All her life Kelski had operated on other people’s schedules and looked to other people’s needs. She’d always put everyone else first, either because she didn’t have a choice or because it was in her nature to nurture their wishes. She could tell Kynier was upset, and she understood that he got seriously injured because of his magic investigating the ship. The Sea Eagle knew it was dangerous. Kynier had stressed it over and over again. But her Goddess had tasked her to do something… and Kelski wanted to do nothing more than follow her wishes.
She only nodded at him affirming that he’d heard the tales. Kelski hadn’t been lying about what Neras had gone through at the hands of the Doctor. And while she was glad he didn’t trust the doctor, Kelski could honestly care less about any envelope or doctor or mission beyond seeing the ship. Akajia hadn’t tasked her with all that. The Night Goddess had tasked her with visiting the ship… and Kynier had told her not too.
But here it was… a human wanted to counter the Goddess’ wishes, one that had just gifted him with something unbelievably special. Humans were so unbelievably self-important, acting as if they knew better than the divine. It angered her, though she buried the emotion immediately, as habit. Kelski had all but trained herself not to feel anger, as if she had no right to it, because as a slave she would have been angry every single chime of her life if she hadn’t. Akajia had told Kelski to go, not Kynier. Hadn’t he even heard Akjaia’s words?
Kelski paced harder, chittering a high pitched distressed noise under her breath almost silently.
Kynier had already told her he wasn’t sure he’d ever get his sense of touch back, but that Akajia had given him hope in that. So, he was in essence asking her to wait for something that might not happen despite the wishes of the Night Mother. He wasn’t giving her a timeline. Akajia had always been the steadiest important thing in Kelski’s short life. And in many ways, Akajia had given the Kelvic an identity and companionship in what had often been a lonely horrible life. It tore at Kelski, almost in a physical manner, because she wanted to cave to his wishes, but she would not ignore Akajia’s request. Moreso than that, she would not let him force her to ignore Akajia’s request. As her friend, he shouldn’t have put her in that position. And here he was, ignoring the fact she needed to go soon and asking her at first not to go at all then asking her to wait until some undetermined time. Kelski hissed in frustration.
“It’s surprising to me too.” She said with tight teeth, though she didn’t elaborate on which part she was agreeing with him on. A newly marked… deciding he knew better than Akajia. Kelski had often ran into hedonistic and arrogant behavior, but she hadn’t expected it of the mage. Kynier had completely killed the joy she’d felt receiving the second mark and had twisted her up inside and was now asking her – at least in part – to defy the wishes of her Goddess. The Kelvic stared at him, her molten silver eyes emptying of all emotion. She owed Kynier nothing. And he’d given her nothing to make her beholden to him.
And while she wouldn’t allow herself to feel anger… that long trained into her… she did allow herself to feel sadness… for him. For his fear and his arrogance and the fact that he didn’t really trust Akajia… how could he if he thought she was wrong and wanted to counter her words? Kelski had faith… more faith than that and even if going somewhere meant her death, she’d do it because she trusted the Goddess to be right and was indebted to her with every breath because Akajia had always made her life better.
“I will try to wait.” Kelski said, promising him nothing. He had earned none of her promises in this instant and by putting her in this situation. At least he acknowledged he had no holds on her. He had demanded a firm answer one way or another, her actions determining what he would do next by the decision in his eyes. He’d offered her no middle ground. It was his way… black or white always.. and with no compromising pathway. Kelski was tired of it all. She wanted to go celebrate away from the weight of things and the shadows were calling to her, even though she was a stranger to them. Darkness curled around her, with strange creatures in it sending tendrils of their forms out to touch her. She reserved her smiles for them in that moment, letting them draw her into the darkness where they dwelled.
The Sea Eagle was her own woman. She was owned by no one, obligated to nothing, and all her decisions were up to her. That would not change anytime soon. She had a choice whom to follow... and that choice lead her up to the statue of Akajia in the center of the room... the one that had split so neatly. Kelski wrapped her arms around the stone effigy and gave it a long and lingering hug full of love and gratitude. And then she turned and started back up to the surface. Kelski left it up to Kynier to follow or remain. It was far more middle ground than he’d offered her.
She only nodded at him affirming that he’d heard the tales. Kelski hadn’t been lying about what Neras had gone through at the hands of the Doctor. And while she was glad he didn’t trust the doctor, Kelski could honestly care less about any envelope or doctor or mission beyond seeing the ship. Akajia hadn’t tasked her with all that. The Night Goddess had tasked her with visiting the ship… and Kynier had told her not too.
But here it was… a human wanted to counter the Goddess’ wishes, one that had just gifted him with something unbelievably special. Humans were so unbelievably self-important, acting as if they knew better than the divine. It angered her, though she buried the emotion immediately, as habit. Kelski had all but trained herself not to feel anger, as if she had no right to it, because as a slave she would have been angry every single chime of her life if she hadn’t. Akajia had told Kelski to go, not Kynier. Hadn’t he even heard Akjaia’s words?
Kelski paced harder, chittering a high pitched distressed noise under her breath almost silently.
Kynier had already told her he wasn’t sure he’d ever get his sense of touch back, but that Akajia had given him hope in that. So, he was in essence asking her to wait for something that might not happen despite the wishes of the Night Mother. He wasn’t giving her a timeline. Akajia had always been the steadiest important thing in Kelski’s short life. And in many ways, Akajia had given the Kelvic an identity and companionship in what had often been a lonely horrible life. It tore at Kelski, almost in a physical manner, because she wanted to cave to his wishes, but she would not ignore Akajia’s request. Moreso than that, she would not let him force her to ignore Akajia’s request. As her friend, he shouldn’t have put her in that position. And here he was, ignoring the fact she needed to go soon and asking her at first not to go at all then asking her to wait until some undetermined time. Kelski hissed in frustration.
“It’s surprising to me too.” She said with tight teeth, though she didn’t elaborate on which part she was agreeing with him on. A newly marked… deciding he knew better than Akajia. Kelski had often ran into hedonistic and arrogant behavior, but she hadn’t expected it of the mage. Kynier had completely killed the joy she’d felt receiving the second mark and had twisted her up inside and was now asking her – at least in part – to defy the wishes of her Goddess. The Kelvic stared at him, her molten silver eyes emptying of all emotion. She owed Kynier nothing. And he’d given her nothing to make her beholden to him.
And while she wouldn’t allow herself to feel anger… that long trained into her… she did allow herself to feel sadness… for him. For his fear and his arrogance and the fact that he didn’t really trust Akajia… how could he if he thought she was wrong and wanted to counter her words? Kelski had faith… more faith than that and even if going somewhere meant her death, she’d do it because she trusted the Goddess to be right and was indebted to her with every breath because Akajia had always made her life better.
“I will try to wait.” Kelski said, promising him nothing. He had earned none of her promises in this instant and by putting her in this situation. At least he acknowledged he had no holds on her. He had demanded a firm answer one way or another, her actions determining what he would do next by the decision in his eyes. He’d offered her no middle ground. It was his way… black or white always.. and with no compromising pathway. Kelski was tired of it all. She wanted to go celebrate away from the weight of things and the shadows were calling to her, even though she was a stranger to them. Darkness curled around her, with strange creatures in it sending tendrils of their forms out to touch her. She reserved her smiles for them in that moment, letting them draw her into the darkness where they dwelled.
The Sea Eagle was her own woman. She was owned by no one, obligated to nothing, and all her decisions were up to her. That would not change anytime soon. She had a choice whom to follow... and that choice lead her up to the statue of Akajia in the center of the room... the one that had split so neatly. Kelski wrapped her arms around the stone effigy and gave it a long and lingering hug full of love and gratitude. And then she turned and started back up to the surface. Kelski left it up to Kynier to follow or remain. It was far more middle ground than he’d offered her.
