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 Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 8:41 am
The caravan crept up the mountain path... up a mountainside that was drenched in history, tradition, and the glories of nature. The purplish rocks mingled with strains of gold and silver... proof of the power and quiet wealth of nature. It was in these mountains that the Gelm lived and worked, deep within the cavernous rock, mining by the light of faintly glowing lanterns, returning to the surface with their scarred faces and churlish demeanors. This was a mountain more than just in stature- but in tradition and in the history of the people who made it their home. More than just those dwarven men who separated into the Highland and Lowland Gelm so long ago... were those people of the Clans... who had long since settled here, taming the mountain and all its glories.
Valelldia took her brothers and sisters wide around the upswinging path- knowing that this way not only took them wide around the most brusque of the Lowland-Gelm settlements... but straight into the mouth of what would be Silver's home.
As if to cement that this was a homecoming, someone Silver knew- was standing on the bridge.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:30 am
Vairn stood on the South Bridge that led into Seinheph, examining his latest prize. He never needed to take anything. Seinheph was full up with gold and silver and he possesed many items that he had willingly paid for all on his own. No, he didn't need to... he did it because he liked to. His golden trinket shone in the sun and he grinned. "That old codger will never miss it," he said aloud to himself.
Just then a loud, rumbling sort of noise reached Vairn's ears and he jumped. He hid the old man's watch in his pocket and looked around quickly. No... he didn't see any falling rocks and it was too early for avalanches. Someone must be coming up the Long Road - but the traders weren't due for several more months now... who?
A moment later, Vairn saw them. Wagons. Several of them. All ornately decorated, each in their own way, all pulled by either horses, oxen, mules or cattle. They slowed and pulled to a halt as they reached the bridge.
"Gypsies", Vairn said quietly. A sly smile crossed his face. Now was his chance to make good use of his skills. He noticed the dark-haired woman at the front of this caravan and decided she was the leader. Vairn swiftly approached the wagon and woman and removed his wide-brimmed hat, bowing low.
"Good day, madam. Vairn's the name." He smiled, a charming expression that he used quite often. Too many people never suspected a friendly, smiling face. "What brings this fine caravan to Seinheph?" he asked.
Silver called Kesali and Vakejo to a halt as the caravan slowed and stopped just before a bridge, which she recognized as the South Bridge that led into Seinheph. She hopped down from the seat and took Khevashi with her. Aisrhan had been sleeping in the wagon for some time now, and Silver didn't blame her. The poor girl wasn't used to anything but being warm, and the winds whistling through Hauith Pass had been quite chilly. She walked to the front of the caravan to see what the hold up was. A man was approaching Valleldia's wagon quickly. He bowed and grinned. Silver recognized him instantly. "VAIRN!" she yelled. She knew a bit too well that his friendly smile wasn't so friendly. He had stolen many things that had belonged to her over the years. Still, they had been good friends.
The dark-haired woman in the foremost wagon hadn't had a chance to answer before Vairn heard his name. He turned to see another woman in a white blouse and green skirt walking toward him, a large black bird perched on her shoulder. Vairn's eyes widened as he recognized the figure approaching him "Ayen? Ayen Frilande? Is that you?"
"Aye, it's me, you old fool." She said, smiling. "What are you up to out here? Not preying on unsuspecting travellers, I hope?" She looked back at Valleldia and winked. "Vairn, this is Valleldia. Valleldia, Vairn. He's a thief. Watch your wares."
Vairn's jaw dropped. "I am not!" He lowered his eyes to the ground. "Sometimes." He said sheepishly, like a child who had just been told to go to his room without dinner. He wouldn't be getting anything from this group. He'd rather fight the men in town than deal with Ayen again. She tore him up when he stole that doll of hers all those years ago. He didn't doubt she'd do it again. Silver laughed and hugged him. "It's good to see you, friend."
Vairn grinned again. "Aye. Staying in Seinheph for a bit then, are we? Or just passin' through?" This he directed at the woman before them, still at the seat of her wagon.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:57 am
Valelldia laughed heartily at Silver's introductions of the man- but regardless of what his vocation was, he was a friend of one of her gypsy sisters- and besides, she had no doubt that she and her fellow gypsies could keep a single thief at bay. She also noted the use of the name Vairn had used. ...Ayen, and wondered if that was her given name, or if truly, that which her gypsy family knew her by was simply her chosen one.
"Oh, we're staying for a night or two. If we can find lodging, that is. Otherwise, I'm sure we'll moor our wagons somewhere outside your fine town."
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 10:26 am
Caroline slows her wagon to a stop as Varekai does in front of her. "Och, what is it now?" she demands of nobody in particular. She hears a voice from behind her call out a name, and turns her head in time to see Silver rushing forward to the head of the caravan. "Someone she knows, eh?" Caroline asks of Rojiza, sitting next to her. Shrugging and bidding Rojiza to stay put and keep an eye on Cornelius, she hops down from the seat, her thick boots (amazingly she's wearing shoes for once) making no noise on the purple rock.
She peeks in the window to make sure Taog and Majesty are still fine--as the little buck's fine cloven hooves were unsuited for mountain climbing, Caroline chose to put him in the wagon--and wanders up toward the head of the caravan.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:33 pm
Vairn nodded at Valelldia's reply. "I see. Hrmm... might I then reccomend 'Vayne Inn? Best place in town, run by old man Phralik. Ayen still knows where it is, I'm sure." He turned to Ayen with a sarcastic grin. "It hasn't moved, love, I promise."
Silver was surprised. "Phralik Gjerhvayne is still alive? That man was ancient when I left!" She laughed. "I can't wait to see him again." Silver decided to ignore Vairn's last remark, which undoubtedly referred to one of their many childhood misadventures that she'd rather forget. "Would you mind, Val? Mr. 'Vayne, as we all call him, has always had the best inn in Seinheph. Great food, clean and spacious lodging... and I know he'll welcome us gypsies. I don't know how it may have changed over the past several years -" Vairn interjected, "It hasn't, I assure you!"
"Well, then," Silver said, jabbing him in the shoulder for lack of manners, (Vairn winced and shut his mouth instantly) "Gjerhvayne Inn's still the best place to go. Shall I take us there?" It truly was a great place, but Silver also hoped the other woman would agree simply because Gjerhvayne Inn was so close to her parents' home. She looked up at Val hopefully.
Vairn looked away from Ayen as she and Valelldia discussed where to go, only to see another gypsy approaching. He softly elbowed Ayen in the side when she had finished speaking. "Won't you introduce me to your friend there?"
Silver turned and realized it was Caroline who was walking toward them. "Hey Caroline," Silver said in greeting. "Caroline, Vairn. Vairn, Caroline. He's an old friend of mine."
Vairn removed his hat and bowed again, the same as he had done for Valelldia previously. This time, however, Silver noticed that it was different, sincere. He no longer saw the group as a "target" but as friends who were to be shown respect.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:28 pm
Leshya'e stood up from where she was seated as she pulled Alexander to a stop. She then watched as both Silver and Caroline went past. Grabbing onto the wagon, she swung herself out a bit to get a better view of what was going on up ahead at the front of the caravan.
"What is it Mum? Why'd we stop?" Anezka called from inside Varekai, then placed down the needle-point she just began. "I'm not quite sure..." She bit down on her lip and tossed a thought back and forth. Deciding that she didn't know the area, and therefore did not know how the people here would react to a child like Anezka, Leshya'e would to and see what all the fuss was. "Stay here with Alex...I'll not be long..." She jumped down from the wagon and jogged lightly up to see what was happening.
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:17 pm
"Och, mighty pleased to meet you, Mister Vairn," says Caroline jovially, sweeping a friendly curtsy. "Always a pleasure to meet a fellow mountainer." She winks in a friendly manner and points to the next peak over. "I spent my days as a wee lassie in Arabesque."
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Posted: Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:38 pm
"Ah, Arabesque. Fine place," Vairn said with a nod. In fact, he had never even been there. Lying was another of his bad habits, even if some of them were tiny and never caused any harm. Ayen was one of the only people he had never lied to... well, not exactly "never". It had been a hard lesson to learn. He rubbed his arm absent-mindedly as though it were still bruised. On second thought, maybe he should try to keep all of his bad habits in check around these people.
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:42 pm
"Caroline...Silver..." Leshya'e came up behind the women and glanced at the man that they were speaking with. She bowed her head to him slightly, apologizing for interupting him as he spoke. She then grabbed lightly onto Silver's elbow and leaned forward to whisper into her ear. "What's going on? Where are we?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:38 pm
Oqaia couldn't help but join the rabble, putting a halting yoke on Varlan and coming close to the others.
"Oh, an inn. I would love to stay in an inn," Oqaia found herself gushing, her non-gyspy background pushing to the surface. It had been so long since she'd slept in a bed... in a house that didn't travel, or to look out a window and not see a different view every morning.
"Can we, Val? Oh, can we?" She said, looking up to where her sister sat, still at the seat of her wagon. Valelldia only nodded, smiling at the assemblage of her sisters, and spoke.
"Finish your introductions then, ladies, and Silver... you and your friend... would you be so kind as to show us the way?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:42 pm
"Oh, hello Leshya'e," Silver said. "This is an old friend of mine, Vairn." She turned to Vairn again to introduce yet another member of her gypsy family. "And this is Leshya'e, another good friend and gypsy sister."
Vairn nodded politely. "Nice to meet you all," he said with a sweeping bow and his most charming smile yet, then he looked back up at Valleldia as a woman (whom he would later find out was her sister) pleaded for a cozy bed. He was glad when she agreed. "You heard the lady, Miss Ayen. Shall we escort your fine company to the best inn in Seinheph?"
"I believe we shall," she said, equally as glad. "Give me just a moment to get the children settled again and-"
"Whoa! You have kids??" Vairn nearly fell over. "Alright, who's the unlucky fella?" he said, obviously teasing her.
"Um, no, it's not quite like that... let me get my wagon up here and you can ride with me. I'll explain on the way."
"Whatever you say, doll." Vairn smirked. "But I only know of one way to make babes."
Silver rolled her eyes, laughed, and went to retrieve Weathered Melody from where she'd left it. Pulling the horses up next to Val's wagon, she told Vairn to hop on. He did so and they pulled to the front of the caravan, waited for the others to get ready, and headed across the sturdy South Bridge.
When they had crossed the bridge and followed the road into the mountainside, Silver wondered how her friends were reacting. She had always taken Seinheph's and it's two sister towns' unique-ness for granted, being built into the sides of the mountains in gigantic cave-like structures... but then, she had never been anywhere else until she left there. She had quickly realized how odd an idea it really was.
Almost before they knew it, however, they were already there. The road had taken them straight to the inn, as she had known it would.
Vairn hadn't believed that Khevashi was her son at first, but when Silver explained what Fortunettes were and had shown him her daughter as well, a sleeping Aisrhan in the back of the wagon, he quickly changed his mind. He had promised to not say anything to her parents until she was ready to see them, but had hopped off of the wagon and run off the instant they pulled into the small, muddy lot next to Gjerhvayne Inn. Silver knew he'd be back. She doubted she had shocked him so badly with the information... He had always been the kind of person to run off somewhere without a moment's notice. That was just how he was. He was probably hiding from Mr. Phralik, she decided. Only the gods knew what Vairn had stolen from the poor man.
While her fellow gypsies were situating their wagons and animals, Silver ran inside to make arrangements for them.
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Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:39 pm
Meanwhile, Caroline had purposefully strode back to her own wagon and hopped in front. She quickly realized something was...not as she'd left it. She frowns and ponders a moment.
"Rojiza!"
She frantically jumps back off of the seat and around to the window to look in. There are Majesty and Taog, exactly as she'd left them. Her eyes travel 'round her wagon several times before finding the smallish lump curled up in the bed. Caroline lets loose a huge sigh of relief as she realizes that little Ro, unused to being up quite so late, had wandered off to bed like a good girl.
Breathing easier, she climbs back up and takes the reins. "Come on then, Cornelius, ye auld mule!" She flicks the reins gently as a tired and hungry Cornelius begins to pull the wagon on its way to catch up with Varekai in front of her.
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:08 pm
Oqaia put a steadying hand on Varlan- wondering, for a brief moment, what she might do in his stead... when the boy transformed... after all, he'd be unlikely to still fit in the yoke as an infant. She didn't think on it much now, however- not when there was such a fascinating town to see- what a familiar visage it was. Buildings, homes... the bustle of a village, however quaint... they were music to Oqaia's ear, and nostalgia.
She saw Caroline, coming up to the inn as well, and beamed. "Isn't this wonderful?" She asked. "It's been so long since I've been in a town."
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:23 pm
"Och, aye," responds Caroline. "Our last venture into a town was...unfortunate," she says simply.
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Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 4:32 pm
Oqaia's eyes went wide. "What do you mean?" She said softly, hoping not to alert those around her. The event of which Caroline spoke had occured just before she'd arrived at the caravan.
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