#elsewhere

And a ping from the shore, new text!

Drying off after an extended period of horsing around in the clear lake waters. She hears the ping - and checks the message, with some trepidation.

TXT (from Siv) Thank goodness you're okay. I hope you're getting what you need now but I hope you come home. It's been four days and I miss you

A bit of relief, she's not mad. Or if she is, she's not saying so...

For a moment her finger hovers over the 'call' button, but then she chickens out, and starts a text.

...and stops. She looks around for anything to drink. It might be early for that - or maybe not, in a Satyr town? What time even is it? The days and nights have been blending together quite nicely.

Mid day

Yeah... she looks for a beer, or a bottle of something she can take a gulp from.

There's a pooka with a cooler, looks like some beers, sodas, and a wine cooler in there

"Mind if I hit you up for something?" She asks.

The fish pooka grins and nods towards the cooler

"The waters are fine, breath them in"

She nods and takes a beer - pops the tab, and chugs it. She comes up for air after wards, and gives the pook a thumbs up. "Good swimming." A second taken to sip on, as she retires to a quiet corner.

The bit of a buzz gives her a touch of courage.

TXT: im sorry about what i said. i miss u too.

A sip, and she continues the message.

have u thought more about talking to ne1 else? im not saying to ditch her. but she can get a good nite and we can find some1 for you too. maybe a :lion_face: or ? i can even help look.

TXT back : Baby I love you, but dad can't take her or he'll end up trapped , and Carowyn is all over the place. Besides, she's been rejected over and over. It'll be like child abuse to tell her no now

TXT: annmarie??

TXT: She just got knighted and it would still crush Kassedy to be passed off like something was wrong with her. I love you, but I really do like her. She's smart. And kind. And...scared of being alone.

“Well so am I!” She responds out loud, staring at the phone with hot tears in her eyes.

Another Txt does come in TXT: Can we talk, just you and me in person? Texting I feel like i am fucking up with everything I type

You never have to be alone. An inner voice tells her, whispering dark and sweet. There’s always company for you.

Piper pushes away both the voice and the phone, answering neither, and broods into her drink instead for a time.

About 20 minutes later

TXT: PIper, please.

It's another 20 minutes or so before Siv's phone rings.

Picked up on the first ring "Piper?"

It's Siv's voice "Piper, please speak to me? I miss your voice"

"Siv... I miss you." Maybe not what she meant to start with, but it slips out.

A soft sound, maybe a cry of.. relief? Did Siv really worry she wasn't missed? "Yeah. I... i'm glad you're okay but I'm.... I know I've put you in a rough situation. And I'm sorry"

"I can't.. you wanted to meet up, but I can't right now. You... you can't come here." Piper's voice sounded thick with emotion on the first few words, but there might be a bit more, a touch of slurring to her words.

"Am I not allowed?" A swallow "If it's near water, I can get there, you know that. I'd cross the world to find you"

"You can't. It's... it's not a place f'r nobles. Or Knights, even. It's not a place to be chased or followed... it's somewhere to run to. Itsh... safe, and secret... a Haven."

There's a ..beat

Then she says "I... guess it's good there is a place where folks who fear nobles can find a haven. I...would never try to seize a hold from good folks, titled or not. I hope you realize that?"

"I know. But.. that's.. I wanted you to know, ish why you can't come here. It's.. a good place. Good people."

"Yes" her voice cracks a little "I'm glad they're... helping you. I'm in debt to them for looking after you."

"Siv... can't you reconsider?" She asks, for the third time, though something in her voice seems to say she knows the answer, a soft defeat.

"I'm willing to keep her away from you, out of the apartment, to make sure she is out of your life, but I can't keep her out of mine. Abandonment of a duty accepted goes against everything I've been raised on, everything I believe, particualrly if it crushes an innocent. I.. I love you. Can you please meet me half way , I banish her from 'us' ? But we stay us even when I sometimes go off to be her mentor and knight? I'm still your Siv"

"Did you swear an oath to her?" No accusation there, just... asking.

"I told her I'd take her in, promised I would, but... Oath with a big O? No. I won't be breaking an Oath to keep her away from half my life"

"Isn't that part of having a squire? There's an oath you swear... I thought... you're ssupposed to."

'It's not required and... if you want me to not take it, I won't. She'll still be my squire, but I won't swear to her. She'll understand that, she's used to.. well, her house, folks don't often honor oaths to them."

"It's not fair." Piper's voice is muffled for a moment.

"None of it is, It's not fair to you I jumped like a fluff headed lion on this before checking with you and Jonas, it's not fair to her that she's had such a hard road. I'm sorry, I don't think fair is possible. There's just trying to .. make it right with the least amount of hurt I can manage from here on"

“Siv… I don’t think I can do this. I’m not strong like you.”

"You are SO much stronger than you know, so strong at dealing with your hurts that I forgot you were still healing. That's how strong you are. I believe in you, in us"

“Don't ask me to do this.” Her voice pleading.

"I'm BEGGING" almost tearful