An Elven Stature

[Prince Cohen]

Aeralia continued to flap her arms and look Torruk over. Lifting up his arms to check his ribcage, before fussing over his feet. Almost assured that the attack had cracked a hoof or his ankle.


Torruk lazily watched the Elf's burial. Looking down at his weapon hand, which had been hardened by years of training. "Let us go. Torruk finished here." Patting the Moon-Elf on the head gently and made his way from the grove. Making sure Merri was finished her burial before actually leaving.

 

[tem502]

"I'd sing you a song, but...my warbling would probably bring back your ghost, so you'll have to go out without a song im afraid." She said, before filling in the burial and stretching, cricking her neck slightly. She strolled over to Torruk and stretched. "Hey, it's pretty late in the evening. Aint you going to eat and sleep for the night?" She put her arm around Aeralia fondly. "I bet Moonie here can cook pretty well."

 

[Prince Cohen]

Torruk stopped short of the grove's exit. Turning around he grunted and succumbed to the suggestion. Aeralia's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as she rubbed her forearm nervously. "I'm not a brilliant cook, I'm afr-.." Torruk walked past, carrying a breeze with him that ruffled Aeralia's hair. "Torruk cook." He rumbled. Making his way over to the tree to set down for the evening.

 

[tem502]

"Alright, cool. What do we want to eat? Bird? A numaka should do the three of us without any waste, and I need a few new feathers for my arrows anyway." She paused and swiveled around on the spot, silent for a moment, then drew her bow string and aimed all in one swift motion.


Loosing an arrow, their was a thump as it peirced her target and knocked it out of its perch high up in the air.


"Thankyou for your bounty. I continue your life through me, as one day your kind will live off me."


She walked over carrying a relatively large bird with long jagged teeth along its beak.


"Dont worry Moonie, it's a monster but its safe to eat. Wouldve eaten you if he got the chance." She sat and fished a bottle out of her pack along with a couple of small cups. "I dont usually share very often, but since you're feeding me and all, here. It's wood elf tradition to drink before a meal." Pouring out some amber liquid into the cups, she gestured for Torruk and Aeralia to take a cup of the potent firewhisky and sat down. She picked the bottle up and took a swig, the warm liquid filling her belly with a warm glow. It was a wood elf drink and while it gave an incredible feeling of warmness and had a rich flavour, it was a very harsh to those who werent used to the stuff much akin to spicy food, and she sat back and watched curiously to see their reactions to it as she started to expertly pluck to bird and prepare it.

 

[Prince Cohen]

Aeralia picked up her cup sceptically, whilst Torruk seized it and just simply tipped it down his throat before turning around to prepare dinner. Aeralia took a careful sip and her faced screwed up as the liquid sent spicy flavours across her tongue. She flapped her arms a bit as she tried to tolerate the stuff.

 

[Adorasaurus]

[Jeez guys, intense or what?

]


Valkyrie turned, watching as Rock and Bromin came into the room.


"Well hello there, Bounty Hunters."


She smiled, calling over a bartender.


"A pint of Cath’Quessir, please, on my tab" she smiled, winking as he nodded and walked back to the bar. "What are you doing here, then? Finally got away from the Guards, eh?" she asked, laughing.

 

[tem502]

(Wheyy, Hey Stereo! Been lonely without you Been doing loads of christmas overtime, nothing to do on my break other than have a quick skeg on here so yeah, weve been alot! Kept the rp warm for you ;P)


"By the looks of it, what they're doing is getting drunk." Florence said sagely to her friend shuffling round on her stool, feet hanging in the air, too small to touch the floor since they were designed for somewhat taller species.


She poured another drink onto her face, her hair bubbling like an excited brook. "Whats Cath'Quessiry?"

 

[Adorasaurus]

(Thanks Tem I'm glad you enjoyed RPing ^^)


Valkyrie laughed. "I would not be surprised, dear Flow."


The bartender returned with a stout, wooden mug filled with a sweet-smelling liquid. He gave Valkyrie a smile and made his way back to the bar.


"Cath'Quessir is a form of sweet cider from the roots of the Cinna Flower. In tranlsation, it's called Elven Cat from the Peace Flower. It's rather good at helping with sorrows, laments and a jolly good time." She let out a loud and merry laugh, taking a swig of Cath'Quessir in one fluid motion.

 

[tem502]

Merisiel laughed as she watched the pairs reactions; which were just about what she'd been expecting.


Finishing off preparing the bird, she tossed it over to the minotaur.


"So, what are you wandering about in the woods for?" She asked the priestess.


---


Flow laughed with her friend and leaned back in her chair.


"That sounds nice. We only really make wine. Quite a lot of it, though." She leaned back against the bar slightly, deep in thought for a second before her eyes went bright and she jumped upright.


"You know what you're pubs missing, Vally my pally? Music and dance; a little bit of art!" With that she got to her feet, moving over to a clearing in the tables, which soon got wider as several elves pulled back their chairs; some politely and some baudily, as most mistook the -to them- exotic Naiad to be some manner of travelling performer or some sort.


Which, given the fact she had simply stood up in the middle of the crowd without the slightest bit of trepidation was a fair assumption for the more reserved elves.


Picking up a bucket of water from the corner she absorbed the water, and then began to dance in circles. As she did, the excess water began to scatter off and hang in the air, the ruddy glow of the torchlight shining rainbow patterns through the makeshift prisms.


For her flightly, excitable demeanour the dance was suprisingly elegant and well formed; though bursting with youthful energy, and she began to sing a song about a river falling in love with a lake that was warm and melodic, and as she danced through the water droplets each one gave off a ping like a harp as she brushed against it.

 

[Adorasaurus]

Valkyrie watched the young Naiad dance, her innate resplendence bursting through the sweet art.


Her eyes sparkled as Flow's porous body twisted to-and-fro.


"Beautiful" she murmured.


The other Elves all began to watch, their eyes glazed as they watched the Naiad move.


The music caressed their eardrums as they all hummed along to a familiar tune with words anew.


A young Elf leant over to Valkyrie and spoke with an innocent voice.


"That water lady is pretty and she sings really nice!" she said.


Valkyrie smiled and patted the little girl on the head.


"Her name is Florence, young Elf, she's a Naiad. The Water Nymphs of the East, relatives of the Elves. She shares the same passion, spirit and heart as you and I, child."


The little girl stood shakily, smiling. She trumped over to where Flow was dancing and stood for a moment, watching the droplets reverberate around the Naiad.


She closed her eyes and moved alongside Flow, trying to keep up with her fluidity.


[PUNPUNPUNPUNPUN]

 

[tem502]

[Yea giiiiirl! Bonus internets for mad puns to you! And happy holidays! Also, 'trumped over to'? xD ]


Florences face lit up with a heartwarming smile as she saw the little elven girl; who compared to Flow wasnt actually all that little, height wise.


She smiled encoragingly then took her tiny hand to guide her through the dance, subtly slowing down and simplfying the dance without making it obvious she was doing so.


As they finished the dance with a spin, she lifted the girl above her head to pop the last prism of water, which rang out, lingering in the air.


The naiad's hair was streaming merrily, and while she wasnt quite sweating for obvious reasons, her forehead rippled slightly as she put the girl down besides her and curtsied gracefully.


"Have you performed a Naiad dance before, little brook? You're a natural!" She asked the girl, patting her head fondly.

 

[Adorasaurus]

[Trumping is like, heavy footsteps xD And Happy Holidays! ]


The girl's face lit it with glee, her heart pounding and her face flushing.


"No, I haven't! It was lovely, you're a w-wonderful dancer, ma'am!" she gasped, clutching onto Flow's leg. "Are you made of water?" she asked as she touched Flow. The little girl was amazed that she could hold the water-woman between her slender, pale fingers.


The crowd erupted into a cheer, standing and banding their cups on tables.


Valkyrie grinned. She turned to the Elf beside her.


"She was fantastic!" she said, clapping alongside the Elf.

 

[tem502]

[Haha, don't think i've ever seen trumping used before ]


"Glad you enjoyed it." Florence smiled at the young girl, letting the colours wash out of her so that she was translucent, light shimmering through her.


"Yup, I sure am! You are too mostly, actually." She said with a wink, before reducing to a puddle with a splash, then reforming the other side of the little girl, picking her up as she regrew.


Waving and smiling cheerfully to the people watching, she sat down next to Valkyrie, placing the girl on a stool between them.


"Well? What did you-" She stopped mid sentance and frowned for a moment, then pushed her hand inside her chest as the colours swirled and muddied around it, before fishing out her gold necklace, putting it back in place. "What did you think?"

 

[Adorasaurus]

Valkyrie stifled a laugh as Flow pulled her necklace out from her own body and put it back on.


"I thought it was gorgeous, I had no idea the Naiad people were so...artistic. Is it a tribe thing? Can you all do it?" Valkyrie asked, taking another sip of her drink.


The little girl played with Flow's hair as she spoke to Valkyrie. She hummed the tune of Flow's dance lovingly.

 

[tem502]

"Thankyou Valley! Well, we worship our gods by enjoying the bounty they provide as much as possible, without harming others and helping whenever we can, so alot of our societies built around art- or, I guess you could say our societies built around goofing off depending on your perspective. So we tend to be fairly...expressive."


Florence smiled contentedly; while her hair was flowing, it was possible to pull and twist or even style the channels of water just like they were locks of hair, though it was slightly slippery like ice, but not cold. The feeling of her hair being touched gave her a contented almost cat like feeling.


"We dont all dance though. Or, well, I mean we do basically all dance on occasion. But we dont all dance, like, formally. Other folk draw or make clothes or act and things. "

 

[Prince Cohen]

Areal grimanced slightly as the taste still lingered in her mouth. "keeping my friend here company " she sung. Patting the bull on the arm. "Torruk did not ask for company" mumbled the bull as he poked the fire lazily.

 

[Adorasaurus]

Valkyrie nodded, sipping her drink.


"I see, what else can you do? What else can others do?" she asked, interested.


The young Elf began to plait and braid Flow's hair, smiling as she did. Her fingers slid easily over the locks of 'hair'.

 

[tem502]

"Thankyou, little brook!" Flow said to the little girl as she intertwined two waterfalls of hair.


She turned back to her friend and and cocked her head slightly to think. "Hmmm...sew, braid, dye, cook, put on plays, paint...most things, really."


She paid for another drink with a smile, actually physically taking a drink of it this time. "Me personally, I dance and Im pretty good at watercolours.


After a brief pause her eyes light up and she spoke excitedly.


"Oh, we all play this game in water with a ball every day, its really fun. We also have 'swimming' contests, and see who can make the most complicated or funniest shape out of themself. You should be able to see most of it for yourself when we get home."

 

[Adorasaurus]

Valkyrie nodded.


"It sounds like a fantastic time. Do you have any large festivals? For example, we celebrate the Solstice's here at the dawning of each new time. The Winter Solstice is the next one we'll celebrate, but it's not for a while yet."


The little girl giggled, continuing to braid Flow's hair as her parents looked on anxiously.

 

[tem502]

"Do we have any festivals?" Florence leaned her head back slightly and let out a summery laugh, putting her arm around her friend warmly.


Vally, we have a festival basically every week! Our race is sort of, er..." She glanced at the child on her knee and censored herself. "...Depandant, on travellers. We're all born female, you know. Male births always take virtually the entirety of their genetics from the other half involved. So yeah, we have a lot of things to make outsiders feel welcome. Well, I mean...not just because of that. We just like hearing about other places as well, since we don't really travel all that much."


Glancing towards the girls parents, she waved and smiled pleasantly. "Your little brooks not doing any harm, but if you need her back don't worry."