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| Home Again, Home Again; [p] Vivianne | |
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| Topic Started: Sun Oct 2, 2011 3:18 pm (508 Views) | |
| Shan Orison | Sun Oct 2, 2011 3:18 pm Post #1 |
 
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Leather soles crunched across twigs and leaves through the Calmonah Forest. It'd been a long time since he'd last walked here, thought Shan, and autumn had colored the forest red and gold. The cool air felt crisp and heavy with fallen leaves and the hints of coming winter. Occasionally he thought he caught the sounds of something else running through the undergrowth, but overall he was the loudest one here. He chuckled at his lack of grace in nature. That chuckle faded quickly, however, at the thought of what brought him here. He reached into a pouch and pulled out the letter. It was written on the back of his own correspondence to save paper. He knew it would be written in an ink homemade from walnut shells and charcoal, and the handwriting fit that of someone used to scribing long, tedious notes meant to be understood later by others. It was a familiar as his own face in the mirror. He'd seen it a thousand times before in journals and on labels and lists. It was the words written, then, that made his face contort. This was blackmail, he thought, pure and simple. If he alone had made the request, he would have folded it up and moved on, but he wasn't the only one involved in this, was he? Things would be much simpler if he was. He finally spotted some birds flitting about in some distant trees. Come back to the forest and play the song he'd learned, she'd said. She'd hear of it through the forest's inhabitants. He could have started playing as soon as he entered, he assumed, but he just wanted to ensure there was some creatures around before he began. He raised his hands as though playing an invisible fiddle and, with a thought, he suddenly wasn't. His hands grasped the familiar wooden craft and began to play, focusing his fingers into the lively staccato tune Vivianne had played before to soothe the animals. The birds ceased flitting from branch to branch and turned to listen, occasionally adding their own song to the sound. He stopped after a bit, and the birds resumed their normal behavior, with one starling flying deeper into the trees. Well, that was all he could do for now. He began to play again, switching up the music with other jigs and sonatas. He'd learned that any music worked, but he still loved her tune the best if he meant his music to calm the hearts of beasts. He had enough supplies to last him a time in the woods, at least. He could wait, assuming she was still hear and willing to see him. And if she didn't, well, he couldn't say he wouldn't be sad, but he'd also feel relieved. |
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| Vivianne | Tue Oct 4, 2011 9:33 pm Post #2 |
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The girl sat completely still in the treetops, crouched on a thick bough with her bare hands resting against the rough bark. She was garbed in various shades of green and brown, an ensemble that blended in with the surrounding foliage quite nicely. Her hair was a dark brown color as well and shoulder length, although spikes were sticking out from her head in a haphazard manner, the strands barely contained by a dark emerald headband. She watched the forest floor below with bright green eyes, a small smile curling up the corners of her lips. There was a rustle from the underbrush as a deer jumped out of the trees, bounding away from some hidden threat. The danger was soon revealed to be a lithe, slender cat with golden fur and a distinctive pattern of darker fur around its eyes and speckling its coat. The cheetah followed its prey, jaws snapping at the deer's haunches in order to guide it underneath the tree where the girl was hidden above. With a wild shout Vivianne threw herself out of the tree, a dagger flashing in her hand as she dropped onto the deer's back. She wrapped one arm around the creature's neck, slamming the fist with the blade into the center of its chest. The deer made a terrified noise as the steel pierced its flesh, stabbing deep into the animal's chest cavity and severing its aorta. The deer stumbled immediately, falling to its knees as the girl clung to its back. Only after it had skid to a halt did she release her tight grip on its body, looking down at the deer with a small smile. "Good job Hermes. We'll eat very well tonight." The cheetah purred in agreement, winding through her legs before bending down to lap at the blood gushing from the deer's chest. A small raptor flew down to a nearby branch, talons gouging the wood as it perched on the limb and screeched at the girl. Vivi tilted her head to one side, looking at the miniature falcon as if she understood what it was trying to say. The bird hopped back and forth on the bough, bobbing its head and flapping its feathers. The girl listened patiently for a minute before nodding her head, a contemplative light in her eyes. "Okay Artemis. Gather up Heffy and go meet with him. I'll be there soon." The falcon cried out in acknowledgement and winged off into the sky in a flash of dark gray feathers. Vivi turned back to the slain deer and bent down, glancing up at the cat with a small smile. "We'd better clean this deer quickly, Hermes. Can't leave the music waiting." Shan had been waiting for almost an hour before there was an odd snuffling noise in the surrounding bushes. A few moments later a massive boar edged out of the lush undergrowth, its sharp hooves digging into the dirt. The hog was much larger than natural, with thick black bristles covering its skin and two wickedly sharp tusks curving out of its mouth. The dreadsnout squealed happily and lumbered over to the musician, pawing at the earth in greeting. The Norwood peregrine falcon was perched on the boar's back, watching the man with its sharp golden eyes. "Heffy missed you, Shan. He remembers that you healed him." The voice was as soft as the whispering leaves above and seemed to emanate from nowhere. Vivi smiled shyly as she stepped forward, the movement revealing her position among the surrounding flora. Hermes emerged from the woods beside her, purring softly. She had decided to pack up as much of the deer's meat as possible before traveling to meet the musician, as well as hanging up its pelt to dry outside of her hut. All she had brought with her were a few juicy slices of raw meat that could be easily cooked over a fire; she did not mean to waste nature's bounty, and she was sure Shan would appreciate a proper meal. "How have you been?" |
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| Shan Orison | Wed Oct 5, 2011 2:30 am Post #3 |
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The undergrowth shook and shuddered. Shan kept playing, but watched closely just in case it wasn't an animal approaching. A familiar face broke through the foliage, snout sniffing the air. A falcon rode the boar's back, looking content on its makeshift perch. Shan was fairly certain he recognized the two, but he kept playing anyway. Besides if they were who he thought they were, then she would be... "Heffy missed you, Shan. He remembers that you healed him," he heard the forest whisper. At least, that's what it sounded like. The source of the whisper stepped forth, her brown hair and green outfit blending perfectly with the forest's shadows. She carried some strips of what looked like fresh meat. Having survived on basic rations, nuts, and berries on his trip to the forest, the sight made Shan's mouth water. "How have you been?" "Fine, fine, actually," he said. "I'm glad Heffy's okay, as well as your other friends. Good hunting, I guess?" he said, referring to the meat. "I could start up a fire and we could have a meal while we sit and chat...Um, It's good to see you, by the way. Glad you're well. I, um, finally got a reply. Sorry it took a while. Post isn't that reliable, since I move a bit, and this was sent to an inn in Balefire I frequent and...Well, I'm going to admit that I'm a bit distracted at the prospect of a meal, and this letter is rather...um...I mean, if you haven't eaten, why don't we cook something up first?" Smooth, said his second thoughts. |
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| Vivianne | Fri Oct 7, 2011 4:13 pm Post #4 |
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The girl walked forward, although she still kept a bit of distance between herself and the musician. Although Shan had helped her out greatly in removing a druid from the Calmonah Forest, she was still uncomfortable around other humans. They had simply been responsible for so many atrocities in the forest. Of course, she planned on changing that soon, but that was a matter that didn't necessarily concern the bard. Vivi nodded when he mentioned eating and returned to the underbrush to gather a small pile of twigs and branches. She expertly set up the kindling so it made a small pyramid in the middle of the clearing, kicking away any dried leaves so that the fire would not spread. From a pouch on her belt the girl withdrew a handful of what appeared to be sawdust, which she sprinkled over the gathered wood. "It's fine, Shan. I didn't expect to hear back from you so soon..." Or at all. The girl finished the thought mentally, knowing that it would be ruse to suggest that she had suspected the bard would not return to the forest. After all, he had almost no reason to help her out, but she was glad he had decided to assist her. Vivi withdrew two small chips of flint from a pocket and clicked them together over the sawdust until they sparked, lighting the material. She softly blew on the surface until the edges of the wood had caught fire. The skinsharer glanced up at the dreadsnout and clucked her tongue. Hephaestus snorted in understanding and walked off into the woods, swinging his heavy skull back and forth. She continued to tend to the flames until the boar returned, a stack of dried logs resting on his curved tusks. The girl rubbed his snout appreciatively and added the wood to the fire until they had a reasonably sized cookfire. She took one of the strips of raw meat and threw it over her shoulder to the cheetah, who caught the morsel in mid-air and began to happily munch on the meal. The rest of the meat she hung from a branch and held over the fire to cook it. Within minutes the clearing had filled with the tantalizing odor of cooking venison, the fire hissing and spitting as droplets of fat slid off of the meat and falling into the flames. Vivi watched the meat with a practiced eye, preparing to remove it from the cookfire when it was thoroughly heated. "What have you been up to?" The skinsharer wanted to ask more about the bard's mother and her coven, but Jeyne had taught her proper manners and knew it was only polite to ask about the musician's life before drilling him for information. |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Oct 8, 2011 2:49 am Post #5 |
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Shan sat still as the aroma of deer filled their little forest clearing. It smelled delicious, but at least he wasn't so hungry he thought of joining Hermes in eating it raw. He was glad she and her friends were doing well. He did wonder about her living out her all on her own without anyone else...well, anyone bipedal and wingless...well, actually there were many people that fit that description. The centaurs he met on the pains, for example, and many Cascadian residents had wings grafted to their backs for ease of travel. Still, she seemed to prefer it here,and it was obvious she could care for herself just from the venison she was cooking. Shan knew he couldn't take down a deer. He'd have problems actually dealing the killing blow, for instance, unless he were starving with no alternatives, and that was assuming he could manage to reach a point where he could land a killing blow. Besides, he now always had a choice if he was starving. Hm, Perhaps he could show her the new spell he learned? He quite liked it for long nights between villages, and it would add to the meal... Vivianne's question snapped him out of his half-listening, half-musing state. "Oh, you know...Traveling around, playing music, learning new songs and sharing songs that I know." Images of a bloody, deadly night shadowed by an indistinct figure flashed through his thoughts, so formless and disjointed it served more to confuse him than anger or frighten him. No, there was no need to say anything about that, especially when he didn't know what happened himself. "Then I went to an inn I frequent in Cascadia, and her letter was waiting there for me. And, well, I read what it said...and I said I'd come back and see if you were still interested..." Shan scratched the back of his neck, distracted by his own internal conflict. "Oh, I learned a new spell, too. It's really helpful for someone who likes traveling without coin. Watch this!" Shan put his hands over the ground before him, palms down. He closed his eyes in concentration and recalled the verbal portion of the spell, whispering it as a soft green glow grew under his hands. With a final push of will, the green solidified into a small heap of nuts, fall berries, apples, and other fruits. Shan smiled and offered an apple to Heffy, the herbivore being left out in this carnivorous meal. "Neat, isn't it? I mean, it only creates things like this, but it's pretty good for someone who travels light." Shan realized he was just putting off the inevitable, but, well, he wasn't looking forward to what the letter would lead to. If Vivianne hadn't been so excited before, he'd be tempted to not come at all, but, well, he wasn't here for himself. That venison was really smelling good. |
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| Vivianne | Tue Oct 11, 2011 2:57 am Post #6 |
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The girl's eyes widened at the ease with which Shan summoned a full meal into existence. True, he could not create meat or complicated courses, but being able to harvest nature's bounty without even having to traipse through the woods seemed like a strong magical art. "Where do the berries come from?" She picked up one of the blackberries warily, sniffing at it. Even with her keen senses the girl could sense nothing wrong with the fruit, so she popped it into her mouth and chewed on it happily. The explosion of flavor in her mouth suggested that it was, for all intents and purpose, an actual blackberry. It was almost as if it had been fresh-picked by the magic and transported to Shan's location. The bard was clearly a more powerful magician than she had thought at first, but after all, his mother was a witch as well. Maybe he learned some magecraft from her as a child. Hephaestus continued to munch on the fruits and vegetables the musician had created while Vivi checked the meat to see if it was done. Seeing that it was, she removed the stick from the flames and stuck the end of it in the ground instead, leaving the meat hanging in mid-air. "Dig in... But be careful, it's hot." Vivi drew the small dagger from her belt and speared one of the pieces with meat with the tip of the blade, removing it from the skewer and flicking the morsel towards the cheetah. The next piece of venison she removed was for her, and the girl bit into the steaming meat with a sigh of contentment. Grease slid down her chin and fingers, but the skinsharer did not seem to mind. It had been over a week since her last hunting trip, and she had been looking forward to fresh meat for a while. The girl snatched a handful of berries and threw them in her mouth before using the dagger to cut off a few smaller slivers of meat. These she held out in one hand, whistling softly at the peregrine falcon. Artemis immediately flapped over to her wrist, latching on with its talons and pecking at the cooked meat happily. The girl did not speak for a long while, concentrating on eating her own portion of the meal and making sure her pets got plenty to eat as well. Only after she had finished gnawing on her second piece of venison did she attempt to reestablish conversation, smiling shyly at Shan. "You should tell me about your mother, Shan. I don't want to meet her and know nothing about her." In actuality, Vivi was very nervous about meeting the bard's mom and her coven. She had never traveled outside of the forest before, nor had she met with more than one human at a time. She hoped that the witch and her coven would be able to provide the answers she was looking for about skinsharing... |
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| Shan Orison | Wed Oct 12, 2011 3:26 am Post #7 |
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Shan enjoyed the peace of the woods as he ate a piece of venison, holding it gingerly in his fingertips. Combined with the fruit and the nuts he cracked open with a small nutcracker he began carrying about after hunting for two handy rocks became too much of a pain, it was a fantastic meal. He was enjoying the peace until Vivianne brought the subject back to the reason Shan was here. Shan swallowed twice, the second time out of nerves. "She's um...Don't worry, she's a very caring woman. She works as a healer, midwife, and other things around the village, though she lives more in the woods, which you should find somewhat homey. I played there a lot as a child. Um, I also mentioned your friends, and she probably prepared accommodations for them. She's a good cook, and probably you should expect tea when we get there." Shan sighed. Time to get to the meat of the matter, he assumed. He'd have to mention it eventually. "I mean, I'll lead you there and..." he sighed again in exasperation. "When Mom wrote back, she said she and her friends would be happy to see you, but only if I came home as well." Shan stood and began pacing to relieve some of his anxiety. "I mean, I'll do it, and I left on good terms, but...well, I don't know how to explain it. She has some issues with her age, which is part of the reason I left, and...Well, I've been lying to her." Shan handed Vivianne his mother's letter, which was written on the back of his own. "I write, but I don't want her to worry about me and, I don't know come after me and drag me home or something, so I tend to...fudge the truth...Or just tell complete and utter lies, or well, some things I end up getting involved in because of my blasted luck I can't figure out what to write home and so I don't. I had the weirdest night of my life recently which ended with a bunch of people dead and me not knowing what happened to them or, really, anything from that night! What am I supposed to write? What am I supposed to say to her? I can't lie to her face!" Shan flopped down again, head in his hands. "Sorry, sorry. That's not really your concern, my fibbing or anything else. I know how important it can be to find out about things you can do no one else can, and I will take you. It'll be a long walk, but I'll lead the way, if you still want to come." OOC:Shan's letter home |
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| Vivianne | Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:39 pm Post #8 |
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Vivi chewed on another strip of meat, enjoying the savory flavor as she listened to Shan's conundrum. He was clearly a very caring individual, a fact she had noticed from the very first time that she met him in these very woods. His indecision about how to deal with the falsehoods he had told his mother was endearing, although she was not entirely sure what advice to give him. Memories of her own parents were not exactly the best basis for comparison. After all, they had basically abandoned her in the woods due to her gifts. If not for the kindness of the hedgewitch Jeyne she might have died in the forest, but the elderly woman had been kind enough to raise her and teach her to survive off of the bounty of the forest. Perhaps it would make more sense for her to think about how she would treat Jeyne instead of her birth mother. Vivi took the letter cautiously, reading it slowly. She was not very skilled at reading, but the hedgewitch had taught her that much. "I won't tell her the truth if you won't. I wouldn't want to make you seem a liar, and I probably would have hid the truth too." The skinsharer dangled a strip of meat from one hand, spinning the seared venison before tossing it to Hermes. The cheetah snatched the meal out of mid-air and moved over to curl up against Vivi's side, gnawing on the food happily. Being full herself, she simply smiled as the cheetah purred with contentment. "If you can't lie to her face, I would suggest just... skipping the truth. There aren't very many falsehoods in the letter." The girl brushed her fingers on the grass to clean them before standing, taking a canteen of water out of her sash. Vivi splashed some of the liquid on the flames to put them out. She gathered the last few strips of meat, carefully wrapping them in cloth before putting them back in her pouch. The food could serve as a snack for the pair on the road. "If it's far away we should get started. I need... some answers." Vivi picked up the berries and fruit as well, placing them in another pouch for storage. Even if Shan could summon small items such as this at will it would make no sense to waste what he had already conjured. Hephaestus walked over to the skinsharer, sensing that she was ready to go. Vivi climbed onto the boar's back, clenching her fingers in the big's bristly hair to help keep her balance. |
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| Shan Orison | Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:38 pm Post #9 |
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"Oh, um, right now? Leave right now? It'll be a few days travel, and there's only a few poky roads once you get nearer and you probably don't care about the lack of inns or anything, and I'm just stalling." Shan stood and put out the fire. "Alright," he said. "Follow me." The journey took them far, far south of Calmonah, almost over the southern Imythess border, where the landscape was dominated by foothills and valleys, people farming the flat areas available and letting the woods grow wild on the steep slopes. Here and there the hills were dotted with the remains of dwarf mines, their openings still shored open, even if the tunnel beyond had long ago collapsed. The dwarfs had moved on long ago, and the hills bred a certain sort of hard headed people who could manage the winters and uncertain summers. Each valley housed its own community, connected by roads so steep they sometimes required a ladder. It had little to offer in terms of trade and only asked for the basics in return. It was surprisingly dull and went unnoticed because of this. The communities were ruled over by various patricians or a lord who did his ruling midday and farmed in the mornings and afternoon. And all of it was watched over by the witches. Shan did his best to prepare Vivianne for what was to come. She'd be meeting with his mother first, who lived outside of the village in her own cottage, though his mother wasn't a borrower herself. As she explained to Shan, borrowing was all about being able to balance "letting go" and "holding on" to one's self, and she was too good at the latter to let the former happen. Most likely, they'd stay there until the next coven meeting, and she would be able to meet the borrowers of the group there. They managed a ride on a cart on the final day. The old mule pulling it didn't let them go any faster than a walk, but it meant they could rest their legs, and the old man driving it relented to letting Vivianne's friends ride as well, after some cajoling from Shan. As they traveled, he told her what he knew of the other three witches in his mother's coven: the jolly Mistress Tuttle who held strong beliefs, such as the belief she'd like another drink, the young hearth witch Paverty, who when Shan left was still getting her innate fire abilities under control. "You'll probably be speaking to Mistress Cullins" he said, letting his legs dangle over the back edge of the cart. He rested against the bags of barley and peas the old man was toting, letting his hands move as though he were spinning a tale. "She's said to be the best borrower alive, and that she spends as much time in an animal's body as her own. People take a lot of care to not hurt animals without reason where I live. There's a tale that a hunter hit a deer with an arrow, but didn't manage to finish it off. The next day, Mistress Cullins passed by him, walking with a limp, and all she said was "Ow," and he turned vegetarian in fright of her. Oh, but don't worry. She only seems fierce. She's, well, she's a woman used to getting her way, but don't worry. She won't turn you into a toad or anything." "That's 'cause Mistress Cullins jus' makes you think you're a toad," The old man said in glee. "She sez it's easier magically speaking to change someone's mind for a few days than change their form." The old man turned to look at them, his wispy beard barely moving with the wind of their passage. "You sure do know alot about our witches, boy. How do you..." he trailed off as he studied Shan's face, and Shan felt dread enter his stomach as he recognized him as one of the old men eternally hanging around the forge. "Why, it's young Shan Orison! Glad to see you aren't dead, boy! Been writing to your mother, have you?" "As much as I can, Mr. Boggis," Shan said in a rote sing-song. "So this must be..." he trailed off as he studied Vivianne, which made Shan uncomfortable for her. "Well, she's a pretty young thing, and no mistake. I'm sure your mother will agree, don't you worry. She ain't one to worry about wild animals, her being a witch an' all. Congratulations to ye both, anyway." "Wha...No!" Shan said, his face turning beet red. "That's not...I'm not..." "You're not? You'd better. Face like hers is hard to come by, and I'm betting you'll need to soon anyway, to keep her an honest woman." "What...No!" "I was young once too," Boggis laughed, hacking a bit as he did so. "I'm not troubled. Mrs. Boggis had little Collin only a few months after we tied the knot. Ain't no shame in it. Just glad to see you're settlin' down and forgetting that fiddlin' nonsense." Shan sighed. He feared, in the back of his mind, he'd get this reaction. There was no hope now of getting the thought out of Mr. Boggis's mind, and from him the rumor would spread. "We should get off here. C'mon," he said, hopping off the slow wagon. "I'm sorry about this," he said in a low voice for her ears. "We'll avoid town as much as possible. I promise." Once she and her animals were down, they could cut through the woods to the witch's cottage or, as Shan called it, home. |
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| Vivianne | Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:25 pm Post #10 |
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Vivianne had never left the forest for so long or to travel so far, but she felt that the situation demanded that she depart Norwood in order to learn more about her unusual gift. Despite her conviction the girl still felt a rush of apprehension once they reached the borders of the forest, where the trees dwindled into sparse scrub and tall grass before changing into rolling hills of short grass. Shan walked over these roads like a true wanderer, but the skinsharer found herself yearning for the cool shadows of the forest and the bountiful hidiong spots hidden within the underbrush. If they came under attack here she would have nowhere to run and hide, and that thought made her incredibly uncomfortable. Her pets could sense her worry as well. Hermes' hackles were up, and the cat would snarl at any travelers they met on the road. Heffy was less antagonistic, but the boar would often walk by the girl's side as if its presence could lend her some form of support. The Norwood peregrine falcon was almost always in the air, wheeling around in the sky and searching for any threats. Still, the journey was uneventful, and Vivi slowly grew more accustomed to being outside of the woods the longer they were on the road. Shan led them south, hitching rides on carts when they could and walking when they couldn't. For most of the trip the bard regaled her with tales about his mother, sharing details about what to expect when the girl met her coven. Vivi listened attentively, knowing that if she was asking these witches for assistance it would be important to show them the utmost respect. Eventually they reached the vicinity of the village. Shan managed to flag down a passing cart and arrange for passage. Hermes jumped up into the back of the vehicle with the girl, curling up and resting his head on her lap while the dreadsnout followed along behind the cart. She smiled when he mentioned that she shouldn't be afraid of Mistress Cullins. "It's okay Shan. I won't be scared. Anyone who had that much respect for animals must be a good person." The skinsharer absentmindedly ran one hand along the cheetah's spotted fur, scratching behind his ears so that the feline purred contentedly. The driver of the cart interrupted their conversation, revealing that he actually knew Shan. The two talked for a period, although Vivi found her attention wandering as they spoke. They were so close to their goal, and now more than ever before the girl was plagued with doubts. What if this Mistress Cullins thought that her gift was an abomination as well, something twisted and different from her own skill at "borrowing"? The thought, quite frankly, terrified her. The face of the druid that had accused her of being an abomination flashed in the girl's mind, the womans face twisted in horror and disgust. Within moments the image changed into the druid's corpse, her throat torn out by Herme's jaws in a fit of rage. No, don't think about that... Vivianne was drawn out of her thoughts by an outburst from Shan. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and glanced at the bard, whos eemed quite flustered by something the old cart driver had said. "What is it Shan? Is everything ok?" Hermes lifted his head from her lap and yipped at the bard before settling back down. The bard soon departed the cart, hopping onto the road and setting off. Vivi jumped off as well, the cheetah following her with a wide yawn. She wasn't entirely sure what had led to them leaving the vehicle, but she didn't mind the opportunity to stretch her legs. "How close are we?" |
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| Shan Orison | Sat Oct 29, 2011 1:48 am Post #11 |
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"Wha...You didn't...? Probably for the best," Shan sighed. "It's about a half hour walk from here if we cut through the woods. There's no path that way, but I figured you wouldn't mind." Shan headed into the trees. This forest wasn't as grand as Norwood, but the girth of some trees suggested it was just as old, if not older. This forest was just shifting into autumn, and the trees were green studded with the warmth of red, orange, and yellow. There was plenty of undergrowth to struggle through, but Shan figured Vivianne would have a far easier time of it than he would. "Well, um, we left the cart because he was someone from home, recognized me and...well, um...people tend to jump to conclusions and assume your disagreeing with them just convinces them they're right." Shan moved around a thorn bush, holding a branch aside for Vivianne. "Well, um, he rather assumed that...He misinterpreted why I'm bringing you here...um...He thinks we're....together. I mean, not just traveling together. I mean, that we were...um...potentially betrothed." Shan walked a bit further in silence, weaving around trees and bushes. "We'll stay away from town as much as possible. Don't worry. If things go well, we'll only have to talk to the witches and my mother." |
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| Vivianne | Fri Nov 4, 2011 1:42 pm Post #12 |
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Vivianne did not fully understand what the bard was saying until her began to stutter and fumble for words, looking away from her and a red flush rising in his cheeks. The girl's eyes went wide and she looked down at her feet, biting her lip and feeling her own cheeks turn red. She was not completely oblivious to the traditions of normal society; Jeyne had often regaled the girl with tales from her youth as a herb gatherer in a small Norwood village, and had often suggested that the girl should find a boy of her own to be with. Still, the skinsharer was so shy and uncomfortable around normal humans that she had never even contemplated such a concept. Romance was usually the last thing on her mind. She twisted her fingers together awkwardly as they walked for another few steps, looking anywhere but at Shan. Hermes sensed her discomfort and meowed reassuringly, bumping the girl's side with his head. Vivi glanced at the cat and hissed, but the cheetah did not seem to notice the warning and continued to nuzzle against her hip. After a few more moments of awkward silence Shan spoke again, reassuring her that they would not walk through the center of town. Vivi swallowed her embarrassment and glanced up at the musician, mutely nodding her thanks. She wasn't entirely sure if they were avoiding the populace for her sake or for the bard's, but it was a nice gesture all the same. Now that the subject had been broached the skinsharer wondered if Shan was actually romantically interested in her. After all, he had agreed to help her out with the druid rather quickly, and had even made good on his promise to help her learn more about her gifts. The girl wasn't entirely sure if that constituted as attraction, but it was probably the longest interaction she had with a male her own age... ever. Vivi suddenly realized that she had been completely quiet for several long minutes, lost in thought, and quickly tried to think of something to talk about to break the silence. "Um... Well, do y-you know what you're going to say to your m-mother?" A trace of the girl's characteristic stutter entered her voice as she spoke, betraying the nervousness she was feeling. Not only was she out of her natural environment and closer to human habitation than ever before, but she was also getting more nervous about meeting this coven. Vivi wasn't entirely sure how to ask for help or how to explain how skinsharing worked. It was a natural process for her, a skill she had been able to tap since she was a toddler. Now it was as easy as breathing to slip into the form of her pets, and her ability to placate wild animals had made it easier to share their forms as well. She continued to wring her hands as they walked, ignoring the feline's incessant bumping against her leg. |
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| Shan Orison | Sun Nov 6, 2011 3:15 pm Post #13 |
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"Mother?" Shan asked. "Well, I guess something along the lines of 'Hello, Mother. I'm home. This is Vivianne. Vivianne, this is my mother.' Then probably we'll have tea and a snack and...oh no," Shan trailed off, a sudden shock of thought running through his head. Yessss, you never mentionedthat, did you? his second thoughts pointed out to his panicking mind. It's not that big a deal, his optimism said. Certainly it's odd, but most of the time there's nothing to explain, and if you just explain things now - Exactly how do you explain that? his pessimism countered. It's bizarre, and we've never encountered anything like it throughout Imythess. We haven't been everywhere in Imythess, so - Yes, yes. Thank you, Logic. Still, there's just no way to explain it ahead of time without sounding crazy. By this time they'd broken out of the woods and stood beside an inclined path leading up the side of a hill. Shan took a deep breath and started climbing. "Um, about my mother..." Shan began, deciding to try his best to explain. "She's, um...She suffered a bit of an accident a few years back that was magical in nature and...um...Well, the proper terminology is her 'temporal field is in flux' and I realize that doesn't explain anything..." They reached the top of the curving path to see a thatched roof cottage with a bright green door, whitewashed walls, and thatch so old a small tree was growing in it. The path led straight up to the front door, and gardens surrounded the space on the hilltop, and surrounding that was a low fence to prevent tumbling onto the path below. "It...hopefully there's nothing amiss now, but it's hard to explain. Don't worry, it shouldn't be an issue at all. So just relax. We're here." Instead of entering the green front door, Shan circled around on a rough stone path to the side of the house, where the garden plots really took center stage. There was also a water pump, an outhouse, and a small girl, no more than ten, industriously pulling weeds from a garden filled with fall crops. She wore a cute black dress, hobnail boots, and had her brown hair pulled back from her freckled face into a low ponytail. She looked up as they approached. "Shan!" She said, standing and wiping dirt from her hands. "I'm glad you're back in one piece. Come here and give me a hug." Shan sighed, his exasperation tinged with a smile, and bend down to give the girl a hug. "I'm home," he said. "Have you been eating enough? You've lost weight. Good thing it's around dinnertime. I need to get some meat back on you." The little girl turned from the bard and walked over to Vivianne. Green eyes studied her face. "And you must be the borrower Shan wrote about, sorry, skinsharer. Quite a bit more descriptive, I must say, but our term comes from a darker time when witching had to be kept secret. It's so nice to meet you, dear. I've got a fresh pig from Mr. Kerrell. Hopefully that'll sate your cat. Mervin the Poacher got me some rabbits for your bird, and the gardens over there and there are free for you boars eating, though I ask he stay out of this garden. It still has thing for me." "Um, Vivianne, this is Mistress Annabelle Foster, my mother. Mother, this is Vivianne and her friends." Shan sighed. "I told you it'd be hard to explain." "Oh, this?" the little girl, Shan's mother, asked. "Don't worry about it too much. A bit of an experiment in time travel gone awry. Only affected my body, and I'm getting closer to fixing it. Are you two coming in or not? I've got some stew going. And call me Ms. Foster. I don't see the need for 'Mistress' here." She led them into the back door of the house, which led into the kitchen, the most expansive area on the first floor with an iron stove, upon which a large pot simmered, a cauldron, a sink with it's own water pump, cupboards, and an ice box. Decorative plates were displayed on the top shelves, souvenirs of far off places the witch had been. Herbs hung from the rafter's here, drying out for storage. A large, wooden table surrounded by four chairs shifted the one roomed story from the kitchen to the sitting room, where an overstuffed sofa and rocking chair sat facing a floor to ceiling bookcase stuffed with old tomes. A narrow stairway next to the bookcase led upstairs. From there one could see the other side of the front door, where the front area of the house was kept squeaky clean. She ushered them to the kitchen table. "So, the closest coven meeting will be tomorrow, what with everyone's schedules," she said, shooing Shan away from helping her and pulling out a small stool to get to the higher cupboards where the bowls were kept. "We would do it tonight, but Nanny Tuttle's got to babysit, you know how it is." She deftly moved the stool over to the sink and poured two bowls of vegetable beef stew, placing the bowls before them. "Oh, I'm sorry dear. I forgot to ask if you eat meat. Some strong borrowers don't, I've found. I can make you something else, if that's the case." |
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| Vivianne | Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:38 pm Post #14 |
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Vivianne blinked rapidly at the bard’s hasty explanation of his mother’s current status. The girl had almost no experience with magic, and the phrase ‘temporal field is in flux’ might as well been gibberish to the girl. Still, she did not want to showcase her lack of understanding by asking more questions about what me meant and merely nodded. Within minutes they had reached his mother’s house, which was currently being tended by a small girl. The skinsharer looked at her in surprise; Shan had talked at length about the coven members during their journey, but never once had he mentioned having a younger sister or there being a witch that was still a child. Her emerald eyes widened in obvious shock when he embraced the girl and introduced her as his mother. Suddenly the statement from earlier made much more sense. ”Um… I-It’s nice to meet you, Ms. F-f-foster. Shan has t-told me so much ab-about you.” Her characteristic stutter, a trait she had acquired through years of isolation, returned in full force as she spoke. Vivi found herself consumed with nervousness. She did not want there to be an accident that caused her to age backwards! She smiled shyly at the girl’s instructions for each of her pets. Vivi turned to the animals and knelt down, murmuring softly to the creatures. They listened with almost human-like intelligence to her words and shot off in the direction of the food. The girl straightened and watched Heffy nervously; the boar had a tendency to accidentally light things on fire when he was happy and she didn’t want him to accidentally incinerate the witch’s garden. The dreadsnout snuffled in the patch of plants merrily, but he seemed to be following her command and staying out of the garden. With a soft sigh of relief the skinsharer turned back to the preadolescent witch. ”T-thank you. It’s been a l-l-long journey.” Her eyes widened again as the girl offhandedly mentioned an experiment in time travel, as if that were a normal occurrence. She had no idea how Shan had turned out to be so normal growing up in such a strange house, but she knew it would be rude to make her discomfort obvious. The girl nervously followed the witch and the bard into the dwelling, her hands clasped together tightly. Ms. Foster bustled around the home as soon as they entered, preparing the dinner table for a meal. Vivi blushed when she was addressed suddenly. ”I, um.. I-I eat meat. It w-w-would be rude t-to decline the b-b-bounty given to us b-by n-nature.” She nodded affirmatively as the bowl of stew was placed in front of her. The girl tilted her head to one side, staring at the dish. She could identify chunks of meat and vegetables in the thick broth, but Vivi was used to a much plainer fare than this. She tentatively lifted a spoon and dipped it into the stew, blowing on the steaming liquid to cool it. Her eyes widened again as she ate the meal, but this time it was obviously a pleasant expression. ”This is delicious!” She continued to avidly eat from the bowl, a small smile on her face. Now that they were here Vivi had no idea what to say, especially given the witch’s child-like appearance. Her own problems seemed silly in comparison to a ‘temporal field in flux.’ |
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| Shan Orison | Fri Nov 18, 2011 12:00 am Post #15 |
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"Good. You're sensible," Ms. Foster said to Vivianne's comments on meat eating. "I keep telling Goody Mabel that it's only natural to eat meat, but she says, 'Annie, I've been most of those animals.' I keep pointing out that she's only ridden about in their heads, but there's no talking her out of it. Keep up the argument and she starts spouting how it's actually healthier to eat no meat. No reasoning with her." Ms. Foster's voice was one used to giving orders and having authority, a strange cadence for a young girl's voice, but it was one Shan learned to accept. She gave Vivianne another helping, glancing out the window to the boar rooting about happily in the gardens. "Not that one, if you will," she shouted when she thought he was rummaging a bit too close to her autumn garden. "You don't have to be nervous, dear. I know my appearance can be offputting to strangers. Most people around here have gotten used to it and understand it's Mistress Foster under the hat no matter her age. I would've thought Shan would have prepared you, though." She gave her son a look at this point, causing Shan to swallow his mouthful of stew quickly, choke a bit, and down the stuck hunk of potato with a glass of water. "I...um...I did tell her, sort of..." Shan said nervously. "I mean, I told her what the condition was called...Ow!" He finished as he was hit upside the head with a wooden spoon. "You just up and told the girl the name without explaining what it meant?" "It...Mother, it's just rather embarrassing to explain. Ow!" "Not as embarrassing as your lack of courtesy and manners," she said, ladling herself a bowl of stew with a different spoon than the one she'd been admonishing Shan with. "Honestly, only people who've studied Arcana Tempus would understand it the first time 'round, and there's few enough of those that I'd've been out and out shocked if she'd grasped it. I apologize with your having to put up with Shan," she said, aiming the last sentence at Vivianne. "It's something I've lived with awhile now, and don't worry about catching it or anything silly like that. If it was contagious, Shan would have gotten it years ago. Thankfully, I've got it hammered down so I don't go much younger than five or older than a hundred. More than a few mornings a few years back Shan woke to the sounds of an infant me trying to communicate the best I could my drawers needed changing." "Mother..." Shan groaned, burying his face in his hands. "Being a baby ain't all bad, to be honest. Much better than when I was suddenly around, oh, seven hundred. That was a bad half hour. Never live to be that age unless you've tackled eternal youth as well. Take my word on it." A small sparrow chirped outside and began to munch small seeds left in a homemade birdfeeder set up about the sink's window. Ms. Foster looked up at it with a slight grin before turning back to her guest. "Go ahead and eat as much as you want, dear. There's plenty more. When you feel up to it, perhaps you could tell me a bit about yourself. I love learning about people." Shan ate in silence, his appetite dampened by his embarrassment. He hoped Vivianne wouldn't run out into the woods screaming, though he wouldn't blame her. He knew he wanted to. |
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5:28 PM May 22
