The Archers Three

Posted on Tue Mar 19th, 2019 @ 11:37pm by Brigadier General Nathan Wolf & Civillian Shae

Mission: The Lost Boys and Girls
Location: P3X-842
Timeline: Arrival Plus 8 hours. Regression: 4 Years

While the brains worked on figuring out the device, Corvus dug graves, and Ree watched over the evening meal cooking over the fire pit, Shae moved away from the whole group, both the Tau’ri and the Lost Children, choosing to self isolate for what was to come. She was still within their range to hear if she needed to call for help, but she just felt like being alone as she chose her spot and began to dig a shallow fire pit. Once she had small fire going, she laid out a bed roll, little more than a few pelts stitched together and a blanket, she sat down by her little fire with her knees drawn to her chest. How could this be happening? What did the universe have against her living? Again, she had to remind herself that this wasn’t personal, that her Tau’ri friends were sick too, but it was so hard to pick herself up and out of the mood she was in right now. Idly feeling through her pack for her jerky so she could chew on that instead of screaming her frustration; she wasn't really hungry, her stomach was in terrible knots, she just felt like she needed the oral distraction, and it took her a minute to remember that she had given her jerky to the ‘kids’, and with that she heaved a heavy sigh and stared into the fire in an attempt to distract herself from her self pity.

Sanicios and Morgaine watched the one that spoke Felimid’s tongue set herself up a place away from the others. Isbeil had decreed that Na Cailltean would camp here with the strangers until the strangers either solved the riddle of The Thing, or perished in the attempt. Felimid had the most rapport with the stranger, but Trestana was the jealous sort, and wasn’t about to let Felimid spend that much time with her. Mogaine, on the other hand, knew that she had Sanicios eating out of the palm of her hand. He would never betray her, even if he were to suddenly grow into a man’s body and be able to carry on such relationship with a full grown woman. So Morgaine didn’t feel threatened, despite the fact that the red haired stranger was strikingly beautiful.

Morgaine looked over at Sanicios and laughed. He wasn’t admiring the looks of the woman. He was admiring her bow! She kicked him and he started, then looked at her.

“Beth oedd hynny ar gyfer fy ngwraig?” he said. (What was that for, my lady?)

Between the two of them, they spoke Cymraeg, Morgaine’s language. Sanicios could speak Pict Gael and Eriu Gael as well as the tongue of the Demetae, but poor Morgaine, even after two millennia, had no skill for languages. She could muddle through understanding Eriu and Pict, but Gaul, Breton, Manx were lost on her, and actually speaking anything but her own tongue was pointless. No one could understand her when she tried.

“Roeddwn i'n meddwl eich bod yn edrych ar ei chefn, ond rydych chi'n chwilota ar ôl ei bwa, onid wyt ti?” Morgaine replied. (I thought you were checking out her backside, but you’re lusting after her bow, aren’t you?)

Sanicios grinned and nodded. Morgaine grinned back at her partner.

“Mae'n edrych yn llwglyd. Taflodd yr holl jarky hwnnw ar y ddaear yn gynharach. Gadewch i ni roi rhai ohonom ni iddi. A allai godi ei galon,” she said. (She looks hungry. She threw all of that jerky on the ground earlier. Let's give her some of ours. Might cheer her up.)

Sanicios nodded and got to his feet and then offered Morgaine a hand up. The two of them brought their bedrolls and packs over to the red-headed stranger.

“An féidir linn dul isteach leat? Tá forálacha le roinnt againn,” Sanicios said, speaking in Eriu since he knew the woman spoke it fairly well. (May we join you? We have provisions to share.)

Shae smiled weakly at the youngsters; wait, not so young… (That is generous of you, and we were supposed to be helping you,) she said in an attempt at humor. (You would not rather bed down with your own tonight?)

Before saying anymore, both Sanicios and Morgaine took some pemmican from pouches at their belts and offered some to Shae.

“Mae'n iawn, plentyn. Ewch ag ef. Nid yw'r Plant Coll yn llwgu am amser hir iawn,” Morgaine said when Shae hesitated. (It's okay, child. Take it. The Lost Children never go hungry for very long.)

When Shae looked at the poor 2012 year old girl as though she had sprouted two extra heads, Morgaine sighed and poked her partner in the ribs.

Sanicios laughed. “Dúirt sí an bia a thógáil. Tá neart againn. Ní bhíonn ocras orainn riamh le fada,” he said. (She said to take the food. We have plenty. We never go hungry for long.)

(You do not need to translate for her, I can understand enough,) Shae replied, taking the offered food. She could understand Morgaine, just barely, but she doubted that she would be able to speak her language and be understood. (I know many languages, this is why I am the guide, but knowing does not mean I can speak it well, so she would probably laugh if I tried. Before I met my companions, I hunted and traded on different worlds and learned to speak enough to barter, I don’t often stay long enough to master each tongue,) she explained, then took a nibble of the pemmican. (This is good,) she said approvingly, then ate a little more to be polite.

The two millennial twelve year olds began to lay out their bedrolls and blankets. They linked their bedding, but said nothing about that, and wouldn’t, unless asked. They knew it made the younglings that visited uncomfortable, because strangers often couldn’t see them as more than children. Sanicios kept eyeing Shae’s bow.

Morgaine rolled her eyes. “Mae'n ymddangos bod fy mhartner yn chwantu ar ôl eich bwa, Coch. Roeddwn i'n meddwl ei fod yn syllu ar eich cefn, ond na, roedd eich bwa chi! Mae'n rhy gwrtais i ofyn, felly fe wnaf iddo. A all ei archwilio? Eich bwa, nid eich cefn,” she asked. (My partner seems to be lusting after your bow, Red. I thought he was staring at your backside, but no, it was your bow! He's too polite to ask, so I will for him. Can he examine it? Your bow, not your backside.)

(Red? My name is Shae,) Shae said with genuine befuddlement, only to realize after the words left her lips what ‘Red’ meant; her eyes lit up with comprehension with a soft ‘oh’. (Sorry, I am not used to friendly names like that; I am still getting used to Asher calling me ‘Little Fox’. As for my bow, you may see it; in fact, when I die, you may have it…) Shae lifted her bow and offered it to Sanicios. (It was made by the people native to the world where I now live. They are very large, so large that a bow of this size and weight is meant for children!)

Sanicios took the bow reverently and looked over the craftsmanship. The bow was made of a single piece of old growth wood with a tight grain and it was protected with an oil that helped enhance the beauty of the wood. The riser was wrapped in a thin, well worn leather that was also regularly oiled, and the grip was just right for their smaller hands.

“Is saothar ealaíne é!” Sanicios said. “Taisce ... ach ... ná bíodh éadóchas agat go fóill, Shae. D’fhéadfadh go n-éireodh le do chairde áit nach bhfuil daoine eile. Deir an Ghost go gcuireann gach grúpa strainséirí tuilleadh eolais ar fáil don chéad duine eile a oibríonn leis, agus go réiteoidh duine éigin rúndacht y peth. B'fhéidir gurb iad do chairde na daoine sin.”

(It is a work of art! A treasure...but...do not despair just yet, Shae. Your friends may succeed where others have not. The Ghost says that every group of strangers adds more information for the next to work with, and that someday, someone will solve the mystery of The Thing. Perhaps your friends are those someones.)

He and his partner sat next to Shae and Morgaine took the Kitsune’s hand in hers.

“Dewch yr hyn a all, ni fyddwch yn marw ar eich pen eich hun,” Morgaine said. “Bydd Sanicios o’r Gaul a Morgaine o'r Demetae yn aros wrth eich ochr. Rhaid i ryfelwyr y bwa sefyll dros ei gilydd!”

(Come what may, you will not die alone. Sanicios of Gaul and Morgaine of the Demetae will stay by your side. Warriors of the bow must stand for each other!)

(You are kind and that kindness is appreciated, but I think this is a sign that I am meant to be alone, to die alone…) Shae replied sadly as she looked away from the pair. (Everytime I try to get close to people, bad things happen. I know my companions would try to tell me not to think this way, and they would remind me that they would have come to this world even if I had not been among them, but it is so hard to not think this way being the last of my kind. Well, the last of my kind that is still free. And being alone has always been so much easier than caring about others…)

“Sut wyt ti yr olaf o'ch math chi, Coch? Onid ydych chi o'r un bobl â'r bobl eraill yn eich grŵp?” Morgaine asked, confused. (How are you the last of your kind, Red? Are you not of the same people as the others in your group?)

(No, I’m not,) Shae replied with a shake of her head. (You have more in common with them than I do. The many worlds we travel were once seeded with their kind by monsters claiming to be gods. They call themselves human, but the other worlds know them as Tau’ri, the first ones. I am like the Bird People, I am something else entirely, something that is hunted. I was alone until Jessica convinced me to join the Tau’ri, but I can never truly be a part of them.)

Morgaine looked Shae over. “Mae gennych chi ysbryd anifail ynoch chi? Ble? Dydw i ddim yn ei weld. Dangos i mi?”

(You have the spirit of an animal in you? Where? I don't see it. Show me?)

Shae sighed and looked over at the Tau’ri camp for a moment, her eyes full of longing, wishing to be like them so she didn’t have to hide what she was, but then as she looked back at Morgaine, her vulpine ears took shape, and they were hanging low like she was ashamed to be this way. (My kind are born as foxes, and over time we learn to make ourselves look as you do. I hide what I am so that strangers do not try to hunt me,) she explained.

"Rwyt ti, wyt ti'n ... a ... Kit ... Kitsu ... Kitsune!" Morgaine said. “Sanicios! Ydych chi'n cofio pan ddaeth y Kitsune i ymweld â'n byd ni? Fe wnaethant ymweld â phob un o'r llwythau! Pan ddaeth un i'm pentref, cariodd fy nhad fi ar ei ysgwyddau ... fy nhad ..."

(You're, you're a...a...Kit...Kitsu...Kitsune! Sanicios! Do you remember when the Kitsune came to visit our world? They visited all of the tribes! When one came to my village, my father carried me on his shoulders...my father…)

Morgaine looked as though someone had punched her in the gut, hard. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Mae fy nhad ... a fu farw, llai na baban yn ei feddwl, yn marw ar ei ben ei hun gan fod fy mam eisoes wedi mynd fel yr oedd fy mrodyr a'm chwiorydd. Bu farw yn unig oherwydd roeddwn yn rhy ofnus i ddal ei law yn ei eiliadau olaf."

(My father...who died, less than an infant in his mind, died alone because my mother was already gone as were my brothers and sisters. Died alone because I was too scared to hold his hand in his final moments.)

Morgaine’s face hardened.

“Ond nid wyf yn ofni mwyach, Coch. Rwyf wedi tyngu llw i fod ar eich ochr chi petai'ch amser yn dod. Rwyf wedi rhoi fy ngair i! Ac mae Mogaine o'r Demetae yn cadw ei gair!”

(But I am not afraid anymore, Red. I have sworn to be at your side should your time come. I have given my word! And Mogaine of the Demetae keeps her word!)

At first, Shae was overjoyed to hear that someone recognized what she was and didn’t want to immediately hunt her. Morgain had seen others like her! She was not alone! But her spirit wilted as Morgaine’s recollection made the child-like girl sad, and for Shae to hear that this was a memory from before the illness ravaged these people, and if these children were over 2000 years old… Hope had bloomed in Shae only to be squashed in seconds, because who knew what had happened to that tribe of Kitsune in 2000 years. Recoiling back from Morgaine out of a reflex, her ears shrank down and disappeared under her hair once again; it was like she couldn’t hear Morgaine’s assurances, all Shae knew was that she had somehow upset the girl.

(I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for my presence to upset you,) Shae said as she balled up tighter to make herself seem smaller.

“Morgaine!” Sanicios said, the sound of his voice shocking Morgaine back to reality.

Morgaine looked at Shae in horror. Then threw her arms around the Kitsune. “Shhh, plentyn, shh, yno, yno, doeddech chi ddim yn gwneud dim byd o'i le, yn cuddio nawr. Yno, yno. Dangoswch eich clustiau eithaf i ni eto, merch llwynog? O, dangoswch eich clustiau eithaf i ni eto?”

(Shhh, child, shh, there, there, you didn't do anything wrong, hush now. There, there. Show us your pretty ears again, fox girl? Oh please show us your pretty ears again?)

Morgaine shot a concerned look at Sanicios. Was it starting already?

Shae flinched and even whimpered when Morgaine threw her arms around her; Shae had anticipated being struck because that was what always happened, but this time was different. Even still, it took awhile for Shae to calm down enough to start relaxing in Morgaine’s arms, and longer after that for Shae to finally show her pretty ears again.

(I’m sorry for my behavior, life has not been kind to me and sometimes I get scared…) Shae said sheepishly.

“Mae'n iawn, yn un ifanc,” Morgaine said as she ran her fingers through Shae’s hair and even scratched her behind her ears. “Byddai unrhyw un yn ofni yn eich lle. Gorffwys. Bydd Sanicios yn sefydlu eich dillad gwely.”

(It is alright, young one, anyone would be afraid in your place. Rest. Sanicios will set up your bedding.)

(I’m not ready to rest; I don’t want to waste my sanity while I still have it,) Shae said, pulling away from Morgaine and rubbing at her eyes with a wearied sigh. Right now, she just wanted to full fox and run, because running wild always helped her clear her head, but she needed to be here in case the team needed her to translate. (Tell me about when you met my kind,) Shae finally said after a long silence.

Morgaine shrugged and then climbed into Sanicios’ lap. Without even being asked, he began to undo her braids, and when that was done, he pulled out a comb, from his bag, not hers, and began to comb out his partner’s hair.

(They came to us as explorers,) Morgaine said. (As I recall it anyway. Sanicios?)

(My lady’s remembrance resembles my own,) Sanicios said.

Morgaine grinned. (That’s my good lad.) she said. (He’s well trained, he is, but he doesn’t lie. It’s a mixed blessing, believe you me. Anyway, if he says he remembers the same as me, he does. They were scouting worlds that could be reached through the gate. They were well treated by all the tribes. They told us stories and sang us songs and went a hunting in fox form with the hunters of every tribe they visited, so that no village or steading had to go hungry to feed them. And they could EAT! My mother had seven brothers and she said even as growing boys, the biggest of them never ate so much!)

Shae laughed at hearing about how her kind could eat. (Yes, that seems to be true even now! My companions often remark on how much I can eat,) Shae said, now feeling much better about this memory, which to her was bittersweet because it was still so long ago. It was strange to her that she seemed to have found these new friends in such an unlikely place and circumstance, and it saddened her even more knowing that she would likely die in just a few days and leave them alone once again, but she tried not to let that sadness show because she knew they at least had each other. (So my people were once explorers… It feels like I am reclaiming a piece of my own history being here now. Maybe tomorrow I can hunt with you as my ancestors once did, if I am still able to…)

(Sanicios and I would be honored,) Morgaine said. (And Sanicios, to be clear: If you stop doing what you’re doing right now even one second before I give you permission, you’ll be sleeping in the bushes.)

Sanicios chuckled. (Yes, my lady.)

Morgaine sighed. (So, this Asher lad calls you his Little Fox, eh? I’ve got another comb. Maybe we can convince him to come over here and do this for you!) Morgaine winked at Shae and grinned.

(Asher? Oh, no no no no no no!) Shae said, her cheeks blushing crimson. The idea of grooming like this was a new and foreign concept, and yet strangely enough with all this talk of the past she could very faintly recall her parents sharing in this pastime as well. And the thought of doing that with Asher? She couldn’t deny that having her hair combed did sound pleasing, but she and Asher were merely friends, this seemed too personal to share with someone who wasn’t one’s mate. But that thought did give her reason to consider the ‘kids’ more closely. (Asher is my friend and our leader, it wouldn’t be appropriate to do something like this with him... ) she said as she watched the pair; they displayed a level of closeness and comfort with each other that was quite unusual to the Kitsune, especially considering how young they were! (I’m sorry if this is rude, but are you two mated?) she asked.

Morgaine offered Shae a sad smile in response to her question. (We have the bodies of children and teenagers, but our minds and our hearts have matured. In those minds and hearts, we have the same needs as any other physical adult. But have we mated? Sanicios is my partner. He watches my back. I watch his. We look after each other. We love each other. I would do anything for him and he would do anything I ask, merely because I ask it, usually without question. Isbeil and Estin, Trestana and Felimid, Matina and Rigard. Partners. Each pair, unless one pisses the other off mightily, shares a bedroll each night. Each pair gives each other what comfort they can, even if it’s just a warm body to snuggle against in the cold.)

(I understand,) Shae said, nodding slightly; they were mates, but their bodies were such that they could not, well, mate. (Would it seem foolish of me to say that I envy you? Of course it’s terrible that you’ve been stuck here for so long in these young bodies, but you have each other, and I have long since given up hope of ever finding someone that I could call mine.)

Morgaine’s expression grew hard. (Then yer an idjit. If I were you, with that grown up woman’s body of yours, and I were as lonely as you sound, I’d never give up trying to find someone! You probably already have someone in the wings, waiting for you to notice them, but yer too tangled up in yer own head to see the possibilities!)

Shae blinked in surprise at Morgaine’s response, but then she smirked. (You do realize that it’s easy for me to be envious of you when I don’t know how you’ve had to struggle here, just as it’s easy for you to call me an idiot when you don’t know my struggles,) she pointed out. (Maybe it seems easy for you because you are human, but I am hunted, and I can’t find any other Kitsune.)

Morgaine smirked right back at Shae. (This ain’t exactly the same thing, but I’m of the Demetae. Sanicios is a Gaul. No one in my family, my village, or even any of the surrounding villages ever had anything nice to say about a Gaul, except that they were somewhere else. I was raised to think they were disgusting, ill-mannered brutes. Your sister married a Gaul was a popular insult. If you had asked me when I was young if I thought I’d be spending my life, possibly an eternity, tethered to a Gaul, I’d have bloodied your nose. And yet, here I am, being pampered by one of the swarthy bastards right this very second, and, this little niggling problem of never being able to physically grow up aside, I wouldn’t have it any other way. If someone offered me the cure tomorrow, but told me Sanicios couldn’t have it, I’d turn down the cure. But what we have, we have because of two things. First, Sanicios was kind and considerate and patient, but also persistent. Second, I pulled my head out of my arse, I stopped whining about there being no other Demetae, and saw that there was something even better, in this case a handsome Gaul with a kind heart and an unlimited capacity to love...and he can speak Cymraeg!)

(Morgaine, you may be from different tribes, but remember that you are both human. What kind of life could I have with a human when I cannot be like I am now? There are times when I must be a fox, how could I be with a human when I am a fox?) Shae replied.

(Well, there are times when Isbeil must be a bitch, but that doesn’t stop her from being with Estin!) Morgaine said. She smiled warmly at Shae. (Look, I’m not going to waste quality snuggling time trying to talk you into something you clearly don’t want. When you’re ready, I’m sure you’ll open up to the idea that there might someone out there who is ready to love you enough to solve all the problems of being a different species than you, just for the privilege of doing whatever you ask, whenever you ask, simply because you ask it, and usually without question.)

Shae growled in frustration; Morgaine’s words were so easy for her to say, but the girl didn’t understand the constant string of hurt and betrayal that Shae had experienced trying to find a place where she could belong, only to end up building her home on an isolated, snowy mountain where she could live alone and be safe. True, she had brought Asher to her home, but how long would it be until he or one of the other Tau’ri betrayed her like so many had done before? She wanted to trust them, she really did! But she had been hurt far too many times, and Morgaine simply couldn’t understand that! Without a word, Shae grabbed her bow and stormed off so that the young pair could have their ‘snuggling time’ in peace.

(She’s young,) Sanicios said after Shae left. (And she’s clearly been hurt, betrayed by people she tried to trust.)

(And we haven’t?) Morgaine said. (We lost our whole world, too. Worse, it’s right there, just on the other side of the gate! But we can’t go there, and if we could, everyone we ever knew there is dead!)

(But we had each other to see us through,) Sanicios said.

Morgaine sighed. (True enough. Thank the Spirits I found you! You wouldn’t have survived without me!)

Sanicios said nothing more. He just held Morgaine. His lady could be a bitch sometimes, too, but that didn’t stop him from being with her.

Away from both campsites, Shae paced in the growing darkness. The way Morgaine spoke, one would think that Shae hadn’t even tried, but she had! Shae had tried and tried and tried until it felt like her soul had been worn raw, and still she was trying because she was here with the Tau’ri! True, it had taken some convincing from Jess to get her to this point, but she was here, she had not given up yet!

Issuing a soul-ravaged scream, she then cried out to the heavens, “What do you want from me?! Why! Why does it have to be this way!” Shae didn’t really believe in any sort of god; truly, she didn’t know what she believed in, god had always been too abstract of a concept for her to bother considering when she was too busy trying to survive, but sometimes she wondered if there was something out there testing her. But it did feel damned good to get these frustrations out.

Not like any of this even mattered, she was going to die anyway…

Back where Shae left her fellow archers, Sanicios sat and held Morgaine, who now had tears streaming down her face. “Doeddwn i ddim yn golygu achosi ei phoen! Wnes i ddim! Dydw i ddim eisiau ei gwylio yn marw! Dydw i ddim eisiau gwylio unrhyw un ohonynt yn marw!”

(I didn't mean to cause her pain! I didn't! I don't want to watch her die! I don't want to watch any of them die!)

“Shh, Meistres fy nghalon, shh. Efallai mai'r rhain fydd y dieithriaid sy'n goroesi. Ac os na, fy nghalon, byddaf yma a byddaf yn nyrsio'ch ysbryd yn ôl i iechyd. Hush, nawr ....” Sanicios said in his lady’s tongue.

(Shh, Mistress of my heart, shh. Perhaps these will be the strangers who survive. And if not, my heart, I will be here and will nurse your spirit back to health. Hush, now....)