Redsand Canyon The bells.

She went for another walk today, this time making it to the palazzo without too much trouble. Towhee found it empty. She lingered in the doorway, recalling all the visits with Ruenna, then decided she felt strong enough for a bit of a farewell tour.

It wasn’t difficult to make her way to the sparring pit, considering it was only a stone’s throw away. Towhee paused there. It was deserted too, at the moment. Her lips pulled into a thoughtful frown, eyes bouncing between the distant forum and tablinum.

Where was @Germanicus? Perhaps he was out on patrol, like @Maxim. Well, she couldn’t make it quite that far, so Towhee planted her feet and decided to howl for both men, requesting an audience here at the arena.

germanicus returned from a quiet hunt. 

he dropped the duck carcass in the commons and came to attend towhee's call. 

he assumed that she and maxim had come to a conclusion, and so with a nod he waited for the other soldier to join them.

a patrol cut short by the call of towhee — for both himself and the imperator. some part of him hurt and worried all over again. yet he reminded himself this was good. it would give them what they wanted, as they retired. something he felt far too young for, but loved towhee too much to consider not retiring alongside with her.

as he approached, the imperator was given his respect. a bow and warm look.

towhee was given something softer, kinder, as he drew up alongside her.

The Imperator arrived first, dutiful as ever. Towhee felt a lurch in her gut when she saw him, even though he looked rather impassive today. She felt selfish, abandoning her post in his time of need. But he would have the rest of Mereo to hold down the fort, as the saying went, and Germanicus likely didn’t even want her sympathies.

Imperator.

Maxim materialized a moment later, his face soft when her eyes found it. Towhee reached out to brush her muzzle along the cut of his jaw. She waited for him to take a position abreast of her, the pair of them facing their leader.

We’ve discussed it and decided to relocate to Epoch, if they’ll have us. Maxim plans to visit there soon to make sure we’re welcome. I’m not entirely sure of the timeline yet, Towhee said, glancing at the the side of the Legatus’s face before facing forward again, but we’ll keep you and everybody else posted as we make preparations.

awwww <3333 ;;; im gonna miss them in mereo sm (even tho we can thread in epoch LOL)

they way they touched one another and their soft expressions told germanicus what he had chosen to assume.

it had the added brunt of intensifying his already heightened sense of aloneness.

he was unused to these reactions and did not care for how they compromised him.

"as i said before, towhee, you will bring much to epoch. i know they will welcome all of your teachings. thank you for your service to our ranks. maxim," and the yellowpaint gaze shifted to the legatus. "you have served mereo well. those who have known you as an officer will carry your efforts forward."

what else was there to say? his well-wishing was genuine. the loss compounded all the same.

he felt like a boy beneath the words of germancius. the imperator giving a blessing and words of pride. it made the sting present again, but if mereo did not hold a future for the wedded redhawks, how could maxim keep them here? the joys of soldiering were not for all of his made family.

his head dipped deeply and he fell silent for a moment before speaking once more. words for germanicus' ears and towhee's eyes.

thank you, imperator. his throat tight and for once he felt grateful towhee could not hear him. i would like to make the trip to epoch at once. that way we know.

She dipped her head to acknowledge the eagle’s words, then looked at Maxim’s face when Germanicus addressed him. Something she saw there made her stomach dip and, despite his reassurances, she wondered if she was robbing him of opportunity. Surely there would be plenty more of that in Epoch though, Towhee reminded herself.

Yes, good idea, she could only agree when Maxim said he ought to depart as soon as possible, glancing at Germanicus to see if he was in agreement, or had anything further to say to either of them.

"of course. i will have another cover your patrols for the day."

germanicus had nothing more to say. their time in mereo was at an end and he must abide. still he thought it would be rude to simply walk away. it would imply things he did not want them to assume.

"i will welcome your visits," he said instead with a warmth that came hard-pressed to muster. but muster it he did all the same.

he felt odd. adrift. supplying germanicus another loss so fresh after another. he felt the need to be silent with this.

his gaze drifted towards towhee fully now.

if he was not needed right here any longer, he figured he may as well begin the trek before the day grew too late. she would be well taken care of on the mend in mereo while he sorted their matters elsewhere.

this he knew.

There was a very businesslike air to this entire exchange. Towhee realized it was her fault for starting with that vibe. Making a mental note, she nudged Maxim to get going, nipping at his hindquarters as he departed.

After he was gone from view, the Redhawk faced Germanicus again. It wasn’t like it was now or never. As he said, they would visit one another. They would be next door neighbors, in each other’s hair all the time. It would be different but nothing like… say, Ruenna’s departure.

Okay, not to get all feelsy on you but I do want you to know… I appreciate you, Germanicus. You might even say I love you, like a brother, because Rue had been her sister in all the ways that counted. Mmkay, and now that I’ve made it weird, I’m gonna let you get back to your patrols while I go home and wait for everyone to come yell at me.

Despite the awkward declaration—or perhaps because of it, knowing her—Towhee smiled at him like a dork.

maxim departed. towhee and germanicus were left alone.

she spoke sentimentally, which he neither appreciated nor wanted. there was no anger in the imperator for her choice. but the repeated opening of sutures along his spirit was frustrating.

still he listened. she proclaimed siblings' love to him and he managed a smile. "it has been a long time since i had a sister. all you have done is appreciated, not only in the sense of mereo but personally."

he wanted to leave. he wanted to walk. the idea of never speaking again suddenly appealed on a churlish, childish level.

"will you allow me to escort you back to where you are resting? i will bring you a meal."

The smile, no matter how small, made her feel a bit better. Germanicus would be okay without them. She was probably only flattering herself by thinking it would make much difference to him. Towhee snorted at the thought.

Thanks, but I’m not resting, I’m— Suddenly, calling it a farewell tour seemed like a misnomer. I’m out for a walk. But if you wanna drop some food off later, I won’t say no.

Her own smile had tempered back to something that resembled normalcy. Towhee dipped her head to see him off, then turned her eyes to her next destination. Perhaps she might even venture all the way to Fennec’s garden.

<3

when towhee departed, germanicus would cross the commons once more.

he would deposit the duck upon her doorstep and turn for a patrol, mapping out the future of mereo and avoiding any thought of those who had left and were leaving.