Michellin

Wanderers

Kire was still admiring the illusion as Envy replied. She tilted her chin to get a better look at her new “scar”, then looked back up at Envy, satisfied. “I doubt the coffee I made would wake anyone properly, but I’ll give it a try,” she said, smiling as she watched one of the children finally claim victory over the elf. “Thank you, Envy.” She looked at Ysaryn for a moment and grinned before fetching a fresh mug for Ruli. She hoped he had a better time waking up than she usually did, though if he had been up all night, that probably wasn’t the case.

Once inside, Kire nudged his leg with her foot then stepped back a couple of paces. “I’m back,” she declared, trusting that he’d know his own handiwork and not be startled at the sight of a stranger. “Good work on the illusion. The scar’s a nice touch. Ysaryn was disappointed, but this should work nicely.” She held out the mug and waited for him to get up properly. "It is not strong," she warned. "But a second or third cup might do the trick."

Wanderers

The moment Kire slipped the silver ring onto her finger, she felt a tingle pass throughout her body, followed by the faintest scent of cinnamon, similar to when she had first encountered Ruli up close. It was gone in a moment, though, and she didn’t feel any different. Judging from the children’s reactions, however, she knew that there definitely was a noticeable change. She noted Ysaryn’s reaction and her description, now very curious what she looked like. “I don’t suppose anyone has a mirror around here?”

She settled for a shallow basin of water. Kire looked at her reflection, or rather the face of the stranger reflected back at her. Ysaryn was right; she looked totally different. “Huh. Fascinating.” She touched her left brow lightly; it was even more uncanny to feel the scar yet not see it at all. Daryll would love this. “Incredible work,” she finally said. “Did he have to work through the night to finish this?”

Wanderers

Eyeing the band with suspicion, Kire stepped towards Envy to take it, avoiding a few children who had decided to take advantage of the moment to try and swipe at the rag. She looked from Ysaryn to Envy, then down at the silver ring, eyes narrowed at it as if it would spit sparks at her. With a huff she slid it onto the ring finger on her left hand, then turned to Ysaryn. “Well?”

Wanderers

Kire stumbled upon what clearly was a game Envy played with the children. Even after everything he’d suffered, the Kartaian cared for his wards so much. He’d love my cousins. She felt a pang of longing to see Etta and Percy; she hadn’t been able to for days now. She stood there for a while, watching with a sad smile on her face, then spotted Ysaryn nearby. At her wink, Kire grinned back. “Hello, Ysaryn.” She looked at Envy when the elf called her name. “I was out for a bit of a hunt.”

She raised an eyebrow at his other remark, noticing the way they were grinning. “Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good.” She stepped closer, shaking her head. “Is it the enchantment? Did he plan on making me look like an absolute hag? Wouldn’t put it past him, but he’d better be ready for me to match it with attitude.”

Wanderers

Kire cocked her head as she nursed her cup of coffee. Was she expecting me to say something else? But she kept the question to herself, listening to Sid’s reply. She saw the tears threatening to fall from Sid’s face as she recounted how Ruli trusting Akuma had led to them losing everything they had held dear in Ziad. Given the pieces of information she had learned from Ruli, Envy, and Zeke, the heavy darkness that followed them around, it made sense. She nodded when Sid talked about the difficulty of leaving things in the past. “I never really believed in ‘forgive and forget’. It’s understandable. What you lost isn’t a trivial thing.” She paused for a while, drinking the rest of her cup, then shrugged a shoulder as she spoke again. “Makes it all the more surprising, honestly, that you’d let me in here after he brought me. I would’ve shot me on sight—though to be fair to him, Ruli did try, when he first saw me. I was just a hair quicker.”

She had many other questions for Sid, mostly to do with Envy, and their life in the Tunnels. But not now, not after she had asked this heavy a question. So, she kept silent, thoughtful over a second cup of watered-down coffee. “Looks like you might need more fowl,” she said after a while, glancing around the kitchen, then standing up to clean her cup. “I was supposed to look for Ruli; he must have used the mortal and pestle for the enchantments I asked him to do. If nobody else is awake just yet, I’ll see about replenishing some of your stores first.” She put away the cup and turned to Sid. “Thank you for answering my questions.” She paused, then gestured at the bird Sid had cooked. “That’s a lot better than I ever could manage by myself.” Kire grinned for a moment before going out to hunt.

Kire returned a while later sometime before noon, the task having woken her up much more than the rather wan brew she made that morning. After leaving the fruits of her labor in the kitchen, she went into the main cavern, hoping to spot Ruli.

Wanderers

“Envy’s like a father to many of you, isn’t he?” Kire smiled, understanding how Sid felt to some extent about taking care of Aeron. “Aeron is an intelligent boy. He’ll grow into a fine young man, hopefully.” She turned slightly towards the fire, listening for the sound of water boiling, before continuing. “Did he lose his mother at Ziad?” she asked, taking a guess. It fit in with what Sid had just said, and with the conversation she had with Aeron yesterday. “I’m sorry.”

She looked about to see if anybody would overhear, before she continued. “I may be out of line with this question, and you’re welcome not to answer it if you don’t want to. And it’s not exactly breakfast conversation.” Kire smiled a little, then stopped, remembering the coffee. She stood, removed it from the fire, and looked for clean cups for them to use. “Would you want one?” She poured out two, went to look for sugar, and found some honey instead. Content with that, Kire put in a spoonful and went to sit back down by Sid again, taking a sip. “Ah. A little too much water.” Kire made a face for a moment, then shook her head, drinking it anyway.

“Anyway. I wanted to ask if you’re able to talk about it—what did Rulitus do that made everyone turn away from him? Or at least made him think he wouldn’t be welcomed by anybody here at all. I’ve an inkling it has something to do with this.” Kire gestured at her own face.

Wanderers

When Kire saw somebody was busy in the kitchen, she stood by the entrance for a moment, knowing how people usually reacted to her face and not wanting to startle them. “Good morning—Sid, was it?” She remembered seeing her with Rulitus here in the kitchen as well, fretting over how she cooked the venison. “I’m going to get some coffee brewing, if you don’t mind? Hopefully I don’t overly burn it,” she added with a small smile, stepping inside. “Do you have a mortar and pestle lying around?” She found what she was looking for not long later and proceeded to prepare the beans they had bought in Cordon. Kire worked silently, stewing in her own thoughts, then went to fetch water for the pot.

“That smells good,” she commented upon her return to the kitchen. “I’d offer to help, but I’m not particularly gifted in the kitchen.” She waited politely for Sid to finish cooking before she took over the fire for the brewing. “You’re one of the people who lived with Envy before?” she asked after starting on the coffee. “I think I saw you the first night I was here, with Aeron. Are you the one taking care of him?”

Wanderers

Kire blinked as Ysaryn sprang to her feet and declared she was going with Rulitus. She watched, amused, while the elf walk off to find Bolym. "She's interesting," she said in response to Ruli's comment about Ysaryn, turning to him. "She was telling me she knows what you plan to make me look like, though I don't know if she's just teasing."

She nodded when he said he would have the enchantment done by tomorrow, though she noted how tired he looked as he said it. She kept that to herself, knowing his attitude. "Alright. Good. I'll look forward to it, then. Till then, I might disappear. Have to let my family know I haven't gotten myself killed just yet," she said with a smirk. "Besides, Zekiel and the rest might be more comfortable with me helping around if I don't look the way I am. Can't hold that against them." She nodded in goodbye, then turned to walk away.

She returned early morning the next day, reappearing outside the cavern entrance. She hadn't told her cousins about the Gemini yet, knowing they would be doubly worried that this was all a well-orchestrated trap. With a sigh, Kire went inside the caves, meaning to make coffee before looking for Rulitus.

Wanderers

Kire lingered for a little while after Aeron and Zeke had gone back inside, wanting to rest by herself before going in. She saw Rulitus and Ysaryn talking and observed them as she walked closer. For someone who had been warning her about the man, Ysaryn at least was able to be civil enough with him. She didn’t recognize the language they spoke, only that she knew the sounds from when the elf would mumble to herself. She noticed the figure drawn on the ground before the two of them.

“Aeron’s a precocious one,” she remarked, before turning her attention to the drawing. “Have you figured out where you remember hearing ‘Gemini’ before?” she asked Ysaryn.

Wanderers

Kire smirked at the boy’s response. “I will.” And I won’t just catch him. She raised an eyebrow, amused at the rather halfhearted scolding Zeke gave Aeron. She continued helping them organize, ignoring Zeke’s stare. “That’s the idea,” Kire said, not taking his remarks against him. Really, it was the nicer of the many possible jibes she had thought he would throw at her. “Can’t say I haven’t heard that sentiment before. A lot of people hate my face plenty back home, too, and they make sure to let me know,” she added, smirking as she pointed at her scarred face before going back to work.

She was quiet for the rest of the task, speaking only to ask about what they needed her to do with the lumber next. When they had time later, she would ask Aeron if Envy had kept a library for them. She was sure there were such a thing; she had seen someone peddling books of some sort back in Cordon, and some remains of a library back in Ziad. And maybe, if they’ve warmed up a little bit, I can ask them what it was that Ruli did that was unforgivable. What it had to do with Akuma. When the last of the lumber had been sorted, she stood straight, stretching, and flexed her hands. They were in a much better state than they were this morning, though they were still sore, owing to the labor she had just completed.