Post by Edric on Jul 4, 2007 18:10:53 GMT -5
The old woman walked at a steady pace as Edric picked his way between the bustle that was the Nujelm market place and was led to a boardwalk street.
Edric was still unsettled by the revelation of someone knowing who he truly was. Not to mention the fact that this "Grandmother Opus" knew his accential home. Even though for him that memory was nothing more than a blurred impression. Unnreved him to no end.
Grandmother Opus turned a corner and walked past a few more dwelling and stopped in front of a very modest home and opened its door.
"Though this is not the palace Lord Edric I pray this will do" she said as she invited him in.
Nodding a thanks and looking about to see if anyone was about he quickly ducked into the small home. Normally one's eyes would need to adjust from going from sunlight to a dark space, however Edric's elven eyes quickly adjusted and he could see quite clearly despite the aid of a few lit candles.
"Sit, sit my lord" Old woman Opus said as she scurried around him and tidied up her home a little bit, then walked to the fireplace and stirred something in a black pot that hung over it. Satisfied with what ever she was making, she allowed herself a to catch her breath and quickly produced a long pipe from her robes and pouch that evidently held some kind of tobacco of sorts. Sitting down with a grunt, she proceeded to light her pipe.
As she was making herself busy, Edric looked about the small apartment sized home. On one of the two "fancy" chairs was a rather un-interested black cat regarding him with a blank expression. Opus evidently was a student of Alchemy, since there were shelves full of jars containing from what it seemed all matter that constituted Sosaria. On a one of the tables there were instruments that did all matter of things as well as glass blown vials filled with unknown liquids of questionable stability. The low light was provided by a few candles. This seemed to be to the cat's satisfaction since it evidently liked the low light.
While she busied herself, Edric also took the time to study his host.
This Grandmother Opus was old to be sure, but how old was hard to tell. Her neck length gray hair was partially hidden under of wrap of some sort. The wrap itself of was made from several types of cloth of varied colors. This pattern seemed to have spilled into her manner of garb itself. Though plain and fairly worn, it was evident that they were well taken care of and clean. Her cane was another thing all together. looking more like a short gnarled staff, it's varied brown colored grain swirled about it's surface like tides frozen in time.
Of Grandmother Opus herself it seemed her face was the most remarkable thing about her. Her kind face was wrinkled but not overly so and seemed to have a glow unto itself. When she smiled her eyes seemed to disappear, yet you could still see the light from them like a star against the night sky.
"Shoo Octavius, we have a guest" The cat got up and stretched, not to pleased that his day nap had to be interrupted."Shoo now" Grandmother Opus said again, this prompted an look from the cat who then slowly moved off the chair with a slight meow. the woman gestured for Edric to take a seat as she smiled and took a puff from her pipe.
Edric sat and was rather surprised at the comfort of the old chair.
"Now my Prince Edric, I am ready for your questions"said Grandmother Opus through a wrinkled grin and the sweet smelling smoke from her pipe seemed to slowly swirl about her.
Edric thought for a moment as decided to take the direct approach."How do you know me?"
"Ah well, you see lad, the forest and the lands are full of spirits, all have memories and some remember more than others. Water spirits are the worst ones though, full of rumor and gossip it seems and little fact. Yes?"
"I wouldn't know M'Lady" Edric responded as he tried to wave away the thickening smoke from Old woman Opus's pipe.
"Oh pish posh!" she countered "You should know, with your upbringing."
Edric was a little taken aback by the woman's chiding.
"You have forgotten much of the wood, don' t let your time with the high elves dull your instincts Prince Edric. It is what gives you your center"
He caught himself nodding in agreement, not fully understanding why. He proceeded with his next question.
"Why do you call me Prince?"
At that she smiled.
"Well when one comes across a ruin or an abandoned building in the middle of a forested area it's natural for one to wonder who once lived there and what happened, no?"
"That could be a natural question to ask oneself." Edric stated accepting the argument.
"Well at this point I would ask the spirits of the land, the trees, the air and the very earth...they remember, especially stone.
Edric shook his head, not quite understanding what this had to do with him.
Recognizing his predicament, Grandmother Opus came to his rescue.
"An age ago, when I was a young. I would often go into the wood, the wild. And speak to the spirits, they were not a recluse as they are today, occasionally one comes across a wisp now and then. But before the Wood was alive." Her expression was as if she was looking back through time with her eyes focused on a memory.
"On one occasion I came across a silent clearing and in it the ruins of what was a great castle, it's once proud walls and towers all but rubble, grown over by vines and earth. In the center of the broken structure was stairwell that led me down a into the depths of the earth. at the end of the dark tunnel I came into a room lighted by glowing stones.
"The nature of the chamber was not unlike a crypt. There were smashed sarcophagi and all manner of rubble about. It was here that I decided to ask the stone what transpired here. That is how I learned the name of the place, the name of its people".
"The stones called the place Volas Shyr, and the people, the Jhyr Oaler .The lost ones."
Edric's mind began to race at the mentioning of the names of his sequestered past, he remembered the Gruagach saying that name to him, but at the time it held no real meaning or impact. But like the opening of a floodgate, his memories began to swirl through his mind. Slowly at first, but began to pick up speed. Until it moved with a force of a raging river. Chaotic, powerful and uncontrolled. Behind closed eyes he saw flashes of faces, feelings and color. Joy and sorrow. Comfort and loss. Much Loss. He couldn't make anything of it all, but they were there, at the edge of his mind. Just outside of reach. Elusive memories seem to call him farther and farther away from himself.
"Edric" a voice said over the torrid mental currents
Grandmother Opus voice recalled his racing mind back to the small house in Nujelm.
"Edric."
The flood of the past began to subside like the end of a rain storm and he opened his gray eyes with great exhaustion."Who am I then?"Not sure of anything anmore, his very identidy in question.
"You are of the Jhyr Oaler, Edric."
"Your life however is enigma. On one hand you are the Guardian of Amar en' Cala'quessir, and our guardian here in Nujelm mandated by the Regency. On the other your are the lost son of house forgotten by time and history."
Looking up at her she could see the conflict in his eyes."Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I have watched you, Lad. Because I can feel the battles within yourself and the directions that chaos has taken you. You can do great things Edric. But until you reconcile your past and present you will be cursed to always wander the path of doubt and shadow."
"What must I do?"
Reaching into a basket next to her chair, Grandmother Opus produced a piece of cloth and handed it to Edric.It was a torn piece of tapestry that was a section of a map it seemed. It was faded and worn. The script was not in common. The flowing script was of an elven origin but not a form he could read. In the center was the motif of a castle.
"You must find this place. Volas Shyr.
"Claim your Birthright and know where you come from, only then will you know how to claim what you will become."
Looking at Edric's expression she smiled again and with a grunt she rose out of her chair. bringing her hand up to his face she touched his cheek. Her warm touch calmed him and his breathing became regular again
"Your a smart lad, Edric. With many friends, you wont be alone in this." She let her hand drop and walked to the door of her house."But you must start with the most difficult of things" she said smiling.
Raising an eyebrow he asked "And what may that be Madam?"
"To begin of course" she said with a smile as she opened the door.
Rising, he place the piece of old tapestry in his pouch and shook his head slowly to clear his mind and to digest the revelations he had just experienced.
" I suppose I should find out where this writing is from". He stated.
"See, I knew you were a bright lad" She said patting his back, "come to me if you need anything, or just to talk if you wish."
Still unsure of what had just transpired he nodded and walked out of the house. He turned to say goodbye but the door to the was already closed. Shaking his head he began to walk towards the city proper.
After walking past the city walls and a few turns later, he stopped and pulled the tapestry shard out of his pouch and examined it again in the sunlight.
The faded and worn colors still showed a wooded area and a castle in the middle. beside it again was the flowing elven script.
"Who would even know of such a place?" he thought to himself.
With that he decided to look to matters that demanded his attention, Nujelm, and then ask to around the city to see if anyone knew of this place and who to talk to.
Stowing the tapestry shard away again he made his way to the palace.
