Kartakass: Chapter Seven

[A G Thing]

Deari looks slightly at Cornelius... She then takes the words to heart keeping her eyes peeled.

In her reflection on the camp the thought does cross her mind. 'Perhaps he has more experence with these gypsies!'

[steveflam]

The old woman eyes Lucius carefully. "I am unsure as to the fate of Vassili exactly." She sighs "But I fear that on his tenth birthday, in three months, the concoction won't help him any more and he will become a danger to my tribe. You, on the other hand, are better equipped to help him and control him. As I said before it was foreseen you would come here as would your friends to get you. The dwarf doesn't trust us. That is his perogative and I can only blame what rumors he's heard of us."

She goes into a coughing fit before looking Lucius straight in the eye. "I won't forget this as won't any Vistani you might encounter." She reaches into the folds of her dress and removes a ring. "Wear this and any of my people will accept you and offer what help they may. I tire now. ONe last thing. The vial I've given you suppresses a youngling lycanthrope's tranasformations. Once one reaches its tenth year, the concoction doesn't work. Now leave, I bid you."

She gets up from her seat and moving farther back into her Vardo she retires. Looking at the ring Lucius can see it is very nondescript if not for some odd inscriptions he can't read and a tiny red rose as a gemstone. Exitting the wagon he spies his friends.

[VAN]

Van is the first that see Lucius exits the wagon. Really worried the evoker runs to him.

"Lucius, how are you? We are all worried about you. But as I said before you are not alone we will help you!"

Looking at the wagon behind Lucius' shoulder he continues:

"All ok there?"

[A G Thing]

Deari strides up and smiles very brightly and gives him a rather sudden hug... "I am glad to see you are safe Lucius! I was fearful for you as well, but feel better to see you again..."

Perhaps she has more to say but lets it pass with the hug. Standing beside him she brushes her hair nervously behind her right ear with her finger but keeps her eyes on Lucius and a slightly more subdued smile on her face. She seems to be in thought and somewhat mindful but sniffs slightly and only turns her head when a tear begins to show, as if looking off elsewhere embarassed.

She does however notice Hobert is more hesitent to move to her side as he seems to be observing Lucius closely. Confused perhaps but he does eventually walk forward to smell him. However he is now squarely between Lucius and Deari.

[ewancummins]

Cornelius comes over and punches Lucius in the leg, but not too hard.


''Damnation! I was worried about you, you stupid human!''


Cornelius lowers his voice a bit and says-

''Jacob says you have the items. That's good. You'd better use those to prevent any more accidents. If you don't know how those work I can show you. We all discussed it and we figure the items can be returned to the Ezrans after we get you cured. ''

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Well..." William begins. "Seein as how everythin's square, we best get a move on. Do what it is we are suppose to be doin'." He scratches his head, mussing up his own dark locks before continuing apprehensively, "What was the reason yeh where brought here for, mate?"

[steveflam]

A young Vistani boy has been playing with his friends but keeps looking over at the party. Finally he detatches himself from them and walks over to you, neither shy nor afraid. Speaking, he says "I am Vassili. Runi is my mother" he points to a very attractive young woman over by another wagon who is in the midst of working on a cross stitch.

"My na-na told me all about you. So you are"and he looks at each party member, naming them as he goes on. Once done he moves close to Jacob, and reaching up touches one of his ears. "I was told that elves had pointy ears but had to see for myself. So it is true then!" And the boy giggles. At first, Jacob is surprised, then as the boy giggles, he actually laughs heartily.

"Yes, Vassili we do have pointy ears. What else did you na-na tell you about elves?" He ruffles the boys hair and listens to what he has to say.

"Well she told me you live a long time. Also she told me you are supposed to have white hair. Why is it not white?" The he looks at Cornelius. Pretty much the same height as the dwarf, Vassili puffs his chest out, saying "This is the first time I am taller than an adult, Cornelius. Is it true you can eat anything?"

"That's because I am disguised magically as to hide my true form. Some are afraid of my race and I prefer to keep this form for now, Vassili."

[steveflam]

"So, Lucius, how do you feel? Do you remember anything at all?"

Jacob asks with some concern. It was apparent he had no experience with this type of situation. That didn't mean he couldn't handle such a situation, of course.

The boy, Vassili looked at the dark elf, poking him. Jacob took it all in stride. Gently pushing away the boy's hand, he asks him
"Vassili, for a boy, you seem very sure of yourself. How come you seek us out? We are but a band of adventurers on our little way."

The boys eyes scrunched up as he thought of a response to Jacob. Biting his nails, then turning to the drow, he responded with "My na-na told me you would help me. Once a month she's made me drink from a vial. She tells me it's to help me grow bigger but I am somehow doubtful of her words." At this, the boy gets nervous and looks around, making some kind of sign with his hands as if he thought the sign would help him.

"When she gives me the vial I forget what happens afterwards, for some reason. Usually it is three days before the full moon when she has me drink it. Then she tells me Mr Lucius would come and after, his friends would. And it's happened! My na-na sure is wise, cause she knew you would show up."

Vassili sighed, rubbing his feet on the ground, back and forth, making a small line.

[VAN]

Van quirks an eyebrow as Vassili tells his story.

"So your nana gives you the vial 3 days before the full moon and you wake up when that has passed without remembering nothing? And then tells you that Lucius and us we will help you? How can we help you Vassili? Can we talk to your nana? maybe she can enlighten us more."

[Ail]

When Lucius leaves the vardo, he bursts in a laughter of happiness at the sight of his friends. Overwhelmed by what has gone before, he listens to everyone before having time to respond. He hugs Deari but fails to notice her doubts and worries. Nor does he register Hobert's reaction to him. Not that he's indifferent to her, quite on the contrary, but he's overtaken by the sudden surprise. He smiles at the Dwarf warmingly and at his words. He addresses everyone around, feeling genuine happiness as his greeted and welcomed by his friends.



"I fell well, thank you, Van. More confident now that Madame Eva has talked to me. I'm so glad you found me! I had no idea how I should return to you..."

He looks at Vassili and shuffles his hair, then kneeling says
"Did you know your na-na wants you to come with me? Did you know she is so fond of you she wants me to show you the world? You'll be a big man when you come back with exciting new stories to tell around. The girls will flock around you and the boys will want to learn from you. Are you ready to come with us?"

Vassili looks at him with wonder in his eyes, but Lucius can not be sure if this was a surprise to him or not. Laying a calloused hand on his shoulder, he added

"Why don't you go say goodbye to your friends? And gather your things too?"


As the boy runs away, he leads the rest of the group to a log near some bushes at the edge of the field, sits on the grass and then recounts his story to the others.

"I don't know what really happened to me. I woke up all alone and naked just as the sun was coming up, and near me was a kind of wooden throne and these two items laid nearby. I didn't think much, I took them and ran, without any idea of where I should go to.

I think I was kind of fished by the fate, and in a few hours I was at the border of this camp. This boy led me to his grandmother, Madame Eva, and she tended to me with clothes and food. She clearly knew what I was, and I guess there's no point in deluding myself... we all had seen it coming, so I'm a lycanthrope now. Not that I can remember it, but the signs are telling: I feel more alive, more free and I have a new taste for wilderness that I didn't know before. And I know the danger I may be!

Of these two items, Madame Eva said one can help me, and that I should wear it at all times: this necklace here. The other one is beyond me, actually.

But she asked something else of me... of us. That we take her boy Vassili to Father Dentor in Darkon. He too is a werewolf, but one born into it, not infected, from what I understood. He will enter puberty soon, and according to her, that is the focal turning point. We need to protect him and to contain him until a point where he can be cured. Like me, I guess. These items are no cure, merely a container of sorts.

This potion here, Jacob, she told me you could devise the recipe and do others. As you must have understood from Vassili's words, it helps prevent his turning, but Madame Eva believes it will not be effective after his 10th birthday.... that's just a few months from now, I'm afraid.

So, it's as William says. We should go. There's not much point to tarry here, now that we have the items with us. We should move and move fast. The only thing that worries me is: we also had to locate two men, didn't we?"

[BigBadQDaddy]

"Aye, that is true." William looks off at the kids playing. "Whether they be dead or not, we need to find them."

William looks to the boy and then to Luscius. "But now we have the burden of a child to carry with us. I wouldn't feel right 'bout bringin' that lad into a possible den of evil.

What do the rest of ya think?"

[A G Thing]

Deari watches as the child sets off to speak with his kin and friends. Another one who has had his life disrupted by this curse. Having seen or heard little of it she is now getting a grand education, perhaps second only to Lucius. Vassili however seems somewhat ignorant of his curse. Her thoughts flash upon the root of some of her discomfort...

'Children should not have to learn such in these ways... No one should!'

"I am unsure as well, of what to do... We don't seem to have time for, the men, but we have been in danger since we got here! Perhaps the boy would be in danger with us? I don't know how we can keep him safe all the time."

As she says this Deari turns back and looks upon her friends. She tries not to linger to long or look away to sharply at either Lucius or Cornelius, and the thoughts that are making her feel guilty and a failure to both possibly. But she shakes that behavior away for the moment and tries to be as she thinks is right.

"If we must find these men then perhaps there is a better less obvious way of disguising our presence while here? Or on another track, perhaps we must divide ourselves to ensure the boy is safely brought there in time, while the others track the two men? I cannot think of another option at the moment that will not risk the child..."

Hobert while still between them is slightly licking Lucius hand, but it is some how more reserved than his normal self, but only slightly.

[Ail]

Lucius looks carefully at what the others say, and this time he studies Deari's expressions carefully, in a manner so fixed and obsessive that it would remind his old university masters to someone who had known him in those earlier days.

He pets Hobert almost instinctively, without even noticing, which is strange since he had never felt comfortable with dogs of any kind, much less larger ones.

When Deari finished, he said

"I think you are right, Deari, in that we should not risk the child. And though I am loath with all this time we are losing, and with leaving Kartakass again to have to return here yet another time, I think we should not split at all. If we did, we'd have no chances. We've been together as a group and shown great proofs of friendship and loyalty, and I for one have the greatest motives to be grateful for that.

The question is: can we really find them within the 3 months foreseen by the Raunie? Can we keep Vassili from harm during that time? Or should we all return to Darkon at once, cure Vassili and leave him in Father Dentor's care, then return here once more?"

He looks at Deari more intently, trying to discern what ailments clouded her mind, trying to guess the sufferings that were still hidden within her, and the doubts that shook her resolve.

[steveflam]

Jacob remains silent throughout the party's debate. He studies the vial that Lucius gave him, curious. Looks like many a potion I've seen or drunk before, he muses to himself. He is about to say something when the door to the Vardo opens, and the Raunie, Madame Eva, stands in the doorway.

She looks at each of you, in turn, and you feel as if her gaze penetrates your very souls. The frail old woman speaks "The men you seek, do not bother. One is dead. The other is beyond your help. You may tell your Father Dentor that Reyssey is deceased. Percival was lost to the lycanthropes. The very first party of lycanthropes you encountered back in Nova Vassa, he was part of. He is deceased as well. Now go, I answer no more questions this day."

Turning, she enters her Vardo. The door closes behind her.

"I will take Vassili under my wing. No harm shall come to him, I promise you that, Lucuis. Now I believe I have your belongings in my bag, young man."

The drow removes Lucius' equipment and one by one hands it over to the man. The young boy comes back with a back pack, accompanied by Runi. Both are tearful. "Please, bring him to the Temple and father Dentor so that he may return to us, free of his curse." She hugs the boy once, tightly. Whispering a few words, she stands and straightens her skirts. Nodding, she leaves and returns to her cross stitch, sobbing quietly.

Vassili cries openly, then straightens up and his face grows serious. "I won't be a liability to you all. I will do my part to help, whether it be cooking or cleaning I can do it." His chest is puffed out as he says this, a proud young boy.

"Fair enough, Vassili. Now we leave and make our way to Pel so we can get the steamboat back to Darkon as quick as possible."

Vassili waves to all Vistani gathered as the party leaves the camp. Soon you are on the road and can see Harmonia in the distance. By evening you've passed Harmonia and are headed North to Skald. By nightfall you are midawy between Harmonia and Skald. Jacob makes your two shelters and soon a meal is being cooked. The dark elf takes leaves the cooking to Cornelius as he retires to his room and begins the task of creating more potions for the young boy.

During his few breaks he takes the boy to the side and begins instructing him how to read and write.

[Ail]

During the journey, Lucius studies Deari again, trying to understand her. At night, when Jacob prepares the shelter again, he approaches her and says:

"Hi, Deari. It looks like we'll have a quiet night. Care to talk a while before dinner is readied? I would sure like to know you better"

In true Dementlieuse gentlemanly fashion, he offers her his arm to take her for a walk.