Cath'rinne understands that she's probably not invited - not surprising, I suppose, given her magical hobbies. She's learned early that even the magi who are tolerant of necromancers don't tolerate them near the tombs of their families. She sighs after Betula leaves and absent-mindedly puts the Verditius's skull in a pocket, unsure whether this new trinket will be useful to her later. She returns to the open tomb with a grog in tow. "I'll have to make do without her senses, I suppose." she mumbles to herself. She stares at the open tomb, wondering how to do this, looks at the position the sun is in the sky and is overheard uttering profanities by anyone nearby who understands Norman.
She tells the grog in latin to ensure the tomb remains as it is and walks away to settle down to meditate to recover fatigue, not believing she can pull it off alone before sundown as she was hoping to do.
This is ackward she thinks as she is trying to rest to have some energy for her planned nightshift, unable to banish the shared sight from Betula. It better be just her socks, she's taking off...
Meanwhile, Turold completes his discussion with the genius loci. About to head off to the tomb, he is distracted by the sight of Betula kneeling and crying on the ground. He will approach her to see if she's harmed. "Lady, are you well?" he tries in English (Saxon). Whether he comforts her when seeing that she's not, or leaves her may depend on how she reacts to his approach.
Betula looks up at Turold, not seeming to comprehend for a moment then shakes her head. "Life is pain, Turold," she responds in her native Saxon, "When it is solved, all this," she gestures to everything around her, "pain will end." Her tears continue but her smile seems genuine and warm. She remains seated smiling up at him.
Turold wipes away some of her tears and smiles back. "There is much beauty in life, Betula. Pain is a small price to pay to enjoy the world we walk everyday."
“That is the worst part, Turold… HA!” She says and quickly stands, the last tear still dripping down her cheek, her smile not fading. She grabs Turold’s hand, “Come, we must get ready for supper.” and begins to lead him to find the others.
Letting go of Turold’s hand, finally, as she approaches Cath’rinne. She slows, walking quietly as not to disturb her. Kneeling in front of Cath’rinne and stares directly at her face she seems to begin meditating herself.
Cath'rinne was lost in her thoughts, drifting away as Betula approaches her. Still sharing her sight, she jumps out of her reverie when she sees her own face through Betula's eyes. Opening her eyes: "Hello sister." After a moment, she adds "Strange to see myself through your eyes."
“Yes… I found it odd myself when Vineus shared his senses with me. I laid on the ground the whole time he shared his sense of touch, by far the most difficult… I believe the hour approaches, shall we?” As Betula stands and offers a hand to Cath’rinne. Absently, “I can wear a blindfold. Eating with sight from another is quite a challenge.”
"I've heard it can be complicated to eat without your sight" Cath'rinne smiles backs.
Cath'rinne accepts the hand and stands up.
Turold, hearing the ghost moans, adresses Betula. "Oh, I forgot to mention. I spoke with the genii loci. It would like you to finish whatever business you have with that ghost and then close the grave again. The open grave disturbs the forest."
Replying to Betula, but not understanding Turold, Cath'rinne says: "I was resting to recover my energy. I suppose I could box that ghost, if you sit still and assiat me with your eyes? I can't do this alone before supper."
"Box the ghost?" Betula says, obviously confused, "but I told Brother Pine we would leave it in the ground." but she begins leading everyone towards the open grave as they discuss.
Walking to the tomb with Betula. "Are you familiar with Incantation of Summoning the Dead? It's a ritual. Summoning a ghost costs vis. Unless it's already there. Why should I leave a valuable resource behind? If you find an herbam vis bearing mushroom at the base of a tree, do you leave it untouched? My art is Mentem. This ghost is vis. I suppose it can moan, but so can Imaginem vis I hear."
Betula is shocked and pulls her hand from Cath'rinne's. "If the tree the vis was growing at the base of asked me to leave it, then yes, I would leave it..." thinking for just a moment, "Perhaps you will not do this out of respect for a ghost of a Diedne or perhaps not even for a living tree, but will you leave it out of respect for a sister?"
Cath'rinne finds the question visibly difficult to deal with. "Will you also ask me to give up my magic, Betula? This... it is what I do. To ask me to abandon my pursuit of ghosts is akin to me asking you to give up the search for the Enigma. If just this ghost, why? Why does this one matter?"
"That is a poor analogy, I can study the Enigma anywhere so if you asked me not to study a particular facet out of respect for you I most certainly could and likely would move along but I could no more stop seeking the Enigma than I could stop breathing, it is part of us... even you. I do not think this ghost... matters but the spirit of the forest and this tree both matter and what I told Brother Pine matters. Perhaps it is of no consequence if this... ghost is ripped from its place connecting to these things but perhaps it will cause anguish that is unnecessary, perhaps it could reveal more studied in place... but to you it is merely a resource to be extracted from these connections?"
Cath'rinne sighs. "Maybe you can study the Enigma anywhere. I'm not sure where else I can study this..."
I probably can't say it out loud, can I?
"I'm not sure I care what a tree thinks. But maybe the spirit of the forest matters. Either way, I don't want to make you a liar, but please don't make promises on my behalf on things like that in the future..."
She seems lost in thought.
"Maybe there are other ways to study as you say, Betula, but the truth is this is beyond my abilities. I know what I can do to a ghost. Herbam is not my art. I've never learned to commune with the land. I don't even have your blessed eyes to see spirits. I... I am clueless where to even start."
Betula's eyes light up, "I will teach you then." as she takes Cath'rinne's hand and leads her closer to the open grave and asks the grog to carefully rebury the uncovered corpse.
She walks away, not really wanting to watch the body being buried again in case she changes her mind. She'll cast the spell suggested by Betula
InVi base 5 with range personal, duration sun (+2) and target taste to taste when the sun touches the horizon (a diameter before sunset). The taste should be distinctive during a dinner, but not displeasing. She casts at +17. Rolled a 0. Two botch die reduced to one by Cautious Sorcerer - not a botch. This costs 1 stamina + 2 extra stamina.
She'll go to the dinner party with Betula afterwards to meet with their faerie sodales.