Chapter 33
Simvynel hummed softly to herself and strode calmly into the small forge. She lifted the basket above her head and stretching onto her tiptoes slid it onto one of the rafters. The glowing heat of the forge scorched her side as she passed it to get the knapsack she had stowed the previous trip. A faint change in the breeze that was keeping her moderately cool alerted her to Kirel's presence.
"Is something the matter Kirel?"
"Lilluil's left the house."
"What? The wedding isn't until tomorrow!"
His brow furrowed. "Tomorrow? I thought."
"Evil plotting elders."
"Ah."
"So where is she then?"
"We don't know that's the problem."
"This could prove to be a problem. How soon can you find her?"
"It might take some hours, especially if someone is hiding her or she's getting help."
"Get right on it, if anything goes wrong border patrol will be so tight for a while it'll be near impossible to for the breeze to cross northwards."
"What should we do with her once she's found, it's not as if she'd go back to the house willingly."
"Watch her and make sure she doesn't do anything rash, I'll visit a friend and arrange for a plausible excuse. No one could stand being cooped up in there for that long without some sort of outside excursion, she is elven after all. Nothing has to change because of this, everything will still go along as planned. I have to go find the lost northies now, good luck with your search."
"Good luck to you as well, and be careful, they are elves but they are still northies." He gave her a weighing look. "Don't take unnecessary risks."
"Rest assured I shan't."
"Farewell."
"And may thee fare well also."
Turning smoothly Kirel walked out of the small courtyard and fell in step with two other guards passing by. She also slipped into the flow of walkers looking in all ways an elf purely intent on enjoying a lengthy hunt for clams, a basket with a small clam rake carelessly slung over one shoulder.
Upon arriving on the beach, she wandered down to the edge of the surf and eyes on the ground wandered down past the more populated areas where younger elven children played. No one bothered a stately elven lady intent on finding that evening's dinner, supposedly. She followed her feet around the bend of the beach and turned directly into the rock where a spiral stone staircase had been painstakingly and secretly carved out of the living rock. Sunlight filtered into the twisting passage through flower and vine shaped holes delicately carved through for that purpose.
As she climbed the surreal glow of outside gradually increased until suddenly the exit appeared. Noble families enjoyed houses built atop the various outcroppings of rock over the sea, for the pleasure of a good view and also because the cool rock made wonderful wine cellars. The spiral staircase was one of her friend's various escape methods when nobility became too much of a burden and linked the beach to his private garden. She listened intently for a moment before levering up the smooth stone that formed a smooth seat next to a tranquil pond, fed by a softly falling flow of water. She held aside the overhanging flowers and slid the cover back into place.
The garden was in a way one of her sanctuaries as well. It was personally maintained by her friend, who had much too much time on their hands enough to construct multiple tunnels actually as well as keep a flourishing garden. The pond was set into the side of a rise, the tunnel just to the side of where water tumbled into the pool originally created for outside baths. A soft gray stone path curved between the bases of the hills that were covered with flowers, laced with the roots of shading fruit trees or the hiding place for tunnels, food, or books when her friend was really intent on avoiding society.
Peering through the branches she watched the light clothed form of her friend tramp across the room and fling himself into a chair. She smiled, there wasn't a day when Geis hadn't found something to be frustrated to the point of sulking. Or at least making the impression of sulking while reading or escaping down one of his routes and wandering about in town. Her friend got angry often, but lacked the demeanor to stay that way and was a master at acting whatever mood he chose.
She pushed open a carved wooden door and ascended another staircase to his room, walking in with the ease of having done so many times before. Slouched in a most ignoble way he glanced up from a novel he was staring at but judging from thin line of his mouth, probably not reading. Either he was still cooling down from his latest encounter or it was something extraordinarily trying if he was still angry at it. She circled around to peer over his shoulder and wrinkled her nose at pages of herb lore.
"Must be serious to make you start studying the sedating drugs again."
"Quite." He closed the book and set it on the table leaning back to look at her. "I haven't the slightest how I'm going to work out of this one, and to top it off I've acquired another unwanted follower."
"Another? Don't wash for a while that always seems to work as a female deterrent."
"What and get dirty?" His voice was incredulous and only the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes betrayed his sarcasm as he raised a hand to her forehead. "You must be ill, my dear lady."
"Ill, no, but hardly a lady and most definitely not your dear." She grinned adding a pointed look to her comment. "I can't help with your second problem but your original is almost completely worked out. Oh by the way, any idea where my sister is?"
"Middle Earth?"
"A bit more specific if you please."
"Consorting with Lady Aevonien of course, most likely swapping recipes on how to make incense that will deter rivals."
"Don't be so cruel, it's not like Lilluil will need it the poor northie's practically wrapped around her finger, unfortunately it's a two way thing."
"Ah well, I suppose they could always be planning her escape then. That's what the Lady Lilluil intentions are aren't they? Run back north with her soulmate on a glowing white stallion. although it will be a little different with the fifteen or so boundary elves chasing them on foot across the plains of Rohan won't it." His eyebrow quirked in amusement.
"Yes, that's what's planned, the first part but the second will be slightly inevitable unless my messenger does their job quickly enough. However her unexpected disappearance could cause problems can Lilluil be 'visiting' with you, since you know all about the life of nobles and she could be getting some 'reassurance' or something along those lines?"
"Taking care of damsels in distress is what I do best."
"Great, can she come over in a few minutes, say about the same amount of time it would take to run back around to your front door?"
"I suppose I can dredge myself out of my fury long enough to take care of the lady, will you be wanting anything else?"
"Yes actually, a basketful of fresh clams would be most useful."
"Perfect! I've a new route I found to the kitchens that I've been dying to show off."
"Showoff, oh wait, you already mentioned that. Nevermind, let's go look."
Simvynel hummed softly to herself and strode calmly into the small forge. She lifted the basket above her head and stretching onto her tiptoes slid it onto one of the rafters. The glowing heat of the forge scorched her side as she passed it to get the knapsack she had stowed the previous trip. A faint change in the breeze that was keeping her moderately cool alerted her to Kirel's presence.
"Is something the matter Kirel?"
"Lilluil's left the house."
"What? The wedding isn't until tomorrow!"
His brow furrowed. "Tomorrow? I thought."
"Evil plotting elders."
"Ah."
"So where is she then?"
"We don't know that's the problem."
"This could prove to be a problem. How soon can you find her?"
"It might take some hours, especially if someone is hiding her or she's getting help."
"Get right on it, if anything goes wrong border patrol will be so tight for a while it'll be near impossible to for the breeze to cross northwards."
"What should we do with her once she's found, it's not as if she'd go back to the house willingly."
"Watch her and make sure she doesn't do anything rash, I'll visit a friend and arrange for a plausible excuse. No one could stand being cooped up in there for that long without some sort of outside excursion, she is elven after all. Nothing has to change because of this, everything will still go along as planned. I have to go find the lost northies now, good luck with your search."
"Good luck to you as well, and be careful, they are elves but they are still northies." He gave her a weighing look. "Don't take unnecessary risks."
"Rest assured I shan't."
"Farewell."
"And may thee fare well also."
Turning smoothly Kirel walked out of the small courtyard and fell in step with two other guards passing by. She also slipped into the flow of walkers looking in all ways an elf purely intent on enjoying a lengthy hunt for clams, a basket with a small clam rake carelessly slung over one shoulder.
Upon arriving on the beach, she wandered down to the edge of the surf and eyes on the ground wandered down past the more populated areas where younger elven children played. No one bothered a stately elven lady intent on finding that evening's dinner, supposedly. She followed her feet around the bend of the beach and turned directly into the rock where a spiral stone staircase had been painstakingly and secretly carved out of the living rock. Sunlight filtered into the twisting passage through flower and vine shaped holes delicately carved through for that purpose.
As she climbed the surreal glow of outside gradually increased until suddenly the exit appeared. Noble families enjoyed houses built atop the various outcroppings of rock over the sea, for the pleasure of a good view and also because the cool rock made wonderful wine cellars. The spiral staircase was one of her friend's various escape methods when nobility became too much of a burden and linked the beach to his private garden. She listened intently for a moment before levering up the smooth stone that formed a smooth seat next to a tranquil pond, fed by a softly falling flow of water. She held aside the overhanging flowers and slid the cover back into place.
The garden was in a way one of her sanctuaries as well. It was personally maintained by her friend, who had much too much time on their hands enough to construct multiple tunnels actually as well as keep a flourishing garden. The pond was set into the side of a rise, the tunnel just to the side of where water tumbled into the pool originally created for outside baths. A soft gray stone path curved between the bases of the hills that were covered with flowers, laced with the roots of shading fruit trees or the hiding place for tunnels, food, or books when her friend was really intent on avoiding society.
Peering through the branches she watched the light clothed form of her friend tramp across the room and fling himself into a chair. She smiled, there wasn't a day when Geis hadn't found something to be frustrated to the point of sulking. Or at least making the impression of sulking while reading or escaping down one of his routes and wandering about in town. Her friend got angry often, but lacked the demeanor to stay that way and was a master at acting whatever mood he chose.
She pushed open a carved wooden door and ascended another staircase to his room, walking in with the ease of having done so many times before. Slouched in a most ignoble way he glanced up from a novel he was staring at but judging from thin line of his mouth, probably not reading. Either he was still cooling down from his latest encounter or it was something extraordinarily trying if he was still angry at it. She circled around to peer over his shoulder and wrinkled her nose at pages of herb lore.
"Must be serious to make you start studying the sedating drugs again."
"Quite." He closed the book and set it on the table leaning back to look at her. "I haven't the slightest how I'm going to work out of this one, and to top it off I've acquired another unwanted follower."
"Another? Don't wash for a while that always seems to work as a female deterrent."
"What and get dirty?" His voice was incredulous and only the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes betrayed his sarcasm as he raised a hand to her forehead. "You must be ill, my dear lady."
"Ill, no, but hardly a lady and most definitely not your dear." She grinned adding a pointed look to her comment. "I can't help with your second problem but your original is almost completely worked out. Oh by the way, any idea where my sister is?"
"Middle Earth?"
"A bit more specific if you please."
"Consorting with Lady Aevonien of course, most likely swapping recipes on how to make incense that will deter rivals."
"Don't be so cruel, it's not like Lilluil will need it the poor northie's practically wrapped around her finger, unfortunately it's a two way thing."
"Ah well, I suppose they could always be planning her escape then. That's what the Lady Lilluil intentions are aren't they? Run back north with her soulmate on a glowing white stallion. although it will be a little different with the fifteen or so boundary elves chasing them on foot across the plains of Rohan won't it." His eyebrow quirked in amusement.
"Yes, that's what's planned, the first part but the second will be slightly inevitable unless my messenger does their job quickly enough. However her unexpected disappearance could cause problems can Lilluil be 'visiting' with you, since you know all about the life of nobles and she could be getting some 'reassurance' or something along those lines?"
"Taking care of damsels in distress is what I do best."
"Great, can she come over in a few minutes, say about the same amount of time it would take to run back around to your front door?"
"I suppose I can dredge myself out of my fury long enough to take care of the lady, will you be wanting anything else?"
"Yes actually, a basketful of fresh clams would be most useful."
"Perfect! I've a new route I found to the kitchens that I've been dying to show off."
"Showoff, oh wait, you already mentioned that. Nevermind, let's go look."