Svarik and the company I :)

[Mirach]

Svarik warmed his hands on the cup while sipping from it. Only half-way through the drink he remembered: "This is for you," he said, handing Emil the meal that Cernunnos made for him. "He cooked us lunch with the supplies we brought, and insisted to take some of it for you as well..."

[VisAnastasis]

" Oh, the poor old thing. He's always so attentive. " boy smiled a touch sadly at the pot. " It's too little to share between us twenty and so priests, without share being unfair. I can not possibly eat this lovely meal if I am to eat alone." he looked at king fondly and gently at that, like his parent, not preferring to take something others can not have. " It's plenty enough for meal for a one or two, though. You are my beloved guests, kind dear sir - if you haven't eaten dinner yet, would you be so kind to let me warm up this for you and your fox friend? It would bring me great pleasure to do so, and no pleasure to eat it all myself. "

[Mirach]

"Yes, I will share it with you, but it's still not that much if we want to share with Xia as well. Let me bring some of our supplies to add to it. I will also take those flowers I told you about, and add them to my meal. And how are Sunshine and Yiska? Did they behave well?"

[VisAnastasis]

" They were splendid. I played with them whole day, and I fed them and looked after them properly. They were sleeping now, so I left them with Orvil for a little while, since I knew you're to come, and didn't want them to be upset at your state until you warm up." Emil explained diligently. " If you permit me, I'd like you to remain warming up for a little while, but I can warm up the meal and, if you allow me, take some supplies from your bags, so I can make the dinner richer and make you some more food, and spice it with healing herbs and spices that will do you good. You've been with my father in that fort for too long today, kind guests, you should not move or exert yourself needlesly for a while, and I could prepare meal with those flowers for you in meantime. "

[Mirach]

"Alright," Svarik nodded, being just glad for not having to get up. "Take whatever seems fit from our supplies. We will buy more in the next city we get to, and taste some local food as well."

[VisAnastasis]

" I will be most diligent and respectful to your things, and take only what I see fit to aid you in getting better, kind guests. If you need anything, just bid anyone here, and you shall receive. " boy reassured them, and after a graceful bow, he took the pot and went to kitchen to make a richer meal out of it for three of them.

[Mirach]

"Will do, thank you..." Svarik murmured tiredly, and leaned back in the chair.

[VisAnastasis]

Xia seemed to recover fastest from them, being created as pureblood demon, and therefore more resistant to miasma. Still little shaken, she had shown more concern for Svarik. She took on a childlike form again, and she sat down in king's lap, embracing him as if trying to make him warmer with her soft fur, staying close to him to provide him with support.

[Mirach]

"Don't worry," Svarik smiled at her, and caressed her fur. "It will be fine... I will be better with a good meal and a few White's flowers..."

[VisAnastasis]

Xia signed *protector*, and *care*, and she shyly and touch hesitantly caressed Svarik behind ear, mimicking his previous gestures with her, as if to reassure him she's there for him.

[Mirach]

Svarik smiled. "Good girl," he praised her. 

[VisAnastasis]

It was all reassurance she needed, and she squealed lightly, snuggling with him a bit more freely, as if to comfort him. She kept close to him for all the time, even after they finished their drinks. After some delay he took in order to prepare it best, sometimes later, Emil brought them pots with pleasantly smelling food and freshly baked bread with herbs, so they could eat there at warm instead of having to move at a table. He also brought some cupcakes with their special honey for dessert.

[Mirach]

Svarik felt quite hungry by then, and at the pleasant smell of food he smiled and put aside the cup. 

[VisAnastasis]

" Sorry it took me a while. I had to mix up the flowers you brought with you and cook separately for you and for me and little Xia, kind guest, Svarik, for the flowers would make us sick. I deem I prepared them quite well, so I hope you'll enjoy it. " he said, and he left aside pot for himself, and handed both Xia and Svarik fresh bread and a pot each, filled plentifully with rich healthy meal.

[Mirach]

"Thank you, it looks great. Let us not wait for it to get cold. Good appetite," Svarik said and encouraged Xia to start eating as well when he did.

[VisAnastasis]

Fox observed his gestures, and then she slowly tried to mimic his usage of spoon, which was not as convenient for her, as her paws were more animal than human like and weren't nearly as precise. Erdel smiled at her, and gently through gestures offered her his assistance, and while king and Emil ate on their own, he found pleasure in spoon feeding Xia, that seemed curious about the method of eating by the tool instead of directly from the plate.

[Mirach]

Svarik helped her as well when he finished his own portion, and then offered her a cupcake and took one as well. 

[VisAnastasis]

" The two on the left I filled with flowers from your bag before baking them, so you should have those, kind guest, and keep away from little Xia. " Emil warned him, just in case, and then with a smile, he proceeded to take two cupcakes on his own as well.

[Mirach]

"Thanks for the warning," Svarik nodded and took both cupcakes so that nobody whom they could harm would eat them by accident. "And also for the dinner. I'm feeling much better already."

[VisAnastasis]

" Honey can be of great help, so you should eat both of cupcakes, kind guest. That is to say, I put lot of honey into it, and as well some healing herbs good for you. No need to thank me - that is but my way of thanking you for your excellent and caring service to my father in the last two days. " boy told to Svarik gently and warmly, sitting down more comfortably in his own armchair. " If you wish to, I can go fetch some more honeycombs for you - or if there's anything else, just bid, kind young guest, and if it's in my power, I'll provide. Same goes for your lovely friends. "

[Mirach]

"Maybe more tea with that honey?" Svarik asked. "I can tell you then what we spoke about with Cernunnos if you want, but it was mostly about teaching Xia and Erdel..."

[VisAnastasis]

" I see. I'll ask him then. Hopefully, he'll accept to see me again, for a little while, at least... But you have seen for yourself while he's hesitant to do that. That fortress has stale miasma that was layered up there for centuries. He desires company, but does not desire to make anyone sick. " boy smiled a touch sadly. " Please, give me a moment, I shall make you honeyed beverage. " he said gently, and he went away, and returned with the tea a little while afterwards.

[Mirach]

Svarik took it thankfully. "Can't anything be done about it?" he asked. "Not the miasma he still emits, but with the old, stale one. It can't be healthy for him either, to stay in it for all the time..."

[VisAnastasis]

" No more than for a bee to get stick in a honey it can't get out from. " Emil smiled touch sadly, sitting down beside the fire. " It is out of my power to do anything, kind guests - otherwise, me and my priests would have done it. Such stale places are best left to be cleansed with time. Best thing to do would be - open all windows, destroy all protective spells that keeps everything inside, unlock all chains, leave it all bare; and just let it fade away in couple of centuries. But, as you know, there's a catch. He guards this forest with his powers each day and night. Even if he managed to escape somewhere far enough - then the evil raging wraiths would but go beyond the forest, hunting him for eternity, destroying all in their paths. He does not desire that, and so he stays. And besides miasma, fort, however, holds many artifacts and spells that help keep him alive, and conceal him from the world and his enemies.... if he left fortress even for lingering moment - it would be his end. But to be honest... " boy sighed, while sipping bits of tea he brought for himself as well. " I think he's been living there for so long, that he's too scared to leave it's safety as much as he hates its confinement, my kind young guest. "

[Mirach]

"That's sad..." Svarik sighed. "Maybe someone back home could give some advice about how to make it at least a little better..."