Aspel Cassul: When in doubt, Aspel! (weaponry) wrote in emillion, @ 2014-12-05 14:46:00 |
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WIth another low, metallic grating in her head, Aspel couldn't help but let out something crossed between a sigh and a groan. Thankfully, the noise wasn't one she considered completely unpleasant, but at the current rate of Dullahan's frustrations, and - seemingly - unending beratement of her life and choices as of late, to say it was getting a bit old was certainly to be marked in the understatement of the century category of her life. The book she'd been attempting to pick away at while curled up on the couch with the bard had lost all interest as Dullahan decided he'd like to talk right now. Thumb and forefinger rose to rub at her temples in frustration as the grating, metallic scratching, and low eerie groans continued in carry on in her head. 'Move.' Aspel groaned again, sighing heavily before snapping the book shut with one hand, and shifting forward to let it drop onto the coffee table. "How are you this eve?" Maybe if she just.... Focused on something else Dullahan would get the hint and go away. Unfortunately for Aspel, Ari was neither blind nor entirely clueless, and she could not help but note that… something was bothering Aspel recently, or in any case, something was distracting her, which amounted more or less to the same thing. She’d done her best to leave it alone, assuming that Aspel had plenty of worries with her work, not to mention other issues (her family, as far as Ari was concerned, did not deserve her at all), but this was getting a little out of hand. Her response, therefore, was a thoughtful, “Not bad, all things considered, though actually, I’m a bit more concerned for you. You’re getting that look that says your mind is very busy -- somewhere not here. Not that I mind if you wander,” a small smile, “but if you want to talk about it, I’d listen.” “Apologies.” Aspel couldn’t help but let out a slightly defeated sigh with the singular word before an equally apologetic smile was offered to the other woman. Ari did humor her a great deal when it came to her mind wandering off, but…. Wasn’t it fair to… Discuss… Things…. More… Well. More personal things with Ari at this point? A low hum was given with a furrow of her brows briefly, before a hand rose, rotating at the wrist as if to help her with the words she was attempting to speak. “Dullahan has… Been particularly talkative as of late.” “Ah.” It was, in a sense, a familiar sort of problem. Then again, Ari had managed to work out a sort of arrangement with Ifrit that worked for them both and allowed them to coexist peacefully. Having met a few others thus afflicted these past few months, however, she was beginning to consider herself lucky. Perhaps she and Ifrit were really more compatible than she had originally believed -- or perhaps it was just that their priorities were so different that they rarely had to clash recently. She found time to let him out to tackle a beast or two, and he mostly let her live her life with only the occasional beratement of her perceived lack of courage. She had not quite managed to educate him on the many ways of accomplishing things that didn’t involve things and people set aflame, but really, aside from that… “Any particular subject?” she asked at last. It was difficult to know what Aspel’s summon might consider worthy of his time -- Ari had seen him once only, and Aspel was particularly tight-lipped on this matter. “Unless it’s the usual demands to be let free once in awhile, but -- you’ve been dealing with this far longer than I have, so I doubt I’d have any advice that you haven’t already tried.” Aspel’s brows furrowed, a heavy sigh being released that even caused her shoulders to slump a bit. Now that was a matter of complication, wasn’t it? The conversations had been scattered, sporadic, and she’d been attempting to think over them, and address them separately, but now that she was attempting to summarize it… It. “I…” The smith’s face twisted up, trying to put it together in some sort of logical succession of discussions but… Dullahan was always so sporadic, so… Random with his outbursts. “Tonight, he is telling me to move.” A beat. “In the recent weeks there has been a number of topics he has decided worth discussion, but…” Aspel’s voice trailed off, a frown pulling thoughtfully at her lips. “I have yet to make much sense of them.” "Move?" Ari repeated curiously. An odd request, to her mind, but then, she could enumerate the things that Ifrit asked of her on the fingers of one hand. "I haven't known you to be particularly sedentary, but perhaps he opposes this couch particularly? Which," she added immediately, "wouldn't make a bit of sense. Why would he care?" She leaned against Aspel's side, then suggested, "We could go out in the cold and take a walk, I suppose." She tried not to sound too regretful, but it was difficult -- she was not terribly fond of winter weather, and whatever Dullahan's opinion of it, she was rather fond of this couch. “Mm.” Aspel confirmed at Ari’s repetition of her word. Though, with the bard’s carrying on the smith had to give a heavy sigh with a nod of agreement regarding how little sense it really made. As far as Aspel was concerned Dullahan’s request made not a lick of sense. “I would rather not, even if he is particularly bothersome of late.” A frown was pulling at her lips at the thought of the whole mess. “Besides, he is small enough that I can let him out in the shop if I absolutely must.” The confession - something Ari may be able to pick up on as Aspel had done regularly before - almost made the smith flinch. There had been paranoia enough around him possibly chopping Aspel in two by others in her life, she needed not induce further worry from others as well. Maybe if she just kept talking... “It seems he has a great number of requests as of late. I know not what to make of them all. Especially, after he has been quiet quite often for so long.” “Well, that’s convenient, isn’t it?” The thought that the summon might hurt Aspel didn’t even occur -- they obeyed, didn’t they? Sometimes with a great deal of complaining, but in the end, they did obey. “I didn’t really want to go outside anyway,” she admitted. After a moment, she offered: “Ifrit mostly leaves me be, as long as I let him set something aflame weekly. It’s gotten to be a habit and I hardly think about it. It seems you have greater problems. As does Drake, actually,” she mused. She had to wonder if Aud did, too. Her friend hadn’t said anything, but…… they had not spoken as much as usual of late. They had never fully recovered from Miles’ incarceration, or so it seemed to her. A sad thought, and one she preferred to push away. She sighed and tried to think of more pleasant things. “Anything I can do to take your mind off of it?” she offered at last. “I’d offer to do something to help, but I can’t think how.” “Mm.” Aspel agreed, and sincerely hoped the conversation on that specific regard would end there, and that none of this would ever get out to anyone who didn’t have a special friend with whom they shared their head. Though, the mention of Drake earned a sigh. He had a… Very special set of circumstances, now didn’t he? Though it was good to know that Ifrit mostly kept quiet for Ari’s sake. Having a big fiery thing in one’s head that wouldn’t shut up seemed as though it would be likely to make anyone utterly miserable. “Ah.” Aspel let a beat of silence fall between them as she considered the question with sincerity. “I-....” Another moment of quiet as her brows furrowed with more thought. “Suspect conversation may be best. Of any topic you desire, as long as we keep speaking for a bit, surely he will be likely to become fed up with my ignoring him and wander off for at least a bit.” Or well… At least she hoped. “I do wonder sometimes where they go,” Ari said. “I mean, when they’re… incorporeal. It confuses me if I think about it too long, however. Therefore: new topic. Vivi’s wedding is soon, and you still haven’t shown me your dress.” She grinned. “Given the choice of topics between monsters and pretty clothes, I’ll take the pretty clothes every time. At least they’re predictable. Lately, that’s a rare bit of good fortune.” She was not ignorant of the city’s problems, but… what could she do, really, except patch people up as best she could, or leave? And in the end, while Aspel, Drake, and Aud remained, leaving was out of the question. “I’m almost on vacation,” she said, her voice cheerful despite her thoughts, “so really, this wedding is the most exciting thing in my life right now -- and I’m not even directly involved. Still, anything related to my illustrious guildmaster is bound to be entertaining in some capacity, and Vivi has excellent taste in caterers.” There was a low hum of confirmation regarding Ari’s thoughts about where the summons went, but Aspel wasn’t about to delve into that too greatly. As far as she was concerned they went away from her, and whoever else they may be bothering, so wasn’t that blessing enough? Certainly though, later, she’d likely find herself pondering over this exact notion all over again. “Ah, yes it is.” There was a faint, warm smile the rose at the mention of one of her best friends finally getting married. “Am I supposed to show it to you?” There was the faintest hint of tease there, as the warm smile brightened just a bit. A low chuckle was earned at Ari’s carrying on. Sometimes - just sometimes - Aspel wondered if perhaps she could be happy with life just letting Ari babble on about whatever struck her, and listening all the while. Certainly, the bard would eventually talk herself out, but somehow that seemed both pleasant - thoughts of being quietly curled up together were quite appealing as well - and sad all at once. “It would seem that Duke Reinholdt does have quite the sense of humor, no?” Aspel hadn’t met the man often, but it seemed each time she did he was always up to something or another. A curious brow rose. “No plans of note for the rest of the Valendian year?” “And why shouldn’t you show it to me?” Ari asked. “You aren’t the bride, darling, and I’m most certainly not walking to the altar, either; that superstition doesn’t apply.” She was smiling, too. At least this topic seemed to put Aspel into a good mood, which was half the battle to get her mind off of unpleasant things and cryptic summons. “I find him a rather marvelous person in general, though I would never presume to know him well.” She thought of the many, many games she had played at his behest, and added, “I can appreciate a person who refuses to let adulthood -- or power -- get in the way of having a good time. Stuffy and boring, he is not. As for me….” She gave a sigh, an exaggerated pretense at feeling forlorn, and said, “I am not nearly as interesting, or at least, my plans for the next few months aren’t. No particular plans, though,” she thought of Drake, “a trip, perhaps. Or perhaps not. I’m not planning it -- I’m just showing up, if and when it happens.” “Perhaps,” Aspel began, a slow grin beginning to pull at her lips regardless of her attempts at restraint, thoughts obviously veering in a different direction altogether while still remaining on topic. “I find joy in leaving you in a state of anticipation.” Which was a rather extensive truth in several aspects of their…. Combined…. lives. The thought was quickly shaken off. How long… No, that needed not to be thought of either. “A trip?” A curious eyebrow rose, Ari hadn’t mentioned anything of that previously, had she? “To Ordalia.” A pause. “With Drake.” Another pause. “I’m fairly certain he said he mentioned it to you.” Though, in retrospect, he had not specified whether Aspel had agreed… The momentarily playfulness - of a sort - and then curiosity all disappeared in a flash when Ari clarified what this trip to Ordalia may very well be for, and settled more into a…. Stiff, unsure, discomfort of a sorts. “Ah.” “You look exactly how I feel about it,” Ari muttered. She’d tried not to let on, but frankly, her level of comfort with the whole venture was extremely low. “But if he wants me to go, I’ll go. Because I enjoy complicating my own life, it seems. I can only pray that my mother will never, ever find out about it.” She sighed. “Well, I’ve utterly ruined the mood, though you can’t say I’m not distracting. Are you very certain you wouldn’t rather try on your dress for me? I promise not to damage it when I get you out of it shortly after.” “You as well…?” The question was a bit… Hesitant considering all, but… At least she wasn’t alone on this one. It was nice to know she wasn’t the only one that was out of place in all of this. Though, then Ari continued on, and… Well. Aspel was… Strangely tempted - though uncomfortable - to broach the topic of complications within their lives, but… “Sex.” The word was accented with a short release of breath. “Faram.” Another beat as her eyes shifted over the room. “That would be the uncomplicated way out, yes.” Faram, what was she even saying now. “And one I can always be counted upon to offer.” Ari shrugged. “I am fairly certain it’s one of the few uncomplicated things left, really. Somehow, that makes it that much more appealing.” But of course, even with her elite level of skill in avoiding her problems, they did come around and make their presence known sometimes, now didn’t they? “Though,” she admitted, “it isn’t so much a way out as a stalling tactic, in the end.” A sigh, then, “So… do you… think you’ll go?” “Terribly so.” Aspel agreed regarding how appealing it really had become. Thankfully at least, she was beginning to slip away from the severe discomfort of the initial bridging of the the topic. However, of course the topic would come back to bite her in the end, and the smith couldn’t help the mildly distressed semi-frown that formed. “I…” The beginning of the sentence fell off. “Well.” Another beat as Aspel’s face twisted with uncertainty, a noticeable lingering discomfort. “There…” The smith left out a huff of air. Why was this such a hard thing to…. Say…? “If….He wishes me to…. I will.” There, that was the… Simplest way to… Approach all of it, and as emotionally removed as possible. “Well,” Ari said, thinking how very like her response to Drake this actually was, “this will be a cheery trip. I’m bringing wine. I can pack mead, too. I’m sure we’ll survive.” “Oh Faram, yes. Please.” If there was desperation in her voice, Aspel couldn’t find it in herself to care in that very moment. “I may need to pack extra. Perhaps Vivi knows a good trick…. Or has a connection out that way.” “It can’t be that difficult to buy alcohol. It’s Ordalia.” Not that she’d ever ventured out to that particular region, but still, the point remained. “We’ll make the best impression. Which is something about which I assumed I didn’t care at all until I just said that. Oh Faram indeed.” Possibly, the voice in Aspel’s head had been the better topic of conversation after all. “I have yet to encounter a place - that has populace mind you - where alcohol could not be procured, but my concern is more about quality when I mention Vivi. I tend to only attempt nearly moonshine related matters when I need to be particularly hammered.” Which… “And do belive me when I say involving myself in that level of intoxication is terribly tempting, but I feel it may not be quite advisable.” Though the impression aspect…. Aspel had tried not to think of the situation at all if she were honest, and now realizing that an impression needed to be made, she felt panic surge up within her. “An…. An im-impression…” There was perhaps just a hint of panic slipping out as well. “Right. Correct. That is…. A thing… That…” And with that the panic started to become obvious across her face too. “Oh Faram.” And Aspel stood. “A drink. I need a drink. Would you like a drink? I believe we should have drinks.” Her words were rattled off rapid fire, barely a breath of air between each sentence as her body movements became stiff, saying she looked something akin to a rabbit about to dart away wouldn’t be terrible far off at all. The look Ari gave her was perfectly miserable as she said, “I’ll just take coffee. I’m not quite on vacation. I’ll catch up after we close.” Oh, would she, ever. “Right. Of course.” And with those rapid fire words, Aspel headed off into the kitchen to grab the bottle of nearly moonshine she’d mentioned just moments before. Pouring a glass in the kitchen, she started to put it back before deciding against the action. The coffee maker was turned on, before Aspel hauled herself, the cup, and the bottle of liquor back into the living room, settled the contents of her hands down on the coffee table, and dropped - rather gracelessly - back down on the couch. Lifting up the cup, a quarter of it was downed with one gulp, and a cringe at its horrible taste before an apologetic smile was turned to Ari. “Should I save you some for when you can?” “A fine vintage, I’m sure,” Ari said, giving the glass a distrusting look, “but don’t let me stop you. I’ll find something, once I’m done being sober and petrified, of that I have no doubt. I would ask you what in the world my life has become, but I think you might have the same question, so maybe we ought to have stayed with simpler topics, after all.” “Not a blasted clue.” And down went another gulp of the atrocious tasting liquor. It burned going down, and tasted awful, she’d likely need to eat something sweet as an attempt to flush the taste from her mouth soon, but… For now it would stay as she started feeling warm, and just the little tiniest bit of fuzzy around the edges. This stuff needed to kick in quicker. With that thought, another gulp was taken. “Well, that’s all right, we’ll rectify it now.” Even if she wasn’t drinking, Ari had no doubt that with practically undiluted alcohol, which the glass seemed to contain, Aspel would be more than willing to lead the conversation somewhere less worrisome shortly. She was no longer thinking about summons, at least, though the current topic was potentially more distressing still. Really, she ought to have simply stayed with topics of the dress, it seemed, but at least now she realized that she ought to visit the vintner before taking the trip… She resolved to feel sorry for Drake sometime later. |