Exodus- A Treehouse

[redcoat]

The walk back to Branch's was much the similar to the rest of their walks in Amavasya had been, even if Summer was slightly more responsive. no longer as deep in her own head as she'd been for the majority of the trip. As Reginald had focused on the architecture on the walks, she instead focused on the people- explaining how, if you paid attention to the markings of the tabaxi around them, you could tell what family they were from. That, naturally led to talking about the matrilineal ways of the Darkmoon Tribe, with men often joining their wives' households, and the property passing through the women of the tribe.

It was, admittedly, a distraction, but she wasn't ready to dissect the conversations of the day- though at this point, was less about time than it was about place.

Dinner with Branch was a treat- she had forgotten how nice it was to have a meal and not having to spend the majority of it checking for hidden ingredients that would upset her stomach. During the meal she'd pay for the night's room, once again telling the story of the Barroth and the Heart of the World. After all, it was a good, clear cut story and easy to illustrate with her basic grasp of illusion magic.  The fact that continuing to spread the story would help ensure the value of the gems she'd given River wasn't lost on her.

Finally, after what felt like forever, they were free to retire to their room for the evening. She sighed heavily as she closed the door behind them, smiling up to Reg.

 

"Thank you, Reg. Today went... so much better than it would have gone without you."

[opius]

Reginald wasted no time. A room, a bed, and enough seating to rest his bones. He moved toward a chair and was already taking his boots off by the time Bones' spoke. They fit nicely, but they were hardly the comfortable city shoes he was used to wearing. With one hand upon the back rest, he awkwardly balanced himself to tug on the boot three or four more times than he expected to, attempting to free his heel.

When Summer spoke he turned his attention toward her, looking surprised- if only slightly. "Oh? Uh... Well, I didn't really do much." He chuckled. "But if tagging along was helpful, then I'm glad. These blisters weren't in vain after all."

One boot down, one to go. He sat and crossed one leg over the other. "...There's a lot of uh... History. Here. You seem pretty okay, but are you... Okay?"

[redcoat]

Summer's own hands went to the straps of her studded leather armor- happy to have a break from it, even if it was only for a little bit.

"It's mixed. I'm still pretty damn angry at Trail, but... at this point I don't think I'll get anything else from trying to resolve it. I've got some serious questions for Norixius, which he'll probably dodge." She sighed, pulling off the breastplate and setting it down in the corner. The bracers were next- peeling off armor in the order of most annoying to least.

"On the other hand... things with River went better than I could have imagined. I wish I'd known he and Trail were struggling. Given the timeframes I'm not sure what the hell I'd have been able to do about it, but..." She sighed, her hands going to her sword belt. "It was supposed to be easier for them, once I was gone."

[opius]

Crosp finally got the second boot off, and audibly panted as he tossed it aside. He sat back and let out a sigh. "Norixius has about a million irons in the fire. He's one of... those. Five moves ahead in a game you didn't know you were playing." Reginald shrugged and wiped his brow slightly.

"What-ifs aren't good to dwell on. Like you said, what could have been done if you'd known?" He shook his head. "I think your timing was spot on. Something happened here, and it seems like you missed the worst of it." Rubbing his chin, he frowned. "Reminds me of the politics back home, actually... though there weren't kids getting hunted by lizard folks in that story."

[redcoat]

Summer tried to say something quippy about the fact that she was an outlier, or that there were no lizardfolk on the mainland, but... it'd been a whole ass day, and nothing immediately came to her mind. Instead she just looked to Reg.

"What happened there?"

Her sword belt and tassets were placed off to the side as well. Sitting on the bed opposite of Reg, she'd take off the blue silk headscarf she wore and begin working on freeing her hair. Instead of the regular tight braid and bun she normally kept it in, today it was divided into several braids close to her head, and then knotted at the back- as if to make extra sure not a single curl escaped.

[opius]

Crosp unbuckled his side purse and other equipment before loosening his collar, taking his time as he did. His bones were sore, and his muscles didn't want to cooperate. He grunted slightly as he loosened his belt, feeling something pop in his back. A pleasant kind of pop. "Jericho's a small town on the border between Rhinoa and Astorea. And even if the war ended a hundred years ago, people still carry their grandfather's torches for the various sides they took. When I was younger - much younger - people were still feuding on the principals of which side their forefathers stuck with. Loyalists versus separatists, those who wanted to remain Rhinoan and those who wanted out. You can imagine the kind of effect this had on their kids- you can't play with that child, they're a Bellview. You shouldn't trust that boy, he's a Crosp." He shrugged and glanced at her.

"But kids would rather be kids, and in small towns the pool of people to associate with is pretty small. I remember it pretty clearly- I was old enough to recognize things for what they were. An older kid named Benny was sweet on a girl named Margaret. Puppy love, dumb kids being dumb. Margaret's great grandpa was a loyalist, and her family had hit hard times. Benny's parents were still reaping the rewards from the Astorean war effort- to the victor go the spoils."

He shrugged a bit. "Small towns do a lot of talking. Posturing, intimidating, trying to fit people into boxes. Benny was driven and stupid, and Margaret was... Hopeless, in general, but more so for Benny. There was a lot of pressure on both sides to pull these two apart. And then one day they just... weren't around. People lost their minds, one family blamed the other, and of course, y'know, old wounds and grudges flared up. Age-old arguments thought put to rest were brought out from their graves." He licked his teeth some, glancing upward as he thought on it.

"Then one of the local priests of Pelor pointed out just how ridiculous the situation was- a whole town turning on eachother because these two kids were possibly maybe in love. A priestess of Talos had words to say, but they weren't as nice. More like a public shaming, actually, about the lack of conviction and strength. The message was the same, though- the town ought to be focusing on finding this couple rather than being stuck in their ways. There's a lot that can go wrong in the middle of nowhere, between highwaymen and owlbears..."

He shook his head. "...Anyway, turns out they eloped. They came back to town about a month later, the parents on both sides were furious. Jericho still has its issues with feuding and tolerance, but that scare shook the town enough so that...enough people learned something."

[redcoat]

Quick fingered and well used to undoing her own braids, by the time he finished his story her hair was loose- frizzing out around her head as if rebelling after being tightly locked down for the last couple days.

Standing, she'd move to stand behind Crosp and begin to massage his shoulders- knowing the poor man wasn't nearly as used to sleeping rough and walking all day as she was.

"That is the one thing that I am curious about. Trail made it seem like it was immediately after that he began standing up for me, but... when I spoke to River, he made it sound like it wasn't until he and River had a huge fight that Trail started to..." She shrugged, unsure of how she wanted to phrase it. Defend her?

"I'm glad it happened- if only for it being a bit easier for other crossbreeds, though it's a bit unnerving to hear River tell me how well respected I am here. It feels... disingenuous, I suppose."

[opius]

Reginald winced and groaned at the contact. He was tight . After a few seconds, he began melting in her palms, letting out a long sigh.

"It sounds to me like there were a few conflicts... The first that pushed you to run away, and a series of back and forth arguments that followed. The way Stone and Norixius kept the fact that you were safe elsewhere..." He quirked his jaw.

"... It's like they propped you up to be a martyr. A poster-child and a cautionary tale- one that pointed out the risks of an insular society. Maybe the positive regard is... Overcompensation for the misery you got put through- you know, how it's impolite to speak of the dead?"

He glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "Seems like Amavasya has created an mythology of Summer Solstice. A kid they bullied into leaving, who's absence exemplified their flaws as a whole, who miraculously survived and thrived because she turned to the people beyond Amavasya. It follows a pretty on-the-nose narrative of anti-isolationism." He looked ahead and frowned.

"... Makes you wonder what kind of social trend Amavasya was on before you left. According to Trail, Cindar was well regarded despite being an outsider, yet... Marrying a local was a step too far. It seems like you were born at the start of some big upheavals."

[redcoat]

"...Propaganda." Summer said with a sigh, continuing to work on his shoulders almost mindlessly. She felt a little embarrassed that Reg had seen it before she had, but.... he was able to be a step back from the whole tangle.

"He was a scholar, studying the language of the island- especially our use of Draconic instead of Samarian Common. In the earlier days of the Commission, there were fewer field guides, and a Darkmoon ranger could make a living showing scholars the strange plants or ruins or whatever else a scholar might want to know."

She smiled, despite herself.

"And my mother was a ranger who enjoyed watching the way scholars lit up when she showed them what they were looking for. I hadn't considered that Father would have spent time here- it makes sense, of course, but by the time they were married and had me, they'd moved to Nyanzaru. It also makes sense that they would have liked him before they got married. Tabaxi and scholars have a great deal in common when it comes to chasing their passions."

[opius]

Crosp nodded and groaned, "Oof- right there- gah..." And sighed again.

"Your mom and dad seem like they were really special people. I've seen Daefaren's work in the archives, and your mother's collection was impressive. As was the painting. They might have been an odd couple to look at, but I can see what you mean about interests matching up."

[redcoat]

Summer continued to absently find knots and places where the muscles were still tight as she let the silence go for a moment- in her own thoughts.

"I didn't plan on making such a fuss. Honestly, it seemed like it'd make everything easier if I disappeared and let everyone forget I existed. Trail didn't seem happy no matter what I did. If I fought I was making trouble for everyone, if I hid I was making trouble for everyone. Every day it was 'This is how we survive, Summer' and 'You need to think of your little brother, Summer'."

She shrugged.

"When I gave up running from the lizardfolk, I only had two thoughts. 'I hope they kill me before they eat me' and 'Well, this is one way to make everything easier.'"

She let out a deep breath. "And then Norixius appeared out of nowhere and they were dead before I could even think."

[opius]

Crosp chewed on the story a bit. "That's... Pretty harrowing stuff. I can't imagine going through that." He leaned into her kneading and squeezing, thankful for the relief. "It would have gone a lot differently if he wasn't there." He reached to rub his cheek frowning. "That's not something a kid should have to go through. Or feel... Though that goes without saying."

[redcoat]

"I survived. And I think Norixius was right that I was safer in Nyanzaru. Hungrier, probably, but safer." Her tone seemed to be light- backing away from the depth of waters they were in.

"After a few months in the city, Alina insisted on making me be her friend, then Thorhac started letting me steal his lunch and giving me odd jobs. I tried to tail Norixius the few times I spotted him, which went about as well as you might predict." She smiled at the memory of trying to follow the elusive black dragonborn.

"And that was life. I was only in as much danger as my pride put me in there. There was a few times I needed patched up, and there was always someone to go to... even if I didn't want to."

[opius]

"Even if you didn't want to, there was someone to go to. Even if you didn't want to admit you needed help, they wanted to help you." Crosp shrugged and glanced back at her.

"Nyanzaru has a way of collecting misfits. And port kids come in all colors and sizes. The people there could handle different, it's part of its nature. Nyanzaru was your father's tribe, and maybe Torrin saw a better fit. Struggling with the port kids instead of... really struggling with your mom's people." He turned to look ahead, glancing at the ceiling. "...At least until the folks of Amavasya could learn to handle different."

[redcoat]

"Alina joked that I ran away from one parent and found four. I don't think she was completely wrong. Especially after what happened with Arrow." She laughed a little at the memory, moving her hands from Crosp's shoulders and sitting on the edge of the bed to remove her own boots.

"And Nyanzaru is... special, in a lot of ways. It's why I wrote the books I did. It's all going to be different soon, and I wanted to capture what it was like before it completely shifted from being a frontier town to an established metropolis."