ELIZA (Getting rather bored, she ventures into the castle looking for Blandamour. Instead, she is immediately greeted by the Queen.)

QUEEN MARGOT "You must be the Princess Eliza that I have heard arrived with Sir Blandamour. Welcome! May I ask whom your father is, and why you are serving as the esquire of the bold knight? It would seem to be below your station."

ELIZA (She curtsies, being rather astounded that she remembers how.) "Your Highness, I thank you for your greeting and your welcome. As to my place, none is too humbled for an exiled princess whose kingdom is in chaos. My father, now dead, was Cedric, King of the Marches. I am very greatful to Sir Blandamour for taking me in and giving me the chance to be his esquire."

QUEEN MARGOT (Flushes) "Well, that rather explains it, does it not? I am glad, though, that Sir Blandamour will have you along when he rescues my daughter, for you will be there to make sure that she is treated with the respect due her station."

ELIZA (Taken rather aback) "Well... certainly... but Sir Blandamour would never take liberties, I assure you."

QUEEN MARGOT (beams) "Thank you so much. Now, if you will excuse me, I have duties." (She sweeps away. Eliza is puzzled. Does she think that the girl is reclining on a silk pillow in the dragon's clutches?)

<font color=silver>Sorsha

The group sets off once again, led by the regal Galadria and enigmatic Isaura. Occasionally, the latter flicks out her dagger, making swipes at imaginary assailants as if she is afraid she will lose the precious training received from the paladin.

Behind, Sorsha walks beside Legolas in gloomy silence, her chin drooping somewhat. More than half an hour later, she finally speaks softly to the elven ranger ~ "Legolas." ~ The rest of the members behind move on, some casting speculative glances at the pair ~ "I... I am afraid I bungled the affair miserably." ~ Her voice is wrought with humiliation ~ "Isaura will never agree to this task... I fear that we are only wasting our time." ~ Looking up at him rather uncertainly ~ "I am very troubled by all these affairs of late."

Taking a deep breath before continuing ~ "The temptation to leave almost drives me wild... after all, I just want to be with you always, and it should not matter to us what others think. I mean, about leaving the rulership of the kingdom and all that." ~ It should not matter and it does not... except... that it matters what he thinks. ~ "Yet it seems that to do so is the coward's way out. Others would have to sort out the mess that... I... created." ~ I almost regret killing Cedric; after all, at least there was a ruler then! ~ "And so, I think I have to stay, regardless of my preference... do you agree?"</font>

<font color=magenta>Isaura

As the group covers more ground, her spirits improve a little as she pictures herself doing an intricate war-dance, slicing at unexpected angles and stabbing her foes in a single stroke. To her surprise, she finds herself humming a strange melancholic tune and the tears creeping into her eyes.

And then it happens - a flash - <font color=lime>The basket drops and overturns, sending the berries rolling on the ground. My heart skips a beat. I run forth... the babe is a ghastly blue. I reach out, speechless with terror as I feel the icy cheeks. Dead!</font> ~ With a cry, she drops her dagger and collapses onto her knees, burying her head in her upraised hands. Now sobbing - from sorrow or bewilderment, she knows not - she desperately tries to stop, knowing that everyone - including that hateful sister of hers - is watching.

"I'm alright." ~ Her voice is snappish, defiant even, before anyone can so much as venture to say anything. Dusting herself off the ground, she snatches the dagger and shoves it back into its scabbard and walks on fiercely.</font>

[ 06-25-2002, 08:18 PM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]

SIR BLANDAMOUR As the rays of the setting sun turn the castle's towers and pennons to ruddy gold, he hears the lookout sound the alarm. Sprinting to the step above the gate, he cries out in joy, as he sees Galadria's distictive pink armor and her shield, argent,a hand holding a severed head on a field gules. He rushes down to the gate to greet the party. They see a stout castle, four crenelated towers around a central keep, set on a hill overlooking a wild mountain valley with a river in its botttom. They make their way along a narrow road along the foot of the wall with the river flowing seetly on their right. They are challenged, then let to pass through the main gate, the portcullis raised.)

[ 06-25-2002, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: Attalus ]

<font color=white>Korup-shun

Constable Isaaks</font>

<font color=salmon>“I ain’t done nothing! I swear, whoever you’re looking for, it ain’t me! Whatever been done, I ain’t done it! And even if anyone saw, it wasn’t me I tell ya!”

“Relax, Amos,” he says as he limps to the peddler’s cart. “Whatever you did, I’m not here about it.”

“You’re not ....? You feelin’ alright, Constable?”

“I’m doing just fine, Amos.” He lingers over the wares displayed in the cart before selecting a couple small items and handing the peddler a few coins in payment.

“Since when are you the shoppin’ kind? You can’t be feelin’ right, you just can’t. You’re gettin’ me worried here, Constable. You sure you don’t wanna sit down and rest a minute?”

“Word is you’ve been trying, Amos,” he says as he presses the coins into the peddler’s hand. “Word also is someone’s been leaning on you.” Looking Amos squarely in the eyes he continues, “You just keep trying and I’ll see about that someone.”

“You’d do that? For me?” His startled eyes narrow. “What’s the catch?”

“You just keep trying, Amos.”</font>

<font color="AACCFF">Legolas

He smiles softly to himself. That she cannot bring herself to simply leave and let another take care of things shows she does care about what happens to others, regardless of her words earlier.
The ranger, too, keeps his voice down. What they are talking about the others don't have to hear.

"Sorsha, I too would like nothing better than travelling alone with you. If you really want to leave, I'd gladly go with you. But I'd prefer it if we tried to persuade Isaura a little longer.
All that happened at the inn wasn't your fault. Isaura simply refused to see the truth right then. She may change her mind over time if there's enough pressure on her, but she would not do so gladly..."

He pauses a moment, considering a new idea.

"I think she'd only take the position gladly if the people wanted to have her as their ruler.
Maybe we shouldn't be trying to convince Isaura, but the common man."

Again a pause. Although he makes no sound, the air carries the suggestion of a disappointed sigh.

"We'd have to know where she's going though, if she's even returning to the country. So it's probably best to stay a while longer, just like you suggested.
Tell me, have you ever seen a live dragon?"</font>

OOC>>>Yoohoo... anybody there?? I guess you lot are so caught up with NWN that you're not coming back [img]graemlins/crying.gif[/img] <font color=white>ATTENTION EVERYONE! PLEASE... PLEASE... COME BACK!!!!</font> [img]tongue.gif[/img] :D

IC>>>
<font color=silver>Sorsha

"A live dragon? Lords, no..." ~ Her nose suddenly twitches as a sudden thought strikes her ~ Will this be one of our last moments together? ~ Smiling weakly ~ "I don't think I could quite survive an encounter with one." ~ Her feet unwilling to carry on somehow ~ "D... do you think we've a chance of seeing one and not getting slaughtered?" ~ Absently placing her hands into her pockets, she shuffles on nervously.</font>

OOC>> Don't worry about us, Mistral. NWN won't work on our computer. We didn't post yesterday because the forum was down. IC>>
ELIZA(She is standing VERY close to Blandamour. She overhears Sorsha's remark, however, and turns to her with a pleasant smile on her face.) "Oh, the dragon is real enough. Kinn'zuwannik is his name, and he has captured the daughter of the king of this place. We (here she glances adoringly at Blandamour) are going to rescue her. If the damned druids will leave us alone for five minutees, that is."

Isaura notices that someone is staring at her. Glancing at him, she sees that it is a tawny-haired boy with peculiar eyes. It seems that they are golden, and he is smiling an odd smile, as if they shared a secret. He motions with his head, and she almost involuntarily takes a step towards him. When she does, he comes right over and lays his head confidentially against hers. She is conscious of an almost musky smell, not at all unpleasant. He says, in a whisper: "I see that you have come with your friends to rescue the princess. A laudible goal, but there is another just as fair, that lies dying not a day's march from here. Can you help her? She is my sister."

[ 06-27-2002, 09:46 AM: Message edited by: Attalus ]

<font color="aaccff">Legolas

He gives Eliza a distrustful look. She was searching for Sorsha even before she killed her father. There was no telling what evil plans might go round in her head, but they'd probably involve 'removing' Sorhsa. He knew it wasn't fair to judge her by her father's actions, but he disliked her nonetheless.

"The druids'll leave you alone. We took care of that on our way here."

He turns back to Sorsha, trying to put the worst of her fears to rest.

"As for the dragon, I doubt he or she will be much trouble either. You know the pink armour Lady Galadria wears? If I'm not mistaken it was crafted from the scales of a red dragon. She has plenty of experience in dealing with them combatwise. But I don't think it'll even come to that. Dragons usually prefer to talk and strike bargains to fighting a capable band of adventurers.
And there's no need for us to get close. If we're going to the dragon's lair, facing the dragon will be up to the paladins. We can stand and watch from the back. If it does come to a fight, my bow has a long range so there's no need to get close.
Most likely, though, we'll get to admire a magnificent beast in it's lair as the paladins talk to it, and then after a while we can be off again, letting it live in peace. Not all dragons are evil either. This one may have a good reason for 'capturing the daughter of the king'.
A bit of fear is healthy, but meeting a dragon is mostly a wonderful experience."

His voice dies away as his mind drifts off to previous encounters with dragons. He'd seen eleven true dragons so far. Most of the encounters had been peaceful. Some were not. He hopes the next one will be...</font>