Nemaisare — Roleplayer Guild

The nymph’s head tilted slowly, eyes flickering as the lights spun like stars around them. Pinpricks of light that settled, gentle and silent like snow, on leaf and branch and bark until the whole clearing glowed. 

This human spoke as she had not known them to speak before. Trees held long memories, but few visited this place since they’d reclaimed it. Well, few of this fearful one’s kind. And never with her language. It was pleasantly surprising, as she had expected she might have to feed the earth with this one too, for making use of such chains. But she’d been so diligent in only using dead wood. And she was only one. Not so dangerous, on their own, she had learned. 

Perhaps she might reason instead.

<Whyyyy… would I want when I can wish? Why would I have this tired soul leave me?> She’d seen that the human kept the other chained. And she did not approve, but it was not for her, yet, to interfere. Matiir had not asked for her help. <So far from home, child of risen stone.> The rustling voice grew soft as she leaned down to run a finger down Matiir’s spine, making him stretch groggily and lift his head with a wide yawn. <What binds you to this human?>

Matiir only blinked at her, settling his head back down when he saw that his chains were still in place and no one was wanting him to move. He had no answer yet beside the obvious one. The nymph’s fingers curled tighter about the chain at his silence, and she turned again to Samaire. <What binds you to him?> There was surely an explanation. Somewhere.

Shoulders curled in, eyes wide open or glazed, though her expression closed up from that brief bit of hopeful he thought he’d seen and Kal was watching maybe a little too closely, but he didn’t think anyone could have missed the way her crossed arms said lost and lonely. Vulnerable. No wonder her father was pointing that… oh. 

Much as he’d been acting casual, he only relaxed when that rifle finally lowered all the way, hands unfisting in his pockets and shoulders dropping visibly. He couldn’t help the relief. Getting shot wasn’t on his bucket list. Especially not at close range. If the distance made a difference, he wasn’t actually sure, it was mostly the principle of the thing, being able to add an especially onto an already emphatic statement. He wasn’t sure if he’d won through yet either, but he knew the threat of violence was more or less passed, provided he and Prhy behaved. 

Behind him, picking up on the lowering tension, his brother reached into the trailer and grabbed a shirt to pull on as he stood up to join them again, his quiet scowl not losing an inch of ground despite the warming reception. For his own part, Kal took the man at his word, though he couldn’t help a quick laugh as he walked through the door, letting out his own nervous energy as he openly looked around. “If this ain’t already funny business, sir, I’d like t’know what you get up to your daily routine.”

Still shaking his head a little, he took in the homey clutter and sense of lived in making do, eyes darting up to the ceiling that weighed far heavier over his head than what he was used to before he turned his gaze back to the young woman. He was tempted, after Prhy calling him an idiot, to ask for coffee, but restrained himself, with effort and a sigh. “Water, if it’s no trouble, please. He’ll have the same.”

A thumb towards Prhy included him in the conversation, though he hardly looked interested. His eyes were blearily staring at the table’s corner, not really seeing it as he focused his attention beyond the kitchen to the walls and rooms around them, listening more closely to the shift and settle of an old house, waiting for the telltale huff of breath that might prove they weren’t alone, waiting for a heartbeat, though he hadn’t smelled anyone else while walking down the hall. Unlike Kal, who was trying to pretend he felt at home and perfectly comfortable in the hope that he might believe the lie himself, Prhy made no attempt to look friendly. He wasn’t threatening either, just distractedly grumpy. 

So, when Kal dragged one of the proffered chairs a bit closer to the wall and sat down, his brother remained where he was, sturdy, solemn, and very much in the way, hands fisting for the duration of the chair's movement. Kal eyed him for a brief moment by way of excuse not to immediately answer her question. It was a pretty simple one, and not a lot of conversations got far without it, but he still had to lick his lips and swallow his initial desire to bull through and pretend he hadn’t heard her. As far as he knew, no one was actively looking for them anymore, but that could change if the wrong set of ears caught wind of them. And names were easy to trace, but he didn't like lying.

“I’m Kal.” Short, to the point, not easy to mess up. Prhy could introduce himself if he felt like it, but he probably didn’t. And no last names. Most people assumed it was short for something, spelled it wrong in their heads, and that was fine by him. But names weren’t really why he was here, so when she handed him a glass of water, he thanked her and drained the lot. Wasn’t food, but he was thirsty too, and probably better than barging in asking them to feed him. Finished, he leaned back, rolling the glass between his palms and watching it catch the light. 

“Like I said before, I figure we might be some help to you.” He spoke quietly, not doubting this expectation, though he’d yet to learn just what it was about her that Prhy, particularly, could help her with, he just figured they’d find out soon enough, or it was just a matter of anyone willing to offer. He hadn’t been too specific in his questioning at the time. “We’ve seen this sort of thing before.” He paused there with a grimace. “Well, not exacts, but you ain’t the only one got up to something troublesome as wasn’t the usual, catch my meaning? Hard enough just growing up, but can’t say Him up there hasn’t got a bit of humour. Only as He’s not figured out what’s funny yet.”

He raised his head then, tilting it back lazily rather than rolling his eyes up to meet hers. “Now, I ain’t certain on particulars, but seems yours is a voice thing, yeh? Not good for practising around nosy neighbours. We could get you out of here, somewhere isn’t no one would think t’look,” That was probably exaggeration, but it was better than them heading out to anywhere others knew about. “Keep you safe, out of trouble, help with figuring out what you can do, we’ve plenty of experience there. Heading off on a roadtrip, harder to track if you’re out with the law or in anyone’s sights. Introduce you t’a few other helpful fools ‘long the way.”

It was a big jump from being stranger to roadtrip chaperones, but Kal didn’t want to waste time here, and being under a roof was weighing on his nerves worse than he wanted to admit. He switched his glance over to her father then, shrugging. “We’ve got space for two more, though might be some camping necessary.”

The truck could seat five, and the table sat four, six if you squished. Technically, the beds were large enough to fit two each, if a little cozily, and they’d have shared one bed and given Sam the other if she came alone, but he wasn’t sure the idea wouldn’t give her father apoplexy, so, he extended the offer to them both. And he knew Prhy would draw the line at a grown man sharing their space. They had a tent though, and the nights weren’t that chilly.

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