It was somewhere between the changing of the days and the dawns early light and the air was crisp, cold and held the promise of a light winter snow. Gwen was standing in front of two men whose eyes were taking on a glazed aspect as they stared at her with rapt attention.
A flourish of her hands produced the sights and sounds of another city, bustling with people on their way to work, or play. The scene shifted and they were all standing in a room, musty as a room gets when it is a damp place and the occupant does not open it to wind or sun. There were two men, one dressed in fine clothes but haggard in appearance and another that wore the practical clothes of a man that expected to get dirty.
Her voice rose and fell and her intonations took on shades that enhanced the vision she produced. She had what had been called a bards voice by her mother and she had the gift of the bard's song, where in she could entrance the unwitting mind with her stories. There were many uses for such a talent, and as she and her cousin, Kattria, were in the business of retrieval it assisted in achieving goals without killing all of the hapless guards. "He had paid for the return of the woman he loved, had longed for unrequited, had killed by accident when he had attempted to drive her from the protection of her home by fire. When the alchemist faced him with an unreadable expression he believed the man when he said that she could be found at a villa near the sea and was waiting for him to arrive to wed."
The scene around them shifted to a gazebo, tall and white as the sea foam that road upon the waves crashing on the shore. There was the distinctive tang of ocean and the bite of salt with each breath, the soothing sounds of the waves and the distant caw of birds. "She was there, in a gown of lace and silk, the white fabric spilling down her slender form and pooling at her feet. There was a veil covering her face but the man had no doubt in his mind that this was his beloved Rebecca. It was true, she had escaped the house before it collapsed under the fire.
He rushed to her, fell to his knees and plead for her forgiveness and again for her hand in marriage. "There is no man that will love you, nor provide for you as I will!" And that was probably true for he was a Baron of note and he ruled this land and its people. Much to his surprise the form of her answer was to indicate the priest that had been standing silently, waiting for this turn of events to be realized. In answer to the Barons confused expression he stated, "Lady Rebecca requested my presence today to wed the two of you as soon as you arrived, so with your permission we should begin before the light fails." It was edging toward dusk and the sun was already being swallowed by the far off horizon and so the Baron rose to his feet, took Rebecca's hand and bade the priest begin."
It was at this point that Kattria pranced out of the manor, between the two guards - who took no note of her - and held up the item they had come to get. "Like taking candy." She said in a chipper voice, forgetting that Gwen was easily distracted by such things.
"Candy' Cotton candy?" Gwen said with just a bit too much excitement in her tone.
"No, and finish the story! I was listening but had to move out, some of the guards inside are doing their rounds." Katt leaned against one of the guards, so thoroughly captured by her magic that he did not seem to notice but echoed Katt's words. "Yes, please finish the story."
Gwen slid an arm into Katt's and began to lead them away. The men would shake free of the spell in time and remember very little except for Barons and lovely ladies. "It's not a pretty ending." She warned as they turned a corner and put some distance between themselves and the scene of the crime.
"Finish it!" Katt hissed at her with a poke to her side.
Gwen pretended to be a poor, put upon cousin, heaving a sigh that would have won her an oscar! "Very well. Fearing deception the Baron insisted that Rebecca raise the veil before he would complete his vows. She did so and she was as lovely as he remembered, with fair pale skin that was framed by long dark locks of hair and eyes as blue as the sky in summer.
He had brought an entourage with him, as was only right for a man of his station and they feasted that night and listened to music until the hour grew near midnight. It was then that Rebecca, in a quiet voice, requested that they retire and the Baron was only too happy to comply.
Once in the room he had claimed from the manor he turned expectantly to Rebecca only to find a woman that appeared to be ancient standing in her place. The old woman wore the same dress and the long hair that hung in wispy strands around the wrinkled face could have once been dark but were now as grey as my eyes." Gwen winked at Katt who poked her ribs as her way of saying continue! "It wasn't until he looked into the old womans eyes that he realized that they were the same blue as Rebecca's and he began to feel a cold stone form in his stomach.
The alchemist he had badgered into finding Rebecca for him was known in this area as something of a mystery. He could give a man his deepest wish and desire but there was always a price, and not one that the man had been expecting. The Baron had threatened the alchemist, had told the man that if he did not return Rebecca to him that he would raze the mans home, his land and that not one member of the mans family would be left alive.
He was running this thought through his head when the woman that was Rebecca but not turned toward him and began to approach. "Now we will consummate the marriage. When I am done you will need to eat, to replenish your strength. Remember this is what you wanted." And in a flash she pinned him against a wall and sharp teeth tore into his throat. He tried to scream, tried to pry the monster from him but his strength was no match for her and she drank his blood until she had her fill....by then he had passed out."
She stopped there, they had arrived home and with a wicked grin she said to Katt. "And I'll tell you the rest tomorrow." And she darted off into the Seaside Manor, her laughter the only thing left for Katt to have of her. Gwen could hear Katt calling after her and cursing in elvish but this was a game they played often and Katt knew that following would be useless, the story would have to wait. That was one of the drawbacks of having a bard as a cousin, they simply could not resist the dramatic exit to stage left.
A flourish of her hands produced the sights and sounds of another city, bustling with people on their way to work, or play. The scene shifted and they were all standing in a room, musty as a room gets when it is a damp place and the occupant does not open it to wind or sun. There were two men, one dressed in fine clothes but haggard in appearance and another that wore the practical clothes of a man that expected to get dirty.
Her voice rose and fell and her intonations took on shades that enhanced the vision she produced. She had what had been called a bards voice by her mother and she had the gift of the bard's song, where in she could entrance the unwitting mind with her stories. There were many uses for such a talent, and as she and her cousin, Kattria, were in the business of retrieval it assisted in achieving goals without killing all of the hapless guards. "He had paid for the return of the woman he loved, had longed for unrequited, had killed by accident when he had attempted to drive her from the protection of her home by fire. When the alchemist faced him with an unreadable expression he believed the man when he said that she could be found at a villa near the sea and was waiting for him to arrive to wed."
The scene around them shifted to a gazebo, tall and white as the sea foam that road upon the waves crashing on the shore. There was the distinctive tang of ocean and the bite of salt with each breath, the soothing sounds of the waves and the distant caw of birds. "She was there, in a gown of lace and silk, the white fabric spilling down her slender form and pooling at her feet. There was a veil covering her face but the man had no doubt in his mind that this was his beloved Rebecca. It was true, she had escaped the house before it collapsed under the fire.
He rushed to her, fell to his knees and plead for her forgiveness and again for her hand in marriage. "There is no man that will love you, nor provide for you as I will!" And that was probably true for he was a Baron of note and he ruled this land and its people. Much to his surprise the form of her answer was to indicate the priest that had been standing silently, waiting for this turn of events to be realized. In answer to the Barons confused expression he stated, "Lady Rebecca requested my presence today to wed the two of you as soon as you arrived, so with your permission we should begin before the light fails." It was edging toward dusk and the sun was already being swallowed by the far off horizon and so the Baron rose to his feet, took Rebecca's hand and bade the priest begin."
It was at this point that Kattria pranced out of the manor, between the two guards - who took no note of her - and held up the item they had come to get. "Like taking candy." She said in a chipper voice, forgetting that Gwen was easily distracted by such things.
"Candy' Cotton candy?" Gwen said with just a bit too much excitement in her tone.
"No, and finish the story! I was listening but had to move out, some of the guards inside are doing their rounds." Katt leaned against one of the guards, so thoroughly captured by her magic that he did not seem to notice but echoed Katt's words. "Yes, please finish the story."
Gwen slid an arm into Katt's and began to lead them away. The men would shake free of the spell in time and remember very little except for Barons and lovely ladies. "It's not a pretty ending." She warned as they turned a corner and put some distance between themselves and the scene of the crime.
"Finish it!" Katt hissed at her with a poke to her side.
Gwen pretended to be a poor, put upon cousin, heaving a sigh that would have won her an oscar! "Very well. Fearing deception the Baron insisted that Rebecca raise the veil before he would complete his vows. She did so and she was as lovely as he remembered, with fair pale skin that was framed by long dark locks of hair and eyes as blue as the sky in summer.
He had brought an entourage with him, as was only right for a man of his station and they feasted that night and listened to music until the hour grew near midnight. It was then that Rebecca, in a quiet voice, requested that they retire and the Baron was only too happy to comply.
Once in the room he had claimed from the manor he turned expectantly to Rebecca only to find a woman that appeared to be ancient standing in her place. The old woman wore the same dress and the long hair that hung in wispy strands around the wrinkled face could have once been dark but were now as grey as my eyes." Gwen winked at Katt who poked her ribs as her way of saying continue! "It wasn't until he looked into the old womans eyes that he realized that they were the same blue as Rebecca's and he began to feel a cold stone form in his stomach.
The alchemist he had badgered into finding Rebecca for him was known in this area as something of a mystery. He could give a man his deepest wish and desire but there was always a price, and not one that the man had been expecting. The Baron had threatened the alchemist, had told the man that if he did not return Rebecca to him that he would raze the mans home, his land and that not one member of the mans family would be left alive.
He was running this thought through his head when the woman that was Rebecca but not turned toward him and began to approach. "Now we will consummate the marriage. When I am done you will need to eat, to replenish your strength. Remember this is what you wanted." And in a flash she pinned him against a wall and sharp teeth tore into his throat. He tried to scream, tried to pry the monster from him but his strength was no match for her and she drank his blood until she had her fill....by then he had passed out."
She stopped there, they had arrived home and with a wicked grin she said to Katt. "And I'll tell you the rest tomorrow." And she darted off into the Seaside Manor, her laughter the only thing left for Katt to have of her. Gwen could hear Katt calling after her and cursing in elvish but this was a game they played often and Katt knew that following would be useless, the story would have to wait. That was one of the drawbacks of having a bard as a cousin, they simply could not resist the dramatic exit to stage left.