Carantathraiel

Wanderers

Envy tilted his head as Ruli all but fled, his face then turning toward Kire. As she asked, he tilted his head to beckon her, leading her along the system. The large circular chamber he'd claimed as his own was much less sparse, and he directed himself around the furniture to the large, wide chair sitting against the far side. Around it were two smaller, backless seats, for conversations just as this or, more often then not, Gavin's lessons.
Inviting her to sit, Envy leaned back and listen, his expression blank, though his clouded eyes shifted now and then at her explanation. He could smell the ointment on her arm, and could smell the scent of a semi-familiar tobacco smoke in her hair. And Ruli's flatbread. Envy pursed his lips, but offered no reaction other than that.

Until she mentioned Ruli and Daryll's theory, and the potential need for Gavin's blood. Envy stiffen, nostril's flaring slightly in annoyance, but was spared from immediately shooting her down by the appearance of Gavin. It was short lived, though, and Envy sighed. "He may, but you may not ask him for anything." Envy said firmly. "I will hear no argument on the matter."

He went quiet, mind moving, until Ruli and Ysaryn arrived. She wore something akin to a robe, the fabric asymmetrical and wrapped around her so it fell to one side, her leather pants and tunic beneath revealed. "Kirai." Ysaryn greeted, her eyes on the woman. There was a dangerous smile on her lips, a huntress's smirk. Ruli raised his arm to give Kire the 'OK' symbol over Ysaryn's head.
"What were you thinking?" Envy snapped at him, and both Ysaryn and Ruli went still, eyes wide. Though the former relaxed first, suddenly looking entertained. "Suggesting blood magic? And the use of his blood?"
Ruli cleared his throat. "Just to warn you, Ed has been teaching Kire elvish."
Ysaryn's gaze flit to Kire, her predatory grin returning. "Ooooh! So, do you understand?" She asked, delighted.
"It is not for her benefit, but his." Envy continued over Ysaryn. "This is foolish, even for you."
Ruli glanced around to Kire, then shrugged.
"Rulitus informs me I am to have own swords?" Ysaryn asked, stepping up to Kire to gently grasp her elbow, lifting her right arm for inspection. "And a battle in for to shed blood?"

Wanderers

Ruli sipped his drink while Elva and Kire spoke, finishing the last of their supply list before Kire was brought out of her well of thoughts. He set down his mug carefully and got to his feet. "Do you mind if I borrow the clothing? I'll bring them back." He promised, not really feeling like changing just yet. "And, if you'd allow it, I would appreciate the recipe for the ointment your healers used. Ours has a horrible scent and doesn't work quite that well. I'll offer something in trade."

But, as Kire tested her portal, Ruli tucked his arms against himself, suddenly feeling extremely cautious. "You're not going to leave half of me behind, are you?" He asked cautiously. When she reassured him, he tentatively reached out for her hand, but he still shut his eyes as she pulled him through.

Once he knew they were in the caves, and in one piece, he breathed. He let Kire go, rotating his shoulders to stretch. "Oh, no, you're dead. I'm going to go talk to Envy, and get out of the line of fi-"
"Ruli!"
Envy appeared, his hand on the wall, following the path of the cave to find the two nearby. "What, by the Gods, happened! Wards were screeching, Gavin came running, and ... Kire?" Envy inhaled, catching her scent. "Well, now Gavin's mention of blue makes sense." He folded his arms, waiting. Clearing his throat, Ruli glanced toward Kire. You can explain that. "I'm going to find Ysaryn, see if I can't talk her down from murder to maim." He teased before disappearing.

Wanderers

Ruli woke, burrowed under the blankets, the pillow tossed off the bed, his leg left hanging over the edge of the mattress. He decided at once that he liked the beds here, though only for now and then. Had he a mattress this soft in Úvano, he'd never wake up in time for his messhall breakfast. Nor would he get anything done, and he'd wind up much softer than he was now.
He struggled to get up, his back stiff, but no more sore than last night. Ruli rubbed his face, stretched and bent, before he rose and shuffled out of the room.

To be led to Elva. "Morning." He greeted in return, looking around and wondering why he'd been delivered here. If it was his turn for a lecture. As the mistress of the house explained that Kire and Narda had left, but would be back, he nodded, grinning as she complimented her supplies. "Sure. A-are you able to read my language? I know Kire isn't able to. If not, I can tell you what I know I will have trouble finding, and you can write it down? And, may I request some coffee?"

He sat himself in a chair, and once he held a warm cup against his palms, Ruli thought over his list once more and began listing what he could use help in gathering. Most of it was sure to be found in either world. The natural portions; rocks, herbs, ash, and so forth. The rest, he discussed with Elva in part, trying to relay the exact specifications before deciding which he'd rather grab in his world. A few items he didn't bother listing, like the tools he used. He was in the process of double checking the quantity with Elva when Kire reappeared, and Ruli looked her way. In response, he lifted his own mug of coffee, gesturing for her to sit and drink. "Hows the arm?" He asked, looking it over. He was glad to see most of the burn had healed, only her hand bore the worst of it, now.

Wanderers

He frowned deeply, puzzled, making a note to ask Envy about this, too. "Huh." Ruli hummed, before unfolding his arms. "Well. Let me know if you get another? I find myself curious."

Turning, he put his hand on his doorknob, glancing at her arm. "Two days. Dinner tomorrow?" He asked, gaze back onto her face. "Goodnight, Empress. Go fix that arm."

Slipping into his room, door shut behind him, he was glad to find his linens had been changed and were warm and dry. He moved to the bed, kicked off the boots, and fell into it.

Wanderers

"I ..." Ruli frowned, confused. "I didn't show you anything to do with my cooking, so no, it's not real. But it is true." He said, pausing in the hallway between their rooms. "That woman I showed you, Dara? She taught me a lot."
His eyes studied her face, wanting to know more about these false memories she was getting, and why.

He folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe, hissing g softly as his tender back muscles hit the wood. "How often do you get them?" Ruli wondered aloud. "And, if I may, what do they show you?"

Wanderers

Ruli nodded, agreeing with Kire. "We've forbidden him any sort of action into any blood magic, not that he's objected in any way. It would be incredibly cruel to walk up and demand his blood, even if we explained the reasons. He's coming along nicely with the rest of his lessons, I have no objection to asking him, but you'd have to ask Envy for permission, who has taken the lad on as one of his own." Ruli informed Kire.
And, as she mentioned having a way to get the direction he needed, he only met her gaze, wondering what her family knew, how much she'd tell them, and how much they'd ask at that sly mention.

Elva, thankfully, came to the rescue. Two days. Ruli reeled a little at the short amount of time as he stood and pushed in his chair. "Two days to go back, gather what they needed, and return. He began making lists in his head; magic supplies, clothing, weapons, Ysaryn. He was quite as they walked back to their rooms, repeating and rechecking his list until he heard his name. "Mm?" He asked, glancing up.
Then he chuckled. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to go to dinner." He answered bluntly. "Not what we just had. But in Cordon or Pokos. Or even maybe I'll just cook something for you."
Ruli turned his head toward her. "Exactly how much do you and Envy discuss me? With you knowing I bake cakes, and all."

Wanderers

"Ysaryn and I could get in easily, and, if we managed to get even a little Gemini blood, I could make us untraceable. Hide our symbolic scent." Ruli offered. "Of course, we would need help knowing where to go. And we'd have to be incredibly careful, as any sort of magic used within would undoubtedly alert them. Ysaryn's not always the most subtle of allies, either."

He glanced to Elva, opening his mouth as he considered his answer. "Drops. Nothing more than she hasn't shed already." He looked Narda over, considering this, too. "If we get all the enchantment pieces ready before hand, and have several people carry them in, then, yeah, it would be only a matter of placing them correctly and unseen. That would be the most difficult part, at least until the Gemini realize we've done something. Then, its not being found, and preventing them from destroying what we've done."

Ruli glanced back at Kire. "It won't be easy, entirely. But if it will get you your home back, even Envy would say it'd be foolish not to try."

Wanderers

"Well, no, when blood is involved, nothing is uncomplicated." Ruli agreed. "But the wards are easy enough. You just have to know what instructions to put down for the magic to obey." He explained. "Blood is simply the best reagent. Not, er, that I support the Gemini and their type of magic. I like blood only for things such as protective wards. I have no fondness for the horrible things they're creating."

As Daryll went on to ask how big his wards could get, and relayed his theory, Ruli leaned forward onto the table to listen. It wasn't as simple as jotting down an alphabet, but ... it was actually genius. Ruli said so when Kire turned to him and ask. "Quite the opposite." He answered. "When Narda and Elva mentioned the Red Tower earlier, the thought crossed my mind, especially if this tower is one of the reasons they're rooting around in the Capital to begin with." He turned toward Daryll. "Magic and wards to negate whatever is inside is easy enough, but it gets complicated from there. Kire wouldn't be able to do anything unless we somehow tie her into the wards, themselves. But-" He made a face. "-having never done such a thing, so this is only speculation, I imagine any magic she would use once within would drain her quickly. You, quickly." Ruli added, realizing he'd been speaking as if Kire weren't there. "Relying on military strength alone would work, especially if you outmatch them, and perhaps only using your magic as a last resort?"

Wanderers

Ruli definitely liked Daryll. "That latter is vague, as I'm assuming everyone here nag her constantly." He dug into his dinner as Narda and Kire spoke, and then the discussion spiraled around the table. He enjoyed the fact that they had rules about battle talk around the younger girls, which was a rule they also had themselves long ago in Ziad. Why Envy's personal chambers were usually warded against sound to prevent eavesdropping, even if the children believed it was to allow Envy to sleep without hearing the entire tunnel system projecting every voice.

He was quiet, feeling oddly out of place while the family caught up on recent adventures, learnings, and visitors. This sort of close knit, sit-together-over-dinner family had been something he hadn't had in a long time, not since it had just been himself, Zeke, and a few others in the tunnels of Ziad. When they became too many to sit at one table, dinners had become more of a eat when you can, sit where you can thing. Ruli found it pleasant. Something he hadn't been aware that he missed.

"Goodnight, ladies." He grinned at the two as they departed, waving his hand before gathering his drink. Perhaps he could slip away again, allow the cousins and Narda to converse, until Kire mentioned his return to his world, and the gathering of Ysaryn. As Daryll made his evidently surprising revelation that he wanted to participate in the war council, Ruli studied him, then raised his eyebrows as the man addressed him again.
"I'm not sure if Kire mentioned, but I used blood runes, myself." Ruli admitted. "Her blood, precisely. With permission, but still. Its likely why it was able to overpower their magic, if you ask me. Whatever dormant magic runs in your blood, and is amplified by Kire's Ring." He glanced sidelong at Kire to see if she'd revealed this information to them, knowing how taboo it was. "But it was easy enough. Blood or no, even the girls would be able to perform them. Its as simple as another language."

Wanderers

Ruli grinned to Etta. "It goes well with everything." He chimed in, proud. But as Etta asked about cake once more, and Kire answered that he does, he whipped his gaze to her. How had she known that? He'd made no comment before, and hadn't baked in far over a year, with the exception of bread. Envy. Ruli sighed, glad for Elva's sudden appearance. There was so much of the healer disposition that reminded him of Envy. Kind and concerned, but parental and firm where necessary. Plus she smoked; which wasn't entirely uncommon, in his world, or possibly this one, but it brought familiarity, all the same.

As the last of the cousins entered, Daryll, Ruli turned his head to study this one. Instantly, Ruli liked him. Long hair, boring clothing, an air about him that said no bullshit. Of course, most of Kire's family had that sort of outlook, but Ruli supposed having to deal with Kire engrained that into them. He did, however, sneak Kire a look when Daryll said being yelled at wouldn't help.

"To be honest, I wasn't aware she had any other setting." Ruli answered. "You're Daryll, then? Your name has come up quite a bit." Ruli's eyes moved around the room, half expecting Ed to come strolling in. Then he felt uneasy. They really just ate while Ed was on the battlefield? As if this were just an every day thing? Feeling no desire to stir the pot over dinner, Ruli kept quiet on the matter, his back straight in his seat.