RP:Life and Lessons

Summary: Khitti meets up with Lanara in Cenril, at Elioyahazer's manor, where the two women have lunch and discuss the Gods and Goddess' that are worshipped back in Lana's homeland of Kelvar. Whereas most of the devout in Lithrydel follow one almighty being, witches tend to follow a polytheistic path. Lana tells Khitti the story behind Rhiannon, her patron Goddess, and this sparks an intimate conversation between the leader of the Paladin's Guild and the woodland witch. They have a bonding moment, make a toast, and spend countless hours chatting about their pasts, fairytales, and religion.

This is a Devout's Guild RP.

Lanara :: Once Khitti is ushered past the gates and meanders up the trio of steps that lead to the front door, she’d be greeted by a red-faced butler, his breath reeking of booze. “Hello! You must be Khitti! I’m delighted to meet your acquaintance! Lioness- Erm.” He breaks out in a sweat, as though he hadn’t meant to improperly announce the mistress of the house, “Miss Lanara is in the dining room, laying out lunch. Please, come this way!” He’d be at the ready with an arm to take any articles of outerwear, and directions, should the redhead need to know where the dining or wash room was located. A black cat slinks down the center staircase, eyeing the newcomer with an inquisitive gaze as she sits on the bottom step. The spacious home is well-maintained, and one would get the feeling that aside from the alcoholic butler, that the manor didn’t have a staff of caretakers. Elioyahazer and Lanara chose to clean and cook for themselves, and they were doing a fine job of looking after things. The smells emanating from the kitchen are heavenly, and as Toothpick leads Khitti around the corner, they’d see the petite witch pulling a tray of chocolate chip cookies from the oven. Laying them on a cooling rack, she turns and greets Khitti with a hug, “Hi! How are you? I hope you’re hungry!” The two women would enter the dining room, where several notebooks, quill pens, inkwells, and Lana’s cherished grimoire have been stacked atop the table. A platter of fresh mozzarella and grilled chicken sandwiches, coated in a pesto sauce, a tray of sliced fruit, and a pitcher of iced tea, all are arranged before utensils, plates, cloth napkins, and glasses. “Help yourself; I made enough to feed a small army.” Lana fixes herself a plate, though she removes the bread from her sandwich. Someone must be counting carbs to fit into a wedding dress!

Khitti offered a smile and a greeting to the butler as he showed her through from the door to the dining room. The alcohol really didn’t bother her at all--besides her own alcoholic state the past few months, she -did- live on a ship eighty percent of the time, and those sailors sure did like to drink too. Khitti passed off her black wool coat, though she kept her satchel with her, eyed the cat in passing with somewhat peaked curiosity, and didn’t say much else until she got into the room where Lanara was. “Hey,” she said finally, giving Lanara a hug in return, “I’m alright. You?” Truth be told, Khitti was a little wary about continuing Lanara’s teachings on the gods so soon after their last meeting. It’d gone well for the most part, of course, but once they touched on the subject of evil, it quickly seemed to spiral downward. She tried to not let it worry her much, but she didn’t want to make Lanara upset again. “Everything looks great.” She gave the witch a smile as she found a seat for herself and soon fixed herself a plate once Lanara was finished. The templar was glad that Lanara had offered to teach Khitti the things that Lanara and the other witches knew about in regards to the gods. “I thought we’d do something a bit different tonight, instead of me droning on about Lithrydelian gods. You mentioned last time about teaching me, so I think we should go that route.” She paused, then thought about her words, and tried to amend them quickly by adding, “We’ll absolutely get back to your lessons soon, but I’ve as much to learn as anyone else in the guild.”

Lanara takes a dainty bite of her chicken, eyeing the bread as though it were the devil himself, though it was likely that the witch was going to devour every morsel of the bread in a matter of moments. Starving oneself before a dress fitting was serious business, but Lana’s convinced that she can dance off any extra calories before heading up to Frostmaw in the morning. “I’m doing well! I’m going to see Taly’s cottage tomorrow, and we’re going dress shopping for the big day!” Flashing Khitti a warm smile, she takes another small bite of her dismantled sandwich, nodding in reply. She would happily teach her friend about the Gods and Goddess’ that were favored in her homeland of Kelvar. “How is Dominic? Brand? I was hoping that Eli would have been home by now, but he’s still in Xalious, researching something for the Mage’s Guild. We have to set a day and time to come to your bakery, so we can have that cake tasting, and order things for the wedding.” Lana would take a sip of her tea, before sliding the leather bound book of shadows across the table, and resting it between their forms. The book is massive, easily weighing twenty or so pounds, and it has a unique enchantment device on the binding. Upon feeling its owners touch, it unlocks, and the witch breezes through the first several dozen pages. Diagrams are drawn on some, others have writing that is in Sylvan, and a few of the pages seem to have come from another grimoire entirely, perhaps her late mothers. Various spells for every type of situation are briefly gazed upon, before her dark chocolate eyes lighten, and she has an ‘aha’ moment. “I feel that every religion has a set of rules to obey, and a book that they can find such research in… Well, with witches… We each have our –own- book. It’s filled with a lifetime of research, our own beliefs, and of course, spells, lore, you name it. We write our own, as it’s a very personal sort of thing.” She pauses, her lips narrowing into a thin line, “We follow the thirteen principles, otherwise known as the Witches Rede… It basically states that we only do magic with those that we trust, and we don’t harm anyone. We tend to call upon the God or Goddess to enhance our powers, or to bless whatever it is that we’re doing, but my religion is based entirely on free will. We have many Gods and Goddess’ and there is –always- a perfect balance. A God and Goddess for each title, for each alignment, and so forth. I will tell you a bit about the main ones in Kelvar, and those that I worship.” Flipping the page, Lana points to a tree with many branches and colors, and if Khitti were to look closely, she’d see that there’s a woman hidden in the bark. “This is our earth mother… Gaia. She is the Goddess of life. It’s believed that she was the –first- of the Gods, and that she creates all life. She is immortal. Living in –every- rock, plant, and being. Every time I perform magic, it’s her that I call upon more than any other!” Turning the page, Lana points to a drawing of a man, wearing the horns of a stag. “This is the ‘Horned God’ and he is the God of the Hunt. He represents the cycle of life, the animals, and nature.” The page to the right of him, sits a beautiful Goddess, “His counterpart is the ‘Moon Goddess’ and she represents the circle of life as well… Telling her tale through the phases of the moon. Dark, waxing, full, and waning…” The pictures of the moon in each cycle are neatly drawn beneath the information about the Goddess. “She goes by several names; Selene, Diana, Luna, are a few. I prefer to just call her Moon Goddess, as no one really knows for sure.”

Khitti || ‘The big day’? Khitti blinked a few times, but she eventually put two and two together between the mention of the dress and cake. Right yes. The wedding. Khitti felt a twinge of sadness creep up on her as Brand was also brought up, but she did her best to not let it show. Not only was there sadness, but even a tiny flare of jealous at the fact that Lanara and Eli had not been together for long, but they were getting married very soon, whereas Khitti and Brand had been engaged for a year or more, known each other longer, and there was no telling when their own wedding would take place, if ever. Khitti did her best to not let this show, though she was, perhaps, not quite as excited as she might be normally when Lanara was over the moon about an upcoming event. “Brand and Dominic are just fine, “ she said at length with a faint smile,” And of course. Whenever you two are ready, we’ll do the cake tasting. If you want, you can give me a list of cakes the two of you like the most, and then you can choose from those. Otherwise, we’ll make as many cakes as we can find recipes for and you’ll choose from that lot.” Lanara went to work opening her book and whatnot as Khitti took a bite or two of her sandwich--she didn’t remove her bread of course. She nodded along as Lanara spoke, accompanied by a bit of a head tilt as she did her best to peer over at the book. Once her sandwich was done, she’d take out her own notebook and quill, and started scribbling along the lined parchment in dark purple ink. “I have a book similar to that, except mine’s mainly about the Shadow Plane.” Lanara would continue, as well as Khitti’s writing, and when Selene was brought up, she added, “There’s a water goddess named Selene, whose shrine is in Rynvale. I wonder if they’re the same, since the moon affects the tides. Or at the very least, just an aspect of your Selene.”

Lanara doesn’t pick up on Khitti’s twinge of envy, although if she had, she wouldn’t have gushed over her upcoming nuptials. Yes, she adored her sandman, but she didn’t want to dampen her friend’s mood, either. Lana never pressed Khitti for details about her engagement, nor had she ever met Brand, so she wasn’t able to judge their situation. They lived together and had an adorable little boy that recently learned the word ‘frak’ so they were as good as married in Lana’s eyes. “I’ll speak with Eli. I prefer the cannoli filling in a cake the most, though I’ll go with whatever tastes yummy!” She watches at Khitti listens intently and takes notes, and it’s a role that the witch takes seriously, too. One of the greatest joys was teaching others about your craft, and so she would pause here and there to see if there were any questions, or if she had to slow down so Khitti could properly record everything. “Selene. That’s a pretty name! And… You have a point. Maybe in these lands it’s the –same- Goddess, but just under a different name? I believe that time after time, beliefs are adapted to foreign lands, and that they are all one and the same.” The next picture is of a woman surrounded by large black birds, and Lana pauses, “This is the Goddess of Fate and Death. She’s sometimes referred to as the’ Morrigan’ and she dishes out karmatic justice as she sees fit. It’s wise, whenever one casts magic, that you reiterate that the spell is done in perfect love, and may it harm none, so that any ill effects don’t bounce back upon you. She has the ability to shapeshift, and so she could be lurking in the grass, a tree, or in the shadows, watching and waiting. It’s not that she’s necessarily evil, she merely doesn’t take crud from anyone and is rather strict.” Lana purses her lips, as though she felt karma was delivered her way unfairly at some point in the past. “Her counterpart would be the God of the Underworld.” She pauses, “However, ninety percent of witches don’t believe that there’s a hell. There’s merely the ‘otherside’ of the veil, and that’s where we all go after we perish. So, he’s rarely mentioned or called upon. Other than that, the others that we worship are called our ‘patron’ Gods or Goddess’ as they symbolize one thing in particular. For example, if I was creating a love potion, I would call upon the Goddess of Love. However, Aphrodite can be quite fickle if you aren’t speaking plainly, and we must always remember that magic is about free will… Yours and the one you wish to woo. So you can only ask that love come your way, or for you to be more appealing in the eyes of someone.” The page is flipped, and Lana clears her throat, “I know that your patron god is Cyris… Well, here is my patron Goddess…” A lovely maiden with long blonde hair is sitting atop a wild stallion, and for a moment the witch is breathless. “Rhiannon…”

Khitti likely wouldn’t be so bent out of shape over the lack of a marriage, but those pesky fairy tales she’s read or had read to her, for nearly her entire life, really wormed their way into her mind. Brand was no prince and Khitti no princess, but their life had had so many twists and turns and good and bad that it might’ve been a fairy tale! And Khitti would surely tell Lanara about Brand, if she only asked; Khitti felt like she went on enough about most things, that she didn’t want to bore someone with other aspects of her life. The redhead did her best to focus on the task at hand, but her attention was soon fixed on the goddess of fate and death. Lanara spoke of her, and Khitti could only stare at the picture, crimson brows knitting together somewhat, “I think there was a time that I would follow her. She calls to me even now.” Khitti frowned, averting her gaze from the likeness of the dark goddess, allowing Lanara to continue on. Was she wrong to feel this way? To feel like she’s being called elsewhere besides to just Cyris? Despite being the head of a holy guild, Khitti… did not know. She didn’t know if Cyris would like it. She didn’t know if the god of freedom and independence would find fault in Khitti for wanting to stray to other gods. The darkness would never not call to her; she’d been in its grasp for far too long. More notes are taken on the other gods, all the way up to Rhiannon, to which Khitti offered Lanara a smile, “She’s very lovely. Is she connected to all animals, like you are?”

Lanara senses Khitti gazing upon Morrigan for a longer period of time than she had at the drawings of the others, or even the moon phases, which were drawn in perfect accuracy. Was she feeling a call? The redhead followed the path of Cyrus, whereas Lana followed the path of many higher beings, depending on what her needs were, and to whom she most felt a kinship. During the darker periods of her life, she often sought out a Goddess, as she needed maternal guidance, whereas in times of needing strength or prosperity, she’d call upon a male figure, hence, a God. “Generally… When I say God and Goddess, light and darkness, all of that stuff… They all are a piece of the one true almighty, in my eyes. They have different forms, faces, and names… So we are comfortable with worshipping many, because it’s truly worshipping one. It’s sort of hard to explain.” Not wanting to confuse Khitti further, Lana beams with pride as she fills her in on her patron Goddess, “Rhiannon is referred to as the ‘White Witch’ because first and foremost, she’s a healer. She is the bringer of dreams, and she calls out to the hearts of poets and singers. She manifests love and light with her smile, and if a woman is having fertility issues, they could ask Rhiannon for guidance…” Lana lifts her gaze to look into Khitti’s eyes, as she too had a penchant for fairytales. “Rhiannon’s life wasn’t always gilded lilies and rainbows… There’s a tale that goes along with her, which makes her the easiest to relate to, and that’s why she’s my patron.” The witch begins the tale, “Once upon a time, on the eve of the very first moon, the Goddess Rhiannon was born, and she ruled over the fairies with her father. She was raised to handle queenly responsibilities, and her job was to pull the sun over the lands, astride her pale mare, every morning, to begin the day anew. One fine day, after pulling the sun over the lands, Rhiannon came across a handsome man, and it was love at first sight! They spent some time together each day and their love blossomed… But her parents forbade Rhiannon. They had already promised her to another, before she was even born, and she wasn’t meant to marry the man that held her heart, and who also happened to be a mortal. Being the willful woman that she was… She left the fairy kingdom and married this man, the veil closing behind her, so that she could never return. She bore him a son years later, and one of the servants, having been hired by the man she was originally promised to, had killed the babe, and smeared the blood all over Rhiannon as she slept.” Lana lifts her glass and takes a sip, to catch her breath. She’d continue in but a moment. Just how much in common did the witch have with Rhiannon?

Khitti shook her head before Lanara continued on about Rhiannon, “No… I think I understand. When you have a particular need, you call on one piece of your god or goddess, but for general things, you call on them as a whole. Lithrydel’s pantheon could be treated the same way, but I don’t think it will ever be. People here are too specific--even moreso if you dedicate yourself to one of the gods. While I may preach equality amongst the deities, I’m also fearful of what Cyris might do if I overstepped my bounds too much. Sure, he’s considered good, but likewise, he’s the most strict out of those three labeled as such.” She quieted herself then, allowing Lanara to carry on, listening intently to the tale. When she was finished, Khitti smiled somewhat, “I think you’re right, about how religions can spread about to other lands, and become changed somewhat. It’s the same with stories too. Someone once told me a long time ago, after I came here to Lithrydel, about a story from Catal. An elf and a human met and eventually fell in love, but it was looked down on because she was immortal and he was not. The human eventually died in battle, and the elf died of grief. The god of death took pity on them and restored them both, and gave the elf a mortal life, so that the two could be together and one didn’t have to leave the other for too long, when death finally came for them.” The redhead smiled a little more, continuing, “That story is one of a few things that sparked that flame to get a cure for my vampirism.” Khitti shifted in her chair a bit, her head leaning against the back of it, as she stared across the table, “I’m sure Cyris is keeping tabs on all the things I say, and I’ll likely get smote for it someday, but I think I like your world a lot better. With regards to religion, that is. Things feel so much more flexible. I don’t know how Zahrani and Kelovath manage things as they do as a paladin, but I’ll never walk that path. The path has no twist and turns. It’s just a straight path that you’re never supposed to stray from. Or it feels like it is, at least.”

Lanara gives a slow nod, thinking that the beliefs of a witch, and of those in her homeland, were a hell of a lot easier to accept. When you had so many to choose from, and when you didn’t obey a Gods wishes out of fear, life was much simpler. “I could never walk the path of a paladin, either… Life is full of twists and turns, like you said, so how can one hope to follow a singular line of thinking, of worshipping, day in and out? It’s not realistic!” Lanara blinks back tears, thinking of how she had lost a child, and in later years was told that she’d never carry a child to term, after sustaining near fatal injuries. She’d also been wrongfully accused of crimes for merely being a witch, much as the story about Rhiannon would continue and provide an explanation, “The kingdom wished for Rhiannon to be put to death, for the crime of killing her innocent babe. She was framed, though none could prove it was someone other than the Goddess. And so, her husband, although he mourned the loss of his child, he loved Rhiannon so much, that he begged and pleaded and it was decided that her life would be spared. Her punishment was to remain chained outside the castle gates, and to tell the tale of how she killed her child, to every soul that visited the lands. The years passed, and Rhiannon did as she was bid, repenting for a crime she didn’t commit. In harsh winters, blistering hot summers, she knelt at the gate and swallowed her pride. Then one day… A nobleman and his wife came to the gate, with a young boy. He was holding a small blanket, and at once, Rhiannon knew that it was her child. It was the blanket she had stitched for him as an infant! He had the smile of his father, and the gentleness of the Goddess. The nobleman announced that he heard the tale of Rhiannon across the lands, and he put the pieces together, knowing the babe he found beside the river years ago, was none other than her child. Respect was regained, and Rhiannon was unchained and no longer bore the title of a child killer, and rather than turn to darkness or seek vengeance on whoever stole her child and killed another in place… She thought back on all those years, and she instead chose forgiveness over malice. Husband, wife, and child lived their years out, though when it was their time to pass onto the other side… Rhiannon accompanied them with her horse drawn chariot! They crossed the rainbow bridge in unison. And it’s said to this day, that those that are misguided or lose their way, will be found by the Goddess on a horse, because she believes in setting one on their path and forgiving, no matter what crimes their past held. Her love bridges the gap between heaven and earth. She has an affinity with horses, and she loves all animals…” A silence fills the room as the tale ends, and Lana smiles at Khitti, “It’s like you said… There’s no right or wrong path to follow. It’s about the journey along the way. Rhiannon was beautiful beyond compare, with wealth and intelligence, and she gave it all up for love. It backfired, she was wrongfully accused, but rather than give into despair, she kept living. Surviving. And it all paid off in the end.” As Khitti begins her story about the elf and human falling in love, the witch waits on bated breath until the very end, a faint smile on her lips. It had a happy ending, that is all that mattered, though she can’t help but compare the likeness to Eli and herself, as she was an elf and he a human. “Khitti… If you could go back in time… Would you have made the same choice? To remove your vampirism and grow old with your family?”

Khitti too was enamored with Lanara’s story, just as the witch was with Khitti’s. “You’ll have to write that story out for me once day, so I can stitch it into my fairy tale book from home,” she said with a smile. She reached over to grab up the iced tea, but hesitated, her hand just barely on the pitcher’s handle, as Lanara asked that last question of her. She thought about it for a moment, but ultimately took the time to pour herself a glass and get a drink before she finally said anything. “Much like everything else, making that choice wasn’t as black and white as it seems. I did a lot of terrible things to get what I wanted and an equally terrible future almost played out, regardless of becoming human again. I would have made the choice again, yes, and did all of those things that were asked of me to attain that cure, but… for a long time, I was unsure if I’d even have a Brand to come back to. I didn’t know if he loved me; he was never the type to really say it. It took so long before he even came to terms with us being a couple.” Khitti took another sip, allowing her to pause briefly, and think on her words, “I would make that choice, but just because one person makes one choice, doesn’t mean someone else will do the same, in their part of the situation.” She looked to Lanara finally with a smile, “I don’t mean to make it sound like he’s a bad guy. He’s not. He’s just a complicated one. He did not have an easy life in Catal before its fall. It made a lot of walls; some barely there and others as thick as stone. If I had the ability to go back in time, and if even one tiny aspect of our time together was to change, I’m not entirely certain things would’ve ended up the same.” Then again… there was that pesky prophecy from the Shadow Plane that said her and Brand were fate. Oi.

Lanara nods, enthusiastic about the sharing of fairytales, as it seemed they both fancied a fantasy realm from time to time. Having spent most of her years at the academy in isolation, the witch often had her nose in a book, or her gaze glued to the stars from the lone window that afforded her a cloudy view. She senses Khitti’s hesitation, and as she takes a slow sip of the tea, Lana wishes she could take her inquiry back, as she hadn’t meant to overstep. She wasn’t one to cloak her curiosity, and though she was growing closer to Khitti with each meeting, she didn’t wish to offend her friend. It’s a slight surprise when the question is answered, and it’s comforting to know that the woman would have chosen the same path, despite what she had to endure to get where she now was with Brand. There’s not a doubt in her mind that Brand is a good man, as he would have to be someone significantly special to have captured the heart of Khitti, and she gives a gentle smile, as she chooses her words carefully. “Walls don’t make someone a bad person, if anything; I think it makes them a treasure. It’s so easy to get to know people, as so few wear a mask these days. But… When someone has suffered from a trauma, or has hesitations about letting others in, they just need some patience so that you can learn to trust, and you can see their truth worth. Those are the people that are worth sticking to, because they understand loss. And the fact that Brand let you inside, knowing you have the power to break his heart? That’s true love. This –is- your fairytale, Khitti.” The butler clears his throat and enters the room, a bottle of brandy in his hand, as he quirks a brow at Lana, as though asking if they desired something a tad stronger than the iced tea. The witch chuckles, and shakes her head, looking Khitti’s way, “Would you like a drink? How about some of those cookies?” In a softer tone, so the man couldn’t hear, she leans in, “Thank you for answering. Sometimes I get so swept up in wanting to know all the details that I don’t consider how loaded my questions seem. I never mean any harm.”

Khitti || Was Khitti crying? No, not yet, but it was definitely nearing that point if they went any farther with their conversation without a break. Thank all of the gods that Lanara and Eli’s butler showed up. Lanara would look away to speak to him briefly and Khitti would take the opportunity to wipe at her eyes before they could betray her anymore than they likely already had. “Please,” she said, to the inquiry of brandy, following it up with, “It’s alright. I’m honestly glad you ask very specific questions, for the most part. I’m always worried someone’s going to ask me the story from beginning to end and I’d never know where to start. It’s very much like a tangled ball of yarn, complete with many knots and way too many layers to untangle. It’s better for me to just cut things out, piece by piece, and try to make something of a story from that.” A cookie was taken from its tray and once the brandy was given to her, she’d take a sip of that as well. “I -am- sorry though. It always seems like we end up sobbing about something when we’re together,” she said this with a smile, so as to let Lanara know that it wasn’t something she was upset about. “Unfortunately, I’ve got quite a lot of my own trauma, and I’m about as complicated as Brand is. Possibly moreso.”

Lanara wipes a rogue tear from her own cheek, when Khitti’s attention is drawn to the platter of cookies. Giving that response about being vulnerable, about letting someone tear down those walls of mistrust that were reinforced with each heartache, and embracing the soul of another? It all hit close to home, and she may as well have been talking about her own life, and not that of Brand. The shot glass is taken and sipped from, and she responds to Khitti’s comment with a soft smile. “We do always end up deep in discussion about our pasts, don’t we? Honestly… I welcome it. There’s so few in the world that are real, that I enjoy getting to know, that I let past the role of an acquaintance. I don’t consider many to be my friend, but I consider you to be a close friend, Khitti. You can talk to me about anything, honest. And I feel that I can be open with you, which is a breath of fresh air. Usually my game of twenty questions isn’t taken so lightly!” Lana laughs at this, as she had offended dozens over the years with her habit of needing every minute detail. “I know you have some trauma…I remember you talking about your sister, and your homeland, and the vampirism. I can’t even imagine… “ Another sip of brandy is taken, as though she were gathering strength, “I’m in the same club, sadly. I had a hard life growing up as an empath. My powers were hard to control, and I harmed as many as I helped. So… They put me in a prison, where they thought I’d only be learning about magic, but sadly… I was a lab rat, as well as the ‘teachers’ pet…” A shiver runs down her spine, and she shakes her head and blinks away the memories of each time he had assured her that his deeds were part of the curriculum. “Anyways… I never had many friends, because I couldn’t trust myself not to inadvertently harm another. And you sort of start to accept being alone all the time.” She gives a slight shrug, “Then it wasn’t so bad when I sacrificed my empathy, as I wasn’t a threat to anyone, but then I had no idea how to feel. I based my emotions off of others for my whole life! It was difficult. But animals? They have never let me down, and my abilities remain with them, thankfully.” Lana neglects to mention her father and the role he played in her life, and just why her walls remain around nearly every man, aside from Eli. Perhaps another day, or after several bottles of brandy. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to babble. I haven’t talked about all of these things in quite some time. I don’t mean to bore you. I think I just let down some of those walls we’ve been talking about.”

Khitti || “Yeah, likewise,” Khitti said in regards to being open about things and how Lanara can speak to her about anything. “I do know how that is though. The not wanting to open up to other people and making friends. Even now, as I try to be welcoming of others, it’s very hard. I still feel like I put on a mask. When I’m in guild leader mode? A mask. Shopkeeper? The same. Even when I’m around fellow guild members, whether it’s for the Paladin’s Guild or not, I don’t really feel like I can be open with them. Even if they did accept me, and the things that I’ve done, things are all too twisted and complicated to understand. For a very long time, until I came here, I don’t think I possessed an ounce of empathy in me--though, of course, I speak of it in the more general term. But, I know what you mean. So far, even after three years of being here, I only trust four people: Brand, Lionel, Meri… and you. Since I’ve been back as a human, I’ve tried as much as I can to have a positive outlook on things, but it’s really hard sometimes.” She shook her head at Lanara’s apology eventually, “And don’t apologize. It’s not boring. I’m just glad someone understands what I’ve been through, as much as they can.”

Lanara nods, understanding the show of wearing a mask in the face of the public. It’s a necessary precaution, especially for one that had a troubled past. No one could get to know the ‘real’ you beneath the layer of secrecy, and therefore they couldn’t harm you in any way. “I’m the same way with the Adventurer’s Guild! I’m friendly to everyone, and I would protect them from danger, but none of them know me on a deep level. It’s strange that we are both so comfortable in our roles, and that we seem so put together, but it’s in disguise…” This thought would confuse or disturb most, but Lana seems pleased to know another woman that shares the same views. Being yourself, being uninhibited before strangers, it was no easy feat. “I only trust four people as well… Taly, Scandal, Eli, and... You.” They lock eyes for a brief moment, before Lana takes a nibble of her cookie, and can’t help the giggle that passes her lips. “We’re some team, Khitti! We are not only teaching each other about Gods and Goddess’ but we are discussing life lessons, and strengthening our friendship.” The shot glass is lifted, “Cheers to friendship, answering loaded questions, and for always leaving each meeting feeling lighter and wearing a smile?”

Khitti smiled and nodded in agreement with Lanara as she too took a bite of her cookie, finishing it rather quickly. She didn’t make the cookies this time, so she’s perfectly fine with gobbling it down like some sort of cookie monster! Without the frenzied eating noises and crumbs flying everywhere, of course. Lanara would propose a toast to their friendship and everything in between and Khitti would raise her brandy as well, the two glasses clinking together, “Absolutely!” Khitti would stay there for a little while longer, seeing as how she was much closer to home this time around, and the two would likely share more stories with each other until they were ready to call it quits for the night.