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I have the flowers and...other things you need. [For your sorcery. But he won't say that part aloud.]
Are you near your camp?
Are you near your camp?
I am at my camp currently.
( a pause. )
I will finish my incantation before you arrive.
( a pause. )
I will finish my incantation before you arrive.
All right. Thank you. [He will walk a little slowly, just to be safe. Besides, a wind was picking up, starting to mutter through the still mostly-bare branches of the trees, swirling around a mass of clouds starting to bank on the horizon. ]
Please tell me this is not you.
Please tell me this is not you.
The wind? No. A storm may be coming on. Be swift if you wish to avoid it. My tent should house us.
...Is Elion with you? ( HE BETTER BE. )
...Is Elion with you? ( HE BETTER BE. )
It feels...malign. [Then again, what doesn't in this place. He has so little familiarity with the natural world that a spring squall could very easily feel, well, personal.]
Of course. Though he is kept safe from the nightshade. [A beat.] You did not tell me I would be handling things that might endanger him. I have taken precautions.
Of course. Though he is kept safe from the nightshade. [A beat.] You did not tell me I would be handling things that might endanger him. I have taken precautions.
A storm caused by the shadows, perhaps? The Shades of this realm seem perpetually restless. ( given what she had heard about Vesper's rise and Triton's likely attack to come soon, a wild storm did not seem unprecedented. )
I apologize. I am not used to familiars that might be harmed by it. I will apologize to him when you arrive.
I apologize. I am not used to familiars that might be harmed by it. I will apologize to him when you arrive.
Perhaps. I do not know the way of these things. [Only that the drop in barometric pressure was substantial and things felt...off. He almost asked if she had any sort of protection magic--she had mentioned warding. Not for his sake, but for the tressym, who had caught the restlessness and had climbed out of the helmet and onto Gadriel's shoulder, inside the rim of his armor's collar.
A few moments later, he exited into the clearing of her small camp.] He is safe, but will be glad to see you anyway.
A few moments later, he exited into the clearing of her small camp.] He is safe, but will be glad to see you anyway.
Shadows whispered constantly, spirits were restless, and even here outside of the realm she knew, she could sense and hear it all. She had tried to assuage some of them, but she did not get far — this Triton character was strong and clearly affecting the world greatly.
There were wards along the edge of her camp — things that would keep those more malevolent spirits away. The storm, however, she could do little for.
The cauldron in her camp had recently ceased bubbling with whatever she was concocting, and the witch was walking the perimeter when Gadriel arrived. She set her bird device aside to speak with him properly. "I am glad you're both safe. I will take the reagents. Head to the tent."
There were wards along the edge of her camp — things that would keep those more malevolent spirits away. The storm, however, she could do little for.
The cauldron in her camp had recently ceased bubbling with whatever she was concocting, and the witch was walking the perimeter when Gadriel arrived. She set her bird device aside to speak with him properly. "I am glad you're both safe. I will take the reagents. Head to the tent."
The wind was whipping up now, hard enough that the tressym was sinking his claws into the bodyglove, his body pressed against Gadriel's neck. He held out a waterproofed box--he had promised her one, after all. Inside each item was in a bag, except for the nightshade, which he had put in a glass jar, just to be safe.
"The storm cannot harm me." As much as it creeped him out. "It is Elion I worry for." And he's very unused to worrying about anyone other than himself.
"The storm cannot harm me." As much as it creeped him out. "It is Elion I worry for." And he's very unused to worrying about anyone other than himself.
She took the box but did not check the contents yet, trusting he had gathered what he could.
"Best you both get into the tent, then. I will join you shortly while I secure the camp."
She motioned towards her tent — already battened down and ready to withstand the wind and potential rain. The inside was... unimpressive but neatly organized. A bedroll, what blankets she could scavenge, and a box of books.
"Best you both get into the tent, then. I will join you shortly while I secure the camp."
She motioned towards her tent — already battened down and ready to withstand the wind and potential rain. The inside was... unimpressive but neatly organized. A bedroll, what blankets she could scavenge, and a box of books.
He had gathered everything--thanks in part to a map from Nina. His kind had been used before, by the Adeptus Mechanicus, to get samples for testing. This was simply a...slightly less unsettling version of the same.
"I am not leaving you out here to face the storm." Elion, yes, though. Elion got pitched inside the tent, where he, having more braincells than advertised, smartly stayed, happy to be out of the wind. "What is needful to secure your camp?"
"I am not leaving you out here to face the storm." Elion, yes, though. Elion got pitched inside the tent, where he, having more braincells than advertised, smartly stayed, happy to be out of the wind. "What is needful to secure your camp?"
Melinoë tucked the box in the tent with Elion, then turned back to Gadriel.
"We just need to be sure nothing will be thrown into the tent while we wait out the storm. Firewood secured and tucked away, no stray items around the cauldron. It should only take a moment—" on cue, thunder clapped loudly in the distance. "I will take one half, you take the other."
"We just need to be sure nothing will be thrown into the tent while we wait out the storm. Firewood secured and tucked away, no stray items around the cauldron. It should only take a moment—" on cue, thunder clapped loudly in the distance. "I will take one half, you take the other."
"You take the cauldron." Sorry but he's staying away from the sorcery crockpot. Just in case. "I will take the perimeter."
He won't be long. There wasn't much on the margins of the camp that would cause problems, even if the wind shifted direction. The storm did not concern him for his own safety. A few months ago he simply would have, at most, clapped his helmet on his head to shield his eyes. But with Elion, and her to worry about (sure she was a goddess but how much weather did they really have where she was from?), things changed.
He won't be long. There wasn't much on the margins of the camp that would cause problems, even if the wind shifted direction. The storm did not concern him for his own safety. A few months ago he simply would have, at most, clapped his helmet on his head to shield his eyes. But with Elion, and her to worry about (sure she was a goddess but how much weather did they really have where she was from?), things changed.
Really depended on whether she was on the surface or not. Uncle Poseidon had a hell of a mean streak, and the storms in the Rift of Thessaly were intense. Hopefully this was not something of that magnitude.
Her cauldron was heavy, and she doubted much could move it. Still, she made sure to clean up anything around it that could be tossed about, and then headed to her tent — just in time, too. Rain was already coming down, the thunder was roaring, and the wind nearly threw her off her feet as she hurried inside. "Gadriel! Now!"
Her cauldron was heavy, and she doubted much could move it. Still, she made sure to clean up anything around it that could be tossed about, and then headed to her tent — just in time, too. Rain was already coming down, the thunder was roaring, and the wind nearly threw her off her feet as she hurried inside. "Gadriel! Now!"
Winds which might throw her around had a slightly harder task trying to do the same to Gadriel, so he moved with less haste than she did, moving towards her to be, if necessary, a human windbreak, making sure she got into the tent before he did, because, again, size. Her safety and Elion's were the priorities here.
"I guess we just wait it out?" Unless there's a way to stab a storm. Elion hadn't gotten terrifically wet, but he was a little upset by the way the wind buffeted the tent and was trying to find something to hide under.
"I guess we just wait it out?" Unless there's a way to stab a storm. Elion hadn't gotten terrifically wet, but he was a little upset by the way the wind buffeted the tent and was trying to find something to hide under.
"We have little else we can do." Melinoë sighed and settled in, making sure the tent was clasped shut as the wind whipped and rain pattered down on them. The angle should have assured it did not pool and collapse the top onto them, at least, and she was glad she had the forethought when building it.
She pulled one of the blankets up and over, settling it across her lap and Gadriel's when she scooted up against his side. Then, she grabbed Elion and plunked him in her lap, gently petting the Tressym's head. "Fear not, Elion. You are safe from the storm here. Oh! And I have treats for you..."
She pulled one of the blankets up and over, settling it across her lap and Gadriel's when she scooted up against his side. Then, she grabbed Elion and plunked him in her lap, gently petting the Tressym's head. "Fear not, Elion. You are safe from the storm here. Oh! And I have treats for you..."
While she was busy trying to steal his tressym's affections, Gadriel had realized (super genius IQ) that this tent was...like many things, not built for people of his size.
"Elion. Be strong like your namesake. Weather is not your nemesis."
There was one way to remedy it, so while she was petting Elion, Gadriel began taking off his armor. It could stay outside. In fact, it would probably end up getting a good cleaning, and the parts were heavy enough that they would not go anywhere.
"Elion. Be strong like your namesake. Weather is not your nemesis."
There was one way to remedy it, so while she was petting Elion, Gadriel began taking off his armor. It could stay outside. In fact, it would probably end up getting a good cleaning, and the parts were heavy enough that they would not go anywhere.
It certainly helped that Elion liked everyone and that he was now being handfed cat treats. Well, a cat treat for now, so he wouldn't get fat.
"He is right. You are a tough little tressym who can withstand this storm." She assured the beast, glancing up while Gadriel removed his armor. "Will it not get tarnished out there?"
"He is right. You are a tough little tressym who can withstand this storm." She assured the beast, glancing up while Gadriel removed his armor. "Will it not get tarnished out there?"
Edited 2025-04-14 17:42 (UTC)
The amount of training Gadriel had him doing, in the name of enrichment, ensured little Elion was burning plenty of energy. He could have treats. And the attention he was getting was going a long way to calming him down.
Who could stay stressed when on a warm blanket, in a beautiful woman's lap, getting handfed delicacies?
"My armor has endured far worse than a rainstorm. Ceramite does not corrode." It would be fine, outside, and there was a great deal more room without its bulk. Though that meant that Gadriel was only in the tight black underliner. THEN AGAIN, even that was less revealing than what she normally wore, so...
"I do not want to take your whole night." He had meant just to drop off the supplies and give Elion some exercise. Maybe the storm would pass quickly.
Who could stay stressed when on a warm blanket, in a beautiful woman's lap, getting handfed delicacies?
"My armor has endured far worse than a rainstorm. Ceramite does not corrode." It would be fine, outside, and there was a great deal more room without its bulk. Though that meant that Gadriel was only in the tight black underliner. THEN AGAIN, even that was less revealing than what she normally wore, so...
"I do not want to take your whole night." He had meant just to drop off the supplies and give Elion some exercise. Maybe the storm would pass quickly.
Given how they had shared a bath not too long ago, Melinoë didn't seem to mind either way. If he was more comfortable without the armor (and who wouldn't be, given the size of her tent), she would not complain for it.
She shifted back into position, blanket over them both, cat in her lap, body leaned into his side while the storm thundered through the camp, the creaking of tree branches only causing minute worry for now.
"I would not mind the company." She replied. "My tent back at the Crossroads was often haunted by a shade named Dora. You have yet to disrupt my space as she had."
She shifted back into position, blanket over them both, cat in her lap, body leaned into his side while the storm thundered through the camp, the creaking of tree branches only causing minute worry for now.
"I would not mind the company." She replied. "My tent back at the Crossroads was often haunted by a shade named Dora. You have yet to disrupt my space as she had."
"So I am better than a daemon haunting your tent." So funny, the Astartes sense of humor, because yes, that was an attempt at a joke. At least he brought something cute, named Elion, who was rolling around on her lap, showing his belly. Will she fall for his trap? IS it a trap?
"I do not wish to--many people have different ideas about privacy than I do. I do not want to overstep." Privacy: that thing that didn't really exist for his kind. He was erring on the side of manners. Or at least trying to.
"I do not wish to--many people have different ideas about privacy than I do. I do not want to overstep." Privacy: that thing that didn't really exist for his kind. He was erring on the side of manners. Or at least trying to.
"Much better. But do not tell Dora that if she shows up or she might be offended." She chuckled and absolutely fell for the trap (?), rubbing her hand over Elion's belly, but ready to pull back if scratching dared to happen!
She smiled up at him. "So long as you are not throwing my things around, I do not mind you being here — whether I am or not. I have nothing to hide."
She smiled up at him. "So long as you are not throwing my things around, I do not mind you being here — whether I am or not. I have nothing to hide."
It would be really great if this Dora creature never showed up, because that sounds pretty much like something he should purge. Or smite. Or something.
Then again, so was she.
It was not a trap, Elion's belly, unless the trap was a trick to get more pets. He was not a fiendishly clever tressym.
"I would not throw your things around." Accidentally bump into them because he's still unused to being so damn big compared to everything else? Yes. But throwing things, no.
Then again, so was she.
It was not a trap, Elion's belly, unless the trap was a trick to get more pets. He was not a fiendishly clever tressym.
"I would not throw your things around." Accidentally bump into them because he's still unused to being so damn big compared to everything else? Yes. But throwing things, no.
He would disapprove of a great many things and people related to Melinoë and the Crossroads. Luckily, she did not think Dora, of all of them, might arrive.
Then again... her brother and Nyx were here. So who could be so certain?
She continued lavishing attention upon the Tressym, fingers scratching along his belly and under his chin while she spoke with Gadriel. "I appreciate it. I am very particular, and I know this is a simple camp in the woods, but it is my home for the time and I would like to keep it in order." A beat. "I hope your camp holds."
Then again... her brother and Nyx were here. So who could be so certain?
She continued lavishing attention upon the Tressym, fingers scratching along his belly and under his chin while she spoke with Gadriel. "I appreciate it. I am very particular, and I know this is a simple camp in the woods, but it is my home for the time and I would like to keep it in order." A beat. "I hope your camp holds."
To be fair, enough people have expressed distinct disapproval about many things in Gadriel's world so...he kind of gets it.
Elion is purring so loudly at all the attention she might have to raise her voice to be heard.
But she raises a good question. "Why are you still in the woods? You could live...anywhere. There are plenty of places more..uh...suited to you." Goddesses should like, what? live in luxury, right? "My camp is fine. It is just a spot between some trees."
Elion is purring so loudly at all the attention she might have to raise her voice to be heard.
But she raises a good question. "Why are you still in the woods? You could live...anywhere. There are plenty of places more..uh...suited to you." Goddesses should like, what? live in luxury, right? "My camp is fine. It is just a spot between some trees."
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