It couldn't be anymore beautiful

Maea

And from the dark

Smiling as she settled in beside him, she propped her cheek against the palm of a hand. "If you'd met everyone I have, you'd know the truth of it," Maea assured. "And if not the kindest, then at least in the top three." Noticing the color in his cheeks, she wondered at the source of it. Whether from compliment or the pat on the head or something else entirely was difficult to say... she just doubted it had anything to do with the heat.

"Hm, no I don't think we've talked about that yet," she replied. Thinking back, a wistful expression softened her expression, deepening the lavender of her irises into something warmer. "My first magic was telekinesis. I made the room shake when I had nightmares as a child... my father was strict about magic though, so he had me suppress it for a long time. The next time I awakened one I was already an adult – that was water. And I could teleport between shadows, and summon wings – though I never figured out how to make them work." Drawing patterns on the surface of the pool, she was quiet for a moment. "That was it, really. Thinking back, I was a fool to head out on a hunt the way I did. Even more of a fool to not listen when I was told to stay on the ship. It cost me... too much." Everything, really. Magic, companion, life and love... and the question was if she had learned anything at all even now. Maea Valair still leaped headlong into trouble without stopping to consider the consequences.

"Liam... if we were leading the Greatwood and the Family came to destroy it... what would you do?"

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

The pat on the head had, of course, contributed to the soldier's embarrassment - not because he minded, really, but because he didn't. But it was Maea's words that truly brought color to Liam's cheeks. He strove to be kind, because the world so rarely was; but to hear that he'd succeeded in so startlingly clear a way - it was more than he'd been expecting, and it brought him no small amount of joy.

To hear of Maea's magic was sobering, though, if only because the wistfulness on her face made it clear just how much she missed it. Liam had never really thought much about it before, but it sounded like Ancient magic lacked the variety of other magic. Growing up, magic had always been something to abhor, a sign that the gods had turned away from someone. But now, knowing Maea, and others with access to it... Liam had to admit that it didn't seem like such a curse after all. "I'm sorry," he said, meaning it. "It must be difficult, to have that part of you lost." He wasn't sure what he'd do, if it were him, and he'd been changed so completely.

But Maea shifted the tone of the conversation, and Liam blinked, considering. It was a possibility, of course, that they could draw the Family's ire by trying to put the Greatwood back on the map. And without alliances, without a population, without any of the things that made the other regions sustainable... "I suppose I'd fight for it," he said solemnly. He was under no illusions: if he fought the Family, he would die, and there was nothing in this world that could stop that outcome. But he was tired of running, and if he truly made the Greatwood his home... then he would be honored to die in its defense.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

Refocusing on the soldier, her lips curved in a faint smile, grateful for the sympathy. "It is," she admitted in a rare moment of openness. "Having the fire does help, though. It is not as bad as it was." Reinforcing the sentiment by summoning a lick of fire, she leaned back into the pool and played absently with it while she waited for Liam's response. Molding it into shapes, lines, splitting and reforming the burning matter, she had set a flutter of butterflies dancing over the surface when his voice filled the quiet.

Eying him from the corner of her eye, Maea had to bite her cheek to hold back the immediate 'and die?' that burned on her tongue. He would, she knew him well enough by now to realise as much. Not one to abandon an undertaking once he'd set his mind on it was he, in the same way he kept sticking with her and her wild goosechase for roses even though it seemed futile at times. It was something she admired. A mindset she wanted to emulate, especially given her tendency to give up on things that didn't immediately work out.

"I spoke to Flora," she murmured. "She pointed out that the Greatwood is being left alone, for now, because it appears to be abandoned. But if we start to build, and improve on the village, do anything to draw attention to it before we're strong enough to defend the borders... and the people..." She sighed, sinking low enough in the water that it lapped at her bottom lip. "I don't think I can carry the consequences of failing on my conscience."

It wouldn't be just their lives at stake. Just like that time when she'd thrown herself into a fight she wasn't equipped to handle, fighting for the Greatwood at this point in time would not end with them coming out alive.

"Would you think less of me for changing my mind?" Maea turned her head to better look at him, doubt and regret painfully apparent in herr expression. "I still think you're suited for leading, and I would still help you however I can... But I'm not sure now is the best time. Not for us. Or for the Greatwood."

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam watched as Maea played with her fire, admiring the way the flames danced along her fingers in different shapes and lines, the reflection in the water almost as enchanting as the fire itself. She set butterflies of flame to flitting around, and a half-smile appeared on his face almost without realizing it. It didn't replace the magic that Maea had lost - of that, he was sure - but it was something for her to hold onto all the same.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected to hear her say, but for her to have spoken to Flora, of all people, was perhaps not it. He looked at her with his brows knit together - not unhappily, exactly, but perhaps with concern. He might not know everything there was to know about Maea, but her relationship with Flora had seemed... rocky, at best.

But perhaps that was behind them, because it seemed like Torchline's queen had offered actual advice to the Ancient - and it was good advice, Liam realized as he listened. He hadn't been thinking about what the Family might do in response to their attempts to revive the Greatwood - only that this seemed like an opportune time, with everyone visiting anyway. "I hadn't considered..." He trailed off. "But, no - of course I wouldn't think less of you." If anything, he rather thought that this proved he wasn't in a position to lead. He hadn't thought about the consequences for the region, and wasn't that supposed to be a ruler's first instinct?

"She's right, I think," he admitted after a moment. He sighed. "And so are you. This... maybe isn't the time."

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

Breathing a sigh of relief, Maea's shoulders came down. Going back on their agreement had worried her more than she cared to admit, given how dedicated Liam was. She hadn't thought he would accept it quite so easily, and was glad to avoid an argument about the matter. "Doesn't mean it never will be," she assured him, like she had told herself ever since her chat with Flora. "It'll be... something to work towards. And the forest is still home. When the war is over..." Maea smiled, though it was a feeble thing because she realized what an uphill battle they were fighting. Between her poor rapport with current rulers, their lack of strength, the sheer threat the Family posed and the time it would take to fix any if not all of those things... no optimism in the world could deny that they had a long way to go. She tried to keep her own disappointment from bleeding through, but something of it still showed in her drooping shoulders and the lines between her brows.

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Perhaps, had the situation been different, Liam would have felt differently about Maea's change of heart. If it had been selfish, for example, or simply because she had lost interest. But this was different: she had the well-being of the region in mind, and Liam could certainly understand that. So he nodded encouragingly, even if he still wasn't so sure. "When the war is over," he agreed. Gods willing, it would end - and they would be on the right side of it.

In the meantime, though, Liam wasn't keen to go back to sitting around and waiting for someone else to fix the problems that faced them. Noting the way Maea seemed to slump in the water, he'd be willing to bet that she felt the same, unaware of the myriad other thoughts that ran through her head. He lifted a hand as though to place it on her shoulder comfortingly, then seemed to think the better of it; instead, he moved to run that hand through his golden waves, leaving them hanging damply in its wake. "It doesn't mean we can't contribute in some way," he assured her. "We can keep looking for roses and lilies, for one. We can train. I can complete my quest for Frey," he added, a bit abashed to have done so little towards it as of yet. "We don't have to sit idly by."

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

Noting the movement of his hand without knowing how the man kept second guessing himself rather than reach for her, Maea just hummed with a faint nod. There was no end to the things that could and should be done. Too many to spend much time on lamenting the postponing of a beautiful dream, really, despite the temptation of sinking into sullen depression over yet another wrench in her plans. If she had been alone she might have. But Liam's reassurance kept the shadows at bay, wouldn't allow her to surrender to them - if she sighed a bit, that was also the only self pity she permitted herself before starting to think forward again.

"A good weapon does make all the difference," she agreed, thinking of her own enchanted throwing discs. "I could use some upgrading of mine... though it will have to wait. First I will finish this quest so I can think of something other than how much I miss Shii, then I need to find a way to become harder to hit so I stay alive to enjoy their company..." Dying twice had pointed out a glaring flaw in her abilities, one she had every intention of fixing.
Twisting around to float on her belly with arms crossed on the edge of the pool, Maea nestled her chin against them while considering her friend. "Do you need help with anything? I have all the time."

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

While a good weapon did not a good soldier make, it was certainly helpful, and Liam hummed agreement to Maea's statement. His own weapon of choice was a sword - predictable, perhaps, but it was what he'd grown most comfortable with over the years. He could use other things at need, and was reasonably skilled at hand-to-hand combat, but swordsmanship was where his abilities shone. His quest, he knew, was the first of many; crafting the weapon was the first step in creating something that would truly be able to make a difference in the war to come.

But Maea brought up another good point: being harder to hit would only be beneficial, and Liam nodded encouragingly. "I look forward to meeting Shii," he said. "And, if I can do anything..." he started to add, just as Maea offered her assistance as well. Chuckling, he considered. "I do need to gather some ore from the Climb," he said. "You probably know the area better than me; I would be grateful for any assistance you could provide."

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

Softening into a smile, it warmed her to think of the two of them becoming acquainted. "As do I," she murmured fondly, and laughed as they stumbled over each other to be helpful. Maea perked up visibly when it really turned out that she could lend a hand.

"Of course! Depends on what you're looking for, but since it's ore... the Burrows is probably the safest. Less lava. We can look for some once we're done here, if you'd like?" Looking half ready to get up right away, the renewed energy transplanted through the spine and into her tail, causing it to thrash in the water so that warm spray showered over them both.

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam had given it a great deal of thought, what his future sword was to be made of. His initial instinct, of course, was iron - simple, solid, strong. He'd considered other metals and discarded them all as too brittle, or too flashy, or any number of other criteria that he'd set for himself. "What do you know about swordsmithing?" he asked, curious what her thoughts would be. Maybe she could come up with some material that he'd yet to think of. "I was thinking iron, but that just seems so... plain." Not that appearances mattered as much as the substance of the sword, but this was a god-touched weapon, and he wanted it to look like such.

Maea's tail flicked through the water, splashing warmth over them both, and Liam grinned at her. She seemed, if anything, even more eager to get started than he was. And perhaps he should borrow some of that energy - get out of the trap of thinking about the quest and actually move forward with starting it. "We could go now?" he asked, making to hoist himself from the pool if she agreed.

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

"Not much, admittedly. I have seen a few weapons over the years though." She considered, kicking her legs absentmindedly to stay afloat. "What if you gathered different metals that made that ripple effect when forged? I forget what it's called... damasc steel? Or there is that metal that changes color... titanium. You could have a steel core and coat it in the other metal." She looked at Liam to gauge his reaction. "And you could find some interesting rocks to use for the grip or pommel, or just for decorating. There's no shortage of gemstones around here." The possibilities were endless, depended entirely on what he wanted.

Laughing at his eagerness, she grinned and shrugged. "If you're done relaxing, sure. Or we wait another hour. Up to you." It was his quest, after all. Her own business here was done, but Maea would happily linger and at least try to settle a bit if that's what her friend preferred.

Something new will come on through
and rise again

Tryin' to wash away all the blood I've spilt
This lust is a burden that we both share

Liam trained his gaze on Maea's face, trying not to let his attention shift to her figure where it floated in the water as she kicked her legs to stay afloat. To his credit, he was largely successful. He was more focused on his quest than Maea - for a moment, at least - and his brow creased as he considered the myriad options available to him. "Perhaps damascus steel," he said after a moment. "I've always admired blades with that rippled effect." For a long time, he hadn't been able to afford such a weapon, and when he had the money, he had no longer had the desire. For the first time in a while, he found himself thinking about what he really wanted. It was a foreign sensation.

"If we can find emerald, I think something green would be a nice nod to the Greatwood," he added. "It probably sounds silly, but... the region is important to me. Plus, nature Frey is the one who gave the quest, and I've always associated nature with green." A steel sword with an emerald in the pommel; he could already see it in his mind's eye.

As for when to go, Liam laughed sheepishly. "We can go whenever you're ready - although I didn't bring any tools. Perhaps we should return another day, when I'm better prepared."

Two sinners can't atone from a lone prayer
Souls tied, intertwined by our pride and guilt

Liam

Maea

And from the dark

Nodding encouraging as he consolidated an image in his mind for the sword-to-be, she had nothing bad to say about the sentimental nod to his home in the design. "It's not silly at all. I think it will make a beautiful sword, and a dangerous one. Well suited for protecting what is important to you." Holding back an impulse to poke at him again, she dug her chin into the forearm instead. "I do have a small woodcutting axe in my pack, but that probably won't get us very far. So yeah... we'll have to come back another day." Too bad for Liam, who wasn't fond of the heat, and less bad for her who loved it. She was content either way as long as she could spend some time in his company.

With that decided, she pushed herself away from the  edge and eased out into deeper water. "I'm going to swim for a bit. Don't you dare fall asleep - I will not be responsible for the state of your hair when you wake up." Flashing Liam a bright grin, the ancient hurriedly moved out of the way of any watery retaliations and swam off to work out some of the excess energy. No lilies had appeared this time either, but the springs weren't going anywhere. Who knew, next time they passed through, she might even be able to look at the shirtless soldier without going red as a lobster. People could get used to anything... even dangerous stuff like kind and handsome men.

[FIN]

Something new will come on through
and rise again