Roen grunted as she lifted the chocobo harness, unhooking it from the wagon frame and unhitching the bird. The brown-feathered chocobo scratched at the icy ground, lowering its head to rub its beak against one of its legs. The paladin narrowed her eyes as she spied the bird favoring that limb, one of the talons curled in oddly. When she lowered herself to her knees for an inspection, she noticed a small scratch near one of its nails.
“You cannot travel like this, little one,†she murmured as she gently tended to the chocobo’s leg. But both her words and the bird’s subsequent coo were drowned out by a high pitched whistle of the winds that were gaining in strength with each bell. The paladin got back to her feet and studied the darkening skies, her auburn forelocks tossed before her eyes.
The storm will hit before I am even a malm from here, Roen thought. The other sellswords who were supposed to accompany her had already left, not wanting to be stranded in the northern Highlands during a blizzard. The mill offered sanctuary in a form of a stable and a cellar, constructed sturdy enough to ride out most blizzards. But aside from walls and some firewood, it offered little in the ways of amenities.
Still, the paladin had waited. She had called Khadai on the linkpearl to come join her if he was in the area, in hopes of orienting him to the ways of caravan escorts. He had already been doing well in his hunts as far as she could tell, and his face must have become somewhat familiar with those at the Forgotten Knight that rewarded him for hunt bills fulfilled. Roen was hoping for a similar boon with supply runs.
In truth, Roen had ventured out to the Highlands in hopes of getting away from the city of Ishgard. In the suns she had to herself in between scheduled lessons with the Therons, the paladin was starting to look over her shoulder and become restless once more. The lack of news of her brother could bode either well or ill, although she trusted that neither Kage or Delial would not delay in delivering grim tidings. Then there was the matter of Edda’s engagement to Jameson Taeros. The noblewoman seemed cryptic but determined in her decision to see this arrangement through, and it was with great reluctance that Roen agreed to stay away for both Edda and Gideon’s sake. The paladin herself had left Taeros to his own devices after all, believing that he ultimately did not have malicious intentions.
The darkening horizon seemed to mirror her mood as the howling gale started to ripple the tarp that was fastened over the supplies of the wagon. Roen stared off into the distance, where she could spot the tombstones of the graveyard where she and Khadai had talked earnestly regarding their ideals. She frowned as worry started to take hold, for she doubted even someone as rugged as he could survive a Coerthas blizzard out in the open.
“Why have you called?†a familiar voice rumbled behind her.
Roen turned at the inquiry, and gave a sigh of relief at seeing the Xaela warrior standing by the fence that surrounded the mill. She no longer found herself bristling in his presence despite his usual severe disposition. His brusque nature even seemed to hold a softer tone this day, implying comfortable directness rather than impatience.
“Ah, Khadai.†She greeted him with a cant of her head. “I had hoped you could help me escort the last of the supply wagon back to the Convictory but…†She gestured to the bird next to her. “This one cannot travel without some rest and the weather is looking bleak. I apologize for calling you out here. I will not be making the trip just yet.â€
“It is an inconvenience to be called,†the Xaela said bluntly as he looked to the skies. “Can you seek shelter until the storm passes? Have you prepared firewood?â€
Roen arched a brow, regarding him with crossed arms. “There are some within the mill, for just these occasions.†She jerked her head back toward the building behind her. She paused a moment, chewing her lower lip in thought. “But since I did call you out here, perhaps I can make your time worthwhile, at least a little.†She took the reins and started to lead the bird inside. “Do you have those maps and your hunt bills with you?â€
“I do.†He began to fish into a small leather satchel as he followed her in.
Securing the bird within one of the stalls and dismounting the harness from its back, Roen glanced back at the Xaela. “Has Edda been teaching you letters yet?â€
Khadai looked from the maps in his hand to the paladin. “She had intended to. We have not yet had the opportunity.â€
Roen exited the stable stall, heading down the hallway to the stairs leading down to the cellars. “Well, since I had caused you some inconvenience, perhaps I can give you your first lesson.†She shrugged nonchalantly. “At least until the blizzard lets up.â€
The warrior paused in his descent down the stairs. “Why?â€
The paladin gave him the briefest of glances. “You need to learn it, do you not?†She was careful to keep her tone neutral as she entered the cellars, taking a candle to light more lanterns. “Unless you rather just study the maps.â€
Khadai followed her into the room, laying out the maps on the table methodically. “That is not an answer. For what reason do you wish to fulfill a service that has been promised to me by another?â€
Roen exhaled sharply, turning around once the last lantern was lit. She frowned at the Au Ra. “It is not a service I am fulfilling, Khadai. Not everything needs to be some transaction agreed upon. It is just… an offer of a lesson. I thought you could use it.†Her voice softened as she approached the table. “Knowing you, you would continue to become indebted in exchange for something so simple.â€
The Xaela warrior regarded her a moment longer, before he too raised his shoulders in something that resembled a shrug. “I do not accept your reasoning,†he said coarsely. “However, I will not refuse information.â€
The paladin narrowed her eyes at him, but shook her head and regarded the map. She leaned forward and tapped a finger on a mark. “This is where we are now, the mill. Have you had the chance to compare the map to your surveys?â€
Khadai frowned. “Is that what the symbol means? A residence?†He snorted. “Your maps require a defter hand.†He planted a gauntleted finger on one point near the northern edge, sweeping across a large range. “The environment alters rapidly with and without snowfall. It is different from my land. It is possible for the appearance of the area to change from one sun to the next.â€
Roen nodded, tapping at other marks on the map. “Aye, that is true. But there are at least some obvious landmarks that can be recognized. The Black Iron Bridge, the frozen river branches below that you can follow… they are detailed here. I can teach you the letters to recognize them.â€
It was then that she saw the Xaela warrior glancing up, as the strong winds began to rattle the rooftops and the rafters creaked in protest. The paladin paused when she spotted a forlorn, almost nostalgic expression on his face.
“The storm increases,†he said quietly. But as Roen watched, the placid, stern exterior returned almost immediately. “I have no need of the names to navigate.â€
The paladin diverted her gaze back to the map and the hunt bills that were set aside next to them. She kept her tone neutral. “Aye, but learning the letters would still be a useful thing.†She leaned forward again, tapping her fingers over the large, bolded letters at the bottom of the map that denoted the region. “We can start with those.â€
Roen paused when he abruptly placed his hand close to hers as as she traced the letters on the map. His imitation of her gesture was accompanied with his typical serious expression. “I recognize a number of familiar symbols.†He continued to follow her movements with his fingertip.
She gave him a sidelong glance then finished tracing the curves of the letters. “Coerthas...†she enunciated clearly as she went over them. “Coerthas Western Highlands,†she finished the rest of the name slowly.
Khadai leaned in, pointing at the first letter. “What sounds do these symbols correspond with?â€
Her lips curled, satisfied with his inquiry. She began to sound out each letter again slowly. “The ‘th’ here is said as one, not all single letter always represent one sound.â€
“This is needlessly obtuse,†Xaela observed, even as he nodded. He pointed at the “t†in both “Coerthas†and “Western†and furrowed his brow. “These are identical symbols yet hold different sounds. Are there consistent numbers of sounds for each symbol?â€
Roen chewed the inside of her cheek pondering that. “I had never thought of it that way. Usually each letter has one dominant sound, but when paired with a certain letter, that pairing can change the pronunciation.â€
“A written language based upon circumstance in which the symbol is placed with no consistent sound?†Khadai shook his head, looking confused. “How are new words and phrases composed? How do those who have never seen it know how to speak of it?â€
“It was a system that was organized long before our time. But… there is a system, rules to follow.†She exhaled through her nose, finding her explanation a bit inadequate. “How do your people develop their letters?â€
He glanced at her. "My people have not used written word for some time." He withdrew from the pouch in his belt an item that he held clasped in his hand, as if hesitant to reveal it. "Transmission of ideas is done with a certain… process."
Roen arched both her brows, clearly surprised. "How do they record knowledge?"
Khadai frowned. "I am not certain I am equipped to properly explain, and you may not be equipped to understand. If you accept my explanation, it may be incomplete and misrepresentative of the process in question."
"Why not try.†She peered up at the Xaela. “Equipped or not. You may even surprise yourself."
He sighed. "As you wish." The Au Ra uncurled a hand and within lay a small pebble of polished black granite. It was a simple object, shaped like a rectangular prism, with an elaborate design carved upon its surface. It almost looked more like a natural pattern rather than a carving, so intricate it was, and yet it held a certain controlled quality of artificiality to its presence as well. With his left hand, he took her right hand and placed it upon his own right palm, where the runestone lay. His emerald gaze was unwavering upon her eyes as he did so.
“What does your mind tell you?" he asked intently.
"My mind...?" Roen flicked a glance between her hand and Khadai. "Is... it supposed to tell me something?"
"No. I would be surprised if it did." His right hand fell from hers, the runestone clasped in his grip. "Transmission of ideas is done through stones such as this. The symbol upon it contains a certain… thing. That contains the entirety of an idea." He paused for a moment. "The symbol itself is arbitrary. The symbol is… a vessel. For this… thing. This..." He pursed his lips. "Energy? To flow."
"Certain individuals of my people are capable of transmitting idea through touch or eyesight in close proximity." As if to demonstrate his point, he stepped close to the paladin and placed his face close to hers, his intense gaze focusing on her own. A few tense seconds of this and he pulled away, his demonstration done. Roen could only swallow and stare.
"With such things, there is no ambiguity to the idea being transmitted, and the learning of symbol as they correspond to sound, and the learning of sounds as they correspond to ideas is unnecessary. If you possessed the capability of recording such information, you would be able to tell me of a thing that I do not know the word for." He gestured to himself. "And I, in turn, would be able to tell you of such a thing in equal measure."
The paladin blinked slowly, her lips slightly parted. She was trying to absorb everything he was saying. "So you can communicate without saying a word. Through... just... thought?"
Khadai shook his head. "No. We cannot tell what the other is thinking through effort alone. It requires… an exchange of sorts."
She stared at his hand again. "But you use a stone carved with a... rune? For this exchange?" She was searching for the right word herself.
"The symbol is arbitrary," the Xaela repeated. "It is only used to allow… the flow. Of information. The colour of one's eyes is arbitrary. It is only used to permit one's vision."
"I see..." the paladin said absently, trying to process the information. "But the fact that your people can exchange ideas without even needing to speak… is remarkable."
"Speech is still necessary for communication. Recorded information, however, utilizes this, and not symbols corresponding with sound." Khadai nodded. "It is a way in--" He paused.
When Roen glanced at him expectantly, she saw his entire frame tense, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. Then suddenly he took off in a sprint, darting upstairs despite the sounds that indicated that the blizzard was still howling fiercely outside. The paladin got no chance to call out his name, she could only chase after him.
The doors had been practically barricaded with snow. Still, Khadai managed to barrel through, the winds and snow smashing against his face and anyone else who dared to venture outside. Roen ran out after him without question, skidding to a stop upon the icy ground near the door. Even amidst the blizzard, the Au Ra’s viridian eyes nearly gleamed with a sharp gaze, as he looked left and right, scanning for something amidst the veil of snow and frost. The paladin could see nothing but sleet and darkness, having to raise a hand near her face to protect her eyes. Her other hand hovered near her blade, just in case anything posed an immediate threat. It was only after she assured herself that no danger was about that she began to approach the warrior.
Khadai stood still, being battered by the storm for several long seconds that felt like minutes, before he turned abruptly around and nearly ran into her. Even before she could speak, he reached out a hand and wrapped his grip around her shoulder, spinning her around to herd her back to the refuge of the residence.
“Inside!†he shouted over the screaming wind.
Roen did not resist as she was led back in; his hand clasped upon her shoulder and the other against the side of her abdomen were rather insistent. But she stopped once inside of the stables, where it was only mildly less frigid than the blizzard outside, and the rattling of the building’s frame was even louder here than it was in the basement. She turned around and gave the Au Ra a pointed look.
"What was that all about?" Hint of an alarm was clear in her expression and raised voice, although the latter might have been to carry above the loud surroundings.
"My objective," he murmured, glancing over his shoulder to the door that still shook and shuddered with the force of the gales. "This is the second occurrence. So it is upon the Western Continent. Nearby...? No. But not far. It is..." He trailed off in thought.
Roen blinked, wide eyes going from him to the door then back to the warrior. "You... saw it? Felt it? Heard it?"
Khadai frowned. "Felt...? No. But that is the… closest description."
"Ah. Well then, by all means." The edge of her lips curled upwards, her expression relaxing slightly. "I am glad for you, Khadai. What will you do next?"
"I do not know. I have no clear course of action." He sighed, facing her again. "I may stay a while longer."
The paladin stared at the door again, suddenly a spark of possibilities sending her thoughts spinning. "Did it tell you in which direction at least? Perhaps we can search through the maps. Or..."
The warrior shook his head. "If I had obtained such an indication, I would have known. All I know that it is present." His gaze came to rest upon her. "That is substantial information on its own."
"It is something." She nodded and there was new energy about her. She felt her breath becoming lighter and quickened. The paladin looked to the doors again, tapping a finger against her lip. "Although you needed not to escort me back in so quickly. I could have looked along with you or..." she pondered out loud, before the weight of his unwavering gaze on her was too obvious for her not to notice. She flicked a glance or two his way, then exhaling as if annoyed with herself, she squarely looked back at him. "Why are you--â€
“You appear well," Khadai mused. "You have found some measure of faith."
Roen paused.
She could not answer right away, instead she turned her gaze back toward the door. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, then wrinkled her nose for a moment before she responded. "I was... glad for you. It is difficult to be without purpose."
"What do you refer to?" the warrior asked.
She chewed her lower lip then shook her head. "Nothing," she said quickly and turned on her heel back toward the stairs. "We should head back downstairs, it is much more chilly up here. I doubt you can go too far in that blizzard, anyroad."
The Xaela clasped her shoulder with an arm, turning her back around to face him. "It is not nothing," he chided. "I wish to know."
Roen frowned. Such gestures may have flared her ire if it was a stranger or someone else, but she did not with Khadai. Perhaps she had come to accept his austerity as part of his frank nature. She was more surprised to hear her own candid response to his inquiry. "My history is sordid and not a happy tale, Khadai. There was a reason why I came here. It was to run away from my failures and my ruined faith."
The frown had left his face. His expression was a stern one but it was one of approval as well. "There are many things I do not understand of this land. But to begin to regain what was lost, is to never lose it again." He released her shoulder gently. “I will rest, until the storm ends. Then I will depart."
He pursed his lips, considering his words in that telltale fashion of hesitation he adopted. "If you... wish to have discourse, then I will offer what guidance I can." He offered her a short nod, and retreated back down into the basement leaving the paladin standing alone and cloaked in uncertainty.
“You cannot travel like this, little one,†she murmured as she gently tended to the chocobo’s leg. But both her words and the bird’s subsequent coo were drowned out by a high pitched whistle of the winds that were gaining in strength with each bell. The paladin got back to her feet and studied the darkening skies, her auburn forelocks tossed before her eyes.
The storm will hit before I am even a malm from here, Roen thought. The other sellswords who were supposed to accompany her had already left, not wanting to be stranded in the northern Highlands during a blizzard. The mill offered sanctuary in a form of a stable and a cellar, constructed sturdy enough to ride out most blizzards. But aside from walls and some firewood, it offered little in the ways of amenities.
Still, the paladin had waited. She had called Khadai on the linkpearl to come join her if he was in the area, in hopes of orienting him to the ways of caravan escorts. He had already been doing well in his hunts as far as she could tell, and his face must have become somewhat familiar with those at the Forgotten Knight that rewarded him for hunt bills fulfilled. Roen was hoping for a similar boon with supply runs.
In truth, Roen had ventured out to the Highlands in hopes of getting away from the city of Ishgard. In the suns she had to herself in between scheduled lessons with the Therons, the paladin was starting to look over her shoulder and become restless once more. The lack of news of her brother could bode either well or ill, although she trusted that neither Kage or Delial would not delay in delivering grim tidings. Then there was the matter of Edda’s engagement to Jameson Taeros. The noblewoman seemed cryptic but determined in her decision to see this arrangement through, and it was with great reluctance that Roen agreed to stay away for both Edda and Gideon’s sake. The paladin herself had left Taeros to his own devices after all, believing that he ultimately did not have malicious intentions.
The darkening horizon seemed to mirror her mood as the howling gale started to ripple the tarp that was fastened over the supplies of the wagon. Roen stared off into the distance, where she could spot the tombstones of the graveyard where she and Khadai had talked earnestly regarding their ideals. She frowned as worry started to take hold, for she doubted even someone as rugged as he could survive a Coerthas blizzard out in the open.
“Why have you called?†a familiar voice rumbled behind her.
Roen turned at the inquiry, and gave a sigh of relief at seeing the Xaela warrior standing by the fence that surrounded the mill. She no longer found herself bristling in his presence despite his usual severe disposition. His brusque nature even seemed to hold a softer tone this day, implying comfortable directness rather than impatience.
“Ah, Khadai.†She greeted him with a cant of her head. “I had hoped you could help me escort the last of the supply wagon back to the Convictory but…†She gestured to the bird next to her. “This one cannot travel without some rest and the weather is looking bleak. I apologize for calling you out here. I will not be making the trip just yet.â€
“It is an inconvenience to be called,†the Xaela said bluntly as he looked to the skies. “Can you seek shelter until the storm passes? Have you prepared firewood?â€
Roen arched a brow, regarding him with crossed arms. “There are some within the mill, for just these occasions.†She jerked her head back toward the building behind her. She paused a moment, chewing her lower lip in thought. “But since I did call you out here, perhaps I can make your time worthwhile, at least a little.†She took the reins and started to lead the bird inside. “Do you have those maps and your hunt bills with you?â€
“I do.†He began to fish into a small leather satchel as he followed her in.
Securing the bird within one of the stalls and dismounting the harness from its back, Roen glanced back at the Xaela. “Has Edda been teaching you letters yet?â€
Khadai looked from the maps in his hand to the paladin. “She had intended to. We have not yet had the opportunity.â€
Roen exited the stable stall, heading down the hallway to the stairs leading down to the cellars. “Well, since I had caused you some inconvenience, perhaps I can give you your first lesson.†She shrugged nonchalantly. “At least until the blizzard lets up.â€
The warrior paused in his descent down the stairs. “Why?â€
The paladin gave him the briefest of glances. “You need to learn it, do you not?†She was careful to keep her tone neutral as she entered the cellars, taking a candle to light more lanterns. “Unless you rather just study the maps.â€
Khadai followed her into the room, laying out the maps on the table methodically. “That is not an answer. For what reason do you wish to fulfill a service that has been promised to me by another?â€
Roen exhaled sharply, turning around once the last lantern was lit. She frowned at the Au Ra. “It is not a service I am fulfilling, Khadai. Not everything needs to be some transaction agreed upon. It is just… an offer of a lesson. I thought you could use it.†Her voice softened as she approached the table. “Knowing you, you would continue to become indebted in exchange for something so simple.â€
The Xaela warrior regarded her a moment longer, before he too raised his shoulders in something that resembled a shrug. “I do not accept your reasoning,†he said coarsely. “However, I will not refuse information.â€
The paladin narrowed her eyes at him, but shook her head and regarded the map. She leaned forward and tapped a finger on a mark. “This is where we are now, the mill. Have you had the chance to compare the map to your surveys?â€
Khadai frowned. “Is that what the symbol means? A residence?†He snorted. “Your maps require a defter hand.†He planted a gauntleted finger on one point near the northern edge, sweeping across a large range. “The environment alters rapidly with and without snowfall. It is different from my land. It is possible for the appearance of the area to change from one sun to the next.â€
Roen nodded, tapping at other marks on the map. “Aye, that is true. But there are at least some obvious landmarks that can be recognized. The Black Iron Bridge, the frozen river branches below that you can follow… they are detailed here. I can teach you the letters to recognize them.â€
It was then that she saw the Xaela warrior glancing up, as the strong winds began to rattle the rooftops and the rafters creaked in protest. The paladin paused when she spotted a forlorn, almost nostalgic expression on his face.
“The storm increases,†he said quietly. But as Roen watched, the placid, stern exterior returned almost immediately. “I have no need of the names to navigate.â€
The paladin diverted her gaze back to the map and the hunt bills that were set aside next to them. She kept her tone neutral. “Aye, but learning the letters would still be a useful thing.†She leaned forward again, tapping her fingers over the large, bolded letters at the bottom of the map that denoted the region. “We can start with those.â€
Roen paused when he abruptly placed his hand close to hers as as she traced the letters on the map. His imitation of her gesture was accompanied with his typical serious expression. “I recognize a number of familiar symbols.†He continued to follow her movements with his fingertip.
She gave him a sidelong glance then finished tracing the curves of the letters. “Coerthas...†she enunciated clearly as she went over them. “Coerthas Western Highlands,†she finished the rest of the name slowly.
Khadai leaned in, pointing at the first letter. “What sounds do these symbols correspond with?â€
Her lips curled, satisfied with his inquiry. She began to sound out each letter again slowly. “The ‘th’ here is said as one, not all single letter always represent one sound.â€
“This is needlessly obtuse,†Xaela observed, even as he nodded. He pointed at the “t†in both “Coerthas†and “Western†and furrowed his brow. “These are identical symbols yet hold different sounds. Are there consistent numbers of sounds for each symbol?â€
Roen chewed the inside of her cheek pondering that. “I had never thought of it that way. Usually each letter has one dominant sound, but when paired with a certain letter, that pairing can change the pronunciation.â€
“A written language based upon circumstance in which the symbol is placed with no consistent sound?†Khadai shook his head, looking confused. “How are new words and phrases composed? How do those who have never seen it know how to speak of it?â€
“It was a system that was organized long before our time. But… there is a system, rules to follow.†She exhaled through her nose, finding her explanation a bit inadequate. “How do your people develop their letters?â€
He glanced at her. "My people have not used written word for some time." He withdrew from the pouch in his belt an item that he held clasped in his hand, as if hesitant to reveal it. "Transmission of ideas is done with a certain… process."
Roen arched both her brows, clearly surprised. "How do they record knowledge?"
Khadai frowned. "I am not certain I am equipped to properly explain, and you may not be equipped to understand. If you accept my explanation, it may be incomplete and misrepresentative of the process in question."
"Why not try.†She peered up at the Xaela. “Equipped or not. You may even surprise yourself."
He sighed. "As you wish." The Au Ra uncurled a hand and within lay a small pebble of polished black granite. It was a simple object, shaped like a rectangular prism, with an elaborate design carved upon its surface. It almost looked more like a natural pattern rather than a carving, so intricate it was, and yet it held a certain controlled quality of artificiality to its presence as well. With his left hand, he took her right hand and placed it upon his own right palm, where the runestone lay. His emerald gaze was unwavering upon her eyes as he did so.
“What does your mind tell you?" he asked intently.
"My mind...?" Roen flicked a glance between her hand and Khadai. "Is... it supposed to tell me something?"
"No. I would be surprised if it did." His right hand fell from hers, the runestone clasped in his grip. "Transmission of ideas is done through stones such as this. The symbol upon it contains a certain… thing. That contains the entirety of an idea." He paused for a moment. "The symbol itself is arbitrary. The symbol is… a vessel. For this… thing. This..." He pursed his lips. "Energy? To flow."
"Certain individuals of my people are capable of transmitting idea through touch or eyesight in close proximity." As if to demonstrate his point, he stepped close to the paladin and placed his face close to hers, his intense gaze focusing on her own. A few tense seconds of this and he pulled away, his demonstration done. Roen could only swallow and stare.
"With such things, there is no ambiguity to the idea being transmitted, and the learning of symbol as they correspond to sound, and the learning of sounds as they correspond to ideas is unnecessary. If you possessed the capability of recording such information, you would be able to tell me of a thing that I do not know the word for." He gestured to himself. "And I, in turn, would be able to tell you of such a thing in equal measure."
The paladin blinked slowly, her lips slightly parted. She was trying to absorb everything he was saying. "So you can communicate without saying a word. Through... just... thought?"
Khadai shook his head. "No. We cannot tell what the other is thinking through effort alone. It requires… an exchange of sorts."
She stared at his hand again. "But you use a stone carved with a... rune? For this exchange?" She was searching for the right word herself.
"The symbol is arbitrary," the Xaela repeated. "It is only used to allow… the flow. Of information. The colour of one's eyes is arbitrary. It is only used to permit one's vision."
"I see..." the paladin said absently, trying to process the information. "But the fact that your people can exchange ideas without even needing to speak… is remarkable."
"Speech is still necessary for communication. Recorded information, however, utilizes this, and not symbols corresponding with sound." Khadai nodded. "It is a way in--" He paused.
When Roen glanced at him expectantly, she saw his entire frame tense, his eyes fixated on the ceiling. Then suddenly he took off in a sprint, darting upstairs despite the sounds that indicated that the blizzard was still howling fiercely outside. The paladin got no chance to call out his name, she could only chase after him.
The doors had been practically barricaded with snow. Still, Khadai managed to barrel through, the winds and snow smashing against his face and anyone else who dared to venture outside. Roen ran out after him without question, skidding to a stop upon the icy ground near the door. Even amidst the blizzard, the Au Ra’s viridian eyes nearly gleamed with a sharp gaze, as he looked left and right, scanning for something amidst the veil of snow and frost. The paladin could see nothing but sleet and darkness, having to raise a hand near her face to protect her eyes. Her other hand hovered near her blade, just in case anything posed an immediate threat. It was only after she assured herself that no danger was about that she began to approach the warrior.
Khadai stood still, being battered by the storm for several long seconds that felt like minutes, before he turned abruptly around and nearly ran into her. Even before she could speak, he reached out a hand and wrapped his grip around her shoulder, spinning her around to herd her back to the refuge of the residence.
“Inside!†he shouted over the screaming wind.
Roen did not resist as she was led back in; his hand clasped upon her shoulder and the other against the side of her abdomen were rather insistent. But she stopped once inside of the stables, where it was only mildly less frigid than the blizzard outside, and the rattling of the building’s frame was even louder here than it was in the basement. She turned around and gave the Au Ra a pointed look.
"What was that all about?" Hint of an alarm was clear in her expression and raised voice, although the latter might have been to carry above the loud surroundings.
"My objective," he murmured, glancing over his shoulder to the door that still shook and shuddered with the force of the gales. "This is the second occurrence. So it is upon the Western Continent. Nearby...? No. But not far. It is..." He trailed off in thought.
Roen blinked, wide eyes going from him to the door then back to the warrior. "You... saw it? Felt it? Heard it?"
Khadai frowned. "Felt...? No. But that is the… closest description."
"Ah. Well then, by all means." The edge of her lips curled upwards, her expression relaxing slightly. "I am glad for you, Khadai. What will you do next?"
"I do not know. I have no clear course of action." He sighed, facing her again. "I may stay a while longer."
The paladin stared at the door again, suddenly a spark of possibilities sending her thoughts spinning. "Did it tell you in which direction at least? Perhaps we can search through the maps. Or..."
The warrior shook his head. "If I had obtained such an indication, I would have known. All I know that it is present." His gaze came to rest upon her. "That is substantial information on its own."
"It is something." She nodded and there was new energy about her. She felt her breath becoming lighter and quickened. The paladin looked to the doors again, tapping a finger against her lip. "Although you needed not to escort me back in so quickly. I could have looked along with you or..." she pondered out loud, before the weight of his unwavering gaze on her was too obvious for her not to notice. She flicked a glance or two his way, then exhaling as if annoyed with herself, she squarely looked back at him. "Why are you--â€
“You appear well," Khadai mused. "You have found some measure of faith."
Roen paused.
She could not answer right away, instead she turned her gaze back toward the door. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, then wrinkled her nose for a moment before she responded. "I was... glad for you. It is difficult to be without purpose."
"What do you refer to?" the warrior asked.
She chewed her lower lip then shook her head. "Nothing," she said quickly and turned on her heel back toward the stairs. "We should head back downstairs, it is much more chilly up here. I doubt you can go too far in that blizzard, anyroad."
The Xaela clasped her shoulder with an arm, turning her back around to face him. "It is not nothing," he chided. "I wish to know."
Roen frowned. Such gestures may have flared her ire if it was a stranger or someone else, but she did not with Khadai. Perhaps she had come to accept his austerity as part of his frank nature. She was more surprised to hear her own candid response to his inquiry. "My history is sordid and not a happy tale, Khadai. There was a reason why I came here. It was to run away from my failures and my ruined faith."
The frown had left his face. His expression was a stern one but it was one of approval as well. "There are many things I do not understand of this land. But to begin to regain what was lost, is to never lose it again." He released her shoulder gently. “I will rest, until the storm ends. Then I will depart."
He pursed his lips, considering his words in that telltale fashion of hesitation he adopted. "If you... wish to have discourse, then I will offer what guidance I can." He offered her a short nod, and retreated back down into the basement leaving the paladin standing alone and cloaked in uncertainty.
