Forging Ahead

[darksmokerising]

WHO: Merlan O'Keefe & YOU
WHEN: The Rest of May - Beginning of June
WHAT: Doing shit and making things
WHERE: Gazin, The Forest, Merlan's Forge
WARNINGS: Cussing? Monster fighting.

00.1 𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮

She missed the magic, the gleam of chaos that had been Merlin, which is why she continued to work on various and sundry items out in her little patch of forest clearing. Surrounded by trees, now with a two bedroom house built from logs, sweat, and a bit of blood, Merlan found herself comfortable and actually, for once, rather content. It was a simple life, quiet, away from the town. She even had a spot for her warhorse, Thunder, now. It was only a two-stall barn and fenced pasture in the large clearing but it was well built. Thunder seemed to enjoy it, stocked with decent feed and the odd apple or treat she'd found somewhere along the way from Gazin to here. Her defences were tight and wards would tell her what lurked nearby and then create some truly hideous noises to scare off monsters.

On her porch, which was wrap-around, terminating at a gate where she'd coaxed a garden into both producing food and blooming flowers with a small pool of water with stones set into its mouth. Coin had been easier than most since she went out every few days to monster hunt, grabbing trouble here and there by its talons, head, horns or what-have-you.

Balls?

Now, she sat sipping tea out of a pewter cup in the early morning as a hazy fog crept in. There was a sign that sat hung between two snug trees that said:

𝓜𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓪𝓷'𝓼 𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮 & 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬
(MONSTER HUNTING JOBS ACCEPTED)

It was neatly burnt into a piece of carved wood which was then shaped like a dragon roaring with the tongue as the signage. Merlan thought it was clever but who knew about the residents.

002. 𝓗𝓾𝓷𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 & 𝓢𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰

If there's aynone in need around, Merlan is there to help! In fact, she'll even bring her warhorse so they can kick some ass if needed.

003. 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓭

Wherever and whatever your please~

Comments

[darksmokerising]

"We'll work up to the really high ones," Merlan teased, wrinkling her nose as she laughed and pour herself more tea with a grin. She has zero expectations nor wants them, they're a load of crap mostly. The only expectations she had were for herself and they were high. She absently but gently kept brushing her thumb over Renfri's skin. It felt right, good even, to brush out that gentle calm and ease. Contact had never been something she was really used to but it was something she always had craved.

It was good for both of them, she supposed, her smile was soft as she watched her new friend. They'd be just fine.

[thelesserevil]

She couldn't help herself, she had to laugh along at Merlan's teasing, though her own laughter was a little muted still, as she still found herself overwhelmed by the many rapid developments of the morning. It was a lot and she found herself a little overwhelmed by it, maybe, but it was a long time since she had been overwhelmed in a good way.

"I'll take that deal," she shot back, playful challenge glinting in her eyes. "I'm considered pretty fearsome at home, you know. A terrible brigand." Her lips twitched. "You should be afraid."

[darksmokerising]

Merlan gasped in mock horror, then scrunched her nose. Terrible brigand! Oh noes! Her hand went up with a flutter to her chest and she mimed a swoon.

"Goodness. Will you tie me up and take me to your lair?" she said in a breathless voice. "Or will I join your terrible band of brigands? Mmm, what a story, lovely fearsome Lady Brigand."

[thelesserevil]

At the sight of Merlan's mock shock and horror, Renfri found herself laughing loudly and then eyed her, tapping a finger against her bottom lip thoughtfully.

"I don't know," she said slowly, the very picture of someone thinking hard about it, "I might just take you to my lair and then make you join my band of outlaws, let you gain your freedom through villainy!"

And yet even as she joked, she found herself marveling. For someone to know, at least parts of the story, and at least parts of her reputation, and joke wit her instead of condemning her... This was indeed a wondrous place, with wondrous people.

[darksmokerising]

"Oh my," Merlan says, a hand to her chest. "I suppose if I didn't want to leave that's probably freedom, too. I would be content to make weapons and provide support, I'm sure. Light forbid I let anyone harm you."

She meant the last part in all seriousness but it came out as lighthearted and free as the rest. Merlan meant that so much she slid her bright wings from tattoo to curve around their little huddle of hilarity - that was proof enough. She didn't notice them until they glittered in the sunlight, throwing colours around them.

"Whoops," she murmured, "got a little excited about that last bit." She squeezed the other woman's hand comfortingly, though her own face was flushed with something akin to embarrassment. "I should...probably put my wings back."

[thelesserevil]

This... was something else. Renfri tried her best not to stare, knowing how uncomfortable it was to be gawked at, but the wings were fascinating. The sight of them even made her forget their jesting as she marveled at the way they glittered in the morning sunlight, bright and colorful and so very intriguing.

It took some doing to tear her eyes away, only to notice the blush on Merlan's face. Seeking to reassure her now that Merlan was the one flustered, she leaned in a little closer, pointedly casual in how she placed an elbow on the table, and said, "No need to put them back. They're just going to make you a more valuable hostage when I take you to my lair of villainy."

[darksmokerising]

Merlan snorted softly.

"You like them, my lady brigand?" she asked, her green eyes fairly sparkling as leaned in as well, waggling her eyebrows. The high points of her cheeks were still flushed but she didn't look away as her a wingtip brushes Renfri's shoulder.

"I need to practise more but they do let me fly. I just haven't gotten around to figuring out how to launch from the ground quite yet. The hop-jump looks ridiculous."

[thelesserevil]

She laughed, meeting her eyebrow waggle with a rakish grin of her own. Yes, yes, she did like the wings, she liked them very much even. They made Merlan stand apart from regular humans in ways that couldn't be denied, yet they only made her look more alluring, enhancing both the flush on her cheeks and the brightness of her smile. And she couldn't help wondering if they played into why she had such strong opinions on monsters.

"Then you will have to practice," she declared grandiosely, "I can't have any of my brigands hopping around like a flightless bird!" Her attention, though, that was already on the wing tip that was brushing her shoulder and with this touch, she found herself reaching out, running her fingers over the tips of her wing.