Lecasryn flies in circles around her Zeviana. Like she's a vulture, waiting for her quarry to die.

(Or a caged animal, looking for the door.)

Ranata returns with some roasted duck smelling intensely of spices and some spinach smelling intensely of different spices.

"Zeviana's in la-la land," reports Castarilan, fluttering to cling to the silks wrapped around one of her arms. "Lecasryn, how long will this take?"

The harrier swoops down, landing neatly in front of Ranata. "A few more minutes, she's almost done with her inspections."

Zeviana continues to be in 'la-la land.'

Soon enough, Zeviana returns to the land of mortals, mostly-mortals, and witches. She spots the food, smiles, and gets to nibbling it, with a, "Thanks!"

Lecasryn flies to her shoulder, and whispers softly in her ear. It's hard to tell - but she's shaking, a little. Whatever it is that's being said, Zeviana nods in agreement. Lecasryn gets pets.

"Right - Ranata? Can I borrow your phone for a bit? I need to ask my brother for advice, I think Lecasryn and I need to separate -" she glances at her daemon, "- rather soon."

"Sure." Ranata dials her phone again and hands it over.

But it just keeps ringing and ringing.

Sigh. Obviously they are busy.

She confers with her daemon for a little bit, then says, "All right, I think I might just try it without brotherly advice. Because Lecasryn's going stir-crazy and I honestly can't blame her."

"If you like."

Lecasryn pipes up, "I can't handle it - it wasn't so bad when I didn't think about it but now I am and if she gets started on the plants I'll be stuck here and incapable of leaving and I think that's worse than - than anything else in the world."

More soothing pets. "I don't know the procedure. Do I just - walk away from her? That's it?"

Zeviana fixes her daemon with a look. She doesn't bother lowering her voice. "Can you do it? If you can't then we'd have to wait longer and -"

"- I can do it," replies Lecasryn.

"You're sure?"

Pause. "Yes."

"Okay then. How far's the distance I need to go?" asks Zeviana.

"Faster that way, that'd be great, thanks."

Lecasryn finds a spot to perch. She thinks she's not going to change her mind, but she doesn't know for sure, yet. The idea of changing her mind and damning herself to confinement for a little longer is physically repulsive, it makes her feel sick.

"I'll stay, I won't change my mind," whispers the harrier, half to herself.

Castarilan sits near Lecasryn, though not close enough that he's in harm's way if she starts freaking out.

Ranata sets the cloud-pine floating, and when Zeviana is on it - she flies away. Not at top speed or anywhere near it, since Zeviana might fall right off the branch with the discomfort, but a good bit faster than she could walk.

Lecasryn doesn't start freaking out. She makes a little sound when it starts, and crunches in on herself - but that's it. After that one whimper, she doesn't move, she doesn't speak, she doesn't make a single sound or move even a feather. It's entirely possible to think from observance that she doesn't breathe.

Zeviana's going, she's leaving, she might never come back - then she'd be alone, so alone. Forever. The thought terrifies her, it's seeping into her bones and begging her to give up, to reach out, to let Zeviana come back. She doesn't want it - she likes being around Zeviana, likes having the other half of her there, likes going on silly adventures to the zoo with her.

But her mind doesn't change. It's better to be alone forever. A thousand times better to be alone and in agony rather than happy in a cage, even if she loves the cage, even if it's so gilded that she's too dazzled to see the bars. It's irrelevant what's in it or how she feels about her jailer. The idea of not being free to leave whenever she likes - along with the idea of being nothing more than a pretty pet that socializes - it's like she's dying. It's like she's worse than dying, because how could she ever have even lived?

It's hilarious, because she doesn't even know what she'll do with her freedom once she's got it. It's likely that she won't do much with it at all, that she'll hang out around her mage and only occasionally go off on long trips. That doesn't matter, though. It doesn't matter what she'll do with her freedom - it only matters that she has it.

Zeviana doesn't fall off the branch with discomfort. She adopts a look of stubborn resolution and eventually says, "Faster - new kind of - fuck-" (she hisses with agony) "-pain, can take it. Go."

She understands. Because years ago, she was trapped for years and years, and the thought of doing that to another half of her self - no. Fuck no.

That's about all she can manage to think, at the moment. Just the word, "No."

Ranata speeds up. Still not to top speed, if Zeviana falls she would rather have her require intensive healing magic than a casket, but quite quick.

It'll be over in a few seconds.

Then it is.

Zeviana actually does nearly fall off of the branch, but catches herself. "Got it. Fuck that hurt, ow..."

Lecasryn sags with relief, "Fuck - fuck, I'm free, it's snapped, we're separated. That - that fucking hurt, that was worse than I'd thought it would be..."

But not so bad that she changed her mind. She's free. She's free.

Ranata stops, makes sure Zeviana's steady, then turns around.

Castarilan flutters closer to the harrier. "Are you okay?"

Zeviana's steady now that she's adjusted to not being in agony. "Thanks. That got it over nice and quick. Still hurt like a motherfucker, but whatever."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Does she know to come back? Should I try to catch her, or just - wait?"

"You're welcome."

"My Ranata will bring her back," Castarilan assures Lecasryn.

Zeviana nods, then she just - waits for them to be back with Castarilan and Lecasryn.

"Okay, good. Gah that fucking sucked," says the harrier.

Hurray! Lecasryn inspects Zeviana, and nibbles her a little affectionately. Pet, pet, all is well.

"Better?" asks the mage, after they have spent a - well, remarkably short amount of time recuperating.

"Yeah. Yeah - mind if I go flying? It's stupid, but -"

"No. Be sure. You're not going to offend me."

"Thanks," replies Lecasryn. Quick nuzzle, then - she's off in the air.

(She found the door.)