[Hyrule] Searching Ever Further [Ask/Invite]

Unaware of neither the hulking figure nearby, nor any Dremora, a cart was crawling its way along the road at the edge of the forest. It was anything BUT subtle, as a bouncy melody was emitted by the figure sitting up on the box. One loop of the reins loosely wrapped around one hand, the other tied to her side, the driver was holding an accordion and with it producing a heavy melody that on the surface seemed happy but it was as if the song itself told a deeper story. Her eyes were closed and her facial expression was that of pure bliss. She was in the zone, nothing existed at this point in time but the music and the moment. 

The beast of burden pulling the cart, an old but resilient mule named Xarxes, was strolling along at his own pace. The reins were barely needed as he knew what to do and just followed the road. He too seemed to be enjoying the music played by his mistress. She spoiled him something fierce and he got to enjoy music and life was good. If there were any more Dremora in the woods, or towering, shadowy figures, they would no doubt hear the music rolling out around the wagon.

Alas, as is the case, all good things must come to an end as the music trailed off and Elyssa opened her eyes slowly, taking a deep breath of contentment and relief. Looking around now, she saw that she was almost right upon a campfire at the edge of the forest.

Her curiosity piqued, besides, afternoon was setting in and she was never one to say no to company, she tied Xarxes the mule to a nearby tree and approached the campfire. Sitting next to it was a man,  but he was slightly too big to be a man. Whatever he was though, he did seem injured as the Bard saw blood both on his sloppily-bound wounds and small splashes of blood here and there. "Oi!", Elyssa called out with her bubbly voice, often taking people by surprise with her rough jargon and 'country bumpkin' way of talking, despite seeming so elegant and fancy. "You arite, luv?", she called out to the mysterious man. "You look like you've been in a tussle, yeah? Fancy a 'elpin' 'and?".  She did not seem scared by the man at all, despite him being almost twice her size.

As the strange, fuzzy man replied Elyssa did stop in her tracks but not out of fear, but instead to make sure she was safe. Now that she approached him... Was he some sort of strange werewolf man? Or just a wolfman in general? It was hard to know these days. Not discouraged by his words though, she spoke up. "Look, mate. If you wanna be alone that's all fine and dandy, but those injuries are lookin' pretty nasty. I can tell there was magic involved. You fought some sorta fancy magic foe, didya?". Taking a step closer now, humming softly on a song as blue-ish streaks of magic began dancing around her fingers.

The song she hummed was soothing, and the glow from the magic had a similar effect. "Lemme at least patch ya up before I'm on me merry way, aight, luv? I'll be quiet as a church mouse, promise. You won't owe me anythin', I just wanna 'elp.". As she continued to approach, she laced her humming with magic, to instill calm around the two and to soothe any pain the man was feeling, and to convey she meant no harm.

"You just let Elyssa, that'd be me, take a look at them injuries and I'll piss off afterwards, aye? Plus, a big, handsome badass like you surely ain't afraid of 'lil ol' me patching you up?", she said with a teasing grin. Now, being this close she could see he was DEFINETLY some sort of wolf-man-hybrid. The bard carefully reached one of her hands out towards one of Blaidd's injuries, but held her hand in place to wait and gauge his reaction. Despite her seeming calm she was ready to retract her hand and book it to her wagon should the man get hostile. That sword next to him was ridiculously big and she had no intentions of meeting it firsthand.

Perhaps to the wolf-man's surprise, Elyssa did indeed keep quiet as she now took the last step up to the man, running her hands along his injured side, the tiny sparks of blue-ish magic dancing over the wound, slowly closing it. Her touch was delicate, yet decisive, as if she had expertly healed injuries like these many times before.

Now up close, she did realize that he was not wearing a helmet, he WAS actually a wolf-man, something she had thought to herself more as a joke earlier. Intrigued now, she worked her healing magic onto the wound, seeing the flesh mend nicely. As the wolfman spoke and ask why she wasn't afraid, she gave him a warm smile. She had kept quiet as promised, but now that he spoke it was an invitation to chitchat. 

"'Cause if you were 'ostile, you would've attacked me right away. Besides, you're injured, and I'm pretty, people tend to fink me 'armless an' just a pre'y face, when they see me.". She tore a piece of cloth from her vest, she had several more in her wagon anyway, and bound the wound better, infusing a final bit of magic into the flesh. "It might sting a 'lil, but I'm sure you can 'andle it, big boy", she said, her tone slightly flirtatious now, as a playful smile danced across her lips. "Admittedly, you could attack me now that I've 'ealed you up, but I know your type. Tall, broodin' and 'andsome but with a good 'eart, or at least not a ruthless one".

Having patched him up, she patted the spot on his body where the stab wound had been before, the hole in the armor now the only witness of something happening. "There ya go, mate. It ain't perfect, as 'ealin' ain't my main forte, but it should be good enough to get ya goin' again!", she said. Despite having told him she'd leave right away, she moved around him and sat across him by the campfire, her arms folded under her bosom, with that same playful, almost teasing smile on her lips, awaiting a reply. If he really did want to be alone she would up and leave, but it was polite to at least await a response from him before doing so, besides, she had a hunch he really did want company, but was the type of guy to never admit it.

Elyssa let out a laugh when the wolfman spoke of a wolf in sheep's clothing. It was a hearty, warm sound her laughter. "'Course I've 'eard that term, silly, but you seem more like a.. not sheep, but a man in wolf's clothings, so to speak", she said with a smile. As he kept on huffing and puffing, Elyssa seemed to almost ignore him as she held out one hand where an ocarina suddenly appeared. She didn't play it quite just yet though, as Blaidd called her a contradictory brat. Not taking offence by the remark, she instead gave him a shrewd smile. 

"Well you see, I told ya what ya wanted to 'ear, luv. I could tell from the get-go you were a big softie and wouldn't mind company. Sometimes I'm a bituva people person, ya know?", she said, her tone teasing. "Blaidd, eh? Nice to meet ya! Elyssa Oakbranch, Bard extraordinaire! You're no doubt a warrior of some sort of other, yeah?". He said he didn't care, but Elyssa had to stifle a laugh as he did. He acted like such a mopey brooder! The 'tough guy' act only amused her, and if this was how he was, that was fine too. The bard harbored no doubt he was ferocious and could kick serious ass (hers included) if it came to it. 

Focusing now on her ocarina, the bard's smile slowly faded and changed to a look of concentration as she put her lips to the instrument. As soon as the first tune emitted from it she was once again lost in the music.


Her face now one of utter contentement as the tunes bounced around the grove. Using her bardic magic, it was as if her playing the instrument shielded the two people in the grove, as well as the mule, as if the magic surrounded the grove as if by some protective spell. Other than that she of course hoped the music offered Blaidd some calm and enjoyment as well, but she didn't care whether he showed outwardly if he enjoyed it or not. 

Once her music finished, she slowly opened her eyes and had a serious look on her face, probably for the first time since she arrived at the grove. She stared into the flames for a second or two before looking up at the wolfman with a genuine smile this time. No mockery, no teasing, just one person offering a kind smile to another, and perhaps for a second or two she had dropped the 'sultry, flirtatious bard' and just been serious for a moment. "There, tha' should warn us before'and if someone else approaches. Should've 'ad tha' spell before I got 'ere, yeah?", she said with a chuckle. 

Elyssa chuckled as Blaidd huffed and puffed. "Di'n decieve ya, mate. Could just tell you were a lone wolf on the outside but a big softie on the inside... Pun sorta intended", she said. 

Listening to his following question, she dismissed her previous instrument and summoned a lute, just casually strumming it and playing some light tones. As the lute emitted the soft, low tones, the flames of the fire shaped themselves to accompany her words as she spoke. "I learned it. I was born in a small li'a backwater village, you see. Was meant to grow up to be a smokin' 'ot trophy wife for some noble due to ma killer looks", she began, a smile part amused, part sad crept up on her lips. "But I was too rambunctions as a child to eva want to learn any of the fings a 'lady' learns". As she spoke of her killer looks, the flames took the form of a curvaceous woman, appealing and inviting, and as she mentioned her rambunction youth, instead it took the form of a little child climbing a tree, falling out of it and scraping her knee. 

"While out one day, I 'eard the most beau'iful fing I eva 'eard. Someone was playin' the most mindblowin' music, and I was instantly enthralled. The man told me 'e was a bard, an' from that day forwards I snubbed any an all suitors, joined the local theat'a an' pestered ma parents to join a bard college. All I want is to travel the world and entertain. I ain't be'olden to any leader, king or clan. Bein' free, sleepin' under a tree or just livin' life, that's wha's it all about mate", she said, finishing her story with the fire turning into an older gentleman playing a violin, as well as a little child pestering two older figures holding their hands over their ears, and finally the flames showed a hylian lying under a tree with a straw of grass in her mouth and her hat pulled over her eyes, just enjoying life.

"Wha' about you, Blaidd? Wha's your story?". After asking that question Elyssa sat attentively and listened, she seemed genuinely interested in what the wolf man had to say.  

"Aaaw, fanks, luv, an' I can't agree more! Buncha 'ogwash, all of it! Not that I would've se'eld for such a fate though! I would've rebelled for sure! While I -do- know that I'm pre''y, first and foremost I value ma sharp tongue and ma smarts", Elyssa said with a smile at Blaidd's statement. She then listened attentively as he replied to her question, before nodding. "Welp, sounds to me you've got your purpose right there, then, eh?. Who gave ya that command by the way, to find the noble? You -do- know ya ain't gotta 'eed that command, yeah? Leave tha' stuff to the 'eroes I say, besides, this place already 'as a ruler far as I know". Scooching closer to the fire, she held her hands out towards it for warmth before speaking again. "Though if you're dead set on finishin' said task, you want me 'elp? I ain't got anyfin' be'a to do anyways! I ain't very strong and not the best fighter, but I can 'eal your wounds and make -you- better in a fight if need be, as well as mock the shit out of any fucker who comes our way, plus, I'm always 'ere to entertain", she added with a grin.

Catching herself, she giggled before blushing a little at herself. "Sorry, I'm blabberin' again, didn' mean to chew your ear off, mate".

Elyssa frowned, a gesture that crinkled her little upnose in an adorable way. Most men would fight each other to make her smile when it happened, and it always amused her to no end. She didn't care whether Blaidd thought of it though as the frown was genuine and not meant to . "'Course nothin' lasts forever, luv, that don't mean it has to be -you- or me that cleans up their mess. Ya don't even know who gave you the command, but that it's the 'Will of the Kingdom'. Yeah, right, probaly some lazy bloke too up their own arse to do it themselves", she said, warming her hands a little by the fire. 

As the wolf-man spoke of pulling all the weight and payment, Elyssa shook her head. "Don't worry, mate. I'm a good cook so I can 'andle the grub and as far as payment goes, don'tcha worry your pretty 'ead. I usually sleep under the stars or in my wagon, and I usually play for a meal and lodgin' wherever I go so I ain't in need of money, and since you're not eitha, I guess we're more similar than it seems, eh? Don't worry 'bout pullin all the weight big boy. I'll 'elp where I can, dontcha worry, it's a team effort, ya know?", she said with a little teasing smirk, implying they're a team now, whether the wolf man wanted to or not.

"But I ain't one to judge. If you wanna follow that command and find some kinda 'eir to the throne or whateva, let's do it, it sounds like a fun adventure!". The hylian bard strummed her lute and was preparing to play a little melody.