Stars, Moon, and Compassion

Log Info

• Title: Stars, Moon, and Compassion

• Emitter: Ravenstongue

• Characters: Ravenstongue, Telamon

• Place: A12- Memorial Gardens District

• Summary: Ravenstongue is enjoying a baked good that Grandfather has sent her while Pothy flies around in the trees in the Memorial Gardens District. A distracted looking Telamon walks in, but whatever's taken his mind is ended when Pothy calls out to him in Ravenstongue's voice. The wily corvid leads Telamon to Ravenstongue, and the two discuss the matter of the recurring dream that Telamon's had before concerning the Watcher in the stars. Ravenstongue reassures him, and the couple discuss other matters and enjoy each other's company before Telamon walks Ravenstongue home.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* A12: Memorial Gardens District *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

Among the gardens, scents mingle: green, loam and subtle sweetness, wafting from the meticulously groomed grounds. The lawns are richly green, dense and close-cropped, bordered with polished pale marble stones the size of a human man's fist. The pathways are smoothly cobbled in muted tones that subtly echo and contrast with the surrounding greenery, shaded by the lush canopies of tall, straight trees whose branches arch over the walkways to form open, airy tunnels. Elegantly ornate, tall mana-lamps of wrought black iron keep the paths softly lit in the evenings; they are often situated near benches of matching material and style. It is peaceful, here. Somber. It is also curiously warm and green no matter the time of year; leaves do change color in fall but remain on the trees until spring comes again.

At the heart of the park where the paths converge are large marble pedestals supporting bronze or marble statuary, chiseled letters upon the heavy bases naming the subject of each piece. The previous sculpture celebrating the union of Alexandros with Myrddion has been removed from the center of the garden and replaced with a gorgeous statue of the Crown Princess Lianna Rena and a marble walkway that leads to the Monument of Heroes - a newly-raised edifice celebrating those who fought and died on behalf of others. Tribute is still given to the friendship between Myrddion and Alexandros in the form of the paired standards mounted above the entrance to the Monument of Heroes: one from each nation. The flagstaffs are crossed and held by a Myrrish Knight and an Old-Alexandros Miner.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- 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           
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

A cold and dark night again for Alexandria, but at least the air feels crisp and clean. Pothy at least seems to be enjoying it as he flies around from tree to tree in the Memorial Garden District, where Ravenstongue seems to be enjoying the odd warmth of the area supplied by the magic that keeps the trees Pothy is enjoying green and vibrant. She sits on a bench eating what appears to be a rather large chocolate-stuffed bun--and actually enjoying it, judging by the expression on her face.

There's also a large book next to her. It appears to be hand-bound, the cover made from a curious substance that resembles a dried-out leaf of some kind. Sylvan letters adorn the front cover, and there is a small note attached to the book by black twine, also written in fine Sylvan script.

The stars twinkle overhead, cool distant gems surrounding the silvery lamp of Eluna as Telamon comes wandering through the gardens, his expression... not exactly distant, but abstracted. Like he's been presented with some problem he can't easily solve. He's also got his cloak draped over his arm, as he ambles down the path, not really noticing anyone just yet.

It's Pothy that notices him first. He pops his white-feathered head out between some branches in a tree and he says, "Telamon!" mimicking Ravenstongue's voice. A bit of a cruel choice, especially to make Telamon think his lady love is stuck in a tree, but it's an attention getter--

For Ravenstongue in addition to Telamon. She looks up to Pothy and raises a brow. "Telamon? Is he nearby, or are you just teasing me again?" she asks, rising slightly from the bench and looking around to find him--not quite remembering that she was in the middle of eating a chocolate bun, so she has a bit of chocolate by her mouth. Poor absent-minded girl.

Telamon jumps suddenly, he was so lost in thought. "Cor'lana? Why are you in... Pothy ," he ends his abortive query with an exasperated sound. "Alright, you've had your fun, Pothy, but why don't you lead me to her?" He reaches up to rake his fingers through his tousled hair. It's not all that dark, especially for him, but the gardens can be a little confusing at times. Easier to let Pothy lead the way -- and hopefully the mischievious familiar won't play games.

Pothy laughs. "Haw-ha-ha-ha," he says, in a rather stilted, somewhat posh manner that appears to have been learned from a street actor trying to cultivate a particular persona. He takes flight and leads Telamon on the short distance to Ravenstongue's bench.

The half-elf girl smiles to see him. "Sorry! Pothy saw you before I did. He's a naughty bird when he wants to be." Ravenstongue gets up from the bench, resting her half-eaten bun neatly on top of her book so it doesn't spill its precious contents onto what seems to be an equally precious book. She comes to Telamon and embraces him, smiling warmly--well, it's accompanied by a spot of chocolate from the bun she still hasn't realized to be there by her mouth. "How are you? Besides being tormented by a bird," Ravenstongue asks.

Telamon smiles at Raven, and reaches into a pocket to remove a small kerchief. "I'm... alright. A little distracted." He offers the kerchief to her, and mimes a smudge on his face with a grin. "Is the bun tasty?" he inquires, a little of his own teasing nature coming to the fore. "Where did you get that, anyways?" He folds his arms around Raven comfortably, guiding her back to the bench.

Ravenstongue blushes a little as he offers the kerchief to her. She takes it and wipes it off her face. "Sorry, I had no clue that was there. It's quite tasty. Grandfather made it for me--but he also sent me a book he made so I could try baking some of his recipes with mundane ingredients," she explains as they walk back to the bench. "I'm hoping that with a mixture of mundane and Quelynos-grown ingredients, I can still taste things and not be beholden to Grandfather's pastry deliveries. It's not good for a lady to be beholden to others, I think."

She sits down on the bench with him and takes up the bun again. "I'd offer you some, but I don't want you to lose your sense of taste for mundane food, either," Ravenstongue says, before taking a small bite. She chews and swallows politely before she asks, "So what's on your mind?"

Telamon sinks down onto the bench, playing with his cloak in his hands. He doesn't immediately answer, which is different -- usually his verbal dancing is quite quick. "I had the dream again," he finally says. He reaches up to rub the bridge of his nose. "It's... confusing. I don't know what's driving it, aside from, well, being a sorcerer. Pretty sure that's part of it, at least."

Well, the immediately different attitude's got Ravenstongue's attention, all right. She sets the bun back down onto the book cover and takes his hand, squeezing it gently. "Dreams are... Well, they can be a bunch of things. They can be a sign of the future to come. They can be a sign of things forgotten from your past or an ancestor's past. They can be messages from entities. And... they can merely be a reflection of your growth as a person. They can also just be bizarre nonsense. At least, that's what I learned from my research when I was having the problems with Grandfather's birds and the dreams I was having then."

She pauses for a moment, thinking. "Was it different this time? Or just the same as ever?"

Telamon rocks his hand back and forth. Just sitting here, with her, seems to impart some needed reassurance. "A little of each?" He pauses, thinking, collecting his thoughts. "I'm in the grassy field again. This time, though, it's sundown, not full night -- I can see the last bits of sunset in the west. It rears up again... it's huge, and it looks at me with those silvery eyes." He shivers a little. "It... wants to tell me something. It starts walking closer but it's not getting any bigger -- by the time it's in front of me it's only about twice as tall as me." He squeezes her hand. "I woke up, but not before it... I don't know what happened, it was like it was trying to speak directly into my head. Something about stars, and the moon, and ..." His brow furrows. "Compassion? Pretty certain those abo-fiends you told me about wouldn't be offering that."

"It wanted to speak to you," Ravenstongue says thoughtfully, squeezing his hand in return. "About compassion... Yeah, doesn't sound like anything the people manipulated by the aboleth were interested in talking about. They were just obsessed with finding something in the stars, with no reason why other than to know."

She looks at Telamon. "It sounds... Safe. The fact it's trying to talk to you now is actually a pretty good sign, I think." Ravenstongue smiles a little. "Maybe as you grow more in tune with your magic, you'll be able to talk back to them and find out. Or we could ask Archmage Mikilos about it--he might have some insight. But that lamia has him pretty well occupied these days."

Telamon rubs his temple lightly. "I... it's odd but I don't know if it knows how to talk." He sighs. "I know I'm clever, but I think I may need to spend some time in the Society library as well. Reading about dreams, and visitations." He smiles at Raven. "Yeah, that thing really seemed like a handful even for Master Mikilos. All the stories talk about how mighty wizards don't have a care in the world, and he's having to chase her around to keep her from causing trouble."

"Goes to show you magic can't really solve everything," Ravenstongue says with a snicker. "I do feel bad for him. Normally, he'd be able to just teleport around, but that's impossible at the moment. So he has to run around like... well, like a bird unable to fly."

She leans in and kisses Telamon on the cheek. "I'm confident you can figure it out. Especially if I help. I doubt Grandfather will be of much help beyond moral support--nor can Pothy--but they're there for you, too."

Pothy croaks from a tree above the bench, like to protest that he's not very helpful at research.

Telamon wraps his arm around Raven, and hugs her close. "I know. And I'm grateful for your help. And Pothy's too," he offers to the bird. "How IS Grandfather anyways? I haven't seen him around in a bit, but clearly he's still bringing you treats." He grins a bit. "At this rate I'll have to learn how to cook as well just to keep you happy."

Ravenstongue smiles from ear to ear as she's hugged close, resting her head on Telamon's shoulder. "He's doing well," she says, referring to Grandfather. "He just doesn't want to impose on us too much. Besides, he keeps referring to some business in the city he does when he's not around me. Not sure what all that's about, but he's a thoroughly ancient being, so I trust him to know what he's doing more than I do."

She casts a glance to her chocolate-filled bun, still resting on top of the cookbook. "Only if you're comfortable cooking with Quelynos-grown ingredients--which, if you're cooking right, you're going to have to taste as you go, so you'll lose your taste for mundane food, too. That's a high price to pay, even for me--so don't. Unless you're really that serious about me." She smirks a little.

Telamon grins. "Maybe we can work something out. Or it might not affect me. You're not the only one going through changes." He taps his fingers together. "It's cold outside the gardens, but I didn't even bother with my cloak. I didn't realize I'd just slung it over my arm until I was halfway here. It's strange... I mean, I can tell it's cold, but I don't feel stiff or numb from it."

"I think this area is enchanted to keep warm year round for the plants," Ravenstongue says, looking up to the tree that Pothy is sitting in. "They're always green and full of life, even in this time of year. We might be changing, but they aren't--even though they should be, too. I wonder what a staunchly traditional druid might think about that kind of thing. They seem like the kind of people that would be opposed to not letting plants go through cycles, but that's based on the writings I read when I was researching the fey."

She looks at Telamon and says, "Some of those were highly biased, by the way. One described all noble fey as child-eating monsters based on her encounter with an Unseelie noblewoman. I told Grandfather about it and he just rolled his eyes and said, 'That's Unseelie for you, those...'" Ravenstongue shakes her head with a grin. "He cursed a lot and I dare not even repeat the words!"

Telamon nods. "I'm not as well-read as you, probably, but the fey can run the gamut. From nymphs to redcaps, but it's generally a good idea to keep your wits about you dealing with them." He looks at the blooming trees. "I can think of a couple who'd object, but others might let it be, so long as this sort of thing was kept relatively small. Sometimes, it's all about looking at the big picture."

"They can, and a lot of the stories about everything I read was... Well, they were terrifying. I had a good reason to be scared of Grandfather, and 'dear old father' didn't help." Ravenstongue rolls her eyes. "I'm so glad I don't have to talk to him again. Also glad you don't have to, either. You looked like you were ready to throttle him back there that one time."

He twitches a bit at the mention of Raven's father. "I was," Telamon replies bitingly. "I grew up with parents who loved each other, loved me, despite the differences. It... offended me, greatly, just hearing what he said, the way he said it. My father and mother would have died before giving me over to anyone, contract or no." He exhales sharply. "So, yes. I was quite angry then."

Ravenstongue squeezes Telamon's hand, smiling a little despite her sad, furrowed brows. "I was just overwhelmed then. Angry, yes, but... Well, I'd spent so long as a child hoping my mysterious wild elf father would come looking for me and he'd be so happy with all the Elvish and Sylvan I'd learned on my own, as well as all the folk tales I'd read. Expectation doesn't always match up to reality and... He fell quite short of them. I'm glad you were there."

"Asshole," Pothy says from up in the tree, mimicking the deep female voice that Telamon's heard before--the one that Ravenstongue's described as sounding like her mother.

Telamon sighs. "I've heard that before, from foundlings. I'm glad I was there to help you, though." He grins up at Pothy. "Got that right, Pothy." Turning his gaze back to Raven, he ponders, "I ... more than anything I'd want you to know you have people who care about you, that you don't have to be alone. I know you have Grandfather but... is it wrong for me to want you to have the same things I do?"

"Well, if you were serious about that wedding date remark you made the other day," Ravenstongue says with a rather impish grin, "then your parents could be my parents too. But I'd be more comfortable being together a while longer before we tie the knot--just to be certain this is what we want and there's not some awful incompatibility between us beforehand. Mother did say something about that once--which makes a terrible lot of sense when you consider who her lover happened to be."

Telamon winces. "That was... ill-timed, I admit. That stupid charm... all I could think was that I wanted to impress that creature, and so I was saying the first thing that popped into my head. I suppose it could've been worse." He smiles back at her. "No, I'm happy to take it slow, make sure we don't have any serious issues together. We have a little time, at any rate. I'm just... a little embarrassed. It's like that old saying about truths found in a wine bottle."

Ravenstongue giggles, maybe a little more than she should, as she kisses Telamon's cheek again. "It was cute. Honestly, it made me feel special--like, 'Wow, we only just kissed, and he wants to marry me? I must be extraordinary!' But I'm glad that apparently you remember me when you're charmed rather than anything else."

She looks a little sheepish as she seems to remember something. "I sure hope that poor swordsman didn't get dumped by that girl," Ravenstongue says, referring to her own charming encounter with the adventurers in the sewers.

Telamon shakes his head. "If she's worth a damn, she'd forgive him. It's not like people are in their right senses when charmed anyways. If she does dump him, she's clearly not much of a keeper and he'd be better off with someone else."

Ravenstongue seems to remember her half-eaten chocolate bun. She scoops it and her book back up, smiling. "Well, it's getting a bit late in the evening," she says. "Do you mind walking home with me? I promise not to be a bore."

Pothy senses they're about to leave, and he flies down onto Telamon's shoulder. Wrong shoulder? No, he knows where he is. "Why don't you lead me?" he says, mimicking Telamon's voice from earlier. Cheeky bird.