Gaining of Larruth: 25B
Tuesday, September 27, 2005 (12:26:21)

Posted by TerishD

Chapter Twenty-Five - Part 2

The yellow haired lady expected to take a nap after the wagon left for town. Feladin claimed that he did not need anything and had no desire to go to town. Larruth felt a need to travel believing that an extra sword could be needed. Oggelly tried to get Mially to go, but the maid said that she was glad to have time to do her work without being bumped around by the wagon. She gave a list of items to the minstrel and made certain that he understood what each item was. Sheranth spent time with Sylvia making sure that she understood how he organized his kitchen, pantry, and cellar. She accepted the explanations while ignoring other remarks. The time with him got the lady rather flustered however, and when he left on the wagon she felt relaxed just having him gone.

Sheranth did know magic, so Sylvia moved to the stream and started working through what knowledge he had given her. She really did not expect her practice to last long. Her mature mind again acknowledged the lack of sleep, so she assumed that she would quickly tire and move back to the cottage for a nap. The young body did not make that demand, but allowed the mind to get involved in its research.


A development in the situation with our title character is set up.


Chapter Twenty-Five - Part 2

The yellow haired lady expected to take a nap after the wagon left for town. Feladin claimed that he did not need anything and had no desire to go to town. Larruth felt a need to travel believing that an extra sword could be needed. Oggelly tried to get Mially to go, but the maid said that she was glad to have time to do her work without being bumped around by the wagon. She gave a list of items to the minstrel and made certain that he understood what each item was. Sheranth spent time with Sylvia making sure that she understood how he organized his kitchen, pantry, and cellar. She accepted the explanations while ignoring other remarks. The time with him got the lady rather flustered however, and when he left on the wagon she felt relaxed just having him gone.

Sheranth did know magic, so Sylvia moved to the stream and started working through what knowledge he had given her. She really did not expect her practice to last long. Her mature mind again acknowledged the lack of sleep, so she assumed that she would quickly tire and move back to the cottage for a nap. The young body did not make that demand, but allowed the mind to get involved in its research.

Sylvia's head jerked up hearing the name of Sheranth shouted. Words declaring that the bellower was a visitor also sounded through the clearing. The lady saw an armored dwarf leading a metal barded horse from the trees. She decided to respond in Dwarvish.

"Sheranth gone to town!"

He did not close, but looked to the lady. "Are you his wife?"

"No, a welcomed visitor. My name is Sylvia."

The dwarf led his horse forward to the lady. A few dwarves and some humans followed the armored dwarf, but he pointed to an area of the clearing and they moved there to establish a camp. Sylvia had frozen some water to form a circle, then worked to have a fountain of water move up and through the circle before falling back into the stream. She was glad for the distraction because it would test her ability to keep a conversation while maintaining a spell.

"My name is Tedurro. I have heard your name mentioned in a few recent songs. They speak of your ability with magic. Are you alone?"

The name was familiar. "I have heard of you in song as well. You fought your way through an underground swamp to rescue your future king. No, I am not alone. My friend, Keir Feladin, is in the cottage."

As if to prove the lady correct, the priest stepped from the house and moved towards the two. Sylvia made the introduction between the men. After shaking hands, the dwarf mentioned his reason for being here.

"I have stopped to rest. I want to be back home before winter, although I still have a ways to go. Sheranth is a friend however, and it would be wrong not to stay for a visit. My company does not truly need the rest, considering that we have only been moving a few days after a long boat voyage."

Sylvia had to ask, "Will we be hearing new songs about you?"

The dwarf cast down his sword and helmet before saying, "No, sweet lady. I return without my friends and ashamed of myself for being alive. Kethig, Merkint, and I thought to challenge the depths of Traddyloppodon. I clawed my way back up the mouth of that demon hole screaming in fear even as my friends screamed in agony."

Both Sylvia and Feladin mentioned hearing of the place, allowing the dwarf to add, "It is a festering wound on our world. The rocks cry for the pain to be relieved. I joined the number that were unable."

The elf lady picked up the sword and helmet, then returned it to Tedurro while saying, "The loss of friends is a pain in itself. Your return allows for some substance to the myth of that evil place however. My brother is a minstrel. If you can tell what you saw, I will work to spread the facts you know so another might gain the knowledge necessary to purge that place."

Sylvia and Feladin joined Tedurro in his camp. The dwarf was traveling with a large entourage made up of his personal servants and those who served his now dead companions. Because of his large company, Tedurro would not allow any hospitality from the two.

The men returned from town late the next day. Sheranth was glad to see Tedurro. Oggelly saw his sister attired in a very lovely dress moving about the dwarf's camp checking on the cooking food while being a pleasant hostess. Larruth heard the minstrel curse, but did not understand the reason for it. The half-elf did not explain his exclamation, but started his usual whimsical comments as he started unpacking the supplies.

Tedurro only stayed a couple of days more. The dwarf was honest about wanting to get home before winter set in. It was already getting rather cold at night, and Tedurro still had to cross the Mazuron. The company shared the desire to return home though, so there was only the normal displeasure of having to leave friends.

Sheranth saw the dwarf and his company leave, then turned his attention back to Sylvia. The lady detailed what actions she had taken to assure the dwarf a pleasant stay. Sheranth was not displeased with any of her decisions, but pressed her to continue to talk it seemed just to hear the lady's voice. Sylvia started getting annoyed with the man. Her comments became more terse. Oggelly saw his sister make a face at the man when he turned from looking at her, and recognized that he needed to take action.

Larruth was chopping firewood when the minstrel came from the cottage and headed to the stables. The prince was not concerned until he heard the half-elf grunt as he moved a horse over to the wagon. Larruth moved over to look down into the rock chamber that held the animals. Seeing the minstrel working to control an elven horse, the prince moved to lend what help he could.

Oggelly did not stop the prince from helping, but he did say, "She is mine tonight, Larruth. Stay away." The elf only grunted, causing Oggelly to speak some more. "Pay attention to what I am doing, Larruth. Get Sylvia away every now and then. This keg on the wagon is still full of good beer. I am going to take her where no one can watch, then drink with her and get her to talk."

That sounded like good advice. "What are you going to talk about?"

The minstrel moved to acquire another horse as he said, "The past is where I will start, but she knows that I will accept any topic. There are things that Sylvia needs to talk about occasionally."

Larruth coaxed the one horse to move the wagon enough to allow more room to work with the second horse as he commented, "It must be rough on a lady having to live a life like this."

"Yeah, well, it will be really hard for Sylvia to adjust to hanging around a castle all day." Oggelly was working with the horse, but talked as he did so. "You will need to learn to talk to Sylvia. Not like Sheranth, but however you and her normally talk. You are doing a good job, Larruth." He secured the horse to the wagon before locking his eyes on the elf and saying, "There are topics that you cannot yet discuss with my sister however. Until that time comes, I will need to do this occasionally."

"I trust you, Oggelly." When the subject was women, it was always proper that the comments be positive. "However, I look forward to the time when even these moments with her are mine."

"No, you don't." The minstrel chuckled before adding, "You will be glad to see me hanging around just so you can push her off on me at times like this."

The elf felt that the half-elf could be wrong. "I have been with your sister for many months now, Oggelly. I was someone who had the reputation for not speaking to a lady. I have traveled and talked with Sylvia, but it is not enough."

Oggelly had trouble finding the right words, but felt a need to say more. "Larruth, Sylvia is ... normally you will ... I wish you the best. Listen, Larruth, I know that Sylvia will do her best to become a part of your life. Everyone, especially women, have their own peculiarities. Sylvia's is a little more peculiar than most. The problem is that with Sylvia you actually need to support that peculiarity. If that little secret ever goes away, Sylvia will go away. You will still have a lovely elf lady, but it will not be Sylvia."

"I do not understand."

"One day you will figure it out, or she will simply tell you. All that I will say now is that you are traveling with a wonderful person. Sylvia is older than me, and I am her brother. I have known Sylvia all my life. I know a lot of things about that lady. I can talk to her in a way that few can.

"If you actually manage to marry that lady, you will need to talk to her too. You will come to know things about her that I do not even want to think about, although I often do. The problem with you is that Sylvia will have a perspective on some of your activities that is rather disturbing. Treasure those thoughts however, because they are at the core of my sister's personality."

Larruth was unable to grasp most of what the half-elf said, and he opted to sidestep the whole topic. "You are a wonderful person too, Oggelly."

The minstrel gave the elf a strange look. "No, I am not. I am a bastard. I underpaid my employees, drank too much, and was a little rough with the women who decided that they liked me. You know, I ... damn!" He fell leaning against the wagon. "Here I am trying to save Sylvia, and I am losing myself. I have actually become a likable person."

The prince thought the words cute, and replied in a joking manner. "When you hire somebody, I will remind you to underpay them."

Oggelly weakly smiled in return. "You know, Larruth, you just might be right person for Sylvia. Still, tonight she is mine."


The next installment has an interlude then the finish to the development with Larruth.