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 Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:38 am
As before, the heavy scent of the incense filled the air, but this time, it was Turin's turn. He tried to filter out the others around him, the sounds, the movements, all of it. Hard to do when one was trained to keep tabs on their surroundings at all times. He had a job to do though, different from his usual job, so he set his sights on that, focusing on the blurry memory that was little more than a wisp of a dream.
His head seemed to be swimming, then he realized he could feel the current shifting around him and he was floating...somewhere. Opening his eyes, he found himself in the palace. While familiar, it also seemed different, though he couldn't put a finger on why. It was dim, though whether that was due to the nature of the vision or the time of day, he wasn't sure. He tried to head towards a window to the outside lakebed, but no response. So, he wasn't in control here. Guess he was just along for the ride again. Well, best to pay attention then. Couldn't do much else.
Whoever he was, he seemed to be swimming the corridors in a familiar sort of pattern. Like...a patrol. This course eventually brought him past the main throne room, and spotting something out of place, he halted. In the hall, a lone figure hovered before the Water element's globe. He entered silently, not saying a word to disturb her, only watching from behind a column, curious as to what she might be doing there. She seemed lost in thought, green scales shimmering in the low light as she hovered in place, though her golden hair seemed to wave slowly, riding some unseen current. After a moment, he decided that she didn't seem to need assistance, likely only wanted a moment to herself, so he turned to go.
A movement out of the corner of his eye caused him to turn back...but then he relaxed again. Even Turin recognized her from one of Tariel's visions...one of the calm ones, the throne room as well, with other Naiads gathered at Alu's sides. She was a graceful looking female, with flowing fins unlike any he'd ever seen before in his own life. After a moment, a name floated to the surface of his memory...or was that even his memory?
Mariya.
No need to worry, perhaps the Queen wished to speak to her about something in private. He'd just slip out without disturbing either of th--
A swift moment, a flash, then a growing red cloud in the water...
For a moment, he was too shocked to react, unable to process what he was seeing. Then, the fancy finned Naiad fled, the Queen sinking towards the throne room floor as the cloud billowed and spread.
NO!
He darted towards the throne, lifting the fallen Queen's head. Her mouth was open as if trying to speak, but no words came out. Their eyes locked for a moment...then hers seemed to lose focus. As her eyelids fluttered, the lights in the palace began to flicker. Then, she went completely limp...and the palace went dark.
He could hear the panicked shouts in the distance from adjoining corridors, but above that, the pounding of his heart echoing in his ears. Alu...was dead?
And on his watch.
By the hand of one they trusted.
He released her, her still body floating near the throne, and muttered a quiet, 'I'm sorry'...then darted out into the same corridor where Mariya had fled. Passing a panicking servant, he grabbed him by the arm and barked, "The Queen's been attacked in the throne room! All guards on high alert, I'm in pursuit of the attacker!" Waiting only for a brief, wide-eyed nod, he was off again.
Rage consumed his thoughts. Fury and confusion and betrayal swam in ever-tightening spirals in his mind. He couldn't think past catching up to the fancy finned female. What would he do when he found her? What difference would it make in the long run? Likely none, but she wouldn't escape unpunished.
He burst from the palace in time to see her darting into a crevasse in the distance on the lake bed. The Cave of Life? Had she gone completely mad? That seemed clear at this point, but was her intention to kill them all? What could she want with the eggs?
He pushed his limits, heart pounding, head throbbing with the fury and vengeance that consumed his thoughts. How could she? Why? What now? First, he had to catch her.
He was greeted at the entrance to the Cave of Life by another spreading cloud of red. The water already tasted coppery and though fury ate at him to push forward and find the one responsible, pity slowed his pace. A purple and pink scaled female floated limply, her hands clasped over her middle section. At his approach, she stirred, though her eyes were half-lidded as they turned to him. "Ka'...eo?"
"Yeah," he heard himself answer in an unfamiliar voice. "Hang in there, Iana...you're going to be alright." A lie and they both knew it, but she seemed to take some comfort from it, smiling back weakly.
"You're a crappy liar."
"I know."
She glanced towards the cave entrance. "It was..."
"Mariya, I know. Don't worry, I'll get her."
"I know you will," she answered quietly, her hands slipping from her middle to hang limply at her sides.
He felt the rage building again, tunnel vision focusing on the cave entrance as he started to resume pursuit. He almost didn't notice the sinking spear that missed him by inches. The tip hit the rock floor below him and fell over, startling him enough to catch his attention. A spear? But where had it come from? He glanced upwards curiously, not expecting the grave sight above. Guards and soldiers alike, armored troops sinking from the shallows and the surface. Something...swirling on the surface...disappearing...as more Naiad began struggling only to fall still and begin sinking. What...?
Confusion drowned his fury, and he started upward when the first physical sensation that something was gravely wrong hit him. Burning...his gills were burning. His breath hitched; he winced at the sensation and looked around. He couldn't see anything, but the pain was growing with each breath. Then, it hit him.
The Queen was dead. The lake was vulnerable.
The Blood Pae were attacking. Not with spears or swords, but...
Adrenaline kicked in and he darted down to the lake bed floor. He couldn't go up, the Blood Pae would be waiting to finish off any who tried to escape via the surface. But if he could go down instead, find some place safe...
He should have thought about how to warn the others in the palace. He should have realized that none of the water in the lake would be safe as the death spread. But survival instinct told him to run and hide. So that's what he did. There wasn't time for logic. His gills burning like fire, each breath causing sharp pains in his chest, he fled like a coward. Into the Cave of Life he darted, past Iana's still form, into the darkness. Or maybe that was his vision going. Everything was going blurry...dark...the pain overwhelming, but panic driving him forward. He swam straight into a cave wall he couldn't see, bouncing off roughly. The pain was nothing compared to the agony in his gut, as if he'd been stabbed and someone was twisting the blade. He wasn't sure how much more he could take when a haze started to come over him, dampening his pain with adrenaline and endorphins...the final rush before...
Back in present day, Turin stirred with a frown, then coughed. Reaching up to clutch at his chest, he doubled over in a coughing fit before slipping from his chair to the ground where he fell still and silent.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:59 am
Tariel's attention did drift from time to time as she watched watched the Faun for suspicious activity. She'd often glance back to Turin, his face giving away some of the emotion in the visions, at least she assumed because he'd look angry or sad or shocked (best one can look shocked while in a trance with one's eyes shut). Or maybe she was just trying to make something out of nothing because she was nervous and afraid to just sit there waiting for him to die.
When Turin coughed, she was pulled from her reverie and immediately focused on him. It was only a matter of seconds before he collapsed. Panic rose up inside, and all selfish thoughts were pushed away. She half expected this, considering what happened to her during her own, vision. And based on what EM and Vanya had mentioned, Turin likely experienced his past self's death. Either that or Naiad couldn't handle visions. Both entirely likely.
She was at his side, checking for signs of life. His gills weren't moving and she couldn't feel his heartbeat. She gently rolled him back, so she could start the life saving techniques Turin had just used on her not too long ago.
Earthmother was preparing for the worst. While the Queen was busy fidgeting and watching everyone else, she moved quietly to stand beside Vanya, awaiting the reaction of the Naiad Captain should he see his own death. The spirits were in a particularly mischievous mood today, it seemed, so she didn't put it past them to show a traumatic vision. Even though she was expecting the worst, it still came as a surprise when the Captain collapsed on the floor. But he was clutching his chest, which she assumed meant he died with the rest of the Naiad. Will all Naiad react like this? She started to wonder if perhaps it was inevitable due to the malicious and vile method they all met their end. So many restless spirits in the waters of Telrunya.
She placed her hand on Turin's abdomen, as she'd done for the Queen, warm healing energies coalescing under her palm. She reached for Vanya's hand to aid in the healing energy. The healing energy from the two female Faun would ensure a quicker recovery with minimal damage until his heart can pump on its own again.
Tariel didn't know what the Earthmother or Seer were doing; she'd never actually witnessed a pae with healing powers. She depended on the methods she knew to work, so she placed a palm on Turin's chest, and her other over it and began to push in intervals to stimulate heart beats. Unbeknownst, tears were sliding down her cheek, dropping to Turin's chest. She was whimpering slightly as she put all her efforts into saving her Captain's life.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:48 pm
Toli....definitely didn't like the idea of his father going through...whatever it was the Queen had gone through. Connect with his past self? Witness his own death? What was wrong with his current self, and, like, not seeing your own death? That can't be healthy.
Still, it wasn't his place to object, and it's not as if his voice would have done anything to change Turin's mind, so he's only able to watch, his insides like the sea during a storm, while the vision proceeds. He can't help but pace back and forth while everything was happening.
The sound of a cough jolts him from his nervous pacing, and he turns to look at his father just as he slumps to the ground. His heart drops practically into his stomach, and everything feels like it's happening in slow motion. He only vaguely hears the sound of his own voice, so he doesn't know if he's screamed or whispered. In a flash, Toli slides to the ground, kneeling by his father's side, crowding in with the Queen and the two faun women. Suddenly he feels like a child, unable to do anything to help. All he can do is watch, and pray to all the gods and little fishes that whatever they'd done to bring the Queen back would work on his father.
Numb, he doesn't even feel the hot tears freely flowing.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 1:08 pm
As the connection was severed, Vanya recoiled with a shudder. With her line of work, sometimes she might come across as cold, clinical, even distant. It was a requirement of her job though, necessary for her to keep her sanity and keep doing what she did for the sake of others, even if it couldn't be further from the truth. She could only take so much though, like any Pae. Although she experienced these visions in a secondary manner, she still felt the emotions associated with them, still was witness to the events within. Two intense readings, accompanied by all that had been revealed within? Her mask was starting to slip, as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and started dripping down her cheeks.
It was one thing to know that something horrible had happened. It was another thing entirely to have watched it happen.
But, she held her silence. There was other work to do first. She felt Earthmother reach for her hand and she grasped the elder fauness' hand with both of hers, head bowed in prayer as she lent her energy to the healing process.
Pain and fear had faded to nothingness. As awareness started to return, he waited for the pain to come as well. But it wasn't what he'd expected. His gills no longer burned like fire, his stomach no longer in pain...though, there was an intense, if short, pressure on his chest. As it came again, he groaned weakly, trying to shift out from under it. He needed to escape. He had to catch the Queen's killer. But, the waters...coming to get him...
Instinctively, he made a grab for whatever was pinning his chest to the ground. ...wait, ground? Brushing the thought aside, he mumbled, "..Mariya" while struggling to sit up, but in vain. He had to get away, maybe some rocks had fallen, pinning him to the floor of the cave. It seemed too light...too dry here though... Blearily, he opened his eyes, blinking at the light above before he could focus on the faces hovering over him. He focused first on the one whose arm he'd grabbed, leaning over his chest. "...Tari?"
His gaze shifted, passing over the two Faun women knelt over him to the last figure. "...Toli." His mind cleared in a flash, and he put the pieces together, given their expressions and his position on the ground on his back.
"...I suppose I can guess what happened."
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 3:59 pm
When Turin groan and grabbed her arms, Tariel froze, staring at him. Relief flooded over her like a tidal wave. Pulling free from his grasp, she threw her arms around him, her hair inadvertently falling in his face. With a couple of uncontrolled sobs, she manages to finally whisper, "I'm glad you're back."
She leaned back when she heard him whisper his sons name. A little bitterness bit at the back of her neck, but she waved it off as now was not the time for petty jealousy. She looked to EM and Vanya, noting that they too had shed tears. They didn't for her; so was Turin's vision that much more powerful? She wiped at her cheeks to clear the tears.
He also said 'Mariya'. She wondered about that, because the manner in which her name was mumbled wasn't just because he saw a random Pae. It had to be significant. "Let's get him up, calmed down before he talks. Do you need water, Turin?"
Earthmother moved away when Turin sprang to life. She knew things would be okay, he only needed to reconnect with himself and rest. She hoped he wasn't as emotionally volatile as the Queen. She stayed nearby just in case. She gave Vanya's hand a squeeze and leaned in towards her. "Don't worry Dear, you've done good," she whispered. "Let's take our seats once more."
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 5:07 pm
Tariel's forceful hug was answered with a quiet 'oof' from her Captain, followed by a chuckle as he returned the gesture with an arm around her back. He didn't seem to mind her hair in his face, half-grinning as he answered her whisper with, "Me too." Likely just the endorphin rush from his near-death experience, but the Captain felt more than a bit giddy and light-headed at the moment. Tariel's close contact wasn't helping.
Fortunately, considering they weren't exactly alone here, she soon pulled away and Turin could attempt to sober himself a bit. Catching sight of his son again, he struggled to sit up and reach out to clap his hand solidly over his shoulder. "Hey, kid. Pull it together, okay? You ain't got rid of your old man just yet." He offered a half-smile of reassurance, making note to talk to 'Toli later in private. He likely had some apologizing to do for that stunt he'd just pulled.
But, it had been worth it for what he'd learned. Personally, and for them all. Remembering what he had just learned and needed to share finished sobering the Naiad Captain up, and he looked up with a resolute frown. "Yeah, just let me get off the ground first. Water would be great," he finished, clearing his throat. Even if it had only been a vision, a memory...he could almost swear he still felt the burning sensation creeping...
Shaking it off with a shudder, he continued to sit up with a slight wince. Nothing he couldn't handle. Still, he accepted help offered to get him up and back into his chair.
Vanya nodded, appreciating the gesture from Earthmother and trying to suppress a shiver of exhaustion. Physical, mental, emotional, all of the above. Hopefully, her job could be done for now; surely they had more than enough staggering revelations to discuss at this point. She started to rise from the ground, but when she placed her weight on her left leg, it quivered and she started to fall...
...only to be caught by someone on her other side, opposite Earthmother. Surprised, she identified her savior immediately by the brilliant green aura surrounding him.
Rais braced the Seer until she got her hooves solidly under her again. "Woah...careful now. Come on, I think you've done enough for today." He'd originally moved around the table to prepare for any possible trouble when the Naiad Captain had awakened. As it turned out, he had little to fear from that, but was glad he'd been on-hand anyway.
Perhaps he'd been a bit colder towards his Sister on the Circle than his new Brothers in the beginning. It had taken a lot of time and adjusting to the idea before he could become comfortable with it. Only when he'd seen first-hand some of the work she'd done, both for their people, as well as for him and the other Circle members, he'd had to grudgingly acknowledge her skills. More recently, he'd learned enough to know that some of the things she dealt with on a normal basis? He would want no part of.
And yet, she'd chosen to take the role.
He wondered how many would have quit by now.
He pulled her chair out for her and waited until she was seated. He poured a cup of water and set a plate in front of her before reaching to the fruit bowl in the center of the table and selecting a ripe mango. Rais smoothly drew a knife from his belt and split the fruit in half, flicking the pit aside, then setting the two halves on the plate. He then wiped the blade clean on the grass before sheathing it. "Here, this should help," he said quietly, reaching for the Seer's hands to guide one to the cup, the other to the plate with the fruit. He had witnessed her impressive abilities to read other Pae's auras and interact with them as if she could still see. He'd also seen her trip over a footstool that he'd moved in his study shortly before one of her visits. He squeezed her shoulder gently before moving back to his own seat. "You've done well, Sister. You've earned a rest."
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 6:14 pm
The Queen offered a hand to help Turin up. She couldn't help the smile she had knowing he was alright now. After helping him to his feet, she asked if maybe some of the water on the table would be enough. She hated to see him in pain from drying and exhaustion, but she was eager to wrap this meeting and get them all home. She would escort him to the water if she needed to.
She put a hand on his back, moving it in small circles as she hummed a soothing melody. It became second nature to sooth her court in this manner. By now, she had a better handle on her own emotions and actions, and composed enough to finish out the meeting without outbursts, she hoped.
Tariel's show of affection did not go unnoticed by Earthmother. She kept her mouth shut, wondering the extent of the relationship the two Naiad had, and if perhaps pushing the Queen for heirs would be a good idea or not. Rais was to have his soon, Spirits be willing.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 7:14 pm
Mildly surprised by the personal attention, Vanya was nonetheless grateful for Rais' thoughtful gesture. Hand closing around the cup, her fingertips traced lightly over the edges of the fruit on the plate. "Thank you," she offered in return with a gracious nod. Just a sip of water felt like a blessing, and the Seer fell quiet for now, allowing the Naiad Captain to tell his story while she had a chance to recover and re-energize.
On his feet with Tariel's help, Turin wobbled a bit, then regained his balance. Her light touch and calming voice did wonders to calm some of the lingering turbulence in his mind. He still had dire news to share, but it helped to remind him that he was back to his own life, his own body, and distant, at least for now, from the events he'd just witnessed. Yes, he knew what her abilities were capable of. It didn't stop them from working. He certainly didn't mind at the moment either.
After a moment, he reached out for his chair to seat himself again, somewhat reluctant to break contact...but there was work to do. "Just a drink will be fine. I'd rather not delay further," he explained, turning a grim expression on the gathered group, Faun and Naiad alike. All he had seen whirled in his head, and more recent events pushed their way to the front. As he waited for a drink, he seemed unable to hold back the information he'd gathered much longer.
"Those sons of bitches poisoned us."
His voice was harsh, the words practically spit from his lips with a sneer. He set his elbows on the table, leaning forward to rest his head in his hands. "They poisoned the whole damn lake just to get to us. Cowardly, dirty sons of--"
For the first time, Rais allowed his shock to appear plainly on his face. This was the first that they'd had any clue of what had happened to the Naiads in the war...but, it didn't make sense. "Wait...what? The entire lake? But how? Shouldn't it have been protected?"
Turin was rubbing his temples before raising his head again. "I'm sorry, let me start at the beginning. We...I mean, Alu, was betrayed," he stated, confirming their suspicions. Also, he was having some issue separating himself completely from the memory still. He narrowed his eyes, glaring at the table top as he recounted what he'd seen. "Not just by her own kind, but by one of her Court." His gaze flickered to Tariel, wondering if her own vision had more information than he had, but figuring she at least would recognize the figure if Alu had known her so well. "Mariya. Fancy fins...I didn't catch her title or anymore than that, but...did you see her too?" Turin had got the feeling that she was a familiar presence in the Queen's company from...Ka'eo, was it?
"I don't know why she did it," he admitted, turning his gaze back to the table. "She stabbed Alu in the throne room...and fled. I...well, Ka'eo I think his name was...gave chase. When Alu died, the palace went dark. Ka'eo chased her to some place called the Caves of Life," he explained, frowning. "Something about eggs...that's all I got. There was another there, a caretaker of some sort...she'd been attacked as well. He was about to continue after the other when something else happened. From above, Naiads, soldiers and guards...dying and sinking. There was something in the water near the surface, swirling and disappearing...the lake was vulnerable, no longer protected with Alu gone. Then, my gills started burning, the pain growing greater until..." He stopped suddenly, clapping his hand over his mouth with a wince. He'd slipped back into the memory, the pain, the panic; rambling about what he'd experienced.
Quieter now, he turned and looked aside at the ground. "I'm sorry. That's all."
Across the table, the Seer set her cup on the table, her head down to hide the glistening trails snaking down her cheeks once more.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:08 pm
Tariel listened to Turin's recount of what he saw. It's not often she sees him this angry and this passionate. Even after soothing hums. The story he told sent a shiver up her spine and caused her hands to start shaking, so she pulled them under the table so no one could see. This was too much to process all at once.
"M... Mariya ... Alu's recollection, when I was in her head ..." she stopped and looked towards Aeroniel. She couldn't say it. It couldn't be true. "I don't who she was, only heard the name," she lied, immediately thinking of ocean waves to clear her mind and block the thoughts from her Lady in Waiting. She couldn't afford to think about it right now, besides the tragedy that befell the Naiad kingdom was too overwhelming.
"All those voices ... silenced. The children, too." She couldn't contain the grief and started sobbing. How could the Blood Pae be so full of hate to kill innocent Pae and children even? "W...why would they do that?" she managed to get out. She looked to Earthmother for answers. "Was anyone saved?"
Earthmother was as shocked as the rest of them. She knew they'd perished quickly, but didn't know how dark their fate really was. And hearing it, with the anger in Turin's voice, made it that much more real to her. She knew they died, but it wasn't quite the same as having confirmation of how. The elderly faun shook her head, rattling the little globes of light on her antlers. "It can be assumed the pearls in the Caves of Life survived not only the poison, but the catastrophes that hit the land after." She knew of some of the island's fate, such as the Sundering, because that is when Laisidhiel had to become self-sufficient. Of course, she didn't call it the Sundering like the Blood Pae did. She refers to that event as the Cleansing; when the Blood Pae were given the fate they forced upon so many other Pae'il. "I know of no other surviving Naiad, but you need to know, I was not on the battlefield either. I was protecting our young, and our own acorns." She felt bad that they at least had a chance for preservation, when the Naiad didn't. She considered the other capitols, and what they may have gone through. Were any of their annihilation as dishonorable and cowardly?
Even her own death, by the hands of one of her most trusted was shocking, but it was rest of the kingdom dying, that was devastating. An entire underwater kingdom. That had to be hundreds upon hundreds of deaths on the hands of those Angels and Demons. Why?
Tariel wiped her cheeks with shaky hands. "Did this have anything to do with that... that book? The prophecy one?"
No wonder Tua was quiet about the details. He didn't want to have to deliver such devastating news.
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Posted: Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:19 pm
As illogical as it seemed, Turin felt guilty for delivering such devastating news. Of course, he realized that someone had to do so; this was important, it was their history. Yet, Tari's tears, even the unseen tears of the Faun Seer weighed on his heart. It wasn't much, but when Tariel started to sob, he reached out to wrap his arm around her back. It wasn't more than a sympathetic gesture; but he wasn't sure what else he could do. Those countless deaths still weighed on his mind...the faces of those few he'd seen... He closed his eyes tightly, nothing more to add to the conversation at this point.
Rais took a moment, trying to absorb what he'd just heard. The shock was nearly overwhelming. He'd known the Blood Pae to be distrustful and violent from his own recollections...but to sink this low?
He took a moment to dip his head respectfully, eyes closed. "I know it is far belated, but you have our sympathies for your losses. Though we knew that the price paid was heavy for all of us, such news is never easy to hear." He lifted his head at this point, eyes narrowed. "And now, we have all the more reason to prepare to protect ourselves in case thoughts are ever stirred to try such ever again."
He spared a glance towards his Seer, then away sparing her from speaking again. "Given what we have seen in our own recollections, we must believe this to be true. Conversations and passing references are not the most solid bases to go on, but they are all pieces of the larger puzzle. We just need to put them all together. From what we have understood thus far, the Blood Pae demanded that the book be given to them, once they learned of its power. They were, of course, refused, as they meant only to use it for their own greedy, selfish purposes. So, they declared war on us, demanding the book or our destruction."
He sighed softly, shaking his head. "It sounds like an enormous cost...so many lives for a single book. And yet, if they had gotten ahold of the Book, showing such desperation just to find it? Imagine what worse damage they could have done if they had gotten it."
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 8:09 pm
Belvah had been listening from a distance for some time at this point. She was rather grumpy about having to waddle everywhere, but that wasn't a thought that the female was going to let cross her mind right now. Through the snippets that she'd caught, everyone was distraught. They needed a cheering up, or at least something to soothe their nerves.
Standing on the tip of her hooves, trying to count the heads of everyone sitting around the table, Belvah wobbled. Satisfied, she counted them once more to make sure she had the right number and waddled off to Mojo's bar. Drinks all around. It was going to take her a moment to toddle back, carefully balancing everything so it didn't slosh around as she walked. At least what amounted to walking for her right now.
The silvery faun hoped she didn't miss much while she was gone, though she gently cleared her throat to call a small amount of attention to herself. A brief thought of a curtsey occurred to her, only to be dismissed. Juggling so many drinks around a large belly, it wasn't working out so well, and would likely be far worse if she tried to perform any acts of politeness. "Pardon me, but would anyone like a drink? You seem like you all could use a pick-me-up" She offered, holding out the tray closest to her husband, doing the same in turn for everyone around the table.
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Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 7:03 pm
Aeroniel did what she always had done best.
She observed.
Her expression, unchanging. Her lips, unmoving. Her eyes, booring into those in front of her, attempting to read things that she couldn't dare to understand--what was all this nonsense about visions? Aeroniel worked in the mind and she worked in the present, and all of these past emotions that were racking everyone were things that were only familiar to her by feeling the ebbs and flows that were coming from the people near her, particularly Tariel and Turin.
But that was mostly because she was the most used to them.
The only sign Aeroniel gave on how... disturbed she was by all of this was the slight tapping on her leg with a finger, body otherwise continuing to be relatively unmoving. In some ways, it was unnerving, though it could definitely explain why she kept her position next to the flighty queen's side.
What puzzled her the most out of the horrors that were spoken was the fact that she felt no ... deep connection to any of it, like the others seemed to. Turin seemed to have personal experience with it. Tariel, even more personal. Her? ... Nothing.
Aeroniel tapped her tongue against the roof of her mouth.
Hm.
When the new arrival entered the scene, Aeroniel tensed more, but relaxed when she moved towards the Chief Rais. She was nothing to be concerned with.
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:50 pm
"While I wish we could believe the best of the Blood Paes' intentions, my instinct tells me that we cannot let our guard down. We must assume that because their efforts in the past failed, they have not given up on their desperate search for the Book and will try again," Rais was saying when movement from the corner of his eye caused him to pause and glance aside. He was surprised to see his wife standing with a tray of drinks at the edge of the clearing, and even more so by her explanation. How had she known...?
Unless she had sensed his distress at the meeting's events through their soul bond.
He moved to take the tray from her and move it to the table, all the while silently berating himself for slipping up. He should have kept a tighter reign on his emotions. He should have realized that she might feel his distress through their connection; Laisidhiel only knew what she may have thought had happened. She didn't need any additional stress right now; not in her condition.
"Please, help yourselves," he said to the gathered assembly, then turned back to his wife with some concern. Having relieved her of her burden, he reached out to take her hand and place a supportive hand at her back, guiding her gently towards his own chair. "Thank you, Belvah, but you needn't have troubled yourself so. At least, someone could have helped you," he lectured lightly; he'd been doing that a lot lately, he knew. Only out of concern. "I am glad you're here though," he admitted, leading her to take a seat. "Rest for a moment, then I'd like you to tell us more about what happened with the creatures," he explained, referring to the incident where she'd been attacked after the storm; the reason so many new security measures had been instituted in Laisidhiel.
He stood once more, lifting his voice to the group. "Shifting our discussion to the Blood Pae'il of today and their motives, I'd like to return to the matter of these strange teenagers and the hostile attacks that seem to coincide with their presence. As I may have mentioned before, my wife was involved in one of these incidents," he explained, giving Belvah's shoulder a light squeeze of reassurance as he stood protectively over her. "As was our Seer," he continued, "and I'd like to hear her own testimony again afterwards."
Vanya's ear flicked lightly towards Rais as she was mentioned, though she remained still otherwise. She had been as surprised as the other to sense the Chieftain's wife's approach and wondered for a moment what could have called her here when she'd not yet been sent for. Her comment seemed an almost comical understatement of the recent events unveiled and the effect it had had on the company. She couldn't possibly understand what she'd just interrupted with her entrance.
Yet, perhaps this was a good time for such a jarring, contrasting interruption to shake them all from the feelings of disbelief and sickness stirred by what they had just learned. If they fixated on the tragedy of the past, surely hot tempers may lead to rash actions in the present. She had no idea if any such tempers existed among the Naiad just yet, but there had been hints that it may. Of course, the fury displayed by the Captain had been justifiable, given the shock and emotional melding with which he'd learned such terrible news. Already, he seemed to have calmed to some extent.
Taking the time given to her to gather her thoughts before needing to speak, she took a deep breath and sighed, mentally rehearsing what she needed to say to share her own strange tale.
Relieved to have the attention shifting away from him again, Turin seemed to relax a bit, though it may have also had something to do with Tariel's proximity. He sighed quietly, preparing to focus on the other's story as she spoke. Tired as he was, a protector's instincts never slept. He watched the Faun pair's movements critically, noting the female's swollen belly, the Chieftain's sudden shift to a more doting behavior, giving up his chair for her...
Pushing forward, Rais continued. "I would like to have my wife, Belvah, share her story with you first. She was attacked some seasons back by strange creatures; perhaps her account, in addition to the others, may provide us with some clues regarding these potentially hostile forces." He failed to mention whether he meant the Blood Pae teenagers or just the strange creatures that had been appearing from the dark forest to the south as of late. He would let her tell her tale with no further influence on his part, allowing the gathered councils to form their own opinions. The only prompt he gave at this point was to gently squeeze her shoulder as encouragement to speak, remaining behind her chair, seemingly at ease while maintaining a protective posture.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:44 pm
Belvah blushed, sitting down in the seat Rais had offered her. It was rather odd to take his chair, but the little ones growing inside her had insisted she remain still as often as possible right now. And then he went on to ask her to recount the attack just before she found out about their children. Is that what they were talking about?
"Thank you for your help Rais." She smiled, gently rubbing her tummy. They were happy to be near their father, regardless of the tension in the air. The fauness scanned the table, taking in the faces. One was familiar. The others seemed friendly enough if Queen Tariel had brought them. While Rais was addressing the group once more, Belvah gave Tari a small wave. She was happy to see the other again, even if it was trying circumstances.
Belvah, taking comfort in her other half's proximity, inhaled deeply. To steady herself while recounting the tale.
"It was shortly after the great storm that destroyed so much of the great isle. Many of our acorns had gone missing, along with a rather sizeable mess to clean up. I volunteered to go out in search of the missing acorns, with an escort of course." She paused, remembering Faroth's part in all of it. "We were walking towards the bridge, not even off our own isle yet when two blood pae teenagers came out of some nearby bushes." A frown crossed her features. "My escort seemed to have met one of them before, but was generally as shocked as I was at how powerful the two teenagers seemed to be. One of them was able to heal the other. Right before our eyes! On top of the other things they did in the short time they were present, it was almost terrifying. And then the children spoke of hunting something. That something turned around to attack at them shortly after they had revealed themselves." Belvah shuddered, not wanting to recall what the creatures looked like. She was still trying not to remember the wound they had caused.
"Four of these... beasts flew out of the forest and started to attack us. I think that they were poisonous, from the purple fluid they were leaking from their tails. One of them seemed intent on trying to kill one of the teenagers, the other three... Well, easy target and all that." Another frown, "The blood pae fought bravely and they managed to kill at least one of the beasts. Both of the teenagers were able to produce swords made of light, which is what finally did the beasts in." She shook her head. "There was one left, and they did something to it. I'm not certain what it was, but it was... The beast looked frightened. It looked like it wanted to run away when they finished with it." She closed her eyes, shivering from the memory. It was one she would rather have blocked out, but it was important. Everything that happened to her was important now. There would be no forgetting.
"After that, everything gets a little fuzzy. I might have passed out from shock of it all, or I was indeed poisoned. I don't think I ever thought to ask Vanya which it was." She blushed, looking towards the seeress. Wonderful news had accompanied the attack. News she was still carrying around. Belvah looked up at Rais, finished with her account of the tale, waiting for him to ask more or move on to Vanya.
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Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:17 pm
The Queen was still and quiet when the large faunness approached the table. She had her hands resting in her lap as she leaned back in her chair. The actions of the new arrival lit a little spark inside Tariel. It wasn't until Rais started doting on her and talk of a wife fanned that spark into a fire. Tariel was raging jealous, and to make it worse, she knew she had no right to be. She was no part of this Faun society, had no claims on Rais or Arda as it seems she'd been attached to. She was going to have to work on reigning in these new emotions. But for now, she had to use every ounce of her strength to appear natural and unbiased. Even if her instinct was to challenge the pregnant faun.
Among the horrid jealous thought, Tariel managed to think about the more important issues briefly, and a thought popped in her mind regarding the Book, but she'd hold off on that until after listening to the account Rais felt was important from his wife.
She turned down the offered drinks.
"While out with my cartographer, we were approached by several teenaged winged-Pae. Their posturing and actions led me to believe they were hostile, so we tried to flee. But roots from under the marsh attacked one of their own, so they were distracted enough to leave us alone." Tariel added once Belvah was done. "But Belvah's account makes it seem they rescued her and her escort. So the inconsistency is hard to make a guess." She twisted her hands nervously in her lap under the table. Something about what Belvah said didn't really add up and she wondered about the integrity of the woman. Or maybe her thoughts wanted to find flaw in her. Either way, it didn't add up.
"Are those teenagers a product of the dark forest?" she asked. "And are they really that big of a threat to us? They are children and there only seems to be a few of them."
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