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Old 01-16-2004, 11:01 PM   #57
Nerindel
Spirited Weaver of Fates
 
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Pipe

After excusing himself from his cousins Korpúlfr casually made his way towards the house his hands clenched behind his back in thoughtful contemplation as he crossed the court yard, his excursion with Tinar offered up many possibilities, but also offered him a good excuse to go down to the harbour and have a look at that Gondorian ship. Stepping into the ornate hallway of his Umbar house, the little brown sparrow that had flown past him at the stables now flapped impatiently about his head.

"So your ready to see the sights of the great city of the Cosairs" he laughed dryly. The sparrow followed him down the hallway to a small library at the back of the house, the room was especially designed and situated so that none of the Haradwaith staff could witness the secret comings and goings of his clan. Closing the door behind them he crossed to open the shuttered window, then turning he shrank down into his own bird form, A raven. The blue purple iridescence of his sleek black feathers and the dark brown of the birds sharp eyes marking the similarities to his base form. With a shake of his shaggy throat feather he spread his wings and took to the sky closely followed by the young sparrow, an unusual sight to be sure but not one that the self involved people of Umbar would take notice of.

"So where too first Kor?" the young Wyrm asked between wing beats.

Korpúlfr surpressed a cringe he hated Tinar's use of the abbreviation of his name, but he tolerated it, he needed to become the young mans friend and mentor if he was to attain his own goals and ambitions, even if it meant tolerating the rumours about his father. Stretching his wings wide he glided on the warm air currents to allow the smaller bird to keep up.

"How about the harbour, the life line of Umbar's trading?" he suggested casually, "Then perhaps by the time we return the trading will have begun and we can take a walk through the market streets."

"Sounds good to me, isn't that Gondorian Merchant ship in port, I think I too would like to get a closer look!" Tinar peeped and Korpúlfr caught the sly glint in the young birds beady eye.

With slow wing beats Korpúlfr circled and glided around the many towers and spires of the wealthier area of the city, pointing out the more prominent buildings to Tinar, they passed over the broad arc of the market and swooped down to meet the fresh tang of the sea air were the currents changed from warm to cool through his feathers. Korpúlfr withheld his usual arielbatics infront of Tinar the freedom and exhilaration of his raven form something he wished to keep to himself.

The white sails of the Gondorian merchant ship stood out against the black of the two three masted, Corsair war ships berthed either side of her. "The Black Eagle the pride of Lord Falasmir's fleet!" Tinar proudly announced as he again caught up to the larger bird, Korpúlfr grinned the young man like himself had obviously had the sense to find out more about his host before coming to the city, though he himself was no stranger with the palace, he dealt mostly with the ladies of the court or the palace staff, very seldom did he meet the lord himself and he wanted to be prepared.

"And the Black Hawk her sister ship!" he finished, circling the second ship. There was a sense of relaxed tension from both ships, as though they were waiting for something.

"I want to take a take a closer look!" Tinar exclaimed as they flew above the Gondorian ship, but before he could protest the small sparrow effortlessly flew down weaving in and out of the rigging, with a shake of his feathery head and a click of his beak he perched himself above the crows nest. A crew man on the rigging gave him a cursory look to which he gave a raucous caw and moved of to a lower sail arm. The crew of this ship were more restless and on edge and nearly every man kept a suspicious or nervous eye on the two ships that flanked them, oh they all seemed busy and unconcerned, but to Korpúlfr who all his life had to hide his true feelings and concerns, to maintain the illusion that he was no more than on of the very people he hated, the signs were clear.

"I've seen enough, I wish to leave now!" Tinar announced as he returned from sweeping the ship, Korpúlfr realised that it had been sometime since they left the house and that the young man must have been struggling to keep his present form, so he nodded his assent but as they flew from the ship, he began to regret his father decision to trade they best wares, narrowing his eyes and looking back at the three ships he couldn't help wondering if his goods would not some how find their way on to one of lord Falasmir's merchant ships!

"Did you hear anything interesting?" he asked his young companion, trying to abate his suspicions.

"No, not really, they are eager to set sail and return to their own lands, the sooner the better I say!" the young man laughed casually, but behind him Korpúlfr frowned and cocked his feathered head pondering if Tinar was hiding something from him or if he was really as blind as he was making out, it was more than evident that that ship was going nowhere soon!

As they reached the market Korpúlfr flew ahead leading the son of the head wyrm to the roof of a fair sized shop, at the rear end of the building was a hole only just large enough for him to fit through, once inside Tinar immediately shook of him bird form and reverting to his base form, his black curly hair shaking as he shook his head. Korpúlfr flew down from the roof beam, but instead of the scratch of claws on the hard wooden floor of the dusty loft, there was a soft thud as Korpúlfr's boots hit the floor. Fixing his tunic he threw open the loft door and climbed down stairs, Tanir close behind him.

"Master, how good to see you!" the startled shopkeeper said as they entered the shop front, then he hurried himself to greet them, Korpúlfr stopped him with a raised hand. "I'm just giving my friend here a tour of the city and what would a tour be without visiting the Raven's Nest, eh?" the two men laughed. Korpúlfr turned to see Tinar run his hand over a rich cinnamon silk .

"There's no finer silks in all of Harad." he grinned confidently.

"I'm sure" the young man laughed.
A small bell rang as he opened the front door, "Now stay close the market can be a dangerous place" he warned .

"I'm not a child, I can look after myself!" Tinar growled, a slight hint of disdain in he eyes, but it past and was replaced by an eager smile. "Come on!"

Korpúlfr lead Tinar through the busy market, past food vendors, rival spice traders, jewellers, potters, and many other wonderful trade stalls, but always heading in the direction of the palace and only pausing when something caught the young mans eye. Korpúlfr stood next to the tent of a local carver, grinning as Tinar tried to haggling over the price of a gold dragon armlet, he was just about to intervene as the trader grew insulted by Tinar's low offers, when a palace guard swept past him sticking his head into the carvers tent.

"It grows late, we must return to the palace!" he heard the guard growl then an instant later a tall, fair skinned man exited the tent his arms laden with purchases, stray strands of dark hair could be seen under the white cloth he wore on his head. So this is one of the foreign traders! he thought, watching the tall man pass, but something in his hand caught his eye, the small carving of a bird with a womans head. Frowning he waited till the foreigner and his escort were out of sight then he entered the carvers tent. He scanned the finely carved pieces till he found what he was looking for, picking up the figure of a man with a wolves head, he feigned a puzzled frown.

"What are these?" he asked.

"Skinchangers, animals that can take the form of men" the old man replied.

"Skinchangers, they are only bed time stories used to frighten children, I'm no child old man!" he laughed.

"Believe what you will young man, but I tell ye they are real and dangerous!" the old man warned

"Who would believe in such things?" he asked mockingly.

"The foreigners! that's who, as a matter of fact there was one in here a minute ago asking about them!" the trader went on, clearly offended by his mocking tones.

"Thank you," he grinned tossing a few copper to the old man and leaving with the wolf head figurine. Slipping the figure into his pocket he walked over to Tinar and informed him that it was time they were leaving, the young man quickly settled a price and followed him towards the palace.

After leaving Tinar, he went to the quarters assigned to him. His quarters were small and not as fine as those he knew Tinar and his mother would be furnished with, but they would suffice after all he didn't plan to stay long. His cousin Jahr was there waiting for him.

"What kept you there is little under an hour before the banquet begins?" But he barely heard his cousins words as he paced up and down, rubbing at his temples as he tried to make sense of all that he had learnt that afternoon.

"What's wrong?" Jahr asked concerned, Korpúlfr looked up but said nothing instead he pulled out the carving and handed it to his cousin. Jahr gasped, "Where did you get this?"

"A trader in the market" he answered absently, "But he is old and no one would believe his stories as anything more than just that, but what does concern me is the fact that one of the Gondorian's asked him about our people!" he said shaking his head.

"I don't have time to puzzle this just now if I am to be ready on time, pushing his concerns aside temporarily , he freshened up and made his way towards the opulent banquet hall.

Last edited by Nerindel; 02-10-2004 at 05:15 AM.
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