Closed The Story Tellers Tale

[Shizen Whitevine]

Reaching the tavern following after Enoleus, he opens the door and beckons to proceed. Thanking him, she enters into the tavern. Her senses are washed over with a wave of cozy warmth, the air filled with the fragrances of cooking meat, spiced ales, and wood. Looking back, she hears the iron hinges the door swing shut while Eloneus motions towards an empty table. She nods without a word and sits at the wooden oak table, still unaccustomed to the change in mood. She thinks to herself, "I hadn't known taverns to be so welcoming in every sense... its beautiful." Looking across the broad room she sees men sipping their drinks from large tankards, others sitting near the fire taking in its warmth, and her eyes finally on the keeper who approaches the table. Not knowing of the different choices shizen looks at Enoleus, " would you like to order for me? I can pay for it."

[Enoleus Frostfawn]

Summer, 513 AV

Enoleus positioned himself across the table from Shizen, resting his elbows on the oak surface as the barmaid approached. "Never thought I would see you in here with anyone, none the less a girl." She smiled at Enoleus, who would only give her a brief nod in response. Most of the employees at the Red Diamond were familiar with Enoleus, but only in passing; he came often but generally kept to himself. "So, what'll you have?" Enoleus reached into his pack, drawing out a single gold Miza and setting it on the table. "A gallon of ale, please, and... Perhaps a loaf of bread. " The Barmaid nodded, glancing over at Shizen before taking the coin and making her way back to the bar, presumably to work on fetching the order. Enoleus waited several moments, taking in the warmth of the tavern; letting the constant waves of excited voices wash over him before turning his attention back to Shizen.

"So, you never told me what was troubling you, Miss Shizen. " He lamented a moment, biting at his bottom lip as he glanced away from her. " That is... I don't want to seem nosy," he stared into the nearby fire, the pale surface of his eyes seeming to refract the dancing light of the flames before he turning his attention fully back to his newly found drinking buddy. "However, it can be a heavier burden when you bear it in silence... trust me on that." Enoleus stared at her expectantly a moment or two, awaiting her response. He felt it was odd that someone as tight lipped with his own secrets and emotions would pry so much, yet something edged him on, as if it would be cathartic to learn of the troubles of another. Though he meant no ill will on the girl, a part of his subconscious prayed that the burdens the girl carried were heavier than his own - he desperately sought some clearer perspective to view his own life in.

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He didn't want to offend the girl, and offered her a sheepish grin, rubbing at the back of his neck as he stumbled on, somewhat awkwardly. "Th-That is, I mean, we did come here to drink, and a few mugs of ale usually loosen the tongue anyways, but with a lot less tact then when you're sober." He paused a moment, narrowing his eyes as the thought occurred to him that the statement he just made might not be as convincing or reassuring as he meant it to be.

[Shizen Whitevine]

Watching the barmaid from the corner of her eye, she turns to look at Eloneus who asks about her story, almost with a sense of timidity, then stammering. "Dont worry about it Eloneus, i dont mind telling you, it cant hurt me can it?" Closing her eyes,and the images and feelings she had tried so hard to suppress come rushing fresh through her mind, clawing at her heart. "I understand, i know what you mean... well to start with...-" She breaks off as the barmaid returns carrying the food and drink. The barmaid places a ceramic plate with a half loaf of bread, sliced, accompanied with two large tankards of wine. She bows saying " enjoy ". After the maid returns to attending other customers, Shizen pauses and sighs before continuing "... well to start, my father... a few years ago, he went missing with an icewatch patrol outside of the city... they were all experienced men, but the weather turned bad, and they never came back, they where never found..." she pauses again thinking back, "in the end, they were assumed dead, buried by the snow or carried away by some beast in the tundra. My misfortune didn't end there..." The thoughts of never knowing send a wave of remorse over her conscience, never knowing the fate of her parent, never knowing what had become of him, how he had died, and no funeral. Looking up at him she asks, "What is it that weighs on your mind?"

[Enoleus Frostfawn]

Summer, 513 AV

Enoleus gripped the handle of his mug, taking a deep draught as he listened to her speak. As she finished, she sent him a counter question, causing him to pause. He bounced it around in his mind, contemplating the best way to answer as the picked up half of the bread and took a hefty bite, carefully and slowly chewing it to give himself a larger window in which to think. Washing the bread down with another gulp from his mug, he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt, setting his mug down as he braced himself on his elbows.

"It's much like what I said earlier. I'm unsure of my place in this world. " He paused a moment, resting his chin on his clasped hands before he continued. "I was born and raised here in Avanthal, but it's been many years since I've honestly felt like this place was my home... Like any place was my home. I go out to the docks at night sometimes, and as I stare across the ocean, I feel like my heart burns for far away places." He gripped at his mug, taking another deep drink. As he set it down, he gazed into its empty depths. There was no reason for him to be telling her all of this, but she had asked - and it had been years since he had any serious conversations with another Vantha.

He helped himself to another mouthful of bread, his voice perking upward a touch. "In any case, I don't have a house here anymore, and... I've been trying to save up the cash I need to leave the city. I want to see far away places and experience new things." He made a dismissive hand gesture as he gripped at the gallon of ale he had ordered. " I mean, I'm a hunter by trade, and I can handle myself in the wilderness, but... Setting out to new places by myself would be foolish, right?" He leaned back in his chair, gazing down at his left palm. A long, jagged scar extended across his hand, and he winced involuntarily - the wound was old, but the pain was still fresh in his mind. He spoke in a softer tone of voice, as the words were intended mostly for himself, but still just barely loud enough to be audible. "After all, there are people far more vile than dire animals in the deep reaches of the wild..."

[Shizen Whitevine]

Listening to Enoleus, shizen gingerly picks two slices of bread and dips them in her tankard before taking modest bites. His story is different from hers, yet the result felt the same, one of displacement and discontent. When he mentions the loss of his house, she looks at him and ponders an idea while listening to his story. As he speaks, his eyes turn to his wrist, where previously unnoticed a scar ran down. With his finishing word she looks into his eyes with a cold stare, knowing now that somehow fate had given her the right person. With a cold voice she says, "There are sick and twisted people in the wastes and wild... and what i hadn't told you... my life has come to a stop...i dont know what to do at this point... As a vantha you know as well as i do, that at this age, it is important to marry...", she pauses as she attempts to suppress her emotions welling up again, "My fiancee was taken by slavers when he was out hunting in the wastes three months ago... and i... i don't know what do, i can survive dangers outside sure, but i only know medicine...and-and even if i did find him or the slavers what could i do?!" she runs her hand over her forehead trying to suppress her frustration and sense of helplessness. Looking into the dark red wine in her tankard, numerous ideas run through her mind, until one crosses, that may, just may work. Taking another sip of her wine, she sighs and looks across the table. "Maybe we can help one another? Neither of us belong in Avanthal, our fate isnt to stay here... Maybe if we help each other, we can find our own peace in the end?.. you could consider that tonight, think it over..." Within a split second she begins thinking to herself, cursing her own optimism. She had only met him hours ago, her mind races quickly with thoughts of "what can i really expect, can we really trust eachother along road... it cant be a good idea can it?" Looking at him she stumbles to recant her suggestion " I got kind of ahead of myself sorry... things don't work like that- nothing is ever that easy is it?" She laughs unconvincingly, and averts her glance away from him, and takes a sip of her wine to break her awkwardness.

[Enoleus Frostfawn]

Summer, 513 AV

Enoleus felt a sweeping change of emotion ripple through him like a clap of thunder when the word slaver emerged from Shizen's lips. His expression hardened, his brow furrowing as his lips involuntarily pursed into a toothy sneer. His eyes began to glow with renewed depth, the pale droning silver of his emotionally restrained mind washing away, flooding his eyes with bright, brooding red - stark and powerful, like fresh blood contrasted against the pure white of fresh, undisturbed snow. His hand crept toward his fathers tamo daggers, which were held in place inside his left boot - but he caught himself, clearing his throat somewhat awkwardly. The frighteningly sharp red drained from his eyes, leaving them pale as unmolested ice, and his expression softened. Though in his mind the tempest raged on, and he could feel the whip against his back like streaks of pure fire cutting through his flesh, he showed no more outward signs, and gave Shizen an incredibly forced smile.

"Miss Shizen, take no offense at this, but if we are to survive a trek through the wilderness, we will need a larger party of those more experience in combat and survival than either of us." Though ordinarily he would immediately shoot down such a proposition, he felt compelled to humor her - to help her in what ways he felt he rationally could. The sting of the scars that ran down his back, hidden in the confines of his loose white shirt, felt near to him as he strained to quell the rage that brimmed in his chest, that made his heart beat in his ears like war drums. He swallowed nervously, a dryness built in the back of his throat - as he placed his hands haphazardly on the table. "That is why, I have been trying to scrounge up a decent amount of money. I want to either join up with a group that's already heading out, or hire a couple of decent guards to travel with me."

He took the gallon that he had ordered, and used it to refill his own mug. He grasped it with desperate urgency between both hands, bringing it to his lips and downing almost the entire tankard in one long gulp. It did not only break the parched feeling in the back of his throat, but helped to wash aside and temporarily repress the clawing he felt in his very soul. Once more, he felt a pleasant numbness growing in him, a feeling he much preferred to the reality of what he felt - a state of mind he avoided with vigor. Letting out a relieved sigh, he set his mug down, shaking his head as he leaned in toward her. "However, by whatever means I do leave, I intend to depart from Avanthal before the start of winter, when the storms come and make travel impossible...." He trailed off a moment, the images of blizzards and sleeting hail bringing a small smile to his face before he continued.

"...but when I do depart, Miss Shizen, if you still are of the mindset that you must leave this place, I would be happy to have you along, free of charge. "

[Shizen Whitevine]

His reaction to her suggestion was far from what she anticipated, imagining Enoleus scoffing or laughing it off- but something she could tell clicked within him during her story. Thinking about leaving, she now realized just what a disadvantage she had originally, alone, there would have have been little hope of leaving Avanthal in time, much less finding the slavers. It would have been a suicide mission, and if not, a naive venture likely to end her in a brothel. Speaking tentatively she replies, " I have a fair amount money in pool so if we decide to trek with a caravan or make our own, i can carry my weight and finance some of it... and more so, i have a understanding of medicine that may be of assistance should anyone get injured along the way." The thought of the costs was disheartening, but she knew that no matter how much work, a way to save the one she held dearest would be found. Looking at Enoleus, a sense of hope sprang in her mind that she hadn't felt for months. Half smiling she adds," I know its a wild and dangerous idea, but i guess the two of us don't have a choice in the end do we? our destiny isnt in Avanthal anymore..." pausing and remembering her late father, Shizen recalls the crossbow that the icewatch had given after his death, " and i have a crossbow i can defend myself with... its just... i was never trained to use it..." Feeling somewhat comforted, yet still weighed down by the daunting task ahead she takes a drink of her wine and leans back. Looking across the room she sees a bearded man entering the room, passing through the heavy wooden door,the outside light is dimming as the sun wanes. Becoming aware of the time passing she looks down at her mug and then back at Enoleus. "The time seems to be flying by when you have someone to talk to... if money is a necessity to leaving Avanthal and you don't have a home..." She considers her offer and decides that to be a team, there may as well be a start,"... would you like to be a guest at my home for the time being? Being a hunter, i am sure you can care for yourself, right?"

[Shizen Whitevine]

Leaving Eloneus to consider the idea for the night, Shizen returns home. Trudging through the snowy streets as the night begins to appear, the aurora glimmers in the sky. The street takes on a gray tone, colored only by the lights and the occasional lantern. There are few people out, only a few stragglers finding their ways home.The snow cracks underneath her feet, crystallized by the sun, compacted my numerous others walking the streets. Finally she stops in from of one small yet modest home. Reaching home she, opens the heavy pine door and steps into the dimly lit room. Looking in, she sees her mother sleeping on a layered cloth mat in a heavy sleeping bag, not far from the brazier in the center of the room. Quietly shizen tells her, " I"m home mother..." She mumbles something in acknowledgement but remains motionless underneath the heavy covers. Pulling off and folding her jacket, she places it on a small wood table. She then unlaces her frosted boots and pulls her arctic leggings off, placing them with the jacket. The cool air of the room brushes her skin as she takes off her heavy outer clothes. In her light attire, the colder air is somewhat refreshing. Thinking of her conversation earlier, she sighs, then sits on her mat looking into the dancing flames. Crawling into her sleeping bag near the fire, she watches the flames flow about rhythmically until she drifts off into sleep.

[Shizen Whitevine]

The following morning shizen rolls over and faces the warmth of the embers remaining in the brazier. Opening her eyes sleepily, she looks at the soft orange glow emanating and then to the silvery beam of light of the morning sun entering through the roof opening. Sitting up in her sleeping bag, she rubs the sleep from her eyes and yawns. Thinking about the other night, her eyes narrow and she considers the thought of his offer. She thinks solemnly, "he was probably drunk and i at the time had drank a good deal of wine... what a blunder..." She looks towards where her mother was sleeping but her bag is rolled up and she is gone- likely she had left earlier to her job with the town medics. She slips out from her sleeping bag and sleepily walks towards the larder, and takes out a small handfull of berries and smoked fish. Breakfast was small, but she was content with what it was. Cleaning up, and putting away her bag, she slips into her heavy clothes ready for the day ahead.

[Enoleus Frostfawn]

Summer, 513 AV

Enoleus spent the rest of the night at the Red Diamond. Eventually he dragged himself out, following a familiar path to the stable where Sleet was being looked after. He made sure she had been fed, before setting his tent up just outside the stable, drunkenly crawling into his sleeping bag. Sleep hit him like a hefty rock to the skull, and in his dreams the rhythmic chiming of swords, falling and clashing like ringing bells, jingled along to a background of flames and screams.

He awoke in a haze, and managed just barely to pack his tent back up, stumbling into the stable and sitting next to Sleet, who still slept. He gently ran his hand through her mane, and would rest his head on her back, letting out a wistful sigh. What am I doing with my life...