June 4, 2012 Issue
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Note from the Editor
PLAYER NEWS
The Pkill Front
Clan News
PLAYER SUBMISSIONS
A Knightly Song
Silly Little Cards
A Husband's Return
A Father's Advice
Untitled
A Long-Delayed Reunion
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
I just want to start off by saying that, as an immortal, I see some of the
most hilarious stuff. Your clan chats? Yeah. I can see those (if I so choose)
and you guys are ridiculously amusing at times. But not only can I see you
chat on your clan channels, I get to see who clans befriend or who befriends
a clan. So, imagine my surprise and amusement when I see a Knight befriending
the Anti-Paladins. I'm pretty sure I nearly died from laughter.
Thanks for that, guys. You're great.
Now, onto more pressing matters! In this LT you'll find a few stories, a poem,
and the XP and PK achievements. Enjoy, kids. And be sure to send me any
submissions you have! [email protected] is where you should send them. Just
put 'LT' or 'Legendary Times' as the subject.
And no, I haven't forgotten about your golden apples. Just hold onto them and
at next reboot I should be able to give out prizes accordingly! (Remember, you
need 10 apples to receive your prize!)
-Lamia.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
___ ___
\ |--------------------------------------------------------------------| /
/__| Player News |__\
'--------------------------------------------------------------------'
THE PKILL FRONT
You've been pretty active over the past two weeks! These numbers reflect the
PK activity from May 24, 2012 through June 3, 2012.
Our top PKer was Reddeath who had 10 wins!
The remaining top pkillers (to round out the top 5) were:
Lumpy and Zoroaster, both with 9 wins.
Kavyne with 7 wins.
Ladyr and Maile with 6 wins.
And Kvothe and Z'in'ar with 5 wins.
Great job, guys. Keep killing and get those numbers up there!
And a great job to the other pkillers, both with and without wins.
-Lamia
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
CLAN NEWS
The Third Circle clan was disbanded by Reaver
Templars of Light was formed by Z'in'ar
Templars of Spinach was formed by Popoculus
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
______________________
/ \
o O | Wonder what folks are |
`\|||/ |doing over at LegendMUD?|
(o o) \_______________________/
ooO_(_)_Ooo________________________________________________________________
_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|_____|___
__|_____|_____|_____|_____|__PLAYER SUBMISSIONS___|_____|_____|_____|_____|
A Knightly Song
This song is written
for three stinky Knights;
'Men' with no honor,
brown stains on their tights.
Fair Ladyr, the mage,
is a twitchy sort;
he'll run far and fast
he's not a good sport.
Ser Kavyne the wise
lacks sytle or flair;
somehow he inspires
with a head full of air.
Brave Styx is the master
of his motley peers;
yet his armor smells strong
of urine and tears.
These Knights I salute,
my compliments, good sirs!
If only you knew that
a real Knight has spurs.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Silly Little Cards
Albina stared at the deck of cards in her hands. She hated Tarot. It did not
grant the Sight to anybody; it merely allowed one to potentially think outside
the proverbial box. She was running out of options, however. Her son had
nearly died again, Lethe’s attack bold and an attempt to break their spirits.
Lethe was a monster and she still felt like a fool for believing that some
part of him remained all those months ago.
'The Seven of Swords,' she said, glancing at the card she flipped onto the
grass of her grove. The deck Albina had procured was blunt when it came to
symbolism. The full moon shone over the man on this card who sat on the
ground, a dunce cap sitting on his lap. 'Caden. Insufficient planning? Poor
choices.' The goddess grumbled under her breath. 'Stupid card, he didn't know.
And where is the future? You show me only the past with this.' She turned the
next card, placing it next to the Seven of Swords. The Empress. Twelve stars
on her brow, her belly large with child. She rolled her eyes. 'We know he's
unselfish. The boy is fighting his own father.' Sneering, Albina took the two
cards and cast them aside.
'Perhaps I'll fare better with Jaina,' she said, shifting slightly as she
flipped a card over. This was the Eight of Swords, a woman blinded, a sword in
each hand, the moon above her, much like Caden's card. 'Inability to look
beyond the present... not surprising. She's her mother's child, through and
through.' Another card, the Fool, though inverted. 'Foolish actions and
naivety. We'll have to watch her, then.' Albina gathered Jaina's cards and set
them aside, more gentle than she did Caden's.
The next cards she turned together. The Page of Wands, a man holding a staff
and rose, and the Sun, inverted. 'Immediate action and disharmony? I believe
you just informed me of Razael Valentine's death, only a month too late.' She
cast these cards aside, just as she did Caden's. 'Useless old news.' Albina
stared at the deck for a moment, her brow furrowed. 'I see,' she said after a
moment. 'I cannot look into Razael's fate because it has been decided by Him.
I certainly hope You don't hinder me further.'
Sighing, she turned two cards. The World and the Page of Pentacles, both
inverted. 'Nadia,' she said lightly. 'Unrealistic, illogical, insecure, and
imperfect.' Albina laughed softly. 'You don't even try, do you cards?' She set
these next to Jaina's before turning two others. 'The King of Swords and...
and Temperance? Who...' Albina frowned and closed her eyes, searching for
something. 'Cooperation, logic, observation... These cards are also Nadia's,
but... but why?' Setting the deck on the ground, Albina carefully picked up
the two cards, her odd turquoise and violet eyes narrowed. 'What's happening
to you, Nadia Valentine?' She set these aside, atop Nadia's other pair. After
a moment she picked up her deck of tarot cards again.
'Perhaps you aren't entirely useless,' she said to the cards, a finger tracing
the design on the back of the top card. 'Let's see what you See for myself.
And for Lethe, though you should See nothing.' The Star and the Ten of
Pentacles were for Albina, though both were inverted. She laughed heartily as
she saw the Star. 'Yes,' she said, her tone still full of mirth. 'I am quite
desperate, dear cards. A loss of wealth, though. Hm. Perhaps this is the loss
of Sight for so many now. Thank you, Razael Valentine. That was so very
helpful.' She left hers on the ground, flipping two more and setting them over
hers. The Five of Swords and an inverted Justice. Albina's breath caught in
her throat, her eyes wide as she stared at the two cards.
'Oh, Lethe,' she whispered, her voice breaking as her fingers brushed over the
image of a blue rose settled in a pool of blood. 'Defeat. For your bitter,
hateful actions.' Albina swallowed, trying to steady her breathing and calm
her nerves. 'I knew,' she said softly. 'I did not have to See to know, but
this is... final. So final, coming from these silly cards.' Moving quickly,
she gathered the cards. Sets she had cast aside were quickly shuffled into the
unshown cards as Albina worked, silent as tears fell down her cheeks. After
several moments of shuffling, she turned two more cards, focusing every
thought, every ounce of her being on Caden. The Seven of Swords and the
Empress were drawn yet again. 'Pray their love is enough, Caden,' she said as
she stood, leaving both cards and the tarot deck on the ground. Albina turned
and made her way towards a path, leaving her grove. 'I cannot See how love
will save you all, though.'
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
A Husband's Return
Nadia approached Razael slowly, eyeing the man warily. She'd seen him die.
She watched as Lethe struck him down, as Jaina checked him desperately for any
sign of life, and she'd watched Caden carry his lifeless body inside their
home. Yet here he was, standing before her. He couldn't be real. Razael was
dead; this had to be some sort of trick! Yet as she drew closer, Nadia
couldn't help herself. She raised a hand as though to caress him, her fingers
dancing close to his skin, yet never daring to touch.
'I'm real, Nadia,' Razael said, looking around the residence with a light
smile. That was all the witch needed. She threw herself at Razael, clutching
his impeccable suit jacket.
'Oh God,' she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked up at
Razael. 'Thank you.' Razael hugged her close, gently shooshing her. His eyes,
now a vibrant blue, glowed faintly. 'You're... you're staying, right?' she
asked him quietly. 'This isn't just until everything is... done.'
The man sighed. 'It's a little more complicated now.' Nadia sniffled a bit and
smiled wryly.
'Of course it is,' she said quietly, reaching up to brush a bit of hair out of
Razael's face. 'What're the stipulations?'
'Well,' Razael said. 'I'm not exactly human anymore.'
Nadia smirked. 'I could sort of tell.' It was then that Razael pointed to a
wall behind the pair, where the sunlight cast his shadow. Huge wings
stretched out from his back in his shadow. Peeking around him, Nadia's
honey-colored eyes widened a bit. 'I... see.'
'Truthfully, my true form would kill you and everyone else within miles,'
Razael said. The witch only nodded, touching Razael here and there. 'So,
again, is this permanent or until things... settle down?'
'It's permanent,' Razael told her. 'A reward, an acknowledgement of two
centuries of service, but also... a request.' Nadia looked at him curiously,
still clutching his jacket. 'I don't want to get into the details of things
that go on in Higher places, but suffice it to say that the proper people
felt that a human serving as an Archangel could add some perspective.'
She nodded. 'Thank you,' she said. 'I... Your timing, I don't now if it was
coincidence - I'm assuming not - or what, but thank you. For Caden.' Razael
nodded.
'I'm not here to kill Lethe,' the Saint said. 'It's not my place, nor my
desire.' Nadia could only nod again, her breath catching. 'But I am here to
tip the scales a bit. For far too long the powers of Hell have had a firm grip
on this world.' Another nod, the woman still remaining close to Raz. 'As a
result, I've been given a sort of... freedom, where this world is concerned.'
He chuckled softly. 'You might say that I'm not operating under any kind of
orders other than a general suggestion to "do some good".'
'Well,' Nadia began, pondering her words for a moment. 'A little goes a long
way. Anything to... extravagant and there'd be suspicion and, well, you know
how the mind works.' She shrugged. 'Speaking of the mind...' Nadia trailed
off, biting her lower lip. 'There's nothing... nothing of Lethe really left
in... the... is there?'
'That thing is Lethe,' Raz told the witch. 'But it is NOT Lethe Aurion.'
Nadia nodded, still biting her lip. 'I... Row said we had to kill him, and
Raz, I couldn't... he wouldn't have... you.' Her voice broke. 'Lethe wouldn't
and I just...' She leaned against him, her words trailing off.
Saint Raz sighed. 'Rowane is right. He will have to die, but the man that you
knew and loved is already gone, Nadia.'
She took a deep breath. 'Alright,' she whispered. 'It was plaguing my mind. He
killed you, destroyed cities, but he couldn't be him.' She stayed where she
was, leaning against Raz still, her head now resting against his chest.
'It is his memories, his skills, his horrible knowledge that far outstrips
virtually anyone,' Razael said. 'But it is not his humanity. Despite his best
effort, Lethe was never really able to let go of that part of him, and as far
as I'm concerned, he died a hero.'
Nadia took a deep, shaking breath, nodding against Raz. 'Thank you,' she
whispered.
After a moment Razael grabbed Nadia's shoulders and gently created a bit of
space between them. 'I have something else for you as well.' The witch looked
at him questioningly, fidgeting as she adjusted to standing on her own. It was
then that Razael reached out and placed a hand on her forehead. 'You have made
mistakes, Nadia Valentine,' he said quietly, closing his eyes. 'But you do not
belong in Hell. I offer you absolution.' His hand grew warm against her flesh
and suddenly that same warmth filled her, warmth unlike anything she'd ever
felt. It was pure. Endless. Without fault.
Nadia closed her eyes, crying fully now. 'Raz, I...' She let loose a broken
sob, fidgeting with her gloves as she looked at him. 'Thank you.'
'I know, perhaps better than anyone, who you are,' Razael said ''Evil' isn't
in your playbook. Maybe a little misguided at times.' Razael opened his eyes,
smiling at the witch as his hand dropped to his side. 'But not evil.'
Nadia took Raz's hand in hers, staring at him for a long moment. She bit her
lip and opened her mouth, as though she had something to say. After a short
bit, she settled for saying nothing and lifted his hand to her lips, kissing
it. Razael watched her during her struggle, quiet all the while.
'I wish I could still be your husband, Nadia. But we know how that would turn
out.'
'I know,' she replied, barely audible. 'You're here, though. That's more than
I could ask for, even desire.'
Razael nodded and said, 'And part of this new job of mine means that I'll
never go away, also.' A moment passed. 'I was watching the whole time, you
know. Every minute, I never left you. You have done... remarkably well, Nadia.
You're stronger than you know.' Nadia bit her lip again. 'And that Caden...
our daughter really found a good one.'
The witch chuckled. 'She did. He's the only person she'd talk to, after it
happened. Civily, I mean. But you saw, as you said.' Nadia sighed. 'I don't
know how to help her,' she said to Razael.
'Perhaps I should go and see her,' Razael said. 'It was alread on my list,
but...' He trailed off, Nadia nodding in agreement. 'One more thing, before
I leave.' Razael crouched down, pressing his hand to the earth. Glowing,
angelic runes spread out from his fingertips, and suddenly the air was warm
and sweet-smelling. After a moment he nodded softly, and everything faded,
back to normal in a blink. Standing, he said, 'You now live on sacred ground.
You know,' he said, looking at Nadia. 'Just in case.'
Nadia laughed softly, smiling at him a bit lopsidedly. 'Tricky bastard.'
Razael merely kissed her forehead.
'Everything works out, Nadia. Remember that.' She smiled at him.
'I will, Raz,' she replied.
'Gotta go,' he said to her. 'Things to do. But you'll see me again soon.' She
nodded and watched as he walked into their home, seeking out their daughter.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
A Father's Advice
'You've grown up,' Razael said, looking at Jaina. The young woman had locked
herself on the balcony, spending her time looking over Lima as she stayed
curled up on a couch.
'Well,' she said shortly, 'There were quite a few life changing events in the
span of about four hours.' Jaina looked up to Razael then down at an open
space on the couch. Razael took the hint and settled in next to his daughter.
'Please don't leave,' she said quietly. 'You died, and then Caden has to fight
Lethe. Please don't go away.'
Raz looked at Jaina, subdued. 'So you want me to sit here on the couch with
you forever?'
'I'm asking you to stay her, on Earth, until I'm old and senile,' Jaina
replied. 'At the very least.'
A chuckle escaped Razael. 'Do you know what I am, Jaina?'
'I was there,' she said. 'I saw. I know you probably have things to do around,
well, everywhere, but don't go away forever. That was the happiest and saddest
day of my life.'
'Well,' Razael began. 'I can't really... be a part of the family anymore.'
Jaina looked at her lap. 'My existence is a lot bigger than that, now. But I
am free to come and go as I want for as long as I deem necessary. I'm not
operating under orders.'
'I'm not so selfish that I want you sitting on this couch every day with me,'
Jaina said quietly, still not looking at her father. 'No. I just want the
opportunity to see you. The option. The chance.' Her voice broke slightly.
'I couldn't do that when you were dead.'
Razael chuckled again. 'Well, I still am dead, technically.' Gently, he
squeezed Jaina's knee. 'You're my daughter, Do you really think I'd ever leave
you, regardless of if we can talk or not?'
Jaina laughed shortly, the sound bitter. 'No, but I quite like getting
responses.' She finally looked at Razael, her eyebrows furrowed. 'How many
more times are you and mom going to leave for good before it ends? How many
close calls will Caden have before he actually dies?' Her voice broke again.
'And all I can do is sit here and wonder, as I'm a liability. I'd get in the
way.'
'Jaina, you are my daughter,' Razael replied. 'And therefore possessing much
greater wisdom than those statements relate.'
The young woman looked away once again. 'True, but that's how it feels at
time. Utterly hopeless.' She laughed that bitter laugh. 'Then again, I suppose
it's not if you're here.'
'And here we are, you've solved your own problem,' Razael said with a soft
chuckle. 'Let me ask you something. If Caden were alone, who do you think he
would be?' He was silent for a few seconds before adding, 'No, don't answer
that. If Lethe had been alone, had never met Nadia, Naeva, Seraphina, or
Albina, who do you think he would have been?'
'A lost soul,' Jaina said lightly. 'Wandering still.'
'And Caden?'
'Caden is Lethe, but something more,' Jaina said, glancing at Raz. 'At least,
from the stories I've heard from mom. Caden has always had us around.'
'But try to imagine him if he didn't,' Razael said.
Jaina frowned. 'It'd be easy to give up, to not care,' she answered. 'To
wander aimlessly, becoming more jaded as time passed.'
'And if he were like that, would he be capable of being the man the world
needs him to be?' Razael asked.
'No, he wouldn't,' she said quietly. 'I see what you're saying, but that
feeling remains. I see him nearly dying multiple times and one day he may die
and I'll be here, knowing I wasn't there to keep him alive.' Jaina's jaw
clenched slightly as she turned her gaze over the city. 'I love him. I know
these are things that need to be done. But I don't have to like them.'
'One of the first lessons I taught you as a healer, Jaina, is that you can
never save everyone,' Razael said. 'And you can save the ones you want to even
less.'
'I know,' she said quietly, her tone matter-of-fact. 'I'm sorry. I don't know
how mom put up with things like this for so long.'
'She went crazy a few times,' Raz said. 'But everyone has to go a little crazy
every once and awhile. You're young. You'll learn. And the secret is that it
never gets easy.'
'I suppose I shouldn't have ever expected it to always be picnics and flower
bouquets,' Jaina said to Razael. 'Did... did she really go crazy? I always
thought they were just stories people told. You know, to tell stories.'
'Jaina, she was a MISTRESS of HELL.'
The woman smirked. 'Alright, stupid question. I just never knew how insane she
was, I guess.'
A moment of silence passed between the pair. 'I've been watching, you know.
Since I died,' Razael said. 'You're just like her.'
'I'm not sure how I feel about that,' Jaina said without missing a beat.
Razael laughed. 'Everything works out, Jaina. That's why I'm here. To remind
you of that.'
'And to tell me that I'm like mom,' Jaina retorted, giving Razael a sly,
teasing glance.
'I'll always be here,' Razael said after a moment. 'And when the time comes,
I'll hold your hand and take you to the next part of your journey.'
Jaina nodded. 'Sounds good,' she said, glancing at Raz again. 'So like, are
you allowed to bitchslap people? Just asking, as Albina tried to keep me from
coming back here. She's rambling on and I think SHE'S going a bit crazy.'
'Not my jurisdiction,' Razael said with a chuckle. 'Little g, I work for the
big G.'
'C'est la vie,' Jaina said with a sigh.
'However,' Razael said, 'I think you should probably talk to the people that
you've gone a little crazy on in these last few weeks.'
'I will apologise for snipping,' Jaina said. 'I will never apologise for being
sad or frustrated.'
'It's not wrong to feel sad, and you know that. But it is wrong to treat
people who care about you poorly.'
'I know,' Jaina said. 'Which is why I'll apologise.' They lapsed into a
comfortable silence. 'Where do I start?'
'Where do you think you should start?' Raz replied.
Jaina shifted a bit, biting her lower lip. 'Instinct says to find Caden. I'm
sure that's the worst decision, however.'
'He's a little tied up right now,' Razael said. 'But he'll be back soon, I
imagine. You won't need to find him. He loves you, so he'll always come back.'
Nodding, Jaina shifted again. 'I guess I just... stay here.' She shrugged.
'Help where I can.'
'You will continue to be the amazing young woman you are,' Razael answered for
her. 'You're skilled in medicine, Jaina, and there's an empty clinic in town
that could use some servicing. Your name may now be Aurion, but you'll always
be a Valentine.'
'I'd nearly forgotten about the clinic, with everything that happened,' Jaina
said, blushing faintly. 'I suppose I should be ashamed about that.' She
laughed softly. 'Well,' she said, looking at Razael. 'There's my answer. The
clinic.'
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Untitled
'Where is your beau, Israella?' Albina asked, looking around Israella's home
with disdain. 'Your little godling?' Israella laughed and moved a few books
from the sofa to a nearby table.
'Evan has been out and about,' she said lightly, sitting on the cleared couch.
'While I do miss him, he has his own life. I enjoy myself when around him, but
no... what your tone suggests, dear grandmother, is not reality.' Albina
snorted, taking a seat at the opposite end of the couch, as far from Israella
as she could be without standing any longer.
The Goddess looked at Rae pointedly. 'You had a gift, you know, and you gave
it up to the spawn of the very beings who drove your anc--' Israella held up a
hand, silencing Albina.
'If you're going to go on a hate-filled rant about the Greeks, take it
elsewhere,' she said, looking at the pale-eyed goddess warily. 'I have no
quarrels with them, nor do I care very much for you.'
Albina rolled her eyes. 'I made a mistake,' she said simply. 'The things one
does for love.'
It was Rae's turn to snort. 'Oh, yes, love. Hiding children from their
parents, using them for nefarious means. You're a real saint, aren't you
grandmother?' The young woman stood and walked away, across the room to a
window. 'If you bring no joy to me, leave. No sweet news, no promise of
spring.'
'You're terrible at metaphors,' Albina said. 'It must be from your father.'
Rae turned and leaned against the wall. 'I have no father,' she said with a
shrug, her arms crossed over her belly. 'And no mother. I exist thanks to
broken magic. ...or the grace of God.' She smirked, watching as Albina's fair
skin flushed a bright crimson.
'Do not-'
'Shut up, you hag,' Rae said, pointing towards the door. 'We're not blind
without you. I'm not, the Valentines aren't, nor are the Aurions.' Israella
laughed at Albina's surprised expression. 'Oh, yes, I know. Whispers reach me,
even here. Then again, a wicked being and destruction wherever those families
are? It doesn't take a scientist, or an oracle, to know what's going on. The
silence is over and the battle rages now.'
Israella pushed herself from the wall and walked towards Albina. 'And I want
nothing to do with it. Evan and I cleaned up the mess Nadia left in Salem. I
wish no harm to her and her family, yet I want nothing to do with them,' she
said in a cold tone. 'Now get out, grandmother.' She took a step back, still
staring at Albina. 'And don't come back unless you're here to apologise and
right your wrongs.'
Albina stared at the young woman for a moment before standing. 'A curse on
you, Israella Itani. A curse o--'
'OUT!' the woman yelled, grabbing Albina's arm and dragging her. 'I do not
care that you are an undying goddess, I do not care that you are my
grandmother. You are terrible and I want you GONE.' She pushed Albina out the
door, standing in the doorway to glare at the goddess. 'Leave and do not come
back. I banish you from my homes and I banish you from this island. Step foot
on these lands for any reason and you will have a very angry witch to deal
with, a witch who does not fear you.'
Silent and flushed, the goddess stared at Rae for a moment before turning and
leaving without another word.
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
A Long-Delayed Reunion
'She's in the flower garden,' Setheus said off-handedly, not bothering to look
at Alayne as she entered the villa. 'I've told her that you'll be visiting
today, though I'm still not sure how she'll handle it. You've been dead for
the past two years.' Alayne stared at Seth, who still hadn't looked away from
his newspaper.
'So, are you always a jerk, or is this just how you treat the girls you have
crushes on.' She smirked as he finally responded, carefully folding his paper
and setting it aside. Slowly, he stood and moved towards her, his blue eyes
gleaming wickedly. Alayne's breath caught as he moved towards her with such
predatory grace.
He stopped maybe an inch or two from her form, an arm wrapping around her, his
right hand settling on her lower back. 'Your daughter is playing in the garden
if you wish to see her,' he said silkily. 'If you're here to bait me, just say
so, little ghost. There are other games we could play than this one.'
They stared at each other for a moment before Seth started to laugh. 'My God,
ghost. You seemed like you wanted to either jump my bones or run away
screaming.' He took a step back, narrowly avoiding a punch to the chest from
the flustered redhead.
'So you're a jerk,' she said lightly, teasing. 'Let's hope your mannerisms
haven't rubbed off on her too much. I'd quite like to have a little princess,
not a sarcastic street-rat.'
'Oh, you've a sarcastic little princess,' Seth replied, moving back to his
seat. 'Now go catch up with her. She's been pestering me for the past week.'
Alayne sputtered, though she didn't say anything else to the man before
stalking out of the room, through the house, and out a side door into the
garden. What met her was not the sight she expected. First there was a
definite flurry of motion and then a mane of redhair blinded Alayne. 'Mummy!'
a little girl's voice cried. 'Thanks for coming back!'
Laughing, Alayne hugged the little girl close to her. Glancing around, she saw
that her daughter had been balanced on the fence, waiting for her to come
through the doorway. 'You're welcome, Alessa,' Alayne said fondly, still not
letting go of the six-year old. 'I'm sorry I was gone for so long. I had
important Knight things to do.' This earned a gasp from her daughter.
'Seth said that bad guys kidnapped you!'
Alayne nodded, finally setting the little girl down. 'They did, but I escaped,
with the help of a very nice man--'
'Good!' Alessa said, interrupting Alayne. 'Now I can show you all of the
things I've been doing since daddy and Seth found me and Eilian.' Without
waiting for a reply from her mother, Alessa grabbed the woman's hand and
dragged her further into the garden.
'Alright,' she laughed, watching the tiny redhead bop around, explaining why
certain flowers were certain colors - 'Mummy, I can make things change!' - and
what she planned on doing with certain patches of grass. She listened to her
daughter babble on for ages, occasionally asking about things that had
happened over the past couple years. Alessa had to struggle with the questions
sometimes, as two years was an eternity for one her age, yet Alayne was always
satisfied with the answers.
Setheus wandered outside sometime near dusk, lighting a few outdoor lanterns
before setting out a picnic basket for the pair. Alessa had insisted that
Alayne sit while she prepared everything, which, in reality, consisted of
picking out a sandwich and handing it to her mother.
Soon the child was yawning, full of food and exhausted from her excitement.
Alayne scooped her up and carried her inside. Seth tried to fuss, insisting
that Alessa needed a bath as she was covered head to toe in dirt, but he was
quickly silenced with a glare from Alayne. 'You can wash the sheets tomorrow.'
Without another word, Seth disappeared, leaving Alayne to tuck her daughter
in, as well as curl up next to her. Yes, Alayne thought as she drifted off to
sleep next to her oldest child. The wait was certainly worth it.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The Legendary Times is published by the immortals of LegendMUD. Please send
replies, additions, or corrections to our address at [email protected] for
inclusion in the next edition. All subscription options are now handled at
this url: http://www.legendmud.org/lists/listinfo/legendarytimes For RP
submissions, copyright ownership remains with the author. We do reserve the
right to moderate the forum and edit or reject any submission.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=