Two Weddings & a Lot of Cyphers | Rebekah Bourg
General Summary
Zara, Witt, and Rose sprawled in the back corner of the garden and listened wide-eyed as Tala recounted the group’s journey to Ledon and their encounters with a Dread Destroyer, Xi Drakes, and Angulan Knights. Footsteps sent them scampering for cover behind the massive sunflowers, but they came running back when Tess strolled around the greenhouse. She gathered them all in a massive hug, congratulating them on a successful session of hooky, then greeted Tala. “What’s up Granny? Is that a new grey hair?”
Tala sipped her oolong and replied, “They’re all grey, darling. If there’s a new one, that’s good.” Tess stuck out her tongue, then joined her great nieces and nephew on the ground, listening to Tala’s stories and recounting some of her own. She had spent the last weeks searching for Teju, who had vanished without warning, but now that she had returned, Tess could rest easy, or rest could wait till she was dead and she could join in the group’s adventures. Witt suggested that adventure most often comes when one is not prepared for it, but before he could elaborate, Jim emerged from behind the greenhouse and, without a word, sent the kids sprinting for school. Tala rolled her eyes at her son, who shook his head and left. Sighing, Tala stood and grasped her new walking stick. “I suppose we’d best find someone who’s not prepared for adventure.” Tess recommended they find Dorian and bother him.
Dorian sat at a heavy walnut desk behind a castellation of missives, skimming a report from the front lines. Hostilities had officially ceased, but a massive army of a hostile nation is a worrisome thing, and Saiylar threatening to burn his letters wasn’t helping matters. She had sworn to protect him, but it was difficult to concentrate on work with someone else hovering. The office door burst open and in strode Tala and Tess. “We have come to annoy you,” Tess proclaimed and plopped down in a gilt chair. “Fine,” he said, and began scribbling a hasty response. He would have to meet with King Laird today to discuss preparations in case Draolis broke the ceasefire. Tala gave Saiylar a robotic dragonfly that she had found in the Dread Destroyer, and they both laughed as Tess shot spitballs at Dorian. Someone knocked at the door. “Now what?” Dorian demanded, brushing paper wads from his desk. “A letter for you, sir,” an aide said, entering and placing another missive on his desk. “From Professor Crow,” Saiylar said, snatching the letter and opening it. “He says our cyphers have arrived. Goody.” She set the letter down again and began sharpening her knife. Dorian watched her a moment before asking, “Is that a hint?” “A precaution,” she responded, sheathed the knife, and asked if they were going. He glanced back at the letter he was writing and sighed. “Yes.”
The sun had not yet reached its apex when Shanna entered the City of Bridges with half of her group, much to the loud relief of Barlow. In her satchel, she held a telepathy device given to her by the Amber Pope and with which she could communicated with the men she had ordered to remain in Qi to research the Convergence and foster peace amongst the Draolians. She had returned with to convince her banishment buddies to accompany her on her perilous venture to the Golden Sanctum. As she neared the palace, she glimpsed Alatsar turning down an alley. It was rather a seedy part of town, but the group may have tired of palace life. She followed, but turned back after overhearing Alatsar offer to offload a fancy little bibelot to an oily salesman. After a brief stop at the White Flame compound, she went to the palace and was directed to find her friends in the study of Professor Crow.
Shanna met Teju on the way to Crow’s study, and they informed each other of their various adventures since parting. A veritable free-for-all greeted them, as their team members requested various cyphers. Shanna jumped in, requesting something that would aid her with infiltrating and exposing a dangerous organization known as the Convergence. Professor Crow raised an eye brow at this request, but obligingly gave her a teleporter and a rewind button. Teju acquired a ring of invisibility and beetle boots of swiftness. Alatsar requested anesthetic, a mind-control devise, and a cypher that expands the effectiveness of any object. Crow delivered the items to him and suggested quietly that Alatsar may want to consider a quiet chat with one Lady Clare. With some trepidation, Teju requested something to defend against mind control. Dorian also was leery of Alatsar’s request, and obtained a cypher that would negate the effect of another cypher. Blaster acquired a Saladmancer’s Stone, which would create cabbages on demand.
Following the meeting with Professor Crow, Dorian hastened to King Laird’s private office, with Saiylar in tow, to keep his appointment with the king and offer his excuses for why he would be unable to attend the festivities planned for that night. Laird would hear none of that. Clasping his friend’s shoulder, he insisted that he needed Dorian with him when he announced his marriage to Omalade. With memories of Ledon fresh in his mind, Dorian began to protest that the Angulan Knights would be displeased to hear of such an alliance between their king and – he bowed apologetically to Omalade, who had just entered – an abhuman, and they may revolt. Saiylar slapped Dorian upside the head and offered a red cabbage and her heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple, which Dorian echoed less enthusiastically. Omalade accepted both congratulations and cabbage and invited both of them to lunch with her tomorrow.
A glittering assemblage of nobility, gentry, Aeon priests, and some White Flames gathered that evening in the great hall to honor the group for their efforts to stop the war and purge the royal court of treason. Blaster cut a dashing figure in his new Stetson, and Shanna wowed everyone in her Cloak. Teju, Tala, and Tess circulated amongst the guests, quietly keeping an eye on things. Alatsar presented the king and his new queen with two bottles of costly wine and requested permission to produce it en mass. Laird’s announcement that Lady Phoenix had wed Count Everard caused quite a stir. His announcement of his own marriage to Omalade caused a greater stir. But the greatest disruption came when two Angulan Knights burst into the hall and demanded that Alatsar return with them to Ledon because he was the chosen. Not wanting anything to do with a cult, Alatsar used his metal bending to levitate the heavily armored knights and slam them into the ceiling. Terrified by this display, the knights agreed to leave quietly. Much laughter and merriment followed, and evening gave way to morning ere the revelry ceased. The next day, Saiylar was still on edge from the attack by the Angulan Knights, and she insisted on a sparring session with Dorian, who was terrible at swordplay. Afterward, they went to meet Queen Omalade for lunch and, through much circumlocution, both Dorian and Omalade come to trust that each has the best interest of Ghan and King Laird at heart. Both also understood that Phoenix and the Angulan Knights posed a threat from within and, despite the ceasefire agreement, Draolis still posed a threat from without. As an attendant bowed out of the room after delivering the dessert tray, Omalade said smiling, “Let there be cake and let there be plotting.” Just then, a cabbage flew through the open window and hit Dorian on the back of the head.
Tala sipped her oolong and replied, “They’re all grey, darling. If there’s a new one, that’s good.” Tess stuck out her tongue, then joined her great nieces and nephew on the ground, listening to Tala’s stories and recounting some of her own. She had spent the last weeks searching for Teju, who had vanished without warning, but now that she had returned, Tess could rest easy, or rest could wait till she was dead and she could join in the group’s adventures. Witt suggested that adventure most often comes when one is not prepared for it, but before he could elaborate, Jim emerged from behind the greenhouse and, without a word, sent the kids sprinting for school. Tala rolled her eyes at her son, who shook his head and left. Sighing, Tala stood and grasped her new walking stick. “I suppose we’d best find someone who’s not prepared for adventure.” Tess recommended they find Dorian and bother him.
Dorian sat at a heavy walnut desk behind a castellation of missives, skimming a report from the front lines. Hostilities had officially ceased, but a massive army of a hostile nation is a worrisome thing, and Saiylar threatening to burn his letters wasn’t helping matters. She had sworn to protect him, but it was difficult to concentrate on work with someone else hovering. The office door burst open and in strode Tala and Tess. “We have come to annoy you,” Tess proclaimed and plopped down in a gilt chair. “Fine,” he said, and began scribbling a hasty response. He would have to meet with King Laird today to discuss preparations in case Draolis broke the ceasefire. Tala gave Saiylar a robotic dragonfly that she had found in the Dread Destroyer, and they both laughed as Tess shot spitballs at Dorian. Someone knocked at the door. “Now what?” Dorian demanded, brushing paper wads from his desk. “A letter for you, sir,” an aide said, entering and placing another missive on his desk. “From Professor Crow,” Saiylar said, snatching the letter and opening it. “He says our cyphers have arrived. Goody.” She set the letter down again and began sharpening her knife. Dorian watched her a moment before asking, “Is that a hint?” “A precaution,” she responded, sheathed the knife, and asked if they were going. He glanced back at the letter he was writing and sighed. “Yes.”
The sun had not yet reached its apex when Shanna entered the City of Bridges with half of her group, much to the loud relief of Barlow. In her satchel, she held a telepathy device given to her by the Amber Pope and with which she could communicated with the men she had ordered to remain in Qi to research the Convergence and foster peace amongst the Draolians. She had returned with to convince her banishment buddies to accompany her on her perilous venture to the Golden Sanctum. As she neared the palace, she glimpsed Alatsar turning down an alley. It was rather a seedy part of town, but the group may have tired of palace life. She followed, but turned back after overhearing Alatsar offer to offload a fancy little bibelot to an oily salesman. After a brief stop at the White Flame compound, she went to the palace and was directed to find her friends in the study of Professor Crow.
Shanna met Teju on the way to Crow’s study, and they informed each other of their various adventures since parting. A veritable free-for-all greeted them, as their team members requested various cyphers. Shanna jumped in, requesting something that would aid her with infiltrating and exposing a dangerous organization known as the Convergence. Professor Crow raised an eye brow at this request, but obligingly gave her a teleporter and a rewind button. Teju acquired a ring of invisibility and beetle boots of swiftness. Alatsar requested anesthetic, a mind-control devise, and a cypher that expands the effectiveness of any object. Crow delivered the items to him and suggested quietly that Alatsar may want to consider a quiet chat with one Lady Clare. With some trepidation, Teju requested something to defend against mind control. Dorian also was leery of Alatsar’s request, and obtained a cypher that would negate the effect of another cypher. Blaster acquired a Saladmancer’s Stone, which would create cabbages on demand.
Following the meeting with Professor Crow, Dorian hastened to King Laird’s private office, with Saiylar in tow, to keep his appointment with the king and offer his excuses for why he would be unable to attend the festivities planned for that night. Laird would hear none of that. Clasping his friend’s shoulder, he insisted that he needed Dorian with him when he announced his marriage to Omalade. With memories of Ledon fresh in his mind, Dorian began to protest that the Angulan Knights would be displeased to hear of such an alliance between their king and – he bowed apologetically to Omalade, who had just entered – an abhuman, and they may revolt. Saiylar slapped Dorian upside the head and offered a red cabbage and her heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple, which Dorian echoed less enthusiastically. Omalade accepted both congratulations and cabbage and invited both of them to lunch with her tomorrow.
A glittering assemblage of nobility, gentry, Aeon priests, and some White Flames gathered that evening in the great hall to honor the group for their efforts to stop the war and purge the royal court of treason. Blaster cut a dashing figure in his new Stetson, and Shanna wowed everyone in her Cloak. Teju, Tala, and Tess circulated amongst the guests, quietly keeping an eye on things. Alatsar presented the king and his new queen with two bottles of costly wine and requested permission to produce it en mass. Laird’s announcement that Lady Phoenix had wed Count Everard caused quite a stir. His announcement of his own marriage to Omalade caused a greater stir. But the greatest disruption came when two Angulan Knights burst into the hall and demanded that Alatsar return with them to Ledon because he was the chosen. Not wanting anything to do with a cult, Alatsar used his metal bending to levitate the heavily armored knights and slam them into the ceiling. Terrified by this display, the knights agreed to leave quietly. Much laughter and merriment followed, and evening gave way to morning ere the revelry ceased. The next day, Saiylar was still on edge from the attack by the Angulan Knights, and she insisted on a sparring session with Dorian, who was terrible at swordplay. Afterward, they went to meet Queen Omalade for lunch and, through much circumlocution, both Dorian and Omalade come to trust that each has the best interest of Ghan and King Laird at heart. Both also understood that Phoenix and the Angulan Knights posed a threat from within and, despite the ceasefire agreement, Draolis still posed a threat from without. As an attendant bowed out of the room after delivering the dessert tray, Omalade said smiling, “Let there be cake and let there be plotting.” Just then, a cabbage flew through the open window and hit Dorian on the back of the head.
Report Date
28 May 2025