A Little Knowledge - IC

[Leriel]

Above the lakes, above the vales,
The mountains and the woods, the clouds, the seas,
Beyond the sun, beyond the ether,
Beyond the confines of the starry spheres...

A minute, pale woman.
She looks very attractive and charming, with oriental features, long raven hair and pitch black eyes, dressed with shapely long dark robes.

A minute, pale woman.
And she won.

A minute, pale woman.
She managed to destroy Matter, dissipate Energy, stagnate Time, and stifle Thought.

A minute, pale woman.
She managed to destroy Matter, dissipate Energy, stagnate Time, and stifle Thought.
Almost.


A Little Knowledge,
reloaded by Leriel thanks to An Amy

[Leriel]

Month of the Raven, 13th
Late evening

They say that Darknight is the darkest night, that the dark forces are more powerful, that it is the night of the Shadow Lord. They say that the month of the Crow is a harbinger of death, of obscure messengers.

Looks like they are not just rumors, they would say. Those who were aware of what has happened in these days to a young couple, camped in a clearing, who tries to dry themselves somehow, close to a poorly made campfire.

The girl will have no more of 16 years. She is sitting on a tree stump, her legs gathered close to her body, held in her arms. His robe that reaches the ankles is torn and muddy.

The boy, or rather a young man, wears an equally dirty leather armor. He stands by the fire, looking nervously at the shadows between the trees, his face tried. He shakes his head and talks to the girl.

"Lil, you need to sleep. Tomorrow we should be in Fenoval, with a little luck we will find what we need for the journey. We need to put as much space as possible between us and Beldwyn. "

The boy, whose name is Caleb, nods, almost to convince himself that everything will be fine. He knows that Lilleah needs to rest in a real bed and wear dry clothes if she doesn't want to take an illness.

The flames draw strange plays of light on the girl's pretty face. Caleb looks at her for a moment and then looks away, trying to mask the embarrassment by reviving the fire.

[An Amy]

"I just... can't believe she'd side with..." the dark one? Lilleah can't even bring herself to mouth the words let alone speak them aloud. Her eyes stare into the flames but back to the moment Beldwyn, a fellow enchantress of the Ivory Tower claimed in victory that she was a black child, a mage consumed by the lure of the dark one and following, supporting or even executing his profane will. They were a rumor, one often denied by the administration of the tower, by pledged and fully raised mages alike. What horrors would the world believe if it could be fathomed that the Ivory Tower could be home to corruption? Lilleah lets a chill run through her body that was not related to being cold and wet.

"I'll try... I just... where can we go? She said there are others, that she's not the only one. They all know about us, Caleb. We can't just simply..." She pauses, swallows a hard truth. "We can't go back."

[Leriel]

Caleb gets closer to the girl. He is afraid that something broke inside her. He looks at her, undecided whether embracing her is the right thing to do. He whispers "No, that is no longer our home ..." but his words are covered by a thunder and a sudden shower of rain. The small campfire cannot withstand it. Caleb instinctively takes off his cloak and wraps it around the slender wet body of the girl. He looks at her without speaking for a second... then he takes her hand. It's frozen. "Let’s look for a place where the trees are thicker, can you do it?"

[An Amy]

Lilleah permits Caleb to approach. Since rescuing her, she's developed a sense of safety around him, and the closer he is the better she feels.

"I... I can," she replies to him as she stands. "I know it wasn't home. Home is... well, but it was safe! Mages are supposed to feel safe in the Ivory Tower, within the walls of the city. If we're not safe there, Caleb... can we ever truly be safe anywhere?"



Knowledge Nature [roll0]
Knowledge Geography (where are we, where do we go?) [roll1]
Untrained Survival [roll2]

[Leriel]

Caleb nods to the girl; he understands what she feels. He has ambivalent feelings about her: he sees her as a wren, free to spread her wings but defenseless; but at the same time, she perceives in her a nobility and a touch of pride that prevents him from opening to the girl. On the other hand, he is a guardian and nothing more...

Caleb talks but continues to walk, helping Lilleah walk in the undergrowth. "Lil, I also thought that the city was a haven and that we guardians were actually only called to come with during journeys. But everything changed. I don't want, and I can't tell you a lie: I don't know when we'll be safe, in any case I'll do everything to protect you. And know that I believe in you, that we will succeed in doing it again. One more night... only tonight... then we'll finally sleep in an inn, then we'll decide what to do. "

[An Amy]

Lilleah carries on in silence. However, it is obvious that she is lost in thought and, at times, in mourning. Occasionally she sniffles, weeps as the past few days finally come bearing on her, and the dependence she has on Caleb for just walking is evident.

[Leriel]

Finally, the rain granted a truce. It is now night. Lilleah, to Caleb's astonishment, had pointed to a plant that could easily catch fire; the guardian managed once again to light a small fire, which barely lasted until the girl fell asleep.

Caleb looks at the girl. He still doesn't understand how it happened; Lilleah collapsed from fatigue, he tried not to let her fall... and she fell asleep curling up in his arms. The guardian has not moved anymore.

Caleb hesitates, then swallows and lightly touches the girl's hair. He looks around, exhausted. "The darkest hour of the night is the one before dawn." He does not remember when he heard it. Fortunately, his eyes have no problems in the dark - he has always been amazed at how it is possible. In any case, he hopes the dawn will come soon.

Once again, sleep returns to claim its toll. Caleb bows his head toward the girl, inhales her perfume, then is forced to stand up. He moves away form Lilleah and heads for the embers of the fire, somehow manages to bring him back to life. All around is silence - too much silence. Caleb smells a faint sulfur and sees figures in the shadows... and he screams.

[An Amy]

Lilleah awakens suddenly, sitting up and looking around for Caleb, for what might have brought about the alarm. Memories rush to her, of when Caleb last called out like that, last yelled... it was with the situation with Beldwyn and her guardian. It was...


Making a spot check[roll0]

[Leriel]

[A natural 20!]
Lilleah feels a chill down her spine. And it's not cold. While looking for Caleb with her eyes, she met the eyes of a creature - and the wickedness of the being came into her powerfully. A huge wolf, or maybe something more than a wolf. In its eyes, Lilleah saw intelligence and cruelty.
But the huge wolf is not alone: the adrenaline rush allowed her to see for a moment four other creature like it, smaller but certainly no less cruel.
Lilleah still hears Caleb shouting at her to stand by him, as she sees him draw both swords and move towards what's left of the fire.

[ROLL INITIATIVE…]

Note: Caleb has the feat “Constant Guardian” from Drows of the Underdark:
Benefit: Once during your turn as a free action, you can take a –2 penalty on your attack rolls to grant a single ally within 10 feet a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class. This effect lasts until the start of your next turn or until you are more than 10 feet from the chosen ally, whichever comes first.

[An Amy]

Lilleah moves to his side, staying near but giving the guardian room to protect her without worrying of his own blades bringing her harm. She prepares herself and her eldritch blast...


Initiative! [roll0]

[Leriel]

The big wolf slowly approaches, howling to its fellow wolves. With preternatural speed, three of them surrounds Caleb, while the last one jumps near Lilleah before she has a change to do anything, a yellowish liquid flowing from its bare fangs and smelling of Sulphur. It’s like it’s looking if the girl is going to do a false move.
In the meantime, Caleb reacted really fast (as Lilleah already saw him in such situations), deeply wounding the creature in front of him.
The wolves try to bite him and one of the flanking ones manage to find an opening in his defenses – Caleb is really hurt at his left leg and barely manages not to fall prone.
Up to Lilleah!

[An Amy]

Wolves... twisted by the dark one? To think such noble beasts could be turned like this. Any manner of creature or person could, though. But were they followed? Were they being tracked? Were these demonic summonings?

If so, there was someone nearby.

Lilleah quickly moves back and away, giving herself room to work as she purses her lips in determination, raising her hand to demonstrate that talent she had for direction arcane energy. For now, she needed to deal with the thing in front of her and hoped that she could do so in time to help Caleb.


5-foot step away from the wolf nearest her and away from the others as well so as to avoid AoO.
Eldritch Blast, ranged touch against the wolf targeting her [roll0] [roll1]

[Leriel]

The twisted wolf tried to bite Lilleah – just to jump at the last second to avoid her magical blast, as he was expecting a trick from the girl.
Caleb breaths hard and tries to keep his balance, he has problems moving his leg. He manages to give a death blow to the wounded wolf – but the one that bit him previously jumps on him, ripping his flesh and almost pushing him on the ground. Caleb is losing a lot of blood and drops his short sword, trying to keep a better equilibrium.
The wolf menacing Lilleah seems to dance around her, moving back and forth with a cruel light in its eyes.
The bigger wolf stands still in the shadows.

[An Amy]

Lilleah moves again to do her best to avoid distractions while he instead takes aim at the wolf that Caleb is focusing on, working together instead of separate for the time being and hoping it would be good enough.


Eldritch blast, ranged touch against Caleb's current target [roll0] [roll1]

[Leriel]

The energy blast hits its target with full energy, hurling it away. The creature cries after hitting a tre and breaking it – then it stops moving.

Caleb screams “Well done, Lil!” and hits with full force the other wolf that was menacing him. He, too, gets rid of his enemy.
He turns to look at Lilleah… just to meet the teeth of the last small wolf, jumping over the girl and landing on him, pushing him on the ground. The guardian loses the grip on his sword, hitting hard the ground.

Lilleah is sure that she hears a laugher.

[An Amy]

A laugh? From where? Lilleah glances around but not too much as she's focused on helping Caleb still, sending a blast of eldritch energy at her dear friend's assailant.


Eldritch blast, ranged touch against remaining smaller wolf [roll0] [roll1]
Quick spot [roll2]

[Leriel]

Lilleah turns her head and discovers who’s laughing – well, what is laughing. The great wolf jumped on her, making her fall (I don’t think you can beat a DC 27 DEX check…), a hideous laugher coming from it. It keeps a huge paw on her breast; breathing is getting hard.
The energy blast hit the last small wolf – but the creature, quite in a frenzy, keeps its jaws closed on the left arm of the guardian, keeping him down. Caleb struggles, trying to reach the dagger on his belt – his last weapon.

[An Amy]

(Nope, can't even succeed on the best possible day).

"Caleb!" Lilleah shouts as she goes down hard, grasping at the paw of the larger wolf... as it laughs. Laughing? It's... it's sentient. "What do you want?"

[Leriel]

"WhAt I WaNt?" The voice of the creature is twisted, corrupted as its whole being. It smells of Sulphur… and blood. "JuSt LoOk At Me, GiRl, LoOk BeTwEeN mY EyEs…"

[An Amy]

Lilleah had the instinct to turn her eyes away, shutting them against whatever this beast was as she tried in vain to struggle out from under its pin. The smell of its breath, the acrid taste in the air around it stung at her hose. She let out a whimper trying to struggle free...

"Get off!" she cried out, though much more of a plea than a demand.

Struggle! Grapple check for freedome! [roll0]

[Leriel]

Lilleah manages to slip away, gasping for breath. She has the feeling that the creature let her go.
“SiLlY GiRl… yOu dId NoT wAnT tO sEe It. To SeE wHo SeNt Me. ThE mArK oF yOuR tEaChEr… oF mIsTrEsS bElDwYn.”
The creature turns for a moment to Caleb, struggling with the wolf. It’s A mAtTeR oF tImE, aNd YoUr GuArDiAn WiLl Be No MoRe. As HaPpEnEd To SaGaEd. AnD tHaT’S yOuR fAuLt, GiRl. AlL. yOuR. fAuLt.

[An Amy]

No! Beldwyn knew where they were? Of course! The mark upon each sister that entered the tower... nay, any mage that entered Tar Valon at all. Of course! How could she have forgotten? And she prided herself on being knowledgeable.

Seeing the wolf on Caleb, both of them struggling and moving around too much for her to get a good aim.

"Leave us alone!" she shouts, trembling as she raises her hand to the larger wolf and lets a bolt of arcane energy loose upon it.

~~~~

Kamehameha for the win! [roll0] [roll1]

[Leriel]

The energy blast hits the creature with full strength – actually, it does anything to avoid it.
The air smells of ozone and flickers with energy.

Lilleah sees a small luminescence on the forehead of the beast: the mark of Beldwyn glows. And the body of the beast is surrounded by a tight magic field. The eldritch bolt, while powerful, had no effect on it.

Lilleah can just hear her hearth beating. Nothing is moving. A quick look shows that Caleb managed to hit the last wolf that was struggling with him – the dagger is deep in side the neck of the animal – but he’s no more moving, too.

”Do YoU rEaLlY tHiNk YoU cAn WiN? dO yOu ReAlLy ThInK mY mIsTrEsS dId NoT pRoTeCt Me, HeR g… hEr SeRvAnT? i WaS vErY cArEfUl NoT tO hUrT yOu, YoUnG gIrL. sO, yOu CaN’T hUrT mE. yOu LoSt, DoN’T fOoL yOuRsElF.”

[An Amy]

Lilleah rushes to Caleb's side, tears filling her eyes, worry filling her expression. Hands shaky, she looked her guardian over, how was he wounded? Was it even bloodloss or some demonic curse? How could Beldwyn do such... not just from a capacity of her morality but her ability to do these things? What sort of magic was this that either summoned forth these creatures or... or manipulated them so? The fully raised enchantress was one of the older sisters in the tower, ageless in the way that magic touched the girls.

Thinking of such a conundrum in her mind helped compartmentalize her worry... the larger wolf was right there, but she had only thoughts for Caleb in that moment.

~~~~~

If she can, she'll go to make an untrained heal check.
[roll0]

[Leriel]

Caleb is alive. Dirty, wounded and looking really bad, but Lilleah can see his chest moving slowly as he breaths.

Lilleah has no idea where to start to take care of the young man. He's bleeding and moving him could be a bad idea. But... as she moves her hand closer to his face, she suddenly sees that her fingers are faintly glowing in a silvery light – but she has little time to wonder about it, since the twisted big wolf roars and gets closer - she can smell it.

” nOt DeAd YeT? i’lL tAkE cArE oF hIm WiTh PlEaSuRe, ThEn. I cAn KiLl HiM, bE sUrE tHaN hE wIlL sUfFeR a LoT – AnD iT’S yOuR fAuLt. UnLeSs… yOu CaN sTiLl ChAnGe YoU mInD aNd JoIn BeLdWyN. sHe’s YoUr TeAcHeR aFtEr AlL, aNd A pOwErFuL sIsTeR…"

[An Amy]

"No! Stay away from him!" Lilleah cries out, making sure to move between Caleb and the beast as she looks down at calls out over her shoulder. "Get back, fowl darkspawn! I will never..."

What is with her hand? She looks down at it, unsure what it means. Was it... some magic? Some reaction to the creature? She didn't know... and couldn't rely upon it without knowing more. And the only thing she was certain of was that Caleb would die without intervention, when any of her books failed her, her knowledge and ability to access the wealth within her mind proved to be of little use. It felt... somehow like this thing on her hand was key to getting out of the situation with Caleb alive. But she didn't know how what this was, why it was or how to take advantage of this.

[Leriel]

“ NeVeR? nEvEr?! AcCePt ThE gIfT oF tHe ShAdOw LoRd, SiLlY gIrL. wHy ArE yOu FoOlInG yOuRsElF? sToP yOuR fOoLiSh EsCaPe. ReNoUnCe… dEsIsT… FoLlOw ThE sTePs Of YoUr TeAcHeR, oF mY mIsTrEsS, aS i SwEaR mYsElF!”

~~~
You can make knowledge (arcana) and spellcraft on what happened to your hand. Feel free to spam such skill checks when you see something magical around you BTW.

[An Amy]

Totally playing into her easily overwhelmed flaws (not actual flaw but personality flaws nonetheless) Still, might as well see if she does have some inspiration somewhere because like... have you seen her knowledge and spellcraft?
Arcana [roll0]
Spellcraft [roll1]


~~~~~

With fear swollen inside of her more than any other emotion, Lilleah does not have the head to try and figure out what is going on with her hand. Regret... anger... fear... all these things leading to her being stuck, in a panic.

"Why? Why me? Why us?" her words came out... softer... not so much as a demand of the demonic servant but of fate.

[Leriel]

Lilleah tries to get some comfort in memories of the past. She went back to the day when the elder sisters told to the novices that they would have guardians assigned to them the following day. That a guardian would be assigned to her.
And she has a sudden flash, while remembering she couldn't concentrate on lessons that day: the teacher was speaking of colors associated to magic (something like “chromonomancy”), telling them not to expect to see silver magic, since it was related to Devas – the angelic creatures of the Bastion of Faith, stronghold of the forces of the Morning Lord.

Her hand... What could it be?

~~~
It's because she has such skills that I want her to spam it. There's a reason for such skills being so high, I'm not speaking of game mechanics...

[An Amy]

Chromonomancy... silver... a source of celestial might. It is stronger when approaching Caleb? Looking down at her hand as it is, the light is fading, but she doesn't know what it means. Why? And why now? Her head for knowledge was also filled with tales and adventures and dramas that would always include various moments of prophecy fulfilled or omens and portents. With all that upon her in that moment, she feels very ill-equipped to deal with any of it, as if none of what she's read or absorbed in libraries across Cairhien is going to give her any help.

I'm sorry... she thinks aloud to Caleb as she places her silver'd hand upon him hoping she's right about what this means.

[Leriel]

As Lilleah put her hand on the body of Caleb, the young man gasped for breath.

After that, Lilleah is not sure of was she saw – it was faster of a blink of an eye.

It seemed to her that Caleb was surrounded of silvery light, jumped up and growth a pair of wings made of silver feathers. Then, holding a spear of silvery light, he pierced the body of the foul beast.

What she sees now it that the beast is howling in pain, a dagger deep into its body, where the hearth probably should be. Caleb is standing near her, his hands on her shoulder, saying something she cannot understand.

[An Amy]

By the light!

She doesn't know what happened at all. Lilleah supposes she's not meant to know and only meant to be thankful something happened that saved them. Gratitude will need to be awarded to whomever or whatever was the reason for this, indeed, but for the time being she stood up and looked around... were there others? No... they'd dealt with them. This creature howls like it is slain or close enough to know its failure. She finds one hand has covered her mouth, the other grasping at the pendant around her neck and clutching it to her breast as if in defense. In awe, her eyes turn to Caleb...

By the light indeed...

[Leriel]

Caleb is calling Lilleah, but the girl feels his voice coming far, so far. Carefully he gets closer and embrace her. Lilleah feels his face wet with tears. Finally, she can hear him.
“Lil! Please speak to me! Are you fine? Did you get hurt?”

[An Amy]

"No, no... but you are..." or he was, she's not sure of what's going on at that moment. "Are you hurt? I saw you bite... be bite... bitten, it bit you, are you hurt?"

She has worry for him, eyes full of... rain, tears, she didn't know. There was a moment just then that she feared him dying, of losing him and her being powerless to do anything about it. The silvery hand, Beldwyn... these facts are absent from her mind right then as she only had thoughts for Caleb and his wellbeing.

[Leriel]

Caleb whispers to Lilleah, caressing her hairs with one hand, still holding her strong.
“It’s OK Lil, it’s OK. We are here, we are together, everything will be fine.”
He holds Lilleah for some seconds… but then he moves away a little, looking for his sword and grasping it, then looking at the wolfish creature that is still howling in pain. Lilleah can clearly see than the symbol on its head is crackling with small lightning. Then the beastly howls became more and more humans scream of pain… and he beast starts to change, its body morphing in a human one, crouched.
The fur of the wolf disappears, leaving just naked human skin. You can recognize the miser man crawling in pain on the ground. He is Sagaed, the guardian of Beldwyn. He looks at the couple, tears mixed with blood in his eyes, and whispers “Forgive me…”

[An Amy]

Blessed is that rain that hides what pours forth from the eyes. Lilleah watches in mild curiosity but mostly horror as the creature changes and morphs into that of Sagaed... Beldwyn's guardian. The man appears dying... so much so that Lilleah instinctively takes a step forward as if to tend to him, to rush to the aide of another person in need... but she stops with just that one step, returning and grasping Caleb further with one arm, a hand taking a full hand of his shirt tightly.

"Caleb and I live... so I can forgive you," she speaks, intensity still in her eyes. "But we are not the ones who'll release you from damnation... that is a fate you sealed for yourself when you turned to the shadow. I can do nothing for you."

Her grasp to Caleb shudders.

~~~

Knowledges and Spellcrafts to understand what was happening, what the mark was and how he could have changed like that:
Arcana [roll0]
Religion[roll1]
Planes[roll2]
Spellcraft [roll3]

[Leriel]

Sagaed is still on the ground, coughing blood.
“No… you don’t understand… she sealed me inside this thing… and I could not do anything… but…

The small campfire suddenly burst and erupts flames. Lilleah hears a single word of magic and sees that Sagaed is no more speaking, not moving anymore. With horror, she found herself unable to move, too.

This nightmarish night is not ending yet. Lilleah can hear footsteps behind her, coming from the campfire. Light footsteps, as someone taking his time.

A humanoid shape, dressed in black, enters in her field of view. Lilleah cannot close her eyes, no way, and can’t avoid seeing who’s getting near. She hoped not to see that woman again, but the nightmare is still going on: she’s Beldwyn. The sorceress is wielding a strange long thing in her right hand.

[An Amy]

How? What is going on? She cannot move, cannot close her eyes, cannot even change her focus. Is... time stopped or is she paralyzed? Is the rain still falling and she's just unable to track its movement?

Beldwyn...! Again... how, why, what point was escaping at all if they could be so easily found and stopped? Why was hope ever a thin? What is that in her hand?

[Leriel]

Beldwyn looks at Sagaed with contempt and disdain. “You are useless now, as you were useless as a guardian. You didn’t understand what power is. Fear not, silly one, I still have plans for you.” she says while somewhat playing with the thing in her hands.

Then she turns to Lilleah. ”Is curiosity what I see in your eyes, pretty face? Of course, you always were eager to know. Only to reject my invitation to join me, not knowing what power you could wield.”

Beldwyn shakes her head slowly, as she uses to do to express her disapproval. Then she finally shows what she’s holding: a long horn, blackened and covered with dark runes.

”Come on, you know what it is. It’s the horn of a unicorn. Do you know why they fear men? The Shadow Lord, the Dark and Great One, ‎taught us a ritual. Cutting the horn of a unicorn while it’s still alive… not only will make the beast mad, dying in pain… but preserve its magic. And we can use it, wielding it, turning in power, real power” she says ecstatic.

”And you dared to blame me? You, so eager to wield power, refused this gift?”

For a moment Baldwyn points the horn toward Lilleah, that’s free to speak.

[An Amy]

"I rejected it then, as I still do now," Lilleah responds, still unable to move. "I seek my own. Not stolen from another or leashed by shadow."

[Leriel]

For just a moment, Beldwyn looks like she could explode. She did not expect such a reply from Lilleah.
Then she speaks again, marking each word: “Silly, insolent and presumptuous girl. You will regret these words when your soul will go mad in the darkness.”

She points the horn to the ground, like as using a quill, and she draws a curved line between her and Sagaed. As soon as she raises her hand, a magical barrier appears. Then she utters these words:

Change! Change! O’ form of man!
Free the prince forever damned!
Free the might from fleshy mire!
Boil the blood in the heart for fire!
Gone! Gone! O’ form of man!
Rise the demon Etrigan!

Sagaed screams, a scream that pierces the skies. His bones break. His body is no more – it’s more a puppet badly left on the floor.

And then he changes. A powerful builded humanoid, with red leather skin, horns and bat wings, surrounded by flames, arises from the burning remains of Sagaed.

~~~
Oh, you lose 6 HP for the flames surrounding Etrigan

[An Amy]

Lilleah shrieks internally, shutting her eyes if she could and biting on her lips in and effort to remove herself from the moment, from the south of Sagaed's body being rent and sundered. She cannot take it, and lets out a cry, almost pleading for Beldwyn to stop torturing the man. He was her guardian! Sure, he too turned from the light and embraced the shadow just as she did... or, rather, at least not to the same extent. But no one deserved that fate ultimately.

Then from his broken corpse arose... a demon. A creature of darkness itself! Lilleah's eyes were wide with fear, her breathing accelerated and she still could not move, could not run or fight back... not that she felt she could. Not against a full sister and... whatever this was that had taken over Sagaed's remains.

"Light have mercy..."

[Leriel]

The magic shield barely protects Baldwyn from the force of the hellfire surrounding the demon. Even if not so close, Lillaeh feels the extreme heat. But this is the last of her problems.

The demon speaks with the voice of doom:

Beldwyn, my liege, what is thy bidding?
Want me shed blood, flesh tear and ripping?
Whatever your foes, they are already dead;
Etrigan’s here, dark ruler of dread.

"I leave them to you, Etrigan. Make them suffer. Make them remember forever what's the fate of who turns against the Dark Lord. play with theis souls until the end of time. I'll be back to the Ivory Tower, mourning their death by the teeth of wolves..."

Baldwyn disappears, as she never was there. The demon approaches.

Filthy ones! You, hellish scum!
How you dare to make me come?
Your flesh and guts I’ll rip and tear
You’ll scream and roar, I say, and I swear
Fear my wrath and fear my word:
Fear Etrigan, the demon lord!

[An Amy]

With eyes wider still despite the heat pouring from this creature... this demon summoned, Lilleah panics as she hears Beldwyn's words. What power does this woman truly have if she can turn her guardian into a infernal creature and summon the absolute epitome of a demon that calls her... it's liege. Only the fact that the sister is leaving Lilleah and Caleb in the hands of this thing is more terrifying. What chances did they ever have? Fates seem sealed, outcomes determines... so much so that Beldwyn leaves as if now bored and disappointed.

But suddenly she can move... and hopefuly so can Caleb, though he was in no condition and what could they do now? Could they truly run? Could they fight?

~~~~

Lilleah initiative? [roll0]

[Leriel]

Lilleah is reacting fast to the menace – she feels that she needs to.
The heat is making breathing difficult (another 6 HP away, please).
Lilleah hesitates just a little – she sees that the demon raises an eyebrow – but she’s ready to act.

Near her, the sound of something falling to the ground. With the corner of her eye, she sees Caleb dropping his sword, his hand is burned. The fallen sword is nothing more than a useless piece of melted metal.

[An Amy]

The heat is so intense that Lilleah feels her skin starting to burn, if not her hair and clothing... Caleb's dropped weapon touches the ground even a step closer to the creature and begins to warp and glow brightly. Grasping Caleb's wrist, Lilleah turns to flee. She's not sure if she can outrun this creature. Fear is so overwhelming inside her... all she knows is they can't stay there.

"Hurry! It'll burn us just being."

[Leriel]

Lilleah is running, each step painful due to her shoes started burning. Her only connection to the world is the grasp on the hand of Caleb.

And suddenly the world stops. Her breath, her pain – all stops. She feels that something is getting close… and she sees the demon in front of her. It moves a clawed finger at her, then it tears the highest part of her dress, from the neck going down, just a little over her left breast.

The demon steps back and bows in front of Lilleah, down on a knee. The time starts to flow again. The heat is no more…

[An Amy]

What? Lilleah does not know what is happening. Why is the heat gone? Why did time stop? She reaches up and grasps at her clothing, fearful the creature was about to strip her... instead it tore part of her dress at the left shoulder down, exposing... the mark of the tower, of the enchantment school that indicated her being of the accepted of that school of magic.

The demon bows before her...

"What are you doing?" she asks, unsure what else to do other than remain still and grasp at Caleb's hand to make sure he's still there. "Why do you bow?"

[Leriel]

The hand of Caleb is cold. He’s not moving at all. At first, Lilleah thinks he’s still out of time – but then she feels him shuddering.
Lilleah realizes she’s shuddering, too. Is it a body reaction to the previous heat – or just fear?
Then she hears the demon – inside her mind.

Mighty Mistress of the Art,
Lil’aleh, I’m doing my part;
As my life and soul you spared,
Of me never you’ll be scared.
The sealed pact made us not foes;
I feel your power that still grows.

[An Amy]

Lilleah looks to Caleb to assure herself that he's still there, alive... even if they are cold. Is it even still raining?

What pact? How have I spared your soul? She almost intended to call it a demon once more. But she thinks best not to, remembering the intense heat and the incredible pain it caused already. She's not sure what she did to earn anything of a demon, but... she needs to know more. Whatever happened, she too is spared. Caleb is spared. Beldwyn left believing the demon would finish her off.

[Leriel]

The demon nods and raises up, as if it already knew that it should reply to such a question.

It slowly moves its hand toward Lilleah – and she looks astonished a small flow of energy from her to it. The energy looks like the one she casts as eldritch power, but the demon just holds it and shape it as a sphere.

Lilleah sees something in the sphere… no, someone. A woman in her late thirties, a slender one wearing a robe and with long dark-brown hair, slightly curled, with a confident look on her face. The woman is surrounded by a multi colored sphere – glowing with the colors of the rainbow – and she’s facing a foe. A powerful creature – it keeps its dignity even if it has a broken arm, it’s losing blood, its face is covered by scars and its wings are burned. The two of them are standing in a silver-gray void.

The powerful creature is the demon – who’s such a lady to defeat it?

[An Amy]

Are you... is this a memory of you? How am I connected to this? Am I this woman? What does this have to do with my mark?

There's the fear that too many questions would spoil the moment. Perhaps the demon is fooled somehow into thinking Lilleah is this other woman. It is a misunderstanding that spares her and Caleb in this moment. Shattering the illusion that she is someone else might be her undoing. Yet... well, she honestly feels that the demon wouldn't be making that kind of mistake. It saw something about her. Her mark. Something about it... her... this woman. It didn't add up at all, but a mind full of storybooks as well starts to turn as her imagination fills the gaps in wild and barely fathomable ways. Such that she's the reincarnation of some powerful sorceress of an age long ago who spared the demon in this fight. Or that the mage order itself or the enchantresses battled the demon once in order to earn its favor. Or, even more wildly, demons are not at all what she and others have been taught, and their vile and evil qualities are attributed after the fact due to the uses and purposes for their summoning rather than the demon's own inherent nature.

Still, she squeezes Caleb's hand as if it's the only logical thing happening right now.

[Leriel]

Lilleah sees that the demon opens its mouth as if it wanted to talk... but it closes it again, its lips are a thin line. It moves his head from top to bottom imperceptibly.

In the sphere, Lilleah sees the woman turning around to talk to someone and realizes that the resemblance between her and the woman is impressive. The woman seems to be looking towards her now...

A stream of memories passes through her. Where does this knowledge come from? Lilleah (or Lil’aleh?) remembers very well how she trained to face Etrigan, after what she discovered (but what?). Etrigan, the Rhymer. Etrigan, older than this world. Etrigan, who carries out its work of destruction as it is required to do. Etrigan, whose True Name is...

Memories stops. Lilleah still hears the demon's voice:

And another thing to set;
El’Cab should of me forget,
This was asked in advance,
But to change you have a chance.

[An Amy]

How would one forget? Could it manipulate memories? Or... is it implying another means, one with far more permanence.

How would it be done for him not to remember? she asked of Etrigan, mentally forming the question as she had done so before.

Turning her eyes to Caleb, she asked of the guardian trainee aloud, "Caleb... do... do you have any memory of Et- of this... of him, this demon?"

Are you a demon? You look like one, but... I'm losing confidence in a lot of things lately.

[Leriel]

Caleb turns his head to Lilleah – but she could not recognize his eyes, they are full of a silver light. He looks again at the demon.

"Beast. Defiler. Harbinger of destruction. Yet… the reason of our creation.”

Etrigan nods and goes on:

"Lil’aleh, this was your wish
Let this night so nightmarish
He forgets, remove the pain
Not be aware of our bargain."

[An Amy]

"How was this my wish?" she asks aloud, feeling lost and overwhelmed. Her heart starts pounding loudly from the stress of feeling like she's the only one that doesn't know what's going on. Caleb... what is happening? "What is going on? Caleb... please..."

She turns toward the demon once more. "Fine... how do we proceed?"

[Leriel]

The demon nods again. Lilleah feels dizzy for some seconds… then she feels like she’s looking at someone playing in a theater. But the main actor is herself.

Lilleah is quite overwhelmed by the pain that Caleb felt when he dropped the melting sword. Then the memories go back…

The summoning of Etrigan.
Beldwyn.
The changing of the wolfish creature to Sagaed.
The final blow to that creature.
Caleb crying to the Light, between life and death, not to lose L…

The flow of memories stops. Lilleah understand that she needs to decide where should they end.

[An Amy]

"There," she says, raising her hand. "When Caleb slew the creature and it turned back into Sagaed but before Beldwyn showed up."

That moment was one of courage and heroics... something good. She also doesn't want to forget what Caleb had done for her, the struggle they both shared. But the horror of being absolutely at Beldwyn's mercy, frustrated by her seemingly great power was... well, she wants to forget that too.

[Leriel]

The demon nods. Lilleah sees Caleb slowly dropping on the ground, as he felt asleep.

"By the Ruling of the Three,
The last term that I agreed.
Your mark never will be used
To locate you or be abused."

Lilleah feels something – like a needle pointing her skin – where her mark is located. Looking at it, she sees that the open eye is no more – it was replaced by a closed one. The rest of the mark is unchanged.

[An Amy]

"Caleb!" she yelps as he falls, trying to catch him and keep him from crashing and hurting himself, but he's a bit too heavy for her and she goes to her knees simply trying to keep his head from finding a previously hidden stone. He was asleep...

"Ow... mother's..." Lilleah lets out in a mild cursing as something stabs her in the chest... feeling an awful lot like when she received the mark to begin with. It wasn't just a mark done with magic but with actual ink and a needle and a lot more pain than she thought she'd have to endure at the Ivory Tower. Still... seeing the eye shut was surprising. It made sense. And it was such a small thing that seemingly had come with such a price.

"What... ruling of the three? What were the other terms?" she asked of the demon, looking up from where she knelt by her friend.

[Leriel]

The demon was not listening to Lilleah – it turned its head like it heard something. Quickly it turned to Lilleah again, looking at her as to be sure she understood.

“And at last some final words
That will hurt as deadly swords
Don’t blame me, since I speak true
Know it’s not out of the blue

In your blood, so deep inside
There’s a truth you cannot hide
There’s the blessing, heed my word
Of the dreadful Shadow Lord.”

The final rhymes were uttered slowly, while the demon bowed again at Lilleah.
And it was no more to be seen.

[An Amy]

Lilleah quickly turns to Caleb after seeing the demon disappear. Tears are in her eyes suddenly as the words that the demon speaks... how? What could they mean... rather, what else could they mean other than what they seemed to imply rather straightforward? How could they be interpreted that didn't say 'you have the blood of the shadow lord in you.'

"Caleb! Caleb!"

[Leriel]

Caleb has never been a person who complains of pain, but this time Lilleah cannot help but feel that the guardian lets out a grimace and a moan.

Caleb opens his eyes and has a worried expression. He sits up and looks at Lilleah:

"Lil! Are you OK? Why are you crying?"

Then he looks at the girl again... and embrace her.

"What a fool I am ... come here, Lil. It's over... there are no wolves anymore. Even poor Sagaed died, I saw the sadness in his eyes while he was lying on the ground. But that's enough... let me embrace you, Lil, I'm here. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine."

The last words are a whisper, while the man caresses her hair.

[An Amy]

Lilleah throws her arms around Caleb, overwhelmed with joy at hearing his voice and knowing that he's... still who he is. Not some... or whatever happened with the silver light, the demon... Beldwyn.

"I'm just glad you're alright..." she mutters with her face buried against his shoulder.

Everything will be fine? Lilleah doubted it would ever be that way again. At least not anytime soon...

[Leriel]

Month of the Raven, night between 13th and 14th

Lilleah has a dream.

She sees a small woman (just a little taller than her), dressed in a black and tight-fitting long dress. Her complexion is pale, almost white, but she’s pretty, with long raven hair and oriental features, a little make up just around her pitch black eyes.

The woman is standing near a low table with two crystal goblets, both half full of an amber liquid. Someone knocks a door somewhere. The woman just smiles – the door opens, and an imposing figure enters the room.

It’s tall if not huge – probably more than 8 fts. – and it wears a jet-black full suit of armor. No insignias can be read on it, it’s just dark as a moonless night. On its back, an appropriate enormous two-handed sword.

The figure moves some steps toward the woman and bows to her. “My Lady…” he says with otherworldly voice.

The woman smiles and gracefully take a goblet from the table. She replies with a melodious voice – such a contrast with the previous one.

“I must compliment you, Djerun. Praise to my champion!” and she raises the goblet. “The champion of Noumena had no chance against you.”

“Noumena is a fool, my Lady. I can't understand how he could have become a Hierarch. Did he really think that his creature had a change against me? It did not manage to overcome the Tower of Iron Will, the weakest of my defenses.”

“The game just begun, Djerun. Do not underestimate the Four Ones. Drink with me, now.”

The creature called Djerun nods and gets closer to the table. Then it carefully removes the helm, putting it aside.

And doing so, Lilleah sees its face.

It’s human – well, it was a human… but now just the skeleton remains. Just a blackened skull, with no more flesh or nerves – and the teeth replaced with red gems.

But the worst are its eyes – just two points of deep red light, among a darkness like the blackness of the armor.

The woman is telling something to him… but Lilleah cannot hear her. She wakes up, screaming. And Caleb is not near her.

[An Amy]

Lilleah sits up and looks around seeing the dead of night... and finding herself alone. The images of the dream are still so vivid, she half expected to find the woman and whatever standing nearby. Realizing the dream or vision is over, she is alarmed not to find Caleb nearby. She isn't quite sure what hour it is, or how close it is to sunrise. Still... the scream was loud, she feels, and that should have awakened anyone close enough to hear. Or anyone sleeping just nearby.

"Caleb?" she asks of the darkness around her slowly, softly. If her scream didn't get anyone's attention, she isn't sure what a near whisper is supposed to accomplish. Yet there's a timidness to her posture and voice.

[Leriel]

Silvernight is near, so the moon is quite full. Even if it’s covered by cloud, slowly the moonlight makes Lilleah more aware of what surrounds he.

She hears an owl somewhere. But she’s happier to hear fast steps and a familiar voice – Caleb is getting near.
”I’m here, Lil” he says whispering as well. He sits down near the girl, holding her hands. ”Bad dreams?”

His hands are wet, and Lilleah feels some drops of water falling from his face. As replying to an unsaid question, he goes on.
”Of course you had bad dreams. But they were just dreams, OK? Such a night… I was unable to sleep, so I tried to get rid of the smell of burned leather, washing a little. My armor is useless.”

Lilleah feels that Caleb is really near her – and when a cloud moves away from the moon, she’s finally able to see him under the moonlight. His blonde hair is wet, his eyes are deep blue – and his muscular chest is naked. She never saw him like that – and he was never so close to her.

Caleb looks at her, aware of the little distance between the two of them. He looks somewhat uneasy and looks down, in order to look away from the sweet eyes of the girl.

And suddenly he jumps up, unease.
”Lil… Lilleah. You should fix your dress. It’s… it’s showing too much of you…” he says, gulping and looking away.

[An Amy]

"Yes..." Lilleah acknowledged that it was indeed a dream... or so she hopes. The images are still there in her mind, but so vivid as well are the images from the previous night with Beldwyn and... the fiery demon. The pain of the flames.

"Right..." she gasps as she clutches her dress and pulls the scrap of it up to her left shoulder. Just the sight of the young man before her drew out her attention entirely she'd forgotten... what the demon did while exposing her mark. Not that it had any clue as to mortal modesty. "I'm sorry... yes."

Lilleah turns away, still holding her dress up to cover herself from further embarrassment. "Caleb... what... what do you remember about last night?"

[Leriel]

Caleb is relieved to see that Lilleah is not acting to tease him. Even if he likes her (he cannot fool himself), he still thinks that to be a proper guardian he should avoid… complications.

”You are right, it looks like something is… missing. I clearly remember the fiendish wolves, almost being overwhelmed by them… then I felt a rush of energy and I was able to hit the big one. Surely there was an explosion of some kind, a really hot one – since my armor is burned and the swords melted. Just the dagger is not useless. Then I remember little, but seeing you – and I understood that everything ended well.

The young man sits again near the girl. So far, they are speaking like whispering, not to disturb the quiet night.
”You know, when I was down, I felt something… kind. Like… feeling at home. And I was able to get on my feet again.”

Caleb looks at the moon and then again at the face of Lilleah. ”Surely, it was some help from you” he smiles. ”But tell me – how did that explosion happen?”

[An Amy]

Lilleah sits on her legs, clutching not only her dress to her but her hands as well as she speaks softly still, somewhat in awe and shock.

"Belweyn appeared... she did that to Sagaed... she burned his body. Do you... you don't remember that? You don't remember her taunting us. I- I don't think she was really here. I, well I, uh, can't say for certain. She had something with her. A, uh, a... like some wand or rod. She used it to kill Sagaed, her own guardian. How- How could she? The bond... the bond between guardian and mage. It- it is a deep thing. It is a bond of magic, of souls. They feel each other's pain, Caleb. How could she do that? What did she feel as she twisted his..." She stops and shuts her eyes as the memory of Sagaed's screams fills her ears in a way more realistic than ever. The whole scene plays out before her. Lilleah whimpers and curls up but quickly sits up again with a sniffle. "My hair, my dress... I'm all singed. And Tippa's not here, she- she- she's the best with all her brushes to..."

The feeling is overwhelming for her. Lilleah fails at holding things together as she throws herself at Caleb, wrapping her arms around him and weeping.

[Leriel]

”Beldwyn. Who else?” Caleb has a sudden mix of feelings – anger, for sure, both for what she’s doing to them but also what she did to Sagaed. Also, the awareness that they need to put some more distance from the Ivory Tower.

But these feelings should wait. Protecting Lilleah from harm with his martial skill, sure, is important. But there’s more. A magic bond between guardian and mage? It’s not that.

It could be at the beginning. But he can’t help having feelings for Lilleah. And wanting to protect her. And, more important, knowing what she really needs.

Caleb holds Lilleah tight, just mumbling low, letting her weep. Actually, he has some tears flowing from his eyes – it doesn’t matter.

Caleb waits until she stops – there’s no need for words, she needs to ease her mind now.

As the girl looks at him again, her eyes still full of tears, Caleb knows that he should say something. That they will be fine. That he will protect her. That they will be so far that that wicked witch would never find them, and they would start a new life. That…

The moon disappears under a cloud.

Caleb takes the trembling face of Lilleah between his strong hands and gently kisses her.

[An Amy]

Knowledges to find out where the nearest town might be given how she might know where they are:
Knowledge Geography (where places are on the map): [roll0]
Knowledge Nature (what's around that they could use to determine where they are): [roll1]


~~

She lets herself fall into the kiss, the innocent moment of two young hearts. It is sad that such tragedy proceeded the first moment of intimacy for her... with the boy she held a childish crush back in the Ivory Tower. It is over far quicker than she wants it to be, but whatever metaphorical magic is there between them does work and her nerves are calmed. Hope, however small and weak, is still there like the glowing embers of a fire yet to start. She can only have more hope and dream of a time when they can kiss again without the pressures of a whole black school chasing them, without demons and melting swords, without transformed wolves and dark riddles speaking of...

The shadow lord in her blood.

She shudders, but it is truly the chill air this time. She reaches out and takes Caleb's hand, tenderly so, genuinely concerned for him.

"We need to find an inn or a town... to actually rest some from this."

[Leriel]

I’ll put the results of your checks as part of the post

~~~
Lilleah remembers Caleb speaking of Fenoval [see one of my first post], not so far. She remembers that place for… a dress. A gorgeous dress donned by a sister during a celebration. There should be a good seamstress there, to have such a memory. [On the map, is a couple of days (by foot) from Tar Valor, on the street for Shienar]. As long as they return on the street, they should be there in some hours.

Caleb, from his side, can't help but wonder if he didn't take advantage of the girl in a moment of her weakness. It could be an easy explanation.

But he knows that’s not. He felt that Lilleah had his same feelings. She did not speak of the kiss out of shame; her silence about it was because both of them… needed them. And now she has again her determination.

Caleb nods. ”Tomorrow morning we should be in Fenoval. With some luck we could find a decent inn and some equipment for the travel. I think we should put more miles between us and the Ivory Tower.”

[An Amy]

"As many miles as possible right now," Lilleah agrees with him as she sits up on her own, her hand in contact with his chest surprisingly longer than she thought it was at all. She pulls it back into her lap and considers what else there is to do now. "Try and get some rest. I think we should avoid the road. I know it would make travel easier, but... I don't know. What do you think? I'm just afraid that Beldwyn or another sister is going to find us. It's been over a week since we left Tar Valon, and surely they'll... no. Well, the tower doesn't normally hunt down initiates and novices. But accepted like me with marks, not to mention the black school wanting us anyway, they would pursue. Do you think the roads are safe?

[Leriel]

Caleb closes his eyes and thinks at the words of Lilleah. It helps him – his sight is too good, even in the darkness, and closing them helps him focusing.

”I could not remember her, but you said that Beldwyn was here. More or less – but enough to… do what she did to Sagaed and burn this place. But if she left us alive… maybe she’s trying to scare you. Playing the cat with the mouse to get you go back trembling to her. I’m not sure, she’s to wicked to imagine what she’s thinking.

But for sure, a city or a town would be safer – too many people will be there. What about trying to get to Fenoval… now? We could be there as the sun rises. A good omen. We can do it…”

[An Amy]

"Yes, let's leave this place... Beldwyn knew we were here. It's... it's not safe."

Lilleah stands while still holding her dress shut, knowing that it's going to feel awkward walking and holding it the entire time. She tries to tuck it just right so that it doesn't fall completely open. Of all the times she didn't wear a corset or girdle or anything of the sort that would support the dress without feeling like she was about to expose herself. But no... nothing seems to work just right. She'll just have to... walk in front or something for the time being, not like modesty was something she still had anymore. There seemed to be so little left of her former life and she was sure she couldn't return to it. As long as nothing happened to her family because of this. She has no way of knowing, though.


~~~
Random Survival for... Survival, and making it in the wilds on pure luck and a hint of wit: [roll0]

[Leriel]

Caleb nods and smiles to Lilleah, gently caressing her face. Then he puts the short vest he used to wear under the leather armor – he already disposed of it.
The two of them gather the few things they own – and resume their travel, under the moonlight.

~~~

Apart the sky promising rain, the weariness and the problems of Lilleah with her dress, the pair manages to reach the road. The moon is leaving its place to make room at dawn.

And the first lights of dawn greet Lilleah and Caleb at the doors of Fenoval.

Well, Fenoval is not a big city and has not doors or gates – is more a not-so-big town, a farmer village growth in importance as a passage for the near city of the Ivory Tower.

But Lilleah spots something. A small fire is lit on the road, with a small pot over it. The small campfire lights two figures, each wearing a sort of blanket. One is attending the pot, the other has his head resting on the shoulder of the first, complaining.

”Ophi, sis, I’m sleepy…”
”Brian, you are the one who wanted to bet. I’m sure that Granny is right again.”
”Mmmmmmmm…”

[An Amy]

Lilleah approaches cautiously, wary of any interactions given how well she knows enchantment magic and Beldwyn's... awesome powers with that horn. She's also careful to keep her dress covering her left shoulder completely as to not be inappropriate given that one of these two appears younger. Still, the look of a pot... of food... it is so enticing to Lilleah she's already salivating at the site and her belly groaning to participate. It has indeed been a while since she last ate.

"Good morning," she calls out in a cheerful yet obviously tired tone. Sleepy, hungry... cold, injured with a singed and torn dress. She is sure she looks like she just crawled across the ground from the Ivory Tower itself and only just decided to stand up.

~~

Spot check to determine more details about these two [roll0]
Knowledge (local) to identify their origins, especially if they are from Tar Valon [roll1]
Knowledge (nature) to determine their races [roll2]

[Leriel]

With tired steps, Lilleah and Caleb get near the pair near the small fire. As soon as Lilleah greets them, the one attending the pot jumps up – she was sitting on a stool – and makes the other almost fall down.

Standing up, the blanket falls at her feet. Lilleah can see that’s a girl, taller than her, more or less of her age. She has the features of the people who comes from Tar Valon, but her face looks more healthier, her smile more genuine, and her long raven hair (almost to her hip) are not from the city of the Ivory Tower.

What’s really surprising is her dress: simple, long, reaching her ankles, perfectly shaped around her body. She has a small shoulder bag, the same color and fabric of her dress, decorated with a butterfly.

The boy struggles to keep his balance. He’s younger than the girl. He complains and put himself deeper in the blanket.
”You won, sis, I’ll dress properly at the wedding…”

The girl quickly replies to him.
”And you’ll wear the dress that I sewed to you!” she says ruffling the boy’s hair – the same raven black of the girl’s.

The girl then turns to Lilleah, smiling.
”My name is Ophelia, Ophelia Verreaux, and this grunting badger is my little brother Brian. He just lost a bet – our granny told us that a couple of stranger in needs would appear at dawn and he didn't believe it!”

Then she takes a scoop and pour some of the cinnamon-scented liquid in two mugs, offering them to Lilleah and Caleb.
”It will warm up your hearths – then I would be glad to bring you to the Inn of the Needle and Thread.”

[An Amy]

Sense motive, cuz she's paranoid [roll0] Edit: apparently hunger is blinding...
~~

Lilleah pauses when the girl, Ophelia, mentions something about them being expected. Though, they look like Tar Valoners... not fully. Tar Valon doesn't necessarily have a race of people associated with it, but... well, Lilleah is paranoid. Fires have produced enchantresses, and demons have sprung up from the bodies of the dead. It's not a stretch to imagine that two strangers by a cookpot could transform into monstrous crocodiles with laughs like crows.

"Who is your granny? Where's this inn exactly? And... uh, what's this about a wedding?" In her years of knowing people and various courts and lies, Lilleah knows that people often concoct elaborate stories to accompany their ruses, but the ruse is broad and far reaching more than it is deep. Simply pursuing a line of questions into more details about a particular aspect of a ruse can easily expose someone who's either lying or just not good at impromptu. Weeding out the impromptu's is the tricky part. Those that are just good at planning will have an end to their plans regardless of how deep they considered things. While Lilleah doesn't necessarily suspect she's being lied to, as these two do seem genuine in their presence, she's not going to just accept the first warm cup of something comforting and convenient.

[Leriel]

Ophelia smiles at Lilleah, takes the stool she was sitting on before and moves it near Lilleah and the fire. Then she opens her shoulder bag, takes a safety pin and fixes the neckline of the dress of Lilleah before she could even reply.

”There. A lady is more comfortable in proper dresses.” she smiles.

”Granny is our grandmother Miranda. She always had the gift of seeing far… not so accurate sometime, she couldn’t tell you were tall or small… but she said that a couple in need would arrive before my wedding, at dawn. Two days before. My wedding with Wilmer – at Silvernight – I’m so happy!”

”Miranda said that you will bring blessing to my wedding. So you are invited, and you’ll be my guest at the inn, it’s here in Fenoval – well, it’s the only one here. But… I forgot to ask your names!

[An Amy]

A lot of weird is going on, and Lilleah doesn't know how to properly thing of things. That also has something to do with how exhausted and hungry she was. She even lets the girl pin her dress, thankful for it... yet... still cautious. She can't treat everyone like they might be Beldwyn's accomplices. The woman doesn't have that far a reach. And even if she did, Lilleah doubted the evil enchantress would go to any lengths like a ruse to lure Lilleah in. She has a feeling it would be a powerful spell and two swift murders. Unless this is somehow sending a message.

"Thank you, then, Ophelia," Lilleah speaks a she takes the warm cup and sniffs at it further, enjoying the aromas before realizing she's drinking from it. "I'm not so sure about bringing blessings... but I am very appreciative of your grandmother's foresight in this manner at least. We are in dire need of food and rest. I know... my friend and I are eager to rest."

But if the wedding is two days away, that's two days that Lilleah doesn't want to wait around. She's starting to get nervous just standing there even, still... not moving and not constantly putting more distance between herself and the Ivory Tower. She looks to Caleb, looking for his strength in all this... oddly thinking of their kiss and blushing as well. She truly hoped that didn't happen just due to stress and sleep deprivation. Was there some firm truth and genuine feelings there? She feels certain form her standpoint that there was... still is. She can't speak for him though.

"I'm... also not certain our names will help. I'm afraid it might hurt you. I truly apologize, but I think it best you didn't know. I'm sorry... I just feel so uncertain about everything at the moment. If you could imagine what we've been through with any accuracy, I'm not sure your grandmother's words would have persuaded you to be here this morning. Again, I'm truly grateful you are here... as prophetic as it feels."

[Leriel]

Caled already tried some sips from the mug, before Lilleah did. He felt quite at ease after drinking the hot herb tea, so he just nodded at Lilleah when she tried it.
He steps forward and add some words to the speech of the tired girl.
”I’m sorry and I don’t want to be rude, but my… One under my protection? Beloved? Friend? Lil said so… "Friend", then... friend is right. We need some rest, some supply and we don’t want to bring our problems to you. I understand that you need to call us by some names – let us be… Thomas and Mary Winters”.

Two common names, not to draw much attention.

”Can we have a deal? Let us rest and speak with your kind grandmother, tomorrow. I’d like to thank her for sending you to greet us. But honestly, I’m not sure that’s sa… that we should remain here so long. Maybe your granny meant that you would bring blessing to us…”

Then Caleb finishes his mug. ”Would you be so kind to give me some more?”

Caleb looks at Lilleah, he tried to get some time asking for the tea. He nods at her, whispering that they should trust Ophelia.

[An Amy]

"Yes, Ophelia, I think speaking with your grandmother would be best for us right now. Light knows we could also use the rest."

Her smile is drained of energy and almost wan, but she still musters up the strength to appear as kind and gentle as possible especially given the bout with paranoia she is still dealing with.

"Would you kindly lead the way... well, after a moment to sit."

[Leriel]

Ophelia smiles, helping Lilleah to sit down on the stool.
Then everybody hears a muffled sound: it’s just Brian, finally falling asleep under the blanket. A big black cat – it scampers outside it.
”Lulu! There you are.”

Ophelia bends down to scratch the head of the cat. ”She belongs to granny. She’s so smart! She followed me and Brian when we left, about one hour ago.”

Then she stands up again, fills the mug of Caleb with her warm smile widening a little. She goes on with a lower volume in her voice: ”Well, madame et monsieur Winters. A wealthy couple, indeed. Mme Winters enjoys my tailored dresses and makes a lot or orders from Andor. Her carrier pigeons surely are busy. You decided to make me a surprise, knowing about the wedding, and travelled to Fenoval… but you were almost burned alive by brigands. You were badly hurt and robbed. Let me bring you to the inn and tell your story to Matthias, the owner… to avoid too many gossips. Is it fine for you?”

[An Amy]

Lilleah is uncomfortable with falsehoods, but at the fear of their actual names and situation making it back to the Ivory Tower, she reluctantly nods. It is not only safer for Caleb and herself but also for Ophelia, her family and the town of Fenoval.

"I hope it is fine for others," the Cairhienin says, taking more of the warm tea in sips. The flavor and aromas are calming. And for a brief moment she's not thinking of Beldwyn appear from under the cookpot.

[Leriel]

”Granny would agree. Don’t you think, Lulu?” Ophelia nods at Lilleah before taking a lantern, near her sleeping brother. She lights it, then with some efforts she extinguishes the fire.

”That’s enough. I’ll recover the pot later.”

Then she picks up her fallen blanket from the ground, shakes the dust off and puts it on the shoulder of Lilleah, smiling at the girl.
She moves near Brian and sighs.

”Monsieur Winter, would you be so kind to bring this sleeping boy with you?”

Caleb looks at the face of the boy and laughs. The tension melts a little. He gently takes up the sleeping Brian, being careful not to wake him.

”Looks like we are ready to get some rest, too, L…. Lady Winters”.

His smile to Lilleah warms her more than the cup of tea.

[An Amy]

His smile does indeed fill her with warmth and the courage to move.

"Yes, my mister- Monsieur Winters," she says with a returned smile that's almost giddy at the ruse. Part of that being the thought of them having to behave like a wealthy... married couple. Married! How far will the ruse have to go? Will they sleep in the same room? The same bed? Her heart is caught as she considers that little part of all this. Perhaps it would have been better to be siblings or cousins or just friends. But oh, she can't deny a little excitement in seeing what comes of this... a perfect reason to act more openly loving toward him.

Mortified a little still... would they have to kiss? Again? Blushing, oh, she hopes so...

[Leriel]

Month of the Raven, 14th

”KATARINA! Where is that girl? She wants me sinking in the bottom of the sea, she wants! Curse the Kraken!”

Lilleah and Caleb are outside the Inn of the Needle and Thread, looking at the sleeping Brian. Even there, they can hear the stentorian voice of Matthias. Ophelia told them that the innkeeper was a sailor, ending his life on the seas when he met his wife, Jessika.

Some sounds inside and the door opens. Ophelia is following Matthias – a tawny, well-built man, wearing some mismatched dresses. His long moustache is the same color of his hairs.

”Katarina is still asleep – so I’ll take care of you. Ophelia told me that you need some rest. Take care not to disturb the others – some more came for the wedding – and no one will disturb you. Being rich or poor doesn’t matter to me – as doesn’t matter to the sea.”

”Matthias! Please, show some kindness… He’s so gruff, but he’s a nice person actually.”

Ophelia is still smiling, as nothing on this world could make her unhappy.

”Monsieur Winter… Madame… thanks for taking care of my brother. Now let Matthias taking care of you in turn. I’ll provide some clean clothes, more adequate to you, in the late morning. Katarina will bring them with a proper breakfast. I will be pleased to meet you later, Matthias would provide someone escorting you. Au revoir, kind guests. Good bye, Matthias!”

She wakes up her brother and bows to Caleb and Lilleah.

Finally, Matthias brings them to their room.

”Don’t expect a suite. But it’s comfortable, and clean, Jessika is good at this. No vermin nor fleas. And the latch is sturdy. Sleep well.”

Matthias open the door. He’s right, the room is not so small. Lilleah can see a small table with a chair, a basin with a pitcher to pour water and wash her face, windows with curtains….

And a double bed in the center of the room.

Caleb locks the latch and turns to Lilleah.
”Looks like we can get some rest, at last!”

[An Amy]

"Thank you, Matthias, your generosity and hospitality are... tres exquisite." She hopes she's using almani correctly. Alone with Caleb, she makes sure the door is secure before letting out a sigh of relief. And then taking in one of concern... Again, mortification mixed with excitement upon seeing that there isl, indeed, just one bed between the two of them. She is also so tired, she wants to take advantage of it immediately... but she also feels very compelled to wash up first. But then there's her clothes that need dealing with, as she has nothing she can sleep in.

"I... don't have my spell book anymore," she says as she moves around the bed and begins to inspect it, resisting the urge to just dive in. "I have what spells I remember now, but I need to find something to replace them with. Do... do you think we should actually stay for the wedding? I feel... nervous just staying around here like this already. I keep wanting to check the windows to see if any of the enchantress school banners are flying on carriages along the road."

Lilleah shudders as she moves to the basin to pour some water for her face at the very least.

[Leriel]

Caleb looks at the restless Lilleah, moving in the room like it was a cage. The girl is taking the pitcher with trembling hands…

…and the young man jumps in to help her, as she cannot hold it. She’s too tired, even a full pitcher is too much for the exhausted girl.

Caleb puts the pitcher back on the basin – and looks at the weary face of the girl. She can’t bear this runaway. And he can’t bear seeing her in this state.

Without uttering a word, Caleb hugs Lilleah.

It’s a strong hug – not so strong as to prevent breathing, of course, but almost.
It’s a hug putting their bodies so close like never happened before. Lilleah can feel the hearth of her guardian beating.
It’s a hug as sweet as their first kiss.
It’s a hug creating a comfort zone around her.
It’s a hug for who do not needs words.
It’s a hug that ends too soon.

Caleb steps back and takes her hands inside his ones. ”You need to rest, Lil. All will be fine tonight. Sleep well, little one. There will be time to think to dresses, books and so – now forget it all and lay down on the bed. I’ll watch over you. Sleep and rest. Everything's alright now, yes, everything's fine. Just sleep. The bed is soft. Make me a favor, ok?”

The words of the young man are quite a lullaby…

[An Amy]

The yawn forces itself out of Lilleah's mouth and she felt she was expelling a grapefruit. She closes her eyes tightly to the point where she sees stars and shrugs her shoulders, rotating her head before standing relaxed. The embrace... it was soothing in a way she didn't expect. As well his words were too.

"Yes... that's really all I can do right now," she murmurs as she turns to the bed, intending to lie on top of it instead of in it just from the fact she'd hate to get the sheets dirty with her soiled self. "You too, C... Dear monsieur Winters. You need rest as well. You'd be useless too if you're too tired later."

But she can't really argue anymore than that. As if it was made of magic, the pillow accepts her weary head and passes her into sleep.

[Leriel]

Stuff: 1 HP regained with sleep
~~~
And Lilleah was sleeping well indeed… and sleep brought another dream.

Lilleah sees herself sitting in a white canopy bed, with ornate white curtains, opened and tied to the four poles at the corners of it. She’s cuddling a baby, no more than one month old, that she just finished breastfeeding. Her baby. Her cute, little daughter, that’s trying to grasp Lilleah long hairs with her tiny hands.

In her dream, Lilleah hears someone knocking at the door. She knows that’s Caleb. She tells that’s the door is open, and Caleb gets in.

Lilleah smiles at that beautiful young woman, with deep blue eyes and a cascade of long blonde braided hairs, dressed in a light green long robe.


Lilleah hears knocking at the door again. But’s not the one in her dream.

She wakes up, seeing Caleb – her guardian, a young man – that jumps up from the floor grasping his dagger and hiding it inside his right boot. He was sleeping on the floor, the head resting on the back of the bed.

Caleb opens the bolt and then the door just a little bit. Lilleah is only able to guess who’s outside, since the person is covered by the body of her friend.

”G… good morning, Mons… Mens… Mister Winter. Well, is almost lunch time. I’m… I’m Katarina. Matthias told me to bring you this… and Ophi said that you and your wife would enjoy a bath before lunch, so… this is for drying up after that. And these are clean clothes – they are so nice! Can I… can I show you the room with the hot bathtub? It should be so nice to have a hot bath… oh please come, Matthias told me not to spoke much or the water would get cold...”

[An Amy]

Lilleah looks to see where Caleb was, noticing him having slept on the floor. She wants to protest this, and is about to when the knock reminds her why she woke up. The dream is still so real to her that she half expects a newborn to be in her arms... It was so... disturbingly real, but it is already fading rapidly as she marks that reality is upon her and the dream was just that, a dream.

"Yes, thank you Katarina... uh... sure? Dear?" she asks of Caleb, presuming that he would likely lead her. She's really not sure how a married couple should operate. Her father always seemed to be the one in control, but her mother just let it happen that way. Something about her father was the head while she was the neck. And she had never contemplated her own relationships before... well, not until most recently.

[Leriel]

Dusk nods at Katarina, opening the door and letting her inside. He turns at Lilleah, smiling.

Katarina has a couple of year less than Lilleah, is somewhat overweight and with black curly hairs. She wears a light brown long dress, with a white apron – well, it was white before stains of wine, beer and the like, poorly washed out.

She gets close to the bed and drops a lot of folded dresses, with a couple of big towels near them. Then she looks at Lilleah, worried.

”Was… was the bed not clean enough? The bed linens are still in place… I swear I’ll change them! Please don’t tell Matthias or he well be mad with me! Be kind with me, nice Lady!”

Katarina holds the hem or her apron, looking at Lilleah in fear.

Caleb coughs and replies to the girl.
”Madame Winters was just tired and without a proper dress for the night. Please, just provide us a clean change to replace the one we slept over. And don’t worry, we will tell Matthias you were nice with us.”

Caleb smiles at the girl and goes on. ”Please show us this bathtub room, mademoiselle.”

He then moves near Lilleah, taking her hand and helping her to get out of the bed. ”My dear…”

Katarina lets out a sigh, looking at the kindness of the young man.
~~~

OK let’s keep it short

~~~

She grabs the big bath towels and the clothes on the top of the heap, and finally she leads them down a stair, that looks an addition to the original building, leading to a big door. Some steam is getting out.

Katarina opens the door.

”This is the room… and following that corridor, you’ll get to the room where you can eat, it will be already lunch time after your bath.”

Then she leaves.

Lilleah can see a room with several clothes hangers and what looks like a boat in the middle – the bath tub was done in that shape, and the outside is covered with a dark resin, probably waterproof.

The room is warm, hot but not so much.

Lilleah hears Caleb closing the door.

”Well, I think you should go first…”

[An Amy]

Lilleah thanks the girl, insisting that since they were robbed, she hadn't anything proper to wear while sleeping so she had only her traveling clothes that were soiled to sleep in. Thus the sheets did get dirty. Oh, curse it... Lilleah has spells that can fix these things but she lacks the ability to prepare them. Light burn her for leaving Tar Valon without anything as much as a scroll.

"Thank you, Ca... Husband mine," she says, agreeing to go first. With some towels and a simple smock and kirtle handy for dressing in, Lilleah prepares for and bathes. The water is not hot, but it's warmth is very welcome. She can feel the dirt and grime and char pulling off her skin. Peering around she finds some small bits of soap and a brush and takes to making sure she's as visible clean as possible. Once more, she's come to rely upon a spell for a lot of this... against the advice of the sisters, that is. Oh, don't get too used to using a spell for everything. Even knowing such vain spells was considered a sort of social sin among the full sisters of the tower. But she didn't mind then and truly wishes she had them still. Even if soaking in a tub was luxurious, fixing her hair afterwards was surely not.

Eventually she finishes up as best as she can and spends too long looking for oils or perfumes for her skin only to realize such likely doesn't exist in a place like this. They are not her parent's manor nor the tower. Yes... just think more like being a true peasant. From the life of a noble girl to the life of a tower mage, she'd never really known a harder life. Not that novices aren't made to scrub floors and clean out kettles and fireplaces. Oh, she'd done that, but she'd always get a chance to soak and pamper at the end of the day. Well...

Dressed in a simple white smock with a kirtle, square laced with one of those new fashioned square cuts that likely needed some support from a corset... she exits and returns to the room to inform Caleb that he can have his turn at the water, noting that it did have some oils in it but that it didn't come with a scoop to toss them to the side. She honestly isn't sure how to prep a tub to be used a second time.

[Leriel]

Lilleah returns to the room and she finds Caleb laying asleep on the bed, on the opposite side where Lilleah slept, in a fetal position, curled up like a child. But even if her steps are light, the young man notices her arrival – he turns his head toward the door and slowly stands up, his face getting more relaxed after finding out that’s her.

”Madame Mary Winters, my beloved wife, I hope you enjoyed your bath” he smiles at her.

”I cannot say why, but I feel somewhat… safe in this place. I just sat on the bed and fell asleep… honestly I cannot remember a more comfortable one.”.

Guardians don’t have the same facilities of Sisters, of course.

”I’d like to thank these people, to repay them, and I don’t know how, honestly. Matthias, Katarina, obviously Ophelia and her grandmother. She deserves a visit. Looks at this – they are trying so hard to help us. And you know? Apart the towels and the dresses for the bath, there are even more dresses – of the quality of the ones you used to wear at… well, before we left.”

Caleb looks down a little, then he points to the pillow on the side where Lilleah slept.

”It’s strange, but I found… a small, green gem on the pillow. And that gem has a rune inscribed on it, it’s like a decorated “Om”. I am sure it was not on the room when we arrived at dawn and no one entered this room apart Katarina – and she didn’t get so close. What could it be?”

[An Amy]

"Yes, I want to find some way to repay them, but my concern is more putting distance between us and... you know. While comfortable, I still feel the tower's shadow. I don't know if we'll have a chance to repay these people at the moment. But we cannot forget them either or their kindnesses. We still do need to meet with Ophelia's grandmother..."

Curious, Lilleah approaches and holds her hand out for the gem... examining it and wondering what it could possibly be... not that she has experience dealing with or appraising gemstones, being from her noble girl background, she knew how to spot emeralds or green sapphires or even philipirite that was not in the correct light to turn red. She pauses for a moment and lets herself embrace her stores of knowledge... the ones often locked in her head and inaccessible unless she opens her mind with magic. Once that is done, she ponders a bit more.

~~~

Knowledges (arcana) [roll0]... is this a magical rune and crystal?
Knowledges (history) [roll1]... is there historic significance with this symbol or gesture?
Knowledges (nature) [roll2]... what kind of stone could this be and where might it come from?
Knowledges (planes) [roll3]... anything funny going on with how it got under the pillow?
Knowledges (religion) [roll4]... ooh, perhaps it has religious symbolism
Spellcraft [roll5] ... is there some spell effect currently going on.

[Leriel]

Bowing with awe to such checks…

Lilleah lets her mind and body get in touch with the forces of magic surrounding her. There is always a trace, an echo, a faint glow of magical energy near…

But not this time. This time, she experiences the waves of magic more clearly, as if someone removed a blindfold from her eyes.

And she feels it. A flow… no, a bond, between the land, this village, and someone. Someone in the past. About… one hundred or two hundred years ago.

Lilleah hears a voice – her voice – whispering to her ears.
”Let me show you…”

And she sees them. A man, in his thirties, standing before a campfire, playing a violin, the bow moving fast, faster, even faster, on the strings. The man is dressed in brown-red trousers and a white shirt, opened on his chest.
On the other side of the campfire, a younger woman is sitting, her legs crossed. She wears a white blouse, a red skirt and a bandana on her hairs. On her shoulders, a multi colored shawl. She’s holding a pendant in her left hand and following the rhythm clapping her right hand on her thigh – a slit of her skirt uncovers it.
Some more music… and the woman suddenly get up. The fire reduces itself to small embers. There is light – coming from the pendant, now.

”This foreign land accepted us, my love. It will protect us.” she says.
”You are truly a Zarovan, my beloved Lavinia” he replies.

The vision ends – leaving Lilleah deep in the flow of magic, trying to wade her way out of it.

Her voice, again.
”Not yet… look at what I can show you… give to you…”

There is another vision. She sees a man and a woman – both in their fifties or some more, that could be brother and sister so much they look alike. The woman is speaking to the man.
”So this is the day, Aziraphel. I checked again and I think all was set.”
”It’s… not easy, but yes, this is the day. Cherudek was truly a master, the Omegahedron was cut as we needed. And the Omegahedron will create the small green gems that will be delivered with the power of your magic to the Bearers… when we’ll finish. And the Bearers will receive their omens.”
”And the Lil’aleh of this world will receive guidance. We can do no more…”
The man nods, and the woman takes something from an ornate box. Two sharps daggers.

And this vision ends, as well. Lilleah feels somewhat dizzy.

Her voice whispers again to her.

”You could have more than just visions, you know… embrace yourself…”
For some seconds, Lilleah sees her face. There is a mischievous look in her heavily made up eyes.
”Just take what you want, why not…”


And finally, it’s over. Lilleah is laying on the bed, gasping. On her hand, the little green gem – not a magical gem, but created by magic, brought by the power of the Omegahedron to the Bearers. The rune cannot be counterfeit, it’s a magical mark as well.

She barely hears a voice far away…

”LIL! LIL! Wake up, Lil! Blessed be the light, you breath again… Lil, are you fine?”

[An Amy]

"Fine is... subjective at this point, Caleb," Lilleah speaks in awe as she beholds the gem in her hand. Processing the information was almost impossible. The people she saw... is she connected to them? They spoke something like her name. Is she this... entity the woman named? She was directly spoken to. It was... so strange. The item itself is not magical but was wrought of magic. Power wrought... how rare that is. "I'm alive... I'm well... this gem just. It's from the Omegahedron. The city of Omen, you know? Stones will appear to bearers... erm, to... to people who then go to the stone to receive their omens. I've either been chosen or I'm... well, I've been chosen."

She wonders if Beldwyn somehow knows of this or knew it would happen. She often wondered why Beldwyn and the black sisters were interested in her at all. Lilleah is heir to the throne of Cairhien... one of many. And it's well within imagination that she could be used for political gains. It was the reason she was taken from the tower to begin with. She thought Beldwyn was rescuing her at the time, and it turns out that the black sister wanted her for entirely different reasons. But what could those be? It must be related to what Lilleah saw, the visions, that the shard showed her.

~~~
Knowledge Geography: [roll0]... where is Omen in relation to Fenoval.
Knowledge History: [roll1]... what's more history that's known surrounding the Omegahedron and those that receive a shard.

[Leriel]

For reference, I added common knowledge about the “Big Gem” in second post of OOC

Lilleah has a clear image of where the City of Omen is located – it lays between Cachin and Maradon, in the Plain of Lances. The image is so clear she could even see a map of the region… a map painted on a drape. For just a second, she has the feeling that the drape is held by the herself with heavily made up eyes… but it’s just a second. Just suggestion?

Caleb is holding her hand.

”Do you feel better, Lil? I’m not sure it would be a good idea to leave you alone here when I’m downstairs. Let’s wait some minutes, is it fine? Should I call Katarina? Or do you prefer coming with me?”

The young man puts a hand over his mouth when he realized what he said.
”I mean… well, let’s wait some minutes until you are right…”

[An Amy]

"I'm fine, Caleb," Lilleah reassures her friend, forgetting the slight ruse they had going on about being a married couple. Though, it returns to her, and she grins at him. "I guess accompanying you would be rather wifely of me, would't it? I'll stay here. I'm really fine... just... well, the stone. I'm not sure entirely what it means yet, and I have some thinking to do. It's not like you're too far away. Go ahead and wash up. It'll give me time to dress."

[Leriel]

Caleb smiles at Lilleah, a warm smile. He looks relieved.
He gets out of the bed and coughs once.

”I am sure you’ll find a proper attire for the lunch and for the visit to the grandmother of Mademoiselle Ophelia Verreaux. I am just sorry not to have proper gifts to thanks her. The venerable woman will have to settle for my wife's beauty.”

Caleb grabs the towel and the clothes to wear after the bath, then leaves.

Lilleah discovers with astonishment that there are four complete dresses – of slightly different sizes, as if Ophelia would want to make her feel comfortable with the choice.

There are long robes, long skirts with long sleeved blouses, a mantle and other accessories – corsets, shoulder bags, a fur collar… and a box with three sets of shoes.

And a lace nightgown.

Everything is of the finest quality. Lilleah remembers a sister being quite obsessed about getting such fine clothes.

[An Amy]

Lilleah starts looking through the clothing as if feeling like she's back home and taking for granted such fine garments exist. It causes her to pause, though, and consider how such a village even had these things. Didn't they say something about a seamstress in town? That would make sense, but still... why would such gowns be on hand and not sold off? Perhaps they were trying to. Or they were commissions abandoned or just yet to be picked up. Oh, she truly hopes the latter is not the case. She can't imagine wearing some dress fashioned for someone else who was expecting it to be retrieved in pristine condition. She will most certainly take great care.

She does end up picking one of them with a broad v cut that was almost off her shoulders, finishing it off with one of the short capes and clasps. It goes well with one of the sets of boots. Though... without a second pair of hands, she isn't truly able to tighten the corset properly. She'll have to wait for Katarina or Caleb to return to give the crossed laces a good tugging. She does sit and focus on... trying to remember at least one of her spells, one that might allow her to comprehend the language of the stone's rune. To identify it... know what it says. Otherwise she truly needs to wait for a spell book.

Lilleah decides to wait until Caleb returned, feeling it wouldn't be right to worry the young man by leaving without him even if she is utterly eager to speak to this grandmother.

[Leriel]

Lilleah hears knocking at the door, then the door opens a little and the face of Katarina appears.
”Madame Winter? Your husband told me you could need help for dressing. He will be here soon… OHHHHHHHH!”

Katarina lets fall a hair comb she was holding.
”I wish I could have a dress sewed by Ophelia, too…”

The girl strides toward Lilleah.
”I helped Ophelia lots of time, I know how to tighten the corset, Lady.”

She looks confident and Lilleah feels at ease. The girl speaks almost without taking a breath:
”Ophi is really nice, I’m happy she and Wilmer will marry on Silvernight. I hope there will be nice weather, but they say it will rain, what a pity! Well, Wilmer had this big pavilion prepared in case, it will be romantic as well! Let me tie it… almost done. And there will be such a party, you know Lady, well of course you know, but the pavilion is small, but Ophi told that after the dinner they will put away the tables and everyone will dance, maybe I will join… I will be there just for serving, but maybe… oh, I wish someone will dance with me… did I already say you’re really slim, Lady? Done! You can look at yourself in the mirror… no, don’t tell me I forgot it… I beg your pardon Lady… oh, there is still something to eat downstairs, Jessika is so good at cooking, did I already say it Lady?”

[An Amy]

Lilleah lets the fast taking Katarina help her with the dress, which is a partial disappointment as she was looking forward to Caleb's embarrassed look when she asked him to do it. But apparently Katarina knows what she is doing and didn't need to take any instruction. Lilleah is done up in no time. She can only smile as well as Katarina went about complimenting her, apologizing and questioning all in the same breath as an entire history of the matrimonial celebration. The girl could give some sisters she knew lessons on quick tongues, if only Katarina could fill such with mostly useful information about world history or magical weaving.

"I'm sure it will be just a beautiful wedding," Lilleah says, getting a shock of memory returning to her. Fear that doesn't seem to want to go away. Neither does the restlessness. The anxiety. Beldwyn is still trying to find her. Or perhaps not since Lilleah could be assumed dead at the hands of a demon. She returns the smile to the other. "And no, you didn't bring the mirror, and no, you haven't actually told me about Jessika's cooking. I do so look forward to it. I'll wait here for C... for Monsieur Winters to accompany me."

[Leriel]

”Indeed, I and my beloved wife would appreciate the cuisine of Madame Jessika” says Caleb, appearing on the threshold of the door.

Katerina was going to reply to Lilleah… but she heard the young man and turned, dropping again the hair comb and making a gasp, blushing.

Looks like that Ophelia was as good to guess the size of Lilleah as not good to guess Caleb’s one. Unless she did it by purpose…

Well, Caleb is wearing light brown trousers a little too tight – and a white shirt a little small, too, for his chest, since he had to leave most of buttons opened. It makes Lilleah remember the dress of the violin player of her vision… with the difference that the shirt of that man was not so stretched on his body.

The dress cannot hide the trained body of her friend.

Caleb starts to thanks Katerina, but the girl runs away. With a puzzled face, he turns to Lilleah.

”I hope I didn’t scare her… I’m just a little hungry”.

Then he bows to Lilleah:
”Madame, can I have the pleasure of accompanying you downstairs? You look… fantastique!”

[An Amy]

Lilleah curtsies as well, "Mister Winters. Ah, thank you. But you... I can say my borrows were very spot on with sizes, however you are a bit overgrown in yours. I'm not sure there's anything to do about it at the moment."

She did feel a bit awkward, he eyes having trouble admitting that Caleb looked thoroughly silly in something a good five years smaller than he was. The memory of the vision is still there, as well, reminding her of what she saw. The musician... he looks so much like the vision, Caleb does. It's uncanny. Past lives?

She shakes her head, "Yes, nothing to do about it at the moment. Shall we? I'm sure we're both famished."

[Leriel]

And so, the spouses reach the common room, where they seat on a table and are quickly served by Katarina, that brings lamb stew, a ragout of birds (probably quails) in a rich sauce, bread, a pitcher of water and two mugs of mead.

Lilleah can see other guest at the nearby tables in this big room. All of them almost finished the lunch and feel at ease.

There are a boy and a girl, more or less the same age of Katarina, dressed as servants of nobles, but quite easy-going as they speak and laugh with Katarina, that joined them after serving Lilleah and Caleb.

There are two mans at another table, about the age of Caleb. One has a well-groomed appearance, black hair and a shaved face; he wears fine clothes and looks relaxed. The other looks tired, with a frail appearance, also his dark red hair needs a proper cut.

Finally, there are two young women, seated with Ophelia and Matthias. The tavern owner looks more relaxed than last night. His voice and his laughter overwhelm the noise of the room.

”By all the mermaids of the sea! Ophelia, your last guests are finally awake! Don’t worry about your bridesmaids, I’ll take care of them! Curse the kraken, let me tell you this one…”

Ophelia smiles and moves to the near table, where the two men are speaking. She puts her hand on the shoulder of the black haired one, that smiles at her and nods. The man says something to the other and follows Ophelia, reaching Lilleah and Caleb and asking if they could join them.

Caleb gets up to greet them, but Ophelia tells him not to worry.

”This is Wilmer, he will be my husband on Silvernight. The day after tomorrow. I’m so happy!”

”Welcome, Monsieur and Madame Winters. I’m pleased to meet you… well, just thank you. Miranda foresaw your coming, I’m just so sorry your travel was… let’s say troubled by such encounters on the road. Well… I’ll do my best to repay for your losses. By the way, I’m Wilmer Webster Tanner, taxidermist. You finally met face by face the best seamstress and stylist of the country, Ophelia Verreaux, that sewed so many dresses for you, Lady… looks like Monsieur needs something from my wardrobe, instead.” he smiles.

”I beg your pardon, but I need to speak with my old friend Frederick. He returned here, our hometown, for the wedding, but had some problem with his room. Lord Stern complained all the night about the mattress and Fred could not sleep… also I have some things to be fixed for the wedding… but please, be my guests for the dinner! Ophelia will take care of everything you need!”

He thanks again Lilleah and Caleb and returns briefly to his friend, before going to speak with Matthias.

Ophelia looks at Wilmer for some little more… then sighs.
”Lord Stern has business relations with my father Jules. Daddy trades fabrics… he traveled a lot and let me play with remnants he couldn’t sell. So I made my first dresses… well, Lord Stern is here with his wife and two servants, they are speaking with Katerina now. Lord and Lady Stern had lunch in their chambers… he wanted three rooms! One for him, one for his wife and one for their servants. Honestly, if they weren’t so important for daddy…

Fred was an old friend of Wilmer, he left Fenoval for Tarabon. He says he became an entomologist… I’m not sure what does it mean, honestly.

And there are my bridesmaids, Vany and Gwendy… Vanessa lives here, Gwendolyn is from Murandy… I met her during a travel with daddy, a couple of years ago. Last week I went with dad on Murandy for his business and she went back here with us. But she felt lonely at the inn, so I asked Vanessa to stay with her, so they can know more each other in these days, before the wedding. It ended with both of them sleeping in the room after a night of chatting! And what about you, did you sleep well?”

[An Amy]

Lilleah barely has the ability to keep up with everyone in the room. She still frets over smaller things nearby and larger issues looming in the distance like stormclouds. They are still too close to Tar Valon. But then there's Omen and the Omegahedron... what could that...

Lilleah's idle thoughts are interrupted with food, and Karatina's quick yet wordy description of the various portions being presented. Picking at the food, consuming it slowly without much fervor, . But the young mage pops a warm smile in an effort to stave off concerned questions, especially when Ophelia comes by with her bridegroom. Oh, by the light, the girl can talk... is she somehow related to Katarina?

"I slept as well as I believed I have in a very long while, merci," Lilleah replies. "The dresses are amazing... how long did it take you to do these? I think you could do fine making some ball gowns for Cairhienin nobility. The fashions change too often to keep up with, which makes the seamstresses very busy. Though, honestly, the styles have been lacking due to the trade shortage from across the wastes, so many seamstresses have taken to a sort of... recycling. Usually, well... nevermind... that's a world away.

"Is there a chance we could meet with your grandmother soon? She foretold of our arrival, after all, and we have so many reasons to show her our gratitude for sending her lovely granddaughter to help."

[Leriel]

Caleb is more light-hearted than Lilleah and looks like he’s really enjoying the food. He just nods and adds some words to gratitude to Ophelia.

The girl is quite shy about her works:
”I just start preparing some dresses when Miranda told me about your arrival. I finished yours this morning, when you where still asleep. I’m sorry if they are not matching as for your taste. For Monsieur Winter, instead, I think I made a mistake… I gave Katerina the wrong heap. Don’t worry – finish your meal now. Do you want to rest a little more? Otherwise I can bring you to my house, so you can meet granny. And I’m eager to take your measures… so I can prepare your dresses for the ceremony!”

[An Amy]

"Oh, you should worry more about you and stop hefting generosities in our direction," Lilleah says, hearkening back to her upbringing among nobility... and a rich merchant father. "You'll have me embarrassed by the imbalance in appreciation. I'm barely able to fathom ways to repay you... but, no, we're rested... I'm rested... what about you, bon mari?"

She asks Caleb, or tries to see about making sure he's rested before committing them to seeing Ophelia's granny. "But yes, I would like to see your granny as soon as we're through. Thank you."

[Leriel]

”I think the same, my dear. Also, I’ve almost finished. We rested well this night, and truly enjoyed the lunch. I really can’t wait to thanks your grand-mère.”

Ophelia nods, then she stays quiet for some seconds, looking at her guest and waiting for Katarina taking away the dishes. She looks like she wants to say some more… but she’s restraining herself. Then she shakes her head and goes on, with a lower voice.

”I know I’m a little too talkative, but… maybe you wondered why I didn’t speak about my mother. Well, my mother Calandra is not in… good relations with granny. She respects her but… let’s say they do not speak a lot. But Dad bought a big house, there is also my laboratory, the cage for the carrier pigeons… so there is space for everyone. Also… all the town knows about that, but… I have an auntie, Portia, the sister of my mother. Portia had an… accident when she and my mother were children. Mummy blames Miranda for that. The mind of Portia… somewhat broke. She behaves as a child, she has a pendant made of a piece of glass… that she calls her friend “Jarod”. If she acts in strange ways… you know why.”

Ophelia looks more relaxed now.
”Now I’m really ready to go, when you wish!”

[An Amy]

"I'm eager to meet your granny Miranda," Lilleah says, standing and awaiting her 'husband' to offer his arm for her. She reaches to gather her skirt, only to find that that is unnecessary. The skirt seems to be of actual length. Too common it was for Cairhienin gowns to have longer skirts than the woman had legs, requiring them to be gathered when walking. But even back in the tower, Lilleah didn't need to worry about gathering her skirt. Just... wearing something as nice again reminds of that life... it is so easy to slip back into.

[Leriel]

Caleb is ready to offer his arm to Lilleah, with a warm smile at her. Looks like he could easily put a kiss on her cheek… but maybe it’s not the proper place or time.

Ophelia thanks Matthias, she greets her bridesmaids, Katarina… and finally leads Lilleah and Caleb to her house. It should be about 5 minutes away, but she had to greet and thanks several people on the way… so it takes about 15-20 minutes of walking.

Finally, the three of them reach the house – a two-story house, quite big. The father of Ophelia makes sure that maintenance is properly done, according to the well-kept appearance of the house.

Ophelia opens the door and announces their presences. Two women, more or less in their forties, are sitting at a table in the main room. Both looks like an older version of Ophelia.

One of them is embroidering a handkerchief, dressed in plain dresses.

The other dressed in a multi colored robe with short sleeves, and she is folding in strange ways a piece of paper, closing and opening it with unsatisfied face. As soon as she sees Lilleah and Caleb, her face widens in a smile and she jumps down from the chair. She ignores Ophelia and moves directly toward Caleb, holding a piece of glass attached to a leather string.

She looks at the young man through the glass for some seconds, silently. Then she suddenly says:
”My friend Jarod is sorry for your wings being cut!”

Then she turns to Lilleah, doing the same.
”My friend Jarod told me that he can’t see you, since your third eye was open but now it's closed! What a pity!”

Then she makes a step back, she takes the fold of her skirt and bows to the couple.
”And I am Portia! Can you play with me? Jarod will not be jealous, he told me already!”

The other woman looks at the ceiling, mumbling something. Caleb looks at Lilleah as he had a big question mark on his face.

[An Amy]

(I thought I replied to this thread >.<)


Lilleah hears the woman's odd words, assuming this to be the aunt, was it? Harod, the invisible friend, as well. She looks at Caleb hoping this isn't too disturbing... or is at least not as disturbing to him as it is to her. Wings? Could this woman somehow see into visions? Or know things others didn't? Are her mad-appearing ravings actually some sort of prophecies? With the grandmother a seer, the aunt a vision stepper... well, Ophelia only makes out of all that with extraordinary dress making skills? Lilleah doesn't know if that's lucky or not.

"Perhaps later, but I have pressing matters to see to, Portia. I hope you understand." She gives Ophelia a look, hoping it's communicated that they do need to speak to her grandmother. The whole reason they were ever there at all was due to the grandmother's interventions.

[Leriel]

Caleb looks like just puzzled about the words of the woman. Both him and Lilleah are relieved by the words of Ophelia:
”Portia, I’m going to play with you in a minute. Miranda wants to speak them a little, you know?”

As soon as Ophelia pronounces the name of her grandmother, you see Calandra (the mother of Ophelia, still silent) knocking on the wooden table as for protecting her from the evil.

Portia sighs a little and she sits down again.
”But just a minute… then you should play with me…”

Ophelia nods again and she leads Lilleah and Caleb in another wing of the house.
”My mother does not allow Portia to speak with Miranda… she says that Granny already did enough evil to her…”

~~~
Give me a little to prepare the intro to Miranda…

[Leriel]

And so, they are.
Ophelia was going to knock at a door, but this opens… well, it’s opened by a girl – about 12 years old – that blushes and scampers away from the room. Ophelia tries to call her (”Annette!”) but the girls is already gone. In the meantime, a voice comes from the room.
”Come here with our guest, dear Ophelia…”

Ophelia opens wide the door and lets Lilleah and Caleb enter the room. There is an old woman sitting in a chair near a fireplace. A black cat is sleeping on the floor – Lulu, you recognize her.
”Granny… Madame and Monsieur Winters. Let me introduce you to my grandmother, Madame and Monsieur Winters.”

The old woman raises her left hand - a wrinkled hand, with some gold rings on the fingers – to interrupt her.
”Dear, dear… I’m too old for such formal presentations. Let them sit and return to Portia, please… I’d like to speak with these young ones…”

Ophelia nods and leave the room, pointing to a couple of chairs, with big pillows over them.

The room itself has thick curtains on the windows and the light comes mostly from the fireplace. The room is not so big but full of oddities – a sideboard with a stuffed squirrel, several glass jars and cans, herbs, pots, a violin with broken strings…
The woman is bent towards the fireplace and it turns to look at the couple, with an indecipherable expression on the face. She’s dressed in a long light orange robe with puff sleeves, a sort of corset around her waist, and her wrinkled face is covered by a multi-colored shawl. It’s similar – no, it’s the same! – of the vision of Lilleah while holding the green gem. She wears big golden earrings and a pendant – again, the same held by the woman of the vision.

”My name is Miranda of the clan Zarovan. First of all, thanks for accepting my invitation to speak with me. I think you have a lot of question for me… but let me just tell you a thing: without your intervention, Ophelia…”

Her voice is just a whisper now. She turns again to the fireplace.
”Without your intervention, Ophelia will die on the day of her wedding.”

[An Amy]

Lilleah gasps upon hearing Miranda's words, looking toward the door where the girl had just vanished. She then looks to Caleb and back at Miranda, a hand covering her surprise.

"How? And... what must we do?"

She does indeed have so many questions but the curiosity is trounced by the fact that Ophelia will die. On the day of her wedding. It is horribly prophetic, but then again Miranda is rather much into prophecies, and even Portia, one of her daughters, isn't without the ability to peer into visions or see beyond the world everyone else does.

[Leriel]

Caleb nods at Lilleah, taking her hand and holding it. His face is worried.

The old woman looks again at the couple, somewhat relieved.
”Don’t think that I’m crazy… I checked so many times the tea leaves, the cards, everything… but I keep seeing her on her wedding party, surrounded by a dark cloud, screaming and dying. Unless…”

Miranda takes off her pendant and shows it to the couple.
”I inherited it from my grandmother Lavinia. She and her husband were… let’s say that they were travelers of the mists, coming from… a distant land. Lavinia was truly gifted, and I inherited some of her powers. She and Vincenzo made a pact with this land and this city. It protects us… but there is a strong will against Ophelia. I felt this obsession, it’s someone who loves her and wants her dead at the same time… I couldn’t see who, male or female. But I had another vision and I saw a man with the light inside him, and his bride, battered but not defeated, coming at dawn. And the two of them could help her. I said Ophelia you will bless her wedding… I couldn’t tell her the truth.”

The woman struggles to hold back her tears and has a hoarse voice.
”Please help her. Be her guests at the wedding. I feel that you have good hearts; but I can also pay you. I can ask Ophelia to give everything you need for your travels, whatever. Money. Horses. Food.

But most… The bond with the land allows me to cure your wounds. And I can try to see what you will face in your future. Give you a shelter for some time. Some magical trinkets. I still have a book from Lavinia that holds some spells. But please, help me…”

Caleb starts to speak but Miranda raises a hand to stop him. She keeps looking at Lilleah, as she only was the one who should take the decision.