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 Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:33 pm
Lor looked at Voltaire for a long moment, almost tripping over a crack in the road as she did so. Catching her balance, she sighed and leaned on her friend's arm a little.
"Why is it that every time I come to find a home of my own... something sours it entirely?" she murmured, quietly, sadly. Vanna made a small, agreeing sound, though she had only experienced this odd happening once.
"Father's home... wandering with Shamira... and now the new wagon..."
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:44 pm
He gently helped steady her, he had almost gone down with her and likely would have if she hadn't caught her balance. He listened to her murmuring and his expression of worry again appeared on his face and now he frowned. Dropping so many hints she MUST need to talk about it.
"What is going on Lorelei? Don't say nothing, or that I won't believe you ... It's obviously bothering you." He didn't take a stern tone but he spoke to her gently trying to coax her out into the open.
Annjette peered up at them blinking a bit at the sudden change in conversation.
"What is souring things for you in your new home?" He asked more specifically. Damn him and his ears.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:46 pm
But she didn't need the coaxing. The urge to tell him had been bubbling, near boiling over...
"Last night... Vanna was scared about something. I swear there was something in my wagon. I don't know what - it felt... cold. And when I looked into this mirror I found, I saw this mask... but it wasn't in the wagon. I thought it might have been a nightmare, except that Vanna is still so scared..."
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:03 pm
It made his job easier that she didn't need much coaxing if any. Though the news kind of made him stumble a bit this time. He caught himself of course so as to avoid bringing Lorelei, Annjette, and probably Vanna down with him.
"That is strange..." He admitted, but he didn't sound dubious about it, "Wonder what could have attracted such an event. I am no expert in such things however..."
Annjette only listened quietly...
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:06 pm
"I found a box, under the bed in the wagon. It was locked... I unlocked it. There was this bizarre mask inside, so I shut it. Maybe I forgot to lock it again.
"When I looked in the box once everything went so... frightening... the mask was gone. The box had a fake bottom, though - the mirror was under it."
Lorelei looked at him imploringly. "What should I do? Should I talk to Valleldia? Oqaia? Or maybe it was a one time thing... maybe I should wait until we're on the road again, to see if this is a recurring problem."
Vanna twittered nervously, peeking out of Annjette's curls to look at Voltaire and Lorelei.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:17 pm
His eyes got wider and wider as Lorelei's story went a bit more indepth, and when she asked him what to do he shook his head at the thought of her waiting, "Lor, this sounds too serious for you to wait and see. I think you ought to go talk Valleldia and perhaps Oqaia if possible. Even if only to make them aware of the situation...If they aren't already."
He didn't know either of those women too well either, nor what they were capable of.
Voltaire would have likely believed Lor if she had mentioned that a small herd of pink elephants had taken residence in the wagon. Though that he'd want to see for himself. He doubted Lor's 'visitor' would make itself known to him if he wanted to see or not.
Annjette blinked a bit at the story. It sounded scary. She bit on her lower lip a bit gripping tighter on the cloth in her grasp.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:19 pm
Lorelei nodded, biting her lip. "I suppose so... when we get back, I'll go talk to them. Until then..." She forced a small smile. "Might as well explore and look for a bit of a pick-me-up, hm? No use dwelling on the bizarre..."
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:25 pm
"Ooph. Lad, you're getting heavier each day, I swear." Kale was on Marissa's hip; he sucked his thumb and clung to his mother, though his weight bogged her down. They travelled through the town- they had passed their gypsy friends on the way, and made sure to wave merrily. Onward they pressed, as they were a curious pair, and wanted to see more of Silver's fabled homeland.
Marissa stopped to buy Kale a starfruit (the sweet old merchant lady gave him an old coin for his manners), and he munched it happily as they continued.
The passage of time was hardly noticed, so intrigued were the mother and son by their surroundings. Marissa saw plants she hadn't seen in years growing about the paths like weeds- and Kale saw three frogs!
"Oh, look at that, is that a tambled lantern..! Why, I havn't seen one of those since my days in Romania..." The girl suddenly stopped in her tracks and gasped. "Kale! Look at that!"
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:49 pm
Voltaire nodded sagely, "Yes when we get back," He replied, "A pick-me-up sounds right good now. Let's go hunting for some."
Annjette nodded a bit all too glad to have the direction of the conversation change and other things to focus on.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:54 pm
And a new direction appeared again!
Lorelei noticed, as they were walking, a small girl with a bunch of wooden cages. Pulling Voltaire to a stop, she let go of his arm and went over to the child, kneeling down.
"Hello there!" Lorelei said, smiling kindly. "What do you have here?"
"Buh-flies!" the little girl replied, smiling and holding out one of the cages. Indeed, a small butterfly with beautiful wings was resting on a flower and twig. "Fo' luck."
"How much are they?" the woman asked. Vanna, perking up slightly, glided over to sit on Lorelei's shoulder once more.
The girl giggled and grinned at the bird. "Aaaah...." Trying to remember, the girl tilted her hand and stuck her fingers in her mouth, humming. "... oh! Thas right... uhh... one coupleh'."
Lorelei glanced back at Annjette. "Annjette, would you like a butterfly?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:40 pm
He stopped obligingly and watched as Lorelei went to talk to the girl with the butterflies. Voltaire glanced down at Annjette whom seemed interested enough.
Annjette watched as Vanna fluttered over to get a look with Lor she glanced up at her guardian and blinked mildly.
Voltaire made a gesture to her to go ahead and go, "I'll be right behind you, 'Jette." He assured her. Content with that Annjette nodded and went over to stand beside Lorelei to see what this was about. She glanced at the girl selling the cages of butterflies and smiled briefly.
The half-elf followed his daughter just to make sure anyone walking by wouldn't knock her over or sweep her up by accident.
When asked if she would like a butterfly Annjette tilted her head a moment as if to consider it. Everyone needed good luck every now and then and they were quite pretty. So after a moment of consideration Annjette nodded.
"Like one...Please." She muttered shyly.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:46 pm
The little girl smiled brightly, waving to Annjette. "Pretty girlie!" she said, giggling. "I'she your... your..." She stuck her tongue out, searching for the right word. "Doh-ah?"
Lorelei blinked. Then laughed. "My daughter? Oh, no. She's that nice man up there's daughter. I'm just a very good friend."
"Ooooh..."
"At any rate, I'll take a butterfly for little Annjette here, and one for myself." Lorelei fished in her small purse, tied at her waist, and pulled out five coins. "And you may keep the change."
The little girl stared at the coins with watery eyes. "Reawy?"
"Mmhmm!"
The girl smiled, set down the cage she was holding gently, then launched herself at Lorelei with a great bear hug. Lorelei was momentarily taken aback, but then she laughed a little, hugging back. Vanna chirped happily, fluffing her feathers.
When the girl drew back, she put out all of her six cages.
"Pick!"
Lorelei eyed the lot. One stood out - a butterfly with red and black wings, resting on a bunch of blue-and-purple flowers. "That one over there, for me," she said, pointing. Then she glanced at the little swan-girl. "Annjette?"
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:14 pm
Annjette smiled wider and blushed with pleasure at being told she was pretty by the child. Sure she KNEW she was pretty but she always enjoyed compliments. Who didn't?
When the question as whether she was Lor's daughter or not came about she shook her head and was glad Lorelei explained, as she wasn't sure she'd be able to.
She watched as Lorelei paid for the purchase and got hugged. Annjette giggled softly. Lorelei was so nice! Annjette couldn't help but admire the woman even more now.
Annjette curiously peered into the cage and watched as Lor picked out her choice. She pointed to one that seemed to be fluttering toward her specifically.
It had violet wings with black triming and thin spider-web looking (a deeper shade of violet) lines going through the violet.
Annjette pointed at it shyly looking to Lor for approval.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:19 pm
"And the one Annjette is pointing to," she said.
The girl nodded and handed them the cages, then watched, wide-eyed, as Lorelei gave her the five couplets.
"Sankyuu, miss!" she said, biting her lip and looking down at her feet. "Momma will be happy..."
Lorelei frowned a little, slightly concerned by the tone of voice. "Is something wrong with your Momma?" she asked, reaching out to pat the girl on the shoulder. Vanna fluttered onto the girl's shoulder, cooing.
"Mm... Momma says we might be gettin'... gettin'... mae ta move..." the little girl sniffled, eyes tearing up. "So... I told momma tha I'd catch buh'flies and sell 'em."
Lorelei glanced at Voltaire, wanting to help, but unsure of what she could do.
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Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:44 pm
Annjette took the cage, and also listened as the exchange occurred between Lor and the girl. Annjette couldn't quite see the big deal about moving. They moved all the time! After a moment or two the swan girl supposed that since some did live in places like this ... moving from a home that couldn't move with you could be quite devastating.
Voltaire frowned and moved to stand next to Annjette, "And why would you and your mother have to move?" He didn't find it proper to ask where the father was in all this. Chances were that if the mother was working the father was no where around, dead, or also working.
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