Private Tales Tarnished Silver

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Time in Elbion had spaced by in relative ease for Kaelen. The exchange of scholars, tutors, and mages from Mystmarch and Elbion's great university didn't require much work. All he had to do was met with those who landed from home and make sure they found their way to where they needed to go. He also introduced those leaving from Elbion to the Mystmarch captains and informed them of the kind of voyage they should expect. He was simply the middle man for things and the default diplomat for his people in the city.

As easy as the work was it was equally as tedious. Kaelen kept wishing he was still on that trip with Pern they took together. He had gotten in trouble for punching some guards but at least it wasn't boring. And as much as the orcess ignored or didn't notice his advances he did enjoy her company. He should really go visit her before the latest Mystmarch ship arrived to drop off and pick up the academics and magic practitioners.

The stroll through Elbion was becoming familiar for Kaelen. This shop was run by a lovely middle aged woman and her reserved son. That shop was run by an attractive young woman with a sharp tongue and her much older husband with jealous in his eyes. Kaelen hadn't even gotten flirty with her before her husband was already giving him veiled threats. Married women were off limits for him by his own choice, not that her husband tried to find that out first. People were even beginning to recognize him and the few men he kept in town to help with things. It was just a pleasant day for him so far.

 

[Pern]

Pern was not the sort of Elbion citizen that was in high demand for time. Her circle of friends was small and her list of useful skills rather smaller yet. Not everyone needed a blacksmith, and when they did they didn't often come asking for the Orcess. But, were one so inclined to find a particular blacksmith orcess, there were very few places one needed to look.

By and large, the best place to find her was at the smithy in the eastern Merchant district.

There she'd be, dressed in sooty clothes, wielding her hammer over a bit of hot steel or iron. The only sparks that flew about this orcess were those from a piece of metal slowly bending to the will of her arm into something fine or useful or strong, sometimes all three. Sweat beaded her brow, drawing lines of grey along her skin of earthy tones.

Clang. Clang. Clang. rang the song of the smithy.

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

The eastern Merchant district strolled on by Kaelen as he continued on his way to the smithy. Those shops were critical for his line of work so it was good he could get familiar with one due to Pern. Armor always needed mending and weapons sharpened, even some maces, after all. Refittings for his armor was not uncommon either after a rough battle. Too bad he didn't need any of that done for him right now or he could have saved some extra time with his visit.

Arriving at the shop, Kaelen found his delightful orcess wearing the garbs of her trade and covered in soot. Not the most attractive look according to the general public, but he didn't care. It showed how hard of a worker and dedicated to her craft she was to him. Her hammer strikes were precise and methodical. The clash of metal again metal was almost song like to his ears. It would be a shame to disturb her while she was like this so he just hung back and leaned again a post.

Who knew how long it was that Kaelen stood there with a slight smile on his face as he watched Pern work. She was busy and he respected that. The second she had a moment's pause though he didn't hesitate to engage her. Pushing himself off the post, Kaelen said with a smirk, "Blessed be, it seems I found the Goddess of the Forge. I pray she will allow me some time to gaze upon her lovely figure and grant me the privilege to gaze into her beautiful amber eyes."

The poets and playwrights would groan themselves to death at those lines tonight. Kaelen knew how terrible it all sounded but just moved along anyways. He swaggered on over and took her free hand in one of his own. After pressing his lip to her knuckles he went on, "It is good to see you again Pern. Care to chat with me a moment or perhaps move onto something more physical?" He gave her a wink. Maybe she would understand his meaning this time around. How could she not after spending that time with him on the trip?

 

[Pern]

It was, perhaps, with a great deal of luck that the ringing in Pern's ears prevented her from hearing the first part. As a matter of fact, she very narrowly did not notice the man at all, so absorbed in her work being that she was. Moving about away from the forge to take up other tools and get herself a guzzle of water, it wasn't until he'd grabbed up her grubby hand and kissed it that she even knew he was there.

The orc startled, managing not to rip her hand away from him at the very least, and blinked at the man. She'd raised her hammer in instinctual defense, but quickly passed the reflex off by wiping at her brow with the back of her hand instead.

"Shir Shilverblood-" she was gripping the hammer in her free hand a bit tighter than needs be. Pern cleared her throat as she retrieved her other hand, "what a...shurprish," though maybe not necessarily a pleasant one, "I don' have mush time for talk. Ordersh to fill before the night ish out. Did you need shomeshing?"

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Ah yes, the cold as steel response. Kaelen was familiar with that sort of thing by this point. He honestly couldn't expect anything less from the lovely orc woman. Seemed she was very busy with orders and didn't have time to entertain him. A bit of a sad turn of events but one he could work with. Her hand free of his own, he kept on smiling at her. Something about that lisp just touched a tender part of him every time he heard it. She also was still stuck on calling him a knight. Seemed there little cycle was to continue.

"As always, I am no knight so there is no need to call me sir. Kaelen will do. We have shared a tent together after all." Kaelen said to her with a friendly smile. A slightly disappointed look touched his face as he added on, "We didn't share a bed too sadly, but still we shared a tent. Formalities are only for the court between us now."

Kaelen watched her for a moment as Pern stood before him. The feminine features hidden behind soot, muscles, and tusks were all still there. Always a shame to think how it was missed by the men of this city of academics and merchants. You would think the learned would know better than to let such a gem gather dust. He eventually decided he should answer her question instead of just gaze at her. "I do not have any important business this day, but perhaps there is something I can do to help. As little help as the untrained and ungifted can provide."

With a smooth motion Kaelen tossed his rich blue cloak trimmed in silver thread out of the way. He wasn't in his armor but instead clothing more suited to court and trade dyed in the same colors as his cloak. With an enthusiastic smile and arms held wide he said, "My lovely mistress of the forge, put this handsome noble to work!"

 

[Pern]

Pern failed to see what sharing anything had to do with anything. They'd shared a ride in a pony cart. They'd shared a meal at the Golden Feather. They'd shared a walk through Elbion to the college district. She was fairly certain they'd shared rations on the journey to the coronation, and - ah, yes, they'd also shared a roll of bread during the festival.

What this all meant other than that they had shared quite a lot was beyond her. She'd shared more with Ignatius, but he'd also raised her.

"I...wot?" golden eyes blinked at the man as he stood, arms spread, before her asking for a job.

She stood, momentarily stupefied, and gave the workshop a cursory glance. He wasn't allowed near the forge, he wasn't allowed to touch the projects, and he certainly wasn't allowed to run the register. There wasn't much for him to do here except, "Ah," and the orc reached for the handle of a nearby broom before holding it out to him, "you may shweep the floorsh."

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

The look on Pern face was amusing. It seemed Kaelen's statement had completely caught her off guard. If this were a battle or duel then she would have lost. That thought also brought some amusement for him. Perhaps he had won something in that moment. What that something was quickly turned out to be a broom and he was told he could sweep the floor. For a forge that was probably the lowest rung of work possible and reserved mostly for the elderly and children. If you went by the color of his hair then it meant Kaelen was old but if you went by his current behavior he was definitely a child.

Taking the broom from her, Kaelen kept on smiling. "As my beautiful mistress commands!" He then went about sweeping the floor. It was not work fit for a nobleman in any way. Smithing was not really fit for a nobleman either, so nothing he had offered to help with was. It was labor and if any noble from Mystmarch heard of one of their own doing such a thing it would likely cause a scandal. It would in fact based on a historical event taught to every noble child to remind them of what they were not to do. The son of a certain unnamed house had taken an interest in crafting jewelry. He would sneak off and learn every chance he got. This went on for years until the fateful night the head of a rival house spotted the young nobleman working on places some gems into a bracelet. What followed was the disowning of the crafty young nobleman and years of work repairing the house's name.

It was a cautionary tale and there was proof it actually happened. Kaelen knew this and knew it could get him disowned as well for hurting his family's name. But he didn't care. This wasn't Mystmarch and it was not like his father needed a third son. Disowning him would just free his father from the burden of an unwanted child and Kaelen from the burden of nobility. As pleasant of a thought as that was however, he knew it wouldn't come to pass. Not with him this far from home.

Kaelen just methodically went about cleaning the floors. His time as a soldier was showing in the efficiency of it. It didn't require any mental work though so his eyes often wondered over to Pern. It was part curiosity in what she was doing, part habit of always checking his surroundings, and part a simple desire to sneak a peek at her rump. Not the most noble or gentlemanly reasons in the world but he had never called either with much honesty. As he went along, he began to hum a cheery Mystmarch tune that his men often sang to distract themselves and help them focus on their more tedious tasks.

 

[Pern]

Pern gave the man a momentary pause of attention while he set to work, monitoring his progress just long enough to ensure it was done proper before returning to her own project. A set of twin daggers for an Official of Alliria. The main of the blades had been forged and quenched, shaped and sharpened. It was just the finishing touches that they required - the scroll of her maker's mark, and the inlay of filigree. These tasks took time and, rather quickly, Pern lost track of it.

When she ran a polishing cloth over the finished item she had no sense of whether or not minutes or hours had passed, but Kaelen was still there and Pern found she'd mostly forgotten about him being there.

The orcess made a sound of surprise to find him still milling about the smithy. Quiet day, she thought.

"You're shtill here," she had to wonder what he'd filled his time with. Certainly sweeping hadn't taken as long as her work? How long had she been working? Pern sniffed distractedly and placed the twin daggers in a velvet lined case.

"Wash there shomeshing you wished to shpeak about, Shir Shilverblood?" It was time to close up the shop and head home, so she set about putting out the fire of the forge and cleaning up.

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

The sweeping did not take long to finish up. It was done thoroughly and methodically, but it still was just sweeping the forge area. When that was wrapped up, Kaelen looked over at Pern and saw her still working on a pair of daggers. Seemed she was on the finer details and his time watching the craftsmen back home in Silverhearth had taught him that was one of the most time consuming parts. He needed to find something else to do and try to make it at least somewhat helpful.

Scraps was what Kaelen settled on. He began to gather up all of the scrap pieces of metal not near the hardworking orcess, because he didn't know what was actually scrap or not over there, and placing them in the forge's scrap bin. No self respecting blacksmith let good metal go to waste when it could be smelted back down and forged anew. So that was the task he was busying himself with while Pern finished her work.

The words had half caught Kaelen by surprise as he had gotten into his own head again thinking over plans for the scholar and mage exchange. His silvery eyes drifted over to her with a friendly smile. "Aye. I wanted to gaze upon your lovely form as we spoke." He paused as he just took her in. Was she attractive right now? By most social standards no. She was covered in sooty clothing and showed the signs of her craft right now. It did not matter to him though. What interested him was what was underneath all of that soot and craft. "I was thinking that you could perhaps forge me a set of formal armor to wear while in the city. Something to leave an impression on your scholars and mages as they leave yet still functional enough I can fight in it if the need arises."

A few moments after Kaelen had finished speaking, a young fox came padding up in clothing with the Mystmarch symbol on it but also one that looked like a combination between a hearth and a forge. Kaelen raised an eyebrow at this and his attention was immediately on this new arrival. A letter was handed over as the male beast folk caught his breath from what was surely an extended period of time sprinting. The silvery haired noble took the letter and read it over. As he did, his expression quickly soured as any joy from earlier disappeared.

 

[Pern]

Pern was hardly one to stop all efforts for a casual conversation and so continued around her work as Kaelen spoke. Tools were placed carefully where they belonged, the fire thoroughly smothered with what remained of the plunge water. When the man mentioned armor it did indeed cause the orc to give pause.

"Armor?" she lifted a brow, ears pricking at the thought, "I moshtly make weaponsh..." came an unsure reply, turning her back to him in order to scoop the ashes from the forge, "I have not made a full shet of armor on my own ... jusht ... peeshesh. Moshtly my Mashter makesh the armor. Mosht Knightsh and Lordsh do not want me to-"

That was when she turned back to him, golden eyes landing upon the foxling and then to the letter in Kaelen's hand and then to the expression on his face.

Pern frowned, glancing once more between the three, "Ish shomething wrong?"

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

A thunderstorm was building on Kaelen's face as he continued to read through the letter. There was nothing subtle about this man's emotions at any given moment, and now was no exception. Pern had asked him a question, but he didn't answer her. Not yet he did. Instead his fist just met the wall and caused blood to slowly begin to drip to the floor. He just stared at the piece of paper seeming unsure what to do with it then just tenderly folded it up.

Slipping the letter into a safe place, Kaelen finally replied in a semi-distracted voice. "My dad is sick. Fatally sick. Need to go home. Need to go home right now." He took a step to leave but then frowned deeper. "Wait.... I can't leave. The scholars and mages.... No. No they can be handled by Windpaw and the rest. Blackwall can oversee it as well as me...." He was frozen in place in thought seeming to be figuring out his next move even though he had seemed to have stated it already.

The young fox just stood there nervously shifting his weight. It was obvious he wanted to get away from this scene but duty was compelling him not to. A bit of a panic at not knowing what to do was on his face and his eyes searched for some way to escape things. No option presented itself.

Kaelen suddenly began to pace and mumble to himself. His words were a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions bouncing around all over the place. A thin trail of crimson formed behind him. He would rub his face every so often when his thoughts either seemed to stop or race past his understanding. The silvery scruff and pale skin were streaked in red.

 

[Pern]

Thick brows lifted over honey-hued eyes. His father was ill? Well that was no good. Pern frowned, empathetic to his plight. She could recall a time when Ignatius had fallen ill over the winter - it had made her entire world spin out of control. The worry of what should happen to the shop, to her life, should the old Mage pass on. The only family she ever knew, losing him was not an idea Pern could fathom.

"I-" began the Orcess, stopping short as Kaelen punched the wall and then began to pace. She tracked his progress from one side of the shop to the other, gaze briefly settling on the Fox that stood in anxious limbo, waiting on his next orders, to the trail of blood the man was leaving all over the shop floor.

"Shtop," Pern reached out and grabbed the man by the front of his tunic. He may as well have walked into a 4x4 beam of wood what with the stopping power she employed.

"I am shorry to hear about your father, Shir Shilverblood," a frown that may have conveyed concern settled around her tusks, "but I musht inshisht you shtop bleeding all over the shop." Pern pressed the cleanest wad of buffing cloth she could find into his good hand to help stem the flow of blood, "My Mashter will be mosht dishpleashed. Have a sheat while I clean up and I will take you to the Healer."

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Duty. Family. Duty. Kingdom. Duty. People. Duty. Duty. Duty....

Kaelen's mind was a ship upon the waves. Like a lost vessel was at the mercy of the Storm God and Sea Goddess so his thoughts were at the mercy of emotion and instinct. His father was ill. He had to go home. Why should he though? The man had done little for him and much to him. But his brothers and mother would need him.... But he couldn't leave. His orders from the High King were absolute. He was tasked with overseeing the exchange on the Elbion end. Did they really need him though? He just shook hands and was a glorified guide and occasional guard. Any of his men could do it.... He couldn't leave this on his men. They were his family out here as his brothers were at home. He would offer his life for them and they for him. But he already knew they would not hesitate to tell him to return home. They could easily fulfill their duties. He had picked them because of their skill and intelligence after all.... He had to go. He had to stay. But how could he stay? How could he go?

Everything went blank when Kaelen met Pern. His mind had been lost to the storm, but it finally weathered through as words flowed in. Thoughts began to form coherently. A sense of self returned. His silvery grays turned to those honeyed ambers. A nod was all she got from him. With the clean cloth in hand, he sat down submissively. His eyes settled onto the silvery red threatening to stain the wall and floor. Had he done that? Well yes of course he had. She had said so herself and by the gods the woman was too literal for her own good to lie about it. Idly he began to wipe his face off. He needed to collect himself and take some emotional stock. He didn't want to repeat the fate of his Silverblood ancestors. Not here, not right now. Breath in, breath out. He began to focus on the challenge of calming the internal storm.

It was hard to say how much time had past for Kaelen, but eventually he turned his attention to the young fox who was still waiting anxiously. A good little soldier. He said in a tone closer to normal than it had been since he failed attempts to flirt with the forge goddess, "Go inform Blackwall that I will be departing back to Mystmarch in the morning tomorrow. He is to make preparations to take over immediately and to find out whichever Mystmarch ship is the fastest in the port." The little fox pressed a fist over their heart in acknowledgement. Kaelen repeated the action as he said, "The March never ends. Thank you for your service." With that the young fox left in a sprint.

Kaelen just held the cloth against his bloodied fist and looked at the floor. There was something Pern had said earlier about a healer. Did she say something though or was his memory mist? Yes. Yes she did. It was after mentioning cleaning up the blood. He slowly looked over to her and said in a withdrawn voice, "Sorry for the mess Forge Goddess. Don't worry about the healer." He pulled the rag off his hand and held it up. The bleeding had stopped and it was already clotted up enough it wasn't about to start again. "Won't fester. My wounds never do."

 

[Pern]

She'd taken another wad of buffing cloth, a grimier one that she'd not lament tossing in the bin, and searched about for the plunge bucket. Well hell, she'd already emptied it. With a sigh the Orc turned to step out the back side of the shop into the alley where a large water basin sat half full to scoop up a fresh bucket. Cloth plunged, she stooped to mop up the dark splatter trail along the floor.

By the time Kaelen found his mind again enough to decline the Healer she was moved to the wall where he'd left a bloody indent.

Pern glanced back at his hand, brows lifting, gaze curious. Perhaps he had healing powers of his own? She didn't know enough of Mystmarch people to suspect any less or more.

"That ish a handy trick," she replied, meaning no effort on a pun. Pern wasn't good at making jokes.

"If nothing ish broken then I shupposhe you don' need a Healer." She dropped the cloth back into the bucket and thinly observed her cleaning job. It looked well enough. She dumped the bucket across the back alley and tossed the rag in the bin.

"You are leaving on the 'morrow then? We can shpeak on your armor when neksht you return."

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

"I was thinking you might be interested in going with me." Kaelen responded to her last comment. It was honestly on his mind for several reasons. Ones he was going to state and ones he wasn't. As for the ones he didn't feel like sharing the main one was that he knew he shouldn't be left alone on the trip. He couldn't trust himself not to end up hurting himself worse than a bloody and bruising hand. Worse, he could end up throwing himself into the Sea Goddess' embrace. Also, he just couldn't handle the loneliness right now. He had a hard enough time keeping himself in check normally let alone with this kind of news.

With only the briefest pause having past, Kaelen continued on. "You were interested in burnt silver right? My home of Silverhearth is where all of it gets made. The best smiths in Mystmarch can also be found there. Jewelers and other craftsmen as well." He slowly stood up. "I can get you a chance to speak with one of our master smiths and maybe even watch some of the metal get made. Then there is the fact I should get my sword sharpened. That requires a special process of its own due to the runes enchanting it."

Kaelen looked at Pern eyes. "What do you say? Will you go with me?" It was an unfair question. He knew it. She had obligations and duties of her own here in Elbion. It was no simple or easy thing to just pick up and go travel the distance he was asking. Her interests and curiosity were being used as bribes for his selfishness. He wouldn't and couldn't blame her if she refused. It was on her to decide though what she wanted and he just had to accept whatever decision she made.

 

[Pern]

She would be lying if she said the opportunity to learn of burnt silver, to meet the Master Silversmiths, to see the creation of the unique metal up close and person wasn't something that deeply interested her.

But Pern didn't lie, nor did she pretend to think that the decision was her own to make in any capacity, so she said as much.

"Itsh not my deshishun to make," far be it from a woman to live whatever life she so desired. Farther be it from an Orc woman of a simple Mage merchant already beholden to a Master Crafter for an apprenticeship.

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Those words were obvious and reasonable. Of course she wouldn't be able to just pick up and leave. But they hit Kaelen like a ballista bolt directly to the chest. He couldn't do this trip alone. It would not end well without someone to act as an anchor for him. What was he going to do? How was he going to make it all the way home like this?

The answer was just as obvious and reasonable as Pern statement. All Kaelen had to do was make it part of the political exchange and everything would be fine. Her master would likely have no qualms about it as he would be compensated and her parental figure would love for her to have to chance. Going that route could probably even make her go if she wanted to be stubborn and stay. But he wasn't about to do that. He had to much respect for the dense woman to force her to do anything she didn't want. Not that he honestly could force to do anything anyways.

After thinking it over a bit more, Kaelen let out a sigh. He looked over at Pern. Silvery gray met amber in silence for a brief second before he said, "If you want to go then I can make you one of our exchanged scholars. I know that you aren't actually a scholar but I can still get you over that way. If you don't like that idea though and still want to go then I can ask everyone I need to ask for permission for you to join me." He just stayed sat down and staring at her with a look filled with a thousand conflicting emotions and thoughts. The storm was building back up on him it seemed. "Just tell me what it is you want and I vow to see it done."

 

[Pern]

The orcess stood rooted to the spot, looking calm but mildly off-put by the offer. Aside from Ignatius, there had been few that gave her the time of day, fewer still that felt compelled to speak with her beyond the simple hello and exchange of coin for metal. To say that she was used to being overlooked or, perhaps more appropriately, looked down upon, was putting it lightly. Keeping to herself with very few real friends to speak of, the orc had learned to appreciate what was given to her rather than fight or pine for something beyond her reach.

Mystemarch was beyond her reach ... anything above this life as a simple blacksmith was beyond her reach. She'd come to terms with the likelihood that she would be alone and that, eventually, she would be even more alone than she already was. Ignatius would not live forever, much as she wished he could.

Her golden gaze wavered from Kaelen's, dropping to the floor, "Well I..." a clawed hand reached up to rub at her neck. Pern's mind briefly traveled back to her teen years where all manner of budding interests infested her days. She spent the better part of her younger years reading every book Ignatius put under her nose, learning of the various crafts and skills, people and places.

~~~

"There's a whole wide world out there, Nilli," Ignatius told her, "you can go wherever you want, be whatever you want to be. All you have to do is put one foot in front of the other."

"I want to be a Mage."

Dreams that dashed upon unbudging shores of stone and steel. A whole wide world full of no.

~~~

"I'm not...good enough to be a shcholar..." she turned away from the Knight, brow knit with indecision, and slowly began straightening the tool rack - a superfluous task to keep her mind from spinning.

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Eyes dropped. The beginning but no middle nor end. Kaelen kept his gaze on the orcess. Something about the thoughtfulness about her caught his attention. The brewing storm was yet again calmed as curiosity won out over the rest. It seemed his words had an impact of some kind. But what effect exactly did they have on her?

Pern's words that followed told Kaelen exactly what was on her mind. She wasn't good enough to be a scholar. That seemed like a rather odd statement. His silvery gaze stayed on her as she began to busy herself about some random task. It reminded him of new recruits when they were asked to charge their first line. Fighting was something the experienced did, or so they thought. The truth though was that the only difference between a new recruit and a veteran was experience. The only difference between being a scholar and not being a scholar to him seemed to just be in which title you claimed. He had met plenty who claimed to be one in his life and couldn't reason through even something simple. He had met more that didn't claim to be a scholar yet were some of the sharpest and knowledgeable people he had met. Pern was one of those people.

Kaelen let the silence continue for a few moments then stood up. He said as he did, "The Forge Goddess not good enough to be a scholar? Must be a joke. Her beauty is only matched by her mind and her wits after all." He turned his gaze to where he had punched the wall. Still seemed hard to believe he had done it, but he knew he had. His heart felt like it had sunk beneath the waves but the sound of Pern's work brought him back to the moment. He turned his eyes back to her as he went on. "The only thing stopping you from being a scholar is you. You are a scholar if you say you are one. If that isn't good enough and you need an education then just attend the college at Stormhold. All you need is a patron and I can certainly be one for you. If I could do fine there then I'm sure you would thrive."

 

[Pern]

Brows furrowing, the orcess found herself frowning into her tool stand. A gaze that knew the shop they stood in both inside and out surveyed the space. In the last three years Galen had come to trust her to a great many things, including running the shop on her own when he had need to step out for orders or client needs. He entrusted larger and larger jobs, and despite not yet including armor into those jobs he'd assured her that one day he would.

When she was better. More experienced.

Galen had never lied to her before. He was a good man, a good friend to both herself and Ignatius. He'd taken a risk, put his neck out there for her when no one else would, and how would she repay him? By leaving?

Leaving him now on the whim of a man she barely knew whose words she could not say held merit. That seemed all the sorts of wrong to her. Galen would not be happy for it, neither would Ignatius.

Still, his words struck a deeply-buried chord.

You are a scholar if you say you are. If only that were true.

Pern grimaced and shook thoughts of doubt and promise from her mind, "I am shorry, Shir Shilverblood, but I cannot."

She turned to face him, shoulders square and jaw set, "My duty is here to my Mashter and my father. I wish you well on your journey. My deepesht condolenshesh for your lossh."

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

It wasn't going well. Her behavior was off for a bit but she ultimately refused. Why had Pern refused the offers? Duty. The same chain that bound him. Her duty to her master and her duty to her father. Kaelen had yet to meet this master of her's, but he had met Ignatius. The old man was a pleasant fellow with a thirst for knowledge. Surely if they spoke with him then he would give his blessings. It was the chance of a life time for her, even if it was all just a bribe on Kaelen's part.

The part that bothered him though was her master. How long had she been working at this smithy? She wasn't allowed to work armor it seemed despite the talent she had for her craft. Kaelen was no smith and made no premise of being one. He had spent enough time around them though between his childhood in SIlverhearth, tours for tourneys, and the endless march of even more endless wars to recognize skill and talent in the craft. Pern had both, yet she was still stuck doing such minor work. Seemed odd to him.

Kaelen's frown returned as the storm winds built up with ire. No. No it was not odd. It was just Elbion. The place was trying to push her down and make her conform to some pitiable racial bias. It was no different than how people out in the world, and even a few at home in the Storm Isles, treated the beast folk. They weren't human, elves, dwarves, or close enough to make a casual mistake so they had to be inferior. Was that what was going on here? Was she being held back for being an orcess yet held onto for her talent and skill? Leather clenched metal as the thought coursed through his head.

"Duty you say.... I can respect it, but is that really why you decline?" Kaelen asked her in a tone like distant thunder. Things seemed to get darker as clouds built up over head. "Are you sure it isn't something else? Lies of not being good enough or experienced enough or other such nonsense springing to your mind? Fear is toxic. I should know. It is poisoning me right now."

Kaelen had to stop. His emotions were boiling too much within him. Deep breathes. Calm his winds and settle his waters. A low boom sounded high above from infant lightning taking its first step in the sky. He would need to pray soon. The need for it surged through his soul like the silvery lines zig zagging through black clouds. He had gotten himself to some sense of center, or as much as he could right now. "Do you fear to leave and so blame it on duty? I can not speak for your master, but Ignatius would be proud and excited for you at the prospect of getting to study abroad. You can deny it, but we both know it is true."

 

[Pern]

Pern's face remained immutable, drawn in stony resolve. At her side rough and callused, clawed hands formed into fists as she somehow sensed the incoming storm. It wasn't the hair that began to stand on end along her arms and up the back of her neck. It wasn't the smell of electricity on the air. It was a sense, deep down, something she'd always had but could never quite describe.

A sixth sense, her father called it.

Then there it was, not in the sky but in the gaze of the man standing before her.

The orc's weight shifted slightly as he spoke, voice a low rumble like distant thunder, words cutting like a bolt of lightning to her core. If she had been only somewhat afraid at the prospect of leaving, of going with Kaelen before, she was tenfold now. Pern felt her mouth go dry and her throat catch whatever words there might've been.

Until he presumed to speak for her father. Then she found her words again.

"My father," she began, "ish all I have in thish world and he'sh not long for being here."

Ignatius was a very old man, his frailty becoming more and more difficult to ignore with each passing year.

"I will not leave him. Shurely ash a man who jusht losht hish own, you can undershtand."

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

The storm high above slowly grew in intensity. The flash and burst of divine emotion became had less and less time between. People in the streets were getting nervous at how sudden it all was. It was impossible to say if those in the workshop would be able to tell that was happening however. Kaelen's focus was entirely on the orcess and goddess of the forge before him. Her words cut him deeply. He knew it wasn't intentional on her part, but his state was too uncontrolled and raw. His mind went dark for a moment. No violence crossed it just more distorted reflections as another stone was thrown into his turbulent waters.

Suddenly standing, Kaelen said in an emotionally charged voice, "No I can not. Ignatius is a good, caring man. He is worthy of devotion and love. My father is none of those things." A great strike boomed from the forge in the sky as if to emphasize the last line. Kaelen began to pace back and forth again. Rain began to thickly fall as he continued. "Everyone expects persecution to come from the outside. You have experienced this for yourself. I have experienced it myself, but not from strangers or those without an intimate relation to me. It came from within for me. It came from that man. A father should protect and guide and love their child as Ignatius has clearly done for you. But not for me. I might as well have been air for all I mattered!"

Kaelen grew distant. It was no longer as if he was speaking to Pern now. No, now it seemed more as if he was far off to some unknown place and speaking to some audience there. The weight of the rain grew and the booming of thunder got louder with each passing moment. The storm was held back no longer.

"Not wanted. Not needed. Nothing more than a parasite and curse. That was what I was. Only give it the bare minimum resources to keep alive and not lose face. Don't want the other houses talking now. The Silverblood name is the most important thing. It is a threat on the grand plan. Why care for it? It will only end itself in the end. They always do. History repeats history. That is how it always has been and will always be. The Gods deemed its fate. Never mind that the Gods blessed this curse upon our line. No. It was their plan to see it dead by its own hands!"

Kaelen had lost all sense of what was around him. Streaks zigzagged around his form as he paced back and forth. His energy was quickly draining, but he was as oblivious to that as he was to the world. The silvery color of his hair, eyes, and even bits of visible blood began to grow and the glow. Perhaps the storm truly wasn't outside.

 

[Pern]

She watched him unravel. Watched him become undone. Watched the person she knew devolve into someone else entirely - in that moment Pern had to ask herself how well she really knew Kaelen Silverblood.

Not very well at all.

White flickering streaks of lightning caught across golden eyes, causing them to grow wide with mounting fright. What he was becoming ... it was something else entirely. Something dangerous, every single cell in her body told her that, and she very much wanted it to stop. His anger, this growing rage bringing upon Elbion a storm the likes of which she had no idea what it could do. Pern's thoughts immediately went to her own father and the need to keep him safe.

"Shir Shilverblood-" she tried but his words continued and the booming threat grew louder beyond the confines of the smithy.

Frowning deeply, Pern stepped towards him and reached to clasp his shoulder, "Kaelen-ACH!"

Electricity collided with her fingers and shot up her arm, sending a wave of shocking pain from fingertips to shoulder. She retracted immediately and stumbled backwards into her workbench, knocking over the tool stand in the process. The sound of metal clattering across the tables and floor echoed between booms of thunder.

 

[Kaelen Silverblood]

Memory upon memory played through Kaelen's mind as he paced about. Ask for things and given them without hesitation. Random gifts presented outside of holy days. Proud bragging to friend and barely tolerated peers alike. That was what he remembered watching of his father when his brothers were involved. They were untainted. Pure. The only silver in their blood was their family name. But then there was Kaelen. He would ask for things, wants at first then needs, and be demanded to provide reasoning why that would benefit the family. Gifts were only formal showings for social standings so that they were less about him and more about the gifts themselves. Often they were meant to be shared with his brothers. The only words his father spoke of him to others were ones of his failures and how burdening he was. Cursed. A taint of the blood upon their blood. Was it no wonder he was so willing sent away while his brothers stayed so safe in the family hearth?

Kaelen had become as stable as the wind. Still his surroundings alluded him. Static danced around him as he moved back and forth endlessly rambling on and on, a roaming storm cloud. The weather outside continued to worsen. Any still outside were either fools or desperate. Their safety was as relevant to him as the coals of the forge. Nothing seemed to be likely to break him out of his unnatural trance.

When Pern began to speak to Kaelen her words fell on deaf ears. It was not until she said his name then touched his shoulder that something seemed to get through. She was shocked unwittingly and sent tumbling backwards in her fright. He stopped. When the sound of metal reached his ears his focus seemed to return. It took a moment for his sense of self surface but the moment it did he knew what he had just done. Even with exhaustion rushing forth to fill even his bones, he stopped the spell he had unknowingly unleashed. He took a step towards the orcess with a vivid mixture of pure concern for her well being and safety mixed with endlessly deep shame in himself dominating his face and features. A line had been crossed that he knew he never should have crossed.

That thought brought Kaelen's step to a halt and froze him in place with his injured hand raised up as if to help. He couldn't move. He didn't want to move. She was hurt and scared right now. How could she not be? It was his fault. All of it was his fault. She could have be dead right now and he likely wouldn't even have noticed. More thoughts of his father's words raced to his mind as his eyes were locked onto Pern. What had he done?

A crash. It came not from lightning above but from the entrance of the forge. A large black wolf covered in battle scars where his armor was not had slide into the wall. A dark look was in his moonlit eyes. A quick scan of the scene and he made an irritated growl. It was Blackwall, Kaelen's right hand. The beast folk soldier quickly hurried over to his commander and began to roughly force the man to sit down. "Rest you damned fool! Pray before the Storm God smites us all."

Kaelen did not resist. He simply did as he was told and dropped into the nearest seat to begin to pray.

Blackwall moved over to Pern and held out a clawed hand. A look of concern was on his face as he said in as polite a tone as a wolf man could muster, "Condition?" He would wait for some kind of response then go on. "Apologizes for... all of this." He motioned all about them. "That storm started and then I got word something was delivered to Lord Silverblood." He paused as he looked at the orcess with extreme seriousness. "What was in that letter?"