RP:Reconciliation

Synopsis: After Lanara is gravely wounded by a hawk carrier, she is holed up in the healing center in Frostmaw. She wakes up to find her sister, Talyara, at her bedside. The two women finally admit their sorrows, and forgive and forget the transgressions that led them to such a state.

Talyara slowly walks into the healing tent and casts her emerald gaze around the area, searching for a pretty elf. After a moment her eyes settle upon her frame and she slowly walks towards the bed. Once she gets to the foot of said bed, the half-elf reaches up to lower her hood, wincing as she does so as her shoulder throbs. Her pretty face bears the signs of a recent fight, some scratches here and there and a large split down the center of her bottom lip. None of that mattered though for nothing but concern for her sister was etched in her features. "Hi, Lana..." She says in a quiet and meek voice.

Lanara opens her eyes, and winces as though the glare from the lantern was too much for her weak form to take in. Chocolate brown eyes narrow, slightly, as she turns to glance at her visitor. Normally, the vision of the green eyed beauty would evoke a smile, squeal, or a running charge to hug the elf. However, given the state she was in, and the downfall of their relationship, she instead, feels as though her heart were being twisted, and torn from its chest cavity. Lanara was looking worse for wear, though she seemed a tad bit stronger than three evenings ago. She tries to sit up on the cot, though the pain that surges through her upper half is too unbearable, so she collapses against the pillows, panting. Stitches are visible near her right earlobe, though the rest of her neck and chest are heavily bandaged, hiding the rest of the nearly fatal wound, from view. She was still deathly pale, had lost some weight, and her lips were chapped. There also was a slight stain of blood that remained on her right cheek, as though she were too weak to wash her face. A small, metal tray was attached to the side of the sterile bed, with some tissues and a glass of water upon it. “Hello, Tally.”

Talyara grimaces upon seeing the state of her sister. Her heart breaks instantly as the sight of her--the stitches, the bandages, the way her face twisted in pain as she attempted to sit up. Slowly, the witch made her way to her sister's side. Perching on the very edge of the bed so as not to disturb Lana, she picks up a clean bandage and pours some water over it. Reaching forward, Tally begins to wipe the blood from her sister's cheek. "I will leave if you do not wish for my company. I just...I just had to see you, if only for a moment." At this proclamation, a few silent tears fall down the younger sister's cheeks.

Lanara finally meets Talyara’s sad emerald gaze, as a single tear trickles down her own pale cheek. She yearns to ask her sister what happened to her, as she seems to be in apparent pain, as well, and the split fight and bruising would garner further curiosity. Though, they had to settle their differences, before niceties would be given. She leans in slightly and allows her sister to clean her face, sighing softly, as the cool water feels good on her face. The clinic was stifling hot, had that sickening antiseptic smell in the air, and the nurses were never there when you needed their assistance. Lana hated being bed ridden, but Ansel said it was imperative for her to remain on bed rest, for a few more days. Once her cheek is done being cleaned, she rests her head back on the pillow, and widens her eyes slightly, as the light was more acceptable now that she had woken up. “Tally… You may stay. We have lots to discuss, I think. And you are the only one that had visited me. Ansel mended me, and left, never to return. His nurse takes care of changing my bandages, and checking up on me. But other than that, not a sole visitor. I don’t have any friends in the land, and Emilia doesn’t know about what happened.”

Talyara reaches into the pouch at her hip and pulls out a small satchel of dried herbs and flowers. It was a lovely scent, lavender and rose at the forefront, and places it next to her sister's pillow. "This should help with the medicinal scent in here." Talyara reaches out and gently takes her sister's hand in hers, softly running her thumb along her knuckles as a means of comfort. The half-elf's face hardens at the mention of Ansel's lack of care. Did he not give a damn about her sister at all?! The witch takes a slow; steadying breath--now was not the time for anger. "I am sorry I didn't visit sooner, I did not think you would want to see me and the last thing I would want to do is cause you pain." With her free hand, Tally moistens some more bandages and drapes them across Lanara's head in hopes it will help keep her cool.

Lanara sighs, contentedly, as she inhales the scent of lavender and rose, her favorite smell, to be exact. “Oh, how I miss the outdoors, Tally!” Nearly in tears at her deteriorated condition, she gives her sisters hand the gentlest of squeezes, and bites her already chewed and chapped lower lip. “It’s alright; I’m glad that you visited. And I think the space was what we both needed. Funny, we spent more than five years apart, reunited for a month, and now we’re at odd again?” Shaking her head, she winces in pain, as her neck and throat being to pulse in pain from the movement. “Ouch… Okay… Less movement, Laney.” She murmurs, to calm her own nerves. Once the pain passes, she meets Talyara’s eyes again and inhales, letting all of her anger, sadness, and feelings, come out in a lengthy explanation that leaves her gasping for breath. “I’m upset that you condone his behavior. He intentionally hurt me. Rather, he sent me a hawk to deliver his letter, wrote that he hoped his pet would –not- treat me kindly, and didn’t seem the least bit surprised that I was gravely injured. Several letters and I’m assuming after he spoke with you, he all of a sudden said that the hawk’s actions were not his intention and he semi apologized. Then insults me, further, by saying I lost my way, I’m not in tune with my elven roots, and that he would leave you and break your heart, just to cause me misery. So, naturally, I was rude back to him. But I never threatened him, directly. And I told him to stay away from Laezila, for a month, until you and him were more established and so that he could get over his possible infatuation with her. Instead of reassuring me, consoling you, and distancing himself from the drow matron, he chose the immature road and harmed me, insulted me, and blinded my sister with his ‘love’ theories. Tally… I would never tell you what to do. But I don’t think he loves you. If he did… You wouldn’t have had to resort to blood magic on a race that is the reason we fled home and have a deceased mother. You wouldn’t be ridiculed by all in Frostmaw for befriending the drow. You wouldn’t have constant bruises, worries, and often, a tearstained face. You question his motives, and are more upset, than you are content, with his love. Tally, that is –not- true love. I think he enjoys bedding you, your beauty, your affection and attention, and what you have to offer. But I think you are a mere enjoyment, and the fact that he was so willing to toss you aside to prove a point to me? Shows me that you mean so little to him. Sister to sister, I do not believe he is the one for you. I think you deserve much better. He causes you such disharmony in your life. Look at us! Look at me!” At this, Lana dissolves into heart wrenching sobs.

Talyara listens quietly as her sister lays her heart on the table and does not interrupt, but let's her say her piece. When she dissolves into tears, the witch wants nothing more but to pull her into an embrace, but knowing that will cause her only more pain she settles on cupping her sister's cheeks in her soft palms, wiping away her tears with her thumbs. The half-elf gently leans her forehead against Lanara's and coos to her softly, "Shh my dear sister, it will be alright, calm your heart." Talyara waits until her sister's sobs have subsided before saying her own speech. "I know you think I am blinded by love. I know you think that he sees me as nothing more than a nightly comfort and a pretty companion." The witch looks down unable to meet her sister's face. "But I do not. I know not what the future holds for us, but I do know that I -do- enjoy our time together. Perhaps it is my own fault, for not sharing with you our happier times and only disclosing the insecurities. Emrith is many things, some of which are dark. He has told me, cried in my arms, about the coldness in his heart." Talyara shakes her head and finally lifts her emerald gaze to catch her sister's chocolate ones. "I do not condone what he did. I do not like it even the slightest, that you were hurt. But you must understand, Lana, I am not a little girl anymore. You and Mother did a wonderful job raising me. I am strong willed and resilient. Emrith does not do my bidding. Yes, he called on me that night to heal Laezila, but he -asked- me to do it. I was the one who complied. I was the one who chose to do blood magic. I was the one who continued to visit the former matron and befriend her. None of that was Emrith's doing, so please, at least in those regards, do not blame him." She sighs and runs a shaky hand through her hair. "Sometimes my insecurities get the better of me when I see the two of them together. But that is on -me-. Emrith holds much guilt for what he did to Laezila and truth be told he will stop at nothing to try and heal the harm he caused. And as stupid as this probably sounds, I love him all the more for it. You have to understand, Laezila did not destroy our home. She did not kill our mother. She did not torture me. She is a mere product of her race and I will not scorn her for it. As for his letter, I felt the same hurt and shock when I saw what he wrote, that he would leave me. It was an empty threat, Lanara, he never had any intention on following through. He simply hoped that your love for me would sway your words." She looks upon her sister's face, a pleading look in her eyes as tears begin to well up, "He makes me happy, Lana. Despite his flaws. And I do not know if this is forever but I feel like you are asking me to choose between you two. Please, you have to believe me! He will never put a wedge between us. I will always love you and you will always be my soul mate. I just can't bear the thought of the two people I care most about fighting and asking me to pick a side!" Now it is the younger sister's turn to dissolve into tears, burying her face in her hands.

Lanara wants nothing more than to hold her sister, as she sobs, though in her injured state, she’s unable to comfort her sibling, with touch. So she settles for the next best thing, her words. Tears dry on her pale cheeks, as she focuses on her breathing, and tries to sort through the fleeting thoughts that continue to run rampant in her mind. Would he hurt Talyara? Did he love her? Did Tally love Lanara? Was a sisterhood strong enough to be put to the test? Would he come between them? Laezila? Her head begins to throb, as she winces again, and closes her eyes to shut out the light and quiet her mind. After a long moment of listening to her sister’s gut wrenching sobs, she links her fingers around the bed bars, and tugs on the elf’s arm, wanting to hold hands with her sibling. “Tally… I want nothing to do with Emrith, please, understand that. I am not sure how I feel about you remaining by his side… I feel… Betrayed. Hurt. Cast aside. Replaced. I just… I don’t know how to be okay with this. Ever. But to salvage the remains of our family, I will put my feelings aside, and keep my thoughts about him to myself. If he eventually hurts you or breaks your heart, I will not defend you. Because you chose this path. But I will then work on our friendship, and we can be what we once were. For now, and for always, we will be sisters. Though not as close as we once were, we can still be civil, work magic, and celebrate family activities and holidays together. I still love and care for you, but I have my guard up, and I’m not sure I can ever lower it. I do hope you understand? I worked too hard to never have walls with you, but now that they are up, I am unable to tear them down, even if I wanted to…I’m unable to trust you, fully. I hope you understand, and that we both can live with that arrangement. I know not what the future holds for any of us, and I’m not sure if I will even remain in the lands. I may go home and help father rebuild Kelvar. Or perhaps Emilia and Xersom will relocate one day, and I will accompany them to a farm, far away. Maybe you and Emrith will get married and have children. Maybe you two will one day fall out of love, and you and I will rebuild what we had. I know not. I am –not- making you choose, and I want you to agree to this arrangement. I never wish to see or speak with Emrith again, he knows that. But I won’t treat my own sister as a leper, even if I disagree with the life she’s chosen for herself. That is all I can offer right now, Tally. Sisters, civility, friends. I am incapable of offering soul mates, unbreakable bonds, or best friends. At this point. I hope you understand.”

Talyara feels her heart break further. She did not blame her sister for having her guard up with Emrith, but her refusal to trust her was more than she could bare. Slowly she stands from her sister's bed, hugging her arms tightly around her middle as her body shakes with sobs. She stays like this for a few minutes before sinking to her knees. "I suppose I do not have a choice, Lanara. If it is a matter of losing you completely or having you on your terms than you know I will choose the latter. I just...I don't understand." She whispers as she shakes her head sadly and paws at her cheeks with her hands, trying to stem the flow of tears that fall from her eyes. "No matter who I am with, romantically or not, they will never take your place, no one could. It breaks my heart that you would think otherwise. I have never judged you for anything you have done and yet I feel like you are doing that to me." Slowly, she stands again, quickly reaching into her bag and plucking a few vials from its depths. She walks over to her sister and places them in her hand. "I know not what they give you for pain in here, but these are herbal tinctures I made for pain if you need them." Talyara leans down quickly and places a swift kiss on her sister's cheek. "I love you, Lanara. I am not your enemy..." Slowly, she turns on her heel and moves to leave the tent.

Lanara bursts into tears, unable to hold them back any further, as the thought of her sister breaking Emrith’s heart, was causing her own to break. She knew that this time it would be –her- fault that Talyara was hurting, not Emrith’s. She was just as guilty as he was, though she would never draw first blood on another, of have an animal sent to do her dirty work. Whether it was Emrith that hated Lanara, or Lanara that hated Emrith, either way, their mutual distaste for each other would bring her sibling heartbreak and unnecessary pain. Best to let her sister learn on her own, and just support her, rather than destroy her. Besides, Emrith would probably do that on his own terms, and they could just retaliate, in the future. Clenching her hands into fists, she is downright hysterical, as the stitches in her neck are pulled and blood begins to slowly ooze from the wounds, staining the bandages. But it wasn’t physical pain that Lana in such distress, it was emotional pain. Chocolate brown hues appeared black, as they were now set against a bloodshot background, and tears continuously spill over her pale cheeks, melding with the bloodstains below her chin. “Tally… Don’t leave me. I can’t bare another night here, alone… Please… Stay with me tonight.” That small sentence was enough for Talyara to read between the lines, hopefully. Lanara was not abandoning her, and the two needed each other, possibly now more than ever. Inviting her sister for a sleep over, even if it was at a clinic in the snowy mountain, and she was gravely injured, was a huge step at reconciliation. Sad, tearful, doe eyes, look at the elf, pleading, and broken. Would she stay?

Talyara slowly stops in mid-step as her sister calls to her. She could hear her sobbing but did not turn. In fact, the witch stays rooted on the spot until her sister's small voice asks her to stay. Talyara was still hurt...hurt at being caught in the middle of the two people who were dearest to her heart. However, if Lanara was making the effort, so would she. The half-elf turns on her boot again and walks towards her sister's bed, reaching into her bag as she does so. She pulls out a worn deck of cards and crawls on the end of the bed, folding her legs underneath her. "I'll stay, but I'm dealing," she offers with a smile. It was a tradition the girls had, playing cards late into the night. And so it would continue here in Frostmaw.

Lanara smiles through her tears, and loudly blows her nose. She was evidently relived that her sister decided to remain with her, and she sits up the slightest bit, so that she could see the cards. Lisa, the nurse, returns and changes Lanara’s bandages, with a soft ‘tsk’ as she cleans the wound and mutters something about the witch needing to be stitched again. But, the empath, is beyond caring about her wound, as she is elated to playing cards with her sister. Sure, the sisters had a lot to work through, but they would. After all they’ve been through, what was a little boy trouble? Grinning shyly, she accepts the offered cards, after Talyara deals them, and nips her lower lip. “Did you shuffle? And you best not be playing with a second deck, tucked beneath you… I know your tricks, Tally.” As the two sisters share a brief chuckle, they locks eyes, and know that everything will be alright.