Snow and an Encounter

Bard rolled, grateful the cold had stirred him from his rest. He had dreamed about the shades, and it was unpleasant to say the least.

Bard quietly shifted, checking for the kid. He was gone, though the cloak and cup were not. He looked about and noticed the door to where Ruegar and his family retreated was ajar. He got up and slid it closed before moving to the fire and bringing it back to life. He glanced out the glass windows and noticed the snow had really fallen during that rest. It was now piling up outside. He hoped Kai was alright, but also found it somehow soothing to be indoors and watching the snow fall. If anything, their arrival couldn’t have been better timed.

As Bard mused, he noted that the light still came from the sunstones that guarded the house. It should still be dark, and he would need some more sleep. He instinctively reached for his token, unwilling to fall asleep just yet, as he didn’t want to return to that dream. He let it spin around him as the sound was comforting and gentle. Father’s sounds were especially pleasant and nostalgic. In one sense, he wished to return right now, and skip pathfinder till the snow melted, but something about that felt wrong.

He thought about what had led them to this point in their journey, and then stopped. His mind refused to keep thinking as he grew drowsy. It was for the best that he returned to bed, despite being reluctant. The night was still not over yet.

As he slept, he dreamed again, this time of his time in the silver wood and his interactions with Sen. At this point, he managed to calm down and sleep peacefully.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The rising sun, and sounds of children moving about, roused Bard. Kai was at the window, interacting with them as they squealed and played. Bard found it rather amusing. He noticed that Elvira was at the fire, preparing their morning meal. Bard tidied his sleeping space and joined her.

“Morning,” she greeted. “Your beast is good entertainment for the little ones. Makes cooking be much easier.” She chuckled, and Bard looked at Kai’s muzzle against the window.

He was once again surprised at how easy it was to interact with these humans, as all previous encounters had gone sour. Perhaps there were people out there that he could interact with. He certainly was open to the prospect, if not cautious about it.

The morning ritual, as far as Bard could tell, was simple. Cook, clean and chase after kids. Elvira was certainly competent at it, and her ability to use one hand for tasks he thought impossible without two was certainly impressive.

She moved some herbs that were hanging from the ceiling rafters around, some closer to the fire and others closer to the windows. Windows were cooler, and Bard wondered at the reasoning behind the shuffling of the herbs.

Before he could ask her about it, there was a low growl from outside and then a knock at the door. Bard went to it, but Elvira stopped him.

“Go to Sen, make sure she doesn’t come out, and keep her out of sight,” Elvira said.

“What?”

As Elvira shooed him to the room, Ruegar came to the door in a loud and disgruntled manner.

Behind the door, Sen was waking up, and she seemed shocked to see him coming in until she caught sight of Elvira pushing him in.

“Bard?” she asked, and Elvira motioned for them to be quiet before closing the door softly, but swiftly. Bard looked at Sen, who clutched her blanket and pulled it closer to herself. Her extra layers were on the post of the bed.

“Sorry, can you look away? I’m…”

She didn’t have to say anything else as Bard quickly faced the door and didn’t move. He heard her get ready and then waited till she grabbed his hand. He looked back as she guided him to sit next to her.

“What is going on?”

“Someone is outside. Now stay quiet.”

They hushed after that, and Bard listened as people moved around outside. He looked to Sen and noticed her ears were peaking out from the braids, which were a big mess right now. He reached over and set them right, Sen shifting at first to understand what he was doing, and then stilling as he helped her situate her hair.

There were the sounds of scuffling, and Bard shifted himself between Sen and the door, in case they opened it. Something about the tone of the voices outside didn’t sit well with him. Eventually, Kai howled and the noises inside stopped. Then they left. Bard waited and then squinted against the light that filtered in as Elvira opened the door. His eyes adjusted, and he reached to Sen. Elvira still motioned for them to be quiet and Bard stilled. What was going on?

“We don’t be knowing if my brother will place his men around, so Sen, it best be to stay in here for the time being. Since it be strange to have a guest not use the guest room, Bard, you will have to spend some of the night in here until we can make sure that we don’t have eavesdropping thugs.”

“What?” Bard said, and Elvira hushed him.

“I’m sorry. If I can find a way to dissuade them, then we can get back to normal.”

Elvira seemed both mad and apologetic. Bard sat down on the bed and scratched his hair line before settling his bangs. He let out yet another sigh as he nodded at Elvira. Sen seemed worried and Bard gave her a bit of a squeeze. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

Elvira muttered something about her brother before leaving the room. Bard watched her close the door and her voice seemed to be conversing with her husband. With the snow falling so heavily outside, Bard didn’t feel comfortable with the idea of making it to Father’s wood. Kai, while a valuable ride, wasn’t infallible. If they got stuck out in the storms, and then had to fight off shades again, well, he wasn’t sure if he would be wishing for that bright white light or not, and that was enough to cause him to shiver.

Sen wrapped her arms around him, and he looked at her. She smiled and clung to him. He reached and touched her arm, offering what gratitude and comfort he could give in return.

After that, Sen stretched in her room, resorting to simple exercises while Bard helped around in the house. When night fell, Sen rolled to the far edge of the bed, and Bard smiled ruefully as he laid his blanket on the ground. There were just some battles he didn’t want to fight. Sen shifted around and probably noticed, but he kept his eyes closed and eventually drifted to sleep. He did take care of the fire through the night, like he had offered, and Elvira had come out once while he did so and thanked him before drearily heading back to her room.

The next morning, Sen was up early and beginning her exercises. She looked at Bard and blushed, only looking relieved when he was out of that space. There were a few times that Elvira helped her to the outside to relieve herself, but they were extra cautious, and that worried Bard. He walked outside and conversed with Kai, and it was only then that he noticed the white lumps in the snowy landscape. They shifted and Kai seemed hostile towards them. Bard was both impressed at their camouflage and afraid of how far this man’s influence was that he could get people to stay out in the cold and watch them like this.

He soon found out how.

A few days later, Elvira called him over.

“Bard, I’m sorry, but I can’t see those men waste away like that. I’m going to have them stay by the fire tomorrow night, so please don’t come out until I fetch you,” she said. Bard was surprised at her generosity despite the circumstances.

“Why would you do that?”

“Dey didn’t ask to be put on dat assignment. In winter, da chief tends to get sick, and her brother takes over. Any who oppose his orders won’t receive piles or food until dey comply... ‘Course, we be a different case. If he tried dat stint with us, we would just leave. We handle ourself out dere, but without us, most of da frail and sickly would die and many a folk would hate dat. He knows it, so we are left well enough alone, ‘cept when we have guests.”

“Then why did you invite us?” Bard asked, confused at Ruegar’s reasoning.

“I wonder…” his wife said with slitted eyes.

Ruegar squirmed and then groaned. “Okay. I took a likens to ya both. I wouldn’t see ya off into da storms and made me wife da excuse.”

“Better,” Elvira said, and Bard stared at the two in surprise. “Now you better get some quality stuff to make up for the trouble you’ve caused us all.”

“Now?” Ruegar asked with a bit of horror, and Elvira nodded.

“What is this about?” Bard asked.

“He will go to the cities and fetch us all some things we want to make this a bit more comfortable. After all, he did put us into this.”

“Then take Kai with you, he can enter the cities and run faster than the horses.”

“What do you take me for? I be too short to use him.”

“But he can carry things for you. And he is smart. If you were to encounter-”

“Okay! I get it. Don’t be spillin’ anymore.” Ruegar said as he hushed Bard.

“What encounter is he talking about, Ruegar?” Elvira said and the little man shrunk as he turned to face her.

“Oh, da clouds covered da sun, and we got swarmed. Not’in too bad really.”

“Ruegar!” Elvira shouted and the man rose and stood his ground. Bard sat back and tried to stay out of this argument as much as he could. Because of that, the kids came to him, and he took them to the window to play with Kai.

“I know what I be doin. You wouldn’t have all dese dings without me going dere.”

“And I don’t want to loose you. What about our kids. They need you in their life.”

Bard sighed as he realized this wasn’t going anywhere. He found the kids warm coats and helped them dress while he walked them outside. Kai was eager for their company, and they climbed and snuggled into his slightly damp fur. Bard pulled out a few pieces of meat he had brought with him and gave Kai the treats. The kids were playful and young. They didn’t need to see or hear that sort of exchange.

That’s when he noticed a hand on the ground near one of the white lumps. He straightened and watched it for a bit. Its limp form suggested that the person it belonged to needed help.

“Elvira?!” Bard shouted, and soon she was at the door.

“Blasted.” She grumbled as she headed back in and then came out. “Bard, come help,” she said, and Bard followed after her.

“Bard, I be doing what ye suggested.” Ruegar shouted at them next to Kai. He ushered the kids inside when Bard gave his permission. He only hoped Kai was aware and willing. When the large wolf left, following the short man on horseback, Bard focused on helping the person in the snow tent.

“Seriously. What does that cock of a chief think he can gain by doing this,” Elvira grumbled as she pulled the man out of the lump. He was out cold and his face was pale and skin peeling. Bard didn’t need to look at his limbs as he recognized the drying, peeling cheeks and signs of frostbite.

As they pulled the man out, some people were at the opening to the village.

“Elvira? Castel!” a woman shouted as she ran over.

Bard watched quietly as the woman came over and hugged the man.

“Castel! Oh, Castel. It wasn’t worth it.”

“Now now, he’s not dead yet. But he might prefer it,” Elvira said softly. "Help me get him inside."

“Oh, right!” the lady said as she hurried to try to drag her man. Elvira stood up tall and commanding.

“Oi, you lot. If you have any decency, at least come inside and warm up. I don’t want more frostbitten folks showing up,” Elvira’s authoritative voice rang out.

“Elvira!” someone shouted and Bard turned to look back at a tall and muscular man who looked very similar if not that he was a man. Bard figured this was her infamous brother.

“Next time you want to meet the guests, don’t send out the weak to do your job. I don’t need more work ya fool,” Elvira sneered and the man blistered and bellowed at her. Instead of responding, she helped bring in the men who were inside the lumps and sat them around her table. Bard noticed the kids had gone to the room where Sen was, and that was enough to keep the men from going over there. Instead, they went to the other parts of the house and Bard helped bring the people further in.

As he did so, he saw just how big the house really was. It could comfortably accommodate many people, and so it made sense that Elvira had the sick and afflicted stay here while she treated them. She also had an astounding amount of dried and fresh herbs.

Some sunstones were laid out near some plants and Bard could sense a warmth come from them. He recognized some plants as the kind from healer’s forest and became curious how she had come across them. They also didn’t grow around here. Perhaps it was because of those sunstones that emitted warmth that they could do as well as they were.

“Thank ya kindly lad,” the man said as he helped him sit by a sunstone.

“You’re welcome,” Bard said calmly. He could see how infuriating her brother was, that he would send these defenseless souls out to spy instead of the strong. He couldn’t blame them as he watched them. Elvira smiled wanly at him as she stood in the doorway.

“Bard. Check on me kids please. I can take it from here,” she said with a slight accent. Bard was surprised at her tone, but did as she asked. He knew it was a pretext to visit Sen, and with two little kids around, the noise they made would mask anything he had to say to her. He was sure she was curious, if not antsy.

When he knocked on the door, the kids gasped, and he slowly opened it to make sure Sen wouldn’t be spotted. After coming inside and closing the door, the kids jumped on him and Sen smiled.

He tickled them as he had seen Ruegar do, and they squealed which he grimaced at but was relieved to see Sen in high spirits. She smiled and picked up the other kid and used them in her exercises, which caused the kid to laugh and shout.

“Are you okay?” Bard asked and Sen nodded. She continued with the play and Bard let it at that. The sounds of children laughing was all he would ask for, so long as she was doing all right.