[Saoire Event 720] Varlum and Seira

[Pegasus]

25th Trial of Zi'da in Arc 720

"It's time," Saoire said, looking at the small individual with her. They had been preparing for this for a long time - earlier, Saoire had been with them all, the group of her closest, and they had put together the final preparations. The night before, in her workshop, Saoire had told them how tonight they would travel all across Idalos bringing small gifts and good cheer. Children throughout the land had awoken this morning to find trinkets and tchotchkes, gifts given which brought smiles to young faces.

That had been last night. This trial, though, they were bringing together people who Saoire had selected. Individuals who were prepared to give to another - who had taken her prompting, in dreams and visions, and had moved forward - acted - to prepare a gift. And, for the first time, her children would be there when the gifts were exchanged. It was a privilege, and they all knew it. To be there, to witness the giving of a gift by a kind soul.

This was one such soul.

The magic which Saoire wove was more complex, more nuanced than many could understand. Indeed, it would seem that perhaps she had roped Ralaith in to this event - or maybe this was part of her own purview. It wasn't clear, but what was obvious was that these events took place in the literal blink of an eye. Varlum was going about their daily business, as was Seira when they heard the gentle tinkling of a bell. As their ears heard the sound, not yet sure whether it was indeed a bell or in fact the tinkling laughter of a sprite or fairy, they were suddenly somewhere else.

Varlum and Seira found themselves standing in a cavern behind a cascading waterfall. There was a table next to them, with a chair for Seira. Standing with them was a woman, wearing a beautiful crown of pine cones, glitter, and many small and intricate baubles. She wore a dress of deep brown, rich like the earth itself and even her hair shimmered with glitter. She smiled at the two of them.

"I bid you welcome!" They knew who she was, somehow, even before she spoke the next words, "I am Saoire, and this is my very dear friend.". She gestured to a woman, maybe three feet tall, with tufts of white wool all over her who stepped out from behind Saoire.

"It is so nice to meet you! Oh so nice! I've never met anyone like you!!", said the small individual. Looking around with wide eyes, the small bipedal sheep considered that she had never seen anyone so tall before!

"We are here," Saoire said, her voice gentle and bubbling with mirth and joy, "Because Varlum has a gift for you Seira". She gestured around, as though the gift was nearby. Which, Seira would see, it was. "I will leave you, now, to give your gift, but Harlex will stay with you, and when you are ready to go back to your lives, will facilitate that."

And, with the sound of tinkling rain on a lake, Saoire was gone. The small creature with them smiled.

Welcome to your Saoire Event 720 Thread!
This thread is for Varlum to give a gift to Seira.
The thread is Face to Face and so will be eligible for both skill points and knowledge, as long as the usual review requirements are met. At the end of the thread, both pc's will be returned to where they were. Literally and exactly where they were. Feel free to start your posts with where you were and what you were doing.
You may play Harlex as an NPC throughout this thread. If you ask specific questions, feel free to PM Peg, but largely the NPC will not be giving anything away.


When you have completed the thread, please post here to claim your medals!

[Varlum]

Everything froze.

For a brief moment, Varlum wondered if he was victim to a Ralatih power - all of it would make sense. Yet the clock on the back of his neck ticked along all the same. The sound of the bell had caught him off-guard, but he hadn't had time to react before he was suddenly here. Water ran nearby and the noise was soothing and calming as he glanced around, first seeing who he knew to be Saoire. He didn't know how he knew, or why he knew - but he did. Yet the Immortal in front of him wasn't his primary focus. Instead, his eyes glanced and he saw his Niece stood in the same cave as him. "Seira?" he asked, tone almost concerned for a second as he knelt down to be closer to her height.

As Saoire spoke, Varlum glanced to her and the wool-coated woman beside her. He waited for her to continue speaking, nodding to the both as they introduced themselves before finally explaining why they were here - his gift. As he glanced to the table he saw a piece of cloth laid out on the table and covering the things he'd made her, Varlum almost smiling for a moment as he looked back to the Immortal. "Thank you" he nodded to her, still confused but adapting to the confusion as best he could. He turned his head to the Cadouri and offered out a hand, the small woman shaking it for a moment as the giant Ithecal was left with two people significantly shorter than himself. "It's good to meet you, Harlex."

After introductions and farewells were said Varlum turned to his niece, a warm smile over his face as he offered out his arms to hug her. "I imagine you're a little confused" he chuckled, shifting to face the table once the two had hugged. He placed a hand on the cloth but didn't reveal the gifts yet. "After the ball, after everything that's been going on, I decided to make you a gift. Something just for you to enjoy. Your mother told me that you wanted to be a medic someday, to learn how to help people and such. So, I decided that I'd give you a little head start - so you'll be a healer in no time."

As he pulled back the cloth Seira would see a variety of medical tools, all of different shapes and sizes, and twelve or so pins to hold bandages together, all of good quality. What differentiated them from a normal set, however, was the pattern on them. At a closer glance, Seira would see a small art piece on each one. A big Ithecal hand was in the backdrop, the sharp claws and scales all lightly designed. In front of it, seemingly resting against the hand, was a smaller human hand. Varlum offered a scalpel to Seira. "Be careful with it, if you get hurt your mother might hit me" he teased, placing a hand around reassuringly on his niece's shoulder.

"When I was a kid, my Uncle was the only one who raised me. Neither of my parents was ever home," he explained and smiled to her. "And while you're lucky to have Vivian as a mother, you've got me too. That's what the symbol means. That no matter what, you have a big, stone Ithecal here to help with whatever you need. So don't forget it, when you're a world-famous healer. Don't forget your poor, old uncle" he chuckled to her and let her examine the gifts as much as she wanted.

With a gentle pat on her shoulder, Varlum waited and prayed she liked it.

Off Topic

The gift:

A good quality set of steel medical tools, all fit the size and height of Seira so they are comfortable to use, which are as follows

12 bandage pins
2 scalpels, one for small incisions and one for bigger incisions
1 bone saw
1 pair of tongs
1 small hammer
1 steel nail
1 pair of scissors
1 holder

[Seira Shiryu]

Seira found herself back in her mother's quarters at Storm's Edge where she had been before she had been transported to...wherever the beach where she had met Elisabeth and given her gift was. Before she was able to do more than acknowledge this fact, Seri was on her, hugging her tightly, and shaking like a leaf.

"Where were you?! You disappeared! One trill, we were studying together, and the next, you were just...gone!" Seri said frantically.

"Are you okay?! Where did you go? What happened?!" she continued as she searched her twin, looking for signs of injury.

Seira allowed her twin to satisfy herself that she was okay before she even tried to reassure her.

"I'm fine Seri. I'm not sure where I was, exactly...but it was a beach. Nothing bad happened. Do you remember when we were shopping, and I had that weird urge to buy a sword, and a suit of armor?"

Seri nodded cautiously.

"Yes, but what..."

"Well, I met the person who I was meant to give those things too. She was also the person I was supposed to give that male kitten to. Her name is Elisabeth, and she seems like a really nice person. She even asked me to name her sword for her. If you ever get the chance to meet Elisabeth, I think that you will like her too."

Seri looked relieved. Neither girl quite knew what to say next. The events of the evening had most certainly been strange.

"Did you tell Mom that I disappeared?" Seira asked at last.

Seri shook her head.

"I was going to, but there wasn't any time for that. You were back before I could do more than panic over the fact that you had disappeared." she confessed.

"Don't worry about it. That just means that we don't need to go tell Mom that I'm back and safe now. I think we should tell her about all of this the next time we see her, though."

Seri nodded in agreement as she relaxed.

"Do you want to keep studying, then?" she asked.

Seira nodded, and they gathered around the book they had been reading once more. Seira paused long enough to make sure that Seri wasn't still worried about her before she turned the page.

Peppermint is one of many different types of mint. In fact, it is possibly the most well known variety of mint. It is a hearty herb that gives off a minty smell when you rub its leaves. This herb can be used for a wide variety of things. When dried, the leaves can be made into a tea, but it can also be used fresh when cooking. It has a pleasant aroma, so it is often used as a scent for soaps, candles, creams, and other such things. And for the purposes of a healer, most importantly, it is used in the making of a number of herbal remedies.

Both fresh and dried peppermint are good for soothing an upset stomach, freshening breath, and relieving cold symptoms. When made into a tea, it can promote sweating, which can help modulate a fever. And when used as an essential oil, rubbing a few drops on a patient's temple will ease the pain of a headache. Peppermint has a cooling sensation when applied topically, so it can be used to help with minor aches and pain.

Seira paused to take notes on what she had just read while Seri repeated the information to herself quietly in an attempt to commit it to memory. When they were finished, they turned back to their book.

Lemon balm is another type of mint. It can be used to treat colds, the flu, and insomnia. And it can also be used to ease some allergies as well. Lemon balm has a calming effect and as a result, it can be used to help remove fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness, and tension.

Like peppermint, and a variety of other types of mint, lemon balm can be used in cooking as well as in herbal remedies. it is often used as a garnish for drinks and tangy dishes to add a delicate lemon flavor. Lemon balm is especially good when used with fish.

Once again, Seira paused to jot down some notes on what she had just read. As she did so, she wondered how many types of mint there were, and if they could all be used in herbal remedies or to cook with.

"How many different kinds of mint do you think there are, Seira?" Seri asked curiously.

Seira chuckled.

"I was just wondering about that myself. Maybe we should ry and research that some trial."

Seri nodded, and they went back to their reading.

Water mint is also a type of mint. It is a strongly scented herb that smells similar to peppermint. Water mint requires a lot of moisture in order to thrive, and it is known for its sphere shaped lavender flowers. The leaves of this herb can be dried and used in teas that will help with digestive problems, fevers, and headaches. It can also be used as a gargle to ease sore throats. When fresh, it can be used in salads.

Another type of mint. Seira mused as she took more notes.

She flipped back a few pages and realized that she was reading a different chapter than the one she had been reading before she had disappeared and met Elisabeth on that beach. This chapter was focused on different types of mint, and when Seira realized this, what she was reading suddenly made a lot more sense.

Wild mint is another type of mint that can be used in the making of herbal remedies. It is also known as field mint, or corn mint. Wild mint can be found growing in gardens, along streams, ditches, and riverbanks, as well as in fields and meadows. This herb is a useful plant that can be used to help repel rodents, and insects. The leaves, both fresh, and dried, can be used in herbal teas, and a variety of foods. This herb can be used to treat a number of conditions, including fevers, the flu, pneumonia, headaches, heart issues, colds, and diarrhea.

Seira paused to take some notes once more. As she did so, she mused over the fact that so far in her admittedly limited knowledge of herbs, she had not found anything that could be used to treat major traumas such as the loss of a limb, or someone who was bleeding out. Many of the kinds of injuries the Knights were getting here at Storm's Edge could not be treated with herbs. But that didn't mean that they were useless. Far from it. They were good for smaller ailments that would not kill a Knight, but they could render them too sick to fight the pumpernickel flame creatures. They could be used to ease the pain of injuries as the Knights recovered. And some could be used to ease fevers, and from what Seira had overheard, that was important too. It was for these reasons that Seira didn't feel guilty for focusing her study on herbs rather than surgery, and other "more important" techniques. She was slowly but surely building a background of knowledge that would allow her to help a lot of people in the future, not just the Knights.

She was about to start reading once more when she heard the soft, gentle tinkling of a bell. Seira's eyes widened. She had heard that sound once before. Not that long ago, in fact. She turned to her twin quickly.

"It's happening again!" she called out in a warning.

Then she was gone. When she looked around, she found herself in a cavern behind a cascading waterfall. There was a table there with a single chair.

First a beach, and now a waterfall. Is water important in this somehow? she wondered.

Saoire was there, but the dress she was wearing was different, and Seira wondered how she had managed to change into a different one so quickly. She wasn't sure how much time had passed while she was studying, but it couldn't have been all that long, and beautiful dresses like the ones that she had seen Saoire wearing looked hard to get in and out of.

Her thoughts were quickly shoved aside as she was introduced to someone she had met before.

"Uncle Varlum?" she asked curiously.

She hesitated for a trill before speaking again.

"Is it okay if I call you that?" she asked anxiously.

She knew that her aunt Vega didn't want to be called "aunt" after all, and she didn't want to anger her uncle if he didn't want to be addressed as such.

Saoire explained that they were there because her uncle had a gift for her. She glanced at the gift curiously, but she didn't go to it right away. Instead, she glanced at the bipedal sheep that Saoire introduced as her "very dear friend." One that was even shorter than she was...and that was saying something. Last time it had been a bipedal dog that looked like a golden retriever. Seira wondered if all animals had bipedal versions of themselves that could talk. This time, she wasn't as startled when the sheep spoke in a female sounding voice.

"It's nice to meet you." she said softly.

Just as before, Saoire vanished as quickly as she had come. Seira turned her attention to her uncle.

"Do you know how we keep...appearing in strange places like this? This is the second time that it's happened to me totrial."

And while both times were for good things, that didn't mean that it would always be the case if it were to keep happening. Seira stepped into the hug that her uncle was offering, and hugged him back as best she could. When her uncle revealed his gift, her eyes widened with wonder. They were medical tools. Some were ones that she knew, but had never used before. Others were ones she had seen, but didn't know what they were. Yet. And some were ones she had never even seen before. The saw looked more than a little intimidating, but Seira was curious as to how it could be used to heal people.

Seira took the scalpel that her uncle offered her, and caressed the handle reverently, being careful not to touch the blade as she did so. Her uncle was right; these tools would be a huge help to her as she studied to become a healer. And even though that wasn't exactly what she wanted to do...or wasn't all that she wanted to do...it was an important first step. Any gift from family was something to be cherished in Seira's eyes. And knowing that her uncle had made these tools himself instead of buying them made them even more precious to her.

As Seira looked more closely at her gift, she noticed that each of the tools had a small art piece on each one. It was a symbol in the form of a big Ithecal hand was in the backdrop, the sharp claws and scales all lightly designed. In front of it, seemingly resting against the hand, was a smaller human hand.

That's...us. My uncle and me. she realized in awe.

Seira looked up at her uncle, her eyes lit with wonder and joy.

"They're beautiful, Uncle Varlum. And they're so...they're just...perfect. Thank you so much!"

When her uncle spoke of having him as well as her mother, and the meaning of the symbol that each instrument bore, she hugged him again. How many arcs had she and Seri longed for an adult that they could trust before their mother had adopted them? Now they had three, and it was overwhelming. Wonderful, and amazing, but overwhelming too. Tears filled her eyes, and she buried her face against him for a few trills as she struggled to control herself. After a few bits, she looked up at her uncle once more, and smiled.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me, Uncle Varlum. There's no such thing as too much family, and I am honored that you are my uncle. This is just...it's all so...perfect. Thank you. I can't ever say that enough."

The gift itself was wonderful, but the meaning behind the symbol that was engraved on each instrument was worth infinitely more to the young girl who had spent many arcs of her life longing for a real family.

"I don't know about being famous and everything, but I will never forget you, Uncle Varlum. Not ever." she promised.