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Topics - DragonSong

#1
Niahi Woods / All Creatures Great and Small
December 20, 2023, 11:17:56 AM
@MadEmperor



"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Krysta giggled and spun on the end of her branch to look back at Galon and Brix. "Of course it's not," she pointed out with a grin. "That's what makes it fun."

The other two young pixies had quite different reactions to this concept. Galon swallowed nervously, but Brix beamed and fluttered up to join Krysta at the end of the branch. "If we get caught, we are blaming you," she informed the princess.

Krysta chuckled and nodded. "Oh, of course. Now shush, the guard change is in three minutes."

Sneaking out passed the castle guards was never particularly difficult; in fact, since she'd come of age, the Crown Princess of Dreamhaven had actually entered into a sort of unspoken understanding with half the royal guard that--as long as she didn't cause too much trouble--they would turn a blind eye.

But the guards at the edge of Dreamhaven itself were another matter entirely. Pixies weren't forbidden from leaving the magical barrier that surrounded their queendom, but it wasn't exactly encouraged either. And Krysta was definitely not allowed to do so.

So rather than going through, the current plan was to go over.



"That was too close."

Brix huffed and put an arm around Galon's waist, pulling her beau in to peck his cheek. "It was fine."

"That hawk nearly had you!"

"It did not." Brix rolled her eyes. "It didn't even see us."

"It dove!"

"For a rabbit!"

Krysta smiled a bit to herself as she listened to her friends bicker. Brix and Galon were always around for one of her larks, and she had to love them for it. Of course, she would never try to lead them into something actually dangerous--

"What is that?"

"For goodness' sake, Galon!" Brix exclaimed. "Stop worrying--"

"No. I heard something too," Krysta cut her off. She paused in her flight path, fluttering above the undergrowth of the forest. They hadn't gotten too far from the border of Dreamhaven, but even this close one could see the difference: more of the evergreen trees native to the area, a chiller early spring breeze, less some creatures roaming about this close to dark.

The sound came again, a low moaning noise that almost echoed in a way that indicated it came from quite a large creature.

"...What is that?" Brix whispered. Krysta glanced back to see she and Galon had shrunk back beneath the broad leaves of a fern.

She smiled at them, hoping to portray a confidence she suddenly didn't feel. "No idea. I'll go check it out, you two wait here."

"Krysta--"

"We can't just--"

"Wait. Here." She said it gently, but firmly, brooking no argument. "If I'm not back in five minutes, head back to Dreamhaven and alert the guard."

Ignoring their protests, she fluttered up and turned in place in the air. AS the sun continued to set, the faint shimmer from her wings became a soft glow, giving her a gently halo of pale light as she bobbed through the air toward where she'd heard that strange noise.

Not far from where she'd left her friends, she found the large mouth of a hollow. It wasn't quite a cave, exactly, formed mostly from an overhang in the earth and a leaning pine tree whose roots had grown downward in a sort of curtain around it. And there was something inside it.

Something big.

Krysta lit on one of the arched roots near the entrance, peering into the darkness as she tried to make out the shape of the massive shadow within. Her wings fluttered nervously, increasing the glow around her hand-span sized body.
#2
Uthlyn / It's Not Me, It's You
December 17, 2023, 10:12:24 AM
@MorningStar


It was strange to be arriving at the fairgrounds with everything already in place. Since joining the Cirque du Fantasma seven years ago, Mira had been a part of every set up and takedown, each and every time they moved locations.

Of course, she hadn't been imprisoned during any of those moves either. Well, not for longer than a few hours--and that was one time. Some towns just got tetchy about necromancy, even when all she offered as a service was mediumship.

Still, if it hadn't been for those kids... Well.

Truly and thoroughly exhausted, Mira shook off the feeling of being a stranger in her own home as she approached her tent--Vis had made sure it got set up where it always was among the vendors' tents, bless him--and stumbled inside. It was well passed midnight, and even her fellow carnival workers were mostly turned in; only the Ringmaster himself had been awake enough to greet her when she returned, and he'd acknowledged her fatigue by simply pointing toward her tent and urging her to get some sleep before she had to explain anything.

She was pretty sure the man was some sort of demon prince, but he was also a bloody angel.

Her tent looked the same as it always did: low lighting from the bobbing magelights floating near the ceiling, her seance table set up in the center of the space, a few necromantic charms strung up around the borders of the main "room", and a thick, red curtain dividing her work space from her living space.

She she trudged toward that curtain, she didn't think to check her usual protective charms and barrier spells--they were always part of the set-up of her tent, Vis knew the routine, and she made sure to refresh the magic fueling them once a month at the full moon.

In her current state, it didn't occur to her that she had missed this passed full moon, what with being locked in a dungeon and all. And though Viserion knew how to place her charms, he couldn't actually recharge them. He probably hadn't even noticed they needed to be recharged.

With a low groan, Ifamira Blighte shuffled toward her sleeping cot--blessedly piled high with silken pillows and thick blankets--and collapsed onto it fully clothed. She only barely bothered to kick off her boots, hearing them thump somewhere on the other side of the small space as she burrowed into her soft, warm, nest.

"I'm not getting up for a damned week," she informed her pillows with a contented sigh.
#3
Sirantil Valley / Mirror, Mirror
October 27, 2023, 09:29:36 AM
@MadEmperor

[Continued from here]



With Kit pushing himself, just a bit, the dragon and two riders made it to the Connlaothian border in a little over a day. Kit insisted on flying partway through the night to get them to the edge of Vythe before finally setting down--Kiara only agreed because the dragon aptly pointed out that with their dreaming selves now more "linked", their timeframes seemed to have settled more accurately against each other.

Meaning they only had a few days before Dan and the other Kiara would reach his estate. And that was only because their Kit still had an injured wing and couldn't fly for long stretches.

"I really wish we had more time to gather intel," Kiara muttered as she paced around their camp, uselessly arranging and rearranging a pile of firewood. "We only know what this place is like from their world, not ours."
#4
Arca / Two's Company
October 11, 2023, 06:26:32 AM
@MadEmperor

[Continued from here]



"I do not have stage fright," Hana was protesting indignantly. She skipped over a rock in their path and turned back to pout at her companion, arms folded. "I just...don't sing in front of people."

The little dirt road they were walking wound around the outskirts of the southern edge of Arca, so they could see the city in the middle distance, but the land around them was actually rather lush and almost wild. They were getting close to Tobin's cottage.

Walking backward, the kitsune continued, "One time--one time--I recognize the song you're playing and sing along. Doesn't suddenly make me a bard!" Despite the theatrically irritated tone, she was grinning at Thrax.

She couldn't help herself. This was the longest she'd been with...well, anyone. Not even with them, the way she and Thrax were, just...traveling together. It was certainly the first time she'd brought someone back to meet Tobin, and she found that--that she actually quite liked it. The familiarity of it; something solid and unchanging even though the world changed around them as they traveled.

It was nice.

#5
Reajh / Are You Calling Me a Sinner? [M]
October 09, 2023, 09:57:32 AM
@wandering_giraffe

[M for heavy themes/probably eventual Demonic Horror Stuff]



Ilia had only been to the capital twice before. Once as a very young child, on a trip that her father had referred to as "business", which she did not remember particularly well. And then again just two years ago, to attend a ball during her first official season "out" in Connlaothian society.

The buildings were certainly beautiful, no one could deny that. But she thought she rather preferred the sprawling grounds of their manor back in Uthlyn, where there were a few hidden spots that a person could stand in and pretend for a few moments that they weren't in a city at all.

But she wasn't here to judge aesthetics; she was on a mission.

The mansion she was looking for was not difficult to spot. It seemed her quarry was not overly concerned with anonymity. The problem would be getting inside. She had a calling card, but she knew she would hardly be expected.

Still, acting as though you belonged in a place could open a great many doors, she had learned. So she patted her thigh and called, "Come, Twyla," as she strode confidently up the long drive to the large, imposing doors. Her little cat mewed a protest, but abandoned her exploration of the shrubbery that lined the walkway and came scampering after her.

Ilia cleared her throat when she finally reached the doors, brushing one hand down the front of her skirts and reaching up to pat at her hair, making sure she looked every bit the young noblewoman she was meant to be, before she reached out to clap the massive iron knocker against the wood twice.

"Hello? Is there a Master Blackthorn in? I'd like an audience, please, if he's available."
#6
Ketra / I Know You...
September 30, 2023, 12:15:20 PM
@MadEmperor



Nani had thought that the most difficult part of leaving home would be the actual leaving. And yes, those first few steps onto the deck of a ship had been a strange combination of exhilarating and agonizing--even with her mentor at her back, telling her she was making the right choice, a part of her couldn't help feeling like maybe, just maybe, she was in fact making a horrible mistake instead.

But that had been a little over three months ago, and honestly? She would have given quite a lot to be back thinking that that was going to be the worst of it.

The mainland was so crowded! Granted, that might have had more to do with the densely clustered port town where she'd landed than with the mainland in general, but she had seen very little in her travels since then to disabuse her of the notion. First she'd joined up with a trade caravan heading from the coast inland, toward Ketra--and of course that too had been crowded, dozens of strangers camping in close proximity. Most, if not all, of them had obviously not met a Yoreiqi before; she'd spent a majority of those weeks feeling stares that ranged from curious to awed to hostile constantly on her back. Or, perhaps more likely, on her wings.

And then the city itself: noise noise noise, people people people. So many people, and yet somehow none of them were the one she was looking for.

Because that was why she had come here, why she had left everything and everyone she'd ever known an ocean away. She was looking for someone...she just wasn't sure  who.

I'll know when I find them. She repeated the mantra to herself as she walked. It was what her mentor had told her, when her dreams became to frequent to ignore and they finally decided she needed to follow the pull where it led. I'll know when I find them...

The current stretch of land she was passing through was at least less stifling than most of her experiences on the mainland had been thus far. She thought it was farmland of some kind--she'd passed a field a few miles back boasting some sort of shaggy, hoofed animals kept penned together, and the one on her right now was clearly growing a crop, albeit one she didn't recognize. She thought it might be a grain of some kind.

"I'll know when I find them," she sighed aloud to herself, stopping in the middle of the thin dirt road. Because finding them would have to wait--she was exhausted, and sunset was coming on fast. She needed to find a place to rest for the night.

There was a small house in the distance. Probably the home of whoever owned this particular field. Hoping the farmer in question would be willing to barter for a night of shelter, she squared her shoulders, fluffed her wings, and set off again with a bit more purpose in her step.
#7
Kilanthro Mountains / The Family Business [M]
September 25, 2023, 11:49:16 AM
@MadEmperor

[M for probable violence]



It had been over three weeks since the attack on the Blackpaw and Longfang packs, and the Howlers still hadn't settled on a course of action. There were two main factions in the group: one wanted to reinforce their stronghold in the mountains, such as it were, and prepare for the next possible attack. The other wanted to take the fight down out of the mountains and ensure that there wasn't a next attack.

Of course, there were dozens of ideas about just how each of these goals could be accomplished, but first they had to actually pick one.

That was Aeris's job, and Shyla couldn't say she envied it. Her foster brother had been trained to take his place as their pack leader since he was a child, and she whole-heartedly believed in his ability to make the right decision--but that didn't mean she thought it was easy. He had to manage both the safety and the expectations of just about every member of their family.

Well. All the ones who were left, anyway.

"You're going to call for recon, aren't you?" she asked in the wolfman's direction, not taking her attention off of the task in front of her--which in this moment was using a mortar and pestle to blend a poultice of feverfew and a sharp-smelling mountain berry called frostfell. Technically, she could have been doing this anywhere, but she'd made up some excuse as to why she needed to be in Aeris's  command tent while she did. "Felan said they lost track of the zealots near the base of the mountain--we need more information."
#8
Absences/Returns / An Apology
June 08, 2023, 08:02:00 PM
Heeeeeeeey everybody... 😅

So yeah, I've not been very good about getting posts up the last couple months, and I wanted to apologize about that. There's not really one particular reason—there was a cross-country move, the loss of a childhood pet, work Bad, school Stressful, just lots of things happening at once.

There is some light on the horizon though as I'm moving to part-time work while I finish up my degree, so hopefully once that goes into effect in the next few weeks I'll have more writing energy!!

Thank you all so much for bearing with me, I hope to be getting more posts out soon! 😊

#9
La'marri / Anxious Pet Parent (PVersusNP)
April 20, 2023, 04:23:33 PM
@PVersusNP



Of all the things that Caliope disliked about being acknowledged as the "mainland expert" on teacup dragons was that she was not, in fact, an expert. Oh, she did her best, of course: read every piece of literature even remotely related to the little creatures, fed them, played with them, kept them in a safe, warm home until they were ready to be adopted out into the world--and then only ever to people whom she had thoroughly vetted. She knew she wasn't the only way drakarys micro were spreading through the mainland--in fact, she doubted she even made up a real percentage, when it came down to it--but she honestly didn't want any part of the whole process.

She just hadn't been able to stop herself from buying that first shipment of hatchlings off a trader she wouldn't have trusted to show the animals proper care and consideration, and then, well...Then she had a dozen tiny dragons in her house, and not one single idea of how to care for them. So she'd learned. It had been a blow when she learned that they were so young when they came to her that they would likely not survive in the wild on their own--they simply hadn't learned how. And then more traders had come through with more dragons, and no one else who knew how properly care for them, and...well, things sort of spiraled. She had to start adopting them out if she wanted any space in her own home! Never mind the fact that she'd written no less then five entreaties to the sea-traders guild begging them to stop the trade of teacup dragons; there were plenty enough on the mainland now to be getting on with, thank you, and no one but her seemed to be putting any effort in learning how to help them adapt to a new environment!

So when she ran into a problem, what she got was, "You're the expert, you do something."
 
"If I had the coin for it, I'd be starting an expedition to buy up every last hatchling those poachers take and get you all back to Yoreiq," she told the tiny bundle in her arms as she hurried briskly down the wooded path. The dragon she held--a juvenile she'd taken to calling Meeka--peeped tiredly at her. She bit her lip and adjusted his blanket as she quickened her pace. "This is just the sort of thing I keep telling people is bound to happen," she muttered. "Of course draconic resilience makes you hardy little things, but there's always going to be a flu or--or something that sneaks in, and--"

Meeka sneezed a small puff of sparks and she held him a little tighter. She'd dealt with sick animals before--but never a teacup dragon. And when her usual go-to's for a cold hadn't seemed to have any effect, she'd gotten frazzled enough to visit her local healer.

That had been a fun trip: more "You're the expert, Caliope, don't you know?" until she wanted to scream. Eventually, though, the condescending old bat had told her of the alchemist and apothecary who she sometimes did business with just outside of town. Cali had never actually had occasion to meet the man herself, but she was vaguely aware of his existance.

She just had to hope he would be able to help her with a tiny, sick dragon.

Once she actually caught sight of the cottage, her stride moved from a "hurried walk" to an "outright trot", and she was reaching out with one hand to knock quickly before she'd even fully scaled the front stoop.

"Hello? Hello, is anyone in? I--I need some help..."
#10
Draconi Forest / Lost Fledgling [MadEmperor]
April 08, 2023, 01:47:47 PM
@MadEmperor


Lenore had been gone for a long while; that in and of itself wasn't so unusual, the raven was a free spirit—even by bird standards—but she had indicated that she would be back at the nest by sundown.

"Maybe I should try to find her," Lanaya mused aloud, frowning out the window of her little treetop home. Norn, perched on a twisting branch above her, clucked softly.

"I know she can take care of herself," the witch sighed, getting to her feet. "But it's not like her to be late. Not when she gave us a time she'd be home." She pursed her lips, then nodded to herself briskly. "I'm going to look for her. If I'm not back in two hours—"

Before she could finish the sentence, the cacophony of a full murder of birds rose from just beyond the glade where her home tree grew. She caught a familiar outline rising above the trees, and...a stranger. A bird she didn't recognize. A juvenile crow, though it was difficult to tell at this distance. Lenore seemed to be trying to lead the youngster from the rest of the flock, who were clearly quite unhappy with the other two birds.
#11
Kilanthro Mountains / A New Adventure
March 21, 2023, 04:42:08 PM
@MadEmperor

[Continued from here]



Returning to the pack was always an affair; the teasing and hugs from her siblings, the worrying and pride from her parents, the pestering and joyful giggling from her nieces and nephews. She had left home and returned to it so many times, and yet each time it is like she is being welcomed back into the loving arms of her family as though she had never gone at all.

This time, in particular, had a flavor to it, an anticipation and excitement. Instead of any of her blood siblings, it was Nora who was the first to greet them as River and Kahroan make their way higher and higher into the mountains. She soared above them in her snowhawk form, giving a sharp cry to alert them to her presence.

River tipped her head back and shaded her eyes, then smiled. She touched her mate's shoulder and pointed, waving to the bird with her other hand.

"They must have got my letter," she chuckled quietly. "They've been keeping an eye out for us."
#12
Ketra / As Above, So Below [Blue!!]
March 18, 2023, 06:28:05 PM
@Blue



"C'mon, boy, don't do this to me," Aya pleaded.

Darkmoon tossed his head and planted his cloven hooves pointedly, refusing to budge an inch as the stable hand leaned back hard on his lead rope. "Oh, you ox-fucker," Aya growled at him, glaring. He just blinked placidly.

"Look, I know you don't want the bath, but you're coated in mud," she tried to reason with the draquus rather than use brute force--despite how previous experience had indicated that wasn't likely to work any better. "What if I sneak you some venison tomorrow?"

That piqued his interest; she felt his curiosity at the word "venison", her beastspeaking gift allowing him to understand her intent even though she spoke aloud in Common. Technically her employer, and the man who paid him to board Darkmoon, didn't allow the dragon-horse to have meat more than twice a week--despite Aya pointing out more than once that proper care for a draquus required a well-rounded diet. But keeping meat as an incentive for training was a powerful tool, and she was under strict orders to maintain that structure.

Of course, sometimes "strict orders" were stupid, and she didn't feel too bad ignoring them.

Besides, the promised bribe seemed to have done the trick. Darkmoon perked his ears forward and took a step toward her, allowing the lead rope to slacken fractionally.

"Thank you." She took another step back and he followed. "Good boy. C'mon, let's get you to--"

A sudden clatter rose from the feed shed, like the sound of a stack of barrels falling loose, followed by a yowl as a startled barn cat came streaking out of the shed and tore off in the direction of the main stables. Aya whipped her head toward the noise and Darkmoon hopped into a half rear, whickering lowly in startled concern.

"What in the bleeding hells was that?" Aya muttered. She gave her--not, not hers, never hers--horse a firm look and looped his lead around the brace post of the paddock fence. "You're not getting out of that bath," she warned him, "I'll be right back."

Ignoring his smug look, she turned and jogged toward the feed shed, sure that whatever she found, she was going to have to clean it up.
#13
Serha Plains / Battling Demons [M]
March 16, 2023, 04:52:51 PM
[continued from here]

(M for probable gore/body horror)

@MadEmperor



It had taken her the better part of three weeks to track down rumors of a gnoll clan who bellowed "Poisonclaw" as their battle cry, and all the while she had been lapping up any scraps of information about a particular gnoll in specific: one seen with a strange ax strapped across his back, though most who had glimpsed him claimed that he had been more concerned with using a wickedly curved sword that he carried.

But one gnoll was harder to find than a handful dozen; she'd gotten vague directions from a merchant caravan at the edge of the plains two days ago and been following the lead ever since.

Squatting in front of the small fire she'd made, Hanako sighed and let her head roll from side to side. "Where are you, party boy?" she muttered, as though the flames might actually answer. She knew a fire was a bit of a risk out in open grasslands, but she had it well contained--and she'd douse the thing before she slept.

For now, she sat in front of the flickering warmth and folded her tails into her lap, tipping her head back to look up at the open sky. She didn't know where Thrax was, how far gone he might be if--when--she found.

But she was determined to find him all the same.
#14
Zantaric / Underbelly of the World [MadEmperor]
March 11, 2023, 07:57:59 AM
@MadEmperor

[Continued from here]



Even traveling by dragon, it took the better part of two weeks to reach Zantaric. Over that time, River slowly adjusted to the idea that she was pregnant--the start of the morning sickness certainly solidified things--and found herself growing gradually closer to their traveling companions.

As Kahroan had aptly pointed out, despite being grown-ass adults, Thrax and Hana were surprisingly good parenting practice.

"We should set down outside the city," Hana called as Zantaric came into view from the air. "And I'd try to keep your dragon side hidden as much as possible, Kahroan. Gods know there's plenty of poachers who'd be more than happy to harvest some dragon bits in this place."
#15
Ketra / A Draconic Study [MadEmperor]
February 22, 2023, 04:56:37 PM
@MadEmperor

Continued from here



River raised a hand to hail the approaching dragons as she and Kahroan came in for a landing. As they got closer, she realized that two of the smaller beasts--though "smaller" was truly a relative term--bore riders, while the third did not. Both dragonriders wore the typical half-plate of the Adelan military.

Raising her voice, she called, "We're setting down! We don't want any trouble!" Lowering her voice a bit, she added for Kahroan, "You getting anything from those other dragons?"
#16
Hiya! Been a while since I wrote up a new plotting post, so fingers crossed lol.

I've got a recently-graduated Wyrdwood student, Kaylee, who has decided not to return to her mistress and be a slave again; instead, she'd getting herself hired as a governess in a place she's pretty sure her ex-mistress would never think to look for her--Connlaoth.

Hopefully this will just be a temporary thing for her (or at least that's her plan)...but in the meantime, who wants to deal with some Mary Poppins shenaniganry???

The ideal family would be Connlaothian minor nobility/wealthy merchant class with either too many kids for the current staff to handle or one particularly Obstinate(TM) that these Respectable Parents feel needs a personal governess--or some combination therein.

#17
Sirantil Valley / Imprisoned Spirit [MadEmperor]
February 15, 2023, 01:59:27 PM
@MadEmperor



Marvelous Mortimer's Mysterious Menagerie was sold to its Connloathian patrons as the traveling home of dozens of exotic--and often intriguingly dangerous--animals. And of course they were just animals, because while mages were a delicate subject at the best of times in any of the duchies, magical creatures could often be sold to the populace as pure spectacle. The people could gawk at a glowing deerfox without fear of retribution from the church.

This was why Ghost had not taken the shape she'd been born in for the last six weeks. When the hunters had caught her in the form of a snowy white doe, they had thought her simply a moderate prize--albinism was eye-catching enough to hold some audience members' attention briefly, so she might be worth a few coins in the show. For a while.

After a week in the Menagerie, she had made her first mistake; there had been a moment, just the briefest chance at escape, and in her desperation she'd taken it. She had shifted from deer to dove and darted through the narrow opening of the door to her netted cage when the caretaker they'd assigned to her cluster of wagons had cracked it to slide her food in. Of course, she didn't get far. Mortimer himself had downed her with a surprisingly accurate shot from a sling.

And just like that, she went from being a mildly entertaining, edge-of-the-show sort of attraction to one of their main "stars". Her cage was moved to the center of the caravan when they moved, along with an ashen gray dire bear, a scrawny lion from the Serha plains, and a single, tiny cage which hung near the tent entrance and was the home of a listless, dull-plummaged teacup dragon.

Her second mistake came three weeks after they'd moved her place in the menagerie. She'd been poked and prodded and gaped at and called a cursed thing, a wretched creature, a marvel, a gift, a monster, a demon, a spirit, and she'd borne it all in silence.

But she was tired, just so, so tired. So when a group of visitors to the menagerie were tramped through the tent and they came to her cage, when her "caretaker" gave her a little poke with his long, thin walking stick to get her to change shape, she slid from raven to lion--she'd learned the shape from her time in this place--and tried to lash out at him.

That only earned her a solid beating and a week out of the eye of the public. A respite that she only had so that by the time she was out in front of people again, her wounds had mostly healed.

So there she was, a new town, a new cluster of gawking fools every day, and her just laying listlessly on the bottom of her cage, once again in the form of a pure white doe. A living ghost.
#18
Kilanthro Mountains / Homecomings [MadEmperor] [M]
February 09, 2023, 12:03:23 PM
@MadEmperor

[Continued from here

"M" for minor discussions of previous abuse]



It only took about a day to get from the foothills into the mountains proper, but even with just that day of travel the change in the land was palpable. The trees grew hardier, the ground rockier, even the scrubbrush was tough and clinging as opposed to the deep, leafy ferns of Serendipity or even most of Connlaoth. A wind was blowing in from the north, carrying the chill and scent of the tundra with it.

Home.

River was practically a pup again, constantly darting off the path to sniff at game trails or particularly interesting plants, romping about through the evergreens and occasionally circling back around so she could play-stalk Kahroan along the trail. It had become something of a personal challenge to her, to see how close she could get to the dragonman before he recognized her presence.

She never got too close--dragons were fairly difficult to sneak up on.
#19
Arca / A Matter for Magic [MadEmperor, Imperfect_M]
February 07, 2023, 04:44:23 PM
@MadEmperor @Imperfect_M

[Continued from here]



It was well passed noon by the time the maid who had brought their tea came into the parlor to inform Grav and Kiara that Lord and Lady Hallis had located an alchemist in the city who may be able to assist them.

"She's being escorted here," she explained, "should be due at the front door within the hour. Lord Hallis will introduce you when she arrives."

As she ducked her head and scurried back out, Kiara gave a low sigh of relief and shot Grav a quick smile. "Thank gods. Shouldn't be too much longer now and someone will be able to take a proper look at you."

The parlor they were seated in had a wide window along one wall that allowed them to see out onto the lane that led up to the townhouse's front door, and Kiara shifted a bit on the chaise to try to get a better view, one leg jiggling anxiously as they waited.
#20
Serendipity FBs / From Dawn [spice!]
January 29, 2023, 07:53:31 AM
[@visualspice]


Ten years ago...


The sea was magnificent.

"How did it take me so long to see this?" Dusk murmured to herself as she simply stood and stared in wonder at the seemingly endless stretch of blue-gray-green that rolled away to the horizon. She liked to think she had seen quite a few wonderous things since she left La'marri two years ago, both magical and entirely mundane. But this...

There was really nothing like it.

She could have stood and stared for the rest of the day--for several days, if she was being honest--were it not for the insistent reminder from her stomach that she hadn't actually eaten since early that morning, and she'd spent the day on the road. The fishing village that had been her goal when she set out around dawn was within sight--there wasn't much foot traffic, but she could see a few dinghies out in the water, and some people milling about between the buildings.

Hopefully she had enough coin on her for a meal and a place to sleep...

"Excuse me?" She tried to catch the attention of the nearest person who didn't seem actively engaged in something else. "Um, p-pardon, but do you have a moment?"

The fisherman barely glanced up from the knife he was using to clean under his nails. "Eh?"

She summoned up her friendliest smile. "Hello! I, ah, I'm n-not from around here, I was wondering, could you t-tell me where I might find a meal?"

He jerked his head toward one of the larger buildings set further back from the shoreline. "Tavern's that way. Might even got rooms, if you've coin."

"Thank you very much!" She smiled again, hovering awkwardly for a moment. When the man just gave her a grunt and a nod, she took that as a dismissal and hurried away toward the tavern he had indicated. She was starving, and the idea of a bowl of fresh food--anything she hadn't had to forage for herself--was near blissful. She was so wrapped up in the idea of it that she almost missed the voice coming from the narrow alley just behind the tavern.

Almost.

"I told ya, I don't have it."

She froze. That--that sounded like trouble. Oh dear. She hesitated, unsure what she should do--her ambient sense of emotions roiled uncomfortably, telling her there was a lot of anger and fear in closer proximity.

"You pay for the goods you got, that's all I can do," the voice continued.

"That ain't good enough," a new voice snarled, and Dusk actually shivered at the sound. She looked around, wide-eyed, unsure what to do. Should she tell someone? This was--

"Oi!"

The new voice was suddenly directed at her. She froze, eyes blown even wider, and just stared as a figure detached itself from the wall of the alley and started toward her. "You evesdroppin', stranger?"

"N-n-n-no." She took a step back. She hadn't even realized she'd moved closer to the voices when she first heard them--damnit, she'd gotten caught up in the emotional aura. "S-sorry, I'll just--"

"Oh, no you don't, girlie." The second voice was suddenly behind her. She yelped and whirled around to see a man nearly two heads taller than her looming, hand moving toward a sheath at his hip. Oh dear. "Just what did you hear?"

"N-n-n-noth--"

"Bullshit."

She swallowed, eyes darting around frantically. Without her even realizing, the two men had backed her into the alley. She was trapped.