Varanis — 1626 0734 Bothy 03
????, Fire Season, Season/Illusion Week
Context
Fire Season/Illusion Week/Clayday/ Later in the evening. [[[s01:session-42|Session 42]]]
Varanis is standing guard over Berra, the bothy, and the dire relic contained within. Dormal is walking away after some sort of argument.
This continues on from [http:journeyoftheheroes.wikidot.com/varanis:1626-0733-bothy-02 Dormal at the Bothy]
It continues in [http:journeyoftheheroes.wikidot.com/varanis:1626-0735-bothy-04 Xenofos returns to the Bothy]
Events
Varanis is guarding the bothy. She’s stalking around with pent up frustration. There is muttering, but it’s quiet. Mist hangs over ground. The nightingale has only begun her concert.
Berra’s little form folds down tiny, when she sleeps. The greaves and vambraces are still on, and she is in her padding, but she is nevertheless managing to curl up small. With a sword clutched in her left hand, and her right arm around the scabbard, she seems at ease, breathing slowly. A tiny ghost of a smile on her face could be a trick of the Darkness.
A form glides slowly from the shadows towards Varanis – closer it turns out to be Xenofos, in armour, helmet in his head.
Her hand is on her hilt, but she lets it fall to her side when she recognizes the man approaching. “Xenofos.”
“Milady.”
She resumes her angry stalking. “Dormal was here. He makes me so angry, sometimes.”
A nod from Xenofos. “It seemed you came to sentry duty. Any orders for me, cousin?”
“Talk to Mellia. Stay away from Dormal. Sleep and heal.” Her answer is curt. “You can stay with me a while if you want. I need to relinquish my own rage to do this right,” she adds.
Another quiet nod. “I talked with Mellia already.”
“And? What was the outcome?” she prompts.
Xenofos shakes his head as he answers in soft voice, “I know she means well, but beyond the immediate situation I don’t think she can help.”
“Why not?” Varanis is insistent. She stops pacing and glares at her cousin.
Long silence. “I … am not sure if I can articulate this well enough. Her remedies are well and good for someone ill or wounded. And they can help with my error in use of herbs. But I am untouched by weapons, or rather those wounds have healed. And I am not sick.”
“Not all wounds are of the body. At Dragonrise, it was my spirit that was wounded.” Her voices is low; her expression haunted. “I am still healing. It takes longer.”
“She would have me talk, but I doubt that wisdom gravely,” he replies.
“I would have you talk too. If not to me, then to her. Secrets have a way of sneaking up on us when we least expect it.” Varanis speaks with conviction.
Xenofos disagrees. “I fear the consequences of idle talk. It is silence – I think – that has let me cope so far.”
“Cope? You call that coping?!” Her voice raises suddenly. “I know, it was a mistake, it was once, it won’t happen again.” She snarls at him. “How do you know? How do I know?”
The scribe looks long into the darkness, before answering quietly, “That is two questions, Varanis. The answer to first is yes. We may get later to why. The second is indeed good question. Like I said, I feel no desire to call back that Dragon again. And I said I would not do it again – no, wait that was when I talked with Mellia.” Turning eyes towards Varanis, the scribe adds: “So let me say again to you what I told Mellia. It was stupid. I will not do it again. “
She continues to glare. “What am I supposed to do? You hide things from me. Berra hides things from me. Dormal hides things and uses the rest of you as weapons against me.”
“You ask council? That I have sworn to, though in matter so close to me my wisdom may be clouded, which you should take to account. I don’t believe letting my Dragons haunt you too would free me of their presence. It could distract and even hurt you. But you are already – in different way – helping me with pushing them back,” the scholar replies quietly.
“You think I’m not distracted now?” Fine hairs, freed from her plait, are standing on end as she practically vibrates with frustration. “Your wisdom is clouded, Xenofos! I need you, but I need you well too. You want orders from me? Go meditate. Go ask your god how to walk to the path to healing your spirit. I love you, cousin of mine, but I will not stand by and watch you torture yourself or neglect yourself until you break. Go! Before I say or do something I will regret.” The air tastes of lightning. “Talk to me in the morning.” She turns away from him, but not before he can see the tears glittering in her eyes.
Xenofos looking shocked by her tears, moves like he would want to comfort his cousin, opens his mouth to say something, closes it, and bows: “I will talk to you in the morning. Good night, milady.”
Continues in [http:journeyoftheheroes.wikidot.com/varanis:1626-0735-bothy-04 Xenofos returns to the Bothy]//
