vatheon | Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart...

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Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart...

Who: Ico and YOU. Yes, you. Right there. You in the back. Yup, you too. And you.
Where: The park
When: 9/9 - afternoon
Style: I'll follow
Status: OPEN

Being in Vatheon, away from the castle, the shadows and even Yorda had taken a lot of getting used to for young Ico. He had been pretty upset at first, being yanked away from Yorda and dropped in the underwater city without so much as a by-your-leave. But it had been explained to him by the people who helped him on arrival (and later more in depth by Cheria) that time didn't pass back in his world, so should he ever return he would be right back where he was, standing at those doors just moments after the Queen had stopped them from leaving.

That, unfortunately, was what kept him from being completely alright with it. What if they were wrong and time did move? Would he return only to find that Yorda had been taken prisoner again? To find that she no longer wanted to leave and that his only options were to stay in the Castle in the Mist with her forever, trapped in time, or to leave without her and have no home to return to?

It bothered him daily, even if he rarely let it show. Around Cheria and her housemates that had so kindly taken him in, he was all smiles, playing the part of curious uneducated child. It was just easier that way, to not get in to what he was dealing with back in his world.

He dealt with it by making a solemn promise to himself that he would become strong during his time in Vatheon. Even if he remembered nothing when he returned, he knew some how he would take the inner strength with him needed to defeat the Queen and bring Yorda's imprisonment to an end.

Today was no different. He could be found out in the park after leaving the house early in the morning, swinging the heavy, much too large rusted iron sword around at trees, letting out cries and grunts as he sweated and ached all over. He refused to quit, though. He would be at it for hours before he even thought to take a break and go back home.

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Before even realizing he was doing so, Wander had stopped to watch.

He still felt guilty over what he had done to Fai. And to Mono, through that. He'd been avoiding the other man ever since. There was a kind of familiarity in watching a young boy train. A familiarity that calmed his thoughts and let him focus His next thought after that acknowledgment, however, was simply the fact that this boy was going to tear his shoulder swinging a long sword like that.

Wander moved closer, staying out of the boy's range. "You'll hurt yourself, swinging a sword like that."

Ico had calmed considerably since arriving, and he didn't jump at every little thing that made noise anymore, but that didn't stop him from being properly startled at the voice behind him.

He spun around wildly, holding the sword up with aching arms at the stranger. His appearance was a little more than unnerving - dark like a shadow man, but not translucent. Though Sola had been like that, too...

"... I'm fine," he insisted, done just a bit defensive. He hesitated, then asked, "Who are you?"

Wander didn't blame him for being suspicious. The boy wore clothing so similar to his own. Something about him looked familiar, too, although he couldn't quite place it.

"My name is Wander," he said simply. "I know my word isn't much, but I won't harm you. ...My mind is still human."

The sword lowered slowly, tip eventually resting on the ground and showing just how long Ico had been at it. His shoulders trembled, his muscles felt weak with exhaustion. All things he hadn't felt in so long, and yet nothing had convinced him to stop until Wander approached.

"... Ico," he responded slowly, still eying Wander wearily. What was that strange feeling he was getting?

Horns. This boy has horns. Bigger than his own, but...

His eyes are so much like Mono's.

Wander swallows his discomfort. Who is this boy? "...Are you from the world of the god known as Dormin?"

Ico frowns more at that, shaking his head slowly.

"I am from Toksa Village. We worship the god Sol Raveh," came his answer after an uncertain pause. Should he be telling a stranger this? Especially one that seemed so strange and felt so odd to him?

"...I see." The clothing is so similar. Maybe it was only wishful thinking.

"You looked like someone I know, so I thought that maybe..." He looks at the sword again. "That sword is a bit long for your arm. You'll hurt yourself before you can wield it properly. A bad shoulder is a death sentence for a warrior."

Edited 2012-09-10 15:59 (UTC)

Wander's expression was difficult for Ico to read, but he thought he caught a bit of dashed hope in those strange, vivid blue eyes. What was this man thinking? Were they from the same world? The elder had mentioned that there were lands far beyond the borders of their own, and Yorda's memories did tell him there had been nomads that traveled to places Ico could only dream about.

He had taken note of the tabard similar to his own, but in a place like Vatheon, that could mean anything...

At the comment, he scowled a bit, looking slightly huffy.

"It's the only sword I have," he answered defensively, lifting the blade again with a quiet grunt. His shoulders were aching, and if Wander were to look close enough he could probably see just how old and damaged the blade truly was.

Wander actually smiled. The boy was stubborn, and he was determined. Always a good sign. "I'm not the best with a sword myself...but this one is too old and poorly kept to be of any real use to you. We might be able to find you a sword that will suit you much better."

That earned a bit of an eyebrow quirk from the young boy, arms lowering again. This time the sword actually hit the ground rather hard, his exhaustion starting to show.

"Where?"

...Should he? The Sword of Light was with him still, somehow. And his bow. It's a much shorter blade than this heavy iron chunk of rust, but...

"I...might have one you can borrow." He hesitated again. "You should rest. You're exhausted."

He didn't want to admit to just how tired he really was. He had been at this for days - leaving the house early before any of the others woke, returning late at night to Cheria's frowns and voice of worry. She was trying to hard to take care of him because he was a child, completely unaware of the things he had been through that made him so unlike any other child out there.

He had something he had to do. Someone he had to protect. Even if he was still completely unsure as to why he felt so strongly that he had to protect her.

But he couldn't do anything there, besides try to get better. And Wander was right - exhausting himself wasn't going to do that.

He said nothing, tired gaze shifting to the ground. He couldn't even lift the sword again.

Wander was just as silent as Ico. He couldn't help but see something of himself in this child. Eventually he closed the distance between them, resting his hand reassuringly on Ico's shoulder.

"Do you...have someone to look after you?"

"... yes, but... she has a lot of people to look after..."

More or less saying that he felt like he was imposing on Cheria, even if she had been the one to offer.

"Saro ikya'get." A term that Vatheon's power doesn't translate. A term used for conundrums of hospitality, where a solution isn't immediately apparent. Ico wouldn't understand it... but might have heard Yorda say it. Wander's inflection is a bit different, but it's there all the same.

He's not exactly experienced with children. But Ico is older--it might not be very difficult to have him in the apartment. Besides, after what happened with Fai, he's been avoiding most of the people here. And he's lonely. "...If you'd like to alleviate her burden, I could take you in."

He had heard Yorda say something to that effect, some time after the Queen had first interrupted their attempts to escape. He had no idea what it meant, of course, but she seemed torn between what Ico was trying to do for her and what her mother wanted her to do.

Either way, hearing it from Wander was jarring to say the least, and for the moment his offer of another place to live was forgotten as he stared at the older man.

"... what does that mean? What you said first."

The boy's reaction was unsettling. Was he really from his own world, then? He seemed to recognize the phrase...

He swallowed. "Did this place not...tell you? It's...my people use it when the laws of hospitality conflict with each other. Say that you invited a friend over for dinner, in your own village. But on the way to get firewood, you meet a friend from the next village over, who has come for a visit. You are expected to provide for that friend, since he has come so far, but you have very little to spare and you are already cooking dinner for the first friend.

"We say 'saro ikya'get' in that situation, to apologize and announce the conflicting situation at the same time. In this case, the traveler might offer to share what he has with both of you, or to hunt for something extra to bring to the meal. Or he might take it at face value, and make other arrangements. ...In a sense, even though hospitality has been violated, you are not being rude, so your actions aren't viewed harshly."

"... helping some one even if what you're doing goes against the wishes of some one above them."

It was a vague enough phrase, but proved that he had truly heard it some where before. Yorda... was apologizing for her mother's actions. She was grateful for Ico's help even though it went against what the Queen was planning to do.

Ico's face twisted, and he swallowed hard before speaking again.

"I've heard it before. I didn't know what it meant. I couldn't-- ... she didn't speak the same as the people from Toksa."

He knew that pain more than Ico could ever know. "She knew my language, then... At least enough to know what that meant. ...Who is she?"

Ico finally let the sword go, the hilt falling to the ground. He crouched down, remaining on his feet even as he wrapped arms around his knees and stared at the grass in front of him, gaze distant.

"Yorda. Her name was Yorda. She was trapped... I was trying to help her escape..."

Wander hesitated. But eventually he sat next to the boy, the sword between them. "...I know what it's like. Believe me. I...I was trying to free someone, as well. I still don't know if I succeeded or not. I was brought here, instead."

They had a kinship that went beyond their horns. He truly believed that now. "You'll find a way back to her, Ico. We'll all find a way back to where we're supposed to be."

There was no response from the young boy, save for a quiet sniffle as he rubbed at his dirty face with his equally dirt-smudged arm. There were no tears, but he could feel the burn of them in his dark eyes.

"Would you really be alright, taking me in?" he finally asked after a long silence stretched on between them.

Wander managed to smile. "I'll be all right. So long as you're not trouble."

Look, Ico! He was trying to make a joke and everything!

That joke of yours is going to earn a stuck out tounge from Ico.

"I am not trouble."

"Then I won't mind at all." Wander has to ask, though. It's been eating at him this entire conversation. "...have you...always had them? The horns?"

Ico blinked at that, reaching up to touch one of them gently.

"Yes, though they were smaller when I was a child. They grew in my thirteenth year. ... Why?"

"...I've never met anyone else with them before."

Which was true, but avoiding the truth at the same time. He hadn't been born with his. He can only imagine what Ico has been through. The hunters in his own village even remove the antlers from deer before returning to the village with the carcass.

Horns are taboo, plain and simple.

That left a lot of questions for Ico. Was he a sacrifice? How had he lived so long if he was? Why were his so small? And why could he speak Yorda's language?

... or was he not a sacrifice at all, but some one distantly related to Ozuma?

He hesitated on asking, instead blurting out something else entirely.

"Children with horns are considered a bad omen in Toksa. I'm the Sacrifice. When my horns grew in, it was my time to go to the Castle in the Mist."

...He knew it would be hard for him. But this? Sacrificing children...

These shamans and so-called holy men...they weren't satisfied with murdering innocent women. They had to set their sights on children as well. Wander's voice has a slight edge to it when he finally speaks.

"You're not the 'Sacrifice'. You're Ico. Don't allow anyone to claim that your death is best for everyone. There's...there is always someone who cares about you more than anything..."

"But... that's how it's always been..."

Ico's hands tightened on his arms, nails digging in to his bare skin as he continued to stare forward, refusing to meet Wander's gaze.

"Oneh and the elder still loved me. They didn't want to, but they had no choice. When a child with horns is born, that is their fate."

Though he spoke with no anger in his voice, there was anger inside of him, welling up from the things he had learned because of Yorda. Her memories, the castle, the things the Queen had done... all of it leading to Ozuma's sacrifice and the eventual curse of the horned children.

"...I lost someone very important to me because of 'bad omens'."

Wander rested his hands over Ico's. "Listen to me very carefully. Don't give in to a fate others have decided for you. Find your own path. Don't turn your back on things that must be done, but don't let anyone tell you how to live your life.

"Because...I guarantee that Yorda would be very sad if you died."

He swallowed his own growing anger. "...I'm sorry. You're tired. We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to." He tried to smile again. "Are you hungry? I know a place that makes good food here in the city."

He had broken free of the sarcophagus that was meant to be his final resting place. He had freed Yorda from her prison. He had been defying the will of those who took him to that place to die, yet all that time he had been wondering why, was it even worth trying, am I just going to die in the end anyway?

But through it all Yorda had stayed with him despite her own doubts, her own uncertain looks and her own reluctance to struggle against the shadow men that would imprison her again. She held his hand, her skin so soft and touch so light it was as if she barely existed. Yet with that hand there had always been a warmth, and that warmth kept him going. He didn't think of hunger, or exhaustion, or even pain when she was near.

And when he slipped, she gasped. When he had to leave her to find a way to bring her across gaps, she would wait patiently for him to come back. All the while her eyes, the only thing he could understand, would look at him with clear conviction.

'Please don't give up. I'm afraid, but your strength is mine, as mine is yours.'

He didn't say anything to Wander after that, but his head ducked down to hide a single tear that did finally escape. He did nod, but it was a bit hidden by the movement before it.

Edited 2012-09-11 19:35 (UTC)

Wander swallowed. He's had this pain himself. He knows. Even if Yorda isn't gone, like Mono...

He stood up and offered Ico a hand to help him up. "You'll see her again. I promise."

And Wander never went back on his promises.

Sniffling, Ico looked up at Wander. He had been trying so hard to hold on to the hope that he would see Yorda again, but it had been difficult with so much doubt clouding his mind. But hearing Wander say it... it renewed some of it, at least enough to stop his tears.

He took the hand and stood, rubbing an arm across his eyes.

"... thank you..."

Wander gave him the most honest smile he'd felt in months. It felt strange on his face, but... It felt good, to really smile again. "Come on. Let's get something to eat. And then you can rest."

Ico couldn't quite return the smile, but he certainly looked more hopeful than he had before. He nodded, picking up the heavy sword. Even if it was useless, he didn't want to leave it behind. It was the only thing he had from the castle, after all.

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Weep for yourself, my man, you'll never be what is in your heart...

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