Wartable: Babysitting, the mission

[eternalsquire]

WHO: Kif, Amélie, Pamelia, Samouel.
WHAT: A boy has gone missing, and it's up to Kif and the Healers (a really obscure band, you probably haven't heard of them) to save the day OR DIE TRYING.
WHEN: Haring 2 and for a few days around then
WHERE: The Arling of West Hills
NOTES: Possibly some injuries? They're not actually going to die. Probably.

Dangerously close to the Fallow Mire (and by dangerous we mean sometimes there's a stiff wind that blows a stench into the area that may or may not actually be from the Mire BUT IT SMELLS BAD) lies a plot of land ruled by an increasingly ill Arl Gallagher Wulff, run by his daughter, Izot, and her husband, Lord Niall Packton, who give lip-service approval to the Inquisition while not giving permission to it to cross their lands, or any other form of support.

When Izot's only son goes missing, though, there's an opportunity to change matters around if they can find the boy in time.

Comments

Travel chatter

[eternalsquire]

Kif, Open

[eternalsquire]

The first morning of travel Kif seems a little nervous, glancing over his shoulder fairly often as if he expects someone to come after him. Slowly, though, it dawns on him that he's not going to be forced back to wash Zapp's underthings today and he starts breathing.

Later on, when they stop for the evening, he quickly busies himself making dinner. It's something he knows how to do well and he's had to do a lot; it helps him feel a little less nervous about taking off to help the Inquisition again. Work is easy. Thinking about how he's off in the big wide world without someone giving him constant orders is intimidating.

By the second day onwward Kif is back to his usual levels of nervousness, trying to help everywhere, possibly annoyingly, because he doesn't know what else to do with himself. Need a stirrup tightened? A saddle polished? Bedroll rolled? He's there.

first morning

[fightorfright]

Amélie recognises the elf from that time they'd talked in the tavern and it gives her a little bit of context for guessing why he might be so... tense, for lack of a better word. She sidles up to him, trying to fall into a comfortable place before noting, "I don't think he can come here and whisk you away. You're on a mission for the Inquisition."

[eternalsquire]

Kif gives her a small, very sheepish smile.

"You'd think that. Truly lazy people have a way of doing some work so that they don't have to do other work, and following me would be one task while getting his meals, cleaning his outfits, fastening his buttons, and on, and on, and on, are a lot of tasks."

It's a risk, talking this openly with a human. Honestly, everything on this trip is a risk considering there are three people carrying staves here. Pam's not going to set everyone on fire for fun, but he doesn't know this mage well enough to say yet, and he's never met the last one before. But he's going to try this because for the first time he's thinking about the future, and his future no less.

Second day onward

[el_tybs]

Sam is used to traveling companions being nervous - being the first time being on a trip, going through some lands they aren't familiar with, etc. - but Kif seemed to taking it to another level. He was practically everywhere and constantly asking if he could help with something.

It is after perhaps the fourth time that Sam tries to tell Kif kindly that he didn't need help, that he stops what he is doing and turns to him fully. "Kif, you need to settle down."

[eternalsquire]

He goes still, staring at the man for a few moments as if waiting for something. In a way, he is. Does magic tingle if it gets used on him? Does he feel a tingle? He doesn't think so, but what if he does?

"I can settle down." Maybe he should treat this one more like he does his Chevalier. "How settled down did you need me?"

[el_tybs]

Seeing Kif go still has Sam reacting in kind, going still and blinking in confusion. He thinks over his words again and doesn't believe he was being harsh or anything.

When the elf finally speaks up Sam seems even more confused, brows furrowing just a bit specifically at the question. It wasn't like he was asking for advice, it was... submissive? "More like you need you to settle down. You seem like you're about to panic."

[eternalsquire]

Oh Maker, he's doing everything wrong. Including worrying or stressing one of the mages, and he doesn't know which it is or what to do about it.

"Um. I'm all right. I'm settled. Enough." There's a short pause before he abandons his futile attempt at seeming collected and spills fort the reality. "Only I'm expecting my Chevalier to be very upset and you're all mages and no one told me it would be all mages and I don't know what to do if you decide to use my blood. I don't even have a lot of blood, I'm short and small and wouldn't be much help at all."

[el_tybs]

Sam raises a brow at the 'settled enough' part, clearly not buying that considering how wound up Kif seemed to be. Course he isn't expecting what happens next. A nervous confession, or perhaps just a long inhale/exhale, that he was expecting. Kif mentioning his Chevalier being mad and... blood magic?

"What?" That's why the elf was panicking? Because he thought they were going to do blood magic using him? Perhaps that should be something he should consider insulting, but the way Kif says it... there's a bit of naivete to it all. And then Sam recalls who this Chevalier, Kif is speaking of.

Ah huh.

Any other time and anyone else he would probably be sarcastic about the blood, but that didn't seem like it would help here. Sighing, Sam rubs the back of his head. "No one is going to use your blood. That isn't a typical thing that mages do."

Amélie (open!)

[fightorfright]

As they set off on their mission, Amélie seems to be holding herself with a bit more confidence than she has in the past. She's managed to rig up a way to carry both staff and bow comfortably, and is even able to give occasional advice about the land or their route if asked (though she isn't the type to volunteer unprompted, unless someone is saying something obviously wrong).

Maker, though, she will never get used to the stench.

As the days wear on, Amélie's confidence does not wane, but there are some obvious signs of exhaustion and lack of sleep; it's mostly evident in the bags under her eyes and her slightly delayed reaction times. Whether it's simply just a result of doing too much in a small space of time, or just weariness with the world in general (mages, why is it always mages) is a matter up for debate, however.

as the days wear on

[anacardiaceae]

Pamelia makes tea of her own in the kitchens, possibly upsetting the help (unless they're elves, in which case....) and presents a steaming mug of it one early afternoon to Amélie.

"You look tired."