MabFaerie
Faerie Queen
Peering up at an overcast sky, Winter De’Lune wondered for a moment if this gig was really worth the coin that Courier had talked it up as.
Antsy and anxious, the fumbling messenger had nearly gotten himself stabbed as he shoved a slip of parchment towards the young Bretons chest.
“The Jarl of Markarth is looking for a brave adventurer like yourself, M’lady. Surely you have time to spare for a noble quest?”
“Does this noble quest-I can’t believe you actually just called it that-involve noble quantities of coin as a reward?” Winter raised an eyebrow, her expression sat somewhere between bored and annoyed yet the Courior seemed unfazed.
“Riches beyond your wildest dreams, M’lady!”
“……Uhuh.” Winter cleared her throat and let the silence that followed hang in the air, her discontent needed no words.
Quickly, the Courier straightened up, realizing that exaggerations would get him nowhere,
“Ahem. Tis but a humble sum for a humble request, Madam.”
“So I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then?”
“I do not have exact details, good hero, but I’m sure if you would only meet with the Jarl, he would be happy to answer your questions in good time.”
“I’ll think about it.” The black heared beauty replied, heading off towards the direction of town without so much as a second glance behind.
Halfway to town, Winter gave pause. Curiosity getting the best of her, she pulled out the crumpled bit of parchment she had shoved in her cloak pocket before and actually stopped long enough to read it properly.
Details were scarce and muddied at best, but it seemed that the Jarl was requesting aid in the extermination of some wild animals that had been attacking villagers somewhere off the main roads.
Winter snorted and crumpled up the note, tossing it behind her shoulder carelessly,
“A noble quest my ass—“
“Hello.” A quiet voice interrupted her, catching her off guard but only for a moment.
Turning to face the source of the noise with one sword drawn, she found herself towering over a small red haired little girl.
“Hi, kid. What do you want?” Winter asked, eyeing the small girl up and down and feeling decidedly underwhelmed. Figuring she was of no threat, Winter returned her sword to its hilt and stared at the small girl expectantly.
“You shouldn’t just throw things away like that. Parchment can be reused, many potions that require a material component made of parchment don’t actually need the material to be blank so it doesn’t matter if there’s words on it or not. It all melts down just the same.” The small redhaired girl piped up, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, Winter could tell she wanted to be helpful but she mostly just came off as annoying, at least as far as the Breton was concerned.
“Lovely! You feel free to go on and keep it then. No, no, don’t thank me, it was my pleasure.” Winter forced a smile that looked more like a threat, accompanied by fake enthusiasm, it kind of made her face hurt.
“Okay, I will!” The girl replied cheerfully, clutching at the slip of parchment, seeming to regard it as a cherished gift instead of the crumpled heap of trash that Winter viewed it as.
Without so much as a goodbye, Winter turned heel and fled, putting as much distance between her and the odd little girl as possible. She didn’t have time for kids, quirky or otherwise.
Entering into Markarth a bit before mid-day, Winter took her time restocking supplies, having wasted a fair portion of them on her last expedition south, in search of the fabled Dawnguard. They were a hard group to find, if they even existed at all, and the rumors so far had led to one disappointment after the next.
It was nightfall before Winter had finished acquiring her provisions. The urge to skip town and keep up her search was tempting, but so was the thought of lining her pockets with easy coin from slaying a feral hound or two.
In the end, greed won and Winter made her way towards the Jarls hall to meet with him about the subject of his summons.
Finding the hall clear of occupants save for a stray guard or two, Winter made her way further in, stopping just short of his meeting room, surprised to overhear an oddly familiar voice.
“My lord, I implore you to look past my obvious physical inexperience and grant me the opportunity I deserve. I assure you, I am entirely capable of accomplishing the task of which you ask me, my age is of little consequence—“
“I will not send a child to her doom, little girl. You are mistaken if you believe I would allow you to travel the depths of a dangerous place all alone.”
“Then you would allow me to go accompanied?” The girl raised an eyebrow, attempting to catch the man with his own words.
“Child, eh, Lilumae, was it? Yes, Lilumae, I appreciate your willingness to cooperate and respect your desire to help those in need, but I simply cannot allow you to risk your life and limb on a meager attempt to—“
“You’re summoning adventurers to clear out a cave, not a fight a war. Don’t you think you should just take what you get?” Stepping in to interrupt, Winter laid eyes on the familiar redhead from earlier.
Of course it would be her. She must have read the flyer once Winter had left.
A look of annoyance flashed across the Jarls face as her turned to face the black haired figure who would be so bold as to interrupt the Jarl mid-conversation, “Are you, whoever you may be, implying that I should send a little girl into battle in place of able-bodied men?”
“Winter De’Lune, at your service, M'lord. And the last I checked a couple of wolves didn’t much qualify as a massive bloodletting. Let the child get her trophy-kill. It’s not as if it’s difficult. Besides, I don’t see any able-bodied men here, Jarl. Do you?”
“I’m not sure I like what you’re implying, Mistress De’lune.”
“I’m not implying anything. I just think that if you’re not willing to get your hands bloody, you shouldn’t throw stones at the people who are. If it bothers you so much, I’ll help the girl. I’ll go with her.”
“I’ve had enough of this insolence. You have some nerve!”
“And a ton of courage too. More so than anyone in this town if the list of “hero’s” who’ve come to offer you their aid is any indication.” Winter raised a hand to gesture at the barren, empty hall. It was quite obvious that no one was lining up for the chance to complete the Jarls request. She half-wondered if the girl, Lilumae, had been the first person to show face all day.
“I think we’re quite through, Lady De’Lune. Find me more able-bodied adventurers to assist you in this task and perhaps, PERHAPS, I will reconsider funding the expedition. Otherwise, leave me to my troubles.”
“They sound awfully self-inflicted to me.” Winter muttered beneath her breath, a foul mood settling in like quiet fog on the precipice.
“Good Day, Lady De’lune. Lady Hime.” The Jarl said nothing further as he issued the two girls out of his sight with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“Find me more adventurers.” Winter spat the moment they were clear of earshot. “Sure, that’s what he says. Find me more MEN, now that’s what he really meant.” The thought irked Winter to no end. She refused to be second-guessed just because she was a woman, he had no right!
“Come on, kid. Let’s hit the tavern. Surely there’s some young lad who could use some coin to line his pockets. We’ll get us to that cave just yet, you’ll see!”
Antsy and anxious, the fumbling messenger had nearly gotten himself stabbed as he shoved a slip of parchment towards the young Bretons chest.
“The Jarl of Markarth is looking for a brave adventurer like yourself, M’lady. Surely you have time to spare for a noble quest?”
“Does this noble quest-I can’t believe you actually just called it that-involve noble quantities of coin as a reward?” Winter raised an eyebrow, her expression sat somewhere between bored and annoyed yet the Courior seemed unfazed.
“Riches beyond your wildest dreams, M’lady!”
“……Uhuh.” Winter cleared her throat and let the silence that followed hang in the air, her discontent needed no words.
Quickly, the Courier straightened up, realizing that exaggerations would get him nowhere,
“Ahem. Tis but a humble sum for a humble request, Madam.”
“So I’ll take that as a ‘no’, then?”
“I do not have exact details, good hero, but I’m sure if you would only meet with the Jarl, he would be happy to answer your questions in good time.”
“I’ll think about it.” The black heared beauty replied, heading off towards the direction of town without so much as a second glance behind.
Halfway to town, Winter gave pause. Curiosity getting the best of her, she pulled out the crumpled bit of parchment she had shoved in her cloak pocket before and actually stopped long enough to read it properly.
Details were scarce and muddied at best, but it seemed that the Jarl was requesting aid in the extermination of some wild animals that had been attacking villagers somewhere off the main roads.
Winter snorted and crumpled up the note, tossing it behind her shoulder carelessly,
“A noble quest my ass—“
“Hello.” A quiet voice interrupted her, catching her off guard but only for a moment.
Turning to face the source of the noise with one sword drawn, she found herself towering over a small red haired little girl.
“Hi, kid. What do you want?” Winter asked, eyeing the small girl up and down and feeling decidedly underwhelmed. Figuring she was of no threat, Winter returned her sword to its hilt and stared at the small girl expectantly.
“You shouldn’t just throw things away like that. Parchment can be reused, many potions that require a material component made of parchment don’t actually need the material to be blank so it doesn’t matter if there’s words on it or not. It all melts down just the same.” The small redhaired girl piped up, all bright eyed and bushy tailed, Winter could tell she wanted to be helpful but she mostly just came off as annoying, at least as far as the Breton was concerned.
“Lovely! You feel free to go on and keep it then. No, no, don’t thank me, it was my pleasure.” Winter forced a smile that looked more like a threat, accompanied by fake enthusiasm, it kind of made her face hurt.
“Okay, I will!” The girl replied cheerfully, clutching at the slip of parchment, seeming to regard it as a cherished gift instead of the crumpled heap of trash that Winter viewed it as.
Without so much as a goodbye, Winter turned heel and fled, putting as much distance between her and the odd little girl as possible. She didn’t have time for kids, quirky or otherwise.
Entering into Markarth a bit before mid-day, Winter took her time restocking supplies, having wasted a fair portion of them on her last expedition south, in search of the fabled Dawnguard. They were a hard group to find, if they even existed at all, and the rumors so far had led to one disappointment after the next.
It was nightfall before Winter had finished acquiring her provisions. The urge to skip town and keep up her search was tempting, but so was the thought of lining her pockets with easy coin from slaying a feral hound or two.
In the end, greed won and Winter made her way towards the Jarls hall to meet with him about the subject of his summons.
Finding the hall clear of occupants save for a stray guard or two, Winter made her way further in, stopping just short of his meeting room, surprised to overhear an oddly familiar voice.
“My lord, I implore you to look past my obvious physical inexperience and grant me the opportunity I deserve. I assure you, I am entirely capable of accomplishing the task of which you ask me, my age is of little consequence—“
“I will not send a child to her doom, little girl. You are mistaken if you believe I would allow you to travel the depths of a dangerous place all alone.”
“Then you would allow me to go accompanied?” The girl raised an eyebrow, attempting to catch the man with his own words.
“Child, eh, Lilumae, was it? Yes, Lilumae, I appreciate your willingness to cooperate and respect your desire to help those in need, but I simply cannot allow you to risk your life and limb on a meager attempt to—“
“You’re summoning adventurers to clear out a cave, not a fight a war. Don’t you think you should just take what you get?” Stepping in to interrupt, Winter laid eyes on the familiar redhead from earlier.
Of course it would be her. She must have read the flyer once Winter had left.
A look of annoyance flashed across the Jarls face as her turned to face the black haired figure who would be so bold as to interrupt the Jarl mid-conversation, “Are you, whoever you may be, implying that I should send a little girl into battle in place of able-bodied men?”
“Winter De’Lune, at your service, M'lord. And the last I checked a couple of wolves didn’t much qualify as a massive bloodletting. Let the child get her trophy-kill. It’s not as if it’s difficult. Besides, I don’t see any able-bodied men here, Jarl. Do you?”
“I’m not sure I like what you’re implying, Mistress De’lune.”
“I’m not implying anything. I just think that if you’re not willing to get your hands bloody, you shouldn’t throw stones at the people who are. If it bothers you so much, I’ll help the girl. I’ll go with her.”
“I’ve had enough of this insolence. You have some nerve!”
“And a ton of courage too. More so than anyone in this town if the list of “hero’s” who’ve come to offer you their aid is any indication.” Winter raised a hand to gesture at the barren, empty hall. It was quite obvious that no one was lining up for the chance to complete the Jarls request. She half-wondered if the girl, Lilumae, had been the first person to show face all day.
“I think we’re quite through, Lady De’Lune. Find me more able-bodied adventurers to assist you in this task and perhaps, PERHAPS, I will reconsider funding the expedition. Otherwise, leave me to my troubles.”
“They sound awfully self-inflicted to me.” Winter muttered beneath her breath, a foul mood settling in like quiet fog on the precipice.
“Good Day, Lady De’lune. Lady Hime.” The Jarl said nothing further as he issued the two girls out of his sight with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“Find me more adventurers.” Winter spat the moment they were clear of earshot. “Sure, that’s what he says. Find me more MEN, now that’s what he really meant.” The thought irked Winter to no end. She refused to be second-guessed just because she was a woman, he had no right!
“Come on, kid. Let’s hit the tavern. Surely there’s some young lad who could use some coin to line his pockets. We’ll get us to that cave just yet, you’ll see!”