Private Tales By the light of the silvery moon

[Gylfi Runarsson]

My sisters are everything to me. But... His hand hung in the air, and he tightly clenched it into a fist before continuing, I want to see the world. But I don't want to hurt them by leaving. Gylfi paused again and came to a halt. My mother passed. My father lost his leg the same day my mother died. My sisters were too young to remember my mother; they were at home with theirs.

A pained expression twisted Gylfi's expression. They were teaching him to hunt in the mountains when they were caught in an accident. Gylfi's mother died saving him.

His father lost his leg trying to save his mother.

Gylfi lost a child's innocence.

I... Treated my second mother poorly. My sisters, too. Caused trouble for years in Indeholm. Eventually my sisters and I mended our relationships, but I haven't with my mother. I think, when we go to Indeholm, I will apologize. And after that, I may leave.

The young man, while accepting what happened that day as a child, still bore fresh wounds from it. It was something he kept to himself his entire life, and if asked he had no answer to why he laid his feelings and emotions bare to Brenna.

Perhaps it was because she reminded him of sisters. Perhaps it was because of the bond forged at the checkpoint.

Whatever the reason, the result remained the same. He trusted her with his expansive inner conflict.

 

[Brenna]

Bre's feet slowed to a stop as Gylfi continued. She hadn't been expecting him to pour out his heart in quite this manner but it helped her put another piece in the puzzle that was her Guard on this trip. She felt moved almost to tears by the sad tale and the lost look on the young man's face before her. He reminded her of the young boys back home whom she had seen grow up, some of who she had taught even, when they were confessing some deep dark truth.

She touched her hand to his upper arm to make him stop too then slid both her warm hands to his cheeks. Quietly she held his face for just a few moments. Her blue eyes spoke more volumes than most Nordenfiir could with their mouths; she wanted to take away his pain, she wanted to help, but above all she thought he was brave and her admiration for him shone above all the other emotions that made up the skyscape of her gaze.

After a while she dropped her hands to sign.

Perhaps we can go on an adventure together.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

"An adventure," he mumbled. Yes, I think I would like that.

Gylfi slowed to a stop next to the stream and, stepping onto the bank, leaned over the surface to match his reflection's gaze, then to look at Brenna's.

How are you faring? With the journey?

 

[Brenna]

Bre crouched beside the stream they came to stop beside, cupping her hands and dipping them into the frigid water. Patches of ice had formed over the river itself but the currant still ran strong and true. When she raised the water to her lips and drank it had the pleasant freshness of a spring. The fluttering of his hands as he spoke drew her eyes up and brought a slight grimace to her face.

Instinctively her hand drifted to her leg where she had been slashed by the creature and been poisoned with its taint.

The Journey itself, not too bad. I am used to it - the wastelands are close to our home and I was on my own for two years wandering like this. It is nice to have company. Little bit more dangerous than what I bargained for.

A slow, wry grin formed. Clearly the danger didn't dampen her enjoyment.

 

[Gylfi Runarsson]

The river was disturbed, and Gylfi's image was broken as Brenna dipped her hand into the water. He watched her sip. She could not hear. She could hardly speak well, but she had other ways to express herself. The nuances of her facial expressions and body language spoke volumes, and Gylfi saw it then as she merely drank the cold water. He watched his ward clutch her leg and then sign to him and returned her grin, understanding its meaning.

You are the danger. The wilds should watch out. He chuckled, but of course, she wouldn't hear it. Gylfi walked to her side and gently patted her head.

He, too, had set out to acquire his svalen. Unlike her, however, he returned to his home empty-handed.

Gylfi took his hand off of her head. We shouldn't wander too far.