Tales of a Child Eternal [NSFW]

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene lifts their head again, about halfway to looking at Lothan. Help me? In Draslina? Alydra. Alydra can help me. Alydra can fix this. 

But there's another undercurrent, feeling more than words: I am lost. I am not wanted. I am abandoned. I am alone.

[NPCs]

"I... I am sorry that you were not able to... I hope you will find a home in Draslina," Lothan offers weakly, trying to hide the shame she's feeling at failing this poor girl with the hope that Helene will have a better life elsewhere. "The temples there are said to be breathtaking. And perhaps you will be able to convince one of them to offer you a novitiate."

[Helene Dakesh]

This one has no home. This one has no family. This one is alone.

Helene begins rocking back and forth, lowering their head once more. 

[NPCs]

Grower Lothan reaches out to stroke Helene's hair, but a glimmer of fear, of wariness stills her movement. Instead, she rather awkwardly pats the young child's arm twice, with the sheet and clothing between them, then withdraws it a hair too quickly. "It... it will be alright, child."

[Helene Dakesh]

No. It won't. It will never be alright again.


Slowly, the water recedes from Helene's cave. By the time it's dry enough to go downstairs, Helene and Zevran are both asleep again, curled up close to each other for warmth; it's much easier for Helene to cuddle up to Zevran when he's unconscious, when they can pretend that he's just a warm body and not a person who might restrain them.

By the time they are awakened by shouts from downstairs, they have placed their head on Zevran's bare shoulder, their hand grasping at his hairless chest, their little leg thrown over top of his larger one. There are three blankets on top of them, and while the camp stove has run out of fuel due to lack of being tended, their warmth and the dry covers hep tremendously.

[Avato (Patchwork Bloke)]

"Hello? Ah, the water seems to have gone down. Mostly anyway, I can't be sure it's all clear without going to look but it seems so anyway. Hello?"

[Tethras Clan]

Zevran comes awake instantly, but he doesn't move, having long since been trained to determine his surroundings before giving any indication of his status. Warm, body against me. Small. Nude. Dark. Quiet. Person shouting. Dark hair, soft skin. Proportions... Helene. Shouting is the dog thing. Cave. Water receding? "Helene?" he whispers, voice barely louder than a breath.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene makes a sleepy, comfortable 'murr' noise. Then, all at once, they come awake: they lift their head, sitting up partially. "We must assess the damage."

[Tethras Clan]

"You are so very wonderful," Zevran murmurs sappily, then chuckles at himself. "Very well. Dress first and I shall restart the campfire to at least make some tea."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene dresses, but doesn't wait for tea before heading down to the lower level. It's a little damp, but nothing their boots can't keep out; they examine the bookshelf first, not bothering yet to untie her new visitor. "There may be permanent damage," they mourn.

[Avato (Patchwork Bloke)]

Not that they need to, as the canid is capable of doing so himself. "Yes, indeed. However, I was able to secure  the rest of your scrolls before the water overtook me," he informs them eagerly, shaking his head to draw attention to the satchel on his throat. "I'm afraid I wasn't able to organize them, so they're likely quite jumbled with the other works I already had in there."

[Helene Dakesh]

"There are other works?" Now patchwork has Helene's undivided attention.

[Avato (Patchwork Bloke)]

He blinks at Helene rapidly. "...yes? I worked with He-That-Was-Dakesh for several decades. I made records of my own observations during this time, many of them about He-That-Was-Dakesh himself. And of course I have some compilations of my research into She-That-Was-Avanti," he finishes in a sad whisper.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene stares at him, stunned, for a long moment. Finally, almost out of habit, they whisper, "Dakesh-that-was-Avanti, and Avanti-that-was-Eden. Dakesh-that-was-Avanti can be called He-that-was-Avanti, but it is rude to do so. He-that-was-Dakesh is no-one, there is no he that was once Dakesh." 

[Avato (Patchwork Bloke)]

The ex-eidolon stares a moment, the right eye slowly drifting its focus to the left, though Dogsbody doesn't seem to notice the eye going cross. "Hmm? Oh. My apologies. I... it can be... difficult. To remember things. I have to... take notes, if it's important," he whispers. "Focusing is hard, especially having been... alone for so very long."