Legend of Ransera

85th of Ash, Year 124 Age of Steel


The Cintamani Pavilion, House Leukos' home in Kalzasi, was a pretty thing seen from the ground or from above. The Leukos', dead and gone, had opted for space on Adira's Promenade rather than on high in the Cloudhaven District. The edifice itself was beautiful, but the true glory of the place was its extensive gardens. If the Pavilion—and especially its gardens—seemed bigger on the inside, well, they were a magical family. So, there were winding paths for fleet-footed children. There were spaces for garden parties, for sparring, and anything else. For an entire year, much of it had been turned to agriculture, supported and sustained by magic since the sun would not show her face. There remained orchards and more than enough crops to share.

Crops clung to life still, even with the chill of northern Karnor in the air. That was likely due to magic as well.

The servant who answered the doors was startled, but seemed genuinely happy to see him.

He bowed, not servile, but not perfunctory either. "Ser Baudric, be welcome. Please, come inside."

He made quiet, significant eye contact with the next servant he saw. Her eyes widened and show bowed to Baudric as well, bidding him welcome, then excused herself on some errand.

The errand was to hurry into the gardens. There were secrets here and they guarded them carefully. She flung the magical cloak Lord Torin had created for the lady over her wings, over her shoulders, hiding them. They wall wanted to trust Baudric, but it was up to the lady herself to disclose the reality of her wings to her Kathar friend. It would be a risk, her existence getting back to the Imperium.

She could make her own decisions, but they wouldn't let her secrets out without her affirmative consent. They cared too much. In fact, they worshiped. These and the people of Starfall, at least, knew her to be an ascending goddess as well as the first winged woman of the Avialae since the others left.

And so as the man led Baudric into the gardens, he heard Kala's laugh before he saw her. He heard, "Thank you, but I am not even cold!"

Then he stepped through the circular moon gate and he saw her, tending to a vine to prepare it for winter's harshness. Now that the sun and the moons had returned (with an extra moon, even), it was safer to let winter run its course than keep a false, magical summer going in order to feed the starving. One hand upon the cloak pin at her shoulder, she looked up to see the servant, and then the towering Kathar himself.

Her smile froze, and then her eyes welled up.

"Baudric?"

85th of Ash, Year 124 Age of Steel

It had been over two years since he was here. The memory of it felt like a dream It was a place of beauty and comfort. One that made him feel almost like he could be happy and live for himself for once. While the memory of the home itself only came back to him about five seasons back, it was Lady Kala that his feet guided him back to. Five souls of light his mind held onto the first light that cleared in his time with Talon on that mission.. was hers. Once hers became clear so to did the realization of Talon, Aoren, Richter, and Karam. She was the first friend he knew in this life.

And so his feet led him back to stand before these doors once more. Would he be remembered? Would he be welcomed back? Was he even the same man he was anymore? While his memories were getting clearer everyday, they still felt like they belonged to another man. Two years was not enough to bring them all back completely.

Taking a deep breath he raised a leather gloved hand. The altered Imperium armor worn with disrepair and soiled from a life of a vagrant. It almost felt like his presence would be a slight on the beauty of the lands keeping. All his military imposing colors and dressings gone. Each replaced with linen and leather underneath the metal of his armor. He looked like a proper Mercenary.

Raising his hand to knock, he hesitated. His smaller vestigial wings began rubbing against his hips and sides. His hand pulled away to adjust the leather collar on his neck. The Kathar enslavement collar now gone replaced with a thicker one that looked more like a pet dog's. Nervously he rocked on his heels. Suddenly, he shot his hand out and rung the knocker to hail his arrival. Staring at his hand like it had betrayed him against his will until the door swung open.

The man was unknown to him, but looked as though he was not unknown to the servants. He was ushered inside with invite by name. He took a deep breath, whatever happens now there would be no turning back. After a moment the man closed the door as a young woman vanished into the house.

"This way if you would please."
He was lead through the house, passing by memories now flowing back a bit more. Outside through the elaborate gardens with their stunning sights. The familiar comfort of cold air filling his lungs once more till he stepped through the Moon gate into the section where she was.

There. It was her. His mind snapped into focus as it did some days back when seeing Talon and Aoren. Her face becoming clear. His smaller vestigial wings once again began to hug his hips with their little rubbing motion. Larger wings only just covering them as they did. Large and white, mottled with grey splotches in his feathers. It was clear he had been on a long journey, clear he had fought all the while. But he was here now. A deep breath released into the air between them, drifting away. A visible hard swallow before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Kala... "

"You're alive," she said in a voice smaller than she was.

It was the sort of statement of fact that people found themselves saying, pointing out the suddenly obvious. People said 'they have grown!' about children as if they did anything else. But she hadn't known he was alive until this moment. She had hoped, but hadn't known. She had thought to ask her peers in divinity, but didn't want to open herself up to them about such a thing.

It had hurt her heart to see him go. Though she had felt protective of him, even considered bonding him against his will for the briefest of moments, if only to save him. Her concern was that the Imperium wouldn't take him back, would instead chew him up and spit him out, broken or, perhaps if he was fortunate, merely dead.

Though her hidden wings made her Gel'Grandal too dangerous for her, she had asked people she knew would see the place to look into a Ser Baudric von Uberfallenlicht if they could. Of course, Kavafis said he avoided the Kathar if at all possible, and Captain Steinsaltz had little truck with the legions. Earlier that season, she had sneaked into Dardouen to answer the prayers of the dragonborn seeress, mostly to do with an injured Kathar. She had asked Lucius about Baudric, but then he hadn't gone home. She hoped that Lucius and Freya remained a happy pair of traveling companions. Time away from the Obelisk and handlers might lend him some perspective.

She dashed the tears from her eyes with a self-deprecating little laugh and walked up to him.

"Welcome home, my friend," she said. It had been his home but briefly; perhaps she was offering him respite here once more. Her hand went up and only managed his solar plexus; she tugged upon his armor, wanting to kiss his cheek. But, of course, she wouldn't force it.

She wanted to take his arm, but she was too short. The best she could do was hold his hand, but she couldn't do that either. She'd look like a child, and she didn't know if that would make him uncomfortable. So much of their gentle bond had grown at the slowest possible pace lest it spook him. But here he was. She gently shouldered his hip and cocked her head back the way he had come. They could amble at a sedate pace while she internalized his sudden presence, caught up somewhat, and sussed out how best to offer her House's hospitality.

He was rather lucky she didn't drag him inside, force him into a bath while his clothes were laundered and food was prepared. Avialae were always hungry, and even her appetite had increased quite a bit when she acquired wings, even hidden under the runeforged glamour of her raiment.

Instead, she asked, "How long do I get to keep you?"

The Prodigal Kathar

Her elfin face went serious as he spoke of serious things, but she merely nodded, accepting them.

"Ah, well. I suppose the Dawnmartyrs have barracks, and I would not steal one of the Daizoku's knights. But until you have barracks or a bed of your own at Dawnhold, you must stay here. And after that, you will always be welcome."

Kala hadn't intended he kneel; she hoped Talon didn't think she was attempting to steal his knights. He was the smiting sort. But he was on a level with her for a moment, so she took his great head in her hands and kissed his brow.

"I prayed for your safety. The Gods have answered. You had a path to walk; I'm only glad it brought you back."

Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. Had he let her do that before? She couldn't recall. If he returned the embrace, the cloak ought to fool more than just his sense of sight. Her wings would feel like a part of her cloak. It wasn't perfect, but if he somehow managed to discern that she was hiding wings, well, Talon knew and Talon could hold him to secrecy. The powers that be in Kalzasi were keen to keep her wings a secret lest the Emperor turn his eye upon her. Perhaps she ought to feel safe in the middle of Kalzasi, or even with her secret divinity, but they had taken Talon and his husband from his wedding feast. Nobody was safe.

Of the powers that be in Kalzasi, only Marda Ahtivin knew of her deeper, more profound secret. That would remain so for now. She had to figure out how to be a goddess before she let it become common knowledge.

If he needed the hug to last a while, she would not hurry him. She could only imagine his life had been empty of simple affection.

When it seemed he was done, however, she smacked his pauldrons peremptorily.

"All right, up. You are welcome here, but you need a bath, and I'll have your underthings laundered. Did you bring your luggage? Hm, if not, surely something of Aquilios' will suffice while I feed you. He doesn't have quite your stature, but, you know, Avialae tailoring." It had to be forgiving. "Kaus will be home later. I haven't told him you're here yet." She tugged on his arm to get him up, only vaguely childlike because of the difference in their sizes.

She didn't know what Baudric remembered of Kaus. Her twin had been kind, but had allowed the Kathar more space. They didn't know if his wings would set Baudric on edge. Kala was Synnekar, but a woman without wings wouldn't be counted among them unless her parentage was public knowledge. Perhaps now they would become friends, as well.

The Prodigal Kathar

"Kaus." She paused, for a moment confused, then recalled how his memory was spotty. Her smile returned. "My brother. My twin. You might not remember him as well even under the best of circumstances. He didn't want to make you uncomfortable, always surrounded by winged men who weren't Kathar." She paused, then threw out one more hint to tickle his memory. "Tall compared to me, but quite small for an Avialae? Ah well."

At his other question, she went serious again. Then realized that serious face was giving him pause. She smiled again, gentle.

"No, Baudric. You haven't upset me. I am glad that you are making your own choices, beating your own path. If that has lead you back to us, then of course I am happy. Now, come."

She didn't intend to let anyone else bathe him, remembering how body-shy he could be. Even surrounded by trusted servants, Kala wasn't comfortable with just anyone grooming her wings. When they had met, she had been acting as a nurse. She could be clinical as she reached places to scrub where he couldn't, and if that suddenly made him uncomfortable, she would afford him his privacy.

Soon enough, she had him walking beside her along the path that would lead back out of the gardens. She was asking questions—easy ones at first like preferences for the meal that would come after bathing. Since coming to Kalzasi upon her majority, she had become quite the logistician, caring for the family home, the family finances, and now Kalzasi's finances as vice-minister for Karnor. She would get Baudric settled and quickly as possible so he could once again find respite at the Pavilion.

There were countless more difficult questions to ask, but she supposed she ought to let him be forthcoming before digging.

The Prodigal Kathar

With his answers, she was able to stop a servant en route to his old room. A simple, hearty soup would be ready whenever he was ready. His old room was one fit for an Avialae, spacious so wings wouldn't knock things over, double doors that opened out onto a balcony from whence he could take flight or where he could land if he didn't want to enter via the front door. Wards would be adjusted to allow for him to pass into the Pavilion from the air.

While he slipped behind the screen with its organic scrollwork, she turned the faucets and plugged the tub that could have been a swimming pool for her, but would at least be comfortable for him. There were ointments and unguents, various things in various bottles. She poured a little bit of something that would be good for feathers as much as skin and hair and all.

For a moment, the awkwardness didn't reach her. Bustling to be helpful, she gathered up his doffed clothes. The sooner she got them to the servants, the sooner they would be clean. And she would ask that they send for one of the tailors who made clothes for Kaus.

She seemed unbothered to be picking up after an ex-legionnaire in the home where she reigned supreme unless her mother or elder brother was in residence. Sometimes she didn't quite act like a lady. But she stopped when he corrected her misconception.

"Oh." Her smiles were generally quiet, little things. Sometimes, at her ease, they were larger and she could be larger than life. Just then her cheeks pinked. It was not often someone made a point of pointing out how important one was to them. That was something. "I am glad to hear it. Just... call me Polestar. I am going to get these to the laundry. I can return to help you with your wings or I can leave you to your private ablutions if you prefer. In any case, I will find something for you to wear until your clothes are clean and dry."

It was up to him. A Kathar with a broken collar, he had agency in his own life now and she would respect it.