brave_kreyu | OOM All Skate Skellig Dream Magic Weirdness -Part 12

They wind up staying two full cycles of the Moon with Tyr's tribe.

Time enough to learn the various dances, share recipes, race through the Teeth, make friends, share stories, BELONG.

It might even be enough time for Skellig to sort out how he feels about being among other people with wings!

Tyr clasps Skellig's forearm in farewell. "I would call you my brother, if you would permit it?" he says, voice soft.

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Ajax blinks, a bit surprised, then chuckles. "I should protest, as the host, but today has been ENTIRELY too exciting. Thank you, Sokratis."

The wine is a fine vintage, and he has no trouble finding the cups or getting the jug open.

Ajax and Koschei take one couch, VERY close to one another.

Kreyu sprawls on a couch nearby, leaving room for Skellig. "I believe we saw some of your interesting on the way here. There have been more than men on the battlefields."

"Gorgon," Koschei growls, the sound like grinding stone, his anger flaring.

Ajax's nerves flare a bit at that name. "I thought the stories of him mere tales to frighten children," he confesses, voice soft. Koschei wraps an arm around him in a gesture of both protection and an attempt to comfort.

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"Tales and legends are often born of truth," Skellig offers as he returns, two cups in hand - those go first to Kreyu and Ajax, and then a quick turnaround fetches two more, one for himself and one for Koschei...as well as the jug, which he places in the center of a side table, in case there is need of a refill. "But not always. You were not wrong to consider him just a character."

His own wine in hand, he settles on the couch beside Kreyu, opening his arm to her casually.

"The energy that hung over the battlefields was quite erratic," he adds. "It seemed as if there were several things that nobody was prepared for... on both sides of the fighting."

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Kreyu slides herself into his open arm, settles against Skellig.

"You came in from the East?" Ajax asks. Kreyu nods. Ajax exhales heavily. "That battlefield was between the forces of Achilles and Patroclus two of my brothers. I suspect, but can't prove, that Gorgon is acting on the behalf of my eldest brother, Menelaus, and that he wished to take both of them out at once."

"A vile plan, but not a bad idea strategically," Kreyu admits.

Ajax's smile turns bitter, sharp, for a moment. "Oh yes, Menelaus always took the most after our father, for good and for ill. He tried to kill me with poison when I was twelve." Ajax sips the wine, makes an appreciative sound. Koschei looks STUNNED into complete silence by that bit of information. Ajax continues on in a matter of fact way. "You might say that our relationship has been rather STRAINED since then. Still can't stomach the taste of almonds."

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Skellig's opinions on the validity of this 'battle plan' by Menelaus do differ slightly from Kreyu's, but only a little bit. He brings his hand to rest against her upper arm and rubs gently, as he sips from his cup.

"He must be paying Gorgon quite handsomely with something," he muses. "Do you have any idea what it might be? I know you have kept your distance from all of your siblings during this time of turmoil, but any knowledge you have might aid us in helping."

Because... they are helping. At least, Skellig plans to do so.

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"Promised him the Procession of the Heavens," Koschei growls.

Ajax is visibly surprised by this information. "I didn't think you got the chance to...speak with him, while you were rescuing me," he says to Koschei.

"You were attacked by Gorgon?" Kreyu asks, concerned.

Ajax nods, his hands shaking ever so slightly. "Never felt that small before, that helpless."

"You were trapped under body of horse, no one at their best like that," Koschei argues. His hand rubs soothing circles on Ajax's arms.

Ajax makes a kind of startled laugh at that statement. "You think far too much of me, my dear," he says to Koschei. "I am QUITE certain I would have felt just as small and helpless had I been armed and on my feet."

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On one hand - Skellig is pleased to see the connection and relationship that has blossomed and strengthened between the two men - as Kreyu expected, it has worked for them both, it seems. On the other hand, if Gorgon is holding on to the chance to obtain such a valuable piece...the fight will not be easy, and there is worry for the safety of all them.

(Mostly Kreyu, he KNOWS she is tough, he has seen what she can do when she shifts into her 'fighting'...but still, the worry is there.)

"I was quite sore the first time I got off a horse," Skellig mutters. "Trapped beneath one is not an experience I would wish upon anyone." Except maybe Gorgon - or Heka.

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brave_kreyu

"Your brother must have it hidden, or Gorgon would have surely claimed wherever it currently resides already. It is far too vast a structure even for a dragon to move."

Ajax's expression is sympathetic when Skellig mutters about being sore the first time he got off a horse. "It is quite a strain on a body not used to such things," he agrees. "Poor creature, I'm just glad she perished quickly."

Koschei looks as if he's contemplating speaking up while Ajax and Kreyu speak. "Was never moved from where it was built," he says at last. "Changed shape of landmarks, so place did not look like place. Bargained with the spirits to build a tower around it, make it look a ruin, in the space of a night."

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That gets Skellig's attention, though his outward reaction is minimal - he uses his cup to hide any change in his facial expression - and he nods.

"From what I have heard of the Procession, that option seems as if it may have been the easiest to disguise its whereabouts, compared to moving it outright."

Though the spirits who would have been capable of hiding such a thing must be quite powerful.

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brave_kreyu

"You're certain?" Ajax asks Koschei.

Koschei nods. "She told me, Silur."

"Silur? But wasn't she a....oh." The penny drops, as it were. Ajax is, for possibly the first time in his life, stunned into silence.

Koschei looks a bit sheepish. "Thought you saw, during fight. Had to be bigger, to force him to yield."

Ajax coughs, trying to regain some composure. "No, the horse was rather in the way and I couldn't hear much but roaring over the sound of my own heart pounding in my ears."

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It takes considerable effort not to chuckle at Ajax's stunned and surprised reaction - after all, in some ways Skellig can relate! But he manages, and merely smiles softly at Koschei's sheepish expression.

"Well there has to be a time when these things come to light," he offers. "It may be easier on your mind for it to occur now, in this place versus when you were trapped beneath a horse and wounded."

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brave_kreyu

Ajax chuckles. "You definitely have a point," he tells Skellig. "And it certainly explains how you managed to rescue me, my dear," he tells Koschei. "It will take a while for my mind to...settle with that knowledge."

Thankfully, at that point someone knocks on the door. Dinner time! The servants have brought quite the spread, although nothing contains almonds in any form. Flatbreads, a lamb tagine, fruits, sweets, little snacks of all kinds and varieties.

"It all smells wonderful," Kreyu tells the staff, who are pleased with the praise.

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Rising to his feet, Skellig clears his throat lightly as he reaches for the wine bottle.

"There should be enough in this to top off everyone's glass," he offers. "And there is at least one more bottle in the other room."

Refilling glasses and portioning out a sampling from the spread takes a few moments, and it is a welcome distraction from the current thoughts that must be running through Ajax's mind!

From:

brave_kreyu

The distraction is welcome, and Ajax can explain about the dishes, make light conversation, without having to think deeply about it. A lifetime of training in such niceties coming to the fore.

Koschei and Kreyu are both hungrier than usual, having spent a great deal of energy today and not hunted to replenish it!

There are sketches of birds on the walls, most likely Ajax's work, and a half 'carved' dragon in granite that is most likely Koschei's. Little signs of people who are building a life together.

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Seeing the evidence of their influences around the room does bring some joy to Skellig's mind and heart - she will be able to feel a bit of a boost in his Light energy as he resettles himself beside her with his own plate.

"I have to say, during our travels we have come across a wide variety of things that are new to me, and I am surprised at how much I have enjoyed each of them. This lamb, especially, with all the spices..."

(Perhaps it is a callback to his love of Chinese takeout, in another time and place...)

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brave_kreyu

"I don't think I've had this exact combination of spices before either," she replies. "It really is quite lovely."

(It could be a callback, or it could be that tasty is tasty, wherever you are.)

"Very good," Koschei agrees.

"I'm quite fond of it myself," Ajax agrees. "Reminds me of something my mother used to make, when I was young."
He's relaxing, as they eat, the revelation of earlier settling, eased by the familiar and the tasty.

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If Koschei was not sitting closely to Ajax, Skellig MIGHT have offered to lend a hint of physical presence if only to aid the other man in finding something to ground himself upon. As it is, Koschei is QUITE well-connected to the earth below them, and he can see the way it aids Ajax as they sit together on the couch.

"There is something to be said for familiarity," he agrees. "Kreyu has several dishes that she has spoiled me with that I...quietly remind her, on occasion that I would not protest if she were to cook them again for us to enjoy together."

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brave_kreyu

"I am lucky my husband likes simple things," Kreyu says, smiling. "I have yet to master anything fancy, but I am learning."

"Always more to learn," Koschei says. "No matter how much time you have."

"I am fond of learning, but I fear I lack the patience for scholarship," Ajax says. "I did, however, pester every natural philosopher I could find about that feather you left me, Sokratis. None of them had seen anything like it before. I had to be QUITE firm with some of them that no, they could NOT have it, for any price."

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"Experience and exploration often bring a person more knowledge than the same amount of time spent with scrolls," he says.

That admission brings a sly smile to Skellig's features, and he exhales a faint laugh. "I am not surprised that they had never seen one before, but I am glad that they were at least honest with you in that it was not from a bird which any of them recognized. It is from a type that is... quite rare and unique."

To say the least!

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brave_kreyu

"Very rare and unique," Kreyu agrees.

Ajax chuckles, toying with a small mandarin before starting to peel it. "Their best guess was an owl of truly enormous size, as sailors say some eagles grow to. But sailors tales tend to grow every time they tell them."

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"Giant eagles," Skellig mutters, amused. "That would be quite a fearsome sight to encounter upon the seas. Perhaps the sailors would do better to drink a touch less wine between watches... less chance of running into oversized birds of prey."

(He does not particularly feel the need to hide the truth from Ajax and Koschei, but he also knows that it is better in most instances to err on the side of caution, and their relationship with the two men is still quite young.)

From:

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"Or they were startled by one that was quite close. An eagle suddenly in your face can seem QUITE large, when one is startled or in poor light." Kreyu adds.

Ajax and Koschei both chuckle at that.

The meal is winding down, when minds start to turn back toward 'business'.

"Found loophole. Gorgon only promised to defeat enemies for the throne, you don't want stupid, ugly, thing." Koschei says to Ajax.

"Gorgon is always careful to keep the LETTER of his promises, but I doubt he feels he's being paid enough to deal with Koschei on top of everything else."

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"So do we exploit that loophole and head into battle or do we simply outbid your brothers?"

Skellig assumes that fighting will be involved in some manner - but then again, with the amount of wealth in her hoard, Kreyu would likely be quick to outbid Ajax's siblings...if she wanted to deal with Gorgon, that is.

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"I can not offer more than the Procession of the Heavens," Kreyu replies. "Could not even match it, in terms of items of power."

"He will suspect it is nearby, even if contract ends, he will try to claim it," Koschei rumbles.

"If we could find the artifact, drain it of it's potential as a magnet for power, it would be of little use to him," she muses aloud.

"That's why he wants it?" Ajax asks. "How would it give him power?"

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"I have no real standing in this debate, but if your were to drain it... would it still function as intended? I feel as if it were lost, it would be a great sadness to the efforts of the work of creating it in the first place."

He swirls his wine in his cup, studying the liquid.

"Though if him having a gain to power is a bigger threat..."

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brave_kreyu

"Will function," Koschei replies. "Became magnet for power many years after it was made."

"I would not wish to destroy such a wonder either," Ajax agrees with Skellig. "But if it can be made useless to him, that might be the best solution."

"FINDING it is going to be the hard part," Kreyu mutters. "Knowing it's in the city is a start, but there are still many towers."