(LORE) HEALING

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 2:41 pm

Mizuki settled herself in the warm, bubbly water. Steam was rising up from how hot the bathwater was, it felt good on her sore muscles. The bubbles crowded around her nude form and covered her up to her shoulders, her hair not yet wet hanging over the edge of the white ceramic tub.

Yes, this was needed after the day they had had. Mizuki closed her eyes, sighing contently and relaxed within the tub.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:12 pm

Soran kneeled down next to Rai, the movement like a sigh even though he made no sound. He touched the top of her head, not messing it up as usual. "Neither am I," he concurred with her. "I need to go out; be good and stay with your mother," he told her gently, standing up.

Outside the city, silent forms moved through the shadows. Sid walked the street nearby, looking lost in thought. He chose a tall building near Soran's house and climbed the gutter to the roof, agile as a cat. At the top, he watched Rhen's house thoughtfully. So he wouldn't trust him, no matter what? He guessed that would make things easier, in the long run. But he wasn't satisfied with this outcome. He still had a few days left; before that time, he might be able to restore his friendship with Rhen. And accomplish what? he wondered. He himself didn't really know.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 3:18 pm

"Awww... can't I go?!" she asked softly. She smiled at him and tugged on his pants. "Please!"

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 6:51 pm

Soran looked at Rai with a blank frown. He'd intended to go to the tavern to sift his thoughts through a cold drink. It wasn't a horrible idea to bring her with him, but not the most appropriate either. "No; stay here. I'll be back soon," he told her, and turned to walk toward the bathroom. He knocked lightly on the door. "Mizuki, I'm going out. I'll be back," he said through the door. Turning, he went down the stairs and left the house, walking toward the tavern down the street.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 9:23 pm

"Right," Mizuki said, raising her soap covered arm out of the water as if to signal to Soran that she had heard him, even though he couldn't see her anyway. She sighed, now she had to get out so Rai had company. Oh well, she relaxed long enough, she figured.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:11 pm

Rai groaned and plopped onto the couch with her arms folded. "Fine..." She whined and stuck her nose into the air, rather put off by the fact he wouldn't take her. But, she understood.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 6:44 pm

Mizuki came downstairs then, freshly clean and smelling of rose soap. She was dressed--begrudgingly--in one of the linen dresses she had packed from home. She reminded herself she needed to wash the clothes soon.

"Hey sweetie," she greeted Rai warmly.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:16 pm

"Hi," Rai said and looked up at Mizuki. "Daddy left, but wouldn't take me with him! I need to watch out for him, so he doesn't get kidnapped again!" she proclaimed her real reason for wanting to go with Soran. She was afriad someone would steal him again, and she didn't want her daddy to get tortured... or killed, like her real daddy.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 5:57 pm

Touched by Rai's desire to protect Soran, Mizuki smiled and sat beside her and embraced her adopted daughter.

"I want to keep him safe as well," she told her. She sighed and looked out the window behind them. She could just see into town. Dusk was setting, and it wasn't quite cold but an odd shiver ran down her spine. She blinked and looked away from the window. this time she knew better than to brush the feeling aside. She stood up suddenly and held out her hand to Rai.

"Get you cloak little one, we'll watch him close without him knowing it." she told her. And adventurous yet scared tone in her voice, not that the child would be able to sense that.

Post by **Emora Deen** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:06 pm

Rai giggled and pounced off the couch, running up to her room. She grabbed the cloak she did not wear to school, and through it around her shoulders, tying it around her neck. She pulled the hood over her head and with a grin dashed down the steps. The cloak billowed behind her small frame, dragging the ground at times. "Ready!"

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 6:20 pm

Mizuki smiled encouragingly and nodded. She went over to a closet near the stairs and pulled out her own cloak, a midnight blue colored. She fastened it with the silver pin that her mother had given her and pulled the hood over her head. "now remember," she told Rai, "We must be silent, he mustn't know we are there." With that, she lead their small group out of the house and into town. Soran had most likely gone to the tavern, he always went there. Odd enough it was the same tavern she had met him at.

They went in carefully and Mizuki kept them in the shadows, which was easy in the dimly lit room where the patrons all sat around their tankards and talking civily. They sat at one of the tables that was more shadowed, keeping their hoods one and spied Soran at the bar, brooding over whatever he was drinking. mizuki pressed a finger to her lips, signaling not a sound should be made of them, not without cause anyway.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:44 pm

Soran lowered his glass back to the bar counter, amber liquid swaying in the musky air of the tavern. His reception had been no different from usual there, despite having played father all day at the school. Probably because the parenting crowd would never be caught in this district after dark. As rough as it was there, it felt familiar and helped the rogue relax enough to think.

What did Sid want? It didn't make sense. He couldn't possibly believe what he wanted to think - that Sid had really come to start fresh and stumbled into him by accident. He must have learned that he was still alive and been sent to coax him into some sort of agreement, or to assassinate him outright, though how it should be worth their while to go to such lengths to kill him, he wasn't sure. On second thought, no, he had made them look like fools by escaping, and a grudge went a long way in Arken. Or worse, it suddenly occurred to him that Reya may have consulted with the army on the task of capturing him. Would she come after him again this soon? Why wait?

Outside the city, a single man clad in a black robe rode up to the gates and flashed a standard pass of entry, quickly passing the guards and riding toward the center of town. from there, he climbed a building and flashed a medal into the moonlight.

Sid blinked at the light he saw. It was a signal he'd planned on, but why would they want to send a messenger this soon? He frowned and climbed down from his rooftop to make his way across the city, abandoning his ruminations on Rhen for now.

"'Get you something?" demanded a barkeep brusquely as he passed the girls' table, glancing indifferently at the kid. This was the type of place where people withheld comment on just about anything. Mizuki could have walked in with a sack dripping blood and probably escaped questioning, though the 8 year old did attract a few sober glances from the patrons.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:49 pm

Mizuki eyed the man calmly, though another shiver ran down her spine, like death was gripping at her. "Milk for the girl, water for me." she simply said, averting her gaze back to the rogue. If he was going to drown away his problems, then at least they could be here to watch his back when he wasn't. Mizuki didn't expect anything to happen while they stalked their dear family rogue, but at the same time... one couldn't be too sure. At the first sign of danger, she told herself, they'd warn Soran.

Post by **Soran Nightblade** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 7:57 pm

Sid's hair blew fiercely from where it was fastened behind his head as he climbed to the roof of the building and caught sight of the sentry he knew would be waiting there. It was a windy, cool night with no clouds above them, just an inky blue sky and a dull sense of foreboding.

"You gave the signal," Sid said, strolling up to the sentry with calm authority.

"There has been a change in the plan," the sentry said, his face hidden below the eyes by a black scarf.

"Do tell."

"The squads will attack tonight."

Sid's expression faltered, but he restrained his surprise. "Tonight," he said, almost a question and almost a statement.

"The general has found an opening we cannot overlook, and some of our supplies have been diverted toward Ongoreth."

"Ongoreth? A second front?" Sid knew little about strategy; he'd always been more of a 'where do you want me to kick ass' soldier, but were they really able to attack two countries at once? Whatever the queen found out, it must have been one heck of an opportunity. And now he has some major thinking to do. Damnit, he hated major thinking. It always led to an answer he didn't like.

* * *

The bartender stared down his very strong nose, which had probably been broken several times, at his two female patrons, and walked off to the counter without comment. WHen he returned, he clunked the drinks they'd requested harshly onto the table, then restedhis large hands on either edge of the table and leaned down intimidatingly so that he was eye level with Mizuki and Rai. "This is a bar, not a kindergarten. I don't know who you are or what you're doing here, but don't ever order this shit in my tavern again," he said in a low voice that drove ice down their backs. WIth that, he straightened up and returned to the bar. This tavern had no bouncer, for good reason.

Soran sat in relative peace at the bar. He raised his glass - his third drink for the evening - just under his lips, and held it there as if he'd forgotten it was there, looking soberly ahead while he sat lost in thought. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't explain Sid's behavior. The longer he sat there, the stronger his suspicion and need to demystify the situation grew.

Finally, he set coins on the table and stood up. The barkeep gave him a slight nod, acknowledging his departure. Fastening his coat closer, he stepped out into the streets again, and headed downtown. There were lots of underground circuits in Hepian, and Soran was acquainted with most of them, some amicably and some not. He didn't intend to skip any stops tonight; someone in this town had to know why Sid was here, and he was going to find out.

Mizuki · Post by **Mizuki** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 9:09 pm

Mizuki glared at the bartenders back. Such language shouldn't be used like that in front of children. Mizuki touched Rai's shoulder gently, silently telling her not to respond. She vowed the next time she came here-not being masked-she'd "forget" to tip him, and give him such a hard...

Soran was leaving. Mizuki gulped down half her water so not to seem too suspicious and left the money on the table. She stood quietly, motioned to Rai, and they slipped out of the tavern through the shadows without much notice.

Where was he going tonight? she wondered. He definately wasn't going home. Mizuki mildly hoped that she hadn't been wrong to do this task with Rai. If danger came, they were obligated to help Soran after following him around for the sole purpose to protect him, but she was also obligated as a parent to protect her child... Mmmm, she'd think of it when and if the time came.