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!
"That would be lovely," Ariel responded to Kaleeth.
Danee-Na stepped to face Julan. She started quiet and gained volume. "Umm, it means mixes-red-paints." Like the other girls, her Cyrodilic was heavily accented to the point where she sounded more like Rukeewei and his family.
"Danee was the only human taking part in her naming ceremony," Ariel explained. "Rukeewei's family insisted on it -- she is part of the family, after all. It was mostly a matter of convincing the treeminders...and giving advice on lowering the dosage of sap, with its effects on non-Argonians at times."
"Interesting," Janius said. "Did the treeminders need much convincing?"
Ariel's mouth twisted, though she tried to remain in high spirits. "Some more than others. A marriage between a foreigner and a local Saxhleel is not terribly common here, much less bringing forth non-Argonian children. There are some...lost customers of Rukee and myself in this city who find the idea disagreeable."
"Have you gotten in trouble?" Sabine asked.
"Oh, no," Ariel shook her head. "We are breaking no laws, nor are we strictly treading on taboos that city-dwellers observe. We are simply...different."
"What's your name?" Nanee asked Julan. In all the excitement, Ariel forgot to introduce Julan.
Sabine slowly lifted her hand to wave, but Rukeewei and the children were a whirlwind that gave no opportunity to speak.
The daughters counted three. Two younger twins with a similar straight-if-slightly-curled auburn hair as Sabine and Ariel and one older girl with darker hair, but still similar. They all wore plain calico, brown, and faded blue dresses of slightly different designs, but what distinguished them the most was their behaviour.
While Rukeewei spoke to one of the girls about the shard of clay, giving her a pout as she looked at the floor, the other youngest ran headlong into Ariel's open arms as she squatted down to pick her up. "Hello, Joan," Ariel said with a grin.
The girl responded with "Hello mammy," in surprisingly accented Cyrodilic.
Meanwhile, the elder girl had quietly hidden herself behind a display table, peeking around a stand of soap blocks at the new visitors.
Rukeewei's approach only had Ariel looking like she was about to burst out laughing.
There was an awkward pause before Janius spoke back. "Hello, Rukeewei." His Jel was still lisped almost beyond recognition. "I understand this much."
Ariel settled for a chuckle. "You're speaking Jel to foreigners again, love," she said. "Come here..." She beckoned him to lean over the counter so they could exchange a quick kiss. She spoke softly to him, smiling. "Hello, Rukee. Thank you for picking up the girls."
In contrast to Janius, Ariel's Jel was impressively well practiced for one without an Argonian mouth.
"Now," Ariel continued to the others. "Joan, Danee-Na, Aimee...Come out now, Danee, no need to be shy. Girls, I would like you to meet your aunt Sabine." Ariel gestured forward. "...And her companions, Meesei, Kaleeth-Rei, and Janius, and Sabine's ma-...partner, Karl."
Danee-Na, the older girl crept out from behind the soap, though she kept quiet, looking at Sabine neutrally. Joan, propped up in Ariel's arms, waved her little hand and smiled open-mouthed and enthusiastic. "Hello, family!" she said. Aimee remained clutching Rukeewei's hand and smiling, but she didn't know how to answer.
Ariel gave a coy shrug. "Come by on a weekend and we'll have plenty of time to see Thorn," she said. "As long as you don't mind sharing the time with my children as well. When do you think you will be back?"
"It's hard to say, really." Janius rubbed the back of his neck. "It could take a while to find them, it might only take two days. And once we're there, we did not have a solid plan on how long we wished to stay. We were going to work it out when we got there. At any rate, I doubt we'll be longer than four, five weeks? Likely less."
Sabine spoke up as well. "And if Ariel and Rukeewei are too busy, Julan, I could take you to almost any city you like after you visit your grandparents. I will have some other business to attend soon, after I spend some time with my sister, but there is no rush."
There was an uncertain look from Ariel to Sabine. She opened her mouth as if almost about to ask.
Sabine beat her to it. "But you were interrupted before, Ariel. How is Rukeewei? Where is he now?"
"Rukee is doing relatively well," Ariel said. "He has had some ups and downs, as have I, but we have been able to hold each other up when..." A shadow moved across the front window, catching Ariel's eye. "Oh! That'll be him with the girls right now. You can ask him for yourself!" Ariel grinned.
Already the high-voiced chatter of three very young Bretons was closing in on the door near Rukeewei's silhouette.
Ariel was merciful enough to replace the stopper on the vial soon after Julan responded. "I had a feeling Bravil would come to mind. I remember Sabine telling me of a visit there some time ago."
"Is that some kind of alchemical magic you have there?" Janius guessed. "My memories were of Bravil, too, but not early memories."
Ariel smiled. "Not exactly alchemy, no." She lifted the vial between her thumb and forefinger and wiggled it. "This is extract of bergamot. A flower that grows thick in the area around Bravil. Not so much a popular perfume, but I had a feeling your sensitive noses would still draw the associations. Lucky I didn't embarrass myself by being wrong with that guess." She laughed through her nose as she put the vial away. Only a quick, if realising, glance was given to Meesei.
"Anyway," Ariel continued to Julan, leaning one hand on the counter. "A lady...or, occasion, a gentleman, may find themselves associated with a lovely smell. And even regular people can find their senses for that smell grow rather sensitive when they have forged attachments with such wearers of perfume." She looked to the others. "Now, with your little gifts, you likely have made those associations already with how people naturally smell. You can likely pick up the scent of your mother, father, or your other packmates. But for the rest of us, it is done a little more deliberately." She smirked. "Especially if some natural odours are not so pleasant as flowers or fruits."
Ariel showed a sympathetic face to Kaleeth. "Well, I do not know your parents, let alone your tribe. But you can take it from orphans like Sabine and me; presence is better than absence, even if only for a short time."
Sabine solemnly nodded.
Julan's question drew Ariel's attention away. She grinned. "It's very true, Julan. It may seem frivolous -- and you would be correct most of the time -- but there is something about perfumes that can make memories clearer when they are recorded." Ariel turned and hovered a reaching hand over the drawers on the wall behind the counter, reading the labels upon them. "Let's see...from what I have been told about...ah! Here we are." She quickly took out a small glass vial filled with a clear oil.
Ariel held the vial in both hands, smiled knowingly, and removed the stopper. "Does this remind you of anything?"
The oil was pungent enough to get in Julan's nose from across the counter. He might have fainted if he took a whiff directly from the vial. However, it was just subtle enough in the air that a thread in his mind tugged him to an image in his head. The memory of his first visit to Bravil came to mind. It was all the way back when he met his aunt Aurana.
Ariel was not there when they met Aurana for the first time.
Recognition flashed in Janius' eyes after a moment, but he let Julan answer first.
Two rickety wooden wheels creaked and trundled over the jungle floor. Borrowing the neighbour's cart was the best they could do to carry Conata's entry mechanism -- the sleek and hollow pod of reinforced bronze under the blanket. The power to lift and move metal still felt like holding a bucket of water when done for prolonged periods, so they were better served all taking a rope and pulling the cart through the undergrowth.
Conata was at the head of the group. She had the longest cord tied around her waist so her arms were free to slash aside the foliage in their way. She did so with a pair of loose metal blades she forced in arcs in front of them. Her indefatigable march, complete with an excited smile, drew a contrast between her and nearly everyone behind her. They were sweating, breathing heavily, and tugging at what was never meant to travel across country.
"Say...Helvana…" Ruvac the young azibo scribe asked between breaths. "How far is that...clear spot you said...Frederick could fly off from?"
"Not too far now."
"You picked quite the place for a landing, Hel."
"Not my fault this is the closest place available." She cut some of the foliage that Conata missed with her sword.
"I'm sorry I can't help…" Gwyn said, dejected.
"Can't really be helped. You're still a kid after all, so don't worry about it."
A lichen-covered vine fell to another whip from Conata's stand-in machetes. "It's not so bad," she said. "At least we don't have to go up any slopes this way. Not to mention, we haven't even travelled that far from the city."
Polia spoke her reply through grit teeth. "Y'know, dragging wheels over soft ground and all these roots sure makes it feel a lot further than you're making it out to be, Connie."
Conata grinned and rolled her eyes. "Fine then! We can celebrate once this is all done, and I'll pay for it." Her wiry hair bristled happily under her headband. "I'll invite my parents. I'll invite all the people in the apartment! We can buy some of that expensive grape wine those koralas import from over the ocean, we'll sing all our favourite songs, it'll be great!"
Gio laughed, even out of breath as he was. "You cannot be stopped, can you?"
"Not when I'm this close."
As if to support Conata's words, the vegetation thinned and revealed a giant crow standing at its middle. It turned an eye towards them with a birdlike flick of its beak. The movement halted Conata and the azibos in their tracks. Conata broke out in dull grey blotches.
"You weren't joking, huh?" Polia said in a vain attempt to break their mild fear.
Helvana untied the rope around her waist and walked towards the great bird. It lowered its head to her level, before nudging against her. She hugged him back.
"You missed me that much?" She said with a chuckle as she caressed the bird.
"And that is Frederic." Lloyd said as he untied the ropes on his body. "Don't worry, he won't bite you guys."
Conata's skin blotches slowly shrank. She remained standing and staring, though with a strange and intensely thoughtful look.
"Are you alright, Conata?" Gio asked.
"Huh? Yeah, it's just..." She blinked. "The way its feathers are reflecting the light..." She let her breath go. "Just deja vu. Sorry."
Conata took on a smile and threw Lloyd a glance. "That's the biggest bird I've ever seen," she said quietly. Without looking down, she untied the knot around her waist and took a few careful steps forward. "Hello, Frederic. Nice to meet you?" she said unsurely.
The giant crow looked at Conata from head to toe. He too could feel her essence.
"This is the other demigoddess Oscar felt near me. Conata's a good person." Helvana reassured Frederic and let go of his beak. He turned his head to the side as he got a closer look of Conata. "And don't even think of playing with her just because she's shiny." Helvana quickly added.
The warning caused Conata's skin to momentarily whirl with bismuth, as much as she tried to hide her recent memory. She forced herself back to bronze and smiles.
"I was wondering if you could help me, Frederic," Conata said. "Are you able to fly with a heavy weight?" The following blank pause made Conata angle her head. She turned her eyes to Helvana. "Can Frederic talk like Oscar?"
"I never taught him how to talk, but he can understand us. And he did carry over half of a hain village on his back just fine before. At worst he might need to take off first then fly back to grab you."
"I have the impression this metal thing is way more heavy than hain, Hel, even if there's several of them."
"Don't jinx it. I'll give Frederic a boost if he needs it."
Gio clomped his feet forward. He held his elbow and the middle of his chin. His discomfort did not apparently last long.
"Hmmm," he hummed. "I don't know huge birds, but maybe Conata could help, too? Could you push up against the pod's weight?"
"Of course- Well, maybe," Conata said. "It depends how long I can keep track of which way is up. At least I'll know when it's falling." She peered back at the pod. "I put flaps at the sides to make sure it always points down when falling."
Polia walked up to them as well. "Are you going to be talking about this mad plan all day?" She coiled up her length of rope around her arm. "Here, how about we work out if Frederic can lift the thing first, hm? We can see how the weight feels for him instead of taking guesses."
"You're right, let's get down to it."
After about half an hour, Helvana coaxed Frederic into grasping the thick bronze rungs Conata had secured to the side of the pod. The special talon-holds were new features she added since Frederic was going to be involved. The pod as a whole was by far the heaviest thing Frederic had ever carried. They had Frederic take a quick flight with the pod just to be sure he could even do it. Aside from a noticeable drop in speed, there were no apparent issues.
He even dropped the empty pod from a height and proved to be rather accurate. The loud, bounceless clang the pod made against the dirt made everyone wince. Except Conata.
"It's perfect!" she said.
"Conata, you'll be falling from way higher, right? Will you be okay?" Gwyn added with a worried tone.
Conata gave Gwyn a wry smile. "Sure I will. Why do you think I made it out of metal?" She put a right hand on her hip and gestured forward with the left. "If it's okay, I'll be okay. I never got anywhere by hesitating, at any rate."
Though it stuck up from the ground, partially buried, the pod had not so much as dented.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried, but if you're half as tough as Hel, you should make it."
With that out of the way, Helvana had Frederic land and helped Conata take the pod out of the ground.
They had plenty of time to spare until nightfall. The cover of darkness would be needed to remain unspotted.
"Now, shall we-"
"Eat?"
"Please?"
"Good idea! I'm famished."
Lloyd only sighed at Hel's predictability as he started to prepare their meal.
They were all hungry after bringing the cart up from the city. Their thinking ahead for the occasion also included a picnic hamper with human-edible food within. Soon enough, gently sizzling sausages were drawing a mouth-watering aroma around the clearing. The ever-present murder of crows around them gathered all around the ground and up in the branches. They watched and waited for a snack to fall away from the frying pan.
With Conata frying the meats using her powers to heat the metal, Lloyd prepared the rest of the food for the others to pick at as they pleased. They brought fresh bread this time, with a selection of fruits, nuts, and strange chewy picked morsels that the local fishermen sold. None of them knew what these 'octopus' looked like, but it was delicious, whatever it was.
"Is everything good?" Conata asked.
"This isn't good, this is amazing! Lloyd, why didn't you tell me these things existed?"
"Maybe because our village was months away from the nearest ocean shore. Maybe we should get a fishing rod or a spear." He said as he tore a slice of bread to pieces and threw to the crows.
"You never ate a fish before, right Helvana?"
"Right, we didn't catch a single fish since we began our journey. That would be a good change from deer."
"If only I knew you were hiding this secret from me…" Helvana said while wiping away food that got stuck on Gwyn's face. "Should I forbid you from sleeping under Frederic as punishment?"
"Hey now, that's too harsh."
"Oh, I'm sure your cloak will keep you warm at night."
"Ugh…"
Everyone shared a laugh.
Polia spoke through her wide azibo grin. "You're an unfortunate soul, Lloyd. To be the chef to an insatiable demigoddess."
"Nah, you're lucky," Ruvac retorted. "Your demigoddess just likes to eat." He smiled and gestured his head to one side, at Conata. "Ours likes to break into palaces."
Conata stifled a laugh.
"We're all lucky," Gio concluded with his deep voice. "To have such friends as these. Even as mortal as we are."
The iridescence dancing over Conata was overtaken by an affectionate silver. She smiled and kept her eyes down. "Thanks, Gio. Thanks, all of you, for helping me out. I wanted this to be special, 'cause we might not get to share another meal like this for some time."
"We'll be waiting for you to come out of the palace, Connie," Polia said.
"You guys will, sure." Conata lifted a hand to Helvana. "But Gwyn, Lloyd, Hel, you guys will be leaving soon. I'm glad I met you all. I won't forget you."
"It was great meeting all of you too." Helvana said, smiling warmly.
"I wish we could stay for longer… You guys are all so fun."
Polia flashed a smile. "It's been fun having you around."
"It's not like we'll never see them again, Gwyn. Hopefully we can meet again in the future like this and act like nothing ever happened."
"Yeah." Helvana looked at Conata and the azibo, then at her cloak. "Hmm, we still have plenty of time until nightfall. How about I make you guys some cloaks?"
"Cloaks?" Conata's eyes lit up. "Like that one you were trying to barter and saying all those wonderful things about?"
"More like he wanted to barter for them, but yes."
Gio winced and raised his hands. "It is appreciated, but we wear clothes that are somewhat...bigger than most humans. You do not have to spend all that time gathering feathers."
"Don't worry about that. The feathers can just come to me." She whistled and the surrounding crows all approached in a loud flutter. They landed wherever they could, be it on her, or on Lloyd and Gwyn. She didn't need to tell them to stay far from the food, of course.
Gio mouthed a dumbstruck umm and pushed his lips out, overwhelmed.
"I think we have enough here for everyone, even if they're oversized. I promise you won't be disappointed." Helvana flashed a confident grin.
Gio looked to Ruvac, who smiled and shrugged. Polia and Conata were each grinning encouragingly when he looked at them. Gio swung his arm forward, conceding.
Conata's bronze skin took on a reflective polish. "Thank you so much, Hel!" She shuffled over to give Helvana a quick hug, even with the crows hopping or flapping out of the way. Helvana felt cold to Conata's touch. People felt cold when Conata was heating up, but at least she was not burning her.
"No need to make such a fuss about this." She said, giggling. She put her hands on Conata's shoulders as they pulled away. "Alright, first I'll need to make the base around you. Be still for a moment."
The rest of the day was mostly uneventful for everyone except Helvana. She worked tirelessly to make all the cloaks in time. Even if the sun had already set when the last feather was tied into place, she was right about there being no disappointment in the end.
"Here, try it on, Ruvac." She said handing him the last one of the batch.
Ruvac scooped the collar of the cloak with his large hand. He made a curious sound at the weight and the feel of it. As he cast it around his shoulders and nestled himself into it, he found himself smiling with surprise. It was a perfect size.
"I'll be frank," he said. "These black feathers, I thought they would cook me alive in this humid heat. But this is nice and breezy! Thank you, Helvana. You have quite a talent for making these."
The azibos all loved the texture of the feathers against their arms and backs. Helvana received similar reviews from Gio and Polia. They still wore their new cloaks as they went about their business.
Across the clearing, Conata still worked on little tweaks and adjustments to the pod. She was well camouflaged in the moonlight with the cloak around her shoulders. Only the glint of her hair and arms as she moved in her precise, metal-shaping ways gave evidence of her being there.
Ruvac looked across to Conata. "I guess this means it's time to go, huh?" He asked Helvana. "I know you said you could do it, but are sure it's safe to fly at night?"
"I'm in my element right now, it couldn't be a better moment. Even if Frederic had problems seeing in the dark, I'd be able to guide him perfectly through it. We could use a few more clouds though." She said looking up at the sky. The few clouds that covered it didn't block the light provided by the many moons of Galbar. "You don't need to worry about this, Ruvac. I'll make sure Conata reaches the palace."
With a tight-lipped smile, Ruvac nodded and tried to relax. "I might need to worry about what's inside the palace. But, we had better get started. Conata!"
A bronze face turned over the shoulder of the black cloak ahead, smiling broadly. "Hey! Nice cloak there, Ruvac! It's real slimming on you!"
Ruvac snorted and crossed his arms. Azibo were not slim at the leanest of times. "It's time!" Ruvac announced.
The group gathered together near the metallic pod. They repeated the plan one last time to make sure everything was clear. The last details were ironed out, the target was confirmed. As the moment ended, everyone went quiet and looked around at the ground.
Helvana put her hands on her hips and let out a sigh. "Okay, that's enough glum I think. This isn't our last time seeing each other, we've been through this already."
She broke the ice enough to lift their spirits.
"I hope we can have lots of fun next time too." Gwyn smiled happily.
"Right. Next time I'll make sure to make something for you guys. Conata set the bar pretty high with that knife…"
A single laugh bubbled up Conata's throat. "Ahah! You don't have to do something like an adamantine knife, Lloyd. We'll appreciate anything if you're going to give a gift. It'll be enough just to see you all again."
"I agree," Polia said with a half-grin. Gio and Ruvac nodded as well.
"I'll help you think of something when the time comes. Until then, Conata, I want you find out who your parents are and punish them for leaving you alone for so long." She said reaching for her newly made crow mask. She slid the leather harness behind her head and adjusted the mask. "Shall we begin?"
Frederic soared through the night sky towards Alefpria, bronze pod securely in tow. They were high enough to be hard to see from the city, but their target, the palace, was clearly visible with the city lights surrounding it.
"Brace yourself, boys. This'll be rough!" Helvana shouted over her shoulder. The brothers complied and grasped Frederic's feathers tightly. "Dive!" She commanded just as they crossed the line of the city walls. They would be seen now, but getting this close was necessary for an accurate drop.
In just a few short seconds Frederic was already over the palace. "Good luck, Conata." Doing as he was instructed, Frederic released the pod when he got close enough. He flew past the palace, Helvana, Lloyd and Gwyn looked back to see a hole on the roof.
"It worked. You did it, Hel!" Lloyd said with a confident laughter.
Before Helvana could reply, however, she saw several objects flying towards them. "No time for a fanfare. Frederic, get out of here!" He obeyed and flew away from Alefpria as fast as he could towards the west.
Her eyes were shut. The pod was too dark to see inside anyway. All she could hear was the roar of white noise the wind made from outside. She couldn't move much in the pod, but she could feel every ounce of it. She could feel how fast it flew.
She should have been screaming, she thought. Instead, she felt a hypnotic focus. She knew what she was getting into. She had no room to worry if Helvana would point out the right building to Frederic. There were no gaps in her thoughts even for the last hug she gave Helvana before she climbed into the hatch.
The entire world banked down. The pod turned when Frederic let go. Her arms graced up and she floated within, weightless.
Her mind saw fit to wordlessly remind her of the panic that came with loss of balance. She could ignore it just by staying still. Don't tense up.
But she could feel the pod around her.
She visualised how far she was from the palace roof...
Timing was critical…
The inside of the pod lit up with a red glow. Conata pushed the molten lines of bronze past the pointed end of her vehicle in a sudden jet. The metal punched tiny a hole in her destination at the very last instant. The adamantine cone would widen it as necessary.
Her head jerked suddenly against the metal walls of the pod. Her weight returned to her tenfold in one jolting instant. The overwhelming crashing sound told her to stay still and not think for a while.
So, she did not think for a while.
Her mind was still waiting for her to panic.
The first part of her consciousness returned only with her sense for metal. She felt like she was watching from outside of her body. Or, perhaps that was wrong. She could sense her body as well as the metal pod. She could not feel anything else.
Her vision returned. She didn't properly process it before the painful ringing in her head took over. She tried to move her arm and felt no part of it shift. Too heavy.
"Aaaaaah...aaaaowh..." She could hear herself groaning. That much drew her out of her dream-like haze and grounded her in reality. She was still alive.
She tried moving her arm again and still felt nothing, but she heard her hand swing around and clang into the side of the pod. She winced at the sound.
Feeling came back in a slow trickle. It was still dark, but she could still perceive the metal around her.
Conata willed the hatch at the top of the pod to unlatch, wrapped her fingers around the handle on its underside, and forced the metal upwards to carry her sore body up and out.
She emerged like an overgrown leech from the top of the bronze ovoid, with the black feathers of her cloak sliding and flicking up from the rim of the hatch. Her dark, shining, almost mercury-like arm stuck out from the top of the cloak like an insectile proboscis. The way she flopped to the rubble-strewn floor was also suitably boneless when viewed through the cloud of settling dust.
She coughed loudly. "Ugh...That was far worse than I thought it would be..." She thought out loud.
Her senses fully returned to her by this point. One mercury palm pushed on the ground, soon joined by another. They both solidified to defiant iron and she wrenched herself up to a stumbling stand. She threw back the hood of her cloak to reveal herself still wincing, but still curious to see where she landed.
Elegant wooden chairs, complete with cushions, lay shattered or covered in pale grit. The remains of a matching table were caved in from the impact of the pod. Further afield were tall shelves coating the wall in a sound-muting mural of leather book spines and curled scrolls. The moonlights poured in through the hole in the ceiling to reveal a finely patterned red and purple carpet underneath the dust.
Amongst it all were vases, candlesticks, paperweights, decorations. All made of metal. This place truly was a palace in its sheer material wealth.
A few candles shed yellow hues in other places, where they hadn't been blown out.
Conata took a few steps, looking around without particular aim. Her feet brought her to a beautiful side-table made from smooth white marble. On top of it were a stack of unmarked folios of various make and material. Important looking documents stuck out near the corners. Conata reached for one and hesitated.
The thick dust in the air made it hard to spot, but she could sense the metal. Some kind of armour on a rack next to the table?
She gasped and leapt back as soon as she saw the man on the chair beside her.
It had the shape of a man, at any rate. From the head down was mostly a long, frozen fountain of wavy white hair. The shoulders of his dust-coated metal armour made him look less emaciated and weak than the pale hands grasping out of his sleeves would suggest. He sat as still as a corpse.
Conata detected something in him. Not a heartbeat, though she had no other word for it. This apparently paralysed man was more than he looked.
Her own racing heart could not deter her curiosity. Conata took silent steps towards the seated man. She leaned forward. She could see hints of a face behind all that hair. Her hand carefully extended to move aside his fringe. She held her breath, perhaps thinking he was asleep.
As her copper fingers brushed aside, she saw his eyes wide and shining like discs of native gold. His face was oddly feminine and unnaturally calm. Pale, like a stone sculpture, but very much alive.
Conata froze. her mouth hung slightly open.
The sculpted face moved. His mouth curled into a small smile. "Prosit," he wheezed.
Conata weakly cleared her throat. "I'm looking for…ahem," she tried to force her voice to stop shaking. "I'm looking for Lifprasil."
"Most interesting." He did not speak louder than a strained whisper. "You look like someone I would be happy to meet as well."
"Who are you?" Conata asked without thinking.
The man's smile became a thin grin for a passing moment. "I am Lifprasil. This is my home. Who are you, demigoddess?"
Reality struck. Conata straightened, bringing away her hand. Magnesium broke out around her temples and arms. She could not think of anything to say.
The man brought his own hand up meekly to brush aside the hair from his face properly.
CRACK!-CRACK! "Emperor!" A loud muffled voice interrupted from behind a nearby doorway. More rushed heavy footsteps approached from outside to join it.
Conata's skin flashed into a bright grey selenium and she swept both her arms across the air in a full-bodied movement. In sync with her, metal and stone scraped as whatever bronze, silver, gold, or other metal was nearby flowed in a cacophonous spiral around Conata and out against the door to barricade it with their weight. All the carafes, goblets, candlesticks, and other bric-a-brac that Conata could force around piled high enough to make a thief's mouth water.
The seated man's smile did not so much as flinch in the short-lived chaos.
Conata caught her breath and let her eyes fall back to those golden discs looking at her. "You're Emperor Lifprasil?" She asked.
The emperor slowly bowed his head. He did not take his eyes off hers.
Conata went copper again. Her brow knitted. "What happened to you? You look...drained."
He mouthed something Conata could not hear.
"What was that?" Conata stepped forward again, angling her ear closer.
"A battle of gods."
The battle up north at Xerxes. Conata glanced away and back.
"It is a long tale," Lifprasil whispered calmly to Conata's nearby ear. "For another time. You still have not told me who you are."
THUD!...THUD!...THUD! The door was hit over and again with something heavy.
Conata remembered herself and clutched her shoulder nervously. She spoke in a rush, even as close as she was to Lifprasil's face. "Listen...Lifprasil, I journeyed a long way to see you. My name is Conata, I'm a demigoddess, I grew up in Rulanah, with the Rovaick down south- but a few years ago when the realta attacked, Majus came and told me that you could tell me who my parents are and I could learn more about how this all works, and…"
Lifprasil lifted an open hand with great difficulty. "Shhh. You need not be afraid."
THUD!...THUD!...
"But the guards, they'll-!" Conata stumbled over her words. More thoughts were flying through her head than she could distribute to speech. "Please! Just tell me who my parents are and I'll leave! I swear!"
THUD!...THUD!...
"What will the guards do?" Lifprasil whispered loud enough for crackles of his voice to come through.
THUD!...THUD!...
She rusted over in desperate grief. "Please! I worked so hard to get here-"
"I can see that."
THUD!...THUD!...
Conata was on the verge of tears. "I don't want to have come this far only to get thrown out or get into a fight! Just-"
Lifprasil's cold hand wrapped around Conata's fingers. Her skin gave way to an involuntary shining bronze. Never with any stranger had she felt so comforted by just a touch. She wanted to question it. Her breathing steadied instead.
The emperor craned his upper body forward enough that Conata could hear him take in his next breath. "I will tell them to stand down. You can trust me in that."
THUD!...CRASH!
A hulking armoured figure half-climbed and half-plowed through the pile of metal in a brutish rush. He hefted a halberd twice Conata's height. The huge guard was joined behind by another, and another behind him. Each figure was heavily armed and armoured. Three visor-faced monsters.
Conata eyed them all nervously. Their heavy plated armour was strange. Some traces of metal were in it, though it was not a substance she recognised. Why she was not worrying about any of it made her only more anxious in a suppressed part of her mind. It had to be Lifprasil and his powers.
The guards pointed their weapons forward. "Unhand the emperor at once!" One of them boomed through his visor. "Now, intr-..."
Lifprasil's other hand only had to lift up to stop the guards in their tracks.
More of the hulking guards kicked through the pile of metal at the door. All of them stopped and averted the points of their polearms. They held unsure postures. It was hard to tell what they were thinking behind those helmets.
Lifprasil finally loosened his grip on Conata's hand.
Conata felt her anxieties creep back to the forefront of her guts. She stumbled back two steps. Her eyes darting between each of the eye-slits of the visored brutes around her.
In the pause, the only sounds were Conata's own breath and the hiss of a pile of sandstone falling from the ceiling.
"Conata," Lifprasil managed to say just loud enough to hear. "That's who you said you were? I like that name. It is energetic."
"Emperor..." One of the guards spoke out of turn. "You speak? After these years!? Have you been healed, my liege?"
Lifprasil's small voice carried more weight. "Do not interrupt, knight."
Another pause. The guards all stepped back and kept watch.
Conata looked at Lifprasil with her head angled away defensively.
"Our first words were rushed. I apologise." He sounded so tired. "Did you build that...thing yourself?" He slowly nodded and looked past Conata.
Conata glanced over her shoulder to the adamantine-capped pod that brought her through the ceiling. "Yeah," she answered simply.
"Why?"
She tried to find her words. She swallowed hard, nervously magnesium. "I wanted to meet you."
Lifprasil slowly blinked and smiled a little wider. "And Majus told you to come to me? I remember Toun's white knight."
"Yes." Conata lifted her chin. "He said you could tell me who my real parents are."
In two movements, Lifprasil's golden eyes lowered apologetically.
"You can tell, can't you?"
Silence was all he needed to express for Conata to feel little hopes crumble inside her. The skin on her temples spread rust again.
She stared on. Her mouth opened slowly.
"You have to know. I can't go back now." She clutched at the side of her cloak. "...I've done a lot of stupid things coming here. I worked really hard!" she whispered.
He was silent.
Conata's voice shook. "Please."
"So much pain in you..."
"What did you say?"
Lifprasil levelled his gaze with Conata. He looked somehow more tired than before. "If you want to know who your parents are, you should tell me more about yourself."
Conata swallowed again. "Like what?"
"You came from Rulanah. Tell me about your journey." Lifprasil turned a shivering palm to gesture to one of the surviving chairs. "Speak to me. We have time."
Conata glanced at the seat. Her lips and jaw tightened in a great effort not to break down weeping. There was little else to do but comply or escape. Only one option let her hang on to her hopes.
There were nails in the chair itself. She half-raised an open hand and the chair sung along the floor until she could grab it by the back. She took two small steps and slumped down onto the cushion with a small puff of stone powder. She kept her back straight and her eyes down.
Speaking the first words were difficult. The onlookers waited. She broke the silence.
"It was a few years ago," Conata began. Her hands clutched at her knees. "I could not stay at home any longer..."
Over the following while, Conata detailed her journey from Rulanah to Alefpria with no lack of humility and detail. Lifprasil nodded along attentively. Not a single moment went by where his evident fatigue caused his eyes to lower for more than a blink.
As Conata continued, others attempted to enter the library upon hearing of Lifprasil's activity. Upon Lifprasil's orders, none were allowed to interrupt. They were all forced to remain outside the broken door, straining to listen in.
A tale of Tounic rovaick, of hain tribes and djinn-filled craters, of metal, of challenges, turns, odd encounters, melancholy, identity, mindsets, toil, advice, Tiras, Helvanas, Majuses, realta, and all the deep pains between filled the library.
The emperor took in every detail, only interrupting to ask a question or two.
It filled uncounted hours.
For Conata, it was all a distraction. She kept going so she could avoid Lifprasil's answers, for fear of her hopes failing.
But the story had to end. Conata's last line was not delivered dramatically. It was a petering out, precluded by a long consideration. She could not find it in her roiling emotions to give it profound words:
Her hand went up and fell back upon her knee. "And now I'm here. That's it."
Lifprasil breathed in through his nose until his lungs were completely filled. He let it out in a slow, audible draft.
Conata blinked at the floor.
"I wish I could simply tell you," Lifprasil grumbled quietly. "You deserve to know after all you've been through."
Conata shut her eyes and lowered her brow.
"You are kind, determined, and creative, Conata," he continued. "I only met one god who saw challenges, like the kind you faced, as puzzles to be solved with one's particular talents -- in ways otherwise unforeseen. This one god acted with kindness and patience for all of mortalkind. Furthermore, though I wear items wrought by gods upon my person, no metal crafts could stand in quality against his creations."
The possibility made Conata's heart swell, even as only her sad face lifted to look at Lifprasil.
"But you have a flair to you, Conata. Something unique. You are more decisive than I would expect. You are fixated on your goal and are not afraid of making mistakes on your way there. That makes my opinion merely a guess, but..." Lifprasil turned his eyes down and slowly brought his curled finger to his lips. His eyes flicked up to Conata again. "This is what I recommend you do: Go to the chipper workshop in the market district. Within is a shrine to Teknall, god of civilisation." He beckoned Conata with his index finger. "Come close, I will tell you what to say at his shrine."
Conata stood up and stepped up to the seated emperor. She leant down to hear what he whispered into her ear. Only a few words were given.
She slowly brought herself straight, looking at Lifprasil with her skin fading to a neutral, if polished, pink copper.
"What if he doesn't answer?" Conata asked.
"Then you may return." Lifprasil leant back against his seat again. "I wish you could stay longer, but your path lies ahead. And...I still have much to ponder, myself." His smile faded as he stared ahead.
Conata looked to the door, at all the courtly faces peering in at her. She took one step past Lifprasil's seat and stopped to look back at him. "Thank you, Emperor Lifprasil."
Every part of Lifprasil was as still as a corpse once more. All except for his right hand, granting one last strained wave behind him.
Conata resumed her walk to the door. Her skin hardened into bright iron once more, determined and confident. The throng at the door silently parted to let her through. They were mostly high lifprasilians who stood much taller than Conata, but she looked none of them in the eye and none dared touch her. They all gawked at her passing like spooked antelope, horns and all.
Murmurs and speculation soon engulfed the court.
Conata kept on walking.
A good hour had passed since Frederic fled Alefpria. After losing their pursuers, Helvana had the bird fly back inland so they could rest.
Near the base of the Ironheart Ranges sat the demigoddess looking at the now mostly cleared sky, not too far from Frederic.
"Aren't you going to sleep, Hel?" Called Lloyd having just put his brother to sleep.
"In a bit. The night sky's beautiful today."
Lloyd sat down beside her and stared at the sky as well. "So, what will it be now that Alefpria's off your list?"
"Hmm…" She closed her eyes in thought. "Ilunabar told me Julkofyr took a piece of land for himself but she has since taken over it. I think I'll be going there next."
"Do you know where it is at least?"
"Northwest of here. A couple of months away, at best."
"Alright."
They fell silent again. They didn't bother to keep track of time, they just enjoyed each other's company.
"It'll make a year since we met soon." Lloyd said after what felt like several minutes.
"I see. We've been through a lot in such a short amount of time. And there's still much more to see in this world."
"I never even dreamed this world was so big. You really opened up my eyes, Hel. Traveling with you has been wonderful so far."
"Same here. I don't even know what it'd be like without you and Gwyn with me." She leaned to the side and rested her head on Lloyd's shoulder. "Thank you, Lloyd. For everything."
He was surprised for a moment, but put his arm over her in a hug. "We all owe it to each other."
They shared another moment of silence.
"Say." This time it was Helvana that broke the silence. "I've been thinking. Gwyn sees me as a mother, but what about you?"
"Hmm?"
"What am I to you? Do you see me as a mother too? Or a friend maybe?"
"I…"
Helvana looked up to Lloyd's face. "Yeeeeees?"
"I see you as a woman…" He said looking away from her, his face blushing.
"..." Helvana wasn't much better herself and, despite her calm expression, her face had a light pinkish tone to it. She smiled as she calmed down. "I see." Then gently held Lloyd's face and turned it to face her. "What about my proposition then?"
"..." Lloyd stared into her eyes. He still remembered what she said in the valley of the metal djinn. Ten years from now -- one hundred years from now -- she'd still look the same. "You don't mind spending eternity with me?"
"I wouldn't have offered if I did. So what'll it be?"
"I already told you I'll be there for you always."
"That you did." She raised her face to his. Their lips touched gently for a brief moment. Pulling away from Lloyd, Helvana placed her thumb over his right eye and held the other side of his face with her other hand. Bringing his face closer again, their foreheads and noses touched.
Lloyd winced and grit his teeth as Helvana's energies washed over him. He was doing his best to resist the pain, but soon enough he was groaning and grunting from it. And before he knew it it had ended.
Helvana separated herself from him again. He would've fallen on his back if she had let go of him. Lloyd could only take shallow breaths due to the demigoddess' touch. His skin became awfully pale, his hair lost all color and his left eye, though glazed, was now yellow just like Helvana's. His right eye, however, had taken a bright red tone from the curse she gifted him.
"Lloyd?" He could barely voice a reply in the form of a moan. She had given him a small dose of her power, but it was enough to overwhelm him. Lifting him on her arms, Helvana carried Lloyd to Frederic and placed him on his usual spot beside Gwyn. She laid down next to them with a smile on her face as she closed her eyes. The sun would be rising soon, but with what they went through today it'd be fine if they overslept.
We start off with Conata, her azibo friends and Hel & Co carrying the drop pod to where Frederic is. He landed somewhat far from the city, but it was the best spot they could find for the landing.
Upon meeting Frederic, Conata and the azibo are surprised by the bird's stature, despite the forewarning. The light reflecting from the bird's feathers gave Conata a quick flashback, but she brushed it off. (Craftmaiden kids will understand this reference. -M).
She approaches Frederic and asks Helvana if he'll be able to pull off their scheme. After some debate on it they decide to test it to make sure. The test is a success and we segue into lunch. Among sausages and octopus the group have a good time to small talk and how they wish to have another picnic when they meet again.
As a parting gift, Helvana offers to make feather cloaks for Conata and the azibo and she spends the rest of the day making them. By the time night had fallen the last cloak was finished and they were ready to start their plan. They go over it one last time, but are a bit hesitant in parting ways. Helvana reassures them that they'll meet in the future. They then say their goodbyes.
Helvana has Frederic carry the bronze pod with Conata inside it and they successfully deliver her into the palace. They can't celebrate it, though, as several knights come after them. They flee west and leave Alefpria.
Conata had a very rough landing and spent quite some time recovering from the impact. When she got out of the pod she found herself in a library. Lifprasil eventually jump-scares her as he was sitting still in a chair not far from where the pod crashed (how convenient). After introducing themselves, Conata begs Lifprasil to tell her who her parents are amidst the banging on the door from the knights.
The knights break into the room, but stand down at Lifprasil's command. Lif then asks Conata to tell him what's going on. It eventually leads Conata to share the story of her journey from Rulanah. After the long story, Lifprasil admits that he does not know Conata's exact heritage, but suggests that she go to a shrine of Teknall and ask the crafting god a certain question. If he should refuse to answer, Lif says, she could come back to the palace. Saying her thanks, Conata left without any complications from the knights.
This being the first time that Lifprasil has so much as peeped a word above a decibel since his punch-up in Xerxes, everyone in the palace is a shocked by Conata's communications with him (don't do Godkillers, kids). The truth is, Conata's ever-present aura of toil and vigor gave the emperor just enough energy to snap him out of his stupor for a while. He willingly goes back into his near-catatonia, however, citing that he still has much to think about.
Switch back to Hel & Co, Helvana is stargazing before going to sleep. Lloyd joins her and asks what her plans are now that Alefpria's done with and she says she wants to visit Julkofyr's old Holy Site, now named Pictaraika and governed by Ilunabar.
They have been traveling for quite some time now and it'll soon make a year since they met. They both say how great a time they all had and Helvana asks what she means to Lloyd, to which he replies as seeing her as a woman. Helvana asks about the proposal she made at the Spire and this time Lloyd accepts. They kiss and Helvana gives him some of her powers. (Lloyd is now a real human being and a real hero) He nearly passes out from it and Helvana carries him under Frederic's wing to sleep.
"Ahh, I see," Ariel said. "I think your parents will be overjoyed to meet their grandchild for the first time. How many years has it been since you have seen them?"
Noticing Julan's nervousness, Janius offered him one of the cups of water before peering around the store. He gave Julan a smile. "Ariel finds lots of custom trading in body paints, make-up, perfumes, and other things that help to make people look and smell nice," Janius explained quietly. "Want to take a closer look? It's hard to appreciate without focussing on one thing at a time, and they are rather special."
Ariel ran a hand over her tied-back hair and laughed with a giddiness. The sun made the gold of her wedding ring stand out in the brief moment. "Well, it has been a very eventful set of years. The opportunity you gave me certainly enabled many things. Both opportunities; the move and...the antidote." Her attention shifted swiftly to Karl. "Now, I do not believe we-"
Ariel's eyes suddenly caught Sabine's arm locked with Karls, as well as a few other details of his description. Karl's poor eyes did not return Ariel's look, but he tried giving a friendly smile. Ariel's mouth closed into a knowing grin. "You must be Karl," she said in the kind of inflecting tone that people use when gossiping. "I've been looking forward to meeting you after what my dear sister has written to me."
"It's nice to meet you, Ariel," he said, somewhat stilted. He extended a hand that Ariel shook.
Ariel's tone returned to its friendly approach. "You as well, I'm glad that you came! Now, come in, all of you. It looks like you could all do with a cool drink."
Sabine followed Ariel inside with Karl in tow. Janius traded a look with Julan and followed in turn.
"The girls are at the school house presently," Ariel said over her shoulder. "But they finish after lunch, so they should be returning soon. They've been dying to meet you, Sabine."
If the exterior of the shop was different, the interior of the shop was a different world to the previous establishment. One or two pieces of furniture looked similar, but the displays, lighting, paint, and general atmosphere were brighter and cleaner. The scent of various perfumes gave it the character of an apothecary in all the best ways possible. The main floor was dominated by a long counter running across the front of the wall opposite the door, behind which were tall wooden drawers labelled with all sorts of alchemical reagents. Displays around on the customer's side of the room mainly held bottles and jars artfully decorated and filled with cosmetic items. Little paper signs labelled their purposes and offered containers free for sampling. Without thinking too deeply about the composition, it was clear Ariel had laid out the shop to encourage exploring to find and try new products.
"How was your journey?" Ariel asked. She walked behind the counter and poured some pewter cups full of water with slices of some fresh fruits. A weak frost spell ensured the liquid was cool and refreshing. "From the letters I received, it sounds as though times have been getting safer, thanks to your efforts."
The store was currently empty, but Ariel still kept her words veiled for the sake of courtesy.
Sabine took another moment to brace herself outside of the door. If their reunion would be anything like previous times, there would be plenty of suspense leading up to the inevitable surprise.
Although, perhaps because of the new storefront providing visibility, it was Sabine who found herself surprised instead. Or at least startled as the door flew open with an excited Ariel storming through.
"Sabine!" She virtually jumped across to hug Sabine tightly before anyone could react. Ariel was just the same in personality and dress, though she had noticeably aged over the past decade. Her once-rich Auburn hair was more wiry and showed strands of white and her face was creased with the broad smile she gave. She had apparently matured just the same as the pack, if a little more gracefully, courtesy of her own cosmetic alchemy.
"It's so good to see you!" She said at a frantic pace. "I was wondering if you were going to surprise me but you keep arriving when I never quite expect, though I knew this time because of our letters-- oh, but never mind! Hello, everyone, welcome!" She released Sabine and looked around to the others. "Meesei! Hello again!"
Meesei received a tight hug, as did Kaleeth and Janius in turn. Julan was not spared from attention, either.
"My goodness, Kaj-Julan?" She said with surprise. She glanced to Janius and Kaleeth for confirmation. Janius nodded and Ariel laughed. "Kaj-Julan, you've grown like a reed! It's been so long since I last saw you but surely not that long!"
Ariel had not addressed Karl yet, though the excitement of the moment left her with too long an agenda to speak about everything before the others could respond.
"I had no idea all of you would be coming, how wonderful!" Ariel said. "Are the rest of the group well?"
[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPjJCVylFBo[/youtube][/center]
[quote=Michael Leunig. The Curly Pyjama Letters.]
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 [u]nothings[/u] lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that [u]I[/u] 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!
[/quote]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><iframe src="//youtube.com/embed/HPjJCVylFBo?theme=dark" frameborder="0" width="496" height="279" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br><br><blockquote class="bb-quote">Dear Mr Curly,<br>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 <span class="bb-u">nothings</span> lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that <span class="bb-u">I</span> 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.<br>Yours sleepily,<br>	Vasco Pyjama<br>	xxx<br>P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!<footer>Michael Leunig. The Curly Pyjama Letters.</footer></blockquote></div>
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