[h2][center][color=#543b72]Nora Bellwood [/color][/center][/h2] [hr][hr] “Oh it’s just perfect Nora! You look like royalty! There’s no way anyone, even the prince, will be able to look away,” gushed a young woman, as she spun her friend around. “I mean the color and the shape. I’d hate you if I didn’t want to be you so badly,” she added with a giggle. [color=#543b72]“Stop, you’re going to make my head too big. How would I get the crown on then,”[/color] Nora responded cheekily with a playful wink. [color=#543b72]“Are you sure you can’t come with me…”[/color] she said with an added pout. Nora knew Lady Brooke would never be able to, but by asking she would be secretly encouraging her newest friend to live vicariously through her. That meant more dresses, and perhaps that gold necklace she had her eye on for a while. The one with ruby insets and silver detail. Lady Brooke was one of the richest families in Bellmare, and after many months and endless parties, Nora had finally become a confidant of the young woman. “You know I can’t. My father probably would have even locked me in a tower if I even had the mark. You’re just so lucky,” said the younger woman as she smoothed out the flawless shoulder of the elegant gown she insisted Nora have made for the festival. “Can I see it again…” she asked sheepishly, looking up through her lashes- a look Nora was sure she had picked up from her. [color=#543b72]“It’s just a birthmark silly,”[/color] Nora said already pulling out her wrist for the other girl to gush over more. Lady Brooke ran a soft hand over the small dark patch of skin. “I know, but it’ll be the last time I can see it like this. After the festival it’s going to change, you’ll be royalty…” [color=#543b72]“If I find my destined you mean…”[/color] “When you find the prince,” Brooke insisted. “You’re perfect, everyone will love you.” Nora gave the lady a small shy smile, feigning a humble demeanor. [color=#543b72]“It would be so much easier if I had you there, you know a friend to help me build up the courage. Then again, I wouldn’t be able to compete if you were…”[/color] Nora lied as she made her way in front of the large mirror, examining herself. She knew she was much prettier than the Lady Brooke. Money might have bought her friend many dresses, and her upbringing kept her skin a pretty porcelain complexion, but she still couldn’t compete with the natural beauty of Nora. Brooke’s nose was much too large, her eyes too far apart, a bit of pudge around her arms from too many feasts in the great hall. No, even if Brooke had the mark, Nora still wouldn’t have seen her as competition, but Brooke didn’t need know that. The young lady just blushed and tsked half-heartedly. Nora knew she had believed her. [color=#543b72] “I feel like I’m missing something...don’t you?”[/color] asked Nora over her shoulder as she let her hand lightly run across her collarbone absent mindedly as if she was thinking. She was hoping her hint was subtle enough even Brooke would pick up on it. “Oh! I have just the thing!” cried out Brooke with excitement as she ran back into the closet. Nora smirked, knowing it had worked. [hr] The color was worse than the smell. Which was saying a lot considering the smell was a putrid mix of fish and tomato. Nora dry heaved again, her whole body wracking in pain as she tried to empty her already empty stomach. “Here, try this Miss. The ginger is good for those who don’t take well to the sea,” a man offered Nora a small brown root. [color=#543b72]“I hate this damn boat…”[/color] Nora complained as she looked darkly up at the sailor. She was currently sailing down to the kingdom of Orewyn which meant taking a boat for five days. Five long days. Not taking well to the sea as an understatement. The man just offered her a short chuckle as Nora bit into the musty root, making a sour face as her stomach flipped again. Her uncle had used ginger many times in his apothecary, but Nora had never eaten it raw like this. [color=#543b72]“Sorry, that’s not very lady like is it. Have you always been a sailor?”[/color] Nora questioned, filling the silence that threatened to fall over the cabin. “Since I can remember. Walk better on a rocking boat then on land,” he explained. [color=#543b72]“Ugh...don’t say rocking,”[/color] Nora moaned, fighting off another wave of nausea. That thought gave her an idea though. [color=#543b72]“You don’t think the storm is going to make it worse do you?”[/color] she asked sheepishly, looking up at him through her lashes as her left hand went to clutch a small pendant necklace. It was an old scam she’d run down at the docks. The worthless trinket cost her little to make, mostly scraps from other projects. “Storm? It’s nothing but blue skies?” [color=#543b72]“Oh! No, there’s a storm coming within three days,”[/color] Nora lied confidently. [color=#543b72]“I’m certain of it.”[/color] “I’ve been on the sea’s for years, you can feel one coming. I promise you, there’s nothing but smooth waters ahead.” [color=#543b72]“Hmm…”[/color] Nora said furrowing her brow, looking down at the pendant. [color=#543b72]“It’s never been wrong before…”[/color] she said to herself, still loud enough though for him to hear. “What’s never been wrong before?” the sailor asked intrigued, moving in a bit closer. [color=#543b72]“My grandfather gave me this pendant when I was just a kid. He used to be a sailor just like you. Said it always told him when a storm was coming so he could get to port safely. Anytime there’s a bit of lightening in the gem, a storm will hit within 3 days. I know, I know! You don’t believe me…”[/color] Nora said realizing the skeptical look he was giving her. [color=#543b72]“It’s never been wrong though…”[/color] she said again, looking only at the pendant. “Lightening you say? In that little thing?” [color=#543b72]“Look, come here. I’ll show you,”[/color] she said unclasping it and holding it out. The sailor leaned in close as Nora was concentrating. In between the two clasp prongs holding a clear bead, Nora forced herself to concentrate. A small arc of lightning flickered, seemingly caught in glass bead. Nora knew she had him as he gasped, his eyes widening. [color=#543b72]“I’m telling you, a storm is coming in 3 days time.”[/color] By then, Nora would be long gone, the boat ride already more than halfway through. [color=#543b72]“My grandfather used to say it was his most prized possession when away from home. I think he gave it to me hoping I’d have the same love of the sea. And well...you see how well it agrees with me,”[/color] Nora said motioning to the bucket in front of her. “I imagine he was right. Something like that would keep an entire crew safe…” the sailor said, never taking his eyes away from the pendant. This was the tricky part. Nora had him hooked, but she had to get him to make the offer. If she was too pushy, her ruse would be blatantly obvious. She quickly closed her hand around the bead, moving to place it around her neck again. [color=#543b72]“I miss him, you know,”[/color] she said, making her voice soft with just a hint of sadness. [color=#543b72]“Sometimes I think I should just hop on a boat so it and his memory doesn’t go to waste. But I think that might just kill me…”[/color] she said with a sad chuckle. [color=#543b72]“I should have given it to my brother after all…”[/color] she finished with a sigh. “Brother? Is he a sailor?” [color=#543b72]“Yes, he left over a year ago. I was going to give it to him you know. But I was mad at him for leaving me alone. I’d give anything to get it to him. Give him a piece of me to keep safe…”[/color] “Well…” the sailor started. That’s it. She had the sale. “I’ll tell you what. Let me take it, and if I come across your brother, I’ll give it to him” [color=#543b72]“You’d do that?”[/color] Nora asked, making her eyes wider, lightening her voice so it was hopeful. She felt them watering just a bit before she smiled brightly at him. [color=#543b72]“That’s the sweetest thing someone’s offered to do. His name is Peter. Peter Norwood, a sailor with the ship Clearwater,”[/color] Nora explained. [color=#543b72]“Have you heard of it?”[/color] she asked hopefully. She already knew the answer though. There was no ship Clearwater, no Peter Norwood. “No, but I’m sure we’ll come across it at some port. All ships cross paths at some point,” said the sailor. Nora began to undo the clasp but stopped. [color=#543b72]“I don’t know. It means so much to me. Maybe I should just wait until he comes home...I mean, it seems wrong to just give it away,”[/color] she said unsure. “Well what if you’re not giving it away? What if I rent it from you?” [color=#543b72]“Rent?”[/color] Nora asked. “Let me pay for it, until I meet your brother. We stop at the same port you joined us at least once every three months. If you meet us there in a year and I still haven’t crossed paths, I’ll trade it back. Think of it as a loan,” he bargained. [color=#543b72]“Well…”[/color] Nora said uncertain, biting her lip. [color=#543b72]“A loan?”[/color] she asked skeptically. “You can trust me. Here, I’ll give you...all of this. Please, let me help you out with this,” he said, pulling out a pleasantly pregnant coin purse. [color=#543b72]“Oh I couldn’t do that. That’s too much. You’re doing me a favor…”[/color] she said now holding the sailors hands in hers. She let her thumb softly run over the back of his hands while she maintained eye contact. [i]Take the bait, do me the favor[/i] she silently willed. [color=#543b72]“If my grandfather knew I was selling this…”[/color] “Renting. Not selling,” the sailor corrected. [color=#543b72]“You promise?”[/color] Nora asked biting her lip, holding back a knowing smirk. [hr] “I told you, no rooms. We’re all booked up already for the festival. You should have sent word, made plans,” “Mom..but what about the festival! She has to go!” said a younger voice peaking around The Ivory Inn’s keeper’s waist. Out popped a little girl, her hands still bunched up around her mother’s skirt as she hid half behind her. Nora hadn’t noticed her when she first started bargaining for a room. The inn keeper didn’t seem to be budging, but maybe Nora could use her daughter to help her out. [color=#543b72]“Oh hello there,”[/color] Nora said with a warm smile as she bent down to the young girl’s level. She pressed up further against her mother’s leg. [color=#543b72]“Are you going to the festival too princess?”[/color] she asked, tilting her head slightly. The little girl gave a little giggle and shook her head, pulling her thumb out of her mouth. “I’m not a princess silly.” [color=#543b72]“Oh! You’re not? Well you sure look like one!”[/color] Nora exclaimed, making the little girl smile again. [color=#543b72]“I bet you are one, just hiding from the castle for the day aren’t you,”[/color] she said with a cheeky wink. “Nuh uh…I live here.” [color=#543b72]“Well, I still think you are. And my mother always told me, when you meet someone important, you get them a gift. Now, let’s see here…”[/color] Nora said quickly looking through one of her bags. [color=#543b72]“Ah here we go…”[/color] Nora said, clipping a small porcelain flower pin in the little girl’s hair. It was one of many in a set Nora had made years ago that she liked to pin within her braids. [color=#543b72]“Now you keep that safe little princess. I got it from a fairy,”[/color] Nora warned with a playful wag of her finger. “A fairy?” asked the little girl, her eyes going wide. [color=#543b72]“A fairy,”[/color] Nora confirmed. [color=#543b72]“She gave it to me after I helped scare off a racoon from her fairy ring. Fairies and racoons don’t get along you know.”[/color] With that Nora stood up, collecting up her bag as if she actually was going to leave. [color=#543b72]“Thanks again for trying, I know how busy you must be…”[/color] Nora said with a warm smile. [color=#543b72]“Bye little princess!”[/color] Nora said with a small wave to the little girl before turning towards the door. The little tug at her skirt made Nora smirk. “No wait! You can’t go. Mom she’s friends with fairies. You have to let her stay here!” the little girl pleaded. “She can stay with me, I’ll share my bed!” Nora gave a warm laugh, rustling the little girl’s hair. [color=#543b72]“Well aren’t you sweet. I wouldn’t kick a princess out of her bed though!”[/color] Nora said, making sure to only talk directly to the little girl. “I don’t mind really! You can take me to the festival too! The real princess will be there!” [color=#543b72]“Oh I wish I could, but you heard your mom. There’s no room. I’ll just have to check the next town over.”[/color] “No! Mom please! What about Giselle’s room? I’ll sleep there and she can sleep in my bed! Please!” the little girl begged. “Hush. Fine. I’ll make you a deal, I’ll let you stay in my old maid’s room in the servants quarters, full price of a normal room mind you, if you will take Cora here to the festival at least twice,” the innkeeper bargained. [color=#543b72]“I’d be more than honored to,”[/color] Nora said with another warm smile. [color=#543b72]“That is a very kind offer, thank you.”[/color] Nora had no intention of taking anyone anywhere though. A quick slip of dried serenoa and the girl would be stuck home sick. Nothing major, just a little bit of an upset stomach, maybe a touch of nausea and vomiting. “Give me a bit to get it suitable for you. I’ll have Henry set it up if you can find something to keep yourself busy for the afternoon,” the innkeeper said, waving over what Nora assumed was a stable hand. [color=#543b72]“I’ll come back a bit before sundown,”[/color] Nora agreed before bidding her goodbyes to the inn keeper and handing most of her bags over to Henry. Her stomach growled a bit and Nora figure a quick bite to eat was in order. Certainly a city of this size must have something worth eating.