Re: Hunting Through Keliac - 119 4A

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 3:50 pm

"A bit is a 'bit' of an understatement," Miyuki replied wryly.

As the two had been married for a year already, and now expecting a child.

The kitsune shrugged, "Well, let's have lunch and then I can rune your bag afterwards."

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 4:03 pm

"Was there anything you had to leave behind that you still need?" Cael asked Tehlmar as they sat down to lunch.

Tehlmar shrugged. "My bow, quiver ... but those can be replaced easily enough. Aside from that, there's nothing I need."

They spent the remainder of the daylight preparing for the following day, and once darkness fell, they gathered once more in the living room as Lancaeriel used Takari's mirror to contact the group in the tent. The foyer had been dimmed, and there were only two people in the room: Andarien and Shoneah. There was a dull glow on the floor where Zeus was sitting, and Eon's rings were visible, glowing in gentle blue pulses on one chair.

"Oh, there you are," Shoneah grinned when the group appeared in the mirror. "We were wondering when you'd get to us. Sorry it's just us here, but everyone else has gone to bed."

"Everyone else was busy today," Andarien pointed out. "We weren't."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 4:55 pm

"Fair enough," Miyuki replied with a nod, "Any news about the letter?"

Since that was why they were 'calling' in so to speak.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:05 pm

Since Miyuki was speaking in the language of the region, Shoneah and Andarien did the same.

"Nothing good, I'm afraid," Shoneah replied with a sigh. "Wren was with him when it was delivered. His reaction was ... um ..."

"Just say it," Makaela requested, wringing her hands together.

"They were also with Mara, who asked what the letter was about, and he said nothing important and shoved it in his pocket," Andarien said flatly in the blunt matter that was him.

Shoneah elbowed him. "Andarien!" she chided him.

He looked at her. "What? She said to just say it."

Makaela took a deep breath. "He's right, I did."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:41 pm

"So there's no sign that he might return?" Miyuki asked, hoping that maybe he was just being really private and didn't want to talk about it with anyone in public.

Still, despite asking it, Miyuki was already thinking about helping Makaela pack.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 5:57 pm

Shoneah sighed heavily. "Admittedly no."

"Even if he does have intentions to return in the future," Makaela spoke up, sounding slightly angry now, "his reaction says enough for me."

Takari reached over and took her mother's hand. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Thanks, you two," Lancaeriel said to Shoneah and Andarien. "We'll be back the day after tomorrow."

"We'll ask Kyrie if we can have things done before you return," Shoneah replied. "Good night."

"Good night." Lancaeriel reached forward and touched the mirror, ending the transmission. Then,with a sigh, she looked at Makaela and murmured softly, "I am so very sorry."

Makaela smiled grimly. "Thank you. At least now I know."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:09 pm

Miyuki nodded slowly at this, it was true, at least she knew now.

"What would you like to do now then? And is there anything you need us to help with?"

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:16 pm

Makaela shook her head. "Right now, all I want to do is sleep," she murmured. "Tomorrow, however, I would appreciate help with packing. If my husband isn't going to return, then we should take as much as we can."

She pushed herself to her feet and headed towards her bedroom.

"I'm going to stay with Mother tonight," Takari whispered to Tehlmar. She slipped off the couch and hurried after her mother.

"I guess that means bed for the rest of us," Cael quipped.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 7:13 pm

"Let's go then, I'd imagine tomorrow will be quite busy," Miyuki added.

Besides, it was getting late and it was already a lot of excitement for one day.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 7:38 pm

The following day was spent packing everything that could possibly fit into the runed bags, and after one last night in the house, they packed up the tent and started back towards the rest of the group. They knew they were getting close when Takari, Makaela and Tehlmar started to get antsy about continuing forward, and Lancaeriel right away took a few drops of their blood and went ahead of the group to add the three to the security runes.

"Welcome back," Iorlas greeted them when they entered the foyer. She was sitting on a chair, sewing, while Amir and Kaede played together on the floor. "I'm afraid most of the group is gone at the moment, though they did say they expected to be back shortly."

Tehlmar, Takari and Makaela didn't say anything, and it wasn't just that they didn't understand the English Iorlas was speaking - they were staring, stunned, at the room around them.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:02 pm

Holly was with Iorlas, taking care as she was putting some last touches on some lovely fur trimmed cloaks. Well, it was a cloak for Rose, but Holly was making a peacoat for herself. She was stitching on the fur trim at the moment.

"Yes, welcome back," Holly greeted.

"It's good to be back," Miyuki replied, "I'm going to put my stuff away and then get to work on making rooms."

They would need at least two, with Tahlmar and Takari's room being bigger and having a section for their baby to sleep in as well.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:11 pm

Iorlas smiled at her niece. "Let us know if you need any help."

"Actually, is Xipil around?" Lancaeriel asked. "I'm sure Uruloki is with Kyrie, but I can't see Shoneah taking Xipil on a ... well, a mission, for lack of a better term. He's still rather young."

"Either her room or Andarien's," Iorlas replied, nodding towards the residential hallway. "They've been sharing a room every night since Eausin."

Not that anyone had realized it until recently.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:34 pm

"Huh... I wonder when that started happening," Miyuki murmured aloud.

She turned to face their guests and explained what was going to happen.

"Feel free to take a seat and rest. I'm going to go ahead and make some new rooms for you, and Lancaeriel is going to grab Xipil... ah... Lanceriael, do you want to explain why or should I?"

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:44 pm

"You go ahead with the rooms, I'll take care of explanations," Lancaeriel smiled at Miyuki.

"And I'll look for Xipil," Cael volunteered.

As he went off, Lancaeriel motioned for the newcomers to sit. She explained what Xipil was for and then introduced the others who were in the room.

When they were introduced to Holly, Makaela and Takari were both silent, but Tehlmar asked curiously, "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Holly, but what are you? I think I can safely say that none of us have ever seen anyone like you before."

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:04 pm

"Don't worry about it, I'm use to that question. I'm not a local to this continent or even to this world," Holly replied with a smile, "I am called a Neko. We are often defined by our cat ears and tail, though I'm sitting on mine at the moment."

While this was happening, Miyuki went off to make those rooms she had said she would.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:16 pm

"There are others like you?" Tehlmar asked, surprised.

Iorlas chuckled softly at the question. "Two more in the tent," she smiled. "You'll meet them eventually."

At that moment, Cael returned with Xipil in his arms. The dragon's eyes were half-lidded, as though he had been sleeping, and as Cael sat down next to the newcomers, Xipil yawned slightly and shook his wings. They went through the motions of getting a few drops of his blood and giving it to Takari, Makaela and Tehlmar, and then Cael asked, speaking in English, "Well?"

"Well, what?" Tehlmar asked, looking up at Cael blankly.

Cael chuckled softly. "Question answered. We're speaking another language now, but you don't seem to have any trouble with it."

"I never knew dragons blood could do this to people," Makaela mused wonderingly.

Cael set Xipil on the floor, and the dragon scampered off. In the meantime, some of the others who had not gone off to the mansion started wandering into the foyer.

"Hey, you're back," Kaito grinned upon seeing those who had returned.

Shiro came in and sat next to Holly - not too close, since he didn't want to crowd her, but close enough that she could help keep Kaito away from him and defend him from his brother's comments. Since he had learned to use magic to disguise others, Kaito had been pestering him to learn even more, rubbing it in that "it wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be and he seemed to have perfect control over it so why not?" He was glad that Holly was around to get Kaito to stop when the over-energetic neko got out of hand.

by **Kara Winters** Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:48 pm

"They arrived not that long ago," Holly supplied, "Miyuki is making their rooms right now."

She looked up from what she was doing, and noted where Shiro was sitting. Not that she could blame him, poor guy. While it was a shame that Shiro didn't like to use magic (it was clear he had quite the talent for it), it was even worse when Kaito petered him about it.

by **Nara-pyon** Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:54 pm

"Perhaps in the meantime, we could give them a tour of the tent," Kaito suggested.

"Or let them rest," Shiro pointed out. "They've been walking for more than half a day and Takari is pregnant. I'm sure she could use a breather, even if the others don't need it."

Takari blushed lightly. It was true, she was really enjoying the rest she was getting by sitting now, and she was looking forward to a nap. It just felt awkward to have complete strangers debate about it in front of her.

by **Kara Winters** Sun Jan 24, 2016 12:04 am

"What would you like to do?" Holly asked the newcomers kindly.

After all, this would be up to them in what action they would like to take next.

by **Nara-pyon** Sun Jan 24, 2016 12:09 am

"Part of me wants to get to know everyone here," Tehlmar said hesitantly, looking down at his wife, whose head was in his lap. "But I know you said that most of them are gone. And the white-haired Neko is right, we do need to rest."

"I just want to sleep," Takari admitted in a murmur.

"Something to eat would not go amiss," Makaela spoke up with a hopeful smile. "I spent the last two years paralyzed. To have walked so far at once is ... rather draining, after two years of immobility."

by **Kara Winters** Tue Jan 26, 2016 9:34 pm

"It'll take a bit for Miyuki to make the rooms..." Holly murmured.

And even then there wouldn't be anything to sleep on properly, if she had stuffing, she could try her hand at making futons, the idea shouldn't be that hard. However, that was a thought for another day.

"But I can get you food," Holly finished as she set aside her work and got up from her seat, "Shiro, would you help me?"

She figured it wasn't alright leaving the brothers in a room without supervision at the moment.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Jan 26, 2016 9:43 pm

"Absolutely," Shiro agreed readily, rising quickly but without knocking Holly's work around. He wasn't very eager to stay with his brother either at the moment. Maybe he would give him a few more days. Though on that note, maybe he would talk to Miyuki about a room of his own ... he didn't need to share with Kaito forever, after all.

He followed Holly to the kitchen, and since he didn't know what food to prepare, he instead rummaged around for a tray and some plates.

"I'd imagine the others will want some food too when they get back," he commented to Holly as he brought out what he figured they would need. It was all he could think of to say. He always seemed to get tongue-tied around Holly, as much as he found it annoying. His head was full of facts, but they never seemed to fit in the conversations they had.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:04 pm

"That's a good point, fortunately we still have some bread leftover from this morning," Holly replied, "And we did manage to make a lot of bread, that's the lovely thing about these stoves, they heat up and stay to their temperature exactly because of the magic used."

People always had idealistic views of what a 'simple' life meant, but Holly, having lived through part of it, appreciated the technology of home and of magic.

"I'm sure you already know this having traveled for so long," Holly continued as she got out some preserved meats, "But you can't control the temperature with normal heating methods. So you always had to set it to be very hot, and hope it didn't lose a huge amount of heat. So cooking is always by feel... I'm surprised I even remembered how to judge temperature after Miyuki runed the stove and oven..."

It was something that they had to get a handle on, because the temperature was far more consistent. Some things wouldn't stay in as long, or it shouldn't be as hot as they normally would have had it.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:17 pm

Shiro chuckled. "Well, if we ever find the right materials, I'll consider putting in a thermometer or something. Or we could ask Andarien if he's got anything, I know he uses the forge at various temperatures, has to keep it very specific for working with different metals."

He thought about what else was in the cupboards that would go well with bread.

"I think we have some cold meat from yesterday," he murmured. "It would go well ... it's a pity we don't have a way of getting any milk but coconut here, butter would go great with it. Then again, I'd love a simple glass of milk, too."

by **Kara Winters** Tue Jan 26, 2016 11:18 pm

"So would cheese with the cold meat," Holly added, "Ah well... I think someone made chutney though, not sure what kind. It's the fresh kind, but it's kept in the preservation box in a bowl."

It went without saying that it was a savory type, since they also didn't have any sugar, so no jams or sweet chutney. Holly wondered if Miyuki would be interested in putting preservation runes on jars so they could jar things and keep them in the cupboard like sauces and fresh chutney. That would be useful.

"Maybe if we come to a town that doesn't mind outsiders we can get milk," Holly added absently, "Though... I don't think I've been in a town since I've started traveling with all of you..."

She wondered what that was like.

by Sponsored content