Svarik and the company I :)

[Mirach]

"I don't think an errand counts as free time," Svarik said. "Is there nothing you would like to do? What did you use to do in your free time before? Reading? Playing chess?"

[VisAnastasis]

" What did I... Use to do in free time? I never had much of it to be fun with. When you need to put food on the table, you need to work long hours. But... um .. Honestly, before I got married, I  mostly spent my dimes drinking in cheep taverns, first with fellow stret kids, and later with other soldiers in the army, sire... " Erdel seemed embarased to admitted that. " I learned to read in Orphanage, but I never could afford books since they are very pricy, so I quickly grew rather bitter about them. Nowadays? I don't know... I guess after I got married and settled down a little, I grew to like chess... At least I did, like to play  it with my friends. " He clenched his hand a little, barely noticeably. " I don't like to play it with other vampires anymore... But Falcon asked me to play with him few times, to see if I was good at it or not. " His grimace lessened a little with a harmless memory. " That was nice, I guess..."

[Mirach]

"We could play then. But would you like some tea first? Take a cup, if you want," Svarik said, and then caressed Xia and gave her her special cup from Cernunnos with the tea. "You will feel better after this, you will see..." he encouraged her to drink. "You are a good girl..."

[VisAnastasis]

Erdel did not reply. Svarik did not get the vibe of some particular defiance - it more felt as if he was himself somewhat conflicted and confided, not knowing what he wants to do. On closer look, it indeed seemed he was little anxious, as if on pins and needed, as everything in last few days must had been stressful to him. His aura seemed touch irregular, and little cold and absent.

Xia on the other hand, was snapped out of her apathy, when her sight fell on beautiful little cup Cernunos has gifted her. At memory of him, she sniffed, and tears filed down her eyes sudenly. She shakily took the cup, and started to drink, in big gulps interputed with ocassional whimper.

[Mirach]

Svarik soothed her with quiet warm words and caresses, supporting her in the hard moment of confronting her innocence with the reality of the world.

[VisAnastasis]

The creature wept for a while, and it took lot of care and sothing her until it slowly started to calm. One cup was not enough this time, in her unrest. Only after the third cup of strong doze of beverage, did little Xia finaly relax enough, and it all of a sudenly all caught up to her - with overdoze of the beverage, she suddenly fell asleep in king's arms, in sleep close to unconciousnes. She was  breathing more evenly, findling reprieve in sleep in which she didn't have to think about all the hurtful terrible things reality brought.

[Mirach]

Svarik let her sleep in his embrace. "So would you like to relax a bit as well?" he asked Erdel after a while. "Just a gulp or two should not make you fall asleep..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I guess.. It shouldn't.." vampire murmured nervously. He looked at the teapot, tempting him. Then he gulped, and reached for it shakily -  but soon withdrew his hand with hesitance. " I am just afraid of looking control. " He admitted timidly." Everybody keeps talking to me as if with tinieat looseness, I am going to go mad. It.. Frightened me. I need to keep my composure. Besides, last time I drank it..." he whispered, seeming flustered and discomforted. " I am not sure what all I said to you, sire, it is all misty and cloudy to me... but it must had been bad, since you, um, kept looking at me funny way. I don't want to say wrong things, either... It is not proper... "

[Mirach]

"You just said something about my hair being pretty," Svarik smiled. "Nothing embarrassing, just a bit more spontaneous. Who told you you can't affort any looseness? I would rater believe the opposite. Anybody would go mad if not allowed a bit of it occasionally."

[VisAnastasis]

Erdel weighted down his options silently for a moment.
" Um... I guess.. One glass won't hurt. As long as it doesn't make me fall asleep, it should be alright, I hope... " he whispered little over will, as he didn't seem to like to indulge himself too much, feeling he does not deserve that and that it wouldn't be proper, since his vampire colleges can not have share same situation as him, who became full fledged demon. He hesitantly filled a cup for himself, and he slowly started to drink it.
While it was pleasant, unlike last time when he was feeling happy and peaceful after visit to Cernunnos, this time, he was unable to let go of the worries and troubles that plagued him, and so, he seemed to grow increasingly clumsy and uncomfortable with it, with every gulp, but just like Xia before could not fall asleep from one glass, he couldn't, either, right now, appearing too tense for that.

[Mirach]

"Does it taste the same?" Svarik asked. "I followed the recipe, but it seems weaker than the one Emil made..."

[VisAnastasis]

" No, the taste is the same. Sweet, delightful, like fragrance of colors... Actually, I think you've made pretty strong doze of it. Scent is very intense... " creature whispered with some distinct tone of sadness. " It just.... doesn't feel same anymore. I mean... It does feel nice... But I just can't relax. " he murmured tensely, observing the almost emptied cup with his lips melancholically twisted downwards, as if wondering what is wrong with him to respond so differently. Air around him grew just a touch colder.

[Mirach]

"Is something bothering you?" Svarik asked. "Was it something with the errand?"

[VisAnastasis]

" A bit of that... And a bit of everything else. It would be easier to make a list of things that do not bother me, really... " critter whispered, looking before itself sadly - while he was in too much turmoil to allow himself to relax properly, just like Xia, it seemed the tea had loosened his tongue a little bit like last time. " Everyone keeps talking to me as if I am either mad or supposed to become some kind of mad genius or something. As if I am only weak because I am lazy, not because I literally yesterday even figured out I am supposed to be a higher demon or whatever. I don't feel like I am managing my obligations like I wanted to. Falcon.... asked me to look out for you.... follow your every step, make sure your needs are met... Emotional one as well. But I spent most of this trip away from you, or just being with you as you sleep, without of any help or service to you. I don't feel proud of myself... I don't think I've been doing a good job at all... "

[Mirach]

"I think you are doing a very good job," Svarik told him, caressing sleeping Xia. "About needs... I needed to send an urgent message to Falcon, and you went. I needed to be alone in the Sea Heart and you entertained Xia while giving me that time. Yesterday I needed Melody's song, and you went on an errand so she could play to me in privacy. It is my fault that I turned much of your job into boring waiting for me..."

[VisAnastasis]

" So... You do think it was good that we came here, after all? " vampire asked quietly. " When I sow you, emerging from the Heart, weak and hurting... I just did not know what to think. All I could really think of was how much you were looking forward to just relaxing a little bit and having a brake... And instead you just ended up having to face your problems again, instead of have some good time. It's almost as if we didn't leave. " he gulped guiltily, looking down. " It is I, who was reading the map, and brought us to this place... I could see last few days fell hard on you... I just wondered... If I made a mistake, but telling you I think we should come here, when you asked me what hosts are available for us at the seaside... "

[Mirach]

"Oh, you are bothered by that? Even if you could know by a mere name on the map, there's no reason to be. I'm glad we came here. I would have to face those problems once or I would stay withdrawn behind protective barriers and suffocate slowly... And who knows where I would find the opportunity to face them again with all duties back home. This was a perfect chance to do that. *Now* I can relax. Even at home, even with duties. Before, it was not relaxing. It was... I don't even know what it was. It feels empty now. If we wouldn't come here, I would not get that chance." 

[VisAnastasis]

Maybe Svarik's warmth has encouraged him, and he slowly brought himself to admitting something he normally would not do so openly.
" I... After I sent him your message about Waffle, Falcon asked about where we are. When I told him, he said I should pay special attention to bolded names on the map, and gently stir you to such places, if I am able to... " he admitted, evading Svarik's look. " But when I reunited with you and looked at the map - only one place was bolded, Sage's home. Curiosity was killing me. When you asked what host could I find on map, I had to see why was it so important that Falcon thought we must see it if it's anyhow possible and ordered me to lead you to it. "he gulped tensely, often pausing a little, seeming to struggle with words, knowing he had lied to Svarik that once and knowing it can technically count as a crime. " You asked me where's the nearer host... There were two people in villages we passed along the way, that Falcon marked as decent places. But I just had to know why was this place important... And I was afraid curiosity got better of me... "

[Mirach]

"So that would explain it..." Svarik smiled a little. "I was wondering if every place on the map was as incredible as this one, if we got here by just picking it randomly. Good, now I don't have to worry that much about other incredible places we might be missing, if this one is unique. If you told me not that it's nearest, but that it's the only one bolded and you are curious about it, I would still agree."

[VisAnastasis]

" Falcon said I should subtly stir you to it, so it looks natural, not as an event he may have arranged or something... " vampire replied with some note of timidness. He looked rather weary for a moment, playing with edge of the cup with his finger nervously. Then, he slowly spoke up. " I don't like meddling like that, but I am trying to trust him a little more... To trust he knows what he's doing and wouldn't guide me to do some ill. " he admitted. " And, to be honest... I don't quite regret it as much as I would want. Once I met this Spirit.. Malachite... I think it broke my heart a little. If I may say, he reminded me of you, sir. On way you are kind, but smile faintly, and on way your voice is so faint and quiet. I didn't like that I had to lie... But I did think it was better that we came. I want you to be healthy, even if a bit tired. I don't want you to become like Malachite. I feel bad.. " he paused. " I do not regret bringing you here... But I regret lying to you...And... Not being able to trust you...  " he kept his look down, as if the cup was specially interesting. " I... did not believe you would go to this place, if I just happened to ask directly... Besides, you did say you'll get back at me for getting you soaked in salt water that day.... " he gulped, tensely, as if in this more loose state of self, from drinking tea, he could more easily share concerns and fears he normally would be hesitant to. " I anticipated what your punishment may be... And at a time, I thought, if I asked you for something I wish to see, that you'd say no, to... put me to my place for that... "

[Mirach]

"You seriously though I would punish you for a bit of fun? Only with a prank, maybe... I liked to see that you were having fun... wait... were you? Or was it just a set-up so we would have to seek a host? I thought I would be able to scratch "Erdel having fun" from the list of things I wanted to see. But if it wasn't genuine, then it says and we have yet to find something fun for you. But tell me about this Malachite, please..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I was kind off having fun... Until you said you'll get back at me. That wasn't really, um... fun at all. " Erdel admitted quietly, staring at bit of tea left in his glass as if looking at t and not at Svarik was helping him focus. One thing it did really help, was for him to be genuine and more open, something he'd have trouble with otherwise. " Malachite... This is what Hans told me about him. He is Spirit. Low level Spirit, sir. Pretty much useless in abilities, Hans told me... He is so low leveled he can not do anything grand and impressive like most of our friends we know can. He's even lower on scale than Melody, Hans said, but just like her, only thing really handy for him, is that he can take on humanish form. And because he doesn't fit in with powerful kingdom of Spirits that much, he always preferred to live on our layer of world, among early tribes of humans, with whom he felt more at home and equal with. He was a wondering shaman, just traveling around, having fun with people, and helping them. Here we come to this... Despite having no real powers, he had one big passion - coming up and making potions from grinded minerals... Everything, from lapis and garnet, to diamonds, he knew to grind and use everything.... He over many years discovered many potions that were able to help both humans and Beings. He was immersed and engulfed with his world, and happy... He was generous, and used to help everyone he could that would come to him, humans, Spirits, Demons, all equally... He was so immersed and happy in his little world, and so isolated in it, in fact, that he didn't even notice when the war started, Svarik... He... never even noticed..." Erdel's eyes teared up for some reason. " And so, he just kept doing his thing... He kept living his quiet life, and helping all that would come to him - humans, spirits, and demons... "

[Mirach]

"I'm sorry I ruined your fun. I didn't mean it like that. I hoped you know me enough already to recognize that...." Svarik said, taking it as his mistake. He reached for Erdel's hand, touching it gently. "What happened to Malachite?"

[VisAnastasis]

Vampire shivered a little bit under his touch, but he did not withdraw - he looked at king's hand, with a small vulnerable smile of affection. He was just silent for a moment.
" Malachite... " he whispered in the end. " Hanks told me that soon after war broke out, three Spirits from Death's forces had found out about his cooperation with demons. They very outraged, and sow him as traitor who was helping out their mortal enemies. They were full of wrath, and Malachite... He was just a little helpless Spirit, with no more means to defend himself than human would have. One of the Spirits that captured him was a Singer, and he called out Malachite's true name, and used it to bind the poor creature to his will and force him to do what he was told. He forced him to be a bait - to call all demons he knew for help, and when they would come to help him, Spirits would overpower them and kill them. They forced Malachite to betray people whom he considered friends, and to call them in a trap, to punish him for what he have done. And... They were very angry and rough with him. Hans did not say much more of what they did in their anger, but I do not think that's the only thing they forced him on to punish him. " Erdel whispered quietly with some pain - it seemed that meeting the helpless little Spirit had left quite an impact on him, specially since it seemed to have reminded him on Svarik in some ways. " Eventually, Tide was one that sow through the ruse, when Malachite called him. Hans and Tide got together, and they were able to come up with a plan to trick the Spirits, and to free Malachite, and escape with him... To bring him here, at seaside, to safety... But Hans had told me, that Malachite was never same afterwards..."

[Mirach]

"Poor Malachite..." Svarik whispered, wondering what would happen if he would sign the documents betraying Conrad, or if he would be forced to do it somehow against his will, knowing it would make a difference that would not allow him to deal wih it, even with the Sea Heart.