Spring 122 PW, after the gala bombings
Renee had closed the shop for today and went home in good time before the curfew. Now she sat in the garden, right outside the door of her small house. She was still dressed in her working clothes, a long sleeved dark brown dress with fun colorful abstract embroideries Renee had made herself, scattered at random over the fabric. She was just relaxing and thinking of a multitude of things, the way people do when they have nothing in particular to do. Her thoughts were wandering, from memories of todays sales, to the general situation in the city, to people she had spoken with recently, to gardening and the fact that it was spring and the weather was marvelous. It was a warm, nice evening, made for being outdoors.
Life had it’s ups and downs and but right now everything was alright. The white lilacs hedges had begun to flower and the air was full of their pleasant fragrance. Temporary birdsong blended with the constant lower buzzing sound of insects. A small butterfly passed by, pale and plain. She followed it’s fluttering way through the air until it disappeared in the greenery.
Summer would come, she thought to herself. Summer would soon be there, just like it always came. Summer knew nothing about bombings, wounded people, marshal laws and curfews. It was like the evening sun that warmed her face; the sun didn’t know that the air had started to go colder and made Renee think of putting on her warm woolen sweater.
Little did she know that this peaceful evening would soon come to an end. Very soon.
A sound woke her up from her musings. It wasn’t a loud sound. But there was definitely a sudden, unfamiliar sound. These days, with the recent bombings, sudden sounds of something falling into her garden - or being thrown into it - was unsettling. Startled, Renee looked around searchingly. She wasn’t any more easily scared than people in general, but her heart had made a small jump, to be honest.
There was absolutely nothing to be seen nearby. Reluctantly she admitted to herself that the sound had seemed to come from the berry bushes a bit further away from the house, and farther into the garden. She wasn’t keen on investigating this. But it would be stupid to not check it up. It had to be done. Renee got to her feet and walked over to the bushes, slowly. Unpleasant thoughts were milling in her brain as she approached. If she really found something there, something that looked like it could be a bomb or something else dangerous, what would she do?
This trail of thoughts were interrupted as something made the branches of one of the bushes move and rattle slightly. Once ... twice ... and again. Renee stopped in her tracks. There was something in that berry bush! Something living. She didn’t know if this was an improvement, but at least it could hardly be a bomb. Edging nearer, she tried to peek into the bush, and soon she saw the cause of the sound. Something really had fallen from the sky and into her garden.
It was a bird.
Bird from the sky
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Renee Raialagos
- Citizen
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:45 pm
- Name: Renee Raialagos
- Race: Human-Elf Halfbreed
Re: Bird from the sky
That idiot crow was missing again. Kamen was the most easily distracted of his crows, and Miklos tried not to use the bird for anything important - hell, he had some sparrows that were better at paying attention than Kamen was. But his gyrfalcons Ylli and Behar were too noticeable, and Ogden and Iskra were out elsewhere, so for this particular message it had had to be Kamen. The crow was one of the most good-natured of his bunch though, and he never failed to make Miklos laugh with his stupid antics, and the fact that he hadn't returned did make Miklos a little concerned.
His senses told him the bird was somewhere in the Residential District. He whispered a few words to Ylli, who was on his shoulder as always, and sent the large white and black gyrfalcon aloft to look for the missing crow. Behar he had sent to the garbage heaps of the city, because Kamen sometimes liked to hunt for sparkly things when he got distracted. He eyed the female gyrfalcon as she hovered on high, searching for Kamen. Ylli was a glorious sight with her wings spread. From wingtip to wingtip she was almost five feet across, and it brought a slight smile to Mik's face to look at his prized falcon.
She returned faster than he would have expected, and directed him to a small house a few streets over. Miklos's glare returned in full force - if no one was home he could just break into the backyard, but he could clearly see a lit candle through the small window. Breaking into the backyard to get his idiot crow back would be fine if someone wasn't there, but since they was, they'd likely just start screaming if there was a strange man in their backyard. And the last thing he needed was a run-in with the Guard. At the thought of it his lip curled, and he steeled himself to knock on the door.
He knocked sharply, then stepped back. Whoever's house this was, he didn't want to loom over them like something out of a nightmare. He just wanted his idiot crow back.
His senses told him the bird was somewhere in the Residential District. He whispered a few words to Ylli, who was on his shoulder as always, and sent the large white and black gyrfalcon aloft to look for the missing crow. Behar he had sent to the garbage heaps of the city, because Kamen sometimes liked to hunt for sparkly things when he got distracted. He eyed the female gyrfalcon as she hovered on high, searching for Kamen. Ylli was a glorious sight with her wings spread. From wingtip to wingtip she was almost five feet across, and it brought a slight smile to Mik's face to look at his prized falcon.
She returned faster than he would have expected, and directed him to a small house a few streets over. Miklos's glare returned in full force - if no one was home he could just break into the backyard, but he could clearly see a lit candle through the small window. Breaking into the backyard to get his idiot crow back would be fine if someone wasn't there, but since they was, they'd likely just start screaming if there was a strange man in their backyard. And the last thing he needed was a run-in with the Guard. At the thought of it his lip curled, and he steeled himself to knock on the door.
He knocked sharply, then stepped back. Whoever's house this was, he didn't want to loom over them like something out of a nightmare. He just wanted his idiot crow back.
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Renee Raialagos
- Citizen
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:45 pm
- Name: Renee Raialagos
- Race: Human-Elf Halfbreed
Re: Bird from the sky
The sunset had flared on the sky above, but it’s golden red splendor had been wasted on Renee. She had spent an annoying lot of time peering into the berry bushes in order to try to catch the dark feathered bird. It wasn’t really dark yet, but the pale twilight sky was moving towards dusk by the minute. It was silent. All that could be heard was the never ending low insect sounds, her own steps, the rusting of leaves and the flapping sound of the bird when it kept moving out of reach.The bird seemed injured, but was still amazingly good at avoiding her. It was a crow ; she had been pretty sure of that just by looking at it and the bird had confirmed it by croaking at her. The bird wasn’t able to fly, but could still flap its wings in order to move a short distance, every time she had managed to stealth near enough to pounce at it. It had tried to flap up and fly away over the lilacs, but the hedge had proven too high and the bird was effectively trapped in the garden.
Renee had had ample time to study it. There was something small attached to it. This bird was carrying something. It intrigued her, but it wasn’t the only reason she was still trying to catch the crow. There were stray cats playing in Renee’s garden in the evenings and nights. Much as she had started to dislike the elusive stupid crow, she didn’t like the thought of it sitting there as helpless easy prey for the playful little cute predators. She didn’t want to come out next morning to a carcass and a heap of black feathers.
She wanted to catch the crow, take it indoors, put it in some kind of emergency cage in the kitchen and investigate what it was carrying. If she just succeeded at this, she could find somebody to take care of the bird next day. This plan was simple in theory, but had proven hard to carry out in practice. She realized that stumbling around in the garden forever wouldn’t solve anything. She needed...bait. Bait, that was it; animals could be lured with food. She went into the house in order to find something a crow could be supposed to want to eat, and maybe a basket to trap it in ...
There had still been light enough oudoors to make it possible to see reasonably well, even if it was getting harder and harder. But it was more obscure inside the house. Some houses had electricity but Renee’s small house wasn’t one of them. She lit an oil lamp and started to look around for the thing she needed. But she was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Oh, well, not only was there an odd bird in her garden to deal with, now there was somebody at the door too. She went there and opened it, but just a little bit, as she wanted to see who it was before she decided if she would open or not. Peering out she saw that the visitor wasn’t exactly what a good titre of Marn wanted to find outside her door at this time of the evening. He wore dark modest clothing, had the general looks of a swordsman, and sported a particularly proud and aquiline nose that made the face look fierce, in Renees opinion ... She didn’t know this man. But she recognized him and she knew his name and reputation; Renee had been living in Marn for 36 years and much of it had been spent in the kind of shop where lots of tasty gossip was shared. It was Miklos Ralander.
“Yeees?” she said in the warily inquiring tone of somebody who isn’t too pleased to find a suspect and unwelcome visitor on her doorstep and isn’t sure if she’ll open the door, or just say she’s busy and quickly shut it again.
“What do you want?”
Renee had had ample time to study it. There was something small attached to it. This bird was carrying something. It intrigued her, but it wasn’t the only reason she was still trying to catch the crow. There were stray cats playing in Renee’s garden in the evenings and nights. Much as she had started to dislike the elusive stupid crow, she didn’t like the thought of it sitting there as helpless easy prey for the playful little cute predators. She didn’t want to come out next morning to a carcass and a heap of black feathers.
She wanted to catch the crow, take it indoors, put it in some kind of emergency cage in the kitchen and investigate what it was carrying. If she just succeeded at this, she could find somebody to take care of the bird next day. This plan was simple in theory, but had proven hard to carry out in practice. She realized that stumbling around in the garden forever wouldn’t solve anything. She needed...bait. Bait, that was it; animals could be lured with food. She went into the house in order to find something a crow could be supposed to want to eat, and maybe a basket to trap it in ...
There had still been light enough oudoors to make it possible to see reasonably well, even if it was getting harder and harder. But it was more obscure inside the house. Some houses had electricity but Renee’s small house wasn’t one of them. She lit an oil lamp and started to look around for the thing she needed. But she was interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Oh, well, not only was there an odd bird in her garden to deal with, now there was somebody at the door too. She went there and opened it, but just a little bit, as she wanted to see who it was before she decided if she would open or not. Peering out she saw that the visitor wasn’t exactly what a good titre of Marn wanted to find outside her door at this time of the evening. He wore dark modest clothing, had the general looks of a swordsman, and sported a particularly proud and aquiline nose that made the face look fierce, in Renees opinion ... She didn’t know this man. But she recognized him and she knew his name and reputation; Renee had been living in Marn for 36 years and much of it had been spent in the kind of shop where lots of tasty gossip was shared. It was Miklos Ralander.
“Yeees?” she said in the warily inquiring tone of somebody who isn’t too pleased to find a suspect and unwelcome visitor on her doorstep and isn’t sure if she’ll open the door, or just say she’s busy and quickly shut it again.
“What do you want?”
Re: Bird from the sky
Miklos had waited impatiently as the house's owner had taken her time coming to open the door. He just wanted to get his idiot bird and go. Ylli fluttered her wings in agreement, her wide yellow eyes catching Mik's for a second and then returning to scanning the street. The falcon was always watchful and it helped with Mik's slight anxiety. The streets were quiet at this time of night but that didn't make him any less nervous to be out of his home territory.
The door opened and Miklos found himself staring into the face of a woman. Were he to notice such things, he would have his attention caught by her angular face and amber eyes, which were quite pretty. He did notice the slight hint of fear in her demeanor, though he didn't much care about it. If people chose to be afraid of things like him, that was on them. There were much scarier things out there in the world than himself, even if he did cut an imposing figure in his dark clothes with his white and black falcon on his shoulder.
"Where's Kamen?" He asked. It didn't occur to him to explain who Kamen was, or the fact that Kamen was a crow. Kamen was here, in this woman's yard, and he was hurt. Miklos could sense the bird's pain now, and even though Kamen was the idiot of all his birds, Miklos still loved the creature like a family member. The thought of him hurt made the blood boil in Mik's veins. The fact that his beloved, idiot bird was injured was enough to make Miklos short with anyone unfortunate to cross his path.
The door opened and Miklos found himself staring into the face of a woman. Were he to notice such things, he would have his attention caught by her angular face and amber eyes, which were quite pretty. He did notice the slight hint of fear in her demeanor, though he didn't much care about it. If people chose to be afraid of things like him, that was on them. There were much scarier things out there in the world than himself, even if he did cut an imposing figure in his dark clothes with his white and black falcon on his shoulder.
"Where's Kamen?" He asked. It didn't occur to him to explain who Kamen was, or the fact that Kamen was a crow. Kamen was here, in this woman's yard, and he was hurt. Miklos could sense the bird's pain now, and even though Kamen was the idiot of all his birds, Miklos still loved the creature like a family member. The thought of him hurt made the blood boil in Mik's veins. The fact that his beloved, idiot bird was injured was enough to make Miklos short with anyone unfortunate to cross his path.
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Renee Raialagos
- Citizen
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:45 pm
- Name: Renee Raialagos
- Race: Human-Elf Halfbreed
Re: Bird from the sky
“Kamen? No, I’m sorry, there’s no Kamen here” said Renee.
She felt relieved that it wasn't her Miklos was looking for. This made her feel more helpful than when she had thought of him as potential trouble and unwanted visitor. The man had obviously just come to the wrong house. She wasn’t averse to help him out now when she supposed he would leave again, any minute. And she also felt a little bit embarrassed for her behavior; although it might be chalked up to how eccentric she was known to be, it would be a lie to say she wanted to add to that reputation. The opposite. Nowadays, with her secret knowledge about her true origins and the possibly bad things this could entail, Reenee had ample reason to regret that she had taken the foolish path of the eccentric in her teens and stayed on it since. Today she wanted to be mainstream and immaculate. If it hadn’t already been too late, she would have done anything to prove to Marn that she was perfectly un-eccentric. As is was, she took all opportunities to act like a good citizien. Other people did of course not know that she needed to prove this, but she did.
So,despite the not so reassuring looks of the man with the falcon on his shoulder, Renee opened the door a bit more and faced him in a more normal way. She still held on to the door of course. It wasn't like she made room for him to step in; there was no reason for that.
Her elf blood, the possibility that she was tainted by magic, and her puradyne need of making up for this possibility of being evil, made her smile nicely at Miklos. She wanted to show all the people in Marn that she was a good person; she wanted to show this even to ill-reputed people like suspect former guardsmen who had been fired for abuse, and most of all she needed to convince herself. The thought of her own possible innate evil left her no peace. At times like these, when somebody seemed to need help, it was bound to pop up and make her overly helpful.
“Kamen? There’s actually nobody with that name living nearby as far as I know” she told him in a service minded tone she otherwise only used in the shop when she wanted to sell something. “But, if you can tell me more about the person you are looking for I might recall something of use...”
Miklos wasn't a towering dark stranger, but he was pretty dark, and she didn't know anything more than his name and reputation. She studied the falcon warily. The bird gave her cold raptor eyes. It sat perched on Miklos Ralanders shoulder like it was its normal hangout. Recalling the crow food-trap problem in progress, it struck Renee that she might as well take the opportunity to ask Miklos about bird fodder, before she sent him to look for Kamen somewhere else.
“That bird. What does it eat? “ she asked abruptly, pointing at the falcon.
She felt relieved that it wasn't her Miklos was looking for. This made her feel more helpful than when she had thought of him as potential trouble and unwanted visitor. The man had obviously just come to the wrong house. She wasn’t averse to help him out now when she supposed he would leave again, any minute. And she also felt a little bit embarrassed for her behavior; although it might be chalked up to how eccentric she was known to be, it would be a lie to say she wanted to add to that reputation. The opposite. Nowadays, with her secret knowledge about her true origins and the possibly bad things this could entail, Reenee had ample reason to regret that she had taken the foolish path of the eccentric in her teens and stayed on it since. Today she wanted to be mainstream and immaculate. If it hadn’t already been too late, she would have done anything to prove to Marn that she was perfectly un-eccentric. As is was, she took all opportunities to act like a good citizien. Other people did of course not know that she needed to prove this, but she did.
So,despite the not so reassuring looks of the man with the falcon on his shoulder, Renee opened the door a bit more and faced him in a more normal way. She still held on to the door of course. It wasn't like she made room for him to step in; there was no reason for that.
Her elf blood, the possibility that she was tainted by magic, and her puradyne need of making up for this possibility of being evil, made her smile nicely at Miklos. She wanted to show all the people in Marn that she was a good person; she wanted to show this even to ill-reputed people like suspect former guardsmen who had been fired for abuse, and most of all she needed to convince herself. The thought of her own possible innate evil left her no peace. At times like these, when somebody seemed to need help, it was bound to pop up and make her overly helpful.
“Kamen? There’s actually nobody with that name living nearby as far as I know” she told him in a service minded tone she otherwise only used in the shop when she wanted to sell something. “But, if you can tell me more about the person you are looking for I might recall something of use...”
Miklos wasn't a towering dark stranger, but he was pretty dark, and she didn't know anything more than his name and reputation. She studied the falcon warily. The bird gave her cold raptor eyes. It sat perched on Miklos Ralanders shoulder like it was its normal hangout. Recalling the crow food-trap problem in progress, it struck Renee that she might as well take the opportunity to ask Miklos about bird fodder, before she sent him to look for Kamen somewhere else.
“That bird. What does it eat? “ she asked abruptly, pointing at the falcon.
Re: Bird from the sky
Despite being a liar, this seemed like a nice woman. Sweet and stupid, in the way that many of the women around Marn were. He clearly frightened her, he could see that. A blind man could see that. He couldn't bring himself to care though. All he wanted was his idiot bird back.
Ylli fixed her right eye on the woman, yellow cold and calculating far beyond what was normal for a bird. Ylli was probably picking up on the woman's discomfort and Mik's own surly attitude, though the latter she should be used to because Miklos was surly every time he had to deal with other people. But Ylli was a predator and a highly skilled hunter, and she knew prey and fear when she saw it. Miklos reached a hand up to stroke her feathers softly, calming her. The female falcon was wildly protective and mistrustful of people... just like her human.
"Kamen's here," Miklos said shortly. "I know it."
He was slightly taken aback by her question. What did Ylli eat? What would this woman know of falcons, or have anything to do with them? "Rabbits an' rats," he said without thinking. "Sometimes other small beasts. Why?" he asked suddenly, back on the defensive.
Ylli fixed her right eye on the woman, yellow cold and calculating far beyond what was normal for a bird. Ylli was probably picking up on the woman's discomfort and Mik's own surly attitude, though the latter she should be used to because Miklos was surly every time he had to deal with other people. But Ylli was a predator and a highly skilled hunter, and she knew prey and fear when she saw it. Miklos reached a hand up to stroke her feathers softly, calming her. The female falcon was wildly protective and mistrustful of people... just like her human.
"Kamen's here," Miklos said shortly. "I know it."
He was slightly taken aback by her question. What did Ylli eat? What would this woman know of falcons, or have anything to do with them? "Rabbits an' rats," he said without thinking. "Sometimes other small beasts. Why?" he asked suddenly, back on the defensive.
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Renee Raialagos
- Citizen
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Fri Feb 20, 2015 6:45 pm
- Name: Renee Raialagos
- Race: Human-Elf Halfbreed
Re: Bird from the sky
When Miklos stubbornly insisted that he ”knew” somebody named Kamen was in her house, Renée reacted like people use to do when other’s seem to be living in their own world and not take in what they are being told.
It was like he hadn’t even heard what she had said.
Renee had already been nervous. But it had been the normal nervousness about finding an ill-reputed person on her doorstep. She had still taken it for granted that she would be able to speak with the man and solve this. But now and uncanny and unpleasant feeling of dealing with something abnormal and alien arose in her.
The only thing that stopped her from immediately closing this conversation, then pull the door shut and bolt it, was the bird issue. There was no denying Miklos was known to be knowledgeable about birds; it was part of his public bad reputation. Renee had heard about it once in a while, mostly of in form of gossip, sensational slander and general smearing. It had seemed bad, bad, bad. But with her own rumor as something of an oddball, she wasn’t prone to believe rumors blindly. She had used to dismiss lots of tasty stories as attention seeking prattle. Now she didn’t feel so sure anymore. Maybe every weird word of it had been true?
Then again. It didn’t seem so bad when she saw him with the falcon. The fierce looking little animal seemed devoted to him and didn’t shy away when he stroked it’s feathers so tenderly. Falcon and man best friends; the impression was that just like the gossip said, only it actually didn’t look as bad as it was said to be. Renée watched him pet the falcon with a feeling of confused fascination. He seemed to genuinely like the small animal.
This was even cute, until the diet of the bird was revealed.
Rats ? Disgusting, Renée thought to herself. She wanted to shut the door, bolt it and leave Miklos to curse impotently on the doorstep and ask in vain for that “Kamen”, if he liked. The curfew would force him to leave, and if he didn’t there was the city guard. Sooner or later they would come patrolling. If it hadn’t been for the bird in the garden she would have shut the door at once!
“Thanks” she said in her best shopkeeper tone. “I was only asking because I was about to feed a bird. But I don’t have rats here. The cats in my garden keeps them away I suppose. Well. I think I will try to give the bird something else; bread and cheese. And perhaps it will like blackcurrant jam. Don’t you think that could work?”
With this she started to pull at the door. She did this very slowly because she didn’t want it to be too obvious that she prepared to shut it quickly if needed. At this point she glanced down as she felt something push softly at her calf. It was one of the cats that used to visit her garden once in a while. “Meow”.
It was like he hadn’t even heard what she had said.
Renee had already been nervous. But it had been the normal nervousness about finding an ill-reputed person on her doorstep. She had still taken it for granted that she would be able to speak with the man and solve this. But now and uncanny and unpleasant feeling of dealing with something abnormal and alien arose in her.
The only thing that stopped her from immediately closing this conversation, then pull the door shut and bolt it, was the bird issue. There was no denying Miklos was known to be knowledgeable about birds; it was part of his public bad reputation. Renee had heard about it once in a while, mostly of in form of gossip, sensational slander and general smearing. It had seemed bad, bad, bad. But with her own rumor as something of an oddball, she wasn’t prone to believe rumors blindly. She had used to dismiss lots of tasty stories as attention seeking prattle. Now she didn’t feel so sure anymore. Maybe every weird word of it had been true?
Then again. It didn’t seem so bad when she saw him with the falcon. The fierce looking little animal seemed devoted to him and didn’t shy away when he stroked it’s feathers so tenderly. Falcon and man best friends; the impression was that just like the gossip said, only it actually didn’t look as bad as it was said to be. Renée watched him pet the falcon with a feeling of confused fascination. He seemed to genuinely like the small animal.
This was even cute, until the diet of the bird was revealed.
Rats ? Disgusting, Renée thought to herself. She wanted to shut the door, bolt it and leave Miklos to curse impotently on the doorstep and ask in vain for that “Kamen”, if he liked. The curfew would force him to leave, and if he didn’t there was the city guard. Sooner or later they would come patrolling. If it hadn’t been for the bird in the garden she would have shut the door at once!
“Thanks” she said in her best shopkeeper tone. “I was only asking because I was about to feed a bird. But I don’t have rats here. The cats in my garden keeps them away I suppose. Well. I think I will try to give the bird something else; bread and cheese. And perhaps it will like blackcurrant jam. Don’t you think that could work?”
With this she started to pull at the door. She did this very slowly because she didn’t want it to be too obvious that she prepared to shut it quickly if needed. At this point she glanced down as she felt something push softly at her calf. It was one of the cats that used to visit her garden once in a while. “Meow”.