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 Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:02 pm
"I am pleased it helped." Lird stated. "I have only experienced briefly what it is like to be without sight, but I know it is not pleasant..." he reached over to his pack and pulled a wrapped package out, tearing off a lump of the bread he had bought, and rooting around until he was able to pull out some of the meat as well. "Please, I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sincere." he moved a little closer to Szin and held the food down to him.
"As for washing... there are a few places but the water is very chill. I do not think the sensation would be a pleasant one for you... but..." he paused for a moment looking thoughtfully down at his pretty companion... damn. There was that description again... pretty... he wished he didn't find him to be so.. "I think there may be a somewhat better option..." he moved away once more to settle himself by his back. "If you can be persuaded to allow me to rest for an hour or so, I will be heading back to what is left of my house.. the buildings of it that still stand... I would be more than happy for you to accompany me, if you will.. we have a warm spring on the land we still maintain, and you will feel far more refreshed if you're able clean yourself well, rather than in a hurry..." he wasn't sure why he offered... it wasn't common practice in his troubled family to bring people home...
But honestly... what else was he going to do with Anon?
He didn't wish to head to the city... he could hardly be left just to wander... so the only solution seemed to be to take him with him. He wasn't lying about the bath... he didn't like the thought of Anon washing in the cold water, his dark skin speckled with the shining droplets as his hair clung to his neck, his shoulders... okay.. enough of that one as well. It sufficed to say he thought it would be better if the bath was warm.
"You won't be in the way. My brothers usually don't reside with me, they tend to stay with the matron we work for, so I have the run of the place a good deal of the time... the companny might even be nice.." he was smiling once more, there was nothing, not a thing about the beautiful males company thus far that had not been delightful...
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:20 pm
He took the bread easily enough, and only after a brief moment of hesitation did he take the meat as well. he supposed that he could have worried about the food being laced..but again. Just as he had spoken before, he was too weary to worry about the ill will this male most likely held for him. he was too toried and weak to honestly put up much of a fight. Even with the rest he had recieved, he could not shake the tiredness that hung about his heart.
"Well... a cold bath is not something I'm too uncommon with. The water's much warmer down here then in compare. Still...I really would like a real bath. It feels like weeks since I've been able to properly clean myself." What he was suggesting was, in short, to have him travel with him. Perhaps he wanted to get him someplace more comfortable for him to take his time doing..well..whatever it was he would do. Yet even with such depressing thoughts clinging to everything he said, Szin found it uncommon that Lird would not have taken advantage of being able to dispense with a game of deception to take the easy route. He hadn't even questioned him more about who he was. What sort of underdark elf just accepted a answer at it's utterance with no more probing?
"I...I have no path to choose..I don't know east from west..I can do no worse then by following you. So I will accept your offer and give you my small thanks for your present kidness." Szin slowly replied. He would be thankful for what he had..not for what was promised. In this way he felt he was at least guarding himself well enough from a pending betrayal when it came...
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:44 pm
Lird had to admit he was somewhat relieved when his offer was accepted. He wasn't really sure what options he had left as a back up, and the simple acquiescence made it a lot easier for him. He did as he had said he would, he took a rest for about an hour in the end, just long enough to take the edge off the tiredness that was beginning to creep up on him, and when he awoke he ate a small amount of bread himself, to make sure he didn't hunger on the trip. After that he simply made sure of his belongings, requested Anon do the same, and, putting out the fire made his way from the cave.
He knew the trip wouldn't be easy for his companion, so after a moments thoughtful hesitation he decided the best course of action was to take the other males arm with his hand and act as a guide to him along the difficult path they were following along the often unused tunnels. He'd tell him when to mind his footing, when to step up or down, he simply tried to help him out, regardless of any argument.
The rout wasn't easy, it would have taken Lird about an hour alone, but with Anon and the fact that Lird slowed the pace for the light blinded Drow, the walk took them together a little over two hours to complete... he was rather relived, he had to admit when they finally reached the area that belonged to his family. Their house was not as impressive as some, the mouth of a large caven marked be the beginning of it, and served as a kind of courtyard that had once been used for the mage's training. The gate across it squeaked as he pushed it open, leading Anon inside.
The house itself, like so many was made of solid rock, carved out of the walls of the caves themselves, with magic in this case. It was quite lovely. The rooms inside were even and neat, the passages smooth... Mer himself had had a good deal to do with the construction before he had specialised his gift to one rock type forsaking usability for accuracy and power.
Parts of the house had collapsed, but what remained was lit with lanterns that burned with a low blue fire, less painful to the eyes of drow, and enough to see by. Lird took his companion to a corridor, pointed out his own chambers, and directed Anon to a set a few doors down and told him that while he was here, they would be his own.. the small corridor opposite would take him to the baths, where a warm spring bubbled up and allowed a tub to be filled.
He had excused himself after that, telling Szin he would be in his own rooms when he was done if he wanted any companny, he had some letters he needed to write and send out via the one or two helpers his house had retained... he'd leave Szin to his own devices for a while.. it might help him feel settled. With that thought in mind, Lird had set off to complete his tasks..
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:20 pm
Re-entering the darkness of the tunnels brought back the painful fear that he would again be lost. So when it was Lird thought to take him and lead him..he would find small fingers clutching with a desperate strength upon him. It was easy for Szin in the darkness to cease fighting the fear that filled him. His face twisted in the mask he had fought hard to surpress. After all, in the darkness he assumed none would see it.
The path was hard to follow, and his feet ached at the uneaven surface. But it was nothing compare to what he had felt prior to his rest. Such was his relief when he saw the glowing blue lights that he actually made a small laugh of relief. At last! Where ever he was, it was no longer a tunnel and...the bath! Oh! The bath! Lird hardly had to urge him along. He paid little heed to the impressive ruins of the House. His mind was distracted by the thoughts of the bath. Though later, as he rested in the hot water and soaked, his tired eyes were able to appreciate the masonry within the room.
Clean...he was finally going to be clean. His hair returned to it's proper shade. the grin and dust and sweat cleansed from his black skin so it glreamed like newly polished ebony. Szin even submerged all of his clothing and wrung it clean of the travel remenants. Once he was more refreshed he would study his spells and renew them. Szin's eyes traced over the folded battle fans fondly. Most of his spells were from his natural abilities with the Air element. But those that required time and study were etched into the very folds of his fans, beneath the protective material to better conceal their true nature.
Only after he had donned the mostly dried cloths once more, did Szin leave the bathing room. He felt so much more refreshed! Happy really! Beneath his breath he hummed a melody he had often danced to about a battle for renewal. "The love is lost, beauty and light, have vanished from the garden of delight. The dreams are gone, the night has come. The darkness is our new kingdom. Angel of darkness, the world is in your hand. But I will fight until the end..."
Perhaps it was a poor choice to sing...but here in this darkness it seemed right...Szin's heart had been lightened some, and perhaps...perhaps his goddess had sent him help of a kind. he was clean and fed and rested. If not a touch sore, but he seemed to have a safe place here to rest and perhaps...perhaps there was a map or way to reach the surface nearby... Thus he did wander..and thus he did admire...
The house was surely a ruin, and Szin felt like there was definatly a story here. But..as he found himself drawing close to the doors he was certain were Lirds. Should he ask? Did he have a right? Hesitantly he tapped upon the door, the hummed song dead upon his lips as he waited to hear a answer from within.
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:34 pm
Lird had managed to sort his work out for the most part, and had sent one of his helpers off with a note to his eldest brother, and the book as well. It would be returned to Ariadne, and Mer could accept the rewards for now. Not that they would be great. He was relieved really to have an excuse not to go, though he liked the G'eld house enough, he never liked to be away from his own if he could help it.
He'd moved some things around his room, he'd placed the food he'd bought in the stores, had a very quick wash in a basin of cool water and had changed his clothes, still wearing nothing on his top half of course, he'd long since given up that particular habit, the scarring he had suffered was too much or an irritation when under fabrics.
He'd just been putting the last of the items he'd taken with him, his staff and cloak away when he'd heard the knock on the door. With a pleased smile that Anon had actually come to look for him, for there was no one in this ruin that knocked so gently, he crossed the room, lifted the latch and pulled the door open. "Anon," he stated with a smile down at the other male in the blue light. "Are you feeling better now..?" He did hope so. "Sorry the room isn't better furnished.." a dresser, a trunk and a bed were about the best they could manage, aside from a small cupboard for clothes and a couple of shelves on the wall. "I hope it will serve its purpose.."
He stepped back to allow the other into his room if he wished.
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:50 pm
When the door opened, Szin found himself needing to take a slight step back so he could peer up into Lird's face a bit more easily. It was surpriseing how quickly he had forgotten how tall the male was. He simply could not recall the last time he had to look this far up to see someones face.
His attention was turned shortly to the room itself. It seemed...nice enough? It was certainly a bedroom...perhaps this was not the best place to be lingering after all? But with the House in the state it was, he doubted there were many places they could both meet. Besides..what else would he do now? "Lird." He returned the greeting, and slowly he stepped within.
"Have you done what you needed to?" he cautiously asked Lird as his eyes picked through the room carefully. "I am feeling much better, thank you. I feel clean and refreshed. Though still a bit sore and in need of rest from my travels. This is something to be expected though."
He lifted a hand, and made a small gesture towards the room itself, a faint slightly forced smile was pushed to his lips as he did such. "This is...fine really. It is your room after all. I have made do with far less before. A blanket and tent served me for years. This all is almost decadant in compare."
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Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 11:00 pm
"The rooms just down the corridor that I showed you before will be there for your use, while you're here." he stated with a small smile. "My own here, these rooms, are somewhat untidy, the guest rooms are kept neater.." they were the only other set of rooms that the three brothers had bothered to keep neat, and he was pleased they had now so that Anon would have somewhere to stay.
"I am pleased you are feeling better though. A few days rest will do a lot to wear away the pains of travelling. It is one of those things that only time will make you accustomed to.." he wouldn't say it aloud, but Anon seemed too slight indeed to ever really become used to travelling a great deal. "You can feel free to come and go around this place as much as you wish.. take care though if you go down any unlighted passages as they have been weakened.. the ones with lanterns Mer and I have worked on to ensure they're safe to use." This was somewhat awkward honestly... how did you talk to someone you didn't know at all?
This had never been his strong point...
"You are probably wondering about the state of this house however..." he mused aloud after a moments silence. "My family were not liked by many... as you can probably see from my own height, and you would see from my brothers as well if he were here that out blood is not what you would call... good blood, or so the belief is... too tainted. Our house was flattened about six years ago.. the people and the building too... my brothers and I, and one cousin or two maybe still live through violence and luck..." he shrugged. "We hope to rebuild her one day..." he smiled slightly once again.
"I almost envy you having no knowledge of your house.. I hope your forgotten story is less tinged with sorrow..." he wanted Szin to feel comfortable asking him anything he wished...
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Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:58 pm
How long was he going to stay here? Guest rooms? Until now Szin had suspected he'd either be locked up or dead by now at the very worst. At the very best, that he allowed himself to think that he could rest until he was no longer weary then he could continue on.
If only he had true rest! Real rest! Something more then just sleep! His mistress...his wife...she had kept him working and exhausted constantly. He couldn't remember the last time he had the inner strength to use his magic. He could recover here...regain his strength. Then he would plan his journey. Providing Lird did not turn on him between now and then. He was not certain but he was positive he would be incapable of contending with the magic using male. He was beyond him physically, and most of Szin's spells were meant to be used as support...he loathed useing the offensive spells...
"I will be honored by your hospitality." Szin quietly returned to the offer for resting here and useing the guest rooms. He bowed his head slightly, a lock of lavender hair sweeping across his cheek in the motion. "I am sure I will recover quickly. I would not wish to stay longer then is proper. Your hospitality is...uniquely appreaciated."
The state of the House...as it was brought up, Szin found himself listening with one ear, and trying not to let his eyes wander too much. The obvious dancing about with words seemed a hint that there was so much more to what was being said...but...Szin could understand that. He personally needed to be more careful about what he said. Still...Szin's green eyes turned back to Lird. He honestly had no idea what he meant.
"I don't know...I mean...you...do not have to explain anything to me..." Perhaps feigning disinterest would save him from the errors of ignorance...or at least save Lird from the uncomfortable need he felt to explain this to him. Still... the sympathy the other felt for him. It seemed oddly misplaced. House? No...Replace House with Temple or village or family and he'd be more correct. Szin's lips quavered as he tried to force a smile upon them. "Yes...quite...fortunate I do not remember anything..."
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:02 am
"You don't need to worry so much." The taller Drow stated with a negligent wave of his hand. "There's really only me and a couple of helpers I have that live here now a days, and I come and go every so often so you'll not be underfoot." He was telling the truth. His house was pretty much deserted of inhabitants aside from the two young runnners he kept by him to help him get things done and messages sent. "You're probably still tired, so take your time, okay? Stop fretting about that until you feel a little better and can think a little more clearly." He reached a hand forward and pressed a hand to Anon's shoulder for a moment, the practically jumped his hand away from him again... the little glow of warmth he'd felt under his hand the moment it had rested on the others shoulder wasn't... right... it wasn't good. He'd not wanted to feel the little glow of contentment he'd felt... his black soul seemed to rather like something about the other young male... ugh. That was stupid... he was imagining it. It wasn't real. He wouldn't think things like that... his bloody sub concious had more sense than that...
He was aware however that the rush of thoughts had meant he was silent for quite some while... and he didn't need Anon worrying that he was angry or anything, so he pushed a friendly smile onto his lips once more. "Sorry, my mind appears to be wandering a little.." stepped away from the other male.
"I can't honestly even remember what I was saying other than I really do wish you would make yourself at home here for as long as you wish. There is food, there are beds, there's space, and I honestly don't need it." he was floundering a little. He wanted to help this other male... for some reason or another... at least that's what it felt like... but he wasn't really sure why, and he wasn't really sure what he could actually do.
He certainly wasn't sure why he wanted to help...
And he was definitely going to ignore that little nagging want in his chest...
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:04 pm
The hand that touched, and lingered, upon his shoulder sent a shock of stiffness down Szin's spine. His green eyes flickered a bit more widely at the unexpected gesture. It had been different in the tunnels where he had been nearly completely blinded. The touch of their hands against eachother had been out of neccessity. So that Szin would not have gotten lost or harmed during the travel here to this place. His mind was lost though for those few moments. The touch, and the resulting jump from the taller male was startling. Szin felt a moment of fright of course. His hand reached up to grasp his shoulder and rub at it, as if to quickly remove the lingering presence of the others touch.
"I.." Words failed him. Completely and utterly failed him. Lird did not act like the many other drow that he had come across down here. He certainly seemed as skittish at this moment as he felt himself. His stammering mirriored his own unfocused thought pattern. He felt a panic though. A terrible panic that set him to trembling. The generousity felt so..impossible. He wanted to cry again. Already his emotions were high and strung thin from the simple talk of Houses and where he belonged. The urge to suddenly blurt out something..anything welled up like some sort of hard stone in his throat. His lips parted, trembling, then clamped shut. As strong the urge to speak, the fear of the results were stronger. He turned his head away quickly, and forced the thin and faint words from his lips.
"Your kindness is appreciated. I will stay and regain my strength. Thank you..but...you must want something in return. Please..do not...do not play with me. Just tell me what it is. I can't..handle this very well. I'm scared and.. and I just..please... I can't rest well like this...."
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:05 pm
The little outburst from the other drow surprised Lird greatly... he'd not entertained the notion that Anon would be entertaining such thoughts... though now he actually thought about it he could see why it might actually be the case... he'd not really acted... appropriately... Drow were not kind, they weren't soft natured, nothing to the like at all... it was no surprise then that he'd made Anon feel uneasy.
He shook his head slightly and lifted a hand, running his fingers back through his hair. This was difficult.. "I'm sorry. I know I must be giving you completely the wrong impression here. I know its not... common practice to... well... open up your house to a stranger down here, but you have to believe me... I don't really want anything at all... I was just... trying to help.." he felt somewhat uneasy about actually owning up to it... it was this manner of behaviour that had gotten his house in trouble in the past.... was he simply opening himself up to that again with this?
"You can rest easy, don't worry yourself over it. There is no payment for me to come and claim, no debt I'll ask you to settle... please... just... rest, take things easy and try not to fret too much.." for a moment he lifted his hand, he'd had half a mind to lift his hand and touch the other male once again... but he managed to stop himself. Ugh. What was wrong with him..?
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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:49 pm
It seemed contrary to everything. Szin wanted to press his palms to his chest and still the racing of his heart. Everything in him begged him to just run away. Yet for some weird reason he remained standing there. Unmoving as Lird tried to assure him that things were just as they seemed. Szin found himself dropping his gaze to the floor. That brief touch, despite his attempt to brush it away, still lingered like some sort of warm blanket that had almost enfolded him.
Mutely at first, Szin nodded his head. He knew what was really bothering him..he wanted to believe this stranger. Lird. He wanted to believe him and to accept this kidness without questioning it. The fact he was forcing himself to question him made him feel uneasy. Of course..there was much about this that made him uneasy...
"I am sorry. I am..." Szin inhaled slowly, and took a moment to try and calm his thundering heart. "I have been having a very difficult time. I am...alone you see. It just seems like...everyone has some sort of agenda. I've hoped and prayed to...to meet someone whi might...ti...it doesn't matter. I will not question your motives. I just..."
Slowly he lifted his eyes to the taller male, his trembling smile returned to his lips. "I just want to recover and go home. Thats all I want. I want to go home and put all this behind me." He turned to look at the door, his hand lifting to limply gesture in it's direction.
"I will go to the room now and sleep. I think I need more rest. The bath has helped immensely. You must have...things to take care of." His head slowly bobbed in his scattered thought state.
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:37 pm
"I think sleep would be a good idea." Lird stated with a smile. "I'll have one of the children run and get you when there is food available." He was of course referring to one of the young runners he'd kept with him. "But until then settling down would do you the power of good." he smiled, the expression friendly.
"If you do need anything at all though, do feel free to come and ask, I won't mind being disturbed, I assure you." he smiled once again, pushing himself away from the door however. "Rest well."
He pushed the door closed then, not slamming it by any means, and not really hurrying the other away, he just needed to end that conversation, and he needed to end the contact..
Wow were those some weird feelings though.
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Posted: Thu Mar 19, 2009 3:10 pm
Sharing meals would not be a possible option though. Once Szin returned to his room he fell to slumber like the dead. Long hours were spent in deep but disturbed sleep. He could not find a good rest with the terrors that still were real threats to him surrounded him. At times when Szin woke he found himself despairing he'd never find that safe sleep again.
He ate...he slept...and he spent a rather unusual amount of time bathing. Cleaning his body over and over. Scrubbing his flesh and his hair until it stung. After only a day of this he found his ability to use his spells returned. When he was not so bone weary from work and terror it was amazing how quickly the skill came back to him.
He used the fairy light spell constantly. When he was awake he always had a pale golden or blue white orb floating about. The brightness of the color made it much easier for him to see in it's low light. The colors also returned to him the comforting sense of the surface. When he bathed he split the fairy lights into hundreds of smaller lights, ina mimic of the fireflies he remembered danceing across the waters of the ponds he once bathed in. These small things gave his homesick heart some small comfort.
With the regaining of his strength he summoned the small weak elementals he once made constantl use of. The small air elementals formed into the shape of dark and light moths, small creatures that he whispered to in sylvan as he had been taught, to better convey his intentions to them. He supposed that he could use any language to talk to them, as air elementals theyw ould understand him reguardless. But the old language from the surface also restored a bit of the ache in his heart.
The moths served mostly as companions. Fluttering around him and cooling the warm air with it's constant flow. He really did miss the winds of the surface world. So he surrounded himself with a faint breeze when he could. Exploration of the House came only a few days after he had restored his magical powers. He had no desire to borhter Lird..but... all the same he felt a small drawing to the larger male. At least to be near him...perhaps he could just..watch him? That would be fine perhaps? Where washe though? Szin had sent a moth off to discover the location of Lird so he could..perhaps... sy on him a little?
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:36 pm
Things had definitely been strange around the house since he'd brought the flighty young drow home with him. He'd heard all manner of weird stories. All manner of weird tales from the young boys who worked for him. They'd heard singing... and the songs they reported had been ones 'like he had sung all those years go' and he'd used very strange lights as well... liking to use them rather tan the darkness that the rest of them chose to live in... he liked the light, he sung songs that Lird could only presume had come from the surface... and then, there was that... the little winged creature he'd seen fluttering around him... a moth? That was what... he'd... said it was when they'd all visited the surface together...
He'd spotted it earlier, it seemed to be trailing him... He didn't mind so much really, but he was going to have to talk to Anon about a couple of things.. just about being a little more, well... careful. He didn't think it would be such a good idea if he aroused suspicions outside of just himself and the two young ones who worked with him... they wouldn't cause any trouble, they reported only to him... but other people would not be so good to him.
He didn't wish to see any harm come to the other drow... but he needed him to tell him what he could do. If his memories were still gone, if he was still befuddled there was little to be done for him just now, so only advice to try and keep himself out of the line of sight and suspicion could really be of any assistance to him. He wanted to help... he wasn't really sure why but he did. There was this certain allure to the other drow that made him want to keep him close, but at the same time terrified him to the point that he just wanted to keep him as far away as possible at the same time.. it was quite the conundrum...
He decided that he needed to speak with Anon, he needed to tell him that while his antics didn't worry him in the slightest, he wished him to take a little care with them regardless... he would hate to see him hurt. He would go to find him, his first port of call was the room he had given to the yong Drow. He drummed his fingers lightly on the door.
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