That Darn Bard

[Darlena O'seth]

" I can't believe the elf tricked me."

:: Darlena went to kara village to blow off some steam from all thats going on with Phelan an that body stealer.
As she neared the village a lone bard an a guard stood in her way. The guard tried to stop her but was felled easily. The bard instead of running starts complementing her.::

" A red haired teir'dal this is a rare occurance. I'm am inspired by you beauty." he says..

::And instead of running the bard introduces himself as the minstrel Elindar and pulls out a loot.::

"I should have slain him there but I couldn't believe his foolishness.

::He then started singing to Darlena. The confused Darlena sat down awe struck by his action that she just sat down. despite her warnings that he better run away he continued to talk to her to the point she forgot she was going to slay all of kara village. Darlena then tried to change the subject repeatedly to no availe.::

"My' lady to you play or sing?" he asked handing her his lute.

:: Darlena completely in shock could only reply with a weak. " no "

:: Elindar just simply shruged :: " Thats ok."

"You smell like a wealthy man" Darlena claimed.

"Do I stink?" He said lifting his arms.

For some reason Darlena tried to hide her lycanthropsy from an elf she doesn't know by covering her fangs that was starting to show."

"Leave me I will spare you..... go before the sun sets."

Elindar simply bows to her, picks up his bag kisses her hand and gives her a black rose then departs.

"GRRRRrrrrr I can't believe I let him live what is wrong with me!!! I even let him touch my hand."

Darlena picks up the guards sword and heads for kara village hoping to catch up with that elf.

" I can't let this get out that I spared an elf.. I will appear weak. He tricked me thats all.

Darlena's pace quickens. " You trickster I will may you pay for this."

[Elindar]

Lost in his thoughts of his ephemeral encounter with the Teir 'Dal dark knight, a poem starts to form.


A beauty like a fading sunset burning red on the western water,

Yet fear it wasn't that this goddess wrought though me she certainly could slaughter,

I looked at death square in the eyes and found that much to my surprise,

That it wasn't a terrible and ugly face,

But there instead, under hair so red

a likeness to Great Tunare's mighty grace.

And music she listened as I stood and played,
a song upon my lute.

So quiet and tentatively did she sit, I thought she might be mute.

I could not believe that my song did end and she stood and showed me mercy.

As I walked away to live another day, I felt as drawn to her as Circe.

[Darlena O'seth]

::Night begins to fall::

"quickly look for survivors, get the wonder to the healers as fast as posible."

:: the evlen guards try to reclaim order after Darlena breifly passed though killing several villagers.::

"Why did the teir'dal stop we was totally outmatched."

"From what I herd it was the son of the govener."

"Speak truly, he is but a weaking how could he do what my seasoned guards failed to do."

"I don't know sir but she left."

"She?"

"Yes a red haired shadow knight."

:: Darlena cast her veil of shadows and moves through the village knowing that the bard was heading to tethlen.

" What was that...... I thought I saw something.... work quickly I fear she might return."

:: Darlena could see fayspires now and a familiar figure playing a lute slowly walking down the road.

" Elindar I must speak with you..."

:: Elindar turns around and smiles::

"Ah my insperation has returned.. What may I do for you? .... My' Lady"

[Darlena O'seth]

" You will not speak of our encounter"

"Why not my'lady... surely you do not think I will speak ill of you?"

"I do not wish you to be branded for your action please do not seek me out. I will not return here."

" I see well I'm sorry to here that."

:: Elindar places his lute into his bag and starts off to tethlen. Just then Darlena grabs his arm.::

"Wait...."

" Yes?" :: turning to face her::

" For your kind words even if they was not true.." :: Kisses him, then cloaks herself in shadows an runs off into the night.::

" Farewell My'lady though I doubt I can keep my silence about you."

[Elindar]

stunned and for once speechless, Elindar stands in the darkness of Luclin.

"wait! I would go with you..." he calls to the void.

the only answer is a crack of twigs and the rustling of bushs to the south that Elindar's keen elvish hearing has picked up. He follows the noises and notices a moving darkness where the sounds originated from.

[glow=red,2,300]I will not let such a beautiful misunderstood maiden elude me so easily.[/glow]

dropping everything but his sword and his lute, Elindar gives chase...hoping that his muse will give him yet another glimpse of her beauty and perhaps...if Tunare graces him...a peek at the smile behind her red lips.

[Darlena O'seth]

"I must be outta my mind.... what was I thinking.."

Darlena lays down on her bed deep in thought about her trip to kara.Slyfoot knocks on her door.

"Dar .... Are you ok in there?"

" I'm fine please enter."

Slyfoot enters her room and sits at the edge of her bed.

"What happened at kara Darlena?"

"Nothing I just got bored so I decied to return nothing more."

" Hmmmm if you say so, but when your ready to tell me why you return so early I'll be waiting."

" I plan on going to orggok to repair my sword I tire oh this pathetic sword."

Slyfoot says nothing as she gets up and leaves the room.

" Why does his words still haunt my thoughts..." She keeps going over and over in her head as she falls asleep.

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

Why does she not tell me? Doesn’t she know I can see the change in her eyes. Oh well, Slyfoot sighs, she will tell me when she is ready. Slyfoot walks back in the room.

“Darlena, I must go now.”<br>
“Oh, well, ok. Where are you going?”<br>
“Its….personal.”<br>
“Right. Ok.”<br>
Slyfoot looks at Darlena one last time as if to say, you can tell me you know. Then she turns, staff in hand and walks down the hall of the Freeport Inn on her way to Wilkens home.

[Elindar]

days past as he followed her trail as best he could, not yet having the song of travel let alone the song of concealment, the way was long and dangerous. He battled many things along the way, from bear cubs to the great copperheads.

The guards from Bobble-Bywater did their part in helping by slaying a giant spider that chased him into the town. He tarried their a moment but when the halflings tried to enlist his help he decided enough time had passed and he continued south.

He travelled the beaches, marvelling at the exhileration of the salt filled breeze, chasing a visage that seemed almost an illusion....of the scarlet haired warrior maid.

He resupplied once again at the shanty town of Temby, but found that the leering gazes of the denizens made him feel uneasy. He met a group travelling south to the human city of Freeport and offered to take him with them for a song or two. So it was wth these vagabonds that Elindar first gazed upon the walls of the human city of sin. Exhausted from his journey, Elindar parted ways and got directions to an Inn. He entered the door downtrodden only to see...

[Elindar]

... Darlena sleeping in the corner of the common room, head resting on her shield, sword clutched loosely in her hand.

"You! I have trudged all of these miles(km's for our non-american friends ) to gaze upon your countenance." ~he whispers.

he takes his travel worn cloak and gently covers the dreaming shadow knight.

"I will wait here and guard you until I have your permission to look upon you, now dream sweetly."

Elindar sits on a stool, putting his back to Darlena, he pulls out his lute and softly strums a lullaby that pops into his head

[Darlena O'seth]

:: Darlena could sense the melody being played as she sleeps.. A familiar smell comes over her makinging her feel more at ease so to the point that her sword slips out of her hand an hits the floor with a loud clank. The sound startles her and she notices the unfamilar cloak draped acrossed her.::

" What is this..." ::Sitting up lifting the cloak off her::

" So you awake my'lady.. "

:: Darlena turns to see Elindar sitting on a stool with his back turned to her.::

" You fool I told you not to seek me out .... and yet you still followed me here."

" I would travel with you .... I would desire to see your face more.... as I said you have inspired me."

:: sighs :: " You do not know what you are speaking of to be in my company is to wish for death be it from me or my enemies."

"I care not the danger from you nor your adversaries."

" You are indeed foolish you still argue your point when you have no idea of who I am." :: her eyes flash breifly::

:: noticing her eyes he cautiously approaches her looking deep into her now green eyes::

" Then tell me..."

:: Looking away sadly from him.:: " So be it.."

:: Darlena transforms herself into her werewolf form grabbing Elindar by the neck breifly then letting go.::

" Is this why you fled from me in kara."

:: Taking her normal form once again :: " I did not flee from you, I did not wish the beast murder you."

" You have more control over it than you think my'lady"

:: Darlena grabs her large mauler sword an places it apon her back then picks up her short sword an shield.::

" My name is simply ...Darlena, I am off to orggok to have this sword repaired I should be back within a week. Please return to fayspires you do not belong here."

" One week you say... I would return if I can only see your smile."

:: Darlena heads out toward the door then looks back at him an smiles at him.::

" I will go but I plan on being here for your return." :: He whispers::

[Darlena O'seth]

:: As Darlena makes her way to the coachman Elindar rushes out behind her.::

"Wait I have but one more request of you Darlena."

"Yes what is it?" ::She says softly as she turned to face him.::

" Please take this and give it back to me when you return." :: Giving her his travel worn cloak. She allows him to put the cloak on her.

" Thank you for this but you can't protect me nor can I defend y...." She is interupted by Elindar embrassing her.

"I will find a way to help you."

:: Shocked yet again by his action she slowly pushes him off then mounts her horse. ::

" You maybe trying in vain."

:: As she pulls the hood over her head Elindar reaches up and kisses her hand. She only smiles slightly and sets off for dark solace by way of Highpass.::

[Zugarok]

Zugarok enters the Songweaver Tavern and sees his friend Ellindar playing a dulcimer before a throng of swooning females of all races and even a couple males who seemed transfixed on the elf.

The pretty lady of Neriak, a beauty for all to behold,
her countenance seems dour and grim her heart made all of gold,
I met with her in the light of the moon on the road near Kara town,
As the silvery light, shown on her bright she couldn't shake off her frown,
While she killed those around and threw to the ground I looked upon her face,
Below the locks of flame, and her grand infame, stood a woman of Tunare's Grace,

(chorus)
[glow=red,2,300]
O Darlena, you sulk before the light of the moon,
It's silver bath, guides you across Norrath
I hope you find what you look for soon.[/glow]

She turned her face and left me there wondering who she was,
My last glimpse of her as she drew to darkness was her cheek had turned to fuzz,
I tracked her down through wood and dale on a path that took me south way,
Though many peril both tame and feral plagued me on every day
I was out of a sort, to come upon Freeport, when I caught up to my quarry,
What a strange coastal town, perfect for me (a clown) that it made me start to worry.

(chorus)

I found her lying there, in the common room of an inn,
like a red rose petal she slightly stirred as if in a light wind,
I took from around my shoulders a grey travel worn elvish cloak,
and placed it around, making only a small sound, a few kind words to her I spoke,
She slept on there and when morning came she began to come awake,
I pulled my self, a rather silly elf, and hoped she wouldn't count me a flake.

(chorus)


So she looked around and my voice she heard and finally did she see,
she stood up straight and spoke of all and transformed right in front of me,
she explained why she reacted, I matter of facted away in Kara Vill,
She felt beyond control, like a hungry troll and said that she could not help but kill,
I assured her of her might, and held her tight, she had more power than she thought,
For the knowledge of a bard, she must try hard, and so some hope she did bought,

(chorus)
The next day she went to the coachman's tent and secured a black horse,
she must go across the land, and kick up some sand to Oggok she laid her course,
In her sword was a flaw, but the ogre she saw could get it and fix it like new,
I held back a tear, that this is the last i see her I fear,
Our parting again was a thing that I rue,
So I took her long hand, pushed up her bracer's band, and knealt there and gave it a kiss,
She spurred on her horse, to the west was a course and her beauty I surely would miss.

(chorus)

After listening to his friends son, Zugarok went and got his friend a beer.