Post by Ekaterina on Oct 22, 2012 20:55:18 GMT -5
Once the workers were all aboard the ship and it began to set sail, she'd leave orders for her men to keep vigil at the docks through the night. It was then she'd leave the docks and the market area completely, heading back to the manor upon the cliffs. So much yet to prepare for the coming days, but the dealing with the council, then the Prince of the Dwarves, and now this, it was quite an exhausting day. Though she doubted sleep would come, and she knew upon returning home she'd have to deal with a barrage of questions from Radulfr and Osiris. Reason enough to avoid the main house for the present moment, so when she returned home, it would be the stables she'd hang out in for a while. After removing his tact and saddle, she'd go through the process of brushing down the Equine. It would permit her a time of solitude, and a moment to collect her thoughts over all that had transpired and that yet to be faced. What they had dealt with so far was just the icing on the cake, of this she knew deep in her gut.
She would be left alone for now, no further intrusions upon her sanctity would she suffer. No backlash from the dwarves, no returning ships full of angry southerners. The worst she would have to contend with for now was the smell of horse. And maybe horse dung if the stable boy hadn't done his job, or one of the horses was sick.
Well, the stables didn't smell like roses to begin with, but they were well maintained. Once she had tended to the horse by leaving oats and water, she'd depart the structure to make way to the manors back door. Hopefully all were asleep and she'd not have to deal with them anytime soon. Quieter than a mouse she'd enter into the main structure, easing through the dark and quiet kitchen and then into the main hall. Instead of going directly to her room, she'd divert to the den. A good place she could think and access to any reference material she may need to draw from.
Again she would be unmolested, at least not by anything more than dust that always seems to pile up on hardwood floors or the strange ability for Moths to somehow always get inside. However the beauty of such a time was of course that moths love light, and the only light came from fire, so at least they didn't last long. Off in the distance she could hear the faint sound of someone snoring, or a hay bed rustling as someone rolled in their sleep, but all an all it was a tranquil and beautiful evening.
Tranquil perhaps in the fact that all were asleep within the manor. Beautiful? That wasn't a way she'd envision the night at all. Too many sequences of events, and all related to lands beyond the realm of Kiel's borders. She began to question if Osiris was truly the catalysis of past events, or if there was something more. What had innocently began as a quest to find a book, had exploded into something more epic in nature. There was more to this than met the eye, yet she was unable to put her finger on it. No matter the cause, they had to deal with the affect, and the unknown that loomed ahead.
Beautiful environmentally speaking. After all, if on traveled to the East and out to the plains, it would be beautiful there too, would it not?Either way, all was quite!
Well established all was quiet, and she sat within the den mulling over information. Though this would be done with a glass of whiskey in hand, while resting in her favorite chair, set before the blazing warmth of the hearth! Something finally came over her, and suddenly she began to feel tired enough she'd might be able to find sleep. Perhaps it was the consumption of whiskey, or the combination of comfortable seat and fire. No matter the influential factors, she'd exit the den and head up to her room above. Once through the door and it was closed, leathers would begin to be stripped from her form.
He felt like he'd been waiting hours. Maybe he had. He liked to tell himself that an hour was nothing to a creature of his age and intellect. He'd like to tell himself that a day was as a second when compared to the mortal races...but after a while one does get bloody bored. When she'd enter her chambers she'd find a surprise waiting for her. Someone had moved a chair in front of one of her windows, and someone was in it, writing from the sounds of it, or perhaps drawing. The soft sketches of a pin on ink where not frequent enough to be written text. Either way, a tall, gaunt figure was resting in the chair. Simple robes of dark brown were worn with a hood pulled over the head. Even if it were down, with the figure facing away, it would have been hard to make much out.
The action of undressing would halt when she noticed someone was in her room. A hand eased to the dagger at her side as she moved into a position of defense. "What are you doing in my room?" A question asked with a demanding tone. As if she hadn't dealt with enough as of late, now even her sleep was to be put on hold because of an intruder.
His tone was not stern like her own, but rather light and casual, as if he didn't have a care in the world. That was at least the tone of his words, his voice was a harsh baritone that sounded as if perpetually frustrated and irate. "Drawing." He stated simply, looking up from his work and to the window and out over the port. "And waiting. But now, just drawing." He leaned forward a brief moment to dip the quill into an ink well, showing that he wore thin gloves and that he had the long delicate fingers of a harp player. "What are you doing in your room?"
"I'm in no mood for games or riddles. You're where you have no business being. Leave now!" She'd move to the door she had closed moments before and would pull it open. Her own tone would hold a slight edge. She meant what she said, and she said what she meant. "Or else I'll call upon my men and you can finish your drawing in the dungeon." Words spoken held that chilled edge.
"You have a beautiful view of the city from here, I don't think I could finish this from the dungeon." He gave a soft shake of his head, his tone still calm and relaxed, almost speaking as if he had just woken up from a nap. "So I'm afraid I shall have to say no to the tour of your dungeon." He made a slight motion with his hand and the door was wrenched from her hand with such force it was as if a bull had been tied to the ring on the other side and whipped to run free. Though as it fell closed, it made no more of a sound than when she opened it. "Call upon whatever you desire, no one will hear you, save perhaps your gods." He set down the half-finished piece of art upon the table before kicking his feet up upon it. He wore long and simple robes of roughly spun tweed and scuffed leather boots, clearly not a person of great wealth. One leg crossed over the other as hands folded over his chest. "I've come a long way to speak with you and I'll not be shunned from you so easily."
Eyes narrowed at his words, and more so when the door was pulled from her hand and jerked her in the process. She had enough with the games being played with her life and it was beginning to exhibit itself in her actions. Turning to face towards him as he spoke more. Any threat that entered her thoughts would fall mute to her lips. Such actions meant this one practiced the arcane, and she had little to fight against it. Though Osiris was close, and surely he'd pick up on if she was in peril from such practices. "Speak with me about what that you so blatantly invade my only personal space?" Slowly she'd make her way closer towards him, though keeping distance between them.
"Don't be snarky, lass, it is so unbecoming of you." He let out a sigh of displeasure and a soft shake of his head, able to be seen by the shifting of the fabric upon the hood. "You're friend is hard to get a hold of, so you are the next best thing. I simply want you to deliver a note to him from me. Nothing more, nothing less. And don't worry, it's not anything vulgar or harmful that will explode or blow up or....turn you into a frog, or whatever it is you people think Arcanists due." He made a mocking voice bringing his hands up and waiving them about. "Oh he turned me into a newt, he spoiled my crops, and he got my daughter pregnant..." There was a pause and a shrug, even small bit of laughter. "That last one may be true."
"Snarky?" That had a brow to rise. "Then place the note upon the table and leave. If all you want is a messenger, then consider it done and be gone with you." If he wanted snarky, she'd give it to him. Although she would consider it more an irritation. She had plenty to say of why she disliked and distrusted Arcanist, but she wasn't about to get into that debate at the present moment. She wanted this man, or thing, out of her room and her personal space restored. "I care little of what others think of you, or have accused you of."
'Yes, you do." He corrected her with a small laugh. Hand dipped inside the deep sleeve of his robe to withdraw a piece of stamped and sealed parchment, which he leaned forwards and placed upon the table. "So you'll see that Osiris gets this then? You have my thanks, this was a lot less troublesome than I thought it would be. Didn't even have to barter for it."
"I said that I would, if and when I see him next." She began to suspect whom was beneath the robe. "Then you should have no problem complying with my terms of taking your leave then. Seems our business is concluded." Sounded simple enough.
"Just about, yes." He gave a soft nod. "There is one last thing. The copper ship token in your pocket." He held his hand up and out, palm opened.
Now that had a brow to rise as she gazed upon him. "What of it?" She made no move to close the distance, nor to retrieve it for him.
"I'll be wanting that back. You have no further need for it, and copper is valuable after all. Besides. I don't want you swept up like the others. You getting captured once is one time to many, don't you think? I sure do. Your people need their leader, I see that now."
"Swept up like the others?" Now that had her full attention. "What do you mean by that? Those that hold a token are marked to be taken?" Her hand had entered into that pocket, and clasped about the copper entity held within, but drew it out not.
"How old are you, Ekaterina?" He asked in that same, nonchalant manor. "I get bored, Ekaterina." He pushed away from the table with his feet, the chair groaning across the wood as he stood up. When standing he was even more gaunt, though taller still, hovering about seven and a half foot. He did not face her, but instead stalked from side to side, as if pacing, always giving her a profile that was hidden behind the hood. "I get so... so bored. So I find ways to keep myself busy. This is one of those ways. I'm hosting a tournament, to give away some of my wealth as a grand prized and a little bit to each person who loses. You come along and shut it down and spoil it. Now I can't have that. Those people where able and willing, they knew just what they signed up for, and they took my sovereign just like you did. So their coming with me, like it or not. Once they arrive, if they don't want to stay, they give me back their coin and I send them back home. It's simple really. It's not even a collection process, it's all done with spells. Have a coin, you get teleported. Why do you think the ship master didn't put up a fuss?"
This was an outrage, but there was little she could do about it. The idea of being teleported to his lands made her stomach crawl with the thought. The coin would be withdrawn and thrown at him. "Get out of my room, and most of all, get out of my life! Leave our people alone! We are not here to be your form of entertainment, or to relieve your boredom. Maybe you should take up a hobby like needle point!" Words held a venomous edge.
The coin stopped just shy of him as he turned to look upon it, his face a simple grinning skull, devoid of any flesh or even eyes, only a pair of red burning lights that focused on it as it hung in the air. Snatching it up, he slipped it into his sleeve. "Yes you are." While she was full of spite and anger, his own words held mirth and amusements, as if he was talking to a young child. She was sure that if he had a face, he'd be smiling. "I know you humans are to short lived to really understand it, but you are. It's so cute when you think otherwise! That's exactly what you’re for. Oh, and for eating... and taxes." He added with a wag of his finger, as if it was a note of great importance. "Do you think you’re the only people who have to suffer me? The Konigriech is on my doorstep, they have it far worse than you do. I only take from you when I need to expand my testing groups. You really should count yourself lucky that your too far away for me to really care about at the moment. I'd think you have bigger things to deal with than a dragon that raided you once. I killed what.... a couple of dozen at most? How many people are put to the sword from bandits each year? How many people die from illness, or drown, accidents? And you think I'm a threat..." He shook his head softly as he strode towards the window once more. "I'll see you soon, though you won't see me." And with those words, he stepped onto the table and into the window, passing through it like a ghost through a wall, disappearing completely.
Oh, she had plenty more she wanted to say, but he left. It was then to the opposite pocket her hand moved to collect the parchment that had been given with the token. This was carried to the fire and tossed within to ignite and destroy. It was then she crossed the distance to view the note left upon her table, and there she'd let it remain. Oh, she'd let Osiris know of its existence, of that be sure. In fact, she'd leave her room to head towards that one that offered the very man shelter. The glowing pendant placed about her throat, and into the frigid room of his resting place she'd enter, silently. He was asleep and she'd make sure not to disturb him, as she moved to that carpet of fur kept before the glowing hearth, and there she'd lay upon the floor. It would be in this position Osiris would find her come morning, when he woke up.
She would be left alone for now, no further intrusions upon her sanctity would she suffer. No backlash from the dwarves, no returning ships full of angry southerners. The worst she would have to contend with for now was the smell of horse. And maybe horse dung if the stable boy hadn't done his job, or one of the horses was sick.
Well, the stables didn't smell like roses to begin with, but they were well maintained. Once she had tended to the horse by leaving oats and water, she'd depart the structure to make way to the manors back door. Hopefully all were asleep and she'd not have to deal with them anytime soon. Quieter than a mouse she'd enter into the main structure, easing through the dark and quiet kitchen and then into the main hall. Instead of going directly to her room, she'd divert to the den. A good place she could think and access to any reference material she may need to draw from.
Again she would be unmolested, at least not by anything more than dust that always seems to pile up on hardwood floors or the strange ability for Moths to somehow always get inside. However the beauty of such a time was of course that moths love light, and the only light came from fire, so at least they didn't last long. Off in the distance she could hear the faint sound of someone snoring, or a hay bed rustling as someone rolled in their sleep, but all an all it was a tranquil and beautiful evening.
Tranquil perhaps in the fact that all were asleep within the manor. Beautiful? That wasn't a way she'd envision the night at all. Too many sequences of events, and all related to lands beyond the realm of Kiel's borders. She began to question if Osiris was truly the catalysis of past events, or if there was something more. What had innocently began as a quest to find a book, had exploded into something more epic in nature. There was more to this than met the eye, yet she was unable to put her finger on it. No matter the cause, they had to deal with the affect, and the unknown that loomed ahead.
Beautiful environmentally speaking. After all, if on traveled to the East and out to the plains, it would be beautiful there too, would it not?Either way, all was quite!
Well established all was quiet, and she sat within the den mulling over information. Though this would be done with a glass of whiskey in hand, while resting in her favorite chair, set before the blazing warmth of the hearth! Something finally came over her, and suddenly she began to feel tired enough she'd might be able to find sleep. Perhaps it was the consumption of whiskey, or the combination of comfortable seat and fire. No matter the influential factors, she'd exit the den and head up to her room above. Once through the door and it was closed, leathers would begin to be stripped from her form.
He felt like he'd been waiting hours. Maybe he had. He liked to tell himself that an hour was nothing to a creature of his age and intellect. He'd like to tell himself that a day was as a second when compared to the mortal races...but after a while one does get bloody bored. When she'd enter her chambers she'd find a surprise waiting for her. Someone had moved a chair in front of one of her windows, and someone was in it, writing from the sounds of it, or perhaps drawing. The soft sketches of a pin on ink where not frequent enough to be written text. Either way, a tall, gaunt figure was resting in the chair. Simple robes of dark brown were worn with a hood pulled over the head. Even if it were down, with the figure facing away, it would have been hard to make much out.
The action of undressing would halt when she noticed someone was in her room. A hand eased to the dagger at her side as she moved into a position of defense. "What are you doing in my room?" A question asked with a demanding tone. As if she hadn't dealt with enough as of late, now even her sleep was to be put on hold because of an intruder.
His tone was not stern like her own, but rather light and casual, as if he didn't have a care in the world. That was at least the tone of his words, his voice was a harsh baritone that sounded as if perpetually frustrated and irate. "Drawing." He stated simply, looking up from his work and to the window and out over the port. "And waiting. But now, just drawing." He leaned forward a brief moment to dip the quill into an ink well, showing that he wore thin gloves and that he had the long delicate fingers of a harp player. "What are you doing in your room?"
"I'm in no mood for games or riddles. You're where you have no business being. Leave now!" She'd move to the door she had closed moments before and would pull it open. Her own tone would hold a slight edge. She meant what she said, and she said what she meant. "Or else I'll call upon my men and you can finish your drawing in the dungeon." Words spoken held that chilled edge.
"You have a beautiful view of the city from here, I don't think I could finish this from the dungeon." He gave a soft shake of his head, his tone still calm and relaxed, almost speaking as if he had just woken up from a nap. "So I'm afraid I shall have to say no to the tour of your dungeon." He made a slight motion with his hand and the door was wrenched from her hand with such force it was as if a bull had been tied to the ring on the other side and whipped to run free. Though as it fell closed, it made no more of a sound than when she opened it. "Call upon whatever you desire, no one will hear you, save perhaps your gods." He set down the half-finished piece of art upon the table before kicking his feet up upon it. He wore long and simple robes of roughly spun tweed and scuffed leather boots, clearly not a person of great wealth. One leg crossed over the other as hands folded over his chest. "I've come a long way to speak with you and I'll not be shunned from you so easily."
Eyes narrowed at his words, and more so when the door was pulled from her hand and jerked her in the process. She had enough with the games being played with her life and it was beginning to exhibit itself in her actions. Turning to face towards him as he spoke more. Any threat that entered her thoughts would fall mute to her lips. Such actions meant this one practiced the arcane, and she had little to fight against it. Though Osiris was close, and surely he'd pick up on if she was in peril from such practices. "Speak with me about what that you so blatantly invade my only personal space?" Slowly she'd make her way closer towards him, though keeping distance between them.
"Don't be snarky, lass, it is so unbecoming of you." He let out a sigh of displeasure and a soft shake of his head, able to be seen by the shifting of the fabric upon the hood. "You're friend is hard to get a hold of, so you are the next best thing. I simply want you to deliver a note to him from me. Nothing more, nothing less. And don't worry, it's not anything vulgar or harmful that will explode or blow up or....turn you into a frog, or whatever it is you people think Arcanists due." He made a mocking voice bringing his hands up and waiving them about. "Oh he turned me into a newt, he spoiled my crops, and he got my daughter pregnant..." There was a pause and a shrug, even small bit of laughter. "That last one may be true."
"Snarky?" That had a brow to rise. "Then place the note upon the table and leave. If all you want is a messenger, then consider it done and be gone with you." If he wanted snarky, she'd give it to him. Although she would consider it more an irritation. She had plenty to say of why she disliked and distrusted Arcanist, but she wasn't about to get into that debate at the present moment. She wanted this man, or thing, out of her room and her personal space restored. "I care little of what others think of you, or have accused you of."
'Yes, you do." He corrected her with a small laugh. Hand dipped inside the deep sleeve of his robe to withdraw a piece of stamped and sealed parchment, which he leaned forwards and placed upon the table. "So you'll see that Osiris gets this then? You have my thanks, this was a lot less troublesome than I thought it would be. Didn't even have to barter for it."
"I said that I would, if and when I see him next." She began to suspect whom was beneath the robe. "Then you should have no problem complying with my terms of taking your leave then. Seems our business is concluded." Sounded simple enough.
"Just about, yes." He gave a soft nod. "There is one last thing. The copper ship token in your pocket." He held his hand up and out, palm opened.
Now that had a brow to rise as she gazed upon him. "What of it?" She made no move to close the distance, nor to retrieve it for him.
"I'll be wanting that back. You have no further need for it, and copper is valuable after all. Besides. I don't want you swept up like the others. You getting captured once is one time to many, don't you think? I sure do. Your people need their leader, I see that now."
"Swept up like the others?" Now that had her full attention. "What do you mean by that? Those that hold a token are marked to be taken?" Her hand had entered into that pocket, and clasped about the copper entity held within, but drew it out not.
"How old are you, Ekaterina?" He asked in that same, nonchalant manor. "I get bored, Ekaterina." He pushed away from the table with his feet, the chair groaning across the wood as he stood up. When standing he was even more gaunt, though taller still, hovering about seven and a half foot. He did not face her, but instead stalked from side to side, as if pacing, always giving her a profile that was hidden behind the hood. "I get so... so bored. So I find ways to keep myself busy. This is one of those ways. I'm hosting a tournament, to give away some of my wealth as a grand prized and a little bit to each person who loses. You come along and shut it down and spoil it. Now I can't have that. Those people where able and willing, they knew just what they signed up for, and they took my sovereign just like you did. So their coming with me, like it or not. Once they arrive, if they don't want to stay, they give me back their coin and I send them back home. It's simple really. It's not even a collection process, it's all done with spells. Have a coin, you get teleported. Why do you think the ship master didn't put up a fuss?"
This was an outrage, but there was little she could do about it. The idea of being teleported to his lands made her stomach crawl with the thought. The coin would be withdrawn and thrown at him. "Get out of my room, and most of all, get out of my life! Leave our people alone! We are not here to be your form of entertainment, or to relieve your boredom. Maybe you should take up a hobby like needle point!" Words held a venomous edge.
The coin stopped just shy of him as he turned to look upon it, his face a simple grinning skull, devoid of any flesh or even eyes, only a pair of red burning lights that focused on it as it hung in the air. Snatching it up, he slipped it into his sleeve. "Yes you are." While she was full of spite and anger, his own words held mirth and amusements, as if he was talking to a young child. She was sure that if he had a face, he'd be smiling. "I know you humans are to short lived to really understand it, but you are. It's so cute when you think otherwise! That's exactly what you’re for. Oh, and for eating... and taxes." He added with a wag of his finger, as if it was a note of great importance. "Do you think you’re the only people who have to suffer me? The Konigriech is on my doorstep, they have it far worse than you do. I only take from you when I need to expand my testing groups. You really should count yourself lucky that your too far away for me to really care about at the moment. I'd think you have bigger things to deal with than a dragon that raided you once. I killed what.... a couple of dozen at most? How many people are put to the sword from bandits each year? How many people die from illness, or drown, accidents? And you think I'm a threat..." He shook his head softly as he strode towards the window once more. "I'll see you soon, though you won't see me." And with those words, he stepped onto the table and into the window, passing through it like a ghost through a wall, disappearing completely.
Oh, she had plenty more she wanted to say, but he left. It was then to the opposite pocket her hand moved to collect the parchment that had been given with the token. This was carried to the fire and tossed within to ignite and destroy. It was then she crossed the distance to view the note left upon her table, and there she'd let it remain. Oh, she'd let Osiris know of its existence, of that be sure. In fact, she'd leave her room to head towards that one that offered the very man shelter. The glowing pendant placed about her throat, and into the frigid room of his resting place she'd enter, silently. He was asleep and she'd make sure not to disturb him, as she moved to that carpet of fur kept before the glowing hearth, and there she'd lay upon the floor. It would be in this position Osiris would find her come morning, when he woke up.