Family

The Blossoming Night Tearoom.
The shadowy outline of a twisted forest casts a dark gloom here. Subtle ravenwood beams support the
earthen walls of this shop, almost blending into the background. A gentle breeze is brought from the
open doorway outside, making the room a fair bit colder than usual. The floor is lined with slate
flagstones, dark and matte, while vines grow up the walls and lichen hangs from the ceiling. The
room is lighted only by spare candles on tables and the occasional sputtering torch. The far
southeast wall is lined by kegs, each carefully labelled with a different kind of tea; nearby, a
door has been set into the wall, a short flight of stairs leading down. A few cabinets of dark wood
are here, windows displaying cups, bottles, and food. The room has a distinct smell of tea, accented
by a faint hint of must. A large, lacquered, lyrebird tea table fills the room with wyrden grace and
the solemnity of society tea. There are 2 elegant wyrden lyrebird chairs here. A sign here suggests
you READ SIGN! Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk floats here, suffusing the air
with the sickly-sweet scent of blackthorn blossoms. They wield a graceful bastard sword of shadowed
steel with both hands. You see a sign here instructing you that WARES is the command to see what is
for sale.
You see exits leading northwest and down (closed door).

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "You might wish to sit for this. On a
chair or on the floor, whichever is more comfortable."

Esei closes their eyes and inhales deeply, absorbing the scent of their surroundings.

Esei exhales slowly, allowing a long fluid breath to creep from their lungs.

Rhalkyr looks about the tearoom with the wary air of a main regarding a stove that
had already singed him. Ignoring the chairs entirely, he sinks down into his habitual crouch,
balanced upon the balls of his feet. He angles his head at Esei, but allows his gaze to rove freely.

Bluntly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "I would wish to offer
to adopt you into the Shee-Slaugh, should you be amenable."

Rhalkyr regards the cup with faint suspicion, holding it in the vast curls of his
brutish fingers. At Esei's statement, he flicks his attention fully to them, head tilted curiously.
He is silent for a long moment, then asks, equally as blunt, "Why?"

Esei glances askance.

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "I see good things in you, things
that would fit the Shee-Slaugh."

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "However, you would need to meet
Aunt Aleyah when she returns, and have tea with he."

Esei coughs softly.

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "With her, rather."

Rhalkyr studies Esei at length, his eyes oddly flat, devoid of their usual ferocity
of feeling. "Why, should Rhalkyr, join? Why, elevate, one family, over others?"

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Not elevating, not really."

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "It is more... community, I suppose.
Finding your blood, if such applies, and if not, then people who care for you more deeply than
others may."

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "In the Shee-Slaugh, it is a way to
serve the Wyrd further."

Rhalkyr's blink is a slow one, and his further tilting of his head is more gradual
still. "Have this, already, in the Glomdoring. Community. Care. Already, serve the Wyrd."

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "I know. And you can say no, if you
like."

Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "The Shee-Slaugh Name is not
suited to all. The weight it carries does not fit all. I thought I might offer, regardless, as I
feel as though you are my son.

Rhalkyr sets the cup down, without having so much as taken the slightest sip. He
rests his forearms across his knees as he watches Esei for a long moment, his expression entirely
unreadable.

You think to yourself: Again, the sensation of hands tight upon his wrist, the hurt of being walled
out by the shell of white magic, of rejection.

Esei tilts their head curiously at you.

Eventually, Rhalkyr lifts his right hand to place it over his heart. "All, of the
Glomdoring, is Rhalkyr's family. Rhalkyr, is not Shee-Slaugh. Rhalkyr, is just, Rhalkyr."

Esei's dark eyes glimmer faintly with some kind of emotion, a faint smile playing on their face
before both slip away. "As you wish."

"Is not, wish. Simply, is." With this, he rises to his feet, dipping his
head to Esei before turning, and padding away on soundless feet.

You hear the faint sound of whispering voices for just a second, trailing after you as you step
away.

You think to yourself: Faint numbness, overlaying a confused tangle of barbed feeling. Hurt, yes. A
withdrawing, to shield himself from potential harm, a firming of of the self.

Rhalkyr turns his head at the sound, head cocked, eyes alert.

[[makes his way to the Heart]]

Rhalkyr stalks over to the ragged rent in the earth, staring down into its opaque
surface for a long moment, before he folds down into a cross-legged sitting position, forearms
resting limply upon his thighs.