GM:
Elen doesn't mind Caith taking what she needs, and the apples are well received...
...Children took the apples directly from Caith and not a one remarked upon her disfigurement, she noted among them signs of past pox and worse so she concluded they'd probably seen worse than a wolf bite.
Caith thanks Elen for her patience as well as her generosity with a wandering sage, as the hedgewitch takes great care to gather the dust from every surface she can reach, her agility making up for her lack of height.
Mysteriously, a polished red apple sits on a spotlessly clean shelf by the door after she leaves, at the height where a brawnier woman might easily notice it later.
Later, outside the hall...
She finds that it is very dusty in the forge, and outside by the cart, as there can be no other explanation for the gentle smile on her face at odds with the prickling of tears threatening in her eyes several times...
Caith's gift to the women of Hallowhall is a simple one, and repeated quietly as she goes, the offer of healing and herblore to those who may have need of such, and her equally quietly spoken thanks for their generosity.
One of her last apples goes to Usopi as Caith says softly
"To the words of the wise goes the gift of immortality..." then grins as she adds in a more pragmatic tone
"...I am nay goddess of the orchard however, so 'tis but a tasty treat, nay an apple of youth."
Later, inside the hall...
Caith is well content with roast mutton and vegetables, and eats like a ravenous wolf, all be it one with remarkably dainty table manners.
She sips the wine cautiously at first, trying to gauge it's strength as well as it's quality. Once she has the measure of it, she accepts a refill, and makes it last a fair while, appreciating the flavor.
The hedgewitch is as enthralled by Lann's performance as she is by Garth's history of his, Clothilda's and Marn's part the Cleansing.
She quietly realizes that Marn's leaving before the second tale is told is no banishment, but simply the privacy required for the loyal warrior to eat without a helm on away from curious stares, so she leashes her curiosity about him before it exceeds polite interest, and turns her attention to Garth's story.
Caith raises her cup after it, and says
"Ye both did well indeed to so defeat or drive off the vile foes besetting yer land and people. Good health and fortune to ye!" then takes a large gulp of the wine in approval.
She looks once at Chlainn as he speaks, her expression more one of pity than anger, then takes another large gulp of her wine to take the taste of the likely curse out of her mouth, and leaves it the menfolk to talk their way out that one.
When the conversation turns to Marn's origins, she listens quietly, still content to judge the warrior by his current deeds, rather than speculate darkly on his past ones.
GM:
Clothilda ventured, " This priest your fellow mentioned earlier, his lackeys were Black Riders? Armoured Wood-folk? They were long Darians enforcers here...though I know not where he originally found them...perhaps they once lived in Gallows Wood before it turned dark?"
Caith says gently
"Seems likely, aye, from what I have been told of these matters." then sits back and falls silent, as she is beginning to regret keeping her wolfskin robe on in a warm hall, particularly after a hot dinner.
In an effort to keep herself more alert, she carefully unclasps the fastenings of her armour, and unfolds it over the bench behind her.
It is a calculated risk, even outside the borders of Glissom, but trusting that only a keen pair of eyes, or at least, only friendly ones will note the red hair in a rough plait behind her, and the repeating pattern of little scarlet ferns decorating the broad bands of woolen embroidery around the edges of her berry dyed red tunic.
It takes great effort, even relaxed as she is from the meal and wine and among friendly faces for Caith Cernach to not feel like she is wearing an archery target, but the conversation is most interesting to her, and worth the cost of overcoming her habitual reluctance to let 'The red fern unfurl'...
OOC: Sorry for the delay, it's been one of those days dealing with internet providers on top of everything else. Post finished now.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:04, Tue 28 May 2019.
