Lya's Room|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Kender Bard]

Lya takes a seat in a chair that looks far more comfortable than the one in the War Room. Shutting her eyes and savoring a fleeting moment of peace, Lya motions to Avani to sit down in the chair near her own as a servant starts the fireplace going and walks in with a tray laden with fruits and wine. "Please, sit, relax Avani. You're not in trouble."

[adris]

Avani is nervous, especially being now alone in the presence of Lya. Before she had the steady hand of Thelon to hold onto if she really needed it. The thought crossed her mind that maybe she was staying a little too close to the mind... a thought that caused her to both blush and relax at the same time.

"I will sit, problem is I will have trouble relaxing. How I have been acting recently is totally uncalled for I know... I have trouble controlling my emotions. I have done something... unspeakable. Against all that I am."

She does manage at the end though to look Lya in the eyes, although it is uneasily. Any step forward is better then the ones off the edge she has been taking recently.

[Kender Bard]

Lya held her gaze for a moment before breaking it off to stare moodily in the fire. She didn't so much as touch the food and drink she'd ordered - that was something she'd called for more out of courtesy for her guest. Right now, anything she put in her mouth would most likely be tasteless.

Eventually, she sighed, and said, "Avani, war forces the hands of people like us to do things that sicken us, and go against our own beliefs. The Winds, the Waters, and the Earths are all pacifist by choice." She paused and grew a little misty eyed, thinking of Cascata in the hands of the Clears. She'd not been close to the Water leader, but she'd always felt a type of belief kinship for her. Clearing her throat, she continued, "I consider myself a bit more hardened than you. Though we've never instigated any wars under my reign, we haven't exactly been sheltered from the hardships of life, what with Maelstrom stealing our people for slavery. You, though, have not had that problem. The Earth types have remained mewed up in Mount Humontis for as long as I can remember. Now you're wandering out of your self-imposed isolation only to have the burden of destruction laid on your shoulders - something I doubt you have prepared for."

Lya took another deep breath, and summed up with, "The point is, I can't well blame you, and if I hadn't have endured problems with Maelstrom before this, I'd be in as much of a state as you are."

[adris]

Avani swallowed hard, it was no mystery that Lya was trying to cheer her up... and she knew that no matter what she wished for, she would never be prepared for war... but what was on her mind was more then a battle with losses.

"I... destroyed that village. I gave the order to slaughter, I told my people, to kill others that weren't able to defend themselves. I still feel I could hear the screams of clear women and children as their roof collapsed on their head. It is not my losses that I am sorry for... it is what I have done to our so called enemy that makes me feel this way. Are we any better... are we any better that I can call for the deaths of innocents, and we simply dismiss it as an act of war. I am a monster Lya."

She lost sight of Lya, she couldn't look at her. She was worse then the clears themselves... she didn't deserve to be in the presence of this woman. Lya may know the horrors of Maelstrom... but she had never ordered for her people to kill the innocents of the storms.

[Kender Bard]

"I don't suppose you believe in 'an eye for an eye'," Lya muttered. "And I doubt it's any consolation that Fara was strictly a slaver village and that there probably wasn't any Clear there that wasn't guilty of the fate they got.. But I'm sorry Avani. We need you for this fight, and your people. But know this - you are a Leader, and that means that in the face of overwhelming guilt, grief, or come what else, you have a responsibility..." She paused. "No, a DUTY to rise above whatever emotions you are feeling and to deal with the task at hand in whatever way is appropriate. And if you can't handle that responsibility, then perhaps you should step down from your position and go retire in a little cottage somewhere to knit." She didn't want to be hard on Avani, but Lya hurt deeply too, and couldn't help but feel jealous that Avani was allowing herself the luxury of grief when Lya was holding herself back from it.

[adris]

Avani thought long and hard. There was an awkward silence to fill the room as she looked towards her feet. She mulled everything over, all that happened to this point, and all that was to come. She said it herself that how she was acting was wrong... she knew the truth of Lya's words even before they were spoken. She then decided to speak.

"I know you don't know me very well... But do I look like a girl who is any good at knitting?"

She looked confident suddenly... there was a cocky smile that rose to her face. Half due to the situation... and half because she couldn't let her grief hold them back. Her people could swing a war in any direction as long as they hold strong, but she is the one that needs to hold them in place.

[Kender Bard]

"No," Lya said simply, with her own gentle smile. "You don't. And I'm glad you see that as well Avani. If we didn't live on opposite sides of the continent, I'd say we could make cozy neighbors." Scowling, she adds, "I'd far rather have Humontis to my western border than Maelstrom." Lya shook her head and frowned at the fire. "Sorry. You see, even I have things I wish to stew over. Darkstorm's treachery cuts deep."

[adris]

Avani smiled and even scooted her chair closer to Lya. She finally had a smile, not forgetting what had transgressed but finally feeling she can get beyond it. Darkstorms actions hurt them all, she can only imagine what it would be like for her.

"Well, a lot of people would like to have Humontis as a neighbor... well, all but our current neighbor's in the beastlands. I think they would like us to move out fast. I guess with Faolan being as capable as he is, I guess you can say he means to me what Shadow does to you... the only thing stopping all Hell from breaking loose in our backyard. I tell you what though... the worst feeling in the world is having to bottle things up. You feel like it is getting to be too much, you look me up, vent at me for a little while... then we can settle down for a meal. It's the least I can do."

She finally took a little of the food that was brought in and nibbled on it. She wasn't really hungry, but since Lya was kind enough to order it, she felt obliged to at least try.

[Kender Bard]

Lya shut her eyes and managed her own weak smile. "Well, I'll tell you this, Avani. After the war is over, I bet a lot of people in power are going to take a week off to mourn and vent and get over their problems seeing as we can't do it right now. Speaking of delaying, we should get back to the others and arrange for the details of our plan to be set into motion."

[adris]

She giggled a little, she didn't know why but it felt good... so why not just let one loose. Lya wouldn't notice or care in any case, she even gave a salute to the lady after she said to go. At least while being light of spirit she can keep her mind at the task at hand.

"Sure thing boss, sorry for taking your time with all this by the way. You are something special Lady Lya, I don't care how you feel about yourself... I think you are beyond not only me, but most of the leaders gathered here."

She stood only to be proper, allowing the woman to lead the way outside the door.

[Kender Bard]

Lya gave a very unladylike, and unleaderlike snort. "The hell if I am, Avani. I'm the one that's begging everyone else to come save me." Smirking, she walks back into the war room.

((Going back to Looking Out for Lya))