Interlude - Dream a little dream

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna followed Alina and her new Squire back up higher in the ziggurat. She waited for Alina to simply stop to know where it was safe to rest. She sat down and rested against a wall as the giddy energy subsided.

Her eyes closed and she slumped further into the wall, as if falling asleep.

In her mindscape came a little flash, then a rush of colors and shapes before resolving inside a hut near to a cauldron.  She looked down into the still cauldron and saw her humanoid features reflect. She looked up and across the room to a figure at a wall of jars.

'I've made it to the material plane through the path that He's changebringer used and have found refuge with a Paladin of Selune known as Alina. Is she connected with those that are taking the target of your missive further away?'

She watched the figure and waited for the enigmatic reply that she expected.

[opius]

The hunched figure's features were obscured by gloom, silhouetted by a palpable haze of dust and darkness that moved like fog between herself and the image of her patron. The only clear indication that this was whom Sinna knew was the figure's familiar, glassy eye- a uniquely duo-tone green iris with a brown ring around the pupil. The aged and sagging skin surrounding it was unmistakably that of her patron's... For now, it was the only aspect of her patron's face that she could see, the path of iron thorns choked even their connection.

The voice that responded was gruff and husky, that of a woman of the bogs- one whom had built strength from years of hardship in lieu of less overt manipulations. Despite the way her body hunched, and the way her shadowed bony fingers clung to the gnarled wooden staff at her side, the voice carried through the room- even despite its slight slur.

"Yes." The figure extended one withered hand into the darkness, skin sagging at the elbow and arm like a threadbare coat. Five fingers extended outward before one pinky bent inward. Four, now.

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna stayed still as the form turned and approached. Every hazy detail taken in as she awaited the response. The affirmative response confirmed what she had already assumed based on context that she'd had prior combined with Alina's own words. However, the confirmation solidified intent and further questions.

She looked from the outstretched hand down into the heating cauldron. Two questions at once seemed prudent. Neither relied on the other and it would give space for careful thought on further questions.

"Will the receiver of your missive immediately recognize your touch on me and see through any glamours I can make?"

Without waiting for the response she continued. "Are you able to empower my wayfinding to make it so that the Paladin and I can travel unhindered to reach your intended audience?"

[opius]

The entity grumbled a low and pondering groan, boney withered fingers withdrawing from the scant light in order to cup and rub her jaw.

"Uncertain." She paused only a moment, wandering eye turning to focus on Sinna's form. "...She saw through her ward's disguise."

Another groan, more of a hem and a haw. "...Mnnrra... No." She reached to grasp her staff with both hands for support and then after a pause spoke, clarifying her statement. "...Not directly." Her eye twinkled in the dark, suggesting some mischief in the small additional offering.

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna furrowed her brows at the answers. The first answer was somewhat expected, but better to validate rather than attempt to hide and be seen as otherwise.

The second answer worried her in that there was mischief and an indirect answer. "Will you aid me, even if indirectly, to reach the Changebringer and by extension the target of your missive?"

She looked across, sure faced. "Lastly, am I truly safe to rest the night in the ziggurat with Alina?"

[opius]

"Hmmrm... Yes." She released her staff and curled her fingers, the skin making a leather-like sound as her knuckles went taught. "Trance. Listen. You'll know what to do come morning." A few wet coughs followed.

Once her throat was clear, the creature spoke once more, lifting her hand to curl the final finger visibly for her follower to see. "The stars say... yes. For now." As her hand curled into a fist, she lowered it. The wall of curios and jars began to stretch into the distance. Her form lingered before it too shifted further and further, until even Sinna's keen eyes could not see her in the dark.

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna took in the information. She trusted that she would be guided as needed. After all, she had a message to deliver and it wouldn't do if she wasn't aided in making it.

She took the final answer in stride, even smirking a little. She watched as her mindscape went distant as the other pulled away from the connection. As everything in her mind stilled to a blank canvas she opened her eyes. She looked over towards Alina settling in with her Squire being vigilant.

She reached into her pack and pulled out a shimmering quill feather and a small pad. She softly sung a series of notes accompanied by inflection as she drew seemed to take note of something. Out from her bag poked the head of a weasel. Her left hand moved to gently scratch the odd colored stripe down its head.

She continued to write, or perhaps draw?, as she sang another short line with an inflection of exhaustion. Her eyes shut again and her body leaned heavily against the wall slipping into a trance and waiting. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she knew that it was some time until Alina was asleep. The sound of snoring combined with the innate sense in her trance coming together.

She let her mindscape melt into that of Alina's dream. She was confused upon first entering. There were no dreams there. Simply an empty void and silence. Refraining from changing anything she opted to speak out first as a hidden voice. "Alina Morhea ... do you not dream?"

[redcoat]

A voice in the quiet darkness, asking a rather, ominous question. Alina felt her mind stir, but didn't try to make a meeting place happen.

"I dream constantly, when people want to talk to me. My ancestors, the many dozens of myself that have come before. The messengers of gods and couriers of the Celestial Bureaucracy. Who're you?"

[§~Samwise~§]

Though the dreamscape hadn't been formed by Alina it started taking form anyways. The scene slowly lit up reflecting the current real life environment they were both in.

Sinna pulled her legs in and the form shrunk a little as the harengon form melted away in glitter and leaves. "Still me, Sinna." Still in the dark blue robes with silver trim, her actual 5'6" form was on display. Silvery white hair with streaks of blue, braided and pulled back revealing elven ears. Her eyes, though normal in appearance actually glowed an electric blue. Meanwhile her complexion was less than pale, but seemed to shimmer in the right light.

She tilted her head and gave Alina an interested look."So, you dream ... but only when you're called upon by the past or a higher being. That feels less than fortunate to miss out on fantasy and other such fleeting escapes."

[redcoat]

Well, this was... something. She arched an eyebrow at Sinna, tilting her head at the taller woman. "I have no desire to escape, or for fantasy. My life is as I have shaped it. If I wanted it to be different, I would change it."

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna tilted her head to one side and then the other. Her eyes seemed to be attempting to pierce holes through her soul. Something Alina said made her scrunch her brows in thought after she let it sink in.

"You have many versions of you throughout history ... and all of them have been as serious as you?"

[redcoat]

Alina chuckled. "I think that is the first time anyone has ever accused me of being serious. All of them as determined as I am, certainly. It's a trait in my line- we do not bend to others' wills. Some more unreasonably so than others." She added, remembering one of her former's offers to cut off her hand.

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna chuckled. "Were they afraid that you might hurt them if they said it?" She slowly pushed up and away from the wall.

"So are all of you ... you?" She walked around Alina and gestured vaguely. "Always look the same? Or is it some more abstract idea of you?"

[redcoat]

Alina laughed. "No one is afraid that I will hurt them- if they were afraid I would hurt them, why would they ever come to me if they were in trouble? That would hurt my heart." She shook her head at the thought.

"And no- they don't all look like me. I do favor my mother a little, with the white hair. But that's it."

[§~Samwise~§]

Sinna cocked a brow and gave a slight shake of her head. She refrained from continuing with a though and instead hooked onto something different. "Oh? That's natural?" She walked over and reached out to touch her hair.

"Mine wasn't always like this, but is now."