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Post by Storyteller on Jan 26, 2021 5:13:08 GMT
At one point, in the Hooded Falcon, I draw Aethyl aside. I have replaced the traveling statue of Galadrin with a proper holy symbol, the stylized silver trident in a circle, hanging from a silver chain.
"Cousin," I say. "I have become a priestess. I am a Mariness of Galadrin. I thought you ought to know." Then I smile at him. "You trusted me. You accepted what I said when I was on the Ausir ship. You were the only one, and I will always remember that, Cousin."
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 27, 2021 3:08:06 GMT
Aethyl raises his eyes in genuine surprise at both revelations.
"Cousin, you are my own blood, and I love you. I will never doubt you, nor deny you, nor leave you of my own choosing. I could have done nothing less, and know perfectly well you would have done the same for me.
"As for this! Thank you for telling me, but your training at the Academy! Will you truly give this up? Such a turn of events. Will you please tell me what has led you to this decision?
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 27, 2021 3:14:37 GMT
"It is everything, really," I say. "Everything from the moment I met Iritari and saw what purity and goodness looked like, until I ... until the Ausir ship. I have been pondering in my heart what it means to be a Sacrifice, what it means to trust in Galadrin..." I trail off a little. "I have grown in love and trust in Galadrin over this journey, and in all my time on the ship, it was the thought of being a worthy sacrifice to Galadrin, on behalf of you and the Grorekathi, that kept me going. So when we arrived here, I knew that there was no path for me but the one that led to Galadrin."
Then I smile. It is a bit wobbly, but it is the truest smile I have given since the ship. "And I was ... taken in various parts of the ship." My eyes darken a little, but I press on. "I did get to see the engine room." I hold out a sketch. (I rolled a natural 1 on it, by the way.) "I have sketched out a schematic for an engine of my own. I can use to spin the crystal we took from the spider. And I shall, if Galadrin wills I live so long, make a suit of armor for you when we are in Ravenwood, Cousin. A powered suit, one that would give you enormous strength. Like the Captain had. Would it please you? For I want to show you my appreciation of the cousinly love you have for me."
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 27, 2021 4:19:05 GMT
Aethyl's face is calm and serene, but at the mention of Mairwyn's time on the Ausir ship his eyes betray a black wrath.
"Cousin, a pebble from your hand is a king's own crown in my eyes, because of the precious heart that gives it. I seek no hardship from you on my behalf, and would sway you from it. But if you see in it some way to serve our end, then I shall wear it with pride and with humility, and bend my whole will to making it worthy of you."
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 27, 2021 5:50:23 GMT
"You are kind, Cousin, and I am proud to be of your same blood," I say, smiling, though my eyes are still shimmery with tears. "So, yes, I will make this for you, if Galadrin blesses my efforts with success. I was thinking of the blue and green of the Tuath, with the red wolf claw stylized on the breastplate. Does that suit you? Or is there some other favor you would wish to wear?"
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 27, 2021 16:30:29 GMT
Aethyl dries her tears and fixes her with a look of infinite love. "Cousin, I would wear rags from you, and count them exquisite. It sounds absolutely beautiful, and it could not be more perfect. You are a treasure to this world, and to me. Thank you."
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 27, 2021 21:26:36 GMT
I smile again, a little less wobbly this time. "I was think in the blue and green of the Tuath, with the red wolf claw marks across the breastplate. Would that suit you?" I pause. "And, Cousin, this is a one-time thing I can do. I have but the one crystal. There is no one I would rather give this to than you, and I plan to attune it to you, so that you alone can use it. I would not want some enemy to be able to turn it against you..."
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 27, 2021 21:35:44 GMT
Aethyl pauses, stunned. It dawns on him in a wholly different how impossibly rare, and precious, is this gift from his beloved cousin.
"Cousin, are you sure? Could there not be a more worthy use for this stone, or wearer of this armor?"
He shakes his head in disbelief.
"I see your heart, and your mind. I will bear them if you give them to me."
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 27, 2021 22:43:43 GMT
"Then I will begin the construction as soon as may be." (Are Aethyl's eyes blue or green?)
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 27, 2021 22:47:41 GMT
Blue.
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 27, 2021 22:50:39 GMT
"I am thinking the armor should be primarily blue, to match your eyes, with green highlights at the greaves, and the red claw on the chest. It is nice that the Tuath colors go so well with your own coloring. Maybe you will catch the eye of a lovely ... maiden." I shake my head. "Cousin, I--never mind. You are my dear cousin, pervert or not." I even manage a wink.
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 29, 2021 22:39:47 GMT
When I return from where Árón took me, I go to visit Aethyl.
"Cousin," I say seriously. "If ever you love, speak your love! If I had not spoken my love to Iritari before he was lost, it would have been a burden on my heart eternally. If I had not spoken my love to Merchant Árón, then I would not have been able to go to him now. He would have gone, left after he made me priestess, and he and I would never have seen each other again. He would have avoided me, for he loved me, too. And prosperous love is the greatest joy in this world, Cousin. I want you to have that!" Then I sigh. "And if I had not had my Árón to turn to, I would have had to turn to you, Cousin, and that ... would have hurt you, for I know you are close to Drusinicus, and I..." I trail off and drop my eyes. "I can hardly bear to look at him."
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 30, 2021 0:48:09 GMT
Aethyl's face turns from surprise to wistfulness, and from wistfulness to anguish.
"Dearest Cousin, are you now a prophetess also? How could you know the secret workings of my heart so well, and so plainly? I confess to you, my own and dearest blood, that my heart has given itself to our enemy, Evily, and it is seething for her. I tell you alone, because your heart is as my heart, and my blood flows through yours, as yours flows through mine. I have felt nothing like it, and did not even know that I loved her when we shared our beds. And I do not wish to love her. I am horrified by it. But my heart has overridden me, and is rampant, and will hear nothing but her name.
"Your words burn me. I do not know if I will ever see her again. Or, if I do, whether it will not be on the field of battle. And then, what will I do? Oh, that I could now take your advice! But if in battle we next meet, let it come, and quickly. I will confess to her my love, though she slay me, or I her, or we each other. I can do nothing else. And better to die in her arms, my love spoken, than to live like this, silent, adrift, a ghost ship haunted, restless upon the earth forever."
His eyes flicker as he masters himself.
"Forgive me, Cousin. Do you see? What a fool love has made of your poor Aethyl! I am so happy for you that you have found love again, and that you have spoken it. Your words could not have been better, or more timely.
"As for me, I am your blood. First. Last. Always. I love you as my own life. You may come to me any time, and anywhere, for any reason, or none. I will never turn you away, and I will love you until life passes from this world into the next, and into whatever end lies beyond all worlds. We are bound to one another.
"As for Drusinicus, the words of his mouth were unforgivable. But the man who spoke them knew not what he said. Drusinicus spoke in a fever of sorrow, and of drink. And I must now beg your pardon, Cousin. I have deliberately kept him in ignorance about your sacrifice, to the extent that I have been able. He knew but a little, and so had no idea what you endured. I did not want to shame you by telling him, and never dreamed it would come to this. We spoke after he had awakened, and while I yet kept your secret, he was made to see the weight of his words, and is mortified.
"Remember too, Cousin, that he has been under the spell of Cian, and in that sense also is not fully himself. I am in anguish over this rift, and would do all that I can to make peace, and to heal your precious heart, and the wounds it has endured. I love you Cousin, with all that is in me."
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Post by Storyteller on Jan 30, 2021 1:42:13 GMT
"Aethyl, my dearest cousin, the only blood I have left." I do not speak of my father's death last summer. Aethyl already knows.
"I would not, by any words of mine, give you grief or cause you pain. Do you not recall that I spoke on the ship, to you, to Drusinicus, and to the Chaos-Lover. I told you all, in plain, unvarnished words, that I had prostituted myself to the Ausir Captain to save your lives." The tears flow down my cheeks, but I do not allow my voice to shake, nor do I pause in my words.
"I would do it again, Cousin. But he knew then, for I told him. He may not have taken much account of my words. He never seemed to. For despite what I said, he turned his back on all the friendship that we had shared when he threw in his lot with ... Cian. I speak his name for your sake only, dearest Aethyl, for to myself he has no name but only a curse. Oh, Aethyl, I would not ask you to raise your hand against Drusinicus, though he has rejected me--and though, you might even do so, for my sake. But I would not ask it of you. You are kind and oh so very good. Your heart is tender, and you would save even Drusinicus as you tried to save the Chaos-Lover, too. But ... Cian never listened to you. He threw aside your wisdom and your counsel. Between us, Cousin, there has never been such a quarrel." I smile a little, despite my still-flowing tears.
"I remember, dearest Aethyl, the fateful day before the horn. We went to the temple of Abrexa Stormbringer together, and I became drunk and opened my heart to you and asked that you take me fishing..." I shake my head. "It was cold, starting to rain, and you came with me nonetheless. You listened as I bemoaned the loss of Iritari, and I caught no fish. But in my dissolution, in my sorrow, I trusted you. I let you lead me by the hand, and I followed you where you would lead me. You never led me astray. And when I called upon you to trust me--you did. I am your blood, Aethyl, son of Meodhwyn, of the Clan Tuath. May I do you only good all the days of my life. I do not ask that you raise your hand against Drusinicus, but please, do not think that he is anything but one who rejected my offers of friendship. He turned his back on me on that ship, tried to make all I had done worthless, and though he spoke in his cups, Cousin, he spoke as his heart feels. Were I drunk, unable to keep back my words, no words against you would come forth, for I have nothing against you. And I know the same of you. In your heart, I am your little cousin, dear as a sister, and you would not speak cruelly of me, for there is no cruelty in you. Drusinicus has spoken. Let him abide by his words."
My voice has not faltered, but now, my tears, too, cease, and I take Aethyl's hand, and that without my fingers shaking either. "Dearest, dearest Cousin, I hope that one day, you and your Evily will sail the skies together. How could my silver-tongued cousin speak words of love and be denied? No, it could not be. I do not know when or if you will see her again, but should our quest end before you see her, then seek her out. Do not let unspoken love burn you alive from the inside out."
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Nobody
Alexios Group
Posts: 1,409
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Post by Nobody on Jan 30, 2021 5:23:01 GMT
Aethy's eyes flicker again, narrowing as if in deep thought, then widening in growing realization and anguish.
"Dearest Mairwyn, fire-flower, pure-heart, treasure of all Elunia, forgive me. For now I do remember that you told us plain, all together. But in my horror and wrath, I stopped my ears, and clenched my eyes, and shut the doors of my heart, and the shutters of my mind, against the evil you described, lest I be overcome, and swept away. I would not permit even the sound of the words to echo into the deep places of my spirit, else Queen Vengeance, in her terrible power rise, and take me beyond all reason on your behalf, into certain death and, in so doing, render us all again, and you especially, at risk.
"Forgive me, Cousin. In my desperate state, and my spirit's muting of your words to shield your honor, I somehow believed that our Cousin and Drusinicus did the same, or else had themselves been spared the worst, and I alone had heard the truth."
He sinks into silence for a long moment.
"This changes things. I cannot say what possessed him to speak so, but whatever else may be true, Drusinicus is sorrowful for his words."
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