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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
| + | #REDIRECT [[ADanceOfAngels]] |
| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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| − | == Sweet Morning ==
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' It is well past midnight now, and this far North, the barest hint of coming sunlight brings an indigo hue to the horizon. But within the chambers of Ryshassa and Alexsei Krauser in the Palace of Timeless Winters, no hint of morning can be either seen or noticed by its occupants.
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| − | The approaching sunrise brings with it the departure of the Quicksilver Zephyr, and so, understandably, husband and wife took the opportunity to spend a last, loving and passionate night together before they must part. Pleasantly exhausted, lulled by the warm and satisfying aftermath of ecstasy, it did not take long for them both to drift into the world of dreams. In this quiet hour of night-bordering-on-day, they are both fast and fitfully asleep, unclothed but for the ice blue, winter rose embroidered sheets wrapped around them, and the comfort of each other's arms.
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| − | Ryshassa sleeps with her arms and legs curved inward, her head resting atop Alexsei's shoulder as her dark hair flows loose behind her. If she is dreaming, she certainly does not show it, her expression peaceful and her body completely still but for the rise and fall of her breath. Normally she can be a restless sleeper, but the sensation of her husband nearby is deeply soothing, even to her unconscious mind.
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' An arm wrapped around his wife, Alexsei Krauser gently rests, letting the embrace of sleep envelop him and soothe his wearyness and apprehension.
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| − | It was the last night they would get to spend together before the departure of the Quicksilver Zephyr, the very next morning - and as such, they had wanted to spend this time together, enjoying each other's company for as long as time will permit them. And thus they stay embraced, silence permeating the room as they blissfully lay, sailing on towards morning...
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| − | '''???: ''' ''Blup. ''
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| − | The moment of waking up.
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| − | Alongside with the moment of falling asleep, it is perhaps the most difficult moment of day to precisely pinpoint down. At one time you are asleep, at the other, you are awake. When exactly does the transition between these two states take place? Why does it happen? Such questions are often very difficult to answer.
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| − | In Ryshassa's case, it certainly might be difficult to say exactly when she awakens, but answering to ''why'' she awakens is simple enough.
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| − | ''Blup. ''
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| − | You see, one of her fingers has been engulfed by something warm and moist. Not an entirely unpleasant sensation, really, but certainly an unexpected one. At times, the pressure around her finger increases slightly, the warm thing tightening gently around her flesh, pulling it a little before relaxing again.
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| − | ''Blup. ''
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| − | Something soft and wet brushes her fingernail inside that warm and moist thing.
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| − | ''Blup. ''
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| − | Ah, that's right.
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| − | There is someone lying in the bed next to the two of them. And that someone is suckling at her finger.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa's first reaction is understandable -- she assumes it's her husband being silly. And why not? It wasn't like she would have expected anyone else to be in bed with her besides him. It even takes her a while to react to it at all, and her first choice of words is a mumbled "stopit 'Lexsei" and a giggle as she tries to shake her hand free.
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| − | When her sleepy attempt at reclaiming her finger seems to fail entirely, it brings her just a bit closer towards wakefulness. "Alexsei!" she protests quietly, groggily, still with a laugh in her voice. Something about it feels wrong, though. Something... alien...?
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| − | That slowly awakening, more logically thinking part of her brain begins to wonder... and a sense of worry creeps in.
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| − | ''Am I dreaming? ''
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| − | ''I don't want to open my eyes. ''
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| − | But curiosity gets the better of her, and she cracks one eye open, then the other, seeing Alexsei in front of her first, his handsome and gentle face still showing him to be deep asleep. ''Wait a minute... ''
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| − | "Eeeeeeeeeeek!" Ryshassa screams, sitting bolt upright in bed, hastily gathering the sheets with her free hand around her nudity. Wrenching her other hand forcibly free now, she points her still wet and... slimy... finger at the intruder. "Who are you?!" she demands to know.
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| − | '''???: ''' "Muh?" Is the best reply Ryshassa gets from their sleepy intruder.
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| − | Her eyelids trembling with effort, the blue-complexioned girl opens her crimson eyes into slits. Blinking up at the Solar woman through a greasy mess of raven-black hair, she pulls weakly at the sheets with one hand. "Innitmornninalready?"
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' Hearing the scream of his wife always has the same effect on him, even through the hazy blanket of sleep - the same reaction it had ever since he brought a scared child away from the Pangu Prefecture years ago.
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| − | His eyes snap open with urgency, and he quickly rises himself into a seated position, bringing Ryshassa closer to him as he surrounds her with an arm, protective embrace that come as a reflex even before he has identified the source of Ryshassa's terror. Murky eyes clear themselves as fast as they can as he peeks on towards the direction his wife pointed in, and Alexsei raises an eyebrow as he tries to indentify whether or not the stranger has any malicious intentions towards them.
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| − | "Who... who are you, young one?" He finally asks, still puzzled at the alien girl's sleepy words. "Are you lost?"
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' "N...n...NO it is not morning yet!" It takes a while for Ryshassa's heart to stop pounding so fast, enough for her to focus on who... or what? the person in her bed actually is. ''Just a child? And such... unusual coloring... '' Leaning close to Alexsei, gaining a measure of calm from his protective closeness, she wills herself to speak in gentler tones.
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| − | "I...I'm sorry, you startled me." The healer wipes her finger quickly against the sheets, not sure ''how'' to react, really. From what she can tell, anyway, the girl does not seem harmful... merely lacking in an understanding of people's private spaces. But the Spire has been full of unusual and even dangerous phenomena lately, so she resolves to be more careful than trusting. "You should have chosen a unoccupied bed," she says chastisingly, "or waited until we awoke. Is something you wished from us?"
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| − | '''???: ''' The girl pushes herself into a sitting position, every single one of her moves painfully slow and drowsy. She turns her head, looking around the room with bleary eyes.
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| − | "Nope", she announces after a moment. "In the right room. Alexsei and Ryshassa. Next in the hit list."
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| − | She pauses, her head hanging, thin shoulders drooping and lithe body swaying a bit, threatening to shut itself down into sleep once again. Then, however, she seems to remember something important. Frowning, she visibly forces her brain to start up. "I'm spying!" she announces with a serious nod. "But spying on sleeping people is boring, so..." She smiles, weakly, and gives them a helpless shrug.
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' He raises an eyebrow at the child's explanation, holding Ryshassa slightly closer as he tilts his head to the side, wondering what to make of the strange child's affirmations.
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| − | ''Hit List? ''<br>
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| − | ''Spying? ''
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| − | "You are... Spying. On us? And may I ask on whose account are you to spy on this couple, young one?" The question might very well go unanswered, as far as he could tell. But then again, the strange little one had just revealed to them that she was spying on them, so all hope is not yet lost.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' "Well then, I must say you are a poor spy if you've caught our notice!" Ryshassa says, drawing herself up into a sterner posture as she gathers the sheets tighter around herself. "Besides, there was... nothing to see, of any importance..."
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| − | ''Did she... watch us...? '' A telltale blush creeps into her cheeks at the thought. Ryshassa already knew Calisara could watch them while they were on the Zephyr. Would there be eyes watching them wherever they might rest?
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| − | Alexsei's question more or less mirrors what she would have asked next, so she simply awaits the response, or lack of it.
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| − | '''???: ''' "I can't tell you. It's a secret!" the girl replies, waving a single finger in air. "The Prince would be really mad if I told you. Sorry."
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| − | "Ooh, but I got to see you are very happy." Her smile is sweet and honest. No sarcasm, no grinning remarks here. "It's good that you are happy." It takes a moment before something in Ryshassa's words register in the lass' mind, however. "Oops", she states and raises a small hand to her lips. "But I got caught spying, didn't I? Are you going to kill me?"
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| − | She drops the question lightly. With utter innocence.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa's eyes widen. "What does the Prince have to do with this?" She chooses not to address the part about her and Alexsei's happiness. It is not like she has to be ashamed of loving her husband. Or expressing it, with as much passion and intensity as she wishes to! Though it makes her long for home -- even if home is deep within a mountain surrounded by winter -- for at least in Gethamane, she never felt that her private acts were a spectacle for strangers' eyes.
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| − | "And I will not kill you," Ryshassa continues, keeping her voice as level, as neutral as possible. "But I do not think we can let you simply leave here, either."
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| − | '''???: ''' "You won't?" The girl seems to be visibly surprised at this. Blinking the last vestiges of sleep from her eyes, she turns to Alexsei. "What about you? The Prince always kills the spies he has caught. Well, unless he uses them. Or tortures them. Or whatever he likes."
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' Raising an eyebrow once more, Alexsei uses his free hand to grab his spectacles on the nearby bed table and puts them on. Now, this was getting stranger by the minute, and the last statement made him wonder about the identity of this 'Prince' the kid has been talking about.
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| − | ''She speaks of such dire matters, as if it was only a game... ''
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| − | ''A game... ? ''
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| − | ''Perhaps it is time to change tactics, then. ''
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| − | "Ah... I see." Alexsei finally says, nodding at the girl with a more serious expression, not before cating a short but knowing glance at Ryshassa. ''Let me try something, beloved. '' "Yes, young one - you are our prisoner now. And just like you have most probably seen before... This is an official interrogation. And thus you are hereby ordered to decline your identity as well as the identity of your master -- it is standard procedure, after all."
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' "No fair! I asked you first!" The girl pouts, little blue hands clenching into fists. "But... will it make you happy? The Prince won't be happy, but..." She tilts her head, pondering. "Well. I don't know much about pro... pro... procedures, but it sounds important. Okay."
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| − | Straightening her back a little, she raises one fist to her mouth and clears her throat, very officially. "I'm called Sweet Raiton", she announces, very matter-of-factly, although the tips of her lips are seriously threatening to turn upwards. "I work for the Prince, who serves the Mistress. I spy for him. I make him happy. Are you sure you won't kill me? What if I killed you?"
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' "If you threatened us, then we would by all means retaliate," Ryshassa says smoothly, her voice still lacking any hostility. "But since you are cooperating so nicely with us, Sweet Raiton, I am sure that will not be necessary, hmm?"
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| − | With the sheets wrapped more or less securely around her body, Ryshassa crosses her arms and gazes at Raiton scrutinizingly. "Your Prince," she says carefully, emphasizing the second word, "is he Prince Alexander of Whiteshield? You see, there are many Princes in the world, we certainly would like to make sure we are speaking of the right one. A mix-up would be quite unfortunate!"
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| − | Truth be told, even with what Ryshassa has seen in Kanti's mind, she has a hard time believing Prince Alexander is the same Prince that kills, tortures or uses all the spies that he catches. It jars just enough with her impression of the young man that she has to question.
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' "He's the Prince!" Raiton says patiently, as if the entire matter really was self-explanatory. "There are a lot of princes, I know, but only one Prince. The beautiful one, you see. He's the one I serve."
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| − | Idly scratching her mess of a hair, Sweet Raiton looks over her shoulder, clearly looking for something. She untangles the sheets from her legs and crawls across the bed. Craning her entire upper body over the bed's edge, she reaches for something on the floor.
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| − | At this point, it might be good to mention that although the girl is dressed in a voluminous and ragged black blouse, she wears very little else.
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| − | Well, as she reaches further down, the rising hem of her blouse reveals that she does have a pair of black panties as well... fortunately.
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| − | "So you'd hurt me if I killed you? I can understand that", she says, her voice wafting up from the other side of the bed. "I guess. Dead people usually don't hurt me back, but if you say so..."
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| − | She finally pulls herself back up, a small black pouch in hand. Turning back to her interrogators, she produces a biscuit from the pouch and takes a bite. "The Prince says you're one of them... them... pa... paci... pacif... people who don't kill. If I killed him", she gestures at Alexsei, "you still wouldn't kill me?"
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa raises her eyebrows, still gazing solidly at the blue-skinned girl. She is actually feeling vaguely annoyed by this whole interruption of her private time, at this point. The answer Raiton gives is not at all telling, either. Alexander definitely fit the description of 'beautiful', there is no doubt about that. There would be no other choice but to approach him and ask about Raiton herself.
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| − | "You would not kill my husband so easily while I am about," the healer says aloud, trying to keep her tone patient and unconcerned. "In fact, I would say that if you wanted to kill us both, you ought to attempt me first."
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| − | She does not answer about whether she would kill Raiton if Alexsei were actually killed. By then... it would be too late. If he dies, she could not kill enough people to bring back the man that she loves. At that point the question would not be whether she would kill another in vengeance or self-defense, but whether she would still wish to live at all.
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| − | "I should clarify, though, that if my husband were threatened and for some reason could not fight, I would defend him by any means."
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' "Ah, but that would be accounting for the fact that you would be allowed to kill anybody, little one."
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| − | Alexsei lets his feelings of confusion filter freely through the ring on his finger - all this business was, after all, leading to too much misinterpration and and uncertainties. The image described by the little spy matched a vague physical description of Prince Alexander, yes. But the description of killings and torture and using of spies did ''not'' match any of the observations Alexsei made of the Holysword heir - nor did it match the reports he had filled out.
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| − | He was, after all, with the prince the first time his blade took the life of a living, breathing person.
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| − | "There is a rule against that, I am afraid. I am certain no one of those spies your valiant prince has caught has managed to kill him, yes? That is because that is what it entails to be caught - you are bound."
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' ''Munch, munch, munch'' goes her mouth with the biscuit. Strange though she may be, it has to be said for Sweet Raiton that her eating manners at least are proper. She chews and swallows carefully before speaking again:
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| − | "You're right, but... Well, it's funny. I'm pretty sure everyone I've killed have always died. If there's a rule that the caught spy can never kill, then what happens to my rule my rule? We must not forget about rules. It goes against the pro...ce..dures."
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| − | ''Crunch'' go her teeth on the biscuit again.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' "Pardon me, but this is beginning to feel quite a bit pointless," Ryshassa says, giving Alexsei a glance before pulling the rest of the bottom sheet toward her, leaving her husband the heavier embroidered coverlet. Tucking it around her body to form an awkward and voluminous wrap of sorts, she swings her legs around to the edge of the bed.
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| − | "Procedures are important, surely. And in this case it is our duty to bring you into the custody of the soldiers guarding here, as surely you are here without invitation, being, as you have claimed, a spy. If you were to attempt to kill us now, you would be acting by your own personal rules, and not by those traditionally laid out for such situations."
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| − | "Now I must ask you," Ryshassa continues to address Raiton over her shoulder as coolly as if it were any ordinary conversation, "whether you are going to kill us now or follow us into custody, because up until now this night has been a very pleasant one until you ruined it with your 'spying.'"
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| − | With that she bends down to retrieve the nightrobes she and Alexsei had discarded during the night, at the same time subtly drawing Essence to her skin to bolster it against potential harm.
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' Perhaps Sweet Raiton fails to appreciate the threatening tone in Ryshassa's words or she misses it altogether - whatever the reason, the girl seems to be more concerned with other matters.
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| − | "I ruined it?" she raises her eyebrows, her mien suddenly saddened. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. I was just sleeping here. I want to keep people happy. We all serve the Mistress - no point killing anyone on our side, at least not when no-one is telling me to. All the talk about killing was all hypo... hypo... let's pretend game."
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| − | Her mien brightens, like sun peeking over the edge of a dark cloud. "Hey, I know! I'll give you a gift! It'll make you happy again!"
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| − | Swinging her bare legs over the bed's edge, she reaches down again to retrieve something from the floor. Proudly, she thrusts her hand forward and presents the item she holds there.
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| − | "Go ahead, take it!" she smiles. "I'm sorry! Forgive me?"
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| − | The item on the palm of her hand, resting in a crooked angle, is a plain, red-painted, wooden top.
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' He exchanges a glance with his wife, and once nods at her intention as she grasps the robes they were wearing the night before. The years him and Ryshassa had spent together had given him a certain grasp on what Ryshassa would try to do, even beyond the telepathic bond their rings shared.
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| − | And so he moves to the opposite direction his wife has moved in, tying the belt around the robe to secure the garment in place before looking back at the diminutive spy. "Well, then, we will have to determine which rule should be allowed to prevail, little one." Essence courses about his body, and fills him with the air of unevitable conclusion, violet lines a wreath around his lithe body.
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| − | He stops, however, at the spy's switch in attitude once she seems to feel under duress. He nods to Ryshassa, signaling her his watchful presence, and awaiting his wife's reaction...
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Ryshassa turns, resting the robes on the bed between her and Alexsei, and stares at the proffered top uncertainly. Something about Raiton's age and mannerisms bothers her. Specifically, that she believes the girl to have been taught at a very young age to spy and to kill, brought up to understand that such things are for the sake of a pleasing end -- to make her Prince and Mistress "happy".
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| − | It rankles her that Raiton may very well have been raised to be a weapon. The perfect weapon, one encouraged to be happy to do as she is told, and do it well. Ryshassa has no doubt that if Sweet Raiton is truly an assassin, then she must do her job very, very well.
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| − | Ryshassa's hesitation, observed from outside, is little more than a few seconds of silence before she extends her hand palm up to accept the top. "Well then, miss Raiton, if you are truly done playing pretend, might we then sit down and talk honestly?" Rolling the top between her hands, she offers the girl a gentle smile. "Why are you really here? You must love your Prince dearly if you are allowing yourself to be put in such danger this way. What does he want so much to discover about us, by risking such a sweet girl as you?"
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| − | As Ryshassa speaks her questions aloud, she deftly weaves a touch of Essence into her words, so that they reveal to her mind the unspoken motives behind Raiton's reply. For the answers Raiton chooses to speak can just as easily reveal, through their very construction, what she attempts to hide by speaking them.
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' "I dun know", Sweet Raiton replies, simply. With a flick of her wrist she sends the top to leap atop her fingertips. There it whirls, in perfect balance, a simple wooden top painted gay red. "He said he wanted me to look at all of you. I want to help him - it makes him happy."
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| − | They say a person's mind is like a painting, conflicting motives and emotions all spilling across the canvas in a million different shades. Hopes and dreams and fantasies as one, is it such a wonder that Fair Folk savor the mortal mind so?
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| − | If mind is like a painting, Sweet Raiton's was drawn by a child of less than five summers. Her words reveal her motives for Ryshassa's eyes in thin and shaky lines, stick figures painted in black onto a virgin white paper. There is no malice or ulterior motives in her words - none at all. The dark side of her mind is completely and utterly blank, scoured clean by acid. Her wish to ''please'' shines like a smiling stick-sun. It does not matter who, it does not matter how, she lives to make others happy. If her gift is not accepted, she will give them a new one, and then a new one. Should they so wish, she might freely offer her own body for them to rape and beat, if that would make up for the errors she made.
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| − | "I should be going soon", she adds. (''Please them'') "I have a lot of other things to do, too, you know." (''Please them'') "Won't bother you again, unless they tell me to." (''Please them. '')
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| − | '''Ryshassa: ''' Seeing what lies within Raiton's mind makes it difficult, very difficult for Ryshassa not to show her surprise -- her shock, really, a shock tinted with sorrow, and with an unnerving sensation of wanting to sick up. She expected there to be ulterior motives; she had not expected them to be so utterly simplistic the girl completely lacks in any sense of morality or even self-respect, so long as her actions are pleasing to others. What could have created a mind such as this? Who?
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| − | Ryshassa gives Alexsei another, more meaningful glance, hoping that what she decides to say next will settle well with him. "We will allow you to go freely, then, Sweet Raiton. But be more careful next time. I do not think we will be so forgiving if we catch you watching us twice. If your Prince wishes to know about us I would vastly prefer that he come and meet us himself. This sort of secrecy is very, very unbecoming of someone who is supposed to be on our side. Do tell him that, if you would."
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| − | "Now if you would, I think my husband and I would much prefer to enjoy the few hours until morning in privacy." By the time Ryshassa is done speaking she finds herself amazed she was even able to speak for that long without a single tremble in her voice. ''That poor, twisted girl... no one should be used in such a way, and made to believe it is right and good. ''
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| − | '''Alexsei Krauser: ''' He nods to Ryshassa's thought, her feelings communicating to him all he would need to know. He sits on the bed, slightly less on edge, and inclines his head with a faint - if slightly sad - smile.
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| − | "Yes... You can go free for now, Sweet Raiton. And be careful - if we, or or anyone else catches you again, the consequences might be a lot more dire." He keeps a firm tone in his voice, but a part of him cannot help but feel saddened at the thought of a child so sculpted for one's selfish purposes.
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| − | He nods, however, further accenting his wife's sentiment that they would rather spend the last hours they have together in privacy.
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| − | '''Sweet Raiton: ''' "Yeeeees", Sweet Raiton announces and raises her free hand into air in a solemn oath. "Will do just that!"
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| − | Another flick of her hand sends the top tumbling through the air, spinning one tip over another, until it lands onto the bed just in front of the Exalted couple. "Here, for you", she smiles an achingly sweet smile and leaps to her feet. A few nimble scoops from the floor rewards her with a small pack, a thick quiver of twisted and barbed arrows and a bundle that seems suspiciously like a wrapped-up bow. "Buh-bye. You won't see me again. Promise!"
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| − | Waving her happy farewells, she traipses over to the door and slips out.
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| − | '''Ryshassa: '''Ryshassa lets out a deep breath, as if she had been holding it until Sweet Raiton slipped out the door. Pushing the robes aside again, as she has no intention of dressing up to go outside just yet, she takes the top in her hands and scoots over close to her husband again.
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| − | "She looked so happy," is what Ryshassa finally says aloud, a tone of... helplessness... in her voice, "saying goodbye to us. I wonder if she will be punished when she returns..."
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| − | ----
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/SixthMovement|Sixth Movement]]
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| − | * - Back to [[GoldenCat/DanceOfAngels|A Dance of Angels]]
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