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Ylva Theodulus:
Ylva had done a bunch of pouting followed by soul searching when she got home from Klaires. Part of that involved rebuilding her Hollow.
Partly because her angry brain had destroyed it and partly because she needed to make it feel less like a cage.
Thankfully it was much easier to craft a Hollow that it was to rebuild an actual house. So it was when Asbolus arrived that they saw Ylva sitting in an orchard with a small lake in the center.
She still needed to work on the rest of it which mostly looked like flattened thorns with a pile of her stuff sitting on where the door should be.
This consisted of a few backpacks of gear and a dozen canvases. Guarded by her Fae mount Octavia.
Asbolus:
It had taken a day or three of the news of the investigation to reach Asbolus, but once it did he made his way to Ylva's hollow most ricky-tick, moving along the trods at a solid clip. Seeing it mostly in ruins made his heart tighten, although that lessened as he spotted the Courser in the portion of it that had been rebuild. A quiet "Thank God" slipped out in a slow breath, offering a wave to get her attention.
Ylva Theodulus:
Ylva waves a few tails before finally standing and walking over to Asbolus with a silly little bow.
"Welcome to my humble. Well. Mess right now but. Working on it. How are you?"
Asbolus:
"Doing alright, all told. I'm more concerned about you at the moment. Just heard the news."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Oh yeah. I'm okay."
She says wirh a wave to the Hollow behind her.
"This was me, time for a rebuild."
Another pause.
Asbolus:
He watched her for a moment, that pale laser-focused gaze keen enough to look through her rather than at her. "I may be no Joyeaux, but even I can see that's not the case."
Ylva Theodulus:
She tries to keep up the facade for a moment.
"Can I offer you tea? Fruit?"
Then just kinda fades, tails stop bobbing happily and ears droop.
"Yeah. Okay. Fuck. You wanna come in atleast."
Asbolus:
That baleful stare relaxed as she dropped the facade, nodding at the question. "I would, yes."
Once allowed inside he held an arm up, letting her come in for a hug if she so desired. "What do you need?"
Ylva Theodulus:
She comes in for that hug probably too hard. Wrapping him in her arms and all those tails. Just kinda existing there for as long as he let's her.
Asbolus:
He let out an oof as she latched onto him, wincing faintly from the strength of it but returning the embrace after taking a moment to collect himself, holding her close for as long as she needed. He remained quiet, letting his presence do the talking.
Ylva Theodulus:
She eventually steps back.
"Sorry." Before wandering back to the middle of the orchard. Hard to see from the trod she has been working on an art piece.
There is four people on a canvas. Two would be recognized as Klaire and Ylva, looking younger than she does, like she does in the news report. One as Astrid from the news report and a fourth who wouldn't be recognized.
Flopping down in front of it she looks up at him.
"This is my family. Who my actions and inaction have put in danger."
Asbolus:
"No harm no foul." He replied, standing up a little straighter to stretch a bit as he followed her into the orchard. He looked over the paintings, taking in their features and making particular note of the two that were unfamiliar to him. "Perhaps, but this can still be mended."
Ylva Theodulus:
She raises an eyebrow at that pointing to a jacket, wallet and phone that sat off by their own.
"Can it? I can stop me getting in trouble. But. I can't un eat Mitchell."
Asbolus:
"True, but the former is still ideal in the long run." He nodded, glancing towards the items she motioned to. "Are those his?"
Ylva Theodulus:
She nods.
"Yeah. Gonna give him a little grave. Its the least I can do. I'll keep it this side so no evidence can show up or anything."
Asbolus:
"Don't bury them quite yet. If we need him to be seen elsewhere in the city, at least temporarily, they can be put to good use." The gears were visibly turning as he mulled, one finger on the hand resting at his side lightly tapping against his leg. "Have you spoken with anyone else yet about getting this handled?"
Ylva Theodulus:
She looks a little confused but nods.
"Okay. I was about to so good timing. Mot really. Klaire and V are working on it I think."
A pause before she continues.
"I visited Klaire. I know I shouldn't have but j thought it would be fine. V knew and so im back here. Feeling trapped in the Hedge again. Like the beginning."
Asbolus:
"Don't believe I've met Klaire, but I'll speak with Vorpal." He nodded, giving Ylva a quiet if understanding look as she continued. "I know that can be difficult, but it is for the best. I had to do something similar myself when our Steward revealed herself as a traitor to the freehold and her work forging a new identity for me became a liability. There are ways to remedy those feelings, and other places to be here than just in your hollow stuck in your own head."
Ylva Theodulus:
"I know. Doesn't mean im good at it. Historically shit at the things that are good for me."
She looks out into the thorns.
"Yeah I've been exploring a bit. Trying to find a goblin that'll take all this."
Pointing at her body.
Asbolus:
"If you need assistance, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you."
His eyebrow arched as she motioned to herself, curiosity clear on his features. "In what manner?"
Ylva Theodulus:
"Im. Managing. Could do with some tasty snacks."
She chuckles widening her mouth to the maw of gristlegrinder.
"This has to go."
Asbolus:
"That can be arranged." He nodded, the lightbulb flickering on as she explained. "Ah...I see. Be careful that they don't take more than you expect them to. That's quite a heavy trade to make."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Its not a trade I'm trying to make. They can have the fucking thing."
Asbolus:
"And what will you fill that void with?" He watched her as he spoke, his tone calm but serious. "What shape will you put to the clay once it's been freed of its current form?"
Ylva Theodulus:
"I won't. Thats kind of the point. Less void that constantly needs filling."
She sighs.
"I can't deal with that pull all the time."
Asbolus:
"That's not what I meant, in this case. You were shaped like that for a purpose, much as I was to hunt others. If you remove that purpose, you must think of what you will replace it with, lest there not be enough left behind."
Ylva Theodulus:
She tilts her head.
"I was built to eat. If I take away the eat what happens?"
Asbolus:
"I can't say for certain, but look at it as an opportunity to reforge yourself in your own image rather than what you were made into. Give yourself a new purpose, one of your own design."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Be happy? How does that sound. Be Ylva not what he made me into."
She looks at him nerves betrayed on her face if not her voice.
"Try to find what that means."
Asbolus:
His features softened at that, knowing that desire all too well. He finally moved to sit beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. "Sounds like a good plan. I still struggle with that myself, in all honesty. She took so much when She made me, and what little was left is barely what I'd call a person. Building that back up has been a challenge, but a worthwhile one."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Not having the desire to eat everything in sight feels like a good start."
She shakes her head.
"Im not like Laura or Evan. I can't channel it like they can."
Asbolus:
"Yet. They've had time to develop that focus, and it's something you could accomplish as well."
Ylva Theodulus:
She shakes her head.
"No. I don't think I can. I can barely keep a lid on my human desires. I've never exactly been the model of self control."
Asbolus:
"I see." He nodded quietly. "Then removing that particular temptation will do you some good."
Ylva Theodulus:
"That's the idea. Not something I do lightly. I've put a few nights of thought into it."
She shakes her head again.
"If Mitchell wasn't there it could've been Astrid or Jenny. I won't risk their lives."
Asbolus:
He offered another nod, along with sliding an arm around her shoulders for a brief hug. "Taking care of those we hold dear is one of the noblest acts we can partake in. You're making the effort to do that, and I respect you for that. Just be careful; the Market can be a dangerous place."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Yeah I know. They tend to be more scared of me than they should. Its. They think I'm one of Them."
She leans into that hug.
Asbolus:
"I've heard of such." He gave her a quick squeeze, leaving his arm around her shoulders unless she expressed otherwise. "It can be useful in some respects, although I imagine it's a bit unnerving on your end."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Yeah. They look at me like we all used to look at Him."
A little shudder and she holds that contact.
"Like I imagine we all look at our Gentries."
Asbolus:
"Mmm." He nodded, going quiet for a moment as one such memory rose to the surface. He shook his head to clear it before letting out a slow breath, offering another nod. "I imagine so."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Sorry. Didn't mean to pull up your own memories."
Asbolus:
"No need to apologize. Happens more often these days." He replied with a small, wry smirk. "One of the perils of becoming a more storied individual."
Ylva Theodulus:
"More Wyrd. More memories."
She sighs at that.
"Yeah I understand that struggle."
Asbolus:
"It's both a blessing and a curse, as I see it. I have a rather keen memory in general, so having that part of my life as hazy as it was irked me. As the fog lifts it scratches that itch, but there are some things that I could do without remembering."
Ylva Theodulus:
"I have many black spots. That was just another. Now it's what I remember more than anything else. It's the clearest of my memories."
She lowers her head to his arm.
Asbolus:
"Well," he said as he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, "now you have the opportunity to forge better memories to help push those ones aside, at least for a little while."
Ylva Theodulus:
"Yeah."
There is a hint of a blush.
"This is a nice memory for what its worth."
Asbolus:
"Good." He nodded with a small smile. "It is for me as well."
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