The Midnight Sun

Reiea bit her lip again, and looked at the skeleton, regarding his... angular features? Just what was the convention for describing a lich, anyway? She shunted away the distracting thought and stared into the eye sockets, attempting to discern some clue of intent from the lich's mind.

That was the problem with having nothing but eye sockets. There are no windows into the soul: the building once called the soul has, in fact, burned down. She was left staring into the ashen remains. Realizing that he was staring into her eyes just as long as she stared into his, she averted her eyes and looked to his bookcase, studying the old volumes. Beneath the façade of interest was an inner conflict; one of many that plagued Reiea.

Conscious came to the field of battle, readily releasing the first arrow. He wants us to reveal everything about him? she questioned. What's he going to do with it? Her Varan wariness of the arcane hindered her even now, as she was trying to find her lover.

Conscience patiently stated nothing but the reality. We need to trust him. We have no alternative, and we have come for days in search of an answer. There's nothing in Asgeir, anyway. This is it, now.

Reiea let slip, "Well, he always liked books, going huntin–" she bit her tongue most violently and threw her gaze to the floor. Her tongue bled profusely into her mouth. She swallowed the blood and cursed inwardly.

What?! screamed conscious. You're just going to tell him everything? We need to be careful!

Stop being an idiot! reprimanded conscience. We can be overly cautious now, and risk not seeing him again, or we can exercise risk in exchange for hope. Are you a Varan woman or just some housewife?

It was conscious's turn to bite her tongue. Struggling through the blood filling her mouth, and the pain, Reiea loked up at Reese and continued. "He likes hunting... He's from Asgeir, like me, but he likes to travel a lot. Goes into the darker forests often. It's sort of because of his job, too. He hunts dangerous things. Monsters." Reiea hesitated again, shifting her gaze to the Avalon on Reese's desk, finding it worthy of study.

What now? conscience demanded.

Well, his life. Should we get into the details?

He needs to know everything. You heard him: nothing is too irrelevant.

But his personal life. That's personal.

If we don't, we'll never see him again, threatened conscience.

Fine.

"Well," continued Reiea, still absently looking at the bottle, "he has this scar on his back from the talons of a... something."

Conscience slapped conscious. What was that? Surely not his personal life.

Okay! conceded conscious. Okay! I'll tell him for real.

Reiea looked deeply into Rese's eye sockets and stood tall as she was able. "He is very kind to everyone," she said. "Very kind, but never has the time to love me, or notice me for more than his hunting partner. Part of a team.
"But he has his reasons... he's so devoted to the people. Wants to save them." Tears began forming in Reiea's eyes, and her voice broke ever so slightly as she said, "That's why he went into the forest recently with his friend, I think his name was Edyrian."
Sob. "He wants to kill monsters to make the world safe for everyone.
"See, when he was young... his home was destroyed. His father was the head of his whole extended family. Some evil wizards... They just killed them all one day. He was the only survivor." Reiea broke into open crying, but attempted to speak through her weeping. "He doesn't want anyone else to lose their families the same way. That's why he wants to destroy magic."

Reiea pulled herself together. "His name is Smertas Draíochta."

The moment Kate is seated, Madame Naoki’s attention returns to the steaming plate before her. Without hesitation, she takes the fork in her hand, gives it a quick twirl between her fingers, and plunges it into the elk. Artistic preservation and proper appreciation of presentation could be dammed, she was hungry.

Reflecting back on that first, initial bite, she would liken it to a great awakening; to a realm of fabulous, depthy flavor she was previously unaware existed. The way that the meat separates between her teeth, releasing warmth and spices to coat the interior of her mouth. Never before had her palate been exposed to such intense flavors.

Just a short while ago, she was writing about depth of emotion, the overwhelming nature of her feelings, and how inhibiting she finds them. The parallel could be drawn, from those feelings, to these sensations, as they rock her body. The experience she had fooled with briefly in the past, but recently discovered the full extent of. The staggering depth she finds, and the overpowering effect it has on her thoughts. How everything else just seems to fade away, insignificant relative to the object of her fixation.

As she becomes increasingly more and more aware of the finite nature of her plate, Naoki consciously attempts to strike a balance, between savoring each bite, and stuffing the entire thing into her mouth as quickly as she can. Her self control wins, at least enough to not choke. It is in this manner that the plate is cleaned, elk, peppers, and dinner rolls all.

It is with a great sense of satisfaction that Naoki releases her iron grip on the fork, and daintily sets it back down in its place beside the empty plate.

When Lady Genevieve St. James arrives, Skarlet is there at the front to greet from behind a podium, dressed very nicely today. She recognizes the Gauldish woman from before. "Oh, hello. I didn't think I'd see you around here. Can I help you with something?"

Young love. It was such a beautiful thing to those trapped within it, and a terrible annoyance to those long past it. Reese sat and patiently listened as the young woman wiffled and waffled, chomped on her own tongue, and examined his floor with the utmost interest. When she finally met his gaze and spat out the name of the man, he felt ready to cheer. Nevermind the tears.

Smertas Draíochta, eh? I've heard the name, no more. But his friend...

"This friend you mentioned. Edyrian. Might his last name be Talgan?" Reese rubbed his bony hands. "Perhaps I can lead you to him, and he to your lost love."

His business was interrupted as a woman rushed into the lower floors. He paid little attention to it until he heard her say Tick's name, whereupon he momentarily ignored Reiea and concentrated on the mirror. Skarlet appeared to be handling the whole matter, but Naoki would still appreciate being informed. Reese whipped out a medallion from his pocket.

Pardon for the interruption of your evening, Madame, but a woman just entered the establishment with news of Tick. He has been injured. Skarlet has the matter in hand, but I will continue to keep an eye on the situation.

Back to the customer, then. Reese replaced the medallion and regarded her. "Apologies. A bit of work cropped up. Giving you the location of this Edyrian fellow, would this be satisfactory? And, if so, what sort of compensation do you have in mind?"

Genevieve almost took her hand back when Skarlet reached for the earring that lay in her palm. It might have been the place, it might have been the people, but Genevieve was for the moment, untrusting. Still, she forced herself to relinquish the jewelry piece to Skarlet, and then tried to wait patiently.

As before in the shop, it seemed that the very air around Genevieve was warm, and relaxing, for all that she herself did not look very relaxed. It was hard to tell when she was in her shoppe, surrounded by so many enchanted things, but here, out of her element, one could almost taste the unique magic that hummed around Genevieve, like warm cookies or a cozy morning.

Skarlet's voice echoed into Reese's skull, heralding yet another distraction. Ah well. I suppose this is my job.

"Apologies, miss." Reese turned away from Reiea and whipped out his medallion. He considered finding a better place to keep it. At this rate, he'd wear the pocket out in no time at all.

I'll send Hasdrubal over. Thanks, Skarlet.

He flipped the medallion over and tapped it a few times, re-aligning the web of power within.

Hey, Hasdrubal. Could you come up to the main floor? There's a lady here with news of Tick, and he appears to be injured. Patching people up is your specialty.

With the latest task complete, Reese stored his medallion away and turned to consider Reiea once more.

Genevieve smiled to Skarlet. "Oui, merci," she said with a little nod.

She stood there a moment, just looking at the goings-on in the establishment. She was clearly a woman unto herself, and while her body language didn't speak of her being uncomfortable, it was, perhaps, faintly disapproving. Her blue eyes turned onto Skarlet.

"Will they be quick? Tick is very seriously wounded. I'm worried about him."

Kate took her time in enjoying every mouthful. Had he known such culinary delights had existed, she might not have eaten raw sunflower seeds for breakfast every day. Once finished, she would place the cutlery next to her table, and lean back with a satisfied sigh. “Mmmh, complements to the chef. I never felt anything like this. Veeeeery pleasant. Devilishly.” Kate would chuckle with the notion of her ‘joke’ not being very good so it ended with an awkward 'aah...'-sound

Once Ulcisor has left the room, Kate would slide her left hand over the table, expecting Madame to extend hers. Kate would join the two hands in the middle, as well as her right hand to Embrace Naomi’s in the middle. “I had really wonderful time today, Naoki. The fact that you would dedicate an entire day to me, when you must be so busy anyway, really meant a lot to me. I hope I could arrange something as wonderful as this, but I really could only give you a tour in my garden.” The corners of Kate’s mouth twitched at the thought. Quickly though, they stretched in a heartfelt yawn.

“I think that I have to go home to recover. I hope you don’t take offence, but I can barely stand. It’s been a taxing day for me. We can pick this up again, soon, I hope. Do you think Artemis would mind if I’d ask her to walk me home?”