[SOLO RP] Mending Fences (Agares and Naamah)

[Fatal Irony]

Private RP between these two soquili. Teepee  

[Fatal Irony]

It had been a sleepless night, but she was feeling positive. After running into her grandson (wow did she feel old) she at least had something of an anchor and glimmer of hope. Agares would be a bit more trouble in coaxing out of his shell, but she would come back every day until the end of days if she had to. If he was stubborn then he got it from her.

She picked her way carefully through the trees to the secluded clearing her son preferred. She couldn't blame him for choosing this spot. It wasn't so far from where his accident was, which might suggest some part of him wanted her to find him again. Other than that it was a nice spot, shady and cool, full of shadows to hide in. It was lovely in it's own special way. It seemed a place full of secrets and mystery, even in the daylight.

She spotted her son near his looking pool, apparently waiting for her. She swallowed hard and approached him, trying to offer him a smile. "I hope you slept well, my son."

 

[Fatal Irony]

He couldn't help but to feel stunned by her blank eyes and wondered if that was how others felt in looking into his own. Her expression was difficult to read because of those eyes, but he seemed to feel her emotions radiated out of her. Perhaps it was some sort of familial bond, he wasn't sure. Maybe the spirits were simply trying to encourage them to reconcile; he couldn't be certain. He took a steadying breath and gave his mother a deferential bow as she approached.

"I slept well enough, I suppose. I knew you would return today." Or hoped, rather, but he didn't want to acknowledge that. He still felt confused thinking about her and was uncomfortable in her presence now. "Where have you been all this time?"


 

[Fatal Irony]

It felt awkward and she wondered if they would ever feel comfortable around each other again. She figured they would, if enough time was spent together. She physically cringed at his question, not sure where to begin. The story was tragic, and her heart was still broken to think of it. How was she going to get through this? Her heart tightened as she thought about it more, but she owed her son an explanation.

"When last we saw each other, you had no memory of our life before... your accident. You were too ill for me to try to fix that then but perhaps the years have helped you to remember... Do you remember your father? Or your...your sister?" It was hard even getting that far. This was going to be a rough day.

 

[Fatal Irony]

He didn't know why he was surprised, but the question hit him like a sack of apples to the gut. He hadn't tried to remember anything, but mentioning them now gave him the briefest of flashes of... something. And a headache. He shook his head and closed his eyes, turning away. "I don't remember much," he rasped through a tightened throat. He shook his head once more and turned back to her. "What happened to them? Are they why you were away so long? Why you abandoned me to die?" He hadn't meant it as an accusation, but he growled the last question with the anger he was suppressing. That wouldn't do. He had resolved to remain calm and at least hear her out today. He wasn't sure it was possible. He wished there was an easier way to do this.


 

[Fatal Irony]

His tone was a knife to the chest. She could feel his pain alongside hers, companions in her heart. She hated that she hadn't been able to heal him all those years ago. He didn't have his memories because of her. Guilt washed over her, familiar and deep. She pressed on. With a deep breath in she began. "Your father Samael was an accomplished healer, using herbs and his extensive knowledge to treat disease. I used my healing abilities alongside his and we became well known." She began to pace as she spoke, picking up speed. "After we had you and your sister Berith we began to train the two of you in our ways. You were both young when a herd reached out to us, needing our aid." She paused to see if any flash of remembrance flashed before his eyes.

 

[Fatal Irony]

He watched her closely when her eyes were averted, taking in her appearance. She was both familiar and unfamiliar to him, and he couldn't deny he was drawn to her. Some part of him had missed her, longed for her company. Still, he kept his guard up as he listened to her story. He couldn't recall these things specifically, but there was a ring of truth to what she said that he couldn't deny. It was like an echo through time resonating within him as he listened. He couldn't help feeling somewhat comforted knowing that he had once been part of a loving family that did good in the world. "Did we go to the herd to help them?" he asked softly as she paused.


 

[Fatal Irony]

She was disappointed that he seemed not to remember it at all. She nodded to herself and continued. "We set out to see this herd. It was some distance away, requiring us to stop for the night. Sometime during that night you... wondered off. Something happened that night which cost you everything. Your memories... and your family." Tears trickled down her face as she spoke. "I don't know what happened, only that we found you with severe head trauma unconscious. I used my powers as much as I could, but we were worried you wouldn't last the night. After some discussion... your father took Berith onwards to see to the herd's needs. They were dying and we were afraid also that... we didn't want to have Berith see if the worst happened. I spent days exhausting my healing powers on you, to no avail. I'm not a pure unicorn and couldn't heal everything, though I kept you alive. When you were stable I ... I left you with a trusted two-legger to seek out your father, hoping to enlist his and Berith's aid, such that it was, in healing you."

 

[Fatal Irony]

Agares tried to remember what had happened to him. How did he end up with a busted up head? He didn't know. He remembered waking and living under the care of the two-legger. They couldn't verbally communicate, but he had treated Agares kindly and saw to his wounds. It had been a lonely life, but not a bad one. He couldn't really blame her for making the decisions she had made. It had been a tough situation, and she and his father must have done what they thought best. Still... one question gnawed at him. "But why didn't you come back? Ever? And where are my father and sister now? What happened?" Were they dead? He had a sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn't remember them, but something in his core felt attached to them and wanted them to be ok.


 

[Fatal Irony]

It hurt to retell the tale. It felt as if she were reliving those days again, torn between the deep sense of dread that her son would perish, and the hopelessness of trying to find her mate and daughter. The constant feeling that she had made the worst decision possible in the situation. She was awash in feelings of her failure and tears streamed her eyes. Still, Agares was entitled to this information. So, with a shaky voice, she explained:

"I don't know exactly what happened to them. The herd we had been dispatched to help had been huge, hundreds strong. I... don't even know if Samael and Berith made it to them. It was a hard journey but I made it to where the herd had been, but all I found were corpses. Whatever had befallen them had been a terrible sickness from the looks. I believed Samael and Berith to have found the herd and urged them to move away from whatever might have been causing it. They must have left quickly, unable to bury their dead. I searched all of the bodies, fearing that I would find your father and sister among them, but they were not. It took days to search them all, and a trail of them led off into the distance. I followed it, carefully examining every departed soquili I found along the way, dread deep in the pit of my stomach. I didn't sleep or eat or drink. I only walked and searched and feared.

Eventually, there were no more bodies. There was just... nothing. We'd moved into the mountain lands and the hard rock hid any trace of the herd's passing. There were hundreds of trails through the mountains and I searched. For years I traveled those paths, consumed by trying to find them and determine their fate. I... had feared you already dead and desperately attempted to find what remaining family I had. I was unsuccessful. I never found a trace of them.

That is why I returned. I didn't know where to go or what to do. All I could do was go backwards, trying to rewind my life to a time when I was happy. I'm so grateful you are alive!" - Her voice caught and she sniffled. "I understand why you hate me, though," she managed to squeak out. She began to lose control, sobbing. "What sort of mother abandons her son? What sort of mother am I? I should have stayed with you, stayed and healed you until I had nothing left and died beside you! I failed you so miserably!" She was shaking, her knees were weak and she felt she would collapse at any moment. She didn't care. She was unworthy of pity.