dtv, Tavern Grounds, Imortality: All in the Family.

[swindle-blitz.livejournal.com]

Ratchet: *gently talking to Shadowwraithe as he straightens the patchwork blanket that the shadow drake is wearing*

Shdowwraithe: *Rrrrs. She's sore, but one can tell she's concerned about Chagrin*

Ratchet: Heartstone said he's going to be alright. *offers her his hand to smell* Blackout took care of him.

Shadowwraithe: *sniffs Ratchet's hand. Rrrr. Nuudge*

Ratchet: *gentle chin tickle* Is your blanket alright? Kia put a lot of work into sewing those horse blankets together.

Shadowwraithe: *gives the blanket a nudge as well. It's fine.*

Ratchet: *teasing grin* Once Blitzwing gets home I'll let him in here. That should help you feel better.

Shadowwraithe: *perks at that*

Ratchet: *chuckles and gently scratches her forehead, then offers her a bit of oatmash cooked with meat broth and wine*

Shadowwraithe: *sniffs at it, then lifts her head. She's heard something.*

Blitzwing: *has landed! Helping Randomly and Honeyfuggle off his back.*

Ratchet: *stands and looks through the open stall door toward the stable door as he listens to the sounds from the stable yard*

Heartstone's mare: *head up as she also listens from the stall across the aisle*

Blitzwing: *is heading to the stables.*

Ratchet: *calls to the big wyvern* Blitzwing, will you come over here?

Blitzwing: *stop* Rrrr? *triple head tilt, then goes over*

Ratchet: *steps out of his way* Your girlfriend could use a little company.

Blitzwing: *is coming!* *stops* o.o o.o o.o

Shadowwraithe: Rrrr...

Blitzwing: *backs out a couple of steps, and two of the heads roar in the Tavern's direction.*

Ratchet: *winces a bit and then watches as Kia pops out of the cellar to comfort mounts startled or frightened by the roars* Easy, buddy.

Blitzwing: *coming in now!*

Honeyfuggle: *heard the roar, came to see what the commotion is about.*

Randomly: *right behind him.*

Ratchet: *to the wyvern* She's sore, and tired. But I think she'll be alright. Do you think you could convince her to eat some of this mash?

Blitzwing: *nods one of his heads, and settles beside Shadowwraithe.*

Shadowwraithe: *snuzzle, then sniff at the mush again*

Honeyfuggle and Randomly: *peeking in now*

Randomly: ...Shadowwraithe? What happened to her??

Ratchet: Do I need to add something else to make it good? *looks up from where he's hunkered by the pot of food* She and her master had a run in with some spooks.

Honeyfuggle: Pretty strong spooks...

Randomly: *looking worried now* Chagrin?

Shadowwraithe: *licks at it now*

Ratchet: He's at home. *quietly encourages Shadowwraithe, is so intent on his patient that he doesn't pay as much attention as he could to Randomly and Honeyfuggle*

Randomly: Home...home... *a flash of portal magics, and she's -gone-*

Honeyfuggle: *slight jump*

Ratchet: *glances up distractedly*

Honeyfuggle: Randomly just left to check...I better go catch up with her...

Ratchet: Alright. *hand goes out to scratch Shadowwraithe's head again*

Honeyfuggle: *heads out for the blockhouse...*

Randomly appears in the foyer!

servant: *calmly and cheerfully* Shall I take your boots, lady?

Randomly: Chagrin? Is he here? Is he okay? *taking off boots*

servant: He's well now. But he's resting.

Randomly: *faint flail* Does Stoic know?

servant: He's resting too.

Randomly: ...Resting?

servant: Yes, lady. He had a hard day as well.

Randomly: ...Well, if they're resting...I guess I shouldn't bother them.

servants 2 and 3: *have gone to report that Master and master's sister is here*

Stoic: *is awake* Randomly's here? *will get up. He is feeling better. Perhaps a little...stiff.*

servant 2: *gets him a nice red robe embroidered with gold to wear over his sleep gown*

Stoic: *looks* *likes*

servant 2: *slips it onto his shoulders so that he can put his arms in*

Stoic: *puts his arms in*

servant 2: *offers him the sash*

Stoic: *puts the sash on* Now I kinda feel...lichy. *faint smirk at that*

servant 2: *chuckles and offers him half of a large pink grapefruit*

Stoic: *blinks, and smiles* Thank you. Is Honeyfuggle here as well?

servant 2: I didn't see him, master. The lady portalled in.

Stoic: She'd only do that if she was worried... *will now hurry to the foyer*

servant: *Stoic may not have to go all the way to the foyer, as the servant has attempted to invite Randomly into the front hall*

Randomly: *had accepted the invite, looking worried*

Heartstone: *coming down the righthand staircase* ...Um. Sister, I forgot your name again. *looks at Stoic and worries silently at him for being up*

Randomly: *faint smile at that* It's Randomly. *looks at Stoic also* Stoic! ....Stoic? You look like you stayed out in the sun waaaay too long!

Stoic: Not quite... *will make his way down to the hall*

Heartstone: *comes over to the siblings and reaches out her hands to take theirs* There's a sitting room just down the lower hall. Come and sit.

Randomly: How's Chagrin? We...saw Shadowwraithe. Oh! Honey's still outside!

Stoic: We should let him in..

Heartstone: I'll do it. The sitting room is through there. *points beneath the right hand staircase, toward the huge and airy room that is part of her own and Chagrin's wing of the palace* The entings are in the garden, and it's open to it, so they'll probably come and say hello. *turns and hurries toward the door to the foyer*

Randomly: What happened to you? *will head for the sitting room*

Stoic: I'll tell you in a moment. *goes as well*

room: *warm, scattered with pillows and low comfortable chairs. Is open by means of a row of arches onto the circular garden overlooked by Chagrin and Heartstone's sleeping room. In the garden two little ents in baby dresses are paddling in the fountain and squeaking at the fish*

Stoic: *sits down on one of the chairs as Randomly flops onto a pillow* We should wait for Honeyfuggle.

Honeyfuggle: *waiting right outside the blockhouse. Is pacing, actually.*

Heartstone: *opens the outer door and peeks out, then smiles when she sees him* Won't you come in, sir?

Honeyfuggle: *looks up* Oh, thank you. Is Randomly in there? We saw Shadowwraithe, how's Chagrin?

Heartstone: He's sleeping with our loudest baby right now. He's alive and he's going to be alright. And yes, she is. *holds the door open for him*

Honeyfuggle: *breathes a sigh of relief, and enters the blockhouse* Thank you.

Heartstone: His brother is talking to... um... Sister, too. *closes outside door and makes sure it's locked. Inside door is still open*

Honefuggle: Randomly. *will enter the inside door*

Heartstone: Yes. ^_^;

Honeyfuggle: *is inside now, and already removing his boots*

Heartstone: *closes the inner door and waits for him before heading for the front hall and the sitting room*

servant: *offering slippers*

Honeyfuggle: Thank you. *slips his feet into the slippers*

servant: You're welcome, sir.

Heartstone: *looks toward the door as she waits*

Honeyfuggle: *will follow Heartstone now*

Heartstone: *leads him to the right wing and under the staircase, then down the hall and into the warm peaceful comfort of the sitting room*

Honeyfuggle: *follows, then stops, and sniffs, looking at Stoic as he does so* You...smell different.

Stoic: ...I'm not surprised.

Heartstone: *quietly* He's... preserved.

Randomly: ...You're a pickle?

Stoic: *facepalm* Randomly...

Honefuggle: *sniffy sniff, then sits next to Randomly*

Heartstone: *takes the tray of little cakes and candied fruit from the servant who brings it, then sets it where her guests can reach it. Then takes the pitcher of fruit drink and the glasses from the next servant and repeats the setting it for the guests*

Stoic: *looks down, then starts to tell what had happened to him*

Honeyfuggle and Randomly: *both wide-eyed*

Heartstone: *settles on a pillow and sits on her heels as she too listens*

Randomly: *will get up and HUG Stoic once he's finished*

Heartstone: *smiles slightly*

Honeyfuggle: You're back now. You're safe.

Stoic: I know. I...still feel weak. Stronger in some aspects, different, but still...weak. I may have to relearn my necromancer abilities...

Heartstone: *looks up* The skinny dead man was asking about you when I went to look at the poor drake. Don't dead people usually leave when you can't control them?

Stoic: That's usually how it is. He's a bit different.

Heartstone: The dead man in white stayed too. I could hear him singing.

Stoic: *smiles at that* Yes...Elvis. I've had him for awhile.

Randomly: Cake! *will take one and stick it in Stoic's mouth*

Stoic: Mrrph!

Heartstone: *startled and then laughing*

Honeyfuggle: *is also laughing...until Randomly does the same thing to him* Mrrph!

Heartstone: *big eyes and hands over her mouth!*

Randomly: *grin-grins, and sits back down*

Heartstone: *and then she's welcoming two little ents into her lap as they discover the people in the sitting room and make a beeline for their Mama* Ohhhh. Hello. Are you having fun?

entings: *squeak squeak!* ^_^ ^_^

Randomly: They're so cute!

Honeyfuggle: You think Hydra are cute, Randomly.

Heartstone: *soft laugh* Well, I think the babies are cute too. *gently straightens a trailing ribbon on the front of one baby gown*

Honeyfuggle: ...You have a point.

entings: *ohhh cups. They see cups. And cake! Beetle over and pick cakes up and then offer them to Uncles and Aunty*

Randomly: *light squee!*

Stoic: You have to admit, that is cute.

Heartstone: ^_^ The other baby was burrowing around under the pillows in our bed today. Now he's sleeping with Chagrin.

Honeyfuggle: Mushi? Sleeping with Chagrin? *amused*

Heartstone: Yes. *soft laugh*

Honeyfuggle: *chuckles, then sobers* I hope he gets well soon.

Heartstone: *softly* He's getting better from being bound by Blackout too. Only he's a shadow now.

Randomly: ...Shadow? Like a Shade?

Heartstone: Yes. That's the word! Only he's alive.

Honeyfuggle: Oh...wow.

Heartstone: *quietly, as she takes the cake the enting with green ribbons offers her* I was so frightened when he fell into the courtyard yesterday.

Randomly: *nods* I can imagine... *will so lean on Honeyfuggle now*

Honeyfuggle: *hug and comfort*

Heartstone: *looks at the cake, and then sets it back on the tray* Excuse me. I have to go check on him. *up to her feet and gone*

entings: ????

Stoic: *looks after Heartstone, concerned*

upstairs

Heartstone: *slips over, soundless in her slippers, and peeks into the bed*

Chagrin: *waking up, green eyes peering out from the pillows* Heartstone?

Heartstone: *settles to sit on her heels and gently reaches down to touch his face* How are you feeling?

Chagrin: Better. Tired. Hungry. *touches Heartstone's hand with his*

Heartstone: *softly* Do you want to come downstairs and see the others? *glances at Mushi as the baby stretches with a soft squeak*

Chagrin: We...have company? *sits up*

Heartstone: *nod nods* The captain and his lady.

Mushi: *complains about Daddy sitting up when he was snuggling him*

Chagrin: Shhh, shhh... *snuggles Mushi* ...Yes, I would.

Heartstone: *claps her hands and asks a servant to bring Chagrin's blue house robe, then offers her arms to Mushi*

Mushi: *gives Mama a stink eye, and then decides to go see her* *and then goes back to sleep*

servant: *brings the embroidered robe*

Chagrin: *stands up from the pillow pit and puts the robe on*

servant: *hands him the sash, and his slippers*

Chagrin: *thanks him and puts them on*

Heartstone: *stands gracefully, ready to walk downstairs by her husband*

Chagrin: *stands next to Heartstone, also ready*

Heartstone: *smiles up at him and then heads for the stairs and down, her pace slower than usual because she can tell he's not as strong as he could be*

Chagrin: *smiles at that*

Heartstone: *and down she guides him and into the sitting room, there to fuss gently till she has him seated in one of the chairs*

Chagrin: *just smiles at Heartsong*

Honeyfuggle: *is blinking*

Randomly: *up to hug Chagrin!*

Heartstone: *gets a cake and a glass of mint lemonade and waits for the hug to be over before offering them to her husband. Does this without putting down the Mushi*

Chagrin: *hugs Randomly in return* Don't worry, I'll be fine. Perhaps a bit scarier in battle.

Randomly: *giggles at that*

Stoic: Best thing for a Death Knight to be.

Chagrin: *smile, and takes his cake and lemonade* Thank you Heartstone.

Heartstone: *gives him a kiss too, and then settles on her pillow by his chair and cuddles the sleeping Mushi*

entings: *over to offer Daddy two more cakes!* ^_^ ^_^

Chagrin: *is amused* Thank you.

entings: *happy little squeaky guys. Gonna go see Uncles now*

Stoic: *amused at the little trees*

Honeyfuggle: ^.^

Heartstone: *to Chagrin* The man in the robe and the white lady have made a blanket for your drake. The man in the robe says he thinks she's going to get better.

Honeyfuggle: Blitzwing's watching over her as well.

Chagrin: *nods solemnly* I'd probably be well and truely dead if it wasn't for her...

Heartstone: She's as faithful as the skinny dead man.

Chagrin: *nods, then raises an eyebrow* Skinny dead man?

Stoic: My Undergoth second. He had gone to get help for me...

Heartstone: *nods* He came and got us and brought us back.

Chagrin: Whoa.

Heartstone: *soft laugh* And the dead man in white was panhandling.

Stoic: *chuckles at that*

Chagrin: I'm not that surprised at that...

Heartstone: And he gave the gold to the Undergoth.

Stoic: He did?

Heartstone: *nods* Yes.

Stoic: Huh.

Heartstone: Did you see the skeleton that joined us?

Chagrin: Skeleton?

Stoic: I did, but isn't he Denthe's?

Heartstone: *shakes her head* He came to us because he saw the others, and he wanted to... what's 'muster'?

Chagrin: Muster point? It's a place to gather troops.

Heartstone: *nods* He thought the others were gathered, I guess. And he fought beside me, even though I'm not a dead person commander.

Stoic: *impressed*

Heartstone: But he doesn't seem smart like the skinny man. Or even as smart as the man in white. *who is pretty dumb*

Stoic: If he's smart enough to talk...

Heartstone: Oh. Right. He said, "Want master. Nice master", I think. And he said, "muster".

Stoic: *nods* Not the smartest of undead, but enough.

Heartstone: Do you think he's special too?

Stoic: He may be.

Heartstone: Ohh. *blinks and then chuckles and takes a cake offered by the enting with blue ribbons* Thank you.

enting: *squeak squeak!*

Randomly: They're so cute!

Heartstone: *proud mama beem*

Chagrin: *proud papa beem as well*

Randomly: >.> *take out some rope and snuggles Honeyfuggle with it*

Honeyfuggle: Randomly! *will not laugh*

Heartstone: *giggle*

Honeyfuggle: I think Randomly's saying she wants to spend the night...I can't eat with my hands tied...

Randomly: I can feed you!

Heartstone: *looks at her husband* Do you want supper?

green enting: Tupper!

Heartstone: *squeal!*

Randomly: *squeals as well*

Chagrin: Supper...good... *wide eyed*

green enting: *looks from Mama to Aunty and squeaks quizzically about the squeals* 'Tupper?

Heartstone: *one handed happy flail* Ohhhh!

Stoic: First word?

Heartstone: I think so. *looks at Chagrin to see if he's heard any*

Chagrin: This is the first I've heard...

Heartstone: *turns back to Stoic* Yes. I think it is.

enting: *clapping bitty hands together now. He knows how to get supper!*

blue enting: *claps because brother is clapping*

Chagrin: *grins at that* Yes, supper. ^^

Heartstone: *offers him the sleeping Mushi* What should we have?

Chagrin: *takes Mushi* Oh...I don't know

Honeyfuggle: Something that Randomly won't spill too much on me?

Randomly: *light bop for her husband*

Heartstone: *flash of humor* Did you like Christmas dinner?

Honeyfuggle: I did, it was wonderful

Heartstone: *laughs softly and looks at Chagrin* Should we have roast, or poultry?

Chagrin: I feel like roast.

Heartstone: *quick glance at Randomly as she waits for the wisecrack*

Randomly: *busy gnawing gently on Honeyfuggle's head*

Heartstone: ^_^ *claps for a servant*

servant: Yes, Mistress?

Heartstone: Can we have roast for dinner?

servant: Yes, Mistress. Would you like lamb or gazelle?

Heartstone: o.0 Er...

Randomly: Gazelle? Never had gazelle!

Heartstone: *brightens* Let's have gazelle.

servant: Yes, Mistress. What sort of soup would you like?

Heartstone: Oh, Chagrin's favorite. Just broth is alright, because there will be a lot of other things to eat.

servant: Yes, Mistress. I'm going to get it now. Shall we bring it here when it's ready?

Heartstone: *looks at Chagrin to see if he feels like walking to the dining hall*

Chagrin: *really doesn't feel like like walking.*

Heartstone: *nods* Yes. Let's eat here.

servant: Yes, Mistress. I'm going now. *footsteps move away*

Heartstone: *sighs and settles down to a peaceful evening with family*


((Co written with random_xtras))