[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/zIVjdWn.png[/img] Collab between [@SkeankySnack] and [@c3p-0h] [sub]Location: The Sun Temple[/sub] [hr][/center] Tia tried very hard not to cower under the giant’s piercing stare. Her eyes drifted over his hulking form. She was mortified with herself when she flinched at his bow, his massive head coming close to hers. The sound of the heavy temple doors closing echoed down the hallway — and Tia was alone with the massive blight-born man. Her fingers tightened around the staff. He was… [i]disarmingly[/i] polite, despite his towering figure and harsh accent. Tia jumped when he let out a guttural curse and stomped away from her. One hand against her chest, she tried to slow her breathing. She… she needed a [i]break[/i]. It seemed like today had only piled one overwhelming development after the other, and Tia was exhausted. Her eyebrows scrunched together and she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to steady herself. She had a guest in the temple — an enormous, terrifying guest who’d just witnessed the arrest of a possible [i]traitor to the crown[/i] — and Tia was still responsible to see to his needs. Even if she would’ve really appreciated a nap instead. Or to bury herself underground. Or just a nice good [i]cry[/i]. When the man came clomping back to her, Tia’s eyes were open and she had a polite, if strained, smile on her place. She hoped he paid no mind to the enormous weapon she carried. He shoved his hand towards her and she flinched back. An… offering. Well, it was thoughtful if nothing else. Tia smiled up at him, her expression slightly bemused. If he had gone to all this trouble to procure this… [i]offering[/i], then it was a blessed gift for Aelios. She would… just need to figure out what to do with it. Soon. Before it started to smell. She shook her head up at the man — Ivor — in response to his hope that Aelios wouldn’t be mad. Trying to fight through her worries and anxiety, she gave him as encouraging a smile as she could manage. Then she looked from his face to the fish. [center][color=2e2c2c][sub][i]...Tiiin…Gaaaa…Raaaaaa…[/i][/sub][/color][/center]Time stopped. Its scales sparkled with a path of blue and purple starlight. [center][color=2e2c2c][sub][i]Where are the stars, Tingara?[/i][/sub][/color][/center] [color=lemonchiffon]“Where…”[/color]Her throat wasn’t recovered yet. Her was soft and rough, the word burning her throat. Tia stopped herself. Tried to swallow. Then she looked back up at Ivor’s face. [color=9a45dc]“Hm?”[/color] Had she said something? There was a noise that came from her shocked expression, but perhaps it was just a gasp? No, this time there was a word, but it was almost whispered, barely perceptible for the giant to hear. [color=9a45dc]“Speak up please, yes?”[/color] Ivor said, approaching a little closer, [color=9a45dc]“Ivor is having trouble hearing…”[/color] he stopped and cocked his head to the side, really taking in her expressions and stance. He had noticed it earlier, but the flinching, the strained face, it reminded him of Eris when he first began taking lessons from her. He remembered asking what was wrong with her face and the lesson was cut shortly after that. She would later explain to him that a man as large as he was considered by many to be ‘intimidating’ and ‘unapproachable’. His lesson for the day, at his request, was how to be ‘less scary to tiny people’. [color=9a45dc]“Oh, what was it Miss Eris said?”[/color] he paused, pondering the depths of his mind. [i][color=B1E4FC]‘Smile at people when you meet them…b-but maybe not so intense like that. Softer, like this.’[/color][/i] Ivor forced a smile, not the kind of smile he’d give that was wide, happy, toothy, but more subdued like Miss Eris had shown him. What resulted looked something more akin to a set of puckered lips with an upward curve. Tia blinked at him, fresh alarm on her face. [i][color=B1E4FC]‘You’re also pretty…tall, so m-maybe make yourself shorter like the person you’re speaking with.’[/color][/i] Ivor had lowered himself down on one knee earlier, but even then he was still towering over the priestess. Perhaps if he took a seat? Checking behind himself first, Ivor began to lower himself down on his rear, careful not to drop the fish as he plopped to the ground with a dull thud, shaking the floor in the process. Tia’s hand darted back to the staff as she tried to steady it — or herself. Just as he was about to speak, Eris’ words poured into his brain once more. [i][color=B1E4FC]‘And maybe don’t yell at people when you talk to them, lower your voice, especially indoors…’[/color][/i] Oh right, ‘inside voices’; [color=9a45dc]“Miss Priestess,”[/color] Ivor whispered, [color=9a45dc]“Could you please maybe, speak a little louder, Ivor cannot hear what it is you were saying.”[/color] Tia’s eyebrows raised as she tried to make sense of the display. Then her cheeks started to pink as realization set in. He was… trying not to [i]scare[/i] her. This behemoth of a man, arm muscles thicker than her torso, with a voice that boomed so loudly it filled the entire temple — even sitting down, he was still nearly at her eye level. Tia felt embarrassment flood her, that her fear had been so obvious that he’d taken it upon himself to treat her so carefully. Even if his attempts were clumsy and he still dwarfed her, it was… oddly [i]touching[/i]. This time when Tia smiled at him, it was softer. More genuine. Even if there was an apology buried in it as she met his crimson eyes. Her lips pressed together. Then she gave a small shake of her head in answer to his question, raising a hand to tap against the scarf covering her throat. Ivor watched as her body language seemed to relax a little and with it, Ivor’s strained smile turned a little more genuine, still soft, and not so toothy. Ivor cocked his head in the other direction to ponder her action, then it clicked, [color=9a45dc]“You..cannot speak?”[/color] That didn’t seem right, he definitely heard her say something. Maybe something happened that was preventing her from speaking, maybe why she had her neck covered? He didn’t know all the answers, but he knew enough to nod in solidarity. Whether it was something physical, or a personal choice, Ivor wouldn’t pry further into the matter. She looked back down at the fish. It seemed bigger, now that it wasn’t held in Ivor’s enormous hands. Familiar shades of blue and purple danced along its scales and for a moment Tia was lost in the river of colors. Looking up at Ivor again, she hesitated before pointing a finger at the fish. She stopped herself. She bit her lip. Then she used both hands to tilt the weapon she was holding towards Ivor, a silent request to hold it. He watched as the priestess pointed towards the fish, hesitating before leaning the staff towards him. Looking between her and it, he figured it was getting in the way of whatever she was trying to do. Leaning forward he grabbed the staff, easily lifting from her grip. Inspecting the tool over, he hadn’t noticed the exposed blade, nearly the same length as the handle. His eyebrow raised curiously before he returned his attention back to the priestess, whose sight laid upon the fish offering. [color=9a45dc]“Is good fish yes? You want to know more about it?”[/color] He paused and thought, [color=9a45dc]“if you cannot speak though, how is Ivor to do the talking with you?”[/color] Tia watched as he handled Gadez’s weapon, guilt briefly sweeping through her. It was so important to him… but Ivor wouldn’t damage it, right? It would be fine. Tia was only letting go of it for a little while, she told herself. Then she met Ivor’s eyes again. Holding up a hand for a gesture to wait, Tia turned from Ivor to move back into her room. Her pulse spiked as she put her back to him — claws and teeth and [i]pain[/i] flashed in her mind. But… Ivor was sitting. He whispered to her like he was trying to soothe a small, scared animal — and Tia supposed that to him, that was exactly what she was. She crossed her room to her bedside table and pulled the drawer open, the paper and pencils rattling slightly within. Tia glanced over her shoulder to find Ivor still sitting in the hallway, holding the weapon. The fish glittered on the floor before him. Turning back to the drawer, she pulled out a loose sheet and hurriedly wrote a message on it. Tia walked back to Ivor to hold the paper up. Her hands trembled slightly as anticipation built within her. The fish was a heavy presence between them. [quote][i][color=lemonchiffon]Thank you for the offering — it’s very kind. Where did you find the fish? Was there a cave nearby?[/color][/i][/quote] Ivor waited as she held up her hand and returned to her room, watching as she reappeared with a sheet of paper. Holding it up to him he stared at the words, a mess of lines and scribbles, a contrast of black and white. He blinked, staring at the note for a few moments, it wasn’t nearly as neat as Miss Eris’ handwriting and her letters were much bigger than whatever was written on the sheet in front of him. He looked to the priestess, then the paper again, slowly he reached out and grabbed the sheet from her hands to look it over more closely. Some of the words he recognized, others…well he needed the practice for Miss Eris’ next lesson. [color=9a45dc]“Th- Tank..you, for, the, the off- the offer- offferrring…offering. It is, very, ki- kid? Ware…did, you, finned, the the….hmmmm fie-shu. Was, there, a…a cave, nerby….”[/color] [i][color=lemonchiffon]Stars above, he can’t [b]read[/b].[/color][/i] He looked up from the sheet back to her, [color=9a45dc]“what is fie-shu?”[/color] Tia made a small, distressed sound — or at least, she tried to. It came out as more of a breathy, half-formed squeak as her nerves grew. Her hand shot out to point down at the fish again. He looked at the fish on the floor, then the paper in his hand. [color=9a45dc]“Ohhhhh! The fish!”[/color] He bellowed out in laughter at his blunder, quickly covering his mouth as the noise echoed, [color=9a45dc]“Ivor apologizes,”[/color] he spoke softly. [color=9a45dc]“Where did Ivor find fish and was there cave nearby?”[/color] Ivor asked before shaking his head, [color=9a45dc]“no…”[/color] then he paused, [color=9a45dc]“wait..yes, there was cave,”[/color] he reminisced, [color=9a45dc]“Ivor fell down a hole before blizzard, stumbled upon cave that glittered like like sparkle at twilight, found many [b]MANY[/b] fish!”[/color] He emphasized by stretching his arms out wide. [color=9a45dc]“There is more outside, for the town, should keep many bellies full, yes?”[/color] Tia’s heart was thundering in her ears — but his words cut through. She was nodding before he even finished speaking. Kneeling down on the floor, Tia wrote again on the paper. She tried to take a deep breath, writing as clearly as she could even as her hands shook. She held the paper back up to him. [quote][i][color=lemonchiffon]Please show me?[/color][/i][/quote] He read over the words aloud again, and with that simplicity came clarity for the non-native speaker. [color=9a45dc]“You want me to show you the fish cave?”[/color] His eye scrunched as he assessed the woman before him. Ivor hadn’t intended on showing anyone his recent fishing spot discovery, lest some greedy thieves come along and fish up the whole supply. He didn’t really feel that would happen if he showed the priestess, but the request was unusual coming from a person of her status. Then again, maybe she just found peace fishing? Ivor could understand that sentiment. [color=9a45dc]“Okay, Ivor will show you,”[/color] he smiled and nodded, [color=9a45dc]“but, why do you want to see the fish cave?”[/color] His inquiry was serious, but his grin didn’t fade, hoping to ease her nerves. Again, Tia hesitated. She knew her request was odd. She knew she was treating this fish — the [i]cave[/i] — with more importance than would be expected. The force of all the secrets she was supposed to keep slammed into her, and it was nearly suffocating. She looked up at the large man who’d been nothing but courteous to her. Tia didn’t want to lie to him. But the Prince’s warnings, along with the Arch Priest’s echoed in her mind — [i]don’t tell him.[/i] For a moment she just looked up at Ivor. Then she brought the paper down again and wrote out another note. [quote][i][color=lemonchiffon]I need to follow the crystals.[/color][/i][/quote] Ivor thought for a moment, [color=9a45dc]“Cry…stall…criiiii oh.. The crystals! Küch, the spellings is strange on that one,”[/color] he recalled the cave formation, two entrances, one on either side. Technically he made one of those finding his way through the first time, but there was no crystals outside of that room. Ivor shook his head, [color=9a45dc]“I do not know which of these crystals you can follow, the fish cave was the only place with the crystals…”[/color] he paused thinking harder, [color=9a45dc]“although…I could see the fish down in the water because…crystals were lighting up in the water…”[/color] he looked at her seriously, [color=9a45dc]“can you swim?”[/color] Tia’s mind whirled. The crystals were… [i]underwater?[/i] She thought of the snow — the Lunarian chill that she still wasn’t used to. Living in Dawnhaven was the coldest she’d ever been in her life, nevermind going for a [i]swim[/i] — But her dreams flashed in her mind. The glitter of the stars, embedded in the black of the cave. The burning, bristling [i]heat,[/i] urging her forward. She met Ivor’s gaze again. She nodded. [color=9a45dc]“Jabool!”[/color] Ivor rolled back before kicking his body up onto his feet, [color=9a45dc]“what in the world are we waiting for, let’s go then!”[/color] Ivor turned and started walking for the door then stopped. [color=9a45dc]“Oh,”[/color] he turned back, realizing he was doing the thing again where he does but needed to think, [color=9a45dc]“you might want things, our journey takes us around the lake to base of mountain,”[/color] he approached the priestess again. [color=9a45dc]“We may also want extra companion for the journey, in case of ‘the danger’.”[/color] Tia’s eyes widened at the word [i]danger[/i]. Somehow the thought hadn’t even occurred to her — that she might be walking into something that was impossible to walk out of. Her scar seemed to burn beneath her scarf. The fabric was weighed down and sticky, soaked through with crimson. The last time she’d ventured out, desperate to help, desperate to prove useful… [i]Tia was laying on the ground, staring up at the river of stars in the sky, her blood soaking the earth.[/i] And the thought of bringing another on their journey, into [i]danger,[/i] nearly made her take back her request to explore the cave. Not to mention… what would the [i]Prince[/i] say? He’d looked at her so coldly, the distance between them a gaping chasm as he’d told her about the upcoming expedition and to keep her visions a secret — to tell him if she’d had any more. She was already lying to him by omission. What would he say — how would he [i]punish her[/i] — if he knew about this unsanctioned expedition to explore a vision she [i]hadn’t told him about?[/i] But there was that sensation again… that weight on the back of her neck that whispered and urged her forward. Tia looked down at her hands. She still wore the ring that had been given to her by the family of the boy she’d healed that first day in Dawnhaven. The fire opal glittered as her hand trembled, the flecks of color dancing light firelight. Like [i]stars[/i]. Tia looked back up at Ivor. He was still holding Gadez’s spear. Tia didn’t know if he would approve of another wielding it — but somehow Tia felt better if it went on the journey with them. And [i]she[/i] certainly wasn’t strong enough to use it. Finally, she gave Ivor a nod. She hoped it looked more confident than she felt. She doubted it, though. She fluttered around her room, assembling what little she could in a bag. She paused though, as she looked through her closet. An ornate box, gilded and glittering in gemstones, sat hidden at the bottom. The word [i]danger[/i] echoed in her mind again. Tia was a healer. She didn’t know the first thing about combat or defending herself — she’d never carried a weapon before. But her fingers touched the scarf wrapped around her neck. A weapon wouldn’t have protected her that day, she knew. She hadn’t even seen the attack coming, and trained soldiers had been ripped apart like it was nothing. Tia remembered the scattered bodies she’d woken amongst. But still, her gaze stayed on the box. Finally, she opened it and pulled out a ceremonial dagger, with an ornate hilt and a glittering sheath. It wasn’t meant to be used for combat. It felt blasphemous even [i]holding[/i] it before its time had come. It was heavy in Tia’s hands, the metal almost hot to the touch. But it was all she had and the blade was sharp, she knew - sharp enough to pierce a heart. Tia slipped it into the thick fabric that secured her robe, adjusting the belt until it covered it completely. She would take care of it — it would only come out if absolutely necessary, she promised. She finished her preparations, stopping by her table again to leave a note for Ranni and Dyna and all but inhale the forgotten bowl of soup (it was warm as it filled her, centering her… and making her sad again as she thought of the one who’d brought it to her) and then she was finally ready…ish. Ready-ish. She stood before Ivor, nodding at him as confidently as she could. Even as her heart drummed in her chest. She held up the paper again, another note written at the bottom. [quote][i][color=lemonchiffon]Post office first?[/color][/i][/quote] While the priestess ran off to gather her supplies Ivor stood quietly in the hallway, boredom quickly set in as he fidgeted with the weapon he was given. It wasn’t his, but he was impressed with its design and even weight distribution. It wasn’t anything like his battleaxe he kept mounted on his hut’s wall, but it was a good blade. He took a few practice swings, noting the hardened metal ball on the other end felt more familiar than the sword end. Its design suggested it was meant as a walking stick, but it was too short for Ivor to wield as such. Reaching for his belt, he pulled some rope slung to the side, cutting a length and fashioning a sort of sling to rest the blade across his shoulder and back. Taking a few more practice swings, he slung it over his shoulder once the priestess reammerged from her chambers, another note in hand. [color=9a45dc]“Post office? Do you know someone there? Strange place to go to before cave, but who am I to do the judging.”[/color] Ivor stepped aside, allowing her to lead them, [color=9a45dc]“I will follow where you go, when you’re ready to go to the cave, just let Ivor know.”[/color] He smiled, [color=9a45dc]“Ready when you are.”[/color] Tia led them through the side door near the springs — she needed to retrieve her notebook and charcoal that she’d dropped what felt like a lifetime ago… before her sisters had returned to her, before she’d gone against the Arch Priest to reveal her visions to the Prince, before Gadez had… been so very [i]Gadez[/i], only for Dyna to haul him off to a cell. She buried the fish in its place, hoping the snow would keep it fresh. And then the priestess and barbarian were off, finally headed into town and away from the temple grounds.