Gaaaaaaaaaahh! I so want to play with you guys!
/sigh
/sulk
......
/headdesk
Its always Darkest.
Vaya was busy enjoying the sounds of his boots on the cobblestones, a peaceful walk in the city. Perhaps he would even breeze into the Academy and take one of the tests he had been studying for.
His father was right. Take the boring classes first... now that things like Necromancy and Transumation were done with, he was looking forward to his Divination and Illusion classes.
The moon-bridge was always a welcome sight, the handsome young sun elf stopped to look it over before crossing. He always admired beautiful things.. and this bridge was one of his favorite things to look at.
There was an unhappy stain on his pleasant view. A young wood elf lass at the riverbank. Her clothes were ragged, barely there. The young girl was asking everyone who passed for help, even the roundears... yet none stopped to offer her even a word.
Vaya watched her plight with his typical detached smile, it was not long watching her that his insides grew softer than his fake smile. He wandered closer to her. When he noticed she was barefoot.. he became doubly aware of his own plush velvety black robes and polished boots. He felt a gulf of distance between them.
Having met elves from all over the world in Evermeet, Vaya knew most of the elven accents from the varied regions of the continent... but as she begged him for assistance, he didnt recognize this girls voice patterns at all. Normally he would have shied away from contact with this girl for that simple reason... but ever since Tathars passing Vaya had felt open. Vulnerable was a more appropriate word... he decided to answer the girls pleas for help.
She wanted to go to a temple, and being that the temple to the Seladrine was closed for refurbishment... they worked out a plan to take the girl to the temple of Sylvanus to replace goods that had been stolen from her.
"Very well cousin, lets go see about getting you some decent clothes.. and something for your feet. Cant have you walking around dressed like that"
The girls face showed shame. Vaya was getting sick of feeling guilty for being himself.
He walked the girl to the leather workers, there he spoke again.
"So are you a decent skulker and stalker?"
"No, I am a healer"
Vaya hadnt expected that. His hopes raised a bit, maybe this girl was holy to the Seladrine... maybe these good deeds he'd been doing lately were building up to a pattern, something rewarding?
"Oh" Vaya stood thinking for a long while. Something just wasnt connecting for him. A nagging worm of doubt ate at his brain. He spoke again.
"The shamans of your village trained you? What great spirit empowers your blessings?"
The girl was hesitant to speak, she looked around her a few times before leaning in to Vaya and whispering.
"Silvanus"
Vayas face was a pure, perfect smile. His mind was a sinking pit.
Why? Why? Why?
If he had meet a human who gave him the same answer he would have thought well of them. But an elf... when he met an elf who threw away their souls to a human god, that was treachery against your family.
He wanted to slink off, and hope she would forget him. That wouldnt happen. He had been the only one willing to help her, and if he gave her the slip it would speak most poorly of his manners.
She isnt an elf, not at all. Still, I wont let her poor choice reflect badly on me. Ill see this task done.
With careful control of his friendly face, and the taste of resentment in his mouth... he helped the girl get better clothes and boots for the walk.
The walk was thankfully quiet. The girl asked few questions, and Vaya gave her short answers. As she walked a bit ahead of him.. Vayas bad habits came to the fore. He looked at her, focusing on her, taking a big taste of his dislike.
A tall girl, with a nice figure. She was even cute. Pointed ears and slightly slanted eyes all seemed familiar and comfortable to him. Still he couldnt quit thinking the same thing over and over.
She is not an elf.
Being cute only made the resentment stronger. The longer he looked at the wood elf lass, the more he was reminded of Vellyas own choice to spend eternity away from him.
She is not an elf... and neither is Vellya.
They were making their way up the giant hill now. Vaya had always respected Sylvanus... but now he resented the oak father. If the roundear lord of leaves accepted elf souls... he was stealing them from Rillifane Rallathil, the elven god of the wood. If he respected elf ways at all, he would reject elven souls so they might find their proper lord.
If you dont want to spend forever with your people, your race and your gods... why should we want to spend any of our lives with you NOW? Go and be a roundear.
The girl turned towards him, with an impossibly big honest smile. If she had been an elf, his heart probably would have melted. Instead he felt like he had been kicked in the gut.
"Thank you so much cousin"
I am not your cousin
Vaya smiled big, and offered her a farewell. Vaya vowed to himself to stop being such a damned optimist, it only leads to disappointment. He had been pleased to help her a few hours ago... and now his plan was to walk away and never speak to her again.
If you dont want to spend forever with your people, your race and your gods... why should we want to spend any of our lives with you NOW?
Vaya pulled his hood over his head.
There is no answer to that because we shouldnt spend our lives with them. I should have asked her faith first.... I shouldnt have helped her at all.
Vaya readied his bow, offering a short prayer to Solonar, the god of archery. His thoughts led him to an unpleasant question. Many elves had asked him many times this question and he always dismissed it with a shrug.
If vellya chooses not to be an elf... why do I stay? Surely I am strong enough to refuse this love?
He walked away from the hilltop shrine.
Am I so worthless that I should do this to myself? I suffer each day for my feelings. I suffer from rushing with my heart and someone elses.
But thinking unpleasant things was what he did best, sad songs are the sweetest. He already knew the answer of course, why he stayed with Vellya despite her lack of concern for their future. The answer was not that he hoped one day she would come to the light of the Seladrine, as he told the other elves... he really didnt expect her to chose him over her newfound goddess. He knew he would lose her. The real reason he kept to himself... even while walking alone down an empty road.
The hurting IS the reason. I stay close to the pain because it is my place to suffer so.
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks again for reading.
J
His father was right. Take the boring classes first... now that things like Necromancy and Transumation were done with, he was looking forward to his Divination and Illusion classes.
The moon-bridge was always a welcome sight, the handsome young sun elf stopped to look it over before crossing. He always admired beautiful things.. and this bridge was one of his favorite things to look at.
There was an unhappy stain on his pleasant view. A young wood elf lass at the riverbank. Her clothes were ragged, barely there. The young girl was asking everyone who passed for help, even the roundears... yet none stopped to offer her even a word.
Vaya watched her plight with his typical detached smile, it was not long watching her that his insides grew softer than his fake smile. He wandered closer to her. When he noticed she was barefoot.. he became doubly aware of his own plush velvety black robes and polished boots. He felt a gulf of distance between them.
Having met elves from all over the world in Evermeet, Vaya knew most of the elven accents from the varied regions of the continent... but as she begged him for assistance, he didnt recognize this girls voice patterns at all. Normally he would have shied away from contact with this girl for that simple reason... but ever since Tathars passing Vaya had felt open. Vulnerable was a more appropriate word... he decided to answer the girls pleas for help.
She wanted to go to a temple, and being that the temple to the Seladrine was closed for refurbishment... they worked out a plan to take the girl to the temple of Sylvanus to replace goods that had been stolen from her.
"Very well cousin, lets go see about getting you some decent clothes.. and something for your feet. Cant have you walking around dressed like that"
The girls face showed shame. Vaya was getting sick of feeling guilty for being himself.
He walked the girl to the leather workers, there he spoke again.
"So are you a decent skulker and stalker?"
"No, I am a healer"
Vaya hadnt expected that. His hopes raised a bit, maybe this girl was holy to the Seladrine... maybe these good deeds he'd been doing lately were building up to a pattern, something rewarding?
"Oh" Vaya stood thinking for a long while. Something just wasnt connecting for him. A nagging worm of doubt ate at his brain. He spoke again.
"The shamans of your village trained you? What great spirit empowers your blessings?"
The girl was hesitant to speak, she looked around her a few times before leaning in to Vaya and whispering.
"Silvanus"
Vayas face was a pure, perfect smile. His mind was a sinking pit.
Why? Why? Why?
If he had meet a human who gave him the same answer he would have thought well of them. But an elf... when he met an elf who threw away their souls to a human god, that was treachery against your family.
He wanted to slink off, and hope she would forget him. That wouldnt happen. He had been the only one willing to help her, and if he gave her the slip it would speak most poorly of his manners.
She isnt an elf, not at all. Still, I wont let her poor choice reflect badly on me. Ill see this task done.
With careful control of his friendly face, and the taste of resentment in his mouth... he helped the girl get better clothes and boots for the walk.
The walk was thankfully quiet. The girl asked few questions, and Vaya gave her short answers. As she walked a bit ahead of him.. Vayas bad habits came to the fore. He looked at her, focusing on her, taking a big taste of his dislike.
A tall girl, with a nice figure. She was even cute. Pointed ears and slightly slanted eyes all seemed familiar and comfortable to him. Still he couldnt quit thinking the same thing over and over.
She is not an elf.
Being cute only made the resentment stronger. The longer he looked at the wood elf lass, the more he was reminded of Vellyas own choice to spend eternity away from him.
She is not an elf... and neither is Vellya.
They were making their way up the giant hill now. Vaya had always respected Sylvanus... but now he resented the oak father. If the roundear lord of leaves accepted elf souls... he was stealing them from Rillifane Rallathil, the elven god of the wood. If he respected elf ways at all, he would reject elven souls so they might find their proper lord.
If you dont want to spend forever with your people, your race and your gods... why should we want to spend any of our lives with you NOW? Go and be a roundear.
The girl turned towards him, with an impossibly big honest smile. If she had been an elf, his heart probably would have melted. Instead he felt like he had been kicked in the gut.
"Thank you so much cousin"
I am not your cousin
Vaya smiled big, and offered her a farewell. Vaya vowed to himself to stop being such a damned optimist, it only leads to disappointment. He had been pleased to help her a few hours ago... and now his plan was to walk away and never speak to her again.
If you dont want to spend forever with your people, your race and your gods... why should we want to spend any of our lives with you NOW?
Vaya pulled his hood over his head.
There is no answer to that because we shouldnt spend our lives with them. I should have asked her faith first.... I shouldnt have helped her at all.
Vaya readied his bow, offering a short prayer to Solonar, the god of archery. His thoughts led him to an unpleasant question. Many elves had asked him many times this question and he always dismissed it with a shrug.
If vellya chooses not to be an elf... why do I stay? Surely I am strong enough to refuse this love?
He walked away from the hilltop shrine.
Am I so worthless that I should do this to myself? I suffer each day for my feelings. I suffer from rushing with my heart and someone elses.
But thinking unpleasant things was what he did best, sad songs are the sweetest. He already knew the answer of course, why he stayed with Vellya despite her lack of concern for their future. The answer was not that he hoped one day she would come to the light of the Seladrine, as he told the other elves... he really didnt expect her to chose him over her newfound goddess. He knew he would lose her. The real reason he kept to himself... even while walking alone down an empty road.
The hurting IS the reason. I stay close to the pain because it is my place to suffer so.
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks again for reading.
J
At first it was a few days away from Vellya, then weeks, now it had almost been a month since they had seen each other. Vaya had seen her many times, but kept himself hidden. He simply didnt have a way to say what he felt... so he kept his distance.
Usually Vellya was with others. She had made plenty of friends here, and blended into the roundears culture totally. Each day she was clearly less and less his, yet he still came to see her. Today was different, she was alone.... so he approached her.
As he expected she wanted to know why he had been behaving so strangely.... and as usual, he dodged her questions, avoiding the real issue as best he could
***********************************************************
Hyacinthe and Vaya sat near their campfire on a narrow cliff overlooking a waterfall. Hyacinthe was quickly becoming the person Vaya went to talk to about his thoughts. He was sure his brothers would color their advice with their own agendas... and most other girls would be swayed by his appearance and offer advice tainted with their desires.
But Hyacinthe was his brothers lover, this made him much more able to trust her advice.
As she spent the hours shaving wooden sticks for her traps, and sharing a bottle of wine they made small talk. He felt guilty for something, and needed to hear another condemn his thoughts to help him put them away.
"Class is made more difficult by the presence of a girl"
"Girls can do that to a lot of things" Said his wild elf sister.
"She expresses concern for me... we talked a lot, but I feel.. guilty I guess."
Vaya had expected Hyacinthe to tell him to behave, to respect his current relationship and not even allow himself the temptation of another woman. She made almost no reaction to hearing it, keeping on grinding away at the stake she was sharpening as she spoke. Her questions were few and to the point.
"She is of the people?"
"Well yes, she is a sun elf"
"And she keeps the faith, brother?"
"She does, she worships the king"
Hyacinthe gave an approving nod and reached for the wine, with no further questions.
Vaya was very aware of the fact that he would know Hyacinthe forever. He would meet up with her and his brothers in Arvandor no matter when they died or how far life seperated them. When Vellya was gone, she would be gone forever.
***********************************************************
Vellya was digging, she had to know what Vaya was hiding and He was doing his best to avoid telling her.
I guess I still hope she will want to follow me to Arvandor one day
Vaya had finally waited long enough to cause Vellya to give up. She stood up straight and with a deep breath spoke.
"You have said you love me, but cant tell this thing to me. If you are not strong enough to share this with me..."
No, abandon your hope.
"then maybe you are not the right man for me"
I knew she would eventually see it. She left me long ago, I guess it was just a matter of time before she acted on it.
She had put her hand on his shoulder when saying those words, and now dropped her hand and went to walk away.
You should at least tell her why. Theres no reason to hide it now, she has chosen to leave... theres nothing to spoil now.
"Vellya, I will tell you..now that the matter is past"
She stopped, she wanted to know.
"I was prepared to spend the last few hundred years of my life alone, waiting to be with you again. I love you that much.... that I would gladly accept that sadness for most of my life, knowing I would be reunited with you forever in the afterlife."
Vellya clearly hadnt expected this, her face showed it.
"You chose a different way, you chose to spend forever without me."
"But that is the afterlife... we have THIS life" Vellya said.
Vaya could put up with a lot of ignorance from his darling, but he was reaching his end. Offering him love for the tiny span of a lifetime...then to be happy seperate for the aeons, seemed...whorish to Vaya. He was sickened and let it creep into his voice.
"This life is a SPECK of NOTHING! It is a short breath of time, a bare moment before your /real/ life begins... even the life of an elf pales in comparison to /Forever/... and when you are there, you will remeber this life."
Vellya spoke "But Vaya... your people go to Alfheim, and mine go to the battlehalls.. thats just how it is"
"No, when I met you... you were of the cult of Fenmarel, you were on a path to Arvandor, not your battlehalls"
This made her pause.
"But Ive always wanted to go to the Battle-halls"
"Yes, I understand.... and if I stay commited to you now, I will ache for you for eternity, while you chose to go be with the roundears in your afterlife."
If you want to be with them, and not me, forever... start NOW, not once you are dead
"But I love you... I would want you to take another lover after I died"
"Then you dont love me"
"But it is because I love you that I dont want you to be lonely... of course I love you." she insisted.
If you really didnt want me to be lonely... you would have offered to spend forever with me. All those elves were right, she has no grasp of love, at all.
"If you loved me you wouldnt have said that... you would have said something more like ... 'When I pass away, I will wait for you in Arvandor, and we will eventually be reunited, forever"
Vaya paused, listening to his own words echo in his head.
Now... say something mean so she wont follow you as you walk off, just clip this off
"THAT is love... THAT is a commitment of passion... you, just had lust."
***********************************************************
Vaya sat alone on the banks of the river. Far away from any ears that would appreciate it, he played a song on his reed flute. It was a sad song, just as he liked... but this one was many, many times better than he had ever played.
Only a lone rabbit was there to hear the song, and he seemed more interested in the grass he was eating that the grass being used to make the sweet, sad, music.
When Vaya was done he looked close at his flute. He had been using it for years, replacing the reeds constantly but still the whole had been with him for a long, long time. Ever since he had learned to play.
Vaya stood, and tossed the flute into the river with the same lack of concern he would have shown to a lemon peel. His music was better than it ever had been before, his music was worthless.
_________________________________________________________
That scene was pretty hard to play, I hope my writing did it justice.
J
Usually Vellya was with others. She had made plenty of friends here, and blended into the roundears culture totally. Each day she was clearly less and less his, yet he still came to see her. Today was different, she was alone.... so he approached her.
As he expected she wanted to know why he had been behaving so strangely.... and as usual, he dodged her questions, avoiding the real issue as best he could
***********************************************************
Hyacinthe and Vaya sat near their campfire on a narrow cliff overlooking a waterfall. Hyacinthe was quickly becoming the person Vaya went to talk to about his thoughts. He was sure his brothers would color their advice with their own agendas... and most other girls would be swayed by his appearance and offer advice tainted with their desires.
But Hyacinthe was his brothers lover, this made him much more able to trust her advice.
As she spent the hours shaving wooden sticks for her traps, and sharing a bottle of wine they made small talk. He felt guilty for something, and needed to hear another condemn his thoughts to help him put them away.
"Class is made more difficult by the presence of a girl"
"Girls can do that to a lot of things" Said his wild elf sister.
"She expresses concern for me... we talked a lot, but I feel.. guilty I guess."
Vaya had expected Hyacinthe to tell him to behave, to respect his current relationship and not even allow himself the temptation of another woman. She made almost no reaction to hearing it, keeping on grinding away at the stake she was sharpening as she spoke. Her questions were few and to the point.
"She is of the people?"
"Well yes, she is a sun elf"
"And she keeps the faith, brother?"
"She does, she worships the king"
Hyacinthe gave an approving nod and reached for the wine, with no further questions.
Vaya was very aware of the fact that he would know Hyacinthe forever. He would meet up with her and his brothers in Arvandor no matter when they died or how far life seperated them. When Vellya was gone, she would be gone forever.
***********************************************************
Vellya was digging, she had to know what Vaya was hiding and He was doing his best to avoid telling her.
I guess I still hope she will want to follow me to Arvandor one day
Vaya had finally waited long enough to cause Vellya to give up. She stood up straight and with a deep breath spoke.
"You have said you love me, but cant tell this thing to me. If you are not strong enough to share this with me..."
No, abandon your hope.
"then maybe you are not the right man for me"
I knew she would eventually see it. She left me long ago, I guess it was just a matter of time before she acted on it.
She had put her hand on his shoulder when saying those words, and now dropped her hand and went to walk away.
You should at least tell her why. Theres no reason to hide it now, she has chosen to leave... theres nothing to spoil now.
"Vellya, I will tell you..now that the matter is past"
She stopped, she wanted to know.
"I was prepared to spend the last few hundred years of my life alone, waiting to be with you again. I love you that much.... that I would gladly accept that sadness for most of my life, knowing I would be reunited with you forever in the afterlife."
Vellya clearly hadnt expected this, her face showed it.
"You chose a different way, you chose to spend forever without me."
"But that is the afterlife... we have THIS life" Vellya said.
Vaya could put up with a lot of ignorance from his darling, but he was reaching his end. Offering him love for the tiny span of a lifetime...then to be happy seperate for the aeons, seemed...whorish to Vaya. He was sickened and let it creep into his voice.
"This life is a SPECK of NOTHING! It is a short breath of time, a bare moment before your /real/ life begins... even the life of an elf pales in comparison to /Forever/... and when you are there, you will remeber this life."
Vellya spoke "But Vaya... your people go to Alfheim, and mine go to the battlehalls.. thats just how it is"
"No, when I met you... you were of the cult of Fenmarel, you were on a path to Arvandor, not your battlehalls"
This made her pause.
"But Ive always wanted to go to the Battle-halls"
"Yes, I understand.... and if I stay commited to you now, I will ache for you for eternity, while you chose to go be with the roundears in your afterlife."
If you want to be with them, and not me, forever... start NOW, not once you are dead
"But I love you... I would want you to take another lover after I died"
"Then you dont love me"
"But it is because I love you that I dont want you to be lonely... of course I love you." she insisted.
If you really didnt want me to be lonely... you would have offered to spend forever with me. All those elves were right, she has no grasp of love, at all.
"If you loved me you wouldnt have said that... you would have said something more like ... 'When I pass away, I will wait for you in Arvandor, and we will eventually be reunited, forever"
Vaya paused, listening to his own words echo in his head.
Now... say something mean so she wont follow you as you walk off, just clip this off
"THAT is love... THAT is a commitment of passion... you, just had lust."
***********************************************************
Vaya sat alone on the banks of the river. Far away from any ears that would appreciate it, he played a song on his reed flute. It was a sad song, just as he liked... but this one was many, many times better than he had ever played.
Only a lone rabbit was there to hear the song, and he seemed more interested in the grass he was eating that the grass being used to make the sweet, sad, music.
When Vaya was done he looked close at his flute. He had been using it for years, replacing the reeds constantly but still the whole had been with him for a long, long time. Ever since he had learned to play.
Vaya stood, and tossed the flute into the river with the same lack of concern he would have shown to a lemon peel. His music was better than it ever had been before, his music was worthless.
_________________________________________________________
That scene was pretty hard to play, I hope my writing did it justice.
J
Vaya sat at the edge of the inlet watching Ama'asha, Thoron, and Hyacinthe swim. He didnt quite feel happy enough to join the group but still wanted to be able to watch them being happy. It hurt more to see his brother and sister happily in love, so he made sure to look extra close at them.
As it is a terrible rudeness to put your poor feelings onto your friends, Vaya kept a calm friendly smile. He was exhausted, hadnt rested for several days. Though he didnt know it, he would be getting some rest finally, soon. He was sure he saw someone lurking in the conifers behind the swimming trio.
Well now, who the hells is that?
*************************************************************
How long has it been? Since then? Since I rested? I wonder how long an elf can take from reverie? Will it kill me?
Vaya didnt want to take his reverie, he was sure recent events would catch up to him in his sleep. If he rested and remembered Vellya, he wouldnt be quite able to handle waking.
The wine from the academy was decent at least.
Maybe some Poppy sap too.
Darker than most ran his thoughts. Only half sure that he should try to escape from this black spiral, he decided to look for someone to talk to about it.
************************************************************
A beautiful wood elf girl stepped out from the trees once all eyes at the inlet had turned towards her. Her skin was dark, it reminded Vaya of how dark a trees bark becomes after a rain.
Large, black, innocent eyes had just the right shade of shyness to be all the more alluring. Vaya found himself comparing her to a dryad. She seemed so very innocent and sweet as she made her introductions to the three swimmers...He instantly resented her.
But she is so terribly pretty.
************************************************************
His friends called casual mating "A Roll in the Clovers". He took a moment to appreciate the clovers, both those that had survived passions with Allys and those clovers that hadnt.
His cute, pale faced, cousin sat up as well. Her tone was almost as artfully pitched at Vayas, mixing a reproachful warning tone with playful warmth.
"So you are too good to be touched one day, and the next day you are a lusty lovebird?"
Vaya would have laughed if he werent heartbroken. Instead he tried to take her serious with his answers.
"No, I didnt dislike you.. I just dont think you should, you know.. touch someone to flirt with them. I need my space, even if I dont have a lover."
The girl rolled her eyes at him and stopped him from explaining.
"Dont take it so serious. I know this is a bad way for you to react to your breakup and not your normal behavior. I dont mind using your bad habits.. you are very attractive.
The moon elf girl kept on in her casual tone as they dressed.
"You are pretty and worth this romp, but you are far to cold of a dish for someone like me to keep. I need to be happy with the one I give my heart to."
Well, at least someone has it right.
The moon elf girl kept talking. "But... this was fun, and you arent so bad when you relax properly. Maybe we can do this again next time you have a nasty break up, that is if I am not busy with someone of my own."
Vaya smiled at her mercenary sentiments. He expected this of moon elves, he reasoned it wasnt wrong for them. Cant blame a wildflower for not being a bluebell.
Vaya offered her a smoke of his poppy sap. They shared a bottle of wine before parting at dawn.
Opium, its called opium in common. Probably the only sweet sounding word in the whole damned language.
************************************************************
He had sat aside as long as he could, now everyone wanted to walk to the city. He was going to join them. His siblings, a cousin, and that dryad girl. Vaya was pretty sure after listening to her that she was a wood elf, from the high forest. He had still kept quiet, and on the far side of the inlet till now.
Vaya being both pretty and cynical had gotten used to, and mistrustful of, every girl that smiled at him. This girl smiled extra big as she took in Vayas features. She had already introduced herself to the others but did so again for Vayas benefit.
"I am Attia"
"Well, yes, I heard you cousin"
"And you are Vaya" She said.
"Yes. Vaya of house Ana'ari."
*************************************************************
Somewhere along the road, near a rotting wooden bridge, lie a sun elf noble. Alone in the grass, his belly hurt from drinking wine without eating. His hands were numb from the smoke, but more importantly his mind was too.
He decided he didnt mind the pain in his belly so much, it was a good trade off.
If only I could get up and smoke a little more.
A ladybug landed on his face.
How long has it been, anyway?
************************************************************
Vaya wasnt sure how the two of them had lost everybody. The city did that to people, pulling them in all different directions. The wood elf lass had followed him, curious because others had mentioned music he didnt make anymore.
Vaya understood now her fascination, she too was an artist. As one of the faithful of Hanali, she was appalled that an artist spoken of so highly by other elves would give up his music. Vaya watched the girls attraction blend with her concern... he resented the concern, but she was so very, very, pretty.
Hours slipped away as they talked on the moon-bridge.
*************************************************************
Vaya loved the look of the Divination room at the school. He had been avoiding going to his own room because it reminded him of Vellya. He simply couldnt have that.
It was a much more easy solution in his mind to seduce the nice young sun elf lass, Laniara, who occupied this adorable room with fine green furnishings.
Green is a lucky color. I must be on the right path here.
As they talked after the act of passion he started to feel bad. Maybe he shouldnt be doing things like this.
"I was sure you would refuse me you know. I thought you might tell me this was something bad for me"
"Not at all" The girl smiled. "Dont you think I wanted this too? I know you were trying to bed me, I wasnt tricked"
Vaya could only smile and nod. She had seen his behavior degenerate on his downward spiral after realizing Vellya would chose her culture over him.
After that awkward scene, they talked warm and pleasant words for some time. Afterward, lying and watching her talk of her homeland, he was thankful that even if nothing came of this that he would know her as long as he wanted.
Is this what my parents wanted me to learn on the mainland? I am not so sure I am comfortable with growing up.
Vaya was exhausted but even looking around at these pleasant silky green sheets, and the naked sun elf lass, he could take no rest. He had to get up and go have some wine.
**********************************************************
Hyacinthe was with him. He couldnt remember much else. He remembered it was her because seeing her sitting down calm and smiling in the academy was so very, very, out of place.
Yet here she was. His brother must have just slipped off. It was a struggle to sit awake during the conversation about the weave. He remembered liking it, but his vision was getting blurry.
His wild elf sister stood up and thanked him for something. Then she worked some sort of spell, he was sure. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, leaving him sitting with a dryad.
************************************************************
It was still many more hours that Vaya sat awake with Attia. The moments they spent alone made more and more obvious their increasing mutual attraction.
Vaya was annoyed at her digging into his past with Vellya, but even as he resented the picking... he saw those sweet things in this girl he so adored in his lost love.
So sweet, so very innocent and sweet.
************************************************************
Vaya remembered being seventy nine years old. The girl he had first kept for any length of time had taught him a game. A training exercise really.
It involves a mirror, and a needle. The goal is to push the needle painfully deep into your hand while smiling charmingly into the mirror.
Hold it... hold it for hours.
************************************************************
The beauty was near tears as Vaya casually explained his feelings and the separation.
You asked for it, pretty girl.
He liked to see girls crying and sad. It was so pretty. This pretty moth was persistent. He had to admit he liked the attention.
She is a commoner, so she is probably being honest when she admits these feelings for me. But so soon?
She spoke of her own art with the same passion he heard in his own voice about music. She showed him how in her village dances that even the smallest move of a hand or knee could mean a different thing to the viewer. He was fascinated with her lessons and found himself attracted to her in the role of a teacher.
She tried to get him to talk of his flute, but he sidestepped her there.
Now I need that needle for my hand. Lets not talk about my flute.
The two came closer together. They touched. They kissed. It was a long while before anything made to much sense to him. The wine, smoke, and now pleasure blurred things for a while. It was a struggle to focus on the girl, the wood elf, the dryad... whatever she was.
He realized as she curled close to him, those big black eyes were offering themselves to him. Her words matched her eyes. She was so very pretty and sweet. Just like Vaya liked them.
But will I make a shipwreck of this attempt if I accept her offer? Will I punish her for not being Vellya?
The girl touched his face. When they did that, it was only a matter of a few words more to get them naked and into the clovers. Her warm smile was so very inviting.
Yes, probably.... But she is so, so very sweet.
Vaya wrapped his arms around the pretty stranger. It felt like a defeat, like he should have stayed unhappy about Vellya forever... but it also felt warm. He decided not to say the sly things he had been planning, but instead spoke truthfully. He had something much more important to say than yet another seduction.
"I like everything you have said lady... No, I love it"
The girl smiled even more than she was already.
"I have a thing to ask, if all you have said and offered is true"
"What is it, Vaya? You can have anything from me you want."
"Sit close, like you are now..." Vaya rested his forehead to hers "You feel safe....I just want to rest a moment."
Vaya didnt quite make out her answer. He took the cool sensation of a hand against his cheek as permission... and drifted off into reverie.
_________________________________________________________
If you have been able to stand following the weepy tale, you have my thanks yet again.
J
As it is a terrible rudeness to put your poor feelings onto your friends, Vaya kept a calm friendly smile. He was exhausted, hadnt rested for several days. Though he didnt know it, he would be getting some rest finally, soon. He was sure he saw someone lurking in the conifers behind the swimming trio.
Well now, who the hells is that?
*************************************************************
How long has it been? Since then? Since I rested? I wonder how long an elf can take from reverie? Will it kill me?
Vaya didnt want to take his reverie, he was sure recent events would catch up to him in his sleep. If he rested and remembered Vellya, he wouldnt be quite able to handle waking.
The wine from the academy was decent at least.
Maybe some Poppy sap too.
Darker than most ran his thoughts. Only half sure that he should try to escape from this black spiral, he decided to look for someone to talk to about it.
************************************************************
A beautiful wood elf girl stepped out from the trees once all eyes at the inlet had turned towards her. Her skin was dark, it reminded Vaya of how dark a trees bark becomes after a rain.
Large, black, innocent eyes had just the right shade of shyness to be all the more alluring. Vaya found himself comparing her to a dryad. She seemed so very innocent and sweet as she made her introductions to the three swimmers...He instantly resented her.
But she is so terribly pretty.
************************************************************
His friends called casual mating "A Roll in the Clovers". He took a moment to appreciate the clovers, both those that had survived passions with Allys and those clovers that hadnt.
His cute, pale faced, cousin sat up as well. Her tone was almost as artfully pitched at Vayas, mixing a reproachful warning tone with playful warmth.
"So you are too good to be touched one day, and the next day you are a lusty lovebird?"
Vaya would have laughed if he werent heartbroken. Instead he tried to take her serious with his answers.
"No, I didnt dislike you.. I just dont think you should, you know.. touch someone to flirt with them. I need my space, even if I dont have a lover."
The girl rolled her eyes at him and stopped him from explaining.
"Dont take it so serious. I know this is a bad way for you to react to your breakup and not your normal behavior. I dont mind using your bad habits.. you are very attractive.
The moon elf girl kept on in her casual tone as they dressed.
"You are pretty and worth this romp, but you are far to cold of a dish for someone like me to keep. I need to be happy with the one I give my heart to."
Well, at least someone has it right.
The moon elf girl kept talking. "But... this was fun, and you arent so bad when you relax properly. Maybe we can do this again next time you have a nasty break up, that is if I am not busy with someone of my own."
Vaya smiled at her mercenary sentiments. He expected this of moon elves, he reasoned it wasnt wrong for them. Cant blame a wildflower for not being a bluebell.
Vaya offered her a smoke of his poppy sap. They shared a bottle of wine before parting at dawn.
Opium, its called opium in common. Probably the only sweet sounding word in the whole damned language.
************************************************************
He had sat aside as long as he could, now everyone wanted to walk to the city. He was going to join them. His siblings, a cousin, and that dryad girl. Vaya was pretty sure after listening to her that she was a wood elf, from the high forest. He had still kept quiet, and on the far side of the inlet till now.
Vaya being both pretty and cynical had gotten used to, and mistrustful of, every girl that smiled at him. This girl smiled extra big as she took in Vayas features. She had already introduced herself to the others but did so again for Vayas benefit.
"I am Attia"
"Well, yes, I heard you cousin"
"And you are Vaya" She said.
"Yes. Vaya of house Ana'ari."
*************************************************************
Somewhere along the road, near a rotting wooden bridge, lie a sun elf noble. Alone in the grass, his belly hurt from drinking wine without eating. His hands were numb from the smoke, but more importantly his mind was too.
He decided he didnt mind the pain in his belly so much, it was a good trade off.
If only I could get up and smoke a little more.
A ladybug landed on his face.
How long has it been, anyway?
************************************************************
Vaya wasnt sure how the two of them had lost everybody. The city did that to people, pulling them in all different directions. The wood elf lass had followed him, curious because others had mentioned music he didnt make anymore.
Vaya understood now her fascination, she too was an artist. As one of the faithful of Hanali, she was appalled that an artist spoken of so highly by other elves would give up his music. Vaya watched the girls attraction blend with her concern... he resented the concern, but she was so very, very, pretty.
Hours slipped away as they talked on the moon-bridge.
*************************************************************
Vaya loved the look of the Divination room at the school. He had been avoiding going to his own room because it reminded him of Vellya. He simply couldnt have that.
It was a much more easy solution in his mind to seduce the nice young sun elf lass, Laniara, who occupied this adorable room with fine green furnishings.
Green is a lucky color. I must be on the right path here.
As they talked after the act of passion he started to feel bad. Maybe he shouldnt be doing things like this.
"I was sure you would refuse me you know. I thought you might tell me this was something bad for me"
"Not at all" The girl smiled. "Dont you think I wanted this too? I know you were trying to bed me, I wasnt tricked"
Vaya could only smile and nod. She had seen his behavior degenerate on his downward spiral after realizing Vellya would chose her culture over him.
After that awkward scene, they talked warm and pleasant words for some time. Afterward, lying and watching her talk of her homeland, he was thankful that even if nothing came of this that he would know her as long as he wanted.
Is this what my parents wanted me to learn on the mainland? I am not so sure I am comfortable with growing up.
Vaya was exhausted but even looking around at these pleasant silky green sheets, and the naked sun elf lass, he could take no rest. He had to get up and go have some wine.
**********************************************************
Hyacinthe was with him. He couldnt remember much else. He remembered it was her because seeing her sitting down calm and smiling in the academy was so very, very, out of place.
Yet here she was. His brother must have just slipped off. It was a struggle to sit awake during the conversation about the weave. He remembered liking it, but his vision was getting blurry.
His wild elf sister stood up and thanked him for something. Then she worked some sort of spell, he was sure. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, leaving him sitting with a dryad.
************************************************************
It was still many more hours that Vaya sat awake with Attia. The moments they spent alone made more and more obvious their increasing mutual attraction.
Vaya was annoyed at her digging into his past with Vellya, but even as he resented the picking... he saw those sweet things in this girl he so adored in his lost love.
So sweet, so very innocent and sweet.
************************************************************
Vaya remembered being seventy nine years old. The girl he had first kept for any length of time had taught him a game. A training exercise really.
It involves a mirror, and a needle. The goal is to push the needle painfully deep into your hand while smiling charmingly into the mirror.
Hold it... hold it for hours.
************************************************************
The beauty was near tears as Vaya casually explained his feelings and the separation.
You asked for it, pretty girl.
He liked to see girls crying and sad. It was so pretty. This pretty moth was persistent. He had to admit he liked the attention.
She is a commoner, so she is probably being honest when she admits these feelings for me. But so soon?
She spoke of her own art with the same passion he heard in his own voice about music. She showed him how in her village dances that even the smallest move of a hand or knee could mean a different thing to the viewer. He was fascinated with her lessons and found himself attracted to her in the role of a teacher.
She tried to get him to talk of his flute, but he sidestepped her there.
Now I need that needle for my hand. Lets not talk about my flute.
The two came closer together. They touched. They kissed. It was a long while before anything made to much sense to him. The wine, smoke, and now pleasure blurred things for a while. It was a struggle to focus on the girl, the wood elf, the dryad... whatever she was.
He realized as she curled close to him, those big black eyes were offering themselves to him. Her words matched her eyes. She was so very pretty and sweet. Just like Vaya liked them.
But will I make a shipwreck of this attempt if I accept her offer? Will I punish her for not being Vellya?
The girl touched his face. When they did that, it was only a matter of a few words more to get them naked and into the clovers. Her warm smile was so very inviting.
Yes, probably.... But she is so, so very sweet.
Vaya wrapped his arms around the pretty stranger. It felt like a defeat, like he should have stayed unhappy about Vellya forever... but it also felt warm. He decided not to say the sly things he had been planning, but instead spoke truthfully. He had something much more important to say than yet another seduction.
"I like everything you have said lady... No, I love it"
The girl smiled even more than she was already.
"I have a thing to ask, if all you have said and offered is true"
"What is it, Vaya? You can have anything from me you want."
"Sit close, like you are now..." Vaya rested his forehead to hers "You feel safe....I just want to rest a moment."
Vaya didnt quite make out her answer. He took the cool sensation of a hand against his cheek as permission... and drifted off into reverie.
_________________________________________________________
If you have been able to stand following the weepy tale, you have my thanks yet again.
J
Wow! I really love your take on a Bard. So often Bards are happy go lucky songsters (“Im Participating!”-Elan, OotS).
Not Vaya! He is both tragic and dark. You pull off being a misunderstood artist so very well. Keep up the great writing!
Not Vaya! He is both tragic and dark. You pull off being a misunderstood artist so very well. Keep up the great writing!
PC
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
Bozwell "The Dragonheart" of Clan Blackstone, Explorer, Scholar, Knight Draconis
Gamespy: BigDaddyBones
A burned out husk of a house, each of its walls bore marks of the fire. A gentle creaking sound could be heard from the remainders of a door. The broken shutters hung loose and open, hopeless.
Just like me
Hyacinthe was talking to him.. but it was like she was far away. She didnt like his answers today.
"So you will be happy if you can make yourself hate her... for an ignorant mistake?" Hyacinthes voice was getting further and further away.
"Yes, it would be much easier on me to stew my fading love and my hurt into hate. Then I could probably display some proper form of detachment."
"I fear I will lose you if you take this path"
A few weeks ago the conversation had been different, the words seemed louder back then.
***********************************************************
"I love you brother, and I value the time we can spend together" Hyacinthe had said.
Vaya couldnt remember most of the rest of that short conversation but the offering of such words stuck with him. He would need to save those words and listen to them again later when it would hurt the most.
Trust was a sinking ship, but still some part of him hoped she meant it.
***********************************************************
Vaya was at the market on a bright sunny day. He stopped to buy a single steel sewing needle.
***********************************************************
Hyacinthe was busy telling her own self-fulfilling prophecy.
"If you chose this... if you can find hate for her, I feel like I... like we will lose you."
The more she said such things... the more distant and quiet her voice became. Vaya wasnt sure if it was the depression or all the drugs and wine... but his vision clouded black and turned into a tunnel.
He was deep in this hole, far far away from his sister who sat right next to him.
***********************************************************
He was sitting down with Vellya. The conversation was going exactly as he had expected.... poorly. If he hadnt felt so very worthless he would have left when she insulted him.... but it didnt matter, he deserved to hear such things.
Why did i agree to this?
Vellya was busy trying to explain why her limited view of the world was a better one than his invalid long term view. He was supposed to accept her words without so much as a nod to his.
Just go back to insulting me so I can hate you.
It was like a wound you cant stop touching, seeing her reminded him of their love. Listening to her was a constant reminder that she had converted away from the faith of Fenmarel.
She was somehow able to insult him while acting hurt. It attracted him and repulsed him at the same time.
Inside the oversized sleeves of his plush comfy robes...his hands went to work. He plunged a steel needle into the palm of his hand.
Vaya smiled as big as he could, listening to Vellya. The pain even prompted him to speak... It was a worthless attempt, as they simply came back to the same dead end. He gave up, he twisted the needle.
***********************************************************
"Brother... you and I need to go take a walk now" Said Ama'asha.
"I know you mean for me to meet Vellya. I am not going" was Vayas reply.
"Brother, you have to go.... I told her you would be coming. She will be waiting alone... all day for you, hurt... if you dont go"
"I hate you"
"Yes, I know"
***********************************************************
"I love you Vaya.... and I will wait as long as it takes." Laniara looked directly into his eyes as she spoke.
Vaya couldnt figure this out. She had seen him with Attia, she knew of his casual sex with the moon elf lass, she knew many of his worst personality flaws... yet still made his amazing offer to him. Vaya was touched by, and scared of, this.
She would wait for him to exhaust himself with attempts at other relationships... simply wait. Her only spoken concern was that she didnt want to see him hurt himself with this mess. Vaya once again felt very undeserving. He tried to tell her that she deserved better than him, better than an empty elf.
"and what do you deserve then? Someone as cold and cruel as you?"
That sounds right, someone to hate me
"Deserve? I deserve to live a life alone"
"You cannot bear this alone, it will break your heart"
"Sister... my heart is broken already. A broken cup does not need to fear falling. Ashes do not fear being burnt."
***********************************************************
The empty rotten house was so very beautiful. Vaya could sit here all day, several days, and watch the house slowly crumble.
***********************************************************
"Anyway... being told that I am loved and then being rejected in such a real permanent way hurts too much. I dont want to talk to her again." Vaya said.
His sister Hyacinthe replied. "Vellya does love you. She just sees things differently. Round ears and half-breeds do not think of forever very easily or often."
"Dont say that, Vella dosnt love me"
***********************************************************
In the end, it seemed to Vaya that nothing had been decided. In fact the two had decided not to decide what they would do with their relationship.... it seemed like Vellyas solution to simply start over. Presumably it was to get to know one another slowly. He knew it for what it was, simply a more elaborate version of breaking up. Their issues hadnt changed, in fact he felt worse now.
Vaya had done something terrible. He had hoped to hate Velllya, in fact her insults mixed with his already considerable pain had done a great job of letting that feeling take root. He had expected to stop loving her when this happened... but instead he was now victim to a sick blending of the passions.
He couldnt look at her smile and blue eyes without feeling some of his old feelings for her... but he also couldnt listen to her speak without hearing those insults again. He knew if he touched her he would regret it.
There was a needle shoved deep into the palm of his hand. He twisted it.
Keep smiling.
***********************************************************
"You know what, you are right... ill stop" Vaya said, giving up.
It was impossible to speak with Vellya, she would admit one moment to occasionally using less than honorable methods... then turn right back around and insist how we do a thing is as important as the task being done.
Its because of simple minds making pointless rules that makes it easy for people like baneites to worm into society
Vayas love for Vellya made him want to keep on.. to show her reason, and to hopefully offer her some advice that would protect her. If he had been her lover.. he would have pressed on into the argument. Now he just didnt care to go on. Each word was like spitting out a heavy brick, and all each one did was earn him a retort he was growing to bored to reply to.... so he gave up.
We are no longer together, nor are we kin. Just let go and shut up.
***********************************************************
He sat down alone and faced the burned house. Charred wood and peeling paint held an entrancing beauty for him. He sat and watched the empty husk of a house for many long hours.
***********************************************************
Vaya and his brother were smoking opium again.
The tall wood elf smiled wide. "Brother, I dont know how this came of you... I told you not to feed diamonds to a dog. You really should listen to me, at least sometimes."
Vaya wanted to lash out at that, but defending a lovers name or honor was no longer his task. He decided he should listen.
After all.... he had offered the gift of himself and she had taken no more notice than a dog would if you put a handful of diamonds in his food bowl. Ama'asha was right.
It was arrogant to assume she would see value. I will make an effort to learn from this, to listen to my kinfolk. My brother wants whats best for me
His brother went on.... "Besides... you have seen human houses and families. They /often/ chose the same gods to perpetuate their marriages beyond the grave... they even adopt these gods as household gods and raise their children with them."
Vaya nodded. He had seen this a lot since looking for it. Ama'asha went on speaking, to anyone else it would have seemed cruel... but when heard between two nobles, it seemed a rather rational discussion.
"You need to face the fact that she dosnt love you, and never did. You have a pretty face brother, girls go for that and call it love.... it only gets worse if you play them music"
Vaya had to nod again, Ama'asha didnt stop talking. "You said it yourself... as a half-breed it is her choice to chose her gods, wich culture she wants to go with. She has no other lovers or family to keep her gods with... she even had an elf god when you met her."
"Yes, she did."
"And she ditched our glorious cousin Fenmarel, just as casually as she ditched you....even after prattling about how much she depended on him, and how very much she loved you"
"Yes, she did."
"The best thing you can do... is hate her. I know you dont want to... but its you. She used you like nobles use each other, while you were busy trying to offer the devotional love of a commoner. This is backwards."
"Yes, I suppose it is"
"I miss you brother... you almost lost your music because of this. Come back to us, we miss the old Vaya from Evermeet.
"But.. I was terrible... a monster"
"You were... but we loved that monster."
____________________________________________________________
Thanks again for reading, if you are.
J
_____________________________________________________________
Just like me
Hyacinthe was talking to him.. but it was like she was far away. She didnt like his answers today.
"So you will be happy if you can make yourself hate her... for an ignorant mistake?" Hyacinthes voice was getting further and further away.
"Yes, it would be much easier on me to stew my fading love and my hurt into hate. Then I could probably display some proper form of detachment."
"I fear I will lose you if you take this path"
A few weeks ago the conversation had been different, the words seemed louder back then.
***********************************************************
"I love you brother, and I value the time we can spend together" Hyacinthe had said.
Vaya couldnt remember most of the rest of that short conversation but the offering of such words stuck with him. He would need to save those words and listen to them again later when it would hurt the most.
Trust was a sinking ship, but still some part of him hoped she meant it.
***********************************************************
Vaya was at the market on a bright sunny day. He stopped to buy a single steel sewing needle.
***********************************************************
Hyacinthe was busy telling her own self-fulfilling prophecy.
"If you chose this... if you can find hate for her, I feel like I... like we will lose you."
The more she said such things... the more distant and quiet her voice became. Vaya wasnt sure if it was the depression or all the drugs and wine... but his vision clouded black and turned into a tunnel.
He was deep in this hole, far far away from his sister who sat right next to him.
***********************************************************
He was sitting down with Vellya. The conversation was going exactly as he had expected.... poorly. If he hadnt felt so very worthless he would have left when she insulted him.... but it didnt matter, he deserved to hear such things.
Why did i agree to this?
Vellya was busy trying to explain why her limited view of the world was a better one than his invalid long term view. He was supposed to accept her words without so much as a nod to his.
Just go back to insulting me so I can hate you.
It was like a wound you cant stop touching, seeing her reminded him of their love. Listening to her was a constant reminder that she had converted away from the faith of Fenmarel.
She was somehow able to insult him while acting hurt. It attracted him and repulsed him at the same time.
Inside the oversized sleeves of his plush comfy robes...his hands went to work. He plunged a steel needle into the palm of his hand.
Vaya smiled as big as he could, listening to Vellya. The pain even prompted him to speak... It was a worthless attempt, as they simply came back to the same dead end. He gave up, he twisted the needle.
***********************************************************
"Brother... you and I need to go take a walk now" Said Ama'asha.
"I know you mean for me to meet Vellya. I am not going" was Vayas reply.
"Brother, you have to go.... I told her you would be coming. She will be waiting alone... all day for you, hurt... if you dont go"
"I hate you"
"Yes, I know"
***********************************************************
"I love you Vaya.... and I will wait as long as it takes." Laniara looked directly into his eyes as she spoke.
Vaya couldnt figure this out. She had seen him with Attia, she knew of his casual sex with the moon elf lass, she knew many of his worst personality flaws... yet still made his amazing offer to him. Vaya was touched by, and scared of, this.
She would wait for him to exhaust himself with attempts at other relationships... simply wait. Her only spoken concern was that she didnt want to see him hurt himself with this mess. Vaya once again felt very undeserving. He tried to tell her that she deserved better than him, better than an empty elf.
"and what do you deserve then? Someone as cold and cruel as you?"
That sounds right, someone to hate me
"Deserve? I deserve to live a life alone"
"You cannot bear this alone, it will break your heart"
"Sister... my heart is broken already. A broken cup does not need to fear falling. Ashes do not fear being burnt."
***********************************************************
The empty rotten house was so very beautiful. Vaya could sit here all day, several days, and watch the house slowly crumble.
***********************************************************
"Anyway... being told that I am loved and then being rejected in such a real permanent way hurts too much. I dont want to talk to her again." Vaya said.
His sister Hyacinthe replied. "Vellya does love you. She just sees things differently. Round ears and half-breeds do not think of forever very easily or often."
"Dont say that, Vella dosnt love me"
***********************************************************
In the end, it seemed to Vaya that nothing had been decided. In fact the two had decided not to decide what they would do with their relationship.... it seemed like Vellyas solution to simply start over. Presumably it was to get to know one another slowly. He knew it for what it was, simply a more elaborate version of breaking up. Their issues hadnt changed, in fact he felt worse now.
Vaya had done something terrible. He had hoped to hate Velllya, in fact her insults mixed with his already considerable pain had done a great job of letting that feeling take root. He had expected to stop loving her when this happened... but instead he was now victim to a sick blending of the passions.
He couldnt look at her smile and blue eyes without feeling some of his old feelings for her... but he also couldnt listen to her speak without hearing those insults again. He knew if he touched her he would regret it.
There was a needle shoved deep into the palm of his hand. He twisted it.
Keep smiling.
***********************************************************
"You know what, you are right... ill stop" Vaya said, giving up.
It was impossible to speak with Vellya, she would admit one moment to occasionally using less than honorable methods... then turn right back around and insist how we do a thing is as important as the task being done.
Its because of simple minds making pointless rules that makes it easy for people like baneites to worm into society
Vayas love for Vellya made him want to keep on.. to show her reason, and to hopefully offer her some advice that would protect her. If he had been her lover.. he would have pressed on into the argument. Now he just didnt care to go on. Each word was like spitting out a heavy brick, and all each one did was earn him a retort he was growing to bored to reply to.... so he gave up.
We are no longer together, nor are we kin. Just let go and shut up.
***********************************************************
He sat down alone and faced the burned house. Charred wood and peeling paint held an entrancing beauty for him. He sat and watched the empty husk of a house for many long hours.
***********************************************************
Vaya and his brother were smoking opium again.
The tall wood elf smiled wide. "Brother, I dont know how this came of you... I told you not to feed diamonds to a dog. You really should listen to me, at least sometimes."
Vaya wanted to lash out at that, but defending a lovers name or honor was no longer his task. He decided he should listen.
After all.... he had offered the gift of himself and she had taken no more notice than a dog would if you put a handful of diamonds in his food bowl. Ama'asha was right.
It was arrogant to assume she would see value. I will make an effort to learn from this, to listen to my kinfolk. My brother wants whats best for me
His brother went on.... "Besides... you have seen human houses and families. They /often/ chose the same gods to perpetuate their marriages beyond the grave... they even adopt these gods as household gods and raise their children with them."
Vaya nodded. He had seen this a lot since looking for it. Ama'asha went on speaking, to anyone else it would have seemed cruel... but when heard between two nobles, it seemed a rather rational discussion.
"You need to face the fact that she dosnt love you, and never did. You have a pretty face brother, girls go for that and call it love.... it only gets worse if you play them music"
Vaya had to nod again, Ama'asha didnt stop talking. "You said it yourself... as a half-breed it is her choice to chose her gods, wich culture she wants to go with. She has no other lovers or family to keep her gods with... she even had an elf god when you met her."
"Yes, she did."
"And she ditched our glorious cousin Fenmarel, just as casually as she ditched you....even after prattling about how much she depended on him, and how very much she loved you"
"Yes, she did."
"The best thing you can do... is hate her. I know you dont want to... but its you. She used you like nobles use each other, while you were busy trying to offer the devotional love of a commoner. This is backwards."
"Yes, I suppose it is"
"I miss you brother... you almost lost your music because of this. Come back to us, we miss the old Vaya from Evermeet.
"But.. I was terrible... a monster"
"You were... but we loved that monster."
____________________________________________________________
Thanks again for reading, if you are.
J
_____________________________________________________________
Vaya stood alone on a hill overlooking a bizzare red and purple lake. He stared at it a while, wondering how some elves could fall so far away from their culture while others raised in similar circumstances would grow up proper elves. Normally his mind would wander right to the darkest of his thoughts but he had a very pleasant elf to think about now too.
*************************************************
Vaya and his sister Hyacinthe hacked at the wolf that had jumped on Elriond, it was sadly required to be done to save the other elfs life.... still Vaya was sick in his belly at the deed.
*************************************************
"So cousin, who do you pray to?" Vaya asked the cute wood elf lass.
"I honor all the Seladrine, but I pray to Rillifane mostly" she answered.
Elaera had come with him to pick reeds at Rivermoot. There were only three people now who had ever taken an interest in his harvesting of the hollow grasses.
I guess I shouldnt be so surprised that a druid likes picking grass as much as I do.
As he plucked a reed he thought of another who had come with him to pick reeds.
*******************************************************
Laniara listened intently to him as he spoke about the reeds and what to look for as he harvested them.
She nodded to his words and spoke her own. "If you can tell me what reeds are acceptable I might be of some use to you"
"No, no.. dont ever pick grass for me. It just wont work."
She seemed a little dissapointed in his answer, and that made him feel bad... she was being so very nice to him, it prompted him to speak.
"Thank you sister... for coming out here with me at all."
She smiled, knowing he was trying to back away from upsetting her. Vaya continued to speak.
"You are only the second person ever to join me and care to ask about what im doing... thank you. It is a nice feeling."
"Who was the other? Vellya?"
The question actually physically hurt Vaya to hear... because Laniara was wrong.
"No, no.. It was not Vellya. I dont think she assumed I was doing anything more than the idle watching of turtles."
Laniara looked a bit sad for him too. "Well.. who was it then?"
"Attia of the high forest, she joined me... for those few days we had together. She was an artist herself you know.... so it makes sense she would want to learn these things."
"I like being with you Vaya, if youd let me.. id pick them for you but i understand needing to make your own. No one writes in my spellbook for me."
Such a nice way of looking at things, I should be a better brother to her
*********************************************************
Elriond showed no remorse, Vaya watched him closely.... not even a prayer for the poor dead thing. Just a growing series of excuses as to why it happened.
Vaya lashed out at him, chastising him for walking the woods when unable to keep from endangering wolves. Vaya was more mad that the elf showed no remorse than the actual mistake of letting himself be seen by the wolf.
Vaya clearly remembered seeing him upset about dead cut trees... trees he didnt cut himself.
Yes, I guess it is only wrong when someone besides YOU does it, cousin... or are wolves not as valuable as trees?
The sun elf noble probably would have found it easy to forgive the other elf had he shown some remorse, cried.. or even gave a heartfelt prayer over the body. Nothing.
*******************************************************
"Back in my village there were even a few elves who followed non-elven gods like Sylvanus or Meillikki. While I might have them as occasional allies... I cannot befriend someone who turns from our culture and ways." Said the wood elf druidess.
Someone with the self-respect to limit their interaction to wholesome people... to keep to her folk. And she is a druid of our father of the woods.... an amazing elf. Sad that proper elves are so rare that i am amazed by her, but still very nice to have met her
Vaya tied a string around the reeds and packed them into his satchel.
*********************************************************
Still the argument went on with the two rangers... Vaya hadnt expected his sister to help the other elf find excuses for his misdeeds. She had shifted from chiding him for not having a soft step... to agreeing that the wolves were near starved and needed to be put down anyway.
The place and the conversation were making Vaya sick... but still the two lingered. Despite her shift in stance... Hyacinthe still seemed to know that Elriond would attract more wolves with his heavy steps, and there were wolves blocking the way. They hesitated.
"How about I just turn cousin invisible and we GO?"
As one, they resisted him
"Wolves hunt by smell, they will still attack"
"I can often detect you when invisible myself"
But Vaya would have no more time spent in the dreadful place, he was going to leave with our without them.
Linger in the wolves domain till another hears and has to die too, not my answer
Vaya smiled all the time. His friends surmised that he could smile while watching a boatload of babies sink... but Vaya couldnt stand to be near the poor dead wolf any more. Vaya wasnt smiling inside his black hood.
**********************************************************
Vaya sat amongst the poppies with the wood elf lass that had impressed him so much with her words. He set his flute on his lap and began to fix one of the reeds... it would soon be her turn to be impressed.
He tested the reeds, playing as few bars of a song to get the feel of the new grass. As so many others did, she girl looked impressed before he had even started, impressed by his pre-performance practice.
He stopped and fixed the reeds, adjusting the strings tying them in place. The girl seemed mildly suprised that he stopped in the middle of such a song.
When he was done with his adjustments, he went into the real song.
The lass took in the aching sad song with her jaw slightly agape.... she didnt quite cry but her eyes turned watery and red... the verge of tears.
Now that is proper respect for a proper song.
*******************************************************
A thousand thoughts ran through his mind in a split second. Just as he had been digging in his satchel for his spell components, a wolf happened over the hill and jumped on him, tearing his calf open.
Vaya swung his bow out between them, forcing some space trying to hold the wolf at bay for just a second. There was no way he would make the same mistake the young wood elf ranger had made. He would get hurt himself before killing this wolf.
The wolf slipped past the bow and got his belly, a deep painful bite... still he backed up and forced out the words to his most valued spell, Invisibility.
A few steps back from the wild canine and it was all over. The bloody-mawed wolf simply stopped... confused as to why his meal vanished.
All my respect and thanks to Master Volebane, Professor of Illusion.
While the wolf was busy thinking, Vaya was already sprinting at full speed away. His belly and leg were gashed open badly... but adrenaline kept him running.
If you cant escape a wolf without killing it.. you shouldnt be in the woods in the first place. Entertaining that a wood elf ranger couldnt meet this simple standard while a silky city-boy like myself escaped from the wolf with both combatants alive
He kept running... passing the wolfs pack at their watering hole. Only when we was past them and out of sight did he stop to heal himself.
Thanks and praise to you, Fenmarel, for where another failed in a group... I succeeded by myself at the very same task.
Vaya didnt know why he stopped to whistle, letting the other elves know he was safe.... probably because he still loved his sister, despite his current anger he wanted her to know he was safe. Even more odd was the fact that he didnt leave them... but waited to make sure they got out alive.
Wrong or not, she is my sister... and he at least worships one of our gods, he may grow and learn still. Wait for them.
********************************************************
After his song, Vaya and Elaera opened a few bottles of wine and started to talk. Vaya liked the girl, everything she said was rational, wise, and respectful. She even sat close, but just outside his personal space. He thought for a moment that if she bothered to comb the leaves from her hair and gear... that would be the only improvement he would make.
No... thats stupid, the leaves are charming. You cant improve a perfect song.
They shared stories of themselves, and their homelands. Vaya had already heard much of the high forest from his brother, but this girl was from a much different place in those ancient woods so the stories and facts were almost new to him. He wouldnt have cared anyway, meeting a real elf was a more and more rare occurrence these days... he would have been happy to hear her talking about washing clothes if thats what she wanted to say.
They talked for hours... they talked for a day, then the sun passed them again, and yet again. Three days passed before she grew tired and he offered to walk her to High Hold.
Even on the way to the hold they spoke. He offered to introduce her to his other sister and brothers sometime later, when next they met.
*********************************************************
Puffing on a reed stuffed with opium, Vaya still looked out over the red lake with its multicolored stones. He came here because he had met pixies here once and he thought he needed to sit and focus on pleasant things for a while.
Pleasant things like pixies, his brothers Nun and Ama'asha, his sister Laniara and her constant desire to heal and help him... Attia the darling wood elf he had adored for a week then lost track of...
Vaya usually felt morally inferior to other elves, but now... the last good sweet thought hanging in his mind made him feel so very much superior to a great deal of elves. He didnt think on his sisters or brothers, nor his gods nor his culture... not even his music.
Vayas thoughts were on that scraggly, sorta ugly, desperate wolf that he had escaped from without killing. He remembered looking back as he sprinted away... seeing his blood on the wolfs maw. It would live and move on with its pack to new hunting ranges, it might even live long enough to make some puppies next spring. Even if it didnt, and it died to some hunter in a week... he had saved it, today.
he stayed there for a long while on that thought... and for the first time in weeks, months, even years....
Vaya was truly, totally, happy with something he had done.
_____________________________________________________________
Once again, big thanks to those who are reading.
J
*************************************************
Vaya and his sister Hyacinthe hacked at the wolf that had jumped on Elriond, it was sadly required to be done to save the other elfs life.... still Vaya was sick in his belly at the deed.
*************************************************
"So cousin, who do you pray to?" Vaya asked the cute wood elf lass.
"I honor all the Seladrine, but I pray to Rillifane mostly" she answered.
Elaera had come with him to pick reeds at Rivermoot. There were only three people now who had ever taken an interest in his harvesting of the hollow grasses.
I guess I shouldnt be so surprised that a druid likes picking grass as much as I do.
As he plucked a reed he thought of another who had come with him to pick reeds.
*******************************************************
Laniara listened intently to him as he spoke about the reeds and what to look for as he harvested them.
She nodded to his words and spoke her own. "If you can tell me what reeds are acceptable I might be of some use to you"
"No, no.. dont ever pick grass for me. It just wont work."
She seemed a little dissapointed in his answer, and that made him feel bad... she was being so very nice to him, it prompted him to speak.
"Thank you sister... for coming out here with me at all."
She smiled, knowing he was trying to back away from upsetting her. Vaya continued to speak.
"You are only the second person ever to join me and care to ask about what im doing... thank you. It is a nice feeling."
"Who was the other? Vellya?"
The question actually physically hurt Vaya to hear... because Laniara was wrong.
"No, no.. It was not Vellya. I dont think she assumed I was doing anything more than the idle watching of turtles."
Laniara looked a bit sad for him too. "Well.. who was it then?"
"Attia of the high forest, she joined me... for those few days we had together. She was an artist herself you know.... so it makes sense she would want to learn these things."
"I like being with you Vaya, if youd let me.. id pick them for you but i understand needing to make your own. No one writes in my spellbook for me."
Such a nice way of looking at things, I should be a better brother to her
*********************************************************
Elriond showed no remorse, Vaya watched him closely.... not even a prayer for the poor dead thing. Just a growing series of excuses as to why it happened.
Vaya lashed out at him, chastising him for walking the woods when unable to keep from endangering wolves. Vaya was more mad that the elf showed no remorse than the actual mistake of letting himself be seen by the wolf.
Vaya clearly remembered seeing him upset about dead cut trees... trees he didnt cut himself.
Yes, I guess it is only wrong when someone besides YOU does it, cousin... or are wolves not as valuable as trees?
The sun elf noble probably would have found it easy to forgive the other elf had he shown some remorse, cried.. or even gave a heartfelt prayer over the body. Nothing.
*******************************************************
"Back in my village there were even a few elves who followed non-elven gods like Sylvanus or Meillikki. While I might have them as occasional allies... I cannot befriend someone who turns from our culture and ways." Said the wood elf druidess.
Someone with the self-respect to limit their interaction to wholesome people... to keep to her folk. And she is a druid of our father of the woods.... an amazing elf. Sad that proper elves are so rare that i am amazed by her, but still very nice to have met her
Vaya tied a string around the reeds and packed them into his satchel.
*********************************************************
Still the argument went on with the two rangers... Vaya hadnt expected his sister to help the other elf find excuses for his misdeeds. She had shifted from chiding him for not having a soft step... to agreeing that the wolves were near starved and needed to be put down anyway.
The place and the conversation were making Vaya sick... but still the two lingered. Despite her shift in stance... Hyacinthe still seemed to know that Elriond would attract more wolves with his heavy steps, and there were wolves blocking the way. They hesitated.
"How about I just turn cousin invisible and we GO?"
As one, they resisted him
"Wolves hunt by smell, they will still attack"
"I can often detect you when invisible myself"
But Vaya would have no more time spent in the dreadful place, he was going to leave with our without them.
Linger in the wolves domain till another hears and has to die too, not my answer
Vaya smiled all the time. His friends surmised that he could smile while watching a boatload of babies sink... but Vaya couldnt stand to be near the poor dead wolf any more. Vaya wasnt smiling inside his black hood.
**********************************************************
Vaya sat amongst the poppies with the wood elf lass that had impressed him so much with her words. He set his flute on his lap and began to fix one of the reeds... it would soon be her turn to be impressed.
He tested the reeds, playing as few bars of a song to get the feel of the new grass. As so many others did, she girl looked impressed before he had even started, impressed by his pre-performance practice.
He stopped and fixed the reeds, adjusting the strings tying them in place. The girl seemed mildly suprised that he stopped in the middle of such a song.
When he was done with his adjustments, he went into the real song.
The lass took in the aching sad song with her jaw slightly agape.... she didnt quite cry but her eyes turned watery and red... the verge of tears.
Now that is proper respect for a proper song.
*******************************************************
A thousand thoughts ran through his mind in a split second. Just as he had been digging in his satchel for his spell components, a wolf happened over the hill and jumped on him, tearing his calf open.
Vaya swung his bow out between them, forcing some space trying to hold the wolf at bay for just a second. There was no way he would make the same mistake the young wood elf ranger had made. He would get hurt himself before killing this wolf.
The wolf slipped past the bow and got his belly, a deep painful bite... still he backed up and forced out the words to his most valued spell, Invisibility.
A few steps back from the wild canine and it was all over. The bloody-mawed wolf simply stopped... confused as to why his meal vanished.
All my respect and thanks to Master Volebane, Professor of Illusion.
While the wolf was busy thinking, Vaya was already sprinting at full speed away. His belly and leg were gashed open badly... but adrenaline kept him running.
If you cant escape a wolf without killing it.. you shouldnt be in the woods in the first place. Entertaining that a wood elf ranger couldnt meet this simple standard while a silky city-boy like myself escaped from the wolf with both combatants alive
He kept running... passing the wolfs pack at their watering hole. Only when we was past them and out of sight did he stop to heal himself.
Thanks and praise to you, Fenmarel, for where another failed in a group... I succeeded by myself at the very same task.
Vaya didnt know why he stopped to whistle, letting the other elves know he was safe.... probably because he still loved his sister, despite his current anger he wanted her to know he was safe. Even more odd was the fact that he didnt leave them... but waited to make sure they got out alive.
Wrong or not, she is my sister... and he at least worships one of our gods, he may grow and learn still. Wait for them.
********************************************************
After his song, Vaya and Elaera opened a few bottles of wine and started to talk. Vaya liked the girl, everything she said was rational, wise, and respectful. She even sat close, but just outside his personal space. He thought for a moment that if she bothered to comb the leaves from her hair and gear... that would be the only improvement he would make.
No... thats stupid, the leaves are charming. You cant improve a perfect song.
They shared stories of themselves, and their homelands. Vaya had already heard much of the high forest from his brother, but this girl was from a much different place in those ancient woods so the stories and facts were almost new to him. He wouldnt have cared anyway, meeting a real elf was a more and more rare occurrence these days... he would have been happy to hear her talking about washing clothes if thats what she wanted to say.
They talked for hours... they talked for a day, then the sun passed them again, and yet again. Three days passed before she grew tired and he offered to walk her to High Hold.
Even on the way to the hold they spoke. He offered to introduce her to his other sister and brothers sometime later, when next they met.
*********************************************************
Puffing on a reed stuffed with opium, Vaya still looked out over the red lake with its multicolored stones. He came here because he had met pixies here once and he thought he needed to sit and focus on pleasant things for a while.
Pleasant things like pixies, his brothers Nun and Ama'asha, his sister Laniara and her constant desire to heal and help him... Attia the darling wood elf he had adored for a week then lost track of...
Vaya usually felt morally inferior to other elves, but now... the last good sweet thought hanging in his mind made him feel so very much superior to a great deal of elves. He didnt think on his sisters or brothers, nor his gods nor his culture... not even his music.
Vayas thoughts were on that scraggly, sorta ugly, desperate wolf that he had escaped from without killing. He remembered looking back as he sprinted away... seeing his blood on the wolfs maw. It would live and move on with its pack to new hunting ranges, it might even live long enough to make some puppies next spring. Even if it didnt, and it died to some hunter in a week... he had saved it, today.
he stayed there for a long while on that thought... and for the first time in weeks, months, even years....
Vaya was truly, totally, happy with something he had done.
_____________________________________________________________
Once again, big thanks to those who are reading.
J
Vaya, a noble of house Ana'ari greeted his brother Ama'asha of house Sul'ess. These two elves were good friends of eighty years so most would think it odd that they greeted each other with such formality, these two however were aristocrats of the golden isle. Formality was one of the building blocks of their relationship.
They had known one another for those eighty years and nothing had ever pushed them apart or tested their friendship like a few seasons on the mainland. Neither of the brothers liked seeing the other change so drastically in that short time, and neither brother had expected the other to return to their old selves. Both would be surprised at this encounter.
While Vaya looked the part, and both of them usually did... Ama'asha was not so polished today. His gear was shredded, sporting some tarnish, and his eyes were the worst shade of red and bloodshot. His hair was a little uneven. He seemed dangerous and hostile, more like an eagle than an elf... the way Vaya remembered him from back home.
"Storm and Rains, Brother, Blessings"
"Blessings Brother"
**********************************************************
A quiet night passed slowly. Crickets filled the darkness with their soothing song. Vaya was still enjoying the last bit of the days warmth still in the rock he rested against while he took in the scenery.
A reed-shrouded river, greens and grays mostly. His favorite part of the scenery tonight was the lady that was more and more often in his company these nights. Elaera, a druidess of Rillifane.
Her presence, and more importantly the words she so often spoke, were like a healing salve to Vaya. He had always trained to be detached, as if he had to struggle to be separate from his immediate feelings... but Elaera had never been part of anything but the trees and the wind. Uncaring detachment, about all but the few important things, just came so casually to her.
Neither of them talked for a long time. Both of them seemed rather at peace watching the scenery and listening to the crickets.
A night passed.
*********************************************************
Vaya was 12 years old. He stood in front of his mother, Saerith Ana'ari, while she cruelly took a hickory lash to the back of his hands. Vaya knew better than to move... when he moved she would beat him anywhere. Best to take it on the knuckles.
"...Three.... Four.... Five.... and a Sixth for the rest" She said as she finished beating her son.
The polished noble woman seemed to hate dealing with her son directly. His rearing had been done mostly by servants... but a servant couldnt teach this lesson properly. Mother went on with her demanding tone.
"Little Vaya... how many times do i have to tell you not to speak to commoners? You TOUCHED that little girl... you filfthy brat!"
Vaya took the next few swats on his arms. He crumpled... knowing not to run. After a few more moments of his mothers blind rage, she calmed enough to talk again.
"Perhaps you misunderstand your relationship with your own servants."
Black leather boots clicked across the green tile of his parents great hall. Vaya hated the color black, couldnt figure out why his mother liked it so much... it didnt match the house at all.
"Pay attention to me boy, dont make me get my beating stick again."
Vaya perked up, or at least faked it.
"Your maid, that woman who feeds you... dresses you, whats her name"
"Nanas name...? Its Ibrael.... i think. I just call her-"
Mother slapped Vaya savagely with her own hands, she hit him a few more times.
"Thats what a proper elf calls their own /grandmother/.... you slug. She is a COMMONER!"
Saerith shoved her son back to the floor before going on with her lecture.
"Ibrael, as you called her.. is a /servant/. MY servant.... she is YOUR servant! She is NOT your EQUAL... neither are our house guards, or the gardener... "
Vaya had heard all this before. He knew that rank and station existed for a reason. But was a leader really better than their citizens? His mother could see this question written on his face, and slapped him hard.
"Boy... its not about arrogance. Its about responsibility and respect for station. One day the line wont matter to you, and youll be more free... but untill you learn proper behavior you cant talk to them at all."
His mothers golden eyes never held anything but a forceful glare usually...but somehow it was worse now.
"I swear by The Black Archer... if you embarrass this family, I will DROWN you before you are old enough to enter society"
After a short pause she added, in a more friendly tone.
"Now now... you know I can get away with it sweetheart, dont test your Mother"
*********************************************************
"I suppose I owe you an apology, brother." Ama'asha said.
"Oh? I was just thinking you have been a great help to me... I wasnt myself at all lately"
"Nor I brother... It happened to both of us. Nun kept isolated... but we were tested by the mainland"
"I can agree with that."
"And that is what my apology is for. I was angry at you for growing soft... I did too. I changed, but that is fixed now."
"I think.... Yes, I feel repaired myself."
"It was that storm wasnt it"
The two elves nodded. Vaya started making the cuts on a dried reed to use it as a pipe while Ama'asha dug out his remaining poppy sap. They had a lot to smoke and a lot to talk about.
*********************************************************
When Vaya was sitting with Elaera they were more often quiet than not, on occasion when they did speak their topics drifted without much effort put into keeping the subject. Vaya was so into this particular answer that he managed to forget what he asked to prompt it.
"I have the coins I need for a while. I am no greedy human or dwarf, Ill only...
Vaya didnt hear the rest of her answer... he was already digging in his head for a thing to say to upset her. He never understood this reflex in himself that made him want to hear others judge him harshly. Like his poor habit of picking at bandages... he opened his mouth to make sure she knew he was greedy.
"Well you know.. some of us sun elves like money... or at least we like silks, velvets and Elverquist."
He could see he had pushed the girl into a corner. She hadnt meant to call him greedy. It was his mother in him, he decided, that made him treat the darling commoner that way. His mother, and Vellya. Vaya was so busy thinking that he hadnt noticed she had started talking.
"...But clearly you are someone who understands that there are more important things than just money.."
Her face and expression were unsophisticated and unpracticed. He could see she was trying to back away from offending him.
"I do understand.. in fact my favorite things cant be bought at all"
The girl smiled. She wanted to think the best of Vaya, most of them probably would if he didnt try to hard to make them dislike him.
"But silks, velvets, and Elverquist still cost money.. and I like them too"
The girl only smiled and nodded, slight agreement without any of the expected judgment.
*******************************************************
The two were puffing on the flickering reed, passing the opium pipe between them as they talked. Ama'asha had abandoned the commonwealth for a few days to climb a tree and commune with his goddess, Aerdrie Faenya the mother of birds and storms.
"So... did you fall out of that tree or something? You look roughed over."
" I got struck by lightning... for being so weak lately. Im sorry we drifted apart here, I wasnt keeping to my morals."
"Whatever. Besides... It was almost entertaining to have to be thrust into your role while you were gone"
"Huh? whats that supposed to mean brother"
"Oh, just some slack youngster... whatever his name is. Made some noise and got caught. A wolf ended up dying, very sad."
This was one of the few predictable things about Ama'asha. Needless or clumsy killing of innocent creatures set him off. Vaya didnt mind, he was almost as angry still as Ama looked now... Vaya kept talking.
"But really... I lashed him pretty good. He had some shame in his voice the next day I think. And its not like he does something insulting or flat out wrong like Thoron... he just made a mistake. I made him feel bad."
"I would have broken his jaw"
Vaya laughed. "I remember saying something like that, when your name was brought up."
*******************************************************
Vaya was at the red lake again. This time he had two of his favorite people with him. His sister Laniara and his new friend the druidess Elaera sat among the flowers with him, sharing two different bottles of wine.
Unusually strong wines, new to the elves and mixed together made for a potent combination.
Vaya felt blessed. Twice now he had seen faeries... since he had escaped without killing the wolf he had met another druid and another pixie.
The world was spinning after the first ten sips or so... The three elves drank into the night, their conversations making less and less sense as the night wore on.
The world spun faster and faster, the faces of the two girls melted into the trees, flowers swallowed his vision.
Vaya didnt remember the end of the night, or the next few days. But during that time... somehow, the whole world stopped and took and breath and everything started over, a new universe.
*******************************************************
"But really brother, I think the guilt will do him some good.. I dont think you getting mad at him a day later will help."
Ama'asha didnt seem to convinced when he spoke.
"Hyacinthe shouldnt have had him out there. What did she say about this?"
It was the first time either of them had mentioned her, Vaya usually always told him what she had been doing in his absences.. but he had remained quiet today. He sidestepped the issue now too.
"Besides we already made this sort of agreement about him not making the mistake again... ill help him pl-"
Ama interrupted him.
"Brother.... most times I follow your lead because I respect rank and station."
"You do.. whats that got to do with this"
"This is a professional concern. Im sorry none of the other rangers were hard enough on him and you felt you had to do so... but let me handle it the way it should have been. Its not like I am going to kill him or anything."
Vaya shrugged. The poor wolf had died, at least someone gave a damn.
****************************************************
Another peaceful night at the riverside.... no words were spoken. Vaya and Elaera just watched the grass sway and listened to the frogs.
Vaya liked to watch pretty things, and girls especially. When they sat near trees or in the grass it was easy to imagine her as part of the tree or a rock sticking up out of the grass.
He watched a ladybug crawl up a blade of grass.
******************************************************
"And what of you brother? Is it one of your cunning tricks, or do you feel better?" Ama said.
"No, I think I am me mostly."
"Yes? What about that bitch Vellya then?" Ama asked with a hint of teasing humor in his voice.
"I have my distance now, and she does too. I guess I still worry about her.. but I dont go to check on her anymore."
"You hate her?"
"A little bit... only whats proper"
"Good good.. but you are still enough of a romantic sissy... you love her dont you?"
"I do. But I doubt ill ever see her again. I avoid her, and thats what she wanted last time we talked."
"Been looking at any one else? I cant imagine you long without a lover."
"No.. ive just sort of been relaxing, letting go.... but I have met some elves in the time you left. A pair of druidess, both of the cult of Rillifane... adorable too. You should meet them."
"Sounds like you like them... is that your new romance?"
"You know.. I do like wood elf girls a lot, but no. At least not yet?"
"No? Vellya still eating at you?"
"Maybe so, or maybe I am just appreciating the healing nature of the leaflord rather than seeking to slake my passions so soon?"
"Oh, that sounds sweet brother. I think you do like her... or one of them."
"Teasing aside, they are both rather likable creatures on many accounts, yes. Like i said, you should meet them... I usually see one or two of them near High-Mold lately.
" I really should go talk to those owls... you know brother thats something I also need to agree with you about"
"Whats that?"
"The cults of Fenmarel... and Aerdrie... Freedom, individuality... in groups. I dont like it."
Vaya didnt answer, only nodded. His brother went on.
"Im glad you talked me out of joining the army and only taking pay in a temporary capacity."
"You are welcome"
"but Im going to stay in the owls... its a way to guide the roundears into some respect for the wilds.. and its a way to have less people at my lake"
"My lake"
"Brother i mean that I patrol it as a ranger so less other rangers have a reason to come to... our lake"
"Im of the cult of the faerie... or when we find some place called eagle-rock... can that be /our/ place too? Or will you gush all important about your self and birds and this place... "
"Right right.. you worship the god of faeries, and I /will/ get that way over a place special to my bird goddess.. you bastard."
Vaya nodded... and though he didnt think the lake was his... he spoke annoy his brother.
"My lake"
"I hate you"
Both of them laughed. There was still a lot more poppy sap to smoke. It was a long time before either of them spoke, when one did, it was Vaya.
"We should go to High-Mold, I usually sit with a few elves there... you should meet these two druidess."
"I need to go to see the owls soon"
"But they are adorable, really. You should wait a while longer"
It was several pipes of poppy sap later that the two brothers ran out of excuses to sit and shirk responsibilities before Ama'asha forced his way up to his feet and staggered off... somehow able to be angry and loaded with poppy sap at the same time.
...and they say I am the dark one
_____________________________________________________________
Once again thanks to anyone reading.
J
They had known one another for those eighty years and nothing had ever pushed them apart or tested their friendship like a few seasons on the mainland. Neither of the brothers liked seeing the other change so drastically in that short time, and neither brother had expected the other to return to their old selves. Both would be surprised at this encounter.
While Vaya looked the part, and both of them usually did... Ama'asha was not so polished today. His gear was shredded, sporting some tarnish, and his eyes were the worst shade of red and bloodshot. His hair was a little uneven. He seemed dangerous and hostile, more like an eagle than an elf... the way Vaya remembered him from back home.
"Storm and Rains, Brother, Blessings"
"Blessings Brother"
**********************************************************
A quiet night passed slowly. Crickets filled the darkness with their soothing song. Vaya was still enjoying the last bit of the days warmth still in the rock he rested against while he took in the scenery.
A reed-shrouded river, greens and grays mostly. His favorite part of the scenery tonight was the lady that was more and more often in his company these nights. Elaera, a druidess of Rillifane.
Her presence, and more importantly the words she so often spoke, were like a healing salve to Vaya. He had always trained to be detached, as if he had to struggle to be separate from his immediate feelings... but Elaera had never been part of anything but the trees and the wind. Uncaring detachment, about all but the few important things, just came so casually to her.
Neither of them talked for a long time. Both of them seemed rather at peace watching the scenery and listening to the crickets.
A night passed.
*********************************************************
Vaya was 12 years old. He stood in front of his mother, Saerith Ana'ari, while she cruelly took a hickory lash to the back of his hands. Vaya knew better than to move... when he moved she would beat him anywhere. Best to take it on the knuckles.
"...Three.... Four.... Five.... and a Sixth for the rest" She said as she finished beating her son.
The polished noble woman seemed to hate dealing with her son directly. His rearing had been done mostly by servants... but a servant couldnt teach this lesson properly. Mother went on with her demanding tone.
"Little Vaya... how many times do i have to tell you not to speak to commoners? You TOUCHED that little girl... you filfthy brat!"
Vaya took the next few swats on his arms. He crumpled... knowing not to run. After a few more moments of his mothers blind rage, she calmed enough to talk again.
"Perhaps you misunderstand your relationship with your own servants."
Black leather boots clicked across the green tile of his parents great hall. Vaya hated the color black, couldnt figure out why his mother liked it so much... it didnt match the house at all.
"Pay attention to me boy, dont make me get my beating stick again."
Vaya perked up, or at least faked it.
"Your maid, that woman who feeds you... dresses you, whats her name"
"Nanas name...? Its Ibrael.... i think. I just call her-"
Mother slapped Vaya savagely with her own hands, she hit him a few more times.
"Thats what a proper elf calls their own /grandmother/.... you slug. She is a COMMONER!"
Saerith shoved her son back to the floor before going on with her lecture.
"Ibrael, as you called her.. is a /servant/. MY servant.... she is YOUR servant! She is NOT your EQUAL... neither are our house guards, or the gardener... "
Vaya had heard all this before. He knew that rank and station existed for a reason. But was a leader really better than their citizens? His mother could see this question written on his face, and slapped him hard.
"Boy... its not about arrogance. Its about responsibility and respect for station. One day the line wont matter to you, and youll be more free... but untill you learn proper behavior you cant talk to them at all."
His mothers golden eyes never held anything but a forceful glare usually...but somehow it was worse now.
"I swear by The Black Archer... if you embarrass this family, I will DROWN you before you are old enough to enter society"
After a short pause she added, in a more friendly tone.
"Now now... you know I can get away with it sweetheart, dont test your Mother"
*********************************************************
"I suppose I owe you an apology, brother." Ama'asha said.
"Oh? I was just thinking you have been a great help to me... I wasnt myself at all lately"
"Nor I brother... It happened to both of us. Nun kept isolated... but we were tested by the mainland"
"I can agree with that."
"And that is what my apology is for. I was angry at you for growing soft... I did too. I changed, but that is fixed now."
"I think.... Yes, I feel repaired myself."
"It was that storm wasnt it"
The two elves nodded. Vaya started making the cuts on a dried reed to use it as a pipe while Ama'asha dug out his remaining poppy sap. They had a lot to smoke and a lot to talk about.
*********************************************************
When Vaya was sitting with Elaera they were more often quiet than not, on occasion when they did speak their topics drifted without much effort put into keeping the subject. Vaya was so into this particular answer that he managed to forget what he asked to prompt it.
"I have the coins I need for a while. I am no greedy human or dwarf, Ill only...
Vaya didnt hear the rest of her answer... he was already digging in his head for a thing to say to upset her. He never understood this reflex in himself that made him want to hear others judge him harshly. Like his poor habit of picking at bandages... he opened his mouth to make sure she knew he was greedy.
"Well you know.. some of us sun elves like money... or at least we like silks, velvets and Elverquist."
He could see he had pushed the girl into a corner. She hadnt meant to call him greedy. It was his mother in him, he decided, that made him treat the darling commoner that way. His mother, and Vellya. Vaya was so busy thinking that he hadnt noticed she had started talking.
"...But clearly you are someone who understands that there are more important things than just money.."
Her face and expression were unsophisticated and unpracticed. He could see she was trying to back away from offending him.
"I do understand.. in fact my favorite things cant be bought at all"
The girl smiled. She wanted to think the best of Vaya, most of them probably would if he didnt try to hard to make them dislike him.
"But silks, velvets, and Elverquist still cost money.. and I like them too"
The girl only smiled and nodded, slight agreement without any of the expected judgment.
*******************************************************
The two were puffing on the flickering reed, passing the opium pipe between them as they talked. Ama'asha had abandoned the commonwealth for a few days to climb a tree and commune with his goddess, Aerdrie Faenya the mother of birds and storms.
"So... did you fall out of that tree or something? You look roughed over."
" I got struck by lightning... for being so weak lately. Im sorry we drifted apart here, I wasnt keeping to my morals."
"Whatever. Besides... It was almost entertaining to have to be thrust into your role while you were gone"
"Huh? whats that supposed to mean brother"
"Oh, just some slack youngster... whatever his name is. Made some noise and got caught. A wolf ended up dying, very sad."
This was one of the few predictable things about Ama'asha. Needless or clumsy killing of innocent creatures set him off. Vaya didnt mind, he was almost as angry still as Ama looked now... Vaya kept talking.
"But really... I lashed him pretty good. He had some shame in his voice the next day I think. And its not like he does something insulting or flat out wrong like Thoron... he just made a mistake. I made him feel bad."
"I would have broken his jaw"
Vaya laughed. "I remember saying something like that, when your name was brought up."
*******************************************************
Vaya was at the red lake again. This time he had two of his favorite people with him. His sister Laniara and his new friend the druidess Elaera sat among the flowers with him, sharing two different bottles of wine.
Unusually strong wines, new to the elves and mixed together made for a potent combination.
Vaya felt blessed. Twice now he had seen faeries... since he had escaped without killing the wolf he had met another druid and another pixie.
The world was spinning after the first ten sips or so... The three elves drank into the night, their conversations making less and less sense as the night wore on.
The world spun faster and faster, the faces of the two girls melted into the trees, flowers swallowed his vision.
Vaya didnt remember the end of the night, or the next few days. But during that time... somehow, the whole world stopped and took and breath and everything started over, a new universe.
*******************************************************
"But really brother, I think the guilt will do him some good.. I dont think you getting mad at him a day later will help."
Ama'asha didnt seem to convinced when he spoke.
"Hyacinthe shouldnt have had him out there. What did she say about this?"
It was the first time either of them had mentioned her, Vaya usually always told him what she had been doing in his absences.. but he had remained quiet today. He sidestepped the issue now too.
"Besides we already made this sort of agreement about him not making the mistake again... ill help him pl-"
Ama interrupted him.
"Brother.... most times I follow your lead because I respect rank and station."
"You do.. whats that got to do with this"
"This is a professional concern. Im sorry none of the other rangers were hard enough on him and you felt you had to do so... but let me handle it the way it should have been. Its not like I am going to kill him or anything."
Vaya shrugged. The poor wolf had died, at least someone gave a damn.
****************************************************
Another peaceful night at the riverside.... no words were spoken. Vaya and Elaera just watched the grass sway and listened to the frogs.
Vaya liked to watch pretty things, and girls especially. When they sat near trees or in the grass it was easy to imagine her as part of the tree or a rock sticking up out of the grass.
He watched a ladybug crawl up a blade of grass.
******************************************************
"And what of you brother? Is it one of your cunning tricks, or do you feel better?" Ama said.
"No, I think I am me mostly."
"Yes? What about that bitch Vellya then?" Ama asked with a hint of teasing humor in his voice.
"I have my distance now, and she does too. I guess I still worry about her.. but I dont go to check on her anymore."
"You hate her?"
"A little bit... only whats proper"
"Good good.. but you are still enough of a romantic sissy... you love her dont you?"
"I do. But I doubt ill ever see her again. I avoid her, and thats what she wanted last time we talked."
"Been looking at any one else? I cant imagine you long without a lover."
"No.. ive just sort of been relaxing, letting go.... but I have met some elves in the time you left. A pair of druidess, both of the cult of Rillifane... adorable too. You should meet them."
"Sounds like you like them... is that your new romance?"
"You know.. I do like wood elf girls a lot, but no. At least not yet?"
"No? Vellya still eating at you?"
"Maybe so, or maybe I am just appreciating the healing nature of the leaflord rather than seeking to slake my passions so soon?"
"Oh, that sounds sweet brother. I think you do like her... or one of them."
"Teasing aside, they are both rather likable creatures on many accounts, yes. Like i said, you should meet them... I usually see one or two of them near High-Mold lately.
" I really should go talk to those owls... you know brother thats something I also need to agree with you about"
"Whats that?"
"The cults of Fenmarel... and Aerdrie... Freedom, individuality... in groups. I dont like it."
Vaya didnt answer, only nodded. His brother went on.
"Im glad you talked me out of joining the army and only taking pay in a temporary capacity."
"You are welcome"
"but Im going to stay in the owls... its a way to guide the roundears into some respect for the wilds.. and its a way to have less people at my lake"
"My lake"
"Brother i mean that I patrol it as a ranger so less other rangers have a reason to come to... our lake"
"Im of the cult of the faerie... or when we find some place called eagle-rock... can that be /our/ place too? Or will you gush all important about your self and birds and this place... "
"Right right.. you worship the god of faeries, and I /will/ get that way over a place special to my bird goddess.. you bastard."
Vaya nodded... and though he didnt think the lake was his... he spoke annoy his brother.
"My lake"
"I hate you"
Both of them laughed. There was still a lot more poppy sap to smoke. It was a long time before either of them spoke, when one did, it was Vaya.
"We should go to High-Mold, I usually sit with a few elves there... you should meet these two druidess."
"I need to go to see the owls soon"
"But they are adorable, really. You should wait a while longer"
It was several pipes of poppy sap later that the two brothers ran out of excuses to sit and shirk responsibilities before Ama'asha forced his way up to his feet and staggered off... somehow able to be angry and loaded with poppy sap at the same time.
...and they say I am the dark one
_____________________________________________________________
Once again thanks to anyone reading.
J
"To hell with the Owls, the Owls work with Baneites... I dont want to be one anymore."
Vaya couldnt help but agree with him. Vaya didnt like what he had seen any more than Ama'asha had. Vaya understood that a lone wolf scavenger might sometimes work with shady folk to survive... but Hyacinthe had a whole band of people with her. She was a leader of a rangers band... she couldnt wipe the taint of Bane all over herself and still be a leader.
Vaya, Elaera, Nun, and the still-fuming Ama'asha all drifted down the road in the direction of the red lake they so often stayed at. The lake most of them lived at nowadays.
*********************************************************
Barid was probably the most well spoken human Vaya had ever heard.
Still, the best dressed monkey in the zoo... is still a monkey, in a dirty suit.
He saw the maggots eating away at each of the mans words, each offer of assistance a poisoned apple, just like from the legends. Vaya was sure the roundears would eat it up, lapping the mans spew like kittens.
Foul knows foul.... and you sir, are foul
The black hearted voice of bane offered his help again, tempting Hyacinthe by subtly reminding her of her leadership position. Vaya of course knew that leadership wasnt the Bane cults goal... only to be accepted long enough to spread their taint. It was a ploy that he would expect for someone only about thirty or forty years old, probably about the roundear priests age Vaya reckoned.
As usual, it will work... and I will be the only one to leave.... Ill have to find my own damned way out of these caves.
The rest of the strangers with him seemed amiable to accepting the taint of the criminal cult. Weak, shortsighted roundears. Vaya felt the ship sinking, and got ready to leap.
As he took a breath to steel himself for abandoning the warband... he remembered he had come here with his new moral compass, his cousin Elaera. Vayas eyes darted over her with a mix of worry and dread. Would she be like so many others and end up mixing with her gods enemies?
Vaya saw the druidess was very distressed, like a trapped animal.
Just like me.
The young sun elfs worries doubled. Now he had to find the way out of these caves... and do so with someone who wasnt nearly as sneaky as he was. He was trying to do this math, but didnt have all the numbers. His brother spoke, and it was then that he remembered his brothers reawakening. This moment was not just a test for him, but for brother too.
"I will not join forces with these men or their foul god" The wood elf said with finality.
"I agree, my brother is right. I wont serve with them either." Vaya said, in reply.
Many of the roundears and strangers in their warband muttered complaints, Hyacinthe hesitated. One of the bane cultists cried foul, disliking what was said. Vaya watched their cult leader reign in the complaints... he wouldnt get what he wanted if his own people bitched to loud. Vaya, the eternal pessimist, knew it would work.
Even Though she will loose four people when she accepts help from these people... she will do it. Why do I think such mean things about my own sister?
Hyacinthe finally spoke, capitulating to the will of bane. "We will accept your help to clear these cav-"
I think it because it is true.
Vaya didnt hear the rest, he turned and started walking the other way.
*********************************************************
Ama was drunk now, they had smoked a pipe full of opium too. Vayas wood elf brother packed another pipe full of the poppy sap with numb fingers and hate on his face. Even as angry and intoxicated as he was, he still had the manners to offer Vaya the first hit.
Vaya had endured a lot of hard advice and harsher treatment from his brother over his more recent relationships. It was nice to give some back.
"No... No, brother... you smoke all that. When my lover drifted away from me over some roundear god, I needed a lot of opium myself. Smoke up, enjoy"
Nobles fenced with words, all of them.... but Vaya and Ama struck at each other when they were down. It was the wood elfs turn to suffer, Vaya would be polite and help. He kept talking in his calm uncaring tone, with his perfect smile in place.
"Not even tactically sound... she had four in her band that were willing to stand down if she accepted help from three."
Amas expression was hollow, but Vaya knew his true words were hitting home.
"and one of those elves was YOU! brother"
Every time he had called Vellya a half-breed....
"and me... her dear brother. She loved me so much... just a bit less than she liked those baneites."
It hurt Vaya too, to say these things. The difference was that Vaya hurt himself every day, he was numb. Ama'asha was a field of fresh wounds, Vaya would hurt himself to hurt his brother more, now.
"Same goes for you... she knew youd leave. You said it loud and clear then... you said it first in fact."
"I hate you."
"You should, Im going to make this hell on you."
****************************************************
Vaya had been wrong about one thing. He had been wrong in his initial assumption that no one else would join him. His brothers Nun and Ama'asha as well as Elaera had all left when he did. They kept quiet and went back to the exit as fast they they could.
Vaya was surprised that one of the roundears had left too. Stranger or not, the elves waited and made sure the one human to also turn down bane got out safely with them.
The sun elf noble got more and more anxious to see the sky again as they got closer to the surface. He kept thinking about the limits of the humans honor, and how simple it was to make an ally of a human just by sharing the battlefield with them. The lie of honor.
He felt stifled as he crawled up the narrow passage.
*********************************************************
"The pride, the school, the owls... organisations" Vaya said to his brother.
Across from them Elaera was drinking much less then they were... but much more than she usually did. It was clear she felt bad for Ama'asha but also knew best to let Vaya speak. For a moment he wondered if he shouldnt let her see this cruel side of him, but there was nothing to be done... Brother had to hear these things.
"Join, join, join.... follow, follow, follow.... its all ive heard about since I got here. Its one of the things that made us so sick" Vaya said.
Elaera spoke, till now she had kept silent and Vaya was wondering if she had gotten sick of his traditionalist views. On the contrary, when she spoke he was reassured.
"Such organizations will just tie a man down" Words of wisdom from the druid. Vaya decided to add more to her words.
"You know what important lessons I learned from this adorable lady here?"
Vaya looked over at her, she was drunk but not smiling. Vaya felt righteous again, like when he thought about saving the wolf. He kept talking.
"While you have been out studying, or patrolling, or taking some roundears orders somewhere.... I have been sitting, looking at the grass sway."
Vaya paused.
"and listening to frogs"
He waited again, looking over his drunken brother.
"I even got drunk with a few cute girls here and there... No orders, no secret handshakes, and no rank... no baneites, not really any roundears at all."
Vaya finished the wine in his bottle.
"In these few weeks.. Ive also met another druidess and a pixie. A pixie that came right up and drank from our bottle of wine... it spent most of the night around our camp."
The sun elf realized when he said these things that they were a result of the druidess influence. He had always been patient and enjoyed the beauty of nature... but she had taught him to slow down and let go completely. A safe new moral compass.
*******************************************************
Vaya and Elaera sat alone on the banks of the lake. They could still see Hyacinthe and Ama'asha from here, but were far enough away to give the couple privacy. Vaya was exhausted, both of them were. They tried to sit up and watch over the couple... but the need for rest overcame them both eventually.
Vaya drifted off to find a shady spot to collapse and forget.
______________________________________________________
Thanks again to anyone reading.
J
Vaya couldnt help but agree with him. Vaya didnt like what he had seen any more than Ama'asha had. Vaya understood that a lone wolf scavenger might sometimes work with shady folk to survive... but Hyacinthe had a whole band of people with her. She was a leader of a rangers band... she couldnt wipe the taint of Bane all over herself and still be a leader.
Vaya, Elaera, Nun, and the still-fuming Ama'asha all drifted down the road in the direction of the red lake they so often stayed at. The lake most of them lived at nowadays.
*********************************************************
Barid was probably the most well spoken human Vaya had ever heard.
Still, the best dressed monkey in the zoo... is still a monkey, in a dirty suit.
He saw the maggots eating away at each of the mans words, each offer of assistance a poisoned apple, just like from the legends. Vaya was sure the roundears would eat it up, lapping the mans spew like kittens.
Foul knows foul.... and you sir, are foul
The black hearted voice of bane offered his help again, tempting Hyacinthe by subtly reminding her of her leadership position. Vaya of course knew that leadership wasnt the Bane cults goal... only to be accepted long enough to spread their taint. It was a ploy that he would expect for someone only about thirty or forty years old, probably about the roundear priests age Vaya reckoned.
As usual, it will work... and I will be the only one to leave.... Ill have to find my own damned way out of these caves.
The rest of the strangers with him seemed amiable to accepting the taint of the criminal cult. Weak, shortsighted roundears. Vaya felt the ship sinking, and got ready to leap.
As he took a breath to steel himself for abandoning the warband... he remembered he had come here with his new moral compass, his cousin Elaera. Vayas eyes darted over her with a mix of worry and dread. Would she be like so many others and end up mixing with her gods enemies?
Vaya saw the druidess was very distressed, like a trapped animal.
Just like me.
The young sun elfs worries doubled. Now he had to find the way out of these caves... and do so with someone who wasnt nearly as sneaky as he was. He was trying to do this math, but didnt have all the numbers. His brother spoke, and it was then that he remembered his brothers reawakening. This moment was not just a test for him, but for brother too.
"I will not join forces with these men or their foul god" The wood elf said with finality.
"I agree, my brother is right. I wont serve with them either." Vaya said, in reply.
Many of the roundears and strangers in their warband muttered complaints, Hyacinthe hesitated. One of the bane cultists cried foul, disliking what was said. Vaya watched their cult leader reign in the complaints... he wouldnt get what he wanted if his own people bitched to loud. Vaya, the eternal pessimist, knew it would work.
Even Though she will loose four people when she accepts help from these people... she will do it. Why do I think such mean things about my own sister?
Hyacinthe finally spoke, capitulating to the will of bane. "We will accept your help to clear these cav-"
I think it because it is true.
Vaya didnt hear the rest, he turned and started walking the other way.
*********************************************************
Ama was drunk now, they had smoked a pipe full of opium too. Vayas wood elf brother packed another pipe full of the poppy sap with numb fingers and hate on his face. Even as angry and intoxicated as he was, he still had the manners to offer Vaya the first hit.
Vaya had endured a lot of hard advice and harsher treatment from his brother over his more recent relationships. It was nice to give some back.
"No... No, brother... you smoke all that. When my lover drifted away from me over some roundear god, I needed a lot of opium myself. Smoke up, enjoy"
Nobles fenced with words, all of them.... but Vaya and Ama struck at each other when they were down. It was the wood elfs turn to suffer, Vaya would be polite and help. He kept talking in his calm uncaring tone, with his perfect smile in place.
"Not even tactically sound... she had four in her band that were willing to stand down if she accepted help from three."
Amas expression was hollow, but Vaya knew his true words were hitting home.
"and one of those elves was YOU! brother"
Every time he had called Vellya a half-breed....
"and me... her dear brother. She loved me so much... just a bit less than she liked those baneites."
It hurt Vaya too, to say these things. The difference was that Vaya hurt himself every day, he was numb. Ama'asha was a field of fresh wounds, Vaya would hurt himself to hurt his brother more, now.
"Same goes for you... she knew youd leave. You said it loud and clear then... you said it first in fact."
"I hate you."
"You should, Im going to make this hell on you."
****************************************************
Vaya had been wrong about one thing. He had been wrong in his initial assumption that no one else would join him. His brothers Nun and Ama'asha as well as Elaera had all left when he did. They kept quiet and went back to the exit as fast they they could.
Vaya was surprised that one of the roundears had left too. Stranger or not, the elves waited and made sure the one human to also turn down bane got out safely with them.
The sun elf noble got more and more anxious to see the sky again as they got closer to the surface. He kept thinking about the limits of the humans honor, and how simple it was to make an ally of a human just by sharing the battlefield with them. The lie of honor.
He felt stifled as he crawled up the narrow passage.
*********************************************************
"The pride, the school, the owls... organisations" Vaya said to his brother.
Across from them Elaera was drinking much less then they were... but much more than she usually did. It was clear she felt bad for Ama'asha but also knew best to let Vaya speak. For a moment he wondered if he shouldnt let her see this cruel side of him, but there was nothing to be done... Brother had to hear these things.
"Join, join, join.... follow, follow, follow.... its all ive heard about since I got here. Its one of the things that made us so sick" Vaya said.
Elaera spoke, till now she had kept silent and Vaya was wondering if she had gotten sick of his traditionalist views. On the contrary, when she spoke he was reassured.
"Such organizations will just tie a man down" Words of wisdom from the druid. Vaya decided to add more to her words.
"You know what important lessons I learned from this adorable lady here?"
Vaya looked over at her, she was drunk but not smiling. Vaya felt righteous again, like when he thought about saving the wolf. He kept talking.
"While you have been out studying, or patrolling, or taking some roundears orders somewhere.... I have been sitting, looking at the grass sway."
Vaya paused.
"and listening to frogs"
He waited again, looking over his drunken brother.
"I even got drunk with a few cute girls here and there... No orders, no secret handshakes, and no rank... no baneites, not really any roundears at all."
Vaya finished the wine in his bottle.
"In these few weeks.. Ive also met another druidess and a pixie. A pixie that came right up and drank from our bottle of wine... it spent most of the night around our camp."
The sun elf realized when he said these things that they were a result of the druidess influence. He had always been patient and enjoyed the beauty of nature... but she had taught him to slow down and let go completely. A safe new moral compass.
*******************************************************
Vaya and Elaera sat alone on the banks of the lake. They could still see Hyacinthe and Ama'asha from here, but were far enough away to give the couple privacy. Vaya was exhausted, both of them were. They tried to sit up and watch over the couple... but the need for rest overcame them both eventually.
Vaya drifted off to find a shady spot to collapse and forget.
______________________________________________________
Thanks again to anyone reading.
J