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| Guest Village — Tondc, Trikru |
| To the northeast of the meeting green is the small row of housing dedicated to visitors, traders, and accommodated guests. It is primary a small courtyard of grass and white pavers surrounded by moss-covered brick buildings and intermittent trees. Each building has its own common room, and can accommodate up to six guests. |
| Day 31 |
It's evening of Day 31. Kai had set out in the afternoon to go and visit Elias, and it's now after dark when the Second finally returns to the patch of land set aside for the Coesbur people. But.. she's not alone. No, indeed, it seems she's decided to bring her Niron visiting out with her, for whatever reason. Coming in to the village area without particular speed to allow her guest to take in the sight for himself,"That one over there." she points amongst the buildings and wagons,"Is the one where Wren's family, Silver and I are staying at the moment. There's barracks, further in, but, well, some of Sonia's warband is still here. So it would be unwise for me to stay there."
Living at home again wasn't preferable to Wren, he had his own home in Coesbur afterall. But it's not so bad. At least Oriole is living in Polis where she can't harass the rest of her siblings. Which makes him the eldest, but then again it's just Starling he looks after. Though Pontus and Rain may count among that. Still, even though they live in a guest house, it can get cramped, which may explain why his father tends to be out of the house unless he has to sleep. So he's come outside to get some air, maybe wait for Kai to return. Oh, look at that, she's here…and has Elias with her. Oh, there's a look of annoyance on his face, feet carrying with a purpose, right towards of the two of them, but it's his Second in particular he's focusing on.
Elias is indeed within the bounds of Tondc, doing his best to avoid the hard glares and general unpleasantness he's met with. The discomfort makes his skin crawl a little, but he pushes on and tries to keep his attention focused on Kai when she speaks. "Well, yeah," he finally speaks up in response, though he keeps his voice down a bit. "Might not be safe for you in the barracks." His attention then pans over to the building she points at then, squinting just a touch. "Oh. Yeah, I didn't even really think about where I was going to sleep. If nothing else, I can probably make do somewhere on the outskirts." When he catches sight of Wren, he lifts his brows up and…well. He looks annoyed. Again, he pans his gaze to Kai and lifts his brows expectantly.
Kai, on the other hand, doesn't look annoyed at all, but regards Wren levelly, with all the flat-eyed mildness of a teenager that's perfectly aware that she's been caught doing something wrong and yet isn't inclined to wither under pseudo-parental annoyance,"He's visiting." the two word answer to a question not asked the first volley on deflection, that positioning just slightly ahead of Elias and off to one side blatantly one of defense as much as defiance.
"Are you /trying/ to test my patience, Kai?" is the rhetorical question that Wren asks, coming up to a halt. "When I told you that you could visit your Niron, I did not also mean you could bring him /back/. The fact that I gave you as many days as I did was a blessing. One which I'm suddenly wondering if I should've given at all." is the slightly flinty words that're directed at Kai, while his eyes then swivel on Elias. "And you. You're a smart boy, I expect you knew the trouble this could possibly cause. People are cautious enough. Seeing another skaikru in Tondc will not pass over that." Oh, Kai said something. "I don't care if you brought him back to go rutting in the bushes. You /knowingly/ disobeyed my direction and you abused my words." There is an extremely hard look at her. "Explain yourself, Second. Now." That isn't a question.
Elias blinks at Wren and takes a little step back, swallowing. The first words out of his mouth already have Elias' face going red and his jaw clenching. Taking a deep breath to maintain his composure, he turns to the side and away from him with his hands on his hips. When he's addressed, he turns his head back to Wren and raises a brow. "Yes. Smart. In fact, a hell of a lot smarter than most on this rock. So that means I can help." The words are stated flatly and with no tone of petulance. "Besides. The bandrona is on her way on a diplomatic mission."
That gets Kai's back up, shoulders squaring out and adding an injection of steel into her spine,"Tactically I must be prepared for when the warband returns to Coesbur, which I cannot be at Alpha station, and that as my known Niron should war come between the Skaikru and Trikru his greatest probability of survival is to seek me out, so understanding where Tondc is important. He can answer the questions Kiera and the others had about the Ark better and more efficiently than I can. Moreover Alpha has few supplies, seeing the gardens will give him an understanding of what they might be able to grow so that Alpha's people do not tax the already overtaxed land between Tondc and there." clearly, this isn't something she's just uttering off the top of her head, quite probably she's been mentally practicing it for the entire trip. There's a flick of her eyes towards Elias, and she elects to add on the note,"And with the Bandrona on her way he also has a way home that does not require my absence."
"You are trying to have it both ways, Kai." Wren steps forward when she backs up. "And right now, that is not exactly possible. We do not always get our mead and drink it too. And if war should happen again between Trikru and Skaikru?" he points at Elias. "Who is to say he would not be riddled with arrows at the gates. And he would be dead because of /your/ decision to tell him to come here. You do not have that kind of sway with us. And right now, your respect rises and falls on everything you do. However good your intentions may of been, you still disobeyed /my/ orders. And I expected /better/ of you than do something so foolish. And now, you're just giving excuses to justify yourself. My direction is not to be disregarded whenever they don't suit /you/." The news of Fiona arriving makes his face flatten a bit. And he leans down, simply because his height outmatches her. "This is your free pass on this matter, Kai. Disobey me again, and it will five days a months." And if she tries to debate that, he holds up a finger. "Do not make it two." Elias gets another look. "The fact that you can help or not is not the matter at hand." Then back to Kai. "The next time you have an idea pertaining to the Skaikru and the Sky City, you tell me beforehand. Just because I would and do understand your intentions does not give you free reign."
Another deep breath is taken by Elias and his face goes red again. Turning to Wren then, he nearly growls. "Well, Jaha is in need of medics. We'll be needing Silver back, but you can still see her ten fucking days a month." Elias gives a quick wave of his hand to Wren and then starts to stalk off. "Fucking hypocrite. Go float yourself." Turning back again, he takes a step forward and points a finger directly at Wren. Still, he doesn't raise his voice. That would be unwise. "Easy for you. /Easy/. You have your whole family here. Kai is all I have left. Just…" He holds up his hands then and turns, walking back in the direction of the gates.
Kai doesn't step back, Tyler Adams was a larger man than her, and for Elias at least it's quite possibly a case of deja vu, even if it's not quite the same as the young girl and her Guard father that he once used to and up being bickered over,"And who is to say Indra wouldn't just put me on the pole?" she throws back at him,"Slimmest margins of hope in the face of a worst case scenario are better than no hope at all. Right?" though it's not that he doesn't have a point, for all that her mouth opens and then wisely decides she's not going to talk herself out of five days of Eli-time. He's turning away and she makes a noise,"Eli, 's not helping." is offered in a soft tone of request, tone modulating,"I'm sorry Wren. It wasn't about disobeying you. I just wanted him to see. And that between Leo and my mom and the damned guards I don't like being at Alpha."
"This is not about Elias. This is not about the skaikru. They just happened to be involved. It is about my directions, my orders, to you, are law." Wren replies. "Knowing you will follow what I saw will keep you alive when we're neck-deep in Reapers. Or Azgeda or any other enemies that we may one day face. You are looking at a series of possibilities that you have no idea will happen. You assume the future will it is never told in advance. You worry for things that have not yet happened. But you rush this. I understand the emotion involved, but you rush it. You need to give us time to become used to you and Silver before considering others. And I have risked a great deal in doing what I thought right, even if I believe it worth it in the end." And Kai and see the look on his face of him softening on the issue. He's made his point, she understands, there's no reason to bicker about it anymore. Buuuuut then Elias is talking, and his eyes snap at him. "Do you not think I understand that? Do you not think the guilt does not eat at me for taking her away from you? Do you not think that bothers me? She /made/ her choice." he /bristles/. "Do not presume that I have no already thought of this myself. I take no desire in separating anyone, but it was not my choice for her to come here. I did not hold her at sword point to come to Tondc. But she made her choice…easy?" Oh no, that about does it. "You dare?" Kai, please stop your trainer breaking your boyfriend in half.
Kai dips her head in acknowledgment,"I am a strategist, Wren. Planning for what might be is what I do." whoa, she might be a good deal shorter than Wren, but that doesn't mean she doesn't plant herself firmly in his path,"Stop." it's growled for both of them,"Yes, I made my damned choice, and I'm not returning to Alpha. And for tonight, neither is he. Let him see. They cannot hate me more right now for his presence, Wren, and you know it. Let him see. If there is to be peace, we all have to learn, and one way or another that includes them understanding that my Niron is Skaikru, just like Silver." she keeps her hands out towards Wren, letting Eli roam because of the two of them, really, Wren's the more likely to be dangerous,"They need to see the face of the Trikru that is not war, Wren. And Eli, who still lives among them by his choice, can help them see that. So both of you take a moment."
"It is for /you/ to decide!" Wren barks at Kai. "You do not think, you presume. And you are purposefully looking to not see things from our perspective. You act like you know what is good for /us/. It is /that/ kind of sense of superiority that will win you no favors. That you skaikru act like you know best. You do not swing a sword with a damaged arm. You let it heal. These people are healing. They do not want peace until the wound is healed. Time must be had." He kocks her hand away. "/You/ are responsible for him. That is your duty for /today./" That last word is stressed because that's how much time she has. "Because I have no desire to speak with you today. So enjoy your time." That said, he turns away, stalking off into the city proper.
Elias doesn't flinch at Wren. While he's no warrior, the kid has some pretty iron resolve and stands his ground, staring right back at Wren. "I'd rather be in your shoes," he says plainly to Wren, no malice in his tone. "You think I don't feel the same responsibility weighing on me from two peoples? I am already planning strategies on how to come up with the resources…" He counts the things off on his fingers. "…for food, rebuilding, extra clothing for warmth for any refugees that might be coming through and the thought of doing it alone terrifies me." Elias' eyes begin to glisten and his hand shakes as he raises it to his mouth and nose. "I apologize, Wren. We've both got a lot on our minds. I didn't mean to…" There's a wave of his hand then and he turns back to Kai, heaving a sigh. "I shouldn't have come."
"That is where you're wrong!" Kai snaps back,"You assume that I consider myself or any Skaikru superior, I don't. They need to learn. And he can teach them." there's the slap of her hand away and she can't help but wrap her other one around the jarred stitches as she steps back and pulls it to her, expression going flat as she says,"Come on Eli. We've got a day." which is as much promise that she's not leaving as it is threat, moving to wrap an arm about him as she turns away,"I'm sorry."