Sylvanus (Private)

[Malverne]

"Yea, not happening," Ryan said, clutching at his jacket, "I have dry clothes at home if I need 'em. Clothes staying on. Can you like...grab something of mine for the moment please? This is just weird." Ryan hugged his knees to his chest, concentrating on not shivering.

"Can you throw me something when you get the chance?" he asked, "This is not fun." The wind whipped in his face, making his efforts at not shivering completely useless. His teeth chattered, and his entire upper body shook.

"Ok, hurry," he said, assuming that Mira was either getting him something warm or getting into something of his, "It's freaking cold...again. Why am I always cold?"
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"What is with you girls?" Faust asked himself, "Using my full name when you're telling me off. Believe me, I know you aren't doing it for you. I'm just telling you that I'm not hurting yourself. Then two people would be hurt." Faust realized his slip of tongue (admitting he was hurt instead of just angry) as soon as he said, and stared at his feet.

Then Valora hit the nail on the head. Faust lost control of his face, and his expression gave him away. Yes, she was in trouble. Danger. A lot of trouble. Faust stood up, and crossed to the window, and stared out at the snow. Silence reigned as he got his words in order.

"You ever wonder where the stories come from?" he asked after a few long seconds, "The myths about fantastic creatures, and monsters and humans? You ever think that there's some grain of truth in them? Where else would they come from? I mean, we wouldn't have the word 'human' for no reason. So, they must exist in some way, right?"

[Sonatina]

Mira rolled her eyes at him "freeze if you would like then" She looked around the room for extra clothing and found a pile of assorted shirts and pants at the foot of his bed. Crawling out of the cover Mira reached down and selected a brown pair of fuzzy pants (sweatpants) and a green over shirt (sweatshirt).

She pulled them both on, certain she looked comical in the oversized garments. She looked over at Ryan shivering in the door way. "I'm finished, come and get changed, I'll face the wall if you want me to" she cuddled back in the blankets facing the wall. "There"

Valora watched as Faust's face turned from gaurded to scared and concerned. Something was definatly up.

She thought back to all of the stories she was told as a child, if she didn't behave the humans would come and get her, things like that. "I don't know that I ever thought about it" She said slowly "I just accepted them as stories that you told to little children to get them to behave"

His tone of voice was concerning her, and she pulled the blanket closer around her shoulders "What do you know Faust?"

[Malverne]

"Finally!" Ryan jumped out of the cold, and yanked down the thick blanket he had pinned above the door. It would keep the heat in. Ryan turned the light on, making sure the temperature would rise pretty quickly. He shrugged out of his jacket and wriggled into a sweatshirt. He did the same with his pants, throwing the wet stuff into a corner.

"There," he said, "That's better. It'll warm up fast. You can turn around now." Ryan thought Mira looked incredible in the overlarge clothing. Sure, she looked incredible anyway, but for once, she looked less sure of herself, and Ryan wanted to just hold her. Hold her until...until the end of the world.
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Faust pressed his hands together, his knuckles turning white from the pressure.

"Humans are real Valora," Faust said quietly, "I've seen them, and they're as bad as they are in the stories. Worse. And now Mira's off running through the forest with one. Laughing, having fun. Maybe she's even fallen in love. I wouldn't be so hurt if she fell in love with an elf but..." he trailed off. Faust had very few secrets. Two secrets, in fact. One, that he was in love with Mira. Two, that he harbored a deep hatred of humanity because humanity killed his little sister.

[Sonatina]

Mira turned to see Ryan staring at her. She blushed and looked down, she knew she looked rediculous, she tried to pull one of the sleeves up so that she could use her hands put it just slid back down hanging six inches below her fingertips.


If Valora hadn't been sitting down she was pretty sure she would have passed out. Her mind flashed back to all of the terrible stories that had been told, elves dying in terrible ways, but they couldnt be true, could they?

"Are you positive?" She asked looking up at Faust " I mean, it could have just been a elf who..." she trailed off, knowing it was impossible. "Fallen in love? Faust, how long have you known about this? Do you think Mira would really do something so stupid, she has heard the stories, hasnt she?!"

[Malverne]

Ryan smiled at Mira's blush. He knew what he was doing, comforting people. He knew what people needed when they felt anything but confident.

He stepped forward, and grabbed her hands inside the sleeves.

"You're always so tough," he said quietly, "So untouchable, so sure. That Mira is amazing, but this one, the more vulnerable one, the one that is softer and needs help...well, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen." Ryan kissed Mira, unable to stop himself. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her to his chest. He wasn't going to let go until the world ended.
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"Val, you and I both know what it feels like to be in love," Faust said, ruefully, "We know what it sounds like. We know how we act. I'm not positive she's in love, but I'm pretty sure." He purposefully avoided the first question.

"Mira's always doing stupid things," he said, "It's just what she does. She's heard the stories but...they're just stories to everyone but me. Just an abstract lesson. It's easy to convince someone like Mira that the stories are wrong. She's trusting and honest and dynamic, and wildly unpredictable. Getting her to believe that a story that she didn't believe in anyway was false...easiest thing in the world."

"I'm worried," he said after a moment, "I'm scared for her. Humans are strong and vicious and...I can't lose anyone else!" Faust pounded his fist into the wood of the wall, making a slight dent.

Sim. Sim. Sim Sim Sim SimSimSimSimsimsimsimsimNOT MIRA. Not again. Faust took a deep, shaky, breath.

"I just don't know what to do," he admitted, "I can't lose her!"

[Sonatina]

Mira's blush deepend with the sweet things Ryan said and even more so when he kissed her. Wrapped up in his arms she felt safe and secure, she didn't need her bow and arrows as long as Ryan was holding her.

She could feel the soft thumping of his heart as he hugged her close, she snuck her arms around his waist, clinging to the fabric of his shirt right below his shoulder blades. Time felt as if it stood still. Mira let all of her worries fall off of her shoulders, no hunter could hurt Ryan, and no human could hurt herself.

Mira didn't mind being vulnerable and unsure as long as Ryan was there holding her up.



"Dont over analize anything, and dont make any decisions until you are totally sure. Okay Faust?" Valora asked.

Her mind was racing in panic for her friend, Mira, out, Omnipoten only knows where, running around with a human. She sincerily hoped she had her bow and arrow with her, but even with that....No, she needed to stop panicing and think clearly, mostly for Faust.

She stole a quick glance over at him, panicing at the window. She needed to be cool and collected. "I'm worried for her too Faust, but I don't think she is as naive as you make her seem, she is very smart when it comes to animals, and that is basically what humans are. I'm positive she will know if someone is trying to hurt her."

She jumped as Faust punched the wall, staring wide eyed at him. "Faust?" she said carefully "what do you mean anyone else?" Her brow creased in concern "Faust? Was Sim really killed by an animal?"

Everyone in the village knew the story. Valora herself remembered the day. Even though she had been younger she spent her days around the healers hut, watching in awe as they healed hurts. It had been a mostly quiets day when in the distance there were sound of screams and cries. Faust had appeared in the door way, eyes glassy, with his face and hands stained with his little sister's blood. He had carried her all they way, apparently refusing any help people tried to give.

Valora had watched from the shadows as he softly laid Sim on a mattress. Two tears dripping down his face. Valora's heart had broken at the sight of it, and she wanted to do anything to help Faust out, maybe that was when she had truely fallen in love with him.

Sim had always been sweet, caring, and loving, it was a terrible blow for the village, and all they could get out of Faust was that some sort of animal had attacked them.

These memories quickly flashed through Valora's brain as she watched the pain on Faust's face. His face almost mirrored the face he had when he laid Sim down, but now there were flames of fury beyond the pain, and that scared Valora.

[Malverne]

Faust stared at his hands for a while, unable to really move. He knew that he was jumping to conclusions, but it was hard not to.

'Believe me,' he thought to himself, 'My decision's already been made.'

"Yea, I know," he said, "My forte is being calm and collected, and NOT rushing around doing stupid things. That's Mira's specialty, remember? And you keep both of us in line. I guess...overreaction or something. Still, humans are smarter than most animals."

Valora seemed to be very good at guessing correctly. That, however, was one secret Faust was not willing to let go of quite yet.

"What?" he asked, incredulous, "Of course she was killed by an animal. But like you said, humans are basically animals, and I already lost Sim to an animal attack. I don't have many people left. You, Mira...my parents. Four left. Sim's death almost destroyed me, and I can't lose anyone else, that's all." Faust was skilled at telling half-truths when it came to Sim. He was always good at stories, and this was just a branch of storytelling. He continued on, giving a few more excuses.

"Sim was killed by a bear," he said, "No doubt about that. And before you get all suspicious and say something along the lines of 'how do you know that humans are as bad as the stories?' we saw them in the forest once, Sim and I. Three of 'em, attacked a bear, not long before Sim was attacked. We were in the trees, watching. The details are...undesirable, and really quite unnecessary to go over, but it was certainly barbaric."

Faust waited a beat, remembering how barbaric it had been, and the rage flared again. He glanced down at Valora, thinking rather hard.

"What do we do?"

[Sonatina]

"Oh, I'm sorry for bringing it up Faust" Valora said, looking down at the floor. She didn't want to bring up any sad or angry memories, especially given what had happened previously that day.

Valora paused, thinking as well. "We have to make sure it the best for Mira. If she is happy with this human, then I think we should support her."

She held up a hand, stopping any comment from Faust "But, as her friends I do believe that we have to make sure this is safe. I think we should watch the human, with or without Mira around, just to make sure everything is in her best interest. What do you think?"

[Malverne]

"No, it's fine," Faust said, "Bad memories are part of existing. Besides, Sim was a good thing in my life. I shouldn't feel bad about remembering her." He did treasure his memories of Sim, so refusing to think about her was...foolish.

Faust almost blew up at Valora's suggestion that he "support" the human that was going to hurt Mira. Almost. He reigned in his temper though, and managed to let Valora finish. She was being much more level headed and objective, but Faust knew humans better. This thing needed to be exterminated as soon as possible.

"Sounds good to me," Faust said, "I'll scout the area out. I'm faster in the forest than you, and I know where they are. Tomorrow, before she leaves for...before she leaves again, you need to distract her. You can't let her get away while I'm out, okay? I don't think I can hide from Mira if she's looking for me, and I don't know whether or not she actually tries to stay hidden and stuff while on the way. Can you distract her?"

[Sonatina]

Valora nodded at Faust's suggestion "Thats probally best, as I can't keep up with you very well. But Faust..." She paused trying to find a way to word what she had to say.

"What if she doesn't come home tonight?" She looked up at him "How about we wait until tomorrow morning, and if there is no sign of her you go, and I'll wait for her to come back, if you miss her on the way. But if she comes home tonight we will carry out your plan, okay?"

[Malverne]

"Whatever works," Faust growled, "Just let me know when she's back. I need to go though. Clear my head. I'll be...around." Faust jogged out the door before Valora could stop, but paused. He turned, stuck his head back through the door.

"Thanks Valora," he said, "I don't know what I'd do without you." And he was gone again.

Faust eventually returned to the forge to finish the project Valora had interrupted, but for a while, he flew through the forest, cooling his mind. His thoughts were hot and as fast moving as the Giou river, and he needed to be less scattered. Faust bolted to his hideout and sat on the branch over the frozen pond until his thoughts were calmer and more focused.

It took a long time. Faust missed dinner, and barely noticed his stomach gnawing at him. Eventually, he was calm and still once more, and knew his purpose and his course of action. He snuck back to the forge, and continued working on the bar of metal, bending it to his will.

[Sonatina]

Valora sat, still wrapped in the blanket, long after Faust left. She sat and stared out the window watching the wind bend and shape the branches, and the snow flurrying around.

She was thinking back to when Mira, Faust, and herself were much younger. Mira really was the wind in their friendship, sometimes blowing hard, sometimes blowing soft, going wherever she wanted to, and nobody could ever stop her.

Valora shook her head and stood up, letting the blanket fall around her feet, she silently cleared the two cups from the table and headed to dinner, still worried about her reckless friend.


Mira looked up at Ryan's partly shadowed face, trying to remember all of the events that had lead her to where she was right now, first the glade with Faust, then running, a herd of deer....

"Ryan?" She questioned sliding her arms around his neck "I'm really glad you startled the deer I was hunting" She smiled and gave him a light kiss

[Malverne]

"Y'know what?" Ryan said, "I'm glad I startled the deer too. I'm also glad you didn't shoot me when I did. That would have sucked." Ryan chuckled quietly, and kissed Mira back. He was blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to descend, and at that moment, even if he did know about the shitstorm he was going to have to weather, he'd say 'bring it on. I can face anything right now.'

[Sonatina]

Mira smiled, at his comment and his kiss "I'm glad I didn't shoot you too Ryan" she lingered on his name, liking the way it sounded when she said it. She blushed again, looking down, trying to cover the blush with the hood of the over-large sweatshirt. Still looking down she slid her hands up so they rested on his chest, one over his pounding heart.

"Ryan?" she questioned "do you really want to do this?" her blush deepened "I mean me and you this, like I mean this secret, or rather" she stumbled.

Taking a deep breath she looked back up into his soft gray eyes. "What I mean is, keeping this" she kissed him "a secret is going to be hard. Really hard, I've gotten to see you alot since we've met, but it won't always be like that, sometimes I go out hunting for days, or I have to spend alot of time babysitting my siblings or..." she trailed off

"I want to be able to see you all the time, but I know I won't be able to, and I know that I will miss you alot when I'm in my village. So if you, if you think it will be too hard" she looked back down at her feet again, not wanting to see any expressions in his eyes "If you think it will be too hard, I think we should stop." She cut off, taking another deep breath as she felt her face burning

"I'm not saying I want to stop, because I don't and I childishly want this to last forever but..." She trailed off again, this time not finishing.

[Malverne]

"You're kidding, right?" Ryan pulled back from Mira for a moment. "Of course I want to do this. Mira...this is one of the most special things I've ever been a part of. To end it, just because it might get a little hard is more childish than wanting it to continue forever. So what if we can't see each other all day every day. I want to know that every day that I don't see you that there will be a day that I'll be able to be here, and have you next to me. Mira...I've seen relationships fall apart, because people weren't willing to work, and in my opinion, that's complete bullshit. I guess those ones were meant to fall apart, but believe me when I say that I'm willing to work day and night to be able to see you whenever you get a free moment. Tell me that you are too, because if you aren't then all of this," Ryan swept his hands around the tree house, "has meant nothing. Please, Mira, meet me halfway. Don't get me so wrapped up in the thought of you then tell me that I'm not worth a little hardship."