Roan and Ruarc looked at each other for a quick moment following Drysi’s request for something stronger. After a few short moments Ruarc shrugged in acquiescence to which Roan followed up by reaching into his breast pocket and pulling out a flask, and after unscrewing the cap sat the metal vessel down in front of the young druid. Without even picking it up, Drysi could smell it; smoky and strong.
“As for my station, it is mostly formality since I’ve been acting primarily in Japan for some time now, and its less of a bad thing more… oh how do I want to put this,” Ruarc scratched at his chin in thought. “Has me feeling guilty and disappointed. My family has been the Keepers of Ireland since the days of Founder Falk…”
“Purely here say, but there are even rumors that the unnamed druid that rode to Falk’s aid was a Flynn,” Roan added as an aside.
“Here say indeed since the Flynns weren’t in Scotland at the time,” Ruarc cut back in. “It just feels like I broke tradition. While I get to be around the Menagerie, when they aren’t galivanting around without me, I am separated from my family; physically and metaphysically.”
“When a Keeper dies…” Roan leaned over again to add context to his friend’s whinging. “Their ashes get scattered in two places. First, some of their ashes are spread here in the Valley so that they can join the Vigil; the spirits of past Keepers who will forever watch over Carneath. The second is in the land they presided over in life.”
“So, when my time comes, my ashes will be spread in Japan, rather than in Ireland beside my ancestors,” Ruarc concluded with a sigh.
[The Keep] Walking to Skye
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
A meaty snort punctuated Ruarc’s poignant reflection of his own death. Drysi, after focusing intently on the offered flask for several seconds, had managed to get it to her mouth without gagging. Her familiar could have stopped her, but had determined that his druid would need to learn on her own. That lesson began the lecture of its first tenants as the aroma truly filled her senses, but struck down with the fierce clap of a ruler when the liquid touched her tongue.
She managed one glug before the rest ejected in a fierce back-blast from nose, assaulting her senses with a dizzying, fiery warmth that nearly made her faint. Despite her frail constitution, she proved her roots as Ruarc’s apprentice by keeping her wits, clapping her hand over face, and setting the flask down.
Her mouth opened to speak, but she sucked in a quick gasp of air, before managing a meek comment of how good it was. She wiped the flask down, aware of her muck, and slid it back over to Roan.
“Th-a…”
It was a struggle to not think of only how much it felt like her tongue had been stripped.
“Yo-ur leg–...”
Ruarc’s apprentice winked away tears and enjoyed, at the very least, the calming-to-depressive effects of her decision.
“Master Flynn; Japan is you.”
She fanned her face and wiped her face, trying her best to speak coherent sentences.
“Ireland is your Mum and Da, yer Gram and Granpa, but Japan is all you. That’s a part of you that doesn’t have to live up to anything, because you made it yourself. It’d be only right that a place where you’ve done so much right gets some of you.”
Drysi’s head began to swim in a growing haze that made her aware of herself, so she sat up more straight, and tried to appear together, “Sides, I bet you’d probably be able to count more people in Japan willin’ to bury bodies for you than in Ireland.”
Roan got his own aside as Drysi mouthed to him with too much pride, I’m one of them.
She managed one glug before the rest ejected in a fierce back-blast from nose, assaulting her senses with a dizzying, fiery warmth that nearly made her faint. Despite her frail constitution, she proved her roots as Ruarc’s apprentice by keeping her wits, clapping her hand over face, and setting the flask down.
Her mouth opened to speak, but she sucked in a quick gasp of air, before managing a meek comment of how good it was. She wiped the flask down, aware of her muck, and slid it back over to Roan.
“Th-a…”
It was a struggle to not think of only how much it felt like her tongue had been stripped.
“Yo-ur leg–...”
Ruarc’s apprentice winked away tears and enjoyed, at the very least, the calming-to-depressive effects of her decision.
“Master Flynn; Japan is you.”
She fanned her face and wiped her face, trying her best to speak coherent sentences.
“Ireland is your Mum and Da, yer Gram and Granpa, but Japan is all you. That’s a part of you that doesn’t have to live up to anything, because you made it yourself. It’d be only right that a place where you’ve done so much right gets some of you.”
Drysi’s head began to swim in a growing haze that made her aware of herself, so she sat up more straight, and tried to appear together, “Sides, I bet you’d probably be able to count more people in Japan willin’ to bury bodies for you than in Ireland.”
Roan got his own aside as Drysi mouthed to him with too much pride, I’m one of them.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
Ruarc and Roan stared at Drysi for a moment before their eyes shifted to give each other a sidelong glance. Ruarc smiled lightly before his face returned to its stoney default, but a hint of melancholy could still be seen in his eyes. Roan on the other hand chuckled and took the flask back while giving the triclops a pat on back. Taking a moment to sip his tea, Ruarc considered the matter.
“A fair way to look at the matter,” the Irishman said, his words accompanied by the soft clink of his teacup returning to the table. “Might be hard to believe, but I tend to be a traditionalist.”
Roan flicked a crumb, hitting Ruarc’s nose. The two men laughed a bit.
“Wi’h how often ya go off script and cavalier, ya jus’ romanticize yaself as a traditionalist. Be like me, Flynn, an’ embrace being a maverick,” Roan held his tea up in a mock salute. Not long after, the muted sound of flapping wings could just barely be heard on the breeze, and moments later Maeve swooped in and landed on the stone wall lining the garden. Ruarc turned in his seat to give her a nod, and Finlay the eagle perked his head up to look at her; before quickly flapping his wings to lift himself up onto the wall as well before hopping closer to the unique owl.
“Right, the other matter… No I haven’t gotten to it yet,” Ruarc said aloud, apparently responded to something Maeve had asked; the owl taking a couple hops away from Finlay. Ruarc turned back to Drysi. “There is another matter I needed to speak to you about, Drysi. Something has come up, and unfortunately we’ll need to cut the visit to Carneath short.”
“Oh? You checking out the Timiduane Incident?” Roan inquired, sounding as though he were expecting it.
“A fair way to look at the matter,” the Irishman said, his words accompanied by the soft clink of his teacup returning to the table. “Might be hard to believe, but I tend to be a traditionalist.”
Roan flicked a crumb, hitting Ruarc’s nose. The two men laughed a bit.
“Wi’h how often ya go off script and cavalier, ya jus’ romanticize yaself as a traditionalist. Be like me, Flynn, an’ embrace being a maverick,” Roan held his tea up in a mock salute. Not long after, the muted sound of flapping wings could just barely be heard on the breeze, and moments later Maeve swooped in and landed on the stone wall lining the garden. Ruarc turned in his seat to give her a nod, and Finlay the eagle perked his head up to look at her; before quickly flapping his wings to lift himself up onto the wall as well before hopping closer to the unique owl.
“Right, the other matter… No I haven’t gotten to it yet,” Ruarc said aloud, apparently responded to something Maeve had asked; the owl taking a couple hops away from Finlay. Ruarc turned back to Drysi. “There is another matter I needed to speak to you about, Drysi. Something has come up, and unfortunately we’ll need to cut the visit to Carneath short.”
“Oh? You checking out the Timiduane Incident?” Roan inquired, sounding as though he were expecting it.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
“Short?”
Drysi sobered up immediately, every nerve in her body squeezing tightly into a knot. She fiddled with her hair as she began thinking of the implications of what Mr. Flynn had just said. Her trip to Carneath was already over? They had only just arrived.
Those emerald eyes stared up at Mr. Flynn, green pools that swam with disappointment.
“But you said…” Drysi began to object with a meager voice.
”Drysi,” Gideon rose again, turning to look back at her, sharply, ”Your Master has business. You are his apprentice.”
In a moment, the dismal look faded, and Drysi straightened herself. Her words were even, steady, “I understand.”
Then, trying to ride this swing of emotion, she insisted, with a smile, “Need my help sortin’ this Timid Dwayne incident, do you?”
Drysi sobered up immediately, every nerve in her body squeezing tightly into a knot. She fiddled with her hair as she began thinking of the implications of what Mr. Flynn had just said. Her trip to Carneath was already over? They had only just arrived.
Those emerald eyes stared up at Mr. Flynn, green pools that swam with disappointment.
“But you said…” Drysi began to object with a meager voice.
”Drysi,” Gideon rose again, turning to look back at her, sharply, ”Your Master has business. You are his apprentice.”
In a moment, the dismal look faded, and Drysi straightened herself. Her words were even, steady, “I understand.”
Then, trying to ride this swing of emotion, she insisted, with a smile, “Need my help sortin’ this Timid Dwayne incident, do you?”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
“Yeah, I’m sorry about this, Drysi. I know this must be disappointing, but I promise I’ll bring you back to the Keep soon,” Ruarc said, offering his apology.
“F’r wha’s worth, kiddo, y’ll pro’lly n’h min’ much,” Roan interjected. “Stopping by ‘ome first, aye Flynn?”
“I figured, yeah. Timiduane isn’t far from Morann.”
“See kid? Rather than a Keep, ya getta see where y’r Master learned tha’ trade.” Roan settled back into his seat and gave a lackadaisy shrug, refreshing the image of an easygoing rogue.
“There’s been a series of strange sightings around a small hamlet known as Timiduane, in Western Ireland. Small time stuff, but enough to have the locals spooked.” Ruarc got back to the main matter at hand.
“But small ‘nough tha’ Irelan’s new Keeper feels th’ matt’r’s beneath her.”
“So it’s been put into Dlí Saor in Aisce. A matter that becomes free jurisdiction that any Keeper can handle. Figured it’d be… a send off of sorts. Handling a job in Ireland, and whatnot. So, what do ya say? Up for a detour?”
“F’r wha’s worth, kiddo, y’ll pro’lly n’h min’ much,” Roan interjected. “Stopping by ‘ome first, aye Flynn?”
“I figured, yeah. Timiduane isn’t far from Morann.”
“See kid? Rather than a Keep, ya getta see where y’r Master learned tha’ trade.” Roan settled back into his seat and gave a lackadaisy shrug, refreshing the image of an easygoing rogue.
“There’s been a series of strange sightings around a small hamlet known as Timiduane, in Western Ireland. Small time stuff, but enough to have the locals spooked.” Ruarc got back to the main matter at hand.
“But small ‘nough tha’ Irelan’s new Keeper feels th’ matt’r’s beneath her.”
“So it’s been put into Dlí Saor in Aisce. A matter that becomes free jurisdiction that any Keeper can handle. Figured it’d be… a send off of sorts. Handling a job in Ireland, and whatnot. So, what do ya say? Up for a detour?”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
The chair Ruarc’s apprentice sat in slid back as she came to her feet, hands pressed flat to the table.
“Yes, do ya even need to ask?” was her emphatic response, with all the air she had. There hadn’t been much thought to it, but her eyes had been widening more and more until she was asked to come along. A real task. A real job. Something they sent real Keepers like Ruarc Flynn to. She had half expected Mr. Flynn to drop her off at home first.
For once Drysi wouldn’t be the victim of circumstance in a mystic mystery, she would be the reinforcements. In the first time in the last couple days, Carneath faded to the back of her mind.
“I’m supposin’ we should have all our gear in order? My spellbook is fully loaded. Oh, and this wind step rune in my pocket…”
“Yes, do ya even need to ask?” was her emphatic response, with all the air she had. There hadn’t been much thought to it, but her eyes had been widening more and more until she was asked to come along. A real task. A real job. Something they sent real Keepers like Ruarc Flynn to. She had half expected Mr. Flynn to drop her off at home first.
For once Drysi wouldn’t be the victim of circumstance in a mystic mystery, she would be the reinforcements. In the first time in the last couple days, Carneath faded to the back of her mind.
“I’m supposin’ we should have all our gear in order? My spellbook is fully loaded. Oh, and this wind step rune in my pocket…”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
“I’m not expecting it to be too exciting, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared,” Ruarc responded while Roan mouthed along with the second half of the answer. When the Irishman gave the Scot a bemused look, the Scot simply gave another puckish grin. Sighing but still laughing a bit, Ruarc refocused. “Go and grab your things, then meet me back down here at the cottage. Sound good?”
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
Watching Mr. Flynn and Roan side by side was like a scene from one of those multiverse shows. They were too alike, yet so different. Her mind began to wander immediately, but as soon as Mr. Flynn’s orders came back, she snapped to.
”Sounds grand!” Drysi threw over her shoulder as she began to bounce down the lane, “I’ll be right back!”
”Drysi, don’t forget your host,” came Gideon’s soft reminder, which caused her to plant a boot in the dirt and bounce right back up the lane. She stopped short of Roan and bent her knees in a little curtsy.
“Thank you for the tea, I feel a lot better,” she blurted out, turning to run, before turning back again, “Also, please remember to do your paperwork properly, it’s going to start floatin’ after you before long.”
With that, she went speeding up the lane again, clutching her bag close. Bounding up the hill and through the gates she found that the interior of Carneath was no longer alien, but it also wasn’t familiar yet either. She had to slow down to remind herself where to go. It gave her a moment to catch up with her speeding brain.
Catching sight of the stairway, she hooked her fingers under the edges of her hood, and washed her face in occlusion. It struck her that she had run out in a panic, but didn’t quite want to face anyone about it yet. A deathly fear settled and kicked up its feet in her stomach, but she kept it pressed low. She would deal with that later, and maybe also deal with the unhealthy obsession she had of a man’s death in her heart.
The light of the hall where she was staying caught her eyes, and she tore away into the passageway, powering to her room. She zipped toward the door, hand outstretched to catch the knob and close it behind her.
After taking a quick inventory of her things, she pulled out her phone.
Closing the door, she tightened up everything and briskly made for the cottage.
”Sounds grand!” Drysi threw over her shoulder as she began to bounce down the lane, “I’ll be right back!”
”Drysi, don’t forget your host,” came Gideon’s soft reminder, which caused her to plant a boot in the dirt and bounce right back up the lane. She stopped short of Roan and bent her knees in a little curtsy.
“Thank you for the tea, I feel a lot better,” she blurted out, turning to run, before turning back again, “Also, please remember to do your paperwork properly, it’s going to start floatin’ after you before long.”
With that, she went speeding up the lane again, clutching her bag close. Bounding up the hill and through the gates she found that the interior of Carneath was no longer alien, but it also wasn’t familiar yet either. She had to slow down to remind herself where to go. It gave her a moment to catch up with her speeding brain.
Catching sight of the stairway, she hooked her fingers under the edges of her hood, and washed her face in occlusion. It struck her that she had run out in a panic, but didn’t quite want to face anyone about it yet. A deathly fear settled and kicked up its feet in her stomach, but she kept it pressed low. She would deal with that later, and maybe also deal with the unhealthy obsession she had of a man’s death in her heart.
The light of the hall where she was staying caught her eyes, and she tore away into the passageway, powering to her room. She zipped toward the door, hand outstretched to catch the knob and close it behind her.
After taking a quick inventory of her things, she pulled out her phone.
Hi! Sorry I ran out like that. I get a little crazy sometimes. 🙃
I just got word that I have to go out in the field with Master Flynn, so I’ll be going now. I have to get my things and get down to the cottage, but I can’t stay for tonight. 😣😣😣
Sorry.
Messages sent, she dunked her phone in her bag, as well as everything else she had brought with her. After one more round of accounting, she went back to the door, looking at the room she hadn’t even had the chance to sleep in. Missed opportunities and ideas of new experiences welled in her mind, but she flushed them for the task at hand.Thank you for showing me around the keep!
Closing the door, she tightened up everything and briskly made for the cottage.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
A puzzled expression crossed Roan’s face as he had to think about what Drysi was talking about, and she could hear the Scotsman laugh sound from back in the garden as she hurried along. The jaunt through the Keep itself went remarkably smooth, as the older druids going about their tasks seemed accustomed to younger apprentices rushing through the halls. Even a number of other druids around Drysi’s age were moving in a similar manner while dodging other members of the Order. So in short order the triclops retrieved her belongings, and not long after she had sent her texts she received a reply.
“Ready to go?” Ruarc asked as Drysi got closer.
Before long, Drysi made it back to the cottage, and found Ruarc and Roan chatting by the stone wall around the garden. Ruarc was leaned against the gate post with his pack slung over his shoulder as Maeve perched on the opposite. Catching sight of his apprentice, the Irishman pushed away from the post, and after shaking Roan’s hand which the other man followed with a pat on the back he started to walk down towards the water’s edge.Ayo! It’s tight, Drysi. OD personalities are refreshing around a lot of the uptights around here. Don’t be a stranger, and safe travels. Straight up, hella jealous about you getting a mission!
“Ready to go?” Ruarc asked as Drysi got closer.
Re: [The Keep] Walking to Skye
The apprentice still looked relieved as she bounded up to Mr. Flynn, comforted by Brooke’s enthusiasm and her farewell. It felt wrong to just disappear after all of that, without at least saying something, and it was nice to know losing her mind hadn’t made things weird. Before she forgot, she gave one more friendly wave to Roan.
“Yessir,” answered Drysi with a sharp-toothed smile, her own enthusiasm driving a budding sense of excitement at what would be her first mission. Before joining him, she came to a stop, and looked over her shoulder at those walls that were sanctuary to anyone in need of rest. Her heart began to flutter, knowing that she was saying goodbye, probably for a while. It had been just a day, but it had been a magical one. Faces and names flitted past the eyes of her mind, knowing that she’d remember them all.
Of course, one face stood above them, and it stayed with her as she paced up next to Mr. Flynn on the walk to the water.
“Is the food good where we’re goin’?”
“Yessir,” answered Drysi with a sharp-toothed smile, her own enthusiasm driving a budding sense of excitement at what would be her first mission. Before joining him, she came to a stop, and looked over her shoulder at those walls that were sanctuary to anyone in need of rest. Her heart began to flutter, knowing that she was saying goodbye, probably for a while. It had been just a day, but it had been a magical one. Faces and names flitted past the eyes of her mind, knowing that she’d remember them all.
Of course, one face stood above them, and it stayed with her as she paced up next to Mr. Flynn on the walk to the water.
“Is the food good where we’re goin’?”