Closed In the Heart of the Storm

[Imellion]

"It’s… It’s close. You’re not lost," He said, wrapping his arms inside her cloak to try and get some warmth from it. She raised an eyebrow at him. Not lost? How would he know that? She had no idea where she was other than somewhere in Syliras. Why did it matter if she was close? The way streets twined in and out of each other, she could be on the wrong side of the wall and not even know it. Even if she did know it, it could take her an hour to wind back around to that side. So yes, she was lost. It didn't require being far away from a place to be lost. All it took was not knowing where she was.

He was cold though. Even moreso than herself, it sounded like. She gave a tight nod and hurried forward, looking back to see if he was following. Really though, he should be leading, as she didn't know which turns to take or which streets to follow. Then he moved ahead, entire demeanor changing. He was back to how he had been when he first appeared. Bold. Confident. Lacking in common sense. But perhaps, that was common amongst the squires. Or maybe it was some initiation she didn't know about. Why in Priskil's name would someone go out in a tempest without a shirt?

"What brought you out here in the first place?" There was a casualness in his voice. It was understandable, after all. She'd done the same thing on occasion, judging by his actions and speech a few moments beforehand. Try to seem normal. Act as if nothing had happened. Pretend to be invincible, implacid as a frozen lake. She understood that.

"I...went to check the stables," She said, measuring out her words in slow dollops, "The horses, and then... the storm grew stronger." She hadn't even made it to the stables, musty with the smell of horses and hay. Cozy though. Safe. Not nearly as starkly cold as the citadel either. Not necessarily in temperature, but in how it felt. Horses were trustworthy. They were kind. They were usually gentle. If they weren't, it was because someone had done something stupid and wrong. Not some whim or simply feeling cussed.

She followed behind him in silence for quite some time, winding through rain-lit streets as everything grew darker. She shivered again, and tensed slightly at the thunderclaps and lightning. Not as much as before though. Those flashbacks had passed. It was merely a storm now, its fury having driven off the phantoms that lurked inside her head. What had Sera Lyonia called them? Mindghosts. Dead things that still lurked in her brain. They'd pass on eventually. She just needed to work at it. Learn to fight them. In time, they would diminish. Whether or not they would ever leave completely, Lyonia had said she didn't know. Everyone was different.

The streets and corners were more familiar now. She smiled, surprisingly warm given the circumstances and picked up her pace somewhat. Then she paused mid-step and turned to him, tilting her head slightly to one side, before going on again. More confidently, as they were very close now, and she knew her way back to her dormitory.

"I... don't think... you gave me your name," She stopped again, looking to see what his reaction would be. "I am Imellion."

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[Aventis]

x;]

The hell raised by the dark and ominous clouds lightened slightly, the torrential rain not lightening up in the slightest, but the thunder and lightning was distanced greatly. The land around him smelled of freshly fallen rain, the pounded soil beyond the walls impaled with sharp and heavy blades of grass. Aventis inhaled deeply, taking in the genesis of personal anxiety release. The rain had done a good job of soothing Aventis, who was now not completely riddled with lucid anxietous and feverish thoughts.

At this point, Aventis was questioning his own sanity and mental position compared to the girl that was seemingly psychologically shattered just a few chimes ago. With clarification came shame, then recognition of events, followed yet by more shame. His pride was hurt and he couldn’t allow himself to be offended. He had not only shamed his own image, but the image of the order, and that was reason enough to be ashamed. Of course, the image most likely wasn’t hindered in any possible way, but the very concept of its possibility upset Aventis deeply. Even the idea of doing a bad job representing the order he holds so dear is a disgrace, and so was Aventis as a result. If only there were a way to preclude the wounds that may or may not have been cut.

“I… Don’t think… You gave me your name.” He heard from the girl over the roaring rainfall. Aventis stopped in his tracks, turning back to the girl, a bemused expression on his face, shadowed by the sky. “I am Imellion.”

Aventis, hardly ever placed in this position, was momentarily at a loss for words, and stood a few feet away from the girl, due to her stopping a moment ago. He swallowed his pride, walking towards the girl slowly, stopping about a foot and a half away from her. He had decided to go about the matter professionally, an attempt to ensure himself the closure needed.

“My name is Aventis.” He said, holding out his hand again, hoping this time the girl may take his offer. “It’s… A pleasure to meet you, Imellion.”[/left]

Aventis

[Imellion]

Imellion stood there, watching him as the other squire seemed at a loss for words. In shock, almost. She tilted her head to one side, curious. What made him seem so surprised at such an introduction? Did people in Syliras not do it that way? Sera Lyonia had, as had many of the other knights she had met.

Then he approached. Her shoulders drew together, and a furrow appeared on her forehead. Then her jaw tightened, and she unconsciously raised her feet a quarter of an inch, waiting to move away. Her legs tensed, but she forced them to stand still.

Water dripped down into her eyes, and she brushed it away. Imellion froze for a moment when she looked towards Aventis again. He was so close, towering over her. She stepped back half a step, and then stopped. She didn't need to flinch away from him. He held his hand out to her, and she considered for several agonizing moments, then slowly stretched her own hand out to shake. Every muscle was taught as a bowstring with the action and she was leaning ever so slight backwards.

"And...a pleasure meeting you," Imellion said slowly in return, brushing a wind-swept lock of hair away from her rain-streaked face. She gave another small smile, and then backed away, turning to study the storm battered streets.

She knew these streets. They were home. It was a strange feeling, having a proper home. Her home for most of her life had been a corner of a wagon to sleep in. Sometimes there was a blanket. Sometimes there wasn't. Sometimes she had forage for the horses to sleep on. Usually it was just the wooden floor. The ground was a common bed as well. Her view always changed as day after day slowly drifted away beneath the wagon wheels.

Now, she had a room of her own. Roommates that might one day be friends. An actual bed with a mattress. A chest for her possessions. It was mostly empty of course, but it was there. She even had money. A fireplace even! No more huddling around a sullen attempt at a campfire as wind whistled down her neck and through her bones.

Her jaw muscles began to twitch. Imellion bit down on her lip to stop her teeth from chattering. Once those started, the rest of the body followed not long after. Then it was nothing but misery for a very long time.

"I... must," She said slowly, savoring the words in her mouth, "take my leave of you now." She was balanced on an edge. Departing of her own free will was odd, not unlike stepping onto a frozen lake without testing it first. It was almost rebellious, not quite, but definitely thrilling. She gave a quick duck of her head, almost a bow, but not quite, and hurried of the slick streets and into the citadel, making her way through the hallways, practically beaming.


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[Aventis]

The rain poured down heavily, pounding Aventis’ head, his aching, tired head, as he held his hand out to the reluctant squire. The thunder and the lightning had dulled now, the storm most likely passing a bit, but the rain fell hard. Not harder than before, but certainly not soft, the melody of their ferocious falling serenaded the scene with an apparent intensity.

“And... A pleasure meeting you,” Imellion responded hesitantly, shaking Aventis’ hand with her own. It was pleasant, that moment, and Aventis couldn’t help but feel as if all that had happened that day could be reconciled so easily so much sooner with just the simple handshake they shared then. There was nothing romantic, pleasurable, or even distinct about it, it was simply new. It, although Aventis had shaken hands with another many times before, was alien to the Eypharian then. It was unexpected and strange. It was human, an equalizer, and Aventis definitely needed one.

“I… Must,” She said, speaking with a slow and faltering cadence of syllables. “I must take my leave of you now.” the girl said. As quick as she had been found by Aventis, she had vanished, walking off quickly into the dark mist caused by raindrops shattering and bouncing sharply off of the stone streets. Aventis watched her go sullenly, waiting a bit too long to realize.

“Wait! Imellion! I have your cloak!” He yelled out into the shallow darkness, unsure of whether or not she heard him. In his uncertainty, he waited, standing in the center of the street. Quickly he shed the jacket, holding it out with his top right arm, waiting for the girl to return. He hoped she heard him, but if not… There wasn’t much Aventis could do. She was a strange bird, Imellion. There seemed to be no telling with her. It was tiring, yes, but there was something about her that made Aventis feel as if she deserved more than what Aventis could possibly give. Her timid reluctance pertaining to nearly anything social was a hint, and it became apparent that she had something to work out, but nevertheless, Aventis saw her as someone of interest. For the moment.

Aventis

[Sayana]

Your Grades Have Arrived Imellion Skills: Skill EXP Observation +5 Socialization +5 Endurance +5 Prayer +2 Lores: I'm a Squire of the Syliran Knights, not merely chained to a wagon Freedom to choose, freedom to depart Syliras: Home Aventis: Kind Eypharian Squire Aventis: Hides his lower arms Caught in a thunderstorm Shield Points: Shield Points Earned Reason +2 Helping out a citizen Total: +2 Shield Points Comments : A really nice thread showing Imellion’s darker demons. Keep up the good work. Aventis Skills: Skill EXP Observation +5 Socialization +5 Endurance +5 Subterfuge +2 Rhetoric +3 Land Navigation +1 Philosophy +1 Lores: Imellion: Battered, broken squire Imellion: Timid yet generous squire Panic attack Self-shame Caught in a thunderstorm Shield Points: Shield Points Earned Reason +3 Helping out a citizen Total: +3 Shield Points Comments : Great thread. Nice to see Aventis helping out a fellow squire and having to face the consequences (personal in this case) of revealing his extra set of arms. Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request in the grade request thread. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade please feel free to send me a message. Enjoy.