Stubborn Shade

Log Info

• Title: Stubborn Shade
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Verna
• Place: Mountain Road
• Time: March 8th, 2023
• Summary: Aryia and her mother Khalees are having a walk and talk, the mute informing her mother about a friend that she should meet. They end up coming across Verna having morning tea outside the front door to her house, and the trio catch up, speaking of the trip to Llyranost, how sideways it went, of personal gardens, as well as personalities.

Mountain Road, Morning

It's clear that winter is in retreat, though snow still skirts the ground in shade. Clear skies, blue, with a light breeze that still has a tiny bite of winter to it. The roads on Alexandria's eastern mountains still hold a slurry of ice and dirt, compacted from use.

Speaking of being compacted, a short figure in a green jacket is walking with another woman of similar, dark hued complexion, and a basket hilted rapier flashing in its sheathe on her hip.

"And you're... certain this individual displayed such... capabilities?" the older mul'neissa woman confirms.

Aryia nods to her, hands in her pockets.

"Hrm. Very well. I will meet with this... smallfolk. It is strange to think of such a thing outside of us."

The mute shrugs.

Dependent on how one defines the term, small folk are rather prolific in this region. In the context of region being the mountain roads and small folk being less in stature to the average Stormguardian, quite prolific, indeed. Despite some chill yet in the air, the portico of the stone cottage along the road is occupied. Verna is seated upon a chair, a cup of tea on the table before her next to a still-steaming pot. The travellers are noted, and a bare hand lifts to over a gesture of greeting.

The matron continues, "No matter. I trust your judgement on such manners."

Aryia takes a hand out of her pocket to say something, but the movement of greeting grabs her attention. Her boots adjust their heading, and she heads towards the portico, waving hello along the way.

The older mul'neissa woman shelves that conversation for later, her lazily ambling up behind Aryia, her lone eye glancing between the two before she faintly smiles and gives a light curtsey. "Good day, Mourner."

Verna rises from her seat to more properly greet the pair. She dips in return, "Good day to you both. Would either of you care for some tea? If merely to warm yourselves en route to elsewhere? As well, I am simply Verna at present and not currently on duty." While she does wear her usual gray cloak against the wind of the mountain, her current wear beneath is not volumous layers of robes. Instead, what appears to be a set of one-piece and footed woolen pajamas.

Aryia bobs her head and easily slips into a chair next to Verna. The offer to tea is accepted!

The matron, Khalees, holds up a hand and shakes her head. "The offer is appreciated, but I shall pass, Verna."

The mute asks, hands motioning, "How are you?" <Handspeech>

Verna nods to the matron before she moves to pour tea for Aryia. She then considers a moment before offering to Khalees, "It may not be my place to state, nor my opinion may of little consequence, but it is most pleasing to see the both of you, together. Your own past complications or not, recent events have made it clear to me, Lady Khalees, that you may be a paragon of maternal caring." A compliment, in earnest, and perhaps an indirect answer to Aryia's question.

Aryia takes the tea and sighs in relief as it warms her hands. Though, the words given make mother and daughter pause and share a look. Khalees quirks a brow over her lone violet eye. "I... appreciate your kind words, though I cannot accept them. It took much turmoil and a reset of perception to get to this point. Mainly, the amount of time we had been separated, Aryia has grown into her own person, and that needs be respected."

"You're still dramatic," Aryia deadpans, sipping on her tea with her other hand. <Handspeech>

Khalees just shoots her a light glare. Not wrong.

"Sound like someone's mother was a massive bitch?" Aryia points out, reading between the lines. <Handspeech>

"It is merely my observation," Verna admits, "from my perspective." She moves to reclaim her seat before nodding to Aryia. "She was, and still is, ... as I expected her to be. She was aware of our trip to Llyranost, and arrived herself seeking to return me to Abyss'a. Against my will, if need be, and with the aid of Auranar's Grandmother."

Aryia blinks at Verna. Cup halfway to her lips. She sets it aside to complain, "What the fuck. I can understand complications from a union between Llyranost family and mul'neissian origins, but did they both seriously want this to not happen so bad it crossed that barrier? Damn, I'm sorry I wasn't there to deck them both in the face for you two." <Handspeech>

Khalees merely comments, "Sounds like something I would do. Past me. Not anymore, I assure you."

Verna takes a sip from her tea. "I would not blame the sylvanori for bias, yet I do not believe that was their motivation. Aura's grandmother has always been distant from her. Antagonistic. My... the matron of my former house could care less of such matters. Her concern was revealed to be for wealth, which is wholly unsurprising. All may well have been the convenience that our presence at a specific time and place was known in advance. She likely took every advantage of this, sharing a great deal of information and misinformation with the sylvanori and striking some manner of bargain."

Aryia scowls, sipping at her tea aggressively. "Wow. Okay. Literally setting up and poisoning information just to make a profit out of one's daughter. I really hope someone slapped the shit out of her. What came of it? Did you get to do the curchill thing after all? Or did she fuck it up?" <Handspeech>

"Aura was not able to see her parents' curuchuil, no," Verna's lips purse. "She had wished to bid them farewell, pay her respects. Rather than add to theirs, she had decided, before the venture, that we shall create our own. Which is why we have invited others that we consider family to add their own portions to it. Yourself, included." That counters most of her frown.

"Yet, yes, she did indeed 'fuck it up.' As concerned as I was to make a positive impression upon her grandmother, I did not expect to be taken prisoner upon arrival. All very nearly degenerated into an all-out battle, which I am very grateful did NOT occur."

Aryia huffs, setting the cup aside. "That fucking sucks that she fucked it up so you all couldn't see it."

The offer to add to a new curuchuil makes her blink. Khalees, too, pauses, eye wide at Verna. The mother is silent. Both are still.

The mute breaks the freeze, "I know what to add to it," she motions firmly, as if such a thing was decided already. "But, to be taken prisoner? That sucks. I'm glad I wasn't there, I probably would have made it an all-out fight." <Handspeech>

Khalees dryly remarks, still hung up on the offer from earlier, "... you'd more than likely beat them with the curuchuil."

Aryia nods.

Khalees rolls her eye.

Verna pauses at the freeze with a growing sense of concern until Aryia ends it. Then her expression twists in rather uncommon ocurrence as a smile forms. Soft and warm, initially and then quite bemused with Khalees' addition. "Aryia might well have," she affirms the matron's hypothesis. "As entertaining as that thought is, I would not wished it come to blows. As it was..." now her smile vanishes abruptly, "Aura was put in a great deal of pain, however brief it might have been."

She pauses to cycle through a few breaths. "All told, the matter is now all but resolved. We hold no intention of returning to Llyranost in that regard, and I will take whatever steps are necessary to prevent any further machinations from Charn." Another pause. "My apologies for the divergent recounting. How are you both?"

Aryia looks a touch concerned, glancing to the establishment proper. "Is Auranar okay?" she asks. "But yes, I wouldn't return either. Especially if I was given that kind of greeting. However. Good, you two need all this crap to stop coming to bother you both so you two can enjoy each others' time. <Handspeech>"

Khalees waves a hand, shaking her head. "No need for apology. I am well-" Aryia flashes a thumbs up to concur, "-as is she. Merely catching up and conversing. Apparently one of her... friends needs assistance with something. And while myself and my husband tend to keep quiet, it may behoove us to lend a hand, even if we really do not get much out of it."

"Mul'neissa shadow stuff," Aryia motions. "Mother and father both know it well. Got a friend who's dabbling." <Handspeech>

"She is unharmed," Verna assures Aryia; earnest yet also perturbed "I should perhaps be thankful that my former house's primary business is that it is, and that its matron tends towards nonlethal means of restraint. It would be bad for business to damage product, as she would note, and she is the consumate businesswoman..." With a final slight shake of her head, she moves away from that topic.

To more pleasant ones. "There is much to be gained from family," she offers to Khalees, "though I have only recently learned this fact. Merely being present and involved is valuable." She then looks to Aryia and nods. "I have every intention to ensure that we can and shall enjoy time with one another. My lectures and classes with the Arcanist Society will not be renewed with the coming classes, and my duties with the temple are shifting towards more administrative tasks."

Aryia sighs in relief that Auranar was okay, but she squirms a bit at the mention of Verna's family house's business. She is rather familiar with such business, unfortunately. But like the topic at hand, that's behind them.

The mute smiles at that. "Good. Still do things for yourself. Perhaps a guest lecture here and there, but that is very kind of you to be aware of such things. The longevity gap is... difficult at times, but tackling it head on is honestly the best way to deal with it." <Handspeech>

Khalees quietly chuckles. "Yes. I understand as much now. Hence why we are speaking. At least, when Aryia is not annihilating something static. Really though. A quarry?"

Aryia sips on her tea loudly.

Verna gives Aryia a slight nod. As one well aware of The Immutable Cycle, the noted gap would simply be accepted. It is, though something in her glance suggests it is not done so merrily. "I strive to make the most of my alloted time, and Auranar is my priority, as she should be." Some of Khalees' mirth spreads to Verna, then. "The stones must be broken to be moved or mined, regardless. Why not make best use of that situation, as well?" she inquires of the matron rather rhetorically. "Admittedly, I can comiserate somewhat with the mountain, having been struck a few times, myself," her eyes flick to Aryia, in no way upset nor accusing, "Even in a friendly manner, such was not comfortable."

Aryia bobs her head, clearly understanding the gap as she herself was dealing with it. But, she smiles. "Exactly. The rocks and stone don't complain and there's always more of them." She blinks, then rubs her neck. "Not sorry. Sometimes the best way to get people to focus is to smack them." <Handspeech>

Khalees winces. "Yes. I sparred with her to get a gauge and..." There's a painful sigh of admittance. "I commend you remaining in one piece. She frequently smacks Lingers in Shadows around constantly."

"Nor do I regret it in the slightest, Aryia," the slender smile has made a return on Verna's countenance. "You are always reliable when the need arises for some focus to be forcefully applied." She looks to Khalees, then, brows lifting. "I commend -you- for daring such a thing. I would never entertain the notion of any physical confrontation with your daughter with any expectation of test or learning. The outcome of such is as certain and unwavering as this mountain."

Aryia grins. "I'm glad I can be reliable. I may be a stubborn bitch most of the time, but sometimes you need someone to cut through the bullshit of all the tiptoeing around shit."

Khalees glances to the side, her reaching up to snake a finger under her eyepatch to scratch at the skin underneath. "... I admit hubris," she says. "Then it was when we were reunited, when I was viewing her as I knew her before, and not now."

Verna eyes Aryia curiously. "Only some of the time? I am rather fond of you as a stubborn bitch. Were you to be otherwise, I would not recognize you. So long as you are not -too- stubborn." A nod to Khalees. "Like hubris, it can have consequences. Yet, as you said, Lady Khalees, you are not as you were, before. That is why you are far better than others."

Aryia's tea suddenly sputters out of her nose as she breaks into a wheezy, hoarse laughter that devolves into a painful hacking coughing fit. She's down for the count.

Khalees simply sidesteps to avoid the blast of tea. A faint smirk on her face from the exchange, and the compliment. "Like shade, it is best to adapt to change, rather than resist it, else one would be snuffed out. Thank you."

The matron observes her daughter coughing up a lung, still laughing. "... or... unless you are her."

-End Scene-