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 Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:36 pm
Caroline mutters incoherently, trying to puzzle out what Finnean and Taog had prophesied. She'd written the fortunes down in her journal so they wouldn't be forgotten, or muddled in all of her puzzling. She steps down out of Mountain Air. The caravan had paused for the afternoon meal. She wonders if any of the other gypsies had received fortunes from their Banyas or other creatures.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:59 pm
Heather hadn't been out of her caravan in a while but while for the first time in a long time things were actually calm she emerged, more confused then ever.
She looked a mess, her hair hadn't been looked after and she had large bags under her eyes. Kala rushed out the caravan door, happy to be out again, she needed to get something to eat and that meant hunting.
Heather looked around and saw Caroline.
"Oh hey, did you just get a fortune too?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:16 pm
Lorelei had worn a hooded cloak all morning. Odd, for such warm, humid weather. But she endured the sticky heat, keeping her eyes focused on the road ahead.
Vanna had screamed when she'd woken up. It had taken so long to calm the girl down, to convince her of who she was. Finally, the little girl had accepted what she said. Began to believe her... to trust her again.
After the caravan paused, she watched from her wagon seat as her sisters began to converge. Usually, when one Banya caught the meij, the others did too. Part of her longed to join them... but fear held her back.
She knew she would have to reveal herself soon enough, but...
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 1:50 pm
Irina had heard the whispers of the meij through Rydell and Oscar earlier that morning, and as the caravan stopped for lunch, she decided to venture out and see if the others had also received prophecies.
Stepping out of her wagon with Kalpana under one arm, she noticed the humidity in the air. It certainly was warmer here than she expected it to be, considering the time of year. Perhaps it hadn't been the best idea to begin winterizing Ravenwood. Kal sniffed the air, picking up a hint of salt--they were getting closer to Temperanillo every day.
"Good afternoon ladies," she greeted Heather and Caroline, happy to see people she knew again. She'd been rather anti-social over the past few months, and it was good to get out and about again. "I too have received a hint of meij from my banya, and from my occasionally-animate frog statue," she chuckled and looked to the other women, who seemed out-of-sorts and confused.
"Not good news, I'm assuming?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:38 pm
Marissa entered the circle, where she saw the fire crackling low and hot. She was cupping the candle in her hands. Without much hesitation, she took a place by the fire.
She adressed herself to the girls present. "Fortunes. I assume you recieved them as well?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:52 pm
"Aye," says Caroline, answering Marissa's question. "Seems the meij is finally speaking to us again." She nods at Heather, acknowledging her comment, but she'd already answered the general question from the group.
"Good news? Perhaps. Wee Ro seemed to take rather kindly to her fortune. Meself? Not so sure of that. Something's coming, ladies, mark me. Whatever happens at this Port concerns all of us, not just those of us with bloody cryptic birds." She's still wondering about Taog's prophecy of a baby boy. She knows Banyas' fortunes concern only those in their own wagon, but...a baby? She isn't even married, doesn't even have any prospects.
But he had spoken of love...
Rojiza comes down out of the wagon as well. She takes a seat next to Marissa and tries not to look at Kale. Or the candle formerly known as Kale. She feels sick, and uses Finnean's words as a mantra in her head: You can be forgiven. You can be forgiven.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:01 pm
Well, it would have to be done sometime.
She slipped from the wagon seat, wincing as her feet hit the ground. Her body ached all over, her head spun slightly. Gritting her teeth, she poked her head into her wagon. Vanna was sleeping again.
Taking a deep breath, she headed over to the group of gypsies. Her voice was different, her bearing different.
This would be hard to explain.
She came to the circle, keeping her hood up. "I take it all of your banyas spoke...?" Her voice had gone from the soft, wispy, sweet tone that it usually was to a lower, huskier sound. She swallowed, closing her eyes a moment, not wanting to remove her hood.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:11 pm
Caroline peers at the newcomer. Where had the hooded woman come from? And how did she come upon the caravan so silently? "Can I help you?" she inquires guardedly.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:14 pm
Marissa saw Ro and smiled softly. She held no grudge against the girl; what happened was nobody's fault but the fa'es, she knew that. So she shifted Kale to where Ro didn't have to see him. She reached out and put a shoulder onto the girl's, gave her a sweet smile. "It's okay, darling," she whispered.
She turned when the unfamiliar form approached. She was startled, confused. They hadn't seen any other wagon trains, any other horses or mules. Who was this woman?
"Hello, sister," she said uncertainly but graciously, "Welcome to our caravan. You are?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:21 pm
Rojiza sighs lightly. It was wonderful to hear Kale's mother say that.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:26 pm
"The both of you know me, though... ah... not as I am now. You must promise to believe me, I will explain everything." She rushed her words, then bit her lip, reaching up to draw back her hood.
The dark fabric fell around her shoulders, revealing blonde hair in curls more defined than Lorelei's own, one open blue eye, the other closed by a ulcerated, painful looking sore that puckered and stretched over much of her face.
She looked down at the ground. "I'm Lorelei. Vanna's sleeping right now, so I can't... can't bring her to vouch for me. I... I..." A slow inhale. "Used something I perhaps shouldn't have. Without Valelldia's approval."
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 4:33 pm
Caroline, a trusting sort, though not without reservations, nods slowly at the woman who is Lorelei, but isn't. "What happened to your skin, sister?" she asks, concerned. She approaches the woman and touches her hair. "What would have wrought such a change?" She asks. "And why?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:25 pm
Marissa barely believes the words coming from the woman's mouth. But...could she possibly be lying? "...Lor?" she asks incredulously. "What has happened?" It's all she can manage to ask.
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:29 pm
"... Remember that trader we ran into, the one with the potions? I.. bought something from her. A set of scissors and make-up. She said they would put a glamour over me. I bought them... because... I don't want anybody to recognize me, not in Tempranillo.
"Aleysius, my Banya, mentioned 'drawing my face anew'. I took it to mean it was time to try the items. I cut a bit of my hair off, and then... then..."
She shuddered.
"I... don't think it's a glamour," she whispered, raising one pocked and damaged hand to her eye, gingerly touching the sore there. "It hurts.
"I should never have used that stuff without consulting Valelldia."
Her voice was growing shrill. She stopped, looking between the two of them. "... What should I do?"
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Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 5:33 pm
Gwynna approached the group just in time to hear Lorelei's explanation. She had been rudely torn from her sleep by Nusa fussing in her small bed. Hearing voices outside, she had gathered up her daughter and gone to investigate.
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