Into the Wishing Well (Lou and L'aire)

"Sasha..."

Lou wasn't quite sure what he could say to help his friend. He was there to listen, at least. But was there more? Would any words he could say be enough?

"You can't blame yourself for being afraid... at least..." Lou took a breath, and his face lit up for a brief moment, as if he had been enlightened with new information. "At least, not at first. Being afraid is how we survived."

Lou looked to the ground for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"In the end, you did see her though. It may have been late than you'd have liked, but you got to be with her before she passed. I'd say that was a success. You got over your fear, and your..."

Lou wanted to say 'stupidity' to quote L'aire herself, but didn't want to be accused of calling her stupid.

"...and you came to realize what you needed to do. I don't see a downside to that. Unless, she wasn't happy in the end?"

Lou walked up to L'aire and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Did your mother forgive you?"

It was strange to hear her name in a safe place like this when she was accustomed to hearing the one her Keeper gave her. Her public name, which was what mostly one other called her. Sasha. L’aire. Sasha. L’aire. One day she may screw it up herself. Breathing in a moment, pushing away the distraction she wanted to cling to instead of this.

The Winter slowly nodded and for another moment she was quiet. “That’s all it was really. Surviving. It’s not living. Trudging through with nothing to look forward to was existing.” There was a distinct choice of word that noted some of this had really been in her past. “But later I drowned myself in attempting to help others.” Because the Fairest wasn’t about to cause anyone pain after living it day after day.

Some things were foggy still to the Winter Dancer. And even more when there was a blindness caused by emotions that stirred as a result of faults of our own.

With a soft voice, yet not weapy, the Dancer asked the Draconic a question that didn't sound rhetorical. “Would you forgive your son or daughter, who didn’t call or write for years while you withered away into nothing; only for them to show up right before you die?”

L’aire also didn’t remember much from those last moments when she actually saw her. She’d watched for a couple days at a distance before being nudged to her room. “I don’t remember. I don’t think so.” The Dancer didn’t relax when Lou’s hand was put on her shoulder, but she didn’t tense up either.

Sighing deeply, defeat in her voice. “I’m sorry. All of this is probably more than you wanted to know.” Shaking her head, tendrils shaking down her back. “You brought me in here to dance... not this.”

"I think... "

Lou paused momentarily before continuing. This sounded like the kind of situation where one couldn't say the right thing, because it was so personal. But he had to try, for L'aire's sake. "I think I would have just been happy to see them. If I was dying, and I hadn't seen my kid in a while, I'd be stoked to be able to see them before the end. I mean, wouldn't you?"

Lou smiled softly at L'aire after saying this. "What matters is that you make peace with yourself, and if you need to, with your mother in whatever way you can. Honor her memory by living in a way she would be proud of. And I'm pretty sure anyone's mother wouldn't be proud of their child torturing themselves, right?"


When L'aire apologized for dropping this bomb on the Draconic, he simply laughed. "I bought you here to share it with you. It's not too much for you to share as well. We'll have all of the opportunities to dance. Right now, just do what you feel like you need to do, okay? Don't worry about me. I'm just glad to have a friend."

The Dancer didn’t expect Lou to say anything, but he was trying. Did it help caress the unforgiving soul she carried hidden beneath what she was? Maybe, just a little. Because it was the first time she’d told anyone, L’aire didn’t know how to comprehend entirely what the Draconic was doing. Consoling as it were, it was something she did for others.

She avoided the peace with herself, at least for now. “I wouldn’t even know how to make peace with her.” The Fairest sighed, a wish she’d always had come to light. The events of that last time were still foggy if not clouded by watery eyes. “You’re probably right.” Although there were more things that I’m not proud of.

Lou’s laughter caused L’aire to turn back around sharply. Faint were thin streams along her face that may have briefly glistened in the light. “But, this was supposed to be your time. For me to help you.” The Dancer felt a pang of guilt clenching inside. “And then I started running my mouth.” The Fairest gasped slightly, realizing she’d repeated exactly what the Italian would spat at her.

Stepping toward the Draconic, L’aire looked upward to him. That same quick flash of discomfort flashed over her eyes as her neck strained without her realizing it. “Lou, will you promise not to say anything about this to anyone, please?” Her eyes looked up to the fiery-orange embers wondering what he’d say. Or if he’d ask for something in return. It may have been nothing to some, but to the Winter Dancer it was something that came from her core.

L'aire's tears killed Lou's laughter cold, and for the first time, Lou felt nothing but sorrow for the Dancer. Tears somehow made it real, made it more than just a story, more than simply ghosts of the past. And the worse part of it was that it her sorrows were heavy crushing Lou's mood as quickly as it arose from their brief time dancing together.

But L'aire was a winter courtier, after all, and now he understood why, at least in part.

Aside from the tears, something else caught Lou's attention. She was right. This was supposed to be about him. They were supposed to be dancing. And while he is more than willing to help a friend in need, being forced into a situation where his help is useless or unwanted is just... awkward. Sure, he didn't know if anything he had said had been helpful to the winter courtier, but he knew she was crying, and as far as he was concerned, it was because she was further upset. Lou wasn't angry, though. He couldn't be angry at L'aire. In fact, he was somewhat honored. Despite barely knowing her, despite being barely friends, she confided one of her deepest secrets in him... and that meant something. And whatever it was, Lou wanted [I]more[/] of it. He wanted more time with L'aire, to learn more of her secrets. He wanted to be her confidant... and he knew how to make that happen.

His features grew gaunt as he inhaled and exhaled briefly, slowly backing away from the dancer. He stood tall and proud, and glared into L'aire's violet eyes. "I will keep your secret, L'aire, " said Lou confidently. "Your secret will become mine, part of my hoard, for me to cherish and to treasure. But that means it's no longer your secret to share. For a year and a day I will promise not to share it with anyone, so long as you do likewise. The only person you are allowed to speak with it about is me, and then only in this room, and the same goes for me with you. The Wyrd will be my witness and my guide in this. This is my offer to you, L'aire, if you'll accept it."

Lou didn't even think as he spoke the words. It was instinctual and uncanny, in part due to his Fairest nature, and in part due to his nature as a changeling. The bargain was a vital part of who he was, and his every utterance in this tiny hollow reflected that.

will become mine The words from the Draconic echoing in the Fairest's mind.

“What…” L’aire stepped back a couple paces. It seemed in slow motion in her mind. Suddenly things she blanked out intentionally or otherwise swooped in like a wave to her mind.

Part of my hoard

“No...”

“What….”

“How does a simple promise turn into…. that?” L’aire’s graceful hand snapped outward at the words from Lou that hung in the air.

“If I would have known….” She paused a moment, like breathing was suddenly a problem. “I…” Her mouth hung open searching for words to comprehend what was reeling through her mind. “I can’t even….” Unknowingly, she took another step back.

The Winter Dancer could feel her heart pounding, in her chest, throat and head. There are reasons I avoided ever telling anyone, especially that of our own kind. Not to mention she couldn’t even do this. Even if it never came up with Perry, L’aire still needed to talk to one person about some of it.

L’aire’s gazed turned into wide eyed and stunned as it dropped to the floor of the Hollow, which felt like it was closing in on her. This was all to familiar to her suddenly.

Lou stared back at L'aire in silence for a few moments. His features were gaunt, but his eyes were smiling. The flames in his eyes danced wildly, even as he stood still.

Press harder.

No. I'll lose her.

No, you'll keep her. FOREVERYou can do it Louis, you have the power. You are powerful. You are a DRAGON.

The battle within Lou's mind seemed as if it raged on for hours, but only a few moments had passed. The flaming voice egged him on, hissed, and spit for him to extort the fairest further, to dominate her, to acquire her compliance.

But he couldn't. He needed a friend, more than anything else in the world, he needed friends - friends that wouldn't betray him to the others. But she was already backing up. She was already afraid, and he was losing her. Was it too late to salvage the situation?

Lou recovered, took a deep, deliberate breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again the fire had dwindled, still burning, but not as bright. "I'm sorry to have startled you. Please, don't be afraid. I don't have any reason to reveal your secrets to anyone, and a pledge is not necessary."


Lou thought about stepping closer, but decided to keep his distance. "I' got carried away. I wasn't trying to make you uncomfortable."

That was it. He could not unsay what he had said, or conceal the part of himself that he revealed to her. "Please don't hate me."

The Winter’s mind had drifted back to Arcadia, but everything in reverse almost on rewind. “You sounded like…” Something she didn't even want to say, or even Lorenzo. L’aire’s voice was shaky, and she couldn’t help it as the Dancer mumbled, her eyes still affixed on the ground.

The chill of her Mantle crept up around her, almost like a cocoon. This is why I’m a Winter. This is why I should abide by the tenants of the Court. The Ice Law was never more clear to her as it was right now. L’aire may not have been able to entirely hide what was going on with one part of it, but hiding her secret self-hatred had to be done.

“I apparently have to watch what I say.” The Dancer seemed very distant yet as she verbally voiced her thoughts in nearly a whisper. L’aire never really felt fragile since she’d left her Keeper until now. Even when she spewed silly things in a ramble, it wasn’t important stuff.

Then Lou’s voice started seeping into the crevices of her grey matter. “I don’t…” The Fairest’s head was still cloudy. “… hate you.”

The Dancer was suddenly reminded they were in a Hollow and instinctively her head jerked to look behind her. There was nothing, just what had been there the whole time. “Afraid?… more like confused.” Which wasn’t true at all. She’d been timid around the Draconic at first only because he could snap her lithe body easily. Lou could break her in other ways now. The Fairest went to speak, mouth open and breath drawn but abruptly she stopped.

will narrate based on the result of the dice-roll. I imagine L'aire will contest my pull.

   2 suxx wits + empathy

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-11 09:54:55		Lou rolls 2 to see if Sasha is really not afraid (wits + empathy - 1 [clarity]) (10 Again)		10, 3, 9		2 successes

It is not L'aire's week for the dice roller. lol

  Failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2013-03-11 11:57:26		Sasha empathy contested rolls 5 to Wits+Emp+Spec (10 Again)		6, 3, 3, 5, 3		failure

(Pay no attention to what's listed, the dang autofill moved on me the dice pool is right though)