They had agreed to meet the next day for a bit of a walk and some amateur gardening, but that was before an emergency case had come into the infirmary: victim not of a beast but of a harvesting tool that had slipped and sliced and very nearly killed. Jigano hadn’t even made it to the sterile halls of that hallowed place – news had caught up with him in the Rathskeller, and he’d sent a note for Isla to read at her leisure, suggesting a date a few days later.
In the end it had been a week before they had managed to coordinate coming face to face again, notes left at the bar sometimes going missed or missing, and the infirmary quiet enough for one of its best healers to take an afternoon off. By then the weather had turned with an abruptness that had left Jigano reeling, the snow piling up overnight and showing no signs of leaving anytime soon.
His clothes no longer had their enchantments against the weather, and his cloak was barely thick enough to keep him warm during the day. He kept his hands tucked into his sleeves to save his nimble fingers as often as he could, and as he and Isla had walked from the Temple to the Glade he surreptitiously puffed on them to keep them warm.
”I suppose it’s a tossup, Isla,” he mused to his lovely companion. ”Does snow kill fire? Or does fire melt snow? The blossom didn’t seem to burn anything, but it was warm to the touch… Then again, being magic, would temperature changes harm it at all?” An interesting question and one they’d soon have answered as they rounded the last bend in the path – somewhat trodden down already, at least, so they didn’t have to force their way through the drifts – to the enchanted clearing where they’d left the volcanettes.
The snow had come with an abruptness that almost felt unnatural to Isla - not that she was able to commit to paying attention to it until days after the first snowfall. Catching Jigano by note or otherwise had been a difficult task, given the emergency at the infirmary, and after they had managed to save that life, the frost, cold and ice related injuries began to turn up. Indeed, this was the first chance she'd gotten to go for anything like a stroll since the last time she'd seen the volcanettes.
"I'm not sure they really counted as being on 'fire'... as you said, they didn't really burn anything we tested them on, after all." She smiled up at Jigano as they made their way to the Glade. The healer was bundled up in a fur lined coat, having bargained it from the Rathskeller - the owner and her husband were hunters, and she had a feeling that in this weather they would become ever more important. "They definitely seemed touched by magic, though... so you never know."
She stamped the snow from her boots as they entered the cover of the Glade - here the ground was treacherous with hoarfrost, but luckily they didn't seem to be the only ones to have made the journey. Picking her way around the last bend, Isla couldn't help but gasp in delighted surprise.
The volcanettes were almost certainly gone - that was obvious just to look at the blanket of white all around. But the Glade was beautiful in its own frozen way, branches sparkling in the pale light, all sound muted under the crunch of their steps. "Wow," she breathed.
"I concede the point," Jigano admitted cheerfully, glad for the pleasant company in spite of the bitter cold. "Not really 'on' fire at all. More illusion than real flame. But the leaves were solid to the touch, even if the blossom wasn't. I do hope at least one survived for further study..." The lorekeeper trailed off as they rounded the bend, sucking in a sharp breath at the beauty that greeted them. He'd seen it before, under starlight, but it had been from a different angle, with different eyes.
From where he now stood, and in the sunlight that filtered through the clouds, the enchanting Glade had been transformed into a truly magical place, glittering and shining. Fluffy banks of snow covered the lower parts of the trees but was shallower towards its center, as if the snow had fallen only lightly there, and the passing of paws and hooves and boots had packed it down more firmly. It looked safe enough to walk on, but perhaps a bit slick. "Indeed," he murmured quietly, in complete agreement with Isla's proclamation. He took a tentative step into the still scene, and as he did a bright blue bird burst from an evergreen bush across the clearing, trilling a liquid song on its wake.
The bard jumped a little, startled by the explosion of movement, but as soon as he realized what had surprised him he couldn't contain his laughter at his overreaction. Spinning nimbly in spite of the snow he let his cloak twirl around him before ending in a bow to Isla, blue eyes sparkling fit to match the ice-coated branches around them. "Does the lady dance?" His grin was part mischief, part challenge as he invited her to join him in the winter wonderland.
"If not, I imagine that it will be a long wait until we see one again, with all of this snow..." An accurate assumption, or so it seemed as they stepped into the Glade and it appeared in all of its frozen majesty before them. Distracted by the snow banks and the delicate icicles that had formed over the smaller branches of trees, Isla jumped as well at the sight of the bird. Her heart hammered in her chest (and her hand had flown to it in her surprise), the healer turning to watch it trill overhead. Feeling rather foolish, she laughed to the bard and arched an eyebrow at his question.
Dipping into a perfect curtsey, Isla stepped carefully towards him, mindful of the packed snow beneath her feet. "This lady used to be a duchess, believe it or not," she said cheerfully, "and she does indeed dance. Shall we?"
Holding out her hand, Isla would offer to let Jigano lead, though before they could really get started in their dance a flicker of light caught her eye from the outskirts of the Glade. Isla turned her head and her hand dropped a little, the medic's eyebrows raising. "That looks... is that a stag, Jigano?"
It looked like it might be, but its antlers were suffused with a warm and golden glow. It nosed at the sparse grass around the trees, but at the sound of Isla's voice it had raised its head sharply, docile gaze pinned on them both.
At least he wasn't the only one startled - Isla jumped as well, so at least Jigano wasn't alone in feeling a little foolish. He took their laughter and spun it into an invitation for an impromptu celebration of winter since their original reason for coming was so clearly extinguished.
"A duchess?" He grinned, voice projecting disbelief. "I do not believe it, in fact. No less a title than 'queen' would do for you, lovely healer!" With that flamboyant claim he reached to take her hand with light - and cold - fingers, keeping the contact to the barest minimum for courtesy's sake, but he'd hardly begun to hum a lively reel when Isla's attention was caught by something other than her partner.
Not one to push, he released her hand when she turned away from him, and craned to see what she was looking towards.
"I think... yes? It certainly appears to be... but it's so small. A reindeer, perhaps?" Jigano caught his breath as they were pinned by its gentle brown gaze. "Oh... he's lovely, though, isn't he?" His voice had softened considerably, barely a whisper as he tried not to startle the stately creature. "And that glow... Isla, I'm beginning to sense a theme to the things in this glade," he added wryly.
01-05-2019, 06:58 PM
(This post was last modified: 01-05-2019, 06:58 PM by Isla.)
"I am beginning to think you something of a flatterer, Jigano!" Isla laughed back to him, though their dance would have to take a backseat, apparently, to their new addition. Isla's fingers slipped out of the bard's, and she turned to take a few tentative steps towards the deer, which pawed the ground carefully. Not wanting to frighten it, she fell to a halt again and smirked over her shoulder to Jigano. "At least it isn't on fire, per say," she said. "There was something on the notice board about this, I think..."
Isla frowned, shaking her head slowly as if trying to remember; she had been so busy since the snows had started, she remembered the note going up but not much about its contents. "Luxere, I believe they are called... oh! And they are fond of singing." She grinned. "Luckily for us, you are here."
Whatever Jigano's retort might have been - something charming, no doubt - was quickly lost as their attention was drawn by soft brown eyes and glowing antlers. It didn't seem afraid of Isla as she made a tentative approach, but it watched her. It seemed calm, if a little cautious, for which Jigano couldn't blame it. Him. He was pretty sure it was a him, though he couldn't see the hindquarters from his angle. Something in the eyes, though...
"Thank goodness for that. Glowing deer are one thing - flaming deer, quite another! I'm not sure the forest would recover from a herd of such creatures." Unless, of course, their flames were as harmless as the volcanettes' had been. He tilted his head, looking from Isla to the deer as she tried to recall what she'd seen on the notice board. He really should have checked it, too, but he'd been so busy lately it had kept slipping his mind.
Thankfully Isla had at least caught the gist of it. He blinked in surprise, then grinned back. "Lucky indeed, your grace!" He sketched a slow, careful bow so as not to startle the deer - the luxere, he corrected himself - and looked around, humming softly to loosen his vocal chords up.
The stone he had sat on to study the volcanettes still poked above the snow, and the bard made his way to it, settling down so he wouldn't stand quite so tall. He smiled to Isla, beckoning her to join him. "I wish that you could match me in a full duet, but I doubt we've any songs in common yet," he apologized sheepishly. "But you should be able to pick the refrain up pretty quickly, I think. So please, when you do, join in."
With that he cleared his throat, closed his eyes - and then tilted his head back. His voice emerged in a clear tenor, sweet and warm in spite of the bitter cold around them.
"This is my winter song to you.
The storm is coming soon,
It rolls in from the sea
My voice; a beacon in the night.
My words will be your light,
To carry you to me."
The luxere snorted at the first verse, then perked its ears forward, curious as the bard's voice filled the clearing. He wasn't singing loudly but he was good at projecting without needing to shout.
Slowly, tentative at first, the deer took a few steps towards the pair, drawn by the music - and, perhaps, by their peaceful intentions.
"Is love alive?
Is love alive?
Is love
They say that things just cannot grow
Beneath the winter snow,
Or so I have been told.
They say we're buried far,
Just like a distant star
I simply cannot hold."
"Unless they only appeared during this season - Deepfrost, I think the natives call it. If that were the case the forest might just survive given how cold it is!" Isla smiled across at Jigano, her mind conjuring images of a forest swathed in steam from the passing of a herd of fiery antlers.
As she daydreamed her companion had made his way onto a familiar rock to perch, and Isla moved to join him. She flashed him a sheepish smile. "The offer is more than welcome, but let me assure you that you would be better off singing alone. I can't hold a tune for toffee!"
Laughing, Isla fell quiet to listen to the song as it spilled from Jigano's lips, and she beamed at him in delight. His soft melody carried easily throughout the Glade without being too harsh, and just like the Luxere she was drawn into it, the healer only glancing up as the creature began to approach. She managed a halting hum of the refrain to join her companion - that didn't sound awful, she hoped - and soon enough the Luxere was nudging at her shoulder and snuffling at Jigano's hand, hoping for a snack.
Cold - but dry, Jigano thought ruefully. Though perhaps as the snow warmed and melted it really would damp any fires that tried to start. An oddly comforting thought given their current situation. But since it was only hypothetical, and the glowing antlers were a far gentler source of light, he turned his efforts instead to trying to coax the luxere closer with a song, on Isla's suggestion.
"What a delightful saying," he murmured, eyes dancing with amusement. Can't hold a tune for toffee? He'd remember that one, tucking it away with other bits of small but enjoyable information - especially when his tongue needed to be sharp rather than honey-coated!
Honey was what was needed now, though, and a sweet, hopeful song he had learned only the past year from another bard, whose path he'd crossed in his travels. Isla's humming was a lovely addition, adding a bit of weight and texture to the song, grounding it in a more earthy tone as Jigano's voice unfurled sweetly throughout the glade.
And, as Isla had suggested, the glowing reindeer seemed calmed by the music, approaching them with friendly curiosity that had the bard grinning. He continued to sing, more softly now that the luxere was close, but since he didn't have a snack handy he tilted his hand up to scratch the heavy, furry jaw instead, eyes closing in a bit of bliss of his own at the warmth that radiated from the shaggy beast.
"He seems hungry," he murmured as the song drew to a close. "Perhaps we should come back another day with some winter offerings? I know we shouldn't try to tame him but... well. It's a hard season, and surely a little help won't go amiss?"
Whatever Jigano's opinion of her 'delightful saying', Isla's response was swallowed up in the better delight at having the luxere draw so close. She laughed as she was tickled by its mane while it tried to search Jigano for food, the healer reaching up to gently pat its neck, stroking the shaggy fur.
"That seems like a good idea, yes," she agreed with the bard, ducking out from under the luxere that seemed to want to give Jigano such a thorough look-over. "I would prefer a tame luxere than one which perish during the winter from hunger," she murmured, standing back to openly admire the glowing antlers.
"I wonder what makes them light up so?" she said aloud, before laughing to herself. "I wonder if this creature ate the volcanettes we came searching for? That would explain its illumination, no? Either way, it seems very happy to see you. Are you sure you don't have a few snacks hidden on you there? Or perhaps it was just charmed by your voice!"
Jigano was just as delighted as Isla with the luxere’s attention, offering it gentle scratches and laughing softly as it nosed about him, seeking treats – or, perhaps, another song? ”It might be irresponsible of me,” he murmured back, an innocent grin spread over his face as the reindeer whuffled his hair. ”But I agree with you!” The thought of letting such a magnificent creature die, even if it was part of the natural cycle, was too unpalatable to entertain – not if he could help it in some way. Helping an animal wasn’t like helping people after all. He could do that much, at least, without guilt.
”Wouldn’t that be something?” he mused at his companion’s hypothesis, grinning as the deer nudged him one last time before deciding his pockets were truly empty. It took a step back and pawed at the snow, lowering its head to graze at the grass it uncovered. ”I certainly can’t think of a way to rule it out! Two mysteries tied up neatly – the disappearing flowers, and the glowing antlers!” He chuckled, going about setting himself to rights with his deer-ruffled hair and be-furred clothing.
”It must have been our singing that charmed it.” He looked to Isla with a bright smile, gladly including her in the magic of the moment. ”For, as you can see, my pockets are quite empty!” The deer had begun to move slowly away, less interested now that it knew they had no food and their music had ceased, but it seemed comfortable in their presence now, calmly ignoring them as it continued to forage. ”But I’m afraid our original goal won’t be fulfilled now that the season has changed…” He stood up with a rueful sigh, brushing a few more guard hairs from his tunic. ”I’m of a mind to head back to the Atheneum and do some research on these creatures. May I accompany the duchess back to her domain?” He turned on the charm outrageously, tipping his friend another wink as he bowed and then offered her his arm, as gallantly as if they were promenading through a palace garden and not knee-deep in show through an untamed wood.
At least they could be irresponsible together, and it didn't look at all as though the Luxere minded their good intentions towards it. In fact, now it knew that they didn't have any treats for it, the creature had gone right back to nosing about the frosty ground. A soft smile had made it onto Isla's lips quite without her permission as she watched it, feeling a strange sense of calm drop over her. She didn't spend nearly enough time just doing... this, she realised. The infirmary, for all of the good it achieved, could be something of a prison. She was glad she had come out here with Jigano.
"We'll have to return with food for it. Maybe tomorrow, if an emergency doesn't trap me for another week or so?" She grinned at him, sweeping herself off as well after being nosed by the reindeer (though she'd gotten off lightly compared to the bard).
Laughing brightly, she nodded and dipped into a brief curtsey, moving to take his arm. "You certainly may. I would like to take another look at that Notice Board, besides. It might have more information about our lovely glowing companion." Stepping carefully, they would head out of the Glade together, leaving the Luxere in peace.
{END THREAD}
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