Olive Branch [Kala]

[Baudric]

B A U D R I C

Delighted that he would be getting ice cream, he shook his head to the question.
"I haven't had the pleasure to try many kinds of flavors. Mint is so far the only one I do not care for. Would simply be thrilled with anything else. Anything chocolate or caramel. Fruit is always good too. Even vanilla."
He smiled broadly, truly excited at the chance to have ice cream again after so long. It was a rare opportunity for him back in the Imperium. Mostly due to his training always came first or his Primarch's whims being satiated.

Holding his hand up to return her parting before he was alone in the room again. He lay back down on the bed. Even if she didn't return ever. He was pleased to have had a brief encounter with another that surprised him. Realization crept into his mind though. If he really was recovering well enough to leave the hospital soon, he needed to regain his strength and stamina. So to pass the time he began reworking his Negation spellcraft. Starting with Triangled Shields. Holding one hand up he would tap his palm with his middle finger to place the anchor then turning it to build the shield with its parameters. The golden shield shifted like flecks of gold in sunlight. It's magical energy flow easily before he dismissed it. He practiced it a couple times with each hand before he was ready to proceed.

Creating the shield once more, he poured a little puddle of water from his cup onto it. As quick as he could he tossed the water from the shield to his other hand. Quickly forming a shield to deflect the water back to his first. It was a game he formed when he started his Negation training. Focused on speed and accuracy of reaction through the limits of the game to see how long he could make a new shield without getting wet.

He was doing well enough to the point that he had a thought to move onto Quadrilaterals, when the knock on his door broke his focus.
"Oh!" The water fell on his chest as he sat up, failing to make a shield in time. "You're back. Please, come in."
Somehow he felt like a child getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He made room for Kala to join him on the bed if it was her wish to.

[Kala Leukos]

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She laughed at his fumble, though there wasn't a hint of malice in it. At his movement's implied invitation, she perched at the edge of his bed. Unless she sprawled over it, she wasn't going to take up much room. The ice cream she handed him was white, but one could smell the mint coming off of it.

"The place is fancy so all the flavors are a bit complicated. Yours has spearmint, but it also has a bit of tea to it. If you don't like it, you can have mine: pistachio." Hers was also off-white, but the nuts were visible, as well, the only real difference between theirs unless one had an artist's eye and could name different shades of white.

Once her hand was free, she made a little gesture and the water rose into the air. After a moment to wick it all up into one nebulous shape, then, with a flick of her wrist, she sent it streaming back into his cup.

"That's better." He seemed to her semblance to have remained much the same in her absence; the seepage had slowed, though she didn't know if it would stop. That was for more practiced healers to attend to. "Anyway, if you like it, I can bring more tomorrow. I won't be doing rounds, but I will be nearby at my studies." There were some nerves in her at the thought of assisting in an autopsy, but she couldn't quite put her finger on the why of it all. The thought of bringing a smile to someone's face by delivering something as simple as ice cream right before might make her feel a bit more capable. She wasn't squeamish about blood, so perhaps it was a normal atavistic fear of the dead. But that didn't seem right either. She had treated with ghosts after all.

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[Baudric]

B A U D R I C

A light blush rosied his pale grey skin. Taking the ice cream cone from her hand, he wasn't thrilled to have mint. Maybe the tea would balance out the flavor. Hopefully. He began working up the courage to taste the minted cream when the sight of the water began coalescing then lifted off him to his cup.

"You have a Rune of Elementilism? I just have the Negation, but I have been mulling over the choice which Rune to submit a request permission to acquire and train, with the Inquisition. Elementilism was one I had been thinking about. Also Summoning. Since I am a Negation specialist in my unit, Summoning could give us an advantage with another combatant when I am out of the fight putting up shields to protect my brothers. But there is an elegance to Elementilism I can not help but be drawn to."

Realizing he was rambling her turned back to the ice cream. Taking a extra breath to encourage himself, he sampled it. It was good sure. Like other mint flavors were good. But to him the mouth feel of cream coating his mouth with the cutting freshness of mint put a distaste in it for him. Still she went through the trouble of getting it for him. Even if she offered to trade it seemed rude. He smiled at her and continued to lightly nibble at the ice cream.
"I would be honored if you wanted to visit again."

[Kala Leukos]

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He didn't seem thrilled by the mint, but then he remarked upon her rune. She nodded.

"I've Semblance and Elementalism, and I'm learning several of the world magics, as well. My brother surpasses me with Elementalism, perhaps because Air chose him quickly. Wings, you know?" She smiled. She couldn't be jealous of him, exactly, but she did want to ask the Masked Queen why women weren't allowed wings. It seemed an unfair and unwise decision, but then she didn't know the minds of the Gods. "I suppose I might seek another Rune once I have achieved a certain level of mastery with what I have. Negation seems honorable; the ability to protect. Only Affliction seems immoral to me, though Animus might be as well—if the grafting of animal aether onto one's own harms the animal, I mean."

Kala paused when he sampled his ice cream. He definitely didn't like it. Reviewing what he had said, she realized she had made a mistake.

"Oh, no... you said you didn't like mint! I misremembered entirely. Forgive me. Here, please. Let's switch. I haven't even tasted mine and I know I do like mint tea."

She held out hers and an open hand to trade if he would be so kind. Kala always tried to be thoughtful, and it was distressing to have made a mistake. If he let her rectify it, she would be much happier.

"I certainly shan't make that mistake again tomorrow."

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[Baudric]

B A U D R I C

He looked at her over his shoulder. Ice cream to his lips as he had consigned himself to eat for her benefit. It was interesting, her thoughts on the different runes. Making a mental note to not bring up that he had also thought of Animus. Wanting to add to his Orkhan blood to look more akin to a Dragon in combat. Thought the Rune still had its place for fighting he couldn't help but know it was more out of vanity that he wanted it.

"Kala, I am.." Her insistence in trading their ice cream showed off her distress at not bringing him comfort. How could he refuse the trade now. Sheepishly he completed the trade. Feeling bad that she would have to eat something he had already had his saliva on. He couldnt help but watch to see if she was really going to eat something after him.

It seemed only fair that she should take a couple nibbles and licks from the pistachio as well. "Will you at least match the fairness I have committed to that one to this? I feel bad that you have less of a treat and I have gained extra."

[Kala Leukos]

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Again, she laughed, but she took a small bite of the pistachio ice cream before completing the trade.

"And if that one doesn't please you, I'll figure something out on the morrow." Her smile was untroubled now.

"But I've certainly considered Animus all the same," she said, returning to the topic of runes. "At the very least, I would feel more comfortable if I could give myself wings. I don't know how it is for other Avialae women, but I grew up with a twin. We are core-bonded and have been since the womb, and it always felt wrong that I couldn't fly with him." A live multiple birth was rare among their kind, and an in utero core bond even rarer. Kala and Kaus were strange. Perhaps that was why she had no trouble connecting with Baudric, who was a fish out of water in Kalzasi.

"I also used to wish I would be the one to recover Dreamsailing, but I suppose many children have. These days I try to make the world a better place rather than wish for pleasant dreams, though they do help." She let her chatter subside, curious to know more of Baudric and his thoughts. It was a rare opportunity to spend time with a Kathar Avialae of the Imperium; tales were told, but she would rather know a real person. There was so much talk about the possibility of war with Zaichaer, and she wished she had the opportunity to meet more Zaichaeri citizens like Carina.

Perhaps it was the governments that were at odds and not the people, though stories could easily become considered truth. That was as dangerous as wilful propaganda.

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[Baudric]

B A U D R I C

Oh so she wasn't as turned off by Animus as it initially seemed.
"I am curious why Avialae choose to bond at all. In your case it happened before your awareness developed, so it's not a fault of yours. Has anyone ever considered trying to break a bond before?" Pausing to sample the Pistachio ice cream. It was not really all that different from the flavor of peanut butter to his pallet. "When I was a boy, I had the chance to spy a senior Soldier being dragged out of the barracks. Whether by chance or luck I followed. They kept talking about how he betrayed the Imperium by weakening himself and his service. Called him corrupted by a false promise. They were angry at him for having pretended his collar was fine when it was broken. Found he had created a bond with a young lady that worked in the mess hall. I don't know what happened to him after that, but I never saw him return to the barracks. I have seen men beaten or put to death just for not reporting their collar not functioning. It very important to us."

Touching his own collar. "Even now, I worry about my collar. I need to get back to the Imperium to get it repaired. Hope that I am not treated like a criminal for going so long without its repair. If I cannot serve the Imperium than I am nothing. A broken shield with no purpose."

He smiled at her trying to lighten what she might perceive as a heavy truth. But he loved his position and purpose to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It was an honor.

He continued eating the ice cream in full earnest. Relishing in it taste and creaminess. Were he allowed to, he would grow fat off the treat and spend the rest of his days creating new forms. Content though to just being allowed to have the treat. Small victories. His Primarch was especially fond of rewarding Baudric with the treat so long as he performed to his liking. Not fond of that method to get the treat though, he was grateful those meetings were far and few in between.

[Kala Leukos]

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The ignorance of his question gave her pause. In that pause, she realized it was a cultural difference rather than rudeness on his part. In Kalzasi, the Avialae were the ruling class; in the Imperium, they were slaves. But she didn't know how to educate him as to their differences without running up against what he held to be true. This, then, would be a trial of diplomacy. Perhaps they would offer each other a note of cognitive dissonance. Already, she felt it unfair that only an Avialae man could rule in Kalzasi, but that was an unpopular opinion among her people.

She sighed sadly.

"Bonds can be broken. The deeper the bond, the deeper the wound it leaves behind. If my bond with my brother was broken, he would likely die from grief. I... I likely would as well, though it is said the pain is worse for the one with wings. The Bond developed to protect us from the Hellmaw's influence, or so the lore says. Forgive my ignorance... but I think your collar binds you to the Obelisk? Perhaps it is just a different way to make that connection that is a part of the Avialae.

"But, as you said, I have never known life without it. I believe that we did choose it. Our souls if not our minds. I always know what he is feeling and we can speak our minds silently to each other. We both have our purposes in life, I think, but without him, I would lose my sense of direction." It was difficult to articulate a thing that she knew in her bones. Many erroneously assumed there was some romantic or sexual aspect to it, but really, she felt as though in some ways they were one person in two bodies with two personalities. They were partly separate, but never fully alone.

"I hope they recognize your loyalty and take you back into their fold."

A part of her hoped he would stay and adopt the Synnekar ways, but she knew that might be cursing him to a life of never fitting in.

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[Baudric]

B A U D R I C

Crunching into the ice cream cone, he observed she hadn't been eating the mint ice cream. Worried that she did in fact want the pistachio not the mint either. She reflected on his words, sharing her own thoughts and experiences.
"My collar is connected to the obelisk for certain. Not really understanding the Bond exactly I couldn't say for certain if I was bonded to it. It's a rock. How can one bond to a rock? Then again it is often in my dreams. In my.. mind. Its always there looming. Both unsettling and comforting. Usually when I am at my loneliest, my mind turns to it. There is a sound that comes from it. Almost like a lullaby. It almost mirrors my own feelings back to be but changed somehow. Sorry, I know I am not making sense but I know not a better way to refer to it."

He listened to her talk of how she could not live without her twin bonded to her. The way she spoke made him believe that she really could die. This had to be a part of why it was told to him as wrong. To rely on another just to live outside of battle and teamwork. It was crazy, no soldier could perform like that.

"I can't imagine wanting to be bonded to anyone. It just sounds wrong." He dropped his arm holding the nearly completely eaten cone. Wrapping his other arm around him as best he could seeking comfort. Suddenly feeling a great emptiness inside him, aching his heart to want to reach out to be heard. He felt so alone all his life. Learning that creating bonds of friendship, love, and the bond itself were bad things. Getting his Rune of Negation put him into a deep depression that forced him to live trapped in the greyscape of his mind long enough that his Primarch nearly had him removed for it. He could not fathom why anyone would seek out that kind of pain to form a Bond, to be susceptible to that level of pain. He smiled to her hope with his return.

"Have I upset you? You have barely taken a nibble out of your ice cream. And you are clearly distracted by our conversation. If it troubles you so, I would not fault you to want to leave. Just know it has been a pleasure to make your acquaintance." His hand tightened around a fist full of cloth at his side as he held himself.

[Kala Leukos]

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"Well, it is a magic rock," she allowed with a smile, hoping her lightheartedness wouldn't be read as blasphemy or disrespect.

"Oh, no," she said. "I am not upset, merely meditating upon our differences, I suppose." She took a bite of her ice cream and then quickly did a little damage control before any of it melted onto her hand. "I am sometimes a slow eater. But I have always enjoyed ice cream most when the weather is cold. Isn't that strange?"

She did end up staying for a while, finishing her ice cream without losing a drop to melt. The conversation stayed mostly on the surface from then on, both of them attempting not to upset the other. It was a sort of a dance. In the end, she was shooed out by a nurse who claimed he needed his rest, which was true. He also needed his supper, which was true. She said she hoped she hadn't ruined his appetite, though that was a joke, of course. A man his size could put away more than an ice cream cone in short order.

When she left, she stopped by the creamery and placed an order for the morrow. She would pick up a sampler to bring to the Tranquil Gardens with her, leaving it with the nurses to dole out a different flavor with each of his meals.

He deserved something to look forward to during his recuperation, and she hoped that observing the autopsy wouldn't put her out of sorts so she could visit with him again afterward.

fin.

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