The Muse and the Follower

Log Info

• Title: The Muse and the Follower

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Ygraine

• Place: Theatre District

• Summary: It's morning in the Theatre District when Ygraine and Ravenstongue meet for the first time. Pothy gets his morning snack as the two followers of Ceinara discuss their mutual faith, Ravenstongue's husband, and adventuring. Ravenstongue offers some advice about aiding people before she leaves to chase Pothy down.

Theatre District, morning.

The morning hours of Daeus's light casts a warm glow on the snow that has fallen onto the Theatre District from the past weekend, and the artists and performers who call the District home have come out of hiding from inside buildings to resume everyday life once again. There's already at least one person singing somewhere, but then again, there's almost always at least one person singing somewhere here in Ceinara's hearth.

A particular dark-haired half-elf girl leaves a bakery named almost that, in fact--"The Hearth"--which doubles as a popular spot for poetry readings. It appears she was in for the food of the belly rather than the mind, however, as she's holding two rather large buns. She holds out one to the white raven on her shoulder. "Here you go, Pothy," she says cheerfully.

"Snacks!" cries the white raven, before he begins to tear into the bun. A very happy bird indeed.

That a Muse of Ceinara should be nearby at that moment is probably not a surprise - though in truth, this *particular* Muse actively tries not to spend all her time in Alexandria within this bastion of her divine patron's influence. Still, it does heart and soul (and stomach) good to visit from time to time... and thus Ygraine is in range to have her attention grabbed by that eager cry. A startled, happy laugh escapes her as she sees the white raven gleefully tearing into his treat - though the human swiftly follows it with a sheepish look and a wry grin.

"Sorry. It is just a pleasure to see such joy," she calls out.

The white raven looks up from his bun and notices Ygraine as she laughs. His blue eyes study her for a moment. And then... "Snacks?" he offers. That's a question this time.

The dark-haired girl snickers. "Pothy, you are so sweet," she tells him, before she looks at Ygraine and nods. "Good morning--I take it by the symbol on your cloak that you are a follower of the Lady of Inspiration, no? Vaire would want us to laugh and embrace joy, I think."

She curtsies a little. "I am called Cor'lana Lúpecyll-Atlon, and the sweet boy on my shoulder is Pothy. A beautiful morning to make new allies, if not friends, I think."

Moving closer, the Muse offers a flamboyantly cheerful bow - accompanied by the impish grin and elegant hand-flourish of a performer. "Ygraine fferch Gwydion of House Penlew, if I am being formal. Though 'Ygraine' is much simpler, and easier for most to cope with!" To the raven, she offers an apologetic look. "I am afraid that I am not carrying any snacks. Quite remiss of me, I fear, but I had not anticipated encountering such a handsome stranger today!"

Looking back to Pothy's mistress / companion / provider-of-snacks / noble steed, the human offers another smile. "But yes, I endeavour to serve the Lady of Inspiration. I cannot claim to be much of a Muse... but I do what I can, and she is kind enough to grant me a portion of her power to aid my efforts."

Cor'lana snickers a little, looking at Pothy with mischievous eyes. "It's true, he is handsome, although he's also an absolute brat when he wants to be."

Pothy's feathers all puff up, making the white raven look rather cross... or like a fluffy, angry chicken, which is a type of anger that no one can really take seriously. "I've been a good boy," he whines in the voice of a child trying to plead his case for a Yule gift--likely overheard recently.

That earns a little kiss on Pothy's fluffy head, and Cor'lana looks back at Ygraine with a wide smile. "I am only a recent follower of the Lady," she says. "I sort of... fell into it when I got into exchanging poems with my husband during our courtship, and I turned to Vaire when I realized that my prior dedication to Navos was..."

The poet struggles to find the words for a moment, which is a serious matter indeed. "It was a hard road to walk on, and I needed a presence in my life that was more compassionate. While I am not granted my own power by the Lady, I am still a follower nonetheless."

"Ahhh. The fruits of the Historian's labours can be truly fascinating, but I confess that I am not drawn to his service, myself," Ygraine says with a smile. "I find the nature of inspiration to be fascinating, and love to find it in the world. To see things being made and built, whether they're structures with physical form or a matter of ideas and feelings..." She shrugs broadly, her expression happy, before she cocks her head.

"Might your husband perhaps be known as Telamon? He mentioned that his recently-wed spouse was a Ceinaran, when we met a couple of days ago. Though I should stress that I do not seek to pretend that you are under any obligation to answer: I am still just a raven-admiring stranger, sadly lacking in requested snacks."

The mention of a certain husband makes Cor'lana's face bloom fully into a wide and warm smile, her violet eyes twinkling. "Yes, that is my husband," she says, and she lifts up her left hand to reveal that her mark on her left hand is the same as the one on Telamon's left hand: the wreath of feathers surrounding a starry sky. "We were married almost two months ago, so of course I like to brag. He is, after all, the most handsome and most wonderful person I've ever known."

Pothy makes whimpering noises, looking at Cor'lana with his big blue eyes. She rolls her eyes and kisses him again. "You are the most handsome bird I've ever known, Pothy. Important distinction," she says, before she looks at Ygraine again with a wide grin. "Tel's an appreciator of Vaire and what the Lady has done for my worldview, but not someone who would claim himself to be a devoted follower."

Cracking a grin, Ygraine inclines her head to Pothy, before nodding warmly to Cor'lana. "I cannot claim to know him at all well, but he has been kind and gracious both times that we met. I am truly glad that you are happy together. Though I can see that Pothy holds a very special place in your heart, all of his own. As well as his place on your shoulder. I suspect that both are wholly proof against any external challenge!"

A respectful nod for Pothy is followed by another grin for his bipedal friend. "Congratulations on your union. I can honestly say that when he brought up your admiration for my Lady, it was as a high commendation. Even among strangers, he is happy when he thinks and speaks of you. For whatever it might be worth, I find such bonds of the heart to be rather inspiring."

Cor'lana grins. "Yes," she replies, "Pothy and I have a special bond. He's my familiar, in fact--I inherited him from my mother when she passed, and I grew up with him practically as a sibling. I call him my little brother, even if he's technically much older than I am--because only a little brat could be so spoiled."

Pothy's finished off his bun by the time Cor'lana says this, and he looks up as though to say, "Who, me? Spoiled?" But... his tail feathers wag up and down, much like a happy dog tail.

"I've been told my husband and I are a rather inspiring couple," Cor'lana adds with a grin. "My adopted sister of sorts, a bard by the name of Patch, has said we're like a walking fairy tale before. If it weren't for the fact I'm living in it, I'm not sure I'd believe it, either--but I think Alexandria needs all the inspiration it can get these days."

Laughing, Ygraine cracks another grin. "I have been away for a couple of years, so I am afraid that I am wholly out of touch with virtually everything that has happened here. But I look forward to hearing inspirational tales, to be sure! And... an inherited familiar? I am not sure that I have encountered one before. Congratulations to both of you on making a success of it. You certainly seem happy together!"

Turning her gaze to the raven, she slightly cocks her head. "Would it be acceptable for me to stroke you?", she asks Pothy. "I do not want to presume too much."

Pothy's tail, which was already wagging happily, goes even faster as Ygraine asks her question. Cor'lana giggles. "Yes, he loves being pet," she says. "Go on, you big ham."

The white raven takes flight from Cor'lana's shoulder and lands gently on Ygraine's. One might expect his talons to be sharp, but while they're certainly talons--they're not strong enough to pierce human skin, let alone through layers of cloth. He presents his fuzzy little head and croaks gently, a happy noise that invites Ygraine's affection.

"We're an odd couple, Pothy and I--and in some ways, Telamon and I make for an odd couple, too," Cor'lana says with a grin. "But we make a happy, odd little family together."

Ygraine carefully tugs off one glove, before reaching up to start lightly stroking Pothy's head - allowing the raven to press in or pull away to give her guidance on how much pressure to apply, and where her fingers should focus their ministrations. "Mmmm. Thank you. I am honoured to be a temporary perch," she quietly informs the raven, before looking back to Cor'lana and flashing another grin.

"Are you adventurers, by any chance? I know that many with familiars are not inclined to set forth in search of unwise risks and dubious rewards, but in this of all cities... But forgive me, please. My curiosity is getting the better of me. I was wondering how you had met, and then wound up pursuing a line of idle speculation onto a somewhat different line of enquiry!"

Pothy is loving this. He continues to make soft, happy croaks as he leans into Ygraine's fingers and allows her to love on him. He is not only soft, but he's downy in a way that feels almost luxorious on the skin. Clearly, he's eating the right snacks... or he's just magical. Because he's a familiar.

"Both Telamon and I are sorcerers, and yes, we're both active members of the Explorers' Guild," Cor'lana says with a smile. "I arrived here in Alexandria almost two years ago, although I imagine it was after you left. Telamon arrived here a little over a year ago. We met at the Society for Progressive Arcanists in the courtyard."

She looks at Pothy with a wide grin. "Pothy flew off my shoulder and accosted Telamon for snacks. I ran after him and that's how we began talking. So... I really owe my marriage to Pothy."

Giggling, Ygraine happily makes a fuss of the vain raven, though she makes sure to keep a large portion of her attention for Cor'lana. "Mmmm. I was gone for almost exactly two years. I am still adjusting to what has changed, and what is the same. For my own part, I have dabbled a little in trying to provide assistance in perilous circumstances, but compared to most of the heroes and heroines of Alexandria I am still a *very* minor 'power' in the field! But I am truly glad that Pothy had such a role to play." Smiling at the raven, she offers him a wink. "Well done, you."

If Pothy could beam brightly, he would. He conveys this instead through more happy croaks and by nuzzling into Ygraine's hand even more aggressively than before.

Cor'lana smiles brightly. "Well," she says, "I used to feel I was quite minor myself. In fact, when I met Telamon, I hadn't progressed very far in my own understanding of my magic. But... Being with him spurred me to try harder. We often adventure together, and I think working together so often deepened our understanding of our magic and each other in the process. Which is to say that it will come with time and with experience."

Chuckling, Ygraine inclines her head - though she takes care to continue her delicate efforts on behalf of Pothy. "I... I hope so. That might be a bad thing to say, given that it entails wishing for further situations *requiring* adventurous types! But I would very much like to learn how to do *more*. I am mildly at odds with my Lady in that I value some forms of inspiration and creation more than others: I like to see things built for the *better*, and people inspired to strive on behalf of others as well as themselves. But, fortunately, she does not require her mortal servants to strive to wholly emulate her entire field of divine endeavour, and it seems that I am deemed useful in spite of my narrower focus. But, ahhh, I would very much like to think that I might be able to help - and to protect - others in need, through my own efforts and with my Lady's aid."

Cor'lana grins. "Well, it's true that adventurers do work that are often caused by bad situations," she says, "but the work is invaluable and life-saving. The other day, I helped rescue a little boy who'd slipped out from an orphanage and got caught in the blizzard. The poor little one was so sweet, but we got him back home where he needed to be."

She looks briefly at Pothy, her expression more contemplative as she listens to Ygraine's words. "I don't think it's wrong to specialize in one type of inspiration over another," she says. "You like practicality in addition to art, and I think that's an art all of its own to manage and balance the two. I am given to poetry, but I certainly prefer some types of poems to others."

Pothy looks back at Cor'lana. He gives her a series of whistles, and Cor'lana sighs. "Pothy, I am not jealous of limerick writers just because they get the best reactions at poetry readings," she responds. "I just don't like many of them unless they're particularly clever. That's all."

Giggling again, Ygraine shoots Pothy an amused look, before nodding gratefully to Cor'lana. "Thank you. I... I certainly hope that what you say is true, and that I am not disappointing my Lady - nor anyone else - by taking a more limited approach. Though I do like to think that I help, I fear that most of what I do is a matter of providing minor assistance to *others* who make a difference, rather than anything for which I could personally claim much credit. But as you say, even something 'small', like helping a lost child, can be a matter of real importance. Lays - or even limericks - are rarely written about simple things, even when they are thoroughly worthwhile."

"Even the smallest of actions to help are helpful, Ygraine," Cor'lana replies gently. "Telamon and I went from handling books gone wild from a magic spell at the library to parleying with fey monarchs, but we didn't do that overnight. Everyone can contribute, and it is often the people who do the small things that help the 'bigger name' adventurers find and identify threats."

She clicks her tongue, and Pothy returns to Cor'lana's shoulder. The sorceress smiles at the Muse. "I went on an expedition to discover more information about the wights that were terrorizing the countryside some months ago," she says. "We discovered that these terrifying giant worms were burrowing their way underground to Alexandria. When we returned, we informed the more powerful adventurers and they got to work--saving Alexandria and thwarting the threat to the countryside. Do you see what I mean?"

"Books gone wild?" Perhaps not the most obvious thing to latch onto from Cor'lana's mentioned heroics, but it certainly seems to have caught the Muse's attention. "That sounds as if it could have been simultaneously delightful and terrifying! Which I suppose was almost certainly the case for the fey monarchs, come to think of it...."

Pothy receives a little finger-wave, before Ygraine tugs her glove back on. "I do. And I *hope* that I have managed to nudge a few things - and a few people - in the right direction. Perhaps my most lasting contribution thus far has, however, been advice on decor, I think. Not exactly a tale fit for legend, but at least it seems to have been helpful!"

Cor'lana nods emphatically. "Both the monarchs and the books were terrifying in their own unique ways," she says. "Pothy was briefly turned into a book, for one. I nearly cried my eyes out until I got him back."

Pothy nuzzles into Cor'lana's hair, and it's evident why the sorceress likes him so much--it's like he's trying to reassure her that he's never going to get turned into a book again if he can help it. Cor'lana smiles and kisses him on the head again before she turns back to Ygraine. "Decor advice is welcome advice," she says. "I have almost no taste for it whatsoever--which is why I let my garden pixies handle it."

She seems to realize something as she says that, her eyes widening a little. "Speaking of which, I should make sure that they aren't harassing poor Telamon at home. I came by to register for a poetry reading and to pick up breakfast for Pothy--I shouldn't take up more of your time."

Ygraine watches Pothy with alertly curious interest... and an expression suggesting that she finds his empathic behaviour to be very cute indeed. But she manages to return her gaze to Cor'lana, offering her a look mingling sympathy and surprise upon hearing of the raven's interlude as a tome - only to wind up letting out a startled laugh a few moments later.

"Garden pixies? And no, no. Please. I was the one who approached *you*. And you - both of you - have been kind enough to indulge my curiosity and allow me to delay you. If anything, I am in your debt for your kindness. I hope that whenever next you might see me, you are not inclined to choose a different route! I would love to have the chance to talk with you both in future."

There's a grin that spreads on Cor'lana's face. "Yes, garden pixies," she replies. "It's a long story, but a pair of garden pixie ladies have inhabited my yard for quite a while. They prove to be minor menaces at worst and dedicated friends and servants at best--just like anyone else, really--but I do care for them deeply. Even if one of them likes to leer at every handsome man that passes by the house and yell flirtatious comments."

Pothy just sighs. Apparently the raven is not a fan of the pixies, or at least the boy-crazy one. Cor'lana pats Pothy's feathers. "I know, we'll get home soon," she says, before she looks to Ygraine. "No, I think if and when you cross my path again, I will certainly stop to have a chat again. We are, after all, followers of the same goddess."

"Snacks!" Pothy cries, and he takes flight from Cor'lana's shoulder into the air.

"Oh, dear, there he goes," Cor'lana murmurs. "Vaire's verse in your heart, Ygraine!" Then off she goes in a hurried step after her impatient familiar.

"I look forward to it!", Ygraine calls after Cor'lana - grinning broadly as she gently shakes her head, watching the hungry raven and his companion until they vanish into the city. Then, a smile still lifting the corners of her mouth, she tries to turn her thoughts away from soft-feathered snuggles and garden pixies onto at least marginally more productive matters...