07.08g Gated Landscapes

[Draylen]

Aibne looks over the two girls, kneeling down and holding out a large and heavy paw. "Hello Gwen, Leanne. My name is Aibne Grant. I'm a story teller," he says, glancing at the two adults talking to one another. He considers mentioning that Priscilla *did*, in fact, come here with a bear at her side, and that arguing with someone who can do that is probably not the smartest decision, but continues talking to the children. "When your mommy left, she went to a very special place, called Amber. Only the best people are allowed to go there, and your mommy is so great, she's the princess of one of the kingdoms." He's fudging the details a bit, but smiling, perfectly affable and calm. "But she missed you two so much, she asked our help to come and see you again. When mommy left, she left because she had to, but you two don't have to. You can choose to, though. And," he raises his voice slightly, to talk over the married couple, "So can your daddy. It wouldn't be any trouble at all if the four of you wanted to stay a family."

He glances quickly at Lleufer, considering something, before smiling at the two girls. "Would you two like to hear a story about your mommy's people? They're a very special tribe, called the Selkie."

[Wyvern]

Tinder plays the part of "large friendly dog" - a role he is surprisingly good at. Alys, meanwhile, Looks around - watching how the children move, trying to see if they're hurt at all*, Looking around the room (and up, and down)... she keeps some of her attention focused on Lleufer and his argument with Priscilla, though, ready to step in if it gets out of hand. (Or to offer a few choice words in Priscilla's support if she thinks that will help... though that most likely translates into "Alys says nothing".)

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* Alys figures that someone who doesn't hesitate to strike his wife might not hesitate to strike his children, either - and if that's so, that's something she wants to know about sooner rather than later, especially in light of Aibne's offer...

[Joshua]

(OOC: the fate of the third child is edited into my previous post, if you're reading this...)

The 'conversation' is starting to wind down. You have accusations of abandonment, and again, Lleufer does not fully understand his actions. Again, the 'holding of her skin' prevented her from objecting to almost anything he did and he didn't understand that.

The children are not injured, which is good. Unfortuantely, any magic talent is too faint for Alys to detect at this point.

Before the children can request the story, there is a knock at the door. "Aibne Grant, ambassador from Amber, we wish to talk to you."

[Draylen]

Aibne blinks, frowning. "Well, this can't be good. They're hijacking my story," he says, grumbling. "You four should probably head into the back room. Be safe." The bear places a hand on the hilt of the stone sword at his side, moving toward the door, glancing at Alys. He's got something forming in his head, but he's got no problems following Alys' lead on this. "I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about," he announces toward the other side of the door.

[Wyvern]

Alys glances once at the door, frowns, holds up a hand in a gesture that probably translates as "I'll be just a minute," and follows the four into the back room, Tinder at her heels. Once there, a second gesture indicates "silence", and she pulls out a card and begins to concentrate on it.

Tinder prowls around the edges of the room, sniffing cautiously, and seeming much less "large friendly dog" and much more "guard dog".

[Joshua]

LLeufer will object slightly. "That's Simon, the butcher. Why would he want to talk to you?" He will go to open the door before deciding against it. Reluctantly, he will go into the back room.

Which is about the point where Alys would notice that the house seems to be surrounded by townsfolk.

[Draylen]

Aibne sighs softly and closes his eyes. He murmurs to himself and stands Up. He looks almost three feet taller and vastly heavier than he did even as Vengeful God, and he flings the door open. "I am Aibne, son of Matunus, God of Magic! You meddle in the affairs of the Fae! Know this once, Simon the Butcher, or whoever might wear his skin - Begone! Out, and out, and out again I say, by the law of threes I banish thou! Thee who would interfere in the Justice of the Faery will not be permitted in Mine presence!"

[Wyvern]

Alys will, if there's a reasonable opportunity, Look over the crowd before switching to focusing on a Trump card. In either case, however, she is absolutely not going to let anyone outside the cottage see that she's holding a card. Or, if she can manage it, anyone inside the cottage either.

[Joshua]

Well, that would be well and good for facing off against Simon the butcher... but there's at least 2 - 3 dozen townsfolk on the other side of the door, with various degrees of weaponry. And there's a strong permeation of magic among all of them. What's worse, it's the same magic signature.

"Come now Aibne, we both know that you are so much better than what lesser folk would call a god." One of them will say (still Simon I guess, a fairly large man, big biceps). He steps forward unafraid. "Will we have to take you by force then? I had hoped we could come to terms under the law."

[Draylen]

He blinks a little and raises an eyebrow, moving slightly to very, very carefully block the entrance to the cottage, standing exactly in the center of the doorway. "I would certainly not claim to be better than a god of any sort," he says, narrowing his eyes. "Stories will make heroes and gods out of anyone, for sure. But never once would I claim to such a title, nor would I allow any to foist such a thing upon me. Weaker even than my Father am I, for His blood runs on my veins but diluted." His left hand twitches slightly, as he stares down the smaller, admittedly still actually fairly large man with the big biceps.