1629, Dark Season
Context
Season 6, Prax session 14. Politics is happening and Berra has been out protecting someone else at short notice.
Events
The camp has resettled after making space for the Templars and Humakti. While others have been added to the perimeter guard, Varanis still insists on taking her pre-dawn shift too. She has placed herself on the cemetery wall – it’s not high, but short of re-entering the cemetery and climbing one of the bigger mounds or going up the city wall, it’s the highest point she can access for now.
Berra is cloaked and well wrapped, the padding of her helmet pulled up so that she can listen, but with the tips of her ears still covered. She has been walking around a little and now comes over to settle by Varanis, leaning against the wall rather than climbing it.
Varanis shivers beneath her wool cloak. She is going to need her bison hide one before long. She probably ought to have it already. She is scowling into the darkness. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“I slept a bit earlier in the day,” Berra says. “And I ain’t sleepy.”
She receives only a grunt of acknowledgement.
Before long, it becomes apparent that not only is her friend stewing over something, but she’s doing it’s probably about the Humakti standing near her feet.1Special on Insight(Human) The one she is studiously not looking at.
Berra thinks for a little longer than it takes to work that out, and then clambers up the wall. She sits down facing the same way. “Because I went off and didn’t tell you stuff?”
There’s a sigh, before Varanis replies, “Yeah.”
After a short pause, Berra gives a little sigh too. “I didn’t know how much I could say, and my head was full. It still is, kinda. But… ugh. It wasn’t out of not-trust?”
“It felt like it. But also… ” She shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter, I suppose.”
“Sometimes we’re apart from each other.” Berra looks off towards the Block, hidden somewhere behind snow and rain.
“Remember when Erhehta was trying to teach me to fight spirits?”
Berra nods. “Yeah…” She does not seem to get the reference entirely.
It seems like Berra just put away a thing she was thinking, to listen2Varanis passes Insight(Human).
Varanis stares into the dark. “He said you were mine. I think I let him get into my head too much,” Varanis says softly. “And I guess I felt like you were proving he was wrong by going somewhere so dangerous with only strangers to guard your back.”
Berra gives Varanis a quick glance, and shakes her head. “I didn’t want you to be dying beside me, but fighting beside me? That’s something I trust. But everything was really quick.” She looks back to the dark and the cold. “I mean, it was awkward. And you’ll probably be better at dealing with the politics of it than I am, and I did want to keep everyone out of that, but I also didn’t want Illaden to have people just invited along. He was sent out there…” She trails off and checks around her. “He wasn’t supposed to have allies.”
“I see,” her friend replies. It sounds like it’s at least somewhat true.
“I found out he was in danger and we worked out we had to move fast, and then I was in the Big Rubble.” Berra sighs. “And then there was everyone around and Xenofos persuaded me not to aim for the guy who send Illaden out there, but that meant I had to think about how not to while I went back to arrange for more troops. I think nobody was out here when we passed by again.”
Varanis swipes a hand through her hair, highlighting that she is standing on guard, in the cold and dark, with her head unprotected. “How is it that I can accept that you aren’t mine to look after and yet want to help you so much? And why does it feel like I’ve been gutted when I’m waiting to know you’re safe?”
“I didn’t want to not tell you,” Berra says. “I knew why you wanted to know, but I ain’t a general. I’m a commander. I didn’t have the thought spare to think.”
“Yeah. So be it. But, I’ll be deeply angry if you leave me behind and die. Just so we’re clear.”
Berra makes circles on the wall with a toe, scraping away old dirt with her slight weight. “If I die…” She trails off and shrugs. “You know I really respect how you talk in court and stuff?”
“Mhmmm?”
“Just I don’t know if I let you know. That you do a lot for us all.”
Varanis stares down her, eyes glittering in the darkness. “Thank you.”
There was a moment where it seemed like Varanis would argue, but she chose not to.3Another pass on Insight
Berra goes on, “I mean, I know people expect it, but you live it.” She might not realise that she could be quiet. “You’re worthy of it.”
Pulling the cloak around herself even more tightly, Varanis replies, “I’m trying.”
“Wait there.” Berra looks down, and jumps off the wall, padding away towards the kit bags and sleeping rolls.
The Yelmalians have a few campfires, off to the side, but Berra is still disappearing into rocks and tents.
Varanis paces along the wall, waiting for Berra’s return while still focusing her attention on guarding this portion of the camp.
Berra takes a few minutes and comes back bulkier. She resolves into a small person with a big cloak slung over her shoulder, as she gets closer. “Grab this?” She holds it up. “You’ve got the coldest hour to go.”
Varanis reaches down, almost overbalancing as she accepts the heavy cloak. She swears mildly, but manages to right herself and then wrestle the cloak on over the other. “Thanks.”
“You going to be in trouble when we go in tomorrow?”
“No worries.” Berra climbs up once more. She is in a hide cloak, but relatively light clothing. “Maybe? No, not when we go in. But Illaden’s allowed back into the city now he’s done the thing he was sent for, so that’s gonna bring down some interesting…” She looks chilly, but after a moment’s thought she takes off the helmet padding she wears and tries to put it on Varanis. “Some interesting I-dunno. Something.” She has a peasant’s solid bones. The helmet liner is easily big enough.
Varanis ducks. “You wear it. I’m fine now that I have the cloak.”
Berra puts it back on. “I was thinking of getting some more sleep,” she says. “But moving got me warm anyhow. When I went to give the apo… actually, you know, I think this one’s for Captian Illaden to tell. If he reckons we need to know, he can tell us better than I can tell us.”
Her friend just nods. “Go sleep. I’ll be here until Yelm rises.” She glances in the direction of the Sun Domers’ campfires, her expression not quite a smirk. “I’ll be sure to stick to the polite salute in the morning.”
“You want the head-warmer?” Berra looks down for her landing spot again, but does not jump.
“I’m fine,” Varanis replies, shooing Berra away. “You’re distracting me.”
The little warrior jumps down and pads away. Gone and done.
- 1Special on Insight(Human)
- 2Varanis passes Insight(Human)
- 3Another pass on Insight
