indeed.
Donovan headed back outside to the group seeing the boy already helping with unpacking the horses and mules.
We have our pick of the rooms at the inn, and a meal coming promptly.
he stepped closer. the road is also flooded ahead, and brings fever and some sort of creatures into the town. We could be cautious, but I for one am curious as to the cause of the raised water. It has not been a particularly rainy season.
Donovan headed back outside to the group seeing the boy already helping with unpacking the horses and mules.
We have our pick of the rooms at the inn, and a meal coming promptly.
he stepped closer. the road is also flooded ahead, and brings fever and some sort of creatures into the town. We could be cautious, but I for one am curious as to the cause of the raised water. It has not been a particularly rainy season.
”Don’t worry, mine will follow the rest. He does better if you ask him to do things rather than try and command him,” Cion said to the stable boy who was trying to manage the large number of mounts while giving his horse a look that screamed behave.
Cion was tossing his pack over his shoulder as Donovan came out, ”The river is not going anywhere until morning and I bet there is a nice stock of drink inside the innkeeper would like to rid himself of. Any room you say? I know which I would pick,” he grinned but didn’t say anymore or look at anyone specifically incriminating. ”Would you like me to carry some of your gear, Princess?”
Cion was tossing his pack over his shoulder as Donovan came out, ”The river is not going anywhere until morning and I bet there is a nice stock of drink inside the innkeeper would like to rid himself of. Any room you say? I know which I would pick,” he grinned but didn’t say anymore or look at anyone specifically incriminating. ”Would you like me to carry some of your gear, Princess?”
Callista carefully got down off her horse, sore and tired from long days of riding, sleeping on the ground and her lessons in fighting from Eida. The innkeeper’s words concerned her greatly and she worried for the town. ”Yes, thank you Cionaodh. I think I am going to walk off a little of the riding before joining everyone inside. May, would you like to accompany me?” Callista knew she would come regardless but she made it a point to make sure she treated May closer to an equal than a servant.
Mayumi was sore. She hated to ride, especially for so long. But upon seeing the town and sensing the unease in the air, she wanted to continue on. She helped Callista down and started collecting her belongings until she decided to leave.
"Of course." she said, sparing her brother a glance. He shrugged. It was unusual not answering to him anymore.
"Of course." she said, sparing her brother a glance. He shrugged. It was unusual not answering to him anymore.
Eida walked back to the rest of the group in town, having set Jaeda to explore the outskirts of town, with explicit directions to remain unseen. The viper had not been pleased, but went off, the place smelled of uncertainty anyway.
"Be careful Princess, this place feels lost. There is a fog hanging over the people. I will be inside preparing something for the group that I believe will be useful." He had the empathic link already established with her ring as long as she wore it, but with this many people to keep track of, he needed a larger scope to work with.
"Be careful Princess, this place feels lost. There is a fog hanging over the people. I will be inside preparing something for the group that I believe will be useful." He had the empathic link already established with her ring as long as she wore it, but with this many people to keep track of, he needed a larger scope to work with.
"I'm starving, think they have anything with fish this far from the river?" Jill said as she jumped down to saunter inside like she owned the place. She'd come into down in feline form so she intended to stay that way for awhile so not to spook the locals with her bestial features. It would be good to poke around anyway.
Ruby dismounted and stretched. Horses were terrible for crossing distance, her back was stiff as hell. "Only if it's already been salted. You can bet they have boar though. Try not to scare these people too early on. Head up to a room if you want to change. Cion, we're in. Get something for the whole of us when you head in."
Cion had deposited his belongings as well as the princess’s into their rooms in one trip and had immediately made his way back down to the common room. He ordered several mugs of ale, not knowing which companions would want some and figuring he’d drink them if they didn’t. The innkeep showed up with the drinks as well as the food Donovan had requested.
”I am ready to sleep on something a bit softer than the earth,” he said to no one in particular as the group trailed in. Cion thought it was a pity the place as so empty, a soft body to go with the soft bed would have been nice.
”I am ready to sleep on something a bit softer than the earth,” he said to no one in particular as the group trailed in. Cion thought it was a pity the place as so empty, a soft body to go with the soft bed would have been nice.
Donovan gratefully accepted the proffered mug. Took a sip of the nutty bitter brew and then took a bit swig to slake his thirst. He scooted a second cup over to himself.
Cion, after we eat. I was thinking of checking out the river. If nothing else I want to know how badly it is overrun its banks so we have to detour. If what they say about dangers from the woods are true, I wouldn't begrudge a second set of eyes and swords with me.
Cion, after we eat. I was thinking of checking out the river. If nothing else I want to know how badly it is overrun its banks so we have to detour. If what they say about dangers from the woods are true, I wouldn't begrudge a second set of eyes and swords with me.
Mercy dropped her gear in her room and then immediately went to Callistas and started unpacking for her. She hung u the dresses and laid out two changes of clothing. A simple dress for the evening if she desired to have something without the dust of the road, as well as one of her gossamer nightclothes that caught the light like it had been fashioned from beetles wings. She ran downstairs and filled water from the well into a basin for washing and then set out the princesses combs and other luxury items.
Then she set to setting up the thankfully few items Borhter Donovan required, and unpacked her own gear. Finished, tired from the road and the extra work she plodded down to the common room, and unceremoniously plopped into a chair. She drained half the mug of brew Donovan had reserved for her before stopping for breath. Then rolled her head over to look at Donovnan.
Squiring for two is no easy work Brother
Then she set to setting up the thankfully few items Borhter Donovan required, and unpacked her own gear. Finished, tired from the road and the extra work she plodded down to the common room, and unceremoniously plopped into a chair. She drained half the mug of brew Donovan had reserved for her before stopping for breath. Then rolled her head over to look at Donovnan.
Squiring for two is no easy work Brother
It isn't. However you are growing twice as fast. I am well pleased with your work. Here take the rest of my stew, you've earned it he pushed the half consumed meal to her which she started to devour with relish.
The day isn't over yet though
The day isn't over yet though
”Aye, I suppose if you insist but the river could wait until morning, it is not as if us or it is going anywhere. First, we drink.” Cion grinned and raised his glass to his company. ”Go n-éirí le séitéireacht, gadaíocht, troid, agus ólachan! Má dhéanann tú séitéireacht, go ndéana tú séitéireacht ar an mbás, Má ghoideann tú, go ngoide tú croí mná; Má throideann tú, go dtroide tú i leith do bhráthar, Agus má ólann tú, go n-óla tú liom féin.”
He set down his glass and chuckled at the young squire. "We have no such thing as squires in Tirnanog. I should get me one, they seem useful to have."
He set down his glass and chuckled at the young squire. "We have no such thing as squires in Tirnanog. I should get me one, they seem useful to have."
"I'm not sure your head needs more ego, Firebrand." Ruby sat down with the rest of them and picked up a mug from in front of the man, he didn't need so many, that's for sure. "What's that mean, anyway? I got what, none of it? And I'm not even drunk."
”Ego? I just want someone to unpack for me, fetch me food and lay out my clothing. It is better than getting a wife that is for certain, save the other benefits you get from one of those,” Cion laughed and waved to the barkeep for another round. ”It is a toast from where I come from. To translate it, the nearest thing would be: ‘To cheating, stealing, fighting and drinking. If you cheat, may you cheat death. If you steal, may you steal a woman's heart. If you fight, may you fight for a brother. And if you drink, may you drink with me.’ It is used amongst friends, you would not hear me use that at my father’s table.”
Donovan drained the rest of his mug at the toast. That is quite the toast. There is much more to a squire than the benefits you see. If you have one they are your responsibility to teach both in martial skill as well as in behavior. In part, they will carry your reputation forward, and if you fail to teach correctly, you can easily cost them their life, and the failure of their Lord’s endeavor. Taking care of others equipment and wellfare, that is all part of the lessons. Donovan smiled at Mercy warmly taking pride in how well she was developing. I had hoped we would be traveling again in the morning, and I do not want the water to delay our travels any more than necessary. He looked over at Mercy who had finished her 2nd bowl of stew with gusto Enjoy your cups. Mercy, grab your weapons and a lantern. and he stood from the table.
"Oi, Donovan, leaving already? We have plenty of time before night takes this place, and even more before morning, relax a bit. The snake-charmer's doing the walkabout, and Callista is checking on the citizens, river's flow ain't gonna change in an hour."
"Oooh... ale! And food! This is great. Why are people leaving?" Jill grinned as she came bounding down the stairs much to the surprise of the innkeeper. She didn't really wait for a response before beginning to stuff her face with the stew. "It's not fish but pretty darn good. Is the princess off with the sorcerer again?"
Ruby shrugged and made sure to keep her bowl carefully guarded from the hungry Lunar. "Dunno, I'm not their keeper. Last I checked Callista was walking around with May...hey!" She swatted Silver's hand away from her mug.
"So we have food and drink, what's your issue with your family, this is the second time it's come up, so you have something to say about it. Get it off your chest."
"So we have food and drink, what's your issue with your family, this is the second time it's come up, so you have something to say about it. Get it off your chest."
Cion moved his own tankard away from the feline like girl as she began to consume everything in sight. ”Is it so wrong that a man speaks of his family?” He said cocking an eyebrow but carefully guarding himself so not to give away anymore. Her comment did make him wonder if the woman knew something she was not saying. ”Did not your father ever box your ears at the table for intentionally giving thanks wrong? My father had expectations for our behavior, it is a pity I let him down so often,” he chuckled thinking of the many times he had pushed his luck at the table and risked his father's wrath. Just thinking about his family made him wonder how they were and feel a little longingly for home.
Ruby downed her tankard and passed the empty over to Silver as a small joke, waiting for her to pick it up. "See, that wasn't so hard? Maybe next time you'll give me something of substance. Never had a pa myself anyway, so no, can't say I'm had my ears boxed. He have high expectations for his natural fighter then? Most people don't come up with their own names, so I'm guessing he expected a lot from his 'Fireborn' son, sounds like a Dragon's thing to do." She had to keep the topic on him, her 'father' figure was a nasty man that had abused her for most of her childhood.
Moderators: cyranax Callista (played anonymously) Eida (played anonymously) Kellian Roux (played anonymously)