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Post by Nitari Windrider on Jan 16, 2021 22:19:40 GMT -6
D'Mytri, like a spider in a partially constructed web, watched and waited. Fiona would be back in a few days. Interesting. He might not be entirely ready at that point to take her on, but it was time enough to make a beginning of it.
Meanwhile, the door of the tavern burst open. A person might be forgiven for thinking the figure that stepped through was a bear or similarly large furry creature, but a closer look revealed human features crusted with snow and ice. A thick white beard was by far the most thusly encrusted as the mountain of a man entered and moved closer to the fire without a word. It took several tense moments before someone gasped.
"By the Three, it's Garath!"
A murmur swept through the place. Word around town was that the trapper had died, as the last time he'd been seen he had only bought supplies enough for three weeks out hunting, not the two months he had been gone. No one seemed brave enough to approach him as yet, but even without a single word spoken every other conversation in the tavern had ceased, dominated now by hushed speculation as to what had happened to him out there.
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Post by Mini on Jan 28, 2021 15:29:32 GMT -6
Cassidy was equal parts surprised and unsurprised to hear that the great and wonderful High Templar Fiona was leaving so soon after arriving into town. As long as she had known the woman, she had never stayed in one spot for more than a fortnight. Whether this was simply the nature of her job and her duties as a sworn and sacred servant to the Three or just the way Fiona preferred things remained a mystery to this very day.
"Oh, um, are you leaving again so soon? You haven't even been here a whole day," Cassidy pointed out as she worked her up the bar, stacking and balancing dirty dishes like a pro.
Fiona nodded, a grim look on her face. "Aye. Ah prob'ly won't even spend th' night, but we'll see what th' weather brings. Mission or not, ah'm not stupid enough t' set off fer th' Domhain Raon in th' dark in this weather."
Before Cassidy could ask her friend anything further, the door burst in hard enough to rattle violently off the walls. With in came a gust of arctic air and a small battalion of large snowflakes. A massive and imposing figure that could have easily been an Uroika hellbent on having a drink made its way inside. Naturally, the entire tavern turned silent enough to hear a pin drop. All eyes were on the massive figure. Everyone waited with bated breath to see what the figure was going to do. As the doors were quickly forced closed by those unfortunate enough to be sitting closest to the entrance, the man simply moved towards the heat, warmth, and comfort of the roaring fireplace. Once it seemed that there was no immediate threat to anyone or anything, hushed conversations and whispered bits of gossip swirled around the entire tavern faster than wildfire.
"That's Garath?" Cassidy gasped in surprise as another patron identified the walking mass of furs and ice.
Two other men sitting a few seats down from Fiona whispered a few things back and forth to each other before one of them turned to Cassidy. "Aye, lass, suppose it is. Thought for sure he was dead," he said with a grunt of approval upon the sight of Garath not being as dead as he had thought. "Odd to see just him all by his lonesome, though. Where's the rest of his mates?"
Fiona turned her attention to Cassidy, her eyebrow raised curiously. "Somethin' ah should know about?"
Cassidy shrugged, setting her stack of dirty dishes down in a container that she would eventually carry back into the kitchen. "Garath is a trapper. I don't actually know if he lives in town, in one of the smaller villages in the area, or if he just kind of lives in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. He's here regularly enough, though, but... he disappeared a while back. I don't think I've seen him or any of his fellow trappers in two, maybe three months," she answered, deep in thought. "Hmm... be right back."
In a flash, Cassidy had filled a large mug with a steaming hot, murky, frothy beverage from a nearby kettle. She grabbed a menu from the edge of the counter and boldly made her way over to the large and frozen figure of the trapper. She leaned forward a bit to make sure he noticed her, then gently set both the menu and the drink down on a small table besides him.
"Good evening, Garath. It's good to see you. Is it... just you here tonight?"
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Post by Nitari Windrider on Jan 28, 2021 22:55:09 GMT -6
Up in his room D'Mytri pondered what Fiona had said as Cassidy moved toward the mountainous man. Domhain Raon, hmmm? Aside from being a large mountain, as treacherous to traverse as it was sacred to the church of the Three, he couldn't guess what was there for her. He would need to send word for her to be followed. He was still in no shape to travel in the company of a Templar. Again he breathed a frustrated sigh over his decision to leave his people behind and travel alone. Even one servant stealthy enough to avoid a Templar's gaze would simplify his life tremendously. Although if it was so easy for his people to hide the Goddess's gift from Templar eyes...now there was something...
___________________________________________________________________________
Garath's eyes moved to take in the girl, but the rest of him was either at rest or too cold to move. His words were gruff and staccato, although that wasn't too much of a change from usual. His profession, other trappers aside, left him without much in the way of regular social contact.
"Lycoinu," he said, snow becoming dislodged from his outer garb by a combination of heat and the shivering Cassidy could occasionally see now that she was closer.
The word hung in the air between them, nearby tables seeming to not register even that he had spoken.
"Cabin destroyed."
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Post by Mini on Jan 30, 2021 21:14:02 GMT -6
Cassidy wasn't one hundred percent sure that she had caught the single word response the frostbitten trapper had given her. His voice was surprisingly quiet, a stark contrast to his outward appearance. On top of that, he spoke in a way that suggested he didn't practice the art of articulation all that often. It took a few moments for her overworked brain to fully process and piece together what Garath had said. Once she did, the small bit of color that had returned to her face throughout the day drained from her face almost instantly.
"Lycoinu."
Everyone had heard stories, tall tales, and rumors of sightings, chases, and even the rare attack by the terrible beasts. It was the beast that starred in every mother's nighttime story warning their children to never stray too far from home, never stray too far off the beaten path, and never go adventuring in the winter, otherwise they would fall prey to a creature possibly more vicious and feral than the vampyrs. Vampyrs, at least, were humanoid and logical to a point. The Lycoinu were violent, ferocious killing machines. If Garath and his companions had come face to face with the beasts, then...
"Oh, Garath, I... I..."
Words failed Cassidy. What in the world could she possibly say that would mean anything to someone who had probably watched his home destroyed and his friends suffer a fate worse than death? What could she say to a man who had more than likely lost everything and was left behind to pick up the pieces of a shattered life? What could someone like her do for someone facing such sadness and loss?
She gently reached outward and slightly upward to rest a warm hand on his shoulder. It wasn't until she actually make contact with the bundle of furs that she noticed the trembling. Her heart sank. Gulping, she tried to give him what she hoped was a comforting smile.
"You stay here and warm up as long as you want to. Whenever you get hungry, you come and tell me what you want. Anything on the menu is yours."
Certain that she was going to burst into tears, Cassidy gave the man one last smile before turning and beelining back for the safety of Behind The Counter. It wasn't until she felt a hand on hers that she realized she had somehow gone from besides the fireplace to the middle of Behind The Counter and was in front of where Fiona was sitting. Fiona's hand was resting on top of hers.
"Cass, yer as white as a freshly laundered sheet. What in th' world 'as ye so shaken? Did that man say somethin' foul t' ye?" Fiona asked, giving Cassidy's hand a little squeeze.
"What? Oh, no, no, Fiona, nothing like that," Cassidy blurted out quickly to ensure that her friend didn't go and knock the poor trapper unconscious before he even knew what hit him. "No, no, no. Nothing. He said nothing. Well, he did, but he... oh, Fiona, it's just so awful."
"Awright, calmly now, one word a' a time, aye? Jist what is s' awful?"
Cassidy took a deep breath. "I think... I think Garath's companions were all killed by Lycoinu. He didn't say that, exactly, but... he's here alone, and he just... he looks so sad. And the fact that nobody has seen him in months? Oh, and he said his cabin was destroyed, too."
Fiona's face didn't betray a shred of emotion. Without saying a word, she turned and glanced in Garath's direction. With a soft sigh and a muttered curse, she reached her free hand into one of her inner pockets and pulled out a handful of golden coins. She slapped them down onto the counter and slid them towards Cassidy. "'Ere. This'll cover 'is lodging fer a' least a week."
Cassidy gasped. "Fio--"
"Nuh-uh, not a word o' this," Fiona chided her softly. "Do good fer others, not fer yer own glory, an' in this way praise Th' Three an' be praised in return." She smiled softly. "An' 'fore ye ask me 'bout what t' do if 'e decides t' not stay, then find a way t' help him with th' funds somehow. If 'e refuses, jist make sure it finds its way t' a good cause, aye?"
"Aye," Cassidy agreed, chuckling softly as she slipped the coins into her apron's back pocket, where she would make sure not to mix them up with anything else.
"Awright then," Fiona said before Cassidy could say anything further. "Ah'm afraid ah really must get goin' now. If ah'm still 'round t'morrow, ah might swing by if ah 'ave th' time, but ah doubt ah will. Hopefully ah'll be back within a week. Don't get into any trouble while ah'm gone," she added with a wink.
"Trouble? Hahaha, what kind of trouble could I possibly get into around here? You know nothing exciting ever happens here," Cassidy laughed nervously... perhaps a little too nervously. Oh, the irony of what Fiona had just said. If she only knew.
Fiona gave her an odd look, but thankfully didn't press anything. "True enough, ah s'pose." She finished off the last of her drink, then leaned a bit closer to Cassidy. "Jist... be careful, Cass. Ah can't say much on th' matter, but... well, th' leeches are gettin' bolder. There've been... rumors o' 'em doin' all sorts o' unspeakable things, pullin' stunts an' sneakin' in an' blendin' in in th' most unlikely o' spots. Keep yer guard up. Ye never know. Ah'll leave it a' that."
"I... I will, Fiona," was all Cassidy could manage to say. She gave Fiona a weak smile. "Be careful out there, Fi. I worry about you, you know."
"Tch. Ye don't need t' worry 'bout me. It's th' leeches who run int' me ye need t' worry about," Fiona replied with a grin as she paid for her drink with two small silver coins. Sliding off the stool, she waved farewell to her friend and then headed for the door.
Cassidy watched as Fiona pulled her hood up and vanish into the flurry of a million snowflakes. Her friend's words echoed in her head and weighed heavy on her heart. The leeches-- the vampyrs-- the Nosferat-- the whatever they were... was she really doing the right thing by helping the one who was currently sitting quietly up in Room 3? Fiona's reminder to her to stay vigilant reminded her that her people were at war with D'Mytri's people. Technically, she was harboring an enemy. Not just an enemy of the Church, but an enemy to all of humanity. Why hadn't she told anyone about him yet? One word from her to Fiona, to Teague, to any priest or priestess or knight or servant of the Church she could find, and all of her problems would have been solved. She would have been praised throughout the town as a hero. So... why hadn't she said anything?
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Post by Nitari Windrider on May 25, 2021 3:38:52 GMT -6
Up on the next floor said enemy of the church was ruminating, considering what to do next. He'd been aware of the exchange between Fiona and Cassidy, of course, but not on such a level that he was overly concerned about it. One of the most delicate phases, it was said, was when the subject had the chance to resist the control, had a means to turn the tables. If the induction was performed correctly, the subject wouldn't think of betrayal. Cassidy was troubled, but hadn't betrayed him. Truly he had fallen from his former strength. This troubled him, but he had been too bold already. He would need to spend the period of Fiona's absence very carefully. He would need to plan their encounter well. For now he would bide his time. Perhaps watch through Cassidy's eyes a bit more as this strange mountain of a man thawed out and told his story. Maybe he could be useful...
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The mountain of furs gave a violent shudder, ice and snow coming dislodged from his yet sodden furs. The fire blazed powerfully not far away, but did so more in excitement than in rage. Garath knew the difference of course. A raging fire spread ravenously, like a crazed Uroika. An excited fire was merely enthusiastic in the presence of abundant fuel and stayed happily within its bounds. Fire wasn't fickle, as some might say, but rather was free-spirited. Fire didn't understand boundaries forced upon it. It simply knew hunger and the glorious energy of consumption and transition. Controlling fire was as simple as arranging its environment such that it burned freely but had nowhere to which it would desire to spread. Such musings occupied the frozen man as his body began to show the outward signs of a deep chill. Now that his body temperature was starting to rise and he'd stopped moving the heat of the fire chased the remnants of winter freeze deep into him. Were he to observe himself he'd likely have something to say or do just now, but being the one in the chair with essentially nothing but the furs on his back and the fresh wounds on his soul he couldn't even think of what could be said or done. He was alive, either through some great mercy or some cruel joke. That would have to do for starters.
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Post by Mini on May 30, 2021 18:22:44 GMT -6
The door unexpectedly came flying inwards so hard and fast that it arced clear around and crashed loudly off of the wall it was attached to, which in turn caused practically every single one of the rafters and floorboards to tremble and groan in protest. The clamor instantly died down to a hush as all eyes turned to look at who or what large creature could have possibly kicked the door open with that much force. Cassidy, still behind the counter, nearly dropped the full pitcher of ale she had just filled up. Her heartrate increased to about four hundred beats per second as her imagination ran wild with multiple encounters that ended with both her and D'Mytri injured, imprisoned, or impaled.
Several loud groans of annoyance could be heard from the gentlemen closest to the door as everyone at the same moment recognized that it was only Teague.
"Gòrach pìos de cac door hinge!" he cursed loudly, throwing his frost-encrusted cloak onto the nearby coat wrack as he scrunched over to investigate the offending hinge. "Someone remind me ta fix that... ehm... tomorrow, that is, when it isn't colder than the grave itself outside," he grumbled to himself. At least, he thought it was to himself, but like most words that left Teague's mouth, it was loud enough to be heard clear at the other end of the tavern.
Teague slammed the door shut just as harshly as he had entered and stood in the entryway for a moment, proudly surveying all that was his. Nearly ever chair and stool filled, plates full of food, mugs full of warm beverages, smiles on everyone's faces as lively conversations roared back to life.
Smiles on almost everyone's faces, at least. Teague's host senses started tingling as his gaze rested on the roaring fire. Who was this icy lump of furs sitting there with nothing to eat? A blur of motion from the bar distracted him enough to pull his gaze away from the lump of furs and notice that Cassidy was waving at him. Deciding to investigate the man from the tundra later, he weaved in and out of tables until he found himself behind the bar next to his second in command. He smiled at the thought, having only just mentally called her that in his mind this minute, but it was the truth. Cassidy knew every nook and cranny of this place almost as well as he did, and she certainly cared about its denizens just as much, if not more, than he did.
"I imagine you flagged me down to ask about Lilian?" Teague asked, reaching past Cassidy to pour himself a drink.
Cassidy opened her mouth and shut it almost instantly. Lilian? Her brain took a moment to pause the scene in front of her and rewind the events of the day back to what felt like a week ago but had in fact only been maybe fifteen, twenty minutes ago at most. "Lilian! Right! How is she?" she asked, hoping that her look of concern was genuine and not filled with the panic she felt boiling up inside of her again.
"She'll be fine with some rest, so it seems. She was already feeling a bit better once she was home. If you ask me, this whole thing is one ridiculous charade just to get herself out of working. One honest day's work never killed nobody before! Ah, well, though, I s'pose in some professions that may not actually be true," he added with a bit of a dark chuckle. "Hunters, for instance--"
"Teague, there's something--"
"Mmm, or soldiers. Oh, and those cavalry lads who try and clear the South Pass. Ooh, I've heard some nasty tales from that crew when they--"
"Teague!" Cassidy all but shouted. "Teague, listen. Something happened while you were gone."
Teague's entire countenance changed in a flash. "What? What happened? Did somebody say something to you or one of the other girls? Was it Danaher?? I swear I'll--"
Cassidy rolled her eyes. Great choice of words, she mentally chided herself. She should have known better. "Calm down, Teague, it's nothing like that. I misspoke. It's not so much a thing that happened as a... a person who showed up. Look, see that man over by the fire? It's Garath, the trapper who normally disappears into The Wilds with his partners. He hasn't said much, but it... something bad seems to have happened, Teague. Oh, and Fi--sooomebody has paid for him to have a room for a few days. I didn't tell him that though. But I have the coins, so I can just--"
Teague held up a hand. "Just leave it in the box before you go. I'll sort it all out tonight. You've been here since bloody sunrise and you're back here again tomorrow morning, aye? Go home, Cass. Oh, and take some of that stew with you." He poured himself a second large pint of ale and instantly made a beeline over to Garath. He ignored the fact that there was already a large pint of something sitting next to the frozen heap of a man and slammed a second one day next to the first. Teague simply nodded to Garath before allowing himself to sink down into the chair opposite him. He propped his boots up on the hearth. This was perhaps not the most polite thing to do, but since it was his tavern, who was going to tell him otherwise?
"Cold night out there," Teague said after downing half of his mug in one swallow. That was all he said, and that was all that needed to be said. It was an invitation to chat, or if Garath didn't feel obligated to engage back, it was simply a casual statement about the weather.
Cassidy stood behind the counter with a rather dumbfounded look on her face. Go home? Sure, she had worked long past her expected shift and so it was only natural to assume that she would want to go home and climb into her nice, warm bed for the night, but... go home? Now? How in the world could she possibly be expected to go home when there was so much going on here at the tavern?!
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Post by Nitari Windrider on Dec 9, 2021 11:09:52 GMT -6
A grunt was the answer to Teague's question. The only answer immediately forthcoming, in fact. It was colder than death itself outside, and the thawing mountain knew a thing or two about that today of all days. Some distant part of himself knew he was in a space where he might yet taste that dark destiny if he didn't take very particular care of himself in the coming moments. He knew what to ask for and what he needed but that practicality was so distant now. All that had happened left such paltry things as good health a distant concern, trying futilely to penetrate the cloud cover over his consciousness.
"Colder," he managed eventually. That would have to do.
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On the next floor up, there was a man in room three who also knew that he would need to take particular care in order to restore himself. He moved himself to the bed and put himself under coverlets he didn't actually need to play the role of frostbitten traveler. Rest and time was all he had available. The little nourishment he'd had that day restored a little of his strength but he would need to husband his energy carefully. He was still beneath the templar's notice for now but it was only a matter of time before he was in the danger zone and would need a foundation in place to combat the forces of the church. His mind continued to work as he settled in, deciding even as he started to sink into slumber how best to handle an experienced holy warrior who knew exactly where to find him...
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Post by Mini on Dec 28, 2021 23:58:27 GMT -6
Cassidy still hadn't moved from her spot behind the counter. Her mind was still trying to process what going home now looked like. Normally, she would have already been out the door after hearing that. Hadn't D'Mytri instructed her to return to him before she left for the day? How in the world was she supposed to do that without looking highly suspicious? What kind of excuse could she possibly come up with to head upstairs to the guest rooms before she left for the day? There was no way under the sun that she could sneak in without being seen. The tavern was too full of people, and the kitchen was now much busier with the amount of people about to be served dinner and drinks. They had gotten damn lucky with that whole Lillian fiasco. How nobody had caught them was a--
She gasped out loud. Had she just cursed?! Did it count as cursing if she did so mentally?! By the Three's grace, what was wrong with her? She never cursed.
Someone's hand reached right past Cassidy from behind, causing her to jump. "Good grief, Cassidy, you're still here?" Annabeth asked, grabbing some empty steins from where they were sitting just beyond Cassidy. "I thought you went home already. Hey, you're looking kind of pale. You feeling okay?"
Cassidy forced a smile onto her face. She looked pale? Could Annabeth tell that she was pale from blood loss?? No, no, surely she couldn't. There were dozens of reasons someone could be pale. Cassidy was always pale in the winter. "Fine. Fine. Just... tired. Long day. I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow?"
"Nope! I'm off tomorrow. Peter and I are going ice fishing! Doesn't that sound exciting?" Annabeth asked with a little giggle.
"Oh... yeah, super exciting! Well, you have fun. Don't fall in," Cassidy said, only half-joking.
A mammoth arm gently pushed her to the left. "Go home, Cass," Teague reminded her a second time as he grabbed one of the room keys from their hiding place under the counter.
In a whirlwind rush of actions she didn't quite remember making, Cassidy found herself walking towards the front door wearing her jacket, bag tossed over her shoulder, mittens and scarf snug and securely in place. As she passed by Teague and Garreth, she saw that he had simply slipped the key to Room 4 next to a steaming bowl of stew. Neither man spoke, but she sensed that somehow there was still a great amount of understanding passing between the two. Most of the others nearby weren't even paying the slightest bit of attention to the pair. She glanced towards the stairs, wondering once again if there was possibly some way that she could--
The door burst open to another chorus of grumbles. Several men wrapped up tight in jackets and cloaks came in, already loudly talking about what each one was looking forward to ordering for dinner. One of the men saw her standing by the door and flashed her a smile as he held the door open. With no other choice, Cassidy returned the smile and stepped out into the cold. She hoped that D'Mytri would forgive her. She had promised to guard his secret, and she meant it. If she had been going to tell anyone, she would have told Fiona earlier that night. Her eyes fell down to the tiny bit of makeshift bandage poking out of her sleeve. By the Three... she hoped she was doing the right thing.
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
Cassidy pushed the front door of the tavern open very slowly. Hints of light were just barely visible in the sky behind her. The door felt much heavier than usual. Perhaps it was just because she felt so tired. Exhausted was more like it. Sleep hadn't come easy to her last night. No, she had spent most of the night pacing up and down her whole house as she replayed the events of the previous day over and over in her mind. What in the world was she going to do?
"Well, well, look what the cat dragged in," came a husky male voice from the counter. Sitting there was a man who looked to be in his 30s but sounded much older. His pale face, thin lips, and thinning black hair that had been carefully combed over a growing bald patch jeered at Cassidy.
Cassidy groaned to herself. "Good morning to you, too, Sorley," she greeted the man who often volunteered to work overnights when there were guests at the tavern. "Where's Teague?"
"Went home late. He'll be back before the breakfast rush, he said. He made sure our new hypothermia ward is well stocked with all the essentials," he chuckled. "Or so I heard. Two guests, mmm? Both with hypothermia, mmm? Not that I saw them, of course. Both were in for the night by the time I came in. You'd think idiots would know better than to travel this time of year."
Cassidy decided to not answer the very baited question. She shook the snow off of her jacket and hung it up by the door. "Right. Well, I'm here, so you can head on home."
"Don't have to tell me twice, sugar. You have fun playing doctor," he said, sliding off the chair and heading towards the door. It seemed he didn't have a jacket. He paused just in front of Cassidy. "Ohh, and I hear Lillian's first day went terrible. Is it true she sliced one of her fingers off?"
In the name of the Three, so help me...
"Not even a little bit. Went fine. Good-bye, Sorley," she uttered through gritted teeth.
Sorley paused in front of Cassidy, glancing down at her arm. Several inches of bandages that were wrapped around her wrist were visible sticking out the end of her sweater. He glanced back and forth from the bandages to her face two or three times. "Perhaps it's you who almost sliced one of her fingers off. What'd ya do, lass?"
Cassidy felt her face turn red. She snatched her arm away from Sorley and pulled her sleeve down. "Nothing! Just scratched it up at home."
Sorley shook his balding head up at her. "Tch. Be more careful, aye? Later, sugar," Sorley winked as he strolled out the front door, leaving Cassidy all alone in the tavern. All alone, that was, except for the two guests who were checked into rooms on opposite sides of the hallway. It was a little too early for a proper wake-up call (did vampyrs actually sleep?), but she could at the very least start brewing some coffee (did vampyrs drink coffee?) and cooking up something nice and hot until one... or both... of them ventured out of their rooms.
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Post by Nitari Windrider on Jul 30, 2022 16:18:25 GMT -6
It was a fine morning in the town of Cairnbann. It was of course punishingly cold and it was of course a day in which no one would be out and about unless it was necessary, but within his chambers near a pleasant fire, Father Timothy James could only smile as he gently rose from his bed. It had been a productive evening indeed, dealing with their guest. A little more work and all would be in readiness. If fortune smiled upon him he could deal with the old man as well. He refreshed himself in the basin, pondering the next steps in his plan. He would be cautious, of course, moving slowly and carefully. Even so, the progress of late had been promising. Soon he would be ready to move to the next phase.
In the meantime, he would be attending to his usual priestly duties. It would not do for one such as him to be seen shirking the stewardship of the flock. He had come responding to a request for help, after all. He knelt before his private shrine and went through the motions of daily prayer and meditation. The strength he gained as a servant of the Three was always a comfort. It was as if they were in their own way encouraging him to continue his work. After all, was it not Their will that humanity be saved from the creatures of the Wyld and the Darke? His plan would certainly involve removing the danger they presented, so why wouldn't the Three continue to empower him to do their good work?
As he strode out of his chambers to attend a meeting with the local priests and representatives of the nearest chapter of Sacred Knights, he couldn't help but smile a little and hum a hymn to himself.
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A loud sound against the floorboards heralded the waking of one of the guests. Heavy footfalls announced his coming long before the towering form of Garath became visible. He hadn't shed a single layer all night, and if anything looked to be wanting one or two more as he shivered almost imperceptibly. He walked toward Cassidy, seeking her attention but not saying anything immediately.
"Wood, please," he managed eventually in a rumbling voice, "Fire...low."
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Post by Mini on Aug 28, 2022 21:02:50 GMT -6
The early morning's encounter with Sorley had left Cassidy rattled. There was just something about the way his seedy little eyeballs had studied every little inch of the bandages she had very carefully wrapped around her wrist that had unsettled her. It was almost as if he knew exactly how she had gotten injured. That was impossible, though. Nobody had seen or heard anything. The wound wasn't even that suspect looking. She had taken a much closer look at it before getting dressed for the day, and she had been surprised to see that the cut was nearly the same length as her pointer finger. The cut was very clean, not very deep, and somehow not even the slightest bit sensitive or painful. It had healed up quite well overnight, which was also a bit puzzling.
D'Mytri had been so gentle with her, too...
Heavy footsteps shook her out of her reverie. Cassidy realized she had been cleaning the same spot on the counter for several minutes now and gave a quick prayer of thanks to The Three that it was still too early (and too cold) for the public to have come bustling in for the breakfast rush. Was Teague headed this way? No, why would he be coming from upstairs? D'Mytri certainly didn't walk like that, so that could only mean...
"Gareth! Good morning!" Cassidy exclaimed as the still-very-frozen looking lump of furs made its way towards the counter. Had he slept in the same clothes he had arrived in?The man's face could scarcely be seen beneath all of the furs and hair (was it hair? Beard? Both?). He stood awkwardly in front of the counter for a very long minute and said nothing. Cassidy waited patiently for him to speak, figuring that her normal sunshiny morning personality might be a bit too much for him to handle. Instead, she gave him what she hoped was a nice and encouraging smile. She was dying to know more about what had happened to the poor man, but she knew from experience that he wouldn't talk until he was good and ready to talk. If not to her, maybe he would talk to Teague (who of course would tell everyone he knew within 24 hours). Until then, she had to be patient and gentle with him. When he finally did speak, she couldn't help but give him a look that one might give to a young puppy who happens to be covered in mud and is stuck outside in the rain.
"Of course," she said, throwing her rag down on the counter as she came out on the other side of it to usher him towards the central fireplace. There was a small fire going that she had started a short while ago (why Sorley let it burn down to ashes was beyond her), and she knew it would be roaring brightly once Teague got in. To the right of the fireplace was a healthy stack of chopped wood and an assortment of shorter branches and sticks shoved awkwardly against the wall. "Most of the wood is outside in the lumber shed, but there's no reason for you to go outside this early in the morning. Please help yourself to however much you think you'll need from this pile."
She paused, then gave him another soft little smile. "If you'd like, I can help you carry some up to your room? And... maybe get you something nice and warm to eat or drink for breakfast?"
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Post by Nitari Windrider on Apr 10, 2024 20:07:28 GMT -6
Garath trailed behind Cassidy, more on autopilot than actually attending to her words. The fireplace, so bright and warm the previous night, was dark and cold now. One more reminder that the light of their lives, like that fire, was a fleeting one in the end. He knelt before the hearth, reaching into his layered garb for an emblem of the Three to bring to his lips. He spoke a brief prayer under his breath, saying familiar words in a whisper to begin a prayer that would go far longer in his mind. Without another word he started tending to the small fire the girl had no doubt started earlier. If he were in his usual frame of mind he'd have left it alone, maybe given advice if he felt it was needed, but not today. Today the tiny flame he saw here represented himself. He'd trudged through a blizzard to make it here and was astonished that he'd even woken up. This little fire was all that was left, and from the looks of things had been started in a cold fireplace. Not the girl's fault, and immaterial besides. As every trapper knew, fire needed three things to survive: fuel, air, and heat. The girl had built it well, likely from many mornings like this one, and had given it plenty of fuel layered on such that as the fire grew it would reach fuel which would inspire it to burn brighter and hotter. It had plenty of air, too. If she'd been at fault here the fuel would have been stacked haphazardly and would have choked the fire. No, the only thing this little blaze needed was heat. Like him, it just needed a warm place to build strength back up. So he took some kindling and, lighting it, set a couple smaller fires further back in the hearth. He wouldn't set larger pieces of wood back there, but a little extra warmth would help the little flame combat the cold morning air. Perhaps that's what he needed, too: an extra flame to bolster his own.
He stood and gave the girl a bow, combining a wordless thanks with a wordless apology. Taking an armful of wood, he started walking toward the stair. At the foot of the stairs, he paused and turned back. She was kind, and deserved better than the meager offering he'd given so far.
"Blessings of the Three," he said, "Breakfast would be nice."
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The other resident of Teague's Hypothermia Ward stirred but did not emerge from his bed. Contrary to popular belief his people did indeed sleep, although they were more likely to do so at this time of day than at the time the humans tended to retire. Restoring his natural sleep patterns would be a chore, but was hardly his primary difficulty at the moment. He needed to eat, and restricting himself to human food would make his life very unpleasant. Easier to sell the lie that his recovery would take time, but harder to marshal the strength he'd need. A worry for another time. For now he rested, weaving his plans and preparing to lay the foundation for a desperate gambit...
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