Dragon's Egg - Act II

[Ireth]

I have had just about enough of Ankari and his spite. I turn to him, my hand clenching into a fist.

"Did you hear nothing I said? I wish to offer my home as a refuge in case we are followed here, and for that I will need to warn my kin of the potential threat if the lizards should get through the Gaita. If you would rather we are all cornered and slaughtered here, assuming we survive the firetrap, then let us close the door and move on. If not, then be silent and wait for me to go in and come back."

 

[Ankari]

"Yes, we will send you as an emissary to your homeland, and I will perform the same function to our enemies. I will deliberate with them, beseech them to forebear their assault on us while our noble knight traipses to his beautiful queen. I'm sure they'll understand."

I return to the hallway, chiding myself for giving into the taunt.

 

[Ireth]

I watch as Ankari moves away, speaking to the others. "Pay no heed to him. If the lizards expect us to walk into their trap, it is unlikely they will come to us for some time."

((I'm assuming Keit told the other elves the spell at some point; mostly I just want to get things moving.))

I turn to the Gaita, laying my palm against the cool stone and murmuring the spell to close it. I glance up to make sure it worked, then reopen the door, this time speaking the name of my homeland.

A wind blows through the arch, bringing rain with it; I smile at the refreshing water that splashes my face. Turning to the others, I smile. "Wish me luck."

Passing through to my homeland is as easy as walking forward. I pull up the hood of my cloak against the rain as I get a sense of my surroundings; I believe I can find Caer Celynnen from here. I turn back to look at the others, and wave to them before setting off.

The ground is slick with mud, but I keep my feet, and smile in relief at the sight of the holly hedge coming into sight between the trees. I duck under the natural archway formed by the branches, and hurry toward the castle. Once through the double doors and out of the rain, I wipe the mud from my boots and the rain from my face, take off my gauntlet and jog down the high-ceilinged corridors to the healing ward. First things first – let Líadan know I am alive and safe.

I open the door, and the mingled aromas of a dozen or more herbs and fragrant salves gusts out; breathing deeply, I smile and walk in. The room is empty save for Líadan; she stands with her back to me, folding linen bandages and bedsheets. She is clad in pale grey, her dark brown hair tied back in a bun, and a blue scarf – my favorite – wrapped around her neck. She is singing to herself, and does not look up at my footsteps. I smile and listen contently to her song.

"Go, go, go, my love,
Quietly and peacefully.
Go to the door and fly with me..."

I grin as I join her in singing the final line. "And may safely you go, my love."

Her head jerks up, and she turns to me, her eyes wide and bright. "Cadell!"

She rushes to me, taking my hand in hers; then she looks at my left arm and gasps. "Your hand! What happened?"

"A warg," I say simply; then I set down my gauntlet and take her into my arms. She smells of cherry blossoms, just like always. I seize her lips with mine, and pull away only when we need to breathe. "I missed you, calon cu."

"I missed you too." She looks up at me, her joy tinged with confusion. "Is your task in the north done already? I had not expected you back nearly so soon."

I sigh and shake my head. "No, not yet. I have much still to do. I am only here at all because I and my comrades found a Gaita Ellyllen. Once I knew where it led, I had to see you again, as well as speaking to more of our people on a matter of great importance. I only hope it will not be necessary."

Líadan sighs and nods. "I knew it was too good to be true. Is there anything I can do for you while you are here? Do you or your comrades need any supplies?" She looks at my stump again.

I follow her gaze and smile slightly. "Don't worry about that. I have a friend's promise that he will have it replaced when we speak to his kin."

Her eyebrows lift. "What friend?"

"A dwarf, of all people, named Darin. I lost the hand in a battle to save his life." I show her the medallion around my neck. "He gave me this in thanks, and named me Dwarf-friend."

She smiles, admiring the medallion, then raises her eyes to me. "Are you determined to make such bonds with everyone in the world?"

I chuckle. "It would be nice, I admit. But somehow I doubt some would comply. Goblins and orcs, for instance."

"Indeed." Liadan picks up a stack of folded sheets and moves to put them away, speaking to me over her shoulder. "So what else do you plan to do while you are here? Your human friends have missed you. If nothing else, I think you should see them before you return north."

I sigh. "I doubt I will have the time. I promised I would be gone less than an hour, and time flows the same on either side of the Gaita."

The minutes slip blissfully by as we talk of happenings on either side of the Gaita, though I keep track of them to stay within my time limit. I tell her of all the friends I have made, and the many ways we have saved each other's lives. She speaks of my human friends in Dunhold, and of the queen.

"Her Majesty has been in a strange humor since you left... and relations between us and the humans have not improved. I cannot help but wonder..." She trails off and bites her lip.

A weight settles into my chest, and I can easily assume what she does not dare say aloud. "I think I have been wondering the same thing for some time. Maybe I should go back, then, before she finds out I am here." I quickly pick up my gauntlet again and put it on.

"It's a bit late for that," says a voice by the door.

I exhale as I turn, and do not speak. The servant simply nods. I sigh and turn back to Líadan, take my sword from my belt and hand it to her. "Keep this for me."

Líadan's voice reaches me from behind. "Cadell?"

I hesitate and almost turn back, but the servant coughs, impatient. I swallow, then follow him out to Her Majesty's throne room.

The tall black double doors swing open the moment we reach them. The servant calls, "Sir Cadell to see you, Majesty." His tone is malicious, gloating, and I cannot help but wonder why.

"Let him come," says Queen Brígh. Her voice holds no welcome.

I walk forward slowly, head held high; the servant stays behind me. The clang of the doors shutting feels like a death knell. Three paces from the silver throne, I halt and bow, then look up at her. She is clad in a gown of white and silver, and her silver crown is wrought in the likeness of interwoven holly boughs; the rubies that are their berries provide a splash of vivid color against her black hair. But though she is fair, on this day she is cold as a winter morning. Her pale blue eyes, so much like Líadan's, hold none of my lover's kindness.

"I had not thought to see you back so soon, Sir Cadell. Tell me, is your task completed, or has your homesickness overshadowed your obedience to me?"

I swallow and bow my head, stung. "Neither, Your Majesty. My comrades and I found a Gaita Ellyllen in the north, and we thought perhaps to take advantage of it as a refuge from the enemies who hunt us. I came to give our people fair warning, so they would not mistake my comrades for enemies, since many of them are not elven – in fact most of them are not. It is only a possibility, but I thought better to be safe than sorry."

The queen frowns. "And if the enemies you speak of should come through the Gaita as well, what then?"

"If any of them do make it through – we would naturally close the Gaita behind us, after all – then I expect they would be quickly dispatched, whether by us or by more of Your Majesty's people, if you see fit to command your guards to keep vigil on this side. But that may not happen either. It is entirely possible we will reach the Gaita ahead of them, and may pass through without pursuit. Or we may not return to the Gaita at all."

The queen does not respond for a moment. Her eyes move to the medallion glinting at my breast. "What is that you wear?"

"A token of gratitude from one of my company: a dwarf named Darin, whose life I helped to save."

She nods again, her eyes narrowing. "How did that come about?"

"He and a few of his kin were pursued by wargs and goblins; I and those with me engaged the foe to save all we could. It was then I lost my hand; a warg tore it from my wrist." I show her my stump. "After I was healed, Darin gave me the medallion, and a promise to see a new hand made for me if I should ever travel to his halls."

Her gaze penetrates. "Do you intend to?"

I nod. "He named me Dwarf-friend; it is the least I can do to let him honor his word."

"Did any of your companions receive the same blessing?" She arches a brow. The word 'blessing' carries a distinct note of scorn.

"No, Majesty, only I. Darin said it was because I had sacrificed the most for his and his comrades' sake."

She is silent for a while, thoughtful. At last she says, "Your nerve knows no bounds, it would seem."

I smile and dip my head. "Thank you."

"That was not a compliment."

My head jerks up in shock. "Majesty?"

The queen sits up straighter and looks me in the eye. "First you make a truce with the humans who encroach upon my forest, and seek to have it perpetuated in peacetime when there is no need. Then you befriend dwarves and earn debt with them. What will you do next?"

I fumble for words. "Does it not please you that your knight has made such a bond with the people of the north? By befriending the dwarves as your representative, I give honor to them and to Your Majesty."

"I could not care less for the honor of dwarves. Tell me, what now? Will you make such bonds with all the races of the world? The orcs, the goblins?"

I reflexively grip my left wrist with my right hand. "Of course not--"

"Then perhaps you should turn your sights back to the desires and commands of your queen. You are relieved of your duties in the north, Sir Cadell. You will remain here in Caer Celynnen, and consider where your loyalties truly lie."

I bow my head and shrink down in shame. "As you wish, Majesty."

"You are dismissed. Get out of my sight."

I turn and flee, cringing as the doors slam shut behind me. I stand in the middle of the corridor, trying to shake off my bewildered thoughts. What can I do now? How can I help fight the Taint if I am confined here? I do not dare try to escape in secret; that would merit me a far worse punishment. Will I ever see my friends in the north again? How will they know what has become of me? Would any dare to come through the Gaita in search of me? What would happen then?

((continued in next post))

 

[Ireth]

I look around at the sound of gratingly cheerful whistling, and sigh to see Fachtna strutting up the corridor, an arrogant peacock if ever there was one. He catches sight of me, pauses and laughs. "Did someone get in trouble?"

I grind my teeth and turn away. "Never you mind."

Fachtna's voice is cold. "You've been shirking your duties, haven't you? What, trying to treat with everyone now?" His eyes rove over the medallion on my chest. "I'm amazed Her Majesty has put up with you even as far as that truce you made with the humans."

"What Her Majesty tolerates is no one's concern but her own," I retort, matching glare for glare.

"You are a puzzle, do you know that? You befriend the very humans you once despised, you fight alongside them, now you bear dwarvish tokens, and yet you still profess utter loyalty to the Queen." Fachtna folds his arms, leaning on the wall and watching me. "What goes on in your head, I fear to ask."

"Then do not ask. What business is it of yours whom I befriend?"

Fachtna shakes his head. "Enough is enough, Cadell. You can't bring about peace in the whole world. You should have learned your lesson here, in your silly truce with the humans in Dunhold. Some people don't want to change."

"The humans gladly accepted the truce while it lasted. It is our people who were dissatisfied with it." I move my right hand over the lever on my gauntlet and close its fingers into a fist, then clench my hand as well. "We cannot stay as we were forever. The world is always changing, whether we like it or not."

"You would ask our people to sacrifice millennia of tradition to ease your smarting conscience?" He snorts. "You are more selfish than I thought."

Keeping my voice calm is a struggle. "I ask them only to set aside their contempt for everyone but themselves. It is not about me, nor those in Dunhold. It is about all of us, elves, dwarves, humans and halflings alike, whether in the north, south, west or east. Such was my intent with my efforts to perpetuate the truce between us and the Dunholdians -- I seek only to adapt our way of life in order to preserve it."

"Adapt?" Fachtna scoffs, then snarls. "You seek to tear it up by the roots!"

His hand creeps to the sword at his hip as he rounds on me, forcing me back against the opposite wall. "You are nothing but a blight on the great tree that is our heritage. Do you know, Cadell, what happens to a tree when it is diseased? The sick branches are all. Cut. Off."

Fachtna lunges, his sword unsheathed. I dodge each blow, some more successfully than others, but have no time or space to draw my own sword. Finally Fachtna's blade sticks in the dark wood of the door. Before I can move, he seizes me by the throat and slams me against the wall. Clawing at his hands with my right one, I shove him back with my stump – far too hard. The gauntlet rams into his unarmored chest; the spikes pierce him, and I hear his ribs break under the blow.

Fachtna releases me, and I slump against the wall, my eyes shut as I gasp for breath. But Fachtna is gasping too. I open my eyes to see him fall. Blood pools on the floor from the wounds in his chest, and the same stains the spikes of my gauntlet.

Before I can react, the door slams open, and the queen storms out. Her cold eyes rove between us, and she points to Fachtna, looking to her door servant. "Get him to the healers!"

The servant rushes to do her bidding. The queen rounds on me, livid with fury.

"So, it is not enough to disregard my wishes, but now you seek to commit murder in my very halls. You are no longer a knight of my crown. Only for your years of loyal service do I now spare your life. Get out now, and do not come back."

I fall to my knees, shaking. "Majesty, I beg you, please hear me out. It was not murder, only self-defense. He sought to strangle me!" My voice is hoarse, both from Fachtna's hands and my own terror.

"I do not want to hear your excuses!" she snarls. "Get. Out. Now. Or. Die."

I scramble to my feet before she reaches the word 'excuses'. At the word 'die', I bolt down the hall and head straight for the nearest exit, not daring to look back.

* * *

Líadan

Cadell doesn't return to the healing ward. Rumors come instead, like wildfire. They say he struck Fachtna down in a fit of anger after speaking to the queen, and Fachtna died before they could bring him to me for healing. The tales are as numerous and varied as those discussing it.

I cannot, will not believe Cadell to be a murderer. I know him too well. He would never kill another elf in anger, especially not an innocent bystander. The only thing that matters to me, the one detail all the stories share, is that Cadell has been exiled for his crime.

I turn to the window, watching the rain pour down in sheets. Cadell is out there somewhere, all alone, with nothing more than the clothes on his back. Whether or not he finds the Gaita again, I will not leave him alone in exile.

I clench my hands and inhale, strengthening my resolve, then quickly set to work. I fill two packs, one for myself and one for Cadell. In his are some things I know he prizes, and as many changes of clothing as will fit; in mine, rations to last us both for two weeks, clothing and other supplies. I also take my longbow and a quiver of arrows, and the longsword Cadell left with me.

I wrap my cloak around me, shoulder one pack and carry the other as I hurry out into the rainy woods. If anyone sees me, they do not care enough to follow.

"Cadell?" I cry. "Cadell! Where are you?"

* * *

Cadell

Icy rain drenches me again as I run pell-mell through the woods, heading away from Caer Celynnen in as straight a line as I can manage. My thoughts swarm and sting like wasps. Rage, grief and sheer disbelief wrestle for dominance.

This can't be happening. How could she do this to me? I wanted only to please her...

She is not worth serving if she does not appreciate what you do for her.

But I have served her for nearly three thousand years, and she has never turned against me before.

You have never made such friendships with other races before. Even the humans' truce was only for a while.

But the Dunholdians are my friends, as are my company in the north. Why should I have to choose between friendship and fealty?

You won't have to anymore.

"Cadell!"

The cry jerks me from my thoughts. I cannot discern whose voice it is from a distance. Terror lances through me -- am I being hunted? Does anyone mourn Fachtna enough to seek vengeance? I quicken my pace, skidding and sliding in the mud.

Without conscious thought, my feet lead me to the Gaita. It is still open; I need not recall the spell. I duck over the threshold and stumble out the other side, falling to all fours in the lush grass. My head hangs as I pant for breath, eyes tight shut.

((end of post, pls react. XD))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I sit by the gate, humming a tune as I sharpen my blade. But... he's running. Something's wrong!

I stand by the gate brandishing my blade, waiting for a monster to come our way.

"Sir Cadell...!" No monsters. "What's wrong?" Or maybe the monsters are human or elven. "Is Liadan in danger?"

He saw her, I just know it! But there's a reason he didn't want us to follow. Damn... I was really hoping this was a way to reach my mountain on foot, too.

 

[Ireth]

Baldhart speaks, and her words ring hollow in my ears. Sir Cadell -- that is not me. What am I now?

At Líadan's name I finally raise my head, still trying to catch my breath. I cannot speak -- too many words, crowding and blocking my throat. My neck still aches where Fachtna had hold of me; I am sure there are bruises alongside the older scar that encircles it, where the Lady tried to do something similar. But at least she only meant to torment me, not kill.

((For those wanting a visual reference, his expression is a pretty even blend of deer-in-the-headlights and kicked puppy. XD))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Cadell! Pull yourself together and let me know what's going on here. You came for Liadan. I wanted that for you, which is why I pretended to worry about my armor.

"My armor's fine. You're not. Is Liadan? Is she safe? Does she love you? If she does, does she know to follow you? Are you being followed?"

Don't bombard hm with questions. Let him breathe.

"If you don't intend to leave her behind, pick yourself up."

Torch in one hand, sword in the other, I step through the gate. I look back at Cadell.

"Whether we're two or an army, let's do this!"

 

[Ireth]

I nod and climb to my feet, stepping away from the Gaita and looking back at it with wide eyes. Someone was following me, but who?

Baldhart steps through, and calls for me to follow. I do not move, but look at her in shock. How can I explain to her that to follow would be a death sentence? Would it be worth it for the hope that Líadan would follow? What if she didn't, and I die for nothing? But would staying back mean betraying her?

Too many words. None emerge from my mouth. I can only shake my head and hold out my hand. Come back, Baldhart. Please.

 

[SeverinR]

I sit thinking, the sight of the torch flickering in the breeze stuck in my mind.

Cadell's returned, from the looks, the mission was less then successful. Maybe even attacked by his "friends", high born know no loyalties. Give me a bastard thief as a friend over any highborn, any day. They will betray you for gold, but you know they would. Highborns will betray you for the favor of a higher born, you never know which way the next betrayal will come.

"Is there magic that affects or creates wind? Does anyone here, know that magic?" I ask without warning, ignoring the others.
"The chimney once covered will choke those that live within, the blacksmith liquifies metal with fire and wind, once the fire starts there will be heat and smoke, it will seek to escape in all directions, If there is no door on the far side, we could blow the heat and smoke their way in mass, maybe choke a few lizards just for fun..." I smile when I realize what I said, and Mum said there was nothing productive in choking the lizard, I chuckle. "It would be another option to suprise them with their own trap...if we possess such magic."

There is also debris about halfway through the corridor, though not at much. By raising and lowering your head to frame the debris against the background of the end of the corridor you can definitely make out a couple of barrels in this closer portion of debris.

"Taking some supplies would not be difficult, I believe they have a small trap set in the corridor to prevent retreat when the attackers reached the main room, they would set off the barrels in the corridor to prevent a hasty retreat. I hope the barrels don't have many holes, and they still can contain their liquids."

"Welcome back, Cadell. I trust you bring us good tidings? The Highborns seemed to have given you quite a send off from the looks of you. Their royalty expects us to save their arses and kiss em while we do it, I bet. What we do here, I do for fortune and for all the piss-on's that the royals rule over, I surely ain't doin it for the bitch queen that sends men to take food from the mouths of babes so they can have a royal orgy."

"I am a thief, I make it a rule to never take from those that can't afford to lose it, a noble would take everything a person has on a whim, tell me which is worse?"

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

I watch in the direction Cadell came from. If she loves him, she'll follow. If he ran ahead, he...

Cadell does not flee.

Not without good reason.

"Cadell, you love her. That means you didn't come here to abandon her. You came for help and you have it."

She's following him.

An army of hostile elves is following him. See? I can make guesses without knowing all that facts, too.

Point taken, but... once we close this gate, we won't open it again. Not to here.

"You're on the run. I don't care why. Liadan is all that matters to you, so that's the only part of this that matters to me. If you close this gate on her, you shut her out of your life forever. Better to die trying to take her with you than to live with such a regret."

 

[Ireth]

Aliron's words light a fire in my gut. Whether or not my queen cast me out, he has no right to speak of her like that. I turn to him, the words finally escaping. My voice is still hoarse from injury, and I gingerly touch my neck. Yes, there are definitely bruises there. I wonder if I can heal myself, or if I have to wait for someone else to take notice.

"Hold your tongue, Aliron. She may not be your queen, but you have no cause to insult her." Who knows, did she send her guards after me? What if they can hear him? I look toward the Gaita, and fear prickles through me again, stirring my every other emotion. I have more feelings than I am able to name, or know what to do with.

Baldhart speaks again. I swallow, a lump in my throat. She is right... I cannot simply shut Líadan away forever. But should I go back, or leave the Gaita open in the hope that she will know where to follow me? That would also leave the queen's guards able to pursue me here, if they will.

"I told Líadan the words to open the Gaita," I say at last. "Even if we close it from this side, if she does follow me, she can open it again herself. That way we do not leave ourselves vulnerable if anyone aside from her is on their way." But then... if she finds the Gaita shut, will she think I have abandoned her? I bite my lip, not knowing what to think or to do.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

After Cadell replies to Alin:

"Why not? If you're running, my guess is your queen isn't protecting you."

Dammit! This is why I can't stand the way of knights!

"Sir Cadell, you know I respect you, so please take no offense at my tone...

"Forget about the damned queen! Your first words are to defend the queen from mere words, and I'm out here for Liadan! Why aren't you?"



After Cadell replies to Baldy:

"You told her about this place. Just her, right?"

Elves have good ears, right? I move forward.

"LIADAN!" I shout at the top of my lungs. "FOLLOW MY VOICE TO CADELL!"

I keep moving, hoping it's Liadan. Just her... right, Nissa?

Hopefully.

"Cadell is safe!" I tell her as a stray further from the gate. "He is having trouble speaking, so I speak for him. I am Baldhart Eisenberg of the Iron Mountain. I've heard much about you, and I believe you will follow him."

Can she hear me? Did she reply?

"Can you hear me, Liadan? Speak loud enough that an elf can hear you!"

I speak loud enough that the dead can hear me.

Technically, your hearing gets better after you die. No ear wax in the soul.

Huh. I never thought of that.

 

[SeverinR]

"I know a little of your queen, I know alot about royalty. You're right, I should watch my tongue, cause the nobles don't like hearing the truth, and they might take it from me. I will respect [BOLD]you[/BOLD] enough to be silent about my thoughts on royal blood."

After Baldhart yells,
"Baldhart, my friend, you are a drunken bull in a shop of fine pottery." I smile shaking my head.

 

[Ireth]

Again the word 'Sir' is empty noise to me. Of course they don't know what happened, and I don't know if I can tell them now. I take a deep breath through the nose, then answer her questions about the Gaita and Líadan.

"I told her and the queen, but none other. I gave little detail to the queen of where the Gaita is on that side, and I do not know how much she will recall of it -- she is older by far than me."

My words are drowned in Baldhart's yell; I wince at the volume, but know it may be necessary. I keep watching the Gaita, hoping against hope that Líadan is all that will emerge from the trees. If there are guards after me, surely they would have caught up by now, or at least made themselves known; horses are swifter and noisier than any elf.

* * *

Líadan

Tracking Cadell through the rain is far harder than I thought. I can but hope I am on the right trail. From what I can see of the footprints in the mud, he is moving even faster than before. Does he think the guards are following him?

A voice shouts my name from far off, and I jump. Who is that? A woman? She speaks of Cadell... perhaps it is one of his friends. Are they expecting me? I hurry forward, hoping I am right. Is Cadell safe?

Someone is up ahead, moving through the trees. Whoever it is comes into my line of sight, and I sigh. Clearly this is Baldhart, just as Cadell described her to me. I manage a smile. "Well met, Baldhart. Cadell told me of you. I am Líadan."

"Líadan!"

Cadell's voice reaches me, and my heart leaps. I run to him, setting down the pack in my hands just in front of the Gaita before wrapping my arms around him. "You are a hard man to track, do you know that?"

* * *

Cadell

I look up with a sob of joy and relief as Líadan answers my call, and embrace her in return. She speaks, and I smile. "As long as it keeps the queen's guards off my tail..."

She smiles and shakes her head. "No one followed you here but me. I shouted, but you didn't answer."

Guilt stabs through me. "That was you? I mistook you for one of the guards! I didn't know what to think!"

"It doesn't matter now. I'm here."

She steps back, picking up the pack she had set on the ground and handing it to me. "I brought you some things... I didn't know how much you'd still have left. Also, your sword -- you left it with me."

"Thank you so much." I take the pack and pull her close again with my free hand.

She pulls my head down and kisses me. "I love you. I would rather be in exile with you, than Queen without you."

"I love you, too." I wish I could tell her how much. My heart aches; I don't deserve such love, such loyalty. "Home is where the heart is, and mine belongs to you."

Líadan smiles. "And mine to you. Though I think I'd prefer my home aboveground." She glances at the stone walls of the dwarf tunnels as we move back into Nordrimm.

 

[Keitsumah]

Before Liadan appears

I sigh in exasperation, then actually glare at everyone. "Cadell has every right to defend his queen -from words or otherwise. Would you like someone speaking badly about you from behind your back?"

Standing and brushing off my robes, i walk over to the plants filling the room. Many are familiar to me, but in order to locate the ones i need it requires concentration.

"Cadell," i say, eyeing his hand where it touched his neck -barely hiding the darkening bruises. "I'll make a poultice, so don't waste your energy. Now where is that . . ."

[1d20+0] = 10+0 = 10 (looking for healing plants)

I bite my lower lip in anger as i realize that nothing here would work for me -it is either unfamiliar or useless to begin with. "Well, I guess I can't." Crossing my arms, i glance over to him and consider healing him, but he would have to give me permission for that. He may want to heal himself instead.

Baldart's earsplitting shouts make me clap my hands over my head, and I sigh. Loud noises were never one that i had to deal with much while i was alone. I had always had to train my ears for an animal-like sensitivity in order to detect danger at a moment's notice, and Baldart's yells only prove that i am more sensitive than most -even elves.

"If you had a code I could tell a bird to send a message to her." i grumbled half-sarcastically to Cadell.

After Liadan appears

But i can see that my suggestion is uneeded as a woman steps out of the forest towards Baldart, and my heart skips a beat. She is much older than i had originally guessed, and power comes off of her in waves, though it is controlled and well balanced.

Batos pads over and sits stiff-backed next to me, ice-blue eyes focused on the stranger, but he shows no hostility.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

"Liadan! It's really you!" I'm not sure how to greet an elf. "Oh... I wonder what he said about me. Oh, it doesn't matter. He's a kind man. And brave. You're very lucky, I'm sure you know!"

She and Cadell embrace...!

Yeah. She knows. Let's get back in with the others.

Good idea.

I walk around to the other side of the gate. It's too awkward to enter where they're being all lovey-dovey!

 

[SeverinR]

I move in front of Branwen, my hand resting comfortably in my belt, not threatening, but ready to guard the child.
"Welcome, my lady. If Cadell trusts you, you shall have my trust for now. Know that all in this room are friends..."I look at Darin, then half turn looking down at Branwen.
"I trust you will look on all as friends also?"

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I look up as another speaks; from Cadell's descriptions of his friends, I guess he is Aliron. I smile at him and nod. "Yes. Cadell told me of you all, how you have earned each other's trust. You are Aliron, correct?"

I turn back to Baldhart, laughing in embarrassment. "Forgive me, I ran off without answering you. He told me much about your deeds, and your kindness, strength and bravery in and out of battle."

 

[SeverinR]

"Yes, I am Aliron, I am quiet, sneaky, and good with a bow. We are a group united in cause, sworn to defend the group as equals, none better, none lesser, we try to conceal our prejudice for race or species."
I hesitate, glance down at Branwen, then add,
"The shy elfbird is Branwen. I don't know if Cadell told you about her." I step to the side just enough to show her.

 

[Ireth]

Líadan

I look down at the harpy child and nod. "Cadell told me about all of you. Hello, Branwen." I hold out my hand, wondering if she will trust me.

((CHA check - level 2, non-prime))

((Dunno if I need to add my level or not, but if so, that's a 10. Still a fail.))

I smile nervously. "I guess she isn't fond of strangers... you all must have earned her trust."