[Hopetoun] The Storm

[Vega]

30th Ashan, 721

weather due to this stuff

"Oh, knickers!"

Thus was the sound uttering from Vega's mouth as the storm started to rage. Before this moment, Darius had been organising things, but first Arlo and then Darius had been pulled away - literally. Vega was entirely unconcerned about that, it had happened to Arlo at least twice before in the time she'd known him. It meant that his Immortal father needed something, or someone, somewhere was calling on him. He'd be alright.

"Wren, I need you to listen to me," she said softly. Vega was soaking wet, but she didn't care. She'd come here to speak to the boy who she was caring for. "My Papa, an' Shon, they're goin' to look after our ships. We need to get them away from the shore, an' things like that." He nodded, listening carefully. "An' I need you to be safe. So, I want you to be in a place called 'Safesong Sails', it's a special place of mine, what's completely safe. Will you do that?" Wren looked at her and a slight frown furrowed his brow.

"Will you be there?"

"I'll take you in there, Wren, but there's a real nice lady there, called Matron. I can't stay, I have to help here." Wren thought about it. "What if something bad happens to you?" Vega shook her head. "Well, first of all, nothin' bad is goin' to happen to me but, if it does, then Arlo will be able to help you. An' if both me an' Arlo shuffle off this mortal coil, then you'll re-appear here, an' Lily here will look after you. Or, you her." Vega smiled at him and stroked his hair. Wren considered it some more. Then, he nodded.

"THank you, Wren," Vega said. "I feel much happier knowin' you'll be safe. Come on, then, hold my hand."

And, with that, she activated Safesong Sails. She took Wren in, and she introduced him to Matron, and then when he was settled, Vega left. There was an urgency to her which Wren understood meant that there was something she needed to deal with.

She ran back outside and spied Astra. Vega moved over and Asta explained that she was going to secure the boats. "My Papa an' cousin are securin' ours. Stay safe, I'll try an' get people in as much shelter as possible." Astra nodded and Vega briefly grasped the woman by the arm. They shared a glance, Astra smiled and nodded, and Vega did the same.

Both women began to move, then, and as Astra made her way to the boat, Vega started back along the shore to the settlement itself. "Alrigh' everyone," Vega shouted. Utilising her Lion's LocketVega's voice increases fivefold in volume and gains a deep, husky tone, however the words she speaks remain crystal clear., Vega's voice rose above the thunder. "Get into shelter - share house spaces, if you can - an' if you can't, get into my camp!" Vega had a knack for setting up camps which protected.

[Vega]

The hail pelted down and Vega winced as it stung. "Come on, get indoors!" The howling winds whipped around and she made her way over to where the glowing chickens were kept. Getting them inside, too, she was watching out and listening for sounds. There was a cry of "Help!" over the screeching of the wind and the young daughter of Faldrun looked around. The storm was raging and she couldn't make out - at first - where the sound was coming from. So, Vega closed her eyes for a moment and listened. Being the daughter of the Immortal of Turmoil gave Vega an innate understanding of rhythm - it was one of her Domains, after all. She listened to the rhythmn of the storm - it sounded like it was chaotic, random, but it wasn't.

When she closed her eyes, Vega heard the music that was the storm.

Lifting her face to the sky, she felt the rain falling on her and she smiled. It was chaos. It was madness. It was fury.

And it was the most beautiful sound.

The voice which called, though, that was not part of the symphony which was the rhythm of this storm and as she heard the call again, Vega turned and started to move. It was a woman's voice, she thought, and it was over there. There, specifically, was towards the orchard which Sir Chip had grown earlier in the season. Vega ran towards the orchard and she kept listening out for the cries. As she got there, she saw that one of the trees had fallen - possibly struck by lightning and Vega upped her speed. She could feel the hail pounding against her face and Vega could hear Arlo telling her to be careful. But this was a storm and Vega knew that she was as safe in the midst of what seemed to be Chrien's fury as anyone was. And, besides, she also knew that she was who she was and there was no changing her.

Plus "well, you'd just disappeared, so what could I do?" would stand her in good stead for a while, Vega knew.

That thought process flitted through her head, dancing like a feather in a maelstrom and, as it did, Vega's body moved. Lightning struck in the same moment - the very same moment - as her foot hit the floor. Her heart beat in time with the thump-thump-thump of the hail against her skin. It was all one rhythm, one movement. She felt the screams of the elements - the way that the wind buffeted and the water howled. But it was part of the same song.

Vega moved, unaware of the way that she did. She ran towards the orchard and she called out as she did. "I'm here! Where are you? I need to find you!"

Then, she stood again, unmoving and she listened.

And she heard the call again. "Help! Oh please help!!"

[Vega]

The orchard was there and, largely, it seemed fine but there on the outskirts of it there was a tree which was taller than the others. Or, more precisely, there had been a tree which was taller than the others and Vega ran to where it was . Lightning had struck it and the tree had fallen. It was a Phoenix Tree, so it wasn't even on fire, but it had landed, squarely, on one of the settlers. "I'm here, I'm here" Vega called and she skidded to a halt. The tree was laying across the woman, who looked at Vega with a complete lack of comprehension in her eyes.

The tree on top of the woman had landed on her and it was pinning her to the ground - it was large and would be difficult to move. But, Vega knew that she was strong and she could do it. It would be difficult, but she would manage it and Vega took a step forward. A step towards where she had to go. "It's a'right. Wait. Wait, I'll get this tree off you!" The weather really wasn't helping, it was incessant and Vega wiped away the water from her forehead as she tried to assess the situation. The woman who was trapped was screaming. "Help me! Help me!"

Vega moved. "I'm doin' it, it's ok! Hang on, jus' hang on!" She yelled and she lowered herself to get the right balance. Dropping down on to her haunches, she grabbed the tree and put her arms in place, ready to lift it. It would allow her to have sufficient leverage and it would mean that she could distribute the pressure of lifting across her body.

And Vega paused.

Rain poured over her, hailstones battered against her and she stopped moving. "Help me! Help me! It huuuurts!" The woman screamed and Vega turned to her. "I get that! I'm goin' to help you but I need to do it smart!" She couldn't lift this tree. Or, more precisely, she could lift this tree but she was not going to. Because there was a baby growing inside her and Vega wasn't prepared to put that child in any risk. None at all. So, she called out and her voice rang out across the settlement. "I need some help at the orchard! We need to lift a tree!" And then, she got herself next to the woman who was trapped. "I know you're scared," Vega said. "But I'm not lettin' you get harmed, ok?" She examined the situation which had her caught under the tree and she breathed out. "It's alright. I know, I know it doesn't feel alright." She looked at the woman. "But it's pinnin' you an' I can't lift this tree alone. Look, look, they're comin'"

She pointed and there, indeed, were three men running towards them. They arrived, and Vega nodded. "This tree needs liftin', we need to move it. I can't. I'm pregnant, an' I can't go liftin' trees." They nodded and they moved together to lift the tree. As they did, Vega pulled the woman out. Cradling the injured woman in her arms, Vega held on tight. "It's a'right. It's a'right. The storm's endin'" It was. She knew it was, she could hear the rhythm in the storm changing.

And, they all crowded around the woman, checking her for major damage which wasn't there, helping her to walk on the sprained ankle, which Vega knelt and bound tightly. She wasn't much of a medic, but she could manage that. As she finished, she lifted her head. "Bloody hell," she said. "It got cold all of a sudden, didn't it?"

[Avalon]

Review Rewards

Name: Vega

Points awarded: 10xp

Knowledge:
Detection: The symphony of a storm
Detection: Close your eyes to hear better
Logistics: Multiple people make a job simpler
Logistics: Put people where they are best suited to help.
Medicine: Checking for wounds
Medicine: Bandaging a sprained ankle

Renown: 10 xp (for stepping into a leadership role when the leader disapoofed)

Skill Review: All Skills used appropriate to level

Notes:
The 30th was a weird trial. No getting around that.

A lot happened fairly quickly when the storm hit, and Vega was in her element. Not that it's an element she relishes...but she's good at it. She can think on her feet and get stuff done, and that's exactly what needed to happen in this thread.

This is the reader's introduction to how the storm affected the settlement of Hopetoun, and we get to see it through Vega's eyes. It's chaotic and confusing but she handles it like a champ, staying calm and concisely leading others. I particularly enjoy her reaction to Arlo vanishing as just another thing. I suppose when it happens that many times, that reaction is extremely appropriate.

I thought her interaction with Wren was touching. Vega's going to be a great mother.

A wonderful piece to bring us into the madness of the wider event going on. Sometimes it's easy to forget about the smaller impacts.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this review, feel free to PM. Enjoy your rewards!

Avalon