[ CLOSED ] Grief will have to wait.

[blackscales]

WHO: Wrathion & fellow travellers
WHEN: Travel Arc!
WHERE: Mistress Isakanami's inn.
WHAT: A multi-prompt travel arc extravaganza! Check here for planning something custom, or he has an end of Serthica network post here or an open inbox!
WARNINGS: None at opening




Wrathion is exhausted.

So much as he is pleased to leave Serthica, so much as he is relieved to have had results there the whole experience has left him drained. The concept, then, of having some reprieve before they launch into more lengthy travel is... appealing, to a point.

It does, he assumes, mean staying somewhere else -- and based on their previous accommodation this may not necessarily be... pleasant.

Although it would be nice if it was.

The journey is long, but being flown there is at least pleasant initially. Far better than hiking, a wagon, or having to ride another creature. Then the weather begins to cool further, and Wrathion senses that they will not be relaxing in a tropical climate.

Snow. Of course.

The Merchant, at least, appear to have selected somewhere with pleasant-seeming facilities. They are, naturally, housed with the staff and expected to perform some minor tasks...

Still. If this place is devoid of any major problems, it does have potential. A hot springs in the mountains brings back fond memories, of a far flung place long ago. Of a time when he was young, before he felt the bitter sting of consequence.

It is also, so far, blessedly free of hozen.

Comments

[chosenbylight]

Anduin accepts the mug of tea, unable to keep himself from smiling at Wrathion's gentle fussing. At the care in the way he moves to set the jihui board out for the pair of them. Anduin's favorite game, and now perhaps Wrathion's as well.

Reaching forward, he tugs the plate of food closer so that they both can reach it. Taking up a dumpling and taking a bite so that Wrathion will perhaps stop worrying about keeping him from eating. See? He can eat and talk, or eat and play perfectly well, thank you.

He glances around the room as he chews, raising his tea to test its temperature, his attention catching on an object sitting in the corner of the room that doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the decor.

"We really should give it some sort of name," he says, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in thought.

[blackscales]

Hmmm?

Wrathion turns to follow Anduin's line of sight, closing both hands around the mug as he considers the mechanical hound in the corner.

Ah.

"Did you have something in mind?"

It is Anduin's, after all. Wrathion himself refused a droid. He takes a sip of his tea, thoughtful. Considering how little Anduin appears to enjoy its company, he is surprised that it is coming along with them on the journey. Then again, perhaps given Anduin's inclination towards loyalty and duty he shouldn't be surprised. Even if the droid feels nothing, no doubt Anduin feels enough guilt for them both.

[chosenbylight]

Anduin tilts his head to the side slightly, considering.

It's right of course, he doesn't feel any great sense of emotional attachment to the droid. But he had equally felt that it would be wrong for him to leave it behind when it had been assigned to him. He'd worked with the droids in Serthica, and he had come to understand... Perhaps not their emotional attachments to their humans, but their sense of duty towards them. It just did not feel right for him to abandon the dog to another master, even if he had mixed feelings about it himself.

"Well, you know it is a common practice for priests to name their animals after qualities they admire," Anduin replies. "Perhaps... We might call it Tenacity? It is one of the three tenets of the Light, after all."

[blackscales]

"Doesn't quite flow off the tongue, does it?"

'Tenacity' feels an awkward word to be calling to try and get a droid's attention. He sips his tea thoughtfully, adjusting to sit more comfortably.

"Does it have to be a tenet of the Light?"

That would rather limit things, name-wise. His horse is 'Reverence', isn't it? That isn't one of the three tenets, that he recalls. Not that Wrathion has been spending hours in a church learning of them, but some cursory research was enough to have a solid understanding of all the base concepts.

[chosenbylight]

"It doesn't," Anduin confirms, shifting in his own seat and reflecting -- how comfortable he does feel, just now. "It doesn't technically have to be named in the way of the priesthood either, I just..."

He shrugs slightly. "It is what I know." His first instinct, to follow tradition as he has done before. Technically they are not in Azeroth, and no one but Wrathion would understand the naming convention anyway. Well, and Hermione, who he has explained this to as well. Still...

"He does not seem much of a 'Rover' to me, is all," Anduin continues, with the quirk of a smile. "A mechanical guard dog. He should have a proper name, fitting to his station."

[blackscales]

Wrathion hums in thought, moving to sit a little more behind Anduin so he can rest his chin on his shoulder. He considers the droid, one arm lazily beginning to slide around the priest's middle while the other still holds his tea.

"So a virtue of some kind, something admirable and fitting for your guard dog."

He thinks a long moment, considering the creature.

"Strength is a little literal, and runs the risk of you sounding like a Horde warrior when you shout it too much."

[chosenbylight]

Anduin leans back into the warmth that Wrathion is offering, tipping his head against his companion’s for a moment as he huffs out a laugh at the image he presents.

“I think we can safely say that Strength and Honor are both off the list,” he agrees. For obvious reasons.

He raises his tea to carefully take a sip, but it is cool enough now after all their preparations to be able to drink. Savoring the flavor of the drink, he contemplates the dog, shifting the tea to be able to brace a hand against Wrathion’s arm and hold it there.

“I don’t suppose the name has to fit the creature,” he says. “Reverence — I can’t say he is or was ever exactly that.” Another flicker of a smile. “But since this dog has so very little personality whatsoever…”

[blackscales]

"I suppose 'Duty' is a little dry, perhaps. Vigilance? An admirable trait in a working creature that hunts and protects."

After all, the droid is certainly always... alert. A trait he used to find uncomfortable, but which he's grown used to now it's not been turned against them. A tireless assistant is never a bad thing to have.

[chosenbylight]

"Vigilance..." Anduin echoes, humming in thought as he takes in the measure of the dog where it sits across the room. Not being tasked with any commands, it has more or less powered down for the night. He has a feeling that if he did command him to watch their door for intruders, it would do exactly that, without fail. Needing no rest or reprieve, until Anduin called him off.

"I think that suits him quite well," he agrees, after a moment's thought. "He does have a certain way about him. Perhaps it’s the never-blinking stare he always seems to be giving you." He turns to flick a smile at Wrathion, even if he cannot see him, given his position behind him.

[blackscales]

Wrathion takes a careful sip of his own tea, sets it down so he can rest his chin back on Anduin's shoulder and wrap his other arm around him.

"Well then," he murmurs, "'Vigilance' it is. Let us hope we have no need of the droid's skills any time soon."

The inn is hardly quiet, but so far he hasn't felt they need their door guarded. A small blessing, but one he will gladly accept.

[chosenbylight]

Anduin leans back against the warmth that Wrathion offers, humming softly.

"Perhaps we might still both be able to rest easier, knowing that we have someone there looking out for us," he hazards. Not, he recognizes, that that is exactly what is causing Wrathion's sleepless nights. But it might at least play some small part in helping?

He turns to nuzzle the side of Wrathion's head, from where he's rested it over his shoulder, a gentle apology for having brought the subject up again.

[blackscales]

Wrathion huffs at that.

"I do not require the protection of a droid."

He's quite capable of looking after the both, thank you Anduin. The little robot dog is unnecessary, as much as the priest seems to want to bring it along. He moves to pick up his tea again, takes a slow sip then sets it down and slides a cannister of game pieces towards Anduin.

"Now, are we actually playing or were you just humouring me?"

[chosenbylight]

Anduin lets out a burst of a laugh at that, shaking his head as he reaches for the canister Wrathion holds out toward him.

"And miss my opportunity to play against you? Not a chance," he insists, sitting forward to start setting up his side of the board.

Jihui is a game of strategy, after all. The goal is to meet and match your opponent, rather than to win against them. Anduin had taught Wrathion how to play, those many moons ago now. Perhaps in playing a game, Anduin is not-so-secretly hoping to ease Wrathion into relaxing, in taking his mind off of the recent troubles they have been through. All the more reason to continue with their plans, really.