Main / LegB-CorneliaToDryadsLairIC

A River Runs Through It - In Character Discussions - Leg B

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Leg A

Leg B

Everyone is on the road just outside of Cornelia

After what feels like an uncomfortable silence Miranda speaks out loud. "Well this is odd. I feel like we are all escorting you two on your honeymoon and we we really are doing a bad job, you deserve so much better. This seems more like what Hoffman and I would do... I mean if ..or when we ever do what we may or may not do. But certainly you to deserve better. Don't you all think... Anything we.. I can do, like shutting up, just let me know.

After Nov1717

Miranda seems lost in thought, obvious to the world arround her. She seems to notice Marisu's question and takes a few moment for her to form words. She sees Branwyn pack up and leave and almost says something but gathers her thoughts and wait for things to settle in before speaking. "I am sorry Marisu, I was a little lost in my head. I was just thinking more on that topic, after our conversation ladies watch and with all the revelations, I think my goal is clear. I have to go home to Loosend and see my family.

Branwyn Breaks the News of Her Marriage to Indigo

Branwyn and Lord Branadarus dropped down onto the deck of the knarr. Once Branwyn settled herself from yet another less than perfect landing, she looked around confused not to be at the port at which she left the knarr close to a week ago. Hearing a familiar laugh, she soon spied Indigo, Penelope and Wu Sen Cho sitting together at the stern of the ship drinking ale and eating supper. With a feeling of relief, she squeezed Tiberius’ hand.

“Hello, there!” Branwyn said with a smile. “Where are we?”

Indigo jumped. His plate tumbled off his knees, his roast duck landing with a small thunk on the deck. He looked at Branwyn and then down at his dinner. “Wish you wouldn’t do that,” he said with mock irritation, trying to hide a grin. He picked his dinner up and put it back on the plate, brushing it off with his sleeve.

“Why are you magicking around?” Indigo asked and then thought for a moment. He looked up in alarm. “Is anyone in danger?”

“No, no. No one’s in danger. And I’m sorry to have startled you. All of you,” Branwyn replied, looking at the group. “It’s hard not to startle others when I just appear, but there really is no way to avoid it. But again, where are we?”

“Berem, M’lady,” piped up Penelope. “Just a day’s sail downstream of where you left us. Therip wasn’t much of a town and we needed supplies and to see about repairs and replacing those sails. Sails’ll make it much shorter of a voyage back.”

“Good thinking. Thank you all for taking such good care of the knarr. I hope that it hasn’t been all work and you’ve had a bit of fun while we’ve been away.”

Wu Sen smiled. “We have done a bit of exploring. I have spent most of my days visiting the local merchants. And in the evenings, Penelope and Indigo have taught me some very interesting games involving cards and dice. I am not very skilled in those arts, but they have been quite patient and they only bet when they play in the taverns.”

“Well, that is very good news. And speaking of good news, we have a bit of that ourselves that we wanted to share with you. That’s why we came actually. We … well, Tiberius and I … we got married in Cornelia,” Branwyn said, ending a bit tentatively.

Lord Brandarus grinned broadly and held up their hands to show their rings.

All three faces showed varying degrees of surprise. Indigo nearly dropped his plate again, but managed to catch it this time. “You got married? You really did it? Did you not want me there? You planned this all along?” Indigo asked in rapid succession leaving no room for responses in between.

Branwyn flushed and opened her mouth to speak. As she started to splutter, Branadarus released her hand and stepped forward. He got down on one knee in front of Indigo and looked him in the eye. “Sir Indigo, I hope you will accept my apologies and that you will not blame Branwyn for not including you in the ceremony. No, we did not plan it beforehand. When we arrived, Mother was determined to see us wed and when my Mother puts her mind to something, there is very little that may sway her. Everything was already set into motion upon our arrival and all that was needed was a willing bride. I am lucky that was the case,” he said and took a glance back at Branwyn before returning his attention back to Indigo.

“If we had known, I would have asked your permission and you would have been a part of the ceremony. Branwyn and I missed you being there, and your absence was the only thing that made our wedding less than perfect. Can you forgive me and give us your blessing?” Lord Branadarus asked with a respectful tone in his voice.

Indigo put his plate down and scratched his head. “Awww … there isn’t anything to forgive. Just a surprise more than anything. You kept talking about it so much, I didn’t think you’d ever do it. And if Branwyn is happy then you have my blessing. I just wish I could have been there is all.”

Branwyn stepped forward. “Thank you, Indigo. Your blessing means the world to me.” Turning to Lord Branadarus she asked, “Would you mind terribly if Indigo and I could have a few minutes to talk alone? I’d like to tell him our plans.”

“Most certainly. Take your time, my dear.”

“Thank you,” Branwyn replied and motioned for Indigo to follow her. Indigo got up and followed Branwyn down into the hold.

“Do we have to go all the way in the back?” he asked.

“Yes, please. I don’t have much time and the quiet and dim light down here suits me,” Branwyn sat down and pulled Indigo down with her.

She took a deep breath and began to speak in a soft voice. “As I said, I don’t have much time. I need you to listen and trust me. We can talk more later. I promise. When we arrived at the Queen’s palace, the wedding was already arranged and I was told we were to be wed the next evening. I was also told that we were to leave the following morning and return to the Mist as soon as possible.”

“But why would she want you to leave so soon? You just got there,” he asked.

“Indigo, Lord Branadarus was wrong. He doesn’t know. His mother is not a witch. She is a vampire.”

Indigo leapt up. “A WHAT?” he shouted.

Branwyn pulled him down roughly and whispered, “SHHHHHHH! I need you to be quiet. Please, Indigo.”

Then loudly, she said, “YES, A HONEYMOON. A newly married couple deserves a honeymoon alone and not on a ship with shared quarters with a dozen people.”

Branwyn took Indigo’s hands in hers and lowered her voice again. “He doesn’t know. How do you tell someone that the mother you love very much is a … what she is. And she knows that I know what she is. She does not like that very much. She wants Tiberius and I to go into the Mist where she can’t see us and we can’t see her. Actually, she doesn’t want us to come back at all, but we will deal with that later. This happened so fast, Indigo, I barely had any time to think. I just know that we have to be far away from Cornelia faster than you and the knarr can take us. We’re going to Rivers Bend and try to stay there. I can speak with my first teacher and see if he can help me. If we run into any trouble, we will go to Portown and wait for you there. I will leave word at the docks where we are so when you arrive in Rivers Bend you will know where to find us. I have told Jennevive and so I assume she has told everyone else,” Branwyn sighed. “Everyone but Lord Branadarus.’

‘When you get to Dryads Lair, get the rest of our belongings onto the knarr as fast as you can and head to Rivers Bend. Before you go, stop by the Branadarus residence and see if you can get his things as well. If the staff gives you any trouble, let it go. We can send for his things later. And … ummm … let Jennevive and Marisu lead the discussion with the new Ambassador. You just focus on getting my library out of the house and onto the knarr. They might not be too happy to see us. But that’s a story you can ask the others. Please leave here soon to return to Therip. I believe the rest of the group should arrive there in a couple of days.”

“So she forced you to marry him? You didn’t fight her?” Indigo whispered.

Branwyn sighed. “She just made things go faster. She didn’t force me and how do you battle the mother of the man you love and risk the lives of everyone else that you care for in the process? Things happened the way they were supposed to. And I am very happy to be married. I am. So, please, let us go and be happy for us. I will see you as soon as you can get to Rivers Bend. We will talk more.”

Branwyn gave Indigo a big hug and then brought him back on deck. Lord Branadarus was eating Indigo’s duck and playing dice with Wu Sen Cho. Branwyn smiled.

“Hey! That’s my dinner!” Indigo cried out.

Penelope held out her plate. “You can have mine. Mine didn’t even fall on the deck,” she said with a grin.

“Tiberius, I think it’s time to start our honeymoon. That is, if you can tear yourself away from your game,” Branwyn said, hoping to push for the next teleport stop.

Branwyn and Lord Branadarus Visit Dryads Lair

Branwyn and Lord Branadarus landed softly and effortlessly in the courtyard of Branwyn’s former residence. “Much better,” Branwyn murmured under her breath. She looked around quickly and seeing no one, she tugged at Tiberius’ arm. “Come on, let’s go,” she whispered and started making her way to the front entrance.

Branadarus took hold of her hand and pulled Branwyn back. “But don’t you want to see Philippe and the new Ambassador and tell them the good news?”

She gave his hand a squeeze and gave him a sad look. Telling her former staff about her marriage had never even occurred to her in her haste to get as far away from Cornelia as she could in one evening. Another hour. Another lie. She wondered how long she could keep this up.

Trying to sound nonchalant, she said, “If we tell them now, they will keep us all night and then want to have a ball, and we’ll be here all week. We’ll never have our honeymoon. Besides …” Happy to remember a real reason to flee, she continued. “Besides, Lord Sam left without telling his father or asking permission. I have a feeling that Prince Loplin would not be happy to hear I was back in the city without the ability to return his ward. When we come back, I am sure Sam will be more settled. We will have a grand party and the Prince will hopefully not wish to have my head. So let us go to your house quickly before we disturb this one.”

Branadarus’ brow furrowed just a bit, but he nodded. “Let us be off then.” And with that the two quickly left the manor. Joseph Shortkin stepped out from the shadows of the stables and watched the couple leave with no small amount of interest.

Still troubled by what seemed to him to be an unusual overabundance of concern by Branwyn, Tiberius spoke again. “Sam is of age. A man may go where he wants without his father’s permission.”

“That is true, but it doesn’t mean that Prince Loplin cannot still be angry with me and wish to interrogate and berate me. I think we should wait a bit is all until he has had time to come to terms with what has happened. Let us do what is best for us. I am too happy to have unpleasant discussions. Let trouble find us rather than us seek it out.”

It wasn’t long before the pair reached the city residence of Lord Branadarus. A servant met them at the door and took their cloaks and set their bags in the foyer. “I’ll stay down here and let you pack. When we get to Rivers Bend we can find a nice inn and get a late supper.”

“I won’t be more than a few minutes. There isn’t much I need that I don’t already have,” Branadarus said with a wink and then bounded up the stairs two at a time.

“May I get anything for you while you wait, Marquessa? It seems like you and Lord Branadarus are travelling again already.”

“Nothing for me, Jasper, thank you for offering,” Branwyn replied. “And yes, we are travelling. It will be a bit of an extended trip into the Mist and communication will be much slower coming from there than what your Lord is accustomed to. He has a tendency to pack lightly, but this is no camping trip. It is a voyage to meet other royalty and more diplomatic in nature. Admiral Indigo of Drillian shall be here in about a week’s time with our knarr to sail to meet us. I told the Admiral to stop by and see if you had perhaps put together some of Lord Branadarus’ things that he probably will need and would not have thought of for an extended trip. I would appreciate it if you would take care of that for us.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Jasper said a bit apprehensively.

“Wife! I am ready,” Tiberius shouted as he ran down the stairs with a small bag.

The servant’s jaw dropped and he looked back and forth between the two of them.

“I’m sorry. I thought Lord Branadarus should tell you himself,” Branwyn said apologetically to Jasper and then turned to Branadarus. “Yes, husband, bring yourself over here and we can go.”

Shi'Nynze's Message

(Outside): To be delivered to Yinris Zaurahel, Divaekah, Lorien Woods, The Wildlands

(Inside - main message):

Dear Father,

I hope this message finds you well. Much has happened since I last sent a letter home, provided one of the last two did, indeed, find you.

On the chance they did not, I should inform you of the success Keldorldrin Tekenlyl and I have had in retrieving Ellidor's Bow. He once spoke of gifting it to me for my first Shieldmeet. Although that moment has yet to come, I am certain Ellidor can now fully enjoy Arvanaith.

Rather than bore you with the details, I will do my best to summarize the reason for this message and allow you to decide what to do with its contents afterwards.

Keldorldrin and I currently travel in the company of Marquessa Branwyn Branadarus the Mysterious of Drillian, Princess of Cornelia. As she and the other Dragonslayers aided us in retrieving Ellidor's Bow, we decided to remain in their company in hopes of returning the favor lest we leave them with the impression of ungrateful elves. It is through her we were introduced to a Samuel Hightower, an individual previously believed to be an unremarkable human royal. It is not so simple as would be expected of human politics.

Samuel Hightower is the true son of Francis Farthorn as well as the last heir to the Jarvis throne. Originally I believed this to be of no consequence to us, but now I cannot be sure.

We are returning from a trip to Cornelia, where Marquessa Branwyn was recently wed. It is only after the wedding we discovered Queen Annia Cinna of Cornelia is a vampire, but the priestess who travels with the Marquessa, Aunt Jennevive, was informed earlier. It is she alone who is responsible for possibly bringing the clan into this mess.

Queen Cinna wished for Samuel to remain with her in Cornelia with plans to make him king, and most likely, to further her own ambition. Rather than leave him to her mercy, Aunt Jennevive left him some gifts, among which included a wooden ring. She claimed it was a wooden ring from the Elves of the Wildlands. In her words, as best as I can remember, she told him, "If you need anything, simply give this ring to a bird and it will take it to Shi and Kel's home for you. They will know what to do there if they find it,". Aunt Jennevive later admitted to me of it being a ruse, but Samuel believed her ruse.

I pray to Solonor this message is simply an unnecessary abundance of caution. If such a ring shows up on our doorstep, simply send it onward to me or Marquessa Branwyn. The clan need not be involved through another's false claims. Still, at minimum, I wish for you to be aware of the situation in case more than a ring attempts to enter the Wildlands.

From here, you can decide if you believe this information worth bringing to council. My mind can imagine too many scenarios to make such a decision myself. You will know best, Father.

At this moment, we are in the remains of a small town called Therip before we sail down river. In about four days, we will be back at Dryad's Lair, staying in the residence Marquessa Branwyn used when she was ambassador, for a couple days. While still the residence for the ambassador, it is now occupied by Ambassador Joffrey Vilmar and Sir Androp Ilkep of the Silver Balls. They will be expecting our return. It will only be for a short time before heading onward towards Drillian and The Mist. We will be stopping in the town of Rivers Bend before docking in Portstown. From there we will be getting skiffs and heading into the swamps and The Mist. Our final destination is a place called Jistille Estates. I am unsure how easily it will be to send a message in such a place, but provided I don't hear from you beforehand, I will send a message before entering the Mist.

I do hope to hear from you soon, Father.
Sweet water and light laughter.

Your loving daughter,
Shi'Nynze
28-6-1267 TGR

(Inside - scrap paper attached):

I'm sorry for the stiffness of the letter, papa, but I know you might show it to council. Kel and I are doing well. There is still so much of the world left to see! Please tell mama I am sorry for making her worry. Perhaps cheer her up by telling her I met a boy? Any boy will do as she will believe you - just kidding, mama, I know you're reading this, too (give Nieven my regards).

I recently befriended an adorable little kestrel. His name is Fete. I'm giving him the lay of the land, but plan to have him be my permanent messenger. It should be easier than asking these random ones to take messages home, although I know the clan treats them well, and some do not wish to leave...By the way, is Keerla taking good care of Arnn? Well, she is one of the few Arnn loves so, if only for that status alone, I know she will do right by him. He won't tolerate less.

You did get one of my earlier messages, right? Or do I need to mention Anor, Ithil, Tinu, and Galad? Wolves, of course. They've been good friends to me. I hope you will get to meet them one day. Arnn may not like them, though.

Anyways, we will be traveling with Branwyn and the Dragonslayers a little longer, I believe. I truly am curious as to what "The Mist" is like. It sounds like a place Grandma Ruavain would have visited! I miss you both, and I will do my best to keep you updated so you know all is well. Give my love to Arnn as well as the clan (they should not be insulted that I named Arnn first).

I love you.
Sweet water and light laughter,
May Solonor watch over you both.

Shi'Nynze

(Message to Kel's parents also attached).

Miranda sits down to Hofman as he takes a break from rowing. "What's with the pouty face, I know how much you like rowing" Hoffman muster a weak smile in appreciation and speaks in a quiet tone. "I was just thinking that I was considering what it would be like to settle down in that open and dry land and then to see the power of nature and..." He takes a deep breath. "My belief is we should do more for those poor people, we should do something about those orcs." Miranda puts her arm around Hoffman and whispers in his ear. "Do Not tell anyone I said this but maybe Fate wants the orcs to be a thorn in the evil Queen's side. We can't take her on yet but maybe the fact that we don't have time to deal with them is Fate telling us to let it go." she gives him a kiss and speaks in a normal voice. "You are with friends, you should share your feelings thoughts and beliefs. "