Tales of Ice and Vine RP

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Contrary to Leita's patience, Thalia's wait was uncomfortable. She was unsure that what she said was accepted; the pause seemed too long. Would the stranger attack? Touching painful subjects was often dangerous. Thalia tensed during the silence that passed while Leita thought. Her muscles relaxed as the selkie turned away from her.

Listening to her words carefully, Thalia thought upon them. Why must she speak so cryptically?! she thought, but dismissed it as impolite quickly. The kelpie longed to ask what that meant, but decided against it. Instead, she simply nodded. Thalia guessed at its meaning, but wasn't sure if she was correct.

Thalia continued trying to identify Leita. The stark contrast between her skin, hair, and the rest of her face was eye-catching. There seemed to be a familiar yet confusing aura about Leita, one of water, yet water that was not familiar to Thalia. That was another question that she wished to ask if the opportunity arose.

Noticing the sun setting, Thalia returned the half woven reeds back to her bag, woven from a similar material. She let herself slip off the branch she was on prior and onto the ground below. A soft thud could be heard as she reached the ground less than gracefully, as her legs were still sore from remaining still for so long. She landed in a crouching position with the fingertips of one hand lightly resting on the ground. Thalia hoped her descent wouldn't startle Leita. She quickly looked up to the selkie. She rose cautiously, watching Leita's movements.
 
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In Winter's Court, plain speech was a rare virtue.

More commonly, it took the form of a vice - one indulged behind closed doors and whispered about with flowered tongues and hidden thorns.

Perhaps Leita saw some hint of Thalia's confusion, and that was the source of her wintry smile; or perhaps she saw nothing at all of it, and so her smile was prompted by warmth. Her gaze returned to the trees, seeking among them. A bird stirred in the branches, nearer to Nyx and Fay than selkie and kelpie - but then, what does a bird have to do with two creatures of the water? It was no seabird, but it cried out with a hunter's voice as it flapped wings to the red-limned sky, and Leita's gaze traced that progress.

Her lips opened, forming an 'O' as she watched the pale-feathered bird, and she stepped toward it... only to stop at the sound of Thalia's feet on the ground. Her gaze turned back, and for a moment, she frowned. The selkie's gaze returned to the sky, but found that the bird had escaped her attention, and so her brown eyes, their softness at odds with the line of her lips, returned to Thalia.

"Do you know what lies beyond that setting sun?"
 
Fay relaxed as she heard she wouldn't be in danger. She was also happy that Nyx didn't seem offended by her questioning. Her eyes wandered in the forest for a while. She noticed Nyx was sniffing? something from the wind from the corner of her eye. She was startled at her question to take a walk, but agreed anyway. `Didn't she just say we should find a place to rest? Maybe she smelled something?` Fay was even more surprised to see Nyx drawing a sword apparently from thin air, but choosing not to bother her with any more questions she started walking towards the forest.
 
"The world of Shadows and Stars" was Thalia's reply. Her eyes flickered with doubt for a moment, as she was afraid that the stranger had different answer. However, the world of Shadows and Stars was what she believed, Shadows being evils and demons and stars being good soul bearers who had left this world. It was what she had been taught, and what she now believed.

"What do you believe lies beyond?" she asked, looking into the selkie's eyes with her own bright, sea green ones.
 
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Nyx walked into the forest with Fay, pausing every now and then to sniff at the wind again. The closer they get to the origin of the scent it began to smell….wetter. The two legged canine blinked and slowed down a little bit before she gently, but firmly touched Fays hand. She turned towards the girl and put a single finger to her lips, a sign to be quiet.

"Two that smell of water, one of the sea and one of a…river?" Nyz whispered into the half fea's ear as she leaned close enough to be ut a breath away from the other girl. She began to creep forward again, going into a silent walk that showed just how not human the fae was. After a few moments more, Nyx rounded a tree to see two fae, one of the sea and one that smelled of water fresh instead of water salted. She inhaled again, picking up where the chill emitted from. She knocked on the tree next to her.

"Many pardons, but I had wondered what two that smell of water would be doing in a forest near naught but a small stream that one could step across with ease?" Nyx asked curiously. She blinked. "Might one of you be a Kelpie perchance?"
 
"My lady's court holds both stars and shadows." Leita paused, a smile teasing her lips. "Careful you do not mistake the one for the other."

Her gaze found the sunset sky once more. "I have always found the sunrise, past the setting sun." Her expression turned pensive for a moment, a curve of lips and a lowering of her gaze to the treeline. Her voice turned softer. "Perhaps I will again."

Another drift of her eyes, and they settled upon Nyx. Leita showed no sign of alarm, simply inclining her head to the dog as Nyx spoke.

"The rain it falls, the wind it blows. Darkness settles, the moon it grows." A smile curved her lips. "I am far from where I began, but... so, perhaps, are you." The smile drifted away, leaving her expression plain. "I am not the river-horse's daughter."
 
Fay walked a little ahead of Nyx, and jumped a bit she touched her hand. She was going to ask her what was going on, she was sure the dog had smelled something dangerous, but then she told her to be quit. She held her questions inside as Nyx told her she had smelled some fae that smelled like water, but her eyes brightened as she figured one of them was possibly a kelpie. `How lucky we are!` She quietly followed the messenger of death, not as silently as she walked, but more quietly than full-blooded human.

Fay curiously stared at the two standing next to a tree. Nyx asked if one of them was a kelpie, and all that she could pick up from the bone haired girl's response was that she was not a kelpie. And that the other one probably was. She didn't look dangerous either, but Fay had heard stories of kelpie's from he father, and in the land of fae, appearance could be deceiving.
 
Thalia contemplated the words of Leita. when her attention was diverted to another. She listened to the question, and, being the species in question, did not have much room to say no. I wonder why they want to know. Thalia wasn't very pleased with having to answer, since she disliked the stereotype which was next to unavoidable. There was also the secondary discomfort of her halter, now in necklace form, which she had now become very aware of.

"I am indeed a kelpie. May I ask what has prompted your interest of such?" she said politely, in a slightly higher tone than her usual. Her discomfort was hardly noticeable, and could be attributed to having been approached by a slightly daunting canine.
 
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Nyx nodded in respect to the one who smelled of cold sea water, she had guessed she wouldn't be the Kelpie if there was one between the two. Her red eyes than shifted over to the one who had spoke that she was.

"We mean no harm, 'less harm is done." Nyx noticed the discomfort of the Kelpie girl and she assumed it was because of death omen-ity. (I know it's not a word, shhhhhh)
"We search for the plant Tyrmin and were wondering if you could tell us perhaps how to look for such a plant, or point us in the right direction." She continued as her mind searched for information she could possibly trade if it came to it.
 
Leita returned the nod from Nyx, but held her tongue as black dog and kelpie spoke. The same could not be said of her eyes and ears, for she listened to their words freely spoken as her gaze wandered first Nyx... then the halfbreed beside her.

There her gaze lingered, though a shadow passed through it. Something seemed to trouble her about the half-fey, and her lips took on the aspect of a frown as she looked upon the sturdiness of limb and tanned features.

A flick of her eyes brought them back to Nyx as the dog inquired about Tyrmin, but that diversion failed to last for long. She stepped forward, leaving Thalia to her new conversation and instead approaching Fay.

"Niece of my sister's heart, why do you search?"
 
Thalia froze. Her heart rate sped up. She wasn't sure what she should do. The only thought she had was to run like hellhounds were chasing her. That option didn't really appeal to her though. The kelpie did long to give into instinct, shift forms, and run, but that didn't look like it would turn out too well, considering there was a dog there, and, she would be running through wooded forest.

She heard Leita speak and ask what was on Thalia's mind, saving her the trouble of asking. Thalia regained control of her tongue, and by then, she had also thought of words to say.

"Tyrmin? That sounds familiar. I am afraid I cannot help you though," she said. It was indeed a familiar word to her; she knew it well. But there was also a rule, a law of the family, to guard it with one's life. One could break that rule under the few conditions of the greater good. However, such conditions were rare. Therefore, her words rang true, in a way.
 
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Fay listened to the conversation. She was glad they really had found a kelpie so easily. She noticed the other girl was staring her. She stared back warily. Fay grew a bit nervous as the girl then stepped a little closer and asked a question. Almost right after that to her disappointment the kelpie said she couldn't help them regarding their Tyrmin search. "Baba Yaga wants us to get her some." she answered little depressed, wandering what that talk about `niece of sister's heart` stuff meant.
 
Nyx nodded in understanding.

"I wish you both a good day." She inclined her head towards each of the water smelling fae before she turned to leave. She paused as Fay spoke. With her back turned to the water fae she gave the Halfling a smile. "It is possible some other will know where to look for such a plant. If it comes down to it. There are scrolls to look into." She reassured the girl before she planned to walk away from the clearing. She paused then turned to look of the one that smelled of the sea and cold. She didn't see many winter fae as much as she saw summer. She glanced between the two water fae a few more seconds before turning and starting to walk back towards the tree where Alfonso had left the berry. She though that winter and summer didn't get along, but who was she to judge?
 
In the mortal world, there are many tales of selkies, but those most often told are of selkie brides; of seal-maidens who once came to a human shore to dance upon two legs, and there were caught by human men, trapped by the loss of their seal-pelts and forced to marriage as though their very soul-self was their dowry. They bear children, oftimes; strong pups, humans with the blood of the fae in their veins.

Leita said nothing of this now, not caring to tell the tale... but such stories are known in the mortal world, on the cold shores of Scotland and Scandanavia. They are known in the underwater grottos of Fairy's endless Sea, where the selkies mourn their sisters who were caught in the nets of scheming mortals and stolen away. They are known in the Courts of Winter, where children of selkie blood come betimes, seeking their fortune in their mother's land because the Other runs too strongly in them for their hearts to settle in the realm of mortals.

Perhaps these tales are not told in the land of Summer, but never mind that now. There are other stories, even more known - like those of an iron-toothed old woman in a hut with chicken legs.

"Ah, so. Grandmother wishes it." Leita's expression was serious for a moment longer, and then she laughed. "Honor thy elders," she said in a light, teasing tone, and inclined her head in a bow - not to Fay, but to the north, though there was nothing to be seen except the forest.

Summer's forest, and yet her feet stood within it. Leita turned her gaze to Nyx as she felt the black dog's eyes upon her, returning the look equitably as well as a courteous reply. "Good day to you, and good morrow too."

Her attention danced back to Thalia, though she didn't wait for the others to entirely depart. Leita's lips curved in a smile for the kelpie's refusal. "You wear your bindings well. Do you enjoy them still?"

Perhaps Leita was still talking about the bracelets, there on Thalia's arms, but there was reason beyond Courtesy for those of Fairy to speak truth - for words have a shape, to those with the sight to see, and truth has a taste upon the tongue. True words Thalia spoke, and yet to Leita they reverberated with the whisper of reeds and the wet rasp of silk. Gentle bindings, willingly accepted... and all the stronger for it.
 
"Good day to you as well," Thalia automatically replied. Baba Yaga wanted it? The old hag in the hut? thought the kelpie curiously. I wonder why. However, it didn't seem that she would find out at this instant, considering she had no interest in aiding those who wished to find Tyrmin. Had it been almost anything else, she would have gladly provided her service. Thalia almost felt sorry for them; they seemed quite clueless about the plant, and guessed that the hag had sent them on a long, futile quest.

As the pair turned and began away, she heard Leita speak and shifted her eyes to gaze at the selkie. By now, Thalia was sure of Leita's alignment, though she didn't know what her reason for being out of her homeland. The corners of Thalia's lips twitched, amused and intrigued at the other's attention to detail, as she tilted her head downward, eyes still on the selkie.

Under her breath, she spoke,"I am loyal to my vows. Whether I enjoy them or not depends on the moment." Her eyes showed what her voice didn't --her mild irritation.

She turned her head back to face the departing pair, thinking of them. Clueless...? This one of the winter chill certainly is not. Thalia was slightly irritated when she thought of Leita, though it could simply be the difference in Courts and culture.
 
Fay moaned. "Well, good day to both of you from my behalf as well." she sighed as she turned to walk with Nyx. She really hoped that they would be able to find some information about Tyrmin. Fay almost bumped to Nyx when she suddenly stopped and turned to look at the not-kelpie girl. Fay glanced at her too, wondering what made Nyx stop. She turned her head to ask Nyx what was it, but she was already walking towards the forest. Fay hurried a bit, trying not to look like an idiot. As walked back towards the hut Fay asked, "Maybe we should start by other items in the list, and hope to find some clues on the way?" Finding Tyrmin seemed like a hard task, but so were the others, and there was no need for them to proceed in order.
 
Now, whether the conversation within the chicken-legged hut of Baba Yaga took a moment, or a year, or a thousand years, as it happened only Alfonso exited as the night began to fall upon the Enchanted Woods, graciously taking his leave of the old witch and the Prince of Summer to see to his new acquaintances, whom he had decided to help in any case. A snap of his green thumbs, and the lad was in a tree by the pool, and with some rustling of leaves he hopped otherwise silently to the forest floor near where the group of fellow faerie were congregated, interested in the conversations there.

((The Summer Prince can come along later when he comes back online.))
 
Nyx glanced up as the scent of Alfonso trailed into her nose. She tilted her head in greeting to the Halfling boy.

'And so we meet again." She greeted. She let her hand once again disappear into the bag only visible to her, reaching for the wooden canine. The black dog made the same magic that had happened in the hut happen again. She pulled another replicate out and tossed it towards the summer Halfling.
 
The lad blinked, then made a decision to trust the Black Dog as he received the talisman.

"Oh... er, many thanks. And apologies for Grandmother," he sighed, bowing low.
 
"Day and night to you, dawn's daughter," Leita said to Fay as the halfbreed left. The selkie lingered by Thalia, watching and listening for her answer.

When it came Leita's eyes danced with amusement. "Many would commend your loyalty," she said, and bent from the waist in an elegant bow to the kelpie. If the smile on her face made it seem a mockery, well. She was of Winter's Court.

"They seem to suit you." The smile twisted, passing into a frown. "Perhaps it is merely the tightening of them that brings pain. A loose chain... why, it is a bracelet. An adornment. A beloved."
 
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