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Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)


Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

"Okay," Sam replied after Irine asked if he was willing to wait here. He had looked away when the harpy spoke of his father being a good man for bringing him here, but he glanced back at her as she strode up to the doors. They weren't locked, a common practice as the Star God's cathedrals typically had no valuables that would risk the attraction of thieves, and it was empty. The altar was slightly dusty, but it had only been neglected for a short while, and her brief journey through the cathedral revealed that it was in relatively good condition.

Still, the emptiness of the place that had, given the size and wear on many of the benches, once been a place where the whole of the town gathered together was somewhat saddening. Her prayer, unsurprisingly, went unanswered, and though that was hardly an unheard of occurrence, it was particularly expected with this deity. Another of the Star God's basic tenets was that he never spoke to his flock or interceded on their behalf, forcing them to live off of their own wits and their faith.

Departing from the large, lonely room, Irine found Sam standing about outside looking slightly bored. He perked up when she came back outside though, and said; "C'mon, I'll show you the shrine! It's right over here!" Pulling her by the hand, Sam led Irine around the church to the back, where she found a small wooden structure that housed a number of small altars, each to a different deity. Notos, Doraleous, Sivicine, Jannis, Avedel, Michael, and Venus each had a small shrine dedicated to them, each resplendent in color compared to the drab black and grey favored by the worshipers of the Star God, but in the center stood a wrecked altar of the God of Kings, Avo, who's prayer statue had been replaced by a figurine of a masked man.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Having finished her business in the Star Gods cathedral, Irine met back up with the boy, who seemed to be happy that she had returned. Almost immediately, she was grabbed by Sam and led around the church. "Now now. No need to rush, Sam. We have all day. Was all she could offer in response. He seemed a little more eager to show her the shrines, which was only reasonable. The Star God was not the most...joyous of faiths and the various other gods offered a nice alternative.

"Excuse me again Sam. I have a little more business to take care of. She approached the shrine and took note of all the gods on display. Each one was fairly represented and no one god was placed higher then the other. Irine briefly diverted her attention to the shrine of Notos. She rolled up one of the sleeves on her robe to expose her feathered arms. She plucked a single feather from her arm and placed it on the shrine to Notos, offering a quick prayer as she did. "Your daughter thanks you."

Her eyes were then drawn to the center of the shrine towards what should have been the shrine to the God of Kings. Instead of a statue, she was met with the gaze of a masked figure, certainly not what she expected. Stepping away from the shrine, she found Sam, wondering if he knew anything about that. "Sam...has anyone been to this shrine recently? One of the statues has been replaced by something...very odd."
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

When she offered her prayer to her patron goddess, Irine felt the usual sense of warmth and comfort washing over her. Whether it came from within or was truly a boon from the wind goddess was uncertain, but either way, the sensation was anything but harmful.

Sam looked confused when the priestess asked about the alter of Avo, and limped around Irine to gaze at the desecrated shrine. His scarred face scrunched up into a frown, and he quickly turned to her and said; "That must have been... That woman that came from the North! My dad didn't like her, and she arrived just before the curse started.... And she said weird things! She said that most of the gods were dead, and that they'd been killed by this other god that we ought to worship instead!"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Pausing momentarily, Irine let the feeling of warmth wash over her. This was a sign that her voice was heard and was a relief to the priestess, who had grown a little nervous after being met with silence from the Star God. However, she could not dwell on these thoughts for long as Sam began explaining the desecration of the shrine.

"The North you say? What business would she have here?" Irine was confused over why someone from that far off would venture so far, especially to break down a simple village shrine. However, the last comment struck the priestess the most. As one who tried to promote equal respect for all gods, to hear of a being who would slaughter them was unfathomable. Her stepfather had never mentioned anything of the sort in any of his teachings. Maybe he was trying to keep it a secret? Maybe he didn't want to shatter the growing harpies world? Whatever the reason, she couldn't leave this question unanswered. She'd have to do some digging later. Feeling nothing more could be gained, she took steps away from the shrine, stopping to address the boy. "Whatever her reason, it seems rather thuggish to desecrate a humble shrine, especially with what could very well be a false god. Now, take me to your father. I have a couple things I wish to ask him. So far, this trip has proven rather enlightening.

She knew the boy wouldn't really understand the workings of the gods and she felt somewhat bad talking about the subject so loudly. He didn't need to know about all this. It would just be another thing for him to worry about and she didn't want to bring those burdens on a child. The gods were her domain and she would shoulder the weight alone. Lead the way, Sam. I wouldn't want to miss a chance to speak to your father."
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

It became clear almost immediately that Sam had no idea of the inner workings behind her request to see his father, but the crippled boy nodded and said; "Okay!" He pulled her back around towards the front of the church and then turned right, proceeding only a short ways down the road before stopping in front of a large building built of solid oak and thick stone. Symbols of office surrounded it, ones that the traveling preacher recognized as imperial and ones that she realized almost immediately were not. The symbols of the lich king and the old empire were abound, but the central banner along the sides of the building were green, and held the symbol of a great tree emblazoned in silver-white, a symbol that Irine would recognize as one used uncommonly by the nature goddess, Janis.

"This is where he works," said Sam, tugging her towards the front of the building. "Come on!" He didn't bother to knock, instead releasing her hand to turn the knob on the front of the door and push it open, revealing an entrance hall where a young, dark haired man sat behind a desk, far too young to be Sam's father by his appearance. "Hey Sam!" he called upon seeing the boy, cracking a grin immediately, and the boy was quick to call back; "Hey Peter!" The man turned his gaze up to Irine as Sam grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the room, "Who's your lady friend Sam? I thought you'd be out goofing off all day! You're too young to be picking up girls that pretty!" He smirked conspiratorially at Irine, though beneath his friendly exterior the priestess instantly recognized a great deal of protectiveness for the boy attached to her, an emotion that kept him wary of her at first.

"Hey, it's.... It's not like that! Girls are icky! She's Irine! She's a priestess of the gods, and I'm taking her to see my father!" he replied, at first defensive even though he held on to her hand tightly. Peter smiled and nodded, though his gaze towards her was still questioning. A brief pause would allow Irine to introduce herself, and perhaps share a few words with the man behind the desk before he gestured with his head towards a door on his left, "His dad's in there. He's not busy... Unless you count brooding. He does a lot of that... Brooding."

Sam would then pull Irine towards the door, and this time Peter got up to open the door for them. They stepped into a smaller room lit by light flooding in from a long window set with stained glass, as well as a single enchanted stone that glowed with a soft white light more akin to moonlight than sunlight. Another desk, this one smaller but sturdier and built of oak rather than pine, sat in front of the windows, and a human man sat behind that desk. He looked up from the papers he had bent over, bringing his face fully into the light for Irine's examination. His hair was long, dark, and still thick despite the grey appearing around his temples, falling to his shoulders with braids appearing among the more loosely held portions of it. His face was hard and weathered, and a scar that was likely not from one of the beasts plaguing this village ran over one of his sky blue eyes, down his cheek until it ended just above his well defined chin, forming a part in his otherwise thick beard on his left side. That beard fell down a couple of inches past his chin, and was tied into four points near the bottom. The sleeves of his dark furs were short, leaving his thick, heavily muscled arms mostly bare.

"Samuel," he said, his voice a low rumble that was a tiny bit menacing without requiring any effort on his part for it. His expression was serious, though not quite a scowl yet, and his eyes flitted between Irine and the boy clutching at her hand twice before continuing to address his son; "I thought you would be busy enjoying your day off of lessons? Why have you brought this... Stranger... To see me? I had thought she would be bed ridden for another few days." Samuel, adopting a far more subdued tone than Irine had yet witnessed from the lively young human when addressing his father, replied; "She wanted to meet you. She's going to help us with the curse!"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Letting the boy take her hand and pull her along, Irine was once again taking a back seat to the boys whim. The trip back through the town was short and sweet thankfully, meaning she was able to avoid the glares of the townsfolk. The building before her was a sight to behold, with the various symbols only adding to the magnificence. The imperial markings stood as a reminder of much happier times and the symbol of Janis was a relief to the priestess as well. For a people that have abandoned their faith or have lost it, they still hold onto the symbols of faith with distinction, with this banner and the standing shrine and cathedral as proof. The lich king markings puzzled Irine, but before she could raise any fuss, Irine heard Sam talking to the man inside the building. Her gaze met his and she could almost feel him analyzing her. She could only guess as to what the look in his eyes meant at first, unsure if he would greet her with kindness or contempt.

These thoughts were put to rest as the young man started speaking. Seemed the man was actually rather friendly, even making her blush as he called her pretty. She never thought of herself as very pretty, but to hear it from someone else sorta drove those thoughts away. She had little to say, simply nodding as the man smirked at her. Sams rebuttal made the situation all the more amusing as he defended himself as any boy his age would. She just didn't have the heart to say anything to correct the boy either, only letting him finish. "Don't be so defensive, Sam. Your friend was just teasing."

She gave the boy a gentle smile before turning her attention back to Peter. "I'm sorry. Where are my manners. My name is Irine Courland. As Sam said, I'm a wandering priest and I speak for all the gods. I was just being given a tour of the town by this little gentleman here and I wanted to see his father as part of the trip." She couldn't help but tease the boy a little more. Peter then pointed the pair in the direction of the main office, closing the discussion on a very odd sentence.

Sam once again pulled the harpy, with Peter opening the door for the pair. Once in the smaller office, Irine noted the calm, almost peaceful nature of the room. The man in the room however was anything but peaceful though. The specks of gray hair suggested that the man man bore many a great burden in his job, something she saw in her old mentor. The weathered face, scar and thick beard was a dead give-away of a warrior, Irine having seen many men with similar features in various inns and bars during her travels. All in all, the man bore a rather imposing figure, befitting a man of his station. Protecting a cursed town was no easy job and she could see what Peter meant by brooding. The man began speaking and the tone of his voice made the harpy a tad nervous. What were mere questions almost sounded like an interrogation. Irine could sense that Sam was nervous around his father, with even the tone of his voice losing it's enthusiastic edge. Just how in gods name did Sam turn out the way he did with a father like him? Yet another of lifes many questions. Sam offered his final defense, leaving Irine to say her piece.

""If I may, sir, Miss Jenna did a fantastic job of caring for me. The only thing that she was unable to treat were my wings. Said it would be a good while before they were fully recovered" She could now understand why Sam was so subdued when he was speaking to his father. The man's mere presence made it difficult to discuss any subject. She let out a sigh before continuing. "But in truth, I wished to speak with you about a few things that have been bothering me since I arrived. Sam, if you could wait outside, I'd like to speak to your father in private." She made her request to the boy, but she could only wonder if he would actually listen. She also was not sure how Sam's father would act as well, given his current mood. She was taking a lot of risks, but she felt they needed to be taken.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

Sam looked momentarily conflicted following Irine's request for privacy, but his father seemed to recognize something in the boy, as he quickly said; "Go and wait outside Samuel... Have Peter make you something to eat, you'll have your friend back soon enough." Samuel smiled again at the promise of food, and his excitement seemed to return in full as he nodded to his father, "Okay!" The young boy turned and limped from the room, but if Irine kept her gaze upon the boy's father she would notice the haunted look that came over his features as he gazed at his son's back.

When the boy was gone and the door closed, he heaved a heavy sigh and waited for another few moments, his eyes low, before turning them back upon Irine. "If you have come here to kill me, you will find that still isn't so easy," he began simply, stating the words with not even a hint of a threat behind then, making them more as a promise. "But... If you are, I thank you for seeing that my son is out of the room when you do. I would see that his memory of you is a happy one," he added, his voice a tiny bit softer as he rose to his feet, standing nearly six and a half feet and holding a straight posture despite all of the burdens that must have been placed upon him.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine could see that Sam was initially conflicted. The boy had stuck to her for the better part of the day and he was enjoying every second with the priestess. His father was finally able to convince him to leave, and Irine could not help but smile as the boys enthusiasm picked up with the prospect of food. But her smile faded quickly as she turned back to his father and noticed the haunted look on his face. The boys injuries were clearly a concern of his and she could only sympathize with the child plight.

The conversation suddenly turned dark however as Sam's father began speaking. Irine let out an audible gasp as the man made the assumption that Irine was here to kill him. What about her made him think that? When did she ever show hostile intent towards anyone in this town? Had she offended these people in some way as to spark this train of thought? Many questions flew around in her head and her expression changed from one of shock to something a little much calmer. She could not let this man continue this train of thought. She allowed him to finish, noticing the change in tone in his voice. What started as veiled threats turned into something much kinder. As the man stood, she could not help but feel intimidated by the mans sheer presence. Even if she was here to do harm, she was in no condition to be any threat, given her recovering wounds and damaged wings. She'd be all but useless in combat, if it came to it. She let out a heavy sigh, remaining in her seat.

"Sir, I have no idea what you could possibly mean. I have come here with no intention of harming you and I would certainly not think of doing anything that could harm poor Sam. The child has suffered enough. The fact that you assumed I was out to kill you is rather insulting. Why would those thoughts ever come to your mind to begin with? Is it because I'm a harpy? Is it because I'm a stranger to your town? Tell me!" Those last few lines drew out a quiet fury from the normally quiet priestess, feeling that she needed to get this off her chest now. "I know my kind isn't seen often in this neck of the woods. And I understand that our reputation is far from sterling, but believe me when I say I come here with only the purest of intentions and I only seek to help you in any capacity that I can. Now please, would you put your suspicions aside and let me help?"

Irine was honestly worried about what direction this conversation would take. Should the man respond negatively or turn hostile, she would have to find a quick exit. She would hardly be able to fight this powerful looking man, especially in sch cramped quarters and with no weapons. Should he not take offense to her choice of words, she hoped she would be able to have a rational conversation with the man and ask him about the shrine from before. Even if she was unable to fight right away, she could at least fix what she saw as a major issue.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

Sam's father simply watched Irine impassively as she delivered her heated response to his unusual greeting, neither speaking nor moving. She did detect a slight softening of his expression as she initially mentioned his son, and a slight hint of confusion as she spoke of the reputation that her kin had earned for her, but they eased away before he replied; "I have never even heard of your kind, beyond a few tales in my youth... And despite our recent troubles, I hold no stock in fables. I will make no apology for my words while my people suffer and die around me, not while the beasts continue to hound our every step beyond our walls... And with our luck, I would find it unsurprising if some other evil had been dropped among us at the whim of the gods. Whether you are another curse or not remains to be seen, and until such is proven one way or another I'll be watching you carefully."

He paused for a moment as a grimace stole over his face, but then he went on; "If you are truly here to help us, then you will have my thanks when it is earned... But until then, I trust you will understand that I cannot let down my guard."
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine was almost enraged at the mans choice of words. Every one that crossed his lips only served to frustrate the normally calm priest. So much so that she quickly stood up from her seat, almost knocing the chair over."I will have you know that...." But before she could let her anger consume her, her thoughts drifted back to her teacher. No matter the situation, the man always remained calm. Even if he was pelted with rocks and sticks and harsh words, he kept an air of professionalism and religious stoicism. Irine however had not yet mastered such control. She stepped back slightly, taking a deep breath as she did.

" I...I apologize for my outburst. I normally do not anger so quickly. But I feel like I need to say something." She took another moment to collect her thoughts. "I understand that you are suffering. I understand that you are feeling great despair. But you cannot let that despair consume you. While you may think the gods are doing this to you, I feel the exact opposite is the case. No god would so willingly look to make his people suffer in such a manner. Yes, they may test us with trials of great adversity, but they would not kill so many just to prove a point. I earnestly believe that they have sent me here to help you." She stood herself back up, this time doing so much slower, so as to not appear threatening. Stood directly in front of the imposing figure, looking up at the man before her.

"I am no curse or burden. Mother Notos would not have brought me into this world if I was unfit to serve her properly. She picks her daughters very carefully. Now, I swear on my unwavering faith and devotion to the gods above that I will rid your people of this curse. Your son deserves a better world then this. And if I have to suffer to bring it to him, then so be it." She prayed to whoever would listen, that her words would at least sink in with the man. She was standing directly in front of him, doing her best to show little fear or apprehension. She could only hope that her brave choice of words would not offend the man in any way. An angry guard captain was the last thing she needed on top of broken wings.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

When Irine shot up from her seat, it wasn't fear or anger or surprise that appeared on the face of Samuel's father. Rather, as he drew the sword at his side halfway from its scabbard, it was nothing more than a look of tired resignation that he tossed her way. Thankfully his blade never fully left its sheath, as he stopped when it became apparent that she only wanted to speak. Pushing his weapon slowly back into its scabbard, he grunted; "Say your peace."

And then, he listened. He didn't interrupt, and his face was as it had been before; stony and cold. That said, he was quick to reply once she had finished; "You and I agree on one thing, at least, and that is that Samuel deserves better than this." His initial words were spoken softly, but his expression and his voice hardened noticeably as he continued; "But... When you understand what has come to pass here, truly... That is when I will allow you to lecture me on despair, outsider. All of us, not just me, have lost friends and family to this... Curse. And it wasn't done for conquest or at the hands of some vague evil like the invaders from the sky... It was from the malignancy of one person, one who we had known for years, and thought ourselves rid of until their dying words proved true.

"You want to talk to me about the gods? Talk all you want. But I have long stopped listening to those that would preach in the name of beings that do nothing. Not since the last one that claimed to speak for them all levied this disaster upon us." He paused and stared at her, his gaze piercing and filled with a rush of mixed emotions that Irine couldn't even hope to fully interpret. Anger, righteous and fiery, was there of course, as was the despair brought on by losing so many. But there was more, some of it more personal than the vague fury and sorrow that would normally be attributed to such loss. After a momentary pause, he spoke again; "Now... If you are really here to help, then let us move on to things more productive than discussing philosophy. How much do you know of what has happened here... Irine?"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine could only listen, hearing the grim tone in the mans voice. Her earlier fears were only confirmed by the mans story, explaining the looks of fear, hope and distrust from the other villagers. They had been cursed by someone they had known and tolerated for years. So it was no surprise why they would react as they would towards her. A stranger shows up out of the blue. A stranger with wings and clawed feet. It's clear why many of them were so distrusting.

This changed however as he turned the conversation back to her. Hearing more slander towards her gods, she could not help twist her face with some measure of visible anger. But she could not fly off the handle again, especially after the man nearly drew a weapon on her for her earlier outburst. The whole time, she continued her unbreaking gaze, noticing the swath of emotions pouring forth. She could only guess that this was the look of a man who was not only angry, but upset. This whole curse had clearly scarred the man more then any physical wound could. She would not press the issue in front of him however, lest she awaken the slowly building fury that the man was containing. He finally finished, with the harpy almost shocked that he used her name.

"While I would like to address something concerning your choice of words...it's clear that talking will get us no where. While I may be a priest, I am also a warrior. I have the means to assist you in freeing the town of this blight. Now, as to what I know...I can honestly say I only know as much as I was told by you and Miss Jenna. The very animals of the forest rising up against you and driving you behind these walls. Whatever curse that witch laid upon you, it was a strong one. She must have had great ties to nature to conjure such power. Is there anything that I missed?" The more information she could get on this the better. She had to know if she was going to be fighting from a position of strength or crippling weakness.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

"You have the short of it," he began after Irine had repeated the short explanation she'd received, "But you're missing important parts of our woes. We haven't been able to work the fields without being attacked, and our herds and flocks have been all but wiped out. At this rate we'll be lucky if the beasts wipe us out before winter, else two thirds of the rest of us will starve, and the rest will likely succumb to disease before the hunger takes us. Large groups attack more and greater beasts, so we cannot flee, and many of us simply lack the strength to leave the village alone. You've seen the scars that most of us carry by now, no doubt. You've seen... What has happened to our children... But what you haven't seen is what happens at night. Beasts assail our walls like ravenous monsters, trying to climb or dig their way in. Some succeed. We were lucky last night, as the only ones that got through were found by patrols before they could creep into anyone's home and rip their throats out while they slept.

"These are not mere beasts that assail us... Whatever curse this witch laid against us, it created some sort of malignant intelligence that drives them to attack as no natural creature would. This is no natural act!"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine, only knowing the effects from Miss Jenna's story, was shocked to learn just how serious the curse seemed to be. What she thought was just random attacks turned into something much worse. Large coordinated attacks? Wiping out herds and flocks? Digging through the ground to get around the wall? The man then mentioned the malignant intelligence factor. This was a full blown siege! The animals crippled the towns food supply, put the town in a state of weakness and panic to prevent anyone from leaving, and were constantly assailing the walls to measure their strength. It sounded crazy, but that's what it looked like to the harpy.

"And from the look of things, I too will bear the same scars on my back as well. The beast crippled my wings, almost as if they knew of my presence. The magics at work here are more powerful then anything I have seen. But it has to have a source! Something that keeps these unholy magics going. Soon as my wings recover, I'll be able to scout the area without fear of attack. And maybe, just maybe we can find something." The young harpy knew she was being too optimistic, but any idea was possible in her eyes during these desperate times .
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

Sam's father frowned, and his voice and expression softened slightly, "I am sorry that you were injured as well... The curse doesn't seem to differentiate between us and outsiders. I can only guess at how many others have been attacked and killed along the roads. Though some of the others may dislike having another non-human here, I won't throw someone to their death out there just because they have wings or a tail. You may stay here as long as you need, but I would advise trying to pull your weight around here if you want to stay, at least until your wings recover."
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine simply nodded her head while the man continued. Seemed he was at least sympathetic to the harpies plight and told of the many others who fell as a result of the towns curse. Seems she was one of the lucky ones and she was thanking her lucky starts for that. A part of her however just couldn't leave this suspicion alone. He mentioned "another" non-human which only made her more curious. "What part I can't understand, is why the people dislike me. Do they feel I'm somehow responsible or connected to the incident? And you mentioned "another" non-human visited you. You mean to say that I am not the first non-human to visit your town since the curse started?"

She then heard that she would have to help out around town, which cheered her up somewhat. If today had proven anything, she had shown she was good with children. Maybe she could help in that regard. "I am more then willing to help out around here until I recover. If you'd let me, I could help look after the children, maybe even help in their lessons. If not that, I can help stand watch at night. I can actually see really well at night and it would allow me to help your men. Whatever help you may need, I can offer it!" Irine was more then willing to show how eager she was to help, hoping that her offers would at least be considered.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

"You're in Badaria," the man stated simply, "Whether it's true or not, we've been taught that non-humans are untrustworthy and dangerous for generations. That doesn't go away overnight just because the King is gone. It won't matter to some of us what you do, or haven't done." He briefly paused and frowned a little bit more, "There is another woman here who isn't human, yes. She arrived a few days ago and has stayed at McBarret's Inn since then."

Her offer to look after the children was greeted by another frown, and he hesitantly replied; "You have my permission to look after Sam, but... The parents of the other children may not be so accepting. You must ask permission from them before you do anything. As for helping with the watch, that much I can arrange. Would you be willing to take a watch tonight?"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

The priestess simply nodded, realizing the weight of what he just said. Time did heal all wounds, but racial prejudices take decades to eliminate. "It is a sad state of affairs. I would like to help close those wounds, but that is not why I'm here today." Was all she could say in regards to that subject. However, hearing that another non-human was still in the village did perk up the harpy. Maybe it was one of her sister harpies? The possibility was enough to return a bit of spark to the girls eyes. "If possible, I'll see if I can speak to her later."

Her mood also picked up when she heard sh could do the work she suggested. At the very least, taking care of Sam would be a joy. The boy had so much energy that it was almost enviable. She knew there might be some resistance to her being a caretaker for the other children, but she'd plead her case to any of her naysayers and hopefully win them over. "I understand if they are apprehensive. It would be hard to entrust the life of your child to someone you barely know. Especially one such as myself, given what you've told me." She finally heard that she'd be able to help with the watch, meaning she was able to actually do some real good now. Thank the gods!

"If you could make it possible sir, I would very much be an invaluable asset. Anything to finally payback the people who saved my life. But for now, I will see myself out. I thank you for your time. The girl got up from her seat and headed to the door, stopping as she gripped the handle. "I...apologize but I completely forgot to ask you for your name. I can't just keep calling you "Sir" all day now can I?"
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Irine Courland: HP = 81, PP = 51, EP = 52, Status = Fine

"If you can find her, you're free to speak to her. I've given upon on keeping track of her.... In truth, I wonder why she even bothers to stay here. She said that she wanted to help with the curse, as you did, but she hasn't been of any real use so far," Samuel's father offered regarding the other outsider present in the town, and moments later he gave a small bark of laughter, though he never allowed himself to smile, as she realized that she'd never heard the man's name. "No, I suppose people might get confused if you refer to me as sir... I am Daniel, Daniel Shattershield.

"I will send someone for you when your time upon the walls comes up. Make yourself ready for it." Unless Irine had any more questions, Daniel would return to his desk while she left his office. Samuel was sitting in a chair that sat against the wall directly across from the door into his father's office, swinging his legs back and forth as he waited for her to come out, at which point the maimed child would hop up excitedly, "You're back! What did dad say? Can you stay here?" The boy was looking at her with a hopeful expression, and she couldn't help but notice the dark stains around his mouth, as if he'd been eating something messy. Peter was sitting behind the desk, and shot her a friendly smile and allowed her to answer Sam's question rather than ask any of his own.
 
Re: Heaven's a Lie (Aust Nailo)

Of course the other outsider would be hard to track down. Seems by nature folks like Irine and the other stranger were prone to being somewhat...flighty. She'd keep her eyes open though for anyone that seemed out of the ordinary. "Thank you kindly for the information. Perhaps like me, she's just waiting for the opportune moment to assist. But I'll say no more on the matter. I'll keep my eyes open for her." She was honestly surprised when she heard the gruff man let out a small bit of laughter. Seems this cold man still had some warmth left within him. Once he gave her his name and the plans for later this evening, the harpy stood from her chair and gave a bow to the man. "Thank you, Sir Daniel. Thank you for this chance. I look forward to serving with you and your men."

With that, she removed herself from the room and found young Sam and Peter eagerly awaiting her return. The boy was in very good spirits, as usual and it seemed he had an enjoyable meal as well. As soon as she closed the door to Daniel's office, Sam was already firing questions at her. Seemed this child would never tire. "Well Sam, your father said I could stay as long as I needed while my wings recover. He also said I could keep an eye on you in the process. And if I get permission, I can help you and your friends with their lessons as well. How does that sound?" She made it a point to keep out the part about the guard duty, thinking it would only make the boy nervous. She didn't want the boy to be stressed out on her account. "So how about we finish our tour of the town? I know you said you had a lot to show me!"
 
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