An Elf and the Scholar (Closed to Cards_of_Fate)

[Ellie]

Ellie started her morning the same as any of her mornings had been these past 3 years. She got out of bed, cleaned up a bit, got dressed, made herself presentable, and started the day. She woke her father gently, pushing him a tad to wake him and telling him that she would open shop for the day. She would head downstairs to the entrance of their quaint little Inn, and unlock the doors, leaving them open for people to wander in and out. The fresh smell of fish filled the air as the fishmongers had been up for some time already, readying the day’s work. Clients would begin to wake up soon and pay for their night’s stay. Ellie had to get ready for the starting day, it would be long and arduous just like the rest.

The Inn was simply called “The Xilfina Inn”. Named after her mother and father, they had started the inn using their own money. Most of the profit was made from clients who needed a place to stay or a cup of mead to warm their bellies. As a side business the Xilfina’s worked as a freelance hospital. They would take care of people who could not afford to pay for the expensive costs of medicine free of charge. They’d accept tips of course to help pay for expenses. The only drawback to people coming to them is the lack of professional help they would get at a normal clinic. The inn was simple in stature. Two stories, the first floor being a simple bar and tables to welcome guests. A wing to the eastern side of the Inn on the first floor housed their small “infirmary” and was currently empty thankfully. An empty ward was a good ward. It meant no injured for the day. On the second floor at the end of the hall was the master bedroom where Ellie and her father stayed. Along the halls were the rooms to house clients, four on each side making a total of eight rooms total for guests.

“Good morning All!” Ellie called out to the clients as they descended the stairwell. “I’ve got mead and ale for anyone caring for an early drink”. She smiled and noticed a few women coming down the stairs who she didn’t remember offering rooms to… Women of the night as she preferred to call them. Poor girls couldn’t afford rooms themselves so they’d sleep with men to have a warm room for the night.

None of the men seemed interested in a drink. Many of them would come and pay their fees for the night and quickly leave as they had business to attend to. Some would sit around and chat with traders from around the block. Many people would come to their inn to get news and information on trade and such. Ellie smirked a bit, happy that the tavern had become so bustling. She wondered what her mother would think of their success. Ellie smiled more at the thought.

[Cards of Fate]

The door swung open and a cloaked figure walked it, outside it had started to drizzle on this cold winter morning. He pulled back his hood to reveal a mane of dirty blonde hair and sharp blue eyes that scanned the entire room. At his hip hung a rapier, one hand resting lightly on its hilt. Vincent Cain glanced around and made his way to the bar where a shorter elven woman seemed to be plying her trade.

“Ale please,” he muttered quietly sliding his coin towards her. He shivered slightly as she poured his drink and passed it to him. The scholar slurped the honey flavored liquor down eagerly, welcoming the warmth it offered him as it trickled down his throat. After several gulps he set the drink down and sighed. “Hrogma’s balls it’s cold…” he sighed mimicking his mercenary friend Tobias Stalt.

He shivered once more and thought about what had brought him out this way, one of the Hierarchy’s cards had made themselves known to Leona. It felt like more often than not he was the one being sent to go seek her cards out, and while he didn’t mind that he wished he was appreciated more for it. How many people had he brought to the Hierarchy now? He thought to himself as he began to count on his fingers. First there was the lovely Rayleigh Aston, a machinist from Alerar whom he had encountered in Etheria port and later on an archaeological dig. Then there was Cerock, the Drakari he had discovered squatting in the outskirts of Beinost.

The next was a catboy by the name of “Candy” a flamboyant thief whom had given Cerock and Vincent a hard time with his antics. Then there was the mysterious Stella, a young girl who barely understood half the things Vincent had said to her. Now there was this new card. Sure he was Leona’s Hierophant, but he was supposed to be her head scholar, her brain trust, not her babysitter. He sighed and took another sip, such was the price he seemed to pay for not being combat oriented.

What would await him on this mission he wondered.

[Ellie]

Ellie eyed the young man who seemed to be sulking and sipping his ale. Things seemed to have calmed down a bit so decided to take a little break. She called out to her father who had now been helping serve and cater to the customers, letting him know she was going to take a little break.

“What’s the matter stranger? You know they say Alcohol tastes better with a mask of cheer than one of sorrow” The elf chided playfully as she made her way around to the other side of the bar. She took an empty seat next to the young scholar and made herself comfortable. She leaned forward on the bar, crossing her arms and resting her head to look up at the sulking young man. She kicked her feet playfully, still in a good mood and happy about the lack of ill on this day, smiling openly to the stranger.

“It’s been a long cold ride today, hard to stay cheerful when you can’t feel your fingers” The man replied turning his gaze to the elf. Ellie smiled glad to have at least gotten him talking. Many men would have told her to bugger off or sexually harass her. She especially disliked that, and she HATED when they compared her to women who were, so to say, more “developed”.

“Well then why don’t you take a little rest here for the night? There’s a stable just down a ways, I’m sure you’ve got your horse there now” she stated straightening up a bit. “If you can’t afford it I’m sure we can work something out. Oh! I nearly forgot…” She said playfully conking her head, implying the words “Silly me!” She continued. “My name is Eillynn Xilfina! But you can call me Ellie”.

Vincent paused for a moment before shaking her hand. “Vincent, Vincent Cain.” He began before pausing. “Most people just call me Vince though.” He trailed off. Ellie quickly hopped out of her seat excited to have gotten the man’s name and took his hand in hers.

“Hooray, a pleasure to meet you Vince!” she said smiling wide. The elf was a bit proud of her self for making another acquaintance. “I’ll be sure to make sure you’re taken care of alright?” she chimed leaning over the bar and grabbing the tankard of Ale that had poured Vincent’s first drink. She refilled his drink to the top for free, offering him a little wink and skipped back to the other side of the counter, returning to work.

An hour had passed and Vincent still sat at the bar. The feeling had returned to his fingers from what Ellie could tell, as he wasn’t blowing warm air on his hands anymore. She made sure to check on him every once in a while to make sure he was alright. Perhaps she was giving him a little more attention than she normally gave people? She wondered why that was…

[Cards of Fate]

The young elf Ellie seemed to be in high spirits after their encounter. She seemed to check on him more than any of the other patrons, often exchanging a handful of words with him each time. He slowly regained feeling in his hands and had to stop blowing warm air onto them, which was nice because after a while his breath began to stink of ale. Had he not been a veteran of drinking with Tobias he might have even been a bit tipsy at this point. He began to note the young elf was kinda cute, the way she seemed to dote on him.

Then three men in black walked in noisily. The scholar turned to asses them and a shiver ran down his spine. All three were tall, with ashy skin signifying their dark elven status, and all three carried swords at their belts. One was bald and covered head to toe in scars, bearing a menacing gleam in his eyes. Flanking him on either side were lanky elves with sharp glares, their silver hair braided into ugly dreads. Not one of them looked to be up to any good.

The bald one walked up to a man in the center of the bad and sat down to his right, whilst the other two sat down on his other side. “Ezreak,” the thug grunted grinning. “What a surprise to find you out here…” he continued. The man turned pale and made a motion to rise from his seat but was slammed back down into his seat by the drow. “You owe my boss a looooot of money pal…” he cooed. “And he’s tired of waiting for it…”

The scholar growled and then looked to Ellie for a moment as if he was going to do something and needed to make sure she wasn’t going to end up in the crossfire.

[Ellie]

Ellie noticed the three men walk in and kept an eye on them, telling her father to take over the work for a minute. She watched as they grabbed the patron by his shoulders and forced him back into his seat and became furious that they would treat one of her patrons like that. Hot headed she stormed over to the table, catching Vincent’s attention as she stood over the bald man, and failing to notice their weapons. She cleared her voice blatantly grabbing the man’s attention.

“Can I help you gentlemen?” She stated loudly as the man looked up at her. The whole Inn went silent and Ellie’s father covered his mouth in a gasp as he saw the trouble she was getting herself into. The, what seemed to be, leader of the group chuckled and stood up looking down at the girl. He placed a hand onto his blade, the other gesturing at the harassed patron.

“I’m sorry Miss. I’ve just got a bit of a debt to collect with your guest here. I didn’t mean to cause a scene…” He joked, thrilled that it had escalated and that he might even get the chance to cause some trouble. Ellie pushed a finger into the man’s chest, looking up at him with a fire of determination in her dark green eyes.

“You listen here!” She stated leaning forward a bit and huffing, mad at the rude man. “You can’t just come in here and harass my patrons! Or anyone at this fine port while we’re at it! I won’t stand for it!” she yelled. She had lost her composure and failed to see the other two goons stand up. The leader laughed a cocky laugh and gestured for his men to sit.

“Then why don’t you sit down! ” he yelled drawing his blade. He quickly swung at the defenseless girl, intending to leave a slash across her face. Ellie yelped, reacting quickly to the blade and quickly sputtering out the word “Arma!” as she instinctively crossed her arms in front of her for protection. As the last syllable escaped the Elf girl’s lips a smooth green coating covered her entire body, shaping around her like a suit of armor. The thug’s blade bounced off the girl’s spell, but the force of the attack still sent her rearing back, falling onto her ass, defenseless to the man standing over her.

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent was up in a flash, watching the green light coat and protect her from the blow as she fell back. “Oi you fucking ash ears!” Vincent said drawing his blade and charging. “Did you’re whore mothers not teach you any fucking manners?” Vincent growled as he dashed towards them. The bald elf had time to lunge at Vincent before the scholar side stepped and swept him off his feet, grabbing his head with his free hand and slamming him face first into the edge of the table. The scholar watched as blood spurted from his nose and he fell to the ground out cold. The other two were up and armed in an instant.

“Who the fuck do you thing you are!” One spat taking a hasty stab at the scholar. Vincent’s blade parried his blow with ease, knocking the weapon out of the untrained thugs hand with ease. The Hierophant’s movements were like a complicated dance as he spun around the table, sweeping his assailants legs out from under him as he stomped onto his face knocking him unconscious. The third thug watched his friends get taken out in horror as the youth targeted him next. Screetching he threw his knife at the youth, which took the scholar by surprise, grazing his arm and drawing blood as he close the gap.

Grunting Vincent kneed the thug in the stomach and grabbed hold of his hair and slammed his face into the table. He watched the third man go down and stay down as he turned to the man who was being harassed. “Go get the constable.” He growled as he turned back to Ellie, scowl still on his face. “Do you have a death wish?” he asked cocking his head to the side. “Because that was either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid and I can’t seem to find the right words for it…”

[Ellie]

Ellie looked at the three men still a bit startled from the whole situation. She quickly composed herself and stood in front of Vincent putting on her bravest face. She huffed and walked past him, dragging the unconscious men next to one another. The elf girl called out to her father, asking for a rag. He sighed quickly fetching it and tossing it to her. She quickly pulled the Iron stiletto from her belt and cut the rags into smaller more manageable pieces. She worked with concentration, wiping up the blood and resetting the noses of the broken men. She ended up having to use multiple sections of rags as Vincent had done quite a number ramming their faces into her family’s tables. She scowled at the thought and finished the last bits of wiping and setting she needed to do.
“Minorem Curationum” She muttered shortly after places her hands over the bald elf’s face. She went into a trance-like state as the words left her lips. Small wisps of green and white seemed to dance from the elf’s palms, trailing across her fingers and escaping from the fingertips, floating freely through the air like little particles of dust you would see in a beam of sunlight. The wisps seemed to travel directly into the thug’s face, closing the broken skin and leaving only a slight scar on the man’s nose.

Ellie gasped for a moment as she was released from the trance. Her breath was shortened and she panted for a moment before moving her hands over to the next thug. To some of the crowd’s surprise she went through the trouble of this for each of the thugs, mending their wounds and taking care of them. Each of the “ash skins”, as Vincent had called them, were still out cold, but any signs of a fight we’re long gone after Ellie finished her job. She coughed wiping her mouth and muttering to herself, “seven left for the day”. She wiped the dust from her blouse and stood up straight, looking at Vincent and taking his arm into her hands.

“Let me see…” she chided, not even waiting for permission. She positioned the arm as she liked and repeated the same process as she had with the thugs. She seemed to be a bit more relaxed this time, as though it didn’t require as much effort. She sighed as the wound was quickly sealed and muttered under her breath once again “Six”. She looked up at Vincent, putting her hands on her hips and huffed again. “Did you not hear me say I won’t allow any trouble in my tavern?” She stated refusing to acknowledge his earlier remark at her intelligence.

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent watched with great interest as she went about healing the thugs and his arm, the green light drawing his interest like a moth to a flame. “That’s impressive magic…” he muttered half to himself half to her. “That count you’re keeping, is it how many times you can use it?” he asked almost ignoring her remarks. “That is...impressive.” he muttered sitting down. “You might as well sit down while we wait for the constable. Almost on cue a grizzled looking man in green stained leather stepped through.

“Somebody call for the law of the land?” The man asked, his handlebar mustache twitching with each world. His face bore a scowl like he had just smelled one of the foulest scents one could possibly imagine as he glanced over the three unconscious drow.

“Over here officer.” Vincent said waving his hand. “These three men threatened the poor man who went to fetch you and attempted to assault this young woman right here.” He said gesturing to the men first, then to Ellie. “I do believe If you check their pockets you might find a note from a Mr. Sausbrom two towns over who hired them…” Vincent added smirking.

The constable eyes Vincent suspiciously as he rifled through the men’s pockets. “How did you know this note was here…” he asked glaring at the Hierophant.

“Because I followed them into town.” Vincent replied shrugging. “I had overheard them and followed them hoping to accomplish my own goals as well as prevent a man’s murder…” Vincent eyed Ellie for a moment. “And I do believe I have managed to do exactly both of those things.” The constable frowned before turning to Ellie.

“Ma’am could I get your side of the story about all of this before I continue?” He asked raising his eyebrows. “I would like to make sure this man didn’t plant any evidence before I continue.”

[Ellie]

Ellie sighed placing her hands in her lap and relaxing a bit. “Yes officer. It’s all as he said to the best of my knowledge. The only person who laid a hand on them after their lack of consciousness was me, when I tended to their wounds” she stated calmly. The constable looked at her with a look of disbelief.

“These men assaulted you, and yet you tended to their wounds anyways? Thugs no less?” he asked crossing his arms. The elf girl nodded simply and he sighed. “Whatever. I’m going to take these three and be done with it” he stated cuffing the three thugs. He left the inn for a moment and came back with a wheel barrow. “Easiest way to transport the unconscious” he muttered to them throwing the men into the wheel barrow. He left shortly afterwards confirming Vincent and Ellie’s stories with some of the other patrons before he left.

Many of the patrons returned to what they were doing, acting as though this were all an every-day thing. Ellie sighed taking Vincent’s hand and standing up, tugging on his arm as a gesture to follow. They head up the stairs and into the master bedroom. She closed the door behind her and sat down on the bed, sighing and relaxing.

“Alright, now that all of that nonsense is out of the way and that we can be alone, what was all of that nonsense you were babbling on about?” She asked crossing her arms. She took a moment to take in her surroundings and her face suddenly grew beat-red. “A-And don’t get any funny ideas being in here with me all alone! This is my father and I’s room and he has a key to get in here if I scream!” she blurted out embarrassed and turning away to hide her face.

[Cards of Fate]

Vincent paused for a moment at her questions, beating how to answer them. A frown crossed his lips ae his eyes glanced her over. She was cute but now enough for him to risk trying anything funny, especially with her father AND the constable so close. “So I have introduced myself before, however I do need to add to my introduction.” He paused for dramatic effect. “My name Is Vincent Cain, Hierophant of the Tarot Hierarchy.” He said solemnly.

He paused and waited for her reaction. A look of confusion seemed to cross her face as he spoke. “We are a secret society based around keeping balance in the world. We gather ancient and very powerful artifacts and keep them out of the wrong hands.” He continued sighing. “My boss, Leona Stevvains, can see the future and all it entails. Occasionally she sees her ‘cards’ so to speak in her visions. Those who would be worthy of joining us. She sent me here to this village in search of one such card.” He said leaning against the door, a grin now playing upon his lips. “I believe that card is you.”

Ellie gasped in disbelief at the scholars words. “Me?” she asked hurridly “I’m not anyone special…” she continued looking from the scholar to the door he was blocking. Vincent chuckled at her statement.

“You healing magics have made it all too clear to me that you are in fact the one the Deck of Fate is calling for.” He said as he leaned off the door. “Now then, I do plan on returning back to our base tomorrow morning. You have until then to decide whether or not you plan on joining me.” He continued as he pulled himself off the door and opened it, turning to walk out.

[Ellie]

Ellie let the strange man leave her alone to her room. She sighed collapsing backwards onto the bed she had sat on and thought to herself. “Hierophant… Tarot Hierarchy... Cards… What was it all about?” She wondered quietly.

The day passed and night came. The elf had changed her clothes, her old blood stained clothes hung outside to dry after she had washed them earlier. She sat on her bed and her father came into the room. The room was simple; it had two beds parallel to each other, two dressers for each of them, and a chest at the foot of each bed. Her father changed quickly and sat down next to his daughter, rubbing her back and could read the worried expression on her face.

“What’s wrong dear?” Mr. Xilfina questioned. “Are you still upset from the fight that happened earlier?” he asked her. His words were kind and they brought a soothing to the young elf’s heart. She bit her lip, debating whether or not to tell her father of the events that had transpired earlier in that same room. Before she could decide he spoke up again. “Or is it what the scholar boy said?” He stated a bit somber. She looked at him in disbelief, curious as to how he had found out about their conversation. He chuckled and rustled the hair on her head. “You’re my daughter you know” he said answering her questions without her even needing to speak a word. What are fathers for after all? “Once I saw you headed upstairs with that ruffian of a boy you think I wasn’t worried about you? I eavesdropped on your conversation… I think you should go” he stated smiling at her. The smile was a sad one. The kind you give as you watch a grown bird fly from the nest for the first time. Happy for what it had achieved, but sad for the loss you knew you would have to accept along with the happiness.

“Father no!” she called out. “What about you and the shop! I have to help take care of them. Especially since mother is gone…” she could barely choke out the words before tears rolled down her cheeks. She coughed clearing her throat and sniffled trying to speak through the tears. “I-I have to make up for the mistake I made that night” she muttered. The elf’s father embraced the child carefully, holding her close to his chest and petting her hair.

“You made no mistake dear…” he trailed off trying to console her, and trying to find the right words. “I’ve never told you this before now… because I was afraid of dragging up old baggage…” he took a deep breath as the girl looked up into her father’s eyes; her vision was still blurry from the tears that had streamed down her cheeks. “Your mother… was so very proud of you. We knew what you were doing the first night you snuck out” he stated calmly. “On that night in particular, your mother had heard rumors of some undead roaming around… that’s why she went out after you…” he began to choke on his own words. “Eillynn… your mother and I were always so proud of you… So go use the talent you begged so much to learn from your mother to do something bigger… something greater with your life. I believe you can change the world” he said smiling.

The two held each other for a while longer. The night carried on, time never standing still for any occasion, and soon the two had fallen asleep; daughter slept in father’s arms for the first time in years. As the morning came Ellie approached the door of the room she had prepared for Vincent. She knocked and he answered shortly after grumbling about what time it was. When he answered she simply stood before him. Holding a chest full of clothing and answered his question. “I’ll do it”

[Philomel]

Name of Thread: An Elf and the Scholar (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28771-An-Elf-and-the-Scholar-%28Closed-to-Cards_of_Fate%29)
Type of Judgement: Workshop Submission
Participants: Ellie and Cards Of Fate

Rewards:

Ellie (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?17953-Ellie) receives:
520 EXP
80 GP

Cards of Fate (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?17720-Cards-of-Fate)receives:
480 EXP
65 GP

Submitted to Workshop for commentary

[Lye]

EXP & GP Added!