Listen to the rain

[Anonymous]

The rain began as a light mist when Nall left Meyari's house and got heavier with every step she took, finally falling in fat drops .  The clouds were around for three days beforehand, thick and grey.  

Nall walked slowly, hands in the pockets of her long white coat and eyes on the sky.  It was a little pathetic, she told herself over and again, to keep clinging to that old childish hope.  Pathetic as it was, she couldn't keep it from crossing her mind whenever it rained.  It could have been worse, she could have run around unduly excited every clear night thinking that it was finally the starry night she hoped for when she was a girl.  Only the rain seemed to bring the memory back.

These days they came on stronger than before.  It must have been Zézette and the stories Marduk would bring back with him.  She wasn't safe anymore.  It took every ounce of self control she had to keep from begging Atam to take Zézette with him when he left the week before.  There was a reason Atam put Zézette under her care in the first place and if she told him she was worried that the Syndicate was after her, he wouldn't leave and Zézette would still be in the same place.  Still in danger.  No, potentially in danger.

That was how it started between Akso and her...

Nall bit her lip and pulled her damp coat close, covering her near translucent shirt and the wrap under it.  The rain and the memories that fell with it could be messing with her head.  There was nothing alike between Zézette and the girl Nall was.  Less was the same between Akso and the woman Nall grew to be.  The thought was less comforting than it should have been.  If Zézette did get in danger, somehow, Akso would have been able to protect her.  Nall would... she couldn't say what she would do.  She wasn't even sure if she would always stay by Zézette's side.  She already thought about giving her back to Atam and it would be all too easy to keep giving Erezebeta excuses once Marduk and Mr. K left so Zézette would remain under her care.

With her head literally in the clouds, Nall took a wrong turn and was soon standing at the edge of the road before it became the circular center of the village.  Usually it was full of people, traders and villagers come to gossip.  At this time at night and with the rain, only the fountain was there.  It was hard to tell the water streaming from spouts on the top of the fountain from the rain at this distance.  The drops beat a steady pattern against the thin cobblestone that paved the center.  Nall couldn't get any wetter and didn't have to pick up Zézette, so she kept walking toward it instead of turning around.  Three steps toward it she froze, pulling her hands out of her pockets.  

She wasn't the only one here.

[Anonymous]

The rain beat down heavily from the sky now, like the heavens furious crying was a symbol from the gods themselves. It was odd, at this particular time of year for such unnatural rain. And yet for this particular occasion it was extremely comforting for the Iron Duke.

This was a name given to him long ago. So long that the reason he got it was long since forgotten by many. He simply had the title now and it was somewhat well known (despite having no reason for it now). Perhaps even moreso then his name.

The Iron Duke "Valmont" sat on the edge of the fountain on this particular night, looking almost like a statue at first glance, his form frozen almost like a gargoyle. He wore his usual dark attire but he also had a brown cloak obscuring his clothing as well as the sword on the back of his belt. the water ran down his form like he was a part of the fountain itself.

He was meditating, at first. letting the silent sounds of the night and the gentle running of water down his hair, face and shoulders calm his nerves, ease hid mind and soothe his soul. He needed it, after that battle on the outskirts of town earlier. More insistent soldiers trying to test the towns defenses. An act they would not return from.

As the woman made her way into the square and stopped, seemingly aware of him in some way, shape or form, he felt his heart speed up. He still was not entirely relaxed from his encounter with the soldiers earlier, and his nerves were still sharp. Opening his eyes, which seemed to pierce the night like glowing sapphires in the night, he gazed at the woman from the shadowy veil of the fountain.

"...Odd that visitors visit this time of the night. what brings you to the serenity that is the fountain?" he asked, his voice seemingly disembodied unless one were to see his eyes through the watery mist around the fountain.

[Anonymous]

The hair on the back of Nall's neck rose as she realized one of the shadows on the fountain was another person.  This was La'Marri though, the person on the fountain couldn't be any danger.  Shouldn't be any danger.  

Wasn't.  She recognized that voice.  It was too dark to make out anything more of him than a hazy silhouette , but it looked like Valmont's silhouette.  If it had been anyone else she might not have stayed on guard afterward.  The tales about him fighting dragons kept her wary.  It was ridiculous, but Zézette was half dragon.  Too young to be a threat to anything and definitely not worthy of a hero tale afterward.  The gist of it, that her innocent ward was so close to a dragon slayer, was enough to bother her.

She couldn't ignore him though.  It was rude.

Nall put her hands in her pockets, took a deep breath and tried to relax.  She wouldn't be able to answer him otherwise.  "Just thinking," she rasped.  "Not paying... attention."  She exhaled heavily through her nose.  "What're-" she coughed, clearing her throat after.  "What're you... out... for?  You... like... the rain?"

[Anonymous]

"What're you... out... for? You... like... the rain?" the woman said, her voice rasping.

"Yes, I suppose you could say that I like it. It has a clensing quality to it, almost as if it can wash away one's pain, something I have seen far to much of within other people. As for why I am out here..."

he paused for a moment, obviously trying to come up with a harmless excuse to hide his real reasoning for sitting near the fountain. he brought his right arm up and scratched the back of his head, almost like an embarressed husband trying to explain a lie something to his wife, yet failing to hide his intentions.

"I guess I'm just thinking."

 Eric's figure rose up from his sitting position, transitioning to his full standing height of six feet, with an inch or two more from his shoes. He was still somewhat obscured by his surroundings, a problem he would soon fix. Stepping foreward, with a grace that one might expect from someone of his reputation, he walked twoard the young woman, stopping about ten feet away from her.

"Are you alright? you seem awfully pensive for someone lost in thought." he said, some concern obviously evident in his voice.

[Anonymous]

It wasn't the first time Nall heard anyone say that they liked rain because it could wash away pain.  This was the first time she heard a person pin such pain on other people.  Must have been nice to be able to get over... she shook her head.  She couldn't just assume that Valmont went merrily skipping through life just because he didn't leave any room for his own pain to be washed off with the rain.

Not that Nall believed the rain could wash away anything other than a light layer of dirt.  If the rain could do away with a person's pain and sorrow she would have been chasing the clouds.  And there might not have been anything left of her, depending on when she found out about it.

She tilted her head up when he stood, frowning when he said she sounded pensive.  "I always..." she cleared her throat, afterward swallowing a mouthful of spit and wondering if she should tip her head back and let the rain soak into her throat for a little bit.  "Sound like this... my throat's..." Not working anymore?  Cursed?  Broken?  Explaining why she had trouble talking was never easy, no matter how many times she did it.  Just giving it a full explanation was hard, because she needed more words than she could, and cared to, say at one time.  "Messed up."

She purposefully ignored his question.  She wasn't all right, it would be cause for celebration is she was all right these days.  Most of the time she flickered between mild distress, bitter nostalgia and various levels of panic.  If she told him, he'd just ask about it and there were too many words she couldn't, and didn't care to, say to explain why.

[Anonymous]

"I always...Sound like this...my throat's...Messed up." The young woman seemed aggravated by the question, assuming that her voice was what Valmont spoke of. It was not.

"That is not what I was referring to, my lady. I was referring to what I see with you overall. An action speaks louder then a thousand words, and from what I see and feel of you..." He said, in an almost fatherly tone, pausing for a moment to close his eyes, an odd act considering how he referred to "what he saw". a few moments later, he opened his eyes, revealing a face akin to a stern, yet somehow caring teacher.

"You seem pensive, nervous, afraid, and a little confused in my opinion. If I had to venture a guess, you must be a newer resident to La'marri, considering I do not believe I have met you before. Trying to rebuild your life after tragedy, perhaps? Whatever troubles you, It is easy for me to tell from the way you walk. It is almost as if you carry an invisible burden, weighing down upon you like like binding chains of fate...

Valmont turned around, and took a few steps back twoard the fountain.

"I have seen it on far too many youth such as you. It is tragic to think that the world has fallen so far as to let those that carry our future also carry such weight. I know this is perhaps a lot to ask of a stranger, But would you be willing to share your tale with me? Perhaps my wisdom could help you begin to find your way...

The brown-cloaked man, this "Iron Duke", turned back to face the young woman. he raised his right hand out from beneath his cloak, palm upward and fingers spread out somewhat. It was supposedly an inviting gesture, but not of the kind to speak. It was the invitation of a master of combat inviting a sparring session. While not a universally understood motion, Eric believed that if the woman had any kind of combat experience, she would know what he requested.

"Not through words, mind you, but through combat. "Sparring" if you would.

It was an unusual request that Valmont made. He had no intention of harming the young woman. No, his desire was the opposite: Eric wanted her to show him those deep dark feelings Eric thought she was keeping down through the only way that he theorized she could.

It was a complete shot in the dark, but Eric was used to making leaps of faith to help others, even at the expense of his own health.

[Anonymous]

My lady?  Nall's shoulder tensed.  He was probably just that type of guy, but being called a lady always irked Nall a bit.  Sure, she was a woman, but a lady.  That implied a certain soft, gentleness that Nall wasn't sure she had anymore.  Most ladies wouldn't look a man they barely knew in the eyes for very long and Nall never took her eyes off his once he moved close enough to make them out.

He never saw her because Nall didn't deal with many men since she came to La'Marri.  Certainly not the ones that defended the town anyway.  She wasn't defending it with them, so she didn't bother getting to know them.  When she moved here she didn't want to have too many young children to care for at once and now she barely thought she was capable of taking care of Atam's child.

Nall crossed her arms when he turned back to the fountain, her eyes crossing soon after.  She was about to tell him that, yes, she would mind telling him her story.  It was long and she didn't know him well enough to explain it.  Then he turned around and raised his hand and the refusal died before she got a chance to start saying it.  It was a familiar gesture.  An invitation to spar.

How much could a person really figure out just by fighting another person?

She looked at his hand for a few seconds, digging her fingers into her arms.  "My weapon... is at home... can't fight... with... wet skirts... bad mobi...lity."  Never mind that her hand to hand left a lot to be desired even when she was dry.  She'd come home sopping wet and bruised if she took his offer and Mr K... well, she'd like to think he'd be upset if she came home black and blue.  Marduk was more likely to honestly be upset.  "If... you really want... to spar... ... meet me... morning... my house... near... Ereze..beta... the tutor."

[Anonymous]

"My weapon... is at home... can't fight... with... wet skirts... bad mobi...lity...If... you really want... to spar... ... meet me... morning... my house... near... Ereze..beta... the tutor."

Eric had to admit, he had not thought of her clothing. then again, It was rarely an issue anymore for him, considering he only had one set of clothes. Still, he could not help but notice the aura of tension around her, almost as If he had somehow irritated her with something he said.

His response was a rather friendly smile, unusual to give someone who seemed so annoyed with him. He was used to It, though: he spent a lot of time dealing with who were a little bit less then friendly. Oh well, she seemed more then willing to spar, which was good.

Part of Eric could tell she needed it. The aura of tension he felt coming from her was pretty strong, and It was masking something deeper...and darker. Anger? Rage? Hatred? Sadness? Eric had no idea, but whatever it was, he knew it was there.

"Very well...

Taking deliberate and slow steps, he quietly made his way back to the fountain and sat down, once again looking like some kind of guardian statue, waiting for the dawn to free him from his prison of duty.

"I eagerly await the chance to to hear your story."

((OOC: so, should we skip to the next morning, and maybe the next "scene" so to speak, or should I edit this post and keep the conversation going?))

[Anonymous]

((You're fine.  We're skipping ahead to the morning ^^))

Nall didn't leave immediately after Valmont turned and started walking back to the fountain.  Her patience got her something else to be annoyed about.  It seemed Valmont was still eager to hear her story.  

She needed to make sure Marduk wouldn't start talking if he showed up tomorrow and said anything about it.  

First she needed to get home, so she could tell Marduk and start drying her coat.  She walked off calmly, arms still folded in front of her and because she didn't let her mind wander, her feet didn't.  Even with her coat and boots off, she left a thin trail of water behind her as she walked from the door to her bedroom.  She kicked K out of her bed, got out of the rest of her wet clothes and went to sleep.

---

That morning, after Nall put the kettle on the stove for tea she walked to the back door and grabbed her staff.  She leaned it against the wall in the big room she cooked and ate in, uncomfortably aware of three eyes staring holes in her.

"I thought yesterday was your practice day," Marduk said, single open eye gleaming like a gold coin.

"Sparring," she replied.

"Mr. K!" Marduk turned to look at Mr. K, who was brooding at the other end of the table.  His hair and eyes the grey-black of storm clouds.

"No," she tried not to stare at the kettle.  "Someone... else."

"Do I know them!  Can we watch?"

It was just like Marduk to ask more questions then she could answer at once.  "No... you don't... You can... watch... both of... you."

Mr. K sulked, Marduk bounced, Nall made tea.  Marduk wanted to make another cup for Valmont.  Wanted to invite him in and likely bombard him with questions.  She didn't Valmont would be bothered by Marduk, but she couldn't promise that he'd come in and be questioned.  Otherwise Marduk might chase him all the way to his house, asking a question with every footfall.  That might count as cruelty.  She agreed to set another cup of tea out.

When they finished breakfast Nall took her quarterstaff and walked outside, Marduk following and dragging Mr. K.  They were an odd procession.  Nall in her colourful, patchwork skirts; long white coat; and an old red ribbon tied around her neck with her old, battle scarred staff in hand.  Marduk, grinning, in billowing clothing coloured as bright as gems, spiky platinum hair gleaming in the sun, one eye closed as always these days and the other now ruby red.  Mr. K's hair and eyes were completely black now, his clothing nondescript - a beige shirt, black trousers, crossed belts with pouches around his waist.  Nall walked with her shoulders set and her chin up.  Marduk all but danced and Mr. K shuffled.

At least they didn't have to wait.  Nall liked punctuality, but she didn't smile at Valmont when she saw him.  She nodded, a simple, wordless greeting.  Marduk hopped and waved.  Nall took a few steps toward Valmont, her staff held at ease.