And they all lived....?

[Faith Augustin]

1st Vhalar, 719

Faith didn't want to do this, or to be here. That might seem to be odd or unusual for someone outside, but as she sat here, in the garden of Varlum's home, she looked at her friend and she wondered just how to say this. On the day of the final battle, Varlum had dealt with everything that needed to be dealt with and then, he'd left. Faith understood it, she had collapsed on the battlefield and, had Padraig not been there, Faith didn't think she'd have made it home at all. However, that was eighty three trials ago and, in the time since that fateful trial, Faith had been ~ unsurprisingly ~ busy. There had been so much to do since then, but one of the things that was most important to her was making sure that the people who had helped her, who had risked their lives and who, most importantly, were her friends.

Varlum was very much one of those.

"How have you been since last time I visited?" Faith asked. He'd tell her fine, she didn't doubt, but equally, she had to ask. She'd popped in a few times, but until now it had been obvious that Varlum wanted to - needed to - be alone. She had nothing to tell him before now, so she'd made sure that he was alright and then not bothered him for too long. But now, she had news and so, she needed to tell him.

"Since the battle," Faith said, quietly, "Padraig and I have been busy and... well, Varlum, I hope you don't think that I am interfering, I truly don't mean to. But," everything before the 'but' was meaningless, Faith thought with a wry expression. "But I understand loss, and I understand the pain of not knowing." She did understand that, and he knew that she did, undoubtedly. "Yvithia granted Padraig and I access to her library," Faith said. Her silver eyes were earnest as she looked at him. "Varlum, I looked for Auya. She's gone. I don't know details there aren't any there, but I think that it was because her body couldn't deal with the power of being an Immortal."

Varlum had been there for her when she needed comfort and now, Faith looked at him. "She's gone, Varlum," Faith said, putting down the drink she had sipped, her hand touching his arm. "I'm sorry. I truly am." After a moment, during which she just was quiet, Faith spoke to him once more. "You're not alone."

[Varlum]

"Better. A lot better" he said quietly, trying to find the confidence. It was unusual for the Ithecal to spend so much time alone. Yet that was what he was doing. That was what he had to do. After all that they had endured, being around others just hadn't crossed the Ithecal's mind as a good idea. He let his friends in when they came to visit, let people see him so that they wouldn't worry. It wasn't as if Varlum was in any danger after all. He just didn't know how to handle the emotions he felt. He'd never really felt them before. Anger and loyalty was what he knew best. Letting his anger take over in times when he had to, and otherwise sticking to what he believed in and remaining true to himself.

But this was a time for neither. It was sadness.

As Faith spoke, Varlum could see from her face where it was going - and he braced himself. The words hit him hard. Gone. Not missing, not vanished, not absent for a while. But gone. It felt so final, as if everything he had done was over. The ball in which they had danced, Aukari and Ithecal, despite all the looks they got from those around. Walking her home night after night to make sure the men that had hurt her once could never hurt her again. Protecting her from everything, even Death. Because that was who Varlum was.

"Thank you, for finding out" he said as he let tears begin to form, feeling Faith's hand on his arm to comfort him. He didn't sob, not anymore. But he cried. As he did he looked to the woman, placing his own hand on hers with a small smile on his face, despite the crying. "I didn't think I would leave the war in the way I did. I didn't think I'd ever be as involved in it as I was. I just thought I'd go and be another soldier, guard you or your friends when you needed it and keep to myself. But despite the loss, and the pain, and all the lives gone because of what happened? I gained a lot. Even if I lost plenty too."

Varlum removed his hand and wiped his own eyes for a moment, before standing himself up in the garden before kneeling on one knee in front of Faith. "I'm growing tired of my own home, and my own pity. If you'd have me, I made you an offer back on that boat. That offer has not changed" he said with confidence, looking to Faith with his shield hand on show as he bowed his head for a moment. Before Rharne, acting like a Knight had never much been his thing, following any kind of etiquette. "We may have different methods of solving issues. Sometimes violence is necessary, I've seen enough of the world to believe that for a fact. But you have shown me when it isn't necessary, and you have shown me when we can make a positive difference without losing lives. That's not a lesson I want to lose - and you are not a friend that I want to abandon."

"Let me be your friend, your partner - and your shield."

[Faith Augustin]

1st Vhalar, 719

There was something inherently personal about grief. It could not be shared in the way that happiness or celebration could - it was unique and it was isolated. Yet, she knew, that sometimes the presence of another being helped. So, Faith was quiet and just gave Varlum what support she could. It was little enough, but equally she knew that the knowing about Auya, that might help a little. To have no closure was a dreadful thing ~ and that she knew from personal experience.

So, she was quiet and she let Varlum take the time he needed. She shook her head when he thanked her for finding out - there was no need for such thanks, frankly, Varlum was her friend and that topped everything else. She gave a slight smile when he said that he'd gained and lost in the war - they all had, she thought. As for his explanation of how he'd left the war? Faith had done something fairly similar, although she had been prompted by Padraig. Varlum, though, he repeated his offer made on the boat and Faith looked at him with emotion shining in her eyes. She'd thought about that offer a few times, now, but she knew that people said things in the heat of the moment. Sometimes, she thought, the thing to do was to give a person space in order to make sure that they wanted the same thing they thought they'd wanted in the heat of the moment.

Yet, when Varlum said that they had different methods of solving things, Faith could not help but smile. It was a lift of her lips which was both amused and ironic. "You think?" Faith said softly. "I hadn't noticed." But Varlum's words, his final ones, caused the ironic smile to turn into a more genuine one of delight. "You are already my friend, as I am yours," Faith said in reply. "It would be my - our - honour and pleasure to work with you." She breathed in slightly and glanced out of the window. "Ellasin is recovering. Soon, I'll be able to speak with her. What will come of that, Varlum, I don't know. But Padraig and I have ... well, we. You know how he licks rocks?" There was a slight gleam of mischief in Faith's eyes at that. "Padraig's main focus of study is the stars. He discovered a wobble in the orbit of the Saun-sun, and that led him on an expedition." She knew how it all sounded, but there it was.

"He went to the edge of the world and discovered a barrier there. Then, after another expedition, he worked out a way to get through the barrier sort of." Faith gave a slight shrug. "There were dragons, Varlum. He saw dragons. So, we're going back there." There was no doubt in Faith's mind that they were, Padraig had put this on hold long enough. "Towards the end of Zi'da I think." Faith gave a slight shrug. "Our twins are two at the beginning of Zi'da, so we'll go after that. You're welcome to join us, if you'd like to." As for everything else, she looked at him and asked, quite genuinely. "What about the Lightning Knights? Will that... how will you work that?"