The addition of the ribbon makes Maddy happy. She catches Matty's eye roll out of the corner of her eye and she punches him gently in the arm. At least she thinks it's softly but his wince tells her otherwise. She then holds up her arm for Maggie to land on. "You look very pretty, Maggie. Pay no attention to our crotchety brother. Sometimes he takes him being the oldest a little too literally."
Maddy knows that Nadya is right in that it would be safest for Maggie to stay in her cabin. But that doesn't mean she liked the idea. "We just found Maggie again. I don't like the idea of her being apart from us again." Turning to Nadya and Kashka she asks, "Are you sure she'll be safe here? I don't know what I'd do if we lose her again so soon after being reunited."
In the end, Maddy comes to the realization that Maggie would be safer in Nadya's cabin without her than Matty would be wandering around town without her.
Cithembi holds up a furred finger. "Perhaps I might stay behind and watch her? After all, I would be getting close enough to people for them to see my whiskers."
He grins. "Though I would understand if you do not want to set a cat to watch a bird."
He pauses for a moment, then adds, more seriously, "There is also the problem that, without lips, I cannot watch her words when she speaks..."
Evelina tries to reassure Maddie. "I'm sure she'll be fine. This house is kinda on the outskirts...an' even if someone came here, there's a whole bunch of places you can hide when you're small." With a mischievous grin she adds, "Trust me. I'd know."
Maddy gives Evelina a small smile. "I guess you're right but it still makes me uncomfortable." Turning to Maggie she says, "You make sure that you hide if anyone but us enters the cabin. If you can't hide, you come find me or Matty. Ok?"
To Cithembi she returns his grin and says, "I wouldn't be worried about leaving Maggie with you at all but don't feel like you should stay behind. With the cloak, you being Catfolk is hardly noticeable."
Cithembi shrugs slightly. "I do not need to buy anything, I think, so unless you need me I have no reason to go with you."
He grins again. "Unless you just want me for conversation, of course."
If you wish to stay, then, make yourself at home, Nadya replies to Cithembi, making sure she's within his sight. If you need us...well, there's not terribly many places to look, is there? And if you're hungry, I think there's something in here... In a cabinet near the stove, she reveals a round loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese, pulling the loaf into two pieces to check its freshness. Strangely, she tears off a small piece from one half of the loaf and sets it furtively between the legs of the stove before heading to the door flap and pulling it open. Shall we?
Back in town, Nadya guides everyone first to the shop next to the defunct clock tower. As you walk in, the scents of aged leather, pickled fish, and dust assault your noses; though the combined effect is potent, it's somehow not unpleasant. A few locals mill about the shelves, comparing pots of honey or measuring out bags of grain. Many of them seem to find excuses to be elsewhere as you approach, but one woman, her hair tied back into a neat knot at the back of her head, fairly beams at your entry. Verana Stolya - og det er godt at møde dig, alle jer!
Though she speaks only a few disjointed words of Common, her enthusiasm is evident even to those who don't speak the Skald tongue. As Nadya, Freyja, and Matthew explain what they're looking for, she bustles back into a large storeroom, shouting questions and answers through the door as they arise. In half an hour's time, she finds snowshoes for everyone, and even takes some time to demonstrate their use. She also digs out a couple of bottles made out of heavy green glass; the liquid inside smells strongly of potent vinegar and licorice, and she hands them to Matty with promises of the elixir's ability to knit together wounds.
Next, Nadya leads past the Cold Woman (the name the square's statue has earned over centuries) to the small Pharasmin temple. The priest introduces himself as Rolf; while a dour man, he proves shrewd and ready to help. The wand he withdraws is simple and utilitarian, dotted with long-dried, but still slightly sticky sap. Things you need - more hurts or sick - come to me, he offers in halting Common, an attempt to make everyone feel at ease.
Carrying a bag of limp vegetables and paper-wrapped game meat from Verana's shop, Nadya motions toward the White Weasel. You might as well have something to eat - I've got to talk to Birgit, to arrange our dropoff. And sometimes I swear she keeps us waiting just because she knows we can't complain. Don't worry about spoiling your appetite - dinner's going to be late tonight. We weren't expecting so many, so there'll be some baking to be done.
Martok hefted the new spear and tried a couple of thrusts to test it. It didn't seem as sharp as his other spear but the cross-piece could come in handy for keeping people away from him.
He nodded to Nadya as she left to do her errands and turned to the group, "I think it's time we try to the local food, don't you think?"
Without waiting for an answer, he positioned himself behind them and slowly ushered them towards the White Weasel.
"C'mon, it's this way..."
Evelina nods, "Yeah, food sounds pretty good right about now..."
Matt watched their host secrete the bread by the stove, and realized that it was part of a ritual - likely one to attract or appease a local fey. Domovoi he thought, looking around the room with interest. Invisible at will, probably won't see it, though he truly hoped he would.
As they made their way through town, Matt was pleased to find that his Skald was improving. The healing draught was certainly nothing like the ones he'd learned about, but he didn't doubt their potency.
When Nadya mentioned food, he realized that he was starving. Agreeing with the others, he pushed the wooden door in and stepped inside.
Moving aside to let the others in, he stood quietly by the door, trying to get a good look at the place.
Maddy smiles as she sees Nadya place the food under the stove and a feeling of familiarity comes over her. Their mother had done something similar when they were young, not that Matty would have ever noticed because he had never helped with the cleaning. Maddy had gone to sweep it up one time and had been scolded.
She sticks close to Matty as they go about the town, partly because she doesn't know what anyone is saying but also because it may not be safe. When they enter Verana's store she leans and whispers to her brother, "What did she say?" Maddy looks with interest at the numerous items but doesn't feel like she needs anything at the moment so she makes sure she touches nothing. The last thing she wants to do is accidentally break anything. When they're outfitted with the snowshoes, she looks at them doubtfully but figures they must know what they're doing. Either that or it is an elaborate prank on the new people.
Maddy gives the statue a wide berth as they cross to the chapel. When it comes time to eat, she nods enthusiastically. "I could definitely eat."
Taking a seat in one of the kitchen chairs, Cithembi stretches languorously and closes his eyes, relishing the chance to be off his paws for a moment - until he feels a tweak on his brush tail. Starting up, he sees Nadya's young sons retreating quickly; while he can't hear their giggles, they're evident enough from the wide, gap-toothed grins. One of the boys meets Cithembi's eye, but the look is one of curiosity and playfulness, not distrust or anger. Du er en stor kat! Hvordan har du lært at gå på to ben? Kashka s killing har at gå på fire!
----------
Walking into the White Weasel, you discover the interior is spartan at best. The chairs are barely more than hollow blocks with no padding whatsoever, the cups and plates are plain fired clay, and the tables bear no centerpieces or coverings, though this doesn't seem to have stopped it from being packed with somber locals. In the entire tavern, there seems to be only one concession to ornament - a large mirror sitting behind the bar, reflecting the dreary scene back again. Between the mirror and the bar stands a dour-looking blonde woman re-stacking a heap of dishes from a basin onto the counter; as she sees you enter, she turns to a heavy-set, red-faced man wrestling with a crooked table leg on an upturned table. Emil! De dumme udlændinge er her! she shouts, causing him to start upward in surprise. Så? he retorts back, a distinct grumble in his voice. Du har allerede sagt, du ville bare give dem din te! Du vise dem til sæder - jeg har travlt!
Martok was taken back by the oppressiveness of the place, even the good-looking bartender looked gloomy. Such a lovely girl to look so sad.
He sat on the table with a large grin on his face, making him stand out even more from the dour locals. "Food for me and my friends here. What do you have good to eat around here?"
Evelina plops herself down on a chair and give both the man and the woman a friendly smile. Looking at a menu, she comments to the others, "We're eating again later? Also, should we grab something for Cithembi?"
Cithembi had started when he felt the tug on his tail, but he grins broadly in response to the child's question. He hadn't felt confident enough of his grasp of this new language to mention he'd been picking it up, but given how well he could read this young boy's words, he supposed he was doing well enough. Now, for speaking...
Cithembi launched into a story. As he told it, he acted out bits of it--when he spoke for the leopard, he used a growly voice and popped out his claws. When he spoke for other characters he used other voices. He jumped up and held his clawed hands skyward as the leopard climbed, and sat back down in his seat when the leopard fell. He got so caught up in his story that he didn't even notice how well he was speaking.
"One day the leopard caught a strange creature. It looked like a small deer, but its hooves and head were all wrong. What was more, it spoke! 'If you set me free, I will grant you whatever you wish!' it cried. Surprised, the leopard said, 'I wish to be a man. If you can do this, I will let you go, but otherwise I will eat you.'"
"'Oh, that is a hard one, but I know how you may start,' the strange creature replied. 'There is a wise old spirit in the spring, where the river starts. He loves the blue tree-flowers. Bring him some, and he will tell you the secret of becoming a man.'"
"The leopard doubted this, but so hungry was he to become a man that he let the creature go. 'If you have lied, I will find you and eat you,' he warned it as it fled."
"Still hungry, he turned to the river and followed it to its source. It was a long journey, and the hunting was hard, but at last the leopard thought he was close to the spring. But he still needed the blue tree-flowers for an offer."
"The leopard had never hunted plants before, but he thought he knew the sort of tree that had blue flowers. They were good for hiding in when the great lizards stalked through the jungle. He looked and looked, and at last found one. But the time of flowers was passed for it, and it had no blooms."
"But the leopard would not let that stop him. He knew it would bloom again in time, and so he hunted and he waited. Almost a year it was until it bloomed, and many times the leopard almost died of hunger or from other beasts, but he survived through them all. At last the blue flowers bloomed, and he climbed up in the tree, picked three with his mouth, and carried them to the spring."
"As he walked up to the spring, a great voice boomed, 'Who comes to me with such wonderful flowers?' The leopard set the flowers down and said, 'I wish to be a man.' The spirit of the spring came into view, like a ghostly monkey standing straight. 'Oh, I cannot do that, but I can get you closer,' it said. 'If you will leave those flowers, I will teach you to stand upright.'"
"The leopard growled angrily--that was only part of what he wanted! But it was still part, so he said, 'I will take that knowledge, and you can have your flowers.'"
"The spirit jumped out of the spring, picked up the flowers, then leaped up into a tree. 'You must go to the greatest tree of the jungle,' the monkey-spirit told him, 'And hang from its branches by your claws for three days. Then you will stand upright."
"The leopard was not happy with this answer, but so hungry was he to be a man that he left to seek the greatest tree of the jungle. For a long time he wandered, until at last he found a tree whose top was so high it reached the clouds. 'Surely this is the greatest tree of the jungle,' the leopard thought to himself, and started to climb."
"The tree had no low branches, so he found he could not climb high enough to reach a branch. But the leopard did not let this stop him. Again and again he tried, until at last he reached a branch! He walked out along it until he found what he thought was a good spot, then carefully slid his back legs off of it, clinging to the branch with his claws. He clung there for hours, but it had not even been a day before he could hold on no longer and fell."
"'It is a good thing I am a cat,' the leopard thought as he landed on his feet, 'Or that fall might have killed me.' But he would not let that stop him, so after finding something to eat, he tried again. Again he fell, and again he climbed, and again he hung. Again and again he tried... until at last, he succeeded. He clung on to the branch for three long days, and three long nights, and when he landed on the ground, he did so on two feet!"
At this point Cithembi paused and grinned again. "Det er en lang historie, ja? Jeg tror det er tid for en pause!"
Freyja controls her impulse to bristle at the words of the blond woman and says nothing. Sometimes its better to play Stupid. She takes a seat and will order some simple fare.
After eating she will slide her chair back, and, putting out her hat for potential tips will begin to sing a song in Skald, leaving the barkeep to wonder if she knows the language or has just memorized the words. The song is an old favorite that speaks the hard way of life in the north but had been modified and made her own. Somehow she manages two parts of the harmony at the same time and at the second round of the chorus she stands and encourages those present to join it.
Matt sat at the only spare table, along with the others. With a pleasant smile, he said in halting Skald, "Thank you, mistress, tea would be good. And something to eat as well, if you please."
Maddy is excited about trying the local food until they get into the tavern. She may not understand the language but the tone of the two didn't sound very welcoming. She sits with the others at a table and follows Matty's lead by giving the proprietor an amicable smile.
She looks around the White Weasel, taking in both the environment and the people. She wonders what would cause so many in town to be so cheerless.
The young twins clap in delight at Cithembi's story, cheering as the leopard falls to find himself on two feet. I bet if we hung for three days, we'd get to fly, Orm! Mjoli crows in excitement, rushing up the ladder to the loft and swinging himself down over the edge. Orm, for his part, seems to have decided that going on two legs is overrated - he takes to perfecting his cat-like prowling chasing after a ball of string laying near Kashka's feet. Even Kashka, knitting away as her yarn ball darts about, has a yellowed smile to share.
Dine ord er gode, men din accent er forfærdeligt, kat-mand! she replies good-naturedly in her own tongue as the twins cavort. Du gør alt det åbne lyder ens - men så behøver du ikke høre, gør du? Måske du ville gå glip af dette, da. Alligevel er jeg overrasket over en sådan, som du ville vide endda så meget som du gør på vores ord. Fra dit look før, ser det ud til du har rejst langt, ja? Og al denne snak om "jungler", og sådan ...
----------
At Matthew's Skald reply, Katrina starts slightly, clearly surprised that he understood her words. Still, she nods with as much composure as she can muster, her eyes darting around as if in search of signs of coin to spare. Te, da. Det bliver nødt til at være brød og ost til frokost - dagens vildt ragout vil ikke være klar før tættere til solnedgang. Brød er lige kommet ud af ovnen, men, så det er varmt. Making sure nothing else is needed, she retreats behind the bar, plonking several small loaves and a wheel of cheese onto a tray as a kettle heats up in the hearth.
Soon, she returns with the tray of food, and soon after brings a second platter with several filled mugs that she sets in front of Matty. Hvis nogen har brug for noget stærkere, bare råbe. Jeg har haft nogen klager om vores vandes vinter taks spiritus - men måske ikke er det så fint som hvad du er vant til. She lingers for a moment after everyone begins to sip at the scalding tea, as if waiting to see if the table is satisfied. Jeg ved Irrisen skal virke fattige sammenlignet med hvor du er kommet fra ... Jeg ved ikke, hvad du er kommet til at finde, men jeg tvivler alvorligt, det er på dette sted skal findes. Måske ville det være bedst, hvis du gik tilbage til hvor du kom fra.
But in an instant, the warm tea house is replaced in your mind with a speckled raven falling into the snow. A bloody knife with a pentagram. And the old man in black armor, using his dying breath to pass the fate of the world into your hands... The barkeeper's suggestion is tempting beyond belief...and, you realize, beyond credulity. It can't be her words alone - she's done something else to enhance their power.
Evelina sits at the table, somewhat uncomfortably, not sure what to say when everyone seems to be talking in Skald. As the tray is brought out with bread and cheese she smiles and begins to remark, "It looks good...thanks...um..." Uncertain, she turns to Freyja and asks quietly, "How do you say thank you?" Embarrassed, she tries to repeat what she was told to the waitress.
As the others continue to converse in Skald, she picks at her food, shifting it around her plate before taking occasional bites. Maybe I shoulda just stayed back at the house. I wonder want Arvanya, Blaze and Astrid are doing right now. I hope they made it to Heldren safe...
Martok smiles and nods towards Evelina, "What she said." is all he can bring himself to say.
But he was grateful for the cheese and the warm bread smelled delicious.
He turned to his companions, "They don't like us, do they?"
The young twins clap in delight at Cithembi's story, cheering as the leopard falls to find himself on two feet. I bet if we hung for three days, we'd get to fly, Orm! Mjoli crows in excitement, rushing up the ladder to the loft and swinging himself down over the edge. Orm, for his part, seems to have decided that going on two legs is overrated - he takes to perfecting his cat-like prowling chasing after a ball of string laying near Kashka's feet. Even Kashka, knitting away as her yarn ball darts about, has a yellowed smile to share.
Dine ord er gode, men din accent er forfærdeligt, kat-mand! she replies good-naturedly in her own tongue as the twins cavort. Du gør alt det åbne lyder ens - men så behøver du ikke høre, gør du? Måske du ville gå glip af dette, da. Alligevel er jeg overrasket over en sådan, som du ville vide endda så meget som du gør på vores ord. Fra dit look før, ser det ud til du har rejst langt, ja? Og al denne snak om "jungler", og sådan ...
** spoiler omitted **
----------
At Matthew's Skald reply, Katrina starts slightly, clearly surprised that he understood her words. Still, she nods with as much composure as she can muster, her eyes darting around as if in search of signs of coin to spare. Te, da. Det bliver nødt til at være brød og ost til frokost - dagens vildt ragout vil ikke være klar før tættere til solnedgang. Brød er lige kommet ud af ovnen, men, så det er varmt. Making sure nothing else is needed, she retreats behind the bar, plonking several small loaves and a wheel of cheese onto a tray as a kettle heats up in the hearth.
Soon, she returns with the tray of food, and soon...
Cithembi laughs as he watches Orm and Mjoli. "Kanskje senere skal jeg ha til å fullføre historien!" he suggests.
He ducks his head a little at Kashka's words, though he grins as she finishes. "Desna har velsignet meg med mange gaver, men uttalen er ikke en av dem!!" he jokes.
He continues, "Ja, jeg har reist veldig langt! Jeg kommer fra Mwangi jungelen av Garund, langt mot sør. Jeg hadde aldri sett snø før i år, faktisk!"
Matt was very tempted to return her spell with one of his own. Charm the woman, and then get her to talk, to tell him why she did what she did. Bah, no point. We're in the land of witches. Any, most, even all of these people could be their puppets.
Instead, he allowed his face to become sad. "Du har rett, vi er langt hjemmefra, ville det være godt å komme tilbake." Maybe if she thought her spell had worked, it would....he wasn't sure what. But surely nothing good would come of confronting her.
However, after she'd looked away, he told the others what happened. "The hostess, she just used magic to try and convince us, or me anyway, to go home. They really don't like us here."
He was unable to enjoy the rest of the meal, as his head was churning with thoughts of witches and conspiracies. However, that all fled when Freyja started to sing. For a few lovely minutes, he was able to just lose himself in the purity of her voice, in her beauty.
Still a bit starstruck, Matt asked Freyja, "When you sing like that, are you using magic? We studied a little bit about bardic magic, but I know very little. Some of the others used to laugh about it, but what you do..." he paused, searching for words. "It's more subtle than the magic I wield, but in some ways, it's more powerful. Were you born knowing how to do that, or is it taught?"
Aldrig set sne? Det er noget af en ting! The reply from Kashka is joined with a hearty laugh. Og her har jeg set noget, men sne, alle mine år! Og min mormor det samme, og hendes bedstemor. Mindst stenene under sneen holde varmen i deres tæpper, ja? Jeg har hørt historier om denne Mwangi jungle - fortæl mig. Er det sandt ... er det sandt folk der køre om kun iført lommetørklæder omkring deres talje?
----------
As Freyja begins to sing, every eye in the tavern turns to stare as the patrons listen raptly. It's clear performance is a rare thing here - the chatter at the tables falls away nearly to nothing, and the occasional whispers you do hear seem to be commentary on the music more than anything. Some of the comments might be desultory from their tone, but far more seem appreciative. When the bard opens the floor to everyone to join in, more than half the room takes up the tune in a gravelly mix of registers. As the song rises, you see Katrina move over to join Emil, leaning over to him and speaking softly. The scowl is still deep in her eyes, and he seems even more nervous than before.
Shouldn't he be telling them to go? You said he wouldn't be able to resist!
Give it some time - probably he just couldn't convince that attention whore to leave before showing off.
And that's another thing: are we sure these are even foreigners? How would outsiders even get in here? She's singing The Lumberman's Daughter - her accent's poor, it's true, but maybe their village is far enough to have picked up strange speech. How would she know that song if she's really a southerner? And those three are so fair...
Of course they're foreigners - you heard what everyone was saying! And the little one couldn't even say "thank you" properly! Nadya could have smuggled them past the guardian dolls in her sleds...oh, I don't know! The point is, what will Nazhena do if they are? It's better if they just go...
Cithembi chuckles and responds, "Ja, det er varmt hele tiden i Mwangi, for varmt for snø! Jeg antar det er grunnen til at så mange mennesker bærer så lite klær i forhold til her."
Maddy bristles at Matty's revelation that the woman had tried to use magic on him. Her eyes dart around the room looking for other threats. Whispering to her brother she asks, "Did she hurt you with her witchery? Do I need to do something?"
As much as she loves music and would like to sit enraptured by Freya's song, Maddy is now on high alert after someone tried to manipulate her brother with magic. She glances suspiciously at Katrina and Emil but has no clue what they're saying. Not seeing anything to concern her further, Maddy finds herself drawn into the Freya's song and is soon engrossed. Even though she doesn't know the words, she finds the lilt and rhythm of the language very pleasing.
Matt shook his head at Maddy's question. "No, best not to alert them. No harm done. I'm not even sure it was witchery - might have been magic more like mine. Just stay put for now, and keep your eyes open."
Evelina becomes even more on edge when Matt mentions magic was used against him. Risking a glance sideways, she hears the man and woman intensely discussing something. Though she cannot understand their words, she can tell from their body language and the occasional dirty look that the party is the subject of their ire.
Quickly looking away from them in case they catch her staring, she turns to the others and nervously whispers. "I think we should go. It was a mistake to come here...and to draw attention to ourselves with the singing and whatnot. What if they rat on Nadya?" Almost teary-eyed and clearly distressed, she asks, "What if they tell and she ends up like the mayor. What about her little boys..."
Martok's countenance turned sour, "It's clear we are not welcomed here. Let's just pay and leave. I am not one to beg for friendship."
He got up and confronted the woman who had tried to use magic on his friend, "Some of us may not speak your language and we are certainly not from around here but we are not stupid. So watch yourself."
The smell of smoke rose from his body as if something was indeed burning.
he turned to his companions, "Let's go now. There are people here who are decent."
I hoped my song would help them accept us. But they are scared and feel powerless. They are not really our enemy. Freyja says in a quiet and sad voice. Yes, let us leave this sad and depressing place.
Katrina gives everyone one final glance of apprehension as the party rises to leave. At Martok's words, she bristles slightly, and her husband's face goes redder still, but they let you depart without any trouble. As you leave, you see them scoop up the coins left on the table - their fear of anything foreign doesn't seem to extend too strongly to coin. Several of the tavern's patrons don't seem to share in that nervousness, though; they look disappointed at Freyja's departure, and one even chances to tug on the bard's sleeve as she walks past and speak in broken Common. Miss? Was...good song.
Departing, you see no sign of Nadya; it's possible she still waits to speak with the White Witch's local agent. She had seemed to expect it would be some time.
Evelina's eyes widen as Martok calls out the owners, but otherwise she shuffles out quickly behind the others. Feeling the cold hit her face as they exit the building, she pulls her cloak tighter. "So now what?" she asks the others. "We should probably try and find Nadya, right?"
Maddy's brow furrows. "Wasn't she going to see Birgit who works for Nazhena? If that's the case, maybe we shouldn't find her." Her voice gets really quiet, "If some locals aren't happy to see us, the witch really will be upset."
Matt nodded, "I agree. For now, let's go back to her house. Best not to put these people at risk with our presence more than necessary."
Matt nodded, "I agree. For now, let's go back to her house. Best not to put these people at risk with our presence more than necessary."
Martok nodded, glad someone made the sensible decision. Perhaps his new flock wasn't was green as he originally thought they were.
"Yes, back to the house where we know we are welcome. But keep your eyes open here, I do not trust these villagers any more than they trust us."
-------
The bard gives her audience a warm smile as she leaves, even bothering to wave at a friendly wave at Katrina. Best disarm if I can. she thinks.
Freyja looks unhappy at the recommendation for going back to the house. I'm for finding Nadya. If If this Brigit is only keeping her waiting then no harm done checking on her. But if something has gone wrong and Nadya needs us, well. then she needs us.
As you leave the tavern, talk among the patrons quickly returns to the usual low hum, and you catch conversations of passers-by in the street as well. It seems that on most lips rest bits of news and gossip on the same subject - the sighting of a pair of White Tower guard patrols, seen in the distance over the past several days. No one seems to know quite what they're looking for...but everyone worries that Waldsby is the next place they intend to look.
Though Freyja and Evelina dislike the decision, popular opinion prevails and the party returns to Nadya's house on the edge of town. Ducking in, you find Cithembi and Kashka chatting away with smiles on their faces, Kashka's knitting needles clicking away. One of the twins dangles by his feet from the loft, his face quickly reddening as Maggie lets out a croaking laugh; the other runs about on all fours, batting at Kashka's ball of yarn and careening into the wall in surprise as you enter.
An hour passes as you fiddle with snowshoes and dig through belongings...and Nadya doesn't return. Conversation continues, and as time passes, the trader's absence grows more and more present, a worry that rests just at the edge of the room. And then you hear a rustling outside...and with her grocery haul leading her in, Nadya pushes through the door flap of the cabin. How did I know? she huffs out before glancing nervously over her shoulder at the flap falling into place. Well, I've arranged it - we'll make the trade in two days' time. That'll give us a chance to rest a day before making the journey, and I know I'd like that. In the meantime, I'll start something to eat.
Indeed, as she says it she's already on her way to the stove, setting a huge iron pot she's filled with snow from outside over the stove to melt. I've picked up some winteryew seeds for the bread; I don't know if you'll have had it before. One of the only things that grows around here, and it adds a nice sweetness. As she turns to grab a bunch of turnips, her arm brushes against a knife she'd set on the counter, knocking it to the floor where it lands an inch from her foot on its flat.
Oh...I'd forgot she was goin' to see the witch...Your pro'lly right. We should go back to the house..." Evelina says, as the others point out the issues with finding Nadya.
---
Amused by the little boys goofing around, Evelina can't help but ask them, "Watcha doing?" When she hears that Cithembi had told them thing wonderful and elaborate story, she gets a rather huffy look on her face. Walking up behind him she loudly declares, "Hey! Cithembi!"Is he ignoring me? He must have heard me...Oh wait... When she remembers her companion's hearing impairment, she instead gives him a couple insistent pokes. With her arms folded, she asks, "So what is this I've been hearin' about you telling all sorts of stories while I've been gone. Anytime I ask you about Mwangi you're always like, "Not right now. Not a good time. Maybe later...". But soon as I leave its story time?"
---
Evelina is relieved when Nadya returns, though she is a little nervous at the prospect of staying in town for two more days.
When the knife falls during the meal preparation, Evelina swears she sees something odd. However, she isn't quite sure what to make of it. However, she keeps an eye on Nadya looking for any other unusual behavior.
Once dinner is over, she wanders over to Martok and sheepishly asks, "Since we got some time, I could trying an' fix the pant length if you'd like. I mean, I think we still got some fabric left over. Not sure if it'll look right...but least your ankles won't freeze in the cold..."
---
When a quiet moment allows, Evelina approached Freyja to talks for a bit. "So, we got a whole group shake up, huh?" She says gesturing to the others. "They don't seem so bad though. The twins seem nice. I feel bad for them with this whole thing with their sister, though. Martok does seems a bit, I dunno...hotheaded at times. But I think I trust him. Like, he seems kinda protective of everyone." Looking the Freyja, she asks, "What do you think?" She also adds quietly, looking for reassurance, "You think the others made it back to Heldren okay?"
Freyja does not like the sound of White Tower guard patrol sightings and wonders aloud I'll bet that even if they are not looking for us they will take an interest in us if we are found.
She is releived when Nadya returns and allows her tenseness to fade a little.
When the knife falls Freyja notices the interference in its natural fall and wonders {i]Is Nadya somehow protected or lucky?[/i] she will cast a detect magic quietly as the woman cooks and look for auras and such on her and in the cabin.
Speaking with Evelina Freyja admits quietly I am not sure what to think of our new companions except that I am thankful for them. Martok is more protective than hot headed and I value that. And the twins, well they've their own agenda in addition to ours now that they have their sister bask. Lets hope the two do not cross. And there another interesting complication. she adds even more quietly. Have you seen the way Matt looks at and smile at me, and blushes sometimes when he speaks to me. I've no time for such, but I must admit its sweet. Lets hope that does not complicate things. I worry that we will be about this business for quite some time but after, well if he is still interested in me, we will see. she says with a devious smile of her own.
Once dinner is over, she wanders over to Martok and sheepishly asks, "Since we got some time, I could trying an' fix the pant length if you'd like. I mean, I think we still got some fabric left over. Not sure if it'll look right...but least your ankles won't freeze in the cold..."
Martok shivers loudly as a sweet smile poses on his face, "So, you're watching out for the old man, eh? Don't want him to freeze to death and it being your fault, eh?"
He smiles again, "Well, I am not too proud to say that I appreciate the sentiment. I am an old man and I should be cared for so yes, please do something with these pants."
He adds, "Maybe the locals were looking at us funny because there was a dwarf showing his hairy legs in this freezing temperature!"
"And don't worry about how it looks, just make sure it keeps me warm."
He then asked, "So what are you really doing here and not somewhere trying to raise a family or something?"
Cithembi chuckles at Evelina's question. "We have scarcely had much time for tale-telling before now! But if we will be here for a day, there will be plenty of time for stories of the Mwangi, yes?"
Matt was happy to be back in the relative comfort of Nadya's house. This trip had happened so suddenly, there had been little time to think properly about it.
Maggie squawked happily and swooped down to alight on Matt's shoulder. "Matty! Maddy! You're back!" She rubbed her head on his cheek, her bow tickling his chin. Scratching under her feathers, he chuckled and said, "Of course we're back. We're not leaving you, not ever. We just had to get a few things." Maggie cawed happily, and flew over to chatter with Madison.
Matt cocked his head in interest at the strange behaviour of the knife. Perhaps feeding the little domovoi worked - looks like it's helping in its small way. Curious, he pulled on the power granted him by the Ebon Knight to cast a spell he'd never learned, and looked around for the domovoi.
Since it looked like they would be in for the night, Matt appropriated the quietest corner of the hut and pulled his alchemy equipment out of his pack. It was time to see if he could make use of his new powers to brew potions he'd never tried before. After warning the children that they could watch but not touch, he set to work.
Still a bit starstruck, Matt asked Freyja, "When you sing like that, are you using magic? We studied a little bit about bardic magic, but I know very little. Some of the others used to laugh about it, but what you do..." he paused, searching for words. "It's more subtle than the magic I wield, but in some ways, it's more powerful. Were you born knowing how to do that, or is it taught?"
[b}There can be magic in a trained bard's voice to be sure, or in their harp or pipes, and sometimes its as strong as the strongest arcane spell if the singer is a master.[/b] Freyja explains. But in this case the magic was simply a desire for friendship and understanding in this cold land. I wish these people well in my heart, so it comes through in my song, or so it should if I do a good enough job. As for training, my mother was a bard, and a good one. I trained under her for some years and spent my share of time in a bard school as well. There needs to be natural talent to be sure, but the training is required too unless you are satisfied with a random cantrip or the magic of a mother's lullaby. She smiles at Matt's interest.
Evelina pout quickly turns to a grin. "Okay. I forgive you then. But you gotta start with how you ended all the way in Taldor!"
----
Evelina continues to look embarrassed about the whole pant screw up. However, she still lets a giggle slip when Martok suggests that his hairy legs were the cause of their diplomatic woes in Walsby. Once she has retrieved the pants, she begins working, this time putting her focus into making sure she gets the length right.
As she works, she continues to chat with the Martok. His question about her raising a family catches her off guard. "Um...I mean...I'm still pretty young an' Madam Octavia always said I wasn't gonna be one tied down too easy in one place. I guess I just always wanted to go places and see stuff...and I dunno, do things 'fore all that stuff. 'Sides, I'm pretty sure you usually need someone else to start that whole family thing. I ain't never had any kinda super serious relationship..and luckily no...um, well, y'know...accidents..." She gives the dwarf a shrug. "So no family for me. How 'bout you? You got kids? You seem like someone who'd have kids..."
----
"Who, Matt?" Evelina asks a little too loudly, before catching herself and talking quieter. "I hadn't really noticed." She looks over at the wizard and then back to Freyja, as if a little confused. "So you're not interested at all? I mean he seems real smart. Plus he's pretty charming...I mean, like in a goofy, spends a bit too much time in the library kinda way..."
"Ah! Well, that tale can be short or long, depending on where I start..." Cithembi replies, still grinning. "The short version is that, when I came of age, I left to see the world! There's so much of it so see, you see, and being a follower of the Goddess of the North Star, my paws start to itch if I stay in one spot for long."
He chuckles. "Osirion was so different from the Mwangi! So much sand, and so many people! But soon enough I felt it was time to leave, so I found a ship heading for Taldor, and from there I wandered until I found snow... and your group."
Evelina nods enthusiastically in agreement when Cithembi mentions his paws twitching, "Mine too! I mean...not my paws. I don't have those. But, like when I'm in one place or one job for a long time it's like there's something nagging at the back of my brain. It's telling me I gotta move and find the next thing. Lots of people say that's pretty annoying, though..." She let's out a sigh. "So Goddess of the North Star? That's um...So, that's another name for Desna? That's who you an' Vanya was talking about before, right?" Sheepishly, she adds, They didn't talk a whole bunch about the gods where I grew up...or maybe I just didn't pay enough attention..."
Cithembi nods, his grin fading, though the cheery twinkle in his eyes does not dim. "Yes, Desna is what she is named in these lands. My people called her the Star-Lady. She it is who blessed me with the power I have."
His grin returns. "And I think it is her luck that has kept me alive thus far!"
Maddy sees the knife falling and was going to call out a warning but then it clatters harmlessly to the floor, although she could have sworn it moved somehow while it was falling. Since she convinces herself that her eyes are playing tricks on her, Maddy says nothing. Either she has imagined it or the bread placed under the stove earlier had done its job.
Maddy opens her arms for Maggie to fly into. She gives the bird a gentle hug and lets her curl up on her lap. Maddy absent-mindedly strokes Maggie's feathers as they both listen to Cithembi and Evelina. It is fascinating to Maddy that both express a desire to travel the world and not stay in one place. "Did you both leave family behind when you began your travels? Do you miss your home?"