Elderberry Blues (Adrien)

by **Lucian Hill** on October 19th, 2014, 5:39 pm

x

Fall 9th, 514 AV - Midday

It was still warm this early in the season, the leaves on the occasional tree barely yet changing color. The city stunk in the heat of Syna, especially at midday, and even more so in the middle of the Castle Commons, where Lucian found himself surrounded by unwashed bodies and merchants hawking their wares - mostly food. He moved with the crowd, his hood down and his eyes not focusing on anything in particular. He didn't glance around quickly and he didn't move any faster than he had to, trying his best to avoid suspicion. He caught bits and pieces of conversations around him, but he pushed them out of his mind - he wasn't in the mood for eavesdropping at the moment.

His stomach growled, and he felt the single silver miza heavy in his pocket. He didn't touch them until he made it to a man selling bread, as a precaution against people like himself - eager to take what little mizas someone had left just to be able to survive another day. He found himself standing in front of a dried fruit vendor, selling a variety of fruit that had managed to be saved via drying from the Summer. His eyes fell on a small container of elderberries, and his stomach growled again. his hand reached into his pocket, resting there for a second.

"How much for the elderberries?" He asked, his voice just loud enough for the merchant to hear.

"One silver miza for a handful." The merchant replied, already opening the container and reaching his hand in. Lucian nodded, pulling his hand out of his pocket with the single miza and handing it to the man in exchange for the handful of dried elderberries. He picked a couple and popped them in his mouth, closing his hand around the small pile to keep them from falling.

This, however, made no difference when he ran into someone directly behind him and lost the majority of the handful anyways.

x

by **Adrien Strade** on October 20th, 2014, 1:27 pm

It was another one of those days—those days when Adrien just wanted to stay in bed and not do anything. It was those days when the normally cheerful adolescent remembered that his parents were dead and he was more or less alone…well, as alone as you could be in this harsh world while still being able to survive.

Adrien thought about how he didn’t have that many friends or at least close friends. Maybe, it was his somewhat peculiar personality or his habit of saying whatever he thought without a filter. Nevertheless, he didn’t have that many people who would take his side in an argument.

Despite what he felt that day, he still dragged himself out of his apartment and into the streets of Sunberth. After all, one has to work to survive…even if your work consisted of relieving people of their purses.

He arrived at the Castle Commons at midday. He had slept in for too long, it seems. He immediately looked around trying to find his next unfortunate victim while staying on guard of his own coins at the same time. He kept tracing the ring in his ear as he entered the crush of people. It was a nervous habit though he wasn’t exactly sure why he was nervous. It was probably the feeling of nostalgia and melancholy.

Ah, he hated this feeling. He sighed and dug his hands in his coat pockets. He didn’t really feel like picking anyone’s pockets anymore. He simply observed the people—their smiles, the small groups that formed here and there, their haggling, the loud incessant noises around, and the footsteps all made for one great picture in its own formless way. The sound was one symphony so fitting of the lawlessness that Sunberth was so proud of.

He was so lost in thought that he did not see where he was going and accidentally ran into someone causing that person to drop the dried elderberries he was holding. Adrien cursed as he watched the berries go to waste with people accidentally stepping on them or kicking them. “Well, that seemed like such a waste of miza,” he blurted out, before realizing that it was his own fault that the berries fell in the first place.

With an apologetic grimace, he turned towards the other person. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. How can I make it up to you? Perhaps, I should buy you a replacement for those berries?”

Adrien wasn’t sure why he offered to make it up to the person. Normally, he would have laughed at that person’s and his carelessness before walking away without another word. He wouldn’t have tried to be kind. He wouldn’t even have offered a smile but he now found himself smiling apologetically at the other. He blamed it on the suffocating crowd and Syna’s irritable heat.

by **Lucian Hill** on October 24th, 2014, 11:04 pm

x

The stare from Lucian emanated frustration. His stomach growled, and he was silent for what felt like chimes - but what was merely ticks. A waste of miza, indeed. His eyes fell to the ground, following the dried berries as they were stepped on and crushed by dirty feet. The man's apology was not enough to settle the slight, and not enough for the raven to simply forgive the other man for being so careless. He, however, offered a false smile, appearing to take the accident in stride.

He stepped back, shrugging at the man. "It's alright, was an accident." His eyes drifted to the ring in the other man's ear, sparkling in the midday light of Syna. He did not mention or motion to it, though it was silently admired by the raven. His hand opened, revealing the remaining dried berries to the man for a tick, until he cupped it and poured the remainder into his mouth, quickly chewing. His hands were sticky and automatically drifted to his pants in a sub-par attempt at wiping them off.

"So. What were you lost in?" The question was worded oddly, but if anyone could decipher its original meaning they would know that he meant lost in thought. The raven assumed the other man had been thinking, as imagining that he was just careless or incompetent made the situation in Lucian's head worse. If the man was simply not paying attention, and not even thinking of something interesting, he'd find himself holding in more anger than necessary, as he was even now.

The raven knew he should drop it and move on, but it was getting increasingly more difficult to let it go as he looked at the man.

x

by **Adrien Strade** on October 25th, 2014, 10:59 am

“Are you really sure it’s alright?” Adrien asked after the other shrugged and told him it was alright and that it was just an accident. It really didn’t seem alright. If it had been Adrien in his position, Adrien would have already retaliated with his knife or at least given whoever bumped into him a piece of his mind.

Adrien notices the other glancing at his earring and it made him smirk a little. He loved that ring and would always show it off with pride. Not even thinking of what he was going to say, he continued “Like what you see? Ah, shykes, I really shouldn’t be pissing you off more now, huh? It’s a bad habit. Forgive me?”

Adrien grimaces as the other quickly eats up whatever remained of the berries in his hand. It seemed like the other was hurrying before any other unfortunate accident happened and Adrien sort of felt guilty for that.

He frowns at the other’s oddly worded question though he got what he meant. For a moment, he wanted to snap at the other and tell him it was really none of his business what he was thinking about. But, he’s been making a lot of blunders today already and he was sure that snapping at the other man would only result in another enemy for him.

Well, when you can’t divert the subject, be as vague as possible right? Maybe, throw in a lie or two. It was actually very second nature for Adrien. He really never liked showing his feelings to anyone…or appearing vulnerable for that matter. It didn’t help that he was being asked by a total stranger.

He knew he really needed to answer soon though. The pause would just make the other a bit suspicious of him so he grinned at the other boy and said in a cheerful voice, “Oh, you know stuff—the past and all that. I’ve also been thinking the Sunberth seems to be getting more dangerous, lately, don’t you think? If you observe things closely enough, more people seem to be gathering together. It seems like a warning and all that. Well, it would be interesting to see anyway so I guess that’s fine. I am worried though so I wasn’t looking where I was going. Sorry~”

Then, Adrien realized that he still didn’t know who the other was and that he didn’t exactly introduce himself either. He stuck his hand out and smiled at the other, “I’m Adrien, by the way. You are?”

Well, Adrien was starting to like the situation. If anything, it would distract him from the dark cloud of his memories. Besides, it was always interesting to meet someone new and to figure them out and observe them. He’d never let that chance pass.

by **Lucian Hill** on October 30th, 2014, 11:06 pm

x

Lucian's false smile turned into a grimace, his eyes narrowing slightly. The apology after the other man's accusation felt hollow, like an empty gourd. Lucian felt like an empty gourd. He was one to lie, but he had no reason to lie to this man, not now. He wouldn't be able to keep up with any lies with all of the pointless anger clouding his mind, his hands clutched into small fists and his fingernails forming crescents in his palms.

"Yeah. I do." He said tersely. The other man, boy, thing - (Lucian couldn't pinpoint the age) was certainly cute, if anything. This was perhaps his only endearing quality, as far as Lucian could see at the moment, because he was otherwise incredibly infuriating. It was, of course, an overreaction on his part, and the raven knew that - yet he was finding it so difficult to just drop it. It was an accident, for Ovek's sake. There was no reason to be grudging over something as trivial as a handful of dried berries that barely cost him a coin. He, however, ignored the man's request for forgiveness, a grimace still on his lips.

The changing of the subject was noticeable, though it barely tipped off Lucian's radar. It was enough to tip off to the raven that the man was hiding something, though everyone in Sunberth was hiding something and everyone was suspicious, and he didn't think too much of it.

"It is gettin' more dangerous. All tha time." His voice was quiet, and he decided not to share his name, but instead nodded and took the other man's hand. His anger was beginning to subside, lightly, but a vein in his forehead pulsed visibly, if anyone decided to look there. Rarely did anyone meet his face, most people in the city preferred to look down at the ground, as if watching their step or trying not to trip. It was the safe way to travel - you didn't draw any attention, and no one seemed to notice you if you weren't looking up. His resolve to not share his name faded within ticks, and after retracting his hand, he spoke.

"Lucian." The raven's voice was deceptively quiet, but he was resolved to bottle up his anger. No need to make a scene. Scenes were dangerous, scenes were how people got hurt. The prospect of injuring someone else because he couldn't let go was not one that he enjoyed.

x

by **Adrien Strade** on October 31st, 2014, 1:36 am

Adrien failed to notice the other’s clenched fists but he did notice how the other never made any acceptance of his apology. It made him more cautious of the other’s moods seeing as anger may make anyone act irrationally and Adrien could be attacked.

The other’s voice was quiet when he agreed to Adrien’s remark and when he introduced himself. That could either mean that he was getting over whatever he was holding against Adrien or he was planning on acting out of anger, irritation or revenge. Adrien was quite used to people feeling that way about him. They always that his personality is a bit…overbearing? Childish? Well, the point of the matter is, his actions and words always got him into trouble somehow.

He resolved to try and act well to not piss this person off any more than he already is. Though, the gods know his thoughts and moods are often so fickle and volatile. “Lucian,” Adrien says, testing the name. He smiled at the other. “I like it. It’s a good name.”

“So, Lucian, have you got anything to do today?” Adrien says, after a few ticks of silence between the two. He gestured at the splotches of the ground that used to be berries. “I’d really like to make it up to you since we got off on the wrong foot. Is that the right saying? Anyway, we could have some fun, only if you’d like that, of course. I’ve got the time to do that right now. I’ve got nothing to do for the next few bells.” He grinned at the other, hoping that his request would be granted.

Adrien dug his hands into his pockets, not knowing what to do with them and at the same time checking to see if his mizas were still where he had placed them. Great, it was still there. His resolve to act differently wore thin and he was already over his earlier melancholy. Adrien had gone back to his normally playful and childish self.

He didn’t even wait for the other to answer his question when he started dragging him away. “Come on. Let’s go find something fun to do, Luci~” The seventeen year old lad said, already giving his new acquaintance a nickname.

by **Lucian Hill** on November 1st, 2014, 4:33 pm

x

Lucian made a sort of groan at the back of his throat when the man complimented his name. He didn't particularly consider it a good name. It was just a name, nothing more, nothing less, and the possibility of it being anything more than that didn't make much sense. This boy didn't make much sense, and he was full of such irregularity. It rubbed the raven the wrong way, and he personally wouldn't want to spend much more time with the boy.

"I don't-" He didn't have enough time to answer before the boy had grabbed his arm and started pulling him along. Lucian didn't dare finish his sentence, lest the boy decide to throw a tantrum - as he seemed apt to do - and simply went along with it. He could use some fun, rather than being uncharacteristically uptight and upset. It was the new nickname, however, that was the cherry on the cake of whatever had made him upset that week - being jostled too hard in a crowd, the overbearing sense of loneliness that seemed to plague him, waking up hungry - and he pulled his arm out of the other boy's grip.

"No." The raven's voice was low and cold. The mass of frustration bubbled under his skin, undulating and twisting like some malevolent sea. He turned on his heel, stalking off before the boy caused him to act out. There was a slight, dangerous glint in his eyes for the second before he turned, and he walked faster than normal away from the boy. It wasn't fast enough to draw unwanted attention, but it was still noticeable, despite the fact that he was trying to shove his anger down as best as he could.

Lucian did not know how he would react if the boy followed him, and he wasn't quite sure how his temper had gone from the point of mildly annoyed to what he was feeling now, but the wave of anger that had crashed over him was most likely from the days that he had let his anger simmer, let it ferment in his head and the pit of his stomach. The boy had done nothing wrong, per say - only an accident. But it was that accident that took the lid off of the pot, and he didn't want to hurt someone because of it.

He ran into people as he walked off, not moving for anyone and pushing them aside. The edge of the Castle Commons was in sight, though it felt too far away, and his stomach growled. Maybe he still had food at home to eat, though home felt too far away. Hopefully he'd lose the boy in the crowd and never see him again. One could only hope so much in this city.

x

by **Adrien Strade** on November 2nd, 2014, 7:25 am

Adrien flinched at the cold and somewhat harsh refusal of the other. He suddenly felt Lucian wrench away from him and for a second, he was gripped with the feeling of panic and sadness. He had gone too far, hadn’t he? He had been too irritating and he ended up angering someone…again.

The earlier feelings of melancholy and fear of his past threatened to overcome Adrien once again. He had been distracting himself by talking to Lucian and trying hard not to let his mind stray towards unwanted subjects. Adrien wanted to reach out and stop the boy—to ask him to forgive him, as he had done before, but he saw the dangerous glint in Lucian’s eyes as the other boy turned on his heel and left.

It was quite obvious to Adrien that Lucian did not wish to be followed. He was walking faster than normal though he looked like he was still trying not to attract attention while trying to lose Adrien as well.

Adrien took a deep breath and clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms almost breaking skin and drawing blood. He gritted his teeth, trying and failing to shove familiar emotions of sadness, disappointment, fear and a bit of anger. He wasn’t even sure where his anger was directed…to himself? To Lucian? To the world? The more likely option was that he was angry at himself, really. He couldn’t even hold a conversation for more than a few chimes before he made the other person angry at him. How pathetic was that?

But, he really didn’t want another enemy. He didn’t want another reason to run away from everything. At the very least, he should appease Lucian and try to compensate for the time Adrien had wasted…right?

Remembering the elderberries that started the whole fiasco, Adrien turned to the merchant that was still selling his wares. He really was feeling quite bad if he was willing to spend some mizas to appease someone he had met just today. “I would like some of those elderberries…hmm, about 3 handfuls of them, please. Maybe a handful of those cherries, as well. Please put them in a bag, if you have any.”

Once he had paid and gotten his purchase, he had ran after Lucian, ignoring the shouts of protest of whoever he bumped into and making sure that the fruits were quite safe inside the bag. Thankfully, Adrien was able to easily squeeze between people and he managed to catch up to the other who had almost left the castle commons.

He grabbed unto Lucian’s shoulder before raising his hands, showing he meant no harm. “I swear I’m not here to bother you or attack you.” He bit his lip, hesitating, before offering the bag of fruits to the other. “It’s a peace offering, sort of. You know, for the berries. I wasn’t sure how many of those berries you had a while ago but I think that’s enough? I’m sorry. Gods, I keep saying sorry to you today, aren’t I?”

“I sort of understand that you want to leave. Trust me when I tell you a lot of people find me a bit…unusual for them. They say I contradict myself. I’m just saying that whether you’re angry with me, hate me or just don’t care, you really aren’t the only one.” Adrien said, unconsciously tracing the scar on his neck with his free hand. He wanted to laugh bitterly but instead he gave the other a joyous grin, hoping that his mask of indifference wasn’t slipping off. “So, you can take these berries and we can go our own ways?”

by **Lucian Hill** on November 2nd, 2014, 7:59 pm

x

Lucian had turned around at the boy, his anger dissipating from the short time he had spent away from him. His hand was balled into a fist, and he was ready to try and beat the shyke out of the kid in front of him - until he saw the peace offering. He stared at the bag of berries in his hand. The small burlap sack was twice as full as the own amount that Lucian had bought. The raven swiped the bag from Adrien's hand, opening it up and inspecting its contents.

Elderberries and cherries, and lots of them.

The frustration melted and was replaced by confusion. There was no reason for this boy to have bought him a replacement, nothing the raven had done even put forth the idea that he wanted them. It wasn't that he didn't, no, it was that no one was this nice in Sunberth without a reason, and suspicion clouded his mind. Adrien wanted something. No one did something like this without an ulterior motive. No one. He tilted his head, almost expecting a low croak to come out of his throat at the boy. Lucian blinked, and then plucked a single dried cherry out of the bag, popping it into his mouth and chewing. It was sweet, a bit sticky, but delicious nonetheless.

He was still suspcious. The fact that he was still standing and that the time between getting between him and the fruit stand was so short meant that it was most likely not poisoned, though he still did not trust Adrien. Especially not after calling him 'Luci', of all things. That was a girl's name! He didn't even look particularly like a girl. Not from the front, at least.

His eye traveled to the scar on the boy's neck. He had a notion in the back of his mind that it had to do with what he was talking about, though he didn't want to mention it to the boy in an effort to preserve his feelings. Pity, carefully blended with suspicion and confusion, was now mainly how Lucian felt - it was interesting how quickly his moods seemed to change. He did, however, begin handling the bag less roughly and simply held it at his side in one of his hands.

"Okay, fine. Goodbye." His words were short, brusque, and to the point. After watching Adrien's face for a moment, he turned around and began to walk away, hoping to end the situation once and for all. He briefly thought about sharing the food with the boy, but he knew that doing so would be like feeding a homeless animal scraps - they'd think you liked them, and they'd come back for more. He walked away as quickly as possible without drawing attention, his destination home. There, he would enjoy his snack and save the rest for tomorrow, considering the fact that the amount of food he had been given was enough to last him for dinner and breakfast, at least on the small amount of food he had been getting by on. One could call the raven's meals bird-feed, and quite simply, they were.

x