Bitter Tears

The cool morning is wearing away as the afternoon takes hold, the sun shining brightly overhead through the large trees, creating a lattice work of streaming light. The village is a alive with time of year, a few children running past in their free time between chores, battling each other with sticks. Amongst this soft din of life from both the people and the forest life, Elaos has his own follower. A young lad takes his time to follow, his leg wrapped and underneath his arm a carved crutch, worn and old sturdier than most.

The herbalist pulls out of his pouch a small whittled flute and begins to pipe a tune out on it. He picks up his feet and turns to the boy follow him as winks and moves to take up a position on a old stump. His long legs reach out far, the dark haired beorning beckons the injured lad over to join him the two other children stop to watch.

Cecilia approaches from the northern end of town, a rather downcast expression on her face as she carries a heavy linen bag that\'s full of blankets and bedsheets from the infirmary. Her pale hair is tied back into a simple ponytail, but she has a lovely wooden comb tucked into it that is stained purple and red to accent the berries that are carved into the hair piece.

[Elaos(#30364)]

The song lifts and carries out with a trill, the tune turning into more of a jig that has the man\'s foot tapping in time. His eyes close and bobs his head from side to side. His attention returns to those around him when he sees Cecilia having a bit of trouble and as he winds down is song quickly, he stands and begins to stride towards her as he plays, leaving his packs by the stump. He does four sixteenth notes in a winding upward trill before handing off his flute to one of the lads, \"Now you try...\" He turns then to Cecilia. \"Did you require some help?\" He asks of her, a smile tilting her lips and carrying the effort to his eyes.

Cecilia looks up at Elaos and gives him a grateful smile. \"It is a bit much.. \" She admits, setting the heavy sack down and letting out a sigh. The young woman is looking far less than her usual polished self. Her eyes are red around the edges, as if she\'s been crying and there are heavy bags from lack of sleep. Still, she\'s all fondness for the fellow healer. \"How are you, Elaos?\" She asks in a friendly tone.

[Elaos(#30364)]

He does not hesitate and leans down to pick up the heavy pack, sliding it up onto one shoulder as a hand reaches back to stabilize it once he rises. \"Oh the usual..I am alright.\" He concludes with a warm grin before he looks her over. Brows pull into a furrow before he tilts his head in consideration. Reaching out a hand if he is let, he touches her cheek near her eye. \"Now what has caused this?\" He asks softly, not wishing to draw possible unwanted attention. The tall man, studies her face. \"Where is that usual smile?\" He tries to provoke it with a smile of his own.

Cecilia lets her gray eyes wander up again when he touches her cheek and there is a hint of that charming smile she has perfected over the years. It fades quickly with his question and sucks a breath in through her nose that sounds terribly like a sniffle. \"Nothing.. I was out without a coat the other night, and I\'ve caught a bit of a cold, that is all.\" She lies blatantly, not wanting him to know the reason for her distress, it seems. \"Thank you for helping.. I was carrying it down to the river for the girls to wash.\" She gestures vaguely westward.

[Elaos(#30364)]

He eyes her a moment, obviously meaning he has seen through such lies before he nods and adds in a chipper tone. \"Then we will take it to the river.\" He then skips a step and lands on one foot. \"Lead the way!\" The older beornng offers another grin, an antic to try to restore that same smile to her own lips again. \"It must have been a dreadful cold for it to make your eyes red.\" He comments as they start, \"We shall have to make note.\"

Cecilia relaxes when at first he doesn\'t seem to press the issue. She starts walking, clasping her hands behind her as she heads west. When he comments on her cold, though, her head bows. \"I was drinking too much mead when I was out without my coat.. so, you see, it was really my own fault. There\'s no reason to note anything other than my own foolishness.\" She peeks back at him, a half-smile on her face. \"Do you think you might come and help at the infirmary again? My father has been putting in too many hours, but argues that I shouldn\'t be there alone to handle things.. though, I think that is foolish as well.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Ahhh, since Eydis has been out with Geirviar, she has not been around to help as well?\" Elaos looks thoughtful as they walk and then he nods. \"I think I will and perhaps you can come with me to learn how to help the sheep birth?\" He skips a step again, kicking a stone upward and catching it on his foot before kicking it forward, he takes a moment to catch himself so as not to fall backward, his hand grasping the pack. His braid shifts down his back and then he laughs, \"You know..you shouldn\'t drink so much mead, moderation Cecilia.\"

Cecilia twists back sharply in sudden retort, \"I know how to birth a sheep, or a calf, or a baby! My father taught me everything he knows!\" She says with some pride. Then her anger melts away as his antics make her laugh and she laughs. \"Yes.. I know! Too much mead. It was foolish, as I said!\" She\'s far more relaxed now, her mood already greatly improved in the short span of time.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Out of the corner of his eye, Elaos seems to nod and jumps, turning in the air, landing on his feet but swaying for a moment, \"Tell me these are not all yours..\" He wavers and finds his balance once more before he chuckles. \"I am going to say you change too often..\" He ducks slightly to the side and turns to walk backwards, carefully looking over his shoulder before looking up at her. \"It\'s good to see that smile back.\"

Cecilia scoffs and quickly shakes her head again. \"No! None of it is mine.\" She protest with a flush to her cheeks now. \"They\'re from the infirmary. The bedding.\" There\'s no response to his comment on her smile but she casts him a coy glance before turning to lead the way again. \"I have not seen you since the trip south. What have you been doing with your time? Playing in the dirt?\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"One of many things I have done..\" He confirms, turning now so that he can walk beside her. \"Also been working to find new poultices. Running a little area out of my home for those further from the healing house. It was a long winter I can tell you, but I can not resist the smell of the herbs. It makes the nights go by.\" He smiles softly and looks to the ground. \"Its interesting what you miss once you can\'t ignore it.\"

Cecilia nods along quietly, glancing up at him once or twice as he explains what he\'s been busy with. At his last comment her posture grows tense again, his words reminding her of her own recent plight. \"Yes. I agree with you about that.\" She says in a slightly bitter tone.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"Oh come now.\" he starts and pauses, giving her arm a tug to stop her short if she lets him. \"I have worked so hard to place that smile on your face, do not let my own ramblings end it. It will dim the sun today if you shall bring your rain clouds back.\" He tilts his head, shaking it slightly. \"I am just reminiscent in the deep of winter, forget I said it.\"

Cecilia stops when he takes her arm, her gray eyes focusing on his. She flushes again at his attempts to cheer her up, chewing on her bottom lip as her head bows again to study the dirt of the road. \"You are free to speak of what you will. Your words made me think of something, that is all. It\'s something that should have been obvious to me but I never considered it.\" How -could- she consider Mogel as a husband.. he\'s so.. hopeless!

[Elaos(#30364)]

A brow peaks at that and Elaos draws his hand back, \"I think I have missed something as of late. I admit I am not so up to date on what the town does...but I do not think anything has happened since the pass incident. Cecilia?\" He asks without really asking. The other healer watches the young woman carefully. \"Whatever you are considering, it takes away your joy, so maybe talking about it will help?\" He offers and motions off to the side, taking a seat off the path.

Cecilia draws in a breath, watching him indecisively at first, then sighs and moves over to sit down next to him. Delicately, she curls her legs beneath her skirts and fusses with the dress to smooth the fabric. \"You know I am to be married in the fall.. right?\" She steals a small glance at him, not sure if the herbalist that spends so much time out of the village knows all the details of things.

[Elaos(#30364)]

To this the herbalist pauses and gives a shake of his head in a somewhat softened surprise. \"No..that I did not, Cecilia.\" He considers her anew again, as if her appearance now warranted a study once more. \"I see, so it was not the mead last night that was to blame.\" He comments, a faint frown upon his lips. He sets down the pack lightly and motions with his hand. \"I take it, you are not so happy with this arrangement?\"

Cecilia is frowning again and shakes her head, biting down on her lower lip to keep from crying. After a moment she composes herself and says, \"It\'s.. not that I didn\'t know it was to be arranged. I\'ve known for years and my father is Tree Skald. But..\" She cringes, \"Well, Mogel is nice and all.\" She can\'t bring herself to directly criticize her husband to be.

[Elaos(#30364)]

There is a moment of understanding and realization on his part that causes Elaos to give the woman a large of amount of sympathy. \"Mogel is a good man..\" he starts and catches himself before he says \'boy\'. \"But have you told your father how distraught this makes you?\" He asks lightly, tilting his head and shifting a stick and leaf matter with his foot.

\"No, no, no! I\'m not distraught! It\'s fine!\" Cecilia says quickly, glancing around to be certain they\'re alone. \"It was only a surprise, that\'s all. I should have guessed as much but I have been too distracted with my own interests. I\'m sure that my father did what is best.\" This is the healer trying to rise above her petty disappointment. \"Nothing is expected to be perfect in such situations.\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

A soft expression settles to the man\'s face and he nods in agreement. \"Nothing is ever perfect..it is true.\" There is a soft sigh that escapes him as he rests a hand on his knee. \"Cecilia...I have known other women in my life.\" He says with a gentle smile. \"In that sense you can not hide so much from me...tell me that you truly do not mind this and I will believe you, if not..then do not attempt to fool me, please. I am here to listen.\"

\"It doesn\'t really matter what I think. This is how it is to be and I have known for years, so I cannot pretend otherwise. I have to be mature. I\'m twenty years old, and I have to grow up, right?\" Cecilia has never been known for her staggering maturity about things, but she has always tried to live up to her status as the daughter of a skald.

[Elaos(#30364)]

\"It does not mean that you do not have your own feelings. You have to let them be heard and though the position you are in requires to be more staunch, it does not mean you should not go without the right to speak.\" Elaos watches her carefully and reaches out his hand to her arm, \"Cecilia, it is a hard thing to love when you do not love..it is a harder than to love and never feel it again.\"

Cecilia sniffles again, blinking fiercely to keep tears from forming again. \"I\'m sure he will grow into a stronger, more brave man.. His father is a renowned warrior and handsome enough. I could help him.\" Mogel is no Maglind or Galharth, that\'s for certain. When he touches her arm she looks down at it, then places her hand on top of his. \"And really, love isn\'t all that important anyway. How many people are really in love that are married? I bet not that many..\"

[Elaos(#30364)]

There is a soft sadness that enters his eyes and Elaos smiles still, \"Not many, no..\" His voice isn\'t all that reassuring. \"But there are some..\" The beorning draws a breath and keeps his hand there as her\'s rests atop it. \"Love is a gift, Cecilia, you do not give it to just anyone. You love your patients and your family..and you one day love someone who is meant for you. But ties and familial lines..it is a thing long done. You may one day learn to love him, but it was not your choice to begin with.\"

\"I know.\" Cecilia says, and now there are a few tears filling her eyes, one trailing down her cheek in silence, making her freckles show darker against her fair skin. She can\'t seem to summon any other words to say and looks away from the older healer.

[Elaos(#30364)]

His words are stolen also and he gives her arm a squeeze. \"I understand..\" comes his words finally and he watches her as she no longer watches him. Elaos tries to smile but finds for the most part, he can not. \"Tell me...\" He says, provoking her. \"Tell me what you feel..tell me what you would not tell Mogel or your father. I will not judge you and I will not tell you what to do.\" He offers a solace outside of her own mind.

Cecilia takes a slow breath, then nods in agreement. \"I wanted someone strong and bold.. and romantic and handsome. Someone that is not afraid to speak his mind or stand up for his feelings. Mogel, I don\'t know him that well, but.. he has never been much of a warrior and I\'ve never seen him do anything romantic at all. How could my father arrange -him- of all people in our village?\" The words come out in a flood and more tears break free. She leans over and buries her face against his arm.

[Elaos(#30364)]

Elaos hesitates a moment and then shifts so that his free hand rests on her shoulder. \"Your father is a man, he does not look at it as you do. Mogel is the next in line for the Clan\'s spot, you are the Tree Skald\'s daughter, in that sense it is a perfect match. But ..\" The healer looks over her and gently lifts his hand to smooth her hair, a smile flowing into place. His voice warms and it softens. \"He can not know how you feel if you do not tell him..he can not know what he does. It may not change his mind, but it may help you.\"

\"No.. I can\'t. I know what he will say.\" Cecilia\'s words are muffled, but easy enough to hear. She pulls away after a few moments, her face wet, as is his sleeve. \"It doesn\'t matter. I will get to know Mogel and everything will be okay. I\'m sure it will work out for the best.\" She moves to stand again, furiously brushing her skirts clean.

[Elaos(#30364)]

He follows her movement up and remains seated. \"Do what you think is best, Cecilia.\" The man intones with a gentle gaze before taking up the pack. \"Take your time right now, I will get this down to the river.\" He shifts the large pack on his back and moves past her, stopping to turn around. \"If you need to talk again, you know where to find me.\" He smiles to her and then nods. \"Things work out eventually...\" He studies her a moment longer before starting back down the hill, a gentle tune picked up as he sings.