http://fated-fox.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] fated-fox.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] milliways_bar2004-10-24 01:45 am

(no subject)

Hours later, Hale shifts in his sleep, completely unaware of all that his lir was up to while he slept. Though his sleep is much more pleasant than it was before, he still can't quite shake the ghosts that haunt him in his dreams.

Kya, meanwhile, has decided that "now" is the time to inform her bonded about her discoveries, and hops up onto his chest, settling herself down and awaits for him to awaken...

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-23 11:35 pm (UTC)(link)
'Whoever' turns out to be Brennan, sitting in the corner table he prefers and drinking honey-brew while reading the book on Homanan politics that he had last time he was here. Sleeta is sitting primly at his feet.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-23 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Brennan doesn't look up as the fox and warrior approach, but Sleeta cocks her head and sits up.

Ah, hello, Kya. It is good to finally put a face to the names we've all heard.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
I am a mountain cat, after all. I am much larger than Kiri as well; she is about your size, but red, not silver. And I am very pleased to meet you.

Sleeta looks at Brennan and sighs. And my lir seems not to notice anything, I'm afraid. He does get caught up in his books sometimes.

She notices the warrior making his way over. That is Hale, I assume?

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
Lir. Pay attention to what is going on around you.

Brennan looks up at that prompt, slightly surprised. Upon seeing another warrior - another Cheysuli - he stands up, smiling, and offers his hand.

"Good evening. I hadn't realised there was another of our kind here."

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Sleeta seems amused by something; Brennan ignores it, as she'll fill him in if and when she deems it necessary, and not a moment before.

"My name is Brennan; my lir is Sleeta."

His tone is somewhat deferential; the warrior is older than he is by at least a decade, and looks far more experienced.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 12:37 am (UTC)(link)
Brennan...

...freezes. Stares at Hale with an expresison that could be horror, disbelief, awe or some combination of the three.

Whispering, "you can't be."

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 01:03 am (UTC)(link)
Brennan keeps shaking his head, going as pale as a bronze-skinned Cheysuli can.

"There's no way this can be possible. You - you died! You died years ago! My - my grandsire was your son..."

He starts laughing; wildly, nearly hysterically. "An Ihlini claims to be my son and now this - Keely may be right, Gisella's madness infects us all--"

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
"An Ihlini ku'reshtin claims that I am his father, aye. He's the only one I've seen here..." Brennan trails off, still staring at Hale.

'Sleeta? This... this can't be true? It's not - it's not possible.'

Many things are possible, lir. Please, try to calm down. You are going to cause damage to yourself.

Unfortunately, Brennan really isn't in the right frame of mind to pay attention to Sleeta.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-24 01:39 am (UTC)(link)
Sleeta puts her paws on Brennan's knees and looks into his face, trying to calm him down.

Lir. He is Hale, and the vixen is Kya, and it is very strange but you do not need to fear that you are mad. This place is a strange place, and who is to say people from the past or the future may not walk side by side with those from the present? Lir, please, you must calm yourself.

She looks helplessly at Kya. He has gone through much of late, it has taken its toll on him. He is rather overwrought. Under normal circumstances he would be calmer - though seeing one's great-grandsire alive and well can never be 'normal' circumstances I suppose - but as it is, his nerves are a little frayed.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-26 10:54 pm (UTC)(link)
It takes some time for Brennan to calm himself enough to look at Hale and force a smile. He ignores the insistent voice in his head that tells him this is not right, that insists this warrior cannot be the Hale of legend who sired Duncan and Finn, that claims he must be going mad or the warrior must be lying, because nothing is making sense.

"Forgive me. I am a little on edge of late, your revelation came as rather a shock."

He buries one hand in the soft fur on Sleeta's neck; that, at least, is real. He doesn't know for sure whether the warrior calling himself Hale is telling the truth or not, but as long as he reminds himself that there is something real here, he can hold onto sanity.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-26 11:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Brennan laughs shortly. "If he is kin to me, then he is without doubt a bastard; no Cheysuli would lower themself by wedding an Ihlini. I do not know whether he is speaking the truth or merely toying with me... it's their way, as I'm sure you're familiar with, but usually they're more subtle than this."

He shakes his head. "I do not see how he can be telling the truth. Sleeta would know an Ihlini. He can't be kin to me."

He hopes. He doesn't believe that Lochiel is telling the truth, he doesn't want to believe that Rhiannon would betray him when she's all that's keeping him from despair at Hart's absence... he doesn't know. If Lochiel is telling the truth... he doesn't want to think about what that might mean.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-26 11:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"Most likely. I've had a rather trying few weeks, that's all, so I wasn't exactly thinking straight. But as I said, Sleeta would know any Ihlini before I came into contact with them, so there's no possibility that I could father a Cheysuli-Ihlini halfbreed."

That does make him feel a little better; Sleeta would have known, if Rhiannon was Ihlini. Lochiel can't have been telling the truth.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-26 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Brennan shudders. "Not myself, nor my rujholli, thank the gods. I'm bound to the Princess of Erinn, and there is no Ihlini blood in her. Hart is in the worst danger, going to Solinde, but I very much doubt he will be interested in laying with an Ihlini."

He orders a cup of usca, deciding that the stronger liquor will probably help calm his nerves, and leans back, still stroking Sleeta absently.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-27 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Hart is my twin rujho, aye, but I have another, Corin. He is a year younger than Hart and myself, and twin to our full-blooded rujholla, Keely. Our jehan also sired our half-sister Maeve, who is part Erinnish and lacks Cheysuli gifts - a fact Keely enjoys flaunting whenever possible," he adds, his mouth tightening. Fond as he is of Keely, he's equally as fond of Maeve.

"Our line" - if he believes what Hale is saying, which is getting easier to do - "has never been strong in sons; my generation is the first to have more than one legitimate son whom the Homanans will accept as Crown Prince. Naturally, we all hope that the same fortune passes to me, otherwise the hold on the Lion Throne may become tenuous again."

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-27 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
He smiles fondly. "Keely has the Cheysuli gifts, aye. And she loves to flaunt them and claim herself just like a warrior. She can speak with the lir and shapechange and heal, though we've had little reason to use that last gift. For all she shares jehan's Homanan looks, she is very much a Cheysuli. She is fearless."

He looks troubled for a moment, remembering his own fear, then dismisses it. Keely's claims that Gisella's madness is hereditary are nonsense, he tells himself; she was born mad because her mother was shot from the sky, not because of some genetic defect. His fear is nothing to do with Gisella.

He's not sure whether that comforts him or not.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-28 07:18 pm (UTC)(link)
"I don't deny she has the right to be something other than a meek little mouse, but Keely does make things... awkward, sometimes."

He strokes Sleeta again, thinking. "Speaking of making things awkward, I'm probably wanted back home. Jehan has scheduled another council meeting and he wants me there."

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-28 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Brennan shrugs. "It's possible for some to leave, I know that much. I can leave whenever I wish, although coming back is more arbitrary."

He's not sure if Hale can leave. He'd thought dead people were Bound to Milliways, but he could be wrong.

[identity profile] blackcatbrennan.livejournal.com 2004-10-28 07:52 pm (UTC)(link)
At that, he smiles. "No doubt, if only because then Hart would have to be Crown Prince, and Corin would take Solinde's throne, and then jehan would have Atvia still on his hands."

He stands up. "Despite my reaction, it was good meeting you, Hale. Be well."

And with that, warrior and cat leave the bar.