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The Zephyr Feline

The Quicksilver Zephyr...
Sailing over the Great Forks, keeping pace with a school of indecisive lighting elemental fish...

Great Forks! The City of Gods! The City of Festivals! Heaven on Earth!

It is morning, and the sun shines through patches of dark clouds above in a patchwork sky. Even in a place such as this, there is the rain that comes with the season of air. However, today was a day of festival - not uncommon - and in respect to the god so homaged, the spirits of rain were dwindling.

The Zephyr lands in one of the large parks of the city, careful not to harm any fo the many plants the city was so... famous for.

The Windwraith had returned to the city of gods.

Cael: "Ahh, back." Cael smiles to himself as he lets the essence dissipate from the Zephyr's engines, the low hum settingly down to almost no sound at all, and then stands, "I wonder what I'll find here this time, beyond a dog, at least."

He wanders back through the Zephyr, to find Anne and Cedric.

Narrator: They were on the living room, eating a breakfast made by Calisara!

Well.... they were on the living room. And there was a breakfast. And there was a Calisara.

Who giggled like mad, by the way.

As she watched Anne be above Cedric, fork in hand, food sprawled on the floor, as Cedric held a spoonful full of honey to strike her face - as two had already struck, apparently, from the honey in her hair. It was a stalemate, each warrior knowing that, at the slightest move, fork and honey would come to the other's skin....

Cael: As a Solar of the Eclipse Caste, Cael's skills were naturally predesposed towards mediating conflicts and creating peace between warring parties. On the other hand, divine mandate or no, Cael knew it was important to maintain a realistic sense of just what could be achieved by such efforts at mediation.

"If I could call for a temporary cessation of hostilities ... Good." he sidesteps the two shots honey which fly towards him. "We've arrived in Great Forks, but I'd like you both to say here ... not least because you're covered in honey ... until I get back. I won't be out long."

Narrator: "Alright!" They say unison!

"But she started it!" He says.
"But he started it!" She says.
"Spoiled Prissy Princessly Brat!" She says.
"Uneducated icky brat!" He says. The fact he is years younger than her nonwithstanding.

Someone grabs vinegar. Someone grabs pie.

But in the end, they did say 'alright'.

Calisara: The Zephyr-Goddess giggles even more, pom-poms suddenly on her hand as she cheers them on...

And pecks a kiss on Cael's cheek. "Good luck, master. Rest assured, I'll make sure they won't hurt each other 'till you get back."

"But if I knew they would be this fun without Millia keeping Cedric in check, I'd have locked her up on her room sooner!"

Cael: Cael just shakes his head.

"You're terrible Cal." He pecks her cheek back, and then turns and leaves the room.

"Just remember, the room will be clean and tidy for lunchtime." and then he walks out of the Zephyr, picking up his long white coat, facial features rearranging themselves to be someone else as he steps from the Zephyr, wanting to at least find out who was in town before everyone knew he was.

Narrator: And of course, he is not recognized as he takes his few steps out, no one around yet to greet the Windwraith... and Cael can see some people preparing for the festival, all watching him, trying to get together a composite dragon costume for the elemental dragon-dance....

And of course, he is not recognized as he takes his few steps out, no one around yet to greet the Windwraith...

Cael: Cael walks swiftly to put some distance between himself and the zephyr, before adopting a much more relaxed pace as he starts to hear people close by, emerging from the path to a small lawn by a shallow lake, the people there trying to assemble themselves into a dragon of fire for the elemental dragon-dance later in the day, dragon snaking across the lawn. Cael keeps walking with a smile to the festival dancers, tunning his senses to trace out lines of criminal power in the city as he emerges onto the seats, seeking out the sort of people one would go to for information on hits and kidnappings...

Narrator: He walks in the Great Forks, knowing who walks on the shade and who walks on the light....

A tavern that is a front to a slave ring. He learns of deals with faerie, about the enslaved butterfly-people they own, about the strange drugs distilled out of deep blue flowers that are cold to the touch and sweet to the tongue, used for control. Professional kidnappers in a mercenary stablishment next door, a group that uses alchemical formulas to adhere to walls, and pacts with spirits of smoke and air - their own leader the child of one, able to turn his body into light-eating webs of smoke - to spirit their victims without notice. A guardsman elemental who moonlights as an assassin, the drippings of his blood, the touch of his thorns, the kiss of his lip, all a bitter poison. A tailor who does the same with clothes woven out of poison. A baker who acts as a middleman for an assassin known to use only weapons made of flowers, and always leaves an Origami made of leaves over his victims. A mercenary made of salt, wielding an strange first age manacles and wand, with an intelligent duck for a companion, who takes jobs of rescue and kidnapping alike....

Cael: Cael ignores these petty folks for the time, trying to find someone who would give him a better idea of the real movers and shakers in the scene, the ones who would likely to take, and have some chance of claiming, the haslanti bounty...

It's just a case of walking the right lines of power up to the appropriate place...

Narrator: A Manse is the headquarters of a mercenary group of rogue god-blooded, each with a different gem on their forehead and wielding conceptual weapons of their father’s, the Shadowpact. Their ties to the Guild Headquarters not too far down the street, and the brotherhood of Dragon-Blooded scavengers within, whose pechant for Chiaroscuran glass trinkets was well-known, earning them the name of Ember Reflections. Very different from the group of Dragon-Blooded former Lookshy Rangers, armed to the teeth with Lookshy-only weapons and scavenged wonders, all steel and gears and sorcery and clockwork, for whom a delicatessen clerk acts as a middleman for... a raksha made of sorrow that spreads it around with knives that cut the will to live, and savor the feeling of hopelessness and despairs he fills every one his eyes cross with and spin to. A thaumathurge alchemist with a pet who metabolizes substances in its strange insectoid body, an imprompt living laboratory for its myriad formulae.

Cael: And now I know who I might face...

Cael carries on walking down the street, still wrapped in his disguise, seeking out those who buy and sell information, especially on visiting nobles and merchants...

Narrator: A snake merchant of the Guild, hears the whispers of all around him.... Sarys, the shining mirror, a wyld-mutated woman whose skin reflects, knows much of those in power. The Whisperers are a group of spies who specialize on knowledge, who constantly work for the Guild. And Onyx Siaka is a Water Aspect lady languishing in a pool where information swims like schools of fish....

Cael: It is to one of the hideouts of the Whispers that Cael appears, making his presence known subtly, along with his desire to know people of influence or power amongst the Haslanti are in town, despite the fact this is generally further south than their airships typically manage, willing to pay his way ... but unwilling to spend money unnessarily ... Cael knew all these tricks before he Exalted, and now with Essence smoothing the words off his tongue, soon there is information coming toward him...

Narrator: He learns that the Hanslanti has not been advertising their bounty around those parts much at all.

However, there is a delegation of Hanslan nobles, currently trying to get into the good graces of Talespinner....

Cael: Cael pays for information on the delegation, such that the Whisperers have and then he departs, heading for the market place, seeking out small dogs and strange incenses.

Narrator: And those are not hard to be found, so many small dogs of all sorts of races, from chou chous to lhasa apsos to beagles to miniature labradors to... well, in short, all sorts. Great Forks was not a center for nothing. And as for inenses... well. Great Forks is known for drugs and rituals. Incenses? It is the world capital of incenses!

Cael: Cael purchases those nessesary for the ritual to free Millia, selecting a black minature labrador, and then returning to the Zephyr ...

Narrator: ... where Shara awaits, curled up on the blanket, catnip close to her and the milk close to her.

She sniffs a bit, then opens one eye... then the other... and her fur all points up, her tailhigh to the air as she hisses at the incoming dog!

Cael: "Now, we can do this the easy way, or we will do this the hard way." Cael says calmly to the cat in front of him, as he starts to set out the ritual.

"Either you let Millia go, let her walk free through the ward, or I take you all the way through the exorcism ritual, push the spirit of the dog into the pair of you and let it rip you free from her. But the choice is up to you, Shara."

Narrator: Shara hisses some more. "Bite me. You can't do that right. You will just let me out."

Cael: "So, the hard way then." Cael shakes his head slightly sadly, drawing out the shimmering, sharp dagger, the blade engraved with the seven spoked wheel of life, making sure she can see it as he sets it out on the table.

Next, he draws a stick of Kohl from his pocket, marking his face as the funeral priests of Saresh did, so many years ago as they interred the great behemoth.

On the table infront of him, he scribes with golden words a great copy of the wheel, setting each of the seven insences he purchased at the seven points, and lights them.

And then he looks at Shara, through the incense clouds, eyes black and unreadable, the lines of the kaja on his face granting it an aura of power over life and death, one that is only enhanced by the strange castemark on his forehead. Eclipse. Calibation. A time when the worlds of the spirits and mortals was closer than ever before, a sword that cut both ways.

He speaks softly, though his voice resonates with the power within him and the power he will invoke.

"Are you so very sure you want to do this the hard way?" He picks up the gleaming dagger, light from his castmark catching the motif on the blade, highlighting it for her.

Narrator: Shara moves back up a bit, watching him warily, her full all spoky.

"And what if I leave her?"

Cael: Cael smiles at her. "Not so sure I'm going to set you free now, are you?"

"Still, if you were to let her go, I could see to it that you got a bigger ward around you, one more suitable to Virdynn of your grace and power." The words following from his lips like honey, filling the cat's mind with the surest knowledge that he knows she deserves it.

"And of course, there would gifts within the wards, things to occupy your quick mind and sharp wits, balls of golden thread, a post to sratch your terribly sharp claws on ... things that befit a virdynn of your standing." the honey now rose scented, gently carressing words, speaking to her of the things she desires.

"There might even, if you promise to be a good cat and not to stalk me further, be the possibility of fish fresh from the river and caviar fit for queens to eat." more roses than honey in his voice now, speaking of the things she hungers for.

"A cat of your beauty deserves no less, after all." now just rose scents on his lips, wrapped around his words, wrapping around her heart, speaking to her soul.

Shara: The sound of an almost purr, and she licks her paw as she watches Cael... turning her face away, but keeping the tail end of her eyes on him, slitted, interested, but trying to feign not to be... "So, if I leave her you are giving me a golden cage in this ship, with all honors, pampering me with gifts? I don't know. It might get a little boring here."

Cael: "Well, there is of course the chance ... if Calisara forgives you for the damage your strength and ferocity did to her ... that you might be able to become ship's cat ... cat of the Quicksilver Zephyr, one of the few First Age flying vessels still flying the skies of all Creation in this age, something offered only to a few cats, to say nothing of a virdynn like youself ... there is a chance you would be the only Virdynn in such a position in all Creation... such a cat would have to be smart though, and fast and graceful ... and alluring, but you are all those things, especially the last." he looks a little sad then, sure she won't accept, despite the fact she is perfect for the job, sure he could not tempt her, would have to settle for a lesser soul to fulfil that honour...

"Of course, that would probably be boring..." he says, his tone hanging, waiting for a contradiction.

Shara: She purrs. His words are like milk... milk with honey... so sweet... and shiny... he was so shiny...

"Well... actually.... that is a verry, verry good. proposition. I... I would like to, yes." Her eyes shine... exploding in light, the shadows around Millia receeding, moving to form her body.... "I am the Virdynn of the Zephyr! Cat of a First Age Ship! Pampered by Cael Pattonna, the great and gorgeous Windwraith! "

"... I like the sound of tha - -." She begun to purr, then stopped, as she felt herself struggling to leave... tendrils of crimson and onyx keeping her, she begun to hiss, trying to coalesce her own oily form out of Millia's soul, her shining eyes the only part of her that is truly hers' now...

Cael: "That's a good kitty, Shara." Cael smiles at her as she starts to leave the young godblood.

The smile fades a little as she stops. "Shara? Millia? What's gone wrong...?" He says, stepping from behind the table, walking over to the ward.

Shara: Mrrrooowwwww

Hissing and clawing, a feline face forming as she tries to get further away, pandemonium shadow fur and ruby skin still covering so much of Millia... "The... the thing I put about her... her eyes... it covered me! It's not letting me out! let! me! out! " She cries!

Cael: "Calm, Shara, calm yourself. You're only going to hurt yourself and her. Just calm yourself kitty, think of the blanket, slowly pull yourself out of her, don't get so stressed. Millia ... if you can hear me ... help her. Stop holding her in, push her out, but slowly."

Narrator: Cael's voice is soothing.
It is like a balm, a guiding light.

It shows the way...

Shara calms down, closing her eyes, slowly trying to disentangle herself....

... and so does Millia, opening her eyes... and Cael can see her fear. The fear of what is about her....

The ruby glows.
The shadow recedes.

And then, Millia seems to explode, dust of ruby and onyx falling around the library... and Millia falling unconscious as blurred spirits of ruby and onyx fall back to her eyes... and Shara's shadows, at least most of them, fall back on the ward, and she curls herself, hurt.

With the spirits, joined a part of Shara... some of her pandemonium, shadows that flicker around Millia...

Slowly solidifying in solid versions of the feline features that had been cast in shadow before...

Cael: Cael steps through the ward, looking at Millia and at Shara.

"What's happened to you?" he asks. more to himself than either present. "Just who were your parents?"

"Shara...?" He asks concerned, as he picks up the unconcious girl. "What happened there?"

Shara: Shara looks away, all hurt, curling on herself like hurt cats are wont to. "She kept me. That... that armor. It held my soul. It didn't want to let go. The ruby hurt. it hurt."

Cael: Cael carefully pets her head. He'd tell her to let it be a lesson if he thought she would pay the slightest bit of notice.

"Just rest then, Shara."

He says, concern in his voice. Then he scoops Millia up and stands, carefully stepping back out of the ward, and carrying her from the room heading for her own.

Calisara: "Now... that was smooth! But... do I really have to share the Zephyr with the mad bitch now?"

Cael: "Of course, my dear. I'm sure the two of you can get along. Very closely." he says, suggestively.

"Besides, we've needed a ships cat ever since I boarded you and we both know a normal kitten would never do..."

Calisara: "True, but... she was trying to kill you just a little while back! Or, well, kidnap. Anyway..."

Cael: "When Millia is woken up, and those two are cleaned up." He gives her a chiding look. "I'm going to take the three of them out and get her a collar. A proper Virdynn collar. Nice, shiny and warded so she can't possess people. With that, I'm sure we can manage her."

"Unless, of course, I'm not allowed pets on board..."

Calisara: She comes behind him, and he feels her arms crossing around his neck... "You are allowed anything, my master. I just hope you are right and she won't try to hurt you again... or break my doors again. Or rake her nails on my floor again."

Cael: "That's my girl, Calisara." He says, just the slightest stress on 'my' as he does, warmth flowing with his voice.

"I'll talk with her more later, perhaps over a fish dinner ..."

Calisara: "Yours. Now, let me see if we have any fish here..."

Narrator: The eyes...

Ruby and Onyx. He saw it, before. He knew that from somewhere...

The color of her hair, the most platinum blonde, almost like iron.
The color of the children of Cetari, the Angel of Winter. God of Whiteshield.

Her father, their highest god, and the eyes...

Tawrich and Zaritch, the two suns.... relics from before, powerful weapons.

The essence of long gone beings that had been as Celestial Bodies before.

She had them for eyes....

Cael: Silly, silly Kitty. Should have looked before you lept.

Cael thinks and shakes his head, laying her out on her bed as he considers what to do...

Narrator: He checks her pulse... tries his best to do a medical analysis of her. However, in that, his skill falls short.

She is alive. Is all he knows.

Calisara: And Calisara appears, materializing, a wooden vessel on her hand... "We had a little salmon left over from the party. But that's all, master..."

Cael: "That's really not a problem right now, but thanks Cal." He smiles at the spirit.

"I don't know what's happened to her ... she is a godblood of impressive heritage and the eyes ... the eyes that were were almost my unmaking are more powerful still. I don't when, or if, she'll wake." He sighs. If only Ryshassa had come along...

Calisara: "She is? Interesting... I wonder if they knew."

"Now... if that is not a problem anymore, then what? Not taking them out?"

Cael: "I can hardly carry an unconcious girl with cat ears through the streets to the Holysword manse, now can I Cal?"

Calisara: "Guess not... what then? We wait? Draw things on her face? Dibs on the left eye!"

Cael: Cael laughs and shakes his head.

"Cal, Cal ..." He grins.

"I think I will have to go out again, and find a healer."

Calisara: "Good luck!" She says, slipping the salmon over a nearby table.

"So no salmon?"
"And no drawings?" She pouts.

Cael: "Well, you can go and feed the kitty if you like." He smiles at her.

"But if you draw on her face, you get to explain to the child of Cetari just why you did, okay?"

Calisara: "She is child of... oooh." She blinks. "That does explain a few things..."

"And well..." She says with a little pirouette "I can let her draw on me! How good will I look with Weasel's whispers and a bunny tail drawn in?"

Cael: Cael tilts his head questioningly as she says it explains a few things...

Calisara: "Oh?" She smiles, putting on a professor's cap. "You know I am able to discern essence patterns, to better cater to your guests' needs, right? I can always say what someone is... like you, a Quicksilver Falcon. But see... I had no idea what she was. You say 'God-Blooded' and think that means all, but... each spirit is different. It is a broad category you use because of set characteristics, but honestly, that is what leads to some spirits seeing all living creatures with bloods, hearts, and lower souls as one and the same. You have met the like, right? Well..."

"Each has a different signature. Elementals, Gods, Guardians... a Celestial Lion is completely different from spiritual sharks, or from the musicians of Sweet Melody. They have many, many more unique characteristics than they have general ones!"

Like me! I am completely unique!

"And I hadn't seen an angelic signature since.... forever."

"Much less Cetari's..."

"So, I knew she was strange. But she felt familiar."

"And that was puzzling!"

Cael: "You," he says, looking at her as she mentions bunny tails. "Are insufferable. I really should take you over my knee one of these days..." He says, with a grin.

"Ahhh. I never did learn to see Essence. Perhaps I should some day." He gives his head a little shake. "Well, I'm going to go and find a healer. You should give the kitty some more milk and some of the salmon."

Calisara: "I could teach you! I know you can learn aaannnyytthhhinnngg! It's really easy too. It is easy to see the telltales of all different things... you miss so much. It will be nice when you can recognize all that makes me unique! And much better than to think that all spirits are the same. Hmph!" She really seems to hate the term.

Cael: "Yep, a spanking for you. You're being faaaar too uppity." he grins.

Calisara: "Awww..." She makes pouty eyes, shivering a bit. "Really? "

Cael: "Insufferable."

"Go and feed the cat, my dear. I'll be back soon."

Narrator: And then Cael walks out, into the streets, the day growing a little later on the Great Forks..

The Festival is about to start. And earlier, he remembers hearing about a god-blooded earlier, Sayim Oak-Eyes, an acupuncturist and thaumathurge able to ward places and mend warped souls....

Cael: Cael smiles to himself as he watches the preparations for the festival builiding around him, stepping through the streets towards the practice of this Sayim ... moving with a deceptive speed, not seeming to hurry but actually covering the streets beneath his feet at some speed, occasionally stopping to ask directions, but soon arriving in the vicinity of her practice...

Narrator: It is a white clinic, a oak-skinned girl sit on the clerk desk and waiting...

Noticing as he comes, lips of flowers curling on a smile. "Hello?"

Cael: Cael gives her his most radiant smile, one that lights up the office as it spreads across his face, clothing arranged immaculately.

"Hello, my dear, I was wondering if I might speak with Sayim Oak-Eyes, on a matter of some urgency."

Narrator: She smiles appreciatively, enjoying the sight "Yes, of course, just let me talk to him first. Who do I announce?"

Cael: "You may announce me as Cael Pattona." He says softly.

Narrator: "Alright! A moment!"

"Broooott... er, Doctor Oak-Eyes! " She goes call, and comes back a moment later...

"He will receive you, good sir, you can come in..."

Cael: "Thank you kindly." He treats the girl to a very appreciative smile, one that suggests he appreciates more than just her helpful manner, before he walks down the way she just came, to see her brother, the good doctor.

Sayim: The doctor is there... unlike his sister, his skin is purely human. He does have the lips of flowers, and the hair of flowers, but the only place where one sees the white oak is... on his eyes. Which are not jelly, as usual, but hard. "Hello. Cael Pattonna, is it?"

"What can I do to help you?"

Cael: "It is, yes. You must Sayim Oak-Eyes."

"I am wondering, mostly, if you do house calls." He says with a smile. "One of my ... wards, I suppose you might call them, has been involved in an accident of a spiritual nature, and now appears to be in a coma, so far as my meger medical skills can ascertain."

Sayim: "Sometimes, I do." He says, getting up, "What sort of accident? Tell me the details, and come with me."

He walks out of the room, heading for the stairs, towards a room on the second floor...

"See, there is someone I tend to see before going for those. My talents are too... prized, normally."

Cael: Cael nods and follows the man upstairs, pondering how to describe the situation in the best way he can.

"She was possessed, by one of the Virdynn. Unfortunately, whilst I managed to convince the Virdynn to leave her there were ... issues. She shares a heritage not entirely removed from your own, in that it is divine and that ... divinity fought somewhat. After the Virdynn left her, she fell into coma she is in now."

Sayim: "Virdynn? I am sure I have never heard of it. Some breed of demon?"

He walks up to the stairs, great jade doors in front of them...

"I have a revered friend here. He... knows things. A sage. I usually consult with him if such things are wise."

Cael: "They are not demons and not gods, nor elementals ... they are closest to ghosts but they are not quite ghosts either."

"But please, consult with your friend. I can understand your worry."

Sayim: He knocks on the door...

And knocks...

And knocks...

"Strange... he never leaves here...."

Cael: "That is strange. Though surely he must leave on some occasions?" Cael asks, a little mystified.

Sayim: "He does not. He learned techniques not to eat or drink, long ago, bestowed to him by the gods."

"I give people my healing, he gives people his wisdom... it has always worked well."

He knocks a little more.

"He only leaves on certain dates, they enhance his focus in life."

And some more... then finally opening the jade doors...

"Nabu...?"

As he opens, things catch Cael's attention.

The great Star-Charts. The Astrolabes. Telescopes. The charts of essence. The incense, heavy on the room. The scent of hallucinogens. The blood on the floor. The starmetal blade on his hands. The writ in blood on the walls.

The Zephyr comes...
It binds?
It binds!
The Wind...
The Falcon...
The falcon flies south.
And if he flies north again, all is over.
All is death.
The falcon will fly north to bring suffering.
A wraith creating more wraiths.
So much suffering, so much suffering...
Too much to bear!
I cannot be...
I cannot stay...
I am sorry.
I am too scared...

Sayim: With the blade, Nabu had cut his own wrists... Sayim rushes to him, needles of ivory appearing on his hands, hitting on places to stop the blood flow, trying to hold his head, to staunch the cut wrists... but to no avail. He was dead. Completely.

"Nabu..."

Cael: Why was he so scared of me?
What doom awaits when I go north?
Why would I .... how would I create more of me?
...
What could make one of the startouched kill themselves?

While the man is distracted, trying to save his friend ... knowing that he could nothing if the man could not ... Cael impresses a message onto the world, one that would stretch out through the world.

Cian ... I would speak with you, if you are able to spare the time. I am in great forks at present. And, well, I will explain when and if you arrive.

"I am ... deeply sorry for your loss, of a friend and a guide. I will leave you in peace, should you desire."

Sayim: "I... I..."

He sighs, tears appearing in his eyes...

"I... just wait outside. I will... come soon...."

Cael: Cael nods his head and steps from the room, leaving the man in peace with his grief.

What would drive one of the startouched to do that?
What did he fear?
Why would he fear me?
...Beyond that I am soon to be hunted by heaven...
*sigh*

Sayim: The better part of an hour later, the man takes a step out of the clinic.

"You may have been an ill omen, mr. Pattonna, but Nabu was my conscience, you see."

"Without him around, I have to do what I have to. I am a healer, it is on my nature." He dries his eyes a bit, "So take me to this girl."

The Quicksilver Zephyr...

Stationed on the City of Festivals, ruled by gods, served by spirits, as the Festival for the Dragon of Summer, so he might influence the Winter That Comes, begins on its streets, makeshift dragons dancing at the sound of flutes and drums...

Several whitewood needles pierce the body of Millia Gust, the God-Blooded Child of An Angel.

Beside her, Sayim Oak-Eyes, a doctor, finishes his work, as shadow essence flows like smoke from the needles... and Millia finally opens her eyes, slitted irises now, feline ears she did not have until not long ago flickering... as she looks about, confused... drained and blank. "Where...?"

Cael: Cael smiles down at her reassuringly after giving the doctor a most grateful and thankful smile.

"We're in Great Forks now, Millia." He says gently but firmly. "You were possessed and there was a problem when the spirit tried to leave you, a reaction from your ... heritage."

Millia: She blinks a few times... "I was... possessed? What happened? How come we are at the Great Forks? Where's Cedric? Where's Gennadi? Where's..." She tries to get up, then feels drowsy... ".. my heritage...?" she asks, an undercurrent of fear and aprehension in her voice.

Sayim: Sayim prevents her from getting up, slowly taking the needles off. "Easy, easy now. You will be right to get up in a few minutes now, but take those moments carefully, your body is still adapting to its new essence flows..."

Cael: "Yes, just rest for the moment. Millia. I will explain all, in good time." He says, reinforcing the doctor's orders.

"And thank you, Sayim Oak-Eyes for returning her to health and conciousness."

Sayim: "Like I told you, it is my job to help." He says as he finishes taking out the last needle, making them all disappear under his sleeve.

"And helps keep my mind clear, mr. Pattonna. Now, is there anything else you would need me for?"

Millia: She watches them, confused, red and black eyes blinking... her arm moving slowly to her hair...

... and touching the ears.

Cael: "No, thank you Oak-Eyes, you have done all that you need to do." Cael says to the man, gratitude filling his voice.

"How is it that you prefer to be paid ... or, if that is not your way, how would you prefer that I make a donation to the clinic you run?"

Sayim: "A donation to my clinic would be appreciated - in the Great White Lily, we have people like Nabu, who tend to need them..." His mien falters slightly as he mentions his dead friend, picking one of the needles and using it as a brush, broad strokes in a piece of paper... "This much for such an attendance. I hope this is not beyond your means."

Cael: "No, it is not beyond my means. I will deliver it to the clinic within the week, and most certainly before I leave the city. You do good work, and I would like to support that." Cael says with conviction.

"I am sorry for your friend and I hope that he finds peace in his next life."

Sayim: "So do I." He takes the first steps away, "If you need anything, just call."

No pleasure to meet him, but of course, not in those circumstances.

And then, he is gone....

Millia: ... leaving Cael with a confused Millia, her body recovering from its dormant, anesthetic effect slowly, still seeming spaced, and shocked...

Cael: Good bye

Then he turns back to Millia.

"Cedric is fine, or was when I last saw him, so you can rest assured on that at least."

Millia: "Last thing I remember..."
Blank eyes...
"I talked to Gennadi..."
Touching the ears...
"It is... hard to remember..."
Moving slightly to allow for the tail to not be held too much under her.
"What happened to my body... I must look like a monster now..."

Cael: "That would be over a day ago then, in the Spire." says Cael, concern in his voice and support too.

"You were possessed by one of the Virdynn who wished to use the fusion of her powers and yours to capture me. I managed to contain her in wards and then to talk her from your body ... but your heritage, and most specifically your eyes ... interfered with her leaving. You ... or something within you ... attempted to keep her in."

He smiles at her. "Trust me, you do not look like a monster, but you do seem to have picked up some of her features..."

Millia: She listens... "... my eyes. Damn them... damn them all..."

Her eyes fill with tears, as she looks at Gennadi, writing his words as pity.

"I need a mirror..."

Cael: Cael offers her a hand and helps her over to mirror.

"See, you are anything but monsterous."

Millia: She touches the ears, feeling them flick, seeing the tail move, looking at the mirror and adjusting for the first time with the visuals assossiated with those sensations, which seem to her like something completely different than what she sees... "... it is strange..."

Cael: "Quite, yes." He smiles.

"Would you like me to take you to see Cedric and Anne, now?"

Millia: ".. yes. I would." She looks up to him, her irises widening, smiling. "Thank you, Cael. To bring us out of there, for taking care of us... of me." She nods. "I don't know how I ever thought you could hurt Anne.."

Cael: "Think nothing of it. It is important to me that people feel they can trust me." He starts to walk from the room. "And that the trust is not misplaced. I will wait for you to change outside."

Millia: "Alright. I will be right out."

And thus she closes the door to the room...

And comes out, after a long, long time... in which she chose the right clothes, in which she worried, in which she looked at herself in the mirror, in which she tried to get used to herself... a long, long time indeed. But then, she comes out in a dress of white and violet. Golden jewelry touching her in many places. And smiling...

"How do I look? I imagine we are going to the Holysword Manse now, am I right?"

"I have to look the part."

Cael: "You look just the part, yes. Just right for the person who watches over a young prince." Cael nods at her approvingly and leading her through the Zephyr to the lounge, where hopefully the food fight will be over and the place tidied.

Narrator: And it was, it was all set and tidy, their baggage on the ground, all clean, both Anne and Cedric looking away from one another as they waited. And Calisara, there with a big grin, obviously proud of setting everything up in the meantime. "Am I cool or what?"

Cael: Cael just bursts out laughing.

"Ah, Calisara, what would I do without you?"

Calisara: "Of course not, master!" She smiles.

"So, any instructions for me while you are gone, or can I go laze about for a change?"

Cael: "I wouldn't want you to get bored, my dear, so you can tidy up the library, which is still in a state and then you can write me a list of the things you need for the ship while we're here and then you can laze about."

Calisara: She salutes him in a very military way, a military uniform appearing around her,"Sir! Yes sir!"

The children giggle.

Cael: "Just remember what I said earlier, Cal." he says, and then turns to Millia.

"You might want to dragoon these three into helping you pack. I have to go and see to a cat and a dog."

Cael leaves then, walking through the ship to find Shara, still within the ward, smiling at her.

Shara: Shara stays there, slowly clawing the ground... "When do I get out?" She asks, very, very non-chalantly.

Cael: "Why, what do you want to do when you get out?" He asks of her, approaching the ward.

Shara: "Try to see the world with your eyes? Or the ice-eyed girl's? Run around a bit. Great Forks is a fun~ place to play in!"

Cael: "There'll be no riding people for a while." He shows her the collar. "I value the people around me too much as who they are to have you riding within them." He steps inside the ward.

Shara: She looks up at him... changing into an anthropomorphic form, and pressing herself to him, purring.

"Oooh, a collar for me? Kinky."

Cael: Cael smiles and traces a hand down her spine in a carress before he fastens the collar around her neck.

"There."

Shara: She holds him close, her clawed hands behind his neck, his back... and then...

... nothing.

"Oh, that sort of collar." She steps away "You are no fun at all."

Cael: Cael hooks his finger into the small loop at the front of the collar, gently pulling her closer.

"It can be both, if you'd like." He says softly but with a heat in his voice, resting a hand on her side.

Shara: She moves closer, nibbling his ear, her fangs being felt... "Oooh, I would..."

"If I cannot move into anyone... you can still do it with me." She purrs.... and then her voice shifts tone to being playful, joking... "Do you ask this of all your pets?"

Cael: Cael slides a hand up her body, cupping a breast, carressing softly.

"Of course I can ... why I would I want to do with you riding others? ... It would not really be you." he rubs her nipple between finger and thumb.

"I'm not sure ... you're the first pet I've had." She gives her a grin that promises dark pleasures. "At least of the sort where there was any question."

Shara: She purrs. She purrs, loving his caresses, his words, bolstering her ego, making her feel so... grand. Like those such as her love to feel... "This is part of why I agreed to this, Windwraith..." Her voice is husky, soft as she presses against him so... "You are one of the sexiest men I have ever known..."

Cael: Cael smiles and then kisses her, stepping back through the ward and breaking it in one smooth motion.

"Though that will have to wait. I have to take the girl you rode and her ward to a manse within the city. Along with the dog." He says, grinning.

"Later though, I would like you mewing for me."

Shara: A smile. Sharp teeth shining in the light.

"As you wish..."

A smile. Sharp teeth shining in the light.

"As you wish..." She says in a most feral, husky way, as she seems to disappears, appearing above a table and stretching... "But you will have to catch me then, beautiful."

Cael: Cael shakes his head, and picks up the small cage with the dog.

"If you want to get out, Calisara will open the doors, but then you'll be out til I get in."

Shara: She makes a 'shoo', 'good riddance' waves to the dog, "I'll think about it!"

Cael: Cael shakes his head and goes to see how the packing is going.

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