The Chronicles of Windy

[Isabella Finch]

Yes! Description is definitely needed. Especially with the scene, even if it is with just the pub for fear of not being able to spoil the places for new players or something. Though I would think most places in Marind bell could be described in more detail. I know in rp you have described the floor as being marble once or twice but I don't believe you have given that detail in the chapters. I love having the picture painted for me as I am reading. Like with Lintara and Sagewoman, a reader who has never met these characters in game might imagine two women in their twenties. Brunettes maybe. Attractive women in a club designed for kissing men. The mind does not jump to an elderly woman who has described herself to being a hag in appearance in some ways. And Lintara? Readers may find interest in knowing she is a young neko type character. Far different than a pair of similar brunettes. And what does Windy herself look like?

I think the best book to look at, in my opinion, for help or just for some inspiration, is the Lord of the Ring series by JRR Tolkien. You don't want to bore the readers, but you have to remember, you are the reader's eyes. They can only see what you let them see.

[Windy]

Thank you so much for all your comments! I have a lot to work on with imagery and stuff. I will go back through and look again as I am already trying to clean up the sentences of non essentical repetition, ie, The Sisters and I. I will work on the descriptions of the pub and women as well.

I have taken certain liberties with Inno. I had to as I really don't know much about her, even though I know she/he is intangible...how to make that work in the story...Hmm...

Please explain to me what a neko type character is, Isabella.


The newspaper is real. The scenario is not. Just a fun story.

How do you suggest I warn the readers when I switch from the Bandit's POV to Windy's?

It will be difficult to remove Mur from the story as Murweiser really is a drink in Windy's Pub. What do you suggest? It has to be a real character. Should I take that entire part out? Most everyone has read the thread, "What's a Mur". I hope Mur will read what I have so far and give me input. Thanks everybody!

[lightsage]

A seperator such as:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
______________________________________________

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::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

******************************************************************

[Windy]

I don't believe that will work, Lib...er Lightsage.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Windy

[Isabella Finch]

If you don't want to use a separator as Lightsage suggested, then I would suggest you simply make both parts longer and make them each into a chapter. Or separate the chapter into Part a and Part b.

And a neko is a cat person. Which, from what I have seen, is what Lintara kind of is. If I were you, I would ask each person whose character I have permission to use and ask them for a detailed description of the character for what they look like and what their race is, even the age they are suppose to be. And for a character such as Innocence, if you are unable to use the character correctly, then maybe choose to use another. There are other characters that acted as journalists. Maybe Grido would be a better choice if he gave permission, or one of the other journalists. Unless Innocence is okay with being pure female within your story. That would be between you and the player behind Innocence. Or you could just say in the book that the character is neither male or female but that Windy likes to think it is female and so refers to her that way. I would opt for just choosing someone else... but it isn't my book.

[Grido]

Lightsage, not Lib, posted the separators
And just to be clear, he was giving options, not for you to use the entire thing he posted, each line being a different option.

Up to you whether you want to use them, but similar things are used in other books - a short line of pretty much any non-alphanumerical would work I think, or actually an enlarged gap between the paragraphs might also, if you normally use a single line gap between them, maybe space 5 down before continuing?


With the use of Mur, it is a complete other thing for everyone to know the name Mur etc, and quite another to write a book involving the name. As I previously mentioned, there is power in names, and they shouldn't be adopted into use in stories without the permission of their owners - I'm not saying you would (at least, not intentionally), but authors have previously misused peoples names and created a negative, and often plain wrong, image of the person.
The simplest thing would be to first ask him whether he minds it as it is, if he doesn't then no harm done and continue as you are, but if he does then you would need to replace of remove somehow - have the patrons drinking something else, and praising 'the order' or some such. I don't know that it needs to actually be a character.

What Finch said about asking each of the characters involved to write a description of themselves, at the same time as asking permission to use them, might be helpful with your descriptions as well, you'd be working closer with 'reality' (of MD) than acting upon your own imagination of them, which from a couple comments here seem to be fairly on the mark, but it may be better to get that description from them all the same.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Grido

[Windy]

After getting more educated on [url="http://www.Scribophile.com"]http://www.Scribophile.com[/url] I made some changes. Chapter 1 & 2 are now blended into One chapter. I hope it flows better and I also made some small changes. As you can no doubt see, I tried to be more true to Innocence, but it was very difficult.


[center][b]CHAPTER 1[/b][/center]
[b] THE SISTERHOOD[/b]

[size=3]My pub, The Wind & Rain was empty of customers except for eleven beautiful women, all members of The Sisterhood, a silly women’s group I created on a whim. Today, we are adding to our number.[/size]
[size=3]Sisters’ Lintara and Raine carefully placed eleven ivory handled swords, sharp tips pointed inward on a round table, leaving one empty space; on an adjacent table lay an identical sword. In the circle of the swords, a large blood red candle burned, with a wine filled goblet next to it. I put several ornate goblets on a tray and carried them over to the table, placing one goblet between each sword. [/size]
[size=3]I raised a hand to command everyone’s attention. "[i]Hear ye, Hear ye! Sisters harken unto me! The Sisterhood now commences! Sister's come raise your swords[/i]!" The women gathered around the table and dramatically raised their swords in the air and then down until the hilts were next to their noses.[/size]
[size=3]I turned to face the woman seated at the bar and raised a hand to point at her. "[i]Sisters! Cast your eyes upon our newest inductee! What say ye unto her[/i]?" The women turned as one to face the newcomer. "[i]Welcome young woman! Tell us your name and state your purpose[/i]." [/size]
The woman nervously slid off her stool and stood, pinching her skirts between her fingers. "I am called Handy Pockets and my purpose is to join The Sisterhood!"
I beckoned to her with my hand. "[i]Come forth, young woman and swear an oath to us![/i]" Handy Pockets straightened her spine and walked toward us. I handed her the sword from the other table and said in a commanding voice. "Take this sword which is a sign of your fidelity, a sign that we are much more than our good looks suggest! A sign that we as women can kick butt as well as any man and better than some men think they can!"
[size=3]Handy Pockets looked at me in bewilderment and then raised her sword to mimic the others and whispered, "Seriously, Windy?" I bent toward her slightly and whispered out of the corner of my mouth. "Just go with it!" Handy Pockets whispered back, "Okay, if you say so!" I winked. "Trust me." I cleared my throat to get back to the drama of the ceremony. [/size]
[size=3]"Now repeat after me, Handy."[/size]
[size=3]"I, state your name."[/size]
[size=3]"I, state your name." She repeated.[/size]
[size=3]"No! Your name!" I hissed. The sword-wielding Sisters giggled and snickered.[/size]
[size=3]"Oh! Um...I, Handy Pockets.” [/size]
[size=3]"Do solemnly swear to do my Sisterly duty."[/size]
[size=3]"I have duties? Um...I mean, do solemnly swear to do my Sisterly duty."[/size]
[size=3]"Which is to help my Mistress when needed."[/size]
[size=3]"What Mistress?" Handy Pockets looked around to see me raise an well-arched eyebrow.[/size]
[size=3]"Oh! Um...which is to help my Mistress when needed."[/size]
[size=3]I gave her a warning look and continued. [/size]
[size=3]"And to smooch all men who are unfortunate to cross my path."[/size]
[size=3]"Really?"[/size]
[size=3]"Really!"[/size]
[size=3]"Cool beans! And to smooch all men who are unfortunate to cross my path!"[/size]
[size=3]"So help me, Mur!"[/size]
[size=3]"What's a Mur?" Handy Pockets asked and gulped at my glare. She sighed resignedly and finished repeating her oath. "Fine! So help me, Mur!"[/size]
[size=3]We placed our swords down with a resounding clack on the table and faced Handy once again. I took her sword and placed it in the empty spot with the other swords on the table and picked up the goblet sitting next to the candle, handing it to her and then picked up my own goblet as the Sisters picked up theirs. [/size]
[size=3]"My Sisters! May I introduce our twelfth Sister? Sister Handy Pockets!" The Sisters chanted in tandem. "[i]Hail, Sister Handy[/i]!" We drained our wine in one gulp and then tossed our goblets over our shoulders, which landed on the floor with a cacophony of clangs and clatters. [/size]
[size=3]Handy stared at us as if we had all lost our minds. I grinned and motioned for her to do the same. Shrugging, she gulped her wine and looked at her goblet before tossing it over her shoulder.[/size]
[size=3]"Congratulations! You are now part of The Sisterhood family!" I pounded Sister Handy Pockets on the back, knocking her off balance before the other Sisters surrounded us both in a group hug, shrieking and jumping up and down like girls in a slumber party. [/size]
[size=3]Sagewoman pulled off her ceremonial robe and ruffled her long black hair with one hand. “Thank Mur, that’s over. Can we feast now? I’m starving!” She grinned sheepishly. “I skipped brunch knowing you’d have a spread waiting for us, Windy.”[/size]
[size=3]The rest of the Sisters took off their robes as well and headed for the bartop, which was laden with food. They weren’t silly enough to ask to wait for permission. Sagewoman shrugged and began to pile a plate full.[/size]
[size=3]I headed for the door and unlocked it to let in the riff-raff that were my beloved customers and the real party began. Anything that required copious amount of food and drink was fair game and everyone knew it. When I put a spread out, I go whole hog. It’s one of my gifts.[/size]
The very next day, I was busy sweeping the floor and wiping down tables from last night’s debauchery to get things ready for The Sisterhood’s daily brunch, when Raine burst into the pub in a flurry of billowy skirts and cloak.
“Oh! Mistress Windy! You will never guess what just happened to me!” This sounded important as she had just addressed me as Mistress. The Sisters never address me as such unless during a ceremony.
“Sit down Raine, before you fall down.” I ordered, leaning my broom against a table. “Now breathe and tell me what happened to you.” Raine paced back and forth, wringing her hands together over and over. “I was walking through Sanctuary’s View when this man jumped out, grabbed me, and planted a huge kiss on me!”
I gasped, smacking a hand to my chest. “The cad! The Scoundrel! Call out the Guard! How dare a man kiss you?” I laughed thinking she’d laugh too.
“Windy! This is no joke! The man kissed me and then ran off, laughing real evil like…but ends up coughing up a lung. It was very strange.”
“I don’t see what’s so strange, this is Magicduel after all.” I replied. I should have kept my big know-it-all mouth shut.
“It seems like I saw the man’s face, but now I don’t recall who it was!” She continued. “He even gave me a gift before he run off!” Raine opened up a cloth pouch and pulled out a single white rose, which looked suspiciously like one of mine in the garden out back.
I shrieked. “Oh My Dear Mur! Is that one of my prized roses?” Raine followed me as I turned and sprinted through my kitchen to the back yard. Sure enough, several buds were clipped from one of my bushes.
“I’ll kill him! I’ll cut off his hands and then kill him! Curse this evil doer!” I shook my fist into the air and thunder rolled through the heavens, which happens when I lose my temper. I’m an elemental and everyone in the realm knows that when the weather changes drastically, to head for cover.
Raine grabbed my arm and dragged me back inside cursing and screeching before I could do any damage. She knew I could whip up a storm like no other when riled. It was a wonder her ears didn’t drop off from the language I was using. Sailors and Pirates would have been proud.
We got back into the pub area to find the rest of the Sisters had arrived early, very early, as I hadn’t even put out the food and drink. They took one look at our faces and new something was up.
“Sisters! Something evil and dastardly is afoot!” I shouted, pulling my arm from Raine’s tight grip. “Someone’s head is going to roll!”
The Sister’s collectively gasped and started asking questions all at once. I stuck my finger and thumb into my mouth and blew out a shrill whistle to quiet them all down. It was funny to watch them all jump.
Sister Lintara asked what was on everyone’s mind. “What evil and dastardly thing?” Sister Raine paced the floor and blurted, “I’ve been attacked!” The women murmured amongst themselves, as this has never happened to one of them before. The entire Sisterhood was respected and knew how to inflict collateral damage.
“It’s true!” Raine exclaimed. “This man jumped out from behind a tree at Sanctuary’s View, grabbed me and kissed me soundly!”
The Sisters exploded with laughter. It took them awhile to calm down. Sister Keida piped up. “Oh you poor girl! You say a man kissed you and you survived?” More laughter filled the room.
Sister Sagewoman laughed the loudest out of the bunch. “Great Mur! We can’t have men jumping out at us, willy-nilly! Call out the hounds!” She said shaking a fist. “We’ll find the bastard!” The room full of laughing women got worse as tears streamed down their faces.
Sister Lintara quit laughing suddenly and got a serious look on her face. “Excuse me? Excuse me! But isn’t the smooching OUR job?” The room got quiet as the implications sunk in. “Do you think this is an isolated incident?” another asked anxiously.
It was then that Innocence, an intangible being and Magicduel’s roving and sneaky reporter slunk into the pub. “I smelled a story all the way from Willow’s Walk! Imagine me finding it ended up here! What’s up?”
Just what we need, I thought. A small incident to be blown out of proportion by the media. I had a feeling that things were going to go from bad to worse.
Innocence leaned onto a wood pillar, pulled out a notepad, and yanked a quill from what her hair, and poised it above a page. “Who, What, Where, When, and better yet, Why?”
“Nothing!” I said, waving my hands and trying to get rid of the reporter. “I am sure this is all just an isolated incident by one of our many admirers and recipients!” I bit my lip at my blunder, but it was too late.
“Ooh!” Innocence crooned, jumping at my mistake like a shark to bait. “That tidbit sounds so juicy! Do tell!” The entire Sisterhood stared talking at once. Innocence put two fingers into her mouth and blew out a shrill whistle, silencing everyone. Evidently, she likes making people jump out of their skin as well.
Sister Raine stood up a bit disconcerting at all the attention and took a deep breath. “Well… I was walking through Sanctuary’s View when a man jumped out from behind a tree, grabbed me, kissed me soundly, gave me a rose and then ran off!”
To give her credit, Innocence didn’t laugh like a hyena, snicker, snort, or lose her reporter demeanor, although one eyelid twitched. “Get out! You say a strange man jumped out and kissed you? What did he look like?” Her hand poised over her notepad.
“That’s the odd part!” Raine exclaimed. “I don’t remember! It’s like my memory is blocked or something!” Innocence scribbled into the notepad furiously, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.
“And then what happened?” Innocence continued her inquisition. “Well, it’s the darndest thing.” Raine said. “The bandit gave me a white rose and tried to make this evil laugh and ended coughing instead. I swear I knew his voice! But I can’t remember that either!”
Innocence scribbled some more, muttering. “Hmm! The perpetrator handed his victim a white rose, choked on an evil laugh and ran off.” Innocence looked up then with a satisfied smirk. “This is great stuff! It just writes itself! It’s front page news!”
I got uncomfortable then. I knew how her mind worked. I might have well been trying to stop a rampaging stampede. “Come on now Inno, this isn’t a big news story. Let’s not try to get ahead of ourselves. Its only one incident!”
“Ha! I can feel it in my gut!” Innocence exclaimed, putting her quill back into her hair. “This is news! Front page news!” and hurried out the door before I could protest any further. Mur forbid if she didn’t get the story in the paper before the ink dried.


Thank you Isabella. Those are good ideas. I've known that I should do that but procrastinated. I hate homework.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Windy

[Windy]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their comments and suggestions. The issue with Innocense and Mur have been resolved. Writing this story is harder than I thought! I've learned a few things since I began this project. If you have a chance, check out the Scribophile website I posted earlier. I will keep making changes so do peek in now and again to see how the story progresses.

[SageWoman]

I just realized that in the story, I know the Kissing Bandit "personally". There are not that many characters that I know "personally" but again, as a member of the Sisterhood, I've smooched quite of few unsuspecting men out there. Hmm, gonna have to dig out my grey matter and think on who were good kissers. This was before Phantasm's did the dirty deed and forced me to be his wife and I don't recall smooching him before you disbanding the Sisterhood. Guess I'll have to read the rest of the story and figure it all like everyone else!

[Windy]

Here is the new Chapter 2. Again, it's is short. I don't know what to do about it yet. I can't merge it with Chapter 3 because it doesn't make sense to do that. ><

[center][b]CHAPTER 2[/b][/center]
[center]Stop the Presses![/center]
It was mid-morning and I was stocking up all the bowls with beer-nuts and kettle-roasted pretzels to get ready for the afternoon crowd. Princess Katt, (not Royalty) Lintara, and Sagewoman, rushed into the pub waving copies of The Golden Globe Gazette, Magicduel’s only Newspaper in the air.
“Windy! You are not going to believe this!” Sagie bellowed as she waved her paper in my face. I quickly snatched it from her hands and gasped when I saw the front headline. Lintara and Katt looked shaken and were talking so excitedly; I had to shush them so I could read the paper in peace.
[center][b]Kissing Bandit Stalks The Sisterhood[/b][/center]
[center]By Innocence| The Golden Globe Gazette[/center]
Stop the presses! Magicduel has a Kissing Bandit on the loose and he is stalking The Sisterhood! Sister Raine reported that she was walking through Sanctuary’s View when an unknown man jumped out from behind a tree, grabbed her, and smooched her silly.

Sister Raine exclaimed that she thought she knew him, but for some reason couldn’t recall his face or recognize his voice as he ran off, choking on an evil laugh! Sister Raine also mentioned that before the bandit ran off he presented her with a white rose.

Is this Kissing Bandit putting a whammy on women or is it just The Sisterhood he’s after? Is he horning in on The Sisterhood’s smooching antics? Is this sinister bandit an amateur evil laugher? Is this bandit also a sinister thief of prized roses? Everyone knows our beloved Pub owner, Windy, and also Mistress of The Sisterhood cultivates white roses in her garden. So, I ask you dear readers, which Sister will be next?

“Oh My Dear Mur!” I exclaimed appalled. “This will surely cause uproar in the realm or make The Sisterhood a laughing stock!” The three women went off on a tangent sounding like a bunch of hens in an uproar.
Dragual Monarth, Princess Katt’s husband, came skipping down the stairs just then from the upstairs rooms I rent out, no doubt looking for his coffee. “What is all this noise about?” He demanded. Katt stopped him at the bottom of the stairs and shoved her copy of the Gazette into his hands.
Dragual shook the paper a bit and then read the headline. It was not long before he threw his head back and roared with laughter. Katt smacked his chest. “It’s not funny!” she exclaimed defensively, stomping a foot.
“Are you serious?” he asked still laughing, smacking the Gazette with the back of a hand. “The Sisterhood is getting their comeuppance and you expect me to be shocked?” Katt smacked his chest in protest.
“Ooh! This is serious! A man is sneaking around and has accosted one of us! We don’t sneak around when we do our Sisterly smooching!” Katt crossed her arms at her chest and glowered.
Dragual got a weird look on his face for a second and then smiled. Running his fingers through her long hair, he kissed her on the nose and then seductively on her mouth. We got a bit uncomfortable and each of us found something else interesting, or not, to look at.
“I’m sorry, my Love. To me this [i]is[/i] funny and I’m sure it will be hilarious to all the men in the realm, whom you women have smooched. Trust me.” He said, smacking the Gazette in one hand before crushing it in his fist. “This will blow over, I’m sure of it. Don’t you worry.”
Sagewoman and Lintara shook their heads, not agreeing with Dragual’s sentiment. “I for one won’t stand for it! I am the smoocher, not the smoochee!” Sagewoman injected hotly. “Let this ‘Kissing Bandit’ just try to sneak a smooch from me! He’ll be sorry!”
Lintara nodded in agreement. “Well, he isn’t going to get me either!”
“Is that a fact, ladies?” Dragual asked incredulously. “Just how do you two propose to stop him if he indeed puts a “whammy” on his victims?”
“Really, Dragual! That sounds awfully like a challenge!” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s almost like you approve of this Kissing Bandit!”
Dragual put an arm around Katt comfortingly and led her away from the stairs. “Not at all Windy, my dear. But you must admit, you and the Sisters’ should have seen this coming. Don’t you think?”
When I founded The Sisterhood initially, it never crossed my mind that men would retaliate. Why would they? But it had occurred to me later after the popularity of the club spread through out the realm. I wasn’t going to admit it to Dragual, though. I have my standards.
Katt pulled away from her husband’s arm and smacked him in the chest again. It seemed to be her favorite spot as I’ve witnessed this abuse many times. I just love watching the two lovebirds go at it, sometimes.
“Dragual, that’s an awful thing to say! We are doing a service! Sometimes a man needs a good smooch to keep him going!” Katt said and she realized right then and there how silly she sounded. “Well, you know what I mean!”
“There, there, sweet cheeks.” Dragual said, smacking her on the ass. “I meant no offense to The Sisterhood. I was just a bit of fun with you women.” He then kissed her again and headed out the door whistling.
“Ooh, of all the nerve!” Katt said, once more stomping her foot in temper. Princess Katt, being only nineteen, was still in that bratty stage of teen-age angst. It amazed me that she could love an older man like Dragual. One would think she had a “Daddy Complex”, but the love between the two is genuine.

[Princess Katt]

Forgive me for pointing this out, but Katt is only seventeen at present, and I believe Dragual is two years older.

[Dragual]

I will also point out that due to my lack of ability to assist Windy properly, (Lost internet connection for some time.) she had to use what she sees of Darth versus how I see him.

This is no crime, of course. I figured since this was more closely to a satire or parody of us all, this is Satirical Darth versus Dragual Monarth.

[Windy]

I don't believe I will get very far with my story. All the rewrites and editing and changes are exasperating! Below are the changes, once again, for Chapter 1. Chapter 2 needs work and don't even get me started on Chapter 3 which is The Kissing Bandit's point of view. Whew!

[center][b]CHAPTER 1[/b][/center]
[b] THE SISTERHOOD[/b]

My pub, The Wind & Rain was empty of customers except for eleven beautiful women, all members of The Sisterhood, a silly women’s group I created on a whim. Today, we are adding to our number.
Sisters’ Lintara and Raine, were already wearing their black silk robes. The sleeves and hood were embroidered with red roses an entwined with green vines. They carefully placed eleven ivory handled swords in a circle on the table, leaving one empty space. The sharp tips pointed inward. On an adjacent table lay a single identical sword. In the circle of the swords, a large blood red candle burned, with a wine filled goblet next to it. On a tray on the edge of the table, were more wine filled goblets. I placed each one next to a sword.
I raised a hand to command everyone’s attention. "[i]Hear ye, Hear ye! Sisters harken unto me! The Sisterhood now commences! Sister's come raise your swords[/i]!" The women gathered around the table and dramatically raised their swords in the air and then lowered them down until the blades were flat facing their noses.
I turned to face the woman seated at the bar and raised a hand to point at her. "[i]Sisters! Cast your eyes upon our newest inductee! What say ye unto her[/i]?" The women, also garbed in their black ceremonial robes, turned as one to face the newcomer. "[i]Welcome young woman! Tell us your name and state your purpose[/i]."
The woman nervously slid off her stool and stood, pinching her skirts between her fingers. "I am called Handy Pockets and my purpose is to join The Sisterhood!"
I beckoned to her with my hand. "[i]Come forth, young woman and swear an oath to us![/i]" Handy Pockets straightened her spine and walked toward us. I handed her the sword from the other table and commanded. "Take this sword which is a sign of your fidelity, a sign that we are much more than our good looks suggest! A sign that we as women can kick butt as well as any man and better than some men think they can!"
Handy Pockets looked at me in bewilderment and then raised her sword to mimic the others and whispered, "Seriously, Windy?"
I bent toward her slightly and whispered out of the corner of my mouth. "Just go with it!" Handy Pockets whispered back, "Okay, if you say so!"
I winked. "Trust me." I cleared my throat to get back to the drama of the ceremony.
"Now repeat after me, Handy."
"I, state your name."
"I, state your name." She repeated.
"No! Your name!" I hissed. The sword-wielding Sisters giggled and snickered.
"Oh! Um...I, Handy Pockets.”
"Do solemnly swear to do my Sisterly duty."
"I have duties? Um...I mean, do solemnly swear to do my Sisterly duty."
"Which is to help my Mistress when needed."
"What Mistress?" Handy Pockets looked around to see me raise an well-arched eyebrow.
"Oh! Um...which is to help my Mistress when needed."
I gave her a warning look and continued.
"And to smooch all men who are unfortunate to cross my path."
"Really?"
"Really!"
"Cool beans! And to smooch all men who are unfortunate to cross my path!"
"So help me, Mur!"
"What's a Mur?" Handy Pockets asked and gulped at my glare. She sighed resignedly and finished repeating her oath. "Fine! So help me, Mur!"
We placed our swords down with a resounding clack on the table and faced Handy once again. I took her sword from her shaking hands and placed it in the empty spot with the others on the table. I picked up the goblet sitting next to the candle, handing it to her and then picked up my own goblet as the Sisters picked up theirs.
"My Sisters! May I introduce our twelfth Sister? Sister Handy Pockets!" The Sisters chanted in tandem. "[i]Hail, Sister Handy[/i]!" We drained our wine in one gulp and then tossed our goblets over our shoulders, which landed on the marble floor, filling the pub with a cacophony of clangs and clatters.
Handy stared at us as if we had all lost our minds. I grinned and motioned for her to do the same. Shrugging, she gulped her wine, paused to admire her goblet, before tossing it over her shoulder.
"Congratulations! You are now part of The Sisterhood family!" I pounded Sister Handy Pockets on the back, knocking her off balance before the other Sisters surrounded us both in a group hug, shrieking and jumping up and down like girls in a slumber party.
Several Sisters hurried over to the swords to put them away as I pointed at all the goblets on the floor and watched them rise up, fly across the room, and dump themselves into the sink behind the bar. A bit showy, but I was in a hurry.
Sagewoman pushed back the hood of her ceremonial robe and ruffled her long black hair with one hand. “Thank Mur, that’s over. Can we feast now? I’m starving!” She grinned sheepishly, rubbing her bell as it growled loudly. “I skipped brunch knowing you’d have a spread waiting for us, Windy.”
The rest of the Sisters took off their robes as well and headed for the bar, which was laden with food. They weren’t silly enough to ask to wait for permission. Sagewoman shrugged and began to pile a plate full.
I headed for the door and unlocked it to let in the riff-raff who were my customers and were waiting impatiently outside. They each gave me quick greetings, heading straight for the food and Ale, as they went. Anything that required copious amount of food and drink was fair game and everyone knew it. When I put a spread out, I go whole hog. It’s one of my gifts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The very next day, I was busy wiping down tables as my magic broom and mop did their jobs. Last night’s debauchery left a big mess and I needed to get things ready for The Sisterhood’s daily brunch. Raine burst through the pub door in a flurry of billowy skirts and cloak.
“Oh! Mistress Windy! You will never guess what just happened to me!” This sounded important as she had just addressed me as Mistress. The Sisters never address me as such except during a ceremony.
“Sit down Raine, before you fall down.” I ordered, leaning my broom against a table. “Now breathe and tell me what happened to you.” Raine paced back and forth, wringing her hands together over and over. “I was walking through Sanctuary’s View when this man jumped out, grabbed me, and planted a huge kiss right on my lips!”
I gasped, smacking a hand to my chest. “The Cad! The Scoundrel! Call out the Guard! How dare a man kiss you?” I laughed thinking she’d laugh too.
“Windy! This is no joke! The man kissed me and then ran off, laughing real evil like…but ends up coughing up a lung. It was very strange.”
“I don’t see what’s so strange, this is Magicduel after all.” I replied. I should have kept my big know-it-all mouth shut.
“It seems like I saw the man’s face, but now I don’t recall who it was!” She continued. “He even gave me a gift before he run off!” Raine opened up a cloth pouch and pulled out a single white rose. I frowned as the rose looked suspiciously like it came from one of my bushes in the garden out back.
I shrieked. “Oh My Dear Mur! Is that one of my prized roses?” Raine followed me as I turned and sprinted through my kitchen to the back yard. Sure enough, several rose buds were clipped from a bush.
“I’ll kill him! I’ll cut off his hands and then kill him! Curse this evil doer!” I shook my fist into the air and thunder rolled through the heavens, which happens when I lose my temper. I’m an elemental and everyone in the realm knows that when the weather changes drastically, to head for cover.
Raine grabbed my arm and dragged me back inside cursing and screeching before I could do any damage. She knew I could whip up a storm like no other when riled. It was a wonder her ears didn’t drop off from the language I used. Sailors and Pirates would have been proud.
We got back into the pub area to find the rest of the Sisters had arrived early, very early, as I hadn’t even put out the food and drink. They took one look at our faces and new something was up.
“Sisters! Something evil and dastardly is afoot!” I shouted, pulling my arm from Raine’s tight grip. “Someone’s head is going to roll!”
The Sister’s collectively gasped and started asking questions all at once. I stuck my finger and thumb into my mouth and blew a shrill whistle to quiet them all. I was hopping mad, but it sure was funny to watch them all jump.
Sister Lintara asked what was on everyone’s mind. “What evil and dastardly thing?” Sister Raine paced the floor and blurted, “I’ve been attacked!” The women murmured amongst themselves, as this has never happened to one of them before. The entire Sisterhood was respected and knew how to protect themselves.
“It’s true!” Raine exclaimed. “This man jumped out from behind a tree at Sanctuary’s View, grabbed me and kissed me soundly on the lips!”
The Sisters exploded with laughter. It took them awhile to calm down. Sister Keida piped up. “Oh you poor girl! You say a man kissed you and you survived?” More laughter filled the room.
Sister Sagewoman laughed the loudest out of the bunch. “Great Mur! We can’t have men jumping out at us, willy-nilly! Call out the hounds!” She said shaking a fist. “We’ll find the bastard!” The room full of laughing women got worse as tears streamed down their faces.
Sister Lintara quit laughing suddenly, frowning. She got a seriously concerned look on her face. “Excuse me? EXCUSE ME!” She yelled to get everyone’s attention. “But isn’t the smooching OUR job?”
The room got quiet as the implications sunk in. “Do you think this is an isolated incident?” another asked anxiously.
It was then that Innocence, an intangible being and Magicduel’s roving and sneaky reporter sashayed into the pub. “I smelled a story all the way from Willow’s Walk! Imagine me finding it ended up here! What’s the scoop?”
I groaned, thinking, “Just what we need, a reporter to blow a small incident out of proportion by the media. I had a sick feeling in my gut that things were going to go from bad to worse.
Innocence leaned onto a wood pillar, pulled out a notepad, and yanked an enchanted quill from what her hair, and poised it above a page. “Okay then!” She said eagerly. “Who, What, Where, When, and better yet, Why?”
“Nothing!” I said, waving my hands, trying to shoo her out of the pub. “I am sure this is all just an isolated incident by one of our many admirers and recipients!” I bit my lip at my blunder, but it was too late.
“Ooh!” Innocence crooned, jumping at my mistake like a shark to bait. “That tidbit sounds so juicy! Do tell!” The entire Sisterhood stared talking at once. Innocence put two fingers into her mouth and blew a shrill whistle, silencing everyone. I jumped. Okay, so not so funny when it’s you that jumps. Evidently, she liked making people jump out of their skin as well.
Sister Raine stood up a bit disconcerting at all the attention and took a deep breath. “Well… I was walking through Sanctuary’s View when a man jumped out from behind a tree, grabbed me, kissed me on the lips and then ran off!”
To give her credit, Innocence didn’t laugh like a hyena, snicker, snort, or lose her reporter demeanor, although one eyelid twitched. “Get out! You say a strange man jumped out and kissed you? What did he look like?” Her hand poised over her notepad.
“That’s the odd part!” Raine exclaimed. “I don’t remember! It’s like my memory is blocked or something!” Innocence scribbled into the notepad furiously, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth.
“And then what happened?” Innocence continued her inquisition. “Well, it’s the darndest thing.” Raine said. “The bandit gave me a white rose and tried to make this evil laugh and ended coughing instead. I swear I knew his voice! But I can’t remember that either!”
Innocence scribbled some more, muttering. “Hmm! The perpetrator handed his victim a white rose, choked on an evil laugh and ran off.” Innocence looked up then with a satisfied smirk. “This is really great stuff! I haven’t had this much fun as a reporter for years! This is front page news!”
I got uncomfortable then. I knew how her mind worked. I might have well been trying to stop a rampaging stampede. “Come on now Inno, this isn’t a big news story. Let’s not try to get ahead of ourselves. It’s only one incident!”
“Ha! I can feel it in my gut!” Innocence exclaimed, putting her quill back into her hair. “This news will sell papers, like hot cakes!” She hurried out the door before I could protest any further. Mur forbid if she didn’t get the story in the paper before the ink dried.

Edited June 28, 2012 by Windy

[Windy]

Here, at last is Chapter 2. I'm not really happy with it, but maybe your input can jog the fog.

[center][b]CHAPTER 2[/b][/center]
[center]Stop the Presses![/center]
It was mid-morning and I was filling up all the bowls on the bar and tables with beer-nuts and kettle-roasted pretzels to get ready for the afternoon crowd. Princess Katt, (not Royalty) Lintara, and Sagewoman, rushed into the pub waving copies of The Golden Globe Gazette, Magicduel’s only Newspaper in the air.
“Windy! You are not going to believe this!” Sagie bellowed as she shook her paper in my face. I quickly snatched it from her hands and gasped when I saw the front headline. Lintara and Katt looked pale and were clutching their own copies and raising a ruckus. I had to shush them so I could read the paper in peace.
[center][b]Kissing Bandit Stalks The Sisterhood[/b][/center]
[center]By Innocence| The Golden Globe Gazette[/center]
Stop the presses! Magicduel has a Kissing Bandit on the loose and he is stalking The Sisterhood! Sister Raine reported that she was walking through Sanctuary’s View when an unknown man jumped out from behind a tree, grabbed her, and smooched her silly on the lips!

Sister Raine exclaimed that she thought she knew him, but for some reason couldn’t recall his face or recognize his voice as he ran off, choking on an evil laugh! Sister Raine also mentioned that before the bandit ran off he presented her with a single white rose. Big mistake for the bandit! Everyone knows our beloved Pub owner, Windy, and also Mistress of The Sisterhood cultivates white roses in her garden.

Is this Kissing Bandit putting a whammy on women or is it just The Sisterhood he’s after? Is he horning in on The Sisterhood’s smooching antics? Is this sinister bandit an amateur evil laugher? Is this bandit also a sinister thief of prized roses? So, I ask you dear readers, which Sister will be next?

“Oh My Dear Mur!” I exclaimed, totally appalled. “This will surely cause uproar in the realm or make The Sisterhood a laughing stock!” The three women went off on a tangent sounding like a bunch of hens in an uproar.
Dragual Monarth, Princess Katt’s husband, came skipping down the stairs just then from the upstairs rooms I rent out. He was a pale man, wearing dark robes, trimmed with a sliver of blue. It is all one can tell about him as he keeps his eyes covered with the hood of his robes.
“What is all this noise about?” He demanded, arranging his satchel over his shoulder. Katt stopped him at the bottom of the stairs and shoved her copy of the Gazette into his hands.
Dragual shook the paper a bit and then read the headline. It was not long before he threw his head back and roared with laughter. Katt smacked his chest. “It’s not funny!” she exclaimed defensively, stomping a foot.
“Are you serious?” he asked still laughing, smacking the Gazette with the back of a hand. “The Sisterhood is getting their comeuppance and you expect me to be shocked?” Katt smacked his chest again in protest.
“Ooh! This is serious! A man is sneaking around and has accosted one of us! We don’t sneak around when we do our Sisterly smooching!” Katt crossed her arms at her chest and glowered.
Dragual got a weird look on his face for a second and then smiled. Running his fingers through her long hair, he kissed her on the nose and then seductively on her mouth. We all got a bit uncomfortable and looked around for something else to look at.
“I’m sorry, my Love.” Dragual murmured to her. “To me this [i]is[/i] funny and I’m sure it will be hilarious to all the men in the realm, whom you women have smooched. Trust me.” He said, smacking the Gazette in one hand before crushing it in his fist. “This will blow over, I’m sure of it. It will end soon.”
“Do you really think so?” She asked pleadingly.
“I know so.” Darth said, kissing her nose.
Sagewoman and Lintara shook their heads, not agreeing with Dragual’s sentiment. “I for one won’t stand for it! I am the smoocher, not the smoochee!” Sagewoman injected hotly. “Let this ‘Kissing Bandit’ just try to sneak a smooch from me! He’ll be sorry!”
Lintara nodded in agreement. “Well, he isn’t going to get me either!”
“Is that a fact, ladies?” Dragual asked incredulously. “Just how do you two propose to stop him if he indeed puts a “whammy” on you?”
“Really, Dragual! That sounded awfully like a challenge!” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “It’s almost like you approve of this Kissing Bandit!”
Dragual put an arm around Katt comfortingly and led her away from the stairs. “Not at all, Windy, my dear.” Dragual said smugly. “But, you must admit, you and the Sisters’ should have seen this coming. Don’t you think?”
When I founded The Sisterhood initially, it never crossed my mind that men would retaliate . I mean, why would they? But it had occurred to me later after the popularity of the club spread through out the realm. I wasn’t going to admit it to Dragual, though. I have my standards.
Katt pulled away from her husband’s arm and smacked him in the chest again. It seemed to be her favorite spot as I’ve witnessed this abuse many times. I just love watching the two lovebirds go at it. I just conjure a bowl of popcorn, lean back, and watch the show.
“Dragual, that’s an awful thing to say! We are doing the men of Magicdual a service! Sometimes a man needs a good smooch to keep him going!” Katt said and she realized right then and there how silly she sounded. “Well, you know what I mean!”
“There, there, sweet cheeks.” Dragual said, smacking her on the ass. “I meant no offense to The Sisterhood. I was just having a bit of fun with you and the other Sisters.” He quickly kissed her again and headed out the door whistling.
“Ooh, of all the nerve!” Katt said, once more stomping her foot in temper. Princess Katt, being only nineteen, was still in that bratty stage of teen-age angst. It amazed me that she could love a man like Dragual. It amazed me even more that Dragual could love anyone at all.
I’ve known him for a long time and he is often aloof and always muttering to himself. I wouldn’t say that he was up to no good. I pretty much know that he is. Dragual often takes trips to Necrovion, a dark and desolate Land for Mur-knows-what and then off to The Lands of The Tribunal for another trip. It took a lot of work to get him to socialize with me. Almost like teaching a scared and abused dog to trust me. It took even longer to get him to socialize with the rest of my customers at the pub.
Sagewoman got up from the barstool and tossed her long black hair over her shoulder. She clasped her hands behind her back and began to pace, her long legs making short work of the room. “I don’t like this, Windy. How can we protect ourselves?”
Lintara, a winged cat being, shook her tail and flapped her transparent wings in agitation. “I don’t see why ‘HE’ would smooch me, anyway. I’m not even human.”
Sagewoman stopped her pacing. “What are you talking about, Lin? You’re a gorgeous feline!”
“Doesn’t your betrothed, Sunfire, kiss you?” I asked in bewilderment.
“That’s different! He’s in love with me!” Lintara protested.
“Come on, Lin. He must have liked something about you before he took his first kiss, did he not?” I countered.
Sagewoman went over to Lintara and played with the tuffs of hair on the tips of her ears, making her squirm. “You have a lot going for you, kiddo.”
“Do you really think so?” she asked self-conciously, fluffing up her long mane.
“Oh absolutely!” I replied, admiring her slim form. “If the Kissing Bandit doesn’t…..” I had to stop. I knew where I was going with that one and it wasn’t the right path.
I shooed the girls out and went into the kitchen to fire up the grill. The men and also a few women who come to my pub are bottomless pits when it comes to food, I had a busy afternoon ahead of me. I still had to make desserts for tomorrow’s brunch.

[Princess Katt]

I'm sorry, Windy, but Katt is still just seventeen, not nineteen. It is Dragual who is nineteen.

[Windy]

Hello Readers.

I'm so sorry for neglecting to update this story. I've been procrastinating. I plan on getting back to it. If you have any suggestions on where I should go with what is already written. Please post here and I will give it a good look. Thanks again for all the comments.

[Windy]

Hello Darlings! Do to unforeseen circumstances, I am am going to over-haul everything. I am going to try to come up with a totally new villain or just a incorrigible scoundrel. Who to choose? Hmm...
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