Setting: Main Cavern - House Jaersendo
As the entranceway opens to the Family Cavern of the Jaersendo Family, one can't help but be impressed. The magic of Rockshaping that flows so strongly in this line is displayed for all to see. Steps worn by centuries of elfin feet descend four levels down, a large balcony and embellished rail encircles each tier. Entrances to the private homes of the members of this family ring the tiers, each evenly spaced, and the doorframes of each ringed with personal decorations to identify the owners. The ceiling vaults high above, giving an eerie sense that there is no comforting ceiling high above, especially as it's lined with arcs and swirls of luminescent fungus. The bottommost tier lacks a balcony, having the main floor of the cavern with a raised dias in the centre. It is here that the Family Jaersendo would have meetings or conferances. There is only one door at the lowest level, the largest and grandest of the dwellings, for it houses the Lord of House Jaersendo, and its door is sealed in rock. Though the Stoneshaper work of this cavern takes the breath away, it has grown dusty and quiet.
Four magnificent balconies circle the room each embellished with powerful spirals, graceful curves, the works of some of the strongest rock shapers to have ever lived. But the shapings are covered in dust, long lain dormant.
Outside Adago's Chambers:
Belynrath locksends to Adago, Belynrath's mind is tense, **Dago? Cousin? Can we speak?** He seems, deep down in that private moment of himself that only you ever see in him, shaken, down to his very center.
Adago locksends ** We may..come in. **
Adago's Chamber
This dimly lit room is surprisingly comfortable. In stark contrast with the spartan and dust-ridden main hall of house Jaersendo, Adago's rooms are almost opulent. Dark rock has been coaxed to mingle with a paler hue, forming spidery veins across the walls. With the aid of shaped footholds along the walls, glowmoss snakes around the room, casting a sickly light.
When you first enter, there is a sunken area directly ahead. Laden with pillows for lounging, a brazier sits in the center, holding hot coals for warmth and added light. In the far left corner, shrouded behind mothcloth, is Adago's bed. Strewn about on the floors, are various fur pelts. The right-most wall bears a small archway, also draped with mothcloth.
Belynrath steps in, just far enough to let the door cover fall shut behind him. He glances up to quickly search the room for his cousin.
Adago is sprawled against a pile of pillows before the brazier, scowling at the coals.
Belynrath moves over, silently, almost as if he's about to get scolded. He drops to sit across the coals from Adago, waiting for the other elf to ask or speak or something.
Adago glares at the brazier for a few more moments, then lifts his gaze to you. **Something you want to get of your chest?**
Belynrath leans back, thinking how best to phrase this. Finally, after a long pause, he replies, **Lady Cirksa... has plans for me, I'm certain.** He contines to watch the coals, the red amber of their light turning his ice-blue eyes into reflective lavendar, **...I'm going to play into her, see if I can figure out what she wants, and how to best weaken her.**
Adago is most displeased, that much is clear. **You are such a fool, Bel. You cannot PLAY the Lady of Juraido. She's a snake, Bel. And she will play YOU before you even realize it.**
Belynrath takes a deep breath and leans forward, still watching the coals, **That's way I need you, Adago. Now more than ever.**
Adago arches a brow **Need me? To what, watch while you destroy yourself?**
Adago sends openly ** She's a snake, and SHE is the kind of Underworlder that will be the death of us all. **
Belynrath looks up at his cousin. His mind is a steel trap, **Exactly. She must be dealt with and destroyed. Just as you'll help me build a tolerance to Troll Wine, so you'll help me keep my own soul from that demon as I learn her vemon to use against her.**
Adago snorts and gets up to pace. *Belynrath, you are the largest FOOL! You CANNOT go up against the likes of her. You are too young..I am too young. She will swallow you up and spit out out..you cannot trust her, ever, not for a small moment or she will use that moment of trust to tear out your heart.**
Belynrath sighs and watches his always so nervous cousin pace, **I won't ever trust her, Dago. You must make sure I don't. Just as you keep me thinking as clearly as you can while drinking that wine, so you must keep me detacted while I let her wind me in.** He shakes his head, **It's dangerous, I know, but better now, when she least expects it, and while we're young enough to adapt, than when we're set in our ways.**
Adago whirls on you and shoots a dark look your way. **It's not dangerous, it's foolish and it's suicidal! If your mother knew....**
Belynrath stands, his temper flaring, **You'll not tell her, Adago! You swore!** He brings a hand up and makes a fist, **I don't care how suicidal it looks or sounds, it is something that MUSt be done, and High Ones help me, if you're not man enough ...**
Adago arches a brow. **I swore? Not about this, about the troll gunk. I'll not stand with you in this, Bel. I'll not be a party to your own, and my destruction..or the destruction of your own house.**
Belynrath sighs and turns his head, looking defeated, **Fine.** He turns, his mind and thoughts cold and distant, **I thought I could trust you completely.**
Adago frowns **You can..to tell you when you are being a fool. Bel..I don't want to see you killed. Cirksa is dangerous, much more than I think you realize. Your mother will hear, not from me, but she is bound to hear.**
Belynrath sighs deeply. He's more relieved than he knows at Adago's thoughts. 'Yes... when I'm a fool,' he thinks silently. He turns and grins, **Fine, then. To what we promised, then. I'll worry about my Mother and that Snake. Let's get me drunk and see how long I fare this time.** He almost chuckles, **Maybe I'll think of something I haven't yet.**
Adago sends openly ** I will not be a part of this attempt to woo Lady Juraido. She is a snake, and you are acting just the way she does, manipulative to your own ends. It is NOT what I wish for myself or my people. It stops with me. **
Belynrath takes that like a slap to the face. 'Acting like...' His face falls, and he looks to the ground, **Nor I.** He thinks, **But is there a better way to deal with her? She sits on the council.**
Adago sends openly ** And so does your own mother. ** Adago sends openly ** Who leads by example, not by falling into the same routines as the other houses. **
Belynrath rolls his eyes, as if dismissing his mother and her actions, He shakes his head and drops to the sofa again, to stare in the coals. **By example. hmmph!**
That infuriates the young Adago. **How dare you speak of her so. She is a more honorable Underworlder than any of the others. She sees better things for us than deviousness and backstabbing in the shadows.**
Belynrath sighs and rubs his eyes, **Honor yes, but so SLOW!** How far has Cirksa dropped her poison into his mind? He's unsettled, not like himself.
Adago paces across towards you, stopping a mere space before you, glaring. **SLOW, yes. Not hasty and without clear thought. You FOOL! She plays you even now, encouraging your impatience.** Adago then gives you a look of..well..disgust and deep disappointment, then turns and paces away.
Belynrath sighs and drops his head to his hands, **Impatient. She called me that.** His mind is... resigned, but somewhat determined.
Adago turns his head to you, then simply shakes his head. **Continue down this path and I /will/ speak to your mother about it. I will not see you destruct yourself because you cannot be patient and smart for once in your life.**
Belynrath lets out an aggrivated sigh, sounding almost like a growl as he drops back, stretching out and rubbing his temples, **So now what, Cousin?**
Adago sends openly ** Stay away from her..unless you want to lose every goal you ever had. **
Belynrath sighs and stares at the ceiling, **I don't think I can, Dago...**
Adago frowns **Then go to your mother and she will ensure that you do.**
Belynrath grumbles, **I don't want her to know. It's my mistake. She has enough to worry about without cleaning up after me.** He sits up and thinks, **I can't stay in hiding here. And I can't go out there.... Can I just ignore her? Like a troll?**
Adago sends openly ** Bel, this is a mistake that threatens HER house. If Cirksa gets her claws into you any deeper, there will be a blood tie to THIS house on HER side. ** Adago sends openly ** I will not see that happen. **
Belynrath sighs and drops down to his side as if he were physically ill. **Why am I such an idoit sometimes?** He watches the coals, **There's just... when she looks at me...** He tries to suppress a shuddering memory, the phantom feeling of her arms around his neck which floats through on the tail end of his last sending.
Adago slmost makes a face, and looks a little green. **Bel, please...she is not.** His face darkens considerably now, and he chews on some thought or another. **Stay in the house, no matter /what/. Do you understand me?**
Belynrath sighs, and shifts his head to look at Adago, **I'll go stir-crazy, you know that.**
Adago frowns **Belynrath...you would prefer to go to the snake and have your mind poisoned till you give away every weakness and back door to Jaersendo? Does she know about your troll gunk?**
Belynrath shakes his head and smiles, **No, thank the Shadows, she doesn't. I'm not completely clueless about those sorts of things.**
Adago sends openly ** and at the pace you are going, she'll know of it in no time at all. **
Belynrath snorts lightly and turns to look at the coals again, **Give me /some/ credit, at least, cousin. We've met three times, and she hasn't learned of it yet.**
Adago sends openly ** No, but she has completely taken down all the other defenses you have. You are practically her lovemate, Bel. (distaste) **
Belynrath has the mind to look insulted, **I am NOT!**
Adago just arches a brow at Belynrath. Adago then sends back your earlier sending, about 'when she looks at me..'
Belynrath turns his head away to stare at the coals again, chewing at the inside of his cheek. He refuses to reply.
Nothing like looking in the mirror, eh? Adago watches you a moment then sighs, walking over to the pit and there flops into the pillows.
Belynrath shifts to regard Adago, **You ever have a lovemate?**
Adago sends openly ** No, it's far too distracting and dangerous in this place. **
Belynrath nods and turns back to the coals, **Glad I'm not missing anything.** He sighs softly and wiggles a bit, trying to get comfortable.
Adago sends openly ** If there were females worth trusting in this place, perhaps. But desire is not worth sacrificing your principles to. **
Belynrath sighs, a wavering sound as he ponders that. **I suppose...** Laced in the send are those damnable memories again. The feelings She shared with him, that sweet fear/desire mix, the heady blood-pounding when She runs fingers on his chin...
Adago sends openly ** She plays you, Bel. Like that damnable worm from Goumando plays her flute. **
Belynrath just rubs at a temple, **You're right, of course, Dago. You've always been the logical one.** He closes his eyes, **Some time away from her should clear my head.**
Adago sends openly ** You have to learn to go around with suspicious and open eyes, Bel. **
Belynrath stays silent, not wanting to think about it anymore. Hoping, that if he ignores it enough, it'll go away. Always worked before. When things get tough, let Mother handle it.
Adago just sighs heavily. How did HE get to be the 'older' one?
End.
