Half of the Kingdom(ft. commentary)

~Mar 7

They stayed in that position for another few minutes before withdrawing from one another. They started walking back to the house, slowly, and hand in hand.

Iphnis watched them from the window. Karayan was sleeping peacefully for now. The copse of trees was a fair bit away, but Iphnis had glimpsed them standing very close together...

STALKERRRRR

He shook his head slightly. What a strange people humans are, he thought to himself. He stood next to Karayan, keeping an eye on him. Without thinking, he laid a hand on Karayan's forehead and closed his eyes, trying to see his foremost thoughts.

do gnomes not have affection and kissing and romance and love and stuff? They do, i was just doing the thing where i insert generic thought process that actually has little to do with the actual character but i wanted them to think something.    wait   Whoa there since when can iphnis mind read?

He saw nothing. This surprised him. The mind was always active. Then why didn't he see anything? Iphnis went deeper. There was a risk in that, but he heeded it not. There he could hear something. Deeper. He could see something. Deeper. He could see all that there was to see.

I really based the gnomes right off of elves and thought I could get away with it huh

There were flames, consuming flames. Darkness. Everywhere that there was no flame, there was darkness. Darkness of the worst kind. Blood, on the ground, on his hands. Screams, they sounded everywhere. Terrified screams. Screams from those in pain. And Iphnis knew, as did Karayan, that it was he who had cause the pain and terror. The whole place was terrible. Iphnis retreated at once.

He returned to himself and snatched back his hand and opened his eyes, gasping for breath. What was that? Of course, Iphnis knew why there were screams and blood and flame. Four things he'd no doubt seen a lot of in the recent years.

????? every time I reread I get more and more confused about Iphnis mind-reading. What was I on? 

Iphnis sat back in his chair to process and interpret all he'd seen. It was as he guessed: Karayan did not remember who he was, or even really what he was. All he'd see was what Iphnis had just seen. Unless there was something deeper. But Iphnis wasn't wont to try again, and go through that one level. He shuddered. There was so much. So much to set right. And there was a lot that which couldn't be set right; no matter how hard they would try. Iphnis' gaze traveled back to Karayan. His eyes were slowly opening again. Iphnis paid closer heed.

"Karayan?" Iphnis asked him. He wanted to see if Karayan could answer some questions.

Karyan looked over at Iphnis, but didn't say anything.

"How are you feeling?' Iphnis asked first.

Karyana closed his eyes for a moment before answering, "Still in pain but it's bearable," He replied, his voice quiet and weak.

Iphnis nodded, "Do you see anything?" He asked, meaning inside Karayan's mind.

Karayan closed his eyes again. "I see..." He trailed off, "I see... blood," He replied, his voice quavering. "And there are screams. Terrible screams. And fire. And... Darkness..." He finished.

Iphnis nodded. Just what he himself had seen.

how long these little therapy sessions been going on for?

"Is there anything deeper?" He asked.

Karayan's eyes remained closed "I... wait... there's blood... blood on... snow. I see bloody footprints in the snow." He said at last.

Bloody footprints. In snow. That was something. "Anything else?"

Karayan didn't answer for another moment. "Umm, there's blood on my hands."

"Whose blood?" Iphnis asked.

an important question

"It's... my... my..." He trailed off.

Iphnis waited for him to finish his answer.

"My mother's," Karayan said in anguish.

Oof

Iphnis was startled. He hadn't expected that to be it.

Karayan's eyes shot open and he sat up at once, breathing heavily. He slowly lowered himself back down 'until he was leaning back on his elbows. He grimaced from the pain of his aggravated wounds, and the pain of remembrance. He turned to Iphnis, "Did I... did I kill my mother?" He asked, his voice betraying his fright.

:|

Iphnis furrowed his brow. As much as he didn't want to admit it, that was the likelier choice. Unless someone else had killed his mother and Karayan had tried to help her, getting her blood on his hands in the process. But again, that wasn't as likely.

wow thanks iphnis that's just so comforting to hear

"Iphnis?" Karayan prompted, his face anxious.

Iphnis opened his mouth to speak, not sure how he would word it. "You, you might have." Was all he got out. "Was there anything else? Maybe a hint as to who had?"

Karayan shook his head, "Nothing, just the snow, my hands, and my... my mother's... blood covering each."

Iphnis nodded, still deep in thought. He didn't want to be rash, but he also didn't want to delay at all. He wanted to know what happened to Karayan to make him the cruel twisted monster he had been. Something had to have happened to change him. Iphnis wanted to find out what it was.

Okay this is what I was looking for. Motive. Why did Iphnis do all he did? Curiosity. That's pretty in-character. He just wants to know. Could be better but it's a start.

"Alright," He said to Karayan at last. "We'll see if anything turns up later," He stood up to go to the window, but Karayan grabbed his arm.

"Iphnis," He called.

Iphnis turned back.

Karayan paused a moment before asking: "What have I done?"

It wasn't rhetorical. Karayan honestly had no idea what a awful, cruel, terrible person he'd been. And Iphnis wasn't sure how he would take the news, and how it would affect him. He didn't like to lie, but he also didn't like to give Karayan either a sense of guilt, or reawaken the monster. Iphnis sighed and looked away. "You'll... you'll find out later." He said. He gently wrenched his wrist from Karayan's grasp and went to the window.

Karayan, weakened and tired out by the ordeal, fell at once into a deep sleep. But it was no longer peaceful.

Iphnis stood by the window, looking out. He couldn't see the mountains from the window, but he'd seen them when he was outside. Just small lumps on the horizon, it had seemed, but Iphnis knew their size, their might, and their majesty. They were his home, after all. A home that he was missing from. He needed to get back. There could be consequences if he didn't.

The door opened then, and Miryanna and Andarin entered, laughing and talking. They had shed their warm cloaks and hats and gloves earlier, or they would have trodden snow all through the room. Their cheeks were rosy from the cold, and Iphnis thought something else. Miryanna went at once to Karayan, who lay sleeping.

"How is he?" She asked.

Iphnis shrugged, "Well enough," He replied. He didn't see the need to tell her about his memories. Besides, he would leave soon. In the morning, he'd decided. Now that Andarin was back, Miryanna didn't need his help. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Miryanna depended heavily on Iphnis for advice about what to do with Karayan's memory. But Iphnis knew that if he didn't return home soon... there would be consequences. He'd said that he'd leave soon after Andarin returned, so it wouldn't take Miryanna completely unawares.

yeah let the girl have to make her own decisions for once

The sun had set by this time, and Andarin bid them goodnight and returned to his chambers. Miryanna stayed up for a bit more, looking after Karayan, talking with Iphnis.