Private Tales There and Back Again

[Faurosk]

His eyebrow raised inquisitively, and only then did a smile begin cracking through the gloomy turn of their conversation. "And you've never needed a safe place to flee to? Why, Lorraina, I'm almost proud of you." Faurosk stood, plucking up the dress by an unmarked pinch of fabric and offering it towards her.

"If you'd be ever so kind, you can change in the adjoining room. I'll try not to sob too much if you smudge the glyphs, but every bit of chalk you leave intact is one less ticklish mark I'll have to make while you're wearing the blasted thing."

He placed a hand between her shoulders, extending the other arm towards the store room that had been left open. The somewhat awkward gesture placed them just near enough for him to whisper- "Noise carries in this house, Rain-Rain. You'll find my mother is exceedingly polite, right until she isn't."

So that bit about calling him a bastard and socking him on the shoulder... Well. She'd best hope hisses carry gentler than whispers.

 

[Rainie]

An agonized look spread over the pirate's pretty face before she took a bracing breath. She looked down at the dress in his hands and carefully grasped it where his fingers were, her hand momentarily covering his.

Leaning into his frame, she pressed back against him and arched her neck so that she may reach his ear, cheek grazing against his bearded one in the process. With her head resting on his shoulder, both of them pressed back to front, she whispered into his ear heatedly, "You could have warned me, you arse."

And with that, she wrenched herself from his grasp and strode determinedly into the adjoining room. The door closed gently behind her.

---

A few minutes later, Rainie paused before reemerging. She had cleaned up whilst she was sequestered away, and smelled of lavender and salt water. Her hair was tied up in her purple scarf to keep it away from any chalk marks, only a few loose strands managing to escape the hasty knot. She had been exceedingly careful, and even cleaned up one or two that she'd smudged accidentally.

But before she opened the door, she found the rune closest to her bosom and deliberately dragged her fingertips through it. With a smug smile, she opened the door carefully and stepped out, arms held cautiously to her sides.

"Alright, Rusky, let's see that flashy magic~!" She sang cheerfully.

 

[Faurosk]

Those few minutes she spent were a much-needed reprieve for the poor wizard, his mind sufficiently frayed by whatever one would call that fleeting embrace. He'd staggered one step backwards and landed against the table as she strode across the room. Upon her return, Rainie would find he hadn't moved much at all, saved for propping a fist up under his chin.

Eyes glazed over, he squinted at the wall across from him, countless calculations running through his mind. She'd always been a tease, that memory stood prominently in moments such like this; There's no world in which she'd earnestly flirt with him, especially not moments before donning funerary attire.
Then again, she'd always had a strange way about her... "This is still me we're talking about," he decided, swiftly dismissing the whole event as a serious misreading on his part.

When she returned, he rose from his tableside perch with uncharacteristic ease, raising his eyebrows at how poorly the dress fit before they lowered in determination. Near the fire, a kettle sat warming, though the woman who'd deposited it there was nowhere in sight.

"It's Faurosk," he corrected quietly, stepping up to begin pacing around her. Many of the marks he'd left had survived first contact with hurricane Lorraina, and the few that needed touching up were easy to repair. A glyph of restriction here, a mark of redistribution there- Most were scattered around the skirt, and a simple flick or two of chalk proved enough to settle them back into line.

When he reached her front, the mage paused thoughtfully, his eyes cast downward.

"Seems a rune of restriction's been scuffed," he noted a moment later, tongue clicking. "Shouldn't be a problem, but I'd better repair it if we want your ribs left without any cracks..."
The stick of chalk was flicked upwards, twice. "Arms up, if you would! This may be uncomfortable, and I would like to apologize for my carelessness in its... Positioning."

All things considered, his professionalism held up well under pressure.

 

[Rainie]

"And it's Rainie, to you," She reminded him in return. She stood innocently, allowing his thorough inspection with growing anticipation. When he got to the deliberately smudged glyph, she held her breath, waiting.

No reaction.

Disappointing. With a sigh, she lifted her arms obligingly. He used to be so much easier to fluster. She wondered idly if he was seeing someone, and therefore didn't have much of a reaction to her anymore. She quickly squashed the disappointment swelling in her chest with conversation.

"Ah, it's fine. No cracked ribs today, please!" She muttered half to herself, then her tone turned curious. "Oh, you said something about... drams? I swear I've heard my friend say that, but only when referring to alcohol. Is it a unit of measurement?" She hummed in thought. "What sort of spell components does one need to cast a spell on a dress...?" Suddenly, genius struck.

"Ha, Faurosk, how do you spell address?" She wondered, purposely mispronouncing the last word.

 

[Faurosk]

No visible reaction. Inside, he rethought that dismissal he'd made, then rethought that rethinking. What, would she purposefully smudge a glyph after he'd specifically warned her against it? While yes, that did sound like her, it also sounded bloody neurotic for him to think she would in the broader context of this reunion!

So he swallowed his nerves, braced his chalk between thumb and forefinger, and-
Nearly died as she forced out what was perhaps the worst pun he'd ever heard.

It started as a freeze response, then a quiet exhalation, and within moments, he had burst out laughing. "Seriously? Two years to prepare your best, and that's what you've granted me?" Two more barks of laughter issued out into the hut before he got his diaphragm under control again, one eye leaking tears from the effort of it all.

"You're a fool," he noted ruefully, "and I regret how terribly I've missed you."

He smoothed the loose fabric of the dress down across her stomach, and five careful strokes of chalk reworked the glyph that had been foiled beneath her bust.

"A dram's a unit of measurement, popular among people who want to sound smarter than they are. Apothecaries, magi, wizards..." He reached to his side and drew the belt around his waist. From one of its pouches, he withdrew what looked to be a dried root and shaved a few flaky crumbs off with his thumbnail.

"It's more than an iota, but less than a little. Very precise, I assure you."

 

[Rainie]

Faurosk's laughter was infectious, but she had to stay still to allow him to redraw the rune on her bust, which he carefully dragged down to her stomach. Without any regard for any possible glyphs at her elbow, she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the urge to giggle. Holding her breath, she stood as still as possible as he corrected the smudge, and then exhaled through her hand a breathy laugh.

"You'd better take that fool comment back, since you were using funny words to sound smarter." She scolded him with a look that ought to be admonishing, but only ended up looking fond. There was three finger-shaped smears of chalk dust on her freckled cheek. "Well, get on with it. I keep waiting for flashy magic and seeing none!" She complained with feeling, holding her arms out to either side.

 

[Faurosk]

"Oh? Then tell me, what point is there to funny--" The rhetorical question trailed off as he spied the streaks across her face. So she'd been less careful than he'd given her credit for. Fair's fair, but when someone who lives by deftness makes such a mistake, it only raises more questions.

Faurosk stooped briefly, leaning in to eye his handiwork and the streaks that lurked beneath. He blinked once, and righted himself.

The silence sat heavy with expectation, as though a wordless spell had been cast to pry a confession from the scoundrel before him. Finally, after that painful pause, the breathless quiet, he gave voice his judgment;

"You've stuck with lavender. Good. It suits you." The flashy magic could wait a moment longer; He wanted to see if she'd squirm.

 

[Rainie]

At that, she snorted a laugh through her nose. She was a bit confused with his starts and stops, but seemingly decided to roll with the punches. "I- well, thank you." She seemed pleased, if nonplussed. "'Didn't know you knew how to give compliments that weren't sarcastic."

It was then that she realized he may still be being sarcastic. With a sigh, she shook out her raised arms pointedly as if to say, Getting tired over here... On with it!

Where on Arethil was Mrs. Drewry, anyway?

 

[Faurosk]

He pursed his lips at the lack of an outward response. So this is how it felt to be in her shoes...

Well, there's no helping that. He'd prefer his own perspective, thank you kindly. "Do tell me if this gets unbearably tight, I'll be sure to stop it a few moments later." With a clench of his fist, he crushed the flakes of turmeric root against his palm. Faurosk then threw the crumbled remains forward with a hissed incantation; What minute flakes remained had already faded to ash before they hit the floor.

The chalk marks did not glow, or hum, or even give a hint that they'd been called to work. Instead, a moment passed, and the dress itself began to ripple as though stirred by some unseen wind. The fabric warped and moved strangely, stretching in some places as it bound itself tighter in others.

The wizard stepped back and raised a hand to his chin, looking thoughtful as his spellcraft did its work. And work it did, refitting the dress until it sat comfortably about the scoundrel it had been granted to. Within moments, the span of only a few heartbeats, it had been resized to perfection, and the animating magic faded until not even those stark, white marks were left.

This didn't change that the garment itself was stuffy, close, and far more modest than Rainie's usual attire... But the inner lining did feel softer, somehow.

"Can you speak?" Her wizard queried as the spell faded, trying his best to feign concern. "Or have my grandiose skills taken your breath away?"

 

[Rainie]

The pirate watched the magic ripple the dress around her like waves with delight, a shocked laugh escaping her. Once he was done, the garment suddenly felt amazing, both in fit and comfort. She tested her range of motion, lifting her arms into the familiar pose of an archer. Miraculously, she felt no resistance.

To his question, she beamed at him amusedly. "Utterly," she agreed with ease. "Breath completely gone." Pleased with her befitting garment, she twirled once in a swirl of skirts. She seemed wholly satisfied, despite the buttoned-up-ness of the dress. She smiled up at the wizard, and all at once her grin turned cheeky.

Then she held out a hand, back towards the open door of the adjoining room that she had previously changed clothes in. As she smiled at Faurosk, some unseen force sent a coin purse with two red beads on the drawstring hurtling straight into her awaiting grasp.

With a wink towards her wizard, she stepped towards the stairs, enchanted shoes making no noise at all. "Ma'am?" She called just barely above her normal volume, voice casual. "How much do I owe you both?" She asked as she opened the pouch and started counting out coins.

What? She could be a bit of a show-off, too.

 

[Faurosk]

It took less time than either on the first floor would've hoped for Matilde to pace back to the top of the stairs. though the brief glimpse of Faurosk's amazed look at bard's show of magic ought to add years to her life expectancy. Descending, Matilde gave the dress a look that bordered on judgmental before nodding. "It is not bad work, Rusky," she excused, walking to the mage's side and patting him twice on the cheek. "But, eh, do keep practicing." Returning her attention to Rainie, she hummed thoughtfully and held out a hand.

"Two silver pennies will have you settled for the dress," she answered diligently, "and whatever he has said for the adjusting."

Faurosk cleared his throat into a balled fist before waving his hand through the air, dispelling his own thoughts quite expertly before he'd even begun speaking. "Let's just call it a courtesy," he added. "We don't need you any more indebted to me." The Gods know he'd have to chase her across the continent to make do, anyhow. Despite that, there was clearly something more on the wizard's mind. Something he didn't want to voice in present company and times, or maybe at all.

 

[Rainie]

Rainie dutifully deposited two - oh, no, three - silver pennies into Mrs. Drewry's extended hand, sending a bemused smile over at Faurosk. "Do I not get you enough pretty things? I can get you more shiny things, if you want," she offered, face very serious.

Then she turned back to his mother with a polite smile. "Thank you for all your help. You've been very accommodating." Indeed, she had. Very accommodating.

It was then that she heard a faint rumbling coming from the hearth, and she finally noticed the kettle that had appeared there several minutes before. For a moment, she dithered, unsure if she should excuse herself and stop imposing on the most patient mother in the world. There was the question of if she was still welcome to stay or not, after what Matilde had possibly heard. Perhaps she should simply go, visit her father... But.... her eyes slid over to Faurosk, then flickered away just as quickly.

She decided to leave it up to her hosts to fill in the blank. "Well, I should probably..." She trailed off expectantly, trying not to look too hopeful.

 

[Faurosk]

Yes. Exceedingly accommodating, Faurosk chose not to agree, but his grimace said plenty. He squinted slightly at the third bit of metal that changed hands, but Matilde was quick to accept it, no questions asked. The pennies were pinched and placed away, carted over to the adjoining room.

"You've given me plenty of pretty things," the mage answered with a shake of his head. Like a magpie, this one. "But you should probably be about your business. As should I! Though-" He glanced to the kettle, then over toward the door. He raised a finger toward their exit, shut one eye, and then angled his hand slightly leftward. A few degrees further than Rainie's homeward point.

"My business is taking me that way. If a few minutes' delay can be excused for helping my dear, sweet mother, surely none would frown that I spent a handful more to escort a visiting lady." An eyebrow arched toward Rainie. "You do still know the streets, don't you...? Well, I'd better tag along. Just in case." His serious facade cracked with a charmless smile- There he was again, that bastard she met all those years ago.

 

[Rainie]

The bard couldn't help but wince as Mrs. Drewry walked away without a word. Well, bad impression secured, and she had no one but herself to blame, really. Perhaps she'd been spending too much time around pirates recently and had lost her touch. She sighed a bit regretfully at that.

Rainie smiled at her wizard's offer, and the smile grew as his did. "Well, if it's not too much trouble, I suppose I would welcome the excellent company," She accepted graciously. Stalling for time, she reached up and undid the messy knot atop her head and loose curls tumbled down around her shoulders. Nervous hands smoothed and fluffed it a bit, and it was once again perfect.

She eyed the adjoining room with some trepidation, recalling the knapsack crammed full with her clothes and boots, as well as her bow, quiver, and whip. The same room that Matilde had just gone into.

Rainie was several things, but brave was not one of them.

She turned to Faurosk instead and asked, "Would you be a dear and grab my things for me?" She tilted her head towards the other room. "I want to say good bye to Nota." That, at least, was true. No one could stop her from petting a dog, not even an irritated mother poised and ready to read her the riot act.

 

[Faurosk]

Faurosk watched her fix her hair for those few moments, his broad smile subduing to something softer around the edges. The expression looked kinder, and far less forced. "Of course. I'll just be a moment."

With the wizard retreating across the room, Rainie had the chance to steal what she had always wanted; A couple pets on the most precious hound this side of the Strait. Nota had become somewhat pudgy during the seasons he'd spent relaxing in the Drewry household. He was given plenty to eat and little to do, but it was a life that suited him just fine.

The best part of his day had to be when an awfully familiar woman knelt down at his side to pat his hearth-warmed fur. Only then did he stir from his sleep, grumbling to himself before wiggling upright once more. This wasn't the puppy she'd known, not by any stretch; Once he rose to his feet, Dustmop could nearly meet a crouched pirate eye to eye. But those eyes of his sure did look familiar. Kind, cute, and all too intelligent for a dog of his demeanor.

The waking dream of reuniting with Nota was broken only as Faurosk returned gracelessly to the main room, his arms loaded with the equipment she'd left behind. Notably, her bow seems to be nowhere in sight until Matilde walks out proudly behind him.

The bow was in her hands, with a fresh length of violet ribbon tied into a pretty knot at one end. "Is for you," the seamstress says, offering the weapon outward. To take her bow, or continue petting a dog with both her hands? Decisions like that are what keep daring individuals up at night.

"You pay extra, you will have this. Perhaps it can tie the hair out of your face, let the hat sit well?"

She hadn't meant for that to sound insulting, but Matilde had a certain way about her that Rainie was by no means accustomed to.

 

[Rainie]

The Drewry's would enter the main room to find the pirate sitting on the floor in the most undignified manner, likely after overhearing her obnoxious coos of, "Oh, look at you, sweet baby! Do you remember me? Gracious, what have they been feeding you? You're just a little sausage! You're just a little sausage, yes you are." Rainie looked up from where she'd been in the process of squishing poor Nota's face to make the familiar's cheeks look bigger. A faint flush bloomed under her new freckles at being caught.

She stood hastily, and accepted the decorated bow, trying not to show her confusion on her face. "I- Thank you, ma'am." The bow was then looped over her shoulder, then she turned to help Faurosk with all her things. Belt secured over her hips, weapons donned like the most dangerous of accessories, she leaned down to give Nota one final scritch between the ears.

Once she straightened up, she propped her fists on her hips and looked to Faurosk. "Shall we be off?" She asked, then held her hand out for her knapsack.

 

[Faurosk]

Well, it was nice to see how little had changed. Matilde gawped slightly at the face-squishing and sausage-calling, but the bow and hair-tie were passed over all the same. When one petter rose, another took her place. The seamstress knelt to Nota, easing him onto his side and patting him on the chest.

"You are fed just enough," she assured, "many good meals. You do good work." Yet he looked like he hadn't done an honest day's work in all his life, and yet he thrived.

Faurosk gave Rainie's unique accessorization an approving nod, lips pursed as he questioned her need for an unarmed escort. Setting those doubts aside, an elbow was offered her way. "Let's. Momma, I'll be back this evening- Hopefully, with good news," he called over one shoulder, one hand raised with fingers crossed.

The pair marched out to the street once more, setting across the cobbled path before them. It would be a terrible time to wallow in silence, so Faurosk broke the ice the best way he knew to;

"I don't hold it against you, you know. Standing me up."

 

[Rainie]

Instead of getting her bag passed to her, an elbow was offered in it's place. She shrugged internally, figuring he could hold onto it if he wanted to, for the time being. Her hand nestled into the crook of his arm familiarly, and she gave Mrs. Drewry a parting smile and hasty wave as she was ushered out.

Back on the street, there was barely a beat of silence before she noticed Faurosk seemed to want to say something. She wondered if it would be a question about the magic, or the sailing, or where she'd been for the past few years...

Oh. Straight to the heart of that particular elephant, then. The bard-turned-pirate felt her heart clench painfully in her chest as she remembered the day he was referring to. It had been a rainy evening in Elbion, and he'd invited her to see the college at sunset the next day. At the time, she had happily accepted, but that night she could barely sleep. Her mind and heart had been racing, and she hadn't understood why she was so panicked. So, that morning, just before sunrise after a night of no sleep, she'd done what Rainie does best.

She'd taken the first job that came to mind, and she ran.

Years had passed since then, and she'd had plenty of time to reflect on what had her so off-kilter that night.

She really was a complete idiot.

Her first instinct was to offer an excuse, but she tamped down the urge. Instead, she clasped the elbow she clung to with both hands, pressed a little closer and whispered, "Thank you. And... I'm sorry." Her eyes were trained ahead and slightly down, and even she could admit to herself that she was too ashamed to meet his eye. After a beat, she cleared her throat and took on a lighter tone. "And, well, if it makes you feel any better, the job was... far more trouble than it was worth," She declared airily. It was the understatement of the century, but Faurosk didn't know that.

Eyes trained ahead, Rainie gently tugged her wizard to one side to allow a cart to pass and searched desperately for a safer topic. The current line of conversation was probably the last thing she wanted to speak about. Especially since she was already using these stolen moments to distract her heart from the inevitable grief that laid directly ahead (and a little to the left).

Eventually she settled on something easy. "What's the good news you hope to bring home?" She blurted before he could drop another fireball directly on her.

 

[Faurosk]

Words were almost lost beneath the rumble of that passing carriage, an olive branch of, "You'll have to tell me about that trouble sometime." His mouth opened over another thought before that, too, was muted; This time by the very pirate he walked alongside.

"A family in the Inner City believes they can make use of my service, just while I'm passing through. Something about damaged masonry." Faurosk reached up to scratch his beard before giving Rainie a glance. "I've gotten better about shaping stone. It's quite impressive," he stated drolly, feigning boredom so pure that it terminated in a yawn.

"I'm tempted to ask where you learned that trick with your coin purse. For how averse you were to learning from me, I can only imagine you've found a more persuasive teacher." Because, clearly, wizardry is the only way to make bags float. He knew better than that by now, but that's no reason not to take a jab at himself for her benefit.

 

[Rainie]

"And he's humble," She swooned at his bragging with quite a bit of drama, clinging to his arm as if her knees had grown weak. Giggling, she righted herself and went on to correct him in a blasé tone. "It's actually far more dull than that. No other wizards have swept this skeptical bard off her feet in your absence, don't fret," She teased. "But, here, look."

With that, she held out her free hand where he could see it, humming merrily under her breath. With a graceful flutter of fingers and a muted ta-da! tiny fireworks issued noiselessly from her palm. Sparkles of purple, red and blue erupted from thin air, then were whisked away without a trace. The moment they were gone, she did a one-handed jazz-hand.

"Are you impressed? Surely you're impressed," She joked easily, laughing to herself. "Really though, no teacher, just research, which turned into studying," she said this with no small amount of vitriol. "It was purely by accident, really. And then there was-" She paused, reconsidering. "Well, never mind."

"I suspect we have a lot of catching up to do," She began hesitantly, peering up at him through her lashes before swiftly looking away. "Are you truly just passing through, or will you still be in town tomorrow?" She wondered, tone carefully light.

 

[Faurosk]

The beard had lent him a serious advantage in their little game of jabs and flirtation, and for a time, it seemed Faurosk was set to win. That fortune began to change with her counterfeit swooning, and only slipped further and further away with every passing remark and show of magic. For the bard, scattered as her thoughts may be, might have noticed that his ears began turning red in the stead of his now concealed cheeks.

Liar that he was, keeping his blushing hidden had been the only edge in keeping that deadpan steady!

"That's quite astonishing," he openly admired, gesturing to the open air left in her illusion's wake. "Most mages disrespect the value of such an... Illumination. But put that power in your hands, a show-woman to the bone?"

He visibly shuddered, arms going stiff to his sides. "The winds themselves quaver at the possibilities!"
A laugh eased the wizard down from such a dramatic high, and he looked down to Rainie, peering past her lashes and to those amethyst eyes that refused to meet his own.

"I hadn't been planning to stay for long," he confessed with an open shrug. "But that can change. Tomorrow, now that's a day I can promise you. You owe me quite a few stories, after all, and I've got quite the collection to share myself." A proud smile dawned across his face, and the man looked younger. Livelier. As though much of his life still laid before him and not, in fact, wasted behind in fruitless pursuits.

"I'm quite the adventurer these days." As if.

 

[Rainie]

Rainie smiled softly and guided them down a short, narrow alleyway. "I believe it," She told him ruefully. "I look forward to hearing all about it." Her steps grew slower, shorter. Ahead of them was a quaint, faded shop. It seemed to be painted a pale, sky blue. But under that chipping paint there was a coat of baby pink, and under that still, one could find traces of saffron yellow. As if the shop's owner had never settled on a color, or was prone to boredom and flights of fancy. There was no sign, and the post jutted, empty, from the outer wall. The windows were dim, but smoke issued from the chimney.

The pirate's pace eventually slowed to a stop, eyes staring blankly across the street at the little building. She didn't say anything for a time, just standing there and staring. When nothing changed, she shook herself out of it and smiled up at her companion. "Well, this is me," She whispered. She hadn't meant to speak so softly, but it seemed to be all she was capable of at the moment.

 

[Faurosk]

That slowing pace could only mean one thing. When Rainie's steps came to their end, Faurosk stopped beside her.

Her whisper tugged his expression into a tight look of focus, the sort that only ever stands in place of a frown. Clever eyes cataloged the building's details, filing them away and comparing them to memories long spoiled. Had he ever walked this road before? Likely enough, yes, but standing there, he could hardly recall.

"I can stand her as long as you need," the wizard offered lowly, his voice only a bit louder than her own. "Until you're ready."

 

[Rainie]

A breath that could have been a laugh expelled from her nose. Faurosk had already delayed going to do a job to fit her for a dress, walk her home in the complete opposite direction he was needed, and now he was offering to delay even longer. She really... didn't deserve him.

Wordlessly, she thunked her head on his arm, selfishly stealing a bit more contact before letting him go. Stepping back, she fussed with her hair again, took a deep breath in, and let it out. Finally, she gave him a sunny smile.

"I'll be alright, I promise." She assured him. "So, tomorrow. Do you want me to come to you, or shall I wait for you here? Not too early, mind you, but we could do... brunch?" Her features pinched in thought for a moment, remembering very clearly that there weren't many places for 'brunch' in the Outer City. She tilted her head, then shrugged. "Or something else, I suppose it doesn't matter."

As she awaited his answer, she reached out a hand for her bag, which he still carried.

 

[Faurosk]

Her bag was handed off, and with it came a one-armed embrace. Awkward, gentle, and entirely too brief, it lasted only a moment before Faurosk stepped back in kind. Despite feelings being whatever they may, both of the fools had business to attend to. So it was that he forced a smile and set one of his feet halfway behind the other.

"Lunch it is," he agreed with some modification. "I'll come by midday. We can head to the Raven's Rest, fetch something to eat and a comfortable corner." A local bar could seldom hurt, and the Rest had been a stalwart ally across his many trips back through Alliria.

His jaw opened over words that failed to come, his vocal cords stuttering to silence as he met Rainie's eyes. Setting aside whatever he'd hoped to say, he instead gave her a sympathetic pat on the arm, his hand lingering there.

"Don't be too hard on yourself in the meantime, alright? ... I'll see you tomorrow."