Re: Killer of Weakness/Pilgrimage of Faith|Autus

[Kender Bard]

Meeka looked at him, momentarily blank as her mind struggled at the task.

Finally she murmured, "I would like that, my master, especially if you so bid it. Shall I gather our provisions?"

[tuo]

"Of course. I shall be waiting here for when you are finished with your task." Etch waits until she goes to get the provisions before looking down at the already cooling bead of magma and the remaining ash from the rose and bent down to examine it more closely. "The weak perish...the strong survive." He murmurs under his breath as he touches some of Deathvine's blood that dripped onto the ground and drew a circular path from it to the cooled magma. "And the weak perish..." He stares at what he drew intently as through trying to divine some elusive secret until Meeka returns.

[Kender Bard]

Etch is standing on a straight and narrow path. At his right is Meeka; her eyes are milky white like those of the blind and she is being led by his arm. The path branches off the farther that they go, but for each step they take together, her eyes grow a little bit clearer.

Before reaching the end of the path, however, Meeka stops and looks at him. "The eyes are not the only thing that may be blind."

And then the vision ends, with Meeka returning, packs and provisions with her.

[tuo]

Etch opens his eyes from the vision and frowns as he tries to understand it. When he sees Meeka approaching he pushes the vision to the back of his mind for now and stands back up and smiles. "There was no trouble I trust?"

[Kender Bard]

"None," Meeka said, holding his now filled pack out to him. "The priests were pleased that you defended Autus against the woman, and they offered us our provisions free." She shyly cast him a look of admiration. "Let us go, Master."

---

That night, Meeka sat close to their campfire, watching the fire and burning wood with an almost hypnotic raptness that she displayed nearly every night. With winter but a month away, though, the nights were growing cold. She sat, shivering, but uncomplaining.

[tuo]

Etch finished setting the tent up and looks over at Meeka. He walks over and sits next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulder. "You know, you are allowed to complain about the cold every once in a while Meeka."

[Kender Bard]

Meeka gave a little jump at his touch and looked at him in a moment of bewildered surprise. Her shivering slowed, though. "I'm sorry, Master," she murmured. "Next time I will be sure to voice my discomfort." She smiled at him, though, not wanting him to pull his arm away. "I feel a little better now."

[tuo]

Etch smiles and watches the fire as well. "You are making some real progress I think. Back when you first started to follow me, I don't think you would have even shown emotion towards that woman. Now..well you rarely express yourself and when you did earlier today...I thought it suited you well."

[Kender Bard]

She expressed herself again; delight filled her eyes for a moment and she looked at Etch with fleeting pride. And then it was gone, like a break in a cloud moving past the sun for only a moment.

"Thank you," she murmured. "If it were not for your assistance, that may not be possible." She reached over and softly touched the back of Etch's hand. "You are the wisest and bravest man I know," she whispered, so quiet that it could barely be heard.

[tuo]

Etch grins and rubs her shoulder. "There are many in this world who may be more brave or wiser than I...But I am honored that you think so highly of me." He looks up in the sky to try and figure out what time is it and frowns. "It is getting late. We should retire for the night." He rises and begins to use his earth sign to smother the flames, taking care not to spread it.

[Kender Bard]

Meeka frowned momentarily as Etch moved away but was careful to do so as his back was turned. "May you have restful sleep and pleasant dreams, Master," she said as she rolled out her bedroll, as custom, placing it near the remains of the campfire that she might enjoy what lingering warmth there was to be had.

[tuo]

Etch looked over at Meeka and shook his head. "No, it's getting too cold for you to sleep outside of the tent. Unless you desire an illness you are going to have to sleep in the tent with me."

[Kender Bard]

Meeka's eyes widened and she made a strange sound, almost like a squeak of fear. "B-but..." She warred with her mentality of servility and her embarrassment. The latter won.

Inching over to Etch on her knees, as though begging, she whispered, "Would that be proper, Master Etch? I have no qualms with sleeping outside, even in the cold, even at risk of taking ill."

[tuo]

Etch gave a small sigh and bent down to look her in the eyes and rests a hand on her shoulder. "Meeka, would it be proper for you to risk getting ill because you were embarrassed? We will both be in our own bedrolls so there is no reason for you to act like this alone." He rises, trying to lift her up in a way that only seems to encourage her to stand up, rather then he himself lifting her up. "If it would help any, we can stay in the next village along the way a little longer than normal to raise the money for a second tent. But for now I don't want to see you fall ill because of me."

[Kender Bard]

Meeka shook her head, but not to refuse. She didn't have it in her to do so twice, even if she wanted to. "I will join you, Master," she whispered. "I would not have you drain your funds on my behalf." She held his hand just a little longer, started to twine her fingers with his before abruptly pulling away, unnerved by herself. Wordlessly, she gathered her bedroll and spread it out in the tent, trying to put as much distance between his and hers as possible... which was barely any.

Looking at Etch, she mumbled, "Pleasant dreams, Master Etch."