Private Tales Moss & Granite (Caelistis no Elani)

[Gihada Kierkegarde]

“Keep that crystal safe. Only have one of them. Get the feeling we’ll need it many times before the end of this road.” Rothgar pulled the fur over Gihada’s shoulder, a tender move the warrior never displayed in Kierkeborg. A hard man from birth, Rothgar was unyielding and perilous. He gave no quarter, even in training a child.

“I’ll see what I can do. Give me the dress, naught much to do without getting in the sailors’ way.” The clothes fit by and large in the palm of his massive hand. He carried them to the side, and after procuring a bucket of salt water from the sea, began scrubbing at each. Gihada grunted and turned on her side, her arm round Caelistis’ shoulder. Sleep took the elf with a steadiness of breath, feeling the proximity of her friend. As a boy, Rothgar stood over the cradle and watched the girls sleep. One nursemaid fed both in those days, Sir Llyr giving the young Rothgar charge of them once in a while.

A sign of growing up. They slept curled together in that cradle, bundled in the same blankets. Yet, eventually Kierkegarde-sama got her wish and a toddling child with blonde hair was removed from the room of ‘so fine a lady’.

200 gold pieces for the whippet. He shook his head and after ensuring no eyes were casting a view at them, concentrated. Water evaporated from the clothing, as a small quantity of salt settled on the bottom of the bucket. He shook out each piece of clothing, as clean as he could make them, then laid Gihada’s fur cloak over both Caelistis no Elani and GIhada.

Huffing a sigh, Rothgar leaned against the back wall, patting the horse and watched the girls. Soon enough the Captain would call for Caelistis to fulfill her bargain of cook’s mate. The storm caller will have done his labours, and the god of storms would let the tempest part for a few necessary moments.

Gihada awoke with a rumbling stomach, as the sun began its’ descent. Fingers felt along her side, clothed in a fresh linen shirt. She grunted and sat up with a start.

“Rothgar!”

“Aye. Don’t twist your underpinnings, I won’t kill the whippet. You hungry, yet?”

Leaning back down on her elbows, Gihada motioned to the shirt and Rothgar shrugged. “Wasn’t going to leave you in naught but your skin, in front of a bunch of sailors. You can deck me later.”

A mighty scowl graced Gihada’s features, as she leaned over to check on Caelistis. “She’s not a villain. She’s my friend.”

 

[Caelestis no Elani]

Caeli nodded as she realized just how tired she was. “I will. And… Me too.” Even at the old couple’s shack, she hadn’t relaxed this much. Perhaps it was just knowing that Rothgar was on her side. And Papa. The only other person aside from Gihada that she felt was on her side.

She handed the clothes over to Rothgar to do whatever he said he was going to do.

She held Gihada against her. She remembered, sometimes, from when they were little. When they didn’t have to hide to hang out with each other. They would run and play, tag, hide and seek, and all the other games with no care in the world. But then, Kierkegarde-Sama told her she could no longer play with Gihada. She wasn’t worth being a friend to Gihada.

Caelistis slept a deep sleep nestled next to Gihada. She was awoken by a coughing Captain. Caelistis rubbed her eyes as she slowly staggered up and began walking with the Captain to the chef’s quarters.

The sun’s descent was apparent. Caelistis came walking back towards the group with three plates on a tray, with three mugs. Salted beef, ale, biscuits, and some vegetable soup. The soup was likely only going to happen the first couple of days at sea – before either the vegetables were used up or began to rot.

“I hope you’re both hungry… I did the best I could but, they really didn’t have a lot of options,” she muttered as she sat the wooden tray down in front of the small group. Sitting on her knees she took a moment to breath as she glanced between the two. “Who’s not a villain?” She caught the tail end of the conversation.

Gihada Kierkegarde

 

[Gihada Kierkegarde]

“She is kind, that does not make her noble. Your grandmother has reas-“ Rothgar grunted quiet when Caelistis no Elani returned with a heavenly smelling food.

“Caeli!” Gihada sat up, arms akimbo on her knees. “My wounds feel healed. Rothgar and I were speaking of you. I refuse to allow you to be a villain in anyone’s eyes.”

Rothgar gave another grunt and attacked the bowl of soup, two handed without a spoon. The broth descended his throat, hot and herbaceous. He guzzled.

“Your soup is so good Roth can’t speak!” Gihada’s eyes widened at his manners and she snorted loudly. Spooning each mouthful, Gihada felt her whole body warm from the stomach outward. “Oooogh Caeli you could have shoe leather and dandelions and make a pleasing dish.”

“I’d save her life just to eat her cooking.” Rothgar set down his empty bowl, launching at the salt beef stewed to a glorious edibility. “Feckin’ magic with a ladle, you are.”

The two tucked into their food, dipping their biscuits into the gravy until the plates were dry. Not a crumb left.

“See, Roth? Can’t eat without her. She’ll have to stay. Eh, Caeli?”

“So is that the plan, find our food and have Caelistis cook it every day? What are you going to do when we reach Elbion?” Rothgar popped the last morsel in his mouth, taking a deep breath of crisp sea air.

“I didn’t think that far ahead.” Blinking hard, Gihada leaned her head against the back wall and grinned. “Whatever Caelistis wants. Where do you want to go first?”

 

[Caelestis no Elani]

Caelistis felt somewhat awkward – it was fairly clear they were talking about her. Caelistis didn’t want to know. She trusted Gihada. And to an extent, Rothgar. Nonetheless, she gave a nod. “I healed them, yes. Rothgar made sure no one saw and cared to our clothes.” She would say as she settled down to sip on her own stew.

She gasped at how quickly Rothgar downed the soup. Wow. “How long has it been since you’ve eaten, Rothgar? Goddess, you’d think Llyr sent you with no supplies,” she teased semi-playfully. He may well have not been eating, or at least not eating well on the chase.

Her cheeks turned red at the compliments. “I try my best,” she ate some of her biscuits. She bit her lip in thought about what their next plan of action was. Really, they had been just surviving until now. Caelistis eyes widened when Gihada asked where she wanted to go first. “I… I’m not sure. Elbion is pretty big I think… I could get a job cooking! Get us some coin. Or perhaps, we can find a healing place and I can work there… Or…”

She took a breath. “We could just go sight seeing until we run out of money and just play it by ear. Perhaps not having a plan works best for now.”

Gihada Kierkegarde

 

[Gihada Kierkegarde]

“You did our laundering?” Gihada laughed and hugged into her fur cloak. It smelled of nothing but fur, and the sea. The faintest odour of leather and sage. “Good boy.”

“Cant let the sailors to see you bleeding, fancy pup.” Rothgar tugged Gihada’s fur cloak over her shoulders, groaning at the offence. His eyes stilled on her neck. Gihada’s hair. Rothgar cast his gaze down, ashamed.

“He did. I grabbed my pack and ran. Dono was already on your tail.” Rothgar shrugged and motioned to the handkerchief from Caelistis no Elani ‘s confection. “All I brought that wasn’t in my pack. Sir Llyr gave me time to piss. Been running for you since. Horse was too conspicuous. Too many hours awasting.”

Caelistis wanted a job? Healing work? Gihada waited for the inevitable. A journey of discovery and enjoyment, then. Something to passively search for Caelistis’ mother and hopefully unravel the damage of the past few decades.

“Journeying around it is. The three of us won’t want for much. Not with our hunting skills and the horses. Once we get the lay of the lands, we should be right as rain.” Gihada took in the sea air, feeling more rejuvenated than she had in years.

Setting down her plate and bowl, Gihada punched Rothgar and smiled between them.

“Can you smell the water? Feel the air? Freedom. It’s going to be freedom the rest of the way... and... Rothgar? Do you... do you remember what House my father came from? I was never told.” The freedom to wander was cut by Gihada’s curiosity at the events of her parents’ deaths. Were there answers in Elbion? An old maid on the run?

“Your father? House... Pirmetton I believe. Rowdy lot. Two sets of that House, heard a fragment of em hopped to the mainland, got off the Elbion boats. Freedom, Giha. Let old ghosts die.”

Gihada looked at Caelistis. Was it fair to do anything once they got to Elbion?

 

[Caelestis no Elani]

Caelistis giggled at Gihada calling him a good boy. Rothgar was right, of course. If they had seen her bleeding, weak, or worse the pain she was in. That would have put them at a serious disadvantage. And likely they would have some serious issues to attend to, especially with the captain.

Caelistis gave a nod, “Good, good…”

Journeying. It was like a dream – out, about, and exploring a new city. She could live with that. And while they hunted, they may find out about their parents. Gihada, her father and mother and perhaps closure. And the same for Caelistis. Of course, Caelistis still wondered if her mother still lived. And Papa knew her father… And so did Kierkegarde-Sama.

Caelistis perked a brow at Rothgar’s mention of the name. There was some that left? Some in Elbion? He advised us to let ghosts die. A spark of something could easily be seen in her eyes as she looked at Gihada. “We have to check it out, at least. I mean, not actively or anything but if we happen to run into them…” She eyed Rothgar nervously, then Gihada.

Answers awaited in Elbion, whether they liked it or not.

Gihada Kierkegarde

 

[Gihada Kierkegarde]

“See? Caeli demands it, so shall it be. We have t-“

“The Pirmettons are dangerous. Sore over your father’s death and none the friendlier.” Rothgar stood and walked the deck around the horses, seeping in the sea air. The sails rustled in the nighttime air, his natural sight compensating for the darkness. Less of the crew busied around, most resting below. “Whatever you think you’ll find... it isn’t with them without a sword.”

Gihada looked to Caelistis no Elani and gave her a small smile. The mystery of their parents was too delicious a meal.

“We could casually make our way into those lands... perhaps. During our journeys.”

“You both lie like rugs. But! I live to serve House Kierkegarde. We see a Pirmetton, and one gives you a funny look, punch them right in the jaw.”

 

[Caelestis no Elani]

Caelistis naturally gave Gihada Kierkegarde a smile in return despite Rothgar’s warnings. Whether Rothgar liked it or not, they really had no other plan yet. And perhaps, perhaps they would have answers. Maybe they’d even be nice! In a way, they were hunted by Kierkegarde-Sama. In a way, Gihada and herself were hostiles too.

At least he even admitted he wouldn’t foil the girls plans. Caelistis crawled next to Gihada and rested her head on her shoulder.

The gentle rock of the boat under the waves was surprisingly calming. The storm caller kept the storms away, minus the gentle rain that pelted the ship near continuously until they were finally away from the storms. The food became less and less enticing as much of the ingredients rotted and wasted away.

Caelistis had just finished helping the chef clean the dishes in the chef’s area before returning to Gihada and Rothgar and their three horses up on the deck. She stopped as she realized they were likely to be docking soon. The dim light of Elbion could be seen across the waters. She ran over to Rothgar and Gihada, whom were fast asleep.

“Guys, guys, we’re almost there. Look!”

It was did not take long before they were docked. The captain came down with a stern look on his face. “Now, get off my ship. Good cook, though,” he muttered as the three began to get their things together.