(open!) 01. i wish that i was just a cloud

[wolfslayer]

WHO: Willem & you
WHAT: Them apples, that ale. Possibly some talk of phylacteries and adjacent unpleasantness.
WHEN: July 2018
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Dragons and things!

closed to aro;

[possibly, willem had thought that focusing on apples would dissuade aro from prematurely introducing his fearsome draconian companion. no, that's definitely what he thought.

but there are worse things than befriending a bit of a coward, aren't there? there's a tree in full ripeness, her boughs bent low under the weight of her bright new decor, and a basket set up expectantly beneath. willem is holding a fucking crossbow, because of course he is. his spiky armor and magical sword are a bit at odds with the indolent demeanor about him right now, but that's hardly unexpected; he's the kind of fellow who will go away on missions to play healer, miss out on a lot of political drama. then come back and range out to the brink of bandit territory to gather apples.

with a crossbow. and a hip flask of raspberry cordial wine.]

Hello, Aro. [he brightens upon seeing the half-elvish.] I tend to find shooting things that aren't trying to kill you is quite enjoyable, no matter what sort of mood you're in.

open;

[darktown isn't where you go if you're of any decent repute, but these days, it seems like the rifters aren't at risk of being tarred with a flattering brush. willem might be found there, starting ever so slightly mysterious cookfires for those who are struggling for themselves, or run a peculiar little laundry for dignity's sake. he doesn't talk about magic much, but when he does, inevitably the conversation goes to whispers.

never mind the maniacal warlock interest. underneath it all, the compulsion's always there.

but there's a lot of 'all' to hide under, really. lowtown might not be a vast improvement over darktown, but there are proper taverns, drinks and food one might purchase with the hard-earned pay from missions away. you might best him at darts or listen to an increasingly embellished tale about the size and deranged anatomy of the demons that were slain by people other than himself. he'd be a good wingman, if there were anyone who needed flying.]

Comments

Me!

[sorcerised]

[ If Willem had been hoping this encounter would be dragonless, he's about to be disappointed. Flapping along at shoulder height beside Aro is a dragon hatchling, only a few months old, with yellowish scales just barely tinged with green. She hasn't quite grown into her bronze yet. Iessa regards Willem with a curious eye, but stays closely beside Aro, having been well warned not to show off to this one. When Willem turns to speak, Aro puts up his hand to touch Iessa's chin and remind her not to get too excited. ]

Are you going to shoot the apples? [ He says, sounding somewhat dubious. There's a crossbow strapped to his own pack, but he's holding his staff at the moment. He comes closer, and Iessa drops down to the ground beside him, head lifted and making a sound somewhat like a purr. ]

I can think of easier ways to get them down, although I'm not opposed...

Anyway, come and say hello to Iessa first! She wants to meet you.

[ Or more accurately Aro wants them to meet, and remove any element of fear. ]

[wolfslayer]

[surprisingly or not, willem is a semi-decent liar.

he turns when he hears aro's voice, hears the tread of the half-elf's feet, the noise of the dragon, initially processing only two out of three. then he sees three of the three. his eyebrows go up. the smile threatens to slide off his face and shatter on the ground, but somehow it stops just there, teetering on the edge. he blinks, then slowly, deliberately, turns his head to look at the dragon. tiny by dragon standards, maybe but

like just about the size of a normal predator.]

Yes I was going to use this crossbow, [he says, kindly without pointing the crossbow at the dragon.] To pick some fucking apples. She doesn't eat thm, does she? Apples, I mean. I can't imagine any of this is very interesting to her. I think she'd much rather fly off, find some -- farming territory to raze, I don't know. Chase goats. Bit gamey for me, but-- [hard to say if alcohol helps or harms.]

[sorcerised]

[ Aro smiles at him. It's obvious Willem is wary. Of course if it's obvious to Aro, it's obvious to Iessa, too. Aro touches her front leg, and she drops down beside him on the ground. She's roughly wolf-sized, though a little bigger than that by now. Her serpentine eyes are on Willem, but the light in them is due to interest rather than violence.

In fairness, it might not look any different. ]

She eats fish. [ Aro supplies, raising his eyebrows. ] Bronzes like the water. Apples aren't her cup of tea, she just came for the fresh air. And because...

Well, I really want to show you that she isn't scary. You trust me, Will?

[ Quite the loaded question in circumstances like this. ]

[wolfslayer]

[does one trust a person who springs surprise dragons upon one? willem's eyes move between half-elf and dragon, his face still locked in effervescent neutrality. why is she so interested? does she just see a steak walking around on legs? a fish walking around on legs. willem greatly doubts she wouldn't go for other types of meat if given the chance.

maybe paler people just don't strike her as food. aro's as fair as they come.]

I trust you to have no ill intentions on my fine person, [willem says, relenting enough to point the crossbow back at the apple. the alcohol is definitely preventing him from experiencing gastrointestinal distress and other uncomfortable nervous symptoms.] How much Common does she speak? Oi oi, dragon Iessa. What do you bet I can hit one at this distance? We could bet in gold. Dragons like gold, don't they.

[sorcerised]

[ Iessa doesn't respond in speech, nor does she indicate any complex understanding of Willem's words. She does see his change in target, though, and her head lifts with interest. Her tail sways, and she lets out a noise that might be a growl and might be a purr, depending on your perspective.

Evidently taking it as a good sign, Aro grins at Willem and comes over beside him. Iessa follows, still watching him, but staying back to see what he does. ]

She likes jewels a bit more, actually. And...she can't talk. [ He says that a bit more quietly, and folds his arms. ] She understands. Most things, I mean...at least I hope she does, especially when I speak Draconic. But she never answers. We don't know why, but my friend thinks the rifts might have done something. Her dragon doesn't speak, either.

[wolfslayer]

[willem is leveling his crossbow. despite or because he's drunk, splitting his attention doesn't seem very hard; liquid courage allows him not to falter to the fear of embarrassing himself before a preposterously handsome half-elf.

tchunk. the crossbow fires. the bolt whizzes through the air, geometrically precise— snips neatly through the stem of an apple. the fruit drops from its branch, lands gently in the expectant basket waiting underneath.

spent, the little bolt itself thwaps off the dense branches beyond the one that it had struck, and goes cartwheeling onto the ground not far away.]

I'm having an emotion at your dragon, [willem says, finally. he tips the empty crossbow up and slowly, hesitantly, starts to squat down by the bronze wyrmling. he glances at aro a few times, then at her.] Oi oi, my love. You all right, having had your voice stolen? I can't imagine. I would not be handling it quite as well.

[sorcerised]

[ Iessa raises her head when Willem crouches. At the very least she understands that he's talking to her, since she watches him quite intently. Then, when he finishes speaking, she dips her head to very gently nudge his hand. Aro is right beside him, and crouches as well. ]

I think that means thanks. [ He says, nodding to Iessa. ] Or possibly just that she thinks you smell nice. I'm saying thank you, though.

[ And you do smell all right, actually. Aro turns. Speaking of smells, Willem might detect the scent of ozone now. Standing, Aro points a fingertip towards the tree. ]

Nixeu!

[ Iessa's head snaps back up in time to see a bright electric spark shoot from Aro's fingertip and cut cleanly through a second apple stalk. It drops into the basket, its stalk smoking from the impact. He turns to grin at Willem. ]

What do you say we make a game of it, Will?