hollowstorm | He Knows, and Yet He Asks (Reply)

Ran into Draco again. He seems to know an awful lot about an awful lot. And for some reason, I found solace in that? Like it was okay to let just a little bit of what I've been holding and hiding, out. He seemed genuine in his words. And he didn't press for too much. Just what happened back home. And he had already known where home was, so it wasn't as if I were saying something that isn't already common knowledge somewhere. I think I'll spend more time with him. He may be just the mentor I need.

It's early evening, just past the dinner hour, and the Vault is quiet. Thane must be out and about, and Ky hasn't peeked in for days. The only frequent inhabitant is Jenelle, who is quiet enough that she may as well not even be there at all. Despite the early hour, she's currently sprawled on one of the common room couches, legs slung over the armrest and head propped on her arms as a pillow. The heavy sound of her breathing suggests the girl is in fact, quite seriously asleep.

Draco's been in his room for hours, intently working on something on his laptop. Hunger eventually drives him to log off, and after quiet noises of stirring, stretching and putting things away, he emerges. Seeing the cliath on the couch, he manages a small smile. "The next generation hard at work, I see," he quips.

The girl murmurs softly at the quip, stirring into that near-waking stage. One hand shifts from under her head to above her eyes, shielding it from light that only now seems to bother her. It's only after another stalled moment that she blinks awake and startles herself upright, searching to see who is there. Admittedly, some relief washes over her features as soon as she identifies the man, "Draco-rhya..."

Draco waves a hand lazily toward Jenelle as he makes his way past her towards the kitchen, looking for coffee. "No need for the Rhya. While I do appreciate it, it's cumbersome and unnecessary when we're alone." The coffee is found, and the theurge pours himself a cup and adds a bit of sugar.

Jenelle lets out a sigh and swivels her legs to sit more proper on the couch. "Oh, alright. Have you been in your room this whole time? I didn't even hear anyone here when I got here a while ago." She looks to the clock and then blinks, "Oh god, that was three hours ago now."

Draco's smile slips into a brief grin. "I was engrossed in what I was doing, yes." After a sip from the coffee, he returns to the earlier topic. "Does it bother you that I asked you not to use the honorary?"

"It's unusual? But it doesn't bother me." She pauses at this, "Should it?" she then asks with a slight furrow to her brow.

Draco moves back towards the common room, answering with a slight shrug. "No. It was an attempt to get a glimpse into how you were raised, I suppose. Knowing your family, I have my own suspicions about that. But that doesn't mean I know /you/. If you follow?" He nods, sipping the coffee again. "To answer your question from my own point of view, the honorary has its purpose, and it should be used when appropriate. Had you been disrespectful to me, or if I thought you needed to learn a little humility, I'd have insisted on its usage."

Jenelle nods at this, "That's how I feel too. I always used it with my father, and the others of my home sept. Except those who were friend in addition to just peer. You, sound like you knew my family, or of them, at least, pretty well?"

"As I said the other day, I make it my business to study the politics of our tribe," Draco says, and there's a hesitation afterward before he asks the next question. "If you're comfortable talking about it, may I ask what happened? the reports weren't clear."

Jenelle looks up at that, growing somewhat more apprehensive. "I can try. Much like it happened elsewhere, we were caught off guard by the attacks of the Dancers. The riots, the cities giving way to chaos in attempt to draw us to a fight we couldn't engage in because of the veil. They turned then to the caern, where our warriors returned to defend. Our sept was small, and didn't have any nearby allies to help reinforce the assault. When the second wave came in, things went bad very quickly."

Draco listens without interrupting. when Jenelle finishes, he asks, "Were you there, at the end?"

With this question her eyes lower and she grows quiet and still for a long moment. Finally her head nods, "Yes." Another pause is taken, and her continuation only signaled by the upward movement of her shoulders in a deep breath. "It was my fathers last order that our Gatekeeper send me away. Far from where they were. I'm not even sure how he managed it to be honest."

Draco's only answer is a soft, acknowledging 'hm'. Then he too takes a deep breath. "It would seem your father cared for you deeply."

Another nod is given, "I know. It may have been in his own way. But, I know." She clears her throat then, turning her gaze away from the elder theurge. "If it's alright, I have a meeting to get to tonight. One of the sept members agreed to teach me something."

Draco's surprise is shown in a blink of his eyes. Straightening, he answers, "Of course. By all means." Studying her for a moment, the surprise gives way to something sadder, or perhaps regretful. Before she leaves, he adds, "My apologies if I intruded too much."

The girl shakes her head. "You ask because you know so much already. That, in a way, makes it easier for me. So, in all sincerity, thank you." A smile is offered after this, perhaps a little embarassed, but genuine nonetheless. "I'll be back late tonight, but I'll come in quietly."

Draco nods again. "If you want to talk, I'll be here," he offers, sincerely.