Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Bookbinding (presently closed)

"My pa used to say something about wishin' in one hand and ... ", Glenn started to say at Auralia's rather helpless attitude. But he trailed off, realizing he wasn't in appropriate company for that comment.

Oblivious to Jack's suspicions toward him, Glenn scratched his head again, trying to remember the exact words the narrator had used and couldn't, for the life of him, remember it calling out Auralia herself to do anything.

...farm boy, drunk, and some travellers... Or something like that anyway. He'd bet his only copper coin that was himself, Thirgud, Fyonae and Jack. "You going home today?" he asked Fyonae. "I think we best find the drunk and then all stick together..." he suggested, fully ready to follow any perceived instructions from the mysterious voice.

Once past the shock of Tom's revelation concerning Auralia, Fyonae felt a warmth spread through her, brightening her eyes and bringing a becoming flush to her cheeks. One would think she was delighted to hear the news. Hoping they'd all chalk it up to her thinking Auralia could help save the town from another dragon escapade, Fyonae revelled in the feel of being near another oddity like herself - well... not exactly like herself, but, close enough. A feeling of unbidden kinship bloomed within her for the other woman then and as Auralia caught her gaze Fyonae was at her side in an instant.

"Do not be fearin' now." Was there an unnatural gleam in her eyes? Had they narrowed into feral angles? Careful Fyonae. She took a deep breath and any odd flicker was gone. "People who fear what they dunna ken, are foolish. They miss out on so many opportunities, their scope is so narrow. Stand tall. If ya mean only good, then ya can be proud of what ya are." Standing she offered another reassuring smile before glancing across at Jack briefly. She wished when she'd changed, that someone had been there to tell her such things. Her father would have, but he was gone. Eventually she'd found her own sort of peace, which had helped tremendously in gaining control.

When Glenn spoke she blinked out of her thoughts and smiled at him, her pink lips curving slowly at the corners. It seemed almost a sad smile. "Honestly.. I had hoped ta go warn them yesterday, but the captain would'na let me leave the town. I hope the dragon left them alone." Who knew where the beast had made its lair? Her clan was close to the base of the mountain, not easily found unless one knew the way, but a dragon in flight might easily spot them...

The extra color had long gone from her cheeks, the brightness dimming some as she thought of her family. Despite the tensions surrounding her when she was there, she wished them only well. "Tis a good idea Glenn, better together than alone. Now that breakfast is done, perhaps we should go find the Captain?" She thought briefly about Thirgud, and wondered how he'd fared, being locked away. For some strange reason, she found she had developed a soft spot for the crusty man. She had a penchant for soft spots it seemed. She sighed inwardly, wondering how she had changed from the girl who just loved being alone.

"Auralia..." Fyonae ventured quietly as she looked back to the women from where she now stood by Glenn. "Why dunna we hear the strange voice now?"

Was surprisingly silent as the Captain spoke, but he had an grin that seemed to highlight his sharp canines as though the old drunk were some kind of animal poised to strike. Even at the whispered threat Thirgud was quiet until he was taken towards the cart. Suddenly his expression changed and he looked genuinely surprised, almost horrified. "Oh bloody 'ell were you talking?! I saw your face and just glazed over. It was like watching a man read poetry about his own greatness while carving a statue of himself. It was so breathtaking I just didn't know how to react." He called back and then glanced around. "You boys saw that right? He's gonna go into the keep now and stare at himself in the mirror, you know that right?"

As he was loaded in by the stoic guards his eyes widened for the first time in the sun. "By the gods, does he make you lads draw little pictures of him with big muscles and flowing hair? Or does he simply force you to give daily reminders of his greatness? Should I be scared? How much power does the great, honorable, beautiful, tough and beloved guard captain have?! I've met my match!" He called out as he was hauled away in a cart. His good hand reached through the bars and offered a polite wave to the captain. "Bye-bye wondrous Captain and dragon slayer! Woops!" He cried out with a laugh before settling into the wagon. "Come on lads, let's get a sing song going." And he repeated last night's little ditty. The group would hear him singing long before they arrived. The noise of the cart and his own singing helped cover the minor sound of a nail being used in an attempt to pick his manacles. Even if he succeeded he would keep them on for now.

Jack sank when Auralia pleaded with them, briefly closing his eyes to try and hard swallow his own issues with trust. They all seemed so genuine, didn't they? Just like her.

****ing magic, he would think as his eyes darted to Fyonae who now spoke.

He couldn't help but feel she was taking a sideways jab at him on one part in particular and she only solidified that fact when she glanced at him, causing his brows to fall in a fitting look of empathy. He looked to the floor, away from her, then up to Auralia to gauge her reaction to Fyonae's strengthening speech.

He had looked to Glenn at the sound of him and a brow raised as the lad suggested they not only do as the drunk said, but bring him alone. He shrugged it off and looked to the others, studying them before giving both the Fae-touched and the wolf a look of earnest belief that they were all together now. He would trust them, for now and as much as he could, on their journey to slay a dragon.

((Welcome back, Breezy! Hope you're feeling much better.
Waldo, I'm not concerned about it - don't worry about editing it. But I'm thinking that maybe keeping it a little more PG would be wise since this is a public forum ))
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Auralia sighs and nods, perhaps still a bit worriedly, at Fyonae. But she eventually smiles at the woman and brushes away her tears.

"I cannot say," she replies when asked why the voice isn't currently speaking. "I didn't even know it was happening until Glenn mentioned it last night... I wonder if there would be a way for me to tell...? Would you, could you tell me if it returns? Maybe I could hear or feel it if I knew."

(She'll follow along if the group decides to go looking for Thirgud - as long as they want her anyway...)
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When the guards and Thirgud reach the village center, there are a few people gathered up and seated about on the benches. The hermit from across the river is there, as well as the senile old woman who talks to the birds. There's also a few young boys, known for causing any of the infrequent ruckuses that would happen around Aspenlee. Captain Thenley himself rides in just a few minutes later and just in time to hail the soldiers arriving from Birchwood.

Fyonae had barely finished her suggestion to go find the captain when Glenn nodded and took half a step toward the door before he realized the others weren't actually ready to leave just yet. Fyonae herself was asking Auralia another question.

He wasn't entirely convinced bringing the changeling girl along with them was actually a good idea. After all, whether she intended any of it or not, how could the appearance of the dragon NOT be tied in some way to her... if not a fae creature herself, then one with strong ties to the tricksters. Did they really want to invite that kind of chaos to them? Of course, he then worried, he didn't wish for that same chaos to come back to Aspenlee and maybe hurt the folks here while they were gone.

"I'll tell ya iffn I hear it 'gain," he agreed. "Whaddaya think we need? Food for a couple days maybe?" These questions he directed more at Fyonae and Jack since they were both travelers. "Weapons?" Not that he owned a weapon, but figured maybe he could fetch the axe he used to chop wood for Aunt Dotta.

"I dunna know that regular weapons 'll do the trick with the dragon, but it would'na hurt to have them." Fyonae's voice in response to Glenn's was thoughtful, and she gave him a nod as she spoke, a copper lock falling over her shoulder as she did so. "I 'ave a weapon made with the obsidian that Thirgud spoke of. It is back at my clan's camp though. I did'na think I'd have need of it for festival. Least I hoped not. Shrugging almost imperceptibly, more like a shifting, Fyonae sighed softly then looked to Auralia's father again.

"Thank you again for hosting us, Tom. Her green eyes shifted to the rest of the group, "I need to go check in with the captain, he'll be expectin' me to go with them. I am guessin' the more 'elp the merrier." With that, Fyonae would shoot a last glance at the others, her smile lingering a moment on Glenn, then turned to go collect her satchel from the cot before waiting just outside the door for any who would accompany her. Then, it was off to find the Captain.

Standing under the eve of the home, her mind on the task ahead, her shadow would perhaps be just barely visible in the morning sunlight, a thin sliver on the ground a casual observer would miss, yet upon closer inspection, one might notice its form was not human, but four legged. She had habitually chosen a spot out of direct light, but perhaps not quite enough. Then again troubled times were good for kept secrets. Mind's tended to be elswhere than observing one's surroundings.

Thirgud's face soured when the rusty nail snapped during his attempts to unlock his manacles. The sound was covered up by the approach of the honorable captain on horseback as well as the large group of soldiers. He glanced around at the other prisoners, finding himself in good company among the forgotten it the village. His sour face turned contemplative as he wondered exactly why this particular group had been rounded up. The hermit generally seemed harmless and the woman was only really a danger to herself. However, they were both seen as undesirables like himself...

In the painfully hazy recesses of his mind he found pity for the other two. He had earned his place here, though he felt his crime was a crime of sanity rather than something malicious. The other two were likely treated as criminals simply for their eccentricities and afflictions. This pity was soon warped to anger by the raging headache and he glared up at the captain, the playful antagonism replaced by something more real.

((Hey, folks! Thank you all so much for being patient! Those two weeks flew by, and the mental recovery took much longer than I'd anticipated. Anyway, let's get back to it, shall we?))
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Tom nods his approval toward Auralia about heading out with the rest. "I'll finish the cleaning up and the chores while you young'uns head off on adventures."

Auralia stands a bit nervously but smiles her appreciation to the others, not yet trusting her voice to refrain from breaking or leading to another display of waterworks. She wets a cloth and dabs it on her eyelids before following the others outside.

((I'm okay with characters quickly grabbing whatever they plan to take and heading to the village center. Or, vice versa, they could meet up with the captain and then decide what to take.))
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Captain Thenley greets and converses with the leader of the troupe of soldiers from Birchwood. If Thirgud listens closely, he may hear mentions of "suspicious folk," "taking all necessary precautions," "spellcraft and dark magics," and "public safety." A few glances are cast in Thirgud's direction.

Fortunately for him, no one has noticed his fidgeting with the manacles. His second stroke of luck happens to be that the broken-off nail easily falls free instead of sticking in the lock at the risk of being discovered. Unfortunately, it's almost too short to attempt using again. The task wouldn't be impossible, but it would prove extremely difficult.

Glenn could not imagine his Aunt Dotta taking such a laid-back attitude toward him 'heading off on adventures' as Tom had just done with Auralia. But after that slightly lingering smile Fyonae had sent that direction, there wasn't much chance of him not going just because Dotta might not like it.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Mr Tom," he said, then stepped out the door after the copper-haired woman.

She'd said a weapon wouldn't hurt to have so that's just what he intended to get. "I'll go fetch a weapon and let Aunt Dotta know I'll be gone for awhile," he said, as if it were no big deal, just another day in the life of Glenn the Adventurer. Though he'd never been an adventurer or even one to rebel against authority, even if that authority was just his aunt. The thought of disobeying her if she didn't want him to go didn't sit well with him. But even if it was bound to be an uncomfortable conversation, he couldn't just sneak away without telling her.

"Meet you where we was yesterday?" he asked before he walked away. For just a moment, his eyes squinted as something funny caught his attention about her shadow. But he brushed it away as nothing more than a trick of the sunlight filtering down through the young spring leaves on the tree above.

A silent curse crossed his lips when he glanced down and noticed the sliver of nail fall to the ground. What remained might be useable, but the moment had passed. He was far more invested in the key phrases that made it passed the throbbing in his head. His assumptions about the crimes of the other two were right. Just caught up in the hysteria like most scapegoats. His teeth curled viciously as he fought back venom and went through the possibilities rationally. The nail in his hand would have to do. Better him be the scapegoat than either of them. At least this hangover would be gone.

After he glanced at the old woman before thinking better of it and turning to the hermit. "Listen careful, old man. You be good and try to keep an eye on the old bat. They's gonna blame one us for something or other at some point. Best it be the crippled drunkard rather than two innocent folk like yoursel' so just behave and I'll do all the rioting if things go rotten." He clutched the little nail shard tight. If it came to it he knew where the gaps in the armor were. He had no chance or intention it killing anyone with it, but a wound would turn all ire on him.

With his mind set he waited patiently for the guard captain to finish his discussion, staring daggers at him the whole time.

Fyonae, satchel over her shoulder, would slip into step with Auralia as the woman emerged from the doorway. She said nothing but proffered a friendly smile before switching her gaze to Glenn as he followed them both out. Her smile brightened, reaching her eyes as she gave a simple nod to him, a dimple visible on the right side of her smile.

"See ya there, Glenn." She added before continuing on with Auralia, looking back to see if Jack would follow. As they headed toward the town square, Fyonae would look for the captain, perhaps spotting Thirgud as well and noting his mostly umharmed, albeit disheveled, frame. If she spotted Thenley she would angle her path that way, knowing it would likely be him that led the way out of the city.

Auralia offers a sheepish smile of gratitude toward Fyonae as they turn their steps toward the village square, but she makes little to no attempt at conversation.

Captain Thenley is still speaking with the leader of another group of soldiers when they arrive. However, he nods in Fyonae's direction once he catches sight of her and wraps up his conversation within a few minutes.
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The hermit gives Thirgud a sideways glance and raises a skeptical eyebrow at his words. "I ain't used to looking after but myself...," he responds in a curmudgeonly hoarse whisper.

There was a vicious glare in response to the old man's words followed by a hissing whisper. "Well, you'll get used to it or my outbursts might involve breaking an old man's jaw. It'll be easy to avoid talking with no damn teeth." His eyes turned towards the captain and he flexed his good muscular arm. "You really think they'll pull me off you before I can shatter those brittle bones, you old git?"

Thirgud's hatred for the people of this village was growing as his eyes focused on the Captain. He would not be returning if he could help it. Odds were he would die soon enough anyway.

Dotta was pacing back and forth in the small kitchen, stopping once in awhile and opening her mouth as if to forbid Glenn from going with the others and then clamping it shut again.

Glenn had told her the truth... well, most of it anyway. He'd left out the part about Auralia having some kind of connection to the fae creatures. He sat at the table now, twiddling his thumbs rather nervously. Dotta was like a second mother to him... sometimes it felt as if she really were his mother since he'd lived with her since he was 10 years old and saw his real mother only infrequently.

She was scared. Both for Glenn, and selfishly, she knew, for herself if something happened to him. She sat down in the chair across the table from him and took his large hand in hers. "You promise you be careful, okay?" she said finally in shaky voice. "I'll make you some food for the road. You take the axe.... we got enough wood cut to last a few weeks at least. Take some extra socks too... and your hat."

And a half hour later he had a pack stuffed completely full... mostly with foodstuffs that Dotta thought would keep okay for a few days in the pack. But also with some flint, steel, and tinder, a waterskin, a needle and thread, a blanket, and an amulet made from a bezoar stone that had been found in the stomach of a goat when Dotta had been but a girl and was thought to bring good luck.

He paused at the end of the lane and turned to wave one last time before rounding the corner. She waited until he'd disappeared from site before letting the tears that had been welling up there escape.

Going off to fight a dragon... please keep him safe, she prayed to whatever gods might be listening.

( sorry, guys! )

Jack had nodded his commitment with the rest of them and said his farewell to Glenn, telling him he would see him in a bit. He packed his things on his person and folded the blankets he was using before shooting Tom one last thank you and joining Auralia and Fyonae out the door and toward the Square.

"Beautiful day to march off to our possible doom, eh?" A cheeky grin proved him to be joking, attempting to break any tension with some dark humor.

The silence was deafening to him, before he broke it, and it made him panic for words. He couldn't tell if Fyonae was angry with him, though he couldn't imagine her to be like a lark.

When they arrived, they neared the familiar guard from yesterday and Jack quickly greeted him as he approached and would let him start speaking before he subtly looked around him at Thirgud.

He assessed that the man looked like ****all and throwing him into immediate battle would be terrible for everyone. Though he would keep his opinions to himself for now.

He looked the guard in the eyes again and took a rested stance closer to Auralia, as if ready to fend off predatory stares.

"Hmph. And folks wonder why I live alone...," the old hermit grumbles. "Look, man, I didn't mean anything by it. But they'll blame who they want anyway. You know that."

Thirgud has a sudden and odd sensation in his head. It would be easy to shrug it off as the effects of his poor habits, but it is rather different from the norm. It could be likened to a tiny bee buzzing inside his forehead.
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Captain Thenley approaches the small group, specifically Fyonae, when he's finished his previous conversation. After the mandatory good-mornings, he motions for her to join himself a little distance away from Auralia and Jack.
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Fyonae, Jack, and Thirgud (and Glenn, once he's within the village square) all hear a voice within their own minds. It's a familiar voice to Fyonae, Jack, and Glenn, but not to Thirgud.

"Our little band of ragtag heroes awakens to a pleasant morning. After dispatching with the necessary doings of the morning, the farm hand, drunkard, mountain lass, and wanderer each make their way into the ruined town square."

Thirgud was partway through replying when the old man's voice changed. His glaring eyes ripped away from the guards towards the hermit. "The hell you..." The words caught in his throat when he realized the hermit was not talking. He looked around confusion easing the severe look on his face. "Who said that? They talking about me?" He finally asked the hermit as his eyes painfully focused and studied the area around them. His head had swung around quite a lot as he searched for the source of the noise.

Fyonae would have spent the walk to the square quietly, despite the light banter Jack seemed to force out. She didn't feel awkward about the silence, and seemed completely unaware of Jack's curiosity, and while it may have been a studied silence, there didn't seem to be an air of anger around her. Rather focus for the coming day. Once she'd decided Jack wouldn't give her secret away, at least for the time being, she'd turned her mind to the task ahead.

After greetings were over, she would move off with the Captain, curious as to why he would want to speak with her alone. "Yes, Captain?" She asked softly, watching the man intently as she slowed to a stop in a bit of shade. Inwardly her emotions were twisting as she hoped to get a move on. Worry for her clan as well as nerves for the journey ahead caused her to have to work harder to keep control. The unseen wolven shaped shadow at her feet seemed to sway a bit, as if pacing without truly leaving it's place. Her face showed none of this however and she merely regarded Thenley with a somewhat impatient smile.

As the inner monologue started up again Fyonae couldn't help but cut her glance momentarily back to Auralia. Did she truly have no idea when this was happening?

Glenn stopped in his tracks to better listen to what the mysterious voice said.

Ragtag heroes. Well, at least that was slightly better than 'nothing extraordinary'. He might not have openly admitted it, but he'd been concerned about this narrator's perception of him ever since that comment yesterday. Mostly because it was whispering in Fyonae's ear too and he didn't wish it to be saying unflattering things.

He shifted his pack and his axe then and came closer to the Auralia and Jack. "It just happened," he said immediately to Auralia.