Tove stands with her arms folded, her sword on her back, as she glances back to Angus with the older woman. No need to involve herself at the moment, and she should keep herself present in case Seraphina calls upon her. From experience, she knows that a great deal of serving a liege is standing around doing nothing until they ask you for something. She needs to get a better read on this new superior before she starts pushing any limits. She does keep one of her eyes on Angus, as he is Seraphina's cousin and another noble and should be protected.
Without turning her head from her glare to the young man the older woman answered.
"This fool's brother. Looks like him but uglier and less trustworthy. Was supposed to drive our little caravan's water wagon with us."
She turned to face you finally Angus and looked you up and down then leaned over slightly and looked at your friends. Her scowl faded for a moment.
"My apologies my lord, ladies."
She added belatedly noting some of your styles of dress... or the cost of such clothing. She releaned over and gave a puzzled stare at James.
"If you will be pardoning me mi'lord I need to find another driver for the wagon."
The young man was clearly smitten by your eyes and smile.
"Of course my lady that makes all the sense in the world. The going rate is usually five copper per person per mile charged round trip, but we can call it 28 gold total for the trip."
He offered quickly.
"Ah, but your math is off. That would be 30, not 28." Her tone is light, with a touch of good humor so as to not suggest the oversight was intentional.
The young man frowned when you corrected him Tove, you could almost see him counting in his head. You could definitely see the face he made when he realized he was indeed off.
We are heading west along the trade road to New Stetven. Im Elsbeth Fortuna by the way young man, though a lot of folk call me Momma. Don't know why I don't have any living children."
She grumbled and glared at the man who was about to open his mouth to answer as to why. He shut his mouth again and looked away.
Katsumi leans over and says something to Yumiko in Minkaian.
Umiko stretched up when Katsumi leaned over to sepak to her and responded in the same language.
Katsumi says, "I do not know how to drive a wagon, but I am not averse to forming a larger caravan."
Yumiko considered how to drive the wagon and she finally said, "I can try drive wagon. I not very good but can do."
Arisha reflects for a moment on the difficulty in finding a suitable wagon driver. "I guess I could also try and drive it. Its not something I would be particularly skilled at but if an extra pair of hands were required?"
Arisha reflects for a moment on the difficulty in finding a suitable wagon driver. "I guess I could also try and drive it. Its not something I would be particularly skilled at but if an extra pair of hands were required?"
The young man frowned when you corrected him Tove, you could almost see him counting in his head. You could definitely see the face he made when he realized he was indeed off.
Seraphina waved the mistake away, "Likely you were only giving us a more favorable rate to account for that pleasant company I mentioned. A very fair fare, I would say. Give me a moment to confer with my fellow travelers."
Moving near to Seraphina, not wanting to totally interrupt, he leans to her whispering. "The caravan outside, needs someone to drive their water wagon, and they have room for more."
Sera smiled as she realized her cousin was trying to lend a hand, wherever he could. He reminded her so of Alek at times that it made her heart ache for her late brother. "Oh, is it a merchant caravan? And where are they heading? New Steven, I see. I fear that is a good deal further on than our destination. But I suppose we could go along with them until we arrive."
Going along with Angus, she asked of Elsbeth Fortuna, "Do your travel plans include a stop at Oleg's Trading Post?"
The older woman paused and studied Seraphina for a moment. You could tell she was thinking. You could almost watch her mind weighing things moment by moment.
"Its almost along the way, It would be a day or two of a longer journey but ...we could stop along the way. The last time we passed through Oleg didnt have many furs to trade. He said the trappers were late but i think he had been robbed."
She glanced at you all again, this time more notably at your armament.
"We could stop by again if you heading that way as well."
She answered finally.
Katsumi thinks and then says, "Don't we have to... return... the wagon after we are done? Won't someone have to drive it back? Perhaps we should hire a driver."
The older woman looked at the group again did some quick calculations and nodded.
"Tell you folk what. We will head to Oleg's first, If he is selling furs again We will figure it out, but if he doesnt have any goods, you can keep the wagon as payment. By that point we should have enough space for the water kegs in another wagon."
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The Journey east was relatively uneventful, near the end of the second day in the distance you saw a pack of large wolves trying to run down a frantic stag. They disappeared into a copse of woods preventing you from seeing the final moments. The folk in the small caravan were nice enough, the only full oddity being the tiny carriage with a varisian woman whom looked as old as the earth itself. You were told by one of the workers quietly that mama fortuna claimed the old woman was her aunt, and that sometimes she told fortunes when the weather was nice and she felt okay. As you made camp for the night you were told that in the early parts of the day you would hit the fork to head to Oleg's trading post and that just a little past mid-day you should be at the trading post itself.
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Yumiko hopped up into the wagon for the trip, folding her legs beneath her and to one side and smoothing her skirt out around her. Since there was little for her to do Yumiko sat next to Katsumi and leaned against her Mistress,' side, falling asleep quickly and making cute little snoring sounds every so often.
The first night on the road Yumiko pitched in to help with the cleaning after dinner and then moved apart for a time before the light departed for the day. She pulled out the pair of fans tucked into her haramaki and snapped them open. With the sound of it they were obviously more than just decorative, and she began to move through a series of slow, precise, movements with them. It almost looked like a very slow dance of some kind but anyone with much experience would recognize the movements were something far more. It looked not unlike someone practicing with a weapon and it was obvious that she wasn't yet completely familiar with the motions if her hesitancy was any indication. Once the light was gone Yumiko returned to the camp proper and sat watch most of the night since she had slept a fair bit through the day.
The second day was much the same as the first for the maid. She helped clean up after breakfast and hopped in the cart, sitting next to Katsumi if she was there again and sleeping once more. Despite dozing she did wake up when anything unusual happened, particularly when the wolves were spotted. She looked at them with a glare and started reaching towards her pack almost without thinking for some reason or another. There were a number of muttered comments in her native language until the wolves were left behind them.
Hearing that they would be reaching the turn off for Olek's the next day Yumiko was quite pleased. She'd get to see someplace knew yet again and she looked forward to it. While Angus tried to get their northern companion to sing for them Yumiko moved a distance off and began to go through her "dance" with the fans again. Her movements were a little surer than the day before and it seemed like before too long she would have no hesitancy at all.
Katsumi seems to let her thoughts fade off into the distance as Yumiko burrows up against her to sleep on the carriage ride. In the evening she sets up a tent for the two Minkaians and heats water for tea, then when Yumiko practices her fan-dances, Katsumi plays a Minkaian stringed instrument passably well. For the most part she keeps to herself unless addressed...
(cue someone addressing her, if anyone wants some RP during the trip)
Katsumi continues playing as she says, "This is a shamisen. It is a fairly common instrument in Minkai. I learned to play at an early age, it was a hobby that was encouraged while I was a young woman. As an adult I have other responsibilities and I do not always have as many opportunities to practice as I would like, but I still enjoy having a chance to play from time to time. Especially when I can accompany Yumiko-chan." She nods once to the fan-dancer.
Katsumi pauses as Yumiko switches to a different kata. "Yumiko and I have nothing like family here now. Everything we once knew is very far away." She waits as Yumiko adjusts her grip and her kimono, then starts playing again to provide a cadence for the next kata. "I assure you, she can be quite effective with the fan, especially against a foe who is caught off-guard."
She glances down at her pair of swords while she continues playing and considers for a few moments before saying, "These weapons are ideal for draw cuts. The blade is very sharp and hard, and most commonly cuts are fatal by disemboweling an enemy, or striking an artery. It is somewhat similar to the scimitar, from what I know of sword-work in this country. Probably closer to the Aldori dueling sword." She plays silently for another minute before she adds, "These blades also symbolize my service to my master. When I was catapulted here by magic, I became a masterless warrior, a woman without a lord to serve. We are fortunate that House Lebeda was willing to accept us as retainers."
"From your own story, I take it that your mother was one of the Fair Folk?"
"Fans are used for decoration, of course, but in battle in Minkai we use them for signaling, and they can be used for warfare if one is properly trained," says Katsumi. "As she is." She nods in Yumiko's direction.
"Just as the Aldori sword-lords consider their sword-practice a form of art, so too do we see the practice of weapons as an aesthetic that has functional possibilities as well," she explains. "When I practice with the sword, it is not merely to reinforce my actions and my reflexes, but to hone my concentration and create beautiful movements like a dance."
"A warrior serves a necessary function in civilization: We fight to protect it, by serving those who order our civilization. Thus a warrior should also be versed in arts, as arts are the product of a civilized society."
Tove has little to add to the conversation on blades. Each warrior's weapon is their own choice, something suited to their particular strengths and weaknesses. That her new companions count other masterless amongst them is worth comment, though. "I am without a clan. I once served a jarl. No longer, though. That was another life." She nods along to Angus's story as well. "I was found. My parents are those who raised me. I have no interest in any others."
Katsumi discussing a warrior's dedication to arts as well as combat gets a thoughtful nod from her. "Your way is different than mine. My art is my art, my blade is my blade. Song is for the Rhyme-turner; sword is for the Iron-lord."
He pauses for a moment, looking back at the big northerner. "You sing right? Will you sing for us tonight?"
Tove summons a stringed instrument not unlike a guitar to her hand while everyone settles around the fire that night. "Do not ask me what the name of this instrument is. It is one of my own design, given form by this magic."
"Staring at death, I take a breath, there's nothing left
Now close my eyes, for one last time, and say goodbye
Lying naked while the snow falls all around me
Drifting closer to the edge but She won't have me
Wake up in sweat, full of regret, try to forget
These memories, lurking beneath, lost in a dream
Unchosen paths, a broken past, forespoken wrath
The pain won't cease, I'll find no peace, no sweet release
Fragile creatures, we are taught to fear the Reaper
Ever running, we are dead before we meet Her
These voices telling me let it go (let it all go)
I try and try but I can't say no (try and say no)
This endless nightmare has just begun (nowhere to run)
My heart is dragging me down into oblivion
The endless lies, I've cast aside, locked them in ice
Steeled is my soul, my blood grown cold, I've gained control
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her
These voices screaming to let it go (never let go)
This time I'm screaming back no no no (go on say no)
My mind's made up, yeah my fear is gone (Where have you gone?)
Open my eyes now here I come, oblivion
For the last time (I won't say goodbye)
For the last time (I won't say goodbye)
For the last time (I won't say goodbye)
For the last time"
[ooc]Credit: }|"Oblivion" Composed by Masayoshi Soken, Sung by Ayumi Murata
Yumiko heard all of what was said and how Angus asked how one could fight with a fan. Yumiko felt amusement and decided to show him. She finished her movements and began to walk towards Angus with the fans still open. She folded the one in her left hand closed and, when she reached him, bopped him on the top of the head with it.
The fan was weighty enough that the frame and spines were obviously metal. The still spread one had reinforced silk between the metal pieces and the tip of each metal strut was sharpened enough to stab with. She held her second fan up with her right hand to cover her face and winked at him as she said, "Like that."
Katsumi snapped the other fan closed and slid both into the waist band of her haramaki. Before she sat next to Katsumi and watched her play her shamisen.
During the day, Arisha tries to spend as much time in the wagon as possible, with a notebook open on her lap. Spotting the wolves chasing down a fleeing stag, Arisha draws a quick sketch, before noting down some of the descriptions and sketches of the various flora and fauna in the vicinity. Arisha wasn't really much of a biologist, she considered herself more of a mechanic or inventor first and foremost, but she figured that keeping a detailed record of the area and its surroundings could be fairly useful when attempting to colonize the landscape. She was very much looking forward to speaking with Oleg when they arrived to see what local knowledge the man might have of the area.
During the first night, Arisha sleeps easily. It took a moment to get used to the various sounds of nature during the night, but once she grew comfortable, Arisha relaxed. After spending time in an urban city learning her trade, it was nice to once against to hear the sounds that were so common in her rural hometown when she was little.
One the second night, Arisha notices a few of her companions flourishing their weapons, going through practice motions. A little self consciously, she pulls out her own weapon, a longspear, and James does the same, drawing his own (much smaller) spear. Flying in the air, James flies around Arisha, jabbing with small, quick movements while Arisha dances. The two make no sounds, but its clear that there is some communication happening between the two, as James abruptly switches stances, attacking from a different angle. After a few minutes of this, Arisha flops down on the ground, and opens her backpack, pulling out a few alchemical items. The sentences are quiet and rather jumbled, but its clear she's introducing each item to James.
Packing up her things, Arisha realizes that the group has moved closer together and joins them, listening as Tove launches into song. Behind her, James watches quietly, before the construct starts to rock backwards and forwards, clearly trying to somewhat poorly copy the movements that it had seen Yumiko had been making earlier. Arisha claps when the skald finishes. "That was very beautiful." she remarks before going quiet, thinking hard. "James says 'good sounds'. He enjoyed the performance as well" she nods, translating for the mute construct.
As the fire died down and most were headed to bed. Angus had noted where they sent up the tent for Mama Fortuna's aunt. Moving near her tent, he knocked on the small table set up outside. Calling softly, "grandmother, it is said you tell fortunes. Would...
It took several minutes before you heard movement in the tent and a young man ... child really poked his head out of the tent. You gathered he was just into his early teens.
"One moment."
He seemed to mouth to you and after another long pause and old woman slowly made her way from the tent. She leaned heavily on a walking stick only pausing slightly as the young man placed a cushioned stool in front of the table.
"A young soldier you say?"
She rasped out her eyes loosely focusing on you. It took a moment in the darkened night to realize she was looking past you really. The young man gently placed the handle of what looked to be a wooden coin collecting box that she tentively set on the table.
"Tell me young man, do you prefer cards or the crystal? Both look into your future . . . however the spirits that guide them differ. What is your name?"
The old woman's head lifted up slightly when the coins clinked into the box. It was clear from her bemused expression she had not been expecting that much.
"You have a generous soul Angus, let us hope that the gods have equally as generous plans for you yes?"
She half turned to speak to the young man whom had already moved into the wagon. He was stepping down from it holding a fist sized object wrapped away in what appeared to be a fine cloth. It clunked onto the wooden table as he set it down.
"Sit young man sit."
The old woman beckoned as she herself eased onto a stool. The young man hurried over with what appeared to be another well worn stool for you to sit on. Humming a barely audible tune the woman slowly unwrapped the object in the cloth and set a clear sphere of some form of crystal or glass on a small wooden ring in the middle of the table.
"For the spirits, speak out on what you want to know. What you seek guidance on."
She began one old leathery hand resting atop your left hand the other hand making arcane motions over the crystal ball.
Yumiko giggled at James trying to mimic her movements and she looked at the little construct and asked, "You wish to learn katas James-kun? You study with Yumiko-sensei, you learn good."
Once Tove began to sing Yumiko listened closely even if she seemed to be otherwise distracted with James and appreciated the music. It was not the aesthetic she was used to but it was still well done. She gave a bow of respect to Tove and said, "You play and sing well Tove-san."
As the fortunes began to be told Yumiko had already drifted away into the near darkness where she was keeping watch. Before she had slipped into the darkness Yumiko made sure she was alone and had pulled out a pair of short blades in scabbards. Both strapped against her left hip, one higher than the other, and she slipped into the nearby trees out of sight.
Raising an eyebrow as the woman calls him generous, Angus, not knowing how to respond, nods in agreement with her when she talks about a generous plan from the gods. Taking the seat that she indicated, he watches as she unwrapped the clear crystal sphere.
Shaking his head, he ponders the question for a moment. Angus wasn't really sure why he was here. It struck him more as a lark. He was always interested in the supernatural. Neither of his fathers paid it much attention. Eldlen focused on things of history and magic. Gunnar focused on weapons and horses. As for his training with religion, or spirits or gods went, it was nominal at best. But ever since he was little, being teased by the noble children, Seraphina and her siblings the only exception. he had wanted to prove himself. He had wanted glory. Lifting his eyes, his gaze met the old woman's, asking her. "Tell me, will I find Glory?"
The old woman muttered some noises as she waved her hand over the crystal. After a moment a series of colored lights seemed to eminate from the crystal and the woman's voice spoke slowly almost somberly.
"I see.... trying times ahead for you, darkness shrouds your path. There is much danger but there is a beautiful creature barring your path. Glory you will though on your quest... glory and death though maybe not for you."
She paused and cleared her throat her painted fingernail suddenly clinking on the crystal.
"Come on you stupid crystal clear up.."
She muttered then gasped. For a moment Angus you saw something more than just colored lights in the ball... you saw yourself in fine armor next to an exotically beautiful woman wearing a dark dress.... she had horns? justting from her forhead. Then the crystal winked out... and cracked. With a slight gasp the old woman sat blinking at it then shook her head slightly.
"Keep your eyes open boy and your sword close you walk a perilous path."
Sadly your hunting doesnt go as well as you would like, the only thing you manage to snag is a vole and a very small rabbit, not really enough to share with the others but not a terrible meal for you. The only thing of note during the night is the incessant hooting of what appears to be a barnowl throughout the night, Everytime you neared the tree it was in however it flew off, as if it was aware you were down there.
The morning is clear and cool, though off to the east the start of some dark clouds is forming. Angus you feel a storm might be brewing, but from what you can tell it won't hit for another six to eight hours. Plenty of time to get to the trading post before it strikes.
Yumiko didn't shift back when she ate, staying in her fox form where a raw creature was not a problem to eat, but her meal was interrupted by that darn hooting. The owl watched her the whole time and wouldn't go away! Yumiko thought about shifting back and trying to take the bird down but decided against it. She floofed her tail in its direction and continued her patrol through the trees.
Yumiko had barely ghosted along when that owl was hooting nearby her again! Yumiko turned towards where the sound was coming from and went to go try and get up the tree to get the damned bird but it flew to another nearby tree when she got close to it! Yumiko thought about chasing it down again but once more it seemed to stay just out of range when she moved closer to its perch.
Yumiko didn't play the game for long and instead decided to just ignore the feathered fiend. Yumiko found her second snare had a small rabbit, still not enough to share, so she was about to approach it when she heard that hooting again. Yumiko backed away and hunched down, ready to pounce, and watched for the owl to try for her second meal. Unfortunately, after several minutes of hooting, it didn't fall for her trick so she went out and ate her rabbit before continuing her patrol. At the end of the night Yumiko quietly shifted back before entering the camp again and stowed her swords back in her pack before stepping into the area where she could be seen once more.
When morning came Yumiko came back into camp in the early morning there was not a stitch out of place on her clothing or hair from the night before. She looked a bit tired, but that was to be expected all things considered,
Yumiko promptly went about making tea and then served it to Katsumi and anyone else who wanted some. Once that was done she looked at Katsumi and then pulled out a brush. Yumiko walked up behind her Mistress and began to brush Katsumi's hair gently while the others talked and went about their daily preparations.
Katsumi gratefully accepts the tea and hair-brushing, though as the morning hour wears on she puts a hand on Yumiko's arm and says something softly to her.
James sways a little and briefly soars around Yurishi's head at her suggestion to watch and learn, before keeping its electronic eyes fixed on her, studying the movements. As the night wears on, the little construct obediently keeps watch throughout the entire night, noticing
Yurishi disappearing into the night, as well as a fox running outside the perimeter, but unable to see a connection between the two events.
For her part, Arisha sleeps peacefully although her eyes flick briefly from James to Yurishi as the construct updates her with the events of his watch.
Yumiko was quite tired whe Katsumi spoke to her and she nodded as she replied in the same language, "Katsumi-chan wa zenzen nemasendeshita. Watashi wa mada anata o kanshi suru no ni jūbun'na korera no hitobito o shiranainode, watashi wa anata o kanshi shi tsudzukemashita. Mata idō-chū wa nemasunode, nani ka attara okoshite kudasai."
Yumiko gave a large yawn and moved to sit next to Katsumi with her hair brushing finished. She leaned against her Mistress and promptly dropped off to sleep.