[Starshadow Keep] Mischief Comes Calling (Calairiel please)

[Petri]

Aperitus 9, Spring of Era XIII

All the way from the Restwood, with a set of panpipes hung round his neck and a small satchel secured around his middle, the sprite had alternated between soaring under cloudless skies, lifted on dragonfly wings of silver and shot through with veins of technicolor blue; and navigating the high branches of the canopy with a speed and agility only a creature born to it could manage. Gliding along exclusively on gentle updrafts where the horizon stretched on as far as the eye could see was all well and good; save for a chicken hawk that had recently become the bane of Petri’s existence. Who’d have thought his feathered tormentor would take such offense to having a boiled egg slipped into her nest on the sly? Folks these brightenings had no sense of humor, Petri said.

He’d dressed his best, which consisted of just sapphire blue silk trousers stitched throughout with silver thread and nothing else, feet bare along with the rest of his wiry, two and a half foot tall frame. Edward had followed him through the Restwood, ambling along the ground, crashing through the undergrowth and groaning up at him till reaching the edge of the forest itself. But as if the edge were marked by an invisible barrier, the overly large brown bear had skidded to a stop that sent his belled collar to ringing, bellowing and raising a great paw after his winged friend before sitting down to await the sprite's return at the forest’s edge.

On Petri went towards Starshadow Keep, bent on paying Calairiel a visit. It had been a while, though Petri was no consistent keeper of time. But since last he’d been inside the keep, he’d traveled the Empire-relatively speaking. In fact he’d only gone to Imperia and so concluded that he was better off just staying at home. But he’d surely had an adventure or two there that he wanted to tell his elven friend about, and a question or two he wanted to ask her while he was at it.

With the gates in sight, those with their glittering design that were an attraction all on their own for a creature taken with all things that glimmered, Petri leapt from high up in the canopy and dropped fast till snapping his wings open last minute. Slowed abruptly, he fluttered gently to the ground before going the rest of the way on foot. Of course, he could just fly over. But he liked the gates. Then there were guards who might take up arrows and funny ideas if he were just to sail right over without so much as a by your leave. And so he strolled towards them with a grin spread across an always childlike face, hands dropped into the pockets of loose fitting trousers, and wings twitching in constant motion behind him. A mop of unruly brown hair that failed to conceal over large and stuck out ears, still failed again to disguise over wide green eyes that fixed on first one guard then another-and blinked twice. He grinned wider, and it spread nearly ear to ear. ”Vedui tu! Is Calairiel at home? My name is Petri and she knows me, see. I have an important question to ask her. And I brought her a present,” he added by way of sweetening the deal.

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

A soft chuckle came from the guardhouse, followed by a figure emerging that Petri would recognize from his time with Calairiel as Earendil, whom was assigned to Calairiel protection…when she allowed it.

“Vedui, Petri. Welcome back to Starshadow Keep. Your friend is inside and I’m sure –the- Arwen Gil’dae will be thrilled to see you. I’ll take you to her.”

Motioning the sprite along, the elven guard began the long walk to the front door of the keep, then ushering him inside.

Up the stairwell they went to Calairiel’s private office. If Petri hadn’t gotten the indication before from Earendil’s words, he would start to feel like a few things had changed around the Cheb.

Especially when Earendil went to what was once Motito’s office, and found Calairiel inside.

“Calairiel, an old friend has come to visit. “

Leaving the pair with a chuckle, Calairiel arched her eyebrow in confusion until she saw the form of her small friend.

“Petri! It’s so wonderful to see you. Please, come in and tell me what you’ve been up to.”

[Petri]

Hands still dropped deep in his pockets and eyeing the posted guards, the sprite strolled back and forth past the gates like a miniature sentry, without the fierce exterior of course. He could hardly manage that on his worst brightening, like discovering a band of gnomes or rogue raccoon had been rummaging through his valuables. But a familiar voice turned his head and a grin of recognition spread from ear to ear. ”Vedui tu Earendil!” he said and looked at the others with an expression that said ‘Told you so’.

So falling in beside the elf with an air of rather comical self-importance, he peered up at the guard curiously. ”Arwen. Is that important?’ he asked, earnest as he could be. ”I meant to come visit sooner, see. But I’ve been traveling, and learning druidry. And meeting pirates,” he said with some amount of awe, though it was a dubious sort of awe, added a dramatic pinch to his nose as if recalling a particularly foul odor.

The stairs were managed with one small hand on the rail and more laborious steps than the elf’s, given Petri’s own height was similar to that of a small child. And it was a childlike grin returned to his face when finding Calairiel, and he strolled into her office, padding towards the desk on bare feet. ”Vedui tu, Calairiel. You have a new office,” he said while turning himself in a circle to take it all in. Then climbed up into the nearest chair so his feet were left swinging.

”I finished my druid training except now it doesn’t work,” he said with a wide eyed and puzzled expression. ”I got a bear that watches over me in the Restwood. He tried to eat me once but now he’s my friend and wears a red collar with a bell on see?” he carried on while hardly taking a breath in between. ”I traded a river rock for it along with some new silk clothes too. It was a good trade. I learned to play the panpipes and I went to Imperia to see the pirates. Do you know Calairiel that they aren’t at all what uncle Pratt told me. They don’t talk funny at all. They smell bad and have bad dispositions. And do you know they kill people?” he asked as if this should come as the revelation to her that it had to him. It had surely been the deal breaker where Petri and pirates were concerned. "And people in Imperia don’t at all know the difference between a sprite and a bird. I wanted one see, those talking birds with bright feathers.” Here he took a deep breath before carrying on. ”So they sold me one in this place where people drink beer and throw their crowns on tables. I guess they don't want them because mostly another man just takes them away after spinning a big wheel with numbers, and the women hardly wear any clothes at all even though they're very friendly,” he added with wide eyed wonder.

”So it turned out they couldn’t tell the difference at all and when I told them I wanted a bright colored bird that talks, they sold me a sprite. So I bought a sprite by accident see. Then she told me it wasn’t allowed to make her free because I had papers that said so. I want to ask you a question about that Cala…” he trailed off distractedly while his mind switched directions on a whim.

”And I brought you a present too.” Climbing down from his chair, the sprite unhooked the satchel from around his middle and rummaged around in it till producing a small jar, sealed tight with wax under it's lid. Padding over to her, he set the jar on Cala’s desk. On the top was a silver bow he’d fashioned from the same ribbon she’d once given him, and inside, packed into a clear syrup, were small apricots with candied cherries stuffed into the hollows left by the removed pits. Pushing it across to her with a proud grin, he tapped on the edge of the jar. ”I traded for them with chimes made of mirrored glass. They look like eyeballs, see?”

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

OOC: Sorry short post...trying to catch up...Forgive..=-(

The young Gil’dae took a seat and patiently listened to her friend verbally reflect upon his time away from Syl’rosya. In the time he had been gone, she had forgotten how much Petri could actually talk! She could do nothing but sit there with an amused smile and listen to him tell his grand tales…and she happily did so.

When Petri presented her with the present, Calairiel smiled and embraced the small sprite with a gentle hug.

"Oh, I’ve truly missed you, my friend. Things have changed so much around here. Motito left…went off to live in Diana. I’m in charge of everything now. I quit my job in Imperia and am working here in Syl’rosya now with the Thane…and…I have someone very important in my life now. He’s a Lord of another House, and is very good to me. We make an excellent team together, him and I…and I’m very happy."

Her thoughts naturally drifted to Nimavel for the merest of moments before returning to the matter at hand.

"So, you said you had a few questions for me. Feel free to ask, Petri. You know that I’m always here to listen."

It was indeed wonderful to have him home.

[Petri]

ooc: not a problem. =o)

As was Petri’s way and considering his only recently gained experience in ‘not quite carnal knowledge’-but he was ever hopeful in that regard-hugged by any woman at all and of any stature, he blushed all the way from the tips of his over large ears to the ends of his bare toes. ”I’ve missed you too, see,” he said with a wide grin spread from ear to ear. ”I’m glad you came back to Syl’rosya,” he added with feet gone to swinging again. ”Imperia’s no place for us. They don’t even know what a good trade is. But I got me some pipes and learned to play them on my own…Did I show you my pipes?” So saying, he lifted the small instrument hung on the leather chord round his neck and gave it a quick run through before dropping it again. ”But you’re the head of the house now? And this other fellow, he’s your mate? Well if he’s in one house, and you’re in another, why don’t you just make one? It would save time going back and forth, see.” For all his time dwelling in the forests amongst elves, this notion of Houses was still somewhat lost on Petri.

”But I have questions,” he agreed and shifted forward in his chair with all seriousness. ”I was thinking because you’re a girl, you might have the best answer. See, I bought this sprite in Imperia. By accident like I told you because I thought she was a bird. When I told her she didn’t have to be a slave because sprites aren’t meant to be slaves, she told me I couldn’t do that, see. Because I bought her and it was official; and it had to stay that way. I have papers.” Shuffling through his bag again, he pulled out a rumpled piece of parchment, stained with any number of sticky substances. Smoothing it out, he handed it over to Cala. ”Her name’s Fia. She says she might come to live with me, seeing that I bought her. The problem is that there’s another sprite here in Syl’rosia. Her name’s Tea’lea. She’s pink and has a voice like a hundred glass bells going off at once.” Apparently this was a good thing since the sprite grinned when he said it. ”See, she’s shy and sweet; and I like her. Looking at her reminds me of what spun sugar tastes like. And Fia has a bad temper and bosses me; and I like that too. Fia’s coming to Syl’rosya and Tea’lea’s already here and maybe they’ll bump into each other. I thought you might know, being a girl and all. Do you think they’ll mind if I like both at the same time? Maybe we could all three make a House?”

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

Listening to Petri try to resolve her, and his own problems in the mad little way that he did so well, Calairiel could do nothing but laugh. He was a beautiful little creature that had a good heart, and that was something the young Gil’dae appreciated more then anything. Petri and Calairiel were a strange little family, but family nonetheless. They cared for each other and in the end, that’s all that was really important.

Smiling at him, she giggled and tried to explain her situation a little more in depth….after taking a look at his little pipes and smiling approvingly.

"Things aren’t so simple, Petri. Being from two different Houses, we have different responsibilities to different people. It would be like, say….you and me. Look at our relationship. You have your own responsibilities and duties, and I have mine…but we find a way to relate to each other and enjoy what we have. We created something new, per say. While both Nimavel and I realize that we –can’t- combine our Houses, we care about each other enough to attend to our separate duties and have time for one another as well. It’s complicated, but worth it."

It seemed though that Petri had more then one surprise for the young Arwen. Upon hearing him tell his story and subsequent questions, Calairiel couldn’t…simply couldn’t suppress a mischievous giggle. The situations he got himself into were simple amazing.

"Petri, I’m not sure that either of them would see things the way you do. Females of any species tend to be very….territorial…about the males they love and choose to mate with. My advice to you would be telling both of them that you aren’t ready to settle down yet. This is your home…and it can be their homes too, if you wish. I’m sure they would adore Quicksilver Hall as much as you do, and I can hire the one you found in Imperia so that she’ll have a reason to stay. Perhaps in time you’ll be better able to answer the question yourself. In getting to know them better, it’s possible you’ll discover things in one that are more suitable to you then the other…or perhaps their feelings will change. One never knows where love is concerned, my friend."

Truly, that was a lesson Calairiel had learned very well recently, but love was a strange, mysterious thing. She never would have picked the assassin of Syl’rosya as her mate, but together, they seemed….right. Neither could ignore it…nor would they. Their path was destined to be a rocky one, but filled with the ultimate happiness of two elves deeply committed to one another…and she wished that happiness for Petri as well.

[Petri]

ooc: Now it’s my turn to apologize for the delay and I humbly do.

Rather than indulge in any sort of sheepish response or expression, Petri grinned wide at Cala’s laughter. He had an uncommon knack for arranging trouble for himself, Fia had said so in fact. But even he, in the thick of it and considering his cheery outlook on the world in general, could see the humor in this business-and not just for him but for Cala as well. He was thinking though, that maybe Tea’lea and Fia might not. Especially Fia and he figured she’d be arriving any brightening now and getting wind of his other interest.

But surely things should be simple and even while Cala was explaining why they weren’t, the sprite’s metallic wings jittered with the effort of stopping himself from saying so. It was true that life was simpler for forest creatures like fae, sprites and gnomes. But for elves and their houses, things were different. ”That’s true then Cala,” the diminutive creature finally conceded after his expression fell into one of rapt concentration. ”But it’s people that make it complicated and nature that makes it not, see. Maybe I should say so to your Nimavel?” he suggested helpfully.

Territorial, he pondered for a minute or three with large eyes grown narrow with the effort, a moment taken to define an unfamiliar word, but surely not an unfamiliar concept. Sprites were territorial by nature after all and the females more often than the males. No bossier or more temperamental than a female sprite. ”Bossy too,” he pointed out as if he had all the experience in the world, if only gained by way of experience passed down generation to generation. ”I don’t think Fia will like to hear that at all. Do you think it would be ok if I didn’t tell her?” he asked hopefully. ”But you’d give her a job? I think she might like that. See, she’s not used to the forest. Before she was a slave, she was in a traveling show. Aeeeroba…tics,” he drawled out the unfamiliar word. ”She’s used to living in the city. But I don’t want to choose. I like them both,” he reasserted as if thinking he might like it to be an ongoing arrangement.

But mind switching direction on a whim, his bare feet went to swinging again as if this were an indication of the directional process. ”I was thinking too Cala, that maybe…if you had time and wanted to, maybe you could teach me some words in Elven? Not all of them see. Just enough so I can understand better?”

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

She had always known that Petri’s mind worked differently then her’s. It wasn’t until that moment, however, that she finally realized –how- different.

At least the fireworks would be entertaining.

Giggling softly at his comment regarding Nimavel, she shook her head and looked softly over at her friend.

“ I don’t think that would be a very good idea. Besides, Nimavel and I are quite happy regardless of whatever complexities we put into our lives. Your life is your choice, but know that I will always be here for whatever you need…and this will always be your home should you need it. Many people have returned to Starshadow recently so you’ll find it full of activity. New people to meet certainly.”

As for the request about elven, she was slightly surprised at his interest but it wasn’t at all uncommon. He –did- after all live around elves. It was only natural that he would want to learn a few words, and when better to start the education then that moment.

“ Of course, Petri. I would be happy to give you a few lessons. Let’s start with the appropriate basics. ‘Vedui’…..means hello. It is the most general greeting you can give. We can go over some fancier forms of greeting if you want, but that is a good start. Next, when you meet someone in Syl’rosya that is a Lord or Lady…Noble House…that sort of thing, there are certain ways to address him or her. A lord is ‘Heru’…and a lady is ‘Arwen’. If you were to say hello to me, for example, you would say ‘ Vedui, Arwenamin ‘….which means ‘ Greetings, my Lady ‘. ‘Arwenamin is the familiar form, meaning you know the person you are speaking to. If not, you would use ‘Arwen en amin’. It is more formal. Same goes for ‘Heru’. ‘Heruenamin’ if you know the Lord…’Heru en amin’ if you don’t.”

Calairiel paused briefly to let the sprite catch up, knowing that his attention span was extremely short. She wanted to make sure he was still with her before proceeding.

[Petri]

”Well alright then. I won’t tell your Nimavel so. If you don’t want me to,” Petri vowed with a shrug and eyes grown wider with the solemnity of saying so-sprites were indeed terrible actors, but then that same expression turned quizzical when his mind switched directions without missing a beat. ”If this is my home too, can Edward come? He’s my bear see,” he added in case she’d forgotten. ”He doesn’t take up much room and I’ll make him promise not to eat anyone. And even if he tried to, he has a bell on his collar so they’ll hear him coming first.”

But the language of the elves. Surely this was something Petri had a keen interest in. He was a natural born mimic and often parroted those elves around him in an effort to converse. But oft they looked at him as if he’d just uttered, well, utter nonsense…while still offering an indulgent tousling of the hair. Everybody liked a sprite. So his grin spread ear to ear when Cala agreed and finally dropping his satchel on the floor beside him his expression transformed into one of extraordinary, albeit comical concentration. This focus could hardly last long given his disposition. ”Right. Vedui tu,” he repeated with an enthusiastic lift of both eyebrows-and they disappeared completely beneath the fringe of an unruly mop of hair.

This business of Heru and Arwen though dropped that grin into a puzzled frown, his own brand of logic working overtime in the process. So much that much of what came after hardly stood a chance. ”Vedui tu, Arwen…amin Cala, right?” he said hopefully with bare feet swinging. ”But Cala, if Heru is Heru because he’s a he, why isn’t she a Sheru?” he asked in all earnestness.

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

There was nothing Cala could do other then grin at Petri’s request for ‘Edward’ to stay on the grounds with him. What chaos –that- would cause among the guards, but chaos was good every now and then.

At least Cala thought so.

"Well…it’s highly unusual, but since we are family, I think it would be okay. You have to make sure he behaves though, understand? Otherwise, Anton may try and use him for target practice and we wouldn’t want that, would we?"

Giggling a bit, she continued on with the lesson, starting with Petri’s ‘brilliant’ observation and question.

"Hmmm…well, one would think, but no. It –would- make things that much easier, but I’m afraid the elven language doesn’t wish things to be easy. Moving on, some simple phrases. “ Diola lle” means “Thank you”…”Seasamin” is “My pleasure”. “ Amin hiraetha” is “I’m sorry”…”Amin mela lle”….my favorite…”I love you”….and “Mellonamin” is “ My friend “ "

Giving him a moment to digest all that, she added a few things of interest.

"You’ll note that “Amin” will always translate to “I” or I’m”…If it is part of a word, like “Mellonamin”….then it takes on more of a “My” meaning….as in “My friend”….which is what I would call you. “ lle” tends to be more meaning ‘you’…as in ‘Diola lle”."

[Petri]

At the thought of this Anton fellow using Edward for target practice, Petri’s face transformed itself into a wide eyed and comically horrified expression while shaking his head adamantly. The sprite might be a terrible actor-his lying talents were less than nil even had he the disposition for it. But he was by nature alone given to moments of high drama. ”Edward will behave Cala. He’s a good bear and hardly ever tries to eat anyone except gnomes, see? And they always get away from him. As long as he’d got plenty to eat he’ll be good. Lots of fish, see, and eggs and berries.”

But then he frowned when the explanation came concerning Heru and Arwin, the swinging of his feet stalled briefly and his wings drooped some in response. ”It should be easy,” he protested with a quiet frown before leaning his elbows on her desk, chin cupped in the palms of his hands while he listed. His eyes went narrow with concentration, his feet even stilled again for a moment while he tried to digest it all, while attempting to ignore a bird hopping along outside the window. He failed a time or two, his mind wandering elsewhere on a whim before coming back again.

It was almost too much for a mind that tended to dart here and there without warning but his eyes narrowed all the more with the effort of keeping it from going in one ear and right out the other one. His lips moved while he was at it, silently repeating what she said wile piecing it all together in his own unusual way. This Amin’ puzzle was a strange one and it showed on Petri’s childlike face while he tried to puzzle it out, ears nearly twitching with the effort. But he was nothing if not tenacious and so when it was all done, he sat up straight and had a go himself.

”Mellonamin, my friend,” he repeated, before attempting a sensible string. ”Diola lle, Mellonamin…thank you, my friend. Right?’

[Calairiel Mynendil Gil'dae]

Calairiel smiled brightly as he used the phrase correctly. Petri, to learn, needed things to be turned into a game. Thus, her next lesson needed a little more alteration.

“Lle ume quell, Petri…or, you did well. Now, I have a –tyalie- for us to play…if you are up to the challenge.”

Grinning a bit, the young Gil’dae knew her little friend quite well…and knew that he wouldn’t turn down something presented in that fashion. She would have him hook, line and sinker as long as the game was interesting.

“Now, I need you to go find me –er- of something.”

As she said the word, she held up one finger.

They would be working with numbers, and a wee bit of submersion in the elven language. She was wording it as riddles however, allowing him the chance to figure out the words she was saying.