| Curing the Curse |
| Summary: | While on the trail of Princess Kerilyn's kidnappers, Savaric and Talia visit Tylon at the Laketown Temple to cleanse a dark part of Savaric's past. |
| Date: | 16 May 2013 |
| Related: | None |
| Players: |
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| Laketown Temple - Main Room |
| Like all temples of the Four, this one is a slightly stretched diamond in structure with lofty cathedral ceilings that let natural light shine in and illuminate this sacred place. It is accessed by a graceful archway on each of the four straight walls, emphasizing that neither direction holds prescedence over the other. Many of the craftsmen of Laketown have come together to carve, engrave, and accent this wonderous temple.
At each of the four corners of the temple are the altars of the Four. The northern corner belongs to Bornas the Mountain God crafted from hard ivory. There is an offering dish that is often filled with handfuls of earth, leaves, or seeds. Directly opposite of him in the south is the handsome and youthful statue of Ravas the Fire God carved from petrified crimson wood, and his offering bowl often contains hearth ash or bits of tinder. To Ravas's left in the western corner is the old and wise Stilltha crafted from polished blue marble; river stones and water occupy her offering bowl, including the occasional fishbone. Last, but not least, opposite of Stilltha in the east is the young Altheara chisled to life from the heart of a hard blackwood. In her bowl is held bird feathers and bones, as well as small carved flutes and chimes. |
| 13 - 14 May 1329 |
Another day another dozen acolytes to have sent bustling on about in seeing after the various tasks of the temple. But by the evening hour things had calmed, the temple is quiet. The alters well seen to and it mostly just Tylon, the still somewhat new Mother Superior lingering near the alter of Stilltha after having risen smoothly. A light sigh as she turns, eyes scanning the temple a moment with a faint nod to the Chosen stationed near the door to the more private areas of the Temple.
There's a faint rubbing, the fingers of Savaric's right hand rub at the wrist of his left, as if trying to remove that incomplete branding of sacrifice to the Fifth from his wrist. Coming into the Temple has always made the ranger uncomfortable, and with the entrance of him and his wife, the northern ranger takes in a cautious view.
On her feet for the first time in days, rather - on her feet without a fever ebbing and flowing for the first time in days that is - Talia is moving quietly at Savaric's side as they enter the temple. She takes hold of Savaric's left hand, simply enfolding his larger hand with hers, as she glances around the Temple as well.
Green eyes settle a moment on the couple that drifts into the Temple and a bow of Tylon's head goes to them. A calm smile forming before there is a greeting offered,"Guardian's blessing this day, and be welcome. If you have need of me, it is their will to offer what I can, else I shall seek to not disturb you should you wish to simply give prayer."
Feeling the warmth of his wife's hand in his own seems to steady the large ranger as he stops scratching at the decade old mark. As he looks towards the Temple Priestess, Savaric offers a bow of his head. "We are on the hunt for the takers of Princess Kerilyn, and seek the blessings of the Temple to find her whole and hale and for protection against the worshippers of the chaos bringers that wish harm to all."
"We were both wounded a little when we were out last," Talia interjects, downplaying wounds that nearly took their lives, "and we feel that we've been … remiss a bit."
Tylon inclines her head,"A blessing is the least of what I can offer, they stir up much trouble these days and any who seek to corral them are deerving of such." Though her gaze settles to Talia as she notes,"A moment to rest as well, though I can offer supplies to aid what wounds have been gotten. And perhaps to take with should any fresh ones befall upon the path that comes next."
As Talia speaks, the large ranger nods his head slowly, and returns his attention from his wife to the Mother Superior. "Any assistance will be appreciated." Savaric says as he quiets now, knowing that his wife is the much better spokesperson for the couple.
"Your assistance is appreciated," Talia replies with a shy smile and a duck of her head in a nod. "I am a healer as well, but one cannot always treat ones own wounds," she admits with another small nod. "My husband believes that disturbing the sacrifice's made by these.." and she won't actually say the name of these madmen in a temple, she really just won't, "brings ill luck or ill will upon our heads. We wish to.. well do what we can to avoid their eye settling upon us."
A small nod goes to Savaric,"Assistance is always given when it is wished for." A calm smile is offered to Talia as well as a rather understanding and knowing look,"Of that, I know well and we do seem to make the worst in seeking to be healed by another. If you have need yet, or everin the future, please do not hesitate to come here, or send someone for me. I will come." Green eyes drift between the two at this news,"It…is possible, much is possible in the matter of ill tiding, especially…" Tylon pauses and just gives a smile,"A blessing should resolve the matter, and wash away the ill tiding that seem to hang over you. And before I am further a poor host, I am the Mother Superior here," as perhaps noted by the silver markings of her robes,"Tylon. "
Savaric itches lightly at his left wrist again, a little agitation in his stance as he looks around. "Mother Superior." he says, a bow of his head in greetings to the woman as he looks between the two women. "Blessings are good. Want to try to have children, do not need them curse. As I was." he shakes his head at that, not offering up his own name as Tylon introduces herself. The ranger doesn't have the best manners in the world, after all.
Talia takes Savaric's left hand in hers, "We are the Ashlan's," she offers with a smile to the Mother Superior, "I'm Talia and this is Savaric," she makes the introductions as she gives a nod that isn't just polite but respectful. She glances up at Savaric as she speaks, "We want our children to be safe, not just from the perils of life, but from the ill omens of the gods and chaos," she says softly before looking back to Tylon. "We have decided to try, now, and it's imperative to us that we do not cast ill luck on our children before we even have them." She brushes her thumb against the incomplete brand on Savaric's wrist, "This.. brand on my husband's wrist was forced upon him by a monster. Is it possible to do something about it?"
An eyebrow just flicker up a bit at what Savaric says,"Children are a blessing in and of themselves. " Tylon's gaze drawn back to the obvious spokeperson of the group,"It is a honr to meet you both, Talia," a bow of her head going to each in turn,"Savaric." The priestess's words carrying the simple Laketown accent, not north…not south. Just Laketown. "That you seek to already ensure a safe path and life for your children is a good sign, and that you keep the Guardians in your hearts. I can give a blessing to help, but I would recommend that you consider an offering to each of the Guardians over the coming weeks. Together or separate, as you feel comfortable with."
Thi matter of a brand does have Tylon's eyes looking more to the wrist in question,"It…could perhaps be possible to do something about it. Though the only recourse may to be to leave a different scar." A hand raises and is held out to Savaric,"May I take a closer look to better suggest what may be done or not?"
Savaric shoots Talia a look as she brings up the mark on his wrist and he frowns. "Monster. Not monster. Father." he admits as the ranger loosens his hand from his wife's and turns his palm over. Already there are a couple of fingers missing from this hand, the victim of frostbite and exposure.. or other things. On the bottom of his wrist just below the palm is the 'X' of the chaos bringer halfway branded into his flesh. To prove his point, he turns over the other wrist, which is absent of the mark. "Father attempted to sacrifice. Fought off. Got away." Killed him, really.
"Talia not worried that I will be like him, but I do have moments of fear." he admits. "Want to make sure our children have good parents. Strong. Reliable." Won't try to sacrifice them to the Guardian of chaos and destruction. "Wish to purge myself of mark."
"Another scar that would destroy the first mark may be the only way," Talia says softly with a look up at Savaric as she speaks. "I know that the mark bothers you, but you weren't ready, until now, to speak of it," she adds in that same soft voice, telling him the answer to the unasked question as to why she mentions is NOW of all times. This is said as she looks toward Tylon again, "We will make our offerings to each of the guardians together, Mother Superior," she has moved to Savaric's other side and takes that hand in hers instead, "as we do all things. Offerings made alone aren't our way," she adds with a touch of a smile.
The sight of his hand, missing fingers, mark and all, don't seem to startle or even cause so much of a flicker in the priestess' rather calm expression and general way. Her hand does lightly drawn up Savaric's hand to take a closer look at the brand though, looking to the depth of which it was forced,"To change it, transform it to another scar can be a blessing of its own. But it depends on how deep to see if more damage would be made in the attempt. " The story of it's..orgins does cause an eye brow to rise a little,"A rough path and lesson, obviously the Fifth was not with his as he thought and the Guardians found way to give strength to change the ill concieved desire. A moment of better luck. "
The hand is release once she has taken her inspection of the mark,"I think it possible, though I will not say it will be a pleasant process, more so at least than in having recieved that. ANd time will be needed to heal." Tylon nod to Talia on the matter of offerings,"Together for children is a good way, though sometimes it is good to yet do so alone, even if it is only thanks and prayer that they have made it so you do not need to be alone."
Savaric considers for a moment, both the words of his wife and of the Mother Superior and the large ranger frowns before he nods his head slowly to them both. "Can heal on the move." he says finally as he looks between the two. "Mark and bless as needed to remove it or change it, and I will do what is neccessary afterwards." he finally offers.
"I can ensure that he keeps his wrist clean, dress the wound properly and ensure that no fever comes from it," Talia interjects as she glances to Savaric's wrist for a moment - another moment really - of consideration. "Were it possible to remove the brand entirely.. but it's not, this we know." Another look up toward Savaric, "I'd thought of that too, but it's to dangerous. I know you've thought of just covering it over with other scars, but that's not going to change it. You'll always see the brand, the mark, in your eyes when you look at it. It's time to lay that to rest as well. You were a child, beloved, this was forced on you as much as anything else that he did - and he was a monster, calling him Father is to insult the man, the father, that you will be someday. He was not a father. He was a monster. A father, a man, shares his love, shares his strength."
"I am certain you will ensure of that," a warm smile is offered to Talia by Tylon. "It is however I thing I would prefer to do in the morning, when fresh for as you can appreciate, a steady hand is best. And to give time to ensure that with the moment long seeming to be wished having finally been presented it is what is yet wanted, not just instinct accepting." Eyes flicker towards Savaric,"I see that you wish it gone and do not think you to change this desire, I simply wish for the knowledge to sink in that it occurs. It was not just a mark upon your skin, it has more meaning to you than that and thus it will take more than a knife to whisk it away in full. To lay it to rest as your wife speaks. It is a journey in and of itself, I have no doubt she will be with you for it, but it will be your journey to take."
Savaric nods slowly as he considers the words put forth to him and the explanation of the journey he will have to take of the mental and physical. "I understand." he finally says with a nod. "Will rest on it tonight. Does not change my mind though. I wish to be rid of the physical reminder. Once gone, then I can work on the mental. To will it away. To become the father my wife sees in me. To be the man that I know I am. To know that I will not cause harm to those I care about the deepest." he comments as he lets out a slow breath. "It seems we are staying the night here, wife." Then he chuckles. "Is it true, if blessings in temple come in form of love making in altar, then blessings for child increase?"
"I would be surprised if it did change your mind, the time is more to allow the mind to start the journey for it to heal. It is a path that begins before the physical, for the physical is the quicker of the two. " Tylon gives a quiet smile,"That you seek these things, to be of them shows that you will reach them and be them. It is a never ending thing to strive for, a goal that is had and yet ever sought. " Giving a nod to acknowledge Talia as well before she considers Savaric's question. Which only causes her to cant her head a bit, not even a blink of those calm eyes,"Some find it to be true, however, few seem willing to go so far, or properly secure the privacy of the Temple to such a point." There is a flicker of a smile after her answer before she gives a bow of her head to the couple,"I will offer up prayers for you tonight, and will look to see you again come morning."
For a moment, Savaric looks at Talia and nearly turns to ask Tylon for such permission, but he's slightly confused by the look of his wife and lets the subject drop for the moment, as he nods. "Thank you, Mother Superior."
Talia is not quite blushing but there's a faint trace of color rising anyway, "Proper privacy would be a necessity," she agrees and sends another of those speaking looks at her husband before turning back to Tylon. "We would be sure to do such a thing, however, and we are determined to start a child together, we've been wed for more than a year now, courted for two prior. It's time."
Talia is not quite blushing but there's a faint trace of color rising anyway, "Proper privacy would be a necessity," she agrees and sends another of those speaking looks at her husband before turning back to Tylon. "We would be sure to do such a thing, however, and we are determined to start a child together, we've been wed for more than a year now, courted for two prior. It's time."
After a night of rest and other things that did not happen in the temple, Talia and Savaric return from the Inn in Laketown. Savaric looks around again, the ranger looks around for the Mother Superior, and seems set in his task to finally have part of his past physically removed from him, his hand squeezing Talia's quietly.
Talia moves at Savaric's side, her right hand linked with his left, glancing around the Temple as well with frequent glances sent back up at Savaric along the way. It is not worry on her face, but a calm measure of determination mixed with a solemn measure of support that she extends to Savaric with the touch of her hand in his.
Other things not happening in the temple is always good, the orphans don't need to worry about tumbling upon such after all. There are just certain things Tylon doesn't need to have to explain to them….yet. The priestess in question is settled where she is often to be found, near the alter of Stilltha finishing up a prayer before rising to her feet. A smoothing of her robes as she steps away. A sweeping gaze taking in the temple though it settled upon the couple returned and a bow of her is given in their driection. "Guardian's Blessings, I see you are ready."
A bow is offered from Savaric, greatfulness offered to the Preistess. "Yes." he says simply, releasing his hand from his wife's. He removes the heavy jerkin and chainmail he wears, exposing a well-defined and hair covered chest, scars marking his frame in numerous areas, including a branding in the center of his chest of a compass as he rolls his arm over to present the mark of the chaos bringer on his left wrist.
Talia moves again to take Savaric's other hand in hers, "What do we do?" she asks quietly, glancing from Savaric to the Priestess, resolute curiosity in her eyes now.
Moving to the table, Savaric pulls Talia along with him easily as he settles down and settles his arm on the table as Tylon starts to apply that numbing salve, his hand releases from Talia's to grab and start the Priestess' wrist. "No. Was not numbed when applied. Do not ask for mercy now." he says with quiet resolution as he looks up into the Priestess' eyes to meet her evenly. "Will accept what pain comes. My burden to bear."
"It pains me to see you in pain," Talia says softly as she takes a seat alongside Savaric, taking his free hand tightly in hers and catching his eyes with hers at the same time. "You have nothing to prove, husband, not to me, to to the priestess, not to yourself, and not to the monster who did this. Will the pain make any of this better?" she wonders in that soft voice before casting a sidelong glance at Tylon, that speaking sort of healer to healer glance that speaks of stubborn patients before she links her eyes again with Savaric.
There is a slight shake of Tylon's head,"To do what is right, to have kindness and concern, to not inflict the greatest amount of pain possible is not mercy, it is humanity, Savaric. " Her calm eyes meeting his,"To remove it as it was given, without such thoughts would make it no better. This is the difference….you were forced to carry it alone, that is no longer the case, you are not alone in this. Your wife stands with you, and even if I am only a flighting presence in your eyes, mind…to your life. The Guardians have seen this to be and will ensure I am what you need of me, even if it is only to be the kinder hand to ease this burden from you and bring peace to yours and Talia's souls."
A slight glance is given to Talia as the numbing agent is allowed to take hold,"He will have enough pain to be felt. Even if not all, I would not proceed otherwise. I will not bring pain that can be avoided. If I could draw it all away, I would…But there is only so much that we are able to manage."
There's a slight growl, but the large ranger finally relents, releasing Tylon's hand to allow Talia to apply the agent to his wrist, his eyes watching warily as he tries to make sure that he stays awake and aware throughout the whole procedure. A thirteen year old Savaric had no choice but to hold there as his father drove the brand against his wrist, and now, he plans on watching this through as well.
Talia accepts the small jar and spreads a fine layer of the salve on Savaric's wrist as she is nodding along in agreement Tylon. "We do not harm those we help to heal, Savaric, when and where we can. It is against everything that a healer stands for, everything that we strive for. This, is not about just taking away something, but about reclaiming something. Reclaiming what is yours, and only yours, your sense of.. self," she settles on that word after a small pause. "That bit of you that no one else can take away or hurt again."
The agent simply numbs the area to which it gets applied, no impacts upon the conscious mind, no hint that it'll make his thoughts fuzzy or anything of that nature. A simple local impact to be felt. Tylon gives a nod to Talia's words,"This will cause pain and hurt, but it is done to remove what has festered for to long so that you might truly heal. It is like having to set a bone so it might heal properly, some pain is required first…" Finally drawing out shiny, pointy sharp things…A small scalple like knife, tiny in comparision to what most tend to wield. "Once I begin, I will need you to keep your arm as still as possible. If you wish to scream, or any manner of other vocalizations, do as you please. Or if you would prefer, I have a cord that might be bitten down on. The choice is up to you in this."
"I will be fine. Stop speaking, just do." Savaric says with a small growl in his throat as the large ranger looks between the two women and then he sets his wrist down firmly and looks at Tylon evenly.
Talia fishes a small piece of leather from one pocket, a slip of leather that has teeth marks in it already - to be noted - and simply nods to Tylon as well while changing her grip so that her hand is holding his, not the other way around.
"I fear to disappoint you, there is more speaking to occur," notes Tylon lightly. "But you may ignore it as you…prefer." But the priestess does get down to the business at hand. Her eyes focusing upon the brand to be removed, as the scalpel is lightly poised and those additional words come, soft and gently, more plessing and prayer then to rambligs to annoy the poor ranger. "Stilltha give of your continued patience and steady calm as we begin," and so the knife breaks the skin as it begins. "Bornas give us your strength to see this through, of heart and soul. " Tiny motions of her hand occur, quick and deflty as the blade is worked to cut away the skin, blood flows. The numbing helps to an extent, but there is pain within the work, it is simply the nature of the matter at hand. "Althera the breathe of cleansing life to blow away the darkness, to bring refreshness." Not even the faintest of pauses in her work, unless of course he ever pulls away for her grip is not one that would prevent it. "And Ravas, cleansing fire to burn away of the tainted flesh, to cleanse the mark from the soul so that cleaning may finally come." And with the last of her words, she is done, the mark sliced off and the 'tainted' skin flicked into a small bowl with oil and fire…seeing to it burned. And a fresh bandaged being pressed to the fresh wound that was created.
When the priestess continues to speak, Savaric gives a small grunt and waits. He keeps his eyes on the woman as she lowers the blade into his flesh, and that first bite in his skin is only a pressure until she digs in fully. As the blood rushes forth from the wound, the large ranger's teeth grit in determination, that rising growl of angry pain coming forth as he squeezes his wife's hand roughly and them moves their joined hands to press down on his forearm. "Put weight. Down." he tells her, adjusting to hold his arm down as Tylon continues the purge.
As she cuts around the mark, Tylon's hand is swift and deft, the pain causing the large ranger's arm to arch towards her, the cut deep and painful and the first cry of pain releases through the large man's lips as he looks at Talia and chomps down on that leather strap, teeth painfully digging into it as he continues to ride out the pain and flow of blood that lands on the altar, staining it with his offering to the Guardians. His eyes go wide for a moment and then tighten in angry slits as his past flashed before him.
That night in the woods, his arm forced down, held against his will as his father pinned him down and muttered something eerily similar to what Tylon is saying as the large man bucks in angry restraint, only his wife's press on him keeping him from slamming his hand against Tylon's throat and neck to lash out as he did that same night eighteen summers ago. Once the woman is completed with her task and the Priestess is burning the flesh, Savaric can smell the fire, his cooking flesh and he growls anew, another sharp jerk against his wife as he becomes near animalistic in his pain, wild eyes twisted between the two women, his teeth ground with audible noises into the leather as he jerks again, the pinched up look of the pain in his face, the tenseness in his frame, the hardening of his muscles. He's itching for release, to rise up and strike.
Of all the draw backs of being a foot shorter than her husband and nearly half his weight, the adequate application of weight to apply pressure is one of those things. While she's as easily capable of keeping pace with him, so what if she has to run sometimes to keep up. But not being able to weigh his arm down as he needs her to is part of that draw back. She can read the pain, the hardening of his muscles,t he tension radiating outward, that pinched look of pain on his face, she knows all these things, she can read all these things. With her weight pressed forward to try to help, she keeps her face turned toward Savaric, "Breathe," she says in a voice that is quietly urgent, "just breathe through it. We can do this."
It is delicate work to take up, but Tylon manages it well…years of training, years of finding her center and calm to not flinch at the blood, the pain that must be inflicted to start a long over due healing. Her hands seem to anticipate his movements, keeping her from causing cuts deeper than needed, it is a clean slicing..a undescript wound now to take the place of the brand of the Fifth that is being cast away. If Tylon senses the danger that Savaric poses to her, there isn't so much a flicker of an eye or turn to the calmness about her. Green eyes turn to him as the bandage is pressed,"Breathe and be free of that past, release it lest it continue to control you, do not make this for nothing." There is a flicker of a smile to hear similar from Talia, healers do so often need to speak much the same. Fingers work to swap bandages, not seeking any retreat from the dangereous beast she's turned the ranger into by seeing to this request…cleansing.
The hazel eyes of Savaric darken, as the beast that wants release and to destroy is spoken to by the redheaded healer. It reaches into his soul and grabs a hold of him as the large man growls again. Unable to voice his pain, he instead lets out a snort of breath, but his next breath is much deeper. The words of the two healers are touching that part of him that maintains his control and as he looks between the two with the wild eyes of a man of the woods, he finally starts to settle his eyes fully on his wife and starts to slowly settle down, that growl in his throat starting to calm by degrees as he looks at the bandages on his wrist and then to the preistess again.
Talia keeps her hands on Savaric's arm, as much to help keep him in place so that Tylon may complete her work as it is to keep that reassuring pressure on his arm to remind him - quite tangibly - that she is here, is part of him, of this. Were it any other patient she would have studied the work of the priestess, but taking her eyes off of Savaric's face may have been to suggest that she was looking away. She erred on the side of focusing entirely on him while planning to plague Tylon with questions after Savaric is settled.
Preassure is kept and bandages switched a few times til the bleeding slows, words finally having ceased. Seems some blessings are just short….not nessiarily sweet. Eventually a hint of salve is managed along with a proper bandged secured around Savaric's wrist. Clam eyes managing to meet his gaze, even as she works. Seems after one has done bandaging enough times, they can do it in their sleep. "It will be tender for a few days, try to be easy upon it if at all possible. I now this is not always practical, but if you can spare the time, it would heal better. It will take longer for the pain within to heal." Tylon's eyes finally turn to Talia,"As you have the skills, I have bandages and salve so you may change the bandages for him, and there is not requirement to come here for it. I imagine, for a while, this will not be a place of…comfort for him."
Finally, after several moments of angry silence, Savaric speaks. "Did well. Thank you." he manages as he looks to his wife and waits for her to release him. His fingers flex, a smaller grimace and growl in his throat as he works the digits of his hand. "Cannot rest long. Have to get back on track of Princess Kerilyn." he says with a darkening expression. His eyes turn from the Priestess back to the Healer and he nods. "Let go. Breathing."
Talia turns a smile toward Tylon, "We thank you," she says simply, honestly, tipping her head in a solemn nod of both appreciation and respect to the priestess whose efforts have helped to heal her husband. "We are in your debt," she says simply, giving the words that she knows Savaric is already thinking. She does, after all, know her husband. "We will take what time we can, and I'll ensure that his wound is tended to, cleaned, bandaged and kept clean," she promises. She shares a look with Savaric and leans back, taking her weight off of his arm and instead gently wraps her hand lightly around his wrist, helping to hold the bandage in place, though it isn't needed, it's the touch that matters. "We will keep moving," she promises.
A bows her head to Savaric,"It is thanks enough that I could help. " Tylon gives a faint nod,"It is why I aid, if possible, life does not give us time to rest when it is needed. Do what you can, it is all I ask." A smile goes to Talia,"You are never in my debt, I serve as I am called to..the Guardians guide me to what and where I am needed. Go and rest awhile before you must move again." Oveering the supplies over that she spoke of to talia, before bowing her head,"The Guardians blessings upon you both." Before slipping to withdrawl and leave the couple to what comes next.
"We go now. Rest one night. Follow on trail of map in morning." Savaric says as he draws in a breath again, trying to keep himself cleansed and in control as he looks towards his wife.
"Deep breaths," Talia reminds softly as she examines the bandage on his wrist before giving her subtle nod of approval and claims his left and again, taking back that slip of leather that now has two pairs of bite marks on it. "Lets head back to the Inn, have the kitchen send something up and we'll keep it a quiet night before we leave in the morning."