Taya Risper
Although the village is a dozen or so miles into the Gnarley Forest, its fields and boundaries make it seem far more open. There are many copses of trees dotted about the place, often left to show where one farm ends and another begins.
The Shelleton track heads west and has several small holdings along its way. A bridge marks the edge of Tricaster and just this side there is a narrow dirt rail that meanders with the brook to the north; until it reaches a clearing with three large clean rocks. Beyond that is a well-tended garden of herbs and small vegetables in front of a long lodge. The front door even has a wooden knocker in the shape of a hoof.
A noisy hen house is to the left of the lodge, and a small stable to the right. An old man in a black ragged cloak is busy weeding his garden. His bald dome shines with sweat and is naturally tanned. One or two wisps of grey hair hang around his ears. Leaning against the wall, behind the man is a five foot long crooked staff of pale wood.
The chickens squawks and clucks have covered your approach this morning, so that he has no idea of your presence.
Bethsemane
Although the village is a dozen or so miles from the edge of the Gnarley Forest, its fields and boundaries make it seem far more open. There are many copses of trees dotted about the place, left often to show where one farm ends and one begins.
The Shelleton track heads west and has several small holdings along its way. A bridge marks the edge of Tricaster and just this side there is a narrow dirt rail that meanders with the brook to the north; until it reaches a clearing with three large clean rocks. Beyond that is a well tended garden of herbs and small vegetables in front of a long lodge. The front door even has a wooden knocker in the shape of a hoof.
Everywhere is quiet this early in the morning; however the lodge chimney has smoke wafting upwards.
A hen house is to the left of the lodge, and a small stable to the right.
Vladimir Wilhelm
It is Vladimir's third visit to the hospital. The room normally has one or two sick men, mildly ill with Old Movomm able to care for them easily. Today as Vladimir opens the door, flowers in hand, he sees a dozen men crowding around all the beds. Each one is occupied with a person, a man or woman or even child. The cries and screams that were muffled, hit the youngster full force.
Old Movomm is standing in the middle of the room arguing with the tall Captain Milestarn. The stick-thin woman is giving as good as she gets, despite only being four and a half foot tall.
Daetha Tain
It is several weeks into your lessons with Palfourd Mungor. He is a kindly soul who's knowledge of nature is good. He is large and broad chested with a longbow for company most of the time.
The longbow is engraved and carved with runes and symbols that he passes off as elven, giving it a name of Hawkwind.
This morning, Palfourd takes you to the cashel. He has a surprise for you. Standing beside the open doorway of the mound is a full elf, with tattoos and supple leathers. He is cooking some game on a stick. Next to him is a row of eight arrows, each with green and white fletching, all with their points in the earth.
Several pots are nearby.
"Go to him, boy, he can help you. Just do me proud and make a good impression."
Finwe Yrinsil
It is one of those days when Finwe has just wandered. Those footsteps are guided by fate and are blessed by the lucky totem of the catshie (elven guardcat) when the bushes almost part to reveal the cashel. The smell of roasting bird tugged at the nose and made the mouth water.
Ahead is a tattooed elf, a wood elf warrior, in all his glory. He is cooking game on a spit with a row of arrows ready to use in the ground next to him. His longbow leans against a tree in partial cover, but its white wood is noticeable.
The cameo is completed by your acquaintance, Daetha, and the Ehlonnan priest, Palfourd.
Finwe steps to the edge of the tree-line and plants the end of her sharpened stake in the ground. In an instant she knows this is no relation of her family, nor was he known at the Enclave of Corustaith, to her knowledge at least. Could he be one of the woodsmen? So far she has avoided these neighbors, but today, her aquaintance with Daetha makes him seem more approachable.
The presence of a priest of Ehlonna draws her ever closer to the group.
Finwe stands at the edge of the glade holding her spear. She will watch the encounter unfold silently unless she is called upon. She will most gladly enjoy a morsel of food, as her mouth is watering at the good smells. The way of the Owl, her almond eyes widen to a starry gaze meditating on the ever-unfolding universe.
Daetha enjoys his daily lessons with Palfourd. Although he is not illiterate, there has never been much time for formal schooling before this, and he was intimidated by the thoughts of piles of books and dense crabbed writing like in Trant’s ledgers. But the kindly priest knows how to make things easy for the lad, and Daetha is enthralled by the tales of Gnarly rangers, the lessons on plants and animals, and barely notices that his grammar and handwriting is improving by leaps and bounds as he undertakes the assignments that Palfourd sets him.
He is equally interested in the priest’s elven bow (though try as he might he cannot make sense of the letters carved into it … perhaps his friend Finwe could read them), but he hasn’t ever yet quite plucked up the courage to ask his teacher if he may try to use it, and the man has not offered.
He follows Palfourd out of town this day, excited at the prospect of spending this day’s lessons out doors. Perhaps he will have to identify rare herbs or plants, or learn the old names of trees, or observe squirrels or …
They reach the cashel, and Daetha stops nervously before the entrance, eying the elf standing at the gap in the earthern walls. He’s seen elves before of course – his some-time boss Vesedanroi has elven blood, and his odd friend Finwe is an elf of course … but when Vesedanroi is working at the forge it is easy enough to forget that he is elven, and Finwe is a girl little older then he – well, she says that she is a hundred years older than him, but she acts like a girl (an odd one, to be sure, but then most girls are somewhat odd … and she’s quite pretty under the dirt and ragged clothes that oft adorn her … Daetha has begun to notice that, and it confuses him somewhat … he’s realised recently that he’s both hoping for and strangely dreading the next time Finwe asks him to swim together at Tadpole Pond…)
He quickly banishes such thoughts from his mind at looks again at the elf. He’s quite intimidating, with those tattoos and those deep, old eyes. Daetha wets his dry lips, and then looks at the arrows and the pots. Well, he wanted an interesting lesson, and this is sure to be it. He looks up at the priest and nods firmly, sets his young chin and then steps forward.
“Clear skies and good morning sir,” he says, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “I am called Daetha Tain.” He sticks out his right hand in greeting (a greeting which of course doubles in showing that he bears no weapon), before suddenly wondering if elves use the same sort of greeting as the men of the village.
The flowers drop to the floor as Vladimir is standing with mouth open at the scene of carnage that is the common hospital room. Quickly instinct takes over and his hesitation wanes. Vladimir scrambles from bedside to bedside emptying bedpans, and cleaning instruments. He makes sure to wash his hands between each patient. Vladimir cleans fluid soaked rags and provides fresh linens to whom ever needs them. Instinct takes over and Vladimir does the best he can. He draws upon the memory of his time in the bed, and draws upon the limited teachings of Old Movomm. "Cleanliness is the most important facet to a man's health, something in the dirt delays healing and causes men to go into fever". Vladimir recites as he tries to keep the hospital as clean as possible.
Quickly Vladimir starts to boil a large pot of water reciting another Movomm teaching, "Clean water to cleanse the wounds and clean water for drinking, excorsize the spirts from the water by making it too uncomforable to dwell within".
Vladimir tries to quiet the scared children doing his best to tell jokes or put on an impromptu puppet show with whatever he can find. He listens to the adults to see if he can figure out what went on...
Vladimir inspects the bandages Old Movomm has put in place watching for unnatural drainage the colour of the summer leaves or muddy soil, he smells them at a distance to note any foul orders that may indicate whether a deamon has entered the wound, and finally he looks for shadowing or bleeding through the bandages and if he notices he applies more linens to the bandage in place...Vladimir seems to be in his natural element, but he is fighting his fears as to put on a brave face for those he is treating.
Taya Risper
*snip*
An old man in a black ragged cloak is busy weeding his garden. His bald dome shines with sweat and is naturally tanned. One or two wisps of grey hair hang around his ears. Leaning against the wall, behind the man is a five foot long crooked staff of pale wood.
The chickens squawks and clucks have covered your approach this morning, so that he has no idea of your presence.
Taya's thoughts drift back to her father's quiet words of the previous day. "Go and see Raggedy Sorda. Ask him for help.". And so here she was, a world away from the busy Risper farm, riding quietly along the track leading out of Tricaster. Welcoming the early morning silence, Taya relishes this brief time alone and quietly runs her hand down the neck of the recently broken filly she's riding.
"Steady Epon, you fool horse, it's just chickens, you've seen those before." she murmers affectionately. The filly is fine bloodstock, certain to be an asset with her bloodlines in due course, but for now, just another piece of potential. Taya's particularly proud of her work with Epon - she was nervey and hard to handle almost from the start, and she and her father worked tirelessly to train her.
"She's no use to us or anyone else if she can't control herself." Thuliss had said after one particularly exhausting and futile session when Epon had panicked and fought refusing all attempts at bridling her. Looking back on that conversation and the months following it, Taya wonders if he was only referring to Epon.
He's clever. Maybe he knew all along. That would be me and Epon both then. I wonder if I can keep her? She feels more mine than any other horse I've ever broken. She dismisses the thought almost as it forms. The Risper finances are too fragile to allow the luxury of keeping a good mare.
Now that she's within hailing distance of the cottage, she dismounts and leads the filly walking steadily towards the man she assumes must be Raggedy Sorda.
"Good morning. Is it bindweed? I hate that stuff, it strangles everything."
Daetha and Finwe
On closer inspection, the wood elf has greenish brown hair tied back in a ponytail. His tattoos cover wiry arms and upper chest.
"I am Running Fox and this meal is for us all. Sit. Eat."
When Daetha sits, he can see that Palfourd has left him with the elf. He too can now make out the white wood bow; similarly carved in elven.
The wood elf smiles and offers a roasted breast to the boy on a clean piece of bark. With it are several flowers and leaves. One or two are familiar enough that Daetha can tell they are edible.
Vladimir Wilhelm
The work is busy and hard. Vladimir has instinctively turned into an orderly. In fact, one or two of the gypsies begin to get the same idea and take over the minor roles. They all talk to each other in a foreign tongue and seem pretty competent.
Most of the concerned men are gathered about one middle-aged woman, pale from the loss of blood. They will not be moved by Vladimir, except when they realise he is helping. Even so, as soon as he has tended bandages and moved on, they all resume their vigil.
After the Captain leaves, the old healer gives Vladimir a few tips, helps him with the bandages and can be heard muttering, "curses, curses, curses."
She pats the boy on his head as she carries on working.
Taya Risper
The old man squawks in surprise and gets up with his staff. "You startled me. I'm Sorda and you....you are Thuliss' girl, yes?"
He hobbles over waving at Taya, "get down, come on, let's get your pony.... or is it horse? Yes! Hah! horse inside."
He looks around puzzled for a second then smacks his forehead, "yes the bindweed. I see. No, its always coming back and its a bit like a chokey ropey."
"You getting down or what? Still didn't catch that name, speak up!"
Taya Risper
The old man squawks in surprise and gets up with his staff. "You startled me. I'm Sorda and you....you are Thuliss' girl, yes?"
He hobbles over waving at Taya, "get down, come on, let's get your pony.... or is it horse? Yes! Hah! horse inside."
He looks around puzzled for a second then smacks his forehead, "yes the bindweed. I see. No, its always coming back and its a bit like a chokey ropey."
"You getting down or what? Still didn't catch that name, speak up!"
"She's a horse. Or she will be when she reaches full growth. She'll fill out a bit, maybe grow an inch or two. Her name's Epon. Mine's Taya. Thuliss' girl. He sent me. I'm very happy to meet you."
Leading Epon towards the stable, she looks hard at the garden.
"I've never found a way to get rid of bindweed. You just have to keep digging it up every year. I'll give you a hand if you like once Epon's settled."
Nagy Risper
The village militia meet every earthday and sunday evening for two hours training. Many of the menfolk from the village seem to enjoy the camaraderie and time away from their chores. The group are smiling and have already started doing light exercises when Domar gets Nagy along.
He points out and explains the various weapons then hands Nagy an ordinary spear.
"This can be thrown or used with a shield. You are on the small size for the longspears that we mostly use, so try this."
He points at a straw bale stood on its side. "Don't worry the straw is old and wont fight back."
Laughter comes from the other villagers at this oft-told joke.
"This can be thrown or used with a shield. You are on the small size for the longspears that we mostly use, so try this."
He points at a straw bale stood on its side. "Don't worry the straw is old and wont fight back."
Laughter comes from the other villagers at this oft-told joke.
"Yes, sir," Nagy answers as he accepts the spear. He feels his cheeks burn when the men laugh, but steadfastly does not look at them, rather focusing on the the bale. He runs a couple of steps, cocking his arm back, and launches the spear, which flies only a few yards before skittering along the ground in the general direction of the bale.
Nagy, feeling humiliated, steps forward to pick up the spear for another throw, still avoiding looking at the militiamen.
Nagy Risper
A tall boy laughs out loud at the awful throw. "Hawww! Hawww!"
Three others are nearby. None of them is in the militia, they are just mocking Nagy's efforts.
The sergeant shakes his head and turns, unleashing his full fury on them, "You better start running, or this spear will go through your spine, Jeridd." He lifts the spear and that's enough to send them sprinting away.
"Now you aren't strong enough for this, Nagy. Here practice lifting the spear over your head and down again. Until your arms fall off!"
Taya Risper
He hobbles over to open the stable door and points at a large cot inside. There is already a couple of goats chomping away the other side of the fence in their space.
"Here you go, that's it. Now the bindweed can wait, because Thuliss said you are in need of help."
He wanders off and points at the various trees around naming them, "elm, oak, yarpick sapling there and a large clump of dog roses."
He turns back to Taya, "this forest is teeming with life. Do you know why? No don't stop caring for your horse. Just think about it. We are twenty miles from the beginning of the Wild Coast and there the forest just ends. Why?"
Humming to himself, the old man returns to his weeding while Taya is left in the stable.
At the Hospital.
Vladimir does not quit, there is work to be done, recognizing symptoms of blood loss, Vladimir asks the old woman who is being watched by many men to lay dow, he rolls up a blanket and puts it under her ankles to promote blood back to her heart. Taking another blanket he covers her hoping to keep her warm. He grabs a concoction that Movamm keeps that is elixer of a lambs liver, it is high in what she calls Iron and it is good to promote the blood flow. Vladimir is concerned about this woman, and asks the men to report if this woman needs to pee or go to the bathroom. He checks her arm for pulses and to feel if the skin is clammy. If there is no pee within 4 hours Vladimir tells old Movamm, the worry being if she is taking in fluids, but not putting them out, then these fluids may be dumping into a body cavity...what Old Movumm calls "Third Spacing"
At weapon's Training
"Nice throw Nagy" Vladimir teases, "I have seen your sister do better. Vladimir playfully jokes. Picking up another Javelin Vladimir asserts "let me try", taking three steps he hurls the implament atthe straw target.
Vladimir's face goes a deep crimson, "well its harder than it looks he states, plus I have never done that before.... The roars of laughter from the militia men at the two inept boys is very embarassing. "I guess we can't be perfect at everything" Vladimir whispers at young Nagy.
Picking up a heavy mace Vladimir regains his composure "Now this is what a real weapon is!" Vladimir states boldly. Old Dranstran considers stopping young Vladimir from making a fool of himself, but is to entertained to stop the youth. With a mighty swing young Vladimir hurls all his weight behind his strike at a dummy target. Vladimir does not make things any better for himself, he over extends his swing, misses completly and falls flat on his butt, roars of laughter come once again from the other men.
Mace Swing.
Dranstan suggests, "Are you ready for a lesson Vladimir? Vladimir looks up to the old man and blows his curly hair from his good eye and simply replies "YES!"
At the Militia Training Ground
Sergeant Dranstan hands Vladimir another spear and repeats his orders, "until your arms fall off!"
The rest of the villagers pair off and begin practicing and sparring. One or two are also trying to get to grips with the spear throwing. They are doing much better than either of the boys.
After a while, Dranstan comes over and starts shouting at both the boys to pick the pace up and give some effort.
In the infirmary
Old Movomm orders the men out. They argue and argue but eventually she gets her way. She generally does.
Then she comes over to Vladimir, "watch the doors. Go outside and let no one in for at least five minutes."
"Now, quickly."
The Infirmary
Vladimir exits as he is told and shuts the door behind him...well almost shuts the door. Curiosity gets to Vladimir as he peeks inside to watch the healing skills of old Movamm. Quickly he comes to his senses and shuts the door, He looks back to the path infront of the door guarding it as best he can, he gets on his tippy toes and fills his lungs with air as to look bigger than he actually is, soon his face turns purple, and he exhales, he doubts his tactic had the desired effect.
The Militia Training
Vladimir lasts longer than Orik being somewhat accoustommed to this pace with the manuere shovelling and the orphanage callistetics, however when the sergent yells for Vladimir to pick up the pace he does so. His arms are heavy and they feel like they are on fire, his little body is near its breaking point, and the fatigue he is under is only working against him; however, he works through it, he remembers lessons at the orphanage if he quits and he expects the same if he gives up here.
Village Militia
Domar puts one hand out and cuts across both boys. "From now on if one of you quits and fails then I shall punish you both. You are useless. Come back on earthday evening and do better!"
The other villagers grin while the sergeant isn't looking then quickly stop.
In the Infirmary
Vladimir almost sees what Old Movomm pulls out of her tunic but she turns away and he closes the door too soon.
About three minutes later, a soldier happens by with a large splinter in his wrist. Drips of blood are falling into his other hand, despite the rough bandaging with a horsecloth.
"Damn thing cracked a fence with me hand just beside. Officers' horses should be trained better." He is heading for the door and Old Movomm.
Orick is a curious little fellow . . . in multiple senses of the word! He's inquisitive, he loves hearing how things work, and learning about plants and nature. He sometimes is seen snooping or spying around town, interested in other people's secrets or observing people when they don't know they're being watched, but he almost never asks prying questions.
He's also curious in the sense that he's seemingly quite odd, and a host of contradictions. He often disappears when there's serious work to be done but can often be found at the shrine sweeping or helping out. Which is also odd because his father is priest of Wee Jas and not someone people in the town would think of disobeying. He's silly and incredibly childish, and yet other times (like when he's standing up for / or protecting his half sister Bethsemane) he seems extremely stoic, and acts like an unflappable pillar of support. He loves town (and often speaks of visiting a big city like Greyhawk) but is often seen in the forest climbing (and some say talking to) trees.
"Nice throw Nagy" Vladimir teases, "I have seen your sister do better. Vladimir playfully jokes. Picking up another Javelin Vladimir asserts "let me try", taking three steps he hurls the implament atthe straw target.
[
Vladimir's face goes a deep crimson, "well its harder than it looks he states, plus I have never done that before.... The roars of laughter from the militia men at the two inept boys is very embarassing. "I guess we can't be perfect at everything" Vladimir whispers at young Nagy.
Nagy, looking furious, shoots back, "Or some of us at anything!" It is clear he is not referring to himself.
Though he is stronger than most boys his age, the exercise with the spear quickly has Nagy wishing that, indeed, his arms would fall off. He pushes through, though, and, when dismissed, picks up his pack and heads for home, only blowing on his blisters when he is well away from the training field.
Finwe is tempted to rush forward for some of the delicious food. She thought for a moment the elf caught her eye, and she understood his signal for food and friendship. But just as quickly she pulled back, and her attention was caught by Daetha, who looked up at Running Fox with wonder in his eyes.
Her position relaxed and she sat, cross-legged on the edge of the brushline. She would come forward for food and friendship, but not until the boy had found what he was looking for. For now she would relish the rich smells, the slight breeze, and the dappling of the sun.
Having spent all night in the Square, Bethsemane set out early in the morning. She had stayed up all night, trying to focus her mind and find that little spark of magic that she just knew was inside her somewhere. In truth, she as a little surprised at how easy it was - she was so excited she would have gotten very little sleep anyways. Today she was going to become a wizard!
In the predawn hours, she quietly went through the house, gathering together what she needed: her mother's crossbow, the few bolts she'd been practicing with, the pouch she had cobbled together to hold all the mystical spell components she would someday need (it already held a few strange-looking leaves and flowers, some flour from the kitchen, a couple of dead bugs, and a shiny, polished stone), and the big book, full of blank pages ready to record amazing and wondrous spells. And lastly, she took a bottle of her father's best wine.
She put all of the items into an old sack from the barn, and picking up her trusty walking stick, headed out into the forest. Early mornings, with the cold and the damp, always made her bad leg ache, so Bethsemane walked with a limp, but she soon fell into an easy stride as her muscles loosened and the morning warmed.
Now in the forest clearing, actually faced with doing something about her dreams, Bethsemane is nervous.
Maybe it's still too early, she thinks. He might still be asleep. I shouldn't wake him.
But the smoke from the lodge's chimney shows that someone is home. It's now or never, Beth.
It takes only a few minutes to gather her courage. Nervously, Bethsemane steps up to the door, and reaches out to knock. Again, she hesitates, dropping her arm, and rearranges her hood and dress for the umpteenth time. Deep breath. Okay. She reaches out and bangs the knocker on the door, shattering the morning's silence.
"Um...Master Sorda?" she calls, her voice breaking. She clears her throat. "Is anyone home? It's Bethsemane, from the village."
Taya Risper
*snip*
"...Thuliss said you are in need of help."He wanders off and points at the various trees around naming them, "elm, oak, yarpick sapling there and a large clump of dog roses."
He turns back to Taya, "this forest is teeming with life. Do you know why? No don't stop caring for your horse. Just think about it. We are twenty miles from the beginning of the Wild Coast and there the forest just ends. Why?"
Humming to himself, the old man returns to his weeding while Taya is left in the stable.
Automatically Taya untacks Epon and rubs her down, the familiar work soothing her as much as the filly. Finished, she goes back outside to join the old man. Kneeling beside him and helping pull the bindweed, she says abruptly -
"The forest frightens me."
A handful of bindweed comes up and she begins disentangling it from the base of the fruit bushes.
"It's like this weed. The roots go so deep and you have to follow them to the end. Just when you think you've found the source, it breaks off and you have to look again. When I was little, I thought I could follow the forest's roots. Now I don't even want to go near it with half my mind. The other half keeps pulling me back. If the forest stops suddenly, I'd say it was because that's where the roots end."
Not looking at Raggedy, she competently untwines more weed from the bushes.
"Look at this. If you don't control it, you'll have no fruit this year Master Sorda. My father was right. I do need help. Can I tell you a story?"
Daetha nods his head in thanks, and sits down where Running Fox indicates. “All of us?” he asks, and looks about. For the first time he notices Finwe sitting at the edge of the bushes nearby. He flushes slightly, then gestures the girl over.
“This smells very good sir,” he addresses Running Fox, accepting the bark plate. “Thankyou for sharing your meal with me.” He’s not quite sure if this is a lesson, or a test, or something else all together. If the elf is eating, or seemingly waiting for him to eat, he will do so, otherwise he will wait for Finwe to join them. He eats the flowers along with the meat, being careful to choose only the ones he is certain are edible, based on the years of eating food his mother had foraged from the woods.
As he eats, he eyes the white bow partially hidden by the bushes. “That must be your bow sir,” he says to Running Fox. “It looks quite magnificent.”
At the training
Vladimir plops to the ground looking up at Nagy, "Sorry for the teasing, I had no idea this was gonna be so hard, I think you did very well near the end, maybe we can work together to improve, maybe on some of our off days we can practice at the Ranch after supper You really can throw hard and would like to learn how you do it". Vladimir blows his hair away from his good eye and reaches a hand up to Nagy hoping he will help him up. "After all like Old Domar says we are in this together, I one of fails we both fail."
In the Infirmary
"Hello good sir, their is an emergency going on in the infirmary, I see you have attempted to bandage that yourself, but there are some flaws in your technique, probably because you only had one hand to wrap it up" Vladimir smiles at the man trying to calm him and putting confidence into his ability. Pulling 5 bandages from his work bag, he states, "Let me help, first you have a splinter coming out of your hand we need to stabalise that" twisting one of the bandages into a ring Vladimir makes what resembles a donut, "If you will let me I can help that greatly" Vladimir gestures for the man to sit on a bench near the door and takes the man's injured hand, applying the donut splint with the splinter protruding through the middle hole , Vladimir next fasens each side of the donut firmly by tieing another bandage around each half. This has the effect of applying pressure to all portions of the wound, while leaving the puncture free from pressure, normally the wound would stop bleeding. Vladimir removes one more larger bandage and folds it into a triangle, with this he makes a sling and places the man's arm against his chest with his hand near his collarbone, this helps to stop the bleeding by using gravity. Finally, one more bandage is tied around the sling at the elbow, and around the man's waist, this immobilises the whole arm. Vladimir looks at his work smiles and states, "If you want to wait for Old Movvum, she will only be a few more moments, here have some water. Vladimir offers the man a cool glass of water.
"As for your horse there is a girl at the Risper horse ranch who is a phenomenal trainer, I bet she can help, her name is Taya"
Vladimir plops to the ground looking up at Nagy, "Sorry for the teasing, I had no idea this was gonna be so hard, I think you did very well near the end, maybe we can work together to improve, maybe on some of our off days we can practice at the Ranch after supper You really can throw hard and would like to learn how you do it". Vladimir blows his hair away from his good eye and reaches a hand up to Nagy hoping he will help him up. "After all like Old Domar says we are in this together, I one of fails we both fail."
Nagy glares at Vladimir, but then softens. "Ok, we'll practice. And show those guys." He helps Vladimir up. "But don't you get me kicked out of training!"
Finwe leaps forward, leaving her spear planted in the earth. With shaking hands she will clasp the barkskin plate, her almond eyes are still wide from the far-seeing. Her low concentration means that she must eat often though only in small amounts. What she cannot finish off the plate in a few large bites, she will blithely dump into her shoulder-slung pouch, for later.
Finwe will then sit back and hear what this woodsman may have to say. If Daetha giggles or otherwise cuts up, she will elbow him in the ribs and give him her most dour glance. This elf offered food and friendship, and there are customs to follow, information to pass along, though Finwe is worried that she has so liitle to contribute. She could tell him of the forest tadpoles in the creeks, but of kings and wars and fathers of old, she is shamefully ignorant.
This tattooed elf, however, must know much of the wider world. He is wayworn and travelled, wizened by the passage of years. Finwe will listen intently to anything Norima Rousco* has to say, but if called upon to speak, will only stumble over even the most basic question, in elven or common.
[ooc]I took the liberty of translating Running Fox into Tolkein's Elvish language Qenya on a lark. It translates to "Swift-running Fox."
Bethsemane at Raggedy Sorda's
The knocker bangs the door ajar and it opens slightly. Maybe an inch or two.
Taya Risper
"No, don't."
He finishes the weeds. And sighs at the sight of the passionate child.
"Come inside and make me some herb tea, then we can swap stories. I like the camomile, what about you? hogsbright is plentiful at this time of year too?"
"You know I don't allow just anyone in my home."
He gets up with the aid of his staff.
Taya Risper
"No, don't."
He finishes the weeds. And sighs at the sight of the passionate child.
"Come inside and make me some herb tea, then we can swap stories. I like the camomile, what about you? hogsbright is plentiful at this time of year too?"
"You know I don't allow just anyone in my home."
He gets up with the aid of his staff.
"My father told me that. I was surprised you agreed to see me. Very grateful as well." Taya ventures on a smile.
"Of course I'll make tea for you. I know camomile and like it. What's hogsbright - I don't think I've ever heard of it."
At the Cashel
"Yes, it is. You are quite right, so today let us talk of lomillialor, the white wood."
He talks at great length about the white wood and its connection to the earth and magic. He goes on to explain where the strange high trees can be found from which such wood may be taken. Also how the various parts of the tree may be used so that none is wasted. This leads on to a discussion of the shapes of leaves and the choice of which branch to make a bow from.
All the time the elf points out comparisons from the woods around the cashel.
"So, would you like to learn more of the woods from me, young Tain?"
It is late in the day and the food had kept hunger at bay until now.
"Finwe - you could hunt better if I help? Will you take lessons from another or not, but understand that I expect you to excel, for you are of our blood."
While the pair think on his questions, he starts collecting his equipment together.
At the Infirmary Door
The soldier looks down at the bandage, assessing if its what he needed. His mind is more occupied on that than on the use of a girl to train the horse.
Bethsemane at Raggedy Sorda's
The knocker bangs the door ajar and it opens slightly. Maybe an inch or two.
Bethsemane pushes the door open a little farther. "Master Sorda...?"
Her ears strain for any sound.
Bethsemane at Sorda's
"Hmphh!" faintly comes out of the room.
The door is now four inches wide, but no other sound can be heard. What little the half-orcess can see is of a wooden wall covered in shelves of bottles and jars that glint in the sunlight.
Daetha sits upright, pushing aside the slight pangs of hunger and the tiredness that is beginning to lurk at the edges of his mind. He throws a quick sideways glance at Finwe, then nods eagerly. “Yes I would, thankyou,” he answers Running Fox, standing and looking around to see if there is anything he can help with.
Daetha Tain
"Then every third day until the next full month (four weeks) come here and we shall explore the forest together. You may go."
The wood elf turns to Finwe and starts conversing in elven,
Finwe
Korgoth Darkhand
The Scabbard's Empty is quiet most mornings, as the ladies recover from their exertions of the night before.
By noon, several off duty soldiers will have found their way into the common room for a drink and a game of cards.
This morning Feisam hands little Korgoth a dagger and a similar stick. The dagger is well made and has a strange horned animal as the pommel. Its eyes glitter red from the sunlight coming between the stable's roof boards.
"This is "drak'o'fury" and she was given to me for saving a knight in a fight many years ago.
"What do you think of her?"
Taya Risper
As they enter the lodge, the old man is giggling to himself. He sorts out the camomile herbs and prods the fire under the black pot.
"Hogsbright? never heard of it. Just testing you, what a sensible girl you are, keep it up."
He sits and waits for the tea and Taya to join him.
"Sluuurrp, ahhhh. Good. Now what do you want me to know?" He looks over Taya's shoulder at the jars, "Need more mint, don't we."
"Well?"
Korgoth admires the well-made dagger in a shaft of sunlight.
"She's a beauty Feisam! You got her for saving a knight? Wow! What's the animal here on the pommel?"
Taya at Sorda's
Holding her mug, Taya smiles at the old man. "You know the orphanage? Well there's a boy there. Vladimir. He helps at the farm and he's good with horses. Patient and quiet with them. I watch him when he's working with them and he tries to follow how they think. I like that and I like him."
She looks hard at Sorda. "This isn't a love story by the way." She pauses for a second in case he wants to laugh at her, blushing a bit as she admits
"Or not exactly one anyway. I'm protective of him. I don't want him to be laughed at. Anyway, I was passing the orphanage one day and he was being beaten. It was cruel and humiliating and stupid and I lost my temper. Something happened to my head and I somehow pulled the stick out of the Master's hand and turned it on him. I don't know how or why.
Master Sorda, can you help me? I don't understand what happened then, but suppose I do the same thing again or something worse? I could hurt someone badly. The Master deserved it, but I can't go round hurting people like that whenever I lose my temper."
Taya at Sorda's
"That must have taken the wind from your sails. How did it feel to have such power?"
Now Sorda is no longer drinking or looking around, now he is watching the girl carefully.
Taya at Sorda's
"Horrible. It was like the first time I rode dad's horse. He was too strong for me and all the things I thought I knew didn't work. I just wasn't strong enough and he knew it. I ended up in ditch miles from home. That's how it felt."
She stops for a second and can't meet Sorda's eyes.
"It did feel horrible, but it felt good as well. I loved being able to stop the Master hurting Vladimir, but all the time I was so scared I wouldn't be able to stop it."
"I have learned much from the foxes running in these woods, and I would learn from you as well." Finwe stands and bows to the elf. "Every third day as Daetha?"
She walks to the edge of the brush line where her forgotten spear still stands sentinel and turns one last time to see the elf prepare for departure.
Korgoth Darkhand
"That is a silver wyrm. A dragon of honour and goodness and this knight told me, it is able to change into a man or a woman."
"Now let's get training. Nothing fancy, just sticks at first and remember this dagger can kill and if you kill someone then that's it. Mostly if you cut someone they will change their mind and run."
He proceeds to teach and teach often when he is sober. Not so often then. But the rest of the free time is just that for Korgoth, free. So long as the chores are done.
Taya at Sorda's
He pats her hand.
"Drink up. I can help. Come back again each sunday and earthday afternoon and we will have lessons in magic. Your magic is just like a wild horse, and you are good at taming those by all accounts. So with my help and your perservance I am sure you will gain power and learn control. How does that sound?"