Choosing a Path

Mikin Wood: Shade Oak Forest 

''A small spring gurgles next to a cluster of shardwood and shade oak trees. Chitters can be heard trilling and capering about in the higher branches. Smaller animals rustle through the shrubbery.''

''It is a temperate evening. The wind whistles as it blows harshly. A few wispy cirrus clouds streak the otherwise clear sky.''

From the direction of the road, a moderately tall figure finds herself blown in. Skirts flap and are held to form by the weight of the sword sheathed along hip, while her hair seems to be of a mind to escape for the sky in the cross wind. Regardless, the woman has head tilted and eyes scanning as she walks.

The kneeling girl turns and then rises- a slight figure in contrast to the other, though not particularly short. Darkness rings her eyes and their whites are faintly red as if from tears or irritation. "Oh..." the girl softly breathes, her voice high. "...a-are you l-looking for N-night's E-edge?"

Stowynne straightens a little as she spots the girl. She angles over to better speak, giving only a glance behind her as she does so. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to intrude," her voice is smooth, "And no. I wasn't looking for anything in particular except for a place to walk." She raises a brow, tinging the last statement with something akin to a question.

Meian self-consciously tangles her hands in her cloak, shaking off any dirt that might be adorning its dark surface. She quickly shakes her head, a weak smile coming to her lips. "N-no, it's f-fine. I don't o-own this place, y-you should f-feel free to w-walk wherever you l-like. You're j-just near Night's E-edge is all, and I th-thought..." The girl's voice trails off.

Stowynne studies Meian in silence for a long moment, pushing away the hair that continually seeks to conceal her face under the influence of the wind. "I know why I wander out of doors in weather that would prompt the wiser to remain inside. I'm guessing that your motivation has something to do with the red eyes and the inability to find words that fumble when you wish they wouldn't." She pauses, "You are not alright, I take it. Would my leaving make it better or worse?"

Wind. It does nothing for hair like the greying mass common to one Kael - at least the vast majority remains contained in those leathern ties. The mage makes his careful way out of the northern woods, tunic and cloak conspicuously absent, boots muddy, and still looking more than a bit damp from the day's incessant rain. One hand steadies the axe on his waist as he moves, expression thoughtful.

Meian dares to lift her gaze enough now to actually meet Stowynne's eyes, little smile curling up at one corner- perhaps a bit sardonically. "I a-always t-talk like this," the girl answers with a gentle shrug, "a-and I l-like stormy d-days. I h-hope the wind will b-bring in rain. ...but wh-whatever the weather, I h-have to take care of my c-crops." She is standing within the orange grove, back to the trees, facing Stowynne.

Aegis saunters in at a slow pace, the large form of Griedan mounted on his back. The mason appears to be letting the animal pick out its own path through the woods, figuring that it would know best how to go, eventaully wanders into the small cleared area. He seems a little suprised to hear voices, but smiles lightly as he looks down from his seat to find Meian and Stowynne present.

Stowynne smiles slightly, a recognition of a social faux pas, "My apologies." Her smile widens, "But, then it does seem we've got something in common." She steps back a few paces, looking to the trees for a moment. Then she looks around, catching sight of Griedan first. "A long way from the Aegis, is it not?" She calls to him if distance has not made conversation at a normal volume possible.

The gathering certainly catches the mage's attention - and, with an intent to, perhaps, not intrude, he commits the worst of gaffes... stepping firmly on a fallen bit of tree that gives way with a distressing *crack*. Looking up at the sky - a mute appeal that doesn't /say/ 'why me', but might as well, the young man puts on his best, lopsided smile, and drifts toward the three.

Meian's eyes widen when she catches sight of Griedan- strangely enough, it seems to be a half horrified kind of surprise, coupled with an involuntary step backwards that flattens the girl against one of her slender orange trees. Quickly, almost violently, she tugs the hood of her cloak up over her dark-ringed, reddened eyes and stares at the ground.

From Aegis's saddle, Griedan blinks in surprise at Meian's reaction to him, and his expression is clearly confused. "Meian?" he asks her, and then looks about the others, particularly Stowynne as if silently asking for an explaination for the young woman's strange behavior.

Stowynne's attention is stolen by the crack of the tree and her hand falls to her hip. Strangely enough, this action is accompanied by an almost... contented, half smile. That smile only widens when recognition comes for Kael's face. Her mouth opens to speak when Griedan's words bring her attention back. There is no answer in her expression to his silent question. She blinks and looks in confusion between Griedan and Meian.

The mage remarks, wryly - "M' nae really interested 'n gettin' run through - though 's a right nice blade, that. Where did y' find 't?"

Meian shakes her head fiercely to herself, voice coming out quiet. "S-sorry. Sorry. N-nerves. Y-you know what I've b-been like, lately, G-griedan. Just... nerves." Still she doesn't look up or uncover her face, instead turning and kneeling to pluck out some weeds from around the base of one of the orange trees.

From Aegis's saddle, "Nerves, aye." Griedan says, still frowning and obviously not convinced. The faint white glow radiating from his skin flashes slightly brighter once and then fades. One who is observant might notice highlighted streaks appearing in his brown curly hair, something more subtle perhaps. Wheeling Aegis about he begins to head back for the road at a slow pace. "Dunna let me distract yeh from yer gardenin' aye." he mutters as he begins to leave the clearing.

"Duke Seamel," Stowynne response without thinking, "He was generous beyond.. well. Beyond what I had a right to hope for." She shifts back ever so slightly as if to give the woman room, observing her reaction to Griedan for a moment longer. Then she looks to Kael as if to see what his offering or opinion might be.

Kael calls, quietly, to Greidan - "M' thinkin' yer takin' hurt where none needs t' be, m' friend." Meian gets a curious gaze in the bargain - "An' I'm thinkin' yer frettin' where y' hae no need to fret, mostly."

"Y-you know I d-do, Kael," Meian says quietly, but she steps forward after Griedan slowly. "...I'll e-explain everything to y-you, I w-will, p-please don't be an-angry now."

Aegis comes to a stop as Griedan tugs gently on the reigns and looks down at Meian again. Glacing at the others his dismounts the anima less than gracefully and ties it to a nearby treebranch so it cannot wander off. He offers the young bard a very weary smile as he walk back towards the group, stiff and bow-legged.

Stowe's hand raises again to rescue her mouth from the incursions of her own hair. Another shifting of her weight, but she chooses the better part of valour for the moment in discretion.

Kael moves over next to Stowe, at that offering her a wry smile. "S' funny, how things work out, aye? Th' way 't all falls t'gether, as 't wills - I cannae get o'er all o' it."

Meian inhales slowly, looking to Kael and Stowynne. "N-nice to m-meet you, Mistress," she murmurs, "But.. I t-think.. I think I should g-go speak to Griedan... s-somewhere else. About... what we t-talked about, K-kael, you remember. I.. h-hope I can s-see you later, we can s-speak more." She turns then, lifting her gaze to Griedan. "...I'll t-tell you."

Griedan nods his head thoughtfully, still perplexed by Meian's deameanor. "Elsewhere, aye... alright." His hand reaches out to untie the horse's reigns again and he waves to the animal. "Would yeh like to ride Aegis where'er it is yeh'd like to go?" he asks.

"It is not perfect, Master Firelight," Stowe says, voice bearing a wry but humored edge, "I went to the Duke after I'd already travelled from Freehold to the Aegis and several paths in between to barter for one from a carpenter." She smiles, "But? If I learn how to weild a longsword in my right and a short in my left? I'll have no end of renown." She nods to Meian, studying her for a moment but accepting. "A pleasure to meet you as well, Mistress. I hope that the rest of your evening finds you well."

Kael frowns to Meian - and, almost imperceptably, shakes his head. "S' ne'er as simple as y' ken, lass - donnae act o'erhasty, aye?" That's gentle.. and oddly warning. Regardless, he glances down, then over at Stowe. "N' such thing 's perfect, aye?" His smile is a trifle wan - "But m' figurin' if anyone wi' find a way, ye will."

Meian hesitates visibly, looking back to Kael. Unsurely, almost as if asking permission, she questions, "I... sh-shouldn't? I h-have to t-tell them, s-sometime, K-kael... D-don't I...?" The girl waits for her answer, gaze lingering.

Griedan blinks his confusion, looking back and forth between Kael and Meian, the reighs of Aegis within his large, calloused hands. For the most part, at this point, the mason just looks lost and confused.

Stowynne looks neither lost nor confused. She simply waits and listens, expression bland and polite. Though? Her attention is present and evident by the way her eyes shift from speaker to speaker and her brow occasionally furrows with the information being heard.

"If yer goin' t' make choices 'bout what y' plan t' do, lass, y' shoul' probably talk t' th' ones what hae put faith in ye, first." Bright, and wry, the mage's eyes are kind as he smiles to Meian. "Ye talked t' me, aye - but yer makin' a lot o' decisions right fast that way. Think what Taran taught ye - bein' apprenticed as y' are comes wi' responsibilities, aye?"

Meian says softly, a wretched note in her voice, "A-all of them there at N-night's E-edge, everyone w-who stays, h-has t-trusted me and p-put their f-faith in me. Eventually... b-but... I suppose... my lady f-first, isn't it so? I n-need to talk to h-her before anyone." She turns, looking up at Griedan. "I n-need you to t-trust me. This is a-all going to m-make sense s-someday, but... I d-don't think.. that s-someday can be y-yet."

Stowynne takes a few steps back, measured, "Forgive me, but I had it in my mind to take a look at that spring over there and should likely do so before it gets too dark." She says this tactfully, then smiles as she inclines her head, "Master Stonehammer, Master Firelight, and Mistress... Light guide you all." She turns, shoulders squared and unflinching in the wind as she heads towards the spring.

Kael inclines his head to Stowe - "Wi' see ye about - " But it's Meian that has most of his attention - he says nothing more, simply leaning against a nearby orange tree, thoughtful.

Griedan looks at Meian, still a bit confused, but he nods his head at her. "Yer meh friend, Meian, aye." the big mason attempts to clap her on the shoulder lightly with one of his hands, the other grasping the leather reins yet. "So I trust yeh, sure." he watches Stowynne depart and glances to Kael once. "Ah, dunna mind meh, lass. I been in the saddle all day an' I'm a might bit worn out fer it. Maybeh I should be goin' back and takin' a nap,

Meian lifts her hands, shakily rubbing her face inside its veiling hood. "To s-speak to h-her," she murmurs, seemingly lost in thought. "I c-can't... th-think what else I'm s-supposed to do... N-not anymore. I d-don't see any other way to g-go. Sh-she'll know, won't she? S-someone has to kn-know what c-comes next..." The girl doesn't appear to notice Stowynne's departure or much of anything- at least until Griedan touches her. She jumps in surprise, looking up at him and softly saying, "...a-all right. Th-thank you."

Kael simply.. watches, the wind causing the loose strands of hair that have escaped the leather ties to fly wildly. Patiently, it seems, he waits.

Griedan removes his hand from Meian's shoulder quickly when she jumps, offering her a very small, light smile. "Take care of yerself, lass. I'll be at the monastery ifn anaone needs meh." With that, he clambers up into the saddle of Aegis and seats himself, preparing to ride back through the woods.

Meian reaches up slowly, pulling down her hood again with reluctance to reveal her tired face. She offers Griedan a little wave and a weak, wan smile, watching him go.

"Wi' see ye there, sir." Kael offers, not unkindly- "Wi' likely nae be far behind ye."

Everyone else gone, Meian turns to face Kael slowly. "Am I b-being foolish?" she whispers, brows furrowing. "I c-can't stand the th-thought of.. l-lying to everyone. What k-kind of payback would that be? And w-what ch-choice do I have? They'd kill me if th-they c-caught me, then."

Kael shakes his head. "Yer nae Marked." That's calm, and soft - "Y' start tellin' e'eryone, wi' kill ye regardless, less yer /very/ careful. Celeste 's a good woman, wi' a great heart - but sh' hae her duty t' th' crown, an' is nae right fer ye t' put 'er in a position what causes 'er t' trade 'er honor n' integrity fer yer protection." It's not scolding, just.. calm, and soft. "I were hopin' t' wait a bit afore tellin' ye... well.. but y' hae t' hear it now." He stands, carefully. "Walk wi' me, ladybright?"

Meian nods slowly, wandering over to Kael's side. "C-can't I... b-be marked, then? It's e-either that, or l-lie, lie to everyone and I..." She swallows, glancing downward and adding in a whisper. "H-how can I do that to them a-after ev-everything? It'll b-be difficult, I kn-know that, but.. h-how could I d-do otherwise..."

"S' bigger 'n ye ken." The mage offers an arm - "Y' really donnae yet ken what y' are, an' are a'ready settin' out t' make choices what affect e'erythin' - choices y' cannae unmake. Y' shoul' ken what 't means t' make 'em. S' nae as clear 's 't looks." He gathers his thoughts a moment. "Y' really hae three paths, ladybright. An' none 's better o' worse 'n the other. Nae now."

Meian doesn't just slide her arm into the proffered one- she seems to nearly cling to it, looking up at the mage. Quietly, she says, "T-to hide it and h-hope I d-don't get c-caught, or t-to be M-marked... B-but.. what's the th-third, Kael?"

"Y' kin hide 't, aye. I kin teach ye - 'n will, regardless - an' more, I kin' help ye find others what hae made that choice. N' matter how I feel about 't - carryin' th' mark.. well, I tol' ye, e'erythin' hae a price." The mage speaks quietly, as he walks - "Y' kin do almos' as much good from th' shadows as y' can standin' out front.. but th' price o' th' freedom th' Mark brings.. is th' loss o' e'erythin' /else/." He glances to her. "Th' third? Y' kin deny it. Learn enough t' nae get hurt, an' ne'er touch that part o' ye. If y' can."

Meian freezes slightly, staring at Kael. "D-deny it..." she whispers. "N-never touch it again, b-be... normal, a-again? N-not have to deal with th-this. I c-could... do that...? It w-would.. s-stay, under my s-skin, but n-not.. sh-showing..."

Kael nods. "Y' can. Y' wi find 't a bit like tryin' t' ignore yer arm. Y' wi' be denyin' a part o' yerself - th' dreams wi' nae stop. But y' kin learn t' cope wi' 'em. When y' get mad, 't might get away from ye.. but e'en that y' kin still, if y' choose." There's nothing but that same calm quiet there, no real emotion at all. "S' a choice too, an' it hae a price 's great as any other."

"So..." the girl says softly. "Th-there's l-lying to e-everyone and r-risking my l-life to be c-comfortable. There's a-accepting my f-fate, and t-telling the t-truth, and... l-living Marked my e-entire l-life in a w-way I c-can't d-deny. Then there's l-lying, a-again, and n-not being a-able to help anyone if I c-could, w-with the r-risk of d-dying if I lost control... d-doesn't s-seem like th-there's really a ch-choice to me, it's th-that obvious."

There's a sudden hefty rustle of leaves from one of the shade oak trees, the sound moving higher and higher up into the branches until it stops completely.

Kael glances to her. "S' nae quite that simple yet, but yer gettin' close. Y' want t' be a bard, aye? How many folks d' ye think wi' sit 'n listen t' yer songs if th' see th' Mark on ye? Are y' ready t' walk inta a tavern an' hae e'eryone there afraid o' ye? T' nae find work, outside o' a few places? takin' th' mark means y' leave /everythin'/ behind. Nothin' is th' same - y' give up th' live y' hae now, and choose t' be only this. Only th' Mark. s' that really what y' want t' do? Fer me, 't were easy - I hae no music, no song. I hae no life beyond a beast afore /this/... an' e'en th' Mark 'tself is fragile. Coul' be all o' us, next week, what are bein' rounded up an' kilt - y' cannae hide, anymore."

Meian startles at the sound, instinctively leaning closer to Kael with a soft cry. She chuckles nervously, a little weakly, afterwards. "J-just a b-bird, I d-don't doubt. Kael... I kn-know... I'll b-be l-leaving a l-lot b-behind. But I s-swore a-already I w-would give up m-my life for th-this place. If I could d-do that..." Slowly, her eyes close. "...I c-can accept the h-harm it will d-do to my d-dream. I l-lived this w-way before, w-with people.. wh-who were more r-right than th-they knew. And it w-was.. I w-won't say it was o-okay. But now the p-people who m-matter to me... You'll n-not abandon me. And it all c-comes down to a-all of you. I won't lie to all of y-you. Where do I g-get Marked?"

Kael's eyes narrow - "... I donnae find m'self trustin' th' way things seem s' much, these days.." He glances up in the direction of that sound - even as he speaks, softly. "I kin show ye. But I wi' nae yet. think 't through, lass - what yer choosin', unknowin', right now? Wi change e'erythin' fer ye ferever. I beg y' t' consider what yer givin' up - make yer choices wi' yer eyes open." Still, he looks thoughtfully at the tree, glacing between it and Meian... and then focuses on her, discounting it - "Y' cannae unmake a choice, o' somehow 'unpay' what yer lookin' t' give o' yerself. An' .. y' donnae yet ken what 't is. If y' still feel th' same t'morrow.. wi' take ye m'self." He frowns. "But ken what y' give up. Ken what y' become, then." He adds, softly - "An' until then? Yer best keepin' 't t' yerself. S' nae anyone's decision t' make but yers."

"If i-it's no one's d-decision to m-make but m-mine..." Meian replies, opening her eyes to gaze directly at the mage, "t-trust me th-that I've m-made it. D-danger to my l-life? M-much g-greater in the other t-two paths. A-amount I can h-help everyone here? M-much less in the other t-two paths." She pauses here, inhaling slowly. "I... I've b-been hated b-before, K-kael. I kn-know I'm g-going to l-lose a l-lot of things I've t-taken for g-granted. G-griedan might never s-speak to me ag-again, too. E-everything has a price. This price... this is a p-price I gladly p-pay."

The greying young mage sighs, quietly, voice soft.. "S' a lot o' reasons t' take th' Mark, Meian - but if y' are set on 't, then y' hae best ken th' one most o' th' Marked hae forgotten." He pats her hand, gently - "When y' choose t' stand - howe'er that choice is made, fer whate'er reasons.. y' stand fer e'eryone. More so wi' this." He touches his own cheek - "E'erythin' y' do, e'erythin' - wi' be gauged as ye are Touched. Th' eyes what watch ye .. are watchin' all - Marked an' Unmarked alike." He smiles, sadly. "Y' get th' right ' use yer power freely, 'n front o' folks.. but y' trade that wi' th' certain knowledge that frightenin' 'em wi' start a hunt what woul' make what th' Church did pale b' comparison. 't also means th' mark hae t' mean sommat more - nae jus' survivin'. It hae t' mean doin' right b' folks. 't means protectin' e'eryone from th' threats what are ours t' face - like th' Cult, an' worse 'n that. 't means y' hae t' stand 'n all ways, aye? O' ye risk everythin', fer e'eryone."

Meian swallows slightly, brow furrowing as she confesses in a quiet voice, "I'm... a-afraid, you know. I'm t-terrified. Of w-what this will m-mean to me. Of m-myself. I'm s-sick at h-heart thinking all al-along th-they were r-right. But th-there is th-that part of me... obscenely g-glad... g-glad that n-now I can t-truly d-defend N-Night's E-edge. Now I c-can be s-strong. And th-that part kn-knows that if o-one Shadow-touched s-soul d-dares lift their h-hand against s-someone who's i-innocent... that p-perceived evil is p-perceived in everyone. It's... It's al-almost like b-being a bard, isn't it.. You have to t-teach everyone the t-truth that sh-shadow touched d-doesn't mean evil, but not by s-song, but... by example.."

Kael nods, calmly. "Th' Touched hae a chance t' step up an' make th' Mark mean sommat - we wi' figure, in th' end, whether 't means sommat t' fear, sommat t' kill, sommat t' hunt - o' whether 't wi' mean more 'n that. I chose t' stand fer th' wrong reasons - but now what I am? I see 't. I see what we /can/ be - n' matter what were thought in th' emperor's court. We kin turn th' Mark inta what w' choose - an', if w' figure out how - 't may come a day when th' Touched are nae monsters anymore." He shrugs. "S' up t' us. We wi' allus be shadowed - we wi' allus destroy. Th' /how/. Th' /why/. S' up t' us."

"D-destroy evil... w-watch and j-judge our o-own, s-stop those who w-would misuse it..." the girl softly muses, still gazing up at Kael. Her free hand reaches, fingertips aiming to lightly settle over his mark. "...o-one d-day... it c-could be.. c-couldn't it be... a m-mark of pride? Th-those who are w-willing to p-pay the p-price.. for e-everybody. R-right now wh-where I stand I c-could be a p-part of th-that... if o-only I d-don't keep r-running away again, from e-everything I am."

Kael smiles at her, sadly. "An' here I were tryin' t' talk ye out o' it. Wi' be thankless, Meian - may b' foolish. May end up all o' us do all o' this wranglin' about an' end up dead fer our trouble. I been called traitor.. heh. Diseased, once, e'en, fer thinkin' such things. Fer jus' havin' th' Mark - an' more 'n half th' Marked ones are fallin'." He shakes his head. "But s' a few o' us tryin'. E'en some o' th' unmarked are sneakin' in on th' edges t' help." His eyes remain sad, but oddly kind - "Jus' .. donnae think 't easy. N' any path is - this one 's harder 'n most."

Meian returns the smile with her own edge to it- sad, perhaps, but hopeful as well. "N-no, but in its o-own way... for me it's e-even easier th-than the o-others. H-how could I l-live with m-myself knowing I h-had this p-power and n-not using it for.. a-anything, a-anything at all? Sneers, h-hatred... I kn-know hatred, K-kael, and I kn-know p-pain. B-better the en-enemies I kn-know.. and the ch-chance of.. -doing- s-something, m-meaning s-something. Wh-what other p-path would you h-have me w-walk?"

Kael gives the girl a truly odd look.. "Yers." His smile remains wry. "N' mine. Woul' nae object if th' go th' same way fer a bit.. but 's nae fer me t' shove ye one way o' another. E'en if I hae, a bit." He reaches up to run a hand over his hair. "e'en so - y' think 't through. Y' take a day - y' hear what others hae t' say - an' ye will, e'en if y' tell nobody else, y' wi' start t' hear. Wi' leave in th' mornin', if y' choose. But.. e'en if y' /hae/ chosen. Think. B' sure. S' no goin' back."

"I'll th-think on it," the girl softly promises, "b-but I'm n-not changing my m-mind. Th-that much I know al-already. No m-matter how t-terrified I am. I'm n-not changing my mind, Kael. A-as long as y-you and N-night's Edge d-don't turn your b-backs on m-me.. let th-them hate me. I c-can handle it, now I h-have a h-home to r-return to where... n-no matter wh-what.. I c-can be loved."

Kael nods. "W' ne'er will - that I kin promise ye." He reaches up and taps the girl's nose with a calloused finger - "But y' keep quiet fer now. Let who y' are speak fer yerself - donnae go tellin' folks - nae until y' truly set out on yer path. Th' risk is more 'n ye ken. Trust me 'n that."

Meian nods obediently, with a little smile. "A-all right. I'm.. I'm v-very g-grateful for your advice, K-kael. I didn't h-have any i-idea what to do, after wh-what you t-told me, I was j-just... I had n-no idea at all. I s-still don't, I suppose, but a-at least... I'm n-not so panicked."

"what I hae t' fight t' learn was simple - n' matter what happens, y' are who y' are." The mage circles an orange tree, still walking - slow and largely aimlessly - "Y' jus' found out about another part o' that - but jus' because y' ne'er knew, donnae mean 't were nae there. Y' are nae goin' t' suddenly want t' eat people - that comes when y' get stronger." Sad, that - "As y' get a hold o' what y' are - 's easier t' ferget .. well. Ne'ermind. Wi' be time fer that sort o' thing later."

Meian blinks, turning a confused frown up to Kael. "...n-no, I'd l-like to know... wh-what do you mean, Kael? If it's g-going to be important... I r-really don't know a th-thing about my... p-power... yet, s-so I want to learn everything." She follows every step, still holding onto Kael's arm lightly.

He looks thoughtful, at that. "Yer goin' t' get stronger. Yer goin' t' unlock .. whate'er yer talent is. Whate'er y' find y' kin do. I tol' ye afore - nothin' comes without cost." He glances to her. "M' nae that strong. Nae like some - so ken I kin only say what I /see/, aye? An' a bit o' what I feel.." He shrugs. "Th' price w' all pay, n' matter what w' kin do.. is w' lose a bit o' ourselves. Our restraint. Th' things what make us .. well.. /man/. Maybe 's easier fer me t' see... I spent s' much time nae bein' one, I sort o' see folks a little different 'n most."

Meian murmurs softly, "I th-think... I think I see, K-kael. It m-makes sense, to m-me. P-part of wh-what makes us h-human is that w-we can't h-have what we w-want, we c-can't j-just.. r-remove all obstacles in our w-way. If Sh-shadow touched get u-used to h-having, to b-breaking all the r-rules... It's e-easy to get ad-addicted to that, I i-imagine, and f-feeling y-you can r-rely on th-that power whenever you w-wish."

Kael nods. "Aye. e'en m' power, such 's 't is - well, s' nae like a sword, aye? Lucius draws a blade on ye - 's still jus' a blade. May be fearsome, may nae be - y' kin stand against 't. But.. I get mad, I ferget, I kin rip down half th' market. Sahna? She throws /fire/, lass. S' hard fer folk t' tell ye 'nay' when y' kin rip 'em in half wi' yer teeth o' burn 'em t' death wi' a thought. An' th' temptation 's there. E'en when y' /donnae/ do 't... y' hae t' be careful nae t' think o' yerself 's better 'n other folks, that th' lives donnae much matter. S' th' trick o' th' Shadow, there."

Meian glances down at the ground, a tremble shaking her slight form. "...I r-really am a-afraid, so a-afraid," she weakly admits. "B-but I p-promised I w-wouldn't be r-running away a-anymore. E-even if I w-want to. S-still, K-kael, I'm t-terrified.. t-terrified s-someone's g-going to c-catch me b-before I'm m-marked, kill me.. t-terrified p-people will c-come after me now... m-mostly, I'm t-t-terrified... I'm g-going to give in, s-succumb, to a-all th-those temptations."

".. heh." He glances to her. "Fer th' first one, lass? Wi' hae t' get through me. m' nae goin' t' let sommat hurt ye - nae now. Nae if I kin do anythin' about it - jus' hae t' be careful, fer a day o' so. As fer th' other.." Kael shrugs. "W' are forgin' a new way, s' best I kin tell. Wi' fall, m' guessin' a few times. But y' fall so y' kin learn nae to - y' got friends, y' got Celeste, an' fer what 's worth, y' got me.. n' a few others, yet. If y' are watchin' yer step.. 's hard t' fall. An' if y' /do/ fall.. well, y' got folks what wi' help catch ye."

"I w-want many things," the girl whispers softly, "and I'm j-just af-afraid... I h-hope I w-won't r-reach out to try and m-make them all h-happen. H-hearts... th-they're treacherous, m-mine v-very so. N-never listens to my m-mind, just k-keeps w-wanting. ...f-friends... I j-just hope Griedan c-can f-forgive me, when he s-sees me M-marked.."

".. s' sad." Kael pauses, thoughtful - "W' donnae really ken anythin' - all' th' ones what hae knowin'.. well, th' hoard it, o' donnae much ken th' answers themselves. S' best I kin figure.. fer as long 's anyone kin remember, th' Touched hae been hidin' - doin' all th' kin do to live. All th' really /know/, well, s' changed b' that. N'body bothers t' ask 'why' when yer runnin' fer yer life. Now, th' young - th' ones what are nae lookin' jus' t' survive - th' want t' hae answers, an', 's best I kin tell, n' anyone hae those answers o' are willin' t' give 'em. From 'ere on in.. w' hae no choice but t' find our own." Kael looks to the girl - "I cannae tell ye what wi' be. M' still findin' out what 't all means, m'self. But maybe we kin figure 't out t'gether, aye? S' th' best I kin offer."

A soft smile suffuses Meian's face with warmth as she slowly looks up to Kael, whispering, "It's.. it's the b-best I could e-ever a-ask for. The L-light was g-guiding m-me somehow the d-day I ended up in the s-same tavern as y-you, Kael... I c-can't help but b-believe that. T-time and time again.. y-you keep helping me, s-saving me. I..." Her voice trails off, a faint blush coming into her cheeks before she hastily appends, "...I'm so very g-glad I met you. L-let's f-figure out.. f-for ourselves, and e-everyone else."

He grins, at that. "now. Griedan's goin' t' ask ye what y' meant t' talk t' him about - what wi' ye tell 'm?" He's oddly concerned. "I donnae ken what t' /tell/ ye - but y' may want t' think about 't afore y' go back. Y' lie t' him, wi' cost y' later. Y' tell 'm th' truth.. may cost ye e'n more."

Meian shrugs lightly, still smiling. "I d-don't th-think it's a p-problem. If I t-tell him to w-wait, he'll w-wait, and he w-won't press me. Then wh-when I a-appear Marked, I'll t-tell him the t-truth, and..." The smile falters. "..h-hope he'll e-ever speak to m-me ag-again after that."

"... if 'e cares fer ye - truly cares? wi' work past 't. Wi' be up t' him t' learn t' see past what y' wear.. t' what y' are." Kael shakes his head. "C'mon - best w' get ye back, anyroad. Sahna knows, by th' by. If y' want t' talk t' sommat else - 'twere she what set me on ye, 'n 'er own way." He turns, leading the girl in the direction of the road, back through the orchard. "Jus'... ken what Sahna 'n I donnae much think th' same, 'n many things."

Meian swallows slightly, confessing, "I... I'm n-not so s-sure how m-much I'd c-care for her, h-how much we'd g-get along. She's a f-friend of yours, and a l-lady beside, I w-would never be r-rude to her, but.. I th-think I will j-just wait until I can t-talk to e-everyone." She follows Kael's lead toward the road obediently, almost comfortably.. perhaps used to being lead around by him by now.

The mage and the young lady are moving through the orchard, simply talking quietly - it might be said, Meian at least seems a bit more relieved. Relaxed, perhaps. "Sh' kin be tart, aye - sh' is far smarter 'n most. But y' may be surprised b' her, in th' end. She gave m' a lot o' understandin', early on."

Meian shakes her head gently. "...In the e-end, I'd r-rather trust in my l-lady for c-counsel. I f-feel safe with her, and I kn-know she c-cares about me. A-also... I t-think in a way, d-doing that, l-letting her h-help lead me th-through all of this instead... is v-very f-fitting to w-where we are and wh-what we w-want to do. Friendships.. a-across all borders."

It is evening and certainly not the easiest to see the weather. Besides that? Stowe has kept to her own schedule and movement. So? When a figure is glimpsed up ahead, making its way back to the general area of the keep, it isn't an instant guess that it is Stowe. However? It may occur. Possibly.

Kael nods. "When given freely, aye." The young man still has no shirt. Weather? Shmeather. Or something - "Jus' remember.. sh' learns as we do, e'erythin 's new. Th' dawn what came nae so long ago - 't changed everythin', 'n ways none o' us really kens yet. S' up t' us t' make some sense o' it." He chuckles. "An' s' enough o' all that. Y' seem a bit steadier, 't least."

"Yes," the girl softly avows, still cloaked except for her face. It's smiling and mostly relaxed now, eyes practically shining as she looks at Kael. "I a-am, th-thanks to you.. I d-definitely am. Someday I h-have to find a way to make up f-for ev-everything you g-give me, but I d-doubt I ever t-truly will."

Kael shakes his head. "M' nae givin' y' anythin' y' did nae already have, lass." He's quite serious - "Carin' fer folks 's jus' right." He pauses - "Y' go on, aye? wi' be right behind ye." He glances back.. and up into the trees, thoughtful.

Meian slowly releases Kael's arm, with a little nod. "...a-all right. Be c-careful, Kael. I'll b-be there." Biting her lip for a moment, she then turns and begins to step away through the trees, casting more than one or two glances over her shoulder as she drifts toward the road.

''Return to Season 6 (2007)