From: spider@zk3.dec.com (Spider Boardman) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [LH] Introductions Date: 28 Oct 1993 19:15:33 GMT Message-ID: References: + They were on the path before the lighthouse, about thirty meters away + from the garden wall. Selna started walking. She spotted the red + metallic door, and went up to it. She looked at the metal of the door, + and at her knuckles. She stiffened her fingers in a talon-like curve, + and rapped on the door with her fingertips. A moment later, the door + opened to reveal Lex wearing Georgian-era formal attire. + "Hi! I hope I'm not too early," she smiled. "No, not at all. Wow, nice dress. Hope you know how to scare off the lecherous types -- we have a satyr band here." He stepped back from the door to allow her inside. "Thank you," she said while entering. "I'm sure I'll manage. I've had a lot of practice." Lex grinned widely and led her into the garden. "May I present my familiar? This is M'arrella." Lex bowed politely to the cat. "Milady. My apologies for not greeting you in the street earlier, but you weren't in an apt shape to answer. I'm very glad you accepted our invitation." "Mrrrewwlll." ((Thank you. I don't suppose you understand cat-accented Weretiger?)) "I can make it out," Lex replied. ((Oh, good. Hail and well-met, and all that, then.)) "Most of our guests are coming through the gate here in the garden," Lex commented, indicating the faintly glowing archway set out from the wall beside the inside door. "Tsk. You didn't tell me you'd prefer I entered from within your home." She smiled. Lex tilted his head. "No, I knew you could get here without help. I just thought you'd focus your port to the gate." "Wrong kind of gate for that, at least the way I usually travel. Sorry." He shrugged. "I should apologize to you. I didn't ask about your travel preferences. In any case, welcome to our home." As he led her into across the cobble to the lighthouse he muttered in a happy but almost inaudible voice, "Chaos vectors, I love 'em." The sounds of drums came intermittently from the beehive-shaped lighthouse. A woman with red-brown hair stood by the door, wearing a long, deep green velvet evening dress, with an off-the-shoulder soft drape and no sleeves. She was joined after a second by a man who looked like Lex's little brother, wearing what had to be a tuxedo. "Selna vir Challerburde, may I present ar'Elya het en 23, my mate, and 'Raelf het ae 25, my, ah, brother." "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." She brought up her hand. "A blessing on you and your house." The lighthouse glowed briefly. ar'Elya smiled and murmured, "Thank you." "If you'll pardon me, I have to go work the gate," Lex said. "But of course." 'Raelf held out a hand for Selna. "It's going to have been a long time," 'Raelf said. "So I suspected. Oh, before I forget, I brought this for you." She offered them the Sparks. "Thank you. Raye, you may want to hand this to Ilya for the wine cellars. Greetings, M'arrella." "By the way," Selna said, looking at 'Raelf, "just in case it wasn't clear, meeting your grandfather hasn't happened yet in my timeline. You sounded like you knew that, but I wanted to make sure." "Uhm, yes, I knew that, but Lex spends so much effort trying not to know things that he loses track sometimes. Don't worry, we won't mess you up by letting anything slip that you shouldn't know." "Thanks. Am I correct in my guess that he's you, but in the middle of a ..." She stopped when she noticed that 'Raelf had a nervous expression and was looking at the sky. "Is something wrong?" "I'm not sure yet. Come on in, I'd like you to meet some of my friends and family." He led her into the circular expanse of the lighthouse's main room, which was at least a 40 meters farther across than it should have been on the outside, with arched doorways on the north and south walls, and a bandstand with drums on it against the center of the south wall. There were about a half-dozen people in the room. ar'Elya suddenly blinked, as though remembering something left cooking. She leaned over and kissed 'Raelf gently on the cheek, and whispered something inaudible in his ear. "I'm sorry, Selna, but I've got a visitor elsewhere who needs me," she said, and bowed slightly in the vir'Len style to Selna. She vanished like a candle blown out. "That was abrupt," 'Raelf muttered under his breath, slightly puzzled. "That it was. Politely so, however." "Anyway," 'Raelf continued, "This is Miro." He introduced her to an elf of average height, a faint hint of the rogue about him. He was copper-haired and gold-skinned and rakish, dressed in medium formal Elvish attire not quite appropriate to the local milieu. "I greet thee in peace. May joy and prosperity attend thy days," she said in High Elvish. "Charmed, m'lady," Miro said in a thick fake brogue. A young man about seventeen came up, dark haired and hazel eyed, looking uncomfortable in a tuxedo and with a backwards baseball cap on his head. ((Likewise.)) added M'arrella. "Uh, Kev, lose the hat," 'Raelf hissed, aside. "This is Kev. He's a bit nonconformist." "Hi," Kev said shyly, unruly curls escaping when he removed the cap. "Hello. It's a shame to hide such nice hair," Selna said, with her eyes twinkling. "Good team, though, last I knew." "Hello," came a purr from behind them. "Am I interrupting?" "No, 'Raf. Selna, this is 'Raf." A twin to Lex, except that he was a curious blend of satyr and lion. 'Raf bowed low, letting his tail sweep the floor behind him. Selna bowed in return. "Water, Air, Fire, and now Earth. If I didn't know better, I'd suspect you all of being Marids." "Your wish is my command," he leered. "Kev, is the Little Rat still awake?" "No, she's sleepin' with Iramus." Kev grinned. "Horse crazy." "Good," 'Raelf said. "Hey, where's Riki and the kids? I'd like to introduce them to Selna." "Well, Spark's in with the band helping set up. Cyl'ene is off in Game Room 2 trying out your music program." Kev shrugged. "Who knows where Riki's at." "Good question." 'Raelf spoke to the air. <> -<>- "Oh wonderful," 'Raelf muttered. "He just better not get me in trouble." "Is there a problem?" Selna asked. "My friend from school has an indiscriminate appetite," 'Raelf said, wryly. "We can hope he doesn't pick someone who disagrees with him." Before Selna could reply, a clattering noise came towards them, a very young Unicorn attached. She looked, dewy-eyed, at Selna. M'arrella was taken aback as the young unicorn sat back and just STARED, raptly, at the elven sorceress, totally ignoring the cat. "This is Sheryl," 'Raelf grinned. "And Andrea," he continued, as Sheryl's sister appeared immediately after. "Andrea, Sheryl, this is a complicated acquaintance of mine, Selna vir Challerburde." "I'm most pleased to meet you tw--uh, three." Selna shot a questioning glance at 'Raelf as she reached down to stroke Sheryl's mane. "And N'graytha," he added. "I'm sure there's a story behind that double occupancy." Selna looked quizzically at Andrea, then at Sheryl, and back and Andrea. "The two unicorns aren't related, either. Say! Are you the same Andrea who posted a note at the Dragon's Inn about a 'HouseStorming'?" "Uhm, yes, I am," Andrea answered hesitantly. Her eyes glowed electric blue for a moment as she looked at Selna. Her eyes widened, and she slowly asked, "Who--what _are_ you?" Soft, musical laughter. "'Raelf was right when he said that I'm 'complicated'. Answering that could take some time." M'arrella suddenly stood up on Selna's shoulder, arching her back. ((I think I see someone familiar. I'm going to get a closer look.)) The cat leapt down and started making her way through the crowd. "She gets bored with these explanations," Selna commented. "Anyway, you asked what I am. The aspect of my identity which is most visible to a unicorn's Sight is the mark of dedication to my deity. I am called to higher service. Otherwise, I'm a shapechanger, a spellchucker, a sometime warrior, and an amateur musician. I've dabbled in other areas as well, but that gives the overall flavour of it. If you check out the messages the Littlefairs have waiting for you at the Inn, you'll get an opportunity to learn more of what I am." "Um. Right." Andrea was beginning to think that this elf was almost as confusing as the 'kan. But it was hard to argue with her aura. Selna cocked her head, and then turned to 'Raelf. "Part of you had expressed an interest in talking over old times. That seems like to be possible, and enjoyable. However, M'arrella has found someone that she and I know. I'm afraid that I have a prior commitment to converse with another of your guests. I hope that you'll excuse me for now?" "But of course, m'lady." "Thank you. Until later, then." She looked at Andrea and Sheryl again. "Another time, I think, ladies. Fare ye well." Selna left, following where M'arrella had gone. ================================================================ Selna and M'arrella are Spider Boardman's. Andrea/N'graytha and Sheryl belong to Chris Meadows. ar'Elya is a creation of Penny Hutchison. The other characters featured belong to Stephen Hutchison. This work is copyrighted by the above-listed authors. -- Spider Boardman spider@zk3.dec.com DEC OSF/1 development ...!decvax!spider I don't speak for DEC, and vice versa.