Quest for Dinner 0 (archive)

Proelium
One

Proelium: Co-Op Short Boards: Quest for Dinner: Story: One



Dev Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 06:15 pm

What a beautiful sunset. The last burst of color embellished the treetops with a reddish hue and the sky was lit in brilliant colors. They reminded the small figure sitting on a branch near the tree top about the time it had gone and dyed all the sorcerers' pretentiously white robes into red and orange and had slipped a potion of Vertigo to their drink right before an important centenary ritual.

Such happy memories.

It was hard to see the one squatting on the brown branch, surrounded by green feathery leaves, as it seemed to somewhat blend with the background. Within closer inspection, though, one could see that it was indeed a person, two-legged, two-armed (also armed with a bow slung over the shoulder and with various other items hidden away) and one-headed.

If one looked even closer, could it's gender be possibly defined as female and her race (or species) as elven. Only thing strange about the elf was that her skin and hair seemed to ripple with green and brown colors according to the current background - making her look rather like a type of chameleon.

Her slanted eyes surveyed the scenery below her and her expression turned pouty and childlike. Aw man, not another one. She had thought that she had taken care of the last usurper already. Darn it. There must have been another messenger carrying the word about the bounty. She should have made sure before slipping that diarrhoea-potion into the messenger's drink.

The subject of such irritation was someone moving through the forest. Apparently human - judging by the romp of feet against the underbrush, the heavy panting of a man out of breath and the sound of chain mail clinking away, loop hitting loop hitting loop... And eventually the smell of sweat, metal, chalk, ginger and tuna crept nearer. By that time the elf had slipped away, carefully containing her mirth towards what she knew would come next.

When the poor man finally tripped on the thread she had suspended ankle-height over the path, he set off one of the booby-traps she had been setting up on the pathways and around the forest. First came the Smell of Ten Thousand Barns, topped with a puff of Powder of Ocular Stinging. They were followed by a spell of Slimy Touch that would stick the poor man to the ground for at least an hour and make his fingers cling together persistently - until he found some soap and water, that is. The trap wasn't as effective as it could be, she admitted to herself. Damned amusing anyway. Oh well... You can't have everything.

That wasn't the only trap she had set up around the forest. She had probably overdone it again. There were different combinations of her favourite tricks. A few Smells, Ocular Stingings, Blindness, Slimy Touch and some emotion triggers, mostly for fear and panic. And then, of course, Ye Olde Disappearing Path Trick (just an illusion) and at least one spell to confuse the unfortunate dolt's sense of direction - or were there more of those? She remembered some regular trip wires as well. Maybe she had indeed overdone it. Again.

Nevertheless, she counted on Lady Luck to stop her from tripping into her own cleverness.

She knew how well the Smell sticked to cloth and hair - and could catch a whiff of it even from this distance - so she hurried her pace. Lambent green eyes narrowed as the elf smiled merrily and skipped along the path happy and care-free, not unlike a kender. She would get the bounty - and save one of the the tasty pests for her own cooking. Maybe she'd sell them to the highest bidder.

There was no-one who could stop her from getting what she wanted.




Wyldsong Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 07:10 pm

Unless of course it was someone of the same kind, with a hint of devilish wit to him. "I say," said aloud a young gent a good distance away, eyeing the thread just half an inch away from his face. He was crouched in front of it, one hand against the ground to provide stability. "This is rather peculiar," ye Olde Fox continued with a remarkably strange tone. He stood up and looked around slowly, head cocked to the side.

Then, nonchalantly, he picked up a sturdy branch, backed off some fifty feet (whistling something horribly catchy)... and tossed the branch on the thread.

Sproing. Crash.

He watched the trap being sprung by the unfortunate branch, one foot on a toppled tree, posing in a one arm akimbo. He'd left plenty of these traps in his wake, but still couldn't for the love of the Lady of the Land figure out what exactly the traps were about.

...of course, after all the highly technical, tricky traps, he forgot that there was such a thing as a simple trap.

Enter Sebastian, stage up - with a decent shout of surprise that was sure to be heard.




Dev Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 07:44 pm

It was actually more for the fun than for the actual hindrance to fellow bounty-hunters that she kept on doubling back and adding new traps. She had come well-stocked, but was gradually running short of spell-components. And wire.

It was during one of these winded escapades that she heard the yelp of surprise. Judging by how short-lived it was, it must have been one of the simplistic ones she held so dear. Actually, she could sneak a peep at what she had caught. It couldn't hurt, yes? No?

Within the safeness of her metamorphosing camouflage, the elf crept nearer to take a look. Her prize could wait for a tad longer, since it was only dusk.

Oh my... Her shining green eyes lit with mirth.




Wyldsong Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 07:56 pm

He was venting, verbally, arms crossed, in a manner that seemed to be heavy with irony and sarcasm. "'...but daddy, dear, you've blundered again,' she'll say - that is, of course, if she ever finds me. And oh, her plan to get her beloved scoundrel of a father out of the tree, I'll venture to say, is to either quite barbarically fell the tree or climb up and..." this went on for a moment, before he stiffened.

A pair of eyes, similar in colour, looked around, as if something was amiss. He could see the colours were as should, but it was getting dark and that good old elven heritage provided an edge over those with no means of darksight. Pondering, the old scoundrel glances upward toward his feet. It wasn't the first time he was in something like this, and the main reason he didn't try to get loose was the distance between him and the ground.

Still, he wondered. He didn't like being left as bait for the... chickens...




Dev Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 08:30 pm

The wind carried a muffled sound with it, which expanded into full scale laughter - the clear and crystalline giggle of an elf maiden, who had no troubles taking glee out of the discomfort of others - as long as she was the one causing the discomfort.

The lithe figure came into sight with the sound, as the camouflage-spell wore off or was broken by lack of concentration. A shock of thick, black hair had been braided and hung down her back. Her face - currently contorted into a wide, toothy grin - was pale and smooth-skinned. Bright green eyes had narrowed and she made no secret about what was so funny. Oh yes.

Irony strikes hard. One meager step forward and she realized her mistake - too late. Whoop, went the elf up, propelled by the force of the bent tree.

"Kara-friggan-baccha on a stick!!" The enraged roar was most unmaidenly and was followed by a string of undecent swearwords - most of which she made up on the spot.




Wyldsong Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 08:36 pm

"...adorable," said Sebastian with a dry look on his face, his own silvery braid hanging two feet below his head. He too had narrowed his eyes and was at the moment trying his best not to smile too widely. "Well now, welcome, and please forgive me for not being able to extend my hand." He looked down, his usually pale face slightly reddened due to gravity. Then he returned to gaze at the elf again. "I would also tip my hat were it not out of my reach."

And then he smirked. "Not as funny as it was a moment before, hmm?"




Dev Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:00 pm

"Oh, shot up, asswipe", the elf muttered vehemently. Her back and forth swing was slowing down as she calmed herself - more or less. "Bloody mess, it is..." How could she have set off her own trap?

She was dressed into a grayish brown tunic and brown trousers, both lightly embroidered with white thread. Her bag had been slung over her shoulder, but she was holding it by the straps with her left hand, the other one busy searching for an instrument effective enough to cut the strong wire that was digging into her ankle, through the relatively thin leather boots.

She thanked Lady Luck for letting her catch the bag before it fell - there was still one vat of Smell of Ten Thousand Barns in it. Out came a red-edged knife and down went the elf, landing gracefully on her feet of course. Her tree hadn't been as high as the half-human's.

She idly flipped the knife in her hand. "You were saying?"




Wyldsong Tuesday, June 24, 2003 - 09:13 pm

He just couldn't let it end like that. Sebastian reached out to his utility belt, from which hang many pouches and tools for his line of work. There was also a hand axe. And a dagger.

Now, her swinging had given him an idea that he fancied he might pull off. It might hurt a bit, which was the main reason he had been considering the option of waiting for Midara, but like hell he would let this pup best him like this. Sebastian had begun swinging the moment he had considered this a third time, and already had the dagger in his left hand. Swing... once more, aaaaaand...

...he grabbed the tree with his right hand, holding on for dear life. He had to take some time in cutting the wire so that he could part his feet in order to get down the way he intended. Sebastian grinned, dropped the dagger for safety reasons and grabbed the tree with all limbs. He hadn't counted on feeling so dizzy after all the hanging around, though, so he held on for a moment before sliding downward.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 10:31 am

After such an embarrassment, Lady Luck was sure to be on her side again. She didn't stop to concider that this may indeed be only the beginning of a series of similar mishaps.

Abandoning her red-edged knife back to her bag, she grabbed the handle of her weapon of choice at the sight of the man's dagger. But she didn't want to come across as overtly hostile, even if she were, which she wasn't. Probably.

After realizing the reason for the dagger was the same as hers, she pictured herself knocking the man unconscious when his back was turned. That is, if she hadn't had this sneaking suspicion about his identity.

How likely is it that she'd come across anyone resembling the description so well - an elf, who spoke like a human, more or less, and had silvery hair, all topped with those bright green eyes?

And why was she asking herself about likelihoods, when it was painfully obvious that Lady Luck had her fingers in the incident?

Oh well... Curiosity killed the Kitsune, as they said in the parts from whence she came.

"My my my..." she said, abandoning the rural broadness of her speech she had used just moments ago. She reverted to a more elflike lightness of tongue, flavoured with a tad of jovial mischief. "We have an acrobat at our midst."




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 11:27 am

Sebastian, having picked up the dagger, the loot bag and his hat sleekly, tipped his hat in a gesture that was something of a cross between a flamboyant and a humble bow. "Thank you kindly," the man said, now picking up his act and reverting to his polite demeanor with a smile. "But you've yet to see the best of it."

He stared back and contemplated, unsure of what the situation was developing into. Logic, or... well, mostly instinct and some logic told him she was behind Yon Trapped Forest, and... more. Sebastian also had a feeling this little strumpet might be a snake in disguise - but that was normal, so he wasn't too worried. "Oh, my manners, my manners... Sebastian Fochs. The name may or may not mean something to you." He looked over her shoulder, then at her again. "Now, if you have no objection to utter, I would be on my way, lady...?"




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 01:42 pm

She was perchance a tad disappointed at the relative ease he had rid himself of her trap, so she was feeling stubborn. Yet, this was him, as she had suspected, so her lips parted again to reveal the perfect row of white teeth. She grinned, but it only barely covered the fiendish look that had lit her bright eyes.

"Lady indeed", she commented and bowed her head in acknowledgement, without incorporating her name into the deal. "And I have most certainly heard about you." The lightness of her tone concealed if she held him high because of his reputation, or low.

He had looked in the same direction she was headed to. That might prove a problem, even without further trap-setting on the way.

"What does the Fox seek from the forest?" she then asked in an obliging tone.

But wait. If he's after the same prize as she... Which one would the Lady favor more?




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 01:54 pm

...oh my, said his expression. Then he grinned somewhat ferally, yet in a civilized manner that softened the somewhat sharp, toothy expression. "Indeed? Well. I have said this many a time before, and I shall say it again. Whatever you have heard, it is likely to be true. Only the size of the loot may well be exaggerated, but such are the rich folk." He shrugged, staring at her. "Why, I may indulge you, were you to indulge me in turn, my good lady."

Sebastian stepped closer a few paces, then stopped, eyes half-lidded and looking not unlike those of a lazy cat's. He waited, one hand on his waist. Expecting, that's what his gaze was like. Steady. Expecting.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 02:11 pm

She liked this game. If he was a leisurely cat, then the elf maiden was a vigilant wolf, picking up early warning signs, fearless and ready.

Even though night had fallen, their superior sensory abilities enabled them to see each other without difficulty in the dim light of the stars. The moon was full, but mostly hid behind a blanket of ragged, but thick clouds.

"Why, I live here, no less", she lied with a straight face. After all, she was an elf - and elves lived in the forest... right? Except for the ones she knew. She seemed almost to mimic his pose, as one of her hands rested on her hip.

"Since you were caught in the trap, I suppose you're not the one responsible for them", she continued, having no problem whatsoever with lying about her skills. "Happen to know who set them up?" Besides, there were many people eager to get their hands on her, so there was no reason to brag.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 02:22 pm

The wiry rogueish type stared at her for a moment, restraining himself from commenting on how strange some elves were. "Now now, if you knew anything of my reputation - and you claim you do -, you would know it is simply not my sort of activity to skedaddle about setting traps." He paused glancing upward and added: "Though I must admit, they were very superbly done."

He shrugged, gazing at her again with what appeared to be a smirk on his face. "I shan't take credit for others' work. Nor blame for that matter." Sebastian fell silent, walking a bit to the side - scarcely past yet another trap - and sat himself on a rock of decent size.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 02:42 pm

"My, I wasn't implying such a thing, not indeed." Well, she had said it, but with her own culpability in mind. "But you answered me not on your reasons to tread through these woods at night." Technically it had been night for only a few minutes though, but it would have come along anyhow. The paths around these parts were scanty and had little traffic if any.

She emitted a strange half-giggle, half-snort, before disappearing behind a tree for a moment, only to reappear from the other side, donning a quiver and holding the wooden bow she had left behind, her pose non-threatening.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 02:49 pm

"You never revealed your name," he replied simply - in a teasing, slightly amused tone. He stiffened a bit when the she took hold of the bow, but did not react otherwise. His eyes shined with reflected starlight, which was of course perfectly normal. It was the amusement in them that made the lazy, self-conscious seeming swashbuckler seem so strange. Or rather, stranger.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 03:07 pm

She smiled - and slipped her arm between the tightened bowstring and the bow, rendering it unusable for the moment, but more comfortable to travel with. She didn't remove the string, since there was no telling what she would come across in the dark woods. She didn't intend to harm him though, for now.

"Didn't I?" An innocent, rhetorical question. "It's Shii." The bright smile didn't quite top her lambent green eyes that seemed to almost give off their own light in the dark. She performed a very elflike laugh. Such cheerfulness.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 03:14 pm

"A pleasure," he said automatically, even bothering to tip his hat. "And to answer your question, I am on a quest for dinner."

Again, that feral smile.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 03:37 pm

Oh sh... darnit. The announcement seemed to clip a significant amount of mirth off her mood and for a moment she nearly spat on the ground. Still smiling of course, but not as naturally.

"My, hunting way out here?" she said, deciding to play dumb. "I see no suitable tools on you for that purpose." The thought of co-operation for the sake of a common goal didn't even cross her mind.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 03:42 pm

"Do you think guards would let me in if I carried on my person a ridiculously large, cumbersome ax?" he asked and stood up, smirking again. "Certainly not. I have the means - and I will put up traps if it will be necessary... just not traps such as these. These are to deter and confuse two-legs, I am sure." He shrugged, tilting his head at her.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 04:06 pm

She shrugged as well, unnecessarily nonchalant. "If you say so." He sure got the point of the traps right, but they weren't her traps after all, ehe.

"Pray tell... What sort of prey do you fell with an axe?" A sweet, questioning smile resided on the young elf's lips. By Shugnart's wart, was this going to last all night? She pondered on options on how to get rid of this unforeseen problem. None of them were very pleasant to the other party.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 04:38 pm

...when it came to Sebastian, his constitution was legendary. When it came to annoying the hell out of people for the sake of his own amusement, that is. "Why, men, of course. Some adventuring types might on one of their romps through this and that forest attempt to fell a boar, which is of course rather absurd. No, you live in the forest, you should know better. Spears and hounds are what it takes to bring down a boar - and bows and arrows for the dear."

He slung his loot bag over his shoulder. "Now, that said, I shan't trouble you anymore. And try as you might convince me that I have not, I do have the capability to discern when I am and when I am not a pain in the behind. Trala, and a pleasure meeting a charming young lady - though the circumstances were quite unusual."

...he had been walking for a while when he shut his mouth, back turned to Shii. He was grinning.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 05:15 pm

All the witty half-elf got for an answer was an unnervingly intense silence. If he cared to look back, nothing could be seen in the faintly lit forest, no sign of the viper of an elf.

She was camouflaged again and made not a rustle of leaves or cloth when following, to the right of the living and unaging legend.

She considered her options and didn't like any of them. Oh creppers.




Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 05:27 pm

Sebastian seemed totally oblivious to it all - in fact, he was, to some of it. She'd been so curious about what he was after, he was having a hard time believing there wasn't anything more to it. And yet, he couldn't actually accuse her of anything no matter how much her demeanour puzzled him. He considered, then, when he noted she wasn't there and making not a sound, that he might be in trouble.

Of course Midara's precious Tymora was out there, but he had a strange gut feeling about this girl.

He made a break for it, moving quite silently despite the speed. Though Sebastian came across as a city slicker, he was in fact a bit of both slicker and country peasant - why, he lost most of the search parties sent after him in wooded areas. Of course, this was an entirely different misadventure altogether - the old fox was, after all, running in a mined area so to speak.

Maybe that was part of the thrill in addition to the possible bow-toting elf maiden he was trying to shake off.

He finally dove inside a patch of ferns behind a rock and took long, slow breaths.




Dev Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 05:50 pm

Creppers, indeed! She dedicated a short moment to disbelief as she saw the halfbreed making a run for it, before she set off after him. What was he up to? And where did he go?

After losing sight of him, she stopped just in time before setting off a trap with the spell Ocular Stinging attached to it. Tripping on the wire would have ignited the tiny amount of explosives in the little bag of powder, spreading the half-magical contents around a considerable radius. That would have been most unpleasant had the target been her.

Circling it rather carelessly, she continued - searching for the trail he had left behind.

Proelium
Two

Proelium: Co-Op Short Boards: Quest for Dinner: Story: Two



Wyldsong Wednesday, June 25, 2003 - 09:59 pm

"...peculiar woman," he mumbled, fiddling with some wire of his own, just in case she might really be after him. "Very peculiar. Why, Midara might have been confrontational - silly girl." Unlike Shii, however, Sebastian did not set the wire between to objects - he simply placed it on the trail he had left. No, he had something altogether different in mind. Should the girl stop to look at the wire... he would pounce her. Simple as that.

It didn't occur to him that he might already be sitting on a trap, however. It remained untouched - between his wire and himself.

But hey, even the experts sometimes screw up.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 11:10 am

The lass was indeed after him, the colors of her skin and clothes working overtime to blend her into her background. She was moving too fast for her knack to work properly.

The half-crouching elf - who was indeed wielding her bow and a strange-tipped arrow ready - drew nearer until she was at her prey's sight. Or something sure could be seen by the observer.

The half-elf could see slight movement at a distance, drawing relatively quickly nearer. No sound could be heard and there was something very peculiar about the thing, as it seemed to be merely a vague shape of movement, nightly shades blending together, trying to merge into the nuances of the surroundings.

When it stopped, the flurry of colors darkened by nightfall also ceased moving, settling down to make her technically invisible again. But then the vaguely humanoid shape could be seen again, approaching the wire set on the ground.

What in the world...? That wasn't one of her's, but next to it - behind it - she thought she saw a familiar contraption. She stopped to look more closely.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 12:03 pm

Not exactly what he had in mind, but close enough.

Instead of providing Shii with an easy to dodge target, Sebastian, having tied the loot bag and the utility belt together, literally bounded out of his hiding place. One long, quick step and a hop - and lo, there was an airbourne Fox...

...whose plan to cut the flight short and tumble at her feet took a turn for the worse when he sprang the trap. Now, he still had more than enough moment to to keep tumbling, but instead of looking victorious, the half-elf had something of a surprised "oh my I've botched it again"-look plastered on his face.

Sproing.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 01:00 pm

That trap, she recognized it a heartbeat before the surprise-attack. The shock of seeing him land on the trap made her camouflage suddenly melt away like butter on the route of a fireball.

Oof!

She got tackled by the other party and went down hard. On the way down, though, they both could see the leaves and brushwood suddenly explode upward and turn into a white, sticky substance, which effectively glued them both to the ground and to anything else they were currently touching.

She suddenly started hating the spell of Slimy Touch.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 01:15 pm

"...I ought to have seen this coming," said a certain thief very sombrely, glued to the ground and the elf in what appeared to be a very awkward position. True, at least he wasn't face down. But it was somewhat painful indeed to have someone's foot glued to one's back when one wasn't face down. That was annoying enough. However, it was even more uncomfortable to know your own foot was somewhere near someone else's shoulder - glued together to a bow. The tip of a boot pointed skyward next to his face. His arms were pointing toward the patch of ferns he had appeared from. However, if you looked at it from another angle, it was a good stretch. And at least they wouldn't get cold. (He expected her to be absolutely burning with anger.)




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 01:36 pm

She didn't try to move - she knew she couldn't. She didn't let out her rage in the fears of something more unpleasant finding them before the spell wore off. She concidered trying a counter-spell, but realized she'd need to calm down first to think straight - and that would take a while.

"Nnnnngh... What... were you thinking?" she asked in forced tones, her face flaming red and staring at the star-lit sky, since that was pretty much all she could do. Then she couldn't contain it any longer.

"I am going to rip your head off and use it as a bird-nest. But before that I'll see to it that you'll itch for days on end, nevur leave th'privy again an' I'll make sure ye'll nevr 'ave any childrun!!" Away with her elf-manners and in with the robust country-tones that suited the content better, even if not her appearance.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 01:45 pm

After a moment of enraged silence, he cleared his throat deceptively calmly. "Oh, don't be a fool," he then snapped, the joviality that seemed to be inherent in his voice suddenly sucked into some void, non-existent. "I am not the one setting up these traps and certainly would not have even thought of doing such a thing would I have known of the bloody thing. And what's more, I certainly would not have done it were it not for some pup trailing me."

He tensed, as if trying to struggle his way out. Soon, he relaxed - but his tone remained gruff. "Bloody Hells. One more of these setbacks and I would think myself to be unlucky."




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 01:58 pm

Ah, she felt better after spewing out a threat of kastration. That always got men on edge, even if they didn't admit it.

"These forests are my home, if you care to remember", she said, reminding him of her lie. "'Tis my business to see who walks through and why", she continued sweetly. She would have settled in more comfortably if that had been an option.

Underneath the voice calmed down she was still enraged of getting caught in her own traps. Twice! Twice in one night! This never, ever, happened. Lady Luck had had her joke.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 02:07 pm

"Well, you never offered tea nor hospitality," he replied dryly and tensed his leg as if to poke her in the ribs or something. "If you care to remember, I did say I was on a quest for dinner." Sebastian didn't continue, however, simply fell silent and pouted at the sky. Bloody hell. If some animal came along... oh dear. He hadn't thought about that.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 02:47 pm

She tried to ignore the loss of sensation in her arm as it slowly started to go numb. Only an hour or so and they'd be free. Maybe even sooner if she could figure out a suitable counter-spell. She had never in her long years come across a situation, which would have required her to remove it.

Fire? No, she'd just end up burning her hair off. Or maybe his - now that wasn't such a bad scenario. But no, she never did do well with fire magic, it tended to be rather erratic. And erratic and fire wasn't a pleasant mix. Not to mention that she wasn't even sure if the goo was of the burning kind. And if it was, would it burn them with it?

Darn. She should have experimented more.

"Prey of the feathery kind are more dangerous than they seem around these here parts", she commented dryly, letting the half-elf know that she knew more than she had implied.

She wasn't sure how well the stickyness would wash off hair afterwards.

Dammit.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 04:33 pm

He raised an eyebrow at this, but the expression was useless since neither of them could see each other's faces. "Really? I daresay that has nothing to do with you not being hospitable," he nagged on purpose. "But close, close, close, strumpet. Talk on, you have my ear."




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 06:14 pm

"I had no reason to be hospitable", she nagged in return. "Nor have I a grand house to serve tee and bisquits in." This was rather awkward, she finally established after fully realizing the situation and exactly who she was dealing with. Ew.

"Such beasts have shorter flights than most, but their bigger cousins help them along. It is rather difficult to track a flying object." The way she spoke implied that such hardships were not a problem of hers. Her manner was unintentional and it was more of a statement instead of a brag.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 06:23 pm

"No reason? Ha! Hospitality is a high virtue of any servant of the Lady of the Land. Why, you have shown little respect for anything but your own amusement."

He liked to nag. But not now. It would get very boring - they could stay there for quite a while, as spells had a tendency to be long-lasting in some cases. Not that he thought this would be the end of him, but still... "Oh, Hells. I tell you, we would be better off if I were to forget about the dinner and be still." A pause. "Egad, were that an intentional pun, I would kill myself."




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 07:10 pm

Please, go ahead. That is, to forget about the dinner or kill yourself, either would do well.

Now that was a bit too harsh, considering.

"'High' virtues are not my game", she snapped back. Neither did she count herself a servant of the woods, but he didn't need to know that. "Respect I show for those who have earned it in my eyes."

She had a moment's silence, refusing to continue on about the question of winged prey.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 07:19 pm

"Fine," said Sebastian, still royally mad at her attitude in general - although, he admitted to himself, he wasn't very much in the right himself. He stared skyward and said naught a word. If she was not going to get the hint, he would not hint any further! No!

...yet this was no situation to sulk at someone. Whether or not she had set the traps or had just followed him because he had seemed suspicious (oh, now there was a thought...), she was in trouble just as badly as he was. Oh damn, why me?

"Say. I don't suppose you know when this cantrip will expire?"




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 07:40 pm

This was getting untolerable. A prankster by nature and lifestyle stuck fast without possibility to even flex - and she could very well forget about pouring itching-powder down his pants as she was itching to do.

Talking was all she could do.

"I wouldn't know", she started, but added soon after: "It shouldn't take long" as if to set him at ease.

"So... Sebastian." It sure was better than addressing him as... Yes. Well. Sebastian was much better, at least for now. "You going to roam the forest until you bump into a raging chicken-shifter?" There it was, a straight sentenced, without any - well, much - beating around the bush.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 07:50 pm

"As long as takes to have a chance encounter with the chick," he said with a jesting tone. It was worse than that. There were two pranksters stuck together and so far they hadn't gotten along very well, mainly because the male one seemed intent on being more irritating than the female one. "Which is to say, I have a companion to rendezvous - somewhere," he said quietly, relaxing slowly. He hadn't like that it shouldn't be long-reply. It made her sound like a mother annoyed into snapping by the constant curiosity of her kits.

Interesting thought, really.

"Pray tell, what is this obsession with chicken-beasts you seem to have? You are not serious about a monolithic chicken plucking us to death, are you?"

Cluck, cluck.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 08:12 pm

A knife, she had a knife up her sleeve. If she could just reach it... It wasn't to cut the goo, no. It would just get stuck just like everything else. To stab the nuisance in whatever bodypart was handy.

She shifted her wrists for no avail. Besides, she didn't need dead weight from his part. Now, where did that thought come from?

She really needed to control her violent urges.

"Yeah, you'll be laughing when a red ten-foot chicken comes bite your head off." She managed a jovial tone quite easily. "But, I suppose, with your legendary luck you'll evade their attacks easily."

'Their' implied that there were several. Egad.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 08:19 pm

He played with the idea of slapping her silly, Saliyah-style, but kept the thought at bay. Never mind that. "Jolly good," he said and muted. Bastards. Why did he always have trouble with women he didn't try to charm because he knew they wouldn't be charmed?

He wasn't worried about the feathery things, but he didn't have a plan either. Who the hell needed plans, when they usually weren't flexible enough, anyway?




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 08:38 pm

Silence fell and she wasn't going to end it right away. Then her pointed ears caught a sound - a flurry of feathers? An unfamiliar rustle in the underbrush?

A heart-stopping Cluck could be heard nearer than was pleasant.

With great effort, she moved her head an inch towards the direction of the sound. Aaa! Her hair!

It was... a chicken. Reddish brown, it's beedy black eyes stared in shock at the strange creature embedded in the white stuff before fleeing in panicky half-flight.

After speaking about giant chickens, she felt crushingly... disappointed?




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 08:44 pm

Sebastian, too, had directed his attention toward the creature, quietly wondering with a mixture dread and strange fascinated amusement about Lady Luck's haywire sense of humour. He glanced toward his left foot, which was the general direction of Shii's head. Mercifully, he kept his mouth shut. It had been a very intimidating situation... more so for the chicken it seemed, but nothing to be proud of, anyway. Besides, he certainly did not want to piss off the elfin one at the moment.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 09:13 pm

She couldn't feel her left arm OR her right leg and there was a twig digging it's way into her wing-bone. Sure, she'd been in worse situation, like when she got caught and blamed for the disaster of the sorcerers' centennial ritual and other havoc she had caused in the guild.

That had been painful in more meanings than one.

She listened and listened, focusing on the sounds of the night and anything that wouldn't belong. No sound of heavier wings beating, no crashing through the underbrush. Nothing. Good.

"If they come looking for that one, we'll be in serious trouble", she muttered half-heartedly, silently thankful for his unexpected silence.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 09:23 pm

"No doubt," he replied, again falling silent. He had a few suspicions now. Why were they stuck here? "Why", of course, was as hard a word to explain or solve as "now", and that was certainly not what he was asking himself. "Were" - same thing. But "they" and "here" had a bit more meaning, seeing that if he got into a mess like this with someone, it usually meant the Lucky Lady had taken out a concealed weapon in her bodice. (She had plenty of them there, he had noted during the years.)

And he couldn't really ask her why she was glued to one of the oddest rogues in known history in some forest at night. A bedroom would have made sense, if the adjective "glued" were understood in another sense...

...which, of course, was something best left unspoken.




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 09:39 pm

Why in earth had she thought about the knife? She really should stop carrying it - her mother's legacy was starting to claw it's way onto the surface.

Too bad for the half-elf.

No! Dammit. But she needed knives to cut thingspeopleROPE. Not people.

This wasn't healthy.

She was starting to lose feeling in her left leg as well so she started to think about ways to free herself again. How much longer would the spell last? She had no idea.

"So... Nice weather we're having." Pathetic.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 09:47 pm

"Very. Clear skies and a gentle breeze." He blinked at his reply, but did not bother to tell her it had been automatic. He just did some things like that. But now that she was reasonable again, Sebastian decided to make the best of it: "Shii? My apologies for this. All of it. Truly."

Proelium
Three

Proelium: Co-Op Short Boards: Quest for Dinner: Story: Three



Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:05 pm

She really needed to start devicing counter-spells against her own devices if this was going to happen again. She'd never needed to before.

She sighed. "This is part my fault. Maybe mostly", she admitted grudgingly. The thoughts of knives and their unfortunate targets had gone away and she could concentrate on the present problem again. A thought came to her mind, a possible way out. It had it's flaws though and she started to work on them with a feverish fervor.

It didn't stop her from chatting though. Some things just came naturally.

"So it is true then. You really don't age - unless this is one of those ploys where the famous roguish-type personage, swashbuckler, gets a double and makes him continue his work." She made it sound trivial. "Unusual for an half-elf." The race-question, indeed.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:14 pm

"I can assure you, finding a double and teaching him and telling him everything I have learned wouldd take a long time," he said strangely sombrely in response, contemplating the race-question as she spoke. And replying almost immediately after he was done with the first sentence. "Unusual it is, and I cannot say I am any closer to knowing why I still prance about stirring trouble and breaking laws and whatnot than anyone else." He left out the fact that it seemed to run in the family - after all, he was still a bit edgy about people knowing about Midara. "Of course, there are the scholars... oh, the scholars. Some of them say I am but a fairytale, while some blame some evil god... and the lot. I do know that some of them would love to experiment on me."




Dev Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:31 pm

She almost snorted at the mentioning of the evil god -theory.

"Not everyone can or should fit into the mold set by authorities." The authorities of any given world - good for keeping regular citizens in line and ready to be fleeced.




Wyldsong Thursday, June 26, 2003 - 10:56 pm

"Indeed," Sebastian said, sounding almost pleased. "It reeks of conformity and sheepish normality." He pondered again, looking at the direction of her face, about what Lady Luck was doing. So far so good. "Is that why you live here?"




Dev Friday, June 27, 2003 - 09:29 am

Live? Oh, live. She had forgotten about her allegation for a moment. Might as well take it a step further, or back. "Oh, I live wherever I set my foot in." A bit of light(ish) laughter. That way it almost didn't sound like a lie.

"My personality is a bit too much to take in for longer periods of time." My, that was a bit straightforward. What was wrong with her? "But I have roamed this wood thoroughly by now."

And... She thought she'd found the answer to their sticky situation. Her eyes lit up and she performed a small, but rather disturbed smile, which of course went unnoticed by the other party.




Wyldsong Friday, June 27, 2003 - 11:45 am

"I find that a familiar feeling," he admitted, wincing at the pain in his back. Owwwwwww... "If you do not mind my being curious, where exactly do you hail from? I have the disadvantage of having no small amount of notoriety, while you do not." Chitchat, tea please, or cognac, if you don't mind, ching ching!




Dev Friday, June 27, 2003 - 11:54 am

Again, her lips curled. "Notoriety? Depends on where you ask." Though, not that many people knew exactly who had glued their livestock together or brought some other mischief upon them.

"I was brought up in a place called Bone Creek." Called so by some, but it had many names in many languages. It was called that for a good reason.




Wyldsong Friday, June 27, 2003 - 12:02 pm

"...I do think I get your point," Sebastian said and tensed slightly and repeatedly, as if chuckling inaudibly. There was a stillborn silence for a second after he had relaxed again. "What have you done, exactly?" the half-elf pried next, sounding smug and amused.




Dev Friday, June 27, 2003 - 12:11 pm

"Let's not go into that now. I caused some havoc in one of the sorcerers' guild for an example." My, how modest she sounded.

"Something of a dabbler I am, nothing grand, but I may be able to get us out of this mess. If I can figure out a suitable spell, that is."




Wyldsong Friday, June 27, 2003 - 12:20 pm

"Then we will go into that later on - you have captivated my interest." And it wasn't flirt - or, well, who could say? There was nothing velvety or such in his voice, merely unspoken curiosity that was barely detectable. Havoc in a sorcerers' guild... a dabbler of a magicker? Oh dear, this little wildling strumpet?

Yet, his suspicions had been fuelled again. She had, at first, told him she wished to see who crawled dabout in her home, and next she had said she was only a restless wanderer (due to what seemed to be a mischievous nature) and had explored the forest fully. It all sounded so shoddy.

But...

"I shan't go about telling you how to do, O' valiant dabbler. If you can get us out of this mess, you have my gratitude and favour."




Dev Friday, June 27, 2003 - 12:32 pm

If her magic went by her nature, they'd probably be in more trouble than already. There was a brief silence, which she dedicated to not thinking about the spell and mostly pondering if she could take advantage of his 'gratitude'.

"I think I have it now", she then said, coming to a conclusion. "Quiet now." She had a brief suspicion that Lady Luck might still have a nasty surprise in wait, but the thought passed without further inspection. She began a chant.

"By my blood so strange, I conjure the viscidity within its range,
By the blood in my veins, I order back the plant that feigns,
By this blood I bleed, may the rest follow its lead."

While chanting, she pricked her finger with the knife she had up her sleeve, which she hadn't quite managed to wield previously, luckily for the half-elf.

The cut started to bleed profusively and she felt it working, her fingers were starting to loosen as the blood spread and made the goo effectless.

"It's working!" Working, yes, but slowly, and only on the parts her lifeblood touched. She was going to suffer serious blood loss this way.




Candy Saturday, June 28, 2003 - 04:20 pm

"So, daddy dear", came a calm voice from somewhere high above, "would you like to get out of there, or have you found a comfortable position with that lady? Of course, I can just leave you two be - not like another Fochs is going to hurt the world any more than we already have..."

Midara was gazing down at them, perched on a sturdy branch straight overhead, her quarterstaff placed across her knees. She could not imagine just what the hell had Sebastian done this time - and frankly, wasn't sure she wanted to know. (So she told herself. In actuality, she wanted to know everything so she could tease him about it later.) She had no real trouble seeing in the darkness, having - by chance, of course - inherited the most useful traits from the elven side of her family. Seeing clearly did not in any way stop her from looking askance at her father and that gods-know-what-that-girl's-name-is-and-how-he-got-her-there-and-why-and-what-had -he-been-planning-and-after-all-it-just-doesn't-really-matter-does-it-or-at-leas t-it-had-better-not-because-I-am-so-going-to-let-him-hear-it-this-time-but-still -for-the-love-of...

The less-than-half-elf gave up thinking and acting in a reprimanding way. After all, it was certainly enough of a punishment for Sebastian just traveling with her - she wasn't about to give her a motherly talk about treating ladies. In silence, Middy shifted to her prickly-but-dryly-amused- mode, and sat calmly down on the branch, balancing herself and the staff easily, eyeing the trapped couple almost idly.

"I wouldn't bleed for him if I was you", she told the yet unknown girl helpfully. "You'll need all of that blood for making your cheeks rosy red once he gets out of that... stuff... and resumes being his usual, charming self." She shifted her position slightly, still making no effort to get down and help them. "Besides, if that's the same stuff I found a badger stuck in some hour ago, it's not... well, not bloody likely your tricks work, at least before you bleed to death. And I am not going to be the one washing all that blood from your clothes, daddy dear", she continued cheerily.

Oh my, but this was a rather nice way of spending the night. Midara enjoyed sitting up there, though the dramatic effect of a silhouette against a moonlit sky would have been stronger, had it not been for the overtly keen eyes they both had been blessed with, accordingly to their elven blood. She was going to help them out, eventually. But for the time being, she only thrusted some escaped strands of the silky cloud of black hair behind her pointed ears and stared down at them. A damsel and a weasel. That rhymed.

"Oh, and as it doesn't look like you're on good terms with Tymora for the time being, daddy, I can assure you that she's smiling. Kind of toothily, though..."




Dev Saturday, June 28, 2003 - 04:53 pm

And the fair elf stuck in the white stuff with the thief? She was staring in shock at the new arrival, unwittingly changing her skin-color into a more reddish hue and her released wrist seemed to be spasmodically jerking, fingers balled into a fist.

She calmed herself down and managed to stop reaching for the knife up her sleeve. Then she started to analyse what she had just heard.

Daughter?

My. But she supposed it was only to be expected, considering who he was. She found the setting most amusing. And who was this Tymora?

She listened and shed blood, most of which seemed to be absorbed into the goo, making the whiteness turn into a pale rusty brown color which no longer clung to everything it touched.

She began to understand that it would be physically impossible for her to spread it all over with only one hand.

It would either require this... daughter of Sebastian to spread it for her, or a new spell.




Candy Saturday, June 28, 2003 - 08:51 pm

"Okay, if you really do want to bleed to death for him, I can only criticize your intelligence", she continued, still in a rather cheery tone. "Daddy's maybe used to all the sticky stuff, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't really like blood all that much." The muscular young lady stood up on the branch, balancing herself easily with the help of the staff. "Don't worry, though. It's not exactly wash'n'go, but close enough." With a wide grin, she made her way closer to the tree's trunk, obviously planning to get down. The poor badger. Sebastian didn't quite strike her as as innocent and helpless a being, so... he would be repaying for this in the form of listening to the endless taunts.

"But Lady Luck forbid, daddy - we're on a mission, and you're just... getting sticky. Please."




Wyldsong Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 05:19 pm

"Mother hen," Sebastian said, instantly reverting back to his perhaps overtly civilized drawl. The words did not come harshly, but rather, with some affection and loads and loads of twisted humour. Then, toward Shii, he spoke: "But as far as blood goes, she does present it well: I would rather not see it all around." Then came a pause. "But it does warm my heart you are going to help your own poor old frail father out of this sticky mess, dear... and of course the innocent young lady I have so ruthlessly trapped." (...he had that jesting tone again...) "Please? It is getting rather painful."




Dev Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 06:03 pm

The black-haired elf finally regained her ability to speak. "You can still feel something?" was her first comment, spoken unnecessarily sharply as she started to wriggle her released wrist around in the goo-turned-brownish, which had loosened it's grip.

She flipped her wrist unceremoniously back and made the blood from her fingertips sprinkle to be absorbed by the whiteness, turning it brown and unsticky.

"I have this under control, thank-you-very-much." She looked up with those brightly shining green eyes. "Unless you have a spell to rid this faster, I think my troubles should not go to waste."

"And hello, my name is Shii." The profusively bleeding person smiled charmingly.




Candy Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 06:22 pm

"Oh, I absolutely could not forgive myself if I left you there, daddy", she replied shortly, loosening her grip of the staff and letting gravity help it get down from the tree some distance from the gooey couple.

It took Midara little time to climb down herself. She was wearing a leather tunic atop a white shirt and brown pants, and her thick, black hair was tied up loosely in the back of her neck. (Quite magnificent hair it was, too - and she was more than proud.) The young sebbiespawn picked up her staff and walked to the sticky stuff, eyeing the elf's bloody hand and efforts with an unapproving grin. "Sure, you have that under control, Shii", she agreed, but in a tone that implied she believed none of it. "It's almost wash'n'go, whatever that stuff is. Tried it on the badger earlier." Half-smiling, she sat down on the ground and tilted her head.

"I do expect a 'thank you' for this later", she mumbled before she closed her eyes and started weaving a simple spell with her hands and voice that was supposed to give the two a cold shower. A few minutes later, cool rain came out of nowhere. It pouerd gently on the white goo, slowly but surely making it less sticky, hardening it like cement. In a while, it would be brittle enough to just break off.




Dev Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 06:39 pm

Maybe she should have used water? But, wait, she remembered now, as the substance started to harden around her. The more water, the harder it would get.

"Shoit!" she cursed as the pleasant rain started to get heavier. It felt like it would start pouring soon. She near-panicked, by the sound of her quick speech.

"Stop it! Stop it before it makes it into rock! Quick, mix my blood into... Darn it, anything!"

Oh dear, her hair would suffer from this. "My hair!!" she squeaked.




Wyldsong Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 06:43 pm

"Middy?" said Sebastian in a very suggestive tone, managing to stay calm a bit better - it was what experience brought you.

He pondered about that badger.




Candy Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 06:52 pm

The rain (which, by the way, was concentrated only above the couple, not spreading even far enough to wet Middy) did not seem to listen to the yelling. Midara stood up, frowning, backing away a little. "Oh dear", she mumbled and tried quickly to think of a way to make the water stop pouring. But there was no stopping the spell once it had been woven, at least not with her skills. It would go on as long as it pleased.

"Damn it!" she exlaimed, dropping the staff and kneeling by the two, trying to break the goo from around them before it hardened too much. This hadn't happened with the badger! What was wrong with it - and how come this elf knew exactly what happened to the stuff with water, had she maybe done this before? And what was happening with her hair?




Dev Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 07:08 pm

The good thing about being on the run from... practically everything... was that you learned to think quickly under stress. And the thought that she'd need to grow her hair all over again was most distressing - her priorities being as they were.

Her expression was practically manic, insanely so, as the thought invaded her mind. She tore her arm loose and flicked her wrist, making her blood spray again. Not very pleasant to the one practically standing above her.

"Blood! Let it rain blood!" And then she laughed as the spray from above changed color and substance. It was a most disturbing laughter.

Egad this had been tiresome. The elf slumped like she had no more strenght left and closed her eyes from the red assault.




Wyldsong Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 07:15 pm

Sebastian's eyes bulged, and before it was all a lovely disgusting mess he had the time to utter something about bloody laundry being very hard to get clean.

Tymora, Ehlonna, these women - and how they always do he damnedest things.

------


Morning saw the sun shine brightly down on the riverbank they had settled on. A fire to cook the fish (caught by none other than the bloody half-elf wearing almost nothing) and such. Sebastian had, very wisely indeed, left Shii's clothes for Midara to peel off while he had sat on a rock and tried with considerable effort to first clean his own clothes and then Shii's. His bed roll was now occupied by the elf, while Sebbie, dressed only in his own (wet) pants, put the laundry to dry on a string of wire tied to two trees.

He found this whole business a rather worrysome affair. He told himself for the umpteenth time as he sat down next to the fire that he shouldn't be so paranoid about it. But one began to believe there were no coincidences when one's patron was a somewhat fickle goddess... it was only everyone else who thought there were coincidences.

For the fifth time, he stopped braiding his hair and let it fall free again. Dammit. The woman and her hair. Oh, and then there was the less-than-half-elf... "Midara, I have told you for years that your face will get stuck in that expression if you keep at it for long enough," he said dryly.




Dev Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 09:03 pm

Upon closer inspection, her facial features were indeed elfin, but they seemed to go just a bit further in the delicate structure of the bones, the fair skin that seemed rather thin - she was almost fae-like. She was also very, very pale, since it had been her blood - even if strongly diluted - that had rained down on the three.

At least it had loosened the hardening substance from the unfortunate victims, allowing for easier escape.

Her clothes had been ordinary - a greyish brown tunic and brown trousers. The cloth was neither coarse or especially fine. There was a leather-metal contraption on her wrist, which held a sharp knife - it seemed to have some sort of spring system built to it.

Funny about her bag made of thick cloth was that it seemed full, but was empty when you looked into it. Enchanted, no doubt. Her belt held a tiny toy-like metal object, which turned out to be a miniature long-handled skillet. By excluding the handle, you could say it was a bit larger than the size of the palm of her hand.

The black dye had washed off her hair with all the dampness and it was now a rather matted version of something that could be defined as light gray, maybe silvery if it were completely clean.

"Nnngh?" She opened her eyes.




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 04:21 pm

Midara was, indeed, best described with wirds such as irate, grumpy and mopey. The rain of blood had been the absolute height of all this. She now had a nearly ruined leather tunic and the rest of her clothes were, after a good while of scrubbing, almost clean and drying. Reluctantly she had made the unconscious elf more comfortable, washing her and helping her to sleep - and after that, she had promptly helped herself to Shii's possessions. The bag had left her wondering and annoyed, but the rest - the knife, the skillet - she had confiscated.

Now, the lady was sitting near the fire, wearing nothing but a long white tunic, her long hair neatly braided. Every now and then she glanced at the sleeping elf... her hair. Where had she gotten that hair? Middy was, by now, too familiar with the ways of both her father and Lady Luck not to have suspected something.

And daddy...?

"Bugger off, dad, or your face will get some permanent changes made to it", she snapped. "You won't be such a ladies' man after that, now will you.... oh." The quiet moan from Shii caught her ear and attention, and slowly she stood up, glaring at her. "Good morning, and stay where you are", she said with an affected voice. The wench. She had some explaining to do.




Wyldsong Monday, June 30, 2003 - 04:46 pm

Sebastian, who had never really replied to his daughter's threats with a threat, gave a blasé shrug and gave Shii another long look. Seeing there was little he could do to appease Midara just yet, he remained quiet but didn't bugger off, instead sitting quite still after he got a blanket around himself.

Proelium
Four

Proelium: Co-Op Short Boards: Quest for Dinner: Story: Four



Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 04:57 pm

The sky looked... red for a moment before changing back into the more mundane blue, dotted with fluffy clouds. She blinked as she got the less-than-half-elf into her sight, her gaze unfocusing and focusing on the unexpected relative of Sebastian.

Stay where she was? Yeah, right. The pale elf sat up too fast and veered to left, before catching herself. She had the most terrible head-ache.

Blood. A rain of it. What had she been thinking? About her hair, actually, but... And what was up with her hand? She stared at the uncomfortable wrappings that had been applied to her self-inflicted wound.

Whoo... The overpowering dizzyness was starting to slowly fade.

"...Torromaas on a stick..." she mumbled half-heartedly.




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 05:12 pm

Middy walked closer, kneeling down on one knee and sighed. "Lie down, okay? And you owe me - for getting you washed, and especially for that trick you pulled. My clothes did not like it, nor did my hair", she grumbled, but unable to be truly angry at Shii. "Nor yours, as a matter of fact", she then pointed out, sitting down on the ground, eyes slit.

"You can start your explaining with what's up with the hair, yep, you can. What a mess, that color you had in it... and then you can move on to... everything else." She came across as rather irritated and demanding, yes, but not very threatening. She had a temperament, but being really mad at someone just for this...? Nah.




Wyldsong Monday, June 30, 2003 - 05:24 pm

Sebastian smirked behind Middy's back, but opted not to meddle just yet. Instead, he tossed a few more branches into the fire and listened without trying to mask his interest. He too was eager to hear what this was all about, possibly even more so than Middy. After all, he felt he should know more, considering that her appearance in general hinted very much. Well, enough for Middy to become bitchy, he pondered wryly.




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 05:27 pm

"It wasn't exactly something I was glad to do, messing everything with blood", she said, but got a sudden flash of herself laughing at the red rain. So far the also ignored the fact that her hair dye had obviously failed miserably. "It was my own innards, you know." She rubbed her temples, unfocusing and focusing again.

"We'd be still stuck. Or at least our hair would be." She almost laughed.

But wait, she's telling too much, making them think that it was indeed her spell (which it had been.) "I have a spell similar to it", she added swiftly, trying to move her fingers in their bindings.




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 05:37 pm

"I said, start with the hair", Middy suggested softly, in a tone that said she'd better do so. "I figured that out about it being your blood, you know, from how you played with blood earlier. And the obvious bloodloss." She spoke matter-of-factly, and happily ignored Sebastian.

"So, the hair? You had some specific reason to hide its silvery color in such a messy way, did you? And some specific reason to get stuck with daddy dearest in that goo, too?" She glanced over her shoulder to Sebbie, hoping that he'd shut up. For now. The hair was always a point of interest... Midara resembled her father more by her facial features, which usually was quite enough, though. Seeing the Foxes standing side by side, there could be no mistake about their being related.




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:02 pm

"What's so interesting about my hair, anyway?" she said with a distinct pout. "And he attacked me and got us both stuck", she reminded the culprit and tried to get him into her sight.

"I dye my hair so as not to be remembered as 'that silver-haired elf' in case something happens." She sounded very dry and formal as if her practice was a frequent formality.




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:12 pm

"Don't take it out on me, I can very well believe he did that", Midara replied with a snort. "He's dumb enough. It isn't about that, really... Shii, or whatever that was." She fingered her braid idly, opening it and running her fingers through the black hair. "And I do understand that, too. Is it because you don't want to get mixed up with daddy - or because you don't want people to draw some... conclusions, hmh?" She arched an eyebrow at her, waiting for an answer impatiently.




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:26 pm

Her gaze was steadier than before as she stared at the offspring.

"Look at me. Do I look like your father?" She indeed had little in common with the swashbuckler facially, if you didn't count the bright green eyes and the color of her hair... well, actually, she could be thought of as family to the rogue in that sense.

Her expression twisted the slightest bit. "My father was quite the look-a-like. Got him killed." That as-a-matter-of-fact tone of voice let the words flow out before she could stop them.

She was going to get up now, oh yes she was. Only now she realized that her clothes had been switched. "Where's my stuff?" she demanded.




Wyldsong Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:30 pm

Sebastian, who had been smiling, smirking and squinting throughout the conversation despite Middy's hurtful words, pointed upward at the clothes hanging from the wire. They were still dripping wet. As for the rest of the stuff, Sebastian just gave the campfire a very innocent look indeed. Not his fault Middy was like that.

However, with a chipper, unintimidated drawl, he asked: "Lovely. Who was he?"




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:42 pm

"Oh, what, you thought I was implying some relation?" she just asked, as if genuinely surprised and amused. She had yet to see silver-haired elves become common enough to stop being suspicious about them. Especially with this one. Tymora had a sense of humor, she was well aware.

She gave Sebbie a warning glance, letting him know that she still was irritated - it was quite obvious, she rarely resorted to outright insults, which she had just done. Then she turned back to the elf, half-smiling. "Your clothes are drying, and the rest you'll get back, too." Maybe. "so, your daddy was... who?"




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 06:52 pm

She found her strength again - well, some of it - and hobbled on her feet, seemingly unaffected - embarrassment wise - by the little she was wearing.

She looked at the only male party.

"He was the son of lady Ehlanea from the elven house of Roa in Apple Valley. He was born approximately two hundred and fifty years ago."

She performed a rather nasty smile. "He looked exactly like you, granpa."

This was giving her more sick pleasure than she had imagined.




Wyldsong Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:07 pm

Sebastian blinked, then froze. But what he did next was hardly a surprise for Midara, considering she had more than an inkling as to how the old rogue reacted to things like this.

There was a great tension in the air as he stared at the mischievous one, and in the end, looking a bit strange, he said: "Oh." Then he stared for a moment longer before shrugging. That said, he turned to the campfire and the kettle, opening his loot bag and producing a couple of small pouches, a metal container (brandy, undoubtedly) and some wooden cups. "Tea, either of you?" the half-elf asked, one eyebrow raised quizzically at both of them.




Candy Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:23 pm

At first, Middy just stared at Shii. then, very slowly, she turned to stare at Sebbie. Rather than amazed and shocked, she seemed to be devoid of hope with him. Now, this wasn't such a shock. It was almost to be expected that he had more offspring running around somewhere. And his reaction - well, no big surprise there, either. But...

"Daddy dear?" she called softly, standing up. She walked slowly to Sebastian and looked down at him, taller as she was of the two. "I can understand a son, or a daughter. No problem there, daddy. But..." Her hand clenched to a fist and she grimaced. "...the next time you decide to go and make me an aunt - think again."

Wiping the grimace off of her face, she attempted to smile, resisted the urge to slap him silly and turned to Shii. "Sit down, niece. Tea?"




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:41 pm

Well, that was a bit disappointing. He must be in shock, yeah.

The almost-silver-haired elf looked at the near-human and looked distant. She contemplated on the woman's age for a moment, pondering if the apparent agelessness was also inherited - and if so, could this woman be older than herself?

She decided to pretend that "sit down" had been a request. "Tea sounds great, thank you." And that charming smile accompanied her to the campfire.

She was indeed intrigued by the situation.




Wyldsong Monday, June 30, 2003 - 07:49 pm

Sebastian, having merely smiled distantly at Middy's threats, poured hot water into one of the cups. Didn't she give thought to the age differences between humans and elves, or the fact it wasn't exactly him who fathered Shii? Moreover, he wondered exactly why she was so edgy about having a niece. (Why, he was more concerned with something else.)

He handed the first cup to Middy, along with the two different pouches of different tea, then poured some for Shii. "Well," he finally drawled in a slightly different manner, "not quite what I expected." A pause. "Your father. Tell us about him. I am certain Midara wishes to hear about him as much as I do."




Dev Monday, June 30, 2003 - 08:04 pm

"Sure", granpa. She had been busy checking that all of her hair was indeed there and hadn't been torn off at any point.

"His name was Dolen. I say was, because he indeed faced his demise in the hands of someone who'd met or merely seen you somewhere." She didn't seem to be overtly sad about her father's demise, but she was neither glad. "Just a case of mistaken identity."

"The... favor of Lady Luck seemed to skip a generation there." She'd always wondered if the goddess was making up for neglecting her father.

"He was of course sent away from the court when he was born. I don't know much about him, since I was relatively young at the time."




Candy Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 05:44 pm

Midara sat down quietly, sipping her tea and stealing glances at both relatives in turns. Three generations of Foches... interesting, indeed. She couldn't help but wonder about age. She had never really asked how old Sebastian exactly was, and herself... well, seemingly in her twenties, but actually about thirty at the time, Midara had ceased aging shortly after meeting her father. How old was Shii, then? My, this could get confusing... her head hurt already.

"So, I had a brother somewhere. A half-brother, at least", she remarked quietly. "Elven. Near-elven. Whatever..." Her head really hurt. Daddy was half and half; she was near-human; Shii near-elven. Tymora forbid, why couldn't anything in this family be whole? "Relatively young? How old are you now, niece?" She dreaded the answer, but didn't let it show.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 06:09 pm

After pondering for a moment, she realized that the exact amount of years was unclear. She had been travelling for far too long to bother to count. Never in the same place for long or she'd start developing... well.

"I'm one hunded and fifty, give or take a decade", she mused, looking maybe even less than twenty years old, human wise. Though no-one in their right mind would think the fae-like elf as human. "He died young, not even a hundred years old I am told."




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 06:16 pm

Sebastian, in the process of spicing his share of tea with brandy, hummed as he thought. Though he was quiet again, this time he truly seemed quiet, as his expressions now did not portray what he thought or felt at the moment. His smile didn't say come on, laugh, you know you want to or anything else of that kind. No, he sipped his tea silently and stared at the fire, no longer giving the carefree impression so like him.




Candy Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 06:30 pm

Gods forbid, she's old enough to be my grand-grand-grand-grand-mother.... Middy wiped the slight shock from her face and attempted to smile half-heartedly. "My", she said. Gods forbid, should the wench still think that she was above her because of age... oh no. "I've still a generation on you", she mumbled very quietly.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 06:42 pm

Not quietly enough for her sharply pointed ears.

So - judging by the near-human's reaction - she was indeed more towards her apparent age than the fae-elf.

"As relations go, we're only half of anything. Aunt or no aunt, I won't take kindly any ordering around", she stated - surprisingly without any maliciousness or even humor.

"But, pray tell, how old are you then? I suppose there's no use asking for granpa's age." Granpa. Man, she loved that word, even though it sounded strange when used in context with an half-elf who looked pretty much her own age.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 06:51 pm

"...granpa is just as confused over his age as you are, pumpkin," he said, breaking his silence but not smiling. He sipped tea. No point in contributing to the conversation just yet.




Candy Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 07:02 pm

Midara laid down her half-empty cup and again, displayed that half-hearted smile. She could imagine it was hard calling Sebastian granpa - heck, it was sometimes difficul to call him daddy, with how young he looked.

The possibility of severe sibling rivalry - or aunt-niece rivalry, or... whatever... was quite strong at this point. The near-human, displaying her elven heritage mostly by her more delicate features and pointed ears, would not have admitted jealousy. She didn't feel it just now. But Shii had, in a way, intruded in their life. It couldn't be good, could it?

She contemplated a good while before answering. "One: my age isn't really a concern of yours, and two: half and half, true, but I do still have a generation on you. Don't go forgetting that, niece." Her tone wasn't malicious or mean, a bit harsh at the most. She attributed it to the shock.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 07:16 pm

She smiled unoffensively, unaffected.

"Sure you do. I'm not saying otherwise. But it doesn't change what I said."

Her mellow, matter-of-fact tone changed just a bit to the sterner. "Neither was my age yours, but I said it anyway. Maybe nothing else of my history is your business then."

She could just shut up and tell nothing. Sure, the violent-looking one would get mad, but the most she would do was bruising.

She was used to getting bruised. And cut.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 07:27 pm

Finally, the Parent had enough. "Will you two cut that out." Sebastian sighed and looked at the two of them wearily. "The both of you are behaving as if you knew nothing of courteous behaviour, and I tell you, if you are off to such a bad start... well. You make me very proud. Very proud indeed! As if I was not already very proud of having badly neglected offspring I knew nothing of prior to meeting them." Emerald eyes turned from one kid to the other. "Go on, keep at it. And after you are done, please come say hello - I shall be taking a swim."

And with that, he left his tea unfinished, rose and headed toward the water. Halfway there, his pants ended up on the sand.

Splash.




Candy Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 07:44 pm

Middy shot an annoyed glance at her father, but soon the expression melted into a blank smile. Right. She shouldn't be acting like a little child, now. However, she refused to act apologetically. It was Sebbie's own damn fault for charming ladies and failing to care afterwards. Had she ever minded? Well, yes, but not... seriously. Surely she had never been bitter about it. But she understood that it had to be a shock of some kind to him.

"Well", she said quietly, lips puckered and not looking at Shii at first. "You just made the perfect appearance, nothing else, niece." She shrugged and threw a sideways glance at her. "Daddy gets like that. I guess. But anyway... what are you doing in this forest in the first place?"

What the hell. Let's be friends then. Couldn't hurt, could it?




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 07:55 pm

Ghhh... Sudden friendliness. Suspicious. And what was with the deceptively young grand-parent? And... well. The fae-elf stood up and smiled, stretching like a drowsy cat. "Trying to make my fortune, nothing else. I'm apparently after the same prize as you two are."

"I'll be right back." And then, before she could be stopped, she turned around and headed for the waterfront in swift, light steps.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 08:26 pm

Sebastian broke the surface and shook his hair out of his face, staring toward the other side of the river. The half-elf turned, then, and laid his eyes upon Shii. "...I do hope you two made up instead of making a bitchy comment about how that was the other's fault," he commented, not ready to accept that they had talked it over that quickly.

Unabashed, the pale half-elf swam a bit to the side, staring at the sky.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 08:36 pm

"No comments of spite were uttered." She gazed at the water and remembered the state of her hair. She most certainly needed a more thorough bath. She also only had a long shirt - not hers - on, so she slipped in the water with it on, trying thus to develop a sense of modesty she normally didn't bother herself with.

The fae-elf held her breath for a while underwater and tried to organize her hair a bit. When surfaced again, the hair looked a bit more silvery and less mottled-gray.

"I apologize for being so blunt about Dolen's death", she said, searching for the half-elf's gaze with her own. "Even though you never met him, he was still your offspring." She had an annoying habit of being blunt even when trying not to. She was probably the most straight-forward of the Fochs family by nature.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 08:44 pm

Sebastian's face was still strangely unreadable as he searched for the correct words to use, swimming still. "I appreciated the bluntness. I honestly did. I am not offended, merely... wan, and I suspect you know why. As you put it: though I never met him..." he kicked a few times, moving backwards, "...he was still part of my blood."

The half-elf then looked toward Midara, frowning in a contemplative and somewhat morose manner. "I hope, Shii, that you and Midara can at least be civil. I never had real parents - if I have a litter, I would like them to be lovable."

He dived, surfacing some fifteen feet away.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 08:57 pm

She hated swimming and wasn't very good at it. That's why she didn't follow him instantly and merely paddled in one place, searching for a place where to secure her feet and soaking the last of the dye out of her hair.

Real parents? Oh, she'd known both of them and hoped that she'd never have met her mother - after being birthed that is. "Real parents" was a relative subject.

Sure, she'd had plenty advice from her mother. Mostly unpleasant at that, but advice nevertheless.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 09:05 pm

He wiped his face and blinked a few times before looking at her again. While the Hat couldn't come up with anything constructive or even small talk-ish to say at the moment, he did have something going on in his mind. The problem was, he wasn't too sure if he knew what it was. Finally, he got it: "What will you do after this?"




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 09:14 pm

She smiled mildly - after finding a solid footing - and replied: "Why, that depends. I'll either land on a new job after it or wander around 'till I find something else to do." Spent the money luck provided her and found new sources of wealth.

"Never stay at one point, never settle down..." she mused, not half of her annoyance towards the fact showing. She had no choice in the matter and the fae-elf accepted it grudginly.

After all, she'd been doing it for decades now.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 09:26 pm

"It tends to run in the family as well," admitted Sebastian softly, swimming to sit on an underwater rock. He was up to his ribs in the water, there. "Well, what you do is up to you," he said and pulled his other knee against his chest, then hugged it. There was clearly something left unsaid.




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 09:38 pm

Yes, on his side. The other side then... Well, extremely territorial. It created a most interesting and distressing conflict emotionally.

"Are we doing the plunder three-wise?" It would create difficulties were they to attemt it separately. Come to think of it, co-operation in general might get out of hand as well.




Wyldsong Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 09:51 pm

"I think we should," he answered, not even flinching even though the thought had not yet occurred to him. At the moment Sebastian didn't give a tinker's damn about the chickens or the prize or whatever - some things just overrode something. "Well. But we should not worry about that for a while." He didn't feel like it, that was what he meant. "First of all, you still need rest. Secondly, I need some myself."




Dev Tuesday, July 1, 2003 - 10:03 pm

The fae-elf on the other hand didn't let this non-coincidence get into the way of practical thought - which was basically money and how to perform the trickery to get it.

She had vague memories of her father, but the face she saw now over the surface of the water was indeed very familiar when she came to think of it. Maybe the shoddy memory was just being replaced by the newer version, maybe not, but she was exceedingly certain that her father had indeed looked exactly like his father, her grand-parent.

"The werebeasts and their stolen flock are a few miles off", she revealed. "They've settled into a cabin, don't know for how long - when they'll take flight again."




Wyldsong Wednesday, July 2, 2003 - 11:01 am

Now, there were a few things in the world that were essentially basic truths and could always be relied upon. Firstly, Lady Luck was horribly fickle. Secondly, nobody could resist strawberries. Thirdly, the Hat was very quick to change his mind about something, possibly because the rate at which the cogs inside his head turned was frightfully fast on some days.

"Alright," he said, looking faintly disgruntled like a princess who was not allowed to have her beauty sleep, "then I suppose we shall feed ourselves and strike. Sound good?"

He left unsaid the fact that he still had only a basketful of ideas instead of a single, complete plan. That was the way he worked, anyway.




Dev Wednesday, July 2, 2003 - 11:36 am

"We should sneak upon them at night when they sleep - or... They won't be expecting anything in their waking hours." Oh yes, she had extorted as much information as she could from the pre-privy-bound messenger.

Proelium
Five

Proelium: Co-Op Short Boards: Quest for Dinner: Story: Five


Wyldsong Wednesday, July 2, 2003 - 06:09 pm

"Well, whichever - they both suit me fine," said Sebastian and got off the rock. He still seemed preoccupied by his thoughts. "Come fetch food when you are done."