I Once Saw the Past [Trebias]

[seraaches]

Rai sent El a withering look. "Turn it against the Lowlands." His tone implied that the canine obviously should know that already. "If we do it right, we can either get the rest of the world to just plain shun the region or get ourselves put as regents or something." His whip-like tail flicked thoughtfully as he continued to fight his way through his headache.

"If people think really poorly of the Lowlands," he continued quietly, trying not to give in to the pain. "Then when we strike against them there will be less of a backlash." He was having trouble thinking. "Do you have more willow bark?" he asked softly for the herb that might help relieve some of the pain in his head. He just really hoped El had some. He did not think about the fact that this was the first time he had outright asked Elias for aid.

[Kiki]

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[Trebias]

Surprised, Elias wordlessly retrieved the herbs and brought them to the colt. He looked at him appraisingly. It was like the kid could read his mind, but El was reasonably sure that he couldn’t naturally do anything like that yet. “I think you’ve been thinking about this,” was all the canine said at first.

“Now, think about this, kid. Suppose that we go beyond just getting public opinion on our side. What if we can do that, and at the same time sow discontent about the Lowlands in the regions. If we play things right, kid, we can even work it out so that if we do attack the Lowlands, it will be with the support of the rest of the world, rather than having to fear the backlash. If we can work it right, we can ship the lowlanders off to some place like the Wastes, and whip the land into shape ourselves. Give people that really need and appreciate the space somewhere to live in the Lowlands.

“The key, m’boy, is going to be in contacts and knowledge. Or rather, information. If you can master those, then you’re pretty well off. The rest is being able to handle yourself in an attack or a duel. Contacts and knowledge we’ll work out later. Why do you think I push us so hard to get stronger and faster, though?” He’d see how much the kid had been thinking about how all this tied together.

[seraaches]

As Rai chewed on the bitter plant, he found himself agreeing with El's plots. Evidently, the colt hadn't been the only one thinking about it, though he still definitely favoured killing every single Lowlander. That would very easily take care of his revenge issue as well as open up the land for newcomers. He really did like that idea, even more so than shipping them off to Hisstor Wastes. After all, in the Wastes, they might still survive. Dead they certainly wouldn't procreate anymore.

The equine's ears flicked back thoughtfully as El brought up why he was pushing the boy so hard and Rai had to concede the point. El was training him to take out the Lowlanders. Good.

He gave a nod as the bitter taste slipped down his throat. "Okay, I understand the training." And he would try to not complain about it anymore.

[Trebias]

“And none too soon, either,” El chuckled at the kid. “Now me, I don’t have a lot of powerful magic to throw at a card coming after me. That doesn’t mean I intend to go down easy. That’s why I’ve spent so much time working on my body. From what I’ve seen, a lot of Cards go soft the more magic they get. Taking them out fast is the key. At least in the Courts, I suppose. Out here, maybe a lot of other Cards think like I do, I don’t know.

“You, though, Whip, you’re going to have some good magic for a fight, if you’re like most other Hearts I’ve met. Might not always be obvious, but you’ve already got the ability to ignore pain, and you’ll be able to cause it, whatever it is. A lot get the ability to do some mind control, I wouldn’t count on that in a fight, though. That will work more for what we’ve got planned, turning opinion against the Lowlanders.”

El covered the stump back up. “Now that you have a goal, though, we can work more toward it. I just wanted you to see it for yourself. I’ve been studying what some Cards have to say about fighting, wars, politics, so we’ll start training your noggin right alongside your body. What do you say to that?”

[seraaches]

The colt's ears were still back thoughtfully and he sent Elias another quick, contemplative sidelong glance. All of this planning and turning around ideas and whatnot was helping to push away the pain from his headache, and he found himself not even thinking about the hangover that still lingered. Nevertheless, he headed for some fresh water as he thought over El's latest explanation.

He drank deeply, wincing only slightly when the cool water first hit his still dehydrated system. The canine really did have many good points.

Finally, however, the boy spoke with an almost strange clarity. "Why?" he asked softly. "Why me? Why help? Why not let me die in the Marsh?" He needed to understand, needed to have something more than just his revenge. . . but he didn't think there was really anything else there anymore. Not since Shin was dead. Not since he had nothing left.

[Trebias]

Elias was silent for what seemed to him like a long time, maybe too long. It had been years, longer, since he’d last even seen his own father, and he hadn’t been around the older canine much before that. He didn’t know much about the relationships between fathers and sons, and what someone was supposed to say when rearing a kid, temporarily or permanently.

What he did sense, however, was that this wasn’t just an idle question. The question was substantial, and had weight. El’s answer would be big enough to either squash the colt or elevate him. He mused for a second, awed at the revelation of the power he had at that moment, not greedy to wield it, but almost afraid.

He did speak, though. “I suppose it depends on when you’re talking about, kid. When I pulled you out of the mud, I came back for you because it was the right thing to do, sure as the rains come. More I got to know you, the more I saw to you. You moved on from just being some banged up equine from Josiggy to being a real Card, with real potential. Scary potential, I think. The kind of drive and smarts that shape the world is under that brainpan of yours, and nobody was around to help steer you except old Elias.”

He looked levelly at Rai. “Moving from being a kid to being someone I think is going to do big things is no small compliment, kid. It just gives me more reasons to keep you around.” He cleared his throat and mumbled this last. “And maybe I like you.”

[seraaches]

Rai mulled this answer around in his head trying to fight down the initial and immediate burst of satisfaction and loyalty at El's mumbled admission that he might actually like the colt. No, he had no guarantees of anything, and though El's actions thus far suggested that the canine meant every word, Rai still wasn't certain if he should trust the other Marshdweller.

No, that wasn't true. He already knew he trusted Elias with his life; what the colt was uncertain of was whether or not he trusted El with his affections. Still young and still, in many ways, innocent, Rai unknowingly was searching for someone or something to help fill the aching void left in his heart and soul with the loss of his entire family. It was so hard to know, however, if he could trust El with what remained of his heart.

"Oh," the colt finally answered softly, grey-green gaze locked on his different-coloured hooves. "Thank you." He was unconsciously hiding his expression, trying to keep El from noticing the vulnerability that ate at his features.

[Trebias]

Well, this had certainly become a long, silent, awkward conversation. There were more dramatic pauses than some of the amateur acting productions El had seen back in the day.

He didn’t want to break up the flow of things due to a lack of discretion, but he did want things to keep moving, so he cautiously moved toward the kid, eyes steady, not wanting some reversion to the spooking problem Rai used to have. When he was close enough, he nudged the colt with his muzzle. “Come on, kid,” he said, smiling. “Let’s grab some chow. Getting out of the light will help your head, and I’ll get you a cold compress. Maybe grab some beer to take the edge off. It’s weaker, so it won’t hit so hard.” El just hoped the beer was still good. Nothing like a cold one. But a one that was not cold, or that was spoiled, was hardly a ONE at all.

[seraaches]

Rai nodded his head, glad for any excuse to change the subject now, though he would be mulling over Elias' words for a very long time. He would pull them out and turn them over in his head on occasion, letting them seep into his consciousness through constant and deep inspection. He wouldn't realize for many, many years just how important those words would be to his mental and emotional development.

"After that last stuff, I wonder if I can believe you about that beer. . ." Despite his headache, his tone was wry and he was trying to tease again. That was about the breadth and width of it, though, and he followed after the canine quietly. It was nice to get back inside and out of the sun, even if it was just for awhile. The cool darkness was a nice change and Rai heaved a soft sigh of relief.