Boromir Aesir · @Boromir_Aesir
8th Apr 2015 from TwitLonger
Stone-verse: Askíl
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1slipkv and http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sliup9
Askíl is awake and he and Boromir talk. Elennárë joins them a little after.
@Tiorvi @Boromir_Aesir @SilmarilNaro
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Askíl
Outside the Mountain it must be past midnight, it was what Askíl's senses told him as he woke, blinking into the darkness. Kíli was lying on his blankets, not far from Boromir and his other comrades. Two dwarves were on watch, one glance confirmed they were there. Still, something had happened, something that had called him to wake up. And by waking he did not mean his presence, which was always somewhere inside the mind of his younger self, but causing him to wake from Kíli's firm sleep. Something that would not wake Kíli but certainly had woken Askíl.
Drawing in his legs he rose smoothly, without much noise. Kíli had the annoying habit of wearing light armor that made moving like a shadow very easy. One of the guards spotted his movement, - Azgár was the name and started to come towards him. Stepping over one of the other sleepers, Askíl approached him, giving him a curt nod. "Anything unusual?"
"Nothing, it is quiet here." Azgár replied. "Was there something you needed?"
There... he felt it again, like a cold draft brushing against his skin. He could not tell if it was natural or something was coming closer. "Nothing of note. Return to your watch." Askíl dismissed the warrior with a small gesture and then went a few steps into the tunnel where he had sensed the draft. It was a typical hallway of the deep roads - only that it lacked the lanterns and resting places of the Elder days.
The Darkness had fallen on the ways long ago, shrouding them in danger and silence. Askíl continued until the crossing they had passed prior to nightfall. He did not need lights to see the glowing dwarven runes in the walls that announced that this was Fregár's Crossing, between Wlyvwar Thaigh and Coldrocks Hold. He frowned when he heard a small noise, like stone scratching on stone, his hand fell to the sword, drawing the blade with the left while advancing on the point where he had heard the noise.
Cool air touched his face and he relaxed as he saw that it was a broken lid of one of the air shafts that was scratching against the broken holdings. Sheathing the sword he ran a hand through his hair, before impatiently pulling it back into a practical pony-tail. If this was all that had woken him, it was a good night.
Boromir
Boromir woke suddenly, and for a moment was not able to think straight, mind not quite connecting. As his thoughts started to catch up he turned on his bedding and looked blankly at Kíli's empty spot for a moment. He glanced around, sitting up, and noted the locations of Elennárë, Anvari and Thirán first, then starting to pick out the others he was growing familiar with. Azgár was over that way, on watch, so Boromir headed his way as he rose.
"Kíli wake you?" he asked as he looked towards Boromir.
"I think he might have, I think a sensed him get up," Boromir spoke quietly, so as not to awaken anyone else.
"He headed back that way a bit," Azgár indicated the way they had come. "Nothing of note back there, he may have just needed to walk a bit."
"Thank you, I'll see how he is anyway," Boromir nodded, "and I could do with a small walk before I sleep again."
With a parting nod, Boromir walked quietly along the broad tunnel. It was a little way Kíli seemed to have gone and Boromir wondered what had prompted it. Kíli was just around a shallow bend, fiddling with one of the air ducts he had pointed out on their first day out of Kaz-Tarnûr, and Boromir stayed back a couple of steps, not wanting to cause him surprise.
Askíl
Askíl heard the steps, almost sensing someone approaching from his back and came around, one hand going for the sword, before he recognized Boromir standing in the tunnel that led back to camp. "Boromir," he said, relieved that it had not been an Orc, or other creature of the deeps jumping him.
Boromir
As soon as the dwarf turned, Boromir could tell something was slightly off, not quite... Kíli. That thought alone made his mind catch on what had been discussed at the underground lake where Ravenér's grave was located. "Not able to sleep?" he asked with a small wry smile.
Askíl
For a moment Askíl wondered what he should do - he knew Boromir, from Kíli's perspective mainly, but had yet not spoken more three words to him. He might have woken once or twice in the night, when Boromir was close, but more than a 'go back to sleep' or a cuddle had not happened. The other incident... was long ago and had not involved talking.
"I thought I heard something," he replied, pointing to the silent crossing. "a noise like stone scratching on stone. Like a gate opening in the darkness..." he shrugged. "but all it was, was a broken air shaft."
Boromir
"I could see how that would be disturbing, the idea of something being opened that might not be on the maps..." Boromir stood silent, a thoughtful frown on his face. It did not totally disappear, but he turned to look at the air shaft and asked, "Were you able to fix what was wrong in there? At least, enough to silence what was making the noise?"
Askíl
"Not much to fix - the lid is broken. I did remove the broken piece - at least it will no longer sound like all the Goblins of the Deeps are about to jump us." Askíl replied, studying Boromir who stood beside him. In a strange way he knew him - through Kíli mostly, there was a strange expression in his face. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Or did you... did you hear something too?" Maybe the other warrior had spotted something that the guards had missed. Azgár was a good man, but he was not tense enough to notice any small noise that could be the only warning he'd ever get.
Boromir
"No, I merely-" he shook his head a bit, "I think I might have sensed you getting up and it made me wake up," Boromir explained. "I only... who *are* you? You're not acting quite like Kíli, so my first guess is one of his past lives."
Askíl
Their eyes met and Askíl averted his gaze for a moment. "You are right, Boromir." he admitted to not being who he appeared to be. They were the same soul, the same person... and yet worlds and lives apart. "my name is Askíl."
Boromir
That name brought a warm smile to Boromir's lips and he held out a hand to Askíl, daring to take a step closer to the dwarf who he had picked up was rather wary. "I am glad meet you, awake in your own right. I have heard some word about you of late and know your actions have kept Kíli alive."
Askíl
Askíl clasped the other man's hand, hand around forearm. "He and I are one... even as we might be aspects of the same thing." he replied, waving off the whole mention of saving Kíli. "It is good to meet you too, Boromir... truly meet you, that is. Though I did not mean to wake you in the dead of night."
Boromir
"Ahh, I believe it was my wariness that did it," Boromir shook his head in a gentle denial. "I sleep less deeply outside Minas Tirith, even in Osgiliath I sleep lighter and with these roads being unfamiliar to me..." he gave a shrug, "I suspect I will sleep even lighter when we reach the western gate and start traveling over open land." He moved to wrap an arm around Askíl's shoulders, something he was used to doing with Kíli, but paused in an unspoken question as to whether Askíl was also alright with the small act of affection.
Askíl
Askíl saw the hesitation, the unspoken question. This was strange territory, for both of them, for different reasons, to Boromir Askíl must be something akin to a stranger woken inside the dwarrow he loved. Relaxing somewhat Askíl moved closer, actually inviting the gesture, and coaxing them both to sit down on the rocks of the tunnel. "I understand that all too well," he replied. "contrary to my younger self, I could never sleep deeply, when not behind the Wall of Storms." He tilted his head a bit, looking at Boromir. "Would it help to move closer together while asleep? It... it helps some to have someone close by, to feel safe."
Boromir
"I believe that would help," Boromir agreed, filing away the 'Wall of Storms' as something he presumed was a major feature of Moria. "I do know I have slept better over the months since I became close to you- or Kíli." He shook his head and smiled a bit at the slip, drawing Askíl closer into his arms. "I feel safer with you, being able to feel you near," he spoke softly.
Askíl
Askíl moved a bit closer, wrapping an arm around Boromir's side. In a way he was much less experienced in such honest affections than Kíli was, and yet they were no less warm to him. "Then I will keep close," he said as he leaned a bit into the embrace. He too had noticed the slip and was not sure how to address or explain it. "He and I... are one, the same soul... I am the echo of a life long gone and ideally I would not be awake like this." he said, but with only him merged with Kíli's mind since fighting Smaug, it might take a long time until the awakening and settling of them all would follow.
Boromir
Boromir pondered Askíl's words as he held him. "Elennárë said something about all your lives awakening. That... did not happen, or was stopped when you fought the dragon?" The question came from putting things together that both his sister and Kíli had said.
Askíl
"It had begun when Kíli was young, dreams and echoes that would have ultimately lead to his awakening. As he was rather occupied with the thought of a dragon, he often tapped into my memories and then..." Askíl hesitated for a moment. "then Goblin town happened - he was wounded like that before, and it may have caused his younger echoes to wane again, to hide... he reached for strength, for the strength to somehow get through this..." Askíl's voice became harder. "and he reached for me, for something to hold onto. From that moment a tenuous link had been forged between us, and when the Dragon came..." Askíl's shoulders tensed. "it woke me fully - I knew those monsters, had my share of trouble with them thanks to Frérin's heroics... and Kíli allowed me in, he allowed me to take control... that battle, the forces freed as we fought up and down that blasted mountain, merged Kíli and I in ways that I cannot quite explain. Ever since I have existed as his invisible shadow."
Boromir
The tale sounded like something Boromir had never heard before, even in legends, but then, he thought, legends of Men and Elves did not include reincarnation, at least not here in Middle Earth. Even tales of Elves being reborn had them come back the same person, not living a whole new life.
"Though I would be glad for you not to be an invisible shadow to me, you kept Kíli alive so I could meet him, so I could meet you too." His fingers absently caught the end of the ponytail Askíl had tied his hair in, curling strands around his fingers.
There was a soft sound down the passage, towards the rest of their group, making Boromir pay attention a bit more.
Askíl
Askíl had relaxed into the touch, about to say that he would gladly try to be more visible for Boromir without impacting on him and Kíli when he heard the noise. Soft steps inside the tunnel. With one fluid movement he was up and in cover beside a wall, drawing a short dagger, ready to throw it at their assailant.
Elennárë
The sudden appearance of Kíli, dagger ready, appearing around the bend in front of her made Elennárë jump, with a small squeak of surprise. That was not Kíli's reaction, Kíli knew her step quite well after sharing his backrooms with her for a good few months.
"Sorry!" she spoke softly, "I didn't mean to surprise you! I just... saw both you and Boromir were missing from camp and wondered where you were."
Askíl
Askíl lowered the blade when he recognized Boromir's chosen sister Elennárë, he had not recognized her step nor felt her light, both of which Kíli would have. He sheathed the blade, making it vanish under his bracer. "It is I who should apologize, Elennárë," he said earnestly. "I did not realize it was you..." Long ago he had met her, he had tried to free her later, and three failed attempts had left their traces on him back then. "the last time I saw you, I called you Talnar-Dûr, Dawnstar."
Elennárë
The name sounded familiar and it only took Elennárë a moment to place it, what with recent events that had brought up memories of certain past events. For a moment she stared Askíl closely before smiling and stepping forward. "You gave us hope that someone would come, that someone did care, when we had lost a lot of our hope," she said holding out her hands to him. Switching into a language she only understood due to Elenaria, she spoke in formal Khuzdul "I thank you, Prince Askíl, for fighting for us, attempting to get us out. I hold any oath made as no longer binding, may it soothe your soul to know we are safe."
Boromir
Boromir listened, a little pleased that Elennárë could take this moment to speak with Askíl, though it drew out a frown as she moved into a language that he did not know, but knew he had heard small snatches of, from Kíli and a little around Kaz-Tarnûr in the short time they had been in the city. The dwarven language? It sounded like it.
Askíl
Askíl took bother hands between his in a gesture of thanks. "And I thank you for your forgiveness, in spite of me failing you and your sisters." he replied in ancient Khuzdul as well before switching back to Westron, almost sensing Boromir's confusion. For one moment's painful pang he reminded him of Hurán but he pushed that away. "I am all the more glad to see you found your freedom and a better life, Elennárë." He said. "Especially a brother to protect you... and keep you out of trouble." the last held a hint of humor.
Elennárë
Elennárë smiled with a slightly sad edge. "I could wish for the days when the worst that ever happened was broken vase because I was rolling around too fast bu-ut..." she gave a shrug. "I wouldn't be here now, where I have Boromir, and you as well."
Askíl
"Don't we all wish sometimes we could go back to our younger days, when the world seemed simpler?" Askíl asked her gently, he knew she had seen too much pain, too much suffering and he knew enough of that dark land she had been trapped in, to understand why she would bear scars. "Even though... seeing the life Kíli found," he cast an almost shy glance towards Boromir. "I would not wish to not be here... scars of the road included."
Elennárë
"I have heard it said by the healers who have been guiding me that scars are often stronger than the flesh around them," Elennárë said, absently biting her lip. "I hope they lend us strength in the future, I think we may need it at some point." She looked up at Boromir as he reached over to rest a reassuring hand on her arm.
Boromir
"I will certainly try to stand guard against further scars, for the both of you," Boromir spoke, his other hand going to rest on Askíl's shoulder again.
Askíl
Askíl reached for both of their arms, it was a strange feeling to belong in such a manner, and yet he would not want to miss it. "And I will do the same for both of you," he said softly. "though... I think we should return and try to find some sleep before morning."