Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!cs.uoregon.edu!sgiblab!sgigate.sgi.com!olivea!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!not-for-mail From: guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de (guido roessling) Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives Subject: STORY: Qelrik part 25 Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc Date: 14 Apr 1994 08:08:37 -0400 Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA, USA Lines: 96 Sender: smm@uunet.uu.net Approved: smm@uunet.uu.net Message-ID: <2ojbo5$t30@rodan.UU.NET> NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net *************************************************************************** This story is a collaboration of seven people: one German, two Canadians and four Americans. Comments about particular characters should be forwarded to their character's "owners": Finn Ambrose - Sheryl Ann Galchutt* - fi48@sol.acs.unt.edu Gernodt - Guido Roessling - guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de Dahlarin - Brent Hughes - bhughes@student.business.uwo.ca Kyle - J.E. Mason - jempci@borg.cis.rit.edu Fox - Barbara French - bcfrench@mailbox.syr.edu Will appear in future chapters: Gladrial - Jennifer Immel - bhughes@julian.uwo.ca Sir Percy - Bret Rudnick - rudnick@cfatrw.harvard.edu For missing chapters etc., send a mail to guido@rbg.informatik.th-darmstadt.de *************************************************************************** Kyle rejoins the others ======================= "Here," his thoughts were interrupted by Wes handing him a cup of hot tea. "Take this over to that lady with the dark hair. She's been patiently waiting." Wes gestured towards Finn. "I know you won't mind." Wes grinned and winked again at Kyle, then left him to take care of another customer. Kyle walked to the table and presented Finn with the tea. "Your tea, me'lady?" He waited breathlessly for her reply. He was hoping that she would talk to him again like she did that morning before the sun rose. This time, he would pay more attention to what she had to say. He beamed a smile in her direction. "Thank you." She smiled as she took the tea from him, then turned to her companions to continue discussing different strategies for defeating Qelrik. Kyle stood a moment, heart sinking a little. "I'm Kyle," he began. "We met this morning..." He stopped himself as Finn and her companions continued to discuss their plans, seemingly ignoring him. Dahlarin, who was seated nearly opposite to where Kyle was standing, glanced at him, as if he was checking to see if Kyle was leaving. He had a half-knowing, half-sympathetic expression on his face which vanished as soon as he saw that Kyle had noticed. Although Youth doesn't know when to take a hint, Kyle was a bit mature for his age. So he was attuned to the near dismissal by Finn, yet it did not crush him, cause him panic, or hurt. He merely acknowledged it and realized that perhaps he had let his fantasies get the best of him. This actually calmed him---to the point where he decided he would not let this opportunity to speak to her slip away. For he was curious... "Um, excuse me," Kyle began. "I don't mean to interrupt, or to be forward, but I would like to ask you something." The conversation at the table stopped. Finn, who was secretly attentive towards Kyle from the moment he had re-entered the Inn, turned to face him. Looking at her unearthly beauty and consuming eyes, Kyle nearly blurted out his question. But he composed himself. "Yes?" Finn asked. She could feel what Kyle was going through, being attuned to human emotions by her very nature. But she did not let on what she knew. Dahlarin, however, was impressed with the youth's courage. He had not expected it. Gernodt merely grunted, making a horrible gurgling, growling sound. He was actually just clearing his throat. But the damage caused by his many years conflict with Qelrik had deformed his vocal cords as well as his features. To Kyle, he seemed a huge monstrosity next to the beauty of Finn. And Dahlarin seemed to provide the necessary link between the beauty and the beast. Kyle hesitated, wishing that he and Finn were alone to ask this, but knew that her companions were not going anywhere. Pushing aside his embarrassment, he spoke, measuring his words carefully. "Please forgive my boldness, but I have to ask. I intend no ill in asking." "You are beautiful." (He blushed.) "Yet your beauty is unlike anyone's I've seen before. Neither elven nor human, halfling or fairy." (He was pretty sure he had seen a fairy.) "Your beauty seems to transend...uh, go beyond...um," (He was losing it.) "I know it sounds corny, but your beauty seems to transcend earthly beauty." There, he got it out. "Please tell me, what is your name? Where are you from? You seem human, but more so. And less so... Does this make any sense ?" ****************************************************************************** Next Time: Finn's Story (well, part of it, really).... ******************************************************************************