Closed Skipping Town

[Toan Onox]

Skipping Town
Autumn 5th 514 AV, 13th Bell
Location: Ireth's Apartment

There was no other way, everybody who'd seen him walk here already had quiet glares. Word had no doubt spread quickly about yesterday's dilemma, and the fact he had to keep his arm in a makeshift sling didn't help contribute either. He was a prime target of insults even when nothing had been said, all because his right shoulder had been marked with the very brand of shame found in the city. Nyka. How disgusted he felt with the place, the very name now made him spat with distaste. Yet he wasn't gone just yet because Ven had spent the entire morning getting everything that was theirs together, he had to pack while Toan had to find himself the time to slip out of the infirmary seeing as how they weren't going to let him go so easily. Granted he still had a nasty burn that itched like a motherpetcher half the time, it was understandable that they would want to keep a hold of him for several days. But there was no time left for Toan, the sooner he left the city the better.

So why did he come here? Now that he thought about it the act of doing so would only bring slander to Ireth's name as well, yet all the same he felt she deserved to know what had happened. Thus while he approached the door to her apartment in a heated sweat, he clutched his right arm dearly, as it was the only means of avoidance against the undesirable itches that begged for him to scratch at the swollen burn mark underneath the bandages. The door to her apartment resided before him now and all that was left was for him to knock on the wooden surface, yet there was hesitance as he panted slowly from the long trek to the front step. Even now he felt eyes watching him, bearing down as they judged him for what he was. The brand on his back itched further as he ground his teeth together with a clench of his jaw, the irritation fought hard as he continued to squeeze the upper arm in frustration.

That was when it hit him then, did Ireth already hear about yesterday's dilemma? Did she already know that he'd been caught and branded a thief of the city? Did it matter to her that he'd been named as such? He despised what this event had done to him, what it made him become before he'd even managed to build himself a proper reputation. To Toan the world around him had already seemed faded and less vibrant as the city let on, as his mind gave in to the pressure that nagged for him to submit and beckon for the attention of his alleged friend. The artist raised a hand up to the door without a second thought and before another moment was spared, sharp knocks sounded out to summon mother dearest to her door to greet her visitor. "Ireth... it's Toan. I must speak with you urgently." He issued as he hoped she would be close to the door at this point, he listened closely for any signs of life beyond the wood before him until she opened the door.

[Ireth Telemnar]

Ireth hadn't left the house all day. She was afraid to. She sat upon the edge of her bed, staring across at the weathered wall before her. Her mind, which one would assume to be melancholy with thoughts and emotions, was blank.

All she could think about was rain.

Rain...

And more specifically, thunderstorms.

There had been a brilliant thunderstorm last night, the first one of the new season, and it did wonders to cool off the city, to settle the dust, to cleanse the city.

Ellemyer didn't feel the same. The baby had cried for most of the night, her screams getting louder whenever the thunder shook their apartment. But Ire had done what she could. She sang along with the rain, recalling all of the lullabies and nursery songs that her parents had sang to her when she was growing up. This action of course only made her miss her own mother, who had to be worried out of her mind whilst back in Ravok. Ravokian songs promised happiness as long as you obeyed Lord Rhysol, and did what was right in his eyes. Though Ireth felt like she hadn't felt the Hand of her Lord since leaving His city, she still felt somewhat at peace when she sang songs that glorified him and his works.

His works...

She had heard the rumors. How could she have not? Tynibi had come over this morning, disgust written all over her face. She had recounted the story to Ireth, confusing Ireth evermore as the older women, one of the few friends that the poor busker had in this colorful city, had gazed upon Ire with scorn, her lip curled not at the subject of the gossip but at Ireth herself.

Ireth's head fell against her chest and she sobbed. Guilty by association.

Ellemyer, who had worn herself out last night with all the crying she did, woke up to her mother's sobs and began cooing, summoning the busker from her depressed position. Ireth obeyed, drawing forth her baby girl from the cradle. Savio's eyes stared up at Ire from the body of their love child, that hard stone gray that was only a few shades darker than Ireth's stormy blue ones.

"Hey there sweetheart. What are you thinking? Do you think he'll come by? I think he will. At least, I hope he will. I want him to..." Her body ached like she'd just got out of a fight.

And with that, there was a resounding rap on her apartment's thick wooden door.

Ireth wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Elle, settling the child into the crook of her arm and hurrying to open the door.

There he stood, and he was worse off than Ireth had expected. There were dark circles under his eyes, dust and grime coated his skin and clothing alike, and his arm hung in a knotted sling. "Oh Lord..." The hand that wasn't holding her daughter covered her mouth as she stifled another sob. It was all she could do to not pull him inside herself, which she refrained from doing in fear of hurting him worse. Ireth stepped aside and allowed him to enter, watching with fear and pain in her eyes. She shut the door behind him, paused for a breath, and pressed herself against his chest. She didn't try to hug him, she didn't dare, but she laid her head on his chest and stepped in close, watching Elle and biting back another sob.

"Toan..."

[Toan Onox]

The look in her eyes when she first held the door open and realized who it was that arrived, it confirmed that his suspicions of the rumors were indeed true and that they had spread, no doubt foul words had reached her ears of how lowly and criminal he was. The people just truly didn't understand it though, nor did rumor really work in favor when it was mere gossip. Still what damage had taken place was already done, irreversible for him and therefore set to stone with his image. Yet for Ireth to pardon him with pity rather than scorn, it set his heart at an ease while there was much ache soon to follow. Why? Just why did he come? He needn't trouble her with his own problems but even if that was how he thought, how he felt contradicted the idea and led his actions to appear right on her doorstep in a miserable state of mind.

The babe she had birthed in her arms, the look of worry plain in her eyes, when she allowed him to enter he did so without a word. His eyes were cast to the floor as shame loomed over his figure, the ever present itch on his skin ready to drive him insane as he tried to cling to his arm tightly. When he turned to face her he watched as she closed the door behind them, the silence in the air thickened as the branded artist brooded over his stupidity in coming here at whim. He released his hand though as her head fell forward to rest on his chest, initial surprise found in Toan's face as he couldn't decide what it was he honestly felt. His thoughts were that of bitterness and spite before but in that moment all that seemed to ease, as the murmur of his name while she choked back what could only be a form of a sob came, he found himself torn to pieces as he felt conflicted with himself in the wake of developing emotions.

His somber frown lessened a bit as he brought his only free hand up to Ireth's head, his fingers gently laced within the locks of her soft brown hair. He couldn't help but feel the need to comfort her, to try and put aside this resentment he felt and instead allow the moment of now fill him with unsound joy. She still cares for me, even after what she'd heard. But of course she would, he'd at least been there for her after the disappearance of her lover, and should anything worse had happened to him, well he could've expected there to be fallen tears and remembrance of who he was. But what he didn't expect was this, this sudden development of feelings he had inside him that led him to feel so suddenly strange. Ridiculous even. Yet it felt welcomed all the same, all while he took in the scent of her hair quietly. "So you've heard my dear..." Pointless observation for a fool that's been doomed, yet even so he had reason to be here and he felt she needed to know.

First though... He had to calm her and see to it she felt sure he was okay, that this was but a mere burn and it wouldn't change a single thing. "Worry not what they say, some of it may be true but they've not the entire story. That's not why I came, I came because..." What was he to say? That he missed her? He did come here because of feelings tied to that idea. He felt a complete fool granted she had a daughter with her, but alas he'd already found it too late to turn tail and leave. "I was worried about you." He admitted it and there turned out to be a slight bit of coloration in his face, whether it was from the exhaustion of dealing with the itching or the words of choice he had, that part remained the mystery for him as he hoped it might've made the situation a bit more lighter to handle.