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 Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:13 am
Porting an older RP over that I totally forgot 'bout. Whups! Time to remedy this~ Old Thread (for great justice!) Syrie  Creation's triumphant return upon Zhijian's broad back from refashioning a sky above had been much lauded by mortal and immortal alike and though it had been necessary for the Dragon King Xia Lu Ling to support his Lord and Master after dismount, the endeavour had been a smashing success. That Creation had found it necessary to retire to His rooms to rest had seemed only natural; those under His banner could not fathom the mana and strain required in the undertaking of such a massive project...to even attempt comprehension was taxing to the most brilliant of minds. They were as babes before an Ancient in this manner and matter.
How much time had passed since Endiovar had last lain eyes upon His glorious countenance? What did such things as time matter to those that were immortal? Endiovar was slowly learning to not dwell upon such things as time...actions, reactions...birth, growth, death and decay...everything happened as it happened; having started as a mortal did leave marks and made it harder to let go of minute measurements like seconds, minutes or hours. None of that mattered, however, because Endiovar figured that this little project he wanted to complete would give Harmodius plenty of time to recouperate before he went to present it.
As a gift to one that he wished to woo (or was he, Endiovar, the one to be wooed?), Silence wished to make a garment. Something that he felt would suit Creation, His Exalted station in the Pantheon and that would also remind the wearer of the garment's giver - Endiovar.
Unfortunately, Silence didn't feel that alone he would be able to make something so rarified and special...so he sought out one he felt would be able to aid him best: the Lady Music, Echo.Zero Dream It was perhaps irony that it was Alto that opened the door for Endiovar and then, wordlessly, let him inside and then went to tell his lady of Silence's presence. That Music had a mute aoidei could surprise some, but there was the god that could, in fact, understand him perfectly !
It was not long before Alto returned, and let Endiovar deeper into the gardens, where the goddess waited - small bodied and yet so easily felt and seen in comparison, sitting near the rose bushes Adrienne had planted what seemed so long ago now, slender fingers growing idle over the strings of the large, golden harp when the aoide's footsteps told her that her guest had come.
"Endiovar." She said with a smile, rising and heading to greet him. "You look well, my friend... I am certainly honored to have you here. Would you like something to drink ?"
Alto made some amazing tea, really. The reasons why Silence was here could wait a little - all would be revealed in good time - but she would certainly enjoy his company.
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:09 pm
Quite fond of Alto, Endiovar was nonetheless not there to "speak" with him at length at this time. Perhaps some other time, another day - it was certainly comforting to know that even mute at least one person could convey your thoughts without issue, as cleanly as though pulling them direct from brain to page. Social niceties stated that some interaction was required before he was taken to Echo's inner chambers, but once completed a comfortable silence fell over the pair.
Endiovar liked the gardens for all the sounds that lived there. Light and bright, airy and calming - but humming with sound. And she, lovely Goddess of Music that she was, contributed even as he walked up with Alto's guidance.
"No need to rise, Echo." He went to her and took her hands in his so that he might brush his lips across the back of one in a familiar, yet appropriate, greeting. "Thank you, I am well." Silence released her delicate hands and smiled, expression one that said whatever his "business" was, it could indeed wait while they chatted of other things.
"You look very well yourself. Tea would be lovely, thank you." Without thinking much on it, he reached out to touch the beautiful harp - so beautiful, even the sounds it made suited the look; he couldn't play the instrument, but he could have stolen it's "voice" very easily had he wanted to. Sometimes silence was the best part of music, adding flavor like sugar, honey, lemon or mint to a tea. "How is Nergal, I have not seen him in a long while...and Ankou? The children?" 'Though I suppose at least Akakios is no longer child-sized.'
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Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:54 pm
Echo would busy herself with serving out the tea as Silence touched the harp. The god was allowed to do so as he wished, as Music had no reason to think the instrument might be harmed by Endiovar's touch.
Silence's words, however, were another story. Music was an open book, and her non-verbal would speak to Endiovar more than her words would. Ears pinned back, the hand that poured the tea shook and some spilled to the side of the tray.
Among Silence's words, there was a subject she was loathe to speak about. There was pain here, pain of which there could be no words to properly define.
"Ankou is... Well, but busy. He and Cosine have three beautiful children of their own." Caelia might have given Silence a headache. The words were light and casual - this was not where the pain stemmed from.
"Akakios is aiding Mystery with something. Something about runes, though I have not been able to pin him down to know more. He is quite busy himself." It was to be expected - her son was growing up and spreading his wings.
"Nergal..." The name itself was like a dagger piercing her heart. When she looked up from the tray, the tears would be impossible to hide. "I do not know. He had not acknowledged my existence in... Years. Anyone's, really."
There she was, the broken, abandoned songbird.
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 1:45 am
The moment that he shifted his attention from the exquisite harp to the Goddess of Music, he understood that something was wrong; something was quite wrong and it called to him, sorrowful and heavy, with every line and breath. With each soft hum of the mana coursing through Echo's being, Endiovar could see this, hear this. It bespoke of her strength that she was able to shore herself up and speak of other things, to give him updates as to the family as far as they were. Steps empty of sound brought the pale-haired god to fold himself into place beside the Lady, proffered tea-cup stating just were she meant him to sit for their discussion.
Poor Lady Music, bared to the soul to eyes that knew how to look; he tried to be kinder, to avert his gaze so that she knew he meant her to divulge things in her own time. Prying was absolutely not his intent, but it was hard to ignore the pain and sorrow within the lovely goddess; harder still holding questions back. "Allow me..." Gently would he take over pouring their tea, using a cloth napkin to dab up the spillage from her trembling pain.
Knowing that only one member among those mentioned could cause such anguish in Echo made Silence wish he had looked before speaking so rashly; he did not mean to bring up painful things for his friend, but now that the words had been said and she had reacted there was no retrieving them. He spread his transparent wings as a sigh; feathers touching her own wings lightly to comfort without speaking directly. "I have not seen Ankou in quite a stretch of time; children? That is quite wonderful, I shall have to visit him and catch up on things." At the very least, speaking of Ankou and Cosine's children seemed to give her moments of respite from the hurt in her soul. "I shall have to congratulate the Lady Cosine as well, last we spoke there was no mention of children...but then, when we last spoke Akakios was yet a child...and much easier to 'pin down' for information." That would garner a soft chuckle, even though the situation was tense due to the aura of sadness and hurt in Echo, they could share small amusements.
Endiovar may have gathered that it was the Lord of the Underworld causing Echo such deep pain, but hearing her say it was just so much worse; confirmation brougth him great sorrow. He nearly winced at the raw pain that speaking of Nergal caused the goddess beside him. Just because he could read or hear the unspoken did not mean that he always wanted to...or enjoyed it. It was just part of his skill set, knowing such things. A boon - and a curse, depending on the situation and those involved.
Echo's tears pained the god of Silence; he gently took one of her hands so that he could perhaps give some small measure of comfort; with the other he offered a soft handkerchief that she might dab at her tears. 'My heart is filled with sorrow for you, my dear Lady. I cannot but imagine there must be a severe reason that he has not come to you.' It didn't make sense that Nergal - once so utterly devoted to Echo and their children, to those he considered brothers or friends - would just up and leave his family like that. But if he thought about things well enough, the last time that he'd seen or felt Underworld's physical presence was back when he was presented as a Council member. Not since then had he seen the pallid deity; same with the Dragon King Tian Yue or Lady Greed. And what of Gianfar? His own dear love, disappeared without note or notice.
What was it that was causing so many of the Pantheon to disappear for such long stretches of time? Were they perhaps trapped somewhere, unable to return? Had they struggled to accomplish some task from memory and been unable to complete it? Stuck without a physical form, but still present? Endiovar had no ideas and definitely no answers, no matter how he wished for them. Knowing the grief and pain that he and Revei had felt at Gianfar's abandonment, Silence shifted that he might put his arms around the diminutive goddess in a brotherly, comforting embrace.
"I am sorry, Echo..." If she needed to cry on his shoulder, she could do so. If she needed his aid, he would give it because that was the sort of thing that Colin would have done and that was something the god had kept when he'd taken over; something that had apparently been sorely needed. Ages ago, Silence had not been quite so...giving? At least not without receiving something of equal or greater value in return. Doing so clearly hadn't stood him well in those times; he'd like to think that he'd learned better - was learning better.
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:01 am
It would not take long for Echo to simply lay in Silence's embrace and refuse to move for the time being - and she cried, of course she did. The pain she felt was impossible to put in words, but the shockwave it caused within could easily be felt.
"No one has seen him since the sky was remade... Ankou says the underworld itself is still here, but..." But Nergal did not even answer his own brother. Nothing happened within the realm of the dead. The only movements that occurred were the ripple of the Spirit Guide's own actions. "Ankou would be able to tell you more than I. He does not even know that Kios..." They'd tried, but there had not been any hints of what could be called an acknowledgement.
Music bit back her sob, shaking her head. This was quite embarrassing, really, but there was no stopping the tears.
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Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 11:16 am
Remaining still and quiet was as easy for Silence as breathing, perhaps easier; until Echo's sobs had abated, until her trembling had ceased and the woman fallen against him with a heavy, drained finality, Endiovar stayed thus. His wings had folded around them, creating a space that filled only with a soft thrum from Echo's own wings and the solace-filled hush of Silence. He felt her grief, joined her in the all-encompassing pain of Nergal's apparent abandonment; there they would stay in caring clutch, until Echo felt she could speak again.
Endiovar sighed softly and smoothed her hair back as she spoke further of Underworld's lack of response. It was troubling, oh so troubling to think that Nergal had disappeared like Gianfar had. But what could he say? What could he - or anyone, for that matter - do? "He must have been caught up in something, as Gianfar was. I can think of no other reason Nergal would not respond to his family." Family was more a word than a flood of closeness and love, the word itself given so much more import with the way Silence tended to speak.
"Until he returns to you, dear Echo, please feel free to lean on me." 'If you need anything, anything at all...please do not hesitate to come to me. You and your family are very dear to me...I would not want you lacking further.'
She need not feel embarrassed, Endiovar was certainly not going to say or do anything untoward over it; her tears were fully understandable to him. After all...Gianfar had disappeared much the same way, had he not? Who else would understand so well?
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:07 am
Eventually, slowly, she would calm and steel herself again. Shove the emotion back in the little 'box' she did her best to keep it in. "Sorry, I..." It was just too much, sometimes. Too overwhelming. Silence could find some solace in Dream's arms - Music had no such option, though of her own choice.
"Akakios is doing fine... Though I am not sure if the rift that has been created can truly be mended." The youngest's trust had been broken one time too many. She could see it in his eyes, whenever his father was mentioned. The simmering anger.
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Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 9:07 pm
As the Goddess Music regained her composure, Endiovar returned his attention to the tea that had been poured - but not touched - previously; with a small application of mana it could be warmed once more. Ah, but Alto really did make delicious tea! He would give her as much time as she needed to dab at her eyes and stuff the pain deep within; well did he understand being overwhelmed, but she need not have apologized to Endiovar. There was no possible way he would have thought badly of her, least of all for crying with such good reason!
"Do not apologize, Echo. Were situations reversed, I can assure you I would not be holding together as well as you."
Oh, sure he still had Dream - and in some ways, Harmodius too - but that only helped ease the loss; It worried him that Echo did not have another to lean on in such a manner. She did have himself, of course, but theirs was a platonic friendship, connected almost as siblings, rather than a romantic one as he had with Revei. "I hope the Library project has helped keep him from dwelling too deeply...I know he's been hurting."
What a woeful, hard situation. Family torn apart - twisted and strained. Alliances pulled, shifted. Where would the Underworld be without Lament? Where indeed..."Echo...I mean what I say. If you need me for anything, any reason, please call for me. You are dear unto me, Akakios is like my own child...we are family and I will do my best to help you."
He would also try to find Nergal...to find out just what in the whole of Creation that could have caused him to disappear in such a manner.
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Posted: Mon Apr 08, 2013 8:10 pm
"Yes... I am sure that it has helped him." It was probably the reason her son had managed to hold on for so long. Lament had distractions she did not have, and a father figure in Endiovar - even if it was not something he might have realized back then, Echo was certain the boy realized such now. "He would have been much worse off had it not been for you. Thank you."
Words seemed too little to express what she felt, the depth of her gratitude - but she was certain that Silence would, nonetheless, know.
"I know that. I am lucky that you are still here..." With her composure regained, the hurt not gone - oh no, never gone, but folded away, out of the way - she returned her own attention to the tea.
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Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:45 pm
That Akakios might have found in him some sort of father-figure would have pleased Endiovar greatly if he'd taken the time to consider such things; typically he did not, but in an off-handed sort of way (and because the Aoide Hue had oft commented about it) he did get it. Not that Silence would have ever wished to take Nergal's place in young Lament's heart - it was more that he considered them part of his family and cared deeply for each of them; if that had been of some small comfort or help to any part of his 'family', so much the better.
"I only wish I could have done something more for you, as well." Echo's gratitude was accepted with grace but wholly unnecessary to his mind; as he'd stated before...they were family and caring for family was just what one did. At least, it was what he did because that was what Colin had done - one of his former host's "gifts"; quite a change from the pre-Fading Silence, at that.
With the slight fluffing of his transparent wings, Endiovar shook his head sadly; she wasn't lucky; he wouldn't have left her for the world just then. But he did feel that a distraction was needed...Echo was not the sort of woman that did well just dwelling on the thing(s) causing her issue, and after all, he had come with a purpose more than simple pleasantries - or painful heart-break.
"I had hoped to ask your assistance with something of a personal project, but I understand if you would prefer to speak of such things at a different time..."
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Posted: Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:46 pm
The change in conversation was definitively welcome - one long ear would perk up in obvious curiosity. What would Silence require her help for ?
Well, no matter what it was, it was probably better than sitting here and being miserable. "What do you have in mind ?"
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Posted: Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:51 pm
Endiovar noted her interest in his proposal both as a way to switch to a less distressing topic as well as for the merit such things generally held. Excellent, he was not wrong in asking Echo for aid - giving her something to focus on would likely help very much with diverting her sadness...if even for only a little while.
"I wanted to make a gift for Harmodius..." Silence picked up his teacup and sipped at it delicately, lowering his lashes a moment as he sought the proper words, "Something quite special and wholly unique as well. A garment, or perhaps just ornament for a garment." Endiovar didn't want to speak too plainly here; Echo had lost her spouse and he was asking her aid in finding a good gift not only for the Twin Crown as Himself, but as one being courted. And courting, since it was a mutual act - not one-sided.
Pale hands set pale cup down and folded together neatly. "But I am not skilled in things of this nature, and I wish for the raiment to be worthy of His status and stature...as well as bringing the giver to mind..."
"I wondered if you would be able to help me with this...I would be most grateful for any aid you may be able to offer."
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Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:21 pm
"Hmm." The thoughtful noise was accompanied by an equally thoughtful expression. That was indeed a tall order. It was not hard at all to guess as to why Silence wanted to give such a gift, but right now all that truly mattered was helping a dear friend.
"There is a seamstress in the marketplace. She has made a few dresses for me and I find myself quite fond of them. She works mostly with silk and is from Baadris, I believe. Her name is Mian." It would be a good place to start, at the very least.
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Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:47 pm
That he'd asked for aid in what was potentially a difficult endeavour was not unknown to Endiovar; he had confidence that if anyone would be able to help him, it would be the Goddess of Music. She was always well groomed and gowned in lovely things (though for a while there, when everything was crumbling or rotting away, they had all looked a bit raggedy) and he'd known that coming to see her could be the plan that paid off most.
"Thank you Echo, that sounds very promising." He committed the gleaned information to memory, not wanting to forget such things now that they had been made known to him. "Do I need an introduction before meeting Mian, or is there anything more I should know about her before visiting?" Some of the better artisans working within the Marketplace only saw customers (or clients as they may wish to designate their patrons) by appointment or with recommendation from an established member; most did not, but Endiovar had run into one or two as the wares available became more and more extravigant. There was a glass-smith that didn't mind people walking in to purchase his wares, but any customized items had to be discussed via appointment due to the length of time it generally took to discuss precisely what one wanted.
He knew this because he'd purchased a lovely glass bauble for Revei.
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Posted: Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:07 am
"Mian and her daughter both work in their shop, and I have always been able to simply step inside whenever I wished. Anything custom tailored will take a bit of time." Obviously. "But if you see something you fancy, they will have it adjusted and fit before you can blink."
Echo smiled, quite certain that Endiovar would also leave with a few things for himself - and her friend would look quite nice in them. The mother and daughter indeed made lovely work.
She would pause a moment to take a sip of tea. It was just the right taste, as always. "I could go with you, if you wish... ?" It would give her something to do beyond languishing here alone, at least.
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