The Dragon's Gift

Log Info

• Title: The Dragon's Gift

• GM: Aftershock and Riptide

• Characters: Telamon

• Place: The Border Ethereal (?)

As Telamon lays down to sleep, curled up beside the comforting warmth of his wife, a familiar weight settles on his pillow. One that he might have examined if it had not fallen there as sleep finally claimed him, but one that doesn't bother him enough to rouse him from the edge of dreams. It's probably Pothy.

Sleep claims him.

He finds himself sitting in a field, a beautiful stretch of open space full of tall grasses and flowers. The warm air of summertime pressing against his skin. There's the edge of a forest not far away, dark, but not disturbing. It has a vaguely welcoming feel to it, but it's pleasant enough to just sit here on the grass on the blanket spread out around him as if in readiness for a picnic.

It takes him a moment to realize that he's not alone, that his blanket is shared by someone else. A man with long, black hair and silver eyes, his handsome features not turned toward Telamon, but rather watching something in the grass. The man is totally relaxed and he motions toward the grass almost lazily, pointing out what he's looking at. Somehow, Telamon isn't as surprised as he thought he might be to recognize Zalgiman sharing the blanket with him.

In the grass, there's a lot of movement. Blades that shake here and there, lazily so, along with the giggles of... No, those aren't pixie-giggles. They're the giggles of--

One younger girl, a blonde with violet eyes, pops out of the grass, laughing hard. "Ri-Ri, you can't just pretend to be the monster all the time! We all have to take turns!" She looks like she's maybe about eight years old.

Another girl pops out of the grass, this one with red hair and blue eyes. Her dress is the same lavender color as the blonde's, and she's holding onto the hand of an even younger girl with black hair and starry eyes. The redhead pouts, an expression that seems to come firmly to her as the middle child. "But Yi-Yi is still a baby. She can't act!"

"Not a baby," the tiniest girl objects, bottom lip curling. And then she looks around. "Where Phea?" she asks. Confused as can be, just as she's cute as can be in her little lavender dress. "Is she hiding?"

There's a rustle in the bushes, paired with a growl, and then all the girls scream and laugh as they go back into their little hiding spot. "Hide from the MONSTER!" the oldest girl yells as they're all giggling.

Dreams are familiar ground for Telamon. Ever since the first shared dream with Lana, there's always been something comforting there, even when the dreams became a battleground for a time.

But that time is done. Yes, there's always another battle, but those days are behind him. Telamon can't help but watch the girls with an enchanted expression. But... he turns, realizing who's on the blanket there. There's no recoiling, no shock or anger. He absently runs a hand through his hair. "Hello, Zalgiman. It's been a while." He lets his eyes slide back to where the girls are hiding. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Zalgiman rumbles a low laugh, clearly amused by the antics of the children playing 'monster' in the grass. But he turns his attention to Telamon presently. "A friend of yours." He explains without really explaining. "Apparently someone wasn't sure what to give you for a gift, so a trip to the realm of dreams for a bit of vacation was in order?"

He flashes a grin at Telamon. "I thought I'd bring the girls for good measure."

The 'monster' appears in short order after Zalgiman talks. A little white wolf jumps out of the bushes, her fur bright and white as snow, but before she hits the ground, she changes into a girl, startlingly pale and with white hair that descends down to her shoulders. She stops just short of the girls' hiding place. "Grrrrrr, I'm a monster!"

Yi-Yi, the littlest girl, starts crying, and the white-haired girl looks taken aback. "Aww, no," she says, and her red eyes dart over to Telamon and Zalgiman. "I didn't mean to... I'm sorry..."

Di-Di and Ri-Ri attend to their little sister, soothing her. "Shh, shh, it's okay, there's no monsters! It's all pretend!" Di-Di says, the oldest girl soothing the littlest.

"She's just a baby," Ri-Ri says calmly to the white-haired girl. This get a "no'm'not" murmur from the crying littlest girl.

Telamon just shakes his head in bemusement. "I know who it was. I was wondering what she was up to." He chuckles. "She knows what I desire, more than anything else. Lana is probably the only one who knows me better."

His eyebrows rise up as the little wolf pops up, and then turns into a girl. When Aryia starts crying, however, he hms. "Everything all right, girls? Aryia, do you need Papa for a bit?" He offers the red-eyed wolf girl a reassuring smile. "These things happen. It'll be alright." He rests his arms on his knees. "I had a hard time with this dream the last time," he admits. "It's... something I want, deeply. And yet I know I still have miles to go to get there."

Zalgiman rises up from his relaxed pose as Aryia begins to cry, his expression gently concerned, and he makes a comforting gesture toward the pale girl with white hair. "It's okay Phea." He says gently and with real warmth. "You just say sorry and give her a hug if she wants one remember?"

He keeps his silver eyes on the girls a long moment longer but answers Telamon. "Maybe that's why you need to be here." Zalgiman offers, folding his arms over his legs. "The promise of the future can be a lot to handle... Sometimes it can be too much to handle."

He smiles bitterly. "Once you offered me a future that was too much for me to hold. I couldn't imagine happiness. Couldn't imagine being your friend. It was something I wanted deeply, but I was so stubborn in the belief that the light you offered would burn me up. Don't be afraid of your future Telamon. You've got more bravery inside you than that."

Phea frowns a little, but she nods and approaches slowly, like she's scared she might terrify little Aryia again. Nadina and Ariana nod gently at Phea's approach, however, and the wolf-girl approaches Aryia. "I'm sorry," she says. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"I did'n'know you're, you're--" Aryia sniffles, her speech slurred by her tears. "A wolf." The way she says it, it lands a little harshly.

Phea looks hurt, but Ariana frowns. "She doesn't mean that as an insult, I promise," she tells Phea. "Here, let's go back to our dads."

The girls approach Zalgiman and Telamon collectively, Phea slinking over next to Zalgiman and finding his hand for comfort. Ariana offers her little sister to Telamon, and Nadina looks a little worried about the entire situation now.

A soft chuckle comes from Telamon. "I think you might have it backwards. I want this. But I'm cautious about dwelling in dreams, as opposed to the waking world." He snorts. "I'll reach for the moon, because even if I miss I'll still be among the stars."

The girls approach at that point, and Telamon gathers Aryia into his lap. "Aryia, sometimes people are different. Remember when you met Aunt Simony and you were confused by her ears?" He lets the little girl cuddle into him, as he offers Phea another smile. "It's all right. Just a misunderstanding."

Though Phea offers Zalgiman her hand, he uses it to draw her down into his lap as well, though she's a bigger girl than Aryia. He wraps his big arms around her comfortingly and kisses the top of her head affectionately. "I love you." He whispers into her hair, and it's clear that he adores the child he's holding. He offers a somewhat apologetic smile to Telamon. "I thought that they might have fun together..."

There's a distance sense of sadness from Zalgiman, and he runs his fingers through Phea's hair. "You want braids?" It seems that he might be trying to change the subject so that the children won't dwell on their differences.

Little Aryia looks at Telamon weepily and nods. "I'm sowwy," she says, turning her starry eyes onto Phea. Her voice is still wobbly on account of her tears.

Phea looks at the little girl in Telamon's arms and nods, managing a little smile. "Apology accepted," she says politely. She's so soft-spoken when she isn't growling or yelling that she's a monster. Like how a wolf-daughter raised in the woods might sound.

Her expression brightens when her own father comforts her, giggling. "Love you too, dad," she says. "We are having fun. I'd love braids!"

"Yeah, we're having fun," Nadina nods firmly in agreement to Phea's statement. She looks meaningfully at Telamon. "We'll have to take little Aryia to Grandfather's more often. I don't know if she's ever actually seen his claws."

"Grandfather's gentle with his claws," Phea responds with a little smile.

Telamon strokes Aryia's hair gently, soothing her. "Good girl," he says approvingly. "It's always better to try and talk things out first." He smirks faintly at Nadina. "Grandfather can be a lot to take in at first meeting. He tries not to sandbag people with it, but... well, he's even better than I am at making a dramatic entrance."

His eyes move to Zalgiman, but instead of asking more obvious questions, he remarks, "There's always so much to do these days, it's good to have a little time to rest. Especially with family and friends." He gives Ariana and Nadina a smile, and beckons to them if they want to pile in with Papa.

Zalgiman's hands move with deft, practiced movements over Phea's hair, quickly forming a surprisingly intricate braid. He flashes Telamon a smile, glad to see the other man happy and at ease. "That, I can fully agree on." He says warmly, wrapping up Phea's braid with a little twist of leather. "There you are, perfect as always."

He releases the little red-eyed girl from his protective embrace so that she can show off her lovely braided hair to the other girls.

Phea beams happily when the other girls all 'ooh!' and 'aaaah!' over her. Her startlingly white hair makes for a beautiful braid, and she gets up from her father's ensnaring to twirl around in a circle for the other girls to admire.

"I want mine braided too!" Ariana declares.

"Phea, you're pretty!" Little Aryia exclaims.

Nadina can't help but grin at her little sisters, looking at Telamon. "I think you have to braid hair now, too, dad," she says. Clearly, it's a braid-off.

Telamon laughs softly. "I am a man of many talents, but hair braiding isn't one of them... however..." His eyes flick to Zalgiman, and he grins crookedly. "It seems we have one who does know how. And I do learn quickly."

He beckons for Ariana to come over. "Zalgiman, I watched you do a little of that, but I think you'd better correct me if I do this wrong." Impulsively, he reaches into a pocket in his tunic, and pulls out a few ribbons in white and violet. "These will do nicely for the end of the braid, I think."

Carefully, slowly, he begins to work, playing back Zalgiman's deft movements in his mind's eye, listening to the other man's instruction.

Zalgiman leans toward Telamon slightly, watching the other man's hands move and redirecting him where he needs it. He's surprisingly patient a teacher really, and he seems thrilled with the reaction of the girls to his efforts. By the time that Ariana's hair is done Zalgiman pats Telamon on the shoulder in a friendly manner and grins at him. "You do learn fast. Soon enough, you'll be doing all sorts of fancy things for your girls."

He nods to himself, as if coming to a decision. "You'll do well Telamon. It won't be long now I think, before your dream is a reality."

Phea nods firmly as she also inspects Telamon's work. "Your clothes are too frilly," she informs Telamon, "but you'll be a good dad." The wolf-girl's own taste of clothes are furs and leathers, similar to her father, crafted together into something that's warm and cozy.

"He is a good dad," Nadina agrees. She eyes the braid with her own little sense of envy, but oldest sisters get everything last.

"The bestest!" Ariana chimes in, already going to pick up little Aryia and holding her up. "Do Yi-Yi's hair next! C'mon! Please!"

As Telamon works on Aryia next, he grins at Phea. "Yes, well... to each their own. Nobody's perfect." After he's done one, the next is easier. Glancing at Zalgiman, he nods. "I can sense that. And I'm exhilarated by it. It won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is." Finishing with a violet ribbon, he kisses Aryia on the cheek, before beckoning to Nadina next.

He looks at Zalgiman again. There's a hundred questions, but... he decides to simply say. "I hope you're well too, Zalgiman."

Zalgiman meets Telamon's starry eyes and then he clasps the smaller man on the shoulder again. "Of course I am. I have my Phea, and that's more than I ever dreamed of." He slowly rises to his feet, wiggling his hand at Phea who gets a look of distinct of approval from him.

"Time to go Phea, we should let the girls play with their daddy for a while. We have rabbits to hunt today. Doesn't that sound fun?" His silver eyes glitter with mirth and joy.

Phea looks up at Zalgiman and frowns, looking between the girls and Telamon for a long, long moment. Red eyes studying Telamon in particular. "I don't want to go just yet," she says softly. And there's something that's far too aware in her voice as she says, "I don't know if we'll ever get to play like this ever again. To see each other like this ever again." Her voice is horribly sad.

The girls all look between each other with such sadness at Phea's words, too. But they're not sure how to respond. They're only children. They look at Telamon for guidance.

Inwardly, Telamon quails. How do you cross the distance, when it's measured in time and space and mortality? But he looks within, and finds the answer -- or at least, what he thinks is the answer. "This is the blessing of dreams, Phea. There is no distance, no gulf that cannot be crossed. And in time... I am sure we will meet again." He reaches out to take Phea's hand in his, gently. "And if we have to, we'll come find you. All of us." He looks to the girls, his gaze warm. "All will be well."

Zalgiman looks at Telamon gratefully. "You hear that Phea?" He says softly. "We're welcome to come back again. You can play with your friends on some other day. Telamon wouldn't lie about that."

Those silver eyes which once upon a time had been filled with such darkness, have nothing but kindness in them now. Love for this little girl has filled up Zalgiman's life - or afterlife - with what he'd been missing before. "They'll come find you. And we'll all be together."

Phea looks so uncertain. But the little red-eyed wolf-girl looks up at Telamon a final time and nods after a moment. "I wish..."

And then she bites away the phrase. "That's a dangerous thing to say," she says. But then she looks at Telamon's daughters, and she smiles at them. "We'll all be together one day."

Her eyes fill with tears, and she looks up at Telamon. "Please say hi to... your wife for me." It's such a hesitant little plea.

"Of course we'll say hi to mom," Telamon's daughters agree in near-unison. Even little Aryia, who gives Phea a little farewell wave.

Telamon gently disentangles from his daughters, and moves over to Phea, kneeling in front of her. Very gently, he hugs her, the warm embrace of a family friend. "Of course," he repeats. "She'll be thrilled to hear from you, Phea." He gazes into her eyes. "Come now. No tears, no goodbyes. Only 'until the next time'." Waiting for the nod, before releasing her to her father, and returning to his daughters.

"Her light on your path, Zalgiman," Tel says with a gentle smile. "Until again."

Zalgiman nods to Telamon, taking his daughter's hand. "Her light upon your path Telamon. Until next time." He leads Phea away then, to the forest. Though... if one looks carefully it might be hard to say if Phea is the one leading him or not...

Telamon gets more time with his daughters of course, time spent braiding hair, and playing 'monster'. Telamon gets to be the monster of course. Chasing them through the tall grasses until exhaustion claims them all. They end up in a happy pile on the blanket, watching the sky that never changes. One blink becomes two. Two fade into sleep, and...

Telamon wakes to the morning light pouring in through his window, and the warmth of Cor'lana peacefully sleeping at his side. The warmth of not Pothy but Tanith curled sleepily beside his face. She blinks golden eyes at him.

Somehow the lingering dreams feel not so much like a dream, but a promise of the future. Impossible as that might be.