Hazardous Times: Chapter XI "Fit For A Queen"

[TAOWolf]

She watches wryly out of the corner of her eye, and smiles watching Raymond stumble off to sleep..........

~I shouldn't stay here long........it could be dangerous to them..........~ she frowns slightly, and turns back to her cloak, watching the glow of the sword beneath it fade away........~no, not very long at all......~

As she looks around with silver/amber eyes glowing, she whispers softly into the wind, "a long time to wait, and an even longer time to wait for that..........."

Smiling at confused looks, she sits back down on the grass, watching the runes carved in her palms glow softly to match her eyes......

another rose of crystal, this one in pink appears in the palm of her hand.........

[Attalus]

SIR BLANDAMOUR (To Greentunic) "Very well, if you show us the back entrance, I shall hold my healing and your attacks requited. Will you show it to us?"

GREENTUNIC (grudgingly) "All right, paladin, follow me." (He leads them to a hidden entrace beneath some hawthorne bushes.)

[Ar-Cunin]

Sanael Ganahr

reacting instantly he charges the bowman, who tries to react to this new threat - but he hurries his the shot and the arrow passes harmlessly to the right of Sanael.

Before he can get another arrow from his quiver Sanael is upon him - slashing with his sword. The man falls back - trying to use his bow as a staff - the sting having been severed by the initial stoke from Sanaels sword.

Sanael draws his dagger - and the man tries to respond in kind - but that leaves him with just one hand on the bow, which Sanael knocks out of his grasp with quick thrust.

Realising the futility of futher fighting the man turns and runs - but before he can reach cover an arrow slams into his back - causing him to stumble. He tries to get up, but then another arrow strikes him, and he collapses facedown on the ground.

Sanael stands for a moment with a third arrow nocked and searches his surrounding for more enemies. Finding none he returns it to its quiver. Then he picks up his sword and dagger from the grond next to him, where he had dropped them when the stranger started to flee.

Sword in hand he goes over to see if the bowman had survived this taste of his own medecin.

[Attalus]

Sanael sees a female, to his surprise, and still barely alive and trying to get a potion to her lips.

[Cyril Darkcloud]

For TAO

The Steeplewood Forest

THE GROVE

Seeing the rose appear above the visitor’s palm, Ullalume rises and walks quietly to where the others are seated. “Claudia,” she says in a placid voice. The blonde woman nods at Ullalume and reaching out slowly takes the flower from TAOWolf’s hand. Ullalume removes one of her gloves and her eyes narrow as she lightly touches the crystalline petals with her ungloved fingers. Her touch is brief, both for her own sake and that of this mysterious guest about whose life time has been so strangely coiled.

Walking back to join the group Ligeia stops short and stands still watching as the expression on Ullalume’s face clouds for a moment. Even Aesop pauses in his movement. Iphigenia rises and, moving behind Ullalume, places a supportive hand upon the cyver’s shoulder.

Ullalume’s expression clears and she looks at the visitor, the one the others have called TAOWolf. The touch of the flower has called her by another name. “Lliath Madadh-allaidh,” she says quietly and pauses, the flash of recognition in the eyes of the visitor confirming that this is a name she has once been called. “Lliath Madadh-allaidh,” she continues, “the cords of time wind tightly about you, but there are spaces within these binding cords, places where movement has more possibilities than you might know.” She pauses and stares a moment at the shifting amber and silver eyes of the visitor. “There is, among the many tomorrows that open in front of you, at least one whose freedom is too violent to be bound.” Her eyes narrow once more as she concentrates to name this strange thing she has seen, this opening to what seems to be the time of another place. “You are bound, in part, to what will not be bound.” Her eyes suddenly fill with tears and she turns to Iphigenia, “Cruel!” she cries, “They are cruel that have done this to her.” Time within the grove suddenly stiffens for all save the women and their guest. The motion of the wind through the trees ceases and the chorus of crickets falls silent in mid-chirp, even the musical movement of water from the spring grows mute and still. The stiffening of time passes quickly and the placid quietness returns to Ullalume’s features.

Iphigenia holds Ullalume for a moment and then eases her to a seated position on the grass. Turning to TAOWolf she says, “I do not fully understand her words, but her gift is strong and I have not known her perception to be deceived.” At a nod from Iphigenia, Ajax walks over to TAO. The great wolf sits down beside her, resting his head upon her lap. As Ligeia and Aesop rejoin the group, Iphigenia says to TAO, “That we all might better understand what Ullalume has seen, perhaps it is time that your story be told.”

[Ar-Cunin]

Sanael Ganahr

rolls the woman over on the side and snatches the potion out of her hand.

"You really want to drink this - don't you? Well if you answer a few questions, I'll let you have it. For starters - who are you and why did you try to kill us?"

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Addison's head snaps up in surprise, and he turns to look out the window of the little cottage. He had been aware of Sanael's presence through his ESP spell and had been subconsciously following his progress.

The ranger's hidden presence had been reassuring during his negotiations with Greentunic. He had also been glad to "see" the ranger protect Skye and the strange hermit from unseen danger.

But now that the would-be attacker lies helpless, the elf's unnaturally violent streak has surfaced again. Well, there's nothing to be done now. Even if he wanted to, Addison wouldn't be able to arrive in time to intervene. And the woman was preparing to attack a party member - or at least it appeared that way.

Her fate was now in the hands of the unpredictable ranger

Addison changes his focus to the lady lying on the ground to read her thoughts and see if he can learn any information in case she dies before revealing it.

He also sends Skrith to a observe the cofrontation from a nearby treetop.

[ 07-09-2002, 03:29 PM: Message edited by: Cerek the Barbaric ]

[Attalus]

WOUNDED DRUID (to Sanael) "I...I am Delia Nightshade. I live in the village over yonder. I was seeking to keep those fools fropm spying on the dragon, our protector. His quickling spies on us, and if we allow anyone to get too near, then he will punish us, maybe flatten our village. Please let me drink the potion. I shall die without it."

[Ar-Cunin]

Sanael Ganahr

Puts the potion to the druidess lips and lets her drink the potion.

"So the dragon is your protector? - sounds to me like you haven't been following events around here, girl. The Dragon betrayed your little community, you fool. It sent your fellow druids to be slaughtered so that you would no longer be a significant factor in these parts. Still think it's worth protecting?

[mistral4543]

Sorsha

"Don't you find all this terribly distracting?" ~ She whispers to both Legolas and Isaura as she watches the proceedings with increasing alarm ~ "Violence... threats... spying..." ~ Shuddering, she stops for a moment, closing her eyes as if to blot out such unpleasant issues. Then feels a warm hand clasping hers reassuringly. Without reopening her eyes, she knows whose hand it is and smiles.

Isaura

We're more similar than we think. ~ Indeed, the events are turning rather distasteful, and the plot seems to be thickening even as her companions speak, one by one in turn. Seeing her sister so well-protected by Legolas, she cannot help but bite her lips in frustration. Yet... ~ I have no one to blame but myself. ~ To her great surprise, a thought now repeatedly echoes at the back of her mind.

I wonder how Raymond is faring now...