RP: Setting the Foundation
Synopsis: Aira visits Alex in Gamorg to finally see what he's been working on. The human has successfully constructed a new home among the mud and dung of Gamorg to escape the expectations of the outside world. It contains large living area, a full kitchen, a bathroom, and three unique bedrooms. One for those who wander, one for Alex... and one for Aira, should she choose to stay.
Humble Beginning of the Bard's Home
As you move away from the circus-like sight of drunken beasts collapsing into their minature servants waiting arms, you find yourself witness to quite an odd sight. In the middle of the primative and foul-smelling city rests the foundation of what is destined to be a beautiful home. A large crew of unlikely co-workers have banded together to make their labor more effective and timely. You see ogres of all sizes digging away at the mud with uprooted trees carved into make-shift shovels as a line of trolls and goblins pass modern materials such as cobblestone and fired bricks in rhythm between them to keep pace with their oversized excavators. Yet, most surprising of all, is the small band of frost giants towering off to the side, wheeling in massive carts of materials and supplies for the effort. This kind of collaboration is rarely seen in the greater world of Hollow but here in Gamorg, it's downright unheard of. Still, apart from some idle insults tossed from the trolls to the goblins, there is little bickering to be heard among the group and you find yourself wondering how such a force came to be. Depending on the time of day, you may witness a cloaked figure with pale hands and painted nails exposed at the end of long sleeves as long strands of jet black hair tease the hem of a raised hood. The figure can be heard humming a delightful melody and as you squint in an attempt to make out if the small particles of blue crackling from beneath the garments are real or an illusion, you suddenly feel yourself much happier and relaxed than before. Perhaps it's best to leave the company to their work and return when the home is completed.
(Location: "Recall Gamorg", 4 West, 1 South)
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Alex stands in the ‘yard’ of his odd estate with muddied boots and folded arms. The bard watches intently with a slight curled smile at the edge of his lips and folded arms as he admires the projects progress. The structure is nearing completion with several of the workers finding time to goof off as they struggle to be delegated to the next task as the checklists ticks closer to its conclusion. The home stands out quite effectively in a city of mud, dung, and sticks. The exterior is comprised of primarily wood given it’s cabin like appearance but also chiseled stonework exported from the dwarven city of Craughmoyle, kindly delivered by the frost giants from his homeland. The stairs leading to the porch flanked on both sides by idols of warriors hailing from both Frostmaw and Gamorg, though they wield harps and violins rather than harpoons and halberds. The front door hosts a delicate engraving in spectacular cursive penmanship, “For those who wonder and those who wander.” The flickering light of the burning torches used to illuminate the worksite causes the crystal blue hue of Alex’s eyes to shimmer light diamonds, or so it seems. If you look close enough, it almost looks as though the blue is falling from his eyes, and the soft hum emanating from his throat helps display that more than mere giants and ogres at are work here.
Aira made herself scarce in recent months. There had been mysterious murders in the lands that all pointed to a certain saber cat having returned and the huntress had spent the better part of that time trying to track him down. The only problem was, it was -he- who had taught -her- such things. If it was him, he was being elusive, and she was unable to spot him. She found herself easily falling back into old feral habits during this time, and as the suspicious murders stopped happening, so did her desire to pursue. Aira was back to living her quiet life in Sage Forest, keeping to herself, hunter for survival, helping young archers when she saw them practicing. She realized it had been quite some time since she’s seen a certain blue-eyed bard and she remembered once upon a time him telling her about building a house in Gamorg. It was a hot, summer day, quite literally the worst time to visit such a place, but without anything else to do, the huntress found herself leaving Sage in search of Alex. It didn’t take long to find him, Aira approaching him from behind with her arms crossed over her chest. She’s quiet for several beats, watching the workers shirk their dwindling duties, Alex keeping watch over them. “Nice place you got here,” she eventually says.
Alex wasn’t as skilled as the huntress at being aware of his surroundings, a fact demonstrated quite thoroughly during their initial introduction. So, it should come as no surprise when his back quickly straightens and the hum skips a beat as she speaks, though the startle doesn’t seem to sour his mood but rather brightens it as his smile grows even wider when recognition takes place. Turning around to face her, his humming stops and with it, the small illusions of light misting from his eyes begins to fade away. The man’s facial features are slightly more defined with lines since they last spoke but it’s difficult to tell if it's his aging or the distinct lack of make-up. What isn’t hard to tell, however, is the absence of distress in his expression. The dark rings beneath his eyes seem to have vanished and though his complexion is still pale, it no longer seems sickly. Alex looks more like himself than he has in years. Before speaking he uncrosses his arms and leans forward to gently press his forehead against her own, “Wait until you see the inside. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but I made sure to hire someone qualified with interior decorating.” A brief pause takes place before he pulls away and without missing a step, the bard can’t stop himself from ruining his own line. “Me. I hired me.” He claims with a laugh as his right hand raises to rest on her shoulder. “I’m glad you came. It’s really good to see you, Aira.”
Aira grins when Alex turns to face her, his features looking less clouded than they had in recent years. When he leans forward to press his forehead against hers, her eyes fall closed, and her expression softens. The huntress had, more or less, domesticated the last couple of years since the saber cat’s disappearance, but even in her most feral state, she always held a soft spot for the bard. She lofts a brow, clearly impressed when he shares that he hired someone qualified for the interior. Those copper eyes and soon rolling when he confesses that it was him all along and she gives his shoulder a playful shove. “Yeah, well I figured my visit was long overdue.”
Alex only slightly exaggerates the impact of her shove with a very mild feigning of injury before restoring his posture. He begins to nod in agreement with her comment before responding, “I agree. I miss you.” His tone is genuine, and his voice carries a soft though somber pitch in the following delivery as he locks eyes with her, “All the time.” There’s only a brief catch in the air before he straightens himself and slides his step to the side while extending his arm towards his home. “I’d hate for you to come all this way just to stand out in the mud and dung. Mind if I show you inside?”
Aira doesn’t step away as Alex encircles her shoulder with his arm and begins to lead her up the steps to his home as he explains where all the materials came from. It was quite impressive how he managed to procure such things from all over the lands. When he grasps the handle and bids her to be gentle, she gives him an apologetic smile, touching his cheek softly. “Oh, Alex, you know that’s not my style.” They step into the house and Aira is, quite impressed, releasing a low whistle as her copper eyes take in the room with the instruments. “You need a piano,” she says softly, idly touching her sternum where a familiar charm rests on a chain.
Alex absolutely knew that wasn’t her style and he wouldn’t have it any other way. As they enter, he closes the door behind them to silence the sounds of the finishing construction outside and moves to yank his boots off by the door though he makes no mention to Aira to do the same as the mud tracked up and down the hall makes it apparent that the cleaning stage was still to come. Her remark about the piano earns her a knowing smile, “Funny you say that. I have a friend who’s going to be bringing one by.” Canon raises his head to look at the commotion before quickly laying his head back down and dozing off again. Once his boots are removed the bard looks around the room to admire the art and feels a sense of comfort that he’s longed for over the past several years. “After Queen Hildegarde vanished, I got rather lonely back home. My feet started to berate me for all the travel. I couldn’t seem to find a good place to settle, and trouble tended to follow me everywhere I went. So instead of looking for a place to call home, I decided to build my own.” He breaks the admiration of the walls to return his attention to Aira where a different admiration takes over. “Seeing how you’re here now, I can’t help but wonder if trouble managed to follow me again.” It’s his turn to playfully shove her as he closes the gap between them and then motions towards the hall. “There are three more rooms in the back over there. Believe it or not, I contracted a wood elf from your neck of the… uh, woods… to create the art for me.” His excitement is unmissable as he follows up, “Do you want to see them?”
Aira had some nerve saying that Alex needed a piano in his own house that he built with his own money by his own design. But it was her favorite instrument (as he knew), so she felt that everyone home should have one. She looked back to him when he assured her one was on the way before explaining how this home came into fruition. When Alex returns to her and calls her trouble, the huntress cannot help but grin, her copper eyes flashing. “Well, you -did- invite me into your home, so what does that say about you, hm?” she asks with a loft of her brow. When he invites her to look at the rest of the house she nods, pausing to lean down and untie her boots and kicking them off to the side. “Lead the way!”
Alex ponders the question with a tilt of the head as Aira removes her boots. “I guess that says that I invite trouble. Which, in hindsight, that’s accurate.” He hums for a second and puts on a fake frown before continuing, “Though I do feel that I’ve gotten away from that in recent years, if you’re the trouble, I’m comfortable relapsing.” A smirk as he begins towards the hall and comes up to the first door, the one with the home in the field. “So… as someone who spent entirely too much time in the streets and constantly dealing with the need to wander, I decided to offer a haven for those who face a similar blight.” He turns the handle and pushes the door open to reveal another large room, this one very similar to the first room of the home but with four beds laid out in a perfectly spaced pattern against the walls with trunks placed at the foot of each. “I built this room to offer a warm place to rest for those who need it… and before you get started, yes, I’m aware that I’m the only lunatic who wanders into the land of ogres.” He laughs before sobering up his expression. “But I do believe that those who need it will come… and when they do, I want to be the relief I so desperately craved.”
Aira follows Alex deeper into the home as listens intently as he opens the doors and explains what each room is. Her expression becomes serious as they enter the one with several beds and the bard explains its intended purpose. She’s quiet for a few moments before looking up into Alex’s face. “That’s…very sweet of you,” she says earnestly. “While most people might not call this place home, I do agree when word gets out you will have people seeking you out for solace. It…would have been nice to know a place like this existed when I first escaped Rynvale.”
Alex hadn’t considered the fact that Aira had to pass through Rynvale to reach his new home. It almost seemed disrespectful of him to position himself in a way that her journey to him would open that wound and though he feels a pang of remorse in his chest it’s quickly rejected by the realization that, in spite of that, she made the trip anyway. As these thoughts cross his mind, he finds himself watching her as a wave of emotions cascade across his face before swallowing the sudden lump in his throat. “Well… it exists now.” He says softly with a smile. His hand raises to reach out to her but he hesitates, unwilling to compromise the moment with a mistaken display causing him to think before continuing his actions… a new display for the bard who ultimately decides to follow through and place his palm on Aira’s neck though the words forming at his lips give way to an exhale and another smile as they are pocketed for a later time. His hand slides down to her arm and his steps take him in reverse back out to the hall where he approaches the next door, the one with the night sky. “This one is my room. I’ve spent the last nine years bouncing between Frostmaw, Kelay, Gamorg, Gualon, Xalious, and everywhere in between. Some nights I was drunk or twisted out of my mind, others I was stone cold sober and depressed, and even on others I was genuinely happy to just exist… no matter what type of night it was or where I was, I could always count on the same night sky to keep me company.” With a turn of the handle the door slides open to reveal a surprisingly modest living corridor for the bard. The wall displays several of his attire changes over the last several years, including the outfits he donned in the Titans of Winter tournaments, with blood stains, arrow holes, scorch marks and all. His bed rests against the back wall and it’s clear that, despite his vanity taking a back seat recently, he’s made sure his wardrobe is accessible with a rather large walk-in closet and a mirrored vanity sitting close by while several instruments including his enchanted bass are resting neatly in stands along the edges of the room. “I considered sleeping on the couch or in the field room… but then I considered the fact that someone I let stay here might try to knife me in my sleep, so I went with this instead.” His knuckle knocks to the edge of the entrance where two chain locks and a heavy bolt are in place to keep himself safely tucked away. “Some of us aren’t great at cutting up or putting arrows in those who try to harm us.”
Aira does not shy away from Alex’s touch, doesn’t tense or give any indication of recoiling. Her unblinking eyes study his face. Her brow arches curiously as he swallows the words he was about to say but doesn’t press him. As he steps backwards out of the community room, she follows him towards his bedroom. Her eyes go wide and a low whistle escapes her lips as she steps inside turning in a slow circle taking it all in. As someone who spent many nights outside, she loved celestial skies. Her fingers skirt along the walls lightly before moving to the vanity and finally to the end of the bed. She chuckles softly when Alex explains about making himself a safe haven should someone unsavory take advantage of his kindness. “That’s a smart idea. But it wouldn’t hurt to properly learn how to shoot either,” she says, giving the bard a pointed look.
Alex considers the recommendation for a moment or two before wrinkling his nose and shaking his head. “No, I don’t think I need to do that. Pretty much anytime I’ve needed someone to get shot at, you’ve shown up and shot at them. If I learned to do it myself that would be way too much pressure to live up to the example you’ve set for me.” A very reasonable and totally accurate statement that was in no way him weaseling out of having to put effort into learning to hunt. When it came to combat in the tournament, he had no issues with gore, when it came to killing someone or something… it was a different story. “Besides, if they get through the locks, maybe I set myself up for failure.” He jests as he approaches her. “The cool part about this room is the enchantment that turns the ceiling into the night sky! Like the actual night sky, it’s a reflection of what you’d literally see if you walked outside! That one wasn’t as expensive as it was difficult to obtain. I uh… I owe a guy a favor but… but you’ll have to see that another time.” He reaches out and grabs her wrist and begins pulling her towards the door. “Right now, I have one more room to show you.” He doesn’t give her a chance to respond and within just a few seconds they’re at the final door, the one with the forest. “So, the first room is for those who wander… The second if for those who’ve wandered… and the third… the third is for those who got away.” He twists the handle and allows the door to press inward revealing yet an elegant, yet natural room filled with various plants, flowers, and other pieces of nature. The walls have various furs, trophies, and bows lining them and the bed almost looks as if it’s resting in the middle of the Sage Forest itself as warm light glows down onto the sheets and a soft breeze whisks through the room powered by either another unseen enchantment or relic. In the middle of the floor, surrounded by a bed of flowers is an open spot just large enough to fit a piano… particularly a certain charmed piano. “I considered making it a frozen tundra and having some wolves stalk the place, but I felt like that might come off a bit too hostile.”
Aira is just about to ask if she could see the night sky in action when she finds her wrist encircled by Alex’s and a tug gets her feet moving and she is out of the door. “Yes, but I might not -be- there at all times to save you so you really should learn just the very basics,” she says in an exasperated tone. She pauses at the third door and listens as Alex explains what each room represents. Her brow furrows slightly as he explains that this room is for the one ‘who got away’ and he throws the door open to reveal a forested space. Aira’s mouth falls open slightly as she steps inside taking it all in. Just as she did in Alex’s room, her fingertips touch the walls, caressing the furs and then the bows. She approaches the circle of flowers as if sizing it up before her hand touches the charm nestled against her sternum once more. The huntress turns back to Alex as he makes his little jest about a frozen tundra and aggressive wolves, but she doesn’t laugh. “Did you…” she starts. “For me?” she tries again, her tone hesitant and disbelieving.
Alex watches Aira wander into the room and take it all in with a sheen in his eyes as he leans on his shoulder against the door frame. He notices every detail, the way she touches the fur and the bows, then the way the gears in her head start to turn as she reaches the center and touches the charm around her neck once more. “Yes.” He answers both questions with a single word. “Aira. You know I’m not good at being subtle, so I’ll do what I do best and be blunt instead. In my thirty-one years, there haven’t been very many people I’ve felt a connection to and there’s been even fewer that I feel have it back. Lady Silver, yourself, and very, VERY few others have ever made me feel appreciated, cared for, and at times, even loved. Over the last few years, I’ve watched each of them slowly slip away from me one by one as I struggled to find out what exactly I was doing here. I miss all of them… I miss all of them, a lot and often.” He picks himself up from the frame and straightens himself. “Yet out of them all, I miss you the most.” He takes a few steps towards her while gesturing around the room. “Don’t get me wrong, I know that some oddly shaped, extravagantly furnished and slightly enchanted home in the middle of a mud-pit surrounded by ogres isn’t everyone’s idea of great living accommodations and I know that you very much have your own life, but I want you to know this…” He’s reached her once more and again hesitates to touch her before allowing himself to do so as his hand grabs her shoulder and gives it a light squeeze. “You have no obligation to stay. You don’t owe me anything. I just want you to know that I’m done wandering. I’m finished trying to find out who I am. I found that answer. I am Alex, an aging human with a fancy voice and very, very strong feelings for a huntress who deserves more than I ever gave her.” He smiles and releases her shoulder. “I just want you to know that I will always be here, and you will always have a place here. A place away from the chaos of the outside world. A place away from all of the troubles. Our haven will be here.”
Aira :: While Aira was not good with feelings, she appreciated the fact that Alex didn’t choose to temper his bluntness at this moment. She watches as he pushes away from the door and approaches her, claiming that he has missed her the most out of anyone, and once more her expression softens. Her copper eyes drift to his hand as if clutches her shoulder before moving back to his face. She remembers seeing all the variations from the sheer terror upon their first meeting to the gentler moments of their relationship, to the brokenness when he was in the midst of his addiction and as far away from Aira as he had ever been. Settled, sober, mature Alex might just be her favorite iteration of the bard yet. Breathing a heavy sigh through her nose, the huntress adopts a determined look before she reaches out to curl her fingers in the fabric of his shirt and tugging him towards her to press a surprisingly gentle kiss against his lips. It’s not something that lasts very long before she pulls back. “You have always given me far too much credit, Alex,” she says with a breathy chuckle. “But…thank you. This is, perhaps, the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me since a certain bard gifted me a charmed piano.”
Alex doesn’t resist when she pulls at his shirt, and he does his best to stop his legs from shaking when she kisses him. It’d been years since anyone had shown him an ounce of genuine affection and coming from her, it meant the world, regardless of how long it lasts. “It’s my opinion that you don’t give yourself enough.” He retorts before planting a kiss on her forehead and then pulling her in close and wrapping his arms around her. “You deserve it and more, Aira, and that’s alright. I’m OK coming in second. That certain bard sounds like a super cool guy. I mean… that is an incredible gift.” Despite everything, his humor remains intact.
Aira is very self deprecating, this is true (except when it comes to her skills in hunting). She blames in on her questionable and abusive upbringing. She decides not to argue with Alex at this time, though, it would break the mood they’ve set for themselves and she’s really making an effort to not be so sour all the time. At least with the few people she actually likes. Aira rests her forehead against his chest when he pulls her into an embrace, grinning and shaking her head slightly when compliments the bard who gifted her the piano. “I don’t know about that. He screamed and cried the first time we met. Not very cool or masculine at all”
Alex can’t stop himself from laughing as she brings up the fact that he was in, indeed, a cowardly baby upon their first meeting. “OK, yeah, I take it back. He sounds like a total loser.” The hug lasts a bit longer with Alex giving her a light squeeze before finally letting go and taking a step back to give her some room. “So, I know it’s a lot to take in and everything but… why don’t you stay here tonight and see how it fits?” He pauses to let the silence take over for a second or two before continuing. “It sounds like the crew has called it a day.” Surely that had nothing to do with him no longer standing outside an charming them with his siren song… “If you don’t like anything about the room, you’re free to change it however you’d like. Everything is pretty much finished except the bathroom… it still needs some love, as well as the stonework outside… but otherwise, uh, this is home!”
Aira :: “The biggest loser,” Aira agrees with a grin, but she’s only teasing. Probably. When Alex steps back she takes another look around the room as Alex invites her to stay. She considers politely declining the request, but she realizes she doesn’t want to. “Alright,” she says with a nod. “I’ll stay, but you’ll have to lend me a shirt or something to sleep in.” She was planning on returning back to Sage after all. Taking in the room once more, Aira considers anything she might change about it. “Maybe a place where I can string up my kills? Did you have drains installed in the floors, so the blood doesn’t pool on the floor when I hang them up to bleed them?” she asks, turning to the bard with her most innocent look.
Alex is genuinely thrilled, not only at Aira’s acceptance to stay the night, but also at her question as he takes her hand and moved her back towards the left side of the room where a stack of furs had been placed that he presses his foot against and slowly slides to the side revealing, in fact, a drain. “It was Drum’s recommendation. She’s a smart ogre.” He beams towards her and then holds up a finger and excuses himself to disappear to his room, reemerging with a set of freshly washed black linens for her that appear to be in pristine condition. “They’re mine, so they should fit you fine. I’ve put on a few pounds since I stopped walking everywhere all the time and playing with the pixie dust, but it’s still around the same size.” He holds the clothes out to her before being blunt once more. “I haven’t tested the locks in my room yet, so it might be safer if I sleep in here with you so you can shoot anyone who tries to attack me in my sleep.” A pause. “And if that’s not convincing enough, I’m not ready to be apart from you quite yet and a night of not being alone after years of just that sounds really comforting.”
Aira had only been teasing about the drain; she wasn’t about to slaughter animals in this beautifully constructed room, but she can’t help laughing delightedly when one is revealed. “Clever indeed!” As Alex excuses himself Aira steps towards the circle of flowers once more. She removes the necklace from around her neck and places it in the center before uttering the charm the bard had told her all those years ago. Soon the piano pendant transforms into a lifesize version of itself, fitting perfectly in the crafted space. When Alex returns, she straightens from her crouched position and accepts the clothes, lofting a brow at his suggestion. “Well, I suppose it would be cruel of me to deny you after all you’ve done for me.” The huntress pauses. “Not to mention, you are helpless, and I wouldn’t want anyone to hurt you,” she adds with a wink.
Alex takes notice of the piano and he feels his heart swell, though he has little time to appreciate its inclusion before he’s ridiculed for being a defenseless little creature. “You’re right. You should stay up all night and keep watch while I sleep in your lap just to make sure all the bad guys are kept at bay. After all, I did do -all this great stuff- just for you.” He teases with a smirk before continuing, “But it’s nothing compared to what you’ve done for me.” For the second time, he presses his forehead against hers and catches the words on his lips to pace his usual outpour. As he retracts, he nods to the clothes and then the piano. “Can you still play? Why don’t you get changed and then play me a lullaby or something to prove it.”
Aira :: “Nice try,” Aira says, giving her head a shake. “But lucky for you I’m very intuitive and would hear someone nefarious approaching and would wake before they did anything.” Her copper eyes pull closed as Alex presses his forehead against hers for a moment before stepping back. The huntress scoffs when he asks if she can still play, offended at his suggestion that she might not. “”Of -course- I still play.” When he suggests that she get changed and play him a lullaby she wrinkles her nose. “I don’t think I know any lullabies.”
Alex feigns being upset at her lack of lullaby knowledge. “Oh, well, excuse me. As a former professor of the bard’s college, I assumed that lullaby one-oh-one was common knowledge.” He then backtracks, “Of course you would. You’re the absolute greatest and I’m completely happy to put my life in your hands.” A statement that was made somewhat in jest but layered completely in truth. Then, despite his attempts to control himself he finally just says it. “I love you.” At first, there’s a brief pause as his brain catches up to his tongue, but whatever debate takes place seems to end in his favor as he simply nods before concluding, “After everything we’ve been through over the years, both together and separate, I just really want you to know that.” As he says this, it’s clear that Alex has no expectation for Aira to say it back, and the way the pitch of his voice shifts makes it clear that this is something he’s held onto for a long time. There’s a blend of emotions in the phrase but it’s spoken in a way that clearly shows a weight being lifted from his shoulders. “I’m glad I met you that day in the forest and I’m glad you’re still here.”
Aira rolls her eyes and groans when Alex throws it in his face that he was a former professor at the bard’s college. She could never imagine being a member of the guild nor an attendant or tutor at the school, as much as she loved music. The huntress pauses when Alex makes his confession, admitting the words that had been on the tip of his tongue this evening. She doesn’t say anything for a few moments before adding, “I love you, too.” It was the truth; he had meant something through all these years. When he was in the clutches of addiction, and she was unable to reach and help him. And then because she’s Aira, she cannot help but say, “I’m glad I didn’t shoot you in the woods the day we met, too.”
Alex didn’t need to hear her say those words back, but he has no complaints when she does. The bard had been through a lot since the two of them first met and his biggest regret had always been falling away from her. If the couple hadn’t worked out for any other reason than his absence and inability to control himself, it would be one thing, but knowing that he had failed her ate at him during all this time. No matter how hard he tried to cover it with pleasure, he always felt the pain of failing her. He knows that there’s no telling what the future holds for either of them, but he’s OK with that. Right now, he’s OK with anything. “Yeah. Me too.” He takes the linens from her hands and toss them onto the bed before sliding his hands around her own and leading her over to the bench of the piano where he takes a seat and motions for her to do the same. It had been a long time since he heard her play and right now, he would enjoy nothing more.
Aira appreciated that there was no pressure from Alex to quantify or explain or plan out who they were or what the future held. She releases the linens as he takes them from her hands and tosses them on the bed and replaces them with his own. She feels him tug her towards the piano and she follows after him, sliding on the bench beside him. Aira cracks her fingers before touching them against the cool keys for a minute. She hadn’t forgotten how to play, but it had been sometime since she had. After taking a steadying breath and sitting up a bit straighter, Aira’s fingers begin to dance along the keys, christening the forested room with a beautiful melody.