Crocodile Tears

Where a lone magnolia tree blooms.
Among countless willow trees, a single tree laden with magnolia blossoms stands separate and apart,
flourishing in isolation. Unintentionally given prominence due to its distance from the other trees,
the lone magnolia tree stands with a solitary grace in this clearing, each white flower illuminated
in pale rays of starlight. The ivory flowers unfurl their soft petals to emit a fresh, floral scent
from their slender boughs, attracting nearby butterflies to its sweet flowers. As they flit through
the leaves, the gentle sound of an unfamiliar woman's laughter filters through the forest, though
its source never appears. The path curves abruptly away from this beautiful tree, though two wooden
benches are placed beside it, overgrown with ivy as if left alone for some years. Draped in white
flowers and empyreal silks, the alabaster altar of Everlasting Remedy resides here in the shade of
the magnolia tree. Head bowed, an anointed urn-bearer of water and light holds aloft the blessed
vessel here with a reverent, stoic grace. She is surrounded by a deflection bubble.
You see exits leading northeast and south.
12300h, 6300m, 6800e, 10p Bexb-
Aeldra looks up from where she's sitting beneath the magnolia tree, looking up at you. Despite the
soft smile that appears at the kephera's arrival, her eyes are full of concern. "Tidings, Avaris."
she says at last.

You have emoted: Wings unfurling in a brief, relaxed stretch, Avaris folds them once more into a
layered cloak upon his back as he strides in, antennae languidly twisting about. He bows in a
stately fashion to Aeldra, his voice even and calm. "Good afternoon, Aeldra. How does the day find
you?"

Aeldra inclines her head politely to you before answering, "Relieved yet still concerned, Avaris."
she nods towards you. "I am glad that you've come to meet me. How are you faring yourself?"

You have emoted: The alabaster ridges of Avaris's jaw shine in the light as he tilts his head
curiously at Aeldra, faintly puzzled as he asks, "Why would you be concerned? All is well." With a
smooth pass of his upper right hand through the air, he replies, "I am well. It is good to be home."

Aeldra nods slowly at you, her eyes shimmering as she looks out and away from you down the path. "Am
I take your previous words then that you wish me to keep a distance from you, then?"

You have emoted: Despite Avaris's inability to emote to any significant degree, given the immobility
of his features, there is a distinct impression that he is nonplussed. "Why would that be the case?
I had thought it would be clear, now, that that was for the duration of my trial."

Aeldra's head turns back to look at you, surprise in her voice as she answers "Your trial, Avaris? I
have not heard of any trial. I had heard of a dear friend who had been cast out for the Order of the
Lady we both serve and who refused, after the fact, either to speak or even let me console him in
any way. Instead that friend has expressed his desire to be alone." her left hand clenches her
right, her small form quivering "Month upon Month, where I saw you dwelling within the Glomdoring,
torn between your wish to not be spoken to and my worry for your safety and the intrigrity of your
own soul." she adds, "This is the first time we speak since then, dear friend. How am I to know that
anything changed, aside that whatever was between you and our Lady has resolved itself and that Her
council that everything would turn out well, was indeed the Wisdom She promised it to be."

You have emoted: A clawed finger lifts, as if Avaris is about to speak, then falls as he falters,
looking at Aeldra with antennae twisting in dismay. "...Ah. I had thought that you were all aware of
it, now." Brushing the armoured pads of his right set of fingers across his hip in a distracted
manner, he offers, "It was my trial of Fortitude, Aeldra."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "For most of the time I was worried the
Glomdorings Shadow would claim you in all that despair I sensed when I last spoke to you... that it
was a trial, I could've never imagined."

You have emoted: Avaris's pointed chin lowers in a slow nod. "I asked Her to make it as difficult
for me as She could. She was kind enough to acquiesce to my selfishness."

Aeldra nods lightly, "And everyone that cared about you was along for the ride, worrying every step
of the way. I realize that you may not have been able to say something, such is the nature of a
trial." her eyes stare up at you with strong intensity "And yet, I would've hoped that ..." she
falls silent, her form slumping against the trunk of the Magnolia. "I don't know what I expected. I
was seriously considering to run to the Glomdoring and fell every tree till I got ahold of you and
drag you back to Celest kicking and scream if I had to, as impossible as that sounds." Tears begin
to well up in her eyes and slowly begin to run down her cheeks as she looks at her hands "I was
scared beyond reasoning, Avaris."

You have emoted: The kephera is silent for a long time, following this explanation. Avaris's
antennae curve down in a small frown, bending and curling as he studies the floor, hands clasped
together against his thighs. In a quiet, understanding voice, undercut by a complex array of
feeling, he says, "You did not trust in my Fortitude. In my Devotion to our Lady. That is alright."
The golden chitin of his thumbs creak faintly as he squeezes his fingers tight, looking up to Aeldra
with a faint glimmering within his azure gaze, tiny, fitful motes of light glinting wanly. "I am
sorry that I put you through such, Aeldra. I have been very unkind, I think, to many within the
Order."

Aeldra answers to your words, "It is not easy to trust that someone will keep their vows past when
they left that which they have vowed to. Would you trust a Celestian to keep their vows after they
have been kicked out of the city, Avaris?" she asks the kephera, her voice still struggling amidst
the tears, "I have seen so many fall, Avaris, for less reason then the ones it seemed you had. For
all that we could see, something dark had enticed you to the glomdoring and She had punished you for
it." she shrugs softly, pulling herself together forcefully, her tears subsiding slowly at these
words. "And yet, it was not so much that I did not trust you to stick to what I think you believe
in... more that something could abuse that weakness to turn you around. We all are fallible, my dear
friend."

You have emoted: Avaris lifts his shoulders in a small shrug. "She did not do such to Ferne, or to
Caleb, or the others that left Her for places She did not approve of. She did not strike you down
for your doubts. Why, then, would She react so forcefully to someone like myself?" He frees a hand
to turn it aside in a calm motion, saying, "I am hardly capable of engendering such intensity of
emotion in Her. You should know that, Aeldra. You are Her Avatar. If you were so concerned, you
could have asked Her directly, in private."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "No, I could not... not without disregarding your
own wish, Avaris. Your own words were that you would ask that none would bother Her about this. I
could've asked our Lady, but... I wasn't willing to disregard your wishes, for you mean a lot to me,
my friend. As for what can spark the ire of one of the Divine, even as Her avatar, I can not be
completely certain."

With that Aeldra suddenly darts up suddenly into the air and flits over to you, perching quickly on
your shoulder, doing her best to avoid getting pierced. She wraps her small hands around the
kephera's neck as best she can in a gentle hug as she whispers "I'm glad you're safe and that I
worried for nothing." she whispers.

You have emoted: "So you were willing to drag me kicking and screaming back from the Glomdoring, as
you put it, which would in itself been a much more blatant and aggressive disregard for my wishes -
But you were content to abide by a simple request for silence? I confess that I do not understand."
Avaris says uncertainly. At Aeldra's abrupt approach, he grows perfectly still, hand outstretched in
the midst of gesturing. "Ah. That is kind of you, Aeldra. All is well."

Aeldra laughs softly from your shoulder, "Well, I did not do it, did I? I contemplated it, Avaris. I
never claimed to be a creature of cold reason. You are a friend and I would do a lot for my friends,
Avaris, if I feel they are in danger, I would turn up every stone till they were are found and
properly cared for." she shrugs, "But I would only do so if I felt it was truly needed. Is that hard
to understand for you?"

You think to yourself: "I do not follow the logic of it, no, but I will say no more on it, I think."

You have emoted: Carefully lowering his hand to his side, Avaris makes a neutral, vibrating sound,
lowering his chin the tiniest fraction of a nod. "As you say, Aeldra. I did not imagine many in the
Order would care at all, frankly, let alone be so...Impacted by it."

Aeldra smiles softly at you, "I think we're all wrought by similar bonds and similar reasons. To us,
we are friends and family, the order knits us tightly together. We stand in for one another, we are
there when the others falter. That is what makes this order under Her guidance so special, Avaris."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters laughingly says to you, "I would not be surprised if others
would not have contemplated the same I did, in truth, am surprised no one did try."

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say to Aeldra, "Ah, I am not so surprised. I am not
particularly close to any, in truth. Cheliyi tried to speak to me, but I turned her away. She is
kind, but I wounded her, I think."

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "Cheliyi has a soft heart and less experience
then I do. I'll speak with her next I see her, but I do not think that she'll not understand. For
now... I'll have to leave you, dear friend, for sleep beckons me. I hope we'll speak again soon."

With that Aeldra squeezes you neck one last time before lifting up, turning in the air to wave at
you and then darts out along the path.

Voice resonating with choral harmonics, you say to Aeldra, "I am sure that we will. I hope that you
rest well, Aeldra."