[Gardens] There's Always Something Else [PM Invite]

Aydyn Blair · October 18, 2007, 11:47 AM

Fourth Cycle of Melora
Season of Spring

Aydyn had been finding her own rhythm in the city slowly but surely, content in the knowledge that she was here for only a little while--only a little--before she'd be able to move on to a place where the buildings weren't so crammed together and the stench of unwashed bodies wasn't so...overpowering. The gardens were only so relieving after so many visits; she'd be glad to put Nexus behind her, regardless of what Selena felt for it. It would always be the open air for her, the trees, the grass. Life. Oh, there was life here, but not the sort that she had grown to associate with Carmelya. And Carmelya had become a rather important part of her life.

She walked along a path that skirted the Inner Gardens, a curious place that she hadn't yet delved into, Noah strapped to her chest and giggling happily as she swiped her tiny fingers at Aydyn's dangling hair. She was wearing it loose that brightening and it fell around her shoulders, hiding the scars that dappled the side of her neck and the branding on her right ear. So many markings. It was hard to believe that it was testiment to a rather rocky, difficult era. One era. That was all it had taken to gain all of them.

Noah's fascination with Aydyn's hair wasn't really a new thing and from time to time she found herself extracting a curling brown lock from the baby's gnawing mouth. "Mommy likes her hair, sweeting," she crooned at her daughter, easily extracting the tendrils from the greedy fingers and brushing it back over her shoulder. That didn't stop Noah for the girl was grabbing at another lock of hair as soon as the wind swept it back in reach. She couldn't even hold it for too long, but she tried. Oh how she tried. There was going to come a time when Noah was running around grabbing at everything. It was almost a frightening thought, but a fond one and she couldn't help but smile wildly at the idea of her daughter shrilling her laughter as she wobbled about on two legs through a home of her own.

Because this...this was only temporary.

Her hands cradling Noah's bottom, Aydyn sat herself down on a bench overlooking the Inner Gardens. Surrounded by a thick hedge she could just barely see past the barrier to the cluster of overgrown wildness. She hadn't seen any paths leading inwards and it puzzled her as to why someone might have left a garden to grow so wild on its own and encased it with hedges for no one to see it. It seemed such a stark contrast in comparison to these polished hedges and flower plots of the Outer Garden, too... She pondered its mystery as she lightly bounced Noah on her knee, humming her a tune just under her breath; Aydyn had no aspirations to becoming a singer, her own voice a poor one, her sense of rhythm not so grand...but her daughter seemed to enjoy the noise.

Stephan Woulofen · October 18, 2007, 12:30 PM

Turner had been following the young woman and her child for a long time now and had not approached, nor had he said anything. Surely at this point Stephan was back in Paxia wondering exactly where he was, it would not be too surprising if his master worried about what had happened to him. Not that he thought his master cared about his life, but if something happened to Turner that could very well mean someone was coming for him as well. He was far too paranoid, and he hoped that would make him remain in Paxia and not come to Nexus Prime looking for answers. That would be a very bad idea for if Turner could find her, Stephan would have no problem finding Aydyn as well.

He knew he could not follow her and say nothing anymore, he had to approach, tell her of what happened to Stephan, and alert her to her inheritance from Stephan. Would she tell her that Stephan had died though? He could not decide, but of course that would have to be one of the first things he would have to bring up. Coming from behind a tree where he had been watching her he watched her bounce her child on her knee, so happy, but he knew their financial situation was not good. One as observant as him could quite easily discover such things from her daily activities. "Lady Aydyn," Turner said, coming up in front of them with his eyes looking directly at her and not her child. "It is good I found you. You do not know me, but I am Stephan Woulofen's only surviving guard and I have grave news to deliver to you."

Letting that settle in, not sure how she would welcome him as he was the guard of a man who had done so much wrong to her. "My master, Stephan Woulofen, is dead, he died trying to save his wife and son in a battle after they had been kidnapped. His son survived, though wounded and crippled, but Lady Tenance did not survive. During the battle he suffered a mortal wound and perished. It was by his wishes that I divide his funds, and in the will he left you 25,000 crowns. Your cheque from the Bank of Port Alyxandrya for that amount sits in the Aedile's Office in Mystique. My master wished to give you financial stability and enable all your future pursuits and security for all that he had done to you. And, I suppose he left something behind he did not know about," Turner said, a lengthy speech, ended by referring to Noah who sat on Aydyn's knee.

The elf tried to be as sincere as he could, but he was certainly not one to wear his emotions on a sleeve or know how to calm the emotions of another. Most of what he said could be taken as blunt, to the point, and lacking sincerity, but they were definately not his intention. Waiting for her to respond the only thing that went through his mind was what Stephan would do should he ever find out the truth. He had no concern as to how Aydyn would respond to him, however in his world he would never expect any hostility brought on by emotions. He had no understanding nor experience in such things.

Aydyn Blair · October 18, 2007, 01:02 PM

Aydyn startled as the elf appeared from behind a tree, grasping at her child as her knee faltered. Noah started crying, her backside knocked a little harshly, and Aydyn smoothed out her daughter's hair soothingly even as she drew the child to her breast, wild eyes staring at the man in a sudden burst of panic. She was growing more content with herself and her situation as the cycles went by, but she still grew wary and nervous from time to time; Dimitri was still out there, far as she knew, and she was certain he wouldn't have appreciated a slave slipping from his grasps. But would he hunt her? And that was the paranoia that plagued her, especially in a crowded, busy city such as Nexus.

"Stephan? Grave news?" she repeated, brows furrowing slightly as her panic ebbed...marginally, of course; he was still a man she couldn't get her mind to recall at all--she'd mostly only seen Stephan when she'd met him, none of his guards. And why had he been looking for her? Delivering news to her? It'd been over an era since she'd last seen Stephan. Certainly that part of his life, as well as hers, was over...

But she hadn't expected at all to learn that he was dead.

She sat quietly, mouth slightly open as if to say something--anything--but there was nothing. Her feelings for Stephan had whispered away to little more than a memory since she'd last seen him, feelings that hadn't been anything more than a strong surge of lust anyway. Love? It couldn't have been that. She'd hardly known him. Hadn't known he had a wife and a child. To learn that Stephan was dead, that he had thought of her enough to bequeth her with money, that his wife was dead... She seemed more confused, uncertain, than angry or upset. How could she be upset when everything between her and Stephan had happened occurred so long ago?

Still, there was some pang there and she held her daughter, realizing Noah would never know her father. "Surely you're joking," she protested, but he seemed so serious. Elves were not generally known for their ability to make light of a situation. She stared at him, trying to get everything to register. "I don't understand. He's...dead? What do you mean there's an inheritance?" An inheritance in Mystique of all places. She had no desire to return there. Dimitri knew about Mystique. What if he was looking for her there?

Stephan Woulofen · October 18, 2007, 04:48 PM

Turner had not stopped once through his lengthy dialogue despite her obvious confusion and inability at first to let everything register. It had indeed been pretty long ago since the two had met and had slept together, but it wasn't something that could have been forgotten. There had been such a great exchange of emotions through it all that he did not doubt she was going over all the emotions she could remember through their encounter. Turner had known all that had occurred for he had been the closest to Stephan and had been the leader of the guards protecting him.

At first he shook her head when she said he had must been joking, though he was sure it wasn't a really legitimate question. She knew that he was serious from the start and finally conceded the point. Nodding he answered her, "Yes, he died during the battle. Only a few brightenings before the kidnapping and the events that followed he had written out a lengthy will in case his untimely death. In it he gave you 25,000 crowns. I do not know the reasoning behind it so do not ask why. If that is his child, as I presume it is, then he would surely want you to have those funds and much more." Turner could sense when things were wrong and he noticed that there was trouble in her eyes when she thought of Mystique.

"If there is issue with Mystique I could retrieve the funds from the city and deliver them to you. Since you now have a child I believe that it would be best if I did bring them to you." He knew this all must have been way too fast for her, but Turner was never one to take into consideration thoughts and emotions of others for they did not effect his own reasoning and comprehension. "Consider myself as much as a servant of you, your well-being, and safety as I was for Stephan, I knew he would want this and my life debt was to him, now it is to you." Turner had made his mind, he would not go back to Stephan.

Aydyn Blair · October 19, 2007, 09:23 AM

Aydyn stared down at her daughter. She was still fussing a little, protesting little cries as her mother got her settled on her lap. It was hard not to give Noah the attention right there and then because her child was everything to her. She needed to be safe. Happy. She curled her tiny daughter against her chest, murmuring soft words of reassurance to try and get her to quiet. She quieted after Aydyn finally settled the tip of her finger in the girl's mouth and Noah suckled on it gently, one small hand not-quite curling around her mother's finger.

With Noah settled she looked back up at the man. She didn't even know his name. He hadn't told her. It was almost surreal to think that she was being told Stephan had died, as if she had been important enough to be informed. He left me money. Why? Why her? "It is his child. It couldn't be anyone elses," she informed him quickly, to ensure that there would certainly be no doubt about it. She was not a whore. She didn't spread herself around. Stephan had been an exception.

Her brow furrowed. This was a lot to take in. The money was a large sum and Aydyn doubted she'd ever seen the likes of it before. Her family were farmers. If their neighbors couldn't afford to pay them for the wheat they grew they inevitably traded something else. Money had never paid a large part of Aydyn's life. She'd never expected it too. Money had never really mattered to her. Did she want it? He'd given her a gift before and she'd thrown it at him for his troubles. He was married. He had hurt her. Why should she take this now? But could she ignore it either with Noah to look after?

She shook her head slightly. The man was observant, to have noticed her apprehensions. But she'd never been a hard woman to read. "I've had...no intentions of going to Mystique," she admitted, mind foggy with all the information she was being slammed with. "There's a man. He knows I..." she trailed off, looking down at her daughter, finger still lightly tucked in the infant's mouth. There was no need to say anything about Dimitri. Not really. Without thinking she brushed the brand on her right ear with the tips of her finger. No one needed to know that.

"You don't owe any debt to me," she told him after a moment. "I won't ask anything of you. You're not my...you're not my servant." Aydyn had never had a servant in her life and she hadn't wished to start then. Not when she knew what was to be a slave. But then slave and servant were different...weren't they? One you paid, the other you didn't. She didn't have the money to pay this man...and he owed her no debt. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. I...it's hard to believe. Twenty-five thousand crowns? Left to me? And Stephan... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. That he died in battle. He..." Again she trailed off. That he knew how to kill had unsettled her when she'd met him. No, somehow she wasn't surprised at all that he would die in that fashion.

"My daughter has no father," she said quietly. She had never thought to introduce father and daughter, but now she never could. Not now. Not if she wanted to. She knew she should take the money. Knew that she should use it to help her daughter in whatever way she could. Not to do so was to subject her daughter to poverty, a line Aydyn was toeing rather closely at the moment. What if she went broke? What then? "The money... I wouldn't take it because Stephan wanted me to have it. He... But Noah. For Noah." For Noah she had to. "So it's in Mystique then?" She sounded defeated. A little hollow.

Stephan Woulofen · October 19, 2007, 09:48 AM

Turner had no doubts that it was Stephan's child, but her confirming that point sealed fact. Being around Aydyn's daughter reminded him of Paul, Stephan's on, who he had grown close to simply because it was his duty to protect his life. Turner had failed big time in the protection of both Tenance and Paul, allowing them to be kidnapped nearly right under the nose of him and his comrades was inexcuseable. Much did not add up about that whole incident as well, how they had been taken from a practicially fortified home with guards all over he did not know. Thoughts of the recent past weighed heavily on him for the dishonor of failing in duty was everything in his clan.

He did not respond the first time to her desire to not go to Mystique, but the fact she had said there was a man she feared there concerned and interested him. This woman had enemies and people she feared? Was she in danger? Why? He simply could not ask her for he did not believe she would outright tell him and so he waited, allowed her to continue. It was taking her awhile to get to her points and speak, surely due to her emotional thoughts slowly everything down. But, he had all the time in the world. His life debt was to Stephan or to those Stephan would want him to protect. "I am a servant by blood, the tradition of my clan and my honor that my life is to protect those who I am chosen to watch. It is a duty and responsibility that I take willingly and with much respect. I am no slave for I retain my free will and freedom always." What Turner did not know was the term slae had much more weight with her than most others for she had lived through it.

"My Lady, I am not one to understand love between human male and female, nor do I understand the relationship you and Stephan had. I understand a few things and I do know that Stephan did care for you, very much so, and the issues that he dealt with concerning you and his other love did weigh on him most heavily. That is all I know. I know that he would want most of all right now, is for your well being and the safety and security for your child."

"Allow me to go to Mystique for you and retrieve the cheque since there is someone there you seem to not wish to run into." At all times Turner did not slouch and treated Aydyn as if she was nobility or someone of extreme wealth and power. He was humbled by service to others so much so that one who was not of his clan could likely never understand.

Aydyn Blair · October 19, 2007, 11:02 AM

Aydyn stiffened a little at his chosen phrasing. Slave. Why had he chosen that word at all? It hadn't truly been necessary in the explanation of his service. Did he know, then? But how? No...no there was no logical reason for him knowing that she'd suffered a scant few months in slavery. Scant few, but long enough for her. But then he'd found her here, hadn't he? The how of that hadn't been explained. Truly, the man explaining all of this was as mysterious as any stranger. Perhaps she should be a little more wary... What if he was lying? To what purpose? She could see little that he would gain by a lie of this nature.

He mightn't be one to understand the relationship she'd had with Stephan, but she certainly hadn't either. It had happened quickly and ended almost just as fast. That she'd been left feeling hurt and a little empty, foolish and embarrassed...she could recall those feelings with ease. Those feelings made sense because she'd shared something with him that she was generally reserved about sharing. The why of it still didn't make any sense at all. She had long since given up trying to decipher it for herself because she saw little point in dwelling on the matter. But it was difficult trying to dismiss the why of it now when she'd been delivered such a strange news as all this.

"He might not be there," she murmured after a moment, looking askance at the trees and the gardens. It was odd talking of Dimitri and knowing that she might sound paranoid admitting to a fear that might not be reality. She assumed that he might look for her, but then why would he bother? She hadn't been a particularly valuable slave. Surely it was easy enough gathering a pregnant woman after losing the one for whatever twisted plans he had for a child. "He is not from Mystique. He merely knows I lived there." She was being cryptic...and stubborn in not explaining further. "Perhaps I'm just paranoid and there's no reason to worry about it at all." But she had Noah to think of. She couldn't afford to be careless and stupid.

She sighed. "I don't even know your name or where you came from or...or how you found me." That was the biggest question of all, wasn't it? Not that she'd gone to great lengths to hide her identity. She should have. But she hadn't. "But if you would...go to Mystique..." She shrugged. It was an awkward request. She had no desire to tell anyone what they might or might not do.

Stephan Woulofen · October 19, 2007, 11:23 AM

It was when she said she could quite possibly only be paranoid that Turner understood how she felt. He had learned this feeling of paranoia very much recently as Stephan had claimed to be paranoid, explained what it was to him, and he had seen it persist and increase with Stephan's every action and word. So Turner could understand Aydyn's concern considering she felt that a man may be looking for her there, but he did not know the reason why she was concerned about it. He could come up with his own possible conclusions, but he truly didn't know the reality or would he even come close if he made a guess.

As she asked for his name and how he had found her and such Turner stopped before speaking. He hesitated for he truly did not know how to respond as he really wasn't one to be clever in this sense. Yes, he could go places and often remain undetected, but he was not skilled or good with coming up with verbal lies. "My name is Ruu, how I found you is nothing more than what you people call pure luck," he said, referring to humans. There was no such thing as luck among elves, at least not among his clan. "After leaving Mystique I cam to Nexus Prime to settle a few things with Stephan's estate, my home is in the heart of a large forest and thus these gardens are most homely to me. It was here that I found you speaking with a woman who is pregnant, and I had to assure any doubts I had that you were Aydyn and the woman who was a umm... friend of my master." It wasn't after that Turner realized he referred to Stephan in the present rather than past.

"I will go to Mystique, where can I find you when I return to Nexus Prime?"

Aydyn Blair · October 19, 2007, 12:32 PM

Luck. Who'd have thought anyone could bump into anyone else in this city out of pure luck. But then hadn't she sighted Selena out of luck as well? She could have spent candlemarks, brightenings, cycles, looking for Selena without a trace. But luck had been with her. Yes. Luck was like that sometime. Luck and Chance. She nodded slightly, eyes lingering on the guard as he slipped with the present tense. She had no reason to think he was lying to her and thought only that it was a slip accorded to what had been familiar to him rather than what was truth. She did not, after all, know how long ago Stephan had been killed...or how long the guard--Ruu--had been in Stephan's service. Perhaps it was merely habit that had pushed him to say it.

"I'll be staying with a friend while I'm here. The same one you saw me within the gardens. Her name's Selena Ile Andra." Though she was reluctant to do so she gave him the address to her home. Afterwards she reflected on the stupidity of it. What if he was really working for Dimitri? He had known about Stephan...wouldn't it have been easy enough to impersonate one of his old guards and concoct this story? Then again...he could have easily nabbed here right there and then without going to the trouble for an address as well.

She frowned at her own paranoia, kissing the top of Noah's head. It paid as a mother to be paranoid...didn't it? She hoped she wasn't overreacting...

"Thank you, Ruu. I...appreciate...you letting me know. And doing this for me." She hugged her daughter against her chest. "If there's anything I can do for you, you'll let me know?"

Stephan Woulofen · October 22, 2007, 10:56 AM

Ruu, Turner as he was going by at this moment by people he did not know, nodded when she indicated where he could find her. He already knew where that woman could be found for he had done his research. That was his job. He knew more about Aydyn and this Selena woman than Aydyn would have realized. However, had he indicated such things he was sure her unease would only increase should he tell her of such things and how much he knew. He did not want to concern her, mostly because he did not want her to disappear to flee elsewhere when he was on the trip to Mystique and back.

"It is no problem My Lady, it is my job to fulfill the last wishes of Stephan. There is nothing you can do for me, but know that I will always be there for you, and especially Noah, should you ever need me. If it is alright with you I shall be off to Mystique immediately to retrieve your cheque. Is there anything else you request of me to do in Mystique for you while I am there?" Awaiting her response he made all indications that his immediate intentions were really to leave. This was not true for he would be staying in the city alittle longer doing things for Stephan and also still keeping an eye on Aydyn. He wanted to ensure her safety and really ensure that she was not going to flee due to any unease.

Standing there he awaited her allowance of him to leave, an odd thing that she would not understand, but it was code he followed as one who served and protected others.

Aydyn Blair · October 22, 2007, 12:12 PM

It was odd hearing from this man that he would always be there for her. No one before had ever pledged that sort of commit to her in any shape or form. Stephan hadn't and he had claimed to love her. He'd given her a child, unintentional though it had been. Even if he had wanted to pledge such a thing to her, he couldn't have. Not with his wife and child to look after. This was the sort of dedication Aydyn was not at all accustomed to and she stared at the man, as if trying to discern it from truth or falsehood. He seemed earnest. He seemed trustworthy. But she'd only known him the span of a few moments. Nothing more than that.

She managed a faint smile, gently hugging Noah--the infant protested with a small wail that faded Aydyn's smile and set her to trying to comfort her daughter. Had she known Ruu sooner she might have other requests from him, but she doubted her place in Mystique was still uninhabitated. Her things, by now, had probably been confiscated and disposed off or gods knew what else. Her alicats had probably been dead for months or given a new home or...worse. She didn't want to think long on that. It was a shame for there were many things in her old, rented home that she would have wished to keep all her life. Mementos of her achievements. Now they were gone.

Aydyn shook her head after a moment. "No, thank you. I appreciate the gesture, but there's nothing else in Mystique that I would ask you to do. I had a life there, but it was over once I left it. But, thank you, Ruu. Thank you for your help."

She hesitated as he stood there, as if he was waiting for something. Aydyn was not at all accustomed to people who stood by and waited to be ordered about in some fashion or another. It was reflected in the awkward look upon her eyes, the faint smile on her mouth. "I think Noah's just about had all she can handle of the gardens." The child was still fussing, her low mewling mounting into testier cries. "She probably just needs a nap." She rose from the bench, adjusting the fit of the child against her chest. "I'm sure I'll see you around." She reached out, touched his upper arm in further gesture of her gratitude, and began in the direction she'd arrived from, murmuring all the while to Noah as the infant continued to cry.

Stephan Woulofen · October 22, 2007, 04:18 PM

As she thanked him for his help Ruu nodded, smiling in gratitude was not something he was accustomed to. It had been a very long time since he had last smiled that he could not even recall when it had been. Looking at the child as it wailed Ruu wanted to close his eyes to ignore the sound that reminded him of that brightening when Stephan's children both suffered such torture. It was not a sound he ever wanted to hear again and the sound gave him chills and horrible memories, ones that he could barely even deal with.

He nodded again as she said it was probably best if they left at this time for Noah needed a nap. He wasn't exactly a great communicator, he had actually been sworn to silence for many patterns and had rarely spoke during his service as Stephan's guard. Only when Stephan confided in him, usually when he was drunk, did Ruu discuss different matters with him. Despite the man he was now Ruu still had great respect for his master. He cared not the way the man had treated women for he knew that despite everything, Stephan was a very good man and would eventually do what was right.

As she rose from the bench and spoke to him, saying her goodbyes, he got a very odd feeling as she touched his arm. Ruu was celibate as he was sworn to serve Stephan with no other clouded of his mind, as escapades with women would most likely cause. He needed no greater evidence than what he witnessed through Stephan, who, because of his escapades, had cost the life of his wife, a married woman he had slept with, a son he had not known about, and he had caused great pain and likely crippled his son for life. And, now there was Aydyn and her child. Ruu could not allow him to find out about them no matter how much he was bound to Stephan.

The touch of Aydyn still ran through his mind though and caused him much discomfort in the sense of how he was bound. The last time he had been touched as such was when he had stumbled upon a drunk Tenance who was drowning herself in alcohol during Stephan's imprisonment in Midpoint. However, unlike then, he knew the touch was of friendship and trust, Tenance sought something much different he determined. Nodding again as she walked past him to go on her way Ruu decided that instead of sticking around as he had first planned, he decided now that he should go immediately before he was able to think too much about things.

When she had left sight Ruu walked off to retrieve his horse and then head immediately for Mystique.

Aydyn Blair · October 22, 2007, 08:59 PM

Last Brightening in Melora
Season of Spring

The last few cycles of the spring season had proved to be demanding on Aydyn's time and energy. She was feeling the burn of everything, the whole of her tired and drained. Cranky. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly: She'd found out Stephan was dead and had left her money--more money than she had thought she'd ever see; Selena had gone into labor...early labor, a frightening experience, daunting. The house never seemed quiet these last few brightenings and Aydyn had taken to bringing Noah out with her whenever she left, if only to give Selena some peace of mind.

She left that brightening with Noah strapped in front of her, heading not to her favorite location, but rather to the market to get some food for her and Selena. She was exhausted, the circles under her eyes, her head a little foggy. She needed sleep. If one babe cried, it seemed the house was full of shrieking infants. The nights were trying indeed.

She sidled her way through the crowd, wishing with some annoyance that she was in Acumin again rather than Nexus Prime. There were too many people. Entirely too many people. If only every single one of them would suddenly just disappear. Or maybe she could disappear and find herself in Acumin. No, Aydyn's spirits weren't precisely that high that brightening and she moved with a purpose, eager to get the errand done and over with.

Stephan Woulofen · October 22, 2007, 10:20 PM

It wasn't hard for Ruu to find people he was looking for, especially when he knew the city they were in. It took him an entire brightening to find her, but considering the size of the city and that she didn't have a well-known presence here he would say that was a good job. Finding her in the market he had tracked her to he noticed she seemed to be out of her element, she appeared tired, and was not too joyful this brightening. Coming up behind her after moving through the crowds Ruu leaned slightly forwards.

"Lady Aydyn, it is Ruu, is there somewhere we can go talk?" Stepping back away from her to give her space he awaited some indication that she had heard him and would lead. Ruu always took precautions when in such large crowds, especially after having come from Mystique. Granted many did not know who he was nor what he looked like with his mask off, but trackers as good as he was could find him for he had been unable to go totally unnoticed.

Even Ruu found himself getting paranoid, it was inevitable for one who was use to the shadows and going unnoticed that now sometimes had to be noticed.