oo2 || Video

[thralls]

[When the feed starts, Athelstan is in his room, with one of Will's dogs stretched warmly across his lap. Athelstan rubs his fingers against her ears as he looks over the projection from his bracelet- right, recording.]

...'this is the end'. The tree has been- is being?- destroyed. I am not a commander of men, nor am I any sort of leader, but times are dire and I... [His lips press together firmly as he nudges the dog off of his lap- she makes a soft, indignant noise before skittering out of his room.]

Where I come from, the men worshiped these gods. This tree was their world, holding up everything they held dear. We must fight to keep it standing, we must- I can show you how these gods must be worshiped, I can tell stories of their exploits and wit, if that would give you cause to fight for them.

[There's a short pause, as Athelstan lets out a breath, contemplating his next words.] Even if you cannot fight, you must pray. All of your gods have guided men through their trials for hundreds of years- longer, in some of your worlds. They would not abandon us now.

[The words are encouraging, but his voice is hollow, preaching a message he's not sure if he can believe in.]

Comments

[proudofwhatiam]

Ideally, I'd rather not do either, but in that case, I might as well write off my home entirely. I'm not ready to do that

About the same as you. The expedition to Ginnungagap wasn't as fruitful as I might have liked, but it doesn't sound as though staying in the city was a pleasanter option.

You're living with Will Graham now, aren't you?

[thralls]

you have to be careful.

IT sounds as if the trip was dangerous without much insight. I am sorry for that miss eVie>

Mister Will and I are friends yes. We live with Doctor Whale

[proudofwhatiam]

I think we all do.

I am, too. There was a great deal of potential in our trip, but I don't think what we found was worth the loss of life.

He'd mentioned as much. I'm glad to hear you've people to stay with.

If it would be easier for you to speak, we needn't write back and forth.

[Video]

[thralls]

-ah. Apologies. [Athelstan smiles softly.] I'm used to scrollwork. This... the letters on this bracelet are very different.

In any case, my condolences and prayers go with you, Evelyn. I hope that the coming weeks will be kinder to us all.

[video]

[proudofwhatiam]

It's no problem. I'll keep it in mind for the future.

[In general, she takes comfort in the formality and neutrality of text. But it'd be rude to continue to use it, she thinks, and so she switches over to the video feed as well.]

You needn't worry for me--I was rather lucky, all things considered. But I hope the same; we've had a lot of heartache lately.

[video]

[thralls]

I heard there were several deaths. [He nods slowly.] Back here, there have been similar things. Spirits haunted the streets, many people left and returned without the memories they once knew. It was physically safer, but mentally- ? I fear for those who were most affected by this illness.

[proudofwhatiam]

Then going or staying was a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea. [She frowns--it's nothing unexpected, admittedly, but it's still hardly pleasant news.] I suppose we can expect more of the same to come.

[thralls]

The... the what?

[It's a phrase he's not entirely familiar with, sorry.]

[proudofwhatiam]

Hm? [It takes her a moment to figure out what was confusing.] Oh--between the devil and the deep blue sea. It means...between a rock and a hard place, between two choices that're both bad.

[thralls]

[He nods.]

Even though we all speak the same language here, I still find that somehow I miss some of the meaning behind the words of others.

[proudofwhatiam]

I'm afraid you predate a great number of turns of phrase. [She gives him a little smile.] If it's any comfort, I've found that I do, too.

[thralls]

Do you?

[That's good to know, at least.]

You are still many years after me. Though, then again- I suppose language evolves rapidly.

[proudofwhatiam]

I think everyone does, save those men fortunate enough to be from hundreds of years into our future.

[She gives Athelstand a crooked little smile.]

Luckily, most of the people here are more than willing to explain themselves.

[thralls]

I appreciate that very much.

[He smiles lightly in return.]

I have found that the library is also helpful. I never knew so much information to be stored in such a place.

[proudofwhatiam]

It's marvelous, isn't it? The libraries at home are excellent, too, of course, but this one blows them all away.

[YES GOOD LET'S TALK ABOUT LIBRARIES FOREVER]

[thralls]

It is.

[PERFECT YES GOOD.]

I had forgotten- well, the Northmen have no written word. I left all books, save for one, back in England seven years ago- and that was destroyed years ago as well. The books here, they are- it's wonderful to see something like that again.

[proudofwhatiam]

I think I should die without books. You've been a brave soul, going without so long.

[She says it with a confiding sort of smile; books are, after all, nearly her favourite subject in the world. Aside from ancient Egypt and Hamunaptra in particular, they're clearly the best things in the world.]

What have you been reading lately?

[thralls]

I have to admit, many of your more modern books are confusing.

[Seeing as to how he's about a thousand years behind anything remotely considered a modern day invention.]

But I like reading about history. The Greeks and Romans- I've studied them somewhat in my time as well.

[proudofwhatiam]

Perhaps we ought to start you off with slightly less than modern books. Or a book of history since your time.

[She's trying to picture how he manages to read about anything without an understanding of the Renaissance or the Enlightenment, and it's proving difficult.]

I'm rather fond of them, too. Have you read much of Egypt?

[thralls]

[It's pretty difficult, not going to lie.

Still though, at the question he shakes his head curiously.]

Is that a person or a country?

[proudofwhatiam]

[There's this moment of "wait, what," and then she realizes just how truly bereft his life has been before this point. Poor Athelstan.]

A country. If you can picture Greece and Italy--well, Athens and Rome, I suppose the world's divided up a bit differently in your time. [Byzantine Empire? Holy Roman Empire? She's not in the mood to try and guess just which powers he recognizes, that's distracting from Egypt.] Anyway, picture their lands on one side of the Mediterranean Sea. It's large, but it's not uncrossable, even in ancient times. On the other side of the sea, south of the Greeks and the Romans, lies Africa. And one of the nations there is Egypt.

[Best nation or best nation? You decide.] The Egyptian civilization is as ancient as Greece or Rome. It's what I studied at home.

[thralls]

I have never heard of it under such a name.

[Athelstan shakes his head, but he definitely looks intrigued.]

Egypt. It sounds as if you are very enthused on the subject. [There's a pause, before he offers her a shy smile.] Will you tell me a little about it?

[proudofwhatiam]

Egypt was my life. [She smiles, a little self-conscious, and shrugs.] I'd be happy to tell you about it--but you'll have to tell me what you want to know.

[thralls]

I'm- I'm not sure.

[He needs to think about it for a moment. Still, Athelstan tilts his head curiously- almost shyly.]

-what of their gods?

[proudofwhatiam]

[She smiles at that. Perhaps she should have guessed his mind would jump there first.]

They had well over a dozen--to represent the different phenomena of everyday life. Geb was the earth and Nut, the sky. Ra, the god of the sun. And so on and so forth. Their religion was extraordinarily complex, and the most important gods--and how one worshiped them--shifted and changed dependent on the years.

Shall I tell you a story about some of them?