Berdusk!
Waking the next morning, I was met with the pallid stare of the woman who I had saved last night. She wasn't flinching or moving, simply gazing into my eyes with her own bright green pupils. I had not seen her eyes when we were moving her last night, they were exceptionally beautiful... As if the embodiment of the forest's lifeforce itself. A lump of saliva collected at the bottom of my mouth causing me to swallow as she maintained the eye contact without blinking. She didn't even move to speak, her smooth-looking lips staying pert in a neutral expression. Examining her features I could tell that she was still suffering from shock, her body staying perfectly still as she latched onto my eyes, the closest thing to comfort that she had at the current point.
Awkwardly, I began to sit myself up. My cheeks flushed red no doubt as I felt embarrassment flush through me, my right hand slipping away from her platinum-blonde hair. She blinked a couple times as it occurred, her face frowning somewhat as tears began to slip from her the corners of her eyes.
For the second time in the last ten hours I rushed to cradle a woman, running my hand through her hair as she poured out her heartful of horrid memories. Her hands clung to my clothing, scrunching it to the point that whitened knuckles were clear for all to see. Wails resounded from scorched vocal cords amidst the early morning yawns and mews of different creatures and beasts. Several tent flaps opened, the sounds distinctly breaking the natural orchestra that was the animals' awakenings. Qal pulled open my tent flap only to find me cradling another woman. Smiling, she simply let it go and slipped away, quiet murmurs and conversations being carried away from us.
"An echuir adar a muindor nín...?"
("Did my father and brother make it...?")
The timbre and volume of her tone was heartbreaking as she barely held back sorrow and fear to ask the most important question in her life. Pain radiated from my chest whilst hearing her almost break down, my heart dropping as I realised I'd have to break her family's condition to her. A wretched feeling of queasiness sunk into my stomach, as if I'd just drunk a litre of olive oil after drinking brandy and chasing it down with a Mentos... Closing my eyes I held back the urge to throw up, focussing on the warmth of the woman in my arms and her fragile state. I felt poor, but she was having the worst day in her entire life and if I wasn't strong in this moment I would let her down and possibly lead her down a path of suicide.
"Goheno nin... Ú-eniar i `dolg naidh dethol... Nae aníron…"
("I am sorry... They have not survived last night's attack... I deeply regret to say...")
Silence reigned for a moment or two before she clamped her arms around my midsection and began hugging it tightly. As if she were clinging to the only anchor left of her past life. Tears slipped from my eyes in streams also, as I just tried to comfort her by running my hands through her hair soothingly, even attempting to rub her back, when stroking her hair was unachievable. This didn't last long though, she soon cried herself back into sleep, her body clung to my own in desperation.
"Qal...!" I whisper shouted, to not affect the woman who was attached to me.
"Yes?" She ducked her head into the tent and noticed the sleeping woman in my lap.
"Please help me get her ready for travel... I think we'll be taking her father and brother's corpses with us until she awakes."
"Sure. Let me just get the others and we'll get her all set up on the back of the cart."
Running off to do as such, I was left with the woman. There was about a day or two left in the journey and if we were able to get a clear day of travel we could be in Berdusk by nightfall, an opportune time to reach a city really.
'Guess I just sit here until they can get her onto the cart then...'
~Later that day ~
Having spent an hour waiting for my party mates to come and save me from hugging duties, we finally got the woman into the back of the carriage whilst strapping her loved ones to the sides in layers of cloth bolts.
Most of the day rolled past in such a way and by the time that the sun was dripping slowly behind the canopies of sparse trees, a glowing city of relatively normal medieval construction met our perceptions. Walls of thick stone stood sturdy amidst the warm light of the city behind them, wooden spikes lining the bottom of the walls as a trench was dug around the exterior of said walls. In the distance the gate could be seen to be manned by hundreds of soldiers, a few speaking with carts and such.
"Wagon man, stop here, we'll awaken this woman and see if we can do a burial for her whilst outside of the city."
"Er, miss, that not be the wisest thing to be doin this close to Elturgard..."
"I don't care, we have to do it here otherwise there is going to be fees for official burial and it may conflict with her wishes."
The wagoner groaned but directed the horses off to the side, stopping them a short distance from a grove of trees. Feeding the horses and watering them, the man shot a glare at Ethillar who asked him to pull over. Ignoring him, she simply unstrapped the bodies from the side, placing them on the ground softly as Whisper lightly tapped the woman awake.
"Ada...?"
("Father...?")
"Hên, maethog odhollen na lin adar linnar Arvandor…"
("Child, you must awake to send your father off to Arvandor...")
Adaneth spoke up to her in Elvish, her voice soothing and soft beyond measure as she knelt down and closed her eyes whilst nodding. The woman, despondently stared at her for several seconds before starting to cry. This made whisper awkward but the display quickly ended as she stood and walked to the end of the cart. Off to the side, I stood sorrowful, as the two bodies of her loved ones were unwrapped and shown to the quickly growing night' winds. Both corpses were burnt and charred beyond recognition, but she did not care, her steps slowly and methodical as water streamed down her face.
Adaneth and Eldalótë closed their eyes and simply looked away from her tears, their respect evident in the position they held themselves within. Picking up the silent instruction of the two, I closed my own sight and turned my head aside. Foot steps got closer towards me without hurry before stopping abruptly, from what I could grasp from the time of stoppage and pace she had, she was now in front of her family's corpses. Sniffles broke the quiet for a moment, low rumblings of her despair being broadcast to us all through the murmurs and hums that she began to sing.
Through sobs, tears and what I could guess was snot, a clear lyric began to play through... A noxiously beautiful voice radiating outwards despite it's sombre tone and timbre...
🎶
Hên nîn, diro nîn gil,
Mornath e-gurth, lostad bâd.
("My child, my gentle star,
In shadow of death, a journey begins.")
Na Arvandor, lostannen,
Lind a norn, a darth nîn gil.
("To Arvandor, they are carried,
Sing and mourn, O my guiding star.")
Naeglin i faer, linnar nuithannen,
Lin adar nuitho, sad vaer.
("Sorrow fills the spirit, fallen in silence,
Your father rests, in a place of peace.")
Na Arvandor, lostannen,
Lind a norn, a darth nîn gil.
("To Arvandor, they are carried,
Sing and mourn, O my guiding star.")
Losto i faer, lin sui galad,
Gurth edraitho, uir sui and.
("Rest the spirit, yours like light,
Death will save, forever as a gift.")
🎶
Adaneth joined in first as her voice harmonized with the poor woman's. Eldalótë began a little later, her voice becoming an almost choir backup for the main song itself. Feeling the mood, I joined in as well, putting my meagre Charisma to the test as I joined Eldalótë in her choir singing.
The entire song did not last long and after repeating it three times silence took over once again before I was tapped by Ethillar to open my eyes. Once opened, I saw the woman placing her hand above each of their heads and praying, her form looking battered and small amidst the weight of what she had just done. My motherly side wanted to come out and comfort her but I stopped myself as I noticed the Elven women in the party standing back and merely observing the process. No doubt it had something to do with them not knowing the dead figures personally, therefor they couldn't interact.
Before I knew it the bodies were placed next to the trees and merely left behind. No burial was done, no ritual of burning... Nothing, simply being left behind to nature's intentions. I had no base to judge them from and burial was a Human thing most likely. With the ceremony out of the way the woman that was once sad had a smile on her face, relieved over something which I would most likely never understand. All i knew though was that she was walking up to me, her countenance rather diminutive and acquiescing. No time was given to me for processing before she walked in front of my and bowed.
"I eneth nîn Elaris, a aníra i meleth le ú-nagor nedîn, tôl nín, aphado nin na gar le a honath lín, nae a le, a lin meleth, sui anírath, an-uir ned gin lin vaer."
(" My name is Elaris, and for the love you have shown to me through these dark times, I am to pledge myself to your cause, to you, and to your love, if you would have me, for all of my life." )
Adaneth widened her eyes extensively as she tapped on the shoulder of Eldalótë in panicked frenzy. The pale elf finally refocused away from the bodies and stared daggers at us both. Within literal seconds she was flabbergasted and nodding emphatically towards me. Adaneth, the bronze elf, gave me a huge thumbs up before lowering it and giving a cheeky grin.
"Ae… I eneth nîn Lumin'ara'el. Ú-chebin i-annon ceriad sen ned iû ennas, dan, ae garel nin sui aen, híra nin sui nin aphado?"
("Um... My name is Lumin'ara'el. I do not understand why you are saying such a thing at this time, but if you can accept me as I am, I would be pleased to have you along with me.")
Adaneth facepalmed hard but was slapped by Eldalótë as she gave me two large thumbs ups and smiled widely.
'What the fuck are they so happy about?'
"Aníron garel lîn, ben e-suilas a ias henian guren, a bedin sí, sui estel lin u-vogad rhiw nin. Ú-'erin edraith minil idhren, dan ú-anim nín toven anim tîrad lín sír."
("Of course I can accept you, one who has shown such compassion and understanding for my heart, and I say this with hope unburdened by any fear. I may not be the most learned of women, but I will do my utmost to support your path.")
'That's it... Framework. Use Four points to allow me to see the different relationships I have with people as a numerical formula. Like love games from Earth.'
{Relationship Section Acquired...}
{Elaris's Current Relationship Status with you- Bound Companions}
'Framework... Does that mean I am hitched to her?'
{No. It means that she has entered into a relationship with you that is centred around aiding you in the best way possible, no matter what it is. This is a function of Elvish burial rights.}
'A function?'
{When an Elven woman's family dies and they do not have another to care for them, it is seen as a holy sign to tie themselves to the one who shows most love to them that is present.}
'Wait... usually this would be lovers or husbands, yes?'
{Not necessarily. This situation, although unique based upon this particular Elven tribe's tradition, is not completely unprecedented within their culture.}
'So she is a best friend?'
{Beyond that, she is anything you wish her to be. A maid, a worker, a soldier, a messenger... A lover. Anything.}
'This feels wrong!'
{It is perfectly natural for it to feel wrong for non-elvish species, please stay calm and merely adapt t the situation.}
I continued to scream at the framework for some answers but it wasn't responding. The customer service for this was terrible to be quite honest... The Sections were nice though so I quietened down like it told me to.
[Elaris]
{Relationship Trust Level- 100/100~
{Relationship Level- Bound Companion ~
{Love Level- 80/100~
{Sexual Desire Level- 80/100~
{Virginity- Maintained~
{All information given is due to level of Relationship}
'Holy fuck... I need a drink.'
"Hannon le an estel enni. Im ú-istathon i-naegil lîn, dan nathron i ennas hain tol lín na idhren. Aníron lîn na sídh, a hûr úbedithon. Man im gîn, a-boe genedron a ninnatha an-neledim anann."
("Thank you for choosing me. Although I do not know your tribe's customs, I trust that this gesture will bring you peace. All that I have is yours, so please ask freely. May we walk close together for a long time.")
I gave this response in coordination with the level of our relationship and the Trust that she had for me. Not one for betraying trust, I felt it only right to acknowledge her and fully embrace her presence, even if it was bizarrely forced and strange. The only issue that was visible to me now was the fact I'd need to provide for not just myself anymore, but also Elaris. The Elven women in the party were absolutely ecstatic though, with the normally grumpy bronze elf; Adaneth, grinning from ear to ear and walking up towards us as Elaris answered me.
"Gerin sîdh ah le, a thîr an le, ae im athen an i nad lín, ú-chenion naegil na lin. Nírathon in-lîn nathlathon!"
("I find peace in your presence, and though I have placed myself at your side, I shall not bring discomfort to you. I am gladdened by your choice to accept!")
I nodded to her words, causing a satisfied grin to adorn her luscious lips, which I was noticing were a lot more captivating than I had last given them credit for. Not only that, her other features were radiant now, as if she were a shining star amidst the darkest of nights. Ease spread across me as the moon fully rose, the asteroids around Selune beaming brightly this night.
'I wanna have a drink...'
...
After travelling into Berdusk with the small amount of light that was left to us, we stopped at the local Inn, finding food and board for a cheep silver each. Some drinks were had between us, but most of the night was spent back in our rooms, tending to armour, reading, fucking; in the case of Whisper and Angelica, and getting to know one another; as it was for me and Elaris.
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