RP:Walkabout

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Part of the Dissonance Theory Arc

Part of the Time Heals All Wounds Arc

Summary: It's Lionel and Penelope's first date! And they are clueless.

Mountain Path

Lionel had spent the better part of yesterday evening perplexed as to how exactly to go about doing any of this. “I bet Hudson never has this problem,” he said to himself whilst looking in the mirror at his plain black garb. “Or Krice.” He shuffled through his wardrobe only to remember grimly that almost everything he owned was black. “Or Kreekitaka, even.” Snorting, he surrendered and went to sleep. Awakening at dawn, the Catalian rummaged through his wardrobe for the second time, half-convinced he’d find something new this time. In the end, Lionel gave up and selected the nicest button-up shirt and matching slacks he could find, all as black as night. “Whatever.” He wasn’t sure what the protocol was for who fetches who in a relationship, or indeed if there was any protocol at all, but he decided that it would be best to go to Penelope’s hut himself because he barely had a place of his own. He arrived on time, they said some words, she came along in a hurry, and now the two of them were together for a quality hike along the mountain trails. Winter was relentless in Lithrydel, but the sun shone brightly this morning, and the wind was weaker than usual. All this made for a pleasantly brisk temperature where steady walking worked just fine to keep them warm. A few scattered trees dotted the gravel path on either side of them now; it was the first sign that a forested area would soon be upon them. An elf, likely bound for Kelay, passed them by and kept on hiking in the opposite direction. But other than the elf, not another biped had been spotted in over an hour. This wide open and sunny expanse may as well have been a secluded nook. “I think there’s a nice waterfall up a little further,” Lionel said. “I’m a little surprised the weather has decided to play fair today.”

Penelope :: Today was the day, and well, the girl was pretending that the day was like any other day. Her day started up early inside the hut as she had an appointment lined up for a lady with a large pregnant belly. Penelope was now able to hear the baby’s heartbeat with a stethoscope. “The beat seems healthy as ever, but I must tell you, I felt the baby in an odd position and because you’re going into labor in about a month, I’d like to try to get the baby back into the correct position,” the healer says. The appointment drags on as the two women talk about a future appointment, and what strategies to do to get the baby back into position… The workaholic was going to be late until Lionel showed up at the hut. “Oh, crud,” but thank the Gods she had gotten dress this morning just in case her antics of doctor life happened. “Evelyn, you’ll be just fine. Do the exercises and I’ll check the baby in a couple weeks,” she then stands. The man and the woman mingle and the woman fetches a long coral camel coat to go with her long-sleeved white blouse, black pants, and snake-skinned pointed boots that were more on the edgy side, but still her all-the-same. She even put on a lip color for him and dusted highlighter. She had to feel fancy somehow. The two then trek through the forests where the sun was shining through the make the world a little brighter, and warmer. “So, you are taking me to a waterfall,” she smiles. “Winter normally strikes a little crystal beauty to them,” she adds. They move a little further through the nook. “So, what has the adventurous Lionel been up to recently? Have you gotten sick of the cold yet?”

Lionel didn’t have to know the first thing about dates to know that telling Penelope about finding a second stone obelisk was reasonable enough, but telling her that monks at Coreliant’s shrine had reported that strange cultists engaged in an orgy on top of it was… less reasonable. “Well,” he began, trying to figure out a safer way of explaining, “Rorin and I sort of stumbled upon another of those weird obelisks while I was reintroducing Kasyr Azakhaer to an old friend of his.” So far so good. “So Rorin had it carted up to HQ, and…” And then a pair of elven assassins tried to kill him. “And then things got a little weird. Nothing we couldn’t handle. So now we’re going to bring our newest recruit, Quintessa,” the heir to House Dragana and the girl who had tried to kill him recently, “and we’re going to investigate the cultists that the monks sort of… borrowed the obelisk from. Because evidently, minor earthquakes have been happening down at their shrine ever since they borrowed it. Which sounds like the one you and me stumbled upon.” Lots of stumbling. “Anyway,” he said casually, “I thought I’d hate the cold now but I don’t! It turns out it’s not so bad. Though, I’ll be careful. Promise. I’ve seen frostbite and I want no part in it.” That was certainly true. By now the two of them were just past the treeline and headed into the thick of things. The sun still peered down at them through clear patches between the canopy, and various tiny animals scurried about. It was a bit cooler here, and a shade more humid too, but it remained fairly agreeable.

Penelope listened while kicking some powder on the ground. Her hands are stuffed in her pockets to keep the chill away from them. “So we still don’t know what these obelisks really mean,” her mossy eyes shift to look at him. The man was becoming rather vague, but well, he tended to keep details out of a lot, so this was nothing she was not used to by now. Besides, their interactions were anew, and well, she did not mind the vagueness. “So do you think the cultists know what the runes mean on the obelisks? And why would the monks borrow something so… odd?” Also, why would they cause the ground to shake? The woman then continues on through the snow until they reach the thick of the forests, she begins to push branches out of her pathway. “Probably bundling is for the best since Frostmaw is sort of… your thing, isn’t it? Terrible up there. I do not know how you do that. I recommend a coat, maybe some gloves. You know they make those fingerless mitten gloves? That way if you wanna sword play, you can just unleash your finger-grip from your mittens,” she lets out a small laugh. The humidity of the air gives her the sense that the waterfall was coming up close.

Lionel picked up a twig for no apparent reason, not even to himself, and swung it around softly. It was small and harmless but it made a ‘whoosh’ sound and that was more than enough for Lionel. “Yeah, lots of unanswered questions. I intend to ask these cultists enough to get a few answers -- if they’re in a talkative mood. Another thing the Coreliant monks said is that the cult’s pagoda is guarded by vicious man-eating plants.” He gave Penelope a knowing look that seemed to say, ‘Because of course it is’ and tossed the twig back down to the snowy earth. “Quintessa managed to translate much of what is written on the second obelisk. It seems to be a rather dangerous prayer to a saint or supposed deity. Honestly, the deeper I dig, the more worried I become.” At least he was opening up this much; he hadn’t even said that to the others in the Warrior’s Guild yet. “But I’d like to nip this in the bud as quickly as possible. Lithrydel can’t afford another continental disaster anytime soon, and… well, you know me. You know how I can be. I’m not sure I can afford not to at least check this out.” It was true. Lionel had confided in Penelope Halifax that he wanted to learn what life without endless fighting could be like and he had meant it. But this craving to explore, to discover, and to protect… it wasn’t something he wanted to discard. “And as for the monks,” he chuckled as they crossed a hill in the forest, “they only stole the damn obelisk because it’s pretty.” Borrowed, stolen -- the healer had to have suspected. Though now that Lionel had given her further information, perhaps Penelope would understand and agree that letting the cultists hang on to it without finding out what exactly they believed in wasn’t such a bad idea. Past the hill now, Penelope and Lionel could spot the waterfall and accompanying stream. The stream looked like it went on for quite a long time, perhaps leading to a lake. In this part of the region, it wouldn’t have surprised Lionel to discover that the lake was immense in size and cut straight through the mountains. Sure enough, winter had given the waterfall a telltale sparkle, a ‘crystal beauty’ as Penelope had predicted. “Mittens,” Lionel repeated her suggestion. “I bet I could get some pretty neat mittens. Maybe with a fox emblem or something.” He seemed genuinely into it…

Penelope squinted at the thought of man-eating plants and she lofted a brow in a ‘are you serious’ expression. As he speaks of Quintessa translating the obelisk, the herbalist frowns. “So I assume you are playing with something a lot darker than you might think,” she observes and her tone is questionable on her thoughts about this. “So if you’re worried, I should worry just a smidge. I don’t want you or your team getting into a fix,” she admits. The girl sort of peers around at the treeline above. “I know you need to do what you need to do. I understand that, but I swear to the Gods, if you get yourself in a fix after I just got you on your feet again—well, I’m not sure what I’d do. I wish I would bring the wrath, but unfortunately, I’m only made to fix you from wrath,” she rolls her eyes playfully, but no one could help curiosity. Not even Penelope, for the woman, too, would be willing to check out what was causing the quakes. To make sure Lithrydel was in good shape. Besides, if she was going to be around Lionel O’Connor, danger tended to knock on his door. Most knew that, so she was not oblivious by any means, and that was one of the reasons Krice had been training her, so perhaps maybe she did know how to start bringing wrath. That and… Linken. Krice had met Linken. Saw the destruction she had. Both were worried. Krice worried even for her safety. “Also, why would monks steal anything? Isn’t that completely going against their peaceful nature?” A rhetorical question as she thinks aloud. “Maybe I’ll take up knitting and make you a pair,” she snorts before the two then make their way down where the waterfall, stream, and lake settle. The body of water was huge, and sparkling due to the sunrays. The girl with the unkempt hair sits down on a nearby rock that is covered in powder, but her coat blocks her pants from soaking. The area seems quiet except for the waterfall splashing down into the stream, though the woman remains aware of her surroundings despite the serene surroundings, especially since the waterfall showers fill her ears.

Lionel bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. It wasn’t that he intended to laugh at Penelope’s genuine worries; she was well within sound mind to worry about a man who charged head first into danger on an almost daily basis and his group of similarly-daring subordinates. It was the irony of the situation that brought humor to the Catalian. “I know,” he answered. “That’s why I had originally thought to ask you to tag along in case things went on a downward spiral during our trip. I trust your healing skills better than I trust my own left hand and I know how seriously you seek my safety. I’d hate to have you thinking I don’t want you right behind me, making sure none of us explodes.” He shook his head. “Only reason I didn’t invite you to this one is because I know how busy you are this week. So I’ll take extra precautions not to get swallowed up by angsty trees or whatever while you’re out and about. And next time, I’ll hail you.” Lionel winked at the lass. Under normal circumstances, Penelope’s inquiry concerning thieving monks would have been evidence enough to suspect them of further foul play. But this cloister housed a strange sort. “The monks at Coreliant’s shrine… are a bit crazy.” Blunt but true. “I don’t think they’re entirely with it anymore ever since their patron god-thing abandoned them. They’re as harmless as that twig I just threw, but nutty enough to pilfer a big stone just for its feng shui.” Penelope’s knitting offer was met with a happy grin; Lionel was oblivious to any comedic element here. Mittens knitted by Penelope, brought into the field of battle, sounded great.

Penelope blinks once or twice at the man. “Oh,” he was going to ask her to tag along. She was busy, yes. Her schedule included several appointments, a trauma, Lanara’s fiasco, getting through Yule with Ruari, and training with Krice. There was a whole list to accomplish. While she sits there, all she wants to do is to be blunt with him, for normally she was, but dates would be ruined by words like ‘I care about your safety because you died, and you need a little more time to live—preferably a long amount’. Instead, she holds her tongue. “I hope you do seek me,” she finally concludes without the grim reminders of the past, but his wink lightens the mood and brings her back to ordinary thought. The woman then laughs at the man’s observation of the monks, though her laugh sort of slows at the thought of, actually learning to knit. The warrior, however, seems happy, and, for that, she knows what she needs to do. Thanks, Penelope for trying to be funny. Now you are going to turn into an old knitting lady. Today was the day. Today had seemed… ordinary like she planned the event would be. Were dates this ordinary? Because, if so, this was a piece of cake. Why were they so worried? “I packed a few snacks! And you said our food would get soggy. We are plenty away from that waterfall,” she grins one of those crooked grins, and she then moves to the side to pull out a few wrapped cheese and meat sandwiches. The freckled woman then offers him one. Whether or not he takes the sandwich, she will begin to unwrap her own with one hand while the food sits on her lap. “I say we deserve it for hiking to find this thing, yeah? About time anyway we stuck to our word, yeah?” The woman then uses her one hand to take a bite to stuff her face to refrain away from awkward conversation about the date. Yeah, this bite would take a while to chew. Lady like? What was lady like, anyway? Sure, she dressed and talked like one at times when it came down to work, but ate like one? No way.

Lionel took the sandwich with gusto, excited for brunch after their brisk walk. He hadn’t been hungry earlier, but he sure was now that food was directly in front of him. Knitting woes? What knitting woes? Lionel knew how to knit so he wrongly assumed that most people did too. Best of luck, Penelope. He savored the flavor -- was this turkey? He adored turkey and it was the one meat he never felt bad about eating because he had once beheld a turkey staring at the rain until it drowned. It was depressing in the moment but later on Lionel decided that it erased his guilty conscience and from that day forward he hunted turkeys almost exclusively whenever they were available. Between the two of them, Lionel was perhaps the more delicate eater; he continually arched his fingers in dainty new angles as the bites were taken until the remainder of the sandwich was set between his thumb and pinky. The waterfall gently poured into the stream and a few stray fish, orange and large -- koi, Lionel believed they were called -- passed the couple by. Much to his relief, not a single stone obelisk emerged from underground, and no man-eating plants descended upon them either. No assassins in sight. “This is pretty good.” Lionel paused and then realized he needed to elaborate. “Not the sandwich, I mean. Er, the sandwich is good, too. But I mean the whole date thing. The nature thing, the picnic thing, the you thing? Not that you’re a thing. You know what I mean.” Another pause. “Even if I don’t.” He finished the sandwich before speaking again. “I think I’d like to do it again, and I wouldn’t mind if it were smack dab beside this stream again. Though we should probably branch out?” He noticed a nearby branch and the pun felt weird. He ignored it. “I’m thinking of rebuilding over near Siochainn, that old house of mine that went to ruin when Kahran attacked.” That was in Frostmaw, however, and Penelope wasn’t fond. “Actually,” Lionel changed course immediately, “somewhere warmer might be better.” The sun was high in the sky now, and the rays that peaked through the canopy were warm and strong.

Penelope started thinking mid-chew through her turkey sandwich—lucky for Lionel! Perhaps the feeling of ordinary was due to the fact that companionship was something the girl had not been blatantly seeking. Unless this was the start of companionship? Lanara had said all companions were different and came in different forms. Her mind swirls a little while she remains stoic as she would look very mesmerized by her sandwich. What had life been before while living long ago with Linken? The girl could not even remember the happiness from all the fog that consumed them. A new man, however, was right near her standing in clear view. Although she appeared friendly and easy, she had been cautious. For both of them, there was only surface-level of knowing each other. Maybe she knew a little more about him than herself, but that was preferable. After the long thought, she finally swallows that big first bite before continuing. ‘This is pretty good’. What? She almost chokes with a bit of a snort from laughter when he clarifies that she is not a thing. ‘I think I’d like to do it again’. The woman takes two more bites one after the other. Perhaps she just ate when she was nervous—one of a couple nervous habits. The silence lingers as she chews slowly in thought. “I wouldn’t mind that,” she finally says that with still a bit of food stuffed in her cheek, but she is still clearly audible. The woman then stands up to stretch her legs. “We can branch. Perhaps trek to a new town to explore, or… I can teach you how to make your own oils,” she smirks. “We will figure it out.” As he mentions his old home that rests in ruins in Frostmaw, she sort of gives him a tilted look. His home was in ruins? She did not know that. “Where the heck have you been staying then?” The woman inhales a little as he speaks of a warmer place. “Frostmaw is like your home home now, is it not? Aren’t you like… super important there?” Meaning, was he not the Steward of Frostmaw but maybe that was wrong? “You know, warm is not half-bad. I used to live… in the quieter parts of the forest between Cenril and Sage. Then… I moved,” she pauses on the thought of her past. She then continues, “I now live above my shop for now until I can find somewhere… not so small. Though the studio is nice since it is just me,” she shrugs. Thankfully, she had convinced Linken to stay in the hut instead of Halifax Roots. “Lanara actually suggested I open my own practice somewhere. I just have to get the funding, so I’m thinking of hosting some sort of Charity Ball at some point to support clinics and hopefully help me build my own private practice. Wherever that rests, I’ll probably move. It’s hard picking a destination where you want to start anew, but honestly, it can be very refreshing. But new homes are also just as refreshing."

Lionel didn’t know much about new homes but he could imagine what it must be like. It seemed enticing. Drinking deeply from a canteen of water and watching the koi fish travel downstream until they were no longer in visual range, Lionel thought about the slew of things that Penelope had just said. He couldn’t help wondering whether any of the words he mumbled next would be weighed more heavily than he’d realize. In truth, it didn’t seem particularly likely. But the former Prince of Catal couldn’t simply trust his gut on a thing like this -- it was so foreign that despite the pair’s relaxed nature right now there may yet have been minefields to circumnavigate. “Oh, you know, here and there,” Lionel said as airily as he could muster. “HQ’s a decent place for a nap. As is Mesthak’s shed. Plenty of other places. I’m sure it sounds a bit wild, but I know enough good folks throughout the realm to make it work. Though you can probably see why I’m thinking of building something anew.” He chuckled. It didn’t bother Lionel much that he lived this way, for he had almost always done so. His dwarven retainers from Catal, upon locating their prince, had guided him to Siochainn. Now all but one of them was dead by Kahran’s blade, and the manse itself was in ashes. “I suppose I’m still kind of a big deal up in Frostmaw.” He didn’t sound certain -- he wasn’t certain. “The Queen and I have drifted apart since the start of the war. Now the war’s ended, which means I ought to pay her a visit sometime. See where things are between the two of us. I still handle a few papers here and there but I’m no good at politics. The best things I’ve done for Frostmaw, I’ve done from afar. We’ve set up tents for the homeless to wait out the winter over at HQ. It’s obviously still frigid up there but they’ve got well-tended fires and hardy crops from local farms. The guild does a lot of good these days outside of combat.” Lionel was seldom proud, but he was proud of this. As he listened to Penelope talk about her own past whereabouts, and her burgeoning dreams and Lanara’s advice, he took on a smile that didn’t seem to leave. Curious about a great many things, but opting to hold off on prying into the healer’s past overmuch until it felt like a more acceptable thing to do -- further on, he presumed, if relations were to progress between them -- he instead contained his answer to the lattermost topic. “Hell yes,” the man said jubilantly. He stretched his muscles and took Penelope’s hand in his. “Lanara is as wise as she is witty. You know, I think I know you well enough by now to wager a guess that you want to get there at least in large part by the sweat of your own brow. But opening a private practice is a fantastic idea and plenty of people will happily help along the way.” It was then that Lionel clearly feigned himself being deep in thought and in an exaggerated tone and matching mannerisms he blurted out, “Heck, I’ve been thinking of tossing ample coinage at clinical studies lately. I know! I’ll find someone befitting financial services and pitch in accordingly.” He started to walk away, albeit slowly and in a bizarre stance, and then looked around. He spotted the koi again, returning from wherever it was that they had just went. “Are any of you looking into opening your own private practice?” None responded, of course, though as weird as Lithrydel could be, Lionel wouldn’t have been shocked if they had. “Nope, not them. And we can’t ask the turkey, for numerous reasons. I guess the only one left here is…” He pointed. “You! Penelope Halifax. Like it or not, I’ve decided you’re the only one here who can inherit a sizable sum of money to further pursue your dreams. I suppose you’ve no choice but to deal with it.” And, no matter how Penelope took this well-meaning and utterly earnest nonsense of his, the two of them continued their date well into the evening.