[The Bronze Wood] First Time for Everything (Sturlin)

[Eris]

Eris smiled in return. Not one of her usual, half-hearted smirks or polite upturning of the corners of her lips, but a genuine smile that lit up her face. She nodded and went back to stroking Mister Pickles. As her hand moved across the cat’s back, her elbow bumped against the satchel laying beside her. The normally soft bag felt surprisingly hard. Puzzled, she untied the strings holding the bag closed and looked inside.

She had forgotten about the sculpture. She drew out the cherry sculpture, turning it around in her hands reflectively. The marble felt cool against her skin and stray beams of light reflected off the smooth surface. She now looked at it not as a curious bit of magic, but as a piece of art. “Thank you for this,” she said with another smile, “It’s beautiful.”

She heard Rhine emit another high-pitched whine and glanced ao the two horses who were now standing very close together and appeared to be necking. “Rhine and I should get going soon,” she said. “Before she starts thinking that it’s alright to start and intimate relationship with every stallion she meets.”

[Sturlin]

"You are welcome. Remember. Keep it safe. Some will recognize magic." A surge of pride filled his chest as he watched her examine the statuette. It was a satisfying thing, having someone compliment you on your work. Especially when your work had a bad tendency of killing people when you got it wrong. Little things like that made him appreciate his successes.

With effort he forced himself to his feet. Though he was sure that Mister Pickles was in the mood to say something he pointedly refused to look at the smug cat. With effort he walked slowly over to her to offer her a helping hand up. "You are welcome. To visit I mean. Though I leave for Sahova. In the Summer. Perhaps we will meet. In the future. I am sorry. To see you go. But you have business. As do I. I understand."

[Eris]

Eris gave Mister Pickles one last pat before taking Sturlin’s hand and pulling herself up. Why do men always feel the need to commit these little acts of chivalry? Don’t tell me you don’t like being treated as a lady. Shut up. Eris hated when a voice in her head decided to strike up conversations with her, especially if that voice sounded suspiciously like her old teacher, Joel.

“I will stop by the next time I find myself in these parts,” she said with a nod. “And good luck in Sahova. I hope you find the magicians who can help you.”

“Time to go, Rhine,” she raised her voice by an octave so that the preoccupied horse could hear her.

She marched over to where Francis and Rhine were rubbing noses and pulled unceremoniously on the mare’s reigns. Rhine gave an offended snort, shaking her head as if trying to dislodge Eris’s grip on the reigns. Eris swung up into the saddle, feeling very at home all of a sudden. She patted the mare’s mane by way of apology for interrupting her liaison.

“Goodbye, Sturlin, Mister Pickles, Francis,” she said, nodding at each one in turn.

She gave Rhine’s sides a gentle kick and turned the mare in the general direction of where they had entered the camp. The two set off at a slow trot, quickly disappearing between the trees.

FIN

[Dusk]

XP Award! Eris XP Award: Observation: 1 XP, Stealth: 1 XP, Climbing: 1 XP, Wilderness Survival: 1 XP, Interrogation: 2 XP, Riding: 1 XP Lore Award: Playful Reimancy, A Magician's Motivation, Reimancy (Basic), Consequences of Magic Sturlin XP Award: Meditation: 1 XP, Interrogation: 2 XP, Tracking: 1 XP, Wilderness Survival: 1 XP Lore Award: Body positioning in a fight, A Killer's Motivation, Perverted Cats Additional Note Sorry for the delay!