Day 057: Revelation
Summary: Khesu regains consciousness after being out for more than a day. When things are quiet, Sage comes to speak with him and reveal information concerning his missing Houmon, Lila.
Date: 25/07/2016
Related: First Meeting - Flashback
Sage Khesu 


Healing House, Tondc
Room description
It is Night on Mon Jul 25, 2149.

Maybe it is the same night within the Healing House, maybe it is early morning, or even the next night or morning. It is hard to say when one has had a head wound and been given teas to drink for pain. But when Khesu finally wakes and can think and maybe see better, there will be a form curled up in a chair at his bedside. She has cleaned herself up and is once more dressed in her normal style of clothing, the browns/blacks and reds, a few bandages show here and there and there is a newly healing scar. The only true difference seems to be the hair. Freshly washed, it's loose and might in a way give her harsh beauty a softer light.

Aye, his face is a horrible mess on the left side but Khesu is still alive. Galle's hands are capable and she does good work, having been thorough with her cleaning of his head wound. His breathing has smoothed out and while he's not been washed nearly as much as he yet needs to be, someone has wiped him down with a basin of soapy water. It's an improvement, but there is still a lot of nasty blood and crap that matts his dark hair and, to a lesser extent, his beard. One dark eye opens and he lays there still on his back. A slight movement of his head shows him Sage, not Galle, not Kai, not Starling or Pontus, nor Britt. But Sage. Khesu can't see too well with only one eye but he quietly studies her as she sits there, garbed in more suitable clothing. Under the circumstances she's probably rather thin and pale.

Very pale and yes thin, not to the point of dropping dead from breathing but she has months of food to catch up on, as well a other things. Like having a clue about what is truly going on, and her family is not really being that helpful, or maybe she just have not gone to see them yet. The movement of the male next to her causes those long lashes to flicker over, the darkness under her eyes show she has not had anything called sleep in a long time. Silver eyes watch Khesu for a moment, studying him as her eyes draw up from lower on his body and up slowly to his face, finally her eyes meet his one good one and still she doesn't speak. What she does is unfold herself and pick up a cup from next to him and moves to sit on the edge of his bed and slowly prop him up so he can drink.

First he'll have that drink. Even if it's that bitter willow bark tea, he's thirsty and his mouth still seems too dry. It helps to unstick his tongue as he watches her again, "<In Trigedasleng> We have … to stop … meeting like this." Khesu manages a wan smile for her and continues in Trigedasleng, "I am pleased to see … the Mountain did not extinguish your flame."

Sage gives a flicker of a smile, that she can even smile anymore tells you the mountain has not broken her. He can smell something he might have forgotten, the soft scent of citrus and musk - a rare soap if he were to guess as she holds the glass of cool water for him to drink. "<In Trigedasleng> Since you started this, clearly I had to make us even.." Balance, it's all about balance. But then she she reaches up and touches his beard and tsks softly, "<In Trigedasleng> But you were more clean that time…" Is she teasing him? Maybe, but as he watches her eyes he can see many emotions flicking like a cloud through the moonlight.

Aye, he'll drink again until he's had all the water in that cup. That's better. Then rest. His beard has been cleaned of the worst of it but it's still a little nasty. "<In Trigedasleng> I am not … covered in mud, and blood, now?" A hint of amusement there. It is brief lived and then it dies. "How long?" Was she captive in the Mountain? Or how long since the Mountain? Khesu's question isn't very specific.

Sage smirks at that but she shakes her head at him as she moves to make sure he can relax but not be totally on his back. The cup is placed down before she turns her attention fully on the large male. "<In Trigedasleng> No mud, thought it is a much better look for you than blood.." The smile flickers again and then she glances around once and sighs, she knows how it is not to know where and what. "We have been back a few days, in Tondc now. Your brothers and sisters are fine, they have been peeking in on you.." Of course for her to know that, she might have had to be there. But then she closes her eyes a moment and then flicker them open, "I believe, it was two or three months. I was.. damage before I was taken, so I am not sure how long I was not awake…"

Khesu can shift over a little onto his side, as long as it's his right side. It makes his chest ache but it's only his head he needs to be careful with. He shifts the pillow and slides an arm beneath to lift it a little so he may better see her. A faint nod from him to what she tells him, then a thinning of his mouth. "<In Trigedasleng> You … never saw a woman named Lila? You remember, the one whom I'd been seeking back in the spring. She would have been gravid with child. Fair hair." Sage as far as he knows never met his Houmon, "Did you see her in the Mountain? … I had been looking for her, when I met you north and west of Coesbur." Khesu has to speak slowly and his baritone is weak. Some of his words may not be very clearly spoken.

The woman was getting comfortable to be able to talk to him, but then he asks those questions and she freezes, but it only a tiny moment of time and then she reaches out and touches Khesu's arm gently. Those eyes watch him for a long moment before she nods slowly. Sage let's him get the fact she is nodding before she speaks softly, "<In Trigedasleng> Let me tell you a story Khesu.." She whispers in that husky voice of hers, deeper than before, but calm, mostly.

"<In Trigedasleng> I traveled alot, was in the ice war, and then got called up to serve in Polis. During that time, I was asked to help lead caravans, guide merchants, and be a bodyguard for ambassadors…" She wrinkles her brow gently, "I met you on returning from one of those trips, and went back soon after…" Another deep breath and her hand tightens on him, not bruising but enough to keep him in place. "I was returning with a merchant and he wished to stop off at a little village in the middle of no where, I had no idea it was there. When we arrived it was surrounded by Reapers, but our people inside needed help. We lead the Reapers on a chase and then I and another returned to the village. There I met a woman…" Her eyes close for a moment and then open. "She had been found in the snows, her leg broken but they had keep her safe. She spoke of her husband, a great warrior, of how much she wanted him to know what had happened, how much she loved him, how much she wanted her family safe. Our meeting was very quick but I made a promise to her, many promises.." There is a look of pain in her eyes and then a soft tear runs down her cheeks. "She had just given birth and was dying. The Reapers returned soon after. We fought and …." Well he knows where she ended up.

Sage has his attention, groggy yet though he may be and far from wholly clear headed. But Khesu listens to her as he lies there in pain, bandaged. It helps one to ignore the pain if someone else is telling them a story. In this case, a story that … may … possibly involve his Houmon?! His dark eye sharpens on Sage and with so much effort, Khesu forces himself up on his arm until he's sitting up partially. The change in position make his head spin but he blinks and fights it to refocus on Sage. His breathing roughens. "<In Trigedasleng> Sage … was it Lila? What happened to the child?"

Sage watches him and if he is silly enough to try and sit up, she puts an arm around him to get him where he is needing to go. But once he has settled, she turns her eyes back to his face, there is sadness there and pain. But she is not the type to simply let something like this linger. "<In Trigedasleng> It was Khesu, the Reapers never touched her, I made sure of that. The birth had been to hard on her, I am very sorry.." The last is said before she closes her eyes and then moves to stand. Sage doesn't go to far but back into a corner of the healing house, not to far from him. She is gone a good two or three mintues maybe, but for Khesu it probably seems much longer.

But when she returns, Sage is has something new with her, a bundle that is strapped around her chest, leaving the wounded upper chest/shoulder without added weight. She looks down at whatever she has and then moves to sit down next to Khesu again. Expressions pass her face as she looks back up to Khesu. Pain, sorrow, desire, understanding, envy, pride and an very strong protectiveness, "<In Trigedasleng> I made a oath to protect him and his family with my life Khesu.." The bundle moves and a tiny hand appears out of the cloth, grabbing for Sage's hair.

If she will have helped him, Khesu will go ahead and scoot back against the wall to lean against it, sitting up on his bedding. Either way, easier to sit than putting all his weight on his injured arm. It makes him woozie but no blacking out. He closes his one good eye briefly, pain at this news Sage has to share. But also, he's thought Lila dead for months now. It is only confirmation. The baby too, likely. But, at least the Reapers and the Mountain did not get her. That is some relief.

While she's gone he only sits there, very still, quiet. Nothing has really changed. Khesu knew, he simply didn't know how, when, or where. Questions though move sluggish through his mind. He frowns, then tips his head back up to track on her when Sage comes back and sits down. And then, he stares. Only, he doesn't remember Sage coming out of her cage back in the Mountain with a bundle.

Those silver eyes look down to the child, for that has to be what it is and goes on with her story, as if this is all that it is. "<In Trigedasleng> The woman was beautiful and strong, but she gave everything to have her child. She asked me, to protect the child, find the father and tell him everything that happened. The child could not stay with me at that moment, I had to protect those who were retreating. The child was sent to Tondc with my former second, but I did not get all the information to him. He only knew to protect the child and I would return.." She looks up from the infant, giving him a soft kiss on the head, and then looks to Khesu. Sage moves to settle down on the edge of the bed with him, pulling the cover off the child's head. The three month old has dark black hair and eyes that are darkish but a child's eyes can change.. "Met your son. Lila wanted him named after you.."

To say that Khesu is shocked and amazed, and quite speachless, would be an understatement. He is stunned at this revelation as Sage holds this tiny child, an infant, and tells him that it was Lila's and /his/ child. Alive. From where he sits up now against the wall, Khesu puts out a hand that isn't all that clean, his fingernails stained with dried blood. Cautiously he touches the swaddling cloth to better see the dark haired infant. Aye, it looks to be around the right age, months old. But his and Lila's? With great care, and perhaps fear of hurting it, he oh so very lightly touches the baby's soft downy head. Khesu only stares with his good eye, hardly believing.

The child starts at the unknown touch, but turns his head to peer at Khesu with eyes that seem wise or at least aware. After a moment that small hand reaches up again and tries to grab at Khesu's finger, shifting in the wrapping that is holding him to Sage's body. Sage looks down at the child and a blissful smile touches her face. For a moment she is relaxed, the horrors of the last few months gone and she just takes a deep breath. A sadness appears as she knows she has to give him up, but she tries to mask that before she looks up at Khesu once more. "<In Trigedasleng> I have her shawl. He sleeps with it still. We wrapped him in it. She had given me a bracelet but…" Well Sage was captured by the Reapers and was naked when she was found, so she probably lost everything that was on her.

Khesu's big index finger gets snagged. If he wasn't in such bad shape he might try to hold the baby. But no, he might drop the boy. That grip on his finger is pretty strong though! Surprisingly. He swallows, "<In Trigedasleng> I know nothing of babies. I must find a woman who will take care of him." A barely there negative movement of his head, "I must heal." The swaddling cloth that was Lila's shawl takes him a breath or two to recognize, but aye, he remembers it when Sage points it out to him. His throat tightens up and bowing his head, Khesu unexpectedly finds it hard to breath and his one good eye… something is wrong with it. Trying to water. Water of grief for Lila.

Sage shifts gently, she has grown up the youngest child with an older sister with four children of her own. She has done this many times, so she just goes with instinct and carefully slides under Khesu's good side and gently shifts the child to lean between them. There is a feeling of warmth that comes either from the child or from Sage as she sighs softly, "<In Trigedasleng> I have no right Khesu, to.. offer this, but the idea that he was here? That I had made a promise, it's what… well got me to where you got me out. I am a warrior, I fight for a living, but I'd.. like to help you take care of him. Until, well till you find someone else. I will not try and get in the way of your life, but this is… important.." Of course she doesn't look like she has slept in months but she doesn't look like the feral animal that he found, either. Sage holds his child with the utmost care and knowledge.

With the baby between them, it shuffles and sniffles and then ends up leaning against Khesu's chest as his weight is held in Sage's arm.

Gods, he truly and utterly knows nothing of how to raise a baby! Khesu's not even a man who shares hugs with his closest friends, only a shoulder slap or a hand clasp. Keeping things like affection subdued, private. He only sits there, his head aching terribly. His finger may well still be snagged in the baby's grip. Sage speaking gives him a moment to pull himself together, to draw a breath. "<In Trigedasleng> I have nothing. No home. No knowledge of … what he needs. Benning and Gideon have no children." One dark eye lifts to look at her, "I would … appreciate the help. Until I know better what I want." Their village will have a hand in raising and teaching a child in his or her early years. But the infant still needs a mother or a nursemaid. Khesu is not that.

Sage relaxes gently, she is normally not the touchy/feely type but people change, life changes them. Right now she needs someone to focus on that is not herself. That means the child and probably Khesu in the long run but for now she just sits there, allow him time with the child. She glances up and meets his good eye. "<In Trigedasleng> I have been dismissed from Polis, gone so long, assumed dead. I can't offer much but my skills and what I've learned from my sisters young ones.." She then sighs softly, "He needs to eat and you need to rest. I just.. could not keep this from you. You needed to know as soon as your mind returned.."

Khesu gives a small nod, "<In Trigedasleng> Mochef, Sage. Mochef." Aye, and he needs to lay himself back down. First he cups the boy's head with his large left hand and feels how unbelievably soft the dark, fine hair is as he looks at the small face. Eyes so bright, color indeterminate yet. How Sage will give the boy milk, Khesu does not ask. There will be time for finding out things, and also to settle on a name for the boy. Naming him Khesu would cause confusion. It makes him smile softly, but no, another name would be better. A name that would belong to the boy, not to himself.

When Sage gets back up with the baby, Khesu carefully, stiffly, lies down once more. Ugh, he feels so terrible. So weak. He watches the woman with the infant for as long as Sage is within the range of his good eye, then he closes it to rest. Thinking of Lila, Khesu's grief returns to keep him company.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License