[o] Shelves upon shelves

yet my blood renders me a King

Even with his teleportation and the portal nearby, Sah still felt uneasy being away from Halo at the moment. But the region was safe for the moment and the need for flowers was great. Yet no one had managed to find one. The Wild Thunder had searched the libraries of the Greatwood and garnered what information that he could. The Atheneum was the last option that he had.

Browsing the shelves, the hybrid searched for anything relating to Vi's Roses, Rae's Lilies, or other forms of purification that had yet to be remembered. No doubt that the Family would be enraged with Halo. They needed to have flowers on hand, yesterday.

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

A soft rustle of fingers on vellum whispered into the stillness as the final page of a book was turned. Slowly, begrudgingly, the story was brought to an end. With words and visions still hovering before her hazy eyes Maea leaned back in the chair and sighed, unwilling to close the book just yet. It had been a good one. The author had been prolific and produced a long-winded series that ticked all her favorite topics, and the end had been satisfying. Nostalgia was gripping her now, when there was no more sequel to reach for and by necessity she would have to turn her mind back on the mundane realities of life. She sat staring into space for a while, unwilling. It was calm here, and quiet. A brazier by the chair warmed the air and a shawl around the shoulders staved off winter's chill. It was plenty. It should be enough to keep her prone for hours and hours. But alas, the cup by her elbow was empty and as Maea shifted slightly in her seat, her stomach murmured quietly of neglect and the passage of time she had done her best to ignore.

Fine.

Bracing herself, she let the bindings fall shut with a muffled snap and rolled up onto her feet. Gathering up the stack of books from the side table, she slipped through the office and headed up the stairs on quiet feet, keeping an eye on the stacks to make sure she wouldn't run into anyone. Or at least, anyone she knew. Anyone who wouldn't wish to meet her.
It sort of worked. The lone figure she spotted was not exactly well known, but she did recognize Sah. Managing a polite smile, she nodded to him as she passed by, tomes clasped to her chest and eyes quickly turning back towards the floor.

She wondered if she ought to say something. Hoped, even knowing it was a vain and unhealthy sort of hope, that she'd be allowed to pass by unnoticed, or at the very least unacknowledged.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

yet my blood renders me a King

Sah's eyes widened as he recognized the figure before him, his hand falling to his side from where it had been running along the spines of books. "Maea? Long time no see." He kept his voice low, unwilling to disturb anyone reading around them. A few things suddenly clicked in place and his brow furrowed, "I won't keep you if you're busy, but...are you okay?" Not that long ago, she'd been very verbal and upfront about her intention to protect Caido from the void.

For her to suddenly go underground, something must have happened. The Wild Thunder's mind wandered, worried that perhaps the Ancient had fallen victim to the Family just as Flora and Jack had. Or perhaps, the unnamed circumstances that had befallen Sohalia. Sah didn't feel that he was close enough to Maea to pry, nor had anyone requested he keep an eye out for her. Yet, he still considered them acquainted enough that asking about her general welfare was acceptable.

Especially when a brief glance at her body language made her desire to flee so clear. The hybrid didn't want to push.

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Inwardly she cringed to hear her name dropped. Reluctantly Maea halted and turned halfway towards the young man, not quite meeting his gaze. It would be easy enough to lie, she supposed, to claim to have no time and wield the burden of books as an excuse. It just didn't occur to her until she'd already shrugged and plastered on a habitual smile, and by then it was already too late.
"Hello, Sah. Nice to see you." It was surprising, at least, because she knew him to be a denizen of Halo. Not the most frequent of visitors to this side of the continent. "I'm... alright. Thank you for asking." The slightest hesitation was followed by a fleeting smile, more genuine than the former. "How are you? Can I help you with anything?"
Shifting the books in her arms, she cast a glance at the shelves surrounding him, attempting to figure out what he had been looking for. Not fiction, she did not think, and judging from what she had observed about him in the past it would have surprised her. Then again, how much could one understand after meeting twice? Or was it thrice?

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

yet my blood renders me a King

Sah's brow furrowed slightly at Maea's tone. She didn't sound alright. But the Ancient quickly switched gears, easing somewhat in the process. The hybrid latched onto the new topic and forced his own body language to relax in turn.

Returning her smile with a small one of his sown, Sah nodded. "I'm doing well. Thanks." He gestured vaguely to the shelves around him. The titles along the spine declaring various tomes and anthologies surrounding botany. "I'm trying to find anything that I can about Rae's Lilies or Vi's Roses. I've already gone through the collection at the Greatwood's Undercroft, but I've yet to find a solid lead."

The Wild Thunder tilted his head, "Do you know which section I should look at next? I'm not having much luck with the botanical section." Everything that he'd found so far in the Atheneum related to the plants had been vague descriptions about what they were but nothing detailed. There were theories and journals of failed explorations and nothing that held any advice or recommendations of where to search.

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Quietly relieved that he didn't insist on pursuing the inquiry into her state of mind, Maea was more than happy to help. His was an investigation she had been very involved with in the recent past, and for once she knew exactly what to say.
"Ah, I see. You may want to try theology. From what I know little has been studied about those flowers beyond their immediate uses as cleansing material, and theiy are treated more like miracles than actual plants." Leading the way to a different section, she pointed out a few old tomes and a fairly new account of modern sightings. "This mentions the use of the Lily in regards to the Voice's plague some years ago," she said, "and the rest has fragmented mentions of what you are looking for."
Turning back to Sah, her shoulders rose and fell in a light shrug. "I'm afraid that's it. Any more recent encounters with either roses or lilies has not made it into the records yet. All I know is they have been found in the Climb and in the Greatwood in the past..." Cocking her head aside, the white silk of her hair spilled across the dark velvet of her dress as she gazed at the Wild Thunder, wondering if any of that helped at all.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

yet my blood renders me a King

Sah followed Maea, listening intently as she spoke. He recalled hearing about the use of flowers in the past. If he recalled it correctly, they called the plague the Blight? His knowledge on the matter was slim as it had occurred prior to his arrival in Caido.

At the Ancient's question, the hybrid nodded with a small smile. "That helps, thank you. I hadn't thought to look in theology." It sounded like his knowledge of the flower's location was more recent and precise than what was in the records. But hopefully there'd be some kind of buried account that would help him narrow his search. If not the location, then maybe the time of day or weather. They were magical flowers, after all. Who knew what conditions they needed to bloom?

Sah stepped forward and began to comb through the titles, picking a few to create a small stack. "I this will be a good starting point. Thank you for your help."

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

A bemused sort of expression flitted over her face. It seemed an age ago or more that she had done anything useful at all. "I'm happy to help," Maea responded, shifting awkwardly from one foot to the other.
"I, uh - " she cleared her throat, rusty from not speaking for a while, "wanted to thank you. For your letters, and the offer... I'm sorry for not responding to the last one. I had some... some trouble."
If being shot to death by an acquaintance and resurrected by your sort of hero could be summed up as trouble. It sounded better than moaning about her personal woes at least.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

yet my blood renders me a King

Sah's eyes softened, "You're welcome. And no worries. I had a feeling something had changed." He'd only heard rumors through the grapevine, but they had been enough to stay his hand from sending a follow-up letter. The hybrid had been worried about Maea but hadn't known if it was even okay for him to reach out. As such, the choice to wait seemed like the only viable option.

"If you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask." Sah added with a small grin, "After all, trouble is easier to deal with when you have backup." He might not know the Ancient well, but from what he'd seen, her heart was typically in the right place. Things were growing more dire by the day, and every possible ally was worth the extra effort. Granted, even if the Family weren't a threat, Sah would have made the same offer given their mutual friend.

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

It grew easier to smile with every time she tried. The young man was a comforting presence, no matter that she didn't know him well, and while she sensed the questions brewing behind his eyes, he did not push her to talk. Gradually her shoulders came down, the chin lifting so that she might meet his gaze a touch easier.
"I appreciate that. Actually, if you still want to.... I could use some way to keep my clothes from burning. Unfortunately they're still flammable, even if I am not. You don't have to, of course, and I understand if it is something that takes time... It is up to you."

Biting her tongue to stop herself from rambling, Maea hoped it wasn't rude to keep talking about the gift he had offered like no time had passed. It had been months since they worked together and the had done all of nothing for a long while, and yet... If she could, if there was a chance... she really still wanted to be of use. Against the void, the critters, the Family... Anything that threatened good people and their lives, really.

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3

yet my blood renders me a King

Sah blinked before letting out a soft laugh as he nodded, "Sure. It'll probably be a few seasons, but I'll add you to my list." The trouble with only being able to craft twice per season meant that there was often a backlog. One of his own making of course, but it was present, nonetheless.

He'd made his offer to Maea, and the Wild Thunder stood by his word. If he were lucky, an item that allowed the Ancient to use her fire to the fullest would bring her some peace of mind. The fact that she was easing more into his presence was humbling and it made Sah even more sure about his choice.

Sah

Sing to me, I am not doing well
Getting tired of my own words

Waiting a while didn't bother her at all. Magical items were hard to come by and usually pricey, and she was willing to do far more than just wait for the ease it would bring to her daily life.

"That is very kind of you. Thank you, Sah. If I can ever help you with anything else, just say the word. I'll be there in a heartbeat." As fast as a gorecrow could fly, at least.

Feeling the strain of holding her books, she lingered for a moment longer to exchange pleasantries with the halovian. Before long they parted ways, he to his research and she to find something else to do with her time. Perhaps the author of this work had written something else...? It was worth it to find out.

[FIN]

Sing to me, cause I can't hear myself
through the loudness of my own hurts

base inspired by Odd <3