[caladanbrood]

OOC: boo!

IC:

Daskin backed out of the room after Lairelle had finally slipped into sleep, closing the door gently. He knew now that he would never be able to have Lairelle as his Irrith Amin, but already felt a new steel inside himself, he was going to help her in any and every way possible, no matter what the consequences. He even believed that he might be prepared to die for her. This was unheard of, as far as he knew, a Master actually trying to help an Irrith Amin.
He turned back along the corridor to Lairelle's room, checking to make sure Deamon wasn't near, he didn't think it would be a good idea to bump in to him right now. A few wisps of black mist flitted out of his cloak an moved ahead, to make sure he was using an empty route.
The only time he saw someone was about half way back to his room, when in the distance Rael swished past, hurrying along with his Irrith Amin. Back in his rooms, he quickly threw his few vital possesions and some of his papers into a small bag, and rung for a servant to pack the rest away ready to leave.
When the servant arrived, Daskin instructed his about a fewspecifics, and quickly asked about the current happenings of the palace, it never hurt to hve more information.
"Well sir, Master Rael is leaving too, did you not know sir?"
Daskin rushed out, leaving the startled servant to do his job, and hurried to find Karisia, to make his excuses, and leave.

*************
Swing low, sweet chariot,
The world cup is coming back home.
Unaligned - Obelisk - Friend of Asterisk.

[Anomander]

OOC: Would either of you kindy tell me in a private topic what is going on, and how I'm involved?

And so the First denied their Mother,
in their fury, and so were cast out,
doomed children of Mother Dark.

[Anomander]

OOC: No problems here, but yes, you might want to explain what you plan first.

And so the First denied their Mother,
in their fury, and so were cast out,
doomed children of Mother Dark.

[Lady Atheilen]

OOC: Forgive my use of character, or ‘godding.’ Hehe.

IC: Lairelle and Daskin sat silently for a while. Versaata came in the door.
“Ah, hello,� Daskin said to his irrith amin. “Have you brought my reports?�
Versaata rolled her eyes. “Yes, Master. Your next two hundred reports shall not go missing. I promise. Although I don’t see what the point of having all this paperwork is.�
“They are all important reports,� Daskin grumbled.
“Oh, really, then why were you doodling all over them?�
“I was not! That was...secret code.�
“Hmm. Secret code, eh?�
“Yes, secret code. It’s very important for a spy.�
“If you say so, Master. I bow to your wisdom.�
“Good to know. Now, would you be so kind as to pour tea for Lady Lairelle and myself?�
Lairelle grinned. This could get interesting.�
“Now I have to serve Lairelle, too?�
“Yes,� Lairelle put in. “Because I’m Lady Faydian and you are a servant girl.�
She knew she wouldn’t offend her friend; they had had this discussion many times before.
“I’m going to kill you for this, Lairelle.�
Lairelle grinned. “Try.�
Versaata grumbled but poured the tea, taking a cup for herself as well. Daskin had her sit on a chair, not a stool at his feet, but somehow she seemed to blend into the background as well as any irrith amin would have done.
Lairelle had known her friend long enough to figure out that Versaata Keltan was a very good actress.
Lairelle cleared her throat.
“I want to ask you about my mother.�
Daskin went very still. “How do you know about Ailsa?�
“Lower cells, tormenting visions...you know.�
“Ah.�
“Yes.�
“Well, what would you like to know?�
“Just about...you. How you met...and why...�
Daskin interrupted her with a fierce glare. “I have loved Ailsaran Faydian my whole life. Even when she married that purebred monstrosity of a Kesan prince. Last heir of the house, you know. I was not good enough to be the father of the future Heiress Faydian.�
“Was it by her own choice?�
Daskin sighed. “No. No, I will give her that. She wanted me- or, at least, she didn’t want him.�
“I see.� Lairelle had very few memories of her father. He had died when she was very young.
“You look just like her, you know. Nothing like him, thank the gods.�
Lairelle had to laugh. Daskin was exaggerating, she knew. Line Kesan was known for its pale beauty.
Daskin snorted but ignored the laugh. “She loved you, at least.�
“That is...a good thing to know.�
“Oh, Lairelle,� he said, “how different it all could have been.�
“She would still have died, you know.� Ailsaran Faydian had died of a cancer. Not something that could be cured by marrying one’s true love.
“She would have lived, first. I would have been able to keep my promise, if not as your Master, then as a formidable force. You would not have had to spend your years of pain and degradation with Sardes.�
“You were going to be my Master?� This made Lairelle curious.
“I was, yes. Ailsa had it all arranged. But when she died...the Selind objected. Said it would be scandalous.�
And it would have been, she knew.
“Damn her. If it weren’t for her, Aturin and I would not have had to do the transfer that neither of us wanted...�
Lairelle felt as though she had been struck. “Transfer?� It was barely a whisper.
“Oh, yes, Daemon was allocated to Versaata years ago.�
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Versaata flinch.
Transfer...
That neither of us wanted...
Neither...
No one...
“Somehow that plan fell through, and Daemon wasn’t permitted to take you. We were both too young when she died...then you lost status, and he...�
He had never wanted her...
No one had ever wanted her.
The voices in her head crowed triumphantly.
Had he taken her out of guilt? He hadn’t known about Sardes then.
Oh, gods, Sardes...
The letter...
What would he think, this man who had never wanted her?
“I suppose it wasn’t his fault,� Daskin was saying. “Lairelle? Are you all right?�
“I...I must be excused,� she muttered, and ran out of his rooms.
In the hall, she nearly bumped right into Daemon. He was preoccupied, looking at a sheet of paper.
A letter.
“No,� Lairelle whispered, but he walked right by her.
She clearly heard him say “You fool, Aturin.� And then “What part of back in one hour does that child not understand?�
Lairelle’s heart sank. With a cry, she ran away from him, down the hallway.
“Lairelle, is that you? Come here at once!�
To Lairelle, he sounded stern, accusing, and angry, although a dim part of her mind noticed that he didn’t really seem to be any of those things, just mildly irritated and worried.
Lairelle continued running. As she did, it seemed as though something inside her burst, and every single memory of loss, pain and hurt she had had since her mother had died came crashing back down on her. The remote part of her mind noted that this was what the lower cells did to people, and that the careful blocks she had implanted in her mind when Daemon had first taken her were failing, but the rest was too preoccupied with reliving every single time Sardes had made her hurt, Geselle had insulted her, or someone looked down on her.
No one will ever want you. Daemon lied out of pity.
Lairelle could only remember a burning rage, a need to strike out at the one who had caused her all this pain, as she made the jump from Calris to Andorel Phai, trying to get away from Daemon.
When she returned to consciousness again, she was sitting in a dark alleyway, a knife in her hand and blood all over her body. Something that could once have been recognized as the body of Sardes was near her.
It was raining.
No amount of rain could render her clean, or him, but she watched with an almost clinical detachment as the blood rinsed off her hands.
Odd, I wonder how it got there.

There is no death in light

[Lady Atheilen]

OOC: Permission from Anomander, blah, blah, blah...

IC: Lairelle was just about to sit down for her meeting with Daskin when someone stormed in the door. Seeing who it was, she cursed under her breath.
"Hide me," she hissed to Daskin. He pushed her toward the back of the tavern.
"There's a back door...use it!"
"Where is she?" Daemon asked.
As Daskin tried to hold him off, Lairelle crept towards the back door, trying not to attract attention.
Unfortunately, it didn't work. "Lairelle!"
The sharpness of his voice made her flinch.
It's over, she thought. I've lost everything.
She felt curiously numb as she turned to face her Master.
"Come," he said. She cast one despairing look at Vahntiel Daskin as he led her out of the tavern.
"Master..." she began as soon as they were outside.
"Not a word."
"Master, I..."
"Silence!"
Several people gave them puzzled stares as they walked by, seeing Lairelle's subdued manner and Daemon's obvious anger. She noticed several irrith amin and Masters glaring at Daemon. One foolish soul even had the nerve to call out to him.
"For gods' sakes, man, it's the Festival, lay off her!"
Lairelle winced as Daemon turned his glare on the hapless young man.
"Thank you," he said, "for that helpful piece of advice." He continued walking. at a brisker pace than before. Lairelle hurried to catch up.
That boy does not know just how lightly he got off, she thought.
Before long, they arrived at their own quarters. Daemon sat in his chair and waited.
Lairelle said nothing.
"Well," said her Master after a moment, "I don't suppose you would deign to tell me what you were doing?"
"Master, please, I beg of you..."
"Stop! Now, I will have a truthful answer from you, and I will have it now. Exactly how long has this been going on?"
No need to ask what. "Almost two years, Master."
There was a very long silence. When he spoke again his voice was incredulous. "So, for nearly two years of your life, you have been lying to me about everything you do?"
She didn't answer.
"Why?" For a moment, he sounded almost hurt.
"I-I didn't know what else to do."
"I am very disappointed that you would betray my trust like that, Lairelle."
She opened her mouth and immediately regretted it. "Well, let's face it, you haven't exactly made yourself approachable, now have you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, let me see now. You stare out into space doing nothing all day, not even realizing that I exist. You're up to something, but I have no idea what. Whenever I attempt to speak to you I get my head bitten off. How can you imagine I would tell you anything when all I seem to be to you is one of your damned demons? Do this, then vanish."
"That is quite enough out of you, child!"
The defiance went out of her then. "Yes, Master. I am sorry for speaking out of turn."
"I cannot deal with you now," he said. He sounded tired. "Go to your room and stay there until I summon you."
Lairelle debated reminding him it was Mesaina and she was not going to take his orders, but decided against it.
It was only when she had reached her room and closed the door behind her that she realized the full import of this. To her surprise, she had to look hard to find her remembered fear.

"All that breaks must be discarded, even as the thunder of faith returns ever fading echoes."-Anomandaris-Fisher Kel'Tath

[caladanbrood]

OOC: sorry for slight use of character, but then, you did the same

IC: Daskin glowered at Versaata.
"Leave! this is not an appropriate time!" he shouted at the door. They heard footsteps receding down the corridor.
He turned back at the Irrith Amin, bubbling with rage. He sensed her apology had been insincere, she hadn't meant it. Well, he'd had enough of being considered weak and inconsiquencial.
"I have been lenient in the past, I have kept my frustration in check, because despite all outward appearences, you have spirit, girl" he spat. "But you can go too far. My leniency does not mean you should feel as though you have a looser leash than the others, Lairelle and Telis. You have grown too soft."
Versaata turned away, perhaps sensing another of Daskin's feeble rants, that never had any effect. Ourageously flaunting his power, he sent one of his smaller demons to restrain her and turn her round. He was really loosing his temper now.
"VERSAATA VAHNTIELA KELTAN, YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME. I AM NO DODDERING OLD FOOL TO INSULT AND LAUGH AT BEHIND MY BACK! I AM VAHNTIEL DASKIN, MASTER OF TEN THOUSAND DEMONS, CURRENT LEADER OF THE DEMONIC ALLIANCE THAT HAS KEPT THIS WORLD SAFE FROM THE DEMONS FOR CENTURIES! DO NOT MAKE ME LOOSE MY TEMPER, KELTAN SCUM!" he tried to calm himself down, "Luckily, the main part of my nature came from my mother, my father was a demon."
Suddenly he broke down in tears.
"Leave Versaata, leave now, please. I cannot trust myself."

*************
O xein angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tede,
keimentha tois keinon rhemasi peithomenoi.
Unaligned - Obelisk - Friend of Asterisk.

[Lady Atheilen]

The guilds: I don't think so. You can be in whichever guild you want...but if your irrith amin were to work with you, that would be fine too. Although it might be more fun if they kept their activities from one another...oh, the conflict!

Go ahead and post your profile.

"All that breaks must be discarded, even as the thunder of faith returns ever fading echoes."-Anomandaris-Fisher Kel'Tath

[Lady Atheilen]

OOC: Permission from Brood...blah blah blah.

IC: Lairelle lay on her bed, wasted by fever and cough. She had always been delicate physically, so her little walk through the snow would have made her sick in any case, but it was more her sensitive irrith amin mind that was responsible for her condition. Although her crisis had passed, she was still very sick, and Healer Leron had said that on no account was she to get out of bed without his permission. Lairelle was too tired to really care about this.
Footsteps approached her room. "Master?" she called weakly, expecting Daemon.
It wasn't him.
"Vahntiel?" She didn't understand how he had gotten in here. One of the first things her Master had done after getting her back was to forbid Vahntiel from seeing her.
He looked old, and tired. "I...I had to see you. Forgive me, Lady Faydian." He turned back towards the door.
"No!" Lairelle cried. "Don't leave...please..." She fell into a spasm of coughing. Daskin turned around in horror.
"It's not...as bad...as it sounds..." she managed through her coughing.
Daskin took her hand in his. "No," he whispered, "it never is."
"Spymaster," she gasped, "my guardian...hurt me.."
"I know. I know, Lairelle. And I will see him pay. I swear it."
"You don't have to," she said, oddly calm now. "I saw him...dead and bloody. And there was blood all over my hands, too...I don't know how it got there."
What little colour there was in Daskin's face left it. "You WHAT?" he roared. Lairelle moaned in fright.
Daskin calmed himself. "It's all right, Lairelle. It must have been...a dream you had, that's all."
Lairelle knew it wasn't, but at least he wasn't shouting at her anymore.
"I would like to see Versaata," she said, "when I am stronger."
Daskin's shoulder's slumped. "I'm afraid that will not be possible, Lairelle."
"Why not?"
"Versaata has left me."
"WHAT?" That was against all the laws!
"I told her to do so. I cannot trust my own nature."
"Your nature?"
"I am of demonic origin. I lost my temper and I would have hurt her greatly, had she stayed."
Lairelle nodded. It explained quite a lot. Such as why Daskin was not her father.
And why he was a rebel...
Suddenly, what he was saying penetrated. Lairelle broke into her worst coughing fit yet. "Find...Versaata...irrith amin...loyal...would die...for your kindness...must not be abandoned...bonded...FIND HER! This last was a bloodcurdling shriek. She must not let Versaata suffer the same fate as Lairelle herself.
Daskin tried to soothe her. "Gods, Lairelle, be quiet, it's okay...shh, you're right, Versaata will be okay...what a fool I am," he muttered.
"Sleeping draught," said Lairelle weakly. "Please. On the table, the brown bottle...give me three spoonfuls."
Daskin did as she asked. "Thank you," she whispered.
He must find her, she thought, before blessed unconsciousness finally took her.

Insert profound statement here.

[Anomander]

Daemon sat there, musing over what to do next. He was contemplating his next move when there was a slight knock on the door.
"Enter."
"Excuse me my lord," said the young maid, "but I was told to inform you if Miss Lairelle left the castle, and she has."
"Oh?" he inquired. "And do you happen to know where she might have went?"
In a small, barely audiable voice, the girl said, "Yes...she was seen heading towards the core."
His blood froze then, as he sat rigidly in his plush chair.
So the lass wasn't lying after all...which very likely means she is up to something. Festival or not, I must look into this.
"Thank you child, you may go now."
With a curtsey the servant left, leaving the mage alone in his chambers. With a slight sigh he rose, feeling his back groan in protest.
I'm not even thirty yet and I feel as though I've become an old man. This does not bode well for the future.
Setting a quick pace, Daemon left the confines of the Selind's palace and began towards the core.
Although it had been many years since he last visited the area, he remembered one tavern in particular where he judged Lairelle would go.
The Demonic Haunt, I wonder what inspired the owner to choose such a name? Nevermind though, I have more pressing concerns at the moment.
In a short time he found himself on the taverns front steps, looking up at the faded sign.
"One would think they would at least try and keep this place in moderately good condition," he muttered.
With a slight shake of his head, Daemon ascended the steps and entered. A thick cloud of smoke greeted him and it was a few moments before he could see again. Taking a quick survey of the room he immeadiately noticed Daskin, sitting in the room's far corner. Walking up to the man, the mage sat down in the opposite chair.
"Where is she?"
With a startled look, Daskin realized it was Daemon. "Who are you looking for?"
"Don't play games with me, I'm not in the mood. Lairelle, where is she?"
"How should I know where you're irrith amin is? Why I don't even know where my own is, you should not expect any different during the festival."
Daemon glared at Daskin a moment longer before deciding to leave.
"Should you she her, please pass on the message that I am looking for her."
"Certainly, with pleasure," replied Daskin with a slight smile.
Nodding, he began to turn when suddenly a movement in the shadows caught his attention. Looking back he froze, recognizing the feminin figure.
What treachery is this....?

OOC: Sorry for the use of your character Brood, I completely forgot about asking until I had posted. I hope this didn't ruin any plans you might have had.

And so the First denied their Mother,
in their fury, and so were cast out,
doomed children of Mother Dark.

[caladanbrood]

Daskin looked up from reading a report from another of his spies, this one in the palace of the Selind, when there was a knock on the door.
"Enter" he growled, hastily covering the report up with other meaningless paperwork.
A messanger strode across the room, and dropped a letter on his desk. It looks like Lairelle's hand writing.
Oh cear. I have not been as vigilant as I should have been for this girl. I hope nothing too awful has happened. Or that she hasnt done anything too rash. She needs to keep her head down.
He waited till the courier had left, and then opened the letter. It was very unimformative, just saying she wished to meet as soon as was possible.
Well, it's not as if i'm doing anything of great use at the moment, is it he chuckled to himself.
He quickly wrote a reply saying that he would be in his rooms for the rest of the day, and it would be a pleasure to meet her there at any time she could make it.
I sincerely hope nothing awful has happened.
He went back to his reports, this time quickly scanning the ones about Karisia's palace, hoping for any snippet of information about Lairelle. He found none. Why had he not put someone to watch her. Fool. Anything could have happened, and you are so caught up in spying on the Selind, you know nothing about it.

*************
Molon Labe "Come and get them" - Leonidas
Unaligned - Obelisk - Friend of Asterisk.

[Monok]

*As Shai sat at his usual place at the bar he overheard a conversation between a man and what apeared to be his daughter, when a scrap of it focused in his mind. "Aren't we meant to stay in the Palace?". Pure Bloods! He sauntered over to the table as the irrith Amin left the inn. He walked up behind the sitting sorcerer and spoke next to his ear in a menacing drawl.*

Not many of your kind come to the Core. May I ask why we have the pleasure of your esteemed company?

--------------------------------
"Let he that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred, three score and six."
-Revelation, Chapter 13, verse 18

[Apsalar]

"Why are we here Master?" she asked uncertainly but Rael did not reply.
It was a small inn near the edge of the city. Very shabby compared to every other place they had ever stayed but she foud herself looking forward to sitting down somewhere after their trek through the winding streets of the city. They had changed directions many times. First they went towards the Bridge, then the Core , then the Palace, then the Bridge until she had lost all sense of direction. She did not know where they were or understand why he had chosen such a place and why they were still in the city. She took a step to follow her Master inside and almost collapsed on the way through the door.
Be stronge Telis
There where many things she did not understand but least of all why Lairelle had risked seeing her. Or even why she still considered Lairelle a friend after what her Master had told her.

* * *
“For a moment, nothing happened. Then, after a second or so, nothing continued to happen.� - Douglas Adams

[This message was edited by Apsalar on 11 November 2003 at 05:21 PM.]