The Winter Veil Party
((Feel free to post in any order, and multiple threads at once is fine. I'm not picky.))
Midnight
It was the night before Kirenestus's banquet, and already his estate was a flurry of activity. Small runestones dotted the grounds. Their glowing runes cast blue light on the plants that the Tauren tended. Due to the corruption in the soil, the effect of ( Read more... )
Midnight
It was the night before Kirenestus's banquet, and already his estate was a flurry of activity. Small runestones dotted the grounds. Their glowing runes cast blue light on the plants that the Tauren tended. Due to the corruption in the soil, the effect of ( Read more... )
When he spots Tarin, Thistle's ears prick. Though he doesn't smile, his eyes warm with happiness. "Hello. It's good to see you." Then he looks to the man in a robe next to her. No recognition on his face at first, though by his change in expression, it's easy to see that he's quick to spot her escort is a death knight. A death knight with blue hair. He blinks and frowns, then recognition comes. His head dips into a nod to Traejan, the gesture deep enough to be respectful and not just an acknowledgement that the other is here. "Hello. You look different." He looks the knight up and down once more, ears twitching a few times.
Then he looks back to Tarin. "You look..." his voice trail off and his frown returns as he searches for a fitting word. Good? Pretty? Well dressed? "Nice," he decides on, giving her an approving nod. "I have something for you," he looks to Trae, including him in that. "But I think..." his words trail off again and he looks to the gate -- maybe gift-giving should be done inside?
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Tarin pursed her lips a moment, peering at Traejan as she tried to decide if she detected an insult in his words. She decided to let it go a moment later, looking back to Thistle pleasantly. "Thank you! You look nice yourself. I brought something for you too, but I'm sure the gift exchange will be later on. After we eat, at least."
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"I know you all. Come inside. Thistle, the stable is adjacent to the house. You may leave Flight there. Penny and Holly are welcome inside. Tarin, Traejan, there should be room in the stable for your horses, as well." Solandis opened the gate, then said, "Please leave the ghoul outside for tonight, Traejan. It is difficult for the living to eat around the mindless undead. Anthalan will be in the stable and will be happy to watch him while you're inside."
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Next he looks over to his windrider, who appears bored with this whole thing. "Flight," he introduces him for Tarin's sake. The cat-like creature flicks an ear at his name, then yawns widely.
He looks to Tarin when she speaks, then nods. "Yes. That would be a good time for it." Pause, his expression serious as he continues. "I hope you like what I got you." Without waiting for a reply, he turns to face Solandis when the knight speaks.
He nods understanding, then moves through the gate. Penny sticks close to him, and Flight pads after, tail swishing slowly. Thistle looks to Trae as he heads for the stable. "I'm going to leave your gift there. It's not," pause, thoughtful frown. "I don't think I should give it to you inside. It's for your ghoul."
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Traejan acknowledged the kitten and the attention paid to her with a quiet sound, but otherwise didn't seem overly enthused. "She is.. nice. I'm just not a cat person. I'm not overly impressed with them. But I can appreciate that she'll grow up to hunt on his farm. An animal with a purpose other than to warm someone's sofa is admirable."
They both looked to Solandis as the other Knight spoke up, though Traejan scowled a bit as he referred to his ghoul. "He's not mindless," he asserted, but left it at that. He couldn't deny that Solandis' words were true. No doubt there would be at least one living individual who might be put off at the idea of rubbing elbows with a hulking ghoul. "To the stables then.."
He headed off toward the stables as well, leading his horse behind him. Tarin did the same with her dreadsteed.
The ghoul seemed to realize Thistle was referring to him and made a happy, eager sound at the idea of some sort of gift. "We'll make a small exception then for that. The ghoul will likely tear into it anyway.."
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Thistle nods agreement to Trae, too. "Yes. She'll hunt. She'll catch things in places Penny is too big to go." But for now, he rubs the kitten behind her ears, trying to keep her occupied.
Once they reach the stables and enter, Flight stops, tail swishing a little faster. He rumbles deep in his chest, and Thistle nods in reply as if he understood. Holding the kit in one hand, he works at the rope holding the boxes with the other. They're freed at roughly the same time, held together across the saddle, and land on the stable floor with a soft thump. Once freed of his load, Flight saunters down the aisle, picking out an empty stall for himself and vanishing inside.
Penny lowers her head, sniffing at one box and then the other, but Thistle calls her back to his side with a quiet word. He looks to Trae. "One is for you. They're both the same."
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When they reached the stables Traejan lead his charger into a vacant stall and closed the door up after it, the beast turning about to face the aisle and then standing silently, still as death. Tarin did the same, giving her own mount an affectionate pat before she left it, returning to the door where Traejan stood with Thistle and the packages.
After he had set down the gifts it was carrying, the ghoul sauntered forward and picked up one of the boxes with Traejan's silent permission. The creature turned the box over and over a few times, rattling it, before opening it with one claw. Inside were dead vermin of various types that had been shot and the ghoul made a particularly pleased sound at finding them there. Before the ghoul could indulge in the first 'treat' Traejan sent him off where he would be relatively out of the way for the night.
"Thank you. That was..very nice of you to gift the ghoul."
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Thistle watches the ghoul open the gift, multiple emotions visible on his face: Acceptance, yet distaste. Unease, but also the look of one lost in fonder memories of other times.
No reaction from him when Trae speaks, Thistle just stands there, eyes distant and ears a'twitch. When Holly lands a bite on his thumb instead of the jerky, he startles out of it, blinking first down to her, then over to the death knight. A blank look at first, as if Thistle had lost track of where they were. Then a blink and expression returns. "I didn't know what you would like. I knew what a ghoul would."
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"But it's the thought that counts, of course," Tarin finished for him, hooking her arm around Traejan's as she attempted to maintain the pleasant atmosphere without snarky commentary -- even if the pleasantries had been going hand-in-hand with an awkward tension so far.
"... Yes. Of course," the death knight added flatly. "We should all see to the party now, hm?" He scooped up the gifts the ghoul had left on the ground nearby, ready to bear them into the party proper.
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"Welcome, all of you. My name is Anthalan Duskweaver, I'll be keeping an eye on everyone out here while you're inside." Obviously, he was doing more than just manning the stables. One of the gargoyles dropped down to the ground and talked to him in the Scourge tongue /Master, more guests approach. Two females./ Anthalan nodded and said, "Keep an eye on them." He smiled at the guests. "Kirenestus is waiting for you inside. Please, step inside. I'll make sure your ghoul is well cared for out here, Traejan."
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"If it isn't the farmer!' She looked up at the wind rider with raised brows. "Should've ridden the goat." Her black eyes stayed on Flight for a moment, then looked back at the tree and tilted her head, causing a sickening crunching sound somewhere in her throat.
"I will meet the rest of you inside, then, no point in staying in the stables all night!" Then she melted into the night.
Clack, clack, clack, came the sound of her heels from the darkness as she headed towards the estate.
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And then the man steps into the light and introduces himself. Thistle's ears give a twitch. Good timing.
To Trae he comments quickly, "Yes. One minute." Then steps away from him, heading for Anthalan.
Hands full of kitten, he gives Anthalan a quick nod. "Hello. That box," he turns and nods towards it, "is for Kirenestus." Pause. "He can open it later. It's not for," another pause, "inside."
If he has more to say to Anthalan, he's interrupted by the old woman voice behind him. He knows who that is. Thistle spins around, ears pinned back, hand on the butt of his gun. "No," he tells Cirys, voice firm and certain. "Snowy is the farm-goat. I wouldn't bring her here." He doesn't turn back to face Anthalan, even once the forsaken woman has vanished. His ears stay back as he searches the stable's shadows with his eyes.
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He spent a moment eyeing the Forsaken woman briefly, knowing at once who he was observing as he noted Thistle's hand going to his gun. His lips curved in a small smirk, following her with his eyes as she turned and made a noisy exit.
Tarin moved closer to Thistle as she picked up on his discomfort. "Is everything alright?"
"I'll just be inside then. See the rest of you there.." He turned and headed out of the stable and toward the house, wanting to find a place to set his gifts down now that he no longer had a pack-ghoul to cart them around for him.
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