| Logs |
2004 March 07
| Idlewild |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Idlewild Logs |
March 7
Lauren heads into Soleil and Aiden's room when she leaves the too-slow discussion of where to put her, and takes her shower. Generally a polite person, she doesn't mean to fall asleep on their bed.. but... when she staggers out of the attached bathroom and sits down on the bed in a borrowed bathrobe to take stock of things, it feels so soft... and the next thing she consciously sees for a long time is the inside of her eyelids.
The group arguing over where to put Lauren catches up to the fact that she has made an executive decision too late to stop her, and the general consensus is that it would be cruel to wake her when they open the politely closed-by-Soleil door and see her out cold. Clairchiare shows up to pull Lotte aside and offer her a bundle of clothing that might fit, being actually designed for a female wearer; Aiden, Soleil and Seodil begin a rather awkward argument about whether Seodil is going to give his own room up to his prince. Aiden and Soleil seem to be on the side of "no." Seodil insists. Steven drifts over to join the clothing conversation instead as a safer deal, after his offer of his own (luggage-infested) room is turned politely down and Sol points out that there's time yet, it's barely lunchtime if that.
Aiden looks at the others, when Sol points out the obvious, then says, "Well. We can worry about it later. At least that's one more thing solved. Perhaps it's time for us to focus on what we've been asked to do?"
Lotte thanks Clairchiare graciously and takes the clothes to her room. After changing, she seeks Steven out with curiousity in her eyes. "What have you found about the girl? Lauren, that's her name, right?"
Aiden nods at Lotte, "Lauren, yeah. Apparently she fell asleep in her car at a red light or something. Has no idea how she ended up here. She's one of us, though."
Lotte looks rather stunning in her new deep green gown and bodice, tiny beadwork catching the light.
Steven nods quietly. "Though whether Birch knew about her is debatable."
Lotte turns to Aiden. "One of us, as in... oh."
Sol says cheerfully, "I tasted her, Lotte. She is."
Steven is saying that as she comes out, blinking as she appears. "Uh... thats... that's a very lovely dress. You look... very becoming in it!"
Aiden nods, "She's a sister to us, just as we all are to each other. The dress looks great on you, Lotte."
Lotte looks down at herself in her new dress and beams. "Thank you, Steven! I never said, but you look very nice yourself." She smiles at Aiden as well.
Lotte says, "Wow, I don't know whether to be pleased or sorry for her."
Steven blinks, and smiles, and inclines his head, "I, uh, thank you, Lotte!"
Lauren snuffles softly, in the distance. Like a wildebeest who is also snuffling softly in the distance.
After a bit more converse, the group scatters a bit. Aiden, Seodil and Sol gather in a small knot in the bathing pool, arguing over something; possibly a resumption of the previous issue.
Aiden stalks off into the garden and lies down on a bench to sleep away the afternoon until dinner, exuding 'Leave Me Alone' vibes. Everyone does, and dinner conversation is a bit strained. Clairchiare is present but escapes the atmosphere as soon as possible, as three out of six present are not talking to each other. Steven and Lotte go to bed early, leaving the grumpy trio to work it out. Lauren never does wake up, and even for food, no one has the heart to disturb her sleep after all she's been through.
Steven wakes at dawn to see a very pale, white-haired elf standing at the foot of his bed, staring at him. The elf looks familiar, though Steven can't quite place him. He wears a white wolfskin draped over one shoulder, white silks with ragged edges, and the palest eyes Steven has ever seen, not even a pupil visible. He's also quite tall.
Steven gives a bit of a start as he wakes up, blinking -- all right, he gives a VERY great start, almost pushing himself up, and trying to get as much awake as he can. "ACK!" he says, intelligently. "Who... who...?"
The apparition says "Setisel," and vanishes. The air seems warmer now he's gone.
Steven blinks. Setisel? Why is that name familiar? Why was he familiar? What... what just happened? He gets up, pulling on his clothes quickly.
From outside, the sound of ringing swords is audible; it suddenly ceases.
Steven blinks at the sound of swords, and immediately opens his door.
Outside in the garden across the way, Seodil is just walking away from Sol and Aiden. All three have swords drawn and pointed at the ground.
Lotte wakes with a start, expecting to hear a noise but not hearing it. She gets up, feeling confused, pulls the same dress from yesterday over her head and opens her door to see the three of her companions with swords. "What are you doing?" she calls.
Seodil, walking rapidly, is already out of earshot. Sol turns and begins to walk toward the common room with Aiden, holding up one finger and smiling.
Lauren blinks her eyes open logily, and rolls out of the soft bed onto the soft floor with a thump before coming fully to her senses. She blinks up through a mess of her hair.
Aiden turns to look at Lotte, face carefully neutral and looking very much like he's forcing it that way. "Training." He moves to where he left his sheath on the ground, and sheathes his sword, going back into the common room.
Steven blinks at the tableau, and sighs at the response. You lie poorly, Aiden. So, now you three have come to drawing swords? What the hell next?
"Wh's m'cloze," Lauren mumbles, fumbling around for her garments. What the hell time is it? Whose room is this? Did she leave her undies in the shower?
Lotte raises her eyebrow, as she had assumed that the swordplay had to do with Seodil's crush on Aiden, but leaves the issue alone.
Sol grins cheerfully as he nears, "Didn't want to yell. Our instructor decided we were lazy and gave us a workout. Did it wake you?"
Aiden comes into the common room before he says anything else, as he doesn't want to yell across the suite. "Good morning, Lotte.."
Lotte says, "Good morning. Where is Seodil off to?"
Lauren's clothes are not in arm's reach... they are, however, crumpled in a wet wad on the bathroom floor. She's wearing a white bathrobe that does not belong to her.
Aiden's voice is just a little strained when he speaks. "I don't know."
Lauren stumbles into the common room, having found her clothes and taken the logical step of putting them on. She gives her keychain a wistful look before stuffing it into a tight pocket and offering a chirpy "G'morning!" to everyone.
Lauren drips.
Lotte asks Aiden quietly, "You haven't told him about... about Clairchiare yet?"
Sol shrugs easily. "Off for a walk to stretch out, maybe... hi, Lauren!" He smiles at the black-haired arrival. "Sleep well?"
Aiden turns to look at Lauren, shooting a genuine smile in her direction, "Good morning, Lauren."
"I think so. I'm HUNGRY." Lauren looks around hopefully for food, and sees a lot of tense faces. More sedately, she bobs her head toward Aiden. "Morning, Aiden."
Steven steps out of the room cautiously, nodding to Lauren. "Good morning, Lauren, everyone...."
Lauren says, "Did...eh, something happen?"
Lotte turns to Lauren and answers wryily, "Apparently not."
Aiden shakes his head, "It's quite alright, Lauren. Breakfast.." he glances over at the table, "Should be arriving just about any moment now. Good morning, Steven."
Steven catches a glimpse of etheral floating translucent people as breakfast fruits and nuts arrive on the usual table. One comes to circle him before leaving and he could swear he hears a thin, whispery giggle.
Steven blinks to the person who circles him, and he smiles quietly, managing to not show much if any of his distress from early. "Thank you."
Sol grins at Lotte and Lauren, "Naah. Just some exercise. I think we may have to take our swords elsewhere tomorrow, if it made this much of a racket."
Glancing at Aiden, Sol says "I don't know about you, but I think I need a shower before I eat..." He tilts his head.
Lauren is, within moments, chipmunk-cheeked over the breakfast table.
Aiden nods, "Yeah, I could use one. I'm hungry, but it can wait until I'm clean.." He heads off towards Seodil's bedroom, to use the shower there.
Lotte makes her way over to the breakfast table and joins Lauren in eating a very full meal.
Steven sits at the table, glancing around. "Uhm..." He tries to figure out the best way to broach the subject. "Are there many stories about ghost here?
"You'd all better come get some before I eat it all," Lauren mumbles through a mouthful of fruit. "Aid...oh."
Flashing the others a quick smile, Sol turns to follow Aiden. The door shuts.
Steven blinks, then grimaces a bit. At least it's not as bad as he had thought it was. He hopes.
Damp, Seodil walks into the common room with his sword sheathed and hair braided back into a thick wet tail. To Steven, he says "Summer has its share.. why?"
Steven looks at Seodil and suddenly realizes why his apparition looked familiar. It looked remarkably similar to Seodil, though not nearly the resemblance Clairchiare boasts.
Steven blinks at Seodil, and swallows a little. How the hell do you tell someone 'Why, yes, I just saw the ghost of your dad!'
Lauren blinks. "What the HELL?"
Steven says, "Just... wondering. I might have seen something ethereal when I was waking up.. i mean... not like the people who set the table..."
Lotte looks at Steven with interest. "Really?"
Seodil raises an eyebrow at Lauren, then considers Steven. He daintily bites into a plum. "Might have, or did see? I am not sure I would question your judgement by now, Steven."
Steven says, "I'm certain I did see someone. Just..." he shakes his head. "I just need some time to sort through it. I was just waking up after all.""
Lotte turns to Lauren. "What's wrong?"
Seodil nods, and devotes himself quietly to fruit.
Lauren chews the last handful of almonds, nodding companionably. "I know the feeling," she says. "What did it look like?"
Aiden comes out of Seodil's room, having taken a fairly quick shower. He apparently took Lauren's warning about the food seriously. His hair is wet and left loose. He's still wearing the clothing from yesterday. He looks at Lauren. "I need to get clothes from my closet, okay?" He's standing at the door of the room she slept in last night.
Steven blinks, looking curiously at Lauren. "Oh... uhm... all in white, long hair, white clothing, white w-- uh, white robes, white hair. White eyes.
Lauren says, "Go and get 'em. It is your room." She makes a shooing gesture with half a pear."
Lauren hmps. "A...white man. Well."
Lauren shrugs. "Well, if he's a ghost, I guess that figures."
Aiden heads into his room, closing the door behind him. He's only in there for a few minutes before he emerges in clothing that's distinctly more "native" to this area. He heads over to the table to eat.
Soleil emerges and follows suit, not asking Lauren first.
Lauren fidgets, swiping some water out of her jeans. "Um," she says. "So you saw a ghost?"
Lotte notices Lauren's clothing and offers some of her dresses.
Steven says, "Er... well, I saw something that I got the impression was a ghost....""
Aiden raises an eyebrow. "When?"
Steven says, "When I was waking up. An elf, all in white. With white eyes."
Lauren looks across the table at Lotte's dress and makes a so-sorry-but-no-thanks wave of both hands, offering an apologetic smile.
Lotte nods and returns to eating and listening.
Sol returns dressed in greens and beaded golds, pretty as a picture. He eats the things closest to where he settles-- kneeling beside Aiden-- and cocks his head, clearly listening. "An elf in white, with white eyes? What did I miss?"
Steven says, "That's what I woke up to, this morning."
Seodil does not seem to be making the connection Steven did. He frowns. "Woke up to? How?"
Aiden is listening intently, but not asking questions at the moment. He's trying to figure out if there's some connection to.. well.. anything. The missing princess, maybe..
Steven says, "Er... I opened up my eyes, waking up... and there he was, standing in front of me..."
Sol grins. "Steven, is your room haunted?"
Lauren nods knowingly.
Steven says, "I... don't think it normally is haunted, no." He declines to say, "Except by luggage.""
Seodil frowns thoughtfully. "Did he do anything threatening, Steven?"
Steven says, "No, nothing threatening at all, really."
Aiden says, "Steven, is that why you looked over your shoulder into your room yesterday, looking nervous and apologising?"
"You could have been imagining it," Lauren points out. "Did it touch anything? Or move anything around?"
Steven hesitates. "Uh, no.. that was the...." He grimaces a little. "The... chest. It moved again." He waits for the laughter, thinking, Thanks a lot, Aiden.... After I warned you not to annoy the luggage, too, this is the thanks I get! *sigh* "I could have been imagining it, Lauren. Uh... it didn't touch anything at all, or move anything, no."
Sol says reasonably, "How do you know it was a ghost if it just stood there doing nothing? Someone could have crept into your room."
Aiden frowns, looking very much like he's taking this seriously. "You're still having problems with it? What's going on?"
Lotte gives Steven a very suprised look, but says nothing.
Steven says, "Well.. the fact that it just.. disappeared. Though I guess it could have been someone who had snuck in." He blinks to Aiden, looking relieved. "Well, it... moved itself about a foot from the wall." Towards the bed. He silences his inner paranoid voice.
Sol says with a perfectly straight face, "Do you think it's hungry?"
Aiden's frown deepens at that. "Maybe we should get someone to remove the cases from your room then, Steven. I sort of doubt that it's still supposed to be moving itself around. I got the feeling that it was something that they did once, just to get here." He elbows Sol.
Soleil gives Aiden an innocent look and picks up an apple. He looks at Lauren. "Did any of our furniture move last night when you were sleeping? They all came from the same place, you know." He turns a smile on Lotte. "Or yours?"
Lauren blinks. "Somebody at this table is NUTS," she says bluntly.
Lauren eyeballs Steven pointedly.
Lotte sticks her tongue out at Sol. "I don't have any luggage."
Aiden narrows his eyes at Lauren. "Okay. So, I know everyone's making light of this, but Steven says he was kicked in the face when he turned the chest over to take a look at the bottom. I was here. There was no way that he just fumbled the chest when he was lifting it. I would've heard it.."
Steven looks pointedly back at Lauren, then sighs, and nods to Aiden thankfully.
Sol grins at Lotte. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Would you like some of ours? I can't guarantee that it doesn't eat people, but it's been tame so far..." He winks, then blinks at Aiden and sobers abruptly. "I remember Steven's bruises. Should we go deal with this together, do you think? It can't, er... stand against us all."
Lauren shrugs. "Maybe it slipped in his hands. Chests don't kick people."
Seodil listens, eating quietly.
Aiden says, "If it had slipped in his hands, it would've hit the floor. I don't know anyone that catches the thing that they just smacked themselves in the eye with. These chests were heavy, it would have made a hell of a lot of noise hitting the floor."
Sol's eyes suddely crinkle at the corners and he turns to smile at Lauren. "That should be easy enough to prove. Would you like to?"
Lotte says, "Why don't we stop arguing and just believe him. If the food here appears magically at every mealtime, then chests can kick people. You just wait, Lauren."
Lauren glares at Sol--that damn elf has been making snide cracks ever since she got here--and relents. "Fine, fine. If there are elves and magic breakfasts, I guess I should believe in kicking chests too."
Soleil brushes his short golden hair back and looks faintly disappointed.
Steven looks relieved. "Thank you. Anyway...."
Seodil murmurs, "The ghost. Did it give you no other clues as to its identity, or its desires, Steven?"
Aiden waits, curiously, for this answer..
Steven bites his lip, then nods a little. "He.. might have. It's still a little fuzzy to me." Well.. better now than never. I asked who he was, and he said...." He rubs his eyes. "Uhm... Setashiel? No...." he blinks startled. "Uhm... Setisel."
Aiden, normally so good at concealing surprise, can't do it at all this time. His jaw drops, eyes widening. He watches Seodil for a reaction, nervous.
Seodil blinks. Twice.
The silver elf says, "That was my father's name."
Lotte's eyes widen, but she remains quiet.
Aiden says, cautiously, "Do you think.. it could.. actually be?"
Lauren doesn't react in the slightest. Setisel? Sounds like a fiber supplement to HER.
Seodil blinks at Aiden, shrugs. "Well, he IS dead."
Steven makes absolutely no comment, biting his lips and listening.
Aiden nods, slightly, more than a little stunned by this.
Lotte asks no one in particular, "Why would he show up to Steven?"
Lauren says, "And...does it actually mean anything? People see their dead relatives all the time."
Clairchiare swirls into the room, cheerfully pink as always, in a baby blue silk ensemble picked out with silver. "Why would who show up to Steven?"
Aiden looks up, "Good Morning, Clairchiare."
Clairchare bows neatly to Sol, then to the ladies, then to the other men, sweeping his coattails back with consummate elegance. "Good morning, fair company. And how is our rescuee this fine morning?"
Smiling, Clairchiare adds to Lotte, "Green does suit you admirably."
"Eh? Me?" Lauren looks up at the amazing pink creature. "Oh, I'm...um. I'm fine."
Lotte blushes and looks down at her food, mumbling thanks to Clairchiare.
Aiden looks at Lauren, then to Clairchiare. "How'd things go after we fled yesterday? Should we be expecting.. problems?"
Clairchiare hesitates, eyes sparkling. "Ah... not exactly problems you were expecting? Lotte's champion has been quite... vocal."
Lauren's eyes widen. "Problems? There's not going to be more hunting, is there? Is this the being killed in our beds thing that he"--she points to Sol--"was talking about?"
Aiden raises an eyebrow. He wasn't even aware of that when it was going on. "Sorry?"
Lotte blushes deeper at the mention of her actions from the day before.
Clairchiare settles gracefully into a kneel at the end of the low breakfast table. He looks faintly alarmed. "Being killed in your beds? What has happened now? Should I sleep here tonight?"
Aiden looks lost. He doesn't remember any mention of anyone being killed in their bed.
Steven rubs his forhead a little, grinning sheepishly and remembering Sol's off-hand comment about how Lauren should be careful here.
Lauren fumes, and gives Sol a Death Look.
The pink-haired elf brushes rose locks back over his shoulders and says, "Lotte enspelled one of Prince Lyriquin's visiting relatives, who has been repeatedly assuring the rest of his entourage that you mean them no harm." He looks wry.
Lotte mumbles sheepishly, "I was trying to protect Steven..." A little clearer, she says, "I would get him to stop, but that would just require another spell." She shrugs.
Aiden winces, "What can we expect to come out of that?"
Clairchiare smiles. "I have mostly settled things down, but the visiting Fall ambassador Kipyranyllie would very much like to speak with, ah, Lotte. I would suggest that you honor his request, but not alone. As a group." He looks hopefully at them all. "I believe that once all is explained, the problem will resolve itself. Kipyranyllie is the leader; it's his friend Lotte caught with her spell, Zhi."
Aiden nods at Clairchiare, "Thanks for doing as much as you did. Is he expecting us at any particular time?"
Clairchiare shakes his head, "Not really. Fall is not known for its punctuality... or for making exact appointments at all."
Seodil says, "We have a matter of a ghost, then."
Steven glances worriedly at Clairchiare. "Er... yes... somethign of one, yes...."
Sol blithely smiles at Lauren, apparently unaware of the Death Look given him earlier.
Aiden nods. They also have the matter of a missing Princess, but he's not quiet ready to bring that up yet. He's curious about Setisel's Ghost.
Seodil says, "Steven, it said its name was Setisel?"
Steven nods a little, giving another glance to Clairchiare. "Yes, at least, that was the only thing it said when I stammered out 'who.'"
Clairchiare blinks. Twice.
Steven says, "And... well... it did look like you. Both. Both of you. You both."
Lotte cringes.
Aiden's oddly quiet, just watching the two of them and looking like he's lost in thought. More accurately, he's lost in a book, but not one that he's currently holding.
Somewhat helplessly, Clairchiare says "Why would my father appear to you? --Why would he appear to ANYone?"
Seodil sighs. "That is what we are trying to decipher. Steven? You said it answered your direct question?"
Aiden says, "Maybe it's something to do with the room, rather than the person?"
Steven says, "Well.. I asked 'Who?' That was all I could get out. Since he looked like you, and said your father's name... it wouldnt be too far off to guess he was one and the same, but...."
Sol says promptly, "We could all sleep in there tonight. Maybe it'll happen again."
Steven wonders how the chest would take that.
Lauren says, "We...COULD," without relish. "But wouldn't it be crowded?"
Seodil shrugs, looking at a loss. "Or we could decide what question Steven should give it next time... if there is such."
Steven says, "Well, the obvious one would be 'Why?'"
Aiden nods, "That's probably a better idea. Even better that we all know the question, just in case it appears somewhere else next time."
Lotte pipes up, "Maybe Seodil and Steven should switch rooms."
Seodil nods to Lotte, "I would be willing..."
Sol smirks at Lauren. "It's never too crowded when you're among friends."
Steven can tell that the Sol-Lauren relationship is going to be so warm and friendly. "If you want to do that, Seodil, that's fine with me."
Aiden rolls his eyes slightly at Sol.
Seodil nods to Steven. "I do not object. As questions go, is "why?" not rather broad, however?"
Steven says, "Probably. 'Why are you here?'"
Clairchiare seems too stunned to really join the conversation.
Aiden nods, "That's a bit more narrow." He glances up at Clairchiare, "Maybe you should sit down.."
Seodil nods again. "If he appears to me, that is what I will ask."
Clairchiare keels gently onto his ass, sliding his legs out from the kneel. He nods mutely.
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