"Should I or should I not get started on sorting all this out?" I asked myself as I rocked back and forth in the Undwote-inspired rocking chair. It had been quite some time since I used my armoury. I didn't even go in here when that strange osibindah migration happened the last time Einervaene and her friends were here.
But what would I take on this adventure, anyway? I owed it to my dear friend from another land to take this as seriously as possible. Einervaene's reserved nature about it as well also necessitated some paranoia as well. If it could be called that, anyway.
Yet, with all the years I have had under my belt. I couldn't help but feel some of this might be a bit extreme. Ancient armours I have dragged out of formerly drowned ruins. Weapons that would make a Valkinvar blush with desire.
I had it all really.
"But I suppose I should try and pry what I could out of her before I make any final decisions..." I then mutter before I glance up in the direction of my friend's daughter. Einervaene had been pretty immobile since that unfortunate verbal stumble earlier. The pair must've fallen out pretty hard. But, Thrurstradtur or Suhurlodst be damned, if he broke his promise...
If there was something to this that demanded it, then, well, I'll have a reason to get my best equipment.
For now, however, I gave the situation the benefit of the doubt and just rose to my feet. Locking my armoury behind me before I began the walk to my favoured guest. As I did so, I did the usual things with my members of staff before I then reached the door to her. And I knocked to see if she was willing to suffer my presence right now.
To my delight, she was and the door opened at her behest before I took the final step.
"It's a very different view down here, you know." she idly commented as she gazed towards the sky.
"I am very aware." I told her before smiling as she briefly laughed quietly.
"It feels strange that this feels as weird as it is... I grew up in a land where metal islands were held together by a net of thunder's light." she explained, and I nodded along with her as that was indeed a comparison. Having been to her homeland, I knew very well how strange it must seem from the outside.
"So seen as you can turn into said noisy light, have you ever tried to emulate the way your homeland works?" I suddenly decided to suggest when the idea suddenly popped into my head.
"No... I think I would stretch myself out trying to do that." she answered with a smile as she looked skyward again.
"Well, it's an idea to think about should you decide to grow your arcane arsenal." I tell her with a bemused huff before going quiet. If she wanted to say something, I would try letting her get it off her chest first.
"I know this might sound strange, Brewbrt... But, are you my father by any chance?" she suddenly asked me without even looking my way. So she must've not had faith in the idea herself.
"I am sorry, Einervaene, but no. Your mother is a dear friend but we never went that far even over a drink. All I know is that your father is a man from one of the colonies on the southern coastline." I tell her as I place my weight against the nearest side.
"I suppose I'll never figure out why I am different, then..." she lets out with a downtrodden sigh.
"Nothing wrong with that, history is built on the backs of those who dared to be different." I tell her, mostly thinking of the story of the Lone Lancer the Seven-Peaks Union holds so dear.
On a beast of burden did he charge, for who better to carry the saviour's burden than the strong steed? On that saviour steed did the Lone Lancer ride with Might at his back. A benevolent power like none had seen before. All to the fore did he implore...
"But what history am I going to change? All I have done is cause my mother indescribable pain... She has only suffered because of me."
"She suffers this because she loves you, she encouraged you to come to me for the same reason. So that you could be safe. And, you might've forgotten it as well, but she never asked you to save her."
"I never forgot it... I know she didn't ask me. But I saw the way she looked at me as I sailed away on that first ship." she clarified with an almost blank face.
"And this guilt has been driving you on?"
"I don't know what drives me... A daughter's love for her mother? A fear of change? I don't know!"
"I prefer the idea that it is the first one that motivates you." I tell her, smiling as I did so before I gave her a reassuring pat.
"I can't, however, help her like this..." she despairs as her blue lightning arcs about her hands.
"There is plenty of power coursing through your blood." I point out as my vision briefly changes to every adventurer's best tool. The ability to see as if they were aelenvari themselves. Even if it was such a basic thing.
"It doesn't matter if I am powerful... This is why I am not at home eating those sweet meat pancakes and other familiar delights... I am not learning how to take over from my mother like I should be. And it is all because of this!" she frustratedly explains.
"So you cannot gain the desired colour by growing your magic? Like how one's wind glows a brighter emerald the more powerful it becomes?" I ask her as I put on a demonstration of my own.
"No, I need something greater than just some tuition..." she remarks as she caresses her palms.
"And our adventure is to seek this power?"
"I already know where it is, I just need to... Convince it." she explains cryptically.
"You find a dragon or something?" I question as I guess it would be possible for a dragon to lend it the visage of power. But I don't recall Jaadagoren's crowning as their ruler ever influencing them to do such deceptive behaviour. Dragons were very constant in their behaviour.
As avatars of pure power, they never wavered from the idea of displaying it so proudly.
"No, something greater." she corrects as the briefest glimpse of her awe at it came through.
"Thurnmourer himself offers his aid?" I jokingly ask.
"Maybe." she teasingly answers.
"Come on..." I childishly whine, wanting to hear a little more about where we were headed.
"However, I have to admit... I was hoping to do this with more than just you." she suddenly said as the smile disappeared from her face.
"You wanted Nin to be here?" I asked, and she nodded.
"Do you want to perhaps talk about him? Get it off your chest somewhat? Whatever happened clearly happened recently."
"Yes, it was only a few days ago that I fought him."
"He become a criminal or something?" I asked as my brow raised. It seemed a little odd that they would just fight in a manner that would cause such a response.
"No... For the past two years, he has been relentlessly chasing after one called Smiling Jhurack."
"I see..." I quietly say as I knew full well who that madman was. Even in the ravines, the uncivilised part of the world as many knew it as... His reputation reached out here. If only because we were within the webbed borders of Thrurstradtur more than anything.
My connections to Suhurlodst kept me pretty informed as well.
"And... I just couldn't take it anymore... I could not tolerate seeing the man I... My friend, I could not tolerate seeing him being led about on a torture run." she explained with growing anger. Less out of concern for my property, however, I reached out to her. Doing my best to calm her as her magic started to lash out around her.
"So you tried to stop him from being led on by this man?"
"I did, yes... I even made a point of developing my own magic in response to some foreign warrior training him and goading him along with it."
"You were not powerful enough, then?"
"No... I was more than powerful enough..." she comments as she clutches where wounds must've been. However, this might've just been her pride talking.
"He caught you off guard?"
"Yes, and... I don't think my heart was fully in it... I knew what I wanted to do, planned it and prepared... But when the day finally came for me to put my foot down. I wavered and trembled."
"It's not an easy thing to fight a friend in a vicious manner. So don't beat yourself up over it." I tell her, speaking from experience as adventuring was a harsh profession. It tested teams and broke strong men.
"Nin is still out there you know... Tonight even... He is being slashed apart by that scum... And I failed to keep him safe... If I can't even keep one friend safe from himself... How can I-"
"No, that's enough!" I tell her as I pull Einervaene closely in for a hug. I didn't want to hear her enforce doubts in her head. And I kept her locked in the hug until all I could hear was her crying. Which, then made me ease up on the pressure to give her room to move.
"Please... Help me... I don't want to let my mother down as well... Please help me!" she begged despite already knowing that I would help her.
"Yes, Einervaene. I will give you my all." I tell her with a nod as I stroked the back of her head. And, as she proceeded to calm down. I thought back to my pondering in the armoury. I had my choices made now.
I would take the best stuff that I had! The strongest weapons and the most magically engorged of items would help her. I would not crack or snark as we went about it. She would have my all.
Her mother would have my all as well. For by helping her daughter I helped her and I reminded her of our friendship. That friendship that built our names across the world! Sky-Bomber Brewbrt would be soaring once more in seek of thrill!
Though, my thrill this time would be to smile as a daughter and mother held each other once again. Even if Einervaene went on to doubt herself in this journey. If despair overtook her and she could no longer move. I would be the hope that led her.
"So, when do you plan on heading out anyway?" I decided to ask her once she had properly quietened down.
"Tomorrow..."
"No, that won't do. You've travelled here within the day and are late going to bed. You'll rest here for a few nights before we then head out." I explain to her before I mentally remarked about my own situation. As, while the schemes and pecking order had been established should my absence be an issue. I still needed to make everyone aware of that fact.
A lesson I learned quite well when I first became a Founding-Lord... I still hadn't quite realised what 'settling down' meant. And, that caused a few issues for my fledgeling settlement. Thankfully, I have had time to mature on that front.
"I didn't bring a change of clothes..." she then muttered incoherently.
"Sorry, what was that?" I asked as I pushed her away slightly. And I became increasingly bemused at how red her face was. It was not because she had just been crying as well...
"I didn't bring a change of clothes... This is all I have."
"Idiot." I breathed out without a second thought.
"Hey!" she complained as I held back a laugh. Patting her on the back as I brought her in doors. And, we strolled about briefly before I finally found a female servant.
"My friend's daughter here decided to go on a trip without much thought put into it. I don't suppose you have any clothes she could wear?" I asked the servant bluntly.
"Uh... There should be spare clothes in the utility room. But I do not know if they've been cleaned or n-"
"Thank you." I quickly say as I get Einervaene moving once again. Keeping it up despite her growing protests before we finally arrived at this part of the building that I never use.
"Wh-What if none of it fits...?" Einervaene blabbers as I got to work finding something soft and comfortable. I suppose it didn't matter what so long as it fit her.
"Are you the kind that sleeps nude?" I then asked her without even considering the kind of question it was.
"N-Nude!?" she repeated with a returning blush.
"No..." I draw out in response before I start to finally assemble something she could use.
"Th-Thank you..." she mutters when I finally dump the load unceremoniously into her grip.
"Off to bed now, and, if you want, leave that by your door for someone to collect and we'll clean it."
"Would you even be able to clean this?" she questions as she reminds me of the copper guidance system she had on this attire of hers.
"Yeah, we can handle that." I tell her confidently even if I honestly had no idea if we could handle it. My staff sort of had a clear divide between armour and clothing. Though, I suppose they did have experience cleaning thick leathers covered in hooks and buttons.
"I'm... I'm sorry to burden you with this, Brewbrt."
"Don't worry about it Einervaene. There's not a burden from you I would refuse when it is held with this kind of sincerity." I explain to her before I gestured for her to get going to bed.
"Goodnight..." she said quietly as she disappeared.
"Sleep well, Einervaene." I say back to her before walking off. Stopping briefly to look back in her direction before frowning. Oddly enough, I then began to think to myself. That question of hers from earlier was lingering.
But, no, I just could not see any such connection existing. Yet, I would be even more proud of her if she was, in fact my daughter.