To live a life.

[Ragnor Matlian]

NoteThank you, you are too kind, and fantastic post by the way, really loved responding to it. I understand about work, I get plenty busy myself on occasions, leaving me only times like this to get some good posting done.
He awoke much like he usually did from such rests, with flashes of pain, confusion, and sorrow. The sort of peacefull 'sleep' he enjoyed often allowed him to forget about his current condition, and remember what it was like to be alive. In hindsight however, this was probably worsed, for it made the moments when he first became aware once more, that much more horrifying and dreadful. He realized he was dead, and that he could never lay beside his wife again, breaking his heart each time consistently with every realization, the pain never getting any duller.

His mind was severly muddled from the over exertions on his energy earlier on in the day. Everytime he tried to maintain a cohesive string of thoughts, they disintegrated and resumed their chaotic bouncing around within his mind, making it almost impossible to concentrate. The only thing that seemed to keep him sane was this soft, sweet voice that echoed in the back of his thoughts, slowly getting louder, till it drowned out the swirl of thoughts that raged through his mind. It was a tender voice, filled with a sweet melody with a bitter twang of sadness underneath it, and as he came to regain his concentration more he realized it to be a woman's voice. The very same that he met earlier that very same day. Holding on to that voice for dear life, he eventually managed to drag his mind out of that virtual chaos that was his emotions, retained his sanity, and best of all was able to concentrate once more. Now that his thoughts where more comprehensible and coming in slower, he was able to focus and realized that he had left his newfound friend, or atleast he hoped they could be considered acquaintances at this point, hanging and likely unaware of what had happened of him.

He was relieved to see that the sun was just now setting on the horizon and thus hadn't spent the entire day away, or atleast he hoped he had not for he had no way of knowing if it was the next day or not, and truly did not know the precise date it was. Ragnor noted that he would indeed need to remember to ask her the date and how long he had been gone during their next conversation. All of this was inconsequetial he realized however as he noticed the Kontie, Kavala was her name he remembered, sitting not to far away on a rocking chair. He wondered if she had been sitting there waiting this whole time, but then dismissed the thought as foolish.

Willing himself to move over there, he soon hovered in front of the woman, and stayed there for a while, remaining invisible and soundless, content to watch her for the present time. Being so in touch with his emotions in his new form, he picked up a little on the sadness this woman radiated, and he silently wondered what was the cause for the troubling of her mind. With the slightest of frowns, that was of course invisible to her, and not felt by him, he moved over to the nearest rocking chair beside her, and materialized in such a way that it appeared as if he was sitting beside her, relaxing and soaking up the sun. Seeing that she hadn't noticed him yet, he decided to be alert her to his presence, rather than the other alternative of startling her half to death by suddenly being beside her. "Hello again milady, how does the day fare you?" his voice loud and deep, breaking the silence that surrounded the veranda.

[Kavala]

Kavala gently tilted her head over so her gaze could take in the materialized form beside her rocking in his own chair. She let her hand drift down to her painfully swollen abdomen and shifted in the chair looking quite uncomfortable. "I'm well. My baby has dropped and its impossible to get comfortable even though I'm so tired. I think they will put in an appearance today or tomorrow, no later than that. The waiting is hard though. I keep having all these thoughts. Scary ones. Will they come take the child? Will they let me keep it as they say until it is weaned? I feel like running away, Ragnor. But I don't know where to go. I've always wanted to pick my life and when I imagined it, there was so much different. There was never this, never enslavement, never contracts and babies and buying my life back one child at a time." She looked angry for a moment, but Kavala wasn't an angry person and such things were hard for her to hold onto. Finally, she turned and asked him quietly... "Did your rest refresh you?"

She heaved herself to her feet then, as if to go get him a cup of tea and then remembered at the last minute he'd take none. She paced restlessly around the table, as if to cover for her mistake, ended up refilling her own tea, and then never touched a sip of it. There was a wildness in her, a restlessness tinged with exhaustion as if she'd worked herself hard to try and sooth what was out of balance inside.

"I'm sorry... I thought about going to the library to see if there was any books on ghosts, things to help you. And I don't think you got to hear my last question before you vanished due to... exhaustion? I want to help. Where, exactly, is your wife and how much debt is she in?" Kavala asked, pausing to lean on the table a moment, as if dizzy.

Soon enough she was moving again, curious, but waiting for him to answer.

[Ragnor Matlian]

He wished he could bring her a few pillows to make her more comfortable, but unable to do so he sought to comfort her with words instead. “Waiting is hard I agree” he said solemnly, the nature of his own condition forcing his entire life to be a sort of waiting game. “Take solace that it gets better with time, and pains must come to a end eventually” he added as he floated up his feet through a nearby table, and promptly pretended to rest his feet atop of it, much like he would have in life. This woman whom sat beside him seemed to be growing more complicated the more time he spent time with her, and for once he wasn’t quite as self centered, and more so worried about her. The Konti speaking of her child being taken away by some mysterious strangers, sent a chilled coldness through him, and he wondered who would want to do such a thing. The thought sparked a rage within him, but he decided to contain it until more information could be had. “Who are these people you speak of, and why do they desire to possess your child?" he asked his curiosity evident in the way he almost blurted the words. It was indeed a very troubling thought to see this kind soul so troubled by whatever entity was imposing such things on her. He resolved that if it came to a fight, he would try and aid her in any way he could, although he suspected it wouldn’t and even if it did he wouldn’t be able to do much anyways.

“Thank you for asking, it was very beneficial” he said responding to her question. Indeed it had helped him a great deal, and somewhat cleared the clouds in his mind for now. It was a shame that he needed to rest just to carry on a conversation, but it was all worth it in the end. When she stood up, he found himself floating to his feet, and his arms in position to help her, before he managed to stop himself. It was a common reflex for him, as he would do the same for his wife when she was that far along in her pregnancy. He immediately cast back down his hands however, not wanting to touch her, and also not wanting to reveal his embarrassing reflex to her either. Instead he decided just to float there, the image of his feet dangling just a few feet above the ground. He cast no shadow of course, and to any stranger looking on the image might seem sort of surreal, with the sun passing right through him, and him hovering over the Konti woman. Ragnor observed her walking around the table, while he paced around the opposite side. It somewhat relaxed him when he pretended to move as if he was alive.

[Kavala]

Her eyes conveyed her gratitude even if his hands could not assist. "Thank you. But I'm managing just fine." She said softly then began to walk some more. It was hard to tell if she was in true pain or just restless or really thinking about his situation. He hadn't answered her question about his wife, the important one, not her rambling comments though she wished he would have. Kavala wanted to help. Just... right now this particular moment in her life was probably not the best one. She was distracted, nervous, and of course it weighed heavily on her mind that the father of her child was no where to be found and hadn't been for months other than a brief appearance or two that seemed to assay his own guilt but did her no real good.

Kavala liked to pretend she as strong, fierce, and that nothing phased her. But the truth was the konti was terrified. She felt alone, trapped, and in a situation she couldn't' extract herself from. Kavala lifted her head and studied the ghost for a moment, meeting his kind eyes. So death wasn't the end. It still struck her, even now, staring at him and at the evidence of an afterlife resting before her very eyes.

His questions came to her quickly, and she nodded to his comment about the pain. "Pain either leaves eventually or you grow harder, stronger, and it becomes easier to bear." She said, nodding. Then she raised her hand, flashing the gold bracelet encrusted with crystals on it. "This is Riverfall. No woman is truly free here, not until she pays off her life debt with a child or two or five. We're all broodmares, Ragnor, for a race that is dying out. The Akalak have no females, so they rescue slaves and bind them to the city and use them to survive. I can't blame them, not really, but it doesn't make it easier." Kavala said, pacing again. She looked troubled, as if a storm was boiling just off the coast ready to make landfall in her eyes any moment. He couldn't know it was the way of the Konti close to birthing. Perhaps it was the way of all women.

She continued to pace, seemingly unwilling to talk about herself any longer.

"I want to help you, Ragnor. I want to help your wife. I can. I know I can. But tonight is probably not the best night for it. But if you tell me where she is, what sort of debt shes in, maybe we can get her to safety or pay off your debts so she'll be safe. Everyone deserves to be safe." She said softly, and then trembled slightly as her body shuddered in the very real way. "If you will tell me, I give you my word to see what we can do to get her to safety or see her safe. No woman should be alone in the world. Not when people, living or dead, love them." Kavala said fiercely. She grit her teeth and then sat down abruptly, going quiet for a moment. The Konti looked neither apologetic or resentful. She just looked resigned.

[Ragnor Matlian]

He blinked a couple of times her words sinking in, and the realization of his forgetfulness. Maybe he forgot because he didn't want to think about it, that he wanted to avoid the dour reality of the situation life dealt him with. It was so depressing that he couldn't help the only woman in his life he ever loved. A slight twinge of red began to stain the center of his white thatched shirt. He looked down and sighed. This happened occasionally when he was in a particularly foul mood, and he supposed he was now. It was just too painful to think about. Waves of emotion twisted and wrenched inside of him, and for several moments he winked out of existence.

When he finally appeared, his ethereal form was wearing his sailor's garb that he wore in earlier in his life. There was one notable difference however, and that was the dark red stain that was spreading outwards from his chest. It looked so real that it seemed like it would drop out onto the floor. " Sorry " he said softly. There was nothing he could do about his appearance now, unless he'd tried to re manifest himself, but it probably wouldn't make much of a difference. " I wasn't aware of the customs in Riverfall, if I have overstepped my bounds, I am sorry " he said bowing his head. He paced around in circles about the veranda as he kept thinking. There were so many things he had to get done, things he'd left unfinished, and chances he'd lost. The depression was enough to cripple him, but with a hardened determination born of years of hard work he steeled his determination and remained focused on maintaining his concentration, and responding to the woman's words.

"I'm afraid that the burden I’ve left her with is more than most can handle. I believe without all the extra that they would add to the payment, it was around 1,000 gold mizas" his projected voice almost faltered as he said those words. His face assumed the mask of a grimace, and his eyes tilted downwards staring into the ground. "Avanthal... Avanthal is where we... Where she lives." he said his voice fading into a whisper. The thoughts of his old life in the beautiful city seemed so distant now. He truly never appreciated the city while he was alive, but now that he could no longer experience the wondrous place, it seemed all the more magnificent. " Thank you, your help is very welcome " he added after a few moments. Ragnor looked towards the sky, before glancing back at Kavala. She offered him something he thought he'd lost. Hope.

[Kavala]

Kavala looked thoughtful. Despite the discomfort she'd been in all afternoon, this man's issues were more important than her own at the moment. She shifted in her chair, looked concerned a moment, and shook her head.

"You've overstepped no boundaries. I've invited questions. That's fine. Just as I've asked them. A thousand mizas is something we can help you with Ragnor. I promise. I'm not sure how we can get them to Avanthal, which is so very far away, but its not impossible. I know traders go there. I know there are trusted people who do these tasks. Just... Avanthal. It's on the other side of the world. I thought since you were here this was something in Riverfall. How come you've come so far? Maybe time and distance mean nothing to the spirits of the world though. But I can offer you a deal, Ragnor. A true and honest one. I can pay off your wife's debt if you remain here in Sanctuary for one year. I am about to have a child, and I think them having a guardian spirit would be well worth the cost. In exchange for the coin, you would do two things... watch out for my child for the period of one year - the whole turning of the seasons ... and teach any resident of Sanctuary anything they would like to know about ghosts. There is a magic called Spiritism that would be helpful for this, and I know often our people like to learn about it because we've run into problems with ghosts before. We've actually run in to all sorts of problems where someone past the boundaries of life would be very helpful. You'd be helping other people here through the course of your stay, and if its possible we can arrange for your wife and any children you might have to come here - paying off all her debts in exchange." Kavala said softly, already considering how she'd make arrangements. The Cerulean could do it. A single man could be trusted to go to Avanthal, pay off the woman's debt, and escort her back here. It would work and Kavala knew the Cerulean were for hire if the purpose was challenging enough.

She'd trust no one else with the task, in fact. But her words gave Ragnor a lot to think of. But with what was coming, they'd need all the help they could get. Sanctuary was growing and in danger. Time and the passage of it had taught them that. They couldn't live life sheltered any more. They'd need guardians and watchers. Ragnor would make an excellent watcher. She only hoped he'd take her up on the challenge, and then if he enjoyed it stay on past his agreement.

[Ragnor Matlian]

At the end of her words, with just a thought, Ragnor's physical projection fell to its knees, and his head bowed low. " I would be honored to serve as your guardian spirit, and cannot thank you enough for helping me. I will do true by you, you have my word " he said, and his materialization seemed to look even brighter if only slightly so. His wound was no longer there, and the essence of his eyes seemed to glow. He was one more step closer to seeing his goals to completion and achieving peace at last.

" Work took me far away from my home I'm afraid, and so I died so far away from there " he said somberly, but didn't slip into his usual depressed state more used to the fact by now. The prospect of his wife returning to him safely filled him with a happiness that wouldn't be dampened this day. The woman before him offered him promise, and he was more than happy to accept her request, and more than willing to do more for her.

He worried slightly that he might not do so well in the position he agreed to, but he wouldn't let that get to him. Ragnor would try his best to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. It left a lot on his mind, and questions in his head but they could be asked another time, now was a time for rest and soaking in the moment. Besides he didn't want to stress her with anymore questions since she was with child after all. Now was a time for rest, and contemplation. " If you would bid me leave, I must rest and regain my concentration, but know that I will be near " he said rising slowly to a standing position, locking eyes with her, before fading out.

oocSorry this was a little short, Ragnor has a lot to mull over and wasn't sure what else to add

[Kavala]

Kavala nodded. "I'm glad to help. Now all I need is your wife's name and the name of any children you might have. I'll also need a way to get her to leave her home and come here. A letter from you would be best. I can inquire and see if a Cerulean can go ahead and travel to Avanthal and escort them here. But I wouldn't follow a stranger to Riverfall if I were her unless I had some reason to do so. I can also write the Icewatch in Avanthal and see if they can help. But I'll need to know who the debter is and what the total debt is." Kavala said thoguhtfully.

"If you can get me all this information, then we can see if we can make this happen. I'd ride for Avanthal if I could, but I need to get out of my contract first otherwise I'd be considered a flight risk and be dragged back here by a Cerulean anyhow. If that happens, they'll lock me up and I'll never see another living soul including my son or daughter." Kavala said thoughtfully.

"But this is going to cost a lot. A lot. Both in time and energy and bringing them here. I'll have to hire an escort to Avanthal and back from Avanthal for both the money and your family. A year seems hardly any time to a ghost. I'd rather it be for longer, but I'll settle for a year if you will. If you agree it should be longer, then state the amount of time you're willing to dedicate and I'll seal the deal by making the proper arrangements. It will take time though, and cannot happen until after my own child is born." She said thoughtfully. Then, when he started to fade she nodded, glad he was resting for the night.

Tonight she would be busy. Tonight there'd be no thoughts of others. Already the paranoia and restlessness of the pregnancy was getting to her and she wanted a swim badly.

NoteRather than writing about it, I've got a birth thread going on that involves what happened to Kavala in the time he was faded.

The Ferocity and Madness of Life and Death

[Ragnor Matlian]

He smiled faintly at her, and pictured the faces of his wife and children, their names coming easily to him. " My wife's name is Izurabelle, and I have 3 children as well, two daughters and a son. Their names are Janiel, Lorena, and Noroga, the last one, my son being the youngest of the three " he said, a look of fond remembrance plain on his face it would be good to see his family once again.

" Simply saying, I’m sorry the promise should have never been broken, should suffice to gain her trust " he added a bit of sadness edging into his voice as he said so. Ragnor remembered that fateful day clearly and wished he could have taken back those final words and remained content by her side and alive. He couldn't change the course he'd taken, but he could work to change the now for the better. Still losing the chance to ever hold her again was a deep profound loss to him as anything. He would have sighed where he breathing, but instead his materialization and voice merely acted it out, and slowly he looked back up towards her, his soft eyes meeting hers.

" The debtor goes by the name of Rakous, and the amount owed is 1000 gold mizas, but incase the snake weaseled in some sort of extra interest on it, it might be as high as 1500 gold mizas " he said fearing that the increased cost on it might dissuade her from making the deal. He was well aware of the cost of such a thing, and the manner of the situation added to him the feeling that he owed more than just a simple year.

" I will pledge 10 years to guarding you, your children and this place, along with aiding anyone within this place, in exchange for such a great gift you have blessed my family with " he said, thinking on how might the time pass. He wouldn't mind serving such a time with kind people like her, if all were like her here, and when his family arrived it would make the time spent here all the more easier. " If you wish more you may propose so, I'm willing to do anything for my family " he ended as he completed his disappearance into thin air.

He felt so tired at the moment, and he would need rest to gather his thoughts and summon back his energy to himself.

[Kavala]

Kavala looked thoughtful as she nodded to what the ghost said as he faded out of sight. First, after the little one, she'd have to get herself educated about them to decide whether or not she'd struck a safe and lasting bargain or if she was indeed foolish. But she'd do what she could for him, helping him if possible. All they had to figure out was the logistics of the getting coin to Avanthal and the people back. Someone in Riverfall could help her with that, she was certain.

But for right now she had other more pressing things to worry about. Little did the ghost know that he'd spared her the birth madness for the duration of his stay, distracting her and giving her a problem larger than her own - the contraction of her abdominal muscles that had started slowly during the course of their conversation. She wasn't in true pain yet, but the Konti had powerful instincts that only the triggering of their intellect distracted themselves from when it came to birthing.

And as she watched the ghost fade, Kavala suddenly started to shiver. She awkwardly rose, paced a bit, and decided to go lay down for a time. The healer in her knew she had hours before she had to worry about imminent birth, so finding the will to sleep was not a problem. It was the emotional state she woke in when she finally rose again. There would be no more talking this night. There would be no reasoning with the girl. She'd be mindless with instinct and the need to flee to the sea when she woke. If Ragnor looked for her, he'd find her in the water or down on the beach afterwards, not safely at home, carefully snuggled in the security of all that she'd built.

Instead he'd find a wildly erratic paranoid creature, one that was scared, on the run, and trying to do what was best in her limited capacity. She'd be no calm collected mistress of horses and healers then. No, she'd simply be a painfully young Konti girl scared witless and willing to run.

noteI think we should wrap this one up!