The white figure near the temple unnerved her, for she thought it was her mother. Thinking she may be driven away by the woman once more, she hung back, watching for a silent moment. Then, little movements here and there tipped her off. This was not Potema--but, rather, someone new.
Essaying cautious steps forward, Maegi warily stared down the snowy-pelted female, noticing her reverence. She knew what she was doing. But she had not yet seen this woman before. The only other non-Melonii white wolf in the woods was Kove--could this be a relation to her teacher? She was keen to find out.
"Hello," she called out gently, not wanting to disturb her prayers yet needing to get her attention somehow, without drawing so close as to startle her. Her tail wagged. "Are you praying?"
Maegi resisted the urge to hop backwards as the woman gasped, obviously startled (something she had been trying to avoid). Her turquoise eyes seemed almost blinding, and she blinked, twitching one ear in nervous response.
Thankfully, the woman relaxed after a long moment, with a nod at her question. Curious, Maegi drew closer, touching her nose to the cold stone in a brief, sort-of kiss, before looking at the stranger once more.
"Sorry to interrupt," Maegi said sweetly, giving her a tentative smile. "I. . .well, I'm just glad you're not my mother, really. You look like her, from far away." Her head canted slightly to the side, regarding the woman. "I don't know you."
The woman, still nameless, pushed her stone toward Maegi, and the girl looked down, staring at it for a brief moment. "Is this your offering?" she asked, cocking her head slightly to the side. She glanced back up at the other white-pelted wolf. "I usually bring a dead rat or mouse. Not today, though."
She felt sort of guilty, at the admittance, as well as inadequate. Here this woman had come prepared, while she--the child of the Woods!--arrived without gifts. Her ears cupped forward, toward the stone, trying to listen for any chastisement from the Daedra; she was satisfied to hear no complaint thus far.
"Do you know my mother, my father? How long have you been around? Why haven't I seen you here before?" The questions, even in the heat of the moment, seemed useless; Maegi didn't envision the woman speaking anytime soon. Perhaps, though, the queries would bring forth words in answer.
Relmyna. More than a name. An answer, an evocation. She was no longer the woman with the twisted face, nor yet the woman who spoke through a stone, she was--and would always be, to Maegi--Relmyna.
Her face alighted with a grin, growing bigger as she stared at Relmyna, the two of them having disengaged from their newfound source of communication. She wagged her tail, tilting her head and looking inquisitively at the woman.
"That was. . .wow," she trailed off, her words grossly inadequate. "Can you--can you teach me more? About what that was?" For clearly the woman had magic in her; Maegi wanted to capture some of it for herself. She hadn't ever heard about this from Kove, nor Miraak. It was special, something they shared between the two of them only.
fade after another round? we will need an updated one!
the child exclaimed, and her wonder was a balm to relmyna. over a year had passed since sheogorath had given her the name; maegi was perhaps the first to have deciphered it through other means. the flush of success and pride was open on the evoker's face; she wanted to lean forward and touch the girl's cheek to convey these emotions, but kept herself at rein.
a confident nod was given maegi. relmyna herself was just learning these secrets; she would be delighted to impart them to the girl, along with whatever else she was able to glean. gathering herself up, the evoker stretched lightly and took up the stone into her mouth. come, relmyna's eyes invited; she would lead maegi to the glowing cave and show her there the magick that could be wrought beneath the earth, stone returning to stone.
!! this will be my last post here
She was glad to see the woman so happy. Clearly, the connection had given her as much wonder as it had given the girl. They were bonded by the stone, now. And she was glad to have someone else to talk to, especially when her brothers and mentor were so distant and with war on their doorstep.
With a wag of her tail, Maegi nodded in answer, padding along beside Relmyna as she led them to their next destination. Whatever awaited them there was likely beyond her wildest dreams.