Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Lingering

Awaiting the arrival of Hael, the group finds themselves resting in a quarter at the far end of The Bethel, where they ponder their own thoughts. Marne looks to the high ceiling, where a set of arched beams maintain the roof beyond it. His thoughts dive deep into the ideas that Yuler provided him. A place to call home, land to care for, and potentially even children. Still, who to enjoy it with seems to slip his mind, as Yuler's words have not seemed to have hinted towards it being him she has these intentions with. As he continues to think on this, Lee finds himself focused solely on the well-being of Hael, who he assures himself will be the same woman he has always known. Perhaps, even better. If, and only if, Farrow can restore her sight, perhaps she will enjoy the life they have come to know even more so. Or... perhaps she will see his scar, and feel too much guilt to continue on with him. Yuler, who has separated herself from the others and taken to a windowsill, watches the streets below burn. New fires burst to life every few minutes, and more screams can be heard as Farrow's Craws continue to destroy a once beautiful cityscape. She wonders if Marne's concerns about his father are deeper than he has made them out to be. If, perhaps, he worries that his father might have strayed too far from the light to be redeemable. She looks off into the distance once more, but catches Marne's reflection in the glass.

"I'll leave that up to him." She thinks to herself.

"We leave come dawn. What say you?" Lee and Yuler turn to Marne, questioning what it is he means. "Our work here is at its end, and with Dabria out of the picture, what more have we got to focus on?"

"I've no argument to offer you." States Lee. "So long as Hael returns to us by dawn, that is."

"What of the beasts?" Questions Yuler, who turns away from the glass and folds her arms over themselves. "Have you no interest in removing those which remain?"

"'Course I do," Marne begins, "but perhaps we can do that on our own time. I see no reason for us to seek them out."

"They are changing, you know?" Lee and Marne look to Yuler with curious eyes. "The beasts, that is. Have you forgotten of those we spotted at Decwick Manor?"

"Never." Lee blandly answers. "We did destroy them, however."

"Yes, we did. But what if that wasn't all of them? What if more just like those are breeding in the darkness around us? The darkness of each chilled night?"

"Then we slay them as they make themselves known." Lee walks towards a low mattress and sprawls out on it, twiddling his thumbs as he does so. "I've wished for this all to be over since we first left the cottage. We could go home at any moment and be remembered as heroes."

"Heroes who paved a road for the innocent to die on." Marne retorts, curling his lips as he does so. "Farrow knows not what he's doing."

"Are you changing your mind on me, boy?"

"No, never. I still wish to be done as soon as possible."

"Good." Lee sighs and sips heavily from his flask, displaying obvious displeasure with how long it is taking Farrow to finish his work with Hael. "Let us hope that he at least knows enough of what he is doing to return Hael to us in one piece."

"Let's." Yuler returns to the window, now feeling irritable towards the others, but also understanding. "Perhaps... it can wait."

"What can wait?" Asks Marne, who sits across from Lee on his own mattress.

"The hunting of beasts. Perhaps... perhaps I can allow myself a few years rest."

"I'd think it best for all o' us." Lee sits upright as he hears the door between himself and Marne begin to creak open. With this, Marne bolts upright as well, and Yuler turns away from the window once more.

"A bit late, I do apologize," comes the voice of Farrow, "but I do bring... a gift." Stepping into the room, he pulls Hael in behind himself, exposing her still bandaged eyes.

"You failed her, haven't you?" Comes the agitated voice of Lee.

"I haven't taken the time to find out." Farrow offers, smiling at the man as Lee stands to his feet.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He means... we haven't tested it." Hael says, now facing Lee. "Shall we?"

"Please." Lee steps towards Hael. With trembling hands, he reaches for the bandages and slips them off. As the wrappings fall to the ground, Hael's eyes begin to open. Lee gasps and takes a step back, then swiftly wraps his arms around her torso and pulls her in tightly. Hael giggles as he does so.

"You're uglier than I remember." She childishly suggests.

"You're as much a jester as ever, my dear." Lee responds, now laughing himself.

Once they part, amber eyes look to the faces of Marne and Yuler, who each smile as they do so.

"My god, he's done it!" Marne exclaims, smiling largely and looking between Farrow and Hael, who each express great excitement. Marne then pauses and looks directly at Farrow, who in turn meets his eyes. "Thank you."

"Any time, son." Farrow winks at Marne, then clasps his hands and watches as Yuler tests Hael's eyes.

Waving a hand, then two fingers, Yuler watches as Hael's teary eyes follow.

"He truly has. What a miracle!" Taking Hael into a hug herself, Yuler shares a giggle of excitement and steps back a moment after. "You've much to see."

"Indeed."

"What's the first thing you'd like to experience with your sight returned to you? Whatever it is, I will ensure it happens." Lee offers with a toothy, flirty grin.

"An orchard."

"An... an orchard?"

"Yes." Hael's smile remains in tact as she speaks. "Outside of our cottage, I wish to grow an apple orchard of reds and greens."

"So... so... we're going... home?"

Hael nods and Lee jumps excitedly.

"Finally!"

"Finally." Hael responds.

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat a bit, but I'm afraid my Craws need me. I assume you lot will be off come morning then?"

"I think so."

"As do I."

"And I."

"Yes. Yes... we will." Yuler smiles lightly, still wishing that they could do more, and Hael catches this.

"Yuler," she begins, looking deep into the girl's flax eyes, "Cronn would be proud of all you have accomplished. Please, remind yourself of that. You've earned your peace. We all have."

Yuler looks to the buckle of her belt. Then, to the surprise of everyone, she removes it with a sigh. Placing it on the windowsill she turns to face the others once more.

"I know he would, and I'm done living for him now. What I do, this moment forward is for me and mine."

"I second that." Says Marne under his breath, now staring at Yuler, who continues to examine the last remaining artifact of Cronn.

"Well, let us not waste a good night's sleep like this. We've much land to cover come morning." Lee, out of habit, guides Hael to the bed he has dedicated to them. Then, lays down next to her and throws a blanket over the both of them.

"Don't do a thing The Bethel might frown upon." Farrow gives the pair of them a wink, then heads out the door, ensuring he shuts it behind himself.

"Don't do a thing we might frown upon." States Marne in a hardly joking tone as he too lays down for the night.

As he does this, Lee draws a curtain, separating himself and Hael from the rest of the room. Yuler then steps away from the buckle and turns to face Marne, who pulls a blanket over himself and nuzzles himself into a pillow.

"You're free to join me," he states, "if you so choose."

Yuler looks to a bed that had been prepared for her, then to Marne's. Taking in a deep breath and letting out a certain sigh, she moves towards him and places a hand against the sheets. Then, she rests herself against one corner of the bed and Marne covers her. He too then draws a curtain and extinguishes the flame of a lantern, submerging their room in the darkness of the night.