-*- Winter Festival Poems and Stories -*-
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aurora says: the first up....for today....is our very own Pip

Pip swings and swings and flips off'n the rafters and lands with the very grace 
of a bird upon a table.

Pip takes another sip of the Private stock, and hurriedly puts it away.

Pip bows low to all, his cap falling off his head, and baby chick vulos
spilling out.

cheep cheep cheep

Pip gathers up his cap and let's his babies play, "Well know me friends and 
comrades and lassies all.

Pip says: This here is a tale what I hord that gives a certain honour to the 
season

Pip says: And I hunbly offer it to ye for your consideration. 'tis called The 
Four Brothers

Pip says: now it seems one day in the midst of a terr'ble terr'ble snowstorm 
there was this peasant known to all as Colm.

Pip says: Now Colm had just come back from the marketplace of his village and 
bought hisself a nice fresh load of black bread with which to celebrate the 
season of SeVar. the winter solstice doncha know.

Pip says: He spent his last copper bits on this bread, for he was a poor peasant, 
and times were hard, but he was devoted to the Priest Kings, and would do them 
honor by celebrating this day in some small way

Pip says: Now.. seems this snowstorm got mighty mioghty heavy as poor Colm 
trudged along. So heavy he started to wonder if'n he'd make to to his hovel or 
not.

Pip says: As the winds kicked up high he found hismelf a copse of trees where he 
thought he could shelter himself for a while. And there in the very bitter winds 
he would celebrate SeVar with his load of black bread, growing colder with him 
all the time.

Pip asks: Now what do you suppose he saw when he reached that shelter? he saw a 
camping of four men...

Pip says: They had set themselves up a fire and were sitting about drinking hot 
paga there amidst the trees. One of them, a tall man in a  light green jerkin 
saw poor shivering Colm, and bid him to join them by the fire.

Pip says: Now mind ye now. Poor ole Colm had come across bandits and outlaws 
before. A dreadful lot that have stolen without regard during times of troubles.
But what else could he do. On this feast day of SeVar he approached the four men 
at the fire.

Pip says: Now the man with the green had sat down by the fire, and another man 
in brown lifted a mug to our friend Colm and offered him a hot paga with which 
to warm him.

Pip asks: And then another man, wearing a very light robe of shimmering silk 
looked at him, as if he could nae feel the shiv'rin' cold at all asked him, 
"have you food? for we have travelled a long time, and have had little to put in 
our bellies"

Pip says: Now Colm had this bread with which he spent his last pennies. But he 
knew his duties to the Priest Kings and pulled it out from his threadbare cloak 
and tore it five ways.

Pip asks: Colm shared his bread with these four strangers, for who can be
strangers truly in a situation as this?

Pip asks: Now, next the last man, a big large burly man dressed in white fur 
asked Colm, "and what do you think of this wintery season of SeVar?

Pip says: Well Colm considers this question and respond, "Why, it's a most 
wonderous season my Lord."

Pip exclaims: The man in white fur was quite surprised by this. "But it is so 
cold! How could you find it wonderous?"

Pip says: "Well my Lord" sez Colm, "the season blankets all in a pure white. And 
the air is so fresh and clean. And there is the knowledge that my seeds lay 
under the ground ready to come forth again by EnKara

Pip asks: now the man looked pleased with this. Then the man in light green 
spoke up, "and what of EnKara? Is that too wonderous?"

Pip says: "Oh yes my Lord" says Colm sipping the hot paga, "bery wonderous, for 
it is when the world sees the sprouting of life, and the seeds warm and the winds 
caress

Pip asks: The man in the shimmering silk robe spoke next, "and of EnVar? is it 
too to your liking?"

Pip exclaims: "Why yes my Lord," sez Colm "In summer the plants grow, and the 
land is warmed, and all about is vibrant with life!"

Pip wipes his brow with a piece of snatched silk. Continues.

Pip asks: And next the man in the brown speaks, "and good peasant, what of 
SeKara?"

Pip asks: And Colm just brightens up at the man in brown and sex, "well my Lord, 
SeKara is harvest time is it not? and it is that harvest which brings for the 
grains for the paga we drink and the bread we eat. how could one not love seKara?"

Pip says: The brothers all nodded in in agreement. They sat about rhe fire and 
warmed up. Soon the peasant. who was very tired by his walk, and further so by 
the paga began to drift to slumber.

Pip says: As he awoke, he found the fire smoulder, and the four men gone. but 
left behind was the white furred man's cloak laid about old poor Colm's shoulders.

Pip exclaims: So Colm gets up and heads back for home. the winds having died 
down, and the chill disappearing a bit. He gets home to his hovel and takes off 
the furred cloak, and lo and behold!

Pip exclaims: Gold coins spill out of pockets from within!

Pip exclaims: More gold then Colm could ever have dreamed of!

Pip says: And now Colm is a rich man. And he pledges to spread his wealth to 
help his poor village.

Pip says: Now.. happens to seeing this is another man of the village by the name 
of Ven

Pip asks: Ven asks Colm.. "how did you come by all this?"

Pip says: So Colm tells Ven about the men he met in the forest. So Ven, he gets 
this idea he wants some gold too, for all himself.

Pip says: So he walks into the woods on the coldest day and looks for the copse 
what Colm descibed

Pip exclaims: Sure'n enough! there are four men sitting about the fire, just as 
Colm described!

Pip says: the men call Ven forward and give him a mug of hot paga. they ask he 
he has any food for they have not eaten since they last saw Colm

Pip says: Now Ven, he didn't buy any bread, nor did he think to bring some, so 
he pretends not to hear the question

Pip says: Then the man in white fur asks him how he is finding the weathr

Pip exclaims: Well, sex Ven as he spits into the fire, "I hate it. SeVar is the 
worst season of them all!"

Pip says: I hate being cold, he sez.. and I hate the winds.

Pip asks: Now the man looks a little displeased, but says nuthin' The man in 
green speaks next, "But what of EnKara? Surely that is pleasing, no?"

Pip exclaims: And old mean Ven sez, "Enkara! Worse if you ask me. All the
seedlings in the air give my allergies a hard time and I sneeze!"

Pip asks: Next the man in the shimmering silk speaks... "Well what of EnVar?"

Pip says: Ven, he just shakes his head, "enVar, if possible, is worse. it's hot, 
and I sweat and hate the heat hwne I'm in the fields"

Pip says: Finally the man in brown speaks up, "Well then surely that must mean 
you like SeKara most of all"

Pip exclaims: Ven almost rolls over rabid. "SeKara! the absolute worst!

Pip asks: In seKara I bust my back taking in the harvest, and for what? only to 
see the cold seasons approach, and the winds blowing the thatches on my hut. No, 
SeKara is the most horrible

Pip says: The four men sit about the fire silently. And soon, like last time 
with Colm, Ven falls asleep

Pip says: When he awakes, he finds the fire smouldering, and the four men gone. 
A cloak is laid heavily 'pon his shoulders.

Pip says: Pleased and excited, Ven hurries out of the copse and heads for home, 
but he cannae hold his excitement much longer. halfway down the woodpath he 
opens the cloak to look for gold as had happened to Colm

Pip exclaims: And lo and behold! Ven is rewarded with a flock of poisonous osts 
who bite and consume him on the spot!

Pip stands straight and looks at his captivated audience, "For ye see my
friends, those four men were brothers. They were the priest kings of the
seasons 

Pip says: So it is on this day, here before ye all that I raise this mug in 
honor of SeVar, the winter season, and all the other seasons. And good health to 
you all.

Pip humbly bows. And is done

Pip bows and bows and bows and scoops up his baby chicks.. depositing them back 
into his hat

***

aurora asks: lissa?
aurora says: come tell your little story sis

lissa gazes, speechless for a moment.

lissa rises and goes to the middle of the room and settles in the postion most 
comfortable to her.

lissa kneels on a soft fur, her eyes peeking about the room.  lissa was told 
long ago.  Speak of what you know girl.  If you fake it, you will be found out. 
So, lissa tells tales from her own experience.

lissa says: There was a time that lissa worked in a tent tavern during the 
Sardar Fairs. As she worked, a girl had many opportunities to hear war stories, 
tales of conquest, and myths passed around between Masters. Once as she sat 
astride a huge blonde barbaric-looking Master's knee, given to him for the price 
of a bowl of paga, she listened as he related a tale to a fellow at his table.

lissa says: The huge, bearded blonde, with thighs the size of timbers made a 
strange sign over his paga bowl before drinking.  He held his fist and made a 
hammer-like motion before drinking.  This caught the attention of a warrior and 
his glance was caught by the sharp eye of blonde. "It is the hammer of Thor" he 
said. The warrior nodded but looked puzzled. Usually neither would speak but 
given the camaraderie of the fairs, they were a little less reserved.

This girl thought the motion was unusual but only listened as she
squirmed against him, caught up within the circle of his left arm. The blonde, 
in an expansive, boastful mood crashed his fist against the table and roared 
with laughter.  "I am of Torvaldsland, we do not hold much reverence for your 
Priest Kings, Warrior. If you will lend an ear I will tell the origins of the 
men of Torvaldsland," he rumbled. The warriors eyes scanned the huge man's 
countenance.

A meaty hand rested upon his sword as the warrior took in the leather
breeches, furred boots, and broad axe resting in a sleeve against the
Torvaldslander's back. The warrior smiled and took a long sip of his paga and 
exhaled fumes that almost made this girl faint.  "Tell your tale Viking" he said,
"I shall listen and be entertained."

lissa says: The warrior leaned forward and refilled his paga bowl from the bota 
the two shared, adding a generous squeeze to the blonde man's bowl also.  
"Idem is my name, Warrior"  The men clasped hands over the bota.  "Men of 
Torvaldsland claim to be different than ordinary men," Idem began.

lissa says: Idem points out arrogantly, "Gods of Torvaldsland, meeting in
council, decided to form a slave for themselves, for all were gods, and had no 
slaves.  They took a hoe, an instrument for working the soil, and put it among 
them.  They then sprinkled water upon this implement and rubbed it the sweat 
from their bodies.

He chuckles and continues, "From this hoe was formed most men.  On the
other hand, that night, one of the gods, curious, or perhaps careless, or
perhaps driven from the hall and angry, threw down upon the ground his own great 
ax, and upon this ax he poured paga and his own blood, and the ax laughed and 
leaped up, and ran away.

Idem looks serious, "The god, and all the gods, could not catch it, and
it became, it is said, the father of the men of Torvaldsland." Idem sat back 
and raised eyebrows at the Warrior and says,  "Unlike your Priest Kings."

lissa exclaims: The warrior roared with laughter, pounding his fist to his chest 
and wiping tears from his eyes as his body shook with gales of merriment. 
He rocked back in his furs and exclaimed, "By the Priest Kings, I swear!  That 
was the best tale I have ever heard!"  With that Idem made one twitch and there 
was a great crashing sound.  lissa looked.  The table had been hewn in two with 
his great axe!  With that, he stood, lissa still in his arm and ambled off to 
the furs for the night.

lissa smiles.  The men of that distant land are truly different.

lissa bows her head

***

aurora says: Lady Khim has permitted aurora...to recite the poem
aurora says: that she wrote for her girl
Khim finds and seat and motions her girl to her side.
aurora steps to the center of the room
aurora smiles warmly.....
aurora says: -
aurora says: -
aurora says: It is the blackwine by my furs each morning
aurora says: her hair that tumbles to my fingers
aurora says: the flush that creeps along her throat
aurora says: when I read her thoughts.
aurora says: -
aurora says: It is the training she embraces
aurora says: as surely as her body undulates
aurora says: in a dance she didn't realize
aurora says: lay lurking in her hips.
aurora says: -
aurora says: It is the darkness in her eyes
aurora says: the bowed neck of disappointment
aurora says: the kisses to my slippers
aurora says: when she deserves the lash.
aurora says: -
lissa listens, blinking back tears.
aurora says: It is the breathless laugh upon her lips
aurora says: as she pushes on to greater heights
aurora says: of the submission in her heart
aurora says: that makes me smile...
aurora says: when she isn't looking.
aurora says: -
aurora says: by Lady Khim

aurora says: the city invites you all to relax and enjoy the tavern....and join
in the festivities at auction time in about 2 hours
lissa buries her face in Mistress' robes.   Wiping away a tear or two.
***
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