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It's Always Winter Here (DragonSong)

Started by Marakai Trin, December 25, 2016, 05:02:41 PM

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Marakai Trin

Gaelio kept his eyes averted until he was absolutely sure she was beneath the heavy blanket, before he moved to take the sheet.

He looked at Bay, and smiled. "He's a good kid, isn't he? Truth be told...no matter your situation, because of him...I don't think I could ever turn you away."

He turned away from them, sitting on the chair to unlace his heavy boots, taking them off and setting them beside the fireplace. He then stripped off his heavy black tunic, draping it over the back of the chair before spreading out the cloak and lying down.

"If the fire goes out, wake me and I'll take care of it. Good night, Josephine."

He dragged the sheet over his body, and rolled away from the fire. With a peaceful look upon his face, he was asleep within seconds.

DragonSong

A bright, easy smile spread across her face, perhaps the first real smile she'd felt in ages. "He is," she murmured, brushing her thumb over her son's cheek. She looked up at Gaelio with that same smile. "Thank you, for everything."

She allowed herself to lay back on the bed, Bay curled against her side. "Good night." Her eyes fluttered closed and she quickly drifted off.

Marakai Trin

In the darker hours of the night, the young hunter found himself in the depths of a nightmare. He was inside the cabin, just like earlier today, sitting and playing his flute. Even inside, snow and ice swirled around him, a maelstrom of deadly cold that he couldn't feel. But he wasn't alone.

He could hear them outside again, scratching at the door, but he found that even when he pulled the flute away from his lips, thd music didn't stop. Neither did the ice, the snow, the swirling wind.

The inside of the dream cabin slowly encrusted with snow and ice, and he found he couldn't answer the door - it was frozen shut. He could see them just there, through the cracks in the door, but in human form. Cold. Naked. Afraid. But no matter how much he struggled, the door wouldn't open. He could feel his fingers growing unresponsive as the cold set in to his bones, the flesh going gray as it froze and died.

Still outside, he could hear them, yelling at him now to open the door, but he couldn't. His eyes went dark as slowly the ice overcame his body. They say you die for real if you die in your dreams....

_____

....but it was not so. With a start, covered in icy sweat, Gaelio shot up from his pallet on the floor. Without hesitation, he stood up and went over to the bed.

Thank the Gods - they were still there, perfectly fine and unfrozen. Gaelio raised a hand and ran his fingers through his hair, and suddenly noticed how cold it was, turning to see the fire had died in the night.

"Well...that explains that..." he said. He moved to the fireplace, grabbing the poker as he went. He stirred through the ashes, seeking a few coals that had yet to die.

That explained the dream, he supposed. It was freezing inside - the fire must have been out for some time, and he was grateful that he had given Josephine and Bay his bed. But whatever the reason, he hoped that he wouldn't have that dream again - it scared him.

Digging out a few still-bright coals, he gathered them all in a pile. He grabbed a few logs - "Gotta get some firewood, today..." he mumbled - and set them around the pile, blowing on them until a small fire burst into being.

With a sigh of relief, he sat back, and stretched. Sleeping on the floor was punishing, but worth it if his new friends weren't freezing in his place. Better that the one who was always freeze a little. Not a woman and her child. Not them. His thoughts turned back to the dream, and he shuddered.

He picked up his chair, moving it back to the fire, and grabbed his flute. He began playing softly, the music quiet, but lifting. Something to help him feel better. Those two-tone eyes of his closed, and he let himself fall into the music.

DragonSong

Josephine's sleep was- blessedly- dreamless. She'd been haunted by her own nightmares more often than not as of late, but it seemed exhaustion had ushered her into an oblivious sleep.

It was the music that roused her, slightly. She blinked and shifted slightly on the bed, uncurling a bit from around her baby and lifting her head just off the pillow. She watched Gaelio in silence for a few moments, just listening.

It had been a long time since she'd heard music like that, if ever. Sometimes, she thought that was what she missed most about living among people: music.

"That's lovely," she murmured eventually, voice low so as not to wake Bay.

Marakai Trin

Gaelio continued for a moment longer, but only because the melody he was playing was almost done anyway. When he finished, he opened his eyes, looking into the fire a moment before he turned to her, offering a small smile.

"Thank you. It's something I play when stuff...bothers me. Makes me feel better...I'm glad you liked it, though."

He stood up, and stretched a little bit, yawning.

"Sorry I woke you...I think it's early yet, if you want to sleep more. But I don't think I can....bad dream."

DragonSong

Josie shook her head. "You know...this is your bed. If we don't wake Bay...perhaps you'd be able to sleep better here?" She shrugged. "I'm no stranger to bad dreams- I often find forcing yourself to sleep again actually helps."

Marakai Trin

"Yes, but..." he shook his head a little incredulously. He hadn't expected that.

"...you're there, it wouldn't be...proper." He turned to the fire again, stirring it a little so it would put off more heat - there was still a chill in the room. "....only if you're absolutely sure. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

DragonSong

Her mouth twitched up wryly at one corner. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't comfortable with the idea," she said quietly.

Perhaps it wasn't entirely appropriate, but she did feel rather guilty about stealing his bed. And she was confident in her ability to defend herself and Bay, if it came to that.

Marakai Trin

"Well, if you're sure...."

He bent down to grab the sheet, wrapping it around his shoulders, and then his cloak to hang on its hook.

He moved to the side of the bed opposite Bay - not wanting to wake him up - and kept his eyes averted as he lifted up the thick blanket, curling inside the sheet so as to be sure not to make contact with her. He then covered the three of them again, as well as he could.

"....perhaps a bigger bed, rather than a second one," he said, yawning as he did so. "Not a whole lot of room in here, anyway...."

DragonSong

Josie smiled a bit and closed her eyes again, curling a little tighter around Bay in an effort to give their host more room.

"Perhaps," she murmured. "Get some rest, Gaelio."

Marakai Trin

With but a mumble of agreement, Gaelio rolled over, and set back to falling asleep again. The last thought that crossed his mind was that of tomorrow's work. Wood. Food. Clothes for his guests. And who knew what else.

Content with his life for the moment, he rolled over and fell back asleep.

DragonSong

Josephine sighed quietly and let herself drift off again. She was a little tense to be sleeping so close to someone who was still practically a stranger.

But she knew she needed the rest, and honestly she was still so tired that it didn't take long for her to drop off, slipping fairly easily into unconsciousness.

Marakai Trin

When morning finally came, Gaelio found that he had beaten the sun again.

It was still dark when he awakened once more, though he felt wide awake. Glancing over to see Josephine and Bay still sound asleep, he gave a small smile, and pushed his way out from under the blanket until he was off the bed.

He made his way to the door, and opened it just a crack. The snow they were cursed with yesterday had apparently blown itself out during the night - the sky completely clear, and he could see that the nights stars were quickly fading. The wind was still.

"Wonderful....it may warm up a little." Still smiling, he shut the door and went to stoke the fire.

DragonSong

Much more alert now that she'd gotten some rest, Josephine sat up as she felt Gaelio leave the bed and watched for a moment in quiet, head tilted.

"Snow's stopped," she noted softly, absently letting her hand trail over a sleeping Bay's chest. The baby shifted and cooed quietly and she smiled at him, the icy blue of her eyes softening for a moment.

Marakai Trin

Gaelio nodded, finishing with the fire. "Yeah, it should be nicer today. I was wondering....you may not be clothed, but would you and Bay like to accompany me into the village? I'll need to trade what's left from hunting yesterday for clothing for the both of you, and I didn't want to leave you here to wait for me."

He stood and turned around, stretching a little bit. "You'd go in wolf form, of course. Would you be okay with that? You can stay here if you want, I won't force you."

DragonSong

She glanced at Bay, then back up at him, considering. "Yes," she decided after a few moments. "It would probably do him good to stretch his legs. Thank you.

She sat up properly and pulled the blanket around her shoulders, making sure to keep one corner tucked around Bay as he slept.

Marakai Trin

Gaelio nodded with a small smile, reaching to grab his shirt hanging on the back of the chair from the night before.

He pulled it over his head, and smoothed it down his chest. "Excellent. And then once we've got something for you to wear, you can come with me as a woman, and not have to hide.... speaking of that, do you hide the fact that you're a lycanthrope?"

As he spoke, he gathered up his broadsword, strapping it to his back, and then his cloak. After putting it on, he grabbed his bow and put his arm and head through the string, and settled it over his chest in the direction opposite his sword.

He appeared ready to go outside. "Oh...for now, I've got to get some firewood. You've time yet before we'll be going anywhere."

DragonSong

Josie tensed slightly at the question. "I've...never been in one place long enough to have to choose to hide it or not," she admitted after a moment.

Bay stirred beside her and she petted his hair absently.

Marakai Trin

Gaelio shrugged, and smiled a bit. "Well, it might be something to think about. But be aware, some of the villagers are Connlaothian...they might be better off knowing about it at first, rather than being surprised about it later. They know about me, and I'm tolerated well enough....just think about it, all right?"

He turned toward the door. " I'll be back, all right? This won't take long."

DragonSong

She nodded. "Um...alright."

Bay stirred beside her and she glanced down, stroking his arm with two fingers gently.

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