Chapter 2 Dialogue 4

After everyone departs and heads to their respective rooms, Hazel finds herself hesitant as she walks down the halls of the ship. She sees new faces she’s only met for brief moments, smiling awkwardly but keeping her head down with discomfort and eventually finding the door to her room.

She stares at the metal frame and door for a while. Her brows knit together with confliction and her mind getting clouded with the muffled chatter of the residents of the ship. Eventually, she turns around, her long floor-length hair trailing behind her as she sets off towards the bridge.

Ignoring everyone she walks by, she can’t help but feel nervous being surrounded by so many people. Pushing the anxiety away, she focuses on trying to find him - to find Excalibur.

Excalibur is where he always is, wandering the halls of their once dereleict vessel, admiring the ancient but advanced crastsmanship at every turn. When Hazel finds him he is alone in one of the many rooms, muttering to Nova about his ‘To Do List’ , checking off some task and cleaning in preparation for new guests.

He always seems to find a job to busy himself with, even during their downtime, and he has yet to pick a room for himself, even as the ship is filling up. He doesn’t notice Hazel, entirely preoccupied.

Hazel winds the halls until she finally finds him. She ducks back down the hall she came, feeling foolish for her direct approach. This wasn’t quite like her to go out of her way to do this but she felt it was the right thing to do.

She swallows nervously as her mind starts to convince her this is a silly idea until she feels the nuzzle of Gloom against her shoulder. He pops out, looking at her curiously and as if being the manifestation of her consciousness in this decision making. She glares down at him.

Hazel: “It’s complicated…”

She whispers to him.

H: “he… He looks busy and this is silly.”

Her bottom lip pouts outward and stares at the wall across from her. She can feel Gloom’s gaze on her, judging. He always seems to direct her in the right place.

H: “Well, what if he says no? Then I’m just a fool…I don’t do these sorts of things… You know this…”

Still, the strange little creature looks at her.

H: “Fine!”

She hisses, H: “fine… But don’t say I don’t ever try to make friends…”

She builds up her courage and rounds the corner to approach Excalibur.

Her green eye is filled with a rich and dark green colour while the silver eye almost has a faint glow to it. As she walks, she pushes a strand of her hair across her silver eye to hide it from view.

H: “Uhm…”

She starts,

H: “hi…”

She looks at the ground but stops a few feet away from Excalibur, trying not to interrupt him.

Excalibur pauses what he’s doing, counting it seems, and he blinks.

Every movement, even the most slight, is accompanied by the very soft sound of mechanical whirring from beneath the many metal plates that make up his face, but as he turns to Hazel he smiles very slightly.

Excalibur: “Hazel- hello.”

He says, calm but with a friendly fondness in his voice, and he gives her a cordial bow of his head.

*His glowing blue eyes flicker to the bird on her shoulder, half-hidden behind her hair and his smile brightens a little, reaching his eyes. *

E: “And Gloom. Hello to you too.”

Hazel looks up, eyes wide a little and her light grey skin turning a slight pink when he addresses both her and Gloom. Having someone greet Gloom catches her off guard and brings a strange happiness she’s never felt before.

H: “Hi..”

She repeats again, awkwardly.

H: “I..”

She pauses and before she can continue, Gloom hops off her shoulder and flutters over to Excalibur. He flies around his head, playfully, before landing on his shoulder and looking at him curiously.

Hazel watches her little friend and then smiles, H: “What are you doing?”

Excalibur turns his head slightly as Gloom flies over to his shoulder, still smiling. He doesn’t seem put off, calmly admiring the bird as Gloom looks at him.

When Hazel speaks Excalibur turns his attention back to her and nods.

E: “I’ve been trying to repair the ship in my spare time- not the larger repairs, of course, I’ll leave those to the experts but…”

He begins to explain turning back and busying himself in the same corner of the room he was working in before.

E: “Well, a few of the vents are missing screws… some of the doors are in desperate need of oiling- dusty counters, things like that.”

He pauses, shaking his head.

E: “I-it might seem trivial, right now, but if this is to be our home- it should shine from bow to stern. Even to the most careful observer.”

He states, simply- as though the state of the ship was a matter of pride.

E: “Everyone else is far too busy with larger tasks- but these are well suited to me, I think…”

His eyes flicker back to Hazel, and he tilts his head a little.

E: “Can I help you with something?”

He asks sincerely.

Her eyes follow in the direction Excalibur points towards the vents and different areas that require repairs. She nods along, pretending like she understands but it’s obvious this is beyond her scope of knowledge. Though her interest never falters in listening to him talk.

She blinks when he finally turns his attention back to her then her eyes shift over to Gloom, who stares at her like she’s stalling. She narrows her eyes then shifts back to look at Excalibur.

H: “There are a lot of new people on the ship…”

*She comments then looks down to the ground again. *

H: “Are.. You planning to work all night?”

She asks, turning to look back at him.

E: “Well I…”

Excalibur begins, but then he falls silent as if considering her question. He fidgets with his hands for a moment before hiding them behind his back and he nods very slowly.

E: “I suppose I intended to continue until I required rest. I usually just… power down somewhere out of the way.”

He explains, glancing to Gloom before studying Hazel’s face as though trying to guess what she really means by asking him this.

E: “However- these tasks are not… immediately essential… If you had another activity in mind.”

Hazel starts to spin the golden bracelet on her left wrist nervously.

H: “P-power down?”

She asks as if he just dies for a few hours.

H: “You don’t need to work all the time…”

She says softly,

H: “you should also find time to rest and relax. We’ve done a lot recently and I’m sure you’re tired.”

Since Hazel’s never seen a Warforged until she left home, her understanding of their capabilities are unknown to her. Do they sleep? Do they need to rest? She doesn’t truly know nor does she care. He’s someone who also deserves to have time to himself without working himself into the ground.

H: “You don’t have a room,”

She comments again, watching him closely.

H: “I… Don’t know if I trust all of these new people. It’s very overwhelming to me and I don’t know how you feel but when you told me being in the city earlier was a bit uncomfortable for you, I assumed the feeling was mutual with the ship becoming busy like this…”

She twists her bracelet more,

H: “you deserve a space too…”

She looks at him, her green eye shining slightly from the moonlight’s reflection outside.

H: “I.. Have enough space in my room. It’s not much but you’re welcome to stay there…”

She takes an instinctive step back like she’s said something wrong and Gloom flies over to her immediately. He sits on her shoulder and sings a few little tones towards Excalibur that he’s also okay with it.

E: “Oh… With you?”

Excalibur clarifies, his eyes widening a little.

He glances away and the slightest frown creases his brow, but it vanishes a moment later. He looks back to Hazel and gives her a slow nod.

E: “Well- yes, I… It didn’t feel right to claim room when I scarcely need it. I don’t sleep, eat or drink. The most practical place for me to stay would be the workshop- I suppose but…”

His words fall off and his eyebrows upturn with guilt.

E: “Yes, all these new faces are… a little overwhelming.”

Excalibur takes a small step toward Hazel, and he smiles again.

E: “If my presence wouldn’t impose upon your privacy, then… sure. I could rest there- with you.”

He clarifies.

E: “I would appreciate the company.”

Hazel releases a shaken breath she didn’t know she was holding the entire time. She smiles, chuckling softly - a trait she doesn’t normally do.

H: “Of course it wouldn’t impose… You gave me a safe place to stay last night, I would like to return the favour.”

She nods, the nerves starting to disappear.

She’s never had friends other than Gloom and Doom before.

Looking at his work she pauses,

H: “I was going to head back, you’re welcome to join? I know you were busy but I mean… All of that can wait for another time.”

Excalibur nods.

E: “It can wait.”

He agrees, stepping up to Hazel and giving her his full attention, forgetting his previous task and leaving it for later.

E: “You took one of the larger rooms, didn’t you? I didn’t look at any too closely when we first boarded- perhaps you can show me around.”

He says, ready to follow Hazel back.

Hazel nods and starts walking beside him. She leads him back through the halls, still ignoring the new faces on the ship. If a Kobold passed by, she would nod happily to them and continue onward.

H: “It’s… A bit messy, but I can always put things away or move them so you don’t have to see them.”

There’s no details given in her suggestion though she seems shy about her belongings now that she has a new roommate.

When they approach the room together, Gloom flutters over and lands on top of Excalibur’s head, wanting to welcome him to his home.

Opening the door to her room, inside is in fact very large though the first thing to point out is the vast amount of vegetation filling the room. Walking inside, Excalibur is met with hanging vines and flowers. Some have dried out and died and there is a mix of fresh vibrant leaves and some flowers in full bloom. The mix of both dead and alive plants is something very unusual to see. The room holds a large bed in the far corner of the room with the strange vines and plants winding around the bed frame and bedside table. The bedside table is filled with different sized candles that have been used quite frequently. On the other side of the room houses a desk and shelves filled with jars and vials of herbs both dead and alive. There are books filled with drawings of plants and details outlining their properties. There appear to be small chests of papers, feathers, rocks, and twigs that are neatly stacked beside the desk. There’s also a cabinet on one side of the room that holds tea cups and strange jars of herbs and different coloured oils that have all been labeled carefully.

Looking closer, it appears she was working on a new vial of a coloured solution but Excalibur can’t tell what it is from here.

From some of the hanging vines, it appears like she’s intertwined them with small skulls of animals and creatures. The vines wind around them gently and fill in the gaps where bone pieces are missing and he can see the faint blooming of flower buds starting to grow along with some buds that have shriveled already. Still - more candles are held but more half dead vegetation and he realizes candles are sprinkled around the entire room.

But overall, this room is filled with themes of both vibrant life and beautiful death.

Hazel stands awkwardly to the side, clearly never sharing her place with anyone else before. She stands in one of the more empty corners of the room that has a small couch and side table. On the coffee table in front of it, there are a few sketches on light parchment of Gloom done with heavy charcoal.

H: “I know it’s not much… But you can have the couch…”

She says, twisting her bracelet, H: “at least until I can ask Hilda for another bed. Even if you don’t want one, you deserve one. You can make the space your own too.”

Excalibur slowly walks inside as he is welcomed, turning to look at her room with awe, seeing all of the vegetation. He seems hesitant to touch anything, standing awkwardly in the center of the room with his hands folded behind his back, but his eyes scan every detail.

E: “Well- it seems we brought a little piece of the forest with us when we left.”

He says, chuckling and glancing back to Hazel with a smile.

E: “I was already beginning to miss it.”

He wanders over to the coffee table, tilting his head to admire the sketches, looking up to Gloom when he spots the obvious resemblance. He looks back to Hazel when she suggests the couch, and then the possibiilty of a bed and he shakes his head, raising a hand.

E: “There’s no need. The comfort isn’t necessary- I’m just as well standing by the door or… wherever is most convenient for you. You’ve already been very generous to let me stay.”

Gloom flutters around him, almost proud of his appearance in the sketches then hops down onto the couch singing up at him.

Hazel’s eyes shift back to him.

H: “No,”

She finally says,

H: “this room is now yours too. Make it your own. That includes a bed.”

She smiles this time,

H: “I don’t know what kind of life you lead before all of this, but you’re not just some object to be left in the corner until the next day begins.”

She walks over to her tea cabinet and begins to prepare a tea before bed,

H: “you’re… a…”

She pauses, almost nervous to say the word.

H: “You’re… a friend.”

She doesn’t look at him, afraid she’s made too much of an assumption.

Excalibur sighs at Hazels insistence, but he is still wearing a smile, and he gives her a nod.

E: “Then, the couch is more than sufficient for now.”

He says, agreeing is some small compromise.

He walks over in her direction, watching her as she gathers the herbs to make her tea.

E: “I’m glad to call you my friend, Hazel.”

He says easily, with a simple nod.

E: “I would hope to say the same for our other companions as well.”

Excalibur pauses, pondering that thought for a moment.

Hazel’s face blooms a pinkish colour hearing he feels the same. The first true friend she’s ever made.

While Hazel prepares her herbs, Gloom flutters to the rafters of the room and brings down small flowers and twigs, placing them in front of Excalibur.

H: “I do not know if the feeling is mutual towards me… though, I like to think they have good intentions.”

Hazel starts to brew the tea and Excalibur can only view her back from where he is.

H: “I do not know how I feel about some of the decisions made as of late - That feeling also goes towards Hilda bringing all of these new faces on board. Though, I’m not upset. I guess, I just feel overwhelmed.”

She chuckles to herself and Excalibur can hear her pouring the water.

H: “I like to think we’re doing the right thing but…”

She pauses, swallowing hard.

H: “I don’t like being so involved with the law. Hearing they’re going to be bringing a Justicar to the city because of what’s happening makes me very nervous…”

She finishes preparing the tea and turns, holding two cups. She walks over to sit beside Excalibur on the couch. Gloom has almost made a full nest size worth of treasures he’s scavenged around the room.

Hazel smiles.

H: “He likes to bring gifts to those he likes.”

She explains quietly.

Excalibur smiles at Gloom’s behavior.

E: “I don’t have anything to give you… I’m sorry.”

He says to the bird, shaking his head as Hazel pours the tea.

Hazel places the tea in front of Excalibur and there appears to be a deep warm purple colour to the water. Hazel picks at the teacup in her own hand.

H: “I… know you said you were unsure of what you’re able to consume… But I know you like the scent of things. It’s herbal tea, I promise it’s not poisonous…”

Hazel thinks back to the tea she tried to make for Vaelyn who turned it away out of fear.

H: “You don’t have to drink it but you’re welcome to have it and enjoy it how you please.”

He takes the cup into his hands and brings it to his face as though smelling it. He smiles, and doens’t take a sip, but he doesn’t put it down either, smiling and enjoying it in his own way just as she suggested. He very lightly pokes at some of the petals floating in the water.

*After a few moments, she returns back to the topic before.

H: “I’m afraid…”

She finally says.

E: “Afraid that the Justicars will turn their ire on you?”

Excalibur nods, but frowns a little.

E: “None of us would let something like that happen. I’m sure of it.”

Excalibur nods.

E: “I know Jasiri wouldn’t let them take you. Torren and Vaelyn know what it means to be persecuted on principle for what you are- I’m sure they wouldn’t stand by. And Schmead might have the kindest heart of us all, and they are far braver than they give themselves credit for… without a doubt all of us would stand between you and any Justicar.”

He says with confidence in his voice.

Hazel stares at the petals and herbs floating around the surface of the tea. She nods, though she doesn’t feel convinced.

h; “I know…”

She says out of habit,

H: “I never got to truly thank you for what you did in the sewers.”

Her face tilts up and Excalibur sees her silver eye emerge from behind her hair.

H: “You didn’t only save me but you saved Gloom too. I think that is something you’ve given him. I think this is just a way of him saying thank you…”

Gloom hops around the pile of gifts, excited that Excalibur likes them.

H: “You gave me another day with him…”

Her eyes remain on Excalibur, a wonderment within her stare as she admires all his features.

H: “And for that… I suppose this is my way of thanking you too.”

E: “Another day? I hope you live far longer than that.”

Excalibur chuckles, and looks down at his tea, but he spares a small glance toward Gloom and gives him a smile.

E: “In the sewer- well… it took us both…”

Excalibur’s words slow down as he consdiders their battle, and he frowns, going over the memory in his mind.

E: “I suppose… it only made sense to do what I could to save you.”

He blinks, clearing the thought from his mind and he smiles again, looking back up to Hazel.

E: “And in the end, Jasiri saved us both so- we have him to thank, really.”

H: “Sure… I would really like to thank him with you. Though.. I was referring to the room where I…”

Her hands shake remembering the room with the spiders. Gloom sees her and flutters over into her lap, nuzzling his face against the bottom of her hand.

Excalibur blinks, and his smile fades a little.

E: “Oh…”

E: “I…I was a little late, honestly. It would have been better had the creature not attacked you at all… I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.”

He tilts his head, watching Hazel and Gloom interact.

Hazel shakes her head.

H: “No…”

She whispers.

H: “…you did everything.”

A smile starts to reappear on her face and Gloom turns to Excalibur, tilting his head to mimic his actions.

H: “Anyway, I shouldn’t keep you…”

She looks up at him again.

H: “I’m glad you’ll have a safe place to call home now. I’m going to get some rest and I’ll see you in the morning.”

Hazel gives a slight bow to her head and heads to the bathroom to prepare for sleep. She finishes cleaning up and gives him another smile of ‘good night’ before crawling into her bed.

Excalibur nods to her as she moves to leave, and he awkwardly goes to sit on the couch. He sits down slowly, hesitantly even, like he’s not quite sure what to expect, patting the cushion before he sits down.

He just sits there, staring straight ahead for a while, his posture a little too rigid.

Gloom flies over to Excalibur and looking closer there’s a strange twig in his mouth. He waits for Excalibur to hold his hand out.

When Gloom comes over he relaxes a little and smiles at the creature, looking curiously at the twig in his mouth. Eventually, Excalibur gets the hint and he holds his hand out toward the bird.

Revealing the palm of his hand, Gloom hops up and lowers his beak. He drops the piece and tilts his head once again upward at him before fluttering back over to Hazel and finding his place against her chest.

She’s already asleep by this point, breathing softly and clearly exhausted from the long day. But returning his attention to the palm of his hand, he sees a dark piece of wood and looking closer there’s a blooming berry starting to grow off of the dead branch. Excalibur realizes it’s a bramble branch - a piece of the head dress Hazel wears every day.

Excalibur chuckles, but this little piece of branch he keeps, tucking it into the the pocket of his shirt. Slowly he leans against the back of the couch and closes his eyes.