Lightstar Family/Xarnelf/Roleplay 83
Ziode's Gift
(Roleplay from Arya Calanar)
Arya rolled over onto her back in the grass. She looked at her wolf. "Alright. I've got the box. Xarnelf is in Idapur. I think we've got a plan, right?" The wolf merely yawned in response. "You're no fun." She rolled over against the wolf, and then lazily climbed on top of it. "Let's go! We need to track down the duke before he runs off again." The best place to start would be the duke's estate.
A while later she approached the estate. "Is the duke in," she asked the guard, while looking lazily up from her position, laying on the wolf.
Xarnelf nodded to the guard who had informed him of Arya's unusual visit and proceeded to greet the girl. He approached her with a smile but then paused at the sight of her companion. Recovering quickly, Xarnelf moved the last few steps into a comfortable distance.
"Greetings, Lady Arya. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company? I see that you seem to be dressed in more... comfortable attire than our previous meeting in the tavern."
(Roleplay from Arya Calanar)
Arya mumbled something about killing her uncle in response to the clothing comment, and sat up with a yawn. "Oi... I'm supposed to give you... um..." She dug through her bag looking for something. "A-ha!" She pulled out a small, well crafted box. "This! It's from my uncle Ziode. And... There... was a letter... somewhere..." She dug into the bag even more and found the letter. "He said to read the letter first."
Arya extended the objects to Xarnelf, but seeing his caution, laughed, and gently slipped off of the Svunnetland riding wolf her father had gotten for her. She approached him and handed him the objects. "Sorry for the delay."
The letter from Ziode reads:
Duke Xarnelf,
Though we have not met, nor spoken more than pleasantries, I have heard of your loss. Arya seems to find hiding and sneaking fun, and is a good source of information at times. She certainly takes after her mother. She told me of your loss.
I am a bit of a historian, and healer in my spare time, and thanks to friends, and some former titles of mine, I have had the opportunity to get my hands on this. It's key ingredient is Ikrif, a drug, and it was used by the Communionism faith. There is just enough here for one time to speak to the dead, to say a good bye if you wish. There isn't enough to get you addicted, but do not use this to live in the past. I admit though, it is sometimes good to revisit it in order to let it go. You will NOT be able to get your hands on this through normal means, and unless you have the connections spread across the entire south as I have, you won't find it either. The recipie is even more rare.
Use this one dose wisely, and I pray for your health in the battles to come.
Strength, Wisdom, and Faith to you.
Sincerely, Ziode
Arya smiled, as she handed it over, not knowing what it was.
Raising his eyebrows in surprise at the apparent gift from Cathay's High Chancellor, the duke did not know what to make of the situation. Thus, with a curious expression, Xarnelf hesitantly accepted the sealed letter and the box.
"Well, this is quite unexpected... but thank you for delivering it. I suppose this letter explains the reasons and purposes behind this... gift?"
(Roleplay from Arya Calanar)
Arya nodded. "Don't worry. Uncle Ziode's a good man. The worst he's ever done is convince the High King to try a couple of his experiments, and the effects went away quickly enough. Of course, the High King was supposedly his student, so who knows? I also heard he made a special poison for infiltrators to use, but I've never seen that either." As she rambled on, she hadn't realized she could be making Xarnelf very uncomfortable. "But read the letter first was what he told me. I guess it explains stuff," she said with a bright smile that came with finally getting rid of this delivery.
"Ahh, I see... quite interesting."
He nodded at Arya's reponse, which served only to further confuse him, as he gazed down upon the two items. What strange concoction was housed in this little ornate box? And why did Ziode give it to him in the first place? Xarnelf supposed he would just have to read the letter to find out. He looked back up at the smiling girl.
"Would you like a drink, perchance?"
(Roleplay from Arya Calanar)
Arya thought for a moment. "Sure. As long as you don't mind Aya following me. She doesn't leave my side."
Xarnelf smiled at the wolf. "Sure, not a problem, Lady Arya. We can relax in the garden around the side for a moment. Perhaps you can tell me how Cathay is faring in this war..."
The duke found himself thinking about Ziode's gift, as he moved towards Anacan. With the myriad preparations and concerns which needed to be addressed prior to his departure from Idapur, he had all but forgotten about the small box. Indeed, the letter itself still lay unopened on top! Mayhaps he would chance upon the High Chancellor in the city, but he doubted it.
There was no time to waste, with winter nipping at the heels of autumn.
