Peaceful morning.

[boomdeboom]

"It's not impossible....when you've lived like this....born and raised by a forest and the creatures which dwell in it, this is my home."

She laughed softly at his confusion of not meeting someone like her before, and with a almost sad tone, she said.

"Long ago, there were many goddesses of the forest like me. But....a group of humans believed to kill a forest goddess would grant eternal life or grant your wishes, so over the years our population grows less and less. I believe I am one of the very few in the world, perhaps the last. I have never heard the whispers of another one, so I would not be surprised to find that I am the last....it'll only be a matter of time then...." To not cause alarm, she murmured the last part. It was odd how no new goddess were being born, but because Bel was unaware of villagers selecting sacrifices and how they had now refused since many thought it to be inhumane, she had just assumed that there were no new born's that had lived.

Hearing an outsiders view of her life, it did unsettle her, since she had always accepted without question. But, even though she wanted to think more about her life in a critical manner, she stopped herself, as she knew she could do nothing about it. It was useless.

[[ Ahhh, yeah sure, I'm up for it. o uo)b Ah baw, well try not to miss me to much, -which I know is so hard /shot- I shall be back every now and again. Only a couple of more weeks until Halloween! Pffft. ]]

[Omio]

Gadrai was a step ahead, and a solution came to form. "Should that truly be, then... ...what do you think would come to pass should more were to be brought upon this world?" Gadrai smirked at the suggestions aplenty. "And don't misinterpret me; the Wood has always been my home, but I also am a traveller. As such, I merely come back when weary of travels, or when I care not about the realms of man." Like now.

[[ Sorry for the short post... ;A; Gadrai is being more suggestive than he thinks. cx ]]

[boomdeboom]

"Huh?" Her mind went blank for a few moments before what he was suggesting came into effect. Her small face turned a bright red as she stayed silent for a few moments before replying in a stammering tone.

"L-like.....me and y-you...reproducing?" Yup, she felt embarrassed as hell, and for a while afterwards she continued to remain silent, listening to his words before she regained herself and replied, trying to put the earlier thought out of mind because it was quite...embarrassing, even though it was natural and all beings on the earth did it.

"That is again another difference between me and you, you are a traveler, I am not. That's why you should leave me, to continue to be a traveler and live with society..." She did not know why she was sending him away, she couldn't even make out the purpose in her own head, but for some reason she was determined to at least make him think about it.

[Omio]

Gadrai sighed. "Travellers always have a place to call home, Bel. No traveller that I have met in my previous travels has left their home and never returned at one point or another. With one like you, leaving for longer than a sennight would feel awful..." He didn't press the reproducing topic because it was obvious as can be that Bel didn't feel comfortable with the topic. He understood and respect the emotion behind the discomfort, and left the matter be. It would come up again sooner or later anyways.

[boomdeboom]

"Gadrai..." Why was he so kind to her? They had only met, and yet she felt a close connection to him, something she had never felt with someone in her life, of course not that she had met another human being that would talk to her.

She began to tighten her grip around him, clinging to him, she buried her face into his shoulder again, nuzzling as more tears fell. Tears that she should have felt shameful for shedding, but felt as if it was helping her worry die, and so did not feel regret or shame.

"You're such an idiot....thank you...."

[Omio]

Gadrai softly rubbed Bel's back. "To some, indeed, I may be an idiot. My intelligence doesn't matter here, though. Bel, I would never abandon you. I may leave your side on occasion, but never for long. I am yours, Bel." And you're mine. He kept the idea of holding Bel possessively to himself. He was actually somewhat surprised with it coming forth. However, holding Bel close seemed too right to deny. It was him and her. A perfect union.

[boomdeboom]

“Mmm.” Giving a hum as a reply, she began to notice that her legs were dead and were giving an uncomfterable feeling up her side, which she had ignored until now because her emotions had taking over slightly. Although she wished to hug him a bit more, the tingling sensation was growing more and more and so after what seemed a reasonable time for their embrace she brought her head out of his shoulder and said.

“Do you want to go walk somewhere? My legs….they’re kinda dead… Laughing at herself at the fact that even though she was a goddess, she still had human traits, such as dead feet. And plus, her hands were a bit dead too, since she was hugging him rather tightly.

[Omio]

Gadrai nodded. "First, though, let's have you stand for a bit. Once you feel you're ready to go, then we'll go to a little sanctum I had quite close to here, perhaps a tenth of a league from here." He looked over to a tree, and picked up the directions in the blink of an eye. He was nearly dead on the button with distance. He let Bel go so that she could actually try to stand on her own, et cetera. He just had a bit of a feeling she'd fall on him, though.

(( Don't do your posts in Microsoft Word, please? The '…' symbol doesn't render right in the 'elvish' font. ))

[boomdeboom]

Determined to not make a fool of herself, she remained on her knees for a few more moments before pushing herself back on her feet. Though she wobbled a bit back and forth, she shook out her legs to get the blood flowing freely once more and also shook her hands. Once she felt she was able to walk with her legs, she put a foot forward, a grin on her face as she said.

"See, no problem! " However, just as soon as she put her weight onto that leg, she collapsed and fell on her face. It seemed that her legs still did not work, and so she was left with her face in the grass, feeling very very embarrassed, so much so that she refused to lift her head up and just wanted to ground to swallow her up.

[[ -blows dust off post- YUP, ONLY OVER A MONTH LATE. \(ouo);/

I can't remember if I did it on word then with that last post, but I'll keep that in mind for the future! ]]

[Omio]

Gadrai immediately panicked, stepped, and kneeled down to Bel's side. "Bel!" His reaction was instinctual, and there was no means of refinement. He wasn't even concealing his expression, and his mouth was slightly open, in sincere worry. He wanted to check on Bel, and make sure she was alright. Please be alright, Bel... ...please...

[[S'ok.]]

[Jules]

Following the cobbles of an ancient road, Finn's eyes were drawn towards the treetops and a chorus of unseen birds, chiming the evening. His path was a land strewn with ruins, and ones which came from so long ago that there were few left who could place their origin. Buried well beneath the many floods of autumn leaves, stone limbs reached out from carved bodies beneath the surface, still and powerless at the changing of the seasons. Finn smirked, a chill running through his sleeves, reminding him to turn up the collar of his woollen coat. He had the vision of a lit hearth in his mind; warm water bubbling overhead in a tarnished cauldron, and the possibilities of tea, stewed pork, and a bath for his feet. The reality in front of him was none of these things. The earth was still sodden with the last rain, and all was dark, save for a lantern that swung rhythmically with the tap of his cane. Casting long shadows beyond the trees, it was easy to understand why this forest wrought so much fear in people. At times it maintained the illusion that the sanctuary provided was a place of safety, and for the passing traveller, this observation was usually correct. But for those who by birth or circumstance were driven to its residency, Selkia was much more of a riddle.

As much as the people of Valear were allowed to wander, so too were the subjects of the Goddess. In the culture from which Finn descended, this divine being had a name; Lilith the Defiant. One of the holy who had dared question the Maker's will, and in doing so, forced his damnation of her and all others who swore themselves to her Order. Of course, the congregation that held her name did not see such a curse. To them, Lilith represented freedom from the old tyranny, in exchange for the modern world. As a result, it was the Maker who sent his likenesses to try people, instilling madness and hysteria. But if one held true to the Order, as Seamus had done all his life, then it was believed an individual could exist in a place of abject fear, safe in the knowledge that the wilderness, sharing their ideological freedom, would wish them no harm. It was not a religion universally held, however. Those of the Maker's Faith were known to refer to Lilith's followers as “The Sin.” Consequently, the sect was not often mentioned.

He came with some hours later to a fallen log by the wayside, much claimed by moss. Its dew shone in the lantern-light, and with a strained relief, he took the pack from his shoulders, lay it down in its shadow, and unfurled a sided length of tanned hide as long as he was tall. He groaned as he lay himself upon it, too weary to light a fire that he knew would be snuffed out by the weather, if it were to have lit at all. The lamp that illuminated his body shone for a moment, before it was blown out, and the smoke inhaled. Taking the worn dice from his pocket, he held them in his palm, their movement soon sending him into the deepest, most lulling sleep. As his consciousness drifted between reality and a dream, he thought perhaps that he heard an exclamation in the distance, but fatigue had finally taken him, and he heeded it no more.

[boomdeboom]

Though she heard his worried call to her, she still laid face down, her hands gripping onto the grass, her way of expressing her frustration in her clumsiness. Then, picking her face off the ground, which now had spots of mud and blades of grass on it, she gave a smile and raised her left hand, patting Gadrai's head, her way of saying she was fine. Then, bringing herself to a kneeled position and then finally jumping back on her feet, she brushed off the grass which clung to her skin. Just as she was about to begin to untangle the blades and damp leaves which had somehow gotten themselves tangled in her hair, she paused. The trees were whispering to her.

Turning her head to where their leaves blew, her arms drifted away from her hair and back down to her sides. It seemed as if someone was in the forest and a few meters away. From what she gathered, it was not someone dangerous, which was good. Now she had to decide whether to visit this person and give her prayers or to move on, which is what she usually did because she was rather shy and was told to do this by the gods. But in this case, although she didn't look her best since she had just fallen down, she decided to pay this traveller a visit and give her blessing. So, taking Gadrai's hand, she said with a tone of curiousity that mimicked that of a child.

"Over here, seems there's someone here~"

[Omio]

Gadrai, too, knew the other being was there, but only heard motion from when he made his exclamation. He broke free from Bel's hand, and ran, jumping, and catching himself on a low branch, before he swung into the tree, and jumped again, making himself hidden now from the ground. Here, atop the trees, he was ready for anything; including shooting an arrow, if needed. He made himself clear to Bel for a moment, giving the elven equivalent of a thumb-up; an outstretched hand with the palm up, fingers and thumb together.

[[ Sorry, but when there's like... ...no moving room, I can't make the quantity. D= ]]

[Jules]

Surrounded by darkness still, his dreams conjured a landscape in which grass burnt with the most verdant green, and the hammering tread of a hundred soldiers marched ever closer to where his body lay rigid and immovable. Soon venomous flame began to catch about his sleeves, and the desperate attempts to extinguish them only choked his throat with smog. His struggle as it tore through fabric and bone only proved to lure the conscripts over, where their eyes stood immortal and constant. Finn retched into life, awake and exhausted, savouring the clean air as it purged the ordeal from memory. He was cold, but thankful; heartened by the real world. Seating himself, the haggard expression peered out into a void of ebony, savouring the dying warmth of his leather carpet. Only then was a different breath exhaled from the gloom.

He fumbled amongst his satchel, at last finding the flint and tinder which would serve him a dim spark, and striking the two together several times over the lantern candle, caught the wick, which bloomed into a fulvous glow. Enclosing it within the glass he drew the device aloft, and directed it tentatively to the trees before him.

“By Maker's soul!” He exclaimed almost immediately, the flame reflecting over two green orbs; cherubic eyes of a little girl. Proving to alleviate his surprise, a new curiosity took the form of questions. “For what reason do you wander this place, child?” he paused, “And in such times as thi-” Finn stopped himself. He had thought moments ago that she stood beneath the forest boughs, but it took only a shift of the light to see that he was wrong. The large branches grew from her, like great antlers of a stag. His knowledge of such things, born among the urbanity of Tamasha, had never existed, constantly put aside by fable and doubt. Acting under the same ignorance, he offered his hand, as a father would. “Shield beneath the glim, my dear. It has guarded the road of man for many an age.”

[boomdeboom]

It surprised her at how cautious Gadrai was as he concealed himself, but she thought back to when they first met, and even then he was protecting her in the trees, ready to attack. So, although she did feel lonely for a moment as she stared at her empty hand, she took in a deep breath and strode forward, her curiosity making her go forward without hesitation.

Stopping behind a tree, she pushed her body against it to conceal herself as she took a glance. As she had presumed, a human was there. A son of Adam at that. He seemed to be of no threat. No looming sword, no arrows, no armour. It seemed as if this human was but a mere traveller. Putting out her right foot first, she jumped out of the protection of the trees, only to freeze as she saw the human wake up, and with two peculiar looking objects lit a flame which lit the shadowed forest.

For a few seconds, she was like a deer in the headlights, since she rarely saw fire in the forest and whenever she did it would always alarm her. It didn't help when he spoke so suddenly, making her jump. Now because he had noticed her, there was no turning back. However, after a few moments, and her eyes adapted to the flames of the fire, she calmed down, though she was still slightly on edge. As he called to her, she merely gazed on. Because she had spoken elvish to Gadrai for so long, it took a moment to register what this man was saying to her and for her to recognize the tongue of english.

Straightening herself, placing her shoulders back, trying to look more 'goddess' like and not to look like a damn idiot. She gazed at his hand, her green eyes wide with wonder. No human had done this before, acted so.....normal with her. Usually they would bow, act all nervous and pray to her. And yet, this one offered her to sit with him. This was not something she was used to, so it took her a while to give a reply. Slowly but surely however, she gave a reply, although she spoke with an accent, something which would go away as her tongue adjusted to the english language.

"T-Thank you...son of Adam..." Stepping forward, again trying to look as goddess like as she could, she went towards the fire. She ignored his hand, mostly because she had no idea what to do with it. Keeping a safe distance away from its flames, she knelt on the ground, staring at the fire with both wonder and fear. Glancing over at the trees, she tried to locate Gadrai, but failed because her eyes had no become adjusted to the light as she could no longer look in the darkness.