[Centre][h2][color=f7941d]Dawn Haven flash backs. No sleep & Temple Times. Sya & Persephone.[/color][/h2][/centre] [b]Flash Back[/b] [i]Persephone did not sleep well that was a fact but in the last few weeks she got used to her partner's presence and warmth that always made her feel safe, secure and able to let go. He had departed as they had their quiet but passionate goodbye however unlike the youngsters had found a private spot to do it. Daphne had left too and her motives well, a certain Priestess was high on the dark-haired squire's reasons. Persephone just smirked at the fact they were totally not together, sure. A trek into the wilderness and they would give up trying to hide it… It had a habit of stripping away things and making you see the truth. It did for Persephone. But that was why she wrapped a robe about and treaded softly downstairs to try and distract herself seeing the still glow of the fire pit in the lower room, constantly fending off the cold. The chill bit hard and about a week prior they had some strange menu choices. Breakfast was rather confusing when you ate desert for breakfast, stuffed crust breakfast croissants and more besides. “Again? Lady Presssephone.” Sya said, slithering out the darkness from a side door at an ungodly hour of the morning. Her tail was silent and her eye looked out the darkness into the fire light that glittered off deep blue scales and a robe from a Auralian trader who had popped by part of a passing caravan. “first time i seen you.. but not you me.” Persephone said, not shaken or surprised by fact, Sya she already noticed could be either as sneaky or chaotic as she liked. The fact Sya who ran this place, could move through it with absolute stealth and evade her patrons and customers. “Cannot sleep.” She said and sat at the bar as Sya moved behind and poured two glasses of a strong smelling liquid. “Might help.” Sya said, pushing one to the woman across, her hair reflecting the glow of coals and hot embers in the fire. “Thank you.” Persephone nodded and took the drink, the two quiet and Lady Coswain could not hide a grimace at the strength of the burn. The alcohol was strong on levels that no one else in town had. … Sya was recalling the last 2 weeks, the first week had been… weird. Sya was greatly missing her friends and even Becky had stopped her and challenged her boss. The menu for first week Sya tried to distract herself by making.. things, anything. New combinations of foods that still weirdly worked and people ate it and kept coming back. The day the convoy left Sya fears had run rampant, The Lamia had almost shut down that evening and curled up in the book nook, her sanctuary and slept off the emotional overload. Multiple of her valued friends were going out on the expedition, people who held great value for the inn keeper. The later week Sya had been distracted by a large caravan of traders that stopped by, so much to buy, goods to buy, sell, stocks to check and more. Now Sya was.. feeling… empty and so did the town. Though maybe Sya could go talk to Kira, she did not fear the blightborn who had shared a relaxing soak which saved her from the bad yolk peacock, that went a long way to making her a good egg and yolk. The caravan did sell a very nice robe as well as a few other things though. … Persephone just nodded along to Sya, they chatted about nothing mostly, no real importance but it helped fill the gaps. Her own week had been kinda weird. Persephone felt a little rudderless of the main group she was on her own now. Her husband, their squire was away, the temple's priestess was gone with them. She found herself at the Temple some times just enjoying the quiet and the peace of the place, able to find a little peace and focus. After the Vision and other things, her mind had felt like birds fluttering about it, it felt busy all the time. This place helped calm it all down and she also kept the place tidy, pushed snow away from the door and placed winter flowers in a small vase by the altar. It was a miracle they still grew, pale blue and stunted but still flowers. New clothes had been sorted from the local traders and crafts people for the winter, the business of preparing for a long winter, home or not, household management was her part of life, she ran the estate back home. Well when she was home anyway. With the Royals keeping her distance, the prior incident.. well? Safer to stay quiet and under the radar. She could gain more information and learn more by listening about the goings and comings of dawn haven. The rest, well. Persephone just kept up the days. Purpose would be found but she did some favours for Sya, it kept her able to at least fill her time and keep mind off other thoughts. … “We meet again…” Persephone said as the inn keeper was upstairs, in her private apartment, she had been invited however. It was rather more grand than anything she expected with tall book shelves in a side room, multiple doors and large collection of pillows visible into an octagonal room that seemed to rise high out of sight. Sya was sprawled over some cushions working on a set of thick books. “Welcome, Cannot ssssleep again.” Sya said and Persephone tried to hide her reaction to the hiss but her Lunarian side and faith was seeing even with her also pragmatic side of Sya being a valuable ally. “Vy maths, adding up…you vind being a once over.” Sya said and passed over a book after a few minutes with a hot cup of a fragrant tea that smelled rather like lemon and flowers. “You run a tight household.” Persephone remarked as she saw the numbers and neat columns much like ones she ran and began to scan the list. “And tastes id not expect.” The team was very nice, far less decorum to tea but still good tea. “Thanksss” Sya said, it was not a friendship, they were too different but a level of respect definitely. Sya knew she could learn from Persephone and Persephone got something. A fair trade. “I ssssuprise many people.” The Lamia said with a low rumbling hiss and slightly additional danger to her voice. She was more than a blight born. Persephone nodded along, from hunts and words it seemed Sya was planning or otherwise spoke of such people she was concerned for as Princes Aide, the lead Sage, and the fact Sya controlled the town's hot meals, ales and warm beds… The Blightborn had way more potential sway than Persephone first assumed. If Sya wanted or.. could focus on something for longer than a short time, she might have put Persephone out of a job. [/i] … [b]10 am to Sun Temple [/b] Sya was heading out and had found one of her older cloaks for a little more weather protection given the cold and light snow, while it affected her less, it did mess with her hair she had neatly put into braid that morning before the breakfast run. It would be a shame to ruin the work and have to redo it all. She pushed the door closed with a nudge of her tail waving as she left the Eye in her staff safe hands and looked out on a lightly snow dusted Dawn haven. Or .. “Gloom Haven” had been done in graffiti on one wall. Accurately she giggled slightly at the remark and following picture of a moon that hung over the words in a very rough art style. The fact Sya was able to tell roughly the variations of gloom, she was not sure how widely known. It was before noon. That was what she could tell. The path was not deep and the ground was already hard, it was so cold so long it was hard to convert into a slush, though it could get icy. Sya was growing more nervous as she made her way down a side street to a building with great burning torches visible and wood working of higher quality than the homes around them. Sya paused before the street, and wrapped her arms and tail about herself, shaking and mentally took the effort to breathe slowly before unraveling again. No. Sya had to do this for her friends and not run away. Even with old fears, the feeling of dread and her past memories of the faithful being anything but a hostile enemy she slithered her way to the door slowly and pushed the portal to the Warm Temple open. It was very different but similar in other ways to the far more bare and practical Temple that was built in her home town, a mix of Lunaris and Auralian traditions. The brazers and heat were a surprise, shedding her hood but the brighter light did annoy her rather sensitive eye, too many Candles and fires for her extraordinary acute night vision to be entirely comfortable for someone who could see in almost total darkness. Sya paused visiblely unsure and took slow steady breathing, forcing calm and looking about to complete her task, because she wanted her friends to come home safe. … [b]10am. To moon Temple.[/b] Persephone had decided to give her horse some exercise, stopping by the stable and getting her horse tacked up, after an apple to make up for forcing him to head out into the cold. Several minutes later that was not a problem as she took a wider route and let her horse free galloping down a track used for guard training that was empty and jumping one of the fences. Had it been less dangerous times and or her partner might have headed out but she aired on caution and rode inside the walls. The smaller course was still fun and she rode though the well worn route, jumps, straights, turns and so on before she turned more at a canter to the Temple on the outer ring of town. Her sword was in reach and she had thrown a few items from Lord Coswain's cart into her saddle bags. You never could be too careful after the last week or so. The Lunarian Temple was much as she left it a few days ago, the flowers a little sad, the bowl a little dusty and the place had signs of use. Not uncared for, no. Just… Katherine was away so it was more a transient place now than a home. Persephone tried to rectify that a little as she began her chores, sorting the humble Temple into some kind of order. Singing softly as she works an old song she picked up furthermore from the Capital region. [color=bc8dbf]"Alduin's wings, they did darken the sky, His roar fury's fire, and his scales sharpened scythes. Men ran and they cowered, and they fought and they died. They burned and they bled as they issued their cries. “We need saviors to free us from Alduin's rage, Heroes on the field of this new war to wage. And if Alduin wins, man is gone from this world, Lost in the shadow of the black wings unfurled. But then came the Tongues on that terrible day. Steadfast as winter, they entered the fray. And all heard the music of Alduin's doom, The sweet song of Skyrim, sky-shattering Thu'um. And so the Tongues freed us from Alduin's rage, Gave the gift of the Voice, ushered in a new Age! And if Alduin's eternal, then eternity's done, For his story is over and the dragons are gone.”[/color] Dragons, it seemed the world did not need Dragons to end, they had plenty enough darkness to do that. But Persephone did do her best to tidy the Temple up, keep busy and keep her mind off one place she did not want to go. Adonis, Daphne had headed out and into the darkness on the Prince's great gamble, their best guards, sages, and more had gone. Dawn has best in multiple regards all on one fleeting hope. Her family grew ever more at risk, while the Prince seemed happy to wait, where were they even making a baby? If it came down to a prince and princess or her own children or grandchildren, Persephone would plunge the dagger in herself if need be. Those thoughts had her sighing sitting by the clean clear cold pool, by the moon goddess, she just wanted her family to be safe.