Here There Be Dragons (Back-up Thread)

[Zee]

(pages 211-215)

(211)
E.Rider
Ilene walked away. She wondered how Viserys was doing. Seeing the beautiful flowers she picked a very beautiful bouquet and tied the stems together with a ribbon from her hair. The bouquet was gorgeous. She smiled. She wandered into the castle and up to the room where Rhaegar lay. She put the flowers in his hands before kneeling beside him. She looked at him, "Rhaegar..." she began very softly in a most humble and innocent tone. "I didn't know you very long..but you were much loved by everyone I know. Somehow I feel as though I knew you the way they all talked about you...about how great you are..were.." she winced a little at the last part. "i wish i could have known you longer. And I just wanted to say..thank you..for what you've done in each of their lives and that somehow you might help Viserys..." she looked down at her hands as her eyes teared up, "He loved you so much.." she said as the tears ran softly down her cheeks, "And it's broken his heart to have you...gone." she sniffed, "You are still loved, Rhaegar...you will always be loved and greatly missed...rest in peace Rhaegar..." she kissed Rhaegar's forehead and stood. She had never realized it but beside the bed was a lyre. She picked it up fondly and tenderly, as if it would shatter at any moment. She began playing a sad but happy song that she had often sung at the funerals of honorable knights and important people, but she had never sung or played it so beautifully as she did now.
Triple My Gold
"Thanks," Brynn replied, smiling at the brown-haired boy. She knelt down next to the pile of sticks and touched a twig, gently. The wood began glowing softly; at first only a small tongue of flame was present, but soon a small blaze was roaring and crackling before them. "That ought to work for supper," she said, satisfied with her work. She could hear Ilene's voice drifting from somewhere in the castle, a hauntingly beautiful tune made even more so by the quality of the girl's voice, and the flames seemed to be dancing solemnly to the music.

E. Rider
OOC: does anyone know where Ashley is?
zeesgirl
^ I don't think Dd comes on much these days. Same with Barn-bum.


Milo's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, stuck?"
Enzi growled. "What does it sound like?" she asked. Smoke trickled from her nostrils. "I can't change into anything else."
Milo frowned and studied her form. She was as tall as a horse and three times as long, from her nose to the end of her spiked tail. He reached out and touched her flinty scales. She seemed normal, or as normal as her dragon shape ever seemed. "Why?" he asked.
"I don't know why, Milo!" she said in frustration.
E. Rider
Ilene's song ended. Still holding the lyre, she looked at Rhaegar. She wished he was alive. She closed her eyes. Somehow she felt so..at home..so normal. Peaceful. She was playing and singing for someone very important very important like the old Ilene from Callech's castle. But here she was another Ilene, much braver and bolder, more outgoing...and free. This Ilene had slapped A flirt, let her temper show, gone wading in a creek with her skirts as high as she dared, learned how to cook, learned how to make a fire, and gone swimming with Brynn and Terrence. She smiled, she liked the new Ilene. She began playing another tune, this one was much sweeter and happier than the first. Her voice echoed throughout the room as she softly sang each note perfectly. But this time she wasn't really playing for Rhaegar...she was playing it for the sheer joy of it. It was comforting and familiar. She hadn't realized how much she missed it.

E. Rider
Peatir found Terrence and sat against a tree beside them. His face was dark and it looked like he was in pain, "Do you feel it too, Terrence?" he said wondering if Terrence was feeling the same heaviness and sorrow the island seemed to shoot through them as Peatir did.
Triple My Gold
Now that the fire was crackling happily, Brynn noticed for the first time that Milo was talking to a huge, gray dragon. Had something happened to Enzi? she wondered. She rose and walked over to where Milo and the dragon--who was most definitely Enzi--stood. After catching a bit of the conversation, she spoke. "I'm having difficulties too, Enz," she said, holding up a hand. "The flames won't go out, and I didn't ask them to start in the first place." Luckily her flames weren't burning herself or her clothes.

(212)
Par
Terrence looked into Peatir's eyes before directing his gaze at the forest canopy. "The whole island has changed. It is not kind to magic users." Terrence glanced at Brynn, Enzi, and Milo, as the trio discussed their difficulties.
E. Rider
Ilene finished her song then smiled to herself. She set the lure back where she had found it. She walked out quietly and closed the door behind her. She walked out of the castle with a sense of new confidence and cheeriness about her. She found Terrence, Brynn, and several of the others around a fire. She sat next to Brynn. She gave Thasha a massage and talked softly to the cat. "Mmm you're such a good girl..."

Peatir sat by Terrence. He smiled at Ilene and then leaned to whisper to Terrence, "I have a strange feeling that What's-her-name has Faery in her.." he was serious. He glanced at Ilene then back at Terrence "I haven't been around her long so maybe you could help me find out. Is she Faery like in any way? Like does She get these feelings like we do or is she maybe fascinated about something that only faeries have strong feelings about like..I don't know like nature?"Peatir stuck his fingers in and out of the fire in deep thought, but never burning himself, for faeries cannot be harmed by fire.

zeesgirl
Now that the fire was crackling happily, Brynn noticed for the first time that Milo was talking to a huge, gray dragon. Had something happened to Enzi? she wondered. She rose and walked over to where Milo and the dragon--who was most definitely Enzi--stood. After catching a bit of the conversation, she spoke. "I'm having difficulties too, Enz," she said, holding up a hand. "The flames won't go out, and I didn't ask them to start in the first place." Luckily her flames weren't burning herself or her clothes.

"You had difficulties with it before," Enzi said dismissively. "I've never not been able to change. I am change." She raked the ground with her talons, plowing gauges in the grass. "What's happening?"

Milo gave Brynn an apologetic glance for Enzi's unkind remark, then looked back at the dragon. "Brynn's right. None of you are yourselves here. We shouldn't stay longer than we have to." He watched them both for a moment longer, then turned away and went to where Enzi and Terrence had left their game. He drew his long knife and began to cut the meat into pieces for roasting.

Triple My Gold
Brynn shrugged and sat next to Ilene, enjoying the warmth that the fire was giving off. She was careful not to touch anyone or anything; though her flaming hands were harmless to her, they might not be so to others. Thasha purred loudly as Ilene stroked her, rubbing her head against the girl's head and settling down between Ilene and Brynn. The cub did not seem perturbed at all by Brynn's fiery fingers.
On Par
Terrence gave Peatir a flat stare. Peatir was a faery, he shouldn't be asking Terrence for advice about his own kind. Terrence didnt even know what his kind was. Finally, he spoke. "I don't want to talk anymore about faeries." his voice was flat and unemotional. He stood and walked into the abandoned castle.
E. Rider
Peatir frowned at Terrence as the young man walked away. Peatir shook his head and continued playing around in the fire. He looked at Brynn with a friendly smile, He nodded toward her hands, "Even the best magicians and faeries have trouble sometimes..." he smiled. "You like doing Sian'Ror?" he asked curiously as he played with a tiny flame on his finger, blowing it out.

Ilene walked after Terrence, "You alright?" she asked looking at him. The young man didn't seem himself since they had landed on the island. "You haven't seemed much like the Terrence I know since we came here...." she said softly, a worried tone in her voice. She picked a dandelion and blew it gently. The tiny white petals flew softly in the wind and some landed in Ilene's hair. She frowned a little as she carefully picked them out.
QHRider
Viserys left the treasury, leaving the painting down so that the doorway was clearly open. He cradled the dragon egg to his chest. He went looking for the others, and soon found Terrence and Ilene. "Hello. Where is everyone?" he asked. His voice seemed flat and distant, even to himself, as if it came from miles away.
E. Rider
Ilene smiled warmly at Viserys. Inside she was feeling very sorry for the white-blonde. He seemed so...far away. "Over near the fire." she pointed. She looked at the egg. She wondered where he had found it but she wasn't sure if Viserys felt like talking. She bit her lip as she tried to pick the last of the dandelion petals out of her hair. She found it very hard since she couldn't see them, but she could feel them as they blew a little in the wind. Her arms were getting tired do she let them drop and sighed. She looked at Terrence desperately, "..would you mind to get these blasted--" she paused realizing she had used a very unlady like word. Blushing a little she continued, "these petals out of my hair?"
Triple My Gold
E. Rider (9/18/2012)

Peatir frowned at Terrence as the young man walked away. Peatir shook his head and continued playing around in the fire. He looked at Brynn with a friendly smile, He nodded toward her hands, "Even the best magicians and faeries have trouble sometimes..." he smiled. "You like doing Sian'Ror?" he asked curiously as he played with a tiny flame on his finger, blowing it out.

"Yeah, but I'm not very good at it," Brynn admitted. "I usually have to be angry or upset to do anything. I'm also about seven years behind most other Circle members my age." She sighed and stared into the fire, resting her own fiery hands on her lap. She didn't just have difficulties...sometimes she felt like she was difficulty. "You like playing with fire?" she asked, nodding towards Peatir's hands flicking in and out of the blaze.

E. Rider
Peatir grinned at Brynn, "Haha yeah...well, for being seven years behind I think you're pretty good honestly. I've known several circle members who weren't seven years behind and boy did they have trouble!" he chuckled. He looked at his finger then at her hair. "This fire is just about the same color of your hair..." he said looking from the flame on his finger then at Brynn, he raised his eyebrows, "I like your hair...my hair is red...and not to brag or anything but don't you think it looks absolutely charming on me?" he said messing up his own head full of red hair, making himself look absolutely ridiculous. With his hair sticking up everywhere like a wild man, he made a goofy face and laughed. He smoothed his hair back down again and stuck his finger in the dirt, which put out the tiny flame. He gave Thasha a scratch, "Hey there.." He smiled at Brynn, "Howd you end up with this charming little beast?"

(p213)

TMG
"Oh yes...very charming," Brynn said, laughing at the faery's goofiness. She smiled as Thasha rolled over onto her back, hoping for a belly rub from Peatir. "She's been hanging around with me for the past three years," she said, answering his question. "All Circle members can communicate with animals, and I have my whole life. A few Brothers will even have an animal familiar of sorts...but Thasha is different." Brynn paused for a moment. "She should be old enough to be fully grown, for one. But she stays as a cub unless I am angry or scared. I used to think it was something to do with Sian'Ror, but now I'm not so sure."

E. Rider
Peatir rubbed Thasha's belly vigorously. "Interesting..." he said smiling at the cat. "Hey I know something Thasha would just love. It's some type of plant that her kind would like. It gives them extra strength and all sorts of good stuff. I know exactly where it is too. While dinner's cooking I'll go get it for her.." he stood up from his spot and offered Brynn a hand, "Would you like to join me?"

Triple My Gold
Brynn smiled and took Peatir's hand, hesitating only slightly before remembering that fire didn't seem to bother him. "I'd be happy to," she said.
E. Rider
Peatir smiled as he led her to the forest. Once out of view from the rest of the group he stopped. "Now, Brynn..this may seem wierd at first, but once you're doing it I promise it'll be as natural as walking okay? You just have to...er..hold my hand..but DON'T let go." He looked her dead in the eye at the last part. "Now it may help if you close your eyes and then I'll tell you when to open them." He waited as Brynn closed her eyes then he grinned. When Brynn's eyes were closed Peatir darted into the sky, flying, and still holding Brynn's hand. "Now..do NOT let go of me....You can open your eyes now." he was still grinning at her, "What do you think?"


Triple My Gold
Brynn hesitated at first but did as Peatir told her, gripping his hand tightly in hers and closing her eyes. A strange sensation gripped her body, and she opened her eye's at Peatir's command. The ground was far below them, her feet were no longer touching anything, and she was about as scared as she could be...yet she had never felt so alive. "It's...wow," she breathed, amazed. "Amazing." Boats were one thing, but flying? She could handle that. It was almost as if they were swimming among the stars.
QHRider
Viserys nodded to Ilene and Terrence, but he didn't go to the others. Instead he went back into the courtyard where Jaime sat. Viserys stood in front of him. "I need your help," Viserys said. "We need to build a pyre for Rhaegar."


E. Rider
Peatir smiled, "Pretty wonderful, huh?" he asked. He began flying towards the forest. Pointing things out to her on the way. "Look!" he pointed to a deer and her fawn as the lapped up water from the creek. "Come on!" He took her down and let her pet the deer who weren't afraid of either of them for animals aren't afraid of Faeries, and even though Brynn was not a faery they were not afraid of her. "Going up!" Peatir went up again, still holding Brynn's hand. "I trust you, Brynn, so I'm going to let you let go and fly by yourself now. Just stay close to me okay? If you get too far from me you'll start to fall." He gently let go of her hand.
CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime stared at Viserys. A pyre, of course, how had he not thought of that? The Dragonbournes always burned their dead, and Rhaegar deserved a proper funeral. He stood and nodded to Viserys. He would help.

QHRider
Still holding the dragon egg, Viserys turned and left the keep, looking for a suitable place to build the pyre. On a ledge overlooking the fjord they'd entered through he stopped. "Here," he said. "We'll build it here."
CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime followed Viserys out to the ledge. He glanced over to the prince and immediately looked back after noticing the object in his hands. It was instantly recognizable, though Jaime had never seen a real one before. "Viserys. What is that?" He asked, not sure if what he was seeing was real.


(p214)
QH
Viserys looked down at the egg in his arms. A slow smile spread across his face. "It's a dragon egg," he said. He looked up at Jaime, still smiling. He looked around and said, "We need wood," before starting back to the keep. "Lots of wood. We'll need an axe."

(Viserys is currently suffering grief-induced ADD.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched Viserys with bewilderment, surprised by his sudden burst of energy. "Slow down, Viserys. Where in the seven hells did you find a dragon egg?" He asked, following the prince back towards the castle.

QHRider
"It was in the treasury." How long the egg had been there, Viserys could only guess. The last dragon had died more than a hundred years before he was born. Viserys slowed only enough to let Jaime keep up. In the keep, by the kitchens, he found an axe in decent enough shape to use.

Triple My Gold

E. Rider (9/18/2012)
Peatir smiled, "Pretty wonderful, huh?" he asked. He began flying towards the forest. Pointing things out to her on the way. "Look!" he pointed to a deer and her fawn as the lapped up water from the creek. "Come on!" He took her down and let her pet the deer who weren't afraid of either of them for animals aren't afraid of Faeries, and even though Brynn was not a faery they were not afraid of her. "Going up!" Peatir went up again, still holding Brynn's hand. "I trust you, Brynn, so I'm going to let you let go and fly by yourself now. Just stay close to me okay? If you get too far from me you'll start to fall." He gently let go of her hand.

Brynn closed her eyes when Peatir let go of her hand, afraid that she would fall or worse, that this wouldn't be real. Slowly she opened one eye, and then the other, realizing that this was real, she was flying, and she was doing it almost by herself. The wind rushed around her air, making it fly back and look almost as if her head was covered in flames. "This is just so amazing," she said, gliding gracefully alongside the faery. "How often do you do this? Like all the time?"

On Par
Terrence strode quickly after Jaime and Viserys when he spotted their return. He didn't know what was up, but they looked like they were doing something important. "I want to help," Terrence said. "I'm tired of moping and need to do something." More accurately, he wanted something to do besides think about what all had happened on the island.

QHRider
"Alright," Viserys told Terrence. "We're building a pyre for Rhaegar. Come on." He started off towards the forest, trusting the other two to follow him.
On Par
Terrence followed wordlessly.
E. Rider
Peatir smiled as he flew beside Brynn, "Every chance I get. It's addicting you know. Hey maybe if we have time I'll show you my favorite spot. But we have to go at the right time..." he laughed at her hair, "Your hair reminds me a lot of what I'm going to show you later." he pointed up ahead, "Look, Brynn, geese!" a flock of geese flew right towards them but moved out of he way for the two humans in the sky. "Hey, here we are." he said as they floated just above the forest." he grabbed her hand, "Hang on!" he darted down to the ground and stopped inches away from it. He walked over to a plant and picked a few leaves, "Thashas Gunna love this!" he exclaimed. He looked at the sky, "hmm...if we're going to my spot we better get going. But we have to go fast!" he said seeing the sun was just about to start setting. "Try flying up yourself this time..as long as you are beside me you can fly, so as soon as I go up you go up right after me..got it?" he shot up into the air and looked down at her, "Okay, come on up!"
E. Rider
Ilene walked back over towards the fire. She noticed Peatir and Brynn were gone. So was Jaime and Viserys. She sat by the fire deep in thought. She was ready to leave the island, it was so strange here.

E. Rider
OOC: I was wondering..what is the name of Callech's castle?? Is it Courtcliffe or is that the town..


(p215)
TMG
This time Brynn didn't hesitate, and just did a running leap into the air. She wasn't even shocked anymore when her feet didn't touch the ground, and she shot upward into the treetops where [/b]Peatir was waiting. She hovered next to him, grinning. "Ready?" she asked.

QHRider
E. Rider (9/19/2012)
OOC: I was wondering..what is the name of Callech's castle?? Is it Courtcliffe or is that the town..

Courtcliff is the city around it. I don't think we named the castle.

zeesgirl
Enzi grew bored with her own frustration and decided to distract herself by flying around the island. From the air she spotted Viserys, Jaime, and Terrence chopping trees and hauling the timber to the edge of a cliff above the sea. After a moment, she realized what they were doing. She swooped downward and landed at the edge of the forest, where she found a small, gnarled tree and snapped its trunk with her jaws. She hauled it over to the pile. She had not known Rhaegar, but she liked Viserys well enough. She could help them pay their respects.

Milo paid only vague attention to the others coming and going as he prepared the game and then used forked branches to support a skewer over the fire. He felt some of the tension leave him as he focused on a the simple task at hand. He settled himself next to the fire and turned the meat slowly so it would cook evenly. When Ilene returned and sat nearby, he watched her through the distorted air above the flames and then returned his gaze to the fire. "You sing well," he said quietly.

E. Rider
Ilene looked at Milo, a little surprised since there had been silence for a while. She smiled, "Thank you..I enjoy it..." she drew a star in the dirt with a stick.

Peatir grinned back at Brynn, "Yeah, come on!" he darted off towards the mountains. As they glided over several great mountains Peatir squinted his eyes as he searched for the one he was looking for. "Ah hah!" he said as he grabbed Brynns hand and landed on a glorious montain. "This is only part of it.." he said pointing out the beautiful scenery. You could see nearly the whole island from where they were. "Pretty goegeous huh?" he smiled as he led her to a cave. "Almost there.." he smiled as he led her into the pitch black cave. "Watch your step..." Peatir looked around the cave but continued to walk into the caves darkness. Once they were fairly far into the cave light peeked through the other end. "Almost there..."

E. Rider
Ooc: oh ok I just wondered. I just couldnt remember if it had a name or not..

QHRider

zeesgirl (9/19/2012)
Enzi grew bored with her own frustration and decided to distract herself by flying around the island. From the air she spotted Viserys, Jaime, and Terrence chopping trees and hauling the timber to the edge of a cliff above the sea. After a moment, she realized what they were doing. She swooped downward and landed at the edge of the forest, where she found a small, gnarled tree and snapped its trunk with her jaws. She hauled it over to the pile. She had not known Rhaegar, but she liked Viserys well enough. She could help them pay their respects.

Viserys started when the dragon landed. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating, but it quite clearly ripped a tree up and brought it to the pile. "How long have dragons been back?" he asked.
Triple My Gold
Brynn followed Peatir into the darkness, blindly trusting that something spectacular lay ahead of them. Part of her wondered why the faery was bothering to show her all of this. She realized that she had misjudged him greatly. He was a friendly, cheerful guy, and though perhaps her initial suspicions had been well-justified, she had been wrong.

(sorry it's kind of boring)
E. Rider
They were finally out of the other end of the cave. They came out onto a cliff and from where they stood they could see the most beautiful part of the island. Crystal rivers looked like silver snakes from where they were, and the mountains looked like mere hills. But what he was showing her was the sunset. The sky was fiery red and the sun and it's rays were glorious. He smiled as he let go of her hand and pointed to the red sky. "I told you it matched your hair..." he smiled down at her, "And come to think of it your eyes too..." he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then turned and looked out over the horizon soaking up the glorious scene. He squinted from the sun and the wind blew his red hair and Brynn's in its chilly winds. It was peaceful and beautiful and a sight, one that you might have heard about in a fairy tale.
CrazyHorseGirl1773

QHRider (9/19/2012)

Viserys started when the dragon landed. For a moment he thought he was hallucinating, but it quite clearly ripped a tree up and brought it to the pile. "How long have dragons been back?" he asked.

Jaime's brows scrunched together, looking from Viserys to the dragon. "They haven't been." His mind went immediately to the changeling. "Could it be Enzi?" Dragon or not, he appreciated the help. Building this pyre would take them hours otherwise.

[steph]

(Pages 46-60)

E. Rider
Ilene looked scared at the mention of being left alone with Laela. She hadn't done anything against the princess but she might get the idea that she was. She hadn't meant to find the body. She looked at Viserys hoping he wouldn't leave her with Laela.

QHRider
The other girl looked terrified, pleading at Viserys with her eyes. He grabbed her by the shoulder. "Jaime, come on," he said, and pulled the girl out of the room and down the passage.


E. Rider
"Thank you..." Ilene whispered to Viserys with a great full smile and a sigh of relief. She followed him and Jaime, thankful to be away from Laela.


On Par
Terrence stumbled a good hundred yards into the forest before he allowed himself to fall headlong into the loam. He rolled onto his side, groaning. He never thought such a small blade could cause so much pain. A sense of urgency roused him to his feet again. He made his way through the dark forest toward the city gate, and stumbled by chance upon a medicinal weed he recognized. He plucked a handful and held it to his wound. When he reached the forest nearest the gate, he sat against a tree and dozed off. Puck kept a watchful eye on the opening.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime sheathed his sword and followed Viserys and Ilene down the dark tunnel. What a stupid, dangerous situation, he thought but grinned. He was ready for an adventure.


QHRider
Viserys glanced back at the girl and smiled. "Don't thank me yet," he said. This might be more adventure than she'd bargained for.
The passage came out by the ocean. Fifteen years ago he had come out of it with his mother and loaded onto a ship that had taken them to the east. Now the narrow, rocky beach was empty. Instead of going back towards the city Viserys turned to the steep path up the cliff, to the forest.

E. Rider
Ilene continued to follow. Maybe she should have stayed with Laela. If she passed out or got dizzy or needed to rest she would only be a problem. If only she was feeling better.... She hopes and prayed she woulden be a burden.


Barn-Bum
Laila gave Maya the command to hunt them down but keep her distance. The large cat dissapeared into the passage way.


On Par
ooc: that cat has got a lot of commands! And I suspect she'll get killed pretty quick if you keep using her to be omniscient.

Puck woke Terrence two hours before dawn. When Terrence learned that no one of interest had come out of the city gates during the night, he became worried. When he learned the next thing Puck had seen during the night, he scolded the dox for leaving his post He thought out a plan of action as he washed his bloody shirt in a nearby creek.

An hour later, Terrence, wearing a clean, dry shirt, re-entered the city and rendezvoused with Puck ten minutes afterward. They stole through the dark city and into the cheap livery, which was already bustling with activity. Terrence grabbed a pitchfork and started scooping, hoping no one would notice in the dimly lit stable. Puck left him and returned shortly with a pleased expression. "Are you sure?" Terrence murmured. Puck was sure.

Terrence followed the fox to a stall, where he quietly tacked up a paint pony. He hadn't ridden very often, so he prayed Viserys's horse was tolerant.

QHRider
ooc: Is Terrence borrowing Visery's horse? Dragon's a sorrel.


Barn-Bum
ooc: Ok kitty cat go to bed now

Maya returned swishing her tail and lying down. Frustrauted Laila flung something at the wall.

On Par
^^what? Really? I thought he was a brown and white paint. Oh well. Yeah, in stealing your horse. Temporarily. Like, stable to woods temporarily.


QHRider
Dragon flicked his ears back and snorted as a stranger entered his stall. But he could smell Viserys on the stranger, so he calmed and let the stranger tack him up.

zeesgirl
When Milo left the room and moved quietly along the passageway, he looked around for Enzi. There had been two panthers in the room before, so he knew she must not be far off. "Good evening," said a curious voice above him. He looked up. Enzi was sitting in the rafters, still a panther.
"Come on," he said. "We're getting out of here."
"Go ahead," she said. "I'll keep an eye on her royal highness and come find you once I know what she's planning."
Milo frowned. He didn't like letting Enzi out of his sight this much. She was smart and capable, sure, but she had a knack for getting in trouble. She saw him hesitate. "An hour at the most, and I'll find you. The hill at the edge of the woods. Go, Milo."
"Fine. Don't be late." He left the castle.

Enzi stayed crouched in the rafters, her senses keen enough to hear the orders that Laila gave to her panther. She kept quiet and followed the panther out of the castle.

Barn-Bum
Laila was so angry and frustrauted. She chucked a bottle at the wall. Then she marched down to the stables with her cloak and dagger. A groom rushed into getting Rufio tacked up. Once he was Laila snatched the reins without a word and mounted from the ground. Rufio nickered when she stroked him. Now she just had one last task to do before she could rule peacefully. Her brother and mother and everyone else avenged. She kicked Rufio into a gallop. They flew through the castle gates and into town.


zeesgirl
When Enzi heard Laila stirring, she forgot the panther and returned to the princess's ceiling. When Laila left the room, Enzi followed silently, shifting into a raven when she went outside.



E. Rider
Ilene continued to follow Viserys. But she was beginning to feel dizzy so she slowed down a bit. Ilene, you can't pass out, not yet! she told herself. "Where are we going?" she asked.

QHRider
If a voice could sound seasick, Ilene's did. Viserys tightened his grip on her, so she wouldn't fall. "Into the forest. It will be harder to be found there."

E. Rider
Ilene was so confused. Why were they hiding? What was going on? She didn't ask questions. She didn't want to bother Viserys anymore than she had too. He'd get there a lot quicker without having to watch over her. She felt like a problem....but she tried her best to feel better.


zeesgirl
(ooc: ^She's quite the helpless damsel, isn't she? lol)


Milo made his way out of the city and into the woods. He found a large oak near the hill where Enzi was to meet him. "As good a spot to wait as any, eh girl?" he said to Duff, scratching the old dog behind her ears as he sat at the base of the tree. He fed her a strip of dried meat from his pack and chewed on another himself. After he finished, he leaned back against the tree trunk and looked up at the stars between the branches and leaves. Before he knew it, he was asleep.


On Par
Terrence clambered onto the sorrel's back. Puck waited at the cracked stall door, his ears pricked attentively. The young man nodded at the fox, who burst out of the stall, surprising the grooms, who stared after the retreating animal. It surprised the sorrel gelding too, and Terrence placed a hand on him in an attempt to calm him. Then he dug his heels into the horse's sides and galloped wildly out of the livery, past the startled stable boys, and onto the street. He tugged the reins toward the gate and, after turning a corner, slowed to a brisk trot. Terrence tried to look like he knew what he was doing, but in reality, he was bouncing all over the saddle and just trying to stay on.

When he neared the gates, he sprang the confused horse into a gallop, and didn't stop until he was through the gates and a good ways into the forest. He climbed off the horse and placed a hand on its nose, trying to calm it and make it understand that it had done well.

"Alright, Puck." The small fox had dropped from a nearby tree. "Which way?"

QHRider
Dragon shook his head away from the stranger's hand. He had no idea what was going on, and he wasn't sure he liked it. The little pony whinnied.

Viserys reached the top of the cliff path and lead Ilene and Jaime deeper into the forest. They'd have to decide what to do next, and soon. He wondered what happened to Hook, Enzi, and Terrence, and if they were all alright. Off in the distance, he heard a horse whinny, and frowned. "Dragon?" he asked. It sounded like his pony.

(ooc: Dragon is about to get himself unstolen, lol.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime gave Viserys a strange look. "That was a horse." How crazy was this guy?

QHRider
"It was my horse. Dragon. At least it sounded like him." Viserys put two fingers to his mouth and whistled back.



CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime chuckled. "You would have a horse named Dragon."

(So are we doing a GoT thing where there were dragons but they're extinct? Or no dragons at all?)


QHRider
Viserys eyed Jaime. "It's a good name."

(Let's have real ones because real dragons are always fun. )

On Par
ooc: Terrence has already had a four hour nap and it is dawn for him. It took you guys a flippin' long time to climb that cliff.

*
Terrence heard a shrill whistle in the distance. The antsy pony whinnied again and began prancing at the end of the reins. Terrence didn't know much about horses. "Easy boy, easy." He bent over, checking. It was a boy. "Whoa there, buddy," he murmurmed. "You can't go tearing through the forest, you'd leave a trail that a drunk could follow. We're going there as fast as possible." Horses weren't really forest animals, and Terrence didn't have much of an effect with them, the way he did with others.

He switched the reins into his good hand and began his song. Seemed he was always singing to something. The sorrel pony calmed down a fraction as Terrence led him toward the source of the whistle. Puck led the way, weaving through the brush and then waiting for his slower companions.


QHRider
(ooc: It is a big cliff. :U )

Dragon whinned back at Viserys' whistle. Viserys grinned. "That's my pony." He started off in the direction of Dragon's call. There had to be a good reason Dragon was in the forest, when he'd left him in the city.


On Par
ooc: Whatever you say. My character is now rested, so we're good.

Puck burst through the brush, sending the silly horse into a new set of hysterics. Something was wrong. Terrence didn't fancy getting trampled, so he tied the pony to the nearest tree and scrambled high into a leafy tree himself. He pulled out his bow and searched for an arrow. He wasn't about to let the pony get eaten, not when he'd brought him this far. Puck was in a tree opposite the horse, almost completely concealed in the foilage.


QHRider
Dragon fidgeted, tugging against his lead. He whinnied again before inspecting the knot with his muzzle.

They were getting closer. Viserys slowed and peeked around a bush. There was Dragon, saddled, tied to a tree, but no one else was in sight. An ambush?
The knot, however, was apparently not pony-proof, as Dragon released himself and trotted over to Viserys, nickering. Viserys grinned and backed up, only returning his pony's affections when he thought they were safely out of range. "Hey you. Did you miss me?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime followed Viserys off into the brush, still grinning at the silly man. Jaime laughed aloud when the pony appeared. "Such a fearsome beast."

QHRider
"Don't listen to him," Viserys said, hugging the pony's head to his chest. "He's no fun at all." Rubbing one of Dragon's ears, he told Jaime, "Someone had him. He didn't saddle himself."

On Par
Terrence exhaled, relieved, and put away his bow. He traveled through the treetops until he came upon Viserys, Jaime, and a very happy pony. "Oh, it's you," he called cheekily. "I thought it would be someone dangerous." He dropped to the ground, landing an arms length from the white-haired man.


E. Rider
Ilene was glad for the fresh air. She admired Viserys horse, Dragon. He was a beautiful horse. She remembered her horse Fairest. She hadn't been able to ride him in so long, it seemed. She gave Dragon a pet. She loved animals.

QHRider
"Well that makes us even. We thought the same," Viserys said to Terrence. He grinned, still busy with Dragon.


dddddddd
Barn-Bum (7/11/2012)Laila stepped closer to Ashleigh. She was hiding something. Laila's eyes searched Ashleighs. "Leave me! And tell a nother servervsnt to come in when you go, oh and do not come back until you want to listen," Laila snarled. She clutched her dagger. "Oh and do be careful" Laila said running the dagger across Ashleighs throat. Then she shoved her out the door.

ooc:sorry it took me so long. I just got back last night and then got caught up, lol.

Ashleigh was scared. What had the princess wanted her to tell her? That she believed that he was still alive? That she was the daughter of a warrior? She knew Ilene would be one to ask. Ashleigh had been nearly certain that she had been crying when she left the princess' room. What had she wanted from us? In the mean time, Ashleigh told another servant that she was wanted, and ran towards town. Ahsleigh was now determined to find the prince. She would go get Reah, and try her best to find him. But where could she start looking?

On Par
Terrence looked past Viserys at the trail of broken twigs, bent branches, and muddy footprints. He clucked his tongue. "You left quite the mark. I hope you weren't trying to be obsolete." He turned to Ilene and gave an eloquent bow. "I hope you're feeling recovered, my lady." He flashed her a roguish smile.
"Jaime, have any of you slept at all since last night? And do you have any provisions?" The big watchman looked like he didn't really appreciate being so deep in the forest.


dddddddd
Ashleigh finally reached the edge of town and called for Reah. The large horse came running, pausing only long enough th let Ashleigh swing up. They rode a piece into the woods before Ashleigh spoke.

"Reah, please help me find the prince, The Beggar King. I need your help." Ashleigh trusted Reah. She was no ordinary horse. In seconds Reah took off in a different direction, galloping silently throught the woods towards The Cliff.


On Par
Terrence cocked his head, eyes shut. "Someone's coming," he said finally. "Fast." He looked at Viserys for guidance. Terrence could easily hide in a tree without being found, but Ilene was about to drop from exhaustion and Jaime looked like he hadn't climbed a tree since he was six. Plus they had a pony, now.


QHRider
Viserys could hear it too now. He put a hand on his sword. "There's only one person, I think," he said. "Let's see what they want." There were too many of them to run: standing their ground was the only option now.

On Par
Terrence helped Ilene into a tree. She wouldn't be any help in a fight and he didn't want her to be used as a hostage. He got her seated on a low limb and positioned himself just above her. The young man strung his bow and fitted an arrow to the string.

Barn-Bum
Laila saw Asheligh take off on her horse. "Yah yah!" Laila cried sending Rufio galloping after her.


On Par
Puck abandoned the treetops and sped over the forest floor. Every few minutes he would stop to sniff the air and listen, then resume his breakneck pace. He finally realized where his target was, and headed for the solitary oak on the edge of the forest.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime turned towards the noise with a wide grin and his hand on his sword. He was hoping for a fight, hoping to do something he actually knew how to do. Fighting was what he was good at.

E. Rider
Ilene was beginning to feel better. She looked up at Terrence who was on the branch above her. "Thanks!" she called in a whisper and gave him a smile. She peered down below her. They were so far up. She wasn't afraid of heights but somehow being up so high was making her dizzy. She looked straight ahead again..she couldn't look down.


On Par
Terrence smiled back at Ilene, who suddenly looked green. He slung his bow over his shoulder and flattened himself on his branch, dropping both his arms toward the maid. "Here," he hissed. "Let me help you closer to the trunk, and you can hold onto it."

E. Rider
"Oh, thank you. You don't know how dizzy I was feeling!" she half laughed as she wrapped an arm around the tree's broad trunk. "Thank you, Terrence." she suddenly looked quite sad, "I'm sorry...you should have just left me with Laela... I've just been so much trouble." she looked very sorry as she held the trunk tighter.


On Par
He smiled tensely. "Don't think like that, Ilene. What could have been doesn't matter, let's focus on what is and on what will be." With that, he stood and ran lightly down the branch, an arrow nocked on his bow.


E. Rider
Ilene returned Terrence's smile. She watched as he went down the branch. She plucked a leaf and twirled it between her fingers before dropping it onto Terrence's head. She giggled and quickly looked up, pretending not to smile or have seen it happen.

On Par
Terrence felt some of his tension drain away at Ilene's antics. He cocked his head and listened again. "There are two now," he hissed at Viserys. "And I don't think they're together."

zeesgirl
Enzi flew overhead while the princess rode furiously along below. They were following another young woman on a horse, one that Enzi did not recognize. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. It had probably been more than an hour. Milo would be furious, but she could hardly go find him now. The princess was a loose cannon, and a dangerous one at that. Someone needed to keep an eye on her.


Milo woke with a start. The horizon in the east was pale; it was nearly dawn. He hadn't intended to sleep for so long. And where the hell was Enzi? It was well past the time she had agreed to meet him. He got to his feet and stretched, unsure whether to wait here or go searching for Enzi. He wondered what had befallen Viserys, Terrence, Jaime, and Ilene. If Laila was as dangerous as she seemed, they would all need to be careful.


QHRider
Viserys glanced up and nodded at Terrence to let him know he'd heard. "Two now," he whispered to Jaime. "Probably not together." He swung up onto Dragon's back. He wasn't much to look at, but the pony was as good a fighter as any knight's destrier.


On Par
When Hook stood up and looked antsy, Puck decided to make his move. He yapped to get the man's attention, then stepped out of the woods. He waited until Hook located him, then walked into the brush a few paces, stopping to look back at the confused man. He yapped again and took another step.

Terrence selected a nettle arrow and nocked it to his string. He readjusted his feet on the wide branch. He wished he hadn't given his last tangle arrow to the changling.


E. Rider
Ilene watched everything from her branch. She was getting used to being so high up now, and it wasn't so bad. She touched her head. But just as soon winced. That must be some nasty bruise! She thought. She looked down at Viserys. She still didn't know who he was.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
I feel like I should fill out a form for Jaime's horse.

Animal (optional)
Name: Honor
Species/breed: Horse. XD I don't know, some Tennessee Walker type thing.
Age: 7
Personality: A good riding horse, not very spooky or high strung. (Jaime has a courser/destrier for that ) She's very fond of Jaime and has a tendency to get jealous. Silly mare.
Pic:


dddddddd
Ashleigh galloped into the clearing, and seeing thr group of people, recognizing some of them, quickily pulled Reah up. She raised her hands as she jumped down from her horse.

"I am armed, but I want to help. Princess Laila is behind me, coming quickly. I want to help you regain power." She had directed that last comment to the man she recognized as Vyserys Dragonbourne, the rightful heir to the throne. Then she swung back up onto Reah and drew her sword. She still had not identified herself, but she figured if worst came to worst, Ilene could tell them who she was.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime groaned. Of course someone wanted to help them. Was he ever going to get to stab someone? He looked over to Viserys. "Well, aren't you popular?"


QHRider
"All part of my winning charm," Viserys told Jaime. To the stranger he said, "Thank you, lady." He had no idea who she was, but he wasn't about to start being picky about his allies.

dddddddd
Ashleigh glanced over at the man who had just spoken. He was one of the few here that she did not know. She wondered what exactly he had meant by that statement, but quickly put it out of her mind. They had only a few moments before the princess arrived, and she knew that focus could save lives.


On Par
Terrence grew even tenser. His shoulder ached at the thought of the cruel princess.


E. Rider
Ilene watched the conversation from her tree. It was so peaceful up there. She just wanted to fall asleep. She began swaying and doing everything she could to keep her eyes open.


Barn-Bum
Laila slowed Rufio to a walk. Not making a noise. She grabbed her bow tilting it at just the right moment. Now she would make Ashleigh pay. She let the arrow fly right into Asheligh's arm. Not a fatal wound but painful. Without waitng to see what happend she kicked Rufio into a gallop flying away.

On Par
Terrence heard Ashleigh cry in pain. Immediately he slung his bow over his shoulder and placed his arrow in the quiver. He lept through the treetops and saw a horse and rider galloping away. The boy whipped out his bow and loosed an arrow. He watched it strike the horse's right hock. The poison sac exploded, coating the horse's leg in the venom of the stinging nettle from the hock down. He grimaced. Forgive me, brother, he thought toward the departing animal.

He quickly made his way back, hailing the group before he could see them to avoid being shot. "It was her," he told the group. "Her horse will go lame in another hundred paces. The numbness will wear off in fifteen minutes." He sat down heavily in his tree, gasping for breath.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"That was a cowardly move," Jaime said, moving towards Ashleigh. He recognized her, he must have seen her around the castle.


dddddddd
"Just so long as you mean Laila, I agree." Ashleigh said through clenched teeth. She had been shot, but she had had worse. At least she had found the group."What will we do when the horse goes down? She's bound to come back."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime stepped forward, offering Ashleigh a hand to help her down from her horse. "I say we cut off her head."

zeesgirl
*ooc: whoops, I was going to have Enzi warn you guys it was the princess/ interfere in some way, but I accidentally missed out on all the action. My bad.*


Enzi swooped downward when she saw Laila pull up her horse and draw an arrow, but the princess moved so suddenly that she had no time to interfere. Drat, thought Enzi, as she saw the arrow bury itself in a young woman's arm. She'd been flying too high, too far away. So much for tailing the princess and keeping her from causing trouble. She pulled out of her dive and flapped to stay above the princess, keeping closer behind now, flitting among the treetops. When the horse pulled up lame, she landed on a limb above the princess's head and watched.



Milo looked up, his hand dropping to his knife hilt when he heard a rustling in the brush. Duff got to her feet and placed herself in front of him, hackles raised, but when the small orange fox emerged from the woods, she wagged her tail and greeted it like an old friend. Milo looked around one last time for Enzi and then followed the fox into the woods, hoping that if it led him to Terrence, Enzi would be there too.

(I'm assuming Duff and Puck would get along famously)



dddddddd
"Thank you." Ashleigh studied the man that had helped her down from Reah. Anger issues, maybe? Ashleigh had actually thought it was both funny and a good idea, but she didn't know exactly how to take him. He did look familiar, but she just wasn't sure who he was.


QHRider
"I second that motion," Viserys said. "Before she causes anymore trouble." Dragon sprang into a canter after the princess.

Barn-Bum
Laila heard Dragon behind her and shot five more arrows (your choice if they hit) Then she kicked Rufio harder. There was no doubt he could out run the pony.

On Par
ooc: Sorry, I keep shooting off nature-boy arrows without telling anyone what they do. *slaps wrist* The nettle arrow has extract from the stinging nettle plant in a sac on the end of the arrow. On contact it coats the surface in the venom, inducing an intial stinging sensation followed by numbness that wears off in 15 minutes. Think of it as being covered in ant bites and then your body part falling asleep. [Tongue] Regular arrows wouldn't require an explanations, I guess....but this is so much more interesting!

PS: That's all Terrence has: tangle arrows and nettle arrows. And tangle arrows take a long time to make, so unless Enzi kept track of the one he gave her, he'll probably be out of them for the next RPG week.

*

Puck led the hooked man toward Terrence, Jaime, and the rest. When they were still a quarter mile away, he heard a horse crashing awkwardly through the brush. The small fox did an about face and jumped into Hook's chest, springing off lightly and landing crouched in the brush. He lowered his belly to the ground, trying to signal the human to hide and at the same time, getting ready to pounce.


QHRider
Viserys ducked low as the arrows whistled around him. Most missed, but one tore through his upper thigh. Viserys grit his teeth and urged Dragon on after the larger horse. For being so small, the pony was fast, and his smaller size made him more maneuverable through the close trees.


dddddddd
Ashleigh tried to mount Reah again. The horse wanted to be off and after the princess. Ashleigh wasn't sure if she could get up. Her right arm was nearly immoble, and there was no time to remove the arrow.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Any time, my lady," Jaime said, flashing her a charming grin. The grin changed to a frown as Viserys went charging by on his ridiculous steed. Jaime hadn't really seen Viserys fight, and he hoped that the man could handle himself. If he died, they'd all be quickly following him.

(ooc: I was ninja'd!)

Jaime's frowned deepened as the girl tried to remount her horse. "Stay here, you won't be much help wounded."

On Par
Terrence was still seated wearily on a tree branch, about twenty feet in the air. "I think Ilene has fallen asleep in the tree where I left her," he called to Jaime. "I suppose we can leave her there until..." he trailed off, looking in the direction Viserys had gone.

dddddddd
Ashleigh knew that he was right, but her father's words came back to her. He always used to say "If only she had been a boy. What a fighter she would have been!" Ashleigh thought. Now I know he was right. No one really thinks I can do this. Ashleigh figured she would be better off just laying low until she was needed or called on. It was becoming obvious that there was no way for her to mount Reah without help, at least until not until she found her father's potion.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked up into the trees at Terrence's call. "Asleep? Who falls asleep at a time like this?!" He looked back to the wounded girl, he should probably do something about that arrow. "I'm Jaime, by the way."


dddddddd
"Ashleigh. Nice to meet you, but I wish it was under better circumstances." Ashleigh was still trying to remember where she had put that potion. It could cure any injury, and Ashleigh had a feeling they would need it more than once.


On Par
Terrence shrugged. "It's been a long night for her," he said to Jaime. "Probably her first night out of the castle in who knows how long."

Puck smelled the nettle poison before the horse came into view. He wrinkled his nose. He'd been unfortunate enough to dip his snout into the stuff while Terrence was making it last year, and he hadn't gone near Terrence for the rest of that week. He hoped the poison was on the nasty girl, but by the sound of the horse, it wasn't.


ooc: So where are all these potions coming from? Does Laila employ an enchantress, or a witch or something?


dddddddd
ooc: Ashleigh is half elf, although no one else knows that yet,lol. Her potion is one her father made before he left for battle. It can cure any injury. (Man, am I getting a lot of this from lord of the rings or what?)

Ashley finaly remembered that she had left the potion in Reah's saddlebag. Where she could find it. Oh, well; at least she remembered it. She began to untie the bag with her left hand, still watching everything that was going on.


Barn-Bum
ooc: ummmm Laila does not get her potions from Ashleigh... She knows a shady man... >.<

dddddddd
ooc: I knew that, I was just answering for mine, lol. Pretty funny though



E. Rider
Ilene was suddenly awakened by the sound of voices, she rubbed her eye and yawned. She was cold. She just wished whatever was going on would end soon so she could change out of her filthy clothes. Her head pain had left a while ago, but was now replaced by hunger pains.

QHRider
Visery's leg throbbed where Laila's arrow had hit, but he kept Dragon going, waiting for whatever had been on Terrence's arrow to take effect. He could hear the larger horse ahead.

dddddddd
Ashleigh finally found the potion in her bag. Good, that would definately come in handy, and soon. She as pretty sure, but not positive, that Viserys had been wounded. If Laila came back towards them, others probably would be to. She thought about using the potion on herself so that she could help, but then remembered that it would be little good untill she could get the arrow out. The potion would simply heal her arm around the arrow, making it nearly impossible to remove. She would just wait for the others. She really had no choice.


Barn-Bum
Laila galloped along knowing that she hadn't hurt Ashleigh but it was a message. Next time she would do so much more.


QHRider
ooc: Terrence hit your pony with some stuff to make him lame. Just so's you know.

On Par
Terrence used his right hand to swing out of the tree. He landed nimbly beside Ashleigh, letting his left arm hang limply by his side. "I'm Terrence," he said in introduction. "Wake me up if anything interesting happens." He curled up on the ground and fell alseep, trusting his life to the warrior maid and the watchman.

Barn-Bum
ooc: Whoops didn't see that.

Rufio barley could trot. Laila cursed under her breath. SHe slowed Rufio to a fast walk. He limped a lot but Laila kept pressing him. It wouldnt be long till they were out of the forest.


On Par
ooc: Don't forget that Laila is getting close to Milo and Puck. I'm guessing that Milo isn't gonna let anybody kill the princess, but maybe he'll finally disclose his identity..... [BigGrin]


Barn-Bum
ooc: Haha thxs

Laila spotted the guy with the hook and a fox. Great. Laila thought. Her hand went to the hilt of her sword.


dddddddd
Ashleigh didn't even have time to say her name befor Terrence was asleep. Well, okay then. I guess he is the first person I have ever met who can fall asleep like that. She had a feeling that he would be waking up sooner than he would like

On Par
When Puck realized he had been seen, he jumped in front of the horse and barked shrilly. The already wearied horse gave a half-hearted rear and stood still. The small fox darted away and ran up a nearby tree.

*
ooc: I would like to play the king. Does anyone object?



Barn-Bum
ooc: Go right ahead

Laila pulled Rufio forward. Not even bothering to fight Hook. She stopped in front of him since he was blocking her way. She put a hand on her hip.


zeesgirl
Milo tensed and drew his hunting knife when he heard a horse moving through the brush. To his surprise, it was his sister. Her horse was limping heavily, but Laila seemed uninjured. She dismounted and faced him.
He traced the flat of his knife with the tip of his hook, then looked up and met her eyes. "What are you doing out here, princess?"

A rustled in the trees overhead drew his glance upward. A raven sat in the tree. When it saw him looking, it waved at him with one wing. Enzi. He returned his attention to the princess, watching her carefully for whatever tricks she had up her sleeve.


(ooc: @barn-bum, I was thinking you could decide to recognize him whenever, but wait to reveal his identity to the others until a particularly inconvenient moment, if you know what I mean. Make Viserys think he was leading him along the whole time, something like that.)


E. Rider
Ilene was still sleeping against the tree trunk. She was dreaming that she was in a field...watching Terrence fix a leak in the sky. Then suddenly, Laela fell through the leak and began chasing her. Ilene was running as fast as she could in the dream but Laela and her cats could not be escaped. She woke herself up. She was sweating and breathing fast. She wiped her forhead. She looked into the starry sky, then down below her. Water. Water would be so nice.


Barn-Bum
ooc: Kk sounds good

Laila searched his eyes. WHy were they so familar. "Milo?" She asked suprised. His eyes were un mistacable.

ooc: Excuse my spelling Im tired. lol


QHRider
Viserys and Dragon cantered out of the trees upon Laila, unmounted, her horse, and Hook. Viserys drew his sword. "Stand and fight!" he called to Laila, teeth bared. Blood from the wound on his thigh stained his breeches.


On Par
ooc: I edited the king into my post on the first page, cause I didn't want to interrupt the "flow" with a new character.

*
Cellach threw open the double doors, furious. "Get me that stupid, lazy, good for nothing head guard!" he roared, not caring who heard him. He indulged in several more oaths. The broad king paced across the hallway, absolutely livid. When Baldor finally appeared, inebriated and confused, Cellach stormed down the hall and grabbed him by the collar. The head of the castle guard allowed the king to drag him down the hall and into his personal quarters. Cellach threw him on the floor of his sleeping chamber, nearly incoherent with rage. The guard gagged and pulled his shirt over his mouth. Cellach grabbed the body from the bed with one hand and threw it on the prostrate guard. "What is the meaning of this!" he roared at the hapless man. "Explain to me how an assassin could get past your best guards and poison my entire chamber without raising an alarm!"


dddddddd
Ashleigh wondered if Ilene was still okay. She had been up in that tree for a while. Meanwhile, Terrence was still sleeping away under another tree. "Well, I guess for now it's you and me, Reah." Ashleigh stroked the beautiful horse. "I wonder how the others are doing?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(^Pssttt, Jaime's still there. So guys, I'm leave for camp tomorrow morning and I won't have internet so I won't be able to RP for a few days. I get back Monday night.)

zeesgirl
Milo froze. She recognized him. "Laila, I-" he cut off as he heard someone approaching through the woods. It was Viserys on a pony, his sword drawn. Milo shook his head slightly, hoping Laila would take the hint not to say anything else. He looked between the Dragonbourne prince and the Ailero princess, then glanced up at Enzi.


(I still haven't quite figured out whose side Milo's going to be on. We'll see, lol.)


Barn-Bum
So it really was him! Laila shut her mouth and swung around to face the man on the pony.


On Par
Cellach sat at his desk, staring at the doctor's report. That it was poison was obvious, and poison was fairly easy to come by. But an airborn poison strong enough to kill a man without wakening him...that was magic work. There were only a handful of magic users in all of Courtcliffe. Of the three or four, only two of the magicians had nefarious reputations. One of these, Cellach knew, was either directly responsible for the murder or could provide the information needed to ferret out the would-be assassin. The cunning king smiled, but his eyes remained cruel.



QHRider
Viserys didn't slow Dragon. The pony barreled towards the princess, and Viserys held his sword out, ready to hack her head from her shoulders as soon as he was close enough.

(ooc: wow Viserys. RUDE.)


On Par
ooc: In his defense, he hasn't slept all night.

Weary of reading, Cellach slumped down in his chair. He hated hunting people through words and paper. It seemed like so long ago that he had enjoyed the bloodlust of a real battle. Doing eveything behind curtains was bothersome. He forced himself to stare at the reports. These were invoices, confiscated from two stubborn magicians. His eyes hardened. They wouldn't be so stubborn after a few weeks in the dungeon. Perhaps he would even pay them a visit himself.

zeesgirl
Milo saw Viserys charging and reacted. He darted in front of the galloping pony and knocked the sword upward with his knife, causing the blade to flash a few inches over Laila's head. Without pause, he spun around and siezed the princess from behind, pinning her arms behind her back and reaching over her shoulder with his left hand to hold his knife against her neck. He looked back at Viserys. "I couldn't let you just kill her," he said. "Do you think the people would accept you as king just because you cut down those who stand between you and the throne? There has to be another way."



ooc:d'aww, look at Milo trying to establish legitimacy! (this is my comparative politics nerd side coming out.)

I'm also imagining uncle Iroh's voice. "Oh no, Viserys. The Avatar must be the one to defeat the Fire Lord, or people will see it as a brother killing a brother in a senseless bid for power."


On Par
Puck's tail twitched as he watched the scene below. He owed no loyalty to anyone but Terrence, and Terrence was safe as long as these three were nowhere near him.
An agitated bark made him look at the base of his tree. Oh yes, there was the dog. Maybe the hooked man wasn't so bad as the other two.


QHRider
Dragon wheeled back around. "It worked for her father," Viserys said. "What do you expect to happen? That they hand over the throne and we can all live in peace? They have to die. There is no other way. Whether here and now, or after a war in which hundreds of innocents die with them, they will die."

ooc:d'aww, look at Milo trying to establish legitimacy! (this is my comparative politics nerd side coming out.)

I'm also imagining uncle Iroh's voice. "Oh no, Viserys. The Avatar must be the one to defeat the Fire Lord, or people will see it as a brother killing a brother in a senseless bid for power."

OMG. XD


E. Rider
Ilene just sat there on the branch. Should she climb down or stay up? She couldn't decide. But now she was beginning to be sore from sitting so long. She tucked a curl behind her ear and sighed. She looked up into the sky then down below.

Barn-Bum
Laila smiled. Her brother wouldnt kill her. "Wow Viserys you almost had me" Laila said taunting him


E. Rider

Ilene began thinking. Was it the King's body she found? She had forgotten to ask Jamie and Viserys. If it wasn't, who's was it? And who's side was she on? Laela's or the others'? She was so confused. If someone would just explain.


On Par
Terrence stirred uneasily and sat up, hugging his knees to his chest. He sensed a mix of emotions from the direction that Viserys and gone. Pride, anger, hate, and hurt. So much hurt. He put his chin on his knees and rocked back and forth gently, humming under his breath.

ooc: Can you hum under your breath? [Tongue]

dddddddd
ooc: I don't know. I never really thought about it.

Ashleigh heard something behind her. Terrence was awake. She studied him for a moment, wondering what he was doing. Finally she just asked.

"Terrence, are you okay?" she had no idea about him now. First he fell asleep in seconds curled up under a tree, and now he was sitting there rocking and humming. Ashleigh had no idea where Jamie was now. He had not left to fight, so he was around somewhere, but where exactly?


E. Rider
ooc: Are you guys still all under the tree? Ilene is ready to climb down haha!!


dddddddd
ooc: Yeah. I think this is the longest three-minute battle in history, lol.

Ashleigh wondered if Ilene was okay. Surely she had woken up by now.

Post #412645

E. Rider
Ilene decided to climb down. She took a deep breath and began the descent. She carefully made her way down the tree before planting her feet on the ground. She walked over to Ashley and Terrence. She sighed a sigh of relief. She winced. Her legs were sore! She bit her lip as she walked stifly. "Is everything all right?" she said looking at Terrence who didn't look too well.


On Par
Terrence shifted to a cross legged position and looked up at the women. "I am not ill," he said vaguely. "Are you hungry?" he asked, changing the subject.


QHRider
If looks could kill, Viserys' surely would have. "Hold your tongue, or I'll relieve you of it," he snapped. He still held his sword. Viserys looked back at Hook. "She's a danger to all of us if she lives."


On Par
ooc: Laila has quite the personality, doesn't she?

As the two women stared down at him, Terrence realized that Ilene, at least, was still afraid. The other girl looked quite capable, even with an arrow sticking out of her arm. The small man stood up suddenly. "Let's see about breakfast," he said, ignoring their lack of response to his earlier question. He scurried around the small clearing, darting in and out of the trees, picking a few plants and digging up some small roots.
He made a small pile of the vegetables and set about teaching Ilene to build a fire.

Barn-Bum
ooc: XD yep
Laila smiled. "We'll see" She said.


dddddddd
Ashleigh knew that soon she would have to get the arrow out of her arm. She also knew that just pulling it out would make it worse. She would have to have someone help her cut the ends of the arrow off sh that she could push it on through. However, she noticed that Ilene still looked scared, and honestly, Ashleigh didn't know how she would react to blood. Terrence was busy collecting food, and Jamie had dissappeared. Well, she may as well find something constructive to do, even thought she did not know what that would be.


zeesgirl
Milo shoved Laila forward, tightening his arm around her neck until she was panting for breath. "You'll stop talking if you know what's good for you." He looked over her shoulder at Viserys. "It worked for her father, eh? Ailero killed a tyrant, but then he became one. That's your plan for success? What makes you any different from him? You can't do this the same way, unless you want to be assassinated yourself in fifteen years."


(ooc: look out guys, forget the whole throne thing, Milo's gonna start a democracy, lol.)


QHRider
Viserys meant to exhale, but it came out as a frustrated growl. Hook was right, curse him. "Well then what do you suggest, wise one?"

(ooc: look out guys, forget the whole throne thing, Milo's gonna start a democracy, lol.)

Dammit Milo, Viserys just wants to behead people! XD


Barn-Bum
Laila gasped for breath. What was her brother doing? "Milo" She said. "You don't understand, if your alive I rule to bye your side, *gasp* even when we were kids *gasp* I planned not to kill you" She said gasping for breath.


E. Rider
Ilene payed. Lose attention as Terrence showed her how to build a fire. The worry had left her face as her mind was now on how to make a fire. She listened very closely soaking up all of the information like a sponge.


On Par
With the small fire going, Terrence broke the roots and plants into smaller pieces and spitted them on a few sticks. He showed Ilene how to make a stand and roast the vegetables without burning them. Terrence had no idea when the tall girl had last eaten, but Ilene, at least, would be hungry.

zeesgirl
Milo's heart skipped a beat. "Dammit Laila," he said, releasing her and pushing her away from him. She fell to her knees, gulping air. "You're mad. You're mad for planning to kill anyone." He backed away from her and looked up at Viserys. He tightened his grip on his knife.


E. Rider
"That was easy!" she smiled. "Next time 'll make the fire and cook and you eat the food!" she smiled


QHRider
So the rumors were true. Viserys looked from Laila to Milo. "Do you think your father would be happy or upset if I sent him your head?" Viserys asked Milo. "Or was the plan to bring him mine, so you could get back into his good graces?"

On Par
Terrence returned the girl's smile. "The most important thing to remember is to put out the fire," he said seriously. "The forest gives us free gifts, we do out part by protecting it and not destroying." Still kneeling by the fire, he scooped up some dirt and smothered the flames.
He stood, holding a spit of vegetables and walked to the other girl. "I didn't catch your name earlier," he said in apology, handing her the spit. "I'm afraid I rather....dropped off."


zeesgirl
"I don't think my father would recognize my head," said Milo evenly. Duff noticed the tension in his voice and placed herself squarely in front of him. "Viserys, I never lied to you. I did not come back to Courtcliff to reconcile with my family. I was as surprised as you were when Laila attacked us in that alley." He shifted into a defensive stance. Even with one hand, Milo was a dangerous fighter, but he wasn't sure he could take Viserys if he attacked him. Not that he was alone, of course. He noticed a vague shadow on the ground that was increasing in size. Enzi, in the tree above them, had changed shape, but he didn't look up. Whatever she was now, Viserys seemed unaware of her presence, and Milo wanted to keep surprise on his side in the event the Dragonbourne prince attacked.


Barn-Bum
Laila drew her sword beside her brother. She would fight with him.

dddddddd
"I'm Ashleigh. Thank you." Ashleigh said taking the food. She had not eaten in two days, and although she could go without food for five days, she knew she would have to eat soon anyway to avoid the "are-you-human-or-not" conversation. She really was greatful to Terrence, for herself, but mainly for Ilene. She seemed more relaxed now.


E. Rider
Ilene put a handful of dirt over a small remaining flame. She brushed her hands together to get the dirt off. She stood up and walked over to Ashleigh, "Is there anything I can help with or something you would like me to do?" She asked. She was longing to do something for someone else. They had done so much for her.


QHRider
All Viserys really wanted at the moment was to find someplace dark and quiet where he could sleep until the world made sense again. He was too tired for this crap. "So what were you doing back in Courtcliff then?" he asked, studiously pretending that he hadn't noticed the siblings preparing to fight.

zeesgirl
Milo looked sideways at Laila. He didn't trust her as far as he could throw her. If she was willing to kill their father for the throne, why would she behave any differently towards him? He took a step away from her, safely out of the reach of her sword.
"I'm here to find the man who cut off my hand," he said to Viserys. "I want nothing to do with the throne."


Barn-Bum
Laila ignored Visryes. "Milo, I'm not mad, our father made a attempt at my life right after you died, he tried six times after that! It was kill or be killed" She explained.


On Par
Cellach had gone through the receipts several times and consulte with both magicians. He scowled. Magicians were all the same: they would do anything to keep their sorry life. You could only trust a magicians as long as you were the highest bidder. The craft king had every intention of being just that.
Cellach felt his anger rising again. He had found out the assassin, sure enough. He had two remaining problems: no one had seen the assassin since dawn, and he still had no idea how she had gotten into his chamber.


QHRider
The simplest solution would be to kill both of them, to be absolutely sure that neither of them were planning on stabbing him in the back later. But what if Milo had been right earlier, that might not be the smartest strategy long term. And if they were being truthful, neither of them had much love for the king either. Viserys sheathed his sword. "This is going against my every instinct," Viserys said, more to himself than to the siblings. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright. No more secrets. What the hell is going on in my kingdom?"

[Zee]

Pages 216-220


(p216)
QH
"Oh. That makes sense." Viserys felt foolish for not thinking of Enzi sooner. Then he felt annoyed that she'd taken dragon form here. It felt wrong, instinctively, though why he couldn't say. But he put it out of his mind and returned to work, until they'd built a suitable pyre. He studied their handiwork and said, "Now we have to go get him."
E. Rider
They were finally out of the other end of the cave. They came out onto a cliff and from where they stood they could see the most beautiful part of the island. Crystal rivers looked like silver snakes from where they were, and the mountains looked like mere hills. But what he was showing her was the sunset. The sky was fiery red and the sun and it's rays were glorious. He smiled as he let go of her hand and pointed to the red sky. "I told you it matched your hair..." he smiled down at her, "And come to think of it your eyes too..." he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear then turned and looked out over the horizon soaking up the glorious scene. He squinted from the sun and the wind blew his red hair and Brynn's in its chilly winds. It was peaceful and beautiful sight, one that you might have heard about in a fairy tale.

CrazyHorseGirl1773

[bold]QHRider

[/b] (9/19/2012)
"Oh. That makes sense." Viserys felt foolish for not thinking of Enzi sooner. Then he felt annoyed that she'd taken dragon form here. It felt wrong, instinctively, though why he couldn't say. But he put it out of his mind and returned to work, until they'd built a suitable pyre. He studied their handiwork and said, "Now we have to go get him."[/quote]

"Right," Jaime said, and swallowed. He hadn't thought about how they would move the body.

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold]
The scene that unfolded before Brynn's very eyes was so breathtakingly beautiful that she was, for a moment, speechless. She had never experienced a sunset quite like this. "It's beautiful, Peatir," she breathed, awestruck. "Thank you."
[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
Peatir smiled. "I love it here. I come here when I'm worried or need time alone or just to come. No one knows about it but me....you're the only person I've ever showed it to or even spoken about it to." he said looking around. He looked at Brynn with his bright green eyes. "Aw no problem. I'm glad you came.." he half smiled.
[bold]QHRider[/bold]
"Come on," Viserys said. He went back to the keep, up to the room where Rhaegar lay, hugging the egg to his chest like a child would a teddy bear. In Rhaegar's room he turned to Jaime. "Hold this," he said, passing the egg to Jaime, and then gently picked Rhaegar's body up. He was so light that Viserys didn't have much problem.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
The egg was so large that Jaime couldn't wrap both his hands around it, and the shell felt rough and cold like stone. Though he knew it was long dead, something made him handle it carefully. He followed Viserys back to the pyre in silence.
[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold]
"Me too." Brynn smiled, sitting down on the flat stone ground and drinking in the scenery. "Peatir, I have to ask you something," she said finally. "About Terrence. Is he..." she paused. "Is he part faery?"
[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys settled Rhaegar as gently as he could onto the pyre. Once he was satisfied he turned to Jaime, holding both hands out. "The egg," he said.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime gave Viserys a questioning look, but handed over the egg.


(217)
Terrence watched the happenings in silence. He felt like an outside here, as he had never known Rhaegar while he was alive. Puck was nearby, Terrence could feel him, but the small fox didn't want company at the moment.
[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys set the egg by Rhaegar and stepped off the pyre. Taking a torch he'd lit before hand (Pretend they have a safe way of storing torches XD), Viserys dropped it on the pyre. For a second, nothing happened. Then, quickly, the entire pyre began to burn, the flames rising higher and higher.
[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime watched the flames lick their way up into the quickly darkening sky. He looked over to Viserys. The fire was reflecting off his white blonde hair, giving it a redish-gold tint. He sighed, not taking his eyes off the Dragonbourne.
[bold]On Par[/bold]
("What will happen to me now?"
"The council has agreed to let me train you. You will become a Jedi."

Sorry....funeral pyres, you know. )

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold] (9/19/2012)
"Me too." Brynn smiled, sitting down on the flat stone ground and drinking in the scenery. "Peatir, I have to ask you something," she said finally. "About Terrence. Is he..." she paused. "Is he part faery?"

Peatir sat by Brynn cross legged. He studied the horizon for a moment, deep in thought. He looked down. "I'd answer you Brynn..bunk don't know if Terrence would want me to say." he looked up at her and studied the girl a moment. "But..if I trusted you with my special place...then I'm sure your trustworthy enough so, yes he is part Faery." he through a pebble down the rocky cliff.
[bold]QHRider[/bold]
(AHAHA. If only we had a Jedi. XD)

Viserys stared into the fire, watching it rise higher and higher. He looked away and saw Jaime watching him. Viserys smiled at the older man, and stepped closer to the fire. It didn't feel too hot. It felt invitingly warm.


[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
"Thank you.."Ilene smiled at Milo before grabbing a stick and drawing pictures in the dirt. She hummed softly to herself. She could smell smoke. She swallowed as she realized what it was probably from.

Peatir sat by Brynn cross legged. He studied the horizon for a moment, deep in thought. He looked down. "I'd answer you Brynn..bunk don't know if Terrence would want me to say." he looked up at her and studied the girl a moment. "But..if I trusted you with my special place...then I'm sure your trustworthy enough so, yes he is part Faery." he through a pebble down the rocky cliff.
[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold]
Brynn nodded, watching the pebble fall down into the forest below. "I thought I realized that, shortly after reaching this island and meeting you...but he clearly doesn't want to talk about it." She shrugged, then looked over at Peatir. "How long have you been here, on this island?" she asked curiously.

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold] (9/19/2012)
Brynn nodded, watching the pebble fall down into the forest below. "I thought I realized that, shortly after reaching this island and meeting you...but he clearly doesn't want to talk about it." She shrugged, then looked over at Peatir. "How long have you been here, on this island?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah..he avoids me. I can tell he doesn't like me very much...neither do the others really..." he said grabbing a stick and drawing a star in the dirt. "Hmm..I stay here most of the time..I was born here. But leave every once in a while. I like exploring but I've always considered this home. But it feels different now since Rhaegar died." He propped his arm on his knee and looked at her, "It's funny..Im often shy around humans..but for some reason I don't feel that way around you.." he felt awkward and looked down clearing his throat, "Uh, but maybe it's because we both have..uh..powers.."

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
"Thank you.."Ilene smiled at Milo before grabbing a stick and drawing pictures in the dirt. She hummed softly to herself. She could smell smoke. She swallowed as she realized what it was probably from.


(p218)
[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime watched Viserys carefully. He didn't like that look the prince had on his face. "Viserys..."

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
"Yeah..he avoids me. I can tell he doesn't like me very much...neither do the others really..." he said grabbing a stick and drawing a star in the dirt. "Hmm..I stay here most of the time..I was born here. But leave every once in a while. I like exploring but I've always considered this home. But it feels different now since Rhaegar died." He propped his arm on his knee and looked at her, "It's funny..Im often shy around humans..but for some reason I don't feel that way around you.." he felt awkward and looked down clearing his throat, "Uh, but maybe it's because we both have..uh..powers.."

[bold]zeesgirl[/bold]
Milo did not know what else to say to Ilene, so he remained silent. He looked up when a bright glow appeared in the distance against the deepening blue of the sky. He stood, removed the food from the campfire, and left it to cool while he walked slowly to the great fire burning at the edge of the cliff. He saw Enzi crouching motionless a short distance from the pyre, her silhouette like a small hill. Milo approached but stopped at the outer edge of the light cast from the flames, unsure if Viserys would want him there at all. Duff appeared at his side from the darkness and sat beside him. The old dog gazed solemnly into the fire.

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
Ilene smiled at the faithful dog beside Milo. "Hello, Duff.." she asked leaning to scratch the dog behind its ears. "Did you ever figure out what Duff was barking at?" she asked giving the dog a back massage.

[bold]zeesgirl[/bold]
Milo sidestepped abruptly. He hadn't realized that Ilene had followed him to the pyre. "I think she knew Enzi was in trouble," he answered softly, so as not to disturb Viserys in his mourning.

[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys just smiled wider at Jaime. He turned back to the dancing flames and stepped into the fire. His clothes began to smoulder, but the fire didn't burn his skin. He pulled off his worn and tattered clothes and went into the fire where Rhaegar was. His brother was burning, but then, he was supposed to be. Viserys looked at him for a moment before looking for the egg. It was rocking, and through the crackle of the flames he could hear a soft, insistent tapping.
[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]zeesgirl[/bold] (9/20/2012)
Milo sidestepped abruptly. He hadn't realized that Ilene had followed him to the pyre. "I think she knew Enzi was in trouble," he answered softly, so as not to disturb Viserys in his mourning.

Ooc: oh sorry I didn't realize Milo left. Nevermind

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold]

[bold]E. Rider[/bold] (9/19/2012)
"Yeah..he avoids me. I can tell he doesn't like me very much...neither do the others really..." he said grabbing a stick and drawing a star in the dirt. "Hmm..I stay here most of the time..I was born here. But leave every once in a while. I like exploring but I've always considered this home. But it feels different now since Rhaegar died." He propped his arm on his knee and looked at her, "It's funny..Im often shy around humans..but for some reason I don't feel that way around you.." he felt awkward and looked down clearing his throat, "Uh, but maybe it's because we both have..uh..powers.."

Brynn chuckled softly. "Perhaps," she replied, offering him a soft smile. In the distance she could see an actual fire burning, flames rising high into the evening sky. She assumed that the only thing that could be was Rhaegar's funeral pyre. The beauty of the sunset seemed to be in stark contrast to the grief that had swallowed the castle not too long ago.

[bold]On Par[/bold]
When Viserys stepped into the fire, Terrence automatically stepped forward and reached out a hand to stop him, even though he was too far away to have done so. He stopped himself, though, and watched in awe as the throneless king stood in the flames.

Puck came out of the woods, drawn by the fire, and touched her huge paw with the tip of his nose. Then he seated himself beside her and watched, the fire reflecting in his amber eyes.
[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
Peatir returned Brynn's soft small. He watched the smoke rise, "It's really sad....Rhaegar's death.." he chuckled, "There I go acting more human than Faery, talking about sad topics. Let's talk about something happy." He leaned back and lay on the grass, his hands under his head."Hmm...do you like faeries and are you and Ilene sisters?" he asked. He sat up on his elbow and studied Brynn a moment.

(p.219)
[BOLD]TMG[/BOLD]
Brynn noted a similarity between Peatir and Terrence, always wanting to change the subject when the topic was too upsetting or personal. "I don't have anything against faeries...though there's this one that I'm not so sure about..." she replied teasingly, trying to keep a straight face but then laughing. "No, really you're the first faery I have actually met." She pushed a few stray hair strands behind her ear. "Ilene and I call each other sisters, and we think of each other as sisters, but we aren't blood sisters. I, um, don't have any family."

Thasha had followed Ilene towards the pyre and, having seen Puck and Duff, settled down on her haunches next to them. The flames reflecting in her turquoise eyes gave them an almost eerie glow.

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold] (9/20/2012)
Brynn noted a similarity between Peatir and Terrence, always wanting to change the subject when the topic was too upsetting or personal. "I don't have anything against faeries...though there's this one that I'm not so sure about..." she replied teasingly, trying to keep a straight face but then laughing. "No, really you're the first faery I have actually met." She pushed a few stray hair strands behind her ear. "Ilene and I call each other sisters, and we think of each other as sisters, but we aren't blood sisters. I, um, don't have any family."

Peatir grinned at Brynn, "Haha well this is my first time actually talkin to a human..I've seen them, but never talked to them. Before you all came to the island. And I don't have anything against humans..but there is this one that I'm not so sure about!" he laughed. He smile faded a little, "Well you and Ilene could pass for sisters. You're both beautiful and talented. I don't have any family either. My parents Were captured a long time ago by Faeryists, they capture Faeries and do who knows what to them. What happened your folks?" Peatir said picking a blade of grass and picking it apart.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime reached forward to pull Viserys back as he walked into the flames. Jaime snatched his hand away, the fire burning him. What was Viserys thinking? Had he gone mad? He watched helplessly as Viserys' clothing began to burn, but the Dragonbourne seemed untouched.

(Where is that "KHAALLLEESSSIIIII!" gif when you need it?)

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
(ooc: k I guess Ilene did follow Milo)
Ilene was horrified at what Viserys was doing. "Viserys! No! Please!" she screamed over the singing of the flames. Tears spilled out of her eyelids. She was so scared. Viserys was NOT doing this to them! All this just for him to kill himself. "You can't kill yourself because Rhaegar is dead! You have to keep living! Its what Rhaegar wanted Viserys! You have to live for him, for us, Viserys! Please!" Ilene pleaded, tears rolled violently down her cheeks. The sting of the tears and smoke and thought that Viserys was going to burn to death was too much for Ilene. Seeing Viserys burning put her over the top. Her legs gave way and she collapsed into the dirt. She had fainted.

[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys didn't even hear the others calling to him as he knelt down beside the egg. It was shaking harder now, its surface splintered with fine cracks. "Come on," he said. He traced one fracture line with his finger until he found a place he could pry a piece off. A slim, wet snout poked through the opening, and Viserys smiled. "That's it. Come on out, little brother."

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold]
Brynn shrugged, trying to pick a flower but burning it instead. "I don't know," she said softly, almost in a whisper. "I was too young. All I know is that the animals living in Shadowwood Forest found me and took pity on me. They raised me, Peatir." A sadness filled her eyes, a fleeting moment of grief for the family that she had never had the chance to know, much less mourn.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime tried to call out to Viserys, but no words came out. Had he not just promised himself to keep Viserys safe? He could have stopped him. He was stronger than Viserys, he could have forced him to stop. But he hadn't, he'd just stood there and watched as the prince walked into the flames.


[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold] (9/20/2012)
Brynn shrugged, trying to pick a flower but burning it instead. "I don't know," she said softly, almost in a whisper. "I was too young. All I know is that the animals living in Shadowwood Forest found me and took pity on me. They raised me, Peatir." A sadness filled her eyes, a fleeting moment of grief for the family that she had never had the chance to know, much less mourn.

"Sounds a lot like my story," Peatir picked a flower like the one Brynn had tried to pick, "...but I had faeries and animals.." he gently put he flower in Brynns red hair and smiled.

[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Together Viserys and the hatchling freed it from the egg, until the tiny dragon tumbled out into Viserys' lap. Then they freed it from the sticky membrane surrounding it until the hatchling could spread its wings. The body was about the size of a large kitten, but its wings stretched out at least three feet on either side of it. Unlike many depictions of dragons Viserys had seen, it did not have four legs and wings, but just a hind set of legs with the wings as the forelimbs. It flapped them twice and then furled them, looking up at Viserys with eyes glowing from the firelight. Viserys bundled the dragon in his arms. "Come on, you," he said, and walked out of the fire, clothes smoking but otherwise unharmed.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime seized Viserys by the shoulders and shook him. "Have you gone mad?" He yelled.

(p220)
[bold]QHRider[/bold]
The dragonling hissed at Jaime before crawling up Viserys to curl around his shoulders, glaring at Jaime with slit-pupiled red eyes. Viserys grinned at Jaime. "Fire can't kill a dragon," he said. He studied Jaime. "Were you worried about me, Jaime?"

(Viserys:
XD)
[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]

"You're dumber than you look, Viserys," Jaime replied flatly. Of course he had been worried about him, why wouldn't he be? Only after he had glanced over Viserys to make sure wasn't hurt did Jaime notice the dragon. It had curled itself protectively around Viserys' shoulders. Jaime stared at it. "Amazing." Jaime chuckled slightly. He had never once thought he would see a live dragon.

(I love that Viserys gets it before Jaime does. XD)

[bold]QHRider[/bold]
The dragon screeched, high and wailing. Viserys reached over to it, scratching under one of its horns. "Ssh, Rhaegal. It's fine." He glanced around and then saw Ilene on the ground. "Ilene? What's wrong with her?"

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]

[bold]Triple My Gold[/bold] (9/20/2012)
Brynn shrugged, trying to pick a flower but burning it instead. "I don't know," she said softly, almost in a whisper. "I was too young. All I know is that the animals living in Shadowwood Forest found me and took pity on me. They raised me, Peatir." A sadness filled her eyes, a fleeting moment of grief for the family that she had never had the chance to know, much less mourn.

"Sounds a lot like my story," Peatir picked a flower like the one Brynn had tried to pick, "...but I had faeries and animals.." he gently put he flower in Brynns red hair and smiled.

[bold]CrazyHorseGirl1773[/bold]
Jaime followed Viserys' gaze to Ilene. He hadn't realized she was there. He looked around, a few of the others were there too. He hadn't noticed any of them arrive. He knelt down next to Ilene and checked her pulse. "She's just unconscious."


[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys knelt down on Ilene's other side. "Ilene? Wake up," he said. Why on earth had she passed out?

[bold]On Par[/bold]
Terrence stood a little ways from the pyre, lost in thought. Viserys' words to Ilene brought him him back to reality. He knelt on the girl's other side, but as Jaime had said, she only appeared to be unconscious. He vaguely remembered that she had been screaming earlier, but couldn't recall what she had said or why.

(Fire is hypnotizing. )

[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
Ilene's eyelashes fluttered open and she was quite startled to find herself on the ground with Viserys, Jaime, and Terrwnce all beside her. She let out a huge sigh of relief, "Oh...Viserys. You're alright.." she said sitting up. She suddenly realized she had fainted. "Urgh! I fainted didn't I?" she was mad at herself. She felt so stupid and fragile when she fainted. Once again she felt helpless and stupid. "Of course I did...I always do." she scrambled to her feet without doing the ladylike thing and waiting for one of them to offer her a hand. She brushed her skirts off. "Well..I'm glad you're not burnt to a blasted crisp, Viserys. And I'm sorry for fainting.." she said solemnly. Then she smiled to herself as she realized she had used the word Blasted again. As unladylike as it was it was becoming a terrible habit.

"Sounds a lot like my story," Peatir picked a flower like the one Brynn had tried to pick, "...but I had faeries and animals.." he gently put he flower in Brynns red hair and smiled.

[bold]QHRider[/bold]
Viserys grinned and stood. "No, I'm quite alright. And don't be sorry." Now that he'd come to his senses, he realized how insane everything must have looked to everyone. "I'm sorry. I must have given you all a heart attack."
[bold]E. Rider[/bold]
"Well I nearly had one!" Ilene chuckled. She pulled a piece of grass out of her hair and dropped it on the ground. "Is there anymore grass in my hair?" Ilene asked turning in a circle.

[steph]

(61-75)

Barn-Bum
Laila put away her sword. "Well in my kingdom the people hate my father, he hates them, and there are so many lies and plotting I can't keep track," Laila explained. "The people want a whole nother line of rulers, not a nother white haired and nieve Dragonbourne"


On Par
Puck twitched his tail. The small fox didn't completely understand human speech, so he didn't understand what the humans were talking about, but he was having a good time watching anyway. He saw their emotions in each human's body language, and it was almost laughable how back-and-forth each one was. He lowered his muzzle to his forepaws and watched with pricked ears.

*

Cellach threw the door open, causing his guards to jump in surprise. One unfortunate guard dropped his weapon in confusion. "You bumbling, no-good, lilly-livered oaf!" Cellach roared. "Little wonder an assassin could sneak past you lot, you couldn't protect a fruitcake from a toddler!" He clenched his fists and stood still. "SOMEBODY FETCH ME BALDOR!!" Three of the six guards took off immediately down the hallway in an attempt to escape the mad king. Cellach slammed the door to his room, swearing.

His castle guard was pathetic, made lax by years of peace. Something was stirring; the attempt on his life made that clear. And the king had no intentions of letting his personal guard be unprepared. He made a mental note to discuss that with Baldor.


QHRider
Viserys raised one eyebrow at Laila. Then he turned and looked back at Milo. He wasn't about to dignify her with any more of a response.


On Par
ooc: Cellach reminds me of Galbatorix from the Eragon books bigtime. Watch out guys, he might have a dragon! [Tongue] Jk. But yeah. He's the mentally unstable and terribly crafty king who will try to hold onto the crown even in death.

*
With the food gone, Terrence approached Ashleigh. "I have a feeling you know a lot more about injuries than I do, but I think it would be a good idea to get that arrow out of your arm."


zeesgirl
(I hadn't imagined him quite so crazy, but ok.)

Milo studied Laila's face, searching for any hint to whether she was telling the truth. "Why the hell would he try to kill you? With me dead, you're his only heir. He knows he's not going to live forever. Who would he want on the throne if not you?"
He looked over at Viserys. "I've been gone for more than three years. I don't know what's happening in this kingdom."


dddddddd
ooc: Yay! I get to get this arrow out of my arm after like four days, lol!

"Well, I think if we cutt the ends off the arrow I can push it through. It would do a lot more damage to pull it out. I do have to potion for after we get the it out, but it will hurt worse to pull it out too." I think I can get it if one of you cuts the ends off." Ashleigh braced herself for removing the arrow. It had gone all the way through her right arm. Wonderful. At least someone was willing to help her with it.


On Par
Ooc: yeah, he's definitely crazy. But just a little bit insane.

Terrence grimaced. His shoulder was hurting again; he made a mental note to stock up on herbs. "I don't have a knife to cut the arrow with," he told Ashleigh. "Do you have one, or should I break it off?" He hoped she wouldn't want to do this while standing up, because he thought he might pass out.


E. Rider
Ilene could see that Terrence wasn't feeling well and didn't really Want the task of removing the arrow. "Terrence, if you just tell me what to do, I'll remove the arrow." Her mother had been the Royal Doctors assistant, Ilene had watched several operations and seen terrible woundsbhangra she was not afraid of blood or wounds.


On Par
Terrence gave a relieved sigh. "I have no idea what to do, ask Ashleigh," he said quietly. He made his way unsteadily away from the tall warrior and plunked down near a tree. He closed his eye and tried to regulate his breathing.

ooc: He's such a widdle wimpy boy. [BigGrin]


dddddddd
ooc: this is hilarious!

"I think if you just cut the feather end of the arrow off, I can just push it through. Sorry. There is not any pleasant way to describe what I just said." Ashleigh glanced over at Terrence. He looked pale. Okay, so I had Ilene and him opposite...

Ashleigh grabbed a cloth out of her saddlebag to bite while she did this, and waited for Ilene to cut the arrow.

E. Rider
Ilene bit her lip as she worked. Carefully and gently she did what Ashleigh had told her. "There." she said. It was finished. Ilene walked over to Terrence, "Are you alright?" she asked sitting down on the grass. "You look very ill..."


On Par
Terrence smiled, trying to reassure the girl. "Oh, I'll be fine. This is all very new for me." He wished Puck were here. Having the small fox around always made Terrence feel more comfortable.


dddddddd
Ashleigh finally managed to remove the arrow. She was shaking by this point, although not from blood. The pain had been bad. Ilene had done an excellent job, and had done exactly what she was supposed to do. Ashleigh grabbed the potion and put some of it in the wound. The potion burned like fire, but it healed instantly. Now she could fight again.

"Thank you for your help. I feel much better now, and maybe I can be a bit more help now."


E. Rider
"Well you certainly don't look fine..." she looked up into the sky. "This all very new for me too. It's been a while since I've seen so much excitement....my life is very dull." her face saddened, "But I do enjoy playing music and singing...but sometimes I wish life would change a little. It's been the same thing for me for years.. Laela's screaming, I play for her then I go right back to my tower. I'm not allowed in the city...and the garden and my window is as much outside life as I get. This is the first time in years and years since I've actually been outside the castle walls...." she caught herself. She shouldn't complain. An embarrassed look came over her face and she looked away.


On Par
"Don't be ashamed," Terrence told Ilene. "I would probably curl up and die if I never got to come in the woods." He smiled roguishly. "Sometimes I think about staying in the woods forever and never going back to the city!" He jumped upright. "They'd never catch me out here!" he shouted defiantly, still grinning. "Speaking of which," he said more calmly, "I think it's high time we found our swordsman."


E. Rider
Ilene smiled back. She took a deep sigh, "I would LOVE to live in the woods. All the different creatures, and plants, and fresh air. You'd feel so free!" she said imagining herself living in the forest.


On Par
Terrence smiled at the innocence in her face. "It gets darn cold in the winter."
He looked at Ashleigh, who seemed to be recovering fine. "I think it would be a good idea to find Viserys. Will you come?"


E. Rider
The image of herself in the forest faded as she stepped back into reality. "Yes, I'll come." she said getting up from the soft grass.


dddddddd
"I know I was not asked, but Reah can easily carry three. It would be faster than going on foot. I would let you two go alone, but I am the only one she will listen to." Ashleigh offered the pair. She was feeling much better, and Reah looked ready to be off again


On Par
Terrence peered dubiously at the black mare. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd been on a horse, and he was not particularly anxious to repeat the experience. "Err, maybe I'll walk, and, uh, find their trail."

QHRider
ooc: Hey zee, since barn-bum's not going to be on for a couple of weeks, do we want to go ahead and say that Laila's escaped or something so we can keep playing?

Also lol Terrence. I think Dragon scared him for life. XD


On Par
ooc: Yes, horses are unpredictable at both ends and crafty in the middle, you know. [Wink] And Terrence was going to come upon you two (three?) and wonder where Laila went. I suspect she's going undercover to plan something positively sinister. [Tongue]

Terrence walked quickly through the forest, with the girls and the horse close behind him. He could have picked out the trail of two running horses from horseback with one eye closed, but he assured Ashleigh that he could track better from the ground. The big black mare had given him a funny look.

dddddddd
Reah was quiet as she walked along. She watched Terrence. Reah knew that he could've tracked from her back easily. She also decided to have some fun with him if Ashleigh would allow it.

*
(I feel almost like I need to make a form for Reah, lol. She can talk, just so you guys know that for later. She is magic, thus her being 50 years old, lol)
*

Ashleigh didn't even hold on to Reah's long, black mane. She had seen that Ilene was more relaxed. Probably from not being locked in the castle all day. thought Ashleigh. I wonder how the others sre doing. It is nearly night now.

*ooc: I am taking the liberty of posting the time of day. If it needs to be earlier, just say so.


On Par
ooc: It was about two hours after dawn whenever Viserys went after Laila, but it can be whatever time it wants to be. [Tongue]

QHRider
Pfft, time is merely an illusion anyway! XD


E. Rider
Ilene reached her hand behind her back and gave Reah a gentle and kind pat. "She's beautiful." she said smiling at Ashleigh. "She seems so gentle."

ooc: Are Asheligh and Ilene riding double??


zeesgirl
ooc: Roger roger

After Laila had gone, Milo turned back to Viserys. The Dragonbourne heir looked like he was willing to hold off killing him, at least for now. Milo sheathed his dagger. "So now we hunt down the man who spared my life but supposedly has a rebellion loyal to you, eh?" He looked up. "Enzi, you can come down now."

A massive creature dropped from the tree limbs above, landing with a solid thump that shook the ground and caused a small torrent of leaves to rain down from the canopy of the forest. Milo recognized Enzi's griffin shape, one of her favorites for dangerous situations. The size of a small horse, with talons like scythes and huge wings curled in close to her body, she was a fearsome sight. Milo allowed himself a small smile. "You are a miserable failure at deadlines, my friend, but you intimidate very well."


(I just realized how often I've been making Milo say "eh". TIL that he spent his years of recovery in Canada. It explains why he's turning out a lot nicer than I had originally intended.)


QHRider
Dragon flattened his ears and backed away from the griffin, his eyes so wide that the whites were clearly visible. Viserys grabbed his reins before the pony decided to get the heck away. He grinned at Enzi. "Well that is handy, isn't it?" To Milo he added, "Seems like that would be the thing to do."



dddddddd
ooc:Yes, I guess.

"She is, when she wants to be. She has a mind of her own, for sure." Ashleigh did'nt go into the whole 'Reah is a magic horse that can talk' conversation. No one needed to know that yet seeing as Reah had many people in the kingdom looking for her. "She is a good horse."

E. Rider
Ilene smiled. "Ashleigh, do you mind if I walk? It's not very often I get to walk in a strange yet beautiful forset?" she dismounted and began walking stopping every now and then to pick a flower or observe an animal.


zeesgirl
Enzi cocked her head at the startled pony, then changed back into her normal human form and held out her palm to him to smell. "I'm very handy," she said to Viserys. "So I think my not-so-handy companion could forgive my missing a deadline or two."
She shot a sidelong glance at Milo, who scowled. "That was unnecessary," he said. "I just gave you a compliment."
"An underhanded one," she replied tartly.
"Oh, God." Milo turned back to Viserys. "Anyway. Where did the others from the castle get to?"


dddddddd
"No. Go on Ilene. You are a free person now." Ashleigh stopped Reah long enough for her to slide to the ground then begin to walk along through the forest.

"You are a good girl Reah." Ashleigh whispered to the horse."This time you have not talked."

"Not yet."the voice was very quiet, so as to limit chances at being heard. Reah turned her head around to look ar Ashleigh.

""Reah! Shh! They will hear you girl." Reah put her head back around, as Ashleigh quickly looked up. Good, it seemed Ilene and Terrence had not heard Reah.

ooc:you can have heard her if you want to have. It does not matter


On Par
Terrence narrowed his eyes; Ashleigh seemed to be talking to herself. He shrugged. He sang to everything, so she could talk to herself if she wanted to.
Just then, the young man heard voices ahead. "Haloo the camp," he called, not wanting to startle Viserys and Hook. It was obvious that Laila had bolted as soon as her horse had recovered from Terrence's arrow.


QHRider
Nostrils flaring, Dragon leaned closer. He sniffed Enzi's offered hand before relaxing. "They're not far," Viserys told Milo, stroking Dragon's neck. He wondered if the knew how lucky they were to have somebody. And then, hearing Terrence's call, added, "Apparently closer than I thought."


zeesgirl
"Hello the road," Enzi responded. They could hear movement in the brush, and then Terrence appeared, accompanied by the girl from the castle and a young woman on a horse that Milo didn't recognize. (and also Jaime? Idk)


QHRider
ooc: Jaime can be lost in a bush or something until Claire gets back, lol. XD


On Par
Terrence grinned at Hook and Enzi. He really like the impertinent changling and was thrilled that she was back. Puck jumped from his perch onto Terrence's good shoulder and licked his ear before jumping down. He nipped Duff's tail and then sprang away, panting happily.
Terrence chuckled at the fox's antics. He turned to Hook and Enzi. "Let me introduce Ashleigh," he said, gesturing at the tall girl who was still astride her horse. "Ashleigh, this is Enzi," he indicated the curly headed girl, "and Hook," he finished.
He noticed that Viserys looked a good deal more stressed than when he had galloped off on his head-taking mission, but he decided not to ask about it.


dddddddd
"Nice to meet you both." Ashley answered. She thought the man called Hook looked familiar, but she was not sure where she had seen him.

QHRider
Viserys decided to let Milo's identity stay a secret. At least for now. He looked at Ashleigh. She had known exactly who he was. "Lady Ashleigh, you wouldn't happen to know of an underground movement still loyal to me, would you?"


On Par
Terrence shuffled his feet and looked into the tree tops. Talking about the underground force made him nervous. The COR was hardly a noble force, and he wasn't sure even Viserys could transform them from a rambling mob into an army. He occupied himself watching Duff and Puck play chase through the trees, but kept a close ear on Ashleigh's conversation with the Dragonbourne.



CrazyHorseGirl1773
ooc: XDXDXD Oh my gosh. Poor Jaime! That made me laugh so hard though. I missed you guys. Jaime wants his pony back, he's gotten very attached to her.

Jaime wandered aimlessly through the woods. He wasn't exactly sure how he'd gotten lost, it was probably had something to do with all the magic flying around these days. "Bloody magic," He grumbled to himself, splashing across a stream that flowed into the nearby ocean. After stomping through the mud and underbrush for another few minutes, he found himself standing at the back gate to the city. It was a rarely used entrance, because it only led straight into the woods. He could slip into the city, retrieve his horse, and slip back out unnoticed. Within a few moments, he had climbed the gate and dropped down onto the ground on the opposite side. The city streets were just beginning to bustle and the crowds made it easy to pass through unseen. Jaime navigated the streets until he reached the stable that housed the people of the court's horses. Honor nickered to him when he entered. He flung the stall open and smiled at the mare, who shoved her head into his hands. He rubbed his hands over her eyes for a moment before quickly tacking her up and swinging up onto her back. He left the city as fast as he could, this time through the main gate. Jaime gave Honor her head, letting her run until they reached the forest. He found his horse, now he just needed to find his new companions.


dddddddd
"Yes, but at the moment, it is s mob group. It would be difficult to use them as an army on a short time frame. I know of a secret group nearby who are still loyal, and all of them are good warriors. We are near to their village now." Ashleigh decided to trust these people. She was leading them to her home now. Her family had not been into the city sice the Dragonbournes had lost power, instead relying on her and what could be found in the forest for their livelihood.

QHRider
Viserys nodded. "Will you take us to them?" he asked Ashleigh.


dddddddd
"Yes. I know them well, we will all be safe there." Ashleigh answered.


On Par
Terrence stared hard at the tall girl, studying the slant of her eyes and her ears. She's an elf, he realized with a start. He had stumbled onto an elven outpost several years ago, and had taken pains to avoid them ever since. The elves were decidedly non-human; they showed very little emotion and had stiff body langauge. Elves made Terrence very, very nervous.

The slight youth signaled to Puck and slipped away from the main group. He was sorry to leave Ilene, but was confident that Ashleigh would take care of her. Enzi caught his eye as he made his escape; it was hard to be unnoticed by creatures of magic.

When he was a good half-mile from the group, Puck met him. "Alright Puck," he said to the fox. "Let's find Jaime."


dddddddd
Ashleigh noticed Terrence leave. He had been studing her for the whole conversation. Ashleigh figured something was wrong, but didn't yet know what. She knew she was taking quite a risk by taking the group to her family's village, but it was a risk she was willing to take. They'll have to find out about me sooner or later, anyway. She thought. Although many people do not trust elves. At least I am only half elf. Maybe that will help.


E. Rider
Ilene just sort of stood there. She wished she knew what was going on so she could help and not feel so stupid. She sat on the grass and watched and smiled at Puck playing with the dog. She would like a fox one day. Maybe she'd have one, one day when she lived in the forest... She touched her head. The flower she picked and had put there was still there. She took it out of her hair. It was wilted now...its beauty had faded. She smelled it. It still smelled sweet. Several pedals had fallen off. She twirled it between her fingers as she continued to watch the fox play.

On Par
It was not particularly hard to find Jaime. As Terrence had suspected, the city watchman was traveling along the edge of the forest, reluctant to go all the way in and risk getting lost. Puck had picked up Honor's scent several hundred yards ago, now it was a matter of catching up to the two of them. The horse explained where Jaime had gone. Terrence didn't understand the strange attachment that his new friends seemed to have to the large animals.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime brought Honor to a stop and glanced around. How was he supposed to find them? They were probably in some God forsaken hole in the middle of the woods. Jaime had never been much of a tracker. He ran a hand through his blonde hair and turned Honor around.

On Par
Terrence quickened his pace and pushed through a particularly thick stand of tall bushes. He heard a rustling directly in front of him, and before he could stop his feet, the small youth found himself nose-to-nose with Jaime's palomino mare. Terrence screeched in surprise and jumped backward, tripping in the underbrush and landing flat on his back. "You were supposed to be going the other way," he groaned.

QHRider
Viserys swung onto Dragon's back. He assumed Terrence would rejoin them. "Then let's be off," he said.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime chuckled as Terrence went tumbling back into a bush. He dismounted and pulled the boy back to his feet. He should have known the lad would have found him before Jaime could find the group. "I assume you know where to find our new Dragonbourne friend?" He asked and flicked his hand at Honor, who had been pinning her ears at Terrence.


On Par
If Terrence could have, he'd have pinned his ears right back at the palomino horse. "I can tell you where to find them, but I'm not going with you," he said to Jaime, crossing his arms over his narrow chest. "That girl, remember? The one who rode out of the forest on a big black thing right before Laila showed up and shot her in the arm? She's an elf, and she's taking Viserys to the Oslion, the elf village. Hook is going too, and Enzi and Ilene. None of them know that Ashleigh is an elf." Terrence took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes at the watchman. "It's a day's walk through the forest to Osilon. You might could find it."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime frowned, he didn't trust elves. Elves didn't trust him. "Osilon. They aren't fond of me there." Jaime said, smirking a bit at the memory, "You aren't going?"

(I feel like Jaime has stirred up some kind of trouble with an elven girl in his past.)


zeesgirl
Milo nodded in agreement, adjusted the pack he wore on his back, and followed after the others.

(I just realized that Milo and Enzi were kind of traveling the country with no stuff whatsoever. So yeah. They have stuff now, lol.)


On Par
Terrence shook his head adamantly. "No." He hesitated. "I'm going back to the city. I need to find a few people." Terrence looked into Jaime's face. "What will you do? You may not be able to return to the watch."

(I feel like Jaime has stirred up some kind of trouble with an elven girl in his past.)

I feel like this is perfectly in line with Jaime's character. [Tongue]

*
Cellach rubbed his temples; reading and thinking gave him headaches, without fail. He left his desk and walked out of the door. The guards looked more alert this time. He signaled to two of them. "Attend me." The three of them walked toward the training grounds. In the wake of the assassination attempt, Cellach had put the entire castle guard on a rigorous training schedule. Something was brewing in the city, and he intended to be fully ready.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime gave a bitter smirk. "No. I won't be able to return." He sighed. "I can't say that I mind. It isn't what it used to be." He'd been just a boy when he joined, with a foolish outlook on knighthood and justice. There were no real knights, not like in the stories. They were just as greedy and dishonorable as any other man.

On Par
"Well, if you aren't going to Oslion, and you can't go back to the watch, you can come with me," Terrence offered. "I'm headed to meet with the COR," he said, speaking of the resistance group in Courtcliffe. "They'll want to know about Viserys and Laila. And the attempt on the king, if they haven't heard already."


dddddddd
Ashleigh allowed Reah to walk on. The sooner they got to Osilon the better. The group was all there, except Terrence and Jamie. Ashleigh turned slightly to look at the others.

"Come on. the village is this way." she said, seeing as none of them had began to follow her. Ashleigh could not wait to see her family again. She had not been home for three weeks.


QHRider
Viserys clucked to Dragon and the pony followed behind Ashleigh's larger mare.

dddddddd
Osilon was just a few hundred yards away now. When they rode into the village, elves were everywhere. Ashleigh hoped no one would say anything about it. She never turned. Ashleigh rode straight up to a house and slid off Reah's back.

"Kalikah? Are you home?" Ashleigh asked, going to the door.

"Ashleigh?! You are back. Who is everyone?"

"That I must tell you in secret."

"Come in, everyone." Kalikah answered, stepping aside.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime rubbed his chin, weighing his options. He could go to Oslion and get shot with arrows, or go back to Courtcliffe and most likely get his head chopped off by his own men. It wouldn't be a good idea for the boy to go alone, he needed someone who could handle themselves in a real fight. "Courtcliffe it is," Jaime said, swinging back up onto his mare.


E. Rider
Ilene just stood there. Terrence and Jaime were about to go who knows where and Ashleigh had disappeared into a house. She felt out of place.....once again she felt like a burden. She dropped the flower she had been holding and found herself walking into the town. It had been so long since she had been in a town. She must look horrible with her bruise on her head, a dirty and torn dress, and not to mention she probably had leaves in her hair from the tree.


On Par
"Alright then." Terrence rubbed his hands together and turned in the direction of the city. "I hope they let me explain about you before they kill the both of us," the slight youth said under his breath. Jaime was still wearing the uniform of the watch, complete with the pendant identifying him as head watchman.


E. Rider
Ilene reached into a pocket in her dress which was not noticiable to anyone who wasn't wearing the dress. She pulled out a small ammount of money and walked into a seamstress's shop. Maybe she could get a new dress. And maybe the person would let her wash up. She needed a bit of freshining up.


E. Rider
Ilene was fortunate enough for the seamstress shop owner to be a very kind woman. The woman was very old and nearly blind and Ilene wondered how she could sew in her condition. The woman gave Ilene something to eat, let her use her washtub for a bath, and let Ilene pick out a dress for free. The lady had told her that she had had a daughter around Ilene's age who had died a while ago and that Ilene resembled her daughter. Then the woman insisted she brush Ilene's dark brown curls. Ilene consented. "You look pretty as a picture!" the woman said when she was done. Ilene smiled, "Thank you for all of your help." Ilene tried to give her money but the woman gently pushed her hand away, "No...I won't take it. Tell your friends they may come and freshen up too. And please come back...I enjoyed your company." Ilene smiled said thank you and left. She felt so much better. The woman had practically pampered her and Ilene felt as though she was a queen with the lovely dress the woman had given her.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime noticed Terrence looking at him, and glanced down at his pendant. He removed it. "I probably won't be needing this anymore." He said, looking at the golden pin in his hand. He knew he wouldn't be able to return to the watch again, but he still put the pendant in his saddle bag.

On Par
"I suppose not," Terrence mused. He gave the watchman a lopsided smile, then turned eastward. "I am NOT marching through the front gates," he announced.

Cellach frowned as he approached the training grounds. His soldiers were even more inept than he had suspected. Two thirds of them had bellies that hung over their belts. The king felt his temper rising.


QHRider
Looking around, Viserys realized that there was something off about most people. What, he couldn't place. He slipped off of Dragon. "Don't go anywhere," he said, tethering the pony before following Ashleigh inside.


dddddddd
"Kalikah, are the Emerands here today?" Ashleigh asked, knowing the others followed her into the house.

"No. They will be gone for the next two weeks."
"Good. Kalikah, meet our rightful king. Viserys Dragonborne, and company."

Kalikah gasped, then bowed."Pleased to meet you, your highness."

ooc: This is strange, playing both people, lol!


QHRider
"The pleasure is mine, my lady." Viserys smiled, but did not return her bow. He wondered who the Emerands were and why it was good they weren't here, but filed the question away for later. "It is my understanding that the people of this village are still loyal to my family?"


dddddddd
"Yes, all but the Emerands. That is why it is good for everyone that they are not here."Kalikah answered.

"That is also why I did not introduce you outside." Ashleigh added.

"We are all willing to fight as well. That is, if you will have us as an army."

zeesgirl
Milo looked warily around the village as he realized that the people he saw were elves, not humans. He had passed through elven settlements before during his travels with Enzi, but he hadn't known there was one so close to Courtcliff. He filed silently into the small house behind Viserys. When Ashleigh introduced the Dragonbourne heir as the "rightful king," Milo noticed Enzi look at him, but he said nothing. If these people were so supportive of Viserys, they might not take kindly to Ailero's only son. Hopefully, Viserys wouldn't take advantage of this opportunity to eliminate a possible threat to the throne. If a village full of elves wanted him captured or dead, Milo guessed that there would be no escape even with the help of Enzi's griffin form.


QHRider
"It's a bit early for military action," Viserys said. "But I thank you for the offer." He didn't want to charge in with an army like some foreign invader. First he needed to win his people over, so they'd back him over Cellach.

E. Rider
Ilene, now clean and beautifully dressed walked a while until she came to the gate to the town. Dragon was tied there, he eyed her as he munched a clump of grass. She smiled and held out her hand for him to smell, "Hello, handsome..." she said as she began giving his face a massage while telling him what a fine horse he was. Ilene had a way with animals. She loved them, and they always seemed to love her in return.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime chuckled. Charging through the gate would be fun, but not the smartest idea. "What do you suggest then?"

dddddddd
"We do not mean that. We mean when and if you need us, we are willing to fight. If it does not take that, we will be very happy." Ashleigh said. She eyed Enzi and Hook. They looked a bit uncomfortable. She wondered if it had been something said, or if it was being in the presence of elves, but she wanted to find out.


On Par
"There's an easy way in near the castle's east wall," Terrence supplied. "It's close to where the COR meets, too, so we won't have to wander about the city."

E. Rider
Ilene continued to pet Dragon. Talking gently and saying sweet things all the while. He was a beautiful horse. She sat in the grass and Dragon blew in her hair. Ilene smiled and reached up to pet him.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Where exactly does this rebel group meet?" Jaime asked. It was amazing that no one in the watch had ever caught wind of the group.

On Par
Terrence gave Jaime an odd look. "Did the phrase "underground rebellion" never seem suspicious to you?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"This is the first I've heard of a rebellion," Jaime replied with a sharp look. "There's been rumors, but they've only just been rumors." He sincerely hoped that Terrence knew where this group was, and wasn't just going off rumors.


E. Rider
ooc: Dragon is at the entrance of the town right?? If not, he is now XD

Ilene scratched Dragon behind the ears. The horse closed his eyes, a sure sign that he was loving the attention. Ilene giggled. She thought for a moment. She wondered if Viserys would mind if she rode him for a while. Dragon seemed to like her. She bit her bottom lip, held onto the pony's blonde mane, and swung on. At the entrance town was a small field, Ilene turned him towards it and asked him to walk. "Goooood boy" she said softly. She leaned down and hugged Dragon around his neck. She asked the horse to canter and he cantered. Ilene laughed. His canter was wonderful. Her gently blew in the breeze and her hair was flying. "Whooooaah..." she gave the horse a heartfelt pat. "What a wonderful boy you are..." She leaned down to hug his neck. She hadn't realized how much she missed riding. How much she missed Fairest.


On Par
Terrence shrugged and resumed walking. Half an hour later, they came to the forest side of the city. Two hundred yards from the gate was a good sized canal, covered by a grate. Terrence waded through the water and climbed to the top of the grate. There, he pushed a hidden switch in the wall. He climbed down again and pushed the grate open like a large, awkward gate. "I presume your horse will go through water," he said to Jaime, indicating the four foot deep canal.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"She will," Jaime said, dismounting. "But best leave her here anyways." He unbuckled his belt that held his sword and dagger from his waist and followed Terrence into the water, holding it up to keep it dry.


On Par
Terrence shrugged again. The closer they got to the COR, the more nervous he became. He waded another 200 feet, thankful for the short wall on both sides of the canal to hide them from curious eyes. He found another grate similar to the first, and repeated the procedure to open it. Instead of an open canal, this was a tunnel. He gave a last look outside, then ducked into the darkness.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime followed Terrence in silence, quieting his foot steps when they entered the tunnel. The strange man seemed to be getting more and more nervous with every step they took.


On Par
"Grab my belt so you don't get lost," Terrence said, trailing one hand on the side of the wall and putting the other in front of him. He turned into another tunnel, then skipped over one connecting tunnel and turned to the next one. He felt around for the door he knew was there and knocked three times.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime re-buckled his own belt onto his waist before doing as Terrence instructed. He let go when Terrence knocked on what he assumed was a door. This was it. He put one hand on the hilt of his sword, just in case.


On Par
"Don't do anything stupid," Terrence said hoarsely.
The door opened from the inside, revealing a dimly lit room. Three large men were seated around a table in heated discussion. A thin man peered around the door at Terrence and Jaime.
"Hey look," he called to the others. "It's our spy. You've been rather absent lately, haven't you?"
Terrence fidgeted uneasily, not sure how to answer. "There's, ah, been some big things happening recently. I thought you all would want to know." He stepped through the door into the room, followed by Jaime. The thin man closed the door and bolted it.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime rolled his eyes at Terrence. He wasn't that stupid. He understood the boy's worry to a point, Jaime wasn't considered the most trustworthy person in Courtcliffe. It was ridiculous really, he rarely was given the benefit of the doubt. When something went wrong? Why, let's blame Jaime Tallhart. He gave an irritable sigh just before the door opened. He watched the exchange between Terrence and the man who had opened the door curiously. So the boy had been spying for this resistance. Jaime followed him in, tensing slightly when the door was closed. There were three other men in the room, excluding the thin man who had greeted them, all at least Jaime's height and close to twice as wide.

(Jaime's such a whiner. )

On Par
That's ok, lol. Terrence is a wimp.
PS: I don't really want to type out a whole exchange, so if you had anything in mind that you wanted to do, go ahead, because I'm about to jump time ahead a half hour so I can skip a conversation. [BigGrin]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Just skipping them explaining all the events that have occured? I'm good with that.


On Par
^Yeppers.
*
Forty-five minutes later, Terrence closed his mouth and looked into the faces of the big men. He could see them mulling his story over. They had already known about the assassination attempt - Terrence wasn't their only spy, afterall - but the news about Laila and Viserys was news to them. Terrence had mentioned Hook, but left Enzi and Ilene out of the story. Jaime had volunteered some information a few times, but he mostly let Terrence talk.

Finally, Halbert pushed back from the table and sighed. "This could complicate things a lot, or it could give us just the right push. This is a delicate and dangerous game," he said. "Where is the Dragonbourne now?"

"With the elves," Terrence answered. "They have a city a day's walk from here. Supposedly, the fair folk are still loyal to the dragon."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"This is a delicate and dangerous game," One of the men said.
"The game of thrones always is," Jaime replied quietly.
"Where is the Dragonbourne now?" The same man spoke again. Terrence replied, "With the elves."
Bloody elves. Jaime looked from Terrence to the other man. "Shall we join them in Oslion then? It wouldn't be a bad idea to have the elves on our side." As much as he mistrusted them, the fair folk could prove to be powerful allies.

(I'm sorry. I just couldn't help myself with that game of thrones comment. XD Also, which one is Halbert? The skinny one?)

On Par
I was thinking one of the big ones. [Smile]
*
Terrence gulped at the mention of joining the elves. "I think," he said slowly, "we should try to avoid an actual war. Should Viserys prove to be a worthy candidate for the throne, isn't there a way he can assume power without a war?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"It is doubtful we will be able to overthrow Cellach without violence. They are few, but he does have loyal followers," Jaime said. He'd already seen one turn of the throne, he knew they didn't go bloodless. "All of this assuming that Viserys isn't as mad as his father."


On Par
Terrence looked glumly at the floor. He didn't know anything about politics or wars - he hadn't even joined this rebellion on purpose. "Do you have anything to eat?" he asked, changing the subject. It was getting close to dinner time and he hadn't eaten since breakfast.


E. Rider
Ilene gently scratched Dragon's whithers. "Viserys is lucky to have such a wonderful pony..." she said leaning to whisper in the Ponys ears. She sat there on his back and fumbled with his mane, braiding it carefully and softly talking to him all the while.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked around the room again, two of the larger men were still seated, the one they had spoken with stood, as did the thin man who had answered the door. "There are more of you, correct?"

On Par
Halbert chuckled at Jaime's suspicion. One of the other men grunted and said, "These kind of quiet organizations don't feed men, you know. There are plenty of others we can count on to fight when it's time, but they aren't soldiers."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime shook his head. "No army? How do you expect to win this war?" And he fulled expected this to become a war. He wished it could be avoided, but he couldn't imagine it being solved any other way.

On Par
The large man eyed Jaime. "I said they weren't soldiers. I didn't say they wouldn't fight. Well over half the town is fed up with Cellach's regime, and that castle isn't self-sustaining."

Halbert spoke up. "Over the last few months, the leaders of the COR have worked out several possible plans of attack, ranging from assassination to seige to frontal assault. We haven't proceeded yet, however, because we have no man to put on the throne after Cellach is dead. With the news of the Dragonbourne, plus the former head watchman on our side, I feel confident that we can overthrow the king."

The third man, who had remained silent since Terrence and Jaime had entered, stood up abruptly and said angrily, "The last Dragonbourne was just a crazy as Cellach. I won't see another on the throne!" He turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime raised his eyebrows as the third man threw a tantrum and ran out. "Charming." He turned back to Terrence. "We should find Viserys, he should hear these plans. It would also give him a chance to prove that he isn't mad." Jaime said, looking towards the door that had just been slammed. He still had his doubts, but there was no backing out now.

(What does COR stand for?)

On Par
Council of Resistance. Because I'm clever and original like that. [Cool]
*
Terrence sighed. He really, really, really didn't like the elves. Terrence was an excellent tracker and an even better woodsman, but he was still doubtful about his chances of sneaking into an elven city. He turned to Halbert. "I suppose you don't have any ambassadors in the COR, eh?"
The large man chuckled and slapped Terrence on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Don't be silly, young'un. We'll get you some vittles for the go and you two will make great ambassadors." He rubbed his goatee. "If the Dragonbourne isn't mad, the elves will make excellent allies. If he is mad, they will be formiddable enemies."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime laughed. He'd never been an ambassador before. "You're letting the importance of an alliance rest on the shoulders of a man you've just met and a..." He glanced Terrence up and down, "Terrence."

(Does anyone know where QH has run off to? I haven't heard from her since Thursday.)


On Par
Yeah, I dunno. Her last login was Friday, I think. Tsk, tsk. PS; I'm back to writing novels again. [Smile]
*
Halbert left the room and returned ten minutes later with two haversacks. He placed them on the table in front of Terrence and Jaime and sat down. Leaning forward, he looked Terrence in the eye. "The elves will be an important asset. Don't let your personal feelings get in the way." He glanced toward the door the outraged man had departed from, then said softly, "Ivor was Cellach's second in comand, and Cellach double-crossed him. He feels as though he has a right to the throne."

Terrence nodded and stood to leave. He hoisted one of the sacks onto his shoulder. The second man hadn't moved from his seat since Terrence and Jaime had first entered. Now, he put both hands on the table and said, "The man you call Hook; you don't know why he came to the city?"


E. Rider
Ilene gently scratched Dragon's whithers. "Viserys is lucky to have such a wonderful pony..." she said leaning to whisper in the Ponys ears. She sat there on his back and fumbled with his mane, braiding it carefully and softly talking to him all the while.

QHRider
Sorry guys; I was away from the internet visiting a friend over the weekend!


zeesgirl
Milo returned Ashleigh's stare evenly. "Do you know of others who would fight the king?" he asked. "Other villages, or people in Courtcliff?"


dddddddd
"I do not spend a lot of time in town. I think that Terrence and Jamie may be the ones to know about other forces. They are in town more than I am. That is, if we find them soon, or they find us." Ashleigh frowned. Hook was a bit too interested in the other groups. The nagging feeling that she knew him from somewhere was still there. She would not trust him or Enzi just yet. They must all prove themselves.

*

ooc: sorry I was gone all day. Babbysitting five three year olds all day, lol. Literally.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime shook his head. "No. He's been very secretive, seems suspicious to me." He tilted his head, curiously. "Why do you ask?"

(I was proof reading this post and realized I wrote "seductive" instead of "secretive." Ohohoho, Jaime thinks Milo is very sexy. XD))


QHRider
"I'm sure they'll find us," Viserys said. "In the mean time, I plan on taking a nap." And, finding a quiet corner, he did just that.

ooc: Viserys' priorities are excellent.


On Par
The big man was still looking at his hands. "I met someone once. Someone with only one hand." He looked up, abruptly changing the subject. "I used to be a castle guard, too, you know," he said to Jaime. "There's several of us in the COR with good knowledge of how the castle schedules and all work. I think we have a good insider advantage."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime raised an eyebrow at the man, was he implying he'd met Hook before? Jaime chose to ignore it, saying, "The COR isn't the only one with people on the inside. Cellach has his own rats everywhere."


On Par
"Aye," he acknowledged. "But unlike the castle, we don't have co-ordinated movements, guards, or anything particularly organized on a schedule. Yet. Plus, we'll be on the offensive. We have the opportunity to start this war exactly the way we want."
Terrence frowned. He didn't like talking about an impending war. He shifted his haversack impatiently. Jaime hadn't even picked his sack up off the table.

PS: This guy needs a name, and I'm fresh out. [Tongue]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Robert?)

"I think you underestimate our king," Jaime said, narrowing his eyes. He glanced over at Terrence, who was fidgeting nervously. "Anyway." He picked the remaining sack off the table and tossed it nonchalantly over his shoulder. "We should be going." He gave Terrence a nudge towards the door.


dddddddd
"Kalikah, can we stay here for the night?" Ashleigh asked her friend.

"Yes."

"Thank you." Ashleigh said to Kalikah. Then, turning to the others, continued her thought."Go on and get settled. I will be back. I am going to find Ilene." With that, Ashleigh walked out the door, leaving the others with her friend.

ooc: since you are now staying at this house, do I need to fill out a form for Kalikah, or am I good? Kinda forced you guys to stay here, lol [BigGrin]


QHRider
Nah, you're good unless you really want to fill one out.

Oh and before Viserys falls asleep he's polite and thanks Kalikah for letting them stay ect.

On Par
Shucks, Robert works for me. [Tongue]
*
"Perhaps," Robert mused, still staring at his hands.
Terrence walked toward the door, followed closely by Jaime. The two of them walked into the dark tunnel. The thin man closed the door behind them, and they heard the bolt slide into place. Terrence sighed and placed one hand on the wall and the other in front of him. He waited for Jaime to grab his belt before he felt his way back to the canal and into the forest.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime placed a hand on Terrence's shoulder and followed him through the blackness until they reached the canal. They waded back through it to where Honor was waiting at the opening. She nickered to Jaime as they approached. "We should ride," He said, helping Terrence push open the gate to the forest.

On Par
Terrence groaned at Jaime's suggestion. "Maybe I'll take you up on that later, but for now, I'll run. You can ride that bouncy thing." Puck materialized from the forest and joined them. Terrence grinned, happy to have the fox's company. "Ready?" he asked Jaime, who had just mounted. Without waiting for a reply, he took off at a brisk trot.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime pushed Honor up to a trot to catch up with Terrence. "You're going to run all the way to Oslion?" Jaime asked, chuckling a bit.


On Par
"Don't talk to me, I'm trying to run," Terrence said, ignoring Jaime's playful question. Despite his small size, the small man had excellent endurance and could keep at a fast jog for several hours. Terrence wasn't sure he'd make it all the way to Osilon, though.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
That made Jaime grin. Now he had something to entertain him until they got to Osilon. "I don't think you'll make it. You're awfully small," Jaime replied, feigning innocence.

(Jaime says, "Trollololol.")

On Par
Terrence stopped in place, deliberately causing Honor to spook to a standstill. "You're right!" he exclaimed. He tossed his pack at Jaime's stomach. "You should probably carry both of these, since you're bigger." He took off at a faster trot. Jaime was still picking himself off the front of his saddle. Terrence laughed. "Come on, slowpoke!"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime threw back his head and laughed. This time he kicked Honor into a canter, quickly overtaking Terrence. He slowed to a trot until Terrence caught up. Jaime glanced down at his companion, he was quite small and thin. Young. "How old are you? Twelve?" He was teasing, but Terrence couldn't have been much older than that.


On Par
Terrence tried to scowl, but he kept grinning instead. "Watch it, mister, or I'm going to knock you off that horse and make you walk," he joked to the much larger man. "If you must know, I'm not exactly sure. But I'm at least a little older than twenty." He kept jogging, watching Jaime's face closely.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime raised his eye brows slightly. Not only surprised by the fact that Terrence was over twenty, but also because he wasn't completely sure how much older than twenty he was. "You don't know?"

zeesgirl
"Thank you for your hospitality," Milo said quietly. He glanced back out the door, where Duff was sitting patiently at the threshold of the house. "May my dog come in?"

dddddddd
"Of course. Any friends of Ashleigh's are friends of mine, and as much as Ashleigh loves animals, I am sure she like your dog." Kalikah answered.

*

Ashleigh had ridden through town looking for Ilene, but then realized Ilene was not there. She rodetowards the gate, then realized Ilene wasn't the only one missing. Dragon was no longer tied to the small tree at the entrance of town. Ashleigh rode out to the clearing a few yards away, where she found Ilene happily riding Dragon and braiding his mane.


On Par
Terrence shrugged. "Every year is pretty much the same, so they all kind of run together. I didn't even hear that the old king was overthrown until several months after it happened." He jumped over a small stream and altered his course a bit. "I lived alone for a while before I came to Courtcliffe. That's when I lost track."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked at him strangely. He couldn't imagine losing track of what year it was, so many things happened in a year. Battles, deaths, marriages, they made keeping them separate easy. Jaime was usually glad to see a year go. Courtcliffe had never been the most wholesome of places, most folks were lucky to see the passing of another year alive. "Where were you living?" Jaime asked. How Terrence could lose count of the years while living in a town, even alone, baffled him.


E. Rider
Ilene realized Ashleigh was watching. She sat up and smiled. "Oh..hello!" she smiled. Still riding Dragon, she walked him over to Ashleigh, "Oh he's wonderful! He's so much like my horse Fairest..." she leaned to scratch the horse behind his ears. Her eyes sparkled with excitement and happiness. She hugged Dragon's neck, "He's wonderful...." She sat up again and gave him a pat. "So, where have you been?"


zeesgirl
Milo nodded in thanks and whistled softly. Duff trotted into the house. Milo settled into a sitting position, facing the doorway with his back against the wall. He patted the floor next to him and the old black dog curled into a ball at his side. He scratched her ears.

“You have any food?” Enzi asked him, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Milo tossed his pack at her. As she quickly found their meager supply of food, he scanned the room. Milo didn’t entirely trust Viserys or any of the elves, but it seemed safe enough here, at least for long enough to catch up on some sleep. He turned his attention to his aching right arm and began the tedious process of using his left hand to unlace the cuff that held the hook to his arm. He had to keep the cuff tight if he was to have any ability to lift or pull things, but it left his arm painful and sore if he wore the hook for more than a day at a time. At this point, he had been wearing it for nearly two days and nights.


On Par
Terrence sighed and looked at the forest canopy, thinking. "I suppose," he said slowly, "I was living about ten leagues outside of Springshore. I'm not sure how long that was. Several winters. I came to Courtcliffe after that."
As he jogged, he reached into his waistpouch and pulled out a clump of his medicinal plant. He spit on it and worked it into a clay-ish consistency before plastering it on his wounded shoulder.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked down at Terrence, who was tending his injured shoulder while still jogging. "Are you sure you don't want to ride? It would be less wear and tear on that shoulder," Jaime asked. He didn't really care about Terrence's shoulder, he just wanted to pick up the pace a bit. At this rate it would be dark before they got to Osilon.

On Par
ooc: Did you want to canter all the way there? [Tongue]

Terrence shrugged off Jaime's offer. He didn't like horses. "Nah," he said. "We're a little less than an hour away now." The throb in his shoulder was down to a dull ache now, so he increased the length of his strides. Puck loped on Terrence's other side; opposite Jaime and Honor.


dddddddd
"We were at my friend Kalikah's house. We are staying there for now." Ashleigh answered, thinking. "Where is Fairest now?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Jaime is just impatient. And rude.)

Jaime narrowed his eyes at the fox that seemed to follow Terrence everywhere. He hadn't paid much attention to it before, but seeing as there was nothing else interesting going on he was curious. "How did you come by a fox?"


On Par
"He's not mine," Terrence replied. "But I like him a lot, and he likes me too. I call him Puck. He just....found me one day. One winter, actually." He watched the fox lope along. Puck seemed to know that they were talking about him. He yipped happily and added some extra spring to his stride.

QHRider
ooc: I feel like writing a dream sequence. It's not a real fantasy if nobody has a cool dream.

In his dream, Viserys' older brother Rhaegar was still alive, tall and strong in his armor, like a hero from a story.
"Don't go," Viserys said, tugging on Rhaegar's cape. His brother turned and knelt down.
"I have to, Vis. I'll come back. I promise. But you have to be brave now, alright? Father and Mother need you to look after them while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?"
Viserys nodded. "I will." And he'd watched his big brother ride way, trying not to cry. In the dream he knew what he hadn't known then. Rhaegar broke his promise.
The dream changed, and it was his father standing over him, the last time they ever saw each other. "Burn them all," his father said, and then he was screaming it, just as he'd done when they'd found out Rhaegar was dead.
Viserys sat up, panting, this father's voice still ringing in his head. Leaning forward, Viserys held his head in his hands.
Burn them all.

[steph]

(76-85)

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched the fox in silence for a few moments. He looked up at the sky, the sun was going to begin setting any minute. "We have to be close now." He said, and was assured of his statement when forest gave way to a large field. There were two riders out in the middle, he recognized Viserys' pony. As they got closer, he saw that the rider was Ilene, she was with the woman they'd met in the forest, Ashleigh. He grinned, at least they wouldn't have to walk into Osilon unexplained.


dddddddd
Ashleigh looked up quickly, even though she had heard a rider a while ago. It was Terrence and Jamie. So they did find us. Ashleigh thought, swinging Reah around to face the two. Since when did he have a horse? Well, maybe that's where he went when he dissapeared. And why in the world did Terrence run all the way here?

"Hello again. Good timing. We were just getting ready to ride back to Oslion. The gates are locked at dusk, so we had better hurry now." Ashleigh said, watching the surrounding people's faces. Ilene looked fine, but Terrence looked nervous and Jamie had a blank look that she could not read. She turned Reah towards Oslion, picking up a trot.

"Well, are you guys coming?"



On Par
Terrence absently folded his arms over his chest. He recognized Ilene and Ashleigh immediately, and they quickly recognized he and Jaime as well. Terrence jerked one hand in a half wave as he walked toward the elf village. He noticed that Puck hadn't entered the clearing with them. That made him feel a bit more comfortable, as if he had a backup man. He felt his tension ease a bit at the thought.


E. Rider
Ilene sighed. "He was taken from me. The Royal Army was short on good healthy horses. Fairest is a gypsy vanner, so he's strong and beautiful, and so powerful. I miss him so much.." Ilene's eyes watered.."He was my father's horse." Ilene looked up to see Jaime and Terrence in the distance. She smiled and waved.

On Par
"Uh, sure," Terrence said awkwardly. He picked up an easy lope and kept pace with the three riders.


zeesgirl
Milo opened his eyes when Viserys woke suddenly, breathing hard. The Dragonbourne prince looked even paler than usual. Nightmares, Milo assumed. He was familiar enough with those. He sighed, tucked his right wrist more comfortably under his left arm, and shut his eyes again. Sleep continued to elude him, even though he knew he needed it. His arm was aching, and worse, so was his hand, the hand he didn't have. The doctor who'd nursed him back to health had said that such phantom pains were common among amputees. It had been more than three years since Milo lost his hand, but they still haunted him.

Duff noticed him stir and rose stiffly to her feet. She leaned into him for a moment, and then wandered over to where Viserys was sitting in the corner, still uneasy. Duff sniffed him and then settled onto the floor at his side, not quite touching him.


E. Rider
Ilene gave Dragon a pat. She watched as Terrence and Jaime rode up. The wind blew a strand of hair into her face and she tucked it back behind her ear.


dddddddd
"Ilene, Kalikah found a horse in the woods the other day. He was injured, and had the Royal brand on him. Maybe you should take a look." Ashleigh said, hoping for Ilene's sake that the horse that had been found really was Fairest.


E. Rider
Ilene turned quickly to Ashleigh, eyes wide, "Do you know what it looks like? The breed? Anything?"

QHRider
Duff's soft breath brought Viserys back to the present. He smiled at the dog. "Hey you," he said, reaching over to stroke her a few times. He didn't want to bother Duff, so he let her be, hoping she had decided to stay with him. He lay back down, not sure if he wanted to go back to sleep or not.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
A smirk slipped onto Jaime's face as they approached the village. Depending on if a certain family still lived there, this could stir up trouble for him. He didn't give much thought to it, he wasn't sorry for what he'd done.
He looked over at the ladies riding next to him. It was quite obvious now that Terrence had pointed it out that Ashleigh was at least part elf. She had the elegant features that the fair folk were so well known for.

E. Rider
Ilene gave Dragon another pat and sighed. "I suppose I should get off of him now..." she dismounted and stood next to the pony with the now braided mane. She felt sort of guilty for riding someone else's horse without asking. She led Dragon back to where Viserys had had him tied and returned to the group horseless. She was the only one without a horse to ride. But she didn't mind. She liked walking just fine.


dddddddd
"He is black and white, and nearly as big as Reah. Very handsome." Ashleigh answered."Do you want to ride? Reah doesn't mind. I feel like walking for a while anyway." Ashleigh continued, swinging off Reah's back.


On Par
ooc: I have a silly question, DD. Does Reah wear tack? I keep imagining her without it, but that would definitely stir up questions, lol.
PS: Terrence doesn't have a horse either.
*
Terrence admired the craftmanship of the gates as they passed through. The gates were new, he noted, as the city hadn't had gates the last time he'd been here. Even though he didn't trust elves, he did appreciate their love for the forest and reluctance to destroy. Everything about the elf village looked natural, almost as if it could have grown there.
The two elf gatekeepers noticed the newcomers. He saw recognition in their eyes when they saw him, and he was surprised to see that they knew Jaime as well. Their elegant eyes narrowed at Terrence and Jaime, and they began talking quietly.
Terrence walked a little faster, hoping they would get inside soon. It was nearly dark, and he didn't want to be outside in the elf village.


dddddddd
ooc: No, Reah is a...Special...horse, lol!

*

Ashleigh smiled at the gaurds and kept on walking. They would make it into town just in time. Ashleigh wondered how well this would go over, her bringing another human to Oslion. Honestly, Ashleigh did not care as much as she should. If they were really against humans, I would have been kicked out ages ago. She had to wonder if it was one particular human. She glanced at Jamie. He kept his eyes straight ahead and said nothing. Time will tell.


On Par
Terrence walked close to Honor's shoulder; he didn't want to get too far away from Jaime. Suddenly, the broad watchman felt like the only person in the world that Terrence trusted at all. He looked at Ashleigh. "Where are Viserys and Hook?"


dddddddd
"They are at my friend Kalikah's house. She has agreed to let us stay there." Ashleigh answered, looking over her shoulder at Terrence. "We will be much safer there than in the woods."

*

ooc: I'm making Terrence stay with the elves, lol! [Tongue]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime grinned devilishly as they entered the village. He glanced down at Terrence, who looked like he was about to jump out of his skin. He was also noticeably closer to Honor's shoulder, that just made Jaime's smirk widen.

E. Rider
Ilene gave Dragon a last pat and followed the group into the village.

On Par
"So you say," Terrence muttered, not convinced. Jaime didn't appear to be too reserved, but then again, he could fight his way out of the city if he needed to. They were approaching a medium-sized dwelling; Terrence assumed it was the one Ashleigh had mentioned.

dddddddd
"Even now there are people trailing us. They will soon reach the woods. So yes, we are safer with friends than with enimies." Ashleigh answered, her tone sharper than she had meant it to be. "I have known Kalikah my entire life. She will do you no harm."


On Par
"That depends entirely on who your friends are, and who is doing the following," Terrence replied stubbornly. He raised his eyebrows. "Why is anyone following you, and who are they? No one followed Jaime and I from the city; Puck would have found them."


dddddddd
"They are not following me. They are following Reah. And they are men the king has hired. They are willing to kill anyone in thier path. We-I- take a risk every time anyone sees Reah."Ashleigh answered. "I don't want you all to be in thier way. They will kill. They already have."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime kept his eyes on the house they were approaching as he said, "Men the king hired? They are probably my-- men of the City Watch." He looked down at Ashleigh. "They aren't the only ones who can use a sword."


On Par
Terrence stopped in his tracks and stared the elf maid in the eyes. "The horse?" he said disbelievingly. "You would endanger not only us, but your entire city and race because of a horse?" He was almost yelling now. "Whose side are you on? You lead the king's men to your own doorstep, where you've so conveniently brought a rival heir to the throne and his turncoat head watchman." He quieted his voice. "None of this speaks well for you, elf."
He felt a wide range of emotions from Jaime, and surprise from inside the house - he assumed Viserys and Hook had heard his outburst. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide his trembling.

Ooc: Watch out everybody, fairy-boy just snapped. [Tongue]

QHRider
Terrance's shouting made Viserys sit up again. He carefully stepped around Duff and went to the door to listen, crossing his arms over his chest.

On Par
Terrence paced back and forth, too nervous and afraid to stand still.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"To think the king would waste good men on something as trivial as a horse," Jaime said, a hint of disgust coloring his tone. After getting over the initial shock of Terrence's outburst, he swung off of Honor, and put a hand on his strange friend's shoulder to steady him. "Relax. If we are being tailed, we need to remain as discreet as possible. That means being quiet, and holding still." Discretion had never been Jaime's style, but he supposed it would calm Terrence more then jumping into battle.


On Par
Terrence clenched his jaw and stared at the ground, trying to regain his composure. Jaime was right; he needed to keep calm. He turned to the watchman and asked, "Are the watchmen in the forest good trackers? Will they follow us here?"
Terrence was beginning to hatch a plan to lead the trackers away from Osilon, but he need some information from Jaime first.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"It depends on which men are in the forest," Jaime said. "If this beast is that important to the king then I imagine he sent the best we have. A good tracker, but he's got more confidence in his abilities than he should." Terrence had a look on his face that said he was planning something. Jaime liked that look.

On Par
Terrence nodded slowly, a smile spreading across his face. He looked at Jaime mischeviously. "You want to have some fun?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(What kind of a question is that? XD)

Jaime matched Terrence's mischievous grin. "What are you thinking?"


On Par
[BigGrin]

"Let's go," Terrence said. "I'll tell you on the way."
He looked at Ashleigh. "While we're gone, you can explain to Viserys what you mean by leading the king's men straight to him."
With that, he and Jaime, minus Honor, climbed over the gates and re-entered the forest.
"Here's the plan," he told the larger man. "While we erase the tracks from here to a half-mile in, Puck will locate the men. We'll just lay down new tracks in a nice big circle and they can chase their tails for a little while."


dddddddd
"Reah is a magic horse. She can speak. She was who found you in the woods. I was just along for the ride. Reah protected me for a long time. And the king is after me, but only because he knows I am elvish. That is why I am protecting Reah. She has protected me. The king wants me dead." Ashleigh took a breath, upset that she had had to share this information. Obviously Terrance and most likely Jamie had already known her lineage. "Reah is like a freak show to them. Their entertainment, The king thinks I know too much. I saw a lot while I was working in the castle, but one day I saw too much."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(^Jaime and Terrence are already out in the forest.)

"Brilliant," Jaime said, "But how do we replicate hoof prints?" He was no tracker, so maybe there was a trick to it.


dddddddd
(I know Jamie and Terrence are gone, Ashleigh is just really mad and about to snap, lol)


On Par
Terrence paused from wiping out tracks to pull a flat stone from his waist pouch. He had fashioned a clay handle to the top of it, and used clay on the bottom to mold it into a hoof print. "I found it in a stream and thought it would come in handy," he said in response to Jaime's confusion. "And it will." He smiled. Jaime was good at clearing tracks, and Terrence was glad to have him along.
He also hoped that the large man could climb a tree fast in case things went awry. Or, Terrence mused, he could just fight off the search party.
The youth let Jaime finish wiping out the tracks as he studied the depth and distance of Reah's prints.


QHRider
(Viserys is still there though!)

"What did you see?" Viserys asked Ashleigh, voice low.

zeesgirl
At the sound of agitated voices outside, Milo rose quickly to his feet, nudging Enzi awake as he did so. He followed Viserys to the doorway in time to hear Ashleigh say that the King's men were tracking her horse. "So Terrence and Jaime have gone to lure them off?" Milo asked.
"Why would they do that?" Enzi interrupted before Ashleigh could answer. "I can take care of this much more easily. Just show me the horse they're tracking."

(is Reah still with Ashleigh?


On Par
Terrence had carefully made some test prints in the soft dirt. Satisfied with their appearance, he signaled to Jaime and the two of them began making Reah's tracks lead in the direction Terrence wanted.
They had gone only about twenty feet when Terrence heard a horse coming. He looked up, puzzled, and saw a black horse coming from Oslion. It looked a lot like Reah, but the eyes and facial structure were different. Terrence chuckled. "Well that makes things a bit easier, doesn't it, changling?"
He began explaining his plan to Enzi. "There's a very convenient bog that we can have Reah go into, since you can shift into something else and get out of it safely," he finished. "This should do the trick."

dddddddd
^ooc: great idea, btw. Yes, Reah was still there.

"What I saw could prove the king guilty of murdering his wife." Ashleigh said. "He obviously doesn't want that information getting out. It would cause a riot so large that a war would soon follow, most likely ending in his death."

Ashleigh had not know who to tell this when she had found out. She had been in the training room of the castle, as she always was, but didnt have enough tie to get out. She tried to slip out unnoticed while the king was talking, but his gaurd had seen her, and she had already heard the entire story.

"So that is why he wants me dead. The princess also wanted me the same day to tell her all I knew of you, Viserys. She threatened to kill me when I wouldn't, and that is when I found you in the woods."

QHRider
Viserys raised his eyebrows. And people though his father was crazy. "Well thank you for that, though she found out anyway."

dddddddd
"I was not going to tell her anything, even if she had killed me. Some things are worth more to me than life. Loyalty being one of them."


QHRider
Viserys smiled. "Then you are a remarkable person." For having accidentally met most of his allies, he was turning out to be incredibly lucky. Mostly, anyway.

dddddddd
"I am who I am. I will not change for someone. Most people do not understand me. But I guess that is okay." Ashleigh looked up at the people around her. She did not care nearly as much as she should what they thought of her, but that came from years of shunning my many people. Finally she had seemed to find some allies.


On Par
As Terrence and Jaime were dicussing how best to go about their plans, Puck came trotting out of the forest nonchalantly. He sat down near Terrence with a diffident expression. "Ah, good," Terrence said, seeing the fox. "The trackers are not close enough to cause us any worry."

ooc: I figure horses can't speak english very well with that fat tongue of theirs, so that's why I didn't include Enzi in the conversation.


zeesgirl
ooc: Just a friendly reminder, let's each only rp with our own characters. I mean, a nod or gesture here and there for someone else is no big deal, but in the future, let's keep it at that. [Smile]

Milo scowled as Enzi took a good look at Reah and then sprinted away without another word. He looked back at Ashleigh and Viserys. "I agree, your honesty is admirable, but you are mistaken. The king did not murder the queen."


Enzi nodded her head when Terrence explained what he wanted her to do, then stood silently while he and Jaime discussed further details. These people had too many plans. They were just like Milo, who liked to study every detail of a situation before he ever acted. Enzi didn't like plans. They involved far too much waiting, and she preferred action over waiting. She pawed impatiently when Terrence announced that the trackers were still a good distance off.


QHRider
"You know that for sure?" Viserys couldn't remember exactly when the queen had died, or if Milo had been exiled before or after her death. To be perfectly honest, none of it really mattered to him.


On Par
Sorry. *slaps wrist* I'll work on it.

Terrence stood and turned to Enzi, who was pawing impatiently. He had specific places in the forest where he and Jaime would have made tracks, but now....he scowled. Unless Enzi knew the forest better than he did, it meant he would have to ride on her back, as he knew he couldn't keep up, and he didn't want to leave footprints anyway. Changelings tended to be mischevious, and Terrence thought normal horses were dangerous enough.
He explained his thoughts to Enzi and Jaime.

ooc: Or, solution 3, she can follow Puck. Whatever. [Smile]

dddddddd
"I heard him say something about having his gaurd poison the queen. I did not hear all of the conversation, but if he really had nothing to do with the queen's death, why would he want to kill me? I figure you know him better than I do...Milo." Ashleigh said, finally revealing that she knew who 'Hook' really was. She had realized it while she was looking for Ilene earlier.


On Par
Cellach paced his chamber. He had discovered the identity of the would-be assassin, doubled his body guards, and put the entire castle guard on a new training schedule. There was only one thing left to do, and that was to find out how his daughter had poisoned the chamber. He sat at his desk and pressed his fingers together. His brow furrowed in thought.


E. Rider
Ilene was feeling tired. But she continued to wander wherever the group went. Following them like a sleepy puppy trying to keep up with its master. But it felt nice to be in clean clothes. She was very greatful for the kind woman who helped her. When things were normal, she'd have the lady sent many wonderful gifts.


zeesgirl
No worries-- we had the same general idea. I was going to do it a bit differently, but this works just as well.


ooc: @ashleigh: Did Milo and Ashleigh know each other at all before he was exiled? I don't mind either way, but I'm just wondering so I can write things that make sense.


Milo crossed his arms and returned her glare without flinching, but he was nervous now. These elves were not friendly towards his father, and now he didn't have Enzi to help him escape if things turned sour. Heck, he wasn't even wearing his hook, and he'd left his longknife in the house. He was defenseless. "I do know him better than you do," he said evenly. "And I didn't say he had nothing to do with my mother's death. I said he did not murder her."
(flashback time! woo!)
Milo remembered his mother's death vividly. That night had been the ten year anniversary of his father's coronation as king. The day had been filled with celebrations with the court, even as Cellach's control and support had begun to waver. But that night, they had their own celebration, just the family- the king, the queen, Milo, and Laila. It was one of the rare occasions that Cellach forgot his worries about the throne and became the carefree, laughing father that Milo remembered from before the rebellion, when his father was not a king. Cellach had cooked for them himself, a thing he had not done in ten years. But then, when the queen ate the first bite, she'd fallen to the floor, clutching her throat. Milo was still haunted by that image, and by the memory of his father's shouts of confusion, then anguish, then rage. Before that night, his father had been slowly growing paranoid. After, Cellach came completely unhinged.
Milo looked at the ground. "She was poisoned," he muttered. "And he did make that meal. He blames himself for it. But he was not responsible for the murder." Milo looked up and met Viserys's eyes. "And yes, I know that for sure."

(sorry for the novel guys! just trying to explain how cellach got so apparently crazy. I don't like villains that are villains for no reason.)


When Terrence finished explaining his idea, Enzi gave her mane a good shake. "Well, let's get going," she nickered. (she talks because magic! lol) She looked back at Terrence, careful to show plenty of the white of her eye just to make him nervous.


Hehe, reassuring, no?


On Par
Terrence groaned and clambored onto her back. When he had ridden Viserys's pony, he had at least had a saddle to hold him in. He felt pretty sure he would slight right off without it. With a sigh, Terrence grabbed fistfuls of mane and instructed Enzi how to get to their first destination - a large hornet's nest.


QHRider
"Fair enough," Viserys said. Whether or not Cellach had actually killed his wife really didn't change anything to him. The usurper still had to go.


On Par
At the king's orders, a cheif mason from the village was brought to the castle. The frightened man was brought blindfolded to the king's personal chamber, where Cellach and eight more guards met him. Cellach eyed the man coldly. "There is a passageway hidden somewhere in this room," he told the mason. "You will find it." With that, he left six of the guards to attend the peasant, and the remaining two attended the king as he retired to his dining room.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime let out a sigh, watching Enzi and Terrence leave. He would stay here to keep an eye out for the king's men. There wasn't much else he could do, he would leave tracks if he went with nature boy and magic girl and he couldn't just leave them defenseless if the king's men did catch them up. Jaime stepped off the road and leaned against a nearby tree, it was then that he realized how exhausted he was.
I mustn't fall asleep, he thought rubbing a calloused hand over his face.

On Par
After making a careful trail that should lead the trackers right into a large hornet's nest, Terrence directed Enzi to a large patch of briars. His plan was for her to make tracks right up to them, then shift into something else and meet him on the other side, while he would carefully place some tracks inside the thicket. Afterward, he could back out, erasing his footprints, and go through the treetops to the other side. Terrence assumed that Enzi could replicate Reah after shifting into something else.
He clamped his mouth shut and held her mane in a death grip.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Does anyone have something specific planned for these soldier guys? Because I'm stuck at home all day and would like to move things along a bit. I have an idea that would take care of the problem. At least temporarily.

Barn-Bum
ooc: Where am I

zeesgirl
^ We just sort of let Laila "get away" since you were gone and wouldn't be posting. So no one knows where you are at the moment.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(This is crazy long guys. I had the whole thing written out on a word document, so I hope the format isn't all weird.)

Jaime still didn't understand why they were doing this. Making tracks seemed like a colossal waste of time compared to just facing their pursuers head on. He could take care of this problem in minutes if they'd let him. Another irritable sigh escaped his lips, they could be in Oslion discussing battle plans right now. Or sleeping. Sleeping would be nice.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps and a loud conversation. He looked in the direction of the clamor. It was three men, two in mail with surcoats over the top and one in plate aboard a horse, all bore the king's sigil. Jaime recognized them, two extremely low ranked members and the second in command of the City Watch. Commander now, Jaime thought, with more bitterness than he cared to admit. This was who the king had sent after them? He would've been offended if he hadn't realized that these men were sent to find a horse, so he shouldn't have expect the best of the best.

Jaime stepped out into the middle of the road as they approached with a cocksure grin on his face. The two low ranking knights were engaged in a loud discussion. Jaime shook his head in disgust, to think these men made his ranks. He drew his sword when they were within ten yards. The conversation stopped.

“Well. If it isn't sir Jaime Tallhart, Commander-- Oh, excuse me, ex-Commander of the City Watch.” The new Commander sneered from aboard his horse. His name was Arthur Vaughan, a slimy man. Jaime had never liked him. “A man like you was never meant to lead.”

Jaime gripped his sword harder, pretending that Vaughan's comment hadn't bothered him as much as it did, just as he was pretending that he hadn't noticed the two knights draw their swords and edge closer. He waited until one charged towards him before bringing up his blade. They shoved against each other, swords locked, for a second until Jaime pushed off. The man stumbled back. Jaime took advantage of the opportunity, driving the other knight further back with a series of quick strikes. The man, clumsy with inexperience, fumbled with his sword. Jaime knocked the blade from his hand. The knight's face twisted in fear as he realized he was going to lose. “I yei--,” He began to say, but Jaime drove his sword through the man's belly before he could get the words out.

Jaime yanked his sword free and whipped around to face the other man, who had stopped approaching when he saw the slain knight. This fight went much faster, the knight was too afraid to put up much of a fight. Jaime killed him within seconds.

Which was good, because all he had were a few seconds before Arthur Vaughan was on him. Jaime barely blocked his strike in time. Vaughan threw his entire body weight, and that of his armor, against their locked blades. Unlike the other two battles, Jaime did not have the upper hand on this one. Vaughan was in full plate, and well trained. Though Jaime was the better swordsman, he wore no mail, only boots, breeches, and a tunic. There was no way he would win this strength contest, he didn't weigh enough, so he ducked to the side. Arthur stumbled forward, but caught himself with impeccable speed for someone in armor. He whipped around to face Jaime, sword swishing through the air. Jaime met his blade. He found himself grinning as the steel sang, his blood pumping so hard he could hear it. This is what battle should feel like, he thought, parrying Arthur's assault before driving the knight back with his own attack. His blade raked across Vaughan's breast plate. The armor was heavy, and though his sword was sharp, there was no way he could pierce it. He would have to find a gap in the plates.

Jaime knocked away another swing from Arthur. He turned his sword around and drove the pommel into Vaughan's chest. The force from the blow knocked Vaughan back a few steps. Arthur got his balance and flung himself forward, yelling. Jaime jumped back just as his sword sliced through the air, but he wasn't fast enough. The blade caught him just below the collar bone and dragged across his chest. Jaime silently thanked the adrenaline coursing through him for keeping away the pain. He charged forward. Striking, parrying, striking again. Arthur met every attack. Jaime hadn't remembered him ever being this good with a sword. Jaime attacked again, this time landing a blow. He cut Arthur deep across the upper thigh. The other knight went down onto his knees. He met Jaime's eyes then, with an almost pleading look. Jaime stood over him, silent. He brought up his sword and drove it down into Vaughan's chest through the breast plate's collar.

Jaime pulled out his sword, and stumbled back to the tree he'd been leaning on before. He rested his entire body weight against it and looked down to examine his wound. It was bleeding and excruciatingly painful, but nowhere near life threatening.


Barn-Bum
Laila wandered the woods on Rufio unsure what to do. Of course she needed her brother. He would be a kind ruler and she would be a powerful one. She needed to find him again, and kill the Dragonbourne.

dddddddd
Ashleigh rose from where she had been sitting on a log. She walked over towards the gate and looked out from between the bars.

"They are here, and a battle is underway." She said, angry with herself. She culd only hope now that the others would be okay. Suddenly all went silent, and she stepped back. Now all her hope nd energy went to her new friends that had been outside Oslion. It made her want to go out of the city, but she knew that as shaken as she had gotten, she could be no help now. Look what a mess I've gotten everyone into...

QHRider
"Let's go see," Viserys said. He was sick of waiting. He started off in the direction Jaime, Terrence, and Enzi had gone, assuming that if anyone wanted to come they'd follow him. By the time he found Jaime, surrounded by bodies, the fight was already over. Viserys looked around. "If I'd known you were going to have a party, I would have come too," he said.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime flashed Viserys a weak grin. "I'll remember that next time." He stood a little taller, wincing. "I don't think we'll need to worry about being followed for awhile."


QHRider
"We should probably do something with the bodies," Viserys said. "So no one finds them. I'll go back and get a shovel."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime gave Viserys a flat look. "I'll just stay here and bleed then." He looked back to the bodies, their blood was beginning to soak into the ground. "I wouldn't even bother burying them. Just roll them into a ditch. Dead bodies aren't uncommon these days."


QHRider
"Oh, I didn't realize that was yours," Viserys said. He went over to Jaime. "Where are you hurt?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime pulled his hand away from his chest, revealing the wound. Blood had soaked through the front of his tunic. "It's not deep."


QHRider
Jaime appeared to be telling the truth, but the gash was long. "I'm not much of a healer. We'd better get you back to the village and hope they've got someone better than I am."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime glanced towards Oslion with a grimace, at least it wasn't too far. "Let's go then."

dddddddd
Ashleigh met them at the gate. Jamie appeared to be injured, but at least they were alive. She motioned them on through the gate before she went into the small house, expecting them to follow. She found her potion once again, as she figured it would probably be needed.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime followed Ashleigh into the house warily, then remembered Enzi and Terrence. He smacked his palm against his forehead. "Enzi and Terrence are still out in the woods making tracks." What would they think when they came across three corpses?

QHRider
"I'll go back and wait for them. And, uh, clean up," Viserys said. He nodded to Ashleigh before returning to the forest.

On Par
As soon a Terrence saw Viserys, he tumbled off Enzi, face down on the forest floor. He curled into a ball, silently cursing the fun-loving changling. He counted to five, then stood to face the Dragonbourne. His brow furrowed in confusion. "What's going on?"

E. Rider
ooc: Where is Ilene LOL? I mean like who is she with?? Sorry, I didn't RPG for a few days so now I'm lost XD

CrazyHorseGirl1773
^I think she's in the village with Ashleigh, and now Jaime.


QHRider
Viserys had pushed the bodies Jaime had left behind into a ditch and kicked the blood out where he could. "The trackers found Jaime, so he took care of them. He's back in the village getting patched up, and I'm here to collect you two." He smiled at them.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime stood in the doorway of the little house, watching Ashleigh dig around for something. He was beginning to feel light headed. He leaned against the door frame to steady himself.


dddddddd
"This will probably hurt more than than the inital wound did. I'm sorry." Ashleigh said, as she prepared to pour the liquid on the wound. She was knew from experience that the stuff burned like fire. She applied the potion, then quickly put a cloth on the now-healing wound. She did not like taking chances of an incomplete healing. She glanced up a Jamie, knowing that this had definately not been on his wish list of things to do while at Oslion.


E. Rider
A worried look came over Ilene's face. "Sir Jaime? Are you alright?" she asked, genuinely worried. She looked at his face. He didn't look alright. Now she could return the kindness that they had so graciously given her when she had been ill. "Is there something you want me to do, Sir Jaime?"


On Par
"He killed them?" Terrence's face paled. He mumbled a line of another language and touched a hooked finger to his brow and chin. As the color returned to the young man's face, he stood straighter. "Now what?"


QHRider
"Now we hope that nobody tries to find where those three trackers disappeared. But before then we should go back to the village and decide what our next move is." Viserys turned and started back for the village, trusting that Terrence and Enzi would follow.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"You could have given me a little more warning," Jaime said to Ashleigh through gritted teeth. He sat down in a nearby chair and looked up at Ilene. "Lady Ilene." He tried to smile, but his chest was still burning from Ashleigh's potion so it probably looked more like a grimace.


E. Rider
She smiled back "Shhh...its alright...just rest now..."


dddddddd
"I am sorry for that. Ilene is right. Rest is the best thing for you right now. You will feel better later. Thank you." She left it at that. She should have given him more warning, but she knew most people would object to treatment if she had thoroughly explained the potion, and the pain it brought with it. She felt bad for not giving Jamie the benefit of the doubt. However, she meant what she said when she thanked him.

On Par
"I still don't know what the big deal is about the horse," Terrence grumbled, following Viserys toward Osilon. No horse, no matter how magical, seemed worth a man's life.


QHRider
Viserys shrugged. "Neither do I, but if they find the horse, they find us, at least for the moment. And I am rather opposed to that."

On Par
"Aye," Terrence agreed. He quickened his pace to catch the Dragonbourne. "Jaime and I spoke with the COR," he said, glancing around to make sure no one but Enzi was within earshot. "They want to back your bid for the throne, provided," he hesitated. "Provided that you aren't insane. They also request the assistance of the elves, if they will fight with us." He gritted out the last part, as he still didn't trust the fair folk.

ooc: Who knew? Terrence seems to be a bit racist. [Tongue]


QHRider
Viserys stopped short. "Provided I'm not insane?" He grit his teeth, trying not to snap at the smaller man. Why was everyone so concerned with his sanity? "Well perhaps if I'm not quite to their liking the elves can persuade them otherwise. They seem to like me, anyway."

ooc: Viserys appears to be the only one unaware that insanity runs in his family. XD


On Par
Terrence held his hands up. "I'm just the messenger. Besides, being king is a lot of responsibility; a lot of pressure. It sure isn't a job I would want." He hesitated. "Be careful with the elves," he said quietly. "They are not human, and they don't think or feel the way we do."

ooc: Terrence has no idea that he's not entirely human. [Tongue]


QHRider
Viserys exhaled. "It's not a job I want either, to be honest," he said. "And with the way some people think, maybe that's not such a bad thing, about the elves."

ooc: Hooray for Viserys and Terrence being clueless about their families.


On Par
Cellach picked up the nearest object, a large glass lamp, and threw it at the watchman. "YOU MEAN TO TELL ME," he roared, "That I lost my head watchman on a horse hunt?" He grasped around for something else to throw. When nothing was within reach, he stood and swore loudly. "My city watch will not chase an animal when they should be TRAINING FOR WAR!" he screamed. "Get out of my sight, and get your entire watch on doubletime!" The wide eyed man bowed and left the room hastily. Cellach sunk into his throne and rubbed his temples.

[steph]

(86-100)

On Par
Terrence eyed the young man sideways. "Have you dealt with elves before?" he asked. "They answer to no law but their own, and they don't think much of empathy. Always watch your back when dealing with an elf. They aren't driven by lust for power or control, which makes alliances with them unpredictable." They were close to the gates now, so Terrence stopped talking. Viserys would figure the elves out sooner or later, and the youth hoped it wouldn't be with a knife in the back.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime opened his mouth to tell her that he hadn't done it for her, but shut it again. Let her believe what she wants. Jaime looked down, his tunic was torn open, soaked in blood and starting to uncomfortably stick to him. He grunted and pulled it off over his head. Jaime took the chance to looked at his wound, or what was his wound. It was now just a raised pink line etching across his chest. Maybe magic wasn't so bad after all.


Barn-Bum
The sun began to set. Laila was angry, should she go back to the castle to regain order in the kingdom? Or stay and wait intill the group made there move. Who knew where they were even? Laila let out a angry scream. She must find her brother. Which meant staying out in the forest...


On Par
Upon entering the village, Terrence asked directions to Jaime. He entered the house and sat beside the broad warrior, exhaling loudly. "Viserys doesn't seem to be too pleased that the COR questions his sanity. He is pleased to have allies, though, I think."


dddddddd
"I know you did not do it for me. Still, your bravery needs observance." Ashleigh said as she cleaned up. She quickly finished her job. "Come. Here is a room." She finished, leaving the main room.


On Par
Terrence eyed the elf girl. She seemed to have a strange sense of honor that governed her actions. He shrugged.


E. Rider
Ilene had gone outside and returned with a bucket of water. ”Hello, Terrence, do you want some water?” She asked filling a cup for Jaime. She walked over to Jaime was and handed him the cup of water along with a kind smile, ”Here you go...drink all of it..”


On Par
Terrence accepted the cup. "Thank you, Ilene."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched Ashleigh leave the room. He would've followed her if he thought he could stand up, but he didn't so he remained seated. He accepted the water from Ilene with a grateful smile, then turned to Terrence. "Viserys was too young to remember his father's rule, and most like to proud to admit that his father was crazy."


QHRider
"He was not," Viserys said, scowling at Jaime. "I think I would remember if my father were crazy." Even as he said it, his nightmare came back to him. Burn them all. But wasn't that just grief over the loss of Rhaegar?

dddddddd
Ashleigh listened to the conversation through the thin walls. She did remember the Old King. She was loyal to the Dragonbournes for many reasons. Her father had died fighting for them, her brother had been killed in a suspicious fight soon after Callach took the throne, and She hated the current rulers. Granted, Milo had been on their side-so far, but why should she support people who wanted her dead?

She finished fixing the room for the men, and moved on to the other room. She realized she had forgotten to show Ilene the horse her friend had found, but knew it was no really the time. She came back into the main room and sat down in a chair in the corner.

Post #415991

E. Rider
Ilene sat in a chair next to Ashleigh. "You look tired..Why don't you get some rest? I can take care of everything..." she said sweetly. Ilene was always willing to help and sometimes cared too much about the welfare of others. She was a very humble person. If only I had my lyre, she thought sadly.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime narrowed his eyes. "Really? You couldn't have been more then 4 maybe 5 years old at the time. I was fifteen, knighted, serving under your father. I remember well what your father did. Do you have any idea what your father did to people?"


E. Rider
Hearing Jaime talk about what the "King did to people" made Ilene's eyes water as she remembered her brothers Derik and Ian. They had been knights also and had been good friends with Jaime once upon a time. But they were killed. Killed by the king. Ilene suddenly stood up and practically ran out of the room, a sob slipping from her lips. She sat on the bed that was in the next room, crying almost uncontrollably.


dddddddd
Ashleigh stood and followed Ilene from the room. She had been through too much already. She found her crying as if her heart was broken.

"Ilene... Are you okay?" Ashleigh asked tenatively, not sure if the other girl wanted her there or not.


E. Rider
Ilene sat up and tried to control herself. She wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand and sniffed. "I'm..s-sorry...." she sniffed again and was trying to hold herself together but the tears continued to run races down her cheeks. She sighed, "The king killed my brothers....and my father.." she said between holding back tears. She was greatful for Ashleigh's concern for her.

dddddddd
"Oh, Ilene! Don't be sorry. I really do understand. My Father and brother were both killed when the new king took over." Asheligh said, truly sorry for Ilene. What had she done to diserve any of this? Nothing. Suddenly Ashleigh had an idea. "Ilene, would you like to go to the stables with me?"


On Par
Ooc: my character Cellach has some serious cold blood on his hands. [Tongue]
*
Terrence shrugged as Jaime and Viserys argued. "I didn't know your father," he cut in, "but if you don't want to go insane, don't try to justify him or compare yourself to him. Live in the present, not the past."
With that, he reached into his waist pouch for his herb. When he didn't find any, he stood up and left the house. "I'm going out," he called over his shoulder.


QHRider
"He didn't do anything. He wasn't crazy," Viserys said. Everyone's reactions were starting to worry him.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
With that, Jaime stood, ignoring the burning feeling on his chest. He glared down at Viserys. "You're a fool to believe that. Why do you think he was overthrown?"

QHRider
"Because people always think they can be a better king," Viserys said. Jaime was taller than him, but he didn't back down.


On Par
Terrence shook his head. He was a stones throw from the house and could still hear the two men yelling. He nimbly climbed the gates and met up with Puck, who stayed outside the village on account of trusting elves even less than Terrence. As the two walked silently through the forest searching for the plant, the youth took some time to think about the events of the last few days.


E. Rider
"Oh, Ilene! Don't be sorry. I really do understand. My Father and brother were both killed when the new king took over." Asheligh said, truly sorry for Ilene. What had she done to diserve any of this? Nothing. Suddenly Ashleigh had an idea. "Ilene, would you like to go to the stables with me?"

Ilene began giggling, despite the tears still on her cheeks. "Look at us! Two girls who have so much to be thankful for crying like starving babies! We shouldn't be looking at the past, we should be thinking of now, and the future! We have food, clothes, and we're alive." Ilene said softly. "Oh, Ashleigh, I would love to go the stable. I could use a horse right now.." she laughed softly as she wiped the last tear from her cheek. She stood up and smoothed her new clean dress.


dddddddd
Ashleigh led Ilene outside and into the stable. There were about thirty horses here. They all greeted the girls, but Ashleigh kept walking nearly to the end of the long corridor.

"Just a minute." Ashleigh said to Ilene, and she went into a stall. She led out a large black and white horse. She really hoped that this was the horse that Ilene had been looking for, but if not, the horse was hers now. No one in the village had wanted him; they all had horses already.

"Here you go."


E. Rider
Ilene looked at the horse. This horse was not Fairest. However, he had many features that looked like Fairest that made Ilene wonder if this could possibly be his offspring. Fairest was a stallion. This horse looked young, but greenbroke. He was beautiful. Ilene reached out her hand for the horse to sniff her. The horse smelled her hand. She smiled and began rubbing his neck face. "This isn't Fairest...but I am nearly positive this is his son. He's obviously part Gypsy Vanner, which is what Fairest was. The army probably didn't want him because he was a mixed breed, and not very muscular.." The horse looked somewhat scrawny and it's other breed was probably a smaller horse. But his markings and long mane and height was certainly inherited from a gypsy vanner. Ilene smiled..."He's beautiful." she said. The horse had a proud way about him...so much like Fairest.


dddddddd
"He is yours, if you want him." Ashleigh saw her face light up, and although this was not fairest, hopefully this would help somewhat.


E. Rider
Ilene grinned, "Really?! Oh, Ashleigh! Thank you!" She looked into the horse's eyes. "Now what shall I name you?...I'll have to think on that one.." she smiled. "Thank you, Ashleigh. He's wonderful! Let's bring him outside into the light and I'll walk him around and get to know him.." Ilene led the horse outside. He was even more beautiful in the sunlight, "With a little fattening up, and a little bit of riding him. He'll be muscular and healthy in no time.." She admired her horse and gave him a pat. "What about Noble? He has a noble look about him..." she thought a moment, "Yes, I think I'll name you Noble."

On Par
Terrence found his plant and stuffed a few handfuls into his pouch. He took one handful and made a paste for his shoulder. After deciding that he wouldn't be needed back in Osilon for a while, he kept searching the forest, this time for the plants he used to make his nettle and tangle arrows.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Anyone could have been a better king at that point." Jaime shook his head. "That's what we all thought at the time, that anything was better than that." They had been wrong. He clenched his jaw in frustration. This was foolish, Viserys was too young to remember, and Jaime wished he could forget. It was a pointless argument, but not one he intended to lose. "Your father burned innocent people, people I cared about, alive." Jaime was yelling now. "I had to stand there and listen to them scream while your father laughed."


On Par
ooc: Apparently Viserys's father has a lot of cold blood on his hands, too. Must go with the throne. [Tongue]

zeesgirl
Holy cow the thread exploded. Ok, let’s see if I can get poor Enzi and Milo caught up.

Enzi followed along behind Terrence and Viserys, then grew impatient and leapt into the air. She flew as a hawk back to the elf village, swooping over the wall and down to Ashleigh and Kalikah’s house. She found Milo inside. He had secured his hook to his wrist and was strapping on his sword belt. Enzi changed into a person as she entered. Milo looked up. “Slow down, slow warrior,” she said. “The fight’s already over. Jaime killed the trackers and is on his way back now.”
Milo frowned. He’d come back inside to get ready to fight when Viserys had run off into the woods to find them. It took too damn long for him to prepare for danger. “Why didn’t you draw them off?” he asked.
Enzi shrugged. “We were, but Jaime found them and fought them. He’s injured, but not badly. I think everyone will be back soon.”
Milo and Enzi listened silently to the conversation once Jaime and Viserys had returned.

(ooc: so who all is together now? Are Viserys and Jaime arguing outside the house or in it? If outside, Milo and Enzi are eavesdropping from inside. If they’re inside, Milo and Enzi are just standing listening awkwardly, lol.)


QHRider
^ ooc: I think Viserys and Jaime are inside.

Viserys reeled back. That didn't fit with the father he remembered at all, but unless Jaime were a highly talented liar, he was telling the truth. Visery shook his head. "But he wasn't like that," Viserys said, feeling foolish and childish.


On Par
With Puck's help, Terrence located the items he needed. He was careful to wrap the nettle plants so they wouldn't numb him or ruin the other plants in his pouch. The duo turned toward Osilon, walking slowly. It was dusk now, and Terrnece was tempted to sleep in the first and put off Osilon until tonorrow.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"You're a fool to believe that," Said Jaime. He knew this argument wasn't worth the time, but he couldn't help but try to justify what he'd done. "He was crazy."

QHRider
"And you're a bitter old man," Viserys snapped back. "No matter how many times you say he's crazy it won't make it true."

ooc: Viserys just called you old Jaime! You gonna take that? XD


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"The same goes for you saying he isn't," Jaime replied, equally as hostile. "I was there, boy. I was there to watch him laugh as he tortured innocents, and to watch him scream as he died. You know nothing of your father."

QHRider
"And you knew him so very well," Viserys said.

E. Rider
Ilene took Noble back into the barn and groomed him till he nearly sparkled. He was beautiful, absolutely stunning. And he suited his name too for he had a noble look and way about him. She led him back to the house and sat on the grass watching him graze, singing softly which Noble seemed to like. If she stopped, he would look at her suddenly with his ears up as if to say, "No! Don't stop!"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"I knew him well enough to know it was time to put a sword in his back." Jaime hadn't meant to say it, it just came out. No one was supposed to know. He took a step back.

QHRider
Viserys stared at Jaime for a long moment. Then, with a shriek of rage, he launched himself at the other man. Viserys forgot that both he and Jaime were armed. Instead he punched Jaime in the face and continued to pound on him. "YOU! SON! OF! A! BITCH!" he howled, punctuating every word with a punch. "YOU KILLED HIM!"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime punched Viserys back. "I had to do it!" Jaime yelled, and tackled Viserys, knocking them both to the ground.


On Par
A wave of rage and hurt swept over Terrence so strongly that he nearly fell. He shook his head at Puck. "The COR will have my head if they kill each other." He decided against sleeping in the forest. With a sigh, he quickened his pace a bit, looking around the darkening forest for something to eat.
He was rewarded ten minutes later when he came upon a medium sized rabbit. Signaling to Puck, he strung his bow and crept forward.


QHRider
"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Viserys shouted back, continuing to punch and kick every available inch of Jaime. Tears of fury clouded his vision.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime attempted to swat away Viserys' punches, but was failing miserably. "He was going to burn the city to the ground!" Jaime shouted. One of Viserys' punches landed on his stomach. The other man had extremely bony fists. "Ow! Goddammit! Knock it off!" Jaime seized Viserys by the front of his tunic and shook him.


QHRider
ooc: Jaime, you've woken the dragon!

"Don't touch me!" Viserys punched Jaime in the face again. "Don't you ever touch me, you murder." He pulled back, out of Jaime's reach.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Jaime is soooo scared.)

Jaime shot Viserys a glare, then punched him again just to be spiteful. "It had to be done."


QHRider
"Well how did that work out for you? Cellach's been such a good replacement, hasn't he?" Viserys could feel the bruises beginning to form where Jaime had hit him.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime glared at Viserys. "Why do you think I'm here?"


QHRider
Viserys started laughing. "So now you're trying to fix your mistake. What makes you think I want your help now?" He didn't think any of this was funny, but if he didn't laugh he was going to break down into useless sobs.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime's father had supported Cellach during the rebellion. When he'd secured the throne, Cellach had disposed of his allies that he didn't trust fully, including Tywin Tallhart. "Fix my mistake, get revenge, they're the same thing." Jaime said.

QHRider
"And what's to stop you from turning right back around on me?" Jaime had already betrayed one king and was planing on doing the same to another. Trusting him would be stupid.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime smirked. "You don't have to trust me, just tolerate me until Cellach is dead. Then you can dispose of me however you like."

QHRider
Viserys scowled. Jaime's opinion of him didn't seem any better than Visery's of Jaime. Viserys shook his head and stalked outside. He thought if he stayed near Jaime any longer he's start punching him again.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime rolled his eyes as Viserys stormed out. What a drama queen.

(You're one to talk Jaime. XD)

E. Rider
Ilene walked over to Jaime. He looked angry and bruised. A worried look came over her face. "Jaime? What happened to you?" she gently touched a bruise on his face, her eyebrows furrowed. "Are you all right, whats wrong?"


QHRider
Viserys went to where they'd left Dragon, near the front of the village. He wrapped his arms around the pony's neck. "I've been traveling around with my father's murder," he said, and laughed, dry and humorless. He looked down at Dragon and grinned when he saw the braids in the pony's mane. "Well don't you look pretty." Dragon turned and snuffled at Viserys' sleeve. "Sorry, I don't have anything for you." He went around to Dragon's head and worried at the sorrel's muzzle and ears, trying to forget everything for a moment.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime turned his face away from her. "Nothing," He said, gritting his teeth.


E. Rider
"Jaime, yes there is! You got into a fight with Viserys didn't you?" she asked.

On Par
Terrence sat atop the gates, holding his rabbit by the ears. He watched Viserys storm to his pony and heard his words. He wondered absently if peace was a myth. "Dinner?" he called. Terrence needed a pot and fire to make his arrows anyway, and didn't have those things in the forest. He may as well make dinner while he was at it, but he wasn't cooking for the whole village.

QHRider
Viserys turned at Terrence's voice. He smiled. "I don't think they were planning on letting us starve," he said. He added, "But that sounds good," anyway.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Don't let it worry you, my lady." Jaime smiled his prettiest smile, trying to think of a way to change the subject. "Where have you been?"


On Par
"Elves are odd," Terrence said simply, hopping down. "And I don't do charity." He tossed the rabbit to Viserys. "I will borrow some taters and spices, though." He headed into the house where the group was staying. He shook his head at Jaime, who was standing just inside. "You make a great ambassador," he said before ducking through the door to the kitchen.

E. Rider
Ilene grinned back. "Ashleigh took me to the stables to get a horse." she looked at Noble who was grazing peacefully. "And also at a kind woman's house to freshen up a bit.." she felt so much cleaner in her peachy pink dress. It looked beautiful with her dark brown hair and green eyes.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime glared after Terrence, stupid brat. Maybe he'd trip him on the way out. He turned back to Ilene, "You look lovely, my lady."


QHRider
Viserys caught the rabbit. He held it by the legs over his shoulder, keeping it out of Dragon's reach. "You don't want that," he promised the pony.


On Par
Kalikah happily gave Terrence rein of her kitchen, so the youth set about making preparations for the rabbit and for his arrows. He assumed it wouldn't take Viserys long to clean the rabbit, so he chopped vegetables and set two pots of water to boil. Terrence was pleased to find that the elf had a large collection of spices.


E. Rider
Ilene blushed and her eyes sparkled "Thank you, Sir Jaime. I was just about to go for a walk in the forest would you like to join me?" she asked.


QHRider
Preparing game wasn't hard, but it kept Viserys' mind off of other things. Dragon watched him skin and clean the rabbit with bright eyes. "Alright, you stay here and I'll go give Terrence his rabbit back," Viserys said once he was finished. He rubbed Dragon's ear before he left.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime was exhausted, but Ilene shouldn't be walking alone in the woods. "Of course," He said, and offered her his arm.


On Par
With preparations for the rabbit finished, Terrence's began carefully laying out his nettle plants, using a cloth to protect his hands.


QHRider
"Can I help you with anything?" Viserys asked Terrence. The smaller man seemed to have a plan, but another set of hands couldn't hurt.

On Par
Terrence screeched and jumped three feet in the air. He whirled around to see Viserys holding the remains of the rabbit. "You shouldn't sneak up on a person," he gasped. "But yes, thanks." He gestured toward the frying pan and his pile of vegetables, along with a bowl of spices he had mixed. "I am kind of busy, I'd be glad for some help."


QHRider
Viserys grinned, sheepish. "Sorry, I'd thought you'd heard me coming." He set the rabbit down. "What do you need me to do?"


On Par
Terrence dropped his cloth on the counter and rinsed his hands. He took the rabbit from Viserys and chopped a few slices off, then used some of the fat to grease the skillet. "Cut the whole thing like so, then rub some spice into each one and fry them together," he instructed. "When it's pink instead of red, throw all this in too," he indicated the pile of vegetables, "and cook it all together."


E. Rider
Noble was tied up so he'd be fine by himself. Ilene took Jaime's arm as they began walking. It was a beautiful day. Perfect for a short stroll in the forest. They entered the forest and began walking down a small trail in the woods. "I love the woods...it's so peaceful and calm...and so free and beautiful.." Ilene looked up in the sky, admiring it's flawless blue color with a splash of white fluff here and there. "I do so love nature...I don't know why. Maybe because I never get to see it. You usually love something or want something you can't have..."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched her quietly. She was so enchanted by the forest, and so innocent. "You never got to leave the castle much, did you?" He asked. "You will most likely never go back there." Because there was a very good chance that they were all going to die.


E. Rider
Ilene suddenly looked somewhat sad as she remembered her castle life, more like a prison. "No...I've seen the forest from my tower...and seen it in books. I only been to the city once, which was when I was a mere baby. I'm not allowed outside of the castle walls. The most nature I get is the small garden the Princess keeps. You've often found me there..." she sighed. "I've been thinking a lot about my life lately..where will I go after all of this? I have no family..." a worried look came over her face and her eyes misted just a little.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime frowned, he couldn't imagine being stuck inside the castle walls for his entire life. It sounded awful. "You won't have to go back to that castle if you don't want to. Things are going to change," Jaime said. He knew what would happen. There were only two choices, they win or they die. He sighed. "But first, we have to get through all of this before they can."


E. Rider
Ilene bit her lip, "You're right...but I can't help but worry. I don't want to go back to the castle..but, where else can I go?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime couldn't answer her question. He didn't know, and it didn't matter because they probably wouldn't survive this, but he didn't want to tell her that and worry her more. "I don't know, my lady," He said, then glanced up around. "We should be getting back."

QHRider
Viserys nodded and began to do as he was told. It wasn't very difficult, leaving his mind free to wander. An appealing thought came to him, and he hoped Terrence was planning on feeding Jaime too.

(ooc: DUN DUN DUN.)


E. Rider
"Let's talk about something happier...hmm.." Ilene thought for a moment as she walked, "What makes you happy Jaime? What are some of your most favorite things in life...your favorite people..favorite food..your likes..your dislikes?" Ilene asked looking up into the trees at a bird.


On Par
Terrence turned his full attention on his nettles, leaving Viserys to cook unobserved. The small man mixed his concoction together, being mindful not to spill any or get any drops onto his skin or clothes.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked at her in surprise, no one had ever asked him that before. "Uh... Well, I like my horse."

Ooc: Oh no, poor Jaime. XD Terrence, don't leave Viserys unattended!


QHRider
Once everything was cooked, Viserys began separating the meat and vegetables onto separate plates. One had a chipped edge, just large enough to be noticeable, so Viserys took that plate and, with a glance at Terrence, scooted off to a more private location where he could untie his pants and give Jaime's plate a little extra seasoning. Trying not to smile too much, Viserys brought Jaime's chipped plate back to the others.
He was feeling better already.

CrazyHorseGirl1773 (8/7/2012)Ooc: Oh no, poor Jaime. XD Terrence, don't leave Viserys unattended!

ooc: Hush you, he deserves it!


E. Rider
Ilene laughed at Jaime's response, "That would be one my answers too.. I do so love horses. They make me quite happy. But if I was going to name a few, the first one would be nature, the second would be singing, and thE third would be quiet yet charming walks in the woods such as this one." she smiled, "Oh, and I like dancing although I've only done it once. And reading a good book. The little things in life I guess. What else makes you happy, Jaime?"


On Par
ooc: You play a man so well. Not that I'm particularly sexist, but....that's so a man thing.

Terrence finished his nettle concoction and poured it into a bag he carried with him, careful to tie it tight and then bag it again. He carried the pot to the washbasin and cleaned it carefully. He noticed Viserys was awfully quiet, but chalked it up to the new info the Dragonbourne had taken in recently. "How's it coming?" he asked the older man without turning around.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(ooc: I'll tell you what makes Jaime happy... NOT getting his food peed in. XDXD He so deserves it.)

He shrugged, then yawned. "Sleeping." Sleeping was the only thing that sounded good right now, sleeping and food.

(I feel terrible, I can't think of anything that Jaime likes, at least things that are appropriate for this forum. I can tell you what he doesn't like.)

QHRider
"Good. I think it's done," Viserys said. He could not remember looking forward to a meal more in his life.

ooc: You play a man so well. Not that I'm particularly sexist, but....that's so a man thing.

I will take that as a compliment, and give credit for that particular bit to Chuck Palahniuk. Oh Fight Club. XD And it has to be a man thing...biology is kind of against women doing that, lol.

CrazyHorseGirl1773 (8/7/2012)(ooc: I'll tell you what makes Jaime happy... NOT getting his food peed in. XDXD He so deserves it.)

Viserys will pee in ALL of Jaime's food until his sense of righteous indignation is appeased. Mwahaha.


On Par
ooc: I really want Terrence to say it's not right, and throw it all together again. But Terrence wouldn't do that, because he'd rather go with the flow.
*
Terrence nodded at Viserys' work. "Good enough," he said jokingly. "I think Jaime and Ilene are walking up now. I don't know where the elf has got to, though. Or Hook and Enzi." He shrugged.

E. Rider
"Jaime, if you were so tired you should have said so! I wouldn't have minded if you had not come along.." she smiled "but I must admit I'm glad you came, I enjoyed your company." The campsite came into view "Thank you for coming along, even though you probably didn't want to.." she smiled and curtsied "I hope you will join me again sometime."


On Par
"Well I'm not waiting any longer," Terrence stated. He grabbed a plate and went into the main room, calling his thanks over his shoulder.


dddddddd
ooc:oh my gosh guys! Sorry I wasn't on yesterday. I spent the day in a place without Internet access. Anyway, now that I've read all that...

*

Ashleigh was in the main room when Terrence walked in. She had an armload of finished nettle arrows, three swords, and a bow with her. She had just gotten bace from the village and figured some of these supplies may be needed. She smiled and walked into another room without saying anything to Terrence, altough by the look on his face, he seemed shocked to see her there at all. She put the supplies down before coming back in.

"Thank you for joining us, Terrence. And thank you for cooking." With that, she walked towards the doorway, not sure if he would say something back or not. Regardless, she had opened the door either way.


On Par
dddddddd (8/8/2012) She had an armload of finished nettle arrows, three swords, and a bow with her.

No can do, nettle arrows are property of fairy-boy, because he won't carry a pointy one big enough to kill a person. You guys can have big boy arrows. [BigGrin]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime shook his head. "You shouldn't be out alone in the woods." He said sternly, but then smiled and kissed her gently on the knuckles. They returned back to the house.


QHRider
Jaime and Ilene entered, and Viserys brought them each a plate. "Hungry?" he asked, directing the question more towards Ilene than Jaime.


E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Jaime, "I appreciate your concern, Sir Jaime. And I would normally object to your worry of me in the woods alone, but with all of this going on, I must agree with you" she smiled and turned to Viserys, thankful for the plate of food. "Yes, I'm very hungry. Thank you, Sir Viserys. This looks delicious did you cook it?"

QHRider
"With Terrence's direction," Viserys said. He passed the chipped plate to Jaime and the untainted food to Ilene.

E. Rider
Ilene took a bite, and swallowed before she began talking. "This is delicious, Terrence, thank you!" she smiled as she took another bite. She was so hungry.

On Par
Terrence paused his eating long enough to watch the exchange between the threesome. He narrowed his eyes, wondering at Viserys' "kiss and make up" attitude. He shrugged it off and kept eating. "You did a pretty good job, too," he called.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked at Viserys then back at the food suspiciously. He was being awfully nice for having just found out that Jaime murdered his father. Jaime took a bite of food, watching the other blonde warily.

(Oh nooooooooo XD)


E. Rider
Ilene glanced at Jaime who had a funny look on his face. Viserys did too only his looked more like a smirk. Ilene was feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the silence and the fact that Jaime and Viserys had caught earlier, "So...um, Terrence, where did you learn to cook like this?" she asked trying to break the tension in the air.

ooc: Viserys is sooooo bad XD I can't...well I can..believe he used the bathroom all over Jaime's food! LOL

On Par
"The forest!" Terrence said enthusiastically through a mouthful of food. "You learn all sorts of neat stuff when you're about to starve!"


QHRider

E. Rider (8/8/2012)ooc: Viserys is sooooo bad XD I can't...well I can..believe he used the bathroom all over Jaime's food! LOL

ooc: He's asserting his dominance as the alpha male! XD


E. Rider
Ilene smiled slightly. She found the forest so interesting. She wanted to learn so much more about it. "How did you get to know so much about the forest? I find it so interesting, but I've never gotten to see it before now...and I still don't know that much about it except that it's wonderful to take walks through..and beautiful to sit back and admire."


On Par
"And hard to find food in." Terrence waggled his finger at the starstruck maid. "Mother Nature is a hard task master, Miss Ilene."


E. Rider
"I suppose. But I think I'm a girl of adventure. I like exploring, I like challenges, and adventures..." she thought for a moment, "I admire your knowledge of the forest, Sir Terrence. If only I could know so much.. Ha, but I've never had the chance to and fear I never will. But maybe one day..."


On Par
Terrence nodded his head at the dreamy girl. "M'lady." He excused himself to the kitchen, where he began to clean the dishes.


E. Rider
Ilene sighed. She was finished with her meal and she was very bored. Maybe Terrence would like some help with the dishes? She brought her plate over to where he was washing. "Want some help?" she asked not waiting for an answer. She grabbed a small cloth and began washing, singing softly to herself as she worked.

On Par
Terrence smiled. "Sure. You wash and I'll dry and put up." He recognized the song Ilene was singing, and joined in, his tenor voice blending with her soft soprano.

ooc: I assume she'd be a soprano. [Tongue]


E. Rider
Ilene washed every dish carefully, making sure each was spotless. Still singing with Terrence she began drying and helping put away.


QHRider
"How was your food, Jaime?" Viserys asked when it was just the two of them, careful to keep his face blank.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Nooooooo)

Jaime was still watching Viserys closely. "Salty." He stood and went into the kitchen, leaving the Dragonborne by himself. Ilene and Terrence were having choir practice. "I'm going to bed." He told them, leaving his plate on the counter next to the sink.


QHRider
Viserys grinned, and took his plate into the kitchen. "Need any help?" he asked Terrence and Ilene, who were singing quite nicely as they did dishes.


On Par
Terrence grinned. "Can you sing?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime went into the room Ashleigh had gestured to earlier. He kicked off his boots, peeled of his shirt, and flopped into bed.


QHRider
"Not well," Viserys said.


On Par
"Then, nope. We'll get along fine without you. You should probably get some rest before you go insane or something." He grinned cheekily at the taller man.


QHRider
Viserys stuck his tongue out at Terrence. "That's hurtful, that is," he said, but a nap did sound good. He went to find the room Ashleigh had shown him, and after removing only his boots and swordbelt was soon asleep.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled. Something was up. Viserys was suspicious? What had he done? She giggled to herself. "Well, the dishes are done." she said cheerily. "And so is the song, but we could always sing another one if Viserys just wants to sing?"


On Par
"I think we'll let Viserys go to bed." Terrence chuckled. He was beginning to relax a bit in spite of himself. "It's dark, Ilene. You should sleep." He slipped out the door and into the night. He still needed to find wood and fletching for arrows, and he was well rested.

zeesgirl
ooc: Where have I been!?

Okay, so instead of standing and watching awkwardly, Milo and Enzi left on some sort of scouting adventure to make sure no one else was following them. This is why they have been absent, and they are getting back now.
/ooc


After they had ensured that none of the trackers had escaped Jaime's wrath, Enzi sailed through the air back toward Oslion. She was a steel-gray dragon, tall as a horse and twice as long, with a wingspan even greater than her length. Milo rode astride, hunched over against the cold wind. When they reached Oslion, Enzi swooped over the wall and then changed back into her normal form before reaching the ground so as not to wake anyone with the quake of a dragon's landing. They both tumbled to the ground. Milo rolled once and regained his feet, accustomed to such rough landings. He offered his hand and helped Enzi off the ground, then looked around to get his bearing so that they could find their way back to Ashleigh and Kalikah's house. They had not gone far when they encountered Terrence leaving. Enzi gave him a friendly smile.

"Hi, Terrence, equestrian extraordinaire," she said, recalling his less-than-graceful dismounts. "Anything new and exciting happen while we were gone?"


On Par
Terrence scowled. "You may just be the worst changling I've ever met." He looked at Hook, wondering how he put up with Enzi. "There's food inside," he said grudgingly. "Everyone else has eaten, so you can have what's left. I'm going out."

zeesgirl
(You're leaving them the pee food!? That's cold, Terrence. That's real cold. lol)


Enzi cocked her head. "How many changelings have you met?" she asked curiously.
"Enough," said Milo, before Terrence could respond. "I only know you, and I agree with him." When she glared at him, he responded with a rare smile. He looked back at Terrence, who seemed anxious to be back in the forest outside the city. "Thanks," he said, with regard to the information about the food.


QHRider
Viserys only peed in Jaime's food! Your guys' is safe.


zeesgirl
(I assumed they'd stumble upon the plate Jaime left out, but no matter. Hooray pee-free food!)


QHRider
I think Jaime ate all of his pee-food. XD


On Par
"Too many," Terrence said curtly in response to Enzi's question. He nodded at Hook and jogged to the gates.

ooc: I figure fey creatures attract each other. Like magnets. [Tongue]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
ooc: Jaime ate all his pee food, so you guys are safe.

On Par
Terrence vaulted the gates and loped into the forest, grinning. He did a cartwheel just for kicks.

E. Rider
Ilene went into one of the empty bedrooms. She slipped off her dress and zmoothed down her white petticoat. She crawled into the warm bed and fel instantly asleep.


zeesgirl
Milo and Enzi returned to the house. Duff, who had been waiting patiently just inside the door, wagged her tail and greeted them. Milo peered down the hall, but all of the bedrooms appeared to be full, so he and Enzi settled back onto the floor where they had rested earlier. It had been another crazy day, but it seemed safe enough here. They would deal with what to do next in the morning.


On Par
It was an hour before dawn, and Terrence lay contentedly on a tree limb, staring up through the canopy. He lay there for a few minutes, then bounded upright. The forest was just waking, and he still had to finish his arrows.


E. Rider
Ilene work early. She had slept exceptionally well last night. She wanted to go for a walk in the forest and greet the sun as it rose. She had never watched a sunrise before. But then again, maybe she shouldnt go alone. She slipped on her dress and tiptoed into the kitchen and out of the front door. She'd be fine. Besides, if she needed anything she was sure Terrene would be close by. She walked down the same path as she and Jaime had walked the day before since she was familiar with it. She sat on the grass and lead against the trunk of a tree.

Ilene smiled as the suns rays began twinkling through the trees. She closed her eyes and tucked the scene away in her heart so she could remember it always. Birds chirped and a butterfly fluttered by her every now and then. Ilene sat perfectly still as a deer and her fawn lapped up water from a small stream. Ilene felt as though she was in heaven. She wished this moment would last for forever.


QHRider
Viserys woke feeling like he'd actually managed a good night's sleep. He stretched and then, after pulling on his boots and sword belt, went out to find a good place to exercise, going through sword patterns.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime woke when the sun began streaming in through the windows. He ran his hands through his hair, then stood and pulled on his shirt and boots. Upon walking out of his room, he discovered Hook and Enzi still asleep on the floor, Terrence and Ilene gone, and Viserys out waving his sword around like an idiot. Jaime went out to watch, smirking. The first thing he thought of doing when he woke up was drilling as well, but he didn't want to practice with Viserys.

(Omg, Jaime. You're such a baby.)

[steph]

(Pages 101-120)

E. Rider
Ilene stood up. She should get back. She found her way back to the house. Viserys was practicing and Jaime was somewhat watching. She curtsied, "Good morning, Sir Viserys, Sir Jaime." she smiled brightly. She felt happy this morning, she usually always was but this morning in particular.

QHRider
Viserys lowered his sword. "Good morning, Lady Ilene," he said, pretending he didn't notice Jaime, just has he'd been pretending he hadn't seen Jaime watching him.


On Par
With a full quiver of arrows hanging over his shoulder, Terrence strode back toward Osilon. He sang a jig at the top of his lungs, not really caring that he was disrupting the whole forest. It felt good to be alive.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Lady Ilene! Good morning!" Jaime said cheerfully. He took her hand and kissed her on the knuckles like he did the night before. "You're looking lovely this morning."

E. Rider
Ilene blushed, "Thank you, Sir Jaime! I hope you are feeling better this morning?"

On Par
Osilon's gates were open now, and Terrence whistled his jig loudly as he strolled through them. Seeing Jaime and Ilene, Terrence trotted over and put their hands together. "Dance with the lady, Jaime," he said good-naturedly. He began singing loudly.
Noticing Viserys, Terrence grabbed his sword-free hand and pulled him into the jig.

ooc: Terrence felt like dancing. [BigGrin]


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime is going to kill Terrence.

Jaime shot Terrence a look, but then smiled at Ilene. "You'll have to forgive me, my lady, as I'm not much of a dancer."


E. Rider
Ilene laughed "Oh I'm sure you are!" Ilene began dancing. Her eyes sparkled at the excitement. Her peachy pink dress and long brown hair flowed softly with every step. She laughed. This was so much fun!

On Par

CrazyHorseGirl1773 (8/9/2012) Jaime is going to kill Terrence.

Terrence doesn't much care.

And is Jaime dancing or not?


E. Rider
Ooc: he is now lol!

On Par
Excellent!
*
Terrence whirled Viserys around, still singing, completely oblivious to the dagger stares he was getting from Jaime. (And probably Viserys, too. [Tongue] )


CrazyHorseGirl1773

E. Rider (8/9/2012)Ilene laughed "Oh I'm sure you are!" Ilene began dancing. Her eyes sparkled at the excitement. Her peachy pink dress and long brown hair flowed softly with every step. She laughed. This was so much fun!

(Jaime is going to kill all of you.)

Jaime twirled Ilene, a forced smile on his face. He loathed dancing.


QHRider
Rather than risk stabbing Terrence on accident, Viserys dropped his sword. He stared at Terrence for a bit before realizing that there was no escape, so he might as well try and enjoy himself. He didn't know this dance though, so he was forced to follow Terrence's lead. "Wait a second," he said. "Why am I the girl?"

(ooc: Stop whining, Viserys, it's good for you.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"It's the hair," Jaime called to Viserys, "It's very feminine."


On Par
"Because I asked you, silly," Terrence replied, breaking his singing for a moment before resuming lustily.
At the end of the song, Terrence attempted to dip the larger man. He couldn't quite get it, though, and ended up dropping Viserys on the ground before falling on top of him.

ooc: Somebody is pretty full of himself.


E. Rider
Ilene could tell Jaime want enjoying this. She stopped. Breathing heavily, "I don't know what you were talking about, Jaime, you dance very well." She let to of Jaime's hands and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked down. She liked Jaime, but he never seemed to be able to enjoy himself.


QHRider
"That was graceful," Viserys said. He stat up and tried to push Terrence off.

On Par
Terrence allowed Viserys to shove him into the grass. He lay on his back, trying to regain his breath. "It's not my fault you're a big girl," he said, laughing.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"See? Even Terrence agrees with me." Jaime laughed.


E. Rider
Ilene laughed at the goofy trio of men. Still out of breath from dancing she plopped down on the grass to try to catch her breath


QHRider
"You're one to talk," Viserys said to Jaime. "What with your flowing gold hair and all."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Flowing gold hair?" Jaime smirked. "Is that envy I pick up in your tone?"


(Viserys just jelly.)


QHRider
"You only wish," Viserys said, getting to his feet and dusting himself off.


On Par
Terrence rolled onto his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows. "Osilon has been great, I'm sure. What now?"


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked at Terrence. "Well, we need to discuss our plans. What are we going to do about the King? And our alliances with the elves and the COR?"


On Par
"I'm allied with the COR," Terrence pointed out. "And you sort of are," he said to Jaime. "The rest of us aren't. Vice-versa with the elves." He smirked.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Aren't we here to talk about that?" Jaime asked. "The COR creating an alliance with the elves? And, of course, our Dragonbourne over there." He nodded towards Viserys.


QHRider
"Are you sure they want an alliance with me? I am crazy, after all," Viserys said.

(ooc: Not bitter at all, are we, Viserys?)

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime rolled his eyes. "Actually, you being sane was one of their requirements."


QHRider
"So I was told," Viserys said. "I don't know how they'll decide I'm sane to their satisfaction though."


zeesgirl
Milo woke up to Duff's wet nose nudging his forehead. "Get off me, silly mutt," he mumbled. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, then scratched the old dog behind her ears. He heard loud singing outside. How had he slept through that? He stretched and then pulled on his boots and strapped on his belt, leaving the sword with the rest of his belongings and instead keeping only his knife.

Enzi was still sleeping soundly, so he grabbed his hook and wandered outside, lacing up the cuff while he did so.

By the time he met the others outside the house, the singing had stopped, and talk of politics had resumed.


E. Rider
Ilene got up from the grass and brushed herself off. "Well, I think I'll go into town and buy something for me to cook us all for breakfast. Would anyone like to join me?" She asked, eyes still sparkling from the excitement of the dancing.

On Par
"It's a delicate art," Terrence said, still on his stomach in the grass. "It's also based a lot on what Jaime and I think of you." He shrugged. "Fate has a sense of humor, doesn't it?" he asked, noting the dark bruises on Jaime's and Viserys' faces.


QHRider
"Swell," Viserys said.


E. Rider
Ilene got up from the grass and brushed herself off. "Well, I think I'll go into town and buy something for me to cook us all for breakfast. Would anyone like to join me?" She asked, eyes still sparkling from the excitement of the dancing

On Par
Terrence shrugged. He picked grass and pulled each stalk into tiny pieces.
"Perhaps Enzi would like to help, Ilene," Terrence offered. He added in a low voice, "She could use some domesticating."

(Terrence is probably ADD) [BigGrin]


QHRider
"I would be delighted to join you, Lady Ilene," Viserys said. He picked his sword up from where he'd dropped it and wiped dirt off of it before sheathing it. Returning to Ilene, he offered her his arm with a slight bow.


E. Rider
Ilene smiled and curtsied before accepting Viserys' arm. "Thank you." she said as they began walking. "I must confess..." she blushed "I rode Dragon yesterday..and I feel guilty for doing so without your permission. It was only a short canter, but still..." she smiled, "He's such a sweet boy..."


QHRider
"That would explain the braids," Viserys said. He smiled. "I don't mind. I'm sure he appreciated it. And I'm glad you like him. He's my best friend."


E. Rider
She chuckled "I can see why. He's wonderful...." she smiled. "So, if your father was the king, then you're a prince. Right?"

QHRider
"Technically, as both he and my older brother are dead, I'm king now," Viserys said. "But at the moment it's an empty title."


On Par
Terrence flopped onto his back and looked up at Jaime. "You're just gonna let him steal your girl?"


E. Rider
"Ah, I see. Well, you're Highness..." she joked, playfully bowing. "What should we get to eat? I dont' have much money so we'll have to buy something that will stretch..."


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime shrugged. "Not my girl." He plopped down on the grass next to Terrence and sighed.


QHRider
"Your Majesty," Viserys corrected. "Highness is for a prince. And I have some money too, so we should be alright." The title Beggar King was far more apt than he'd like to admit though. Ilene probably had more money than he did.

(Look at us being all pedantic about noble titles lol.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
ooc: I believe "Your Grace" would also be acceptable. If we're getting picky about titles, Jaime is really the only person here that would be a "Sir" too, because he's the only knight.


QHRider
Only in GoT. In real life (or at least in most European royal courts) your Grace is the way you address a duke/duchess, your Highness a prince/princess, and your Majesty a king/queen/emperor/empress. Everyone below the rank of duke gets my lord. I don't know why GRRM chose the forms of address he did but it bugged me for a while until I got used to it. XD

I know too much about useless things. XD


CrazyHorseGirl1773
GRRM, why you gotta lie to me? It bugged me for awhile that he spelled "Sir" S-E-R. I don't know if that's a thing, or if he's just weird.

On Par
"Hmm."
After a few moments, Terrence broke the silence. "Osilon is not so bad as I thought." He grinned. "There aren't many elves around."


zeesgirl
"Oh no," said Milo. "Do not let Enzi cook anything."
He watched Ilene and Viserys leave, then looked back at Terrence. "Why don't you like the elves?"

E. Rider
Ilene had heard Terrence ask Jaime if he was going to let Viserys still his girl. It had made Ilene think. Was she Jaime's girl? Or was that something Terrence was just saying? She didn't know. She had known Jaime for a very long time, he was always very kind to her. Sometimes he acted like he might think of her that way, and other times she didn't know. She liked Jaime very much, but was it as a friend or...? She was so confused.

On Par
Terrence twisted his head to look at Hook. "This is not the first time I've dealt with elves. Nor is it the first time I've been to Osilon."

ooc: I haven't decided on a good story yet. [Tongue] Something about being a fairy, but I haven't decided yet. [BigGrin]


E. Rider
ooc: Just wondering, does Jaime like Ilene??


CrazyHorseGirl1773
He's just being polite in a very charming way because he's a flirt.


E. Rider
After buying food they returned to the house. Ilene cooked up something delicious and came to the doorway,"Breakfast is ready gentleman." she called. She had set the table neatly and the food smelled wonderful.


zeesgirl
"Hm. I stayed for a while in an elven settlement in Shadowwood. They were decent. Never been here in Oslion before, though," said Milo. He looked down at his wrist. He finished the tedious laces and used his teeth to hold them while he tied them off, then tugged experimentally on the hook to ensure that it was secure.
At Ilene's announcement that she had prepared breakfast, he got to his feet and went into the house. Enzi was awake now, finally revived from sleep by the enticing scents of the dishes Ilene had made.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled cheerily and curtsied, "Good morning, Milo, Enzi," She Scooped an egg into a plate.


On Par
Terrence gazed after Hook for a moment, then stood and followed him inside. He was rarely hungry in the mornings, but he wasn't one to turn down food.

ooc: I've been thinking about Terrence a bit this morning, and decided that he (unknowingly) spent a few weeks in faeryland, which turned out to be well over a year in human-people-boring-ville, which is why he doesn't know his own age. That's as far as I got, though. [Tongue]
Post #417663

QHRider
"Thank you very much, Lady Ilene," Viserys said.


Barn-Bum
"How could I have let him get away?" Laila said. She wanted her brother. She kicked Rufio into a gallop desperate to find him.

ooc: I have no clue were yall are lol


E. Rider
Ilene set Terrence's plate on the table as he entered the room, giving him a smile. "Im sure it won't be nearly as good as your cooking, but I've only cooked once, and I'm pretty proud of how it tastes..." she was indeed proud, the food was delicious! "Is Jaime coming to breakfast? If so, I'll need to make more eggs.."


On Par
Terrence smiled. "I'm sure it will be marvelous, my lady." He set his small quiver by the door and placed his unstrung bow beside it. Crossing to the chair Ilene had indicated, he sat and ate breakfast. It was delicious. Terrence smiled around a mouthful and gave Ilene a thumbs up.

ooc: He's way ahead of his time.


E. Rider
She smiled proudly. It made her feel good that Terrence liked her cooking. She set a plate down for Viserys, "Your eggs, Your Magesty" she teased before turning to finish Jaime's eggs. She hummed to herself as she flipped an egg and then set a few pieces of bacon on a plate.

QHRider
"Thank you, my lady," Viserys said. The food was quite good, and it was worth eating now instead of trying to find a way to sabotage Jaime's.
Post #417721

E. Rider
Ilene put Jaime's eggs on his plate beside his bacon and set it down in front of his chair. The last of the eggs and bacon went to Milo and Enzi. Viserys and her money combined had only been enough to buy so much. She'd be fine without breakfast. "Here you are, Sir Milo, Miss Enzi..." she smiled setting the plates down in front of them. "Enjoy!" she smiled cheerily. She walked outside where Noble was tied to a tree. He was grazing peacefully but lifted his head and snorted when he saw Ilene coming with the apple she had bought him.


QHRider
Viserys realized that Ilene hadn't taken any food for herself as she walked out. He took his own half-eaten plate and followed her out. "Lady Ilene, aren't you hungry?" he asked, once he'd caught up with her.


E. Rider
Ilene turned around. She half smiled, "I'm fine, really. Please, finish it...Thank you for your concern though." she paused before laughing, "Are you sure it's just disgusting and you don't want to eat it, so you're trying to give it to me? Or did I do something to deserve your famous prank of relieving yourself in it?"


QHRider
^ ooc: Uh, how does Ilene know about that? Nobody saw him.


zeesgirl
Milo accepted the plate of food from Ilene, disconcerted at being called "sir." For much of his childhood and youth, he'd been addressed as "Your Highness," but he had not heard any title in years.
"Thanks!" said Enzi. She attacked the eggs and bacon with gusto.


E. Rider
ooc: She smelled it LOL XD Didn't Jaime say something about it???


QHRider
No, he doesn't know either. XD


E. Rider
ooc; never mind then XD

Ilene turned around. She half smiled, "I'm fine, really. Please, finish it...Thank you for your concern though." she paused before laughing, "Are you sure it's just disgusting and you don't want to eat it, so you're trying to give it to me?"


QHRider
"It's delicious, and I didn't want you to miss out on your own fine cooking," Viserys said with a smile.

On Par
Terrence stared at Hook blatantly. Something had been nagging at him for a while now, but he still wasn't able to put his finger on it. When Hook noticed his stare, Terrence held his eyes for a minute, then asked quietly, "What did you steal?"

ooc: Sorry, I'm bored....


E. Rider
Ilene tried not to blush. She smiled, "I'm fine. And thank you.."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime walked into the kitchen just in time to catch Terrence's question. He had also been curious about how Hook had lost his hand. He took a seat at the table and had to smile at Enzi devouring her eggs across from him. She was nothing like the high born ladies at the castle who were all forced courtesies and fake smiles. Jaime looked at the other two men in the room, then back to Enzi, and realized what strange company he found himself in. He decided in that moment that he liked these new, bizarre people.

(In which Jaime has feels for everyone.)


zeesgirl
(lol jaime. and wait, so terrence and jaime still don't know who Milo is?)


Milo stopped chewing, caught off guard by the question. He swallowed loudly. "I didn't steal anything," he said. It was the answer he had learned to give that, in most company, would arouse the fewest questions, since all criminals claimed to have done nothing wrong. He knew from experience that the more he insisted on his innocence, the more people doubted it. It had infuriated him at first, but in the interest of keeping anonymity, he had soon accepted the erroneous label of thief. It was better than murderer, after all, and that's what he really was.

On Par
"Yes, you did," Terrence said simply. "And Viserys knows, doesn't he? That's why he doesn't trust you."

ooc: nope, Terrence is in the dark about pretty much everything. And does the whole company know that Enzi is a changling? I can't remember. [Tongue]


E. Rider
Ilene tried not to blush, "Thank you for your compliments and concern. I'll be fine, really.." she pursuaded. She gave the jealous Noble a pat. He didn't like her attention anywhere else but on him. "Oh, stop that, Noble!"


QHRider
Viserys grinned at the horse. "If you're sure," he said.

zeesgirl (8/11/2012)(lol jaime. and wait, so terrence and jaime still don't know who Milo is?)

(I think Viserys is the only one who knew, and he's decided that it's in his best interest to keep it secret for now. Because he can hold it over Milo's head if he has to. And he's a terrible person.)


E. Rider
"I'm sure..." Ilene assured him. She looked sadly at Noble, "I'm trying not to get too attached to this little guy. I might not be able to keep him..."

QHRider
"Why wouldn't you be able to keep him?" Viserys asked. He resumed eating where he stood.

(Viserys is a class act.)


E. Rider
"Well...when all this is over..I really won't have anywhere to go. I'll have to find a place to work I suppose...and I'm sure I won't have the time or the funds to take care of Noble..." She looked at the horse sadly, "I've been thinking...maybe castle life was better than what my life will be. I have no family, no where to go...I'll be all alone."

QHRider
"Well, this is either going to end with me as king, or me dead. If it ends with me as king, I can promise you that you won't have to worry about any of that." If he ended up dead he could only hope that his new friends would be able to get on with life.


On Par
ooc: ^How noble.

Cellach paced his office nervously. The stone mason had found the passage, just as the king knew he would. Now he had to decide what to do about it. He grabbed a piece of paper and sat at his desk, writing. Five minutes later, Cellach called for the mason. "Take two of your most skilled men," he told the nervous man, "And seal up the passage you found completely. I don't want to leave a tunnel, I want it gone. Then, there are several more rooms with tunnels; we will do the same to them." As he spoke, his voice rose in pitch and intensity.
When the mason had been escorted away to carry out Cellach's orders, the king slumped into his chair. "Bring me a drink."


QHRider
Viserys is occasionally capable of not being a jerk! XD


On Par
Yes, in those brief moments of insanity. Or else there's a woman. [Tongue] JK, lol.


E. Rider
"As stubborn, and strong willed as you are, Viserys, I think you have a pretty good chance of becoming King!" she said half smiling. "I'll be very surprised if you don't!"


zeesgirl
ooc: Viserys, Jaime, Terrence, and Ashleigh know about Enzi. And Laila does too. I think everyone but Ilene, if she hasn't put it together yet. And Ashleigh also knows who Milo is. And Ilene just called him by name, though I'm not sure how she knows.


Milo glanced out the window to where Viserys was standing and eating while he spoke to Ilene. He looked back at Terrence. "I didn't steal anything," he repeated. "Viserys doesn't trust me for another reason entirely. And I don't trust him."
Enzi looked up from her empty plate. "You are so vague," she said, stealing a strip of his bacon.


On Par
Terrence sighed and leaned forward onto his elbows. He wasn't making much headway. "And no one will be able to trust you if you keep lying." He looked at Enzi, hoping she would give away some information.


QHRider
If only it were that easy. Viserys smiled. "Thank you for your confidence, Lady Ilene."


E. Rider
"You're welcome, Your Magesty." she returned the smile. "Well, I guess I better go clean up the kitchen. Want me to take your plate?" she offered.


zeesgirl
Milo scowled. "I haven't lied to you," he said.
Enzi rolled her eyes. "Just tell them, will you?” She nabbed another piece of bacon and continued speaking while she chewed. “Viserys and Ashleigh know already, so the rest will find out before long.”
Milo used his hook to toss a strip of bacon to Duff and then dumped the rest onto Enzi’s plate. After a long moment, he looked back between Terrence and Jaime. He hesitated, and then he said simply, “I am Milo Ailero.” He unconsciously traced the curve of his hook with his fingertips. “Viserys doesn’t trust me because he sees me as a rival.”

E. Rider
Ilene walked into the kitchen. She picked up the empty dishes from off of the table and set them in a tub of water. She hummed to herself while scrubbing each once carefully.

On Par
The first name meant nothing to Terrence, but Ailero was the name of the royal family. He blinked twice. "You're Cellach's heir?" he blurted out. Pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place. Terrence remembered Robert's peculiar reaction to Hook, in the waterways below Courtcliffe.
The small man leaned back in his chair. "So did you steal anything, or not?"


QHRider
ooc: I legit just snorted when I read this. Bless you and your one track mind Terrence.

On Par
Lol. He was expecting an item, not a name. [Hehe]


QHRider
After giving Ilene his plate, Viserys returned to the others just in time to hear Milo admit who he was. He grinned at Terrence's reaction, but leaned against the doorway to see how Jaime reacted.


zeesgirl
"I was," said Milo, looking down. At Terrence's second question, he frowned again. "I didn't steal anything," he said for a third time.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime froze, his fork half way to his mouth. He looked Milo up and down. The man did have a lot of the Ailero features, no wonder he'd seemed so familiar when they had first met. "Whether you stole something or not, you did kill a man, and are supposed to be dead yourself."


E. Rider
Ilene walked over to the table with a pitcher of water and refilled everyone's cups. She filled Jaime's last before returning to finish dishes. Still humming the tune Terrence had sung earlier that morning while everyone was dancing.


zeesgirl
Milo returned Jaime's stare evenly. "I don't deny it. But here I am."
He was surprised the watchman had not come to this realization sooner. Milo had recognized Jaime once he'd been told his name. He remembered admiring Jaime when he was a boy and Jaime was a young, promising knight and an early ally of his father. Jaime had changed a lot in the years since Milo had seen him last, but he knew that he himself had changed even more.

(ooc: Claire, if any of that doesn't fit with Jaime's past, just lemme know and I'll change it. I just feel like Milo would have been the kind of 8 year old to totally idolize a talented, rough-and-tumble teenage knight like I imagine Jaime would have been.)

CrazyHorseGirl1773

(ooc: Yeah, that's pretty much it. Jaime had a very naive outlook on knighthood when he was young. As he grew up and became a knight he realized it wasn't all he thought it was and real knights are nothing like the ones in stories. Now he's just a cynical butt hole.)

"Yes. You are." The corners of Jaime's mouth curled up in a smirk. "How did that happen exactly?"

E. Rider
Ilene walked over to Jaime, since he was the only one with a plate on the table. "I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, Sir Jaime, but would you like me to take your plate?" she asked politely.


zeesgirl
(cool, that's what I thought. I think Milo thinks that all the crap he's been through has turned him into a cold, cynical, realist, but he's still unknowingly an idealist and a softie)


Jaime’s unpleasant smile made Milo drop his hand automatically to the hilt of knife at his belt. He noticed his own defensive stance and forced himself to relax. A fight would be hopeless here, and besides, he still wanted to avoid making enemies of these people. Their goals were not at odds. He leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms. “How exactly? I don’t know. That’s what I’m here to find out.”


E. Rider
Ilene took Jaime's plate and walked over to Terrence who had an empty glass, "Want some more water?" she asked politely.


On Par
At Jaime's announcement that Hook had killed a man, Terrence's eyes unfocused. "You stole a life," he said softly. Then he added in a barely audible whisper, "But we all have, haven't we?" Lost in his memories, he didn't hear Ilene's question.


E. Rider
Ilene set her hand on Terrence's shoulder to get his attention "More water, Terrence?" she asked politely.


On Par
Terrence twitched slightly at Ilene's touch. He gave her a blank stare. "What did you say?"


E. Rider
"Im sorry if i startled you. I just wanted to know if you would like More water?" she asked half smiling.


zeesgirl
Milo studied Terrence's odd, quiet reaction. He opened his mouth to respond, but closed it again as Ilene gently retrieved Terrence's attention. Milo remembered Ilene from his youth in the castle. She seemed exactly the same. Beautiful, polite, reserved. He wondered what she thought of all that was happening. She seemed disinterested in the tumultuous politics surrounding the throne, or even oblivious to them, but Milo suspected she was too smart for that. A thought crossed his mind. What if she was still loyal to his sister and was quietly taking in all she heard to report back to Laila? But this seemed unlikely. Laila was ambitious, competitive, and ruthless, none of which were qualities that Ilene seemed to possess.


On Par
"Ah, no, my lady," Terrence stuttered. He stood abruptly, knocking his chair over backwards and left the house quickly.
Once outside, he climbed the nearest tree and sat in a fork in the branches near the top.


E. Rider
Ilene was startled at Terrence's reaction. She stood staring after him for a moment before slowly taking his plate and cup to wash. Had she done something wrong? Said something? She washed the dishes in silence.

E. Rider
Ilene finished washing Terrence's dishes. She was still somewhat upset over Terrence's reaction. He had scared her. She walked out of the kitchen silently. She was having a hard time lately, of course she didnt let it show. But all of this had happened so fast and so suddenly and she had to adjust so quickly. Not realizing it, she climbed the tree next to the one Terrence was in. Trees were a good place to think.


QHRider
Viserys scooted out of Terrence's way when he passed--he didn't think Terrence had even noticed he was there. "He's far too soft for all this," Viserys said. He wished Terrence and Ilene hadn't been caught up in it.
Post #418280

On Par
Outside, Terrence tried to fight the flood of memories that had been pressing on him ever since he learned that Jaime had killed the trackers. He gave up and let himself be swept away in a torrent of his memories. He wrapped his arms around the tree and sobbed, barely noticing when Puck came and sat beside him.

ooc: Poor widdle Terrence.


E. Rider
Ilene was suddenly startled from a sound Coming from the tree beside hers. She listened closely and found it a sobbing sound. Peering closer she could see Terrence's heaving figure. She felt very sorry for him and instantly forgot her own problems. She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer for him.She climbed down slowly and carefully. Once on the ground she looked once more at Terrence's tree. It took everything she had not to climb up and try to comfort him. But he obviously needed alone time. Ilene hated seeing others in pain.


E. Rider
Ilene walked back into the kitchen. She walked over to Viserys, "Viserys, I was wondering...when will we move on? Are we staying here in Oslion? What are our plans? Or do we have any?" she asked holding some flowers she had picked on the way inside.
Post #418318

QHRider
"I suppose it depends on whether or not Jaime and Terrence decide I'm sane. If so, I suppose we'll go to the COR for their assistance. If not, then I intend to remain in Oslion and plan my next move." Viserys looked at Jaime.


E. Rider
"Ah.." Ilene said glancing at Jaime. She put the flowers in some water and set them on the table. A little nature would cheer the place up a little. The yellow daisies were very bright and happy. "Well...I think I'll go to the meadow for a while..and watch the clouds or something. If anyone wants to join me, they are more than welcome.." she said heading for the door.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
"We'll need to go to the COR, but we have to find a way to get you into Courtcliffe unnoticed. I'm sure that our lovely princess has informed her father of you by now, and he'll have men tearing up the city to find you." Jaime rested his elbows on the table in front of him.


QHRider
Viserys grimaced. "Wonderful."




CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime grinned at Viserys' reaction. "I think the most recognizable thing is the silver hair. We'll have to dye it, or shave your head. Your choice."

QHRider


"If you shave my head, I will kill you," Viserys said. He wasn't all that keen on dying his hair either, but at least he'd get to keep it on his head that way.


E. Rider
Ilene walked over to the table, "I don't know if this would work or not but it's a suggestion.." she paused. "We could dress you up like a girl. Your long hair could be braided or put in a bun. You could borrow one of my dresses"..then she realized her waist was a whole lot tinier than Viserys'."I could let it out of course. You wouldn't have to dye or cut your hair. I don't know if it would work or not..."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(OMGOMGOMG YES!)

Jaime grinned at Ilene, then turned his gaze to Viserys. He looked him up and down. "Yes, that will be perfect. He's skinny enough."


E. Rider
Ilene grinned, "I think it just might work! Come on, Viserys, please try!" Ilene pleaded. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with mischief.


QHRider
(OMG THIS IS THE BEST.)

Viserys stared from Jaime to Ilene. "You can't be serious," he said. "What if I have to talk to somebody?" He didn't have an overly deep voice or anything, but it was obviously masculine in pitch and timbre.


E. Rider
Ilene got a bright idea, "you could be my mute cousin!"


QHRider
ooc: I am so delighted you guys have no idea.


zeesgirl
Milo glanced back and forth between the others. He took a deep breath and relaxed now that it seemed the tension had eased and no one was going to demand more answers from him.

Enzi grinned broadly at the thought of Viserys dressed as a woman. “I like that idea,” she said, “but if you need a decoy Viserys for any reason, I’d be happy to volunteer my services.” She noticed Milo frown. She knew he was not keen on becoming further entangled in the fight for the throne, but Enzi found it all intriguing, and she wanted to follow it through, however it turned out.


QHRider
Viserys sighed. "I'm out numbered," he muttered. "Fine. I'll let you all have your fun."


E. Rider
"We have to give you another an too...my cousin, shes dissapeared, but her name was Francis." Ilene giggled. "I'll have to wash and mend my other dress. It's the one I wore the night we escaped. So it's slightly torn in places, but it isn't as fitted in the waist as this one. But it is slightly so it will give you a girlish figure!" she teased.

On Par
Fifteen minutes later, Terrence shook himself out of his memories and dried his eyes. Puck looked into his eyes and gave a small nod. Terrence took a deep breath and swung out of the tree. He hesitated before entering the house, listening by the door long enough to hear Visery's breakdown of his plans, and his consent to becoming a woman.
Terrence pushed the door and forced a chuckle. "You'd make a nice woman, especially with your dancing skills. And," he added, "I think Jaime and I have determined that you aren't raving mad. The COR will back you."


QHRider
Viserys turned to look at Terrence. "Thanks," he said, dryly. It seemed like everyone thought this was funny but him.

(And everyone else is right! )


On Par
*shrug* If the dress fits, wear it.


E. Rider
Ilene left the room and came back with the dress. "I'll wash it and mend it tonight, then tomorrow you'll have to try it on so I can fit it." She tried not to laugh. She knew this was making Viserys' pride feel very good. She would try to make it easy for him. "I'll have to think of a hair style too. Oh! I just got an idea! We should put a flower in it! I always keep flowers in my hair. So, what do you think of the name Francis?" She said as she began washing the dress.


QHRider
ooc: Viserys is thinking this, at the moment:



"Whatever you'd like," Viserys said, resigning himself to complete embarrassment.

On Par
Terrence chuckled at Ilene's enthusiasm.


dddddddd
At that moment, Ashleigh came back into the house, to find everyone sitting around while Ilene washed a dress and Viserys looked like he wished the earth would swallow him whole. What in the world was going on? She must have missed more than she thought while she was caring for all the town's horses for the night.

*

ooc: OMG THIS IS HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT!!! [w00t] (yes, I did just scream that in my head, lol)


E. Rider
The dress waas soon washed and Ilene hung it outside to dry before she came back inside. "Alright, Francis, if you're going to look and be like a girl, you need to smell like a girl! You'll definitely need a bath!" Ilene said holding her nose teasingly


Triple My Gold
I hope it's not too late to join? I would like to make a couple of characters if so


QHRider
Go for it!

QHRider
A bath actually sounded rather appealing, but in the interest of preserving whatever shreds of his dignity and masculinity he had left Viserys said, "I don't smell that bad."


E. Rider
Ilene raised an eyebrow, "You want a bet?" She smiled. "Now, we'll need some flowers to soak in the tub with you...to give you a more feminine smell..Roses maybe?"


Triple My Gold
Here is my first character...I will add my male character later [BigGrin]

Name: Brynn Mygaera
Age: 21
Position: explained a bit further down
Height: 5’1”
Past/Personality: She is a member of a group of sorcerers known simply as “The Circle.” First, a little background on The Circle: They aren’t sorcerers in the general sense…they have an innate ability to channel the energy of the natural world, which they call Sian’Ror. The ability to control Sian’Ror is inborn and, if present, will usually manifest itself at a child’s 11th birthday. A Circle member (called a Brother…regardless of gender) will then find the child and take them for training to hone their natural abilities. They cannot use Sian’Ror for evil, nor can they use it to fight unless they are defending others. Brynn is unusual in the fact that she did not show any ability to control Sian’Ror until she was 18, so she is still considered a novice by Circle standards.

Brynn is easily frustrated, as she has not learned how to fully control Sian’Ror yet. Opinionated, honest, and fiercely loyal to her friends. She grew up in Shadowwood Forest. She has been charged with the task of assisting the last Dragonbourne in his quest for the throne. (She has lots of room for character development here, yay!)
Pic:



Animal (optional)
Name: Thasha
Species/breed: Mountain Lion
Age: 3
Personality: Circle members have the ability to communicate with all animals, but Thasha is Brynn’s constant companion. Most of the time Thasha takes the form of a cub, but when Brynn is angry or threatened Thasha transforms to a larger-than-life adult mountain lion. Her eyes, unlike normal mountain lions, are an electric turquoise color.
Pic:


E. Rider

E. Rider (8/13/2012)Ilene raised an eyebrow, "You want a bet?" She smiled. "Now, we'll need some flowers to soak in the tub with you...to give you a more feminine smell..Roses maybe?"

For Qh


QHRider
^ I don't know how Viserys is going to respond to that beyond trying not to cry tbh. XD


E. Rider
Ilene grabbed the flowers she had picked earlier and began pulling the petals off but left two for his hair. "Now, Francis, do you want your hair braided or in a bun?"

QHRider
Viserys sighed. "This is the lowest form of torture."


On Par
Terrence cocked an eyebrow at Viserys. "Perhaps," he said. "But I highly doubt you would receive the honor of torture should Cellach or the guard catch you."
He retreived his bow and quiver from near the door and sat in a corner, oiling the wood. He humed to himself as he worked.


E. Rider
"Well the dress is finished. All mended and clean..." Ilene said holding it up. "Here," she said handing Viserys the dress, "Go put it on so I can fit it." she said trying not to smile. She knew this was humiliating, (which wasn't even the word she was sure!). She grabbed a stool for him to stand on when he got back and some pins she found in a drawer.


QHRider
Viserys glanced at Terrence and his sour response, but didn't answer. He knew that if he were caught his life would be over then and there. He took the dress Ilene shoved at him and stood up with a sigh. They were all having far too much fun with this.
Putting a dress on turned out to be far more complicated than he would have thought. He returned tugging at it self-consciously. "You wear one of these stupid things every day? How do you stand it?" he asked Ilene.

Triple My Gold
For now, I'm just going to hop in here with Brynn, since I need ideas before I can come up with my male character.

Since Brynn is in need of an introduction to the story, this might be a bit long...I apologize in advance [BigGrin]


If anybody had been watching the woods, they might have caught a glimpse of fiery red, like a tongue of flame among the trees, while Brynn readjusted the hood of the cloak that concealed her. Weaving among the branches, she settled near a small stream, where a touch of the water revealed the image of a stern-faced man with a dark, pointed beard.

"Brother Lateflower," the man's voice boomed. "You are near the city, I presume?"

Brynn nodded her head. Brother Romulus made her nervous, and she hated the name which the Circle had bestowed upon her. In the Circle, they knew each other not by their given names, but by "nicknames" given by the High Council. Brynn's was a reference to the fact that she hadn't shown the ability to control Sian'Ror until 3 years prior, and it bristled her to be reminded of just how inexperienced she really was. Next to her, Thasha pawed at the water with curiosity.

"Good. You know your task. Find the Dragonbourne." And with that, Brother Romulus disappeared, leaving the water to return to normal.

Brynn stood up and looked toward the city, frowning slightly. Brother Romulus didn't mention how she was supposed to find the boy, nor what she was to do once she did find him. Grumbling under her breath, she gave her flame-red hair a good tug and then trudged off to the city walls, Thasha at her side.


E. Rider
She giggled, "Oh, stop that Viserys! Now stand up on this stool." she pointed to the stool. "Yes, I wear one every day. You just don't like it because you're a man...but you like it on a woman, no?" she teased. She began pinning here and there, very careful not to poke Viserys. Singing to herself all the while.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime couldn't hold in his laughter any more, Viserys looked ridiculous. "You actually look like a woman. An ugly woman, but a woman all the same."

E. Rider
Ilene shot Jaime a I'm trying not to laugh now stop cracking jokes look. She smiled at him and bit her lip as she tried to keep a giggle from slipping. "Hold up your arms, Viserys, so I can measure your waist..." she said.


QHRider
"Well that's different," Viserys said to Ilene. "I don't have to wear it then." He shot Jaime a glare. He lifted his arms as Ilene directed and, as an after thought, lifted his chin and pretended like the whole thing was his idea.

E. Rider
Ilene blushed as she had to get uncomfortably close to Viserys to wrap the piece of string she was using around his waist.


Triple My Gold
"Oh, Thasha, what are we going to do?" Brynn sighed, leaning against a building and stroking the cub's soft tawny head. She had been wandering the streets for hours and had yet to discover any sign of any supposed prince.


On Par
Terrence looked up from his bow, chuckling. Standing, he unstrung his bow and slid it into the quiver on his back. "Courtcliffe in the morning then? We waltz in with the morning crowd?"

QHRider
"Looks like it," Viserys said, trying very hard to pretend he wasn't being pinned into a dress by a very pretty girl who was standing much too close.


dddddddd
Ashleigh watched this scene unfold as quietly as she could. She was trying very hard to to laugh. She could tell Viserys was trying to protect what small shred of pride he still had, but that nearly made it harder not to laugh. She just hoped he would not be found out when they went into the city. However, who would expect the great Dragonbourne prince to dress as a girl?

zeesgirl
Milo observed silently from a corner as Viserys received his makeover, his raised eyebrows and the tug at the corner of his mouth the only signs of his amusement. While he was enjoying the Dragonbourne prince's humiliation very much, his thoughts dwelt on heavier matters. Danger waited for Viserys and the others in Courtcliff, and the worst case scenarios all included members of the Ailero family. Milo still was not sure where he fit into this mess. He considered leaving the city behind and retreating back to obscurity at the edges of Rharewin where he'd spent most of the last three years.

Enzi looked up when Terrence spoke. "Waltz in and then do what?" she asked.


On Par
Terrence blinked. "Head to the COR, of course." Then he frowned, looking at Milo. "Well...." he trailed off. Milo was stuck with them now, as Viserys wouldn't likely find it wise to let him leave, now that he knew so much. On the other hand, the COR wouldn't be happy to have the Ailero blacksheep, either.


zeesgirl
Milo looked up when Terrence mentioned the underground group of rebels. "In the COR, is there a man who used to work in the dungeons of the castle?" he asked quietly. "As an executioner?" He kept his tone even, but the intensity of his dark eyes betrayed how important this question was to him.


Triple My Gold
With steps almost as quiet as her mountain lion companion, Brynn padded back through the streets and into the woods, where she felt more at home. The presence of Sian'Ror was much stronger here, away from the blemishes which man had made on the landscape. Gathering a handful of leaves in her hand, she breathed across them softly and gently tossed them into the air, where a breeze carried them away. "Show me the Dragonbourne. Thasha," she whispered. "Follow." Thasha blinked in understanding and trotted after the leaves, while Brynn closed her eyes and allowed Sian'Ror to flow through her. With its assistance, she could see the forest through Thasha's sharp eyes.


On Par
Terrence's eyes went from Milo's face to his hook and back again. "Yes," he replied. "You have met him before?"


E. Rider
Ilene was relieved when she finally got the measurment. She backed away somewhat quickly. She measured his arms and was soon finished. ”You're all set, Viserys, ill begin sewing on it now. But you may have to try it on again later. But as for now you can take it off and be a man again.” She began threading a needle, humming softly to herself.


QHRider
"Thank the gods," Viserys said. He went back to change, feeling better once he had pants on and his sword at his side.


zeesgirl
Milo's expression was dark. "Something like that," he answered. He looked down at Duff, who was sitting at his feet. "But I can't remember him well." Perhaps it was a blessing that his memories from that night were clouded and vague. He recalled brief moments—being chained in the dungeon, a short visit from his father, being dragged awake too soon for his scheduled execution, and having his arm strapped down. The last image burned into his mind was his own white-faced reflection in the blade of the ax, the moment before it dropped and separated his hand from his wrist. His next clear memory was from nearly two months later, when he had finally begun to fight off the infection that nearly claimed his life. He shook his head and refocused on the present. “I want to find him,” he said.


On Par
"In that case," Terrence said slowly, "you may be in luck."
He could vaguely sense some of Milo's emotions, and he wondered if they were unclear because of his own sporradic ability, or because Milo himself wasn't sure how he felt.
Terrence was pleasantly surprised when Puck jumped through the open window and seated himself beside Terrence's foot. "Come to join the party, eh, Puck?"


Triple My Gold
Thasha padded along, moving among the trees as if she were no more than shadow and, were it not for her blazing turquoise eyes, she might have been. She followed the leaves with the intensity of a hound on the scent of a fox. From somewhere up ahead, her keen ears picked up the sound of several human voices. There was a little house, and she watched in the window, surveying the scene in front of her, humans and animals. The leaves swirled in through the window, blowing around, and a bright red leaf landed at the feet of a young man with exceptionally pale hair.

QHRider
^ ooc: Just so you know, they're in an elf city, it's not a single house.


dddddddd
Ashleigh sensed they were being watched. She looked to the window, but could see nothing clearly. She stood as if to take something to the next room, but instead she grabbed her sword and left out the back door. She wanted to investigate.


On Par
^Intuitive, isn't she? [Tongue]
Our band of miscreants trying to survive is coming together! XD

Triple My Gold

QHRider (8/14/2012)^ ooc: Just so you know, they're in an elf city, it's not a single house.

(Drat, I am terrible at this!)

Seeing through Thasha's eyes, Brynn now knew that the pale-haired boy was the Dragonbourne, the one she needed to seek. It appeared that they were in an elf city, not too far away. Now that Brynn knew what she was looking for, she began her move.

Thasha tensed, sensing someone outside. A girl carrying a sword was approaching her, and she looked like she meant business. Thasha flopped onto the ground, rolling onto her back and purring loudly, acting for all the world like a cute and innocent house-cat.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched Ashleigh run out of the house. Something must be up, and he wanted in on it. He grabbed his own sword belt and followed her out.


dddddddd
Ashleigh had never seen a wild cat act this way. She must be tamed, but by whom? she thought, still keeping her distance and watching the animal warily. Normal cats also don't have blue eyes...

She heard someone coming up behind her, so she half turned, keeping an eye on the cat. Jamie came up, sword in hand. What is he doing here?


E. Rider
Ilene began working on the dress. "Feel better?" she teased Viserys when he appeared in his shirt and trousers. "I Must say you look much better!"


Triple My Gold
Thasha stood, purring, and trotted over to Ashleigh. She sat before her, staring and swishing her tail slowly. Her mistress would be here soon, and she could talk to these other humans and tell them what was going on.

dddddddd
Ashleigh did not trust the "playful" cat, no matter how tame she seemed to be. What was wrong with her? She usually was more trusting. It must have been all that was happening she decided, before she felt yet another person nearby. Now what? Or whom? She braced herself in case it was an enemy, but she had a feeling it was not. She had learned years ago that her feelings were not always correct however, and she waited for the person or thing to make their presence known.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime looked from Ashleigh, to the mountain lion, and then back to Ashleigh. "What is it with all these big cats running around lately?" He asked, coming to stand next to her.


E. Rider
Ilene began working on the dress. "Feel better?" she teased Viserys when he appeared in his shirt and trousers. "I Must say you look much better!"


dddddddd
"Shh. Someone's coming." Ashleigh wispered to Jaime, her focus still on the edge of the woods. Jamie could take care of the cat if need be. She still could not determine what was coming. She hated to sush Jamie when all he had done was ask a question, but she knew it would break both of their focus.


Triple My Gold
CRASH. Brynn muttered under her breath several choice swear words, none of which in a language that anyone could understand. In her haste to get here, she had transported herself straight into a wooden crate. Seeing Thasha sitting nearby, she dusted off her green traveling cloak and raised her right hand in greeting. "Hello," she called to the elf girl and the boy standing near her. "You can lower your swords. I am a friend, and an unarmed one at that."


E. Rider
Ilene set the dress down and walked outside to see what Ashleigh and Jaime had gone out to see. She saw the cat, not another one of Laela's? "What's going on?" then Ilene saw the girl, who was she?


QHRider
Viserys was about to answer Ilene when he heard the crash too. Putting his hand on his sword hilt, he dashed outside. Joining Jaime and Ashleigh, he saw the cat and the strange girl. "Who are you?" he asked, not relaxing his grip on his sword hilt.


Triple My Gold
"My name is Brynn Mygaera," Brynn answered. "I do not mean any harm, and neither does Thasha here." Thasha had trotted over to Brynn's side. "I am here to help, Dragonbourne." She knew immediately that the young man with the sword was the one she was sent to find, but now that she was here, she didn't know what she was supposed to do.


dddddddd
"Explain why you are here and we may lower our swords, depending on what you have to say." Ashleigh said stepping forward a bit. She wanted to know who this girl was and why she was here. No one just came up to a house and called themselves a friend. Ashleigh knew the girl was unarmed, but she sensed that she was magic, and that could be more dangerous than normal weapons.


E. Rider
Ilene glanced at Viserys then at the girl. Who was she? Was she some type of spy? "Well...Brynn.. I'm Ilene Enrowen." she said As she curtsied politely.

[steph]

(Pages 121-135)

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Jaime is thirty years old, not really a boy anymore. XD Though he acts like a 10 year old sometimes.)

Jaime didn't release his grip on his sword hilt. "Seems like everybody is these days." He supposed that wasn't really a bad thing.


Triple My Gold
"It is so lovely to meet you all...I do apologize for the intrusion," Brynn said, smiling shyly at all of them. "This is going to sound crazy, but I am a member of the Circle, a group of people with somewhat magical properties. I can control Sian'Ror, the energy of the natural world." She blushed a little bit under her flaming hair. "Well, I am still learning how to control it. I'm not the greatest, as you can see by my less-than-spectacular entrance here. But I cannot use Sian'Ror for anything other than good, as it defies the very laws of nature. And I cannot use it to fight unless others, not myself, are in danger."


On Par
A few seconds before the crash, Puck had jumped back through the window and up a tree near the field outside Osilon.
Terrence followed everyone else outside in time to hear Brynne's introduction. He took in her knowledge of Viserys, the lion cub and her turquoise eyes, and Brynne's clothing.
They all clicked into place, and Terrence widened his eyes. "Welcome, brother," he said calmly.

ooc: You learn a lot when you live in the woods. Everything except about kings and such, that is. [Hehe]
edit: Aw, ninja'd by two minutes. Oh well. [Tongue]

dddddddd
Ashleigh sheathed her sword. She knew of the circle, and knew Brynn was telling the truth. They had helped the elves in ages past, and the Circle was to be trusted.

"I am Ashleigh. Nice to meet you." She said, smiling.

Triple My Gold
Brynn's eyes widened at the sight of the new young man who had just appeared, accompanied by a red fox. Here was another of the Circle, she could sense the presence of Sian'Ror in him. "Brother," she said softly, approaching him and embracing him in her arms. Hastily she let go, blushing again. "It is so good to see you." At their feet, Thasha gently touched noses with the fox and purred loudly.


On Par
Terrence's ears turned beet-red when Brynne embraced him. He mumbled something incoherent, then stood on the other side of Viserys.
Puck had abandoned his tree upon seeing the cat and come down to meet her.


QHRider
Viserys grinned at Terrence as the smaller man moved around him. "Cat got your tongue?" he asked, before turning back to Brynne. "My lady, we welcome your assistance," he said, with a slight bow. He'd heard of the Circle, but had never met a member before.


On Par
Terrence didn't answer, but he could feel his ears get even redder.

Triple My Gold
Brynn returned a slight curtsy to the Dragonbourne's bow. Not wanting to embarrass the boy or herself any further, Brynn cleared her throat. "Well, shall we all return inside?" Brynn asked cheerfully. "It would probably be more comfortable than standing in the street." She would actually prefer to be back in the forest, curled up inside a good tree for the night, but she was needed here. Besides, the elves were kinder to nature than humans were, and the elf city seemed more comfortable to her than most.

On Par
When the rest of the party went inside, including Puck, Terrence sat against a tree to think. He was so confused.


Triple My Gold
"Excuse me for just a moment," Brynn said to the others, and went back outside to where the young man was sitting beneath a tree. She sat down next to him, looking up at the branches. They looked like they could touch the stars. "You seem troubled, Brother," she said, her voice gentle.


E. Rider
Ilene sat down at the table to finish sewing the dress. Thoughts raced through her mind like a tornado. Could they trust her? She suddenly felt very uneasy. How much should they tell her? She blushed, realizing she hadn't measured Viserys' chest. She had been so uncomfortable after measuring his waste that she hadnt had the brains to do his chest too. "Um...Viserys..I forgot to measure your chest.." she said trying desperately hard to stop blushing. She wasn't even measuring him yet and she was uncomfortable. She was ready to get this measuring stuff over with.

QHRider
It would figure. Viserys sighed. "Can you do that without me having to put the dress on again?" he asked.


E. Rider
"Yes, I just have to Get your measurement for the top part of the dress." Ilene said grabbing the string and walking over to Viserys. "Hold your arms out..." she said. She reached behind him in almost a hug and then brought the string in front, "I-Is that too tight?.." she asked swallowing.

QHRider
"It's fine," Viserys said. Ilene sounded nervous, which made him feel better, oddly enough.


E. Rider
"Good.." Ilene sounded almost relieved as she walked back over to the table and began working on the dress again singing softly "Oh the Lady of the Lea, fair and young and gay was she, beautiful exceedingly, the Lady of the Lea.."

On Par
Terrence sighed and followed her gaze, looking up through the branches. "I....am confused," he said finally. He looked into her eyes. "I have dealt with Circle members before, but none have called me Brother. Why do you?" He almost feared her answer.

E. Rider
With Ilene's quick sewing, the dress was was finished. "There!" she said holding up the dress. "Now, it's all finished. You may want to try it on later. Now you just need to take your bath with the flower petals, and then you're hair will need to be fixed up..." she said trying to sound cheerful, but the truth was she was very tired.

E. Rider
ooc: I feel as though it is late afternoon....is it??


dddddddd
ooc: I think so... I assume it is. [Smile]


QHRider
"Oh goodie," Viserys said dryly. "I'm so excited."


Triple My Gold
"I can sense the presence of Sian'Ror in you," Brynn answered simply. But why have no other members before me noticed it? "I don't want to presume that I know more than all of the other Circle members, but..." She twirled a corner of her cloak around her finger. "But I knew as soon as I saw you," she finished. "The animals, the forest...they can speak, to you, through you, can't they?" Her golden brown eyes searched his.

On Par
"Not with words," Terrence said quickly. He looked out to the forest. "It's.....different than that." He worked his mouth, trying to vocalize what he had never needed to before. After a minute, he spoke haltingly, still unsure of himself. "The forest doesn't speak to me, it speaks to itself, and I hear it. The wind, the movement of the animals, and the way the trees move." He paused, then added, "And I can't control them or speak back. I only listen." He looked at Brynn again, wondering.

*ooc: I'm making this up, but I think the other Circle members never said anything to Terrence because they sensed fairy in him, which isn't quite Sian'Ror. Brynn is a bit inexperienced and can't tell/doesn't know the difference. Yes? Feel free to edit/change anything you like. [Smile]
Btw; Terrence is half-fairy, though he doesn't know it.


Triple My Gold
(Par, I like it [BigGrin] Good idea!)

His description wasn't exactly what Brynn knew of Sian'Ror, but then again, she was young and inexperienced when it came to Circle stuff. "Well, I've only been doing this for three years," she admitted shyly. "Whether you can control it or not, I am still happy to call you Brother." She smiled, taking his hand in hers.


On Par
Terrence felt his face heat up when Brynn took his hand. He stammered, "Brother, then," and managaed a smile.


Triple My Gold
Brynn felt the heat rise to her face too. She didn't want to let go of his hand...it felt so comforting, there. It was hard for her to explain, but the connection she felt was much deeper than just the natural world. She slowly let go of his hand, for once feeling words fail her.


On Par
Cellach was fuming. The Masons had found four tunnels so far: FOUR TUNNELS that neither he nor his guard had known about before. All four were, of course, being filled in immediately. Cellach knew that it would be impossible to find all the passages in the huge castle, and an even more daunting task to learn who knew about them. If there was a battle coming, Cellach knew it would be imperative to keep any skirmishes a long way from the castle and grounds.


QHRider
ooc: Viserys would like to thank his many many greats granduncle who was responsible for this. XD

On Par
Terrence concealed a sigh when the red haired girl released his hand. He stood up too quickly. "We should probably go inside now," he choked out.

ooc:And Cellach would like to shoot him. With a gun from the future. XD

E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Viserys dryness. "I'm going for a walk..." Ilene rose from the table. She could use some fresh air. "Would you like to join me?" she asked Viserys.


Triple My Gold
"Yes, you are probably right." Brynn followed Terrence into the house where the others were waiting. Thasha immediately sprang up and leaped to Brynn, where she settled herself around Brynn's shoulders. Brynn's mind was swimming, but Thasha's purr soothed her.

QHRider
Viserys smiled at her. He wasn't sure if he would be needed, but she shouldn't go alone. "I would love to, my lady," he said, rising.


E. Rider
Ilene walked out of the house and towards the meadow. She plwrapped her shawl around her shoulders more snug. It had gotten chillier. "I can only imagine how much you are enjoying this business of looking like a woman.." she said sarcastically as she walked.

QHRider
"As much as the rest of you are, I am not," Viserys said. He sighed. "Still, it's as good a disguise as any."

On Par
In the house, Terrence sat in a corner, examining his arrows. At least, that's what he was trying to do, but in reality he couldn't quit thinking about Brynn and what she said about Sian'Ror in him.


Triple My Gold
"So," Brynn began, to try to break the awkward tension in the room. "Would anybody be willing to fill me in on what's going on?" She gave her red hair a firm tug, settling down on a rug in front of the softly glowing fire. She stared at the fire, willing the flames to grow, but only succeeded in making a tiny spark bounce out of the hearth. Drat.

(is there a fireplace there? If not, I just made one [Hehe] )


On Par
ooc: There is now, haha. [BigGrin]
*
Terrence looked down at his arrows, hoping that one of the others would answer Brynn's question.


zeesgirl
Enzi peered at the new girl who had appeared so suddenly. "I don't think any of us really know what's going on," she said. "But Viserys wants to be king, so we think we're going to try to help him." She noticed Brynn's feeble attempt to start a fire. Enzi grinned, changed swiftly into a small dragon, and coughed a crackling fire into the hearth. Then she changed back and sat down on the floor, exhaling smoke and looking pleased with herself. She hadn't left her human form for more than five seconds.

Milo frowned at Enzi's demonstration, but said nothing. His thoughts were still on this mysterious man in the COR, but the new girl's arrival had interrupted his conversation with Terrence. He didn't know who she was and resolved to wait until later to question Terrence any further.

E. Rider
”I just hope it works..” Ilene said looking into the sky. ”It has to work..” She leaned to picked a daisy and sniffed it as she walked. ”At least thedress is your color..” She smiled teasingly. The meadow was beautiful. Flowers blew in the wind along with Ilene's dress and long brown hair. Ilene sat on a fallen tree trunk, twirling the flower in her hand. "Its so nice not to work for Laela anymore... Just to be free to come and go as I please, and go on walks like this one if I feel like it..it's so nice."

Triple My Gold
show off, Brynn thought to herself. Why was it that she could only do simple conjurings half the time, and rarely anything more complex? The Circle elders had told her that she had some sort of "block," that it was all in her head, but deep down she feared she would never be as powerful as anyone else in the Circle. Why else had it taken so long for Sian'Ror to manifest itself in her in the first place? Brynn had half a mind to douse the fire with a jet of water, but I probably couldn't manage that either. "Well I would like to offer my assistance in any way I can," Brynn replied, smiling serenely.

QHRider
Viserys scowled at the teasing. "I imagine it is," he said, sitting beside her. "I suppose if we win, I won't be able to do as I please anymore. I'll be too busy."

On Par
Terrence gazed out the window into the twilight. He was a bit jealous of the attention Puck was giving to Brynn's cat; he wasn't used to Puck caring about anything but him.


E. Rider
"Well at least you won't have to be a servant and work for Princess Laela! You'll still have some freedom. You'll have a beautiful place to live and hardly a care in the world..." Ilene said dreamily, thinking of what it would be like to be royal.

QHRider
Viserys started laughing. He couldn't help it. "As king? I'll be responsible for the entire kingdom. I'll work hard and at best get no thanks and at worst be hated." He shook his head. "It's not nearly as glamorous a life as it's made out to be."


E. Rider
"I suppose.But I guess I meant that you will be free to make your own choices..." Ilene stood up and began walking slowly and carefully across the log. Holding her arms slightly out to keep her balance. She had never done something so unlady like in her life.

QHRider
"Only if it's in the best interest of my country." Viserys watched her cross the log with a grin.

E. Rider
"Well of course.." she said nearly falling. She finally caught her balance before continuing across. At the end she half jumped half stepped off. "Your turn!" she said smiling.

ooc: What's he grinning at? LOL

QHRider
ooc: her. It looks like fun!

"Okay," Viserys said. He climbed up onto the log and, waving his arms gracelessly for balance, padded across it. His grin widened.


E. Rider
Ilene laughed. She still stood a few inches away from the end of the log but backed up to give Viserys room to jump off. She plopped down in the meadow's soft flowery grass, still laughing, her peachy skirt all about her and her brown hair still blowing in the wind.


QHRider
Viserys jumped off the log after Ilene, laughing. He hadn't laughed in a long time.

E. Rider
Ilene leaned back on her hands. Trying to catch her breath from laughing, ”My....stomach...hurts! She said between laughs. Her stomach was hurting from laughing. She put her hand around her waist and tried to stop. She looked at Viserys who was laughing just as hard as she. It had been so long since she had laughed this hard.

Ooc: Ilene is making me want to walk across a log XD

QHRider
Viserys wiped his runny eyes with the heel of his palm. "It's not even that funny," he said, but kept laughing. It felt good.

E. Rider
"I know!" Ilene said, her laughter fading to a smile. "But it's nice just to forget everything and just laugh..." she said thoughtfully. Her cheeks were pink from the wind and her eyes sparkled from excitement. Ilene looked absolutely beautiful when she was happy.


Triple My Gold
Brynn watched Thasha and the fox, smiling a little to herself. As much as Thasha was devoted to her, Brynn knew that she still enjoyed the chance to interact with other animals...even if Thasha was no ordinary mountain lion. Brynn could sense that Terrence wasn't quite as happy as his furry companion, though, and wished there was something she could do to help the young man. He seemed so lost and confused, it made Brynn's heart ache to see him so; she didn't like to see anybody in pain, but Terrence was different, more like her, and that made the pain even more apparent.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Viserys is a much more interesting walking buddy than Jaime. XD)

Jaime sighed. Sitting around like this was making him twitchy. He left the small house and went out to find his saddle in the barn. He smiled when he was greeted by Honor with a nicker. He stopped to rub her wide, golden forehead for a moment before digging in his saddlebags for a whetstone. Upon finding the desired item, Jaime went back to the house and set to sharpening his sword.


QHRider
"It is," Viserys agreed. "I haven't laughed like that since--" he cut off. Since before Rhaegar died. "For a long time," he finished instead. He wondered what his brother would have thought of all this.

E. Rider
"Neither have I..." Ilene said, finally cayltching her breath. "I have had very few good laughs in my lifetime." Ilene began pulling at the grass. The ones she had, had all been with her parents or brothers. But they were all gone. Standing up, Ilene brushed off her dress. "That was so unlady like of me and I can't believe I did it!" she said smiling. "But I'm glad I did. It was fun..."

QHRider
"Being ladylike all the time sounds very boring," Viserys said. He stretched out on the grass, arms pillowing his head.


On Par
He didn't know why, but Terrence was getting jumpier every second that he sat still. He returned his arrows to his quiver and set it down carefully before jumping up and walking quickly outside. He jogged through the gates, and as soon as he entered the forest, he broke into a sprint. Terrence didn't know what he was running from or why, but it felt good to run.


E. Rider
Sitting back down on he grass Ilene looked up into the clouds. "Boring seems to be my life story, I'm used to it. But I've always had to be ladylike whether I wanted to or not since I worked for Laela. Now I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that I'm free now, I don't have to miss the fun things in life...but I'm learning." she was silent for a moment before pointing to a cloud, "That cloud looks like a bear.."

QHRider
"It kind of does," Viserys agreed. He felt guilty for having left right after Brynn had arrived, so he sighed and said, "We should probably head back soon."


E. Rider
Ilene sighed, sorry to have to end when she was enjoying herself. But Viserys was right. "You're right, we should get back. Besides, I need to cook dinner." Ilene said standing up. She brushed the grass off and smoothed the wrinkles in her dress. She tucked a strand of hair that the wind was blowing in her face behind her ear.

QHRider
Viserys sighed as well and stood up, brushing grass off of himself. "And then tomorrow it's back to Courtcliff," he said.

E. Rider
Ilene began walking, but this time towards "home". "I'll have to fix your hair tonight after dinner. Jaime is going to give you such a hard time about smelling like flowers..." Ilene giggled a bit, "Thank you for joining me on my walk."

QHRider
"Jaime gives me a hard time about everything," Viserys said. He grinned though. "And it is my pleasure," he added.

Triple My Gold
Brynn started a bit at Terrence's sudden departure, but she could easily understand why. What, with everyone sitting around here doing nothing, and that man sharpening his sword, she was starting to get jumpy herself. She wanted to go after him, but sensed he wanted to be alone. Instead, she reached out to Puck with her mind. Go to him, please, she begged the fox.

(Brynn can communicate with animals telepathically. It's another one of the perks of being in the Circle.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime continued to sharpen his sword with methodical strokes. He paused for a moment in surprised at Terrence's exit, but didn't go after him. He would speak with the boy later, if need be. Jaime looked over to the newest addition to their team, perhaps it was her that had made Terrence so nervous. She did have Terrence blushing like a maiden on her wedding night when she'd hugged him. Jaime was still wary of her, seeing as magic was not his favorite thing and this girl seemed to be chalk full of it.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled. "I'm sure Jaime was glad I asked you. He's doesn't like walks."

zeesgirl
(when Ilene and Viserys are done frolicking in the woods, can we press on to the next day, perhaps? lol Milo and Enzi are bored but I can't think of anything for them to do.)

QHRider
(Yeah, let's do that.)

"Alright, let's get this over with," Viserys said the next morning. The sooner they got to the COR, the sooner he could get out of this stupid dress.

On Par
(Yippee for moving on! Terrence couldn't take the pressure.)

Terrence woke to the sounds of the forest. Although the sounds were familiar, the small man couldn't shake the feeling that the whole forest was waiting for something. For the first time in his life, Terrence felt uncomfortable in the woods and was eager to return to society.
Puck had found him sometime in the night, and the two of them made tracks for Osilon.

E. Rider
Ilene did Viserys' hair in an updo, and left some curls hanging around his face. "You look stunning, Francis!" she teased forcing a smile. She wasn't feeling very cheerful this morning. In fact, she was worried and scared. What if their plans didn't work? She swallowed, trying to think of something else.

Triple My Gold
Brynn had to stifle a giggle upon seeing Viserys in a dress, especially since the mood seemed darker, tenser somehow, this morning. She had dressed comfortably for travel, in a dark brown cloak with trim that perfectly matched the turquoise of Thasha's eyes. "You know," she said to Viserys, "You really could pass for a girl. With this disguise, it could work." Her tone was serious, not mocking.

E. Rider
"It will work.." Ilene said, saying it more for herself. She carefully pinned Viserys' bun into place. "There! All done!" she sighed.

QHRider
"Thanks," he said to Brynn. "I've always wanted to be a girl." He could feel a certain tenseness from the others, but he'd been living with the fear of being caught most of his life. It wasn't anything new to him. "Now let's get this show on the road, shall we?" He swung his saddlebags over his shoulder in a decidedly unfeminine motion and left the house.

E. Rider
Ilene swung onto Noble's back. She smiled as she realized tbis was her first time riding him. ”Good morning, Noble.” She said sweetly as she gave him a pat. This was the big day. Her future depended on it. She glanced at Viserys and Dragon. She smiled to herself. It was funny seeing the proud Viserys as her ”mute cousin Francis”.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime didn't bother to hold in his laugh when he saw Viserys. He swung his saddle onto Honor, chuckling. "You look lovely, my lady," He said, smirking, to Viserys.

QHRider
Viserys couldn't figure out how to get astride with the skirts, so he ended up hooking his right leg over the pommel of his saddle, uncomfortably imitating a side saddle. "So would this be a bad time to mention that I peed in your dinner the other night?" Viserys asked Jaime, smirking back at him.

E. Rider
Ilene's mouth dropped at Viserys' confession. She giggled, but she knew the prank would NOT be funny to Jaime. ”I wont ever make you mad!” Ilene said laughing, ”Or I might get the honor of having my food....” She didnt finish her sentence. Such things were innapropriate for a woman to speak of.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
In all honesty, Jaime was horrified, but he wasn't about to let Viserys get the pleasure of seeing that. He swung onto his mare and rode up next to Viserys. He leaned down, and spoke only loud enough for the Dragonbourne to hear. "Revenge is a bitch, Princess."

QHRider
"I'm terrified," Viserys said, deadpan. "Absolutely quivering with fear." He looked Jaime in the eye and added, "You already killed my father. What can you possibly do worse?" and moved Dragon away from Jaime's mare.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(KSldfaksdjklf! I can't use the gif I want to because I STILL can't get on my photobucket!)

Jaime's jaw clenched. "Nothing. I will never do anything worse and I will never do anything better." Killing the Mad King would always be his finest act, and his most terrible.

On Par
Just across the field, Terrence sat on a branch, swinging his legs in the air. He was impatient to get to Courtcliffe, and it was taking the others a ridulous amount of time to get mounted up and ready.

(Is there an elf army in accompaniment? Or are they still preparing? Or not coming at all ever?)

QHRider
Viserys glanced back at Jaime, but didn't answer. He turned Dragon away. "Is everyone ready?" he called.

(Not at the moment, I think we're trying to be discreet.)

E. Rider
Ilene gave Noble a pat. He seemed excited this morning. Ilene hadnt ridden bareback in a long time. Noble snorted at Honor before playfully trying to nip him. He was in a chipper mood this morning, ”Noble, stop that! How rude!” Noble's ears pricked towards her. ”Sorry about , Sir Jaime.” Ilene apologized.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Don't worry about it," Jaime said gruffly, Viserys had put him in a foul mood. He watched Honor closely, the mare had her ears pinned. She'd never liked much of anyone.

E. Rider
Ilene looked down. She turned back the other way to get Noble away from Honor. Then she followed a safe distance behind the mare.

dddddddd
(I'm back! For the weekend, anyway!)

*

Ashleigh walked just outside the town gates and whistled. Reah came galloping up from the other side of the hill, and slowed to a trot just before reaching her. Ashleigh laughed as Reah shook her mane. She was ready to go.Ashleigh's mind instinctively went to her weapons she had hidden at all times. She remembered not only the weapons she had on person, but also the ones she had hidden around town. She decided that it might be a good idea to tell the others where they were once they were closer. There was no reason to speak of fighting yet. Just as Ashleigh swung up on Reah's broad back, the others came riding up. She let Reah fall into step with Noble and Ilene.

"Great job on the dress. No one will be able to tell it is him unless they are expecting him, which I find very unlikely." Ashleigh whispered to Ilene, half laughing. It was a comical sight, but she knew it could save all of their lives when they arrived at Courtcliffe.

E. Rider
Ilene gave Ashleigh a kind smile, "Thank you, Ashleigh. I think it will work. Unless someone slips and calls him Viserys and not Francis, or if Viserys talks. He's supposed to be my mute cousin you know!" Ilene whispered back giggling. Noble gave Reah a sniff before snorting. He seemed to hold his head higher and he got an even bigger spring in his step. "Show off!" Ilene said to her horse.

QHRider
Right. No talking. Viserys wiggled in his saddle, trying to get comfortable in his odd position. Dragon tossed his head. "Sorry," Viserys told him, as they were so far alone on the road.


E. Rider
Ilene trotted over to Viserys. "Why don't you ride astride and when we get closer you can try to ride side saddle. It will sure be a lot more comfortable!"

QHRider
"It would, but I can't get the skirts to work right," Viserys said. "This thing was not meant to be ridden in."

On Par
Terrence walked wordlessly toward the rear of the party. He, Milo, and Enzi were the only ones without horses. Terrence didn't mind, but he was glad he wasn't the only one on foot.

(I don't recall them having horses, so I presume they're walking. [Tongue] )

E. Rider
"Hmm. I'll try to think of something.." Ilene said as she scratched Noble's whithers gently.

zeesgirl
(edit: ninjas! I was writing this while you both posted. So I guess it's just Terrence and Milo, since Enzi's too impatient for walking)

Milo followed at the rear of the party on foot, since he did not own a horse. He walked along in brooding silence while Duff trotted along at his heels. Enzi floated in the sky above them, a red tailed hawk, keeping an eye on the road ahead so she could alert the others if strangers approached.

QHRider
"Don't worry. We won't be riding too long. I can deal with it for now," Viserys said. He glanced around to make sure everyone else was keeping up, especially Milo and Terrence on foot.

E. Rider
”Hmm, I wonder if Milo and Terrence would like to take turns rkding Noble with me. I feel awful having a horse and they have to walk. I love walking so ill be alright.” She trotted over to Terrence and Milo and dismounted, ”Here, we'll take turns riding Noble. We'll rotate so no one gets too tired. Here.” She handed the reins to Milo, ”You first..” She smiled.


zeesgirl
The group became more strung out as they traveled. Milo was having no trouble keeping up-- he figured he could probably run as fast as Viserys could ride without falling off the horse in that dress-- but he was growing weary of being with so many people after so long with only Enzi and Duff as company, so he allowed a gap to emerge between himself and the riders ahead. He tried to use the simple trek through the woods to clear his head and relax some of the tension that he had been harboring since the first day in Courtcliff.

After they had put a few miles between themselves and Oslion, Milo turned his thoughts back to the underground organization in Courtcliff. He adjusted his pace so that he fell in step with Terrence. "Can you tell me more about the COR?" he asked the small young man.

(edit: ninjaaa! Is it ok if they just walk? Milo has questions for Terrence.)

Triple My Gold
Brynn had walked the first couple of miles, keeping a small distance between herself and Terrence. She felt as if she had done something to to upset the man last night, though she couldn't place her finger on what, and decided she should keep her distance for now. After a while she whistled softly, a sound like a songbird calling through the trees, and out of the woods, a horse came trotting. She had left her horse, a small dun mare named Willow, in the woods a few days prior, but knew Willow would always come back if called for. Once she and Thasha were settled upon the mare's back, Brynn nudged the mare into an easy gallop to catch up with the other riders.

On Par
(Yeah, Terrence doesn't like horses anyway. [Tongue] Just ask Jaime about their intial trip to Osilon, lol.)

Terrence wasn't quite sure how to respond to Milo's question, or if he should respond, considering the Ailero's ancestry. "Well," he began, "the Council of Resistance was started very quietly by the family members of those Cellach double-crossed after his rise to power. I don't know who or how many, because I wasn't living in town at that time. Over the past few years, it's grown significantly so that half the town knows about it and will fight if called on, but these people are kept in the dark for their own safety. The COR is the best kept secret in Courtcliffe," he finished.

QHRider
Viserys glanced back at Jaime. He knew the older man didn't like him, but he'd thought of something and had to ask. "Jaime? Did you know my brother? Rhaegar?"


E. Rider
ooc. oops, nevermind

Ilene walked too, she had been riding for a while so it felt good to stretch her legs. Stopping every once in a while to let Noble grab a mouthful of grass. She hadn't had time to feed him this morning and she felt terrible. "I'm hungry too, boy, so that makes two of us." She wondered if the others were hungry.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime was mildly surprised that Viserys had spoken to him at all. "Rhaegar?" He said, "Yes. I knew him."

QHRider
"What was he like?" He was bracing himself for Jaime's total disdain of his family to come through, but he figured somewhere between that and his own rosy picture of his brother he could get a glimpse of the truth.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"He was a good man." Jaime didn't look at Viserys as he said it. "He would have made a good king. He and Arthur Dayne were the best knights I have ever seen."

QHRider
Viserys smiled, glad that he'd remembered one of his family members right, at least. "I wish he were still here," Viserys said, smile slipping.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"As do I," Jaime said. He looked over at Viserys, and was hit by a surprising wave of pity. The young man hadn't known much of his family, and what he did, Jaime had torn to shreds. He frowned, feeling guilty. Not all the Dragonbournes had been raving lunatics, perhaps Jaime could make sure Viserys knew that. He was the only one here that could tell the prince of his brother. "Aye, Rhaegar was a good man. Strong, a good fighter. He was knighted at seventeen. He always did well in tournaments," Jaime said, turning to face the road again.

QHRider
"I saw him joust once," Viserys said, looking at Jaime. "He rode a big black horse and beat everyone. Even Arthur Dayne."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime grinned at the memory. "Yes, Sir Arthur Dayne broke twelve lances against him in a tourney once," Jaime said, "Sir Arthur knighted me shortly before that tournament, at a battle." Jaime was still smiling. The moment he was knighted, blood still dripping off Dayne's greatsword, was one of his proudest. "Rhaegar would always be playing his harp, and singing. He seemed to enjoy it more than fighting." Jaime added, after a moment.

QHRider
"He was good at it too," Viserys said, remembering his brother singing him to sleep. "I wonder what happened to his harp," he added.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"I don't know, I never saw it again after he charged off..." Jaime trailed off. He still remembered the last words Rhaegar had said to him before going off to fight some battle. He said things would change when he got back, but didn't come back.


QHRider
Viserys shook his head. "He lied to me," he said. "He promised me he'd come back, and he never did." Viserys wasn't sure why he was telling anyone this, much less Jaime.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
The smile slipped off Jaime's face. "He promised me that too."


QHRider
Viserys studied Jaime's face, or at least what he could make out of his profile. Oddly, it made him feel better that someone missed Rhaegar as much as he did. "Tell me more about the tourney," he said. "How did Sir Arthur Dayne break twelve lances?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Jousting, of course," Jaime winked at Viserys. "Rhaegar was a talented rider, and he had no intentions of coming off his horse. Arthur was good too, he was undefeated until that tournament. Like I said, Arthur broke twelve lances before Rhaegar unseated him. It was amazing. Rhaegar was unstoppable."

QHRider
Viserys grinned. "How many rounds did they go? Do you remember?"

E. Rider
With the back of her hand, Ilene wiped a bead of sweat from her brown. She was getting tired so she mounted Noble who was needing a drink of water. She wanted to ask Jaime and Viserys if they could stop to get a drink, but they were having a pretty deep discussion and she didn't want to interrupt. They had been traveling for so long, the horses needed the water. She trotted up to them, "I'm very sorry to interrupt your conversation, but the horses desperately need some water.."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"They went eighteen rounds," Jaime told Viserys. It had been a long, but exciting match. He turned his attention to Ilene. "I believe there's a creek up the road, we'll stop when we reach it."

E. Rider
Ilene leaned down to pat Noble, "Only a little while longer, my noble steed.." Noble pricked an ear towards her but most of his focus was on Jaime's mare.

QHRider
"Eighteen?" Viserys repeated, but didn't say any more at Ilene's approach. He leaned down to stroke Dragon's shoulder. His pony seemed to be doing okay, but water was always good.

zeesgirl
Milo gave a wry half smile at the irony, considering how readily Terrence had answered his question, but he made no comment. He mulled over this information in his mind as they walked, keeping his eyes on the trail underfoot. Then he looked back at Terrence. “Speaking of well-kept secrets,” he said, “if the COR learns who I am, what do you think they will do?” He shaded his eyes with his hand as he looked up into the sky for Enzi. A hawk drifted overhead, but he had no way to be sure if it was her. He turned back to Terrence. “I know they’re not… fond of my family.”

E. Rider
Ilene was so hot. The sun was beating down hard. There wasn't a cloud in the sky willing that was willing to cover the sun's hot rays. Noble began to drag. He was so sweaty he was beginning to make a wet mark on Ilene's dress, so she dismounted. She was so embarassed, it looked like she had used the bathroom on herself.

On Par
"I'm not sure," Terrence confessed. He kicked at a pebble in the path and watched it skip along before coming to rest on the side of the road. He opened his mouth, then hesitated. He looked at Milo. "I didn't join on purpose," he said softly. "It was that or die. I have no influence in the COR."

zeesgirl
Milo studied Terrence's troubled face. "What happened?" he asked after a moment.

E. Rider
The creek came into view and Noble wanted to run to it, and so did Ilene. She led him over to it and he lapped it up. She kneeled down on her knees and cupped her hands. Filling her hands with water she splashed her face. It felt wonderful. Noble decided to go for a swim so she let him. He only went a little over his knees but he continued to drink. She watched him from the bank taking drinks herself every now and then.

On Par
Terrence watched the road pass under his feet. He was quiet for a while, then spoke softly. "It was winter, and it was cold. I was just trying to get out of the snow; trying to get warm; to stay alive." Terrence wasn't really seeing the road anymore. "I found a passage under the city, and just kept going and going. That's where they were. When they found out I worked in the castle, they wouldn't let me go unless I joined them. I found them because I was trying to survive. I wasn't going to give up that easily."
He gave an involuntary shudder, remembering the following months, when he lived in fear that he would accidentally leak information to the wrong person, always wondering if the COR had sent someone to kill him.

Triple My Gold
Thasha leaped off of Willow's back and pawed at the water playfully as Willow drank in the creek alongside Noble. Brynn laughed, watching the antics of the cat, and got a drink herself. She looked over at Ilene and smiled.

(lame, I know...)

E. Rider
Ilene smiled and walked over to Brynn. Noble, who thought she was leaving him, trotted out of the water as fast as he could and nearly cantered right up to her back. "Noble, you silly boy!" she scratched his chin and kissed his nose. "Hello, Brynn!" she sat down beside the girl smiling sweetly. "And how are you this hot morning?"

QHRider
Viserys slid off of Dragon before the pony waded into the stream up to his knees. Viserys smiled after his pony. Though the day was hot, he found it comfortably so.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime swung off of Honor. He led her up to the water, where she drank. The mare lifted her head and nickered towards Dragon. "Who are you talking to?" Jaime asked, rubbing her forehead. He followed her gaze to Viserys' pony. "Really? I question your taste in men."

Triple My Gold
"Hi Ilene! I'm doing fine," Brynn replied, stretching out in the soft green grass. It was warm out, but pleasantly so to Brynn, for Circle members didn't feel extreme changes in temperature like most people did. Thasha came from the water and curled up between the two of them, nudging Ilene's hand to be petted. "And yourself?"

QHRider
Dragon lifted his head at Honor and snorted back, ears pricked at the larger mare. Viserys grinned. "Don't let me catch you insulting my horse now," he told Jaime.

On Par
The antics of the others in the water brought Terrence out of his introspection. He smiled and sat a little ways from the stream, watching. Puck trotted out of the forest and sat beside him.

E. Rider
Ilene gave Thasha a pet, "Hello, love.." she scratched the cat behind the ears. "I'm doing quite well, thank you. Excuse me for a moment.." Ilene rose and walked over to Terrence. She sat beside him. "I feel like its been forever since I've talked to you.." she half smiled. Her expression faded into a worried look "Terrence? What's wrong? You've got something on your mind I know.. Wanna talk about it?" she asked warmly. She glanced at Brynn. Ever since she'd come Terrence hadn't acted the same. Maybe he liked her...

zeesgirl
Milo kept his eyes on Duff trotting along ahead of them as he listened to Terrence tell his story. While it gave him some insight into Terrence’s past, the tale made the prospects of a positive encounter with the COR seem even more bleak. He was not sure what to say in response, but he was saved the necessity when they came upon the others resting at a creek. He noticed the intensity of the heat for the first time. He knelt at the edge of the stream, pushed his sleeves up to his elbows, and drank from his cupped palm before splashing some water onto his face. Duff waded happily into the water up to her belly and drank her fill.

Enzi noticed the group halt at a stream far below, so she pinned her wings to her sides and dove towards the ground. Enzi loved flying. Birds were some of her favorite forms. Just as she shot between the treetops, she flared her wings to slow her descent and flapped to a tall boulder overlooking the creek. She perched atop it and changed into her human form. “Good morning, folks,” she said, looking around the group.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime jumped a bit when Enzi reappeared in her human form; he would never get used to that. He looked to Viserys. "Are we ready to move on then?"

On Par
Terrence smiled a bit. "Nothing's wrong, Ilene. This trip is bringin back memories is all." He looked toward the stream. "Is that the horse that Ashleigh gave you?" he asked. "He really is beautiful." Which was saying a lot, since Terrence didn't like horses.

QHRider
Viserys glanced at the others. Some of them didn't seem to be handling the heat so well, but the sooner they got to Courtcliff the sooner they got out of the sun. "I suppose so," he said, awkwardly remounting Dragon. "Let's go!" he called out to the others.

dddddddd
Ashleigh remounted Reah to continue their journey. She would be ready whenever the others were. She sighed. Everyone seemed to be falling into place with someone. Everyone except her, that is. Yes, she had Reah, but it was not the same. However, Ashleigh had always been a loner. She was different from both her elf friends and her human ones. She began to ride along the trail now, seeing as the others were nearly ready to take off.

[steph]

(Pages 136-140)

E. Rider
"I understand.." Ilene said softly. She smiled at Noble, "Thank you...he really is wonderful." The compliment was a lot coming from Terrence, especially about a horse. "So, you like Brynn?" she giggled softly.

Triple My Gold
Willow knelt on the ground so that Brynn could mount easier. Brynn felt sad, and troubled, even though she had reached the Dragonbourne as she was told to do. She still could not shake the feeling that her arrival had upset Terrence in some way, despite what he said.

zeesgirl
Milo stood, feeling refreshed from the short respite at the creek. He was used to walking day in and day out, having lived an essentially nomadic existence for the past couple years. He whistled to Duff, who splashed out of the water, gave a great shake, and settled at his feet.

Enzi slid ungracefully down from the top of the boulder, then bounced to her feet and brushed the dirt and moss from her backside. “I’ll walk for a bit,” she announced to no one in particular. “There’s no one ahead on the road for at least a couple miles.” She stood next to Milo and petted Duff while they waited for the others to remount and get moving.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime remounted Honor, and guided her back onto the road. "We aren't far from Courtcliffe now."

On Par
Terrence chuckled, genuinely surprised by Ilene's question. "I like most people," Terrence replied.
At Viserys' call to continue, Terrence heaved himself upright and offered a hand to Ilene.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled and accepted Terrence's hand. "Come on, Noble, time to go!" she called. The horse trotted up to her. "Thank you" she said to Terrence curtsying. She walked back up to the path. Noble snorted water all into her hair. She smiled, "What am I going to do with you, you silly boy?" she smiled.

On Par
Terrence took up his position near the back of the party. He suspected that if he was in the front, he'd set too quick a pace, and Ilene would probably pass out. That is, if Viserys didn't fall off first. He was in no particular hurry to leave the forest, so he let the others choose their speed.

Triple My Gold
Brynn held Willow back for a little while, then dismounted and walked alongside Terrence. She was silent for a while, then she spoke. "I'm sorry if...I mean..." she began, stammering. "I...I just wanted to apologize if I did anything to upset you," she blurted out. "I..." Confound it, why was this so hard? She tugged her fiery hair and stared at the ground; she was making a fool of herself, as usual.

E. Rider
Ilene felt much better after the rest and cool down, and Noble seemed to be thankful for it too. She noticed Brynn looked uncomfortable as she walked beside Terrence. She still didn't understand what was going on between them. Wait. Why did she care? Was she jealous? She quickly looked away and tried to think of something else.

Court cliff came into view. Ilene's heart skipped a beat.Forgetting her thoughts about Terrence she looked at Viserys in his disguise. This HAD to work. She felt so scared.

On Par
Terrence had been trying to force down his gloomy introspection, and Brynn's predicament gave him just the opportunity he had been looking for. "Upset me?" he responded quickly, not allowing himself to think. "Don't be ridiculous." With that, Terrence turned a handstand and began walking toward Courtcliffe on his hands, his feet flopping in the air as he tried to keep his balance.

E. Rider
Ilene couldn't help but smile at Terrence's goofiness. Noble watched him with pricked ears and a questioning expression on his face, as if to say "...And he thinks horses are crazy!" she smiled at Noble, "Come on, big guy!"

dddddddd
Ashleigh shook her head at Terrence's antics. Avoidance. She stopped and slid off Reah's back, giving her a pat, than the mare ran off into the woods. Ashleigh began walking calmly along. She had done this very thing with Reah many times. They were nearing Courtcliffe.

On Par
(Faeries have a poor sense of responsibility and are somewhat bi-polar. I think these elves are the opposite. XD)


QHRider
Viserys raised his chin as Courtcliff came into view. He'd gotten into the city once already, but who could say that Layla hadn't told the guards to be on alert? Oh well. They had no choice but to try, and if worst came to worst, well, they were armed for a reason.

On Par
Terrence resumed walking on his feet. They were still a half hour's walk from the city, but Terrence knew they would soon meet up with other folk entering the city. There was always a steady stream of people going in and out of the capitol city. He padded to the front of the party and walked between Viserys and Jaime. "It may be wise to enter the city in ones and twos, instead of such a large and varied group."

QHRider
"That's probably a wise idea," Viserys said. He twisted around to look at the group. "There should be at least one armed person in each group," he said. "Just in case."

On Par
Terrence glanced sideways at Viserys. "The only ones unarmed are Ilene and myself," he pointed out. He assumed that Brynn carried weapons, or could use magic to defend herself.

QHRider
Viserys grinned. "Then we won't put you two together." He pursed his lips and thought.

dddddddd
XD

*

Ashleigh walked over to Viserys, Terrence, and Jamie.

"I have weapons hidden all over the city. I personally think it would be dangerous to have even Ilene and Terrence unarmed should the worst come to be." Ashleigh said "But I agree on splitting up. I know my opinion counts as little, but I thought I should let that information be known to all of us."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Wow. Jaime must have been an incompetent City Watch Commander then.)

"Splitting up would be wise," Jaime said, "As long as we all know where we're going." It would be a problem if someone got lost. If they were to be caught and forced to talk, the entire group could kiss their heads goodbye.

QHRider
"Good to know," Viserys said. "But if Terrence and Ilene don't have any training, giving them weapons could be as dangerous as having them be unarmed." He didn't imagine that either of them did. "Where should we meet up? I'm not sure where the COR is."

(Or Ashleigh was extra sneaky!)

On Par
She's an elf; not Jaime's fault. Besides, how is he supposed to find a sword stuck behind a loose brick? I don't think we're talking nukes, here. [Tongue]
Also, Terrence has a bow, but he'd never use it.
*
"We can meet at the bar where this all started," Terrence suggested to Viserys. "I know where it is, and so do you, Jaime, Milo, and Enzi. There are a number of small shops and the bar where we can disappear if needed."
Terrence was relieved at being excused from carrying a serious weapon. He knew it would be dangerous for him to carry one.

Triple My Gold
(Brynn can defend others if they are threatened, but not herself...one of the quirks of how Sian'Ror works. Though, she does have Thasha.)

Brynn was puzzled Terrence's response, and gave her hair a quick tug again before clambering back onto Willow and looking around, grumbling under her breath. She didn't like Courtcliff already; it was like a gaping wound in the earth's hide, and its very unnatural-ness made her shudder involuntarily. She waited for Viserys to decide how they were going to be split up, knowing full well that she would be of no use to her companions unless one of them were directly threatened.

E. Rider
Ilene just listnened. She wasn't very smart when it came to strategy. Besides she was a woman, figuring things such as this was a man's job. Best leave it to Viserys to choose who gets what, She thought standing beside Noble. Although it was kind of hard to think of Viserys as the head man when he was dressed as her mute cousin Francis. A smile tried to force itself out but Ilene did a good job of keeping it in.

zeesgirl
"Jaime should go with Ilene and Francis," said Enzi. "It would be odd for two women to be traveling alone." She twisted a curl around her finger as she thought. "Terrence can go with Ashleigh and Milo with Brynn so that everyone knows where to go. And I can fly overhead and keep an eye on everyone and screech or something if anyone runs into trouble."

(Did I forget anyone?)

Milo raised his eyebrows. Sometimes he forgot how smart Enzi could be when she took the time to think.

QHRider
Viserys frowned at the name, but he couldn't fault Enzi's logic. "Sounds good to me," he said.

Triple My Gold
Brynn nodded, making her way over to Milo and waiting for everyone to split up so they could enter the city. She gave him a smile, but even the smile could not hide her nervousness at being in this place. Thasha stood by Willow's feet, thrashing her tail from side to side, sensing Brynn's agitation. "Are you ready for this?" Brynn asked Milo, subconsciously yanking her hair so hard that she pulled a handful of flame-red strands out by the roots.

On Par
Terrence pouted. He'd had a nagging feeling he would get stuck with the elf. "Let's go then. Each group can count off five minutes before leaving?" It wouldn't do to have loose-tongued pedestrians noting their splitting up.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime nodded. Then looked at Viserys and Ilene. "How about we go first, ladies?" He asked with a grin.

On Par
Terrence nodded. "We'll go last," he said, not looking at Ashleigh.

QHRider
Viserys wished everyone would just get tired of the lady jokes, but that clearly wasn't about to happen any time soon. "Let's go then," he said, clucking to Dragon.

E. Rider
Ilene whispered to Viserys, "After this is over I promise to never tease you or mention this again...and I'll only call you Francis so no one suspects anything..." she began walking still leading Noble.

On Par
Seeing Viserys face, Terrence called, "Don't worry, Vis. This moment will never be forgotten. Songs will be written about it and it will become the favorite story of the next generation." In fact, Terrence could think of no better way to spend his time than to start composing a ballad of the Dragonbourne's return.

QHRider
"Just what I wanted. My triumphant return in skirts memorialized," Viserys said. He shook his head and headed down to Courtcliff, trusting Jaime and Ilene to catch up to him.

zeesgirl
Milo adjusted the knife on his belt, ensuring that he could draw it quickly if it was needed. "No," he answered. He knew he should have been less gruff and more encouraging to Brynn, but he was just being honest. After all, they were about to go looking for an underground rebellion that could very well try to murder him the moment they learned his name. Not to mention, Laila might have put the whole city on alert to his return, in which case his missing hand would give him away rather than disguise him as a common thief as it had done for years.

Triple My Gold
"That makes two of us, then." Brynn managed a nervous laugh.

(sorry it's not much...I am kind of brain-dead at the moment and about ready to fall asleep)

zeesgirl
"Duff looks confident though," said Milo, gesturing at his geriatric black dog with his hook. She had taken advantage of the short pause after the long walk and was lounging contentedly on her side. Milo knelt to scratch her graying belly. When Viserys, Jaime, and Ilene had gotten a good distance down the road, he stood. "Come on, girl," he said, and Duff rose wearily to her feet, showing her old age. Milo gave a brief wave to Enzi, Terrence, and Ashleigh, then looked back at Brynn. "Shall we?"

Triple My Gold
"Yes, I suppose we shall," Brynn answered. "I will send Thasha to the forest, though, for the time being...she might draw unwanted attention to ourselves." At that, the mountain lion gave one last twitch of her tail, as if offended, and trotted off towards the trees. Brynn shook her head, smiling a bit. "She'll get over it."

E. Rider
Ilene followed Viserys and Jaime into Courtcliff. A feeling of excitement came over her. Noble nickered softly, "Shh.." she told him giving him a pat, "It's allright.." He lifted his head and sniffed the air. Smelling all of the unfamiliar smells.

On Par
Terrence had two verses thought out before rising to his feet. "Shall we?" he said to Ashleigh. The two of them ambled down the road, blending into the crowd before too long.

QHRider
Amidst the throngs of people going in and out of the city, Viserys, Jaime, and Ilene were barely glanced at. Viserys smiled and hoped he'd get a chance to change into his normal clothes before presenting himself to the COR.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled. If she didn't know better she'd say Viserys was definitely a girl. Though was very flat chested. She whispered to Jaime, "So.. What happens after we get to Courtcliff?" she'd ask Viserys but he was supposed to be mute. It would look silly for her to ask poor mute Francis a question.

On Par
Terrence stuck close to Ashleigh, humming a tune. He could see the city wall now, but forced himself not to think about what could happen.

dddddddd
Ashleigh smiled a bit. "What're you humming?"she asked Terrence, by this time figuring that he was uncomfortable being stuck with her for this one. Ashleigh was calm about the whole ordeal. She fully believed that even if they were found out everyone would be okay. Yes, many would thonk her nonchalant, but she was simply confident, and she did not know why.

On Par
"The tune for the Ballad of the Beggar King," Terrence replied cheekily. "It's coming together quite nicely."

dddddddd
I'm sure he will appreciate that one, being eternally commerated as the one who came in skirts! He did suggest it though." Ashleigh said quietly to Terrence, so as not to be heard by others in town.

QHRider
ooc: Viserys demands that I remind you that Ilene suggested it.

dddddddd
Sorry. XD Everyone, blame E.Rider for Viserys eternal shame, lol! JK, E.Rider.

E. Rider
Ilene looked around at all of the people. One in particular who was staring at them while he smoked a pipe. He was an old scraggly ugly man, one that gave Ilene the chills. He gave her a wink and kissed at her. She looked away.

[steph]

(Page 141-150)

zeesgirl
Milo took the lead as they reached the city, glancing behind periodically to ensure Brynn was still with him as they wove through the crowd. As they passed through the gates, one of the guards surveyed him with disapproval, but Milo was relieved to see that it was the same suspicious look he got most places that he went. A hook-handed man was a thief, and guards kept a close eye on thieves. The guard didn't do or say anything, so Milo knew that Laila hadn't put the City Watch on alert for his return.

Once they were within the walls, Milo started on a roundabout route to the bar where he and Enzi had met Viserys in the first place.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"We'll meet with the COR, show them that our friend Francis is real and not crazy, then..." Jaime trailed off, "Well, I suppose it's up to Princess over there." He nodded towards Viserys.

Triple My Gold
Brynn guided Willow along behind Milo, confident that he knew where he was going even if she didn't.

On Par
A few minutes later, Terrence and Ashleigh passed under the portcullis. Terrence hadn't looked at the guards at all, so he hoped Ashleigh would be able to tell whether they thought anything suspicious. Once through, they moved along with the crowd to the marketplace. There, they moseyed through several booths before Terrence led the way to a sidestreet and then to the rendezvous point.

E. Rider
"Ah.." Ilene said. She was beginning to feel very uncomfortable because the man who had winked and kissed at her was following them. Who was he? She bit her lip. She wished he would go away...

QHRider
Viserys glared at Jaime. He didn't have plans yet--he wanted to see what the COR had to say first. He glanced over at Ilene and saw her looking behind them. He followed her gaze to see an old man following them.

zeesgirl
Enzi was disguised as one of the hundreds of gulls that hovered over the seaside city, scavenging for scraps of food. She circled the entrance to Courtcliff and found it was difficult to keep track of each of the travelers in the midst of all these people. Milo and Brynn seemed fine, as did Ashleigh and Terrence. She flapped back toward where she had last seen Ilene, Viserys, and Jaime. After a moment, she located them on a crowded street. She noticed an expression of concern on Ilene’s face and floated closer. An old man was following the party, and not doing a very good job being subtle about it, either.

Enzi decided to intervene. Still a seagull, she swooped down and made a grab at a gold chain the stranger wore around his neck. The man yelped in surprise and tried to swat her away, but Enzi persisted. She continued to pester the man, enveloping him in a cloud of feathers and flapping wings, and she hoped that the others would have the good sense to use the distraction to get out of sight.


On Par
Cellach studied his reports worriedly. If these were correct, then his wayward daughter had not been seen in three days, and neither had the lady Ilene. Laila's personal servant had also not been heard from. The blood rose to his face as he realized what this must mean. His own daughter had formed an alliance with at least two other unhappy women, and they were planning to bump him off and form some sort of feminine regime!
He picked up another paper and frowned. This was a complaint from Barun, the groundskeeper, that his helper Terrence had not been showing up to work. Cellach had seen Terrence a handful of times, and the boy was not the sort to get involved in politics, especially not with the likes of Laila. The king pursed his lips. How does all this fit together?

QHRider
A seagull--Viserys assumed that it was Enzi--dive-bombed their tail. Viserys leaned over and grabbed Noble's reins, urging Dragon down a side street out of sight, hoping Jaime was paying attention and had the good sense to follow them.

On Par (8/21/2012) His own daughter had formed an alliance with at least two other unhappy women, and they were planning to bump him off and form some sort of feminine regime!

ooc: It's always the feminists' fault. XD


On Par
ooc:It's quite scandalous, really. Tsk, tsk.

E. Rider
The man grabbed Ilene's arm and whirrled her around, "I know you!" he said trying to remember where he knew her from. Ilene was horrified and she tried desperately to get away but the man held her firmly in his grasp. Grinning a toothless grin. "Well I don't know you!" Ilene said still struggling.
The man laughed evilly, "Well, we can fix that now can't we?!" he said leaning closer.

QHRider
^ ooc:He is busy being attacked by a seagull?

E. Rider
Ooc: oops didn't see that. Well he is now lol

Ilene was more than relieved to escape the mans grasp as the seagull attacked him. She was trying to get over being so scared and being embarassed by the mans actions. "I'll get you! I'll find you!" the man shouted between words Ilene wished she had never heard. She winced as she touched her arms which felt very bruised from the mans grip.

QHRider
"Are you okay?" Viserys asked quietly. He looked back at the old man. Who was that guy, anyway?

E. Rider
Ilene's hands were shaking still. She nodded, "I-I think I've seen him around the palace before but I don't know who he is..but he's always watching me and I don't know why..." Ilene said quietly. She was will getting over the shock.

E. Rider
Ilene's eyes widened as he remembered who he was, she whispered to Viserys, "I know who he is now! His name is Xander Hamley and he's been hired by the king to find and kill you!" Ilene suddenly looked very scared. What if he really did come after them?

QHRider
Viserys looked back. Enzi's trick had bought them enough time to get out of sight. "He's not the first, and he won't be the last," Viserys said. He turned back to Ilene and smiled. "He'll find I'm not so easy to kill."

E. Rider
Ilene returned the smile. It made her feel better to smile. "Beware, Xander Hamley! My mute cousin is more vicious than she appears!" she laughed.

On Par
ooc: This kook is obviously no longer in the king's pay or good graces, so was hired a long time ago and simply became obsessed with his unfinished mission, but can Cellach quit killing and hiring random people now? [Tongue] He's okay with having bloody hands from the past, but....yeah. XD
*
Terrence and Ashleigh arrived at the bar. Terrence looked around, seeing no one familiar. "They should be here by now," he murmured nervously.

Triple My Gold
Brynn and Milo had reached the bar, or what Brynn assumed to be the bar. She handed Willow to the stable boy and followed Milo inside, searching for their friends through the crowd of unfamiliar faces. "Over there," she said to Milo, finally noticing Terrence and Ashleigh inside the bar. "Are you guys the first ones here?" Brynn asked them softly once they were close enough.

On Par
Terrence nodded, fighting to keep his nervousness down. Viserys, Jaime, and Ilene had been the first to enter the city. They shouldn't be the last ones here, he thought.

Triple My Gold
Brynn frowned worriedly, fighting the urge to tug at her hair. Without Viserys, the whole plan was about as worthless as a clod of dirt was to a merchant. Surely the others would be here soon...they had to be. She wished she could use Sian'Ror to show her where they were, but she was much too nervous to do so.

QHRider
Their detour kept them out longer than planned, but before long the tavern came into view. Viserys wondered how soon he could change out of his disguise as they joined the others already present.

zeesgirl
"They'll be here," said Milo, his voice low. "Enzi is looking after them." He looked up for the bartender. That was how Enzi had first learned of the rumor of an underground rebellion. He was about to go talk to him when Enzi appeared in the bar in her normal dark-skinned, curly-haired human form. "A man was following Viserys and the others," she said to them. "I distracted him long enough that they got away, and they should be here presently."

E. Rider
Ilene wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Noble truged forward with his head low. The city wasnt so interesting to him anymore. She Gabe the horse a pat and he gave her a playful nudge.

On Par
Terrence felt his perky attitude returning as he saw Jaime's group appraoching the bar. He wondered how Viserys would manage to change out of the dress without attacting extra attention.

Triple My Gold
Relief spread through Brynn's body as she saw the rest of their party returning. She was ready to get out of this bar; standing here like this made her nervous, though she tried to keep that nervousness from showing. She hadn't realized how hard she had been tugging her hair until the others came up...her knuckles were white from gripping her flaming locks. "Thank the stars," she murmured to no one in particular.

zeesgirl
Milo turned to Terrence. "How much further to the meeting place of the COR?" he asked. If they needed spend much more time in the city, it might be better for Viserys to remain in disguise. If they were close, he could probably shed his costume in the barn or someplace similar.

On Par
"About ten minutes's walk," Terrence replied. He rocked back and forth on his heels, ready to get outside and go.

E. Rider
They finally came to their destination. Ilene realized it was a bar. It was no place for a woman she knew but she walked in all the same. She was instantly uncomfortable at all of the stares and winks she was receiving. She wanted to run back outside but she knew she couldn't. She swallowed and walked over to the group.

QHRider
Except for a brief glance at the other patrons, Viserys ignored them on their way to the group. He grinned, but remembering his cover, didn't say a word.

On Par
Ilene didn't look too comfortable in their current environment, so Terrence made an arbitrary decision that Viserys could change somewhere else. He motioned to the rest of the party, then grabbed Viserys' hand, grinning. "This way, Francis dear," he said, leading the way out of the bar and down a side-street.

E. Rider
Ilene was extremely relieved to leave the bar. Recieving a few whistles on the way out she was extremely embarassed. She followed the rest of the group and giggled at Terrence's actions towards Francis.

QHRider
Viserys sighed, but let Terrence drag him back out. He supposed the sooner they got there the better, but he was really hoping to change soon.

E. Rider
Ilene walked over to Viserys, "It's working better than we expected, you got a few whistles and winks from a few men in that bar!" Ilene teased. But so had she and it had made her extremely and embarassed and uncomfortable. She was more than happy to be out of there.

Triple My Gold
Brynn received a whistle and a wink from a particularly shabby looking man with a full beard, but a frosty glare from her and the man's face fell. She followed the rest of the party out of the bar. She reached out to Thasha with her mind, telling the cub that it was safe for her to re-join the party.

On Par
Terrence skipped ahead, still dragging "Francis" by the hand as the rest of the party followed. He wasn't concerned with looking nonchalant, as he had discovered that when he was nervous, he stuck out like a sore thumb no matter how much he tried to blend in.
In a matter of minutes, he reached another entrance to the COR's underground headquarters. He decided to risk showing Jaime two entrances in return for not showing the others the entrance through the canals. Terrence led the group into a homely looking inn, nodding at the innkeeper's buxom wife. He went straight to the corner room and led the whole group in. "Shut the door," he called.

Triple My Gold
Brynn, at the rear of the party, moved to shut the door, but Thasha had reappeared and slipped through the door just as Brynn was about to close it. Thasha was still slightly miffed at Brynn, but stayed close to Brynn's side as she caught up with the rest of the group. "What is this place, exactly?" she asked Terrence, tugging at her hair.

On Par
Terrence winked at Brynn, grinning, before opening the wardrobe and sliding the back of it into the wall to reveal a passage of stairs going under the city. "Welcome to the COR," he said, bowing.

(Narnia! Wahoo!)

Triple My Gold
(Yay! I love Narnia!)

Brynn wasn't sure what she was expecting...another, enchanted world on the other side of the door? (Narnia again [Tongue] ) Her amber-brown eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the stairs. The scent of earth was apparent, down there, which was somewhat of a comfort, though she was still suspicious. "Is it safe?" she asked, tugging at her hair.

zeesgirl
Milo took a deep breath. This was it. Today he could finally get some answers. That, or get killed for being the son of Cellach Ailero. Still, he thought, as he glanced at Viserys shedding his feminine disguise, at least he didn't have to try to convince a bunch of strangers to help him start a war. He figured Viserys's job was more difficult and more dangerous than his own personal aims. He didn't envy the Dragonbourne prince.

On Par
Terrence grinned. "Of course not! Shall we go?"

QHRider
"Great. Can I change now?" Viserys asked. Who was going to listen to him in a dress? Without waiting for an answer he took his pack and went behind a screen just for that purpose in one corner.

On Par
Terrence crossed his arms and tapped his foot in mock impatience. "I really don't know why we even brought you along," he joked.

QHRider
"What, you don't like my company?" Viserys teased back, pulling his clothes on. Though the were really one step from being useless rags, at least they were men's clothes. Buckling his belt on he stepped back out. "Now we can go."

On Par
"Well," Terrence replied, "you were prettier in the dress."
He passed out a few torches and lit his own before closing the door behind the group. "This way," he sang out, leading them in the only possible direction.

Triple My Gold
Brynn rolled her eyes at Terrence, but followed anyway. She let Sian'Ror flood through her and managed to conjure a small, flickering ball of fire in her hands, which lasted about ten seconds before fizzling out. So much for that, she thought, wiping her hands on her chocolate brown traveling cloak.

QHRider
Viserys watched Brynn's short lived use of magic, but said nothing. He wondered why the brotherhood would send someone with such little skill to assist them if they truly wanted him on the throne. Perhaps they didn't.

E. Rider
Ilene followed the group. She was tired for the journey but pressed on as best as she could. She looked around. Glad to have Viserys as Viserys and not Francis.

zeesgirl
Milo, Enzi, and Duff followed at the rear. Milo kept a careful eye on Ilene in front of him. She looked worn out, and he wanted to be able to catch her if she stumbled or fell. Apparently a stifling upbringing in a castle did not prepare a girl for a long day's travel.

E. Rider
Ilene tucked a strand of chocolate hair behind her ear as she turned to Milo. She smiled, "I'm afraid I havent talked to you much, so I don't know much about you...except for the fact that your name is Milo. It is Milo isn't it?" she asked, worried she was calling him the wrong name. She really hadn't talked to Milo much. She seemed to know so much about the others but not much about Milo or Enzi, except that Enzi had saved her from a disgusting man in town. She was anxious to know more about them.

zeesgirl
Milo nodded, indicating that she had his name correct. "You don't remember me at all?" he asked, mildly surprised. He remembered Ilene from his youth at the castle, even if he had never talked to her much. He knew he was worlds different now than when he left Courtcliff at age sixteen, but he thought that once she had learned his name perhaps she would recognize him. "Ilene," he said quietly, "I'm Laila's dead brother."
"Not dead, though," Enzi chimed in.
Milo watched Ilene's face for any sign of recognition.

E. Rider
Ilene stopped in her tracks and looked him dead in the eyes. No. This couldn't be the Milo she had gone on "adventures" with as a child. The one was always pretending to rescue her from towers that were actually trees, and trying to fight the evil dragon Laela. She didn't know what to say. "I-I don't know what to say.." she half laughed out of disbelief but it was true, "All this time I thought you were just another knight like Jaime...but no..you're actually Milo...I mean...Prince Milo.."

zeesgirl
Milo snorted. He held up his hook. "A knight with one hand?" His expression softened. "I guess it's no more far-fetched than a prince with one hand," he murmured, looking down the tunnel ahead. "But I'm not a prince anymore."

E. Rider
For some reason Ilene had never noticed his hand. She was silent for a moment. Still trying to take everything in. "But..where have you been all of these years?" she asked softly.

zeesgirl
Milo noticed that the others were drawing further away down the tunnel. He offered his arm to Ilene so that they could keep moving. “My sentence was not carried out,” he said, assuming she knew that he had been condemned to death for murder. An executed prince was big news, after all. He continued, slowly, not sure how to tell the story, since he was long out of practice talking about his past. “Instead, they cut off my hand. I don’t remember much until a few months later. I’ve been traveling ever since.”

On Par
After a few minutes, the stairs led them to a long passage way with many doors and intersecting tunnels. Terrence led them through several different passages and rooms until coming to a thick wooden door a half hour later. He rapped on it twice, and a few minutes later, heard the thick bolt slide back.

QHRider
They'd arrived. Viserys swallowed and raised his head. This was it. He hoped he was ready. He had to be ready.

On Par
The door opened, and Terrence promptly stepped through the crack and swung it closed behind him. There, he whipsered instructions to the doorman, who scurried off. Terrence opened the door quickly and ushered his friends inside. "I sent him off to get Halbert, one of the leaders," Terrence explained.

E. Rider
Ilene had accepted Milo's arm. She realized they had reached their destination. Her heart began pounding. This was it.

Triple My Gold
Thasha hissed softly at Brynn's side, reflecting some of Brynn's own nervousness and agitation at not being able to perform her magic. Why on earth did the Circle send her for such a mission? Why couldn't they have sent another more experienced Brother, one who didn't get frustrated when they couldn't conjure even a simple flame? She voiced none of her concerns; instead, she glared at the back of Terrence's head, tugging harder at her hair.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime watched the little magician girl tug at her hair in frustration. "You know, you're going to rip that hair right out of your head if you keep doing that." He said, smiling slightly. He was slightly relieved that Brynn was having trouble with her magic, in all honesty. Magic just made him nervous.

Triple My Gold
Brynn looked at Jaime, then at her hand, then back at Jaime before letting go of her hair. "Yeah, it's a bad habit," she grumbled. "Brother Wight says I need to learn to control my emotion, that it will help me channel Sian'Ror better." She shook her head sadly. "But I'm just not very good at any of it, it seems."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime pushed a hand through his golden hair. He should probably be encouraging her to keep trying, but couldn't find the words. Maybe he should just tell her to take up sword fighting instead, it was much more trustworthy. Unless you use that sword to stab your king in the back, of course. Jaime looked down at the red head, "This Brother Wight, he sent you, yeah?"

Triple My Gold
"Yeah, him and the rest of the Council of Elders." Brynn shrugged. Jaime made her a little nervous, but on the other hand she could not help liking him a little bit.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime tilted his head to one side. "What does the Circle want with the Dragonbourne heir?" He asked, but then continued, "Not that it matters, we need all the help we can get." Jaime still didn't think they could win this.

Triple My Gold
Brynn shrugged again. "To see him on the throne. Something about the signs in nature pointing to the necessity of a Dragonbourne king, that the natural world is suffering from Cellach's rule." She plucked a loose thread from her cloak, then continued. "They didn't tell me exactly what to do once I got here. Brother Wight said I would know what to do, but I don't." She looked sat him sadly. "I'm afraid I won't be much help, unless another of our party is in danger. Maybe the Elders know something about me that I don't even know myself." There, she had finally voiced her concerns, what was troubling her, to a man she barely knew.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
A frown flashed across Jaime's face, barely noticeable. "You'll know. When the times comes." He said, then quickly changed the subject, "Sian'Ror," The word felt strange on his lips, "You can't protect yourself with it?"

Triple My Gold
Brynn shook her head. "No. I can use it to protect others if they are in danger, but not myself. I also can't start an offensive attack with it, even if others feel threatened; someone else has to strike first." She laughed ruefully, catching a leaping Thasha who then clambered up onto Brynn's shoulders and studied Jaime with her bright turquoise eyes. "Sian'Ror is a very fickle form of magic, if that's what you want to call it. It's really more like the life-sustaining force present in every facet of the natural world." She stroked Thasha's head. "I'm not very good at describing it."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Sorry I disappeared on you last night. My internet must have decided it was time for me to go to bed, because it shut off and wouldn't come back on. XD)

"I understand," Jaime said. "Can you use a sword?" The number of people in their party who couldn't defend themselves concerned Jaime.

E. Rider
Ilene had accepted Milo's arm. She realized they had reached their destination. Her heart began pounding. This was it. Ah! This was too much to take in! Milo was alive and what they had set out to do was about to happen any moment now. She bit her lip. "Well...anyway...I'm glad you're safe...a-and alive." she said.

Triple My Gold
(That's ok. I needed to go to bed anyways [Hehe] )

Brynn shook her head again. "I've never tried. But I could probably learn," she added quickly. "I do have Thasha, though," she continued, scratching the cat under her chin. "She's not as harmless as she appears at first." She didn't bother telling Jaime that Thasha could actually transform into an abnormally large, snarling, ferocious, adult mountain lion, but only when Brynn felt scared, angry, or otherwise threatened.

zeesgirl
Milo gave a brief, wry half-smile. "Thanks," he said. "Me too, I think."
Once Terrence let them into the small room, he looked around. Enzi tried the handle of the door through which they had just entered, but it had locked behind them. She rapped her fist against the heavy wood next to the lock and the hinges. "So forward we go," she said. "But I could probably break this down in a pinch if we need a hasty exit."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime grinned. "Aye, she's looks to be a ferocious beast." He said, then winked at Brynn. Though after all he had seen these past few days, he wouldn't be surprised if the cat could suddenly turn into a dragon.

E. Rider
ooc: Are the horses with them??

QHRider
I think it would make more sense if they'd left the horses outside--they're in an inn, right, which presumably has some sort of stable.

On Par
That's a good question, lol. Maybe they left the horses at the inn where the passageway is? I forgot about them, actually.
*
Terrence sat against the wall, humming his Dragonbourne ditty to himself. He tried not to think about the political discussions that would doubtless take place when Halbert arrived.

(PS, anyone can play anyone in the COR, because I'm not having any amazing brain ideas. )

E. Rider
ooc: What is exactly is the COR again?? I'll make another charrie for it I guess once I find out XD

QHRider
I can't remember what the acronym stands for, but they're the underground resistance movement trying to dethrone Cellach.

I would play somebody but that would lead to me talking to myself and noveling. XD Unless you guys are okay with that, haha.

E. Rider
ooc: and once I make my character where will he be in the RPG?

QHRider
ooc: If you want to just use him when we're dealing with the COR and drop him after that's fine, or he can join the party. Whichever you prefer.

E. Rider
Name: Owen Card

Age: 27

Position: Member of the COR
Height: 5"11
Past/Personality:
Pic:

Animal (optional)
Name: Daggar
Species/breed: Friesian
Age: 5
Personality: Very high spirited but Owen can handle him
Pic:

On Par
Council of Resistance; because I'm extremely imaginative. Actually I stole it from another book. Did anyone else read the Redwall books when they were younger? Yeah, I read all of them. Multiple times. [Tongue]

Anyway, here's a COR rundown that I made up, so it is, of course, subject to change if you don't like it, want to make it better, or just want to change it. [Tongue]

The Council of Resistance was founded quickly after Cellach's rise to power by sons/brothers/other-family-members of those that he double crossed after taking the throne. The three that remain are Halbert, who've I've been playing a bit, he's good at talking and handles most internal affairs, such as the one we're creating now; Robert, who assisted Cellach in the usurping and narrowly escaped with his life (He doesn't want to see a Dragonbourne on the throne and secretly wants it for himself); and the guy-without-a-name who joined later, and is Milo's would-be executioner, who is not good at talking.

These three have been secretly training many men of the town in combat, although their practices occur underground, one-on-one, and not often, due to the ultimate secrecy that they operate by.

You guys are welcome to pick up any of these guys to play or add any of your own or change any of the above to make it make more sense and.....yeah. [Smile]

CrazyHorseGirl1773

On Par (8/24/2012)
Council of Resistance; because I'm extremely imaginative. Actually I stole it from another book. Did anyone else read the Redwall books when they were younger? Yeah, I read all of them. Multiple times. [Tongue]

Hey now, whenever you feel bad about being unimaginative, just remember that Jaime is completely ripped off from Game of Thrones.


E. Rider
Owen whistled a tune as he walked to where he was supposed to meet the group and help them with whatever they might need. Another man was always good to have around. He walked over to them and bowed, "My name is Owen, and I've been sent from the COR to help you good people out." he said with a charming smile. "You must be Viserys.." he said giving him a nice handshake. "And may I ask you to introduce me to the rest of the group?" he asked looking at Ilene and Brynn.

Ooc: Im assuming the group is findable xD

QHRider
Viserys didn't like the way Owen was looking at Ilene and Brynn at all, but he kept himself civil as he introduced everyone. "Is it possible we can get a meeting with your leaders?" he asked.

E. Rider
"Of course..." he said smiling as he kissed the knuckles of Ilene and Brynn. "When?" he asked more seriously.

Ilene dropped her hand as soon as she could. This man was too quick. If he had any interest in her he would have to be more respectful and reserved. She looked down to hide the disgust in her face and to avoid the mans stares. She looked at Viserys.

QHRider
Now? Viserys wanted to ask, but instead said, "As soon as convenient." He raised his chin so that he could look down at Owen and added, pointedly, "We'll wait."

E. Rider
"Well... How about now?" he asked leaning against the wall.

zeesgirl
Milo stiffened as Viserys introduced him by name to the stranger, but there was no immediate reaction from the man from the COR.

Enzi scowled as the man's eyes went straight through her to Ilene and Brynn. She could be a stunningly beautiful woman if she chose, but she liked the way she looked in this form. She deliberately chose not to look like a beautiful princess all the time in order to avoid exactly the looks that Ilene and Brynn were now getting, but she still couldn’t help but be irritated when a man failed to notice her at all.

On Par
Terrence didn't move from his seat against the wall. He hoped Owen wouldn't notice him. Of all the people they could have sent to greet us, Terrence thought, they send Owen. It was fitting.

(I'm thinking Terrence and Owen are familiar with each other and don't get along, probably because Terrence likes to be the life of the party. Psh, faeries.)

E. Rider
"Terrence! Ah! It's been a long time eh?!" he said faking a smile. He ruffled Terrence's hair as though he was a little boy. " Boy have you grown up!" he said as though he was so grown up when he was only 27. Probably to get attention from the females in the group.

Ilene ignored him. She played with a strand of her brown hair and bit her lip. Owen was annoying her greatly. She just hoped he wouldn't try to talk to her, but then again she knew he would. She would just have to be as fake as he was because she didn't feel as though she could say anything nice to him.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime chose that time to step between Terrence and Owen, pushing him back just slightly with the tips of his fingers. "Why don't you stop pestering the ladies, and Terrence, and take us to your superiors. We have work to do," The ex-watchman said in a somewhat irate tone.

Triple My Gold
Brynn curtsied politely at Owen, but as soon as he turned his back she began tugging at her hair again. Thasha released a deep, throaty growl, clearly not pleased with this man. Brynn looked over at Ilene and caught her eye. First the guys in the bar, and now him, she thought.

On Par
Terrence scowled at Owen, but didn't move. He had tried before to make Owen quit teasing him, but it usually ended with Terrence being sat upon. He was relieved when Jaime started pushing the tall rebel around bit.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
("It usually ended with Terrence being sat upon." Oh my gosh, lol! Poor Terrence! It's okay, Jaime is quite fond of him, he'll play big brother for a bit.)

On Par
Aw, thanks Jaime. Yeah, remember Cor and Corrin from The Horse and his Boy? "No matter what, their fights always ended with Cor getting knocked down." I swear my mind runs 300mph, lol.

zeesgirl
^ I love that book Though I always liked the name Shasta better than the name Cor and thought it was weird that he started going by Cor.

On Par
Me too. Who wants to share a first name with their twin brother? [Tongue]

[steph]

(Page 151-165)

E. Rider
Owen put on a fake I'm-very-sorry face, "Sorry Terrence, I didn't mean to Aggravate you." he turned toward Brynn, "And if I've upset You or anything I am most sorry..." he smiled. "Alright, let's go!" he called. Walking away.

Ilene was thankful Jaime had stepped in. She sighed a sigh of relief and began walking.

zeesgirl
Milo noticed Enzi's scowl and he prodded her gently with his hook. "Problem?" he asked.
"Beyond the fact that we're descending into a practically inescapable tunnel, guided by an ass, to meet people who might try to kill you, you mean?" Enzi responded. "No, I have no problem."
Milo gave a fleeting half-smile. "Well, then, let's keep moving, shall we?" They followed the group down the passage.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime would've liked to hit the man over the head with the flat of his sword, but doubted that it would help their cause. He sighed irritably, and with a clenched jaw, followed Owen.

On Par
Terrence heaved himself upright and followed Owen, keeping Jaime between the two of them.

Triple My Gold
Brynn was careful to stay close to Jaime, as well. If there was one person in their group that she thought could protect them all if need be, it was Jaime. This place was making her even more nervous, and that Owen guy gave her the heebie-jeebies.

QHRider
Viserys didn't like Owen one bit, and was glad that Jaime, as the most physically imposing of the group, had stepped in. If the rest of the COR was anything like this guy, they were worse than useless.

E. Rider
Owen offered Ilene his arm. As a lady, she couldnt be rude even if he was. She curtsied and accepted more than reluctantly. She sighed. She wasnt feeling the least bit comfortable. But Owen wore a big satisfied grin and bobbled his head.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime rolled his eyes, wishing Ilene would forget her manners for once. They weren't needed here. He glanced around, making sure their party was together, and noticed that Terrence and Brynn had glued themselves to his personal bubble. Lovely.

(Oh stop being such a grump, Jaime, you know you love them.)

E. Rider
Ilene looked back at the group. She desperately wanted to walk with them instead of Owen.
"So, Ilene, how did a pretty girl like you end up with these people?" he said with the last part in a tone of disgust. Ilene stopped walking and glared at him. "I'll thank you kindly sir to stop flirting. I do so HATE flirts and fake people. I will ask you not to speak of my friends in such a manner. And if you are any kind of gentleman you will be more respectful not only to the ladies present but to Sir Jaime, Viserys, Milo, and Terrence!"she slapped him across the cheek. "And that, Sir, is because I not only felt like it, but because you deserve it!" she snatched her arm away and walked over to walk beside Enzi.

On Par
Terrence stared open mouthed at Ilene's behavior. He hoped Owen wouldn't retaliate, even though the lady had just humiliated him in front of so many people.

Triple My Gold
Brynn watched Ilene with an odd fascination for a little while before turning to Terrence and grinning. She gave him a thumbs-up sign, stifling a giggle. Ilene had guts, that was for sure.

QHRider
Viserys grinned at Ilene. "The lady has spoken," he said. He stepped closer and added, "And I would thank you kindly not to speak so disrespectfully of my companions and myself. Rest assured, I will remember it." He fixed Owen with a flat, violet eyed stare.

On Par
Terrence returned Brynn's mischevious grin. He pretended not to hear what Viserys said to Owen.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime grinned at Ilene's behavior, he hadn't thought the girl had it in her. As glad as he was that Ilene had stood up for herself, they needed Owen and the COR, so they must try not to offend them any further.

E. Rider
Ilene was glad she had done what she did. And her friends seemed to be glad too. But she walked on as though nothin had happened. She had surprised herself and her friends.

Owen was shocked but his pride was terribly hurt. He ignored the looks he was getting and kept walking. He would get Ilene for this.

On Par
Terrence followed the older man, staying several steps behind him, just in case. They walked for several minutes in silence.

zeesgirl
Enzi’s face broke out in a broad grin at Ilene’s behavior. So the meek little girl from the castle did know how to speak her mind. “You tell him,” she said appreciatively.

Milo was glad to see the lecherous young man put in his place, but he kept a wary eye on their guide, hoping that he would not seek to retaliate in some way against Ilene’s lecture. He placed himself squarely in front of Enzi and Ilene. While he was not as big and physically intimidating as Jaime, his dark features and the hook suggesting a criminal past gave Milo a dangerous air of his own.


E. Rider
Owen turned to Viserys. Time hadnt lessened his anger, he was still just as mad as he was when everything had happened. He had a mean look in his eye and every time he spoke there was fakeness and sarcasm in his voice, forced politeness. "Don't you have horses? It would make things much easier." he said dryly as they approached where his own horse was tied.

Ilene was scared of the evil look in Owens eyes every time he looked at her. She hated him. This was the first time hatred had ever entered Ilene's heart. She had changed so much since she left the castle. She was more outgoing and so much braver now. In most ways it was good for her. She didn't even look at Owen. She didn't like to hate people but for some reason she just couldn't help it this time.

QHRider
^ ooc: They're in tunnels, aren't they? I don't think they'd have horses underground.

E. Rider
Ooc: I was thinking theyve been walking for a while so I figured they'd be out by now.

QHRider
ooc: I was assuming they were in a big underground tunnel/sewer system under the city and they wouldn't have to leave it, but idk.

E. Rider
Ooc: that's all right they can just stay underground and I have no clue where the leaders are lol

E. Rider
Ilene whispered to Viserys, "I hope we don't have to be with him much longer..." Owen was still giving her dirty looks.

QHRider
"Don't worry about him," Viserys said. He wasn't planing on letting Owen get near any member of his group except for himself again.

On Par
(Lol, you can make the leaders be anywhere you want them to, since Owen is leading the way.) [Tongue]

E. Rider
After a while longer of walking Owen turned down a long narrow passage and stopped at a door. "It's Owen with the Dragonbourne.." he said. The door was swung open by a midget. He held it open for the group. The leaders bowed politely to the group as they entered. A few barrels had been pushed together for a table and several for chairs. The midget scooped some water from a barrel and put it into a cup for each member of the group, "Here you are.." he said kindly as he passed the cups out.
Owen poured his out on the ground and tossed his cup in a corner before leaning against the wall.

Ilene smiled at the kind little midget, "Thank you!" she smiled as she curtsied. She drank the water. It was so nice to have its coolness trickle down her throat.

QHRider
Viserys accepted his cup with thanks, but did not drink. Instead he studied the three leaders at the other end of the room. "Thank you for seeing us, my lords," he said.

(So I've been thinking, it would probably make the most sense if Zee plays the unnamed executioner, if Par played Halbert since he's the chief leader and she's the mastermind behind the COR, and I could take Robert? Does that sound logical?)

zeesgirl
(Works for me, but I now have to come up with a good explanation to give Milo... got to put my thinking cap on, lol.)

E. Rider
Ilene looked at the leaders, and the midget, and Owen. What an odd bunch. She wondered how Noble was doing. The room was rather small and dark. A few lanterns hung here and there bringing more light into the room. "Please, sit." the midget said motioning to some of the barrels around the "table". The midget led each of the women to a chair first before giving the men an okay to sit down.

E. Rider
Owen glared at Ilene as she walked by. Still leaning against the wall. He looked at Enzi. He smiled to himself. Now that was a pretty girl.


On Par
Sounds logical to me. [Smile] Beware my masterminding. XD

Terrence accepted the glass of water, but ignored the barrel, preferring to sit against a wall. The opposite wall from Owen, as far away as he could get. He had no influence here; he would not be able to convince anyone of anything.

Halbert strode into the room as the midget (does he get a name, lol?) was seating the women. He crossed the room to shake hands with Viserys and Milo, introducing himself to both. He nodded at Jaime; they had met before. When Viserys expressed his thanks, Halbert waved his thick hand through the air. "No thanks necessary, young Dragonbourne. We've been waiting and training and scheming and spying for over a decade, biding our time. Perhaps it is we that should thank you." He gestured to the table. "Please, sit." He turned his back to them and went to the table himself, taking a seat.


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Let's call him Tyrion. Ehehehe.)

E. Rider
Tyrion it is XD

CrazyHorseGirl1773
In case anyone was wondering, I was making a GoT reference.

E. Rider
Ilene twiddled her thumbs underneath the table. She looked across at Brynn and smiled. Noble was probably thirsty. He had been out in the heat most of the day. Ilene wished they would hurry so they could get out from the tunnels. It was stuffy and hot under there.

TripleMyGold
Brynn smiled back at Ilene, glad to be seated but at the same time just as nervous. She considered standing against the wall, like Terrence, but they might think it rude, especially after she had so kindly been offered a seat. Thasha leaped down from Brynn's shoulders and trotted over to Terrence, sitting like a statue at his feet.

QHRider
Viserys remained standing, hands clasped behind his back, waiting for everyone else to be seated. "What plans have you made so far?" he asked Halbert.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime joined Terrence in leaning against the wall. He still didn't fully trust this COR group, and he wanted to be ready if anything were to happen. He turned his attention to Halbert at Viserys' question.

zeesgirl
Enzi noticed Owen's gaze. Apparently, now that Ilene had told him off, he did have eyes for her after all. She blushed, batted her lashes, and looked away, pretending she hadn't seen him. If Owen wanted a floozie, perhaps she'd give him one... and then turn into a man just as the jerk began to congratulate himself on his own seductive powers. It wouldn't be the first time she'd used her changeling powers to teach a lesson. Milo frowned upon such antics and called them immature, but Enzi called it hilarious.

(ooc: so has Milo been introduced by name?)


On Par
Only if you want him to have been.
*
Halbert raised an eyebrow at the three men, none of whom seemed to want to sit. With a sigh, he stood as well and pulled a map from inside his shirt. He tacked it to the clay wall and gestured to it as he spoke.
"We've infiltrated the castle with a good network of spies," he began. "They have been recording everything that's gone on there for the past year; we know exactly what time the guard changes are, who eats what for dinner and when, and all sorts of interesting tidbits, like which guards get stoned during their off days." Halbert grimaced. "We've also learned that Laila hasn't been back to the castle since she met with you. This should mean that Cellach still isn't certain of your existence, but it also means that we don't know where Laila is, or what she's plotting.
He paused to see if the men had anything to say before he went on.

(FYI, I'm really, really bad at tactical planning and nonsense! If any of this is stupid/doesn't make sense/isn't logical, please let me know or correct it with another character. )

E. Rider
Ilene looked at the map on the wall. Everything they did must be so precise, and if it wasn't...

Owen forced himself to look away from Enzi as Halbert started talking. He felt a little bored so he looked over at Terrence. Giving him a big grin and staring at him to make him feel uncomfortable.

ooc: Owen is a jerk XD

zeesgirl
ooc: Ok, then maybe not? Just thinking that if these rebels have gone through all this trouble and danger to help Viserys and overthrow Cellach, they wouldn't be super excited to have Cellach's kid there.


Milo listened closely to Halbert's words, his expression dark. Laila never returned to the castle? Where was she now? He looked up and studied the two men who had entered with Halbert. One of them, like Halbert, was looking at Viserys with an expression of both hope and trepidation. After all, Viserys was the Dragonbourne prince, the one upon whom their plans hinged, the one they had only hoped was alive and would return. The remaining man, however, was not focused on Viserys. He was a large man, with a face badly scarred. He could have been anywhere from thirty to fifty in age. He was looking at Milo, or more specifically, at Milo’s hook.

QHRider
Viserys nodded at Halbert's pause, but didn't speak. He wanted to hear everything that they had to say before he started interrupting with questions.

On Par
"As for the city," Halbert went on, "we've been planning out several different ways of attack, should this come to open battle in the city. We'd like to avoid that, of course, because of the inherent destruction of property and civilian lives, but we are prepared for it, whether we are on offense of defense." His face turned grim as he continued.

"We are considerably lacking in terms of soldiers. While more than half the men in the town have learned to fight if need be, their sporradic training sessions will prove nearly useless in open battle against Cellach's guard." His dark eyes lightened a bit. "Fortunately, Cellach gains an army by volunteer enlistment and draft. We happen to know that there haven't been many volunteers of late, and if he wants to draft the men of the town, he could be opening himself up for sabotage from the inside, though it would be considerably dangerous for our men to play double like that."
He spread his hands in the air. "That is most of our current situation," he said. "We didn't know of your existance until a few days ago, so we haven't had time to plan anything specific to our new situation."

On Par
Terrence stared at the map Halbert had tacked to the wall, making a conscious effort to ignore Owen. He sat against the wall with his forearms resting on his knees.

QHRider
"Lady Ashleigh represents the elves of Osilion, who have promised to fight along side us when the time comes," Viserys said. "But an army needs money for weapons and armor and feeding its soldiers."

On Par
Halbert nodded, that was good news. Then he sighed, wishing they had taken a seat after all. "We are short on all those areas," he said. "We don't have the funds for an all out revolution."

Triple My Gold
Brynn finally spoke. "I might be able to assist in that respect," she said, inclining her head politely to Halbert. "The Circle has networks and connections all over the kingdom. I'm sure that my superiors would be more than glad to provide food, weapons, and the like." She took a sip of water from her cup.

Thasha rubbed her head against Terrence's leg, purring loudly, and nudged his hand with her wet nose.

On Par

Triple My Gold (8/26/2012)Brynn finally spoke. "I might be able to assist in that respect," she said, inclining her head politely to Halbert. "The Circle has networks and connections all over the kingdom. I'm sure that my superiors would be more than glad to provide food, weapons, and the like." She took a sip of water from her cup.

Halbert blinked in surprise, but inclined his head. "My lady, we would greatly appreciate any donations given, and you may rest assured they will not go to waste." He looked at Viserys. "Perhaps open revolution is back on the table, after all."

Thasha rubbed her head against Terrence's leg, purring loudly, and nudged his hand with her wet nose.

Terrence cracked a smile and offered his hand for Thasha to rub on. He scratched her behind the ears, then rubbed down her entire body.

QHRider
Viserys nodded. "Do you know if anyone discovered the Dragonbourne family's treasury? Not the kingdom's, but my family's?" It had been kept on Dragonbone Island, which was notoriously difficult to navigate, due to being a mountainous, volcanic island.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime frowned, he knew the answer to this question. "No. People avoid the island like the plague." He was sincerely hoping that Viserys wasn't thinking what he thought he was thinking.

On Par
Halbert watched the exchange wordlessly.


QHRider
Viserys grinned. "Then it appears my title of Beggar King is unfounded, and I'm actually fantastically wealthy. We just have to go get it."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime's frowned deepened. "It's extremely dangerous. That's why no one has tried to get there, or those who have ended up dead."

zeesgirl
Enzi grinned broadly. "I bet I could get you there," she said.


ooc: Enzi's thought process: "Extremely dangerous?"


QHRider
"Well nobody who tried was a Dragonbourne, were they?" Viserys smiled at Jaime. "We can get there and back."

On Par
Terrence leapt up from the floor, startling Thasha. "Now this sounds exciting," he said, his eyes flashing.
*Insert Gimli gif: Small chance of survival? Certainty of death? What are we waiting for?*

E. Rider
"Calm down, boy!" Owen said to Terrence. He walked over to Terrence slowly and leaned against the wall beside him. He whispered, "You act like youve never been On an adventure before...just like that stupid girl." he glared at Ilene.

Ilene felt Owens glares and heard his mean remarks and looked down. She felt so useless in this meeting. She didn't have special powers and neither did she have skill with weapons. Maybe Owen was right... Maybe she was stupid. What did she know how to do besides sing and play her lyre?

On Par
(In which Terrence has a spurt of faery mischief.)

Terrence, already feeling an adrenaline rush from the prospect of an adventure, didn't take kindly to Owen calling him a boy, even if the rebel was several years older than himself. He clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, then suddenly, he tweaked Owen on the nose and pulled both of his earlobes. He quickly scurried over to the gathering of men, standing near Halbert and Jaime, the furthest away from Owen he could get.

E.Rider
Owen wanted punch Terrence but didn't. The little wimp was a scaredy cat. That was two he had to get. Ilene first, then Terrence. Now he had to think of how he would get them. He grinned devilishly at Ilene and then glared at Terrence.

Triple My Gold
Brynn reached out to Thasha with her mind, but the cat already had her own ideas. Thasha leaped at Owen's leg and sunk her teeth into his calf...a quick but powerful bite. She then ran over to Ilene, hopping into her lap and fixing Owen with a watchful stare from those turquoise eyes of hers.

(Thasha has decided that she is now everyone's watch-cat [Hehe] )

On Par
Terrence pretended that nothing had happened, and studiously ignored Owen's glare. He stayed between Halbert and Jaime though, just in case. He bit his lip to keep from laughing at Thasha's reply to Owen's comment.
*
Halbert nodded slowly. "Any amount of funds would be welcome, and we aren't by any means ready to start a war anytime soon. Before you run off, though, let's sit down and make some concrete plans."
(Because Halbert thinks Viserys is practically a legend.)

E. Rider
Owen leaned down and grabbed his calf. He yelled a few curse words and winced. "I'm going to KILL THAT CAT!" he yelled. He walked over to the cat with his sword out "And I should kill you while I'm at it!" he teased Ilene putting the blade of the sword against her throat just enough for her to feel it.

Ilene's heart was pounding. Owen was just crazy enough to kill her. She held her breath. Owen glared down at her smiling devilishly again.

Triple My Gold
Brynn stood up and, without thinking, conjured vines up from the ground with Sian'Ror, which twisted up and wrapped itself around Owen's ankles, and around the wrist holding the sword. "You," she said softly, her amber eyes blazing like glowing embers, "won't touch her...either of them." Brynn was angry, livid in fact, that this man could even dare to think of harming Thasha. In response to Brynn's mood, Thasha jumped off of Ilene's lap and transformed into a fully-grown mountain lion the size of a grizzly bear. She stood over Brynn, swishing her tail angrily.

(Brynn can use Sian'Ror when she is angry!)

On Par
Terrence forgot about ignoring Owen when he had the audacity to threaten Ilene with a sword. He had his bow halfway out when Owen became suddenly incapcitated by vines that sprouted from the floor. And, Terrence saw, startled, a very large mountain lion. Brynn seemed to have a good enough grasp on her magic when she needed it, afterall.

E. Rider
Owen was beyond angry, but what could he do? He looked around at all the faces.

Ilene stood up but Owen was close enough to grab her. He put his arm around her and put his sword next to her neck again. "Put the weapons down or this (curse words here) woman dies!" Ilene was too scared to cry. She was breathing heavily and her heart was pounding. She looked around for help.

QHRider
"That is QUITE enough." Viserys turned and grabbed Owen's sword, forcing it away from Ilene and pushing her free. His face inches from Owen's, he glared into the other man's face. "How dare you draw steel on an unarmed woman? What kind of coward are you, picking on those weaker than you?" He shoved Owen away and turned to Brynn. "Let him go." He looked back at Owen and added, "And I advise you to get out of my sight."

E. Rider
Owen was breathing heavily. "Well the lady had the courage to--" he stopped and gave Ilene one last glare, "I could have killed you if I wanted too. Just because you're beautiful doesn't mean I couldn't kill you." He turned to Viserys, "I know all of the plans...I can ruin all of this for you, Dragonbourne." he said laughing evily.

Ilene had tears running down her face. Her waist hurt from where Owen had held her so tightly. She brushed a tear from her cheek. She was so scared.

Triple My Gold
Brynn nodded, and the vines were swallowed back up by the ground from which they came. Thasha had grown smaller, though she was still a fully grown mountain lion now. She couldn't believe that she had actually, successfully conjured something, and vaguely wondered if she needed to be angry in order to have any success with Sian'Ror. Was this what Brother Wight meant by a "mental block?" She hoped that her actions hadn't cost them the assistance of the COR.

On Par
Halbert's eyebrows drew close together and the blood rose to his face. "What do you think you're doing, boy?" he roared. "Drop your swordbelt on the floor right now and report to the kitchen!"
(Now I feel like Halbert was a drill sergeant at one point, lol.)

QHRider
"And become a traitor on top of a coward. Your mother must be proud." Viserys eyed Owen with distaste. "If it would not dishonor our hosts' hospitality, I assure you, you wouldn't trouble me any longer."

E. Rider
Owen dropped his sword and sword belt. Practically throwing it at Ilene who was sitting on the floor where Viserys had pushed her out of the way. Owen winced at Halbert's grip on his ear.

It took all of Ilene to not take his sword and kill him. She swallowed back more tears.

On Par
Halbert's face was purple now. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!" he screamed. He grabbed Owen by the ear and forcefully drug him to the kitchen.
(Unless that's not ok, E., since he's your character.)

zeesgirl
Milo's hand was on his knife hilt the moment that Owen threatened Ilene, but the quick actions of Brynn and Viserys had ensured Ilene's safety and he never drew his weapon. He looked to Ilene, sitting on the floor, shaken by her near-death encounter. He knelt at her side, his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay," he said, his voice very quiet. "Ilene, it's all okay."

E. Rider
Ilene couldn't help herself. She leaned onto Milo's shoulder and began sobbing. She had been so scared. She had been holding her anger and fear in since Owen first came and what just happened had just made things too much and now it was all being let out.

ooc: poor poor Ilene XD

On Par
Halbert returned to the room, thoroughly embarrassed. He stood awkwardly, not sure what to do about Ilene's crying.

QHRider
Viserys was furious, but Owen was gone, and he wouldn't bother them any longer. He knelt down beside Ilene, sobbing into Milo's shoulder, and said, "Sssh. It's alright, Ilene. He won't hurt you again. I promise."

zeesgirl
Milo's eyes widened as Ilene collapsed onto his shoulder, weeping. "Hey, it's alright," he muttered, still kneeling awkwardly. What was he supposed to do, pat her on the back with a hook? He looked up at Enzi for assistence, but she just shrugged, and he could tell she was forcing herself not to smile at his predicament.


ooc: Milo:


Triple My Gold
"Ilene, if he tries to hurt you again, I will let Thasha--full sized Thasha--do more than just bite him," Brynn said, petting her still-tense cat on the shoulder. She turned to Halbert, inclining her head politely in his direction. "I apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you, Sir Halbert," she said. "But I feel no personal inclination to tolerate the likes of Owen, especially when he threatens a friend." She looked at Ilene fondly; she had begun to think of her almost as a sister.

E. Rider
Ilene sat up and wiped her eyes. She forced a small smile "Thank you.." she smiled still teary eyed at Viserys and Milo. She brushed her tears gently off of Milo's shoulder.."I've gone and acted like a woman and now you're all wet!" she said a sorry expression on her face.

On Par
Halbert shook his head. "That kind of behavior is intolerable for anyone, young mistress. Owen is a hot head, and biding time underground doesn't suit him well." He glanced at Ilene, then to the others in the group, shrugging his shoulders.

zeesgirl
Milo managed an expression that at least resembled an encouraging smile, he hoped. "You've gone and acted like someone whose life was just threatened," he said, helping Ilene to her feet. "No shame in that."

E. Rider
Ilene smoothed her dress as soon as she was up. She wiped a remaining tear from her cheek with the back of her hand. She sighed. A good cry had mad e her feel better, but she was still slightly embarassed. She kneeled down to pet Thasha, "And thank you too.." she scratched the cat behind her ears before standing upright again.

Ooc: no more Owen!! Yaaaay!

On Par
Lol, sorry, Halbert didn't know what to do. [Tongue]
*
Halbert cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, then. Back to business?"

QHRider
Viserys stood up. "Let's." He squeezed Ilene's shoulder and returned to the table. This time he sat.

On Par
(Well that wasn't much help, I hoped you would have a better idea of "business" than I did!) [Tongue]

E. Rider
Ilene gave Viserys a warm smile before returning to her seat. Now she could actually concentrate on the meeting and not Owen's glares and remarks.

Triple My Gold
Thasha, now a cub again, rubbed her head against Ilene's hand once, and then trotted off to the corner, curling up on the ground and settling down for a nap. Brynn felt better, more calm, but found that she could not summon Sian'Ror, now that her mood had improved. "Now, reaching Dragonbone Island..." she said thoughtfully.

QHRider
(I thought Halbert was hovering awkwardly in the door still. )

"It should take us no more than two weeks to get to Dragonbone and back," Viserys said. "Once we return we'll be able to outfit our army properly, as well as being training more seriously. In the mean time, I need your eyes and ears to become mouths. I want everyone in Courtcliff, from street children to Cellach himself to know that I'm back." He paused, biting his lower lip in thought. "Do you have parchment? And a pen?" he asked Halbert.

E.Rider
"Is there anything I might be able to help with?" Ilene asked, her waist still hurting. She hoped and prayed Owen hadn't broken anything.

On Par
"Aye," Halbert said, crossing to a smaller table and pulling out a few items. He set them in front of Viserys, then pulled up a stool and sat down as well. "We can spread rumors easily enough, but it will take over a week before the rumor gets any credibility." He leaned over the table. "If you actually appeared somewhere, that would erase any doubt about it."

QHRider
"True," Viserys said, dipping the pen into the inkwell. "After we return, perhaps." He scratched his nose and began composing his letter. "In the meantime, this should help." He cleared his throat and began to read as he wrote.

"To Cellach Ailero the Pretender, styling himself King of Rharewin,

We have come to reclaim Our ancestral throne, taken from Our family by your rebellion fifteen years past. In the interest of sparing further bloodshed and preserving the lives and homes of Our people, We would give you the chance to abdicate from the throne before We reclaim it by force.

"Signed Viserys III of House Dragonbourne, King of Rharewin, Lord of Dragonbone Island, and Protector of the Realm." Viserys looked up at the others, removing the sigil ring from around his neck. "How does that sound?"


(Look at Viserys using the royal we and busting out his titles all fancy like.)


CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Wow, I missed a lot.)

Jaime raised his eyebrows at Viserys' letter, but grinned. The more he got to know Viserys, the more Rhaegar he saw in him.

E. Rider
"It sounds wonderful" Ilene said smiling. All the crying and everything had suddenly made her tired. It was funny to think that this important white blonde in front of her was only moments ago Francis. It was good Owen had not been around when Viserys was Francis.

QHRider
"Cellach won't listen to it, of course, but it's not really for him." Viserys poured wax from a candle on the table onto his letter and pressed the sigil ring facedown into it. "See to it that copies of this are distributed as far as we can, so when the fighting comes people will remember which of us thought of them, and which of us thought only of his own power."

zeesgirl
Milo stood against the wall with his arms crossed as he listened to the letter, his expression dark and brooding. This was a lot to come from someone whose father had made all the same mistakes as Cellach Ailero, causing the revolution fifteen years before. Viserys was claiming the moral high ground, but was it his to claim? He had a "right" to the throne from tradition, true. A tradition that the Ailero family had broken. But what was the difference between a Dragonbourne and an Ailero? If history taught anything, both made pretty poor rulers.

QHRider
Viserys noticed Milo's dark face. "You don't look convinced, Hook," he said. He might not like what Milo had to say, but he knew well enough now that he'd have good points.

On Par
Halbert tapped a thick finger on the table. "This will give Cellach plenty of time to prepare," he pointed out. "He could forcefully enlist the entire town, and call reinforcements from the other cities. Even with money and the help of the elves, it could be a long and bloody war." He frowned. "One where the odds wouldn't be in our favor."
*
With the exciting talk over and politics dominating the conversation, Terrence was bored. He started poking around for something to eat.
Post #424536

QHRider
"And forced soldiers aren't particularly good soldiers, especially when they know there is another option. And what's to say the lords of other cities won't see this and decide to side with us? I hear they aren't overly fond of Cellach either," Viserys said. He knew this was a gamble, but if he'd wanted to stay safe he would have stayed across the sea.

E. Rider
Ilene wasn't too into the conversation so she decided to join Terrence who didn't seem much into it either. "Excuse me.." she said politely as she rose from the table. She walked over to Terrence, "Are you as bored as I?" she asked teasingly. "I'm afraid I'm not much use in the meeting. And I haven't been much use this whole time!" she half smiled. She held her small waist gently. Walking had made it hurt.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"We'll give them a reason to side with us," Jaime said, pushing off from the wall and joining Viserys at the table. "Who are his strongest allies?"

Triple My Gold
Brynn sat there, trying hard to listen but finding it increasingly difficult to do so. Most Circle members were well-versed in politics and strategy by the time they reached 20, but as Brynn's ability hadn't manifested itself until she was 18, she was lacking in that area. She found politics dreadfully boring. It was a creation of the minds of men and, in her opinion, had no place in the natural world, and was therefore worth ignoring. She instead practiced trying to make the flames on the wall torched glow brighter, with limited success. Exasperated, she joined Ilene and Terrence.

(edited because yay! more people are bored)

On Par
Halbert sighed at Viserys. "I haven't waited all these years to ignore whatever advice our throneman has to give. Very well then, master Dragonbourne." To Jaime he said, "Cellach's strongest allies? Most of those that helped him take the throne are dead, at his orders. A few of those he couldn't kill off conveniently he made lords of the other cities. He has no strong allies."
*
Terrence welcomed the company of the two ladies. He was somewhat familiar with these particular passages, and thought he knew where the kitchen was. "This way, ladies," he said, leading the way out of the room.

zeesgirl

QHRider (8/26/2012)Viserys noticed Milo's dark face. "You don't look convinced, Hook," he said. He might not like what Milo had to say, but he knew well enough now that he'd have good points.

Milo looked up, surprised that Viserys had addressed him. He was silent for a moment as he idly fingered the curve of his hook. He realized his own gesture and his frown deepened. He crossed his arms again and stared into Viserys’s pale violet eyes with his own dark ones. “What are you going to do differently from Ailero?” he asked. Before Viserys could make a retort about his right as a Dragonbourne or Cellach being a usurper, Milo continued, “Forget your family name—how exactly will you be a different king? Because right now, you look a hell of a lot like Cellach Ailero did fifteen years ago, storming in to save the day from a tyrant. What makes you different, Viserys?”

E. Rider
Ilene followed Terrence happily. It was good to think of something else besides the meeting.

On Par
Halbert watched Viserys, interested to see how he would respond. He couldn't help wondering why this hooked theif had such a strong sense of morals.
*
Terrence led the ladies down the hall, chatting happily the whole way.

E. Rider
Ilene began singing. It was good to sing. It mad her feel happier. She began dancing too.

On Par
Terrence sang along as well. They came to the kitchen before long, where Terrence requested that some food be sent along to the room where their group was.
(ooc: Owen was drug off to the kitchen, in case you wanted him to do anything, lol.)

E. Rider
Owen walked over to Terrence and Ilene "So...Terrence..your girl here is awfully pretty, but Ilene, he's awfully young and stupid. I would hang with him to much.." he said it to aggravate the both of them. He just wanted to start something. He walked over to Ilene, "I'm sure Terrence wouldn't mind if I stole a kiss.." he said.

Ilene pushed him away but just got closer, "Owen, please!"

On Par
Terrence stiffened when I saw Owen; he'd forgotten he was here. He couldn't think of anything to say, and he didn't want to cause a fight, not with Ilene around. "Aye," he nodded. He grabbed both women by the hand and walked backwards down the hall for a few steps before turning and walking back to the room.
Before he'd gone two steps, Owen approached Ilene, who felt terrified. Terrence dropped her hand and quickly drew an arrow from his quiver. Owen was far too close for Terrence to shoot him, so he did the only other thing possible. He hit Owen in the chest with the head of the arrow, bursting the sac containing the nettle poison. Most of it went onto Owen, causing the desired paralysis effect, but a good portion spilled onto Terrence's hand and arm. "Let's go," he gritted out.

Triple My Gold
Brynn blushed slightly at Owen calling her Terrence's "girl," but she didn't say anything to Owen. She didn't have Thasha with her, this time. "Terrence...your arm..." she murmured worriedly.

E. Rider
"Terrence!" Ilene said examining where the poisen was on him. She ran and got a cup of water and poured it over the area. She grabbed a cloth and gently dried. "That should help.." she said softly. She looked into his eyes, "Thank you.." she said before pouring more water and drying again.

On Par
"Thank you, Ilene," Terrence said distractedly. He pulled his arm away, looking at Owen, whose arms were paralyzed. He knew it wouldn't be long before the older boy discovered that his mouth and legs still worked very well.
"We should go," Terrence said again, turning on his heel and pulling the women after him.

Triple My Gold
"What was that on your arrow?" Brynn asked Terrence.

E. Rider
Ilene followed Terrence. It was best not to be in the same room with Owen anymore. She just hoped Terrence was feeling okay.

QHRider

zeesgirl (8/26/2012)Milo looked up, surprised that Viserys had addressed him. He was silent for a moment as he idly fingered the curve of his hook. He realized his own gesture and his frown deepened. He crossed his arms again and stared into Viserys’s pale violet eyes with his own dark ones. “What are you going to do differently from Ailero?” he asked. Before Viserys could make a retort about his right as a Dragonbourne or Cellach being a usurper, Milo continued, “Forget your family name—how exactly will you be a different king? Because right now, you look a hell of a lot like Cellach Ailero did fifteen years ago, storming in to save the day from a tyrant. What makes you different, Viserys?”

Viserys stared back at Milo. "Truth is I don't even want to be king. I was never supposed to be king. But Rhegar isn't here, so I have to take care of the kingdom for him, and I want to do it right. I'm not going to kill the people who helped me just so I have more power. I'm not going to stick my fingers in my ear and not listen to my people. I want you all to tell me when I'm an idiot, and make me fix things. I want to make sure this never happens again, because I know what rebellion costs." Viserys closed his eyes. It cost everything, and fifteen years wasn't enough time to heal the hollow, broken feeling his family had left him with. "If I thought Cellach could take care of it I wouldn't be here. But he can't, so I am." It felt like weakness, admitting that he didn't want this job, that he wanted to be angry at his brother for leaving him with it, but Viserys thought that Milo would see through any lies. "I'm different because this is my duty, and if I win I'll put my kingdom before myself for the rest of my life, and I will live with that."

zeesgirl
Milo listened carefully to Viserys's answer, his eyes never leaving the Dragonbourne prince's face. He was surprised to hear Viserys claim that he did not want to be king. Back in the forest when he was ready to dispatch Laila without a second thought, Viserys had seemed eager to cut down anyone who stood between him and the throne, but his expression now was earnest, and his voice rang with sincerity. After he finished, Milo was silent for a long moment before he replied. "Then maybe you will make a better king," he said quietly, looking down.

QHRider
Viserys smiled, but it felt awkward. "I hope so. Otherwise there's no point, is there?" He shook his head and looked back at Halbert. "Where were we?"

zeesgirl
"You need money, you have money on an unreachable island, you want to go there while the COR spreads rumors here, and Cellach has no strong allies," said Enzi to Viserys's question. Milo raised his eyebrows. "What?" she said to him. "I pay attention." She looked back to Viserys and Halbert.

QHRider
Viserys smiled at Enzi. "Thanks." He looked back at Jaime. "What were you thinking of doing?"

On Par

Triple My Gold (8/26/2012)"What was that on your arrow?" Brynn asked Terrence.

"A concentrated poison from the stinging nettle," Terrence replied, shaking his hand vigorously in an attempt to minimize the pain. "It's strong enough to cause localized paralysis, and it stings like heck. Fortunately, the effects wear off after a quarter of an hour." He glanced back down the passage. "Or perhaps unfortunately." He increased his pace, forcing the girls to keep up as they headed toward the others.

Halbert raised his eyebrows at Viserys' speech, but was impressed at the young man's conviction and wisdom. He had no childish views on the throne, which doubled Halbert's surety that the Viserys belonged there.
"Now, about your side trip," he said. "We don't have the supplies to feed and arm an entire army, but we can certainly provide your group with anything needed for your expedition."

E. Rider
Ilene was doing a pretty good job of keeping up even though she was tired. Owen was mad she was sure, but hopefully he'd stay in the kitchen. Why did he like to bother Terrence so much? Once back in the room with the others Ilene relaxed a little more. She was breathing fairly heavily now. She leaned against the wall and looked at Terrence, "How's your arm?" she asked still panting. "And...how do you know Owen?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773

QHRider (8/27/2012)Viserys smiled at Enzi. "Thanks." He looked back at Jaime. "What were you thinking of doing?"

"We drive a wedge between Cellach and whoever might chose to side with him," Jaime said. He looked at Halbert, and spoke again, "You said you know all his secrets? Surely there's some things in there he won't want getting out?"

Triple My Gold
"I was wondering the same thing," Brynn said, crossing her arms and staring at Terrence. "I'm assuming you two weren't ever friends, at least."

zeesgirl
"How far away is this place?" Enzi asked.

Milo's attention drifted back to the man in the corner with the scarred face who had been watching him. He tried to catch the man's eye, but now the stranger would not return his glance and instead was studying Viserys.

QHRider
"It depends. On horseback going up the coast it's four or five days. By sea it's closer to three or four," Viserys said.

E. Rider
Tyrion, the kind midget, hobbled half limped over to Viserys. "More water, Sir?" he asked smiling a kind but toothless grin. "And would ye be likin' somethin' ta eat? Ye and ye're men and ye're women?" he asked nodding towards each group memeber. "I can fix somethin' up real fast, sir. And downright tasty to if I must say so meself!" he said proudly.

ooc: I like Tyrion...he's ugly but nice XD

QHRider
Viserys blinked and looked down. "Oh. I'm fine for now, my lord. But I'm sure we could all do with something to eat soon." He looked back at Halbert. "And your offer of provisions is most welcome."

E. Rider
Tyrion smiled his toothless grin and bowed ever so lowly, "Yes, My Lord..." he said. He scurried into the kitchen. " 'ello Owen!" he said pulling out pots and pans. "Hello Tyrion," Owen said in a bored tone, tossing a cherry into his mouth and spitting the seed at the midget's feet. "I'm cookin for his Highness and his men and ladies." he grinned. Owen smiled an extremely fake grin, "That's nice" he said his smile immediately gone. His eyes sparkled, "Tyrion, let me help you. I have a few people I'd like to cook something special for." He said mischeviously. Tyrion, who had not been around during all of the chaos grinned in surprise, "You Owen?...well alright then!"

On Par
"My arm is fine," Terrence assured her. That wasn't entirely true, but after taking knife in the shoulder, a little numbness didn't seem like it should be a big deal. He crossed his arms at the mention of Owen. That is, he tried to. His right forearm wouldn't cooperate properly, so he jammed his left hand into a pocket instead. "I've met Owen before because I've been with the COR for over a year now. I've met almost all of the full time members."
*
Halbert frowned. "Drive a wedge between him an his allies? He has no allies that he is not technically lord over; just the cities and their lords, who answer to Cellach. On paper, at least," Halbert added, making a face. "But yes," he said, waving his hand through the air, "there are plenty of things he wouldn't want known. Problem is, most of them are rumors already."

Triple My Gold
Brynn was rather skeptical about Terrence's arm, but she bit her lip back and thought. "Let me see your arm," she said, her tone suggesting that she was not to be argued with. She held her hand out in front of her, waiting for him to comply and place his arm there.

On Par
"It's fine," Terrence said stubbornly, not moving.
*
(I forgot you weren't part of the RPG when I had Terrence use a nettle arrow earlier, lol. It's like when your leg falls asleep, except you can't rub it off, haha. You know, FYI. [Smile] )

Triple My Gold
(Ok, I assumed that's what it was but Brynn was curious [Tongue] )

"Liar." Not waiting for Terrence to move, she grabbed hold of his arm and ran the fingers of her left hand over it gently, while still keeping a vise-grip on his wrist with her right. "Hold still," she said sternly, trying to concentrate on Sian'Ror. Her impatience with Terrence's stubborness was just enough to allow her to summon the energy needed, and she placed her left hand on his arm again, where the arrow's toxin had struck him. Her hand glowed bright green for just a moment, before she let go of his arm. "There," she said, impressed that she had, again, managed to use Sian'Ror without any problems. "That feels better, doesn't it?"

On Par
Terrence resisted the urge to snatch his arm away again, especially when Brynn's hand started glowing. Terrence felt no instant change in his arm, but during his hesitation after Brynn's question he felt the tingling pain subside, leaving only a numbness that was hardly noticable. "It's much better," he said to Brynn, grinning. "But you could warn me next time, before you start glowing."

Triple My Gold
Brynn smiled sheepishly. "I didn't warn you because I wasn't even sure it was going to work," she admitted. "I've never actually attempted that healing before...and you've seen how my magic has been as of late." She laughed, her face glowing with happiness at her success. "Besides, it's more fun to watch the look on your face," she teased.

(edited to clarify that her face is glowing with happiness. She's not making her face glow green and trying to scare Terrence [Tongue] )

zeesgirl

QHRider (8/27/2012)"It depends. On horseback going up the coast it's four or five days. By sea it's closer to three or four," Viserys said

.

"Excellent! When do we leave?" said Enzi. Milo frowned at her enthusiasm. What was she thinking, trying to get more involved in this plot? Milo wanted answers, and then he wasn't sure what he wanted. He didn't think it involved helping a Dragonbourne overthrow his father, even if Viserys did seem like he might make a good king.

On Par
Terrence made a face at Brynn's flippant attitude toward testing magic on him, but he smiled at her enthusiasm. "Well, thank you," he said. "I think." He twisted his arm around, checking to make sure there hadn't been any unintentional side effects. Satisfied, he smiled at the girl again, genuinely this time. "Yes. Thanks."
He looked up at the mention of leaving. Another adventure sounded great to him.

E. Rider
Owen helped Tyrion make the food. Making special plates for Terrence, Viserys, and Ilene. Viserys' plate looked scrumptious but Owen had decided to add just a little more flavoring when Tyrion wasn looking (OOC: Viserys is getting a taste of his own medicine LOL). Owen dumped as much pepper as he could in Terrence's plate. In Ilene's he pulled out a small bottle containing a mysterious potion. Pouring it across the food and mixing it well, "This ought to make Ilene be quiet.. And for good" he chuckled to himself. Tyrion hadn't seen any of this.

Ilene smiled at Brynn, "oh, Brynn you're wonderful! I'm so proud of you!" she said hugging the girl. "And I'm glad that your arm is better, Terrence!" she walked over to where the rest of the group sat. "How are the plans coming along?" she asked smiling.

QHRider
"As soon as possible," Viserys said to Enzi. "Tomorrow would be best, I think." He didn't want to push them too hard, especially where some of their group were unaccustomed to hard traveling. At Ilene's re-entrance, he turned and smiled. "Very well, I think."

E. Rider (8/28/2012) (OOC: Viserys is getting a taste of his own medicine LOL).

(I can't say he doesn't deserve it. XD)

On Par
Halbert nodded. "Aye, that'll give us time to get horses for those in your party that don't have them, get you all some provisions for traveling, and draw up maps if need be."
*
Terrence groaned silently at the mention of horses, but he couldn't see a better solution, so he didn't say anything.

QHRider
"I know the way," Viserys said. "But everything else would be more than welcome."

E. Rider
"Good!" Ilene said smiling. She was glad everything was going as planned. It would make things go much smoother.

The meals were done and Tyrion called all of the members of the group into the room where the meeting was. He set Viserys' plate in front of him and smiled. "Enjoy, kind Sir!" Then, he grabbed Ilene's hand and walked her to the table, seated her, and set her plate in front of her, "Thank you, Sir Tyrion!" she said sweetly. Tyrion finished passing out the plates and put Terrence's food in his spot. "Enjoy!" he said before bowing once more and left the room.

QHRider
Tyrion was gone before Viserys could thank him. He took a bite of his food. It was overly salty, and seemed a bit soggy. He turned to look at Jaime. "Does this taste like pee to you?" he asked.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime glared at Viserys. His own food didn't taste strangely. "Perhaps you've offended the kitchen staff," He said. Jaime grinned, maybe now Viserys would think before he relieved himself in someone's food again.

[steph]

(Page 166-175)

QHRider
"But I don't even know--OH. Halbert sent Owen to the kitchen, didn't he?" Viserys frowned. "Perhaps we should check Brynn, Terrence, and Ilene's food before they eat." For some reason, Viserys couldn't help but think that pee would be the least of Owen's tricks.

E. Rider
Ilene took a bite of her food. Her food was fine. "Mines not soggy.." After a few bites she began feeling extremely dizzy. She was trying her best to sit upright and her chair. She wasn't drunk. But she felt so strange. Suddenly the world seemed like it was spinning and she collapsed in a heap on the floor. There was nothing but darkness now.

QHRider
"Ilene!" Gods damn it. "Nobody else touch anything!" Viserys snapped, scooting around the table and kneeling beside Ilene.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime stood so fast he knocked over his chair. "I'm going to kill him." He stormed out of the meeting room and threw open the door to the kitchen. Owen was there. Jaime said no words to him, only grabbed him by the collar of his tunic and drug him out. He threw Owen to the ground in the meeting room and drew his sword.

E. Rider
Owen glared at Jaime before rising to his feet "What's this all about?" he said fakely. He saw Ilene on the floor and laughed. He ran into Jaime's stomach with his head, knocking Jaime on the floor before grabbing Jaimes sword.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime swung his legs around, knocking Owen's out from under him. He kicked the sword from Owen's hand and drew his dagger. He put his hand around Owen's throat and held him down. "Do not test me, boy," Jaime growled, pressing his dagger against Owen's neck.

QHRider
"What did you do to her?" Viserys demeaned. Ilene was still breathing, but for how long he didn't know.

E. Rider
Ilene was still practically lifeless on the floor. Owen winced and turned and was beginning to turn purplish red but he tried desperately to get Jaime off of him. Finally he went limp he wasn't dead but he was definitely unconscious.

Tyrion came running in. Seeing Ilene on the floor he knelt beside her. "I'm a doctor believe it or not!" he said feeling for her pulse, "Well...she's still alive. Viserys, carry her into the kitchen, there's a bed in there!" He hobbled off to the kitchen to get the bed ready.

ooc: don't worry Viserys, Ilene is light as a feather XD

QHRider
Viserys lifted Ilene, cradling her carefully. He looked at Jaime, and at Owen. "Tie him up," he said, before following Tyrion.

(ooc: no worries, Viserys is stronger than he looks!)

E. Rider
Tyrion was finished preparing the bed for Ilene. He began gathering supplies. He looked af Viserys seriously, ”If its the poison I think it is then theres a great chance she wont make it.” Tyrion said sadly..”Its a pity for she is a pretty little thing..”

QHRider
"It would be a pity if she were covered in warts," Viserys snapped. He exhaled, trying to keep his temper, and said, "Do what you can."

On Par
Terrence didn't want to be in the same room as Owen, even if he was unconscious, so he followed Viserys and Tyrion to the kitchen. He stalked down the hall, livid with anger toward Owen. This anger caused him to go off on Tyrion, when he mentioned Ilene's looks as the main reason it would be a shame if she died.
"She's a pretty little thing?" Terrence screeched. "Why, if you so much as half knew her, you'd never say something so shallow again!" He ranted for a full minute before stopping for breath.
*
Halbert had turned red with embarassment at Viserys' comment about urine in his food. When Ilene collapsed, he had turned purple with anger, but seeing Owen unconscious on the floor deflated him like a balloon. "I don't know what to do with the lad," Halbert confessed to Jaime, running a hand through his thick hair. "He's gotten restless with the lack of action recently, and he has enough pride for ten men, to boot. Discipline has no effect on him, and I'll not lock him in chains." His face grew dark. "Unless," he said, his eyes growing hard, "the lady dies, in which case I will have no choice but subject him to the lawful punishment."

E. Rider
Tyrion was shocked at Terrence's reaction. He hadn't meant to offend the boy. "I'm sorry..I'm very sorry...please forgive me." he said genuinely. He looked at Viserys "See if you can wake her..even if she doesn't wake up even the slightest response means the world." he said before leaving.

On Par
With the victim of Terrence's rant gone, he sat against the wall in a huff. He left Viserys to deal with the unconscious Ilene, as he didn't have the stomach for sick, bleeding, dead, or unconscious sorts.

QHRider
"He didn't mean anything by it, Terrence," Viserys said. He brushed some of Ilene's hair from her eyes and touched her shoulder. "Ilene? Can you hear me?"

E. Rider
Ilene moved her head very slightly towards the sound of Viserys' voice. She could hear a voice..but it seemed so far away...it was all so dark, it was like a dream and she couldn't wake up.

On Par
Terrence huffed at Viserys' comment; he wasn't ready to be consoled just yet. Angrily, he swiped away a tear that had gotten out despite his best efforts.

QHRider
Viserys grinned when Ilene moved her head towards him. "Ilene? Hey. Stay with me."

E. Rider
This time Ilene didn't respond but her breathing was more steady now. Tyrion returned with a bottle of something for her to smell. He checked her pulse and sat quietly listening to her breathing, "It's definitely more easy now." he said with relief in his tone, "She's only sleeping now. The poison will make her extremely tired but she should wake up anytime now." he put the bottle up to her nose. Ilene's eye lashes fluttered but that was all.

E. Rider
Owen was waking now, but only to an empty room. Tyrion had put a gag in his mouth so he wouldn't be able to talk. He was tied too. His throat was sore from where Jaime had choked him. He leaned his head back against the wall and fell asleep again.

QHRider
Viserys was relieved to hear Ilene would be okay. If she wasn't, he wasn't sure he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from murdering Owen.

E. Rider
"I doubt she'll wake till morning. But just in case she wakes up during the night, someone needs to be with her. She'll need to drink just as soon as she wakes up because the potion might have dehydrated her. Any volunteers?" Tyrion asked letting Ilene smell the bottle again.

QHRider
"I can do that," Viserys said. He settled in more comfortably by Ilene's side.

E. Rider
"Well it gets a might chilly down here so I'll bring you a blanket.." Tyrion scurried off. Ilene's arm moved and dropped over the side of the bed. She smiled slightly in her sleep but it was gone just as quick as it came.

On Par
Terrence had no intentions of moving anywhere, so he kept silent. He wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his head on them, not looking forward to a night spent underground.

E. Rider
Tyrion returned with a blanket. He saw Terrence had made himself comfortable too. "Lad, I've made ye a bed in the room beside the meeting room if ye would like to take a rest unless you'd like to stay here with the young woman also, I can brin ye a blanket." he gave Viserys the blanket. He hobbled over to Ilene and checked her pulse. A darkness crept over his face, "Her pulse... It's slowing."

CrazyHorseGirl1773

On Par (8/28/2012)Halbert had turned red with embarassment at Viserys' comment about urine in his food. When Ilene collapsed, he had turned purple with anger, but seeing Owen unconscious on the floor deflated him like a balloon. "I don't know what to do with the lad," Halbert confessed to Jaime, running a hand through his thick hair. "He's gotten restless with the lack of action recently, and he has enough pride for ten men, to boot. Discipline has no effect on him, and I'll not lock him in chains." His face grew dark. "Unless," he said, his eyes growing hard, "the lady dies, in which case I will have no choice but subject him to the lawful punishment."

"If she dies, I'll have his head," Jaime said angrily, he was beginning to lose his patience with this man. "You'll not put him in chains? He poisoned an innocent woman, he belongs in chains!"

On Par
"Thank you," Terrence said, "but I will stay the night here."
*
Halbert swore and pounded a fist on the table. "It's not my place," he roared. "I will not be my own law!" His face softened a touch. "That's what causes trouble in the first place."

(No, Halbert, you need discipline. )

Triple My Gold
(Holy cow! I'm way behind! Brynn will just hop in, I guess)

Brynn had been standing in the doorway, worrying about Ilene's condition. "For once in my life,I wish that I could use Sian'Ror to hurt somebody," she said softly, but dangerously. She entered the room, Thasha by her side, and placed a hand on Ilene, trying the same technique she had used on Terrence earlier. Though her hand glowed green, she could feel that this was not a poison that could be cured by any magical means...only time would be able to help Ilene now. Feeling helpless and ashamed, she sat down on the ground between Terrence and Viserys without saying a word. Thasha jumped onto the bed and curled up by Ilene's side, purring softly.

E. Rider
Tyrion brought a blanket for Terrence and checked Ilene's pulse once more. He looked at Viserys sadly "Sir....I'm afraid Ilene is.. She's....she's dying. There is very little chance for her now..and ive done all that I can do.."

QHRider
Viserys shook his head. "No. No, she can't die. Do you hear me, Ilene? You aren't allowed to die." He didn't know what to do, so he leaned over her, feeling stupid and useless. "Please don't go."

E. Rider
Tyrion looked at the girl with a sorry glance,"If there's anything you need to say to her say it now because later she....as for now she can hear you.." Tyrion said sadly as he walked out.

Triple My Gold
Brynn sat there, tugging her hair harder than she had ever done in her life. Ilene couldn't die, she just couldn't. She buried her face in her hands, fighting back tears and feeling more helpless than she had before. She couldn't even perform the magic to save her friend's life...what kind of a Brother was she?

On Par
(There's a fairy that wants to help Ilene, is that ok? If you had something better planned, we'll go with that though. [BigGrin] )

CrazyHorseGirl1773

On Par (8/28/2012)Halbert swore and pounded a fist on the table. "It's not my place," he roared. "I will not be my own law!" His face softened a touch. "That's what causes trouble in the first place."

"You're right," Jaime said coolly, "It's not your place. It's Viserys'." He pushed past Halbert, heading towards the other room. The anger on his face turned to worry when he saw the others. "What's going on?"

QHRider
"She's d--" The word caught in Viserys' throat. Saying it made it real, and it just couldn't be. He looked up at Jaime and swallowed.

On Par
Halbert's broad shoulders slumped at Jaime's comment. He stayed at the table, trying to find answers in the rough wooden planks.

E. Rider
Suddenly, Ilene's eyelashEs fluttered and she opened her eyes. She looked up to see Viserys leaning over her. She had never seen him so upset in her life. She reached up and put her hand gently on his cheek with a worried look on her face, "Viserys? Whatever's wrong? You don't look well.."

QHRider
Viserys stared at her for a moment, shocked. "You were dying, you idiot!" he said, bursting into tears and bending over to hug her around the shoulders. "Stop worrying about me, you're the one who's sick."

(Viserys doesn't do so well when people he likes are dying okay.)

E. Rider
Ilene closed her eyes and hugged him back. She still didn't realize what was going on. "Shh...Don't cry....I'm all right.." she said sweetly. She couldn't believe the great and proud Viserys was crying... Over her.

On Par
(Terrence is glad he's not the only emotional one.)
Terrence leapt up and across the room, grinning from ear to ear. He let out a whoop of excitement.

Triple My Gold
Brynn smiled, though silent tears were running down her face. "Ilene," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking one of Ilene's hands in hers. "We thought we had lost you..."

E. Rider
Ooc: I love this rpg...js

Ilene, still hugging the crying viserys, returned Brynn's smiled. She giggled at Terrence's holler and smiled at Jaime. She gave Thasha a pet before letting go of Viserys and looking into his eyes, "I'm fine now really...please don't cry." she wiped a tear off of his face and smiled, Tyrion smiled.

QHRider
"You're not fine, you were dying a second ago," Viserys said. He sat up and wiped his face off.

E. Rider
"But I'm not anymore.." she said leaning back on her pillow. "Wha-What happened to me anyway? How did I get like this?"

QHRider
"Owen," Viserys said. He looked back up at Jaime. "Where is he?"

Triple My Gold
"He had better be far away from here," Brynn said darkly. "I wasn't joking about letting Thasha have at him."

E. Rider
Tyrion Came up to Viserys, "Ilene will still need someone to be with her tonight, her condition may still change. But I doubt she will die, but now she is very weak. Are you still planning to sit with her?"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Owen is tied up, back there," Jaime said, nodding back towards the meeting room.

zeesgirl
(ooc: Holy crap guys, I'm gone for one day and look what happens!)

"I can sit with her," Enzi volunteered. The whole spectacle had happened so fast. She looked to Milo, who was looking between Ilene and back down the passage to where they'd taken Owen. His face was wooden and she noticed that his hand was wrapped around his knife hilt, his knuckles white. "Don't you have someone to talk to?" she asked him quietly. He looked back at her, his expression still unreadable. "Don't do anything stupid, My," she added.

Milo frowned at her, but nodded. Enzi had seen what he was thinking-- that Owen deserved more than a time-out in a cell for what he had done-- but she knew it was wisest to leave his punishment to others. He looked around for the man who'd been watching him. But the scarred man, the man who Milo suspected had cut off his hand three years earlier, had disappeared in the confusion around Ilene's poisoning.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Enzi. "Thank you for sting with me.." she smiled, "Oh how I wish I could stay awake but I.." she yawned and closed her eyes. Ilene was soon fast asleep. This time a sweet sleep.

Owen was well awake now. He heard footsteps coming. They were going to question him. He had poisened Ilene because he loved her and he was jealous. Jealous because she seemed to have her heart somewhere else. She was always eager to please and so kind and gentle, who could help loving her. He hated Viserys, because he had Ilene's good favor. And he was a much better man than Owen could ever fake to be. Owen knew he was not worthy of Ilene. But.. Who cares? He just wished she would die so he wouldn't have to see her anymore.

On Par
Halbert noticed Owen looking around. "You'd better wish you were still u conscious, lad," he said quietly. "They want me to kill you for what you've done." He looked down at the table. "I'm not so sure I want anything different," he murmured, more to himself than Owen.

QHRider
Viserys nodded to Enzi and stood up. "I think it's time Owen and I had a talk," Viserys said.

Triple My Gold
Brynn nodded, thinking that it would be best if she stayed away from Owen. Thasha had remained curled by Ilene's side, and Brynn knew that the cub meant to stay there the entire night with Ilene and Enzi. She was hungry, but she didn't fully trust any of the food that was brought out to them...after what had happened to Ilene, she wasn't about to eat anything that Owen might have touched. "Let's let her rest," she said softly, guiding the others out of the room.

E. Rider
Owen glared at Halbert. "I don't care.." he sneered.

On Par
With the majority of the excitement over, Terrence was still hungry. He poked around the kitchen, inspecting each food item carefully before deciding whether or not to use it. In a few minutes, he had procured a variety of eatables and set about cooking them.

E. Rider
Ilene slept like a baby. Tyrion still checked her pulse every once in a while to make sure her condition wasn't changing, because it was still possible she could become very sick. It was more normal now, but it wasn't where it should be. He smiled at Terrence, "It smells good. Be sure to give her something to eat as soon as she wakes up, lad." he said leaving.

QHRider
Viserys went into the room where they'd left Owen. He crossed his arms over his chest and studied him. "Normally I'd ask what the hell you thought you were doing, but I don't believe there's any excuse for what you've done."

E. Rider
Owen glared at him, "There is an excuse...I'm jealous.." he admitted spitting at Visery's feet. "I love Ilene and she likes..." he stopped looking at Viserys in disgust.

QHRider
"Are you serious? If you would kill a woman because she doesn't return your affections then you don't love her and she's far better off without you." Viserys shook his head. What was wrong with people like Owen?

E. Rider
"Just shut up!" Owen yelled..."I don't want to TALK about her! What do you know? She likes you!" He just wished Viserys would go away. "Look, I'm sorry! Ok?" he said faking it so Viserys would go away. "You're right.." he said teary eyed, "I don't deserve her anyway...you deserve her more than I do anyway...she's one in a million.." he said biting his bottom lip. "Is she....is she dying?" he said at last.

QHRider
Viserys stared at Owen, at loss. "Me? What?" he asked, baffled. But he returned his attention to Owen's last question. "No. She's not. But you still tried. Attempted murder is as bad as succeeding in the eyes of the law."

E. Rider
"Don't act as stupid as you look, Viserys. You see how Ilene obeys your every command...always trying to help you...you think you've got her wrapped around your stinkin' little pinky finger don't you?" He shook his head, "Who cares if she dies...."

ooc: Owen has mental issues...js..I think he's literally crazy XD

On Par
Halbert watched Viserys and Owen silently, curious to see how the candidate for throne would handle this situation. He raised his eyebrows when the Dragonbourne mentioned the law.
*
Terrence emerged from the cooking area a few minutes later, holding a plate full of food. He sat against the wall and began eating. "There's food in there, if anyone wants anything," he said through a mouthful.

E. Rider
After a while Ilene woke. She gave Thasha a pat. She wanted to get out of bed. So she did. She stretched. "I hope its allright that I get out of bed.." Ilene said brushing her long chocolaty hair with a brush Tyrion brought her. "That's fine, My Lady," Tyrion said to her smiling. "Terrence, why don't you bring a plate to Ilene, I'm sure she's hungry."

QHRider
Viserys couldn't find it in his heart to be angry at Owen anymore. Instead he was just sad. Own was clearly not right. "I do. And so do six other people down there with her." He sighed. Something had to be done about Owen, and Viserys didn't believe that he wouldn't harm someone else again, but he wasn't sure he had the authority yet to command the COR execute on of their own.

E. Rider
Ilene set the brush on a table before sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Brynn and Enzi. "Ah...I felt so terrible earlier. It was like a dream I couldn't wake up from. I kept hearing a voice calling my name telling me to wake up but I couldn't. Was someone really calling me..or was it a dream?" she asked.

"Why? Why do you care? She's just another girl...." he said, more to himself than to Viserys. "Get out of here. I don't want to talk anymore..go be with..go be with her." he said angrily.

On Par
Terrence looked up from his food. "I really am glad you're better, Ilene. We were really worried. Are you hungry?" he asked. "I made some food- good food- if you want any."
*
Halbert waited, but Viserys seemed to be finished. The big man knew he could not sentence Owen, either. Instead, he and the two other leaders of the rebellion would have to decide on a fair punishment.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Terrence. "Thank you, I'm glad to be better...and food sounds wonderful! Did you make it?" still sitting on the bed she leaned back on her hands. She realized she was in the kitchen... Where Halbert had brought Owen. "Where's Owen and Halbert and Viserys?" she asked.

Ooc: where is the guy with the scarred face?


zeesgirl

E. Rider (8/29/2012)Ooc: where is the guy with the scarred face?

(Lol, I don't know; I'm just procrastinating on coming up with a good backstory for that, so he conveniently wandered off in the chaos, unless you have something in mind for his whereabouts. I have a vague idea brewing, but I need to think about it some more and then consult QH.)

Ilene set the brush on a table before sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Brynn and Enzi. "Ah...I felt so terrible earlier. It was like a dream I couldn't wake up from. I kept hearing a voice calling my name telling me to wake up but I couldn't. Was someone really calling me..or was it a dream?" she asked.

Enzi hesitated. "Ilene, Owen tried to hurt you, but you're going to be fine, okay?" she said after a pause. "Just relax for a while. Viserys will sort everything out. You're safe now."

E. Rider
Ilene sun to herself softly as she made the bed. Smoothing it's wrinkles to perfection. Her brown hair fell about her shoulders as she leaned to straighten the pillow.

Ooc: no that's fine I just wondered


Triple My Gold
"The food smells delicious, Terrence," Brynn said cheerfully, preparing a plate for Ilene and Enzi. She carried one to each of them before getting herself some food, then sitting down on the floor. She very discreetly separated the meat from the rest of the food on her plate, planning on saving the meat for Thasha.

(I forgot to mention, Brynn is a vegetarian of sorts. She won't eat meat unless the animal which provided the meat either willingly gave itself for food, or died of natural causes.)

E. Rider
"Thank you, Brynn!" Ilene said taking a bite. She smiled at Terrence "Delicious as always!" Adter another bite she looked up, "Did anyone take Owen and Viserys and Halbert something to eat?" she stood and fixed three plates. "Don't worry about it.." she called over her back. She walked into the meeting room smiling. "I brought your dinner!" she said handing Halbert a plate. "Here.." she said handing Owen a plate. With a cheerier smile than the one she had barely given Owen she handed a plate to Viserys.

On Par
Terrence looked after the departing girl. "Apparently, she's feeling pretty recovered," he said to no one in particular.
*
Halbert nodded his thanks at Ilene. "I'm glad you're feeling better," he said, smiling. The burly man had lost his appetite, however, and pushed his food around on the plate.

Triple My Gold
Finishing her food, Brynn set the plate on the ground and called Thasha to her, who immediately dug into the meat with gusto. Brynn stood and walked to the corner of the room, relieved that Ilene was feeling better, but the events of the day were taking their toll on her. Her head was starting a dull, throbbing ache, so she stood facing away from the others, gently massaging her temples.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Halbert. She bent down to hand Owen his plate, "I'm sorry for slapping you.. It was wrong of me." without another Word to Owen she handed him his plate. Rising she turned to Viserys, a much sweeter smile on her face, "And here you are, Sir Viserys!"

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime slipped out of the kitchen, feeling quite in the way. He went back into the meeting room and leaned against the wall, silently watching Viserys and Owen.

QHRider
"Lady Ilene, you should be resting," Viserys said, even as he accepted her plate.

E. Rider
"I've just woken up from a good nap. Please stop worrying so." she gave a reassuring smile. She walked over to Jaime, "You've been very quiet, Sir Jaime. Are you feeling well?" she asked him feeling his head for a fever. "You don't have a fever.."

Owen began eating as best he could with his hands tied. He watched Ilene. She seemed to care about everyone but herself. He looked down, completely ignoring her now.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"I'm perfectly alright," Jaime said, "Viserys is right, you should be resting." He had lied, he wasn't alright, he was fuming. Ilene had nearly died, and her attacker was sitting in front of them and no one was doing a thing about.

E. Rider
Ilene frowned, "Oh all right.." she half smiled as she walked into the kitchen. She sat back on the bed and leaned against the pillow. She sighed, "I guess I'll rest a while longer..." she said closing her eyes.

QHRider
Viserys looked at Jaime. "I suppose the only thing to do is to let the COR hold a trial and decide the best way to deal with him."
Post #426076

E. Rider
Ilene was soon sleeping soundly. Tyrion kept checking her pulse just to make sure things were still going as they should be.

On Par
Halbert waited until Ilene had gone before speaking. "Aye, we'll have to make a decision about what to do about him. I'm not the sole voice in this organization, however. It'll be a joint decision between myself and the others." He looked around the room, then muttered, "I wonder where they've got off to."

E. Rider
Owen glared at Halbert. They were talking about him as though he wasn't there. "Can you please untie me so I can eat properly?" he commanded. "I'd rather not have to bend over and eat like a dog." he sneered, glaring at Halbert.

QHRider
"Well, you've behaved like a dog," Viserys said. "I suppose it's only fitting you eat like one."

On Par
Halbert placed Owen's plate on the table, then lifted him roughly by the back of the collar and seated him. "I think you'll be able to manage well enough."

E. Rider
Owen snarled through his teeth as he gave Viserys the most evil look anyone could ever give a person and muttered a few nasty words under his breath. He sat up. He wasn't going to eat. He was much to prideful to eat like a dog. "Why don't you just let me go and I'll leave forever." he said, as though they would actually do it. "Besides..I don't want to have anything to do with this blasted COR, or any of you, and especiallly that girl!" he said. The last word had such an evil, disgusting, hateful, tone to it that it would make you shiver.

ooc: Viserys is right, Owen, you act like a dog, we treat you like a dog XD

Ilene still slept soundly. Even though the poison was still in her system, her body seemed to be fighting it quite well. However, she was dreaming very strange dreams. She was dreaming of the time when her and Viserys had walked the log, but suddenly she fell and Owen caught her he was holding her so tight....but then he was suddenly Francis. Her dear mute cousin let her go and began making plans about meeting up with the COR. Ilene was getting so confused.

On Par
Halbert frowned at Owen, then left the room to find the other two leaders.
*
Terrence watched Ilene sleep. Now that Viserys and Jaime were in another room, he felt oddly responsible for her. He wished time would go faster so they could get out from underground and be off again.

zeesgirl
(Ok, so my vague idea with this executioner guy not killing Milo is sort of taking shape but I would need QH's okay since it kind of involves her character (not Viserys)... This idea is possibly cheesy and soap-opera-ish, but it's like this: Who actually saw Rhaegar die? What if Cellach, in an uncharacteristic moment of actually-being-a-decent-human-being, had Rhaegar at his mercy but let him live? And Cellach didn't think there were any witnesses, but the executioner saw? So even though he's loyal to the Dragonbournes (hence joining the COR), the executioner simply couldn't bring himself to kill Milo, even though common sense would say that the COR's cause would be best served by offing Cellach's heir.

This of course raises the question "where the heck is Rhaegar now?" Well my first thought was that the executioner was Rhaegar which is why I gave him this horrible disfigured scarred face, which would explain why no one recognized him. But I couldn't think of a good explanation for why Rhaegar would have stayed on working at the castle as an executioner after his "death." So now that's why I'm thinking the executioner was just an anonymous witness to Cellach sparing Rhaegar's life, and Rhaegar must be somewhere else.

I had no idea where that was until just now I was typing this, I had an interesting thought... if you were Cellach, where would you throw your enemy's heir if you didn't want to kill him but also didn't want to ever see him again? How about an unreachable island?

I don't know what anyone else's ideas are for Dragonbone Island where the mysterious treasure is located, but what if it's this remote, inescapable place, and Rhaegar has been trapped there ever since?

Okay, I now think I win the award for longest post without actually doing anything in character, but I need feedback. Is this stupid? We're racking up quite the list of people who are sort of miraculously coming back from the supposed dead, so adding another in the form of Rhaegar is verging on cheesy, but I thought it could be interesting and it was the only believable reason I could come up with for the rather nonsensical actions of the mysterious executioner. Plus, it adds another facet to Cellach, who I think was in danger of becoming one of those villains too evil to be believable, simply because making him that way made other things make more sense.

Was that coherent?)

E. Rider
After a while Ilene awoke. Terrence was the only one in the room. She sat up and brushed hair from her face. "Well is it all right if I get up now? Every time I get up I'm asked to go back to sleep. If I sleep any longer ill go crazy!"

[steph]

(Page 176-192)

QHRider
(Oh my gosh.

I--what--

YES.

Actually it would probably work really well with that I had in mind for the Island in the first place. Except happier.

But I'm sure we could fix that. XD)

Zee you are officially a mad genius YES. It is so.



Triple My Gold
Brynn left the corner where she was standing and went to a room where nobody else was, as she was afraid that she might let her anger get the best of her if she wandered into the room where Owen lay on the ground, tied up. She curled up on the floor, catlike, and fell asleep.

On Par

zeesgirl (8/30/2012) Who actually saw Rhaegar die? What if Cellach, in an uncharacteristic moment of actually-being-a-decent-human-being, had Rhaegar at his mercy but let him live? And Cellach didn't think there were any witnesses, but the executioner saw? So even though he's loyal to the Dragonbournes (hence joining the COR), the executioner simply couldn't bring himself to kill Milo, even though common sense would say that the COR's cause would be best served by offing Cellach's heir.

I'm still trying to sort this out...
Cellach could kill Rhaegar (first heir to the Dragonbourne throne), but doesn't.
Nameless executioner sees this, and so he doesn't kill Milo....?
Can someone explain this to me in small words, lol?

I had no idea where that was until just now I was typing this, I had an interesting thought... if you were Cellach, where would you throw your enemy's heir if you didn't want to kill him but also didn't want to ever see him again? How about an unreachable island?

.....
Do you want me to answer this?

Plus, it adds another facet to Cellach, who I think was in danger of becoming one of those villains too evil to be believable, simply because making him that way made other things make more sense.

In my defense, it's hard to build a character when there's no one for him to interact with. [Tongue]

And yes, I like this idea! [Smile]

Triple My Gold




^Par, I've thought of making another character, one that will spend time in the castle, and if you would like I could do that so Cellach has somebody to interact with [BigGrin]


QHRider
On Par (8/30/2012)

Plus, it adds another facet to Cellach, who I think was in danger of becoming one of those villains too evil to be believable, simply because making him that way made other things make more sense.

In my defense, it's hard to build a character when there's no one for him to interact with. [Tongue]

I think it's less what you're doing with him and more what we've been pinning on him, lol. XD

On Par

Triple My Gold (8/30/2012)^Par, I've thought of making another character, one that will spend time in the castle, and if you would like I could do that so Cellach has somebody to interact with [BigGrin]

Lol, you may make whatever sort of character makes you happy. I would warn you, Cellach is ever so slightly insane and definitely bipolar and probably not the best company, lol.

QHRider (8/30/2012)I think it's less what you're doing with him and more what we've been pinning on him, lol. XD

Yes, well. I wasn't sure I wanted to point that out.

CrazyHorseGirl1773

On Par (8/30/2012)
I'm still trying to sort this out...
Cellach could kill Rhaegar (first heir to the Dragonbourne throne), but doesn't.
Nameless executioner sees this, and so he doesn't kill Milo....?
Can someone explain this to me in small words, lol?

I think that the executioner saw that Cellach had mercy on Rhaegar, so he had mercy on Milo in return? Because the executioner was loyal to the Dragonbournes, so he would be happy that Rhaegar is alive, and is sort of trying to pay back Cellach for that by leaving Milo alive? That's how I understood it, I'm not sure if my thoughts are making any sense on paper though. XD

zeesgirl
Oh yeah, Par it wasn't you; I meant exactly what QH said. We've sort of each added an atrocity to Cellach's record in order for it to make sense that each character is willing to fight a war to overthrow him. Murdering his allies, murdering the queen (which Milo maintains is a lie), murdering his opponents, etc. It's given all of the main characters their motives to hate him, which were necessary for the story, but it's made him almost too evil to be believable, so I think adding a little humanity back in there might round him out a bit.

I'm still trying to sort this out...
Cellach could kill Rhaegar (first heir to the Dragonbourne throne), but doesn't.
Nameless executioner sees this, and so he doesn't kill Milo....?
Can someone explain this to me in small words, lol?

Like Claire said, I was thinking that the executioner (I really need a name for this guy... I'll be off to some baby naming sites shortly, lol) witnessed Cellach showing mercy to his enemy's son, even though logic might say to kill the Dragonbourne heir. So years later, when Cellach's own son is about to get killed, this guy decides to let him live, because it seems like justice, karma, payback, etc, for that moment of mercy that Cellach once showed to his own enemy's teenage son.

Do you want me to answer this?

If you want to, but I was mainly just trying to think of a location for Rhaegar that made sense, and if we were operating under the stipulation that Rhaegar was at Cellach's mercy, it was necessary to try to think from Cellach's perspective. I was attempting to outline my thought process as I was thinking it, which is why the whole post had about 25 hypothetical questions, lol. I guess I think in question form.

Zee you are officially a mad genius YES. It is so.

lol what is that gif?

But thanks, I'm glad it made at least a little bit of sense. [BigGrin]

On Par
^I can do karma, haha.

Triple My Gold
Does Cellach have an advisor? If not, he does now! [Tongue]

Name: Dov Abrafo
Age: 45
Position: Chief Advisor to the King
Height: 5'10"
Past/Personality: Dov has been in the castle for years, beginning with being a servant when he was just a young lad. Under Cellach's rule, he served in the Royal Guard, and 5 years ago Cellach made Dov his chief advisor. Dov is loyal to the castle, not the king, and has always been that way, regardless of who has been ruling; the castle was his first and only home, and so he does what he believes is best for the castle and the kingdom. Despite this, he still tries to win Cellach's approval and thinks of the king as a (somewhat crazy) friend and comrade.
Pic:
(It's Yellin! [BigGrin] )


Animal (optional)
Name: Carnifax
Species/breed: Lusitano
Age: 9
Personality: Trained for battle, but does just fine for other riding tasks.
Pic:

Pics in a few minutes, I have to switch internet browsers for this [Hehe]

Update: Pics added!

On Par
Huzzah! Cellach needed an advisor to run his schemes through, haha! Yays!
*
Terrence smiled at Ilene. "My lady," he said, "we're so glad to have you back, I think you can do anything you feel capable of doing." He gave her a mock serious look. "You don't feel capable of flying do you? That would be a most interesting side effect."

(Let's get moving to Dragonbone already, I have a brief faery adventure planned for Terrence!)

QHRider

zeesgirl (8/30/2012)lol what is that gif?

(It's some guy decorating the set of the Hobbit fabulously.)

(We can move on let's go!)

Viserys hadn't slept well that night, and as soon as he could he was up, helping with the preparations for their trip.

zeesgirl
ooc: YELLIN! <3


Milo drifted in and out of a light sleep that night. He woke up disoriented. It felt like it should be morning, but here underground, there was no way to know what time it was. When he sat up, Duff opened one to look at him, then scooted closer so that he could pet her. Milo did so, rubbing the graying fur of her belly while he listened for the sound of any others waking up. After a couple minutes, he secured his hook onto the end of his arm and packed up his scarce belongings.
As he was gathering together the last of his things, a man entered the room. Milo stood upright and spun to face him. It was the scarred man who had been watching him last night. "Who are you?" Milo asked.
The man stared back at him for a moment. "Barlow," he answered.
Milo waited for him to say more, for him to confirm Milo's suspicions, for him to explain anything. The man remained silent. "Do you know who I am?" Milo asked.
Barlow looked from Milo's face down to his missing hand. Milo followed his gaze and ran his fingers over the curve of the hook.
"Yes," said the man. Milo searched his face for any clue to the truth, but the scars made it difficult to discern his expression.
When no further explanation was forthcoming, Milo asked, "Are you loyal to my family?"
Barlow shook his head firmly. "No," he said with conviction.
Again Milo waited for the man to say more, but Barlow said nothing.
"Then, why?" Milo demanded, his patience wearing thin. The answers were here, but this man was like talking to a wall.
"Will you accompany the Dragonbourne on his journey to the island?" asked the man, suddenly changing the subject.
Milo blinked in confusion. "What? I don't..." he trailed off, staring hard at Barlow and thinking. "Should I?" he asked, eventually.
The man nodded. "I think so."
"Why?" asked Milo again.
Barlow turned to leave. "You want to know why I did what I did?" he said over his shoulder. "Go there." He left the room. Milo started to follow him but forced himself to stop and think. He wanted to storm after Barlow and force him to give a straight answer, but Milo had a feeling that it would be impossible. He supposed the only thing to do would be to join Viserys on his journey.

Novel time! lol.

On Par
Terrence woke in a chipper mood, ready to go adventuring. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that there were important things to do beforehand. The young man noisily prepared a breakfast with the food and utensils he found in the kitchen.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime woke that morning, or what he assumed to be morning, feeling well rested. He quietly worked his way through tunnels back to the meeting room. Viserys was there making arrangements for their trip to Dragonbone island. "How's everything coming?" He asked, taking a seat next to the younger man.

E. Rider
Ilene woke up refreshed and cheerful. She had slept exceptionally well and was feeling completely normal now. "Would you like some help?" she asked smiling kindly.

On Par
Terrence looked up. "Sure," he said "Why don't you keep an eye on this skillet here and I'll get to cleaning up?" He handed Ilene his spatula and began returning food items to their proper place and putting dishes in the washbasin for later.

QHRider
"Good," Viserys said. He yawned. "I'll be glad to be on our way," he confessed. Being in the tunnels was starting to make him feel trapped.

E. Rider
"Alrighty!" she said cheerily before she began singing, her beautiful voice was so clear and yet so soft. She moved the food around in the skillet before adding a bit of seasoning. Despite her lack of practice, Ilene was an excellent cook.

On Par
Terrence didn't join in Ilene's song, preferring this time to simply listen.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime nodded. "As will I." He was tired of breathing musty tunnel air. "We'll be able to leave today, then?"

QHRider
"If all goes well," Viserys said. He sighed. "Which doesn't always seem to happen to us."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime chuckled. "No, it doesn't." Their group had had more than it's fair share of bad luck. "Hopefully no one else will be poisoned. Speaking of which, what's to happen to our dear friend, Owen?"

QHRider
"They're holding a trial for him this afternoon," Viserys said. "We should be long gone by then." He was glad. He didn't want any more to do with Owen.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime nodded. "Good." He didn't want to be around to hear Owen's sentence. If for any reason he was found innocent, Jaime didn't trust himself to not take justice into his own hands.

E. Rider
Ilene, still singing, scooped the food into the plate. "It's done!" she said interrupting her own song. "Hmm..it smells delicious..." she smiled.

zeesgirl
Milo heard voices and assumed the others were awake. He found Enzi sleeping and roused her gently. She mumbled something rude, but then sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Come on," said Milo. "We're leaving soon."
Enzi blinked at him. "I thought you didn't want to go."
Milo shrugged. "What else have we got to do?" For some reason, he didn't feel like relating his encounter with Barlow just yet.
They found Viserys and Jaime preparing rations for the trip.
"Good morning!" said Enzi brightly. Milo nodded in greeting.

QHRider
"Morning," Viserys said. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at their supplies. "I think that's everything. Once we've eaten we should be ready to go."

On Par
Terrence nodded approvingly at Ilene's work. "You sure picked this cooking thing up quickly," he said, a tad jealous. He had vivid memories of his own early cooking.
*
Halbert stumbled into the meeting room, weary from lack of sleep. "Aye, you'll be leaving today. I've got horses in order for the rest of your party, though it took half the night to secure them." He massaged the back of his neck with a beefy hand.

zeesgirl
Milo frowned. Riding with one hand was easy, but things like girths and bridles made dealing with horses a challenge. "I thought it was faster to go the whole way by sea," he said.

On Par
"Yes, but not by swimming." Halbert said. "Have you got a ship? Because I'm fresh out of sailing vessels."

zeesgirl
"Then how are we going to get to the island at all?" Milo asked. "Swim across on horses?" He looked at Enzi. She could fly them there, but not more than one or two at a time. Halbert must have some other plan.

E. Rider
"I had a pretty good teacher." she smiled putting a spoonful of the food onto a plate. "I enjoy cooking..although I don't know too too much. Once this is all over you'll have to teach me more.."

QHRider
"Don't worry about that," Viserys said. "There's a hidden harbor on our side of the straight where my family kept at least a few boats. They may not be in the best condition, but they should be enough to get us there and back."

On Par

zeesgirl (8/31/2012)"Then how are we going to get to the island at all?" Milo asked. "Swim across on horses?" He looked at Enzi. She could fly them there, but not more than one or two at a time. Halbert must have some other plan.

"Either way," Halbert said tiredly, "it's a shorter swim if you take horses to the closest point on the coast." At Viserys' mention of a secret harbor, he shrugged. "Or that."
*
Terrence smiled at Ilene's enthusiasm. "Perhaps so."

E. Rider
Ilene finished he plates and began taking two at a time to the table. "Hwre you are.." she said placing an plate in Jaime's spot then in Viserys.

On Par
Terrence piled the rest of the plates onto a tray he found and started after Ilene.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime smiled at Ilene, then turned back to the others. "So that's it then. We'll ride to this cove, and sail from there." He was getting impatient. He wanted out of these tunnels.

QHRider
"Thank you, my lady," Viserys said to Ilene. "That would be the plan," he told Jaime, shoveling food into his mouth.

On Par
"Ride?" Terrence asked through a mouthful. Maybe this wouldn't be such a wonderful adventure, afterall. He finished his food quickly.

E. Rider
Ilene disappeared and returned with a glass of water for each person. Settig them gently in front of each person along with a napkin.

QHRider
"Ride," Viserys said. "It's too far for any of us to walk and keep up."

E. Rider
"Speaking of riding reminds me of the horses. Did anyone water or feed them yesterday? I'm sure they are thirsty.." Ilene said sitting down gracefully.

QHRider
"I'm sure they've been well cared for," Viserys said. The horses were at the stables of the inn they'd entered the tunnels at, and Viserys couldn't imagine that the COR wouldn't have had them seen to.

Triple My Gold
Hearing everybody else talking and making preparations made Brynn finally decide to join the party. Her head was still throbbing, though she couldn't tell the reason why. "Looks good," she said as she grabbed a plate of food, not sure if Ilene or Terrence had made the meal. "Is everything about ready for the trip?"

E. Rider
"I certainly am. It's about time for some fresh air!" Ilene said taking a bite.

On Par
Terrence scowled and finished his food.
*
Halbert looked at Ilene. "Aye, miss, your horses have been well cared for," he assured her. It seemed that everyone was finished with breakfast, and there were several packs on the table. "It appears you are ready to depart, then?"

QHRider
"It appears so," Viserys said. He stood and bowed slightly to Halbert. "Thank you for your hospitality, my lord."

E. Rider
Ilene rose and gathered all of the plates and things. She began washing them quickly but still getting them clean at the same time. She was soon finished. She wiped her wet hands on a towel. "Ready!" she said happily. It would be nice to see Noble again.

On Par
Halbert inclined his head to Viserys. "I'm sorry your stay was tainted with malice and ill fortune. Rest assured the problem will be resolved when you return, and may good fortune follow you on your quest." He turned to Terrence. "I trust you can lead your party back to the livery at the inn?"
*
Terrence nodded, still upset about having to ride horses. "Aye," he said glumly.

Triple My Gold
"Cheer up, Terrence," Brynn said cheerfully. "Horses aren't that bad." She petted Thasha on the head. "Unless I want them to be bad, that is," she added, grinning mischievously.

E. Rider
Ilene walked over to Halbert and bowed (ooc: she does a half bow half curtsy thing LOL) "Thank you, Sir Halbert. You've been so kind to me, us. I greatly appreciate it, and I am very, very sorry that I've seemed to have caused trouble and made our stay longer. Thank you for the rooms and the food and everything else. I am forever greatful." she said smiling.

zeesgirl
Enzi winked at Terrence. "Well if you dislike the thought of a horse, I'd be happy to offer a camel, an elephant, or a dragon," she said merrily. She was glad they were getting on their way. She was restless here underground.

Milo nodded when Viserys explained how they would reach the island. He would just have to swallow his pride and ask for help with his horse if he needed it. There were worse means of travel.

On Par
Terrence grimaced at Brynn before giving Enzi his best glare. "No, thank you," he said, spitting out the words.
*
Halbert smiled at Ilene, truly enchanted by her sweet demeanor. "Lady, I would gladly endure much more troubles for the pleasure of your smile." He clapped his hands at Terrence. "Enough time wasted. Get out of here."
*
Terrence frowned, but picked up a sack and threw it over his shoulder, heading out the door.

E. Rider
Ilene gave Halbert one.last sweet smile, ”Thank you again, Sir Halbert, I hope to see you again someday. Only next time under better and happier circumstances!” She curtsied once more and followed Terrence out of the door. She gave the room one last look and continued after the group.

zeesgirl
Milo shouldered another of the sacks of supplies and followed Terrence back through the tunnels. Duff padded along just behind him, while Enzi pushed past to get closer to the front of the group. She was eager to reach fresh air.

QHRider
Viserys thanked Halbert one last time before taking his pack and following the others out. He couldn't wait to get out of the tunnels and back on the road. And most of all, he couldn't wait to go home.

E. Rider
Ilene felt a pang of excitement come over her as they left. She was practically craving fresh air and sunshine. But the rest had done her well. She felt refreshed and ready to continue the adventure.

On Par
Terrence led the group on a circuitous route through the tunnels, and half an hour later, they reached the same set of stairs they had entered by the day before. He briefly wondered whether Viserys would wear a hood or a dress this time. He thrust aside the false wall and then secured it properly after the group had exited.

QHRider
Viserys wasn't about to make a ride of several days trapped in a dress, so he had pulled all of his hair back into a tail that morning, and now he pulled his hooded cloak on. "We should leave the city in smaller groups, like how we entered," he said.

On Par
Terrence nodded and led the way to the livery. There were several horses saddled and bridled, and he recognized most of them as belonging to their party. The other horses, he knew, were the ones the COR was loaning them. He studied them for a while, not sure which one to choose for himself.

Triple My Gold
"I think this one is the horse for you, Terrence," Brynn said, gesturing to a small, stocky, and slightly shaggy chestnut gelding with four white stockings and a white blaze on his face. The horse's eye was kind, and he exuded an air of utmost calm. "He won't give you any trouble, I can promise you. And his name is Sam, he says." She smiled, stroking Willow's nose thoughtfully. "Same groups as before, or different?" she asked, addressing Viserys.

(Par, whenever you want to do any Cellach stuff, I'm ready with Dov [Tongue] )

QHRider
"Same groups would probably go fastest," Viserys said, checking Dragon's tack.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime's mare nickered to him as he approached. He rubbed the mare on her big golden forehead before checking over his tack quickly and swinging on. "Looks like I'm with you then, Princess," He said, grinning down at Viserys.

QHRider
"I am not putting the dress back on," Viserys said to Jaime. He tightened Dragon's girth. "About a mile from the gates there's a grove of oak trees along our road. We'll meet there."

E. Rider
Noble whinnied when he saw Ilene, "Hello, handsome!" she said kissing his nose. She tightened his girth and stood by him holding the reins. He gave her a lick on the hand then nuzzled her gently. "Aw...I missed you too, Noble." She said softly as she scratched the big paint behind the ears. She had promised Viserys she wouldn't call him Francis again, but now she had too since he was putting the dress back on. She smiled at Terrence who still looked a bit uneasy despite the kind look in his horse's eye. She led Noble over to him, "They're not as bad as they are big.." she smiled. "You can do it, Terrence. I know you can." she assured him scratching his horse's face. "Besides, Sam looks pretty sweet to me..." The chestnut gave her a kind rub with his nose. Ilene had a way with animals.

On Par
Terrence examined the horse Brynn indicated. He was short, brown, and scruffy. "Sam, huh?" Terrence clambered up and held the reins awkwardly, his feet dangling short of the stirrups. Sam stood like a rock. Leaning forward, Terrence patted his neck uncertainly, then nudged the pony with his heels and walked into the street. He was not a fast rider, and he had no doubt the rest of the group could catch up if they wanted.

(I don't know if DD's going to be on much anymore, since school's started.)
(TMG, Cellach usually comes out when I'm really bored, since nobody is dependent on his posts, lol. Let me think a minute, and he'll do something. [Smile] )

E. Rider
Ilene mounted Noble and walked him up to Terrence, "How is Sam?" she asked as Noble gave Sam a playful nip. "Easy, Noble..be a gentlemen please.."

Triple My Gold
(That's fine, Par. I'm not in any hurry [Hehe] )

Brynn checked to make sure that all of Willow's tack was in working order; she normally didn't bother with tack, but figured it might look a little suspicious if she didn't, for this trip at least. Satisfied that everything was well, she mounted up and Thasha leaped behind her to sit on Willow's rump. The dun mare didn't seem to care too much that she had a cat on her.

On Par

E. Rider (9/1/2012)Ilene mounted Noble and walked him up to Terrence, "How is Sam?" she asked as Noble gave Sam a playful nip. "Easy, Noble..be a gentlemen please.."

Terrence recoiled when Ilene's horse bit at Sam. "Ah," he stammered, "so far, so good." He nudged Sam out into the traffic of the city, calling, "I'll go first." He didn't like the idea of waiting, mounted, for time to pass. At least this way, the others shouldn't be around to see if anything....unexpected.. happened between Terrence and his steed.
*
Cellach looked over the reports. He was pleased with the increased training by the castle guard. Everything seemed to be going just how he wanted.

Triple My Gold
Dov strode purposefully through the castle halls, his padded boots making almost no noise on the tile floors. He knew every hall, every room, every passage by heart, and it took him little time to reach his destination. He knocked on the door to the King's study and cleared his throat before entering. "My Lord," he said respectfully, bowing slightly to Cellach. "You wished to see me?"

(I didn't know how else to bring Dov into the scene)

On Par
"Indeed," Cellach purred, indicating a seat. He straightened some reports as he spoke. "The new training schedule for the guard is going excellently - you are to be commended. However," he went on, "I am tired of having every man report to duty completely inebriated. We must find a way to encourage them to be sober when they are on duty."

(It needs to hurry up and be a a few days so Cellach and Dov can talk about something more interesting. Namely: Viserys. [BigGrin] )

QHRider
Several minutes after Terrence (and maybe Ashleigh too who knows) had gone, Viserys turned to Jaime and Ilene. "Shall we?" he asked, and Dragon stepped out into the street.

(Viserys likes the idea of being interesting!)

E. Rider
(ooc: I forgot they weren't going as a big group so Ilene was riding behind Terrence! Oops..just pretend it never happend! XD)

Ilene smiled at Viserys,"Of course!" she led Noble out of the barn. Fresh air and Sunshine were being much appreciated by Ilene at the present moment. She hadn't realized how much she missed it. Another day in the damp air and darkness in the tunnels would have made her sick. Noble kept his eye on Dragon. He had been in the stall beside him, so Ilene guessed the two had become friends. At least Noble was friendly to one of the horses. He liked to show off for Honor, but liked biting her too.

On Par
Terrence tugged his shaggy pony around awkwardly, trying to avoid running over anyone or getting herded in the wrong direction. He eventually made it out the gates and turned Sam down the road, keeping an eye out for the tree mentioned by Viserys.

E. Rider
Ilene tightened Nobles girth before she mounted as graceful and ladylike as she could in a dress. She adjusted her reins in her hands and have Noble a pat, "All set and ready!" she said with excitement in her voice. She smiled as Noble tossed his head. He was just as ready to move on as she.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"Let's go then," Jaime said, leading the way through the streets.

Triple My Gold
"I guess we'll bring up the rear again," Brynn said, turning to Milo and Enzi. "This should be interesting, don't you think?"

Dov inclined his head gratefully before taking the seat Cellach had indicated, and pondered the king's words. Drinking was one thing; all the soldiers Dov had known in his day had engaged in drinking, himself included. But a soldier too drunk to sit on his horse was of no use to the kingdom's defenses. "Yes, indeed," Dov agreed, stroking his reddish-blonde beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps, my lord, we should provide a means of...'encouragement'...to the enlisted men, so they do not forget their duties."

(Par, if you want to wait till a few days have gone by...or if you want to skip ahead a few days...either way, is fine with me)

On Par
(It's whatever, haha, Cellach hasn't had much to do because the only thing interesting that happened to him was the attempt on his life, which led him to increase the training of the guard and attempt to ferret out any secret passageways in the castle, haha. He has no idea of yet that his throne may be in danger not from a feminist group, haha.)
*
Cellach nodded, fingering a paperweight absently. "Tell me what you have in mind."
*
Terrence spotted the tree ahead and let Sam continue his plodding. When they arrived, he quickly dismounted. Uncomfortable, he remounted and sat awkwardly. Finally, he spotted an acceptable place to tie the pony and did so, then sat on the grass a few paces away, where it felt safer.

QHRider
Viserys felt much more comfortable this time, riding astride and with his sword at his side. He kept a watch for the assassin who'd accosted Ilene on their last ride.

E. Rider
Noble trudged along happily. Swishing his tail and shaking his mane to get rid of pesty flies. Ilene smiled as two birds chased each other, fighting over who knows what. She spotted a squirrel who was right in the middle of the path. It scurried away as soon as it figured they were coming towards it. Noble stopped, pricked his ears, and watched the creature one hundred times smaller than he. Ilene gave him a pat to get his attention and he was soon walking again.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime lead the way through the streets, glancing back every so often to make sure Ilene and Viserys were alright. As soon as they were out of the gates, he kicked Honor into a canter. He was ready to get out of that city and get on with this adventure. He spotted the tree first, then Terrence. The younger man was sitting a ways away from his horse looking quite uncomfortable.

E. Rider
Noble raised his head and perked his black ears as Terrence and his horse came into view. He gave a whinny of greeting to the chestnut and gave a snort before shaking his mane to get rid of more flies. Ilene gave him a pat.

On Par
Terrrence was relieved when the trio arrived. It made him nervous to be alone so close to a horse. He was anxious for the rest of the companions as he was eager to be off and doing something.

QHRider
"You don't look happy with your new friend there, Terrence," Viserys said. He smiled. "Did he say something insulting on the road?"

On Par
Terrence scowled. "He insulted your mother the entire trip," he replied, struggling to keep a straight face.
Sam stood complacently, not caring that Terrence's pathetic knot would come undone with a slight tug.

QHRider
"In that case, I'd be sitting over there too," Viserys said, fighting the urge to snap that that wasn't funny. He turned Dragon back toward the road, waiting for the others.

On Par
Terrence grinned at Viserys' back. The young royal had a poor sense of humor as far as Terrence was concerned. He was far too serious. Terrence shot a wink at Ilene.

E. Rider
Ilene grinned back at Terrence. Ilene wasn't much for people who were too serious. They missed a lot of things in life. She gave Noble a pat.

QHRider
(You made a joke about his dead mom guys I think he's allowed to be a little grumpy. )

On Par
(He can be grumpy if he wants to. Terrence never had a mom, so Vis should be grateful for the six years he got with his. [Tongue] )

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Jaime got nine years with his mom. They can all have mommy issues together.)

E. Rider
(Why are we always torturing Viserys LOL?? Ilene had her mommy for five years)

Ilene dismounted to stretch her legs for a bit. She sat down in the lush green grass. Her pink dress making a pretty color contrast against the green and her brown hair. She let Noble graze for a while. He had been a good boy.

QHRider
(Because it's fun! Also idk how much everyone else is going to be on now that school's starting, so uh, I guess if they don't get back on we can pretend they're still here and continue on?)

Triple My Gold
Brynn led the way out of the city this time, or, rather, Willow lead the way while Brynn simply sat astride the mare. Apparently, her horse was as glad to be out of the city as she was. Willow nickered a greeting to the other horses as the trio approached the rest of the group. Viserys looked slightly upset, while Terrence and Ilene looked amused, and Brynn wondered what exactly she, Milo, and Enzi had missed.

Dov paused for a moment. What didhe have in mind? Cutting their pensions would not work, as it would probably have the opposite effect, creating more restless troops. "Lashings, my lord," Dov said finally. "Ten lashings to any enlisted man proven to be intoxicated while on patrol. Officers and ordinary troops alike will get the same treatment, so as to show that this is not a business to be trifled with." Dov didn't necessarily like the idea of lashings, but he could think of no other solution at present. "Would that suit your Majesty?"

(Brynn has no family that she can remember either, by the way)

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime turned at the sound of a horse's nicker and smiled when he spotted the others coming down the road. "There they are," He said, gathering up Honor's reins, "Let's go."

On Par
Terrence was tired of sitting around, so he was pleased to hear Jaime's suggestion of moving on, even if it did involve riding. He clambered onto his steed and kicked the pony after Jaime.
*
Cellach froze; thinking. After a moment he leaned back in his chair. "Twelve lashings," he said. "Spread the word among the men; post it in the armories and mess hall." He was pleased with Dov's idea.

E. Rider
With help from a tree stump Ilene mounted Noble, who was anxious to catch up with the other horses. She didn't have to kick him. He was Soon cantering after the others. Ilene smiled, she had never cantered a noble before. His canter was wonderful, just like Fairest's. But she slowed him down, he would need his energy for the long trip. "Easy, Noble.."

Triple My Gold
Brynn urged Willow forward, and the mare broke into a brisk trot to catch up with the others. The pair of them had caught up to Ilene and Noble, and Willow stretched her neck out to gently sniff the other horse's muzzle. "I'm so glad to be out of that city," Brynn said to Ilene.

"Twelve lashings," Dov repeated, nodding in agreement. "It shall be done, your highness. I will see to it immediately."

On Par
Even though they weren't riding hard, Terrence was sore after only an hour or so. He gritted his teeth and shifted around in the saddle, trying to find a position that wasn't so uncomfortable.
*
Cellach nodded in approval. "Very good. Dismissed." He had every assurance that his councilor would draw up the correct documents and bring them for the royal seal.

QHRider
It felt good to be back on the road. Viserys inhaled deeply, then glanced around. Terrence looked highly uncomfortable. "Saddle sore already?" Viserys asked him.

E. Rider
”So am I! I dont care for the city much...give me a.nice countryside or forest any day.” She said. Noble gave Willow and kind touch on the nose with his own nose. He was getting tired. ”Brynn...I feel as though we are sisters. I mean, I like it because Ive never had a sister...or anyone for that matter. Ive always just had Laela and whoever she wanted me to entertain. Some life that was...” She smiled at Brynn.

On Par
Terrence grimaced. "This manner of travel doesn't seem to agree with me." He briefly considered getting off and walking, but he wasn't sure his legs would work correctly.

QHRider
Viserys grinned. "You'll get used to it. And it could be worse. The first time I rode for any sort of length we traveled nearly thirty miles in a day, and we rode at that pace for several days. Now those were saddle sores." He winced at the memory.

Triple My Gold
Brynn smiled back. "I feel the same way,...I, also, have never had a sister I can remember. I just had the animals in Shadowwood Forest, and then the Circle members who always treat me like a child." She supposed that was because she was a child, by Circle standards, but it certainly didn't help your self-esteem when a 13-year-old knew more than you, and let you know it too. "I would be glad to have you as my sister, Ilene."

On Par
Terrence offered a tentative smile. "I hope you're right." What he really hoped was that they would stop for lunch and not eat in the saddle.

E. Rider
"Well there's no reason why we can't pretend!" Ilene giggled. Noble watched Brynn's horse closely, but in a friendly manner. He made sure to follow the horse wherever it went. "So...what made you come apart of Sian'Ror?" Ilene asked curiously.

Triple My Gold
Brynn shrugged, twirling a strand of fiery red hair around her finger. "The Circle sent me here, to find the Dragonbourne heir. The Council of Elders didn't give me any other instructions," she replied. "That's why I came. But why I am staying is another matter entirely." She smiled warmly. Thasha had hopped off of Willow's back moments before and was now stalking a butterfly along the side of the path.

E. Rider
"Ah!" Ilene said. She watched Thasha stalk a butterfly and smiled to herself. She searched around but she didnt see Puck. She rode up to Terrence. "Where's Puck?" she asked. She felt it had been a while since she had gotten to scratch the little fox behind the ears.

QHRider
Viserys kept an eye on the little group. If it were only himself he wouldn't have stopped until nightfall, but he knew most of the rest of them couldn't handle such a pace, so when noon drew near and they came to a creek running alongside the path he halted Dragon. "How about we stop for lunch?" he suggested.

E. Rider
Ilene hadnt realized she was hungry, and rest sounded good. "Good idea!" Ilene called to Viserys. She halted Noble who was very sweaty.

Triple My Gold
Brynn brought Willow to a stop and slid down off of her mount, stroking the mare's neck before letting her loose to graze and get a drink. She herself wasn't that hungry, and could have kept riding for a few more hours. Instead of voicing this, though, she simply said, "Lunch sounds nice." She giggled a bit as she saw Thasha catch the butterfly, then promptly spit it out as she decided it was not as tasty as it looked.

E. Rider
Ilene dismounted and sat beside Noble as he gRazed. The horse didn't wander far from her. Ilene walked over to the small creek and liFted her skirts to just below her knees when she thought no one was watching. She waded into the water letting the creek run through and over her feet and ankles. This was so terribly unlady like but it felt wonderful and who cares about being lady like. What would Laela say if she saw her skirts up and her wading in the creek?


On Par
Terrence breathed a sigh of relief when Viserys called a halt for lunch, although he tried not to let it show too much. He tumbled off Sam and stifled a groan as he made himself stay standing. He tugged the pony's bridle off and hung it on the saddle. Sam could take care of himself, and Terrence doubted he would have any trouble catching him. The chestnut pony bumped Terrence's elbow with his nose, and the boy scratched his face reluctantly.
He crossed to Ilene, who was in the stream and not behaving much like a lady - which pleased Terrence to no end - and collapsed in the grass near the bank. He propped himself up on his elbows and said to her, "Puck has been following us all day." He smiled, then whistled a quick melody. In less than a minute, the impudent fox bounded out of the woods and sat on Terrence's chest, his tail curled proudly around his feet.

Edit: Whoops, Ilene is playing in the stream, lol. Let me fix this...

E. Rider
Ilene turned to see Terrence. She hadnt realized she had an audience. She blushed. She shouldn't have her skirts up so but it felt wonderful so she lowered them a bit. She kicked at the water a bit. She smiled at Puck. Still in the water she walked closer to Terrence and His adorable pet."Why hello stranger!" she said smiling at Puck.

Triple My Gold
Seeing Ilene in the water, Brynn decided she wanted in, too. Making sure she was a reasonable distance away, she ran at the stream, leaping at the last second and making a profound splash in the water. Ladylike? Probably not, but Brynn had never cared much about being perceived as a lady. The cool water felt so good and she laughed out loud as her head resurfaced, her amber eyes dancing with amusement.

On Par
Terrence grinned and watched Puck. He could have sworn that the little fox had winked at Ilene! "I think he likes you," Terrence said, laughing.
He raised his eyebrows when Brynn jumped completely into the water. That definitely wasn't ladylike. Terrence liked Brynn even more, somehow.

E. Rider
Ilene got out of the water and sat beside Terrence. She scooped Puck in her arms, "Well I like you too, young man!" she scratched his chin and massaged his ears. Her legs and feet were dripping wet. She looked over at Brynn, "That looks like fun! Come on, let's go try it!" she grinned. She grabbed Terrence by the arm and an towards where Brynn jumped off. She jumped in. She came up out of the water, "Your turn!" she called looking up at Terrence then grinned at Brynn.

QHRider
Viserys loosened Dragon's girth and removed his bridle. He rubbed one of Dragon's ears, listening to everyone else in the water. He wasn't hungry or tired, and he just wanted to be riding as fast as he could to a place that used to be home, and hadn't been touched since he left.

On Par
As soon as possible, Puck raced up a nearby tree and sat indignantly, facing away from the stream. He did NOT appreciate being treated like a house cat.
Terrence grinned at Brynn and Ilene. The water did look enticing, and he wasn't as sore anymore. He loosened his belt and peeled off his long shirt before diving in in only his leggings. He swam like a frog underwater and shoved off the bottom, splashing the girls with his abrupt resurface.

E. Rider
Ilene laughed as she was splashed. She went splashed Brynn and Terrence before disappearing underneath the water. She came up again but not as wildly as Terrence had. She blew water out of her mouth into the air just for kicks. She grinned. She hadn't had his much fun in a long time.

On Par
Terrence blinked the water out of his eyes, then frog kicked to the bottom, where he blew all his air out in big bubbles. Without anything to make him float, he sat on the streambed with his eyes closed, feeling the current wash over him.
A few seconds later, he shot out of the water, gasping for air, then went under again, doing several flips and turns.

E. Rider
Ilene swam and let the water rush over her. It felt so deliciously wonderful. She giggled at the tiny fish trying desperately to eat her dress. Her dress was such a hindrance since she had to hold it down do it wouldn't float to the top and reveal her under garments. If it had been just Brynn she might have ignored it, but there were men around and she thought it best to keep it down. She swam over to a rock stickingnout of the water and climbed it. Sitting on top of it, she let her legs dangle and splash around.

Triple My Gold
Brynn laughed out loud; she was having fun in the stream, and Ilene and Terrence seemed to be enjoying themselves too. She tried to conjure the water into her hands so she could throw balls of it at the other two, but all she managed to make was a couple of droplets in her palm. Slightly disappointed, she settled for making a very small wave in the water, which was also broken when Terrence startled Brynn by brushing against her leg in the water.

On Par
Terrence blushed underwater when he brushed against Brynn, but decided to pretend that it never happened. He surfaced and shook his head, sending water flying from his hair. He climbed out of the water and collapsed on the grass, content.

Triple My Gold
Brynn floated on her back for a while, also pretending as if Terrence had never brushed against her leg. After a couple of minutes she climbed out of the water and sat cross-legged in the grass, soaked to the skin but content. "I can dry our clothes, if either of you want," she said. That was one trick with Sian'Ror that she had mastered, drying things.

On Par
Terrence was cautious at first, but he remembered how Brynn had eased the pain in his arm. "Sure thing," he said. He wondered if she could dry his hair, but didn't ask. He didn't want any unfortunate side effects.

(Terrence is ready to pretend he had lunch and move on in the journey whenever everyone else is. [Tongue] )

E. Rider
Ilene climbed down from her rock and onto the bank. She was slightly embarassed because her dress was clinging to her. She rushed behind a tree not knowing what to do. So she took off her dress and wrapped it around herself like a towel. Even though her shoulders and legs were bare, it was more modest than a clinging dress. She emerged from the tree and sat on the grass to dry off. She wrung out her hair onto the grass.

Triple My Gold
With one fluid motion, Brynn forced a rush of warm air out of her hands towards Terrence, drying his clothes almost immediately as well as his hair. She did the same with Ilene, and then with herself as well. "There, all dry," she said cheerfully, smiling at the other two.

(Brynn would be all right with that too [Tongue] )

QHRider
"Everyone ready to go?" Viserys called. He slipped Dragon's bridle back on and looked for the others, finished with their swimming.

Triple My Gold
"Yes!" Brynn called, slipping Willow's bridle back on and bringing the mare over to where Viserys was waiting for them. Her cheeks were flushed from excitement and sunlight. Thasha was nowhere to be seen, but Brynn could sense that, wherever the cub was, she was with Puck. She wanted to ask why Viserys hadn't joined in on the swim, but she decided against it, smiling sweetly at him instead.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Ahh, what the heck? I had a whole big post typed out but apparently it didn't post? So just pretend Jaime let Honor go graze and what not.)

Jaime nodded to Viserys and slipped Honor's bridle back on. He swung onto the mare's back, eager to get back on the road. They would never get there at this pace.

E. Rider
Ilene smiled at Brynn for drying her dress and returned behind the tree to put it back on properly. Once it was on, she tacked up Noble once more and swung on his back. She was quite refreshed. Noble seemed refreshed too. She walked up beside Jaime, "You should have joined us for a swim, Sir Jaime.." she said smiling.

OOC: do buoy guys want to "fast forward" a little bit so we can do something besides ride? XD

QHRider
Yeah, we can pretend there was a nice travel montage. XD

After several days of riding Dragonbone appeared off the coast. Viserys smiled. The island was all cliffs and craggy rocks, and any half-decent farmer would have passed over it, but it was home. "There it is," he called to the others.

(Isn't it pretty guys?)

zeesgirl
Milo looked at the island in the distance. Even from here, it was easy to see the fringe of white water around the edge of the island where waves crashed into the rocks. There was no safe harbor to be seen, at least on the side facing the coast. He turned to Viserys. The smile on the Dragonbourne prince's face was the first genuine one Milo had seen him wear. "I'm assuming you look this happy because there's a way to get out there that won't involve drowning?"
Enzi joined them and looked out at the island. "I can go fly around and look for a safe to moor," she said. "But that's useless until we have boats, unless you want me to fly you all there. Which I don't want to do."

E. Rider
Ilene's eyes widened. The place was beautiful! She smiled at Viserys, "Oh...Viserys..it's beautiful!" her eyes sparkled as they scanned the gorgeous scenery. "Now I see why you missed it so much!" her breath was truly taken away as she admired the island. Jealous that she couldn't call the place home.

QHRider
"We have boats," Viserys said, continuing along the road. "And I know where there's a safe harbor too." Not much farther down the road he turned off onto a narrow path that wound down the cliffside. Viserys swung off of Dragon and lead the pony down it. At the bottom there was a deep cave where several boats of various sizes were still moored, protected by a curve in the cavern.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime dismounted and followed Viserys down, leading Honor behind him. There were a few boats down at the bottom, some appearing more serviceable than others. Jaime looked over to Viserys. "We'll only need one. Pick the one that's least likely to fall apart."

QHRider
(I have decided for both practical and thematic purposes that the Dragonbournes used viking-style ships. XD)

Viserys let go of Dragon's reins and climbed into the ships, inspecting each ship. He was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the long boats were in good shape, so he chose one that seemed most comfortable for a party of their size. "This one will do," he said, returning to Dragon and leading the little pony aboard.

E. Rider
Ilene dismounted and led Noble to the boat. She led him on and found a seat. The horse didn't like being on the boat at all. But Ilene kept giving him reassuring little pats.

QHRider
Dragon settled in quickly, so as the others boarded Viserys went to the ship's prow. A name was carved into the side. "Meraxes," he read. He looked up at the curved prow, elegantly carved into the shape of a dragon's head, and climbed up it, until he sat atop the dragon's head

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime sighed and shook his head as Viserys climbed up the prow of the ship. It would be extremely inconvenient if he were to fall and kill himself. "You can't sail a ship from up there," Jaime called to him. Everyone was on the boat now, and he was ready to get moving.

QHRider
"Shows what you know," Viserys called back to Jaime. He drew his dagger and cut into his palm. "Meraxes, wake up," Viserys said, leaning down and smearing his blood across the carved nose. "We need you." For a moment, while Viserys sheathed his dagger, nothing happened. Then the wooden eyes blinked, and the prow shuddered and rolled its neck, as if stretching. Viserys held onto the dragon's horns so he wouldn't fall off.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
A look of disbelief crossed Jaime's face. "Wha- Of course! Of course the ship's alive!" He said, still astonished, then grumbled, "Bloody magic." He looked back up at Viserys. "That does solve the no crew problem."

QHRider
Jaime didn't seem to like magic, but then, few people were comfortable with blood magic, even if other forms didn't bother them. "Fire and blood," Viserys said, quoting his family's motto. He leaned down to the dragon head. "We need to get to Dragonbone, Meraxes." The ship started off, slow and elegant, until it was in open water and could increase its speed a bit.

E. Rider
Ilene was amazed at the boat coming to life but she was getting sleepy. She leaned against Noble's side and closed her eyes. Noble turned around and nuzzled her hair before turning back around. His lip drooped and his eyes were half closed. Ilene drifted off to sleep. A quick nap would do her good.

Triple My Gold
"What's the matter, Sir Jaime? Don't you like magic?" Brynn said to him teasingly. Just then, the boat lurched forward and Brynn was immediately knocked off of her feet and onto the floor of the boat. Grumbling, she scootched to the center of the boat and sat there, legs folded to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were filled with a panic she was desperately trying to hide. "I hate boats," she muttered to herself.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
"What's the matter, Brynn? Don't you like boats?" Jaime retorted, but sighed and went over to the cowering girl. He offered her his hand. "Come on now, there's nothing to be scared of."

E. Rider
Ilene woke at the sound of Brynn's fall. She sat up from Peaning on Nobles side and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She put her arm over the side of the boat and let her hand float through the water as the boat moved. Noble was getting anxious though. He didn't like boats. For some reason he stared at Jaime with his ears pricked. Ilene noticed he did that a lot to him. She smiled at Noble and gave him a pat.

Triple My Gold
Brynn smiled nervously and took Jaime's hand, though she was still shaking like a leaf in a summer breeze. "Thanks," she said quietly, afraid that she would be sick if she opened her mouth too widely. She was a little embarassed that the others had to see her like this.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime pulled Brynn up gently and put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "You just need to get your sea legs," He said, smiling at her.

On Par
Terrence's eyes were glowing with amazement. He'd never been in a boat before, and he was enthralled with the sense of freedom and openness. He clambered up the single mast and stood, holding the mast with one hand, enjoying the feeling of being in a moving tree.

(I'm pretending that this longboat had a mast, although the sail is probably no good. [Tongue] )

QHRider
(It does indeed have a mast!)

Viserys stared ahead as Meraxes slid through the rough waters with ease. Dragonbone drew closer, but Meraxes continued around it, going to the narrow fjord on the far side of the island that lead to the castle.

Triple My Gold

CrazyHorseGirl1773 (9/4/2012)Jaime pulled Brynn up gently and put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "You just need to get your sea legs," He said, smiling at her.

Despite the fact that Jaime had, in fact, made her uneasy at first, she had decided that she rather liked the man. "Sometimes I think I still haven't found my land legs either," Brynn replied, smiling.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime wondered if she was referring to when she had told him about her frustrations with Sian'Ror. "I've been thinking about you," He said, "I think you should learn how to fight, since you can't use Sian'Ror to defend yourself. Ilene too. You should be able to protect yourself in a fight." He didn't want either of them hurt.

E. Rider
"Will you teach us?" Ilene asked anxiously. What better person to teach them than Jaime? Ilene was excited, now she might actually be useful if she knew how to defend herself. Now she wouldn't feel so helpless. Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime gave Ilene a surprised look. He hadn't thought much about who would teach the girls. "I don't know," He said, dropping his hands from Brynn's shoulders and hoping she was steady enough to stand on her own.

E. Rider
"I can't think of a better person that you. I mean..you know all about that sort of thing..." Ilene said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Noble had stopped watching Jaime and began staring at Terrence with a droopy but kind expression. He gave Terrence and nuzzle before sniffing Puck.

Triple My Gold
Brynn was a little disappointed that Jaime had released her shoulders; she was still a little wobbly and not at all comfortable on this boat. How on earth could the others be enjoying this? The sooner they reached Dragonbone Island, the better, in her opinion. She nodded in agreement with Ilene's comment, though. "We should learn from an expert, right?" she said to Ilene, then turned to Jaime. "It was your idea..." she trailed off.

On Par

E. Rider (9/5/2012) Noble had stopped watching Jaime and began staring at Terrence with a droopy but kind expression. He gave Terrence and nuzzle before sniffing Puck.

Terrence is still on top of the mast, lol. Or the crossbar, rather; whatever that's called. [Tongue]
*
Terrence held onto a rope and leaned as far out as he could, loving the feel of the salty wind on his face. He opened his eyes and saw Dragonbone approaching fast. He was sorry that they couldn't have sailed for longer.

(I also don't quite know what's become of Sam, haha.)

QHRider
(The horses are on the ship.)

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Brynn still looked unstable to Jaime. "You should sit down, Brynn," He said, thankful for a reason to change the subject. He wasn't even sure he knew how to teach someone to sword fight. He took her hand and lead her over to a crate near the edge of the boat. "Feeling any better?" He asked, sitting her down on it.

[steph]

(Pg 193-199)

E. Rider
Ilene sighed a little and looked over and across the waters. She walked over to Brynn and sat beside her. She smiled, "I remember my first time on a boat. My father used to own one.." she looked dreamily into space, remembering old times. She smiled, "I was falling everywhere! Then once I got used to it I would pretend to be a knight and fight off evil seagulls!" she said laughing. "I think I even said a curse word or two at them! But my Father would get so cross with me when I did that I said them extra quiet so he wouldn't hear!" she laughed. "Oh the words I said.."

QHRider
Meraxes circled the island, around the tall cliffs. Viserys could hear everyone talking behind him, but his attention was fixed on the volcanic island. It seemed different, somehow. He remembered Dragonbone as being welcoming, but the island was foreboding now. Angry, even. Meraxes turned into the fjord, and the castle at the end of the fjord came into view, the huge carved dragons by the gates and towers as magnificent as he remembered.

Triple My Gold
Brynn sat down on the crate that Jaime had led her to and shook her head slowly in response to his question. The gentle rocking motion of the waves was slowly making her feel nauseous. Perhaps stopping for lunch earlier had been a very bad idea. She listened to Ilene speaking to her, and was ready to respond when she suddenly leaned over the edge of the ship, retching violently. Lunch had definitely been a very bad idea.

On Par
(Terrence is blissfully unaware that there are other people on this boat, but he'll figure that out once the boat quits moving. Probably. [Tongue] )

Triple My Gold
(Brynn wishes that she was blissfully unaware that they were on a boat at all...unfortunately, she is all too aware of it [Tongue] )

E. Rider
Ilene didn't know what to do. She looked at Jaime and then back at Brynn. Then she remembered, "Brynn! Try using your Sian'Ror to make yourself feel better, or give you your sea legs! Just try it, it just might help!" she said suddenly. She didn't know what else to do. Once again she felt helpless.

On Par
Terrence looked from side to side, taking in the island. He was awed by the castle looming infront of the ship; it was far more impressive than the castle at Courtcliffe, even though this one appeared ancient. Almost as if it's sleeping, he decided.
Out of the corner or his eye, he saw a flicker of motion. He turned in time to catch a glimpse of a face. A wild, impish face that wasn't afraid or startled at the appearance of the ship. A face that looked as if it had been expecting them. He peered closer, but it was gone. Terrence shook his head, sending his brown hair flying in every direction. He must be seeing things.

(Terrence is going to meet a faery, I think.) [BigGrin]

E. Rider
Ilene joined Terrence. Her brown hair blew wildly in the wind. She closed her eyes and smiled, letting the wind kiss her face. "Mmm..isn't it beautiful, Terrence?" the wind blew her skirts around her. "But it's got a sadness about it.." she frowned.

E. Rider
Ilene peered down at Brynn, hoping she was feeling better. But for the most part, she was too busy admiring the island to think of much else. How lucky Viserys was to be able to call this home! She thought of the place she had grown up in with Laela and Milo. It was nothing compared to this!

Triple My Gold
Brynn mumbled incoherently, but was otherwise unable to do anything to improve her condition. She was too sick to stand, let alone summon Sian'Ror. She slumped down onto the crate, eyes closed tightly. Maybe if she didn't have to look at the water, she would forget that she was on a boat. "How close are we?" she rasped.

QHRider
Meraxes glided closer to the narrow, sandy split of land directly under the castle. Though large, the ship was shallow, and Viserys jumped down to beach the dragonship.

E. Rider
Ilene went back and sat beside Brynn. Holding her shoulders and speaking softly, "It's all right now, Brynn. We're nearly there now...just try to relax.." Ilene said soothingly. She tucked a strand of Brynn's hair behind the girl's ears before smiling. She looked at Viserys, "It truly is beautiful here, Viserys. You should be very proud of it.." her voice trailed off as she continued to admire the beautiful scenery.

OOC: So..why are they going to the island first again??? I guess I didn't really get that part. They are trying to make the people back at Courtcliffe think Viserys coming back....right(which he is..isn't he??)? And...I don't know...I guess I just don't understand XD

Triple My Gold
^Viserys's family fortune is on the island, that's their main reason for going.

Brynn managed a small smile for Ilene, but breathed a huge sigh of relief when she felt the bottom of the boat grind against the sand. Land. She looked around tentatively, and was extremely surprised by the overwhelming presence of Sian'Ror here. This place was about as wild as you could get, so very different from the crowded city streets of Courtcliff.

On Par
Terrence slid down the mast and offered a hand to Brynn. He was puzzled as to why she was so incapacitated. He could feel his heart thumping against his chest, and it was all he could do to make himself stand still. This island made him feel incredibly alive.

E. Rider
Ilene stood from beside Brynn as Terrence offered the girl a hand. Brynn should be feeling better soon now that they were on land. Ilene smoothed her skirts and stood in the boat looking at the land that lay before them. She gave up trying to keep the wind from playing with her hair, so it flew softly behind her as she shielded her eyes from the sun.

On Par
Terrence helped Brynn steady herself as they disembarked the ship. He remembered how Brynn had sensed Sian'Ror in him, and wondered if the island was having the same energizing effect on her as he was feeling.

QHRider

Triple My Gold (9/6/2012)^Viserys's family fortune is on the island, that's their main reason for going.

ooc:Yep. Rebellions are expensive!

As his feet hit the ground Viserys got the feeling the island was watching them. He wondered if he was just going crazy, and then he wondered if it remembered him. He touched Meraxes' nose. "Thank you. We'll be back soon." The dragonship nuzzled his palm. After unloading Dragon, Viserys turned to the rest of the group. "Let's go," he said, and began leading his pony up the winding trail to the top of the cliff.

Triple My Gold
"Thank you," Brynn said softly to Terrence as he helped her off the ship. Though she was not yet feeling quite one-hundred percent, the sheer wild power of the island was filling her with a sense of confidence. Already she was able to stand up straighter, walk a little less shakier. Was it just Sian'Ror she could feel? Or was there something else too? "Can you feel it too?" she whispered to Terrence.

On Par
Terrence nodded, not speaking. He didn't know what to say.
He grabbed Sam' bridle and began trudging up the cliff after Viserys. Although the shaggy pony didn't seem affected by the island, he was catching Terrence's energy, gradually becoming more spirited.

E. Rider
Ilene was far behind. She had jumped out of the boat and was having an extremely difficult time getting Noble off. He wouldn't budge. The whites of his eyes were showing and he was pulling against Ilene with all of his might. As soon as she would stop pulling he would turn to stare at Jaime. "You are obsessed, young man!" she said to Noble. She sighed. Then she suddenly go a bright idea. "Jaime..w-would you mind leading Noble off of the boat? He won't budge for me and for some reason he's obsessed with staring at you so he just might follow you if you tried leading him off.." Ilene said. She was tired and Noble wasn't making things any better.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime nodded to Ilene and took Noble's reins in one hand. He lead Honor with his other hand, not trusting the mare to behave for anyone else.

E. Rider
Noble followed Jaime out without a problem then he gave Ilene a "This is what I wanted" look. Ilene smiled at Jaime then at Noble before patting Nobles neck, "Why you little devil!" she laughed. She turned to Jaime, "Thank you! I don't know w Hy he's so obsessed with you!" she said taking the reins.

zeesgirl
Milo jumped from the boat and started up the narrow path after Viserys on foot. (We'll assume Milo left his horse on the mainland because he really prefers walking.) He studied the surroundings warily as he walked. This landscape was ruggedly beautiful, but something intangible made him feel unwelcome here.

Enzi turned into a seagull and flapped upwards, keeping an eye on the group below.
Post #429433

CrazyHorseGirl1773
(Maybe he thinks Jaime's a babe. I can't say I blame him.)

"It's no problem, my lady," Jaime replied, handing her back the reins. He waited until everyone had started up the path before taking up the rear. This island gave him a bad feeling, something about it just wasn't right.

On Par
If Milo left a horse, Terrence would have too.
*
Terrence walked close to Brynn, keeping an eye for the face he'd seen earlier. He curled hi fingers into a loose fist to keep his hands from shaking so bad. He had never felt so much energy in his life; something about the ship, this island, this journey; he couldn't explain the energy mounting inside him.

E. Rider
Ilene.smiled once more before thrning to follow the others. She walked beside Noble who turned around to make sure Jaime was still there. If they got too far ahead and he couldnt see him, Noble would stop and wait. ”Noble, you do beat all you know that?” She frowned. The horse gave a tug to try to go back to where he could see, nearly dragging Ilene. ”What am I going to DO with you, NOBLE!?” She half yelled. He was much to strong for her to try to pull him on,, and smacking him got her no where. She wiped a bead of sweat from forehead and sighed. There was notning to do but to wait until Noble got a glimpse of his odd obsession.
(sorry for any mistakes, im.on my iPod...)

(hey, Par, unless you have plans For the "Face", I was thinking about making a fairy...if that's ok with you and if you don't already have plans of course)

Triple My Gold
Brynn led Willow along beside her, growing steadier and more confident with each step. Thasha was prowling along a few yards ahead of them, happily exploring this strange new scenery. Brynn had the feeling that, if she wanted to, she could have summoned so much Sian'Ror at that moment that she would have nearly burst with the sheer energy of it. She noticed that some of the others seemed uneasy about this island, and she thought about teasing Jaime, but she could come up with no clever quips. Instead she just smiled, letting the wind toss her hair till it really did look like flames.

On Par
E., it's your RPG too, lol. [Smile] Terrence is about to go on a brief faery adventure instead of finding Viserys' fortune and Rhaegar and whatnot.
*
Cellach's hands trembled as he stared at the letter. He touched the wax seal with shaking fingers, then dropped the paper as if burned. His face turned pale an he stood up, knocking his chair backward. Staggering to the door of his study, he threw it open and grabbed the nearest guard by his shirt collar. "Get me Dov," he gasped. "Now!" He released the guard and returned to his study, slamming the door behind him. He felt as though he'd seen a ghost, and it was sitting on his desk.

E. Rider
Name: Peatir (pronounced Peter)
Age: 21
Spot: Faery
Personality:Peatir is a sarcastic, easy going, and extremely smart Faery. He is somewhat emotional (most faeries are you know!). He often gives the silent treatment when he is angry, and he is also very quiet when he is in deep thought.
Pic: I'm letting you guys imagine him so here's the description:
Short but long legged, skinny, an adorable button nose, and elf like Faery ears(:
And he doesn't have a pet, but he loves animals!

E. Rider
Peatir squinted to see through the leaves of a tree and down at the group below. But he was particularly drawn to Terrence. There was something about the young man that drew Peatir to him. He moved down the branch to get a better look when he fell. Once at the ground he sat up and shook his hair. He looked up at the group, squinting from the sun and prepared himself for questions.

QHRider
(ooc: So Peatir fell in front of the group, yeah?)

A young man fell from a tree, as they reached the top of the cliff. Viserys dropped Dragon's reins and drew his sword, pointing it at the stranger. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What are you doing here?"

E. Rider
OOC: yep.

Peatir looked rather frightened by Viserys' sword. He smiled somewhat nervously at the white-blonde man. "Hello there...um.." he did a back flip, that only a Faery could do, back onto his feet. "Im Peatir, er, sir." he said smiling, out of breath from the fall. He smiled at Terrence and waved.

E. Rider
Noble finally Followed Ilene who was now watching the strange person in front of them. He looked very different. He wasn't an elf. Bu he was short and tall at the same time. He had a cute nose and wild but kind eyes. He was very smiley and had done an amazing backflip. Was he one of the faeries Terrence had spoken of?

Triple My Gold
Brynn was puzzled to see this man...or whatever he was...appear so suddenly before them. She could sense something about him, a certain wild energy, that seemed to radiate off of him. It was almost like Sian'Ror, almost like the aura she sensed when encountering another Circle member. Almost. It was different, somehow, even if very slight. "Are you...are you part of the Circle...Brother?" she ventured, not sure what to expect.

Dov rushed to the king's study as fast as he could once the soldier summoned him. His immediate fear was that the king was not pleased with his work. He had done as Cellach ordered, posted the notices, and the occurrence of intoxicated troops had decreased dramatically...but had he forgotten something? Arriving in the study and seeing the king standing there, pale-faced and wild-eyed, Dov realized that the problem was something much worse. "My lord...you look like you've seen a ghost."

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime put a hand on his sword hilt, but didn't draw his blade. The boy in front of them did not appear to be carrying any weapons, and seemed harmless. Jaime wasn't about to let his guard down though, he'd been around long enough to know that things are not always as they appear.

E. Rider
Peatir blinked and Thought a moment, "You mean as in..the Sian'Ror Circle?" Peater folded his arms and floated in air as he thought a moment, "I guess you could say I am!" he grinned leaning on his elbows on an imaginary surface.

On Par
Terrence heard the boy's fall before he saw it, so he wasn't surprised at Peatir's abrupt appearance. Even so, when the stranger waved at him as if they were old friends, Terrence's heart skipped a beat. He almost felt as if they were old friends. He waited for Peatir to answer Brynn's question, but he sensed that the redhead was incorrect this time.
Puck* slipped around Viserys and leaped around the stranger like a dog would a human. Terrence couldn't help but wonder if Puck knew more about this Peatir than any of them did.
-
Cellach jumped at Dov's entrance, then pointed a shaking, white finger at the letter on his desk. "What is the meaning of this?" he rasped, ignoring Dov's frighteningly accurate mention of a ghost.

*So I misplaced Puck, but I wanted him to come along. I'm sure there was room for him on Meraxes. Also, I decided that Puck is Terrence's animal familiar/guardian, sent by his mother of the Seelie Court.
(Ninja'd....too lazy to fix my post. )

E. Rider
Peatir walked down an imaginary flight I stairs to get back onto the ground. He laughed at Puck and gave him a hardy run on the head, "Hey there, you little rascal you!" Peatir smiled at Terrence again. He ran his fingers through his fiery red hair before pulling something out of his pocket and feeding it to the fox. He jumped into the air and walked on air over to Terrence where he came down. "Long time, huh?" he smiled before turning to Ilene, "Give him this and he'll listen to you, and he likes Jaime because...I don't know but give him this and he'll start listenin" he nodded toward Noble and handed Ilene a tiny sack of something. How he knew everyone's names he wasn't sure, but he knew Terrence's for sure but he couldn't remember exactly where he knew it from. He suddenly turned himself tiny and sat on Enzi's shoulder. "You aren't he only one that can turn into anything you want." he laughed as he suddenly became big again and flew over to his original landing place.

On Par
Terrence wasn't sure what to make of Peatir's antics. He obviously wasn't concerned about keeping a low profile. While Peatir's appearance had calmed Terrence's racing pulse, he still felt as though he could run for a day and a night without stopping or getting tired.

E. Rider
Peatir whistled and suddenly a very strong wind came and picked up Terrence. As Peatir slowed his tune the wind, very gentler, set Terrence beside Peatir who took him behind he tree. He leaned back on the tree and looked Terrence over. He was extremely quiet for quite a while. And when he spoke he nearly startled himself. "I know you from somewhere..." he flew around Terrence, examining him. He landed directly in front of Terrence and looked him in the eye so close they could have touched noses. "I really think I know you!" he walked back to the tree. "You get that feeling too? Do you remember me?" he asked, hoping Terrence knew because he sure didn't.

On Par
Part of Terrence was warning him that he'd just been abducted by someone with all the control and sense of responsibility of a six year old child. The other part of Terrence wanted to have the same carefree attitude that Peatir did.
"Umm, no, I don't remember you," he said, fumbling over his words. Despite the confusion in his brain, his senses seemed extra clear, as if he could see and hear everything that was going on in the forest around them.

E. Rider
Peatir stared at Terrence. Trying desperately hard to remember him. His expression suddenly changed and he walked over to him. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "A-are you...." he squinted in thought, he whispered "A..Faery?" Peatir waited anxiously for a reply. His left eyebrow was raised slightly. "I know you feel it. Close your eyes and relax and you'll hear the sounds of the forest. And maybe..just maybe you'll get an answer.." Peatir waited.

Triple My Gold
Peatir was definitely not a Circle member; regardless of what he had said, Brynn could tell by looking at Thasha. Thasha was huddled next to Brynn's feet, staring warily at the newcomer, not gamboling about as Puck had. Brynn frowned. Come to think of it, the feeling she got from him was the same she had gotten from Terrence, except much stronger. Had she been wrong about sensing Sian'Ror in Terrence? She tugged her hair hard, muttering nonsense words to herself.

Dov picked up the letter that Cellach had indicated, eyes widening in shock at the sight of the gleaming purple seal upon the parchment. "Dragonbourne..." he murmured softly. He had believed for years that the family line was long since eliminated; certainly this was not possible. "I thought you killed the last Dragonbourne brat, my lord," Dov said slowly, still holding the letter.
Post #429758

On Par
Terrence opened his mouth to retort that he most certainly was not a faery, but paused before he said anything. He thought for a minute, his mouth still open and a quizzical expression on his face. Finally he said, "The forest doesn't speak to me with words. Only feelings." Puck entered the small clearing, his appearance giving Terrence more confidence. "Why do you ask me this?"
*
"Apparently he's come back from the dead," Cellach snapped. He was slowly regaining his composure.

E. Rider
"I never said it talked, silly!" Peatir playfully pinched Terrence's nose and grinned. Suddenly his face was totally serious again, "I just wondered..." he shrugged. "I don't know why I get the feeling that we know each other or...I don't know. I just don't understand anything as of now about you. You seem drawn to the forest like a Faery, yet you say you aren't one, but you aren't an elf.." he sat silent for a moment before staring at Terrence with his clear ice blue eyes. He twisted his mouth for a second, "But...you've had some background that involved faeries no?" Peatir smiled at Puck and gave the fox another treat after giving him a pat on the ears.

*
I have no clue how they know each other or if they even do. Or how lol so any ideas are welcome, Par (:

On Par
(I was thinking that they don't know each other, but because they're both faery (or half faery, in Terrence's case), they are drawn to each other sort of.
Also, according to athurian legend, it was fairly common for faeries to mate with humans, leading to a surprising amount of people having at least some faery blood.)

Terrence stared at Peatir. "I don't know," he said flatly. "My father always said I was something special, but they all say that, don't they?" He turned to leave, his insticts telling him exactly which direction would lead to the rest of his group.

QHRider
"Terrence!" Viserys shouted when the stranger took him. He didn't sheathe is sword. "Perfect." He didn't know who--or what--Peatir was, but he didn't like him being on the island. He went around the tree to find his friend.

E. Rider
Peatir jumped up and walked beside Terrence, "I hope I didn't upset you I just feel a very powerful...I don't even know what to call it." he sighed. He turned to Viserys, "Sorry about taking your friend here. I had to talk to him for a moment. And I'm sorry for interrupting your..mission or whatever you were doing. And to settle your brain I'm a Faery." he grinned folding his arms.

Ilene looked at Jaime quizzically. She was confused because everything had happened so suddenly. She let out a sigh of relief as Terrence emerged from the tree. She turned to Nonle who was standing as close as Ilene allowed to Jaime. He snorted playfully in the man's face before giving him a playful shove.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Honor, who had been standing dutifully next to Jaime, pinned her ears at Noble and shoved her face between her owner and the other horse. Jaime gave an irritable sigh at the mare's antics. She had always been the jealous type. He pushed past the horses and watched the newcomer suspiciously. A faery, he'd said, that made Jaime nervous. Faeries weren't known for being trustworthy.

E. Rider
Noble pinned his ears at Honor and bit the mares neck. Ilene slapped Noble and looked him in the eye, "I've had enough, Noble! NO! Bad boy!" she sighed and joined the others. She opened her hand and looked at the little sack. "Should she use it? Could she trust Peatir?" better to be safe than sorry so she threw the little sack into the grass. She was hot and tired and aggravated at Noble. She leaned against a tree.

Triple My Gold
"What are you doing here?" Brynn demanded to Peatir, voicing the question which was probably on everybody else's minds. She was under the impression that this island was deserted, but now wondered what other things might be lurking, unseen, lying in wait for them. She was gripping Willow's reins so tight that her knuckles were turning white; both the energy of Sian'Ror on the island and the nervousness she felt were getting to her.

Dov frowned. "Certainly that is impossible, my lord?" he asked, helping Cellach into his chair and then taking a seat himself. "Perhaps it is some foolhardy youngster simply wanting to play tricks on us." Deep down, Dov knew that this letter was probably the genuine article, but he wanted to assuage the man's nerves.

E. Rider
Peatir grinned at Brynn, "What am I doing here you ask? Let's see well I'm standing here and...talking to you I suppose. And I'd ask what you are doing. YoUr you are standing there talking to me." he said picking apart a blade of grass.

Triple My Gold
Brynn glowered at Peatir, tugging at her hair with her free hand. "That's obvious," she replied. "I mean, why are you here? On this supposedly deserted island?" Stinkin' faeries and their evasiveness. Brynn's expression was dangerous, and her amber eyes seemed to glow like hot coals. She, like Jaime and Viserys, saw no reason to trust Peatir yet.

On Par
Terrence looked between Peatir and the rest of the group nervously. It looked like Viserys was ready to skewer the impudent faery, and Jaime seemed tense enough to knock him into next week. "He won't hurt anyone," Terrence said. He couldn't explain it, but he felt responsible for the faery somehow. His stomach was churning over Peatir's guesses about Terrence's lineage, but he tried to put it off and focus on what was happening now.

QHRider
Viserys didn't take his eyes off of the faery as he told Terrence, "You know that for sure?" He waited for Peatir's reply to Brynn's question, the same question he would have asked. Last time he'd been here he was pretty sure there weren't any faeries roaming around.

On Par
"Yes," Terrence replied simply. He had no idea what Peatir was doing on the island or where he had come from, but he felt strongly that the imp didn't mean anyone harm.
The faery's never forget their own.
Terrence shook his head. Where had that thought come from?

"Some foolhardy youngster with the DragonBourne seal?" Cellach growled. "I don't need a nursery maid, I need an adviser." He rubbed his temples. What he really needed was a drink.

E. Rider
Triple My Gold (9/9/2012)Brynn glowered at Peatir, tugging at her hair with her free hand. "That's obvious," she replied. "I mean, why are you here? On this supposedly deserted island?" Stinkin' faeries and their evasiveness. Brynn's expression was dangerous, and her amber eyes seemed to glow like hot coals. She, like Jaime and Viserys, saw no reason to trust Peatir yet.

Peatir frowned. These people had him all wrong and wanted to prove to them that he was just a curious Faery who had an odd connection like feeling with Terrence. But explaining wouldn't help anything. Somehow he had given them a bad impression. He shrugged at Brynn, "I just am is all. Something told me to come and I have and well I didn't know what I was coming for. But I sense that I have found it. He said looking at Terrence, hoping desperately he might understand. "I'm just as confused as you all are. He said pacing in the air.

QHRider
"How did you get here?" Viserys asked. Without a dragonship, or a very skilled navigator, reaching Dragonbone safely was next to impossible.

Triple My Gold
Brynn nodded, slowly relaxing the grip on Willow's reins. While she may not have understood how Peatir had gotten here, she did understand what he meant about being drawn there. As Terrence had said, the faery was not here to hurt them. Thasha peeked out from behind Brynn's leg and cautiously went up to Peatir, gingerly sniffing his toes.

"If the Dragonbourne really has returned, sir..." Dov trailed off, not sure how to continue. He motioned for a servant to enter the room and pour a glass of wine for the king, and for him too. After the servant had left, bowing and scraping on his way out the door, Dov continued. "My lord, this changes matters drastically. We must reinforce our defenses, and strengthen our spy network."
Post #430047

On Par
"He's a faery," Terrence said quietly. He looked around, but his remark apparently hadn't answered their questions. "They live only half in this world," he explained. "They can appear almost anywhere when coming from their world, but usually appear in connection to an event or..." he paused. "a person," he finished quietly.
He remembered stories of faerys from his father, and in his later years, from travelers and bards at various inns and the like. Come to think of it, he remembered nearly everything he'd heard about faery's, no matter how young he'd been when he heard it.

QHRider
Viserys gave the faery another long look. Then he sheathed his sword. "Fine." He turned back to Dragon. "We still have to get to the castle," he said. It wasn't far off though. Scraping the cut on his palm on the castle doors, they swung open into a very large, very empty, very quiet courtyard.

CrazyHorseGirl1773
Jaime dropped his hand from his sword hilt and followed Viserys into the courtyard. The castle was big and silent. Something about it seemed very ominous, but perhaps he was just being paranoid.

Triple My Gold
Suddenly something clicked in Brynn's mind. The appearance of Peatir on the island...her sensing the presence of Sian'Ror in Terrence...it all fit together like pieces of a puzzle. In her inexperience, she had thought that the energy she could feel from Terrence was Sian'Ror, but Brynn had been wrong. It wasn't Sian'Ror she had been sensing in Terrence, but faery magic. Terrence was part faery. Brynn looked over at Terrence and their eyes locked for a moment, her amber ones glowing with the understanding of this new discovery.

On Par
Terrence couldn't help it. He had so much energy bottled inside him that when they entered the courtyard of an old, abandoned stone castle, he did what anyone would do, were they in his shoes. He climbed up the outside of the castle, finding easy grips in the rough stone, and disappeared into a third story window.

Triple My Gold
Brynn shook her head as she watched Terrence scale the castle wall like a spider monkey, but soon quickened her pace to keep up with the others. As she had done on their way to the COR, she stuck fairly close to Jaime. Beside her, Thasha had grown somewhat, so that she was now double her normal size and appeared less cub-like.