Velkirth shakes his head and settles in to wait. I've known individuals like her. Some were called brave, some foolish. We'll see how history decides to remember her.
You are more than a physical threat alright! I say as Kari takes the man to the mound.
Kari presses her full lips together once, and gives a firm nod indicating that she has heard what Svalk says, and with a gesture, calls Bjørn to her side.
"Little Bear, you will stay beside the Lady and guard her as your mistress."
"He will stay," Kari states confidently in Skald.
She looks to the Blackraven for confirmation. When Caelin calls after them, she raises her arm and waves to acknowledge his jest.
Velkirth shakes his head and settles in to wait. I've known individuals like her. Some were called brave, some foolish. We'll see how history decides to remember her.
Ragnar dusts his hands and spreads them out with a shrug.
Not gonna guess.
Bjørn saw his mother's fingers bend and immediately ran to her side, snorting and groaning in his excitement. He looked to the Lady when Mama said, and snorted, none at all pleased with the order she had given. Guard as mistress? He groaned and almost seemed to bark, not in the least enthusiastic about the command. Mama's tone, however, indicated that she would not be challenged. He looked up at her longingly, then slowly crawled towards the Lady, and sat down on his butt in the snow without another sound.
Seeing everyone else take a seat, Shou will assume a lotus position, join his hands together and start meditating, trying to block out the cold.
Unless someone speaks to him directly, he won't say anything.
Watching as the little bear makes his way over to her, Dagmar continues to pets Alfdis and murmurs words of comfort to her to keep her calm in it's presence. "Easy now little one, you'll need to get used to the bear if we are all meant to travel together.
As they wait, Thorolf glances over at Dagmar. "The kit seems to trust you a great deal. Have you had her long? "
"I fair?" Kari repeats softly, the vapor rising from her breath and her boots in the snow making a bit more of an impact than her voice, and then catches herself being very silly. Nine armed and armored men crunching about in the snow could scarcely make less noise than one woman speaking her mind. "The kitchen matrons named me Kari, for my hair," she answers, and touches the white plait adorned with the trophies of her kills.
I just silently watch for Kari until she is out of sight and await her return, listening to the other conversation as some background noise.
Svalk adjusts to a more comfortable position, awaiting news of Kari and the Ravens return from the mound of bodies. As he sits, he mutters, seemingly to himself, Yes, yes, you've told me before that you were a Black Raven...I'm sure back then the Ravens were all much more fierce, and today's are a pale shadow of your comrades when you served...
Karl finishes sharpening his dagger and unslings the greatsword from his back before giving it the same attention with his whetstone. He continues in this way eventually moving on to his javelins, the cold iron dagger, and finally his axe as he waits for Kari's return. He keeps his eyes on the white fur clad men, but makes no threatening moves. As he catches his companions eyes, he smiles but does not offer words.
Dagmar looks over at Thorolf as she answers his question. "Yes, she's been with me for a while now. I found her injured when she was barely weaned from her mother and nursed her back to health. It was too late to do anything for her mother and sibling though, judging from the tracks I had seen around them it looked like they had been killed by a wolf."
Shou continues to meditate, but he listens to all the conversations around him.
Ragnar carves away, leaving a small pile of wood shavings in his lap. He looks up at all of his new traveling companions and clears his throat.
"Suh wuh yuh uhll fruh'?", he asks.
Translation:
With the tip of his knife he points to himself.
"Uh'm fruh Truhllhuhm muhzuhff..."
He points roughly south, toward Trollheim.
"... buh uh'v duh suhm tuhvuhlluh."
Translation:
Karl continues sharpening his weapons as he clears his throat in response to Ragnar's question.
I come from outside of Jol, although I left there when I was still a boy. Mostly, I've spent my time trapping, tracking and hunting along the outskirts of the Grungir. He looks up for a moment and grins. I took many pelts and skins this past season. So fine they were, that I could not help but bring them up three rivers, the Summermelt, then the Thundering and last the Rimeflow. I had meant to make my way to Kalsgard, but I could only find caravans to Trollheim. I found a fair price for my furs there, and turned the gold into steel. He gestures expansively at his weapons and armor. When we all fell in together, I was actually on my way to Blackraven Hall to see if they had need for scouts. At this point he grimaces, before shaking his head, as if engaged in an old internal argument and finishes with his voice pitched low. I doubt they'd have me now though. Fine scout I am, cannot even spot an ambush.
"I'm willing to bet that they've had more practice at setting up ambushes than you have at spotting them Karl and I doubt they were all so skilled when they first arrived here."
After her attempt to console Karl, Dagmar turns back to Ragnar and adresses his second comment. "I've never been to Trollheim myself. I've just been wandering about the past couple years, offering my services as needed in the villages I've passed through. I just thought to travel to Trollheim simply because I've never been there before."
The mute nods, turning his project over in his hands. Rough horns and a snout have emerged at the end of the branch.
"Truhllhuhm's uh huhd pluhzz, buh'n suh cluhz tuh duh buhduh. Puhpl duhn' uhffuhd muhz fuhndluhnuhzz tuh stuhnjuhs. Struhtz uh uh tuhngle, cuhnfuhzzin' uhn puhpuhz.... Wuh uhz nuhvuh fuh fuhm duh thuhts."
Translation:
I come from a small town near Trollheim also looking up as remembering something pleasant I wonder how my father is doing without me these days. I have visited Trollheim, on business only with my father, when I was still a bronding and learning my father's trade, but that was never something I wanted to do in the end.
I know you're right Dagmar, but it still stings.
Karl smiles ruefully as Ragnar describes the streets of Trollheim. Those streets are a maze. It was all I could do to keep my sense of direction, and even so, I often found myself recrossing old ground while I was there as I tried to find my next destination.
What did you father do, Caelin? A brewer would be my guess from the fine mead you brought.
Svalk, did you say you were a Raven? I don't understand... Is it the spirits?
Finally he turns to the meditating Tian. And what of you Shuo? Did you brave the trackless wastes and the Spine of the World? And where did you learn our tongue?
With a hearty laugh I wish he would have been a brewer, but he was a butcher, beast fresh meat you could get around that area and we had a nice business trading in Trollheim looking at the distance as if there was something there to find Good memories them, but forests make me a bit uneasy all the time...
Upon hearing Karl's question, Shou opens his eyes My parents did before I was born, but while I've heard much about my ancestral homeland,as he says this he runs a hand across his bald head in a gesture that looks reflexive and almost unnoticed, I've never actually been there.
I was born and raised in Kalsgard, where I learned several languages including Skald, indeed I'm more comfortable in that language than I am in Tien. he says with a laugh.
Karl, no, I haven't been a Raven, I was talking to one of my ancestors, who was regaling me with stories of his life when he was a Black Raven. Like many old warriors, he was bragging of his skill and prowess, and complaining that today's Black Ravens are but a pale shadow to the ones from his days. I often forget that those around me don't hear their voices speaking to me, and get confused when I respond to their whispers. Having them with me is both a blessing and a curse. They often forget they are dead, and only in the spiritual world, and they treat my belongings as if they are theirs, moving them around, and handling them for the feel of the physical world upon their spiritual hands.
As for me, I grew up in a village in Hagreach. I have only recently left it, as the ancestors grew incessant with their demands that I journey forth and show that I honor my bloodline with my own strength and honor, and add my saga to their own. I have let them guide me so far, often with just twinges of feeling at crossroads to steer my way, until they brought me to the campfire below, meeting all of you. I sense that this is where the story of my deeds begins.
Shou grins, Indeed, maybe years from now the Skalds will sing stories of the fateful meeting of the "Campfire Companions".
Chuckling at his own joke, Shou closes his eyes and goes back to his meditation with a smile on his face.
|
When all the bodies are accounted for and free of snow, the leader of the group grimly turns away from them and says to Kari: "Come. We are returning to your friends."
Two of the Ravens remain with the bodies and the rest of the party tracks back to the ambush place. The hour grows late and the cold begins to deepen. Night will come soon.
Some time later, two parties are reunited. Kari sits with her new-found friends, while the man who is obviously the leader of the Ravens consults with his companions.
"This is beyond me. Those men were indeed Ravens - and experienced ones at that. You lout couldn't have killed them. But, I am at a loss why they wanted you dead. In fact, they shouldn't even be in these parts of the Linnorm Lands. You are going to the Citadel."
Kari calls her bear to her as they near the group, and he bounds from the pretty lady and her prey and nearly knocks his Mama over. Kari laughs softly and allows her son to climb onto her hip, and hooks her arm beneath his bottom to support him while he nuzzles his snout into her neck, taking the familiar scent of her. Recognizing the prey's unfavorable reaction to her companion, Kari sits at a distance to the lady and her tasty morsel after favoring Caelin with a nod.
"Very good, my son. You are very brave."
Kari speaks in a very soft voice to her companion a while, and works some manner of treat for the creature from her pockets which he grapples and happily trots away from her just a ways to devour while the Blackravens confer. At the pronouncement, Kari rises and her bear, still gnawing at what appears to be the tail end of a dried fish, nuzzles against her side.
Karl gathers up his belongings and dons a heavy, grey wool cloak, lined and trimmed with grey wolf fur to insulate him against the deepening cold, then pops a bit of hard track into his mouth and methodically chews it.
He turns to the leader of the Black Raven squad I will accompany you, as you ask, but first, will you tell us your name, Captain...? I am Karl, of Jol.
Starting to shiver slightly as the cold night air settles around them, Dagmar has mixed reactions to the pronouncement. She finds herself both glad to be getting inside where hopefully they will be warm and rather nervous to be shut up in the Citadel with people who may decide to kill them.
Since she rather doubts the matter is up for debate, Dagmar stands up and marches with the group up the road to the Citadel.
Since he wasn't asked a question, Shou stands up silently, brushes any snow he's managed to accumulate off and joins the rest of the group headed to the citadel.
Thorolf stands with the others, ready to make the trek to the citadel. Noticing Dagmar's shivers, he wordlessly steps up behind her and drapes his cloak around her shoulders. He adjusts his bow and sword across his back. Well let us see what the norms have in store for us. Should prove interesting at the least.
Startled at first by the sudden weight upon her shoulders, Dagmar turns her head to look behind her and realizes that Thorolf has just draped his cloak around her. Blushing slightly, she quietly says: "Thank you."
With a smile and a smirk as I see Kari approach us in good health and wellTo feisty Kari, you came back fine and well, glad for it! looking at his surroundings as if expecting something to come out of the forests We are required in the Citadel now as "guests" then I again wait for all and take rear guard of our group.
Thorolf nods at Dagmar with a slight smile. "Welcome. Should help against some of the wind at least."
Ragnar replaces his knife in the case, throwing the in-progress carving alongside it in his pack before standing and falling into step with everyone else.
Kari hangs back with Caelin, allowing the pretty maid and her escort to move ahead so they are not threatened by her companion. "Did you fear for my safety, young hunter?" she inquires.
I am no hunter by any means looking at Kari I fear for my own safety, why wouldn't I fear for yours as well, specially when you went without your... looking at the bear. Then just staying quiet as he feels uneasy in forests.
An ashen eyebrow raises at Caelin's silence, and a slow smile spreads on Kari's face. "Know you not the joys of nature, young man?" she teases. "Is it truly the comforts of mead and women you desire, or is it that you are expected to enjoy them?"
Karl nudges Ragnar and rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner while he nods his head toward Kari and Caelin. His smile threatens to turn into outright laughter.
I like nature, I travel a lot with a smirk [b[wish it was expected[/b] laughing at my own comment I was not always uneasy in the forest, but that's another story
"Shot in the ass by a fat lording, too?" Kari inquires and laughs. "Certainly not mistaken for a satyr, no... that would be something worthy of a boast." Kari's grin is wide, then she pulls the scarf up over her mouth and nose.
"I believe the doe and her tasty little morsel have gotten far enough above wind not to tantalize my hungry son," she says and nods ahead of them. "And would not wish the others to get the false impression that I dally with you for casual sexual benefits," she jests and winks.
It would be worthy of and epic ode with all earnest in my voice. With a hearty laugh That might be true, but there is nothing wrong with it either winking back.
Besides I didn't take you for one that care much fr what others might think
Karl nudges Ragnar and rolls his eyes in an exaggerated manner while he nods his head toward Kari and Caelin. His smile threatens to turn into outright laughter.
Ragnar turns to Karl with a coquettish, mock doe-eyed gaze before cracking a smirk himself.
Svalk stands and takes a place in the second rank of the group, ready to head to the Citadel with their 'escorts'. Having seen Karl's not so subtle eye rolling, Svalk quietly says to him and Ragnar, The way she keeps calling her bear 'son', I don't think Caelin realizes that he's not her type.
|
|
Karl gathers up his belongings and dons a heavy, grey wool cloak, lined and trimmed with grey wolf fur to insulate him against the deepening cold, then pops a bit of hard track into his mouth and methodically chews it.
He turns to the leader of the Black Raven squad I will accompany you, as you ask, but first, will you tell us your name, Captain...? I am Karl, of Jol.
The man just nods. "My name is Wulfric."
Svalk asks, Wulfric, now that we're on friendlier terms than being targets on the other end of your crossbows, can you tell us more about these Ravens we found? If they weren't supposed to be nearby, can you tell us where they were supposed to be? Perhaps that will give some hint about how they came to meet their fate?