“don’t even think about it.” sounds interesting :Dc
Things were...complicated. Gwallam was still questioning every decision that led her here, atop an Elder Dragon. I mean, it was the backline and she was just doing healer work but that was still far closer that she’d ever expected to get from an Elder Dragon you see? These beings are like an hurricane. You don’t go near an hurricane, even if it’s just the tail of it.
And then there was the whole Canach deal. It was awkward. It was her fault, she’s the one who fucked their relationship real good. So really, maybe she should take her idea to try and cheer up the soldiers to someone else, why would he ever bother with...
“Gwal? Is there a pro...?”
“I had an idea”
Ah, she blew it. She didn’t even let him finish his inquiry and he was crossing his arms and...
“Don’t even think about it, Gwal”
He was cocking an eyebrow at her, clearly amused. Oh thorns, she needed to stop worrying like that. She tapped her foot on the floor lightly, trying to compose herself to answer something witty. Although, witty wasn’t her strong suit.
“You didn’t even liste to my idea, she protested with a pout”
“It’s your idea. I think that’s enough to say it’ll be terrible.”
“I’m not the one who blew up a frog!”
Canach was getting back to his explosives but still slight turned in her direction. Force of old habits, Gwallam stepped closer, peering above his shoulder. He worked so much quicker than he did back then. It was impressive.
“That...was one time. Alright, shoot”
That put her on the spot but, well. She was excited by her idea alright. Maybe she explained with too much wild gestures and almost hit a norn in the junk. Who cares, right? It made Canach snorts too so that was a victory in her book.
“A pillow fort party. You’re nuts”
“Well I can go ask someone else”, she huffed, already turning to leave the tent.
Dragon Bash day 1 pt2 feat @caim-the-godstomper and @commanders-sole-braincell
Things that happened:
-Everyone looked pretty
-Ford Stripped
-After the common sense of the group left Ford and Éowain proceeded to try to break the fang of Jormag, then partied so hard they both ended up on the floor
-Ford and Éo made it to Tyria news with their catastrophic drunk partying.
So. War Eternal Spoilers heavy. I wanted to re-write the beginning, so as to add: a bit more Canach because damn there really was nothing uh? A bit more of “For Fudge, I just lost my daughter!” and an indication that there was going to be an order of the Crystal Bloom
Featuring a bunch of my oc, most notably Caim since she’s the Commander-in-Chief who can’t get a break. Featuring also Maximia, Amirah and a little unamed Gwallam. Title from “To noise making” from Hozier
No mourning call nor hours called the Commander back to her functions. Only the request of a betrayer. But since the request was in the name of her daughter, well.
Caiméilia walks back, amidst hundreds upon thousands of mourners. All for Aurene Not all are soldiers from her armies. But it doesn’t surprise her. Aurene touched so many. She is their last hope. Was. If she is really dead. Hard to believe when her magic is still resonating in her, a sing-song beneath her bark as she make her way through the keep.
Braham is right by the Auditorium door, waiting for her. His approach is slow, almost hesitant.
“Hey, she calls to him, trying to end whatever got him so torn up about quickly.
“Hey. Do we have a, uh...?”
Anger flares in her. She doesn’t know if it’s at the way he makes himself small or at the question. Maybe it’s none of that. Her emotions might be stable despite the loss but Braham has been an heartache for years now. Especially when it come to her role as the Commander. And she kept quiet all this time but right now, when she’s about to...Yeah, wrong timing.
“You must be desperate. But no. Perhaps you could try coming up with one? You always claimed you were better at it, after all.”
“That’s not…, he back-track, putting his hands up defensively.
“I don’t care, Braham, she cuts, all but hissing at him. You don’t get to call me an orphan-maker and come at me begging for a plan after I lost my daughter!“
She’s breathless by the end of her speech, finger pointing at him accusingly still. Yet she doesn’t let him time to respond. She slips past him, marching further in the Auditorium.
Sayida and Galmorra are, surprinsingly, talking together, by Canach’s side. As Caiméilia draw closer, she understand that they are talking about Aurene.
“...She went out like a true Corsair!”
“No. Like a true soldier.”
"How about…, grunted Canach.
“Like my daughter?”
Both women turns towards her. Sayida makes a little nod with a pained expression before adressing her while her old general eyes her up and down. Canachs silently hand her his flask but she shake her head at the suggestion.
“Of course. Commander I uh...I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say.“
“It’s alright. If you’ll excuse me...”
She wouldn’t mind staying, but if anyone can tell she can’t believe Aurene is dead, it’s Canach. And that’s really not a talk she want to have. She knows she was an exception.
It’s easy to hurry her steps towards Logan, towards the Pact Marshall and salute. He sadly on her.
“I feel like I should be the one saluting you”
She can’t help the way her throat tighten at that. She had thought, before, that Logan would never be able to consider himself in his rightfull place as Pact Marshall, not with her around. But it’s not a talk for today so she nods at him and keep going. Past the last of the mourners, past the Zephyrites that promise they will sing for her.
Tired smiles and nervous tails greets her. Maximia places a paw on her shoulder, giving her a gentle squeeze before gesturing to the other commanders. As one, they maneuver themselves and the crowd, keeping them further back, giving ample space for Dragon’s Watch to gather around the scion body.
“Thank you”
“It’s only natural, Commander“
Taimi looks up at her, tears-filled eyes. All around, it’s defeated faces. Caiméilia pass her hand on her carved dolyak horn. They need a plan. All she has is the magic singing under her skin, that she dare not speak of.
“You made it...”
“Yeah, for Aurene, always.”
Caithe looks up. She look so small and lost, her crystal flowers gone. It doesn’t affect Caim like it used too. She doesn’t want to pull any weapon at anyone who made her sister feel that way. Not for her at least. But Aurene loved Caithe and, well, Caiméilia made more than one exception for her baby. What’s one more, one hand to offer….Caithe takes it, looking grateful.
“Thank you. It’s...so hard to….”
“We’ll get through this, together”
“I don’t see how, pipes in Gorrik. Kralatorrik is in the Mists, devouring everything he can. He won”
“Gorrik…”
“He’s right”
“We failed. Again. AGAIN!”
“The Commander..., tries to protest Braham”
“ENOUGH!”
Caiméilia turn to them, and to the strangers gathered. Why would they even come, leaving their families behind? It’s beyond her. They didn’t knew Aurene. They just know a story. A wonderful story, but a story. It doesn’t encompass her playfulness. Nor all the thousands of little things that made Aurene herself.
It’s just expectations. Unreal expectations. The one thing she had wanted to spare Aurene from. Just one more failure on the long list.
“It doesn’t matter. We got little precious time. Go, spend it with the one you loves”
No one moves. She wants to scream at them. Can’t she have that one moment? She’ll already have to share it with Caithe. But Braham is there, all sad eyes and says it.
“We are.”
“Right..., Caiméilia mutters”
“Yeah, we are, say Taimi, reaching for her hand to give her a quick squeeze”
“What they said.”
As they wish, then. Caimélia strides past them, pulling Caithe along. The Zephyrites gather, ready to sing as she lays her hand on Aurene shoulder, as Caithe hug her body.
“Let’s get these crystals out of her”
Pulling that first one, even with the Zephyrites singing, take all their united strength. But as they did, Caiméilia could feel the magic song beneath her skin resonate and grow. Until they did pull it out, making the Zephyrites hiccup and Caithe gasp as both sylvaris started to glow from the iridescent magic of Aurene.
“You feel it too…”
“I...what is it?”
“We felt it too, wondered Radiance, the Zephyrite leader. It’s like...an echo”
If she wasn’t alone, to feel that surge of power...She gestured behind her, the order easy on her tongue.
“Everyone! Stand back!”
“What is it? What are you doing, grunted Rytlock, not moving”
“Caimélia?”
“She’s alive, Canach”
“Oh for the love of Smoldur’s ass, get back, groaned Maximia at the Tribun, earning herself a bloody stare”
Rytlock still take his sweet time to get back. But Caiméilia doesn’t wait for the old charr to obey. She pulls on her connection, letting the magic rush through her. She can feel the wings on her back as the magic gather in her hands. Gasps and wonderous whispers, behind her but she cuts it all, her focus on Aurene, on letting the magic break through the purples crystals.
She push through, ignoring the way Caithe crystal flowers grow back, the comments on Aurene glowing. Pushing until everything become light.
“My...Champion…”
“Aurene!”
“By the….You were right…”
Canach surprise make so many more talk. There is so much sounds, so much questions all around. But for one moment, just a couple of seconds, really, they are just a mother and her daugther as Caiméilia falls on her knees to hug Aurene.
“Rest. Even if just the time we’ll talk. You’ll need the rest Aurene.”
“Thank you”
Most of what follows is a “how the heck did you do that?” to which Caiméilia pay no mind. At least until Amirah step ups, all business, as always for the ex-Shining Blade.
“So what are we going to do about Kralkatorrik?”
“We....stop h-him”
“But...how would this be any different? Won't we just fail again?“
That earn Rox a hard stare from the human Commander but before anyone can answer, Aurene roar.
“WE DID NOT FAILED. WE LEARNED”
“Easy now, child”
“She had to die. “For this was the fire of courage…”
Caiméilia and Aurene both rised to their feet, as Aurene recited the words that followed Zafirah’s. Caiméilia had to fight the words, not to recite them. but it was easy, standing in front of Aurene, looking only at her. Ignoring the people who saw them as more than a mother and a daughter.
“And so did they….Follow their god into battle”
“Without fear or hesitation, nodded Amirah. That I can do”
Once more, Aurene attention is on Caiméilia. She chirps gently.
“I remember what you told me long ago…”
“We don’t have to fight alone“
The words were their, as magic coursed through their bond, making one another stronger. No fear, not anymore. Nothing would hold them back. Scion and Champion, as they were meant to be. Light gathered around Caiméilia. For the first time in long years, she fully accepted her role, who she was, what she meant.
When the light dimmed, all could see the crystal wings, now clearly a part of the Commander, solid and real.
“Now we must ride...scion and champion. Flush Kralkatorrik...from the Mists.“
“Right, if he dies there, it’s over”
“He’s not that easy to kill, assured Caiméilia, turning towards them. Gorrik, beam me all the datas.”
“On it! Do NOT let him get away again.”
“We won’t, she said, climbing on Aurene’s back. Logan, coordinate with Taimi and Gorrik. I need you to meet us on the other side to finish the fight.”
“The Pact will be there, Commander.”
“And we will help as well, shouted a sylvari in the crowd, her voice making Max shake her head fondly”
“Today, the whole word join Dragon’s Watch, roared Rox, getting answering roars from the Olmakhans”
The cheers calm down as Aurene turns around, ready to take flight. Radiance comes forward.
“Go Scion. Finish the song we started”
“I will. I promise. Are you ready, Champion?”
Caiméilia doesn’t answer but neither does Aurene wait for her to say the words before opening a portal to the Mists. They gave a head start to Kralkatorrik already. They won’t give him more.
Beside, at this point? Killing Elder Dragons is a routine
since hey, they won’t leave my mind. So this is self- indulgent and very bullshitty outline of their relation?
- They met pretty early in their lives. They both tended to help other when they had an easier time doing something. Canach walked Gwallam through some repetitions of sword after seeing she had trouble with it during sparring and in exchange Gwallam ended up helping him practice how to tie bandages
-Neither of them had a Wyld Hunt. Gwallam didn’t mind and thought it was a bit ridiculous to want one. But, when she noticed it was important to Canach, she mde a point of noting that having a Wyld Hunt doesn’t mean you’re going to do something great (Riannoc. Unless you consider being the first to die as “great”) and the reverse? Is true
- She was of the opinion that Canach was going to do Great Things, Wyld Hunt or not, because he “had a big heart and fought good”. Nowadays, she loves that she was right about that.
- Canach got into verbal joutes with the futur Nightmare Courtiers à la Hamilton and if you don’t think Gwallam was cheering so hard on the sideline then You’re Wrong. He also was one of the rare who didn’t just throw Ventari’s Teachings at the Nightmare so at least it was FUN
-They were among the little shits who would, occasionally, prank the Firstborns. Gwallam is the one who instigated it the first times but Canach ended up enjoying a whole lot and often pulled a just-up-from-a-nap Gwallam in pranks
-When their group got kidnapped by asuras, Canach saw them drag part of the group, including Gwallam in a different room
- They were used for vivisection
- Gwallam is the only one from that group who survived
- She only survived because she was a mender-in-training and thus managed to heal her wounds somewhat the moment Caithe freed her hands.
- Canach had to help her walk back to the Grove and even with that, Caithe wasn’t sure Gwallam would survive. Caithe did not whispers that comment.
- Meanwhile Gwallam emotions were getting influenced by Faolain’ s. Gwallam is sensitive to the Dream and was in a state of weakness that didn’t let her really separate her own from others. Add to that all the others saplings negative emotions and you get a nasty little cocktail
-Once she was completely healed, she wanted to understand WHY that had happened. Problem being of course, that there was no answer to be found in Ventari’s tablet nor in the Grove. She ended up screaming at praticaly every Firstborn and mentors and her relations rapidly worsened
- These were the days where when Canach and Gwallam hanged out, it was away from the grove aaaand from Brisban. However it helped only a little since Gwallam never acknowledged her problem and doubts, leaving Canach to tip-toe around the time-bomb nature of her mood at that time
- I don’t know exactly how they ended up drifting apart. I just have the vague idea of Gwallam not getting any better, ending up not caring much about the fact she was acting a bit Nightmare-ish. Maybe she was too rough with a newborn sapling. Maybe she gruesomely murdered onsight an asura. The fact is, they had a fight about something she did.
- Canach let out a lot of emotions he had kept in check. Like his love for her. But also how the way she kept him out hurt, how it hurt to saw her destroy herself like that. She was becoming her complete opposite, hurting other instead of helping them it was
-Gwallam mostly kept from that fight that she had hurt him. And she thought that she wouldn’t be able to stop herself if she stayed in the Grove. She left without telling anyone.
-When she came back to the Grove a couple years later, Canach had done the same. She kept coming back every so often in hope she’d get some news ut she didn’t hear about him until he got a wanted poster
-Seeing the other again at Dragonfall is going to be soooooo akward
The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Gwallam and Canach having been together when they were saplings, in a puppy love sort of way.
They probably had a bad falling out with how different they grew after being experimented on by asuras. Gwallam was prone to violent fit of anger about it and Canach managed it far better than her.
I think he walked away and it was a wake up call for Gwallam. She started realizing who she was hanging out with (futur courtiers) and their intentions and she went “Yeah I....I need to get away from that” and left the Grove, didn’t return for years, didn’t write to anyone.
They end up being very “Tenzin and Lyn Beifong (from Korra)” in their relation when they meet again, with Gwallam teasing him a lot about how he used to be jealous of the Firstborns and Vaillants but “look at you now, two time a Dragon Slayer!”
