Sionnach (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"You're right. Ma will be mad when she finds out. She hates Callers going into the Rus without a partner or telling her first." Riley said as Owen sat her down at his fire pit. "She says it's one of the most dangerous places out there beside northern Africa and Spain."

 

[KieranSoares]

"But we have friends there, and those friends helped me out." Owen smiled lightly. "I didn't go entirely alone with Orion."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You seem entirely unbothered." Riley said as she leaned against his side. "I wish the rest of this family were more like you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It took a lot of work and a lot of life to get here, my love. I've seen too much to be bothered by a risky trip south." Owen smiled to himself. "Adventuring with a clear conscience is also nice."

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley nodded and let out a small sigh. “I messed up, Uka. I’m not really sure how to fix it either. Soma’s never been this mad with me before.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"And what's happened this time?" Owen asked, knowing she'd been teasing Soma a long time and as he got older, he took longer to forgive. "Or has he just had it altogether?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"He's had it all together." Riley said. "Ma laid into me and of course I apologized, but he's ignored it all. He won't talk to me. He won't even look at me."

Riley shook her head and looked over at her grandfather. "Be happy you don't have any younger brothers or sisters."

"I know he's going to be a king and he deserves respect because of that, but he's still my little brother. Does that mean that I have to change everything about our relationship? I can't give him a hard time or tease him?" Riley asked. "He hasn't even said two words to me since the falling out."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course you can tease him. We all tease him all the time. But I'll bet my cabin that you said something to imply he's useless, or a pest. That's what really gets to Soma, even worse since he lost his arm."

He offered a small smile to Riley. "I didn't have siblings, but I did have cousins I grew up very close with. I know it can be tough to change and accept they've grown up. But you have to understand that like all of you kids, Soma has changed drastically since before this fight. He used to be so meek and small and unable to fight back properly when you did something that bothered him. Not only has he grown physically now, but he's grown mentally because he was forced to. And as a young man who was rendered helpless and wounded permanently by people who had power over him, he is far more vicious to anyone who tries to hold him back or get in his way. He's even had a couple arguments with your mother, which would've been unthinkable a couple years ago. He's found his way and he's set on being his own man. If you try to wave him off or get in his way- however jokingly- he will show you his own spin on Sam's old temper."

Owen smoothed her fur back, letting her know he sympathized to a point. "He's a tactician, a diplomat, becoming a warrior, and he is finally taking pride and confidence in himself and what he can do. Much like you've had to do with your mother... maybe it's time you got to know your brother again." He gave her a little nudge with a smile. "Boring as you think he may be. Soma's too much like Sam for you two not to get along eventually. He'll be a very good friend to have as you get older."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He won't even let me try and apologize." Riley said as her grandfather tried to point out that the both of them would be fast friends as adults. "He just leaves or goes to another room. Ma and Da said that this is my mess to fix, but how can I fix it if he won't give me a chance?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sometimes, when apologies in the past have meant nothing... you have to do something else," Owen told her quietly, his tone telling her that he spoke from experience. "When someone's given up on you, it's up to you to prove you're worth another chance, but you must also understand they don't owe you forgiveness. Pride has to be left behind."

Owen took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. "Take interest in what he's up to. When he cools down a bit, ask to learn. You've always taken the lead as the eldest and never stopped to think he might teach you something. He's kept his work and studies with the dragons all to himself- I'm sure he's itching to share it with someone. He hasn't been sharing it because he doesn't want to distract anyone from things he thinks are more important. And considering how you've been set on being a Rider all your life and always loved dragons, I'm certain he could teach you some things even your mother doesn't know."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I guess I don’t have much of a choice.” Riley said as she squeezed her grandfather’s hand. “I can’t go off to war with him angry. I’d never forgive myself.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Take some joy in it, love. Don't just do it because you feel like you have to. He's always looked up to you and he won't quickly forget that."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Am I really as mean and nasty as they all seem to think I am?” Riley asked softly as she rested her head on Owen’s shoulder. “Every time my words come back to bite me.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're aggressive," Owen told her honestly. "But it doesn't come from a place of viciousness. You've done everything you could all your life to prove you were better than everyone bigger than you, because you've always been small. When someone is stronger than you, you make up for it with speed. When someone is smarter, you're more stubborn. When someone can do something you can't, you find your own way to manage. But it instilled a bad habit of challenging everyone to prove something. Even against those you don't need to prove something to."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ma said that I have no business getting married until I finish growing up. I guess she's right." She said with a long sigh. "I have a lot of amends to make while I'm here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'll manage, little kit. As prideful as you are, you love abundantly. Trust me when I say that if you were truly that bad, people would've given up on you long ago. Schaller would've been among the first. And he loves you like his own."

 

[heartofcourage]

After spending time with her grandfather, she reminded him of dinner before she left him alone in the cave with his dragon. She walked back towards the village, purchasing a few things before she walked out to where Soma was setting up his own camp. His set up was neat and tidy, orderly just like him. He was quietly sitting next to his fire and Riley let out a sigh as she approached him.

“I...got you something.” She said softly. “If you want it.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Soma glanced up hearing her voice, but his expression remained neutral, similar to how Sam's would when he was working as Commander. Setting aside his journal and pen, he stood to face Riley.

"Why?" He asked bluntly. "Did Ma make you?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“No one has made me do anything.” Riley answered just as bluntly. “If I’m wasting my time, just tell me and I’ll go away.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Soma sighed and shook his head. "You didn't have to buy something just because I'm mad. I just didn't want to end up exploding at you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Nothing that I have done is because of someone else. Ma and Da made it clear that this is my mess and I have to clean it up on my own." Riley said as she offered him the sack with journal supplies in it. "Look, I know I screwed up and I shouldn't treat you like a child anymore. I'm sorry. It's just really hard to change. To let my guard down around anyone."

 

[KieranSoares]

Soma accepted the burlap sack, looking down at Riley as she tried to explain her side. Sighing, he pulled her over to sit down next to him. "Alright," he conceded, giving her his undivided attention. "Talk to me, then. Why do you act like that?" It wasn't accusatory, but a genuine inquiry. "I've always felt like you see me as a threat or a burden, or both, even when I can pull my weight. Why is that? Did I do something?" Soma met her gaze with confidence and directness that had been missing for the first fourteen years of his life. "Because if it's something I did, I want to know so I can properly apologize, no matter how long ago it was."

 

[heartofcourage]

“It’s nothing you’ve ever done.” Riley said with a sigh. “I wasn’t ready to be a sibling. When you came, even though I was told that it would all be alright, you got attention. You were smarter. You were more loved. Ma listened to you where she was exasperated by me. I got sent off to the Voya to be straightened out while she coddled you. I guess it all bothered me more than I let on and the feelings have stayed.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ma never loved you less. She just didn't know how to deal with you," Soma reminded her quietly. "I hate that everyone thinks I'm the favorite. I'm not. We're all different and we have different relationships with her. Just because I was always quiet and scared of the world and she felt like she had to protect me, doesn't mean I was the best child."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you know how much it hurts to constantly hear that no one knows what to do with me? What am I supposed to do? Change everything about myself so that people will be happy?" Riley growled, already feeling defensive about the situation.