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 Posted: Wed Oct 11, 2023 11:58 am
Vaani 4
Vaani's entire face lit up when Isaia turned her way. He looked so much better than he had the last time she'd seen him and there was a little shine to his eyes that wasn't fever born that just made him look all the more handsome. HEALTHY. She meant healthy!
Now the tips of her ears and the back of her neck was warm for reasons other than fear!
"Really, it's alright, I wouldn't want to impose." Still, with Isaia's insistence and - Dad? Oh, well, that explained the resemblance....and she'd sassed him! And this was his sister? Ah, so his mother must have been....The lightning woman. Maritza. The one they hadn't been able to find....
Gods above, please help them...
She'd been moving to sit at the end of his pallet, by his feet instead of at his side to give his family space, but Vaani paused. "Oh, would you like tea? I should have asked. I don't know where to find any, but I'm sure I could ask around. I know where some water is, though, if you're thirsty?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 2:02 pm
(5/7)
It meant something. That look Zadia gave him, and her loving him. He loved her too, and smiled tiredly back at her, but before he could say it the others had joined their little circle. Isaia knew, deep down, that it was cruel to be so enamored - but it felt so much easier to fling himself into fancying a lovely girl, instead of looking at his exhausted father and sister and remembering that Mom--
Static buzzed in his ears, and he shoved the thought aside, even when doing so made him feel heavy with guilt and shame.
His dad was next to him, and the comfort that brought was impossible to convey. The warmth of his magic was familiar and reassuring, relieving the ache in his knee that had been bothering him. He flashed his dad a smile, but then shifted towards Vaani, giving her his best disappointed, heartbroken look he could muster. "What? You're leaving already, Vaani?"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 2:17 pm
(5/7) For the most part, Isaia's condition was consistent with what Uquin had been told. He sagged a bit in relief, returning his son's smile, and was focusing on a few... lesser concerns. His son was clearly exhausted, a bit paler than he liked, and had shadows under his eyes that suggested he wasn't sleeping well. That could all simply be from the haunting nature of this facility, with injured crying or screaming from beds nearby, but it was still heartbreaking to see on his child. Beyond that, he was concerned about the potential for scarring that would impede his mobility, and was already thinking how best to address it.
Of course, then his son began to pout, and Uquin sighed and sat back a bit, shooting him a flat, but fond look. Then, his eyes slid to Vaani, assessing for a moment, before a small, amused smirk settled on his face. "In the interest of not upsetting him-" He raised an eyebrow at the girl as he quoted her words back to her, then pushed himself to stand. "I have tea. I will retrieve water, and return shortly. You'd best move closer, or I'll never hear the end of it." he gestured to the now vacated seat by Isaia's side, then left the children to... well. Do whatever it was they would.
Vaani still looked half terrified, and Zadia looked displeased. It was sure to be entertaining, when he returned.
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 3:33 pm
Vaani 5
If Vaani's ears could have drooped any further they would have. She looked absolutely guilt ridden in the wake of that heartbroken face. Before she could think of the right words to assure him, however, his father was stepping in with-
Oh, what cheeky man.
He'd turned his words right back on her! And oh, how her skin flushed under the realizations. Vaani's seafoam eyes widened, her mouth opening just a touch before closing on a decisive 'hmm' and a nod. You got me. The last thing she wanted was to ruin whatever peace their magic was giving Isaia so, at the behest of his father, the Yaeli moved closer to Isaia's side before sitting.
"I was only leaving for tea," She reached out to put a hand atop Isaia's, giving the little exposed bits of fingers a squeeze. "But...now I can stay." Looking up, she caught Zadia's eye, and as politely as possible Vaani removed her hand to place it back onto her lap.
"Might I...uhm, know your name?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 18, 2023 3:39 pm
Zadia 5
If she hadn't been trying to make sure her dope of a brother wasn't comfortable then maybe she would have caught the exchange between Vaani and Uquin. As it stood all Zadia caught were the words and the near forlorn way her brother pined after her. Seriously, what happened on that ship? It was amusing, in a frustrating way, and slightly...she didn't know how to put it. Good? Reassuring? If he had time to focus on girls then Zadia knew Isaia would heal.
There would be marks, though, internal and external. His knee...Would he ever walk without a limp?
"My name is Zadia, and our father is Uquin." Just to spare their father...whatever this was. And speaking of oddities - "Isaia, what is this on your wrist? This little charm thing?"
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 5:36 pm
(6/7)
His dad was being awfully accomodating, and Isaia had enough sense to feel a bit worried about that. He eyed the old man, but once Vaani settled down to sit (and spirits, when was the last time the poor girl had gotten to sit down?!), he was easily distracted. If not that, then her reaching out to touch his hand (the one Zadia wasn't still holding), would have definitely settled him again.
"My dad has the best tea anyway, you'll like it." Isaia reassured, grinning between the two girls. Then, Zadia drew attention to the charm, and another man might have flushed with embarrassment to be caught coveting a charm he'd received days ago.
But Isaia had always been shameless, so after a moment he awkwardly hefted his arm up as much as possible so his sister could look better, eyes sliding briefly to Vaani, then back again. "Oh! Yeah, it's - Vaani gave it to me. It's a token for the gods of-" He trailed off, then grimaced and flopped his head somewhat melodramatically into the makeshift pillow Zadia had tucked under his head. "Drat. I've been praying to 'em, but I don't even remember what they're the Gods of. Do you think it still counts?"
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2023 5:39 pm
(6/7) It was hard not to smirk at the girl as he left, retreating to the fringes of the warehouse where a few harried workers were throwing together soup and water for the survivors. A few healers eyed him critically, no doubt eager for him to step in to help, but considering they had most patients settled he would refrain unless an emergency appeared.
And if he took a little bit of time to heat the kettle and steep his own herbs, then so be it. As he watched the young ones from his vantage point, he could see them at least talking now - if he'd remained much longer, he worried Zadia would have succeeded in shooing the girl away.
Latching on to a stranger was natural, but he'd have to wean Isaia off it eventually, when he was more stable. It was unhealthy for the poor girl, if not for Isaia himself.
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:32 pm
Vaani 6
"I'm sure it's grand." Vaani smiled down to Isaia, her exhaustion coming through in the statement. Tea was tea and she'd never really cared much for the stuff. It was always so bitter to her, though she wasn't about to say that in this moment and risk insulting someone.
And, naturally, even if Isaia wasn't about to show embarrassment Vaani was. Her cheeks darkened to a rich, deep mocha and the yaeli shrank under Zadia's pensive look. "Oh, uhm, it's Lurin and Dafiel. The God and Goddess of the Lands of the Forgotten and Remembered - I'm sorry, you were praying to them?" The longer she spoke the faster Vaani's words became until her posture had lifted. "Has it...Has it been helpful?" She'd hoped it would bring him some sort of solace, but a part of Vaani had just expected Isaia to blow it off. He was under so much physical stress and the medicines they were giving him....well, it was a wonder he'd remembered anything she talked about.
Really, she was touched, and yet - Her eyes lifted to Zadia. "I'm sorry if that was overstepping but I thought it might help."
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Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 4:42 pm
Zadia 6
Stop praying to Gods you don't even know, dumba=!
"I think it still counts." Oh if her smile could have gotten any tighter Zadia's skin would have snapped. Just where was Uquin? Just up and decided to leave her alone with all of this, hmm? 'Making tea' what a convenient excuse. She could have made it, and saved herself from all of this. Honestly she'd never seen her brother so besotted and the girl looked half-dead on her feet as it was. Still, you wouldn't know that by looking at him. She may as well have been half-dressed, covered in jewels and forming stars even time she blinked.
This thing with the Yaeli gods, however...Land of the Forgotten and Remembered? She didn't like the sound of that. If their mother wasn't missing she may have let it slip, but this...this pinched a nerve. Was she trying to get him to accept the fact that mother might be lost? She needed to get his girl to go away so she could have a nice long talk with their father.
"It's kept him distracted, but I don't know that spiritual worship suits you, Isaia."
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2023 3:39 pm
(7/7)
Honestly, she should have been insulted that he'd forgotten her gods, but Vaani took it with the utmost grace, which settled whatever guilty nerves might have swirled in Isaia's gut otherwise. He lowered his arm again, once Zadia had seen the charm, squinting at his sister because for the first time in this conversation, he was getting the inkling that she was frustrated. "Hey, you don't know that." Isaia responded, quickly, cheeks coloring. "Don't diss it just 'cause we didn't grow up with it. And it did help! It did!" This, he addressed to Vaani.
He didn't know if he believed it, wholeheartedly, like she seemed to, but it had been reassuring to think that some greater being might hold the reins of his life, just for a minute, while he recovered. It felt better than the stark reality he'd grown up with - that bad things happened and there was nothing a small, measly little earthling like him could do to stop it. Before he could go too far down that road though, his dad returned and Isaia shot him a grateful smile as the two girls were turned away, sagging back a bit into his blankets.
He couldn't really explain how much better it felt, to be next to his family and not alone in his thoughts, surrounded by strangers. ... Even if Vaani was lovely, he could concede that it would be a relief to her, too, to not have to check in on him as much anymore.
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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scarlett arbuckle Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2023 3:47 pm
(7/7) Uquin dallied as long as he felt he could get away with, but eventually had to return, thin arms laden with a tiny, chipped set of pottery, steaming. He'd opted for a lightly herbal mint tea, and after presenting the cups to the two ladies, he quietly pulled a tiny jar of honey from his bag, offering it with an arched brow to each girl in turn.
For Isaia, notably, he didn't bring scalding hot tea, but once the girls had accepted their drinks, he circled around to the boy and offered him a mint leaf to chew on, huffing a quiet laugh when his boy let out a ridiculously delighted sound. What sort of pain medicine had the dosed him with? "I'm certain you're pleased not to have to drink tea, this time." He chided, brushing his hand affectionately to brush Isaia's hair out of his mismatched eyes.
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2023 2:14 pm
Zadia 7
As much as Zadia wanted to snark that yes it was overstepping and that indoctrinating someone into a religious faction while under the influence was wrong she didn't. Yet. For now it was keeping Isaia together and while Zadia had been prepared to nurse him at his bedside the moment she got word that he was alive she hadn't expected him to be this mentally cognizant. There were moments, naturally, where she wondered but if this was giving him something to hold onto who was she to take that away?
Once he had healed, however, there would be a talk.
Instead of responding Zadia gave a very poignant 'hmph' and turned to see their father approach. She took the cup of tea graciously, even going so far as to forego the tea for the darker brew.
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Posted: Thu Dec 14, 2023 2:20 pm
Vaani 7
As she accepted the offered tea, Vaani couldn't help sparing a glance toward Isaia. Now that his family was here to tend to him he might actually be able to rest and then...he wouldn't need her anymore. It was bittersweet in it's own way. There had been moments when she'd hoped he would have latched onto anyone else with half the spark he had her and yet the attention was calming. Vaani didn't like being on her own, less so in an area of high stress and ailing strangers. Isaia had pushed his way in to the point that she considered him kindly, though things might change once clarity came to him.
This would likely be the last time they spoke to one another and Vaani was grateful it had ended so positively.
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