[The Trough] A Very Big Day [Closed]

[Edalene]

Eda smiled through Van's welcome to her, glad the man was still as welcoming as he had been two seasons ago, with Kayiri. She wondered if he had found out from him that he had just left her, hanging, after that one brief kiss - she seemed to remember they were friends. But if Kayiri had not cared enough to see her again, he probably wouldn't bother to talk about her to anyone else. She wasn't that important. She was just one more kiss to add to the list. She smiled awkwardly at him, watching the interaction between the spouses. The wife -- Kashik, she said -- surprised her, how brazen she was. It was not that she expected the wife to be demure (they were Drykas!) but she was so open with another man around her own husband. Vanator seemed to take it well, though. She smiled at the woman, as she vaulted up to sit on the table before her. "Hello, I'm Eda--" Her introduction was cut off as the woman wrenched her drink from her hands, drinking from it in long draughts. She didn't even have the time to be affronted, for she acted as though they were old friends already. Her hands simply went slack, allowing the woman to dominate the scene. "Is she always like this?" she muttered to Van - not intending to be rude, she was simply curious - but the attention had turned back to Eldon, who, up until this point, seemed to have been quiet. She felt bad, that there was all this ruckus and drama on his birthday, but it was only now they payed attention to him. She willingly looked up at him, though her eyes could not quite meet his, not yet. Not while she was still healing. She hoped to, one day. Evidently, Eldon was well liked, and she would have liked to heal the gap between them. But any intention she had for fixing their relationship snapped in two, as he revealed the intention to leave Endrykas. She suddenly didn't know what to feel. She listened intently to his reasoning, hearing why he had to leave, and took it in rationally - but emotionally, she was in turmoil. She felt cheated. Perhaps it was selfish, in fact, she knew it was selfish, but with Eldon leaving, she would have to deal with his memory as the man who attacked her. He couldn't be anything more than that, because he was robbing her of the chance to fully forgive him. She was angry at his decision, surprisingly so. He got to escape, got to leave everything behind. She would have to wait, and heal on her own. It was unfair that he could simply just run away from his problems. Her eyes turned into a glare, and for the first time that night, she looked Eldon in the eye, and she was angry. It was clear she was angry. She imagined everyone else was sad, upset that their friend was leaving. But he was not her friend, and he never would be, not now. She heard Sam's question. She didn't care who would take care of his pavillion. Angrily, she stood up, and stormed to find a waiter. She was aware she was making a scene, but she didn't want to be around Eldon. She wanted more ale. She would return when she had some of that vile drink. She left his friends to mourn his loss. She would just go get drunk, and then she'd have a thing or two to say to him. oocNot sure if this is clear. She's not leaving the thread, she just went to find ale. She won't hear anything you guys say next. Next time it's my turn to post, she'll return. With ale. Eda's pissed at you, Eldon dear!

[Vanator]

Van Allowed Kashik her revelry. She had earned it, caring for their child, feedings day and night, never traveling far, as she was the babe's only source of food. A wild one she was when they met, and a wild one still at heart. As his wife guzzled Eda's ale, he simply turned to the teen and answered her question. "No, sometimes she is worse!" His grin bloomed into a wide smile, and his hand came down with a sound whack on Kashik's hindquarters. Then, in her wonderful blunt way, his wife blew the top off of Eldon's plans. Vanator knew the man had carefully rehearsed this evening, how he was going to reveal his plans to his friends. Well, now was suddenly the time. The older drykas noted Eda walking away, curious as to her sudden escape. But Eldon began to speak, and he turned to support his young friend. His explanation was short and to the point, and met with silence. Denen seemed in resolved shock, Sam so moved he could barely get his question out. Vanator put a strong hand on Eldon's shoulder, encouraging him as the inevitable reaction of his friends began to manifest.

[Kashik]

Kashik, of all of them, never once let the spike of sorrow that she felt show on her face. A First-Wife and a politician trained, she knew how to school her expression. She just didn't usually exert the will to do so. Now, though, as she saw the hurt that billowed around them at Eldon's announcement, the anger in the girl who stormed off and the pain in Sam'ael's voice, she drew on that endless willpower and forced herself to raise her tankard once more to drain it dry.

The only sound for a moment was the empty mug hitting the table. "Well then," she said, just as brightly as before, and though there was a little sadness in the smile that twisted her lips, there was understanding as well. Everything he loved had died or left him - herself included. She wouldn't hold it against him to try and find a life somewhere else. "You've no need to worry about your Pavilion. Denusk will take care of it," she said, with a glance to her husband for reassurance - but she'd no doubt that he'd known this was coming, and would back her up on that.

And then she leaned forward and, just as she had a thousand times before, reached down to ruffle Eldon's hair. "Any idea where you're heading? We'll have to make sure you're well outfitted before you leave. I hope nowhere too cold, though. I suck at making fur cloaks," she said with a wink.

All a show. She would cry later, and cry hard, but for now she would do what needed to be done. She would be there for her friend.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Responses. It was their reactions that made him hesitate. It took him so long to announce this because he wanted to avoid this, but it couldn't have been avoided. Eldon saw and felt every emotion that his friends, his loved ones, felt. Denen, his eyes dropping into his lap, head hanging low. Eldon felt responsible for everything that happened to him. From being a difficult patient when Denen spent countless restless nights watching him, fighting away those cruel dreams, to pressuring him to talk to Sama'el about how Denen felt, and it turned out to crumble around him. Eldon tried to understand how Denen was feeling. Betrayed? Probably. Resentment? Distrust? Eldon couldn't think of anything else, it would only be fair for Denen to hate him. Why? Because he was running from his problems, leaving the Brokensong behind to deal with the mess Eldon was leaving behind. He hadn't expected the exact reactions he got, except for Denen's. And that was what hurt him the most. Eldon should have felt relief that his cousin was remaining strong, obviously stunned, but strong and mentally sound. He promised Sama'el so much as well. Their plans of vengeance, foolish ideas of being at each other's weddings (Eldon now couldn't see himself having a Drykas wedding), being second fathers to each other's children. They spoke of becoming great Ankals, leading Endrykas into a newer stronger better future, but Eldon was giving up on that now, wasn't he? It felt like it. Eldon didn't know what to say when the Sunkiss Pavilion was brought up. He almost allowed himself to say "forget it ever existed", but he was too selfish to even allow his friends the option to forget him. That would destroy him completely. Thankfully Kashik saved him. But it was her response thus far that startled him most. She was strong, she always had been, but she was still emotional, both happy and angry, but now she seemed, not content, but tolerant of this announcement. Eldon was leaving, and she seemed almost as unfazed as Vanator. Vanator, Eldon knew he wouldn't shed a tear. They had discussed this, and Vanator was much too strong to fall apart. He had, without a doubt, countless friends come and go. Death probably claimed more of Vanator's closest than Eldon could even count of his own. "Thank you Kashik, Vanator. I'm not sure yet." Eldon looked up at Sama'el again, who still stared at him in a semi-stunned manner. "I think I want to see, what Sama'el came from." Syliras, it had been mentioned briefly on several occasions, and it sounded both good and bad. He didn't know why that was his choice, perhaps the thought of being somewhere his cousin had been wouldn't be quite so lonely, as if his warmth hadn't long ago dissipated from that place. It was foolish to think so. Then Edalene departed, not from the party (if his birthday could still be called a party) but from the table. She felt the urge, the sudden necessity to pull herself away from his presence. He thought she would almost be pleased that he would be out of her life, but this, it frightened him. He saw himself when he recovered from his wounds, but was consumed by his rage and bloodlust. His hand reached out instinctively past Vanator and Kashik in attempt to grab a hold of her arm, her shirt, anything to stop her, but she was too far, and his legs had no strength to move after her. Eldon could only watch as she moved again, his voice choking in his throat as he tried to speak, to apologize once again. By the gods, how many times had he said he was sorry? Not enough, it would never be enough. Eldon sat down once again as his hands moved to his forehead and his fingers settling through tufts of hair. He couldn't have a breakdown, not again, not in front of everyone, but he felt that subtle pull, that familiar taste of overgiving as if he had spent too many hours at the Watering Hole. "Kashik..." Eldon muttered softly, whispering only her name, yet couldn't bring himself to look at her. "What's the right thing to do?" There was no satisfying answer though, since he meant more than just fixing this thing with Edalene. How many years had he adored her more than his favored Goddess Makutsi, yet never told her? How long had he felt for Denen and Edalene, guilty for their situations, and pondered how to fix it for them? How often had he regretted Sam's severe loses and wished, someway, he could undo that? Eldon wanted his daddy.

[Kashik]

OOCSorry I jumped turn, I don't know when I'll be able to reply again and wanted to get this in!

A small, calloused hand reached down to grip Eldon's chin, and gently pulled his face up. He would find, if he opened his eyes, a familiar smile tilting her lips - wry and judgmental and mere seconds away from an eyeroll.

"Be happy, you ass," she chuckled, shaking his chin just a teensy bit. "If you have to go to Syliras to find happiness, then so be it. We'll all of us survive. Miss the shyke out of you," she said, her voice growing thick for just a moment as her smile faltered just a brief moment, but then she swallowed harshly and actually rolled her eyes, though more at herself this time. "And if you can't find it there, go somewhere else. And if you can't find it anywhere else, you come back home. To all of us. Maybe you'll find it was here all along, hmm?

"Now," she said, turning to glance at Sam and Denen. "No sulking out of you. Or it'll be fisticuffs, you here? I've a mean right hook and my husband can attest to it. He's not doing this to you, he's doing it for him, and we can all moan about it later. Now, what can I get you men to drink?" she said, settling a hand on Vanator's shoulder and sliding off the table. Her husband would notice her grip was a little too tight, a desperate leeching of the strength he always had in such excess. But her smile stayed firm as she waited to hear their orders and then skipped off across to the bar to fill them.

When she reached it, she slid in next to Edalene and glanced over at her. "Bit pissed, huh?" she said bluntly, watching her carefully. Kashik wasn't always the most delicate, but she was a good listener.

[Denen Sunsinger]

Denen gave a small frown as Kashik addressed them, though he said nothing. He didn't want a drink. Not yet. His stomach felt sick, and he didn't have Sam's courage or strength to speak. Silence was all he could offer. He couldn't lie. He couldn't put on a false show and pretend to be happy for Eldon when he wasn't. There was no reason in what Eldon was doing. Not that Denen could find. It was just a mess of thoughts, all of them bombarding him from every angle. What was there to celebrate here? They'd been brought here under a guise of happiness and been fed shyke in return. His brows furrowed, and he raised a hand to sign a single word: "Sorry." But his hand trembled, though he had adopted his best attempt at being expressionless. He couldn't manage a smile. Not even for Eldon. He pushed his dark hair back, offering a soft sigh. His elbows rested against the table, blue eyes turned down now as a means of isolating himself from conversation. If anyone wanted to talk to him, they could do so through sign, or by deliberately seeking his attention. He needed to think, and he couldn't do so with Kashik badgering him.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

From somewhere in the depths, Sama'el dredged up a smile. It was a bit brittle around the edges, and he couldn't say he was happy to hear his cousin was leaving, but people were quick to offer bits of truth that helped put the ground back together beneath his feet, Kashik and her down to earth wisdom, Vanator's silent strength watching over the Sunkiss pavilion, cadet branch of his own defunct pavilion. So the Watchman could continue as he was, and watch the Web for Eldon's eventual -- he hoped -- return. Smile or no smile, though, he needed more to drink, and hoped he could speak to Eldon alone before the man left.

[Vanator]

OOCUgh...sorry, I was waiting for Eda to post since before she left...Denen had to nudge me to remind me that I need to post A heaviness fell over the group, Eldon's news sinking into each of them as they dealt with the unexpected announcement in their own way. Except Vanator, he had known all along. Van knew, he was nothing near to a father to Eldon, he and Kashik only new parents themselves. But the Denusk also knew Eldon had lost so much, including his dad. So when the young Sunkiss confided in him, Van listened, and advised him as he could. In the end, the older drykas simply helped Eldon realize what he wanted to do. There was a twinge of uneasiness, watching his wife interact with the man. Kashik had finally confessed that she and Eldon knew each other from childhood, that she believed the man had strong feelings for her. His wife denied that she returned those feelings, but Van knew as well as anyone, that sometimes people can hide those feelings from even themselves. He could see it in her bright eyes, feel it in her grip on his shoulder, Eldon's news had hit her deeper than she was letting on. He also knew she was being brave for her friend. A warm smile and encouraging nod emphasized his brash wife's words, and Van turned to her and gave her a wink as she slid from the plank table to traipse off to the bar. He did not give her his order, she knew that he wanted a drink, and that it would be his favorite...mead. Watching Kashik, he saw her speak to the visibly distraught Edalene. With a violent shake of her head, the teenage girl turned and ran from the pavilion. With a heavy sigh, Vanator turned back to the three men at the table. Emptying the tankard in front of him before Kashik returned with another, Vanator spoke up in his best Ankal-like tone. "Kash is right, Eldon is an adult, and has made a difficult decision for himself. A grand adventure lay before him. It will most likely have its share of difficulties and dangers, but great rewards do not come without great risks, and one cannot change what is, unless one does something different. I pray to the goddesses that bless us that you find what you are looking for Eldon, and that you return to your home...for you are drykas, and the grass will always be your home. It called Sam back, and it will call you."

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon looked around the room, Edalene stormed out of the place much like a child would have, but it seemed so different, so serious now. He knew she was tormented just to see him again, and to hear this, when he thought it would be a relief to her, only multiplied her grief. The Sunkiss felt nauseous. This was a catastrophe. He imagined hopefully that this would have turned out so different. He saw himself admitting his plan, and everyone being okay with it, then they'd all go back to drinking and laughing and sharing stories and talking about their families and reminisce about the past hunts they had, that monstrous rabbit that nearly killed them, and they would be sad yet proud that Eldon was doing this. He didn’t feel this way though. There was only silence, and when a few words were spoken, Eldon couldn’t find the optimistic side of him to believe in them. Kashik was right, he was doing this thing for himself, entirely for himself, without considering how it would have affected them, he decided this thing. A true worthy friend wouldn’t have done that. He couldn’t stay here. He would visit each of them again before he left for good, but he needed a moment to himself, to return to his pavilion and just sit in the quiet darkness and think. He stood from his seat, placing his hand on Vanator’s shoulder after he spoke, and nodded in confirmation. ”Thank you. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me, no matter what happens.” Eldon glanced back up at Sama’el, and grinned woefully. Sam and he still had one, very daunting task to do before he left. There was still that Zith free and wild. He trusted none but the best of the Stormwatch to help him track it. Sama’el knew this was coming, surely. Eldon moved to Kashik, who had tried to do the impossible and soothe Edalene before she burst from the trough in a fit of frenzied depression. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him into a tight hug, it was all he could do. He didn’t want to let go, didn’t want to leave, but he felt it was necessary. ”I’m sorry. Take care of Vanator for me.” He smirked, then moved away to Denen, who seemed to almost shut himself off. Eldon knelt down next to Denen and lifted his head with with his hand under Denen’s chin. Then in the Grassland Sign, he spoke. ”I love you. Don’t ever forget this. I love you.” Eldon spoke loudly, even though it was only in his sign language he did so. In case Denen didn’t believe the words, Eldon would make sure he had no option but to find truth in his promise. He had heard there was a first time for everything. Eldon lifted Denen’s chin once more and, for just a single quick moment, kissed him. It wasn’t the forehead like you would kiss a child. Not the cheek like a shy immature under-aged couple, but it was Eldon’s lips to Denen’s. Eldon had nothing else to prove it to Denen. Eldon stood up once more, now it was time for him to leave this place. He would, without a doubt, return someday. Hopefully soon, if even only to visit often. If they remembered him, he would embrace them again. And if he was forgotten, then he must not have been a true Drykas to earn remembrance. ”Sam, we have one more hunt before I leave.” And with that, Eldon stalked out of the Trough, on his birthday. Would they think of him as a coward, as he did, or would they find him brave for doing what he thought was necessary. Perhaps Eldon would never know.

OOCHope nobody minds if I go ahead and step out here. I feel like this has been dragged out long enough already. Thanks guys!

[Denen Sunsinger]

Denen had missed most of what was going on, until Eldon was kneeling before him, his fingers lifting the deaf healer's face. He swallowed hard, trying valiantly to keep his lower lip from trembling. He wanted to say something, to plead with Eldon to stay, but he could see the resolution in those tired eyes, and Denen was not selfish enough to deter Eldon from his goal. Hot tears blurred his vision, and his breath was strangled from him as he saw the words. He shook his head and whimpered, unable to speak, to sign, to do anything other than stare at his friend. And before he knew what was going on, before he had time to react, Eldon was leaning in to press their lips together, in front of everyone. He grunted, stiff at first, before he shuddered violently, and gasped for breath as he drew back. Trembling fingers raised to his stinging lips, and he watched with tears brimming his lashes as Eldon left. He stumbled to his feet, grabbed a drink, and left the tent. OOCThis leads to Sam and Denen's sezzy-ness...