"Sanria? Sanria, wake up."
Sanria sat up, realizing the daylight was streaming through the windows of her office. She had fallen asleep hunched over her desk, her face smashed on the pages of her herbal guide. She sat up and looked into the eyes of Enmach, who stared back with a raised eyebrow, waiting for some good reason. "I... just got busy..."
"I know better. Listen, I know you've had a lot going on and with your picnic being a failure-"
"Enmach, it was business, not a... picnic. So it wasn't a failure. Not only that, I'm still married to Colin, so it is officially classified as business. Nothing more."
"As you wish," Enmach answered cooly.
"Please, don't do that."
"Why were you reading the herbal?" Enmach asked, moving on.
"I was thinking of making myself some teas but I don't have everything."
"Perfect. I'll keep Nioma, you go out and do gathering."
Sanria found herself in the Elven Valley, lost in thought, until a man ran into her, nearly knocking her over and knocking himself down in the process. After profuse apologies, she discovered the man was himself searching for herbs. Desperately so. She looked at the drawings and smiled. At last, something she knew completely. "Ah, those are simple to find. The dandelion root can be fresh, as the chamomile. Rose hips are a little more difficult to come by, but I carry some on me at all times."
"You're perfect!"
"I'm sorry?"
"Why didn't I think of it! You can help me!"
"I... wh... well what did you need help with?" Sanria asked.
"A friend of mine is injured and needs some help. That is what the items are for."
After agreeing to help, Sanria found herself barely able to keep pace with the shadowy figure. Though being in Westbridge made her uncomfortable, she kept up until they reached a large home. "I found them!" the man crowed. "Ok, maybe I didn't find the herbs... but I found her..."
The man moved out of the way. There, in the same room, was a woman who appeared to be a priest, and on the floor being ministered, was Ror.
Sanria found herself staring at the elf, her mind uncomprehending. She did not know how, but after she had decided to avoid all further contact, here they were... albeit only one of the conscious. "Apparently earth magic rebounded on him. I've asked Alsin to get some herbs, but perhaps you have a better idea?" The voice of the woman brought her from her stupor.
"He offered to help cleanse a room of mine of a deathly aura," Alsin said.
"He was mid incantation when he collapsed."
"I was on the right track then perhaps," the woman said.
The only thing Sanria then found going through her mind was the audacity of a sage to attempt to remove an evil entity. Wizards work. Sorcerer's work, in fact. "You called on a sage to incant for you? How foolish could you be?!"
"I didn't ask him to do it, he just up and offered and off he went..."
"So foolish, Ror," Sanria sighed quietly.
Knowing that no others had been able to revive Ror, Sanria set to work making a tea from the herbs in her pack. She made introductions while she worked, learning Alsin's name as well as Casandra's. Once the tea had been made (amongst discussions on the nature of the problem when one tries to hire the wrong person for the job), Sanria held Ror's head in her lap. Carefully, she poured the tea down his throat while Casandra incanted a healing spell. It wasn't long before the entity Ror had swallowed forced its way out, leaving the elf vomiting and the room darkening. Quickly, Casandra cast a protection spell on the entire group. "Alsin, how long has this been in your home?" Casandra asked. "Ummm... maybe a century or two... I don't remember a time in this house when I didn't feel that aura in that room."
"Oooo.... did anyone get the number of that donkey cart?" Ror moaned.
"So you set him to work on a centuries old entity?" Sanria asked Alsin. It was infuriating to consider. "I didn't exactly set him to it," Alsin answered. "I told him not to try, I had wizards and other try their hand at it before. He insisted and as I said.....just started off on his own."
"Hey... is it Thursday already?"
Sanria looked at Ror with a smirk. "If you wanted to see me before Thursday, you should have just sent me a card, Ror."
"So you know him?" Alsin asked, and Sanria merely nodded. Why it seemed there was a collusion to have her and Ror meet, Sanria couldn't figure out. But after another several moments spent admonishing the elf, she left the house, whisking herself back to the castle. She would have to be more careful.
She had no sooner plopped down at her desk, when the hulking form of Fenlauch peered into her office. "Sanria, may I speak with you?"
Dousing Flames (1-2)
Sanria wandered back through the forest to the cavern, taking the time to think. She hoped that Thasmudyan was still awake so she could tell him what she had done: she had given him up to someone in TriPower. She had not only given him up to help *him* find answers, which was the nobler cause - but also to make Ror stop asking her questions. Better Ror think Thasmudyan knew a lot than to let on just how much she truly knew. The idea of what she had done made her sick, and as anticipated, Thasmudyan was not very pleased either. His face, normally a mask of calm, was open, blatantly upset and... afraid. At least he was willing to meet Ror, even if it didn't completely ease the shame Sanria felt.
They sat there in the library of the cavern for only a few silent moments when the conversation turned to Maya. Sanria gave herself little time to dwell on the feeling of pain she felt when Maya had come to the cavern so long before. With Thasmudyan absent and other things happening, she had been able to keep herself from dwelling on it at all. But it seemed it needed to be discussed. "Once all this is sorted out, and I hope it will be, you should go to her and try to work things out. You were quite attached to her, weren't you?"
"No," Thasmudyan answered after a pause. "What... did she say, anyways?"
"You two were going to be married. You'd been with her many times-"
"I never agreed to that."
"What do you mean?"
"I never agreed to marry her. And many times? It was one time. A moment of weakness, I'm ashamed to admit... Well, one time after we... I mean..."
The sting of the words caught Sanria by surprise. Of course anyone with any ability to count could determine that Thasmudyan had been with Maya after Sanria - Sanria was a house while Maya was not - but knowing it as a fact left Sanria aching. An ache that her newfound cool was quick to stitch up. "Well, things are the way they are. We won't make that mistake again, will we?"
"It seems that fate has conspired once again to keep us apart."
"I wouldn't blame it on fate."
"No, you wouldn't, I suppose. Oh well.. I didn't expect you would believe me, anyway."
"Believe you?" Sanria asked with patient incredulity. "I can obviously tell what happened, I don't think there's any way around that. There is evidence," she said, thinking of the girls. "I just... it doesn't matter anymore."
"But do you know why it happened?"
Sanria felt her heart grow heavy. She wanted to be told that he loved her, because if he loved her, it meant that he wasn't just out for a good lay. It would mean that he wasn't likely to do it again. It would mean that she could forgive him. Unfortunately, the answer of "Not exactly," was far from what she wished. "I didn't... I don't trust Maya. Getting involved with her in the first place, was a mistake." Her mistake, Sanria thought. She had introduced them... "If I'd just been honest with her... and told her there was someone else in my life... Perhaps she'd have just left us be and that'd be the end of that."
"So, why didn't you?"
"Because I don't think she would've. I thought that, if I refused her, she'd suspect, and her first suspect would be you. And she would come here, exactly like she did... and had she caught you without Colin here, thought you were going to 'steal me from her.'"
"So you were afraid..." Sanria said, more a statement than question. "You give her far too much credit and me far too little. Though, perhaps with all the times I called on you helplessly, you could see me as no more than helpless. I don't blame you, I suppose."
"As I said... it was a mistake."
"We've all made them," Sanria said, staring into the fire.
Still, though the words were spoken as simply as any, they were a strain. Certainly, Sanria had made her share of mistakes, she had made them for a long time. But, as she stood up to take her leave, she knew that at some point, the mistakes had to end. If that meant she had to cloister herself in the castle and deal only with the clan and the Rilmani, she would take that road to its end. "I'll stay out of your way, of course. If you have need of anything, you can call on me and I'll come," she said at the door.
"You don't have to, you know."
"Don't you think it's better that way?"
"No... I don't. But, I understand if you do."
"Why not?"
"Nothing that's happened.. has changed the fact that I still enjoy your company. You understand me like... well, like nobody else alive today does. I'd like it if we could still be friends, at least."
"Second time I've heard that phrase today... We can remain friends. Of course. It doesn't make the love part go away, but perhaps in time that, too, can shift."
"It'll have to, I suppose.."
"If we're to remain friends... yes."
They sat there in the library of the cavern for only a few silent moments when the conversation turned to Maya. Sanria gave herself little time to dwell on the feeling of pain she felt when Maya had come to the cavern so long before. With Thasmudyan absent and other things happening, she had been able to keep herself from dwelling on it at all. But it seemed it needed to be discussed. "Once all this is sorted out, and I hope it will be, you should go to her and try to work things out. You were quite attached to her, weren't you?"
"No," Thasmudyan answered after a pause. "What... did she say, anyways?"
"You two were going to be married. You'd been with her many times-"
"I never agreed to that."
"What do you mean?"
"I never agreed to marry her. And many times? It was one time. A moment of weakness, I'm ashamed to admit... Well, one time after we... I mean..."
The sting of the words caught Sanria by surprise. Of course anyone with any ability to count could determine that Thasmudyan had been with Maya after Sanria - Sanria was a house while Maya was not - but knowing it as a fact left Sanria aching. An ache that her newfound cool was quick to stitch up. "Well, things are the way they are. We won't make that mistake again, will we?"
"It seems that fate has conspired once again to keep us apart."
"I wouldn't blame it on fate."
"No, you wouldn't, I suppose. Oh well.. I didn't expect you would believe me, anyway."
"Believe you?" Sanria asked with patient incredulity. "I can obviously tell what happened, I don't think there's any way around that. There is evidence," she said, thinking of the girls. "I just... it doesn't matter anymore."
"But do you know why it happened?"
Sanria felt her heart grow heavy. She wanted to be told that he loved her, because if he loved her, it meant that he wasn't just out for a good lay. It would mean that he wasn't likely to do it again. It would mean that she could forgive him. Unfortunately, the answer of "Not exactly," was far from what she wished. "I didn't... I don't trust Maya. Getting involved with her in the first place, was a mistake." Her mistake, Sanria thought. She had introduced them... "If I'd just been honest with her... and told her there was someone else in my life... Perhaps she'd have just left us be and that'd be the end of that."
"So, why didn't you?"
"Because I don't think she would've. I thought that, if I refused her, she'd suspect, and her first suspect would be you. And she would come here, exactly like she did... and had she caught you without Colin here, thought you were going to 'steal me from her.'"
"So you were afraid..." Sanria said, more a statement than question. "You give her far too much credit and me far too little. Though, perhaps with all the times I called on you helplessly, you could see me as no more than helpless. I don't blame you, I suppose."
"As I said... it was a mistake."
"We've all made them," Sanria said, staring into the fire.
Still, though the words were spoken as simply as any, they were a strain. Certainly, Sanria had made her share of mistakes, she had made them for a long time. But, as she stood up to take her leave, she knew that at some point, the mistakes had to end. If that meant she had to cloister herself in the castle and deal only with the clan and the Rilmani, she would take that road to its end. "I'll stay out of your way, of course. If you have need of anything, you can call on me and I'll come," she said at the door.
"You don't have to, you know."
"Don't you think it's better that way?"
"No... I don't. But, I understand if you do."
"Why not?"
"Nothing that's happened.. has changed the fact that I still enjoy your company. You understand me like... well, like nobody else alive today does. I'd like it if we could still be friends, at least."
"Second time I've heard that phrase today... We can remain friends. Of course. It doesn't make the love part go away, but perhaps in time that, too, can shift."
"It'll have to, I suppose.."
"If we're to remain friends... yes."
Log: 08012013 - Ror and Alsin
OOC commentary: First time meeting Alsin. Interesting roleplay session that starts in Phil's bar and then gets gradually out of hand. Surprisingly, several other people (Rakasha, Casandra and Sanria) ended up getting involved, which was absolutely awesome. At this point in time, Ror spent his time in bars, drinking. Later on this changes and he spends most of the time in bars, reading.
Return (1-2)
Colin stood, his gray eyes staring into the mirror in his white-walled recovery room. He slid a razor carefully down his cheek, removing some more of the nearly two inch growth of beard from his face, and rinsed the razor in a basin of water before repeating the process again.
The past two days had been long and frustrating, full of questions that normally ended in something Colin didn't know the anwer to.
'How did you come to this place?'
'Fenlauch brought me.'
'How do you know Fenlauch?'
'I met him through the Keepers of Balance.'
'How did you come to know the Keepers?'
'I... I... don't know.'
The holes in his memory were painful, both emotionally and physically, but Amilach was not providing any answers. She had told him that it was better, for the time being, if he didn't try to push it. She said it would speed his recovery and help the pain to lessen more quickly. He was definitely interested in lessening the pain more quickly because every day so far had ended in splitting headaches.
Colin didn't know exactly what he had been through in order to remove the black makou which had become a part of him, and Amilach wasn't talking about that either. She simply said it was Rilmani knowledge for Rilmani only. At times, Colin felt like he had been strained through a sieve and then reassembled, only some of the pieces didn't make the reconstruction.
Colin finished shaving and wiped his face with a towel. He dressed himself in a plain cotton shirt and pants that Amilauch had left for him earlier. Somehow, his normal armor just didn't feel quite right for this occasion. He packed the rest of the meager possessions he had brought with him and sat on the bed to wait.
Today, he was going home.
It wasn't long before Fenlauch knocked on his door. Colin rose from the bed and quickly opened it to allow the golden man entry, followed closely by Amilach.
Fenlauch spied Colin's bag with a serene gaze. 'So, you are ready to return then?'
Colin gave a singular nod. 'Yes, thank you.'
Amilach and Fenlauch shared a hesitant glance and Colin could tell there was something amiss. He sat upon the bed with a small sigh. 'Ok, what is it?'
Fenlauch clasped his hands before him and looked upon Colin with the temperance of eons. 'Colin, I will be taking you back to the Prime Material, back to Westbridge, but I'm sorry, you cannot return to the cavern.'
Colin glanced to Amilach, who merely gazed upon the floor, before looking back to Fenlauch in confusion. 'Why not?'
'There is someone else living there now.'
Colin shrugged dismissively. 'Who, Thasmudyan? That's no problem, he has stayed there with me before. Believe me, the place is plenty big enough for the both of us.'
Fenlauch shook his head slowly. 'No Colin, there are several people living there. A family. I'm sorry but you can't return there right now. We have made arrangements for you at the Westbridge Inn.'
Colin rose from the bed, 'Fenlauch, the cavern is my home. None of this makes any sense.'
Amilach stepped forward, laying a soothing hand on Colin's shoulder. She looked at him with apologetic sympathy. 'Colin, please, listen to Fenlauch. This is what must be done. You still need time to heal. I beg you, don't push this. Just let the questions be unanswered, at least for now.'
Colin returned Amilach's gaze with a frown and was about to respond when Fenlauch extended his hand toward him.
'Colin, I feel our window opening, we must go now.'
There was only a moment's hesitation before Colin let out a defeated sign and simply nodded. He owed his freedom, his life, to these people. He had no choice but to follow them. Amilach gave him a brief embrace and he shouldered his pack, taking Fenlauch's hand.
'Alright then. I guess it's time to go.'
The past two days had been long and frustrating, full of questions that normally ended in something Colin didn't know the anwer to.
'How did you come to this place?'
'Fenlauch brought me.'
'How do you know Fenlauch?'
'I met him through the Keepers of Balance.'
'How did you come to know the Keepers?'
'I... I... don't know.'
The holes in his memory were painful, both emotionally and physically, but Amilach was not providing any answers. She had told him that it was better, for the time being, if he didn't try to push it. She said it would speed his recovery and help the pain to lessen more quickly. He was definitely interested in lessening the pain more quickly because every day so far had ended in splitting headaches.
Colin didn't know exactly what he had been through in order to remove the black makou which had become a part of him, and Amilach wasn't talking about that either. She simply said it was Rilmani knowledge for Rilmani only. At times, Colin felt like he had been strained through a sieve and then reassembled, only some of the pieces didn't make the reconstruction.
Colin finished shaving and wiped his face with a towel. He dressed himself in a plain cotton shirt and pants that Amilauch had left for him earlier. Somehow, his normal armor just didn't feel quite right for this occasion. He packed the rest of the meager possessions he had brought with him and sat on the bed to wait.
Today, he was going home.
It wasn't long before Fenlauch knocked on his door. Colin rose from the bed and quickly opened it to allow the golden man entry, followed closely by Amilach.
Fenlauch spied Colin's bag with a serene gaze. 'So, you are ready to return then?'
Colin gave a singular nod. 'Yes, thank you.'
Amilach and Fenlauch shared a hesitant glance and Colin could tell there was something amiss. He sat upon the bed with a small sigh. 'Ok, what is it?'
Fenlauch clasped his hands before him and looked upon Colin with the temperance of eons. 'Colin, I will be taking you back to the Prime Material, back to Westbridge, but I'm sorry, you cannot return to the cavern.'
Colin glanced to Amilach, who merely gazed upon the floor, before looking back to Fenlauch in confusion. 'Why not?'
'There is someone else living there now.'
Colin shrugged dismissively. 'Who, Thasmudyan? That's no problem, he has stayed there with me before. Believe me, the place is plenty big enough for the both of us.'
Fenlauch shook his head slowly. 'No Colin, there are several people living there. A family. I'm sorry but you can't return there right now. We have made arrangements for you at the Westbridge Inn.'
Colin rose from the bed, 'Fenlauch, the cavern is my home. None of this makes any sense.'
Amilach stepped forward, laying a soothing hand on Colin's shoulder. She looked at him with apologetic sympathy. 'Colin, please, listen to Fenlauch. This is what must be done. You still need time to heal. I beg you, don't push this. Just let the questions be unanswered, at least for now.'
Colin returned Amilach's gaze with a frown and was about to respond when Fenlauch extended his hand toward him.
'Colin, I feel our window opening, we must go now.'
There was only a moment's hesitation before Colin let out a defeated sign and simply nodded. He owed his freedom, his life, to these people. He had no choice but to follow them. Amilach gave him a brief embrace and he shouldered his pack, taking Fenlauch's hand.
'Alright then. I guess it's time to go.'
A Thanks
Humming to himself, Ror walked through the hallways of the TriPower Tower. As he reached the room of Rakasha, he knocked on the door to see if she was there. No response came, and so he assumed she was not there. He pushed against the door and to his pleasant surprise it swung open. He walked inside, spotted the desk and placed the bouquet of flowers on it. He read the card he had attached to it once more, and then nodded to himself. After leaving his flowery bouquet to say thanks for the help earlier, he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him. Humming, Ror resumed his way to Casandra's room, where he would deliver a bouquet of flowers as well. They had after all both done their best to help him.
A little card
It's blank at one side and at the other side says in druidic:
Thanks for earlier. If you're busy and stressed, smell the flowers. Enjoy while they last!
Thanks for earlier. If you're busy and stressed, smell the flowers. Enjoy while they last!
Cards, Picnics, and Skeletons (1-3)
The days had been consuming Sanria, bleeding from one into the other with no end in sight. Since she had "welcomed" Thasmudyan into her home, she chose to stay clear of it and keep Nioma with her at the castle. She knew Leandra wouldn't cause much trouble and so she buried her nose in books, trying not to think about Colin being gone, Orn wanting to fight, or the ex-lover she was harboring from an entire government. Still, regardless of how hard she tried, the real world was there with her, peering over her shoulder as she read, whispering in her ears that things were closing in over her and suggesting that she would soon drown in it.
Enmach entered, cooing to Nioma, who was growing steadily. Sanria felt a pang of jealousy. When Enmach held the little girl, her bright blue eyes were rapt with attention. "I wanted to have her see you today," Enmach said, her eyes still on Nioma. "You've been busy quite a lot, lately."
"I know. Unfortunately it can't be helped." Sanria ran a hand through her hair. "There's so much to do and-"
"There is so much waiting to do, you mean." Sanria let her hand drop to her thigh and gave a singular nod. "Correct."
"Perhaps you should go home, Sanria. Relax."
"I can't... go home."
"Ah, Sir Thasmudyan."
"Right."
"And you can't think of anything else to do than try not to worry while you worry?" Enmach said with a knowing smile.
"That's not really fair, you know."
Sanria reached out to take Nioma when a swirl of golden dust appeared on her hand. It sparkled, then briefly lit, and when it faded, a card was between her fingers. On the front was the TriPower insignia, on the back, a summons, 'You are cordially invited At Midnight.' "What in the nine..."
"It appears to be a summons," Enmach smirked.
"But, from whom? Who in TriPower could be sending me anything like this? Do you think they could know about him?"
"About..."
"Thasmudyan, what if they know I'm keeping him and this whole Westbridge thing could be-"
"It's in druidic script." Sanria looked at at Enmach as the woman gave a small smile. "You should go," she said.
"What do you know of this?"
"Nothing, I assure you. But who do you know in TriPower that uses such a language?" Sanria stared at Enmach as the woman stared back, waiting. It finally hit her. "Ror..." she whispered.
"I'll watch over Nioma and ensure she gets to bed on time-"
"But-"
"And you should seek out this elf and meet him."
"Enmach, I can't go, I have-"
"Nothing to do but wait. So please, for the health of yourself and my own sanity... go."
It was much later that Sanria walked through the Haon'Dor, her hands on the trunks of trees. The ancient beings guided her with quiet whispers, telling her which paths to take to reach Ror. She could hear the humor in their voices as they guided her to the darkest, most remote, most ancient place in the forest to reveal a very tanned elven man lit by unknown light with a picnic basket at his side.
No. The immediate voice in the back of Sanria's skull stepped up with authority, throttling the absolutely shocked and guiltily smitten part, sending it into a quiet submission. The immediate voice then reminded her, in no uncertain terms, that this was a business trip, and that there was something Ror wanted: Throm's information. Calm descended over her as she moved into the tiny space between the trees. "Sir Ror."
"Ah, milady, how good to see you again!"
"I received your card..."
"Indeed! I assume you had no trouble to find the way?"
"No. The trees speak."
"I knew you'd understand."
Sanria's mind was reeling. Why would he bring her out at midnight, in a secluded part of the wood to ask her about Throm, knowing she wouldn't tell him anything? What was his angle? "I'm certain you didn't ask me
here for a picnic, did you?"
"Well, a picnic all by yourself without friends is... very lonely you know... And I figured you might want to get out of everything as well, and just sit, chat, do nothing. And eat of course."
"I... I've been very busy lately," she replied, quite unconvincingly.
"Apple?"
Slowly, Sanria defrosted by degrees. The sound of the river was not far off, and in the moonlight, could be seen reflecting between the trunks of the ancient trees. She brought up the things troubling her, letting the nature that surrounded her lift her burdens as it always did. She found herself inquiring after his studies, recalling his involvement with the Research Division. "So... how is TriPower..." she asked carefully.
"Still there," Ror replied with a grin.
"So... there's nothing going on... that you're aware of that might not be so... good? Like... lifestream research on living subjects?"
"Go on, I am interested."
"So am I," she said in a whisper. "I've merely heard rumors, is all."
She suddenly found him sitting at her side, whispering back, "You whisper too much. Which rumors?"
'People didn't do this,' she thought. 'No one invites someone out on a roman- a picnic at midnight and discusses business, do they?' She cleared her throat and forced herself to stare out into the darkness. "Simply rumors that there are people in your governmental organization that do research on others for their personal gain. Those with the capability to control the lifestream."
"And...then you thought of me?"
"Given your line of work, yes." Sanria turned to face him, steeling herself against the face staring back at her. "Not implying anything, of course. Just that you might know if the rumors are true."
"I feel kind of... flattered," Ror said, smiling. "Thank you."
Of course he wouldn't know anything. He wasn't at the higher levels of TriPower... he studied books in libraries. She felt foolish. "I'm sorry. I believe I may have implied you knew more than you do."
"I told you before that there are things I know nothing about. And you might also recall I wanted to dig and research into a certain someone and his research."
And there it was. Sanria felt herself relax. She had been wrong about this picnic, and Enmach, too. She felt herself strengthen, she knew the reason would eventually come out, and it did. The basket of food - enough for two - was a ruse. It was time to get down business.
Sanria stood up and walked toward the trees. The moonlight sparkled on the river beyond, adding light to the darkness. "I simply can't do that. I'm sorry." She felt his hands on her shoulders and immediately stiffened.
"It's ok," he said.
"I am sorry. Truly." She turned to look up at him. "I know how frustrating it can be to see something you want right before you and not be able to get it. And I have the knowledge, at least part of it, you seek."
"It is ok. I did not invite you to discuss that, nor did I push for further information. But you must understand that if I am kept in the dark about such difficult things, I can not give answers in the future either."
"Throm is the past, my past. I'd prefer to keep him there."
"Well, Throm is also the Tripower's past, which makes it my past and present and future. And unfinished things from the past always come back sooner or later, whether you like it or not. I suspect - with so many problems in love and life - I do not..."
"You will simply have to discover your information some other way. I'm sorry."
Sanria walked to her pack and prepared to leave. She knew he couldn't be a friend to her when all he wanted was to know Throm's information. She knew where the lab was, knew what Throm had there, but still did not know everything, she was sure of it. One thing Throm had always left behind in a trail were secrets. She knew that each time she met with Ror, the need to know would be the reason, and each time would end in the same manner. She proposed they keep apart, a suggestion that was rejected by the elven man. "But clearly I called you here to have a picnic," Ror said.
"Alright. Then shall we finish our picnic?"
"I am contemplating whether that is the right thing to do. The question that I ask myself, if I am a friend to you, do I smile and play the game, avoiding that which is pretty much impossible to avoid... Or do I hurt you, so you may heal in time? Hurt now, or hurt later, that is the question..."
"If we can spare one another pain, then it would be best to be out with it."
"Fine, so be it. Who recruited Ror into the TriPower?" Ror asked, waiting quietly.
Sanria's mind screamed. Lies. From the moment she met him, lies. Ror had been hiding the facts. For what? Snippets of conversations flew into her mind, conversations held in private from long ago. Even Throm's own people did not trust him completely, and here was proof. Right before her face.
"Why would you pretend not to know of him?"
"I have my orders."
"I suppose you do. I thank you for being up front with me now."
"I disobeyed part of my orders, if Throm ever finds out..."
"Throm is dead," Sanria hissed. "Unless he wanted to get away from me so terribly that he faked the whole thing and had me take my own life in the process."
"You do not seem dead to me. So why would I lie?"
"They brought me back to life." Why was she telling him this? She heard him whisper from behind her, and she turned to face him. "If he is alive, you can take your orders right to him and ask him for his research yourself. I'll not set foot near his home, near his research, near his family-" Sanria fought to keep her emotions in check, but fresh betrayal, old wounds, and heartache allowed the tears to seep into her eyes. It was then she felt Ror's arms around her, shocking her out of her pain, sending her mind spinning again. This was not right. Not at all. She pulled back enough to look up at the elven face. "Please don't ask me."
"Lifestream research," Ror began, "done by people I am not aware of inside the Tripower. I need to learn about Throm. Because I need to know who can be trusted. If you want to stay out of it, give me a key and directions and I figure everything out for myself and I swear I will never ask or tell again."
"Then stop looking for Throm. Thasmudyan... was the subject."
Shame washed over Sanria as she walked away from Ror. How easily she had given up Thasmudyan. And why? To take the heat off of her own self? To get Thasmudyan out of her cavern? To help... She felt Ror's arm around her. He was still asking questions, though now about Thasmudyan, about his place in TriPower so many years ago. It incensed her. Ror was from the very same government that had passed through its doors not only the elf, but Thasmudyan and Throm. And Ror could not have known it, the way he answered the questions, the quirks of his mannerisms, the way he would pointedly let her bluster out her anger and as cool as you please continue his thoughts... he was so much like the man whose research he was chasing, like the man who had fallen into an abyss where Sanria could not follow. She had to get away and stay away. "Picnic next thursday?" Ror asked, after everything she had shouted at him. And the words were out before she knew they were coming: "Send me a card."
Enmach entered, cooing to Nioma, who was growing steadily. Sanria felt a pang of jealousy. When Enmach held the little girl, her bright blue eyes were rapt with attention. "I wanted to have her see you today," Enmach said, her eyes still on Nioma. "You've been busy quite a lot, lately."
"I know. Unfortunately it can't be helped." Sanria ran a hand through her hair. "There's so much to do and-"
"There is so much waiting to do, you mean." Sanria let her hand drop to her thigh and gave a singular nod. "Correct."
"Perhaps you should go home, Sanria. Relax."
"I can't... go home."
"Ah, Sir Thasmudyan."
"Right."
"And you can't think of anything else to do than try not to worry while you worry?" Enmach said with a knowing smile.
"That's not really fair, you know."
Sanria reached out to take Nioma when a swirl of golden dust appeared on her hand. It sparkled, then briefly lit, and when it faded, a card was between her fingers. On the front was the TriPower insignia, on the back, a summons, 'You are cordially invited At Midnight.' "What in the nine..."
"It appears to be a summons," Enmach smirked.
"But, from whom? Who in TriPower could be sending me anything like this? Do you think they could know about him?"
"About..."
"Thasmudyan, what if they know I'm keeping him and this whole Westbridge thing could be-"
"It's in druidic script." Sanria looked at at Enmach as the woman gave a small smile. "You should go," she said.
"What do you know of this?"
"Nothing, I assure you. But who do you know in TriPower that uses such a language?" Sanria stared at Enmach as the woman stared back, waiting. It finally hit her. "Ror..." she whispered.
"I'll watch over Nioma and ensure she gets to bed on time-"
"But-"
"And you should seek out this elf and meet him."
"Enmach, I can't go, I have-"
"Nothing to do but wait. So please, for the health of yourself and my own sanity... go."
It was much later that Sanria walked through the Haon'Dor, her hands on the trunks of trees. The ancient beings guided her with quiet whispers, telling her which paths to take to reach Ror. She could hear the humor in their voices as they guided her to the darkest, most remote, most ancient place in the forest to reveal a very tanned elven man lit by unknown light with a picnic basket at his side.
No. The immediate voice in the back of Sanria's skull stepped up with authority, throttling the absolutely shocked and guiltily smitten part, sending it into a quiet submission. The immediate voice then reminded her, in no uncertain terms, that this was a business trip, and that there was something Ror wanted: Throm's information. Calm descended over her as she moved into the tiny space between the trees. "Sir Ror."
"Ah, milady, how good to see you again!"
"I received your card..."
"Indeed! I assume you had no trouble to find the way?"
"No. The trees speak."
"I knew you'd understand."
Sanria's mind was reeling. Why would he bring her out at midnight, in a secluded part of the wood to ask her about Throm, knowing she wouldn't tell him anything? What was his angle? "I'm certain you didn't ask me
here for a picnic, did you?"
"Well, a picnic all by yourself without friends is... very lonely you know... And I figured you might want to get out of everything as well, and just sit, chat, do nothing. And eat of course."
"I... I've been very busy lately," she replied, quite unconvincingly.
"Apple?"
Slowly, Sanria defrosted by degrees. The sound of the river was not far off, and in the moonlight, could be seen reflecting between the trunks of the ancient trees. She brought up the things troubling her, letting the nature that surrounded her lift her burdens as it always did. She found herself inquiring after his studies, recalling his involvement with the Research Division. "So... how is TriPower..." she asked carefully.
"Still there," Ror replied with a grin.
"So... there's nothing going on... that you're aware of that might not be so... good? Like... lifestream research on living subjects?"
"Go on, I am interested."
"So am I," she said in a whisper. "I've merely heard rumors, is all."
She suddenly found him sitting at her side, whispering back, "You whisper too much. Which rumors?"
'People didn't do this,' she thought. 'No one invites someone out on a roman- a picnic at midnight and discusses business, do they?' She cleared her throat and forced herself to stare out into the darkness. "Simply rumors that there are people in your governmental organization that do research on others for their personal gain. Those with the capability to control the lifestream."
"And...then you thought of me?"
"Given your line of work, yes." Sanria turned to face him, steeling herself against the face staring back at her. "Not implying anything, of course. Just that you might know if the rumors are true."
"I feel kind of... flattered," Ror said, smiling. "Thank you."
Of course he wouldn't know anything. He wasn't at the higher levels of TriPower... he studied books in libraries. She felt foolish. "I'm sorry. I believe I may have implied you knew more than you do."
"I told you before that there are things I know nothing about. And you might also recall I wanted to dig and research into a certain someone and his research."
And there it was. Sanria felt herself relax. She had been wrong about this picnic, and Enmach, too. She felt herself strengthen, she knew the reason would eventually come out, and it did. The basket of food - enough for two - was a ruse. It was time to get down business.
Sanria stood up and walked toward the trees. The moonlight sparkled on the river beyond, adding light to the darkness. "I simply can't do that. I'm sorry." She felt his hands on her shoulders and immediately stiffened.
"It's ok," he said.
"I am sorry. Truly." She turned to look up at him. "I know how frustrating it can be to see something you want right before you and not be able to get it. And I have the knowledge, at least part of it, you seek."
"It is ok. I did not invite you to discuss that, nor did I push for further information. But you must understand that if I am kept in the dark about such difficult things, I can not give answers in the future either."
"Throm is the past, my past. I'd prefer to keep him there."
"Well, Throm is also the Tripower's past, which makes it my past and present and future. And unfinished things from the past always come back sooner or later, whether you like it or not. I suspect - with so many problems in love and life - I do not..."
"You will simply have to discover your information some other way. I'm sorry."
Sanria walked to her pack and prepared to leave. She knew he couldn't be a friend to her when all he wanted was to know Throm's information. She knew where the lab was, knew what Throm had there, but still did not know everything, she was sure of it. One thing Throm had always left behind in a trail were secrets. She knew that each time she met with Ror, the need to know would be the reason, and each time would end in the same manner. She proposed they keep apart, a suggestion that was rejected by the elven man. "But clearly I called you here to have a picnic," Ror said.
"Alright. Then shall we finish our picnic?"
"I am contemplating whether that is the right thing to do. The question that I ask myself, if I am a friend to you, do I smile and play the game, avoiding that which is pretty much impossible to avoid... Or do I hurt you, so you may heal in time? Hurt now, or hurt later, that is the question..."
"If we can spare one another pain, then it would be best to be out with it."
"Fine, so be it. Who recruited Ror into the TriPower?" Ror asked, waiting quietly.
Sanria's mind screamed. Lies. From the moment she met him, lies. Ror had been hiding the facts. For what? Snippets of conversations flew into her mind, conversations held in private from long ago. Even Throm's own people did not trust him completely, and here was proof. Right before her face.
"Why would you pretend not to know of him?"
"I have my orders."
"I suppose you do. I thank you for being up front with me now."
"I disobeyed part of my orders, if Throm ever finds out..."
"Throm is dead," Sanria hissed. "Unless he wanted to get away from me so terribly that he faked the whole thing and had me take my own life in the process."
"You do not seem dead to me. So why would I lie?"
"They brought me back to life." Why was she telling him this? She heard him whisper from behind her, and she turned to face him. "If he is alive, you can take your orders right to him and ask him for his research yourself. I'll not set foot near his home, near his research, near his family-" Sanria fought to keep her emotions in check, but fresh betrayal, old wounds, and heartache allowed the tears to seep into her eyes. It was then she felt Ror's arms around her, shocking her out of her pain, sending her mind spinning again. This was not right. Not at all. She pulled back enough to look up at the elven face. "Please don't ask me."
"Lifestream research," Ror began, "done by people I am not aware of inside the Tripower. I need to learn about Throm. Because I need to know who can be trusted. If you want to stay out of it, give me a key and directions and I figure everything out for myself and I swear I will never ask or tell again."
"Then stop looking for Throm. Thasmudyan... was the subject."
Shame washed over Sanria as she walked away from Ror. How easily she had given up Thasmudyan. And why? To take the heat off of her own self? To get Thasmudyan out of her cavern? To help... She felt Ror's arm around her. He was still asking questions, though now about Thasmudyan, about his place in TriPower so many years ago. It incensed her. Ror was from the very same government that had passed through its doors not only the elf, but Thasmudyan and Throm. And Ror could not have known it, the way he answered the questions, the quirks of his mannerisms, the way he would pointedly let her bluster out her anger and as cool as you please continue his thoughts... he was so much like the man whose research he was chasing, like the man who had fallen into an abyss where Sanria could not follow. She had to get away and stay away. "Picnic next thursday?" Ror asked, after everything she had shouted at him. And the words were out before she knew they were coming: "Send me a card."
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