it around a bit, pretending to be thinking about something. Just when she thought Rojiza would least expect it, Ais tagged her again and slithered over to her mother as quickly as possible, turning around to stick out her forked tongue in Ro's direction.
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Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:16 pm
Rojiza yelps and chatters angrily in that 'no fair!' sort of way. She chases after Ais. She weaves in and out between legs, surprisingly agile for a creature whose primary mode of movement is scrabbling.
"She's a bonnie wee lassie," says Caroline. "Fair as ivory and black as ebony. Voltaire loves her to pieces."
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Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:36 pm
"Oh, I bet she's grown quite lovely. Sounds like it, anyway. Voltaire must be a good father." Silver smiled. "I'll have to make it a point to visit the two of them soon." The smile faded from Silver's face as Aisrhan latched onto her leg to try to get away from Rojiza, nearly causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor. Silver slapped a hand onto the nearby table to steady herself. "Alright young lady, that's enough." Ais didn't hear her and started to slither off to find another place to hide, giggling the whole time. "I said that's enough!" Aisrhan froze. She turned around and pouted at her mother, a very cute, very snake-like pout. One Silver knew not to fall for. "I told you not to play rough. It's almost your bed time anyway. Now calm down or you can go to bed now." Silver quickly added, "Even while our guests are here." Ais nodded quietly, a frown on her little face, though she quickly dissolved into more hissing giggles at the sight of Rojiza running between the two gypsy women.
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Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 7:07 am
"That goes for you too, querida," says Caroline, addressing Rojiza. Rojiza blinks up at her with her round brown eyes. "Oh, don't give me that," Caroline says, picking her daughter up. Rojiza snuggles into her neck with a little purr. She looks at Ais with a shrug. Call it a draw?
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Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2005 9:06 pm
Aisrhan nods to Rojiza and gives a half-giggle before coiling up on the green and purple rug on the floor of the wagon, yawning. Silver looked to Caroline. "I'm sorry dear, but it really is almost her bed time. I've been working really hard to get her to adjust to normal sleep hours than her previous nocturnal tendencies. Would you guys like to stay for the story I was going to tell her though? Maybe it will calm Rojiza down for you as well, Caroline?" Silver winked at the other gypsy and smiled as if to say "We both know how hard it is to get these kids to sleep, eh?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2006 12:40 pm
"A story?" asks Caroline. She looks to Ro. "How'd you like that, eh, ye wee besom?"
Rojiza nods delightedly and curls up next to Aisrhan on the rug, pulling her bushy tail over herself as a cover. She rests her head with curly chestnut locks on Ais's coils, cocking an eyebrow at her as if to say "Eh?"
Caroline herself finds someplace to sit (she thinks it's a trunk..) and arranges her skirts about her and sits cross-legged. "I'd much like to hear a story myself," she adds.
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:35 pm
(( I'd like to apologize ahead of time for any typos or grammatical inaccuracies found within this story as it is one I found on a web site long ago and just happened to find the link to. I kind of like it. whee Maybe you will, too? ))
Ais looked down at Rojiza, curled up on her tail and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse you?" But to Silver's surprise, the snake girl did nothing, not even so much as poke Ro teasingly.
Once Silver felt that the girls had calmed down a bit and weren't going to spontaneously burst out into another game of tag, she picked up the book she had set aside earlier. "The Big Book of Legends" was a large tome she had received through a trade many years ago and it had since become one of her most treasured books. She decided to tell the one from Russian folklore about the gypsy and the dragon, one of Aisrhan's favorites. She hoped Rojiza and Caroline would enjoy it as well.
In the vast steppes of Russia there lived a tribe of gypsies, who traveled up and down the country selling remedies and beads, never staying for long in the same place. The leader was an astute and sharp-witted man whose name was Yuri, and he had six clever sons. One day, when the tribe was camped next to a town celebrating the holiday of Saint Basil, Yuri was told that a few versts from there lived a moujik (a Russian peasant) who was selling colts at a very good price. The astute gypsy thought that he would be able to do a good deal if he bought the animals and then sold them again, and he set out cheerfully. He put a piece of fresh cheese and slice of rye bread in a pouch and made his way to the moujik's village, leaving his people to sell their wares at the fair.
On arriving in the neighbouring village, he was surprised to find the place silent and deserted. he walked through the narrow streets in astonishment, looking for clues as to what had happened. Suddenly, he heard a terrified voice warning him:
'Flee from here wretch, if you don't want the dragon to devour you.'
'Who is speaking?' asked Yuri.
'It is I, old Vestia.' And from behind some filthy willow baskets emerged and old man with a long beard. He was stooped and trembling, and so thin that he was nothing more than skin and bone.
'Hello, granddad,' said Yuri amiably, 'what is going on here?'
'Of, my son!' sighed the old man, 'an evil dragon has devoured all the inhabitants of the town... people, animals, even the cats! I am the only person left because i am so old that the monster didn't fancy eating skin and bones, but today he will return, and as he will find nothing else to eat, he will eat me too. Go far from here, if you do not want to suffer the same fate.'
'Don't worry granddad,' replied the bold Yuri. 'I am not afraid of the dragon. If you do what I tell you no harm will befall you. Hide among the willow baskets and don't say a word.'
Soon the earth began to shake from the dragon's footsteps. He was enormous and looked very hungry.
Yuri, who knew that dragons are vain and curious by nature, went up to him and greeted him courteously:
'Good day, tsar of the dragons.'
The dragon was very proud to be addressed thus. He thrashed the ground with his tail, spread his wings to display the marvelous jeweled breastplate adorning his chest and bowed his head, saying modestly:
'But that is not so, I am simply a common dragon.'
'You are not common, magnificent lord,' protested Yuri, 'you are the greatest, the most beautiful and the most powerful of all. I am eager to admire your strength.'
'Yes,' admitted the vain animal, coiling and uncoiling his tail, blushing with pleasure, 'it is true that I am strong and I am generally thought beautiful. But who are you standing before me so fearlessly?'
'I am the strongest man in the world,' replied Yuri with alacrity.
'You are the strongest? Don't make me laugh!'
'But I am, even though you doubt my words.'
The dragon, who by now was very interested in the gypsy, picked up a stone and crushed it to powder.
'Perhaps you can do the same, if you are the strongest of humans.'
'That wouldn't be difficult,' replied Yuri with aplomb, 'but can you squeeze water out of the stone as I can?' And without letting the dragon see what he picked up from his pouch, he squeezed the fresh cheese until whey trickled out between his fingers.
'Well,' thought the dragon, 'he really is very strong. It would be better to have him as friend than an enemy.'
And to win the man's friendship he suggested:
'Come and eat at my house. You are a very nice human being and I would like us to be friends.'
'Very well dragon, let's go.' The monster took Yuri to the cave where he lived and asked him:
'Would you kindly go to the woods and bring back an oak tree to make a fire.'
Yuri went out determined to prevent the dragon from discovering the trick, but his arms were not strong enough to uproot such enormous trees and bring them back to the cave. Then he had an idea and he tied a group of sturdy oaks together with the rope the dragon had given him.
After a while, and seeing that the gypsy had not returned, the animal made his way to the woods and met Yuri who was very busy tying the trunks carefully together.
'What on earth are you doing?' asked the reptile, astonished.
'Well, I thought that if I bring back all the trees at once we will have wood for several days.'
'Leave it, leave it, we don't want to cut down the whole wood', replied the dragon, more convinced of his friend's strength. 'I'll take the trunk back home. Meanwhile, bring me a bullock to cook. Behind the house, in a field, you will find herd of bullocks. Just make sure you choose the plumpest.'
Yuri set off determinedly for the field, and after a while the dragon found him tying the bullocks together.
'What are you doing?'
'Well I thought if I brought all the bullocks back to the cave we could make a big bullock stew.'
'Friend,' said the dragon sighting, 'you have a strange way of doing things. One bullock wil be enough. I'll take him back myself.' And somewhat perturbed by his guest's behaviour, the dragon seized the plumpest bullock, killed it, skinned it and started to cook it. The two friends gorged themselves until they were full, and after the sumptuous feast, the dragon, who was in a good mood, offered to accompany the gypsy back to his house.
'Thank you,' replied Yuri, 'but I was thinking of buying some horses.'
'Don't worry about that, I have a beautiful colt, and I can sell it to you for a hundred roubles.'
Yuri agreed to the deal and told the dragon that he would pay him when they reached his house. As it was a long way the dragon decided to adopt a human form. They set out on horses belonging to the dragon and made good progress towards the camp. During the journey, Yuri warned his friend that he had six sons who were strong and had clairvoyant powers. When they reached the outskirts of the camp, Yuri's sons ran to meet him, and on seeing the colt they began to shout.
'You've only brought one!'
'It must be for me', shouted the oldest.
'No, no, I want this one', argued the smallest.
Yuri looked at the dragon and said:
'What rascals! Didn't I tell you that they were clairvoyant? They recognized you.' The dragon, terrified, thought that the boys wanted to keep him as a plaything, or to devour him, and as they were strong as their father, there was no possible hope of escape for him. He quickly dismounted from the horse, took on his dragon form and flew off in panic. Never again did he dare go near the Russian Steppes, where the gypsies are so strong they fight over dragons.
By the time Silver had finished the story, Aisrhan had fallen asleep, her upper half lying curled up on the floor, her tail still coiled so as not to jostle Rojiza. Silver thought it was awfully sweet, and very unlike her to give even that much consideration to her playmate's comfort.
"Well, Caroline dear, I think they're officially worn out," Silver said quietly, with a small chuckle.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 7:12 am
Caroline smiles and nods, watching her own beloved daughter. "I think so too."
Rojiza still has her large tail pulled over her as a blanket, curled up and resting on Ais's coils. The only thing that could possibly make her more adorable is if she had a thumb in her mouth.
"I think it's time we left," says Caroline, stooping to pick up Rojiza. She kisses her head. "Thank you for the company, Silver, and the story," she smiles at her friend and then exits the wagon, bound for Mountain Air once more.
|Well that was a cute way to end this little interlude.|
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 9:14 pm
"Any time, my friend," Silver replied quietly. "We should do it again soon." She showed Caroline out and kept an eye on the woman and her daughter until she felt that they were safely near their own wagon. Silver then locked the door, put Aisrhan to bed, blew out the lanterns and was soon asleep herself.
|^_^ indeed. <3|
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:45 pm
Lorelei hurried up to the door of the wagon, then knelt to place a note, weighted with a shell, on the step. She knocked, considering waiting to talk to the inhabitant of the wagon. In the end, though, she hurried away again before the door opened, going to the next wagon.  I would very much like to speak with you again - I know that I have been very reticent and have isolated myself. I want that to end. Please, take this gift as a token of my good will... and come visit some time.
~ Lorelei
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:16 pm
|| oooh, Ely, I love that shell! surprised heart ||
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 10:53 pm
Silver opened the window of her wagon and let in the fresh morning air. She inhaled deeply, enjoying nature's early morning sounds even as her eyes scanned the the caravan for activity. "Hrmm. I guess no one's awake yet. Well, the sun won't be up for another twenty minutes..." Something behind her stirred and a muffled grunt was heard. "Oh, wake up, you," Silver said, walking over and picking up her daughter. "My, my, you're getting heavy! My big girl!" Aisrhan rubbed her eyes with clenched fists and let out a light hiss at being woken up so early. How on EARTH was her mother in such a good mood at this hour?
It had taken Aisrhan months to shake her serpentine nocturnal habits and get used to sleeping at night instead of during the day. She sure likes her sleep now, Silver thought. "C'mon sweety, wake up," Silver said, rocking Aisrhan back and forth while her head was resting on Silver's shoulder. Aisrhan did NOT want to wake up. She only buried her head into her mother's neck, hiding her eyes from the candle Silver had just lit. "Alright then. Five more minutes, Ais. By the time I'm dressed and ready to go, you better be awake." Silver had made up her mind to go for a walk this morning, to enjoy what might be the last sunrise she would see at this campground. They would be leaving for the mountains soon.
Silver brushed and tied back her hair in a braid before donning a white blouse and long, forest green skirt along with her boots. She turned around and grabbed one of Aisrhan's dresses and laid it out on the table, ready to tackle the job at hand, for she knew, without turning around, that Aisrhan had in fact not budged and would loathe doing so at this moment. As she stared at her daughter, Silver tried to think of a way to wake the girl up without getting bitten or smacked by a tail.
The pendant around her neck shone brightly in the candle light, and a glint of emerald green caught Silver's eye. Ahah! Silver grinned mischieviously.
She quietly walked over to Aisrhan's bed and knelt on the floor, about two feet away. She removed the pendant from her neck and reached for the bed, gently touching it to the small wooden frame. Suddenly, the bed sprang to life, and Aisrhan with it. The little hand carved legs began to move and the bed jerkily walked through the wagon, circling the table in the center of the floor, obviously trying to shake it's occupant awake. By the time it had returned to it's place by the wall, Aisrhan was indeed awake - and not very happy. Midway through the bed's little journey through the wagon, Aisrhan had opened her eyes, saw what was going on, and let out such snarling noise that Silver winced, almost apologetically (though she was trying so very hard not to laugh), and jumped clear out of the bed. "MoooOOOmmmy!" Aisrhan yelled, and quickly slithered over to her mother, who, just as quickly, yanked off Ais's little nightshirt and pulled the clean dress over her head before Ais could do or say anything else. The girl pouted. She had been tricked.
Silver handed Aisrhan her doll and Ais started to smile, though she was still grumpy. "Mommy that was mean!"
"Well, sweety, you're not very nice when you wake up, either!" Silver chuckled and hugged her little girl. She tickled her sides and Ais disolved into giggles.
"Alright sweety, let's get going!"
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Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:36 pm
Silver awoke suddenly, a strange feeling calling to her senses. The earth was alive. She always felt that way of course, but this morning the pull of the natural world around them was stronger. She had felt it building for days now. The spring equinox was upon them. Flowers were blooming, there were more birds, happily singing with the dawn, butterflies and grasshoppers were everywhere and rabbits could often be seen dodging the wheels of the wagons as the caravan traveled. Finally, today was Ostara. "That's right! Today is Ostara!" Silver jumped to her feet, grinning, and got dressed. She went to wake Aisrhan, but the girl was already awake. "What isss that, mommy?"
Of course! Silver thought. Aisrhan must feel it too. She is a child of magic after all.
"Happy Ostara, darling!" Silver said cheerfully. "Today is a special day. Let's go outside and greet the sun, shall we?"
Aisrhan looked skeptical. What was so good about the funny feeling in her stomach, or her seemingly crawling skin? But, intrigued, she let her mother dress her and carry her outside, along with a bag of her most precious stones, a candle, and some flowers she had gathered the day before. Silver laid her arrangement out on the grass, lit the candle, and said a quick prayer as the sun began it's ascent into the sky. Aisrhan didn't know why, but she felt the urge to dance all of a sudden. Instead, she sat quietly next to her mother as she finished her mini-ritual, blew out the candle, gathered her stones, and left the flowers as an offering to the spirits.
Suddenly, something bright yellow caught Aisrhan's eye. There, perched on the right rear wheel of Weathered Melody, was a brightly colored, yellow egg. Aisrhan's eyes grew wide. "Mommy!" She tugged on Silver's skirt as the woman was preparing to go back into the wagon. "Hrmm?"
Aisrhan pointed excitedly. "What'sss that?!"
"Oh? What?" Then Silver saw it. "Oh my! You'll love this, darling." She grinned. "Give me a moment, and I'll be right back." Silver ran inside, put away her stones, and emptied her sewing notions out of the basket on the shelf. She quickly returned to Aisrhan and handed the girl the now-empty basket. "Alright, hun. You see that egg?" Aisrhan nodded. "There are several of them hidden all over this area, if I'm not mistaken. You get to go find as many as you can. It's a fun game that we play every Ostara." Aisrhan cocked her head to one side and stared at her mother like she was crazy. "Oh, c'mon. It'll be fun, I promise!" Ais sighed and then nodded. Silver smiled even wider. She had loved Ostara egg hunts when she was a child. It had been a long time since her last one, but she would enjoy this, by helping Aisrhan enjoy it. "Okay, go pick that one up and put it in your basket." Aisrhan did as she was told, with a little help from her mother, since the wheel was a tad out of her reach. "Now, do you see any more?" Aisrhan turned and looked around, not seeing anything. She was getting disappointed. A scowl formed on her face. "No." She said, irritably. Silver shook her head. "No, no, you have to look for them, dear. It wouldn't be any fun if you could see them all at once!" Aisrhan crossed her arms and sat down in the grass. "Hmph!"
"Oh, come on, Ais! Here, I'll help you find the next one, okay?" Silver was determined to make Aisrhan enjoy this. Ais reluctantly unfolded her arms. She followed her mother, who was now bent over, looking under someone else's wagon. "There! You see?" She was pointing to the grass under the wagon. Aisrhan didn't see anything. Finally, after a slight bit of urging from her mother and staring fixedly at the spot for several seconds, she saw it - a hint of blue in a patch of grass that had no flowers. She slithered over and picked up the egg, placing it in her basket. "Good! Can you find another one?" Silver winked at Aisrhan.
Ais looked around again, but this time slithered over to the remains of last night's campfire, a few feet away. "Mommy! I found one!" She called, holding a brilliantly colored red egg above her head. It had been lying next to one of the charred logs. "That's great sweetie!" In no time Aisrhan was crawling all over the place, looking behind wheels, picking eggs up off of wagon steps. It was fun!
Silver noticed the other children out and about the caravan with their respective parents as well, obviously enjoying the event as much as she and Ais (finally) were. She waved to her friends as she helped Aisrhan find another egg.
After another half hour, eggs became scarce and baskets were full. Silver felt it was time to go. She gathered up daughter and basket and went back to Weathered Melody, silently thanking Valelldia for this lovely treat as she and Ais went to count the girl's collection.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:51 pm
Valelldia woke up covered in sweat, and hot to the touch. The dream had been an awful one- but its message was resounding. It was time for a growth... and one that would tax her... and drain her. These were the sorts of transformations that gave chill to her bones. And why must it happen to such a wonderful person as Silver, who had already known such hardship with the troubles that had come to pass for Aisrhan? It was not to be, she supposed, that the woman would be given peace from the meij. What needed to be done... was clear.
Valelldia pulled a belt, complete with a sheathed dagger, from the trunk that sat, idle at the foot of her trundle bed. She wrapped it around her waist, not bothering to brush away the dust that covered it. It was almost a.... comforting reminder that it had been so long unused. Valelldia wished it would have consumed itself in dust, and this day had never come.
She came slowly upon the door of Weathered Melody, and sighed as her kuckles rapped- as if by their own volition- against the wooden door.
"Silver? It's Valelldia. We must speak." She knew the woman would be in- the meij never misplaced its wards, when it spoke of change.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 7:01 pm
Silver woke instantly at the sound of Valelldia's voice. What on earth could it be at this hour? The sun's not even up yet, Silver thought to herself. "Um, yeah, I'm coming!" she called as she climbed out of bed and stumbled to the door. She paused and attempted to focus herself. Wake up. Val doesn't make casual visits like this. This must be important. She slowly opened the door. "Yes?" She peered through the opening. After seeing the other gypsy's face, Silver couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Val?"
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