Hazardous Times Part IX (fresh blood - not literally, please! - welcome)

[Larry_OHF]

Raymond & TAO

As everybody congradulate one another on the victory and make introductions, and begin to leave the city to attend their wounded, nobody seems to notice nor care that a wolf is standing guard over the body of a large black panther. They would not know that if they were to get near the panther's body to lay hand upon it, that the wolf would rip their hands off with her powerful jaws. TAO could not turn back into human form in the presence of so many unknown people...nor would she leave Raymond's wounded form to be hurt further by any malicious conduct of those that were still hanging around to chat about how they had personally saved the world.

[Galadria]

OOC>> Larry, you don't think those two are going to harm the panther, do you? They are too wrapped up in each other. IC>>
GALADRIA(As she and Isaura ride into town, her leading Isaura riding Gold Top, they come to the area where the battle has taken place. She sees Eliza happily hugging Blandamour and goes over to them.) "Sir Blandamour! Is this knightly conduct? To be embracing your esquire when all around you are the remnants of a horrific battle? Eliza, go at once to the hospital tent and see if they need any help. And, what is that over there? It looks like one of TAO's wolves, standing over a panther. How odd." (She turns her back frostily on a goggling Blandamour and goes over to the wolf.) "Hail, O, wolf. You look familiar, but I never could keep your names straight. What is this panther that you guard? Is it a prisoner or a comrade?" (Examines the panther) "Hmmm, regardless of the status, he seems badly hurt. I can heal him, if that is your wish." (Sensing acquiescence in the wolf, she casts Laying on of Hands, restoring 64 HP, Cure Disease, and Slow Poison, for good measure.)

[ 05-26-2002, 08:30 PM: Message edited by: Galadria ]

[mistral4543]

Sorsha

The warmth of his grasp provides no little reassurance to her rather agitated state. She returns his gaze , blinking as she feels the pressure almost too much to bear ~ "Yes, indeed I seem to have had a... visitation, somewhat." ~ Tucking the blanket under her arms tightly with her left hand, she continues to rest her right in the elf's left one.

"Justin spoke to me." ~ She sounded unsure, reluctant ~ "He said I had a sister. A sibling who could take the burden of ruling the kingdom upon her shoulders." ~ Her eyes shone hopefully, reflecting the dancing sparks of the fire ~ "Don't you see, Legolas? We'll be able to travel as... special friends..." ~ Here, her cheeks reddened considerably as she hurried on ~ "... with no sense of guilt. Of course, we'd have to persuade her, but I think that should not be too difficult a task. Anyone would be interested in being a better ruler than me."

As she caught the thoughtful look that crossed Legolas' handsome face, she added ~ "But the key now is to find her first, and ensure her safety." ~ Here, the misery crept back into her voice ~ "That might take some time, Legolas... I... I don't know if you're willing to join me..." ~ Her head lowered in shame ~ "I seem to bring you no end of trouble... perhaps I should forget what is, after all, a dream and perhaps nothing more... perhaps we should just continue on the plans you had in store for us."

She fell silent, her head tilting towards the fireplace, watching the flickering flames hissing at them in mockery.

[mistral4543]

Isaura

She initially eyes the creatures warily, her hands firmly holding on to the reins of Gold Top even after getting off the horse ~ What's this? ~ The glint in the eyes of the wolf and panther send her heartbeat thumping irregularly ~ Does Galadria know them? And how...? Surely she does not speak animal language... ~ Taking a tentative step forward, she watches the paladin lay hands upon the wounded panther, half-expecting the beast to reciprocate goodwill with a terrifying maul.

Yet all is peaceful ~ Strange. ~ But then, stranger events might have taken place before this. A pity that she does not remember. A sudden thought strikes her ~ Perhaps it is a blessing, and not a pity...

[Attalus]

SIR BLANDAMOUR (His cheeks burn at the reproach, and he feels that the rebuke was in some ways deserved. However, anger stirs at the way that Galadria had summarily ordered his squire about. He stifles an angry retort, but spins on his heel and catches Eliza before she has gone too far) "Eliza, pay no attention to Galadria. I have no idea why she is acting like that. Here, come with me. We shall tour the city and make sure that no pockets of resistance remain."

[Galadria]

ELIZA (She pauses in her headlong flight, tears running down her face. Now she flushes to have Blandamour catch her crying. A Paladin shouldn't cry, especially at an obviously jealous remark by someone who had not been involved in the battle.) "Yes, my Lord, we shall do just that. I think that Lady Galadria is just sorry that she missed the action, and begrudges us the chance for honor." (Angrily, she brushes the tears from her face.)

[Legolas]

Legolas

Could it possibly be true, or was it just a feverish dream inspired by her hopes? Surely Dalben or Phillip would have made mention of it before? Otherwise, how would Justin know? But her parents would have to trust that child to another's care as well, and from what he'd heard Sorsha had been looked after by the king's most trusted men.
But if it were true... after this final task, and a visit to Durlan, they could be off following their own dreams. Actually, they were about to follow a dream already.

"Sorsha... it may be too much to hope for. But I'm willing to try. There's a ranger I still need to see, but I've kept him waiting for a long time already, and a little more time shouldn't matter. I sent him a messengerbird to let him know I'd be late in coming anyway, so there's really no urgency there. We can try and find your sister first, once you feel you've recovered enough. As far as I know there are at least three ways we might find out where she is. Maybe you know some others.

Phillip had.. a diary. You showed me. Maybe it says something about her there. I think he'd know, being friends to your parents and all. Ankhmor is not too far from here, we could go there first.
If we don't find anything, we'll go try and find Dalben. He was Justin's mentor, right? So if Justin really knew, he'd probably have heard it from Dalben first. Maybe he still lives in Greenville. We can go there next.

And then I have this vague memory of a young girl who was here last time, something with a borken harp I believe. Didn't pay her too much attention. She knew your real name, maybe she knows your sister's too."

But what if she had been sent to assassinate Sorsha; her sister might be in grave danger or already dead then. But that was not the way to think.

"You just get some more rest, it's too dark to do much travelling now anyway. I'll retrieve our supplies in the morning, and then we'll see if we can find your sister. All right?"

[Attalus]

OOC>> If you want to talk to Dalben you'd better have an Ouija board. If I remember right, the young girl with the harp was Eliza, and she has memory issues. IC>>
SIR BLANDAMOUR(to Eliza)"Do not cry, lass. It really was uncalled-for, and I've never seen Galadria so rude." (Sees Addison and the old man, Ni Deng, go into a building, and decides to investigate.) "Come along, let's see what the mage is up to. I wanted to congratulate him , anyway."

[Elif Godson]

Knowing that the demon is gone Kishin retransfers his esscence back to his bodily, physically tired and mentally drained he passes out where he morphed into the ground.

ooc> you did a great job Larry, sorry if I seemed uber on this, just working into him on this level, used to be a PnP charecter of mine.

[mistral4543]

Sorsha

Her cheeks glow even more markedly than before as she addresses the ranger, voice trembling with emotion ~ "I cannot even begin to express the gratitude I feel... for your generosity." ~ For a moment, it seems as if she wil choke on her words, but she swallows the rising lump ~ "The last time I saw Dalben, the castle was crumbling onto him... and another mage... Rrang and myself barely made it through, while Britomart - an evil fighter - escaped with the amulet." ~ She looks at their entwined fingers ~ "Yes... there was a bard named Eliza..." ~ Be brave, Sorsha; Legolas is with you now. ~ "We could try locating her... but perhaps we ought to start with the diary." ~ Oh, heavens! I hope it's not been soaked to tatters!

Hurriedly, she glanced at the elf ~ "Are... are my clothes dry, Legolas? What if... what if the writing's gone?" ~ Without waiting for him to react, she tucks the blanket securely and reaches out to grab her robe from the chair. With trembling hands and racing heart, she fumbles in the pocket and draws out the curled stack of parchment...

"NO!" ~ The pages... stained with smudged ink! ~ Calm yourself down; there's no point panicking now... turn the pages... ~ Methodically, she flips the pages, unable to curb her increasingly heavy heart as page after page, they see nothing but bluish grey pages. As she nears the end of the book, however, she detects an odd smell. Pausing, she looks up and catches Legolas' eye. Together, they turn to what appears to be the offending sheet...

I have failed His Majesty, on at least one count. No... two. One, for losing Isaura in the first place. And two, now Elena has run off with that bard. My only hope now is that one of them survives... the elder seems more independent. Perhaps she will come to a better fate...

Gripped with a fierce joy, she cries out and instinctively hugs the elf, wrapping him tightly in her arms ~ "Legolas! I... I'm so happy..."

[ 05-27-2002, 08:43 PM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]