~The INN~

[m139]

As the bartender spoke, the woman shook herself out of her revery and smiled. "I'll have some soup, please. Whatever kind is most convenient."

She turned to the elf, "Technically, I am of Alteira, although that kingdom ceased to exist long ago. Most have not heard of it. Nowadays, I just say I am of the Frostbitten Woods. But perhaps, I should first give you my name, which I am lucky enough to know. It is Ala. This much I do know about myself, and this much I do know about who I am."

[Rhunhildr]

As the conversation went on, Gruuk sipped tenderly on his tall tankard, content to let the talk go on as he enjoyed his rare meal. He suddenly perked up however, when the new woman who had just arrived, mentioned she came from a place called 'Alteira.' He tugged on his beard, turning the name over in his mind, but for some reason he had never heard of it. Strange.

"I, Gruuk, have travelled very far and wide! But in all of my travels, I have never heard tell of this 'frost-bitten woods' you speak of. I should very much like to hear more about this place, if that suits you?"

Then he turned to Andie again and raised a bushy brow with equal hints of curiosity and alarm.
"A deadly dancer?! Surely your dancing cannot be deadly? I dare ask."

[NightlightNinja]

Andromeda sat back upright. "Ah, it's very nice to meet you, Ala!"

"The Frost-Bitten Woods sounds rather enchanting," she said after Gruuk's request for more information about the place. Of course, there was a chance that she might have been wrong to call it what she did, but she did that merely based on the name of the woods, and if she was, she'd let Ala tell her so.

She laughed at Gruuk's reaction to her title, and proceeded to explain while drawing one of her throwing knives from her sheath that was laying beside her. "I am a street performer, my forte being acrobatics. It was my choice of props that earned me the name."

Andromeda swiveled around to face a small target used for darts hanging on the wall at the opposite end of the room. She spun her knife in her hand a couple of times before flinging it at the target and hitting the bulls-eye.

[m139]

"Nice throw." Ala commented, raising her hands and giving a small clap as she gazed towards the target board.

Then, she turned back around to the elf and spoke, a sad smile on her face "Not so much enchanting... as enchanted. A beautiful place, to be sure, but at the same time, a sad place, when one considers what it once was."

She turned to the Gruuk, "It is far to the southwest of here- easier to get to by means of boat, but possible to get to by land, although few have traveled there that I know. Ice all over, all year round, although in the area of what should be a somewhat temperate climate. Beneath the ice itself the plant life lies frozen, to keep it from degrading any further, as the area surrounding it is dusty and dry- very little can live there. There was a war a long time ago- and they say it may take another war before the lands can be restored. If you like, I can tell you the story of how it came to be. But... it is a sad story. Perhaps our dancer should entertain us first?"

[HaelKatrin]

Drakkara had disappeared into the kitchen area after Ala had asked for soup. And so, had missed a good portion of the conversations. Though, she returned right in time to see Andromeda throw her knife and hit the target. Just barely missing Drakkara as she came around the bar. She chuckles, watching the girl. "Please do be careful." She commented.

She places a bowl of soup in front of Ala. The woman would find it to be very similar to something from her own home. Drakkara prided herself on such things, after all. The moment she had heard "Frost bitten woods" she had known just what to make. She returns back behind the bar, looking over the motley crew of visitors. It was nicer, having several guests compared to one or none.

[NightlightNinja]

"Thank you!" Andromeda chirped in response to Ala's compliment, before hissing a little guiltily at the returning hostess' words of caution. "Hehe... Will do, Ma'am."

She was intrigued, yet saddened as the blonde spoke more about when she had come from, and rather curious as to how the place had ended up in the state it was in. Though, telling that story might bring up more memories and make Ala even sadder, so the elf hesitated to request that she do so.

"I'd love to entertain, but I doubt our innkeeper would appreciate my knives cutting into various parts of this beautiful interior," she then joked to lighten the mood a little. "Also, I don't usually do it indoors, or I'll end up hitting the ceiling."

[Rhunhildr]

The sampled knife performance impressed Gruuk, but did little to assuage his mild discomfort. perhaps if he could see the full dance, he would be able to better appreciate the intricate and noble artistry of knife dancing. but until then, he made a private note to himself to stay on andromeda's good side.


"We will be glad to hear this tale Ala," gruuk nodded and he reached into his pack and fished around until he found his favorite ear trumpet. It was a deep blue, and traced with very many Intricate carvings. The peculiar instrument was well crafted and ensured he would not miss a word of the tale.

"I am very fond of stories, particularly the ones of old," he said bringing the thing to his ear. "I don't mind sad ones either, as long as they are not too sad. If the tale takes too much of a toll on my heart, I will just drown my sorrow with another round of drinks!" He said giving Their hostess a wry grin.

As he turned his chair to give Ala his full attention, Gruuk noticed a few strangers around the room perk their ears also curious about this mysterious tale.

[m139]

Ala nodded in response to the going ons around her. "Very well then," she said, a small, sad smile creeping on her face, "I shall began." Here, she took the soup bowl from the hostess, and after thanking the other softly, she turned, soup bowl in hand towards her audience. She held up the bowl to her lips, taking a long draught of the rather simple but bitter soup, not much thicker than water itself. After swallowing, she felt the taste remain in her mouth for a while, and reflected on it just a bit. And then, just as it started to have the hint of a sweetness that she knew would soon fade, she began.

"Once, long, long, long ago, there was a kingdom called Alteria. It was in the midst of a great forest, although the place where its capital stood was clear for miles around. Farms dotted this countryside, and, in the center, there was the capital of Alta, which contained the palace where the King and Queen resided.

As for how long this kingdom had existed before the beginning of my tale, I cannot say. All I know is that the land had, for quite sometime, been at peace and in general prosperity. There had been days, long before, when famine had swept the land, and there had been days, too, when war ravaged the land. But those days were long past, remembered only in the stories told to children. And ignorant of these hardships, the people lived in happiness.

In this time, it came to pass that the King Remus and his wife, Queen Aria, had a lovely daughter who they named Asphodel. She was beautiful and lively, and the whole kingdom celebrated her birth. As she grew, she was often seen with her parents in the city, running ahead on their stately marches, her golden hair streaming behind her. Her laughter was enough to make even the one in the foulest mood smile in return. And so she grew.

She grew in beauty, in virtue, in spirit, and in curiosity. And, as such, she was at the mere age of twelve when she discovered the secret of the country's prosperity."

Here Ala paused, again lifting the bowl to her lips to take another draught. When she put it down again, she noticed the slightly distraught look on some of her listeners' faces.

"Oh do not be alarmed," she said, "This secret is good. The kingdom of Alteria did not fall on such a little detail, it was just that this discovery was a bit earlier than intended. You see, tradition stated that this secret was told to the heir to the throne on their fifteenth birthday. But of course, since Asphodel had discovered it a little bit early, there was not much to do but tell her about the secret early.

And so, her parents did."

Ala again paused, and looked as if in great thought, before she said, "The secret of the orb itself is a great story, but I am afraid that if I tell it now, I may forget my main story. It is sufficient to say that, when the country was just coming out of the age of its great war, it was a gift given for helping a stranger- one who appeared to have been from the enemy. As a reward, they had been given this orb, which had brought peace throughout the following ages. The King and Queen told all this to their daughter, relating to her the whole of a history long before any of their time. And then, they began to teach her how to use the orb, so that the peace and general well being of the country would continue for ages to come."

Again Ala paused to take a drink of soup. Then she continued.

"The orb was a gift for some favor done long past, and its gift allowed one to shape the very weather forces of the surrounding areas. On exactly how it was used, well, that secret was kept well, and not even I know. But, I know a little about it: the user put their hand upon it, and then it seemed to them as if they were flying high in the sky. From their vantage point up above, they could gather the clouds or disperse them, depending on the needs of the country. They could even drag clouds from one place or another. And it was not long before Asphodel mastered the all, and, in a few years, was given many of the responsibilities in regards to the weather.

But, even as she learned, she was reminded that what was given in gift must be used as a gift. For, long ago, even when this very orb was given, the king and queen were told that if the gift was misused, it would cease being a gift and instead become a curse. Indeed, the gift was only to be used for one purpose, and one alone: to allow for the proper rainfall in the land. And this, my listeners, was how it was used for many generations."

There was another pause, but this time, Ala used it place the half finished bowl of soup back on the bar. Then, she continued once more,

"If their daughter had been the normal age upon learning, perhaps it might have changed things. Perhaps the results would have been just the same. But we shall never know now. All that can be told is that the child, as she practiced with the orb, began to let her curious mind wander.

'Look! A tall tree here! And the birds! See how they fly!'

These thoughts, of course, are not bad in themselves, and even her parents still felt the joy of wonder each time they used the orb. However, these thoughts can become bad when you let them take over your mind, and when you forget the purpose of your true intent.

And this, slowly, is what Asphodel did. One moment, she would be drawing clouds together to water the earth. Suddenly, something shiny in the forest would attract her. As she rushed towards it, she would remember, faintly, what she was supposed to be doing, but then she would push it to the side, and continue on to the scrap.

At first, these reminders were constant, and even gave the princess a little bit of guilt as she ignored them. Overtime, however, the reminders were less and less, and she began to care less and less about the consequences. Finally, they ceased to do anything but whisper into her mind faint traces of reprimand from time to time, and these were easily ignored.

By this time, years had passed, and Asphodel was sneaking into the hidden room to use the orb more than just for practice. After all, flying above the city and fields was fun. Furthermore, you could even see the people, and follow them, if you wished. There was something amazing in this ability of invisible flight- something amazing- and also, terrifying, for much abuse could happen, as it latter did.

More years passed, and the princess married. The new prince was, by most accounts, charming, handsome, and completely devoted to Asphodel. Now, weather the same could be said for the girl..."

Ala paused, a sad smile again forming on her face as she shook her head slightly. She continued,

"Asphodel's love was being taken, in larger and larger amounts, by the orb. In fact, the reason she look forward to her own marriage so much was because at this point, her parents would give the orb completely to her. Yes, at this point, it would have been up to her and her husband to take care of the world in this way, and as they grew in love with each other, so would they grow in love for their kingdom. But, she never told him the secret, too afraid that any time he used it, it would not be hers.

The orb was consuming her thoughts, her mind, her everything. While her parents yet lived, she managed to hide most of it, but every single innocent comment that passed- a simple 'how are you doing?' seemed to be an affront to her. They know, she thought. They must know!

It was like this every day, to the point that soon, everyone knew that something was wrong. It was not long before someone actually did confront her- her loving husband. She of course, played innocent, and the incedent passed. But, no sooner had he left when she ran to the secret room, to check on her precious orb. It was still sitting where it had been safe. Lovingly, she walked up to it, placed her hand on it, and began another of her treasured adventures in the sky.

Look at all those people below! she though to herself as her mind wandered through the air, Look at them, going on with their boring lives, unaware of my wonderful flight... Her verbal thoughts here trailed off as a new possibility occurred to her. She did not have to worry about how much others knew- she could find out! True, there was no sound with the powers of the orb- or at least, she had not discovered it, but if she watched the images of the people down below... Yes, there was her stupid husband. And there her parents... She could find out what they did. She could find out what everyone did."

Ala paused, shaking her head. Then, continuing,

"Thus she did, and thus she spent the whole afternoon. In the evening, when she reluctantly left the room, she did not notice the tiniest beginnings of a crack in the bottom of the orb.

Nor did she notice it beginning to grow, at first ever so slowly, as she used the orb for her own spying purposes Indeed, as time passed her flights no longer brought her joy, for at every corner, she saw a person who might be a possible conspirator. Indeed, as time passed, she even forgot about the joy she once had in flight, so consumed became she by this growing fear. If only she could hear what they said of her. If only she could really know.

Years passed, and in time, Asphodel's parents passed away. For most, it was a sad occasion, but within herself, she felt a secret relief. Her parents- the last ones to know of the orb beside her was gone. Assuming, of course, they had not told anyone. And they would not have, of course. Not at all... Right?

Such were Asphodel's thoughts, and such were her doubts: for who, in such a state of deceitfulness in oneself can believe in the honesty of another? Perhaps they had told- perhaps they had told her husband! After all, the orb had shown that they talked, and that they talked a lot. Perhaps...

The evening of the date of her parents funeral found Asphodel back in the hidden room, staring at the orb. By now, the instrument was riddled with cracks. Its once clear glossy surface now had a thousand facets, and in them she saw her own face reflected in each ones. Her face, once light and alive, was heavy with cares and worries. Was her secret really safe? Sighing, she touched the orb, and began to search. She still could not hear.

Time passed. The kingdom of Alteria was beginning to go through a turbulent time, unlike any it had gone through for many a year. There was a huge drought, and then a heavy rain- a rain so heavy that it flooded part of the region. It was too hot, and then, it was too cold. And all the while, their queen was rarely seen- after all, someone might try to take away her precious orb, her precious- but now rarely used- flight, and her precious ability to spy. And oh, if only she could hear!

Asphodel looks through the orb, there is her husband. He appears to be looking for her. He walks this way and that, appearing to be asking someone standing by if they have seen his wife. The other shakes his head no, and he appears to continue his search. Asphodel sighs, and removes her hand from the orb. She must meet him, else he discover this room!

Again, days went by. Had Asphodel noticed, the worry in her husbands eyes' was intensifying. However, she did not see this. Instead, she only notices that he seems to be following her more. 'He knows,' she thought, 'he knows.' Always, she tried to speak more tersly, and do anything to get him off her track as she made her way to the secret room."

Ala paused, and looked at her audience. The room was, for the moment, completely silent. Not a single dish clattered, not a single mug moved. And in this silence, Ala began the end of her tale,

"Then, one day, it happened. Asphodel was stealthily sneaking into the hidden room. Unknown to her, her husband had been hiding in the front room, for he had been observing her from some time due to worry. Asphodel pressed the secret buttons, pulled the lever, and a panel slid out from the wall. She went inside, and the panel closed.

The back room was quiet, more so than usual. Even the birds outside the window were silent. In the dying light of the evening, the orb seemed to glow a fiery orange. Asphodel approached it and laid her hand on it, instantly soaring to the sky.

Quickly, she redirected her thoughts to the ground, for she must complete her surveillance of the grounds. There, in the courtyard, her chief of security. And there her advisor on foreign affairs, there the chief minister of finance, there that annoying visitor from some place she could care less about. But where... where was her sneaking husband?

She looked, but did not see him in any of his usual places- not in the grand hall, not in the fields, not in the library- where could he be? Her fear increased, as she looked into the room where she herself was and saw her husband right before her.

He was starring at her, eyes wide in both pain and terror. Had she seen herself, that is- had she seen herself through his eyes- she would have seen a figure of a woman blazing in flames. As it was, she did not see this, for truly, returning to view the place of the orb had in some way brought her back into her normal body- if whatever she was now could be called normal. Her left hand still rested on the crackling orb, and her fiery eyes fastened on those of her husband's. And they both yelled out.

What exactly the husband said in fear or terror or love shall never be known, for Asphodel's voice drowned it all out. She screamed, drowning it out, "The orb's power is mine!" and it is said the voice could be heard across the lands. For a second, she, too, could hear all that was said by anyone over the kingdom, as she had wished. But it was only for a second, for at that moment, the orb exploded, and pieces of it went flying in every direction.

Asphodel, too, screamed, the fiery passion never for a second leaving her. She gathered the fragments nearest her, crying on her lost power, for without the orb, which was all she had really lived for for years- there was nothing. But these small pieces- this was not all! There was more- there had been more, and there must be more. She ran out of the room, taking the fiery power with her. And, besides a few glimpses of her seen in the following days, that was the last time she was ever seen from or heard from again.

In her wake, the country grew cold and frigid, for although the fire of the orb had departed, the cold remained. Wild vines crept up around the entire area, and little grew or remained alive from the days of Alteria's prosperity. Indeed, few people remain who can tell the story, and visitors to the region are far and few between.

Oh, Alteria. Now, you are frozen, unless the husband's quest, started so long ago shall be completed. But who knows where that flame lies hidden on the earth, or how to unite it again to the cold, so that the unity and balance of the orb shall be restored once more?

It may be prosperity shall never return. But, as long as there is still life- even the frozen life of the Frostbitten Woods, those of us who still claim to be from Alteria will continue to remember the sad tale of our kingdom."

With these words, Ala finished her story.

[NightlightNinja]

Andromeda glanced around at the others as Ala ended her story and silence ensued. She decided to be the first to break it.

"I guess people really can be unpredictable," she commented, before smiling to lighten the mood. "Thank you for sharing this tale with us."

The elf then cocked her head in curiosity. "You said that few remain. Have you knowledge of anyone who has left in search of this lost fire? Or might you perhaps even be one of them?"

[m139]

Ala smiled towards the elf, then answered. "Every number of years, someone usually takes up the search themselves, and I have yet to see one ever return. I suppose it is because they are yet still searching. Someday, perhaps... And as for me, well, I cannot claim to be someone of that importance. I am only here to bring back a few mementos that there is a spring, somewhere in this world."