Welcome to Gaia! ::

When he came out of his room early in the afternoon, intending to make a beeline for the library and avoid as many of his parents' aoidei as he possibly could along the way, Lament found himself faced with a rather confusing scene unfolding in front of them. All of the servants seemed to be fretting – searching for something, in fact.

It was Tasia that first spotted him, slithering her way toward him, with a worried expression on her face. “My Lord, there you are... Would you know where your brother went ?” The naga aoide looked up at her master hopefully.

”Why should I know where he is ?” Akakios rose an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. ”He runs off all the time.” Why was it such a big deal now that his brat of an older brother decided to skip having a babysitter ? If anything, he only understood the sentiment more now.

Tasia looked so damn worried, through... He sighed. ”Shima would know where he is.”

”No one can find Shima either, my lord.” Tasia sighed. ”And there are things missing from his room... I think there is more to this than the usual.”

....Wait. ”What ?” That Shima was with Sotiris was not surprising, but that there were things missing ? That... That was not a good sign, he had to admit. And with it came the sinking, horrible feeling that their last meeting had something to do with it.

”No one has seen him since last night.” Tasia admitted. ”We were hoping that you knew something...”

That was a valid thought, Lament had to admit. In his youth, he had been known to be his brother's co-conspirator more than once, and it was a valid conclusion to jump to. ”No, I have no idea. I was at the library until mid-morning. Everything seemed normal when I passed through earlier.” From what he had bothered to look, at least. Which... Well, had not been much, he had to admit.

“Didn't find anything in the market.” Tempo was the first of Echo's servants to see them. He nodded at Akakios, then looked at Tasia.

”My Lord has no idea either.” Tasia shook her head. ”What about Ianthe, Concerto and Ishum ?”

”They arn't back yet.” Tempo grumbled. ”You know his hiding places through, Kios ?”

”Not all of them.” It was Lament's turn to shake his head. ”There's the market, but you checked... The teahouses ?”

”Checked them on the way. They were all empty.” The black haired man sighed.

Clearly Tempo did not appreciate being on missing child duty, and Akakios could understand that. At least while they were busy looking for Guardian, then they weren't thinking about watching his every moves.

”What about the woods close to the pantheon ?” He knew that Sotiris had ran off in there a few times...

”Isn't that where Ishum went ?” Tasia tilted her head to look at Tempo.

”Yeah, that's where Ishum went. Took the dogs too.” Tempo made a face.

And Akakios was unable to contain his amusement, which earned him a glare. Tempo and Cerberus had never gotten along. It would not surprise Lament if Tempo was actually scared of the the split-in-three beast, and simply refused to admit it.

”Echo's going to freak out when she realize this...”

”Freak out about what, now ?” Came the soft, feminine voice right behind both aoidei.

Tempo all but nearly jumped and stuck to the ceiling. ”My lady !”

Okay, Lament had to admit this was a little mean. He had seen – and heard – his mother come from a mile away. And if the servant had not been so busy fretting, they might have as well. As it was, he liked this turn of events just fine. Could they not see that trying to hide Sotiris' disappearance from his mother would only make it worse on her ? It was bad enough that his father was playing the ignore game, and he could see the heartbreak in Echo's eyes all too well, even now.

”Soto ran away, it looks like.” Tempo glared at him, but Lament pointedly ignored the aoide. Tempo always thought he knew everything, anyway.

”I know.” Echo nodded, then walked past the group to sit on one of the garden benches. This might end up being a long discussion indeed. ”He left early this morning. I sent Shima after him.”

”....You.... knew ?” Tempo was confused.

To be honest, so was Akakios, through he was silent. He was quite uncomfortable, and to be honest would have left already if his mother had not been right there. The clues were adding up, and he did not like what they were adding up to. Tasia was likewise silent.

”...I expected this to happen.” Echo sighed. It was obvious that she did not like this – but she had allowed it to come to pass, nonetheless. ”He needs his space, I assume... Things need to happen as they will.”

”And letting him run off gods know where is the solution ?”

”He has Shima with him.” Echo continued. ”...And I am keeping an eye on him from afar. He will be safe.”

”Mother.” Lament had spoken without truly realizing it. The realization only came when he noticed that everyone was looking at him. ”...It is my fault that Sotiris ran off.”

”At any rate, he will be safe. There is no need to search for him.” The pointed glance Music gave to Tempo and Tasia were quite telling – they could go back to their activities now. And more importantly, they could be left alone now.

Tempo looked like he was about to argue back, but knew that his misteress would be unmoving about it, so he sighed and left. Tasia was not far behind, but the worried look she gave her own master told that she would ask about this, later.

It was only when the two servants had left that she addressed her son. ”What makes you think that, Kios ?”

”He saw me.” That seemed explanation enough, but. ”...He did not take it well.” Obviously.

”Oh, Kios...” Echo rose from her seat, reaching up to rest a hand on her son's shoulder, squeezing it lightly in reassurance. ”It was never a matter of if, but when. If anything, you were simply a trigger for something that was inevitable.”

”Where is he, mother ? I... I'll go...” Apologize ? It was not like he had done any of this on purpose ! But he had to do something, at least.

”It will only make it worse, Kios.” Echo sighed. ”Soto needs his space... Just as you need your space. You two just manifested that need in different ways... Give it time. He will come to you when he will be ready. Trying to go to him now...”

”...Will just make it worse. Yeah.” Akakios muttered. He'd noticed, of course, but there had to be something he could do. He clearly could have done without all this bullshit. ”Anyway.” This was a little too awkward for him. ”You will be alright with it ?”

”I will have no other choice but to be.” Echo sighed.

There is always a choice. Lament wanted to say, but the words would not come out. He hated to see his mother so utterly broken, and he knew there was nothing he could do. Nothing but to bitchslap some sense in his father's mind, but that was impossible, given that no one seemed to even be able to get one word out of him. ”Well, then... I will be at the library if you need me.”

”Do not be too hard on yourself, Kios.”

That was easier said than done.

That was one step done, and from now on all that Xun Jiang could do was hope. Hope that he would not need to storm in blindly with his own group in tow. He would very much prefer to side step the heroics part if it meant that everyone would be alright.

He had led Music to the gardens, rather than heading toward any specific room. Fresh air would do them much good, and he hoped they might run into Glyph – he had seen little of his lover as of late. Forest had likely lost himself in his realm again, and the thought made him smile.

Beside, a neutral setting would likely be better for the conversation the Dragon King had in mind. Somewhere where the goddess could easily leave, if she wished. He really had no idea how Music would take what he had to say. Was he putting his nose where it did not belong ? Probably.

Did it look like Echo needed to talk ? Absolutely.

Through, in the end, the choice would be hers.

The walk was spent mostly in silence, through eventually Xun Jiang angled toward one of the tea houses, which thankfully looked unoccupied. The two deities settled inside and the Dragon King started warming the kettle.

Yes, it was becoming increasingly obvious that the Dragon King had some sort of plan. She could see it, even if he might think that she did not. Music she might be, but Echo could read as his body language. The more limbs there were, the easier it was, really. His tail was twitching back and forth, and she was not certain the owner had noticed.

Still, Echo was inclined to humor him, and had sat down on one of the cushions just as he had.

The idea of preferences, tea-wise, had been more or less brushed aside – whatever he would like, Music had said – through the Dragon King had been careful to pick something he thought the goddess would enjoy.

”So, what is it ?” The question caught him off-guard, that much was evident. Echo let out an amused chuckle at the Dragon's reaction. “There is something on your mind.”

”The same could be said of you.” Ti Lung pointed out. “Are you still worried about your sons ?”

”What mother would not be worried ?” Echo replied without hesitation.

Ah. Touché. “You have a point there... But things will be fine. And if they are not... Then we will fix it. I am certain Ankou would help, if I managed to get a hold of him.” Unfair bait, maybe.

”He certainly would.” And Nergal... Well. Nergal most likely would not. She had tried, with Ankou. They had gone together so many times, to the Underworld, to catch his attention. And yet nothing worked.

And yet, no one answered. The dead knew nothing, and Ankou knew even less. The Spirit Guide's annoyance was understandable. And she...

Ah. Her expression was all too telling. There was indeed the problem. “And you fear the father will not.”

Music said nothing. “Echo... Are you so used to help everyone else that you have forgotten how to help yourself ?” He was overstepping his bounds. Xun Jiang knew all too well. Glyph would have been better suited for this – he knew the goddess better than he did.

”It is... I...”

”No need to make sense of it. Speak, and I will listen.”

That seemed to do it. “He is not answering me... or Ankou... Akakios did not try, but... I do not think he wants to try. He is growing more distant, more independent... I believe he thinks his father does not care about him at all, and that is why he is not coming back.”

Ah. Family problems. And this was perhaps Echo's first time being a mother, or all he knew. At least, it was the first time in this life, and she did not have centuries of experiences backing her. Had she loved anyone other than Underworld ? Most likely not, for her devotion to be so strong in spite of it all.

“That will be matters in between the father and son. There is nothing you can do for that. This will be for Nergal to fix, not you.” If it could be fixed. Only time would tell. “Sadly... You can do your best, but you cannot fix everything.”

”He told me... He promised this would not happen again...”

...This was not the first time. Oh dear. The sudden hiss of the kettle made both the dragon king and the goddess jump, but Xun Jiang was quicker at reaching for it than Echo was, and poured the water out. “I see...” So maybe it was not the absence that was the problem, but the broken promise. Possibly not the first. To be honest, he was not sure what to say, exactly. He was used to long absences of loved ones, as Illithor had often slept for centuries on end. “Does it help to talk about it, at least ?”

”It helps.” Echo was already gathering her composure again. She was clearly sad, but she would not cry. She had cried enough tears about this already, when no one had been looking. “Ankou is going so much now... And I tried to help him, but...”

That seemed strange in itself. Had Echo skills with the dead that he was not aware of ? “Why should you be able to help him ?”

”I was to be Queen... I should be able to...”

”Through his rule. You are Songstress, not Underworld.” He reminded her. Perhaps she had been trying to focus too much on her role of queen, had been thinking about it much more than the role that would come to her without thinking, the role she had been born to fill. Echo tell looked away, and he blinked in surprise. “Echo...” Had he been too harsh ? “I...”

”No, you are right. I think I... forgot that.” She was Music, and there was only so much she could do. She could not even see or hear the dead naturally. Her powers could not affect them without Nergal or Ankou's help, either. “I figure I simply wish to help. Ankou and I are not particularly close, but he is... family all the same.”

Given what he knew of the Spirit Guide, Xun Jiang was not surprised. Ankou only showed others facets of himself that he wished to show, and while Echo might know more than he would... Perhaps the only person who truly knew who Ankou was would be Cosine.

“And what makes you think that is the only way you can help him ?”

”Um ?” Echo blinked.

”You are an aunt, are you not ?” He let out a small chuckle. “Keep a careful eye on his children while he cannot. Support Cosine when she need it. Of the two, you are the experienced mother. You will know things Numbers will not know, and you can teach them those things. You own experiences might end up saving her a lot of trouble.”

”...That is true.” Echo finally took a sip of the tea. The hints of a flowery taste told her that the Dragon had likely chosen with her in mind. “But... What do you think I should do ?”

That was a loaded question. “Only you know that, Echo. Only your heart can tell you.” If she had to let go... She would let go. If she had it in her heart to pardon her husband what seemed to be one more in a line of broken promises, then she would wait. “You might not know the answer to that question... And you are in no rush to figure it out. Take your time, process what you are feeling. Understand your emotions. What you can do in the meanwhile is... Be. Stop waiting on him, Echo. Nergal will return if he is meant to return. Do not let that fact dictate what you will or will not do. If he returns and is upset in your absence, then perhaps he is not worthy of your patience.” Okay, that last line was probably a little too much, but it was too late to take it back. Ti Lung could not help it – he hated to see someone as kind as Echo suffer the way she was suffering.

Thankfully, Echo did not seem to find offence in the statement. No, she could tell the Dragon King was being honest. “You are very wise, young Dragon.” She teased her companion, letting out a warm chuckle. “Very wise indeed. You are right... I must not forget... myself. There are people that believe in me, and it would be a disservice to their faith if I forgot them. They deserve the best of me, and for that I must take care of myself.”

”This old wyrm knows a few tricks.” He chuckled, reminded of the tea's existence by Music. He finally paused to drink some of his own cup as well. “We have no other choice but to learn. It is always easier to support others and help them out than to identify and understand our own problems, and sometimes the solution that might be the most obvious becomes lost when we are trapped in our own uncertainty, and our own sorrow. But sometimes an outside influence is all that is needed to help out, to make things a little clearer. If I was able to do this for you, then all the better. If not, then I hope you will seek out the person who will be.”

”You seem to speak from experience.” It was too easy to figure out, and if she could return the favor... Then she would gladly do so.

”Like I said, the old wyrm knows a few tricks. Tricks he might not have known before.” Ti Lung mused, but left it at that. “Feeling better now ?”

”A little, yes. Thank you.” Not completely better, but... only time could mend that. For now, through, she knew where to go. “Can you tell Tian Yue to come visit me sometime, when you see him next ? I miss him.”

”Of course.” He nodded.

The rest of their conversation was, thankfully, much more light-hearted, and the two went their separate ways in good spirits, hoping that the next time they would meet, it would be in circumpstances that did not involves having to rescrue a lost party.