Closed Farewells (Orin)

[Sayana]

Spring 88, 515 AV - Sayana's Apartment

Aren had risen early that morning. Something about mercenary business and fewer knights on patrol. Sayana gave him a kiss before he left and flopped back into bed. Despite trying to push herself to do more, or just as much, she had been finding herself needing more and more sleep as of late. The escapade in the Labyrinth probably hadn’t helped but she was pretty sure Devi had mentioned something about feeling more tired while carrying a baby. Sayana snoozed in the warmth of the blankets glad that her job didn’t require her to get up early.

A knock came at the door.

“Aren? Is that you?” Sayana called out groggily. “Did you forget something or were you hoping to have breakfast with me? I don’t have anything made…” If it had been the latter reason she would have been flattered yet very ill-prepared. However, when the blue Akalak didn’t step in through the door immediately, she wondered if someone else had come to visit.

“Give me two chimes. I’ve got to look decent.” She called as she forced herself out of bed. Blinking away the sleep from her eyes Sayana put on her usual red dancing outfit. She quickly straightened her hair with her high hands and did some rushed strokes of her red lip pomade finishing with a smack of her lips.

When she got to the door she opened it with a forced smile but then it widened into a genuine one as she saw the cook. “Orin! How lovely. What brings you here so terribly early?” She spoke as she gestured invitingly into her home. “Oh, and you’ll be pleased to know that Aren is out,” she added. Even though she liked both Aren and Orin very much, they didn’t seem to get along in each other’s presence and it saved her the trouble of being a mediator when she was only with one of them at a time.

OOCA little short but I think that'll be good to start things off.

[Orin Fenix]

It had been a long morning, following an endless night for Orin. He hadn’t been back to his apartment for anything since he’d gotten out of the cells. His clothes were crumpled, his hair was in disarray, and he was sure he looked a wreck. Not that he cared about his appearance, but it was just a clear sign of how out of sorts he was. Admittedly, he had every reason to be. He was also sore from his altercation and had a pounding headache. Not to mention that he was unemployed and had no idea had to fix that in the immediate future. There’d been no job postings on the Bulletin Board and any bridges he might’ve had with other eateries in the city had most likely been burned considering Rondo had a whole night to spread rumors about Orin’s departure. In addition, he’d lost track of Sylvette somewhere along the way. While that was distressing enough on its own, he was almost certain she’d been wounded when he last saw her. Probing his bond, that special section of his mind that inexpressibly linked him to her, was inactive, as it often was when he wasn’t thinking clearly.

In the jumbled mess that was his life, at least there one stroke of good luck. Desperate for work, Orin had finally found himself at the docks. He’d basically just started accosting passing sailors until one, either taking pity on him or trying to get rid of the crazy man, mentioned there was one ship looking for a new cook. With this tidbit, Orin had started asking more pointed questions. ”What ship is looking for new a chef?”

Then, ”is the crew of that vessel well known? Any horror stories?”

And, most importantly, ”does it pay well?” While Orin didn’t care as much about the money, he figured it was the sort of inquiry someone would make. Since everything he heard only deepened his growing conviction that this was probably the best, albeit only, course of action, he finally approached the man he’d identified as his potential captain.”I hear you’re looking for a cook. Well, you’re in luck. I happen to be a cook looking for a job. Maybe we can help each other out.” The captain had looked Orin up and down, taking in almost every detail. Orin held his breath, not sure what was the best approach. ”You ever worked on a ship before, boy?” The boy comment stung, but Orin shoved aside his annoyance, reminding himself how much he needed this opportunity. ”No, but I’ve got plenty of experience working in kitchens of all kinds, and I adapt quickly.” When the captain’s expression remained unchanged, Orin decided it was time for a more bold tactic. ”Besides, I don’t see a whole lot of other applicants around, do you?”

At that, the captain scratched his beard thoughtfully. Then, abruptly, he held out his hand. Orin shook it gingerly. ”If you show up here tomorrow, I’ll take you on son, at least temporarily. But I warn ya, if you’re into anything shady, I ain’t gonna tolerate it. I run an honest operation. Don’t want dem Knights breathing down my neck.” Orin nodded, too relieved to speak. If he opened his mouth, he knew that something embarrassing would come out, so for once he wisely stayed silent.

He’d stumbled away from the docks in a daze. With that milestone hurdled, Orin was at a bit of a loss. He found himself wandering the halls simply trying to process everything that had happened. Objectively, he knew that there was a lot to get done before he even thought about departing, but he didn’t feel mentally or physically capable of dealing with it quite yet. So he walked, and stewed, and tried not to think too hard, until he found himself in a familiar hallway. Almost without thought, he stumbled the last few steps to a door he knew, and knocked, his knuckles rapping hard against the wood. A voice, one of the first he’d met in this city, and one of the few people he might consider a friend, called out from within. He’d lucked out, and she was home, although thinking about it Orin realized that she, unlike him, didn’t have much reason to get up early every day. Aren? I...forgot. And that more than anything else, showed the state Orin was in. If he was in his right mind, he never would’ve approached Sayana in her own home with the possibility of running into Aren. He and the Akalak didn’t hate each other, but they hardly got along. And though he wasn’t certain, Orin guessed that Aren didn’t take well to other men approaching his girl. The giant blue man probably was a particularly jealous boyfriend, if Orin’s prior interactions were anything to go by.

Still, he had a few chimes to compose himself. Although Sayana had said it wouldn’t take long, Orin knew her, and knew that it took her some preparation before she felt ready to face the world. And so, while he was still alone, he should probably attempt to compose himself. Leaning against the stone wall of the corridor, Orin shut his eyes, trying to impose a semblance of calm on himself.

Surprisingly, Orin’s thoughts turned to religion. He found himself praying, fervently, although quietly and under his breath. ”Priskil...I don’t know if you can hear me. Probably not, and I’m sorry to bother you with something this small, but...I have no one else to turn to. No family. No one to take care of me. So, all I’m asking, is for you to help me find the strength to get through the next couple of days, at least until everything settles down into a new normal.” Then, he laughed, bitterly and with a hysterical edge. ”Not that I’ve ever done much for you, so why should you do much for me? I promise to try, though. Just...let me have the hope that this will all turn out to the best.” The strain was clearly getting to him and he was grasping at straws.

The sound of the door opening, propelled him into motion and Orin swung to face it as it revealed Sayana. Immediately, he felt himself assuming the mantle of the mostly carefree cook she knew, but it was too shattered for him to pull it off completely. ”Sayana. You look wonderful as always. May I come in?” Not waiting for an answer, he pushed his way past her, taking several jerky strides into the room. He hadn’t been here in a very long time, almost the entire season, and there were changes although he was too frazzled to determine exactly what. ”Love what you’ve done with the place. Aren stay here a lot? How’re things going with you two, I feel like we haven’t spent a lot of time together recently. I’m out of the loop.” The words were rushed and oddly clipped, as if his mouth was running without much input from his brain. He kept his back to her, not wanting to face her just yet. ”Have you eaten? I could make you something, eggs, coffee or tea if you have it. Or, well I know you like helping out.” Finally, Orin realized he was putting off the inevitable. And he couldn’t delay it any longer.

He slumped, losing the last vestiges of even feigned happiness. Crossing his arms against his chest as if to protect himself, Orin finally looked at Sayana. And, though it was something he did his best to keep hidden away, Orin’s pain probably shone through. Sayana didn’t know him, not really. He never let anyone close enough to know his past, and now that was coming to haunt his present. Opening his mouth, Orin tried to explain the last twenty-four bells, but for once nothing came out. Finally, he managed to croak out a single, short sentence. ”We...we should probably talk.”

[Sayana]

As Sayana welcomed him in, he chattered on with a forced lightness to his voice. Sometimes he had asked about herself and Aren, but she usually assumed it was just to confirm things were alright and not terribly wrong. Or just as a means of small talk. This time it seemed even less sincere than usual as if he was distracted by something. Still, she closed the door behind him as he made his way towards the kitchen area of her apartment.

While sometimes he’d go on a rant when he was nervous, this time it was more pronounced and she could hardly get a word in edgewise. Though when he mentioned food, she pulled out a chair for him but then thought better of it and started rummaging around for some eggs. She set a few items on the table including eggs, a small jar with tea leaves, some slices of bread and a small tray of butter.

At last when he said they should talk, she couldn’t help but smile at the comment. That’s certainly what he had been doing. Despite various social insecurities or awkwardness, once he got started talking, he could definitely go at it. Yet still, it seemed as though something was troubling him.

“Why don’t you do up some eggs here and maybe toast some bread. I think they’d go well together.” Sayana suggested and gestured to the various ingredients she had set out on the table. “I’ll get the tea going.” She smiled encouragingly at the cook before finally responding to his comment.

“How about you tell me what’s on your mind? We’ve got all breakfast unless you have somewhere to be.” Her tone was light and unaccusing. There was also a patience that she wasn’t always good at exerting. There was something clearly troubling him and she might as well put him in his most comfortable position, cooking, to give him the time and atmosphere to open up to her. As she waited for him to respond she got the kettle going in the hearth.

[Orin Fenix]

OOCFeel free to provide whatever comfort you see fit. And sorry if it's a bit confusing but depressed people sometimes get incoherent so I figured it was appropriate.

Orin nodded gratefully at Sayana's suggestion. "Yes I'll, I'll get right on that." Taking a few steps into the apartment, Orin made his way to the cupboard against one wall and began rummaging through it. ”Yes, tea would be divine actually.” His speech was clearly distracted as Orin tried to lose himself in the moment, in the demands of making even this simplest of dishes. In fact, he was a bit desperate to get away from himself. And cooking had always served to be the best way to settle his nerves in the past. So despite not feeling strong enough he tried to keep going as if nothing was wrong. ”I don’t see your eggs, do you keep them in here?” He managed to keep his tone relatively light, and felt encouraged by even this smallest of victories.

But that only lasted until Sayana mentioned Orin’s departure, and that’s when something inside of him broke. Stumbling a few steps, Orin’s legs finally gave out and he sank into a chair by the table, placing his hands flat on the table, shoulders hunched and head down. "I have nowhere to be. I have nothing. No home. No job. No family." Sinking slowly into the chair she'd pulled out he buried his head in his hands. To his eternal shame a few tears slipped out before he could stop them. He tried to wipe them away surreptitiously before Sayana noticed but he wasn't sure how successful he was. "I don't have anything here but I have nothing out there for me either. I'm...lost. And I don't know what to do." His voice cracked like the boy he once was, although Orin hadn't ever really been a child. He'd had that ripped away from just the same as his carefully constructed life here had been. Somehow, everything he tried to create and all that he loved was destroyed. And the only common factor in those circumstances was him. If he didn't know that he was so far beneath their notice, Orin would be sore tempted to blame the gods for his sorry lot in life. But his woes weren't exactly uncommon or even all that bad in this world he lived in. But for whatever reason he alone seemed unable to deal with his burdens.

Pausing, letting the silence and the tension build Orin let his mind drift, still unwilling to confront the subject at hand. "I got...I got fired but that's not quite right because really I stormed out of there but the point is I had no work and...well, you know me." He glanced at her briefly, before turning his head away, not able to look her in the eyes. "So what else was I supposed to do? I had to take it." Closing his eyes, Orin crossed his arms against his chest, drawing himself inward as if that was enough to protect him from what he was going through. "Didn't I?" It was clear he was trying to convince himself. And indeed he had almost forgotten Sayana was in the room, only aware that he still had an audience, had someone listening in and examining how every word and action.

Sinking even lower, Orin finally couldn't contain the tears any longer. Giving into the great, racking sobs he finally released his mental control. It had been too tenuous to hold for much longer anyway. Sorrow was an old companion of his, but he almost never let it out, infinitely preferring to suffer in silence. But he could hold out no longer, and he let his head rest across his crossed arms as the salt water streamed from his eyes. It stung, but it was nothing compared to the pain inside. That threatened to overwhelm him, drown him as surely as the sea could. And unlike physical pain Orin didn’t have a coping mechanism to deal with this. So he simply bawled like a child, cried as he never had when he was younger. His father had already thought him weak and womanly, and so Orin hadn’t ever given in to grief. And once his father had passed, he’d gone into a stupor of sorts, not feeling anything. When he’d finally snapped out of it, the luxury of depression had been denied to him once again, since those taking care of him would’ve frowned upon such unseemly behavior. So he’d gotten into the habit of locking it all away, of only dwelling on the surface emotions and throwing himself into his life with a manic energy as if to outrun the shadows of his childhood. But more and more lately he’d been becoming unhinged, unable to focus on the present and the future as his past tangled him up. Finally, after a few smaller breakdowns, Orin let himself go, losing the last vestiges of calm and joyful that he’d clung to with all the strength left in his body.

After an indeterminate time, he finally felt drained, physically as well as emotionally. Lifting his head up slightly, Orin spoke, his voice raw and ragged and completely emotionless. "I. I have this knife. It's just a carving knife, but, well...I don't know." Rubbing his temples, Orin shook his head. "Priskil preserve me I'm telling it all wrong. I just thought that it would make them proud and bring me closer to them." Chuckling bitterly, Orin turned to face Sayana, his face blotchy and his eyes bloodshot. "It's stupid. Forget I said anything." He was beginning to regret his decision to come here, unconscious as it might have been. No real good could come of the conversation that was to follow.

Still, he felt he owed her at least some explanation, but even now, even when he was partially exposed he still choked at the idea of sharing the lowest points of his soul. ”It’s...it’s kind of funny, isn’t it? How our memories surge up at the most inopportune time?” Thinking about it, Orin didn’t actually know much of Sayana’s past before she arrived in Syliras. And beyond their interactions at work and around the city, Orin couldn’t say what she did with herself. He’d been so wrapped up with himself that he hadn’t bothered to learn about her. Perhaps she had her own sad tale to tell. ”I’m sorry. I...well you know I’m not usually like this. It’s just been a long day. And it doesn’t seem to be ending anything soon.”

[Sayana]

Sayana hung the kettle over the fire in the hearth and divided up some tea leaves between two mugs. Orin seemed to take to her suggestion well, and when he asked about the eggs she gestured gently to the table where she had set them out for him. However, then he started to crumple. No home, no job, no family. His words nearly echoed in the small apartment as he sat at the table, head in his hands. The Eypharian paused with the breakfast proceedings and pulled up a chair to sit next to him.

Carefully she slipped a hand along his arm to grasp his hand gently. Even if it would inhibit his ability to wipe away tears, she hoped she might provide some extra comfort in which he sorely needed. There was some extended silence after he said that he had nothing here nor out there and Sayana was able to offer some words of comfort. “A home, a job, and even a family can be remade. You are not without friends Orin. And whether you stay here in Syliras or sail to the ends of the world, I know you’ll be able to find a way.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise when he finally said he got fired. She had suspected things weren’t going the best with Rondo due to little quibbles here and there but more often from the body language and general attitudes she noticed from the two men, but she hadn’t expected it to escalate so quickly. At Orin’s questioning or more like a desire for reassurance she simply replied, “You did what you had to Orin. And it’s Rondo’s loss that you won’t be working at the Stallion any longer.”

Sayana still held his nearer hand with her mid and used her high hand to wrap around his back in a hug as he sobbed into the table. “Orin, you’re meant for better things than a mere helping hand at a tavern. We’re both meant for better things than the Stallion. Even just within Syliras there are other places, better quality places like the Swan or even the Herald’s Arms. I’m actually planning to apply to the Herald’s Arms this summer. You could join me if you like. I always wanted to work there since coming to Syliras and now I’ve most certainly got the talent for it. We could move on up together, and you could become a true chef.”

With a smile she attempted to peer around to see his face and squeezed his hand gently in the process. He still seemed racked with emotion and she let him have a moment as she left her offer up in the air. Though perhaps Rondo had already spoiled his name to the venues in Syliras and that staying here was no real option.

When he spoke next, it was of a knife. Not like her dagger that she carried around, yet oddly similar in other ways. She could only assume that ‘they’ were his family and most likely his parents. Where he sought to make them proud, she had given up on such things and left her family with nothing but a letter. A letter yet to be sent.

Her stomach churned a little with guilt as she compared whatever devotion he had to his family to her own, but she let him speak as she tried to make sense of it all internally. She smiled briefly at his comment of irony and broke out of the half-hug as she realized that the extended closeness might be making him uncomfortable. She still sat close as he apologized for his state and she gave another squeeze of his hand.

“Orin, it’s not your job to make your family proud. It’s your job to pursue your own dreams and become the best that you can be. If it lines up with what your family wants, that’s great. If not, then it’s their problem to deal with.” Sayana spoke and then hesitated before continuing. “I had to learn that for myself back in Ahnatep, but I don’t regret the person I’ve become because of it.”

She leaned in more fully this time to face him and brought her high hand around to lift up his chin for just a moment. “Chin up Orin. A great chef like you doesn’t stay unhired for long.”

[Dove Brown]

Your Grades!
Brought to you on the wings of a Dove!

Please remember to edit your grading request. If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding your grade, please do not hesitate to send me a PM.

Name: Sayana
XP Award:

• Cosmetology 1
• Intelligence 1
• Cooking 1

Lore:

• Intelligence: offering comfort gets people to talk
• Orin: fired by Rondo
• Orin: leaving Syliras

Notes: Enjoy your grades


Name: Orin Fenix
XP Award:

• Investigation 1
• Negotiation 1
• Prayer 1
• Socialisation 2

Lore:

• Fired by Rondo
• Signing on as a ship's cook
• Overwhelmed by unshed tears
• Never given the chance to grieve
• Sayana: giver of comfort

Notes: Enjoy your grades