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Sya had worked for many hours in the eye, been several times to the market and borrowed numerous tools to craft her items. Protective amulets that contained everything up to her own blood, each one was hand made and she had 3 of them. One matching pair of egg shaped amulets, each one crafted to form perfectly with its partner. The metal was not expensive, limited but she had shaped each one by hand, sacrificing time and sleep channeling her emotions into each item. These made her giggle as she crafted them with great relish and interest in the plan working. If this did not work she might have to lock them in a tower with no mage books, one bed and clear instructions. It beat marrying that over dressed peacock!
The second was made in a more traditional style carved from a hardwood dark as night and a small bright white soft stone, carved with a precise single rune on a leather cord that was made out of some acquired from Ivar. The form was not the entire thing, it was something more about the process.
It was a determined Sya who slithered out the eye with the amulets hanging from her wrist to the gathering people seeking out 3 in particular. Orion. Eris and Nathaniel. She wore her new white Eastern Aurelian style dress she acquired from the tailor, Sya was a little nervous though as she approached her first person she wanted to protect. Sya personal fear of the blight lands ran deep.
The town square was packed with people, carts, horses, everything for a full expedition had been made ready from sages to guards in full armour layered with leathers and more to shield them from harsh weather. The tall female guard seemed to be taking an interest in the priestess, Daphne, her guest, whom she had sent each of them off with a good breakfast before they departed including some of her more premium items.
The Head of the group where she saw Lord Coswain and several others of importance… yes, Sya made her way to that group to find Orion to pass on her amulet of protection. “Onion… Orion, Vi need to give vou zomething” Sya called out, her Borderland aspect growing stronger as she made herself heard over the noise.
He heard her before he saw her, her accent cutting clean through the noise of the square with the same cheerful disregard for discretion it always had. Orion turned from the group he’d been speaking to, and something in his expression changed. It wasn’t quite a smile but a softening, there and then managed.
"Lady Sya." He stepped away from the group by a few paces, his gaze falling to the amulet she extended toward him. Handmade. He could tell at once. So, he accepted it with deliberate gentleness, turning it once between his fingers before closing his palm around it.
"I owe you a letter." The directness of it was as close to an apology as Orion generally permitted himself. "I hadn't forgotten. There simply wasn't a moment I could give it the attention it deserved." With everything from Aleksi to the interviews and now the expedition into the blight lands. "When I return then," he added, and left it unfinished, unwilling to make a promise he refused to dress up as certainty.
His thumb moved once over the surface of the amulet. "Thank you for this. I'll keep it close." A pause, and then, with something almost wry at the corner of his mouth: "You made for others, I imagine?" It would be just like her to do that.
Sya handed it over carefully and gave a slight surprise at being addressed as Lady Sya, but it had a nice feeling about it. Especially as some would have an utter fit when they found she had been named a lady, treated with respect and kindness… She dropped the small amulet into his hand, surprisingly for its size as she used a dense hardwood and a local soft but clean stone with very little flaws.
“Vi can forgive you, long as Vou stop vy to say hello when you can. Voy are good egg, Vou, Kira, sister Eris, all good egg.” Sya said, she could not blame him too much being the Prince's deputy for all intents must bring a nightmare. Running the Inn kept Sya busy, and that was not a whole town. “Vou will return.” Sya said more firmly with her accent becoming more pronounced into the borderlander. “Vi can translate vor mountain clan. Close to vy own. I van helps.”
"I'll make a point of it," Orion said, and meant it. The offer of translation, however, drew his attention more sharply. "That may prove more valuable than you know. I'll remember that for future negotiations." His eyes met her own for a moment, direct and genuinely attentive. "Thank you, Sya."
Sya shifted, her tail growing more protective and waving a little nervously, her body language and her mood were directly linked and hard to hide. “It protect. Must be made, never vy other. it for clan, but. I have no clan now. So I give it Vou. Protect vou from dark ember land after vour soul.” Sya said and wrapped her hand to curl his hand around and make a point of it. “Alvays wear it.”
“I vade 2 others. I not sleep, to vake. I hope they help vith other things…” Sya said with a tone of mischief and a glitter to her single large eye. Sya wanted Eris to find someone worth the sage, and not a rotten yolk whose shell was over-decorated.
Sya did something bold, Sya and very much in line with the snake woman's somewhat strange nature. She leaned up a little unsteadily on her tail and used him for balance before she closed one large eye and kissed him on the lips before backing off with an entirely Sya look of satisfaction. “Zat. Is vor luck.” Sya said, turning with a Sya-like motion utterly silently and smooth as running water, giving his leg a gentle tap with her tail as she turned away.
By the time Orion’s mind had finished figuring out what had just occurred, she was already retreating.
"For luck," he said quietly to her back. The words emerged flat but not unkind, and he stood there a moment before turning back toward the group. His expression had already settled. Whatever had just happened, the square hadn't noticed anyway or, more charitably, had possessed the good sense to pretend otherwise.
Sya was feeling rather happy with herself, a smug snek she could say with a more rhythmic wiggle of her tail as she left. A little more sway and people would probably swear there was a little glow to her eye as she looked at him, smiled and was lost in the crowd with a glittering of blue scales and a pretty white and blue Aurelian eastern dress, so that bit different among all the heavy expedition clothes. Sya was not a person who hid her emotions, desires, or really felt much shame about expressing how she felt directly.
Her new changes had made that hopeless as her tail was practically an 12 foot or so emotional billboard for how the in keeper felt.
That and Sya felt…useful. Proud… She could help with the mountain people and do something useful while everyone was away. The mountain clans, Ivor’s people and others always felt a little more like they could relate a little more.
She made her way a little further down the column to find the sages, her tail tucked a little tighter to avoid knocking people over. “Erissss” Sya called out and moved smoothly forward searching for her friend and Nathainal. Sya had mischief to accomplish.
“Yes?! I’m here, one seco—”
The lead Sage sucked in a sharp breath as her shoulder clipped the sharp edge of a cargo cart, causing her to stumble sideways from the pure force of it. She’d spun around too quickly, instantly alert at the sound of her name — buzzing with frantic energy.
Rubbing her stinging shoulder and holding back a grimace, Eris scanned the crowd for who had called for her. Luckily, it didn’t take long to spot Sya slithering through, blue scales shimmering against torch light. A warm smile found its way to her lips, the deep bruise forming on her shoulder nearly forgotten.
“Sya. I’m glad to see you before we leave.”
Hearing the sound of a thud from the cart, Nathaniel let out a small sigh. He knew what the cause of it was, Eris. Nathaniel had already made a log of some of the supplies, a log that he was currently double checking. He assumed that Eris was also doing the same thing. Was this the third or fourth time she had checked this cart alone? He couldn't remember.
He put away his checklist before turning round the cart to see what part she hurt herself this time. She had already bumped or tripped over things as she would rush through checking carts and supplies. When he arrived at the tower early, Penelope was waging war with Eris refusing to let her out of the tower. It was only when Penelope saw Nathaniel coming in she pointed at him saying she's your problem now boy. Whatever that meant.
”Do I have to shadow you so I,” his playful tone halted as he turned and saw Eris stood with Sya. ”Oh hello Sya, what brings you here. Come to see us leave?
Sya smiled when she saw the two she exactly went to look for… but Sya hoped to create the chance for Eris to get a good man, who would make her a happy clan and have healthy younglings to carry on her name and clan forward. No sister would form a clan with such a rotten Yolk as the Peacock. Weak clan. No sister deserves that.
Sya was careful in her exuberance to not wrap her tail round Eris, knowing she seemed less open about that kind of thing and returned her greeting with a hug before pulling back, and giving Nathaniel a little curtsey on her tail dipping a little and broke the decorum entirely by giving him a peck on the cheek.
“Ssssister Eris, Nathaniel.” Sya said thankfully as she greeted them with a happy flick of her tail, her worry overpowered by fact she found them. “Vy had to see vou, Vou will be safe. Vou will protect her. Vou will both home safe.” Sya said as a statement more than a question as if any other outcome was unthinkable. “vy had to give gift before you before vou enter Ember Mirk.”
She gently placed a little shakily an amulet in each hand made of metal on a leather cord, a matching pair with an intricate rune of protection carved into the metal with great care that mirrored each other in two halves of a wider runic pattern. “I vade this…” Sya began before pausing and finding her words again. Eris’s brows rose in surprise as she turned the oval shaped amulet over in her fingers, examining the craftsmanship. “Zey protect, you vy clan now, much work. Lose sleep. Vust always gifted and made with sacrifice.” She said and hoped they understood how much Sya had into her creation, care, emotions and more.
“Zey are special. Vy Fader taught me.” Sya said in a way that implied mischief but also a lot of care and efforts had been involved. Special as in the chosen runes yes, Sya was glad she took a great interest in the items her father had made for her mother and sat by them as he explained each part and why it was important. He had passed on their clan tradition to his daughter.
“These are wonderful, Sya. I’m impressed that you made them yourself!” Eris beamed, noting the jagged right edge of her oval, as if it were incomplete. Her gaze flicked to the amulet Nathaniel had been given. On the left side of his, a jagged edge to match.
Eris’s smile faltered only slightly before she forced it back onto her lips.
“Pair. If vou touch, Ember have harder time with Vou, it vants vou, vust never let it lure you. Sleep safe, it protects dream from Embers fire.” They did that without holding hands, or better yet cuddled together but Sya did not think it would hurt to tell a little lie. Well Sya deeply believed they did anyway, she genuinely and surely believed the old runes still would protect her friends that she considered her weird clan of a sort, no matter where they came from and how no blood was shared.
Eris could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. Sya had never been one for subtlety, had she?
Nonetheless, it was from her friend, crafted with love and care — a warm reminder of this strange place she had called home over the last few months. And if it were truly a protection charm, then Eris would gladly take it.
Nathaniel gazed in awe at the fine craftsmanship of the charm. A small smile etched on his face ”This is incredible Sya. Thank you.” curious, he caught a glance at the charm that Eris had; it was the exact opposite shape of his as if they were two pieces of the same. It was then he caught Eris’ gaze on his own charm, their eyes meeting for only a heartbeat.
“Thank you, Sya.” Eris said as she put the amulet on, tucking it safely behind the warmth of her heavy coat. “That means a great deal.” She paused, meeting her eyes with Sya’s large one. “I’m sure we’ll be safe.” She wasn’t sure at all. The heavy knot of anxiety in her chest said otherwise. “And before you know it, we’ll be having tea and I’ll tell you all about what I saw out there.”
”I agree.” Nathaniel said putting the amulet on. ”We'll keep each other safe.” he paused for a moment. ”Eris we'll have to see what our charms looked like together.” looking at the situation. Nathaniel smiled. Courteously, Eris returned it.
”I'm going to let you two talk in private. I'll double check some more of the supplies. Take your time Eris. he said to his fellow sage then turned to Sya. ”Thank you once again Sya.” and with a turn, Nathaniel went to a different cargo cart to check its contents.
Sya was nervous about her gifts and how they would be received, each was much effort, her own family's crafts and passed down honour. Strangers, but those Sya saw as Family. Her eye brightened up and her tail made a happy wave and was more active with a swish motion in the air. She was happy with the situation. “Zanks” even Sya said with a blush at Nathaniel on her pale skin at the compliment from the sage.
She saw Eris was trying to reassure her but Sya knew the blight in a way the other two did not, she had lived, died, been changed by it, twice and also could try to break her. Sya would only truly feel happy when Eris was home having tea with her and making her blush trying to get her to admit what happened besides the sage research.”Yes, Tea for Vure, I even tell vou who I kissed earlier over tea. Good abs too..” Sya said with a look of utter mischief. Eris would have to come home for that gossip.
Eris raised a curious brow, an amused smile lifting the corner of her lips. She realized then that she’d actually miss Sya — all her antics included.
The Lamia innkeeper smiled at their interaction, oh she was far from stupid or just some monster they called Sya.. She definitely noted that they were not a couple but also not impossible for it to be so if they chose to. They seemed a good fit. She could not hide that smile that was subtly derailing a certain peacock's plans. Sya did not fight so loudly or brash as an angry lion. She was more quiet, more careful and more precise.
She took Nathaniel's hand in her own smaller one, arm bare with an iron ring on her bicep. The blightborn in her dress did not feel the cold like them, in their heavy coats. Well felt it but it did not harm her. “I trusssst you with my sister.” Sya said softly and she meant it.
Nathaniel paused, feeling Sya’s small hand in his own he looked into her singular eye as what seemed like a plea. He smiled ”I'll do what it takes, to keep her safe. And we'll be back before you know it.” This seemed to ease Sya's worry as she let go.
Eris tore her gaze from Nathaniel and returned to Sya, pretending to ignore the flash of heat burning at her cheeks again.
Letting him leave Sya turned fully to face Eris, moving fluidly and spun on the spot with an ease. Sya was unsure how it worked but it all just…did naturally. “Erisss…” Sya said and paused, unsure what to say.
“Ze… Ember… its..more. it tried to lure me, make me lose everything when my home fell, become beast. Nathaniel help anchor, vou help him. Together like boat tied to shore. Voices, try, ignore. Do not follow, stay camp at night. Please.” Sya said wrapping her friend and named sister in a hug, Sya rarely was this serious with Eris, a little weird. But Sya had to tell her secret now. The blight had turned Sya, tried to lure her into it's claws, the blight was to Sya anyway more than just dead trees and ruins.
Returning the hug, Eris wrapped her arms tight around Sya. She closed her eyes, trying her best not to be overtaken by the emotion welling up in her chest. This wasn’t goodbye, she tried to tell herself. She’d returned. They’d all return. They had to.
“Plus he looks very fit, handsome. wrapped in strong man's arms…my Gendry i lost was farrier, very strong, it vas shielded in sleep. First kisssss I had to tip toe as he held me…” and of course, Sya had to get distracted and well, be Sya. But treated her like her sister with no secrets. Maybe drop Eris a hint too.. Sya was subtle…Sya thought so. But Sya was.. Sya
Eris stepped out of the hug, forcing a faint smile despite her emotion knotting into dread. For a breath, she only nodded and took in the sight of her friend. Sya had been through so much. Not only with the blight, but in her life before it. Somehow, she knew how to remain positive and effortlessly playful. Eris wished she knew how to do the same.
The fate of the world rested heavy upon Eris’s shoulders.
She knew what Sya was alluding to, but the idea of entertaining it… dread turned her stomach.
“I’ll be sure to stay with the others. Thank you, Sya.” She briefly bowed her head in gratitude. “We’ll see each other soon.” She glanced toward the cargo cart that Nathaniel had disappeared into. “I should get back to it….”
Gaze returning to Sya, her smile turned bittersweet. “Be safe.”
@Echotech71@The Muse@Qia