873 replies to this topic

[Purg]

He turned. Someone had followed him - a stable boy? Perhaps. He supposed he shouldn't simply ignore the question - he had nothing against children, just childishness in adults. He nodded slowly.

"I... am alright," he murmured gently. "I had a bad dream. Memories I'd... rather have forgotten, but can't seem to lose track of. But nothing else - you don't have to worry about a strange drunk, little one."

He heard something that nearly drove him into a panic, an aftereffect of the dream - noises, from inside the stables. He calmed himself, trying to explain to his shattered nerves that it was almost certainly just one of the several animals kept inside, and not more of those... things. He still found himself wanting his blade, though - it sat inside, next to his steed, and the pile of discarded armor. He pushed the darkness from his mind, for the moment - there was nothing that could harm him in this settlement. He... They were all safe here. The only things that could hurt him lived in his past.

[Mercakete]

Beau nodded in satisfaction and acknowlegement, his smile remaining. It was refreshing to be called "young sir" again. Seeing as the notification was successfully delivered, the young heir next visited the table to eat some of the food provided. He was a little disappointed at the lack of small, citris fruits, but then again, not all could afford fruits out-of-season, which was one of the first things Beau had been disappointed to learn when he left home. Even so, the meal was good. And, due to the way all the food was on the table for people to pick off and take what they wanted, Beau was able to eat as sparingly as he pleased, seeing as he had a slight stomach.

Faint memories of servants insisting that he eat all the food on his plate played in his mind before he finished his cup and what he'd set to his plate and took note of the goins-on as he headed for his room. It would be the first time in a long while that he'd slept in an actual bed. However, there was a reason for that. The condition of the bed worried him. Who knows how sanitary the last one to sleep there had been? Forcing the thought from his mind, he made a mental note to ask Arrin and Tessa if they would like to explore the town in the morrow. Perhaps he would also ask that servant boy if he was still around...Tobe, was it? The four of them were the youngest in the group. Oh, and if that other girl was around, she could come, too. It might be a good idea to see what the others around his age thought about their situation. After all, children made the best intelligence-gatherers.

As he was thinking, Beau happened to pass up Arrin and Isotov. He was so lost in his thoughts, however, that he didn't notice them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"In a sense," Raemond replied, noting the girl approching. She apparently didn't notice that his hands were tied behind his back yet and, from there, to his horse. At this point he was only waiting for Heinz's return - most likely accompanied by this "Morgan" he spoke of before. He supposed there was a good chance of his being executed. There was on reason to trouble this girl with his dread, however. He had decided long ago that he would face problems like this calmly and with reason. He didn't yet recognize who, exactly, this girl was.

Edited by Mercakete, 12 January 2011 - 09:37 PM.

[Tyrant Sage]

"Pretty good. Glad to be out of that town. It really gave me the creeps, and that dragon...I don't want to think about fighting her again. I think I've formulated pretty much the only plan we'll have for survival for if we fight her next time. Go on my hands and knees and pray for some random powerful person to go help us and beat her up for us. I mean, it happened this time with Jace. It could happen again. Only other thing I can think of is hiring Ivanko and his guys to go kill that scaly witch for us. I mean I doubt any of us here can actually form a good plan to deal with her.

You gonna eat some of that?" Alf addressed Aiya, pointing to the meat he was reaching for.

Edited by Dark Sage, 12 January 2011 - 09:19 PM.

[kdanger]

"I suppose," Arrin said doubtfully. He was getting nervous; it seemed like Morgan might appear from nowhere, and maybe it was silly, but he was still scared of her. Beau's approach provided a welcome distraction. "Oh, hello Beau-- what happened earlier, anyway? Are you alright?" He'd been aware that Beau had returned to the group, but was still unclear on the details.

-----------------

"Was you talkin' to Altion?" Tobe pestered. "He's all sad 'acos he likes some lady, ony I saw her hangin' round somebody else. I donno how good a idea talkin' t' him is if yer arready sad," he stated with a tome that he thought conveyed wisdom. "Donno why he's even that sad anyway, she's a good enough sort but she's kinna scary when you make her mad, I think he's scairt o' her. Grownups don't make no sense," he added, then clapped a hand over his mouth: talking like that tended to get him kicked, when he was in the palace. "Beggin' yer pardon, o'course," he mumbled apologetically.

[Purg]

Sethor paused. Altion... the armored boy from before, he supposed. He nodded - the process of heartbreak was not a mystery to him. What he hadn't experienced personally, he had seen in friends and comrades long forgotten. The child looked as though he was worried that what he had said was wrong, or perhaps he was used to physical reprimands for his words. Sethor was a drunk, and he was a man without hope, he would freely admit - but he was not a typically violent person. His sword and his training, he would bear only for defensive purposes. And he would definitely not use them to strike an innocent child.

"If he wishes to be sad, then that's his own decision. For some people... sadness is really the only thing left to them, after everything else is gone." He shook his head - it was faint, but there was the hint of a weary smile. "And I'll have to agree with you - adults are a confusing and troublesome lot. You should stay a child, as long as you can."

[Phoenix]

Isotov

Iso: Eh, I guess I've just been arguing with her long enough to know she's disinclined to do anything other than glare at people.

Iso's attention went to Beau as he arrived. Not saying anything he simply gave a small polite wave.

Viveka

Helios decided to head inside before getting too deep into thought about cooperation. Viveka gave it plenty of thought though. In fact long after she waved goodbye to him and began leading Susann into the stables she continued to think about it.

Viveka: (That is something to consider.) Bye then. (I'm not doing too well right now, I can admit that, but I'm not going to just ignore something like this. I should speak to the General again when I get a chance ... and I'm not feeling like crap. There might still be a way to salvage this mess.)

Susann

While Tobe conversed with the unfamiliar human, Susann gnawed away at her reins only to find herself making lousy progress. One of the other horses was watching her from an adjacent stall and shook his head. What was she thinking? That human was simply interacting with another human. Humans did that. Why was she trying to get to them? He gave her a soft whinny hoping she would settle down. She snorted back at him and continued gnawing at the reins. The wingless one clearly didn't understand the danger in allowing a frail little human to wander around without its parents present.

[Balcerzak]

Making her way around to the front of the horse, she noticed the man seemed to be sitting in an awkward posture, and there was something nigglingly familiar about him. "Are you alright?" she ventured, and further added, "I wouldn't happen to know you from somewhere would I?"

[Mercakete]

Beau was distracted from his thoughts by one of the very people he was thinking about. His serious, focussed experession shifted first to his usual one, then to a small smile. "Hello, Arrin," he was about to ask his question about exploring the city, but Arrin had asked a couple questions of his own. Donning his usual expression again, Beau answered,"The man who kidnapped me earlier is annother of my faith. In fact, he might be the only other besides my misplaced instructor. He was trying to protect me from all of you and the hazards which accompany this collective. He is a Reformist Templar as well, though he does not follow the same faith as they do. I a unsure as to if they are aware of this or not, though. At any rate, Heinz rode after us and struck Raemond down with a knife in his back. The monk isn't dead, however. I healed his wound enough to ensure that. We took him with us as a prisoner. He's tied up outside unless they've dealt with him already. His hands are bound and we took his tome, so he's harmless now. And yes, I'm fine, especially now that I've eaten, taken water and had a good bath."

Then, Beau went from his somewhat-annoyed yet casual explanation to his own cheery questions, "Actually, I was just thinking about you. This is a place I have never been to, so I was wondering if you and a few others would like to explore it with me tomorrow." He gave Isotov an acknowleging nod as well, though it was clear enough that he wasn't invited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raemond looked back to the curious girl. Then he recognized her. His eyes darkened for only a moment before he closed them. (This is foolish. I would have killed to protect Althea. She likely has similar reasons for striking down her foes.) Opening his eyes again, he answered in his somewhat-defeated tone, "I am alive. As to where you saw me, it is the same place I recognize you from, I am sure: when your group met the Reformist Templars in battle. I was unable to strike a blow durring the fight its self, however. I do not sense a crimson weapon on you...though...I'm unsure exactly what to all this... All the same, you are friends with one of the wielders, are you not?"

Edited by Mercakete, 12 January 2011 - 10:18 PM.

[kdanger]

"Exploring sounds like it would be-- wait, what?!" Arrin broke off, realizing what had preceded the suggestion for adventures. "Why would you do that-- it's cold, you can't just leave someone outside--" He scrambled to his feet and ran down the stairs, heading for the stable.

-----------------------

"Donno how long that'll work out for," Tobe muttered. Hearing the horses moving about, he turned away. "I better go see what they's up to afore they all start neighin'," he explained, and headed back, finding Susann as the source of the disturbance. "Whassamatter with you now?" he asked, climbing up on a fence rail to pet the pegasus.

[Snowy_One]

"You'd probably laugh, but that is the best way to beat her it seems. The first time we met her was in a swamp, and she had us beat. Army of leechs and zombies... And the zombies turned on her before a mute mage blew her up. Too bad she had to be kidnapped by demons or something. I forget what. My plan is a lot simpler actually. Whatever she is, she isn't undead. That's for sure. All the undead I've seen have been stupid brutes who try to outright kill their target. If she wanted us dead, she would have killed us back then. Yet she dragged us through leeches first. Why? She's clearly capable of higher thought as well, since she can speak instead of going 'guuu braaains! BRAIIIINS! BRAINS! OH NOMNOMNOMBRAINS!"

Esphyr made a small cough as she finished making the odd noises. "Either way, she can't be a zombie. There has to be something in there that's still alive. Kill that, and... well... I don't know. It might kill her, it might make her stronger, it might do nothing... but it's better than walking into her traps whenever she wants us too."

[Phoenix]

Susann

Once Tobe came back over, Susann ceased her escape attempts and rose her head up to receive his petting. She didn't mind it, especially with him this close. Hopefully the unfamiliar human would vanish before he up and wandered off again. For the time being she wanted him close by and defensible, at least until his mother and father realized they were missing him.

The other horse simply stared curiously. He always thought the winged ones were superior since they could fly away and mock the wolves but this one seemed to misplace all her affection on humans, and in a weird way; a motherly way. She needed help perhaps.

[Mercakete]

"Arrin--" started Beau, but it was too late. His friend had bolted off, causing Beau slight frustration. Giving a heavy sigh, he trudged after Arrin, lifting his hand in farewell to Isotov. (I was hoping to avoid seeing him... It isn't as though Raemond is suddenly my charge.)

[kdanger]

"Can't believe they--" Arrin muttered. Getting closer he saw that Tessa had also found Raemond, though apparently she hadn't realized that he was tied yet. "Goodness, I'm sorry-- can't believe they did that-- Tessa, are you any good with knots? We need to untie him," he said without preamble as he jogged up. "Who-- never mind, I probably know whose idea it was..." He didn't want to mention Morgan, since Tessa seemed to like her, but this seemed like the sort of thing the shaman would do.

-------------------------------

Tobe was getting sleepy again. "G'night," he muttered to Susann, curling up next to where she stood. Wasn't much colder here than the hayloft had been, really.

[Balcerzak]

As soon as Raemond made mention of the Knights Templar, Tessa's breath caught, and her mind flew back.

'I told you, Althea, I won't let your mission fail. You have my aid.' The monk had ridden up and dismounted, guarding one of the valkyrie's flanks while she was moving in on Esphyr. He'd been on the opposite side of the woman from her, and hadn't managed to either interpose himself, or strike her down to prevent the killing blow. There'd been nothing left for him to do but apologize before he fled the field, but at the time she'd barely registered any of that. The dying woman's smile, and her words had stabbed her through the heart as surely as Tessa's own blade had done to the other woman.

Stepping back a bit, she stuttered. "O-Oh... I see. You were... the monk by her side... What of the other monk, the one I healed? Did you meet up with him?"

Nodding at his question about her affiliation with the weapons, she was about to reply in words when Arrin burst in. "Yes. Him for one. But several others as well are also dear to me."

The mage himself wasn't wasting any time, though, evaluating the scene and clearly noticing something she had missed. "Knots?" she started to ask, puzzled, before realizing that that was the cause of the man's odd posture, and first curiosity, and then the bombshell revelation had distracted her from the details. "I suppose I could try... but it might be better not to?" While not actually asking a question, her tone here clearly ended on a high note, a dead giveaway of her uncertainty.

Edited by Balcerzak, 13 January 2011 - 12:19 AM.

[Mercakete]

"Exactly," Beau put in, following after the young sage, "We may have confescated his tome, but he could still be dangerous."

"Don't worry, Beau... Though I would appreciate the freedom, escape was not the foremost of my thoughts," Raemond mentioned. Replying to Tessa, he answered, "Yes, that was I. However, I travelled to Altenau after my encounter with your group. I didn't see any other Reformist Templars since that...battle. ... Though I understand your wanting to protect your friends, it is difficult for me to...be in the company of my friends' killers. Both sides had their reasons for fighting." He was trying to force his anger away. His voice was still calm, but on the verge of eerily so.

"That doesn't matter. Heinz is taking care of things. We should go back inside," Beau suggested, casting a hateful glare at the monk.

[kdanger]

"B-- We can't just leave him out in the cold!" Arrin protested. He was a bit shocked at how Tessa was reacting; Beau was slightly less surprising.

[Balcerzak]

No news on the other monk then. Well... that was better than bad news at least. Beau had arrived and added in several points of his own, but Arrin's tone pulled at her heartstrings.

"Well... We can bring him inside yet still leave his hands tied? If he managed ahold of one of Charlotte's tomes or something and killed you, I could never forgive myself." As this seemed a reasonable compromise to the girl, she started to work on the knot between the horse and the man's wrists, leaving the latter knots entirely untouched.

"...And you. Well, it will be difficult for you I'm sure. But," she paused to steady her voice, "But it was also difficult to be your friend's killer as well. Suppose we'll be suffering this one together now, won't we..."

[Phoenix]

Susann

The child had decided to stay close by and quickly fell asleep. That was good, she thought. Now she could look after him until his frustratingly irresponsible mother returned.

Levski

Lev thought back to the previous night during the flight to Worthington. It had been one of the few times he'd had an interesting chat with anyone in the group.

Spoiler ()

As Lev listened most of his suspicions were confirmed. Still the girl had more bothering her than even he first suspected. Where to start? Althea's death? The trouble with Arrin? The healing gone wrong? Irina's assault on Kamilla? He hadn't a clue at first. Perhaps the trauma that came with killing someone was the most pertinent issue. "What happened during the battle, to Althea ... how much does that bother you?" he asked.

"How much does it bother me? If only there was a way to pin that down, or put a value to it!" Tessa exclaimed, perhaps a bit loudly. "I was just... This wasn't what I meant... she wasn't supposed to die. How could she have died? She was so strong... and upright." Confusion mixed in a little with dismay, as she started to pour out some of what had been pent up inside.

"Sure she was mistaken. But... there had to be a better way. There just has to have been!"

A better way. Mentally he had to admit that the situation could have likely been resolved without all of that bloodshed, but he also acknowledged that it simply hadn't been. "Maybe there was a better way to deal with them, but these is where we've ended up, with most of them dead. If there was anything we could have done to get better results, the time for that has come and gone already. All we can ever do after the fact is live and learn." He paused for a moment feeling he was focusing too much on next time. "It's ... perfectly fine to grieve though. They weren't the villains we're used to dealing with. We really shouldn't be fighting people like them in the first place."

A sudden realization hit Tessa as Lev was trying to comfort her. What the wyvern lord was saying boiled down to exact same things she always told others, 'no matter what the past, as long you're alive you can work toward the future'. The future always carried with it the untold possibilities, the hidden mysteries of The Lady's will.

...But yet... why was it not comforting? Were her reassurances to others always so hollow-seeming to those who received them? Setting aside the past isn't so easily done as said. Though... she'd certainly been better at it before hadn't she? Tessa found herself wondering in confusion just how she'd managed to put the whole of the monastery's ruin behind her so successfully for so long.

One action, one swing of her sword and its consequences, and now everything was coming tumbling down. Her mental defenses, blocks, and justifications... gone. Anyone watching her could pinpoint the exact moment of the collapse, as the creases on her forehead bunched briefly before smoothing out as her eyes widened in surprise, and her lips fell open in the shape of an 'O'. Tears started to stream down silently, and she quickly hugged her face to her knees in a move to cover up, to try to continue to be the strong, capable, dependable troubadour everyone knew her as... even though that person was lost for the moment, and all that was left in her place was a frightened and confused little girl.

Giving up on the futile effort almost as soon as she'd attempted it, she turned her gaze up to Lev and managed to put out a quavering supplication, "I miss Father... and the Brothers... What's happened to me? Why am I so weak... Where has my faith gone..."

As she returned her gaze to him, he had to hold back what he knew was going to become a grimace and instead kept the same face as before. He didn't like to see her in such a state and could already tell it was getting to him if only a little. He could already feel the moisture building up in his eyes. He gave one hard blink to disrupt it all and then said with a low voice "... pain. Unyielding pain ... lashing out at the surface ... trying desperately to make itself known." "Is that what this is?" he thought. What he had just said was merely a quotation from someone else, a passage in one of Natasha's books but it was the first thing to come to mind.

He slowly and carefully placed his hand over her shoulder as he continued. "Maybe you've stumbled onto some long suppressed emotions. I honestly don't know, and I won't pretend to know. These could be hurting you for quite some time, still you're not weak. Strained? Spiritually injured? Longing? Most likely, but not weak. Don't believe that for a moment." He took a short pause to really consider her point of view and then quickly came back "You're generally the one healing us when we get roughed up in battle, but for now, I think we should be the ones to be here for you. I doubt any of us are as ... familiar and loved as your 'father' and 'brothers', but we will be here for you, however we can, even after you're back up to speed." He knew he sounded a bit presumptuous implying she would get better at some point, but he couldn't help but feel it was the truth. After all, human beings tended to adjust. Natasha's death wasn't holding him down anymore he felt, so perhaps the same would hold true for the young Valkyrie he was trying to comfort. Still, he wasn't sure just how many fronts she was hurting on. These people from her past had suddenly come up and that had him wondering what the real source of her pain really was.

Unyielding pain... what? Unsure where Lev was going with his first response she cocked her head slightly, making way for the man to rest his hand on her shoulder while he carried on, elaborating, maybe explaining, his cryptic offering. He was quite near the mark already it seemed, ferreting out what exactly she was driving at, even though she'd failed to describe it properly herself. Assuring her that even if she was wounded, struggling, or adrift and astray that she was far from weak, the wyvern lord went on a bit further, but his phrasing was awkward to her ears. It took a moment to register that he hadn't understood her own references... had she ever told him her story to begin?

Nodding a bit and muffling a sniffle, she replied and went on to explain, "...thanks. Maybe I'm not so weak. You're right... except for that one fight with the shifter... and the arrows," she brought a hand instinctively to her breast, recalling where she'd been shot by Shanice, "...I haven't had to be so utterly helpless and reliant on others' protection like was the case during the flight from the monastery..."

Smiling wanly she continued, "Maybe I didn't tell you? Father... Abbot... he was in charge of all the Brothers... and myself. After him, it was probably Brother Dustin... I was closest too. I'm sure they would know what to say, could point me back to Her Will. But... something's happened, you know? I used to be so sure I'd see them again. I knew it would happen, and so their absence never bothered me. Recently though... I think I'm losing my cheer. I know I should look forward but..."

Sighing deeply she added, "I was supposed to help Arrin find out what happened to his teacher... and that just ended in the most terrible way possible. The future isn't always bright... sometimes it's mean and hurtful. I want to go back... to when I was sure the sun would come out tomorrow. I want to be able to save everyone. I'm turning into such a selfish little girl."

As her reply ventured into the battle at the camp, the same day they suffered their first casualty, Lev's head tilted a bit back and forth as he tried to excuse what happened to her during the fight. Before he actually did though, she expounded on her own situation. Both of Lev's eyebrows quickly raised in surprise. He had been speaking under the assumption that anyone Tessa had known outside of the group was most certainly dead. It hadn't occurred to him that she would have been allowed to accompany a group like theirs otherwise. From the sound of things, she was separated from them at the very least. Death wasn't a certainty he felt, though it still seemed grim.

It made him feel a bit better that it wasn't nearly as bad as he was used to hearing in life, but that just meant that he was probably on the right track, not that it was truly any better than before. He didn't want to pump her full of hope, but he wasn't going to forgo mentioning the obvious. "If your father and brothers didn't lose their lives during; whatever happened at your monastery, then you can still find them again." "... theoretically ..." he thought. While he was a bit curious about them, and the events that unfolded, he didn't want to pry ... yet. And then Arrin's ordeal. "We certainly are short on good or happy outcomes it seems. The price we pay I suppose.

"You're right, the future isn't always pleasant, but it isn't completely out of your control either. If you want it to be better, you've got to make it better. Er ... you've probably heard something like these before, haven't you?"

"You're right, the future isn't always pleasant, but it isn't completely out of your control either. If you want it to be better, you've got to make it better. Er ... you've probably heard something like these before, haven't you?"[/quote]
Nodding, she reached a decision. Everything Lev was saying was making sense, and it fit in with what she felt herself to be true, just... she wasn't sure how to go about it. She needed to once again simply take charge of things, and push for the better future, without heed to whether it was or was no within her power to achieve. Dwelling on things that happened and can no longer be changed, it was uncharacteristic, but somehow she'd fallen into the habit. Was it influence from... no she couldn't pinpoint any single individual, but certainly the group as a whole here were more prone to it that she'd ever been exposed to before, so it may have started seeping in, unnoticed. It might not be an easy thing to reverse, but by The Lady she would have to try.

"Perhaps I have heard it before, but I think it was just the thing I needed to hear again. Thank you Lev. I'll be better tomorrow, I'm sure of it."

Though a bit off course a little at first, things seemed to be looking up in the conversation now at least. "Tomorrow's pretty soon, so that's good enough for me." he replied as if speaking of some upcoming event. (Though we may or may not have Helenos to deal with in that time.) "Don't forget though, you've got friends if you need them, and a sis I suppose."

It then returned to him that shortly before he himself was a bit discomforted. (Don't go around putting feelings where they don't belong, especially not in a situation like this.) "Hmm ... mind if I ask you a question, Tessa?"

Now in a much better mood, she cocked her head to the side slightly, then smiled. "Ask away. I'll answer whatever I can."

He smiled having her cooperation and began with "I'm not trying to get any definite answers here. Maybe just an opinion that isn't from some other IM mercenary." Slowly taking his arm off of her shoulder he leaned forward a bit and balanced himself with both elbows on his legs and both hands together, right fist cupped neatly in his left hand, and his chin resting on them.

"I've managed to put a lot of things behind me, but there's just one thing that I've never been able to fully put behind me. I know because I've got half a dozen books all written by the same person tucked away in my saddlebags." He paused for a moment, and then finally voiced his question saying "It's been ten years and I still hurt inside. Everything around me from Irina, to her books, to how better things would be with her still around; all of that just makes it hurt a little worse when I'm not distracted. It's easy to give other people advice. I'm on the outside looking in most of the time. But I can't see the outside of these. So what's it look like to you? What if anything would you suggest I do to cope with these? ... the death of that person I mean."

"Irina writes...?" Tessa began, slightly confused and the expression plainly showing it on her face. She stopped herself from finishing, though, as a funny feeling she was misunderstanding haunted her. Blinking and going back over what Lev had just said, the context slowly sank in and she knew for a fact that she'd reached the wrong conclusion. But... then who?

It was clearly her turn to help here, and in a reversal of the previous situation, the healer put her own hand on the wyvern lord's shoulder, before following up softly, "Levski, I had no idea. Never knew you were hurting, or even who you're referring to. You've hidden it all away so very well. I don't know if there's anything one of us on the outside looking in can do... But if you need to talk, I could listen."

Holding up a finger on her other hand, she indicated she wasn't finished, and that he didn't need to interrupt or answer just yet, she continued. "For true outside advice though, like you're asking, without knowing the situation... I guess a small list of 'Don'ts' perhaps? It certainly wouldn't do to try to replace her, and I'd hope you wouldn't listen even if someone suggested it. People become important to us through their own unique ways, and even after they've gone the effects they've had leave an impact. Likewise I'm sure it's hopeless to be told 'Stop thinking about her.' Trying not to think of something only makes the situation worse. When I was told to stop thinking about trying to learn to ride, or to use a sword, I only ended up wanting it more and more... And while Dustin eventually relented, your situation is different. You'll never be able to―"

Cutting herself off, she sighed. "This... isn't really helping is it?"

Lev was close to correcting Tessa, but it seemed that she quickly caught on herself and so that could be left alone and she continued. Who was it he had been referring to? "Her name was Natasha. A very important person in ... well most of our lives back in Redwood. She was Irina and Iso's mother, a very comforting woman ... and probably the one and only reason we didn't all turn on each other sooner. Once she was killed ..." He paused sighing and then added "... downhill from there."

Tessa soon told him that he shouldn't try to replace her. Her agreed completely even though it brought his conversation with Irina to mind again. He told her he wasn't the man he felt she deserved, not yet at least. It reminded him that that was partly what he meant by it. I look at that girl and I see two people. It really isn't how I want things to be. "You're right. People aren't just things you up and replace. Even trying is tantamount to throwing away anything that gave the last person value if you ask me."

Tessa cut herself off again in the midsts of a minor comparison and sighed getting a near blank stare from Lev. Having asked if her input was helping at all he replied saying "In a way ... it is. I'm Levski Petrov; Second in command of Ivanko's mercenaries, and not in any position to let people I know realize I'm a man with difficulties and demons I can't just take an axe to and win. It's kind of nice to be able to talk to someone who isn't directly related to us. Frankly, that's a person I can appreciate ... til they know me too well of course." He ended that statement with a slight grin.

When Irina's name came up, Tessa frowned unconsciously, still not having made up with the woman over the matter of Kamilla. "Family huh? I don't know that much about how that really works. If she left such an impression, did she pretty much treat you like one of her own? Or were your parents and their parents just very close?" Curiosity had overcome her initial reaction and she found herself asking questions without restraint.

Remembering her purpose, she added in another couple sentiments related to the rest of the conversation, almost as afterthought. "I don't know that's it's possible to know somebody too well... and why exactly would that be a problem? Still... I'm glad that for now you're comfortable with this."

Lev gave a sigh with a smile on his face, a weak one. "You know I don't really know how family works either come to think of it. My parents both died right at the end of the war. So as a little baby I got adopted by their close friends, Ivanko, Aleksandr, and Natasha, though raising me was something other random folks in Redwood helped do from time to time. Natasha was the only one that really stands out in my mind though. Best person I ever met, and made growing up as an orphan something I really couldn't complain about."

"I guess the problem with knowing someone too well, is that there are just some things you grow to expect out of them, good or bad, even if it never shows up. That can cause a lot of problems in relationships. Impatience, expectancy, ingratitude, pessimism, manipulation, deception. The list goes on. But yeah, I'm fine. I let out all my bad emotions and shed all my tears years ago. Natasha would be upset with me if she saw me moping around." he ended with a slight chuckle.

When Lev explained about his past, Tessa let out a small "aww", and moved so that rather than just having her hand on his shoulder, she put the man in a full-on hug.

She listened to the rest of his explanation, then answered firmly. "I'll pray for you. If it's in The Lady's plans, and if she listens, hopefully the hurt will finish working its way out. Until then, and until I'm too familiar... ask again if you're feeling troubled."

"Oh I will, and thank you, Tessa." he replied giving a light hug in return while also minding his armor.

He smiled. It was more than he could expect from most people he knew. He then spotted Worthington in the distance. The lamps helped significantly.

Lev: Hey, Tas! We're here, follow us down and start to slow so you can land! Use the light if you can!

With that he began guiding Kiev down toward Worthington. The riders would land within a couple of minutes if successful.

[Mercakete]

"I still say it's a bad idea. Heinz went to find Morgan and if Raemond isn't here, then things might be worse," Beau raised the point, "Asside from that, he is a Reformist Templar. Do you think he won't garner support from those inside? This is an inn: a public gathering place. Surely when the choice comes between a mismatched company with wielders of demonic weapons and one of the holy men from the Reformist Templars, we will be seen as foes and this monk will be freed." Beau was clearly agitated, though he wasn't making excuses. These were legitimate concerns.

Raemond smiled a little. "They do have a point, though. Why would you allow me to stay out here, possibly until the morning? Morgan might not be coming to check on me until then," he put forward with a reasonable tone and a calm, somewhat defeated smile. Beau glared back at him. Raemond knew the boy hated him. These two -- demonic or not -- were giving him a way out, though.

[-Cynthia-]

Tristan decided to walk outside to see if Lev had arrived yet and saw Arrin, Tessa, and Beau around some man in robes with his hands tied.

"Uh, shouldn't you kids be getting to bed or something? This doesn't really seem like a good activity for you all to be doing." he said, somewhat concerned. What would kids be doing with a tied up priest he thought to himself.

Not receiving an answer about Pary, Charlotte decided that everyone seemed busy. She took a glance at one of the mugs on the table, still half full. I've never had any alcohol before...but it is said to dull pain. Maybe just a little will make me feel better she thought to herself, taking the mug and gulping down some of the bitter ale.