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 Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:25 pm
Rosselyn Cain Rosselyn crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. She could read between the lines. " You think I have no experience with painful feelings?" She guessed. " Perhaps because I'm a woman? You're wrong." Her navy eyes hardened as she focused on the irritable elf. " I watched my mother die. I heard her screams as she was burned alive. I was four years old, and I could do nothing to save her." She lifted her chin slightly as she faced him down. " Do not imply that I know nothing about 'uncomfortable feelings'." The words came out easily, and with very little pain. She had long ago dealt with the feelings of guilt and rage that had come with the awful experience. All she really felt now, was sadness that her mother had passed so soon.
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:40 pm
Baldur and Valdamaras Baldur folded his arms, unimpressed. "What is this, a 'who has the more traumatic past to deal with' contest? I'm not interested, and you're making a mistake if you think you can get sympathy from me with yours," he sighed impatiently. He didn't want to get into that. He rolled his eyes to Vald. "What about you? You want to tell her what happened to your family? Sob it out with her?" The boy shook his head. "You sure? Obviously she's going to help you deal with your feelings." Vald's eyes brightened slightly and deflected the attention away from him. Kid was cleverer than he looked. "I'm curious how she'd help you, though. Aren't you the last of your kind?" The boy was getting sassy. At least he didn't bring up the slavery. Baldur didn't want to deal with that.
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:53 pm
Rosselyn Cain Rosse snorted in disgust. " I have no interest in depression contests, nor do I need your sympathy. I dealt with my pain decades ago." Her lip curled in more of a sneer than a smile. " You on the other hand, quite obviously haven't." She eyed the boy with an odd mix of amused irritation. It almost seemed as though the boy wanted to instigate a fight. " I'm not a therapist, lad. Your friend and I would likely kill each other before we ever got around dealing with our traumatic issues."
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:06 pm
Baldur and Valdamaras Baldur laughed out loud, shaking his head. "Oh yes, I can see how well adjusted you are. 'Oh, my mommy got killed in front of me when I was a kid, let me tell you all about it in an obvious bid for sympathy, but don't worry, I'm over it,'" he mimicked in a singsong voice. "Please, lady. I might not have dealt with the s**t that is the foundation of my life, but don't go patronizing me about how much better you are at dealing with your pain than I am. It's about the only thing in this life I actually understand." Beside him Vald blinked with a terse frown. "What's a therapist?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:24 pm
Rosselyn Cain Rosse leaned on the table and put her chin in her hand. She looked smugly amused, rather than offended as he might have intended. " I only used it as an example to make a point. Your own attitude of; "She couldn't possibly know the depths of pain and emotional trauma," and "She doesn't know the definition of dealing with uncomfortable feelings," was an incorrect position to take." She tilted her head slightly, still smiling. " And if that is the only thing you can understand in life, perhaps you ought to try living, instead of hiding."
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:36 pm
Baldur and Valdamaras Baldur rolled his eyes again. "Actually, that was your own doing. I only told you I didn't want your opinion. You made the rest up yourself. I actually don't even know where you got the idea that I didn't think you knew 'depths of emotional pain' or whatever it was you think I said." Typical of women, in his experience, to make things up and pretend they were reality. Vald watched with rapt interest as the two sparred with their passive-aggressive tones and backhanded comments. It would be a good lesson to him. The way his posture changed, he looked ready to spring away at a moment's notice, despite that Baldur and Rosselyn were both the pictures of relaxation. Apparently he sensed something underlying their facades.
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:45 pm
Rosselyn Cain Rosse continued to smile. " It was your attitude, and your tone of voice. The one you're still using, that implies that I'm just a foolish ninny, like most every other woman in existence." She'd dealt with that attitude all her life. She knew it when she saw it. Suddenly, even though she could sense the danger in it, she decided to push a few buttons. " So what did you do with your pain?" She asked, idly running her finger on the rim of her teacup. " Tamp it down, force it to take a different form? Pretend you're using it to make you stronger, when all it really is, is a broken crutch?"
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Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2014 11:56 pm
Baldur and Valdamaras Baldur wasn't convinced she was altogether wrong. "If you were really as strong as you think you are, why are you so desperate to prove it to me? Words are cheap, human, and your years are short. I wouldn't waste time with them. I don't know why you care if I think you're a typical woman or not. Do you really hold my opinion in such high regard?" He sat back and waited for her to deny it, like she would, and he would do his best to needle at her insecurities while she slapped at his. It was a tired conversation. He scooted his chair back, standing and scuffing Valdamaras's hair. "Finish this argument up for me, would you, lad? I'm going for a refill." Reaching across the table, he snatched up Rosse's mug of tea as well, taking it with him as well as his own finished ale. Valdamaras stared across at Rosselyn, waiting for Baldur to get out of earshot. "He hates dwarves. I know that much. Maybe that's where he's funneling it," he shrugged in regards to the topic of Baldur's pain.
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:13 am
Rosselyn Cain Rosselyn decided to hold her tongue and think about his question, rather than attempt a quick and witty reply. It wasn't his opinion she held in high regard, but rather, of men in general. So often in her life she had been forced to prove that she was as strong, as intelligent, and as cunning as any man. And she had. By now, it was almost a force of habit. Before she could say so, however, he got up from the table to get more to drink. She lifted off her hand and sat back in the chair, pulling her long, cedar colored braid over her left shoulder. " I suppose it doesn't matter." She turned her gaze to Vald, her eyes soft and thoughtful again. " Be careful," She warned, " Someday, all that pain he's forced inward and turned into rage will snap, and he will either become a raging monster, or a very broken man. Neither will be pleasant to witness, and both will be dangerous."
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:26 am
Baldur and Valdamaras Vald shifted uncomfortably beneath her gaze. He was going toward sensory overload, but this was Baldur's intention for him, attempting to teach him how to maintain composure in all situations, which was ironic considering what they had gotten themselves into. The young werewolf was doing better, though, navigating social situations he had never encountered before. Things were so much simpler within the pack. He glanced away from her and back toward his master. "If he can deal with me turning into a raging monster once a month, it's only fair I deal with whatever he turns into, if he loses his grip. That's a pretty big assumption that he will, though. He's maintained himself this long...much longer than either of us have been alive, I reckon," he reasoned. He still had trouble wrapping his head around Baldur's age, but he knew it was no lie. If he could survive with his burdens for decades, why not a few years more while Valdamaras learned from him? "At least, I hope he can. He's no use to me broken."
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 12:49 am
Rosselyn Cain Rosselyn watched the young man calmly, and without judgement. He was still young, still trying to make a place where he could fit in. But time was an excellent teacher, as was experience. He was strong. He would survive. She shook her head suddenly. " I never meant to imply that you should leave him, should something go wrong. He'll need someone that he care for to bring him back from whatever brink he encounters. Just be careful." She sighed softly and ran her hands through her bangs, tugging them back so they fell away from her eyes. " And the longer he has to hold onto it, the weaker his hold will become. Just be alert." She smiled impishly at him then. " I like you. You're spunky, and will keep him on his toes. He'll need that."
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Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 1:00 am
Baldur and Valdamaras Valdamaras didn't know why, but he didn't like how quickly this woman judged Baldur. Since when did he get so defensive over his master? Still, she didn't know what he had been through or how he handled it. Vald didn't even know. Baldur refused to offer up the information. Maybe Rosselyn was onto something, though. She knew more. She was clearly more experienced. He almost flushed when she complimented him, but he was starting to feel wearied of his own pathetic little crush. It was futile, at best. He had simply never seen such a beautiful woman before in his life. "I wish I knew," he admitted, careful to keep his voice low, lest Baldur overheard. "I really do think he's the last of his kind. The other men told me. Elves have been gone for centuries, they say, all killed off. And nobody knows what happened to his back. I asked once, and boy did he make me regret it." Baldur's back was a horrifying sight, but not worth the trouble pestering him about.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 12:19 am
Svana
See signature for reference The girl was right. Svana had learned somewhere, and most of it was on the fly. Amund taught her some, and people scraped together knowledge to share with each other, but the killing fields had taught her the most about weapons and survival. However, after her initial plunge into violence, she had been able to slow down and develop tactics and techniques on her own. "You're on the right track," she agreed slowly. "Finding someone who knows more than you and asking them to train you is your best bet. I'm probably a terrible candidate. I don't know what you would likely be facing, not to mention we only have this space." She gestured around them at the interior of the cafe. "You said you're nobility, right? It shouldn't be too hard to find someone. Money talks. It talks loudly. However, finding a competent teacher can sometimes be a challenge. If you ever want me to test a candidate's competency, I could probably at least help you with that, providing we ever see each other again," she offered.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 6:53 pm
Rosselyn Cain Rosselyn sighed softly and passed a weary hand over her eyes. " Eventually, it comes down to one thing. Are you willing to adapt? Or will you be stubborn and die? You, him, we all have chosen to adapt, it seems. And while perhaps we are not thriving, we've all survived." She uncovered her eyes and gave the lad a sad smile. " There's something to be said for that, at least." She straightened in her chair and arched her back, stretching her neck from side to side. " These chairs leave a lot to be desired for in comfort." She remarked, attempting to change the tone of the conversation.
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Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:54 pm
Baldur and Valdamaras Vald was disappointed she was so disinterested in the drama surrounding Baldur, but let it slide. There was no point in speculating anyway. The other men in the mercenary crew discouraged it, but he thought that was because Baldur refused to tell them, too, and they had already talked the topic to death. Instead, the conversation steered toward chairs. He could go with that. "They're better than nothing, though. I grew up in a cave. Baldur wasn't just being mean when he said that. Wolves, you know." He looked around. "I can bring you a better chair if there's one in here." Baldur returned then. "The chairs are fine," he grunted, setting tea down in front of Rosselyn and a glass of milk in front of Valdamaras. "Here. Maybe you'll grow if you get some nutrients."
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