A cool sea wind blew up from the coast as the quartet of humanoids and horses made their way to the Midnight Gem, chilling the now thoroughly soaked Anja. The Drykas hadn't had many occasions to have had baths since he had come to Sunberth, and the man now found grime coming clinging to the tips of his fingers as he ran his hands through his wet hair. It wasn't quite as bad as their white friend’s coat had been, but it still gave Anja occasion to wince. It was fortunately still Summer, even if they were on the tail end of it, so at least there wasn't much of a chill in the air.
Maisa suddenly picked up the pace as the group approached, and Anja had to hold back a chuckle as she rushed ahead of the group and waited impatiently at the gate for Kelski to open it, even scraping her hoof several times until the other three had caught up and Kelski opened the gate. Maisa gave a snort of approval and immediately thrust her head into the long grass. As Kelski ran inside for a blanket, Anja took some time to show the gelding the grass, and to stroke him and gently talk to him. Anja was not too terribly concerned about leaving the gelding; after all, Maisa was there and she would take care of him. After he had been given his blanket, Anja stroked Maisa and followed Kelski into the house.
Was it just Anja’s imagination, or could he feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he stepped into the interior of the Midnight Gem? Certainly he had thought about this building often after Kelski had spoken to him about it. A building that was alive? That attracted ghosts? It was fascinating. Anja couldn't be sure his own anticipation was affecting his perception of the place, but if he had to guess...yes. There certainly seemed to be something about the Gem.
A smile flitted across his face as he looked around. There was something comforting about the building. Anja felt a similar sense of ease around graveyards and ghosts, near opposite to that of the feeling of those who had no been marked by the Goddess of Death. The Gem was different though. There was a sense of ease about the place, a warm sort of engaging and nurturing comfort. It reminded him a bit of Kelski actually. A mother bird sheltering her chicks from a cold wind blazing off the cliffs. The shade of a tree’s canopy in a rainstorm. Outside Sunberth might want them to die, but here at least there was a little slice of solace.
Anja hadn't even realized how tense he was, how much pressure simply living in Sunberth had put on him, until now. He suddenly and unexpectedly felt safe and the contrast between now and then was staggering. Anja felt a sigh of relief leave him, and he smiled at Kelski’s introduction. “It’s very nice to meet you, Gem.” Anja said. It was a bit odd talking to a building, but Anja talked to corpses, horses and dead people so it really wasn't that much of a switch from the usual. He started as the fire roared up in response and stared in wonder, first at the fireplace and then at Kelski. “Extraordinary,” was all Anja could think to say.
The feeling of comfort only multiplied as Kelski led Anja through the house, and the Spiritist found himself noting all the locations of the house with a kind of dreamy detachment. By the time Kelski had sat Anja down and put a kettle of water on for tea, he was more or less back to normal but that sense of warmth and comfort remained. Anja removed his coat and sash and put them next to the fire and watched curiously as the flames adjusted in intensity to warm them. He set out his carried items nearby; he sword he lay beside the hearth, as well as his usual three vials of soulmist. He returned to his seat and listened as Kelski questioned him further about horses.
“The Jolly Good Stables,” Anja said. “It’s in the Sun’s Refuge, part of the Sun’s Birth territory I believe but they don't mind serving others. The woman who runs the stable is named Tierra. She is a Drykas like me. I helped her with a ghost, so if you tell her you’re my friend, she should be kind to you. She’s a good sort. Practical. Cares about her horses. I suspect she’ll be appalled by the treatment of our white friend out there. A shelter is a good idea.” Anja felt a small twang of guilt as he thought of Maisa. The mare tended to disappear when it rained, so Anja suspected she had found some form of shelter, but it had not been one that he had been able to provide for her. He always worried during storms. “I think Maisa might make use of such a shelter as well, if you built one,” Anja added. “Striders don’t do so well being locked in a stable, so she finds her own shelter when it rains. I would feel better knowing she was somewhere safe.” He smiled at bit at Kelski’s musing. “If you could afford it, I think he’d be happier to be close to you.”
Anja chuckled a bit as Kelski mentioned it being easier if he were an eagle. It reminded him again of a bird gathering her chicks under her. “I don't know much about falconry I’m afraid,” Anja told her. “But food, comfort, shelter, love… yes, I would say those are the essentials. It’s what all people need, right? Animals are no different.”
Anja took the cup of tea that Kelski handed him and blew carefully on the top of it before taking a sip. The drink warmed him from the inside and was pleasant both in scent and taste. How long had it been since he had been able to drink tea? Not since Zeltiva at least. Well over two seasons.
“I’d love to stay and talk, Kelski. I enjoy our talks. They come about very naturally, don't they?”
Anja could feel the creaks and aches in his body start to ease from the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the chair he was sitting in. Kelski’s talk of an egg pie drew an intrigued eyebrow raise from the Drykas. “We don't eat eggs very much in Endrykas, not unless we’re traded them. Cheese and milk yes, but not eggs. I wouldn't know what to think of a pie baked from eggs but I’d be happy to try it.” In truth Anja didn't eat desserts very often either. Sugar and flour were not easy to aquire in Endrykas, nor were the utensils for baking. Anja found the idea of such a thing very odd, but he would never refuse food, certainly not food that was being kindly offered by a friend. “I’d be happy to help you,” Anja added. “I know next to nothing about cooking, but I take direction very well.” He added the last part with a gentle smile.
As he settled into his seat and the house settled around him in turn, Anja found himself unable to keep from glancing around his surroundings. “It really is strange Kelski,” Anja told his friend. “I’m not sure what it is about your Gem, but I really do feel at ease here. There’s something about this house that comforts. That’s not just me is it? We Eiyons feel at ease around ghosts and death and this feels a bit like that, but also different. It’s difficult to put my finger on the why, but I can feel it all around here.” The Eiyon smiled faintly. “Perhaps it’s just my imagination. It’s hard not to expect something spectacular after what you told me.”
Maisa suddenly picked up the pace as the group approached, and Anja had to hold back a chuckle as she rushed ahead of the group and waited impatiently at the gate for Kelski to open it, even scraping her hoof several times until the other three had caught up and Kelski opened the gate. Maisa gave a snort of approval and immediately thrust her head into the long grass. As Kelski ran inside for a blanket, Anja took some time to show the gelding the grass, and to stroke him and gently talk to him. Anja was not too terribly concerned about leaving the gelding; after all, Maisa was there and she would take care of him. After he had been given his blanket, Anja stroked Maisa and followed Kelski into the house.
Was it just Anja’s imagination, or could he feel the hairs on the back of his neck raise as he stepped into the interior of the Midnight Gem? Certainly he had thought about this building often after Kelski had spoken to him about it. A building that was alive? That attracted ghosts? It was fascinating. Anja couldn't be sure his own anticipation was affecting his perception of the place, but if he had to guess...yes. There certainly seemed to be something about the Gem.
A smile flitted across his face as he looked around. There was something comforting about the building. Anja felt a similar sense of ease around graveyards and ghosts, near opposite to that of the feeling of those who had no been marked by the Goddess of Death. The Gem was different though. There was a sense of ease about the place, a warm sort of engaging and nurturing comfort. It reminded him a bit of Kelski actually. A mother bird sheltering her chicks from a cold wind blazing off the cliffs. The shade of a tree’s canopy in a rainstorm. Outside Sunberth might want them to die, but here at least there was a little slice of solace.
Anja hadn't even realized how tense he was, how much pressure simply living in Sunberth had put on him, until now. He suddenly and unexpectedly felt safe and the contrast between now and then was staggering. Anja felt a sigh of relief leave him, and he smiled at Kelski’s introduction. “It’s very nice to meet you, Gem.” Anja said. It was a bit odd talking to a building, but Anja talked to corpses, horses and dead people so it really wasn't that much of a switch from the usual. He started as the fire roared up in response and stared in wonder, first at the fireplace and then at Kelski. “Extraordinary,” was all Anja could think to say.
The feeling of comfort only multiplied as Kelski led Anja through the house, and the Spiritist found himself noting all the locations of the house with a kind of dreamy detachment. By the time Kelski had sat Anja down and put a kettle of water on for tea, he was more or less back to normal but that sense of warmth and comfort remained. Anja removed his coat and sash and put them next to the fire and watched curiously as the flames adjusted in intensity to warm them. He set out his carried items nearby; he sword he lay beside the hearth, as well as his usual three vials of soulmist. He returned to his seat and listened as Kelski questioned him further about horses.
“The Jolly Good Stables,” Anja said. “It’s in the Sun’s Refuge, part of the Sun’s Birth territory I believe but they don't mind serving others. The woman who runs the stable is named Tierra. She is a Drykas like me. I helped her with a ghost, so if you tell her you’re my friend, she should be kind to you. She’s a good sort. Practical. Cares about her horses. I suspect she’ll be appalled by the treatment of our white friend out there. A shelter is a good idea.” Anja felt a small twang of guilt as he thought of Maisa. The mare tended to disappear when it rained, so Anja suspected she had found some form of shelter, but it had not been one that he had been able to provide for her. He always worried during storms. “I think Maisa might make use of such a shelter as well, if you built one,” Anja added. “Striders don’t do so well being locked in a stable, so she finds her own shelter when it rains. I would feel better knowing she was somewhere safe.” He smiled at bit at Kelski’s musing. “If you could afford it, I think he’d be happier to be close to you.”
Anja chuckled a bit as Kelski mentioned it being easier if he were an eagle. It reminded him again of a bird gathering her chicks under her. “I don't know much about falconry I’m afraid,” Anja told her. “But food, comfort, shelter, love… yes, I would say those are the essentials. It’s what all people need, right? Animals are no different.”
Anja took the cup of tea that Kelski handed him and blew carefully on the top of it before taking a sip. The drink warmed him from the inside and was pleasant both in scent and taste. How long had it been since he had been able to drink tea? Not since Zeltiva at least. Well over two seasons.
“I’d love to stay and talk, Kelski. I enjoy our talks. They come about very naturally, don't they?”
Anja could feel the creaks and aches in his body start to ease from the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the chair he was sitting in. Kelski’s talk of an egg pie drew an intrigued eyebrow raise from the Drykas. “We don't eat eggs very much in Endrykas, not unless we’re traded them. Cheese and milk yes, but not eggs. I wouldn't know what to think of a pie baked from eggs but I’d be happy to try it.” In truth Anja didn't eat desserts very often either. Sugar and flour were not easy to aquire in Endrykas, nor were the utensils for baking. Anja found the idea of such a thing very odd, but he would never refuse food, certainly not food that was being kindly offered by a friend. “I’d be happy to help you,” Anja added. “I know next to nothing about cooking, but I take direction very well.” He added the last part with a gentle smile.
As he settled into his seat and the house settled around him in turn, Anja found himself unable to keep from glancing around his surroundings. “It really is strange Kelski,” Anja told his friend. “I’m not sure what it is about your Gem, but I really do feel at ease here. There’s something about this house that comforts. That’s not just me is it? We Eiyons feel at ease around ghosts and death and this feels a bit like that, but also different. It’s difficult to put my finger on the why, but I can feel it all around here.” The Eiyon smiled faintly. “Perhaps it’s just my imagination. It’s hard not to expect something spectacular after what you told me.”
