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Kedean | 5

What's Finn's history with the Alkidike?

Kedean frowned. It was a good question, for it certainly seemed like a sensitive subject for the boy, but not one Kedean had an answer to. He knew the general recent history of the Yaeli involved the invasion of extremists, ‘banished’ onto their lands without their say. But this felt more personal. Before he could answer, however-

Finn’s scream cut into his thought process, and he grit his teeth, stepping forward—the guard, though, beat him to it. Kedean hesitated, glancing between the security and his comrade. There was a prickling under his skin, some buried instinct wanting, in spite of himself, still to intervene. Don’t touch him like that. But he held himself at bay. The guard didn’t seem to be hurting him, just stalling him, and the man was right.

The last thing they needed at this moment was to cause a commotion.

His attention was still on Finn, attempting to gauge whether he’d been hurt at all when—Where’s Frehy?—Kedean gave a guilty wince, eyes immediately sweeping back out in search of the man who was supposed to be his focus, and for several too-long seconds, he thought he had lost him-

Then, a familiar bickering voice drew his gaze and—Kedean’s shoulders relaxed a fraction, a sigh escaping as he shook his head. “He seems to have found someone he knows…” Someone who wasn’t especially pleased with him from the looks of things, but at least he was within sight. Kedean’s attention moved back very briefly to Shavas and Finn, gaze lingering on Finn. “Please…try to contain yourself for this gathering at least. You could stir more trouble than any of us are ready for here…the people are anxious enough.”

Kieran - 4

Kieran's gaze shifted so quickly as he listened to his daughter's screams. Despite their situation pride created a small smile which only spread as his own wife held her ground against the group of shifters. It definitely was an improvement from before when she would have fainted just from being approached by strangers from the mainland. And as his wife glanced towards him the Yaeli gave a supportive nod. She had this, the girls had already started something and he found himself agreeing.

"For our families I would say it's best that we all step up to the situation. Hiding has never saved anyone." He replied sternly, his gaze narrowing, "I would rather fight a hundred wars than let anything happen to my family. What of you?"

Shavas l Post 6

Shavas felt her heart stutter, butchered his family? Her Ire faded fast and she found herself feeling somewhat ashamed of her words and actions. She stared at the ground for a moment, her face and ears heating as she struggled with her thoughts and emotions. No one she had ever picked a fight with had such a complicated history. Or had she simply never bothered to think about it? The thought was uncomfortable and she shoved it to the back of her mind to deal with at some other time.

She glanced up at Finn, an apology in her eyes but she choked on the words. Her pride stung, he had behaved dreadfully. She didn't want to apologize, but she was sorry for egging him on when she hadn't realized he was upset about something more important than their petty squabble.

She tugged at her hair, hard, and then hesitantly met his gaze. "I'm an idiot," she declared suddenly. "And probably sheltered, and selfish, and a lot of other words I could say. And maybe you're right to be mad at me, you've been through... A lot, it sounds like. And i haven't. That would probably make me want to punch someone too. So... Sorry, Finn. These Alkidike sound awful. "

Shavas looked away immediately after she finished, beet red. If he snapped at her again, she would be calm and hold her cursed tongue, she would not resort to brawling, she was going to be good. Thats what she kept repeating to herself anyways.

Tytus Post 4

"I see." Tytus pressed his lips into a slight frown, a rare sign of seriousness from the playful lancer, "But at the same time I don't think it's simply about making up for our past. At least not anymore...if these creatures are so dreadful what's to stop them once they take care of the Alkidikes? Call me vain if you wish but I do not see them holding their own, not without help." These Dretch were rumored to be super vicious creatures - that much he had picked up from others while he was working his way through the army.

Tytus sighed as the other man's words rang true with him, "As do I. Both of my children are barely a few years old and I worry about leaving their mother's side..." He murmured before leaning on his lance again, "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see where necessity pulls us. I personally would prefer it if these creatures stayed put in Jahaur, but can we truly trust that to be the case?"

Adenah ll 5

...if she's that strong. Adenah mentally scoffed. Her mother was that strong and more. What other foreigner had led the Belpol Irregulars before having to fake their own death? None, that's what; with her mother at the helm those Dretch wouldn't stand a chance, but she supposed that maybe having this guy standing at her side wouldn't be such a bad addition.

"I'd say the same, but I don't know your name." She could take a guess, of course, or give him a nickname; something short, quick, too the point, but also unique. He likely wouldn't appreciate it, but Adenah might.

"Sure thing. If you come all the way to Jauhar and find me, I'll give you a go." Not that she would be as much of a challenge as her mother, but Adenah could try. She wouldn't mind tackling him to the ground, if for nothing else than to show him what she was capable of.

Kedean | 6

Alkidike butchered my family…

Kedean breathed out, a furrow creasing his brow, and perhaps he shouldn’t have — for Finn had so far demonstrated that he did not much appreciate physical contact — but he reached in spite of himself on instinct, laying a hand at the young man’s shoulder when he shifted nearer, briefly, before withdrawing the touch in case it was unwelcome. Prior to this moment, Finn had not revealed any specifics about his life before Oba, and Kedean had for the most part chosen not to press. It was clear regardless that he had suffered hardship beyond most, and he didn’t need to know the details unless the boy wanted to share.

This, though — while not surprising, he supposed, given all factors — leant some perspective to Finn’s attitude towards the alkidike.

I’m an idiot…

His gaze flit to Shavas. She wasn’t an unintelligent girl, at least. Sheltered by her life, certainly — but Kedean had never been one to hold that against a person based on the fact alone. Different people carried their history differently. And anyone this young who was already recognizing how privileged she was to have what she had—was on the right path and off to a good start. Kedean couldn’t say he knew how long Finn would even decide to remain with him, but still, it felt prudent to say:

“I will be going nowhere for this conflict…until the battle is brought to Oba, my place is here.” While Kedean had no focused grudge against the alkidike himself, it also simply was not part of his life or preogatives. He would fight for a united cause if he had to — even if it was not ‘his’ fight — if it came to his door. But it sounded as though this was not only a distant struggle in the literal, physical sense at this point, but one very distanced from anything he considered part of his life at all.

He couldn’t help but feel a pang of dissatisfaction, though, with the manner in which their leaders were handling this. Surely anyone who knew anything of the relations between the races would understand the Yaeli had already taken a leap of faith to come here at all, and the alkidike had been tossed on their shores like toxic waste no one else had been willing to deal with. Now they had the gall to call them cowards because they did not wish to fight for those who had murdered their children?

It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

Valek - 5

The boy skirted around groups of men who shifted before him. At first he had thought to reach out to the other girls, but he settled for simply staying in place as he kept an eye on his father who was standing nearby. As long as he could see his father standing tall in the crowd then he felt safe. Surely to try and investigate a bit more wouldn't hurt, right?

Biting his bottom lip thoughtfully Valek nodded his head to himself before scurrying forward.