IceAndWave/SubNocte

Sub Nocte

In which beauty is appreciated, a midnight snack is had, and conversation staves off the morning...

The 14th Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

Captain Kiela billeted Cassia, Sian and Venia in a small inn - generally used for visiting fishermen. Unfortunately, as in the Jaunty Rose, there is only one room available and, to make matters worse, only two beds - the second having been recently carried in. The assumption of the innkeeper is obvious, the lady gets the larger bed while her servants have to share the smaller.

In other words, Sian sleeps on the floor whilst Cassia sprawls out luxuriously in the second bed. He sighs, rolling up his jacket and using it for a pillow.

There is a quiet knock at the door, just as everyone has settled down to sleep.

Sian opens an eye, then remembers his 'duty,' sighing again as he hauls himself to his feet to go answer it.

On the other side of the door is a young woman, either a maid or the innkeeper's daughter (more likely both). She curtseys politely when the door is opened and whispers, "My father sends his apologies for the room, but it's all we had available."

Sian waves his hand a bit, speaking in a similarly low tone. "It's fine. They're both asleep, and the lady has not hit me in annoyance, so I assume it is acceptable." He smiles slightly.

"Thank you," she smiles back. "My father would like to know what the lady would like for breakfast, if that's possible."

"Hmm." He looks back into the room at the sleeping Venia for a moment. "Something solid, if you could manage it. Bacon, toast, perhaps?"

She nods, "Thank you. I'll tell father and he'll have something ready for her." The girl stands restlessly in front of Sian, apparently trying to peek over his shoulder - a difficult proposition given the disparity in height.

Sian steps back a little to let her.

She breathes in sharply, whispering, "She's so beautiful!"

"Mhmm. They both are." He indicates Cassia in the other bed.

The girl sighs heavily and steps back, "I shouldn't..." She looks down at the ground, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?" Sian looks genuinely confused.

"I shouldn't look like that. Especially not at... at someone like her."

"You mean a Dragon-Blood? I don't think she'll mind... she's pretty much out cold."

"You mean she won't know?"

"Unless you want me to tell her, or something, no."

"Oh..." she seems relieved, "I thought she'd know, well... everything."

"Heh. Not quite." He smiles a little, and offers his hand. "I'm Sian."

She takes it gently, smiling back again, "Oriel."

Sian lifts her hand to his lips and kisses it gently. "Nice to meet you, Oriel."

Oriel blushes prettily and looks generally flustered.

Sian smiles at this, and releases the hand. "Would you be able to do me a favour?"

"I... um, I can try..."

"Would you be able to sneak me into the kitchen for a bit? I know it's late, but I'm still a little hungry..." He rubs his stomach. "I promise I won't be long."

She smiles and looks around, "Me too." She grins and whispers, "Follow me, and be quiet." Oriel bends down to take her shoes off to emphasise the point.

Sian does likewise, padding down the hall after her surprisingly quietly.

The kitchen is deathly silent and pitch black, and Oriel whispers, "Stay here," to Sian before disappearing into the blackness. A minute later a small amount of light gives the objects in the room definition, marking out edges in shadow for Sian.

Sian steps in carefully once the light helps things, looking around a bit.

Placing the lantern on the table, Oriel quickly fishes a pair of plates from the shelves and raids a cupboard for a hunk of bread, some cured ham and a clutch of boiled eggs, as well as assorted other foodstuffs, setting them out.

Sian locates a couple of knives and starts slicing up the bread and things, laying it all together into a few neat sandwiches.

Oriel pulls up a stool and sits down, grabbing one of the sandwiches and tucking into it. She looks at Sian, her pretty face mostly hidden in shadows but her smile visible, "This is fun, isn't it?"

"It is." He smiles back, starting into his own sandwich. "Mmm... good food."

There's a sloshing sound of liquid and Oriel pours two glasses of something to drink, "Here," she passes one to Sian, "Winter cider."

"Thanks." He sips it. "Nice stuff."

She drinks some with Sian and smiles, "Careful though, it's strong. Not as much as some drinks, but it can sneak up on you..."

"Heh. You ever had icewine? If you can handle that, you can handle anything..." He does drink a bit slower, though.

"I haven't. Father has a bottle, but it's very expensive..." she smiles, "I don't drink too much, anyway. Growing up in an inn teaches you that."

"Mhmm. No need to tell me... I grew up the same way."

"Oh?" Oriel sips her glass again.

"Mhmm. I'm from Whitewall... my adoptive mother runs one of the better inns there." He swirls his own drink around a little, watching the liquid roll back and forth.

"Whitewall? I've heard of it, but never seen it. Is it true that your kings are gods, and that there are Fair Folk always outside the walls?"

"Close, but not entirely accurate. The city rulers are a trio of gods, called the Syndics, but the Fae mostly stick to their patches of Wyld. They leave us alone during the day, and sometimes a few will harass the guards at night."

"Ohh..." Oriel nods and takes another bite from her sandwich, "We should go. It's late and my father sometimes comes down here himself at night."

"Oh... okay. There anywhere we can talk for a bit?"

"I wish there was, but I have to be ready before sun-up. I help with making breakfast," she sighs, "I enjoyed talking with you, Sian." She leans in and kisses him on the cheek.

Sian smiles. "See you tomorrow."

---

Cassia whispers softly to Sian as he closes the door behind him "Got any of your food left?"

Sian blinks at this, then silently offers her the sandwich he was saving.

"Thanks." She whispers gratefully, taking a bite of it. Sian can just make out her shape sitting up on the bed in her nightgown.

Sian makes a point of not gazing overmuch. "Can't sleep?"

"Light sleeper." she says. "Oriel woke me."

"Ah. Sorry about that... we should have been quieter."

Cassia shrugs in the darkness "It's ok." He sees a flash of white as she smiles, "It's something I try to be."

"Heh." He very carefully sits on the end of Venia's bed, just so he has a seat whilst he removes his socks. "Bed comfortable enough?"

Cassia nods "It's not rocking with the waves." she grins "Are you sure you want to sleep on the floor?" she asks again.

"Yeah, it's fine. Not really appropriate for us to share such a small bed, after all."

Cassia shrugs, her expression hard to read in the dark.

Sian moves down to the floor. "Besides... I've slept on a bed of coral once. A wooden floor is nothing."

"A bed of Coral?" Cassia stops sitting up on the bed, lying out, her head just off the edge of the bed.

"Mhmm. Travelling along the coast, in the furthest part of the Northwest... nothing but grey dirt and broken cliffs out there. It was either that, or sleep on the wintercoral. I chose the latter."

"What were you doing up there?" she asks, curious.

"Talking with spirits. That's generally the answer to why I've been anywhere." He smiles up at her from down on the floor, having stretched out and removed his shirt for extra pillow-ness. His hands are folded behind his head, between it and the pillow.

Cassia smiles softly "You've travelled so much... this is the second furthest I've been from Tideholme..." she sighs softy. Her arm twists backwards and then stretches out, offering him one of the actual pillows.

Sian shakes his head at the offer, and continues speaking. "Well, it's my job to travel, so that's to be expected. What did you do in Tideholme?"

Cassia shrugs and lifts herself up, lying back down on the pillow "Things for Asura, mostly. Messages, listening to people talk, things like that.."

"Ah. Are you two...?" He leaves this hanging, but the question is clear.

Cassia shakes her head "No."

"I see. Sorry, was just wondering."

"It's fine." She smiles, "I think I would wonder too."

"Heh. Fair enough." He settles back again. "And what do you think of our quietly-snoring companion here?" His hand comes up to tap Venia's bed.

"Venia..." she exhales softly "She knows so much it seems sometimes... As do you..."

"I don't think the Realm lets you get by unless you know a great deal, and I'm well-travelled, as I've already said. You're still young... I think. How old are you?"

"I had my 19th birthday a season ago."

"Ah. See? You can't have been Exalted for that long, so you've got plenty of time yet to learn."

Cassia nods "Only two years..." she says softly "I suppose I do, yes."

"Mhmm. Asura seems determined to keep us all together, so you can learn from Venia and I too."

Cassia smiles in the darkness.

Sian hmms quietly. "Well, I'm probably keeping you awake..."

Cassia shakes her head "I don't mind... but if you want to sleep..."

"I don't really need it. I can stay awake for over a week if I need to."

"A week?" she says, a touch of wonder in her voice.

"Mhmm. Being one of the Chosen does have its benefits. Surely you can perform similar feats?"

"Nothing like not sleeping for a week, but yes, there are... special things I can do."

"Like?"

"I can call on flames to guide me when I move, especially when I'm trying to evade attacks... I can call small breezes to distract people... and sometimes, I just know I'm being watched..."

"Useful abilities. I'm mostly limited to staying awake for a long time, but I'm not bad at being diplomatic, and I can throw a javelin well."

Cassia nods "I saw that versus the creatures on that blasted island..."

"That was mostly that sheath that Cora'Esh gave me... powerful item."

"It must be." She tilts her head "Mine aren't that powerful."

"Hrm? That necklace, you mean?"

Cassia nods. "And the dagger."

"Ah. May I see them?"

Cassia nods and reaches back again, drawing them out from under the other pillow. The dagger is sheathed in a simple leather sheath with many straps. The necklace and it's diamond glitter.

Sian looks at them, shimmering in the darkness. "Very nice."

Cassia smiles down at him, "Thank you."

Sian carefully takes them, inspecting them for a little bit before returning them. "Where'd you get them?

"They were gifts from Asura." she says, more warmth in her voice.

Sian nods a little to himself. "She obviously likes you a great deal."

Cassia nods, her expression briefly looking confused. "She does."

"Ever thought about returning it? Just curious."

"I do... like her, that is... and..." she gives what might be a nod in the darkness

"And?" His voice is a bit softer than before.

"I have, yes." She almost exhales her answer, so softly she speaks.

Sian nods a little. "Maybe you should talk to her when we return. If we return... the thing that Venia's brother was talking about doesn't sound too nice." A neat change of subject.

Cassia nods, accepting the subject change without protest "Not nice at all... I don't know much about the dead... beyond avoiding them in the Fell, sometimes."

"Mmm. The Fell wasn't a fun place."

Cassia shakes her head "Exciting though. On occasion."

"I think I can do without that sort of excitement, thanks." He sounds somewhat amused. "Well, I've talked enough. I might not need sleep, but it's always nice, so I think I will."

Cassia yawns softly herself "Me too. Thank you for the sandwich, and the coversation," she smiles down at him, "Good night."

"'Night." He rolls over onto his front, and gets ready for sleep.

Cassia quietly rearranges the pillows and goes to sleep herself.