(no subject)

[chrysopteron]

After coming back to Milliways, Iris very quietly asked for a room key - her room key, from very long ago - and went to sleep.

Peace and privacy, for the first time in over a decade.

This morning, Iris woke up and tried to open her Door. It is visible, but the knob doesn't even budge.




Now, several hours later, Iris has asked the bar for some water. The glass remains mostly untouched while she starts composing several letters.

Comments

[balancingminds]

When Iris went to her room, Charles had understood, there are times when space to yourself matters.

In the morning he had gone to the library and it wasn't until later in the day that he came downstairs and sat beside her.

[chrysopteron]

Iris looks up as soon as she feels Charles come near. "Hello, kyrios." She puts her papers down to take Charles' hand for a moment.

"How are you?"

[balancingminds]

"Good, I've been catching up on my journals. What about you?"

He squeezes her hand and orders a cup of tea.

[chrysopteron]

"I've been attempting to think of what to say to the theoi that come here. Lady Demeter and Lady Aphrodite, that I know of.

"To be honest, I have no clue what to say to them."

Neither of them truly need an explanation, but there is nothing to do for the moment except this.

[balancingminds]

"Say the truth and then decide which parts of it you want them to know."

[chrysopteron]

"The truth?" You say that like it is the easiest of things to articulate.

[balancingminds]

"Its a place to begin," He shifts to hug her as he thinks. I know.

[chrysopteron]

"There are so many questions that remain."

Am I trapped here?
Have I died in my world?
Do I go to yours? Will you stay with me?
Is a goddess still a goddess without her appointed work?

[fairy_fixit]

A large winged insect - no... A nearly two foot tall winged woman - buzzes her way up to the bar. She lands and requests a refill on her jug of May Punch before she notices the divine power, even partially hidden as it may be, and starts panicking.

The divinity belongs to a redheaded woman and her mind immediately turned to another she had only heard of so far, luckily. She backs away too quickly, causing her to stumble and fall over backwards.

[chrysopteron]

Iris cranes her neck to find the cause of the noise, then --

"Are you alright, daimon?"

[fairy_fixit]

"Daimon?"

She reassesses her situation. The Devourer isn't supposed to be that light skinned. But gods are habitual shapeshifters, aren't they? It would be well within her power.

But the Devourer was a god of the Kharidian Desert. Would she use such a word as daimon?

She tests her wings, but without really getting up. With a few quick wingbeats the fairy drags herself further away from the unidentified goddess.

[chrysopteron]

Not a daimon. Certainly a spirit of some kind, though.

"I did not mean to frighten," Iris says to the fairy's back.





Perhaps...

Iris allows her wings to show - just a glimmer of gold.

[fairy_fixit]

Wings. Huh?

The only god she knows of that had a fondness for wings was... Armadyl. God of Justice and Peace. A romantic.

Naive.

But at least, not the Devourer. Not the Deceiver, who wouldn't reveal such things.

She faces Iris and asks, "who are you?"

[chrysopteron]

"My name is Iris Chrysopteron, spirit. It has been a long while since I have been a resident here.

"You are new to me here as well. Your name?"

[fairy_fixit]

"Fairy Fixit," she answers quickly. She gets up. "You are a goddess, aren't you?" she asks half afraid and half accusatory.

[moonandstar]

A dark elf is seated nearby, reading a letter of his own between swigs of matze.

Garyn Balvadares,

You have been given these directions and a package of documents. Do not show them to anyone. Do not attempt to read the documents in the package. The package has been sealed, and your tampering will be discovered and punished.

Garyn has to hand it to the Imperials - they can be remarkably clear and direct when they want to be. Usually when they want to remind the plebs just who their masters were. In this case, they're telling him to do as he's told or hang from the neck 'til he stops kicking. Garyn's day just keeps getting better and better.

The directions are useless - the same vague instructions as the one the captain gave him, in real big handwriting in case he forgets. Well, shouldn't be too hard to find one tavern in a city he's never been to or heard of before.

Remember. You owe your life and freedom to the Emperor. Serve him well, and you will be rewarded. Betray him, and you will suffer the fate of all traitors.

Gods. This is absurd. If it's this godsdamned important, why release a convicted murderer to do it?

Garyn shakes his head and sighs loudly. What the hell do they want with him?

[chrysopteron]

Iris is not always the best with mortal etiquette.

So, what passes for acknowledgement of Garyn's presence actually manifests as Iris putting her papers to one side and staring at the stranger.

Intently.

He's a distraction.

[moonandstar]

Garyn's eyes turn toward Iris mid-drink as he realizes he's being watched.

He sets down the beverage and grunts.

"Yes? What?"

[chrysopteron]

"I've never seen your like before. You seem troubled."

It's as close to a 'hi how are ya' Iris manages at present.

[moonandstar]

"I've met only one here who would recognize a Dunmer when he saw one," Garyn says. "So you're very perceptive on both counts."

It's as close to a "Gee, do you think?" as Garyn manages at present.

[chrysopteron]

Both of Iris' hands go up.

"I was simply attempting to be cordial, kyrios."

[moonandstar]

Garyn sighs into his drink. "Do excuse me, sera...I suppose you're not the one I'm angry at. Gods know I'm not the most gregarious sort at the best of times."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

It's been a long time since Juliet's seen Iris, and they hardly know each other, but the sight of her struggle makes her rush up in sympathy.

"Oh no, you're bound!" She hasn't been there, but it's happened to friends.

[chrysopteron]

"By choice. In a way."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"You chose to be bound?" The very idea is a puzzlement to Juliet. "Is something wrong back home?"