The Silver Queen [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

Joy. Love. These things are not mine, she thinks, not for the first time.

Vig nods back, his tail fluffing slightly in protest. She's pulling away from Ciren again. If only she'd pick someone more suited to her...

"I suppose," says Cindy, after a long, awkward moment passes. He doesn't know what i've done. What I am, still, deep in my heart. 

[Smith Family]

"You're with family again. No better place to heal," Kyle says stoutly. "And you got a, uh, a holy cat to help ya out as well. And Jaina- well, I'll leave that to her. Oh, I should introduce you to Ray Lightsong. Paladin, helped organize the caravan and came along to guard us and such. Real nice lady, if a bit... well. Can be a bit overwhelming at first," he says, flushing slightly.

[GamesMaster]

"I'm a Pavitra," grumbles Vig. "A Silvanshee if you must. Cats are mortal creatures. It's just as though someone called you a monkey -- monkeys don't have souls, and humans do."

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I look forward to making her acquaintance," says Cindy, well familiar with Vig's grumbles by now. 

[Smith Family]

"Ah, right. Sorry," Kyle says apologetically. "Is that like a type of angel?"

[GamesMaster]

"It is like a type of angel," agrees Vig. "It is properly a type of Agathion. But Agathions and Angels both serve the Bright gods, so it is close enough for most mortals."

[Smith Family]

Kyle nods thoughtfully. "Kind of like how elves and humans are similar when compared to say human and trolls or humans and dogs?" He's not stupid, simply poorly educated in most fields.

[GamesMaster]

"Yes, precisely. Or, to use concepts many Pavitra find confusing, it is like how some humanoids are male and some are female. They share the same species, but somehow see themselves at times more different than those of another species but the same gender. A male human and a male elf will share accomodations, but a male human and a female human will not. Angels and Agathions are both Pavitra, which is to say, Outsiders made from the Bright essence, but we are different kinds. A cat, even a magical one, can never be a Pavitra. It is literally made of different stuff than I am: mortal stuff, a shell without a soul imbued. The catfolk are more similar to cats than I am, as they are shells with souls imbued."

[Smith Family]

"Right..." Kyle says slowly, squinting as he tries to follow that. "So... does that mean your sort doesn't have genders then?"

The impromptu lecture/question and answer session (elsewhere in town, a small blue-skinned mostly mortal feels a pang of formless disappointment), continues for the entire walk. The refugee camp Kyle leads them towards is still fairly new, given how latrines, cookfires, drying lines and other such things are present but still being expanded on at a rapid clip. Kyle frowns a little, getting his bearings, then leads them around the perimeter before entering. "Just a bit down this way," he mutters as they wind there way into the camp.

Even before Kyle says something, Cindy spots her mother. She sitting on a footstool near a fire, knitting as she hums softly. Only part of her attention is on the project in her hands, however, as she also appears to be keeping an eye on a half dozen younglings napping nearby on some mats, one a babe, the eldest not more than five.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"Jaina!" she calls in pure delight, before wincing a little -- she hadn't seen the babes at first. Resolving to keep it down, she moves quietly and swiftly toward the woman. 

[Smith Family]

Jaina jolts, head snapping up to stare at- "C-Cindy?" she asks, eyes wide and filled with stunned hope.

"Gently Cindy," Kyle mutters urgently after Cindy in quick warning. The reason for his warning makes itself clear when Jaina drops her knitting and struggles to her feet- she's at least five or six months pregnant. 

[Coquette Blacquin]

She skids to a halt, reaching for her mother's hands. "You're pregnant!" 

[Smith Family]

Jaina laughs, tears starting to fall. "You're here!" Spreading her arms, she moves in to give Cindy a hug as best she can.

[Coquette Blacquin]

She embraces her mother tightly, pressing her face to her shoulder. "I missed you so much," she whispers. "Gods above, I missed you."

[Smith Family]

Jaina bursts into sobs, clinging to her daughter tightly. One of them. I got one back. There's always Hope. Thank you Bastion. Thank you so much. My daughter.