Treasures
Talked with RJC at dinner last night and now I have so much floon for Madrigal! I'm going to be making some changes to Klee over time and I just had to write this story in my head that shows the first of them.
Klee walked away from the jeweler's tent, tucking a small package into her pouch. A smile spread across her face and she couldn't help but skip a few steps as she thought about the surprise she had for her ranger grove members. She knew she would have to decide if she would give out some of the gifts during the coming gather, or wait, knowing that so many of her friends would not be traveling to Shadowfane until High Summer. Decisions could wait until another day, however. For now she simply wanted to savor the feeling of connectedness and excitement that the grove always brought to her life.
Wandering down the winding pathways of the Rhoemurgian marketplace, Klee took in the sights and sounds of spring. This had always been her favorite time of year, though now her heart resided in the deep of winter. Catching sight of herself in an ornate mirror, she stopped to run her fingers through the hair on one side of her head. Pure white strands slipped through her fingers and blew in a gentle breeze before settling back into place. The white hair had been the first of the changes, a surprise upon waking one morning from a long winter sleep. Her hand traveled to the ornate black and silver ring she always wore on a cord around her neck now and clasped it briefly. She could sense her lord better when she touched that ring. It was spring and the grip of winter was past, but she knew her lord only slumbered.
Her fingers jostled the two boar teeth on their own cord as she put her hand down and the sound reminded her again of the leather-wrapped package nestled safely in her pouch, and she turned away from the mirror with a grin to continue her stroll through the marketplace. The weather was perfect for a faire day and so the road was crowded with people of all types. Locals out looking for good deals on early vegetables, travelers admiring the fine wares, and children playing games of tag, always underfoot. The way was lined with bright canopies shielding the fair skin of people not yet accustomed to being out of doors for the summer.
A delicious smell tickled Klee's nose and she turned her steps towards the door of a bakery. Inside there were baskets stuffed with breads and shelves lined with all manner of sweet delicacies. This had always been one of her favorite places and she made it a point to stop in for the cinnamon rolls whenever the caravan passed through this particular town. The baker gave her a friendly wave, but was too busy to come over and chat this time, so Klee picked out a roll for herself and asked one of the baker's daughters to wrap a few of the chocolate tarts into a napkin for the boys. Wen in particular loved these little tarts and would have been so disappointed to hear his big sister came to this shop without bringing some back. It was good to have the boys traveling with them again, even if it was only for a little while before the adults would need to go back to Shadowfane. Klee knew the boys were safe in Eluviar, but she missed their antics when they weren't around. It was a little like having her own brother back. She shook her head as she thought about Matthias, wondering yet again where the cat had gotten himself too and hoping he was safe and happy somewhere. She would have to remember to ask Lona if a dream could be sent to him, just to let him know what was going on with their parents.
The young wolf shoathri pushed thoughts of troubled times and lost family to the back of her mind. There wasn't anything she could do to help her loved ones right now and she was determined to enjoy this lovely spring day. As she stepped out of the bakery she took a large bite of the cinnamon roll, immediately smearing frosting across her chin. Giggling at herself, she wiped it away with her fingers and then licked the frosting from them, only glad that she was in human form and didn't have to deal with removing the sticky stuff from fur. She dodged around a few children kicking a ball through the crowd, then jumped up to walk along a fence in order to avoid a particular busy area around a weapon smith's booth. Hard to beat good Rhoemugian steal, in her opinion, even if she didn't have much use for blades, and from the size of the crowd, the locals and travels alike agreed with her view.
Walking behind the smith's tent, Klee noticed a much smaller tent nestled in behind that she would not otherwise have seen if she had stayed on the road. This was an odd place to set up shop, away from the bustle of the main way, and so made it that much more interesting. Klee stuffed the last of the roll into her mouth, jumped down and went to investigate.
The tent was the same color as a the large smithy booth off of which it appeared to shoot as a branch shoots off from a tree. Klee could only surmise that it was the same family and so was not surprised to discover metal work when she ducked inside. What did surprise her, however, was the theme of the work. The young woman's eyes grew wide with wonder as she found herself in a veritable winter wonderland, despite the warm spring day outside. Snowflakes of all types covered the tent. The tables were lined with jewelry, brushes, mirrors, even sword hilts, all worked into the shape of snowflakes. More flakes hung from the roof of the tent, suspended by threads and shimmering with precious jewels.
After a few moments, Klee finally closed her mouth, grinning sheepishly as she realized it had been hanging open. She spent at least an hour investigating every piece of work in that small shop before finally deciding on three pieces. An older woman who was clearly the wife of the smithy hawking his wares loudly out front, was patient as the young wolf admired and exclaimed over ever piece before finally making her selection. Slipping yet another necklace around her neck, Klee smiled at the thought that she was starting to look like Ragnar, with all of his charms. She slipped the two hair clips into her hair, on the side opposite of the little leaves that had been a gift from an elf. Smiling at herself in a mirror, Klee felt the chill of winter on her ever-cold skin and knew in her heart that her lord approved.
Smiling widely at the smith's wife, Klee ducked out of the tent into the warm sunshine and headed back to meet up with the caravan. Sasha would looking for her to help with dinner soon, and there were treats to deliver. Sunlight gleamed off of her new treasures as the wolf woman skipped happily back to her friends.
Klee walked away from the jeweler's tent, tucking a small package into her pouch. A smile spread across her face and she couldn't help but skip a few steps as she thought about the surprise she had for her ranger grove members. She knew she would have to decide if she would give out some of the gifts during the coming gather, or wait, knowing that so many of her friends would not be traveling to Shadowfane until High Summer. Decisions could wait until another day, however. For now she simply wanted to savor the feeling of connectedness and excitement that the grove always brought to her life.
Wandering down the winding pathways of the Rhoemurgian marketplace, Klee took in the sights and sounds of spring. This had always been her favorite time of year, though now her heart resided in the deep of winter. Catching sight of herself in an ornate mirror, she stopped to run her fingers through the hair on one side of her head. Pure white strands slipped through her fingers and blew in a gentle breeze before settling back into place. The white hair had been the first of the changes, a surprise upon waking one morning from a long winter sleep. Her hand traveled to the ornate black and silver ring she always wore on a cord around her neck now and clasped it briefly. She could sense her lord better when she touched that ring. It was spring and the grip of winter was past, but she knew her lord only slumbered.
Her fingers jostled the two boar teeth on their own cord as she put her hand down and the sound reminded her again of the leather-wrapped package nestled safely in her pouch, and she turned away from the mirror with a grin to continue her stroll through the marketplace. The weather was perfect for a faire day and so the road was crowded with people of all types. Locals out looking for good deals on early vegetables, travelers admiring the fine wares, and children playing games of tag, always underfoot. The way was lined with bright canopies shielding the fair skin of people not yet accustomed to being out of doors for the summer.
A delicious smell tickled Klee's nose and she turned her steps towards the door of a bakery. Inside there were baskets stuffed with breads and shelves lined with all manner of sweet delicacies. This had always been one of her favorite places and she made it a point to stop in for the cinnamon rolls whenever the caravan passed through this particular town. The baker gave her a friendly wave, but was too busy to come over and chat this time, so Klee picked out a roll for herself and asked one of the baker's daughters to wrap a few of the chocolate tarts into a napkin for the boys. Wen in particular loved these little tarts and would have been so disappointed to hear his big sister came to this shop without bringing some back. It was good to have the boys traveling with them again, even if it was only for a little while before the adults would need to go back to Shadowfane. Klee knew the boys were safe in Eluviar, but she missed their antics when they weren't around. It was a little like having her own brother back. She shook her head as she thought about Matthias, wondering yet again where the cat had gotten himself too and hoping he was safe and happy somewhere. She would have to remember to ask Lona if a dream could be sent to him, just to let him know what was going on with their parents.
The young wolf shoathri pushed thoughts of troubled times and lost family to the back of her mind. There wasn't anything she could do to help her loved ones right now and she was determined to enjoy this lovely spring day. As she stepped out of the bakery she took a large bite of the cinnamon roll, immediately smearing frosting across her chin. Giggling at herself, she wiped it away with her fingers and then licked the frosting from them, only glad that she was in human form and didn't have to deal with removing the sticky stuff from fur. She dodged around a few children kicking a ball through the crowd, then jumped up to walk along a fence in order to avoid a particular busy area around a weapon smith's booth. Hard to beat good Rhoemugian steal, in her opinion, even if she didn't have much use for blades, and from the size of the crowd, the locals and travels alike agreed with her view.
Walking behind the smith's tent, Klee noticed a much smaller tent nestled in behind that she would not otherwise have seen if she had stayed on the road. This was an odd place to set up shop, away from the bustle of the main way, and so made it that much more interesting. Klee stuffed the last of the roll into her mouth, jumped down and went to investigate.
The tent was the same color as a the large smithy booth off of which it appeared to shoot as a branch shoots off from a tree. Klee could only surmise that it was the same family and so was not surprised to discover metal work when she ducked inside. What did surprise her, however, was the theme of the work. The young woman's eyes grew wide with wonder as she found herself in a veritable winter wonderland, despite the warm spring day outside. Snowflakes of all types covered the tent. The tables were lined with jewelry, brushes, mirrors, even sword hilts, all worked into the shape of snowflakes. More flakes hung from the roof of the tent, suspended by threads and shimmering with precious jewels.
After a few moments, Klee finally closed her mouth, grinning sheepishly as she realized it had been hanging open. She spent at least an hour investigating every piece of work in that small shop before finally deciding on three pieces. An older woman who was clearly the wife of the smithy hawking his wares loudly out front, was patient as the young wolf admired and exclaimed over ever piece before finally making her selection. Slipping yet another necklace around her neck, Klee smiled at the thought that she was starting to look like Ragnar, with all of his charms. She slipped the two hair clips into her hair, on the side opposite of the little leaves that had been a gift from an elf. Smiling at herself in a mirror, Klee felt the chill of winter on her ever-cold skin and knew in her heart that her lord approved.
Smiling widely at the smith's wife, Klee ducked out of the tent into the warm sunshine and headed back to meet up with the caravan. Sasha would looking for her to help with dinner soon, and there were treats to deliver. Sunlight gleamed off of her new treasures as the wolf woman skipped happily back to her friends.