Of Tears and Laughter.
Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:36 pm
The great oak doors closed with a resounding finality, and the druid placed a long wooden bar accross them. She left them unlocked, for Licinia to do the final rites when she left. With a heavy heart she turned away from the door and made her way down the steps to where Delsari sat astride her white horse, and Nox beside her. The warrior watched Jetamio, her face expressionless. With a light jump, the druid swung her leg over her black mare, who wore no saddle nor bridle. With one last glance at the castle that had been her home for the last moon, a place of hopes and dreams that never materialised, they turned down the winding path to New Tanaan and from there out to the plains of Karana to their new home.
Later on had found her in the Wind Spirit's song, while Delsari stayed in Karana. She had left Nox behind, the urge to run as a wolf strong, her howl of sorrow ringing out accross the vast plains.
But now most seemed in high spirits, Rarcoder and Stormfollower competing the ale, their antics bringing a slight smile even to Jetamio.
Then a question from Faelian had prompted another competition. A womans prowess for baking and such. Jetamio had kept quiet at first, before jokingly admitting that she could cook and brew, warning the others not to tell the men. Jetamio had the ability, but lacked the willingness to slave over a hot stove all day. She was not a very domesticated person at all.
Storm however, in his usual selective hearing, overheard her. "'Cook and brew? a woman after mine own heart!" he chuckled, making the druid roll her eyes and the others laugh. "Tell me you can tank and I shall marry thee." he continued, smiling.
Jetamio made an appearance of thinking it over. "Well, I can tank some stuff..."
Faelian piped up with a wink, saying she could tank.
"...and when I was younger, I could tank many things." the Drakkin continued, her sombre mood starting to dissapate with the banter.
"Well if the food and ale were good enough there'd be no need for tanking." the shaman grinned.
"Oh?" Jetamio replied, eyebrow raised, a playful smirk upon her face. "Is that a proposal?"
Storm blushed and tried to hide behind his tankard of cider while Faelian and Rileigha bantered about tanking styles. "Aaw, he's gone all quiet!" Jet giggled. " I am sorry my dear, but you cannot hide behind that cider!"
Clearing his throat, he emptied the tankard. "Proposals are for the spring, tis much to warm for such things."
"Why Storm," she smiled, mischeif in her eyes, "tis only hot because you are blushing so!"
"Who is proposing?" came Sanjah's voice, obviously having got lost somewhere in the conversation. Jetamio nodded in Stormfollower's direction. "He is."
"To whom?"
"To me!" shouted Rarcoder in a drunken laugh.
Ignoring the Paladin's comment and keeping her golden eyes trained on the furiously blushing shamam, Jet answered. "He said if I can tank as well as cook and brew, he'd marry me."
Sanjah giggled. "Perhaps he should!"
Before Jet could retort to Sanjah's comment, a huge belch came from behind the cider mug. "I said I would marry the chef-come-brewer who could tank..But I have yet to see any wares!" Jetamio could almost see his grin through the tankard, and leans forward in her seat.
"Oh I see, you want proof of my domestic prowess?"
The blue Drakkin laughed. "I would like to see you domesticated, Jetamio. I do not think I would believe it, even if I did." Jetamio by now is raking in her bag for cookies she knows are in there, though have been there a while. Lifting them up she smiles shyly. "Well....they were cookies once!" She then frwns at Sanjah's words of domestication, her nose wrinkling at the thought. "I don't think I will marry if I have to be domesticated."
Stormfollower smiled. "Well if we are to wed you must be able to cook my favorite things, or what would my old mother say?"
"And just what is your favourite dish?" her eyebrow raised. The shaman laughed. "I prefer campfire cooking, there be no domicile."
Jetamio beams. "I have one of those mobile spits!"
The half elf Riliegha piped up. "As do I! And a collapsible mixing bowl as well."
Jetamio sighed mockingly. "Hmm, seems I have competition"
"Nay, you can have him." Riliegha answered, grinning grinning mischievously.
"Ah but maybe he doesn't want me"
"So do I... but I do not think I wish to be in the race of who can cook best for Storm!" Sanjah laughs.
Storm smiled. "Oh and here I was hoping to play for two free meals" Earning him a withering look from Jetamio.
"He seemed to change his mind about his claim when I said I could tank" She nodded in her sagely impersonation.
Sanjah grinned at Storm. "Well, I do still have those burnt patty melts I've been saving for you."
"Oh...yes I quite forgot about those" his face showing a slightly scared look that Jetamio could understand. She hid her own expression by raking through her bags for more items "Well..." she lifted out a Collapsed Fletching Kit, a Collapsed Jeweler's Kit, a Collapsed Sewing Kit, a Collapsed Spit, and a Collapsed Mixing Bowl, then grinned as she lifted the last item. "And a Non-Stick Frying Pan for beating disobedient husbands with."
Sanjah laughed as Jetamio continued. "Still want me as a wife?" grinning wickedly.
Riliegha also rummaged through her bags and set out some Rabbit Stew and Shellcracker's Seaside Salad to prove she can cook, and not burn.
Stormfollower smiles, guffawing a little. "Aww you would not want me as a husband Jetamio, I am far to coarse to run a comb through."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I never said anything about combing your hair for you." She then noticed the half elfs offerings and twisted her mouth in thought before pulling some cold, but unburnt patty melts from her bag. They had been Tolthar's favourite, and the only person she had ever made them especially for before.
Rileigha chuckled. "I can make those too, but they are so bulky."
Sanjah rolled her eyes. "I cannot help that I was not born with the natural domestic abilities of an elf. I am trying though.'
Rileigha answered first. "I am a half elf thank you! and it was not natural."
Stormfollower took advantage of the womens bantering to go over to the spread of food, quite pleased with the developement and sampled the rabbit stew. Jetamio eyed him, realising they'd been had and rolled her eyes. Instead she turned to her Drakkin friend. "Sanjah my dear, do not believe everything that lover of yours tells you...I am.....well, was a purelood, and it's taken me almost 800 years to get this far!" Then as a silent retort to Storms game she picks up one of the slimy shellfish from the salad and drops it down the back of Storms tunic, Sanjah watching her eith her trademark grin.
Storm decided to save the shellfish for later and tries one of Jets Patty Melts. "Oh! pickles! who would have thought!" His exclaimation bringing a laugh to Sanjah's lips as Jetamio shook her head. "I pity the woman who marries you already."
She watched him quietly for a moment as he stuffed his face, before slipping her hand into her bag and finding a pickle. Taking subtle, but careful aim, she flicked it at him. Seeming to ignore the tiny missile launched at him, he speaks with mouth still full. "No really these patty ments are the best I have ever tasted, and I have tasted many!"
"You just want me to make more."
Sanjah raised an eyebrow. "All that's different is a pickle?" Her question getting accusations of jealousy from Rarcoder.
Stormfollower continued his seranade of Jetamio's cooking. "The way the cheese hides the finely chopped pickles so you are both suprised and comforted by there exquisit tangyness it is truely genius at work."
The others laughed and Jetamio looked at him icredulously. "Now you are mocking me Northman!"
Stormfollower kept a look of innocence "Mock? me? Nay never, truely these are my new favorite meal, be it an antient recipe or something of thy own creation?"
Licinia spoke up from the quiet that she had seemed to surround herself in til now. "I have been only paying half a mind here, but I would say that somebody is in a pickle now."
Stormfollower exclaimed "Some one else try these, tell me I am lying!"
An unconvinced Jetamio folded her arms across her chest, eyeing the shaman with a dangerous glint in her golden eyes. Her eyes alone followed him as he stuffed three more into his mouth and made his way carefully back to his seat. Squirming under her gaze he raises his eyebrows at Jetamio and tried to speak through three patty melts. "Music! thats what we need...Delsari how about a song?"
Jetamio smiled smugly at the mention of her musically gifted daughter. "She has gone to bed..." Then unable to keep a straight face anymore she relaxes and slips back down into her seat. "Men!" she mutters under her breath, chin on her hand as her other hand traces knots in the wooden bench.
While still looking at Jetamio, he dropped down into his seat and quietly smacked himself in the head.
She unobtrusively watched him from her position and with her free hand, finds another pickled and lauches it at him, all the while appearing like she has barely moved. To her surprise he caught it and smiled nervously at her. With a sigh she dropped her hands and rolled her eyes.
Licinia spoke up quietly from her corner again. "Either there is a ton of sexual innuendo here, or I need to get my mind out of the acqueducts..." The others laughed, dispelling the tension in the room. Jetamio looked at Licinia. "Oh no....he just said he would marry me and then chickened out!"
Rarcodor also spoke up. "I would marry you if i werent already engaged haha" Jetamio threw him a dark look.
Stormfollower laughed. "I said if..you have yet to brew or tank for me."
Rarcodor seemed put out by her dark look. "Obviously someone doesn't like me'
"Or perhaps one doesnt trust one who hits on women when already promised to another..." she retorted with the same tone as her look had conveyed.
"Ah...I will always be a flirt." he replied.
Her golden eyes bored into him. "I believe in loyalty to one and one only. Once Promised I consider no other."
"As do I...obviously you do not understand my sense of humour."
"Obviously not." Her tone of voice letting the paladin know she was not up for further discussion on the matter.
For a few minutes the room is silent, Stormfollower staring into the fire as though searching for something in its depths. He did not turn to look at her as he spoke. "Your not kidding are you Jet." She looks over to him, as he stands. "About loyalty? No, I am not." She smiles again, a playful smile with no hint of the cold she showed the paladin. "As for marrying you, that ball is in your court."
He looks over at her, a musing grin on his face as he heads towards her slowly. "Well I had thought it but a jest that you could consider one such as myself."
"Why...what is wrong with you?" she almost laughed; she had been wed to a dwarf, she had born a child to a Tier'Dal, the grandchild of that union now walking the halls of the alliances greatest enemy. What did race matter to her? She looked up at the coarse man, knowing his heart was warm, his hearty smile could brighten a room. She saw no reason why she could not like the shaman.
He did not answer her, instead reached into his cloak as he kneeled before her. "I believe it is that I am smitten....Jetamio?" The playful smile dropped from her face as she realised what he was about to do but could not believe that he would do it. From the sputtering of tea from the other side of the room, she knew she was not alone in her assumptions. But it didn't stop her from asking a stupid question. "What are you doing?"
The shaman pulled out a Jade ring from his cloak, and held it out to her. "Will you marry me?"
Surprise etched itself across her face, and she missed the collective silent gasp from the rest in the room. She glanced around briefly, wondering how many were in on this, but their faces showed her they were as shocked as she. She looked back down into his eyes that shone with his soul. He was deadly serious. Her throat contracted in nerves, making it almost impossible toc speak. But she managed to squeak out a "Yes..."
The room erupted around her as the others cheered, and Storm swept her off her seat in his strong arms and whirled her around with a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and accepted the blessings and cheers of the others. Licinia was already planning a party, sending messages to bards and such, and Sanjah asking if Storm would be moving in with them too. Jetamio vaguely remembered answering that she could easily split her time between them all, for he, like her liked to sleep outside. Everything was a blur now, and eventually Strom bid them all goodnight and carried her out into the night...
Later on had found her in the Wind Spirit's song, while Delsari stayed in Karana. She had left Nox behind, the urge to run as a wolf strong, her howl of sorrow ringing out accross the vast plains.
But now most seemed in high spirits, Rarcoder and Stormfollower competing the ale, their antics bringing a slight smile even to Jetamio.
Then a question from Faelian had prompted another competition. A womans prowess for baking and such. Jetamio had kept quiet at first, before jokingly admitting that she could cook and brew, warning the others not to tell the men. Jetamio had the ability, but lacked the willingness to slave over a hot stove all day. She was not a very domesticated person at all.
Storm however, in his usual selective hearing, overheard her. "'Cook and brew? a woman after mine own heart!" he chuckled, making the druid roll her eyes and the others laugh. "Tell me you can tank and I shall marry thee." he continued, smiling.
Jetamio made an appearance of thinking it over. "Well, I can tank some stuff..."
Faelian piped up with a wink, saying she could tank.
"...and when I was younger, I could tank many things." the Drakkin continued, her sombre mood starting to dissapate with the banter.
"Well if the food and ale were good enough there'd be no need for tanking." the shaman grinned.
"Oh?" Jetamio replied, eyebrow raised, a playful smirk upon her face. "Is that a proposal?"
Storm blushed and tried to hide behind his tankard of cider while Faelian and Rileigha bantered about tanking styles. "Aaw, he's gone all quiet!" Jet giggled. " I am sorry my dear, but you cannot hide behind that cider!"
Clearing his throat, he emptied the tankard. "Proposals are for the spring, tis much to warm for such things."
"Why Storm," she smiled, mischeif in her eyes, "tis only hot because you are blushing so!"
"Who is proposing?" came Sanjah's voice, obviously having got lost somewhere in the conversation. Jetamio nodded in Stormfollower's direction. "He is."
"To whom?"
"To me!" shouted Rarcoder in a drunken laugh.
Ignoring the Paladin's comment and keeping her golden eyes trained on the furiously blushing shamam, Jet answered. "He said if I can tank as well as cook and brew, he'd marry me."
Sanjah giggled. "Perhaps he should!"
Before Jet could retort to Sanjah's comment, a huge belch came from behind the cider mug. "I said I would marry the chef-come-brewer who could tank..But I have yet to see any wares!" Jetamio could almost see his grin through the tankard, and leans forward in her seat.
"Oh I see, you want proof of my domestic prowess?"
The blue Drakkin laughed. "I would like to see you domesticated, Jetamio. I do not think I would believe it, even if I did." Jetamio by now is raking in her bag for cookies she knows are in there, though have been there a while. Lifting them up she smiles shyly. "Well....they were cookies once!" She then frwns at Sanjah's words of domestication, her nose wrinkling at the thought. "I don't think I will marry if I have to be domesticated."
Stormfollower smiled. "Well if we are to wed you must be able to cook my favorite things, or what would my old mother say?"
"And just what is your favourite dish?" her eyebrow raised. The shaman laughed. "I prefer campfire cooking, there be no domicile."
Jetamio beams. "I have one of those mobile spits!"
The half elf Riliegha piped up. "As do I! And a collapsible mixing bowl as well."
Jetamio sighed mockingly. "Hmm, seems I have competition"
"Nay, you can have him." Riliegha answered, grinning grinning mischievously.
"Ah but maybe he doesn't want me"
"So do I... but I do not think I wish to be in the race of who can cook best for Storm!" Sanjah laughs.
Storm smiled. "Oh and here I was hoping to play for two free meals" Earning him a withering look from Jetamio.
"He seemed to change his mind about his claim when I said I could tank" She nodded in her sagely impersonation.
Sanjah grinned at Storm. "Well, I do still have those burnt patty melts I've been saving for you."
"Oh...yes I quite forgot about those" his face showing a slightly scared look that Jetamio could understand. She hid her own expression by raking through her bags for more items "Well..." she lifted out a Collapsed Fletching Kit, a Collapsed Jeweler's Kit, a Collapsed Sewing Kit, a Collapsed Spit, and a Collapsed Mixing Bowl, then grinned as she lifted the last item. "And a Non-Stick Frying Pan for beating disobedient husbands with."
Sanjah laughed as Jetamio continued. "Still want me as a wife?" grinning wickedly.
Riliegha also rummaged through her bags and set out some Rabbit Stew and Shellcracker's Seaside Salad to prove she can cook, and not burn.
Stormfollower smiles, guffawing a little. "Aww you would not want me as a husband Jetamio, I am far to coarse to run a comb through."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "I never said anything about combing your hair for you." She then noticed the half elfs offerings and twisted her mouth in thought before pulling some cold, but unburnt patty melts from her bag. They had been Tolthar's favourite, and the only person she had ever made them especially for before.
Rileigha chuckled. "I can make those too, but they are so bulky."
Sanjah rolled her eyes. "I cannot help that I was not born with the natural domestic abilities of an elf. I am trying though.'
Rileigha answered first. "I am a half elf thank you! and it was not natural."
Stormfollower took advantage of the womens bantering to go over to the spread of food, quite pleased with the developement and sampled the rabbit stew. Jetamio eyed him, realising they'd been had and rolled her eyes. Instead she turned to her Drakkin friend. "Sanjah my dear, do not believe everything that lover of yours tells you...I am.....well, was a purelood, and it's taken me almost 800 years to get this far!" Then as a silent retort to Storms game she picks up one of the slimy shellfish from the salad and drops it down the back of Storms tunic, Sanjah watching her eith her trademark grin.
Storm decided to save the shellfish for later and tries one of Jets Patty Melts. "Oh! pickles! who would have thought!" His exclaimation bringing a laugh to Sanjah's lips as Jetamio shook her head. "I pity the woman who marries you already."
She watched him quietly for a moment as he stuffed his face, before slipping her hand into her bag and finding a pickle. Taking subtle, but careful aim, she flicked it at him. Seeming to ignore the tiny missile launched at him, he speaks with mouth still full. "No really these patty ments are the best I have ever tasted, and I have tasted many!"
"You just want me to make more."
Sanjah raised an eyebrow. "All that's different is a pickle?" Her question getting accusations of jealousy from Rarcoder.
Stormfollower continued his seranade of Jetamio's cooking. "The way the cheese hides the finely chopped pickles so you are both suprised and comforted by there exquisit tangyness it is truely genius at work."
The others laughed and Jetamio looked at him icredulously. "Now you are mocking me Northman!"
Stormfollower kept a look of innocence "Mock? me? Nay never, truely these are my new favorite meal, be it an antient recipe or something of thy own creation?"
Licinia spoke up from the quiet that she had seemed to surround herself in til now. "I have been only paying half a mind here, but I would say that somebody is in a pickle now."
Stormfollower exclaimed "Some one else try these, tell me I am lying!"
An unconvinced Jetamio folded her arms across her chest, eyeing the shaman with a dangerous glint in her golden eyes. Her eyes alone followed him as he stuffed three more into his mouth and made his way carefully back to his seat. Squirming under her gaze he raises his eyebrows at Jetamio and tried to speak through three patty melts. "Music! thats what we need...Delsari how about a song?"
Jetamio smiled smugly at the mention of her musically gifted daughter. "She has gone to bed..." Then unable to keep a straight face anymore she relaxes and slips back down into her seat. "Men!" she mutters under her breath, chin on her hand as her other hand traces knots in the wooden bench.
While still looking at Jetamio, he dropped down into his seat and quietly smacked himself in the head.
She unobtrusively watched him from her position and with her free hand, finds another pickled and lauches it at him, all the while appearing like she has barely moved. To her surprise he caught it and smiled nervously at her. With a sigh she dropped her hands and rolled her eyes.
Licinia spoke up quietly from her corner again. "Either there is a ton of sexual innuendo here, or I need to get my mind out of the acqueducts..." The others laughed, dispelling the tension in the room. Jetamio looked at Licinia. "Oh no....he just said he would marry me and then chickened out!"
Rarcodor also spoke up. "I would marry you if i werent already engaged haha" Jetamio threw him a dark look.
Stormfollower laughed. "I said if..you have yet to brew or tank for me."
Rarcodor seemed put out by her dark look. "Obviously someone doesn't like me'
"Or perhaps one doesnt trust one who hits on women when already promised to another..." she retorted with the same tone as her look had conveyed.
"Ah...I will always be a flirt." he replied.
Her golden eyes bored into him. "I believe in loyalty to one and one only. Once Promised I consider no other."
"As do I...obviously you do not understand my sense of humour."
"Obviously not." Her tone of voice letting the paladin know she was not up for further discussion on the matter.
For a few minutes the room is silent, Stormfollower staring into the fire as though searching for something in its depths. He did not turn to look at her as he spoke. "Your not kidding are you Jet." She looks over to him, as he stands. "About loyalty? No, I am not." She smiles again, a playful smile with no hint of the cold she showed the paladin. "As for marrying you, that ball is in your court."
He looks over at her, a musing grin on his face as he heads towards her slowly. "Well I had thought it but a jest that you could consider one such as myself."
"Why...what is wrong with you?" she almost laughed; she had been wed to a dwarf, she had born a child to a Tier'Dal, the grandchild of that union now walking the halls of the alliances greatest enemy. What did race matter to her? She looked up at the coarse man, knowing his heart was warm, his hearty smile could brighten a room. She saw no reason why she could not like the shaman.
He did not answer her, instead reached into his cloak as he kneeled before her. "I believe it is that I am smitten....Jetamio?" The playful smile dropped from her face as she realised what he was about to do but could not believe that he would do it. From the sputtering of tea from the other side of the room, she knew she was not alone in her assumptions. But it didn't stop her from asking a stupid question. "What are you doing?"
The shaman pulled out a Jade ring from his cloak, and held it out to her. "Will you marry me?"
Surprise etched itself across her face, and she missed the collective silent gasp from the rest in the room. She glanced around briefly, wondering how many were in on this, but their faces showed her they were as shocked as she. She looked back down into his eyes that shone with his soul. He was deadly serious. Her throat contracted in nerves, making it almost impossible toc speak. But she managed to squeak out a "Yes..."
The room erupted around her as the others cheered, and Storm swept her off her seat in his strong arms and whirled her around with a kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and accepted the blessings and cheers of the others. Licinia was already planning a party, sending messages to bards and such, and Sanjah asking if Storm would be moving in with them too. Jetamio vaguely remembered answering that she could easily split her time between them all, for he, like her liked to sleep outside. Everything was a blur now, and eventually Strom bid them all goodnight and carried her out into the night...