The Interrogation Of Innocents ~ Jadmai & Rakhash

[Ashari]

Samheen 18th, Late Eveningtide

Rakhash and Lianelle had been lead from their holding cells into a small room with a table in the center made of some sort of heavy stone, supported by wooden legs, reinforced with metal. It lacked any ornamentation of anykind, but looking over the rough surface, there seemed to be something on it, red and dingy looking. Dried blood. The princess thought to herself, as she stared down, almost afraid to tear her eyes away.

Their guard had stayed with them for a few burns before departing, leaving them in solitude only long enough for the young Nashreen girl to lean over and give Rakhash a kiss on the cheek. "We've done nothing wrong. They will know that." She offered a smile, her face soft, and even in this horrible environment, seemingly glowing. Perhaps it was the surroundings that made her ever prettier.

From the opposite side of the room, where their first guard had exited, another entered. He was a youngish man, handsome with sharp features and heavy jawbone that protruded out on either side to make prominent jowels. His head was shaved and he wore the adornments of an officer. Behind him followed someone else, however. His was a face covered with a veil, but what of his skin shown, was dark.

The only two seats in the room were taken. The guard and his companion would have to stand for the questioning, but that was routine, it made those under the interrogation feel small and insignificant.

Jadmai, much to his shock no doubt, was not faced with Parmina, nor a faceless accomplice that had taken the fall for his own murder, instead, there sat an equally beautiful young woman of human descent, with tanned skin and long cascades of black hair. Her lashes with thick and voluminous, rimming dark chocolate brown eyes. The man sitting next to her, could've been any other young man from Abu`Sahir, assuming that Jad had picked up on their overall appearance during his time in the city. He was quite tall, however, and that in itself, could make him an imposing figure.

"You've been arrested for treason." The guardsman set out. "And I am here to question you. My name is Lt. Jun Bar`Yan, and this is Master Jadmai." He stated before walking in and closing the door entirely. Now all four were in the small room, a few torches as the only light source, and one barred window the only access to the outside world. "Please state your names." He started with a soft approach.

"Lianelle Viridan." The girl announced with a strong voice. She did not want to be bossed.

Jun Bar`Yan gave Rakhash ample time to respond with his own name before continuing with the next question: "Do you wish to give an admonation of guilt?"

This time Lianelle said nothing. She looked at her companion, knowing full well they had been brought in on trumped up charges that truely meant nothing. But what could this leiutenant know of things like this? He was just a small fish in a big sea, and if he was the fish, that made Lianelle and Rakhash mere plankton, if they were lucky. "No." She finally said. "We are innocent."

The guard then turned to Jadmai and grinned. "Innocent she says." He laughed for a flicker and then looked hard at Rakash. "And you, street rat, what say you?" He paused, but quickly continued. "There are many deals to be struck, if you leave this woman behind, we can make sure you get back to your normal life. Perhaps you were not even aware she was wanted...?" He hinted.

[Guest]

Rakhash stepped into the room, and found the mental shield he had erected around his fear more than capable of standing up to an empty place like this. Ominous tables covered in what would appear to be blood being no exception, the room did not affect the young man in any way more than the walk to this destination did. As the guard stood waiting behind them, the only emotion Rakhash felt coursing through his veins was a looming sense of overwhelming rage directed towards these people, not terror that had seemed so appropriate only moments before. Brought from his cell back into the open, back into a place where he had enemies other than his own demons to fight, rage-powered confidence surged back within him, and any thoughts of hopelessness drowned in a sea of more turbulent, active feelings.

After a while, the guard left, and Rakhash found himself interrupted as he turned to speak to the girl he had sworn to protect. Soft lips placed themselves against his cheek, and he paused, finding that even such a brief act of kindness from his friend helped quell his inner turmoil immensely. As she moved back and began to speak, he turned to her and smiled. Not a nervous smile that would have been so apparent where the situation occurring under any other circumstances, nor an overly exuberant and happy smile that might have been seen if they had managed to attain their freedom some how. Rather, his smile was filled with sadness, and quiet acceptance of the awe he felt gazing at the beautiful princess surrounded by a room built to be ugly and terrifying in its plainness. “I’m sure you’re right,” he said softly. If not these corrupt authorities, then perhaps the gods are still grounded in honour enough that they will.

Just then, the door on the other side of the room opened to admit the two newcomers. Rakhash’s sad gaze turned hard, analytical, and angry once more, as he turned to examine each of the two intently. The first one was no more than he expected, an officer of the Rafao through and through, and in most respects, no different in appearance than most of the other ones he had observed. The second of the pair, however, filled Rakhash with interest the moment he stepped into the room. Short of stature, wearing a veil, and dark-skinned beyond Rakhash’s natural hue, of what party could such a man be? This one, most certainly, was not the typical agent of the Rafao’s law that he had expected. Despite the difference in the two of them however, they were both enemies to Rakhash, and his gaze did not change outwardly upon looking at either of them.

Sitting, Rakhash remained silent as the two guardsmen – rather, one guardsman and his odd companion – prepared to interrogate he and Lianelle. As the young woman uttered her name boldly, the edges of his mouth lifted into a small, barely noticeable smile. Perhaps he would not be the only one fighting a battle with these two interrogators today. The confirmation of Lianelle’s strength left Rakhash only feeling more confident, more comfortable in their extremely trying circumstances, and he could not help but feel that already, some small victory had been won by their lack of apparent fear.

“Rakhash Muraden,” he said softly, his voice one that did little to hide the menace that underlay each word he spoke, or the rage that he felt inside.

Quickly enough, the man moved onto to his next question, one of whether or not they would admit their guilt. After a few flickers, Lianelle spoke for the both of them, and Rakhash remained silent to allow her answer to stand. Still, even before any hostility truly shone through in their questioner, Rakhash’s gaze remained locked on him as he continued to analyze the situation.

The guardsman that was speaking turned to him directly, and posed his question. Rakhash hid the shock he felt inside at the attempt, and instead raised an eyebrow in interest. “Wanted? Well of course I knew she was wanted. I’ve certainly wanted her around, and no doubt, her family must be sick for want of her at home,” he replied casually, his voice no less menacing or challenging. Slowly, he began to grin mockingly at the man. “As for deals with me, guardsman,” he paused, and looked to the ground momentarily as if considering, before turning back to the man and leaning forward, “If this is a place of justice, then I’ve no need to broker a deal with you. I am innocent of any charges you could bring against me, just as the lady is innocent of treason. Now, since it’s clear that I won’t be betraying my friend here, perhaps you could bring up something that might prove we’re guilty of what you say we are?”

The way Rakhash was acting seemed so familiar to him, because, in a way, it was very similar to the way he spoke with Al Sadr. Rather than attempting to dominate the men before him, however, his actions worked towards uttering a wordless challenge, towards stating in a subtle, yet somewhat blunt, manner, that he was not going to be intimidated by either of them. It was a way that Lianelle had never seen him act before, he was sure, but whatever he instigated in their opponents would surely be forgiven if it prevented the men from gaining any leverage over them. All of this was to protect her, to help her, he reminded himself. That thought, he realized, made him more determined in this situation than he had been before.

Silently, his mocking grin gone now, Rakhash awaited a response from one of the two men, his silent challenge to them clinging to the air almost tangibly.

[Ashari]

Lianelle watched as Rakhash took to stepping forward, challenging the men before them. He had been so shy and soft spoken before, when they were alone and he was comforting her, but now it was as if were a man changed. It was impressive to say the least, and in comforting in an utterly different way, as if he were doing it to protect her. Silly girl, he's saving his own skin as well.

The guard did not see it as protection, however, but rather outright defiance. "A simple 'no' would've sufficed, boy." As he said this, it was obvious that the guardsman couldn't have been too much older than Rakhash, maybe a few yahren, but definately no more than five.

"As far as the charges drawn against you, those are by the Rafao himself. I've recieved little description of such, excepting that the woman has done something involving one of the small villages outside of our walls." He looked down at a roll of parchment that had been handed to him by the guardsman outside. "And these charges bring with them the penalty of death by hanging." He continued to read the parchment. "It says here, that the woman, Lianelle Viridan, is accused of working against the Rafao via spreading malicious lies of his virtues with the help of several accomplices." The guard paused.

Lianelle took this oppertunity to break in. "Lies? They are not lies! And I've told no one except for Rakhash what happened to me." The girl huffed. "You don't even begin to underst-"

"That's enough!" The guardsman said with a hard edge. "I will not fall prey to your hysterics, woman." He glanced over to Jadmai and rolled his eyes. Jun thought of women as mere eye candy, and would never put himself in the position to be bossed by one, his comments earlier at Anurith's Golden Ram, when watching the women would've given Jad enough of an impression of what he thought of girls in general as well as what their purpose was. "If you cannot control yourself then you will be removed."

Pacing back and forth through the room, each pass created more tension in the environment. Jun Bar`Yan glanced at the two seated. Lianelle had lost much of her oomph with his quick words. She wasn't used to being demanded of, especially by a simple guard. After all, the girl was a princess. "You say she is wanted by her family, what were you referring to? Did she run away?" He spoke now to Rakhash as if Lia weren't there at all. As much as he may not appear it, Jun really didn't want to see the pretty young lady hung.

[Guest]

Rakhash’s eyebrows raised slowly, as if what the man before him was saying were an incredulous thing. A simple no would surely have sufficed, but the young man sincerely doubted that it would have had the same desired effect on the guardsman. He wanted his position absolutely clear, and it seemed as if the man sitting in a position of power needed to be reminded that his power was not due to the desire of either of the two being forced to sit before him. Rakhash was prepared to co-operate, he had done nothing wrong, but he would not, and could not respect a man who openly served the corruption that practically spilled from the cracks in this place.

If Jun was going to put him to the question, he had better not expect him to be amenable about it.

The young man’s dark eyebrows narrowed as the charges were brought forth, and he forced himself to swallow the fear he felt rising inside of him. I hadn’t expected any less when I first stepped into this room, there’s no reason to be afraid now. There’s no room for terror or submission, not when there’s so much on the line. Quickly, Rakhash glanced to the young woman sitting beside him, taking in the image as best he could, and attempted to force himself to remember the cause that lay beneath all of this, that had driven him to chase Al Sadr and be caught in the first place. He remembered, and suddenly the fear he tried to push away wasn’t for himself. This was worth the risk. A friend, his only friend, was worth whatever this man, or the man he served, could throw at him. His fear became buried once more beneath an avalanche of other emotions, and he settled back, listening in silent anger as the man rattled on.

Lianelle burst out, and Rakhash found the calm he had achieved through the turmoil he felt inside falter for a moment. Her strength was laudable, and Rakhash was glad that she wasn’t cowering in fear, but he found himself worrying that she was drawing too much heat on herself. Forcing himself to calm within, he steeled himself once more and let the dialogue run its course. She could handle herself, and he doubted that the young woman would appreciate him being overprotective.

The guardsman silenced her, and turned to his companion quickly before beginning to speak with him once more. The cruel, mocking grin returned to Rakhash’s face, and he sat forward. “Oh, you don’t know? You mean the high and mighty Rafao doesn’t even deign to tell his questioners to avoid subjects he and his officials are already well aware of?” he asked, his voice mimicking a surprised tone of voice. Quickly, he turned to look at Lianelle, before turning back and deciding to continue. When he spoke again, his voice was harsh, quiet, and cold. “Very well then, I’ll tell you. Criminals, the very same criminals you fight against throughout the city, kidnapped her and brought her here. I watched as one of them threw her onto the street. They did so for the Rafao, because he wanted her here, wanted her away from her home, her small village, to leave it reeling. He wouldn’t do such a thing with his own men, that would make him seem less benevolent, wouldn’t it?” Rakhash paused, gulping down rage he felt towards himself for having openly challenged the Chosen One…no, he didn’t deserve such reverence. He was a mere man, Rakhash almost felt sure of it. “The Rafao has the greatest city on this isle, and he targets villages." He shook his head slowly, as if passing judgement on the actions of the isle's ruler. "So, heard anything about troops in the desert Jun?"

Surely, it was not all that safe to be openly questioning the Rafao, but the caution he once felt about the subject had fled in the face of his rage. Sitting back, he waited for the man to chew on what he had said, and reply, eyeing him and the dark-skinned man with the same, dark stare he had given them since they had entered.

[Ashari]

"The Rafao hasn't the time to speak with a person of my position. I do not dare assume to be better than He." Although Jun had spoken with Ionis on several occasions, it had been under direct order only because he had been the one around, such as his assignment to watch over Jadmai. As Rakhash began to spill the story, Jun started to regret bringing Jadmai into the room.

It seemed this was a more difficult interrogation that he thought it was going to be.

Blankly he stared forward at the young man. He had heard rumors that a small army had been dispatched directly after the Rafao returned from the desert, from where Jadmai had been brought back from, but he knew nothing of it. It was, after all, gossip, so Jun had paid it little mind. As Rakhash confirmed this gossip, which he would have had no way of knowing of (since it was palace related) it shed a new light on his story. However, he couldn't let on that this was the case, at least not yet.

"So where is this 'army' off to then?" He questioned them.

Lianelle decided to answer this time. "To Nashreen, my homeland. Actually, to the Nine of the Mu`At River valley. You must know He's been wanting that land for the entire time He's been a leader, and before Ionis there were others who tried to take the land as well." She implored him with her eyes, deep pools of neverending darkness. Quietly she glanced over to his silent companion, the dark adhiel shrouded behind the veil.

"There was supposed to have been a treaty between the Nine and the Rafao, but he is defying it by attacking them. He is the one performing treason by going against his own word." Lianelle said.

Jun looked between the pair. He had heard lies before, lies stacked atop lies, each grander than the one before it, but this was something entirely different, and he had a feeling, an incling that what they spoke of might actually have some kind of foundation of truth. If that were the case though... He shook his head at the thought of the Rafao doing something so atrocious, so shady.

"What reason..." Jun started. "What reason has he to kidnap the girl?" He asked Rakhash. "Of all the things he could do. Why not simply just crush these villages? His army is more than strong enough to descend up them. They are mere farmers, the could do nothing to stop the onslaught." There had been other rumors, of other bloodshed only recently in the desert. Was the Rafao truely so cruel? Jun hated to believe it.

[Guest]

Rakhash raised an eyebrow as the guardsman before him went on in an initial attempt to defend his leader. Opening his mouth to speak, the young man prepared to chide his questioner once again with a biting remark, but quickly forced his mouth closed as the beautiful princess beside him spoke first. Silently, he listened as her words ushered forth and cut at the reputation that Ionis had built up around himself among the people, applied human cruelty and powermongering to a being so often declared above mere mortals. Smiling slightly, this time in a sincere manner, he watched Lianelle as she spoke, and found his own confidence boosted by her final words. He is the one that is performing treason…

Rakhash stared back at Jun as the guardsman contemplated the young woman’s words, a smile still apparent on his face. As he continued to gaze into the man’s eyes, listening to the question Jun then directed towards him, his smile once again became less an expression of pleasure towards Lianelle’s actions, and more a mockery of this man before him and the position he clung to so fiercely. “Do you question your Rafao, then, Jun? Does the Chosen One need to explain his motives to do the things he does?” Rakhash arched his eyebrows, as if interrogator’s question surprised him. “Why, for us to question his motives as though he needed to explain them would be directly akin to us questioning the divinity with which he acts, now wouldn’t it?” He paused again, for added effect. “However, just assuming that he is no more than another man, perhaps it was to leave the farmers reeling. She is, after all, rather important where she comes from. Even peaceful people have means to slow aggressors, and surely there are certain things that are quite valuable to our glorious leader in the valley that even farmers, given just a little bit of time, could damage in a manner that would prove costly to the Rafao.”

Rakhash shrugged, as if the point made no difference. To him, of course, it made a huge difference. It was because of what occurred, because of Lianelle’s kidnapping for whatever reason, that he had been brought here in the first place, that he had met his friend, and that he now felt such conviction in declaring that what did occur was all in the hands of the Rafao himself. “Regardless of why he did it, the lady is here now,” he said firmly, “And I’m sure, given the choice, she would choose to leave all of this and return home to live once again a peaceful life among her own people. Yet we still sit here, trying to face down over-trumped charges of treason. How much does it take to make even a man such as you observe logic in this situation. Look at her!” Rakhash waved his hand to indicate the princess. “Does she look like someone who wants to spread lies and sew deceit about any leader? Does she look like someone who would commit treason where there is no real gain? She told me about herself, and never once indicated that the Rafao had any involvement in what occurred to here before I found her. That, I found out on my own, and informed her of.” He paused, and stared at the ground intently for a moment before turning a steely gaze back to Jun.

“I guess if speaking against something the Rafao did is equal to treason, then I’m the one of us who should be here. If Ionis is looking for someone to persecute for the things I stated that I did, then let him persecute the one guilty of such a thing. Charge me, and let her go.” There was no waver in his voice, no lack of conviction in the words he stated. The venom that only moments before dripped from every word he uttered was gone, and the voice he used was perhaps the most civil he had since entering this place. He came here prepared to face this with the young woman beside him, but if he could spare her, was that not the honourable thing to do? Surely, his ancestors would greet him with pride. And Lianelle, a person he had come to care for, would remain alive. People to remember him fondly, a just cause to defend, and the world left with one more person destined to rule benevolently and kindly. There was no real reason for Rakhash to doubt himself in this.

“If this is just a political game where our great Rafao is playing with innocent lives, however, then the mighty Ionis can come down to this place himself. And when he gets here, he can shove those charges up into a place where not even Uphuron’s golden rays will find them,” said Rakhash. His voice held no mockery, and he sounded every bit as serious as he had when he presented Jun with the other option.

Silently, he awaited a response, staring into his opponent’s eyes with cold, hard resolve. He ignored the dark-skinned companion, and made sure not to let his line of sight touch Lianelle. That, perhaps of all things at this moment, could deter him, but no matter how much he wanted to stay, he had promised to protect the girl, and that’s what he intended to do.

[Ashari]

Jun was very seriously beginning to question his leader, and no matter the amount of restraint he had trained himself into, it was obvious in his eyes. The time that Rakhash had spent with Lianelle had taught him some things about people, and Jun was not a bad man, he was doing his duty as a trained officer. Like many of the inhabitants of Abu`Sahir he did think of Ionis as a divine being, and if not quite god-like, atleast divinely inspired and lead. If he could do something so... so horrible to this beautiful woman.

All these things were plain in the young man's eyes as he listened to Rakhash's words. As much as he wanted to believe it (no one wanted to put a woman to death) he also hated to believe it (how do you survive without faith?). "Alright. We let her go, and you rot." He simply said, and looked over to Lianelle. Her eyes were already welling with tears, the dark irises brimming with the salty drops that had so many times coated her cheeks in the past few days as she had been with Rakhash. Silently she began to shake her head back and forth.

"No no! He will not stay in prison! How can you do this? He is innocent!" She nearly shrieked at Jun staring between he and Rakhash. She wasn't quite sure which one she was more angry at - Rakhash for giving himself up for her, or Jun for taking him up on the offer. "How can you do this?" The luminous young lady grabbed his hands. "You promised you would take care of me. What happens when I get outside of this room? I'll be all alone again!"

Jun allowed them the moment before breaking in: "I will go get another guard to assist me if you will not leave the dungeon peacefully, miss." He looked at her coldly, but there was a soft edge hidden behind the ice as he clamped his jaw. Internally he was almost jealous of the relationship between the pair. He had always seen women as sexual objects, and yet this girl, this princess rather, was so much more than that.

"It's alright." Lianelle said, calming herself greatly, with much patience. "I'll go without a fight." The dark haired beauty took a deep breath and then leaned over to Rakhash and pulled him into an embrace. In a soft whisper that neither Jadmai nor Jun could hear she said: "I will come back for you" and then kissed him on the cheek. Biting her bottom lip softly she looked at him. "I'm sorry. You will not die in vain." It was more for the benefit of Jun than for Rakhash, but the apology was heartfelt.

Meanwhile, Jun had opened the door of the room to call in a guard who quickly moved in and escorted Lianelle out of the room, leaving the guard, the dark adhiel, and Rakhash. "You know he will kill her anyway, right? If the Rafao has done what you propose he has, then he won't let her stop him. You are only prolonging the inevitable." The guard shook his head. It was so much to take in. "There will be nothing to do to stop him if he has set his mind to taking over the Mu`At valley."

[Guest]

Rakhash nodded once with finality at Jun’s acceptance, as the magnitude of his actions still refused to set in. He could suffer no worse punishment than what was being put on the table for the both of them by going alone, and if one of them could be saved…no, if she could be saved…then it was worth it. Better to face his demise alone, than to face it with the knowledge that he had brought someone he could of saved, and had promised to save, with him to face the judgement that awaited. As the pause in the conversation stretched, the young man refused to turn to Lianelle, to stare into her deep eyes and meet the emotions he would find waiting for him there.

Days. Rakhash had known her for days, and he had offered his life for hers. Mere days had caused him to feel this way, to be so committed to a cause. And, as strange is it seemed, he felt content marching down a path deep into darker realms than he had dared before traverse, even in his boundless imagination, for that cause. It seemed silly, though, to expect a woman like Lianelle not to forget a boy that had helped her escape a close call once, to take solace in the honour of an act that would be forgotten. What reason did he have to go to this alone, when no one would really remember his sacrifice, no one would care in the end that he had gone? His family would move on, they had endured hardship before, and the girl he had called a friend, the girl he had called his solitary friend, would forget him after a moment of mourning and the dawning of a new hope.

He couldn’t expect anything more than that, but that didn’t make his choice a wrong one. In the short days he had spent protecting the young princess, he had changed in a manner he had not expected. He had experienced the acceptance of someone, he had been a provider, and it gave him purpose. He had a real friend, something he had never had before, and because of that, something made more valuable than anything he had called his own before.

I felt…worth something…worth the care of someone else…worth the place I held in this world. It matters not if she goes on with her life and forgets, it simply matters that she realizes, if only for a short while, what this meant to me, what peace within myself, and what conviction in my actions, her kindness and caring gave me. It matters that she survives, because I care for her, and this is what is right.

Rakhash’s thoughts were interrupted with the near-shriek that Lianelle let out, as her anger, frustration, and sorrow were given embodiment in her voice. He felt pain that he had refused to accept before flood into him as she gripped his hands, as the words flew from her mouth. You promised! His mouth opened a crack as he finally gazed into Lianelle’s deep dark eyes, and met the feelings that challenged him there. “I…” he sputtered. Words caught in his throat, and found no path to the surface. The pain on her face was too much, the accusation in her words strong enough to shatter the shield he had erected around his actions. When he finally found the strength to speak, his voice was low, pained, and almost a whisper. “I’m sorry, Lianelle. I did promise to protect you, and I am doing what I can to fulfil that promise. This is the gift I can offer you in return for what you’ve given me.” He paused, not wanting to say any more in front of the guards, but continued anyway, understanding that this was probably the only goodbye he could give her. “I told you once that I never had a friend before, and I meant it. It meant so much to me to have a true companion, and I’m only sorry that I couldn’t walk with you into your home, see your lands the way you described them.”

His shoulders slouched, and he looked away from the beautiful woman, accepting that she would be walking away from him, walking out of his life…or what was left of it here at the palace. As she leaned in close and kissed him once more on the cheek, he savoured the feeling of her lips against his skin, the warmth of her embrace, and felt her close proximity recharge the strength that was so recently sapped from him by her words. As she said that she would come back for him, he gave her a small smile that was more of an indulgence than a confirmation of his reassurance. How could one girl rescue him from this place? It seemed unlikely, but at least she was trying to comfort him, which was something.

After Lianelle left, Rakhash found himself alone with Jun and his mysterious companion, wanting nothing more than to be truly alone for a while, to collect himself and prepare for his fate. He wanted to cry, but refused to let his weakness show any more than it already had. After a moment, Jun spoke harsh words that tried to crack Rakhash’s confidence in the righteousness of his actions. “Maybe, guardsman,” he replied softly, the cutting edge that had been in his voice before now gone, dulled by the sorrow that had crept up within him. “But I bought her some time, bought her a chance to escape, to find freedom and safety. The Rafao might crush her home, but if his enemies are gone, what need has he to destroy one girl?” He shook his head slowly, and let out a chuckle that seemed markedly out of place in his sorrowful demeanor. “So, will the Rafao be down to announce his verdict, or will this all be transferred to another official?” He asked sarcastically.

Lianelle was safe for a time, free from any repercussions his actions would have from this point forth. There was no reason not to go out of this as he had come in, to hold his head up high as soldiers of the Rafao continued to guard him.

[Ashari]

"The Rafao will give the final word, this evening no doubt, and you will be at the gallows at sunrise to see the might of Uphuron for the last time. For now, it's off to your cell."

Jun felt no honor in this execution, the young man before him, only a few yahren younger than he, had put his life on the line for the girl. Who knew what would happen to her now? All he knew, was that if an order went out to find her, Jun wouldn't be participating in the search.

"He will give the order to put you to death, and has always been there to watch any execution since he inherited his position. Is there anyone you would like to see? A priest or priestess, perhaps family? Last wish perhaps?" The guard questioned, looking down at Rakhash.

Even as he spoke he felt the words sour when they fell from his lips. What could he want? He had already given up his life for Lianelle, was there anything he could ask for, that he didn't already have?

OOC: Sorry for the short reply.. You don't even understand how cold it is in my computer room. >_<

[Guest]

OOC: LOL, It's alright I may not understand how cold it is in your computer room, but trust me, living in Canada with my computer room in the basement, I do understand cold itself.

Hope you went and got warm and toast after writing that.

IC:

Rakhash smiled sardonically, and nodded. He would get to look upon the face of his enemy, upon the face of the one truly guilty of treason, before he brought his grievances to the gods themselves. At least he would have the satisfaction of standing unwavering in his lack of deference and respect before the Rafao himself, rather than some lackey charged with the duty of overseeing another state affair deemed unworthy of the leader's personal attention. In a small way, it made the sacrifice he was making a little more satisfying.

Jun questioned whether or not he would like to speak to a priest or priestess, or his family, and Rakhash felt a pang of pain as memories were pulled to the surface of his thoughts. His family. How would they deal with what was about to occur? How could anyone explain to them the choices he had made, the person he was doing it for? There was no explanation anyone could possibly give that would justify being guilty of treason, mere days after leaving his childhood home, to his parents. No matter how much the situation were explained, no matter how clearly they understood his motives, there was no explanation that they could accept to make up for the loss they would endure, the sacrifice he was choosing to make. They had to be told what occurred here though, no matter how much it pained them.

"I don't think that speaking to my family would make this any easier on me, guardsman. However, I would like someone to inform them of what occurred…better they realize what happened than be left questioning why I haven't returned in some time," he said softly. He tried to push down the pain that he was feeling from remembering things from his past, good times with his family, but he could find nothing with which to pull him from the place within himself in which he was sinking. Nothing except the anger he continually felt towards the Rafao.

"As for a priest or priestess…no. I do not believe I would like to speak to one," he continued, this time with more conviction and less sorrow. "They claim that the Rafao is himself a living representative of Uphuron, so how could I seek answers from them? If the Rafao is divinely just in having an innocent girl hunted, in subjugating farmers against their will through the breaking of his own treaties, then what peace can those that preach the righteousness of his ways provide for me?" He chuckled, and shook his head slightly. "Tonight, I'll spend some time with my thoughts, find answers of my own, and tomorrow, perhaps I will greet Uphuron twice."

Silently, he glanced between the two companions before him, awaiting a response. Inside, his emotions waged a war with eachother and against him that was far less silent.

[Ashari]

"I will inform them personally." Jun replied strongly. "But, I'm
afraid they might discover sooner than that, usually the gossip gets
around very quickly about a public execution. Perhaps you think the
Rafao to be a tyrant, but in all honesty, there are very few killings
done in his name in the public's eye. He would rather them spend a
lifetime in the freezing underground dungeon before an eternity in
Uphuron's fiery abyss." It was rather cruel, but in a different way.
The choice was between the public humiliation of execution and the
slow demise of the torturous chill. Either way ended in death, it was
a matter of opinion of what was the best option.

"Your parents should be simple enough to find." Jun finally said solemny.

There was something hanging in the air around them, a quiet certainty of what the rest of Rakhash's life would consist of. It was silent dread and creeping assurance of his looming demise. No one spoke of it, but it was as thick as fog. "Come on then, back to your cell." The guardsman finally announced and moved toward the door to open it. "Don't force me to drag you off."

Jun would move him physically if necessary. No matter what the conditions, Rakhash ended up back in the cell, this time utterly alone, without the closeness of Lianelle in the next cell to keep him company. No, instead he could hear the groanings and moanings of near by criminals. He had been condemned to the same level of the felonious traitors who lived out their days in this dark dungeon.

If he looked around he might realize this wasn't actually the same cell he had been in before, rather, it had a window on the opposite window of the door which had been locked loudly with a clinking and the sound of a bolt sliding into place. The sound of metal against metal resounded for a few flickers as it echoed around the stone asylum. A window, however, offered many there last chance at asking for forgiveness of the gods. This cell was saved for those who were spending there last night on Tazlure. In particular those who followed Anasis found it soothing, and on this evening the sliver of the moon rose outside and shone brightly into the small room creating harsh shadows from the thick metal bars.

Straw lined the floor creating a soft pacing medium, and a bed rested against the right hand wall, hung up by metal chains it was suspended a foot or so from the floor. If he felt the urge he could sleep, the bed seemed unused, perhaps none who were sentenced to death could sleep, their guilty concience weighing too heavily upon their shoulders to allow them sleep.

[Guest]

Rakhash listened intently as Jun re-assured him that his parent would be informed. It was important that they knew what happened to him, and no matter what stories revolved around the events that were about to occur, he knew that they would search long and hard for what small core of those stories were truth. They knew him, and they wouldn’t judge him based on gossip, or the words of his would-be executioners. It was just one more thing that he could draw on for strength, sitting there as the dread collected around him, one more re-assurance that he would not be marked entirely by the spin of authority on actual events. The victors always wrote history, but those that knew him, those that witnessed the events first hand, would realize the truth, and, as with the safety of Lianelle, it was enough.

As the guardsman informed him that he would be going back to his cell, Rakhash’s only response was a slight nod of his head. He stood, and walked slowly out of the room, trying to exist for a while longer in the moment. Memories and thoughts flowed through his mind with stunning lucidity, sensations he had experienced long ago and only recently came surging up to confront him in a tangible manner. He looked back on what he had done, how he had interacted with other people, and how his life had played out until now. Rakhash thought of his family…

…And he thought of Lianelle.

From the moment he had met her it seemed as though it was some form of fate, some kind of supernatural gift to Rakhash. Only a short while after leaving his home, alone for the first time in his life, he had found a companion, and a purpose. He had met an amazing woman, more kind, gentle, and caring than anyone he had known in his life outside of his own family. She had accepted him for who he was, whether out of necessity or genuine emotion, and he had, for a small portion of time, felt content because of it. Maybe it was fate, then, that put such an amazing person in his path, that had made him willing to sacrifice himself for her. Mortals conspired to gain power over other mortals all the time, and in this particular case, the webs woven by mortals ensnared an innocent girl, who didn’t deserve to leave this place, and who had so much purpose in her life. Lianelle had a people she was destined to lead, in some capacity, and an illustrious family history she was going to inherit. Rakhash had his clothes, a room in an inn, some money, his loneliness, and his dreams. It was a trade-off worthy of the gods, if Lianelle could get away, and Rakhash had little doubts that the young woman and the people that surrounded her could find a way to get her out of the city.

Before he knew it, Rakhash found himself faced with the small cell, and stepped inside without a fight, resigned to the events that were about to occur. The door clicked shut behind him, the sound of metal rubbing against metal as the bolt locked him within resounding through the air for flickers. He gazed at the moon, high in the sky, blankly, for flickers that must have seemed like marks. Then, without warning, he felt warm tears stream down his cheeks. No matter how strong he was, no matter how much he tried to steel himself to this, to take solace in the righteousness of what he was doing, he couldn’t fight the tears that sprang forth now, and he couldn’t help but feel so afraid that it made him sick to his stomach. Slowly, he placed his back against the door, and slid to the floor, trembling, refusing to take his eyes from silver orb high in the sky.

“Please,” he whispered softly, his lips quivering from the fear the racked him, “Please…you have enough mercy and kindness in your heart for a nation of people, please, spare some for me.” Sniffling, he closed his eyes for a moment, before looking back to the moon, the somber look still strong upon his face. “Give me strength to face this without fear, and when I cross the barrier that remains between us, let someone await me there to tell me why this had to happen. I want to know, I need to know, that something I did made a difference. I want to know that you care, that all of this isn’t some cruel game you two play, that you aren’t sitting there laughing as this tyrant does a thing that I can’t attribute to the gods I thought you were,” he said. “But right now, just help me stop being so afraid.”

Slowly, Rakhash clambered over to the bed, and stared up at the ceiling. Sleep wouldn’t find him there, he knew, but perhaps the pleasant dreams he had had lying in his own bed could find him waking still, on his last night on Tazlure. Maybe something in the night, in the silence of the room, and the blankness of the roof above him, could quell the turmoil within him, and help him find the peace he so desperately wanted Anasis to give him. Sighing, he lost himself in the seas of his thoughts and his imagination, and waited for Uphuron to greet him as Anasis had this night.

[Ashari]

As tears slid down his face and coated his cheeks in their wet warmth, a warm breeze caught hold and held the temperature of his heated visage. Do not despair my child. A voice, seemingly carried on that wind, soothed him and brought the scent of the ocean with it. It was as soft as as if a person spoke just feet away from him, but it was also everywhere, and seemed to come from everthing. All is not yet lost, do not lose faith. It was a woman, and somehow she reminded him of his mother when she used to sit with him as a child, telling him stories during a belly ache or fever. She did so enjoy doting on him, his leaving had been almost unbearable to her, though Rakhash had no idea of her suffering.

We shall always protect you, Champion of Innocence.

Almost as soon as it had been there, the sweet aroma faded and left him in the stench of the cell, and the deathly chill of the desert night, not the warmth of the breathy air. In his mind's eye, beyond what he could really see, was something utterly different than the stone walls, for before him had spread a vision of beautiful pastures where the grain was ruffled and moved in waves of gold. People moved about and did their duty of collecting the yellow wheat. They were peaceful and calm people and they all smiled and waved at Rakhash, and a few even bowed down before him, as if he were some kind of hero.

Beyond the grain was a bright blue river alongside which people were fishing and children played near the marsh trying to catch the illusive frogs that croaked and hopped from one safe spot to the next. As he moved through the image the kids stopped and waved, they laughed and played and looked as if they were saying hello, though there was no sound except for the bubbling of the water.

Onward he went, now toward a village that seemed familiar and yet completely alien at the same time. Small houses were erected here and there in a wheel pattern, or atleast that what it would be if he could see a birds-eye view. Somehow he just knew that this was how it was arranged. Finding his way to a main road it lead inward, passed the thatch roofed housed where women did their daily duties of making bread and preparing food for their children and husbands, only pausing to smile at Rakhash.

As if by some force he was lead further inward to the center of the city where a great building stood, taller and more impressive than all the others around, with a wall protecting it. This barrier did nothing to stop him, however, as he moved directly passed the guards stationed outside. Each bowed slightly to him as he walked (though to him it felt as though he were gliding). Now that he was inside he found the source of the bubbling water sound. What had appeared to be from the river was truely from a tall fountain.

A very familiar body stood before it, as if contemplating the water. Rakhash's approach had yet been noticed, but as he moved closer she turned. It was Lianelle and she was positively beaming and glorious. Garbed in a luminous white dress and holding a bouquet of flowers she smiled at him and moved forward. "Rakhash." It was the first word to have been spoken during the entire dream. Her mouth had not moved, it wasn't actually her that said it, yet it was most definately the melodic voice of the princess, though hushed, almost to a whisper.

Something struck his arm and he was pulled from the strange and beautiful mirage. "Rakhash!" The whisper tugged at him. "Wake up.. Rakhash!" Something else hit him, harder this time, and on the chest. It was Lianelle, and her voice came from the small window. Her face blocked out the moon, but her smile lit the room. "Ready to be freed?"

[Guest]

Rakhash inhaled sharply as the unexplainable wind carried the soothing voice to his ears. The smell of the ocean washed away the overbearing scent of filth that hung in the cell, bringing him a taste of freedom that he longed to experience, now more than ever. Logically, he had to question the woman’s voice, to find out where it came from, how it was resounding from the cell itself in such a manner. He couldn’t place it, however, and was left in awe-inspiring, yet comfortable wonder as the words washed over him. We will always protect you… Rakhash smiled, and took them to heart instantly, feeling the truth in them that he could not deny, no matter how much reason demanded that he do so.

The voice faded away, the ocean’s scent leaving with it, and for a brief period, he felt more utterly alone than he had before, felt the contrast between the two surroundings that had taken up the same place in time and space. Almost as quickly as the contrast had occurred, however, the dream set in, and Rakhash found himself standing before vast, waving fields of wheat, and content people filled with a kind of purpose and acceptance that could not be found within Abu’Sahir. He floated through the world, not touching the ground, unable to do anything save watch as the places and people passed by. They noticed him, as he noticed them, but said nothing, made no noise or sound, simply acknowledged his presence, and went back to the toils of the day. Rakhash smiled, finding the place refreshing and relaxing beside the cold cell that housed him beyond the tranquil world.

Onward he went, into a village he had never seen before, but that seemed so familiar at the same time. He felt wonder as the people nodded to him, smiled at him, and acted as though they had known him for a time that was longer than he had spent here. This place felt like a home to him, but he had never even set foot on the path that he now floated above. When he moved past the houses, he didn’t fight it, but instead found himself excited to find out what the next place held for him. Slowly, he passed through the gates that should have barred him entrance, and gazed interestedly at the guards that bowed at his passage.

The fountain within the place should have caught his attention, but the person standing before it did instead. That familiar body, the way it seemed to glow, and the way that warmth seemed to radiate from the person. He knew the person well. He had thought of her so often in the past few days, that it seemed unsurprising that he would imagine her here, in this place that was so obviously a dream granted to him before his fate was dealt to him at sunrise. Rakhash smiled as Lianelle turned, and cast her gaze upon him, filling him with a stronger feeling of home and acceptance than he had experienced even among the dream-villagers that occupied this place. He reached out to embrace her as she moved towards him, but words cut through the dream like a knife through butter, pulling him back to the harsh reality in the cell.

Groggily, he forced his eyelids open as small objects pelted him. “Wha…Lia…who?” he asked incomprehensibly. Blinking voraciously, he slid up, and found himself gazing at the face that he had found smiling at him within his dream. “Lianelle…what are you doing here? Freed? In case you haven’t noticed, metal bars separate the two of us, so how is it that you expect to get me out of here?” Shaking his head softly, he looked towards the bed, before glancing back up at the beautiful princess. “You should leave, it isn’t safe to be so close to the Palace for you, and you know it. Go back to Yabal, he’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Rakhash’s eyebrows narrowed, and he gazed at Lianelle’s face in the window, secretly trying to save the image within himself, but outwardly waiting for the young woman to obey his directives.

[Ashari]

"In all the stories my maid used to read me when I was a child the princess was always getting rescued. I remembered that when I left here, and I remembered I told my maid that I wouldn't be like that..." She looked down at Rakhash and procurred an odd looking bottle made of glass inside of which a slightly viscous semi-liquid sloshed about. It was hard to tell if the container was green or the stuff inside was actually the hue that shone into the light. "So, I'm going to do the saving for once. I owe you that much. Stand back." At this she uncorked the round flask and began pouring the mollasses onto the metal bars.

A hissing sound, not incredibly loud, issued from the barrier as the bars began to melt. It started from the top where Lianelle had allowed a teaspoon or so of the sludge to settle. A foul smelling white smoke poured from where the potion met metal. The girl disappeared from his vision for a moment and then returned and pulled on what remained of each bar, easily sliding them out of their place. She tossed a rope down into Rakhash's cell, since it was a good 7 feet up to the sill of the window. "Hurry! Before they notice."

Bracing herself Lia waited for Rakhash's weight to pull onto the hemp rope she had dropped. She wasn't the only one who held onto it though, as the young man was released from his captivity he was met with Yabal's grinning face. "Been a while since I freed someone from jail." He winked and dropped the rope once Rakhash was safely on the ground rather than his hole. Lianelle had other things in mind once she saw him though. Almost as soon as he had righted himself and stood up her warm arms were wrapped around his waist.

"No more getting executed for me. Got it?" Her dark eyes sparkled, she had vigor and life renewed. Once again she was luminous and amazing as she had been; the trials of the dungeon had done nothing to dampen her spirits for any extended period of time.

"Hey, love doves, let's get a move on, shall we? - You know, before the guards see us." Yabal had moved next to the wall and sat down on a worn red and gold carpet. It appeared to have been a beautiful specimen a long time before, it was about six feet long and four feet wide, a nice area rug with tasseled gold ropes hanging off each of the corners. "Sure hope you don't mind heights, boy." He said.

Lianelle grinned. "Come on!" She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the woven rug and sat cross legged behind Yabal. "Better hold on, it goes pretty fast." Her small hands took hold of the ornate edging.

"Up." Yabal announced. The unremarkable runner lifted from the ground and hovered there, about three feet from where they had just been. "Up! Forward!" The barkeep urged the tapestry onward and it jetted forward. In a burn the window to the cell blended into the rest of the inky darkness of the side of the stone building. Using the front of the carpet as steering Yabal crossed the moat that surrounded the Rafao's home and headed toward the city.

The air whirred past and whistled in their ears as they soared over the walls of houses and went high above the streets of Abu`Sahir. Everything looked a bit different from above the city. It gave it a serenity and calm. No people were out at this mark, even the slaves who used the night to meet with friends had already returned to slumber in their beds. Around them the stars flickered and sparkled as whispy clouds moved about the arid sky. The moon offered plenty of light for Yabal to navigate by. It took practically no time at all before they reached their destination.

It was not Anurith's.

The vehicle, if you could call it that, stopped outside of the Temple in the center of the city. "Down." They lowered back toward the ground after racing about. "Your things are already here." Yabal said as he stepped off of the magick carpet. "This is your sanctuary. The guards would expect you to come back to my place, so you are safe here. The Priestess won't give away your location." He said to Rakhash and Lianelle. "Take the carpet, it may help on your journey. I asked around, the army has not left Abu`Sahir yet, so there is still time to save your village." As he spoke he had rolled up the rug and was now handing it to Rakhash. "Perhaps we will meet again some day. For now, I better get back to the tavern before they dispatch a unit to investigate how you escaped. Get inside." He opened the back door of the Temple and ushered them inside. "Good luck." He then closed the door and was gone leaving Lianelle and Rakhash in the back hall of the holy place.

[Guest]

Rakhash’s stern expression faded into one of slight confusion as the princess explained that she was going to be the one saving him today. How on Tazlure did Lianelle plan on freeing him from this cell? Certainly, she didn’t plan on tearing the bars from the window to open a clean route of escape. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat as Lianelle produced a strange-looking bottle. The captive young man stared with growing interest as the viscous substance in the container met the metal, and hissed as it melted through the bars. The beautiful woman who would be his saviour, instead of the other way around, disappeared, before re-appearing with a rope. Still unable to fully accept what was happening, Rakhash simply shook his head, and decided that now was not the time to ask questions. He grasped the rope, and climbed through the now-open window.

Glancing up as he stood, Rakhash found his gaze meeting that of the large barkeeper that had provided he and Lianelle with a home for the time they had spent together. “Oh, you’ve done this before have you?” Rakhash asked in response to Yabal’s greeting comment. He allowed himself a light chuckle, something that, surrounded by the tension of the situation, didn’t feel quite right.

The young man fought to find more words to say, to make the situation feel more comfortable, but found himself interrupted as Lianelle wrapped her arms around him. Smiling in a more genuine manner than he had in some time, he slipped his arms around her shoulders and brought her closer, reveling in the feel of her body against his. “No more getting caught by the guards then, hmm?” He said lightly, his voice soft with the amazement he still felt at being freed from the dank cell. For flickers, Rakhash simply stared down into Lianelle’s eyes, trying to understand her, still trying to take in the fact that she had come to save him, a broad smile still adorning his face. Abruptly, Yabal’s voice cut the meeting short, and Rakhash released the young woman from his grip. “Right,” he said, his mind once again on the immediate dangers that faced them.

“Heights, no, I’ve never been afraid of them, why?” He asked, a small frown on his face. Still slightly confused, he gripped the rug as Lianelle had warned him to, and steeled himself for what was about to come. No amount of preparation, however, could adequately block the surprise he felt as the rug lifted off the ground. He remained absolutely silent as air rushed past his ears and over his scalp, blowing his clothes. His grip on the rug tightened more and more as the journey continued, but the fear he felt at flying the air was smothered out, for the most part, by the excitement and joy that had welled up inside of him with every flicker he had spent beyond the palace walls. Smiling once more as the rug set down next to the temple, Rakhash shook his head in continued astonishment.

Once more, Rakhash had trouble getting a word in as Yabal ushered the pair towards the door. As he prepared to close the door behind them, however, the young man finally found an opening to speak. “Thank you, Yabal. For everything. I’m not sure how I can repay you properly, but thanks.” He gave him a small smile, before turning away as the door behind him closed. Gazing at Lianelle for a moment in silence, before grinning once more, Rakhash silently began to remember the things that he had experienced inside the cell. The voice, the dream, how could any of it be explained? Shrugging it off mentally, he decided it was probably best to discuss the matter with her later. “And thank you, Lianelle. Looks like I don’t hold the ‘saviour’ card over you any more, huh?” He laughed, noticeably more comfortable than earlier. “Maybe we should find someone who can help us out here.” Silently, he gazed intently at the hall that surrounded him, and tried to discern the path they should take from here.

[Ashari]

As Rakhash got his final word in with the barkeep, Lianelle leaned against the wall and sighed allowing herself a moment to rest after everything that had happened. "You don't have to thank me." The girl's dark brown eyes met his and then sparkled with mirth. "Wasn't it exciting?" She asked and grinned. A few torches lit the hallway, it was a small space, but not cramped. If anything it was cozy, done in a calming shade of medium blue that picked up brightness near the flickering light. It lead onward, and then seemed to turn off to the right, beyond that he couldn't see anything.

Lianelle's wheels had been working since when she had left him in the cell, and this was the proper time to start saying everything she had been thinking of since they parted ways, so, with a bit of hesitation (as much as a princess can stand) she embarked on her little speech. "I'm really glad you are alright. I would've done anything to save you, even if it put me in harm's way. I know, I know, you wanted to keep me safe, that's why you were in there at all. It's just.. I don't know.. you're the first person ever, in my whole life, to put his life on the line for me." Her voice was tightening with the tension of the mood.

She was incredibly moved by his generosity in the past, but this, this was totally different. He had been willing to die for her. That put him in a completely changed light in her eyes. "I mean, you would do anything to protect me. The most any of my suitors would do is offer me pretty dresses and jewelry. You are just so amazing, Rakhash." She shook her head and looked down, her eyes closing and she smiled just a bit.

"It sounded a lot better in my head." At this she laughed and looked up at him, the tender skin at the corner of her eyes crinkled just slightly. "I think it was simpler, in there." She tapped her temple and then dropped her hand and leaned forward, pushing off the wall, to take his hand in hers. Lianelle's palm was warm, sweaty even. She was more nervous than she looked. "Promise me you'll never leave me, Rakhash, forever and always. Keep me safe." The princess's stomach was doing somersaults as she spoke, her chocolate eyes, rimmed by thick fluffy lashes, begging for her saviour to never stray from her side, continued to stare deeply into his.

[Guest]

“Heh, exciting. Maybe not the word I would have chosen to accurately describe the entire situation, but I suppose it might be appropriate for your standpoint,” Rakhash replied lightly, offering a friendly smile. Staring at the beautiful princess, it seemed that, now that he was safe, it would be hard for him to do anything but smile in her presence. Everything that had just occurred was still a blur, still just barely registering as a part of reality, as a part of his history. In the span of marks, he had become a prisoner of the leader he had revered for a lifetime and a refugee from his authorities. Throughout it all though, the thought of Lianelle, of what she meant to him and what she had done for him, had been a constant. Now, even after the rush of events that had brought him to this hallway, she occupied his thoughts heavily, and the fact that she was safe, and free with him, was highlight that sat at the heart of the moment.

As his friend pushed off of the wall, and began to speak to him, to reveal thoughts that she had obviously gone over in her mind before, Rakhash listened to her intently, every one of her words shrouded, to him, in the haze of the situation they were now in. Even with such distracting circumstances revolving around him, he had no trouble find peace staring at Lianelle, and experienced no difficulty listening to the words she spoke with great attention. She admitted that she would have put herself in harms way to save him, and he grimaced, but remained silence as she cut him off and showed that she already know what his reaction to that would be. As her voice became tenser, Rakhash’s own worry began to rise at the thought of an impending statement that was obviously of great importance to the desert girl.

“I…” he began softly as she paused and looked to the floor, “Well, I mean, it wasn’t all that great of me or anything. You’re my friend, and you’re important…and I promised to protect you. You shouldn’t praise me for things that most men, I’m sure, would do.” Rakhash felt an intense need to remove such singular attention from him, to keep the young woman from thinking he was anything overly extraordinary, and save her the disappointment he feared that she would find eventually. Even so, his cheeks took on a familiar reddish hue as the words left his lips, and he looked away from her momentarily to collect his thoughts.

Turning back, he watched as Lianelle pushed off the wall and grasped his hand. He felt the warmth of her hand against his, the perspiration that sat fresh on the palm of her hand, and found himself wondering as she began to speak again. The words that sprang forth from her mouth brought the churning emotions within him to new heights, and caused the haze that surrounded him at the moment to come crashing down. He wanted to look away from the young woman, to consider her words more fully before answering, but he couldn’t. Rakhash found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her deep, chocolate eyes, and found there that thoughts he had wanted to consider came springing forth just as easily as if he were alone. He found acceptance there, and he ran with it.

The young man wanted to say yes with absolute certainty, but reason forced him to reign himself in. Could he really go with her into the future, promise to keep her safe forever? Could he give up on dreams that he had had in this city, in order to follow her wherever she would roam? No, he wouldn’t have to give up on his dreams to do this, to follow her, not when so many of his dreams held her within him these days. Often, when alone, he found himself wondering about how he would cope when such an amazing person was gone from his life, and now she offered him a chance to stay with her, but he found doubts creep into him. He could go with her, but once this situation was resolved, she wouldn’t really need him anymore. She would be safe, and he would just be one more man who cared about her deeply, just a friend that he was sure would become one of many. Eventually, her home saved, the suitors would come again, she’d be married, and what would he have? Her friendship, he hoped silently, even if having only that for a while as she found love for herself brought some pain.

Whatever doubts made him their home, Rakhash knew what his answer would be. When the time came that she no longer felt the need for him to be there, she would release him, and he would go, move on with his life, even if it was hard. No matter what the future held for her, no matter what riches, what love, what greatness was in store, he could stay with her for a while longer, for as long as she needed and wanted him there. That was enough for now, for a man who had his dreams and a friend like Lianelle. It was enough to keep him going for a while longer. Despite all the doubts, the knowledge that he could remain with her for a while longer, that she wanted him to remain with her, helped him feel secure. He would make it through this, and he felt confident in it for the first time in a long while.

When he spoke, still gazing into Lianelle’s eyes, Rakhash’s voice was little more than a whisper. It was soft, genuine, and conveyed the deep emotions that he had trouble even putting a name to fairly accurately. “I promise,” he said, “I won’t leave you until you want me to, Lianelle. I’ll do my best to keep you safe from whatever it is that troubles you, to shelter you from the things that will try to harm you. Until the time you find that you no longer need me beside you, I’ll be there, and when you want me to go, eventually, I will.” There was something about the way she looked at him, the way her expression pleaded with him, that made his stomach turn even more. He felt things for this girl that he found hard to describe, that he had never experienced for anyone in such a manner before. He hoped that he could live up to her expectations, that he could exceed them.

Rakhash smiled in a friendly manner, and listened to his heart pound. The silence that lasted only flickers seemed to stretch on into eternity. He existed in the eye of a storm though, as the emotions churned, he had momentary peace, standing there before Lianelle, and he savoured it for a while as he waited for her response.

[Ashari]

"I would never want for you to leave me." Lianelle whispered back, her voice was mellow and breathy as her chocolate eyes looked up into his. Her black hair had been pulled back in a braid, but much of it escaped the long knots and framed her soft face with silken threads of midnight darkness. "So don't say I would."

Around the pair the world had become fuzzy and difficult to discern. It might've been because of Rakhash's extreme concentration on the beautiful and disarming woman before him, who was saying everything short of professing her deep love to him, or perhaps it was just too much for his mind to take in. The past week had brought with it great enormity and his life had changed drastically. No matter the cause, it was as if it were a dream, blurry around the edges. Lianelle was the only thing in real focus.

And in focus she was. She appeared as perfect as she had always been, her skin smooth and dark and her body curvy and draped in dark blue. He hadn't even had the time to really look at her during the process of their escape. Now he could see she was bedecked in a velvet cloak the same hue as the heavens themselves, though missing the mars that would be the stars overhead. "You didn't even ask how I got the stuff to free you." She said, stumbling forward on their conversation before it could get too awkward. "I went to the gnome, you know, the one we spoke to that blew up his shop right before we entered? Well, I went to him and told him that you had been arrested because of me, and he was nothing short of amazing. I guess he had been working on the potion for something entirely different, but it had turned out it melted right through metal! Quite a coincidence. He had held onto it, I guess he discovered it a few weeks ago. So, he gave it to me. He called it acid." As she said it the word was emphasised and she raised her arched brows just a bit.

"I was afraid to go back to the Golden Ram, since I wasn't sure if someone would've already been sent out to get me. I have a feeling that guardsman, Jun, he wasn't supposed to let me go under any circumstances, but he did thankfully. I hope he is alright." At the thought of him coming to some kind of harm because of allowing her freedom, she frowned, but moved on in her story anyway. "But, I decided I had to go somewhere. Yabal sure was glad to see me. He was getting worried I guess, when we hadn't returned. The news that he wanted to tell you was about the Rafao's army, that they will be setting out tomorrow evening." The princess said. "So we've got until then to stop them. He said that seeking the High Priestess, Nadia, was our safest bet."

Rakhash had heard of Nadia, a woman of amazing grace and poise that had been hefted from the ranks of slaves after being orphanned to being a servant here in the Amunic Simbahan, or Temple as non-parishoners called it, and rose to to being an acolyte and then moved onward through the hierarchy to become the High Priestess of the Goddess Anasis. Hers was a rags to riches story, and through it all she retained her humble nature and was truely thankful for the gift she had been given. Nadia gave public sermons for the people, as did the High Priest of Uphuron, but more slaves came to hers for they saw in her a piece of themselves.

"So here we are." She said and smiled. "And I guess we really shouldn't hide here in the hallway indefinately." Lianelle really didn't want to go anywhere else, she just wanted to sneak away with Rakhash and curl up with him like she had when they were sleeping. She felt so much safer then, when they were in the boisterous Inn keeping eachother company when he wasn't working. Suddenly she longed for a bowl of Hishran's stew.

The world around Rakhash was returning to it's edgy and stark focus until he could visually separate one tile from the next, which had been a continuous blue backdrop to Lianelle up until now. The princess continued to hold onto his hand even as she turned to move toward the curve in the hallway. After a few steps she paused and spoke, without looking at him. "You know what? I almost don't want to go home. I mean, I want to fix everything, I want my people to be safe... but I think I like it here in Abu`Sahir, like it here with you. I never did get a chance to meet your parents." She glanced sidewards over to him and grinned. "Or, for that matter, get to see the River Delta of Emphalis."

[Guest]

The difficulty Rakhash had discerning one element of the background from another, for a moment, made no difference to him. The woman before him provided the anchor that he required to continue to exist consciously within this world for the time being, and it made no difference that anything else seemed without the proper amount of detail. When she spoke, he listened to her words, let all the melodies of her voice shatter the silence that reigned in the darkness beyond them, and smiled. The things that the princess spoke of seemed so genuine coming from her mouth that Rakhash, despite the doubts he had, took some comfort in hearing them. No matter the worry that he felt inside, the certainty with which the young woman spoke left him without any doubt about how strongly she felt now, how much conviction she held within her about the emotions she had.

Words the ushered forth from Lianelle, however, became lighter as she moved forward, discussing the gnome that they had met before, and the aid he had rendered to help her free Rakhash. “Acid?” He asked, raising an eyebrow, “Yes, well, I’m sure he would keep something like that. I imagine that a liquid that could melt metal, without any external source of heat, would be quite valuable to the right people.” He frowned slightly at the thought of something like that being made widely available, but quickly lightened up as he decided that, surely, such a destructive thing would be expensive, or hard to make. In any case, it was not a problem now, and the development of such a thing had led aided in his freedom, so he had reason enough to praise the stuff, rather than wonder at the dangerous situations it could create. “I’ll have to stop by the gnome’s shop and thank him, one day.” He smiled slightly, and gave his friend a small shrug.

Rakhash’s eyebrows shot up as Lianelle mentioned the High Priestess. Surely, such a woman was in a position to help them in their situation, but the position itself was not one that was likely to under any normal circumstances. “Nadia? Lianelle, I’m not so sure about this, despite what Yabal said. She is the high priestess of Anasis, and Ionis is who the people believe is the chosen of the Gods. Why would Nadia help us against the Rafao?” He said incredulously, trying grasp Yabal’s reasoning. Sighing, he shook his head. “As it stands, we don’t really have anywhere else to turn, but I think we need to be cautious about this.” He resigned himself to walking into the lair of High Priestess, even if it meant taking a risk. Realistically, there wasn’t much in the way of other choices where this was concerned.

Smiling in a somewhat sad manner, the young man continued to stare at Lianelle intently, even as the environment regained its clear definition. “No, we definitely shouldn’t stay out here too long, especially if the army is leaving tomorrow. That doesn’t leave us with too long to devise a plan of action.” In reality, Rakhash mirrored Lianelle’s feelings about the situation. He would have liked to simply enjoy her company for a while longer, to feel somewhat separate from the vast, winding situation that was revolving around them. He would have appreciated being able to revel in his freedom, his renewed closeness to his friend. Unfortunately, the world would not wait too long to make problems grow, and once again, circumstance forced him into action.

As the pair began to walk down the now-clear hallway, Rakhash let out a small laugh as Lianelle professed that she almost wanted to stay here, in Abu'Sahir. It seemed strange that anyone would want to stay in a place that they had suffered so much trauma in, a place that their enemy held sway over. Nonetheless, it was another comforting statement from Lianelle. “Well, I’m glad this whole mess with the Rafao hasn’t done much to dampen your view of the city,” he replied, half sarcastically, half seriously. Almost unconsciously, he grasped the hand of the beautiful princess a little tighter as he continued down the curve in the hall with her, and into the unknown domain of the High Priestess of Anasis.

[Ashari]

"Yabal said Nadia was the one we needed to seek. I think there are things at play here that we don't understand yet." Lianelle replied to his questioning. "So far Yabal has been so helpful, I don't think he would send us somewhere dangerous, atleast I hope not." Rakhash's doubt had added a level of questioning in her own mind that hadn't been present before. Being a princess, and having been sheltered for a good portion of her life from anything wrong or evil, it was difficult for her to discern when she was being lead to danger. However, those who were pure of heart are generally guided by a higher power, and she had been lucky so far.

The girl smiled. "Plus, I'm sure you'd make sure to keep me safe anyway. So I'm not too worried." She winked and continued down the passage, turning at the corner and following the stretch of hallway lit by flickering torches. The tilework was beautiful, each peace of ceramic slightly different in tone from the next creating a dappled pattern much like moving water. Behind each torch there was a circle of tiles made of orange and red and yellow, orbs meant to pay homage to Uphuron's glory. It was an impressive pattern.

It didn't take long before they reached a larger hallway with other routes branching off of it. Chambers could be seen into from here, some were empty, others had meditating acolytes who were resting after the many visitors they had had that evening for the night sermon. "One... two... three..." Lianelle paused. "That's it, the hallway right there leads into the High Priestess room, Hishran said so. I guess he's had audience with her before.

As they moved through the large meeting place of halls no one disturbed them. Maybe they knew they posed no risk to the occupants of the Amunic Simbahan, or maybe they were too caught up in their own meditative state to even notice. Taking in a deep breath Lia looked down the hall. It was strange, as they entered the area they felt a serene calm descend over them, as if the place were enchanted by some means of preventing anxiety.

They were met with a wide open archway, but they couldn't see anyone beyond. The door itself had some kind of barrier, however. It was almost like a really thin layer of water, it was moving and shifting slightly. The glasslike wall, however, disappeared almost as soon as they had arrived. It opened into a large room, with elaborate tile work on the walls and columns lifting the heavy ceiling overhead where darkness was painted with dots to look like the heavens.

It was remiscent of the scene he had seen when looking out of the barred window in his cell just a short time ago. There was even a moon in the center of the pattern, it was in the same crescent as the one outside. Was that just a coincidence? It was difficult to tell. Around the room there were bubbles of varying size, they were white, and floating in the air. They gave off a soft light that illuminated their surroundings creating a glowing etherial light. It was a sight to see, and very beautiful indeed. "Wow.." Lianelle murmered glancing inward.

"Please, come in." A woman's voice called. She sounded to be on the left hand side of the room, but seeing as they were standing outside the room still, they couldn't see. Her voice was soft but commanding, and the pair felt comforted by it.

OOC: Alright, go ahead and join in the thread titled "Who can be trusted when they are not who they appear ~ Aeris"

[Ashari]

Rakhash:

Resolve: + ***
Pray: +*
Inner Calm: +**
Persuade: +**
Meditation: +*
Debate: +*

And I soooo want to give you something for that vision, lol. But nothing fits. Next time. ^_~

Skilled!