1629, Sea Season, Disorder Week, Windsday
Context
Having spent a night at Beasts Gather, the party are riding toward the Nunnery. A tired Varanis is mounted on Manasa. Get thee to a Nunnery (Session S4.02)
Events
Heler continues to kiss Ernalda. At some point Varanis notes that Lenta is walking beside her stirrup. Her hair, unprotected by the hood is soaking wet. Of her kohl only faint shadow remains.
“Why are you on foot?” Varanis asks, glancing down. “And next to Manasa, no less. She bites!” The Vingan stops the irritable mare and slides off, warding away the black head that swings around to express displeasure and keeping herself between the animal and the young woman.
“I wanted to stretch my legs a bit.” she looks at Manasa” Easy there…” Her words seem to have soothing effect on the horse.101 on ride “And to talk with you. If you feel like it, Varanis.”
Varanis yawns, hard enough to make her eyes water. “Sure, I can walk and talk for a while. I was feeling a bit sleepy anyway, which is never wise with Manasa.”
“Did you sleep at all last night?” Ernaldan asks quietly, looking forward at the road.
Varanis gives her a sharp look. “Enough. I slept enough.”
Lenta gives her a long sideways look with her green eyes and then nods. “If you say so. I did not hear you coming back, but you sounded quite restless before leaving the hall.”
There’s a shrug. “Bit of a dream,” she admits after a long breath. “It was… unpleasant. I decided to walk it off rather than disturb others. I’m sorry that I woke you.”
“No reason to apologize… ” She pauses for a while and looks at the Vingan “Do you wish to talk of it or rather keep it to yourself?”
The red-haired woman stares resolutely ahead, along the path they are following. “I’m not sure I can,” she says at last. “Or should. Something I saw in my trials… I can’t unsee it and it keeps returning.”
“I see…” Lenta walks for a while quietly alongside the Vingan. Her hand seems to be seeking the Vingans, but she lifts it and pats her on the upper arm. “If at some point you feel like you must, even if you should not, I can listen… even if I should not.”
Varanis nods. “Thank you.” Her attempt at stoicism is interrupted by another broad yawn and she laughs, though it’s a resigned sort of laughter. “It’s not every night,” she says. “I’ll be fine. A good night’s sleep and I’ll be fine. I’m sure the dreams will stay away at the Nunnery.”
“I would hope so. Chalana Arroy does protect sleep too.” The ernaldan looks at Varanis profile as they walk forward.
They walk in companionable silence for a time, before Varanis says, “Did you mean to catch me in that spell?”
Lenta walks a step or two before answering. It is pretty clear she is thinking what yo are talking about. “I knew you could be affected, yes. That is one of the reasons why I talked beforehand if keeping things calm is desirable.”
“I see. It’s … not very polite to cast spells on your friends without warning them,” she says mildly.
“You did not think I meant you too, when I asked?” Lenta asks. “I am sorry. I should have probably made that clearer then.”
“Have you considered what might have happened had we succumbed and they had not?”
Green eyes look at Varanis. “If you are calmed by that, they will be too.” After a short pause she adds “…and at this event no one was hostile to us… Tyr and that bandit were just starting to bicker needlessly. Diffusing that before it got bad had advantages. Failing in that did not carry immediate risk.”
Varanis scowls. “Maybe.”
Lenta just looks at her with those green eyes as she walks forward.
“Are you warm enough? This rain seeps through everything,” Varanis says, letting the subject drop.
Lenta smiles with radiant warmth. “I do feel like an alynx that has fallen into the garden pool. But my cloak protects me from the worst, Varanis. Thank you for asking.”2Pass on charm.
The Ernaldan shakes her head a bit to get rid of excess water. “I better get back onto that chariot before Tyr forgets I am here… Bye Manasa, behave yourself.”
As Lenta returns to the chariot, Varanis and Manasa come to some sort of an agreement and the Vingan remounts.
- 101 on ride
- 2Pass on charm.
