Nest for Three

Log Info

• Title: Nest for Three

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Telamon

• Place: Ravenstongue and Telamon's house

• Summary: Telamon returns from a meeting of the Shining Chalice to find Ravenstongue sobbing into the arms of her Grandfather. The trio chat about the current situation and Ravenstongue seems to be handling it better than she did yesterday. Grandfather departs, and Ravenstongue tells Telamon that she wants to focus their efforts on figuring out what this Watcher in his dreams is trying to do.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Dramatis Personae =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-     
Ravenstongue         5'0"     99 Lb      Half-Elf          Female    Short half-elf girl with violet eyes and black hair.                       
Telamon              5'6"     140 Lb     Half-Elf          Male      A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes                       
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The Atlon is out of the house. However, more than one Lúpecyll family member is present.

"Hush child," the Feathered One says. The tall fey lord is sitting on the couch as Ravenstongue leans into his feathered shoulder, weeping again, although not nearly so harsh as the night prior. He runs his monstrously large hands on her back in a comforting manner. "You needn't have told me if it meant paying this price. What will Telamon think if he comes home and sees you like this?"

"I know, Grandfather," Ravenstongue says through her tears, still in her nightgown from the night before. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trouble you... Or to make you put yourself at risk..."

"Nonsense, little one," Grandfather replies gently, shushing her. "You needed me, so I am here. Cry into my feathers, Cor'lana. They were always yours to use that way. It is... deeply horrible what happened. Especially that I was the cause of all of this."

Footsteps at the porch, and then the door opens, a brief touch of winter's last kiss before it shuts again. Telamon shoulders the door closed, before pulling his boots off wearily, and doffing his cloak to dry. Rubbing his face, his expression fatigued, he walks into the living area, "Evening, love, I'm home." And then he notices she's not alone.

"I... heh. I should've expected you'd come, Grandfather. Not that I'm upset by it." He walks over, sitting down next to Raven on the other side, and reaching out to take her hand. "I know if nothing else, I could trust you with her. I... take it she's told you about what happened?"

Ravenstongue immediately lifts up her head at the sound of Telamon's voice, already brightening for his presence. "Hi Tel," she says, smiling, although her face is still stained with tears. She leaves that large cloak of feathers and nuzzles into Telamon's shoulder instead, smiling.

The Feathered One looks dejected and amused at the same time. How easily he's been replaced! "She did," he replies. "Just before you arrived, hence her tears. I came to the gates and communicated with her from afar, but she replied she didn't have the strength to even leave her home."

Now he looks entirely too smug with himself. "So I flew away a bit and waited for a little caravan wagon to come through. I stowed away in that, and once we were within the city proper, off I flew. No one noticed a thing. I brought Cor'lana's favorite cake, of course, although I'm afraid between her and Pothy, it's now gone and dust. I certainly wouldn't leave my lovely grandchild alone to wrestle with her emotions."

Telamon strokes her hair, fingers combing through it as she nuzzles into his shoulder. "I didn't want to leave. I honestly didn't think I'd be gone long at all, but... the Chalice is in a complete uproar." He looks at Grandfather, his expression concerned. "People are having the same dream, or close to it. I was drawing up star charts for the astrologers and checking references for the last few hours."

He sighs. "And all I could do was worry about 'Lana. We... talked last night. It wasn't her fault. Hells, it's not even your fault, Grandfather. It's a damned tragedy brought on by confusion and error and fear."

Grandfather--more accurately, the Feathered One, as the familial and affectionate look in his eyes withers away to the more imposing and mercurial look that one would associate with a fey lord--gives a rumbling, thoughtful noise. A monstrous clawed hand lifts up to his chin. "Such a thing can be an indicator of many things. There are many entities that could cause such a thing. Were it much longer ago and when I was more well connected, I could perhaps have been more help--but all I can advise is to keep each other safe as best as you can."

He looks thoughtful for a moment and says, with a hint of mischief, "Or perhaps you could escape from it all and live with me in Quelynos for a while."

"I don't think Telamon's parents would appreciate you kidnapping him," Ravenstongue says with a little smile, wiping away her tears. At least she's making jokes again.

"There might be repercussions, yes. Though I'm not ruling anything out yet." Telamon gives the Feathered One a wry grin. "We'll call that one 'plan C' for the moment. I know you'd give us sanctuary, but I'm not ready to give up here just yet."

The sight of Raven smiling, wiping her tears away, eases his heart a bit. Tel deftly produces a handkerchief, and passes it to her, as he continues. "I really want to speak with some of the Society members and faculty at the University, see how widespread these dreams are." He rubs his forehead. "Mine last night were... disjointed. It felt like I was bouncing back and forth between two stories. I'm not even sure what was happening."

Ravenstongue takes the handkerchief and wipes her eyes, smiling. "Who knows, Tel," she says. "Maybe Grandfather could conduct our wedding if we go and stay with him."

The way she says it is a joke, but there's a definite twinkle in her eyes at the idea that's hard to dismiss.

"I have never dreamed," the Feathered One says, "but I imagine that it's not pleasant. Sleep is something you mortals need, after all."

Then he looks back to Telamon and Ravenstongue. The familial affection returns to his eyes. "Should I make you something to help with the dreams? There's a tea I make from plants in my garden that will help. I started making it after I had one of Cor'lana's ancestors come to me with inconsolable nightmares after an Unseelie wretch's nightmare curse--a very long story."

"I don't know if Tel could have it. He's not feytouched like me, Grandfather," Ravenstonge replies. "I do know that I slept better with..."

Her face turns bright crimson. Grandfather raises a brow, and a curious smirk plays out on his lips.

Telamon just rolls his eyes upwards. "Before you ask," he says with a somewhat put-upon expression, "the answer is no. I won't deny there was temptation, but it was just sleep. That makes me a gentleman, or a fool, I suppose."

Firmly shifting the course of the conversation, he says, "I think you should take your grandfather up on the offer though, 'Lana. The tea, I mean. Even if it won't work for me, I'd feel better if you were sleeping soundly." He grins at her, and kisses her cheek. "Not that I minded the arrangements last night, but the circumstances could've been a lot better."

"I'll opt for gentleman," Ravenstongue says with a smile. "I mean, like I said, I wouldn't have minded... But, I think of you even better than before for it."

Grandfather raises his hands as though to say he's not intentions of wringing Telamon by the neck for the 'temptation'. "Of course you would be tempted! She is, after all, my lovely and beautiful grandchild. All members of my bloodline are. That is why they've never had problems finding their other halves," he boasts. One could picture his raven form's chest feathers puffing up in pride. "There is nothing wrong with love, not any facet of it--including that aspect. You will never see me angry for it."

Ravenstongue shrinks a little into Telamon's shoulder as Grandfather is essentially encouraging them to do... well, it. "Do you see what I've been dealing with?" she whispers to Telamon. "Just wai--"

"And of course, I certainly won't mind the results either. I would love to see more grandchildren! ...When you are ready, of course." Grandfather adds on.

Telamon takes a deep, deep breath, his eyes full of exasperation before he finally exhales. "Of course, Grandfather," he says courteously. "Both 'Lana and I have discussed this as well. I'm sure once things settle down a touch we will have to revisit it." He lifts Raven's hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "But on the bright side... I promised her last night that I wasn't going anywhere, that she was stuck with me. That hasn't changed."

"On a related note, at some point I will have to introduce you to my father, sir." Telamon's expression is wry. "I... hope he will be reasonable about things. Mother is probably giving him the initial report, but he is an educated man. He is most likely aware of your reputation, if nothing else."

"I would be more than happy to discuss things with your parents, Telamon," Grandfather says, smiling as he watches him kiss Ravenstongue's hand. "I hope that my... reputation doesn't make things difficult."

Ravenstongue grins at Telamon from the little kiss before she looks back to Grandfather. "Well, I explained everything to Ari. And... Well, I get the feeling that she sort of makes the decisions in that household, so I don't think Tel's father will approach you with hostility. But, Tel would know his father better than I would."

She blanches a little. "I just hope she didn't blame your father for not finding out sooner, actually."

Telamon shakes his head. "Mother has never been one to conceal her feelings easily. If she had a problem, she would have voiced it. Granted, she may not have grasped the nature of what you told her... I don't know how deeply she's researched the lore of the fae."

He shrugs. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. There's no point in worrying about something that you can't affect." He tugs on Raven a little, encouraging her to rest her head on his shoulder. "How're you feeling, love?"

"Better," Ravenstongue replies, smiling as she does indeed rest her head on his shoulder. "I was dreading you leaving, to be honest, but I didn't want to tear you away from your work. Grandfather braving city security to make sure I wasn't alone and could cry into his feathers fixed that. And... Talking it out with him, too, that helped a lot."

"The pain of losing loved ones never fully goes away," Grandfather says. There's a weight in his eyes as he says this. "But as time goes on, it transforms into fond memories with a new patina. Keep your mother's memory alive with Pothy."

Pothy, by the way, appears to have fallen asleep on the kitchen table next to an empty box of cake. He makes little bird snores as he rests.

Telamon glances over at the kitchen table. "Did he seriously eat that whole cake?" he says a bit incredulously. "I know he's a bottomless pit, but by the gods..."

Tel nods to Grandfather, and smiles at Raven gently. "The best thing you can do is make her proud. By word and deed. Make your life a monument to the woman who raised you." He hugs Raven to him, and kisses her brow.

"It was me and Pothy," Ravenstongue says sheepishly. "I had three slices. It was really good--it was sort of a honey-lavender cake." Which is funny considering her 'bloodline tell', but apparently it tastes as good as it smells.

But she returns the hug and smiles widely, closing her eyes. "I will. I won't let what mother did go to waste. More than ever, I have to be an adventurer. I have to help people, I think."

Grandfather claps his hands together and smiles. "I think that my work here is done," he says. "I'll be by tomorrow to drop off the tea for you, little one."

Telamon nods to Grandfather, and smiles. "Thank you, Grandfather. For being here for her. I appreciate it." He rests his cheek against the top of Raven's head, snuggling her close as he says, "Well, you won't have to walk that path alone. I'll be right there with you, trying to help people as well."

After Grandfather departs, though, he can't help but chuckle softly. "The look on his face when you let slip how we'd spent last night. He looked like Pothy in a barrel of walnuts. I swear, if he looked any more smug..."

The way that Grandfather leaves is enchanting to watch. He morphs into his raven form and flies over to the kitchen window, which if unlocked, swings open to let air into the home if someone's cooking something and wishes to advertise it to the entire District. Just a lift of his beak and the lock lifts, the window fluttering open--and off he flies, the window swinging back and locking firmly after he leaves. It's certainly an exit.

Ravenstongue grins at the idea of Pothy swimming in a bucket of walnuts. "He's just happy that I'm happy... and is also very happy that apparently, he's a good matchmaker. At the very least, like your mother, he doesn't have any negative opinions regarding... 'windowclimbing'."

She leans into him and says, after a moment, "I didn't mind last night at all, actually. It was very comforting."

Telamon smiles. "Mother has always been practical and realistic about things. Sometimes courting and betrothals can take a while, and the couple will sometimes... how shall we say, take matters into their own hands? Such is life." His arms are snug around her, and he strokes her hair a bit, soothing. "Father is the same way, though he encourages discretion. Fewer issues."

He nods, listening, before continuing, "If you need me to stay with you... or you want to stay in my room... you know I don't have a problem with it."

"Well, of course. Last night would have been a bad time to try considering... Well, besides my emotions, we don't have any... Ahem. You know what I mean. Although Grandfather would be very happy if I ended up pregnant, I'm sure." Ravenstongue looks positively queasy at the idea of it. "Your mother would probably kill me."

She coughs a little to dispel the queasiness. "Anyway! How about I try out your bed tonight with you in the chaste manner, as we've established you are perfectly capable of being a gentleman and it's comforting for me to do so?" she asks. She looks up at him as she's snuggled into his form, smiling. "Although I guess I should ask: did you actually sleep any better? I felt no worse than I did before I woke up, all things considered."

"There is that, yes. Ah... it would also curtail your adventuring. This may require some planning if, well..." He grins, and a bit of a blush hits his cheeks. "We'll worry about that later."

Tel lets her cuddle in, and contemplates the question. "I... guess I did? Like I said, my dreams were confusing... I spent half of them being chased by something ominous and the other half in the meadow. The ... giant-shadow-thing was trying to tell me something, but it was so garbled I couldn't understand it. The only thing I got last night was when I woke up, and I was absolutely convinced you needed me."

Ravenstounge nods as she listens to Telamon talk about the dream. She looks up at him thoughtfully and asks, "The meadow part... Do other people talk about that? Or is it just the feeling of being chased or pursued? I'm curious to know if yours was different... Especially since you woke up with that feeling."

She squeezes him a little and closes her eyes for a moment. "Thing is, I did need you. I wonder... I wonder if that was related to your Watcher in the Stars."

Telamon shakes his head. "Every person at the Chalice mentioned being chased or pursued by something, something hunting them. I had the same experience, but it kept shifting perspectives -- like I was reading a book, and then stopping and picking up a different book entirely. It was more confusing than frightening."

He nods. "I ... think it did. I think the Watcher was having to ... shout? Over the other dream, whatever's causing it, but it, he, whatever, was trying to let me know something was wrong." He sighs, and brushes his hand across his brow. "It was so damned confusing... and of course I'm the only one seeing it."

"That makes sense," Ravenstongue says, now deep in thought. "It was trying to communicate to you but was having to compete. I imagine it must have been frustrated... Poor thing."

It's weird to hear her sympathize with something that, well, exists beyond existence, well beyond the stars, but she is. Maybe it's her feytouched nature. Maybe it's just the sheer amount of things she's had to accept as truth lately. Either way, she smiles. "You've been helping me out more than enough with my things. I want to focus on you, Tel."

Telamon hrms. "I don't even know if it does feel frustration. Maybe it's just shrugging and making a note to bespell me again at some later day."

He seems a little amused at the idea of some strange inscrutable entity being annoyed by something like an interfering nightmare. But Raven's next words actually make him pause. "Er... well, what do you mean, focus on me? I'm..." he pauses, and then continues, "I'm sure your problems are much more serious, 'Lana..."

"Well, you've been dealing with... Well, everything." Ravenstongue's smile is there, but it's mildly sad. "I feel like I've been the cause of so much emotional strife for you. The Feathered One, my mother's death, me becoming more and more feytouched... You've had to help me through all of that. So I think I want to devote more of my time and energy to this Watcher of yours."

She leans in and kisses him for a moment, a gentle little gesture. "Of course, there's the issue with the dreams affecting the city to deal with, too. And I know you were more than happy to help me with everything. But I love you too, Tel, so..."

Telamon softens, and his arms tighten around her. "I... you're right. I just... I didn't ever think of it as a problem. It was strange, and distant, and it didn't seem to affect anything, but... if we're going to be together then we face everything together, don't we? Even the things that don't seem that important."

"I don't think they are, either. You've been seeing this entity for a lot longer than these dreams have started, after all, and the entity had to compete with the other dream to reach for you." Ravenstongue smiles a little. "Honestly--and this sounds silly, I know--if it told you to go check on me, which it sounded like it did, it sounds like it cares about you. That's kind of why I want to investigate it, to be honest. It could be like Grandfather, in a way."

Although she blanches. "Could do without another supernatural entity telling us to have children, though."

Telamon groans. "Oh dear gods, no. We do NOT need any more encouragement on that score. I'm half hoping it's some sort of angel or something and it's got no interest in, well, child-bearing and raising."

He looks at her. "Let's just sleep on it, and then tomorrow see what we can find. We could start with the university... see if we can find any records, any tales at the library. Surely I'm not the only one this has happened to."