easy come easy go

*Laeta* · 10-14-2021, 10:21 AM

"Then welcome to the Hallows, Laeta—and welcome home."

Welcome home. The phrase felt so strange to her ears. She'd never had a home, that much seemed clear to anybody. The Aegis had offered her another warm smile, and although it should've been secondhand to any body to smile back, Laeta maintained a flat, monotonous expression. She'd never really smiled before, as silly as that sounded. The loner lands didn't offer much opportunity for happiness and joy, both being about as foreign of emotions to her as the layout of this continent. Still, even with her beginning to warm up to this wolf's presence and conversation, she saw the paw outstretched to her shoulder and instinctively stiffened, frozen in fear. It wasn't voluntary, of course -- the years of being surrounded by danger and plight conditioned her in the cruelest ways possible. It was only with the male's reassurance -- "Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you. This is merely a formality" -- that she forced herself to relax, posture sloping down as his paw made contact with her shoulder. She hadn't really been touched by another wolf in what felt to be a lifetime, so of course this was something she'd learn to accept in time, if not embrace. Surprisingly, Lae let herself be embraced briefly so as to be immersed within the pack scent, which was a step in the right direction. Still, it would take more than a few embraces for her to begin receiving them with the comfort and warmth of the more established members here. The ones who had family to love and to turn to.

Having accepted her first few touches and contact with a brave face, the woman watched as the Aegis rose to his feet, shaking out his pelt. She rose in tandem, and despite not being that old, her joints audibly cracked and popped from seasons of contorting her body into tight spaces and walking for miles on end. Well, that was no more. Her sore bones could have a reprieve here. "Would you like a tour of your new home?" Artorias had inquired, to which the femme nodded. This was a beautiful place, no doubt -- but she had not the faintest idea of where to go and how to navigate its seemingly endless stone exterior. The interior, undoubtedly, would be even more of a directional challenge.

The two padded into the grand foyer, and the woman stared in another wave of awe at the looming doors, the spiraling staircase, and the calm and quiet corridors. She had to admit, the humans had a talent for the creative arts and aesthetics. She listened intently to the history of the castle and the pack -- Artorias' mother, Resin, had formed the pack in the first place, and the castle itself was named in her honor. Carpathius, he surname, even had a regal lilt to it, matching the immortal strength and stability of the structure in which they stood. She glanced at the young wolf, as if attempting to visualize the woman she had never met. She could tell he was raised well; he was kind, had a strong sense of morality, and thought nothing of feeding and welcoming a complete stranger upon the land, and spoke to her with nothing but politeness and a gentle formality. He was a welcome sight to the loners that roamed pack-less, at least, the ones who claimed no morals and had not an ounce of compassion within them.

She glanced as he did to the left corridor where the feast hall was, and when he mentioned the Feast of Unity, she let her eyes scan the massive room curiously. She had yet to meet the rest of the pack, too -- something she realized slipped her mind amidst the effort she was exerting into just speaking and listening. It felt as if the two wolves were the only ones around. She knew for a fact, though, that she'd meet more members soon enough. It'd be no easy feat for her, to be sure -- however, if this man was kind enough, it seemed to reflect the general vibe of the rest of the pack too. That she had to look forward to.

He then turned towards the opposite corridor, and the women followed after him, peering with great interest at each room he mentioned. They had an infirmiry -- she knew that was where the sick and injured went, and even a bath area. Baths. Lae couldn't even recall the last time she had one, then again, she wasn't a foul-smelling creature to begin with. The winds blew so strongly in Boreas that whatever bad smells were around couldn't linger for long. Thus, she smelled only of the cold earth that stained her white toes. And, of course, the new pack smell that settled into her coat. Bedrooms and lounges galore only reminded her of her eternal exhaustion, and she only then realized the throbbing in her shoulders and hips, the ache of her spine, and the nagging pain of her joints. They had real beds here, real amenities -- not just holes in the ground, the only bed she had been accustomed to. As a result, though, it created an almost irreversible type of chronic pain that would likely take many months to cure, just like her wounded mind.

Despite this, she stood perfectly still, maintaining an air of grace and agility about her. She was not strong, of course, but certainly not meek. And she certainly masked her pain well. Almost. Her eyes likely gave away he fact that her constant walking, sprinting, and ridiculous maneuvering had taken its toll on her skeletal structure. When asked if she had any questions, she glanced towards the directions of the guest rooms in particular. It seemed each person had their own room in this place, correct?

"I don't have much to say, really," She murmured softly. "I can't thank you enough for taking the time to welcome me here."Yes, it was a lot to take in. Tremendous. A mammoth-sized plethora of new information and a life-altering experience, if you will. She turned to him and asked softly, "I guess I have one thing to ask. Where would my room be?" Perhaps he could show her to where she was permitted to rest, and it was a silent indication that, although ever grateful for all the Aegis had done -- and he had done more than he perhaps realized -- these moments were beginning to unveil her exhaustion from everything she'd done, both here and prior to traveling to Auster.

"Speech"

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