No Legal Obligation

From FiranMUX

Setting: Hydra District -- Warrior's Lodge -- Main Chamber

Apalonius may need to beg access to the lodge (poor keyless warrior dude), but he does it without showing much embarassment, making his way inside with his child safely, er, elsewhere. Humdedum. He is wearing his republic armor, perhaps just returned from or on his way to a training session.

Oh look! Rinzik matches! Also in Republic green, Rinzik's armor goes clang and clank where Apalonius's goes creak and squeak. He carries the greater weight of it in slightly unfamiliar fashion, only just sitting down with a cup of tea and bit cooked MEAT from the kitchen. He bites, chews, and contemplates the far doorway to the shrine.

Hey! Apalonius recognizes Rinzik! They've seen each other before... He frowns very briefly, not in upset, just in startled recognition. Then he moves over. "Centurion Rinzik?" he checks.

Rinzik does not look up at 'Centurion'. He does look up at Rinzik, though, gaze turning away to consider Apalonius. His regard is steady, and a little intense for a simple hello. "Yes," he says shortly. *Firan*

"I'm Apalonius," the pilot introduces himself. "May I sit?" He doesn't look terribly bothered by the intensity.

"Sure," Rinzik says, waving generally. "Apalonius. That's right." Reflexively, he glances around after a short tag-along. No son. Hm. He takes another bite of some unspecified meat product and looks back at the older man.

Apalonius lowers himself to sit opposite Rinzik, leaning forward to rest his elbows on faintly spread knees, hands folded together. "I'm living next door to Mes Thisbe," he explains, getting to the meat of the matter quickly. "She said that she tends to look to you and to Brother Malatan for..." he looks for a word. "To be the men in her life and to guide her." *Firan*

Wariness briefly increases before Rinzik switches over to a more thoughtful intensity, watching Apalonius as he speaks. "Ah," he says by way of scanty encouragement to continue. "And?"

"She's not doing well," Apalonius says bluntly. "She is very afraid of... everything, or near enough. She said her apartment was broken into not long ago, and it was pretty clear she was still scared about it. She's got this really disturbing stuffed thing in her apartment, like a life-sized soldier doll or something, as if she could get protection from it. I don't know what ties you have to her, but she needs more protection and guidance than she's getting."

"I agree," Rinzik says, picking up his tea to finish it in a long swallow and then setting it and the remains of his meat to the side. He brushes his fingers clean before hands clasp and he leans forward slightly, bracing the weight of his upper body with elbows on his knees. "The only ties I have to her are those of friendship, really. I have asked Lord Rodiste to allow me to adopt Mes Thisbe into my family, as however poor her challenge, I met it, but I have yet to hear back from it. She can be willful, like a child, I suppose, or a stubborn horse. You say she needs more protection and guidance. Do you have suggestions, or just a vague outline?"

At the mention of a challenge, Apalonius's lips thin, and his eyes move aside, toward the fireplace. He remains silent for a few seconds. "I... thought your relationship was something more formal. I'm sorry." He frowns. "I had been thinking of having her living in a real household, not alone. It's not right to expect a woman to live alone like that. They don't have the strength for it. If you had been a legal kind of guardian... But she said there was a marriage planned for her, and I expect once she has a husband in her life to guide her, things will start to get better."

Rinzik stirs uncomfortably, and shakes his head briefly. "Not very formal, no. And my thoughts are much like yours on this. I don't think a woman should be living on their own. But regarding her marriage plans, I don't think they are quite solid." He eyes Apalonius with mild suspicion. "We will see what happens. Have you seen or heard anything very recently to give you special cause for concern?" *Firan*

Apalonius grimaces at that. "I don't know what to compare it to," he says. "But there's pretty clearly... she's obviously afraid, and sad. When I saw her the first time, she looked... I don't know. Ill. Maybe injured. I thought at first she'd just disobeyed someone, but when she mentioned the breakin..." He makes a face, not able to adequately give voice to all of his concerns. *Firan*

"How recent was this break-in?" Rinzik asks after a moment, setting aside the other topics to focus on the one that has Apalonius's attention.

"I don't know," Apalonius answers. "She mentioned it in passing, and I didn't want her to feel like I was putting pressure on her, given the circumstances. I got the idea it was just a month or so ago. I moved in two weeks ago, and she mentioned it the first time we met." He pauses for a moment, then adds, "She asked if I would come to check on it if I heard hammering noises, like someone breaking down a door."

Rinzik motions to a fat beekeeper and they engage in brief conversation.

What a fat beekeeper is doing in the lodge, no one will know, but Rinzik leans over to ask him a question with a slight frown. Glancing back at Apalonius, he nods. "All right. Some child broke her door down some months ago, but if this is more recent, she hasn't seen fit to tell me about it. I'll ask, next I see her."

Apalonius nods. "It might have just been that," he says. "Like I said, I didn't get any details. I was -- well, concerned, though. And from what she said, I thought you had... some sort of obligation you weren't handling. I was wrong, I think. I'm sorry for that." *Firan*

A muscle tightens in Rinzik's jaw as he briefly, briefly!, clenches his teeth. "No legal obligation," he says with a shake of his head, but ever-sober, he adds, "but perhaps a moral one, and I have allowed her to live on her own too long knowing of her weakness."

"Thank you," Apalonius says, his voice low and quiet. "I've been doing what I can, but I have no real rights, even morally, and I don't want to be too... forward."

"Yes," Rinzik says, tone vaguely cranky. "I understand." He narrows his eyes at Apalonius again, watching him closely -- and who knows what for! "Good of you to be concerned, and take the time to make me aware of your concerns."

Apalonius just returns the nod, still seemingly unconcerned by that close scrutiny. "I should be going," he says, rising. "I need to pick my son up before dinner. Thank you for talking with me about this." *Firan*

Rinzik leans back as Apalonius prepares to stand, intensity briefly fading. "You're welcome," he says curtly. Only after a moment does he think to add, "Zutiv's blessings on you and your son." Then he eyes the shrine again, gaze turning pointedly away. Hmm. HMM. *Firan*

"And on you and your family," Apalonius replies. Then he goes to plead with someone to please unlock the door and let him out, please!