The Stone Heart

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Peter_Abelard
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Posts: 335
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:42 am

The Stone Heart

Post by Peter_Abelard »

Greetings! A little teaser of Chapter 2 of my story, following immediately on the events of "The Alchemist's Fire". Sharing a bit keeps me motivated, I find. Thanks again for your time and interest! - Peter

The Stone Heart

Rylan stood casually in the Docks street, up the hill a few paces from the ruin of the alchemist’s house. From under his hood he watched as the curious crowds milled about, their faces full of wonder at the blackened crater that only the night before had been a home.

These were his people, and he was wary of trouble as he surveyed the faces. Having grown up only an arrow’s flight from here, he knew full well how quickly any kind of crowd could turn into a street brawl, no matter the reason for the gathering.

He found their talk interesting, as he moved among them. Many blamed the explosion on a mage’s wickedness, cursing in the same breath all those who would dare use magic in their fair city. Some suspected elven scouts, sent to spread their dark vengeance upon the innocent. Few seemed to even know who had lived there, and none spoke anything of his craft. Feren had kept to himself, it seemed.

An old woman, hunched and dressed in simple black cloth caught his attention. She was standing at the low stone wall around the pit, staring down into it, weeping softly. Slowly he moved up beside her, leaning his forearms on the wall to gaze down at the wreckage. He spoke as gently as he could muster.

“Terrible, isn’t it?”

The old woman only nodded, wiping at her cheek with a bit of rag.

“Did you know him well?”

“Him? No…it’s the girl I’m thinking on now, the poor thing. I do hope she felt no pain in the last, that’s what I was thinking just now, hm? I was hoping she didn’t suffer, was all.”

Rylan worked hard to keep any hint of his excitement out of his voice.

“How did you know her?”

“She used to help me, she did, in my work. After the sun’s gone down I come here, you see, to check the cobbles, hm? Oftentimes someone’ll drop a coin, or an earring in ‘em, and they’ll stick. Mine eyes aren’t what they used to be though, and m’fingers get stiff they do, and hurt what with rubbin’ on the stone.”

The old woman coughed, and blew her nose into the rag.

“Well, she’d see me in the street from the window what used to be there, and she’d be out the door quiet as a little mouse to help me, she would.”

Her gaze shifted in the air above the pit, imagining where the window and door had been the night before.

“She was a clever thing too, at finding them treasures she was. She said it made her heart glad, to be searching by the glow of the goddess. That’s just how she put it, too. Such a beautiful girl, hm?”

Rylan nodded, sympathetically.

“Such little fingers. She’d pick through the road in an hour what would take me a night, dear thing.” The old woman tapped her fingers on the stones of the wall. “I wonder what happened to that garnet I let her keep, hm? Do you suppose it burned in the fire, too?”

She turned to face Rylan, but he was already gone, moving back through the crowd.

Fifty strides up the hill, freed from the huddle of the curious, Rylan found what he’d been looking for. He knelt down to study the cobblestones, measuring the span between the dried blood with his hand. The drops were close to one another, even for a child. She’d been walking away from the house, maybe even stumbling as she went.

“Treasures hidden in the road,” he said aloud as he saw where the drops led.

His pace quickened now, his eyes fixed on the trail as he neared the intersection leading out of the Docks. In the distance, towering over the low rows of houses and shops, he could see the spires of the Temple of Selune shining in the morning sun.

* * * *
Character arcs are sharp, pointy little things. A little blood may spill!

Now Playing: Luva Si'nede, Olivus Angustian
Past Characters: Valyar Floshin, Sarenna Irithyl, Millicent Riverstone, Dev Revels, Catarina Helms, Fenris Estelmer, Arryn Temple, Penrose Hawke, Kara Ravensfell, Arana Belecthor
MaskedIllusion
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Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:16 am

Re: The Stone Heart

Post by MaskedIllusion »

Very interesting, and very well done. Can't wait for more, on either post.
Current PC:
Pc 1: Kalavaria
Pc2: -
Retired PCs:Kyrinil, Isabella, Sayset, Iadeth, Araessa, Kalix Silvith
Past PCs: Astri, Navanna, Vess, Isett

<paazin_> I hate you.

Puny: I would stomp on a spider wearing my future babies face.

Boom: I hope he dies in a flying aids fire.
Peter_Abelard
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Posts: 335
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:42 am

Re: The Stone Heart

Post by Peter_Abelard »

Hi everyone, I figured after 6 years I should start working on this story again. Bumping it and The Alchemist’s Fire for anyone who might be interested. Thanks to all my peeps in WD who inspired me to go poring over old notes; I might have forgotten all about this story otherwise.

Cheers, Peter
Character arcs are sharp, pointy little things. A little blood may spill!

Now Playing: Luva Si'nede, Olivus Angustian
Past Characters: Valyar Floshin, Sarenna Irithyl, Millicent Riverstone, Dev Revels, Catarina Helms, Fenris Estelmer, Arryn Temple, Penrose Hawke, Kara Ravensfell, Arana Belecthor
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