Svarik and the company I :)

[VisAnastasis]

Melody was quiet for a little while, not wanting to rush into this. After a bit of time, she finally turned to him, though.
" So, how was it with Hans, my beloved? " she bid him gently to start a conversation. " I must admit I was little worried... Did you have fun, after all? "

[Mirach]

"Some fun, some explaining..." Svarik said. "He is rather nice, after all..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Birdie told me a few nice things about him before I left to go to you, though he was able to tell me much more about Tide and Sage - as Hans had to stay here to keep everything in order, three years ago, and it were Tide and Sage who came to our home and whom he met in person. Until they set connection, he knew Hans only through what Sage told him of the Spirit.  " Melody nodded lightly. " Birdie wouldn't send you to someone untrustworthy, of that I am sure... But still, I had to worry, dear. He was nice, but seemed tense and restless... I wanted to be sure he did not hurt you. I know he joked about things he didn't understand were hitting too close to you. "

[Mirach]

"I have also reminded him of someone who hurt him, so we are even, I guess," Svarik smiled sadly. "We cleared the misunderstandings, it should be alright now..."

[VisAnastasis]

" If you feel bad about it still, we could talk about it before we do anything, if you feel like it and if it would lower the weight of worry from your shoulders... " girl inquired hesitantly. It seemed she wanted to ease Svarik's mind, to approach him somehow - but there was also some fear and hesitance in her reactions and acts untypical for her. It seemed almost as if she was afraid that if they suddenly go into too personal subjects, she may be the one, not just Hans, that ends up hurting Svarik, and she unwittingly was putting it off.

( OOC: Quick unrelated question, I am working on some concept for an assignment: slovak word *les*, that means forest, is it feminine or masculine noun? )

[Mirach]

"We talk about it enough with Hans," Svarik shok his head. "But I would like to know how is Tide. How did he take the news that I am not single?"

(OOC: les is male)

[VisAnastasis]

" Before I told him, he was all flustered and shy about you, and despite I came to see him, he couldn't stop asking me with glee how you're doing and if you're better, and if the rain helped. " girl smiled a little. " After I told him of your relationship status... He grew very sad for a while. He was silent while he let me examine his hand, and there was some chill in the air... It was scary. But I felt bad to leave him in such spirit. I hugged him, and I first just played some fun songs to cheer him up a little. Attention seemed to please him, and he seemed to have accepted it better. " girl's faint smile turned a little more playful then. " He pleaded me not to tell you he got disappointed and sad after I told him you're single, even if you know, my Sunshine, that I couldn't keep something like that a secret from you, of course. He just pleaded me to not tell you, because even if you don't like him like that, he still likes you, and he wouldn't want you disliking him just because he liked you a little more. I want to still be a friend to him, he said... I explained him that it's nothing undatable with him and that you didn't decline because you disliked him, only because you really love Lipka. I told him that you are in state when, even if you were single, you wouldn't be ready for new relationship right now, and that you don't need romance right now... Generally, he was the most lovestruck and least confident Demon I could imagine in my mind. When I was able to reassure him that nothing is wrong with him that would make you dislike him, that you just need your space to get better and really have woman you love, by that point, he seemed to accept it better. *He was still nice to me. He was not afraid of me. If he would feel bad with my feelings, I won't burden him with them. Please, don't tell him I was upset over it. If he feels bad about romantic feelings, I still want to  show him friendly ones...*That's what he said. "

( OOC: And Bratislava/Slovensko? Are they female or male nouns? )

[Mirach]

"Poor critter..." Svarik sighed. "I fear it's a bit of my fault as well. I liked him and I my friendliness could have been mistaken for something else. I didn't know he was looking for a relationship... I didn't want to hurt him."

(OOC: Bratislava - female, Slovensko - neutral)

[VisAnastasis]

" It's not your fault, my Sun, that you are so sweet. You can't blame honey for being honey... " Melody  couldn't help but chuckle a little. " I just got the vibe that he is rather insecure about himself and his likability. Hans was right - he does seem slow... He seems... Incomplete, and self conscious about it. I think that if you could just reassure him, too, that he's not unlikable or undateable, I think you could get along well. "

( OOC: Thanks, dear <3 )

[Mirach]

"I think he is very kind, and would be a great partner to one that falls in love with him. I hope he once find what he is looking for..." Svarik smiled sadly.

[VisAnastasis]

" I heard he tore out and gave his own heart to Sage, who was only his friend. Makes you think what he would do for a partner... But real love, it is something worth the wait, my beloved. " Melody replied patiently, and she came closer to Svarik, and lightly put hand on his knee, as if to get his attention. " You can not solve every difficulty in life of everyone you meet, my Sun, you know that, don't you? " she bid him gently. "  Time will take it's course. It will get better. He will meet new people, and some of them will be bound to fill a heart shaped hole in his chest. All we can go is give him that time, by making sure Death does not find out about him. That is the one good we can really do here, for your new friend - keep him safe. "

[Mirach]

"Having Death livng with us is getting quite tiring, I must say..." Svarik murmured.

[VisAnastasis]

" I can see why you would feel like that. He was not your king, after all. You did not grow up by his side, being able to feel his deep grief and pain, but also see his greatness, kindness, and gentleness. " Melody smiled sadly, and she lightly caressed Svarik's cheek. " I can see why you'd feel like this... We all know Death is not only gentle, but can bring unspeakable terror to the world, should he chose. But I bid you, please... Try to imagine just how much in horrible pain he must be. Nammy is first person I know that was allowed this close to him, and do you wonder why is that? Because Death is vulnerable and needs more help now that he ever did, and he can't help but lean on someone. He held the whole world together, and sacrificed part of his soul for it, just like you sacrificed part of your soul to heal corruption of the crypt. What would happen to him, if we made him feel unwelcome and sent him away, specially now, that he has even lost his kingship? It would be yet another blow for him, and I can not tell how much more of it his soul could take. He is in pain, ill, feverish, and needs Nammy's help immensely. Please, do not think of someone who helped raise me as a burden, my love. " she caressed him. " I wouldn't be the person I am, without him, without my king. "

[Mirach]

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that..." Svarik apologized. "I would not send him away for any reason. He was kind to hold my soul, even if he didn't have to. I only find it tiring, having to keep so many secrets to protect new friends from him... It does not fit with how I know him somehow, this image of a venegeful spirit hunting demons when he finds out about them..."

[VisAnastasis]

" He was not able to hold his sword without him burning him for very long. Solstice forged that sword well - you can not hold it, if you have burning desire to destroy something. But I never tried to hold it myself. I can not tell if it's a change that grand that it would null the truth I lived with my entire life. " Melody whispered. " That truth is.. Death mostly did not go in person to kill demons - he had lot of trained armed forced like that, like White Eagle once was, to do dirty work for him, while he focused his full attention on Spirit kingdom. But his hatred for demons was deep and justified, and when needed, he would go to fight with them personally. Think of it like this - demons brought unspeakable sufferings to Spirits, and Death loved his fellow Spirits above all in his heart. At one point, you know which... There were just no more excuses to compromise with them, anymore. And then, there was war. " she sighed. " I.. It is not easy for me, my love, either. I was little afraid of vampires, but I tried to be kind to them because they needed someone to be kind to them. I am glad for that, because I grew very fond of some of them, specially of Erdel, and even though he's a demon now, I am not afraid of him. Tide on the other hand is.. reasonably nice... But it's hard to help it. All you know is a crippling fear deep in you, telling you you should run at sight. I see you have in course of this trip gotten into some very shady and alarming company... And it worries me... But I know you are gentle and are drawn to suffering people, and I want to trust you on this, my Sun. That doesn't mean I am not afraid, too, just like you... "

[Mirach]

"Thank you for the trust. I know what demons can do. I have enough of bad experience with their kind. But recently I have to question the generalisation, as I met some very nice ones, and as I learnt more about them and how they react to the war and hunt on them. I wouldn't want to bring harm to them by just getting to know them... If I can't keep that knowledge from Death, do you think he might undertand? But if he knew in the first place what I learn about demons now, how could he even start the war? I understand going after those responsible for his pain in vengeance, but going after an entire race?"

[VisAnastasis]

" I am glad you found demons you can get along with, but... I do not think this was a matter of whether whole race was evil or not. I feel it was more that Death had felt that every peace is temporary, and only way to really protect Spirits, for good, was to get rid of all demons. They corrupt easily, so only way to ensure they won't corrupt, is to not have any of them left at all.... Just like Birdie wanted to get rid of all vampires, because he didn't want to risk them again being the threat to our land in the future again. It wasn't about what was right for individials... It was about eliminating the threat altogether. If he didn't want to show you his good side, Birdie would have killed them all, I am sure. For good of humans. " girl gulped. " I think it was same with Death... He knew it would take down both bad and the good, but I think he deemed pros over weighted cons, and it was a sacrifice worth making... We are very different, demons and us, down to our very souls. I think Death felt that only true way we'd be safe, is not having any of them at all. You need to remember, every demon that dies, falls under Death's domain, and is reincarnated as Spirit. For Death, turning all Demons to Spirits with no recollection of their pasts, and not having anymore demons in the world - I think that's what he wanted. It would be world without Erdel, and Tide... But also world without corruption of the crypt and the Thief, my love. It is a big, and dangerous dream... One bound to make him lot of enemies... "

[Mirach]

Svarik thought about that for a while. "I think I can understand that... I do not approve of that, though, but I'm not one to judge. I did not lose a beloved one to a demon, like Death or Ben did...What can I do, though? I just can't justify this sacrifice of nice demons, like Erdel or Xia, or Tide..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I am sorry, my Sun. Currently we live in more-less peaceful state, as most demons, not counting ones in fifth layer, are not actively seeking destruction, but are hiding or laying low, like Tide is, trying as hard as they can to blend in with humans and not be noticeable. I was born around starts, around Dawn of that more peaceful period for us Spirits. I can tell you very little of the War, or Demons. Only demon I ever met, was one whom King Zares was pursuing through the land, and who tried to kill and eat me and ate Zare's right arm before we overpowered it... Not exactly a point of view from which I can say much nice about them. " Melody smiled with discomfort. " I fear neither I nor White can tell you much nice of them... I fear we may not be ones that could give you any good advice of it, because we are born long after War already started. That is something you may even be more  experienced in that me, no matter of my age... I am so sorry, my Sun, that I can not give you good advise you seek. I am just not someone with good knowledge on this. I never made such big decision, fit only for as ambitious and protective ruler as Death, and I trusted my Spirit King knew best. "

[Mirach]

"Maybe I will see it more clearly when I feel better myself..." Svarik mused. "Will you play for me, please? I started the song yesterday, but I did not have the strength to finish it... Now I could, but it would feel better if someone else does. Only so my soul can learn to trust again..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I will be honest to you... I fear hurting you so much. I have never touched you so deeply, and I know how you feel about touch. There's no need to force yourself. I won't think lesser of you if you change your mind. " girl whispered quietly to him. " That's why I need to ask you - are you sure you want this, my beloved? And if you do... You need to promise me you'll ask me to stop, if you feel it's not what you need. I can not touch you freely, unless I know you'll feel free to withdraw your consent if it's too much... " he bid gently, looking into his blue eyes with her own, as if trying to find reassurance in it, some safety measure they could work with.

[Mirach]

"I would not call you if I didn't feel that I need and want it," Svarik said. "But of course I will tell you if it's too much or too fast. I can guide your song to where I feel it is needed most. But the most painful part I alraedy did myself. There is an open wound now, but is is cleaned, just waiting for a balm..."

[VisAnastasis]

Melody considered it for a moment, and then she smiled, with renewed confidence.
" You are a good healer... I will trust you on this, my beloved. We'll get through it slowly, at your pace, together... " she whispered gently. " May I use your unicorn flute? "

[Mirach]

"Yes, that would be good for it," Svarik nodded, handing it to her.

[VisAnastasis]

Girl took the flute, and traced it wonderingly in her hands, holding it for the first time now.
" Please, lie down, my sweet child, and I will sit by your side. Make yourself comfortable. We have all the time you need... " she said gently. She paused, before adding quietly. " Last time I played for you, my age mattered to you... Does it now, my Sun? Would you rather have me be a girl before you that plays sweet song for you - or would you rather have me be a maiden, a woman, or lady old? In my heart, I am young and free. But for you, I can be age you wish me to be... "