Sotiras
SilverShades
Vampiretwilight
deegee
Foster
CloseEnough
blindwoofer
Nallore
Deadlyrose9641
The wider Svarak's grin spread as Rilana finished speaking, the less she enjoyed the conversation. She was irritated by Svarak's smug expression, but rather than wanting to continue this verbal sparring she was finding it difficult to not simply take her leave and be done with both Svarak and Ebonfort entirely.
And she certainly didn't take his words at face value. When he casually implied his considerable age, her eyes narrowed, but she didn't dispute it. Nor did she move when he stood and drew closer, his paw-like hands reaching for the bag in her lap. Her pale fingers clutched at the tough leather, not so much to stop him as simply out of protectiveness over her charge, but after a moment of stiffness she relinquished the satchel and simply watched with the suspicious glare of a mother hen.
Maybe he'll kill her and save me the trouble, Kona half-joked.
If he wanted it dead he would have killed it on the tourney grounds.
It would serve him right if he got bitten, though.
For a moment both Rilana and Kona were in complete agreement.
"I'm sure she'll tell me her name, in time," Rilana shrugged her slender shoulders, her tone cryptic. She would have loved nothing more than to sit and chat about the strange two-headed creature to Svarak, but obviously that wasn't on the table for today. Her gaze trailed from the baby balauradon to Svarak, tracing the feathered hair of his mane and the horns that framed his ears. The Charr's words sounded reasonable...
He's lying.
Of course he is. But about what? In a noble attempt to give the benefit of the doubt, Rilana considered that maybe the suspicion that was jangling on her nerves was simply because there was obviously much more to this than what the Charr was saying rather than any overt lie in his words.
It was all very difficult to believe, and Rilana fully intended to get the whole story from the mouths of her own Elders. If only Lady Myra, her friend and employer, wasn't so very far away! Strangely, the most fantastical tidbit of what the lion-Charr claimed, was what she trusted. That he had been alive for three hundred years or more.
I'm sure that's a fascinating story. The tone was sarcastic.
...too bad this isn't a social call. He doesn't seem the type to appreciate personal inqueries.
Why should you give a damn what he appreciates? Him and all his beetle-shell knights haven't exactly welcomed you. Kona thought the knights looked like bugs in their carapaces.
It was true, she had to admit. As time passed the back-and-forth between Rilana and her overprotective Familiar was getting easier. Outwardly, her expression was calm and thoughtful. Kona was suspicious. Rilana might have even thought him jealous of the way the Lord Knight intrigued her. But he sensed danger and the Druid was learning to trust his judgement, even if he was a sassy little shit.
Did he just say even he'd have to listen to you?
He did. That would be a nice change of pace.
You'd like that, wouldn't you? Kona was bristling jealously in the back of her mind.
A ghost of a smile drew Rilana's lips out of their thin line into an expression of almost regretful amusement as her eyes met Svarak's.
If he was going to be part of this expedition he would have no use for me, she pointed out. And that was a sobering thought. If Svarak didn't want her to be an Envoy would she have met with death at the city gates instead of a ridiculous sparring challenge? Part of what frightened her so much about this place was not knowing how much danger she was in just for being an outsider.
The Moon Fey didn't answer Svarak right away. When he offered the balaurdaon back to her she stood up, scooping it into her arms and reducing the space between herself and the Lord Knight even more. Tall as she was, Svarak was still a towering wall of armoured flesh in front of her and anxiety knotted in her belly until she brushed past him. She really shouldn't feel a flutter of satisfaction just hearing someone say her name.
Her slightly limping steps didn't carry her far. Only to the closest window to look out of, as thought something in the sky or clouds would help her think all of this through.
It bit him! Kona crowed triumphantly. The tiny creature had scored some points with the gryphon today. Rilana stroked her fingers over the soft, rounded bumps on the infant armour that plated the small beast. It curled itself against her chest and half-snoozed blearily, the muzzled vilemaw staring out the window while the firefang head watched Svarak.
It was tough to imagine that the Elders would have agreed to such a risky proposition. The first Moon Fey to reach Ebonfort? How could that have turned out to be her? She was the last person who should be responsible for acting as the representative of her people.
Lady Moira wouldn't have sent you if she didn't trust you. The gryphon argued.
She sent me because I am the one who trained Bruin. It only made sense for me to be the one to bring him here.
Are you sure that's the only reason? Don't forget that someone here sent the request.
Rilana was so shocked at Kona's remark that she felt the floor had dropped out from under her. She looked stricken, and reached out to steady herself with a pale hand on the dark stone that made up every building as far as the eye could see.
The Druid felt overwhelmed in even the bustle of Frigmont and hadn't known a single good night's sleep in these southern lands, puzzled and terrified as she had been by the politics of knights and the stern laws they upheld. Now she felt as if she were embroiled in something even farther-reaching, something that included even her icy homeland. Something to do with magic and the Frostfell being gone...
She didn't want to be the one to bring strangers to her city, and she didn't want to have to apologize to the Elders for accepting a title awarded to her by a stranger.
But the expedition will leave Stone Crest, with or without you. Wouldn't it be best to keep a watchful eye?
Curse you, yes.
It would add weeks to a journey that might only take her one or two on the wing, but Kona's strange wisdom decided the matter for her. She turned to Svarak, fiddling with the satchel until she could stuff the somewhat recalcitrant balauradon back inside. She then leveled her azure gaze at him, making her way back to the wooden desk. Reaching a decision didn't seem to have brought her any comfort, and there was something weary in her eyes now.
"I accept. I will do my best to get the delegation there in one piece, and unless I am expressly forbidden I will bring them back again."
[Word count: 5464/50k]
And she certainly didn't take his words at face value. When he casually implied his considerable age, her eyes narrowed, but she didn't dispute it. Nor did she move when he stood and drew closer, his paw-like hands reaching for the bag in her lap. Her pale fingers clutched at the tough leather, not so much to stop him as simply out of protectiveness over her charge, but after a moment of stiffness she relinquished the satchel and simply watched with the suspicious glare of a mother hen.
Maybe he'll kill her and save me the trouble, Kona half-joked.
If he wanted it dead he would have killed it on the tourney grounds.
It would serve him right if he got bitten, though.
For a moment both Rilana and Kona were in complete agreement.
"I'm sure she'll tell me her name, in time," Rilana shrugged her slender shoulders, her tone cryptic. She would have loved nothing more than to sit and chat about the strange two-headed creature to Svarak, but obviously that wasn't on the table for today. Her gaze trailed from the baby balauradon to Svarak, tracing the feathered hair of his mane and the horns that framed his ears. The Charr's words sounded reasonable...
He's lying.
Of course he is. But about what? In a noble attempt to give the benefit of the doubt, Rilana considered that maybe the suspicion that was jangling on her nerves was simply because there was obviously much more to this than what the Charr was saying rather than any overt lie in his words.
It was all very difficult to believe, and Rilana fully intended to get the whole story from the mouths of her own Elders. If only Lady Myra, her friend and employer, wasn't so very far away! Strangely, the most fantastical tidbit of what the lion-Charr claimed, was what she trusted. That he had been alive for three hundred years or more.
I'm sure that's a fascinating story. The tone was sarcastic.
...too bad this isn't a social call. He doesn't seem the type to appreciate personal inqueries.
Why should you give a damn what he appreciates? Him and all his beetle-shell knights haven't exactly welcomed you. Kona thought the knights looked like bugs in their carapaces.
It was true, she had to admit. As time passed the back-and-forth between Rilana and her overprotective Familiar was getting easier. Outwardly, her expression was calm and thoughtful. Kona was suspicious. Rilana might have even thought him jealous of the way the Lord Knight intrigued her. But he sensed danger and the Druid was learning to trust his judgement, even if he was a sassy little shit.
Did he just say even he'd have to listen to you?
He did. That would be a nice change of pace.
You'd like that, wouldn't you? Kona was bristling jealously in the back of her mind.
A ghost of a smile drew Rilana's lips out of their thin line into an expression of almost regretful amusement as her eyes met Svarak's.
If he was going to be part of this expedition he would have no use for me, she pointed out. And that was a sobering thought. If Svarak didn't want her to be an Envoy would she have met with death at the city gates instead of a ridiculous sparring challenge? Part of what frightened her so much about this place was not knowing how much danger she was in just for being an outsider.
The Moon Fey didn't answer Svarak right away. When he offered the balaurdaon back to her she stood up, scooping it into her arms and reducing the space between herself and the Lord Knight even more. Tall as she was, Svarak was still a towering wall of armoured flesh in front of her and anxiety knotted in her belly until she brushed past him. She really shouldn't feel a flutter of satisfaction just hearing someone say her name.
Her slightly limping steps didn't carry her far. Only to the closest window to look out of, as thought something in the sky or clouds would help her think all of this through.
It bit him! Kona crowed triumphantly. The tiny creature had scored some points with the gryphon today. Rilana stroked her fingers over the soft, rounded bumps on the infant armour that plated the small beast. It curled itself against her chest and half-snoozed blearily, the muzzled vilemaw staring out the window while the firefang head watched Svarak.
It was tough to imagine that the Elders would have agreed to such a risky proposition. The first Moon Fey to reach Ebonfort? How could that have turned out to be her? She was the last person who should be responsible for acting as the representative of her people.
Lady Moira wouldn't have sent you if she didn't trust you. The gryphon argued.
She sent me because I am the one who trained Bruin. It only made sense for me to be the one to bring him here.
Are you sure that's the only reason? Don't forget that someone here sent the request.
Rilana was so shocked at Kona's remark that she felt the floor had dropped out from under her. She looked stricken, and reached out to steady herself with a pale hand on the dark stone that made up every building as far as the eye could see.
The Druid felt overwhelmed in even the bustle of Frigmont and hadn't known a single good night's sleep in these southern lands, puzzled and terrified as she had been by the politics of knights and the stern laws they upheld. Now she felt as if she were embroiled in something even farther-reaching, something that included even her icy homeland. Something to do with magic and the Frostfell being gone...
She didn't want to be the one to bring strangers to her city, and she didn't want to have to apologize to the Elders for accepting a title awarded to her by a stranger.
But the expedition will leave Stone Crest, with or without you. Wouldn't it be best to keep a watchful eye?
Curse you, yes.
It would add weeks to a journey that might only take her one or two on the wing, but Kona's strange wisdom decided the matter for her. She turned to Svarak, fiddling with the satchel until she could stuff the somewhat recalcitrant balauradon back inside. She then leveled her azure gaze at him, making her way back to the wooden desk. Reaching a decision didn't seem to have brought her any comfort, and there was something weary in her eyes now.
"I accept. I will do my best to get the delegation there in one piece, and unless I am expressly forbidden I will bring them back again."
[Word count: 5464/50k]