Topic: Stranger Returned

Hedric Sabrehagen · Date: 2011-03-01 10:28 EST

A torrid amount of light and colors swirled and burst from the gateway. The seasoned lord and knight moved through it upon horseback with less trouble than he and his mount had that first time three years ago. The trees looked to be the same where they stood, as well as the large, sprawling city at the foot of the mountain range.

Sabrehagen shifted lightly in his saddle, causing the leather of it and his boots to protest and moan quietly beneath the spring air. A thick, black cloak with the heavily embroidered image of a dagger and three rambling red roses in the forefront of black velvet and a silver-wrought circle was drawn from his shoulders and draped it over the front of his saddle, even as the snow from it was melting. It had been snowing heavily on the Isle of Ganymeade were it was in the deep throws of winter there, as opposed to Rhydin's apparent thaw of spring. Black leather britches were tucked into his worn but sturdy boots. A billow sleeved shirt and blue and black doublet were worn properly. Gloves with leather gauntlets were from his fingers to almost his elbows by their length.

He smiled into his salt and pepper beard and turned when he heard the sounds of the light gate changing. The men and horses, along with pack horses and mules were coming through. Only two other men, Matthew and Buton, their mounts and two pack horses in all besides their lord were traveling from Ganymeade into Rhydin for a short visit of two weeks with hopes of bringing the scarred Elfess to their Isle.

There had been debate amongst the men, unknown to Ganymeade, if the Elfess was coming back with them, if she was truly one of the mystical beings only spoken of in stories in Briton and Ganymeade, and if she even of the cloth-and-clout their lord was. It was all talk they kept from Sabrehagen, knowing their ears would be boxed for even the smallest hint of sideway talk against the Elfess.

Three years ago, upon Hedric's return, he was smiling. Over a feast " which had not happened in years " their lord was not only smiling but recounting wild tales of beasts and beings from Humans to Elves to centaurs that were truly hard to believe. A scribe had been called in on the second night, from the undervillage at the main ship port, to take down the descriptions and stories Hedric Sabrehagen literally swore on the holy books and tomes were true. In the company of his men and all of those who worked and protected his lands, days were spent in the Great Halls at just this recanting and answering of questions, along with how the light gate had worked for him and his horse.

Hedric Sabrehagen · Date: 2011-03-02 11:17 EST

Over time, more tales were not just of the lands and peoples of Rhydin, but of a scarred Elfess whose seed was slowing taking root in the elder knight's heart. His was not a heart of stone, but one he had stoned up and fortified against women after the death of his beloved wife. And though he had taken liberty with women some over the years, none had been allowed behind those proverbial walls until Briallyn. Despite the scars on her hands and face, he found her remarkably beautiful and ethereal. And, on more than one occasion, it had been mentioned in confidence to Matthew and Buton, that if he were ever to marry again, it would be this woman.

The Lord of House Sabrehagen had finally made up his mind, finally placed such a question at the Elfess" delicate, graceful feet and returned home alone to make the preparations when the raids on the whole of the Isle of Ganymeade happened.

It was not the first of such raids from the outlying Reef and Dagger Islands, but it was a strong enough one to keep him there to defend his lands and help with the villages. Homes were burning and shops. Even a couple of ships had been torched and were keeping supplies from coming through. Briton could not get people and those supplies in and help those on Ganymeade, so peoples there were starting to starve. The raid was finally squashed, but it had taken months. So long that it had taken most of a twelvemonth.

And it has taken young Buton's left hand and left Matthew with more scars to show off to the women. For Hedric, it had left him worn and mourning a few that had worked his land. Inwardly, quietly, he blamed himself for not being able to save more lives. And atop all that, he missed Briallyn of Rhydin. Had she mourned his absence" This time, had he been gone too long and she seen to giving her heart to another? He would not know until he saw her in his travels back to Rhydin.

Without a word to his men, he pulled the reins of his horse to the side, guiding it towards the best area downwards through the forest and slope of the mount to Rhydin proper below.

Hedric Sabrehagen · Date: 2011-03-02 11:19 EST

Three rooms at the inne and tavern were secured with enough coin to last a month and enough coin to make certain that the rooms were cleaned, fresh linen to the beds as well as towels, along with other amenities. Comings and goings would be easily noticed to have increased to the secured rooms at the Red Dragon Inne and tavern of rag-a-muffin urchins suddenly with scrubbed hands and faces running errands for Sabrehagen and his small lot.

At one point, a young woman came to collect the dirty clothing of tunics, blankets, and else to find them so heavily stained she suggested that they simply burn it all. The men laughed, including Sir Sabrehagen who kindly sent the lovely woman on her way with her arms full of the beer and food stained pile of clothing and coin to match it for her trouble.

That had been days ago and, in one of the largest upper rooms of the inne and tavern, the men had gathered. There was more than one purpose for their journey into the realms of Rhydin, besides that of meeting with the Elfess, Briallyn.

Hedric Sabrehagen stood before the wide windows in the roof front of the inne and tavern's uppermost heights. He could see streets and buildings, a bridge and river clearer and other parts of lands further out with sadder detail to his blue eyes. His was in one of his billow shirts, without a vest or doublet. Gloves, doublet, and belt with sheathed sword hung to the back of one of the chairs in the room while the dagger he wore and a few other things were still about his waist and trouser hips.

The two men, Matthew and Buton, sat and slouched in various states of pose and repose in their own chairs about the goodly sized table the room afforded them; stared at the back of the man standing before the windows. Both looked ill to even be indoors for too long; restless.

A plump, rosy cheeked older woman was still moving about the stout table to refill the tankards with ale and dropping more bread and food on the plates before each of the used places there. She eyed them as curiously as she did suspiciously when none of them said a word every time she stepped into the room to see to their food and drinks. Even after she had shut the door behind her on the way out, they could hear her going on with a feather-ruffled tone how rude they were to have put her through that.

Hedric Sabrehagen · Date: 2011-03-02 11:21 EST

"I truly believe that she will start spitting in our stew if we don't say something to her soon." Hedric grinned over his shoulder at Buton and Matthew.

"She be remindin" me too much a"m"own wife!" Matthew complained it loudly and spread his arms out for the full affect. "This was supposed be a"time a'rest!" The glint in his eye bespoke of bedding the nearest willing, beautiful woman he could find as soon as they were done there and had nothing to do with really resting.

"She is scary." Muttered the younger Buton.

Hedric couldn't help but chuckle. Matthew's wife was as sweet as soured milk and Buton had lost his hand in the last uprising. Here, they were both sounding afraid to go near the woman from the inne and tavern that had been seeing to keeping all of their bellies full the last couple of days. To the seasoned knight, it was more than a little amusing. "You will both survive the hour to see to " more savory interests." He finally stepped away from the windows and reclaimed his chair. Though the food smelled good, he didn't touch it right away. "Before any of us can?", said to them pointedly and included himself on that. "There's the matter of getting the supplies and weaponry needed to get back to Ganymeade. The undervillages cannot survive another attack without replenishing any of these. At the very least, a few blades and something to make bread with. Of course, we will do much better than that."

There was patience shown to wait for his men to acknowledge his words with a nod or a grunt. "I have already spoken to a milliner, cobbler, carpenter, and smithy yesterday, but we are still in need of buying animals, cloth and leather, and supplies for cooking. I want you both to work on those this day. I will see to other less dominant but needed things."

"And when you go to see Braillyn?" Buton leaned over his food, but Hedric was given the impression that the younger man was eager to hear about the Elfess.

"If I see her. I will be sending word to her this day. I am told much happens in these lands to take and to bring people to it. It is possible that I am unlucky and she is no longer within the lands. When I find out, I will let the both of you know." His tone was firm, correcting Buton, as much as Matthew and any other unasked questions either of them might have on the matter. "Now, see to these things first and the rest of the week is yours until week next.?

Matthew got to his feet and adjusted the cloth he wore that looked like a tartan. Buton was not far behind him, fiddling with the wrist where his hand had been lost in the last battle for Ganymeade. Both were just as determined to get the goods acquired and out of the way so that the rest of their time spent in the strange and ethereal lands of Rhydin would be at leisure.

Briallyn · Date: 2011-03-02 19:13 EST

Rose Haven boarding house was as it always had been, a small island of quiet tucked among the rough and tumble streets of the West End. It was still tended every day by its quiet proprietress. Boarders came and went, but the house remained for the most part unchanged. Only the over abundant growth of the roses planted on trellises around the property showed the passage of time.

A tiny white haired girl played on the porch when the messenger approached the house, which struck the fellow as odd as it was after dark by the time he found the place. She eyed the man with eyes like ice before slipping into the house without a word.

Unnerved by the eerie child the messenger stood shifting from foot to foot, eying the door the child had disappeared through. Would someone come out' Should he knock"

"Who are you looking for?"

The soft voice came from behind the messenger, making him jump with a startled yelp.

"Wintermorn, Ma"am. I'm looking for a Miss Briallyn Wintermorn?" He flushed in embarrassment as his voice came out in a frightened squeak.

"You've found her." The scarred elfess stepped into the pool of light cast by streetlamp looking like something from a nightmare in that space between light and shadow.

The man stammered something then passed her a letter and hurried off, not even waiting for a tip. He should have waited just a moment more, because the smile that spread across the scarred face when she saw the seal on the letter transformed it to something angelic.

Briallyn · Date: 2011-03-04 16:21 EST

Hettiebell Haster had never seen anything like it. In the near year she'd been working at Rose Haven she'd grown accustomed to its quiet laid back pace. Aside from the occasional upset (which were growing more and more infrequent) when Miss Lilly threw a tantrum, things here never moved faster than a crawl.

But not today.

The staff had been roused from their beds just as the sun had risen by frantic knocking. The Lady of the house stood outside the door to the chamber they shared, still attired in her nightclothes, a letter in her hand. Arnold, the boy who had been hired the same time as Hettie was dispatched to the dispatched to deliver the message to the inn.

Hettie and Beatrice, the old housekeeper had been set to cleaning everything in sight.

"Why's the Miss so het up Mum?" It was hard to rein the curiosity in. Hettie had to ask.

"Because, the Miss got word last night that her man "as returned. Miss Lilly was all atwitter about it. Now hush your questions and get back to work. You've rooms to prepare and I've things to do in the kitchen.? Old Bea was nearly as giddy as the women they both served as she left the maid to her tasks, and went to lay out a feast suitable for a homecoming.