gourdplayer-blog

[gourdplayer-blog]

"I doubt very much I'll be sleeping much tonight," she answered, wrapping the blanket around herself and shivering.

So far below lay the Crystal Desert in all its sunset majesty. She had never seen the world this way before. Yet, the beauty did little to soothe her, as small and frightened as she felt.

She brought out her gourd, and began playing it slowly. "I hope you don't mind. I do it to calm myself."

gourdplayer​:

Gravity and adrenaline were powerful motivators. Lilla scrambled up the ladder at ludicrous speed and immediately clung to the horn of the saddle. “Go, beast, fly! Fly already!”

The crystal skimmer bellowed loudly, a scoffing noise aimed at the rabble of soldiers heading their way and began to flap its large wings. The powerful force causing gusts of dusty wind, leaves and various debris to go airborne. Arrows whizzed by the wild Heretic who clung to the back of the nebrie saddle, hissing out the order in Dousan tongue to rise quickly that had been taught to him by a mystical elder. 

Soon they were airborne, amongst the wisps of cloud cover and safe. 

“Now then Lilla, you are truly guilty by association.” He reminded her firmly with a nod of his head. 

“And you have made your choice, the path before you is not an easy one but it is what must be done.” Gra tacked on before reaching for the reigns and giving them a tug left, Archimedes shifting towards the horizon and headed towards what lay beyond the lush greenery of the small oasis they had met within. 

“The adventure begins.” he whispered and then reached into a satchel, removed a blanket and tossed it to her. “Stay warm wee gelfling. Sleep if you must but do not fall off, it is a long flight and the suns will set soon.”

[gourdplayer-blog]

Gravity and adrenaline were powerful motivators. Lilla scrambled up the ladder at ludicrous speed and immediately clung to the horn of the saddle. "Go, beast, fly! Fly already!"

gourdplayer​:

The Heretic was quick to clasp a hand around the others, ushering her along while glancing over his shoulder and behind them nervously. Their pursuers where hot on their trail, gathering steam and more numbers as they barreled down the alleyways between the old cobblestone and earthen homes. 

“It is. I make it so!” He barked out panting, already getting winded with all of the physically stress but it did not stop him from bellowing, at the top of his lungs vocal range a name.

And that name was …

“Archimedes!” 

She huffed and puffed, legs burning, scrambling to keep up to his lengthy strides. “Say what now?!”

The Heretic peered in the direction he yelled and on cue his very loyal crystal skimmer, Archimedes rose up from the cover of the thicket where rows of trees and foliage heavy shrubs had hidden his secret well. The large ray like creature flew up into the air and made a beeline for its beloved Master, once closer it bellowed loudly attempting to scare off the intruders it did not approve of. 

“Quick, Quick, get on!” Without much manners skekGra reached for the wee gelfling, hoisted her up and chased after the moog rope ladder that hung from the right shoulder of his beast of burden. 

“We hav’ got to get outta here!” He squawked clamoring up the side of a boulder and finally clasping the rungs of the ladder with precious cargo in tow.

“Go!” He ordered her, practically sticking her onto the dangling extension to freedom while palace guards stalled in complete shock. Luckily, the spectacle before them rendered their pursuers useless until an order to ‘take aim’ was given and bows were drawn once again. 

“Time to go!” He blurted hastily chasing the gelfling up the ladder as fast as was allowed. 

[gourdplayer-blog]

She huffed and puffed, legs burning, scrambling to keep up to his lengthy strides. "Say what now?!"

gourdplayer​:

thehereticaldeserthermit​:

gourdplayer​:

They’d lost their pursuers for just a moment, but they wouldn’t take long to catch up.

Gra had taken the brunt of the fall- her only complaint was hay in her hair, making it stick out in all directions. “Are you all right?!”

The Heretic got to his feet, grabbing at his back joints crackling lightly causing him minor discomfort before he gave an earnest nod to the gelfling. 

“Yes, yes. I will be fine.” He assured dusting off clumps of hay and then pausing to listen, the noise their pursuers made confirmed they were still hot on the trail of heresy. “Come on we are almost there!” 

She nodded and hung on to her new companion. “If you say so!”

The Heretic was quick to clasp a hand around the others, ushering her along while glancing over his shoulder and behind them nervously. Their pursuers where hot on their trail, gathering steam and more numbers as they barreled down the alleyways between the old cobblestone and earthen homes. 

“It is. I make it so!” He barked out panting, already getting winded with all of the physically stress but it did not stop him from bellowing, at the top of his lungs vocal range a name.

And that name was …

“Archimedes!” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

She nodded and hung on to her new companion. "If you say so!"

gourdplayer​:

They’d lost their pursuers for just a moment, but they wouldn’t take long to catch up.

Gra had taken the brunt of the fall- her only complaint was hay in her hair, making it stick out in all directions. “Are you all right?!”

The Heretic got to his feet, grabbing at his back joints crackling lightly causing him minor discomfort before he gave an earnest nod to the gelfling. 

“Yes, yes. I will be fine.” He assured dusting off clumps of hay and then pausing to listen, the noise their pursuers made confirmed they were still hot on the trail of heresy. “Come on we are almost there!” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

They'd lost their pursuers for just a moment, but they wouldn't take long to catch up.

Gra had taken the brunt of the fall- her only complaint was hay in her hair, making it stick out in all directions. "Are you all right?!"

gourdplayer​:

Between their differences of height and speed, he ended up dragging her along like a broken kite. “Yyyyipe!!!!”

What the living emblee Rah was she doing?!

It was too fast, everything was going too fast, the world was a blur, and all she could do was hang on.

Behind them, she could see Gelfling archers taking aim. “Watch out!”

The Heretic snorted at her loud exclamation and dared not to look back at the sight of her catching wind and sailing through the sky as he inconsiderately pulled her along, he imagined it to be hilarious -really.

But this was now a matter of life and death. 

However, he did glance back when she blurted out a warning. With a surprising dash of agility skekGra turned around, just in time to use her own momentum against her as she flailed into his arms. He was quick to wrap an arm around her back and then scoop his other under her legs, successfully sweeping the dark haired gelfling off her tiny feet and carrying her. 

 “Not on my watch!” He squawked and then scrambled up a crate or two, onto a rickety roof top, up and over just as arrows whizzed in the air nailing the side of the house. 

Unfortunately for skekGra, he had no idea tiles upon the roof would be precariously lose and he lost his footing.

“FAACCCK!” Gra blurted out as talons scratched upon them sending the duo sliding down the other side of the roof and straight into a pile of lose hay. He rolled on down, coughing and spitting out a mouthful of the golden feed meant for livestock, it might have been funny if death had not been so imminent.

 “Hurry…we gotta…make it to that thicket over there!” 

A talon was pointed, North. 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Between their differences of height and speed, he ended up dragging her along like a broken kite. "Yyyyipe!!!!"

What the living emblee Rah was she doing?!

It was too fast, everything was going too fast, the world was a blur, and all she could do was hang on.

Behind them, she could see Gelfling archers taking aim. "Watch out!"

gourdplayer​:

Lilla had heard the truth. Learned everything she knew was a lie. And on a practical note, been seen breaking bread with him- whatever his name was. In the excitement she couldn’t recall. What did a rootless young bard have to lose, anyway?

There was no turning back now.

She grabbed his outstretched hand and tried absurdly to keep up on her short, spindly legs.

The Heretic could see it written upon the wee gelflings face, she was mulling it over and fast. It was ultimately her choice, she was already guilty by association. Merely sitting here and breaking bread with a rebel did not bode well with the wishes of the skeKSis empire. 

She could either take a chance and run on her own or take an even larger gamble and trust the one with wild, golden eyes standing in front of her with feral markings of crimson paint across his beak.

War Paint. 

It could have been called that for old habits die hard or never at all. 

In the blink of an eye skekGra had heaved their dinning table up and over, flinging food and utensils towards the few gelfling guard who’d been the quickest in pursuit. It was not going to stop them but it did give them time and a diversion. A victorious cackle erupted from Gra before he gave her little hand a squeeze and dashed towards an alleyway of trading posts and small, quaint homes. 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Lilla had heard the truth. Learned everything she knew was a lie. And on a practical note, been seen breaking bread with him- whatever his name was. In the excitement she couldn't recall. What did a rootless young bard have to lose, anyway?

There was no turning back now.

She grabbed his outstretched hand and tried absurdly to keep up on her short, spindly legs.

gourdplayer​:

Of course she did. The awful feeling in the pit of her stomach was all the confirmation she needed. Who could make up anything so horrible? No one. So it had to be true.

“Yes, I-” She paused and followed his gaze. What in the name of Thra could possibly be over there more interesting than what he was telling her?

The Heretic lowered his head, squinting into the comings and goings that transpired not far from them. The amber-gold hue of his eyes flared when they settled upon a band of gelfling troops along with a rabble of skeKSis behind them. 

“Time To Go!” He squawked, jumping to his feet in a blur of instant adrenaline as the band of troops closed in on them, yelling out to others to call in reinforcements, for they had found what they were looking for. 

“You there Heretic! Stop where you are at!” The Captain of the guard yelled at the top of his lungs pushing his way through the crowds of traders and such. This sudden predicament caused skekGra to turn and look at his companion. Her life was in danger now, she had a choice to make; run away from the danger alone or together. A sense of responsibility dictated The Heretic’s next move, the skeKSIs gave a slight wave of his hand, holding it out in an surprisingly elegant and poignant manner for the wee gelfling to take. 

“You must choose and choose quickly!” He blurted out in haste before tossing back the hood of his cloak with his other free hand reveling his visage in its entirety, for there was no point in hiding now. 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Of course she did. The awful feeling in the pit of her stomach was all the confirmation she needed. Who could make up anything so horrible? No one. So it had to be true.

"Yes, I-" She paused and followed his gaze. What in the name of Thra could possibly be over there more interesting than what he was telling her?

gourdplayer​:

She sat back in her chair heavily. The Crystal of Truth, damaged? She hadn’t thought such a thing could be possible, and yet…

Surely word would have spread beyond the castle of something so massive, but then… no one but the skekSis had seen it in a thousand trine. It made a dreadful kind of sense. “I can’t believe it,” she answered in a dry whisper.

The Heretic’s warm, honey-gold gaze settled upon the gelfling before him, the gravity of such a travesty hitting her full force, so much so he could see it written across the delicate features of her face. 

skekGra’s gaze shifted in the hum of time, softening upon the being that sat across a small table before him and immediately sharpening upon a rabble of jerky, quick excitement just over her right shoulder. He turned his head to the side, watching with mounting suspicious while he mumbled. 

“And yet, 

             somewhere deep within your soul

                                                               …you  do  believe.” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

She sat back in her chair heavily. The Crystal of Truth, damaged? She hadn't thought such a thing could be possible, and yet...

Surely word would have spread beyond the castle of something so massive, but then... no one but the skekSis had seen it in a thousand trine. It made a dreadful kind of sense. "I can't believe it," she answered in a dry whisper.

gourdplayer​:

Her jaw dropped. Had she properly understood what he’d said? “I beg your pardon?” She shook her head vigorously, ears flapping. “You’re… literally part of each other? But-”

She noticed she was getting a little shrill and checked herself. “How? Why?”

The Heretic nodded gingerly, up and down. Yes, it was true, what her little ears had just heard was in fact the truth of it all. 

“Tha’ is correct my friend.” He finally replied, grave truth hanging onto his rebellious habit of revealing ALL. 

skekGra turned his head to the side, scanning the horizon behind them, fairly void of patrons. “We committed sacrilege. Thought we could harness the power of the Crystal, in our naivety we cracked it, damaged it. It retaliation the split came down, a swift punishments’ to beings who where exiled ‘n the first damn place. It was careless, a lot of the things we have done have been just that. Careless.” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Her jaw dropped. Had she properly understood what he'd said? "I beg your pardon?" She shook her head vigorously, ears flapping. "You're... literally part of each other? But-"

She noticed she was getting a little shrill and checked herself. "How? Why?"

gourdplayer​:

“All right,” she said slowly, stirring her spoon in her soup. “I think I followed all that. Rebellion against the Emperor. Banishment. The… nail-thing on your head. But there is one bit I didn’t quite understand. Why, exactly, did you rebel against them? What have your kind to do with the Mystics?”

The Heretic sat in his chair, content to have captivated an audience who was clearly paying attention to everything he’d said.

   Golden star for you wee gelfling.

He tilted his head taking a moment to stare at the color of her eyes, the hue reminding him of emeralds. At her final statement and forthcoming question skekGra gave a little dip of his head, leaned forward while pressing his long arms to the top of the wooden table. The skeKSis held his hands out and open, palms up with nothing to hide even on the ends of his sharp talons. 

“We are two halves that make one.” He rumbled in a tone as smooth as silk and twice as mysterious before he held his right hand a touch higher. “On one hand you have the skeKSis.” He held up the opposing hand. “On the other, you have the mystics.”

Ceremoniously, he brought both hands together to interlace long fingers, pressing palm to palm to signify completeness. 

“We are the two halves that make up the one being. The urSkeks. I seek to re-unite with my mystic counterpart, urGoh and become one. I seek unity.” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Are you alone here, Heretic?

Yes, I am alone, so very alone—yet, I am with myself!

[gourdplayer-blog]

"All right," she said slowly, stirring her spoon in her soup. "I think I followed all that. Rebellion against the Emperor. Banishment. The... nail-thing on your head. But there is one bit I didn't quite understand. Why, exactly, did you rebel against them? What have your kind to do with the Mystics?"

gourdplayer​:

Lilla nodded along slowly- she was still following him, taking it in bit at a time. This Conqueror business, it had probably happened long before she was born, and she did not recoil from the tale’s teller. Instead, she took an absent-minded nibble from her bread, watching with wide green eyes.

The story teller that resided within the skeKSis before her had a way of piquing other beings interest, it had always been a trait he’d had. Albeit somewhat dormant in past trines but with the way skekGra’s life had been turned upside down, he’d found this old habit lighting up within his soul.

                   The stories had to be told, to shine the light of truth.

“I raised a talon and dared to speak out for unity between skeKSis and our urRu counterparts.” The gold of his gaze crackled with embers of passion. “Heresy.” he whispered like a secret shared among compatriots. 

“I raised a talon and spoke against the way we were ruling.” To make it more poignant, Gra raised a talon; one long, slender finger clad in a scarlet glove waiving in the air. “I was punished. Branded Heretic and cast out.” HIs hand then moved with a swift flourish to pluck at the nail a top his head with a light flick. 

“I spoke up against the Emperor, therefore I am a rebel, a fugitive.” 

[gourdplayer-blog]

Lilla nodded along slowly- she was still following him, taking it in bit at a time. This Conqueror business, it had probably happened long before she was born, and she did not recoil from the tale's teller. Instead, she took an absent-minded nibble from her bread, watching with wide green eyes.

gourdplayer​:

She utterly ignored the soup, too caught up in the mystery of it all to pay attention. A wicked grin slowly spread across Lilla’s face. “Let’s roll those bones. Tell me what I ought to know.”

Steamy broth flickered over his tongue and down into his gullet and stomach, it felt wonderful to finally have his appetite sated. 

   The Heretic had not ignored his meal.

   The Heretic had not ignored her words.

They seemingly came out of nowhere! A bold, burst of confidence ignited.

skekGra choked on his broth, sputtering and coughing. He hacked a few times, golden eyes going wide and then he strained to speak. “You say that now but you might not later!” He warned before placing the bowl down with a thud and dabbing at his mouth for dribbles of the soup with a cloth napkin.

Collecting himself, he addressed her curiosity.

“Roll those bones eh? Cast the runes, lay down the cards? So you can see all that must be reveled … hmmm?” There was a sparkle of mischief in the skeKSis golden eye along. “So be it.” And with a wave of his hand, the magick began. skekGra began to share his tale. 

“My fellow brethren, the skeKSis, they used to call meh The Conqueror when I was young. From sea to sea my victories were sung. I lied. I cursed. I killed. I hurt. I maimed. Vile and cruel deeds for which I was famed.” He paused just then to check in if she was hanging onto the spell he weaved or if she had fallen asleep in her soup bowl. 

[gourdplayer-blog]

She utterly ignored the soup, too caught up in the mystery of it all to pay attention. A wicked grin slowly spread across Lilla's face. "Let's roll those bones. Tell me what I ought to know."

gourdplayer​:

Lilla looked around dully at the several dozen Gelflings and Podlings that had seen them together. “Rather late to bring that up, don’t you think?” She crunched into her bread and tore off a chunk with her teeth like someone who was not a fan of slicing her loaves first.

“Is it? We barely know of each other. You know nothing of me save for my ears appreciate a pretty tune, carried well. You know that I can be kind.” He gave a wave to the meal they were to share, talons becoming very obvious not to miss at the ends of his elegant fingers. 

“There is still time for you to tap out we haven’t even discussed proper heresy -yet.” Soon enough, the podling returned with two heaping bowls of a vegetable stew made with a heady broth that smelled of fresh herbs and grinded spices, placing them upon the table before the pair. 

“So, what say you Lilla? Do you wish to walk on the wild side tonight or not?” The gold of Gra’s eyes sparkled like pyrite, glimmers of adventures, untold stories and mysteries yet to be solved reflected within the iris. 

“If you do not wish to partake upon the FUN you have my permission to take your meal and be on your way to your next post.” He finally rasped picking up his bowl, opening his mouth to carefully funnel the warmth of nourishment into his belly, it had been a long day and he was officially vanished.

[gourdplayer-blog]

Lilla looked around dully at the several dozen Gelflings and Podlings that had seen them together. "Rather late to bring that up, don't you think?" She crunched into her bread and tore off a chunk with her teeth like someone who was not a fan of slicing her loaves first.

gourdplayer​:

Lilla smiled skeptically. “No, that’s not what you were on about. A minute ago you were boasting of…” She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Blasphemy, wasn’t it? Being a fugitive of some kind?” It was her indifference to that which had gotten him going, and by the sisters, she was going to pry at that until she understood why.

The Heretic paused midbite of his bread, leaned forward, edging over the table between them while a firey glint sparked in his golden gaze, a silent warning. “Some things are be’er off left unsaid if you place any value upon your lifespan!” Gra recoiled with a loud snort and gave the iron nailed wedged in his skull a scratch. “Heresy!” He corrected merely because his ears had grown to favor the word and then offered a little shrug of his broad shoulders before whispering. “Profane talk … that if by chance other skeKSis find out you are connected to meh ‘n any way, you’d be guilty of conspiring with a fugitive ‘nd regrettably guilty by association.”  

[gourdplayer-blog]

Quaking Aspens (Populus tremuloides) are known for developing markings that resemble eyes. Aspen eyes are actually dark markings on the main trunk where side branches used to be, Photography

[gourdplayer-blog]

Lilla smiled skeptically. "No, that's not what you were on about. A minute ago you were boasting of..." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "Blasphemy, wasn't it? Being a fugitive of some kind?" It was her indifference to that which had gotten him going, and by the sisters, she was going to pry at that until she understood why.

gourdplayer​:

Lilla thanked the podling in awkward Podtongue and took a drink from her cup, seemingly abashed by the Heretic’s outburst. She wasn’t one for politics, but even she knew it was always a bad thing to make a skekSis mad at you. “Of course, you’re right. I’m sorry.” She wasn’t one for groveling either, but she was quite out of her depth here.

In spite of herself, she was intrigued. “Er… involved in what, exactly?”

The Heretic still held onto that old view that podlings were mere servant’s, it was an unfortunate tic of his past that urGoh had been working on with the skeKSis who sat in front of the gelfling. Nonetheless, he could be amicable and offered an assuring smile, attempting to behave himself.

“Mmm with everything that is going on around you.” He chided softly before reaching for a piece of crusty bread, tearing off a piece and sinking his teeth into it munching away quite pleased with the taste. There was a gesture for her to partake. 

“Every clan, every species, every spec of Thra has something going on at any given time. Its a survival tactic to keep yourself …aware.” That was something from his Conquering days. 

“You’re always on the move right? Beings will pay you coin for information, you know.” Another bite before a curt nod came about. “That’s food for thought.” Well now, he was just being mischievously playful.