Maybe in Another Life I Could Find You There

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

The Marks Ranch
Early Morning, Sunday 8 November

Dead.

I didn't believe it. Not that I didn't think it possible, since Ares' death. Didn't want to believe it, is all. Felt it, though. I woke up Friday in a cold sweat and knew.

Dead.

I've been out here three times since. Stayed back a way the first time, when the people were still here, making sure the fire died out. I didn't want to talk to anyone. Didn't want to hear any of them speculate about what happened to her. I had my own theory.

Dead.

I kick a large piece of charcoal and it falls apart against my boot. Lúgh's death was all I needed for confirmation. He wouldn't leave her here. Not alone. Cain and I might be here for her but that's different. We're mortal. We're finite. Eris isn't finite. She might be in some way, some day, but to me, she's eternal and I know she's out there somewhere.

My eyes close slowly as I think of our last conversation. As I think of her looking like Eileen for me. As I think of her wanting Tempest drawn on her.

I pull the gun from her holster and turn off the safety.

This town, this fucking god-forsaken town. If it weren't for Leah...

I raise Tempest, both hands holding her, and fire round after round into the sky at a steady rate until the gun clicks.

"Might not be a twenty-one gun salute, Eris, but it's something."

I reload Tempest, holster her, and light a clove. Now I need to figure out where the fuck her remains are.


[OPEN]

Comments

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

We go inside and look around. It's a large room with plenty of chairs and stuff in it. Maryk barely looks at it before he's moving again heading somewhere else. He goes to and other door and leads us out under the sky again. There's a chair there with a dark patch on it. Next to it is a long metal bar with a shorter piece crossing it. There are dark patches on it as well.

Maryk has gone all quiet inside himself again. He says, Wish this'd surprise me. In horrible, flat voice, the voice he used when he first heard about Eris and Lugh.

I don't know what I should do. What do we do next? I take a step out side ways so I'm not so much behind him and ask, "What should we do?"

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

"What should we do?"

I snap my head to the side to see Leah standing there next to me. I knew she was following me. I told her to follow me. This isn't something she should see, though. She's learned so much and seen so much. She shouldn't have to know about this...

...or...

Karina's gonna kill me but she needs to know about this stuff if she's going to go on living in this world, especially in this fucking town.

If this were done by one person to another, it'd be murder. But a god to another god? Especially the gods involved. No. I know murder well and this isn't it.

"There's nothing to do. Not for us. That," I point at the sword. "That's called a sword. It's a weapon, like my gun is a weapon. It's meant for killing another person."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

His head moves round very quickly when I speak but he doesn't say anything for a long moment. Then he says, There's nothing to do. Not for us. That,That's called a sword. It's a weapon, like my gun is a weapon. It's meant for killing another person.

He points at the metal bar and calls it 'sword'. I've seen the word written down in some of the books but I couldn't see the picture in my mind. not til now. It doesn't look like much. But if the dark stuff is what's left of Eris than that IS impressive. I look from the sword back to Maryk.

"She was killed with that?" I ask? Again I think back to the river, where things died and either were eaten or broke down into small soft bits.

"How did it kill her?"

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

"She was killed with that? How did it kill her?" Explaining this stuff to her might be wrong. Karina most likely won't agree with me doing this. How else will she know, though? People are cruel and violent. I would know.

"You know when we use a knife to cut food? It's similar. The knife has a blade that can stab and slice. The sword also has a blade, just a lot larger." I crouch next to the chaise, near the sword. The blood on the piece of furniture and on the floor underneath. The sword set where it is. No splatters; drips and pools. It's reassuring.

"It was calm and quick. Leah," I start and look up at her. "People aren't always very nice."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

You know when we use a knife to cut food? It's similar. The knife has a blade that can stab and slice. The sword also has a blade, just a lot larger.

I think about that and try to see it in my mind. A sword is used like a large knife. Maryk crouches down to look at the sword or maybe at the marks on it and the chair.

It was calm and quick. Leah,people aren't always very nice. He looks up at me. That feels odd, having him look up at me instead of me looking up at him.

"Is that good? That it was calm and quick?"

I don't know what to say to the other thing he said about people not always being nice. Because I've never seen people in Excolo not be nice.Another thought, a sword is a weapon it doesn't move by itself. Someone had to use it.

"Who used it? The sword, I mean."

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

"Is that good? That it was calm and quick?"

I nod. "It can hurt a lot otherwise." Probably still did. Being stabbed certainly isn't a pleasurable experience.

"Who used it? The sword, I mean."

Standing, I leave the sword where it is and don't touch the blood-- her blood. "I'm guessing Lúgh. I don't think she'd let anyone else get this close to her with a sword."

And that's the crux of the whole thing for me. This wouldn't have happened unless she let him.

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

He nods. It can hurt a lot otherwise. He stands up, and I feel better as if something that was out of place is returned. Then he speaks again. I'm guessing Lúgh. I don't think she'd let anyone else get this close to her with a sword.

And then I'm confused. "But why did he do it? And why did she let him?"

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

"But why did he do it? And why did she let him?" I look back down at the sword and the chaise and the blood on the stone.

"I don't know for certain. He's gone now, too, though. Maybe this place isn't for them. It must be different for gods." I look back at Leah. "It's even different for you than it is for Karina and I. Not that it's exactly the same for her and me." Rambling. I'm fucking rambling.

"Come on." I take her hand in mine and lead her back inside, out of the chill. Once inside, I have her sit down on a couch and I face her from the armchair. "The reason I'm showing you this is because there's a lot of danger in town. People aren't what they seem to be. You're different from Karina and I in that you come from the River. Eris and Lúgh were different because they're gods." My hand goes through my hair. I lean forward, elbows on my knees. "People-- humans, gods, whatever else-- lie, cheat, steal, and kill. They hurt each other, emotionally and physically."

I take a deep breath and exhale slowly.

"Karina was hurt very badly before you came to us. By a thing that can change its face." The fucker's face shifts into something else... "And you will watch. If you close your eyes..." I shiver and fight the urge to pull out Tempest. Nothing she can do.

That's what you say, lover.

"Leah, I'm sorry for bringing you here. For showing you," I stop and gesture back towards the door behind me. "I want you to know that you shouldn't trust everything people say in town. That you should be careful when you go out." I reach out and take her hand. "That Karina and I worry about you."

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

mark stares down at the sword and says, I don't know for certain. He's gone now, too, though. Maybe this place isn't for them. It must be different for gods.It's even different for you than it is for Karina and I. Not that it's exactly the same for her and me.

He looks back at me. And then takes my hand. Come on. He leads me inside and sits me down on a couch. Then he takes the armchair across from it. Leans forward with an intent look on his face.The reason I'm showing you this is because there's a lot of danger in town. People aren't what they seem to be. You're different from Karina and I in that you come from the River. Eris and Lúgh were different because they're gods. He runs a hand through his hair. And then goes on. People-- humans, gods, whatever else-- lie, cheat, steal, and kill. They hurt each other, emotionally and physically.

I keep listening, trying to figure out what else he's saying. I can tell this is important so I want to get this right. I want to understand.

Karina was hurt very badly before you came to us. By a thing that can change its face. He shivers and his hand twitches. i think he wants to do something with it like smoke.

Leah, I'm sorry for bringing you here. For showing you... He stops talking and points back out to where we just were. Then continues, I want you to know that you shouldn't trust everything people say in town. That you should be careful when you go out.That Karina and I worry about you.

He reaches out and takes my hand, and I wrap my fingers around his and give him a small uncertain smile.

"Help me learn to be careful. I try but I'm not certain I'm doing it properly. I didn't tell anybody where I come from and I got Zann to walk me back from the party. But I can tell there are things I still need to know. And I worry about you and Karina."

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

Her fingers wrap around mine and it seems like such an odd thing. Not sure why. It's so... normal.

"Help me learn to be careful. I try but I'm not certain I'm doing it properly. I didn't tell anybody where I come from and I got Zann to walk me back from the party. But I can tell there are things I still need to know. And I worry about you and Karina."

Help her be careful? What-- No. No, that's not possible. It is. But it isn't right. Is it?

"You're doing well," I say and grin a little at her, reassuringly. "It's not easy and takes time to see things that might not be right. Things out of place or out of character. If you're aware enough, if you focus enough, you can sense something or someone dangerous the moment you walk into a room. I'll teach you, if you want."

There's very little in doing that that'll raise questions. All I have to do is be careful not to give up so much information that she wonders what I did before she came along.

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

You're doing well, he says with a little grin to reassure me.

It's not easy and takes time to see things that might not be right. Things out of place or out of character. If you're aware enough, if you focus enough, you can sense something or someone dangerous the moment you walk into a room. I'll teach you, if you want.

"Yes, please!" I answer eagerly. I very much want to learn this. I like learning everything but especially the things that will help me to be properly human.

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

The eagerness in her response brings a smile to my face. If nothing else, the girl loves to learn. It might not be a skill that most people possess but it's saved my life in countless situations.

"Well, we're not going to learn much here. You've got too much knowledge of me to effectively read me right now. Let's head back into town. I'll take you to the café for breakfast."

And for watching people. Habits are easy to spot when they think no one can see them. Set a plate of food in front of someone and they give up all their tells because the person across from them is too busy to notice.

I stand and lead the way out of the house. As I'm about to shut the front door, I look back to the courtyard door. She's not here. She's not really gone forever.

I shut the door as I step out into the chill November air.

I still want to find her body.

[leah-pontarlier.livejournal.com]

Maryk smiles at me, a proper smile. it makes me feel warm when or Karina does that. I smile back. Well, we're not going to learn much here. You've got too much knowledge of me to effectively read me right now. Let's head back into town. I'll take you to the café for breakfast.

I nod. I've been past the cafe but never inside it. what I've seen through the windows is fascinating though so I've go two things to look forward to!

Before we leave he looks back once but doesn't say anything. Was that his funeral for Eris? Maybe I'll ask later. Right now, we're going to the cafe to have breakfast and teach me how to be cautious.