Hello Little Firecup

A roleplay transcript by Coraline and Etain:

Etain Moonflower felt as if a dozen flutterbies flitted about in her belly from all the anxiousness and excitement that seemed to take over as she glanced at her sister. "The Phoenix Lily! Thank you, sister. We must rescue it before it falls into the wrong hands." She turned her gaze back to the mirror, smoothing her hands over her shapely hips and then shifted her attention to the knot at her waist. She tightened it, continuing, "With any luck we can plant it and nurture it here. Watch it thrive and produce a Phoenix Lily nymph to join our Hollow." Her gaze returned to Coraline's lovely face. "Wouldn't that be wonderful, Cora?"

Coraline smiled brightly and giggled softly at Etain's obvious exuberance for this exotic lily. When Iskrin had told her about it, she knew that Etain would be interested, but she hadn't expected quite this reaction. "Remember please, dearest sister, the market where this is to be found can be a dangerous place. Many of the so called tuffs there are just little boys afraid the world will find out how small their penises really are. But, there are some genuinely sinister folk there also. We must take care." She gazed at Etain, giggled again and shook her head, not truly understanding her love of flowers.

Etain Moonflower nodded in understanding, but whether she truly realized the danger - that was still in question. Etain's life had centered around the Hollow. She had never really ventured outside of it, on this material plane, until recently. She inhaled deeply, glancing down at her hands then back to the mirror. She wore a mask her sister had given her. Where she obtained it, she did know, but it made her feel mysterious and a little dangerous too. Her heart skipped and thumped. The nymph smiled to the other and laughed at her remark of small penises, feeling her cheeks flush. "I will follow your lead, Cora. I will keep quiet except to negotiate the purchase of the flower, unless you want a crack at it first? We must leave with that flower intact." She swallowed hard and turned to fully face Coraline. "Ready?"

Coraline looked over Etain from head to foot. Her drab colored clothing, so different from the bright flowers and colors she often adorned herself with, the mask she wore, these things would prevent her being recognized. Satisfied, she reached her hand out to offer to take Etain's. "No, my dearest, you can negotiate with the merchant. Just allow me to deal with the guards at the gate and any other curious questioners. I have seen Iskrin deal with these persons, and I have made a study of his ways. Ah…there may be some coarse language I employ. I hope you won't mind."

Etain Moonflower shook her head at that, "I won't pay it any mind. This is a secret mission. Our very own, and I am happy to have you at my side." She stopped her hand from touching the coin pouch fastened to a leather garter at her thigh. It was hidden beneath the skirt and was weighty enough to feel, but she still found herself tempted to touch it - just to make sure it was there. 'Things must go smoothly,' she said to herself and then took Coraline's hand and squeezed it. She led them out of her chambers and called up the blue-green mist to shroud them as they made their way out of the Hollow. The veil evaporated behind them as they left their home behind, and she glanced to her sister once more. Cora wore a brilliant blue, silk cloak and skirts, impressive heavy metal chest armor, and matching bracers and pauldrons that gleamed in the passing light. The sword at her hip looked imposing as well, and Etain felt more confident with each step they took.

Coraline approached the portcullis after they took the small rowboat through the dark, dank waters beneath the city. Coraline's water nature almost always made her nauseated from the disgusting water as she pulled the oars to move them towards their destination. As they walked up the steps, she stepped in front of Etain, gently pushing her behind her. To the guards at the gate: "We are two traders wishing to do business in the market. Open the gate!" When the guards just looked and sneered at her, she gazed sternly at the larger of the two. "Did you hear me, you dunderhead? Or, should I call your mother to smack you around a bit? If you have a mother, that is…Open the gate!" The guards taken aback by her manner, began to open the portcullis.

Etain Moonflower felt her face heat four shades of red. Such vile things her sister said! She knew it was not of her character, but it still took her by surprise and she pulled her lip roughly with her teeth, shifting her gaze to the opened path before them. Her gruffness worked though, and admiration shone in her eyes as they touched the back of the Cora's head. Etain kept close to her, walking along behind the other nymph as her gaze traveled over the merchant stalls on either side of them. She started to frown the further in they walked, disappointed they were unable to find what they were looking for thus far.

Kronen tilted his head to the side from the rippling waters of the cavern. Interested in what lied beyond and deeper within the underground tunnels? He'd traveled and skittered further inwards. He hesitated however when he noticed humanoid beings. These were likely females. He followed and kept a great distance between him and them. This was observing and documenting. Other things would have to wait with due time and patience. Kronen himself kept to the dark spaces and hid himself within. Other times he merely crawled along the ceiling and walls but he indeed followed.

Having made their way past the gate and down the small dip into the entrance of the market, Coraline turned and whispered quietly to Etain, "This is the place Iskrin said the lily was located. I do not know which stall it is in, and I'm not sure precisely what it looks like. So, why don't you look for it and I keep watch over our surroundings."

Etain Moonflower nodded and whispered as she started to take a few more steps in, "Ok. I do not see it yet, but," she hesistated a moment, wanting desperately to turn around to her sister, but she was afraid her eyes would give away her excitement for anyone near. "Here," she said barely above a whisper but, hopefully, loud enough for Cora to hear. 'Oh it's marvelous,' she exclaimed, if only in her head. The stall to her left held fish, stews and a lonely little pot cradling the beautiful and rare Phoenix Lily. She took a calming breath and paced her steps.

Coraline walked quickly to keep up with Etain as she spied the flower and rushed towards it in her excitement. Turning her back to Etain's back as they came to a stall, so she could keep watch on others around them. She just barely touched her and turned her head to whisper. "Don't let her see your excitement. Remember, whatever it takes, we will leave here with your lily." She reached around with a hand to blindly feel for and then squeeze her arm gently.

Kronen was stuck steadfast to the cavern ceiling. His spidery legs clung deftly to each crevice. All the while in the darkened caverns he followed the little couple as they went about their business. It was not unlike him to observe new beings. After all he had to learn everything he needed about them. Otherwise they could do to him what the Arci'vai did to him so long ago. How long had he been inside that coffin? Where was he? He had no knowledge of these things. Only instinct.

Etain Moonflower smiled at that. She would continue to be as calm as possible, but her quick beating heart threatened to give her away! Luckily, only she could feel it hammering inside her chest. "Thank you, sister," she said quietly and stepped toward the merchant, her eyes dropped to the elongated cups which seemed to open toward her.

"Not yet, dearest lily," the anthousai nymph greeted her in their special, silent language. "I am here to take you home. You will be cherished, cared for, nurtured and you will flourish and come to be - your true essence, Firecup."

"Well, now," Etain began as her gaze went to the merchant woman. "I've been looking for a flower to adorn our table, my love. Will this do," she passed over her shoulder to Coraline.

Coraline turned to glance at the lily upon hearing Etain speak silently so only another nymphai could understand. She feigned a mild interest, not allowing her face to show how happy she was to hear the thrill in Etain's voice. "I suppose that will do as well as any." she tried to sound disinterested, and turned her head back to watch.

Kronen caught sight of a random stranger walking just underneath him. A web was spun and shot at the stranger closing in around their throat. This cut off the air supply so that only quiet gurgles could be heard. From there they would be hefted swiftly up to the ceiling. A paralyzing venom would be injected into the body causing the stranger to not struggle any longer. There he'd work in spinning that web round and round the person. His webs spun tightly cacooning the person. Gifts were in order it seemed and so he crept along the ceiling with his package. Once he was near to the couple of women? He'd drop the body down to the rocky cavern floor below and skitter away a few feet from the scene back into the shrouding darkness. No doubt the person would have ended up cracking their skull on the rocky floor killing them instantly or perhaps they survived? It would be hard to tell. Kronen meanwhile just waited for the reaction with a baited breath.

"Yeah, t'is ent no ordin'ry flower, gal," the woman said, giving the nymph a dirty and toothy grin. "This 'ere be a Phoenix Lily."

"And now, lily-sweet, it is time to wilt for me," Etain appealed to the bloom. "I will take you out of this place very soon."

"I know not what that is, but," her gaze deliberately dropped from the trader's face to the flower which now looked as if it was struggling by the second to keep from bending its neck and slumping over into the pot. "Umph," Etain snarled, gasping. "What trickery is this? You try to sell me a dying flower and pass it off as rare?"

Coraline listened to Etain's clever trickery of the merchant woman, and she had to bite her bottom lip to keep from giggling aloud. With great force of will, she managed to screw her lips tightly to keep from smiling and laughing. A passerby might think she was in pain, so unnatural was this look for Coraline. She gripped her sword hilt and squinted her eyes, trying to look fierce.

"Nah, I ent doin' no such thin," the trader said angrily, if a bit defensively too. "Damned him. Gunna make that Barney pay me back, I will!"

Etain Moonflower gave a half shrug. "Let's move on, my love," she said to Cora, and then hesitated to lean in toward the nymph, as if Cora was whispering something to her.

"Now hole on a minnit. Ya kin have it. Two silver pieces," the woman said throatily.

Etain Moonflower lifted a finger to silence the woman as she leaned in to Cora again, whispering something in her ear. She straightened and turned back to the woman, "What my love wants, my love gets." She lifted her skirt, retrieving the coin pouch and placed a couple silver pieces into the woman's hand. Etain took the flower pot dumped into her arms by the merchant and turned back to Cora. "Let's go make dinner now."

Coraline listened to Etain conclude her bargain with the merchant and announce readiness to leave. She realized she needn't have worried about her, she was more than capable of handling herself, and she couldn't help but let a smile creep across her face. She turned to gently hold Etain's arm as they started away from the stall, when she heard a sudden thud nearby. Looking at the cause of the noise, she saw what might have been a body encased in something she couldn't identify rolling on the cave floor near them. Pulling rather quickly at Etain's arm, she said quietly. "Dearest, don't look over there. And, I think it is time we were leaving!"

Etain Moonflower's body went rigid. She heard the sickening sound of the thud and tried with all her might not to look at the source of it. She nodded wordlessly, and let Cora lead her toward the portcullis with the flower pot wrapped tightly in her arm.