[PLOT][PRP] A nighttime visit... [Turin + Kelebek]

[Menelie]

Toli had returned home in high spirits, which lifted Kelebek's own. She'd been hesitant to visit Turin on his sickbed for several reasons. She hadn't wanted to run into Queen Tariel. She'd heard on the currents that the Queen was recovering well, and then from Toli that Turin had mentioned that she hadn't visited him. Strange, since Kelebek had thought...eh, nevermind what she thought. Turin's business with the Queen was his own, not for her to meddle with. Apart from that, though, she hadn't wanted the whole lake to know that she was visiting him. She didn't want people to think that they were....something they weren't. The thought sends pangs through her heart, but she pushes it away.

It's just before nightfall now as Kelebek glides through the darkening waters toward the infirmary. She's glad she'd given Toli the coral bouquet to take earlier. It's so fragile, and she didn't want to risk breaking it or disturbing the colony. She slips past nurses and other patrons until she gets to Turin's room.

Hovering in the doorway, she knocks gently on the frame. She hopes he wouldn't object to her visit. Even though they aren't mates, they could at least be friends. And she'd nearly rubbed the skin from her hands worrying over him the past few days.  

[Teigra]

A grandfather...he was a grandfather...

Though the hour was getting late, sleep was far from Turin's mind, as other thoughts had taken up residence and didn't seem to be going anywhere else anytime soon. He was still reeling from his visit with Anatolio earlier. While it had been emotionally draining, he still felt wide awake, and even lying still and staring at the walls, sleep still evaded him. Might as well give up on it.

A soft knock at the door seemed to echo the passing sentiment. Blinking, Turin looked towards the door, the first thing he saw was pale pink hair, long and floating free in the doorway. "Kel..." He smiled, holding his hand out to beckon to her. "Hurry, get in here before the night shift shoos you away," he teased lightly. Poor timid thing would probably take that as a serious threat.

It really was good to see her, and the Captain was welcoming visitors to his annoyingly boring current existence. Today had been a good change of pace. Toli's visit earlier, however, had reminded him of things left unsettled with the mother of his children. Nearly dying out in the ocean made one think a bit about how silly it seemed to avoid issues rather than dealing with them before it's too late. Funny how it put priorities into perspective.
 

[Menelie]

"Oh!" exclaims Kelebek, looking alarmed and turning to look over her shoulder. She almost disappears for a moment, just the edges of her body visible. She'd turned the color of the water, whatever that was.

Once she sees that the coast is clear, she turns back to Turin. "Don't scare me like that," she says with a good-natured smile, slowly returning to her pale rosy color as she comes into the room fully. She puts her hand in his outstretched one, and settles near his bed, squeezing his hand.

"How're you doing?" she asks, tilting her head sympathetically, concern clearly shining in her eyes. "I heard that Toli gave you quite a lot to think about today...maybe he should have waited until you were feeling better."

She's nervous being here already, and now even more nervous that the night shift would kick her out. She could disappear again, but it seemed so cowardly. Suddenly she wonders why she'd come. What she could possibly say to him. She wonders what they are. She wonders what had transpired between Turin and the Queen during their harrowing experience in the wild and uncharted places they'd been. Trauma had a way of driving people together... She looks away from him briefly, trying to banish the thought. Try as she might, and even knowing for certain that he didn't return her feelings, she could never shake her affection for him, and the jealousy she felt when he was with the Queen. She'd love him forever, even alone. She forces a smile onto her face.  

[Teigra]

Chuckling softly at her reaction, Turin shook his head. "Ha ha, I'm sorry." He returned the brief hand squeeze. "Didn't mean to." Honestly, even if there were anything to worry about with the night staff and late visitors, he could likely get her excused if only on the reasoning that having a visitor kept him from irritating the hell out of the healers themselves. "Don't worry. I'll chase 'em away if they come bother you," he added with a smile.

"Still feeling a bit tired," he admitted when asked about how he was doing. "But, I'll get my strength back," he continued reassuringly, having seen the concern in her expression. He subtly tried to keep attention away from his kelp wrappings that covered his fresh scars, suddenly all too aware of how alarming they might appear. She was always so sensitive, especially where he was concerned. He thought back, realizing that it wasn't that he didn't notice; he just had never been too sure how to handle it, so he'd tried to gloss it over as temporary infatuation, something that would fade with time. And when it hadn't?

Well, he supposed that made him a bit of an insensitive b*****d for not addressing it sooner, in favor of his own personal issues.

"Toli's been back to tell you too, eh?" he inquired, then rolling his eyes. "Oh, that boy...what a mess he's gotten into." He shook his head slightly. "I'll admit, it was a bit of a shock, yes. Certainly broke up the boredom in here." He looked up at her questioningly. "How did you take it? I mean...grandparents," he said in disbelief. "And...to half-Angels," he frowned. As a fellow Aernyn from the sea, how had she taken the news? He had to assume, based on what 'Toli had said that his mother took the news more favorably than his father had. Still, these were the Pae'il responsible in part for driving them from their old home.

Something else 'Toli said came to mind, prompting another question. "Toli said that...you'd been telling them stories," he murmured, not referring to what types of stories exactly, certainly not the ones about their grandfather. "That means...you've met them then. What...what are they like?"
 

[Menelie]

Kelebek chuckles. "Oh Turin, they are a joy and a treasure. You should have seen them when they were little. Chubby little tadpoles just like our three. They couldn't stay for long when they were little. Toli had to pass them air fairly often. But now? Now they're just like Naiads with...I don't know, two tails." She grins, then softens.

"I don't know. I was surprised, taken aback when he told me. He was smarter then, and he brought the little ones with him to tell me. How could I stay mad, with babies floating in my hair again?" She shifts a little and almost rests her head on Turin's shoulder, but stops herself. "I couldn't hold it against him, even if they were part angel. It wouldn't be fair, considering the...the circumstances behind our own."

"But they're good boys, Turin. And they're turning into strong men. I don't see as much of them anymore. They're off exploring the lakebed. And I think Anxo's found a girl..." she says thoughtfully. "He sort of has that moony look about him. And Dysmas, he looks so much like you, you know, he's been talking about going to see the Queen, to ask to go through our ritual, ask the Water's blessing." She pats the back of Turin's hand. "Whatever their blood might be, they've both thrown their lot in with us Naiads." She knows he'd worry about the boys' loyalty, worry that even Toli's alliance might be called into question. It's a hard thing for a new grandfather to think about.  

[Teigra]

So...she'd known for some time. And she'd never said anything to him, nor given any hint that she'd known...

Or perhaps it was just that he'd not seen much of her, and when he had, he hadn't been paying attention. Well, that thought sobered a bit of his momentary feeling of betrayal before it could take root. He had no room to be criticize anyone for their behavior in this situation, it seemed.

He was just antsy at being locked up in here for so long, he told himself.

"I suppose that's how things go," he said, a general statement including all of the talk of growing up, moving on, shaping lives. He sighed heavily, sinking back on the bed. "Sounds like they've got the spirit of Water in their hearts, from what I keep hearing about them. My issue doesn't lie with where they feel the most at home though," he explained with a frown. He wasn't questioning their loyalty to their father's kin, though perhaps he should be, given recent events. Hard to do that with family though, even family you'd never met and only recently learned of their existence. "I'm worried that more will behave as I did at first," he admitted not without a touch of shame. "I heard 'Angel' and I heard little else after that." He still didn't completely understand why, but all he had felt at that moment was anger, betrayal, outrage...it was only the fact that it was his own child in the room with him that managed to calm him down long enough to view the situation objectively. His son was the only reason he'd even opened the door to considering being okay with what his son had done with one of those land Pae.

"How are others going to react, Kel?" He turned a concerned look towards the pink female. "If they want to be a part of our society, our new home, then how are the others, Aernyn especially, going to react to them?"
 

[Menelie]

Kelebek's heart does a little leap, hearing him use her nickname. All she can do is smile as she answers, "If the Water accepts them, then there's no room for argument, is there?"

She waves her free hand a little to clear the water between them. "Enough of that, though," she says, shaking her head. "Those matters are for you to discuss with Toli, and with the Queen should it come down to it." She smiles a somewhat self-deprecating smile. "I was never very good at politics. Let's talk about something else, hm?" She looks around for something to change the conversation with, and her eyes light on the kelp bandages like stripes across Turin's skin. She winces visibly. No, let's not talk about that.

"I...I'm glad Toli brought the coral when he came," she says, remembering the pinkish-orange bouquet nearby. "I probably would have bumped it into something." Alright, so this wasn't a brilliant topic of conversation, either. But at least it was less stressful. She doesn't want Turin to strain himself thinking about hybrid grandchildren and the implications, or complications, they bring while he's trying to get well.  

[Teigra]

An overly optimistic, bordering on naive view of things, but, Turin didn't say so out loud. Kelebek looked so hopeful, he couldn't just tear that away from her. He didn't want an argument either, because in the end, it wouldn't change anything to come. Her point was valid, yes; if the Water approved of them and accepted them, granting its blessing, then there was no question that they belonged here. But, logic wasn't always an effective weapon against prejudice.

He allowed her to change the subject, seeking something else to talk about. No, not about Turin or his condition; he'd seen the look cross her face a moment ago and shifted uncomfortably, wishing he had a better way to draw attention away from his healing wounds.

Oh good, the coral. "Yeah, thanks again for that," he answered with a weak smile. Sure, it was something else to look at while he was stuck in here, but he also appreciated the meaning behind it. He hadn't had many visitors, and though he didn't consider himself a needy individual, after being gone so long and through so much...it was at least reassuring to know that someone cared.

After a moment, he decided to tread into potentially turbulent waters, taking care in how he did so. "So, uh...how have you been, Kel?"
 

[Menelie]

A look of panic briefly flashes across Kelebek's face. It wasn't good. But she composes herself, smiles, and responds with a shrug. "I've been alright," she says, nodding. "Toli and the boys had been keeping me busy, but now that they're more-or-less grown..." She shrugs again. "It's been a little lonely," she admits. She hates implying that she's anything less than perfectly fine on her own, without him. He could never know that she spends most days alone in her little grotto, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Court life, out of anyone's way. That she spends a lot of time curled up in her bed, wondering what use she is to anyone. What her purpose was. If she disappeared one day, would anyone notice?

She puts a bright smile on her face, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm thinking of getting a pet to keep me company. Maybe a fish or a friendly eel." Hopefully she could get this conversation steered away from her personal life so Turin didn't find out anything unseemly.