*Cassae's POV*
"I can do that. Would you want it over lapping like dragon scales, or would you prefer it interlocked like the armor is, and sewn to the coat?" I asked. "Otherwise it could be applied like a sort of pin and be removable. It can also be clear glass, as to appear nothing is on it."
"More along the lines of, I wouldn't want it detected at all." He answered.
"I see. Would it need to be attached to the coat, then? It is fine enough to fit under most clothing." I said, tilting my head. "Though, I suppose a customer is always right in matters of taste."
"I would like the layer of protection without the concern of multiple layers every day." He said.
I nodded, "Makes sense, I suppose. I shall be working on things within the week. You've saved me some time, so I'll be able to get to work faster. I'll work on some practice things and once I have something acceptable together I will bring you the results, how about that?"
"Sounds like an excellent idea." Vincent said.
"I've got some shirts you can practice with." Bryna said. "I've outgrown them."
"That would be lovely." I replied.
"Have you ever made a mask out of Glassteel?" Adelaide asked suddenly.
"No. My people are claustrophobic. But such a thing can be done easily enough." I said. "I did experiment with a few different jewelry types before."
"I believe I would live a stylized mask of this material." Adelaide said.
"If you know someone who can sketch, or give me a good description, I can make it. I would just have to measure the contours of your face." I told her. "You can also choose different colors, too. Glass can be made into any color and Glassteel keeps it's glass color."
"I know just the person to get this sketch done, my daughter is an excellent artist." She said.
"Art is a wonderful skill to have." I replied.
"I agree. I wish she would do more of it, but she is very busy." Adelaide noted.
"That's a shame. I'm not particularly good at sketching or drawing." I told her, "I always admire the ability."
"By looks of it, your artestry lies in glass crafting." Adelaide replied.
"Much to my father's initial dismay, yes." I acknowledged. "He preferred a son to teach."
"Unfortunately, some men are just like that." She replied.
I nodded. Vincent got the kits together that I'd requested and I paid him for them. Bryna thought I would need a bag of some sort to carry my purchases, the fabric, the sewing kit and glassblower's tools. She hadn't seemed to notice I wasn't carrying the Elven Pillows I'd had ealier, either. It wasn't that I'd left it, rather I had an alternate means of carrying things. And if I'd known I would be teleported from home I would have taken as much as I could have and put it inside my dimensional ring.
It had been a gift from Varis before I'd received my adult name. I had only worn it on a necklace before, never seeing a need for it. As it was, it had been empty for years. I stored all of my purchases within. It was an odd thing that I'd kept, since I'd found my husband so distasteful. But I had cherished his friendship for a century. It was a shame we were incompatible in marriage, more so that he was dead. I never hated him, I just hadn't been connected to him. Even intimacy was simply duty between us, not the act of becoming closer or bonding that it had meant to be.
Either way, my revelation of the item had surprised the girl and she curiously asked many questions in relation to it. I explained it to her as best I could. When I told her it'd been a gift from my late husband she'd apologized for prying. We'd headed back up the stairs and were leaving Hearthstone Town when the green crystal substance that'd been on my wing crumbled off of it. I figured that meant I could fly again. Once we were outside of the town, Bryna looked at me thoughtfully. Then looked at her friend, Thomas.
"I would like to go hunt in the forest, you know your way back, right?" Bryna asked, after turning back to me.
"Yes. I do." I acknowledged.
"I know it may be confusing to speak with Tilton, he's not a very honest person, and I can't say why he's so concerned for you and Lael.. but when he said he'll make tea when you return, he was hoping for you to return today." She said. "Hell, he may even suspect that you would because you don't have any other place to go yet. He's a sweet and kind man if you ignore the biting words. He doesn't mean harm, most usually."
"You seem to know him quite well." I said, confused as to why this child was speaking like this.
"Yeah, I knew him almost four hundred years ago before I died. My death and something else scarred him immensely. But he seems to be coming around to his old self since I was reborn." She explained.
"It is kind of you to try and.. straighten up his communication." I said. "However, I don't intend to rely on him."
"Then don't. But he'll feel really guilty if he realizes he wasn't clear.. If you could consider at least visiting him?" Bryna said, looking up at me through her eye lashes.
"I personally think I would bring him more discomfort than either of us would appreciate, but I will be speaking to him at some point anyways." I told her.
She smiled and said, "I hope you'll do so today. See you soon." She then took Thomas' hand and walked into the woods with him. "Come on, Thomas, we'll hunt some dinner for Daddy, Kershka, us, and your mom."
I heard the boy agree to her plans as they got deeper into the trees. I walked back to town with Lael with no real purpose in mind. I felt lost, I wasn't sure what to do. This place was drastically different than what I'm used to.
I really needed to actually have a sit with someone from around gere and figure out exactly what things are like around here, but I had no idea who to trust with it. Clearly Bryna would have me trust Tilton. If it was just me, I wouldn't mind rolling the dice. But it wasn't.
Tilton, the Goblin, Kershka, and the kids were merely the first people I came to. They helped me, and I was indebted to them, but that didn't mean I could simply trust them. It would be foolish to do so. But I was getting more curious about what was going on back home. I'd already decided to not go back, but I did have family still. I decided to check the general goods supply about long distance communication items.
Once I got to the town I entered and went towards the shop. Just before I got to it, a human man stopped me.
"Hey, um, would you like to grab a drink with me?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. He wasn't a short man, we looked to be of the same height. I wasn't sure if he was muscular or not, human bodies tend to be broader than an Elf's body. His hair was brown and his eyes were blue.
"For what purpose?" I asked, adjusting Lael.
"To get to know each other, it doesn't need to be right now.." He said.
"I'm not interested." I replied.
"But.. well.. Alright." He said slowly before waking away. He seemed frustrated.
I was sure that would end that. I entered Tibins's store then, he reacted in a friendly manner, and I asked him, "What do you have for long distance communication?"
"I have a few long distance communication things, what range are you looking for?" Tibin asked.
"Probably interplanar." I answered.
"Well, in that case, I have this here," Tibin replied, taking a small item out of a box from his back shelf and showing it to me. It was a tiny purple crystal stud earring. "It's useable only once a day, and you must know the person for it to work. This would be seventy-five gold."
I hesitated, but ultimately bought it, thanking the man and giving him the money in exchange. He then explained more on how to use it. I wasn't particularly interested in going back to Tilton's home. I really wasn't. But Bryna's words played in my head, how he'd feel bad if I didn't return. It gave me decision paralysis. As I left the store Lael awoke. I decided to fly, then. I used a wind spell to lift myself harmlessly into the air by twenty feet, then I flew towards the mountains passing over Tilton's home.
It felt so good to be flying again. I dangled Lael to let him stretch his own wings. I was heading to check out the town atop the mountains. Once the air got colder, I tucked Lael against myself to keep him warm. It didn't take long for me to find the Goblinoid settlement. It was a quaint town. The guards went on guard, so I landed outside their gate, and once they confirmed I meant no harm, they let me inside. I walked around the place, there were several homes and multiple kinds of goblins and goblinoids in the area. Goblins, Hobgoblins and Bugbears are the most common goblinoids, but there are subtypes within the species, like for Elves.
I walked around curiously before a particularly large and muscular Hobgoblin approached, greeting me warmly and introducing himself as Hobsnar. The leader of this town. We chatted for some time, I asked him about particular compounds that could be found in the area and explained to him about my Glassteel crafts. He may not know yet, but iron had an increased chance of shattering at higher altitudes. He did know of the oxides and such I needed for my craft, and we could work out in the future the exchanging of the properties. This town, called Ur Darmor, was a mining town.
With the meeting of them out of the way, I flew back towards Dueling Rivers. It was beginning to become late, the sun would be setting in a few hours time. I had a decision to make, and I wasn't sure what the best one would be. There was an Inn in Hearthstone Town, and in Dueling Rivers. Faced with this decision again, I landed near the gates to walk inside town. We went to the Tavern for a meal, as that's what was recommended. As soon as the impulse to order Tilton a meal as well crossed my mind, I was able to make up my mind.
Having not ordered yet, I left the Tavern and picked up some ingredients from the market. Perhaps it was presumptuous of me, but it's what I'd decided to do. After making the purchases and storing it in my dimensional ring, I headed to Tilton's house. I felt uncomfortable with this decision. But Lael seemed excited, which made me smile. I started to feel immensely stupid walking towards his house. Just because of Bryna's words. She was just a little human child. How had she persuaded me so?
Setting aside the thought, I tentatively knocked on his front door. I was not really a guest and didn't feel right just opening the door. Lael looked at me confused. I smiled at him in response. Tilton came and opened the door after a few seconds.
"Welcome back." He said. "I suspect you two have had quite the eventful day."
"Lael played with Alexander and Sylvia's kids, and I have many orders for Glassteel things already." I said. "Balnur is allowing me to finish building and then rent his outside furnace, where Bit's and Bobs will be installing a kiln for me."
"Eventful indeed." Tilton replied. "Well, I do believe I offered a cup of tea upon your return."
"You had. And Bryna insisted you intended for Lael and I to come back." I said. Lael half lunged forward at Tilton, causing me to lose hold of him.
Tilton caught him easily, "Indeed I had. I have problems making certain things clear. This has been brought to my attention."
"I suppose I could have also been clearer." I said, watching Lael wave his hands at Tilton with a big grin. "Shall I cook a meal?"
"I had planned to do so, but it would seem someone has other plans." He said.
"He was excited to come see you." I replied. "Our father didn't show him much attention."
"How unfortunate." He said. "A father should not ignore his children." He took a step inside to let me in, and I shut the door behind me.
"I don't disagree. But that is our culture back home. The women mind the children and the men do not." I explained.
"All cultures are different. I cannot say which is right or wrong." He said. "But it's my firm belief that children should have a father's hand in raising them. That is a bond too many miss by choice." He made the bubbles appear again and Lael squealed with delight.
I smiled and said, "I share your opinion."
"I will go and get the tea started." He said, then handed Lael a small stone, ":If you spin with that the bubbles will follow you.:" He then set Lael on the floor to play.
Lael decided to follow him when he walked away. So I headed to the kitchen to cook. I got a meal going that would take some time to finish. At least an hour. Then I went to find Tilton. The tea he'd promised was brewing and he was keeping Lael entertained. I smiled, then approached them, giving Lael an Elven Pillow, and offering Tilton one.
"I find these treats distasteful, yet delicious. I have heard to many jokes already." Tilton said, though he accepted the treat.
I said, "Jokes?" I pondered on it for a moment and said, "I suppose you are the only Elf in Dueling Rivers."
"Well, I am for now. There were a couple of trouble makers here some time ago but the were.. let's say chased off." Tilton told me.
"..How did that occur?" I asked after a moment.
"Well, apparently they were being extremely.. hostile. And the newly formed town Hearthstone's mayor, Sarial, removed his tongue." Tilton said.
"Ah. I had met her and James today. I did not think she was the sort." I said.
"Indeed, she does not seem the type. But I can assure you, she is more than willing to cause harm to those who annoy her." He said.
"I suppose the texts I'd read did say humans have a tendancy towards violence. Then again, so do many Avariel." I said. "You're friend Snow is a fan of my sword."
"She is a fan of many things that are shiny." He responded.
Lael had eaten his treat and was busy playing. "Sylvia and Sienna said they will watch Lael for me while I fix up the outside forge." I told him.
"It is good to give them something to do." He said. "Especially Sylvia. I feel she's been antsy lately."
"Why would that be? Her little twins are adorable." I said. "And things in your town and that one seem peaceful."
"Indeed, but she is used to living in the Fey. I feel this mortal realm may be a little too mundane." He replied.
"Oh. I don't know much about the Fey, honestly. Nor the Material plane." I sighed.
"Just like anywhere else, they have their ups and downs. But in the Fey their up can be down." He told me.
I hesitated for a moment while he ate his treat, before he saw to the steeping tea. "I'll check on the meal. It won't take long." I assured him.
"Alright. I'll keep an eye on the little one." He said.
I nodded and went to check the food. It was coming along nicely. A little faster than I was used to, so I adjusted the heat. It made sense, of course. Because this wasn't a frozen mountain like my home. I returned to the room they were in. He'd set up some teacups when I returned.
".. I am anxious." I said to him.
"Tea can help with that." He said, handing me a cup of tea. "I imagine there are a great many things you may be anxious about. Can I relieve any of it?"
"I wonder if I should seek to help my people or not. I don't know if it would be right, because we are not a kind people. Like hawkes, but with higher reason to know better." I explained. "I don't know that I can be selfish to ignore their situation, even while I fear putting Lael back into a situation where he may be killed again."
"In what way are you looking to help your people? In convincing them to move or eliminating the threat against them?" He asked.
I clasped my hands together before me, "Killing all chromatic dragons isn't only stupid, but also cruel. Even if it was just kept to the ones who hunt us actively, others will replace them. Moving would be better to my point of view, but Avariel beliefs can be turned against others if we are not harrowed..."
"I would certainly not wish to harrow your entire people, but I do know a few people who could do it if necessary." He replied. "But that only comes into play if we can get them to move in the first place."
"The mountains, though I'd recommend far from Ur Darmor, is a biome similar to what we are accustomed to..." I said.
"Wolven Falls is certainly broad enough for more than one town." He noted.
"Do you.. think it is wise to help them?" I asked, taking a sip of the tea. It was a floral tea with warm spices to it, I closed my eyes enjoying the taste.
"I do not know your people, so it is difficult for me to say." He replied.
"Reasonable." I noted with a slight smile. "I am anxious about it, even with knowing them."
"That does not fill one with confidence." He said.
"I would imagine not." I replied, I looked at Lael who was still playing with the bubbles. "I wasn't going to concern myself with it, but I haven't been able to keep my mind off it."
"That's called having a conscience." He said. "It is possible to simply communicate with them and see what they may want to do."
"I did decide to get an item that could allow me to do so." I replied.
"I would not recommend telling them where you are until you decide what to do." He told me.
"I doubt they would care where Lael and I are. Those I had been close to were.. eaten by dragons." I sighed at the fact. "There are others, probably, that can perform my duties there. Though, storm sorcery isn't common anongst us."
"Storm sorcery?" He asked.
"Yes." I said, lifting my hand and turning my palm to face upwards. I summoned a contained gale that did little more than create a small gentle breeze past my palm. The gale evolved into a squall, which brought thunder within seconds, and I closed my hand to a fist, squelching it.
"Now that is some interesting bit of magic." He said.
"I was meant to cause a significant storm to assault the dragon the day we met, but Lael was crying so much that I traded places with another to comfort him and remain near him." I explained, guilt in my eyes. "I should have been at my post. Not that I believe that would have changed the outcome."
"This is not meant to sound rude, but I believe if you had tried to tackle a dragon with this storm, then it would have resulted in your death." He said.
"I nearly died regardless, and Lael had." I said. "It had been a successful tactic in the past with other dragons."
"Yes, but thanks to your actions you are both still alive, and here, in relative safety." He said. "There's never a point in wondering 'what if'. I've spent years pondering such things. It does nothing."
"The guilt remains." I stated in a soft voice.
"I wish I could say otherwise, but it will remain for quite some time." He replied.
I looked back at Lael, who turned his gaze towards the two of us. He smiled at us and waved his hands. I smiled in response. ":Lael is a silly baby, aren't you?:"
Lael laughed in response, grinning. He walked over to Tilton and affectionately rubbed his face against him. He reached and tussled Lael's hair. "Let me be clear on something, you two will have a place to stay as long as you need it." Tilton said.
"Tilton, are you saying you'd prefer us to be here for as long as we need? Or are you offering yet another space that we could stay? As I understand it, Hearthstone Town offers such things and your own town has an Inn." I asked him directly.
"All of these are valid options." He said. "I understand staying in someone elses home can be uncomfortable for some. If you do not wish to stay here, then the Inn would probably be your next best bet. It is much closer to Bulnar's."
".. I would think you would be most uncomfortable with such a situation. Our organizational decisions appear to be quite similar, places you put certain things are where I would personally choose them to be. It's comfortable." I explained.
"Indeed, I was expecting to have to describe where a few things were, but I didn't have to." Tilton said, his tone light.
"Bryna said you are not an honest person." I told him.
"It has taken great effort to be as clear and concise as I can be at the moment." He replied.
I laughed and said, "You didn't even say she lied. That is very sweet."
"I have known that little.. child.. for many years. She torments me through most of it. But I don't know her to be a liar." He said.
I smiled at him and said, "I suspect dinner will be ready now, it's a simple meal, I'll go ready the table."
He looked down at Lael and said, ":Lael, it seems it is time to go eat.:"
I went and set up the table and served them a meal. Tilton had sat Lael at the table and gotten himself ready as well. We enjoyed the meal quietly, aside from the occasional giggle from Lael. Lael appeared to be very happy, nearly like if he'd forgotten our parents. If that was the case, should I remind him at all? I felt like I should wait until he's older. It was hard to make these decisions. And it was harder dealing with Tilton, when I supposed he must feel responsible for us in some way. I didn't understand it at all.
I didn't bother to make myself eat as much this time, instead I made sure Lael ate plenty. He had quite the appetite for his age and size. But I was glad of it. If he was being talkative again it would be just like before our parents had died. He's such a sweet baby. As soon as he was full he flopped against me, snuggling into me, then he looked at Tilton and went and gave him the same treatment. With a smile, I rose to tend the dirty dishes. After handling them, I started working with Lael in Common.
His being fluent in only two languages wasn't bad. Some babies weren't even fluent in one. Common wasn't even a language that was normally used back home. It was difficult to gage his comprehension when he wouldn't speak, though. So, I just used repitition as the best tool. I kept at it with him until he got sleepy. I took him upstairs and got him washed up, and then to bed. I sang to him until he fell asleep while removing my armor entirely and storing it. I went back downstairs then.
I went to find Tilton, he was in his study again. "Is there anything you'd like me to do?"
"No, everything is taken care of." He said.
"Alright. I'm going to do some sewing, then." I replied.
"Oh? What are you making?" Tilton asked.
"Clothing. I figured it would be more comfortable for us if I made them rather than purchased some. I doubt clothing around here allows for wings." I replied with a smile.
"I certainly don't remember coming across anything thay has wing accessibility." He agreed. "Although Tibin is quite skilled at getting anything someone may need."
"It's quite alright, I enjoy doing such things." I told him. "Do you want me nearby in case you have questions or want to talk? If not, I am perfectly fine giving you space."
"That's quite alright, I think you'll find that chair quite comfortable." He commented while pointing towards a cushioned arm chair.
Complying with his directions, I went to th chair and extended my wings so I could sit in the chair without discomfort. I then took the sewing kit and silks out of my dimensional ring. The silks I wasn't going to immediately work with I draped over my wings to keep from wrinkling them. Once I had myself set up I said, "You're right. It is comfortable."
"I have enjoyed that chair for many years." He said. "Only had to reupholster it twice."
"Thank you, then. For letting me use your chair." I said as I began setting pins in cloth for Lael new clothing. I couldn't keep him in just one outfit.
We'd settled into a comfortable silence. I wasn't paying attention to whatever he was doing, but at some point he'd begun humming a tune quietly. I stole a glance towards him without moving my head. He was reading some book, though the title wasn't within my sight. I smiled to myself before turning back to my work. I'd finished two outfits for Lael by now.
Our garments were often wrap around sorts or loose clothing. Like chiton, togas, sarongs and such for men. For women a stola, low back kimono, longer sarongs or backless dresses with slits on the sides up to the hips were common. Such as the stola I currently wore, it was fastened at my shoulders and loose on my body, during certain movements I could make, while not wearing armor, my skin would peek through. Not that there was much different in color from my porcelain skin to my white stola.
Since I'd finished the two for Lael, I started on one for myself. I wasn't planning on making it as long as my current garment, because the air was considerably warmer here. It wasn't necessary. As soon as I finished that thought, I felt a familiar sensation in the air, though it was warmer than I was accustomed to. It would storm tomorrow. Which would get in the way of what I intended to do. I frowned a little over it, and in my distracted state, managed to prick myself. I didn't react much aside from taking a sharp breath.
Without looking up, he said, "There is a pouch on the left side of the chair that contains small strips of linen. You may use it to treat your needle wound."
"Very well." I said, obeying his directive only because it was actually bleeding. "Did you have any plans tomorrow?"
"After my morning duties, not in particular." He replied.
"It's going to storm pretty significantly starting in a few hours. It may flood the next day." I told him.
"Is this knowledge a sense of yours, or part of your storm magic?" He asked.
".. It is likely knowledge that occurs to me because of my storm storcery. Normally this feeling means a blizzard that will last several days." I td him. "But this is a warmer climate, so it'll be rain instead. I don't feel electricity being built up. But wind may be an issue."
"I will inform the dwarven guild to get some earthen walls erected to prevent flooding." Tilton decided.
"Should Hearthstone Town be warned? They are at a lower elevation." I noted.
"Sarial has prepared for a great many things, but I don't know if she's prepared for flooding." Tilton noted, closing his book. "I suppose I will go and let her know, or at least tell someone from over there."
I tilted my head slightly, curious, and said, "Alright.. You didn't say that I should redirect it.."
He looked at me with a raised eyebrow and said, "And you didn't say that you could redirect it, and here I am making plans like a fool."
"I can redirect it, but it can do as much harm as good." I told him, then explained, "It would mean more flooding elsewhere and the next time a large storm comes it'll hit harder, or a drought could occur."
"Then I would rather face it as nature intended only with the warning provided make preparations in advance." He said.
I smiled brightly at him and said, "Thank you."
"Have I done some sort of favor for you?" He asked.