[January 27, 1261] [Moriel is going to see Eliana. Like he does. It's shortly after sunset, so hopefully Jill will still be awake and save him the awkwardness of trying to figure out how to politely reach Eliana in a set of hidden rooms in her basement.] [Begin!] #06* Moriel walks up to the farmhouse door and knocks - quietly enough that he won't wake Jill if she's already asleep. #01 [A few minutes pass before there's movement behind one of the windows. Moriel can hear a bolt and chain moving, then: "Mr. MacRae!" Yup, that's Jill on the other side, smiling at him. She's alert and in dayclothes. "How are you?"] #06* Moriel smiles at Jill. "Good evening, Miss Leftherder. I'm well. And yourself?" #01 ["Also well. Come in." Jill moves aside, gesturing for Moriel to do so. "I took care of your plants while you were away," she tells him.] #06* Moriel nods, still smiling, and slips past Jill into the farmhouse. "I saw. Thank you. It was...a good homecoming, to see my garden blooming when I returned." #01 [She beams, now with pride. "I did the best I could." Pause, and her face falls a bit. "Although not all of the plants lasted through the winters."] That's all right. Some of them are hardier than others. I can always plant more. #06* Moriel smiles reassuringly at Jill. #01 [Jill blushes a touch. "That's good." Pause. "Are you here to see Lady Eliana?"] #06* Moriel nods. "Yes, if she's not busy." #01 ["She just went out," Jill says apologetically, "But she should be back soon. Would you like a seat in the meantime?"] Certainly. Thank you. #06* Moriel sits quietly in whatever chair is indicated. #01 [Moriel and Jill sit and chat for an hour or so; Jill mostly talking about how nice it is to live in the new house and asking Moriel about his. She's especially pleased with her vegetable garden. Eventually, the front door opens, and in steps Eliana.] #06* Eliana brushes her hood down and is in the process of removing her cloak when she sees that there is company. "Moriel MacRae." #06* Moriel looks up at Eliana, and the bright warmth in his eyes when he was speaking to Jill fades a little. "Good evening, Mistress Casale," he says quietly. #01 [Jill looks from Eliana to Moriel to Eliana again. She stands. "I... um, I have some errands to run." This is followed by a reassuring smile in Moriel's direction. "It was nice catching up, Mr. MacRae."] #06* Moriel glances back at Jill and nods. "Good evening, Miss Leftherder." #01 [And Jill heads off to do just that!] #06* Eliana just stands there, gazing at Moriel while Jill leaves. #06* Moriel glances up at Eliana and then down again once Jill's gone. "I...wanted to apologize. I have not been...much myself lately. I'm sorry for that." #06* Eliana blinks. Whatever she expected from Moriel, this probably wasn't it. "You mean during the trip north?" And after. I didn't realize...how badly it would affect me. Though perhaps I should have. #06* Eliana frowns. #01 I apologize as well. #06* Moriel blinks. "Ah...what for?" #01 Not realizing. #06* Eliana crosses and sits in the chair Jill vacated. #06* Moriel looks down at his hands, silent for a few moments. "It's...well, it's not as if it's terribly obvious. Even when I was with him, I was...functional, after a fashion. Most of the time." #01 Of course. All the same, I thought you had readjusted. Clearly, that was not the case. #06* Moriel shakes his head. "No. And...I hadn't realized, either, at first." Pause. "Anyway. I'm sorry I was...difficult." #06* Eliana quirks one eyebrow. "I accept your apology." #06* Moriel glances at Eliana and smiles faintly, eyes lightening again. "Would you like to hear about the Fianna's funeral traditions?" #06* Eliana blinks. "Their- what?" She straightens, somehow paying even more attention. "Yes, absolutely." #06* Moriel looks sad again as he remembers, but he shakes it off after a moment. "You may have noticed how important stories are to them." When they die...their stories are told to Gaia. From their first hunt until their death. It takes hours. #06* Eliana nods. "That certainly seems fitting. Do they gather for these funerals; are there multiple storytellers?" #06* Moriel shakes his head. "I don't know what is typical. At the one I saw there was only one storyteller, and he didn't gather any of his fellows before beginning. The circumstances were rather unusual, though." ...he did ask me to speak, though. About their final battle, since I was there. So perhaps ordinarily multiple people contribute. #06* Eliana nods. "How do they tell their stories? Oral communication?" [And so, they discuss interesting anthropological questions for a while! Mini end!]