Private Tales Ain't No Mountain High

[Ispir Sione]

Southwest of Belgrath Portal Stone; The Spine - Epressa


Once more roaming the mountain paths of Epressa since his time at Crobhear Keep Ispir would hum an idle tune to himself and, frankly, felt rather safe since some of the Yaegers had been kind enough to escort him well clear of kobold territory. Staying in one place for too long was always difficult for Ispir, his sense of wanderlust too strong and insistent for him to get too comfortable, and he had decided that it may make for a good time to go back to Gild. Much as the city chafed him there were kind people there. Though, now, as he gazed from the edge of The Spine out over to the Eldyr Tree he considered that maybe a detour was in order to see this wonder of the world.

Deciding to follow where his feet took him he gave in to his whimsy and elected to go toward the Eldyr Tree instead, only to pause as he saw wisps of smoking coming from not far off. Peering down from his current elevation, and overcoming some stubborn, hardy mountain foliage he noticed a woman in dark armor with white hair. Eyes as deep and rich as chocolate peeking out from under equally pale lashes who was a good deal taller than himself. Ispir was about to call out in greetings but upon seeing the wyvern curled up not far from her person he decided against potentially startling the two of them.

Instead, an idea!

Taking a flute from his belongings he supposed that gentle musical notes were much less alarming than a voice suddenly calling out from the mountain! So it was that Ispir would begin to play a soft, lilting serenade of wind-worked music and calmly walked toward the camp the rider and her wyvern had made. The notes curled and drifted upon the wind in dulcet, relaxing notes that ebbed and flowed like the growing breeze swirling through a waterfall of, in this case white as snow, hair.

Only when he drew out in the clear and open so as not to surprise the two the bard would lower the flute from his lips, smiling and wave to the rider and wyvern both. His voice calm and friendly as he greeted them.

"Hail friends! I don't suppose you have room for music and company?"

Standing nearly a foot shorter than Cassiane normally, and likely a foot entire in her armor, the lavishly dressed Bard cut a less-than-threatening figure to put it mildly.

Cassiane ​

 

[Cassiane]

The wyvern knew someone was approaching long before the beginning notes of the flute were being played. He stirred, lazily, and huffed a breath that made his rider exclaimed in mild disgust and made comment of how atrocious his breath smelled.

When that flute reached her, Cassi turned with a look of annoyance. Then the small thing spoke, and her face turned near confused.

"Music and..." Voe would get excited for some music. He seemed the guy to appreciate it. "I'm sorry, we don't have any food to share..."

She had thought they were some ways from coming across beggars trying to sidle up to their campfire and eat their resources. But... the small thing didn't look to be begging... She looked around, hoping to catch sight of her partner in search and rescue and crime... never any crime, but it sounded great. Voe had wandered off to check his traps, dinner awaiting to be caught.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would pause mid-step, aquamarine eyes wide, as the ashen-haired woman said that they didn't have any food to share. Ispir would lower the flute sadly, frowning a bit, before exclaiming.

"Oh! You don't have any food? That's awful!"

Tucking the flute into his belt he would reach down to one of the bundles of provisions that the Noct Yaeger had provided him and checked inside.

"I umm... I have some provisions from Crobhear Keep still if you need them?"

An apologetic shrug would be given as Ispir's gaze drifted to her wyvern friend and he would then return his eyes to Cassiana guiltily.

"Though I am sorry I don't have anything big enough to feed your friend. I doubt I could carry anything like that."

A soft, somewhat nervous giggle as he rubbed the back of his head before trying to recover his social graces.

"But I'm more than happy to share anyways!"

Cassiane​

 

[Cassiane]

Cassiane widened her eyes, "Oh, no... no, you keep that. My buddy should be back soon, he's the cook. Pretty handy one..." She frowned. "Cadfael is picky. Likes his meals... still kicking... if you get what I mean." He enjoyed the hunt, and she was not going to tame his nature.

"The Keep? You're a Yaegir then?" They usually had that pendant that gave it away. Cassi was still on the fence, but the amount of time she had spent working with the Yaegir recovering bodies, or searching for lost souls, she might as well be one of them. She had left the life of battle and defense, to go be useful of her abilities to heal.

It seemed this Hunter would not be persuaded to leave. Would be bad form of her to do so, and so Cassi gestured to a log on the opposite side of the campfire.

"Take a seat. We've got mead, if you wish for a cup?"

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would nod slowly as Cassiane denied the offer for food. Her meaning about her wyvern friend's preference in meals was well taken and Ispir would shake his head enough at her question to cause his twin tails to swirl about his head. A smile approaching apologetic gracing his features as he plopped down by the fire and stretched a bit.

"Thank you, I gladly accept! But ahh.... no not a member, at least not officially I suppose. Umm... more like a company friend? Associate?"

Ispir seemed to mull this over for a second or two before shrugging and crossing his legs, gripping his ankles, and leaning forward.

"It's a bit of a long story really."

Ispir opened their mouth as if to continue speaking, presumably to tell said story, before pausing and clearing his throat. Thinking better of just launching into such a tale as he idly fished out a small piece of jerky, nibbled at it, and then began the story anyways.

"So! I am a traveling Bard by trade and was fleeing Alliria because of some weird, evil culty people trying to kidnap me. I went through Gild, met some nice people, then continued up through Belgrath on the old dwarven roads. I... w-well... truth be told I was just going away from Alliria. Wasn't really thinking about WHERE exactly."

A sheepish smile, a shrug, aquamarine eyes meeting chocolate brown almost guiltily as if admitting to this warrior of a woman he was scared was shameful before he continued.

"So... I met two umm... Yaeger people on the road. Irman the Rabbit Knight and Sigrun the Axedwarf. They were transporting some sort of evil dead guy... thing.... corpse.... but I didn't know at the time and I thought it was w-well safer to travel with professional monster hunters than to wander the roads alone if I didn't have to. Well! Turns out I was right because after a few hours we were ambushed by kobolds, one of them shot me in the leg, and that really hurt! "

The small chatterbox of a Bard at least paused to take a breathe before continuing.

"Well my two new friends then got separated from the cart, me and the evil corpse thing and Iwasbleedinga lot andakoboldcameandtheevilthingatethekoboldthenpoopeditoutandthenitgrabbedmeIthinkandthen..... uhhhm...."

At some point the obviously-harrowing situation caused Ispir to speed up his retelling until he finally seemed to catch himself and, blushing softly, would cough into a hand.

"S-Sorry."

Taking a deep breathe he would continue.

"A-After that we went to Crobheart Keep, I got healed, had a weird dream, then we had a celebration. I met..."

The small bard would start to count on his fingers.

"...umm.... nine new people while serving hot cocoa. Vel'Duith, Melfa, Gregor, Claggor, Senya, Trisha, Arthur, Clarence.... oh! And Voe!"

Ispir would frown.

"I felt sort of bad because Voe was stationed by themselves on a watch tower all alone, except for Otho, so I took them some hot chocolate and kept them company."

Ispir would shrug and take another nibble of jerky before beaming as if they hadn't just gone on quite the rant.

"Is it okay if I ask about you, too?"

Cassiane​

 

[Cassiane]

"Voe?" That was the only clear thing she heard in this small thing's tumble of words and thoughts on a memory since passed. "My Voe and Otho?"

Voe had been her partner in crime, and search and rescue, for a good while and never had she made a friend as trusting and adventurous as him. Cassiane grinned, chuckling despite herself. "Good Omens, there is only one Voe amongst those that frequent with the Yaegir and the Keeps. That is my friend you speak of."

Cassiane regarded this new stranger with careful thought, assessing them slyly. "Well... about me?" She shared a glance with Cadfael. The armoured woman shrugged. "I come from a place at the top of the Spine where wyverns dwell. They are unique to our area, all black and menacingly poisonous in their barbed tail."

There wasn't anything interesting about her, so she thought. Nothing she would like to express.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would give a smile and nod as Cassiane seemed to know some of the Yaeger folks he had met! Well, two of them at least, and his twin tails would bob with each nodding motion. He was certainly glad to meet a friend of a friend! Doubly so if it meant making another himself! And as Cassiane shared a glance with her wyvern companion Ispir would settle in to hear Cassiane's own story.....

The relatively short rejoinder and silence that followed did deflate the happy bard a bit. Nothing else about his tale had even earned a passing remark, a raised eyebrow, any sort of questioning or clarification? None at all!? And she had said so little of herself! Did she truly have nothing to share?? Ispir would venture a smile, though it was a much more subdued thing, a bit awkward, a bit disappointed, he was not good at disguising his emotions at all. In fact it was his profession to express them through words and song!

"I umm... I see."

Ispir would venture, suddenly feeling like he was carrying the conversation rather one-sidedly.

"Dooo you umm.... fly... with your companion? What's that like? Have you had any exciting outings recently?"

More direct probing, trying to latch onto an interest of hers, to draw some more detail and investment into the conversation from Cassiane. He was trying his best.

Cassiane​

 

[Cassiane]

Cassiane knew this had turned to awkward. That even Cadfael could scent the effort the bard was making to keep conversation going. It was not his fault, not when Cassi was not one for her sociable skills. She cleared her throat, paused some, and then winced as she tried to converse again.

"These wyverns are built to take to heavy terrain well, and their flying is quite decent. In fact, we travel on foot more than flying, but Voe and Otho do enjoy seeing the skies." She remembered telling Voe that if he hated to fly, then they would do badly as friends, let alone partners working together as a search and rescue unit. Cassi did not want to tell that anecdote, for it was near and dear to her to have that memory.

"In our line of work, covering the ground is more important. Otho and Cadfael can scent better that way, and not many of our lost souls are in the air flying... so we go where the lost ones do..."

Where the fuck was Voe? She had never realised how helpful it was to have her friend present to keep conversation going and make her look personable.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would nod along with Cassiane's words, eyes wide and attentive on her informative words. He had never had to do any sort of scouting work, in fact if anything he was more likely to be the one being scouted FOR, but nonetheless it was interesting to hear about how she did such things.

"I see."

Would be his scholarly reply before he considered for a moment, then remembered a deal he had made with Ruka! Physically jolting and then smiling for a brief moment he would clear his throat and glance at Cadfael for a moment.

"Ermm.... Miss Cassiane? I have a bit of an odd question, I think?"

Tilting his head Ispir would look from Cassiane, to Cadfael, then back to Cassiane.

"Does Cadfael like music? I actually have a running umm.. bet.... promise... with a friend of mine that music can soothe even animals. Maybe help them sleep or calm them?"

It sounded silly to say it out loud now but he gave a modest shrug. Now HE felt like the awkward one.​

 

[Cassiane]

Cassi grimaced.

"I wouldn't know... I am not at all musically talented to make him conditioned to hearing it..." But even if the wyvern had a negative reaction, he would not cause anyone harm... perhaps just frighten them to a certain point.

But the wyvern rider began to smile, far too nicely at that. "Why don't you give it a try?" Far too amused now.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Spoiler: Lute Ispir

Ispir didn't seem to notice any dubious intent behind Cassiane's smile and simply smiled back happily. Fishing the lute from his belongings he would move to sit on a log closer to Cadfael and nestle comfortably into place.

"Gladly!"

The small bard would chirp with genuine enthusiasm. A second, small lute would magically drift into the air behind him to provide back-up notes and he would begin to pluck at the strings in a gentle, melodious tune.

The Song he played was a mellow, relaxing mix of strings, with just enough energy to the tune to keep attention but otherwise being a melody one could easily rest and doze off to next to a warm fire such as the one between them.

Cassiane​

 

[Cassiane]

Cadfael rumbled before huffing out a short breath.

The rider snickered. "Oh... I don't think he cares for something so... what's the word? Peaceful."

The wyvern's tail flicked like a cat's would, and he kept low to the ground as if to say the song was not worthy rising to. She motioned for the bard to stop.

"Why don't you try something... with a little adventure to it?" She had no idea if that was a practical way of suggesting songs, but Cassiane was not really one for music. It never struck her as it would others.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would nod and, closing one eye and sticking out his tongue, would look upwards in a display of thought with his one open eye. This lasted for a handful of seconds, before he nodded, and adjusted his grip on the lute.

"Okay! I think I have something in mind!"

The hand that had once leisurely strummed up high on the fret now moved down to be all but on the body of the lute as he began to strum out a much more energetic tune for Cadfael's judgement. This one being comprised of sharper and shorter 'plings' of the string in a rapid, though staggered, succession. Each note like the jab of a blade in and of itself as he closed his eyes and played.​

 

[Cassiane]

Cadfael lifted his head and dropped it with a heavy sigh. He turned his head away, and Cassiane tried to keep her snickers muffled.

"Oh... well... certainly not his cup of tea." She grinned as she motioned for the bard to cease. "Perhaps... something like a lullaby? Something soft and ambient."

It was a quiet area they had chosen. With the crackle of the fire coming to life, there certainly was a peace to this hour.

 

[Ispir Sione]

Ispir would giggle good-naturedly as they seemed to be in a bit of a guessing game. A more genuine smile meeting Cassiane's grin and Ispir nodded.

"I have one of those I play all the time, usually when I have trouble sleeping myself."

Looking up at the sky he would shrug sheepishly before returning his gaze to Cassiane and his smile would turn a bit more bashful.

"Odd as this may be to say as the composer but I dunno what inspired it, but it does remind me of the stars at night."

Gently pulling out a set of ornate chimes Ispir would heft his harp and begin to play a much softer, slower song that was as requested: like a lullaby for Cadfael.​

 

[Cassiane]

Cassiane was quiet.

Her eyes trained on her wyvern, witnessed the creature stare and listen to the gentle pulls of melodies being made. The wyvern listened, mimicking his rider, and relaxed his body. The great beastie did not fall asleep, incapable of blinking like a human, the nictitating membrane moved across his eyelids and signified his contentedness.

When the lullaby came to a close, Cassiane realised her body had let go some of it's stiffness from all the travel they had done in the past few days.

"Thank you... that was well needed."

 

[Ispir Sione]

As the soft, wordless tone of his altered voice rose into the air and began to accompany the ring of the magically-dancing chimes and his fingers that plucked the noises of creation from his lute strings Ispir would shut his eyes and simply fall into the melody. His body gently swaying to and fro as he brought the tender melody to it's conclusion. His pale throat working in a final cadence alongside his hands and magic to bring the song to it's end and he would give a sheepish smile as Cassiane simply thanked him.

Compared to her earlier wariness and general aloof nature the direct thanks was a refreshing change. Pursing his lips and gently placing his instruments away Ispir would fold his hands in his lap and bow his head respectfully.

"You are more than welcome, Miss Cassiane."

Scooting down off the log he had sat upon so that it was now at his back Ispir would stretch his arms above his head and give a soft yawn before clearing his throat.

"So which way does the road take you next?"

Cassiane​