Dearest the shadows I live with are numberless

[drownedfuchsia]

Since the original notice of Titus's disappearance, Fuchsia Groan has lived in a fog.  She's barely eaten, and hasn't spent much time in her room.

Unlike what many would expect, there have not been hysterics.  Instead, she's cut herself off from everyone. It's not been intentionally obvious, more that she would be next to impossible to find.  She's

Comments

[ao_ji]

You know who isn't very good at cheering people up? A dragon. That doesn't mean he won't try though! He's wandering around, looking for people he knows, when he spots the under-dressed young woman and tilts his head.

It was cold and she shouldn't be out in only those thin clothes! Or maybe she wasn't cold? Only one way to find out.

"Are you not cold?"

[drownedfuchsia]

Fuchsia blinks at the dragon. She's seen this dragon before, in a dream of playing and snow, so she thinks. This, of course, will explain her answer.

"No, because I'm sleeping."

She's only met Falcor while awake.

[ao_ji]

"You are?" That is certainly strange! Temeraire crouches down and lowers his head to be closer to her level.

"You certainly look awake to me."

[drownedfuchsia]

"I can't be," Fuchsia replies. "I dream about dragons -- except Falcor."

[ao_ji]

"Dreaming about dragons can be a nice thing, but I am sure this is no dream. I am not dreaming after all. And I think you could also be cold, even in a dream."

[drownedfuchsia]

"Last time I dreamed about you, I was cold but I was also very small."

She wipes her eyes with the sleeve of Titus's shirt.

[ao_ji]

Temeraire bends forward and very gently bumps her with his nose. "I was smaller as well, but now we are both much bigger and perhaps this is not the dream? You are sad?"

[drownedfuchsia]

In the dream, he was such a lovely dragon, and Fuchsia's has such good luck with dragons. This dragon may not feel like he's lucky given that the reminder of her sadness, makes her tear up. She sniffs, and nods her head.

"I wish I was dreaming."

[ao_ji]

Temeraire sighs, his breath warm around her. "I wish I could help. May I help? I would like to."

He likes her and doesn't like seeing her sad.

[drownedfuchsia]

The warmth of the dragon's breath is noticeable, and she shivers, more in delayed recognition of the cold.

"Do you know my brother?"

[ao_ji]

"Perhaps." Temeraire shifts his body around to try and block the wind from her and he keeps his head close.

"Who is your brother?"

[drownedfuchsia]

Fuchsia sniffles. "Titus Groan. He's the only blood I have."

It would be unlikely anyone would ever choose to associate him or her with Fuchsia's mother.

She sounds oh so hopeful that the dragon does know Titus. Titus is special enough to know a dragon.

[ao_ji]

Temeraire's ruff lifts slightly. He has indeed met Titus and liked him.

"I do know Titus Groan. You are his sister? He is a good man. I will help you look for him." He would have helped anyway, but it makes it easier to search for someone he already knows.

[drownedfuchsia]

That the dragon knows her brother makes it better. "I'm his sister. I'm his only sister," as her father had the ladies' Clarice and Cora, who together really only equaled one person.

"He is good, so very good, usually. But not right now." She looks a little bit more energized: something about the help of a dragon will do that to a woman who loves fantastic tales.

[ao_ji]

Temeraire is pleased that she looks less sad now and has more energy. He nods as he listens to her.

"And he is not good because he is hiding?" Missing, he adds in his head, not liking the idea of more people going missing. "I cannot fit inside the house, but I can look outside for him."

[drownedfuchsia]

"He's run off again. He's done this before."

Fuchsia reaches out of her hand as if to touch his nose. She remembers doing that in her dream.

"He always left the castle, when he could, so he should be out here."