"A Night for Revelations" Log Date: 3/25/02, 3/26/02 Log Cast: Vardeus, Raven, Tiana, Kephissa Log Intro: It is as if the return of their Captain has opened a floodgate for the crew of the _Windrider_, for ever since his unexpected return to their ranks, more and more of the local denizens of the new wild land in which they have been stranded have been revealing themselves to the ragged band of sailors. A new band of elves from a place called Briarholt has come to camp nearby, and one of their number has spent a little time this night sharing a fire and some conversation with Vardeus, the only one immediately present who could speak any of the elfin words. The conversation with Starwind goes placidly enough... until, that is, the canny elf notes that the big human with whom he speaks spends an inordinate amount of time stealing tender glances at the redhaired woman who lingers nearby, and for whom he translates the elf visitor's words. And naturally, in the forthright way of the elves, Starwind asks if Vardeus and Tiana are 'lovemates'. So shocked is the Captain by this innocent question that he loses track of what he is relaying to Tiana... causing his second to misinterpret his expression entirely when Starwind attempts to change the subject and ask how many of their number Vardeus's band has lost. And Starwind, made uneasy by the obvious tension between the two Tall Ones, politely excuses himself; thus are the Captain and his second left to make their awkward retreats to their respective sleeping places... for all that neither of them are exactly able to sleep. But Vardeus has an elfin shadow, and even as he tries to hide his nightmare-ridden slumber by retreating out into the trees near the beach, Raven of the Raft Elves goes after him to keep watch.... ---------- He'd thought that perhaps if he slept away from the rest of the men on the crew, perhaps, just perhaps, he might be able to get something resembling rest. What Vardeus has accomplished, however, by hauling his bedroll out into the night and choosing a tree under which to sleep is to simply manage to stay awake listening to the roar of the ocean rather than the snores of his crew. For time he can't really measure save by the passing of the stars overhead, the Captain tosses and turns in his furs, and at last falls into a restless, grudging doze. And unsurprisingly, the dreams come to ambush him again, full force. The scattered images that have haunted him about the trials the _Windrider_ has undergone, about the assault of the monster upon his crew... and about Tiana, and two entire families casting him out if he lets himself yield to the increasingly powerful draw he feels to this woman who helps him command. This woman who has bedevilled him ever since he first laid eyes upon her. This woman who is _not_ Tyra Yfantis, the one to whom he's promised his hand and his name. In the darkest hour of the night, Vardeus jerks awake again, panting, sweating despite the mild summer night, his eyes gritty and heavy with his exhaustion. Vardeus wakes to find himself not as alone as he thought he was. There, sitting nearby, keeping a silent vigil over his restless slumber, is Raven. She sits as still as the beach grasses, looking as much a part of this wild landscape as the human captain's crew does not. She gives Vardeus time to gather his bearings before she turns her head to peer at him. "((You no sleep good, Vardoos,))" she says then. It is not a question, merely statement of fact. Vardeus lets out a strangled little cry, practically bumping into the tree behind him as he jerks up into something vaguely resembling a sitting position, his head swiveling around in startlement to the she-elf. It seems to take him a moment or two before comprehension dawns, and then he mumbles, hoarsely, "((You got a... demn fine gift f'r... understatement, Raven...!))" Raven gives a little bit of a smile as she finally moves more than her head, choosing to get up and move closer to Vardeus. She really didn't understand most of what he said there but, she caught the gist of it, she thinks. She settles herself much closer so that the details of her features can be picked out in the pale moonlight. Once comfortable, she speaks again, "((You sleeped. I keeped watch.))" Unsettled blue eyes settle their gaze upon Raven, and slowly, as his heart rate returns to something resembling a normal pace, the Captain rasps, "((Ye didnae haftae watch o'er me... but thankee... I, ah--))" One big hand shoves through his already hopelessly disheveled hair, accomplishing nothing except disloading at least a little bit of the sand that's managed to get into his shaggy locks thanks to the restlessness of his slumber. And his gaze slides away a bit, as he adds in a mutter, "((Am I still... talkin' in me sleep?))" For the moment, Raven chooses to pay no mind to the thanks but, nods her head to the last, "((You talked some of ship and crew and much of Teeana,))" she replies then. That said, she fixes the human with a look that he might get from one much older than he when he'd done something foolish as a child. She sits there quietly as if choosing her words carefully, when, in fact she's trying to figure out if she should try to find the human words or speak in her own language. Finally, she settles on the familiar tongue and speaks slowly to make certain that Vardeus understands as much as possible, "Is it the way of humans.. to hurt themselves.. and the ones that love them so much?" Vardeus blinks, then stares over hard at the elf as he tries to figure out if her expression means what he thinks it does. His mother might have that expression on her face, he tells himself, and the thought makes him distinctly uncomfortable when the face that now holds a similar expression could easily be taken for the face of a girl-child rather than an adult being. Instead of answering the question directly, he slumps back down onto his furs and looks skyward, stormy-eyed, as he asks instead, "Elfs nae... do bad things? Think thing, do thing, nae think good?" Raven laughs at that, "I have yet to see an elf work so hard at denying himself... except in Recognition." Of course, she doesn't expect the human to understand what Recognition is but, that's about the only time she's ever seen one act as addled as this human before her is acting. "'Rekig...' What?" croaks the Captain, turning his head around now to peer at Raven, brow furrowed. Raven chuckles at that then sighs as she settles herself more comfortably into the sand. Obviously she's preparing to be here for a little while. Finally, she replies, trying to answer as simply as possible, "Recognition... It is.." she searches for an explaination but can only come up with, ".. Soul meets soul when eyes meet eyes.." Well, that doesn't help a bit. Vardeus' rugged features merely crinkle in further consternation, and he has to admit in frustration, "Dinnae know 'soul', Raven. You say I do bad thing?" This comes out of him with a stoic undertone, and not particularly surprisedly, either. He's been telling himself much the same thing for the past several hours. "You have face like mother. Elf mother. Human mother. Same." Many things she may be but, mother is something she has not been given the chance to try her hand at thus far. At that comparison, a small shadow passes over her features but, it is quickly erased as she nods, "I saw and heard much of what was said earlier.. and you have done, not so much a /bad/ thing, as a hurtful thing, Vardoos." She sighs and lifts a hand to toy with the bit of jade suspended from her neck, "I don't think you meant to do so but, you hurt your Teeana." At this, despair bursts across Vardeus' expression like a strike of skyfire. "Know," he mumbles, slamming his eyes shut and throwing a muscled forearm across them as if wishing he could block out his view of the world around him. Still, though, there where he lies, the taut strain of his bearded jaw is distinctly visible against his arm. "Know. See Tiana face. See hurt. Nae want hurt Tiana. Want go in ocean, nae come out, if hurt Tiana." Raven watches Vardeus' reaction and her expression becomes one of greatest sympathy as she leans over and draws the big human into a comforting hug much as a mother might do to comfort her child. "Shhh... I don't know this woman you have promised yourself to but, when you speak of her, you do not smile with your eyes like you do when your Teeana is near and you think no one is watching." He might blush, at this implication that somebody has apparently seen how he has gazed upon his second -- but Raven's slender little arms are tugging at him, and with a bit of a groan Vardeus lets himself roll onto his side into that hug. It makes for awkward positioning, but the human lets himself more or less huddle into her lap, resting his head there as he struggles to get his breathing under control. "Raven... see?" he mumbles. "See I, see Tiana?" Raven looks down at Vardeus and nods her head, "Yes.. I have seen how you look at her... and how she looks at you." She sighs then and wrestles with whether to ask a question that she knows will hurt no matter how it is worded but, finally, she does as she has always done and goes straight for the heart of the matter, "Are you going to be able to fix your ((ship))?" How Tiana might look at him is almost too frightening a concept to consider -- and at any rate, Vardeus is immediately distracted by the mention of what's left of the _Windrider_. "Dinnae think ((aye))," he groans, barely audibly. "She break, long time. Many moon. Some in water. Some gone, in ocean. Need much things, nae have... no fix my ((ship))." Those last three words -- they're barely audible even to elfin ears, choked off and husky, the admission of a man who's been almost slain by the sight of something precious to him destroyed. There are tears lurking somewhere under his ragged tone, though he isn't letting them out yet. Not yet. He's gone for months now without breaking down... and a small stubborn part of the mind and heart of Vardeus Alirreus doggedly insists he keep himself from doing so. Not that it would matter to the Wolfrider if he did. She sighs and nods, "You can not go back to this woman you have promised to... You have been gone for more than a turn of the seasons. Do you think she will grow old waiting for you?" she asks then. Raven adds quietly, "Does her heart cry for your absence even now?" Oh, _Skyfather_, how on earth can he explain this? A shudder shoots through Vardeus' big frame, and he considers trying to roll off of the she-elf's lap again... for all that the physical comfort appeals to something within him sorely in need of it. Despondent, embarrassed, he sucks in a breath and tries to keep his voice stable as he breathes, eyes still closed, "Nae... know. I nae see Tyra. Nae know Tyra. Father, Mother, all say to Tyra father, mother... I ((marry)) Tyra. Tyra father, mother, say ((aye))..." Raven makes no move to stall the human's movement away from her. She realizes that, like many elves she knows, this one is a proud being and sometimes that pride does not allow for comforting. She frowns a bit, "What is.. ((merry))?" she asks. After all, she's got to know the answer to that one before she can speak further. The tattered remnants of his pride are about all that hold Vardeus' soul together, at this point, and so he slumps back over onto his rumpled sleepfurs, his arm once more covering his eyes. "((Marry)) is... be mates. I ((husband)), Tyra ((wife)). Kephissa tell I, Tyra... good. She tell I, much good, I.... I-I... like Tyra. Father say, Mother say, I ((marry)) Tyra. Tyra Father, Tyra mother say, I ((marry)) Tyra. I say, Tyra say ((aye)), we ((marry)). I go on ((ship)), wait Tyra say ((aye)).... ((ship)) lost, ((ship)) break, I here." A gruffly muttered, stoically borne litany of the last several months of Vardeus' life; his griefs, boiled down to their bare essentials. Raven listens to this explaination and the litany of his recent past then purses her lips thoughtfully. After a moment a dubious expression comes to her features as she shakes her head, "That is how you humans choose a lifemate?" she asks sounding rather incredulous about it. "Nae all time," Vardeus croaks. The matter does rather give _him_ a headache too, truth be told, though he's had a lot longer to consider it than Raven has. "Tyra mother, Tyra father... like chief. I mother, I father, nae like chief. Tyra marry, is big, much say, much do..." And all at once, his voice further strained, Vardeus breaks into his own tongue. "((Ach)), Raven, ((they probably think I'm dead now anyway, but what if they dinnae, an' they think I broke me promise?))" Raven considers this chief correlation and shakes her head in wonder. She's certainly glad that her own people don't follow this sort of practice. She catches only some of that last since she's not the best when it comes to Vraeyan. "((And what you do you go home and Tie-ra marry man not you?))" she asks. She continues on, not missing a beat, "((You think Tie-ra not keep proomise? You be angry to her?))" "((I'd nae be angry,))" Vardeus whispers. "((I wouldnae think she should wait. _Tyra_ dinnae say she'd marry me... and she's prob'ly gone an' married 'er a rich 'un by now anyhow, she prob'ly thinks I'm dead. Me whole fam'ly... they prob'ly all think I'm dead.))" As he speaks, each and every syllable is taut and quivering, as if it would take but the tiniest prick of a dagger to make the emotion pent up within them bleed forth. "((And I... I cannae let meself... think on't, me crew needs me. I... gotta figure out how t' do good by 'em, they still want me as Captain even if me ship's dead where she lies an' we lost o'er half of us.... ach....))" Now, his arm slides limply down to his chest and Vardeus lifts an exhausted gaze skyward, finishing despondently, "((I dinnae know what t' tell 'em. Dinnae how t' be Captain without me ship.))" And he turns his head back to the she-elf, bringing his lost, weary eyes back to meet hers as he plaintively finishes, "((Me ship's... gone...!))" Raven smiles, "I wish Redtide would have come out of the caverns to meet you. You are very much alike sometimes though he would probably not like to hear that." She chuckles as she says that last then shakes her head. She reaches over to a place nearby and picks up a stick which she holds up to make certain Vardeus can see what she's doing, "This is a thing. There is no life in it." She starts digging at the sand at the base of a boulder with it, "You use it enough, it will break." And as if to emphasize her words, the stick breaks with a snap. She frowns and stares at the stick, "I liked that thing... but, it does not make me who I am." She turns back to peer at Vardeus with a very piercing look in her jewel-bright eyes, "Does a thing make you who you are, or do you?" To this, Vardeus snorts, but it's less vigorous a sound than it should be. "You dinnae... ((love)) stick. Nae be little on stick... nae get big on stick... ((you dinnae hear the _Windrider_'s sails in the wind, lass... you couldnae know... feel 'er dancin' on the waves like them dolphins ye elfs hae got...))..." And with this, with eyes just as intent as the she-elf's, burning with the tears he hasn't let himself shed, he adds roughly, "((Ship)) _home_ I. I ((love)) ship. You nae be sad, home die?" Raven smiles yet there is a soberness in her eyes that belies the expression, "I have lost not one, but, two families." She pauses for just a moment before going on, "There is great pain in loosing those we love but home... home is where and what /you/ make it. If you choose to, you can make just as much of a home here as you did on your ((ship))." "((Aye, an' me crew's countin' on me to help 'em if we hafta be after makin' a home here,))" Vardeus concludes intently, almost desperately, rubbing a hand across his eyes and struggling to hold onto that resolution, blurred though it is by his need for sleep. Raven nods then tips her head to one side, much as a listening wolf might. She studies Vardeus for a long moment before she asks, "Will you make a home here and live alone, then? Will you silently let your Teeana turn to another and bear him cubs then?" She has called the woman 'your Teeana' all night for a reason and yet she notices that Vardeus has yet to wonder why she speaks thusly. She continues without giving Vardeus a chance to answer those questions, "There is the same light in her eyes when she looks upon you as there is in your eyes when you look upon her..." _Now_ it finally gets through to him. "She..." And Vardeus looks up again, his eyes turned strangely defenseless. "((She isnae _my_.... she.... looks at me?))" You're jesting with him, right? And yet, he can't shake himself off the recollection of the concern in Tiana's eyes as she'd caught him asleep on his feet, nor of the way she'd clung to him the night he had returned to the crew against all odds to the contrary. Raven nods her head slowly, in a rather sage fashion as she replies, "((Aye.. she do.))" The she-elf giggles then and tosses a look skyward, "You really should pay more attention, Vardoos. She seems just as proud as you and yet, she clung to you like a wet leaf when you returned to them." It's probably a good thing the Captain is lying down. If he were standing, there is a decided chance he'd have been hard pressed to keep his knees steady in the flood of surprise that overwhelms him. In contrast to the little being who sits beside him, the expression his rugged countenance bears now manages to make him seem extremely young. "((I always thought she hated me,))" he mumbles, thunderstruck, blinking groggily. "((We were... always fighting...))" Raven has to think about that for a moment before she catches the meaning of his words but, then she laughs, a high, sweet, crystalline sound, "((She knows you proomised to Tie-ra))?" she asks then. Vardeus rolls more or less onto his side again, pillowing his head on one of his broad arms, gazing anxiously more or less in Raven's direction for all that it's likely that what he actually _sees_ is something or someone else entirely, if that thousand-pace stare of his is any sign. "((She knows,))" he affirms dejectedly. "((I-I mean... I guess she does... I said summat on it, before her... we havenae spoken on it, she an' I...!))" Raven listens to the Vraeyan words and takes a moment to decipher the meanings before she nods slowly, "((She angry she not can be you woman. She not angry to you.))" she says then as if she has the ability to look straight into the heart of another and find what really lies beneath the surface. "((Oh gods,))" is Vardeus' heartfelt murmur, to that. Clumsily, he begins to try to sit up, only one thought managing to penetrate the veil of exhaustion across his thoughts. "((I gotta talk to her. I gotta...))" Raven smiles then and nods, "((Aye.. Vardoos talk to Teeana. Vardoos make her mate and be..))" she pauses searching for the human words, "((.. much happy. Who know.. Vardoos be next to have a)) cub ((to hold.))" Gosh, she makes it sound so bloody simple, doesn't she? "'Cub'?" Vardeus blinks several times, trying to register that new word. And then he giggles, weakly; there's no other word, really, for that little burst of laughter that escapes him, almost childlike and incongruous with his normal rumbling baritone. "Cub is child? You think I, Tiana make child?" Raven grins then and nods her head, "((Aye, child.)) Cub. ((Vardoos and Teeana make child. Be much good.))" A _child_. The notion that he and Tiana might make a _child_ hits Vardeus like a lightning bolt, and for several seconds, it seems all he can do is struggle to fathom it. His expression softens, even as his eyes grow more intent, and his mouth quivers till he can finally manage to blurt, "((I should... go talk to her. Right now... figure something out... Raven, I....))" And he makes it to his knees, before he abruptly, impulsively reaches over and sweeps the little she-elf into a hug of his own, which arguably can speak more eloquently than any words he can currently manage to utter. Raven watches the expressions shift on Vardeus' face then chuckles as she's drawn into a hug which she returns just as readily. "((You no thank. I no need thank. You want thank. You go talk to your Teeana. Make hurt look go way. Make happy be.))" Make Tiana happy. Vardeus can think of nothing that appeals to him more, with the possible exception of having a decent night's sleep for once... but all right. That's only a distant second. He gives Raven a wavering but enormous smile, a single unsteady nod, and without another word hauls himself to his feet and stumbles back off towards the ship. Raven chuckles and waves him off then bends to the small task of gathering up his bedroll to take it back to the human's camp. High Ones if she leaves it out here, there's no telling who or what might run off with it. Meanwhile, back at the ship... The night is well underway and most of the camp has settled in for the night save for one who sits outlined by the flickering light cast by the remnants of the night's fire. Tiana sits beside the dying fire, idly poking at the embers with a stick sending small showers of sparks fluttering into the air. Any that know here can easily tell that she's got something on her mind but, very few might actually know what it is that is bugging her so that she's sitting up when she ought to be sleeping in preparation for her turn at watch. Well, Tiana is not the only one up. Kephissa walks towards her cousin slowly coming out of the shadows into the small circle of light cast by the fire. She sits down next to Tiana. "Something on your mind? I figure you'd be asleep by now." She smiles ruefully, since she's still awake too. Tiana jumps at the sound of her cousin's voice and blinks herself back to awareness. She looks over at Kephissa and sighs, "((Aye,))" she replies though its not certain whether she's replying to the reference that she would normally have been asleep or if there's something on her mind. Perhaps its both. She sighs and turns back to poke at the fire again, "((I doubt there's much that can be done about what's on my mind, Keph,))" she says then as she draws her knees up, rests her free arm atop her knees and rests her chin on her forearm. Kephissa chuckles , "((Weren't we talking just talking about being wary, and here you are sitting in the dark not paying attention.))" Her tone is teasing, but it shifts as she mimics Tiana's knees drawn up position. "((Maybe it would help if you aired it out a bit. You've certainly listened to my troubles often enough, and vice-versa.))" Tiana smiels a little at that then and nods, "((Aye, we were..))" she says then sighs. She tosses her stick into the fire and watches as the hungry flames begin to devour it. She lets the silence linger for a long moment before she finally speaks, "((I don't know how to say what's on my mind without sounding like the worst of fools, Keph..))" She gives a little shake of her head as she lifts it just long enough to place her other arm atop the first and rest her chin once more. She continues on, still staring into the flames, "((.. I mean.. we're stuck here. That much is obvious. We won't be going home any time soon so, we should try to make the best of things here, shouldn't we?))" she asks then. Kephissa grins ruefully, "((Well, if you can't sound like a fool in front of me, who can you sound like a fool in front of.))" She pauses to give full consideration to Tiana's words before continuing. "((We're stuck here, yes. At least for the forseeable future. But for most of us our home was the poor battered lady over there.))" She guestures in the direction of the large shadow that is the Windrider. "((Certainly we now have to survive what the gods threw at us. Those we left behind probably think we're dead now, just as they're as good as dead to us now. Though that shouldn't bother you that much? You weren't that keen to marry your bethrothed anyways. That's how you ended up out here with all the rest of us.))" Tiana sighs and nods, "((Aye to both,))" she admits as she glances over at the beached lady and sighs, "((I had begun to think of her as home, too you know.)) Another admission in as many breaths. She sighs again and it is a mournful sound, indeed. Finally, she speaks and it is in such a quiet rush that the words very nearly jumble together, "((So, here we are stuck well and true and I've found the man of my dreams and he seems to think that being paired up with me would be the worse than eating rotting fish guts.))" Kephissa had certainly been watching for signs, and they had been promising lately, but she wasn't quite expecting the revelation at this point. She gives a little gasp and rocks back a bit. "((Vardeus? I assume that's who you're talking about.))" She pauses a bit, choosing her next words carefully. "((You'd been doing a good imitation of someone who didn't like him very much. He wouldn't be inclined to reveal his feelings if he thought you would scoff at them.))" Oh, have to be careful here, may not be the time to reveal too much. "((But trust me, he does care about you. Very much I think.))" Tiana's head snaps around so that she can pin her cousin with a piercing looks, "((What do you mean? That elf.. the one that was just here.. Steerwand, or however you say it.. He asked if we were paired up and Vardeus had this look on his face as if he'd rather eat a dozen bags of fish guts than have that happened so, how can you even begin to think that that he cares about me as anything other than a crewmember?)) She sighs then and turns back to the fires, "((I know I wasn't exactly nice to him when we were on board the _Windrider_ but.. I.. I thought I'd done a good job of changing my ways since he's returned to us.))" By the Allmother, it almost sounds like Tiana is about to cry.. something she hasn't really been caught doing (with the exception of the night of Vardeus' return) in years. Oh stuff it. Kephissa didn't mean to make her cousin cry. She moves closer and puts her arm around Tiana's shoulders. "((He was probably just startled at the question, particulary asked in front of you. Guys get embarassed at that stuff.))" She grins ruefully. "((He probably just doesn't know how to approach you. Probably isn't sure you won't bite his head off. Probably feeling guilty about his bethrothed back home. But when the elves who found him first met me, they asked if I was Tiana. Hardly something they wouldn't have done if they hadn't heard your name repeated several times.))" This is going to take a bit of prodding, and Keph doesn't have the best matchmaking track record, but she'll give it a go. Tiana blinks til she's pretty certain she's got the threatening storm under control then turns to peer over at Kephissa with a curiously raised brow, "((They did?))" she asks then sighs, "((It doesn't matter, I suppose he's hanging on to the hopes of getting back to his betrothed and hoping her family hasn't counted him dead and married her off to someone else.))" Kephissa grins, caught something with that one. Just have to be careful and not let her slip the hook. "((They did indeed. And as to his bethrothed, you just have to make him forget her. He never met her you know. Just went on the word of others. You're here and now, and much more immediate. There's nothing you have that she didn't have, family connections, good breeding, you're just as good a match on paper as she is.))" Hmmm, how does Kephissa know so much about the Captain's bethrothed. "((Beside's she'd probably be pleased if you took him away from her, I heard she wasn't too pleased about the bethrothal when she heard.))" Tiana listens to Kephissa and digests all of that information before she arches a brow in curiosity. Finally, she takes the bait and asks what seems to be a rather pertinant question, "((And just how do you know so much about this betrothed of his? Hardly anyone has mentioned a word about her on this entire fate be blasted voyage.))" That wasn't exactly the bait Keph was hoping Tiana would pick up. Got to dance around this one. "((Well, the captain was looking to marry some one of a good family. So he asked my opinion about certain things. What I thought of his choice, and such. I am connected with most of the major shipping families and such, so its not unthinkable that he'd discuss it with me.))" Not quite the truth, but not quite a lie either. Tiana takes that explanation as making perfect sense because it is no great secret among the crew that Keph walked away from the lap of luxury to serve on a ship. She digests that information then suddenly a brow arches curiously on Tiana's forehead just before she asks the question that's suddenly burning to be asked, "((Do I know her?))".oO(More importantly, do I know anything awful about her that could sway Vardeus away from marrying the git?) If it weren't for the fact that she's not quite sure what reaction she'd get, Kephissa is tempted to get exhasperated that Tiana hasn't figured it out from all the clues she's been given. "((Probably.))" After all, Tiana's just as likely to know anybody from that circle that Keph knows. But how to change the subject. "((She doesn't matter now, though. Maybe you just need to corner the Captain and jump him.))" Okay, not the most subtle of topic changes. Spurred to further curiosity by the abrupt change of subject, Tiana shifts about so that she turns, shifting to her knees to face her cousin and place her hands on the other woman's shoulders, "((Oh no.. you're not changing the subject that easily. I can tell just by that that I know her. Who is it?))" Her green eyes bore holes into Keph and then suddenly her eyes go wide as a sudden thought strikes her, "((Oh no! Not Tyra Diaspora?!?))" she suddenly blurts. Keph might recall her from their days at the acadamy.. She was rather striking if a bit on the portly side. Horrible at physical exercises but, she did have a very keen mind. It's not like he's drunk... though considering the general lack of sleep he's had tonight as well as the majority of nights over the last many months, he might as well be. His ill-used body is loudly demanding rest, but somehow the Captain pushes himself doggedly onward en route back to the ship -- and it doesn't take him long to catch the sight of the still-crackling fire someone's got lit, from afar. Who could still be up at this hour? He can't remember who's got the watch; indeed, he's doing well to hang onto the reason he's on his feet rather than getting sorely needed slumber. And his exhaustion is, very likely, why he manages to stumble, nearly falling when he bumps into the jagged end of one of the driftwood logs the crew has arranged for seats in and around their campsite. He's not close enough to be aware of the conversation or the identities of the two women at the fire, not yet. But the thump of his impact when he goes down hard on one knee, not to mention his tightly choked off curse, is very likely more than audible to _them_. Tyra Diaspora? To make that connection Tiana must have know the first name of Vardeus's intended, and Keph knows she didn't let that slip. But it does provide an easy out, although she isn't sure she wants to outright lie to her cousin, but if she can avoid making a denial and just let Tiana assume...She opens her mouth to answer when Vardeus's curse reaches her ears. Reprive. She turns to look. "((I think its the Captain!))" The Captain!? Oh dear. Tiana blinks and looks over toward the noise grimacing a bit as she realizes that it doesn't exactly sound like he meant to do whatever he just did. She sighs and tucks the tidbits of information she's gotten from Kephissa away for another opportune moment and looks about with a wild-eyed expression as she whispers, "((You don't think he heard us do you?))" Vardeus might not possess Arnos' facility with languages, but what he lacks in variety of dialects he makes up for with pungence in the tongue of his birth. Some of Shalros' most colorful dockside curses spill out of him in a harsh, strained mutter as he waits for the flare of pain in his knee to subside, and struggles to will his burning eyes to remain unflooded by tears; he succeeds, more or less. And as he lurches to his feet again and limps closer to the campfire, the shape of his frame against the darkness makes him unmistakably the Captain. So does his voice, as he calls out hoarsely, "((Ho the watch... who's... who's up?))" Kephissa shakes her head and whispers back to Tiana quickly. "((I don't think so.))" Kephissa is pretty sure that he had heard them he'd be pretty confused. Such as who the heck was that Tyra Diaspora person. She gets in another quick whisper with a wink"((He looks like he needs somebody to put him to bed.))" Than she raises her voice. "((Are you all right, Captain? We're not the watch, but its Kephissa and Tiana. Come sit down before bang something else.))" Tiana turns about three shades of pink at the idea of putting the captain to bed. She quickly settles herself in the sand in a grand attempt to look as if she's got nothing better to be doing than sitting about on the beach in the middle of the night. She doesn't do a very good job of it as might be noted by the fact that she keeps digging her toes into the sand and can't seem to just sit still. She looks over and lifts a hand to wave in the captain's general direction and casts him a slightly nervous smile before she leans over to whisper something to her cousin. Tiana whispers to Kephissa, "If I make a fool out of myself on this, I'm going to dunk you in the sea." Kephissa and... Tiana? _Skyfather...!_ Vardeus feels himself swallow hard as he finally makes it up to the fire, and his gaze remains quite apparently upon the latter woman even as he gruffly answers the former, "((Jus'... banged me knee on th' demmed log, dinnae look where I was goin'. Nae sure I should be after sittin'...))" Primarily, because he's not exactly sure that if he sits down, he'll be able to get up again. On the other hand, there's also a strong argument for sitting down before he _falls_. _Shard it, why couldn't I at least have had some uzo to be feeling this rocky?_ Kephissa shoots Tiana a look as if to say 'Don't be silly', although she has a feeling she will end up dunked in the sea before this is all over, no matter what. She turns though to over the Captain a cheerful smile, as if they hadn't just been talking about him. "((Nonsense, sit and chat with us for a while. Any news? I heard Dharce is expecting. Guess we're all going to start pairing off soon, since it seems like getting home is going to take years.))" She tries to look as innocent as possible in choosing this particular topic of conversation. Tiana shoots her cousin a look at the topic that her cousin has chosen and if the captain weren't sitting right there looking in their direction she'd probably pinch Keph for coming up with that line. Instead, she wipes the expression off of her face and merely smiles giving a small nod as if she too, thinks that inevitible. She casts a quick look in the captain's direction and winces ever so slightly at the sight of the spot where he hit his knee. She quickly casts her gaze back toward the fire and speaks, "((I would dare say so,))" in as calm a tone as she can possibly muster though her heart is beating so fast it might spring from her chest at any moment now. With difficulty, Vard lowers himself down to lean against another of the seating logs, rubbing at his knee as he does and striving to put on as relaxed an expression as possible. He doesn't see the look Tiana shoots at her kinswoman, for at least for that particular moment he's got his head tilted a bit forward as he tries to ease his breathing. His hair falls across his eyes at that angle, and a thick lock of it -- how long _has_ it been since the man's had a haircut? -- remains dangling there even as he looks up again at Kephissa, vaguely alarmed by the choice of subject. "((We'll... haftae be havin' a council o' th' crew,))" he mutters then. "((What t' do, how t' live. Zo-sa's after haulin' us all back t' 'er village, but I've th' feelin' from what... little I can make of 'er words, 'tis a long way awa' an' I dinnae know if we should put a woman wi' a bairn in 'er t' that.))" Kephissa shoots Tiana back an innocent 'What?' look. Not that she's that innocent. She has a fairly good idea how things set with both of her two companions. Not that they're easy to keep on topic, the Captain having veered of to Zo-sa and her village. "((Yeah, it sounded like its a very long way away. One of the first things I talked to Zo-sa with. Besides I think it might be easier for us to try and make our own society here rather than try to merge with the others.))" Okay, got to steer this back the direction she wants. "((Expect it will be hard for everybody to accept that all our ties back home are broken.))" Tiana has to remind herself that her cousin seems to be trying to help her so that she doesn't drag her up and straight for the ocean before she says another word. For once, Tiana's confidence completely fails her and all she can do is nod and lower her gaze to her bent knees. Her toes do a great job of digging into the sand. So good, in fact, that if she keeps it up, she may be buried to her neck by sunup. Ties back home? This sounds terribly familiar, after the conversation he's just had with Raven, and Vardeus peers with blurred eyes at Kephissa as he finds himself muzzily wondering whether the two of them have been in cahoots tonight. "((We'll... haftae all talk on't,))" he agrees then, willing to concede that, to be sure. "((We stay 'ere, we'll want a place we'll nae be steppin' on any o' our kind 'round 'ere, or the)) elfs ((either. We'll... all need t' work t'gether, if we're stuck good an' proper... and nae gettin' 'ome, aye.))" And with that he pauses, looking first at Kephissa... and then, hesitantly, at Tiana as well. His eyes look liquid in the firelight, liquid and utterly exhausted. Though perhaps the question sounds as if it's directed to both women, his gaze remains upon his second as he finishes, "((Ye'll... 'elp me?))" Kephissa does know when to take the pressure off a bit. Beside she's doing all the talking. What happened to her glib cousin. She offers a soft, "((Of course. Whatever it takes.))" And with that she tries to subtely elbow her cousin. Say something, silly. Perfect opportunity. Tiana has kept her eyes cast toward the direction of her own knees all of this time until she hear that last question from Vardeus. That, accompanied by the not-so-gentle prodding of her cousin's makes her look up. She nods, "((Aye.. I'll help you. I'm certain everyone else will do the same, captain.))" she says in a voice that sounds as if she might have lost her breath. Of course, it's so hard to organize one's thoughts when you're staring into eyes as blue as the ocean on a clear day. Eyes that, it might be added, take on a distinct glimmer of relief when Tiana's actually meet them, and to go with that liquid gaze of his, Vardeus musters up a crooked little smile. "((I'm glad,))" says he, huskily. "((Ye're me good right hand, Tiana... I... I need ye--))" Wait, is that what he meant to say? Vardeus can be seen to blink then, and rub a hand across his face, as if he half-hopes he can rub away all traces of weariness from his features. At _this_, he does _not_ succeed. Kephissa decides to just sit back and see if the pair can manage to make progress without her interference. Although she does mentally roll her eyes thinking .oO(Is that the best Tiana can come up with. Gods.). Not that the Captain is much better. Hmmm, where's Arnos with some romantic music when you need him, that might help them along. Arnos indeed. Where's the uzo?... Oh, that's right, Tiana hid it when some of the crew decided to get a little too far into their cups not long after the _Windrider_ ran aground here. It takes a moment for the captain's comment to register and a flash of dismay crosses the second's features. .oO(Good, right hand? Is that all I am to him? Well, at least he needs me. I can live with that, can't I?) She sighs and the dismay leaves her gaze, to be replaced by a stoic expression that slowly melds into a small smile that doesn't quite light her eyes. She digs her toes further into the sand, burying her feet nearly to the ankles before she speaks in a voice that holds a vaguely roughened edge, "((I'm here.. as long as you need me, sir.))" "((I-I-I _need_ ye,))" Vardeus affirms, shaking his head seven or eight times before his senses begin to swim a bit with the speed of it, and he winds up leaning forward with his head propped in his hand as he mumbles, "((Ach, I need ye, maer than I'm able t' say... 'tis Arnos wi' th' word skill... this isnae comin' out right, is't? I'm babblin', soundin' like a dem fool, I am...!))" Heh, you never know. Looks like the Captain might manage to muddle through all by himself. Better to leave these two alone for a bit. They probably wouldn't notice Kephissa's absense anyways. So she scoots back as quietly as possible until shes out of the circle of fire light and than stands to make her way to the sleeping quarters. Tiana barely notices Kephissa scooting back out of the firelight but, silently she thanks the gods. An extra person, no matter how close the family ties, just wasn't helping her to speak freely. She blinks as she catches the first words from Vardeus then wonders as he props his head in his hands and mutters that what he's saying isn't coming out right. She blinks and then scoots a little toward the captain, leaving two neat dents in the sand where her feet were buried. She glances about, looking to see if there's anyone else in earshot before she speaks, "((No. You don't sound like a fool, Vardeus.))" His name rolls off her tongue as if she's always called him thus.. and she has called him that, if only in her mind, for quite some time now. "((I'm... sae tired,))" he breathes then, his head still bowed, his voice a defeated whisper as he can't keep himself from admitting his exhaustion. "((Cannae remember... last time I slept th' night... but I cannae bear another night... cannae bear th' hurt on yer lovely face, Ticha...))" Slowly the Captain's head comes up, but his eyes are a little wild, half-focused. "((Cannae bear what I fear ye'll tell me... if I-I-I tell ye I'm thinkin' o' goin' back on a promise given...))" Tiana's expression fills with sympathy as the captain admits his weariness and she moves a bit closer placing herself within physical reach now. Her heart gives a little flutter at that name again. She casts a silent prayer to the winds, .oO(Kalrioce, grant me your strength here.) Her voice trembles a bit as she speaks, "((Going back on a promise..? I suppose that would depend on the promise..))" She pauses just long enough to steel herself and hope that she read the look on her cousin's face aright before she barrels right along, "((If you're thinkin' of going back on your promise to the Diaspora family.. Well, I can't say that I'd blame you. I mean, Tyra's a nice enough woman.. and smart.. but, she's lazy and sings like a screeching hawk. She'd not be a fitting wife for you, if you don't mind me putting in my opnion..))" With that, she seems to loose her steam and falls silent. Inwardly, she prays that she hasn't just mucked everything up entirely. House Diaspora? For a few moments, all Vardeus can think is a blank _What?_ And he blinks several more times, somehow managing to refocus his gaze upon Tiana as he does... and when did she come over closer to him? The sight of her there just before him now, her countenance dappled by the firelight, holds him transfixed in those few seconds until at last, with an effort, he rasps in confusion, "((Diaspora? Wh... what? Nae... I... I've nae promise t' Diaspora...))" Tiana reddens as she realizes her mistake only after Vardeus admits having no connection with the Diaspora family. Silently her mind rolls through all of the other people she knows back home.. and not one of them share the same given name. Suddenly she looks as if she may have been struck by a runaway chariot. Her brow furrows in confusion and she speaks in a tenative voice, "((But.. if not Diaspora... and Kephissa knows the family... Then...))" And right there, her mind slams on the breaks, refusing to take the thought any further. "(('Tis Keph's own House,))" Vardeus mumbles, too mired in his own bone-deep weariness to sense the shock beginning to course through his second. "(('Tis Yfantis'll have me head, an' me da an' mum besides, if I dinnae keep me pledge t' their Tyra... but... but I cannae remember anymore how I c... could hae fell in love wi' a dream... I-I-I mean, 'tis all I 'ad, wi' Keph goin' on about 'er cousin...))" He's babbling again, and Vardeus realizes it, and that inevitable hand of his comes up to try to shove through his hair... or perhaps it's to try to steady his spinning head? "((But then I saw ye come up th' riggin', an'... the)) elfs ((kept tellin' me I called f'r ye in me sleep an'... an' I always thought ye hated me, Ticha... a-an' it's all jumbled up in me 'ead an' I cannae straigten it out nae maer...!))" Tiana hears what's said but none of it registers beyond the word 'Yfantis'. She looks over at Vardeus with eyes gone suddenly wide and filled with disbelieve, "((Yfanatis..? You... and.... Allmother...))" Not much of it is coherant but, before she can even try to gather her thoughts, those green eyes roll back and she crumples to the sand in a dead faint. _That_ breaks through the layers of fog around the Captain's thoughts, and with a vengeance. Letting out a strangled little cry, he lunges forward to catch his second before she strikes her head against that log against which he'd been leaning. "((Tiana?))" he cries, or tries to. The voice that usually bellows with such resonant vigor in command of the crew can now manage only a cracked, high-pitched whisper. "((Ticha? Ticha-love? Are ye ill?))" In desperation, half afraid he'll break her somehow yet unable to think of doing anything else, Vardeus pulls her close to cradle her against his chest, and reaches with his free hand to try to smooth her hair back from her face so he can see it better and see if, indeed, she is ill. But that hair. That lovely, fiery hair. His fingers tremble against it, and his arm trembles as it bears her up. Several moments pass with no response from Tiana save for the even rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. Finally, she wades up out of the darkness. Her eyelids flutter open and it takes her a moment to realize that she's being held by the captain who seems to be rather busy, staring at her hair. She turns her head and looks up at his face as she asks, "((What happened?))" Ah, the age old question. Relief that she has awakened pours across Vardeus' face, as clear as day, but it does not yet dislodge the worry... and even a little terror, leaking past his weariness... that Tiana fainted in the first place. "((Ye fainted,))" he blurts, his brogue even thicker now in his consternation. "((I were after talkin', or tryin', but ye up an' fainted... are ye ill, Ticha? Daerlin' Ticha, dinnae be ill... dinnae be ill...))" And that big hand of his strokes that hair that had so captivated him, in clumsy tenderness. Tiana listens to the litany of endearments that rolls from the big man's tongue and then a giggle, of all things, slowly rolls up through her til it bubbles free. "((I'm fine.. Really.))" She has to stop as another giggles breaks free and she lifts a hand to still the one stroking her hair, "((Unless you consider a bent toward idiocy to be an illness,))" she says and then shakes her head. He hasn't realized, not yet. Vardeus' brow crinkles up in sluggish bemusement at that cryptic reply, and even as he obediently stops his hand -- the touch of it against his is enough to do strange things to his pulse, too -- he croaks out in another babbled rush, "((Any idiots between us, it's me an' that's a fact... I... I'm sae dead tired I c'n barely remember me name, but I-I-I had t' tell ye... Tiana... Ticha-love... me good right hand an' me heart... I... I cannae bear it if ye cut me down f'r abandonin' a promise an' 'tis well I'd deserve it but I-I-I-I had t' tell ye...!))" Tiana smiles then and reaches up to place a hand against the side of his face, "((Perhaps I haven't been such an idiot after all.. If I had stayed and just calmly accepted my fate... I might never have met my betrothed. Perhaps, I should have taken the time to ask a name of someone before I ran but, I could not bear having to wed a complete stranger... and now.. Oh Vardeus.. your family won't be losing your head even if we were to make it back tomorrow.))" Now it's her turn to do some rambling. "((Met... yer betrothed?))" More of Vardeus begins to tremble now, subtly, like the ground when something great in size falls a mighty distance away... or as when the very earth itself shakes, but the heart of it is leagues and leagues from where a man might stand. The heart of _this_ shaking, though, is just under where Tiana's hand touches the Captain's bearded cheek; there, the muscles quiver perceptibly as he struggles for words, fear arising more distinctly in his eyes. "((Y... ye _have_ pledged t' another man while I-I-I was awa'?))" Tiana has to sit up as she shakes her head. She settles on her knees facing Vardeus and cups his face in both her hands, "((No!.. no.. How could I do that when it is /you/ I love?))" She gives a little shake of her head and laughs, "((It is /you/ I am betrothed to and have been since before we met. My name is not Tiana Pagonis. That is something I made up to keep my family... the Yfantis family... from finding me.))" Ah but, it feels good to be able to speak the truth finally. He doesn't faint; Vardeus is made of stronger stuff than that, even when he's so weary he can't think straight. But all thought _does_ come to a screeching halt within his mind. His mouth closes. Then opens. Then closes. Then opens. Were he not _Vardeus_, it might make him resemble a frog. Only after several repetitions of this does he finally manage to stammer, "((Ye... ye're... Tyra?))" And, right on the heels of that, "((Ye _love_ me?))" Tiana watches Vardeus as he struggles to digest the information then nods slowly, "((Aye.. and aye again..))" She smiles as she leans in and seals this revelation with the barest brushing of her lips against his, "((You haven't broken any promises, Vardeus.. not if you still wish my hand.))" She pulls back just a bit and lifts a hand to brush a stray wisp of hair away from his forehead, "((I hope you can forgive me lying about my name.. It's all I've lied to you about.. and there won't be another from me. You deserve better than that.))" His only reply to _that_ is a deep groan, that seems to rise up from somewhere within his chest, as he abruptly wraps both his arms about his second and crushes her close to him, burying his face in that wondrous, fire-hued hair. As he does, a suspect wetness begins to manifest itself up there as well, while Vardeus mumbles slurrily, "((I'm.... afraid t' gae t' sleep... I'm afraid I'm dreamin'... an' if I gae t' sleep I'll really be gettin' up again an' all o' this'll... n... nae be real... is it real? I-I'm nae dreamin', Ti-Tyra?))" Tiana slips her arms around Vardeus's neck as she's pulled close against his chest. She smiles and gives the barest shake of her head, "((If you're dreaming, then we're sharing the same one and I don't want to wake up from it.))" She laughs then holds him fiercely, "((Call me whichever name you like. I have been Tiana so long that it doesn't matter to me.. though.. I do like the sound of Ticha on your lips.))" "((_Ticha_))," he breathes, like a prayer. "((Me Ticha-love, me daerlin' Ticha, stormcat Ticha...))" No, he is no Arnos, to have the words fall with liquid grace from his lips; Vardeus croaks them with all the fervent uncertainty of a youth fifteen years his junior. What he can't manage to put into words his arms relay for him, clinging now to his second... his betrothed? Skyfather! Is she _really_ his betrothed?!... with all the strength he can muster and never mind how badly he is trembling. His tears relay it, too, for there's no longer any doubt about it. Vardeus is crying. Tiana holds him tightly, letting him cry it all out. She hopes that most of those tears have some correlation to the joy that fills her at knowing that this man is the one she was meant to be with... that there is no lack of honor for him in loving her in return. She turns her head and presses her cheek against his, "((I am here, my love and I'll be here til you want me no longer.))" And the tears keep coming, even as Vardeus abruptly turns his head and seeks out Tiana's mouth with his own. _There_ is the vigor of Vardeus Alirreus, who pours into this first ardent kiss every sentiment for which he'd be hard pressed to find words even if he were not reeling from lack of sleep. There's joy there, joy and a profound relief as one of the burdens he's carried upon his broad shoulders these past many months melts away as if by magic. Did the elves do it, he wonders dizzily, and the barest hint of a laugh rumbles somewhere in his unsteady breathing when he finally breaks away enough to gasp, "((I... I need ye sae bad I can taste it, me love... but I... I... promised t' wed ye proper an'... Skyfather, I'd shame meself passin' out in th' middle o' showin' ye how bad I want ye...!))" Tiana's kiss matches the captain's in ardor and vigor. Stars could melt within that kiss as she pours every ounce of her recent revelation into it... that she loves him can be denied no longer. She presses a finger to his lips as he babbles about showing her how much she's wanted, "((You need your rest worse than you need to show me more tonight, amare. There will be other nights.))" She smiles at him and reaches to catch hold of one of his hands, "((You left with your bedroll and didn't come back with one... Share mine?))" On some level Vardeus briefly considers chastising himself for having left his bedroll back there under the trees. But only briefly, for with Tiana's gaze soft and full and inviting upon him now, he can think of absolutely nothing else besides the music of hearing 'amare' murmured by _her_ to _him_. Wonderstruck, dazed, he bobs his head. "((Aye,))" he whispers. "((Let me sleep beside ye...!))" Tiana smiles and nods her head as a mischevious glint enters those green eyes, "((Do so as long as you like, carus,))" she says as she gently pulls away, gets to her feet and tugs his hand meaning for him to do the same. Like a man in the dream he thought he'd been experiencing, Vardeus willingly lets himself be pulled up to his feet... and lets himself be gently guided to the place Tiana has claimed for her own when she takes her own repose. And even as he sinks down to join her within her furs he whispers plaintively, "((Did... did I-I tell ye I love ye?))" That's _important_! He can't sleep, not till he settles that last little niggling insistence of his increasingly fogged thoughts. "((Did I tell ye how much I love ye?))" Tiana smiles as she frees her hair from the braid she normally wears and settles into her bedroll to find the perfect spot to rest her head on: Vardeus's shoulder. She nods at the first question, "((Aye, you did,))" she replies to the first question then giggles at the second, "((You got a good start on it but, you've got a lot of time in which to tell me the rest, when I'm not telling you the same.))" That said, she snuggles in against him and lets herself fall into the first really good sleep she's had in months. Just before she leaves all conciousness behind there is one, final thought in her mind... please don't let this be just a dream. "((I do love ye sae...))" Vardeus almost makes a sigh of it, even as he lies back at last and shudders with the sensation of Tiana's form cuddling up against his own. He has just enough presence of mind left to curl an arm around her and hold her protectively, tenderly close; for a moment, too, just for a moment, the warmth and the scent and the sheer _presence_ of her threatens to goad his system into further life. But he _is_ tired... and the dizzying impact of what he's just experienced is too much for his already exhausted mind. For Vardeus, there is not even the brief appeal to the gods that this is not a dream. For Vardeus, there is only _Tiana_... and the comforting, soothing dark of a sleep where he is no longer alone. Well back away from the fading light of the fire, a dark shape watches the two humans. Raven watches them finally come together and watches as they disappear into one of the shelter buildings together. She smiles as she leaves the spot she's been watching over the campsite from and moves toward her own tent with a bedroll tucked under her arm. She'll take it to Vardeus later since it does not seem that he has need of his own this night. She takes one last look toward the human shelters before she steps into her tent and lets the flap close behind her. She chuckles as she mutters to herself, "I daresay there will be a cub soon.." [End log.]