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Mac_icon.gif Valentin_icon.gif

Scene Title Not Alone
Synopsis A bird chooses a productive encounter to engineer.
Location Circle Courtyard
Date 23 August Dragon 9:31
Watch For Adorable animals!
Logger Valentin

The waning summer is still very warm. And that means Valentin is out at the fountain, again. And in a small act of rebellion, he's even taken off his shoes and outer robes, in just a simple linen shirt and pants sitting in the water. Midday, and the sun is bright, casting only short shadows across the courtyard. In the water with the Enchanter, soaking wet, with the ruff of fur around his neck stuck up in silly places, is a lionette cub. He splashes about in the water, rolling and chirping kittenish happiness at the mage who keeps him.

Out of the inner halls the sound of wings, not as large or powerful as the Nightwing, the smaller bird making not as near as much of a stir. Val may have heard of his presence, the raven, at one time or another as Mor tended to poke into anything shiny, making a nuisance of himself. What most people do not mention is someone following on foot, not that she is much louder than him, more a whisper of robes and hesitant footfall. What is, is the breaths.. hitched and fast, perhaps from exertion or fear, but whatever the reason the girl following has to stop not far into the courtyard, leaving the Raven continue towards the fountain, passing over the Enchanter's head before a something lands in Val's lap and the bird lands on the wall.

The sounds of breathing and quick but quiet footfalls is actually what catches Valentin's attention first. There's a slight tilt of his head toward the sound, and his brow knits, but he does not turn to face the direction. Beating wings make him blink, and Tytos, intrigued by the large, black bird, tracks Mor with golden eyes. Chirruping, the cub plods through the water in interest, following the bird from a distance. Valentin, however, jumps slightly as something falls into his lap. Nimble, inquisitive fingers pick up whatever it is, investigating with touch. For now, he is silent.

A carved wooden owl on a leather cord.. the carving being near perfect and the sensitivity of touch making the carving come to life. Mor, having landed on the wall, his head tipping and turning as beady back eyes peer down at the cub, a caw-caw.. given in either greeting or warning. Maceyana having stopped.. sweat dotting her lip, limbs trembling from the short walk up. Standing just outside, trying to gather her courage around her, eyes droping to the man that recieved the necklack when Mor dropped it.

Valentin knows well the shallow, quick breathing of fear, and the way it shakes when paired with the exhaustion of fragility. So when Mac moves to stand just inside the courtyard, the Enchanter frowns. "I take it this is yours?" Valentin says, though he still does not turn in her direction. The necklace is offered outward in open palm, the cord wrapped around his thumb so if the bird gets any wild idea, it cannot be pulled free from him. "You sound weak, are you ill? I am one of the Healers of the this Circle, and could likely help…" His voice is gentle, lilted with a seafaring softness, that is all too fitting with wet, dark curls sending rivulets of water down his neck, and white linen clung to sun kissed skin. The linen of his shirt, at the chest, is stained faintly pink, like a small amount of blood dispersed through water. Tytos chirrups again at Mor, tail swishing, but he does not leave the fountain, just watches, head tilted with curiosity, jingling a collar of silver and ceramic around his neck.

Not that he can see, but Maceyana hides inside her over large robes and deep hood, the heat of them not helping with the exertion of her body. So that when she nods her answer, it comes with the soft rustle of cloth. In truth she may not have crossed for anything if Val had not extended that tiny carving out to her.. the wish for it back overriding her timidity so that she crosses hesitantly towards the fountain and the three of them. Her touch is soft, fleeting, it comes with the passing of fingers that are too cold and the brush of the heavy sleeve across his palm before the figure it's self is lifted. "Thank you." female, soft clear voice, soothing even with it's tremor and labored breaths. Now that Maceyana is in the sunlight, Mor drops from the wall to the edge of the fountain, wing tips dipping to the cool water to spray at Tytos.

In this heat, she shouldn't be cold. Valentin frowns. Releasing the carving to her care, he turns to face her then. Though where his gaze appears to travel is just over her right shoulder, not quite on point, and the mint green not quite focused. "Of course." He says, "It's very hot today. Please remember to drink water." He says gently, "My name is Valentin. May I have the honor of yours?" Tytos, though, he will happily play splash with a new avian friend.

As Mor lets out a series of chirping caws, all ready for battle with the little cub, she pulls that necklace back against her chest, her small fist closing around it. Her gaze doesn't settle on his eyes, though the realization that he is not looking AT her is not lost on the girl. "Maceyana." the pause long enough that it was possible she was not going to answer. "Seren has said your name to me."

"Play nicely Tytos." Valentin sends over to the cub, who mewls at him before returning to his game. No claws, no teeth. Just splashing and lunges. He's been taught well. The Enchanter smiles when she gives her name, and nods. "He is a good friend." Valentin says, "I am glad to meet you. I would offer my hand or… Something… But well, I'm…" He gestures toward himself, and how he's, you know, soaking wet. "I take it the raven is a friend of yours?" He says then, at ease still. Valentin is much more manageable when he's in water.

"Mor Silme, yes he is mine. If he has caused you trouble…" Because Mor doesn't seem to believe in personal belongings. There is a sound of her taking a step backward, not far, but definitely out of casual reach, her robes rustling as she wraps her arms tighter around herself. "He seldom keeps what he steals, more so to make one chase him." which is what brought her out into the sunshine and now face to face with Valentin. Not that Mor seems to care that he is the subject of conversation.. nope, he hops right into the water and starts beating his wings at Tytos, sending thousands of droplets spraying all off the three of them.

Valentin shakes his head. "No, he's not given me any trouble." He says, "But about the only shiny thing I own never leaves my person, so, that probably is not surprising." At least, as far as he knows. As for what that thing might be? Well, it's hard to miss the gold and ruby ring on his left hand, large and painfully Orlesian. The Enchanter laughs at the splashes from Mor, not minding the addition of more water on himself. Tytos jumps into the water, sending a wave through the fountain. "Well, he seems to have made a friend."
<Public> Miyo has disconnected.

"Mor is gregarious, but most ravens are." taking a step back further as the water comes flying, watching as the raven takes wing, only enough to spray water that Tytos had covered him with from his feathers before landing behind the cat. Then looks back to Valentin, studying the man, the ring barely getting a glance, she is more interested in the face. "He calls you part of his clan."

"Indeed they are." Valentin says with a grin, "It's why they're likeable." Tytos turns to face the bird again, lunging not to splash but to press the flat of his head into soft chest feathers. Then, though, Valentin nods. "So I have heard. It is an honor that he does." He says with a warm fondness that one might speak of a family member with, "He is a good man."

"Yes.. he..Mor doesn't like my solitude, so he steals. From me, from others." Maceyana turns her attention to the cat and bird, watching as the raven now tired sits not far from Tytos as he preens his feathers. 'So if he does steal something from you. Let Seren know, I will see that he returns it."

"Ah." Valentin says with a nod, leaning back against the center of the fountain. "Yes, our animal friends do have a tendency toward trying to encourage us to take care of ourselves. Tytos fusses when I stay awake too long, for example." There's a fondness in that too, and he reaches out his hand in the direction that Tytos is. The lionette plods over, splashing all the way, until he flops down in Valentin's lap, purring. Valentin pets down wet fur, smiling. "I will be sure to say something if it happens, quiet, and in no way that will cause either of you trouble." Because he understands how the Circle is.

"He is beautiful." Maceyana's eyes following the small cub before lifting to his human. "Sadly it is a little too late for not causing trouble." the quiet comment followed with a few clicks of her tongue and soon the sound of the raven winging over Val and Tytos as she takes another few steps backwards. "But you are right, I have not been well." fatigue adding a tremor to her soft tones.

"Oh, he knows." Valentin says with a soft laugh, not ceasing his petting. "Hmm…" He says then, nose twitching, "I know that feeling. I was transferred from my last Circle for breaking a Knight Lieutenant's nose when he decided he had some right to my body that I had not given him." Tytos lifts from Valentin's lap then, because there is someone moving away and that is interesting. The lionette jumps from the fountain, padding toward Mac with inquisitive eyes, a trail of water following in his wake. "If you need anything, all you need do is ask, my dear. I am here to heal." Valentin says then, at her confession of being unwell.

Another step back as Tytos draws closer, Maceyana pausing long enough to allow the cat to come as close as he wishes, investigate as he will. At Valentin's disclosure to why he was sent here, there is a small catch to her breath before it comes faster.. shallow… fear seeping back as memories rise up. "You can't… it's… thank you, but you can't help.. not of the body."

Tytos investigates with sniffs and then chirps up at Mac with a twitch of his ear. He stretches up, going onto his hind legs and placing hs front paws, too big for him, up onto the elf's hip. Water be damned. Valentin catches that change and he frowns, his demeanor changing to soften. "Ah…" Valentin says, little more than a whisper, "I see. But that does not mean that I cannot help. You are probably not sleeping or eating, I take it? I can ease the pain of that, at least. And… The darkness that comes with that sort of pain is best kept at bay by the presence of those who know how to swim." Mixing metaphors, but it makes sense to him.

He may be small, but so is she and this is the first time in a week she has been on her feet, so as his feet settle on her, Maceyana takes a half step back when her balance shifts, her hand hesitant before touching the top of the silky head. "I sleep.." Finding the darkness of sleep, the forgetfulness a place to hide. The elf doesn't look back up to Val but watching the cub as her fingers lightly sooth that place between his eyes. "Seren… made me take broth." the first real tone of something besides fear and tentativeness entering her voice in the essence of a sulk.

Feeling her shift her balance, Tytos puts more of his weight on his own hind legs, causing him to drop down just a little. He's used to his Mage, who sometimes also has trouble with balancing, and tries to correct for Mac just as he does for Valentin. As she pets him, Tytos purrs, tail flicking. "Good," Valentin says with a nod, "That sounds like Seren. In a week, try something else. Just one thing. A thing you love. Tell Seren or I what it is, we'll find a way to get it for you. A week after that, add something else. It's the only way."

As Tytos shifts, her tension eases a little, fingers spreading to cover the fur around his eyes, soft touch smoothing over the lids, easing them closed with soothing strokes as one might put an infant to sleep. "There is nothing really… the smell.. it makes my stomach knot." said softly, without real thought as her attention seems riveted on the small face, forgetting for a moment to be wary."

And Tytos closes his eyes, and then gives a pathetic little mrowl and a small hop from his back legs that might just be asking to be picked up. Valentin, he just nods. His lionette is like this, he'll make friends with just about anyone. "That is understandable. Nevertheless, it is necessary." He says softly, "And for what its worth, eventually you'll learn to swim, too."

Picking him up may be too much, Maceyana can already feel the that spent ache seeping into her bones. Instead as Mor worms his way into her hood, she carefully lowers both herself and the cub. "You know if I can't get back up we are going to be in trouble." said softly to the cat. Careful as she settles on the ground to pull hem and sleeves down to cover her wrists and ankles. "I am familiar with the darkness.. it has…. since we were taken.."

The minute Macenaya is on the ground, Tytos clambers into her lap, rolling onto his back and staring up at her. It seems he does not balk at this blame. Or he doesn't understand. Either way. Valentin takes a deep breath, and pulls himself from the fountain, though he does not approach much. Just settles down on the ground beside the fountain. "The day I was taken to the Circle was the day I lost my sight…" Valentin offers gently, "The darkness became very real, literally and emotionally. It's… Overwhelming, and I am sorry that you still battle so with it. But you are not alone in knowing it."

Fingers smooth down along the soft fur, her touch light so light they barely leave a trail in their wake as she pets from chin to belly and starts again, watching the cat in fascination as he lays in her lap. "Sometimes hours, sometimes days… there are times that I think it would be best if I just let it swallow me whole." whispered softly more feelings and fears slipping out while she is distracted.

Valentin nods, going very somber. "I remember those days… Days where it all felt pointless. Days where I was angry. So angry. Losing my sight had taken everything that I cared to do from me, so I thought. Everything that made me… Me." It's not said in a tone of complaint, but commiseration. "And honestly, it was precisely those feelings that eventually made me fight for anything that I have now at all. It's not the same. It's never going to be. It's not simple, and it's still infuriating and painful and wholly wrong sometimes but…" There's a shrug of his shoulder, "There's light. Up above the surface. It's there." Tytos purrs happily at the attention he receives, no matter how gentle. His head tilts back, stretching long his neck and chest, kitten down drying quickly in the summer sun.

Perhaps it is because she doesn't really know him, or that he can't see the despair.. or maybe it's as simple as the fascination of this warm little body under her fingers when the only physical contact she has willingly allowed has been the feather duster now hiding in her hood. Whatever it is as her fingers keep moving, softly tracing the golden coat, the words seems to come free without out the bitterness or tears, just dropping honestly in the place between them. "He would pull me free, when I couldn't find the way out of the darkness, he was there.. to show me.. and he isn't any more.. I think the next time…. I am not strong enough to find the way without him."

That makes Valentin pause, because that… Well, that he can understand. He looks sad for a moment, but he nods. "I do not know what relation he had to you…" Valentin says softly, "But I know what it is to take strength from someone else. And what it's like to have it be gone. And how they're the only thing you feel and see and remember when you close your eyes. But the truth is that… Even with them around, it was always you that got yourself up. Their presence could only give you company. It was always your choice. And it was always your power. And it was always your strength."

Maceyana shifts to her side, careful to ease Tytos down so that the lay on the warm pavers, the kit tucked against her stomach as she softly plays with his too big paws. Mor still safely nestled into the hood, moving so that he is cuddled into the curve of her neck as the girl pillows her head against her other arm. A tear falling free to roll from her eye, over her nose to drip down into her hair as eyes close a minute against the welling pain, a breath, another… slow. "My twin.. he was my strength."

Tytos is very malleable. So he goes down onto the pavers with no fuss, batting lightly back at Mac's hands. No claws, just heavy, large paws. Valentin nods again. "Ah." He says softly, "I cannot say I know what that bond is like. But I do know that I will stand by what I said before. It is, and always has been yours. Even if he made the world more bearable to behold."

She doesn't argue, doesn't even try.. her fingers going from one heavy paw to the other, before a small tug on the bottom of the cub's chin, letting him gnaw on her fingers if he wishes. "How big is he going to get? When we were young, we had a puppy in our clan that had feet like this, he grew large enough for Rylan to ride, until Ry became to big." her voice soft, a type of peacefulness having slipped into the tones as she lays there.

Oh he certainly wishes. Because Tytos is teething and he's been chewing on everything. But he's gentle with her, at least, just toothing lightly at elven fingers. "About the size of a mabari, a little smaller." Valentin answers, "At least, on average. They're populat in Orlais. Expensive as you please, but popular. He's technically not mine. He belong to Lieutenant Garou, but I mind him when he is busy." And he'll gladly let her turn the discussion to the cub, and not heavier things.

There is a soft smile, if anyone could see it, would probably be shocked, but it's there as her wrist is held still with big paws to allow little teeth to rub against her knuckles. Every once in awhile her hand opening wide to cup his whole muzzle and give it a little shake before letting him go back to his teething. "There wasn't really any cats… wild cats but not domesticated. How old is he now?"

And Tytos gives playful little mrowling growls, kittenish and not even remotely intimidating. Someday he will be quite ferocious. That day is not that day. His tail twitches quickly, playful and bright. "Around eighteen weeks." He answers, very easy in his tone now. Less heavy, slightly less gentle, but not unfriendly. "And he is already well versed in just how adorable he is."

"Mm.. he does.. but then you are allowed to when you it is the truth, aren't you?" whispered to the cub, as she lays there watching him play with her hand.. With his little body pressed against her and Mor nestled under her jaw, with small fluffing moves and soft chirping clicks, it is very possible that she is going to lay right there in middle of the courtyard and heat and fall asleep.

Well, Valentin certainly doesn't stop her. He just smiles, and lets her play with the cub. In fact, he'll even keep watch on her if she does fall asleep. And Tytos with teeth at her hand for awhile. He'll wriggle and flick his tail and purr. And eventually, slowly, he'll still, and though he fights it, his eyes will close out in the warm sun. And Tytos will nap too, with Mage Dad watching and making sure they aren't disturbed.


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