Svarik and the company I :)

[Mirach]

Svarik got serious with that as well. "I did not come as a king, and I did not come as a member of any organisation. I didn't know you belong to it. I came as a friend, and I thought we were speaking like such. I apologize if I overstepped some line. You were joking with me for all the time and I responded likewise. If you would really need my help and gave me such a task, I would obey you right away. I would offer it even without asking. I would probably write you a letter anyways when I came home, just not label it as a report. But it seems to me now that I was wrong about the relations here. I'm sorry. You will get your report, if you really want it."

[VisAnastasis]

The tenseness could be felt in the air, while ancient by age but young by looks critter was measuring him up. He was quiet for a while.
" We already ate. It's a lovely day today, too lovely to waste.... " he cleared his throat then, observing Svarik quietly. " Would you fancy a walk along the beach? I know some really good sight seeing spots along it. " he said with kinder tone, as if handing a peace offer, finding beach better environment for better discussion than table where everyone' facing one another.

[Mirach]

Svarik nodded. "I wanted to thank the sea critters for the shells anyways," he said indifferently, still unsure what to think of the spirit and his reaction.

[VisAnastasis]

" Let us go then. No, not you, Sage. " Hans has given man a light pleasing look. " I need you to go check on Tide instead. Will you do that for me?" He tactfully asked him not to get involved right now. Sage looked a touch worried.
" If our guests wouldn't mind... " he said slowly, glancing at Svarik.

[Mirach]

Svarik shook his head that he doesn't. "Can Melody and Xia come with us, or would you like to talk privately?" he asked directly, to not assume something wrongly like with the previous experience. 

[VisAnastasis]

" If you want them to come. I don't bite. " Spirit gave him a faint measured smile. " Let's just all have some fun."

[Mirach]

"Would you like to come, Melody?" Svarik asked. 

[VisAnastasis]

" I think I would like to stay, Mister Sunshine. " Little critter said gently to him, as she tense ciccumstances and prefers to give them space. " I wanted to go with Sage, to meet this Tide - I would like to see what kind of person he is, and check out on his injury to see if there is anything I can do for him. I will also gently inform him that you are not single. " She grinned playfully. " Would that be alright, my Sun? We can hang out later, only the two of us, dear. "

[VisAnastasis]

" I think I would like to stay, Mister Sunshine. " Little critter said gently to him, as she tense ciccumstances and prefers to give them space. " I wanted to go with Sage, to meet this Tide - I would like to see what kind of person he is, and check out on his injury to see if there is anything I can do for him. I will also gently inform him that you are not single. " She grinned playfully. " Would that be alright, my Sun? We can hang out later, only the two of us, dear. "

[Mirach]

Svarik smiled a little. "Alright. But Xia will go with me, I guess. Right?" he stood up as if to go.

[VisAnastasis]

Xia woofed and stood up imediatelly. She nestled around his leg, as if feeling protective of him, after his apparently unpleasant exchange with Hans before.

[Mirach]

"Yes, Xia is coming," Svarik nodded, and let Hans lead the way.

[VisAnastasis]

Hans led them out of the garden, toward the long line of shore, glistening in the sun. Hans was quietly at first, but little by little, he grew more talkative - he spoke to king of interesing houses around , with care of someone who sow each of them being built. He spoke him of Sea, and he spoke him of good place to find shells. He spoke him of fisherman's villages, and of legend that once a fisherman here caught a falling star, that turned into maiden, and married him, and how they became king and Queen that established little kingfom and capital City here... He spoke a lot about things interesting and peculiar, far from emotions of nowadays.

[Mirach]

Svarik still felt weak and a bit sick after yesterday, so after a while he asked Xia to turn into the bigger form that he could ride on, so he could focus on listening to Hans' tales, which he quite enjoyed despite the unadressed topic still hanging between them.

[VisAnastasis]

Hans spoke for while longer, sharing his delightful and peculiar stories with him, while fondling Xia and leading her around areas where ocean looked most beautiful.
He felt time was right at one point as he grew silent. He slowed down his step, and was walking quietly for one lingering moment.
" Would you perhaps like to hear a story... " he asked. " About how I got this?" He  bid, tracing with his finger a big scar that spread across his face.

[Mirach]

"If you would like to share it..." Svarik said carefully, still not quite sure what he can expect from Hans.

[VisAnastasis]

" You like water don't you? Well, here's some special water for you. That's what he said to me. " Spirit said quietly, watching in a distance, avoiding Svarik's look. " Emperor Fenrir II, famed conqueror of 3rd and 4th city... Right before he poured a bowl of scorching acid over my face, and then some more of it wherever he felt like it. I was Spirit, and I was leader of rebellion that came forth right after city was taken. He was an Emperor that wanted to know location of the Sea Hearts, and wanted names and preferably heads of all the rebels delivered to him. An emperor that was not quite able to speak true names, but was close enough to being able to do it that he could bind you and do all kind of unspeakable stuff to you. You have little of him in your eyes and stature... But lot of him in your bones. Beings know to recognize stuff like those, you know. Bloodlines and so forth. " he masked whatever he was feeling about his words with a grand smile Falcon would be proud of. " Isn't that neat ability or what? That's about one of few abilities I got left. All else was drained away from me. "

[Mirach]

"I'm sorry..." Svarik said quietly. "What... What does it mean, having him in my bones? You mean just the shape of them or something else too?" he asked a bit fearfully, not wanting to be influenced somehw by a person like that. "I'm not him. The deeds of the past Emperors haunt me often... especially when I remember my brother and best friend who died for them... I hate having people who have done things like that in my ancestry."

[VisAnastasis]

" I think it's free to say every human ever has some murderers in his ancestry. Finding a human that does not would be terribly unlikely and very inconvenient. It's not general concept of that that unnerves me, it's only this particular feisty ancestor I happened to meet that I'm uncomfortable about.  " Spirit grinned. " For Sage and Tide... It's a bit different. They are into all those enlightening spiritual stuff - and they have shed their true names in favor of becoming one with the world and all that. Nobody can control them by calling out their name anymore, because, by all means, their name is the name of the world. Sage has been through situation similar to mine, but he is human, so brilliantly versatile and adaptable - I, not so much. I don't belittle their sufferings or hate - I am just saying, well... It's hard to quite let go of someone torturing you through your name. It's like a torture that seeps through all your senses. Sage told me he touched deepest part of your soul two days ago. " critter noted, speaking thoughtfully, as if someone that's trying out a cookie and tries to compare it to cake he had a while ago. " Imagine... somebody holding deepest part of your soul captive and unable to flow naturally. Imagine each move or resistance feels like you're being embroidered with a sharp barbed wire. Imagine your captors finding out you can regenerate, and then forcing you to, by your own hands, tear out your inner organs until you pass out... And then setting said organs on fire in their rituals until they'd force you to consciousness. And then, when new days would start and you'd somewhat recover, they'd force you to repeat the process... It's like that, hah! I always like to say, you know, the more you know, better for you, heh.. "

[Mirach]

Svarik's eyes softened with compassion, and he looked away. "I see... or hear... I thought you were joking, but you were serious. Maybe not consciously, but you were serious for the whole time. You wanted to embarass me, and then make me accept subordinance to you, because you saw in me the emperor who hurt you so much. I understand... I really do. I'm actually fleeing from a similar situation back home, hoping that I will see it more clearly with some distance. I was not hurt as much as you... it's not possible for a human. But I was hurt too, and those who did it were given mercy. Their memory will be wiped out. It's like they will be new people, innocent from all they did. But still I feel the need to punish them. They wouldn't know what they did to deserve it and I know it wouldn't be right and yet I would still do it. I am not my ancestor, but I understand that you see him in me. I can't apologize for what I didn't do, or undo what he did, but I can offer you a song of healing, at least. It wouldn't return you your powers, but I see you are still hurting with the scars and memories. It could ease that hurt. Would you accept it?"

[VisAnastasis]

Spirit was quiet for a time, continuing to slowly walk along the beach, and lead Xia in his step with it. He was quiet for a long while.
" For the record... I did not pretend with you. I really *was* joking. And courting you, to admit. I kind of hoped a bit selfishly you are single, because you're hella cute, and I would totally not hesitate one bit to get closer to all that, if you know what I mean. " he seemed to try to see if he can warm up to Svarik a little, and he gave himself the freedom to a little jokily with some humor mentally undress Svarik with glance up and down king's tunic. " No seriously - all I hear of you from everyone I knew were good things. I do like you. But you are right... I was not, so to say, 100 % looking at you. There's just this jawline, and the shape of hands - you really can't help but to compare those things. And there was that one moment.. You was joking, but the dismissal in your voice... I know it was a joke, but it's genetics... Inheritance stuff and all that... " he cleared his throat, as he tried to clumsily rationalize the fears. " Vocal cords, I mean. He was a singer, and his voice was beautiful like voice of an angel, but cold like ice. For a moment, I could swear I heard a little ice in your voice... And it was just all in all unpleasant trigger for me, you understand. " critter admitted. " All I heard of you are good things - but then again, I never had a single good experience with children of Bull and all that. I like you, but one part of me is, indeed, under certain impression that if I give you too much space, you'll draw from some well of coldness in you and decide my city would be much more beautiful if set on fire... You are right. Pretense of some control over you, it felt quite nice, while it lasted...>" he smiled sadly. " You look cute when you are embarrassed. I liked watching you all flustered up. I loved cracking jokes with you. "

[Mirach]

"I give you my word that I would not harm your beautiful city and its people. But that *you know what I mean*... I'm sorry, but that's not much of a joking matter to me, after what happened. If you continue in that line of conversation, you will very probably find some unpleasant trigger to me, like I did with that joke . We have both our own demons... I mean as a figure of speech, no offence to actual demons. But I called Melody because the time is right now, and I hope her song will help to chase them away. I can do the same for you, maybe, if you accept..."

[VisAnastasis]

Spirit looked aside, at the sea, as if it was calming him and helping him think.
" I knew you were hurt, but I did not realize it was like that. " he guessed correctly, as pieces fell on right spot in his quick mind. " I would not have joked like that, had I thought it was something of such sort - I barely admired your beauty, and hoped my liking may flatter you. I am quite flattered, when I am complimented.... specially on days when I look myself in the mirror and don't feel particularly beautiful, least, not as I once was.  " he said quietly, tracing the scar on his face, and he did not watch Svarik - but this time reason behind it was that he didn't want to make him uncomfortable with his guess. " I will not joke like that anymore. But tell me, please... Speaking of triggers... You did trigger me, I am not ashamed to admit that. But I would like you to tell me if I have, perhaps, triggered you first with my jokes? " he bit him, as was his way, apparently, very simple and with ease of honestly and in quest to seek for same honesty in Svarik. " Because, if I had, then I could much more understand why you acted distant with me and got a touch colder as our conversation went on... After all, I grew colder after you reminded me of my unpleasant past, too... Your comment was not mean, but it was passive-aggressive, like a comment of someone uncomfortable and hurt. Be honest to me, please... Was it me that triggered you first, and you just politely went over it so you wouldn't bring it up, even if it hurt you? It certainly seems like that to me... "

[Mirach]

"I did feel uncomfortable," Svarik admitted. "And defensive. That's why my jokes got more sarcastic than I intended..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Alright, then... let me check my inventory to see if I have more of such jokes that made you uncomfortable and defensive.... Oh. " he made a surprised innocent face, waving away in a gesture dramatic and humorous. " Oh, dear, it seemed I ran all out of courting jokes. There's not one single left out there. " he exaggerated jokily, as if ti was some kind of tragedy, though it was apparent, it was more in manner of innocently cementing the silent promise that he won't do it again in solidarity with king's pain. " True, courting jokes used to take up almost all of the place of the storage room of my mind, but alas, now that they all evaporated, it seems I will have to figure out how to make you laugh without them. " he winked, though this time, it was not a flirtatious wink - but one coming of as silent nod of acknowledgement.