1629, Earth Season, Illusion Week, Windsday
Context
In Prax, after leaving New Pavis. On the hunt for the Straw Weaver Clan. Follows after session 6-9, Mud, Glorious Mud, Thin Air, The Dark Details, and Don’t Doubt Humakt. Berra tries to extract Varanis from her pit of grief, but they end up arguing.
Events
Varanis is more alert as they ride onward. She’s at least going through the motions of paying attention to the world around her. She sips at water but has mostly gone off food.
Berra’s slow circuit of the group brings her around a few times, but it is not until late in the afternoon that her bison draws near. Berra gives Varanis a nod.
Xenofos lets his bison slow down to leave distance between it and Zephyr. He has been riding pretty close to Varanis but has not initiated conversation.
Varanis returns Berra’s nod and glances in her cousin’s direction. There’s no curiosity in her bruised-looking eyes.
Kolyey rides to a good guard position. She is still keeping an eye on Maalira.
“Time for food,” Berra says. “Just a bite.”
Varanis frowns, her body stiffening as she returns her gaze to Berra, but she nods. “Fine.”
Berra digs in a belt pouch and pulls out a linen twist. “Just nuts. And salt.” She offers it over. For a moment it seems she will say more, and then she gives Varanis a tiny reassuring smile.
The Vingan accepts the food offering. She looks at it in her hand and says, “This is real, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Berra’s expression twists and then she gets it under control. “It is.”
“And … why do I have this awful feeling that she’s not coming back this time?”
“Because Harrek’s involved?” Berra shrugs. “And there’s a lot of Wolf Pirates around. It… if she does come back, he’ll just kill her again. You can’t push against an earthquake.”
“You know that I’m going to have to kill him, right?” Varanis says this quietly, but her voice is firm.
Berra falls silent for a bit. “If you do, I have to try to stop you, because I like you alive,” she says finally with a sigh.
“I know I can’t do it yet, I’m not stupid. I need to train, grow stronger in my body and my magic. Vinga will help me,” Varanis reassures her friend.
“Then don’t swear anything. Just live that way.” Berra seems to understand. “I think he’s a bit of the Death Rune that never got found by Humakt. You’ll need to find out a lot.”
“I won’t commit to not making an oath,” Varanis warns.
Berra slow-nods. “Yeah. I mean, I’d come with you, but… there’s a lot of us to look after. So you’ll have to be careful.”
“I’ll not take anyone not well-prepared to take him on. But,” she warns, “I *will* do it.”
Berra looks down at the little packet of nuts. “You gotta take the next few days, and then you can take the future.”
Varanis untwists the packet and pours a few nuts into her mouth. She chews methodically. “This decision is already made. I don’t need to think about it. If he’s still alive when I am strong enough, I swe…”
“OY YOU!” Berra’s hand flies out, to point rather than to hit. “NO!”
Maalira startles on her bison, turning to eye Berra with concern.
Kolyey rides a little closer to Berra, just in case she is needed.
“..ear, I’ll…”128 on Hate Harrek, 92 on INT*3
“IT’S ALWAYS ABOUT YOU!” Berra shouts it. Followed shakes her head. “STOP IT!”
“Berra?” Maalira calls cautiously.
Varanis flinches but shuts up. She looks at Berra wide-eyed with pain.
Berra is mottled pink with the moment’s fury. “Always, you do this. Please. Think about everyone. Not your feelings. Please?” The last word is still loud, but almost a plea.
The Vingan gives a curt nod, saying nothing.
Berra takes a deep, slow breath. “I don’t want to lose you. We don’t. And… please stay with us.” She drags her hands down her face, trying to wipe away the expression.
The tears that haven’t fallen since the night in the temple start to fall. Silence turns to sobs. “I…” Whatever it is that Varanis wants to say, she can’t manage it. Though her zebra is twitching, she does not give it the reins and instead stays at the pace set by Berra’s bison.
Xenofos gives his bison a subtle nudge and slowly closes the distance.
Maalira also draws her bison closer to Varanis.
Berra stays silent for the moment, letting things happen.
Kolyey is now riding between Maalira and Berra. Kolyey’s still keeping an eye on the surrounding countryside.
Xenofos looks at Berra and nods after catching her eye. He is approaching behind Varanis so she does not see her but there is a single tear on his cheek.
Berra is, of course, looking around by habit. She notes the nod. “We’re all going to need you.” Berra tries to steer Followed away, but the bison ignores the hint.
“Berra’s right,” Maalira says. “You’re important to us.”
Varanis tries to choke back the sobs, but for the moment, it seems she can’t do anything but cry. The twist of nuts in her hand is crushed in a fist.
Xenofos rides to Varanis’ side, lays a hand on her shoulder and squeezes.
“M’sorry.” Berra is not apologising. She is feeling sorrow.
Maalira silently offers Berra some sweets.
Berra gives Maalira a glance but holds her hand up in polite refusal. She looks pale. Most of her attention is on Varanis.
Varanis takes a few shuddering breaths, attempting to regain control of herself. She scrubs at her face with the back of her hand. Xenofos gets a nod, as does Berra. Beyond that, she doesn’t seem capable of much more.
Kolyey thinks for a moment, then rides ahead to take point.
Berra stares straight ahead to get her breathing under control and then looks back to Varanis.
Varanis is riding, or rather, letting herself be carried by Zephyr. She keeps scrubbing at her face with the hand holding the nuts.
Berra is hovering between concern and her own deep emotions.
Insight for those who are not currently crying: 2Berra is shocked and scared as well, but also trying to guard Varanis – or her tongue.
“Have some water, Varanis.” Xenofos offers her his water gourd.
Varanis looks between the crushed twist of linen in one hand, the reins in the other, and Xenofos’ water. It takes her a moment to work out that she can hold the twist and the reins at once. Finally, she reaches for the water and takes a small sip.
Berra chews her lip a little, and watches Varanis anxiously and then looks and Xenofos worriedly and then Lofty gets a brief helpless glance and then it is back to looking at Varanis.
When the Vingan hands the water back to Xenofos, she takes another breath. Finally, she looks at Berra. “No oaths,” she whispers. “I won’t make an oath about vengeance.”
Berra’s eyes fill with tears, and she sags, relief immediate and apparent. She gives her friend a smile that wobbles and then looks back to Followed.
The bison chooses this moment to start walking Berra away from Varanis’ zebra.
Xenofos nods to Berra again with sympathy. Varanis will find a clean rag in her right hand.3V: A clean rag… hmmm. What to do with that? She’s not washed her face since before the temple. She’s streaked with blood, ash, and tears. Probably need to dunk her in a river. X: Maybe get some of those nuts off her face?
Varanis swipes at her tears with the rag. It doesn’t do much for the blood and ash, but at least she is adding few streaks to it all.
“More water?” her cousin suggests.
Varanis trades the rag for the water and takes another sip.
Xenofos looks at the now rather sad piece of cloth and hides it somewhere. His eyes are trailing Berra.4Varanis notices the ash cross on Xenofos forehead and trail of few tears on his cheeks. And that he is looking at Berra with both compassion and sympathy. Culture Esrolia will tell her that the Death Rune is formal mourning, but not for one that is very close.
Varanis stares at him for a moment, then follows his gaze to Berra. “I’ll be fine,” she says softly. “Take your gourd back. I have my own water. You can check on her if you want to. I’ll not do anything stupid.”
“When you want to talk… ” Xenofos takes his gourd and lets Varanis get a bit ahead.
She rides, staying with the group and scanning the landscape for potential threats.
- 128 on Hate Harrek, 92 on INT*3
- 2Berra is shocked and scared as well, but also trying to guard Varanis – or her tongue.
- 3V: A clean rag… hmmm. What to do with that? She’s not washed her face since before the temple. She’s streaked with blood, ash, and tears. Probably need to dunk her in a river. X: Maybe get some of those nuts off her face?
- 4Varanis notices the ash cross on Xenofos forehead and trail of few tears on his cheeks. And that he is looking at Berra with both compassion and sympathy. Culture Esrolia will tell her that the Death Rune is formal mourning, but not for one that is very close.
