[... The "something new", at least, Hayame thinks she understands. Or... had been equipped with a telling of events that makes her potentially able to understand. The tale of... of dying to become that god-like, spiritual figure of "Calamity"? To be paired with "Providence"? No, not a tale, no matter how much it sounded like that to her ears.
To Akua it was her life. A story, and yet not a story.]
I cannot pretend... that I understand.
[As much as she admired certain traits that the other woman possessed... her capacity for actions she'd dub villainy was not necessarily one of them, nor was her ability to then "forgive" those acts in others. But... (If that person were to disappear from Kenos tomorrow... would she cling to something he had owned?)]
This is of comfort. I do not smoke, but... sometimes I like to think that if I were, I would be just as dramatic as she when I chose to.
[ Once, Catherine had watched an invading, attacking — charging — army with a single eye (for she had one) and had lit a packet of wakeleaf in this very pipe, and smoked it, and waited, betting that they would stop before they trampled her.
She could imagine it so viscerally, even now. ]
You can rest assured if I find one of yours, I will return it, and otherwise, I will do my best to protect our oracle's items.
[... Somehow, Hayame doubts that Akua could do anything and not be dramatic about it. It's easy to imagine, the woman's dark fingers sliding elegantly along the pipe, her painted lips wrapped around the mouthpiece, the way smoke would curl off her tongue... (Ahem.)]
... It is best not to smoke, Akua. The scent will make you far too easy to track on the battlefield.
[... The time for practical input, obviously. But beyond that...]
... I will rest well, then.
[Either thing is... a good thing. The latter, more than the former, she thinks, because... what did she own that had any sentimental value? She has only her weapons, and even those... except for the arrows her brother had fletched, what worth had they? She had never owned her own clothing, any item that wasn't for hunting... But the oracle objects would be safe with Akua.
Looking around the woman's part of their camp... Hayame adds, a bit belatedly,]
- Here, perhaps... ?
[... It might be nice to get the rest of the burrs out of her coat.]
[ Her laugh is high, and delighted at the practical suggestion. ]
I do not think the Warden was ever worried about being tracked. We have a way of...drawing attention on the battlefield. However I will take your suggestion under advisement. There is no need to smoke, particularly now, hm?
[ Her eyes flash, though, with something akin to surprise at the implied request. Hayame had... always been hesitant, like a spooked creature that needed to be soothed — time, and patience were required — but here she was... now.
She did not smile but gestured to the pillows within her small pavilion. ]
Please, feel free to rest. How long has it been, since you slept?
[ And perhaps she could help her with those burrs? And her tangled mane? She'd clearly been going for a while. ]
[W- Well, the way the people in her world who had those so-called "Roles" stood out or not is none of her business, but smoke is terribly noticeable, that's still facts! Hayame was still right. She huffs under her breath about it, but doesn't make more of a fuss.
Because... she is tired. She is beyond tired. Even if it were just how much she's run herself ragged looking for the Objects and securing the camp that would be enough, but add in how poorly she's slept since she'd broken her leg... Yes, foul magic had healed the injury, but it did not take away the memory or the instinctive fear of the helplessness such an injury spelled for her kind.
Perhaps... perhaps choosing this moment to return what she'd found to Akua had all just been set up for the excuse. But.]
... It has been some time.
[For just a little while... maybe it is alright to follow the other woman's gesture towards the pillows, her desire for movement and action and not failing making her hesitate, but... eventually folding her long dun legs beneath her to lumber down onto one of the nature-made pillows. (Placing her weapons right by her hand, within easy reach.) Belatedly adding,]
... Jinba do not need to sleep as much as humans do.
[A bit of more equine biology. And something that was technically true but not necessarily the proper explanation.]
[ She is quite certain she did. She did not have any furniture for Hayame to lean against, but the Jinba would find that the earth rose behind her into something of a back, and more pillows found and handed to her. Enough that she could lean against them, and rest her head, perhaps even sleep.
Akua herself sat next to her, and placed her hand against her rump, and started to brush the burrs from her coat, and ran her fingers through her tangled tail. ]
You may stay here as long as you like. Perhaps I will find food, before you wake.
[... Yes, she does still need it. Unfortunately. The purse of lips and little shift in her expression provides the begrudging answer for that without making her admit it out loud that she's been neglecting it. And more importantly, why.
If she'd thought Akua's camp was comfortable before... Where were all these pillows come from? Actually, she does not even question it, really, because it is Akua, but. ... It is. Nice.]
I will not sleep... we have work to do.
[That is what she tells herself as she crosses her arms beneath her bound breasts, settling into the pillows with a little exhale through her nose instead of a more free person's content sigh. ... She won't say anything about the other woman's touch on her, because what if she stops if she draws attention to it? Better to just not say anything... because it felt good to have the burrs tugged gently from her dun coat and untangled from her ebony black tail, all of her showing wear since they'd become trapped at this size, too busy with battle and searches to bathe luxuriously.]
... I will rest my eyes, though.
[- She still says "eyes", even though only one (and eyelids over an empty hole) closes.
... But. Perhaps, if Akua's hand is soft, and her touch is soothing... then she cannot be blamed for nodding off for just a little while.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
To Akua it was her life. A story, and yet not a story.]
I cannot pretend... that I understand.
[As much as she admired certain traits that the other woman possessed... her capacity for actions she'd dub villainy was not necessarily one of them, nor was her ability to then "forgive" those acts in others. But... (If that person were to disappear from Kenos tomorrow... would she cling to something he had owned?)]
But if it brings you some sort of... comfort...
[Was that the word?]
Then I am honored to put it back into your hands.
no subject
Thank you, again.
This is of comfort. I do not smoke, but... sometimes I like to think that if I were, I would be just as dramatic as she when I chose to.
[ Once, Catherine had watched an invading, attacking — charging — army with a single eye (for she had one) and had lit a packet of wakeleaf in this very pipe, and smoked it, and waited, betting that they would stop before they trampled her.
She could imagine it so viscerally, even now. ]
You can rest assured if I find one of yours, I will return it, and otherwise, I will do my best to protect our oracle's items.
no subject
... It is best not to smoke, Akua. The scent will make you far too easy to track on the battlefield.
[... The time for practical input, obviously. But beyond that...]
... I will rest well, then.
[Either thing is... a good thing. The latter, more than the former, she thinks, because... what did she own that had any sentimental value? She has only her weapons, and even those... except for the arrows her brother had fletched, what worth had they? She had never owned her own clothing, any item that wasn't for hunting... But the oracle objects would be safe with Akua.
Looking around the woman's part of their camp... Hayame adds, a bit belatedly,]
- Here, perhaps... ?
[... It might be nice to get the rest of the burrs out of her coat.]
no subject
I do not think the Warden was ever worried about being tracked. We have a way of...drawing attention on the battlefield. However I will take your suggestion under advisement. There is no need to smoke, particularly now, hm?
[ Her eyes flash, though, with something akin to surprise at the implied request. Hayame had... always been hesitant, like a spooked creature that needed to be soothed — time, and patience were required — but here she was... now.
She did not smile but gestured to the pillows within her small pavilion. ]
Please, feel free to rest. How long has it been, since you slept?
[ And perhaps she could help her with those burrs? And her tangled mane? She'd clearly been going for a while. ]
no subject
Because... she is tired. She is beyond tired. Even if it were just how much she's run herself ragged looking for the Objects and securing the camp that would be enough, but add in how poorly she's slept since she'd broken her leg... Yes, foul magic had healed the injury, but it did not take away the memory or the instinctive fear of the helplessness such an injury spelled for her kind.
Perhaps... perhaps choosing this moment to return what she'd found to Akua had all just been set up for the excuse. But.]
... It has been some time.
[For just a little while... maybe it is alright to follow the other woman's gesture towards the pillows, her desire for movement and action and not failing making her hesitate, but... eventually folding her long dun legs beneath her to lumber down onto one of the nature-made pillows. (Placing her weapons right by her hand, within easy reach.) Belatedly adding,]
... Jinba do not need to sleep as much as humans do.
[A bit of more equine biology. And something that was technically true but not necessarily the proper explanation.]
no subject
[ She is quite certain she did. She did not have any furniture for Hayame to lean against, but the Jinba would find that the earth rose behind her into something of a back, and more pillows found and handed to her. Enough that she could lean against them, and rest her head, perhaps even sleep.
Akua herself sat next to her, and placed her hand against her rump, and started to brush the burrs from her coat, and ran her fingers through her tangled tail. ]
You may stay here as long as you like. Perhaps I will find food, before you wake.
no subject
If she'd thought Akua's camp was comfortable before... Where were all these pillows come from? Actually, she does not even question it, really, because it is Akua, but. ... It is. Nice.]
I will not sleep... we have work to do.
[That is what she tells herself as she crosses her arms beneath her bound breasts, settling into the pillows with a little exhale through her nose instead of a more free person's content sigh. ... She won't say anything about the other woman's touch on her, because what if she stops if she draws attention to it? Better to just not say anything... because it felt good to have the burrs tugged gently from her dun coat and untangled from her ebony black tail, all of her showing wear since they'd become trapped at this size, too busy with battle and searches to bathe luxuriously.]
... I will rest my eyes, though.
[- She still says "eyes", even though only one (and eyelids over an empty hole) closes.
... But. Perhaps, if Akua's hand is soft, and her touch is soothing... then she cannot be blamed for nodding off for just a little while.]