RP:S1, E8 Cela The Siren
Summary: Larz makes another friend?
Xalious Tree
Nestled at the edge the southern cliff is an enormous tree. It towers some three hundred feet into the air, stretching outward nearly as wide; the soft sapphire glow of its enchanted boughs filling the vicinity with a soothing aura of metamagical power. The leaves are a rich golden hue with each vein therein shining in brilliant silver contrast; each one having the striking resemblance to a large human hand. Each sun-kissed leaf seems to move of its own volition, slowly writhing and reaching in all different directions to get the best angle of the sun as the daylight passes, then to drink in any soft moonlight that shines down on the mountains. The bark is a rich charcoal black near the base, though taking on a deep brown hue as it extends upward into the canopy. The mighty Xalious Tree, which appeared when the Archmage Xalious died and ascended to assume the divine role as God of Magic, stands in majestic beauty as an eternal symbol of the mortal's ascension. As you look closer into the tree you see an inscription carved deep into the bark. There is nothing else here but a field of carefully kept grass and some of the late Archmage’s followers who have come to bask and worship in this sacred tree's presence. An old and faded note seems to have been posted on the tree's base.
The bard known as the 'Siren Bird' was missing her cozy college dorm room, missing everything about the Avian City, but the place just wasn't safe. Avians being captured and never seen again or made to do dark things. Luckily, she was away visiting her twin brother when everything happened, being fuss at by her brother for still not settling down. In a way, she settled down. Settled down to the career she wanted for herself, and still no grace on her two left feet. (because she falls a lot, not really left feet) Alas, she moved about the place as the moon shined brightly, getting some peace so she could work on her music even further. Moving as soft as she could to the Xalious tree, the six-foot two inches tall avian looked about with her warm chestnut eyes. Her wings a span of thirteen feet wrapped about her as she tried to be cautious, not trip over a root, again. Like her hair her wings had the same black ombre at the end. Not seeing annoying about the direction she faced, Celandine plopped down on the ground. ONly to land on a branch. Making her jerk to her feet, rubbed her bottom. "Owies!" She exclaimed almost a scream, slamming her hands to her ruby pink lips. Eyes widen, hoping she didn't alert any monsters in the woods beyond. With a sign she decided to just lean against the massive trunk, giving a lullaby manner whistle as the feather tattoo on her left hand came to life. Hovering beside her hand, as the other opened her note book. Humming beautifully as she wrote the notes down, not before too long she began to sing like a soft soprano, not being loud or showing her skills. Still not wanting to attract beast to her, especially since with avians, they make you smell your favorite scent about them. Shivering with the thought of smelling like prey to a big bad wolfy. As she got comfortable she took off her cloak, revealing the white button up shirt neatly tucked into her leather pants. No shoes boots or slippers, as the avian figured it would make her walking more silent.
Largakh was walking along, keeping to himself, a package resting under his arm. Rather short for an orc, skinny too and a pair of unsettling tuscan eyes scanning the area for where the humming was coming from. He liked when his errands took him out of sage and Gualon because - sure he gets odd looks, but there is no prejudice whispering from the elves or obnoxious jokes from the orcs. He feels more unknown out here and he takes his time when his grandparents need rarer items, but he wasn’t always so helpful to them because they were shunned when he was always around. Now with the plague about he makes sure they won't catch it - they are almost a thousand years old after all! He didn’t realize it, but he was off the path and being lured closer to the siren for orcs are weak against psychological attacks. Eventually he was picking up the scent of cedar wood and the hint of lemon, it does remind him of home. Making his own bow with his grandmother while his grandfather was making some of his healing salves and potions… Lost entirely by thought he had tripped over a wild tree root and hit the ground just before Celandine. His hands caught him and he wasn’t embarrassed, but surely it gave a fright so he glanced, “Larz sorry.” Pretending to talk slow and dumb like orcs, but his yellow eyes do a double take… What the heck is this!? He’s never seen an avian up close so it’s a bit of a culture shock to him and he quickly looks away while standing up so he didn’t gawk.
Celandine had her eyes closed, feeling the music flow from her heart and out. Her large wings stretching out to their full span, her shoulders moving to and fro which only make her wings seem to sway with her movements. So caught up in her music that would bring joy to those that were easily influenced. Only until someone, something tripped over possibly the same annoying roots that she sometimes tripped over. Fact someone was near without her known made her heart race with panic, backing up against the tree as much as she could. Only to hit her head on a branch, making her see stars, stumbling around only to get tangled up in her own ankles. Covering herself from sight with her white to black ombre wings, wishing she could be visible. As behind the wings her face was a deep red, embarassed and worried she might be in danger. Peeking her face through her wings as he spoke again, "I-I-I-I-....don't harm me please." She wrapped herself back up in her wings, pulling her long legs against her chest, "I am just a bard, an avian bard. Please, I do not have gold to give."
Largakh gets this reaction the most and this is why he always kept to himself. He picked up what he had been carrying and tucked it under his arm before he started to walk back to the path he was originally on while mentioning, “Larz no hurt. Larz want no gold and is sorry.” His steps quicken as if he was the one running away from her! That magic is dangerous for his kind… Well half of what he’s made of. He takes a deep breath of fresh air once there is enough distance between him and the smell she gives off while blinking away the memories. A moment alone, he thinks, and he’s bent over and a hand on his knee so he could catch his breath… That womans song and her scent is a dangerous combination - no one should effect another on so many levels. His harsh orc tone asks the empty air around him in a more intelligent way of speaking, “what in Sven and Lauria was that?” So an orc worships an elven god?? Suspicious.
Celandine never means to offend but with how her home has gone the way it has, she figured she might be in danger with those she didn't recongize even if the person that had just tripped had one of her favorite colours as skin, the color blue. Rocked to herself, humming sweetly, and most likely soothing Largakh from his worries. Any nightmares that plague him mind would dissolve leaving him possibly relaxed and happy. Hearing his apology it encouraged her to stop hiding, peeking out again. Her wings moving back to rest behind her, climbing to her feet as this person ran. A deep sign, she moves to pick a single daisy. Moving along where he went, "Larz?" She ask in a lullaby like tone, "I-I...I am sorry." She kept her space from him, her face blushing red. Lifting the daisy out towards him, "I assumed, and..I am sorry. Are you okay? Yo-u tripped earlier." Her hands shook, but she was being sincere. "I am a" she swallows, chestnut eyes glancing to him. "Avian. What are you? I haven't seen your kind before. Actually I haven't seen much. My home is the land that floats." Moving her left foot behind her right, the toes on the left wiggling as she was trying to make it up for scaring Larz back.
Largakh snaps his head up to look at the siren and those tuscan yellow eyes take in her face anew. When he reached out to accept the flower she would notice his skin is actually mostly a dark green and spots of blue contrast it as if someone splattered him with blue paint. The skin mutation is mostly hidden under the cover of his long sleeve cotton shirt and slacks. He had broad shoulders, but was rather on the narrow side - or seemingly so. When he accepted the flower he made sure to not make contact with the woman’s skin - she looked too bright and pure for him to even look at. With those melodies he could be in deep trouble here as he was uncertain if she heard him just now, but in case she hadn’t he keeps it dumbed down, “Larz fine.” He mostly looks at the top of her head where her wings part as to not look directly at her, yet not be rude for avoiding looking up at her as he simply replies, “orc.” The rest isn’t something he just openly talks about. A mention of a floating land and he looks straight up… He can barely make out parts of it through the clouds and, yea, he’s heard of it even though he’s sure to never go there. That was mostly because he’s not a fan of being up that high, “hm.” Is all he really offers in observation of what he says.
Celandine saw his skin was mostly dark green with spots of her favorite color blue! A soft, yet bashful look was given as she grinned, making her plump ruby pink lips curve at the edges. He accepted the daisy! Progress she thought within her mind, the tattoo feather hovering above her left hand. Which soon moved back to rest on top of the left hand, well, she is left handed. "So, do you trip easy too? I have like no grace upon the ground. My friends call me siren bird, angel, angel face, Cela or just Miss Virellio." Pulling her shoulders inwards, her wings shuddering behind her. "You are the first Orc I have meet!" She got excited for a moment, pulling herself back in only to loose her balance stumbling to the right actually catching herself before she falls. "See? No grace." She laughs nervously, "You-uh, blue is my favorite color." She cringes her nose at her words, placing her hand against the side of her face like a facepalm. "I wouldn't go up there, it is dangerous now. Most of us are captured, I kind of hiding. I reckon singing or humming doesn't help."
Largakh, “No… Distracted,” he replied to her questions of clumsiness. After giving one nod and says the shortest name she offers, “Cela.” His own voice a contrast to his pleasant enough face and his intelligent eyes that sometimes betray his act. While she talks those eyes wander from her own eyes, to her lips when she talks and to her wings when they move, yet he remains quiet as she seems to go on and on. The orc doesn’t mind, it’s just that he’s typically a man of few words - even when someone cracks that defense mechanism. When she starts to lose her balance again he reached out to try and catch her without hesitation, but she was fine and he need not touch her so he pulled back. When she mentioned blue is her favorite color he looked down at his hand that was holding the daisy as this was the only part showing his mutation… He was thoughtfully looking down at his hand as he remembers the nightmares he has, the prophecy, the psychic and that one day the vitiligo will spread and all of his skin will be blue. It took him a moment to be brought back to the conversation at hand and all he offers is, “Cela need hide better…”
Celandine noticed he was reaching out, and tucked a blonde strand behind her high elven ear. She did not catch him looking about her person, instead her own eyes trailed his form. She was six foot two, but he seemed taller? Maybe it was because she was not beside him. When she wasn't so bashful, she was a warm breath of fresh air, or so told. "I tried to hide, but you found my spot. I-" She moved her footing again, only this time she went to fall on her bum, maybe it was the wings that tossed her off her balance? Her wings collapsed around her, Celandine's face blushing again. "Sorry." She said slightly above a whisper. Apologizing for her clumsiness. Exhaling hard, moving to attempt standing up, only for her lyre to fall from the leather latch her keeps it on upon her wide hips. Staring at it, "Don't..don't" Only for a string snap free on the lyre. She was having a night, embarrassing herself in-front of this cute orc. Cringing as she thought he cute, oh lord.
Largakh stands at six seven so he was slightly looking down at her while they conversed. A glance to her ears which are similar to his own, except her’s are higher. Larz wouldn’t understand why Celandine was so bashful in front of him or the fact she just thought of him as cute because he’s not a looker in either of the towns he frequents. He either flies under the radar as some weakling or is gossiped about for being an outcast, oh - she’s falling again. Does she have an inner ear problem or something? Maybe she’s as drunk - that would actually explain a lot, “Cela no sorry,” meaning ‘don’t apologize’, while he tucked that flower on his pointy ear - shamelessly, and reached a hand down to her to help her up. He watched the lyre tumble out her satchel and crouches down to grab it for the drunk lady. Before he handed it back to her he takes the string between his slender fingertips and worked it back into the slot it belonged in, or tired… He’s no musician by far and a small shrug as he mentions, “no good.” He does know where a music shop is though, “Cela go… The Last Note.”
Celandine was few inches shorter then him, which explained why she looked up slightly. Not that she stood on part of the ground not elevated, ones that aren't avian she was use to be taller then others. Him being taller was a new experience, but good. Celandine was deemed not attractive or pretty by her kind because she was how she was. A clumsy fool who prefers to write then just let a male pick her and make babies. "I am though..I am just clumsy, that is it. I always have been." Taking his offered help she climbed to her feet, looking to the daisy he tucked to his hear. "It looks good on you." Receiving the lyre back she sucked in her lips, "I carry extra strings, because of this. I can play for you? Or make you a daisy necklace to match." Her chestnut eyes lite up, "I can show you what I was working on!" pausing, "Only if you like. Larz want to be my friend?"
Largakh was weary about hearing her sing because of what it was doing to him a moment ago. If it’s a love song he’d be shaking it off or at least a week as this wasn’t his first time encountering with a bard of this type in his ninety years. When she mentioned the flower looked good on his ear he only scratched his head, which ruffled his short black hair, and said, “thank Cela.” When she explains herself he narrows her infliction down to some inner ear problem. That must be it. He didn’t want to discourage the avian so he agreed, “show Larz.” Crap, he’s done for now. She asks to be is friend and he’s still unsure of this siren lady, she could sing him to sleep then steal all his coin if she wanted to! “Larz and Cela friends.” He also wonders how much longer he can hold this act up - especially if he’s put under some spell.
Celandine smiled so brightly, he said they could be friends. Moving up to tips of her toes in her excitement, "I am glad to be your friend!" Taking his hand and pulling him along to the area where it was more trees, less open. "I will aim just to make you smile. You look like you don't smile much?" She sat down, fixing the string. opening her book, turning a few pages. "This is my newest song, I hope that is okay." Looking back into his yellow optics, with the now warm chestnut's. "Okay, so this is a song I been working on. It isn't done.." She started off closing her eyes, her wings dropping like a feathery blanket upon the ground. Swaying as she began to hum and strike the fixed lyre. Already seeming angelic, not helping the fact she has wings. When she starts singing it sounded opertic but althetically as she was able to reach notes that made her voice unique. Using the lyre to almost mimic her voice to a unison sound. At times echo along with her, "Free my mind. Heal my scars. Erase the past. Dark days to forget, and memories to last in my heart." She paused to let the lyre echo out the words, "Make me forget and forgive. There's no use to go on and live. Show me a way to the sun." By now her scent was strong, but not offensive of his favorite. Her voice casting it's magic, making him feel relaxed and joy. Hopeful for the future even. "Nothing will be forever gone. Memories will stay and find their way. What goes around will come around. Don't deny your fears. So, let them go and fade into light. Give up the fight here." Her lyre was echoing the sound of her voice again, making it seem two voices were coming back out again. "Let my eyes take in the beauty that's here. That's left on this earth. My ears long to hear a melody" Barely above a whisper as the lyre was barely played, finishing up. "Give me sight." She looks up to him, placing the lyre up now.
Largakh’s eyes widen slightly when the lady takes him by the hand and drags him off somewhere else… This is it - someone is going to have to explain to his grandparents why he died in the middle of the woods of Xalious, he just hopes she leaves him with some dignity with this clothes still on. Seeming rather calm on the outside even if he’s having a small anxiety attack inside as he gives a nod to her explanation of the song she was about to perform. He took a seat on a nearby boulder which came up to thigh level on the tall half orc and listened patiently through her song while the magic washed over him along with that scent of his childhood. Whatever he planned to do or say after her solo flew right out of his mind, forgetting who he was or what he is and he did indeed smile. It was slight, crooked and shows only enough of his imperfect teeth between his parted lips. Having no rhythm, he didn't even try to sway along even tap his foot and didn't make a sound. Once the song was over, his psyche having been toyed with, forgot about the dumb farce he wields as a defense mechanism, “that was very pretty, Cela.” He forgot he was thinking he was being lured to his death and his grin widens revealing his shaved down tusks. When he starts to remember himself he stands back up, “why don’t you find a better hiding place? Further from here…” If she’s curious about his sudden change in psyche he would explain.
Celandine didn't mean for him to forget about himself or what he is, she just wanted him to feel happy. To feel joy, he looked like a broken down soul, that hadn't smiled or laughed in a long time. With how bubbly Celandine could be, it could be annoying to him. She was the outcast of her kind, and strange. Unless she was writing, then her kind was all over her excited. Other then that she was a freak. Spotting his smile, it warmed her heart all the way out to her smile. Her whole demeanor was warm like the sunshine on a bright sky upon the flesh, she was just genuinely warm person when she got over, got over the whole shy and bashful. "Thank you, my friend Larz." Bringing her shoulders inwards, squeezing her hands together as she leant forward. Taking note of the shaved down tusk, making her head tilt to the side much like a bird. Crawling up to him and standing up. "Why did you shave those down?" Her finger close to his lips, "Can i see them again? In return, you can look over my wings. Avian's usually get made over them being touched, but I will give you a pass." She froze, "Am I overstepping?" Wait, he was talking normal. "You are talking different." Her head tilts again, her warm chestnut eyes looking to his yellows.
Largakh won’t be feeling her feathery wings, he would thinks that would be too intimate. He pulled his lower lip down and she can now see where his orcish tusks on his lower jaw stick out if they were longer they might just barely overlap his upper lip. Once she gets a good look he lets his lip go and answers explains, “I just shave them down so I can hide my underbite.” His jaw shifts and tenses in the very act he said he just does, “overstepping what?” He’s a pretty open person once people can get passed the first stage - there isn’t much to hide for him so why bother. “Oh… Yeah… That,” his hand rests on the back of his neck, “people do not usually talk to me, but when they do I just act how they would expect and when it doesn’t work and the person sticks around then I know they aren’t afraid of me or annoyed. Orcs are not taken too kindly in most places,” being notoriously evil and all.
Celandine looked, not stared as that been rude. Looking back up to his yellow eyes, leaning away so she wasn't invading his space. "They are unique, I just apologize I have never meet someone like you." Wrapping her arms about the curvy waist, firm and toned abs under the button up shirt. "Meant by getting close, and asking to see. You will have to excuse me, I don't really have any friends. You are a friend so, I got excited. Can I know everything about you in time? Or is that just a girl thing, do girls just do that?" She listened to him, "Oh, I think you are awesome. I just worry I will bother you is all." She gives a shrug, looking down and away before looking back to him. "I actually expected you to be really smart, I expect a lot of people to be smart. You are the first orc I have met, so I wouldn't know how they are. Other then avoid, that was all I been told. Than again, I been told to avoid anything not avian."
Largakh watched her nervous movements even though he was as well while her spell was slowly wearing off, he was able to hide his anxiety better and keep calm. He didn’t mind her questions or her rambling because he usually doesn’t have much to say, himself. “Like what?” He didn’t even think there was much to tell about himself. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t really have friends, myself. Maybe I have one,” Talyara and possibly Emilia. Then she said she thinks he’s awesome and all he does his shrug, “not exactly and no you don’t bother me.” When she explains her ignorance he replies, “well. Orcs have pitiful intelligence and are actually usually much taller than I am and way larger, either by fat or muscle. They are dim and thickly built - almost as if their only purpose is battle. So yeah, you should stay away from them because above all that, they are easily more of the evil races.”
Celandine offered a grin, sitting down as she picked clovered making them into a bracelet. "Like you, an orc." She listened intently, "Well, we are friends now. So no need to hide yourself, and I will work on not being shy.." Then she blushed, pointing to her face, "Or doing this." When he said one she lit up again, "Yes, me!" She got back up to her feet, placing the bracelet about his wrist, tying it off. Such innocence. "So, why are you not as big as them? Wait...you are young and still growing? I am young too, only one hundred and nineteen." Taking a mental note to stay from big scary orcs, "I will avoid and fly away as fast as I can if I meet one, or see one about." Crossing her heart, giving him a promise.
Largakh should have clarified he meant ‘like what?’ to her question about knowing anything and probably should have also clarified that his mention was one meant one other than Cela. He thinks nothing about her blushing because it surely wasn’t due to anything he was saying or doing. “I am actually ninety seven and I am not as big as them because I am only half orc.” Larz looks at the clovers around his wrist now and how it compliments the green parts of his skin, “thanks.” He goes to stand with the gift he had in hand, “you should really find a better area to hide. Kelay is always pretty sage and the Sage forrest elves keep most kind like me out. They will probably protect you if you ask,” a glance up to the skies, “I have to be going now - do you need me to help you get anywhere?”
Celandine shook her head, and smiled. "You are young, I would had thought you are older. I am also older then most I meet on these low lands." Low lands she called it because her home was in the sky. His thanks was returned with a smile and a sway of her body in a circular movement. "You are welcome. I look forward to seeing my friend again, I need to go too. I actually have a tree house in the picnic area, it looks like a bunch of branches grown there. "I will be fine, till we meet again." Taking a step back, her wings extended and she shot upwards into the sky.