A New Rose In Bloom (Chyril 27, Early MT)

[Ashari]

As the realization struck that the pair were stuck Ash felt her own heart began a similar race as Wrinks'. "Wrap your legs around him good, I'm rolling you both off this couch so that you're on top..." She looked at Aerin and gave her a final nod suggesting that she wanted Aerin's agreement, or atleast aknowledgment, first. Once that was settled she grabbed the cushions from the back of the couch and threw them onto the floor where the lovers would land so as to buffer the landing by a bit. Then her hands went to work as she gave them the gentlest shove she could so that Wrinks would end up on the bottom where he could relax with the beautiful redhead atop him.

What the nether... this is your life, now.. Ash. This is what it will amount to - pulling beautiful women off of old men. Consider this your own first big lesson on matchmaking. Wrinks, obviously, is a man who can't be disturbed mid-act. Under different circumstances she would've laughed. She hoped that eventually they all would laugh about this. "Wrinks, you old goat. You really got yourself in it this time, didn't you?" Her hand pressed to his chest and felt the jumping heart as well as the shocking spasms. "I need to both to calm down."

Earlier, just moments earlier, Ash had dove into her calm little center in preparation for defence. With the discovery of the lovebirds she'd lost all concentration and now found herself, again, looking for that inner sanctum of power. Her eyes shut and jaw clenched, then released as she took in a deep breath through her nose and then out her mouth. It's time. When her eyes reopened it was with the sight and clarity that only her magick could provide. Her demeanor had shifted to the calm that Aerin might recognize from the night of the fire.

Thus, the commands fell from her lips as if they were the most natural aid to any situation. "Be calm. Relax." If Aerin passed out it might be for the best... she almost considered telling the girl to sleep, but she had the nagging suspicion if she did then she'd need her. The Law of Irony proved it.

Her palm still pressed against Wrink's chest. She could feel the cold, clammy sweat that layered his body. Ashari's other hand went to his forehead, though she couldn't explain what drove her to that spot excepting for having seen her mother do the same whenever her or her brothers were sick. "Wrinks... breathe in," she took a deep breath through her nose. "Breathe out..." Ashari sighed out slowly. "Breathe in..." Her mantra continued waiting for signs of what to do.

[Grey Wolf]

Each tug of Aerin’s hips caused Wrinks breath to catch, the old man’s teeth chattering as if he were cold, despite sweating profusely. Face to face with the fisherman, the girl could see his eyes slowly rolling upward in their sockets, each ragged breath he made causing his eyelids to lower a bit more, only to shoot open again, panic filling his eyes as they jumped this way and that. His entire body arched in pain as they landed, the old man’s heartbeat frantic, his heart pushed to its limit by the pain and fear.

In other circumstances, Ashari’ words may have had full effect, but as it were, Wrinks for struggling to stay alive, trying to keep his eyes open, resisting the sweet lure of darkness that drew him to close his eyes and just let go. Aerin on the other hand could feel the soothing effect of her teacher’s words, each whisper felt like a long caress down her back, muscles relaxing, though it was a slow and gradual process. Her vaginal cramp relaxed a bit, alleviating the pain somewhat, though any attempt to pull away would be met by more pain and stronger cramp, as he body sought to protect itself.

On the floor, Wrinks’ breathing calmed somewhat, the old man feebly scratching at the wooden floor under them, his eyes turning glassy, thighs pushing against Aerin’s behind. He just wanted to curl into a fetal position and shiver until the pain went away. With each passing flicker death seemed less foreboding and scary, pain tearing at the edges of his sanity. All would be better if he just let go and stopped fighting.

[Ashari]

Though not competent in any sort of healing, Ashari felt the mild link between herself and those she controlled. Aerin, ever the receptive student, listened and did as told. Her body reacted as it ought to have. Wrinks, on the other hand, he did something else. He was colder, or that was how she felt it, and it was this that caused her eyes to open again even as the mantra continued to fall from her lips insisted that they become calm. That nice tranquil tone was quick to fade, and then she stopped as she tried to catch herself in Wrinks' eyes. They were faded, and glassy, and the shivers and spasms begged for him to be let go.

Ashari's eyes began to burn. I don't know what I'm doing.. I don't know what I'm doing.. I don't know... Mother, please. Fuck... fuck. Fuck. God, what am I going to do? Ketch.. shit. Michael and Ketch and Tom... They were all friends with him. They knew Wrinks. How was she going to explain to them that her stupid little friend had taken some sort of pity on his existance and decided to gift him with some fun time on the couch? How would she explain that it had killed him? Wrinks.. please... "Shit Wrinks.. please." She swallowed back something more viscous that saliva. For a flicker, she thought it was her heart crawling up her throat.

In those flickers, as Wrink's body shivered with his ailment, Ash's mind whirred through memories as if sifting through the sand of each thing she'd ever learned in hopes of digging up some piece of knowledge that would help here. She'd told Aerin not to cry, and yet she'd find herself in the redhead's company for the second time doing just as she demanded her pupil not. The first droplets were squeezed out between eyes that clamped shut in effort to preventing them. Effort that was fruitless. They were tears of frustration and anger at her own inability to know what to do. Thankfully her long veil of hair shielded Aerin's view of the emotional display.

Ashari generally prided herself on her quick mind and sharp tongue. Both were able to get her out of most any situation. Neither were helping her here. Each one of her hands were still thoughtfully placed on Wrink's bare form - one on his weakening heart and the other on his forehead. "Aerin. You're going to stay calm. You're going to keep practicing your meditation. Breathe. Help me keep Wrink's alive. Breathe out..." She couldn't say anymore - the words caught in her ever-tightening throat.

Born from the helplessness of the moment she reacted - and with the violence and passion that had been so pent up in her. "Wrinks, don't you die on me!" She shouted at him visciously. Her teeth lashed with feral frustration as her fingers pulled into fists. Her right hand, the one that had previously tenderly been placed on his heart, slammed down with force on his sternum to re-awaken him from whatever greener pastures he thought he might venture off. "No wandering off into some dream world you fucker.. WAKE UP!" Instantly she was wrapping her hands around his shoulders to shake him. Whatever effect this had on Aerin's state of mind became a rather unimportant after thought. Perhaps she would prove herself by remaining the calm little center of the universe.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

If Ashari was considered ‘not competent’ in healing even after healing Aerin’s hand, then Aerin’s skill in the healing arts would be considered so wholly incompetent that it would go beyond the borders of malpractice. Yet, as the redhead’s thoughts went from ‘It is working…he looks so peaceful thanks to the Mistress…’ to ‘Fucking Nether! He’s dying!’ as Ashari pounded his chest and tried to order him back to life, she managed to follow orders, picking up on Ashari’s command to mantra and substituting her own from the gardens – although the mantra had never been practiced to perfection due to that damnable cat.

Aerin tried to forget about her cramping muscles. Pain is a weed in my garden…

Aerin tried to let go of visions of Wrinkles expiring. Fear is a weed in my garden…

Aerin tried to let go of further fantasies of Ashari giving her the same look that Rat had, ordering her out of the house after this incident. Mistakes are weeds in my garden…

Aerin tried to release thoughts of Rat shaking his head at her as she confessed to him each error that she had made since climbing onto Citadel’s shores. Self-anger is a weed---

She paused in her mantra, suddenly aware that she had been rocking back and forth as gently as possible, trying to slowly work her way free without success. No... The Mistress said to be still,,, she chided herself, settling down into as close to a comfortable position as possible as not to move. Aerin started repeating her mantra again, over and over in her mind, wishing that there was something - anything that she could do to reverse what had been done.

To free this man from both her body and peril.

Perhaps there was something that she could do, as small and silly as the notion sounded in her head - and it kept her still, save for her lips.

"Come on... Stay with us, please...." she asked as calmly as she could, her mantra still running through her mind. "Stay for..." What was that girl's name? she tried to recall. Something flower-ish...

"Petal..." she guessed. "Come on...stay for Petal..." Feeling totally helpless, Aerin stayed poised in place, weeds and gardens running through her mind, petals on her lips, and visions of her mentoring Rose trying to pound life back into the old man as best as she could.

OOC: Sorry, the previous version of the post was a bit graphic and far fetched. Changed with Ashari's knowledge.

[Grey Wolf]

It was a wonder what proper motivation could do to a person, and even fear and panic could be overcome when the need was great and mind was willing. It would have taken burns if not marks for Aerin's muscles to relax naturally, but the girls did not have burns of marks they had flickers. Ashari's punch had the effect of making Wrinkles moan, bringing him back to life for a little while longer, his eyes clearing out whilst he groaned in pain. Then came the shaking and aided by Aerin's mantra, which actually had effect this time, the apprentice felt her muscles loosen, Wrinkles' little comrade slipping free inch, by slow inch. Finally where was a soft PLOP as the pair were separated at last.

Shaking was not going to help Wrinkles, though it was serving a purpose of keeping him conscious and fighting for survival, as he dreaded what Ashari would do to him if he gave up again. Suddenly the old man took a deep gasping breath, and it seemed the shaking worked, though it could have been a number of factors, perhaps even the release of a fresh batch of blood into his veins. Blood that has been trapped by Aerin's vice like grip until just recently. Whichever it was, he reached a shaky hand up and grasped Ashari's shoulder, his eyes begging her to stop shaking him. "Yer hurtin' me."

[Ashari]

Gray eyes filled with unshed tears that were easy to blink away as the frustration and adreline climaxed in what turned out to not be Wrinks' demise - surprisingly enough. Where once it seemed Ashari's run of luck had been a dark pool of disaster inwhich each person she met was at a constant gamble with their lives, lately she'd been much more on the lighter side and was finding herself tipping people back into the world of the living. Gratification came in the form of a relieved sigh. "Sorry," she mumbled to the old sea farer as she released her tight hold on his shoulders.

Aerin, as well, had been fairly surprising at keeping her head about her. She had remained calm as the moment needed it. Ashari wasn't entirely sure that she would've been able to herself. It proved the red head wasn't as sharp or bull headed as Ash's first impression had suggested. Maybe she was learning already.

Humility at their situation wasn't far behind her happiness at having kept Wrinks alive. She pushed herself off the floor and grasped at one of the blankets that she'd given to the fisherman the night before. The first she wrapped around Aerin's shoulders to provide her with the modesty she ought to have, the second throw she tossed toward the prone form of the sexual survivor. "Get dressed, mm? We have some talking to do."

A thief's hand - quick and strong - grasped at Aerin's elbow and pulled her up off of the floor in the space between the nude fogey's legs. "You'll be alright for a flicker, yes? We'll go make you something to eat - or would you rather a drink?" Ash waited on her guest to answer and treated Aerin very much like a delinquent who didn't deserve attention - atleast not yet.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Aerin had no problem at all with Ashari pulling her off of the old man for, in fact, the very flicker that she felt him exit, she scrambled to close her clothing and allow both he and Ashari freedom of movement if they needed it, her eyes freshly wet with both worry and relief, but Ashari’s voice in her mind telling her not to cry, no matter how embarrassed or scared she was. She took the blanket wordlessly and stood, her eyes on Wrinkles and the floor all at once as Ashari spoke to the old man and not herself.

For all of the ego that the redhead contained, she understood perfectly well why Ashari was not concerned about her – she had nowhere near the yahren under her belt that he did – her life was not in danger as his was – and she had, above all else, been responsible for what had happened to him and the thought that Ashari’s shocking them had caused it never crossed her mind…she was just happy that the Mistress had been so nearby and knowledgeable to have helped.

Her bravado was gone, whatever edge the drug had given her now dulled by the blunt strikes of twin hammers called Shame and Regret. Her ego – while not shattered – was bruised and licking its wounds in the corners of her mind.

For the flicker, Aerin was Jack’s silent acceptance of wrongdoings.

[Grey Wolf]

Human body was such a fragile thing, the tiniest of things could cause it to break and falter, and one of Wrinkles’ most important organs had been on the verge of falling apart. Even now it did not work as it once did, each heartbeat sending a dull ache through the old man’s chest, though this he could endure. He tried to get up, but overwhelming weariness pressed upon his body and with a groan and a grunt he collapsed down, breathing heavily, resting for a few flickers, barely able to cover himself with the blanket. The old man’s fingers were cold and stiff, refusing to obey as they had for so many yahren. Another attempt failed and this time he gave up, rolling slowly to his side and trying to crawl closer to the couch that had until recently creaked under his and Aerin’s efforts.

[Ashari]

Wrinks wasn't bouncing back with the vigor she'd anticipated thanks to his wry reply. Dropping down on one knee she quickly helped him with his blanket. "Redheads have more spunk than one might expect," she said with a smile - lightening the mood for both herself and for Aerin, least so for the old man to whom she spoke. "Is there someone I can send for? Does Tom have someone who can do something for you?" Ashari's thing wasn't tender motherly concern. She was a fixer, yes... if there was an obvious problem then she'd do her best to make it right - but the subtleties of what was wrong with Wrinks were passing her by as if carried on faeries wings.

Her hands went to help him shift onto the couch if that was where he continued to try to get to, and helped him so far as he wished to go. "Wrinks.. I'm sorry. Shit, I'm so sorry I came in here to investigate. You and me both wish that I had just rolled over and kept sleeping. Ok? But I need to you stay with me."

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Since neither Aerin nor Wrinkles had disrobed fully before coupling, Aerin was able to waste no time at all re-dressing while her teacher spoke with the old man. Luckily for Aerin, as well, she had dressed in functional clothing this Morningtide and, as such, stood by knowing that if Ashari ‘sent for’ anyone, the girl would be the messenger. Hopefully, Aerin thought morbidly, trying to quell the fear which still lined her veins with a mixture of ice and quicksilver …I can keep my tits covered this time… She blinked twice to block out visions of Paulie and his men.

“What god do you follow?” Aerin asked, guessing that the answer would most likely be Dominicus. “I can fetch a priest or healer for you, as the Mistress already offered.” The redhead chewed lightly and nervously on a fingernail. Wrinkles may have been moving and talking, but they weren’t out of the water yet. Cautiously, she touched Ashari’s arm. “Would you be able to do anything for him, Mistress? Like you did with my hand?”

[Grey Wolf]

It was the couch and no farther that Wrinks wanted to go, rolling onto his back with a grow and reaching feebly for the blanket, shivering as if he were cold, his teeth chattering madly. He calmed down a bit under the blanket, though his eyes had trouble focusing, his consciousness drifting away and coming back without any pattern. “Lass, I don’t think anything can be done for me. I’m just tired. Chest hurts much less now. Just let me take a nap.” He shifted, preparing to doze off, murmuring a reply to her apology. “Is alright. I should not have let her talk me into it. Should have known it was the mist talking. I am far too old for girls her age any…….” The old man smacked his lips, closing his eyes, smiling happily, trying to roll onto his side and curl up. The couch was soft and he was no longer cold, and most of all he hoped his chest would stop hurting while he slept. He had been stabbed before, and this felt just like that, only it was not his leg, but his heart that had a piece of sharp steel twisted in it.

[Ashari]

Ashari nodded silently as he told her he just wanted a nap. She had the insistant look on her face of someone who was requiring directions - and she appreciated them with much eagerness. With care and nurse-like attention she tucked the old fisherman into the couch and made sure that he was both modestly covered and made to be comfortable via pillows and anything else. "Sleep well, Wrinks..." Sighing out of relief for him having lived Ash rose from her position and her shoulders slumped.

Silently she stalked from the room into the foyer, not saying a word to Aerin - not saying anything.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Aerin gave one last look at Wrinkles before following Ashari from the room, amazed at how quickly the fear and concern of the last few burns had all but stricken any amount of pleasure that she had gained during the loveplay before that. The hairs stood at the nape of her neck, however, as she noted Ashari's silence. Aerin's father had been like that - a steamkettle silently bubbling before finally letting out a scream which let her know that the silence had gone on for long enough.

There would be no hugging, the redhead assumed, nor laughing to relieve the stress. No...spilling an old man out of his clothes and damn near onto a funeral pyre was about the biggest 'oops' that Aerin could have ever dreamed of. The only question was What to do now?

Should she rush to apologize? Stay silent and allow the mistress to demand an apology when she was ready for one? Stay silent and go the other way? So many choices, each bearing its own disastrous consequence if she chose wrong. She oped for continued silence as she followed Ashari into the foyer, allowing Ashari the choice of what she wanted to do and when, but the mental image of a parental-type beating already brewing in the redhead's vivid imagination.

Aerin had grown up a product of abuse and neglect and she was still amazed at the type of things that a person could grow used to.

[Ashari]

The silence continued, only broken by the sound of Aerin's footfalls and then only by their paired breathing. It wasn't until several burns later that she spoke, slowly, and with deliberate and well-thought words, or that's how she'd been imagining them to come. Once she'd opened her mouth, however, that careful plan began to unravel.

"Your choice of partner not withstanding - this house is no brothel and I don't expect to wake up in the morning to the rhythmic thumping of my sofa - a sofa I sit on while having tea or breakfast sometimes - being... being..." She wasn't even sure how to continue. "Being slammed against the wall of my sitting room!" She huffed, but her voice was quiet and well-tamed if a bit hoarse suggesting she very much wished to raise it's volume. This was out of interest of Wrinks maintaining his rest as well as her own general intolerance toward yelling. No, Ashari was much more likely to berate and do so dutifully. The last argument she'd had with Iorn was in this very room - they were the last words she'd said to him with any passion aside from the begging that clogged her voice as she desperately prayed for him to come back to life.

Perhaps it was that memory which clung to the wall hangings, bore deep into the woodwork and stained the floor in the next room that prevented her from releasing how disappointed she was - how shocked and dismayed. She had thought so much more of Aerin. She'd not realized she'd taken in such common substance for a student. "Wrinks is a friend of mine, and I've no problem with him getting some ass, but honestly, Aerin... what the nether were you doing? I mean... he's nice..." She looked at the redhead as her voice trailed off with the first opening of a response. "But... Wrinks? He's really old..."

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Prepared for it, Aerin still flinched at Ashari’s words, keeping quiet about any brothel/non-brothel/I’m not a whore comments that she could have made. She clenched her jaws behind the closed lips, determined not to become a blubbering idiot like she had the day before. She let Ashari have her say fully, although there was no mistaking the fact that Aerin had no say in what she would ‘let’ Ashari do or not do, before replying.

“Old yes, but charming…” she retorted placidly. “And I do not know, Mistress. I was cleaning peacefully, making sure not to wake him, took a small break and…and…” she shrugged. “It was odd… I have been a long time without a man, yes, a good man at least, but I am as puzzled as you as to how I could suddenly become a woman so starved for it that I would pick him of all people. It was like – “ she continued, trying to recall anything that had been done or said in the beginning.

“It was like dream and real mixed… He called it….something… I can’t remember, but I was so hot, mistress… And he was my water, I think. It was all I could think of at the time” She looked to Ashari apologetically. “Perhaps I am ill… Should I seek out a healer or something?” Aerin shook her head, returning her gaze toward Wrinkles. “I don’t know him all that well, mistress, despite what happened, but I don’t blame him for what happened at all… I think I forced him to do it but can’t remember how… I know he said I talked him into it, but he should have the common sense for us both at his age. I have no idea what I said that could..” Realizing that what she was saying sounded foolish, even to her, Aerin let the words trail off as she lapsed into silence and allowed Ashari the opportunity to speak again.

[Ashari]

Ashari's brow raised slowly - very slowly - at fractions of movements as Aerin recounted her part in the debauchery of the fisherman. As she trailed off with the realization that what she was saying made no sense whatsoever all Ash could do was smirk and sigh, rolling her eyes. "He's ok... he's as ok as he's going to be anyway, come here." The brunette placed a caring hand on Aerin's forhead to feel if she was taken by a sudden fever that might've caused her fervor for bedding the seasoned seafarer. "You feel fine... I imagine Wrinks thought you felt just fine, too..." She gave an airy snort out of her nose, but surpressed it and bit at her lip. "Sorry..." The girl's smile turned into a grin. "But I can't say I blame him for having not said no." Here she pointedly looked down her student's frame and then back up to her face. "If you were him, would you say no?"

"Have you eaten anything yet this morning?.. Not that I'm entirely hungry after the scene I walked into.. the wrinkles..." A mockingly distressed grimace washed across her imaculate face. If you could've seen it from my angle." She shook her head as if to erase the image. "And to think I had such a nice clean, young visual of what sex looked like right up until this morning."

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

“Well…” Aerin replied with a blush, following Ashari’s gaze downward for a flicker. “Maybe not ‘no’, but probably ‘not here’… I am just glad that I was not making breakfast for him when it happened…” she said, allowing herself a nervous laugh. “And no, Mistress, I haven’t eaten yet although you are right…the choices are limited seeing as eggs and sausage, at just the thought, can be taken as unappealing right now. How about some buns, coffee, and some conversation involving a little less…” she began, nodding her head toward the room where Wrinkles slept. “…naked fishermen?”

She shrugged and smiled. “I will say, though, that compared to the other men I have been with, despite the wrinkles, he was…” She clamped her lips shut in a smile, leaving the matter closed at that.

[Ashari]

"Yes... less naked fisherman and more business..." She vaguely drifted off, the talk of Wrinks reminding her of the fact that she needed to talk to Aerin about some things, some things of interest... some things best talked about over a bit of something to eat and something to drink. No doubt it would get her student back on her feet as well.

Bare feet carried her from foyer to kitchen where she instructed Aerin to sit. "No sausage.. no eggs.. and buns aren't high on my list of things to eat... but we've got... muffins and a few other things, I'm sure I can figure on something." Ashari would later claim to be lacking in any cooking ability, but if there was one thing she could handle it was breakfast - the staple of every day.

Slicing two muffins in half she slathered each smoothly cut side with butter and lit the oven so that the stove above might begin to heat. It would be a time before it would be ready, and in the mean-time she was content to running water and setting a kettle ontop to heat for tea. Busily she sliced fruit, and as she started, she posed a matter of interest. "What can you tell me about the Red Banner? - Mostly, about the people who were there?" She expected to first hear about the mages, but they weren't her concern - it was the others who were there that mattered.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Aerin sat where and when instructed and listened as Ashari posed her question, tilting her head slightly to the side in thought as she dredged up the memories. “Well… there were live people and dead people…” she began simply. “…not sure which one you mean, so I’ll just start at the beginning and do them all, okay?” she asked before putting her fingertips to her temples and replaying the scene in her head. “When I arrived, there were some workers – city guard I think – working along with Morgan and Becca to clear the rubble. There was one thug, a short one, who told me that I had to stay back…” Aerin bit her lower lip lightly in thought before continuing. “Claire was worried about Keros and I wanted to put her mind at ease in some way or another, so I fibbed to the guard that I was looking for Keros. About that time, Morgan had called for help.”

She paused for a breath and resumed her story. “The man let me enter the site and help where Morgan had discovered a tunnel. He and Becca started downward when I noticed…” she said, trying to remember exactly which appendage she had seen. “…a foot sticking out of the rubble. An older man and I cleared away all we could and had found a dead girl, naked from the waist down and cooked like a pig in a pit…” she said, regretting her choice of terms immediately as she remembered both that she and Ashari were about to eat as well as how exotic the girl’s flesh had tasted when both accidentally and purposefully consumed. The thought made her stomach gurgle a bit, as did the scent of the warming food. “We couldn’t see her face though, as it had a large rock on it, and so I followed Morgan and Becca down into the tunnel.”

“Down there…” she continued undaunted, spitting out the story as best she could, Morgan and Becca had discovered another body – this one was naked in bed with her eyes missing…chewed out or something…” Aerin gave a small apologetic shrug. Morgan was not interested in her though, I think… He seemed like he was looking for something and he and Becca moved down the hall after finding an empty room with only a bed, nightstand, and some dresses in it. They let me explore the dress room, where I salvaged a few that looked like they would fit me…” she confessed, leaving out any mention of the jewelry, money, or the oddball trick that she had done to sneak the cooked girl’s bracelet out – Ashari probably had already had her fill of the odd things that Aerin did with her anatomy for this one morning.

“When I caught up with Morgan and Becca again, they had discovered the treasure room, although Morgan left shortly afterwards to go talk to the guards who were waiting on boots or some such nonsense before coming down to help us.” She gave a little chuckle. “Becca and I opened the back door to the room and in fell Fauna’s body, her throat slit and an arrow through it for good measure. Becca reacted oddly to it, talking to the dead woman and letting me know who she was, and I tried to console her about it. Some of the treasure was tobacco, so I grabbed a few handfuls and we went back up to the guards where I asked if I could keep the dresses…hiding the tobacco, of course.” Again came the shrug as she looked at Ashari quizzically. “They told me it was fine, but seemed more interested in the treasure room than anything else, although they were carting the bodies to the temple for…whatever reason. I am glad that they let me keep the dresses though, since they either neglected to offer any sort of payment for our troubles or assumed that we were getting paid to do it by someone else.”

Again, she offered up a chuckle as she drummed her fingers lazily upon the table. “I did it out of curiosity mostly, so I don’t really mind.” She gave a small pause and smiled. “Did that answert your question, mistress?”

[Ashari]

Though she paid attention to the telling it was at the mention of Fauna that her eyes darted up from what she was doing. "You saw it... you saw Fauna's body?" She was immediately aware of how much interest she'd offered as well as it being unavoidable that she not continue on the subject without it nagging at the back of her student's mind. "Good. I would've been satisfied to have seen it myself, but the fact that you've seen it makes me comforted that she is truely dead." That Becca had been upset over her death was curious as well. She was fairly certain that Morgan didn't share his fellow classmate's view. "I would've killed her myself had the situation not been as it was. She was a demoness in training and though having acted in heroics at her side at one time she did little to sway me to the idea that she would be a continual help to the Empire. If anything, I was under the impression she meant numerous persons harm."

Ashari returned to her fruit slicing, though with the anger of remembering Fauna hanging around her like a dark halo. "So.. there were a lot of people there, then, aside from the uni students you got to meet. The guards - what colors were they wearing?" That was a matter of interest. Likely Blues - Ranier's men, practically thugs and easily bought, but not who she was searching for. "And.. the short thug, he strike you as someone from your old life? A debt collector or muscle for hire?" He was likely the best bet, and from her description he'd probably recognize her.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

Aerin’s brows furrowed in confusion as Ashari asked about Fauna. “Err… Yes, mistress… I mentioned it as we were looking for Aeris, remember?” she aske with a smile. “Of course, you had other things on your mind at the time, so I understand perfectly if you don’t recall that.” She then listened as Ashari spoke of her satisfaction about the girl’s state of un-life, another thing that made Aerin chuckle. “’Get in line…’ should be carved on her tombstone next to a small rock to spit on, I think, as Becca was acting all mad like she was short-changed on killing her. Makes me feel less guilty now about what I did to cheer Becca up though, knowing now how you feel about Fauna. Thank you.”

“The guards were wearing blue, but no – I did not recognize any of them, not even the short one – I ran with Rat in Murrelbuck, not here, although at the short man’s height…” Aerin said, cupping her breasts and lifting playfully once before dropping the crude action. “He might remember me… Not sure if that is a good thing or bad because, now that you mention it, they did fit the type I am used to…more like hired help than real guards…although the Banner was a shitload of work and I could just be mistaking lazy shits for something else.”

She furrowed her brow in thought.

“Why?”

[Ashari]

"Mmm.. yes.. so much on my mind," she responded idly while still imagining Fauna's lifeless corpse resting in the bottom of a brothel surrounded by rats glancing eagerly at her open wounds. Satisfication as a mild way of putting it. She slid the sliced apricots from cutting board to plate. Their sized varied - she wasn't a schooled cook - but they were as close to matching as one could manage with a round fruit that has an awkward pit in the middle. "Becca and Morgan are both good people, it's good you fell in with them," she finally said after a silent pause.

With her back turned from Aerin, as the stove was really heating up, she placed a dark skillet and on it the two buttered muffins to be grilled and the excessive amount of butter to be melted into the pan. "Were there others like the short man? That looked like they weren't guards? - The old man, for example? Anyone else of interest?"

"And why is fairly obvious, m'dear... you were there, I wasn't - and I want to know. My building was burned down just after and it wasn't a coincidence, so I wish to know every little scrap of detail, especially about the persons there because one of them might be the fiery little bastard who lit my guildhouse aflame." She stopped talking for a flicker and shifted the muffins about a bit, then pushed them to one side of the pan, added some sugar and slid the apricots into the pan, then moved away from the sweet smelling pan.

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

“The old man and some of the other workers didn’t look like the guards, no…” Aerin offered. Although they might have been and I just couldn’t see it from the dust. The guards were in small groups, of I remember right…looking around like they were waiting on someone to show up or scare them off or try something… I’m not sure. I didn’t even look at the old man closely, I’m afraid…” Aerin said with a sigh. “Being new to the city, I still don’t know how to read rank, but the short guy seemed to be in charge – in charge of the side I walked up to anyway – and no-one questioned his letting me work the dig, so no…no-one else really of interest… One of the guys, an older worker, was talking to Morgan and Becca when I left, sending some workers down to finish the job, but I was worn out and didn’t pay much attention to him. I’m sorry if I am not remembering anything useful.”

The redhead swept an errant curl back from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “I do not recall anyone who looked like they were worried about what might be found or gloating or anything. The job was to retrieve Master Crane’s belongings and I did not even see anyone there who looked noble, worried about his belongings. Aerin lapsed into silence as she took in a few deep breaths of the food which certainly helped was away the memories of the stench of the sewers.

[Ashari]

Ash frowned slightly. She wasn't disappointed with the information in the slightest. Infact, the bit about the short guy was likely going to be very important if Red showed up as she ought to - though when was difficult to guess. So, it was best that they keep at their breakfast. "Mm..almost done," she mumbled turning back to the pan and sliding things around a bit with a versatile utensile that was within reach. That she referred to Michael as master Crane was almost painful to hear. He deserved no title.

"I suppose I should try to speak to Becca and Morgan, then... to see if they might've seen or heard anything before your arrival. Perhaps they saw someone," she shrugged and grabbed a plate, served up one of the muffins and then poured some brandy in with the softened apricot, stirred it around for another half burn and plated it before she slid the sweet breakfast over to her student, following by making herself a plate and retrieving the kettle to make herself tea and some for Aerin, too, should she want it.

Sitting there, in the kitchen, with only the counters and eachother's company, the mage blew on one of the heated fruit pieces before enveloping it within her mouth. Thoughtfully she chewed, considering if she had any further questions. "I suppose I'm just angry about everything - the guidhouse and Aeris," she sighed. "I want someone to pay, but that's going to have to wait."

Licking her lips she took a full bite of the muffin, chewed more, and then continued once washing the mess down with some tea. "I might have an assignment for you - something similar to what you did for Rat. I'd like you to seduce a man and lure him to a place of my chosing because I'm in need of having words with him, but if he sees me he'll turn tail and run. It will be your first test, Aerin, and it's an important one to me because I cannot do this by myself."

[Aerin Penna Seleratus]

“Morgan said that he would be at the University if I needed him for anything…” she offered, knowing that Ashari probably already knew where to find the man as she had already spoken of knowing him. Aerin poured herself a drink and thoughtfully chewed a muffin as Asharis spoke of vengeance, nodding her head and swallowing before commenting. “So you don’t think that it was an accident then? She was in the middle of another drink when Ashari brought up the assignment. It sounded easy enough, cut and dried and from Rat’s own design itself. A shapely little worm on a hook, bringing the fish closer to the fisherman.

Her mind was full of questions and doubts, however, as Rat had not been too pleased with her last showing – however that had been Aerin venturing out on her own to complete a full contract…Ashari’s proposal was something far different - step backwards. Catch and release. Catch and release.

The redhead looked at her mentor in silence for a flicker or two and decided that a bit of humor would both lighten the mood as well as reassure Ashari that the girl was up for the task. Details and answers could come later. She reached out for one of the apricot slices and brought it to her lips, pursing her mouth as if she were going to kiss the fruit and blowing a small jet of cool air across its surface. “Mmm…” she hummed, as if thinking of whether or not to accept the offer. She brought the fruit closer to her mouth, but as hungry as she was, did not bite it, choosing instead to stick just the slightest length of her tongue out and run it along the inner edge of the slice, lapping up the sugar-enhanced sweet dew out of the rough-textured crescent which had once grown against the pit.

“Seduce a man?” Aerin asked, keeping her eyes on the fruit as if oblivious to Ashari's reactions, if any, Aerin swirled her tongue playfully around one end before allowing the fruit to slip between her lips, the redhead taking the slice ever so slowly in until she had reached the halfway mark on the diminutive slice before pulling it out once more. “It might be difficult, mistress, but I will try my best…” Aerin stated, sliding the tip of the quarter-moon shaped food across her lower lip one final time before finally taking it between her lips until the fruit disappeared entirely. A giggle within her grew tired of being caged up and escaped after she had quickly chewed and swallowed the apricot slice and she turned her attention back to Ashari with a nod. “I’ll even help him listen, if you need me to.”

Although she did not say it out loud, Aerin’s eyes conveyed (hopefully) a look of honesty and appreciation as she silently thanked Ashari for the second chance as well as entrusting her with this mission.