@The Avalon Party:
Siron
As you mention being there at the end, perhaps it is a catch in your voice or a look of guilt in your expression that suddenly catches her attention. Her eyes narrow and her features harden. “There’s something you’re not telling me, Siron.”
Corvus takes Muse’s hand in his. “I’m sure all Siron has said has been in earnest. Why do you look at him with accusation in your eyes? Do you not think if there was some way Honor could have been spared that Siron and the others would have done so?” speaks Corvus soothingly.
Despite Muse’s cold gaze, after several moments, and Corvus’s urging, she accepts the box from your outstretched hand. She stares at it for some time, her hand moving to the lid to open it, put pausing with much reluctant. She does this many times, unable to bring herself to open it.
“You don’t have to open this right now,” says Corvus. “You can wait.”
“No… If he wanted me to have it, it must have been very important to him,” relents Muse.
Finally, Muse finds the strength to open the box, and her breath catches in her throat, forming as a gasp then evolving into the most gutwrenching wail you’ve ever heard in your life. She falls to her knees in front of the fountain, holding the ring in her hands. The craftsmanship is absolutely exquisite. It is a brilliant gold ring adorned with leaves of green gold. Upon the ring are three gems: a large diamond flanked by two radiant, purple amethysts.
“He- he was going to...” Muse cannot finish her thought aloud.
“It will be alright, my lady.” Corvus kneels beside her and lifts her chin with a touch of his fingers. “He loved you, so very very much, and were he to see you like this, I know his heart would break into a million pieces. You are not wrong to mourn him, but do not let your grief consume you.” Corvus helps her to her feet. Her knees are weak with grief and she leans heavily against him.
“Come, Muse. Let me help you home,” offers Corvus. He gives you a nod of acknowledgment before leading Muse away.
As they depart, you can hear her say in the softest of tones, her voice breaking with emotion, “I would have said yes… I would have said yes.”
Aeliana
“No, no, child. You owe me nothing!” speaks Hestia with a smile. “I thank you for your praise and your interest in my arts. Since you are so keen to learn, I would be more than happy to show you some of what I have attained over the years, but bear in mind, dear child, these arts are not without cost. When you heal someone, you must take the energy, the spirit, from somewhere. Far too often, it is from ourselves. That is why healing Immortalis is far more difficult than healing mortals.”
“Now… Now that your body has been seen to, let’s get to that belly. I can hear it rumbling a mile away. I’ll be back in a moment.” Hestia scurries off and once you dress you find yourself rejoined by Vartan.
His eyes widen noticeably as he takes in your transformation. “I knew she could work miracles, but you looked as if you had been dragged through a moat! And now…” Vartan is rendered momentarily speechless as he takes in your long, red hair and the renewed spark in your green eyes. “Well… if I may say so, you look absolutely lovely, milady.”
“Ah! Vartan! Give an old woman a hand!” calls Hestia.
Vartan peeks his head out the door. “My, my. You’re in for a treat! Come on, Aeliana.” He gestures for you to follow him and he leads you into an exquisite dining room with a long, oak table adorned with a beautifully made, ivory table runner, inlaid with gold leaves, trees, and flowers.
Vartan moves to assist Hestia in unloading her arms. For such an elderly looking woman, she must be awfully strong to have carried all the items, then you must remind yourself, that despite her grandmotherly appearance, you are gazing upon a very seasoned veteran of the Ageless ranks.
Vartan assists Hestia in setting the table, then disappears for several moments to gather his companions. When he returns, Lene and Askall are with him, but Ciar is nowhere to be seen.
“Probably at the tavern,” comments Lene with a roll of her eyes.
Askall, too, looks much less worse for wear. His strapping, muscular form moves through the room gracefully and he seats himself at the table across from you. He glances at you with his piercing green eyes as his flowing, black hair falls upon his shoulders in silky waves of ebony. “Milady, you look well.”
Everyone seats themselves and you find Hestia has offered quite the spread! There are warm, buttermilk biscuits, jars of all manner of jams and jellies, likely made from the fruits in Hestia’s own garden. There is a wooden bowl filled with freshly churned butter, frosty mugs of apple cider, heaps of still-sizzling bacon, mouth watering sausages, and huge wedges of cheese. In the center of the table are enormous sweetrolls that smell of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. They are drizzled with ample amounts of vanilla icing and maple syrup.
The Crimson Wolves, who likely hadn’t seen such a spread in a long time, quickly dig into their food with gusto, leaving plenty of opportunity for you to converse with Hestia.
@The Fjorin Party
You manage to successfully DODGE out of the path of the airborne leech, and unleash a mighty swing upon the creature. Your sword slices into the flesh of the leech and your promptly hear a strange, sizzling sound emanating from the wound. You see that the edges of your blade have a thick, green, corrosive acid that threatens the integrity of your weapon. Yet, this is not a mortal blade; this is forged by the smiths of the Ageless, and despite the best efforts of the leech’s acid, you pull the untarnished blade free.
Upon your rallying cry, you find yourself back to back with Punisher who has his ebony greataxe drawn. His gaze falls upon the other leech that approached from the rear of the party. He unleashes a fury of quick attacks, successfully managing to tear off a chunk of the leech’s abdomen with the bite of his blade.
Dennan and Blood have closed with the leech at the front of the party. Blood’s broadsword glints as she brings it down upon her foe while Dennan drives his silver greataxe into its back.
Two more leeches appear quite suddenly, emerging from the gurgling depths of the swamp. There is one to either side of Lai. You hear her mutter something under her breath and a wall of dirt and rock rises from the ground to either side of her, shielding her from their advance.
Coward had been previously disarmed of all his weapons, as he was not able to be trusted not to stab someone in the back. His eyes widen at the advance of another leech, and for a moment, he appears as if he may flee the party in fear. Instead, two enormous falcons sweep into action, both colliding into the leech with enough force to knock it to its side. One of the falcons is mounted by a cheering Chico, whose mousy hands cling to its feathers so he will not fall off.
Sembas and Anlaf must have just returned from scouting ahead and were quick to fly into action. It takes Sembas a few moments to shift back into his human form, but when he does, his hands immediately grasp his spear, and he plunges it into the side of the fallen leech. Yet, the leech is not willing to relinquish its hold on life. It curls forward, attempting to lock its mouth upon Sembas’s arm. These are certainly not average leeches. In addition to their enormous size, corrosive blood, and power to drain people of their lifeblood, they also have rows upon rows of jagged teeth. It is these teeth the creature is poised to bite into the falconer’s flesh with.
