đȘŒ
Andulka
NASA
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d e v o n
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
todays bird
romaâ
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dirt enthusiast
Discoholic đȘ©
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Claire Keane
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
KIROKAZE
JBB: An Artblog!
wallacepolsom
Xuebing Du
oozey mess
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@battlefield-saint
((Hello everyone--this is just a quick update from me--thank you to the admins for being so considerate of my workload and allowing me an extended hiatus. During that time I will try to reply when I can. To those waiting on responses from Libra, Morgan, Rafiel, and Sephiran, I'm extremely sorry for my prolonged absence;;
Good luck to everyone else on hiatuses as well--take care of your health everyone and I will try to see you all again soon!))
Sweet Tooth || Gaius & Libra
candiedthief:
Gaius gave a light chuckle at Libraâs last little comment. He found it quite amusing and almost terrifying at the same timeâŠHim getting over sweets? Unlikely story, but it might happen in some alternate universe where sugar doesnât exist.
But, in all honesty, he really did appreciate the conviction that the blonde had given him. Gaius always did, truly. He couldnât remember a time when Libraâs judgement had been completely and only based on the fact that Gaius was a thief, and that made him feel more like a person rather than a scoundrel.
"Thanks, but no thanks," the forest-eyed man replied as he took out a cookie from a pouch strapped to his belt. "Iâd like to keep my âindulgent cravingsâ for now. Gotta have something to look forward to after training or fighting and all of that."
"Haha, you have me there," Libra responded with a sheepish smile, his stern expression all but gone with the wind. As much as the priest felt a life of moderation should be upheld, he could never force his beliefs onto his fellow Shepherds. In these times especially, when chaos so often ruled their lives over peace, perhaps they needed to indulge to make up for that loss.
"Perhaps if I offered you a sweet reward after a sincere prayer, you would do so more often," the priest chided. He might have been serious, but he also knew there was no point in forcing one's own habits onto others. If a life of worship and piety was meant for Gaius, it was a path that he would walk himself, in time. Of course, perhaps the greatest tragedy was the journey the ginger thief had already made. Change was a difficult task to complete--Libra knew better than most.
Hole in Your Soul - Libra & Tharja
By the time Tharja arrived in town, the sun had just dipped beneath the horizon. Crickets resting in the grass by the side of the road sang to her as she passed, and an evening wind fluttered her cape. She stopped a lamplighter to ask for directions to the restaurant where she was going to meet Henry and Libra; the man gave her a knowing smile and winked at her as he pointed her down the road.
"Have fun on your date," the man laughed, and Tharja rolled her eyes as she walked away. It was just a dinner between three friends, there was nothing romantic about it. Stupid old fool.
She arrived at the restaurant minutes later. The building was red brick and had boxes overflowing with flowering plants sitting in the windows. Tharja stepped inside and was surprised to find that the interior seemed, for lack of a better term, intimate. The dining room was dimly lit and each table had a a clean tablecloth, fine silverware, and a vase with a single rose. A violinist stood by a wall, playing something sonorous. The tables were all small and each had only two chairs.Â
The room was filled with couples. Couples staring at each other with adoration, couples kissing over their entrees, couples feeding each other bites of cake. Looking at them made Tharja want to gag.
A little bewildered, Tharja allowed herself to be seated at an empty table. Henry must have made a mistake when he chose this restaurant for their dinner, she thought. There was no way he could have known it catered to couples. As uncomfortable as she felt sitting in a restaurant full of gooey-eyed, slack-jawed, love-stricken imbeciles, Tharja resolved to wait for Libra and Henry. Once they were all together, they could look for another restaurant.
Tharja fiddled with a fork, a sour expression on her face as she waited.
It was with some difficulty that Libra managed to navigate the winding streets of the town, towards a certain establishment. The town was smaller than Ylisse, but still large enough to almost be a city. Lord Chrom had allowed the Shepherds some free time, given the nature of their surroundings. After completing what duties he'd had left, the priest promptly left camp to rendezvous with Tharja and Henry for dinner.
Indulging in a nice meal was a rarity for the priest. But, to do so in the presence of friends was a privilege he did not want to miss. After having received directions from a stallholder in the markets, Libra had made his way towards his destination with a smile and subtle skip in his step. He would make it right on time, and his instincts told him tonight would be a good one.
The heavy door of the restaurant was almost intimidating, and there was no telling what the interior was like from the curtained windows. It would have been a lie to say Libra was not nervous when he passed through the threshold. The air was warm, but not cloying, and a soft floral scent hid amongst the aroma of food. Dim lights cast love-struck couples into corners, and all the priest could do was smile stiffly as he was led to a table where a (somewhat comforting) familiar face sat.
"My apologies, Tharja. I should have had the foresight to realise you would have been early," he said with a sheepish smile. Needless to say, the priest's stomach gave another twist when he saw the absence of a third chair at the table. Regardless, there would have been no room for a third person. "Have you an idea as to when Henry might arrive?" He attempted, nevertheless, to cling to the last hope that this situation was not what he thought it was.
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
Tharjaâs cake was half-eaten by the time Libra turned his attention entirely to the wolves. Watching the priest play with the puppies, Tharja rolled her eyes and had another bite, pretending she didnât find the scene adorable.
"Well, I suppose we have an extra cake," Tharja said, setting down her fork. "Donât offer it to me. A lot of sweat and blood went into creating my figure. Someone elseâs sweat and blood, yes, but my point still stands."
Henry laughed and reached over, freeing the priestâs robes from the tiny jaws of the puppy.
"I guess so! Although I didnt really want two..I guess Iâll just have to hold onto it! Maybe eat it tomorrow..I dont get sweets too often, its just too bad Iâd really wanted to share..but at least you like them! Thats nice!"
The pups yipped and barked as they climbed and fell all over the priest. One jumped to try and reach Libraâs face but fell back down, tumbling into the picnic basket Henry brought.
"I-I'm sorry..." Libra managed to apologise for Henry's disappointment whilst trying to fish out the pup from the depths of the picnic basket. Fortunately (or unfortunately), Tharja's comment about the sacrifices she had made for her physique went unheard by the priest. Even his usual sense of attention had been dulled by the pups' overwhelming adorable auras. It was thus that the weakness of a man of the cloth who lived a strict life with the clergy was revealed to be corpse-eating wolf children.
((Hello, everyone! I'm very sorry for my prolonged hiatus--with a lot of things having taken up my time in the past few weeks, I had a lot of trouble staying active. Thank you for your patience, though--after Wednesday, I'll be able to return! In the meantime, if anyone I've sent asks to (from Libra, Morgan, Rafiel, or Sephiran) c-could... please remind me,,,,,, I will reply to everything in the next few days!))
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
"You went out and bought us cakes," Tharja said, eyeing the boxes warily. "Let it never be said that you donât take care of your friends." With only a small measure of hesitation, she opened one of the boxes, her body tensing as though she expected something to jump out at her. Inside the box was just a cake, and Tharja chuckled nervously. "It looksâŠgoodâŠ"
She took the box she had opened and cut a small bite out of the cake, popping it into her mouth and chewing carefully. It tasted delicious.
"What, youâre not going to eat anything?" Tharja said to Libra. "Have some cake, at least."Â
"Aw come on Libra just have a LITTLE cake!" Henry giggled, pushing one of the boxes toward the priest. "Get it. âCause its a little cake?â
One of the puppies caught Libraâs sideways look and got riled up, hopping over to Libra, pawing at his legs and trying to bite the long cloth of his robes. Its sibling turned its attention to the sudden play and wiggled with excitement before letting loose a small howl and tromping over and onto Libraâs lap.
Henry quietly beamed with pride watching the puppies, scooping up his own tiny cake âYou sure do love them huh Libra. I ought to make you the godfather!â
Libra was about to respond to Henry's delightful pun and Tharja's irritated glare. But, his words were lost when the pups turned their attention upon him.
"Ah--th-that's..." He stammered at Henry's exclamation as he tried to pry his robe from one of the pup's mouths, and used the other to scratch its sibling behind the ears. His cake went long forgotten. The priest's attention was fully fixed on pleasing the wolves.
"Good day to you, Gaius. Have you been practicing your prayers as of late? ... You've not been hoping for a rain of sweets again, have you?"
Gaius had been munching on several sweets when Libra had come up to him. Blinking at the man before him for a second, he swallowed what he had chewed and started to speak. âUhâŠright. Iâve been practicing my prayers, yes sir. Before I go to bed and right after I wake up. All the time.â Gaius then gave a small, almost sarcastic grin. âAlright, well, maybe not all the time. But you just gotta have a little faith in me, Padre, got it?â
The priest stared at the thief with a raised eyebrow. Gaius' nonchalance was something he had grown used to in the time they spent together. It was a skill useful in his line of work, no doubt. Danger came from knowing too much and being unable to feign ignorance. Even so, Libra had to remind himself on several occasions to let him be.
"So long as you've been trying. You need not fear--I have faith that you'll overcome your indulgent cravings in time."
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
This was the second time that Libra had offered to take her back to camp, and Tharja felt she should have been offended by the offer. She was a perfectly capable mage, Libra knew that. He should have known that she wouldnât need an escort to take her back to camp. Still, she was a little touched by the thoughtfulness of the gesture.
But she was also annoyed by Libraâs incessant gentility, so she crossed her arms and stubbornly dug her heels into the ground. âAnd I already said youâre not getting rid of me that easily,â she scoffed. âNot to mention, Henry would probably try to feed those sweets to the dogs if I left. And you would probably let him, you pushover.â
"What did you bring to eat, Henry?"
"Do you think they would like them?" Henry looked at the pups, wondering if they WOULD appreciate the snacks before snapping out and brought his attention to Tharja
"Oh! Well snacks I brought jerky and bread and stuff, but if you mean desserts, I brought cakes!" He dragged the basket closer, rummaging through and putting out 3 small boxes"I bought them in town!"
It seemed he had been wrong again. Though the priest was not surprised at his failed forecast, he wished there was a way to placate Tharja's displeasure. "I would stop him from feeding the wolves cakes, but I don't believe he would do such a thing to begin with..." he managed to mumble, mostly to himself. In other situations, he was fine with asserting himself, but the task seemed much harder in the sorceress' presence.
Libra turned his attention to the three boxes, and smiled sheepishly in reflex.
"If the two of you wish to eat, please go ahead. I'm not particularly hungry. May I keep the puppies entertained in the meantime?" He declined politely, complete with a sideways glance at the pups who were sniffing at the boxes.
Radiance and Blackheart - Emmeryn & Libra
Something in Emmerynâs chest felt warm and content when Libra began helping her hang up the laundry. It was such a simple task, but even this seemed more enjoyable when shared with a friend. She even began humming a bit to herself - if one listened close enough, her broken voice was able to piece together something that could resemble a melody.
At Libraâs offer, Emmeryn smiled warmly and shook her head. She knew that the manâs heart was in the right place, and at one point she was indeed the royal exalt of Ylisse, but those times had long since passed. Now, she was simply Emmeryn - humble servant of the Shepherds. Libraâs reverent treatment of her almost felt out of place.
"N-No, letâsâŠ" She took one of Libraâs hands into both of her own. "G..o⊠together."
Libra cast a sideways glance at the Exalt when he heard her voice, but realised nothing was amiss and continued with the chores. Her Radiance's song was soft and gentle, and it warmed the priest's heart. He knew not of its melody, nor origins, but it was a soothing piece nevertheless. He took care to remember it, so he might have something to recall on a dark day.
Whilst hanging the last of the load, he received a disconcerting epiphany. It was with some difficulty that Libra realised he was still being overly polite. With a touch of strain, he managed to smile at the fallen ruler who had once been a cornerstone of his faith. He had to remember, that was no longer her burden. For both their sake, he would have to treat Emmeryn with the same amount of respect as he did everyone else.
"Of course. They say a meal is tastiest after a hard day's work, together with one's friends," he responded with a softer expression, and rest his other hand upon her's. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go and glancing down for a moment, somewhat embarrassed by himself. "Then, shall we?"
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
A quick zap of magic was all it took, and Tharjaâs paper bird flapped its little wings and slowly rose into the air, circling overhead lazily. Tharja watched it, feeling a little bored. Simple party tricks like that hadnât amused her since she was a small child. Perhaps Libra would enjoy the spectacle, at least. She knew Henry would; that man enjoyed everything.
"This is turning into a regular little soirĂ©e, isnât it?â Tharja said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. âNow that weâre done with party games, shall we retire to the dining room for the banquet?â
Henryâs face lit up, following Tharjaâs lead and soon his crumply little swan flew up after Tharjaâs, another quick spell sending Libraâs up with to join the party. He giggled and got up, chasing the paper swans as they flew through the air, lightly tapping them higher as they started to come down. The pups, riled up by their âmotherâ getting up, ran around at his feet, jumping and barking trying to catch the paper swans in their mouths, although the swans flew far above out of their reach. Henry looked over as Tharja spoke up.
"Banquet? Why! Are you hungry?? Still have snacks and desserts~"
It was rather embarrassing, but the priest couldn't help but be delighted as the paper birds took flight with the pups chasing after them. One of them bumped into Libra's leg and stumbled back into his lap before yipping and running off again. He laughed at the strange serenity, his trouble a long ways away. Whilst Henry and himself appeared to be content, Tharja was expressing some displeasure.
"My previous offer to escort you still stands. Otherwise, Henry has come prepared with sweets." He tried to make the sorceress more comfortable, hoping she would be able to make a decision without worrying about inconveniencing anyone. If she wanted to leave, he would go with her and come back without a moment's hesitation. The three of them had already been up here for some time now, after all. He didn't want her to feel as though she had no choice but to stay until daybreak.
Gluttony // Libra & Stahl
He hadnât expected him to reply so quickly.
Out of nervous habit, Stahl began to twiddle his thumbs and bit his bottom lip. No, donât chicken out now, Stahl! Heâs your friend! You have to make sure heâs alright.
Gathering his courage, he looked up. Stahl cleared his throat before speaking. â.. I noticed how zoned out  you seemed during dinner. About our talk earlier.. you know, about your brothers?.. I know apologizing wonât do anything and I donât know what happened, but what I can say is that, I think, theyâd be really proud to see how far youâve come. Youâre an amazing healer and a great addition to The Shepherds. We all appreciate your hard work and Iâm sure your brothers can your accomplishments.â
The brunette paused for a moment to scan Libraâs expression. He hoped he wasnât saying anything out of line. The one thing he didnât want to do was upset him any further.
"What I can apologize for is speaking about your brothers like I knew them. But, if I was your brother, then Iâd definitely be proud of you. Heck, as your friend, Iâm very proud of everything youâve done since youâve been here. So.. try not to think too hard, alright? Weâre all here for each other." He finished his sentence with a tender smile.
Though Libra looked up, it took a moment for him to see the knight and understand him. The dying firelight cast flickering lights across Stahl's face, and was in turn reflected in the priest's gaze. He sighed softly, glancing down in the pause between the Shepherd's encouragement. It was a luxury, to be the recipient of words chosen with such care. Despite being so unworthy of them, it would be a grave sin to reject them.
It was shameful to admit, but even after all this time, Libra had not thought of himself as a link in the army. The Shepherds were his comrades--of that, there was no doubt. But, had he not simply been carrying out his duties as a priest? If there were those who could appreciate him for who he was and what he could do, then, perhaps his assumption was wrong.
Though, imagining Stahl as a fellow brother of the cloth was quite the stretch. It would be difficult enough for him to reign in his tardiness and appetite--he did not need a strict spiritual regiment on top of that. Finally, Libra smiled faintly, a worn but gentle expression with more gratitude than remorse.
"... Thank you, Stahl. You truly are kind beyond comprehension. It's no exaggeration to say that I have much to learn from you," he spoke softly as he watched the flickering fire burn down to embers. "You yourself are indispensable to the Shepherds' cause. Should the gods see fit to take me to their side, I would rest assured knowing Lord Chrom is served by you. You are stronger than you believe, and sharper than others may think. Yet, you've managed to remain as gentle as you are. I'm truly grateful that you hold me in such regard, and to be blessed with your compassion."
"Pardon me, sir. I may be intruding, but I see a profound sadness weighs down upon your heart. My name is Libra--I am a priest accompanying the Shepherds. May I offer anything in the way of help?"
What an odd offer. Etzel stood in uncertainty as he priest spoke. Were his thoughts and emotions so obvious to those who passed him by? He had never desired to force his sadness onto others, and the idea that he may be doing such a thing struck him in an odd way.
"Sir? âŠIâŠ" he grew silent again for a bit. "I appreciate your offer, but⊠I fear there is nothing that can be done for me. I am a lost cause."
Ah, there he went again, speaking without using his head. But, the priest's intuition had urged him towards approaching this individual. The man had an ephemeral presence, akin to mist upon a breeze, ready to fade away at any given moment. The monocled stranger's response, however, confirmed the cleric's suspicions. They were, at least, alike in that they had forsaken themselves.
"Forgive me... My words were careless, but I see now that they were not without reason," he murmured with a strained smile, only realising now the pain he felt from this man, and his casual self-deprecation. "The gods have bid you stay, even though you have lost hope. You still have a chance to walk the path to salvation. Would you forgive the musings of a priest, and allow me to hear your story?"
First Aid - Lucina & Libra
"Not at all," she said with a returning smile. "Iâd love to hear some." It was nice of Libra to let her stay, knowing how busy his schedule must be. To have him give one of his speeches as well seemed to be asking the priest way more than what she had came to him for- but he was the one who offered, and Lucina was interested in what he had to say.
Ah, she was a kind soul, indeed. It was not often that the Sepherds were pleased at the thought of listening to the priest's scriptures. To hear the young princess show interest in the philosophies of a man such as himself... He would be sure to remember her kindness and sincerity on the days his hope waned. With a soft smile, the priest took a seat across from Lucina and clasped his hands in his lap with practiced movements.
"Ahem. Then, I shall begin with the Divine Dragon's testaments, and the basic teachings of the clergy..."
***
Time close to an hour had passed during the monk's continuous speech. He paused every so often in case of a question, and sometimes slipped into quiet prayer. His voice was soft as he murmured recounts of the blessings and praises that he had so diligently learned in his time with the brotherhood. Unfortunately, it seemed he had lost track of time, and could not find a point upon which to end his spiel...
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
Tharja wrinkled her nose as Henry joined her and Libra. âGiven up on training those wolves so soon?â The longer she spent with the puppies, the more she became convinced that it was a terrible idea for Henry to keep those puppies. Sheâd never tell Henry that, though. Not only was it none of her business, she valued her health (and the potential for potion ingredients) too much to upset the childish mage in such a way.
She turned her attention back toward Libra as he began folding the paper. Tharja copied him as he worked, her nimble fingers handling the paper with ease. She smiled; once she knew the steps, folding the paper seemed all too simple. It reminded her of the long hours she spent carefully measuring herbs and powders to make a perfect potion.
Tharjaâs finished bird sat in the palm of her hand. It was sharp, and looked more even than Libraâs own bird. Tharja flushed with satisfactionâproving her talent was always so much fun.
"Easy as pie," she said, smirking. "It almost looks like it could fly away, doesnât it?"
Henry eagerly took the paper, watching Libra intently as he provided the first example, his puppies sitting at his sides. âNot given up! Iâm sure I can dOOOOOOOOO both!â He laughed, accompanied by a duet of small howls.
"Got it!" Henry set to work trying to recreate the swan from Libraâs steps. It took many more folds, a couple retries and a little back pedaling to repair missed steps but soon enough he had a swan. It wasnt pretty and pristine like Tharjaâs but Henry beamed proudly all the same "Done!" He looked at Tharja with a grin "Oo! It does! I bet we could make them! Thatâd be fun too!"
It was interesting to see how the two mages handled the activity differently. Henry's attempt to multitask did not go unnoticed--whilst observing his pupils, the priest sneaked several glances and amused smiles at the wolf pups. Soon enough, the birds were complete, with Tharja's looking crisp, and Henry's looking well-loved. Libra chuckled at the suggestion.
"That would certainly be a sight to see," he said with a smile, glad to see his impromptu lesson had resulted in passing the time without resorting to chilling tails and voodoo crafting.
Gluttony // Libra & Stahl
Stahl slowed visibly, his mouth open in shock. Of all things, he hadnât expected Libra to confess something like that..then again, seeing as he was a man that kept to himself, it wasnât too surprising. But, it was sad, nonetheless.
"âŠ" Unsure of what to say, Stahl decided to retreat to being silent, his eyes showing concern for the other.
// time skip //
Dusk had long consumed the once colorful sky, replacing it with a cover of stars, blacks and blues.Â
Stahl was currently seated in front of the bonfire that The Shepherds had started earlier. It was one of those nights again, where instead of eating their meals alone, they all gathered around for some quality time with each other. One by one, after finishing their meals, everyone had begun to retreat back to their tents for the night.
It seemed that only Stahl and Libra were the only ones left in front of the brightly lit flames, seated across from one another. The Great Knight had long finished his meal, now merely glancing at his surroundings. For some reason, despite their easy going conversations earlier in the day, he was finding it hard to speak.
Even so, the sounds of crickets and the crackling of the fire were bothering him more than the silence that fell over them.
" .. Libra?"Â
The stunned silence after his words made the priest realise he may have said something inappropriate. Libra glanced at Stahl as they walked, seeing the concern in his eyes, before facing forwards again. His heart was heavy by the time they returned to the camp--steeped in memories he had put aside for the sake of progress. He kept their parting conversation short and retreated to his tent alone, not wanting to force the cavalier into an uncomfortable position.
***
Being one who did his utmost to be of use to his allies, Libra usually took his meals alone--long after the designated gathering times in the mess tent. It was only on nights such as this that the priest had the chance to leisurely interact with the Shepherds. He smiled, spoke with the soldiers, and shared his food with the children (particularly those who wolfed down their meals in the blink of an eye). It was nights such as this that reminded him of what he was fighting for, and the sacrifices that had already been made for the sake of these peaceful moments.
Eventually, the crowd dwindled, until the only ones who remained were Stahl and himself. Libra had given the knight a gentle smile between conversations several times throughout the night, but no more. He'd not wished to disturb him on what was meant to be a jovial occasion. After the pleasantries had faded into sleepy content, the murmuring chatter had faded, and left behind an unlikely pair. The priest had brought it upon himself to see to it that the fire was extinguished properly. It seemed Stahl had decided to remain, as well.
The bonfire had been reduced to a few small, flickering flames over the course of the night. Libra stared into the embers, drawn into a silent world of recollections. Though time had stopped in his mind, the world continued to turn, and Stahl's hesitant call coaxed him out of his reverie. The priest blinked and looked over the crackling logs before smiling slightly--still distracted by his visions of the past. "Yes?"
Radiance and Blackheart - Emmeryn & Libra
Emmeryn walked calmly alongside Libra, her slippered feet almost silent against the soft forest floor. Sunlight streamed through the branches and birds chirped but remained unseen; walking through the forest offered such respite from the clamor and clang of warfare.
The rounded the final bend and found camp again; the Shepherds were still setting up, pitching tents and shining armor and sharpening blades and beginning the preparations for dinner. The bustling activity was both invigorating and overwhelming - everything seemed to loud to Emmeryn that she fought the urge to cover her ears. But seeing everyone working so hard also made her feel somewhat at ease.
Emmeryn graciously took the basket from Libra, heading over to where the clotheslines had been set up. As she began hanging the still-damp shirts, she pointed to the mess tent.
"You⊠hungry?" she asked, the content smile never faltering from her face.
With even her footsteps barely making a sound, Libra was almost afraid he would look to his side and discover that Emmeryn had disappeared. Her presence was soft and gentle, akin to a distant glow in the world's darkness. But, each time he reassured himself of her existence, she was always there--walking beside him and watching the scenery. If there was anything he could say with certainty, it was that Her Grace did not belong amidst the clamor of war.
Soon enough, they arrived at the clearing where the Shepherds had decided to stay for the next few days. Everyone was doing something to prepare either the group or themselves. The priest watched the scene with a wistful gaze before noting the former Exalt's actions. He let her take the basket without objection and followed her to the clotheslines.
It was a bizarre experience to say the least. Not in his entire life could Libra have guessed he would someday find himself hanging the laundry alongside Lady Emmeryn. Nevertheless, he was not one to question the path the Gods set him upon. With a smile, both pleasant and confused, Libra began hanging the rest of the clothes in the basket. Not long after starting their task, Libra's gaze followed the direction in which Emmeryn pointed, and he paused before smiling and nodding.
"I am fine, my lady. What of yourself? Would you like for me to bring something for you?"
Hungry like the Wolf ll Henry, Libra, Tharja
Tharja watched Henry attempt to teach the puppies to howl, clearly unimpressed. âTheyâre not very good at this whole âwolfâ thing, are they?â
Bored, she turned her attention towards the voodoo supplies. She rooted through the things Henry had brought, surprised by the quality of the materials. Henry obviously knew his voodoo. And she was behind on her dolls, she still hadnât made a doll out of the hair sheâd stolen from Morgan. With such an opportunity, there was no reason not to get caught up, was there?
Then Libra quietly spoke up and Tharja remembered that there was a priest present and making dolls would probably be unwise. She didnât want to make Libra uncomfortable, after all.
âŠOr have her supplies taken away. That was more important than making Libra uncomfortable, wasnât it?
"Paper animals? That doesnât sound too difficult. Hand me some of that paper," she said. Once the paper was in her hands, she began folding experimentally. "See? Thereâs nothing to it. I can fold it like this to make the headâŠwait, that looks uneven, let me try it againâŠ" In her haste, the paper tore and, with a frustrated snarl, Tharja crumpled up the entire thing up and tossed it at Henryâs head.
Flushing as deeply as Libra had been, Tharja pouted. ââŠFine, show me how to do it.â
The wad made contact and bounced off the young mageâs head, calling his attention to the pair again
"Show you ho-OOOOOOOW to do what?" The puppies howled in response again, getting a little better but poorly all the same. One toppled over having leaned too far back. Henry got on all fours, crawling over closer "What are we doing with paper? Whatâs going on? I want to play!"Â
It seemed his suggestion had put aside the sorceress' need to make any voodoo dolls, much to the priest's relief. "Here you are," Libra said with a curious smile as he handed Tharja a piece of paper. She fiddled with it for a while, before growing frustrated and smacking Henry in the head with the paper's scrunched up remains. Tharja's begrudging willingness to learn, and Henry's enthusiasm (along with the pups... being pups) brought a smile to Libra's face. A carefree scene such as this was a blessing in these times.
"I'm teaching Tharja to fold animals from paper. Please, join us," he offered and picked up another piece of paper. After tearing it into a square, Libra folded it slowly--careful to show Henry and Tharja the steps that turned the paper into a small crane. He held up the slightly lopsided bird with a sheepish smile. "I'm hardly qualified to be a teacher, but, I hope the two of you will accomplish the task better than I. Shall I demonstrate again, or would you prefer I try something else?"
