Beautiful Evil [Alvena]

[Talen Stirling]

Every time she said something new, he felt that his perception changed. If she was a hunter, then what had she hunted? He didn't know much of Symenestra society, only dark rumours and stories. What part had she taken in things he could not forgive or accept? He felt and looked worried for that and another reason. The Unforgiving was a dangerous place and climbing the cliffs and high places of it could mean attacks from all manner of beast or men. "You should be careful when you go hunting, the mountains are a dangerous place.." He warned carefully, ending his words in a short akward silence. He'd have to know the truth; otherwise how could he forgive and forget? He felt nervous now, twisted abit in his place and looked at her with a mixture of annoyance and almost fear. "I... I need to know something." He murmured, not quite sure how to formulate his question. How do you ask if someone is a monster? I do not know much of the Symenestra. I need to... I need to know if you take part in what they do.. "The Hunt", or what it is called. In turn, I'll... I'll tell you why I acted the way I did..." He managed to speak the truth, looking up at her with a nervous, almost frightful yet serious expression. He couldn't speak or befriend someone who thought what they did was right - And she deserved to know the truth about him and the way he acted. Even if he did not like to remember it.

[Alvena Celandine]

She let out a light laugh when Talen expressed his worry for her safety. She could tell it was in his nature to be so kind. It was a trait too many people lacked. When she looked back up at him, though, his expression was suddenly serious; Not hateful, like before, but he definitely wanted to talk about something not particularly pleasant. Her expression mimicked his as he asked her to explain the ways of her people. Alvena was not used to such up-front behavior, and was somewhat taken aback, but tried not to show it. Her mind worked fast as she tried to formulate an appropriate response, one that spoke what she thought without offending him. what he called "The Hunt"... He was surely talking about the Harvest. Alvena herself saw it as a necessary evil, something that her people had to do if they were ever to survive in the world. "The Harvest..." She started, not sure how to explain it to him. "Women who give birth to Symenestra die in child birth... so we started the Harvest, to survive," She explained slowly, not wanting to make a mistake speaking common as she chose her words. "It's a curse given to us by the Valterrian," she continued bitterly, remembering the tales of when her race lived proud in the forests, being able to bear child without suffering fatal consequences. "It wasn't always like this."

[Talen Stirling]

He looked at her with nervous interest. What would he do if she was one of their kind, tell her about what had happened or simply leave? As she spoke, she seemed worried about her answer, and bitter about what she had to say. But... What they did was not a curse, it was a choice. He couldn't help but stare at her with surprise. Yet her answer didn't answer his question; was she part of it? Did she think it right, the murder and foul abduction they commited? Deep down, he knew he wanted her to deny it and say it was wrong - That she had abandoned that foul practice, yet he still wasn't sure. "Please tell me you don't think it's right...?" He looked at her with sad, worried eyes. It was obvious that her answer would define what he would think of her. "It's a choice, a choice to murder innocents for their own personal gain. You cannot possibly think that it should be done?" He took a step closer, placing a hand on the bush and looking at her with an intense searching look, only to look down on the ground. Just before she might answer, he suddenly spoke a short sentence in a dull voice. "My father was killed by a rogue Symenestra in The Unforgiving." The memory of his fathers' death and his mother leaving him was clear in his mind, and although it was in the past he subconsciously blamed both on the Symenestra as a whole.

[Alvena Celandine]

Talen's tone was almost pleading. It was obvious that he was strongly against the ways of the Symenestra. The Harvest was a controversial matter, even in Kalinor. Alvena had to decide on her beliefs early on, and she knew that she couldn't deny her selfish desire to keep the Symenestra race from dying out, even at the cost of innocent lives. She opened her mouth to speak when Talen quietly told her about the tragedy that occurred to him. She felt almost too heavy-hearted to answer, guilty as though she responsible for the actions of the murderer. A long silence ensued before she could come up with the courage to answer. "What happened to your father... It is a crime, in any society," She looked him intently in the eyes, to show how strongly she felt about the matter. Whoever it was that did this to Talen's Family, Alvena hoped dearly that the perpetrator had paid the price in blood. "As for the Harvest," she continued, "Do you believe in the teachings of Viratas? Moz seh krevas dav'ene obris zhevat. It means something like, 'may this blood give greater life.' I don't believe women should be taken against their will, but there are some who believe in our cause." She hoped Talen would not hate her for her beliefs, but she couldn't lie to him, especially since he was so deeply affected by the matter.

[Talen Stirling]

For a moment he felt relieved - it was nice to get the question out of the way and she seemed honest when she spoke of the crime. He almost smiled - yet as she continued his expression froze and turned into one of surprise, confusion, and soon anger and sorrow. He knew some of the teachings of Viratas - yet he had never truly understood the motives and the 'blessings' of the blood god. His hemophilia, the harvest and the many curses of the blood seemed to far outweigh any blessings he gave. If she didn't believe in taking them against their will, then how could she defend it at all? Would anyone willingly go to be used to spawn a child that would surely kill them? "If you don't believe in that, then how can you believe in doing it at all!? Who would willingly die only to create future death giving birth?" He looked at her with a deeply disappointed and horrified expression, great sadness and anger evident in his blue eyes. He'd hoped and even believed that she wouldn't prove to be what he had assumed, yet she was now defending systematical killing of innocents in order to continue their own blood.

[Alvena Celandine]

For once, Alvena was ready for Talen's outburst. She had not expected him to understand her, or the strength that fueled her faith. Her expression was sorrowful, but she showed no hint of wanting to take back what she had said. For her, the unfair ways of the harvest was a truth she had come to terms with long ago. She wasn't angry with Talen for not being able to understand her, though for a moment she had hoped they could get along. "Who would willingly die only to create future death giving birth?" Talen's question induced and almost immediate response from Alvena, who had expected to keep to herself no matter what he said. "I would. I would accept death willingly if it was for the sake of preserving or creating life. It's a cruel cycle all living things must respect." Alvena was not looking to convince Talen of anything, just to clarify that her beliefs, although controversial, were by no means evil. Hopefully she would at least convince him to leave her alone during the week or two she would remain his neighbor.

[Talen Stirling]

As quickly as he had raised his voice, it fell again and he just stood there with a disappointed look. Which then turned hard, not hateful as when they had first spoken but rather focused. Composing himself, he refused to simply let anger overcome him or just accept what she had said. Regardless of whether he would be able to speak to her again or not he would speak his mind so there could be clarity in between them. Somewhere deep down perhaps he saw a hope for reconciliation, yet right now he was just disappointed and wanted to prove her wrong. "You would sacrafice yourself. I believe you. But would the women who are abducted from, or seduced to leave their homes and their family die to continue a stranger's bloodline? Would humans lose their sisters, their daughters and their wives so that yor kin may continue their lives? Would you kill them to gain a child of your own?" He started out honest, with a strangely sad expression, yet the rest of his speech was hard and cold yet passionate. He couldn't understand how anyone could justify what they did, even if it was for their own survival how did that mean they were to the death of others? Looking at her for an answer, he suddenly realised that he had stepped ever closer, and slowly took a step away from the bush separating them. Despite everything he was far from even thinking about violence, and didn't want to frighten her.

[Alvena Celandine]

She remained tight-lipped even after Talen finished his discourse. It was no use trying to convince him, for they both had entirely different belief systems. At first, she had wanted to bring up some of the cruelty humans or other races had committed, but she saw it as a pitiful form of defense. She wanted to tell him that if it wasn't for people killing Symenestra meaninglessly out of fear of the children stories they would be told, perhaps they wouldn't need surrogates to survive. It was no use; He had made up his mind on the matter. "I'm sorry, Talen," she said after a long pause, as he took a step away. "I can't say or do anything to relieve those families of their pain. Every Symenestra is a murderer from child birth. It's an unfair evil we must learn to accept." She finally separated her eyes from his, remembering the guilt she had felt from killing her mother.

[Talen Stirling]

Looking at her waiting for a reply brought no peace of mind, and at first she had no answer ready to his questions. He felt he had more things to say, that he was not done talking, yet in truth knew little more of the actual situation than general facts and dark rumours. The air was tense as he waited, his own breath seemed loud and once again he had to calm himself down. She seemed about to speak, yet hesitated and suddenly seemed to give up the arguement. There was sadness in her eyes as she looked away, but he couldn't truly share it this moment. "I'm sorry.. I don't believe in accepting evil. I'd rather fight it." He spoke slowly and deliberately, hesitating abit before he gave his answer so that she might have a chance to recover from whatever memory or thoughts that haunted her. He almost turned around and left, yet he felt unexpectedly exhausted, drained of willpower and energy.

[Alvena Celandine]

oocSorry for the terribly short post and late reply, I've been sick for the past few days :S, apparently runny noses give me writer's block He spoke calmly, and with deliberation, allowing his words to sink in as Alvena listened to him. The way he said it made her feel a certain admiration for his views; she felt as though she was a tainted soul who no longer had the resolve to 'fight evil', as he had put it. "Talen," she said, hoping to stop him before he walked away. "You're an honorable person. I hope you won't mind that a person such as myself lives besides you for a few more days." She looked up at him, smiling again, but only as a form of polite respect.