Wanna try my luck again XD

I need vacations after all these chores lol

(Cross' office has never been that clean ?)

I want a rematch !

This time I have a horseshoe in my pocket XD

Let's see what fate has in store ?

*turns the cards*

***

It seems that you are in luck @Cross

You drew one of the lucky charm avatar ! May it bring you luck this week ^.^

***

@Ryrin 

Here is yours ?

Well... It seems that luck is not on your side, Mumsie XD

Here is your avvie for the coming week :

*looks around and grins*

Hahaha no luck XD

*grabs the broom*

Can I get another one ...For when I'm done cleaning your office ?

2 it is !

*draws card*

You got the lucky dice avatar :

Wanna play too ?

Do you feel lucky ?

Draw a card to get an avatar ?

Cute or silly, fun or ugly, you will have to wear it for one week !!!!!

Will you pick :

Card 1         Card 2

Card 3

(Cards and avatar are reset each time someone plays -

so don't hesitate to pick a card that someone else had already chosen)

Me too !!!!

I'll need more tbh XD

but then I have watched so many awesome tv shows recently that my bar is set up super high ?

The fountain was beautiful. A real masterwork. Having grown up in Caemlyn, Myrrhi had seen her share of marble monuments, but this one was exceptionally well carved. She wondered whether someone would want to erect a statue in her likeness one day. Her stone self would stand in her dress and shawl, her Warder at her side, both with swords in their hands. She let out a small giggling sound as she imagined what the result would look like.

Elessar turned towards her, as if to ask what was going on, when a dark-haired man approached. The stranger halted two feet away from them, then bowed formally. His back still lowered, he tilted his head, politely waiting for Myrrhi to allow him to go further. And so she did, with a slow wave of her hand.

The courtier - that was how the Green had identified him due to his rich clothes - straightened and handed her a sealed parchment.

With another bow, he announced he would wait for her response which he would carry back to his Master.

The young woman nodded. She quickly broke the seal, opened the parchment and read its content, once, then a second time.

Once she reached it, she took away the woolen cape that had kept her warm during her walk and settled herself on her bed before moving to a chair, and standing up once again.

At last, she read Elessar the content of the invitation

***

"As if my "talks" are usually non-constructive," Myrrhi sniffed. She showed the invitation to Elessar. "See that last sentence?"

The Warder extended a hand to grab the document, so he could see for himself, but the Green didn't let him. Oblivious, she turned around, her mind busy on what she interpreted as an affront.

"... constructive talks", she repeated. Her cheeks had taken a surprisingly deep red colour. She didn't need a mirror to know it. She felt fire coursing through her.

"I am not certain that is what our host meant," Elessar tried.

"Nonsense! I can't believe it. See how he placed these words, right at the end!" Again, she held forth the invitation without really giving her Warder the chance to do more than acquiesce to her words.

The Green started chewing on her lower lip. She would need to impress would she accept the invitation. And so far, she was not convinced she should. She agreed that she was young and probably not very experienced as an Aes Sedai. But clearly this was no reason enough to be disrespected.

She would need a dress to impress. Nothing she was carrying in her traveling bags would be elegant enough to meet one of the council of nine. And to complement it, she would also need knowledge. Lots of it. The man was likely not expecting her to outsmart him...

A trip to the nearest eyes-and-ears was definitely required!

"Let's go!" she said crumpling the parchment before setting it in one of her belt pouches. She grabbed her woolen cape that she hastily set on her shoulders, then rushed to the door.

It's only when her Warder asked her whether she would care to tell him where they were going that she came back to reality. Unfortunately, there were already half way through the inn's common room, one of the worst places to start talking about spies.

"We need to go shopping," the Green replied.

She waited to be in the streets to tell her Warder about her plan.

"I'm sorry," she said without turning to face him "I didn't consult you on any of this.".

She saw him go and took a deep breath. Part of her wanted to follow him. Seeing him go like this felt like a defeat somehow. But, what would she say would she manage to catch up with him? Confronting him, with that current mood of his, would be messy. Her best option was to stay and wait.

Back to her shift, she settled herself in her bed as comfortably as she could. With her eyes closed, she fully opened herself to the Bond. The least she could do was to accompany her Warder from afar.

She felt him moving quickly in a straight line, his mood growing sourer. He felt like a predator chasing prey. The thieves, she thought. Although no sane man would stay in the open after having tried to rob an Aes Sedai and her Warder. His search was doomed to fail. She only hoped that it would not bring him even more frustration.

Staying focused lying on a bed like that soon became a hard challenge for the Aes Sedai. Her journey and the day's events had taken their toll on her and she fell asleep even without noticing it.

Dreams immediately came to her, chaotic ones.

First, she was a wolf hunting for thieves, then she turned into a bear and the thieves she had just found into Aes Sedai. She smashed at them with her powerful paws singing songs she had heard earlier that day. When all her Sisters were dead, she became human again and started crying over their dead bodies only to find herself in the inn common room and dancing with the gleeman.

When she woke up as she sometimes did when having absurd dreams, she felt Elessar's closeness. He was back from where ever he had been. His mood had softened but probably not enough to have a real conversation or so she thought. The night was still dark, not much time had passed since his outburst.

The young woman waited for him to enter the inn, to walk up the stairs. She wanted to make sure he was safe and sound in his bed before risking falling asleep again.

To her surprise, he stopped right in front of her door.

“You have my apology, Myrrhi Aes Sedai.” Elessar said with a low voice. “My words were spoken in anger. The road is dark sometimes and I must walk it better.”

Myrrhi bit her lower lip as she often did when she needed to cogitate. What could she answer to these few words of apology? It was too late, she was too tired to think clearly and so she decided to stay silent. It was only when she heard her Warder's entering his own room that she allowed herself to close her eyes again.

***

When Myrrhi woke up the next morning, she didn't feel as rested as she should have. More absurd dreams had plagued her and she still felt very troubled. She put on her traveling clothes - she didn't really want to feel pretty that day - and soberly tied her hair in a low bun.

She ordered a small piece of bread with jam and tea, and waited for her Warder to join her in the common room. The place would serve as a neutral ground for them to start the day. A place where there were so many ears that they wouldn't have to talk to each other about their feelings.

When she set her eyes on Elessar she saw how drawn his face was - he hadn't probably slept much - but at least he wasn't angry. Which was already a good thing, she told herself. And then she felt something different as if something had attracted the Warder's attention partially away from the recent events.

Hearing her Warder's suspicions about the innkeeper put a smile on Myrrhi's face. She decided not to comment about it out loud, but it definitely removed a heavy weight from her chest... besides confirming what she had also noticed. There was something off with the innkeeper.

***

The way they resolved the innkeeper's "problem" was another small victory. They managed to obtain a confession, apologies, and a discount without having to kill, maim or injure anyone! The Green thought it was definitely an auspicious sign. Maybe they would manage to overcome that new obstacle?

***
Illian was so different from Ebou Dar. Myrrhi had her eyes wide open as they slowly moved through the harbour city. She made note of the fashion, the architecture, the way people moved and talked. So many little details that she wanted to engrave in her memory. She thought it important as an Aes Sedai to know about the world and its people.

For a while she forgot about how worried she was for her Warder, about all the recent moments she had spent wondering whether or not she should talk to him, wondering on best to behave, ... She was starting to believe she had misinterpreted the "good" signs she had seen in Serdion.

When they arrived at the inn, they had chosen, she promptly asked Elessar whether she could spend more time in this new city's streets. She didn't feel like staying indoors when there were so many things to discover.
 

"Why the bloody hell should my ankle not be fine," Elessar answered, with a tone that would have made anyone gasp. Anyone except an Aes Sedai of course. Years of training and brainwashing about not showing emotions truly helped in this kind of situation.

Myrrhi and the Gaidin were in the streets. People could be watching them, people who could have recognized them as Aes Sedai and Warder... The young woman had no other choice but to school her face. This was not the place for an open confrontation. She knew — though — that her cheeks had lost some of their colour.

The last person who had barked at her that way had been more than four times her age and had been the beneficiary of one of most sought-of titles in the White Tower. No matter that person's position, Myrrhi had had her revenge, under the shape of a nasty prank the Novices still talked about. The Green didn't appreciate to be taken for punching-bag.

But should a nasty prank be her way to respond to her Warder's aggressive words? Probably not...

Myrrhi sniffed, straightened her back, and decided to keep her distances as they walked back to the inn where they had rented rooms for the night.

They found the common room in the same state they had left it, bright with lights, full of songs and laughs. The complete opposite of Elessar's mood, the Aes Sedai thought. Without even a look back, she glided to her door. Her Warder could have been right behind her or still talking to the innkeeper, she didn't care. At least that's what she told herself.

Time passed, and it became harder and harder to ignore the Gaidin. The Bond didn't help of course. It kept her informed on how bad the man was feeling. Guilt, anger, and many other feelings seemed to have gathered in a vortex right inside his brain.

Enough! She whispered. She needed to find a distraction. It was too late for another bath, too late to have a walk in the streets, too late to read. Her mind would not focus anyways.

The only options she thought of were either to pace around - which she refused to do - or to try for some sleep. After a long inner debate, she picked the second option but sleep never came.

Alright, she told herself. Let's try for a change of scenery! She put her dress back on, combed her hair and lit a candle before slowly leaving her room. The corridors were quiet, but she could still hear some brouhaha coming from the common room. There, she found the innkeeper and a couple of people who, by chance, didn't look too drunk. Among them, she recognized the gleeman who had performed earlier. The man was sitting on a table talking animatedly about his next destination.

Not everyone looked thrilled to see her. The innkeeper sighed loudly, the patrons shifted their gazes to their cups. Only the gleeman greeted her with a warm smile.

***

Odd feelings came through the Bond. Myrrhi had just told the gleeman that it was time for her to return to her room when a sense of alarm rushed through her head.

Her first thought was that her Warder must have had a bad dream - once again. Should she tell him he needed help? That his nightmares were becoming a problem? She tried picturing the conversation they would have the next day when ... she heard him swearing loudly.

Before she had the time to fully comprehend the situation, a man rushed past her, the Warder in tow.

With a dress tight as hers, Myrrhi knew it was a bad idea for her to start running as well. She would only make a fool of herself, and knew that if Elessar couldn't catch the man, neither could she.

Instead, she did what she considered to be the smartest thing to do. She swiftly went to her bedroom, then Elessar's. There she discovered a lock pick lying on the floor, proof of an attempted burglary. However, none of her belongings seemed to be missing. She had had her purse on her when she had gone downstairs and her most precious possessions had been warded.

***

“So, where the hell were you?” Elessar asked Myrrhi angrily as he stepped into her room. He had returned, empty-handed.

The little girl that Myrrhi had been would have been scared to death, facing a man with eyes as dark. Anger seemed to radiate from him.

Her answer surprised herself. She opened herself to Saidar. Not to create a shield but as a reminder of who she was. Soft tendrils of Air filled the space between them, caressing her Warder's skin.

She took a deep breath.

"I want you to think before you go further," she told him as quietly as she could. "I understand your feelings but remember who you are and who I am."

The Bond told her that this would be a long night. There would be no magical words to calm down the Gaidin unless Lady Luck was on her side.

As much as she had wanted to show empathy earlier that day, she now felt frustrated. "Tell me what's going on here..."

?

yeah not sure I'll manage to eat worms or insects XD

I'd prefer grain then ?

I'm trying to picture a hybrid penguin - coyote creature ... and I'm failing at it XD

A wolf definitely.

I'd prefer to have fur than feathers and keep my paws on the ground. The idea of having a pack is very important to me as well.

I remember reading that they have a well organized family-life. That also has a lot of appeal  ?

That's a tough one ? I'll have to think about this.

But, I'll give at least a honourable mention to the Witcher's Roach for their resilience. All his mounts wear the same name, and they must go through a lot ?

Nice one ❤️ ?

Bored ? ?

Here are a couple of pet browser games !

Don't hesitate to post your results and / or to share other games !!!!

Game # 1 (easy) - https://www.crazygames.com/game/pet-connect

Game # 2 (harder) - https://www.crazygames.com/game/dream-pet-link

Wondering what outfit you should wear for Bela's Carnival ? ?

What about trying a little quiz to check what animal represents you the most ?

Quiz # 1 - https://animalinyou.com/

Quiz # 2 - https://brainfall.com/quizzes/what-animal-am-i/

Quiz # 3 - https://www.spiritanimal.info/what-animal-are-you-quiz/

***

So according to the first test, I'm more like an owl.

according to the 2nd more of a Dolphin, and to the third a wolf

What about yous ?

???

Welcome to Bela's Carnival !

Our favourite mare is hosting a week long event

for you to enjoy ?

?

So, dress up and enjoy of activities :

What animal are you (quiz)

Pet connect (game)

What animal would you be? (discussion)

Favorite Fictional Animal (discussion)

more to come soon ?

?

Speaking of dressing up,

what mask would you be wearing for this carnival ?

I'm definitely picking this blue wolf mask ?

Serdhion, she didn't know why but Myrrhi immediately liked the name when she heard it from her Warder's lips. As she closed her eyes, she pictured a wide town with rich stores and impressively large buildings. If her mental image was true, this stop would be the perfect opportunity to renew some of her wardrobe and purchase better provisions.

She could have discovered the name of their destination sooner, would she have checked the map that Elessar had brought with them. But, this was something she rarely did. First, the map was in one of the Warder's bags, hanging from his saddle, away from her reach. Second, the young woman preferred to leave the travel logistics  to the Gaidin. Compared to him she still felt very inexperienced, a feeling that she didn't really enjoyed ... So instead of suggesting paths that could be wrong or too risky, she simply followed Elessar's proposals. She did the same for almost everything else, the camping spots, the watering spots, the feeding of the horses ... there was only one exception: the provisions. There were some food that she truly enjoyed and often insisted on having at least a few of them at hand. Some type of cheese, sweets, ... they were like comfort food for her. The only bits of luxury when they had to sleep in the wilds.

Serdhion was not exactly like she had thought it to be, but it surely was a successful merchant town. The traffic was intense and the number of stores was definitely impressive. The inn they had selected, the Merchant's Daughter, reflected that success from the pots of flowers that decorated its entrance to the sign that advertised the name of the establishment. A true artist must have painted it, the shadows and the gradient of colors were spot on. The Merchant's daughter maybe had a very large bosom but she was a masterpiece.

And so was the interior of the inn. The furniture looked brand new and touches of dark purple gave the common room a sense of style Myrrhi had rarely seen in a town. The innkeeper's wife or daughter had probably had had a hand in it.

Speaking of the innkeeper, Myrrhi recognized him as the first to come towards them. His bored face moved to something quite worrying before quickly changing to a fake smile. The young Green tensed and exchanged a glance with her Warder. He too had noticed.

***

Like it was now customary, Myrrhi waited to be shown her room to ask for a well needed bath. She waited for the water to be poured and the serving girl to be gone to ward her room and to undress. The strange behaviour of the innkeeper kept on bothering her. She tried to reassure herself that a fake smile could mean many different things. The man could have had very difficult Aes Sedai customers before? Maybe Myrrhi's face reminded him of someone? It was hard to tell. The only way to know more about it all would be to spy on the innkeeper himself, but the Green didn't really feel like weaving eavesdropping  threads. Not yet...  Instead she decided she would ask a couple of questions to the serving girl when she returned.

***

The Green's bath took longer that she had expected. The book she had picked to read while sitting in her tub was breathtaking. It was not exactly her first choice of reading - "smutty literature" she had heard someone whisper between their teeth when she had picked it up and it had been enough for her to decide buying the novel. And there, as she read it, she could see that that person had been completely wrong. There was nothing vulgar to the story, just romance, a lot of it, enough to completely distracted her from her journey and her worries for her Warder.

The serving girl came back to retrieve the bath and its now icy content. The petite blond woman had nothing to say about her master. Only that he was an undeserving-pig... Myrrhi shrugged and let her go. She would have to talk to the Gaidin, to see if they needed to take an extra step.

***

Myrrhi met Elessar for dinner. She had finished half her book by then and was ready for even more distractions. Her light linen dress, green of course, had the perfect shade to complement the purple drapes and ribbons of the common room. Dressing so had probably been an unnecessary gesture - more for herself that anyone else - but the Green had felt inspired by her reading. She wanted to feel beautiful.

The food they were served was delicious and taken from common pans and pots - a sign that it was probably not poisoned - and the gleeman who performed that night was excellent. It was easy to see how experienced and gifted he was. Even her Warder felt to his songs and poems. The Green noticed Elessar smiling widely for the first time in weeks.

●

Myrrhi looked at the sky one more time. The sun was again hiding behind a large cloud. It wouldn't last, the wind had been strong that day. She wondered in the weather was reflecting her Warder's mood. Sometimes they would chat together, sometimes Elessar would stay silent and - as the sun - his good mood would be replaced by introspection.

She wanted to tell him that "it was alright", that there were no harm done, that she still fully trusted him... but somehow she didn't think it would do much good.

Through the Bond she could feel that the Gaidin was trying to push this all away, out if his head, but the events - and the guild seemed to always come back.

The landscape was rich enough to keep her busy. The vegetation, the curved of the road and the little animals peeking out of the bushes and the high herbs were not so different from what she had seen in the past but they all looked so harmonious under the intermittent rays of sunlight.

Maybe I should try to draw or paint it all, Myrrhi wondered. It had been a while since the last time she had used a piece of paper for something else that writing a note or a report. But then, she had to travel lightly. Her books took already the best part of her saddlebags. Her mare would probably protest at the sight of yet another satchel to carry. 

The road was so pleasant that she was surprised to see they had already reached a first village. There would be more to stop by before they would reach their destination, Illian.

She welcomed the break, as it was a chance for them to gather fresh provisions and to sleep in an real bed. But, she felt impatient. These long stretches felt sometimes to quiet compared to all the adventures they had already gone through.

The more they advanced, the more people they met on the road. Farmers were replaced by merchants, single men by large carriages. There were less and less chances for them to meet either wolves or brigands - as long as they would stick to the road of course. There was strength in numbers.

A couple of times, larger groups invited Elessar and Myrrhi to the camps they had improvised. "The more the merrier," they usually said. Deep down, the young woman knew that she and her Warder had probably been recognized and that the travelers counted on their expertise in case a danger would appear. 

Depending on how tired the Green would feel and on Elessar's assessment, sometimes they would accept the invitation. Sometimes they would kindly refuse and push for the next village or at least - for a couple of extra miles.

It was on such a night that Elessar and Myrrhi had found a nice camping spot, not too far nor too close from the road. There was a small stream of water that offered them exactly what they needed to drink as well as to refresh themselves. It was late enough that they barely took the time chat before setting going to sleep. They had eaten on the road, and the Aes Sedai had yawned more times that she could count.

A strange feeling brought her back to the waking world. A feeling of unease, of guilt, of longing ? It was hard to tell. It took her some time to divide what was hers from what was her Warder's. She looked towards her Gaidin and saw him moving in his dreams, something she had never seen before - or maybe she had but didn't remember. Should she wake him up ? Should she respect his privacy ? She was a at a loss.