"I-I can keep going. I just need a moment."
Onyx raised a brow as he led them to a stop in front of his cabin. Sweat drenched Irina's temple and she took labored breaths, struggling to get words out between the erratic inhales and exhales. She'd put away her blindfold in preparation for the morning jog, but her eyes were barely open, the sweat trailing down her face forcing a squint.
"Can you?" He questioned.
"…No." She admitted after another string of breaths. She didn't fight him as he guided her to a sit on the steps though frowned. "I'm no good for this sort of thing, am I?"
"Nope. It's probably the whole dress thing, not really the best clothes to run in."
"Of course. It's my clothes and nothing else." Irina said dryly. Would you look at that? The capability for some sarcasm existed behind her shy kindness.
"Well, you're doing no worse than your father's attempts at building." Onyx said. "Remember, you're trying something new. If you enjoy the process the rest will become irrelevant."
Irina, breathing beginning to even out, nodded. "I suppose there is something nice about moving about." She agreed before smiling up as she wiped at her forehead. "Don't let me keep you. He wouldn't say it himself, but I believe Father enjoys your company."
Either Irina was more perceptive than he thought or there was more truth to that than she knew. Edgar might've given up serving the Golden Order after fulfilling his duties at Castle Morne but casting aside a title like knight didn't change the fact that the man clearly held the strength and discipline that came with being a warrior highly.
The chance to train and spar along another, while not something that ensured some solid bond, was enough for a natural comradery to form. In his experience it was impossible to sweat, bleed, and trade blows with another without something being born from all that shared time together.
That went double for those who were warriors at heart like Edgar.
"Nothing like a little shared effort to bring people together." He said, returning her smile before taking off in a light jog, rejoining Edgar he'd been waiting just a little further along the island's incline.
Naturally, rather than making their way down to the shores to run along the shifting waters, they shortened their route to be around the cabin and camping equipment, Irina kept in sight at all times. The place might be safe compared to the rest of Limgrave but baring the times Irina was in his company, Edgar wasn't willing to let her be on her own.
A man of actions and gestures rather than words.
Edgar slowed his pace as their jog brought them a good distance from the cabin, matching Onyx's pace. "My daughter. She is…enamored with you."
Quiet or not a father was still a father. This was bound to be the one spot of trouble in Irina's belief that the man was coming to like him.
Eyes kept ahead as they ran, Edgar continued. "I have no right to say anything on the matter. I chose my duty as a knight over a father, not once but twice over. Though she may not say it I am sure she resents me for it. I-" Edgar stopped short though their jog carried on. He cast a long look towards Irina before finally turning to him. His bearded visage was as resolute as ever though there was a weight to his gaze.
Regret. Resignation.
"Whatever comes of it, I ask that you treat her kindly. She does not deserve to suffer any more than she has."
That went down a route he hadn't exactly expected. One he didn't quite agree with.
"I think you know Irina better than that." Onyx said, glancing towards the woman himself. She was trying her best to talk with Torrent who'd appeared beside the steps. An attempt was made to reach out for him only for the prideful horse to back away, Torrent rather picky when it came to that. It was cute how her hand fell away when she realized what happened, dejection clear as day.
That didn't stop her from trying to speak with him, however.
"She's kinder than most. Unusually kind, I'd say." Onyx said. "While I can't say she's hasn't felt what you're saying, I doubt she holds your decisions against you, but I'm not the one you should be having this conversation with in the first place."
He turned his attention away from her failed attempts to converse with Torrent, relocking eyes with Edgar. "If you feel you've wronged her, tell her and if you think you should, apologize. Assuming you know exactly what going through another's head or that they know what's going through yours can only hurt your relationship."
Edgar's pace slowed, if only slightly, as he broke eye contact and looked ahead.
It was natural for a relationship to change and or come to an end due to things like disagreements and conflict. One being broken or left adrift due to something like unsaid words, on the other hand, was a far worse prospect.
Hopefully that didn't happen between those two.
XOXO
Rope and other materials for binding.
Nails and a variety of other scrap metal that could be repurposed.
And a simple but proper axe.
"Thanks for all this, Kalé." Onyx said as he looked the variety of materials over, sitting across from the usual campfire Kalé kept set up in the crumbling ruins. Kalé nodded. The stare his dark eyes were boring into could give Melina's stony expressions a run for its money. "Something you want to talk about?"
"That woman you helped, she came through her sometime ago. The man that was with her, I recognized his armor." Kalé said. Irina and Edgar must've crossed paths with him on their way to the island. "He has killed many like us for the Golden Order. You should not place your trust in them."
This again.
"They've pretty much left the Order behind." Onyx said, crossing his arms.
Kalé shook his head. "And yet they still possess the light of Grace. They can not be trusted." He insisted. "Those with it have always been merciless to those without. The Shattering has changed much but that remains true. You risk more than death by associating with them."
"Maybe." Onyx said. "But I don't make a habit out of judging one person according to what others have done."
Even with his hat and facemask covering much of his expression, the wrinkling around Kalé's eyes gave away the frown below them. The man was frustrated but no matter how much he pushed or warned him, Onyx had no intention of letting any of it affect his decisions.
Fear had its uses, but it would never lead his life.
"Just-" Kalé sighed as he took up his instrument. "-Just be careful. I have no other clients for the things you are interested in."
"You be careful as well. If you ever find yourself in trouble don't be afraid to find me. I spent a lot of time on that island to the west of here." Onyx said, chuckling as he began to gather up the materials while Kalé strummed a tune. He should look into making instruments of his own. Maybe for Irina too. She'd be happy with the opportunity to try something new besides exercise.
Actually, speaking of Irina, there were a few other things he needed to get his hands on.
"You wouldn't happen to have any extra clothes in those bags of yours, would you?" Onyx asked.
XOXO
Arms folded behind his head, Onyx hummed a faint tune to himself as he gazed up at the ceiling of his cabin.
Edgar's carpentry skills were coming along slowly but surely, a passing familiarity formed. He'd gotten the supplies he needed for a few more complicated projects from Kalé along with a small collection of casual clothes for those who wanted some. And, despite new company, meditation was coming along well.
Things were going well. Well enough that he'd soon be changing out these gathering of furs for an actual bed.
"Onyx?" Melina's soft voice rose over the faint sounds of Torrent's breaths and the distant waves.
"Yeah?" He called out curiously. Every time she started a conversation herself it shook out to be rather interesting.
"I…" She paused but quickly picked back up. "…am searching. For my purpose, given to me by my mother inside the Erdtree, long ago." She paused once more, though like before, continued before the quiet could truly set in. "For the reason that I yet live, burned and bodiless."
This time, as the quiet returned, it held strong.
It looked like he had the answer to his question to some degree. If Melina knew she was special, she wasn't clear on the details surrounding herself, plagued by some sort of amnesia.
But a purpose given within the Erdtree? The reverence for that thing that the people here held could not be overstated, the tree central to their civilization in every way possible. Aside from this Queen Marika herself, he'd heard no mention of people actually stepping within it.
Who was Melina to have been inside of that thing? The mention of a mother and that fact that the only one said to directly interact with that tree was the living goddess of the Golden Order's entire religion?
Geniuses and idiots alike would've put together the same theory. Demigods already roamed this land so there was no reason to think he couldn't have ended up in the company of one.
Stranger things have happened.
"I must apologize." Melina started again. "I formed our accord with the intention to act the part of Finger Maiden yet can offer you none of the guidance one should. I am no maiden."
"My purpose…was long ago lost."
A frown found its way across his face.
Purpose. A concept far too obsessed over by far too many.
"I…decided that I should share this with you." Melina said. "Though I am unsure why."
Onyx turned his head, looking to his right. Just as he had been, Melina was looking up at the ceiling from her bed of furs, laying in that robotic fashion of her, hands locked over her abdomen.
"I doubt the reason is all that complicated." He said. "If you're anything like me anyways. Friends like to do right by each other. Sometimes they like to confide in each other. Sometimes they just like to learn about each other. Go ahead and take your pick of them."
"Friends." Melina repeated, the word sounding foreign coming from her. She turned, her hair falling partially to the side as her one gold tinged eye locked with his. "Is that what we are?"
"You're my friend." He said, shrugging as he turned his attention back to ceiling. "As for whether I'm yours? That's not for me to decide."
He felt her stare. How could he not? After being on the receiving end of it for so long it had become a familiar part of his day to day.
Even so, he ignored it, leaving her to figure things out for herself.
A possible demigod huh? She grew more intriguing everyday.
XOXO
Your stones. Hand 'em over and everyone walks away.
Anyways, I don't care if I got to cross over into my gaming time over the weekend, I'm trying to get to the end of the intro this week. I'm still not trying to attach a schedule to my little hobby but do expect a chapter tomorrow and friday. That's the ideal plan I got in my head.