The Road from Perdition

    The priestess has been riding for many days now. She checks in with Tae and others from time to time. Well, honestly, she is stalked by them. She still refuses to eat anything but menu food and has to be tricked into resting and bathing. Fortunately she has avoided debuffs that would interfere with her work. It is hard to extoll nobles to charity when they are offended by your appearance.

    Despite all efforts, the power of her will has left her exhausted many times on this journey. Tae has established the timing now, however. The priestess faints after about 48 hours of continuous awake time. And so, Tae regularly recruits people to help with her wife's challenging (and rather dangerous) tendency to keep moving until she passes out on the road. She's again near her limit, but has just finished in Breg Epona. Instad of sleeping, it's clear she is on to the next site.

    "There are the nomads, still," she murmurs. "I know they are doing well, but.." She wants to talk to them. They are, after all, her people in their own way.

Sometimes the need to keep Elly from destroying herself in her efforts for a better Yamato, which makes Tae's job a bit easier finding a recruit to send on her venture.

As for it may seem as Wake is alone as she considers her next travel, it is not quite so. A form emerges from the shadows... a familiar parasol as it reachs to the ground in front of the woman at just enough of an angle to not be easily stepped over. "Lady Wake." The rest of the vulpine woman follows. The parasol is lifted as Daiyu bows in greeting properly, but every movement she made to that point was strategic, placing herself directly in the path were Wake won't be able to miss, or simply walk past, her.

Tae warned her she was going to be... stubborn most likely....

    "But if I stray from my path now, I will be late. I must travel further tonight. Further."

    Wake is roused from her self-debate by the appearance of her friend. She is not stratled, but rather delighted. Her smile, despite the exhaustion, is warm and welcoming as ever. Her response is a curtsey that defies any debuff. It is, simply put, a lovely expression of her feelings. In this case, joy and the love of a friend.

    "Lady Daiyu! I am so delighted to see you. What are the chances? Surely the Goddesses are smiling upon me on this journey. I have seen so many friends in such unlikely places!"

    She's not really so silly as to think it is pure chance, but that her friends care for her so much is surely a greater blessing still.

Daiyu keeps her usual composure but there is that hint of a smile the warm greeting brings to her typically stoic expression. "Your many friends and family are conserned for you and your ongoing mission," she holds up a hand to stay any potential objections. "Not of your eventual success, that is a given, as you and your Goddess will of course accept of no less. But you do have a habit of pushing yourself extremely hard." Regardless of Strange Mood or not. The parasol is returned to her shoulder while the other hand spreads out in a gesture towards the direction Wake had been heading. "If you come to your next meeting weary and beleagured, what will your compatriots think of it? Dedication, or desperation?"

The hand returns to it's match grasping the parasol. "I also have want of my own to speak to you, Elly. Your effort is admirable but also slightly concerning to someone who is unfortunately familiar with that of an altered state of mind." A tail flicks. Daiyu may not be the most interpersonal of people but as an author she at least knows her way with words and speaking. "You should not forsake your own well-being for one penultimate goal."

    It is rare that anyone in this world expresses themselves with such honesty. The priestess listens carefully. It obviously takes effort for her to do so. These odd obsessive fits constrain her like chains, yet she can resist them. For a time.

    Elly's response is eloquent. "They are dying, my friend. The little ones. So many with no home. So many without proper food. They do not even know they are loved."

    In this moment, with an endless, dusty road ahead, with seas to cross, mountains to ascend, and monsters to evade, the armor that so often must be worn is cast aside.

    She's weeping.

    "How can I do anything less than push my body to its final limits? I know that it is the mood in part. But even without it, I would feel their suffering. I have arrived too late already so many times. I try not to let myself consider those lost in the wilds, hopelessly beyond my reach. I only bed The Blind One to twist fate and deliver these lost ones to safety. I am moving swiftly. But not swift enough."

    She sighs softly, lifting a hand to wipe at her tears. She draws in a deep breath, then lets it out.

    "I know I don't have much left in me today, and my peko has become too tired to carry me until we rest. Perhaps I should get a team of them? Or hire a cart. But no. Then I might miss so many things that I've found along the way."

Daiyu reachs over to rest one hand comfortingly on Wake's shoulder. "Elly, everything you say is true. But how can you help them if you cannot help yourself, constantly working to the point of breaking?" It was the honest but bluntly direct truth. The most practical way of getting the point across during one of these 'moods' she's determined. And while they may be subversive and mischevious the hulijing is also a creature of honor and loyalty to those that have earned their trust. And for everything she did to help Robert and the others free her, Daiyu has nothing less than for Wake. "I am not asking you to stop. Far from it. But you need to take care of yourself as well, Elly. To be able to do all the good you seek to make in the world."

A pause, thoughtful, tail tips twitching. "If nothing else, allow me to travel with you for a bit. I wish to see more of Yamato and it's social culture for myself, and at your side will allow me insights I cannot possible access on my own as an 'outsider'."

    It takes some thought from the priestess. She wrestles with the simple fact of things. She is exhausted. Soon, she will collapse. Again. Her peko is exhausted and cannot carry her until it rests. More than this, she is causing stress on those who care for her. Even through the mood, she knows that Tae is worried. For a time, her wife was traveling with her, but the pace is simply exhausting and someone has to look after the people of Eas while their baroness is away.

    "I have been a burden on those who love me. For that, I apologize. I will... rest. You are right. Of course you are right."

    She looks back at Breg Epona, and then turns ahead. "There is a small place that we can stay overnight. It is not far away. And of course you are welcome to travel with me, Daiyu. I would be delighted to show you Yamato and its wonderful people."

"That will suit the need, yes." The hand moves from the shoulder to take Wake by the arm, just to ensure that she does indeed come with with. "You are not a burden... A bit more stress than usual, yes. But we are your friends, we will help you endure." Once she is sure Wake is following she relaxes again. "I will not try to make you take more than the menu item diet you have deemed to follow, as long as you do indeed eat. As a scout I have had to subside on it myself. And when the time comes I will help you find books appropriate for the young minds to learn from." Once a librarian, always a librarian.

    The guidance of having her arm taken does help the priestess get centered. As does the agreement that the menu item matter will not be debated. She made a promise and she finds it disappointing that anyone would try to trick her or force her to break something as sacred as an oath.

    "I would greatly appreciate your help with the books. If you have time, perhaps you can support our efforts in the long term? I would ensure you are compensated for your time, of course. It only works if everyone is supported, after all."

    She has visions in her head already. A library in every one of the great schools, each carefully selected to support the curriculum. It would be perfect.

    The place that Elly indicated is actually a modest village. If barely that much! It supports the troops who frequently pass through, allowing for mounts to be changed and weapons stored. It seems that the priestess is already well known here. She demonstrates the local customs, showing respect and even showing familiarity with a few of the warriors. They let her and Daiyu have a room there. It is fortunately one with two cots to use.

    Before she sleeps, Elly pulls a bell from her inventory and ties it to her shackles. "This way I am unlikely to slip away from you without warning. It has been a problem." Tae was quite cross about /that/ debacle. Elly did make up for it, of course. The loving apology is an artform she has nearly perfected. But still, being rude is best to avoid whenevver it is possible.

Daiyu has had to deal with less than cots to sleep a night on so she is not going to complain about the sparsness. The bell gives her a bit of amusement though. "I can see that being an issue, yes." Her vulpine hearing is unlikely to miss it chiming. "You have already made an impression with these people," she remarks as she sits on her own sleeping cot, setting the parasol at the side so it is at hand. It's a habit, she's unlikely to ever need it's hidden blade in middle of the night, but it never hurts to be cautious. "We have to the fruits of your labors to look forward to. In it's own due time." Tails curls up to improvise blankets as she lays down. "Good night, Elly."