A Grand Adventure|Beastlands

[Kender Bard]

"Excellent potential," Rive remarks once Darcy is done. "You will be continuing your lessons in this. We have another feyling who is skilled in music and you will be training with her in this. Every now and then, you will be called upon to entertain the court."

[Skittlebug]

Darcy nearly bounces, clasping her hands together, "Oh I hope I'll be good enough for the court!"

[Kender Bard]

"You will with time," Rive replies mildly. "I'll let you do a little exploring now, if you like, and I'll see you again here tonight. There are matters that I must attend to now. Is that all right with you?"

[Skittlebug]

The girl nods, "I'll make sure to be here tonight."

Seizing the opportunity, Honeysuckle begins to chatter excitedly into Darcy's ear again.

[Kender Bard]

Rive slipped away and left Darcy and Honeysuckle alone. But they did not remain alone for long.

A blackbird swooped down out of the trees and landed nearby Darcy. It tilted its head and cawed.

Then it cleared its throat noisily and said, "Sorry about that, a little parched."

[Skittlebug]

"Oh! Um, hello there," Darcy starts and peers at the bird curiously before glancing to her sprite and whispering, "Can animals talk around faeries or something?"

"Not that I know of," curious herself, Honeysuckle flits closer to the bird, though not so close as to be within snatching range. "Hello, where did you come from?"

[Kender Bard]

The blackbird snapped its beak thoughtfully while looking at Honeysuckle before turning a black beady eye on Darcy. "The sky, obviously. Tell me little girl, do you like riddles?" He hopped a little closer to her and cawed again. Then, without waiting for an answer, he asked:

"I'm pink and I'm wet, I wriggle and I writhe.
I'm an essential tool for a bard or a wordsmith.
I'm trapped within my prison of white.
I posses the power to persuade or incite.
What am I?"

[Skittlebug]

Darcy begins to answer before the bird cuts her off, then frowns, still a little unsure of the creature. However it doesn't seem too dangerous, and she thinks it likely to have something to do with the faeries.

The girl kneels down to be at a better speaking height and ponders the riddle. "Pink and wet, but in something white...power to, oh it's a tongue!"

[Kender Bard]

"Right you are!" the blackbird squawks and flaps its wings. "How very clever! But did you know that tongues come in more colors than pink?"

[Skittlebug]

Darcy frowns, another riddle?, then after thinking about it for a minute, she shakes her head.

"I can't figure that one out, what colour can a tongue be other than pink?"

[Kender Bard]

The blackbird hopped over next to her. "Silver," he cawed and then, abruptly, he was a man. A man dressed in all black with a cape of feathers, but still a man. He grinned at Darcy, eyes still as pure black as the bird form's were.

[Skittlebug]

Darcy yelps and falls backwards, quite unladylike, onto her bottom. Eyes wide she stares up at the bird turned man, unable to find any words yet.

Honeysuckle circles Darcy's head, not sure what she can do, but she'll be darned if she lets this strange man do anything to her Darcy.

[Kender Bard]

"I think you're the first mortal I've struck truly speechless in a while," Soahc noted. His eyes were slowly beginning to change color now, gradually turning brilliant blue. "Most people tend to at least say my name. Or perhaps you haven't discerned who I am yet? Go ahead." He spread his arms out wide. "Guess who!"

[Skittlebug]

Darcy begins to piece things together in her head and her eye widen a touch more, "Are you...Lord Soahc?"

The sprite calms a touch at this revelation and drops onto the girls head, still watching the strange man, but not with so much steam.

[Kender Bard]

"Got it in one," Soahc answered. "And now back to the discussion at hand. I trust you have heard of the phrase of the silver tongue, yes? The power to beguile one with words alone... It is one that I and my brother Thuoth delight in together. Some mortals are born with it. Some mortals cultivate it. But words only have so much power. Persuasion can hardly compare to the power of a Clear's command, wouldn't you agree?"