pactmarshal | songerein inbox

[ It's not for a few days after the harrowing encounter with Eustace's noctaere form that Ori starts to go out and about again. Exhaustion aside, it takes time for her to be able to still herself to truly rest after all that they were made to see and hear and experience... Eustace and Tifa's pain, the nightmarish atmosphere of everything, that lingering feeling that she could have done better, done more to keep everyone from getting hurt the way they did...

And that includes Trahearne.

He is one of the first she seeks out once she's able (and once Diluc has deemed that she has, indeed, gotten enough rest), and as such she finds herself at the door to his treehouse, quietly knocking on the door with a basket full of healing potions hanging on her other arm. ]

Trahearne...? It's Oriphi... Are you home?

[This has been grossly overdue. Beatrix has largely kept to herself for a multitude of reasons, but even that, she knows, isn't a good excuse. There are things that have to come before her and she has to be able to separate her own feelings from the situation.

Sometimes that means doing incredibly difficult things. It's not very like her to reach out to other people and maybe the days growing have just made her feel continuously less like herself. Not quite diminished, but a flame that once was very brightly stoked has died down considerably.

She withers.]

Trahearne,

I wanted to see how you have been faring.
I am sure Oriphi has already come to see you, but considering the circumstances for us all, there is more strength in unity.

With Regards,
Beatrix

[ A sensation has been burrowing it’s way into her body since leaving Oriphi’s quaint home after the disaster. It feels like an absence of homesickness— perhaps it’d best be described as loneliness, in truth. It is an all-consuming fear of being the odd guy out. What a foolish notion that is, she knows. Still, the moment it strikes her, after a few days of tending to her battle wounds, she knows she has to get out there. So, Aerith gathers herself up, makes sure she looks presentable, and dashes out the door to find people. She knows who she wants to visit, and isn’t very picky about the order she does it in. She does, however, make a stop to pick apples before inviting herself over.

When Aerith finds Trahearne, she’s wearing her pink dress. The outfit from before is shot, dirtied with muck and blood. She’s made the fabric into ribbons for her hair now. On her face is a smile, bright and sweet as always, and on her elbow is the wicker loop of a picnic basket. With one fluid movement, she stands on the tips of her toes to hold it out for him to take, right in front of his face, with no warning. ]

Go on. Take it. It’s for you.

[ It’s more apples than he’ll need, but a gift, all the same. ]

Say, Trahearne...

Do sylvari have birthdays? Do you celebrate them?

[ Sometime during the night of Eustace's bachelor party, Ori sends a message... ]

Trahearne,

How is the party going on your end? I hope you are all enjoying yourselves!

- O

[A present is left at his placed sans outward signature. Inside, a letter:

Trahearne,

I have been keeping a record of such things. I thought perhaps you would like one for you as well.

—Beatrix

Inside this package, heavier than it appears, is a fashioned collection of parchment. The pages are a collection of poems that Beatrix has written. All are dated and titled, since her arrival in Songerein, detailing every adventure that she and Trahearne have been on together. There is parchment in the back that is empty, implying that she anticipates they will have so many more together.

On the last written page, a dried and preserved red rose pressed between the pages. Perhaps to mark where her last one has gone.

Now that she knows he likes poetry. Now that he knows she likes poetry.]

[ It seems like the haze of the holidays is just about over. Once Christmas has passed, there is an odd limbo during which everything seems to come to a stop, waiting for the new year to come. It is during this time that Susato finds herself back at Trahearne's place of residence.

It feels like she has seen him less and less at the Harvest since the wedding, but she thinks nothing of it just yet. She simply takes a deep breath as she knocks on his door, perhaps more gently than she intended. ]

Trahearne? It's me.

[After they had gotten back from the jungles with Trahearne, it had been one thing after the other for Beat. But that didn't mean that he had forgotten about his friend. With his backpack in hand, Beat made his way over to the wikki (after asking Susato for directions prior).

Though it was his first time there and though his curiosity gnawed at the edges of his mind, he was there for another purpose. He eventually finds Trahearne, and immediately makes a beeline towards him, a large grin on his face.]

Yo, Nightlight! Been lookin' for you.

[Sometime during the month Trahearne might find a little book left behind in his home by someone mysterious. Inside are pictures of flowers and mushrooms, all hand-drawn. And a collection of half-written poems and little notes of thanks.

Did a wind spirit sneak in? Who knows. But please do keep the gift.]

Hello there!

I am assuming I am talking to Trahearne, correct?

[What have you done, Zhongli?]

late august, post-nocstace

Text — Sender: Beatrix — Post-Noctace, Post-Dream - Early September

you know what this is

sender: Oriphi