GoldenCat/Fids1

• - Back to Fated in Dark Stars

Gathering of the Forces

It is a Time of Tumult. Winter Rose knows that. Child of a Lunar Anathema and a Second Circle demon, herself a Sidereal Exalted, a Chosen of the Stars, a secret agent of heaven. An impossibility, children of as many different powers as possible, she knows of the threat of shapechanging Lunar barbarians terrorizing the threshold, beings that, at the same time, fight back the forces of the Wyld. She knows of the demons in Malfeas, screaming in agony as they test the boundaries of their living prision. And of the Gods in heaven, absorbed in their own corruption, with but a select few trying to mantain a crumbling order. And yet, she believes in it. She works in Heaven, trying to keep the world in control, trying to stop it from unraveling, just as the Celestial Bureaucracy disintegrates in self-serving corruption around her. Six Months ago, she has fought a Second Circle Demon attempting to create another demonic cult in Creation, witnessing the power of one the like of her mother. Her missions to the Realm have been more frequent as the Dark Dragon of Malfeas extends its whiskers on Creation, and anything she tries to do on the Realm, like applying bandages to a dying patient – for all they mantain on the world, the manipulations of the Sidereals seem to have little effect on the upcoming civil war.

Ledaal Calistas feels it as well. His scope is narrower, not spanning three planes of existence and the far reaches of the Threshold. Yet, it is focused on one place. And that place, is the center of the world. Born, raised, and trained under the rule of the Empress, a close relative of this unaging, powerful woman, Calistas is a sorcerer, a bureaucrat, and more than anything, a savant, a problem-solver, a detective- someone able to pin down a situation to a theoretical equation, solve it, and find out exactly why. Yet, he sees the world he knows disintegrating in back-stabbing intrigue, in a chaos that has no answer – and only a handful of his house seem to be immune to it. He sees the the succession war brewing... and yet, like the Ledaal, he sees more. For it was just a year ago that he met a power even his wife is blind to - one of the Abyssal Exalted, one of the Deathknights. And a fading scar on his chest is the memory of the meeting with something whose puissance far surpasses even hers’. Not only that, but in the course of the last year, he had to solve more assassination attempts and to take the blame off difamed nobles than he had in the last decade. He tries to solve the problem, to attain an answer... but the true problem is a much broader, greater thing – whose nature would swallow him whole, whose comprehension would change his very understanding of the world.

For Lily, everything always seemed a greater thing – for someone whose life has been a succession of slavery and training, followed by Exaltation, worship, and even harsher training, life seemed a simpler thing – to do your duty, to find out what that is, and to have fun when one can. And yet, it was not a week ago that she detained the assassination attempt of a Dynast – for no other reason as to get his spouse a better marriage in the endless jockeying towards the Scarlett Throne. A prodigy far beyond her years, with raw power to measure up to a elder Dragon-Blooded, and a mastery of the Celestial understanding monks train years to attain, even she cannot denial the chaos around her – even if the true understanding of it would deny all she knows about life... once again.

And V’neef Lyrin, of course... is the living embodiment of the Time of Tumult. Half of his soul is dead. Half of his soul was a Solar anathema, a terrible monster. When it died, its blood splashed his face. And he had tried to help the creature. What does that say of him? Only half-alive, Having waged greater campaigns against the Fair Folk in the last few years than the Realm has in decades, he has seen and pierced the enemy up close – he knows what they are, he knows how they think. And knows that, even in their fickle chaos, they have a plan.. a pattern amidst the seemingly senseless chaos, that does seem to lead somewhere. He has fought against Barbarians and the children of Lunars – and he has faced the Abyssals in the field of battle. More than Calis would dare to imagine, he has hackled his way through zombies and ghosts, and took the blade and aide of one of the champions of the Underworld. And now, outside of fate, detached from life, he carries a blade of shadow. And it whispers to him. The most infamous Chosen of Endings whispers on the back of his mind, twisting honor and duty, pushing hate to the forefront, engulfing his half-soul in its cacophony of madness, a promise that he shall be instrumental to the chaos...

They shall meet. They shall fight. They shall learn. They shall love, and they shall hate. They shall learn as the true players in the game of chaos appear before them. And theirs is the chance to prevent an empire to vanish in shadow...

Thus spake Nara-O, in words seared upon the Loom of Fate.

Kejack: “Speak clearly for once damn you!”

Heaven.... in the Cerulean Lute of Harmony

The scent of dreams coming from the well-polished marble floor, the sound of documents written in stardust paint, the supernatural lights making it clear as a pale, serene autumn day. You could forget that Creation was entering Respledent Wood now, immersed in heat. She smirks at you from the other side of the room, a somewhat triumphant smile, tracing your form with fingers of her gaze. he is running around trying to get a sip from the Lapis Ewer. Spirits come and go, and the doors are still locked to you, and you still wait for what took you from your manse in such a short notice...

In a hurry, Winter was summoned to the Cerulean Lute of Harmony, for an audience with Kiran, one of the Higher-ranking gods on the Cerulean Lute - the message left it pretty clear that this was Bronze bussiness. Not a very pleasant surprise to find Anitsu also waiting outside Kiran's office, a grin on her face.

Winter Rose: "Is someone a bit too happy today?" Winter Rose would ask Anitsu a bit sarcastically, attempting to catch her gaze. "Or has someone tried to land me an unpleasant assignment, again?"

Anitsu: "Again? Oh no, nothing of the same caliber... Blaine is one of a kind, after all" She would smile deep at Rose, inhaling a bit as if aroused, "But... you will know in a few, won't you, Rose..?"

Winter Rose: "Maybe I will not tell you." She'd reply tartly, looking about to make sure Blaine is not causing trouble.

Anitsu: Anitsu would giggle, but then, a spirit servant, the shape of a flying, languid peacock, would come from the room and approach Rose, "Kiran will receive you know, Winter Rose of the Joybringers."

Winter Rose: "Very well." Nodding slightly, the Sidereal would move to leave, giving one last look at Anitsu that would the equivalent of sticking her tongue out at the goddess, then proceed into the next room.

• As you enter the room, you see the golden-skinned, sapphire-eyed god scribing some documents. threads of jewels falling from his body. He turns to Rose, a pleasant smile of shining gems to Rose, "Oh, Winter Rose! Good that you came here so quickly... sit down, please? I'm afraid I have a dire assigmanent for you."

Winter Rose: Sighing softly, she'd take a seat without any comment beyond "I was afraid of that." Then, she would begin to wonder just what kind of 'dire assignment' this is.

• "You know about the Varang city-states, of course? As far as I know," Kira looks at some reports for confirmation, "You even have some connections in there. Well, I don't know if you are aware, but, two months ago... they entered in turmoil. There was an attempted coup, where both the king, the queen, and most of the castle guards were killed. It was a military coup, aside from the fact that... some details are amiss."
  
  "The first one being the coup's ability to kill the powerful Dragon-Blooded that was their king, and the Dragon-Blooded on his Royal Guard. None of the power the rebels are reported having are capable of such. Also, we have reports the rebels used undead on their actions. It was assumed Aniaska, the universal spider, the protector of the palace, was the one to repel whatever killed the Dragon-Blooded... but, she was nowhere to be found. As wasn't the father of Yane, Meron. As wasn't the Lion Dog guarding the sanctum of the palace." He looks grim as he says the names... some of them were certainly friends of his', or the like.
  
  "There are two members of the Bronze there, Rose. None could clearly foresee the rebellion, or even know of the spirits' deaths. One of them tried to pry further into the matter... and disappeared. We cannot see any of it in the threads. This was not just an attempted coup... this was the beggining of a supernatural takeover we are blind to."

Winter Rose: Winter Rose would be silent for a few moments, considering the import of his words, then she'd look up at him and reply. "Three likely sources present themselves: The Gold, the Yozis, and the Malfeans. The former can counteract our astrology, the latter two have agents that are at least half-way outside of fate itself."

"However I am sure you have considered this already." She'd finish, looking about the room as if thinking of hidden listeners.

• "Indeed we have. But I doubt it is the Gold... they would be taking too much risk to kill so many gods, and another Sidereal. Even if Sad Ivory's acts have made them... angry." Not that she is anywhere to be found either... "You are to go to Yane with the Peleps who is going to try and marry princess Asha Akhil. You are to find out everything you can about it, and use whatever means nessessary to prevent it from going any further. The Sidereal there, Emerald Eyes of Jade, is to aid you in any way he can. And, of course...." Kiran would chuckle lightly, his threads glinting in the heavenly light.
  
  "You shall take your husband along. Our powers may be blind to those outside of Fate - but his' aren't. And I have heard good things of him, Rose. You are to point him the right way, and see if he manages to uncover what is going on there."

Winter Rose: Noting that Kiran did not even touch the possibility of demons or the dead, Winter Rose would begin to wonder whether she was expendable, or whether they were truly that blind to the situation. And that this also extended toward her husband, predictably.

"I see. And, if there is a deathknight or demon prince at work, will there be sufficient back-up for me to handle the situation?"

• "I assume you are equipped enough to deal with demonic forces at work, Rose. Don't make me doubt it. If there are Deathknights at work... one of the Dragon-Bloods with you will have more than enough experience with them. As he has with the Faerie. Whatever it is, is hiding in Yane under martial law - you probably won't be up against hordes of Erimanthoy or Spine Chains, so I wouldn't think you would need backup. Otherwise, we might as well send you to train together with Blaine."
  
  "It's not like we are sending you to Thorns." He shrugs, "You will have two other Sidereals with you, and skilled Dragon-Blooded as your backup.... that should be enough. We don't have so many resources to spare."

Winter Rose: "So Blaine is to come along as well?" She'd ask, almost wincing at the very prospect of having him foul up her investigation. "A pity I don't know a spell to encase him in crystal..."

• "He is your student, you are supposed to make him into a useful agent... if he isn't, you have only yourself to blame." Kiran looks up for a moment, before taking another report, "... Not that I envy your jo with him. It is Blaine, after all.. he is a little monster."
  
  Kiran fetches the report, and throw it to the Sidereal, "Any further questions can be answered by this - it was signed by one of the Bronze inner circle... we will be able to make up for your absence in here, rest assured."

Winter Rose: "He needs a real Sifu." She'd mutter under her breath, looking over the report.

"If that is all, I suppose I should be going then. I'll need to get some things in order at home before I leave, but that should not take long." Winter Rose looks, rising from her seat as she continues to scan the report for useful information. "Oh, and, where will I be meeting my husband?"

Eyes halting in the read as she sees something...interesting, Winter Rose stops. "Why is my salary being reduced?"

• "He is on the Imperial City right now - you can take the gate closest to there, I believe you will find him in the Garden of Sublime Wisdom. Our friends with the Ledaal have told him already." Then, he stops, his gemmed threads shimmering for a minute, "Oh, that? You will spend a good deal of time on Creation, with your husband, so we thought it would be a bettter way to compensate for you being on extended Bronze bussiness by relocating part of the money you won't need."

Winter Rose: "Bronze business, yes, but it could also affect our Division easily enough." She'd narrow her eyes at Kiran slightly, irritated at the fact that they can't see it. "Or do you think the trollops of that city-state would prosper under a deathknight or demon-prince?"

• "Of course not, which is why you are being sent there. But, you will receive your salary in its fullest when you come back, or a little later. See it as an... encouragement. Now, are you done with questions? No offense, Rose, but I am busy... Creation isn't the most orderly right now, especially with what some Solars are doing with the slave trades."

Winter Rose: "Yes, quite done." The Sidereal would reply simply. "I will leave you to your duties, then." With that, she'd make to leave the room.

Anitsu: As you leave, the Weaver-Goddess would take a lock of your pale hair, waiting for you right out the door, "Enjoyed you assignament, Rose? Going to miss your precious Salary? Maybe if you are a good girl to me when you are back I will make Kiran give it back faster..." She would whisper, "He loves listening to me in bed, after all..."

Winter Rose: Fixing Anitsu with a blank stare as the goddess speaks, Winter Rose would abandon her usual manner as she stops near the other woman. Great soft eyes seeming to smolder somewhere in their depths, the Sidereal's skin would smoke very slightly, the softest breath of incense. One of her hands would hook over Anitsu's arms in a caress as she gives a wicked smile promising forbidden delights.

"Myself, Zsofika, and a Neomah, yes, we could sate your embarassing little lust. Is that enough demon for you?" Her voice would be a soft velvet purr as she continues. "You'd die screaming, Anitsu dear, but it would be a most exquisite death."

Then the Sidereal would release the goddess -- reverting back to her normal manner -- and trot to the other side of the room, shaking Blaine awake and pulling him to his feet. "Come on. We have a trip to prepare for."

Anitsu: "I will be looking foward to it..." She would purr back, grinning as Blaine awakes in a surprised jump and Rose vanishes from sight...

On the Imperial Citry....

On the Garden of Sublime Wisdom, Ledaal Martin makes another move on their long-running Gateway game, looking at Calistas... "So, Calis, that is the case. Just as in the case a year ago, my advisor told me they cannot see anything... which is why your wife is being sent to Yane... with you."

Calistas: Ledaal "Snake" Calistas, this time dressed in a long and flowing blue robes, leans back in his seat and scans at the Gateway board, inhaling a deep, seemingly weary breath as he does so. In a way, he had to admit he felt a certain sort of exhaliration at the mission that was about to be assigned to him - Deathknights were terrifying enemies (Calis' personal experiences had ascertained this to him), yet on the other hand, they also posed a wonderful mystery to unravel. Much of Calis' spare time during this past year had been devoted to gathering more information about them... that is, what precious little information was there to be had for a Terrastrial mongrel such as himself. Hopefully, perhaps his beloved wife could be of some help there. "And this... another Dragon Blooded you mentioned? Can he be relied upon?"

Martin: "He can be relied upon, maybe... when I checked with my atrological advisor, his answers were... fearful... and cryptic. But him and his Iron Saviors had experiences with the Fair Folk and with a Deathknight.... and survived the experience. That is not a small task by any stretch of imagination."

Calistas: Calistas gives Martin a small, meaningful smile as he looks up from the board. "If I may be so bold as to remind you, so have I, and I am by no means a warrior." His mirth is short-lived, however, for the scar which he had received in his assignment a year ago was still aching. Yes, it was true that he had survived that encounter, yet it had been a sheer stroke of luck above anything else. "But still, I am relieved to know that my beloved wife will be joining me - it has been too long since I last laid my eyes upon her. Did you know that Winter Rose is, actually, a very beautiful crystal flower which thrives on the blood of victims it entices?"

Martin: "You are by no means a normal Dragon-Blooded, as well, my good friend. I have seen many of our investigators, Exalted and mortal, fall when they got too close to the dark in this past year.... perilous times we live in." Then Martin takes a sip of his favorite tea, which he will drink, steaming, even in the heat at the end of Resplendent Wood, "Oh, I have seen it on a book once... I found it... amusing, if nothing else."

Calistas: "There are far more worse fates than being drained of my life by her", Calistas responds with a rather uncharacteristic gust of humor. "But back to the topic at hand." Rubbing at the length of his hawkish nose with two fingers, Calis discards his pleasant reverie much in a same manner as he'd let a cloak slide off his shoulders. "Will we be assigned an official position of any kind in our destination?"

Martin: "They are allies of the Realm, my good Calistas... you are a Dragon-Blooded, a scion of the realm. You will need no further credentials. You will be there with the Peleps envoy, and once there, are at least expected to be there on the festivities and parties with his party, but aside from that, you will be free to... turn some stones."

"Oh! Yes, and... I forgot something. You shall receive a bodyguard. Well, a bodyguard and... a student. She will be supposed to care for your safety and for your commands, but you will also be charged with part of her well-being.... she is young, but quite disciplined. You will have someone with the capacity of an Immaculate Monk, but without their problems, with you. And, well.... I bet you will love her." Martin looks, chuckling.

Calistas: Calistas lifts his eyebrows at that "Oh?" he says, taking a sip of his own tea. "And what should I teach to this student of mine?"

It was an innocent, perhaps even unnecessary question, but one that Calis wanted to ask nonetheless - his experiences with Winter Rose's own pupil had left him somewhat leery of students in general. Well, however this "student" of his was like, he was fairly certain she would be much more pleasant than..... that hellion.

Martin: "General knowledge, mostly. Investigative sense. Common Sense." he chuckles, "Even if I have heard she has quite a bit of it already. I don't have many eyes inside the greater eye... and if your wife can teach her some things about martial disciplines, as well."

Then, a sudden gost of wind is felt in the room as something breaches Martin's field of air around the room... and then, rippling the ornated, expensive paper walls, a blue-clad form passes by, jumping the table, followed closely by another figure, one of the boys Calistas had seen training in the gardens, who shouts, "Give me back my hearthstone, damn you!! "

Martin looks at one ragged paper door...

... Then at the other ragged paper door....

... Then bend over a bit to see the two figures running deeper into the garden....

"Seems like your wife is already here, Calis."

Calistas: The moment the two boys dashed past them, Calistas suddenly seemed to shrink down, his shoulder sagging slightly, his entire demeanor suddenly seeming much more old, much more weary than it had been. "So it seems", he responds, calmly, yet momentary depression apparent in his voice.

Rising to his feet, he picks up his walking cane from where it had been leaning against the table. "With your permission."

Winter Rose: Walking into the room with a rather disgusted look on her face as she peers after Blaine, Winter Rose would stop suddenly as she sees her husband. "Um, good to see you, darling." She'd say, embarassed over her student already. "A certain someone is already causing trouble, I see."

• "Granted, Martin... I think I have already told you everything you need to know." Martin looks, trying to disguise the irritation at the tattered paper doors, "And hello to you, Winter Rose! It has been a long time!"

Calistas: Slowly turning to his wife, Calistas acknowledges her with a deep nod. "My star", he says, quietly. Then he throws a glance at the direction where Blaine and the other boy had vanished, before adding with a dry smile: "My heart grieves for you."

"Should I take it they insisted you should take him along for this journey?"

Winter Rose: "Yes." She'd reply dejectedly, nodding to Martin as she sighs, looking about for Blaine again. "Again... I hope no one minds his presence overmuch."

Calistas: "It seems we will be having two students with us, then". With a gesture at Martin, Calistas continues: "The Senator here was just telling me about her."

Blaine: As Rose looks for Blaine, she can see the blue-clad lad running back, the shining white and porous stone on his hand, he leaves it with Martin, "Here, a gift!" before trying to run back through where Rose and Calis are....

Winter Rose: Winter Rose waits for him to move close past her, then catches the errant Sidereal, or tries to.

Blaine: Rose holds him by the arm, and he barely noticed before your grip tightens and he slips, falling butt-first on the ground, arm raised upward and raised by you. He would rise these mischievous star-freckled eyes of his' to Rose and grin, "Teach! Sorry, didn't intend to bump on you!"

"Oh! Uncle Calis is here too! How have you been?"

Winter Rose: Glaring down at her student, Winter Rose would pull him up then hold on to him by one arm. "Behave, Blaine. This is not reflecting well on us."

Calistas: It would be a long journey, Calistas decides as he watches the event unfold before him. Now, it seemed, made twice as long by a single additional soul to the company. "Blaine", he acknowledges the young Sidereal with a calculated nod.

Then, perhaps in a timed attempt to redirect the attention away from his wife's embarrassing student, the sorcerer turns back to Martin. "But in any case, when shall we be meeting this bodyguard you mentioned?"

Martin: Martin looks at the stone, trying to think of anything... before a shadow is seen, jumping over him, "My Hearthstone! " The young Ledaal yells, running to the table... and missing the step to get into the room, falling, towards his Hearthstone... and over th table. Magic stone, Gateway Board, Tea and Papers fly, and Blaine can only watch, grin, and say, "Oops..."

On the Starfall Manse of the All-Seeing Eye....

After the events a week ago, Lily had been told the details of her assignament - to go with Ledaal Calistas and the Peleps party to Yane, learn from them, work with them, protect Calistas' life, kill any of them if they try to act against the will of the Realm, and report anything and everything she sees there when she comes back. This was a week ago, and now, now was the big day. The last she would see of her training grounds, of her home... in quite some time.

Mirai: The servant girl would move the door, looking sad... "Did you finish packing already, Lily?"

Lily: "All done," she nods. "It'll be strange, going away. I'll miss you. Take care of yourself, hmm?" she smiles, hugging Mirai.

Mirai: Mirai looks blank as you hug her, not used to such intimacy in her training and job on the All-Seeing Eye, and from a Dragon-Blooded, no less...she'd sob once, then hug you tightly, "Lady... Lily... I will miss you so much..." she'd say, tears bursting from her eyes, making your shirt feel wet, "So much...".

Lily: "It's okay Mirai," she smiles, hugging her and stroking her hair. "I'll see you when I get back, and I'll tell you about all the sights and things."

Mirai: "W-what if...you don't come back? What if you don't..." She'd sob, forgetting the decorum for a mortal to treat with a child of the Dragons in her sadness....

Lily: "I'll be okay, I promise."

"The master wouldn't be sending me if he didn't think I could handle myself there. He tested me for that last week."

Mirai: "O... ok... just... take care, alright? Please, take care, Lady Lily..." She'd ask, looking up at you....

• Lily smiles, "I'll take care, Mirai, I promise."

Mirai: "Oh, and... he is already waiting outside, the boy to take you.... I came to ask.." Lily'd say, trying to dry her eyes on the back of her hands, "... If you were ready, he asked..."

Lily: "Thank you," she grabs her bags, "I'm ready; I should go, then."

• On the way out, you don't see Himitsu or your master - the latter left for a mission in the same day he tested you, right after giving you the details on your mission. The ant-colony swarming of the halls seems so... distant, even as you walk through the corridors - like everyone is now on another plane of existence, like they aren't.... real anymore... and then, you get to the Gate, where a smiling boy stands, idly chatting to the driver of a carriage....

Lily: "Hello," she smiles, "I'm Lily."

Meallan: "Oh, hello, Lady Lily!" he smiles, his smile seeming to bounce around as he steps down from the carriage - his' is a smile that could light a whole room, one born of the sort of good mood of someone waking up amidst country flowers, knowing the world is just a wonderful place, "Are you ready to go? I have been asked to escort you to Lord Calis...and Lady Rose." Do mind that, you hadn't heard the latter name, yet.

• Lily likes his style!"Thanks! I'm ready to go, yep. Lady Rose? What's she like? I'd only heard of Lord Calis before."

Meallan: "Oh, then, come on!" He says, extending his hand to help her up the carriage. "Do you like sweets? I brought some from a store close to here.. the Imperial City really has the best delicacies around, doesn't it?" he says, looking up for a moment to see a bird... "Lady Rose..? Well, she is the sort you have to... see for yourself, really!"

Lily: "Thank you," she smiles, accepting the hand up. "Oh, I love sweets!" She grins, "The ones in the Imperial City are good alright - I haven't been to enough other places to say whether they're the best."

Himitsu: "Lily! Liiillllyyyy!" The young Dragon-Blooded hears as she sees the fellow pupil of Swain's running towards the carriage, a package on his hands, sweating from the run, "Lily! Wait, wait!!"

Lily: "One moment please," she says to the boy, hopping down.

"Himitsu!" she smiles, "you've come to see me off!"

Himitsu: "Lily!" He says, jumping on Lily and hugging the young Air aspect, "I almost thought I wouldn't catch you here, brat... I will... miss you." He says, blushing some, "A... and... t-this..." he'd try to say, but stutter... then just hand you the package with both hands. "For you!"

Lily: "Thank you!" she hugs him back. "I'll miss you too. Take care of yourself while I'm away, hmm? - Oh, thank you, that's really sweet!"

Himitsu: "They... wouldn't tell me where you are going, so... I didn't knew if it would have to be with where you are going, but..." He looks, slowly, blushing and trying to look some other way, "H-hope you like it..."

• Lily opens the parcel

• Inside, there is a robe, Shogunate-style, like her artifact one, purple and black, elaborately painted in draconic designs... must've costed quite a bit!

Lily: "Ooo, it's beautiful, thank you!" she hugs him again and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

Himitsu: "W-w-welcome..." the boy looks, then tense as he feels Lily's kiss on his cheek, breathing hard... "O-ok... s-see ya, Lily! Take care! I-I hear them calling me in there, so... s-see ya!" With that he tries to get away from Lily, embarassed, and runs off back to Starfall....

Lily: "Take care!" she waves and boards the carriage again.

Meallan: Giggling, Meallan looks at Himitsu going away... "Never thought I would see a Prince of the Earth blushing so easily... what do you know! Wasn't that just cute? Do you get boys like that all the time, Lady Lily?" then he would handle Lily a plate with candies he'd be eating, "Want some?"

Lily: "Not all the time," she giggles. "Oh, thanks!" she takes a candy and starts nibbling. "What's your name?"

Meallan: "Meallan, if it pleases the lady." he looks corteously, then turn back to the rider, "Ox... you can take us to the garden now."

Lily: "Meallan, nice to meet you!"

And back at the Garden...

The ride through the Imperial City is short, barely half an hour, full of amenities, candies, and little jokes and amenities from Meallan - if someone ever embodied pure happiness, that is him. Even if sometimes, it feels as if his happiness goes all out of him, filling the room, but going only as deep as his smile on himself... but then, you two would already be on the Ledaal Manse, the Garden of Sublime Wisdom.

Meallan: "Here we are, lady Lily!" Meallan says, hopping out of the carriage, extending a hand to help you down....

• Lily chats happily with Meallan on the way. "Thank you," she accepts the hand to dismount when we arrive.

Meallan: "Ox, could you come around here and take the bags? It's a ladies' things, so they are probably just *too* heavy for me to take..." He'd joke, "Lord Calis was talking to Martin when I left... I wonder if Lady Rose is around already..." the response to this would be a loud crash! "..... Yes, she is. And he is... oh joy."

• Lily grins at the joke, then blinks at the crash, glancing in that direction.

• Around you, around the end of the carriage trail, there is a great Shogunate-style garden, filled with a brittle, snow-white sand and round stones that seem to glitter. The arrangement of the garden is perfect - it feels like, if one stared at it from high up long enough, one would understand all the designs of Mela. Lily can feel the eerie, powerful feeling of suntuosity natural to such a powerful Manse, washing over her in waves...

• Lily gazes at the garden, smiling; she likes this place.

Meallan: "Come on? I will take you to them.... isn't this a pretty garden? It's the pride of these people, they like to meditate while tending to it, sometimes... and the aspect they chose for the house isn't even wood..."

Lily: "It's beautiful!" she nods, following.

Meallan: On the way, Meallan stops to talk to someone, then turns to Lily, "Weeelll... seems like Lord Calis has went ahead to take care of some matters for your trip... but Lady Rose is just... oh, there!" He points, "Lady Rose!"

Blaine: Together with the pale northern woman coming on the corridor, there is a handsome boy, around Lily's age. He looks at Lily, then rushes and takes her hand, kissing it, "Pleased to meet you! You are the one that will be uncle Calis bodyguard/apprentice, ne? I am Rose's... you can call me... Blaine! May I have your name, pretty one?"

Lily: "That's me!" she smiles, blushing slightly at the compliment. "Thank you - I'm Lily."

Blaine: "Lily... a beautiful name for a beautiful flower!" He says, looking at Lily... "Oh, and, hey, Meallan! How have things been? Up to raid the kitchen like last time?" then he turns to Lily, and whispers on her ear, "And... since you will forget all about me anyway... I gotta say, Lily, that you are really, really hot!~"

Winter Rose: "Don't even think about it, Blaine." Winter Rose looks in a decidedly frigid warning tone. "Or else you will spend the entire voyage as a crystal."

• Lily smiles at Winter Rose. "Good morning, Lady Rose."

Blaine: "Eep! Well, see if you remember this much - her - Rose - scary!" Blaine giggles, a bit *too* close to Lily....

• Lily grins at Blaine, "I get the feeling you can do with a scare now and then."

Meallan: "Hey, Blaine! Well, I am full, was eating some sweets with Lily before! Hello, Rose... how have you been?"

Winter Rose: "As well as can be expected." She'd state in a sour tone, looking down at Blaine resignedly.

Blaine: "Aww, I am nice! Honest! Come with me for a walk and I can tell you how much~!"

• Lily giggles.

Winter Rose: "Good morning child." The Sidereal would reply to Lily, taking her eyes off of Blaine for a moment. "Blaine is a good boy...occasionally. I do not think right now is one of those occasions."

• Lily smiles, "I get the impression it isn't alright."

Meallan: "Lady Rose, Lady Lily... when you two are ready, you are to go for the Imperial Port... a carriage shall be available for you all. Lord Calis just sent this telling me it will take a little while for him to come by..." Mellan says, his high-spirited smile contagious, "Can I get any of you anything? "

• Lily has just snacked on some delicious candy, and lets Rose, being the senior, decide whether we're going right away or what.

Winter Rose: "Probably best not to go off with Blaine alone right now, yes." Winter Rose would nod at Lily, then continue speaking. "Hrmm. Well, I suppose we could do with some refreshments while we wait for my husband." Looking back down at Blaine, she'd wag a finger reproachfully. "Silly boy, if you behave you'll get a surprise, later. How about that?"

Lily: "Right," she smiles, "Okay then, sounds good!"

Blaine: "Surprise? You can bet I will behave then, sensei!" Blaine says, grinning, "I will eat sweets with the bestest behavior in mind! Come, Mellan, let's attack the sweets!" As Blaine takes the messenger boy by his arm and goes off with him towards the kitchen, Lily can feel a soft slap to her behind as the grinning Sidereal strides away with the messenger boy....

• Lily turns and calmly gives the impudent Blaine a smack across the ear as he departs.

• Blaine yelps, and laughs, and Meallan can't help but to look embarassedly to Lily as Blaine drags him away...

Lily: "Politeness is a virtue," she remarks to the departing Blaine with a sweet smile.

Blaine: "You can teach it to me later!" he says, smiling, from the tail end of the corridor.

Calistas: Quiet footsteps, accompanied by the rhythmic click of a walking cane, announces the arrival of Ledaal Calistas. His broad blue robes trailing behind him, he walks up the corridor with a bundle of papers in his hand, his eyes scanning the contents of the topmost document as he walks. "...Persons in total, each eats so much, that would make..." he mumbles as he goes over the figures in his mind. "Logistically... In the name of Heavens, are they mad...?"

Winter Rose: "Why would they be mad, dear?" Winter Rose asks cooly, glancing at the papers for a moment.

Calistas: Lifting his gaze, Calistas gives his wife a little smile, after which he acknowledges Lily with a quick nod of his head. "Nothing important, my beloved, except that they seem to be intending to feed the entire Varang for a month or so, judging by the amount of food they are intending to take along. Perhaps our noble superiors are not so interested in foreign food..." Tucking the papers into his wide sleeve, he then addresses both of them in general. "By that matter aside, I am sorry to have kept you waiting. All the preparations are underway, and everything will be ready shortly."

• Lily dips her head, "Thank you - Lord Calistas, I assume? I'm Lily."

Winter Rose: "They spice food heavily in the South." She states, somewhat amusedly. "Perhaps someone cannot stomach the taste."

• Lily grins at the images that calls to mind.

Calistas: Turning his full attention to Lily, Calistas gives the young woman a very careful assessment, his intense gaze flitting from her toes to the crown of her head and back again in a matter of few seconds, before returning her nod with a slight bow of his own. "I am pleased to meet you at last, Lily. I have heard many things of you."

• Lily blushes a little - she hadn't expected people to have heard of her! "Thank you," she smiles, "and likewise."

Calistas: "I will be looking forward to seeing how far you shall exceed my expectations", the sorcerer adds softly. "But we should be going now. As slow as our departure might be, we should not delay it any further by our own absence."

• Lily nods, picking up her bags. "I'm ready."

• Dane, one of Calis' trusted servants one of the few from before three of his fully-trained ones got their throats slitted in Rainfall, would be waiting on the corridor, "The Carriage is, of course, ready for the three of you, m'lord. All the baggage has already been placed in it."

Calistas: "Thank you, Dane", Calistas responds to his servant, "Although I regret to tell you that we have four passangers for this journey."

Winter Rose: Standing up, Winter Rose would nod slightly, then look about for Blaine. "Where is he now..." She mutters, going off to get him, throwing a look over her shoulder as she does so, saying "Go on ahead, I will find him myself."

Calistas: "Very well then", the sorcerer nods. "Good luck on the hunt."

• "Four, m'lord?" Dane looks a little surprised, trying to recall if there was someone else around, then just shrug, "Very well then, I will ask them to fetch the travel snacks for four, then."

Calistas: "Ahh, I do not believe that will be necessary. By the time our fourth passenger arrives, I presume he will be quite... stuffed."

• Lily grins.

Calistas: Shaking his head sadly to Lily, Calistas adds: "I can only ask you to look in the other direction. I fear my wife's student can be somewhat... troublesome at times."

Lily: With a twinkle in her eyes, she nods, "I'd got that impression alright!"

Calistas: "But enough about that", the sorcerer lays a hand lightly onto Lily's shoulder and guides her onward towards where their carriage await. "I would like to ask you a question or two, if you won't mind."

Blaine: "... And there I was, jumping around the Golden Portion of the Quicksilver Cannals, all these freakish gods falling on the 'water' as I jumped through the Gondolas... man, that was just too fun!" Winter Rose would hear, coming from a room not far away, along with the laughs of both Blaine and Meallan, then hear Meallan's voice, "Blaine, you are just insane... they would never let us get away with it on the old days, oh nooo... didn't you get a reprimand?" Blaine would chuckle, "Nah, it was just my sensei who did!"

• Lily walks along with him. "Certainly."

Calistas: "First", Calis continued pleasantly and lifts a single finger. "Who are you, Lily?"

Winter Rose: Coming into the room, the Sidereal growls "So you didn't get reprimanded?" as she grabs Blaine by the collar, pulling away. "How would you like to have Octavian making sure you sit in a corner for the entire trip?"

Lily: "A Lost Egg, though I have the honor of being Chosen of Mela. I've been asked to serve as your bodyguard and assistant for this mission."

• Blaine 'ulps' as a piece of a chocolated confection goes wholly down his throat. "Err... one of those really ugly demons? Eight faces or something?" He'd grin, "Well, or you can just sit on my lap and I will be a good boy?" As Rose drags him out, he'd look at Meallan and wave, "See ya!"

Calistas: A formal and uninformative answer. Very good, Calistas would nod silently by himself. She has the promise for an interesting agent.

"And your allegiance?"

Winter Rose: "He's over twelve feet tall, has shoulders wider then your height, possesses the shriveled head of a Solar at his belt, and is covered in black oil." Winter Rose would state dryly, waving a little 'bye bye' to Meallan as she leaves with Blaine in tow. "And he has a very large maul."

Lily: "To the Realm of course - but specifically to you, now."

Blaine: Blaine would make puppy-dog eyes, "And you would throw him on such a nice-well-behaving pupil such as myself...?"

Calistas: "And on the unlikely event that my actions would contradict those of the Realm?"

Winter Rose: "Perhaps if you are very naughty, yes." Rose replies smoothly, giving him an unreadable stare as they continue.

• Lily bites her lip, visibly unused to questions like that. "My allegiance is to you; but you're asking are there even hypothetical circumstances in which I'd disobey your orders?... If for example you were to order me to destroy the Realm... of course you wouldn't, even if I had the power to do so - then honor would forbid me from obeying that order."

Blaine: "Hey! Uncle Calis!" Blaine looks as Rose and him get close to the carriage, and to Calis and Lily. Then, he would extend a box with one hand, full of white, egg-shaped things, "Want any sweets? All sugary, and they have grapes inside!"

• Lily tries not to look visibly relieved at the temporary reprieve. "Thank you," she takes one and nibbles.

Calistas: "Hello, Blaine", Calistas gives the young Sidereal a very formal nod.

Then, turning back to Lily, he gives her a penetrating look and, seeming to intend to continue their discussion, says with a nod of approval: "A very good answer. Now, one more question, if you won't mind."

Lily: Whew, that was more unnerving than fighting those assassins! She smiles, "Thank you. Certainly, go ahead."

Calistas: "Do you play Gateway?"

Lily: "Yes, I do."

Calistas: The sorcerer's face splits into a broad smile, showing his teeth for all to see. "Excellent!" he utters and, with a sweep of his hand, gestures everyone to climb up into the carriage. "We will have to play a game one of these days!"

• Lily smiles happily back as she hops in. "I'd like that!"

Calistas: "Beloved?" Calistas says, turning to Winter Rose. "Shall we?"

Winter Rose: "Yes, let us." She'd reply, munching on a candy she got from Blaine, scratching his head idly. "Remember to behave now, Blaine."

Blaine: The image of the Octavian flashing on his mind, some three times MORE menacing than the really, really menacing being actually on account of Rose's intimidating, cold tone would make his eyes go wide for a second, then he'd nod, "Ooh, I will!"

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