Ah, Valorisa. The woman who was the heads to Donovan's tails. Who was, the yin to his yang, and who was the calm to his storm. If ever, there was an opposite to what Donovan Dashraft was, Valorisa Dashraft, probably embodied it. She was calm, logical, fearless. A woman who never acted without reason. And who was indeed, flawless in her reason. As she had gone so long as both parent and sibling to her brother, that she had learned how to effortlessly and seamlessly transition between the two roles. A unique position, which thus gave this beautiful marten an even more unique understanding of what came with having to both be a sister and a mother. A perfect example, her need to have extreme patience, she had discovered. The marten then cringed, as she heard a disruptive knock on the door, whilst she reclined in the bay window. The silhouette of her lovely, slender-figured body. Of her pale mahogany fur and blonde hair glistening in the early morning sunlight while she warmed herself and listened to the meditative crash of waves as they splashed against the hull of the ship from outside...Mmm. Yes. She had been very relaxed, until a certain someone, she knew exactly who, started knocking on the door.
Valorisa growled irritably.
"Just a minute!" she called out, as she stood and marched over to the door. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She grumbled. The agitated female marten upon finally reaching the door, opened it only to find to find her brother anxiously waiting on the other side.
Valorisa rolled her eyes and motioned her brother inside as she found him waiting here. "So," she chided as he entered. "The prodigal brother returns. I take it you had fun, exploring the ship while I was here wondering where the dells you were, and if you were causing more trouble than you needed to? Hmm?"
"I didn't mean to worry you..."
"Well, you did."
"Sorry."
Valorisa sighed and waved her paw, dismissing the issue. "Forget it," she murmured, "it's over and done with and isn't important anymore. Besides, I'm more curious about what you were doing, while you were out. You didn't get into too much trouble, did you?"
Donovan shook his head as he was still trying to find the most diplomatic way to discuss the matter at hand. "No," he replied. "I didn't get into too much trouble, however, there is still something I need to talk to you about."
"Oh?"
Donovan nodded. "Yeah." he replied. "You remember those mustelargil and mustelargen coins that you used to pay for our passage over?"
"Yes..."
Donovan gulped. "Well...the reason I left the cabin, was so that I could try and steal them back."
"Donovan, you didn't!"
Donovan nodded. "I did." he whispered knowing it was impossible to lie to his sister. Especially in moments like these, when she had a blaze of righteous fury burning in her eyes. That was the worst time of all, to try and deceive or manipulate the otherwise calm and subdued, Valorisa Dashraft.
Donovan knew, it was best to just take the licks he had coming, and be done with it. So, he just continued down his chosen path, and explained what had happened after he'd tried to steal the coins. How, he'd never even gotten to the office of Severus Slayne to do the deed, because before he could, he had been enlisted to find the Prairie dog cleric, Colin Leonard. A man, who Donovan scarcely was able to describe, after all he'd witnessed. Though, he did his best to describe the marmot to Valorisa. How, he was a marmot who seemed to be uniquely attuned to the realms of the divine. How he was clearly gifted, with abilities that allowed him to do such things as cure otherwise untreatable ailments, exorcise demonic entities, and even speak to the beasts of the world. A gift, Donovan noted to his sister, that he then had been using to pay his way, while riding aboard the ship. A payment, which then was supposed to be returned in kind, the marten explained, by the return of a very precious artifact, that was being kept as collateral until the time at which this ship they were aboard, the Hoarfrost's Halberd, docked and made safe harbor.
Donovan sighed and shook his head, as he started to come to the thick of things. "How unfortunate," he grumbled, "that the captain of this vessel does not have the same high morals and scruples, that my new marmot colleague does." The marten upon expressing this to his sister, explained further, how Captain Gutgore was not exactly a man who you could trust to keep to his word. How in fact, instead of handing over the artifact as he'd promised he would, he had conveniently lost the sheet of paper which described what he was required to do, in his covenant with Colin. An act the young marten explained, which then gave the polar bear room to re-negotiate the terms of the agreement so that Colin would only receive the artifact, after he had first performed a near impossible feat for the polar bear.
Donovan sighed and cast a glance over to his sister. "And that..." he declared quietly, "...is why I put my nose in it, so to speak. Not because I was seeking trouble or adventure this time, but because I simply couldn't stand to watch while someone who was far more selfless than I've ever been, got taken advantage of by an unscrupulous ursan corsair. Does that make sense?"
Valorisa raised a brow and nodded.
"Yes..." she murmured; a bit surprised to hear her brother speak this way. "Though I must say, I am a bit startled to hear you take such a mature approach to things. Usually, you rush into things recklessly without even a second thought to how it will affect others. I'm a bit surprised to see you inserting yourself into others affairs not for your own benefit, but for theirs. It makes me proud of you Donovan. Maybe you were right. Maybe this voyage will be good for you after all."
"You think so?"
"Mmm-hmm. I do. Though, I do have one question. How do you know this Colin person isn't part of this whole thing as well? How do you know he wasn't part of this elaborate scheme, and that everything including this so-called artifact, weren't cooked up just for you and your benefit?"
"Because."
"Because why?"
Donovan smirked. "Because...of Dylan Frostwood." he elucidated. "That beautiful ermine consort of Gutgore's whose word I would trust until the last hour of time. I could tell even as I listened to her speak, that no one else on this ship can hold a candle to her intelligence, aside from probably me or Colin. She figured out all on her own, that the writing on the artifact was a mix of Musteladonian age Erminic and First Age Balanic. She decoded the text herself, and found it not only genuine, but that it also pertains to a legend about a man named Aloysius St. Abbot. A figure from what I heard, who once held great religious respect here in Mintara. Apparently, he was the first prophet called by Balan? I dunno. I only understood bits and pieces. Anyway, he supposedly had clout in this land for a great number of years. He traveled spreading Balan's message, with six companions who joined him one by one, over a period of time. All six, I guess the legend says, then also had the honor of being with him, when he returned to the very same tree where the divine being Balan first gave him his vocation. The final request he issued, being that after he was buried seven feet below the base of this tree, the six who had followed him, then should each break into pairs of two and should each forge a test, intended for those who who might find the tomb, and who might dare to prove themselves worthy of the Cleric's great legacy, not to mention the treasure inside."
Valorisa, who had started to walk across to the nearby wardrobe with the intent of packing up her things, paused immediately and turned back toward her brother. "Are you for real?" she asked, the expression on her face, showing she half was intrigued by what her brother had to say and was half skeptical, as she knew her brother's habits for contriving stories just to get attention. And truly, she probably would've remained skeptical of her brother's words, had she not noted the sincerity in his voice. This, whether she intended to or not, thus caused her to listen more intently and with a slightly increased sense of respect.
"Okay," the female marten murmured, as she waved her paw indicating that Donovan could forget what she had just said. "Forget it. Forget the incredulity. Let's say I believe you. You mentioned a tomb, a treasure, and a desire to aid this friend of yours, who can't get his relic back, unless he retrieves said treasure. Let's say I give my blessing this. Let's say I tell you, 'full steam, ahead,' and say, 'Good luck, and may the Originator be with you?' How long do you even have, to help your friend find this tomb and this treasure?"
"Three months."
"Three---What!?" Valorisa's eyes were the size of saucers, as she turned holding a loose white shirt in her hands. "You're telling me," She exclaimed, whilst carrying the shirt over to a near full suitcase that she then slammed shut. "That this very same tomb and this very same treasure you've described whose perimeter is lined with tests and traps, and whose location has been sought out for ages, but which has remained elusive...this 'Captain Gutgore, or whatever his name is...he expects you and your friend to find it in three months!? Originator, that's impossible. What happens if you fail?"
Donovan sighed. "If we fail," he replied, whilst joining his sister and aiding her in the packing of her last few suitcases. "Then Colin will lose his artifact to Gutgore forever. That was the deal, Gutgore made him swear to. And once Colin made the agreement, he realized that Gutgore hindered him even further, because he didn't allow Colin time to forge the proper sized party, for a quest of this magnitude."
Valorisa snapped shut her final suitcases. "That's awful!" she exclaimed. "How then do you even think, you'll pull this off, if you don't even have the right party members or equipment, for taking on an ordeal like this?"
The younger of the two martens provided his sister with a knowing smirk. "Oh, there are ways," he said, as he helped his sister carry her suitcases to the door, while also carrying his own. "For instance," he said as they walked back up the long hall of the waist deck, "Colin knows someone in the government of the Otters, who is in charge of all things pertaining to welfare and humanitarian needs. Her job constantly puts her in contact with the people of her nation. If there are adventurers worthy of our quest, she'll know where we can find them."
Valorisa slowly nodded. "I see," she replied, a bit surprised a simple cleric was this well connected. "She sounds like a powerful ally. When do you plan on meeting with her?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Valorisa stopped short in the middle of the hall. "That seems a strange answer," she muttered. "I mean...truly. You said this was urgent and that you and this Colin person only had three months to get this done. I must ask, why the delay? Why don't you do it today, and take advantage of what time you have?"
Donovan chuckled. "Because it's inconvenient," he replied. "Not mind you, for us, but rather for her. I mean, she's got a lot on her plate, is what Colin told me. Apparently, there's a festival going on, and it's her job to ensure that everything is set up so that everyone stays safe, enjoys themselves, and that no... incidents occur, between the patrons and certain factions."
"Incidents?"
Donovan sighed. "It's a long story, from what I understand," he said as he walked up the steps with his sister. "Mainly, to give you a long story made short, this festival, the 'Sun Festival,' I believe is what Colin called it, started as an 'otters-only,' festival intended for those who wanted to recall the sacrifices of their ancestors who gave up what they had, on the faith that their otter prophets Ana and Tan would lead them to a promised land. Apparently, the idea was to reflect on the past, and to contemplate how those past sacrifices could strengthen those in the present, while they continually focused on the goal of ever-improving their society for future generations yet to come."
"What a beautiful and novel idea."
Donovan softly smiled. "I agree," he replied. "And so do many otters who live in the Solmani Marshes today. That's where the issue comes in. When their government, the Pentarchy, I believe Colin called it, saw that other nations were growing more powerful, while they remained stagnant because of their refusal to accept help in any form, they decided to bend just the slightest bit in their dogmas, and to transform the festival, into one that could be viewed through a secular lens as well as a religious one."
"And now the traditionalists are understandably up in arms?"
Donovan sighed. "To say the least," he murmured. "Colin said in past years, there's been everything from things as minor as vandalism, to things that are far more serious like arson and sabotage attempts. Usually, with it all being tied to one radical group, known as the Anaton Covenant."
"Oh, my. So...is it even safe to be out and about, while the festival is active then?"
"Oh, Aye! Perfectly!" Valorisa heard a new voice interrupt as she turned suddenly to see the prairie dog whom they'd been discussing, come from behind just as they reached the top deck.
"Colin?" she asked extending a paw courteously, an action to which the prairie dog nodded affirmatively and grasped Valorisa's extended paw, shaking it heartily. "Colin Jeremiah Leonard, miss," he said with that same glint in his eye, as had been present when he and Donovan had met hours earlier. "A pleasure, a pleasure truly. Ah've heard pleasant things from your brother. Only the best. Ah' take it he told ye' of our arrangement, or has he gotten around tah' that yet?"
"Your...arrangement?" Valorisa arched her left brow as she turned back toward her brother. "No," she declared, a tone of intrigue in her voice, "What is this arrangement, and why is this the first time I'm hearing of it?"
"Um...well...I was about to get to that actually..."
"Donovan."
"Okay, okay. Sorry. I really was getting ready to tell you though. I mean, see, Colin explained to me that part of what comes with celebrating the festival is the fact that the streets will be absolutely packed with people. We're talking crowds unlike anything you or I have probably ever seen before. Crowds so epic, that from what Colin says, there will be no room available for us at any inn or tavern. That's why...I agreed to the proposition he gave me."
"And what proposition is that?"
"For you two to stay at my place," Colin interrupted. He in this moment, apparently coming to realize that something needed to be done, to better explain the situation to Valorisa whose aggravation was becoming more apparent with each passing second. "Please," the prairie dog quietly urged Donovan's sister. "Allow me tah' explain. Donovan, ah' believe he surely must've explained tah' ye' mah' predicament with th' captain of this vessel, aye?"
"Yes, he did."
Colin nodded in approval of Donovan's actions. "Good," he murmured, "that makes this easier then. Ah' mean, the fact that he stood up for me, and said he would help me in my plight without receivin' any clear benefit out of it fer' himself..." the prairie dog chuckled. "Th' lad did me a favor," he declared to Valorisa. "A statement, ah' make not just as a way of complimentin' him, but also as a way of explainin' legally, that by doin' me such a favor, ah' thus was bound in contract to do him a favor of equal value, in return."
"You had to do my brother... a favor?"
Donovan blushed and shrugged, as Valorisa looked back to him. "It's how things apparently work here," he stated innocently. "A favor for a favor. A beneficial deed, in trade for a piece of merchandise. It's their way of making transactions, in place of using money."
"Oh."Valorisa produced a small smile, as she began to understand. "I see," she stated as she turned once more toward Colin. "In other words, this is something that happens every day and which is not something you would consider to be an imposition, but which actually benefits all of us. Is that correct?"
Colin smiled, and nodded slowly. "Aye." he replied to the female marten with a cordial sounding tone in his voice and a smile of his own. "That's exactly correct. And now that we're all on th' same page, what say we get off this rickety ol' tub that Gutgore calls a ship and be on our way, eh?" The prairie dog at that moment, gave a nod indicating to Valorisa and Donovan that they should follow him down the gangplanks to the docks, which they did. The two siblings as they walked in step and as they kept their attention focused solely on the marmot who was guiding them, thus never even noticed they were being watched by Dylan. Gutgore's ermine consort and aide who with her sharp blue eyes, stood behind them on the upper decks and watched every move that was made. Dylan's focus, particularly falling upon Donovan, as she still could not forget his unexpectedly selfless and brave actions in Gutgore's cabin.
Oh, make no mistake. She thought it had been stupid, his stepping forth and saying he would take part in a quest where he very well could lose his life, without ensuring that he got something for himself. To say, he would even go so far as face off unknown dangers to help someone he didn't even know...Psh. Dylan told herself, that it was stupid, what Donovan had agreed to. She told herself it was naïve and idiotic, and it was just plain confusing, why she couldn't stop admiring the marten for being the only person she'd ever met, who was willing to do that.
Dylan sighed. Dells, how she hated when confusing emotions got in the way of what she was supposed to be doing. She grunted as she shoved aside these confusing thoughts and recalled the job she'd been given just as soon as Colin and Donovan had left the captain's quarters. That, according to Gutgore, it was to be her job to let him know not only what the progress of the quest was, but also what the location of Colin, Donovan, and their colleagues was at all times.
"You are to use this, for communication," Dylan recalled, as she held a small shiny device in her paw which was round, had wires running along the sides, and a crystal embedded in the center. A strange looking, but effective long-distance communicator, from what she understood.
The other device she'd been given. was a pendant that she was wearing. Though simple, this she'd been told, was the most important of her tools. As it would open a portal for Gutgore to arrive through, giving him opportunity to steal the treasure for himself, at the last minute.
Dylan clenched her fists. Determined to get the job done, she silently scurried down the steps and disappeared amongst the crew as they were loading and unloading supplies, for the purpose of getting ready when the Hoarfrost's Halberd departed again. Like a ghost, this was Dylan's forte. She was seamless and untraceable as she moved from the cover of one crowd to another. From the crowd of workers, to the civilian crowd which was already much denser due to the proximity of the sun festival; it was perfect camouflage for the ermine as she got closer and closer until in the end, she reached a proximity where she was far enough away that she wasn't spotted, but near enough that she could hear their conversation. As she heard Valorisa say to Colin, "So again, Colin. I want to thank you for being kind enough to offer your house as a place for me and my brother to stay, especially while this Sun Festival, is going on. I don't know if my brother alliterated it to you, but considering that all the other places will soon be packed full, we appreciate you going out of your way like this. Don't we Donovan?"
"Hmm?" Donovan turned suddenly to face his sister. He had been distracted by all the unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells, which occurred as a result of preparing for the aforementioned festival and had not heard anything she'd said outside his name, which was what had caught his attention as he stumbled out of the way of an otter leading a sixty-foot yak-like beast with six legs and white shaggy hair that covered not only its entire body but also its face.
Donovan looked back at the passing merchant and the strange yak-like creature for a moment and gave a shake of his head before turning back to his sister. "Did you say something?" he asked, at which Valorisa rolled her eyes, unable to believe that this absentminded, clumsy marten, was really her brother.
She let loose an exasperated sigh, before turning her attention back to Colin. "Anyway," she said. "Like I was saying, we both are very grateful for your hospitality. I know you explained already that this is just your way of paying back a favor to my brother, for helping you out and that law requires a favor be repaid with a favor. Still, I honestly don't want us to be an imposition. You're honestly sure this won't be a bother to you or to anyone else in the family, us taking your offer like this?"
Colin shook his head. "Nah," he replied cordially. "Ah' mean, ah' certainly have no issue with it, as you can see. An' mah' daughter, she will be ecstatic, tah' have newcomers visitin' wit' us fer' awhile."
"And your wife?"
Colin fell silent for a few seconds. He sighed, before speaking again. "You...just let me handle that," he murmured, with the tone of his voice, indicating that he sounded half confident that he had the matter well under control. While the other half, sounded fearful of what would happen, if he incurred his mate's wrath.
Valorisa could tell, this was not a topic Colin wanted to linger on. She decided since she had another question anyway, it was probably best if they changed topics from this to that. So, as tactfully as she could, she cleared her throat and asked, "um...changing to a different topic entirely, now that you've clarified that pretty much everyone in your household is truly okay with us staying with you, how exactly do we get to your house anyway?"
"How...?" Colin laughed. "Oh, by Balan's light!" he exclaimed realizing his blunder. "We've been walkin' all this time, wit' me thinkin' that you two knew where we were headed; an' stupid me, ah' forgot tah' even give yah' the most basic layout o' things, so ye' could at least have some bearing o' where ye' were!"
The prairie dog sighed before he stopped short. "Oh, ah' apologize profusely tah' both you and yer brother fer' that blunder, miss," he declared to Valorisa. "Here," he exclaimed, "Let me rectify that. So, Ya' see that sign there? The one that indicates we've just reached the main intersection of Harbor Thoroughfare and Brooke Avenue? Okay, from here, we're goin' tah' make our way off of Harbor and over tah' Brooke," Colin declared, as he waited for a break in the foot traffic before he led Valorisa and Donovan over from one street to the other. The siblings as they continued to walk behind Colin, then continued to listen as he told them all that was left now, was to continue on until they reached Morrigan road. Where he explained they would turn left before continuing on toward the outskirts of Ravenmist Glen. An area of town, which was explained as being scarcely populated. "A fact," the prairie dog then noted, "Which actually helps out a lot, considerin' mah' house already sticks out like a red rose in a white rose garden durin' the height of spring bloom." Colin with a chuckle, then pointed to a house that matched his description as the three of them came down a hill and into a valley lined on one side by fields that were filled with tall, white towers. Monoliths which with their alien stature, appeared as sentinels in a field of golden grasses and pale wheat that stretched for hundreds upon hundreds of miles. You could see they likely had been magnificent, back in the day when they had served a purpose. The days before patches of rusted patina had started peeking through a once vivid coat of white paint. And when the blades which now littered the ground, were still attached firmly behind a conical piece that on some of the towers, could still be seen stubbornly stuck in place.
Donovan wondered, as he strolled closer to the house behind the others, who it was, that must've built these great the devices. Could it have been the h'mun, the lost race who he'd heard friends, family and sailors at the Jutfaang tavern, speak rumors of? A great race who lived before the Mintaran, who had existed in prosperity, and who had gone extinct out of consequence to their own foolish deeds?"
Hmm.
Donovan pondered this as he took in what must've once been a magnificent sight. These, what he assumed, must've been poles with tri-bladed fans, (He based this assumption based on the layout of where most of the blades seemed to have fallen,) which were set at specific, incremental measurements. All of them, probably working in synchronicity...Donovan pondered going over to inspect the more intricate details of at least the closest tower, when he heard Valorisa's call to, 'stop dawdling, and to get his tail moving!' A call Donovan knew to take seriously, as he could rarely remember a time his sister had ever joked, when it came to him and being punctual.
Actually, Donovan could barely remember a time that his sister had ever joked or kidded, period. Not that it really mattered, as he sighed and gave one last look to the mysterious structures which he now realized, he would have to wait to examine until later. For see, just as it was true that time waited for no man, neither did Valorisa Dashraft ever have time to wait for one of her brother's detours. Donovan knew this all too well, and it was why he immediately heeded his sister's call to follow her and Colin to the house and property which was placed before them. An estate with flower boxes out front, with moss and flowering plants growing on the roof, and a tire swing tied from one of the branches of a huge St. Abbot's Pine that stood out front, this fascinating and unique residence was not only the place that Colin called home but also would now be the place Donovan and Valorisa would call home as well. A fact I should note, that Valorisa found far less exciting than her brother. As while he now had been drawn in by the captivating details of this unconventional abode in the same way he had with the old forgotten towers that stood silently in the fields across the way; she on the other hand, remained concerned with more practical matters. She concerned herself still, with a worry of whether this was okay for them to be long-term guests and of whether, Colin's mate would really be okay with this. She knew he said everything would be fine. But the way the prairie dog had responded to her question on this earlier...it did not reassure her.
The elder of the marten siblings gulped quietly. "Just...stay calm," she whispered as she followed Colin and her brother inside. "Colin said it would be fine. He said it would go well...that there was nothing to worry about..."
The female marten sighed as she closed the door.
"Originator," she whispered. "Why don't I believe that?"