Falling [Bolden Denusk] <DREAM>

by **Cygnas** on November 9th, 2011, 3:05 pm

Cygnas took the mug graciously and nodded to him, gathering her thoughts. The last bit of her sniffles subsided as she blew the curling, swirling steam rising from the liquid in the cup. She sniffed it as she listened to Bolden speak, taking in his every word and giving each careful thought to each one. She nodded occasionally to relay that she wasn’t off in her own little world, staring into oblivion. At last she began to sip the hot, steamy liquid from the mug.

We’ll work it out together Cygnas, don’t worry.”

Bolden’s kind words made Cygnas feel a little more at ease in this new skin. Was he really so intent on helping her? Her first day back as a living, breathing, earthbound being and the very first person she had encountered was a man who was willing to help her along her way. How could she have been so lucky? It seemed surreal, in the least. She shook her head for a moment before staring back up at the sky in between sips of tea. After finishing the drink off, the warm liquid soothed her throat, head, and nerves. She sat quietly, fidgeting occasionally as she listened to Bolden explain his current living situation. He spoke of his clan, his – father, was it? Or brother?

”Oh, of course. I don’t mind waiting for you to complete your duties on this trip. If you don’t mind the company, I mean. I don’t want to burden or intrude on your trip… I know my situation is a strange one, but I imagine I’ll have to, uh… Get used to it… And learn to provide for myself.” She spoke slowly, measuring her words and choosing them wisely. Eventually she was sure the truth of the matter would come out, but at this point and time, it might be best to keep her secret on the down-low. Bolden was a nice man, but something told her that trying to explain to him that she had fallen from the heavens would end badly. How exactly was she supposed to explain that? With a little shift of her weight, she cleared her throat and sipped from the mug again.

Then came another thought: When the sun rose, what was she supposed to say? If she was to stick around, Bolden would see her form change. He would see everything, the horns, the hair, the eyes, the skin… All the ethereal details would become strikingly evident, and there would be no way she could hide it. How would she explain this to him? She frowned inwardly on herself, nodding solemnly.

”I hope so, Bolden. I hope so.”

by **Bolden Denusk** on November 11th, 2011, 6:11 pm

"Well we can get through this quicker if you don't mind helping. I have some of Kav's old foraging clothes you can borrow." Bolden stood and grabbed a large bag, bringing it to his seat. Sitting comfortably again, he rummaged through it, taking out some dark, sapphire blue cloth.

"Girls like a head covering to keep down their hair in the wind out here. There's some thick gloves and stern boots so you don't cut yourself on the jagged rocks in the caves around here. Oh and some leather breeches with a skirt covering too."

He picked up the mug to refill it, and topped off Cygnas' as well. The tall man smiled and placed the pile of clothing in front of the woman.

"She's a little taller than you so stuff might be a little big, but it'll keep you protected. For tomorrow, we're collecting as much salt as possible. The caves that are breached by the tide have the best salt so that means keep well covered against sharp rocks and soaking water. The salt will break off with-"

He interrupted himself and took a small hand pick out of the bag at his feet. Bolden held it up for a chime for her to look at it and then set on the growing pile of things before her.

"--small hand picks. It's not that the salt is hard to break up, it's trying to reach the salt that's the hard part. You see, salt beds form where there was once standing water that dried up. The coves along the west there, have some deep niches where the water left and the salt is there for the taking. Oh that reminds me-"

The Drykas gestured to the lichen wrapped torches laid near the fire stones. He reached into the half emptied bag and pulled out some dried meat rations wrapped in garlic leaves, adding these to her pile of supplies.

"You'll need to carry torches with you because those caves get dark as you go in farther. It'll eat up the day light too. I suggest we head out at first light and then meet back here by around sunset. We can eat as we work so it'll cut down the time here by a few days, I think."

Nightwind nickered and bumped Bolden with his large muzzle, as if reminding him of his manners. He looked over in surprise, reaching up an automatic hand to stroke the soft cheek.

"Sorry, I didn't think to ask if you even wanted to do all this with me or if you had any questions if you did."

by **Cygnas** on November 13th, 2011, 6:21 am

Cygnas listened attentively as Bolden refilled her mug and explained the mission behind his trip. She accepted the wad of brilliant blue clothing, nodding graciously at Bolden. Again, she sipped at the tea before placing it back down and inspecting the clothing as he spoke. With the little shivery bumps from the chilly air erupting all over her skin, she was glad to have some covering. His excited prattle brought a subtle smile to her lips. If he had been looking at her at that particular moment, he would have noticed that the grin did not linger long on her lips. It faded almost as soon as it had come, and did not return. Her sorrow was still thick, her despair inevitable. Would the feeling never subside? Maybe one day, but for now, the memory of her loss was still fresh in her mind.

”No, no,” She answered when had finished. ”I’d like to help. I think it will be...fun. It’ll maybe put my consistent wallowing at bay.” Again appeared that half-hearted smile. Without another thought, she stood, Bolden’s shirt falling down to her knees, and she pulled the leather breeches on. They were a little big, but left enough room to fit comfortably without unnecessarily weighing her down.

It was then that a stark realization came to her.

”Say, uh, when did you say you wanted to do this? Tomorrow…morning?”

by **Bolden Denusk** on November 16th, 2011, 6:32 pm

Bolden watched her expression for a full chime and noticed her reticence. He took it at face value and chalked it up to sudden memory loss. Despite his recent family fiasco, it still didn't occur to his honest nature that she'd hold anything back or deceive him.

Lying was still a new concept to him because of the open and forthright way he was raised with Laria for six years in the Amethyst Clan. Bold had never heard of an Eth so even if she had tried to explain, it would've sounded like an even bigger lie than simple omission. He naively assumed that she was out of sorts and feeling exactly what he did when he lost his memory. So he applied the best cure he knew for it: work. Staying busy helped him work through the hardest part and he wanted to help Cygnas.

"It will help you Cygnas. I understand completely what it is to lose your memory, so I can say with confidence that busy work will help you through it."

The young Drykas smiled when he saw the delicate woman wearing Kav's clothes. She had that lost waif look that was endearing and he tried not let it reach him. Twice he'd fallen for a woman's wiles, only to have them vanish and he'd damn well not let himself do so a third time!

"Yea, tomorrow morning. A little before that actually. Basically, with the daylight getting shorter, it needs to be done first light to last light. We make all the plans and gather equipment before bed and go our separate ways just before Leth wakes up." He stopped and gestured to the right.

"I figure if you work one side, and I work the other, eventually after a couple days, we'll meet in the middle and have twice as much done." Bolden heard the hesitant tone and tried to reassure her.

"Glassbeaks only stay on the plains because they prefer ambush-they'd never broach the open beach. There aren't any predators to harm you at the bay. If you're afraid to be alone I can send Nightwind with you to stand by the cave entrances, if you like."

by **Cygnas** on November 16th, 2011, 8:17 pm

Cygnas’ face contorted into an expression of emotional pain. She needed to tell him. She knew she needed to tell him, and she needed to tell him soon. She could only imagine his less than pleased reaction when waking up to see she had sprouted horns from her head and grew taller.

No no, she needed to just keep her mouth shut. It was best to just hide in the caves from him, and collect the salt. She could pull it off. She could hide from him until night for the sake of protecting her credibility. But would he catch on? Surely not. Hopefully not.

”Right, got it…” Cygnas pulled her hair around to the side, twirling it nervously. It was thick and soft, despite the water from the bay having dampened it. What was she thinking? How could she possibly deceive him? He had saved her from the water, he fed her, he provided her with clothing. Could she honestly try and avoid him all day, every day, resorting only to seeing him during the night? She crossed her arms across her chest and paced slowly. She was thinking, contemplating. What a dilemma!

At last, ”Bolden, I… She swallowed as she looked at him. ”I don’t think I’m exactly who I say I am. Er, I don’t think I… I mean… I feel like I’m deceiving you.” She searched desperately for her train of thought and the grace to spill the secret she was withholding from him. A long sigh left her lips as she shook her head and kicked at the ground beneath her. ”It doesn’t go to say that I don’t want to help you. I do, really, but… I sort of remember, you know, some things, about myself. I-I… Bolden, I’m not a Drykas. Well, I am, but I’m not. I’m from another place. I’m a fallen, I slipped through the fissure, a-and, I just, I fell here, and here I am. I wasn’t anything like this, I-I have the horns, and my hair is oddly colored, and my skin shimmers like the light on the bay. It was an accident, I slipped through her fingers, I slipped… I… I’m one of Syna’s children, long passed from this land, and now I’m back. It doesn’t make sense to me any more than it probably does to you. It’s complicated, I know, and I’m so sorry. I just – I just can’t lie to you.” Her voice raced as fast as her mind did. The words came out a jumbled mess of nonsense. She could only hope that he would be able to make sense of what she was trying to tell him. It sounded ridiculous, she knew, but it seemed like the right thing to do.

by **Bolden Denusk** on November 18th, 2011, 7:55 pm

His eyes widened and both eyebrows raised nearly to his hairline in surprise. Bold shook his head in disbelief of such an obviously insane story.

"You must have hit your head! What's a 'fallen?' And what do you mean not Drykas? You're as Drykas as I am." He said as he gestured to her braid.

Bold's tone conveyed he clearly didn't believe a single word she was saying.
'..I’m one of Syna’s children..'

'Uh oh. Religious fanatic. Even worse than just a bump on the head!' He thought with deep dismay. 'I can handle crazy--look at my family! But a Gods nutter? Best not to piss off the religious types, and maybe it's just because she hit her head. Why do the cute ones have to be loony?'

His amber eyes clouded over and he nodded absently, becoming polite and distant at her absurd statements.

"You uh... fell from the sky, turn colors, grow -horns- and you're all about Syna huh? So.. does uh, your head hurt at all?"

Bolden's tone was quiet and careful and the young Drykas avoided direct eye contact with Cygnas. He fidgeted with the supplies in front of him, wondering how on Cyphrus he'd managed to find a lunatic in this barren stretch of land.

by **Cygnas** on November 18th, 2011, 10:15 pm

Cygnas’ expression matched Bolden’s. Her arms went limp at her side and she slouched, jaw hanging slightly open. Was her head hurting? She watched as he shuffled around, twiddling with his equipment. She waited on him to look back up at her, but he would not. Was he really avoiding her?

Great, I creeped him out… Thought she. She couldn’t believe herself. Why had she told him? A vision came to mind, one of her waking up the next morning and seeing Bolden flee across the horizon with his steed at the sight of the monster that basked in Syna’s morning rays. She shook her head. What now? Cover it up, or try to convince him?

It took her a long chime to consider her options. She looked inwardly on herself, and evaluated what she saw. If she lied and tried to cover her tracks, he would inevitably see her when the morning light grazed the sky. Would he be more upset with her for the lie? If she tried to convince him, he would undoubtedly shake his head and shun her. He must have pinned her for some kind of freak, she knew. But if she stressed her truth, and the light rose in the sky the following morning, surely he would feel better that she was telling the truth, right? That was assuming he didn’t run for the hills and come back with an extermination crew.

A long-fingered hand slapped her forehead and drew a long trail down her face. Ohh, boy.

”No, Bolden, really, I’m telling you the truth. My head doesn’t hurt. I didn’t fall from the sky; I fell from another realm. I slipped. Through the fissure. Yes, my hair and horns change color. And I… Well, I kinda sparkle. My skin, I mean. I… Look, I don’t expect you to believe me now, but let me ask you a question. Supposing the sun comes up tomorrow, and I am exactly what I tell you I am. Will you be more disgusted with me for lying to you and telling you this is a practical joke? That’s what I’m trying to avoid here. I don’t want to lie to you, y’know? I just… It’s hard. It’s really hard being this way. I just want you to believe me. Give me the benefit of the doubt, and you will see.”

She searched his face desperately for some kind of assurance.

by **Bolden Denusk** on November 21st, 2011, 7:56 pm

Fell from another realm? What kind of horse shyke was that?! Bolden didn't normally realize he was dreaming within the dream itself, so this was a first. Growing horns, sparkling, changing colors and being Drykas but not Drykas?

His mind wandered, idly wondering if he should even bother answering this bizarre dream figure.

'If I look for symbolism I guess I could find it. That maybe learning the so called truth doesn't mean it's going to make sense at all, I think. People don't just fall from the sky, grow horns, change colors and swear it's the truth!' Bolden thought with frustrated irritation.

Maybe he'd finally come to see that the only woman who spoke the truth was Kavala. Hers was an ugly, heart breaking truth, but none could doubt its veracity.

'So that would mean I can determine if someone's telling the truth because it's harsh, painful or if it just plain sucks.'

He looked at the lovely woman, now fully accepting it was just a dream to mess with his mind again. The Drykas could offer her platitudes but the feeling of knowing it's a dream, either changes it or you just wake up...

Nightwind slobbered on Bolden's forehead, nibbling the ever present curls. He jerked awake from his sitting position, cramped and sore. With a tired but affectionate hand, he moved the strider's nose from his head.

'At least she was pretty.' Was his last lingering thought.

OOC :