You never know what's happening...until you're right in front of it.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Manx held her back at arms length to study her face.  "There, see?  I told you I will help you.  Is that hope I see on your expression?  Why, I think it is!"  He carefully brushed her last tears away as she shuddered some more.  He began to see the light of day now, where everything was fixable and nothing was as doomed as it had seemed.

He hated being helpless.  And he hated not being able to help people who were stressed.  Manx may have an emotional problem that dealt with the way the weather worked in the Great Sky, but he was a kind person.  He wasn't arrogant like his father was, at least that's what he tried to convince himself.  He was strong minded and of high spirits when he ran a situation, and it was a "light of day" moment that made him feel quite relieved.

But she wondered openly what Master Finn would do.  So, Manx turned businesslike and explained, as best as he could, about what he knew of the old mage.  Manx let go of Odessa and stood by the countertop, where he began to prepare the porridge for them again. 

"Master Finn, as he likes to be called, is a mage,"  Manx began, throwing the pieces of rabbit in the pot with the vegetables.  "He's a good guy, little one...don't you worry about that.  I've known him for years, and he works out of his home not far from here.  I usually try to stay away from Ketra, because the crowds just drive me peanuts.  I go to Master Finn from time to time if I have a problem I just can't shake." 

Manx stirred in the spices and picked up the heavy pot with ease, carrying it to the common room where the fire was still blazing.  Putting it on the metal rod so the pot didn't touch the fire itself, he turned to Odessa, where she had followed him from the kitchen.  "I'm not sure what he'll do.  He'll want to know your situation...all of it...and he'll take things into his own hands.  I can't promise you that he'll cure you, but I can promise that I'll be with you every step of the way.  You don't have to do this alone, you know." 

Manx took her hand and led her into another room.  "This is my sleeping room.  I'll be in here after we turn down the lamp tonight, so as not to worry you further.  And after we eat, I'll gather some water from the spring behind the cabin and you can take your bath.  I think after you've had a good meal and get washed up, you'll be asleep in no time,"  he reasoned as he looked deeply into her eyes.  "You're so tired, little one..."

[visualspice]

Odessa had listened in silence, then as he moved closer to her, informing her he'd take care of her, she visibly flushed, feeling her heart flutter a little at the sentiment.
"Thank you,"S he whispered, but then her stomach made a light gurgling noise and her blush extended to her pointed ears. The smells from the cooking were just too much for her to handle, and it was in that awkward moment she finally afforded him a smile.
"I guess I am hungrier than I thought." She continued to smile softly, while looking mildly into his green eyes. "The foods smells wonderful. Are you sure there is nothing I can't do to help? I would feel better if there was at least something I could do to repay your kindness. I mean we are still very much perfect strangers, and you are putting your life in danger to help me." She took his hand, squeezing it lightly, still keeping her gaze on his. "Not many would be so kind. I appreciate it."
And she did, it had been sometime and she had been constantly avoiding human contact that it was wonderful to experience it- and for all she knew out of her naivety, this man could easily take advantage of her- but she always say the good in people, rarely the bad, so she had no reason to believe he was not true on his words.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Manx looked at her with an amused exasperation.  "Well, of course you're hungry...you fainted on my road to town, remember?"  He chuckled under his breath.  "And there's nothing you can do, right now.  I'll have you clean up the pot and the cooking room later, but for right now...let's eat!"  He lifted the hot pot from the metal spit rod and set it gently on the stone bank in front of the fire.  Since she didn't know this house, it would have been pointless to tell her to fetch the bowls and the tines they were to eat with.  He crossed the room and got them himself, chuckling all the way.  He knew it was warmer outdoors and the storm had passed altogether...Manx was delighted now, due to this chance meeting of the girl who fainted a ways from his cabin.  He wasn't exactly elated...he was content with getting to know Odessa, so content in fact, that his loins began to talk to him softly.  He was beginning to become aroused because there was a pretty girl in his house once again...but he didn't know if he should try bedding her tonight, after all.  She'd been through so much already today.

He came back into the common room with two wooden bowls and two long handled tines, also made of wood.  He grabbed the serving spoon from the side of the stone fire wall, and began to dish up the rabbit stew.  Handing a bowl and a tine to Odessa, he said, "Eat up while it's hot, little one.  It's not as thick as it should be, but I didn't have time to make a proper roux.  It should fill you up, though."

He watched her as she ate, fascinated a bit by the beauty that she possessed when she wasn't scared out of her mind.  She looked up at him, sensing his stare.  Smiling into his bowl, Manx ate.  It wouldn't be long until he spent the night with her in his sleeping room, he decided.  I will have my way with this girl eventually.

[visualspice]

Despite being famished, Odessa still had the dignity to eat with pride. She took to the stew, eating it quickly,but was careful to blow on it gently between pursed lips so as not to burn herself, and drank down each spoonful in slow gulps to relish in it's nutrients. It was the best meal in all of her life; as it would be with anyone in such a predicament, but she had been so engaged in her eatings that she hadn't noticed the man staring at her.
So when she did, her eyes flickered to his and she paused, frozen beneath his gaze before her cheeks gave way to the gentlest blush.
Diverting her eyes back down to her food, she bowed her head humbly towards him.
"Thank you. This is very good."
She could not have known what he was thinking, or that he was appreciating the beauty of what she was. Having been of the church,s he herself, was very reserved, and never in her life would think on such things, so as it was with most people, she believed everyone to be as chaste and sweet as any other person, or sister, or brother of the church, and just as pure and sincere. She had no reason to think other wise, for she had rarely been subjected to much else than a seemingly normal and perfect life out side of her own, wretched power, which had broken away the very surreal life she had once lived, broken a dream and began to bring her out just a bit more to reality-
but even still, life was so precious to her that everything she saw and was was sacred, and she would hold everyone and everything in high regard.

[Sunflower Dawn]

She's still a bit shaken up, Manx observed silently.  I should wait and get to know her intimately after tonight.  He noticed how quietly she sat, eating his stew and appearing to be deep in thought.

When he finished, he scooped up a little more.  "Feel free to eat the rest of this, I'm not one to allow food to go to waste around here."  He started in on his second helping, but first he wanted to try something.  He reached out gently and held her hand, soft and meaningful as gestures go.

"I feel your pain, little one, I do.  But from here on out, I want you to be completely honest with me...as you already have, I know...it would help me to help you if I knew exactly what you were feeling at any given moment." 

And with that, he cupped her face in his hands and brought his face close to hers.  "I won't hurt you,"  he whispered as he leaned in.  The kiss was soft at first, barely a touch, and then he pressed his lips to hers, warm and exploring.  He parted her lips with his own, inviting the reaction he wanted from her.  Searching for mutual affection, he held her there as he softly broke away from the tender moment.  He looked deep into her eyes, wondering what she thought of him now. 

[visualspice]

Odessa was sure she could eat more, and felt some relief when  more of the stew was offered to her, some sparkles returning to her eyes. "Thank you," she began to say, glad to have accepted more food. She was still so very famished, but oh, when he reached out a hand to touch her, she blinked and looked down at the hand over hers, then lifted her eyes to look into his.

At his next series of words, she knew not what to say, and was scared stiff when he moved forward. Her heart went to her throat, thumping in her ears, and when his lips sealed to hers, she froze up, and he'd only be able to kiss her cold, stiff lips in reply, for she had no way or reason to respond as fear and uncertainty prickled and bristled inside her. THen when he broke away, she felt a hotness scorch across her cheeks, heating all the way and reaching to the tips of her ears.
Her body fluttered, an excitement unknown fluttering through her body before she tensed and backed away suddenly, not sure what to do or say to something like that. Having never experienced such a kiss before, only chaste ones during her time at the church. Odessa wondered if it was some other form of endearment in this country. Yes, the sisters and brothers all shared kisses, soft to cheeks, very little would it ever be on lips, and sometimes sweetly on foreheads-

But his kiss was something else, it brought on something else and again she was too stunned for words as golden eyes stared at him, she leaning back and afraid, uncertain, and also feeling horrible for feeling this way.
"I-" she began, but no words could be brought forth. She was totally out of her element here and something inside her mind was telling her she ought to run- but how rude would that be when this man had offered her his food and so kindly offered a friendship, a means to help? How rude of her to just misinterpret his culture-
Was this how men comforted women here? In this place, where ever this place was...


Her eyes hastily went to the stew.
"Yes, I.. I could maybe eat more stew," she stammered awkwardly, face twisting a bit in confusion and uncertainty, and uncertain why she needed or wanted to avoid his gaze.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Manx almost giggled at her reaction.  Giggled!  He felt giddy, like a child opening a dozen gifts.  He refrained from doing so, though.  He didn't want her to think he was laughing at her in a cruel way. 

"I'm trying to tell you that I like you, little one,"  he said softly.  "I can't explain myself, but you open me up...you do things to my heart that no one has ever...ever done,"  he went on.  He dished her up more of the rabbit stew and handed her the bowl.  Then, in a flash of inspiration, he got up suddenly and went to the window.  Opening it, he pointed toward the brilliantly clear night.  It was warm, as it hadn't been all day, and he knew she was the one who had caused him to change direction.

"The storm has passed, Odessa, and I want you to come over here and see this,"  he beckoned for her to bring her bowl and come to him.  "I feel safe with telling you my ability, since you've so bravely told me yours."

[visualspice]

Odessa wasn't sure how there was this change of atmosphere, but there literally was. And her mind hadn't quite caught up to his idea and profession of like.
And it made her feel awkward a she timidly peered over at the window, not sure what he really expected her to do.
Did he want her to look at the moon? Oh, perhaps like in poetry; did somehow..
was he somehow suffering in a way she was? Perhaps that is why he seemed so intent to helping her (though when he had mentioned something like this before, it never really sunk in)
So she hesitated, yes, keeping a hand clutched near her chest before slowly turning her head to the window.

But he was right- curiously, the thundering of clouds had vanished. Timidly, she rose to her feet and approached him. It was almost as if she was afraid he'd try to kiss her again, or harm or, or scare her with some sort of war chant or yell. But then, when she felt it, the cold, kiss grace of the night, she blinked ad found herself leaning forward somewhat, but not quite intimately so.
She still felt awkward in his presence, they were strangers after all; and there was the ever present danger that at any moment... her cruel power would return again.

Though as she looked outside, her nerves calmed just slightly. The moon was beautiful, and the way in cast in the window almost made her golden skin appear silver and white.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Manx breathed in the night for a moment, not sure how to start.  He felt content with the situation at hand, something he'd not felt in a month or more.  As of late, something was always triggering sparks to fly inside his emotions...which explained the way the weather had acted.  It had been stormy, almost brooding...and somewhat dark.  Now...well, now it was clearing up and Manx knew he had to explain himself before the girl thought the Great Spirits in the Sky had gone mad.

"The storm has passed,"  he said to her again.  "And I was the one who caused it to happen.  We both have strange abilities, little one.  Mine is being able to change the weather."  He paused, looking at her.  When there was no reply, he went on.  "It sometimes happens without me thinking about it...the weather changes according to how I'm feeling emotionally.  My moods are fine-tuned with the Great Spirits of the Sky, and they're pretty strong.  When I'm sad, it'll rain for hours.  Or even days.  When I'm happy, I can make winter seem like the brightest summer day.  But when I'm angry...well..."  Manx dropped off, not wanting to scare the poor girl.  She'd been through so much, but she needed to know the truth...from his lips, not on a random day when it was actually happening.

He pressed on, as hard as it was for him to say.  "When I'm angry, I can make the weather your worst nightmare.  I've conjured up tornadoes and hurricanes...not on purpose, mind you...it just happens.  I can bring lightning down to the ground.  I can make the wind rip out trees...houses...sacred gravestones..."  he held his breath then, wondering what she was thinking.  He didn't want to scare her...not now.  Not when they had shared a little of themselves.  He wanted the feeling of contentment to last awhile before the storms hit them again...and yet, he wanted to experience the good and the bad with her.  Odessa, his beacon.  He really liked how he felt when she was near him.

He peered into her eyes, trying to read the unspoken words.  "I suppose you'll want to leave now, after hearing my fate.  I can't control it, Odessa...no more than you can control yours.  It's the curse I've been dealt, I guess."  He wanted desperately to know what she was thinking, what she felt at this moment.

[visualspice]

Odessa grew quiet. So very, very quiet.
It wasn't that she was afraid of what he said, though partially, yes.. yes she was.
She was very afraid of what he said. But not for the reasons he might expect.
To her, she hadn't imagined the curse of the mage could reach so far, and to other people in a similar manner to her own plight. And although she could now sympathize with another, she hardly felt relief, but felt the sudden crushing weight of fear.
Not for herself, but for all of the innocents these 'uncontrollable' moments the pair could have. ANd it terrified her to think what his powers might have done, like her own. To think! By the Gods! To control the weather!

She clutched suddenly her small hands to her chest, taking a single step back, then another, before finding her knees going weak as she dropped onto the floor.
Her head was dizzy, her vision going white.

By the Gods!

There were more mages like her!?
To think they lived in such a dangerous world that was so fragile, at any given moment...
Everything could be changed.
Everything could be different.
Everything could break.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Alarmed at her reaction, Manx grew wide eyed and immediately reached out to her.  "Oh, no...I, I'm sorry!"  he said to her kneeling form on the floor.  He didn't mean scare her, dammit...he would have given anything to take back those words. 

And with that, he turned on his heel and marched himself to the sleeping room.  He had to think.  Pacing back and forth, he wracked his brain and replayed every word he had said.  What could I have said differently?! he asked himself with fury.  He knew that if he kept this mood up, the storm outside would be back in no time...and Odessa would notice.  She'd know he was upset by the dark clouds without warning, and he didn't want that.  Trying to calm himself, he sat down on the bed and took a couple of deep breaths. 

He had thought it was safe to tell her.  After all, she had spilled her guts about the interesting things she could do...  He didn't understand.  He really didn't...and for the first time in a long time, Manx didn't know what to do about the situation. 

She might not even be there when I go back to her, he thought.  He frowned at that thought, because he wanted her to stay...even if he scared at her so bad she almost fainted again.  He wanted her to stay because she was the best company he'd had.  Ever.

So, mustering up enough energy to face her again, he slowly walked out of the sleeping room and into the common room.  "Odessa?  Little one...I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have told you all that, and I'm so very sorry I scared you,"  He almost cried the words. 

[visualspice]

Odessa was still stunned, and when Manx left, she had no idea what to do, or what she wanted to do.  TO have suddenly come to the realization that her own horrors were not the only in this world and that perhaps there were others, far, far more darker and perhaps dangerous than her own..
it was too much for her, and she found herself in tears. WHen he returned however, she tried to compose herself, but simply shook her head at him. Too weak to rise off the floor, she simply peered up.
"No, it's not that I just..." she shivered. "I just.. I never realized how much magic could taint a person, and how others could suffer like me. And with that idea, it frightens me to think that there are others with such terrible power. Oh! And what of this world!? To think we are of a breed who can not control something so horrible! What are we to do? What about those innocents? What about these sins? We must find a way to be rid of this! THere has to be a way!" She sobbed, grabbing onto his arms desperately.
"But oh.. oh the church- it had offered me answers, but without the mordecai, no matter the cures they tried to force on me.. it seems.. it seems none of them could work. Oh, it's like a plague, Manx, do you not see?W e are not worthy as the rest. They are only innocent- and look- look at what we can do- and to think there might be others! Oh!" and she found herself sobbing again, so full of despair.

[Sunflower Dawn]

Manx felt awful.  She was crying...crying...and it was because she was unfamiliar of Serenian ways, the ways of magic.  He felt sorry for her.  No, that wasn't it...he felt sorry because he felt her pain.  Manx wasn't an Empath, but he sure knew exactly what she was feeling. 

It was exactly what he had felt the first few weeks he found out about his ability. 

He quietly knelt beside her and touched her shoulder.  "I wish I could make this less painful for you, little one.  I can't, because I suffer from the same thing.  But all mages don't have curses like we do...like Master Finn.  He's got a great magic inside him...he uses it to help all people.  There are plenty of folk here in Serendipity that use their magic for good.  I'm so sorry, little one...I don't know how to make this better for you."  he paused and took a breath.  He realized he was babbling, and blushed in spite of himself.

 

[visualspice]

It was hard for her to comprehend, or to wrap her mind around the idea mages could do good- especially considering their own two powers. She turned to him, uncertain, confused, almost ashamed of what she thought and ashamed she could find nothing to say. She was still shaking lightly, still sprouting tears.
Oh, if only this Master Finn could help her! But what could one man do? And she was so far away from home..
she began to feel homesick, missing the church, her sisters, her home...

"I.. I guess it's just so strange to me,"s he admitted after a time, trying to brush her tears away. "I.. I just don't understand how magic can be of any good."