Merrik had informed the tamers in the forest that their hunting hours were coming to a close. With only one stag successfully claimed, he would insist that Obsidian Nova return later that night to claim 2 more so they could process and store the meat for months to come. Merrik was please with both groups, despite the failures of one. The Stags were incredibly difficult to catch and he didn't dare blame them for coming up empty handed. The tamers flew back over the course of a few hours when they arrived, Merrik found himself facing the most unusual of surprises: Terria and Alder had met. Terria was up, and Alder had found his way to her side.
~~~~~
[dscroll]The Meadow was quiet and still. Not even the wind seemed to penetrate the towering trees that surrounded the area. Alder wandered through the grass, looking over the water of the pond as he passed and headed towards his new home within the realm of the Order. He had removed his shirt and balled it up, now holding it against his right side where a blade had cut him during the fight at Kibran less than a week ago. Merrik had insisted on healing him using mana, but despite his connection to Andraste, Alder felt that magic for something as minor as this one cut was just cheating. Instead, the old sentinel had opted for simple sewing, and now he paid the price. The training was harsh on his older body, and naturally, the stitches had torn, and he needed to clean them. To do this, he was excused from training to go change his shirt and at least clean the wound.
~
Perhaps mana would be a better idea. A warrior such as yourself should never have an excuse from training.~
Alder chuckled aloud at Andraste's words within his mind. The dragoness was still with the others, but even this far away, he could still hear her clearly. How strange.
~
I did say I could continue. It was Lord Tetra who forced me to leave.~ As he said this, he looked down, noticing that the bleeding had subsided. Slowly, he removed the wadded shirt and huffed. It didn't even hurt that badly.
~
Still...hurry back, yes? You have much to learn if you are to be as ready as the others for the war ahead.~
~
Yes, yes...I know.~
The calm tones of his dragoness's thoughts stilled his own mind as he entered the stables. As she pulled herself from his mind, the man found his ears catching a hint of rustling from one of the stalls. Looking over, he noticed that the stall marked for the Lady Tetra had her mighty dragoness within, but she seemed distressed for some reason. Deciding it best to peek in, as he was the only one around, Alder noticed that, beneath Taega was the Lady Tetra, herself, attempting with great difficulty to move from the array of pillows now scattered around her.
He stepped in completely, gray eyes moving about the scene with a quick assessment of the situation. The Lady Tetra was too weak to move, and yet she tried to so very desperately, and the dragoness was trying hard to help her tamer without harming her. This seemed to no avail.
The moment his mind came to a conclusion, he noticed that the woman, weak and frighteningly thin, had made it to the edge of the dragoness's bed. Once she took a moment to breathe, she heaved herself forward, only to slip and find herself toppling forward.
In an instant, the old sentinel leapt into action, making the few short bounds forward to catch her in his arms. She was very light, and her body trembled against him. He gave her a tentative smile before speaking. "
Might want to take care where you step, m'lady. I'd hate for anyone to get hurt, and I'm sure your dragoness feels the same way." Slowly, he lowered himself, placing her feet on the ground and giving her a gentle, steady arm to hold while she attempted to stand. Once on her feet, he spoke again, bowing his head without removing his arm from her. "
A pleasure to officially meet you. My name is Alder Grey. I'm the new tamer, bonded to the Valor Dragoness, Andraste. If there is anything you might need, Lady Tetra, you need only ask.."
Taega was grateful for the man's arrival. During her time at the monastery, in the short months that she had spent alongside the unfamiliar weyr of yearlings, she had grown fond of only a select few. Andraste was one of those few and when word came that she was flying out to bond at the meadow, Taega was pleased.
Terria felt anger grow inside of her but it was a weak, lazy anger. Most of her emotions were as such: weak, unmotivated, bland . . . small. Ever since the day Ogual drained her blood and forced it back into her veins using contorted mana, her mind had changed, her emotions had all but disappeared, pain became a landmark in time more than a feeling. Suffering became routine, healing became an exhausting exercise, mana became a necessity, a burden of survival. And even survival. . . it had become something she hated. At times, survival was her greatest enemy, for it brought only more pain. . . But it was an enemy she could not escape, for no matter how broken Ogual had made her, her soul could not be broken, for none could touch her soul, save Taega and herself.
The anger. . .it was a memory of who she once was. It was a shadow of her pride and stubborness, but now it simply passed. Anger made no sense. She was weak, broken, empty. Anger made no sense.
Allowing the man to help her stand, he breathed with subtle, rasped breaths. Her muscles screamed, but the pain was familiar and she did not suffer from it, rather found normalcy in it.
Taega, on the other hand, felt the pain of Terria's heart, mind, and body and she did struggle with it. She could not numb herself to it, she could not normalize it, and the pain mixed with the emptiness and the numbness that lived in Terria quite violently, causing turmoil within the Lunar's heart.
"
Alder." She spoke quietly, her voice so unfamiliar save the sound of her own screams. "
Thank you." She said simply and then moved to try and make her way to the ladder, letting go of the man's strong arm. One step, two, then three, and the pain claimed her body, if not her mind.
She collapsed to the floor but before it could take her completely, Alder was there again. Anger begged to return, but she simply could not welcome it. She had no energy to harbor anger, no energy to let it beg for the pride that once existed there. Pride only made sense when there was something there, something to be proud of. There was nothing anymore, she was nothing. And so it was forced to recede, ignoring the absence pride that once lived in her heart.
"
I. . . I smell. Bad. I need fresh clothes. . . a bath." She stared up at the ladder that stood like a mighty and formidable foe before her weakened corpse. "
I can't. . ." Tears crept forward but they found no sadness to cling to, no upset to release them, no pain to give them strength, and so they hid away and Terria only stared at the ladder.
"
Please, I'm sorry to ask this of you. . . I need clothes. Can you help me?"
He had heard of the story, of course. It was still fresh in everyone's minds. Terria, a mightier mage than Merrik, himself, was taken by Ogual and broken down, piece by piece. She was frail, but he could only imagine the great strength she had to endure such torture. His mind reached out towards Andraste as his eyes caught the obvious distress felt by the dragoness before him. Though he knew little, he had been told that the dragons felt what their tamers felt in greater detail and strength. ~
The Lady Tetra is awake and trying to move. It seems that her dragoness is very distressed. What should I do?~
For a moment, there was silence on her end. As he awaited her response, he watched Terria cautiously, ready to move at a moment's notice. "
You're quite welcome." He could tell that she had not used her voice in a long time, even before her long sleep. Giving her a gentle smile beneath the dark hair of his face, he stood slowly as her hand released his arm. She was unsteady from the start, and it didn't take long for her to fall again.
Three of her steps was only one of his. Alder was there in a second, catching her swiftly to keep her from completely toppling atop herself. "
Perhaps you should take it slow. You have a lot of recovering to do, m'lady."
~
I have informed Lord Tetra of her awakening. He is on his way, as is the rest of the Order. Of course, it may be a while. Please, do help her while you wait. She is in need of your strength while she awaits the strength of her brother.~
A mental confirmation was sent as he watched Terria speak with a trembling voice. He could see the tears spring forward, but never fall. A part of him wondered if it was just how drained she was, or if she was just trying not to cry. He couldn't really tell.
"
Of course. I will gather your necessities and help you to the bathing room. Lord Tetra is on his way to you, but he is a ways out. Until he gets here, I will aide you in any way I can." With that said, he seated her gently, bowing his head before her before doing so towards Taega and quickly working up the ladder. What little amount of clotting had begun on his cut had since opened once more and began seeping fresh blood. However, it was nothing more than a mild inconvenience, and as he dug through her drawers to find all of her necessary clothing, stumbling only slightly upon finding her toiletries before grabbing them as well, he made sure to keep them far from his right side. Then, as quickly as he had risen, he descended again, dropping down and handing her the bundle.
"
If you can carry these, I will take you to the bathing room. Would you prefer to attempt to walk, or shall you have me carry you? I leave the choice up to you, Lady Tetra."
She willed herself to smile, but her muscles wouldn't allow it. The pungent smell of her own body odor was all that drove her to move forward. She simply couldn't handle it. The smell of blood had left, that was the first thing she noticed when she woke up, but the her body smelled of sickness and it was this smell that stirred up the most emotion in her body. Not the pain, not the emotions - or absence thereof - but the smell of sickness that had lingered on her for weeks. . . months? How long had she been gone?
"
I'll walk. I have to . . I'll walk." Something inside of her sparked. Something pushed through the muddied waters that numbed her heart and mind, something that wanted to move forward. Hope, perhaps. A mere whisper of who she once was.
That small glimmer of desire, the will to do
something brought a wave of relief over Taega. It was the first semblance of . . . of
life, real and sincere
life, that she had felt in Terria since her return.
The dragon hummed, a cool and low tune reverberating from her belly and as it sounded, a calming wave would sweep over the meadow and all within in. Taega stayed where she was and continued on meditating, focusing on that glimmer of hope and sending out her own emotions along side it.
Terria took a deep breath and then a step. A small, careful step, and then another. Three. . . four. . . five. . . "Ald-" her legs screamed again and she called out for the man that had since become her guardian angel. A stranger, someone who knew nothing of her and she nothing of him. He only knew that in that moment, she was there and she knew the same of he, and so somehow, she leaned, she relied. He was there when she fell again. He steadied her quickly and carefully and when she let his arm go again to walk on her own once more, he didn't try and hold her back or coddle her.
Each time, she went farther, falling later and later each time. She was subconsciously healing herself at this point, her strong knowledge of healing mana working automatically in accordance with her body's subconscious will to become whole again. Each time the pain brought her down, her mana responded to the shadows of who she once was and who she once was, was a strong, vibrant, alive, and whole person who never cared to learn the meaning of defeat. Her body fought even without her will and all the while, Taega's own heart willed their shared soul to press on. Terria may not have had any hope, any emotions, any thoughts, but her soul was not of her mind. Her soul was of her heart and of her bond and together they would cultivate that soul and bring it to life once more.
It took nearly 15 minutes for her to reach the bathroom, Alder patiently helping her along the way, never showing any signs of impatience or annoyance. When she reached the door, he opened it for her and she stepped carefully in. She stopped when she saw he was not entering.
"
I. . ." She looked at the baths set into the floor, knowing just how strenuous it could be on the body to lower oneself into them. She felt her warm, sticky, sweaty clothes clinging to her body and she knew the work it would take to rid herself of them. She would have been burning with embarassment, with shame, to do what she did next. She would have, but that was before. Now? There was only the smell of sickness and she simply could not bear it any longer.
"
I need help. . .I'm sorry. The. . . nobody is here, and I need help. Please." She still spoke quietly, looking the man in his grey eyes, seeking some connection but her feelings would not come. There was no comfort, yet. . . there was something. The color of his eyes. . . they reminded her of Taega. They were. . . familiar. Familiarity was difficult for her. The smell of blood. That had become familiar. The sharp tone of Ogual's laugh. . . that had become familiar. The sharp pain that came with the the edge of a blade. . . darkness. . . mana depletion. . . the ache of her soul as she slowly ran dry. . . Familiar. But then. . . these halls, Taega, the sound of Merrik's voice in her dreams, the smell of the air, the hum of Taega's voice, the color of Alder's eyes: they were familiar too.
At that time, there was no way of knowing what would come of her mind. She was at a crossroads where her mind and body had been broken and divided, lost and muddled, her identity, her sense of self, of life, and familiarity, they were muddled. What happened over the next few weeks would no doubt be crucial in deciding which familiarity became true to her, but in that moment, Alder's eyes that looked so much like her soulmate were what was familiar. That was it. And it was a start.
Her desire to do things on her own made Alder smile. He gave a nod, deciding it best to keep the bundle tucked beneath his arm for the moment as she began to step forward. He did not hover over her, knowing the need to feel strong when swimming in such weakness. Like her, he had suffered, but certainly not to her extent. He remembers the darkness of the plague swimming in his mind, forcing his legs to carry him closer and closer to the city he so dearly loved. With every breath he took, he willed himself away, all for the need to bring a friend hope. His need for that hope, he felt, was much like her need to prove her own strength.
He had some pity for the young woman, certainly. As he caught her once more and helped her steady herself before she took a few more steps on her own, he thought about this. What she had gone through - what she survived - was something that no living creature should ever have to endure. But he did not show his pity. Instead, he chose to show his admiration for her strength to endure. He admired that she was taking her own steps. He admired that she was pushing through the pain while also suffering from horrible memories.
It took a while, of course, to finally get to the women's bathing room. He carefully opened the door to allow her a stress-free entrance and placed her clothing beside the towels. Then, he made a swift retreat with a bow towards her. "
I don't want to intrude upon your privacy, m'lady." But her need for help through the pain and the month-old clothing that stuck to her body in what he could only imagine as the most uncomfortable ways drove him to action.
"
Very well...I will help you until your brother arrives. Please, if I make you uncomfortable in any way, just let me know." Then, as though there was no issue at all, he helped her into the bathing room beside the hamper of dirty laundry. As she raised her arms, he grasped the bottom of her tattered shirt. It was stiff from the sweat and lack of movement from the last week, and the fabric was quick to catch on the slightest hair or loosened skin. Slowly, he pulled it up, revealing the numerous scars of her life with Ogual. Looking away, his cheeks flushing bright red beneath his beard, he finished pulling the shirt from her, pulling it from her arms quickly and throwing it in the hamper.
"
Please...let me know how you wish me to continue. I do not want to make you uncomfortable." He looked towards her face, making sure he did not let his eyes wander in any way. He was obviously beyond his own comfort zone, but his desire to help a lady in need kept him rooted in place, ready for her next instructions.
The words almost made her laugh. As if any level of discomfort would ever matter again. And yet, he was kind and she felt his concern in her heart, the heart that beat through the numbness. She had given up pride, given up notions of embarrassment. Those only came with a sense of self and right now, there was so little of Terria, barely enough to care at all if her figure was exposed.
The scars that covered her body were long, deep, and fresh with color. She had grown to trust them, knowing exactly where each one was, at least the ones she could see, and knowing she could count them, make them her own, make them a part of her life and her story, no matter how dark.
It felt good to feel the warm air on her skin and she leaned on Alder, bracing herself on his arms as she bent forward as best she could to remove her tight, sweat covered tights that clung to her skin. When she peeled them from her body, she tossed them aside and took a few deep breaths to steady herself.
After a moment, she asked for help removing her brassiere, and then stepped out of her undergarments entirely before moving carefully forward to the bath a few feet away. "
I have no comfort zone, you needed worry," she aid flatly.
She needed Alder's help lowering herself into the bath but as she slowly slipped into the hot, scented waters, she felt a wave of emotion unlike anything she had felt in the past weeks. Her body scream in sighs of relief, the hot water flooded over her aching muscles, the salts filling the air with a calming scent, the suds drawing the sweat and dust from her hair.
This was only the second time she had bathed since she had been lost to Ogual's clutches. The first had been when she returned to the meadow, when Reverie and Saira had helped her, but she had been so numb that she could barely feel the temperature of the water nor smell the scents that surrounded her. There had been nothing, but now. . . there was something. She welcomed the heat, savored the scents. There was something.
A smile crept to her dried, cracked lips and this time, they responded, if only a little. "
It feels nice." And that was something.
"
Please, could you help me wash . . ." The old Terria would feel ashamed, embarrassed, desperately needing to explain or justify her need for help but this Terria, she had no shame, no dignity. She had only the broken, meager body that betrayed her withered mind. The old Terria might even have enjoyed the presence and touch of a strong, handsome stranger. But this Terria. . . she lacked that part of her. That part of a person was reserved for those who felt their survival was assured.
"
I've forgotten what I look like." She spoke quietly, unsure even of why she spoke and what she might say next. "
It's . . . it's an odd thing. I look down and I see this body, these scars, this flesh, and it's familiar, but is it who I am? I. . . I don't know. I don't remember what I looked like before, and I can't be sure if this is what I really look like now, or if it's a mask. . . What if it's a mask that hides something that is no longer there?"
Quiet, only the sound of water dripping as Alder carefully wiped her shoulders and back, tracing down her arms. "
Who are you, Alder? What lies behind your mask?"
She was silent as she leaned against him, removing her tights with a great deal of effort. As to not push her limits, he held her steady while keeping his eyes on the wall to his side. Beneath the dark hair on his face, his dark skin was flushed, entirely. Even with the multiple scars, still pink and puckered, and even with how hollow she looked, Alder could not deny the beauty of this woman. She was fair, with dark hair that greatly resembled that of her brother. And, if anything, the marks upon her skin only gave him a great connection to her.
When she asked for him to help in the removal of her brassiere, he stammered, hands now shaking. "
I-I am not sure that is..." Stopping, he saw her face. She was hollow, pained, and simply wanted a bath. Her arms ached with every movement, and there simply was no way to do such a simple task on her own. He had to help. Setting his lips in a thin line, he gave a slow nod. As she turned, he grasped the belt with shaking hands. He knew how it worked...brassieres were designed much like armor. But it still took him a few moments to undo the buckle and release the strap that held her breasts in place.
She was swift to remove the last of her undergarments, and once again, Alder found himself in quite the predicament. He couldn't imagine how much Merrik would kill him right now if he were to see what was going on. "
Mayhaps you do not worry, but I do have standards, m'lady. I feel very indecent." Even so, he gave the help she requested of him, walking her towards the back before grabbing her hands gently and keeping her steady while she lowered into the water.
Her words brought forth a smile. Something so simple, and yet it said so much. How long had she gone without something feeling good? Keeping his eyes away from her as best he could, he cleared his throat slightly. "
I am glad to hear that, m'lady. A bath is always a welcomed feeling."
Once again, though, he found himself being thrown beyond the horizon of his comfort in her request to help wash. "
I can get the hard to reach places if you desire. But I do not wish to marr your pride as a woman with my gaze. It would be very indecent of me." He grabbed a few cloths to wash her with and a few different jars of various scented lathers, putting each one up to her so that she could choose her favorite. With her choice made, he began to wash her slowly, first gently pulling her hair to one shoulder and letting it drape forward so that he could begin at the nape of her neck and wash down.
When she spoke again, he found himself surprised. She was broken, and he could hear it in her words. She didn't know who she was any more, and if she did, she couldn't tell if it was the real her. His hands trembled at the sound of such a thing. "
I do not think it is a mask, m'lady. Simply a form of growing pains. I know that each scar I possess - both physically and mentally - have allowed me to become the person I am today. And I like who I am. Mayhaps, with time, you will come to see that the you that you were before was not as brilliant as the you that you are now. Not to say that you were not brilliant before...but I do not know you very well, so it is hard to judge such a thing."
He took a few moments to think on her question, his hands now flowing meticulously across her back and shoulders before slowly wiping away the sweat and dust along her tiny arms. "
I do not think I wear a mask...at least, I try not to. But perhaps we all do, as you said. I am not a wise man, nor am I brave. I am...a man with hope. That hope has since driven me into places I would rather not remember...but still, I carry it. In every scar, I have someone I fought for. In every memory, I have love and loss. I have victory and defeat. I try to show my true self, for I wish everyone could see the hope I possess. But oftentimes, that is simply not the case."
He chewed his lip a little, the silence deafening. "
Would you like me to wash your hair?"
Terria stared off into the empty space in front of her. "
Standards," she said quietly, "
and your standards do not allow you to help those in need?" And then, to herself, "
Or. . . is this something more. . ? Something more than a simple kindness to a broken woman?" Certainly it was nothing more to her. It was the only way she could have gotten into that bath and freed herself of the clinging sleep that threatened to reclaim her.
But then he mentioned her pride, and whatever mood that may have existed within her dropped into the abyss once more. "
Pride. . ." As if she had any of that. She realized that he didn't understand, that he couldn't, and she had no right to expect him to.
As he spoke of who she might be and of his own image, she found herself becoming lost in his voice. Her mind was tired. She heard the words, but mostly, she simply listened to the rising and falling of his tone, the deep, slightly rough voice that carried her attention when it threatened to settle and fall into a slumber. That voice because a crutch, and it held her up in the time they spent in those familiar baths. She took up his offer to receive help with her hair and while he gently freed her of her filth, she listened to him speak of his past, of his journeys, stories of trips across the land, simple interactions and boring meetings. His tales were the kind a normal stories exchanged between life-long friends who knew so much about each other that all that remained was the boring specifics of day to day life, and she took comfort in it. Yes, comfort, it did come.
When Merrik arrived back at the meadow, he ran down the hall to Terria's room, catching himself on the door frame to slow himself before seeing that she was no longer in Taega's nest. He looked up, confused, but Taega quickly glanced beyond him, nodding at a door that was cracked open and held in place by a stop. He moved slowly and quietly to the bath and peered in, seeing something that initially set his stomach churning but as he watched, he felt a calm sweeping over him.
He could see her head and shoulders peaking out from the bath. At her side, resting uncomfortably on the stones, Alder sat speaking to her in a low tone. He heard words of travel, something about a meal he shared with someone, but it all meant little to Merrik. What mattered, was that Terria was awake, she was moving, and she seemed comfortable with the help of the man that had only just made the meadows his home. Merrik saw no lingering gaze from Alder, no gestures that brought any concern. The man simply say there massaging soaps into Terria's long hair and carefully combing through it with his fingers to rid the girl of painful knots.
His gaze moved to Alder's side then, where his wound had bled into a mess along his body. It wasn't a heavy bleed, but a consistent one. From the door, Merrik did something he knew would bother Alder, but he only hoped the man would understand his reasoning. He silently urged his mana forth and sealed the skin that had torn open through the stitches, stifling the bleeding, and allowing the man a break from what would have likely been a dull pain. He said nothing, but when Alder glanced over at the door, Merrik only bowed, his hand over his heart as a sign of deep gratitude, and left.
He made his way to Terria's stall to speak with Taega, to see what Terria would need. After a while, he decided he would build a life that would allow Taega to pull Terria up to her quarters. He then went to find Saira to see if she might help him clean Terria's quarters and launder her clothes that had begun to collect dust.
His heart was riddled with confusion but he felt hope. She had obviously allowed Alder to help her, and he obviously had done so with great care and honor. From what Taega had said, Merrik owed the newcomer a great deal of thanks and respect, for Terria seemed to trust him. For the time being, he would do what he could, and wait until she decided he was the one she needed.
Meanwhile, Terria had felt the waters cooling. Where she once would have simply warmed them once more, she had no desire to put effort into finding her mana veins and drawing the force out. Instead, she asked is Alder might help her out. She wished to dress, this time in lighter clothes. He had selected the perfect attire for her, a set of navy-blue slacks that flowed loosely, save 6 or so inches of tighter fabric at the waist and ankles. The slacks were some of her old favorites, loose, stretchy, fitted in the right places. And the top was a flowing t-shirt with loose sleeves, a simple, high neck that would save her skin the chill of the breeze, and it bore a silvery color. The fabric was soft and shone gently as the silvery threads lit up under the candlelight.
As she carefully freed herself of the water, she worked with an ever-patient, if not uncomfortable Alder, to dress herself and then sat on a bench while the kind man drew a brush through her wet hair, her natural, gentle waves showing up more clearly in the wet locks.
"
How is Andraste?" She asked, after some time. "
I have not heard that name in many moons. She remained at the monastery with the others when I left. How is she?"
The words she spoke at what he thought was a respectful remark pierced through him like a javelin. His standards were to always help those in need. No matter the consequences. He could not watch another suffer if there was a way to stop it. He looked away from her face when she said that, pain filling him at the thought of a person who would refuse to help such a spirited, though broken, young woman. It was around this time that he had mentioned her pride, and the same pain that had forced him to look away from her, he began to see in her own eyes.
"
I did not mean to hurt you, m'lady. I only meant that every woman I had met had a sense of pride about themselves, never daring to show any part that would be considered indecent before a man that is not their betrothed." He bit his lip before bowing his head slightly, his voice falling to almost a whisper. "
Then again, none of those women have gone through what you have. While I cannot understand it, I can only imagine how little pride you have after being broken so many times. For that, I apologize from the very bottom of my heart. I only wish to make things right. And if that means making your comfortable, that is what I will do."
While he was still a little anxious and nervous to touch her, Alder mentioned nothing of it and began to fall into the rhythm of speaking to her, his hands working to get her clean and comfortable.
As he began washing her hair, he filled the empty air with simple tales of his past. How he had traveled all along the northern part of Galidus, before the plague had reached Otamur. How the oceans would glitter in the skies as the sun rose and set behind the mountains. How the soldiers that were with him and the other sentinels would spend much of their free time testing each other in the freezing water. "
They never could make it longer than a minute before screaming like small girls. Sad thing was, many of them ended up losing a few toes because they didn't know how to properly care for themselves afterwards. Biggest group of lugs I ever did see." He spoke of his time after the fall of Otamur, his lonely travels along the ever-growing border of the plague. Helping smaller villages evacuate before moving on to the next area to report his findings to whatever leader may have been there.
"
I just wanted to make sure that as many people were safe as possible. The more people that got out of the area, the fewer plagued enemies we would face in the end. I was surprised to see so many children so close to the edge of the sweeping madness."
For a while, as he lathered her hair and gently scrubbed her scalp with his large fingers, he spoke, finding comfort in sharing his memories. She was easy to talk to. Perhaps this was because she was mostly silent, only wishing to be clean and refreshed. As he began detangling her hair, he paused. "
M'lady, how do you usually wear your hair? I know a simple braid, if you are interested. Had two sisters growing up, so it was something I certainly picked up on."
When he felt the pain in his side subside, he found himself pausing once more, looking down to see that the wound had stitched itself closed. A small wave of embarrassment and even irritation washed over him. But as quickly as it came, it subsided. He had come to clean his wound, and instead, he would up cleaning Merrik's sister. Of course, his leader would use the mana he had originally wanted to heal him. A part of him was surprised that Merrik chose not to interfere beyond that, but at the same time, Alder knew that his leader was already beginning to trust him. Confidence fuelled him, and after looking to the door to confirm that it was, indeed, Merrik, the old sentinel continued on with Terria.
When the bath was finally finished, Alder helped the Lady Tetra from the waters upon her request. He handed her something to dry herself with before presenting her with fresh clothes. Of course, as he was coming to expect, she needed help. This time, he found solace in her desire to simply dress and move on. He knew that there was no need to fret so much about formalities. Still, his eyes remained away from her womanly features, and the thought of them forced a deep red to fill his cheeks.
When she was finally finished, he backed up and took a look at her as a whole. Now clean and dressed, she was more beautiful than ever. The wavy slacks seemed to suit her, clinging to the best features on her while granting airflow where necessary. A perfect outfit to wear when it was hard to walk. Good thing it was on the top.
As she had denied the braid, he got to see the natural waves of her wet hair flowing down her back. Upon her request to help brush out the remaining tangles, he did so with naught more than a simple nod. Naturally, he offered to braid her hair one last time, in hopes to help her keep one more nuisance out of her face.
When she spoke of Andraste, he felt surprised. Then, it eased as he realized that, naturally, she would be concerned with a dragon she had not seen in months. His mind fell upon the thoughts of his dragoness, who was still flying around in the meadow to blow off steam over something he was entirely unsure of. "
She is...restless, m'lady. She has a great desire to move forward, and so she never stops moving unless to sleep. I'm still at a loss in how to help her, as she finds herself in great frustration with my slower approach to war."
His apologies and following justifications meant little to her. She understood that he had a lot of
feelings but she simply lacked the ability to relate to any of them in that moment. She would keep his words, however, close in her mind and when at last her feelings returned and the numbness lifted, she would reconsider them. The second offer was at last accepted and as Terria listened quietly to Alder's concerns about Andraste, she let the man braid her locks. She kept quiet, thinking, trying her best not to let the dull aches of her body distract her.
"
Training," she said simply. When he had finished, she rose back to her feet from the bench she had taken as a seat and began to walk slowly towards the door, Alder following closely behind. "Andraste is a warrior, by heart, soul, and elemental nature. She needs purpose, she needs drive. A meadow has little to offer a dragon of such a caliber but war cannot always be had. So," she stopped at the doorway to paused and steady herself before continuing on across the hall, small step by small step, each of which was easier than the last and most especially after the warmth of the bath, "
training will have to do. Give her something to work towards, something to accomplish, something to do besides sitting around waiting for war."
As they crossed the hall to Taega's nesting room, Terria stopped at the doorway. "
What is this brother?"
"
Hmm?" Merrik turned to face the pair from his place a in her loft, holding a thick rope in his hands that had been woven through a large, wooden pulley attached to the roof. Inside, he was ecstatic, overwhelmed, almost with joy to see her awake and alive and moving around. But on the outside, he was calm. "
I daresay you won't enjoy having to seek out help everytime you want to enter and exit your quarters. A ladder is fine and well for those who follow suit, but I thought this might help for the time being. Taega can pull you up and let you down."
She blinked, unsure of how to feel about it. Some buried part of her wanted to punch him, but that part was suffocated by a thick numbness that left her entirely impartial to it. "
Thank you, brother. We will allow you the space you need to work."
And she turned and did her best to depart before he could do anything but cast a worried glance.
She kept on walking, but then she realized she had no idea where she was going or what she would do. She couldn't walk on forever, but she had to do something. Sitting on a hallway floor hardly seemed the sort of thing someone would do after being held prisoner in a volcano lair and having their bones snapped and their blood spilled for moon and moon. She turned to Alder and cast him a glance that she only hoped would be read as a request for help. She was about to ask if he had any pressing matters to tend to when Taega stepped out into the hall and quietly came to them.
"
Perhaps I can help, with Andraste. If it is training she needs, then she must have training. I am not so strong in the day, but we can begin now and if she's up to it, she can come to me under the light of the moon to take on a greater challenge." It seemed Taega was prepared to take part in combat, despite her passive nature. Terria was not so broken nor blind that she did not know when her soulmate was putting in a great effort to help her. If Taega used mana, Terria would feel it.
She had not felt mana since her escape, since that dark hour in the tunnels when Nova fed her his own mana to bring life to her when her soul was fading. Merrik hadn't been told that part; Nova rarely kept secrets from Merrik but if it was necessary, the elder drake was fully capable of locking certain truths away and Nova had the same sense as Terria to know that Merrik should never know that he almost lost her right when he had just gotten her back. Had it not been for Nova, Terria's soul would have blotted out from mana depletion. Her mana stores had run dry, down to the very last drop.
Mana had become a means of survival, not a mode of beauty, life, and wonder, as it once had been. Taega felt the void in Terria's being where mana once lived and thrived, now a dark and empty place, and she simply could not settle for it, no matter the cause that brought her there. She had kept her thoughts to herself but now that Terria was finally awake - and walking no less - Taega decided it was now or never. Magick had to be restored to that dark, empty place in Terria's soul or Taega feared she would lose her connection to it forever.
Alder considered Terria's words carefully. Indeed, he had found them to be true a while ago, but at the same time, he knew not of what kinds of goals to give her. He was but a simple man, and she was much more complex a creature than he could ever be. Still, he had to do his best to give her what she needed. His mind wandered for a brief moment before he finally spoke. "
What kinds of goals would a war-oriented dragoness strive for? To fly higher and faster? To fight harder and stronger? These are all things she already strives for...I've nothing else to offer her as a mere sentinel."
When they crossed the hall, Merrik was working on some sort of strange contraption. Alder gave a smile as his mind caught up to the idea before him. It was a lift...how genius! When Terria spoke again and then swiftly turned, Alder paused and gave Merrik a deep bow. "
I will keep her company until she no longer wishes it, Lord Tetra. If you have need of me, simply tell Andraste...I feel we may be seeing her soon."
With that, he, too, departed and quickly caught up with Terria's still-slow pace. When Taega spoke up, the soldier found himself smiling gratefully. Once again, he bowed, deep and respectfully. "
My greatest thanks, Lady of the Night. Perhaps you could give me greater guidance in how to help my soulmate in her endeavors...at least until we make it to something she actually has a great desire to do."
With that, they set out for Andraste, who was pacing by the pond. Alder could tell, without hearing her thoughts, that she was anxious and restless. She needed to do something. The dragoness paused, looking up at the presence of her tamer. Her glowing eyes widened at the arrival of Terria and Taega, and naturally, she gave a bow of the head. ~
Greetings, my friends. How might I be of service this afternoon?~
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