Echos of a fateful meeting

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He slept a lot more soundly with a body next to his own, but it was an unknown and subconscious difference. He certainly still dreamed about the fight and about his sister and about being attacked by trees. But he didn't twitch and mumble and move so much.

Normally he was a rather light sleeper with a good internal clock. But with the event six days ago now and being unconcious, he was a bit of a mess. While he was still too exhausted for smaller movements to jar him awake, when Leti woke and moved out from under the covers, Sebastian did too.

But waking from those dreams was still jarring and since his schedule and Leti's differed, he was caught in the middle of deeper sleep when the pale haired man pulled back the covers.

Bastian awoke in an instant, sitting up to reach for a blade that wasn't there, caught in some other moment perhaps or just not used to having someone so close. He regretted it immediately and leaned back with a painful groan.

"Morning?" He grumbled uncertainly, pressing one hand to his temple and the other his ribs. He closed his eyes against the pain of both. Maybe going back to sleep was better. But he was up now. And he hated sleeping so much.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti had just been about to make for the lantern when Bastian suddenly woke and reached out, touching his arm. The healer jumped a bit and looked back sympathetically in the near darkness.
Given the sounds the man was making it sounded like a few more hours would do the man good. "Good Morning" He replied softly with a bright tone " Just rest here for a bit, I'll come get you when breakfast is ready." Then leti got up to actually go get a few things done. He almost wanted to crawl back into bed in an effort to help bastian sleep, Leti was far from lazy and rarely yearned to sleep in late. It was just something about the pained groans that made him want to comfort the poor guy.
He grabbed the lantern and went back upstairs to go about readying breakfast and a few other daily chores. It was rare for Leti to have so much to do in the morning but it had sort of piled up whilst he cared for bastian.
After an hour or so he came back to Bastian and helped the man to his feet. Leti made sure they took the stairs slowly, even if there weren't many to the main room going up was much harder than going down.
When they entered Bastian would notice that there was someone else here for a change. A man well old enough to be Leti's grandfather rather than his father. His features were wise but sharp, his hair long greyed with a strong stubbled beard and a slightly bent back. He was wearing large dark robes that made it hard to tell his physique however he had the aura of a man particularly spry for his age. He was eyeing Bastian with a deep set scowl.

Leti helped Bastian sit at the table which had already been set with bread and soup, there was even some soft cheese today.
"Ah, Bastian, this is my father Cain. " He settled at the table himself without further introduction implying that perhaps he had already told cain a bit about their stranger.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

The darkness made it impossible to see expressions, but he could sense the other man's hesitation. Bastian supposed he didn't have much of a choice for the moment. Leti's chipper attitude in the morning was both reassuring and mildly annoying. Bastian wasn't a morning person.

After only a few minutes alone, try as he might, he fell asleep again, though not so peacefully. He didn't remember dreaming, but did startle awake when Leti returned. He was reluctant to take the stairs but didn't saying anything. Even at a slower pace, while he'd kept his breathing under control, he was sweating and the pain in his leg was distracting. Just like a regular morning work out. If it was only about fifteen steps. And an hour late. Better than nothing.

If Bastian had to guess, he looked more tired and out of shape than the old man. The warden could feel the animosity Cain directed at him and if he had had the energy, he might have stiffened. As it was, he was too mentally worn out. He nodded a silent thanks to Leti for helping him to the table, leaning against it like before though not quite so dramatically.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir," Bastian said, even going so far as to offer the man his hand for a short firm shake.

He eyed the food and decided soup might be acceptable once he settled down from the stairs workout. Cheese and bread sounded both more and less appealing.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Cain accepted the offered handshake but his frown didn't seem to budge. He seemed to be studying Bastian's face with a slight air of distrust. It seemed that not all healers were as unequivocally welcoming as Feleti.
"A soldier from Ethion hmm....who was it did you say that you came to visit?" Cain asked his voice gruff and stern.
Leti seemed oblivious to the heavy air hanging between the two. He happily spread some cheese over his bread and munched away. His eyes cast on Bastian as if this were any other casual conversation.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

He tried to shrug off the uneasy feeling. He was a strange and supposedly capable soldier and his sone was spending a lot of time alone with him. Bastian had gathered they didn't take patients often, from the look of the place and the way Leti poked him with questions. Even the young man's cheerful attitude suggested a lack of contact with the rest of the world. Not to call the pair hermits but...it likely wasn't too much of a stretch.

Cain reminded him a lot of his own father, in a way. Though somehow, Bastian doubted he was so distant, at least from the way Leti spoke. Not with his son, anyway.

"I didn't," he noted. As far as Bastian was concerned, that was his own business. "You have a nice home. Your son is a good healer." Considering he wasn't dead yet, at least.

Bastian pulled the soup over finally and forced down a few bites. He had to eat something, at least.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Cain didn't seem very satisfied with that answer and opened his mouth clearly about to open a round of interrogation....
But his eyes landed on Leti whose face was beaming with pride at Bastian's compliments and instead relented with a sigh.
"Well...I'm sure you can't get up to too much trouble being smothered like a chick in a nest." Cain then simply began eating his breakfast again quietly.
Leti seemed to be exuding enough happy little rays that any truly serious questions the man might have were forced out under their general pleasantness. Or so to say it was obvious that Cain didn't plan on raining on Leti's parade as long as Bastian was injured enough to be harmless.
Feleti smiled through several bites of bread and soup. His eyes did keep shifting to Bastian's food making no attempt to hide that he was keeping track of how much bastian ate...or in the injured man's case, didn't eat. It wasn't a good sign that he was eating less than last meal. Though he had woken from a long sleep the last two meals.

Finishing his meal before the rest of them Cain stood and stroked his beard. "I must visit the village today to check on the baker's girl. but I presume you wish to stay here?" he asked Leti who nodded a bit shyly. With a sigh the old healer moved to take a satchel hung near the cave entrance and placed some sort of clay jar inside of it. "Don't forget your chores just because of your soldier friend.." He chided sternly but his tone sounded more like he was saying goodbye.
Leti chuckled "I won't, careful on the steps." In a way that sounded as though he had said it many times before.

His grey eyes watched the figure of his adoptive father and master disappear from sight before they fell back on Bastian full force.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian could tell Cain wanted more out of him. He got the feeling the man was protective and a lot more world weary than his son.

He meant what he had said. But Bastian also wasn't in the mood for an interrogation. The man's note about "trouble" seemed rather indicative of his thoughts on the warden in general. Fair enough. Bastia. Wouldn't trust himself very mucb either. Still, he owed Leti his life. He wasn't about to make trouble.

Leti had enough happiness for the three of them, apparently. The man was aware of his keeper's eyes on him but he wasn't feling up to it. Now that he wasn't stsrving and between moving around so much...he felt like he might be sick from even that small amount.

Bastian glanced between the two as Cain suggested he would leave and Leti stay here. He didn't bother saying anything. They had an interesting relationship. It was endearing. Or it would have been if Bastian understood that.

His blue eyes watched Cain leave too and then he glanced back at his food and then up to Leti. "He cares about you a lot," Bastian observed quietly.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Feleti wasn't going to push sebastian to eat more than he could handle. He did however make a mental note that he might have to latter if the guy kept that low of an apetite. Well there was still plenty of time before he really had to worry about it.  
He blinked in mild surprise at the observation. More because it was the sort of thing you wouldn't say if you took it for granted. A warm expression spread over his features '' mmhm, he's only ever treated me like his own son. He took me in even though I was sickly and born with hair whiter than his own.'' He knew in broad strokes the story of his birth. The midwife that delivered him used to visit from time to time but the steps eventually prevented that.

" are you.... not close? With your family.'' He asked softly having gathered as much before. Perhaps he was wrong but despite his naive veiw of the world he was good at reading people. He could tell there was something good about bastian. He didn't know about the wardens, didn't know about why bastian had really come here, but he did know that there was some sense of honor at his core. Feleti could feel it.
It was a simple case of irony that Feleti didn't know that the very thing he was so drawn to in this stranger was likely the very thing that made the man so good at hunting down people like himself.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Sebastian understood what a family was supposed to be. Understood what he had was not a family. Understood that jist because someone was adopted didn't mean they weren't part of the family. But he didn't have a first hand experience of what Leti took for granted. Nor did he get much chance to see it second hand like this. Bastian didn't do family visits. It helped him do his job, however, not having to worry about his own family. Not considering the families he might be pulling apart.

Leti's notes about his father and the mention of his own hair pulled a nod. But ultimately, it put a few pieces together for the warden. Pieces that were still unsupported conjecture. Pieces he couldn't allow himself to think about right now. "Why would the hair matter?" He asked instead.

"No." There wasn't anything else he was particularly driven to say on that topic. His father was hardly a father. He had been forced to be a soldier and a weapon from birth. He hadn't been allowed an opinion.

The Warden had strong convictions. He had been raised that way. To never back down from a fight. To never turn his back on his 'family.' To never expect a favor but to honor one with his life. And while he might lie and deceive and do anything to protect his kingdom, part of him that had beaten down a long time ago paced back and forth like a caged animal at being brushed the wrong way. It didn't fit with being a knight and a guard. With being honorable. But it was what he was supposed to be. What the wardens had to do to make things better. He had no delusions that he was a hero. He worked with magic, worked with the danger and the darkness to serve a higher goal. That distance he held himself at made his job painful and also allowed him to excel.

His attention shifted from the young man to the light through the windows. He hadn't seen the sun in a while. Pushing himself up from the table he tested his weight on his leg. Best to do that with supervision than not.

Rather not surprisingly, it hurt. A lot. "You have crutches?" He grated, without preamble or explanation. Bastian wasn't really sure what he wanted to do but walking outside was a start.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Feleti shifted a bit awkwardly at bastian's question and answer as he got up to clear the table. 
He wasn't used to having to explain that sort of thing since most villagers knew or gossiped about it. 
"well...the folks here are a bit ...superstitious..being so close to the forest and all.'' Maybe in a big city like ethion there plenty of kids born with white hair but out here it was strange enough to turn heads. Worse still was that unlike the babies born of sandy blond hair his hadn't darkened to a more 'normal' shade as he grew.

"folks found it odd is all, a baby born in winter with hair like snow and a blue hued face. The midwife didn't think I would make it...and if I did.....'' It wasn't a pleasant part of his life. He was truly fortunate to have become a healer. The only reason any of the townsfolk were kind to him now was because they knew his worth as a healer....well that and he had gotten very good at making a few goods to trade. It was funny how quickly people forgot their fear when good cheese and wine were at stake.

Luckily the new line of questioning gave him an out. He thought for a moment before replying '' might do. Sit tight I'm going to check some of the older storage.'' Then he took up a candle and headed off down the steps into the darkness.
After a short chunk of time punctuated by the echos of the ocaisional thud making it's way up, feleti emerged with a pair of what seemed to be hand carved walking sticks formed into crutches. He presented them to bastian with a concerned smile. He would really have liked for the man to continue to take it easy a while longer but he knew that bastian must be dying to move about.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Superstition. It was a strange thing. But just as prevalent in Ethion as it was in Greyshollow. And then there was the forest. The fabled wellspring. The just as fabled mystics. There were not, in fact, many children born anywhere with hair like that. Just another piece he didn't want to think about.

Bastian understood, in some ways. Being unwanted as a child. Only he hadn't been raised a healer. Yeah, that was the only difference. "It is a little odd," he agreed. "But it's just hair." That was a lie. Leti's hair was...fascinating. "Glad you didn't die."

He watched the man vanish down the steps. For a long moment he stood there leaning o the table, listening to the sounds of the cave and the mountain and the fire and then the thuds from below. He listened attentively to those, worried for a moment. But it only sounded like moving things around, not a cave in. Still, he had unconsciously moved to the entryway with the help of the table and wall before he heard Leti's returning steps.

He wasn't dying exactly. Or if he was, it wasn't anything to do with walking. But certainly he didn't like sitting around so much and wanted to try and move around on his own. So it had barely been a week. Bastian took first one and tested it and then the other. He took a few steps toward the entrance, laced with pain and wincing.

He paused to take a few breaths and glanced at Leti. "How long, do you think?" He asked vaguely. "To heal?" He was more than aware walking even with crutches wasn't going to help with that but it felt better than needing someone else to move about.

[Feleti Eidothea]

It was a nice sentiment. Knowing that Bastian didn't think less of him for things that had terrified others. Though he had been a bit flustered and preoccupied at the time to say thank you. It was nice all the same, to hear someone say they were glad for his very existence. He might have echoed a similar sentiment if he knew any details of bastian's parentage.

He watched bastian with concern as the man tested the crutches. His hands nervously in that awkward half-outstretched motion that people do when they're afraid someone might fall. He mulled over the question with a frown. If he didn't include his own gift he had a good idea of the answer. However, the healing had taken pretty well all things considered and if he was using his gift each day the healing time could be cut nearly in half.
"hmmm, two full moon cycles perhaps more, for the leg? The chest wounds are coming along nicely, they should be near full recovery by then...." He replied sounding a little unsure "But... you are quite resilient. It could be less." He wanted to tell Bastian that it would go faster if the man would willingly partake of the healing baths but he had an inkling that maybe that was better kept subtle. He trusted Bastian quite a bit but part of him knew the man might use that to push himself too quickly, and part of him would just be sad to see the man go.

Leti followed closely behind sebastian in case the man became too exhausted to keep up the crutches.
The sun light tantalizingly taunted an amazing view from the cave entrance. The mouth of the cave opened onto a decently sized ledge, there was a small garden space, racks of things drying in the sun, pots to catch rain water, and a handful of goats. Though ones eye was instantly drawn away from those evidences of daily life to the stunning view of the valley below, the stone steps snakeing down the mountain to a path that lead through the trees and toward greyshollow. One had a perfect view of all the little roofs and roads from here, as if the village were no more than a very intricate child's playset.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian had never used crutches before but the idea seemed simple enough. It hurt though, less in his leg and more his left shoulder. He was concsious of Leti's concern and while he didn't say anything about having a spotter, he did appreciate it. He also appreciated the guy didn't tell him no.

It seemed to the warden the healer should have a firm idea of how long it would take. Even accounting for different patients, bones took so long to heal. Lungs...well, maybe he wasn't so familiar with those. He nodded absently as Leti spoke, hobbling his way outside. He paused in the sun, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy the warmth and catch his breath. With his breathing a mess and still tired, the few steps was pushing it. Two moons. Sounded about right.

His gaze drifted down and he opened his eyes on the village. Tiny from up here. To make that trip twice a day...even at full health, while Bastian was certain he could do it, it was still a mean feat. It was nice to get fresh air at least.

He shifted slightly, examining the gardens in daylight and the goats and drying herbs. He turned so he could get a look at the cave entrance and the place he had been staying the past week before moving around the garden. He recognized a few plants but not most of them. He also didn't see a well. If the water pots were any indication, that was another reason to travel down the mountain.

"Your chores. Something I can help with?" He was tired already, he could feel it in his slightly ragged breathing. But he didn't want to lay down just yet.

[Feleti Eidothea]

Leti was surprised to see how far bastian made it but he was also very certain that he was pushing it a bit. He could see the strain in the man's expression and it caused him sympathy pain. It would be good for the man to get a bit of sun but he couldn't have bastian putting weight on his wounds like this.

The question caught him a little off guard. It was sort of a nice sentiment, or it would have been if Bastian didn't look ready to pass out. Leti frowned and rather firmly guided Bastian to a stone bench in the garden. "maybe, but off your feet first."
In fact the lack of well had been a part of the reason that Cain had needed to take on an apprentice. Being a healer needed water, lots of it really. They could make due with rain water in the rainier seasons but if there was a dry spell then it had to be lugged up in large jugs. This created quite the physique, and a strong contrast with Leti's generally shy, serene demeanor. Cain also sometimes trained him in hand to hand defense. It seemed both were traditions that had been passed down from a time when many healers lived here. The job of hauling water up certainly would have been easier with more people.
However, Leti wasn't close to even entertaining the idea of bastian helping with that.

Instead Leti kept an eye on the man for a moment to make sure he wasn't going to push himself more.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Bastian accepted the guidance to the bench with a frown. He did not enjoy being told what to do by most people. Tired or not. Especially when the alternative was sitting around all day. He supposed that was mostly because of the leg. But sitting down before he passed out was smart. Hence why he went along with it.

He sat and gave Leti a rather tired expression of resignation, head tilted to one side. As if to say "okay, I'm sitting, now what?" It was a good chance to resettle himself with the pain and the give his legs and arms a break.

The man imagined one chore was "don't let the patient hurt himself" which was served a lot better if Bastian didn't go anywhere. Bastian leaned the crutches against the bench and took a casual interest in the bandages under his robes for now. He wasn't sure when those had last been changed and he had been rather warm of late. That might explain the lack of appetite, actually. He hadn't bled through these at least.