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The cure and a mystic flute player
Posted: 21 Aug 2006 08:25 AM |
Green = Thoughts Blue = Speech
Why now..? Why on Vives can’t a disaster ever come alone? She trudged on across the harsh, rocky landscape that is the divider chain; Her arms wrapped around herself against the chill, howling wind that somehow managed to find it’s way down the pointy tops. For despite it being a clear day free from any threat of clouds, the ever-present sun did little to warm up the sink she trespassed.
Really..if Val promptly had to go sick again, then couldn’t he at least do so at a more opportune moment..?! – After all, he was the one to feel sorry about -her- right now..! Sulanna continued on her way up the steep, rocky slope leading up past the waterfall, shaking her head at her own thoughts.
No..no I can’t be thinking about myself right now. – What’s important is getting the cure for Val, and I’ll do that..! Nothing’s stoping me..! And especially not some god-awful, giant-sized stairs..! She pushed on up the large, cut out steps that’d been carved out of the cliffside, her breathing strained as she reached the top; Exhaling in small clouds of steam as she slumped down, regarding the forest’s entrance. Right, that’s it. Just past here and then to talk sense with her before heading back. – Piece of cake.
Sulanna heaved herself up again, true to her habit taking to straightening out her left glove as she concluded on a decision to for once use magic when it wasn’t needed. Hell..! I can’t have my teeth rattling if I’m to make any impression at all at that darn woman..! Her left hand strayed up to her forehead, nodding pleased for herself as she felt that the faintly blue, swirling pattern was still present; Starting to move her hands in the brief, simple gestures for the incantation, sparking the protective ward with the low, strenghtening words.
Mm..better.. she mumbled for herself, unnecessarily straightening out her right glove as well before striding on into the forest with firm, even a bit overdramatic steps.
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Oh for..! she exlaimed in annoyance as yet another drop of rain from the recent downfall trickled it's way down the treetops to unluckily hit home at her neck, causing a light shiver from her at the unpleasant sensation of it rolling down her spine. If she's not even there now I'll..! I'll..! - No, right..focus. North-east and then then up the bridgeway, that's right.
The muffeled cracking of her boots pressing down the leaves and snapping branches below changed over to the low sound of light steps on wood, her feet leading her left on the crossway ahead; Or was it her ears? What in the..? Music? Here?
Her eyebrows contracted together at the soft melody coming from up ahead, the source appearent as she left the forest's border and continued up towards the watchtower, her azure blue eyes laying to rest on a peculiar sight. For along this wooden pathway of Glitterdel, the craftsmanship was in symbios with the plantlife around; And it was just there, half-lying on one of the small, crooked trees that she saw her.
Annes'seh, in all her glory.
Her shirt was torn and dirstained, exposing the lower part of her belly to where her worn out pants took up, the hardy material sporting a hole or two in the fabric on the lower end; Her bare feet bearing the colour of grass underneath, for she carried no shoes. Her smooth, young skin was unwashed and bearing traces of dirt, which showed even more clearly due to the fact that her left sleeve had been torn off at some point.
The last thing to make Sulanna's eyebrows lift high with indignant suprise was her long black hair, all messy and even with a branch or two stuck in it.
How on all Vives could Valethrion have loved a...-creature- like this?! She darn well looks like some second rate witch flewn out of a common ghost story..! She sure doesn't look much like the b..Oh, yes yes..! - The -beauty- from back then. Though then again..she wasn't playing a flute back then, either.
For the soft melody did come from the simple, wooden flute she held to her lips, proccuring a forboding yet soft melody; Simple in nature, yet a tune that vibrated in the deep core of those who'd hear it, leaving few unaffacted.
Sulanna had never had much of an ear for music though, and her mood was shifting to the worse as she stood there, ignored on the pathway under tree. Hey, you..! Will you...just..cut that playing out for one darn minute..?! I have to talk to you..!
She could just aswell have been trying to convince a mountain to crummble, for her raised voice didn't even cause the flute player's eyelids to open up; Her left foot continuing to hit sporadicly against the main body of the tree as her melody went on.
Oh for..! Sulanna glared in silence at the odd figure up in the tree a while, struggling to ease herself out of her vexed mood.
Listen...I need your help, please. she shifted a bit uneasily, her look travelling to her right up to the watchtower ahead, absently regarding the delicate craftsmanship that she'd since long decided on as elven. It's..about Valethrion.
Those words seemed to resound as a waking bell in the head of the ramshackle musican, bringing the melody to a stop.
She slowly lifted the flute from her lips to instead have it rest over her lap, taking a moment before her eyes opened up in turn. That name.. she started, sending Sulanna's look flying back to her. Name..
What about him?
- Oh, uh, well.. Sulanna took a moment to consider her words, oddly unnerved by the unmoving figure before her dispite that her weak built and unarmed state hardly could be a threat.
He's...in trouble. she started off, deciding to just tackle her straight on. He needs your help again to get rid off..-
- He's sick again. Annes'seh's voice cut off, causing a blink from Sulanna.
- Well...yes, he is. She fiddled with her gloves as she always did to calm herself and get a better perspective on things, flicking her fingers inside the orange dyed leather. Look..he's started coughing blood again and he'll need your help just like that time.
A brief silence followed before a sharp statement came as answer, making Sulanna wince as the one word made it feel as if someone had stuck a blade in her gut and was just moving it around to widden the wound.
- No.
Sulanna stood without an answer at first, before bursting out at her. - What do you mean no?! He needs your help you..! You..!
- Why should I help him? came the calm answer in the midst of the heated harangue, taking a moment before the words actually reached and were proccesed by Sulanna.
Well..I...that's becouse.. she took in a bit of a deeper breath, shaking her head at herself before continuing. Listen...please..I'll do anything if you just cure him. Please..anything.
An eery, wierd smile took to Annes'seh's lips as she regarded the sky, her voice still uncoloured by any specific emotion.
- Leave him.
- Wait..what? Sulanna stirred, simply not willing to have heard those last words. You said..what?
- Leave him, and I'll make the cure.
The words hit Sulanna in the face like a physical blow, though she still let out an outburst back her way.
- What's your problem?! Of course I can't leave him..! He needs me and...-I can't..!
Annes'seh finally showed signs of movement, easing over to a leasurable sit on the thicker branch she'd been resting her feet against whilst lying earlier; Her heels against one another as she held her feet below herself, her position oddly alike to that off a predator ready to spring at it's prey.
If you don't leave him he'll die. - His fate is in your hands. She slowly rose up to a stand, in the mind of people of poetic mind making a very striking sight against the background of the rainbow the earlier rain had caused. Meet me here when you've made your decision. - But don't take to long..
The defiant, unyeilding outburst from Sulanna was thrown at thin air as she then closed her eyes, coming to peace with herself; And then, it happened, as so many times before. A proccess so familar to her that it wasn't any different than simply putting on an extra coat for her.
Her shape started to blurr, starting to change in size in an eery, pulsating manner as if to her own heartbeats; Her arms shrinking and shifting in form to something sharper..
And then, where Annes'seh had stood was now a sight that chocked Sulanna deep down to the core more than the shapeshifter could understand; A red wyrmling, taking off to the sky and leaving the sorceress standing where she was.
Sulanna's gaze slowly fell down to her own left arm, lifting it up before her own eyes and the flickering eyebrows above those azure blue orbs. Scales.. Her gloved, right hand found it's way to stroke over her own lower arm as her look slowly lifted to the sky.
Leave him..? |
"You can own the earth and still, all you own is earth until, you can sing with all the voices of the wind." |
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Re: The cure and a mystic flute player
Posted: 21 Aug 2006 09:22 AM |
Valethrion awoke with a start and his hand flies to his throat. After a moment he coughs, sending a small amount of blood into the air and onto his chest. He lay there, wheezing, for a long moment, then weakly pushes himself up to a sit.
He blinks several times, then glances around the small room. Memories flood his mind as the effects of the reverie wear off.
He lay on Sulanna's bed in her rented room beneath the Broken Mask. She had left him here, in search of the ever elusive Annes'seh that had left so long ago. His usual robes were still damp from the cold winds of the Ischak wastes. He wore his under robes; the red and gold paints and dyes only as faded as he'd last seen them.
He sighs sullenly, then shifts towards the edge of the bed with his legs hanging over. He puts his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands and remains there for a moment, his mind unstilled by a disturbing vision.
"Where is she now?" Valethrion asks of the mirror set up in the corner. "Where is Sulanna? It shouldn't have taken this long. I shouldn't have let her go. I should have just...Taken the chance." He stifles a cough with a fist placed against his mouth, then sighs again. He pushes himself up and strides towards the chair, over which his favored robes are draped.
"Still damp. This is going to kill m..." Valethrion's voice trails off, and the intended joke hangs low in the air for a moment, then he shakes his head angrily. He snatches the robes up, firms his lips slightly, then throws the robe around his shoulders. He shudders almost instantly and stifles another cough. After a moment, he shrugs in an attempt to readjust the robe, then pulls the garment closer to his body.
"N-Not as bad...As I would have thought. Too bad I f-" Valethrion coughs quietly into his open hand. He stares in dismay at the blood and phlegm dotting the green gloves, then removes an old handkerchief from his belt. He absently rubs the fluids off, then replaces the cloth. "...Too bad I'd forgotten how to cast that spell. It would have helped me now."
Valethrion glances around the room and remembers with a sad smile the fuss Sulanna made over him before she left; how she'd practically carried him into the Inn with the help of her spells. How she had vowed to return when she'd found his former love.
He shudders slightly. Again, that vision.
Valethrion turns back to the chair and retrieves several pouches and small bags stacked in a sloppy pile and places them around his shoulders and waist.
A lump in one pouch causes Valethrion's hand to dig through and pull out a crumpled sheet of parchment. He remembers, too, with a pang the contents of the letter. He looks up at a sputtering torch, then unballs the letter and folds it in half, then in quarters. He holds Sulanna's letter to the flame long enough for the paper to catch, then drops it into the open light.
Valethrion nods, satisfied, that the personal letter is destroyed, then absently rubs his chest. He turns to the door, opens it, then closes the portal as he leaves Sulanna's room and the appartment area.
On entering the bar room, Valethrion glances around and nods slightly to himself. Empty, save for the barmaid, the runaway Midoran, and the Half-Orc.
"Perfect," he remarks in Elven, thankful to use his native tongue once again. "No one to ask if I am well or if I need assistance." A disdainful glance at Pork as he passes her - she tried to step in front of him for some asinine, Half-Orcish reason or other - and Valethrion is at a long table, facing the door and much of the Inn. He orders a bottle and a glass of the Inn's blackberry wine, then watches the door intently for hours.
Aside from some hooded human stumbling into the Inn with a few scratches about him, no one entered. No golden-haired Elves with a worried glance or a weary grin. No raven-haired Elves shuffling nervously through the door rubbing her arm and glancing furtively about.
No one.
Valethrion sighs sadly, and only then does he pour some of the wine into the inornate chalice and sips. As always, the wine makes him feel better. The extended euphoria hits him like a gentle wave on the beach, and for a very short moment; all is well with the world.
No painful hemoptysis, no pressures from Sulanna, no remorse towards Annes'seh...And certainly no tortured visions of a bitter bargain.
Valethrion blinks several times in rememberance, then sighs and shakes his head. "Annes'seh would never...She wouldn't. And...Sulanna wouldn't agree to that, either. Just some...Horrible vision. That's all it was."
"...All it was," Valethrion repeats as he sips the wine again, then closes his eyes as the pleasant feeling washes over him again.
He lowers the glass from his lips and cradles it in both hands. He stares, for a moment, at the faint trace of blackberry that managed to escape the bottom of the bottle, then takes to swirling the glass slowly.
A faint click as the Inn's front door is reached, then the handle turns. Valethrion looks up at the doorway, his eyebrows contracting slightly and his hands stilling in their motion.
"Annes'seh...?" |
WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE |
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