Written Wonderland

Given that Sage looked up at him with her eyebrows pulled together, Rongo thought it was safe to assume that Sage hadn't yet thought about what would happen next. He felt a tug of guilt in his stomach knowing that he had reminded her of aspects of her predicament. Still, he wanted to know. Somehow, he didn't like the thought of not seeing her again.

"I'm honestly not sure yet. It depends on a number of things." Rongo nodded, looking away from her and into the fire. It was a great comfort to him. More than any other being in this town, the fire felt like a kindred spirit, someone Rongo could actually relate to. He felt his own temperature rising and looked away.

"If you could negotiate something with Jason for the night, that would be wonderful. Thank you. I don't have much in the way of payment, but I am willing to offer labor." Rongo nodded again, this time in Sage's direction, his eyes lifted to the ceiling in thought. He could pay for Sage's rooms, but he worried about making her feel indebted to him. That wasn't what he wanted. But, Rongo very much doubted that Jason would accept a barter for a room. That, or Jason would ask for something Sage might not want to give.

His mind made up, Rongo said, "I'll get you a room, and if you'd like to help me gather some herbs tomorrow afternoon, I'd be very grateful." He stood then, preparing to approach Jason.

Rongo said, "I'll get you a room, and if you'd like to help me gather some herbs tomorrow afternoon, I'd be very grateful."

Sage tilted her head and looked at Rongo curiously. That was... incredibly elegant. She saw immediately the exchange he was offering her, and it made her trust him significantly more.

She smiled, nodding immediately, though she stood up immediately when Rongo started heading toward the tavern keeper.

"Wait," she said, her face falling as she looked down and to the corner of the room. Her runes were hot. Stinging her, almost, from several layers of cloth. Gods.

She needed to rethink her options. When she did, her shoulders softened at once.

"Will you come with me to the caves tonight?" Sage looked up at Rongo, both of them staring at one another, trying to read how all this would go. She had the feeling there was little off the table, so to speak. What did that mean she wanted, faced also with so much grief?

Perhaps that had been too forward. As a reassurance, she offered, "I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. Whether or not any of my companions are still alive..." Gods, was she admitting that so freely already? "...I am certain that many of them..." Her voice wavered, lip trembling. "...are gone." She broke eye contact, allowing herself to cry for a moment. She felt several other people's gaze on her, but she couldn't stop.

After a moment, she collected herself, wiping her eyes defiantly on her sleeve. "I'd like to hold their vigils."

Rongo felt proud of himself for coming up with a balanced solution. But, upon standing up to make good on his word. Sage stopped him.

"Wait," she paused, as if not knowing why she had asked yet.

That got his attention.

He watched as she thought about it. Intuitive, this one.

"Will you come with me to the caves tonight?"

He was surprised. But it sounded... nice.

Before he could answer, she added, "I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. Whether or not any of my companions are still alive, I am certain that many of them..." Her voice wavered, lip trembling.

"...are gone."

Of course, he thought.

She was crying in earnest now. He had the urge to hug her, but he refrained.

Wiping her eyes and standing straight, she said, "I'd like to hold their vigils."

Rongo nodded. That much, he understood. It was decided. Almost immediately, he said, "Torches for sure, then." He almost sat back down, but maybe now was a good time to get that started.

On second thought, he turned back to Sage and said, "I can't promise I'll stay with you all night, but I'd like to get you set up down there."

"Torches for sure, then."

Sage had to double check his meaning. He'd just agreed, then, hadn't he?

Rongo turned as though to walk away and get started, but then spun back to Sage.

"I can't promise I'll stay with you all night, but I'd like to get you set up down there."

Sage blinked for a moment, surprised. She smiled, then, grateful she could trust him to manage his own capacity. She appreciated knowing that he wasn't going too far out of his way for her.

At last, she nodded in agreement. She could serve the vigils alone if needed.

She couldn't do them justice in the inn. Not fully.

Catching Rongo's eye again, she said, "I'd still like to help you gather wildflowers, once I've rested."

Sage seemed surprised at Rongo's qualification, but she nodded shortly thereafter.

"I'd still like to help you gather wildflowers, once I've rested," she said, and Rongo couldn't help himself. He smiled wide at her, almost opening into a belly laugh. But, given her grief, he didn't think that would be appropriate. He kept it to a smile.

"We'll see what the following days hold," he said at last. He went over to the counter to drop a few coins, even though Rongo hadn't drank or eaten anything. Jason didn't see it, but Rongo knew Jason would know he had left it. Best to keep the tavern owner happy, and Rongo wanted to feel welcome there whether he made a purchase or not.

He began the walk up to his house--little more than a shack, really. Leading the way, he checked behind himself periodically, making sure Sage was still following. She was keeping up, but she appeared to get more uncomfortable the further from the sea they went. She kept looking over her own shoulder out past the cliff. Perhaps, if it were not already so dark, she might be able to see remnants of her ship. But, at this time of evening, no one could tell the whales from the rocks.

Once back at the shack, Rongo made quick work of gathering supplies, having asked Sage to wait outside. He hadn't exactly prepared for company. He grabbed some long sticks he had been saving to use as torches, and he scooped enough of his pitch sap to coat them once they were ready to light. He decided, if they were going to stay in the caves through the night, four of them would be enough.

Grabbing his measly collection of three blankets and a small container of dried fish, he went back outside and filled his small wagon-wheelbarrow, the one he had made to make it easier to live this far out of town. On the other side of the blankets, he stacked some firewood, and then they were off, back down the hill toward the sea caves.

Sage was similarly quiet on the way down, but at the mouth of the cave, Rongo turned to her, holding a torch he had just dipped in pitch. He wanted to light the torch, but he didn't exactly want to catch her attention unawares.

"Do you see that light over there, out past the edge of that cliff?" Rongo asked, pointing behind her to create a brief distraction.