| Logs |
2011 April 05
| Neverneverwhere |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
| Realms: Taps Logs |
Into the Fire
As they get closer to the stables, the sounds of various mounts grows louder. There are the expected neighs as well as some snorting and other sounds that can't quite be classified. In a corral outside the main stable building are two stableboys and a groom looking over three gryphons. The creatures are golden-furred and have the heads of raptors. One looks like a golden eagle, one has the white head of a bald eagle, and the third looks more like a hawk than an eagle. All three creatures are wearing saddles and modified bridles. Chanticleer murmurs, "Well, a good variety of gryphons."
Aurora nods to Chanticleer, "These three are some of the steadier ones. Her Majesty wanted to make sure you had stable mounts."
The groom catches sight of them and raises a gloved hand in greeting. He looks as if he is made of some gnarled and knotted wood. One of the stableboys is small, dark-skinned and wiry with large hands and eyes that look a little too big for his face. The other is gangly and ruddy, with carroty hair that sticks out untidily from beneath his cap. The groom comes over, and when he speaks his voice is creaky and rumbly, "Aurora. These are the ones She sent?"
The armorer nods, "Sova will be going with them. She'll make sure they know how to deal with the gryphons." The gryphons are a little restless, tipping their heads to look at the unknown people and shifting from foot to foot. They are making quiet clucking and clicking noises. The chameleon-like Sova, with the capes and such in arms, comes up just then, quickly adding her load to the packs of supplies. Her bulging eyes flick this way and that almost nervously, "Ciaran prepared the gryphons we'll use. They aren't hard to ride. You just have to be respectful..."
Suraksha is staying a bit back, not wishing to cause a furor in the stables. She smiles in admiring pleasure at the lovely golden-headed gryphon, and nods politely to the stablehands. Chanticleer remains quiet and by Suraksha's side. He doesn't want to give any hint that he might have been of the Seelie Court once. Suraksha murmurs quietly to Chanticleer, "Moment, dear," then reaches into one of the packs Aurora is carrying, "Pardon me, please?" She pulls out the package of salt, and sprinkles some of it over Chanti's shoulders and neck, where the Lady touched him.
Chanticleer is a little concerned... okay, no, a lot concerned that one of the stablehands is a redcap. They have a bit of a reputation; he's never fought one, but he'd rather not change that record right now. [Just don't do anything that'll... well, gosh. Just what would cause him to go on a murderous rampage? He's probably relatively well-tempered if he's in Morganna's household, at that.] That makes the sidhe feel a little better.
Aurora blinks at the sprinkling of salt on Chanticleer, and the groom's twisted mouth forms something like a smile as he says, "Seasoning him up?" The white haired gryphon is the most restless of the three and the red-haired stableboy strokes its head, murmuring to it and offering it a strip of raw meat that it plucks carefully from his fingers.
Chanticleer looks wryly to the groom. "Well, I am kind of gamy and stringy."
Suraksha grins at the groom, her eyes dancing, "Isn't that what salt's best at?" She glances at Sova as she neatly tucks the salt away again in the pack, saying cheerfully to all present, "So, unless one of you tells me otherwise, I'm going to guess the golden-headed one is neither Sova's nor too restless -- and I'll take that one, yes?" She takes a breath, making sure she's nice and calm and won't accidentally rile up the gryphons... then she walks towards the golden-eagle gryphon. "Do they have names?"
The groom snorts and says, "The golden-headed one is Triumph. He's the calmest gryphon in Her Majesty's stable. I was told he was to be the little woman's, yes." The groom lays his hand on Triumph's shoulder and points to the bald-eagle gryphon, "That's Albin and the hawk-headed one is Horus." The groom rolls his eyes, "Not what I'd have chosen for him, but he's a good beast." Horus is shifting his weight as well, peering at Suraksha.
Suraksha grins at the groom, "'Little woman'? Good thing that means something different here." She murmurs soothingly, "Hello, Triumph. We're going to get along just fine, aren't we?" as she steps over and reaches to stroke the furred shoulder. She's silently alert to the other gryphons as well -- she figures at least one of them is going to try a dominance display at her. She's ready.
Sure enough, when she passes by him, Albin screeches and flaps his wings, snapping his enormous beak. Chanticleer half-moves to Suraksha, holding himself back at the last moment; she'd said she'd need to express dominance amongst this pride. Both stableboys move to grab Albin's reins, the dark one rumbling irritably, the gangly one shushing the gryphon in a soothing voice that doesn't match his somewhat clumsy frame. Suraksha holds her ground, growling at the big gryphon. The sound comes rolling out of her with all the rumble of a very large cat. She doesn't threaten attack, though -- just holds her ground to establish dominance.
Triumph clucks a couple of times, sounding almost as if he's admonishing Albin. The white-headed gryphon meets Suraksha's growl with one of his own and pulls against the reins as they're held by the two stableboys. Horus screeches and flicks his tufted tail, but the screech seems to be directed at Albin. Suraksha stands steady for all her diminutive height, staring with fearless directness into Albin's large eyes. She won't drop her gaze; she's quite sure she is dominant here.
The groom is watching impassively; he seems to have seen something like this before. Sova raises her voice a little, "Ma'am, you should be careful. If they take a dislike to you..." Albin fakes a lunge at Suraksha, screeching at her defiantly. The stableboys both yelp and try to pull the big creature back away from the petite biped. Suraksha doesn't dodge out of reach -- instead she takes one swift, light step forward, her hand lashing out to grab the reins and yank hard down and sideways, to lower Albin's head below her own. With the other hand she swiftly slides her fingers under the raised crest at the back of the big eagle head... then scritches right where she knows most birds enjoy it the most.
The stableboys are shocked when she does that, shocked enough to let go of the reins. Albin makes a croaking, clucking sound as his head is yanked down, but then his eyes pin and go half-closed as he's scritched in just the right spot, his tail flicking lazily from side to side. Suraksha smiles and croons quietly, "There you go, silly boy. Isn't that better, hmm?" She takes a moment, making sure the gryphon can relax and enjoy himself a bit, before she pats him lightly and steps away. "Yes, I think Triumph, please?" She strokes her fingers through the golden feathers of the bigger gryphon, adding with quiet amusement, "A nice steady boy for me, hmm?"
Albin makes a couple of sounds that are half-bird, half-cat and then turns to the gangly stableboy for another piece of raw meat. Sova relaxes and Aurora says, "I'll leave you all to it, then. Sova will take good care of you."
The groom seems pleased and strokes Triumph's shoulder, "Ayeah. Steady as the day is long. Trained for war. He would face down a raging century of Picts without blinking."
Suraksha nods to Ciaran, "He has that tried and true calm about him, yes." She grins at Albin's and Sova's reactions, and also nods to the big bear-sidhe, "Thank you so much, Aurora." She hesitates, then says quietly, "Actually, I do have a favor to ask of you, if I may." She adds to Chanticleer, "Could you make sure we're all packed and ready to go? I'll be right back." Chanticleer wouldn't admit it, but he hasn't been breathing for the past minute or so. He tries hard not to let out his breath gustily; he wasn't entirely sure that would work! Albin looked to be pretty fierce. The sidhe nods to Suraksha, moving to ensure the saddles and packs are all properly set up and lashed together.
Aurora pauses, brows raised, "You may ask." Sova is starting, with the help of the stableboys, to put the packs on the gryphons. The boy with the red hat eyes Chanticleer closely, as if he's not sure whether to trust the sidhe. Chanticleer assists Sova. He does his best not to meet the redcap's gaze as he does so.
Suraksha steps over to Aurora, quietly asking, "Two things, actually. First, are there utensils for writing messages in our packs? Secondly, might I speak with you in private for a moment, please?" The bear sidhe makes an "after you" gesture as she starts to walk away from the stable, and she nods at the question about writing utensils. Suraksha murmurs quietly to the bear-sidhe, "I've just had an idea which I'd like to run past you... which might end this entire, ah... situation quickly."
The smaller woman waits until they're in a room again before she says thoughtfully, "It just occurred to me, and while I trust Chanti and you trust Sova... I don't know who else you trust." She grins, although it doesn't reach her eyes, and says swiftly, "Is Guaire clever? Does he want to hurt the Lady more, or does he want her to still care about him? I suddenly realized if he received a purportedly secret note from me suggesting how he might end this and earn the Lady's pleasure, so he came out a winner either way... all he'd have to do is publicly announce his feelings for the Lady won't allow him to accidentally hurt her should her pet come to harm, so he's calling off the bet and magnanimously returning her pet safe and sound to her. He'd come out smelling like roses -- but would he be smart enough to take such a suggestion? And if you think it might work, would you be able to very discreetly inform the Lady, so she does not think she's being betrayed, and so she knows what to do in order to persuade Guaire that he made the right decision?"
Aurora crosses her arms and listens to Suraksha's suggestion. When she's done, the bear-sidhe shakes her head, "Guaire wouldn't back down from this. He's had his feelings hurt by Her Majesty's fondness for Nuadha. He wants to hurt her back."
Suraksha nods and sighs, "All right. That's a shame; I was hoping we might keep Nuadha easily safe, and everyone happy -- this way at least someone is going to end up unhappy." She frowns consideringly for a moment, then nods once briskly to the much taller woman, "Well, that's that, then. Thank you for listening, at least." She smiles and adds, "We both very much appreciate your efforts on our behalf. We'll do our best to make sure the poor boy comes back in one piece, safe and sound." She cannot help wondering, though, why Queen Morganna has so closely associated herself with someone too dumb to realize he's going to lose either way on this bet.
Back at the stable, Sova says to Chanticleer, "Have you ever ridden a gryphon? Or any flying mount?" The saddles strapped to the feline torsos of the beasts are unlike the ones found on horses and other such hooved mounts. They have a great many more straps for one thing.
Chanticleer pauses for a moment, then has to be honest and says, "No, I've not ridden any flying mount, I'm afraid."
Sova nods and waits for Suraksha to return before going through the basics of how to strap oneself into the specialized saddle, and the signals used to communicate with the gryphons. Suraksha comes back out a few moments later, still very thoughtful looking. She watches intently as Sova demonstrates how to use the saddles, then smiles faintly at the patient groom and thanks him as he gives her a hand up into the saddle and helps her strap in. The commands are simple, and the beasts seem intelligent enough to not need overmuch guidance. Next, the lizard-fae makes sure the traveling cages for the handful of ravens they're taking with them are strapped securely to the gryphons -- and they're ready to go.
Chanticleer expresses his gratitude to Sova for the training; he admits, he was a little nervous. THere weren't many flying mounts in the Seelie court, though there were a few gryphons and giant eagles for some of the higher nobles. Suraksha is faintly surprised to see the ravens are clearly non-sapient; she'd assumed they'd simply be flying along. She grins at herself, internally amused at her belief that everything in Faerie must be magical! She grins again at the groom's inquiringly raised eyebrow, explaining quietly as she gathers up the reins, "Just laughing at myself for assuming the ravens were intelligent and would be just flying along with us."
The groom chuckles, "Oh, they're intelligent enough. But they aren't as fast as these fellows." He pats Triumph's flank affectionately. "Be as safe as you know how."
Suraksha says, "Truly?" She laughs, then says over her shoulder to the cage of ravens lashed to Triumph's saddle, "My apologies for misunderstanding, then!" She grins as she thanks the groom again, then waits for Sova to lead the way up into the air. Quietly she murmurs to the ravens, "Let me know later if you'd rather ride under my cloak next time, all right?" There is croaking from the assorted ravens in response, as the groom and stableboys lead the gryphons out of the corral. A moment later it becomes obvious why there's such a large courtyard: the three creatures start off at a lope and are soon up to a gallop, broad wings unfurling as they leap one after the other up into the air.
Chanticleer quietly holds on for dear life as the gryphons gallop to get air speed, trying hard to remember to breathe. [Almost like albatrosses], he thinks, and resolves no matter how bad the ride gets, no matter how stressed -- he is never going to breathe that to any of the gryphons. Suraksha laughs aloud in delight as they vault powerfully into the air, keeping her center of gravity low over the gryphon's withers so she won't off-balance him at all. Once they're airborne she pats his powerful shoulder, "Aren't you a beauty then?!" Her big grin is excited and her golden eyes are glowing as she calls over the thunder of heavy wings to Chanticleer, "Isn't this great?! Almost as exciting as cross-country traveling!"
Once they're aloft, the enormous wings of the creatures flap very rarely; with wingspans to match their body sizes, they don't have to. Sova's advice about leaning down close to the gryphon's body also comes quite in handy as it keeps the buffeting winds from being too much of a problem for the riders. Triumph takes the lead and the other two move to flanking positions, forming a very truncated V as they head toward the location given them by Sova. Suraksha relaxes into an almost prone position along the big gryphon's back, her hands tucked under the thick golden feathers for warmth. She croons in quiet happiness to Triumph as they fly, savoring the moment as much as she can -- this is likely as good as it gets for this mission, after all. From this point onwards they'll be 'on' -- both as ersatz bodyguards and as alternative targets to draw attention away from the poor foolish flyer.
Chanticleer remains close by the back of Albin, not quite holding on for dear life. Curiously he wonders if he can 'hear' them as he can most avians, or if it's muddled because of their mingled cat natures. The ravens are loud and clear to Chanticleer's senses -- loud being the operative word. They are chattery creatures. The gryphons don't seem to be 'there' quite as much, although it might simply be because they're concentrating on their flying. Chanticleer almost immediately regrets listening to the avian lingua; the ravens are chattering amongst themselves about anything and everything. [The first time I hear one of them comment about my fashion sense....]
The landscape below them is, in a word, fantastical. The moonlight lets them see the folds of hills and river valleys and the stands of trees that, even in the pale illumination, are obviously many colors other than green. In the distance are larger mountains, jagged and snow-capped, with clouds floating around their peaks. In the opposite direction is the wine-dark glint of some large body of water. It's a bit strange that so much of the landscape can be seen. It's almost as if concentrating on a direction brings a view of it closer, which can make distances seem out of whack.
Suraksha grins quietly at that, drinking in as much of the geography as she can. She even looks back over her shoulder, doing her best to get a good bird's-eye view of the local 'map.' She knows terrain can be tricky in Faerie, so she's doing her best to be as prepared as possible. Not knowing the lay of the land may hamper them; she can only pray the nightmare will be equally handicapped... and that the flyer is smart enough to stay low, rather than rising so high that the nightmare will be able to easily spot him. Chanticleer too is paying as much attention to the lay of the land -- and the rise of the sky -- as is possible in Faerie. A sky-eye view is something of the Graal of strategic planning, and he wants to make as much use of it as he can.
Triumph stretches his wings, tipping this way and that to catch the air currents. All three of the mounts are moving with breath-taking speed. The gryphons are heading for the jagged mountain peaks. The bet is set to begin from a cave near the top of one of them, as the mountains are apparently the home base for the flyers. Suraksha wonders thoughtfully what the other flyers think of all this attention. If they're friendly to Nuadha, they might also be friendly to his protectors... she'll have to get one of the three of them to quietly check that out. She wonders also if Guaire or Morganna will be there. She smiles in silent rue, shaking her head once... it may sound odd, but poor Guaire. If he keeps on this track, he's going to lose -- even if he wins the bet.
The mountains come to them with almost frightening speed, but the gryphons seem calm in their flight. The cave where the bet begins is well above the tree-line, so there isn't much opportunity for concealment nearby. Instead, their mounts take them up higher along the mountain and land in the lee of a tumble of jagged-edged boulders; they take much less room to land than they did to take off. Suraksha is laughing delightedly again as they land, and she exuberantly hugs her mount's neck, "Thank you so much, Triumph -- that was wonderful!" before she starts unstrapping from the saddle so she can dismount. She grins over at the others, "So, shall we release the ravens here? Sova, is there anyone we should meet before this starts? How long can you stay with us?"
The ravens are clamoring to be let out of their cages and Sova is wrapping herself in several layers of clothing against the chill air. This high up, it's cool even in deepest summer, and it is not summer here. The lizard-fae shakes her head, "I think there is no one you need meet -- though perhaps you should see Nuadha. We can approach from up here without him seeing, I believe."
Suraksha nods to the lizard-woman, taking a moment to flip open the latch on the ravens' cage bound to Triumph's saddle, "There you go, fellas!" They pour out, cawing enthusiastically and causing the still-caged ravens to croak indignantly. After that Suraksha roots through her pack for the cloak and gloves, then curiously says to Sova, "So do we just ask our gryphons to await us here, then?" She adds more quietly to Sova, "Also, how do the flyers feel about this? Might they be friendly to our cause?"
Sova says, "Yes. We ask them to wait on us. They should be safe here. They like the mountain peaks as well. Wild ones make their aeries at the tops of these mountains."
Suraksha nods to Sova, wondering why she's not replied with how long she can stay. The smaller woman scritches Triumph's tufted poll, murmuring quietly, "Would you wait for us here, please? We'll be back in just a bit." She slips quietly to the fae's side after that, staying low and glancing around with careful interest -- she's guessing they're not the only watchers here, after all. Chanticleer nods soberly as he settles Albin, thanking him for the flight. He looks to Sova and Suraksha and follows after them, keeping as stealthy as possible.
Sova says, "As for how long I can stay... only a few hours before I would be missed at the palace." The reptilian woman shifts to a four-limbed stance and begins leading them down the slope. The cloaks she brought with them are mottled white and gray and blend in nicely with the surrounding rocks and patches of snow. She slips from boulder to boulder until they are within sight of the cave entrance.
Suraksha pulls up the hood and follows just as stealthily. She's going to have to get Sova to give them a lot of information very, very quickly, it seems. Chanticleer and she both need to know the particulars of how to trap, bind, and dispel the mara, after all. She settles quietly in next to the lizard-woman, careful to glance warily behind her at irregular intervals as well. Chanticleer keeps his bow out, with an arrow nocked but not drawn, just in case. Suraksha nods in silent approval at that, then glances over at the cave entrance. Her soft whisper is pitched for Sova, "You didn't say -- might the flyers be friendly?"
Standing outside and pacing as he watches the moon rise is a pale figure with silvery-white wings that rise up from his shoulders, the uppermost joints peaking more than a foot over his head. The tips of the folded wings brush the backs of his ankles as he walks. Nuadha is bare-chested despite the cold and his hair is chilly white where it is braided down his back. Shoulders and chest are heavily muscled, as they would need to be to use such enormous pinions. His face is fine featured, though not feminine. Still, he might more readily be called beautiful than handsome. The garment he wears seems to be a long, heavy skirt of some sort and there are thick silver bands at his ankles and wrists.
Chanticleer is going to make a wild guess and think that's Nuadha -- since he certainly doesn't fit the style of what the sidhe imagines an Unseelie creature called a pleasant name such as 'a nightmare' might be. Suraksha shakes her head slowly in pity as she watches; she's willing to bet the flyer will never drink too much again. She'll memorize the actual face -- as opposed to Morganna's scrying -- after checking behind herself once more.
Sova's voice is soft and sibilant, "The others tend to be somewhat aloof. They are not unfriendly. Not hostile but..." She searches for the right word, tipping her head in almost birdlike way herself, "It is not easy to go amongst them. They will neither help nor hinder if they stay true to form." She shifts and settles, "I will tell you of the mara while we wait."
Suraksha nods to the lizard-woman, disappointed but unsurprised, and listens carefully. She is suddenly glad she's not a queen. If anyone so threatened one of her beloveds, she wants to be able to head right on over without fear of loss of face -- and kick their damn asses for trying to hurt someone she cares about! She glances around with slow care, trying to spot other watchers as well. She wonders idly if Guaire himself will turn up at any point. Probably not in the beginning... but maybe later on, to gloat a bit?
One of Sova's eyes stays on the pacing flyer and the other settles on Chanti and Sura as she talks: the mara are a wide group of creatures. Rather than a species, they are a classification. Much as the sidhe vary widely from individual to individual, so do the nightmares. Some are literally vampiric. Some survive on terror; yet others get their subsistence from lust or anger. The one called up to hunt Nuadha is a terror-drinker and has the ability to fly. Sunlight will hurt it and drive it back. Strong fires can do the same, but a normal campfire is not strong enough to hold it at bay for long. It can fly and has an affinity for shadows. As she talks there is a sound somewhere between a howl and a laugh. It is a way off, but the wind makes it tricky to say what direction it originates from.
Chanticleer perks up, shivering. "I'm going to make another guess," he murmurs, "and say that's the Nightmare?"
Suraksha bares her teeth in a silent grin at Chanti! Then she murmurs softly to Sova, "All good information we've gotten from the Lady. She said you'd also be able to tell us how to trap, bind, and dispel a mara, please. Also, the anti-mara nets in our packs -- should they be worn only when sleeping, or can we lay them on under our cloaks?" Sova nods and catches her breath, going on. This particular mara can be trapped with the nets they've been given, as well with a circle of salt. The spell Guaire used to bind it is long and complicated, but dispelling it is easier. Suraksha hmms thoughtfully, then studies the lizard-woman's chakras as she asks, "These are all things you know to be true? And how do we dispel it?"
Sova hesitates, "Dispelling it... that will not last long. It is a being of terror. As long as there is fear, it will gather that about itself and return. If you can force it into sunlight, true sunlight, after it has been bound in one of the dream-nets, that will banish it for three nights. I... was not able to find a way to kill this particular creature." Sova is quite frightened herself, but she is telling the truth as she knows it. She cringes a little as the howl comes again and Nuadha stops his pacing, wings unfurling and body tensed.
Suraksha smiles and strokes one gloved hand lightly along Sova's back, "Relax. It is bound; it cannot hunt you." She adds almost cheerfully, "We don't want to kill it if we can help it, so no worries there! So, about the anti-mara nets: only when sleeping, or under our cloaks too? How about binding it? Or... unbinding it?"
Sova relaxes a little, but both her eyes have flicked up to the sky at the second howl. She shivers and pulls her cloak closer about herself, "Only when you're sleeping. They would tangle too easily if you wear them all the time." Suraksha nods at that, glancing around again as she waits for the rest of the advice.
The wind is beginning to pick up. It's sudden and hard, whipping the snow through the air and making Sova shiver again. "Unbinding it from this spell... that would require Guaire to let it go or for him to die. If you can wrap it completely in one of the nets, that will keep it still. They are woven by a shaman -- one of the red people who lived on the continent you travel long before the Dying Off."
Suraksha blinks at that, "The nets are?" She's utterly fascinated, "Oh, I understand -- they're dream-catchers!" She laughs softly into her gloved hand, to muffle the sound, "Gracious, if I'd known... I'd have talked to Bringer." She grins and nods to Sova, "So salting it won't strip the binding from the poor mara? How do we bind it ourselves, then? Are you saying only one of the nets will do that?"
Chanticleer frowns a little. "That may be a good option. It would not be harmed by being kept still for the length of the bet? Assuming we were that lucky or skilled?"
Suraksha grins at Chanticleer, "If we catch it like that, we're not going to try holding it for the length of the bet -- we're calling in the Lady immediately!"
Chanticleer mms softly, nodding. "Right, I'd forgotten," he says wryly. Suraksha grins at the sidhe and pats his arm, then looks back at Sova expectantly.
Sova hesitates, "It is strong. You may need to use more than one to hold it. Guaire looked for something strong." Down by the cave mouth, Nuadha is trembling as if the chill has finally gotten to him. Before Sova can say much more there is a whoomph of wind and Nuadha has spread his wings, jumping up into the air. He is dazzling against the dark of the night-time sky as he drops down the side of the mountain, riding the air currents lower along the slope.
Sova swallows and says, "It has begun... salting will not strip the binding. Not this one."
Suraksha watches, murmuring softly, "There he goes... poor kid." She glances up at the moon, then nods to Sova, "All right." She's silent for a moment, then says gently, "Why are you so frightened, girl?" Chanticleer silently wishes they could have gotten Nuada to stay in one place... under lock and key... with armed guards. But fae wagers were naught to be trifled with.
Sova shivers and shakes her head, "I... I don't know. I know it's bound. But..." She ducks her head again; being reptilian, she can't actually blush. She watches Nuadha, "I will stay with you a while longer, but then I must go."
Suraksha nods silently; Sova's telling the truth. The smaller woman wonders a bit perplexedly why the lizard-fae is so scared. This is exciting, yes, and could be quite frustrating -- maybe even thrillingly spooky! But it's not like the mara can turn on them for any length of time. It is bound to one target and one target only. Not for the first time, and probably not for the last, the walkabout young supernatural has trouble grasping the concept of personal fear for Self. Chanticleer narrows his eyes a little, seeing Nuadha flitting away. He shakes his head, testing the draw of his bow. Unlike Suraksha, he has grasped fear -- but fear in the fury and chaos of a battlefield, with the clash of arms and the clanking of armor and the screams of mounts. Here, at least, it will be straightforward -- though he finds himself oddly dreading the Nightmare's own protectors and minders.
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