Rough-Hewn

You feel a slight tug within your chest and the air around you sparkles with motes of bright light.

Motes of light coalesce, whirling in graceful swirls of effervescence around the rapidly coalescing
figure of Aeldra.
With an audible "baa", Yvai, the battle sheep trots from the ether.

With a flourish, Aeldra slips a radiant battle axe of the paragon into a heavily weathered
weaponbelt.

Aeldra smiles softly at you.

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says to you, "I'm so sorry this took so long, but here I am
now."

Avaris stirs from his contemplation of the pool, lifting his head to offer Aeldra a
respectful bow. "It is quite fine, Aeldra, I assure you. Did all go well?"

Aeldra nods softly at you, "It indeed did. I would say, overall it was a success."

Rising so that he stands straight once more, Avaris nods, the motion firm and
short. "Excellent. I am pleased to hear it. And what of you, yourself, Aeldra? How are you?"

Aeldra glances up and down at herself, then at you, "To be honest, I can barely feel my arms. Its
been a while since there was such an amount of just swinging your weapon left and right, cornered
and surrounded by enemies and allies." she shakes her head slightly, "But the expedition was worth
it, we brought back a few more artifacts that will hopefully help us along in the long run. We've
yet to venture forth across the threshold." She smiles slightly, dusting off her clothes "But then,
I at least got all the blood. I hope so at least."

Avaris gestures towards the willow tree with his right set of hands spread in
invitation. "Would you care to sit, and rest yourself? You must be in dire need of it, after such an
arduous time. I must ask you about the grimkeep, sometime in the future - I admit that I do not know
of what you speak, to any real degree."

Aeldra smiles with some relief at the mention of sitting and nods, "I think I would prefer sitting
down, but I also do enjoy the location we find ourselves in." she takes in her surroundings some
more, "I suppose Yvai would not mind carrying me some, she barely notices am there most days."

Aeldra lifts up and settles herself on top of Yvai, the battle sheep's head, amidst the violets
woven into the sheeps whool. "There, that's better." she says to you, "How about you, how are you
doing, my friend?"

Avaris dips his head in acknowledgement. "Whichever you are most comfortable with,
of course." Watching Aeldra settle into place, a faint ripple of sparkling points of light spreads
throughout his eyes, before they dim subtly at the query. He tilts his head down, clasping both
pairs of hands at the small of his back, and does not respond immediately. "I am hale. Troubled, as
ever, with the Wyrd, but I am taking steps with that issue." A sharp clicking emanates from beneath
his wings, likely caused by the tapping of his finger against the chitin that plates him. "Our Lady
has guided me to ask you to show me how to summon the Voice of Rhapsody." He pauses, again, his mien
troubled. "I fear that I upset Her, somehow, with my impertinence."

Sunlight billows across the realm, revealing the full glory of the majestic sun's luminous presence
as he climbs higher into the sky.

Aeldra rests a hand on her chin, pondering you through her spectacles. "Dear Avaris, for the time
I've known you, I found many attributes to ascribe to you, but none would've been impertinence.
Forthright, open, strict, to-the-point but never impertinent." She ponders a glass ampoule of
bottled starlight for a moment, running her other hand across its surface "If She were to be upset
with you, Avaris, I doubt that She would've asked me to help you to learn how to summon the voice of
Lady Rhapsody." Her lips twirl into a sad smile, focus suddenly distant "Instead She sends you to
hear Her lovers song for Her, a song played in parting."

Avaris grows gradually still at this last, his antennae frozen mid-flick. The lack
of motion is so absolute that he seems a thing carved of marble, the shining white of his chitin
pristine and cold. The only nod to the reality that he is a living thing is the thick halo of fluff
that rings his neck, as it drifts dreamily in the breeze.

You think to yourself: Shock, as cold as being shoved into frigid waters, which slowly gives way to
a growing horror. "Oh, my Lady, I am so sorry. I did not...I did not know."

Aeldra's eyes refocus on you, saying with a soft tone in her voice "I will show you how to do it and
you'll listen to Her song and maybe you'll understand more then. However, dear, maybe first tell me
what makes you think She got upset with you?"

The sun reaches the zenith of the firmament, pausing in his quest to allow the land to bask in his
shining golden rays.

The frozen plumes of blood red feathers melt fitfully back into motion, in truncate
ripples and jerking spasms that grow steadily more fluid as Avaris inhales a deep, long breath. "I
think...I think, now, that I did not make Her upset at me, so much as..." He trails off, extracting
his upper right hand so that he holds it before him, studying the sharp points of his fingers. "I
feel that I sought to extend a hand in concern, but accomplished only the agitating of a very deep
wound. She...Reacted oddly to my asking if She ever took time for Herself. That I worried for Her,
for working so hard, without rest."

You think to yourself: "Ah, Avaris, you rough-hewn fool. You seek to guard Her from hurts, but pry
at the ones that She already has." A low, deep ache - Not for himself, not really. There is regret,
of course, and pain at having stumbled across sensitive ground, but primarily he feels grief, for
Her. For what, for /Who/ She has lost.

Aeldra answers after a long pause, her emerald eyes intently watching you through her spectacles
"She is a very regal divine, very much the bastion in the storm, the last one to hold out when all
hope fades." She smiles softly, "We all do grow concerned for Her at times, as She is our Lady, we
seek to protect Her as much as She guides and protects us." She folds her hands now firmly sitting
up straight on the sheeps head. "It is the nature of this relationship and yet, Avaris, I do think
that for us it is sometimes easy to forget how large the path is between the Divine and us and how
different we are in many small ways."

You think to yourself: Different, yes. In many ways, grand and small. But in this? No, he did not
think the Divine were so very different, when it came to a broken heart.

The harsh, gleaming points of Avaris's armoured fingers grow slack as he allows his
hand to drift down to his side, where it hangs, forgotten. The chorus of his voice is a subdued
blend of muted tones, low in pitch. "I just do not want Her to hurt any more, Aeldra. A silly way to
feel, perhaps, but still." He breathes a faint sigh, lifting his head once again. "But, I have been
given a task - Many, truth be told - and I have neither the time nor the inclination to wallow in
maudlin nonsense. I will be returning to my rest, shortly, but I would greatly appreciate it if you
would guide me on how to summon the Voice of Rhapsody, Aeldra, and instruct me on how I might learn
more of Her from other means."

Aeldra nods softly at you, "I feel so too. If sacrificing any part of myself or my entire being
would save Her, I would not hesitate to give myself, for I hold Her dear in my heart. And I do
believe all of Hers do feel that way, so you are not alone, dear." Her eyes sparkle brightly as she
says "And She knows it too, I think. But I think from Her perspective, it is entirely very different
then it is for us, you know?"

Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters says, "As for the Flock of Miracles, I'll teach you how to
call them next time, so that you may hear the song of Lady Rhapsody and learn of it. As well as
other ways to learn more of our Lady. That is a promise."

Avaris nods in acknowledgement, offering Aeldra a short, but elegant bow. "Yes. You
are, of course, quite right. My apologies - I did not mean to imply that you and the others did not
feel the same." Rising, he runs a distracted hand through the feathers of his right antenna, saying,
"That would be most appreciated, please. I appreciate you sparing the time and effort for this,
Aeldra, truly. For now, though, I must go."

Aeldra peers over the rim of her spectacles at you, "One day I'll manage to fully get through to
you, Avaris. I meant to make you feel not alone in your desire to protect our Lady from harm."

Avaris utters a brief, faintly weary laugh as he lifts a hand to rap his knuckles
upon the chitin of his torso. "I am rather thickly plated, Aeldra. It takes much to pierce through,
I am afraid. Thank you for your patience with me." He bows, once again, this time more fully, then
makes his way towards the exit with long strides, his gait a shade less purposeful than is typical.