Closed Preperations (Guest ST - Jorin)

[Rinya]

Day 78, Season Fall, 513 AV

The night before really should have left Rinya feeling drained—exhausted. The miserably long day, the harsh fight—even the making up. But she didn’t feel any of it. There was an odd sort of nervous energy that buzzed through her that had her awake—and actually up out of bed—before Jorin even left the condo for training. And she ended up pacing their home too many times to count until Syna had lifted high enough in the sky for her eyes to be any use outside. Every thought before their little tiff the night before had come down to one solid thought.

Jorin of course noticed her unusual energy so early in the morning. Normally he had a hard enough time just rousing her enough to kiss her goodbye in the morning. Things were not exactly strained from the night before, but timid wasn’t exactly a word for it either. Careful she supposed worked—but she had little doubt that would wear off between them when Jorin returned home later. Possibly depressed again with the likelihood he wasn’t going to get his job back. But that was the whole reason she had this idea in the first place.

Rinya wanted to do something special for Jorin—especially after last night. He hadn’t meant anything mean by pointing out that he tended to be the one saving their relationship… because it was true. But they both had such deep seated fears that were hard to overcome. Currently Farline had tugged on one such fear on Jorin—that she herself was going to leave him. That he wasn’t good enough. And while Jorin tried mightly not to believe it, she knew that fear meant a small part of him did believe it was possible.

And that didn’t actually hurt her as much as she thought it would. Mostly because she understood that kind of fear. It had been something that kept them from moving forward earlier in the season. Now it seemed it was her turn to do something… romantic for Jorin. However there was two problems with that. One, she had not one real romantic bone in her body. Two… while Rinya knew what she wanted to do for Jorin, she had no idea what it actually entailed. And that was where she was currently stuck.

Dust might have been able to tell her, being as she traveled a lot. But Rinya didn’t know where she might be. The Sanctuary wasn’t far by flight, but there was someone else that might be able to help her. Only she had never met the leader of the Thespians before… so finding him first would be the hard part. Jorin had mentioned before where they had set up—the Knirin Gardens. So really the moment Rinya knew it to be light enough for her to see, she left the condo and set out for gardens.

Only when she got there she was actually surprised by the amount of people currently moving about. It looked as though they were packing—that made sense. Even Farline had said something about them leaving at the end of Fall. That idea thrilled her to no end. The petching woman would be out of their lives in a more physical sense, and hopefully that would help Jorin push her entirely out of his mind. That was going to be a long process however… one Rinya dreaded slightly more out of fear that he would never be able to. But she promised to help him best she could. Even if that meant smacking him upside the head every time he brought the blasted woman up.

Despite how much easier it was for her to be in a more social circle of people—it was still a little overwhelming. No one really took much heed to her though, only glancing at her before continuing on in whatever job they were doing. But how was she supposed to find Eric? Biting her lip she stepped up next to a kid probably no older than sixteen, tapping him on the shoulder lightly. ”Excuse me, I’m looking for Eric Trelaine? "

The kid almost looked startled for a moment, before pointing towards a tent and scurrying off towards the tent before she could say anything else. That was—different. Rinya didn’t believe she looked scary like the kid acted. She had worn her blouse and skirt, leather jacket to keep herself warmer—she really needed to get a winter cloak—and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. Sighing to herself she made her way into the tent and…

Stopped right where she was at the entrance. More people, moving things about. How the petch was she supposed to find this man?

OOC :

HD Approval by Magpie and Gossamer

white

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

It wasn't so much that the kid had been frightened of how Rinya looked. She actually looked rather nice. Most of the Thespians thought she was a visiting actor or understudy from the Amphitheater, especially when she asked for Trelaine. Eric was not usually requested by name; while the stage master and general proprietor of the Traveling Thespians was a jovial and approachable man, he was also an extremely busy one and it was actually quite rare that anyone would ask for him that didn't already have business with him.

The Thespians were getting ready to move. Their journey across the Sea of Grass had been quite the adventure; the guards fighting off Zith and Nightlions and even the occasional Grassbear. They had entertained the Drykas as best they could, though the stoic horsemen of the plains did not seem altogether interested in the brightly-colored and dramatic productions the Thespians favored putting on.

And now their bags were packed for Ahnatep, further to the south. The city of the Eypharians was a place of wealth and culture, one that the Thespians could easily thrive in. Winter travel was a dangerous prospect, and Eric would normally wish to wait it out in the safety of Riverfall and set out in Spring. But the Thespians had their schedule to keep, and he wanted them to be out of the city before the first snow had set.

The reason Rinya had triggered such a response was because of the reputation she'd developed among some of the Thespians, mainly from the stories a certain actress who worked there told her coworkers. Not to mention the fact that this actress had not deigned to show her face the last few days; rumors abounded that she'd been attacked in some fashion. And while Farline's reputation among the Thespians was not exactly sterling, Rinya was a relative unknown and thus somewhat intimidating.

The tent, as Rinya walked inside, would also be bustling with activity. Stagehands would be packing up the last of the props and costumes, and she'd notice some of the brightly-colored clothes folded neatly on a bench to her left. On a large rectangular wooden table to the right, there would be a large assortment of wooden props and stage-weapons such as wooden short swords and wooden daggers lying haphazardly across the surface.

A small gaggle of actors were gathered around the table, sorting lazily through the props while bursting into laughter every so often over a shared joke. Further to the back, there were five or six stagehands attempting to dismantle a particularly cumbersome and complex looking device. In its current state of dismantlement, it was impossible to tell what exactly it had been when it was whole, but it certainly looked complex, and a few of the people milling about occasionally dropped by to help them take it apart.

A solitary young lady was sorting the costumes to the left, separating them by color and function before folding them carefully and laying them across the bench. Her work was quiet and meticulous, and she looked up curiously when Rinya walked into the tent before returning to her work.

In the very back, an elderly man standing at around five foot ten inches tall with dark brown hair that was beginning to be streaked with gray atop a face that had begun to show the signs of his age with wrinkles about his eyes and mouth. Despite the man's obvious advancing years he was still rather spry, going from station to station, slapping actors and understudies and stagehands on the back with a large grin on his face.

All-in-all, he seemed the genial, friendly sort, and if Rinya noticed him, would make the obvious target for Eric Trelaine. In fact, she would not have to, since he approached her almost as soon as she walked in, clearly intrigued as to the new arrival.

Somehow, he seemed to recognize her, though if Rinya thought about it she'd probably realize that between the fact that Jorin wasn't estranged from Eric, along with the fact that Farline certainly would have talked to him, would mean that even though he'd never met her, he would know who Rinya was at least in general terms.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little bird that stole my best actor from me," he mused. But then his face broke into a huge grin and he chuckled slightly, showing he was not upset at all that Rinya had taken Jorin from him. It was obvious that Eric saw Jorin as a surrogate son, and he was in fact very happy the boy had found happiness in this woman. Still, he couldn't help ribbing Rinya about it.

"So what can I do for you, young lady?" he asked. "I haven't spoken to Jorin in a while. Is he doing better?"

x

[Rinya]

Rinya was… distracted to say the least. She never thought that it took so much work just to move a group of actors. She had seen the chaos at the Amphitheater between acts. This was of course different, but none the less it resembled chaos. Only most of the people seemed—content in their jobs. Or maybe she was just imagining it? Rinya herself wasn’t much for the idea of travel beyond her own physical ability. But with everyone moving around so frantically she could barely keep her eyes locked on one person for long. Until a voice approaching her—obviously aimed at her—causing her head to snap in the direction of Eric Trelaine.

In all honesty Eric Trelaine was not what she expected. The man had kicked Jorin out of the Thespians—a second family for her mate—and for some reason it bothered her that he didn’t look like some surly old man incapable of showing kindness. Then again Jorin wouldn’t have accepted Eric like a second father if he had been so… well really it didn’t matter what Eric was like. It had taken some time, but Jorin found his niche in life and he was relatively happy there. At least that’s what she got from the bond.

Then again that had been robbed of him too recently. Eric seemed to be observing her in general and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. His best actor? Considering he had cut Jorin she wasn’t entirely sure if it was a joke, or if he was actually serious. Quite opposite of Eric’s grin and friendly stance, Rinya crossed her arms and did her best not to look angry. She really wasn’t, and even if she had been—she needed this man’s advice. Rinya didn’t have anyone else to really go to that she honestly trusted.

”Uhm…” Despite her confident stature, her voice came out a little meek. The man wasn’t intimidating really, but how did one ask for help from someone else they had never met? Eric had no real reason to help her. Eric just pressed her gently, asking her what he could do for her before inquiring about Jorin. Pursing her lips slightly Rinya wondered if Farline had fessed up to anything—unlikely—or if Eric even knew about the attack. That seemed far more likely, seeing as she hadn’t spotted Farline yet. And for the woman not to look for sympathy after such a ‘tragic’ accident, well that wasn’t like the woman.

Still, Rinya wasn’t exactly one to lie. And it might encourage Eric to help her as well. ”Well he’s been better.” Rinya tapped her fingers across her upper arms for a moment before sighing. ”Someone cost him his job at the Amphitheater—on purpose. So he’s been a little out of sorts.” That was putting it lightly. She couldn’t even say the word ‘someone’ without growling. But the fact that Jorin was actually was frustrated enough to argue with her… Yes, it didn’t last long, but it wasn’t one of his usual reactions to her. Letting her arms down, Rinya huffed slightly—looking almost defeated.

”It’s why I’m here actually. I don’t exactly know a lot of people I could ask this. And Jorin sees you like a father…” The nerves from this morning were back. Rinya chewed lightly on her bottom lip for several ticks before shrugging helplessly. ”He’s not himself. He’s depressed and frustrated because he goes to the Amphitheater ever day just trying to win back his job.” Rinya spied an empty bench nearby and made her way over to it, sitting down almost heavily. Staring at the ground in front of her, Rinya kicked at the ground.

”I’ve been trying to be there for him but… it’s not enough. I want to do something special.” Rinya dared to glance upwards at Eric before she swallowed thickly. It wasn’t that she didn’t want this, but it was quite hard to ask for advice. ”I want to… to take Cheva’s vows with him. But I don’t know… how.” Her face flushed heavily and she looked back at the ground. ”I know it won’t fix his current job problem, but there’s more to it than that. His insecurities—it’s something I hope to help ease for him.”

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Eric knew a few of the things Rinya was telling him. He wasn't blind, after all. He'd been the stage master of the Thespians for longer than some of his actors had been alive, Jorin included. So he'd learned to be observant. Especially of his own troupe and sometimes even of the former members of his troupe.

Now, Eric did not know the details of Jorin's fall from the Amphitheater. He had been watching his surrogate child's rising star with pride. In truth, he'd thought Jorin would return to the Thespians after about a day or two of moping. Maybe three or four. And Eric would have welcomed him back, after admonishing him for not acting his age.

But the boy had gone in an utterly different direction, instead opting to skip off with an attractive Kelvic named Rinya. And while Eric did not begrudge the young lovebirds their romance, he wasn't lying when he said that she'd stolen his best actor. Despite Jorin's relative lack of drive or understanding of what was truly required of him as an artist, he was a skilled actor and the Thespians definitely felt his loss.

Rinya's tone implied that she very well knew who this 'someone' was. Eric for his part, had his own suspicions. But he knew better than to voice them, or to even imply them, in an open forum like this. The Thespians were a much more closely knit family than most other acting locales like the Amphitheater. Being that they all traveled with each other, news traveled fast. Eric knew better than to point fingers as it was part of his duties to be the neutral arbitrator.

Eric smiled when Rinya stated that Jorin saw him as a father. That was gratifying to hear. And those two must have gotten very close, for her to know that much. He briefly wondered just how far they'd come, how close they were now. While he knew in broad strokes that Jorin was quite smitten with this Rinya, he was not privy to the specific details nor did he pry for them.

Her hesitancy spoke to her nervousness, and she confessed that Jorin had been depressed lately. Eric nodded sagely, voice gentle as he tried to offer his own version of comfort to the girl.

"The boy did always have a tendency toward depression," Eric sighed. "Especially when things were going badly. He rather relied on his support structure to keep him going. It was why I was so sure he'd come home to us, when I kicked him out. He couldn't survive without the support structure here, and I was sure he'd mope about for a few days and then come back."

For all his experience with people, Eric had miscalculated. He did not know just how badly losing that support structure had hit Jorin. That without it, he'd been willing to kill himself. Rinya's timely arrival in his life prevented a tragedy, one Eric never imagined would have happened when he tossed Jorin out that fateful day.

Rinya mentioned wanting to do something special. Eric's brow raised slightly, with a slight quirk of his lips he sang out, "Oh?" but nonetheless continued to listen. But he knew that she was very nervous. Her tone, the look in her eyes, the tone of her voice, all spoke to a tension that she was clearly trying to fight down. Eric decided to sit down next to her to try to encourage her to be more comfortable speaking to him.

And then she said it. That she wanted to take Cheva's vows with Jorin. She wanted to marry him, and wanted advice on how to do it. Eric was surprised... and impressed. The boy had managed to snag this girl's heart, that much was clear. She loved him to the degree she'd want to pledge herself to him, quite a feat for a relatively short courtship.

Stroking his chin thoughtfully, Eric's eyes crinkled in thought as he glanced at Rinya. Not in a judgmental way, but nonetheless he was reassessing her. Trying to judge if she truly understood what it was she was asking.

"Cheva's vows, eh?" he echoed. "Not something to be taken lightly, girl. Do you understand their impact? I do not mean to sound rude, but you are a Kelvic. The vows... they have enormous significance for us humans."

Eric drew back the hair that had fallen past his ears, the silver and brown shifting aside so she could see the dark-colored mark just under his left ear. It had once been a brilliant bronze, shining for all the world to see. A palpable, physical reminder of his fierce love for the woman of his life. But she had left him for the arms of Dira, leaving just the Lacun mark of sorrow to remind him of the love he once had.

"That there is a Lacun mark. It used to be a Cheva's Mark, when my wife was still alive," Eric explained softly. He waved his left hand, jerking it a bit to the right, when someone came by with a box full of things. The messenger nodded and strode off in the direction indicated, leaving Eric once more alone with Rinya.

"When true vows are exchanged, Cheva puts these marks upon the couple being joined. It's a physical reminder of the vows you take. But of course, it's more than just that." Eric shifted a bit. He wanted to look this girl in the eye before he said the next few words.

"You say you have been trying to be there for him. That is good, of course. And that you want to help ease his pain. That is also good. But you have to know by now that marriage is not the only way to do those things. Sometimes even the simplest acts, done with love, can be enough to ease a man's burdens considerably." Eric's own wife often used to cook for him.

She was a terrible cook at first. But she persevered, kept trying. Because she knew after a long day at work the last thing Eric needed was to have to go out and purchase food. So she was determined to ease her husband's burdens, even just in her own small way. But it made a world of difference to Eric. That and a hundred other small things... they added up. Far greater than the sum of their parts.

"Marriage is not a bandage, Rinya. It is not something you dive into, just to make him happy. Now I've watched that boy from a distance, and from what I've seen, he loves you. And the fact that you're asking this tells me you love him." And yet, despite that, Eric's voice was serious. He needed Rinya to understand that love wasn't necessarily enough. Oh, it was important. Perhaps the most important thing, but...

"But you need to be sure of this. Because I can promise you, that if you do this and then wish to back out later, it will hurt Jorin far worse than if you never did it at all." That was what Eric wanted to see in Rinya's eyes.

The certainty, that this was what they both wanted. If she truly loved him as faithfully and as deeply as he suspected, her answer should be instant. If there was any hesitation, any at all, then Eric would instantly advise against their union. Because something as important to Jorin as marriage could not survive her doubt.

x

[Rinya]

Rinya did her best to keep herself calm as Eric told her of the support system that Jorin had with the Thespians. It made sense then, based on Jorin’s stubbornness that he would have done his best not to return to them after being kicked out. But it also made sense that Eric did underestimate her mate. Jorin had been ready to end his life, and while Rinya still refused to believe he may have actually gone to that extreme… well that was mostly because she didn’t actually want to imagine not having met him. For the moment it was easier to accept that reality, because Jorin was currently depressed as it was. Not enough to end his life perhaps—but enough to remind her of his own words.

It would have been easy too, just to entirely push the blame on the man next to her. Though in the long run it still wouldn’t fix everything going on. Eric however did seem a little surprised by her remark of wanting to marry Jorin. He glanced her over several times—as if trying to make a decision. Eric mentioned the significance for humans, and she couldn’t help but frown slightly. He moved his hair to the side and Rinya caught the sight of… apparently a Lacun mark. The mention of it once being a Cheva mark—when his wife was still alive—made her stomach drop slightly.

Rinya still didn’t agree with Jorin’s philosophy about her age. He was happy with just what time he had with her… and that meant if he did accept the vows with her—when she died he would have mark just like it. Of course Jorin could always leave her first, through illness or accident. But he would have to bear the mark much longer than she would. But knowing Jorin and their previous short conversation about vows he wouldn’t have cared. Probably didn’t even take it into account actually. That wouldn’t surprise her in the least. A physical reminder of their vows however—the idea seemed kind of pleasant actually. The more… possessive side of her liked the thought of women knowing he was taken—he was hers without having to state it out loud.

Rinya frowned at Eric as he shifted to face her, informing her that she didn’t have to marry Jorin. That small acts were enough to ease his pain. Only to Rinya that didn’t seem enough. Yes, it was probably true… but she was also terrible at those sorts of things. He wasn’t scolding her—but she couldn’t help but feel like it. She already stated she knew it wasn’t going to fix things. But it wasn’t just his depression she was trying to ease with this attempt. It was another fear that Jorin held deep down and did his best to ignore. Until someone brought it up anyways…

”It isn’t just to bandage something. But if it wasn’t for some petching woman who probably has stitches all the way across her face…!” Rinya growled out, looking away from Eric and closing her eyes. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to focus on calmer feelings before she made a scene in the tent. ”You know how good she at what she does. I won’t even pretend to think you don’t know. But not only did she cost him a job, she’s hooked onto one of his worst fears—that I’d leave. Like she did.” They were words nearly exact out of Jorin’s own mouth.

Rinya held up one finger before she shook her head. ”And again… I know it’s not a bandage. But the fact we got into a row last night and it came out rather obvious…” Rinya just sighed again and dropped her head into her hands. His own terror over such a thought was hard to swallow. Even if he didn’t want to believe it. ”Marriage is the least of our problems should either of us decide to back out.” Rinya muttered through her fingers. And it was quite true. The bond was as important to her, as marriage was no doubt for Jorin. He was a man who actually wanted that connection with someone. To have children and grow old together with one person. Not that it was uncommon, but he wanted that with her of all people.

Lifting her head, she glared half heartedly at Eric. ”Jorin is not just my… lover,” Rinya actually flushed heavily over the words—she hadn’t said them to anyone before. And it wasn’t humiliation, but it wasn’t something she felt the need to broadcast either. ”He’s my bondmate. And on top of that he’s just simply my mate. I only take one, and I chose him. To break the marriage would be doing more than just that…” Rolling her eyes slightly she focused her gaze out in front of her. Watching the people rush through the tent, most without pause.

”He’s always having to fight for us. I fail in that aspect of our relationship. I'm terrible with words... much less romantic actions.” She mumbled it more to herself than Eric. Maybe she was just trying to bandage things. It had seemed like such a good idea at first… a promise not just on his end but hers too. That she wasn’t going to just—let them slip through the cracks. But it seemed almost superficial now. Nevermind that she loved him and wanted it just as badly, even if she didn't know what it actually entailed. But it was hard to sort through the thoughts in her head again.

[Jorin Ertihan]

x

Of course when Rinya began talking about a woman with stitches on her face, Eric's own expression went placid and somewhat unreadable. Of course, he knew in broad terms what had become of Farline. The young actress had not made an appearance at the Thespian tents for some time, and Eric had made some discreet inquiries after two days of absence. It wasn't like her to simply vanish without a word.

The news was... interesting, to say the least. Most people had wildly varying accounts of what had actually transpired between Farline and whoever had marred her; but one thing was clear. Farline believed her face to be ruined forever, and the shame, along with the scars, were keeping her in the hospital for the time being.

Rinya for her part seemed inordinately angry at Farline. Her words implied that Farline had cost Jorin his job. Eric, of course, knew what she was capable of. He didn't think she'd go so far as to cost Jorin his job; it was a rather extreme, even for her. There must have been an underlying motive, and given Rinya's obvious distaste for her, Eric had his own theories as to what those motives could be, though he kept them to himself.

"Farline does have a tendency to exploit weakness," Eric sighed sadly. "She is an excellent performer, and a fantastic actress. But she does have a tendency to get a bit... aggressive, when she feels threatened."

Which was probably what caused the incident that cost her so dearly. Eric suspected, given Rinya's reaction to her and a multitude of other circumstantial evidence, that Rinya was the cause of Farline's woes. However, he knew better than to ask. If Rinya was not volunteering the information, Eric would not press for it.

"I would not worry over-much about getting into a row with with Jorin," Eric laughed. "I had quite a few fights with my wife during our many years together. We always made up in the end. If you two truly love one another, a few petty squabbles here and there won't change that. And you will come out stronger for it."

But Eric could see that the girl was very determined. That was good. Determined was good. It was much better than the alternative. Hesitant and unsure, not quite certain what they want or whether they even truly love their partner. Eric couldn't stop the wide grin as Rinya glared rather ineffectually at him, before admitting that she and Jorin were lovers.

He couldn't believe his ears. Little Jorin, who barely got anywhere with Farline, had managed to get that far? Eric was quite impressed with him. And Rinya continued, saying they were bondmates and mates. He knew, of course, that Kelvics like Rinya saw things more from their animal's perspective than from the human perspective, so for her, the status of 'mate' probably carried as many connotations as the status of 'wife' would for a human. Perhaps even more.

"That is quite true," Eric mused as he looked out at his Thespians rushing about, putting things away. It was strange to think that in a few days' time, all this would be gone. The tents packed up and stored away, the props safely tucked into their containers and the actors themselves well on their way to their new destinations. The Knirin Gardens would be quiet once more, as though the Thespians had never been there. To Rinya's final words, Eric sighed and shook his head.

"Well, marriage is quite significant to humans, as I mentioned before," he chuckled. "A lot of people, not just non-humans, seem to think that it is only significant because of the goddess of Love, Cheva. And she does play an important role. But marriage is a lot more than just about her." Eric thought for another few moments before continuing.

"A marriage is a promise, of sorts. That is why you take vows, you see. It's a promise to be faithful to one another. A vow to stay by one another's side, through the good times and the bad. It's almost a good thing you two had your first fight," Eric noted.

"Now, I don't know the nature of your particular bond. I will admit I know only basic information about Kelvic bonds to begin with, but I can make guesses as to how your bond is. So in some ways you are already married, in many of the ways that matter," Eric conceded.

"But for a human, for Jorin... look it's not so much that he wouldn't love you as much if you two aren't married. But if you did, it would mean that there would be a tangible thing that solidifies his feelings. We both know Jorin pretty well, and as I said, in many ways a marriage is a promise. And you know how Jorin is with promises." Eric shrugged. He'd seen the boy nearly kill himself to fulfill an oath. Jorin rarely made promises, because he knew he'd do almost anything to keep it.

"That was why I wanted to make sure you were certain about this. But I can see that you are." Eric smiled then, his scruff crinkling as he broke into a wide grin. "Well, I'm sure glad that boy finally found a girl who can treat him right! Oh and, when you do see your soon-to-be-husband, do tell him to visit me one more time, won't you?" he requested.

"The Thespians, as you can probably see, are leaving soon. I'd like to speak to him one last time before he goes," Eric explained. Then he smiled encouragingly at Rinya.

"Did you have any specific questions about marriage?" he asked.

x