churning - open; mashing berries

[wormwood.]

NOTHING BESIDE REMAINS — Aurum had gathered a bit of knowledge, about the home that Elsweyr had traveled from to ultimately end up in Tanglewood. He didn't know most of the details, since he didn't make a habit of drilling others about their pasts – he certainly didn't like talking about his own – but there were certain things that had come up naturally. It seemed as though she had lived in a tribe, who was mostly nomadic, and incredibly ritualistic. While the lion hadn't exactly thought of much of any religion in some time – for obvious reasons – he didn't think it was in good taste to openly criticize someone else's worship. Not unless they were seriously hurting others with what they were doing, and even then, you couldn't be so generalized. As an archangel, his job had once been to judge all those that came before him, and everything that their lives had involved. He had always hated the way that his heavens above have judged those of other religions, acting as if they were lesser just because they didn't believe in one divine spirit and a cloud paradise above. He supposed that was just yet another reason why he had chosen to break free, as many problems as that had ended up bringing him.

Having zoned out slightly as Elsweyr explained the various berries and bits of herbs to Salvia, Aurum found himself standing to attention once again when he heard that the cheetah was making war paint. He supposed that made sense, considering what their plans for the future were. Still, the mention of a croc goddess caused him to tilt his head to one side. He had definitely noticed the Elsweyr was spiritual, and her old home very likely was as well, but that didn't mean he knew anything about who she actually worshipped. Ever curious, Aurum hesitated for a moment before he questioned, his voice soft, "That's very kind of you, Elsweyr. Uh, forgive me if this is a bit rude of me to ask, but what is your 'croc goddess' like? I think I've heard you talk about her before, but I don't know much beyond the fact that she's a crocodile, and that she helps with combat." He hoped that Elsweyr didn't consider his question to be kind or inappropriate in some way. He knew that there were some out there who disliked having questions asked about their religion, but he wasn't asking to ridicule or persecute Els. Instead, he just genuinely wanted to hear what she had to say.

When Salvia spoke up, Aurum found his gaze shifting over to his son, resisting the urge to wince when he heard the barely held back skepticism in the other's voice. He could understand why it was there. After all, it was hard to believe in kind and all powerful beings, when your home was being ravaged and subjugated with no end in sight. However, the angel knew that things weren't always so simple, so he let his tail unfurl, wrapping it around Salvia and muttering to the boy, "Even goddesses sometimes get busy you know, Salvia. And sometimes, a blessing from someone may be more personal, rather than extending to an entire group. In my experience, things are usually much more complex than they originally seem." Of course, it would probably be difficult for Salvia to understand that at this point of his life. While the other had certainly already faced hardship along with the rest of them, he was mostly kept safe and didn't have too much on his shoulders. Not yet, anyways. — OF THE MAN WHO WAS BORN AND DIED A KING.