Stories for Sisters

Log Info

• Title: Stories for Sisters

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Patch, Telamon

• Place: Fernwood Pub

• Summary: Ravenstongue and Telamon arrive at the Fernwood for a dinner. Patch appears, and Ravenstongue invites her to join them. The conversation is first about the ongoing issues with the sea of mana, but then it turns to more casual conversation as the two half-elves regale Patch with stories from their past and courtship.

Fernwood Pub, evening.

There's already the threat of a change of seasons. This Eliday brings cold winds that push people out of the market as quickly as they arrived, with more than a few people ending up at the Fernwood for a hot meal and a stiff drink.

Two among them are a certain half-elf sorcerer couple, although they don't appear to be too bothered by the cold. After all, they're smiling as they walk inside. Curiously enough, Pothy is absent today from Cor'lana's shoulder--perhaps the white raven is being 'babysat' elsewhere.

"I hope they have the venison stew special today," Cor'lana says as she takes a seat at a table. "Last time we tried it, it was quite lovely."

Telamon is wearing his heavy longcoat and hat again, more as a nod to the chilly weather than for any serious need. Doffing his hat, Tel runs his fingers through his hair before responding to Lana. "They do an excellent grilled fish and vegetables plate as well. I admit I'm not sure which one I want to get."

Taking his seat next to Lana after removing his coat, Telamon steeples his fingers. "Some hot mulled cider would definitely go well with either, too. There's a bit of a bite in the air, even if neither of us are fazed by it."

The stairs to the rooms above was a quiet place for Patch to look about the Fernwood. She'd stayed the night here, and laid about most the day in the room she'd rented. Her hair has been cropped short, a bit wild, but styled as she finally decides to greet the day. It just happens to have taken till evening.

As Patch crosses towards the bar, eyes catch Telamon and Cor'lana, her hair likely making it harder for them to recognize her. It's a good thing her birthmarks don't change. "Oh, the duo of lovebirds are settling," she says with a hint of mirth, crossing to place an order at the bar. She needed that 'kick', something strong of spirit, or distilled by goblins. Whatever was ordered was spoken in quiet words, waiting for it where she stand, but turning to watch the friends she spied. No rush.

Cor'lana can't help but smile at Telamon, her violet eyes twinkling a little in the lights of the Fernwood. "Cider sounds wonderful in general," she says. "And I can finally eat here without reservation again. I'm just happy that Addy agreed to watch Pothy for us. No reason for us to stop going out to dinner now that we're married."

Indeed, the lovebirds are out tonight, but that doesn't stop Cor'lana from looking around the place--presumably just in case there are any lurking Zalgimans or other unfriendlies. Thankfully, there's only Patch, who she spots... and blinks a couple of times. "Oh, wow, I think that's Patch--new haircut? New haircut," she concludes after a moment, before calling out, "Sister! Hello!"

Telamon smiles back, his own eyes aglow. "Pothy understands the occasional 'break'. Though, uh..." Tel looks slightly abashed. "I... did promise to bring him some takeout. I didn't want him to sulk." He rubs his cheek, trying not to blush.

Tel's eyes go right past Patch initially -- the haircut throws him, and it's only when Lana points her out that he looks right at her. "Oh. Heh, I really didn't recognize her at first. That's a new look for her." He beckons to Patch to come join them.

"It never takes long, does it?" Patch asks herself in some form of amusement, her drink soon being in hand as she stands tall from the bar. She'd caught Cor'lana's eye, and that was enough when she had seen recognition on her sister's face.

Patch heads that way, her drink held carefully until she's near the table. It's a wiggle of fingers that precedes her words. "Hey, Sister. Telamon. How are you both?" her tone light, her tendency to babble seeming to be absent this eve as she greets them each in turn.

Patch sits, no protests or comment, a chair slid and sitten in as she sets her drink before her. "It's a wonderful evening, isn't it?" she says, resorting to idle conversation.

"That it is," Cor'lana replies with a cheerful smile as Patch takes a seat at their table. "We're doing fine. My cousin is watching Pothy while we have a little evening out together, although Telamon just confessed to me that he told Pothy he'd bring him back some food."

She kisses Telamon on the cheek and grins. "Thoughtful one that he is. I like your haircut, sister."

Tel has signaled to a waiter in the meantime, and the cider soon arrives in two steaming mugs. "Just the thing for a chilly near-winter night," he says with a grin. He tilts his head at Patch, those starry eyes studying her. "Definitely a new look. Well, it does look good, though."

He takes a sip from his mug, before continuing, "Taking a breather from the hustle of everyday city life? Celebrating? Looking for someone?"

Patch 'ohs' with a short-laugh as she raises a hand to run through the now absent locks. "Yeeaaaahhh. About that. It wasn't intentional," she concedes, looking between the two and trying to flash a smile again.

The drink is picked up, sipped on, the warmth and strength taking a moment to exude through her. It's all very controlled. "Casualty of some garden oozes."

"Thank you both, it's kind words." Patch's smile brightening briefly. "I do suspect that bargaining with Pothy is likely the only way you'd have a quiet evening." The small tell seeming fitting to her as she takes some time to think on Telamon's questions. "No, I am thinking over the results of my study. More, the root cause of it," she says to Telamon, eyes raising to his. It seems her problem is partly academic. "I'm at an impasse. A crux has presented itself."

"Don't let me dominate your evening, it's just musings, and thoughts. I'd say you should be alone, but..." Patch's eyes flicking about the Fernwood. "Public."

Cor'lana blinks a couple of times. "Garden oozes?" she asks. "Goodness, where did you find those? I can't say I've ever had the... displeasure of facing off against those, but I've heard things here and there."

She looks contemplative as the subject of magic is brought up. "That can happen, unfortunately, from time to time," she says. "Stalling out in academics, that is. Magic is a tricky thing to begin with, and the study of how it works is... even moreso. Especially when you meet people who cast mostly by intuition."

The sorceress offers Patch a soothing smile. "Oh, don't worry," she says. "Telamon and I are out, that's for certain, but that doesn't mean we want to be left alone. If we did, we'd go rent a cottage somewhere out in the countryside."

Telamon's eyebrows rise up. "Garden... oh." Then his expression becomes faintly disgusted. "Ugh. A lot of those slimy things have corrosive effects. No wonder you lost hair. I am so sorry, Patch."

At the mention of her study, Telamon takes another sip from his mug. "Ah. The distortions in the ley lines? And you're hitting a dead end? This... actually sounds similar to something I was working on. I was asked to write up what happened in the University district and at one point I had to take a break. When I came back to it, things were... well, they weren't clearer but I was able to get past where I'd been stuck."

He steeples his fingers. "Do you think you need a fresh set of eyes on your work? As a researcher, I come pretty cheap." There's a twinkle of good humor in his gaze, a gentle teasing and a reminder that he IS her friend.

"No.... I didn't hit a dead end," Patch says quietly and heavy hesitation. She had shrank in her seat as the duo asked their questions. The defense are seen, trying to make herself small by instinct.

"I learned what has befallen the sea of mana. Made privy to a lot of things that made the shift and magus mound discovery... make sense." No smiles, just a heavy breath. "I don't know if I should share more, okay. My mind isn't made up if I believe it all or not myself." Her eyes finally rising to look between the pair. "Secrets, and with gossip."

Cor'lana leans in a little as Patch elaborates, and finally, she nods. "Oh, now I know what you mean," she says. "That makes sense. Perhaps we could arrange a quieter meeting at our house? We'll feed you and provide plenty of privacy. I'll even shoo off the garden pixies, although they mostly only blather when it comes to attractive men."

She smiles at Patch. "Pothy will be there, too, and he always loves when you come over, you know."

Telamon studies Patch with a calm, compassionate gaze. "I think Lana has the right of it. This isn't something to talk about here. We can discuss this in our home." He looks thoughtful. "Though I'd caution you to not take too much heed of your fears, Patch. Secrets and gossip can be attractive but... there's no substitute for hard research."

He slides a hand over to take Patch's, his other hand on Lana's. "Regardless, we can face it together. That's what family is for."

"Appreciated," Patch says to Cor'lana, mustering to sit up and offer a shrug to the two. "After dealing with Cryosanthia's brood of younglings, Pothy is just a delight. Always." A joke, she did enjoy the younglings.

"It's noted I didn't think it should be discussed here either." Patch's tone poking fun at Telamon, waving a hand in a faux flippant hand flop. She's trying to be more herself. "I am not as direct as either of you, but I am glad we have all acknowledged the obvious." A glance then shared between them. "With that in mind..." her words spoken while half in thought. "What shall we do now?"

Cor'lana grins. "That's the fun part," she says. "Unwind a little. Celebrate that we are here together at this moment. Have some food and some drink. You are my chosen sister and Telamon is my chosen husband--both are things worth celebrating at any given moment."

She giggles a little. "Although there was a situation where I almost ended up married to a husband not of my choosing. It's sort of funny in retrospect, really."

"Oh, gods..." Telamon rolls his eyes in amusement and annoyance. "Look, hold on while we order food, then you can tell that tale." He gestures for the waiter, getting venison stew and grilled fish and vegetables for Lana and himself, respectively. "Patch, did you want anything? This one can be on us."

Once the orders are done, Telamon just snorts. "Almost as bad as me narrowly avoiding matrimony at a young age..."

"Anything not beef would be delightful. The grilled fish is fine," Patch says, trying to make it easy for Telamon on the front and mission for food.

"I could use the relaxing, that's a truth," Patch echoes of Cor'lana. "Sister, it's been a long few months." Patch's drink sipped lightly after her words, a sigh hefted, but there is an easy smile found after.

"Tales of almost and maybe marriages? Unlikely pairings? Do I sense a novel?" Patch is eager to listen, the drink set aside as her fingers danger together as her hands draw close to her as she prepares to listen. "You two are adorable. I want you to know it."

The 'adorable' compliment gets a small flush on Cor'lana's cheeks, and she grins a little as she looks at Telamon. "I don't know, I always considered him to be more handsome than adorable."

With her affectionate jab at Telamon out of the way, she looks back at Patch. "I feel like my life could be a novel in some ways," she says. "So, what happened was... The man who spent a night with my mother that resulted in, well, my existence, happened to be married to one Lady Ainasse Son'doriel. Despite what you might assume from the last name, the Lady is hundreds and hundreds of places down the line from inheriting the Llyranost throne, meaning she'll almost certainly never inherit. For... many reasons, she obviously wasn't thrilled to learn that I existed, and her standing with her relatives was damaged by the fact that she married my 'father' not long after her previous husband died in suspicious circumstances."

Cor'lana sighs a little. "Her previous husband was my 'uncle'," she says. "My father's brother. She'd been seeing them both and magically compelling my father into doing anything she wanted in an attempt to have her own child that she could install onto the throne. Thankfully, she's in jail these days and likely will remain there indefinitely--but before her imprisonment, she ordered my 'father' to fix their reputation. So, he decided to arrange my betrothal to the nine-year-old son and heir of a trading family. He even had a body double to sign betrothal documents. Telamon and I had no clue until my 'fiance' arrived on my doorstep with his manservant."

Telamon's expression is slightly sour. "The whole thing fell apart when it became obvious the 'double' he'd arranged was missing something very important to the disguise: Pothy. But... it angered me. To play games with Lana like that..." His hand flexes briefly, before Tel takes a deep breath. "In any case, my own encounter was far less, ah, acrimonious."

"My father was, well is, a diplomat and negotiator for the Mythwood. He's actually been working on the alliance between the Mythwood and Alexandria -- and I received some instruction from him, and traveled with him on several occasions prior to coming here." Telamon's expression lightens considerably. "At one point, we were negotiating a trade route through the territory of an oruch clan. They were amenable to it, but you know how some of the clans are; they want you to at least put some effort in, even if it's just talking. And I was there, being my normal charming self, and, well... the clan-chief's daughter took an interest in me."

"No. You misunderstand," Patch says, correcting Cor'lana with a laugh. "You are beautiful, gorgeous even. Telamon is truly handsome." Looking at him after her words. "Together? You two become adorable. It's a state. Your affection carries. It comforts." A wink shot at them both. "Adorable is you two acting 'together'. Not the sum of the whole."

Cor'lana's words had kept Patch's attention for a time, her head nodding to explanation and recognizing bits of the tale. Hearing it again causing some context to 'click' in the bard's mind. "I remember some of that from tea time." Patch muses. "I didn't know it was so heavily tied to this tale, but I had hear rumor of the porch husband showing up." Thinking again on that tale.

"Yeah, Cor'lana isn't a play thing, and kidnapping would irk even me. People like that remind me of my mother perched in Silvermoon." Patch says to them, her glance having shifted to Telamon as he continued the tale, and started his own. "Both unique, and unsettling."

Cor'lana giggles. "I guess I just don't believe what others say when they say I'm gorgeous," she says. "I only scarcely believe it when Telamon tells me. But I'll happily take adorable and wear it on my cap, so to speak."

Not that Cor'lana wears hats very often, but hey. She nods. "Hence part of why I named you my sister, Patch," she says. "Both of us are familiar with relatives who will do a lot of things to achieve their goals. Telamon, thankfully, has only had to deal with my issues. His family is healthy and happy."

She smirks a little. "I'm just glad that Telamon's almost-wife didn't make a scene when she attended our wedding."

"Oh. I don't think I saw her. Likely my fault." Patch admits. "Sorry about arriving late to the after-party. My arrangements were made in secret. I don't really dare show my face in the Mythwood, or near home without knowing who is where." speaking of her family.

"Is that why we're sisters? I thought it was more about Vaire's touch and...." a dismissive shrug then given, not listing the rest of her thoughts. "Pleasant all the same." her drink shuffled between hands as she nestles into her seat and takes a heavier drink, having found some tolerance, setting it on the table. "A welcome sibling she is too." she muses at the other woman.

"My mother is old, and mad. I'd say crazy, but it's more calculated." Patch says with a shake of her head and laugh.

"It's okay, really," Cor'lana insists with a smile. "I know it can be complicated. I'm just happy you arrived despite all of that. That was a day and and an evening that I'll always remember--made better by all of our friends and family who could come."

She grins a little. "I'm sure Vaire's touch has something to do with it, too," she says, "although it's only been recently that I've turned my thoughts towards Her. I once offered up prayers to Navos, but... I learned He is a god who asks his faithful to endure much in His silence, which didn't sit well with me after some time."

The sorceress smirks. "Telamon's more of a fan of the Sky-Singer," she says. "Their mutual interest in dreams and stars, and all."

Telamon pats Patch's hand again. "We're just glad you made it, Patch. And if you need someone to run interference for you... just ask." His dark eyes fix on hers. "Family sticks together. I'm aware both you, and Lana, did not have what I did, and I wish it had been different. But I can at least offer to share what I've got."

He leans back as the food arrives, and the conversation turns to faith. "I need to talk more to Sir Seldan, if I can find him -- the man is remarkably good at going unnoticed, which I suppose is no real surprise. But yes, I find my heart inexorably drawn to Ni'essa Sky-Singer -- it started rather dramatically, too. But I find myself falling into her orbit. I suppose there are worse gods and goddesses to follow."

"Trying to keep word from creating panic isn't foolish, but hiding secrets to never be spoken is.... not that," Patch says, seeming to be in full agreement with Cor'lana. Telamon's hand is seized. She had ignored it once, but the second attempt of comfort earns the man a squeeze and release with a grin. "You are fine, Telamon. What I didn't have then, I have now." winking at the two again.

"I am sorry you had a falling out with one such as Navos, but you couldn't of picked up a better listener than Vaire." Patch grinning wide at the other two as they speak of Telamon's beliefs. "The sky-singer has many supporters, and they come in all types. Telamon one of the better specimens." liking to jab at him playfully. "I do consider myself fortunate. Very much so."

Cor'lana grins with the jabs made in her husband's direction. "It's true," she says. "Then again, I'm pretty certain Telamon could come home having decided to become one of Tarien's folk and play prank after prank on Pothy and myself--and I'd still love him more abundantly than anything."

She looks back to Patch. "Perhaps it'd benefit all of us to speak to Seldan," she says. "He's a friend of mine that I haven't seen in some time, although he did send along a wedding gift. All things considered, he had good reason to avoid a wedding where he'd be noticed."

Telamon simply grins insouciantly. "Ah, but I'm exactly what you see. Yes, there are deeper depths, but that's part of the fun that Lana's been experiencing, learning about me." He lets Patch hold his hand, completely at ease, and when it's done he bends to his food for a moment.

He continues, "Considering the full nature of what Sir Seldan revealed, it might be best that he lies low for a time. Besides, he's fought for Alexandria and Ea for many a daybreak and nightfall; he deserves rest, if nothing else."

Playfully, Tel nudges Lana with his elbow. "Tarien, though, love? Really? Tarien?"

"I am acquainted rather well with Padaryn." Patch chimes as she hears Seldan's name, suddenly releasing Telamon's hand, realizing what she's doing. It's quick, and not mentioned. "While he may have feud with many of our kin, he does not have such issues from me." Her tone is firm on this, turning to look at Cor'lana with a grin. "He's who helped me with tracking the leylines when I first started all this mess. I ran into him and his 'brother' Zeke in the wilds." Patch muses. "Humble it was. Had no clue who I was talking with until someone pointed out to me he is 'adventuring' famous."

"So, it was good to see people take to his defense. Stjepan looked a little unnerved at the hearing too." Patch recalling the delegation and their day of questions.

Cor'lana nods with a smile. "I've also met Zeke," she says. "He stopped by one day while I was enjoying tea in the comfort of our backyard. Thankfully, the pixies were not there, otherwise Lily-of-the-Valley might have harassed the poor man. I don't think scales bother her--nor feathers, so long as she beholds a handsome man." She sighs, but the noise turns into a snicker quickly enough.

The nudging gets a playful expression from Cor'lana as she sticks her tongue out at Telamon momentarily. "Yes, Tarien," she replies. "You can be quite mischievous when you want to be.--Do you know how many times this man has greeted me with his tunic off after a dreary day?" she asks Patch with a grin. "He does it entirely to get me so tongue-tied I can hardly speak."

Telamon nods. "I respect him greatly, and I'll leave it there. He's a good man, and the world desperately needs as many good people as it can get." He sighs. "Honestly, his feud isn't with our kin -- it's with Llyranost. I can state that father was just as thunderstruck about the hearing as the rest of us."

Shifting to a more cheerful matter, Tel snorts at Lana. "Oh, don't you start, little miss 'let me show off my latest swimsuit'." He gives Patch that naughty-little-boy grin. "It's so easy to get her flustered, too. I remember when I was first putting in our garden in the backyard..."

"I dunno, seems too subtle to me." Patch says to the two, grinning. "If I am trying to take someone's words away, it takes a little more than losing the shirt." framing her chest with her hands briefly and looking away as she speaks. "Not the most impressive. It's about the hips and legs. All the marching." her chest coming with a bit of a flush.

"A trickster I can see, but that doesn't always..." Patch's thoughts interrupted as her mind latches on to Telamon's play. "Now I want to see her in a swimsuit." A half-pout in play, flashing a coy-grin after her jest. "Oh, stories too?" Delightful!

Now it's Cor'lana's turn to grin a little. "Thankfully," she says, "you go to the right tailor and get the right underpinnings, and that becomes less of an issue. Otherwise I'd have never gotten you-know-who's attention in the Ox-Strength Tavern." She is, of course, referring to one Zalgiman.

The swimsuit mention gets a groan from Cor'lana, but she recovers quickly with a smile. "Okay, that's a funny story, too," she says. "I went to the market with Pothy one day to buy a swimsuit, and I thought I'd be daring and get something of a two-piece outfit. I'd never worn a swimsuit before--not many reasons to wear one when I was a child--and I went into this shop that... Didn't have the lingerie and swimsuit sections very clearly divided. They were right next to each other."

She sighs a little. "So, what happens when you have a clueless girl who was raised in isolation from most people trying to buy a 'cute swimsuit'? ...She buys frilly lingerie instead and decides to wear it in the house, because, 'it's only a swimsuit'. Pothy kept asking me if I knew I was in the right section and if I was sure, and of course, I thought I was, and I thought I was certain."

Telamon puts on a very studious expression. "In her defense, she did look quite good. She just... needed some experience." He leans over to kiss Lana's cheek. "But you're a quick learner, Lana. It makes me happier knowing you're a little wiser in this regard. Because gods know, I think you're probably the wiser of the two of us overall."

At Patch's eager expression, Tel just smirks. "Well, it was a hot day, and even when you cheat and use unseen servitors to dig and clear rocks, it's still work. And I didn't know Lana was watching, so I just pulled my tunic off... and dumped a bucket of water over my head to cool off a bit." He laughs softly. "She was almost speechless."

"Sounds like Lady Sandiel's kind of place." Patch has to add to Cor'lana and her story, smile wide and sheepish. "Now I feel a little weird, realizing I was asking to see you in the intimates, but I stand by Telamon with this." she notes. "Stunning, as I have been assured." motioning to her slight partner in crime tonight.

Patch does lean towards Telamon, whispering in a 'loud' tone. "Did it have little bows and lace?" she starts with, but changes topics. "I'm sure, Telamon! Teasing each of the other on 'accident', yes." the tale of the servant seen skeptically, but she seems to relent and not question. "How did you two survive so long without the other before meeting? A fitting pair."

Cor'lana snickers, although she is blushing. "It did have little bows and lace," she says. "That's why I picked it. It was cute, and all I wanted was a cute swimsuit. Unfortunately, I just simply didn't know that they often don't have those features. Thankfully, I did buy an actual swimsuit later, with my cousin's help."

She looks at Telamon with pure affection in her eyes as Patch asks the question. "I... I've told Telamon this before, but when I endured all that I went through before I came to Alexandria, I often asked myself why. I know now it was so I could meet him--or so I fervently believe." The sentiment is chased with a kiss to Telamon's cheek.

Telamon smiles, coloring a little at Lana's affection in turn. "I'm not so sure I believe in fate, but... I'm glad our roads brought us together." He looks thoughtful at Patch's question. "I mean, I wasn't an idiot... foolish, probably. I had traveled here to learn, to practice my 'talents', both mundane and magical. I expected to follow father into the family business of diplomacy, and a sorcerer-diplomat, well... that's a fairly potent fellow indeed."

"But... there's a song I heard once about 'life getting in the way'. That was what happened to me. I started doing a little adventuring -- it helps to pay the bills -- and then I encountered Lana, and she was fascinating, and intelligent, and clever, and beautiful... I found myself looking for reasons to meet her again. Asked her out to dinner."

Tel pauses, looking thoughtful. "Then the business with the Feathered One. And I found myself, a stripling of a magician, standing there between her and him, demanding he explain himself. And... I didn't realize it then, but I think that was when the die was cast. That I had fallen in love."

"The state of adorable." Patch says again, coming full circle. As they lavish their praise, and kiss and peck an one other, Patch finally stands from her seat. "I should let you enjoy the rest of the evening." she says, a half-shrug offered as she attempts to finally flee. "Thank you for the stories, and drinks."

"I'll stop by for tea soon, and we'll talk. I promise that much, Sister." The full-blooded Llyranesi assures, and drips in a playful bow before them both. "If I keep watching this much longer I will need a cold dip in the Tornmawr." a hand rising to pull the flap of her coat free from a button.

That gets a loud and happy laugh from Cor'lana, and she snuggles into Telamon a little as though to emphasize the absolute horrors that Patch has endured. "Aww, okay, we'll free you from torment just this one time," she says in her own teasing way. "Maybe don't jump into the Tornmawr, though--I can't imagine that it's pleasant this time of year!"

She lets go of Telamon and gives her chosen-sister a little wave. "Tea soon," she echoes. "I'll make sure to have sweets that Pothy hasn't eaten entirely yet available. Have a good evening, sister."

Telamon just shudders at the thought. "No thank you! I wouldn't want anyone to go swimming in the Tornmawr during the winter months. It's bad enough with the snow and freezing rain that we'll soon be receiving." He gives Lana a squeeze, raising his free hand to Patch in farewell.

"Don't be a stranger, Patch. We'll put the tea on, maybe get some scones, and we can all talk about things." He offers her a reassuring smile. "Remember, things aren't always as bad as they might seem."