Night's Embrace: Part 1--A Touch of Darkness

[Boddynock]

[sblock=RA]"Ah, Aileen, you present far too fascinating a puzzle to walk away from. Yes, show me that inn - and then I'd love to hear everything."

He smiles warmly at the vision in front of him, then, leaning in towards her, whispers, "But first, my dear, let's cover that beautiful face from prying eyes."

He pulls up her hood again. Then, taking her hand and kissing her fingers, he beckons and says, "After you ... my lady."

As he follows her, he thinks to himself, "And I haven't forgotten your comment about the anniversary of the cult's supposed destruction. Hmm, it looks like we're on the right track. Now just where might this side track lead?"[/sblock]

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Kel]"Ah, that's good," Aileen smiles, "Though I'd hate to think you trust me just because of a pretty face. I've found that a pretty face can get you what you want, but, you know, I don't like that the world works like that--it makes me question my own worth...so sometimes I like to see if people like me without seeing what I really look like."

*She cocks her head slightly when he kisses her fingers, probably arching an eyebrow under that hood, though it isn't visible.*

"Oh, I'm no more a lady than you're a lord. Just Aileen is fine, unless you'd rather be My Lord Kelloran, Marquis of the Eastern Trollmoors, Justiciar of the Grand Inquisition, and Lord Captain Commander of the Most Holy Order of the Silver Pumpernickels," Aileen laughs.

*She leads him along a few streets, keeping an eye out for the guards, before quickly crossing over to what appears to be an inn with the sign that features what appears to be a white-feathered gryphon wearing bifocals. The name is, appropriately enough, 'The Spectacled Gryphon'.*

"Ah, here we go. This is a nice inn, and the innkeeper and his wife are a darling pair. If the staff knows you're a friends of mine, they'll provide even better service than usual, too, though you might want to tip them slightly too--inn staff don't make very much money."

(OOC: Irony intended with that last )

*Aileen holds the door open for Kel and then heads inside, hailing the innkeeper, a short, somewhat rotund man with a thick moustache.*

"Why Hello Master Grahl! Long time no see! How is Mildred doing?"

"Hey, it's you little lady!" the innkeeper's face lights up with a smile, "The wife? Well, she's doing fine. Been beating me up a bit recently though, on account of that bad order Saml put through."

"Beating some sense into you more like it," Aileen chuckles.

"You said it, Leen dear," a taller woman with a cook's apron agrees, heading out from the kitchen, perhaos because she heard Aileen's distinctive clear and lovely voice, "So, who's your friend there, dear? Hope it's not a gentleman caller, little Leen--he's a bit young, don'tcha think?"

"No, this is--" did Aileen blush slightly? Probably just Kel's imagination.

"Oh, jes kidding ya dear," Mildred chuckles.

"Yes, well, Kel and his friends could use a room...or actually, how many rooms do you need, Kel?" Aileen asks.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Legildur]

Meanwhile, Sulannus is proven wrong, as there actually is a Seldarine temple, albeit a single temple for the entire Seldarine pantheon.*

"Well then, Aliysa, looks like you were wrong," says Blunt in his typically forthright manner. "Shall we?" he adds as he gestures for the group to approach the temple.

 

[Rystil Arden]

[SBLOCK=Sulannus OOC]Just a heads-up: other than the elven embassy, this is probably the most likely place for Sul to be recognised in the city [/SBLOCK]

 

[Shayuri]

"Aliyas," Su corrects in a furtive whisper as the Seldarine temple comes into view. "Al-eye-yass." She puts her cloak's hood up and tugs it forward. "You all go ahead. I'll...keep an eye out here for trouble."

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Oh, it's pronounced that way--I thought it was supposed to be pronounced the same way as 'Alias' as a pun )

 

[Legildur]

Blunt simply smiles at Sulannus' correction and grabs Titus by the elbow. "Come on then, in we go," he says.

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Nhalia follows after the other three as they enter the temple.*

*Inside, there is an open area with a glass roof that lets in sunlight, wherein a small number of trees and other plants have been nurtured, with rooms to each side, each adorned with a holy symbol of an elven deity and likely containing a shrine. In this centre room, there are a few elves meditating and room for more, with a small booth in the centre where an elven man and woman sit. Upon seeing the new arrivals, they have a rapid exchange in Elvish that none of the three humans can understand, before pointing to Nhalia in the back and hailing Nhalia in Elvish.*

"Uhh, they're wondering why three humans decided to visit the Seldarine Temple," Nhalia translates quietly for the others, "Particularly three humans who don't even speak Elvish. You can just address them in the Common trade tongue--no need to have me translate or anything, that's just silly."

 

[Legildur]

Blunt looks back at Nhalia as she speaks. "I would speak if you think it wise," Blunt says with a whisper as he scratches at the stubble on his head. "Although I would likely say too much. But I think we will have need of friends in this city before we are through."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Say whatever you think best," Nhalia nods agreeably.