"Emerging from Seclusion" 4/22/04 Cast: Eveshka, Kodachi, Larias, Savith, Tilleen, Kureel Event: After seemingly endless turns of seasons in seclusion, Eveshka reappears in the Aerie of Blue Mountain... in time to discover that Larias is pregnant again and due to give birth soon. However, that little matters to Eveshka, who has finally come out to answer her mother's anxious calls and inform the worried Ktai that all is indeed well. Kodachi, for her part, sinks into a state akin to Dreaming within Eveshka's rooms, sleeping off the long and hard work of putting Eveshka's mind at long last to rights. ---- The sound of footsteps, scuffing at the floor are barely able to be heard over the winds the occasionally blow through the Aerie. Soon enough, the maker of the footsteps can be seen exiting the hall of the eight, on foot. Larias is most assuredly heavy with child, her expression one of tired, but otherwise, she looks healthy. A figure shrouded in white stands in one of the larger holes in the Aerie, looking out over the world beyond. The breeze blows through her long white hair, and she rests one hand lightly on the side of the wall, as if to hold herself steady should the wind blow harder. It has been long since this one has been seen outside of her own rooms, and longer still since she has spoken freely with any other inhabitant of the Mountain. As such, she doesn't turn at the footsteps to see who it is who arrives. She knows that should they wish to greet her, they will. Savith comes in from the Hall of the Chosen. Savith has arrived. There's a pause in Larias' step, followed by a sharp intake of breath. The breath is held for a moment, then released. With head lifted, she looks around, and a nod is given in the direction of the white haired elfess, "Clear skies." Her attention isn't there terribly long, but could be grabbed if addressed in return. Ah. There was someone there. And she's been addressed. Thus, the pale glider turns and regards she who has greeted her with white-lashed violet eyes. A moment, and then another, before a whispery voice long unused replies: "Clear... skies." If the wind were to blow at that same moment, she may not even be heard at all. Tilleen has arrived. >From the nesting ledge, Savith flies in. He dusts his hands lightly against his thighs, then against themselves in soft clapping sounds. Moss-colored eyes flick up toward Larias almost immediately upon his arrival, and a very faint grin, easily mistaken for a smirk, struggles to play upon his face. A private send flickers from his mind. Still the pale glider stands within the hole in the wall, watching with half- lidded eyes. It may be that she now regrets leaving the sanctity of her rooms, but she offers nothing in the way of an indication of emotion. She may have forgotten how. Luckily, the wind was quiet at the moment the white haired elfess spoke, and thus, the words reach to the deeper recesses of the Aerie, such as where Larias happens to be standing. Once more, she nods in Eveshka's direction, but the arrival of one of the Chosen quickly garners her attention. Her expression remains much unchanged, though a sending flickers from her mind. Tilleen arrives in the process of her duties. She glides into the room and glances about with her usual pinched expression. She says, "C;ear skies Chosen Savith... Eveshka... Larias." She moves to the nearest lamp and begins to fiddle about. Violet eyes flicker to the speaker, and then to the lamp. But the one who greeted is now busy, so the pale glider remains silent. It had not occurred to her that the Aerie was still a busy place. The smirk upon Savith's features deepen, as he draws near. But a Chosen is ever- alert, and a glance is given Tilleen first, then Eveshka. "Clear skies," he replies to the lightbearer as he draws ever closer to Larias, the round-tummied life-bearer. "Eveshka. Good to see you again," he comments. And yet, all the while, a send reaches for another's mind. Pale eyebrows crinkle slightly as the diminutive glider frowns slightly, a name filtering through her mind, and then she simply nods a greeting in return to the Chosen's greeting. A momentary wince, another sharp intake of breath, and Larias seems to lose her focus on Savith for a moment. The wince passes, and a send is offered someone. Is it on purpose she ignores Tilleen's greeting, quite likely. Soft and silent comes Kureel, Head Chosen busy this day with the duties of his station, namely at this point checking in with the other Eight. But what is this? Larias the Breeding Traitor is up and around in her advanced state. This bears interest, and with Savith, excellent spying, prying and work all in one. Someone else too? Ah, right what was that glider's name.. so many surely it will come to him sooner or later. Kureel approaches slowly, awaiting at the archway to the Hall below, at the fringe of eavesdropping range. The pale glider's attention drifts back to Larias for a moment, and passes once more to Tilleen. For a moment, another figure lights the lamps before her eyes, and she frowns, blinking away the image. She remains, however, standing in the open lattice-work of the Aerie wall, the wind playing havoc with her long hair. Kodachi locksends: ** I believe, little one, that now I shall Dream... to recollect myself and rest. Will you be well? ** You locksend: ** I will be well, Kodachi. I will bring food should you wish it. ** Tilleen continues to fiddle with the lamp, keeping a sharp ear for any interesting gossip to spread and disseminate. She doesn't botice the arrival of yet another Chosen so she does not greet him as would be proper. Savith's moss-green eyes widen faintly as Larias winces. His attention is so very quickly absorbed by the ground-bound glideress. Only one other in this mountain could so quickly capture a Chosen's entrance with no trace of malice within the set of his shoulders. Feet tap against the ground as he drops to a landing, hands reaching out for Larias. Kureel smiles a thin cruel smile as he watches the tender affections from his favored Chosen. Too long has it been since he has been showed any such care, at least the beast with his child growing in her belly has been amazingly intelligent and stayed out of his way. Best for all. Kodachi locksends: ** No. Just sleep. If you have need, call me. I will not be difficult to wake. ** Disinterested now, the pale glider turns back to her contemplation of the world beyond the mountain. You locksend: ** Dream well, grandmother. ** You sense in a locksend, Kodachi sends a ripple of wry amusement that you should insist on using such a bizarre term of endearment. Grandmother she has never been, and yet you accept that as well. ** Good night, little Kaia. ** Pale eyes lift and meet the moss green ones of Savith. Larias smiles wanly and nods, "I think, that would be a good thing right now. Sharing I mean." The rest of the mountain, minus Kureel, all but forgotten, Savith nods to Larias, hands coming to rest upon her shoulders. "How long have they been," he asks softly to her. Kureel snickers.. "Sharing Eh Larias? An interesting topic. Whatever are we talking about?" His lips twists at the corner, a smooth veneer of malice hiding his own fears at the mention. Eyes flit about, checking to see which Chosen is on guard at the Aerie's entrance, and he notices Tilleen finally. "Clear Skies, Lightbearer, I take it you are well? Larias has not been too much trouble to you lately needing to be guided around at all hours?" The elf in the 'window,' as it were, listens, but offers nothing. There is always someone to be a problem, someone to be cruel. It may have mattered to her once upon a time, but those times are long past and almost forgotten. She simply stands, looking out at the fields below the Mountain, her thoughts to herself. Larias shrugs in response to Savith, "They come and go, not to long now." One hand lifts to brush some errant strands of gold back behind an ear, but the effort is fruitless, for another gust blows into the depths of the Aerie. [OOC] Savith says, "Ah... Okay. Me too, sometimes, but you can always type out your name, you know. Ain't all that hard. ;)" Tilleen arches an eyebrow and glance over her shoulder at Savith. Are the lovers measuring body parts or something? She then turns her attention to Kureel. She smiles at him. "Clear skies Chosen Kureel." She glances back at the swollen Glider briefly. Quickly her attention returns to Kureel, "I am quite well, thank you. As for Larias, I am certain she can find her way without me. My staff only lights the Lord's way. I do not stoop to guiding lesser elves." What? Kureel and Tilleen said something? With his attention focusing more and more upon Larias, Savith's brows draw together. "If it gets too bad for us, we'll call, understand?" Kureel smiles over to Tilleen the smile sweet and saccharine. "Well said, Honored Lightbearer." Ah, now Savith.. "Call? Is it time already then? Best be careful Brother, wouldn't want something to happen to you or Larias, I imagine it would be horrible if the child had to grow up not having a parent, don't you? Would be horrible, not knowing your parents" Never mind Kureel's too old to even remember who his are, but even so.. Tilleen turns fully around after Kureel's announcement that Larias is finally ripe. She watches the situation patiently. Larias takes a deep breath so she can let out a long low sigh. "I suppose." She answers Savith. "Call later, call now... what will be done, will be done in the end." And thus, another wince, an intake of breath, that moment held, and a hand searches for one of Savith's. That is enough to gain the attention of the pale glider, and she turns to cast a violet gaze down on the Chosen who spoke. The wind blows her hair into her eyes, and she is forced to reach up and pull it from her face so that she can see what transpires below. A hand drifts from Larias's shoulder to collect hers as she moves for his own. Savith's smirk dies into a faint frown as Larias winces, only to have it deepen, and his shoulders tensing as Kureel's words deep right on in, just as planned. "Least this one's pure, wolf-breath," he mutters more than loud enough for Kureel to hear. Kureel winces at the insult, but sneers right back. "THIS one indeed, Brother, 2 out of.. how many?" A private mental thought flits from his head, perhaps clarifying the apparent tension between the two. The pale eyebrows climb for the small glider's hairline, and faintly pink lips twist for a moment before she dismisses it all again and turns back to her contemplation of the world outside. She needn't have been concerned with matters; nothing in the mountain changes, so why did she expect else? Perhaps she hadn't after all. She fluffs the hair that she'd been holding out of her eyes, and allows her hand to fall back at her side. Let them argue this one out without her. She's had enough fights in this Aerie. Tilleen glides down to the ground, lamp forgotten. This is much more interesting. New things to tell the kitchen staff so they will spread it well. A private thought passes from Larias to the one that is partially supporting her. Her hand finding Savith's as his finds hers, and well, she gives it a grip that is none to light, perhaps its from a pain lancing through her. Savith's jaw tenses as Larias's hand turns his own white with her grip. A step is taken closer to Larias, and his other hand moves to support around her back at the waist. His eyes spare a moment to shoot Kureel a dirty look, eyes narrowed to mossy-flecks. Oh, you're SO lucky Larias is sharing those labor pains, buddy. Hmm.. that begs the question... should he shut Kureel up and blast him with it... Hmm... no. This is far too sacred a thing to share with Kureel, and his eyes turn back to Larias, there by systematically ignoring Kureel once again. "You need to breath, beloved," he says softly. Kureel smiles, content in his disillusionment that he has wont the day. An upwards glance catches that Glider again.. seems familiar, cant quite place her.. Oh.. wait.. that's it! Eveshka, the Traitor worse then Larias.. the one who actually acted against their Lord. How rich, the master watching the pupil no doubt. This bears investigation, perhaps later. Fro now, an olive branch. "How can I be of assistance Brother?" A flat tone, cool and lacking emotion, Duty means making sure that the child is born after all, its one of them. Pale eyes roll upwards, and Larias shakes her head from side to side, but she does as she is told and breathes deep and even, relaxing, or at least trying to. After a moment, she speaks, "Breathing, that I can do right now. Maybe, walk some more, it helps a little." The pale glider shakes her head again, seeming to send out towards the distance, and abruptly turns around once more to look at those gathered within the Aerie. It is quite impossible to traverse across the Aerie and make a subtle retreat, so she chooses to remain within the room, moving now to a closed niche and pulling a silver comb out of a pocket. She proceeds to work on a rather unruly knot that the wind had blown into her hair, all the while keeping watch on those gathered below. Savith nods to Larias, moving to stand at her side. "When you're ready," he replies softly, like mumbling to Larias. Turning her head to look upon her lifemate, Larias offers him a wan smile. "I think now is as good a time as any," she says softly, giving his hand another squeeze, though this time, not so hard as to make it turn white. To say the mountain never changes is a serious fallacy, for at that moment, at the sound of his soulmate's soft voice, coupled with her wan smile, a gentle, warm, compassionate, caring, and true smile softens Savith's harsh features. "Now it is," he replies, turning to lead Larias from the room at a pace she's comfortable with. Such tender care he has in walking with her, each step almost dainty in it's care. The pale glider finishes with her hair and pockets the comb, lifting the long white tresses aside to tumble down her back again. Haven't they gone yet? She looks down with veiled annoyance. She hadn't expected all of this... drama... in the Aerie, but then, it had been such a long time since she had entered the Aerie that she couldn't possibly have expected anything. So she simply sits back and watches, eerily reminiscent of another elf from another time. Kureel stifles a gag, how disgusting. His eyes track up now as all leave save the Chosen on guard, the Traitor Eveska, and him. Cruel delight plays over his features as he casually observes her. "Eveshka" His voice drips with a thin malice. "Such a long time since you /graced/ the Aerie. How have you been?" Violet eyes look back down at the Chosen's casual gaze, and when she is addressed, her faintly pink lips curl slightly. Her voice is still as light as it once was, though whispery and ever just /so/ polite. "I am as I am ever, Kureel. Your..." she pauses, a smile very much akin to a smile once seen on another Chosen's face touching her lips. "Concern... is quite touching." Kureel lowers his head slightly, a degree perhaps, no more. "Yes, I'm sure. What brings you here today, keeping an eye on our Life-Bearer perhaps? Seems she has many caretakers, so likely you were not here for her. The view perhaps? Pining for your lost Outside?" And thus, with the aide of her mate, Larias leaves the Aerie, heading towards the Hall of the Eight. Eveshka smirks from within her niche and looks off into the distance above Kureel's head. "I care not for Larias, and even less for the view. But since you ask, I will tell you that I came to ensure that the Mountain was at long last free of Ktai's presence." Kureel nods slowly at this news, "How noble of you, how.. surprising." A sending snatches his attention, his irritation crossing clearly over his features damn that wolf-elf. "I must go attend to.. matters. Do feel free to stop by and see me when you have some time Eveshka, I would much like to talk to you again." Before awaiting a response, Kureel begins turning, already fuming at this distraction. Eveshka, for her part, simply smiles thinly. Noble and surprising? Hardly. She was simply tired of being badgered by her mother. But... he doesn't need to know that, now does he?