paint the town blue

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

It had been some time since Alys had last visited Halo, and as she disembarked from the skyboat, she was suddenly hit with a pang of sadness. She didn't regret her decision to leave with Tal, to build a home with her partner in King's End, but there would always be a part of her that considered Halo her home. At the very least, it was more of a home to the woman than the Hollowed Grounds would ever be, and she had more friends in Halo than in any other land. She had missed them, and the frigid tundra, more than she'd realized before this very moment. She'd have to be sure to visit more often in the future.

In any case, her mission in Halo was twofold: she wanted to find Evie and make amends for her disappearance al those seasons ago, and she wanted to visit the market to find materials to craft... well, something. She wasn't quite sure yet, but she knew she wanted some kind of armor, and the best person she could think of to ask for advice was Deimos. After all, the Warden had given her multitudes of advice while training over the years, and after seeing him recently in Stormbreak, she felt reasonably sure that she could still ask him for help. What she'd do if he ever asked for anything in return, she had no idea.

She made her way into the Citadel, keeping an eye out for Deimos's large frame; it didn't take long to locate him, and she approached with a wave and a smile. "Hello," she said as she came to a stop beside the Sword. "How are things? How is Erebos?"

But it’s wild and it’s free

There’d been a decent amount of calm in the Sword’s life after their initial trek to Starfall. Though he was fully aware they’d be going again in the near future, the first wave had been so bewildering and swift that all the apprehension had drained away – until they announced the next interval, at least. From there, he’d been able to concentrate on training, patrols, their regional tasks, and his own family – which was more than enough.

So Alys would find him near the Barracks, following behind his son, ensconced in a snowsuit, as the youth crawled, albeit slowly, along the snowy mounds outside the Ignatius homestead. He hadn’t expected her approach, but he’d known enough of exchanges of letters with Evie to be aware of any incoming visitations. Still, he was pleasantly surprised to hear her calling for them, and his brow arched significantly – pondering over the circumstances, figuring she’d meant to harken for the Evergreen and found him instead. “Alys,” he nodded, before taking another small step over to where Erebos had ceased his crawl to inspect some snow with his overly-mittened hand. “Things are going well. And he is mobile now,” said on a whisper, as if not to encourage the little beast.

Who, of course, immediately perked up and gave a wave to Alys, along with a cheery grin. Snorting, the Sword shook his head and crouched beside the babe, readjusting the lad’s luxere-antlered hat. “What brings you here?”

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

The Barracks were just as she remembered, as was the nearby Ignatius homestead - albeit with the addition of child paraphernalia, which brought a slight smile to the seer's face. While she'd never considered children for herself, she was quite sure that Deimos and Evie were excellent parents, and she could only imagine the joy that little Erebos had brought with his arrival. He was a rather adorable baby, as babies went, and Alys was pleased to see both Deimos and his son in the yard as she arrived at their home.

"You have your hands full," Alys said with a laugh, watching as Deimos bent to adjust the babe's antlered hat, offering a wave in return to the lad and cooing sweetly to the child. As for her mission, Alys returned her attention to Deimos. "I came to visit with Evie, but I'm glad to have caught you - if you have a few minutes, I would love your advice. I have a quest from Frey to get some armor, but I'm not really sure exactly what kind would be best for me. I couldn't think of anyone better suited to help than you."

But it’s wild and it’s free

“Always,” he noted in a low, but amused rumble – whether it be from the region itself, other ongoing strife with the void and Family, or family matters – but he supposed they were far better off now than seasons before. Halo was stable, and constantly striving in matters of defense, protection, shelter, and machinations, so with it came more stretches of other formidability.

Snagging at Erebos so he was in his arms, the youth squirmed but otherwise persisted in waving and then blowing raspberries, Deimos turned his attention to Alys and the occasion. Armor was always a complimentary aspect to his mind, and he permitted a small smile. “Sure. Come in. We can draft some things up. What was your specific request?” Had she asked for certain elemental fixtures? Collapsible adornments?

From there, he went up the steps along their deck, presuming Alys would follow, and opened the door to their home. Renovated and expanded upon once they’d become engaged, the interior beheld a wider expanse, so the moment the Abandoned stepped within she’d be engulfed with warmth from the nearby hearth (with companions sleeping alongside; having long since entertained the infant and in dire need of respite of their own).

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

Alys met the Sword's amused rumble with a smile of her own. She'd always said that he worked far too hard, and the addition of a new family member meant that he must certainly be working harder than ever before, for she couldn't imagine that he'd given anything up. He was still a Warden, after all, and he was still a guildmaster, and he was still the Resurrected Sword, and he still had all of the same roles and responsibilities as before, as far as she knew. Only now he could add 'father' to the list.

In any case, Deimos picked up the child and led the way into the house, which Alys found to be warm and inviting. Sascha, who had trailed behind the seer upon her initial arrival, trundled toward the fire to join the other companions in a nap, as her bonded followed Deimos. "I asked for armor that could help me evade my opponents." Beyond that, she didn't have any specific request in mind. She'd considered a vest, like Tal wore, but she wasn't completely sold on the idea, and she'd briefly thought of various other pieces of armor, but nothing particularly grabbed her attention. Perhaps Deimos would have better suggestions than she could think up on her own.

But it’s wild and it’s free

Placing Erebos down on the floor for a moment, the Sword shrugged off his coat, and inclined his head for Alys to do the same, placing it amidst the piles of parkas and furs along the rack, before attending to the child. He hadn’t slipped away yet, though he’d made a crawling scurry across the wooden floor, scooped up by the Sword an instant later to start peeling the snowsuit off. “Evade your opponents,” he murmured, smiling a little. If he was distracted at all by the squirming child, it didn’t show, having always wielded many a multitude of tasks at the ready. “So you likely want to wear something light and unobtrusive.”

Once tiny hands and limbs had been freed from the confining suit, Deimos put that closer to the fire to hang and dry, checking in on the companions, and then took long strides towards the kitchen and dining area. “Come, you can have a seat.” Erebos, despite the squealing and giggling, was eventually wriggled into his highchair and confined for a second, while the Sword conjured a portion of parchment and placed it upon the table with bits and pieces of charcoal. “Depends on your preferences too. Jewelry, like bangles, rings, necklaces and the like are usually easy to enchant.” He had his own sets – the bone cuff worn along one ear and linked directly to Evie’s, the pendant made by Safrin under his layers of clothing, and wedding ring woven with fortune.

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

Alys removed her coat, placing it on the rack indicated by Deimos, and smiled as Erebos made a break for it before being scooped up by his father, who began to remove the child's snowsuit. Despite the distraction, Deimos continued to speak to the seer, offering thoughts and advice that the woman was pleased to find was in line with her own on the subject. She would indeed prefer something light and unobtrusive to assist her in evading any opponents, but what that was, she still wasn't sure.

The seer followed Deimos into the kitchen and dining area, taking the offered seat and making silly faces at Erebos to try and entertain the child while Deimos found parchment and began to bestow his wisdom on the subject of armor and helpful items. As he spoke of jewelry, Alys drummed her fingers on the table in thought. "Do you find that jewelry is easier to misplace or lose in a fight?" she asked. Some things, like rings, she could see being easy to keep track of, but a necklace, if worn too loosely, seemed like a potentially poor choice to the seer.

But it’s wild and it’s free

While Alys settled, Deimos still didn’t – turning back into the kitchen to acquire something to entertain and feed Erebos. Snagging a banana from their fruit proportions, he began cutting and slicing into bite-size portions for the infant, smiling appreciatively as he watched from the counter – for the silly faces Alys made seemed to occupy the youth for a moment. Erebos giggled and squealed in return, trying to copy the movements and motions – furrowing his brow (not unlike his father), or twisting his nose and mouth around.

Once he finished parceling the produce, he gave them to the baby in accessible chunks across the high chair, and much like his parents, the child was all the eager to consume. One hunk at a time met its end in his mouth, and Deimos snorted, before turning his attention to Alys’s inquiries. “I have not had an issue. It depends on if they are protected by other layers.” In Halo, most of their jewelry was tucked away and under mittens, hats, parkas, furs, and the like. “You would need to be careful about a loose necklace or bracelet.” Because not only could it be easy to lose, it’d also provide something to snag and break by the enemy. “Rings or smaller earrings might not be an issue. Or you could wear something around your ankle, hidden by shoes.”

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

As Erebos tried to copy the silly faces that Alys made, the seer stifled a giggle and continued to occupy the infant while his father gathered a banana and began to cut and slice it into child-sized pieces. Spending time with the boy made Alys appreciate just how like his parents he was - she could see Deimos, for example, in the furrow of his brow as he copied one particularly scrunched face that she offered. Once the fruit was deposited before him, Erebos began to shove piece after piece unceremoniously into his mouth, and Alys sat back with a smile, her job - for now - complete.

She considered Deimos's advice, tilting her head to one side in thought. While he might have bundled layers year-round, she was unlikely to share in that trait, especially now that she traveled often with Tal. That eliminated a necklace or bracelet from her consideration, and she wasn't particularly fond of an anklet, either - so perhaps a ring or earring? Again, she drummed her fingers on the table. "A ring, then, I think," she said after a moment of contemplation. "Do you have any recommendations for material? It doesn't have to be particularly complex, although I wouldn't mind something aesthetically pleasing as well as sturdy."

But it’s wild and it’s free

Glancing back and forth between Alys and Erebos, because the former was contemplating, and the latter was getting banana everywhere, his head tilted in fragments and thoughts, silent in the Abandoned’s considerations. “Depends on your preferences.” Gold, silver, bronze, the metals and elements were all simplistic to create – as was anything else that wove into aesthetics. And Deimos knew that while he was Spartan in his décor options, others were not.

So he began to sketch a few out along the parchment, in various ranges, styles, and sizes – gilded proportions, argent lengths, copper infused highlights. Even a few others with ornamental ease; pieces of metal that came together like luxere antlers, or others inlaid with ursur paws, and some portions where he could recall her tarot cards and symbols. While they weren’t every representation of Alys, it might give her some ideas and notions regarding partialities and predilections. Every so often, he’d cease entirely, letting her peruse and glance over.

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

Deimos was, as usual, not particularly loquacious, and at his less-than-helpful response, Alys fought the urge to roll her eyes. Still, she knew he was right - this was her item, after all, and its appearance and make depended entirely on her. She thought of what she knew of various metals: gold wasn't her preference, and she thought she remembered reading that it was softer than other metals, so she quickly ruled it out. Silver was an option, perhaps with some accent color woven in - copper, or maybe something black. It didn't have to be entirely made of metal, after all, and she found herself thinking of different stones that might pair nicely.

She looked over the various designs that Deimos offered her, picking up on the unique options tailored to her personality and habits. Some she dismissed quickly, but others, her eyes lingered on, like the ursur paws and the tarot symbols. Perhaps, if she could combine some of those elements... "May I?" she asked, nodding to the parchment. If he was agreeable, she would take the paper and begin combining some of the options he'd sketched, taking a bit of this and a bit of that. In the end, her design featured a center stone - she envisioned something blue, like sapphire or aquamarine - flanked by two ursur paws, with various tarot symbols accenting the band.

She offered the parchment back to Deimos. "Something like this, perhaps?"

But it’s wild and it’s free

She could roll her eyes all she wanted – if she gave him free rein, he might have ended up creating something that wasn’t to her liking, and then they would have wasted everyone’s time. So while she mulled over the potentials and studied the drawings, he gave her space, nodding at the parchment, and opted to tend to Erebos’ now banana-filled face. Grabbing a cloth, cleaning the baby up, and shaking his head, he maneuvered the infant out of the highchair and over to the designated playpen – but the food had seemed to have done its job, as the youth was clearly tired from the earlier venture into the cold and snow, and on a full stomach…his eyes were already drooping.

Upon his return, and with a watchful eye still on the youth as he slowly began teetering towards a blanket and pillow, his studied the designs. It’d been a collaboration of some of his ideas, clearly mixed with her own sentiments – a pairing of ursur paws, tarot symbols accenting the outer edges…”Feasible,” he nodded, being quiet simply because it amused him and likely irked her. “What did you want for the band?”

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul

ALYS

And I know that this life isn’t safe

With a silent mental sigh, Alys looked on wryly as Deimos offered only a single word in response to her inquiry. Still, despite his lack of commentary, the seer was pleased that he thought her design - in his words - feasible. She quite liked what she had come up with, after all, and she would have been disappointed had it not met Deimos's approval.

With Erebos now drowsy and in search of a blanket and pillow, Alys's attention shifted fully to the design and consideration of materials. "Silver, I think, for the band," she said. There were other metals, of course, but she didn't need anything particularly fancy or complicated. "And perhaps a sapphire for the stone?" It would make a nice contrast to the band, at least, and she'd always liked the color blue.

But it’s wild and it’s free

His eyes flicked back and forth between the dozing off infant and Alys, but it was enough of a moment throughout to catch her wry expression. Content, he gave a juvenile grin in response, and waited for the other decisions to be made. Silver band, sapphire stone, all forthright and capable of creation. “Sure.”

From there, he spread his hands apart, giving ample space for the contortions and magic to unravel. The gilded glow stirred along his palms, and wove to the creation in his mind’s eye; argent circlet, embedded and designated with her chosen tarot symbols, ursur paws reaching outwards towards a sapphire stone, all accented and combined together to fuse into something tangible and unique; purely for Alys.

Upon finishing, he inspected it, satisfied with the arrangement, and placed it along the table before her; awaiting her own approval. “Will that suffice?”

deimos

Never let them drain the river of your soul