back to black [briar, adell]

This was certainly not normal. It didn't take an astronomer to work out that two consecutive full moons was strange, storm or no storm. Coupling that with that unearthly song... well, suffice it to say that Adell was on edge. He didn't understand what was happening, but he felt as though something was happening, or on the verge of happening. For all he knew, it could have been something dangerous.

Maybe the sight of a sword at his hip would make people unusually wary of him, but he was not intending to leave himself disarmed, especially not now. Likewise, despite not wishing to leave Lycoris undefended, Adell would rather find the source of the disturbance as opposed to waiting for it to come to them. It was hard to locate the source of the song, but its seeming omnipresence was disconcerting. Skill with magic notwithstanding, this was far beyond his knowledge and expertise.

The only prudent thing to do would be to investigate. With a waterproofed cloak to keep off the worst of the rain, and a swordbelt firmly at his hip, Adell reluctantly set out from the warmth of the inn. He was expecting to be largely alone, but it seemed that would not be the case. The girl's name eluded him for the moment, so he went with what he did remember.
"Devanti? What are you doing out here?"

Holly blinked out of her trance, eyes following the new voice to the bodyguard of the princess. Tough, rugged, and yet personable in a way that Holly wouldn't feel too intimidated by him if she would need to talk to him. They hadn't talked yet and only names had been mention, so it didn't surprise her that he only spoke her last name, though she wasn't entirely sure if it was out of memory loss or simple respect.

"Windsor," Holly commented back, just following after his lead. "I was--" She cut off at the sight of another. It was only a split second to take in Briar and her expressions toward other people. She had a way of looking like she had something up her sleeve without even trying, or, at least that's what Holly had gathered over the years of knowing. She was kind, however, and a good friend.

With the glance the beastman gave the bodyguard, it was safely assumed that they were already acquainted. An odd thing to think about. Holly had been working at the inn and hardly saw anything of the man. Shaking her head, Holly attempted to speak again, "Yeah, I heard something. I was trying to find out what was making the sound..." Trailing off, her blue gaze turned back to where she was looking: the ocean. "I feel like it's coming from the ocean, but... I can't tell, it sounds like it's coming from everywhere." It was enough to give someone a headache.

So he hadn't forgotten. That much she had been expecting. The actions of the last time had made sure of that, and the awkward shuffling of his feet and unsure smile only increased her desire to pick on him. Though that would be for another time, and it seemed quite obvious her best friend and he knew each other in some way.

"That is obvious by now. For as long as I have lived here, Ilusia has never had something like this happen." Taking a step forward to once again begin walking, Briar placed herself beside Holly for a moment. A private smile in greeting without needing words was given before she continued toward the coast. "People acting strange is one thing, but the weather is something else entirely. That and music doesn't just start playing out of no where and sound like it is coming from everywhere. Even my ears are bothered by it."

"So, Holly, sate my curiosity. How do you two know each other?" Tipping up her umbrella to get a better look at the more fair-haired blonde, she twirled it around in her hand. A glance was given back over her shoulder to Adell as she continued. "Or is my speculation from before like I thought it to be?"

It seemed to Adell that Holly wasn't entirely present, so to speak. It could be due to the late hour, or a lack of rest, but the perception that she was quite distracted stuck. He didn't pay it much mind, but it was a bit irksome, having that feeling that your words weren't really being listened to.

As for Briar... best not to think what her 'speculation' entailed. No, far better to leave that entire mess alone.
"It is quite alright, Devanti. You needn't trouble yourself." Was Briar being intentionally mean? Adell did not think so, but, then again, he wasn't the most perceptive person. At the end of the day, however, if he couldn't notice it, it was hardly worth making a fuss over. That meanness might be given substance if Briar's opinion of him changed now that it was revealed that he was a Heimite, but his clothing and accent were likely hints towards that to begin with. Still, it was difficult to imagine any Ilusian of being receptive of someone sent directly on the Queen's orders.

There really wasn't much else to add, especially with the wind and rain stealing their words. Better to just press on towards their apparent destination.Despite everything, he was still a bit anxious to see what Briar's response to his occupation and reason for being here would be, but, then again, it was quite possible that she already knew. Adell tugged at the hood of his cloak, pulling it lower so the rain would not assault his eyes.

Minor concerns aside, this was more than a little strange, and it was difficult to fight the impulse to rest his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"It's not trouble when it's Briar. It's a regular occurrence. I'm not surprised about the teasing," Holly tried to keep her tone light, but her mind was going in so many places that keeping up a conversation with the right mood in mind was becoming a difficult task. It was also weird how the rain and wind didn't seem to catch into her mind until she nearly fell over from a gust from it.

Her shoes sank into the sand as they explored the beach. The call didn't come any clearer to her, as though everything was even more muffled. Maybe finding it that way meant they were getting closer. With everything so backwards, it was possible the only way it made sense was when it didn't. Either that, or Holly was too tired to look around properly. "Does it sound clearer to you? Closer?"

So he was the shy type, after all, in more than just the events they had found themselves in the night of the last storm. In some ways that knowledge was gratifying, and the now red hue of his cheeks did not escape her notice. Even so, he was awfully uptight for a noble and rarely seemed to relax. Finding out why could be done later.

For the time being, Briar let her gaze turn serious. The smile that had been on her lips before vanished as she closed her eyes, stretching her hearing out to concentrate on more than just the sounds of the two people beside her. The slightest bristle of leaves could be heard on her sensitive ears.

Right in the distance further down the beach, a sharp pang from the music came, different from the notes drifting on the wind. Opening her eyes, she pointed down the beach. "There. The sound of the music sounds acutely different from here."

Well, a beastman's ears were probably the most reliable, so Adell raised no objections. He still couldn't really hear any real difference in volume or direction, so following Briar's lead seemed natural. Holly's collapse was cause for some concern, and Adell automatically offered a hand to help her up, but it seemed that would not be necessary. Commoner or not, Adell had still been taught in the basics of chivalry and proper conduct, and he hardly thought so highly of himself so as to prevent him from lending the most basic of aid.

"If it has already caved in once, it may be unstable." It was a fair enough observation, not to mention the fact that crawling inside a likely-cramped and flooded cave was far from appealing. "And the moon may be bright, but, well, we don't really have any means of illumination." And even if any of them had the presence of mind to bring a lantern or torch, it would be difficult to keep lit with the wind and rain. Adell sighed to himself, aware that he was only providing problems, not solutions.

The area was surveyed for some kind of entrance or hole. If nothing else, they could at least peer inside. "If it is coming from in here, who, or what, could be making such a noise?" It was a fair enough question, and if this was something relating to folk tales or the like, Holly and Briar had a much higher chance of knowing something than he did.