The half elf sits down on the ground next to the dead wolf, facing the one whom his heart ached. Her confusion was mostly his fault, at least in his mind, and he seemed like he could have done things more straightforward, as Lali so eloquently put it.
Where should he start? Perhaps if he started with the area he was most comfortable with and then proceed from there. "If I could claim any nobility, I'd even have to say that I am a bastard prince. Illegitimate. I'm only as much use to them as they need me to be. Due to the disrespect they showed my mother and me, I very much wish to throw it back in their faces if they try to reclaim me."
"You, you are not low-born. Your angelic traits and incomparable beauty speak of a terribly noble heritage that may have fallen into disrepair in recent generations, but part of you remembers this. You have the potential in you for amazing things. Every step you take is a work of art, and if you are able to actualize your bloodline, any thoughts to your humble birth will be overshadowed by your mighty deeds."
"I'm thinking in the long term, as I always do. I want very much for my first love to last for the rest of my life, as all the epic loves I've read in my books, but I've only known you for a couple weeks, and I've been telling myself to take things slow. My mother jumped into a whirlwind romance and it ended up costing her everything, so I share her apprehension." He sighed slightly, pursing his lips. "It's a weakness I'd very much like to overcome, but I'll need some help."
He worked up the confidence to look her in the eyes, regardless of how much he just wanted to look at the landscape when he'd hurt her like he had. "I can see now why that would be so uncomfortable for you. And I should have been more forthright. I'm sorry. If you want something for just now, I'll have to decline. But if you're looking for the grander story of it all. Please allow me the indulgence of taking it slow."
Cyanne stills. "The future is not my friend, Daen. I live in the now, because if I look forward... I see a time when everything that I love and cherish now is gone." Her hands shake as she admits this. "That said... Time stetches out before me longer than it does for anyone else I know, save Aron and Lirpeth. Who am I to begrudge you the time that you need, time that I have in abundance?"
She reaches out, and strokes his hair. "I can promise you an endless supply of stories and songs -- some of which you would star in. I can promise you love. My heart aches with it right now. It wouldn't hurt so much to be around you if I didn't love you."
There it was. The admission was lying between them, and like the dead wolf, she had no idea what to do with it.
"But I can't promise you an epic love like those found in the books you read, Daen. I'm no storybook princess. I'm not even an angel, no matter whose blood flows in my veins. I'm a real girl, with real needs, and I break a little every time you push me away."
She won't break down and cry. She can't. She wipes her face on her sleeve, and asks softly, "Do you want me to pull away for a while until you're ready?" It costs her to ask this, but she wants to get this right.
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Kazimir nods acknowledgement to Laliytsa as she sets about working on the wolves. "Good idea. Don't want to attract any more of these things," he sighs, before turning his attention back to Luthor.
Confused by the way the witch holds his hands before him, as if attempting to ward him off or surrender, he glances down at his own, surprised to see his right clenched in a white-knuckled fist around Surefoot's reins. Releasing the grip in alarm, he takes a moment to calm himself, drop the corpse he's carrying, shake his hands out, and think everything over.
Eventually he sighs, stepping around his horse and pushing Luthor's hands away before resting his own on the other man's shoulders. One squeezes reassuringly, while the other pats Rikka on the head. "Well, if Rikka says it's alright," he sighs in a feeble attempt at humor. "I can't say it sounds like a good idea, but... if that's what it comes down to, then so be it. Just... try to warn me if you ever need to use it on me, alright?"
When Laliytsa raises her voice, he looks down guiltily. "Sorry," he mumbles, dropping his hands. "Have those two got themselves sorted out yet?" he asks the woman quietly, nodding in Daen and Cyanne's direction.
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Laliytsa flashes him a grin. "Eh, wasn' worryin' so much 'bout the two of ya. Those two, well, no yellin' an' nobody's stormin' off which is good. Luthor, look at Daen's leg when they're done bein' all twitterpated eh?"
The ranger starts whistling a common folk song as she heads after Daen's horse.
With their differences more or less settled, the party rides on another half mile or so before the gathering dusk forces them to camp. This time, it's on the leeward side of a rise overlooking a small copse of trees. Dinner is a quick affair, as dark sets in shortly after the tent is up and the horses are hobbled. It's shaping up to be another clear, frigid night, though off on the western horizon loom gathering storm-clouds.
The watches go smoothly enough, though Kazimir once again sees his stag watching the camp from the northwest. When it notices him, it turns and lopes off into the night, not waiting for the farmboy to follow this time. Daen's watch is briefly interrupted by the sounds of a tiny struggle, followed by two rodents chasing each other through the camp and into the dark on the far side. He seems to have a hard time awakening Cyanne, and when she does finally get up, she sits upright very suddenly, in a cold sweat, but eventually dawn breaks with no sightings of campfires on the horizon.
While the clouds loom over the party as they ride away from their camp, neither rain nor snow fall from the skies on the party. Instead, it's a dreary, cold day in the saddle. The snow has mostly melted, leaving large islands of white in the sea of spring grass, and a few small yellow flowers once again bloom above the plains, always on the southern side of hills.
The party quickly rides into an impassible barrier. The Shrike River, nearly three hundred feet wide and running high, sits to the south, and Laliytsa is forced to follow it along until it meets with the much smaller Thorn. It's only after following the Thorn upstream for a couple of hours that the party finds a potential place to cross. Here, the deep and narrow Thorn spreads across a plain almost two hundred feet wide, and while the water continues moving downstream, it's only a few feet deep.
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He reached over and grabbed her shaking hands with intensity. "Am the only one who deserves praise just because I was born in a castle? Shall we decide that Kaz or Luthor or Laliytsa or Svetlana are not worthy of an epic love simply because they're born in poverty? Listen to yourself. Should I use you up in my release and throw you out when I am finished? That's not love, Cyanne. That's a chamber pot. How can you think that's all you are to me?" He brought her trembling hands over to his own heart as his hard eyes softened.
[b]"The reason I hesitate is because love is more daunting to me than a dragon. I have seen it destroy people from the inside out, and rarely have I ever seen it done well. But I have seen it. It takes two firmly committed to make it happen." He cleared his throat as he seemed to have a little something caught in there. "And you went and jumped right in. I can't help but admire your bravery. It makes me want to rush headlong in after you, so badly."
Releasing her hands slowly and calming down, he sits more upright than he had before, his body wanting to lean into her. "Your idea of time is good. Let's give ourselves one month to search out our hearts and make sure of our footing. If people who fall in love have a mighty strength in it, We can leap headlong if you're willing. If you're not, then I hope that we can remain loyal friends. But if you are willing, after all you've learned of me at that time, I will love you with an intensity that will outshine the storybooks. And should anything come in our way, the nations will tremble at the fury they've awakened."
After their talk, Daen was slightly rattled at her nightmares. Love was daunting, but he hoped that she wouldn't doubt him or herself in it's shadow.
The next day, the riding did him good. It was funny how such a thing brought peace to his mind, and Chernilla was steady as she had ever been. The sun had come out and all seemed right, even despite the snags they had run into. "This looks like a better place to cross than I've seen. Shall we?"
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After camp is set and the horses are brushed down, Kazimir takes Laliytsa aside for a moment. "Lali," he begins, before pausing suddenly. "Actually, is it alright if I call you that? I never asked..." he shakes his head, and slings off his pack. "Anyway. Last night, I... I found this." He rubs the back of his neck with one hand as he withdraws the brittle piece of old leather. "It looks like some sort of map, but I'm not sure where it leads. Since your knowledge of these lands surpasses any of ours, I was wondering whether you knew what it means?"
A hard day's work and a good night's sleep always work wonders, Kazimir reflects as he saddles up his horse. The ache in his shoulders has subsided, and the pain in his thigh from the werewolf's sword has faded almost entirely.
Riding along the river frustrates him, as it halts their progress. Thankfully, it seems Laliytsa's found another solution. "Agreed. We may not find a better crossing than this." Taking a deep breath, he offers, "Shall I go first?"
Laliytsa takes the map from Kaz. As she looks it over she mumbles. “Yeah. Callin’ me Lali’s fine. Good.” She turns the map around a few times, studying it from different angles. “Hmm. I don’ recognize it. Not real descriptive. If’n I hada guess...that’s the river. Could be one of the lake, though I dunno why it’d be up here then.”
She lightly runs her fingers over the map. A wistful look crosses her face. “Fruits of yer labor, now. That’s interestin’. Used to be lotsa farms out here. Orchard’s ‘n stuff. M’family, we had one.
Grandpa talks ‘bout it all the time. Had to leave when he was a small kid. Dunno where it is. But, he said it was beautiful…” Her voice trails off.
After a few moments of silence she snaps back to attention. “Err. What I’ma sayin’ is, could be one of the old farms. Where’d ya find this anyways?
This looks like the best place to cross. Still, Laliytsa’s hesitant; she hates crossing rivers. But at Kazmir’s offer she nudges Wild forward. “Lemme go first. I can keep an eye out. See if’n there’s a hole or somthin’ we could get caught in.”
Kazimir hesitates. He doesn't want to admit to his escapade, but at the same time, dishonesty would get him nowhere. he takes a deep breath, gazing at the ground and scratching absent-mindedly at the back of his head. "Do you remember when I thought I saw that stag a few nights ago, but we found no tracks or anything of the sort? Well, last night I saw it again." Still not making eye contact, he hurriedly adds, "I thought it was a dream, you know? So... I followed it. It led me away, to a small grove, with an altar with Erastil's symbol on it. When I opened it, I found this, and the creature vanished." He finds the courage to make eye contact again, and adds, "I know I left while it was my watch, and I know anything could have happened, but... I felt like it was a sign, something I had to follow."
Pointing out the words along the bottom, he adds, "That's the kind of thing my grandmother used to say. Something about it is terribly familiar, but I can't quite recall it."
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She holds on to his hands, holds on to the connection between them. Part of her just wants to stay here, but she needs to set him straight on something. "Daen, what makes you think that you would be using me for your own release? Has it ever occurred to you that I might desire release as well? That I might be as demanding of you as you imagine yourself being of me? That I might crave your touch, and want that spark? It's not a chamber pot when the love is shared equally, between two people who care about one another deeply, even though they know they cannot stay together."
She swallows, feeling how dry her mouth has gone with the intensity of this conversation. "I want to stay with you, but only if you're ready. You chided me for thinking myself unworthy of an epic love, asking me if I thought that only nobles deserved such. Let me make it clear... It's not that I think myself unworthy. It's that I don't want epic love. I just want love! Your love! Your touch, your trust, you in totum."
She reaches out, touching his long and curling hair, pulling it out of his face, and exposing his ears. She gives him an apologetic smile, and meets his gaze. "Daen, I know how much ambition burns in your heart." She touches his chest lightly. "I'm terrified that if you strive for an epic love, you'll lose sight of us. I don't want you comparing us to anyone else, or being disappointed if what we share together fails to meet a storybook standard."
"I want our love to be about being with each other, caring for each other, doing our life's work together. I want our love to restore you, to give you the solace and strength to then turn around and achieve those dreams of yours." She searches his face. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"A month is not long, and I'll give you a fair trial. I'm going to pull away for a bit, Daen." She quietly and purposely disengages their hands, returning his to him. "For this month, I won't pressure you. No stolen kisses. No hugs unless everyone else gets one. No touches without your express invitation. See what your heart tells you without me constantly by your side. Make sure that you are ready because I don't know if I'll have the strength to let you go again."
________________________________________
The nightmares were horrible. She woke up multiple times, wanting to reach for Daen, then remembering that she had promised to give him space. By the time morning came around, Cyanne was a wreck. She stayed up through half of Lali's watch, not daring to go back to sleep, just staying next to the other girl, being glad that Lali, somehow sensing that something was up, did not press her to speak.
Cyanne stayed curled up around the fire, stroking Tango's fur and trying to center herself around his warmth and beating heart. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. Finally, she got up and danced, trying desperately to center herself.
She danced her defiance, danced to try and reclaim her body as her own. But as good as the dance was, she felt off. The loss of control, the shakeup with Daen, the nightmares... she felt sick to her soul, and didn't know where to turn. Bothering Daen with her fears felt impossible. How could she talk to him about this without wanting to wrap her arms around him and cling for dear life?
She helped the others strike camp in an uncharacteristic brooding silence, and then rode in silence once again. The warmth and sunlight helped, as did the feeling of Volte's warm and steady gait. Weary, she almost fell asleep on her horse, only jolting awake as she felt the nightmare kick in once more.
Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She rode up next to Luthor. "You've studied my kind, right? Luthor, I think there's something still deeply wrong with me, and I don't know how to set it right."
Tango leaps from her shoulder to Luthor's, the little mongoose as fidgety as his distressed mistress. Cyanne grips Volte's reins in white-knuckled hands and continues. "I had nightmares all last night. Terrible things happened to Daen, and I watched him get pulled away from me, and I couldn't stop it. And a voice laughed at me in Celestial, and in my dream, I understood what it said... Luthor, my kind isn't given to prophecy, are they?"
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Eying the rushing water suspiciously, Luthor swallowed hard. It wouldnt take much for his meager riding skills to fail him in those waters, even if it was shallow. "Could you imagine Rikka? All weve been through and our story ending with something as mundane as a drowning accident?" He whispered to his companion. She crossed her arms and shook her head with conviction, her defiant attitude reassured him. "Yes ofcourse you are right." He said with a low chuckle.
Seeing Cyanne ride up next to him, he smiled, expecting some sort of care free conversation. Even as she began to speak however, he could already see the concern on her face.
"Yes, ive studied the planes. It was rather high on my list of interests. I thought it might shed some light on my own "condition" back when I joined the school. Nothing much came of it on that front though, but I like to think ive learned a thing or two." He tilted his head with a concerned look of his own. "Why do you ask, is something wrong?"
Listening to her reply, his concerned look softened somewhat. "Honestly, I wasnt even aware of the consequences of my spell on your kind, so I cant say anything with certainty." He rubbed Tango reassuringly on the head while Rikka leaned in for a curious sniff. "I havnt heard of such a thing, but your bloodline is rather rare amongst Aasimar. It might be a reaction unique to your kind." He reached out a hand to clutch her shoulder reassuringly, having found the same gesture from Kazimir quite effective in calming him down the day before. "The other day, when I said it was Demons blood, that was actually a blunder on my part. In truth its Devils blood." He looked a bit more excited than he had intended, finding a special joy in sharing his knowledge. "While demons are concerned with chaos and all that means both physically and emotionally, devils concern themselves more with subtlety and schemes." He got an annoyed look as he once more recalled his supplier. "The man who sold me the stuff gets it from his familiar, an imp. They are nasty conniving little creatures who find joy in nothing but playing with peoples minds. If I had to guess, the effects of the blood plays to those same desires." He gave her shoulder another squeeze, accompanied by a tender smile. "Youve been so concerned with what you and Daen have, and what may or may not come of it, it would be an emotion so powerful, even the only semi sentience of the blood would be able to create elaborate dreams to sow doubt and play on your fears."
He turned to look at the others as Laliytsa started to slowly ford the river. "The voice was celestial, because as powerful as the bloods effect may be on you, its still your own feelings made manifest. You understood it because it is rooted in your own emotions." He turned his head to look at her again, conviction shining from his eyes as he added: "While celestial beings are certainly more prone to prophecy than most, such a thing would not come to you in such horrible ways. Im almost certain the blood is entirely at fault. Im sure it will fade soon enough, but if you want I can try applying a healing spell to you? It might help flush the influnece from your system sooner."
Looking at the others again, he let go of her shoulder. "But first, lets get this crossing over with. I can try the spell then. Ill be happy to keep discussing this further once we are across if you want."
She nods to Luthor. Maybe this was just temporary. "Alright. But afterwards, we're talking again. I... sort of skipped class whenever Aron lectured on aasimars and angels. I so wanted to be human back then, that I didn't want to hear anything about my kind. It was the only learning I utterly rejected, and I think it's time for me to rectify that."
The spring torrent whips around Laliytsa's horse's legs as she guides it into the stream. Before long, the water is licking at her boots, and there's a few moments where Wild loses its footing and has to swim for a few moments, but after a few tense minutes, Laliytsa's across the Thorn River.
Cyanne points a finger at Laliytsa to help the ranger talk with her. "If I can throw a rope across, and you hold one end and I hold the other, do you think it could help guide the others and keep them from falling into the current?"
Daen was a bit nervous concerning the river. He'd never been in one to this extent. He'd actually never been in a lake either. But it wouldn't keep him from finishing his course. "A rope between us is essential. We do not wish to be lost downstream in case we get caught in the current. It would be much better not to have to rely on ourselves to swim."
Once the matter of the rope is sorted out, Daen heads out across the water, leading Chernilla and speaking soothingly to her.
Cyanne threw the rope to Lali, and does not cross until everyone else does.
Still fairly on edge, Luthor proceeded into the water, cursing the fact that he had yet to name the horse. Having made it accustomed to a name might have eased the process of keeping the creature calm.
Laliytsa quirks her head “Huh. Wasn’ expectin’ that. Well, guess if’n Erastil wants ya to have it must lead somewhere good. Might be somethin’ near that temple place ya want to go to. We’ll keep an eye out. If nothin’ comes if it we ask yer priest friend once we’re back at the tradin’ post.” She hands the map back to Kaz, then reaches out and smacks him lightly upside the head. “An’ boy, don’ ya be worryin’ ‘bout leavin’ camp like that. Erastil’s not leadin’ ya off so we can all get eaten or somethin’.”
Cyanne’s suggestion makes Laliytsa feel like punching herself. How could she forget something basic like that? She’s not out here with her family; her friends are inexperienced out here. They rely on her to watch out for them. She snags the rope and ties it to a tree. As the group makes their way she readys herself to jump in to help.
If somebody needs help she’s going in.
She’ll try to tow Kaz out if he needs it. Not sure if that would be aid another or?
Daen's crossing goes smoothly, as does Luthor's. The water is calm, and though a few sticks float down, nothing too large crosses the rider's paths. Before long, they're safely across with Laliytsa.
Kazimir and Surefoot plow out into the water, intending to follow Laliytsa's path and Cyanne's rope across the Thorn River to the other side. However, as he nears the halfway point, a log, displaced from the bank by the spring's high water, floats down and slams into Surefoot's flank. The horse goes under, dragging Kazimir with it, and when Surefoot pops back up, Kazimir isn't with her.
He surfaces a few seconds later, being carried downstream, already below the rope . Lali jumps in, heedless of the possibility of more big logs making their way downstream, and gets out to Kazimir, but by the time the two, swimming strongly, can get to the shore, they're a good half-mile downstream. Surefoot, meanwhile, gains footing again and makes his way to shore to dry off near Wild and the majority of the party.
"Kaz, no!" Cyanne is horrified as Kaz falls in and is swept away. Cyanne charges after him on her horse, Volte.
She tries to grab hold of him, but he's being swept away far and too fast. "Kaz!' She's only slightly reassured as Lali dives in after Kaz, and both of them sweep away downstream.
She's almost all the way across to the others as Daen grabs her reins and guides her in. Trying to keep Surefoot and Wild calm, she tries stroking the horse's noses like she's seen Lali and Kaz do.
She calls out to Lali over the message spell she'd cast minutes ago. "Lali, can you hear me?" But Lali must already be out of range, for there is no answer.
"Think we can just follow the river and find them?" she asks Daen and Luthor. "We'll be faster on horses than they'll be on foot, and then we can work on getting them dry."
Hearing Cyanne's sharp cry, Daen's heart leapt. After turning around, he saw what caused it. Kaz flowing downstream. He finished the job to which he could, helping bring Luthor and Cyanne in. As he did so, Lali jumped in the river with a splash taking him completely by surprise. It made sense though. If she felt confident in the river, then she could help Kaz.
As Cyanne mentioned her plan, Daen was still at a loss for what to do, so he just nodded. "That sounds good, let's go." Out of the three of them, he was their best martial defense, so he needed to keep his eyes ready for any threat that might hit them while they were separated. He swung his horse around and prepared to head upstream. He scowled a bit when he noticed the others preparing to go the other way, clearly confused and embarrassed. "Which way is downstream?"
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For a horrible moment when Surefoot cries out underneath him, Kazimir is very, very aware of the weight and awkwardness of his armour. His head goes under, and he feels himself leave the saddle, being swept away by the rushing water. He fights for the surface, missing the rope, missing that lifeline, missing his chance at saving himself.
When he finds air again, he's welcomed by the sight of Laliytsa easily reaching him, dragging him to the surface and helping him to shore. When he finally hauls himself to the soggy shore, he spends several long moments coughing, sputtering, and trying to get his eyes and limbs working again.
"Thank you," he finally manages, gulping another great lungful of shivering air. "That... That was terrifying." Swallowing hard, he pulls himself into a seated position, shaking water out of his ears. "How far did we go?"
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Once the pair reach the shore Laliytsa collapses on her back. Something, she's not sure what, smacked her in the head during their trip down the river. Probably a rock? Whatever it was it's left her ears ringing.
Once she's caught her breath Laliytsa takes a look around. Nothing here looks familiar. "I...I'm not sure. Wasn' long enough to go too far." It feels like someone shoved a sock in her brain. She starts wringing out her hair while waiting for the disorientation to pass. "Are ya alrigh'? Not too banged up?"
"I feel..." Kaz struggles with words, staring hopelessly at the river. "I feel wet. And cold. And I'm not sure which way is up." He shivers, suddenly freezing. "But I'm alive, thanks in no small part to you." He gives the woman a grateful smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Should we try to find the others, or wait for them to reach us?"
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"It feels like someone shoved a sock in her brain."
"Oh no!" Luthor cried out as Kazimir tumbled into the rapids, flowing down stream in a jumbled mass of flailing limbs. It was quite clear his alarm was warranted as the paladin did not show any signs of recovering on his own. Laliytsas intervention did give him hope, as he watched her traverse the distance between them with obvious skill. "We have to help!" He shouted, missing most of what Cyanne and Daen said as he forced his mount into an awkward gallop downstream, bouncing from side to side and holding on for dear life.
Laliytsa's observation of their landing spot doesn't reveal a wide variety of landmarks to go off of. Here and there, patches of the same thorns the party discovered the boars in cover the landscape, but here, their thorns seem longer and their leaves paler. The Thorn River seems to have cut through the saddle between a pair of river-debris mounds, each easily fifty feet tall, that block the view upstream. Meanwhile, a couple of holes, few and far between, burn through the otherwise ominously grey cloud-cover.
Once Daen, Luthor, and Cyanne have worked out which way is downstream, they begin riding. However, the west bank of the Thorn is crowded here with patches of the eponymous plants, and despite the short distance, it's nearly an hour before they come to a pair of river-cobble hills, one on either side of the Thorn River, that stand like sentinels over the thorn-patches. In the meantime, the grey blanket of clouds has given way to a few holes patches of blue, though they're few and far between.
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"Wearin' wet clothes on a cold day is how ya get hypothermia. Gimmie a minute an' I'll see bout tryin' to make a fire. Might be able to make a spark with my axe 'n a rock..."
"We'd best go after Luthor before he falls off, galloping like that!" Of course, Cyanne's own riding ability was not much better, but she felt more confident with an expert rider like Daen by her side.
It was with equal parts relief and frustration that she met the thorn bushes that slowed their progress. On the one hand, they stopped Luthor from galloping at break neck speed. On the other, they slowed the trio's progress to a crawl.
As they reached the hills, she looked around. "Do you think we could have missed them? I thought we would have found Kaz and Lali by now."
He perked up slightly as a few muffled squeaks drifted out from his jacket. "Rikka is right, ofcourse they made it to safety." He looked back at the others. "She says we just havnt reached them yet, they wouldnt stray from the shore when they know we are coming for them. Lets keep going."
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"... You're joking," Kaz says flatly, quickly shifting his eyes to the ground as Laliytsa begins stripping. He chances a glance back up, before quickly looking away again, blushing. "Oh gods, you're serious," he sighs, burying his face in his hands, before deciding that she knows better than he does, and following her example.
He's far less decisive about the process than she is, pausing between each removed garment as if hoping that will be enough. Finally realizing he may as well just get it over with, he strips down to nothing but his underwear and holy symbol and sets about trying to find the least awkward sitting position he can find. "So... a fire sounds good," he says finally, avoiding eye contact.
Laliytsa's axe blade and a river rock does in fact produce a spark, and a bit of dry grass gets a fire going nicely. The only trouble is finding fuel for it; there aren't many trees nearby, and Lali and Kazimir are forced to resort to burning the relatively wet thorns. This, of course, results in a quite smokey fire that needs to be constantly fed, and the two of them are kept quite warm moving back and forth with gingerly-carried armloads of thorn-bushes. Laliytsa quickly sees a benefit of the smokey fire; the dark grey column is rising up perhaps fifty feet before the breeze disperses it.
Cresting the hill, the first thing that comes into view is a column of filthy grey smoke from near the Thorn's western bank. The second thing is the large thorn-patch that the smoke seems to be coming from, and the third are a pair of figures alternating between sitting at the fire and carefully moving into the bushes.
Daen spots the smoke and points it out. "Look, it seems either we have a signal, or they're just getting warm. It could be both." He squints as he sees the figures go into the bushes. It could also be some tribal people, or something much more sinister, but it was a fair bet it was the two they were looking for. "Let us get down there to see if they need any help."
Cyanne holds up her hand up, and says, "Wait a moment." Then she points a finger and casts message spell at the figures down below.
"Lali, Kaz... Is that you?" Then it occurs to her that she might be surprising some total strangers with a whispered message spell, which could be very awkward. "Um, if you're not Kaz or Lali... Hi? I'm Cyanne, and I and my friends are coming down if that's okay with you."
"Erastil, why do you test me so?" Kazimir mutters, rubbing his forehead with one hand. Responding to the message spell, he replies, "Yes, it's us... Probably more of us than you were expecting, but I assure you there's an explanation."
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"It's them!" Cyanne drives Volte forward in a gallop down the hill. At the fire, she stops, awkwardly. "Oh. That's what you meant. Well, don't worry. It's just a body, though a well built one. I've worn a lot less than that dancing on stage.". She pulls her bedroll off Volte and hands it to Kaz to wrap himself. "Only my lingerie had, um, more lace and ribbon."
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The half elf continued to wrinkle his forehead. While the touches she was giving him were definitely welcome, the situation made them seem inappropriate. He knew she also desired touch, she mentioned it herself several times. He responded by touching her hair, knowing that things were working out that he may not do so for a while.
If they were both afraid, perhaps that was good. They could be on the same page, they could come to an understanding. And love was truly the thing that drove his ambition. It was his love for his mother that had brought him this far. Having another person pushing him and encouraging him sounded good. He had rivalry, another motivational force in his life had absolute merit.
But he was still somewhat confused at what she was meaning. She wanted him in totem, but only for a short while? It would be best if he spent more time in investigation, and as such, not getting swept up in the physical ecstasy of it all would be a good idea. "No, I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean, this will require some thought and conversation. But yes, I believe I can come to a personal consensus in a month. I appreciate your patience. I'm still very new to all of this, and it will take me a while to process what's happening to me."
Upon coming toward the camp, Daen started to realize what was happening. It seemed Lali and Kaz had taken their opportunity to indulge in carnal satisfaction.He'd read a book about it once, to satisfy his curiosity concerning some questions he had, and he had heard enough coarse joking by his cousins to realize the basic mechanics. Perhaps their shared experience revealed their true feelings to each other. Such honest expression happening around him made him slightly envious of the ability.
He pulled up short of the fire, wheeling Chernilla around and averting his eyes. He was about to make a comment to them about bringing their horses and supplies to them when Cyanne made her comment.
Dancing? Without clothes? Who in their right mind would do anything of the sort? Stunned to silence, he merely paid attention to the horses, feigning like everything was fine, despite the chaos in his mind.
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"Less than that?" Luthor said, looking Cyanne up and down for a few long moments with his thoughts rather obvious. It wasnt until Rikka slapped him and waved a scolding finger at him, with a few choice squeaks for good measure, that he stopped. His reaction was just as obvious as his stare had been, a look on his face not unlike that of a dog who knows hes done something bad. He stole a few glances at her, trying to gauge if she had noticed, but quickly became engrossed in their surroundings when he caught her looking back.
"So, uhm, you both look to be fine. I trust you wont be needing any tending?" He said, staring intently at the terrain directly opposite where Cyanne was.
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"We can give Kaz a few ribbons an’ have him be yer backup dancer.” Laliytsa starts cackling with laughter. “That’s our backup plan if’n things go south; we ‘come a dancin’ troop” Her laughter subsides to a chuckle.
The fire starts to burn low. She looks at it, shrugs, and adds some more thorns. They might as well stay put until everything’s dried off. Poor Kaz looks miserable under that blanket. Kind of like a puppy that got forced into a bath and now questions if there’s any good in the world. She feels a twinge of guilt.
“Eh, well, don’ be too hard on him. Sittin’ ‘round in wet clothes in the cold is how ya get real sick. Not like he had much choice in it.”
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Daen was practically hiding behind Chernilla now. There were several emotions hitting him at the same time. He tried to quantify them. First, he felt a bit a shame for all the nakedness both past and present. He felt envious of people who had seen Cyanne in very little clothing. He felt rage against the people who saw her thus, as they were obviously not worthy of her. He felt guilt over feeling protective and jealous over Cyanne when they had just decided not to treat each other special for a month until he could work out exactly what he wanted.
He had to sit down.
The half elf put his head between his knees and took some deep breaths. He began reciting prime numbers quietly to himself.
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"Well-built...?" Kaz flounders at the words, staring at Cyanne as he wraps the blanket around his shoulders, huddling by the fire. "How is it possible to wear less than - never mind, I don't need to know the answer," he sighs, holding up a hand to forestall any response.
The smoke from the fire burns his eyes and throat, but it's better than looking up at anyone. Lali's comment about ribbons and backup dancers makes him groan and rest his forehead on his knees. "If either of you can wave your fingers and dry my clothes, I think I'd like to get dressed," he mumbles, not looking up.
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He had only made it to forty three when he heard something about casting a spell. Utility. It had worked much better than primes anyhow. He stood up and walked out boldly, focused on his objective. "We still have a fair amount of ground to cover before night fall." He spoke as he used his magic to dry the clothes hung up by the fire.
"As soon as you are both ready, we can depart. We are already behind schedule." He still felt heated from the emotions, but he was beginning to calm a bit, just glad there was something to occupy his mind besides what he'd just experienced.
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"Yes, less than that," Cyanne answers Luthor absently, as she helps dry out Lali's clothes. "Burlesque is all about the tease. I never liked dancing completely naked. There's no mystery, you know? But wear a set of strategically placed ribbons that always look like they're about to fall off, and you will capture the audience's rapt attention."
Then she notices the embarrassed staring, followed by all three men suddenly averting their eyes. "Oh! Wait a minute. Are you guys telling me you haven't seen a burlesque show? I could show you sometime, or better yet, we could all go to the Restive Rose the next time we're in Restov!" She claps her hands, earnestly excited to share something she loves with her new friends. "Oh, tell me you'll come! We don't need to start a dance troupe of our own. Just enjoy the art of others!"
Despite the newly-dried clothes and the pale, wan sunlight breaking through the clouds, Kazimir and Laliytsa find themselves unable to stop shivering astride Surefoot and Wild. Exploration up the Thorn River reveals little of interest. In many places, the river narrows and speeds up, turning into a tumbling cascade of whitewater, while in other places it seems more like a long, thin lake than a river. Before long, it nearly disappears under a series of sandstone cliffs on the east bank, each nearly three hundred feet tall. Through the evening, a strong, cool wind rises out of the south, and by the time camp is set, a hard spring rain is falling and the party is once again soaked.
Watch proves to be difficult, as bursts of lightning and peals of thunder seem to go off every few minutes, echoing against the sandstone cliffs nearby. Fortunately, the tent deflects the worst of the water, and the unfortunate souls on watch (everyone in the party, as the storm refuses to stop until near morning) don’t see much of anything between the pitch black and sudden bursts of light.
As the party leaves their camp near the cliffs, continuing northwest away from the Thorn and toward the Narlmarches, the clouds finally depart, letting proper sunlight through. The cliffs, brilliant shades of grey, tan, and reddish-orange, gradually fade away to a yellow-brown series of short, steep hills, which the Thorn weaves its way through almost lazily. Near mid-morning, the party comes across a patch of bushes, with what seem to be reddish-brown berries growing all over them.
No sooner are his pants dry than Kazimir's pulling them on gratefully, taking haste to put up that first barrier between himself and the rest of the world. The rest of his clothing and armour follows at a more leisurely pace, after he realizes that over-eagerness is likely to result in torn clothing and further awkwardness. As he finishes strapping and buckling himself into his armour, he sighs. "I can honestly say I've never even considered going to a burlesque show. Not much room for such things on a farm." He finishes by strapping his shield to his arm once more, grateful that nothing seemed to have been lost in his plunge. "It doesn't really sound like my thing, but if you insist..."
By the time morning comes around, he's well and truly sick of being wet. Kaz apologizes profusely to Surefoot as he saddles the horse, but the creature responds with an almost reproachful stare.
The cliffs were breathtaking, though, and he can't help taking it all in, admiring the beauty of the landscape. Before long, he's able to forget the embarrassing events of the previous day (however briefly) and simply enjoy the ride.
By the time the party reaches the berry patch, he's in a better mood. "Didn't the hermit say something about a berry patch?" he asks, glancing across at Laliytsa. "Fangberries or something?"
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Later, noticing Kaz and Laliytsa's shivering, Cyanne uses prestidigitation, and then passes each a mug filled with hot water, flavored like her favorite lemon-mint tea. "Drink up. Having something warm in you will help." She thinks a moment. "So would shared body heat. I could sleep with Lali to try to warm her, if you boys want to sleep on either side of Kaz."
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"Bokken did say something about fangberries. He said that without them, his 'light and fluffy' potions tasted of 'sweat and bile.'" Cyanne snorts at the memory. "These are the first berries we've seen, and Bokken said that the berries grew about five miles south of his place." She turns to Laliytsa and Daen. "Are we about five miles away from Bokken?"
Cyanne dismounts Volte, and paces for a moment. She remembers everything Bokken told her of the berry, and studies the bushes.
"Bokken said that the berries moved or wiggled, and I remembered hearing Aron say something once about fangberries long ago. He said, 'Fangberries are named for the creatures that flock to them, rather than for any attribute of the berries themselves...'"