Blood Kin (Eldon)

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

1st Fall, 510 A.V. Sam had spent most of his time since arriving in Endrykas getting his bearings. He had set up a humble camp on the edges of the Sapphire Clan's pavilions, helping Aiken heal as best he could, raising the wolf pups they had acquired during that hellish storm, and trying to get used to the idea that he was home again. It didn't quite feel like home yet, but it was a strange and heady thing to hear Pavi spoken wherever he went, and to see horses treated the way he had been raised to treat them. Betimes he went skulking between the Sapphire pavilions. Some knew him now, relatives who he barely knew except as names, whispers of memory from his extreme youth. Though most had been extremely generous, he had not allowed them to adopt him into their pavilions. It was not such an easy fit or solution. His new Strider, a golden mare, followed him much like a friend, a quiet companion allowing him his thoughts and his wanderings, but keeping pace with him. She was a beautiful thing, but one among many in Endrykas. Still, he thought her particularly beautiful, but the eyes of love are biased eyes. When he stopped finally, it was to observe a young boy almost wrestling with a Strider colt. Quite young to have bonded, or perhaps they had not yet bonded, but Sam could see the inevitability of it. If the boy and the colt were not aware of it, they would be eventually. His thoughts erred, of course, to dead Hasieran, his first Strider, who had died that night protecting Sama'el, before Sama'el died and became the slave, Sam. He sighed and hoped the boy would not suffer the same fate as dead Sama'el, even though Sam hoped to resurrect him and become a Drykas again. The mare nudged the back of his head with her nose, and he instinctively brought a hand up to touch her face. They were bonded, and if it wasn't quite the same as he remembered with Hasieran, perhaps it was because the dead stallion had passed on to the realm of boyhood mythology and this one was real, live flesh and blood.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon Sunkiss was walking around the Drykas camp, his body was shirtless, the windmarks across his right arm and shoulder as obvious as day was from night. Eldon, unlike his long lost cousin, was a Drykas, by blood, by nature, and even looked the part. As Eldon walked between the clusters of pavilions, he carried around a large enclosed barrel. The sloshing and splashing contents of the barrel were muffled, but still easily to be predicted just what was inside. Eldon had spent that morning preparing water, a fairly simple task for a water reimancer, even a novice. Heaving the barrel around though, that was a little more difficult. Somewhere between leaving his pavilion with the barrel and his destination that he would unfortunately never reach, Eldon had lain his eyes on Sam. It was one of those moments were a single glance was not appropriate, a 'double-take', and even perhaps a 'triple-take' was required. Eldon found himself watching the young man with a quizzical stare, much like Sama'el was watching some kid trying to tame or overpower a Strider. There were familiar marks in that face. The eyes, though different, held some sort of familiar comfort in them, like he recognized. If only Sama'el's windmarks were visible, this wouldn't have been so difficult to solve. Water could wait. Eldon, still with the heavy barrel in his arms slowly walked towards Sam from his left. It was like Eldon thought this apparition would fade away if he came in too quickly, too strong, or if his secret was leaked. Eldon came right up to Sama'el, staring more than anything, trying to figure out just what was standing here. "Hey." It was a lame introduction really, but it was all Eldon could muster at that moment. He wanted to say more, he wanted to call out Sam's name, but it was a name that did not exist in the conscious memory. Like a dream that only suddenly erupts after hours of failing to recognize the contents brought to you by sleep. His lips slowly opened slowly, as if to speak again, but his voice was silent. Why was this so weird? For all Eldon knew, it could just be someone he, somehow, never noticed as existing.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam, formerly Sama'el, didn't look much like a Drykas anymore. His hair was far too short for the traditional Drykas braids, though he was starting to let it grow out again. His clothes were, honestly, a collection of rags for the most part, no clan colors to speak of showing up on him. A leather cuff around his left wrist covered the only windmark he had ever earned, what had been meant to be a seed from which future marks would grow to decorate his body with his adventures. Of course, a Strider mare wouldn't be following any old person around as if she were keeping an eye out for him. He turned quickly at the greeting, hoping no parent was mistaking him for a slaver or something, not that any slaver was stupid enough to pluck a Drykas child out of the middle of Endrykas, but sometimes the mind jumped to irrational conclusions. "Ho, stranger," he greeted the man, but when he saw him, there was something familiar about him. Something about the face, the eyes, or some of the windmarks. Was this someone whose pavilion had been friendly with his own? "Wait," he said. "No. Do I... do I know you." There was a vague surge of jealousy when he looked closer at the windmarks, trying to puzzle together who this was. If his pavilion had turned back their attackers, his own skin would be as beautiful a display of inked art. The Strider mare whickered welcome at the other man.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon stared at Sam for a long time, but he did not see the pasty (in comparison to himself) young man in front of him, but rather a child, skilled beyond what any Drykas child should be. Drykas child? Eldon didn't realize until now that he somehow knew Sama'el was that child so long ago. He was Sapphire Clan, he heard stories about that group, their brutal demise, but the stories were false! They said there was no survivors! Sam defied nature, conquered death! He looked, demoralized, but he lived. Eldon winced as he heard a crash at his feet. The barrel dropped from his arms and shattered at one corner, allowing all his hard work from that morning to bleed onto the grass. His eyes did not move though, he continued to watch Sama'el, his eyes then moved to his wrist. It was covered, oddly enough. His hands, without thinking, moved to lifted the cloth just a little, just to see what he needed to see (and assuming Sam allowed him). His fingers lifted just enough to see the ink, before pulling his hand back as if he was greeted by a snake. "Perhaps, but I know you. I heard stories! But... you're here?" Eldon didn't even consider that perhaps it was a sensitive subject for Sam. He was just so excited to see this for himself, to know a brother Drykas survived against all odds, after what happened. Eldon placed his hands on Sam's shoulders, grasping them and giving him a light shake. "Sama'el? Sapphire clan, right? I've heard the stories so many times. You and the others died. How long ago was that? We're clanmates, Sama'el. Eldon Sunkiss." Eldon chuckled lightly, knowing his assumptions to be right, or at least he was confident. He looked up at the strider next to them, a friendly beast. She must have known there was a bond between the two Drykas, by blood, by clan, by a very small, short, brief, weak history, but they had a faint bond themselves. "I cannot believe this, look at you." Eldon was, the boy was tall, not nearly tanned enough. His story, Eldon imagined, was worthy of a new brand of windmarks. He had no idea, however, that Sam probably wouldn't wish for tattoos to honor the life he had. "You're very tall? A little thin too. By the Gods."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

The recognition struck Sam like a blow to the gut. There had been blood kin before, but here was one he actually remembered, though Eldon had been much younger then too. His Nana had told him that Eldon would command water someday; that was a strange thing he remembered, also that Eldon had not been too proud to scrape about with youngsters when their pavilions met. There was a teetering moment where he might have wept, but instead he smiled. He ignored the water soaking through his tatty boots, laughed even as Eldon shook him a bit. He didn't even mind the peek at his hidden windmark. It was strange to laugh when someone mentioned the death of his pavilion, but there he had done it. "Sama'el died," he told him, somber after a moment. "I'm just Sam now, but someday... I hope..." He left it at that. A Drykas would understand the power of names and how they could change with a life. But rather than dwell on that, he put his hand on top of Eldon's head, pushing down lightly. "When did you get so short?"

[Eldon Sunkiss]

"Short! Short am I? I'd bet that I'm twice as strong as you are, Giant!" Eldon roared into laughter at himself as he simply returned the playful prodding back to Sam. He would ignore the short sad mention of names, for now. It was, truthfully, bugging him pretty badly. He wanted to say something that would uplift Sam's spirit, but Eldon was no rhetorical speaker. He hadn't a clue what to say to make him feel like a Drykas again, which he assumed was the true meaning behind it. Rather than diving into the subject of Sam's name, his past, and so on, he decided that Sam needed to reunite with the Drykas. "You don't look like you've been here long. Let's go find you some clothes, I want everyone to know which clan you're a part of. You know, it won't be long before the Great Hunt begins. Despite being thin and nearly twelve feet tall, you look healthy and strong, and your girl there (Sam's Strider) obviously adores you. I can't think of any other man I'd rather have riding next to me on the hunt." Eldon grinned as he motioned in some direction with his head. He was serious when he spoke about getting Sam some Sapphire Clan colors. Eldon, for some odd reason that even he didn't know yet, wanted to get Sam back into the Drykas culture, back into his clan, back on his horse (he assumed he had been mostly horseless these years, much to his foolishness), a weapon in hand, and hell, maybe even get Sam a girl (which certainly wouldn't happen since he couldn't manage to find one for himself). Overall, Eldon just wanted to Sam to be happy. They were family after all. "By Makutsi's name, I've got so many questions that I don't even know where to begin. However, I will control myself and simply enjoy your company for the time being."

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Likely thrice as strong," he agreed with a rueful grin, which quickly phased into a dumb, happy grin. Sam was all whip-cord muscle on bone. There had been little luxury in his life ever, and while there was yet a hint of baby fat in his cheeks, the rest of it had long ago boiled away. Though Eldon was not the first member of his extended family that he had met, this was the first one he actually remembered with any sort of vivid recall, and perhaps his heart was just lonely enough that he latched on to one he remembered with admiration. "Gods, the Fall Hunt..." He seemed dazed. "I'm old enough for that now, aren't I? Would you really like me with you? That would be amazing. Dohaina here would like it too, I imagine. I have a feeling she's Zulrav's daughter." He laughed at that, remembering how she had come to him out of a severe grassland storm that had taken apart his little party and probably killed half of it. "I do need new clothes," he said, flushing with embarrassment. "But I'll get them soon. It isn't cold yet. For now... can I help you with that?" He looked at the barrel his strapping cousin had dropped. It was Sam's fault, he felt, and so he would help if he could.

OOCA few days after this thread, Sam goes to get clothes with Dymphna, so he should have some new threads for the Hunt!

[Eldon Sunkiss]

"Thrice as strong? Perhaps. Maybe even more." Eldon chuckled lightly, he knew it was foolish to even act in such a childish manner, but why would that matter now of all times? Exactly, it didn't. He gave Sam a sturdy slap on the back. Eldon was probably used to rough-housing with the other Drykas men when they were younger. In fact, Eldon tended to get in a squabble every now and then still today. "Would I like it if you joined me? No." Eldon frowned for a moment, but a smile forced its way through his attempts to maintain a straight face, and in moments he was grinning once again. "I demand it! Look at you boy! You're tall as the come, I bet you're stronger than you look, and you've got this wonderful beast ready to carry you to the ends of Mizahar and back without a hesitation. And, I can feel it, that you've got heart. That's the most..." Eldon glanced at Sama'el's strider and shrugged. "I mean, second most important attribute we can have. I've never won much off of a gamble, but I'd be more than willing to put all I have on you being a better Drykas than you give yourself credit for. You have sapphire in your veins after all." Eldon poked Sam in the chest, probably meaning to point at his heart as emphasis as he offered his little package of respect, pride, and motivation all at once. "I can understand not needing clothes just yet. I myself prefer the sun on my skin rather than wool or cotton." Eldon teasingly rubbed his chest for a moment as if to prove his own point. Eldon, now remembering his broken hard work on the ground, drank up by the thirsting ground (thanks to Sam pointing it out of course), shrugged lightly. "Can't say there's much more to do about this. It'll be light enough to haul away now. We can use it as firewood, surely somebody will need some." Eldon assumed that Sam was actually talking about filling the barrel with water, but Eldon wanted to avoid that subject. He was far from a professional reimancer, and if Sam got the idea that Eldon could teach him something, it would lead to disappointment, or pure trouble. He bent over and picked up the barrel again, it was significantly lighter with a hole punched through it and the water all but entirely drained. "I'll just fill another tomorrow." One a day was probably close to his limit, or at least the limit of what he was comfortable with.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"Well, if you demand it," he said, grinning bashfully, but pleased. He nodded along with all the motivational things Eldon said to him, though he would probably not be doffing his shirt in public anytime soon. His skin was mostly lacking in ink and the bare expanse of skin would only prove that he was no Drykas. Eldon had little to worry about Sam seeking any sort of training from him; practice, yes. Hunting, fighting, riding, and the like. But what training he needed, he could only get from Ankals, because an Ankal was what he wanted to be. When the elder Drykas picked up his barrel, Sam readied himself to move, wanting to follow him for a while and marvel in the newfound connection. Dohaina seemed content to accompany him whither he might go, and his camp was safe with Aiken minding his cubs and Horse. "Well, if you need help carrying the next barrel, I guess..." It was a nebulous sort of offer, basically just attempting to make reasons for Eldon to hang out.

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Eldon chuckled. "Of course I demand it. The Great Hunt." Eldon closed his eyes a moment and took a firm deep inhale and grinned. "Ah, I can't wait. Last time I participated I was... I think sixteen. I was nearly torn to pieces by a few Glassbeaks. Thankfully my father and the others were there to drive them away. I was morally demolished more so than physically harmed." Eldon chuckled lightly, perhaps even a forced laugh to keep himself from appearing to dwell on it too hard, but he was. Eldon never really forgave himself for ruining his hunt like that. Being foolish, reckless, nearly got him and his hunting party slaughtered by carnivorous birds. Back to the Watering Hole it was. Eldon started walking back to the place where the Barrels were filled. He still had to get a barrel and deliver it. Like it or not, it was his duty. "I suppose you can help me haul a few barrels around, I believe there's a pavilion or two we could get water for. Tell me Sam, have you met anybody since your return? Perhaps a wife ready to jump into your arms. I bet you already have two in mind don't you." Eldon snickered like a child as he teased Sam, poking little questions at his cousin in attempts to learn more without really prying into anything too sensitive. Sam didn't seem ready to reveal himself just yet. These things, Eldon imagined, took time.