Word From the North [Chronicle]

[Hilana Chenzira]

3 Searing, Year 124

[Continued from here.]

[Closed - Rickter (Chronicle)]

The young woman had been hard at work when she looked up and heard the bell. She was carefully weighing dried roots on the scale for one of the tinctures that would go on the shelves, but she had to get it measured out first before it could go in the alcohol. She deftly scooped some more into the weighing bowl, checking the new weight, and took a smaller piece off. There it was... that would do it. There would be some alchemy involved later; she wanted to see just how potent she could make a normal extract in order to conserve the amount of the plant that she was using.

Tiaz didn't give a damn about the cat; he had grown up with Risdra being in the saddle. The healthy python was content to bask where he was on his branch while Fiya had been getting some extra time on Hilana's shoulders. She needed to learn to relax up there, after all, rather than constantly moving around. "Thank you," she took the letter from the cat, watching it bolt. Well, there were going to be Sentinels all up in her business for this, if she had to guess... nothing got in and out of the city like this, at this speed, without attracting notice and attention...

And no sooner was she reading the letter, she had company, and after answering what she knew, well, it was eventually settled. Catching hell from Sentinel Phocion was not high on Hilana's to-do list, after all.

But she was thinking about it for the rest of the day. The letter perplexed her, and when she got home and discussed it with Lia, it was clear that they were going to need to make a trip north. After talking to both of her bosses, time off was arranged, and Hilana and her sister each packed their Featherlight satchels with what they needed for a few days' trip, and made the trip north with her Ring. There was a bright side to the fact that they did not need their Negation-enforced cloaks against the cold now; the temperatures were mild enough that Hilana was fine and Athalia's Arche kept her at a temperature that she enjoyed.

Rather than go through the city centre, she opened the portal outside the door to the Manor, and greeted Idrika cheerfully as always, though she was definitely concerned about what was going on. Telion was surely expecting them, and for the purposes of this visit, the Vastiana had left her snakes at home. Inasmuch as she enjoyed having them, it took a lot for others to get used to them, and the change in temperature would have been a shock to her darlings... and Rickter still was not super comfortable with her 'danger noodles' as he had called them in the past. Best case, if he was out of it, was not to cause some preternatural reaction and cause unintended harm to them.

"I'm sorry that we're a bit late, I had to make arrangements," Hilana would apologize to the blonde when they got there. This was their pack member, after all; they had tended to him for seasons... and she would not abandon him now that something was wrong. He had come when she needed him... and now that he needed her... the Chenzira sisters would be there.

[Chronicle]

Upon their arrival the staff eagerly welcomed the Vastiana sisters, as the headmistress Idrika greeted them with proper bow in etiquette. But naturally, that was kept short since she understood their urgency, having made a quick trip from their homeland to visit now. Thus when Hilana and Athalia were shown inside, it did not take but several minutes for them to follow the housemaid toward the stairwell within one of the corridors. One thing that seemed apparent and noticeable was how quiet the once vibrant manor had grown, as even the staff the sisters passed seemed to speak in low murmurs with one another.

Though when they reached the corridor of the second floor West Wing, and drew closer to the room where Idrika led them to, the sounds of two children on the other side remedied the silence felt throughout the rest of the house. "Lady Telion, the sisters have arrived!" Idrika announced as she pulled the panel door into a slide, allowing Hilana and Athalia to enter through where the private chambers remained. Within was a bedroom filled with a queen-sized bedframe and soft fluffy mattress, lined with velveteen sheets and layered with plush pillows along the headframe. Next to the bed between an ornate cypress dresser were a few cushioned chairs, situated so that those seated within them could watch the one resting in bed.

"Lana! Lia!" Telion greeted vibrantly as their arrival clearly hadn't been anticipated this soon, given the blonde healer had only sent the message literally hours ago. Nevertheless, she rose from her chair as did Hannah, the both of them in their casual robes as the mother strode toward the sisters, giving each of them quite an enthusiastically affectionate hug upon approach.

"If same-day arrival is late on your terms, I'd love to see what being on time spells for future deadlines." Hannah quipped as she too strode forward, with confidence in her shoulders and hips of course, as she gave the pair a similar hug but not with as much energy in the enthusiasm. Looking upon the mattress within the sheets was none other than their dormant Kozoku, Rickter-Lykos, who remained unphased by the two boys who bounced and crawled about their sleeping father.

"He's been like this for three days now." The mother pined with a hint of dismay but still kept her soft smile, as she approached the side of the bed where she could sit near one of the two boys. Kendrick. As he crawled closer to his mother the other, Isaac, continued to prod at Rickter's face under the impression that his sleeping father was amusing. Was their daddy playing dead? It seemed that way to them as they weren't shaken by the situation, yet even so, the fact Rickter failed to even respond to anything was rooted cause for concern.

"He wasn't like this when he was with you two, was he?" Hannah inquired almost fervently, as if she were grasping for conclusions as to what might've caused this unexpected development.

[Hilana Chenzira]

The sisters thanked Idrika as they always did. They might have been able to find the family without her, what with Hilana's connections to the shadows, but neither was about to overstep here. Besides, they liked the serving woman, cheerful and bustling as she was. There was something to be said about that energy that she had... though the whole of the manor was somehow subdued. That probably had to do with the concern for Rickter, which was entirely understandable. They kept their satchels with them, though they would set them down inside the room before embracing Telion, and then Hannah. For once, neither sister had worn cloaks and coats up to the far northern kingdom, but their attire was much the same as what they usually wore. Hilana, in her impossibly long, full skirts that swished and swirled, dyed in hues of green and gold, with her bodice-like blouse, and Athalia with her blue and silver long-sleeved dress with its detailed stitching along the sleeves and front.

"Hilana tends to operate on her own time, and that includes doing things immediately when they come up when it comes to her friends and family," Athalia told Hannah, almost a bit dryly. "You'll understand when you've been around her long enough." Hilana's attention, however, was on Telion and what she said as she looked Rickter over, approaching the side of the bed and starting her routine check. She couldn't use Semblance on him, considering he was a demigod, and that was a wonderful way to obliterate her senses and render her useless. She would do it the regular way.

"Three days, and nothing?" Hilana approached the bed, gently tickling Isaac to get the toddler to wriggle away. One hand retrieved one of Rickter's from under the blanket, feeling the temperature of his skin with nimble fingers and putting the tips of her index and middle fingers over the radial artery in the wrist, and applied enough pressure so that she could feel the beats in order to take his pulse. Her other hand went to his forehead, feeling for his temperature. She knew that Telion was a healer, at least, though she had been marked by Ioniri. She had a boon that Hilana did not, but Hilana had a great deal of medical training from many different teachers over the years, despite her young age. She was an avid reader of her medical textbooks, and while she may have had many, many issues with her father, he was capable of acquiring and providing things that her teachers had requested in that regard. Not to mention many kept their own notebooks, Hilana included, and she had gotten those to read as well.

But a man falling into slumber for three days, not moving, and the body essentially stopping most functions. She would need to test the reflexes to see what was present and what wasn't. "He doesn't wake for food, nothing?" she looked over at Telion. Once she noted his temperature and his pulse, Hilana manifested a little spark of light, and reached to peel Rickter's eyelids up with gentle fingers, checking his eyes and pupils with the light, closer and further away to test that reflex as well. "The only time he slept so deeply was after great expenditures of aether. Namely, after what happened last Glade, and he used up an incredible amount of aether, he basically just ate and slept for a few days. But he did wake up, move around, and go back to bed once he ate," she informed Hannah. "There is nothing like this in Solunarium. This is not natural, even for him. And it is certainly not something that happens to our homeland."

[Chronicle]

There came a brief flicker of amusement within Hannah's expression when Athalia expressed her younger sister's dedication, a trait that marked a favorable friend for certain, and one that certainly matched the dynamic Rickter often found in other packmates. "Oh I'll bet on that," she began to murmur as to avoid cutting in on Telion, "certainly someone unafraid to get shit done." There came a hint of admiration in Hannah's tone at the observation, even so, Telion herself looked to the younger Vastiana with a hopeful gaze in her eyes.

"Nothing." The mother reiterated plainly almost with a sense of defeat. "We've brought meals to his room a few times each passing day. He may stir or crinkle his nose a bit, but he doesn't stir nor wake from this slumber. Not to eat, to process bodily functions. Nothing." It was an odd condition she had seen Him fallen into, but, Telion had not given up on the idea of her beloved stirring from his unending rest.

As one would expect of a healer Hilana followed the same processes of examination, taking note of Rickter's vitals as his blood circulation seemed to flow regularly as before. He was as naturally healthy as he were any other day Hilana, or anyone else in the room, had known him in their time spent around him. The pulses of his veins were regular and steady, the pacing of his breaths deep and calm as he laid there, undisturbed by the movements made in his examination. The twins watched curiously as Hilana finished the last few steps of her examination, only finding note that his pupils were indeed stimulated by the light.

Enough to where that the wolf fidgeted a bit, if only to readjust his head so that it rested sideways a bit more. "That makes sense at least..." The mother ruminated with a contemplative expression toward her beloved, her attention rotating from Rickter to the twins, and then the twins to Hilana in a mindful pattern as to help cross observe the situation. "From what I understand, Rickter's magical abilities can be utilized to increase their potency, but that's only ever really applied to his arcane shields and wards."

"But recently he hasn't done anything that rigorous. I mean sure, he still eats a lot, but nothing the size of a banquet as of late." The rogue pointed out with a gentle stride toward Telion's side, keen to give Kendrick a gentle rub through his hair with nimble fingers.

"And he returned from Ecith with naught a single affliction either. Truly this is a marvel of a state he's fallen within." The mother remarked as she pondered what else could be done, or if there were anything at all that would rouse the wolf to a complete stir. "Three days with no need for bodily functions. Just sleep. One would think he'd need at least water to keep hydrated, but, water has also remained his Arche shortly after gaining Elementalism."

Telion then looked at Hilana fondly, curious as to what her take on the situation might have been. "The only other possible theory I have on this is that it's related to the change of seasons. He grew weary as Glade neared its final day, and now that Searing has arrived, it's like the warmth has brought a slumbering spell upon him." It had indeed grown unusually warm for the Northlands, perhaps still cool in comparison to other places, but warmer in Kalzasi than what many were accustomed to.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Lia stood with Telion and Hannah, and while she was quiet and did not interrupt the dialogue going back and forth between the two healers, she sought to offer a silent comfort and support with her presence, one hand resting on Telion's upper back. She watched Hilana as she made her assessments. Her younger sister noted the normality of his pulse, heart rate, and temperature, and the fact that his eyes responded to the light. That was good. While she still had his hand out, she tested his grasping reflex with her fingers, gently stroking the palm of his hand to see if it would stimulate his fingers to reach for hers. When that was done, she would let him have his hand back, tucking it back where it had been under the blanket and studying her friend for a while in silence as she listened to Telion's words. She was also putting her thoughts together with her assessment, and Vasilei and her Great-Aunt had both stressed the need to have her thoughts orderly before speaking so as not to frighten the patient, or in this case, the patient's family.

"Physically, he's fine. You're right about his Arche, and his connection to the water spirits is very strong... so much so that they are looking out for him even though he is not reactive. He has no signs of dehydration, his eyes are reactive to light stimuli, and he moves his head in ways that aren't necessarily involuntary but for a more comfortable position and to move away from the light. All of that means that it is neither stupor nor coma... this is a very deep sleep," she sat back on her knees, looking over her shoulder at the other women. "I've never met any other gods of seasons... in fact, I don't know if there even are any still around... so we can't get a confirmation of that one way or another. I don't know if that sort of information might be available in one of the libraries somewhere, but it might be something to consider looking into." Hilana was thoughtful.

"But since we have nothing else to go on, and short of some sort of affliction or curse... I think that is the theory to work with at the moment. Considering his mastery of negation... I think an afflictionist would be hard-pressed to beat his wards in that regard, but it might be useful to ask around and see if we can find one to double check," she glanced at Hannah. The woman's abilities on finding things out and making connections could be very helpful here - perhaps she already knew someone. They weren't in Solunarium, so who Hilana knew made little difference, but if Hannah could not find someone, she could bring someone from her homeland. One of the Sentinels, maybe - she knew that they wanted to keep this quiet, and if they couldn't find someone they trusted to keep this on the down low, then she could provide that.

"I take it his ascent to divinity happened somewhere between last Ash and Glade, yes?" Hilana wanted to know, gently tucking some of Rickter's hair away from his eyes as she got up with a dancer's grace from her position beside the bed and returning to the others, reaching for Telion's and Hannah's hands to offer gentle squeezes of reassurance and comfort. "Since if he was the Lord of Frost last Searing, you might have had some sort of experience with this."

[Chronicle]

Lia's presence did not go unnoticed when the mother of the pups softly smiled up toward, a moment of notice taken when the child near her also gazed upon the Vastiana with intrigue. Kendrick's eyes were full of wonder when it came to her, and while he might've seemed shy initially, the boy did not hesitate to interact with her if the older sister chose to do so. The remaining tests of Hilana's cross-examination merited a few more noticeable signs, such as the gentle tightening of his fingers from stimulation Rickter felt within his palm. Having tested this and assessed her shared observations with Telion's report, the conclusion that became drawn brought about a sense of understanding from both Telion and Hannah.

"Well, shit." The brunette remarked with a relatable raise of her eyebrow toward Telion, who in turn almost chuckled were it not for the tedium of their current situation.

"I'm not even sure if there are any articles on the gods of seasons in general..." The mother queued thoughtfully with a near tilt to her head, with a thoughtful gaze focused on Rickter while he continued to lay in bed. Isaac who had been caught up in trying to wake him finally gave in, and clumsily hobbled over the body of his sleeping father to approach Hilana next. It was a moment that led to contemplation for his mother, one that led her and Hannah both to consider what the younger Vastiana had to say afterward.

"I would have to agree with you on that," Telion shared with a sense of appreciation in her voice, "even when he's asleep he somehow has his wards still active. I'm guessing it's because he found a way to utilize his own aether to keep them going, even so, I wouldn't be his partner if I weren't weaving my own protections in with them." Not that her own powers of protection could compare to his, but Telion was the one who had initially given Rickter the rune of Negation, and to have seen how much he'd grown with that power was something else entirely.

At the mention of an afflictionist both ladies perked up a little, understanding the approach of the idea to cover their bases, which suggestively lead to Hannah being their resourceful one in regards to gathering such information. "Maybe a black-robe from the Circle of Spells, but I can't guarantee they'll be able to poke through that dense protection of his." Overtly Hannah nodded to Rickter in the fashion that suggested Rickter and his hard head, likely due to the stubbornness he often displayed in the time they shared together. But logistically, it would've been challenging either way what with the actual wards still protecting him even now.

"It's not a bad start honestly," the mother commended as she appreciatively watched Isaac snuggle up to Hilana, "and even if they send their best they'll have me to help with the wards to an extent." Who knows? Perhaps the Circle of Spells also had articles related to the seasonal deities, insofar, as none had turned up when Rickter had ascended to become the Lord of Frost.

When asked about the timing of his ascension, the mother looked toward Hilana thoughtfully, a moment to reflect upon the exact timing she'd recalled seeing Rickter after the occurrence. "It happened during the one-hundredth twenty-second year, he'd left around the tenth of Ash on an important quest into the Warrens. When he came back from that he had ascended, and not too long afterward the Eclipse started."

"A lot was going on around that time, I don't think he ever really accepted himself for who he was, or what he became after he finally returned from that venture..." There was a sense of knowing in Hannah's tone, having not forgotten the tension that lingered within the family at that time.

"Then, of course, he one day disappeared from memory later within Glade of last year." It felt strange to think that it had already been over a year since that time, and sure enough, with Ash destined to come around again at Searing's end; it would've been another year since he finally returned within their lives. It was strange to think of it when one was mortal such as them, but to a divine entity such as a draegir, time slowly became something of an abstract to them the longer they continued lived.

"He's still young as a Draegir, but ever since you both brought him back, I've seen so much more growth in him from that time spent with you." The mother admitted fondly with another sense of appreciation, curious as to what other lessons might await the sleeping wolf before them. "It may just be due to the time spent without him for so long, but seeing that side of him was a brief shock for a while."

[Hilana Chenzira]

The sisters listened, and when Kendrick approached Athalia, she offered him her hands to see if he wanted to be picked up. If he did, she would lift the toddler and put him on a hip, supporting him with her arms and hugging him gently. She smelled differently than his parents did, after all, with the scents of sun and sand and spice, and the different perfumes that her sister concocted and blended. She knew that the Athalia that hadn't gone into the Void had a gaggle of children, and she was certainly happy to play with the little twins here. She had some plans for later, once she found the right fabric...

"Well, theoretically, wards will last until they're worn out or dismantled, somehow. And if nothing is wearing them out, and no one is able to take them apart..." Lia commented, "Then they stay. With his skills, they'll last a while unless something tries to damage them... but you would know about those." It did make Hilana's hypothetical of an afflictionist less likely, but it couldn't completely be discounted. The dark-haired sisters came from Solunarium, and there was always a stronger mage. It was just a matter of finding one.

She opened her arms to Isaac, letting the boy climb into her lap if he wanted to. She could tickle him and let the cub snuggle, or see what he wanted. Maybe he wanted some comfort and interaction since he certainly wasn't able to get it from his old man right then. And she was all to happy to cuddle him, wrapping long, bare arms around the munchkin and folding herself around him. "If need be, we can ask one of the Vigils. They may be able to check and see," Hilana offered. She knew that the women understood the Sentinels to be more or less on their side, as they had helped house and shelter Lykos, after all. They would keep it a secret, and they had access to a lot of combined knowledge that they may have had a harder time coming across. But who all would have a grudge to pick against him? Why? Perhaps the better question was why not? Still, she didn't like that line of thought, but it was something to keep in the back of their mind. His wards were active... so even if a stronger caster had done something, it would have overwhelmed and dismantled the wards, not gone around them.

She considered Telion's and Hannah's timeline. "So he ascended in Ash of year 122. Frost was relatively normal," she watched them to make sure that it had been. "Glade was normal, aside from the expenditure after the Crystal Tree. That didn't last more than a week or two, though, but I did feed him quite a bit to get him through there. He was as active as he had ever been during the whole of Searing 123," Hilana looked at Lia, who nodded in confirmation. "Same with Ash, as he started spending time with you all here as well. Then Frost, the Seer made the connection to restore his memory. Glade of this year, he's been fine. And now this... Well. Perhaps that growing and maturing is part of it. He wasn't himself last Searing, and now he is. But reconciling all of this and coming into the opposing season... maybe that's why he's sleeping," she was thoughtful. "If we follow the thought that he is weakest in his opposite season, and he's taking the time to rest now as part of the restoration of the cycle.... it does seem like a natural path. And further, the Eclipse was still in place last Searing, too. The seasons weren't necessarily normal."

"That is another point to consider, what the Eclipse did by prolonging the Winter across much of the world when there was no sun," Lia agreed.

At the end of the day, he had his reflexes. He was there, his body was hearty, he wasn't dehydrated, his wards were not only active, but intact. He was sleeping, and the trick was going to be waking him up. She might have some ideas for that.

"But we'll see if we can entice him to eat. I don't suppose your staff would mind too much if I take over your kitchen?" Hilana beamed at the Atinoran blonde. She'd gifted spice boxes before, and she knew that Kalzasi was also big on spice, though they weren't always necessarily the same ones as she fancied in Solunarium. If need be, she could do a quick shopping trip of her own kitchen for what she needed, and come right back.

[Chronicle]

At Athalia's thoughtful articulation on the nature of Negation and lingering wards, Telion's smile seemed lighter now at the reminder given how powerful her beloved had grown with them. Rickter was a force to be reckoned with in his own right, and given how deeply devoted he had been to refining his craft, the mother couldn't see anyone else whittling his protections down so easily. Needless to say, she and Hannah both were visibly pleased to see the boys warming up to the sisters, not that it took long in the beginning when they first started coming around. The twins were so much like their father in that regard, able to discern interesting characters whenever they met, and then fastly able to make friends wherever they would go.

"Any additional sources wouldn't hurt, that's for sure." The rogue proceeded to remark when Hilana mentioned something about Vigils. Context of a language that remained semi-lost on the two women, since Rickter hadn't fully revealed everything about his life in Solunarium. Something that Telion hoped might one day change, especially since she would've liked to accompany him whenever he should return.

In relaying the portrayal of events and how they happened, Telion quickly nodded to confirm everything that Hilana covered, also mulling over the outline that had been expressed between them. "It's already difficult to justify what caused the Black Winter exactly, but many here understood it a circumstance brought on by the Eclipse itself." To her knowledge though, that did not stop Rickter from feeling a sense of responsibility about it, given that his Domain encompassed Winter in all its aspects. "I hadn't considered how it could be just the season's realigning their influence... but perhaps you're onto something there."

After all, Athalia had it right when she pointed out the celestial changes that stemmed from the Eclipse. "In other words, our resident Wolfman may just be in for a long overdue nap. Who's to say that it won't happen again a year from now?"

"Well, if it does, then we'll know how it correlates with our theories on seasonal influences." The mother weighed in contemplative with another thoughtful gaze at Rickter. When Hilana seemed to have a suggestion on trying to see if he would eat, the blonde raised an eyebrow and pondered the younger sister's approach to the idea. "They'd certainly be intrigued..." Telion then pondered with a point of her finger near her chin, her eyes cast aside with thought over the situation before she smiled at Hilana. "The staff is used to cooking for guests, so they'll likely have a few questions, but I think this would be an excellent opportunity to expand their cuisine palettes."

Her encouragement came with a soft giggle, as she'd found it a rather opportune moment in the end. After all, it only took her months of getting the cooks acquainted with some of her recipes from home, but of course, certain ingredients and seasonings needed shipping from Atinaw... which panned out favorably since Rickter's family ran the shipping company. But a chance to learn new cuisines? Especially dishes that would not only excite Rickter, but introduce a new cultural flavor to their kitchen. How could Telion say no to that? "Why don't we show you to the kitchen then?" The mother offered the sisters with a hearty grin, her enthusiasm inciting jubilance from the twins the Vastiana sisters held.

As Hannah had taken that as queue to strut her way past the lot, she passed a grin to the pair before heading out into the hall, and as they followed her with Telion behind in suit; the blonde would give the sleeping Lord one final glance before drawing the bedroom door to a close.

Review Time!

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Message from: Chronicle

Hilana Experience: 12 XP (For Moderated Collaboration) Injuries: N/A Loot: Two adorable twins they get to have nanny time with every weekend. (And some culinary insights on Kalzasern cuisines) Notes: Very fun thread to have written, Hilana and Athalia always bring a wonderful blend of insight and philosophy to these sorts of social situations. Looking forward to seeing how they tackle cooking for the slumbering draegir <3