open | text + action

[steeledskin]

Who: Sansa Stark + YOU
Broadcast: Text, fleetwide.
Action: Blue Fish
When: This morning.

Jon Snow and Bran Stark have left the Fleet. Condolences to those who may have befriended them while they were here; Gods-willing, we shall see them again.

[ sansa's message is short -- abrupt, and almost stripped of its emotion. she avoids broadcasting anything but simple text because she does not trust herself to maintain her mask, so to speak. as it is, she's cried too much. losing bran and jon feels like opening old wounds packed with grief. it makes her feel like a little girl again: weak, and mewling.

but she does add: ] I dread leaving, as they have left. Do others in the Fleet want to stay?

[ later, she can be found sitting on the floor of her personnel office. she has taken the furs from her bunk and has spread them across the ground, and she's allowed jon's direwolf pups free rein of the cozy and comfortable area. sansa's eyes are red-rimmed, and they betray every lie she tells when she insists she's as well as can be expected. but at least her spirits lift, a little, when she's playing tug-of-war with the pups.

they bring her a bittersweet joy. ]

Comments

(Voice)

[castintoflames]

You have my sympathies. (As he assumes said Men are important to her too.) I do not wish to leave either. Here, I can live; I can be near family. On Arda, that is not so because of my cowardice.

text »

[steeledskin]

[ her response still comes via text, despite his spoken answer: ] Your cowardice?

(Voice)

[castintoflames]

(Audio is easier for him considering he lacks a hand.)

I took my life and left behind a brother to suffer needlessly.

[steeledskin]

[ it's too much. her shoulders already feel crushed with the weight of her own grief, she doesn't know how to process someone else's. her teeth grit; she trembles, a moment, and thanks the gods she barely believes in that she shouldn't have to reply with her tremulous voice.

briefly: ] I am sorry to learn of it.

[ chilly, and only just about barely polite. ]

[castintoflames]

It is not your fault, lady, and it is part of history. But it is the reason I wish to stay amongst the fleet. (A grim reason, but his brother is present - along with his cousins and grandfather.)

[steeledskin]

You haven't got anywhere else to go.

[ -- she understands that dilemma, because her brother faces it. ]

[castintoflames]

Only the Halls of Mandos. (A sort of "after-life".) I do not fear it. Yet one learns to appreciate life again in such circumstances.

[steeledskin]

Where is Mandos? Is that your kingdom?

[castintoflames]

Mandos is one of the Valar; one of the rulers of my world. He shepherds souls and helps bring them peace.

[steeledskin]

Is he a God?

[castintoflames]

From my understanding, he is a sort of...lesser god, if you will. Eru is the creator of all the Valar, so he reigns supreme.

[steeledskin]

A God who makes Gods? [ ... ] I have not heard of its like.

[castintoflames]

He is perhaps the only god. The Valar, in comparison, are servants of a sort. Then the Maiar serve them.

[steeledskin]

How complex your faith seems to be.

[castintoflames]

I could confuse you further by explaining how the different races were created.

[steeledskin]

I would appreciate a story, just now, I think.

[castintoflames]

Then I shall provide. Eru Illúvatar, The One, The All High, The Father of All, Alone, first brought forth the Ainur. Through the Ainur, Arda, my world, took shape. The Ainur raised their voices in harmony and that was what leant them creative power. Only Eru can create independently, you see, for he is the only one who possesses the Flame of life.

The race of Men and Elves were given shape by Eru and thus we are called his children. The Dwarves were created by one of the Ainur - Lord Aulë - through the blessing of Eru. Then there are the Ents - tree shepherds or herders - who were created by Eru through the request of another Ainur, the Lady Yavanna. Lastly, the darker creatures of Arda too had a creator and he is not one I wish to speak of in your company, my lady.

(Maedhros feels himself grow cold even thinking of Morgoth.)

Those who belong to the Ainur are: King Manwë, Lord Ulmo, Lord Aulë, Lord Oromë, Lord Námo, Lord Irmo, Lord Tulkas, Queen Varda, Lady Yavanna, Lady Nienna, Lady Estë, Lady Vairë, Lady Vána, Lady Nessa, Lord Melkor and the Maiar, who are those who serve the Ainur.

King Manwë betrothed Queen Varda and together they rule over Arda and the heavens. The King controls the winds and all that takes flight and the Queen sees to the stars.

Lord Ulmo has dominion over the Seas and Lord Aulë sees to work of the Forge. Lord Oromë is the Lord of the Hunt and Lord Námo oversees the Souls of the Deceased in his Halls. Lord Irmo sees to Dreams and Desires and Lord Tulkas is the Lord of War and Battle.

Then there are the ladies - besides the Queen - and they have tied themselves romantically or otherwise to the aforementioned lords. Lady Yavanna sees to All that Grows on Arda. Lady Nienna sees to Mourning and the Feelings of Grief. Lady Estë is responsible for Healing and Lady Vairë is the Weaver; she sees to recording all the many histories of Arda within her tapestries. Then there is the Lady Vána, who nurtures all that is Youthful, and the Lady Nessa, who is renowned for her Swift Feet.

[steeledskin]

[ she is a patient and engaged listener. so much so, indeed, that she makes a careful exception for him: sansa toggles the video feed on her communication device, allowing it to record her sharp (if quiet) attention.

sansa doesn't interrupt -- but she soaks in every word. it's been a long time since she's heard roots of stories so vast and sprawling as this one.

gently, when it seems he's said his piece, she replies not by text but with a carefully worded and spoken statement: ] They sound a little like the Seven, only more numerous. And better named. Their names are beautiful, my lord.

[castintoflames]

(The story has been simplified by him. The history of Aman and Arda is far more vast once one adds in Elves, Dwarves and Men. Maedhros knows naught of Hobbits, however, or else he would add their stories to the tapestry.)

I walked amongst them once. They were glorious to behold.

Tell me of your Seven?

[steeledskin]

They are not my gods -- [ not any more ] -- but they were my Lady Mother's. Seven, worshiped by the Faith in the southern kingdoms. They are the new gods, but they are only seven different faces of one god. The Father, the Mother, the Warrior, the Maiden, the Smith, the Crone, and the Stranger.

[castintoflames]

Why do you not believe in them? (He isn't accusatory; merely curious.) I can see the similarity between your Seven and the Valar. The Father would be Eru or Manwë; the Mother would be Varda or Yavanna if one considers the land a mother; the Warrior would be Tulkas; the Maiden would be Vána; the Smith would be Aulë; the Crone... I cannot say. I am equally perplexed as to the Stranger.

[steeledskin]

[ because the seven have proven themselves fickle, and without mercy. but sansa holds her tongue. instead, she tells an answer that's prettier. politer. ]

My family [ apart from her lady mother ] are a northern family. And in the north, the old gods are worshiped. They are nameless and they are countless, and they persisted long before the conquerors came across the Narrow Sea and cut down their holy trees.

[castintoflames]

(Slowly, he nods, perplexed by the idea of...multiple religions. The Elves have always been certain and solid in such matters.)

I suppose there is power in decimating another's beliefs. It seems foul to me to do so, but Men have done fouler before.

[steeledskin]

[ dully: ] And do fouler again.

[castintoflames]

Not without justice being done, I pray.