Icarus in the Sky

"If the good Lord intended us to walk, he would never have invented roller skates."
--Gene Wilder; Willy Wonka




"Angel-Heart? There are a few things..."

He had never heard that term before but he heard the tone. He had learned in his years to expect the worst of things and rarely hope for the best of things.

It was a lesson Rhy'Din and its populace taught him time and time again.

Renne had sent his message in hopes that it would be received and then turned toward Johnathan's voice. He knew to expect something rather bleak as he heard her tone but couldn't fathom exactly what to expect.
The Hunter laughed in his head.
He shut it out and kept his ears perked toward 'Nathan.

-I have been a nomad for a long time. Is it time I do it again?-
A nomad never Bonds. A nomad never knows security.
-A nomad never knows to stop. A nomad never knows to stay on guard either.-

Renne stopped listening to the whispers in his head and edged closer to 'Nathan. He tried to offer a small smile as if to show his faith. To show that not everything he learned was so grim.
The one with earthen hair took you Glorybound
The smile didn't reach his useless eyes. His eyes only showed the weariness of being confined, the refusal to let weaknesses show and yet that the bravado wasn't as true as he'd like it to be.
Now was time to listen.

He could worry about his walls later.

Icarus in the Sky
Wingbeats Against the Rain

"If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country."
--E.M. Forster; Two Cheers for Democracy





The first thing he did was turn his face away.

The last thing he wanted was to show her the momentary flush of anger. If he were honest with himself, he wasn't surprised. Still, all it led to was another thought.
There was no use staying down here.
He had a choice to make.

Renne heard the Hunter growl in his mind, whispering about things he had known for years on end. He pushed the Hunter away while he still had the lucidity to. He turned back around and put on his best, most well-used face -- Stoic, almost cold. The face of autonomy.
It wasn't directed at her. He'd have liked to protect her and began doing so in the best way he knew how. He'd protect her, Cinder and his candle.
It was all that he was allowed to protect and he'd do it with everything he had in him.

Renne said nothing as he pulled from his pocket a plain silver ring adorned with a single opaline-blue stone. Finding one of her hands, he dropped the ring there.

And with the same silence, Renne turned, put his nose to the ground and began trying to find his way up and out.

Up and out of the underground back to the Holding House.

------------

He hoped she would understand.

He had planned on giving the ring to her tonight when the sky was dark and the sea was gentle in its call. He had planned on asking her on the shoreline.
Now, all he could do was place the ring in her hand and track his way back to where he once was. All he could do was hope she understood.

He wanted to protect her.

Renne heard the Hunter in his mind and whispered aloud to the cold stone walls. He remembered things he was taught from ages past and the new, fresh lessons that burned with the wound they were and the lessons that refused to die off.
-You should never have come back.-
I did. Because a friend always comes back.
-And look where it got you.-
The candle isn't out. It will not go out.
-Like Silver's?-
Yes.
-She will abandon you too.-
I do not think so.
-The Earthen Ghost did.-
Not entirely.
-You are a fool.-
Better a fool with a heart than a heartless sage.

He was glad no one could hear the dialogue goiing on in his mind. He was glad that he crawled alone now through the caverns. No one saw his weakness. No one saw the growing fear of getting lost down here.
No one saw his glowing stone of a heart soften just a little.