END OF ARC 2: PART ONE OF THREE

[asgardmods]

Who: ANYONE going on the infiltration into Thrymheim!
What: Lots of travelling and also rescuing Freyr's soul.
When: Days 278 - 279 ( June 10 - 13 )
Where: Asgard, Thrymheim, and the road inbetween.
Rating: PG-13. Anything that might go higher than that should be taken to a private log, please!

[ Before even the first crack of sunlight over the horizon on Day 278, every bracelet in the city will give a quiet blip! as they activate with a short mass text from the gods:

The time to act has come. Gather at the Gate of Frost by the Sun's first rays if you will, and be prepared to strike at the heart of ice. There is no room for failure.

Exactly as the message implies: it's time to ship off to Thrymheim. Gear up in your best winter clothes and bring whatever weaponry you need; there are wagons thinly concealed and waiting for you at the southern gate that leads to the home of the Frost Giants. Inside the wagons will be those portable heaters that you guys bought in Utgard, along with spare gloves, jackets and scarves for anyone that foolishly believed summer might touch the kingdom of ice. Travellers can also find food rations to last a week alongside a generous amount of medical supplies that may or may not be a bit foreboding.

The caravan will leave at precisely 5AM, driven by the barest amount of Natives to keep travel at a minimum. Secrecy is of the utmost importance, and a severe silence will fall across the few sitting in the back of the wagons with the Travellers. They know the weight of this mission: if you fail, Freyr's soul will remain trapped forever. It is dangerous and no one's lives are guaranteed, so prepare yourselves for a fight quite unlike any other this far.

As you travel further from Asgard, you might notice the terrain getting a bit more uneven as the wagons move through undeveloped areas. There may be the odd village noticeable in the far off distance, but they are nowhere close enough to make out any distinguishable details because you don't want them distinguishing anything about you in return. These villages are few and far between, and grow even less in number the closer the caravan gets to Thrymheim. The terrain goes from rocky but arable to colder and harder, the temperature dropping increasingly as the earth grows solid and unforgiving, eventually peppering with light snowfall even in the midst of Yggdrasil's summer.

It will take two full days to reach Thrymheim travelling at as fast a pace as they can without wearing out the horses or catching unwanted attention. They will make short stops to feed and brush the horses, switch drivers, and allow for any necessary relief - but these breaks will last no longer than ten to twenty minutes at most. Simple meals will be served by the Natives thrice daily, and Travellers are welcome to attempt sleep on one of the meager pallets stocked up if they think they can manage it. Space is not abundant and neither is time. ]

[ OOC NOTES: This is part one of three for the Save Our Souls plot! Please put the day/location in the title of your comment along with [OPEN/CLOSED]. The second log can be found over here and the third and final log can be found here. Let us know if you have any questions! ]

Comments

[lethechained]

[He seems to be successful in avoiding waking her - at least at first, because it's not long before she wakes quite suddenly. It could be any of a number of things; that particularly large bump in the road, an unpleasant dream, some shifting of another person in the wagon - but whatever the case, she jerks, very subtly, and then she raises her head, lips tugging into a small frown even before she reaches up to draw her hood back.]

[Seeing him out of the corner of her eye, she pauses just a little bit abruptly, then turns to peer at him. That coat of his is... jarring, at times, like so soon after waking, but she does not go so far as to stiffen; even dozing and even waking and even in her subconscious, she knows him. Her hand continues on its path, taking the hood with it, and then moves to brush briefly over her hair, just once, before she shifts to look at him more directly. Though she finds herself automatically concerned, she works out a smile and offers it to him. Despite the circumstances, she's still happy to see him. She's always happy to see him.]

[key_illusion]

[Sorry for being your dark knight, Namine alksfjaslkfjalkfqjw

It takes him a bit to notice her movements, half in a daze himself, but he's giving her a smile in return. Hard not to smile back, yet it's a bit strained. He doesn't like that she's coming along while they're headed into enemy territory.]

Hey...Did I wake you? [Shifting slightly to lean towards her, ??? bumps their shoulders together.]

[lethechained]

[dkjgbdfgbfkd better than no knight at all?!]

[She doesn't like it much, either, but probably for very different reasons. Still, it's her duty, especially if he and some of their friends (mutual or respective) are involved.]

[Her smile flickers larger at the bump, then she moves to reciprocate it gently.]

Not sure. [She really isn't; but she still shakes her head.] I think it was the road. That's what it's been most of the time so far. [Someone's been waking up a lot.]

[key_illusion]

[True, very true.

When she bumps him next, he leans in again to simply keep the contact.]

That sucks. I don't think it's going to get any easier from here on. [It probably won't wake him up too much if he let himself fall asleep.] You're really dressed up for this. I don't think I've ever seen you wear pants.

[lethechained]

[Which she's perfectly happy to share, leaning lightly against him in return with a quiet sigh.]

I'll manage. Maybe over time I'll get used to it. [It's not easy being such a light sleeper at a time like this, but it's not an easy habit to break, either. Her eyes shift downward at his comment.] It seemed appropriate. ... I've almost never seen myself wear pants, either. [Hah. She doesn't laugh, but her smile changes in an approximation of it.] It's really strange. My legs feel so... closed in.

[key_illusion]

I've never really thought of it like that. [But then again, he's never tried a dress on. Never will. It doesn't help that his clothes were practically a second skin back in the data-scape.]

You should try some baggy pants when we get back. [Because they will. He won't allow otherwise.]

[lethechained]

I guess you wouldn't. You're used to it. [Heh. And also the 'never wearing a dress' thing.] It's probably a good thing you haven't been trying on skirts. I'm not sure they'd look good on you.

[She'd probably know, too. There is the briefest of pauses, and she watches as she processes the implications of that, then, a little more quietly,] It couldn't hurt. But you know-- I think I'll always be most comfortable with dresses. [Kind of got way too used to it in the beginning of her life.]

[key_illusion]

Thanks, I wouldn't want your eyes to bleed. [He can actually laugh at the thought, but it still comes as only a breathy chuckle. Don't want to make too much noise while others are trying to sleep.] Something's probably wrong with my head if I start thinking trying on one might be a good idea.

Then...we'll have to find you a more suitable dress for movement if you're going to keep joining the fights. But you'll have to bear with it until we're all done freezing our butts off. [Yeah, he's already picked up on the fact that Namine's going to be about her Healer duties, even if he tried to argue against it.]

[lethechained]

I wouldn't, either. [She almost-laughs, herself, though it's quiet and closer to a happy sort of huff than anything else.] We'd definitely have to check you out if you did.

[The smile on her lips grows apologetic; she knows, all too well, his protests. But... even if she knows he means well, she can't find it in herself not to do this. She knows the risks, and the likelihoods.] I'd really appreciate it. Even if I did have a dress, though, if it was going to be this cold the dress would probably have to be a magic one. Or... have something underneath it anyway. [Still -- maybe they won't have to do everything in that climate.] Besides... I think I've got a lot of things to work on, if there are going to be more battles. [Because that she'll be involved in them is a given, as far as she's concerned, save only if she is amongst the healers set far away from the front lines.]

[key_illusion]

...What do you mean by that? [BECAUSE ??? DOESN'T LIKE WHAT THAT IMPLIES. Can you hear the wariness in his voice, Namine? Your son creation is concerned.]

[lethechained]

[She can hear it in his voice. Heck, she can practically hear the data being processed in his brain. She at least has the decency to lower her eyes to her hands, if only for a moment; she draws her focus back up again after just a second or two.]

Well... I'm a healer. And as a healer, it's my duty to help people who are injured. Except - they can't always get to me when they need me. So... sometimes, I'll have to go to them. No matter how dangerous it is. There may not always be somewhere for the other healers and I to stay while everyone is fighting those battles.

[By which she means she needs to learn to defend herself, of course.]

I've been thinking... maybe it would be best if I learned more about runes, and--... [as much as it troubles her,] ... maybe some swordfighting. [She says that really more because it's all she knows rather than because she'd want something with a blade in the first place; she has no desire to cut anyone down when she could incapacitate them instead, but... she knows her own weaknesses, there.]

[key_illusion]

... [It's true that she needs to learn how to protect herself, but ??? doesn't like the whole idea of her getting closer to danger. That shouldn't need to happen. Didn't she learn from the Darkness?]

I'll teach you both... [But he's already frustrated. He hates that it makes sense too.]

But what about a gun instead? [Long range is better, at least. She can keep her enemies further away and attack.]

[lethechained]

[She doesn't much like it, either... but she's also one of the most powerful healers among the Travellers. It's... not something she feels she has much choice about.]

[And she can see it, too, and hear it, and there's an apology in her expression even if she doesn't say it quite yet. She listens to him continue, instead, and pauses.]

A gun... would be easier. [There's significant hesitance in her voice, though.] And I know it would be better for someone like me, it's just-- [it's just she doesn't want to kill anyone, and even if there's the possibility of that with a sword, it's less easy to do so accidentally. And--] ... there's ammunition to worry about, and... other things. Maybe that too, but-- I may not always be able to keep my distance. [So something short-range in addition, at least.]

[key_illusion]

I don't like it. [There, he said it.] I don't like that you'll have to put yourself in danger...But I will teach you.

[He has to lean away from her now, settling back against the caravan.] Whenever you think it's too dangerous and you're putting your life on the line, I want you to retreat. I don't care if someone's going to die because of that-- I just want you to be safe no matter what.

[Because her life is more important than anyone else's, of course.]

[lethechained]

[She deflates a little - not that she was particularly inflated in the first place - at his admission, a sigh leaving her frowning lips.]

I know. [And it's not a matter of ego, it's a matter of fact. She knows him too well, knows his loyalty is too great.] I'm sorry. But... thank you.

[The girl stays where she is a moment longer, only moving back herself belatedly, her hands tightening around each other.]

I....

[It always troubles her, having to refuse him anything at all.]

... I don't know if I can... promise you that. It means so, so much to me that you would say that, but I-- [She can't be sure she could convince herself to run, to abandon someone. She looks apologetic, at least. Instead,] ... I'll do my best to make sure nothing happens to me. That I can promise you.

[key_illusion]

[Technically, he did get her to run away once. But it's better than the Darkness take her too.

??? knows when he's being unrealistic at times too. He also knows he's putting her into an uncomfortable position when he's being (painfully) honest. It's why he's silent for the most part, like he's already quit from their conversation, but he does eventually sigh to himself.]

I'll teach you. I'll teach you and protect you, okay? We'll figure it out.

[He'll reach for her hand, even if it's barely warm at all. He can't do much more than that to reassure her.] Let's try and get some sleep. We have a long trip ahead of us.

[lethechained]

[That was only because there wasn't anything she could do and she knew it. There was no way she could help him but by making his sacrifice worth what he meant it to be.]

[His silence may trouble her, too, but if it does, it's visible only in the corners of her frown as she waits, watching patiently. His sigh, at least, is a sign he's listening - not that she expected otherwise.]

... Okay. Thank you. I'll... try to make it easier for you.

[The moment she realizes he's reaching for her, she reaches back, hand fitting with his without hesitation. Her smile is her own way of trying to reassure him, too, and at his suggestion, she nods.] Right. That's for the best. [And her smile does not fail, especially when she says,] Good night.