Ruin: Evolving Relationships

No D&D this week -- sorry and/or you're welcome -- so instead you get this little Slice of Life from Ruin as he prepares to depart for Duendewood to help Martini assassinate Duke Lamont.

 

"Ruin?" asked Anica, then hesitated. 

That hesitation was unexpected enough -- Anica was usually outspoken and headstrong, sometimes to her detriment -- that Ruin stopped polishing his sword and turned to face her directly, giving her his full attention. 

"I guess this isn't exactly any of my business," Anica said after a moment, "but... are you sleeping with the Avatar of Demeter? The two of you keep sneaking off, and people are starting to notice."

"Am I...?" Ruin chuckled. "No. No, but I can see why people might think so. The Avatar herself asked if I was flirting with her at one point, so..." He shook his head. "No. We've been sparring."

There was a long, long pause. Then Anica said, "You've been what?" 

"Sparring," said Ruin. "I can't give her the kind of contest that Tavros did, but I can at least offer some challenge and I heal quickly afterwards; meanwhile, I can try out some things on her that I'd be afraid to test on anyone else. But we can't let people see, because..."

Anica nodded. "Because Vigo made such a big deal about Tavros being able to stand up to her."

Ruin nodded. "Exactly. Which is also why I haven't said anything about it, not even to you. Tavros knows, but only because he caught me going back to my room after our first bout, and he knows me too well not to guess."

Anica said, "Oh." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Would you... would you tell Aesa as well? I know she has Vendril now, but I think she might still be kind of hurt. I don't want her trying to measure her self-worth against an Avatar."

"Ah," said Ruin. "Yes, of course." I'm an idiot.

* * *

"So that's it," Ruin said. He hadn't expected to have to make his explanation to Vendril as well as Aesa, but Vendril could keep a secret almost as well as Vigo himself. He didn't need to worry about that, at least.

"Sparring." Aesa sounded dubious.

"It's not a euphemism," said Ruin, "and there's nothing else going on."

Vendril asked, "And you're deliberately getting yourself badly injured, over and over, because...?"

Ruin shrugged. Why shouldn't I be? "I have some new attunements that I haven't fully explored. This is a way to get a feel for them that doesn't endanger anyone."

Aesa sighed. "Well... thank you for telling us, finally, at least."

"I should have thought to do it earlier," Ruin said. "I'm sorry. Still, it's better if people think..." 

"I know." Aesa didn't sound unhappy, at least. "It might be a little embarrassing, but at least we know better."

"Ruin?" asked Vendril. "Now that this is settled, can I talk to you outside?"

Ruin flicked a glance at Aesa, who nodded. "Of course," he said, and rose. 

Vendril followed him out the door and down the hall, well away from the room the Shadow of the Clan shared with Aesa and the rooms that Anica shared with Tarric and Werendril. The cell that had been set aside for Ruin was a little further down, and he opened the door and motioned for Vendril to enter before him. Vendril quirked a grin and stepped inside.

"So..." said Ruin. 

Vendril studied him for a long moment. He was slender and wiry, strong in his own way but not in the way that Ruin had cultivated. "I wanted you to know that I didn't set out to... to steal her away from you. I was curious so I met her, and the more I saw of her..."

Ruin shook his head. "I never saw it that way. She wasn't mine for you to steal. We had what we had -- in Rose, we still do -- but I was never going to be the kind of partner and support for her that you can be. And I've seen you, you're good with Aesa and good with my daughter." He hesitated. "Our daughter. I'm including you in that."

"I try my best," Vendril said. "I never expected to end up raising someone else's child."

Ruin nodded his understanding. "I want Aesa to be happy," he said, "but I don't think I can be the one to make her happy. At this point, I wouldn't even bet that I could be the one to give my children a safe and secure future." He hesitated, because he didn't really know Vendril and wasn't sure he wanted to confide in the man. But... What the hell, why not? "If the Order of Secrets brings Vecna back to life here in Midgard, I am very likely going to die. And if that happens, then I want Aesa and Rose to have someone who can care for them..." He chuckled darkly.  "...and who isn't dead, of course."

Vendril nodded thoughtfully. "I know that what happened between you and Aesa was... almost an accident. I also know that she still has feelings for you, and that you care about her as well." He paused, then said: "What I intend to say is: don't stay away on my account." 

Ruin smiled. "I won't."

* * *

"Why didn't you warn me this might happen?" asked Rita, as Ruin nestled against her. 

They were still catching their breath, and would likely go again; but Ruin took advantage of the momentary stillness to ask, "The children, you mean?" 

"The children, I mean," said Rita. "It's not that I regret it or resent them, you understand, but a bit of warning would have been nice. Not having Grandfather try to keep from giggling as He explained the situation would have been nice, too."

"It didn't occur to me," he said honestly. "In all honesty, I wasn't really thinking about the possibility of children, and if I had it wouldn't have occurred to me that you wouldn't already know yourself, but... I wasn't thinking about consequences at all. I was just reacting."

Rita tensed, but a moment later she relaxed and admitted. "So was I."

Ruin kissed the back of her neck. "I'm glad we can still do this," he said. "And I do like our children." 

"They like you too," Rita said. "That's why they keep trying to gnaw on you. At least you're tough enough to ignore that; most of the mortal races aren't."

Ruin chuckled. "Pain is kind of an old friend at this point."

"Ruin," said Rita, suddenly serious. "You know this isn't anything permanent, right? I enjoy you, but I don't love you and we'll never be mates."

Ruin nodded and nuzzled her shoulder. "I know. I'm afraid in some ways I'm still just reacting." He stretched his left shoulder, which had been tucked under his head, trying to get some blood flow back. "I would like to be with you in watching our children grow up, though. Maybe helping them on their way. If I can. If this business with Vecna doesn't kill me."

"As you should be," she said. "So... whatever happens, whatever's coming... please don't just resign yourself to dying. I know it's not something you can predict or control, and I don't want to dictate your decisions, but... I want you to be around for the children. If you can. And I want you to strive for that as hard as you can."

"I will," said Ruin. 

Then Rita pressed back against him, and he found something else to strive for as hard as he could.

* * *

Ruin groaned and turned his head. Blue with spots of white... the world came back into focus, and he was staring at open sky and a few small, scattered clouds. He shifted his weight, felt his left shoulder slide back into its socket. Better, better... enough trees to screen them from sight, a cooling breeze off the edge of the lake, and Terra Windblade studying the back of her left bracer. "You back yet?" she asked. 

Ruin grunted as he sat up. "Another minute... and I'll be right... as rain." He got his feet under him, rose, swayed, and looked around for his sword. His shield circled around him like an obedient puppy, its enchantments ready to guard him. Ah, there. The falchion had half-disappeared into the grass; he picked it up and checked it over. 

The blade was still in fine shape; Amaranth did good work. 

"That was good," said the Avatar of Demeter. "Three solid hits, and you blocked the windblade." She took a step forward, studying him. "Are you sure you haven't come a'courting?"

Ruin smiled and shook his head. "Not here," he said. "If we'd met out in the field somewhere, maybe."

"If you say so. In that case, are you sure you don't want to sleep with an Avatar anyway? It's not like there's anybody else around to see."

Ruin chuckled. "What would your goddess think of that?" he asked, purely curious. 

Terra laughed. "What would the goddess of fertility think? You have seven children, Ruin. You're practically one of her chosen already."

Ruin swallowed. "Seven?" Not five? But then, it's not as if I didn't know it was possible... 

Terra broke into helpless laughter at the expression on his face. When she could breathe again, she said: "Seven. Or it will be seven, anyway." She paused, turned her head slightly to study him. "We could make it eight."

For a moment Ruin hesitated, but then he shook his head. "Not here," he said. "Not while I'm staying at the temple. It wouldn't... feel right."

Terra's expression went momentarily serious. "All right. I can respect that. But in that case, why do you keep fighting me? You've got a pretty good grip on your abilities, and a solid strategy for how to use them. Why keep getting yourself beaten up?" 

Ruin snorted. "You really want to know?" When she nodded, he continued: "Because... if I get it out of my system now, I'm..." He gestured vaguely. "...less likely to throw myself into an unsurvivable situation later."

"Oh." Terra studied him for a long moment, then said. "You good now? Or do you need one more?"

Ruin cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders. "Let's go one more. A small sacrifice for a bit of healing."

Terra smiled uncertainly. "You are very possibly the strangest person I've ever met, Ruin." Then she grinned. "Let's do this."