They say blood makes you related but
loyalty makes you family
When Amalia said Loren was a busy man, he smiled and shook his head. ”Not so much busy as making up for lost time.” It might be folly to think he could somehow erase his absence during the past year by throwing himself at every crisis he could find. Unfortunately, he also didn’t think he could forgive himself if he didn’t do everything in his very limited to help those in need. Seeing as he already was unable to forgive himself for so much, he didn't want to add to that guilt.
The Roses unsurprisingly caught her attention. Unfortunately, he wished he had better news for her. ”Almost. Or, well, I tried. I went to the Spire and...the Mathair, I think it’s called? The special tree, out in the Greatwood. And I tried to plant one out in the fields.” Pausing he gave her a worried look. ”Ronin found me at the Spire and he was...completely gone. Lost to the blight. And then out in the fields there was a woman with red hair who was the same way.” It was deeply distressing, seeing his former friend acting in such a manner and knowing both that it wasn’t the other man’s fault and that there was almost nothing the Launceleyn could do about it. He ran a nervous hand through his hair. ”I don’t know about trusting Vi, because the gods are still unknown to me. But I will plant my third Rose soon, I promise.” And he would, once he thought of a safe place for it.
At her question about the monsters, Loren hesitated. ”I just meant that I learned that I could summon the Spark Bird and luxere. I didn’t know for sure, before. I’ve also been feeding the herds of real luxere. Strangely enough, they seem fond of me.” Astra perked up at the word feeding and at the mention of her wild cousins, and he gave her a brief smile and rubbed her head, though it didn’t last long. ”And...how much do you know about the monsters?” Again, he didn’t want to reveal secrets that weren’t really his to give. But he’d had a thought that if the monsters were Ascended, of a sort, that maybe, just maybe he could try to heal them. However, he’d only do it if he knew he could test that in a safe manner.
There was another idea that he’d had related to LongNight. ”I also mentioned to Wessex that it might be a good idea for me to demonstrate to the Fae what the Spark Bird is. She didn’t really answer me, but I still think it’s worth it. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can spare me from the Hollowed Grounds during LongNight, but they might have summoners of their own. Or, I guess, worst case we could give them an amulet?” Sighing, he rubbed his temples, reminded once again how little he knew and how out of his depth he was. ”I don’t know the Fae and it sounds like I wouldn’t be welcome in their lands, so I’d need someone to escort me. But I thought it might help ease tensions between us and them.” It seemed like such a small gesture in the grand scheme of things. But sometimes those were the ones that were most important.
He had to keep believing that every little bit would help.
The anger in Amalia’s voice was surprising (or maybe not so much, considering what he'd heard of his cousin's reign), and Loren felt his heart sink as he heard it. It sounded like the baker had some personal experiences with Zariah, same as everyone in the Hollowed Grounds. Yet another person that the summoner would have to somehow win over. ”Yes. And she’s always had a streak of madness in her. All of us Launceleyns do.” Loren included himself in that, despite his ongoing efforts to distance himself from his roots and his heritage. Sadly, he knew for a fact that there were some aspects of it that he’d never be able to escape. ”But she wasn’t always a monster, and it makes me sad to think what power and desperation and a surplus of stubborn pride drove her to. I am sorry, though, that I was not here to oppose her. And I hope that I can show that those few of us that are left are nothing like her.” Again, it was too little too late, but it was all he had to offer.
Then, however, any lingering darkness he might’ve felt from the discussion about Zariah was banished in a wave of calm and wonder when a miniature fish creature that somehow flew through the sky as if it were water arrived. ”Well aren’t you a delight,” he cooed, entranced. As the creature—whom he could only assume was Jyoti—drifted lower, his hands came up to pet her. However, he hesitated, throwing Amalia a chagrined look. ”Uh, is it okay for me to touch Jyoti?” Realizing he should probably ask the fish instead, he turned his attention to Jyoti. ”Is it okay?” His confusion was obvious. Astra, however, had no such compunctions: she stared at the fish with wide eyes, then planted her hooves on Loren to get a little bit of extra height, body and antlers straining to reach Jyoti.
The Roses unsurprisingly caught her attention. Unfortunately, he wished he had better news for her. ”Almost. Or, well, I tried. I went to the Spire and...the Mathair, I think it’s called? The special tree, out in the Greatwood. And I tried to plant one out in the fields.” Pausing he gave her a worried look. ”Ronin found me at the Spire and he was...completely gone. Lost to the blight. And then out in the fields there was a woman with red hair who was the same way.” It was deeply distressing, seeing his former friend acting in such a manner and knowing both that it wasn’t the other man’s fault and that there was almost nothing the Launceleyn could do about it. He ran a nervous hand through his hair. ”I don’t know about trusting Vi, because the gods are still unknown to me. But I will plant my third Rose soon, I promise.” And he would, once he thought of a safe place for it.
At her question about the monsters, Loren hesitated. ”I just meant that I learned that I could summon the Spark Bird and luxere. I didn’t know for sure, before. I’ve also been feeding the herds of real luxere. Strangely enough, they seem fond of me.” Astra perked up at the word feeding and at the mention of her wild cousins, and he gave her a brief smile and rubbed her head, though it didn’t last long. ”And...how much do you know about the monsters?” Again, he didn’t want to reveal secrets that weren’t really his to give. But he’d had a thought that if the monsters were Ascended, of a sort, that maybe, just maybe he could try to heal them. However, he’d only do it if he knew he could test that in a safe manner.
There was another idea that he’d had related to LongNight. ”I also mentioned to Wessex that it might be a good idea for me to demonstrate to the Fae what the Spark Bird is. She didn’t really answer me, but I still think it’s worth it. Unfortunately, I don’t think we can spare me from the Hollowed Grounds during LongNight, but they might have summoners of their own. Or, I guess, worst case we could give them an amulet?” Sighing, he rubbed his temples, reminded once again how little he knew and how out of his depth he was. ”I don’t know the Fae and it sounds like I wouldn’t be welcome in their lands, so I’d need someone to escort me. But I thought it might help ease tensions between us and them.” It seemed like such a small gesture in the grand scheme of things. But sometimes those were the ones that were most important.
He had to keep believing that every little bit would help.
The anger in Amalia’s voice was surprising (or maybe not so much, considering what he'd heard of his cousin's reign), and Loren felt his heart sink as he heard it. It sounded like the baker had some personal experiences with Zariah, same as everyone in the Hollowed Grounds. Yet another person that the summoner would have to somehow win over. ”Yes. And she’s always had a streak of madness in her. All of us Launceleyns do.” Loren included himself in that, despite his ongoing efforts to distance himself from his roots and his heritage. Sadly, he knew for a fact that there were some aspects of it that he’d never be able to escape. ”But she wasn’t always a monster, and it makes me sad to think what power and desperation and a surplus of stubborn pride drove her to. I am sorry, though, that I was not here to oppose her. And I hope that I can show that those few of us that are left are nothing like her.” Again, it was too little too late, but it was all he had to offer.
Then, however, any lingering darkness he might’ve felt from the discussion about Zariah was banished in a wave of calm and wonder when a miniature fish creature that somehow flew through the sky as if it were water arrived. ”Well aren’t you a delight,” he cooed, entranced. As the creature—whom he could only assume was Jyoti—drifted lower, his hands came up to pet her. However, he hesitated, throwing Amalia a chagrined look. ”Uh, is it okay for me to touch Jyoti?” Realizing he should probably ask the fish instead, he turned his attention to Jyoti. ”Is it okay?” His confusion was obvious. Astra, however, had no such compunctions: she stared at the fish with wide eyes, then planted her hooves on Loren to get a little bit of extra height, body and antlers straining to reach Jyoti.
LOREN
