Summer 4999, 06 Akamoth
The rain was constant. Most of the time they were enveloped in gently falling mist, just enough to prevent anything from truly drying. Though twice it had downpoured, the water forcing its way past the thick canopy to the relatively clear jungle floor.
Despite the lack of sun, everything was covered in some kind of vibrantly green life -stones and fallen logs blanketed in moss, and trees draped in vines. It was lovely in its own way, but Alena couldn't be truly happy in a place where the sun's light was so obstructed.
They'd been in the jungle for over a week and were projected to reach the barbarians sometime the next day. The Talkari Ranger had sent a note back with Ryuuko that she would meet them shortly before they arrived at the settlement, but until then, they needed a camping spot.
Shon and Oswall led the way, Ryuuko flying high above. Shon didn't really like being in the front of the group, but he was also the best equipped -besides Ebonwing- to clear the route when necessary. But Ebonwing was in the middle of the marching order with Alena -Tristen and Ranito taking up the rear.
Alena watched Shon's back, the tip of his long braid swaying with each step, though her mind was far away, having wandered off on its own after lunch. At first, Ebonwing's low teasing voice didn't register past Alena's daydreams, but then the Druid's words forced Alena's mind back into her body.
"-barking up the wrong tree."
"Wait... what?" Alena blinked back into focus, and even took her helm off despite the dripping water, "I'm sorry, Eb, I wasn't paying attention."
Ebonwing snickered, "Yeah, I noticed. It's a good thing he's completely oblivious, or he might feel you staring."
Alena batted at the Druid's arm and even huffed, "I was not staring. I was thinking."
"This time," Ebonwing countered, still grinning. Alena put her helm back on to hide her blush and Ebonwing continued, "That's what I was saying. I'm pretty sure you're barking up the wrong tree with that one.
"I... what... but..." Alena spluttered, before finding her words. She lowered her voice to a hissing whisper, "You're the one who keeps telling me to go for it." She glanced at Shon again as he ran a hand over his hair -only temporarily laying the damp frizz flat- and continued quickly, "And I'm not barking up his tree."
Ebonwing's evil eyes twinkled and Alena prayed, regretting whatever opening she'd given her lewd friend. Instead, Ebonwing shrugged, looking at Shon as she said, "Maybe not, but you've been crushing since day one, and I don't want to see you hurt."
"Hurt?" Alena asked, furrowing her brow at the strangely serious Druid, "Shon's the one who's hurt, I just want to help him..." she trailed off, grateful when Oswall called back about a possible camp spot.
Tristen and Ranito picked up their pace to inspect it themselves, but Ebonwing tugged Alena aside, letting them pass and continuing the private talk, "I know Al, I do, I'm just saying... Damn it. What do you see in him anyway?"
Alena thought she might have to check Ebonwing for whiplash. She'd started serious, even concerned, but by the end was exacerbated, gesturing angrily towards Shon. The man himself was helping Tristen with his armor while Ryuuko helped Oswall with the tents and Ranito set up the cookfire inside a bubble spell that would repel water.
"He's, I mean-" Alena scoffed, desperately wanting to make her own wild gestures towards Shon, all while yelling 'look at him!' Instead, she said, "He's dedicated-"
"To a fault," Ebonwing tried to interrupt, but Alena continued over her,
"-kind, generous, and respects our respective strengths." And come ON... just look at him! Alena finished only in thought. It wouldn't be a good argument against Ebonwing... and it was embarrassing.
"Alright, alright, he's a good companion-"
"Friend," Alena corrected petulantly.
Ebonwing rolled her eyes, "Exactly. Look, I'm just saying..." but again she hesitated, ruffling her own frizzy short hair before cursing and finishing, "Just don't go holding your heart in reserve for someone whose hands are full. I don't think he's over his ex."
Alena resisted crossing her arms to huff -her correction had been petulant enough without continuing to act like a child- but her voice still dropped to an angry growl, "The one who left?" for his loyalty to Hengist. Bitch. Whoever she was.
Ebonwing just shrugged, "People are complicated."
Alena narrowed her eyes at the Druid, and when Eb didn't respond, she took off her helm and further exaggerated the expression. Alena had thought Ebonwing agreed with her. "What do you know, Eb?"
"About half of what Ryuuko says when it's cussing out Shon." Ebonwing said very quickly.
Alena blinked at the Druid, "What... does that have to do with anything?"
Ebonwing shrugged, "It answers your question and explains why I can understand it wants some help. Bye." Before Alena could protest, Ebonwing transformed into a crow and swooped for Oswall. She pulled his hair first, but then took the rope he'd been handing off to Ryuuko and flew it up herself.
Alena watched, dumbfounded, until the subject of their very odd conversation cleared his throat. She clanked as she jumped and dropped her helm, which rolled to rest against Shon's boot. Damn, Ebonwing had distracted Alena from removing her armor. Normally, Alena in half-plate would be finished long before Tristen in his full-plate -even with Shon's diligent assistance.
"It's not a race," Alena reminded herself softly, then smiled at Shon, "Yes?"
The frustratingly silent man stooped to pick up her helm, met her eyes as he straightened, then lifted Tristen's oil cloth to wipe the water from it before arching his eyebrow in question.
Use your words... Alena thought in the tone she'd used with toddlers still learning to talk, but said, "Thank you." and began working at the straps of her armor. As much as she wanted him to speak more, he wasn't a toddler.
Alena passed each piece to Shon who wiped it down and stored it in her bag while she moved on to the straps of the next. The others argued over dinner plans, large droplets of condensed mist splattered from the rustling leaves, and the silence between them stretched, giving Alena's mind time to drift. Did he know they'd been talking about him? Had Ryuuko flown close enough to hear at any point?
"You really should wear at least a few pieces of your own. Metal bracers maybe?" Alena filled the silence, redirecting her thoughts and trying, as ever, to find the topic that would get Shon talking today. Armor -and his refusal to wear any- was a familiar topic that also acted as a gauge. If he was in a mood to talk he would answer with words, if not, he would sigh and shake his head. She'd worry if he only grunted, and tell the others if he didn't respond at all.
"It chafes," Shon grumbled and Alena hid her happy smile by bending to remove the most cumbersome layer of armor, the chainmail. As if on cue Shon continued, "and it's a pain."
With the metal shirt only half off, she felt Shon step closer, the hot air cooling a fraction in his presence. Careful not to touch her, he took the chain shoulders and lifted the heavy garment easily, grumbling some complaints about chain specifically. And yet he still turned away to tend to it. All the pain and none of the benefit...
Alena breathed a sigh of relief and started on the chausses, saying, "Yes, but not as painful as having an arm nearly cut off or bones shattering."
This was nice, what it should be. News of a Death Knight had her worried about Shon specifically. It had been a Paladin and had twisted that blessing into blasphemy. Shon had wanted nothing more than to serve as a Paladin, following every tenant even after being denied. So it wasn't surprising that he'd started to shut down while they were preparing in Diem.
Shon turned back to take the legs and even opened his mouth to counter. She interrupted, "Tell me you haven't done both." Shon narrowed his eyes at her -not unlike her own accusing stare at Ebonwing- and Alena continued, "You can't, so tell me instead that it wouldn't have helped at the time."
Shon took the leg with a little jerk, more symbolic than actually pulling it from her grip, and said, "I'd use different tactics in armor."
Yes! Alena resisted wiggling a little happy dance as Shon turned to put away the last piece of plate. If he was willing to banter, then being on the road was still working its strange magic on him. His mood always seemed to improve on mission, but Alena didn't know how much longer it would last and could only hope she could help it stretch as much as possible.
Her mind continued to wander as Alena stripped off the thick gambeson that separated her armor from her skin -preventing most of the chafing Shon often complained about- though it was ridiculously hot, especially in this climate. Her thin under-shift was drenched through. She turned to look for her bag and met Shon's cold eyes only long enough to notice them flick down, then away, his cheeks turning the faintest pink. In contrast, Alena thought hers might rival the sun's heat.
She clutched her gambison to her chest, and Shon turned his body away, looking the opposite direction and holding out her bag to take. She did so, not sure if she should bother continuing to pretend she wasn't blushing, or if she should just cover her face and scream.
As soon as the bag left his hand Shon turned his back to her, but didn't walk away. Instead, he pointed out, "Cooling armor costs more than a cloak."
Alena glanced over to see Shon's broad strong back obstructing her from the other's view, "Always the gentleman..." she whispered under her breath, turning away to find another layer of real -dry- clothes and continuing louder, "If it will get you to wear armor, then I'm sure together Tristen and I can afford it."
Shon snorted, running a hand over his hair, flattening the frizz, and pulling water from the braid to drip off the tip. Why hadn't he done a horse braid like her own? Alena's mind followed the trail of Shon's pitch-black hair to familiar questions. Why didn't he cut it? When they'd met, it had been relatively short, just long enough to frame his eyes. Now it dangled most of the way down his back...
"I did," Shon said.
Alena blinked; gods, the long pauses that came with talking to Shon allowed her mind to wander far too often. At least she was able to refocus quickly. Usually. Sometimes Shon's minimalist speech was a little too cryptic, this was one of those times.
Properly dressed, Alena jogged forward to stand beside him, prompting, "Did what?" and thinking, On the bright side, needing to explain things means he talks more.
Shon started towards the rest of the team, and Alena fell into step beside him while he answered, "I trained- lived," he corrected, "in armor for a year." He stopped short of joining the others inside Ranito's rain-proof bubble, turning towards her to finish, "By the end, I was proficient, but I still hated it."
Alena was lost for words, not because he'd said anything particularly groundbreaking, but because he was referencing his training as a Squire. It was a topic Alena strived to avoid, talking about his time before the vigil was a surefire way to sour Shon's mood. She fumbled for something to say that would stay on topic while also changing the subject, and too quickly, fell on an old go-too, "It hardly matters if it will keep you alive."
But that was easy to answer wordlessly, as Shon demonstrated by rolling his eyes and joining the others for dinner. Alena huffed but followed suit, stepping into the bubble of dry air centered around the cook fire.
All things considered, it was a perfectly normal conversation followed by a perfectly normal dinner, if it hadn't been for Ebonwing's odd behavior beforehand.
Not needing to focus on a conversation, Alena put her actions on auto and gave her mind free rein while she ate, half listening to the others, but half pondering Eb's weird... was it a warning? No... well, maybe... but... more like a removal of her approval? And her argument: dedicated to a fault. Loyal to a fault... But wasn't that why that woman had left him? Even as a friend Alena would do no such thing, but especially if...
She gave her head a little shake, stopping that train of thought in its tracks as she turned in, climbing the wet rope ladder to the hanging tent roughly ten feet above. She would have last watch tonight and always went to bed a little early when that was the case. A few tents down the line, Shon was climbing into bed too, Ryuuko flying around him, pestering him while his hands were full.
But... wasn't it that same abundance of dedication and loyalty that would keep him tied to someone who didn't deserve it? Alena thanked both Soleil and Hengist that Shon's loyalty to the Temple outweighed that to his lovers. He was exactly the type who would keep coming back to an abusive relationship, thinking he deserved no better. And, seeing the best in others, would convince himself that they somehow deserved his continued dedication.
Not that his ex was abusive... Alena admitted to herself that she didn't really know anything about the woman. It was Oswall who'd let slip her existence, and he would've changed the subject if Ebonwing hadn't latched onto it. Though even the Druid's nosey prodding had only managed to reveal that they'd only been lovers for a few months and that he'd lost her by taking this job. Oh yeah... and that she was the type of partner who -even if they were still together- wouldn't mind him using brothels...
Alena groaned into her pillow, chastising Ebonwing for ever asking, and her brain for going down that road again. She forced her mind to work on a problem until she could fall asleep... One of Shon's biggest issues was with self-worth, maybe if she continued to show him that he deserved better -just as a friend- then he would realize that he deserved even more from a lover...
She woke before her watch and peeked out the gently swaying tent to check how much longer she had. Shon was sitting in the bubble of dry, attempting to brush his hair. So it was nearly her turn. On his watch, Shon always journaled, did drills, and tended to basic hygiene such as this, and he always saved the washing and brushing for just before waking her up, preferring to go back to bed clean.
With no point in going back to sleep, Alena dressed, hanging her legs out the opening to put on her boots before climbing down. The ground squelched, but at least it's warm, she reminded herself, determined to think on the bright side, especially before talking to Shon. If her spirits could just be a tiny bit contagious...
Alena stepped into the dry space, with a happy, "Good evening,"
Shon grunted, though if in answer to Alena or in frustration with his hair, she wasn't sure. He'd managed to brush its full length and had gathered it at the nape of his neck to braid, but it was long enough that the tips started to tangle as he worked. It didn't help that Ryuuko was perched on its haunches behind him, batting the tip with its foreclaws like a cat, greatly contributing to its human's frustration.
Alena sighed, walking around the fire to gently toe the pseudodragon away, "Do you want some help?" Gods, if he only knew how many things that question pertained to, though in this case, "with the braid I mean."
Shon grunted in the negative and began untangling it again. But Alena had a secret weapon. She planted her fists on her hips, and demanded, "and why not?" for some reason, staying polite didn't work as well on Shon as being blunt did.
True to form, this time Shon answered nearly as bluntly, "Takes too long."
Alena huffed, moving to stand behind him. She resisted slapping his hands away and instead said, "I don't have to touch you to braid your hair, and unlike Eb and Os, I don't like to watch you struggle."
She held her breath where he couldn't see until his hands dropped. She let it out as he turned in his seat to arch an eyebrow at her. Those eyes froze her in place, her heart sped up, and for a moment she couldn't interpret his expression.
Apparently, he'd taken her silence as an answer of some kind, because he turned back around and said, "If you want." and held up his comb for her. Then he sighed, actually continuing, "I don't know why I bother."
Alena stuck the comb in her own hair to free up her hands. She didn't flinch as she gathered Shon's hair -it wasn't nearly as cold as his skin, but was still cool to the touch. "I should probably thank you for the opportunity, this is downright refreshing." She said.
But that made Shon twitch. Ryuuko flew onto her shoulder but stretched its long neck out to softly twitter at him while Alena just furrowed her brow in confusion at the back of his head, changing the subject away from his cold, "You know, it would work much better if you used a horse braid."
"I can't." Shon confessed, Ryuuko twittering mockingly until he clarified, "on myself."
Alena pat Ryuuko but chastised, "Be nice. I had to practice a lot." She smiled down at the back of Shon's head, hoping he could feel her glee, "but lucky for you it paid off and I can do it. Better than most, if I'm allowed to brag."
Far from being reassured, Shon lifted his arm as if to stop her, but hesitated before touching her hand. Eventually, he dropped it, saying, "Use protection."
"It's not that cold, and of all of us I've touched you the most already. I already didn't mind the cold, but even if I did, I'd be used to it by now." she finished.
Shon tried to look down, stopping only because she still had hold of his hair. Alena could imagine him closing his eyes, either in pain, or thinking of a response. Damn, she'd messed up again. Task at hand. Don't draw attention to his reaction. Act natural. Normal. She instructed herself, then tugged on Shon's hair saying, "Look up for this part."
He did so, and though his eyes weren't closed as she'd feared, he did close them once she started combing, gathering locks from the front and pulling them tight to the scalp as she braided, gathering more as she went.
Despite her reassurance, Shon was that cold. Her fingertips quickly started to sting, before eventually going numb as the silence stretched. "You didn't flinch when I started..." Alena whispered.
Shon didn't like being touched. He'd explained that he'd spent his young life with everyone either pulling away from him in discomfort or enquiring about his health. So, young-Shon had avoided touching others, going so far as to dodge them when possible. As a teen, his power awakened and his temperature dropped further, to the point that most jerked away at his cold. Shon didn't always flinch when Alena touched him, but he always twitched. He had this time too, but she chose not to address it. Baby steps.
Shon grunted, eyes still closed. The silence gnawed at her, and avoiding uncomfortable things hadn't worked all damn day, blunt had done something, so Alena tried being direct, "I know you don't like being touched bu-"
"I do," Shon interrupted. Alena fumbled with his hair and took a moment to reorganize both it and her thoughts. Or tried to, but Shon went so far as to continue, though his voice dropped and Alena wasn't sure she was meant to hear it, "I crave it..." He took a deep breath and explained at regular volume, "But I can feel it. The warmth -life- draining from anyone who does." He turned his head a fraction, but not enough to really look at her. She felt it anyway. "I hate it."
Alena swallowed, but forced another smile and said softly, "next time, I'll use a protection spell." then -louder and faster- she tried to move on, "though it's too late now, I'm past that part and finishing up the length."
Letting his head fall back again, Shon sighed into the night, "Thank you, Alena."
She had to hope her blush was obscured by the dark as she finished up his braid. Ryuuko whistled, tapping the hourglass they used to time watch. It was time for Shon to go back to bed. He'd probably been tired, that's why he'd spoken so much...
"Well, sweet sleep Shon. See you in the morning." Alena said, stepping away to give him plenty of space to turn.
He did, resting his left fist in his right palm and bowing to her. Then he walked away, exiting the dry bubble and climbing up to his tent without another word.
***
