It seemed like every time he had to have a serious conversation with Elisabeth, it was by the sea. A different beach now, than it had been the last few times, but a beach nonetheless.
Padding out onto the sand, Prae whispered to the wind to flit ahead of him, greeting Elisabeth in their own unique way. The ritual brought a smile to his face every time. He hadn't been the one to initiate her—but he'd been there, seen her grow from a fledgling mage to the defier she was now, and he couldn't be prouder of her. Couldn't be more happy that they had this thing they could share between them.
Curling his tail affectionately around her shoulders, Prae gestured for her to sit."Do you have a moment? There's something I need to talk to you about," he said, settling down on the sand. For a moment, he just looked out towards the sea, breathing in the salty air. It struck Prae then that this would likely be the last time he saw this view for a long while. He was going halfway across the world on what some might all a suicidal fool's errand, leaving this all behind.
He would miss it. For a second, he just took in the view, trying to commit the moment to memory. The sound of water lapping at the sand, the feel of the sea breeze in his face.
The warmth of a dear friend by his side.
"There's no easy way to say this," he said softly. "I'm afraid I have to leave. There's something I have to do in the Western Continent. And I don't know when I'll be able to return to Scalvoris again."
word count: 304
Let's play 'What's Weird About Prae'
Head
A fiery rune shines under his right eye
A firey glow in the back of his mouth
Arms
A ring of blue runes floats over each of Prae's wrists
A silver shield marks the back of his right hand
A ring of light around his left forearm
Misc
His tail is about eight feet long, usually knotted around his waist
His body temperature is uncomfortably high
Surroundings
Wind gusts with every step he takes
The area around him is slightly more static-y than normal
A little breeze swirled around her lithe form, and Elisabeth knew who was coming to visit her. A flick of the wrist sent a small eddy of wind back in the direction of her beloved friend, feeling it as it danced and played in the area around the Ithecal.
Praetorum was often serious, but something in the way he carried himself told her that something was wrong. Perhaps 'wrong' wasn't the right word, but there was a weight on his features – that she was sure of.
As it so often did, his tail snaked around her shoulders, and he said he needed to talk to her. Sighing, Elisabeth's eyes found his. "I'm not going to like what you have to say, am I?" He didn't need to answer the question because she already knew.
Sliding to the sand, she gently laid her hand upon his tail, steeling herself for whatever was to come. It didn't feel like a simple matter, and because of that, her emotions began to churn. Balthazar, who was somewhere around, likely would feel the sharp change through their shared link - Elisabeth's emotions didn't u-turn that dramatically without good reason.
The explanation that came was….complex. On the one hand, the Ithecal was saying one thing, but there was another level to it. The Western continent? Did she know of anything over there? Not really. But why did he have to go there, and why did it sound like he didn't know if he would ever be back?
It was a lot to take in, but Elisabeth remained outwardly calm. At least for a few moments.
When she did reply, her voice was quiet. "Why? Why do you have to go there?"
That information, was step one. Once Elisabeth knew what she was dealing with, they'd move on, but there was no point arguing until she knew what she was arguing about.
There was no easy answer to that question, but Prae didn’t think Elisabeth would accept an easy answer from him.
“It’s complicated. The most simplistic answer is that there’s good I can do there that I can’t do here. Sirothelle is a city of slavers, and with Faldrun gone, there’s no better time to interfere with their trading of people. I can’t do much, but I think I can do enough to make a difference. But that’s more… why I’m going there in particular.”
Prae sighed, claws digging into the sand. “I have to go because my future lies elsewhere. Not in Scalvoris. Not even in Rharne. I need… to build something for myself. During the siege, I spoke to the Immortal Empress. Spoke to her of my crimes. Murder carries a death sentence in the Empire, but given my circumstances, I have been offered an opportunity to lift my exile. I was set four tasks. Most relevantly, I am to build myself a homestead. And then, to expand it into a kingdom.” The words were so plain, spoken like this, but the weight of them sat on Praetorum’s shoulders.
“I don’t know if I’ll succeed. I just know I have to try. This is my path forward, past my failures. This is my way of redeeming myself. My family is here, but my life isn’t. So… I need to go.”
He squeezed her shoulders gently. “This isn’t some sort of final goodbye. We have echo scrolls, and I think I’ve gotten enough of a hang of how dream walking works now to find you in Emea. We’ll figure something out—we’ll keep in contact. But I won’t be able to visit Scalvoris, between my duties in Rharne and whatever happens on the Western Continent. Banners only link two locations, and I don’t think I can afford to be away from them for tentrials at a time.”
word count: 337
Let's play 'What's Weird About Prae'
Head
A fiery rune shines under his right eye
A firey glow in the back of his mouth
Arms
A ring of blue runes floats over each of Prae's wrists
A silver shield marks the back of his right hand
A ring of light around his left forearm
Misc
His tail is about eight feet long, usually knotted around his waist
His body temperature is uncomfortably high
Surroundings
Wind gusts with every step he takes
The area around him is slightly more static-y than normal
Elisabeth was already not liking the conversation, and the way he answered her question made her like it even less. It was mainly because Praetorum had some excellent points that made it much more challenging to argue with him. That wouldn't stop her from trying, mind you, but just made the matter much more unpleasant.
As much as she tried to keep her emotions in check, Prae always managed to bring out her vulnerable side. The torrent of emotion inside her threatened to overcome, but Elisabeth refused to allow that. What was needed was calm and a rational mind.
Well, one out of two wasn't bad.
"Why do you need to go to Sirothelle? Isn't there someplace closer you can go to achieve the same end?" she began, words flying out of her mouth almost faster than she could conceivably speak them.
The Immortal Empress? That was Raskalarn, who had sent Balthazar and herself on the mission in Rynmere. Long story that but she had given Prae tasks, it seemed. Elisabeth didn't know much about her but had understood from her brief interaction with the Immortal that she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
"What does building a homestead have to do with the slave situation? You could deal with what you need and come back to build a homestead. Remember, you are Forged, so there are responsibilities here too." Her words were quick but soft. More importantly, they contained no judgment, only seeking to remind him of things he might have forgotten.
The situation seemed oddly familiar, leading her to tell him a bit of a story. "When I met Balthazar in Rharne, he said something similar or at least felt he was in a similar situation. We weren't anything but friends then, but he spoke of feeling torn between too many places that needed help. He felt trapped and spread too thin, but he's not built to say 'no' to someone that needs help. I suppose I'm the same way, which means we can understand – to a degree – how torn you must feel between different priorities and obligations."
Elisabeth wasn't trying to make him reconsider or regret his decision. She understood; she did. But perhaps he needed someone with a greater perspective. "Have you discussed this situation with anyone? You need to tell Balthazar. He will want to know. There might be other options you aren't thinking of that will accomplish all the same means."
As for the rest, well, being tenacious was a hallmark of Elisabeth's personality. It was evident through her tone that the point was non-negotiable. "Then I suppose if you go through with this, I'm coming to see you in Rharne. Echo scrolls and dreams are what they are; it doesn't compare to being able to see you in person."
If that wasn't enough, the point was driven home. "You are my family, and you are loved, Praetorum. Far more than you realize. Whatever you do and wherever you go, I will find a way to get to you. I will never be selfish with our relationship, and if you say you must go, I will send my love and support with you. All I ask is that you consider every option and alternative first and make an informed decision."
