Heart of the Bog

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It was as Eve was studying the man she began to realize what else appeared off about him-
and that was the glowing hue of his eyes. She found herself momentarily captivated by the very idea of them-a nd was so distracted by her followings that she hadn't realized where she had been going and misstepped and down she went in a gasp-

and a splash later, and she was on her knees again in the bog, water nearly consuming her for this section was a bit more deep, and well, she was never a really tall young woman to begin wtih anyway. The jacket had gone down with her, so when she stumbled to get back to her feet, it wasa bit more difficult this time because the bog was just so sticky and heavy when mixed wtiht he jacket and was, well, bogging her down.

[nephero]

Tristan turned at the sound of an unexpected splash, his every muscle primed and ready for a fight. He had to do a double-take, however, at the sight of the girl flailing in the mud. It took him a second to process everything-- and to stop his veins from pumping adrenaline-- but when it all finally clicked...

He couldn't help himself. He let out a great snort, that soon coupled by raspy laughter. He continued to snicker to himself even as he climbed down into the water to where Eve was, his eyes shining all the brighter for his lifted mood. He reached down, and very gently lifted the poor girl up, setting her onto the drier bank and helping to wring out most of the water from the coat that continued to dry and drag her down.

Even then, as he sloughed the thicker mud off of her, he couldn't help intermittent chuckles, though he did at least try to look apologetic for them.

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The second Tristan moved to help her, she clung to him, and was very afraid to let him go. Even after he had set her on dryer land, her arm was still clinging around his, as green eyes peered up at him frightfully so, her heart hammering away inside her chest.

[nephero]

As soon as Eve was less waterlogged, Tristan joined her on dry land. He didn't try to break her hold on him, rather, he simply shifted it so they'd be able to walk arm in arm. He reached over with his free hand to pluck a bit of pond scum out of her hair, and flung that back into the water without another word, though he did still occasionally snicker to himself.

When they finally reached the cottage, however, he stopped her, and proceeded to brush off as much mud and dirt and errant twig as possible. He gave himself a similar pat-down, but between the pair of them, there really wasn't that much that could be done. Tristan let out a sigh, looked at Eve as if to say, 'well, I tried, and no one can criticize me,' and knocked on the cottage door.

As if sensing just what more interaction with people might do, he took Eve's hand with his own, and gave it a reassuring little squeeze.

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Eve moved rigidly at his side, uncertain what she was to make all of this. Having just woken up in such a strange place, it was more than a little disorienting, and considering what she had gone through all of her life.... Her fear of other people, and trust... It would always be tried. It was still difficult, even after befriending another, to still reach out, and trust someone else. But she was finding with each foot step, she was gaining some confidence, that was, until they drew nearer to the cabin.

Their destination was anything but terrifying, in fact, it was a welcoming sight to most- especially in such a dismal and hard to traverse area as this. But the second the man approached and gave a knock on the door, her hand suddenly clung to his tightly, eyes going wide as her body froze in fear.

Part of her instincts were to run-
but then again, she had grown up in a similar place as this...
And that place was one of the seeds to her nightmares, her despair.. her fear.
But this was not her Father's home, nor anyone's home she knew. But it still did not stop her from shaking at the prospect there might be danger within.

[nephero]

Tristan looked down at Eve, at how pale she became, at how she shook like a leaf in the autumn winds. It was then that he cursed the circumstances of his own birth-- maybe, if he hadn't been born when he was, where he was, if he had simply been another passerby in the bog instead of what he was, if he were capable of communicating to her-- maybe he might be able to explain. To at least impart enough assurance to waylay her fears if only for a moment.

It was heartbreaking, seeing a creature so terrified that even the sight of a warm home scared them. Tristan gave her soft hand another squeeze, before the door opened and he was very occupied with a small, exciteable old woman.

"Tristan, big da nu, meen vrund?" she rushed forward without any other thought, and wrapped her bony arms solidly around his middle. For a moment, Tristan looked confused, but that soon faded into a wide grin.

"Sabine, nu haa neen alden en dei." She swatted his arm at whatever it was he said, though it must have been pleasant for her smile. It was right about then that the old woman noticed Eve, still firmly attached to the bog man.

"Fer big di?" She asked, and upon recognizing complete incomprehension, she smiled a little more warmly. "Hello, there. Ah, but what are you covered in-- did this fool drag you halfway around the swamp before getting you here? Come in, come in, let me get you clothes that haven't been marinating in peat for a century-- and a bath. Kom," she motioned again, and Tristan immediately followed her inside, giving Eve's hand a gentle sort of tug.

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The woman, though obviously friendly and non-menacing, still put Eve on edge as she clung to the bogman, but took a step back, practically hiding behind him after the woman finished her embrace. And as they exchanged speak in their funny own language, the old woman set her attentions to Eve.

And at first, she hadn't realized she was speaking common, but when she did, it only caused Eve to press more closely to the sticky, moss slicked man and cling to his coat even tighter. And though she hesitated only briefly before entering into the cabin at Tristan's side (or more a bit at his back, as she clung to his arm and still hid timidly behind him); she couldn't help but have this immense feeling of fear consume her, her legs even feeling numb as she walked bare foot into the house, leaving tiny foot prints of mud in her wake.

[nephero]

"Don't worry about tracking, I've seen this boy bring in far worse," the woman called over her shoulder, even as she rolled a large tin tub over behind a curtain set in a corner of the cabin. She gestured at the fire, and Tristan immediately moved to it, setting up a kettle before heading outside the cabin again.

"He'll be back, he's just getting you some water from my well." the old woman smiled at her, and moved to rummage through a small wardrobe. "Though, the last time I saw him and he promised to be back was about... fifty years ago, I think."

She gave a little cry of victory, then, and pulled out a very old-looking but well-cared for dress, and set that across her bed.

"There, something to wear that isn't muddy and chafing. Are you hungry? It might be some time before he fills the tub."

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Being left alone with a stranger, even a pleasant one, made Eve tense up as she peered over worriedly at the woman. There was no suspicion, merely uncertainty- and fear. And due to the fact Eve was still naked and having drying mud caked all over her body, the young woman found herself shifting her weight uncomfortably on her feet as she shivered.

Still not certain what to say or if she wanted to speak,s he spared one look at the older woman before dropping her gaze. She peered at the dress, memories flooding her before she was forced to look away an gripped possessively at the jacket that now clothed her. Her eyes now searched for Tristan, her heart beating heavily within her chest.

[nephero]

To her credit, the old woman didn't seem like the was offended by Eve's lack of response. She seemed concerned more than anything, her white brows knitted together and creating a deep wrinkle between them. She gave a soft sort of smile, and went back to her bustling, readying the curtain and tub as well as a bucket of assorted brushes and soaps.

It was right about then that the door to the hut opened, Tristan returning with a large bucket in either hand. He poured the water into the kettle over the fire, careful to avoid spilling as much as possible. He set the buckets down after that, moving out of the way as the old woman shuffled over to throw a few sweet-smelling herbs into the cauldron as well.

Tristan caught Eve's look, then, and his smile dropped into a matching look of concern, even as he brushed the drying mud from his hands and onto the hut floor.

"Big di gid?" He asked, even though he knew he wouldn't get an answer, and he stepped over to Eve to give her shoulder a soft squeeze.

"Not much for chatter, are you, dear?" the woman asked, though her tone was not unkind. "But let me assure you, no harm will come to you under this roof. Especially not if you got a bogman leading you like a guard dog."

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Eve was still on edge, but she felt more and more at ease around these two strangers now that she was in their home, and both were offering her warm smiles. When Tristan reached out to touch her, giving her a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder, she tensed and turned to him, eyes going wide, but again- seeing the same warm compassion as before, she released her held breath and turned to the older woman when she began to speak.

Bogman? She gave a curious blink, and looked from the woman, then over to Tristan. Now that she had a better look at him- there was definitely something different about him, (as if the pointed teeth did not give that much away). But she was curious what that meant, but also of the bath. Something smelled nice coming from the tub, and she peeked over that way curiously, some of her dirty, red hair- now appearing dark and almost black in how soiled it was, fell over her face as she still peered around- as if observing a cabin for the first time- as if even observing people for the first time.

[nephero]

In the wake of silence from the young girl, the woman and Tristan fell instead to speaking to each other in their weird little language, though from the tone is seemed to just be mere soft conversation. There were a few orders mixed in, shortly followed by Tristan milling about the cabin and doing a few bits of heavy lifting.

Soon, the tub was full of the sweet-smelling water, lightly steaming in the dim light of the cabin's hearth. The old woman gestured Eve over and behind the curtain, which she then pulled further around in order to grant her some privacy. With a thick, well-worn blanket and the brushes and soaps set on a stool within reach, the old woman hummed in approval.

"There you are, girl, go ahead and wash up. We'll get some dinner going for you two."

With that, the woman left the little hidden area, and shuffled her way back over the hearth. The chatter started up again near the fire, a little softer than before, intermittently interrupted by more little orders and the chopping of vegetables on the table.

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When the bath had been prepared, Eve remained near by it, staring at it timidly as if seeing a bath for the first time. Naturally, she had seen a tub before,a nd had a bath before in her life, but she was staring at it with some interest, her eyes becoming lost in her warped reflection. She looked a mess, her red hair slicked against her body and her face and limbs all caked in mud. It seemed like a sin to get the bath all dirty,a n despite her having some privacy, when she removed her coat, well, Tristan's coat to be precise, she did it delicately, and timidly, as if afraid someone were watching. Then once the jacket was removed, she delicately set it aside before stepping into the bath, one foot at a time.

The second her soiled skin touched the clear waters, dirt immediately dispersed and darkened the clean waters around her. And as she moved to lower herself in fully, it only to a few moments for the waters to appear nearly black. But as she sat there, half submerged and peering aroudn the room- something lulled her, somethign called to her, and she felt her eye lids becoming heavy and soon, her entire body was submerged beneath the waters and she lay there at the bottom, red hair floating around in great tangles about her body, but other than that, she was as still as death.