<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yiv8296538201"><div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437222311576_10076"><div style="color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px;" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437222311576_10075"><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25767">Aaryn is talking about things we've not seen yet. Foreshadowing stuff, it'll be important eventually.</div><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25767"> </div><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25767">James is legitimately glad, hence why he mumbled it so no one can hear.</div><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25767"> </div><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25767" dir="ltr">I don't know why but I always loved the Deaf Tent, more than the regular bar. I wanted it to be smashed and broken when James got there.</div><div id="yiv8296538201yui_3_16_0_1_1437219973947_25768"> </div> <div class="yiv8296538201qtdSeparateBR" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1437222311576_10137"> </div><div class="yiv8296538201yqt5464313394" id="yiv8296538201yqt46480"></div></div></div></div><div class=".yiv8296538201yahoo_quoted"> <div style="font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"> <div style="font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"> <div dir="ltr"> On Saturday, July 18, 2015 7:03 AM, C. Matthias <jagille3@vt.edu> wrote: </div> <div class="yiv8296538201y_msg_container"> >Trust III > >Fun fact, I had come to Metamor three months after the Assault. Why >does this matter you may be asking? >Because the Assault had left the Keep very broken, very burned and >very much in need of repair. > >"This is the brothel?" I moaned out loud. "This place wouldn't pass >as the worst whore house in all of Isenport!" Maybe because it >wasn't a whore house twit. > >The Jolly Collie stood in front of me. Or rather, the soon to be >re-opened Jolly Collie. For now it was a burned out, roofless >shell, with many different forms walking around it. Good of you to show it in this state. We didn't see nearly enough of burned-out Metamor after WA. >"Yeah. I need to be going home." I closed my eyes and opened up the >world in my head. My thoughts took me south, far south of everyone here. > >Now I was human, well dressed in my doublet and tights. Now I >strolled the streets of Isenport. > >I was on Pudding Street, one of the winding streets that came into >existence due to the ill-lined houses. The buildings were a >collection of wood against white wash stone, thatch roof and poorly >cleaned windows. > >"And I'm home." The ache in my heart lessened, but it stayed with >me. A gnawing at the edge of my mind. I pushed it aside and began >to stroll about my streets. > >And these were my streets. This city was my city; I would rule it >one day in the name of the Empire. "I am home. I am home." > >Pudding Street was the street of bakers, confectioners and others >who's trade lay in preparing delicacies. The scents wafted about >me, leaving me light headed. I steadied myself against the wall. > >"I am home." The people milled about him, a variety of colors and >body types mashed together. Yet they were all human. Not a claw or >feather in sight, not any children lecturing grown men. All human. > >All was right again. > >"Stand back, stand back!" My guards yelled out. Everyone knew who I >was, their future leader, their protector and guardian. And the >people followed. > >"I am home." I whispered as the masses parted for me. The people's >eyes were filled with admiration and respect. I waved at them and >they cheered. A part of us reacts negatively to the idea of this fellow wallowing in lordship over others, but another part of us feels sorry for this fellow who had everything stolen from him. We can see in this that yearning for the safety and security of what is known and loved. That is something we all identify with. I'm glad you had this little section here. >"I work as...well I suppose a lumberjill is the term now." She >smiled, "My name is Aaryn." She would not be able to do the heaviest lifting and swinging, she just won't have the upper body strength compared to the bulls and beavers on the crew. But any task they have will definitely give her some good muscle tone. >My hand trembles now as I write this but I'll continue none the >less. I can never fully repay you Aaryn. That is a nice touch. It suggests that she has more of a role to play than a walk-on character. >"Well you'll adjust." She smiled. "I adjusted to being a woman. But >I know that look." > >"What look?" I asked. > >"The look of a man who could use a drink." She said. "Come on, I'll >take you to the Mule." Now we begin to see another reason why he won't be picking up any food today! >"I...I was...brought here by my father." I gripped my skirt. >"Self-absorbed son of a bitch. I uh...got injured..." It was all my >fault. "And I ended up unconscious for so long, the curse got me." > >"So what was your Father? A merchant?" > >"Something like that." I muttered. We passed under the shadow of a >badly damaged building. I paused for a second. "What's with >this?" Aaryn frowned. "This, why are so many houses burned and stuff?" I see he doesn't actually want to talk about that. The pain of betrayal is too real for him still. >"What do you think of Metamor so far?" > >"I've not had the best introduction. It's just-YOW!" A passerby >stepped on my skirt and by extension, my tail. I leapt up into the >air, briefly causing the scarf around my neck to come free. Aaryn's >eyes went wide. > >"So that's what you're becoming." I scooped the scarf up and >rewrapped it. "There's no shame in that." > >"So says you." I snapped. "I'm becoming a monster. I don't want >this! This..." We stopped again. "This form, I want it to stop and >I want to go home." > >"You poor sad thing." Aaryn mumbled. "They messed you up badly >didn't they?" I frowned and took off walking again. Aaryn >scrambled to keep up. "Relax, relax I'm just asking." I'm not quite sure who Aaryn is talking about here. But there is definitely a lot of sympathy there which helps. >"And someone tried to attack it?" Aaryn nodded. "I assume you guys won?" > >"As best as this can be called winning." Aaryn said. I looked >around at the twisted and burned street. > >"I wish this place would be burned to the ground." Is what I didn't >say. I wanted to say it but I couldn't do it. These people can >survive anything. > >"I'm glad you won." I mumbled. We resumed walking in silence. I >fell into a haze and only emerged when Aaryn was shaking my shoulder. Thank you for being polite here, James. >"We're here." The building we stood in front of was not a >building. It was smashed pieces of a building, held together by >hope and a tent over the top. I looked over at Aaryn. > >"You're joking right?" > >"Not at all. This is actually great." Aaryn said. "The Mule was >smashed to pieces but they've started to rebuild." > >"As this?" I asked. It'll get better soon! Trust me! >"You'd be surprised." Aaryn said. She frowned. "I wanna get a drink >too...but I'm needed somewhere else." > >"So you brought me here and just dump me?" I asked. > >"I brought you here because you need a drink." Aaryn said. "Get a >big one for me lizard boy." I smiled. She's actually really cute, isn't she? And now I'm smiling. Well played! We like Aaryn quite a bit already. Good job! >I waited until Aaryn had walked away until I went into the Deaf Tent. LOL! Love the name you gave it. >The Deaf Tent was deafening. Yes, shocking. It was what you would >expect from a bar (people, drinks, mazers, bar) but without certain >things, like chairs and tables. People were crowded around whatever >they could set a drink on, talking and laughing. > >The tent was smoky and dim, crowded despite the time of day. I >walked forward slowly. They're all looking at me. I need to get >out of here. I pushed these thoughts away; I did need a drink after all. > >When you don't know who runs a bar or how much a drink costs, there >are many ways to find out. This was my way. > >"Hey, hello!" I grabbed the arm of the first passer by and pulled >out a couple of coins. "How drunk will this get me?" That should work pretty well! I look forward to seeing a drunk lizard!! :-) May He bless you and keep you in His grace and love, Charles Matthias </div> </div> </div> </div></div></body></html>