RP: Ending It on Good Terms
Synopsis:Zahrani has a chance to talk to Talyara 1-on-1 for the first time since the witch had returned from her healing. After a short conversation, the two decide to bring their passionate-yet-brief romance to an end.
Walled Courtyard
Talyara sits crosslegged on one of the many benches in the courtyard of Frostmaw’s fort. She’s wearing her usual leggings with knee-high black leather boots and a deep purple sweater. A too-large fur-lined cloak is secured around her throat as well as a floppy wool hat and a pair of fingerless gloves. An old, leather-bound book is cradled in her lap and the witch’s large, green eyes flutter across the pages.
Zahrani quietly walks towards the fort, the panther in her more humanoid form and garbed in a grey cloak of her own. It had been some time since she had visited. She was curious to see if any friends/allies in Frostmaw would be interested in mentoring Amir, the young snow leopard feline from Cenril. The boy had just had his 10th birthday, and he was beginning to show an aptitude for frost magic. The paladin had been here before, and had even had a chance to meet with Queen Hildegarde herself. Her eyes alight on the cloaked figure, picking up a familiar scent from the elf. Smiling, Rani approaches, black tail swishing behind her. Cyan eyes rest on the book before she asks, "Mind if I join you?"
Talyara :: So absorbed in her book is Talyara, that she doesn’t notice Zahrani’s approach until she speaks. The witch startles and blinks up at the feline before chuckling as she places a hand on her heart. “Of course!” she says with a chuckle. “Sorry, you scared me.” Talyara marks her place in her book with a knotted cord and closes it. It wasn’t that she didn’t mind Zahrani looking (although she was unsure if the paladin would recognize the symbols she had been deciphering), but rather she didn’t want to be rude. “What brings you all the way up here?”
Zahrani takes a step back as Taly jumps, chuckling in return before joining and offering a warm hug. "Sorry for scaring you." She then explains, "I'm looking to see if there are any mentors in Frostmaw who might help Amir hone his newfound abilities. I might also check in with the Mage Tower in Xalious, but I wasn't sure if they were out of space or if he was too young." The panther leans against the bench, pausing before looking back at Taly, "It's funny. We only saw each other a couple weeks ago...but it still feels like I haven't seen you in a long time. The thought 'I miss you.' keeps coming up." Rani offers a sheepish grin at that last sentence, a slight blush coloring her cheeks.
Talyara quickly waves off Zahrani’s apology as she shifts to return the hug. “Oh don’t worry about it. I’ve been a bit jumpy lately and I was so involved in my reading I didn’t hear you approach until you were upon me,” she says with a chuckle. As the paladin explains her reasonings for coming up to the frozen tundra the witch nods. “Ah, that explains it! I don’t really know of anyone to ask, I’m sorry. But I’m sure if you can’t find anyone here that at least the mages would be able to point you in the proper direction.” When Rani makes her confession about missing Taly, she smiles sweetly, yet there is an apologetic look in her expression. “I’m sorry about that, things have been chaotic since I got back to Lithrydel and I’ve been keeping a low profile. Lanara thought it would be best if I stayed up here and it gives me a chance to fix up my cottage. How have you been? How’s everyone at the colony?”
Zahrani grins, nodding at the possibility of the mages helping to find a suitable tutor for the young lad. "Things have been relatively quiet. We've been keeping a closer eye on our side of the city ever since the gala." The panther scootches up to the elf in a subconscious response to a chilly gust of wind running through the courtyard. At the mention of a cottage, the panther asks, "You have a cottage here? How's it coming along?"
Talyara shifts her book onto the other side of the bench, allowing her to stretch out her legs in front of her, the witch shaking her legs to bring some feeling back into them. “I’m glad to hear that everyone and everything is going well.” When Rani poses her question about a cottage Taly bobs her head. “I built it a while ago, but when Lanara first died she blew up half of it with her. I didn’t fix it up because I couldn’t live there with that memory.” Taly sighs. “How could I? But now that she’s back and I am, it seemed like as good a time as any”
Zahrani tents her head in one of her hands, her elbow against the bench as she listens intently. "Your family has been through a lot, love..." ~Love,~ she thinks. ~That just sort of came out. No worries.~ She looks from Taly's legs to her own, taking in the contrast of their clothing before asking, "Would you like some help with any of the restoration?"
Talyara casts a sideways glance at Zahrani when she uses the term “love” but she doesn’t comment on it. Instead, she focuses on the latter question about offering help with her cottage. The witch shoots her a sweet smile and gives her head a shake. “Thank you, but I have some help already. But if anything changes I’ll let you know. Either way, I appreciate the offer.”
Zahrani nods, blushing at Taly's sideways look before turning to look up at the sky. It's getting darker, and the air is getting very cold. The feline's tail moves up to be closer to her body for warmth, but it inadvertently wraps around the elf as well. The paladin does her best not to draw attention to the uncharacteristically clumsy maneuver. She glances to the witch, then asks, "So...are you staying anywhere warm tonight?"
Talyara :: If Talyara’ notices the tail coiling around her she makes no comment about it, instead, adjusting her cloak around her body to keep out the chill, turning the fur color higher up on her neck. “Yeah, I’ve been staying at the fort until the cottage is fixed up.” Talyara inclines her head towards Rani and smiles. “When are you heading back down to Xalious or Cenril?”
Zahrani expertly maneuvers her tail to the other side of her body, thinking about what her next steps would be. Watching Taly adjust her clothing, the panther says, "I...probably won't be heading back until tomorrow or the day after." After another pause, she says, "I still need to find lodging for the night. It got darker faster than I expected."
Talyara dips her head back to cast her emerald gaze to the heavens above, noting the darkening sky. “That’s a good idea, you wouldn’t want to get caught up in a passing snow squall. Plus it gets cold.” Taly drops her gaze to her friend and inclines her head towards the fort. “They usually have some open rooms in there, I’m sure they’d let you take one. I’d offer the cottage but well, it’s not exactly safe from the elements.”
Zahrani looks towards the interior of the fort. "Hmm..." Not a bad idea, honestly. Smiling warmly at Taly, the panther reaches forward to offer a hand up for the witch. She exhales, a plume of warm air leaving her mouth. As her cyan gaze rests on the elf's lovely green eyes, the feline's tail swishes anxiously for a moment, before Rani asks, "May I...kiss you goodnight?" Another sheepish grin forms on her face. After a pause, she adds, "It's okay if you don't want one." Taly is still her friend, first and foremost.
Talyara gratefully reaches up to accept Zahrani’s proffered hand, making sure to scoop up her book with her other one, tucking it against her chest. When their eyes meet and the paladin makes her inquiry, Taly’s smile falters slightly and she drops her gaze to the ground. Anxiously, she toes the ground with her boot as she nips her bottom lip. “Look, Rani, I really care about you and you’ve been a wonderful friend to me. But a lot changed when I was away and even more since my return and I can’t be in your life in that way.” The witch didn’t wish to hurt the panther, but she always wanted to be honest with her. “I’ve recently started seeing someone, I’m sorry.” The witch couldn’t bring herself to look up into Zahrani’s face because in her heart she worried that by uttering those words, she had severed their friendship.
Zahrani nips at her own lip as she listens to Taly's answer. The panther nods, "I understand, my friend. You can always count on me, you know." On a conscious level, the panther had accepted that things would have changed so much that it would be better for them to just be friends, so at least there's some closure. It still stung a tad, but she bears that knowing that she is not entitled to anything from Taly, except what the witch is willing to give. The feline idly kicks at the snow, then adds, "Maybe you can introduce me to your new lover sometime. Anyone who cares for you is a friend to me." It also helps her mitigate any jealousy by preventing her from just blowing her mental image of Taly's boo out of proportion. The panther prepares to go into the fort and inquire about lodging, before saying with a soft smile, "Maybe I'll see you tomorrow morning."
Talyara ’s eyes shoot up when Zahrani says she understands and the relief in the witch’s eyes is evident. Being sweet of nature and pure of heart, Taly never wants to hurt anyone, least of all those she considers dear friends. “Sure,” she answers quietly, an answer to the feline’s request to meet her new lover. When she mentions seeing her in the morning Taly bobs her head. “The dining hall tends to serve a lot of bacon for breakfast and I am all about that,” Taly says with a quiet chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood. The witch would then move to wrap her arms around the paladin if she would allow it, giving her a squeeze. “Rest well.”
Zahrani gladly accepts the embrace, wrapping her warm arms around the elf before saying softly, "You too."