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songerein
Ic Contact for
[ Happy holidays, Somnus! On Christmas morning, Somnus will find a wooden box waiting on the doorstep to his treehouse. The box is made of pine and is tied neatly with a linen ribbon and sprig of holly. When Somnus opens the box, he will find a letter placed on top of a gift. (If Somnus is not presently living anywhere, the gift will be waiting at the smithy he and Alphen use.)
Written in Zelda's picturesque cursive handwriting, the letter reads as follows: ]
Written in Zelda's picturesque cursive handwriting, the letter reads as follows: ]
Dearest Sir Knight,[ Inside the box is a linen scarf, hand sewn by Zelda. It is a rich purple color, embroidered at both ends with cream-colored thread in an elegant iris motif. When one's aquaintence is a suit of armor given life, it's difficult to think of a gift that they will enjoy. But perhaps a nice mantle will help soften Somnus's intimidating ten-foot fully-armored stature. ]
Warm tidings to you during this holy season.
It is customary in my kingdom to present gifts to one's friends and family in honor of our patron goddess. As She blessed us with gifts of light and love, even in the darkest days, so too do we share our blessings with our loved ones.
As we celebrate this season away from our families and homelands, that is all the more reason to treasure the friendships we forge in Songerein. I hope you will accept this gift.
May the Goddess smile upon you,
Zelda
[ She will receive the following delivery in return: ]
Princess Zelda,
The solstice moon blesses all. Carried by the Light, the Glacian delivers Her tidings.
Somnus Lucis Caelum
[ In a package attached to the letter, Zelda will find this set of handcrafted earrings. His earlier adventures into the clifflands and caverns had been fruitful enough to find ore and precious stones. Crafting the bounty into something else had been a leisurely task. ]
Princess Zelda,
The solstice moon blesses all. Carried by the Light, the Glacian delivers Her tidings.
Somnus Lucis Caelum
[ In a package attached to the letter, Zelda will find this set of handcrafted earrings. His earlier adventures into the clifflands and caverns had been fruitful enough to find ore and precious stones. Crafting the bounty into something else had been a leisurely task. ]
[ It takes Zelda a little while to realize who sent her this beautiful gift. Surely she would remember someone who introduced themselves with such a regal-sounding name. Only after reading the letter several times does she recognize this particular manner of speech.
She wasn't entirely sure if Somnus would accept her gift to him. It's hard to get a read on whether or not a looming suit of armor considers you a friend or an annoyance. So receiving a gift in return makes her feel a bit better about herself. ]
She wasn't entirely sure if Somnus would accept her gift to him. It's hard to get a read on whether or not a looming suit of armor considers you a friend or an annoyance. So receiving a gift in return makes her feel a bit better about herself. ]
[It's been several, several weeks since Tifa had lost the courage to reach out to some of those people who had tumbled into her dreams. She had resolved, afterwards, to find each of them and thank them for helping her through those recurring nightmares, but when the time had actually come for her to find a gift and go knocking on their door, she found herself paralyzed before she could even go out and find something.
So it won't be for at least another month until Somnus gets a note from Tifa, her neat handwriting reaching out to him in the journals, because once that's out there, there's not going back.]
Hi Somnus. It's Tifa. Are you free for me to stop by sometime? Or we can meet somewhere if that's better for you. Let me know.
So it won't be for at least another month until Somnus gets a note from Tifa, her neat handwriting reaching out to him in the journals, because once that's out there, there's not going back.]
Hi Somnus. It's Tifa. Are you free for me to stop by sometime? Or we can meet somewhere if that's better for you. Let me know.
[ Somnus receives the letter via the magical dream-journal. He replies with the following, his handwriting exhibiting an archaic, elegant flair to it. By modern standards, it might be considered a bit much. One might question how a giant suit of armor is able to pen such delicate script. ]
Maiden Tifa,
I have no pressing matters to attend. Visit at your leisure.
Somnus Lucis Caelum
Maiden Tifa,
I have no pressing matters to attend. Visit at your leisure.
Somnus Lucis Caelum
[Neat writing isn't the craziest thing she's seen him do!
It won't take long for Somnus to hear the timid knocking at his door and will find an even more demure Tifa standing outside with a small, neatly wrapped gift in her hands when he opens it. And now that she's standing there with it, Tifa isn't even sure it's a good one and she stares down at it in her palms before she puts on a nervous, crooked, but no less genuine smile.]
Can I come in?
It won't take long for Somnus to hear the timid knocking at his door and will find an even more demure Tifa standing outside with a small, neatly wrapped gift in her hands when he opens it. And now that she's standing there with it, Tifa isn't even sure it's a good one and she stares down at it in her palms before she puts on a nervous, crooked, but no less genuine smile.]
Can I come in?
[ Tifa will find him in the smithy, standing next to one of the work benches. When she enters, he stops what he was doing-- setting the latest pommel he had been working on down-- and stands for her presence. ]
The smithy is open for all.
[ With an iron-covered hand, he slowly gestures towards one of the stools. ]
The smithy is open for all.
[ With an iron-covered hand, he slowly gestures towards one of the stools. ]
[Tifa's approach is slow at first, and although he gestures to one of the stools, she only eyes it tentatively before she wanders up, but doesn't sit. She feels a little awkward being here now, standing there with a box in her hand, remembering the time he'd stumbled into her dream. That was the entire reason she had reached out to him, so why in the world is she being so shy about it now!?
She has no reason to be. He was always so... welcoming.]
Quite the setup you've got. Did you open this place up?
She has no reason to be. He was always so... welcoming.]
Quite the setup you've got. Did you open this place up?
Aye, with a warrior named Alphen of Dahna.
[ The credit is not for Somnus alone to take. Perhaps between the two of them, a sign and name for the smithy and forge should be out front, naming them both.
But that is for another day. Having paused his task, Somnus' even attention remains upon her as she sits. He seems makes no assumptions that the package she carries may be for the shoppe, as at the moment, he continues with their polite small talk. His voice remains hollow. ]
Have you an interest in weapons or need of this forge?
[ The credit is not for Somnus alone to take. Perhaps between the two of them, a sign and name for the smithy and forge should be out front, naming them both.
But that is for another day. Having paused his task, Somnus' even attention remains upon her as she sits. He seems makes no assumptions that the package she carries may be for the shoppe, as at the moment, he continues with their polite small talk. His voice remains hollow. ]
Have you an interest in weapons or need of this forge?
Not quite. I've only just learned how to fight with a sword and even then... I'm no expert.
[She gives a vigorous shake of her head, and looks down at the box again before she stretches her hands out to him, offering it up.]
I actually came by to give you this. I meant to do it sooner, but... I got caught up in some things.
[In her own head, more like.]
It's a thank you... for helping me in that dream.
[She gives a vigorous shake of her head, and looks down at the box again before she stretches her hands out to him, offering it up.]
I actually came by to give you this. I meant to do it sooner, but... I got caught up in some things.
[In her own head, more like.]
It's a thank you... for helping me in that dream.
[ For a few moments after she mentions the dream, he appears to watch her.
Then he raises a hand, iron-covered palm upward and facing her in a motion to call for pause. A second later, it lowers to his side. He speaks. ]
In good conscious, maiden, I cannot accept.
[ Once more a respectful quietness follows his words, and he continues: ] The strength to ascend that mountain was solely yours.
Honor thyself first; then, we shall speak.
Then he raises a hand, iron-covered palm upward and facing her in a motion to call for pause. A second later, it lowers to his side. He speaks. ]
In good conscious, maiden, I cannot accept.
[ Once more a respectful quietness follows his words, and he continues: ] The strength to ascend that mountain was solely yours.
Honor thyself first; then, we shall speak.
[Tifa tips her head at him.]
Honour myself? You mean...?
[His words give her pause, and her lips purse together thoughtfully. It shouldn't be any secret anymore that she's had a hard time coming to terms with those lost memories, and the reasons why she had done it all in the first place, and while the dream did help somewhat, those two weeks are still nothing but clouded memories. Foggy renditions of what she thinks happened, that were then twisted further by the nightmares.
She drops her hands as well as her gaze to the floor.
There isn't a whole lot she can say about any sort of strength to ascend mountains, besides what was really going through her head back then, so...]
I was pretty reckless back then. Not thinking straight. My mom had just died and all the boys told me that I should just stop crying... And you probably can guess how it went from there.
Honour myself? You mean...?
[His words give her pause, and her lips purse together thoughtfully. It shouldn't be any secret anymore that she's had a hard time coming to terms with those lost memories, and the reasons why she had done it all in the first place, and while the dream did help somewhat, those two weeks are still nothing but clouded memories. Foggy renditions of what she thinks happened, that were then twisted further by the nightmares.
She drops her hands as well as her gaze to the floor.
There isn't a whole lot she can say about any sort of strength to ascend mountains, besides what was really going through her head back then, so...]
I was pretty reckless back then. Not thinking straight. My mom had just died and all the boys told me that I should just stop crying... And you probably can guess how it went from there.
[ He remains still, visor tilted in her direction as she speaks, and a few more seconds pass in silence, as if either out of habit or allowing her the opportunity to volunteer more.
Somnus' voice remains with its even, metallic cadence. In the smithy, the sound is complemented by the surrounding weapons and tools of the forge. ]
Do you yet remain in mourning?
Somnus' voice remains with its even, metallic cadence. In the smithy, the sound is complemented by the surrounding weapons and tools of the forge. ]
Do you yet remain in mourning?
[It's a legitimate question, especially given everything that he had seen in the dream...]
Yeah. I mean, I still think about her sometimes, but after a while, you start to forget the little things, you know?
[Her smile turns sad, and Tifa's fingers fidget with the box in her hands.]
What's worse is that I don't remember what happened. After I climbed the mountain, I mean... everything after that, I've lost those memories. I'm not sure if that's what my dream was trying to show me.
Yeah. I mean, I still think about her sometimes, but after a while, you start to forget the little things, you know?
[Her smile turns sad, and Tifa's fingers fidget with the box in her hands.]
What's worse is that I don't remember what happened. After I climbed the mountain, I mean... everything after that, I've lost those memories. I'm not sure if that's what my dream was trying to show me.
[ Her smile is wistful at best, tragic at worst. Somnus allows her time with her thoughts, and then he replies. ]
Dreams are surreal, dawn at midnight, and their contents questionable. [ And the danger is this: it is not in best practice to take them as fact for lost memories, lest she later bear a nightmare illustrating something wildly inaccurate and lead her astray. His following words are spoken carefully with consideration of this, but ask for her opinion. ]
Do you believe the true closure you seek is within them, or through the current memories you have of her?
Dreams are surreal, dawn at midnight, and their contents questionable. [ And the danger is this: it is not in best practice to take them as fact for lost memories, lest she later bear a nightmare illustrating something wildly inaccurate and lead her astray. His following words are spoken carefully with consideration of this, but ask for her opinion. ]
Do you believe the true closure you seek is within them, or through the current memories you have of her?
[Closure...
There's something that Tifa doesn't quite know. There are so many open threads in her life, frayed and tattered, that have no end. It's not for lack of trying, but they just keep coming that she hasn't had time to close off the parts of her past that can be.]
Both, I guess. I wish I knew what happened that day... so many things changed after that, besides my mom being gone.
[Cloud stopped talking to her, and all the boys had started talking about joining SOLDIER one day that it made her wonder if it was because of that. But there was no one left besides Cloud to tell her, and even that... she wonders if that would be a stretch, given her observations.]
I remember the boys following me up, but everything past that, I can't seem to recall. And I wish I could.
[ ... ]
When you climbed up the mountain, did you see anything that felt out of the ordinary?
There's something that Tifa doesn't quite know. There are so many open threads in her life, frayed and tattered, that have no end. It's not for lack of trying, but they just keep coming that she hasn't had time to close off the parts of her past that can be.]
Both, I guess. I wish I knew what happened that day... so many things changed after that, besides my mom being gone.
[Cloud stopped talking to her, and all the boys had started talking about joining SOLDIER one day that it made her wonder if it was because of that. But there was no one left besides Cloud to tell her, and even that... she wonders if that would be a stretch, given her observations.]
I remember the boys following me up, but everything past that, I can't seem to recall. And I wish I could.
[ ... ]
When you climbed up the mountain, did you see anything that felt out of the ordinary?
[ "I wish I knew."
"I wish I could."
What tragedy, this, that the living craft their own chains of iron to the dead. So long as she is bound, neither herself nor her mother will find peace. Somnus does not shift from where he stands, appearing to consider her question. He answers thus, his voice a low, hollow steel, ]
It was your dream.
[ He stops speaking there, allowing her to reply if she must, although it may be that he has more to say. ]
"I wish I could."
What tragedy, this, that the living craft their own chains of iron to the dead. So long as she is bound, neither herself nor her mother will find peace. Somnus does not shift from where he stands, appearing to consider her question. He answers thus, his voice a low, hollow steel, ]
It was your dream.
[ He stops speaking there, allowing her to reply if she must, although it may be that he has more to say. ]
[Tifa gives a small but firm nod.]
I know. It's just...
[That crooked smile of hers twists into a frown, and she shifts between her feet, trying to come up with the string of words that might convey her confusion best.]
A lot of it wasn't things I was familiar with. That field of flowers? That wasn't mine. I've never seen those before, so I thought that maybe there were some other things that maybe tried to fill in those gaps.
I know. It's just...
[That crooked smile of hers twists into a frown, and she shifts between her feet, trying to come up with the string of words that might convey her confusion best.]
A lot of it wasn't things I was familiar with. That field of flowers? That wasn't mine. I've never seen those before, so I thought that maybe there were some other things that maybe tried to fill in those gaps.
[ At this, the sound of metal gently sliding against metal accompanies a correction to the way his armored shoulders slope. He answers her: ]
The flowers were of our Star. [ And they burned within the dream.
His helm moves side to side once, the motion slow and measured. ] Intrusive to your memory, the answer you seek is not with them.
[ Once more, his focus returns to her. His voice rumbles calmly within his armor, like the ripple of the ocean surface at night. ] Maiden.
Do you not see how you suffer?
The flowers were of our Star. [ And they burned within the dream.
His helm moves side to side once, the motion slow and measured. ] Intrusive to your memory, the answer you seek is not with them.
[ Once more, his focus returns to her. His voice rumbles calmly within his armor, like the ripple of the ocean surface at night. ] Maiden.
Do you not see how you suffer?
[His question feels pointed, and Tifa visibly stiffens at his words. He means well, she knows, but she can't help but bite down on her lip—not because she's upset, but because he's right. She knows that she is, deep down, and she tries so hard to push it all away, and she wondered how it might resurface one day.
... She just never imagined it would be like that.]
I do.
[Her head bows and she wanders over to the nearest table to set the box down.]
I think it'll take some time for me to figure it all out. There's a lot to unpack, you know? I know my mom's never coming back, and that it was silly of me to try finding her, and all my memories of those couple of weeks are gone.
[Like who was there to save her when she had fallen... She thinks she knows the answer to that, but she wants to hear it from the man himself. Someday, perhaps, but not today.]
That's something I need to do myself... not through a dream, but... me.
... She just never imagined it would be like that.]
I do.
[Her head bows and she wanders over to the nearest table to set the box down.]
I think it'll take some time for me to figure it all out. There's a lot to unpack, you know? I know my mom's never coming back, and that it was silly of me to try finding her, and all my memories of those couple of weeks are gone.
[Like who was there to save her when she had fallen... She thinks she knows the answer to that, but she wants to hear it from the man himself. Someday, perhaps, but not today.]
That's something I need to do myself... not through a dream, but... me.
[ With in the smithy, there is iron. There are gems and flame, precious metals meant for melting, strong alloys with which to forge weapons for whatever purpose. Against the power of dreamotion, of sorrow and grief, they might all find their cracks, their rust and their wear. Perhaps it speaks to the steady will of the shoppe's owner that all remain timeless in presentation.
At her words, his helm lifts, as if in some way of measuring her conclusion. A beat passes, then two, and his chin lowers. This is approval.
He lifts a hand, motioning to her. ]
Come hither.
At her words, his helm lifts, as if in some way of measuring her conclusion. A beat passes, then two, and his chin lowers. This is approval.
He lifts a hand, motioning to her. ]
Come hither.
[Tifa doesn't wait, and she picks up the small box and moves towards him but doesn't offer it to him quite yet. There's a pause, mirroring his, before she throws her arms around him as best as she can for hugging his large suit of armour, and she simply holds it for a few moments.]
I was so scared in there... so I wanted to say thank you... for being there with me.
[It was still terrifying, but it made it less so knowing that she could trust him to keep her safe. It's difficult for her to voice these sorts of things, so there's a strained noise in the back of her throat before she finishes the thought. Slowly. And with a small voice not unlike the one she had inside the dream.]
And for not giving up on me.
I was so scared in there... so I wanted to say thank you... for being there with me.
[It was still terrifying, but it made it less so knowing that she could trust him to keep her safe. It's difficult for her to voice these sorts of things, so there's a strained noise in the back of her throat before she finishes the thought. Slowly. And with a small voice not unlike the one she had inside the dream.]
And for not giving up on me.
[ Her arms will find nothing but the cool, smooth surface of his armor for which to embrace. For all of the magic that may keep his form intact and animated, the armored suit is no different from any shield or sword, incapable of returning warmth. She will find, however, that his chestplate rises and falls with a subtle, phantom breath, as if someone intangible truly resides within.
But his hand, idle at his side until now, rises. Slowly, it comes down upon the top of her head. The full, cumbersome weight of it, she will never know, for the touch is respectfully gentle. ]
The day you grant repose to your mother's soul within your memories.... [ His hand falls away from her, and he left looking down at the top of her head. ] We look forward to it.
But his hand, idle at his side until now, rises. Slowly, it comes down upon the top of her head. The full, cumbersome weight of it, she will never know, for the touch is respectfully gentle. ]
The day you grant repose to your mother's soul within your memories.... [ His hand falls away from her, and he left looking down at the top of her head. ] We look forward to it.
[She doesn't mind in the least. A hug is a hug, and she means for it to show her appreciation for him in ways that words couldn't. He had helped to open her eyes, even if it was only a little bit and even if Tifa still has a long way to go, but there is a weight that had been lifted from her shoulders at his words, and within the dream itself that he might even be able to feel some of that tension lost in her shoulders, or when he lays a hand on top of her head.]
Yeah.
[When Tifa pulls back, she quickly swipes a hand over her cheek, wiping away a tear that had formed before it could fall. And she reaches for the small box.]
I still want you to have this. It isn't much, but I made it myself.
[Should he take the box and open it, he'll find a small glass charm within it, and inside of that is a dried four-leaf clover.]
Yeah.
[When Tifa pulls back, she quickly swipes a hand over her cheek, wiping away a tear that had formed before it could fall. And she reaches for the small box.]
I still want you to have this. It isn't much, but I made it myself.
[Should he take the box and open it, he'll find a small glass charm within it, and inside of that is a dried four-leaf clover.]
[ At last, he takes the gift and opens it, revealing the contents inside. Between his index finger and thumb, he carefully plucks the charm out from its box, allowing it to dangle. Within his hold, the charm appears miniscule; but amber light from the fire refracts off of the clear resin, giving the charm an fae-like quality. ]
A clover? [ He inquires, his helm canting a degree to the side. ]
A clover? [ He inquires, his helm canting a degree to the side. ]
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