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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 23, 2010 10:50:00 GMT -8
Cloti couldn't help but grin. The one place that she could feel at home and not hunted was here, the Spirit. Here was a place that the humans didn't control and she didn't have to constantly hide here. Ah, a pain in the ass her own race could be. Now a little bit of compassion and common sense present in those people would be deeply appreciated. Of course, that wasn't going to happen. Having seen these humans in everyday life had convince the avian shaman otherwise. Nope, this was not a hope to be entertained. Sure she had had it for a while, but over time, hope went down; humans were stubborn.
Says the human herself. A sarcastic voice in her head drawled out lazily. Although the voice was in her head, Cloti couldn't help but let out an enigmatic smile. She was human, yet she thought that her race was a little more than stupid. If only they could see the world of possibilities that they were closing up to themselves, maybe then they'd reconsider their "rational decisions" and make actual rational decisions this time. For example, to help the Song. Wait, never mind, if that happened, then there was no need for the Song and her job would be done, end of story.
Hold on, weren't there traffickers somewhere? She had heard cases of fae gone missing, not captured by the hounds, but simply gone, poof, futsch. Definitely traffickers there. Maybe then she could completely devote herself to that cause then, when her job was over and everything was going according to "happily ever after". Yeah right, that was so going to happen.
Stop daydreaming and get on with whatever brought you here! Ah, it was that voice again. What did she come here for? Um... now that the subject was brought up, the tanned human slowed down, frowning at some invisible object as she tried to concentrate on her purpose. Food? Nah, she was full to the brim, or would that be mouth? Drink? Uh... no point there. Weaponry? Nah, she had just polished Feather and Claw at the base before coming out. If it wasn't those, why did she come here? Smart, Cloti, you forgot your purpose. Now what? Walk around dumbly for everyone to stare at? Cloti ignored the voice in her head, glaring at it mentally. No, she had just been interrupted of another train of thought... again! [/color]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 23, 2010 13:08:36 GMT -8
Oh boy he was tired. But he supposed that was what happened when one stayed up late, then woke up early and was unable to fall back to sleep. Of course, it was Tuft's fault; if the little sheep hadn't been pawing at his face asking for food, the boy never would have woken up in the first place. But that was in the past, and Jaime was wandering Spirit now, searching for something to do that would wake him up the rest of the way. He had left a note at his house for Briar, his sister, so she shouldn't freak out when she noticed he was gone. Shouldn't was the keyword. Briar was highly protective of Jaime, and his note might not have sufficed for her, especially since all he had written was:
Hey, don't worry. I just went for a walk around Spirit with Tuft, and I didn't want you to freak out, so I left this note for you. I'll be home later. Don't make dinner for me. I brought money to eat on. Love, Jaime.
He hoped that Briar wouldn't come looking for him... That would be, well, inconvenient. As he was pondering, Tuft, who was sitting in his usual place on the boy's head, let out a bellow and dug his hooves into Jaime's thick locks, startling him. "Hey, hey, watch it!" he exclaimed, reaching up to touch the Nyeene to try and calm him down. It didn't work, but he still tried. "What are you freaking out about?"
It was then that Jaime noticed a large human male, a shopkeeper from the looks of it, snag the wrist of a small fae, an earth fairy from the color of the wings. The fairy flipped out and tried to free himself as the shopkeeper drew him closer, growling something in his face. Jaime could only catch tidbits of the man's words. "... thief...! Should call the... cut... hand off...! ... fae should know... place...!" That was enough for him to move closer, worried for the fae's safety. The fairy twisted and turned, cowering slightly as he stared up at the man. "I wasn't taking anything, I promise! You have to believe me; I can't lie, I'm a fae!" "Can't lie my ass! Beh! You sneaky fae can always find loopholes!"
At that point, Jaime couldn't help but step in. His hand landed on the shopkeeper's arm, distracting the man from the trembling fairy for a moment. "What's the problem? He said he didn't take anything, so why don't you let him go?" "Just because he says something doesn't make it true!" "But he's fae. They can't lie!" The shopkeeper, however, seemed too stubborn to care about that fact. Or, Jaime thought, it was more likely he was one of the haters and this was his chance to get back at whatever fae he could get his hands on. "I'm calling the guards!" "No, don't do that!" the fairy shrieked, trying to pull away again.
Suddenly, there was the clink of coins on the table. The shopkeeper stopped at the sound, staring down at the coins, then his attention moved up to Jaime who had put them there. Jaime stared at the merchant, gesturing to the fairy as he spoke. "Let him go, and you can keep that. Even if he did take something, that should cover it." The merchant hesitated for a moment, then began to count out the coins with his free hand. Only once the greedy man was satisfied with the amount did he turn to Jaime and shove the little fairy in his direction. "Alright, I'll let him off this time. But if I ever see him around my stall again, he's going straight to the guard! Got it?" "Got it," Jaime murmured back, taking the fae's arm gently and leading him away.
When they were a safe distance away, Jaime stopped and let the fairy go, turning toward him and smiling at him. "Sorry. I couldn't just let him accuse you like that," the boy stated, grinning at the fae. The fairy shook slightly still and looked up at his sheepishly. "I didn't take anything... I wasn't lying. I can't lie." "I know." "Can I... can I pay you back somehow?" Jaime shook his head, careful not to knock Tuft off. "Don't worry about it. Just avoid that stall from now on, and everything'll be fine." The fairy hesitated for half a second before nodding and running off with a happy, "Thank you!" The boy watched him go. Tuft bellowed softly, pawing the blonde locks contentedly. Jaime reached up and pet the little sheep happily, murmuring to him, "Well, we did good today, huh? At least something good came of today..."
Unfortunately, the money he had used had been the money for his food that day, and Jaime could feel his stomach forming knots from hunger. He sighed. Well, he supposed he would gladly go a day without food if it meant he kept an innocent out of jail. His stomach, however, wasn't happy about his decision. "Neh, Tuft, today's gonna be long. I can tell already." [/color]
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 23, 2010 14:31:45 GMT -8
Winter sat at a small table not far from an expensive and very reputable restaurant, watching the young boy save the Fae. He had been about to do the same, when the human stepped in. It warmed the changeling's heart to see that not all Humans were bad. He stood and strolled toward the boy, telling the waiter to pull up another seat to his table. Winter stopped next to the boy, placing a somewhat large hand on his shoulder. He gave a calm grin that held a habitual predatory hint. The man fairly radiated his personality: cunning, laid-back, and dangerous if need be. But the expression he held seemed genuine. Winter spoke in a deep, honeyed voice, "I saw what you just did. The world needs more people like you." The man grinned, revealing pointed canines, "Would you allow me to buy you a meal?" The changeling gestured to the restaurant table, the only one with two chairs. He inspected the small sheep-like creature, a Nyeene. "Your little friend may eat as well, my treat." Winter's calm, cheery gaze fell over the boy's shoulder, and widened in disbelief. "Erm, Clo...Sparrow?" he spoke sounding surprised. It wasn't that he was shocked she was here, just that the city was so large it was almost impossible to find those you knew. The Fae shook his head to regain composure. "If you'd like lunch, follow me," he said in an off-hand tone, wandering back toward the table. He let out the low, piercing whistle that showed he was of the Song, to get Cloti's attention, but didn't look in her direction again, just sat in his chair and asked the waiter to bring a third seat. It was a good thing he had gotten paid the other day.
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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 23, 2010 23:03:31 GMT -8
Ok, seriously, what was it that she came here to do? This was becoming a serious problem, forgetfulness. Better make a mental note to get herself a diary to write her thoughts down on so that she wouldn't forget it. Aah, forget it, there was no way that she would remember to do such a thing, no point there. Ok, maybe it could be some use if she actually had the time to use it. That amounted up to sometimes. Well, better than never. Wait, but then if she lost it, wouldn't the hounds find out all her plans? That definitely wasn't good, not good at all, in fact.
Cloti was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed the low, yet piercing whistle that signaled the recognition of someone from the Song of another person from the Song. It took her a while to process that sound and another while to actually figure out where it was coming from. Among the throng here and aided by her sense of direction, she located a shock of white hair deeply contrasted by the figure's black attire. Though she could see nothing of his complexion, she knew the six foot tall figure already, pinpointing him as Winter, or Nightingale. Oh, so there was another of the Song here.
Changing her course ever so slightly, she frowned again, she had lost her train of thought... again! Ok, never mind that, go bother with Winter. He was walking back to his table, meaning that he had some business around here to have actually left his table at the restaurant. He couldn't just have left to signal to her, so... oh, there. Cloti caught sight of the slight figure, dressed in rather wintery clothing with unruly looking white hair and something atop his head. She had learned about those things once upon a time. What were they...? Oh, right, a Nyeene. That was it. Seeing the creature perched atop the youth's head made her smile as she made her way to the changeling who was still, as she had not yet failed to ignore, taller than she was. Whatever, she'd join him anyways, even if she was full.
After ascertaining that the waiter had brought a third chair to the table of two, she stifled a yawn and proceeded to slip into the chair. "I absolutely despise it when you're thinking about something, then your brain goes and disrupts you, making you forget your original purpose, don't you?" She asked him cheerfully. It was exactly what had happened to her. The only problem was that she didn't think that it was a proper way to start a conversation or greet someone. Whatever, originality was what counted and that was more than what she already had. [/color][/size][/font]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 24, 2010 9:32:58 GMT -8
The hand that landed on his shoulder startled him slightly, and Jaime glanced over his shoulder quicker than Tuft, who dug his hooves into the boy's head, would have liked. "Sorry," the youth murmured quickly to his tiny partner, receiving a huff in reply. Jaime examined the man that had approached him, noting the slightly dangerous hint in his eyes, his grin, and the way he stood. However, Tuft was not bellowing in dislike, so this man must not have meant him harm. It was sometimes nice to have an evil detector. While Jaime was never against talking to someone with bad intentions (he went by a policy that everyone deserved a chance), he liked to know that the person did have bad intentions, so he could avoid it as much as possible.
Wait, what? This guy wanted to buy him food? Jaime couldn't help but grin back; he supposed that good deeds did come with rewards sometimes. Before he could reply, however, Tuft bellowed in delight, happy to be included and excited to be potentially fed his favorite treat. The boy laughed, reaching up with both hands and plucking the Nyeene from his head to set him on the ground. "That'd be great, thanks!" the boy practically chirped, following the man as he headed toward his seat. Tuft bounded behind him.
He heard the whistle, but Jaime thought nothing of it. A man was allowed to whistle when he pleased, was he not? However, the addition of a third seat made him tilt his head as he sank into his own seat and Tuft quickly hopped up into the boy's lap, circling a few times before settling himself comfortably down. His unvoiced question was answered when a woman slipped into the other chair. He blinked at her mild complaint. "Yeah, but then you've got another purpose, so maybe it makes up for it," Jaime offered, smiling helpfully at the woman. Ah, Jaime, always thinking on the bright side... [/color]
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 24, 2010 11:37:47 GMT -8
"Miss Sparrow, I believe there is many reasons why you received your name. And just let me say, sparrows are not known for their long attention spans." Winter teased lightly. "Joking aside though, I know what you mean. I know a man who could never remember anything, and he actually had to get help. Meditating works for me, keeps the mind clear." The changeling turned to the young boy and smiled. "So, what's your name kid? I'd rather not only call you 'hey you' forever. You can just call me...Fox." Using an alias was always so strange. Especially since he used his true name for absolutely nothing. He always went by 'Winter', 'Winter Fox', 'Fox', or 'Nightingale'. But never by Geert Khay. Who would want to go by that anyway? Was that a bad thing? That people knew what he went by and therefore could use it to find him? Meh, whatever, if they found him it probably wouldn't be because of his name. A dour faced man in uniform made his way toward the table with long, precise strides, bringing Winter out of his thoughts.. "May I take your orders?" he intoned, looking around without interest. Winter was a rather simple, habitual man, and always ordered the same thing here. "I'd like amber ale, steak cooked rare, and the mashed potatoes with gravy. Thanks." He smiled cheerily and gestured for the human boy and his little pet to order.
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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 25, 2010 10:46:35 GMT -8
Aha. So it was the boy that Winter had been talking to. The little Nyeene that had been previously perched on the boy's head was now in his lap. Cloti blinked, up close, the little sheep-like creature looked even cuter than before. Ah, so she did still have a soft spot like that. Well, it couldn't be helped, not that she didn't enjoy it, but it was... ok she was human, what could one expect? No one was perfect--were they?
"... but then you've got another purpose so maybe it makes up for it"
And there she went again, wandering off into space and not paying attention. At least she didn't miss too much this time. She smiled at the boy; now that certainly was a different way of looking at things. It was... outside the box. Yes, that was it, outside the box--if there was a box in the first place.
"Miss Sparrow, I believe there is many reasons why you received your name. And just let me say, sparrows are not known for their long attention spans."
Cloti frowned a little. She did have a rather good attention span--sometimes. But sparrows were everywhere and they had good reflexes. Short attention spans were beneficial too, but longer ones were often more useful anyways. Wait... really? No, never mind! Concentrate on the conversation at hand! The voice screamed to her.
Ah, right. Winter was saying something about names... "Oh, I'm Sparrow, by the way." Cloti chirped in with a smile. "And I guess I need to focus." She thought out loud. "Meditating wouldn't do any good. It would be like a barricade against a growing tsunami wave--when the barricade's broken down, my head'll explode. Not, literally, figuratively, you know?" And there she went, babbling on and almost missing the waiter. What did that matter? She was bursting full anyways.
When the waiter looked at her, she shook her head, sending her dark hair flying. Without even pausing to give the surly man a smile, she retreated to the conversation and her thinking. Maybe she should get a planner, something simple, but knowing her, she'd forget to write in it anyways. Good idea or not good idea? It was a rather hard decision. Casting a glance at the boy, she wondered if it was a good idea to ask such an abstract, pointless question. [/color][/size][/font]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 25, 2010 11:16:54 GMT -8
Tuft seemed to have noticed the woman looking at him. The little creature tilted his head at her, releasing a welcoming bellow. His ears wiggled a bit as he blinked his beady little eyes at her. But the Nyeene made no move to go over to her, prefering to stay seated comfortably in Jaime's lap, enjoying the petting he was receiving from the boy.
It was obvious that these two knew each other, but that wasn't uncommon, so there was no need to comment about it. He turned his attention to the man as he introduced himself as Fox, then to the woman as she introduced herself as Sparrow. "Nice to meet both of you! I'm Jaime. And this little guy is Tuft." With a grin, the boy lifted Tuft off his lap to show him to the pair, much to the little Nyeene's dislike; he bellowed and kicked his legs, and Jaime quickly put him back down. "Sorry Tuft," he said softly with a laugh, rubbing the creature's back.
Jaime listened to Fox's order, then glanced at the waiter. The boy frowned, unsure what to order; he didn't frequent this restaurant, so he didn't know what they had. "Just water and a chicken breast," the youth stated, not wanting to order too much; even if Fox had offered, Jaime didn't want the man to spend that much on him. Tuft huffed slightly. "Oh, and if you have lotus blossoms, that would be great. If not, any flower would really work." He smiled at the waiter, then his attention was drawn to Sparrow as she talked. Jaime sometimes had trouble with having a short attention span, but it didn't seem to be as bad as Sparrow's, at least from the way she and Fox had talked. A short attention span wasn't that terribly bad, though. "At least it keeps things interesting," the boy offered, shrugging his shoulders to release the tension there and leaning back in his chair.
Oh, maybe he should thank Fox again. After all, not many people would buy some random kid dinner, right? "Thanks again for the meal, Fox. I really appreciate it." He grinned at the man. As he talked, his fingers slowly dug their way through the wool on Tuft's back to actually reach the skin, which caused the little creature to make a soft, pleased sound. [/color]
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 25, 2010 12:33:16 GMT -8
Winter smiled and waved away the thanks, "Well you don't look like a street urchin, but you don't exactly seem loded either," he began in a nonchalant voice, "I may not be the nicest man in Litharia, but I can't let a kid go hungry because he helped another." The changeling turned to Cloti and smiled, "And your memory isn't that bad. I'm just teasing." he shrugged, "I'm too busy to not remember things. I would probably get killed." Winter laughed. "So where'd you get this little guy?" he mused, holding out a flat palm with a small purple flower. "It's been a long time since I've seen a Nyeene. He's a cute one." The changeling sized up the animal to his hand and smiled softly, "Small too. I'v seen some the size of small dogs before." The dour-faced waiter returned, meals in tow. The dishes were placed on the table in front of the ones who ordered them. The smell was heavenly, wafting from each meal. The man permitted himself a small smile as he set a plate full of lotus flowers in front of Tuft. "I had one when I was a boy," he said, fondness slightly coloring his monotone voice, "No charge for the flowers." Winter thanked him profusely and handed over payment and a generous tip. The waiter bowed from the waist and strode off, still smiling. The changeling started on his meal, savoring each bite. "This place is one of the best, I always come here when I have some free time in Spirit."
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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 26, 2010 2:15:29 GMT -8
Cloti lifted her the corner of her lips in a smile as the Nyeene--now Tuft, sitting in the boy's--now Jaime's lap uttered out a sound towards her. It wasn't hostile and it seemed to be an acknowledgement of her presence; a welcome maybe? Whatever it was, it was friendly and she found the little animal slightly comical in the way that it wiggled its ears. She giggled a little as the little creature complained when Jaime held it up, kicking his cloven hooves and bellowing loudly, causing his caretaker to set him back down in his lap.
Once Jaime had made his order, the waiter departed, leaving them their conversation at hand. Well, at least she knew their names now. That was an achievement. Maybe forgetting her purpose wasn't so bad after all; she had met Winter, seen a Nyeene and met another human that wasn't so negative. All in a day's work. No wait, that was a few hours, not a day yet. But "a few hour's work" didn't have quite the ring that "a day's work" did. Ah well, not everything made sense with expressions. It didn't have to either. Maybe their purpose was to make someone think.
Oh, right, Jaime had said something. Thankfully she didn't miss it. Maybe it was just a thing that she had in a certain time of day. "A short attention span means that you're more attentive to your surroundings, although you might miss something sometimes," Cloti said thoughtfully. "If you have the ability to process information at the blink of an eye, that is!" She said, snapping her fingers. Although it wasn't that great a discovery, it had to be accompanied by some gesture of significance.
"... because he helped another." [/i] Huh? What was Winter talking about? Cloti raised an eyebrow as a silent question as to what Jaime did. She hadn't been paying attention then. Winter didn't seem too generous a person to give a random kid a meal or anything like that. Everyone had motives and Jaime must have done something for Winter to treat him like that. It couldn't be the Nyeene; that was a rather pathetic excuse in her own opinion. The waft of the food reached Cloti, but she still wasn't hungry enough to change her mind about getting some food. Winter's comment about this being an excellent restaurant was right, though she wasn't one that ate too much, resulting in her slight build. She could remember the place for future references next time when she was wandering around aimlessly. Fortunately that didn't happen too often.[/center][/color][/size]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 28, 2010 11:42:11 GMT -8
Jaime shrugged his shoulders, lifting his hands to the side of him with the palms facing up. “It wasn’t that big of a deal, really. I mean, I can’t watch someone be treated like that… It’s just not right or fair. So I always feel the need to help them. Well, ‘need’’s maybe a bad word… I want to help them,” he corrected, smiling softly as he ran his hand over the Nyeene’s back. Tuft wiggled happily.
The boy blinked at Fox’s question. “Oh, I was out in the forest when I was 16 – not very far into it, though, since I know the forest doesn’t much care for us humans… And I happened to notice him sitting there eating some lotus blossoms he had found. I just watched him for a while, but then he couldn’t reach the upper blossoms and he’d already eaten the lower ones and he seemed pretty distressed about it. So I helped him out and picked the blossoms for him and fed them to him, and he’s been wanting to stay with me ever since.” Tuft bellowed at the end of the story, as if adding his two cents to it. Of course, no one around could understand the little guy, so it was a moot point. The little creature sniffed in the direction of the offered flower then slowly hopped off Jaime’s lap onto the table, walking towards Fox. He blinked his beady little eyes at the man then bit into the flower. Jaime smiled. “Tuft here is the only Nyeene I’ve ever seen, though I did look up his species once I found him in this book that I have. It’s a book that someone, probably a Fae, had written about the creatures in Litharia. It’s not complete though; at least I don’t think it is. There are blank pages in the back.”
The boy nodded at Sparrow’s statement. “Unfortunately, I don’t have that ability. Guess I’m out of luck, huh?” He grinned and laughed, leaning forward to place his elbows on the table, resting his chin in his hands. “But, hey, if it works for you, that’s great, right?”
The moment the waiter got within range, Tuft went nuts at the smell of lotus blossoms. Almost before the plate was even set down, the little sheep was digging into the blossoms, happily wiggling all over at the taste. Jaime grinned at Tuft’s delight then nodded at the waiter. “Thanks a lot, sir!” he exclaimed happily, picking up his utensils to start eating his own food. It tasted even better than it smelled. “This really is a good place to eat,” he stated, speaking in general to the both of them.
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 28, 2010 12:48:13 GMT -8
Winter nodded in agreement, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of steak. The boy had spirit, but he was a bit too optimistic. At that Winter had to remind himself that the human was young, even by human standards. It was good that he still had optimism. Unfortunately, Winter had always been something of a pessimist; joining the Song hadn't helped with that. Had the boy seemed to be more capable in a fight Winter probably would have tried to recruit him then and there. But he was far too innocent. Joining the Song would ruin his spirit and outlook on life. Seeing what happened to the prisoners that the Song rescued would do that to you. But he could at least ask right? If Jaime wanted to join then it would be his choice. And he wouldn't be running around blindly with no information, Winter would tell him the risks. The restaurant they sat at was in a rather secluded corner of town, probably the perfect place to explain Song business. It was the reason he knew of the place, because Rodi had taken him there on numerous occasions to discuss plans.
Winter sighed and set down his fork. He leaned back in his chair, his expression taking on a calm, business-like manner. "So Jaime, have you ever heard of the Song of Heroes?" the changeling watched the human's expression carefully, "Because I think you would make an excellent addition to our ranks." The changeling's bronze cat-like eyes gleamed against his pale hair, giving him a dangerous, feral look, though his expression was placid. "You are a Healer, correct? The Song is in need of trustworthy healers, but they are far and few between. Most are rather cowardly as well." Winter smiled slightly, "But you are not. You saved that innocent Fae child without a second thought. You are strong of heart and obviously intelligent." Winter leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, "Is this an offer that interests you? Keep in mind that it may very well be dangerous work but it is rewarding to say the least."
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 28, 2010 13:09:31 GMT -8
The boy had been eating his food, occasionally looking up to glance at Fox or Sparrow or to watch Tuft (the little sheep had finished the blossoms and was strolling around the table, sniffing at Fox’s food and then at Jaime’s before moving to Sparrow to sniff in her direction), when he noticed that Fox suddenly seemed like he was thinking about something. From the look on his face, it seemed important. Jaime paused in lifting his fork to his mouth when the man spoke, his demeanor significantly changed from before.
The Song of Heroes? His brown eyes widened a little bit, and Jaime set the fork back onto his plate. Of course he had heard of the Song. Who hadn’t? They saved those that were caught in battle, both fae and human and he also though they saved the shapeshifters and daemons as well. Was he actually eating lunch with members of the Song?
Wait… had Fox just…? He had. The man had really just asked him if he would like to join the Song, that he would make a good addition. It was almost too good to be true. After all, Jaime had decided that he wanted to help people, to even end this war if he could. What better way than to join the Song? After all, he couldn’t bring peace by himself; he needed a group, and the Song was exactly the right kind of group for him.
An excited smile slid over his face, and Jaime leaned toward Fox. “Of course it interests me!” the boy said happily, though he kept his voice lower than normal just in case. While he knew of the Song of Heroes, Jaime also knew of those that were trying to find them. There was even a reward, he was pretty sure, for the whereabouts of the Song . “That’s probably one of the best things you could offer me! I know it would be dangerous, and I’m not the best healer in the world, but I could get better!” Imagine him, a member of the Song? Briar would be proud. … Oh gods, Briar… He wondered if he should tell her about this or not. She was protective of him, and he wondered if she would be okay with his running off to save prisoners of war. Of course, Jaime had never been one to lie to her… He’d have to think about that one.
The boy did know one thing for certain, though. He wanted to join the Song of Heroes.
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 28, 2010 17:40:07 GMT -8
Winter had almost been reconsidering his offer when Jaime accepted. Enthusiastically. It brought a smile to the changeling's face and caused him to thank Fate for the luck.
"Well I have one question first. Do you have anyone back home who would miss you?" It wouldn't do to have the boy's distress weighing on his mind if he just up and took him away. Winter knew just how hard it was to be left, and being the one leaving was even worse.
"By the way, please call me Winter. It's what I usually go by. But just giving out your name can be dangerous," Winter gave a sheepish laugh, "There are plenty of people who would absolutely love to collect the bounty on my head. Not to mention I tend to piss people off..." The statement brought back memories of the Boil, a perfect example of why he got on people's nerves. Punching a pigeon, telling a man who probably wished him dead to shove his plans up his ass. Yeah...In retrospect, that was a really bad idea. But they were rather fond memories, for whatever reason. Except for the dishrag soaked in Bittersweet Nightshade. That was not fun.
"You can call her," Winter gestured to Cloti, "Sparrow or Miss Cloti. In the end, whether or not you join is up to her. She's the co-leader of the Song. I'm second-in-command to the other leader, Hawk." That reminded him. The boy would need a new name if he was accepted. Winter wracked his brain for the names of any birds that he could thing of, and narrowed it down to two.
"If you join you'll need a code name. Like mine is Nightingale, her's is Sparrow, and Rodi's is Hawk. For you, I think either Finch or Owl would be fitting. Finch because you're rather cheerful and brave, or Owl, because you seem curious and eager to learn." Winter shrugged lazily, "Whichever you like best works I suppose, as long as you get the okay from Cloti."
In the end it everything was Cloti's decision. She had always been a good judge of character, which helped when recruiting. And the Song could always use more members, especially one as eager as Jaime. Most only joined because they had been rescued and felt indebted, or because they had some personal vendetta against a faction and thought the Song could help them. But Jaime wasn't one of those. He seemed to actually want to join to help people, not hurt them. The fact that he had a Nyeene proved it. In their own way, Nyeene were very similar to unicorns. Both could sense evil intentions and darkness in the soul. But Tuft was obviously devoted to the young human.
"So Cloti," Winter began softly, so that only those at the table could hear, "Let him join or send him home?"
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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 29, 2010 8:12:39 GMT -8
Ah, she was missing something here. But it didn't really matter; she could gather as much as Jaime had done something unlike a human to do, probably gone and saved a non-human being, probably a fae. Cloti knew the daemons and shapeshifters to be too feisty to get into trouble. They'd just get the hell out of there and not look back. So it was a fae, the people who had the best morals. Or most of them, anyways. Ah, a good soul, something that was most rare these days.
And someone unable to stand racism. Hm... who did that remind her of...? Oh! A lot of people otherwise known as the Song of Heroes! That's why it was so familiar, what else? The Song of Cowardly Losers? Oh, wait, there wasn't need for something like that; it was all around them so it would be a Ballad, not a Song. Hah, losers.
The Song of Heroes... Winter had just mentioned that. At once, Cloti blinked and sat up straight, turning her attention to Winter. Why had he mentioned that? Was he thinking of recruiting Jaime? No doubt Jaime could be of use with such spirit. But a strong spirit could be a downfall and she had to think about this. No, no, think later, see how Winter played his cards.
And he had revealed his name, or the name that he went by to those that knew him. He trusted the boy, Cloti could tell. Being trusted with a name was a thing for the Song, names were powers, names could be slip. And a slip could be fatal, especially for her.
When Winter added the name Cloti to her person, she couldn't help but give a weak smile. No doubt Jaime would have seen the numerous Wanted posters around with her name on them. She was by far the most wanted human for treason and she wasn't about to do much about it. No way was she going to give up her vitality so easily. There was still so much to do and if she was killed now... let's just say that there was no hope.
"Let him join or send him home,"
Uh, home wasn't an excuse. If there was a "home" it was either up above or having his memories completely erased. Not only was he a threat to the Song, he knew who she was and that the rumors about her looks were almost completely wrong. As before, a minor slip could be fatal. Think, Cloti, think! Her mind prodded her.
Alright, think. A strong spirit, eager to help and dedicated to a cause. Not at the point of fanatic--yet. Helping with the Song could be fatal both to physique and spirit. But Jaime knew too much to let him go and Winter trusted him. She had no choice. She would have to let him in and she would be the one to keep a close eye on him. "Finch..." She murmured. He would have to let go of all ties that he had, virtually no communication to the outside world, would he be able to do that?
"If we let you join, you will be able to help others at a risk to not only your life, but your spirit," Cloti began, watching Jaime carefully. "Such a thing is a gift and a curse in both ways. I can not guarantee you outlets or friends, but we are serious in this. This is something that we can not let fail; would you still support us?" She asked. Oops, that might have been a little intense. No matter, he had to know someday so that he wouldn't come crying back to her. She wanted him to make the right choice, a choice that he wouldn't have regrets about and if he was able to overcome this, he would be gladly welcome.
Cloti glanced at Winter, hoping that he didn't think her speech was too intense as well. [/color][/size][/font]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 29, 2010 13:11:36 GMT -8
He had been so excited, but the moment Fox – now Winter – asked him about whether he had anyone who would miss him, Jaime cringed slightly, thinking of his sister. She would most likely vehemently refuse his admission to the Song of Heroes, not because she thought it was a bad group, but because Briar was highly protective of her little brother. Maybe, though, there was a chance she would accept. It might take some prompting, however. Er… make that a lot of prompting. “I have an older sister… She’s acted as my mom ever since I was born,” Jaime stated softly, folding his arms over his chest.
Jaime glanced at Sparrow – now Cloti – when Winter really introduced her, and he was surprised to find out that he wasn’t only eating with members of the Song, but the co-leader and the second-in-command. Really, what were the chances of that?
Cloti’s name struck something, and he suddenly remembered why. He had seen the name on wanted posters all throughout Spirit, but the image he had heard didn’t match the woman at all. He supposed that was a good thing.
Without his consent, he started to grin slightly. How perfect was this? The boy had set out to find something to do; well, he supposed he’d found just that, and not only just something to do for that day. This was a potential lifetime thing.
Tuft had paused in his walking around the table, seeming to sense the change in the atmosphere. His ears wiggled and he baa’d softly, tilting his head to the side. The boy reached over and plucked the little sheep from the table, holding him against his chest. The Nyeene didn’t seem to mind. Finch or Owl… He didn’t know which one he would like better. However, when Cloti murmured the word ‘Finch’ he knew that he preferred that name as well; it just seemed to fit him better than Owl, though that was a good choice too.
It hadn’t occurred to him that, should Cloti decide to not recruit him, he would be a liability and would have to be gotten rid of in some way, whether that be death or his memories erased. Honestly, in his mind, Jaime was pretty much already recruited. One didn’t tell someone about a secret organization if they weren’t sure about recruiting them, right? So, as far as he was certain, he was practically a member of the Song already. All he needed now was the official welcome.
However, Jaime suddenly hesitated when Cloti began her speech. ”I cannot guarantee you outlets or friends.” Did that mean he wouldn’t be able to see Briar or anyone else he knew again? Ever? That was… something he hadn’t expected. Thinking on it, though, Jaime knew he should have thought of that; it would be a danger to both parties if they stayed in contact. The boy hesitated. He loved his sister and his friends, and he wasn’t sure what he would do without them. But which was more important? The lives of several innocents or being able to be around his loved ones? Jaime bit his lip, glancing at the ground as he thought, his thick hair falling in front of his face. Honestly, both were highly important to him. But… but he wanted to help people, and he had just been given the chance to do a lot of good. If he turned it down now… how much did he really want to help out if he turned down this opportunity?
Not enough, obviously.
Running his fingers through Tuft’s coat, Jaime thought over the dangers, the rewards, and Cloti and Winter’s words for several minutes, staying unusually silent for him. Then, the boy glanced up, and his brown eyes were determined as he looked from Winter to Cloti. “I would still support you. I want to help, even if it means leaving my friends and family for a while or even my injury or…” the boy hesitated for half a second, “death. This whole thing… It’s bigger than the happiness of one person, right? So I’ve made my decision; I want to join the Song. I just hope that you think I’m good enough to help out,” he stated suddenly, a grin spreading over his face.
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Winter
Fae
Awakened
To the tavern!
Posts: 96
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Post by Winter on Jun 29, 2010 14:58:11 GMT -8
Winter gave Cloti an approving nod. He couldn't have said it better himself. All was true, the Song was not an easy business. You could very well lose your life or personality. Jaime seemed to fully understand the consequences, however his sister could be an issue. The changeling stood and surveyed the table. The meal was finished, the bills were paid, all that was left was to go to Jaime's home and convince his sister. Hopefully she would give full consent without too much trouble.
It made Winter happy to see that the young human joined. It had been a dangerous offer, and Winter had bartered on the boy's very life. Probably would have gotten him killed, and still could. But he had played his cards right and had probably relied on Fate a little too much. She seemed to smile down on him often, seeing as he was still alive.
Right, sister. "So Jaime, what do you say we convince this sister of yours?" Winter smiled, but prayed frantically that the sister wouldn't scream for the guards. That would be bad. Very bad. Though in Spirit the hired swords were far more dangerous than the town watch. Unfortunately, Spirit was comprised mostly of assassins, mercenaries, and wanderers. It was, in its own way, more like the city of thieves than the actual city of thieves. Hm, maybe he should have someone teach Jaime how to use some kind of weapon. Self-defense would be important for the Song. Couldn't let the medics get taken out.
"Jaime, is your sister likely to turn us in?" Winter frowned slightly. He had met many who would turn in the Song for one reason or another, protecting a sibling wasn't exactly an unfathomable excuse.
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jun 30, 2010 10:55:28 GMT -8
Copying Winter, Jaime stood from his seat, keeping Tuft held against his chest. The boy smiled back at the man, nodding enthusiastically. It was probably best that they went to his house as soon as possible, too… The longer Jaime was gone, the more antsy Briar tended to get. And no one wanted to deal with an antsy, stressed Briar.
The boy pushed his seat in and stepped away from the table, ready to lead Cloti and Winter to his house when the man’s next question made him stop in his tracks. ”Is your sister likely to turn us in?” No, she wouldn’t turn them in… For as long as Jaime had known her, Briar had done the right thing whenever possible. So even if she said no to his joining, she wouldn’t say anything about the Song of Heroes. “No, of course not! Briar would never say anything about the Song, even if she refused to let me join… She knows how important it is too,” Jaime replied, glancing from Cloti to Winter.
What would they do if they thought Briar would tell? He didn’t want to think about that. Clutching the little sheep tighter to his chest, Jaime glanced between the pair. “So… are you ready to go?” [/color]
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Post by Little Sparrow on Jun 30, 2010 23:01:29 GMT -8
Cloti blinked her thianks at Winter before turning her attention to Jaime once more. He seemed deep in thought, as if fully debating her words and both sides of the conflict, to join or not to join. Good, he might make an assertive thinker, something that the Song needed rather badly.
And a sister acting as a mother; having lost her parents, she was bound to be extremely protective of her brother as not to lose anymore family members. That could be a problem. Been there, done that. Her mind drawled drily. Well, except that her parents had lost their precious son and had been over-protective of her.
The little Nyeene had previously been strutting around the table, having finished his lotus blossoms. Now he was baaing and wiggling his ears, as if asking what was wrong and what he could do. Jaime reached over to grasp the creature in his hands once more, as if drawing support and guidance from the little creature.
"...even if it means leaving my friends and family for a while...
At this, Cloti couldn't help but smile somewhat humorlessly. Jaime's "a while" was probably a lot longer than her "a while". Under normal circumstances, a Song member was unable to communicate with their family. Either Jaime didn't get that, or "a while" was a very long while until Fate took him away from them. Maybe he wasn't counting on the fact that he was going to survive. Nah, Jaime seemed too optimistic for that.
But his sister... That was a potential hindrance. If it didn't turn out well, this all could get very ugly; resulting in one or more deaths. And only because they couldn't risk being found out. It wasn't something that Cloti liked to do, murdering innocents. It was against her policy (and the Song's), but they really couldn't risk it. This was the difference between life and death for dozens.
Following suit, Cloti got up. The final task was to convince Briar to let Jaime go. She was convinced that she could do it, but the little thread of doubt was always there to taunt her. She nodded. "Let's go." She said. [/color][/font]
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Jaime Keating
Human
Sleeper
It's honestly not as bad as it seems. C'mon, find something to laugh about!
Posts: 43
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Post by Jaime Keating on Jul 1, 2010 19:14:24 GMT -8
"Let's go." Jaime nodded and turned, leading Winter and Cloti away from the restaurant. For a while, he walked down the main street, then the boy turned into a winding alleyway and led them through to another alleyway, which was just as winding. As they walked, the boy noticed all kind of different species lounging around in the alley; some were just chilling out, some were sleeping, and some worried him because they didn't even twitch, but they always moved right as Jaime decided to check on them. After all, this was Spirit. This was potentially the most dangerous city in all of Litharia. Death happened often.
Finally, after about twenty to thirty minutes, the boy led them up to a small house. It didn't look too bad, but it definitely wasn't the nicest house around. He paused at the foot of the porch stairs, glancing back at Winter and Cloti with a smile. "This is it." Jaime then walked up the steps and opened the door.
Immediately, something flew at his face.
With a startled sound, Jaime lifted one hand, dropping the little Nyeene he'd been holding, and smacked the thing down, which shattered as it hit the ground. It was a small vase. Tuft bellowed unhappily at both being dropped and the loud noise, scurrying off to some unknown region in the house. His heart pounding, the boy looked up to see Briar standing there, one hand on her chest and breathing heavily.
"You scared the hell out of me! I thought you said you were going to be gone all day!" The woman dropped her hand from her chest, staring at her little brother. She looked to be in her early thirties, with light brown hair and green eyes, and she really did resemble Jaime; they had the same mouth, nose, and facial structure, but their eyes were shaped a little different. "Yeah, I did, but you don't have to throw something at me!" the boy retaliated, shaking his head back and forth in confusion.
Briar blinked, tilting her head. "I thought you were someone else. Someone has been lurking around the house all day, and it's freaking me out. When the door started to open, I flipped and grabbed a weapon. Really, I didn't think it'd be you walking through the door." She laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of her head.
Only then did Briar seem to notice Winter and Cloti.
"Hm? Who're they?" Jaime hesitated, glancing back at the pair and lowering his voice. "Well, um... they have something they would like to talk to you about, Briar." His brown eyes met her green, and she quirked an eyebrow at him curiously, folding her arms over her chest. "What do they want to talk about?" "The Song of Heroes." Immediately, Briar's eyes widened, and she looked from side to side. Quickly, the woman ushered Cloti and Winter farther into the house, shutting the door behind him. Briar then went around the house, shutting all the windows and closing the blinds before returning to the front room. Her eyes flicked from Cloti to Winter and back again several times before the woman spoke.
"What do you want?"
Jaime cringed at her tone of voice. Briar didn't seem particularly angry - wary was the better term. She, like him, had heard of the Song of Heroes. No doubt, with Briar's incredibly high intelligence, she had deduced that Jaime was somehow a part of the Song. And Jaime doubted that Briar liked that.
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