Lunch and a Message

It rained, and that's about the best thing that can be said for the weather at the moment. The rain didn't exactly help, and has left behind a gray, misty, dreary day that isn't quite as hot as it had been, but where the wind isn't coming in directly off the water, the air is like a thick, wet blanket. That doesn't stop the hustle and bustle of daily life, though, and children jump through the puddles that busy acolytes and fussy laymen avoid, here and there between the cobblestones. Robed figures are everywhere, although there are no few armored ones as well, standing guard outside the plethora of temples that dominate the plaza area.

One figure, though, is just a little different. Bright fire-gold hair, cut short, tops fair, even features with more than a hint of golden stubble on his chin, but other than the musculature beneath the sleeveless shirt, he looks more like a mage than a religious sort. That sleeveless shirt and the trousers into which it is tucked are topped by a sleeveless open-front robe in blue and silver, chained in front to hold it in place, and low black suede boots shot through with flashes of blue light adorn his feet. He's sitting by the temple fountain, on one of the benches nearby, tongue between his teeth, a leather knapsack at his feet and a board with a parchment scroll atop it across his knees, one of which is upturned so that the foot can rest atop the other one. There's a charcoal pencil in his hand, and he studies the parchment with great concentration.

The sword atop the knapsack, though, appears intent on distracting him, in a wheezy, crotchety old man's voice. "Seldan, when are you going to explain to us just what is going on?" it demands.

She's only been back in Alexandria for a handful of days, now, and Elizabeth's already found adventure; the place hasn't changed much over the years that she was away! As was always her habit, she's making her way to the temple district to visit the temple of Daeus on return from an adventure... although she's also been to the area to visit the temple of Eluna, as well.

The folks at the latter temple would definitely have made note of the repeated visits over the past few days by the Daeusite -- especially one who hasn't hidden that she's seeking one of their own. She's even dropped the name, asked them to pass word that she seeks Seldan Padaryn. They've told her nothing about the man, but did agree to inform him of her visits and to inform him that she seeks him. This hasn't seemed to bother Elisabeth in the slightest, and she plans on visiting again, today, after her visit to her own god's temple -- to ask after Seldan once again.

Of course, she doesn't know what Seldan looks like, and no one's told her... but being as she can't help but notice the red-haired man sitting by the fountain, she takes a look at him... and stops walking, arching an eyebrow. Then she hears the voice that comes from the sword, and her eyes widen momentarily, but the look of surprise fades quickly as she steps towards him. "Seldan Padaryn?", she questions when she's close enough to be heard without having to raise her voice to more than a conversational level of volume.

A very tall blue-scaled sith-makar is making his way though the temple district with great care but on a course that will take him directly to the man drawing. The sith is wearing the same sort of garb common to those in this area. The robes of a cleric, a cleric of Daeus specifically. He neatly evades those that are moving or standing between him and his destination, nodding gently to the strangers and eventually reaching that location that he'd been attempting to reach. "Peasssce on your nessst kin."

He offers this to the man on the bench. Only now is the basket in his hand clear, something of a packed meal perhaps? And only now does he himself notice the soft-skin woman that's approached Seldan. He doesn't reply to her as to identify the man on the bench, but rather steps around the obstacle and lets his green eyes take her in. "Peassce on your nessst." He offers politely, but he seems perhaps a little tense.

A certain redhead Sunguard leaves the Temple of Daeus herself, her steel-gray eyes staring at the sky like her utter contempt will drive away the gray and mist all on its own. It's not the most comfortable of days for anyone to be wearing armor, but Andelena Donnelly isn't complaining.

She's making her way one way before the sword at her hip quietly remarks to her, "Isn't that Sir Seldan over there? And Sunguard Zeke?"

Andelena raises a brow as she stops midstride and looks over to the group that's forming. "Oh, hey, so it is," she replies. "Might as well stop over to say hi."

She walks over to the group, nodding first to Seldan and Zeke before she nods to Elisabeth. "Silverguard, Sunguard, Sunguard," Andelena greets with a little smirk. "Brightest of days, all."

The fair-haired man raises his head as he is addressed from multiple directions. It's a convergence that instantly brings tension to his muscles and a straightness to his back, and he carefully lays board and pencil on the bench next to him, to reveal a half-completed sketch of the front entrance to the Temple of Daeus. A fair but imperfect rendition, though the man clearly has some gift for the activity.

"Just a moment, Kanian. Kin - Sunguard Andelena," he greets two of them courteously. "Brightest of days to the both of you, and may Her light follow your path." The voice is light, with a definite Myrrish lilt to it.

Then he turns his attention to Elisabeth, the greeting much, much more reserved and formal - wary, even. "I claim but the first, my lady. Whom do I have the honor of addressing?"

Elisabeth looks to Zeke, as she sith-makar arrives. "Peace to your nest as well, brother", she say in reply to his words. Then Andelena's there, too, and she returns the woman's greeting in kind, saying, "Brightest day, Andie", with another nod of her head -- before turning to face Seldan once more.

"I am Elisabeth du Leoncorte, Sunguard", she says to Seldan, dipping her chin in a nod. "I would speak with you, if you are willing and able. It's a somewhat private matter, I suppose, but I leave it to you where you would like to converse...?", she explains.

Zeke blinks, his eyes nictating at this woman named 'Elisabeth'. "Sssa?" He queries curiously. "Brother meansss kin. We are not kin."

One might consider such a statement rude, but then, Zeke is sith and probably doesn't mean anything rude by the obvious confusion written on his features. "Do you refer to our cassste?" He tilts his head, no soft-skin he'd ever known had ever been a part of a caste, or even understood them terribly well. He glances at Seldan. "Either way, thisss one would like to ssstay with Sseldan. If he isss willing."

"All three of us are Sunguards," Andelena points out to Zeke. "I'm familiar with the Sunguard Elisabeth. She came and healed the wounded and fought with me in battle."

She looks between her two friends and her more recent acquaintance for a moment before she replies, "Sir Seldan, all you gotta do is say the word and I'll fuck off." There's a little grin for the moment.

"You mean amicably depart," comes the maternal voice from the sword on Andelena's hip with a soft sigh.

"I believe that it is the caste to which the lady - Sunguard," Seldan corrects himself, "-refers, Zeke. Naught ill is meant by it." He nods up to Andelena in agreement. "Nay, Sunguard. Fear not, for there is no need. No secrets have I from those present." He remains, still and waiting, gaze steady on Elizabeth. "How might I be of service to you, Sunguard Elisabeth?"

Elisabeth arches an eyebrow and looks to Zeke. She starts to speak a reply, but then Andi's chiming in and she gestures to the woman and simply nods her head in agreement. "Yes, I called you 'brother' because we share the same faith, not the same blood, just as I'd call Andi 'sister' for the same reason", she explains. The way Andi's sword speaks up makes Elisabeth grin -- just for a moment.

She then turns back to Seldan, and her little grin fades back to the neutral 'mask' she usually wears. "Lady Carissa bid me to wish you well on her behalf", she says, simply. "Beyond that... I did hope to speak with you concerning", she says, pausing a moment, "... familial matters, but I also do not wish to overstep. Baram has been a friend and mentor to me, but I fail to understand why he is so reticent where certain persons are concerned. I had hoped to learn more from you, learn your point of view?"

Zeke blinks at this, but seems to accept it easily enough, his expression still somewhat confused. He hadn't thought that the woman meant ill of it, but rather that it was a strangeness. In the end he brushes it off as one of those things that he is unlikely to understand and lets it go so that he can listen to the conversation. He looks carefully at the woman. "You have ssspoken to her resscently?" His tail shifts behind him, remembering well the woman that is Seldan's nest-mother. Then the tail stops abruptly. A low rumble rises in his chest. Not really a growl, but rather something more... comforting sounding. Those familiar with sith might recognize it as the sound that sith use to soothe their nestlings.

Andelena looks at Elisabeth for a longer moment, steel-grey eyes looking thoughtful. It's not so much her sister Sunguard but what she has to say that strikes her, judging by the way she looks down to the ground for a moment and pats her sword for a moment.

"You're talking about Sir Seldan's father?" Andelena asks finally. Something that seems oddly cautious considering so much of Andelena usually isn't in any shape or form. She looks then to Seldan, looking at him like she's trying to measure his response.

Almost instantly, Seldan's entire demeanor takes on the look of an alabaster pillar - fair, stone-like, impassive, and cold - at the mention of Baram. "I see," he replies carefully and politely. "Father would know if I have yet decided to change my mind, and has not the physical health to come himself. I am not faithless, and yet shall the family be not without aid in its time of need."

He seems about to say more, when the sword leaning atop the knapsack at his feet fairly explodes in a cacophony of angry voices. "That one again," one cuts through, not the querulous old man, but a nasally female voice that might be a kindly grandmother. "Young lady, that one is a blustering fool. He thinks the family was always Daeusite, and that simply isn't the case. There's a reason we didn't respond to him."

A third voice cuts in, this one a younger female, a deeper timbre. "Maybe you need to go knock some more sense into him, Seldan."

"Now, now, Tisa. He's an injured man. Seldan has more honor than to do that." This said by a rich, deep, full, and lilting man's voice.

"Well, he sure doesn't." The querulous old man again.

"KANIAN!" This explosion comes from several voice at once, but the nasally grandmother chimes in again. "A blustering fool he may be, but he's a Sunblade, which is more than you ever were."

Elisabeth glances over to Zeke when he asks about having recently spoken to Carissa. When she replies, though, she's looking at Seldan, not the sith-makar. "I spent much of my time away from Alexandria visiting home. I spoke with her, albeit briefly, before leaving to return here", she says. She glances, too, at Andelena, but doesn't speak a reply to that question.

Elisabeth's eyes widen at Seldan's words, and she starts to reply, but then the voices from the man's sword start in and she arches an eyebrow and listens. When the one voice silences the others, she nods. "He made no such request of me, to bring such a request, actually. It hurts to know that my friend and mentor is so angry, whether at himself or at others, and I wished to learn more -- in case there might be a way I could be of some help to all involved."

She glances at the carried by Seldan, then, and adds, "...though he *does* seem quite stubbornly set on that the family be Daeusite only, although I cannot fathom -why-... I cannot see why there should be any issue with a child of Baram's venerating Eluna. The goddess is, herself, a child of Daeus, after all, and Daeus accepts and loves his children, does he not? I honestly don't understand the circumstances of the family's splintering...", she adds, then sighs. "I suppose I'm letting my own curiosity, as well as my emotions, have me sticking my nose in the family business of another -- If you'd rather I drop it, I will, Silverguard."

As she finishes speaking, she gives a sort of half-bow from her waist, as if apologizing for the rudeness.

Zeke has nothing nice to say about Seldan's father, and so he's learned over the years that in such situations where privacy is not existent, that saying nothing is best. He glances toward Reunion, and in truth the blade says nothing that he's not thought himself. That Seldan's father could use some... reeducation, but that Seldan has more honor than to give such to a man injured. "It issss asss you sssay," He says to Elisabeth. "A mysstery, Sseldan issss hale, whole, and goodly. Why hisss nessst-father hasss behaved in thisss way..."

It is beyond Zeke's knowing or understanding. He glances down, his claws twined together. One crystal, one blue of scale. He rubs a hand over his crystal claw and feels... something odd there. A sense of peace. Reassurance. He looks up, looking at his kin. There are so many things he wants to say, but none of them fit this moment.

Andelena looks up and opens her mouth as she intends to speak, but it's actually the sword at her hip that speaks first.

"It is possible, Elisabeth," Deliverance says first, "for a man who serves the Light to have his own failings. It is very, very possible indeed for a man who serves dutifully and presents a certain way to others to be contradictory in values. For there are those who believe that those who do not embrace the light of the Knight are lost from it. They do not realize that the gentle moon who is the Knight's only and most beloved daughter claims the time in which His light is absent--for a child often picks up the work that their father cannot do, for a parent cannot do all things."

Andelena looks down at Deliverance and murmurs, "Shit, Livvie, and here I was gonna just say--some people are shit to their kids for no real fucking reason but are great with other people, and unfortunately for us... we get to deal with the raw fucking side of what's left from that." There's a gentle sort of ache in her words. She understands Seldan's situation too well herself.

Some of the look of the alabaster pillar fades at Elisabeth's words, and at the words of those around Seldan. He turns a warm look on Zeke, knowing that a smile is not, to the sith, a friendly gesture, and nods to Andelena. "It is even as she says, though I had not known the full extent of your relationship with your family." He offers her a sympathetic gaze, and a small smile that holds something of concern to go with it. "Yours seems to have serious problems, Sunguard, that are not of your doing. Yet have I come to learn the origin of his demands. He has never questioned that which he was taught from his own youth, and such is his teaching. He would have another to follow his path, and in that can I not oblige him. My path leads down a road different indeed." His eyes lower to his lap. "Still are we both servants of the Light, and to him would I say this, once more. My blood has stained the altar of the Draco Solis in this city, shed in its defense. He may question my faith when he can say the same."

The sword at his feet, meanwhile, seems to be pursuing multiple conversations at once. "They're splintered because Baram Padaryn is an idiot," the grandmotherly voice is saying, but a deeper, darker make voice with a khazadi lilt to it speaks over and through her. "And who's the voice with the wise words, now? Another blade like ourselves? Fascinating. I've heard others, of course, but most of them seem kind of stupid. The lady in the Sunguard's blade is no fool. How may I address you?"

"That's precisely why I worry for him... it's quite odd behavior, even for a stubborn old man like him", Elisabeth says to Zeke. Notably, she hasn't got any issue calling Baram a 'stubborn old man', although the way she says it isn't meant to belittle the man -- it's like the words are just a comfortable and familiar way in which she sees him, almost respectful in tone.

She looks back over to Seldan and nods her head. "You -are- following his path, aren't you? You fight for what's right. You defend those in need. You serve the Light...", she says, lifting a finger as she speaks each point. "He's only an idiot when... where his sons are concerned, in my opinion", she says, as if in reply to the words spoken by Seldan's sword.

"In any case, at least now I know... and it's something he needs to figure out for himself, although he probably never will, I suppose... stubborn old man and whatnot", she adds, alluding to her previous words.

Zeke nods, relaxing somewhat at the expression given to him by Seldan. There are after all no enemies here now. No 'family' that is trying to harm them by word or by deed. "Indeed it hasss. Thisss one sssaw it." He had seen Seldan in defense of many over the years. The temples, people, and even Zeke himself. "It isss true that Ssseldan isss a pillar of the Light, and hasss defended the innocent more timesss than thisss one can count."

Reunion speaks up to Deliverance and Zeke subtly releases his crystal claw and kind of... Tucks it behind himself. He feels that sense of reassurance again, but somehow it doesn't... reassure him terribly much.

"Stubborn old men is one way to put it," Andelena says, "but I've got two thoughts about that. There's stubborn old men, like the kind you meet at the market who gripe about something costing a couple of copper pieces more than it did back when he supposedly had more hair on his head and a dick that works... And then there's 'old fucks who should move right over and take a long walk off a short pier', and that's because they're two-faced sons of bitches who have somehow, despite all the damn odds, have lived as long as they have because they know how to put on a mask around the right people."

Andelena huffs. "The first kind? Annoying, but you move on with your day once you finish paying for your shit and go. The second kind? You keep a fuckin' eye on them because they're trouble for someone. Because they're hurting someone, and that someone needs the Knight's justice."

There's a soft sigh then from the sword at Andelena's hip. "Colorful in word choice as ever, Andelena," Deliverance says. "Yes, I am a servant of the Light within the sword of the Sunguard known as Andelena Donnelly. I am Deliverance. I help Andelena find her way when she needs it. Occasionally my words help others as well."

Seldan's eyes lower again, fair skin flushing pink, but he says nothing. Reunion, however, is not so reticent. "I see," says the deeper man's voice. "I'd like to think that we do the same, but I am fairly sure that my cohorts in this blade talk so much as to do precious little good. Seldan calls this blade Reunion, but such a name is an insult. I am sure that we had a better at one point. My name is Golain, and it is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of a lady such as yourself."

"Oh, are we on about that again?" The younger female voice pipes up. "We got that name because Kanian and Fallia are the things that will not shut up, and we sound like a family reunion. The name is deserved, and until we've earned better, I for once don't complain."

It sounds like an argument is starting again within the blade, with multiple voices chiming in. "Tisa, you'll mind your elders," the querulous male voice chimes in. "I'll speak when I want."

Finally, Seldan sighs. "Reunion, _enough_. My brother - he spat upon Father's blade when he left. Their row shook the house."

Elisabeth frowns a bit. "Quite the dire insult cast by your brother", she says in a quiet voice. "I hope you didn't do similarly", she adds. She glances to the temple of Daeus, now. "I need to go make proper observances", she adds, giving a little half-bow, again, more or less to everyone present. "Fare thee well, all." With that, she steps away, heading for said temple.

Zeke listens to the blade talking amongst itself and becomes somehow less conspicuous than he had been a moment before. "Reunion hasss proven an able weapon." He offers quietly, but otherwise fades into the background somewhat, only nodding when Elisabeth says that she has observances to make.

"Brightest of days," Andelena replies in parting to Elisabeth, giving the sister Sunguard a little wave before she looks back at Seldan. "That's right. Livvie hasn't really _met_ your blade since she awakened. This is a fun little get-together we've got going."

"It is certainly a meeting," Deliverance replies, her voice caught somewhere between amused and slightly horrified for Seldan that his blade has so many voices. Then the sword gives a gentle sigh. "I am sorry to hear you have an issue with your sibling in addition to your father, Seldan. Andelena knows this in her own way as well."

Andelena pats Deliverance on the hilt of the sword, although she wears a look on her face like she's not supremely happy for the turn onto herself. "Yeah, I do," she says. "But you know about that already, Sir Seldan. Family is..."

She chews on her words a moment more before she spits out, "Family's a fucking complicated thing, ain't it."

Still Seldan is silent, staring down at his lap uncomfortably. "Indeed it was," he murmurs sadly. He then draws a deep breath, and when he looks up, his demeanor is back to the same even, steady, and sober thing it usually is. "Naught have I heard from him since I was eight summers old. I doubt he means to return, and thus did Father push me all the harder. I am assured that I am no disgrace for my path being different, and thus would I serve all." He hesitates, then shakes his head. "It is of little importance, for Grandmother is - of a different mind."

Reunion, meanwhile, is undaunted. "Well, not all family is bad," huffs Kanian again. "It's a trial sometimes, but I like to think we're of great value."

Zeke nods to Reunion's words that not all family is bad. "Reunion hass the right of it Sseldan." He offers slowly and thoughtfully. "Thiss one thought that family - kin - were no-thing but... Sorrow. Hurt. But you have taught thiss one that family meansss ssome-thing very different. That a true tribe beginsss with thossse willing to sstand at your ssside no matter what. Thosse othersss that would do harm to their own kin - their family - they dessserve not to be part of the tribe at all."

"Sometimes the best family is the one you make," Andelena says gently. "I mean, look at you two. You've named each other kin. What's stopping you both from naming other people those things? I mean, shit--Deliverance is more of a mother to me than my own blood-mother is."

There's a happy little hum from Deliverance. "I certainly would not object, Andelena," she says, "although I still wish that you would use the language more befitting of your station."

Then louder, the sword inquires of Reunion, "Do you have a similar problem, everyone within Reunion? Not Seldan cursing, of course--I cannot imagine him doing that."

This time, it's the sword that replies first, in that grandmotherly voice. "We rejected Baram, and several before him, for that very reason, Deliverance. Seldan is the first in many years with an open enough mind to hear us. Not that he always listens, but we try to guide Seldan to bringing honor to the family name, and staying in the light. He certainly does the second, I'll give him that. I just wish he'd tell us what's going on with his health."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with him, Fallia." The old man's voice again - and then all fall silent. "Oh so there is. Spill it, Seldan."

A heavy sigh from Seldan, and he leans back into the bench. "We shall see," he murmurs, the stone pillar taking over his demeanor again. "Indeed, for truly is Zeke a brother to me. As to your family, it is not my wish to pry, but - are they safe?" He turns towards Andelena with the question, clearly deflecting.

Zeke sighs also, shaking his head at the question. What Seldan chose to tell his sword was none of Zeke's concern really, but he worried about the man himself. "Thisss one brought lunch." He says gently. "Would you care to join usss for it Andelena?"

There's a feeling again, this time a subtle disappointment, and Zeke glances at his claw, trying to understand what these emotions he's feeling from it mean. They make no sense to him out of context.

"Sir Seldan's fine," Andelena responds to Reunion. "Don't worry about his health." There's something there that's a little iron-willed, like that she's going to cut off another voice from Reunion if they start a row about this in public. She has vows that she's sworn to and she takes them seriously.

She looks to Zeke and she smiles then. "I'd love lunch," she says, "but make sure you give yourself and Sir Seldan plenty, yeah? I'm gonna be going back home to my husband here in a bit--so I should really find something for the both of us to share. Maybe something for the cats, too." Goodness knows that the cats will insist on sharing if she doesn't bring something for them.

"Sure he is." Reunion sounds skeptical in a multitude of voices, but Seldan merely ignores the question, instead gathering up his parchment and pencil and returning them to the knapsack. "Lunch would be most welcome."

There truly is little like a good meal to wash away worries and unpleasant discussions, and such is enough, at least for the moment.

-End