Thirteen 2 session 18

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Summary

Naqeeb Basira al-Hikmat comes to Welumque to ask her help in getting safely to her Emira - Welumque says she will help her to safety but no more. Pierre catches up with friends and asks Kaarina out to dinner. Lucas checks on Prelate Beaufort, who asks him what he will do if there is another war. Skalla talks with Thekla Gudinashand on a lunch beak from the Thing. Lucas checks in on Svald and they come out to each other, and it is just the cutest shit.

Session

Session date:2022-07-17

In Game date: the day following the previous session

Naqeeb Basira al-Hikmat asks Welumque for help

<Kennesaw> Welumque, you're glad to finally return home to your own bed, even after the concerning conversation with Wangowa earlier. You settle in and drift off to a deep sleep, only to be woken by one of your mem sometime in the middle of the night.
<Kennesaw> "Welumque, there is someone to see you downstairs. They say it is urgent."
* Welumque stirs and wakes - she doesn't sleep as well as she used to.
<Welumque> Who is it, if you know?
<Kennesaw> "Someone from the fort, but she would not give her name."
* Welumque heads down, then.
* orc_woman (webchat@216.45.76.50) has joined #thirteen
* Wangowa (webchat@216.45.76.50) has joined #thirteen
* Wangowa is waiting with your visitor and nods gravely to you as you enter your receiving room.
<Welumque> Wangowa ... it's very late. What is this about? And who is this?
* orc_woman is in a jacket and cloak, with the hood pulled up, warming herself by the fire. She turns and pulls back the hood to reveal a thin, nervous, grey-skinned face.
<Wangowa> I wish I knew. You were only a moment behind me. Tea for you both?
<orc_woman> You are kind, good woman.
<Welumque> Yes, very well. All right then, who are you, honored guest?
<orc_woman> (to Welumque) I am sorry for the hour of my visit, but I thought it best not to be seen.
<orc_woman> I am Naqeeb Basira al-Hikmat, my host.
* orc_woman is now known as Basira
<Welumque> All right, then. I am Welumque of the Rabbit clan, though you must know this already.
<Basira> Recently an officer of the Guard at Alhusan al'Aswad.
* Basira nods.
<Basira> Yes.
<Welumque> So, no longer a guard?
<Basira> I...am not sure.
<Basira> I am an officer with no troops.
<Welumque> How did that come to pass?
<Basira> I assumed you knew what had happened at the fort. I know you're recently returned, but I'm told your usually well-informed.
<Welumque> I have heard, yes.
<Basira> Ah.
<Welumque> I am just a little confused as to how this involves me.
<Basira> It doesn't, which is why I came to you. I need to get to Talat Kabira.
<Welumque> Your Emira is not in a position to help you do that?
<Basira> The Emira is in Talat Kabira, and of little help to anyone on Sisawinak just now.
* Basira says bitterly.
<Welumque> Hmm...
<Welumque> How did you learn of me?
<Basira> You trade with the fort. With many people. Your name is known to many, as well as your reputation for safeguarding those who need to get from one place to another...quietly.
<Welumque> All of this is true. But what you are asking me is to put myself into Khalijani political affairs - even a civil war.
<Welumque> I don't know you - for all I know you are a tyrant to your troops and they were right to resist you.
<Basira> For the moment, I can only give you my word I am not. I am not unsympathetic to their plight, but I am an officer of the sultana's army. This is a mutiny, and I am honorbound to return to my superiors.
<Welumque> Surely then you are not alone in your situation? There must be many other officers similarly affected
<Basira> Many were taken prisoner in the initial uprising. Others were taken shortly after, or joined the mutineers. I don't know if any other loyal officers are still free, but I know the docks are being watched, and I believe they've sent people to watch the Stordam and Gaulois ports as well.
<Welumque> There would be some among my people who would say: let your foolish Emira fail. Let the colonials suffer as we have suffered. You surely know this, and yet here you are, asking for my help.
<Basira> I am not asking you to aid the emira. I am not asking you to aid Ilhatan. At this moment, I am just a woman asking for your help, for me, hoping to avoid imprisonment or worse.
<Welumque> Yes, I understand.
<Welumque> Are you certain you would rather not go elsewhere? Inland, perhaps? It is much easier for me to get you to somewhere controlled by my people, than all the way to Talat Kabira.
<Welumque> What guarantee is there that you would be safe there?
<Basira> None, but it is where I must go nonetheless.
<Basira> You are right, the emira is a fool, but one I am sworn to serve, regardless.
<Welumque> You are asking me to take a great risk upon myself, and for what? Your goodwill?
<Basira> What can I offer that would make it worthwhile?
<Welumque> I don't know, and this is your problem. When I help my people, or Inyan people, it is with the knowledge that we are building, affirming, and reinforcing relationships.
<Welumque> I help those who are known to me, or known to mine. Because we take care of each other. But this is not how your emira has been seen to behave. So I can hardly trust that returning her officer to her will earn her love and trust.
* Wangowa will have brought tea for you both, and nods at your comment.
<Basira> It would earn mine.
* Basira says hopelessly.
<Welumque> All the more likely is that if I assist you, those who, it seems, have rightly resisted her nonsense will see me as a collaborator.
<Welumque> And so I say to you again, firmly: I will help you to safety. But I will not help your emira, and so I will not get you to Talat Kabira.
* Basira sighs and nods.
<Basira> Where can you get me to?
<Welumque> (sec, consulting map)
<Kennesaw> (kk)
<Welumque> My people have villages in lands occupied by Vinmark, or lands occupied by Mariannas. Take your pick.
<Basira> Mariannas will do.
<Basira> I appreciate whatever aid you can give.
<Welumque> Very well. Two days hence, an hour past dusk, a caravan will be made available to take you, and what you can carry.
* Basira nods.
<Welumque> You will pay the caravan driver directly. And amply.
<Welumque> She will not know your name nor you hers.
* Basira nods again.
<Welumque> How you get from there to wherever you go next will not be my concern.
<Basira> Of course.
<Welumque> Very well.
<Basira> You must know, especially without any information from Sisawinak, the emira will not let this go. She will come to the island, and she will be neither subtle nor merciful. I do not say this to change your mind, just to offer warning in small recompense for your assistance.
<Welumque> Then she will have not only my people, but Vinmark and Mariannas, and others, to contend with.
<Welumque> We have seen much war here, from dangers far greater than your emira.
<Basira> I wish you well, for whatever it's worth.
<Welumque> Likewise.
<Wangowa> Come, naqeeb, best you be going to make your preparations.
* Wangowa will show her out.

Pierre catches up with some friends and gets the skinny on the local situation

<Kennesaw> Pierre, when you return home to Charlotta's, the place is full, with lots of rowdy conversations in full swing. Charlotta herself doesn't seem to be present, but see a familiar face in the corner: Kaarina is in the middle of an apparently animated conversation with a human woman and a dwarven man, neither of whom you recognize offhand.
* Wangowa is now known as Kaarina
* Pierre smiles at Kaarina when he catches sight of her
* Kaarina smiles widely and waves you over.
* Pierre approaches the table
<Pierre> Hello, Kaarina! How are you?
* Pierre nods politely to the others
<Kaarina> Pierre! It's so good to see you. Please, sit. My friends here are Emelie and Hjalmar. This is Pierre, who I mentioned before.
* Basira is now known as Emelie
<Pierre> Hello Emelie, Hjalmar. Nice to meet you!
<Emelie> (Gaulois) Bonjour, Pierre. Kaarina tells me you sailed here on the same ship from Gaulle?
* Hjalmar (webchat@216.45.76.50) has joined #thirteen
<Pierre> Mais oui! That was where we met.
<Pierre> (Is this the *same
* Hjalmar?)
<Pierre> (Because I have met a Hjalmar who was Kaarina's friend... :P )
<Kennesaw> (Sorry, yes, I completely forgot you'd met him)
<Kennesaw> (Brain fart)
<Pierre> (np, it's been a while!)
<Hjalmar> Good to see you again, Pierre. Kaarina said you've been travelling?
<Pierre> Yes, I came along on an expedition with Mademoiselle Skalla further inland.
<Emelie> Charlotta's wild niece?
<Pierre> "Wild"? Ah.. well, she is Madame Charlotta's niece, yes. The "wild" part I don't know about, though I suppose we were in the wilderness...
<Pierre> (Have I overheard people speaking of Skalla as "wild" before?)
<Kaarina> I'm still not sure why she felt the need to drag you along, but at least you've returned, safe and sound from the looks of it.
<Kaarina> (Yeah, probaby. She does have a bit of a reputation)
* Kaarina leans over to hug Pierre's arm affectionately.
<Pierre> Yes, thankfully! It was quite an experience.
* Pierre smiles at this affectionate gesture
<Pierre> Anything happen while I was gone?
<Emelie> Oh, you really are newly returned.
<Pierre> Oh?
* Pierre leans forward a bit to listen
<Kaarina> The Black Guard has mutinied. The eastern portion of the island is in an uproar. Open revolt, people are saying.
<Hjalmar> And may the gods aid them. You saw what their new governor tried to do. Practically house arrest for her people.
<Emelie> The gods may aid them, Hjalmar, but the question is, will the Thing?
<Pierre> What did their new governor do?
<Pierre> And will *our
* governor want to get involved?
<Kaarina> That's what everyone is talking about. The assembly meets tomorrow.
* Pierre furrows his brow
<Emelie> As Hjalmar was saying, the new emira tried to confine the guard to the fort, but that's not the worst of it by far.
<Pierre> What more did she do?
<Kaarina> She declared their marriages illegal! Can you believe that?
<Hjalmar> Slave soldiers. How did they think they were going to manage that?
<Pierre> How... is this something in their law?
<Kaarina> It's so terrible. They've lived here for years!
<Emelie> Legally, the Black Guard are owned by the Ilhatan sultana.
<Emelie> They're allowed to marry, but only other slaves. That wasn't really upheld here in the colonies, especially here where there are so many non-Ilhatan people.
<Emelie> Plenty of the Guard have husbands or wives who are native, or Stordammer, or Gaulois.
<Hjalmar> And their new governor wanted to enforce the old law.
<Kaarina> Isn't that awful?
<Pierre> Yes, terrible! And foolish, as I suppose the new Emira is now discovering. Did she really think the Guards would choose her over their own families?
<Pierre> Or perhaps she didn't think of them as people at all...
<Hjalmar> I think that's more likely.
<Pierre> So what happened? Did they chase her out of Alhusan Al'aswad, or are they besieging her residence, or...
<Emelie> They rose up here, but the Khalijan capital is north of here, Talat Kabira. The emira lives there, and we're all waiting for her response.
<Hjalmar> And our own.
* Kaarina nods.
<Pierre> We only just had riots of our own here...
<Kennesaw> They all nod at that.
<Pierre> Will the governor want to help stamp out this other rebellion?
<Pierre> I'm really not familiar with politics...
<Kaarina> That's what we were talking about. No one's sure.
<Hjalmar> Ilhatan are allies, but it's the Guard who helped us in the last war.
<Hjalmar> They deserve our real loyalty.
<Emelie> They deserve their freedom, at least, but who knows.
<Kaarina> I'm sorry you're returning to such turmoil. Hopefully your trip went better than things here.
<Pierre> Well, it was an adventure. I met people from some of the local tribes...
<Pierre> But what will this mean for us here? Does the governor have an *obligation* to help put down the Guard rebellion?
* Emelie shrugs.
<Kaarina> I wouldn't know...
* Hjalmar frowns.
<Hjalmar> It depends.
<Pierre> What would you want to see happen?
* Hjalmar looks from Pierre to Hjalmar and back and laughs.
<Hjalmar> (ww)
* Emelie looks from Pierre to Hjalmar and back and laughs.
<Emelie> Hjalmar is the true revolutionary here. He'd have us all rise up.
* Hjalmar frowns and blushes.
<Hjalmar> All people deserve to be free.
* Kaarina gives Hjalmar a somewhat pitying look.
<Kaarina> I agree, but...
<Kaarina> Is this all worth another war?
<Hjalmar> How could it not be?
<Pierre> If the governor intervenes *against* the Emira, though, wouldn't that mean a war between the home countries too?
<Hjalmar> These are the sorts of things the Thing is meeting to discuss.
<Hjalmar> Which, if I want to have any sort of influence on, I'd best get going. The family is gathering tonight to discuss plans beforehand.
* Hjalmar rises.
* Pierre nods
<Hjalmar> It was good to see you, Pierre.
<Pierre> Good to see you again too, Hjalmar.
<Emelie> I'd best be going as well. If your party has returned, there's someone I should like to visit. It was good to meet you, Pierre. Kaarina, I'll speak to you later about those prints.
* Kaarina nods and says her goodbyes to them both.
<Kaarina> (to Pierre) The conditions notwithstanding, I am happy you're home.
* Kaarina smiles.
* Pierre smiles
<Pierre> I'm glad. And it's good to be back.
<Kaarina> I suppose you'll have to get back to work soon, no less than I.
* Pierre sighs
<Pierre> I suppose so. I expect Mademoiselle Skalla won't mind if I take a *little* time to settle back in, though. Should we, ah... go out for dinner?
<Pierre> If you'd like.
<Kaarina> I would like that very much.
* Pierre smiles more broadly
<Pierre> Well, then!
* Kaarina stands and will hold out her hand.
* Pierre stands, and prepares to escort Kaarina to somewhere nice for dinner.
<Kaarina> (heh)
* Pierre takes her hand, smiling, and off they go!

Lucas checks in on Prelate Beaufort

<Kennesaw> Lucas, you have a number of clients to catch up with, and it seems best to avoid the eastern portion of the island for the time being, so you make your way south to the Gaulois area of Sisawinak to see Prelate Beaufort and M. Beaulieu. Which would you prefer to see first, the priest or the soldier?
<Lucas> (priest I guess)
<Lucas> (her condition seemed more severe)
<Kennesaw> True to that thought, her attendant novices seem grim as they show you in.
* Kaarina is now known as Prelate_Beaufort
<Lucas> Good day, Prelate. How are you feeling?
* Prelate_Beaufort takes a moment to stir. She looks thinner than before, more ethereal. When her gaze turns towards you, you get the sense her vision may not entirely physical.
* Lucas comes closer to the bed.
<Prelate_Beaufort> Lucas, good day. Other than dying, I am feeling well.
<Lucas> That's as well as can be hoped, then. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable? Or any new changes you wanted to discuss?
<Prelate_Beaufort> I'm as comfortable as likely, I think, but thank you.
* Prelate_Beaufort gives Lucas an appraising look.
<Prelate_Beaufort> Something's changed since you visited last.
<Lucas> Changed with me, or with you?
* Prelate_Beaufort smiles.
<Prelate_Beaufort> With you, child. I'm a woman of seventy-three years. There's only one real change left for me, and our conversations will be more difficult after.
<Lucas> The trip I took was more ... unexpectedly eventful.
<Prelate_Beaufort> How so?
<Lucas> It was meant only to be a recovery of some items from an old fort, but there were many... hmm, restless spirits along the way.
<Lucas> Things seem to be unsettled, in many ways.
* Prelate_Beaufort nods.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I've felt much the same.
<Prelate_Beaufort> Spirits and peoples both are...in flux.
* Lucas nods
<Lucas> I was called upon to help handle many of the troubled spirits, and it was good I was there, I think. I only planned to help with healing, but I suppose in a way it was a kind of healing too.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I think you know more than most that healing involves more than bodies.
<Lucas> Certainly.
<Lucas> But I wasn't expecting quite so much of it, or how dangerous it might be.
* Prelate_Beaufort nods.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I worry dangerous times are once again rising.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I'm sorry I likely won't be here to aid my people, at least not in the way to which I've been accustomed.
<Lucas> Like the war?
* Prelate_Beaufort nods again, sadly.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I imagine that was different for you.
* Pierre (Mibbit@bras-base-mtrlpq4396w-grc-01-65-92-225-102.dsl.bell.ca) Quit (Quit: https://mibbit.com Online IRC Client)
<Lucas> It was... I was younger, and I thought I understood more clearly what was right and what was wrong.
<Lucas> I don't think I really did, but things seemed more straightforward.
<Prelate_Beaufort> That tends to be the case for all of us in our youth.
<Prelate_Beaufort> And my people here, the colonies, are all so very young.
<Prelate_Beaufort> What will you do, if war comes again?
<Lucas> Now it all seems more complicated.
* Lucas considers
* Pierre (Mibbit@bras-base-mtrlpq4396w-grc-01-65-92-225-102.dsl.bell.ca) has joined #thirteen
<Lucas> I'll try to help Welumque, whatever she decides to do. I think she has more knowledge of the parties here and I trust that she'll choose the best course.
* Prelate_Beaufort nods.
<Prelate_Beaufort> This is Welumque the shepherd you speak of?
* Lucas nods
<Lucas> She's looked out for me since after the war, and I owe my survival to her.
* Pierre (Mibbit@bras-base-mtrlpq4396w-grc-01-65-92-225-102.dsl.bell.ca) Quit (Quit: https://mibbit.com Online IRC Client)
<Prelate_Beaufort> I only know her by reputation, but I think you could do much worse for a guide.
<Lucas> Whatever happens, I assume I will be needed as a healer. I'll try to do that.
<Prelate_Beaufort> Good child.
<Prelate_Beaufort> I think, perhaps, I will take something for the pain, if you please, M. Flood.
<Lucas> Of course.
* Prelate_Beaufort sighs and settles back into her pillows again.
<Prelate_Beaufort> Gods bless you, child.
* Lucas will get her some herbs and try to make her comfortable.
<Lucas> Thank you... I hope I will see you again, but if I do not... I hope that you will find peace.
<Prelate_Beaufort> And I wish the same for you.
* Pierre (Mibbit@bras-base-mtrlpq4396w-grc-01-65-92-225-102.dsl.bell.ca) has joined #thirteen

Skalla is sent by her mother to check in with Thekla Gudinashand, about her family's vews

<Kennesaw> Skalla, as mentioned before, the Thing meets the next day, with practically every woman of the old families in attendance. Governor Thórrasdottir seems content to allow the people to have their say, and the rhetoric is heated to say the least.
* Skalla tries to stay focused, but its hard
<Kennesaw> The Thing breaks for midday, though no one is going far. Your mother will take you aside as you're exiting the meeting hall.
* Prelate_Beaufort is now known as Berit
* Skalla stretches
<Skalla> yes Mother...
<Berit> Well, that has gone about as expected. I appreciate you sitting through all of it.
<Berit> Now is when the real work will happen, though.
<Skalla> well. I the shouting kept me awake.
* Skalla nods
* Berit manages a small smile at that.
<Skalla> what now, then? Other than lunch
<Berit> I want you to go find Thekla Gudinashand and see what her mother is thinking.
* Svald (~Svald@lns5-pool7-088.adsl.user.start.ca) Quit
<Skalla> -
<Skalla> oh. OKay.
<Skalla> I can do that
<Skalla> I expect she's feeling about the same as I am about the session
<Berit> Exactly why I'm sending you.
<Berit> You can grouse about us old women together.
* Skalla grins
<Skalla> okay
* Skalla will go see if she can find Thekla
* Emelie is now known as Thekla
* Thekla has retreated to the furthest edge of the meeting house square, smoking a pipe and looking out towards the docks.
<Skalla> Hey - fancy a chance to stretch your legs a bit?
* Thekla turns and smiles when she sees Skalla.
<Thekla> I'd run screaming if I didn't think my mother would have me hunted down and dragged back.
<Thekla> So, a walk sounds good enough, I suppose.
<Skalla> same
<Skalla> come on then
<Skalla> did YOu pay much attention to any of it?
* Thekla walks alongside Skalla.
<Thekla> More than I'd like. It's all shouting and cries of what we must do, without actually doing anything.
* Skalla nods
<Skalla> I just got back into town.... yesterday, so still processing
<Thekla> You ask me, the Guard's overdue their rebellion, but they're more dutiful than me.
* Thekla nods.
<Thekla> How was you trip? Profitable, I hope.
<Skalla> Yes and no.
<Skalla> We made the trades we'd meant to, but we lost some people, to some unforseeable misfortunes.
<Skalla> almost including my galdr, who's still recovering.
<Skalla> The whole land feels unsettled.
* Thekla nods.
<Thekla> And her people, too. All of them.
<Thekla> I'm sorry for your people.
<Skalla> thanks.
<Thekla> I know what it's like to lose some.
* Thekla pats Skalla on the back in solidarity.
* Skalla nods
<Skalla> the prospect of a bigger war just feels very heavy
<Skalla> Theres so many people here like my cousin who don't quite get why we wouldn't want to just do what we're told
<Thekla> She's new to Vinmark.
<Thekla> It doesn't mean to her what it means to us.
<Thekla> What it means to the Black Guard.
<Skalla> Yes. I think she's learning, but she can't see past a soldier's sense of duty
<Skalla> do you kow how your family is voting in this?
<Thekla> Hmph.
<Thekla> My mother will vote we move to put down the "rebellion," but I'm sure some of my aunts and cousins will scatter their voices to the other proposals just to cover all contingencies.
<Thekla> My mother acts as though she were a vassal back home, rather than a daughter of Vinmark.
* Skalla shakes her head
<Skalla> and I thought my aunt Lovisa saying we shoudl just leave them to their own deviced was bad enough
<Skalla> Of course you can imagine what Charlotta's view are
<Thekla> Damn the queen, take up arms alongside them?
* Thekla smiles.
* Skalla grins
<Skalla> I'm not ready for that, not right yet. But I do think that whatever they decide here for the colony doesn't have to decide what we do in our hourse, or among ourselves.
<Thekla> What'd you have in mind?
* Skalla laughs
<Skalla> after a day to think on it? I'm not entirely sure. I don't know what things are like over there, and what they need. But I think we owe the Guard some kind of support
* Thekla nods.
<Skalla> We've always been good here are figuring out how to make things work, whatever we've been told to do, and we'll do the same now
<Thekla> What's your mother thinking?
<Skalla> wait and see, is what she says.
<Thekla> Not much of a plan, but at least it's not "attack them."
<Skalla> I'm happy to let the government struggle through the mud for a bit while we're out in the ditches carryng on with how we think is best.
* Skalla nods
<Thekla> Makes sense.
<Thekla> For the time being, then, I'd make sure you have powder, shot, and food stored up. Just in case.
<Skalla> Oh well, lucky that's our stiock and trade, isn't it?
<Skalla> What about you though - if it does come to planning how we might help out over there - is that something you'd want to be part of, maybe?
<Thekla> Of course.
* Skalla offers her hand
* Thekla gives a firm handshake.
<Skalla> wonderful. Now - how far away do you think we can afford to get and what *will* they do if we don't make it back? ;)
* Thekla laughs.

Lucas checks on Svald and they come out to each other

* Lucas will go to check in on Svald sometime a couple days after we get back
* Svald is in their studio, cleaning brushes.
<Lucas> hello...
* Lucas peers inside
* Svald looks up and smiles.
<Svald> Hello... Come in, please.
* Lucas comes inside, looking around curiously
<Lucas> It's good to see you're up and about. How are you feeling?
<Svald> Very sore, still... tired. But I need to work.
* Lucas nods
<Lucas> Try not to overdo it, or you might wind up with more problems down the road. But it's an encouraging sign that you feel like you can work again.
<Lucas> Just be sure and take regular rests and don't push yourself too hard.
<Svald> I hope so...
* Svald 's brow furrows slightly and their eyes lose focus for a second.
<Lucas> Are you all right?
* Lucas asks, concerned
<Svald> I want to finish these ones I've started, at least.
<Svald> The stamp riot, and the gryphon.
* Lucas looks at the paintings
<Lucas> They're beautiful...
<Svald> Thanks...
<Lucas> what do you do with them afterwards?
* Lucas asks, curious
* Svald laughs, as though surprised by the question.
<Svald> I ... I don't really know.
<Svald> This sort of stuff doesn't... sell well.
<Svald> Skalla is my patron so I guess they sort of belong to her.
* Lucas nods
<Svald> I just have to... get it out. I'm not good with words, so I paint how I feel, what I want to say.
<Lucas> It's good that you can put it in paints then.
<Svald> Mm.
* Svald nods absently.
<Lucas> Having such feelings held inside you might be difficult.
<Svald> It's going to happen to me, isn't it...
<Lucas> what is?
* Svald says more or less out of nowhere, staring at one of the canvases.
<Svald> What happened to [owlbear lady's name].
* Lucas considers that
<Lucas> You think that you will need to go out into the forest so that don't hurt people?
<Lucas> (so that you don't, rather)
<Svald> She seemed to think it would be passed to me... Her affliction.
<Lucas> It is possible. But it hasn't struck you yet. I don't know, but I think it would have shown signs by now.
* Svald nods.
<Svald> I feel like I should have asked her more questions, but...
* Svald grins wanly.
<Lucas> There was a lot going on...
<Svald> Yes.
<Lucas> If you do feel such an affliction coming upon you, you know you can tell me.
<Lucas> I'll do whatever I can to help.
<Svald> Thank you... I will.
<Svald> Though I'm not sure what the signs would be!
<Lucas> Well... I suppose if you started to not remember pieces of time, or found yourself in a situation you couldn't remember how you got into... things like that?
* Svald nods.
* Lucas speculates
<Svald> That makes sense.
<Svald> Hildegarde is probably watching me for symptoms already, I'm sure.
<Lucas> Perhaps.
<Lucas> Can I ask you something? If it's too personal, I apologize.
<Svald> You can ask
* Svald smiles
<Lucas> Well... I have treated you, I have seen what you appear like, physically. But you are not a girl, are you?
* Svald pauses.
<Svald> No, I suppose not.
<Svald> I don't feel like a boy either, though.
* Lucas looks somewhat... relieved?
<Lucas> I am like that too.
* Lucas says quietly
* Svald 's eyes light up with interest.
<Svald> Oh!
* Svald smiles.
<Svald> Well... That's... I don't know what word to use? Wonderful?
* Lucas looks up, a bit happier
<Svald> I don't think I've met anyone like me before.
<Svald> Well, not that I knew anyway.
<Lucas> When I was ... younger, with my people... they understood that I was ... more like a girl. But when I had to leave them and Welumque found me, it was just... easier to be a boy. safer.
* Lucas tries to explain but seems like the words are not quite there.
* Svald nods.
<Svald> It is... easier for me too, to just let people assume I'm a girl.
* Lucas nods
<Svald> Skalla... Skalla sort of knows, but I don't think she really understands.
<Lucas> I thought maybe, because the words she uses for you are not the girl or the boy words.
<Svald> But, she doesn't really care as long as I am her galdr and I document her travels. :)
<Svald> Yes... she may not understand, but she respects me.
* Lucas nods
<Svald> (respects me as I am, that should be)
<Svald> And that matters a lot. :)
<Svald> Would you like it better if I didn't use boy words for you?
<Svald> If you feel safer if I don't, that's alright too.
<Svald> (don't change)
<Lucas> Maybe just... when we're alone?
* Lucas asks uncertainly
<Svald> Alright.
* Svald smiles widely.
<Svald> Lucas, I'm so happy.
<Svald> That you trust me. And that now I know someone like me.
<Lucas> Me too.
<Svald> Can I... hug you?
* Lucas nods
<Lucas> Of course
* Svald throws their arms around you and hugs you tight!
* Lucas hugs you back