"That sounds great," Janius said with a slightly surprised tone. He put an arm around Kaleeth and returned her smile, "We'll get to it right after breakfast." Janius of course knew that there may still be times where Kaleeth might feel helpless, but he wasn't about to discourage her enthusiasm to improve. He would just deal with those moments as they came, and relish in the good times, such as now. "Do you feel like the mace is suiting you, or would you like to try some different weapons? There probably won't be much training on the ship apart from weapon training and meditation. Perhaps strength training if the crew isn't too inquisitive. Very little space to run, you see. Anyway, if you felt as if a different weapon was more comfortable, you would have plenty of time to become familiar with it."
Fendros considered Ahnasha's idea and didn't take long to warm up to it. Sleeping well was something that would help substantially. There was not a hint of indecision about it in Fendros' voice, "At this point, even some temporary relief would be worth it. Let's definitely talk to Ariel about it." Fendros sighed, "I only hope that it won't cost too much." Fendros slowly started to release Ahnasha from his arms and sit up. "Would you like me to get you some breakfast?" He asked. Fendros knew that Ahnasha didn't like to show that her nightmares were bothering her to the others, and the evidence of her crying was still present on her face. Fendros wasn't going to point this out directly, though, but still, some food might help to take her mind away from her previous nightmare.
Muttonhawk Member
Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Bio
Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
Most Recent Posts
Now this was something new. Troops which seemed organised and trained. This was what Luc was expecting of the devastating paranormal forces. Luc had spotted one of the saurians as part of the flanking party and let loose a few bursts from his railgun in the creature's direction. "Suppressing one of the pricks, but I can't cover them all!"
Angus decided to pull back a short distance while he had the chance to cover for Din. "Overwatching the area for yer, Din," Angus radioed.
Angus decided to pull back a short distance while he had the chance to cover for Din. "Overwatching the area for yer, Din," Angus radioed.
Alright, I've got to go for tonight. Going to see a movie. G'night!
Although he was surprised at first, Janius brought his hand up to Kaleeth's hand once he had come to his senses and relaxed under her kiss. Good morning indeed. "I feel good that you're here, Kaleeth," he responded with a grin. As he sat up onto his elbows, he smelled breakfast and noticed the pit in his own stomach grumble its way into existence. He wasted little time in rubbing his eyes, standing up, and putting some meat of his own on to cook. He sat down by the camp fire to watch the cooking and gestured for Kaleeth to sit next to him. Before Kaleeth could move, Leaps came scurrying from his sleeping spot to curl up on Janius' lap without invitation. Janius didn't mind paying the creature some attention, though. Janius felt great as well.
Fendros woke up to the small movements of Ahnasha's sobbing and recognised them immediately as being from a nightmare. He still felt drowsy, so he wrapped his arms around her kissed her on the neck while he kept his eyes closed. "Another nightmare, Ahna?" Fendros took a deep breath as the rest of his consciousness spilled into his mind, "It's okay, hold onto me."
Laying by her for another minute, Fendros eventually opened his eyes and discerned the time of day. It was just after dawn, enough light to awaken. "Ahna, it hurts to see you in such a state. We have to do something about this. Something decisive." Fendros mumbled, taking in another breath through his nose, "Each time we put this off, we just end up like this, in more pain. I think we need help." Fendros raised his head and glanced to Rhazii swaddled up next to them. His nose flared open and closed the tiniest amount, in sync with the rising and falling of his chest. He normally stayed asleep about this time unless noise woke him up. He would eventually wake up feeling hungry, though.
Fendros woke up to the small movements of Ahnasha's sobbing and recognised them immediately as being from a nightmare. He still felt drowsy, so he wrapped his arms around her kissed her on the neck while he kept his eyes closed. "Another nightmare, Ahna?" Fendros took a deep breath as the rest of his consciousness spilled into his mind, "It's okay, hold onto me."
Laying by her for another minute, Fendros eventually opened his eyes and discerned the time of day. It was just after dawn, enough light to awaken. "Ahna, it hurts to see you in such a state. We have to do something about this. Something decisive." Fendros mumbled, taking in another breath through his nose, "Each time we put this off, we just end up like this, in more pain. I think we need help." Fendros raised his head and glanced to Rhazii swaddled up next to them. His nose flared open and closed the tiniest amount, in sync with the rising and falling of his chest. He normally stayed asleep about this time unless noise woke him up. He would eventually wake up feeling hungry, though.
"That would be lovely. I'm sure everyone would be glad to see you as well." Ariel said with a smile, before putting a hand on Rukeewei's arm reassuringly, "And don't punish yourself too much about giving away free rooms. We all understand."
"Thank you for..." Sabine tried to find the right word, thinking? Offering? "...considering us." She smiled as well.
By this point, Ariel was starting to detect, the prying eyes of Rukeewei's brother. She took a breath in and sat up straighter, "Right then, I can see Hides-In-Trees staring us down. I think we should leave you to your work, Rukee." She faced him with a vibrant look, "We'll see you tomorrow, then. And thank you, I'm glad we felt the same way about the argument." She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, then stood up with Sabine to leave. She almost needed Sabine to guide her way with how reluctant she was to stop looking at Rukeewei.
The walk home had revealed the breeze through the streets to set the sisters at a comfortable temperature as they walked to Ariel's abode. She was smiling the whole way back, and Sabine didn't have to ask why to know the cause. Sabine's mood seemed good as they left the inn, but she slowly looked more concerned as they walked. Ariel had noticed when they were halfway there. "Is something wrong, Sabine?"
Sabine didn't respond immediately. She wondered whether it was worth discussing at all. However, back at camp, they didn't really have time to go over it all before Ahnasha joined the conversation. "Fendros and Ahnasha. I'm scared about them." She said, looking to the ground.
"I see. Is this about their torture?" Ariel asked, her face becoming more serious.
Sabine nodded. "They sometimes get grumpy or tired, and they wake up with terrible nightmares. I can see that they are getting scared all of the time, like I was."
"Right, I imagine the horrors they had to witness left a similar mark." Ariel began to look forward and down as well, "And they seemed normal when I talked to them. They must be holding a lot back. How terrible."
"I don't know what to do," Sabine said, "but I don't want them to be like I was. Everything was difficult before the ritual. Many things hurt."
"Have they opted to try the ritual themselves?"
"No, but they are pretending that it doesn't hurt them, but I can see that it is. I know that they would refuse. We're going to Cyrodiil anyway." Sabine stopped short of crying. It was clear by her tone that she was incredibly worried.
"Have they tried anything?" Ariel asked.
"No, not really."
Ariel took a moment to think a little further about it. It was clear that Sabine did not want to have her family go through the same pain that she did, and that was understandable, but given that they were at least able to function socially, it couldn't have been exactly the same as Sabine's case. Ariel put an arm around Sabine's shoulders and pulled her to her side comfortingly. "Sabine, I understand why you want to help here, but Ahnasha and Fendros are both adults, and they have it different to you. They have each other, they have the pack, including you, to call upon if they need help. I'm sure they are finding a way to deal with it in their own way. If it becomes a problem, then I'm sure the pack will be able to make the right decisions as to how they can be helped. For now, I think it would be best if you were there to give support when they need it, but it sounds like it is their own path to tread." Ariel rubbed Sabine's arm and looked to her face with a smile, "Can you do that?"
Sabine looked around and blinked, then nodded with a frown. "I'm still scared about them."
"That's perfectly alright, Sabine. They're your family. I was scared for you when you turned, and although my actions were definitely the wrong ones, I learned that comfort and an open ear are sometimes the best you can give in some situations." Ariel looked ahead, "Now, I think we have some time to crack the mystery of that fern with the blue veins through it that you found in the inner marsh, but I think that'll be all before we head to bed."
"Thank you for..." Sabine tried to find the right word, thinking? Offering? "...considering us." She smiled as well.
By this point, Ariel was starting to detect, the prying eyes of Rukeewei's brother. She took a breath in and sat up straighter, "Right then, I can see Hides-In-Trees staring us down. I think we should leave you to your work, Rukee." She faced him with a vibrant look, "We'll see you tomorrow, then. And thank you, I'm glad we felt the same way about the argument." She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, then stood up with Sabine to leave. She almost needed Sabine to guide her way with how reluctant she was to stop looking at Rukeewei.
The walk home had revealed the breeze through the streets to set the sisters at a comfortable temperature as they walked to Ariel's abode. She was smiling the whole way back, and Sabine didn't have to ask why to know the cause. Sabine's mood seemed good as they left the inn, but she slowly looked more concerned as they walked. Ariel had noticed when they were halfway there. "Is something wrong, Sabine?"
Sabine didn't respond immediately. She wondered whether it was worth discussing at all. However, back at camp, they didn't really have time to go over it all before Ahnasha joined the conversation. "Fendros and Ahnasha. I'm scared about them." She said, looking to the ground.
"I see. Is this about their torture?" Ariel asked, her face becoming more serious.
Sabine nodded. "They sometimes get grumpy or tired, and they wake up with terrible nightmares. I can see that they are getting scared all of the time, like I was."
"Right, I imagine the horrors they had to witness left a similar mark." Ariel began to look forward and down as well, "And they seemed normal when I talked to them. They must be holding a lot back. How terrible."
"I don't know what to do," Sabine said, "but I don't want them to be like I was. Everything was difficult before the ritual. Many things hurt."
"Have they opted to try the ritual themselves?"
"No, but they are pretending that it doesn't hurt them, but I can see that it is. I know that they would refuse. We're going to Cyrodiil anyway." Sabine stopped short of crying. It was clear by her tone that she was incredibly worried.
"Have they tried anything?" Ariel asked.
"No, not really."
Ariel took a moment to think a little further about it. It was clear that Sabine did not want to have her family go through the same pain that she did, and that was understandable, but given that they were at least able to function socially, it couldn't have been exactly the same as Sabine's case. Ariel put an arm around Sabine's shoulders and pulled her to her side comfortingly. "Sabine, I understand why you want to help here, but Ahnasha and Fendros are both adults, and they have it different to you. They have each other, they have the pack, including you, to call upon if they need help. I'm sure they are finding a way to deal with it in their own way. If it becomes a problem, then I'm sure the pack will be able to make the right decisions as to how they can be helped. For now, I think it would be best if you were there to give support when they need it, but it sounds like it is their own path to tread." Ariel rubbed Sabine's arm and looked to her face with a smile, "Can you do that?"
Sabine looked around and blinked, then nodded with a frown. "I'm still scared about them."
"That's perfectly alright, Sabine. They're your family. I was scared for you when you turned, and although my actions were definitely the wrong ones, I learned that comfort and an open ear are sometimes the best you can give in some situations." Ariel looked ahead, "Now, I think we have some time to crack the mystery of that fern with the blue veins through it that you found in the inner marsh, but I think that'll be all before we head to bed."
Makin' lunch.
Ariel chuckled at the issue of free time in the context of what had caused the previous falling out. Luckily, this time, she did have time for a dinner. "That would be quite nice, I think."
"Um..." Sabine became a little uncomfortable in impinging the proposition, she held her arm in one hand and looked away. This was probably the first time that she had to explain away the pack's activities. "We are going to be busy during the day. I don't know how long the..." What did people do instead of a hunt? "...walk will be, but we normally have time for dinner." Sabine's mind went briefly back to Ariel's mention of purchasing food in cities all of the time, her tone became even quieter, "And we don't have much money, we have to save for the ship."
Trying to be comforting, Ariel reached across the table and put a hand on Sabine's shoulder. "I'm sure it will be fine, Sabine. I have a bit of extra gold tucked away that I can pay for the rest of you."
Sabine looked up with a new worry. "But Ariel, you said you have to be careful with money! Don't pay for us."
"I'm doing just fine, Sabine, I can afford to spend a night with family and friends." Ariel's eyes grew wider in trying to convince her, "Don't fuss, now."
"...Okay," Sabine said, still concerned about it. Ariel leaned back again, but Sabine looked up more hopefully, having had an idea. "We still have fresh meat from hunting. Maybe we could eat that instead?"
Ariel opened her mouth, now believing that the responsibility had turned disproportionately towards the pack. She should have guessed that Sabine didn't really know the manners of having guests for dinner. Ariel responded slowly, "I think it would be best if we consulted Meesei first," she glanced at Rukeewei, "but perhaps we can do some sort of combination, like we did tonight." Ariel turned fully to Rukeewei to explain, "Sabine and her family are camping outside the city walls to save money. I went to have dinner with them tonight and brought a cauldron of rice and vegetables. They have been living off the land for so long while they travelled, you see. Perhaps if they brought in some meat tomorrow, we could cook it over the fire in the inn, here, and have it with some other food? I know it's a little unorthodox, but what do you think?"
"Um..." Sabine became a little uncomfortable in impinging the proposition, she held her arm in one hand and looked away. This was probably the first time that she had to explain away the pack's activities. "We are going to be busy during the day. I don't know how long the..." What did people do instead of a hunt? "...walk will be, but we normally have time for dinner." Sabine's mind went briefly back to Ariel's mention of purchasing food in cities all of the time, her tone became even quieter, "And we don't have much money, we have to save for the ship."
Trying to be comforting, Ariel reached across the table and put a hand on Sabine's shoulder. "I'm sure it will be fine, Sabine. I have a bit of extra gold tucked away that I can pay for the rest of you."
Sabine looked up with a new worry. "But Ariel, you said you have to be careful with money! Don't pay for us."
"I'm doing just fine, Sabine, I can afford to spend a night with family and friends." Ariel's eyes grew wider in trying to convince her, "Don't fuss, now."
"...Okay," Sabine said, still concerned about it. Ariel leaned back again, but Sabine looked up more hopefully, having had an idea. "We still have fresh meat from hunting. Maybe we could eat that instead?"
Ariel opened her mouth, now believing that the responsibility had turned disproportionately towards the pack. She should have guessed that Sabine didn't really know the manners of having guests for dinner. Ariel responded slowly, "I think it would be best if we consulted Meesei first," she glanced at Rukeewei, "but perhaps we can do some sort of combination, like we did tonight." Ariel turned fully to Rukeewei to explain, "Sabine and her family are camping outside the city walls to save money. I went to have dinner with them tonight and brought a cauldron of rice and vegetables. They have been living off the land for so long while they travelled, you see. Perhaps if they brought in some meat tomorrow, we could cook it over the fire in the inn, here, and have it with some other food? I know it's a little unorthodox, but what do you think?"
Yeah, seems good.
The scene with Rukeewei need not go on for an exceptionally long time if you don't want. I think it was most the apology that I wanted to get out of the way.
The scene with Rukeewei need not go on for an exceptionally long time if you don't want. I think it was most the apology that I wanted to get out of the way.
Ariel and Sabine gladly took seats with Rukeeweu. Ariel sat close next to him, and for the first time in a few days, held onto his hand on the surface of the table. The others had been right all along about how he had felt. It was good to finally get over the tension and see it for the lack of consequence that it held.
"We are leaving the day after tomorrow," Sabine answered, "We are going on a ship to Cyrodiil, to the Imperial City. I have not been inside it, only seen it from a distance. It is the biggest city I have ever seen, though."
"I haven't either. I've never even been to Cyrodiil myself. I would like to see it some day." Ariel looked at Rukeewei with a smile, "Have you gone travelling before, Rukee?"
"We are leaving the day after tomorrow," Sabine answered, "We are going on a ship to Cyrodiil, to the Imperial City. I have not been inside it, only seen it from a distance. It is the biggest city I have ever seen, though."
"I haven't either. I've never even been to Cyrodiil myself. I would like to see it some day." Ariel looked at Rukeewei with a smile, "Have you gone travelling before, Rukee?"
"Me too, Kaleeth." Janius let go of Kaleeth's hands and placed his hands on her shoulders, "You have nothing to apologise for." With those words, Janius brought his arms around Kaleeth and pulled her into a slow and passionate kiss. Janius did not intend to put off having a child forever, but just knowing that Kaleeth was willing to wait was enough for him. He would have been as devastated as she would be to leave her. In this moment, Janius was entirely convinced that he would commit. For once in his life, he would truly commit.
Ariel didn't give Rukeewei a chance to finish his questions before Ariel formed a smile and threw her arms around him in a hug. "Let's not forget it, but let's get over it," Ariel murmured into his ear, before pulling back so she could see his face. Ariel glanced to Sabine and was quick to explain, "Sabine and everyone else arrived today for a surprise visit. Their path went through Thorn again, so they stopped by. Sabine is spending the night with me."
Ariel beamed at Sabine, who smiled back. "Hello Rukeewei, how are you?" Sabine asked with such a more confident posture and tone that she was almost unrecognisable in comparison to her former self.
Ariel didn't give Rukeewei a chance to finish his questions before Ariel formed a smile and threw her arms around him in a hug. "Let's not forget it, but let's get over it," Ariel murmured into his ear, before pulling back so she could see his face. Ariel glanced to Sabine and was quick to explain, "Sabine and everyone else arrived today for a surprise visit. Their path went through Thorn again, so they stopped by. Sabine is spending the night with me."
Ariel beamed at Sabine, who smiled back. "Hello Rukeewei, how are you?" Sabine asked with such a more confident posture and tone that she was almost unrecognisable in comparison to her former self.
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