Fable - Ask A Wisp of Shadows

[Cillian]

Cillian scratched at his beard as he pondered over where best to start his story. It was a long one but a good one and he wanted to paint the lass the best picture he could. So he took great join chuckling and mulling it over in his mind as if debating whether or not to tell her.

"Well aye, o' course aye I went lookin' for dragons. Every leprechaun grows up 'earing tales o' dragons. Ye see, lassie, the stories about us t'aint all false. We do hoard gold. Well, we protect ancient, ancient gold on our island and in tae time before our banishment we used to protect this gold all t'over tae world ye see. There was so much o' it back then but now? Now only a little. Tis been squandered away, melted, lost. But we ain't tae only ones who like gold now is we? Naw," he clicked his tongue and shook his head in great sadness.

"Dragons love gold almost as much as we do. And, theys can smell it," he tapped his nose.

"So, tae biggest fear of my people are that these great beasts are going tae find out island one day and try to claim tae gold for themselves. So mah da used tae fill me head with all these legends and stories when I were a wee lad and so's I left the isle to go find one for myself. And finds one I did. A huge great big red beastie it was, fast asleep on a sea o' gold that had been bothering a neighbouring village. So... I creep in tae its lair..."

 

[Cadwyn]

|| Cillian ||

The more the Leprachan wove his yarn, the more he managed to captivate the tiny Fae into his web of story and lore he spun with the silk of his voice. Floating to his right as they trotted along, her wings would beat quickly, almost a blur to the eye, sending bits of magic and emotion enhancing qualities with her excitement.

Another gasp as Cillian built the tension of him creeping into the red dragon's lair. She was utterly entranced, her entire focus on the nuances and expressions of his face as he spun his yarn. His eyes would glitter with intrigue, his voice intoxicating honey, and the story... oh the story!

It held her as captive as a spider's web, dangerous as it was intriguing. No wonder Leprachauns were considered so talented in their methods.

"And then what?! What happened?" She squeed out, hands frantically flailing in front of her.

"Did it see you? Did it wake up?" most importantly "Did you see all the shinies?!"

 

[Cillian]

Cillian chuckled and rummaged in his large coat for a moment, switching the reins from one hand to the other as he dug in various pockets. Eventually he produced a pipe and set it between his teeth before going back to rummaging for something to put in the end.

"Aye, I did see the shinnies," he found what he was looking for; a small black pouch filled with what looked like grass but smelt more earthy. Hints of mint wafted out as he undid it and tipped a little bit into his pipe. "T'were a huge pile o' gold, jewels - t'woulda made even the richest king weep," Cilli sighed at the memory. After a moment of staring into the distance fondly he lit a match and set it to his pipe.

"Anyways, I crept in tae its lair and dragons have a keen sense ah 'earing and smell, so of course it wakes up when I goes in," he puffed out a plume of smoke that suddenly took the form of the great dragon of his tale. One large eye suddenly opened and the smoke faded. "It'were angry an' I thought I were a gonna lassie, but I said I could grant it three wishes," he smirked a little. "Now, not all dragons are smart and this one were cocky. So it asked for more gold, tae be the richest being in all tae world. So I grants 'im his wish. Ten he asks to be the most powerful dragon that ever lived, so I grants him that too. Ten, he catches himself in the reflection o' one of the many golden plates and he says; I want my scales to be gold. Well now lassie I told ya before about wishes being dangerous and well, he did ask tae be gold. His statue still sits in that mountain."

 

[Cadwyn]

|| Cillian ||

Cadwyn was but a tiny, sheltered Fae. A shiny rock or a crystal washed and polished by the river along her ravine was enough to make her giddy. Yet the mere thought of a mountain of gold was just too much for her mind to process!

That would be several times her size! Would she be able to fly to the top!? Emotions would race and she began her kaleidoscopic glow of colors. Darting left to right beside Cillian during his tale.

A sharp gasp at when he’d been caught fell but then she turned giddy when the dragon turned himself unwittingly into a golden statue!

Cadwyn clapped her hands at the tale, thoroughly pleased. “Did you take his shinies then?” She asked. “Is he still there?”

 

[Cillian]

Cillian chuckled and blew out another ring of smoke, then another smaller one, and a smaller one after that. For a moment they hung there, appearing almost like an archery target, before fading away on the gentle wind. His eyes followed the tiny little fae as she darted this way and back and the colours which changed with every second. He had not seen a Fae quite like her for centuries and in truth he had thought most of them nearly gone from this world.

"I took some of tae gold, aye, but not all. I dinnae need much and tae villagers had suffered a lot. It was more than enough for them tae rebuild and cover the loss of men, cattle and tae such," he took a long drag on the pipe again and twitched the reins. Off the main path they went to a little clearing.

Whilst Cillian had been telling his tale the sun had sunk low in the sky. By his judgement they had an hour of light left before night wrapped them both in her cold embrace.

"We'll make camp 'ere tonight lass, then tomorrow we'll set off first thing."

 

[Cadwyn]

Cillian

Giddily flying along, the tiny Fae would dart over to Frau Frau and then back to Cillian again. A thought came to her in between the discussion of all the shinnies, dragons, and Cillian almost being turned into a crisp!

Gossamer thin wings would beat against her back, the darkening light only drawing emphasis to her unique body's internal cerulean glow. She almost could pass for a large Wils-o-wisp.

"Cillian! Cillian!" she sang, ever so curious. "Has anyone made any good wishes?" any that didn't turn them into a golden statue or had everyone fall in love with them.

"Or are all wishes bad?"

 

[Cillian]

"No lassie... not all wishes are bad," Cillian chewed on his pipe thoughtfully. It had taken him a long pregnant pause to give her even that answer but it would take him a little longer to part with the story. As he worked it over in his mind he began to unload the cart. The leprechaun liked to travel and keep on the move. As such most of his belongings fit easily into the cart he drove. From its depths he produced a roll mat and kindling which he bolstered with fallen logs and sticks from the surrounding area. It wasn't long before he had a fire going and he spread out his bed roll beside it.

Next came some packages of food; cheeses, dried meats. And of course a bottle of his whisky.

He set aside the pipe in favour for the bottle now, reclining back on his bed for the evening and offering the young fae some of his food.

"There were a lord once who wished for his people never to go hungry because there was plenty of food produced to go around - that were a good wish," he stroked down his beard. "There been a few where people 'ave wished for things not for 'emselves. They're usually the best because they're said with pure heart," wishes were fickle things given by fickle fae; it only stood to reason that they would bite those that didn't deserve it.

 

[Cadwyn]

|| Cillian ||

It was a feast! A literal feast!

Joyful pleasure at the spread made the tiny Fae give little loop-de-loops in the air, before flying down to settle on the bedroll. Her tiny feet touched the cloth, and then with dainty little legs, went over towards a large wedge of cheese. It was practically several times over her size. Everything was so big. A crumb would be enough for her.

Pondering his answer, Cadwyn gave a slow nod, understanding bathing her delicate face. "Yes, that makes sense. A wish for others, not for oneself. The purity of their heart."

Smiling at this thought, she followed up with another one, "How do you end up giving out wishes? Does it just happen or does something have to occur?"

 

[Cillian]

Cillian carefully sliced bits of cheese and meats into tiny portions and set them out for her so they were easier to handle. Then he turned to his own stomach and began devouring the rest in between swigs of whisky. The cheese had a slightly oaky taste and the meat was spiced. It might have been plain for some but for Cilli it was a common meal whilst on the road and he found himself looking forward to the simplicity of it when he stayed at an inn too long.

"There are lo'sa ways tae get a wish from one of us," he mused. The folklore was endless but a few of them were real. He traced his fingers about his neck over the penny that hung on a cord there. "There's wishing on tae right coin, different phrases ye can say to summon one o' us, and there be a few spots in tae world too which are connected to me kin that makes a wish come true. Then there be the usual stuff for fae; knowin' me real name for example," he put a bit of sausage in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

"What about ye lassie, what kinda magics can you and yours do?"