Day 2: Silver & Steel | Gold & Glory
A collaboration between me and @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai for @lof-weekend.
After the food was eaten, Xiqaa produced a surprise set of leftover buttercream succulent cupcakes from Aydenne's C.R.O.W.'s birthday party, swiped by Zalan to bring home for Harding, and then swiped again by Xiqaa for reasons exactly like this. They and Gemma ate them while exclaiming about their shared dismay that their canon universe Lucanises weren't excited about cupcake decorating.
Gemma pulled another container of sangria out of her bag along with two parchments. "This is what I need your help with."
"Lords Lost Weekend OC Bingo," Xiqaa read at the top of the page and their eyes took in all the boxes. "One of these! Fun!"
"Right? Except Vilz handed it to me and said, 'you figure it out.'" Gemma looked sadly at the colorful squares. "That's why she hasn't posted one for me yet. I have to figure out my own pillars as a Lord."
"I'm so proud you reached out to me for help," Xiqaa said, knowing it was not as easy thing for Gemma to do. They spread out the parchment on the bench between them. "Do you have a pen? Just a normal pen. Not a cursed pen."
"As usual, the Pen of Execution declined my invitation," she grumbled. "I borrowed one from Bellara."
Xi took with and tried not to smile at their friend's disappointment. "Let's get the easy ones out of the way. You are not a rogue or a warrior and your backstory has nothing to do with Tevinter, Rivaini, or being an annulment survivor. You are obviously a seer, a spirit friend, a Hall of Valor Champion, and you like to sail. Who hasn't been kicked out of the Hilt and kissed Isabela and pulled a Bharv? It probably happened to you all in the same night."
"I sort of remember that," Gemma murmured, feeling her head spin and thoughts swirl.
Xiqaa looked at her critically, an idea forming in their head. "Hmm. What happens if I say yes to a scar from a dragon?"
They both watched as a long burn scar appeared on Gemma's left leg.
"This is creepy." Gemma took over the pen and peered at it to make sure it wasn't her Pen of Execution friend in disguise. "Do you see a nug mermaid tattoo anywhere on me?"
"Then I don't think I have one and I got all the tattoos I have from Vilz, so not while drunk or as a dare." She looked at the scar on her arm thoughtfully. "I do not get seasick. I can definitely swim."
"That's the way to do it!" Xiqaa crowed.
"I've never been cursed; no one would dare. I don't know the words to the ballad to even forget them, and everyone has been insulted by Shathann. Am I a pirate?"
Xiqaa shook her head sadly. "No. Even as a Lord, you are too Crow coded."
"That's sad but I accept it."
Stealing the pen, Xiqaa marked a star on the 'yelled for gold & glory at an awkward time.' "You can't be perfect."
Gemma blushed as the memory came into existence, weaving its way into the night at the Hilt where she yelled 'For Gold and Glory' just before throwing herself onto Isabela and kissing her solidly, at the same time kicking over a table full of candles, which ignited the floor full of alcohol, after which she was kicked out the Hilt and forced to pull a Bharv in the alleyway outside the entrance in penance for the whole event, with Isabela standing over her, laughing loudly.
"One more square." Xiqaa pressed the pen hard into the paper, swirling around it. "Found family. The best part of being a Lord."
Gemma smiled and gestured around them. "The best part of all this."
They took a moment to bask in friendship and finish off the sangria before returning to the Bingo sheet.
Holding back laughter, Xiqaa asked, "Are you drunk yet?"
Gemma could only laugh as the nug mermaid tattoo appeared on her right arm.
“All right, now let’s do mine!” Xiqaa chuckled as a second parchment appeared on the bench seat.
“Well, found family is first,” Gemma said, reaching out to mark the square.
Xiqaa and Gemma stared thoughtfully at the squares for a moment longer. “It’s only fair that you also get a nug mermaid tattoo,” Gemma said, drawing an X over the square.
The familiar burn of a tattoo briefly flared on Xi’s neck, and Gemma grinned as the image appeared.
“I’ll take your word for it,” Xi felt at the spot. “But I do wish some mage could figure out how to make all tattoos appear that quickly and heal so fast!”
“Maybe when you get back to Emmrich you can ask?” Gemma suggested.
“Good thinking,” Xi chewed on the end of the quill they’d picked up from the helpful bench.
“Okay so we can mark off Spirit Friend in honor of Spite and the Vesper Knot that lets you talk to him,” Gemma mused. “And you can swim and have gotten a scar from a dragon.”
“Yes, enough to save my life, and more than one. And I’ve yelled For Gold and Glory a million times. Most were awkward.”
“You’re definitely a pirate.”
“Sure am!” Xi flexed a lean arm, displaying a raider tattoo on the inside close to their armpit. “Not a seer, or a native Rivaini or a warrior slayer.”
“Never even once in my life. And I much prefer sailing to rowing.” Xi made a face. “If I never row again I’d be just fine.”
“But it makes drawing a bowstring easier,” Gemma pointed out.
“I do love using my bow unexpectedly.”
“Hall of Valor champion…” Gemma mused. “Well, there was the thing with Illario—sorry, Rilo—”
“—And there was the other thing with Rilo,” Xi groaned dramatically. “But I’ve won plenty of fights there both solo and with our team.”
“Nah. I tried it, but I prefer my two swords over a big gun.”
“I’m full of them. Honestly, I like the challenge. And I don’t mind getting hurt if it means I get to see my enemy’s blood on my blade. And my skin.”
Gemma shuddered. “Bloodthirsty.”
“Maybe a little,” Xi smiled grimly, hints of sparks in their lavender eyes. “You don’t go through what I went through without some anger. I figure it’s better taken out on my enemies than myself or my friends. Let’s see…Kissed Isabela—that’s one I think we’ve all done.” They marked off the square. “Getting kicked out of the Hilt is just a Monday evening’s work for me.”
“I saw you pulling a Bharv just this morning,” Gemma pointed her pen at Xi. “What happened?”
“Ran my mouth off about something I didn’t know about sheml-er-human men.”
“Tell me,” Gemma giggled.
“Based on Lucanis, I assumed they all had hairy—”
“—Never mind.” Gemma shook her head quellingly. “Lucanis is exceptional in many ways.”
Xiqaa’s eyes took on a faraway look. “That he is.”
Xi allowed small bolts of lightning to dance over the backs of their hands, sparks jumping to their hair and the quill in their hand.
Gemma hmm-ed. “Sometimes I forget it was a curse.”
“It still is, sometimes.”
“I heard Illario tattooed over the burns.”
“He let Spite do it, if you can believe that!”
“Must have been a good bonding experience for them.”
“I didn’t ask, but I assume Spite enjoyed inflicting pain on Illario. Hopefully he shared the memory with Lucanis.”
“You and Spite really share a dark sense of humor, don’t you?”
Xi shrugged. “Gotta find humor where you can.”
Gemma finished her flourish on the curse square. “Forgotten the words to the ballad?”
Xi stretched lazily, waving the bingo card to dry the ink faster. The result was a smeary mess, and Gemma winced.
“Well, I usually play kazoo instead of sing but I’ll give you my best rendition, since we’re already pretty drunk, it won’t offend your eardrums.”
Gold and glory with the Lords, gold and glory with the Lords,
Past traps and guards and dragons lie countless shining hoards!
Gold and glory with the Lords, gold and glory with the Lords,
We'll fight our way to fortune, with skill and spell and swords!
Vilz's Tag List Management Post (on or off? Post here - truly, no hard feelings!)
@biowaredisasterbisexual @blackwall-my-tiny-husband @brightbreezeblog @bronzieinthedas @chaosherald @davrinsleftpectoral @dell-amor-te @gatesofminrathous @genjyoandgojyoandhakkai @grad-writes @handsignals @hedwigoprah @himluv @jellyeliart @jenn2d2 @jukkaricity @kabsey @kogarashi-art @lycheecatee @mageswithcats @mageofquandrix @mushrooms-x-moss @ofcrowsanddragons @palenecromaniac @pixiedurango @redaresss @rookstormblessed @rookamell @sandcastlekings @seaglassmelody @serensama @necromanticsoul @sorcerousadventurer @sunny374940 @tarasmom @therivercrow @tieflingsorcerer @viagosbrother @vishantikaffar @vixenofcadmea @woundedsoul12 @xkatchy @zennihilation
