16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 12:07am
I sighed. I hated cleaning out the privies, but it was a job that needed to be done. As like it or not, as newly guildmistress-turned-general-hand I still had my job to do.
I had only been the general hand for a week, and already I was sick of it. Someone - suggested that we take turns at doing each others jobs for a fortnight to see how the other half lived, so to speak. As guildmistress, I had the honour of picking my new job out first.
"Please don't be a cook, please don't be a cook.", I wished to myself as I picked up my job.
My wish was granted. Still, it wasn't as bad as others. I knew in theory how to do my job. It was more hands on than I realised, though. Others had no idea. The meals we ate for the first three days were terrible - burnt cakes, scalded onion soup.
And then there was the incident with the, oh, no, I can't even begin to relive that.
It's a long story as to why we started this in the first place. I don't remember who said it, but it seemed like a good idea at the time...
Matthew had finally come back! Some how he had escaped from the slavers all by himself only to be caught up by a ships load of pirates. When I met them, they weren't what i'd expected them to be. The first clue to their strangeness was the very fact they had left their ship behind to personally deliver Matthew home! The very idea baffled me.
Their table manners where impeccable, and not one cuss word slipped from their lips. Which is much more than i can say for Louis Larkin when he's been at the Mead.
I should have known that their arrival meant things were going to change drastically. I sighed again.
16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 12:43am
The one who appeared to give the orders in the group of polite pirates had simply, cordially nodded when Rushton had thanked them all at a public gathering. All of Obernewtyn had turned out; even the beasts from the high country had ventured into the funaga barud to welcome Matthew home.
The pirate leader had sharp eyes of steel that could have cut you like a blade, and I'll never forget the bright, searching look he cast over the captivated and excited faces at Matthew's welcome home speech. Rushton had prompted him forward; with a pause, he had spoken, and changed our lives.
I remember well the slow, sinking feeling that enveloped me as he spoke of how Obernewtyn could repay the pirates' good deed. He didn't raise his voice; didn't demand our participation or servitude.
He was cleverer than that; he played on Obernewtyn's collective conscience; our sense of honour.
So, in a way, we really had no choice...
(when reading what you guys had already written, I could hear 'the Wonder Years' theme music playing in the background XD )
Dreamweaver Ward
16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 12:50pm
Dreamweaver Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I realised that I preferred cleaning the privies to thinking of the pirate leader's request. I couldn't call it a demand, because it was so politely made, but it felt like one all the same. Honour. It's truly a great thing, but sometimes it feels almost like a curse.
I looked at the others to see how they felt about the request. Matthew was still too excited and overcome about being back to have really taken in the words. He was talking eagerly to some of the other Misfits, while avoiding Dragon's intense gaze. I couldn't quite make out her expression.
I glanced back at the pirate leader. He eyed me, a crooked smile on his face. It didn't touch his steely eyes. I looked away, and unintentionally met Rushton's gaze. I'd avoided looking at him earlier, because I knew how he would be feeling.
All in all, I reflected, I was probably lucky to be cleaning the prvvies. At least I could escape them and think to myself, everytime I looked at the pirate he seemed to know what I was thinking, and that definately wasn't good. Sure, you got used to people knowing something about you without you wanting it - the empaths could hardly help noticing if they were hit with a flood of rage, for instance - but at least at Obernewtyn no one could or would actually tell the very words you were thinking without you wanting to. The pirate master put me on edge.
I wished Rushton would stop being on his high horse and actually talk to me. He'd been avoiding me for days, and it was even worse now that Matthew was back. Sure, it'd been my fault that the ... thing had happened, but Lud he could put it aside once in a while, especially with the pirates now here.
Yep, I definately was lucky to be cleaning privies.
Dreamweaver Ward
16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 01:56pm
Dreamweaver Ward
Dreamscape Artist
I wasn't sure if we were meant to revert back to our former roles now that the pirates had arrived, so I had decided to retreat to the privies and hope no one found me. I was happy to have such an insignificant role as this. It meant I didn't have to take any part in our response to the pirate leader's request. It also meant that I didn't have to go near Rushton. It's hard to be near someone who's ignoring you. Uncomfortable. It's even harder when they see you coming and go out of their way to avoid you. I'd already said I was sorry, so what more could I do?
I was surprised no one had come in, which would at least have helped to distract me from my thoughts - I could do with someone to talk to. I didn't really want to leave, in case I ran into Rushton. I examined the privies. They were cleaner than they'd been in years, but I decided to clean them again. What more could I do?
16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 01:14pm
I was beginning to think I was developing an unhealthy obsession with the privvies - or worse, one of the healers might think I was and I don't think I could keep a straight face through one of their lectures. I decided that really I should find something else to do.
After much deliberation I decided I would go check on the pansy planting I'd had two of my guildmembers - what were their names? - doing that morning. It was a convenient long way away and no one could think I was hiding, it was perfectly acceptable for a guildmeistress to check up on things. After all, one of the new teknoguilders was trying to investigate the magical powers of pansies that he'd found a reference to in one of the books. They would need to be planted correctly, and it was a perfect reason for me to not be any where near Rushton or the pirates.
It took a while to get to the patch where they were planted - it was the only place we could find that seemed to have exactly the right amount of sunlight, the teknoguilders had spent two weeks measuing sunlight all round the grounds, this spot was correct to within 10 minutes. It had been suggested that maybe the book meant approximately that long, but they were overruled. As I rounded the last tree I saw someone standing there, someone who wasn't one of the planters, or even a teknoguilder.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
Dreamweaver Ward
16 years ago
Sat Sep 01 2007, 01:37pm
Dreamweaver Ward
Dreamscape Artist
"What are you doing here?" He replied. "Ye ken yer not the guildmistress at the moment - yer supposed to be a guildmistress-turned-general-hand. Although I think there's a guildmerge on at the moment, so ye'll probably be the guildmistress again before ye ken it. Those pirates have really changed everythin' around here."
It was Alad. Trust Alad to be hanging around outside. He was supposed to working in the kitchens, but it turned out his only skill with food was growing it, not turning it into something else. He couldn't even boil water without burning it, let alone make a meal.
I shrugged. "Couldn't work out what else to do."
"I take it Rushton's still avoidin' ye," he said sympathetically.
Mystic Ward
16 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I shrugged as though I didn't care anything about what Rushton might be thinking or doing. I really don't like it when people get all sympathetic on me. "It's OK," I said. "I really just wanted to see how the planting was going."
Alad smiled sadly. "You can't fool me you know." He said. "I've known you too long." He walked toward the patch of earth that was being prepared for the pansies. Looking back over his shoulder at me he beckoned me nearer. "You know what this is?" He asked. I shook my head, no. "It's a grave. A really old grave. We should have known the Teknoguilders would find a way around the ban to dig it up......
Mystic Guilden
16 years ago
Mystic Guilden
Mage
"A grave? Do the Teknoguild know who it belongs to?"
Alad shook his head.
"I dont think they ken yet, but they have their thories." He said, scratching and the insignificant stone atop the grave.
I was intrigued, but I also knew that ignoring the ban to dig it up was a direct disregard for Guildmerge's rulings on the matter, and resolved to bring it up with Garth the next i saw him.
I should have gone directly to Rushton, but perhaps i could bring it to a halt without facing him. I hoped so.
I suddenly realised Alad was still talking, and put the matter of Garth to the back of my mind.
"...but another theory suggests that it could be the grave of....
16 years ago
Sun Sep 02 2007, 08:00pm
".. a gardener, which I think ye'll agree with me in hoping it isn't."
"Oh, um yeah. How did it get through guildmerge? I always wonderered about the whole magical pansies thing..."
"I think we all did. But, well, ye and Rushton weren't speaking and the beasts had writen six pages of complaints that we had to get though, I guess everyon' just jumped at the chance to leave and didn't pay much attention."
"And with this whole pirate thing, they were probably hoping no one would notice now."
"But ye have."
"Yeah...."
Conversation trailed off. I kept staring at the grave, willing it to be a pansy patch so I could have less to worry about. Just then, something shiny caught my eye in the middle fo the dug up earth. It looked like a...
Mystic Guilden
16 years ago
Sun Sep 02 2007, 08:15pm
Mystic Guilden
Mage
..coin.
I moved passed Alad and knelt beside the shovelled earth.
"What is it?" Alad asked, seeing what had caught my attention.
"It looks like some sort of coin...perhaps one of the Teknoguilders dropped it during the dig."
Standing upright, I brushed the dirt off the silver surface.
"It doesnt look like any regular coin," Alad said over my shoulder.
The surface was etched with unfamiliar symbols. It couldnt have been Gadi, I know some of the symbols and they did not match with those on this coin.
"Perhaps you could ask Garth what it is. No doubt one of the Teknoguilders did drop it during the dig."
I tucked the coin into my pocket resolving to see Garth as soon as possible, a valid excuse not to see Rushton or the mysterious pirate.
Alad nodded at me, knowing I would immediately seek out Garth.
"I feel sorry fer whoever dropped th' coin, no doubt Garth will be angry at them for bein' so careless".
I nodded at the apt assessment of the Teknoguild Masters reaction and waved to Alad as i made my way to the Caves.
16 years ago
Sun Sep 02 2007, 10:16pm
I waited until i was sure Alad had moved on then went back to the grave site. Far be it for me to miss out on a good exhumation!
Now, i thought. If only I had soemthing to help me dig.
I looked around but of course there was no shovel or digging instrument to be found. I had the mad urge to start digging with the coin from pocket bu realised how ridiculous the idea was. I would have to visit the farm toolshed if I really wanted to do some damage.
I was about to head in that direction when i heard footstep appraoching. Thinking it could be Alad I paniced and ran towards the caves lest he find out my terrible secret. Not only did i have an unhealthy obesesion with cleaning privvys but I also liked grave robbing in my spare time.
Mystic Ward
16 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I quickly ducked behind a tree and looked back to see who had come to the pansy patch. It was Matthew. I thought about showing myself and asking for his help to dig up whatever or whoever was in the grave when the pirate hailed him from further back. The two met and started talking quietly and earnestlytogether but unfortunately I couldn't hear what they were saying. I thought it was a bit odd that Matthew would be so friendly with this pirate even though I knew that the it was the pirates that had brought him home to us. Then I realised what I had to do.....I couldn't read Matthew because he had obviously bee working o his shield, but I could get into the mind of the pirate and find out just what he was doing here......
Mystic Guilden
16 years ago
Mystic Guilden
Mage
I released a gentle mindprobe and sought the pirates mind.
Imeadiately I encountered a natural mindshield. Cursing to myself, i withdrew back into my own mind and wondered anew at the increasing incidence of natural mindshields.
I watched the former Farseeker ward, and was momentarily fearful of exposure when Matthew turned to look in my direction.
The pirate stopped talking and i prayed i had not given myself away.
"What is it lad?" He asked, following Matthews gaze.
"Nothin', This isnt th' best place to be talkin'. Perhaps we should head back t' the main building."
I was left with a dilemma. Did I follow Matthew and the pirate to try to find out what they were up to, or did I go to the caves with the coin?
I felt a gentle nudge at my mindsheild which suggested Ceirwan was trying to reach me, and decided to ignore it and head to the caves. Ceirwan was acting Guildmaster and I didn't want to give him the chance to relinquish his role to me - let him deal with Rushton and the pirates!
Mystic Ward
16 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
I was just outside the cave network when I met Garth coming in the opposite direction. I stopped and waited for him to reach me. "Come to clean the privvies in the caves?" He asked.
"No!" I replied. I came to show you this. I handed him the strange coin and watched as a look of enchantment came over his face.
"Where did you find it?" He asked urgently. "Quickly you mus show me right now!!" he grabbed my arm and started pulling me back toward Obernewtyn. "This is just what they......ermm I mean.........."
Thats when I realised.....They had Garth........................
16 years ago
Tue Sep 04 2007, 12:32pm
Under they're power. The pirates had some how gotten garth to work with them. It seems the pirates wanted this coin for some strange reason.
"....Uh wel, what i mean is, that's the coin ive been looking for that i dropped on that... uh... thing that I... did..." Garth managed to mumble out his pathetic excuse for a reason.
Garth slipped it into his money bag with shaking hands as i watched him with hawk eyes. I let a very sharp probe loose and encountered a natural mindshield! I had no idea that Garth had one, probably because he spent most of his time in the caves and i never thought looking into his mind would be of any importance not to mention that it would of been rude.
I desperately wanted to know what Garth was planning to do with the coin so delving deep into my mind i drew upon a tiny sliver of the killing power in my mind. The power made me feel sick just thinking of what it could do if i made a mistake.
I wont make one though.
I laced my probe with the killing power to enhance the probe and braced myself to smash through his mind shield and get a headful of thoughts...........
16 years ago
Tue Sep 04 2007, 10:15pm
I touched his mind shield lightly at first. I was hesitant to smash through it if there was a chance I didn't have to. My probe slipped around the edges of his shield and, much to my surprise, i felt it wobble slightly when i put pressure on it. That wasn't something a natural mild shield did...
Curious i began to put more pressure on it in the spots I had felt it wobble. Each time i increased the pressure of my probe, it wobbled that little bit more until suddenly the shield crumbled! My mind reeled back in panic.
Garth stopped suddenly and blinked as though he had just stepped out of his caves and into the sunlight. He looked at me for a moment, his eyes searching my face for an answer to an unspoken question. I blanched under his gaze, wondering what the loss of his shield had done to him and why he hadn't collasped.
"Elspeth are you alright?" he asked worriedly. "You look really pale."
I nodded, unable to communicate in any other way. I was too shocked. There was another shield around Garth's mind. Only this one had his mind signature!
16 years ago
Tue Sep 04 2007, 10:19pm
I backed away while he stared at me.
I grapsed the coin firmly in my palm and fled. I was certain I could outrun the guildmaster if I needed to and now was the time to put that to the test. there was one person I wanted to speak to. One person I could trsut, though I ws no certain if he would be at Obernewtyn still.
If he as I knew wehre he would be. I raced through the futuretellers halls ignoring the straled glances of the tranquil guildmembers and went through to the dormatories that were not allocated to a particualr guild. There at the back was a homly looking room with a wide fireplace and a large bed. Lavender and rosemary spring hung from the ceiling and the sunlight streamed through the indo. I could hear kaitlyn signing merily as she carefully prepared her satchels of herbs, bilding up her supliers for the healers guild.
She looked up when i burst in.
"Kaitlyn!" I exlaicmed. "where is Brydda?"
16 years ago
Tue Sep 04 2007, 10:59pm
*In an alternate timeline... ie. before Ness and Elixa beat my post :P*
But before I can, Garth grabbed me and roughly bundled me into a small adjoining tunnel. ‘Shhhh..’ Garth whispered, ‘I can hear them coming.’ So I settled down beside Garth listening as the heavy tramping of boots on stone came ever closer. ‘What’s happening?’ I asked, hopelessly confused by this time at the recent strange events. ‘It’s the pirates,’ replied Garth with a strange tremor in his voice, ‘They’ve not been honest with the guildmerge from the start.’ ‘I’m not entirely sure why they’re really here, but they seem to be unusually obsessed with shiny objects and they’re planning something.’ Suddenly the footsteps were passing the entrance of our hideout. I looked up and saw..
*With a loud crackle the alternate timeline implodes and the story continues on from Elixa's post*
Lauren: i always post something saying [holding place for Elixa] before i start writing.
[currently holding place for Elixa, please wait your turn!]
16 years ago
Mon Sep 10 2007, 09:55am
"Brydda?" Katlyn laughed, binding a few sprigs of rosemary together. "That's odd, isn't it Rosa?"
I turned my head slightly, and spied Rosamunde in the room, packaging bundled herbs into a wooden crate. As usual, Rosamunde looked less than happy to see me.
"Why is it odd?" I asked, trying to ignore Rosamunde's glares.
"We was just talking about Brydda, weren't we?" Katlyn, merry as ever, nudged me in the arm. "Rushton's called him up here, something to do with those pirate lads. You can speak to him when he arrives."
I inwardly groaned; what, the Pirates had all of Obernewtyn under duress, and wanted a piece of the Rebel alliance too, now?
I thanked Katlyn and hastily left the Futureteller wing, feeling Rosamunde's eyes boring into me and quiet chatter resume as soon as I'd closed the door.
I pushed her from my mind, and sighed; Brydda was on his way. Two, maybe three days away? That was too long, the pirates may have lead us away to...well, whatever the task was they needed us for by then.
Who else could possibly know why Garth had reacted so oddly to the coin, and what it meant?
The answer was obvious; one of the other pirates. I could just go and ask one of them.
I hurried toward the farms, where they'd been kind enough to help with the autumn harvest...
as i reached the bundles of hay, i paused, as i could hear voices coming from behind a giant haystack. i didn't recognise either f the speakers, but i wanted to know if these people had natural mindshields too. i reached out a gentle probe and was shocked. they too, had natural mindshields. i didn't know what to do. they were coming this way, so, i jumped into the haystack. it wasn't my brightest idea, as I'm allergic to hay, but, i could now clearly hear their conversation...
...more information for the boss...hahaha...these misfits are dead helpful...hahaha...
i couldn't help shivering at their tone of voice when they said DEAD helpful...
Mystic Ward
16 years ago
Mystic Ward
Twentyfamilies Gypsy
As tthe men moved away, I climbed out of the haystack, brushing bits of straw off my clothes and scratching at the hives that were beginning to come up all over my body. There was only one thing I could do now,, so I headed back to the main house. Once there I hid the coin in a niche in the wall that everyone knew about but no one bothered with any more and made my way to the healer hall. I knew that my body could heal itself but that always made me sleepy and I didn't think now was a good time to be falling asleep. i needed all of my conciderable talent in full working order if I were to solve the mystery surrounding my home.
"Damn." I swore to myself as I walked into the healer hall and noticed that Roland was the only healer there...........................