Kiyoka, Douaga and beyond

[Drannin]

"Indeed," Argus confirmed. "Fair warning, Harker's personality is... eccentric. He takes some getting used to."

(OOC: Happy Apocalypse Day, everybody! XD )

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose cringed momentarily at the notion of a 12-year-old novice "getting used to" Harker. However, she was spared saying anything when Therese cleared her throat. "I am Thérèse de Refuge-Nouveau," she said calmly, the accents of her homeland clear in her voice. "Please just call me Therese. I come from a city far away in the Northern Confederacy, and I am here to serve the Sister of your temple in this mission. As she says, it is important to many beyond the Holy Church of Luminosita."

Well done, Rose thought as she adopted a neutral smile. She'd left it ambiguous as to her own connection to the "Holy Church of Luminosita," and her deference was going to be helpful in putting the boy at ease (or so Rose thought). She nodded, smiled again, and turned to Anfisa and Desiree. [OOC: As soon as this is done, we can transact that one little thing that Rose needs to do with Argus, and then take to the air. I must say, with the site down for much of the day while the Mayan Apocalypse ticked down, I was starting to wonder if Impy's old description of their home state as "Above The Hellmouth" might have something to it ...]

[Alberich]

"Yes'm," said Audie, genuflecting again, for all the world like a debutante being presented to the Mayor's wife. He'd been starting to notice girls, as the saying went, including the local mini-skirted nun, though he understood what was off limits to him. Which was all of them. And yeeee here was another one...

"My name's Anfisa," said Anfisa, touching his shoulder gently to stop him from genuflecting. "Just Anfisa. It's good to meet you. I'm sure we're going to be friends." With an effortless pressure of two fingers she turned him to the lovely half-elf beside her. "And this is my friend Desiree." Whom she left to make the rest of her own introduction.

The gods only knew what those pervert priests were doing to this boy. If those celibate sicklings drew pleasure from whipping Tim at his age, this stripling probably got the full treatment, like the sheep of a widowed shepherd. Well, he was a little young to be sent to her, the way the noblest young men of Clan Duravsky had been, but maybe while they travelled there'd be some chance to push him in a healthier direction, so he could grow up normal in spite of it. And anyway Desiree had said she wanted her making more friends with this group. Here was a chance to start.

[Graybeard]

[OOC: OK, assuming that the introduction between Audie and Desiree proceeds, off to the South ... but there's one thing to do first.]

Sister Rose was slightly puzzled by Desiree's diffidence with the boy from the mission. Well, she'd get over that. And meanwhile... "It's getting time to get ready to go," she said. "Therese, if you could see to getting everyone packed up, I'd appreciate it. There's something that Argus and I -- need to do before we leave." Therese raised an eyebrow, but nodded silently and turned to go back to the inn ... as Rose took a puzzled-looking Argus by the hand and led him in a different direction.

Fifteen minutes later, the two were standing in front of what had been the Samuels' house at Rising Moon. Rose turned to Argus. "This is the vineyard I've been telling you about," she said, waiting to hear what he had to say in response, and praying that it would be what she wanted to hear.

------------

I've never tried to make small talk with a highly religious twelve-year-old before, thought Therese. Well, enough of the men of Goriel acted like twelve-year-olds... "So how did your life's path bring you to this mission?" she asked; that should be a safe enough topic. Shouldn't it?

[Alberich]

"Wha...?" -- he was just getting used to the fact that he was going to be travelling with these...these...these women, is what they were, and while they weren't showing as much leg as sister Marilyn, something about them drew his eyes to where he must not look...

"Oh, ah, I was stayin' with the Church in Borthwal, on account o' not havin' no parents, ma'am, an' Father Unferth got called for a year o' mission work an' took me along here. But I asked to be stayin' and the Church said yes. An' then they took me in for some trainin' in life magic an' suchlike, so I been here ever since." Long narratives were not his strong suit.

[OOC: Blow out some candles, Graybeard, and many more happy ones to you!]

[Drannin]

"It's beautiful," Argus said quietly. "I could see someone living a happy life here." There was a pregnant pause, a hint of expectation. Argus knew why. He wasn't a total blind fool, and had a good idea what was on Rose's mind. Some hints from Harker had helped, admittedly, but he understood. Rose wanted children. The question was, did he?

...

Losing Addon was still terrible for him. It pained him to think of his son. And yet... with Fayna and Lillith, he had a chance to feel like a father again. It was a good feeling.

For a moment, Argus considered having a life here.

...

He put an arm around Rose. "It'd be a nice place to raise a family," he said finally.

[Graybeard]

"It'd be a nice place to raise a family."

With that, Sister Rose was about ready to rip off Argus' clothes and start with the family-making business, right here and now. However, she settled for snuggling closer to him.

"It would," she said quietly. "Peaceful, beautiful, away from the conflicts of the city and --" She thought a minute, went ahead and said it. "And of our church. It's a family kind of place. I can hardly wait until we get done with our mission and make it our kind of place, Argus. The lives we could live here..."

[OOC: Thanks, A.]

[Drannin]

Argus nodded quietly, before Rose's words occurred to him. Was she feeling disillusioned about the squabbles in her faith? It wouldn't be surprising; that would be much for anyone to have to deal with. Still, if she needed to talk about it, she'd bring it up.

Rose knew Argus was secular, and wouldn't be joining her in worship of Luminosita. But why bring up his beliefs. He felt Rose understood his viewpoint; Tsuiraku had never been shy about it. Maybe some things just didn't need to be said. In the end, what did it matter?

[Drusia]

OOC: Happy Holidays all.

Desiree will have a reply tomorrow (hopefully) once I've recovered from the holiday.

[Graybeard]

[OOC: Note that the following does NOT happen as part of the Errant Road continuity ... but it might be kinda cool if it did.]

Sister Rose and Argus sat outside the house at the vineyard for a long time, talking about the future -- their future -- and many other things. So absorbed were they that they didn't notice that the day had passed, and night was falling. Finally Rose looked around, becoming aware of the dusk that was enveloping their surroundings. "Hmmm," she murmured as she sank back into Argus' arms. "As much as I hate to, I think we need to get a move on. The airship is still scheduled to go at midnight, and we have some packing up to do and -- OH!!"

A special-ops officer, she would later reflect, really shouldn't have been taken as thoroughly by surprise as she had been. Standing behind them at the side of the road were three tall, imposing men in the robes of Tsuirakuan arch-mages. They, in turn were at the head of what could only be an entourage of retainers, some riding truly extraordinary beasts that looked like very large horses but had a pair of humps on their backs. Others of the huge beasts of burden were carrying trunks, and it didn't take much effort to see that the contents weren't just clothes, they were coins and gems and jewelry. LOTS of coins and gems and jewelry.

"Good evening," the three men intoned, in perfect harmony, and repeated themselves. [OOC: Skip ahead to the 5:30 point in this clip. More on that later. /OOC:]

If Rose's experiences in Albigenish had taught her nothing else, they'd been a lesson in how to quickly re-gather shattered composure. "G-good evening," she replied, after just the briefest of pauses. "How can we be of assistance to you?"

The tallest and most ornately dressed of the men smiled. "You needn't," he said. "We are just passing through en route to a small town up-country, where something remarkable has happened -- a very remarkable thing." The two men with him nodded agreement. "Reports are that a child has been born, a very unusual child. We are bringing him gifts from our own lands, far away." He indicated the entourage.

"That's -- very impressive," Rose allowed. "Now tell me: what kind of a child might it be that merits gifts like these? I didn't think -- well, in your country they don't have kings and princes any more, do they?"

The tall man smiled again. "Ah, but this isn't just any old newborn princeling," he said. "The legends of our people say that this very unusual child is born to bring peace into a world that desperately needs it, light to dispel the darkness, balm for men's souls more precious than any of the balms and myrrh and salves that we carry. One might call him a veritable prince of peace. Such a one would be deserving of greater riches than a thousand camels could carry, don't you think?"

Camels, thought Rose as she eyed the huge animals. I've heard of them, but these are the first ones I've ever seen. Maybe these aren't Tsuirakuans after all ... but what are they? "I, uh, yes, I'd have to agree, a child who could bring goodness and light to this world is beyond price. He would deserve more than riches and gold ... he would deserve love."

The tall man nodded. "He would." He hesitated briefly, then continued. "You appear to be a man and woman of good will. Would you like to join us? Perhaps you could add some of your fine wines to the gifts."

Rose winced. "Well, unfortunately, this isn't our vineyard," she said. "Not yet, anyway. So I'm sorry, we can't join you at this time. Besides, we have our own -- battle against evil that must be fought." This didn't seem like the time to tell these people about the Convergence.

The tall man smiled tolerantly. "We all do. Very well, then. But when you have finished, feel free to travel in our footsteps and bring your own gifts to this prince of peace. He'll still be there, and you'll be able to find him easily enough." He gestured with a bejewelled hand, and Rose realized that there was a star shining brightly in the northeast, a star that hadn't been there before.

"Just follow the star," the man said. "Farewell, we must hasten onward." He gestured, and the parade of camels began to move.

"Go in peace," Rose managed to get out as the parade passed, and then she stood in silence for a minute or two, watching them plod calmly up the coastal road.

Finally she turned to Argus. "Wonder what that was all about?" she mused. "Well, we'd better get back to the airship..."

[OOC: Incidentally, I had the most enjoyable experience of singing the role of Balthasar in a production of that a few years back.]