IceAndWave/BloodOnTheStreets

Blood on the Streets

In which a happy occasion turns sour, civil unrest is quelled, and blame is most definitely not placed...

The 6th Day of Descending Fire, Realm Year 763

Aia's greeting as Sian enters their rooms is thunderous and effusive. "SIAN!" she screamed, before running at him and leaping into his arms, covering his face with kisses.

Sian catches her easily, holding her to his chest as tightly as he dares, and responding in kind.

"Oh, I'm missed you!" she gasps, kissing him again, "When did you get back?"

"About ten minutes ago. Came straight here."

After eventually settling down Aia hugs Sian tightly, asking, "Did you get what you needed?"

"Yeah... we got it." He sinks down to the bed with her, immensely calmed by her presence.

"That's good." Aia hugs Sian, "So... you have to tell me everything that happened." She moves around on the bed and sits cross-legged, waiting attentively.

Sian manages to not quite wince. "Maybe later. I just want to relax now."

"Awww..." Aia pouts, "I wanted to hear about your adventures."

"I know." He smiles weakly. "I'm just really glad to be back with you."

Aia smiles prettily, "I'm glad to have you. Back, I mean." She blushes slightly.

"I know what you mean." He doesn't comment on the blush, just drawing her into another kiss, rather gentler than before.

"Mmmm..." she kisses back, "I missed this..."

"So did I." He smiles slightly as he draws back, "You had anything to eat yet?"

"I just had lunch. Tuna," she licks her lips theatrically.

"Naturally. Well, we'll have to find some way to keep ourselves occupied for the rest of the day..."

"Really?" Aia smiles, "I'm sure we can think of something..." she reaches up and begins to undo the lacing on her top.

Sian grins, and starts on his own top.

Her top discarded beside the bed, Aia pounces on Sian, pressing her breasts against him, her hands wandering down his body, "Ohhh... Sian..." she whispers, kissing him deeply.

Sian responds in the only way he can, and it is hours later when they finally pass out, curled up together tightly. Curled up against Sian, Aia nuzzles at his neck and throat as they sleep, a contented smile on her dreaming face.

Sian lets his Charms relax as he similarly falls into sleep.

Sian dreams...

A knife falls, but he cannot reach it. It lands with a wet sound, but he cannot see where.

Another and another follow, and soon it rains knives.

The wet sounds change, as whatever is there is destroyed by the steel-edged storm.

The rain stops. Sian is freed to look down, and see the horror.

Aia's ruined corpse lies at his feet.

Sian stares. And screams in horror, both in and out of his dream, blurring quickly into the latter as he sits upright, lungs burning for air.

"Ah!" Aia is startled awake, "Sian! What's wrong? What happened?"

Sian stops screaming as reality forces itself back onto him, hunched over from exhaustion. He doesn't respond, breathless as he is.

"Sian!" Aia shakes him, "What's wrong?"

Sian takes a moment to focus on her, eyes wild, before he seems to calm a little, reaching out to shakily touch her face.

"Sian, talk to me."

"... need a drink." His voice is hoarse.

"Of course," Aia hops off the bed and returns shortly with a glass of cold water.

Sian drinks it slowly, not wanting to cough it up. He holds it to his forehead after a moment, letting the chill calm him further. "Thanks."

"What was it? Was it one of those spirit-things again?"

Sian shakes his head, eyes closed. "Just... nightmare."

"A nightmare?" Aia frowns, before settling back into bed, "Was it... bad?"

Sian nods slowly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She hugs him, "It might help."

Sian slips one arm around her by instinct, silent for a few moments, before he begins to speak. "It... we did what we were supposed to. Went to Hood, found the man we needed, and went to Icehome. Saved the city... was a big plot to invade it, lots of necromancy involved, and Anathema stuff."

"The Anathema? Did you see one?"

Sian shakes his head again. "No. I don't even know if there was one, or if they just found a stash of old artifacts and figured out how to use them." He takes another sip of water, then sets the glass down, putting his other arm around her.

"Oh," she sighs and then snuggles back against him, "You saved the city, you said?" She smiles up, "That means my fiance is a legitimate hero."

Sian smiles even more weakly than before. "'spose. Don't feel like one."

"What's wrong, Sian?" Aia rests her head against his chest. "You can tell me."

Sian nods, almost absently. "There was... a woman. Lady Diamond, called herself. She was in charge of a lot of what was going on, I think."

"But you beat her, yes? You stopped the plan."

"Didn't... beat her, I..." He pauses, trying to block out the memory.

Aia strokes his cheek softly, "It's OK, Sian. She can't hurt you now."

Sian chokes out a laugh, infused with bitterness. "That's true. Very true."

"She must have done some horrible things to make you like this..." Aia's eyes well up as she imagines Sian in terrible danger.

Sian's laugh cuts off, and the horrible feeling strengthens. "It's not... it's not like that, Aia..."

"What's wrong, then? I don't understand."

"It's me, I... I..." He looks almost on the verge of tears, the most distraught Aia's ever seen him.

"Ssshh..." she kisses him softly, "It's alright. You don't have to tell me if it hurts too much."

"I cut off her arm, Aia!" He practically sobs this out, breaking the atmosphere of calm she was trying to produce. "And not quickly, either; I made her scream for it to end. And I keep seeing it! Every time I close my eyes, try to nap, try to rest, it's there... I can't get rid of it. I'm even seeing you, now, instead of her... I deserve it, too... torturer..." He sags down, broken.

Aia gasps, her hands to her mouth and she looks at Sian the way she did when they first met, as a stranger. "I... I..." she darts from the bed and, pulling on a large robe, runs out of the room.

Sian does cry, then, one hand over his eyes as he tries to stop, but to no avail.

Some time later there is a quiet knock at the door and the head of Descant peers around, "My lord, are you awake?"

Sian is grey, miserable, exhausted and alone, but he is awake. "... yes?"

"There's some major trouble in the city. The army is attacking Gosul's palace. I've heard that they're claiming he was involved with the Dead."

Sian nods slightly, trying to clear his head enough to think. "Venia wants it over with, I guess."

"Oh?" Descant blinks, "Well, it's just that some people are taking the opportunity to loot shops and businesses in all the confusion, and I think I saw your ladyfriend running out a little while ago..."

Sian also blinks, but just to clear his head. "... you think she might get hurt?"

"She is an attractive girl. I know I wouldn't want her out, in that, alone."

Sian nods slightly, and starts to slide out of bed, looking for his pants. "Pass me that shirt, would you?"

The shirt sails through the air and Descant also passes the Hailstorm Sheath over. "Find her quickly, my Lord."

Sian is geared up in short order, and he nods to the man. "I will. Thanks, Descant."

---

Tideholme burns. At least some of it is, judging from the pillars of smoke rising up from the buildings. Stepping out of the Hearth's Song, Sian sees the panic for himself, with mobs of people rushing back and forth. Some carry torches, the better to loot with - obviously, and weapons, and look to be of the rough sort normally contained to the dockside.

Sian hrms, and does a quick scan of the area, trying to see through the chaos which way Aia is likely to have gone.

Venia sips her champagne and flips her violinist another coin, ordering a somewhat old tune she remembers dancing to when she graduated primary school. She hums lightly along, pointing out the occasional person with her chopsticks to track down later and recover something from.

Sian sees her, and blinks unbelievingly, calling out across the crowd. "Venia!"

Venia looks down at him and waves. "Hey, Sian! Want to come up and see the show? I've got champagne!"

Sian fixes her with an unbelievingly annoyed glare. "No, I don't want champagne! You get down here this minute!"

"What? I'm checking on my new and apparently damaged holdings."

"Down here right now!"

Venia winces, though at least grabs a skewer of food and the bottle, leaping easily down and landing. She thwaps a looter in the face with a jade fan, knocking him sprawling and picking up the lamp he was carrying. "That'll be nice on my desk.... What is it, Sian?"

The sound of shattering glass is followed shortly by the screams of a distressed woman, as a shopkeeper who tried to defend her business is dragged out. Her face is cut and her clothes torn as a burly rioter throws her to the ground, his intent obvious.

"Wait here." He turns, and runs over to this happening, picking up speed as he does. This only adds momentum as his foot swings between the man's legs, hard enough to fling him off and probably prevent him from ever having children.

Venia sets the lamp down to applaud, slipping the open bottle carefully into her purse.

The man lands curled up in a tiny ball, his face turning a shade of purple. His would-be victim looks up at Sian, tears streaming down her face, "Thank you," she whispers.

Sian just nods, and helps her up, gesturing to the inn across the way. "Ask the owner to get you a room until this is all over. Tell him Sian's paying, okay? The Satrap will reimburse you for anything taken from your store."

She nods back, pulls her clothes together and runs into the inn as quickly as she can. He watches her go, and nods slightly, walking back to Venia. "You're going to help me find Aia, and try to restore some order." He lifts a finger as she tries to speak. "Yes, you are. So come on."

"I'm not sure what you expect me to do about all these idiots running around."

"Stop the ones who are being most idiotic." He starts off.

Venia follows along, basically collecting some of the idiots and promising better rewards than they'd find in cheap stores on fire if they'll assist. Within a minute or two of following Sian, she has collected quite the posse, and kicked out two prospective members in a painful fashion.

Sian mostly turns to dealing with the most vicious or dangerous crimes, all the while keeping an eye out for a familiar tailed person.

Running through the rioting city, followed by an ever-increasing band (mostly recruited at sword-point by Venia), Sian searches for his fiance. Instead he finds a group of rioters standing around a man clutching a small chest in his hands and being pushed (not gently) around in the circle. Bruises cover his face, and he yells "Help!" as he sees Sian.

Sian steps up, and simply clobbers the nearest of the tormentors, smashing him over the head with the sheath he holds. He glares at the rest of them. "Anyone else?"

The group opens and begins to break up, people on the fringes fading away while the impromptu leader says, "We didn't mean nothing by it. We just wanted to see what was in the box."

The man at the centre, his face bruised and discoloured, whimpers, "They're just letters from my wife. They're all I have of her now..."

Venia slips in and escorts him away, shushing him lightly. she directs him to the inn, promising to check up on him later and work on those wounds.

Sian nods at this display of compassion. "Good."

The mob break up, shame-faced, leaving Sian and Venia (plus posse) in the streets, to begin looking for Aia once more. A high-pitched scream, echoes down one of the nearby alleys at that moment. An achingly familiar voice in trouble.

Sian breaks into an immediate run, shoving aside those looters stupid enough to get in his way.

Venia doesn't run, making sure to co-ordinate those who are following with them just in case there's serious trouble. Still, she's quick, and arrives soon after. She steps on a couple of the looters as she goes, spike heels rather unpleasant.

A large group of rioters have gathered in a dead-end alley, their mood obviously ugly. At the end of the alleyway, standing on a rotting crate and brandishing a rusty knife stands Aia. Bruised and cut, she appears to have been defending herself well, but the robe she was wearing has been shredded, and the flesh on display only incites the already angry crowd further.

Sian growls in anger as he sprints up towards her, loud enough for the group to hear. As the two nearest turn to see, he grabs them by their necks, practically hurling them into the wall on either side of the catgirl.

"Sian!" she screams, swinging her knife at one of the mob and missing by inches, "Help!" Those at the rear of the group, angry that their entertainment has been interrupted, turn to face the interloper, drawing swords and clubs from their belts.

Sian draws a pair of javelin from the sheath, gleaming coldly in the dim light. He stares, hard, at each advancing person.

This is truly a poor idea as Venia and company barrel down on them, one particularly nasty-looking one taking a foot to the back of the head as she basically charges over him. She sets the edges of her swords to two of the other's throats. "Boys, boys, boys... no more roughhousing." She stomps on the man keeping her out of the mud when he moves.

"Get lost," a burly man with a multiply-broken nose rumbles, "This doesn't concern you." Meanwhile, Aia nearly stumbles as the crate collapses beneath her, and a growl of triumph rises from the crowd.

Venia growls, and makes an example of one of them without a second thought, the spray of blood landing neatly on the burly man. "Sian? Do something useful and break down a wall or the like. We can handle these punks."

"No. She is my wife, and I protect her." He offers her a portion of his glare, milder than what he's giving everyone else.

"I do not think she is really wanting to see you kill mortals for your own amusement, Sian. Get her out of the riot before she gets hurt."

Sian just about snaps something nasty at her, before he bites his lip, realizing she's probably speaking the truth. He looks back to Aia, and offers her his hand.

Aia, her face stained with tears and blood, leaps over the crowd and into Sian's arms. "I'm sorry," she whispers, crying against his shoulder.

"Shh." He catches her easily, starting into a jog, away from the mob.

Venia looks over her shoulder at him until he vanishes, then just starts her rather bloody business. A few of the posse leave whitefaced, splashed with blood in stark contrast. She herself exits with only a single bruise.

While Venia exercises her frustrations on a crowd of would-be rapists, Sian takes Aia back to the inn. The door is guarded by two experienced (judging by their scars) warriors, hefting well-kept weapons. They ready them as Sian approaches at a run, but Descant is visible through the window and obviously tells them to let the running couple through.

Sian slows to a halt as he passes through the door, but doesn't yet release Aia, just standing with her in the foyer. The door is closed hard behind the pair and Descant wrings his hands, "Thank the dragons you're both safe."

Sian nods slightly at this. "Did the others get here okay?"

"The people you sent, yes?" the innkeep gestures, "I've put them in the common room for now." He sits down heavily, "This is bad. I haven't seen anything like this in nearly 20 years. Luckily I managed to poach those marines to guard this place."

"The guard has arrived, then?"

"No. They came from the docks," Descant smiles nervously, "I had to promise them a room for a month each before they'd agree."

Sian offers a half-smile in return. "Get the people in the commons some blankets and things, if you could... I'll pay."

"Already done," he nods, "Who's the innkeeper here?" Descant grins slightly, and then looks out at the shuttered windows, "I hope this is over soon."

"So do I." He squeezes Aia softly. "If you'll excuse me?"

Aia nods, her eyes glassy. "Come back," she whispers.

"I will." He hands her to Descant, and a waiting blanket, before heading back out into the chaos.

Venia does go speed up Emberheart's business, returning to the inn still untouched and giving out her name to the posse. She bandages up the widower and talks with him a bit before finding Aia.

Aia looks up at Venia and smiles weakly. "Hi," she whispers.

Venia takes her hand. "You ok? It was rough out there."

"I'll be fine. Although if you and Sian hadn't shown up..." she chokes back a sob.

Standing in the streets, Sian hears the sounds of fighting coming from everywhere. But the horns are beginning to sound, also, as the army begins the process of restoring order. Venia manages not to flinch. "I'm sorry, Aia. It's my fault. I just didn't think it would be so bad..."

"What?" Aia blinks, "What do you mean? How did you do all this?"

Venia sighs. "Gosul needed to be gotten rid of. I got the information, and set Emberheart on him. He was out there stomping on Gosul's corpse while the city burned, because I didn't think to make sure Asura could leash him quickly enough...."

"Oh." Aia closes her eyes, "Sian told me... about Diamond, you know." She blinks and tears begin to fall again.

Venia shushes her. "He'd die before he did anything like that to you, and... well, he had nightmares about it after. I couldn't get him to sleep. Don't worry about Sian, he's a good man."

"I know he is," she smiles warmly and strokes her hair out of her face before looking up, "But... before I met him, where I was..." She sniffs again, "I ran because he told me, because it reminded me of Osikuthe."

"He still told you, though. That matters a lot..." She sighs. "You need some company, and probably something to drink." She drags the bottle out of her purse and pours Aia something to drink.

"Thanks," she takes the drink and sips it, before setting it down. "I made it worse for him, by running away like that, didn't I?" Aia sighs, "I just had to get away, though..."

"You made it worse. But he'll understand. And you understand. It'll get better."

"I hope so," she says, "I don't want to lose him."

"You won't. If I can't drag him away from you, a little arguement won't do it." She smiles jokingly, drinking some of the champagne from the bottle.

"Thanks again," Aia smiles back, the recent shock slowly wearing away.

Venia stays with her until it does, and is likely there in case Aia wakes up when Sian returns!

Sian does return! Eventually! The worst injury he got was a long but shallow cut along his arm, which has been bandaged up.

Venia would check it, but isn't sure she's up for that. Long day, a little drinking, and guilt. She instead waves. "Aia's resting... she's fine."

"Ah... good." He nods slightly. "And you?"

"Tipsy. Good, though. Did some good... not sue how many notches I got, but I never much kept count anyway."

Sian gently pries the bottle out of her hand and takes a sip. "Mmm."

"We worried about you."

Sian half-smiles, a bit tired. "You, worried?"

"I'm allowed to worry."

"You almost never do, though."

"I reserve it for special situations."

"Ah." He puts the bottle on the table, and sits near Aia, scratching her ears slowly.

Aia stirs slightly, an eye opening. "Hi," she says, "Sorry about running like that."

"Shh. It's okay." He continues to rub her ears. "I don't expect you to forgive me."

Venia would go, but that would require drawing attention to herself... she sort of vaguely notes the ear thing for future reference.

Aia nods slowly, "You're a good person, Sian. I know you are," she rubs against his fingers.

Sian offers another tired smile. "No, I'm not. A good person wouldn't do what I did."

That, however, earns a flinch from Venia. "A bad person wouldn't care, wouldn't have nightmares."

He sighs, "Not always that black and white, I'm afraid."

Venia decides that this is not what she needs to hear right now, so clears her throat. "Sometimes good people do bad things, and sometimes bad people do good things. It's not all black and white. Sian's here, so I'm going to find an empty bed if I can. Empty one myself if not." She pats him on the shoulder without the injured arm as she goes. "Good job."

Sian just looks up, and nods slightly. "Sleep well. Thanks."

Aia waves, and closes her eyes again, resting against Sian.

Sian just continues to scratch her ears until she falls asleep again.

---

Venia has given up her room to the beaten-up man and the almost-raped woman, who has a new financial partner, so she is difficult to locate. She is finally found curled up in a corner.

A calm has settled on the city of Tideholme, like the morning dew. Trails of smoke still rise into the azure sky, the rising sun setting sharp shadows over the burned-out remains of houses, shops and the palace of V'Neef Gosul. Soldiers patrol the quiet streets, weapons ready in the previous day's violence attempts a resurgence.

The Hearth's Song is quiet this early, only the staff stir to begin breakfast preparations, the inn being somewhat fuller than the previous day. Sian has spent the night keeping Aia warm, but is up long before she awakens, worried about his Wood companion.

Someone seems to have been nice enough to drape a blanket over her, only the beginnings of the tattoo on her leg identifying the foot that sticks out from under the shapeless grey bulk.

Sian crouches before her carefully, and tugs the blanket down just enough to confirm that it is her. He sighs, naturally, and starts to scoop her up.

Venia mrms, shifting uneasily. "Dragons, aren't there other doctors around? can't stand this place..."

Sian mentally files that away for later questioning, locating Descant and asking if there are any rooms spare. Descant, busy in the kitchen, responds that a couple of the smaller rooms are still empty.

Sian locates one, of course, and unwraps Venia from her blanket, sliding her into bed.

Venia squirms deeper in, looking to see who she should thank after she complains about being woken up.

Sian pulls up a chair, and gets ready to sit watch over her, not yet seen that she's awake.

"Is there an earthquake? Aia bump her head? What now?" She takes a deep breath, having gotten some of the venom out. "Thank you for the room."

"Mrm? Ah." He settles back. "Welcome."

"Shouldn't you be in bed with her?"

"Was all night. Left her a note."

"Mmm... I wish I'd been in bed all night... well, what is it?"

"You looked uncomfortable. And I was a bit worried."

"Eh... been in worse. I don't think you should worry about a sore shoulder or a crick in my neck. Bigger problems."

"That is what I was worried about, yes. The bigger problems."

"Mrm... I'll do some crisis management, offer to help rebuild as part of my taking over Gosul's operations. It'll take a while, but the city'll be fine," she pauses, "Hopefully minus more thugs than the ones I was maiming."

"Venia." He looks over at her, rather quiet.

Venia pauses in her speech. "... what? You saw, they deserved it."

"I just want to know if you're okay." He catches her gaze, a little too tired to play word games.

"I'm not hurt."

"That's not what I asked."

Venia glares at him, though not for long, soon giving up on the effort. "Not especially... you saw what happened out there. And I did it."

"From what I hear, Emberheart did."

"I told him to. Even did it before I told Asura... wanted a little realism, some small damage to be stomped out. Look good, y'know?"

Sian nods slightly. "Did you expect this sort of response?"

"No. I did not expect this hellhole to explode into a sea of idiocy."

"Then it's not your fault, and I'm not going to let you sit around feeling bad. Order's been restored."

"Of course it's my fault. Do you know the detail I planned this in? I spent a week's allowance on that bottle of champagne. I should have known better than to trust these outlanders..."

"Hush." He puts a finger on her lips to stop the speech. "It's not, and that's final."

Venia ponders biting him. Bastard... telling her what to do. She glares, but finally relents. "Fine."

"Good." He takes his hand back. "Would you like some breakfast? Or just to sleep?"

"Sleep. No appetite."

Sian nods slightly. "Sleep, then. I'll be here when you wake up."

Venia does so, though mostly exhaustion. She appreciates him being there, but it's sort of hard to just lay there and rest with wha she knows is going on.

Sian mostly just sits and thinks, still unable and unwanting to sleep himself.