Velentham stared down at the woman in the undergrowth. There was nothing left to the imagination, and her body, while pleasing, did not bring about the typical reaction. Mortal shells rarely ever did - after all - he did not long after Sanria for her body. It was the mind in that shell he sought and as he peered down at the woman that pierced the space between the undergrowth and the front door of the cottage, he felt he might have a willing participant in prying his cousin away from Sanria.
"Interesting view, is it not?" he spoke from his perch.
"Interesting it is. The smoker I presume?"
"Mmm. Picked up the habit in Heifong. Nasty, so I'm told." The woman turned her gaze back onto him as she spoke. "A lot of things are nasty. Better the devil you know." He couldn't disagree.
Velentham drifted down from the branches, his eyes on the cottage. "So tell me what brings you to spy on this little house."
"Spying is such a harsh word... I prefer observing."
"Semantics, dear lady. One in the same and who cares if it's harsh. Own what we are is what I say. Cigarette?"
They spoke and as the woman spoke, Velentham could already sense the direction she was heading. No different than any of the other chattel he dealt with on a daily basis in Heifong. They all wanted something, all were willing to kill to get it, all playing at a game which eventually they would lose. The difference with this one, was she was holding tightly to a secret beneath her skin. One his Celestial eyes could see without effort.
The mention of Thasmudyan seemed to rile her and Velentham gave no hint that the beggarly man disgusted him as well. Sniffing about his, Velentham's territory, like a dog. But the true shock came, not in the fact that this half naked woman was upset that the father of her child was lusting after his Sanria, but that she was looking for him. It was beyond delicious, this turn in events.
"I will reclaim my life," she said.
"And what life do you dispossess that drives you to a woman you hate and a man who I hate?"
"The one I was born with, and stripped of."
"Dark skinned one."
"You can see it!"
"It is rather simple to see if one only bothers to look," he smirked. "So you come here looking for that man's family to... what... return you to that darkness that roils within your soul asking to be set lose on your skin?"
"Pretty much, Yes."
"What do you suppose that is worth to you?"
"Everything."
"I see. I'll tell you what, dark one. I won't slay you. In fact, I'll ask you to do something quite simple. You get my cousin away from Sanria. You let me get within distance of her to take her to my home, and I'll grant your deepest desire."
"If I may be so bold to add one more condition to that..." With a nod from Velentham's head, she continued. "When she goes to your home... She must never return."
"My dear one - if I get her into my home, she'll remember none but me."
"Consider it a deal."
The conditions were struck... she could do what she wished so long as his Sanria was untouched and unharmed. Velentham vanished from view, but not from his spot. He smirked in silence as the woman spat out the words, "Damned arrogant bastard."
Velentham quietly levitated himself over the woman and closer to the cottage. He drifted to the back and felt his heart stop as he watched Sanria sitting by the edge of the stream, reading to the bastard boy. His breath held and his eyes closed. He encased himself in a bubble of magic and drifted closer. Had he wanted, he could have reached out, he could have taken her in his arms.
He leaned forward, breaking his own barrier, to take in a deep inhale of her hair. The slight scent of rose amongst the forest... he had to quickly recoil as Sanria turned toward him with a look of confusion. Quickly, he drifted back to the front of the cottage, his jaw set. He would have the dirty work done for him. He would get rid of Gilean without lifting his hand - his people could not blame him - he would then have Sanria and take her, as soon as he figured out how, back to the demiplane his father created for him so long ago.
He settled himself not very far from the half-naked woman and let his mind drift. His future, his eternity, would be spent back in his rightful home with his rightful demeanor. Once Sanria had finally settled into her new mindset, she then could ask for ascension. He had no doubt they would consider her for Celestial-hood, and then they'd be together until the end of time... and time, he was certain, would never end.
