Even in Death (Edalene)

by **Mycroft** on May 21st, 2011, 7:33 am

OOCI had Tarrow dodge being grabbed, because he would have reacted as she lunged for him out of nervousness.
Tarrow felt himself smile involuntarily as she called him a Kelvic. The expression lingered longer than he'd meant it to, and he looked down to conceal what should have been empty pleasure at being identified. It quickly faded however as Edalene spouted about her father. The emotion that overtook her was palpable, and soon he felt it within himself. His smile melted off, and he looked up at her with difficult eyes. How could tell her? It didn't seem his place to involve himself in her affairs.

In desperation, she reached out to grab his shirt. The sudden movement stuck a nerve in him, and he quickly dodged backward and evaded her grasp. His eyes widened in what must have been fear as he stared sharply at her in incredulous disbelief - just like he'd been insulted. It quickly faded however, and the shock fell away from his face. He grimaced and looked down again, suddenly apologetic. The mood swings, it seemed, were just as unpredictable in his human form as they were as a horse.

"S-sorry," he stammered, grabbing at his shirt and rubbing his chest uneasily. He seemed to breathe quickly, as if a sudden snake had startled him. "It's... it's a horse thing. The sudden movement, it... Never mind.

"I... I don't know where your father is." Still uneasy, Tarrow widened the distance between them by taking a few steps to the side. As he turned to face the moon, more of his face was revealed. He did look young, and his eyes were large and deep brown - just as the Firemane's had been. A day-old stippling of dark brown stubble grew on his chin, contrasting to his loose nest of light blond hair. "I found the Cyphrus Striders, chasing after a..." He paused, as if unable to draw the word from his memory. "... a monster. They weren't carrying riders, but I could sense they were both upset and angry. When I saw them, I knew they would catch their deaths if I didn't stop them. I couldn't let that happen to them. I, heh, have a way with horses. Or I used to..."

Tarrow looked back at Edalene. "So I intervened. I calmed them, and convinced them not to follow. Valia wanted to return to her master and watch over his body, so I went back with them. I stayed with them. They were grieving, and I couldn't stand to leave them to their pain."

Drawing in an uncertain breath, Tarrow grabbed at his shirt where Edalene had nearly snatched it. "The Watch captured me and brought me back against my will. All I could think about was getting away and escaping from them. I felt betrayed by the Striders, who I had just saved from their own demise. They didn't help at all. But... then I saw you. And I saw your pain was the same. Suddenly... I just felt so selfish for only thinking of myself."

by **Edalene** on May 21st, 2011, 8:31 am

Eda was instantaneously chagrined as he leapt back, surprised by his sudden shocked. He looked offended, jumpy, and Eda hung her head immediately - almost instinctually - at his insulted look. She was still desperate to know of her father, but it was second nature to be berated when she did something wrong. She waited for such to happen now. Tarrow, however, did not yell, or speak quietly with disappointment in her actions. He apologised.

Eda gazed with shock at the man. He apologised to Eda. No one ever apologised to her. She was too easy to take advantage of, she was simply a doormat. There was no other way to describe her. Her mouth worked soundlessly while her thoughts scrambled, trying to reconcile the odd nature of the meeting, with the unknown origin of the kelvic and now this apologetic nature, a nature which Eda was not used to - except in herself. "No," she murmured, watching him now curiously. Tarrow was an enigma to her. "It's okay."

She watched him turn away as her heart sunk with his words. He ... didn't know. An involuntary sigh of disappointment welled up within her. He was her last line of hope, before it fell to her to go out and look for him herself. She watched him, a little distracted, as he turned, taking in his youthful face with stubble and dark colouring. His words drew her in, listening to what he had to say, eager for some small detail that would give her some clue to Damie's whereabouts.

Her blood ran cold. Monsters? She had never heard of monsters on the Sea of Grass. Zith and glassbeak patrolled regularly, and she was used to people calling them 'monsters', but the way he used the word implied it meant something ... more ... different. She wanted to ask, but her voice stuck dry in her throat as Tarrow continued his story, seemingly on a roll. He had just finished telling her about coming back towards Zeyba's body when she realised there had been no mention of her father. Her mouth opened to ask, but she was shut down as he continued.

Her breath seemed to catch in her throat as he elaborated why he had calmed. She hadn't ever really met anyone with that mentality towards her; especially with a stranger. Her cheeks flushed, automatically, and her body relaxed, the muscles tense from worry. "I ..." How did one respond to something like that? It was the most bizarre circumstance. Her eyes softened, and her voice was small and lilting as she replied. "Thank you, Tarrow. And I'm sorry." There was a pause, as she watched him, simply watched this man that had been taken by her own kind just for having tried to help the striders. "... Did you see my father, Tarrow? He was with Zeyba... You said a monster. What do you mean by ... monster?" Dread ran cold through her as she waited for Tarrow to tell her.

by **Mycroft** on May 23rd, 2011, 6:34 am

The strange man stood silent for several moments after Edalene asked her question. There was no easy answer. Tarrow's position in this was difficult, and he found it hard to gauge what he could tell her... what he should tell her. The golden blonde stared out into moon-painted prairies, gathering his thoughts.

"Zeyba is the man who is dead," Tarrow said out loud, sorting the identities of both men in his head. He rarely identified humans or horses by sight, but instead relied more on smell. It was difficult for him to remember. "The other... your father. I did see him, briefly, in the clutches of that... that thing. He was alive and struggling, but healthy and unmarred. I'm not certain where he was taken, but wherever he is, my bondmate is there too. What's left of him." Tarrow looked down, narrowing his eyes. "My master... is... lost." He spoke slowly and unsteadily, as if he weren't really sure he believed it.

After another prolonged hesitation, Tarrow turned to her, half of his face disappearing in darkness and other illuminated like a half full moon. The brown eye that was still visible glittered like a gemstone. Before speaking again, he had to pause, inhaling and then exhaling to keep his composure. "I know what you're going through. What you're thinking. I saw it in your eyes. I was worried you might rush out in the middle of the night to go find your father. So I stood here and waited, so I could stop you." Tarrow added a brief smile, then stepped around Edalene, facing the city. The moon illuminated his clothing - a simple leather vest and matching trousers, barely capable of protecting his skin from the open air. His calves were visible and he was definitely barefoot. Well, a Kelvic didn't need much clothing, anyway. Constantly switching between forms, it was easier to pull on quick, simple clothes in a human form.

"I protected the horses, and now I'm protecting you." Tarrow glanced back briefly. "You'd be ripped apart by glassbeaks and wild dogs before you could make it to the beast that took your father. And even if you did... it would just kill you. It's killed hundreds of others, and it knows webbing. It knows how to avoid being detected." He shook his head. "You should probably accept that there's nothing you can do. You should go home, rest, and... think about your life."

He turned around again to face her. "I've seen this happen before, to other girls who were as pretty and scared as you. You don't deserve it, but... that's just how it is. I think I'm going to stay around for a while, if you want someone to talk to." That was the best he could really offer her.

by **Edalene** on May 23rd, 2011, 7:29 am

Eda's heart seemed to thump in her chest as she waited anxiously for an answer. Tarrow's pause, and subsequent musing on who was who, only served to prolong her nervousness. Why couldn't he just know? Why did she have to wait so long? Her heart sped up as he began to murmur the men's names, and then seemed to crash as he told her just where her father was. A gasp, raspy from the breath held in her lungs, escaped her as her breathing sped up. Her father was with that ... that thing that did that to Zeyba. That could have happened to him now! It could happen to him any moment! She stared at Tarrow with wide eyes, wondering why he was still talking. Her heart thumped, painfully so against her chest.

In the pause that followed after he spoke about his bondmate, a mournful tone that barely registered in her - not that she knew what a bondmate was, she tried hard to control her breathing. Tears had built up in her eyes at the thought of Damie in captivity, yet surprisingly, there was no sadness in her. Or if there was, it was buried deeply. All she felt was an anxiousness to DO something. Here was Tarrow, who knew what happened and where it happened. How could she not utilise this tool? Tarrow had said it himself, he felt bad for her. If he truly did, he would help her!

She was already shaking her head as he encouraged her to go home, though she did not say anything or move as he stepped around her and looked towards Endrykas. This time, the compliments he paid her had no effect, though she felt no amniosity towards him. But she could not help but be frustrated at this defeated attitude he held, towards his bondmate and her own father. He had the tools to get her there, and she had a sword! How could he do nothing, even if it meant their own deaths? Gathering her courage up inside her with a deep breath in, she stepped towards him.

She had learnt her lesson from last time - haste was not good with this man. And she needed to keep him on her side, if she was going to convince him to take her to where her father had been captured. With a purposeful stride, she made her way in between Tarrow's gaze and the city, making him focus on her and only her. "Tarrow," she began, and her voice was quiet, though no less convicted. "That is my father. He sired me, raised me, and he is all I have left." A searching glance ran over his face, looking over his golden features. "I ... do not know what a bondmate is, but it sounds important. Can you abandon your bondmate and my father so easily?"

With a deep breath, she stepped forward, though she was careful not to make any sudden movements or jumps in an attempt to keep him on side. Her arms stayed low. "You know where they were taken... please, Tarrow. Will you take me there?" Her big amber eyes locked in with his.

"Please."

by **Mycroft** on May 23rd, 2011, 8:20 am

"I haven't abandoned him...!" Tarrow hissed his immediate reply with sudden coldness, swiping his hand through the air. The moon illuminated his eyes as he glared at her. The sudden anger in his features was startling and unbecoming, and again the cool breeze licked at him. He shivered then, either out of disgust for himself or the cold, and looked down, the emotion disappearing as quickly as it came. "A bondmate is... a Kelvic almost always seeks out a bondmate, someone to travel with, and love, and protect. It's... well, it's a lot like you Drykas and the Strider horses. Beautiful things, I've always liked being around them. Losing my bondmate is the single most painful thing that has ever happened to me, but even though he's gone I still can't abandon him. That's why I'm still here." Tarrow looked up at her. "But I know I can't save him, just as you can't save your father. I'm too weak to accept my loss, but you have to accept yours. By now, your father is already dead."

As Edalene took another step toward him, Tarrow took a step back. This time it looked like it was more out of apprehension, as if he were actually frightened of her, rather than startled. Perhaps it was only as horses are: many of them don't trust strangers. "I don't know where they are, I don't know this land anymore. The Watch, though... the Watch fill find them. It's only a matter of time. I only pray they don't find the beast. You don't know what kind of monster it is. You're lucky that all it took was your father, but if you go after it, it will kill you too. And if the Watch finds it, they're all going to die." His voice softened. "So no, I won't help you look. I just wanted to tell you the truth, so you don't have to torture yourself. So go home. Go home to your mothers and your brothers and sisters and take comfort in what family you have."

by **Edalene** on May 23rd, 2011, 8:47 am

Eda's head snapped down as he suddenly hissed out, reprimanding a mistake she hadn't even known she was making. She had not meant to trivialise his pain, nor to ignore what he might be going through, but she didn't understand why he was just standing there, doing nothing. If her bondmate had been taken, and she was a Kelvic, and they were as important to each other as Tarrow said ... she would do anything she could to get him back. Not stand in the Sea of Grass waiting for little girls to come out and find their daddy.

She halted, as he spoke, and prepared to be reprimanded again. Nothing she said was coming out right, nothing was pleasing Tarrow, the Watchman, and she was doing nothing to get Damie back. She had grown up her entire childhood feeling like a useless addition to the Drykas race, but this was a culmination of the feeling. If only she could do something, she would feel better, no matter how ineffective her attempt was. If only Tarrow would help.

But he wouldn't, and she couldn't go out into the Sea of Grass alone - she recognised that much. She didn't know how much of what he said was true, but she wouldn't give up hope until her father was safe at home, or until his very carcass lay before her. Her head hung, berated, as she accepted what Tarrow was saying. She would go with the Watch tomorrow, no matter what she might run into. She fully intended to thank him for his help, and leave quietly, until he spat out that last comment. She looked up at him with eyes blazing.

"I have no mother, no brother, no sister. My father is all I have left and you are refusing to help me. You may have been selfless this afternoon, but now you are being selfish. Goodbye, Tarrow. I am sorry for your master." With a last glare, she turned and began to walk slowly and calmly back to her pavillion, awaiting the sunrise so she could go out and help the men who would bring Damie back.

by **Mycroft** on May 23rd, 2011, 9:56 am

She... had no other family? But... Zeyba had had at least wives that Tarrow had seen, and probably children. He knew that Drykas were a prolific people with large families - but Damie was all that Edalene had? The sandy-haired outsider tried to hide it, but learning this had upset him more than anything. That meant Edalene was all alone. Tarrow had forgotten most of what he knew about the Drykas, but he remembered that a fate like that for such a family oriented people was very painful to bear. As difficult as her tragedy was to bear, Tarrow had seen pain like this before. It was the fact that he had seen it again and again that wore away at him. It only ever got harder. Still, there was nothing he could do, so Tarrow said nothing to her.

Tarrow moved stepped aside, allowing Edalene to pass him and head back into the city. She was filled with an inconsolable anguish, but perhaps it was better this way. It would take time, but with any luck, she would find the strength to press on. Or so he hoped. It was all he could do, hope. Standing here on the plains near the city he'd left so long ago, he felt so incredibly useless.

As Edalene disappeared into the city, Tarrow lingered for a while longer. After waiting a while, he spent a few hours doing a wide sweep of the city's, to make sure she didn't try to escape through some other route. If anything, he would prevent her from being hurt alongside Damie. Tarrow couldn't stand to see another person put in harm's way because of this demon.

~

The following morning...
Spring, Day 72, 511AV
Sunrise

"Edalene!" As the sun was just breaking over the horizon and beginning its climb into the pink and orange sky, the senior Watchman from yesterday stood with his seven-man regiment outside the Sunblaze Pavilion. One of Zeyba's wives, an older woman with long, braided hair, stood near them with her arms around two children. The Duskwind Pavilion was a good trek from Sunblaze, being of the Topaz clan. However, it looked like she and handful of other Topaz and Diamond Clan members alike had followed the Watch regiment here. Whether they were worried for Edalene, worried for Damie, wanted revenge for Zeyba or were simply alarmed by this possible threat to Endrykas, it was up to speculation, but here they were to witness the Watch's effort to get to the bottom of it.

"Come outside, Edalene! Yartree!" the Watchman called again. The Strider beneath him shuffled restlessly, feeding off the Watchman's energy. "We've found him! We found him through the webbing! He needs help, but Damie Sunblaze is alive!"

Outside the Pavilion, Damie's own Cyphrus Strider had lingered near her bond mate's home, presumably hoping for his return. Now as the Watchman shouted, she began to fidget and paw at the ground. It made the senior Watchman smile - she seemed to understand that the news good. "We're going to ride out and find him, we want you to come with us! He may be seriously hurt. He needs his family."

by **Edalene** on May 23rd, 2011, 10:58 am

Despite Eda's every promise of staying up until the morning to help the Watch, sleep had overcome her as soon as she had stepped past the slumbering Yartree into her bed roll. She had thought the worry would consume her, staying awake until the sun finally crept over the horizon. She had thought that in the worry for Damie and the strange encounter with that Tarrow man she would have too much to think about, a barrier between her and sleep that would not be overcome.

Of course, Edalene Sunblaze had fallen asleep not very long after she had laid down.

* * * * *

The shouts had awoken Yartree before her, him having a more restful night of sleep. To the untrained eye, it looked as if he was unaffected by Damie's mysterious disappearance, sleeping well and smiling even that morning. But he was a warrior of the Cyphrus lands, he knew the dangers, and he knew he needed to conserve his strength. And as much as Eda irritated him, he knew she needed someone to be strong.

Eda awoke to Yartree shaking her arm, gently, trying to get her to move. "Edalene," he whispered, his voice surprisingly gentle and loving. "Wake the petching shyke up." Or not. With a groan, Eda rolled over, trying to ignore this intrusion on sleep, before, with a gasp, everything rushed back to her. "Yartree! I have not missed the regiment, have I?!" He smiled, and standing up began to walk out of the tent. Before he left, he casually mentioned over his shoulde, "They're waiting outside for you. They found Damie."

With a gasp and a curse, Eda jumped on and yelled out "Wait, tell them I'm coming!!" as she hastily began to assemble the Drykas warrior armour she had bought with Kayiri two seasons ago, never thinking she would need it. She attached her broadsword to her side, and with a deep breath, ran outside to greet the regiment.

The sun glared in her eyes as her pupils adjusted to the sudden onset of light, and gasping she recognised the Watchmen. She was sure some of them were amused; a young sixteen year old teenager wearing this tan, imposing armour. Her figure was dwarfed by it and the large sword at her side, but Eda could certainly use it. She glared at the ones who were amused, before turning excitedly to the head Watchman. "Where is he?" she blurted out, a massive grin on her face at the idea of him being found. "How hurt is he? Do they know where he is exactly?" She took in the faces of everyone quickly, flashing a grin at Yartree. "Why are we still here? Let's go!"

by **Mycroft** on May 23rd, 2011, 11:15 am

"We aren't sure how bad it is," the senior Watchman said grimly, keeping his composure. He felt like a complete fool now, having assumed so quickly yesterday that Damie had no chance of survival. And even though he was filled with hope now, it was a cautious optimism. Something had felt... off about the information in the webbing, but it was most definitely Damie. "The thing is, he actually found us. He extended a web to Endrykas, and my brother found it this morning. All we know is that he is alive, but he's unable to return to Endrykas on his own."

"Time is short, Thetch, we have to get moving." One of the younger Watchman called out, which features vaguely similar to the senior Watchman's. It must have been the brother he mentioned. He looked young and inexperienced, by the way he carried himself on a white mare. "I mean, sir."

Thetch sent his brother a disciplinary look, but it was difficult to maintain anger in his features when he knew Damie Sunblaze could still be saved. "The web will lead us right to him, Edalene. Don't you worry." Thetch tapped his horse's sides with his heels and trotted ahead of the regiment. "WATCHMEN!" He called out, almost gleeful. "Move out! Let's find our brother!"

Standing some distance away, partially concealed by another pavilion, a brown-eyed blonde lingered away from the commotion: Tarrow. In the commotion, he remained relatively unnoticed by the nearby Drykas. Left alone, he watched the regiment silently, a confused look on his face. With his eyes ever so slightly narrowed, he quietly remained where he stood, moving his gaze from the regiment to Edalene. If she turned to see him, he would have grimaced and almost insistently shaken his head at her.

by **Edalene** on May 23rd, 2011, 11:34 am

Eda could not stop the grin of pure joy making it's way onto her face. "But that's excellent news!" she cried, even though the Watchman had not given her any particular information about his condition. She turned to look insistently at Yartree, as if confused why he did not understand just why it was so excellent. The other men, too, looked confused. "Don't you see? If he is strong enough to expel djed, and to extend a strand of Web to Endrykas ... well, he must have some strength left!" And a laugh bubbled forth from her lips, a laugh that sounded young and light and happy and Edalene.

While the Watchman, Thetch, was talking to his brother, she moved over to Yartree with a giant grin on her face. Their eyes interlocked for a moment, and a strange second of bonding passed between the two. The circumstances surrounding their relationship were confusing, but they did not get on, grating on each other's nerves almost all the time. But as soon as they looked close, Yartree, surprisingly, opened his arms, and Eda fell into them. They hugged like brother and sister would. "Be safe," he murmured into her hair. She pulled back a fraction, to look at him concerned. "You're not coming?" He shook his head no, before explaining. "He is safe now, you will go and fetch him. I will make sure people are aware of the situation, I hold more gravitas. Besides, it is about time you got your own chance to ride with the Watch. She nodded once, and smiled, accepting his logic unquestionably. Eda was many things, but trusting was certainly one of them.

Eda ran into a light sprint as Thetch called out for them to move out, to find Damie, moving over to Ayira. Hoisting herself up comfortably into the yvas, she petted her neck slightly before leaning down to whisper into her ear, "Time to find Damie, Ayira, girl." Her grin could not be wiped off her face, as her thigh muscles squeezed the flanks of Ayira and kicked up slightly, beginning to move the Strider into a slight trot. She needed to catch up to Thetch.

But as she galloped away, she turned her head to look for Yartree one last time, and instead locked eyes with the golden haired figure of Tarrow. Awakening this morning, she was hardly sure the exchange the night before had happened, but Tarrow's eyes widened slightly and shook his head. Her head cocked slightly, but Ayira galloped onwards, gaining speed as Eda's thigh muscles guided her up to Thetch, taking over a lot of the Watchmen. She debated as she rode, the wind rushing past her ... did she mention it to Thetch? But no, it didn't matter. Tarrow was just Tarrow. He was not sinister. What mattered now was finding and saving Damie.