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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 15, 2007 12:33:02 GMT -5
Ellendera, Hillia Midday
Travel had Scyndil and Cynthia tired, worn, and looking for shelter already. The sky was heavy overcast, and Scyndil didn't doubt for a second that it would rain in a few hours. Her travel bag and Cynthia's happened to be weighing down her shoulders, though... they'd have to stop soon to find a place to rest.
"What's the matter, Scyndil?"
The white-haired woman grunted and pulled up the straps of the travel bags, trying to act like she was going through some sort of ungodly turmoil.
"I'm getting tired of carrying these around. We haven't had a decent meal or rest in a week, Cynth. I know you haven't been carrying your weight around, but I'd sure like to rest."
"It's barely past noon! What are you talking about?" the girl protested, folding her arms. "And why are you so picky about things? We finally made it to the capitol, so can't we just pick a place and start living our lives like normal people?"
"You wish..." Scyndil said under her breath. Why was it that she was the only one Cynthia would ever nag? When it came to other people, she was shy as a kitten... her luck, she thought.
Finally, a suitable place came into view - the Beryl Mug Inn and Tavern. For being on the outskirts of the capitol, it didn't look too bad at all. Maybe even a little bit classy. A little bit classy.
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Jesse
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Post by Jesse on Oct 15, 2007 19:25:08 GMT -5
Zaon pushed easily through the crowded city, Tain trailing behind him and watching the crowd warily. One of her hands rested on her hip, fingers opening and closing around the hilt of a small knife tucked into her belt.
She wasn't used to cities after a year of travel and the constant jostling from all sides made her wonder how easy it would be for someone to pull a knife without anyone noticing. A hundred possibilities for violence raced through her head, all worsened by the fact that it would be next to impossible for her to move through the crowd without Zaon to clear a path.
"You're being paranoid." Zaon said without even glancing at her. Unlike his companion the large soldier was more at home in the capitol city than he had been anywhere for the past year, it was refreshing to see so much life in one place again.
"I'm not." Tain snapped, "I'm keeping an eye out for trouble because you're too lazy."
"Too lazy? Who's carrying the bags here?" As he spoke he made the mistake of turning slightly to look at her and managed to run straight into something, someone actually. He knocked her over and they fell in a tangle or arms, legs, bags, and a flash of white hair.
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 15, 2007 19:41:46 GMT -5
"Scyndil!"
Cynthia's voice cried out, but the rest of her couldn't keep the woman from toppling over in the heap of someone else. Someman else... and from the looks of it, her white-haired companion didn't seem too miffed about it, at least not after she got a good look at who she had tangled with.
"Excuse me," Scyndil said as curtly as she could, flashing an awkward smile, "my slow moving behind must have been asking for that one." Quickly, the woman got to her feet, dusted herself off, and began to pick up her and Cynthia's luggage again, ignoring the impact spots that would later become bruises.
"S-Scyndil, the inn is right there... shouldn't we be going now?" Scyndil turned around to see that her companion was huddled up behind her, no doubt trying to keep her distance from the strangers. She sighed and once again laid her eyes upon the rather dashing young man, offering her hand to help him up.
"Nonsense, Cynth. Meetings, unfortunate or not, are opportunities." She gave a coy yet polite smile to the man, making sure that she showed a glimpse of it to the woman behind him, too. "My name is Scyndil."
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Jesse
Junior Member
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Post by Jesse on Oct 15, 2007 20:00:40 GMT -5
Tain watched Zaon fall in a tangle of limbs with a slight smile, "Klutz." When she saw that it was a rather attractive woman her smile turned into a frown, she could guess at what was coming next.
And she was right. The woman brushed off her young companion when she asked to leave and turned back to Zaon, offering a hand and a smile. Zaon seemed completely oblivious to the fact Scyndil was obviously attracted to him and accepted the hand she offered, pulling himself to his feet with her help.
"That was my fault, should've been looking where I was going." He said, flashing her a small smile.
Before he could introduce himself Tain picked up one of the bags he had dropped and tossed it at him. "Come on you, I'd like to see a bed for the first time in months." She shouldered the other and entered the Inn ahead of them without waiting.
He rolled his eyes at Tain's retreating back and turned to Scyndil. "Sorry about that ma'am. I'm Zaon, nice to meet you but I'd better follow her before she gets into some kind of trouble."
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 16, 2007 15:06:32 GMT -5
"Not at all, Zaon," Scyndil replied, still with her smile. "Cynthia and myself are headed towards the inn, too. We might as well go together, right?"
She could tell that Cynthia was getting apprehensive. The young girl expected the worst, and Scyndil had a bad rap with trusting strangers too much. And there she was, doing it again, but she couldn't blame her. Some new companions would be nice, and Scyndil wasn't the kind of person who did well being isolated for long periods of time.
They walked into the inn, greeted by scents of warm, well-prepared food, and fine liquors. Most of the guests weren't too impressive, but a few of them looked like up-town regulars. A rich burgundy painted the walls, and a white staircase led to the rooms that were hopefully as posh as they led on to.
"What do you say, Cynth?" the woman asked. "I think this will be the nicest place I've stayed at in a long time."
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Jesse
Junior Member
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Post by Jesse on Oct 16, 2007 15:21:55 GMT -5
Zaon shrugged and followed them, "Might as well I guess." There was strength in numbers after all, though neither of the young women looked particularly strong or useful to him at the moment.
He glanced around the room, searching it for any threat and finding every exit out of habit. Tain was already sitting at a table in the corner, a table with four chairs though there were many with only two. There was a tankard in front of her already and three more in in front of each of the other chairs.
"Decided to be social after all?" He asked, sitting down across from her and draining his tankard in one gulp.
"Might as well give them a chance. We could use some friends anyways, I'm getting sick of your company nice as it is." She leaned her chair back against the wall and eyed Scyndil lazily. "She seems...interesting."
"Scyndil, come have a drink with us!" Zaon called, waving her over. "My surly companion's name is Tain." She nodded as she was introduced, a faint smile on her lips and her eyes still focused on Scyndil.
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 16, 2007 16:29:44 GMT -5
"See, look at that!" Scyndil told Cynthia, grinning and adjusting the straps of her bags. "Maybe you shouldn't be so doubtful of people!"
"Maybe you should," the girl said, still in disbelief. She followed Scyndil over to Tain and Zaon's table, her heart beating fast. Maybe this is what those people did... maybe they purposely ran into others in hopes that they would make an aquaintanceship, and then... by nighttime, her and Scyndil would have nothing. She took her seat as far away from the strangers as possible.
"So, what brings you two to Hillia?" Scyndil asked. "Cynthia and I are looking for a way to sort of... well, live comfortably. We had a rocky start, I guess you could say." The girl gave a meek nod, but still didn't make eye contact with Zaon or Tain.
Then, a waiter came by - his hair was long and shaggy, and a tweed waiter's uniform that looked like it was supposed to be well-fitting hung off of his frame loosely, frayed and patched in some parts.
"Can I get you four something to drink? We have a special today; our Star Elf chef is making a 'tea of the heavens'. It's good for your body, and revitalizing!"
"No thanks. I'd like a pinot noir, with ice. Lots of ice, please," Scyndil told him. The waiter passed by Cynthia who did nothing but shake her head, and then looked to Tain and Zaon.
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Jesse
Junior Member
Posts: 534
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Post by Jesse on Oct 16, 2007 16:42:36 GMT -5
"Wine for me, and the lug over there would probably like any kind of beer you have." Tain told the waiter and Zaon nodded his agreement, "I wouldn't trust an elf drink, they don't have the same effects on humans as on elves in my experience."
"We're here on a..." Zaon paused, unsure of what exactly to call their journey.
"A vacation of sorts." Tain interrupted, "We've been traveling a long time in harsher sorts of country, this seemed like a nice enough place to stop for awhile and rest. Peaceful almost." Her eyes wandered across the crowd filling the room, there was indeed a more peaceful feeling about the place than many Inns she had spent time in at home and on their journey. Still one hand remained on the knife in her belt, the other flat on the table top drumming out a nervous beat.
"May I ask why a young woman and a child who is clearly not hers are traveling together?" Zaon asked, raising an eyebrow.
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Post by The Pilot on Oct 17, 2007 0:58:09 GMT -5
"What? Wait, explain this to me one more time."
The man, white-haired and balding, leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He raised an eyebrow and sighed. "Would you like me to draw a diagram, Ender?"
"You know, I didn't ask for sarcasm--"
"Look. It's relatively simple--"
"...relatively being the operative word..."
"--You'll be accompanying Aphron to Hillia as a record-keeper while they have the peace talks there."
"Yes but the elves aren't at war."
The man sighed again and rubbed his eyes. "Treaties, negotiations, peace talks, whatever. In fact, none of that should concern you because you're going regardless."
"Do I honestly have to? Why can't you send anyone else?"
"Stop acting like a child. You do your job damn well, and you know it. Look. I know you. We've been working together for the past 7 years, and don't think I don't know that you want to get out of here for a while." The man looked up at the towering blue diplomat standing in front of his desk. "Just go. You'll be gone for two, three months tops. Beredus will take over for you while you're out, and everything will be fine."
Ender narrowed his eyes at the Chief of House, staring him down for a few long moments. "Fine," he snorted. "But I'm taking Daedus with me."
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That conversation took place a month before. The first week of travel had been nice, actually. He got to see parts of Agathon that he'd never passed through before, and then crossed the border for the first time. Heading into the more temperate forests was nice as well, until the group had to pass over the mountains.
Aphron started to get on his nerves too. Ender was sure that it was mutual among the entire group, but it was there nonetheless. So needless to say, he was damn glad to have finally made it to Ellendera the day before. Tomorrow the talks between long-time enemies the Sea and Star Elves would begin, and Ender would have to sit through every minute of every meeting and chronicle it all.
"Something wrong, sir?" Daedus' bizzarely otherworldly voice emanated from the golem's facial region. His eyes, though a brightly luminescent blue, blinked in an almost friendly way as they followed the form of his master who long since insisted he not be addressed as such.
"I should like to get good and hammered before the proceedings tomorrow. Gods, who knows how long I'll be sitting in there."
"You oughtn't complain, sir. These negotiations will bring an end to the hostility between the two races and Agathon can once again import all those delicious fruits that Calthus likes so much. Aren't you delighted to be part of such a thing?"
Ender stopped being restless and eyed the golem servant out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but laugh. "You've been with me for how long now, and you still don't--"
"I was kidding, sir."
The Ardenan laughed and continued to pace aimlessly. "Of course, Daedus. Just like how you were kidding when you first told me you were a page whose death was a comical accident involving a pile of slippery dung."
The golem's glowing eyes became slits and he crossed his wooden and iron arms. "You do know how to cut deep, sir."
"Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for."
Daedus nodded his head. "It was indeed. Now. Where is it that you plan on 'getting hammered' this evening?"
Ender rubbed his chin in thought. "I did spot an inn down the road..."
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 17, 2007 12:20:25 GMT -5
Tain's question might've stung Scyndil, but she didn't show it. Her comment did sting Cynthia, however, and before Scyndil could explain their situation, the girl chimed in defensively.
"We've had tough lives! A lot of people in this capitol, in this entire country, have had tough lives! Most of them had parents and siblings that died at a terribly young age, before the Star Elves became an avid part of the safety there is here, now! People were caught up in bad things about ten years ago, and then the advisor to the King and Queen, a Star Elf, sent down more of their kind from their astral temple to sweep out all of the bad people and practices plaguing this country! My entire family happened to be part of those people killed!
"Yet I wouldn't have it any other way. Hillia is safe now. The humans and the Star Elves coincide peacefully relying on one another, and that's the best thing that's ever happened to this place!"
Scyndil had been resting her head on her hands, droning about idly, as she knew the whole story by heart. In those rare circumstances where Cynthia was moved enough to quit withdrawing from people, she would give the same spiel over and over again.
"So," she started, deciding to give a harmonious ending to the girl's story, "having a rough start myself, I came down to Hillia in hopes of starting my life over again, and found her, running away from an orphanage. We both had our problems and decided that we would help each other, since we both wanted the same thing."
The waiter, flushed and in a hurry, ran back over to the table and dropped off the ordered drinks before dashing back into the kitchen. A glass mug of the wine Scyndil had requested was placed in front of her. Uniced.
"The moment I ask for something to be iced specifically, it never gets done..." she mumbled, rolling her eyes and wrapping her hands around her cup. As her lips started to turn a very faint shade of blue, dense condensation appeared on the glass. "That's better."
"Scyndil, something isn't right." The tone in Cynthia's voice sent a chill down the woman's spine. "Someone's coming, and they aren't... normal..."
"Cynth has a knack for sensing unusual things. Let me go find a window real quick..." There were windows by the entrance, and Scyndil did her best to look inconspicuous while peering through them, but of course that was impossible. But there her eyes saw what Cynthia had to be sensing: a party of unusual humanoids, one of them towering much taller than other things that wandered the streets of Hillia. The day was getting interesting - she liked that.
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Jesse
Junior Member
Posts: 534
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Post by Jesse on Oct 17, 2007 17:37:48 GMT -5
"Of course you've had a hard life girl, everyone's had something of a hard life. Be glad you have your precious elves to put a stop to it for you. I was only curious." Tain said, amused by how defensive the girl was with so little provocation.
"You're an elemental?" Zaon asked, watching the change in Scyndil's coloring and the corresponding change in her mug. Before she could answer though Cynthia had said something he couldn't hear and Scyndil had moved to look out a window.
"That's never good." One of Tain's hands closed around the sword hilt peeking out of her pack, the other remained firmly around her glass of wine. Her eyes remained focused steadily out the windows even as she drank.
Zaon followed her gaze out the window and frowned when he saw a very odd looking man, if you could call him that, approaching the Inn with a few others. Rather than follow his companion's lead in reaching for his weapon he nudged his own pack farther away with his foot, it wasn't looking like a fight he wanted to start.
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 17, 2007 17:52:53 GMT -5
"He looks like quite a character, doesn't he?" Scyndil said with a laugh, looking back at the aquaintances at the table. "I wonder what they're doing around here. I guess we'll just have to wait and hope that we'll have the opportunity to eavesdrop, huh?" She turned away from the windows and sat back down, a little amused at Cynthia's miffed expression.
"Sure." Rolling her eyes, Scyndil decided to ignore the child, who was being little different from a thorn in her side.
"Yes, I am an elemental... but if we could, keep it down, okay? I don't know if my kind is even welcome here, yet. I might have to go get a lisence or something with the new regulations going up everywhere. But in the meantime," she said, "I can chill a drink if you'd like."
"You say you're worried about being caught without a license, yet you're still offering to chill drinks? You don't make any sense, Scyndil." But she was too interested in whether or not the figures from the window would come into the inn. She was dying to do some eavesdropping.
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Post by The Pilot on Oct 17, 2007 20:15:41 GMT -5
The crowds outside were considerable nuisance, but after ten minutes of walking, the pair managed to reach the door of the inn. Ender opened it, ducked in, and held it open for Daedus.
"You really can't blame them, sir," the Golem said once they closed the door. "You're not a land-dweller. Very few Mariners have ever set foot on land before."
Ender sighed. "I guess you're right." A quick glance around the room was all he needed to kow that almost every eye was on him, and he groaned. "Ugh, I wish I had a hood." He sat down at the bar.
Daedus sat next to him. "It wouldn't mask your height at all."
"You're not helping."
"Then how about this, sir: stop feeling sorry for yourself and behave like the diplomat that you are. We're in public."
The Ardenan had one more self-pitying scoff before shaping up. "I can't often argue with the voice of reason."
"Though you often do. So when do these talks begin exactly?"
The barkeep approached the pair with hesitation. "Can I help you, stranger?"
"Give me something big and strong. Thanks," Ender said, then turned his attention back to Daedus. "Noon, I think. They'll probably last a few days. But you see, I don't quite understand how they plan to resolve this at all. The Arqui aren't going to cease trade with those southerners on moral ground, and these Hillians despise that. If it were up to them, they'd do away with those sandy satyrs altogether. But they're not the continental police, and when you look at the economics of it, it's far too beneficial of a situation for the rich for anyone to change it. Slave labor is the cheapest of labor: it's free. And if you can cut out the cost it takes to make a product, that's usually almost half. If prices are halved, it's going to sell better. That's basic... that's not even basic economics. That's basic psychology. More for less. And no one likes a bargain better than Sea Elves." Ender sighed, thinking perhaps the talks are going to last longer than he originally thought. The he chuckled. "They're used to getting their cake and eating it too. I think at this point, they're going to have to decide who they want to trade with... thank you."
The barkeep placed a huge stein, dripping with froth, down in front of Ender. He was flipped a copper coin in return. He turned to the delicious mug of heaven set before him, and made to take a gulp.
"The Star elves can't maintain their trade embargo forever, though. They need Agathonian goods as much as we need theirs."
Ender laughed. "I'm sure the elves would have to disagree with you." He took another swig. "But I don't really want to spend the entire evening talking about it. We're going to have to sit through it for who knows how long."
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Post by Lady Hammer on Oct 17, 2007 22:53:31 GMT -5
"Oooooh..." Scyndil smiled, hearing the conversation of the giant non-human and one of his companions. "Are you guys hearing this?"
"Scyndil, stay out of it..." Cynthia warned, sighing and folding her arms tighter. The white-haired woman crossed her legs and pursed her lips. "It's politics! Business politics!"
"Oh, but we could use a small job like that! Business, politics, economics... it pays big, especially here! Come on, Cynth!"
Scyndil sighed, giving the girl a disappointed stare. Why was she never happy? She thought that it would be a good idea to get involved. After all, when was another opportunity going to arise? Most likely never!
"We need something, Cynthia. If you don't have any better ideas, I'm going to get involved."
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Pyre
New Member
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Post by Pyre on Oct 18, 2007 18:16:58 GMT -5
Tom pursed his lips and pulled up the hood on his purple-black cloak. He had not decided yet if going to the bar to cause some mischief was the smartest idea. So far, the night was quite boring, with the usual gossip. The only exciting thing to happen was a fight of two drunken men, and Tom did not take place in it at all. Mostly, his hesitance was due to the fact that he could not bear to change out of his form of the true Tom, in Egypt. By now, he reasoned, that human was probably dead. It had been more than one hundred years since Tom had traveled to Egypt and met the slight twelve-year-old. His mouth unusually dry, he pushed his way up to the bartender and ordered a drink. The bartender squinted at his suspiciously and Tom wished he knew if the man could see his face. He looked down and sighed, "non-alcoholic." After all, he did not want to be woozy tonight under the influence of too many drinks. The bartender gave a curt nod and disappeared briefly. When he reappeared again, he was carrying a wine glass filled to the brim with a bloody-looking liquid. Tom gulped it down, slamming it on the table. He needed to spice up his night. Wearily, Tom stumbled to an empty seat, in a table next to one filled with an odd assortment: an old-looking woman, a handsome man, and two ladies. If nothing, their gossip would have to keep him satisfied until tomorrow night.
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