A Little Thing Called Communication (Addison)

[Elloria]

Josk sat on the fifth-storey balcony of the Danta family home, sipping from a cup of freshly brewed delois tea. The pot hung beside him on a tripod, suspended over the embers of a fire. The sun was just peeking through the trees and a slight chill from the night still hung in the air. He felt remarkably at peace right now. His last mission had been successful - documents retrieved and all that - but had also disturbed him. He now knew that the Hive had played a part not only in Rensu's death, but in his father's as well. And though it pointed to a company outside of Ellesméra, Josk failed to be comforted by that fact. And then there was the encounter with Jeralt. While that had been fun and the promise of more to come was delightful, he still wondered about the logistics of it. He was unlikely to run into the freak much - though he had considered picking up a human spy and setting it into the circus just so he could keep track of its location and facilitate more encounters. It was all very confusing. Thus this feeling of peace was a bit at odds with how complicated and unsettled his life had become.

But he wasn't going to dwell on that just now. He wanted to enjoy the peace while it lasted. He turned his thoughts to his plans for the Danta estate. Looking out over it, he didn't really like what his mother had done with the place after his father's death. Revolting sculptures of women dotted the landscape and the plants had been grown into equally displeasing images - mostly of women dominating over men, often in very violent fashions. And the plants themselves - ugh! She had no taste in floral matters. Dogwoods beside oaks and roses with daisies. What had possessed her to do that was beyond him. But he'd fix that. And afterwards he'd turn his attention to the interior, which was almost as bad.

As he mulled this over, he looked down at the landscape in question and was surprised to see someone at the gates. And he looked human at that. A human in DuWeldenvarden? Preposterous. Gilderien wouldn’t let a human into Ellesméra, not after the Blue Divide. Yet that was exactly what appeared to have happened. Whoever it was, he seemed to be explaining something to the guards whilst gesturing to a bag hanging from his shoulder. The explanation was apparently satisfactory because after a brief search of the bag, the man was allowed through the gates. Well, wasn't that interesting? He took another sip from his cup, draining it. Pouring himself another cupful from the pot, Josk wondered what business brought this human to DuWeldenvarden, Ellesméra, and the Danta estate.

[ladymoth]

» As Addison walked up to the Danta estate he couldn’t help but do a small skip as he walked. Ellesmera was more daunting than any human city, but all together more fantastic. It had always been accessible to people like Addison, werecats, demons, freak intellectual urgals… odd balls. It was the sort of place where, as long as you didn’t step on any flowers or forget to introduce yourself properly, you would always be welcome. Addison took very little shame in taking on his fallen form here, he found flying in Ellesmera a pleasant mix of fresh forest air and adrenaline from avoiding flying into trees. Whenever Addison delivered messages here he always lingered for a day or two to indulge these “Goshawk Flights” that he loved so much and that “could not be experienced anywhere else in Alagaesia.” That said Addison had retreated into his fallen form whenever he was anywhere close to the ground, for fear of being judged by the fairest of folk.

What interested him more presently is seeing the house that Niko grew up in, it was grander than he had expected. Addison grew up in a corner of a drafty stone hut the size of a horse stable, as it turned out Niko grew up in a tree that was nearly as big as the Menoa tree (and though that was a hyperbole it was still a lot bigger than Addison could even wrap his head round.) No wonder he wants me to move into his house, he probably thinks my attic is the size of a water closet compared to what he’s used to (Addison’s Attic was smaller than a water closet, though he didn’t seem to realize this.)

Addison was soon swept up by Josk’s servants, being passed from room to room. This was not to Addison’s liking as he liked to have time to gawk at things like rooms, especially rooms this fine. He ended up in the fifth story in a room with a fireplace where strong tea was being over brewed. “that’s a lot of different plants” one of Addison’s thoughts expressed, squeezing its way out of his brain and through his mouth, he was referring to the combination of oak, dogwood, roses, and daises in the corner; who ever thought that those plants would look good together… was wrong, that much was suggested in Addison’s tone more than anything.

Addison took the bag off of his shoulder and clutched it in front of his legs, feeling rather nervous about this whole procedure. The flight was long and the build up to get into this room made the entire event seem ten times more important that it really was… little did he know that it was actually as important to his life as it seemed at this very moment. “Hello, Josk Danta?” Addison called looking about the room, he caught sight of a black elbow around the draped on the balcony and walked out to meet it.

[Elloria]

Josk smiled slightly as he overheard the person commenting on his mother's eclectic collection of plants in the room behind him. He'd been meaning to move those things out onto the grounds ever since her death but hadn't quite gotten around to it yet. It wasn't as though he didn't have time for it, after all. He took another sip from his cup and remained seated until the person called out to him. “Hello, Josk Danta?” Only then did he lean forward to set his cup down on the balcony. Once satisfied it wouldn't fall, he rose and stretched. He stood in profile to the door of the balcony, the silk top of his pajamas lifting to reveal a bit of the ivory flesh of his abdomen as he stretched. As he stretched, he thought it a bit odd that a human knew the Ancient Language but chalked it up to the bizarre nature of the whole experience. After all, he'd never expected to see a human in the borders of DuWeldenvarden and look how that had turned out.

Had he been thinking about it, Josk probably wouldn't have stretched at all. He disliked strangers seeing him in any state that even hinted at undress. But he was tired from a long night on Hive business and hadn't even bothered going to sleep since he'd only returned about two hours ago. He'd simply changed into his pajamas - delighting in the loose-fitting material - brushed out his hair, made a pot of delois tea, and had settled in to watch the sunrise. His servants were quite lucky he was so calm right now or else he'd probably be giving them an earful for letting a guest into his bedroom without any introduction - and more importantly, giving him time to dress properly. But he was calm so it didn't really matter at the moment. Feeling a bit more awake after stretching, he turned slightly to face the stranger. Judging by the bag, the man was probably a courier. And although he looked human, he probably wasn't. Elves didn't usually hold grudges, but the Blue Divide had only ended ten years ago - and it had been painful for most of his people, Gilderien included. Josk wondered who and what this individual was and whether he should be worried about his safety. If the guards had let the man pass, he was probably fine. “Can I help you?” The smile was still gently lighting his face as he spoke, his voice slightly husky from drowsiness.

[ladymoth]

f

» Addison looked at the bare skin between the silk pajamas before he saw the face, and didn’t disapprove of either; though his reaction to the face came with a lot more shock “Y-you’re that Josk Danta?” He exclaimed taking a step backward and holding the bag to his chest. “You’re so old” he looked at Josk in stunned silence, the last time he saw Josk he had been just a kid, in his eyes anyway. Addison’s heart was beating hard, and in his throat. He swallowed it and took in a deep breath then let out a long gush of words

“Josk I haven’t seen you since you were, like fifty years ago or something and you were like my age.. looking. Look at you you’re old like Niko, oh my god you’re like Niko. I just realized you’re identical twins, I thought there was something familiar about Niko… why are you wearing black? Oh but you don’t know me do you? I’m your brother’s friend, I’m Addison, my friends call me Addi I’m a courier. I just flew in from Ilirea, and boy are my arms tired. That’s a joke, except I don’t get it because it’s actually kind of literal. I’m a fallen angel by the way, I was in heaven then I did something bad and they kicked me out and that’s all I’m really going to say about that, you have a nice house by the way.

Niko says his house is big but I never been in it personally, my house is an attic. Does this tree have an attic, if it’s a tree is it called an attic, is there a reason it wouldn’t be, hey look at that, that’s neat” Addison said looking at a sword above the mantel piece. “Niko says you do a lot of good magic, why do you need a sword? Maybe it’s just for show, I bet it’s just for show. I used to be able to do magic but now all the magic I can do is fly which really should be good enough because most humans can’t do that but when you’re used to having the power to view everything going on in the world at one time it’s kind of underwhelming, I doesn’t suppose you can do that, I’m kidding I know you can’t, I’m just bragging, wow look at that view, I bet you get a lot of women with a view like that”

Addison said walking over to the balcony and looking up then down. He didn’t know whether there was really much ‘up’ left after being this high up. “This is a good place to take off from, you don’t mind if I take off from here when I leave? No you won’t, it won’t hurt” he added reassuringly as he walked back inside the room “Oh this is your letter by the way, it’s from your brother, did I mention that?” Addison asked digging out the letter from his bag and handing it to Josk. He went on to tell Josk about Niko and how much he thought he was a dandy stand up guy.

[Elloria]

Josk frowned as the courier began rapidly babbling. He was having a rather difficult time keeping up with...Addison? He was pretty certain that was the man's name. He'd been called old, he knew that much. Which was rather insulting considering he was still incredibly young for an elf. He hadn't even hit his third century yet! Quite young indeed. But he didn't recognize Addison at all. Then again, he had blotted out many of his memories from Ilirea because he'd hated the place so damn much. So it wasn't very surprising that he didn't remember this...fallen angel. Whatever that was. Considering Addison looked human, Josk assumed it was part of that weird system of beliefs many humans held.

He looked at the sword on the mantle. It was a family heirloom, as a matter of fact. One of his ancestors or other had forged it back when elves had still been mortal. And that was a long time ago. It was the sword he was often seen with around Ellesméra, the ridiculously ornate hilt and obsidian stones belying the lethal nature of the weapon. Because for all its ornamental looks, it was still a serviceable weapon. He was about to comment on that when Addison suddenly went on about the view from the balcony and how Josk surely got plenty of women with it. He blinked in shock. Women? Why on earth would he be even the slightest bit interested in women? They were revolting creatures, all softness and tender ways masking a viciousness that no man could achieve in his wildest imaginings.

And then a letter was thrust into his hands and Josk was informed that it was from his brother. He stared at it while Addison continued babbling about how fantastic Niko was and how well his brother was doing - and many other things besides. And Josk decided he'd heard quite enough. “Addison, has anyone ever told you that you talk entirely too quickly and too much?” he asked without preamble. People sometimes had said that Niko could be a bit blunt and tactless. What no one had ever realized was that Niko learned that little quirk from Josk. And Josk was infinitely worse about it than his little brother. But there was no harshness in his voice, only sleepy confusion and curiosity. He’d been awake for nearly twenty-four hours by this point and he rather liked copious amounts of sleep. “Now let’s go back because I could hardly follow any of what you just gushed out. First of all, I’m hardly old. I’m only two hundred and forty-five. Second, yes I’m good at magic but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t know other skills as well. Third, the sword’s a family heirloom, but still quite functional. Fourth, even if the view did attract women I wouldn’t know because I’m not the slightest bit interested in them. None of them are appealing and so I never have any over. Nor would I ever, save for the purposes of a noble’s gathering or some such.”

He stated all this very matter-of-factly. He didn’t stop to consider that he was now babbling as well. That last little tidbit about his own sexual leanings would never have popped up if he were well-rested. He was generally more cautious than that. Scratching at his belly with his free hand, he yawned briefly. “Next, when and how did we meet? Because I’m afraid I don’t remember you at all.” He tapped the letter against his stomach. “And last, how did you meet Niko? He became such a homebody during our schooling.”

[ladymoth]

» “Everyone tells me that all the time” Addison replied to the fist question that Josk presented him with, not knowing that it was ment to be a rhetorical one. Addison didn’t know the meaning of the word rhetorical. Addison listened to Josk rant on and the grin on his face seemed to present the idea that he assumed he found a kindred spirit in Josk’s ability to rant without end, at the subject of Josk’s disinterest towards women Addison was completely unfazed, that was something he already knew about the assassin.

“we never met” Addison informed Josk, “so you wouldn’t remember. I met Niko where I assume most people meet Niko: in the library.” Addison snickered “He was looking for a book about bears and I found it for him because I was telling him about ‘The Many Adventures of Az Urzhadcameitder’ and then this other girl came in and then the books fell on me, and then he punched the girl… it was a weird day. Then we went back to my place and I showed him where I live, and he said that I could move in with him but I didn’t know why but now I see where you grew up I get it.” Addison said waving his hand all around the room and gesturing at the general wideness of everything. "Your eyes are like mirrors." he added to top off the lengthy speech he just made, Josk's presence was making him loose control of the length of his blathering.

[Elloria]

“The...library?” Josk murmured. Though Niko had been a homebody, he hadn't really been scholarly either. Niko was a doer. He did stuff. That was Niko's thing. Like punching this girl in the face. That was the kind of thing the Niko he knew and loved would do. He didn't take crap from anyone and certainly knew how to make himself heard. So even if his baby brother had changed quite a lot in the intervening centuries, there was still some small part of him that was very much his Niko. He'd simply have to talk to him about this library business, though. Addison made it sound like Niko practically lived there. What a dreadful thought.

“Well, yes, we’re used to spacious accommodations. Though admittedly I like open areas far more than he does,” Josk replied to Addison’s comment about his own home. Generosity hadn’t been an overly large part of his brother’s make-up, either. The years really did change people, didn’t they? Josk knew he was quite different from the relatively starry-eyed elfling he’d been upon leaving Ilirea. “Likes to have something solid behind his back, Niko. He’s an oddball like that. I suppose that’s why he preferred Ilirea over returning home. It’s rather closed-in, despite being so spacious.” He looked back down at the letter in his hand. Curious, he was about to open it when Addison's next comment froze him.

"Your eyes are like mirrors."

Josk looked back up at Addison and blinked. Had he really just heard what he thought he’d heard? Did some random courier - albeit a random courier who happened to know Niko - really just say his eyes were like mirrors? What kind of comment was that to make? He blinked again. “Why would you say something like that?” His voice wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t particularly kind either. He was beginning to get a bit weirded out by this courier.

[ladymoth]

» “I’m really sorry I have a bad habit of blurting things out when I’m around… certain people, and you’re one of them. See I really like to be honest about everything all the time and on top of that I have a bad habit of waffling on, you may have notice, and so when the two combine I say things like that mirror… thing, and for that I apologize.” Addison ranted and then stopped and walked toward the window because he figured this conversation was over and despite his want to, he had no reason to stay. His mind was whirring; even faster than his mouth, if you could imagine it. He was alive now? Why not? He had never considered him; it had never been an option before.

“It’s true though” Addison said, saying it aloud before he made his mind up, it was what he wanted right now, and to hell with that was down the line. “About your eyes, they’re like mirrors,” He turned around to face Josk again “I can see myself in them; that works fine for me because I’m a narcissist” Addison gave a wry smile. “I’m sure you’re boyfriend tells you so all the time” Addison took a dirty pleasure in throwing around terms like ‘boyfriend’ it was so taboo, it was exciting.

[Elloria]

Josk raised a slender eyebrow. This was all very disturbing. Addison somehow knew him, though they had never met before. He found that incredibly difficult to believe, unless Addison was some sort of stalker or something to that effect. Which was flattering on the one hand and freakish on the other. Perhaps it had something to do with the whole angel thing. Could angels watch other people, perhaps through magic of some sort? Addison had said something about that, hadn't he?

He shivered. Rensu had enjoyed looking in his eyes. Not because the older elf had been able to see himself in them, but because - or so he said - the color was beautiful when Josk was happy. And Josk had never been happier than when Rensu had just looked at him. He dropped his eyes, not looking at Addison. A small lump formed in his throat. He cleared his throat, trying to push down the tears that wanted to spill over. “I don’t...have a boyfriend.” His voice was quiet, husky - miserably pained. He didn't consider Jeralt to be a boyfriend, merely a plaything to amuse him now and again. “He died many years ago.” His eyes remained glued to the floor as he thought about that. He sometimes wondered if he'd ever move past that. Right now, he couldn't envision that ever happening. Especially after what he'd so recently learned concerning his lover's death.

[ladymoth]

» Addison turned pale, Josk hadn’t moved on since Rensu died, suddenly the black clothing made a lot more sense. Was he really in a constant state of morning? If all that was true then Addison just said something truly hurtful to Josk, on accident, he hadn’t meant for these results. “Josk, I’m sorry” Addison said rushing forward and hugging Josk around the middle, which is about where he came to.

He wasn’t really thinking about the action, to Addison a hug was what he would have needed in that situation, and so he always assumed that that’s what other people would have wanted. He wasn’t considering the sort of person Josk was, and he wasn’t considering that Josk didn’t know him at all.

He knew that Josk didn’t know what he was apologizing for, that it had been all his fault, that was one lie he’d have to keep, no matter what, Josk could never know.

[Elloria]

Josk was shaking slightly when he suddenly felt something smash into him. Well...smash was probably not the word for it, but he couldn't think of what else to call it. He looked down in absolute shock. Addison was...hugging him? Every muscle tensed in outrage. Thoughts of Rensu were driven from his mind. He didn't know this person at all and yet the courier had the gall to hug him! He wrenched out of Addison's grasp and shoved the angel away. The letter from Niko fluttered out of his hands as he did so and settled on the floor. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His voice was still quiet, but anger now laced his tone like a poison. He backed away from the courier until his back was against the wall. He glared at Addison, the bright silver of his eyes turned to the dangerous grey of storm clouds. “Who are you, to touch me and speak to me so intimately? You may know my brother, you may even be close to him. But you are nothing to me! I don’t know you, I’ve never seen you before in my life! What gives you the right?!” His chest heaved and he was working himself up into a panicked fury. A wild look entered his eyes as he continued to glare at Addison. He didn't like others touching him. Not gently, not harshly. Not at all if he wasn't close to them. Both Tios and Miala had possessed a penchant for taking out frustrations on the twins when the boys had still been too young to really defend themselves - and it had always started gently.

[ladymoth]

» Addison backed into the corner looking injured; he covered his face with his hands. “I’m sorry! Please! I know you! I know you don’t know me but believe me I know you well! Back before I had come back down to earth and I was an Angel! We only get one person to guard, and I picked you, I thought we had something in common!” Addison was melting in to the corner; he did not handle confrontation well. He was an angel, he felt emotion more than a human or an elf, and it wasn’t because it he had been an angel he became an angel because that’s how he was.

“I know you! I care about you! I only wanted to help! I know you… I know you…” Addison mumbled with his hand in front of his face guarding himself from Josk who he thought was going to hurt him “I’m sorry…” Addison wanted nothing more to leave now, the Josk he knew had changed, and it was all his fault. If he had only tried harder.

[Elloria]

“You...I...You...no. No. No. No!” With each word, Josk slowly sank into a crouch and wrapped his arms around his knees. None of this was making any sense to him. He felt very out of control right now and he despised that feeling more than anything. He didn't like feeling weak, he didn't like feeling helpless, he hated the idea of needing someone to guard him. Because he was weak, he was helpless, he had always needed to be defended. And while in Ilirea - especially after Rensu - he'd sworn to never be like that again. He closed his eyes, rested his head upon his knees and shook.

“You're lying.” His voice had quieted again. Muffled by his position, it was hard to tell what sort of tone it held. Disbelief? Anger? Pain? Perhaps even bitterness. He certainly felt all these things in this moment, and more. “I don't know how you know me, but only two people in my entire life have ever defended me, have ever had anything in common with me. One is dead, the other has locked himself in an ivory tower. You lie. What guardian would have let things play out like this?” He pulled in closer on himself, feeling like the vulnerable little boy who had once cowered before his parents - who had once hidden behind his baby brother and hoped that Niko would make the world seem brighter...better...good. “You have to be lying,” he whispered.

[ladymoth]

» Addison looked over his hands at Josk who was sharpening a knife with his words and then with “What guardian would have let things play out like this?” he stabbed Addison in the heart “I failed you, I tried to stop them, I can’t touch anything, I didn’t have that kind of power. I warned everyone I coul- I couldn’t warn you!” He interrupted himself, he had just swore to himself a few minutes ago that Josk couldn’t know this, but now he was had to tell him, he was in too deep now “I couldn’t Josk, you were just a child, I wanted to protect you from their world, I wanted you to be innocent, and separate from them. If I’d have given you a message then maybe you would have been there that night, and he- and Rensu… and Rensu would have lived. It’s my fault, I’m sorry” Addison closed his eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to look at Josk. If Rensu lived then Josk would have been protected from the Hive, now sixty-five years later he had become just the sort of elf who had a hand in killing Rensu. “I killed him, I’m Rensu’s murderer.”

[Elloria]

Josk let Addison's words roll over him like the ocean's waves. He had stopped being a child in Ilirea. True, he had not experienced the true pain the world could deliver, but he wasn't completely ignorant of the world's violence either. How dense was this ‘angel’? He could no longer remember a time when he had been innocent. Perhaps when he was very, very young - practically an infant. A shiver ran up his spine. This was ludicrous. There was no such thing as angels. There were no gods in the skies nor anywhere else for that matter. There were no supernatural guardians to protect people like he once was. There was only this world and all the misery - and fleeting happiness - it contained. Nothing more.

“You’re delusional,” he said at last. That was all he could think to say. It was the only explanation he could come up with that made sense. His grip on his legs relaxed, though he remained hunched over. “Unless you’re Tári Séregon - which I highly doubt, because I know that b**ch - you had nothing to do with it.” He lifted his head and looked at Addison with eyes the color of slate and just as lifeless. “You’re no angel. They don’t exist. You’re just some oddity in this world who has deluded himself into believing such fantastic things to ease your own pain concerning your life. And you’re perfectly welcome to that. But don’t start trying to drag me and my life into it with you. I am what I am and it's not thanks to you.” He slowly rose from his crouch and dusted himself off. He was back in control of himself now and felt better. And by better, of course, that meant he felt totally numb. Feeling like an automaton, he moved over to where his brother's letter had fallen from his grasp and picked it up. He walked through the open balcony doors and sat down in his armchair once more. He stared at the letter but made no move to open it. After a moment, he said, “If you wish to rest before leaving or would like some refreshment, I’m sure something can be found for you.” He wasn't sure why he said it, but he somehow felt that after having given the courier what for there was no further reason to be discourteous.

[ladymoth]

» "There's nothing refreshing about anything in this place." Addison said to the empty room. He stood up warily and walked to the balcony, entering through the other side of the door way, as far away from Josk as he could get in that narrow bottleneck. He turned and bowed formally then turned out toward the forest. He took of his shirt and tied it around his waist then he leaned over the side of the balcony and ripped open wings there so that no blood would splatter into the house or on any of them. then he hopped like a bird onto the lip of the balcony and swooped down and up away from the house.

[Elloria]

Josk ignored Addison's comment as he broke the seal on the letter and unfolded. Some part of him couldn't deny the truth of it, though. He had sometimes considered moving to some smaller house far from these grounds, but had never done it. The only other place he'd ever felt at home in was Rensu's - and he refused to set foot in that house ever again. As he numbly thought about these depressing things, he looked up at Addison with a blank gaze. What was the odd courier doing, removing his shirt? Josk opened his mouth to ask but found the words stuck in his throat as a soft ripping sound filled the air in accompaniment to the appearance of soft brown feathers on Addison's arms, back, and neck. It was the single most remarkable sight Josk had ever witnessed. He rose abruptly from his chair, almost knocking it over. “What in the world?” His exclamation was soft, but still audible as Addison swooped down, then up and started flying away. Josk blinked several times as he watched, then looked down at Niko's letter.

Dear Josk,
I hope this letter finds you in good spirits, brother. It has been quite some time since I received correspondence from you, so I have taken it upon myself to try and reestablish the connection we once shared. Not much has happened since I last wrote over five years ago. Life has continued routinely as always. There is one occurrence I would like to note, though, for I feel you will also find it quite intriguing. I have recently come into contact with an odd fellow by the name of Addison - yes, the very man who has delivered this letter to you. I met him whilst working in the Grand Library one day and we have become good friends since. He seems a bit vain and apparently detests even witnessing violence, but his heart is good and pure. I suspect that he is some sort of evidence that perhaps the humans do not have this whole angel business wrong. He has shown on numerous occasions an incredible depth and scope of knowledge that should be impossible for someone who looks as though they have not spent two decades upon this earth. And a human at that. And then there is the fact that he can transform at will into a winged being and take flight as easily as any bird. Not even elven masters can achieve such a feat without serious risk, yet he does it as if it were nothing more than taking a breath. I cannot help but suspect that he is, if not an angel, certainly something more than any on this earth could comprehend.

I am sure by the time you read this you will have already scared him off of the grounds with your temper. And I am just as certain that he is by now winging his way back to Ilirea, without you having any opportunity to apologize, as I know you surely will want to. If this is the case - if I still know you as well as I like to think I do - then I beg that you visit me in Ilirea. I would have asked this of you in any case, for I find myself missing the company of my brother whom I hold more dearly in my heart than any other. I cannot express how delighted I would be if you would come out here, even if only for a day or two. I know you never liked Ilirea, but I would still show you all that I love here, Josk, in an attempt to show you again the heart that has ever beat in time with your own. And in return for this small thing, I would even return to Ellesmera and spend some time beneath its expansive canopy with you. If you pressed, I might even consent to attend that festival with you that you sometimes wrote about in past letters. Again, since I'm certain Addison has fled far from you by now, please either track him down to give him a return letter or attempt to speak with me via the scrying mirror you sent me some decades ago. I hope to hear from you soon.

Different Ideals, Same Heart, Brothers Eternal
Niko

Josk closed his eyes as he finished reading, his hands clutching the letter tightly. This was absolutely ludicrous. His own brother was convinced that something was amiss beyond simple mental delusion? He almost felt sick. With a sigh, he shoved it from his mind. He wasn’t going to deal with this right now. He was going to find Addison, bring him back, write the damn reply and send the courier on his way properly. He didn’t feel up to using anymore energy than that to tell Niko his answer. Which would, of course, be yes. So, with a tired resignation, Josk sent mental feelers out in all directions until he came across Addison’s. He knew it was Addison’s by the distress and gentleness in the courier’s mind. With a sigh, he projected his voice into Addison’s mind. “Would you mind coming back to the estate? I have a letter of my own I would like you to deliver to Niko.” He waited patiently for the courier’s reply.

[ladymoth]

» There was a long silence where in Addison contemplated nothing other than the meat in the butchers shop he lived above, just to deter Josk from speaking to him any longer, then he alighted on the balcony again his massive wings high up and stretched out like a giant parachute to slow his fall.

It aloud him to touch down on the railing of the balcony as easily as a bird would with the use of it's talon's to grip. "None of it!" Addison said before Josk could open his mouth and say anything about the landing, and he was human again in that impossibly fast way that made people feel as if they blinked when they hadn't. Addison sat down on the railing and got ready to wait for Josk's reply. .

[Elloria]

For the brief moment before they vanished, Josk contemplated the feathers that covered Addison. He felt strangely drawn to them, wondering if they were as soft as they seemed. Soft, yet durable and undoubtedly warm - rather like a well-made cloak. He had the insane desire to touch them. But even as these thoughts flitted through his mind, the feathers disappeared - leaving behind a very normal-looking Addison. Josk felt something akin to disappointment. That other form had seemed powerful, wise, capable. Dark, yet light. A most intriguing combination. No wonder Niko's attention had been captured. Josk said nothing at first. He merely gazed at Addison with innocent curiosity and wonder. Though not forgotten, the argument preceding this moment was set aside as he looked the courier over. This human shape was in complete opposition to the winged form Josk had just witnessed. Frail-seeming and slight, it made one wonder how the boy/man/angel/whatever could achieve the transformation with such ease.

“Hmph.” This was Josk's eloquent verbalization of his conclusions. Rising, he moved back into his bedroom and called over his shoulder, “Follow me. I have not written it yet and it is hardly polite to leave you waiting on the cold, uncomfortable balcony whilst I compose my reply.” Trusting that Addison would do as asked, Josk made his way through the large tree down to the first floor.

Winding through the twisting corridors, he eventually arrived at his study about 5 minutes later. He place a hand on the polished wood door and murmured, “Open.” A soft rush of magic and the door slid silently into the adjacent wall. Josk stepped through the opening into the spacious study. Three of the walls were lined top to bottom with shelves of books, many several centuries older than Josk. A large desk sat directly across from the door, growing straight out of the floor. Its surface was littered with all sorts of documents pertaining to family and business matters, a book or two, a quill pen and inkstand, and a paper weight shaped like a dragon taking flight. The wall on the left was a massive, intricately detailed map of Alagaësia. Beneath it was a large fire pit for warmth and light. Scattered around the study were large, comfortable leather chairs perfect for curling up in with a good book. Josk paid no attention to any of this - to him, it was just a study. He wandered over to his desk and sat in the worn brown leather chair. “Take a seat if you’d like,” he said, idly gesturing towards the other chairs. Searching the desk drawers, he soon found some blank parchment in a bottom drawer and placed it on the desktop. He then contemplated his messy desk, shrugged, and shoved the papers off to the sides so that there were large, disorganized piles surrounding a sizable clear space in the center of the desk. Satisfied, he picked up his pen, dipped it in ink and began scribbling a response to Niko.

[ladymoth]

» Addison smiled bleakly "I'd have to leave the house to do that' he said smartly before sitting down on the chair across the desk. Addison felt more comfortable here, what he saw made him feel like there was a warmth that was in Josk just as much as it was in the personal flare of the room. This of all the rooms seemed lived in and loved.

The fact that Josk had used magic to open the door made Addison feel as if he were being let into an intimate secret. Perhaps Josk, maybe without knowing it, was trying to let him in. Addison did not want to get burned, the image of cowering in the corner flashed in his mind. Addison stopped looking around the room and stared at the desk instead, he didn't want to be party to this warm rooms insidious plot to curry his favor with the ex-Josk.

No, he would keep things silent, he would be professional, but he was getting bored. Addison reached out and shifted one of the blank parchments toward himself and took the charcoal out of his bag and began to doodle while he waited for Josk to finish his letter. He'd be damned if he'd let Josk get to him.