I had the nicest time this evening. This elf sat and talked with me for hours. It is a good thing I was off duty; I would have been disappointed to cut it short to return to the crew early.

We talked of the Ebon Blade, His Kind, and the Argents (they are the Crusade now, and it feels strange that they keep changing their name, I hope they do not ask me to change mine some day, I went through so much to get my name back) who are My Kind.

He was so very kind, and his voice reminded me of Baelyn. Low and dark and reminding me of earth and dirt and he smelled a little like frost on corpses which I suppose is exactly what it is but I do not mind it. I have smelled worse things, and I can shut that part of me off if I try.

This man, Ravek, he is not Baelyn. I know this. Baelyn was tempermental, jealous, full of rage and passion and strength and rough with me often in voice and deed and manner. This man is not Baelyn. But I like him all the same because he fills me with quiet and he is strong, also.

I wanted to thank him for that quiet, but the only way I know how to thank people is by helping them, and he seemed afraid of me at first, like everyone else who is not simply disgusted by me.

He let me touch him, though, and did not recoil from it. He was cold, colder than I am, and he says he is dead. Certainly I can tell he is dead; my flesh feels like fire ants around dead things and people, especially the walking and talking kind. But I can quiet the ant-crawling if I try hard enough, just like I did with Master Ryutan. I can do a lot of things when I try, but a lot of the time there is no need so I just sit in the dark and wait.

There are more times now of waiting than doing and it is a Sad Thing.

That is only the third time where I was happy I have this curse gift talent. I can call it a talent when I am happy, I think.

Touching Ravek and eating away his sad feelings to thank him for the quiet made me tired, and he let me sleep against him. He seemed worried that the cold would hurt me, but I am used to cold. I am not as cold as he inside or out, but cold enough that people usually stay away; a heartbeat while he held me would have been nice, Baelyn's heart was good, but we cannot have everything, and Ravek's arms around me while I slept was a Good Thing and good enough.

Maybe I can find Ravek a heart that beats, and then I can listen to that while I sleep. Dead people can get new parts, can they not? Like machines that Fissil makes, or Master Hieros. Master Hieros gave himself a new heart, although it is a clockwork. I think he called it that, anyway. Yes. Maybe I will find Ravek a heart, or ask Master Hieros for one. Winter Veil is coming soon; I hear the dock workers talk about it and something called Shore Leave. Winter Veil is when the Azerothian Kind give gifts. 

I hope I see Ravek again.

He makes me miss the Good Things less.