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Hello, I am Era.

While there is finally a medical clinic available, if anyone finds themselves in need of treatment and would prefer the aid of healing magicks, you are more than welcome to contact me.

I have a few questions pertaining to an unrelated topic, if anyone is both willing and able to answer.

» How does one plan a wedding?

» What are the customary traditions one expects to see at a wedding?

» What do you like most about weddings, if anything?

My thanks for any insight you may provide me.

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Her tail taps slaps the ground irritably at the confirmation, startling the living daylights out of her.

"Shite," she grouses.

"Easy, it's got you all disoriented." Ardbert gently starts to channel some aether into her to boost her levels. "You should heal it before it makes you feel worse."

He's going to let himself continue to be distracted, honestly.

The aether feels nice, but she doesn't put it to use.

"You do it."

Era is pretty sure she taught him basic healing spells...

"Right." Ardbert stops the flow of aether and reaches out like Era taught him to sense the wound. "Just a bit of blood and a mild concussion. That I can heal."

Which he starts doing, carefully.

"Gods, I should've checked you the moment you fell."

It's no surprise to her that Ardbert picked up basic healing so quickly—their aetheric affinities may not be the same, but their natures are near identical enough to make up for it. Era leans into the touch, sighing softly at the flood of relief. She hadn't realized just how badly it hurt until the pain was all but erased.

"'s fine, Ardbert."

Ardbert stops when he feels it's healed. He strokes her forehead once it's healed, keeping his eyes away from hers by looking at the top of his head. Slowly, he lets himself shift back to the cause of this.

"Your Echoes really are stronger than mine." Mournful, tired. "I'm sorry. Your Forgiven Hope nightmare reminded me too much of that night that forever haunts me."

"They don't knock me out like this at home," she admits. "But in all other ways they're the same."

Your Forgiven Hope nightmare

Era shivers, hand immediately grasping the arm that had been transforming in the nightmare in question. The reassurance of warm flesh and scale soothes her.

The reminder of her own vision makes her go stiff again, flashes of those newly stolen memories running through her mind.

"...His name was Dunstan. He lost his parents to Eaters, and his brother to a shortage of medics."

Ardbert looks up briefly and places his left hand over her hand when she touches her arm. His ring and his hand are the same temperature, as always. His eyes drop back down, as he can't meet her gaze.

"Dunstan." The name forms like melancholy on his lips. "His voice was so gentle that it cut through all the chaos. And just when I found solace in it...."

He closes his eyes. "It's the reason why I remained behind when you went to Amh Araeng. And the reason I asked about what you call flashbacks a while after I arrived here."

At least his hand is steady right now. "Older horrors I witnessed are hazier. This one is new and vivid. It's the one nightmare I consistently have."

Era wishes he had told her (various ways she could help him interact with the world tumble through her mind in a jumble), though understands why he didn't.

"...He is with his loved ones in the Lifestream." A paltry reassurance, but reassurance all the same. "And when his soul is reborn it will be under the sunless sea you gave back to the world."

Part of him wishes he had, too. His previous existence ended without knowing Dunstan's name or story. It had been too much, and he had felt too reliant on Era already. She was the only one who could truly see or hear him in the entire world and cared to interact. Who would want a depressed ghost following them around?

Her attempt at comfort brings forth a sad smile as he removes his hand from over hers and straightens to sit upright again. "How often that's been the only comfort since I ended my own life."

Ardbert then leans forward again and continues leaning forward, bracing himself on his forearm briefly before he can rest his head on Era's leg. "But it's no longer the only one."

She still feels a bit off from either the vision or the hit to the head; oversensitive and disjointed. Ardbert's solid weight acts as a wonderful anchor for her as she settles back into her skin, and his words...

"...Gods, what a sap you are," Era intones, placing a hand atop his head. "Sappy and sweet, like syrup."

She makes no move to stroke her fingers through his hair, not entirely confident she'd be able to do so without accidentally hurting him. Eventually she pipes up again:

"If we know one trigger for the Echo, do you think it possible to project memories to each other?"

"You wouldn't have me any other way." Ardbert closes his eyes and enjoys the hand on his head, moving his forearm onto her legs, too.

The question gets a snort. "Only if you want to be constantly traumatized."

Ardbert's doing his best to not think about what each of them just saw directly. Indirectly is fine. But he doesn't want the memories to take hold again.

"Not all memories linked to strong emotions are traumatic, Ardbert." She rolls her eyes at the snort. "I'm speaking of purposeful sharing of specific memories."

"Lucky you." He grouses without too much heat, then sighs wearily. "I'm in no mood for theories, Era." His tone is apologetic. "I just want to forget what we both saw and remember that I'm alive."

"You speak as though you've no overwhelmingly positive memories," she huffs, unable to help the reflexive way she tenses at the rest of what he says.

"...I want you to feel better, but I don't want you to forget."

He looks up at her when she finishes speaking, looking properly contrite. "... I'm sorry. That was a poor choice of words considering what you've been through."

Ardbert doesn't know what to do in order to push away the momentary melancholy in his heart. "I have plenty of good memories. I'm just in a mood to be a pathetic lump for a bit."

Softly, he smiles. "I need time to wallow and feel before I let go of my mood. The whole bit where I couldn't stop you from echoing my worst recent memory and the grief that came with it not to mention the agony and horror from your nightmare putting me off and all."

He rolls onto his back, settling in and shifting his head again to be comfortable. "Pet my hair for a bit and tell me I'm pretty, and I'll be all right."

Ardbert reaches up to stroke her stomach tenderly. "But are you going to be okay?"

Her brows knit together in confusion as he speaks. "...My nightmare?"

But Ardbert shifts on her lap and makes an earnest request, so she puts everything aside for now to focus on his needs. Petting his hair takes a great deal of focus until she's confident in her strokes.

"You are pretty," Era lifts her other hand to trace her fingertips along his brow. "My beautiful soulmate."

The muscles of her abdomen tense at his touch. She wills herself to relax.

"Yes, I'll be fine. You needn't worry about me, hero."

Ardbert watches her with his observant gaze, taking in how she reacts and how she moves. He knows her. Era's movements are off, and she tenses for no reason at his touch.

"You seem unsure and hesitant in your own skin, Era." Ardbert states quietly. "... an aftereffect of the Echo?"

He can recognize himself in her. "Everything oversensitive and weight strange?"

Era hums a noncommital note; the auditory equivalent of a shrug. It could be lingering effects of the Echo, or it could be lingering effects of what seems to have been a very solid blow to the head. She doesn't know which would cause him more unnecessary guilt.

He huffs at her, frowning comically. "That's not an answer, you know."

"It could be remnants of the Echo, or it could be because I hit my head on the tea table." She sighs, but the hand that was stroking his brow moves to playfully rub it over his face. "In any case it will pass soon, so it's nothing to concern yourself over."

Ardbert's eyes blink wide and he makes a surprised clash of noises before trying to talk around her hand. "I know, but I like knowing your feelings anyroad!"

Era considers his declaration, then offers: "I feel content when I'm with you."

Ardbert just lets out a sigh and slumps, which is impressive considering he's already laying on the ground. "Era...." He gives in and smiles. "All right, all right, I'll stop harping."

She blinks down at him in confusion. He wanted to know her feelings. Was that not enough of an answer?

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