Childsplay

[Darien Cordel]

Darien opened his eyes tentatively. He had done it, he had actually done it. He peered into the box seeing candy. He loved candy, Candy was great. He smiled at that. Then he saw the white stone, now why would you put a stone in a box that had a magic lock?
It didn't look like anything that would warrant such security, that told Darien that it held sentimental value. He would need to be careful then with what he said. He once told a servant girl at home that the stick she was waving around wasn't magic ... she'd punched him in the face. Then he'd cried and she'd laughed at him. He didn't like being punched and intended to avoid that happening here mainly because he didn't want any of Papa's men to break this girl's hand. Mysa was his friend after all.

Thus her question caused a dilemma in Darien "I think that box is very cool ..." He replied then he shifted to sit properly again because his feet were going numb "I think it's a great place to hide Candy from dentists ..." Dentists where Darien's greatest nemesis they were an evil breed who wanted to replace all the fun foods with porridge, they never admitted it but Darien knew. He could see the evil in their eyes "I also think the white stone confuses me ... is it magic?" He asked in a whisper. Darien bet Mysa had loads of magic stuff and if she did she could help him catch a Rancor. Dad might let him have a light sword then.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

She watched in anticipation, his eyes lit up to the candy however she could see he was confused at the presence of the stone. A very ponderous look graced the boy's expression, and while he tried to look somewhat gratuitous she knew that he had not been expecting something so... Mundane. Biting her lip she reached out and plucked it from the box before he could, holding it flat upon her palm. It was frightfully cold to the touch.

She saw him lean back down from his knelt position while he admitted that the box was cool. "You can keep it" she said, with a soft smile. It had been a marvel to her when she was first shown it, but she had no need for it. There were no secrets that she kept, nothing she had to hide, and while the box was good for helping someone touch the Force Mysa had already learned that a long time ago. Perhaps it would help quieten Darien's mind sometimes?

"This" she said, holding up the palm which held the small white pebble, "is a stone from Midvinter. Even now it is still very cold to the touch, despite the fact that this place is extremely warm. Here..." She offered it out to him, before brushing away her fringe from her eyes. "I know it's not much, but... I thought it could help you remember your time here, when you go. And besides, this way you can be reminded to visit Midvinter one day... Maybe you'll even see a Vhaanir!"

Mysa would be sad when he left, and she knew it would be soon as he certainly didn't look like a native. While she enjoyed the company of the Heavenshield children, Nina was a mute and thus not a good conversationalist, and Théo preferred to play than to sit around and do nothing save chatter.

[member='Darien Cordel']

 

[Darien Cordel]

Darien laughed "Hey" as [member="Mysa Snowstrider"] grabbed the stone. She was quick ... He hated to lose but it wasn't so bad losing to mysa he enjoyed her ... god had he just thought that, that was bad , he was going to forget that. It was elitist and Darien didn't like that, he blamed his governess and her lectures on his people and other people. Darn if she ever heard about this she might even talk herself to death, that could have been funny but Darien didn't want to wish her dead even if she was a witch.

Then she said he could keep her box. He was dumbfounded, no one had just given him a gift before "Thank you" He exclaimed. The box was the last weapon he needed to ensure final victory against his dentist. Dr. Shivpuri would rue the day she trifled with Darien Cordel User of magic and new master of the magic box. Darien did need something to practice magic on, he had asked his father to teach him magic but he Papa wouldn't ... Darien didn't get why.

Then she explained what the white stone was "Midvinter cool, " He cooed this stone sounded cool ... no pun intended. Then she put it in his hand, it was freezing cold. Like grandma hands cold, well if he had a grandma that is. He smiled when she said it wasn't very much "I'm not very much either but I've killed a rancor ... true story " Granted the Rancor was made of paper and he'd killed it when he tripped and dropped the paper down a mountain.

He would also be sad to leave Papas houses were boring and there were no nice kids his age around, He only had two days left but he hoped the pair might be able to connect well enough to communicate telepathically ... he'd heard that could be done, even if the word was confusing to him. "Wanna go on an adventure now ?" He asked putting his new gifts in his bag. "Darth stuffty needs to kill a rancor so that he can get an apprentice ..." Darien's birthday was coming up and that meant new toys.

 

[Lief]

"You're welcome" she said, with a broad smile; it was nice to see that someone would get to use it, after all it was quite the special and arguably rare contraption! At least, it wasn't often in the arsenal of a child. She tilted her head to one side curiously and watched as he took the stone and felt its cool core radiating through its surface. To the mention of a rancor, however, the small child frowned a little before shaking her head dubiously.

"You so did not kill a rancor" she said, with a slight gasp, "how? When? How big was it?"

Quite quickly, though, the conversation switched tone and Mysa felt excitement well within her. "A real adventure, you mean?" Oh she would love to see more of the planet. Perhaps she ought to let Coci and Furry know..? Then again, what if they told Darien's papa? Would there be a chance their playdates would stop? Ohdear...

Beginning to pack up what she had already taken out the girl decided she would head off and explore anyway. No doubt she would be able to find her way back if they were careful, she didn't want to risk losing this bit of fun. It would be her secret, and she'd never had a secret before! "Come on" she said, offering him her hand so she could pull him to her feet. Their adventure was just beginning!

Mysa could not help herself, she was excited!

[member='Darien Cordel']

 

[Darien Cordel]

The stone was growing much too cold now, Darien was unaccustomed to such temperatures so he cautiously deposited the stone back into the box, it would not do to break it especially not given how generous the gift had been, Darien bet his Papa didn't even have a box like this, He might have to keep it a secret though which was a shame ... He really hated the servant kids and they hated him and if he told anyone about the box they might steal it.

It seemed [member="Mysa Snowstrider"] was dubious of his claim to fame, He nodded his head with the same ferocity as she had shook hers " I really did !" He exclaimed continuing to nod. He stopped a moment later when he got dizzy and his head started to ache, perhaps Luke was right ... That meant his head might fall off, he didn't want to be headless. Headless people couldn't eat ice cream. He lifted a hand to steady his head and to satisfy himself that his head was still attached then he answered her questions.

First the how he didn't have to lie here "I threw it off the side of a mountain" he said in his best serious story teller voice "More specifically I threw it off my Papa's balcony and it fell down a cliff ... it was about a month ago Luke was a bit upset with me ..." Mainly because it had taken luke an hour to draw the Rancor and he had given it to darien exactly two minutes before it was dropped off the mountain, Darien had cried and luke had drawn two more ... He felt a tiny bit guilty about that now but what could he do ...

As for how big the rancor had been that required some embellishment and could only be expressed properly by standing up so he did just that. Then getting on tiptoes he stretched as high as he could " ... Like this big " he said through strained breaths, it was hard being short it made lieing really hard.

Then came the better conversation, adventure. He nodded once again, this time careful to not over do it, he saw some conflict in Mysas eyes but it was swiftly resolved and before long she was urging him on and offering her hand. Like the proper gentleman he took it and helped her up, he didn't let go when she was on her feet. For safety of course, he didn't want to lose her.

He chewed on his lip for a moment then closed his eyes and swung his arm around "Let's go .... thata way" he said bringing his arm to a stop.

 

[Lief]

Mysa was dubious concerning the rancor story, however she didn't want to make out Darien was a liar so she simply grinned at him and accepted his help up once she was done packing up her things. She leaned down to tie her shoes properly so that she didn't end up tripping over her laces or anything, and then took his hand again. It was a big world out there, and she knew all too well how easy it was to get lost.

"So how did you get a Rancor in your house?" she asked as they set off in the direction that Darien had pointed to. Ear was safely in her pocket, the cloak under her free arm and a pack over her shoulder. She felt like a real adventurer! All that was missing was some sort of weapon. Mysa mentally pulled a face at that thought though, she didn't like the idea of hurting anything. Then again, she didn't want Darien to be hurt either. He was her first real friend!

The light was lost to the treetops, with just the occasional beam breaking through the leaves. It was a little spooky, though Mysa did her best not to be afraid. She had never gone this far before, even though they couldn't have been a stones throw from the pond at this point. "What's he like, by the way? Your Papa I mean?" She was curious, after all, as Mysa had never had or known a Father before Furry took her in. Then again, she'd never really had or known a Mother either.

[member="Darien Cordel"]

 

[Darien Cordel]

Darien was by all accounts a terrible liar, it just wasn't his way he was at heart much to sweet to lie. It secretly made his father proud, to have succeeded a son who didn't suffer the same preclifties as himself was a major achievement for a sith lord. He smiled when [member="Mysa Snowstrider"] took his hand again, it felt safe to have another at his side. Some of the servant kids said this was how babies were born but he doubted that. The servent kids were much stupider than him afterall.

'how did the rancor get in?' Darien hadn't thought about that, here was where his lie would come undone. He chewed his lip again and murmured "erm ... Luke let it in?" He didn't sound sure "Yes, yes that's right it was luke's fault ... but I fixed it" he sounded surer that time. The topic of conversation needed to change fast or he'd look like the stupider one. "We need sticks if we are gonna go on adventure for protection" He began glancing around 'here sticky, sticky stick' He mumbled mainly in his own head "See any?" he asked but it seemed Mysa was interested in Darien's Papa.

Darien smiled, he loved his Papa "Papa, He's great, he buys me most anything I ask for ... " except a lightsaber, Darien didn't understand why he couldn't have a saber, he was nearly eight, his Papa said it was because he might cut his own arm off but that seemed a crummy excuse, surely you could just have lost limbs sewn back on? "and he reads me stories, gives me hugs, plays games and rarely shouts at me , he's really great I love him " Of course there was another side to Lucien "But I hear him shout at others lots and he once threw a servant through a wall, it's scary when he gets cross" There were also many occasions when Darien saw ragged men and women being dragged up from the cellar. His papa said they were bad men but `Darien was skeptical.

 

[Lief]

He was most definitely lying, but she let it slip. Mysa didn't know how to lie, but she did know it was a childish thing to do. Theo did the same sometimes, it was harmless. Let him believe he had some great accomplishment under his belt, it would only boost his confidence. She knew how it was to be lacking that.

Instead she gently squeezed his hand and smiled, before firmly nodding her head. "Yes, sticks will be needed!" With a giggle she let go of his hand a little and rushed forward, spotting a few sizable sticks propped against a tree. It was almost as if the forest knew they would be looking! She lifted one up only to find it rotted through and half of it tumbled to the ground. Mysa frowned.

She listened to what Darien said as she tested out the other sticks. Was his Father able to use the Force like Coci and Furry? It sounded like it. Though neither of her Guardians had ever thrown anyone through a wall, not that she'd heard of anyway. "At least he treats you well" she said, as she turned and tossed one of the good sticks at him.

"We should go before it gets too late." She didn't want to waste daylight hours, but moreso than this she didn't want him lingering on the badder thoughts if he didn't want to. Hurrying back to his side she took his free hand in hers and pulled him on through the forest. Who knew what adventures lay ahead?

[member="Darien Cordel"]

 

[Darien Cordel]

He smiled and raised his eyebrow a little, did she actually believe he'd killed a rancor or was she just letting his lie slide? Darien like to think he was a good liar but the cook usually saw through it when he lied about not being the one to have eaten a whole vat of Ice cream. Darien liked to think she'd figured him out because he was throwing up for a whole day and not because he was a crummy liar.

On the topic of self confidence Darien was somewhat lacking in that regard, he was terrified of speaking to people and he had a hard time making friends. Mysa was different though she got him in a way no one else had.

When she giggled so did he and then the race was on to find the biggest and best stick. Darien would not be out done on that front and he found a discarded tree, who would discard a tree you ask? Darien would like to think it was a rancor or better still a giant. In truth his tree was but a leafy branch that had fallen from one of the trees which loomed high above them. It was none the less at least twice as big as him "Look Mysa I found a whole tree here, just thron away ... Do you think that means there is giants in the forest?" He asked as he threw a good stick at him.

He swished it around and made light saber noises until mysa reminded him that they aught to go. He blushed and stopped swinging the stick around "Yep ... of course I was just err ... testing the stick" he mumbled. then he glanced at the tree he wanted to bring it with him but doubted he could run with it so resolved to leave it where it was.

He ran back over to mysa and took her hand again, safety first and all ... it wasn't that he was scared or anything like that ... he'd killed a rancor so he had nothing to be afraid of I mean paper rancor can't be much smaller than real ones right?

"So do you know any cool places in the forest or should we just carry on deeper?" he asked as they walked along, he was rather regretting boasting that he'd killed a rancor because if they actually found one he'd need to fight it and he didn't know how.