Log Date: Sept. 26, 1995 Log Summary: Gerren, following his awakening from rockshaping trance, goes to speak with Lord Winnowill about the location of Jasmael -- and whether Reia is truly his daughter. ---------- Reia is playing in the hall with her pebbles as usual, giggling . Gerren makes his awkward way through the chamber, spies Reia from a distance, and winces. You locksend to Winnowill, Gerren sends out an open, but shy and plaintive call: ** My Lord... may I... come see you? ** You sense in a locksend, Winnowill responds suddenly, out of a misty, watery darkness, ** Of course, ** the send is strong, though careful, and beginning to probe your surface thoughts. You locksend to Winnowill, Gerren's mind is easily readable; he is weak, yet, from his long trance, but his sending is clear enough, palpably disressed. A flood of relief washes through him, and he answers gratefully, ** Thank you, Lord... I come... ** You enter the narrow, oval passage way into Winnowill's room. Winnowill's Room(#4542RJh) A pale golden light, just more than a flicker from a shadow, trickles down from overhead. The room opens up to an ornate bathing tub, leading to a series of hooks with Lord Winnowill's wardrobe. In the far corner, a large bed appears to be formed out of the rock itself, canopied with a transparent veil of drak gray silk. The floor has been smoothed over kept clean, almost a softness of stone underfoot. The ceiling breaks off into stalactites that crane down to form arches against the wall and pillars in the center of the floor. A light musk smell hangs within the air, perfumed with a honeysuckle sweetness radiating from several vines and plants that grow near the entrance and the bed. Several piles of folded leather, dyed black and streaked about the edges with a dark sky blue, lay near the tub and at the foot of the bed. Contents: Winnowill cradle Obvious exits: Grotto Gerren after some time steps awkwardly into the room, and shyly looks about. Reia arrives from the grotto. Reia has arrived. Reia peeks in curiously from outside, having followed Gerren. Gerren moves with the unsteady caution of someone who hasn't walked in over five years; he is still rather paler than usual, and thinner, though at least now he is clean and changed and groomed. He does not venture too far into the chamber for fear of disturbing, overly; he lingers near the entryway, and waits for permission to approach. His countenance is troubled. Winnowill sits on the edge of her bed and nods to you, if not somewhat surprised, and motions for Reia to come to her. ** Is the palace healed, Gerren? ** Reia zips right by Gerren's legs, and hops onto the bed beside Winnowill. Reia's pebbles follow after a few seconds behind. Gerren blinks, utterly taken aback by the question. ** The... Palace, my Lord? ** As Reia zips past, he freezes, his nervousness visibly increasing. Winnowill places her arm around Reia's shoulder and smiles benevolently to Gerren Reia leans into Winnowill's side, looking pleased. Gerren tries very hard to neither fret nor sway on his feet; his knees, still, haven't quite gotten the clue of walking about. He takes a step closer, and ventures hesitantly, ** The... breach under the rock _is_ closed, Lord... the one who was once Door used her magic to close it, while I held it steady... if that is the information for which you ask... ** Winnowill raises an eyeborw, tousling Reia's hair, "Yes, the Palace. Though my mind slips, I think of Rayek destroying that beautiful palace and somehow equate it with the mountain. Gerren's eyes widen. ** I... know nothing of the Palace, Lord... nor of one called Rayek... ** Reia giggles softly, closing her eyes. Winnowill says "Yes, my mind is in other places tonight." Winnowill smiles casually and pets Reia's crown Gerren's blue gaze flicks uncertainly to the child; he trembles, and fights to steady himself. ** I... will try to occupy as little of your time as possible, Lord; the Chosen h-have told me that you have been attending to other needs. I... came to ask... about Jasmael. ** Winnowill looks down at Reia Winnowill says "Jasmael was .. (she stops" Winnowill looks thoughtfully at Gerren Winnowill says "A lot has happened since you were last lucid, Gerren" Gerren sends humbly, ** So I have been given to understand... but... ** He dares look directly at Winnowill, at least briefly, and his expression is mournful. ** ... I would wish to hear what you could tell me. ** Reia lies down across Winnowill's lap, closing her eyes. Winnowill smiles plainly, cradling Reia closer. Without looking up, her sends blend into the din of her room, a show of magic, more show than strength or intent, ** Jasmael left, Gerren. Her kin, her blood kin (she adds emphasis to blood), took her away many turns ago, when Reia was still in swaddle.** Gerren pales at this, a look of pain tightening his mouth. One thin hand clenches, and he blurts anguishedly, ** I-I... was told, Lord, that she was abducted. That one... of us handed her off to a Cat Elf. ** Winnowill twitches an eyebrow, though takes care to entertain Reia, playing with her fingers Winnowill sends openly ** She was taken by her own kin, Gerren. They stood outside the mountain and waited for her ** Reia's pebbles orbit around Winnowill's head, playing. Gerren stands, silent, for several long moments. He finally manages a croak of a sending: ** Forgive my... slowness, Lord, but... you mean to say... that she chose to leave? ** What little color there was in his face drains out of it. Winnowill looks steadily at Gerren, ** After a fashion Gerren, she left of an accord not of the gliders, that is for sure. So, ask yourself, was she a glider? If so, she didn't leave of her own, but if not, then she left because she chose to** Gerren's gaze turns suspiciously liquid, as he offers, ** She... is.... of your blood, Lord.... and... she... chose to stay here, with us... with... me. I would have... called her one of us.... ** Gerren presses his eyes closed for a moment, trying to clear his vision. Winnowill smirks, ** Gerren, she had our look and walk, she could fool another glider very well. But if she was one of us, then why would she not have broken away at any moment to return here?** Gerren visibly flinches at that, but rallies in a ghost of a sending: ** My Lord... you bonded my mind to hers. If there were any in the Mountain who should know where she wished to be... ** He turns crimson, aghast at his own presumptiousness, and he finishes in a rush, ** ... I would think they would be you and I! ** Winnowill looks back with some arrogant conceit, but then a motherly softness, ** dear Gerren. Evidently I may not have removed all of the wolf. If she had wanted to return to your side, would she have waited this long? For so many, many turns? I cannot make 'love', dear Gerren, I can only make it appear that it was meant to be. Whether she found out for herself that she didn't love you, loved another, or perhaps simply wanted to return home, I cannot say, that was her decision to stay. Whether she didn't chose to leave, she did, evidently, choose to stay. Gerren listens to all of that, his gaze sad... but at least, now, facing Winnowill with a measure of the same forthright trust with which he has regarded her before. ** I... can see your wisdom, Lord... but... if I may, I would ask a boon? ** Winnowill leans forward slightly, observing Gerren, ** you wish to beg a boon of me? Of course, you are to be honroed here, dear Gerren, for saving the mountain. What is it I can do for you?** Gerren clasps his hands together, tightly, fretfully, as if to try to keep them from shaking. He bows his head respectfully, then sends, ** I... remember Jasmael's mother, Lord; Silversong. I remember that she was kind. Would it be possible... for word to be sent to the place where she lives... to ask if Jasmael is there? ** Winnowill lolls her head and draws Reia close, ** If you wish to spend your time searching for her, I will not stop you, Gerren. I could, possibly, atempt to make contact with Silverson (she offers a distant smirk), though I cannot promise anything Gerren bites at his lip a bit, and lowers his gaze. ** I... fear the Outside, Lord; you know this, of course. I... would not know how to begin to search, on my own. ** He swallows hard. ** But... I must at least know... if she lives... and if she... chose to leave... me. ** You sense in a locksend, Winnowill sends very closely to you, intimately, the send of a lover who isn't experimenting, but has an idea of where to send to, ** Gerren, I must question, though, why you wish to find her agian. Have you not tasted her mind, memorized her touch? Do you need that again and again?** Gerren catches his breath a little, and shudders. Again, he looks away from his Lord, though whether he is shy of facing her or the child on her lap is unclear. Winnowill cradles Reia, as if in response to Gerren's glance away, close to her Gerren sends lowly, ** I... went into trance with her... a mate at my side, Lord; I... emerge to find her gone, without knowing... why she left. I... ** He trails off, his sending turned rough and raw. Gerren abruptly scrubs a hand across his eyes, furiously embarrassed with himself. You sense in a locksend, Winnowill sends closely, if not intimately, again. ** I know it must be difficult, Gerren. If there is anything I can do, outside of your boon, to ease your pain, I am, of course, here for you.** (behind her send, an abysmal plane lurks and stretches into her infinitesmal limits of plotting) Gerren risks a glance up, expression forlorn, the kind of look one of the fledglings in the Aerie might have when its dam refuses to feed it any longer. For a moment his gaze pauses on Reia. Winnowill touches Reia's head, "Is something troubling you still, Gerren?" You locksend to Winnowill, Gerren's mind as you touch it feels rough, abraded, as though it has been shaken by the same upheaveal which he went into trance to repair. There's recent shock there, and loneliness, and startlement.... You sense in a locksend, Winnowill sends closely, soothingly, touching the fringes of thought and emotion, ** You will be alright in time, Gerren. Have faith in me, you will be alright ** Gerren struggles with a response, before blushing yet again, and asking huskily, ** This... child, Lord... I... never saw her, before I went... into trance. Reia... ** He pauses unconsciously on the name. ** .... says that her... father is dead. ** Reia looks up at Gerren, opening her eyes. Winnowill smiles softly and leans closer to Gerren, "If you have sent to her, touched her mind, who is there? You..or who?" Gerren answers abashedly, ** I... have not sent, Lord.... ** Winnowill lifts her eyebrow, "Then what is it you are questioning, Gerren?" Winnowill says "Weren't you told? (ahhh) When Jasmael left, she left still with child." You sense in a locksend, Winnowill sends very warmly, ** It was a hardship for all of us to bear ** Gerren's features twist slightly, pained. ** Then... Reia... is not... the child you made for... Jasmael and me? ** Winnowill cocks her head and looks at Gerren thoughtfully Winnowill says "Reia is a glier, Gerren. To look at her .. does she have any of the same feeling as you or (she stops before saying your lover) Jasmael" Gerren slowly kneels, by way of obtaining a better view of the little girl. Winnowill touches Reia's head again Gerren begins, ** She... ** And then the tenor of his sending changes, as it shifts to include the child, ** You... look like... Jasmael, little one... ** Reia looks quietly at Gerren. "Reia looks like Js'mel?" One of Reia's pebbles parts from it orbit around Winnowill and Reia, to circle around Gerren's head. Gerren nods slowly, shyly, gaze darting sidewise as the pebble distracts him. Reia giggles softly. Winnowill holds Reia close to her again, "Gerren, if you wish to find Jasmael, perhaps she can clarify your questions. Since I did not give birth to your child (she offers a plain smile) I cannot necessarily answer many questions about it." Gerren nods uncertainly to his Lord, still half-distracted by the child and her pebbles. ** I... wish very much to find Jasmael, Lord... I will... ask her... ** Winnowill nods affectionately, "Then you have only to start at the beginning, Gerren. Go right through her holt. I am quite sure there will be word of where she is there. If not, then she may not wish to be found. Gerren blinks, rising. ** I... ** His eyes widen. ** You would permit me to go there? ** Winnowill nods slowly, "If it is in your mind to do so, I could not stop you simply by telling you no. I imagine you would find some way, through means so silent and stealthy as to invade my heart into allowing you to go .. so off with you. (she smiles very carefully)" Gerren's face goes through a visible tangle of emotions: surprise and fear and a spark of resolve most noticeable amongst them. But he knows a dismissal when he hears one; thus, he sketches a bow, and makes his not-quite-steady way out of the chamber. ** I go, Lord... and thank you... ** [End log.]