Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

The everyday life of the inhabitants of the Grey Tower. This board is for general daily roleplay around the Tower, in the corridors, rooms and halls that make up most of the building.
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Roan
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Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Roan » July 31st, 2017, 11:22 pm

Riahana
Malina Gaidin had done well to calm Ria down, but the truth of it was, the older Gaidin was still quite rattled with what happened during her lesson. Not since she’d been a Drin had Ria frozen. . .and even when she was a Drin, she couldn’t remember the level of panic that she felt when Tam had her over his head.

Part of her knew the chances of something similar happening in the future were slim, but they weren’t non existant. Freezing in the middle of a battle was a death sentence, and she was not one with a death wish. She ran a shaky hand through her hair as she made her way through the halls towards the quarter she shared with Gareth.

Ria felt concern across their bond and tried to send a bit of reassurance, but she was well and truly rattled. Reaching their quarters, Ria entered and closed the door behind her, leaning against it as she let go a shuddered breath. Before long, she realized her husband was drawing closer.

Letting go a heavy sigh, Ria pushed herself from the door and moved to the large window that looked out over the Tower grounds. Her panic affected not just her, but her husband, as it drew him away from the Infirmary. The Gaidin shook her head, disappointed in herself and what she saw as a moment of weakness.

Malina was right. . .Ria needed to talk it out. Not what happened in the Yards so much as what happened at the Citadel. What was there to say, though? She let a Trolloc get too close, and nearly died because of it. Shaking her head again, Ria leaned against the window sill as she heard the door open.

Part of her didn’t want to turn around. Another part of her needed her husband and the comfort of his arms. She didn’t often let herself feel or be vulnerable, but truth be told, she was more than a little vulnerable in that moment. She felt his concern, but it was also etched on his face. Crossing the room as he closed the door, she did her best to reassure him, “I am fine. . .physically fine, anyway.”
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Bella
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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Bella » August 2nd, 2017, 2:41 am

It took a conscious and concerted effort to mask the bond, and it wasn't something that Gareth did often. It was so rare, in fact, he could not recall the last time. The other part to that was that only he could do it, so Riahana could not stop him from knowing what was happening with her...and so he felt what she experienced.

He'd almost broken a stone mortar and pestle that he was using to grind some herbs with when her first wake of cold panic hit her. Only the fact that she came around quickly and he sensed no physical injury kept him from pulling the infirmary down around him.

But Gareth did not aim to remain in place for long. He sensed her calming slightly, but she was still struggling. He gave his task to another and excused himself, sensing she was heading to their quarters and heading in that direction as well. He reached the rooms just moments after her, sensing the continued myriad of emotions she felt.

She tried to reassure him, but he just lifted his brows. He could see that she was fine physically, so that wasn't his concern. Not a man of many words in most occasions, he simply said, "Please, tell me what happened."

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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Roan » August 6th, 2017, 4:15 pm

Riahana Tomosan Gaidin
Riahana looked up to meet her husband’s concerned gaze, her own brows furrowed deeply, “I was training with Malina again. She thought it was time to up the stakes a bit and have me face off against multiple opponents. Everything was fine, more or less, but then Tam. . .” She trailed off and looked away as she let go a frustrated sigh, “Tam got behind me and picked me up.”

The Gaidin’s voice was anything but steady as she explained what happened to her husband. “I froze, Gareth. I panicked. One second, I was fending off two other Gaidin, and then I was back on that wall at the Citadel.” She shook her head, “I don’t think I’ve ever frozen like. . .certainly haven’t ever felt that level of panic.”

Reflecting on the events in the Warder Yards (and the Citadel), Ria’s heart started to race again as she felt another wave of panic start to wash over her. How could she be an effective Warder if she let her emotions control her? She tried to slip into the Void, but her old friend seemed just out of her grasp. “Gareth. . .” she trailed off again, her voice breaking as she felt a knot form at the back of her throat.
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Bella
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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Bella » August 8th, 2017, 2:58 am

Gareth simply stood, and listened. He did not interrupt to interject his own thoughts, but let her speak her mind until he was done. He felt the rising and ebbing of her emotions, and he wanted to reach out and just fold her into his embrace. He didn't, however, because he knew it was important for her to speak.

When she said his name and said nothing more, the panic once more rising in her chest, he reached out and gently pulled her to him.

"My wife," he rumbled softly. "As much as you may like to ignore the fact, you do remain human. Trauma will affect you, and it is upsetting but there is no shame in this. You have to accept it to work through it. If you think I do not suffer my own effects of that moment, you would be wrong. Our trauma is shared, two sides of a single coin. I just have not encountered something to remind me so freshly."

He rested his head on top of her and let out a long breath. "You almost died," he continued, his already quiet voice now barely audible. "It is not something we can or should ignore the impact of upon us."

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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Roan » August 9th, 2017, 7:48 pm

Riahana
Feeling his arms around her, Riahana leaned into her husband. She was not one to turn from a fight, nor was she known for burrowing her head in the sand, but in that moment, all she wanted to do was just that. Facing someone on the battlefield, weapons raised, was one thing, but facing her own internal demons? It felt overwhelming.

Ria took comfort in his embrace and his rumbling voice. She’d always found his deep, gravely voice to be a comfort, and between it, and what he said, her pulse started to slow. Forcing herself to take long, deep breaths, she let herself relax in his arms, “I am not sure I know how to accept it, much less work through it, my heart.”

Pulling her head back and looking up to meet his gaze, she couldn’t help but furrow her brows, “I. . .am not sure I’ve ever come so close to death, and been so helpless to prevent it.” Perhaps the helplessness is what fueled her panic? She let go a heavy sigh, “And I have not once stopped to consider you in this, and how it has all impacted you.”
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Bella
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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Bella » August 10th, 2017, 2:59 am

His pale eyes met her gaze as she pulled back enough to look up at him. One big hand gently ran up and down her spine in an unconscious soothing gesture for the both of them. To be reminded of what they had each nearly lost...was painful, plainly put. There was no getting away from that fact, nor should they try to. However, it meant they each needed soothing.

"You only need consider me in this right now to know that you are not alone in it, nor were you alone when it happened," he said gently, his gaze pained but tender.

He lowered his head against hers, taking in a deep breath and letting it out again slowly. "I was helpless to stop it, but not to prevent you from being taken and woven back into the Pattern. It's because the two of us are not separate parts but one of a whole. We both felt helpless in that moment, and yet we have never been. Not really."

Gareth was all too aware that there would always be the risk of things that they were truly powerless over, but he meant what he said because he did believe that they were not truly helpless. They each had the other to help, effectively or not, and their strength was in that.

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Roan
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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Roan » August 15th, 2017, 1:41 am

Riahana
Reaching up, Ria placed her hand on his cheek and offered a small, but warm smile, “One of a whole.” It was fitting given the bond they shared. She’d never felt vulnerable, or allowed herself to feel vulnerable except for him. He was always with her, and she with him due to the bond.

Blademaster, Gaidin, Wife. For Ria, being Gareth’s wife mattered more than the other two. “You remind me I am but human,” she her smile turned wry, “Yet I can face Trollocs and Fades at the end of my blade without hesitation.” She ran her thumb along his cheek, “The idea of being helpless again.” She lowered her gaze and her hand, “That is why I panicked today. . .I think.”
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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Bella » August 16th, 2017, 2:09 am

He listened close, watched her face and her eyes as she spoke, sensed her over their bond... Gareth leaned into her touch slightly, but not so much that he didn't keep his eyes fastened on hers.

"No one ever wants to feel helpless, my love," he said gently, "especially not a warrior such as yourself. You have built yourself to be a creature of strength and power. It is an even further path for you to go from that to helpless." He purposely did not say further to fall, given the topic at hand. Gareth was highly conscious of his words.

Taking in a slow breath, he let it out softly. "We are helpless as children, and grow to adults who seek ourselves away from that. Yet there will always be times when it happens. It's no shame to acknowledge it, to feel it so that you can work past it. Denying it will only make it grow."

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Roan
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Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Roan » August 16th, 2017, 7:55 pm

Riahana Tomosan
Placing her hand on his chest, Ria let go a slow, slightly shaky breath, followed by another. “I am but human, as you reminded me.” She looked up again, giving him a small, but wry smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I have no desire to deny it, but every desire to try and move past what happened so that. . .well, so that I don’t freeze in a moment of panic.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder and all but melted in his arms, “I may need your help. I’m sure you’ve noticed us Gaidin aren’t too fond of admitting our weaknesses, or admitting we are simply human, Light save us!” She looked up as her slight amusement rippled over their bond. “There are few I would ever willingly admit something so scandalous to, I’ll have you know.” Her lips twitched into a slight smirk.

The Gaidin wasn’t purposefully trying to deflect or switch topics, but more trying to unwind nerves that twisted into tight knots the moment Tam lifted her off the ground.
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Bella
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TC: Gareth Tomosan Asha'man
QC: Natlya Cade Gaidin
QC: Andraste Alhandra Sedai
Location: New England

Re: Echoes of the Recent Past [Attn: Bella and Gareth]

Post by Bella » August 18th, 2017, 9:36 pm

A low chuckle rumbled up from deep in his chest, half wry and half amused. "I am well aware of this fact, wife," he said. "I know it intimately from you, but you're speaking to a man who has to deal with many a Gaidin and trainee in the infirmary every day, arguing with me about their human frailty even as they sit injured before me."

Gareth wrapped his arms more closely around her. "You know that you will have all the help that I can offer."

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