IceAndWave/KingsOfIceAndSilver

Kings of Ice and Silver

In which reports are delivered, beasts discovered, and tri-partite speech is shown to be irritating...

The 5th Day of Ascending Air, Realm Year 763

Sian leaves Tideholme a few days after arriving, pondering the significance, if any, of the interview with Asura and her blatant and repeated shows of flesh.

The road to Whitewall is as long as it usually is, the short Northern summer getting hot & uncomfortable and the clouds of midges that infest the air do not respect the truce of the Old Road. After four long weeks of travel along the road, shadowed occasionally by members of the Fair Folk or the cold, chill gaze of the Dead, Sian arrives at the pale, high stone walls of his home, and to the inevitable debriefing at the hands of the spirit-kings that rule the city and its people.

During this time, Sian has been a little restless; worried about the upcoming meeting. He has been somewhat un-noticing of Aia again, as a result, except for the several warnings to Aia about stepping off the road, no matter the blandishments of the Fae or the threats of the Dead, before she finally got the message - although her powerful curiosity still made her twitch everytime one of the preternaturally beautfiful Fae nobles emerged from the summer mists. Sian gave them a glare that could freeze magma, every time they appeared.

The guard at the gates to Whitewall is at full strength, somewhat unusually for the time of year. A full talon of troops in uncomfortably heavy armour stand at and over the great doorway as Sian approaches on foot. Sian ushers Aia behind him a little.

The captain stands forwards as they approach, the slow traffic of merchants heading in and out of the city, giving them ample chance to recognise Sian and ponder over the identity of his companion. "Welcome back to Whitewall, Lord Nerivus."

"It's good to be home." He shows the required papers, though the man knows him well.

"I have orders from the Palace. You are to report as soon as possible after your arrival, although some time to recover from your journey is to be allowed." He looks up at the sky, "No later than sunset, however."

Sian inwardly winces. "Expected, but not welcome. Thank you." Sian enters the city, but the guards lower their spears as Aia attempts to follow him in to Whitewall.

Sian stops as they do, turning and placing a hand on the haft of one of the weapons. "No... she's with me. My new... scribe."

"Sorry, sir. There is a... creature, loose in the city. It got in somehow three days ago, and has killed twelve people so far. The men are just being extra-cautious." The captain gestures and the guards lift their spears, "Again, welcome home."

Sian frowns a little at the news, putting an arm protectively about Aia as he does. "Hmm." He thinks for a moment, before shaking his head and wandering off.

The normally reserved people of Whitewall are even more subdued than normal, with the talk in the streets being of grisly murders perpetrated by vicious Wyld-spawned beasts, blood sacrifice by demented cultists or one of the depraved Anathema, depending on who's talking. Sian listens well to the gossip as he passes through on the way to his mansion... well, small apartment, but it's a mansion to him.

Aia shrinks back against him as some of the gossip-mongers linger on gory details - entrails spread over the alleyways, bodies emptied of blood, flesh warped and mutated into unrecognisable shapes. Sian hugs her with one arm, then scratches her ears. "Don't worry. I said I'd look after you, remember?"

Aia mrrs softly as he scratches her ears and follows him through the maze-like and packed streets of the city, as Sian heads unerringly towards his apartment.

Unlocking the door with a quiet click, Sian lets Aia in, before closing it again once he steps inside. It's a modest place; some fine furnishings, but not much decoration, and it's immaculately clean. "Bathroom's through there... and I'll have to join you, I'm afraid, as we haven't got much time." He looks out at the horizon with worry.

Aia smiles, "No problem," and dashes off to the bathroom to check out the furnishings. The loud coo that emanates from the room indicates that she is pleased with the plumbing, and shortly thereafter there is the sound of running water, followed by steam billowing out as the red jade in the plumbing does its job.

Sian prays she's a little more restrained this time, as he unpacks his gear and puts it into its required storage. He shrugs off his shirt and grabs a couple of towels, following the girl into the bathroom. He is greeted by the sight of a naked Aia, bending over the tub to check the temperature of the water. Her ears twitch as he walks in, and she turns to face him, smiling, "Nice and warm."

"Uh... yeah." He blinks and shakes his head to clear it of any distracting thoughts. "In you go."

She hops in with a delicate splash, the water and foam mostly covering her as she beckons for Sian to follow. He sighs before removing the rest of his clothing and slipping in behind her. "Lean forward... we haven't got time to relax, sorry."

Aia leans forwards and passes a sponge back, sighing softly while Sian wishes she wasn't so damn female. He starts carefully washing her back, her ears perking up noticeably.

Sian grins a little to himself as a thought hits him, before dunking the sponge in the water... and squeezing it out over her head.

Aia squeals, mrowling loudly and turning, "No fair!" before smiling, "My turn to do you," whereupon she grins and grabs the sponge, sitting up and waiting for Sian to turn.

Sian looks a little skeptical, but does as ordered.

Aia wets the sponge and washes his back carefully but rapidly, given the earlier note about a lack of time. When she's done she suddenly pushes Sian's head forwards, dunking him cleanly into the bath.

Sian grins, and simply stays there, pretending to drown.

Aia screams, "Ahhh!" and lifts him out of the water again, shuffling back in the bath and letting Sian lay back on her legs. She leans over and looks worried, "Are you alright?"

Sian grins as he opens his eyes, and neatly flips her over onto his chest, holding her arms above her head with one hand and relentlessly tickling her with the other. "Surrender?"

Aia squeals and wriggles, "I give! I give!"

Sian tortures her for a moment longer before releasing her. "That'll teach you to try and beat a Water Aspect while in the bathtub."

Aia looks up at you, "Fiend!" and wriggles delightfully as she is let go.

Sian sits up and faces her, smiling a little. "Terrible fiend." His smile slowly fades. "Aia, I need you to listen to me, okay?"

Aia's ears droop a little and she nods, "OK."

"We're going to see the Syndics soon... they're the ones I work for. And I don't think they'll be happy with me."

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because of you." He looks a little unhappy. "I know that rescuing you was a very good thing to do, but it may have cost Whitewall access to Osikuthe's dragon lines."

Aia shrinks back into the tub, "Have I got you into trouble?"

Sian reaches out and takes her hand. "Even if it killed me, I would have saved you from Osikuthe, so don't blame yourself, okay? I wanted to."

"OK." Aia looks around, "Do I have to come with you to see these... Sin Dicks?"

"Syndics. And yes, I'll need to present you to them." He squeezes her hand. "Aia, if you want to leave, you can do so anytime. You don't have to deal with this if you don't want to."

Aia smiles wanly, "I trust you," and squeezes back

"Are you sure?" He looks quite serious.

She nods emphatically, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Okay." He looks at her for a moment, then gives her a brief hug. "We'd better get dressed. Almost time to go."

Aia slips out of the bath and grabs a towel, vigorously drying herself off. Sian does likewise, after draining the water. "Your clothes are clean, aren't they?"

Aia grins, "If they're not I'll have to go like this!" She twirls around, naked.

Sian winces. "I'll buy you something when I get my pay." He locates some clothes for himself and starts dressing.

Aia pulls on the cleanest clothes she can find, brushing away some of the road dust with her tail.

Sian cleans himself too, then offers his arm. "Shall we?" Taking the arm, Aia follows Sian out of the apartment block and down the stairs towards the Palace of the Syndics, while Sian assumes his 'serious negotiation' face.

The Palace of the Syndics, isn't really a palace by the standards of the world outside Whitewall. It is simply a very tall building, built from the same stone as the walls. A double talon of guards permanently patrol it's walls and corridors, but Sian is well-known and both he and Aia are let through the gates and into the lower hallways of the Palace.

Sian tries to reassure her as best he can.

The Syndics themselves reside in the uppermost level of the Palace, almost 100' above the ground. Climbing several sets of stairs, Sian eventually reach the seneschals' chamber, where he is met by Sliding Joy, the gate-keeper spirit employed by the Syndics to monitor and control access.

"Sliding Joy. I hope I am not late?"

The spirit skitters across the floor, her eight legs making the same uncomfortable scratching sounds on the stone that they always have. "Not too late, no," she replies, pulling a large book from under her shell and checking an entry. "The Syndics will see you and Aia now."

Sian exchanges a glance with the catgirl. "I see... thank you." He wanders in, Aia in tow.

The three spirit-kings are waiting as he enters their chamber, and they begin talking in shifts immediately, "Ah, Sian Nerivus our."

"Negiotiator and herald. How went your."

"Discussions with our illustrious."

"Cousin, Osikuthe?"

"They... went, my lords." Sian's pause is deliberate.

"Illuminate us, please on."

"Your meaning, our dear."

"Friend and ally. Was."

"Osikuthe amenable to our request for."

"Access to the dragon lines, and."

"What price did she require?"

Sian breathes evenly. "Her sacrifices amount to 300 talents, 10 each of the dogs and ravens, and the Second Consideration."

The Syndics freeze for a second, standing so utterly still that their resemblance to statues cut from ice and silver becomes uncanny. One of them speaks, "Osikuthe has become greedy, and."

"The Second Consideration - that was most."

"Unfortunate. Why was the."

"Price so high? It was merely."

"A furtherance of a bargain made."

"Long ago."

"Because of my mistake, my lords," Sian replies.

"Your mistake? Please."

"Enlighten us, further."

Sian ushers Aia to his side. "This is Aia, my lords. I want it known now that none of this is her fault... she had no idea of what I was doing."

The Syndics glide across the floor, leaving trails of rime and frost behind them as they close in and circle Sian and Aia, "Your instructions were."

"Clear. Negotiate for access to the."

"Silver Tree dragon lines, and."

"Pay any reasonable price asked."

"By Osikuthe. We do not."

"Recall telling you to increase."

"Your harem."

"Yes, my lords. I was weak, and foolish... Osikuthe has declared that I am never to enter her realm again, on pain of torture and severance of the deal. Likewise, if any sacrifice is even slightly late, the deal is again off." Sian closes his eyes. "I accept any punishment you should require, my lords."

"Punishment. Yes. But you."

"Were our sworn representative and."

"Any agreements you made were as."

"If we were there. We shall."

"Honour the bargain with the."

"Disagreeably greedy Osikuthe."

They round in on Aia and examine her closely, "What have we bought."

"For such a price, we."

"Wonder? What merits have you that."

"Heaven itself must pay the price?"

Aia shrinks against Sian, away from the imposing spirits, "I don't know. I was bound to Osikuthe's service by my mother, and Sian bargained for my release."

Sian puts an arm around her shoulders. "She is an innocent, my lords."

The Syndics turn to face their servant, their graven icy faces unreadable, "You have disrupted the order."

"Of things for the release of a divine."

"By-blow. Her servitude was."

"Correct and proper by the laws."

"Of Heaven, and you saw fit to."

"Change them. Very well."

"She is your scribe, you said. Well."

"Now she is bound to your service."

"And by the laws of Whitewall any."

"Crime that either of you."

"Commit, the punishment shall."

"Fall equally on both of you."

Sian looks somewhat amazed, unable to hide it. "That is all, my lords?"

"That is all we."

"Feel is fitting. We must."

"All live with our choices, however."

"Poorly thought-out. There will be."

"Repercussions of the bargain that."

"You must resolve, but for now you."

"May go."

The Syndics turn as one was glide back to the dais at the far end of the chamber.

Sian bows deeply, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, my lords."

Sian exits, with Aia tightly holding his arm. As soon as he gets out of the room, he pulls her into a strong hug, holding her against his chest. Aia looks up, "What happened? What does that mean?"

"It means that anything you do, we'll both be in trouble for. Same goes for me. We got off very lightly, Aia."

Sliding Joy scuttles in front of you, "You are damn right you got off lucky. Do you even know what the Second Consideration is?"

"I have no idea. They told me nothing about it."

Sliding Joy's eyebrows, all six of them, lift in surprise. "They didn't tell you? Well, they must have a reason." She ushers him away from her chamber and to the guard waiting outside, "I don't doubt I'll be seeing you again soon, Sian. You have made a real problem, with that little girl of yours."

"I know." But inside Sian's wondering how any of these people, any of them, could place this girl's life beneath their bargains and schemes. The thought fills him with anger.

The sun set midway through the meeting with the Syndics, and the cloudless sky is now a deep purple, tinging to red towards the western horizon. The crowds that filled the streets of Whitewall earlier have almost faded, and the majority of those walking about are guards - garbed and ready for battle. The soldier at his side asks, "Do you and the lady require an escort, sir?"

"We'll be okay, but thank you for the offer." He nods to the man before starting off home.

The streets of Whitewall are eeriely quiet this night, the tales of monsters and murder in the streets keeping the normally active citizens in their homes behind bolted doors. Sian has to knock three times at the door to the apartment building before being let in.

Sian looks at the remarkably quiet Aia. "How are you feeling?" He lets them back into his room.

"Scared," Aia shivers, "Those Syndics scared me. They were so cold."

Sian lifts her up in one arm and carries her back into the bathroom. "Another bath will warm you up."

Aia smiles broadly, "Can I try to drown you again?"

"You can try, yes." He grins, reaching down to turn on the taps.

"Goody!" Aia strips off quickly, wriggling out of her clothes and hopping into the bath, letting the hot water slowly rise up her body, leaning back with a blissful expression. Sian follows shortly, and starts washing her again, paying much more attention to detail this time. He works on easing the knots of worry that had built up from the meeting.

Aia shivers and purrs softly, her tail twitching madly whenever Sian hits a particularly tight knot. At that moment a blood-curdling shriek breaks the otherwise pleasantly quiet night, and the clanging of alarm bells can be heard outside.

Sian sits bolt upright, breaking the pleasant atmosphere. He leaps out of the bath and runs to the window, trying to see the disturbance. Looking down onto the street he sees a large... creature worrying something in it's mouth, shaking it back and forth. It soon becomes clear, from the leg that tears itself free and goes flying down the street, that the creature has a person, or rather a corpse, in its mouth. The clattering of soldiers in battle-gear rings down the street, but the thing moves with a speed belying its bulk.

Sian wishes his javelins were close at hand. As he sees Aia rise, he gestures to her sharply. "No. Stay there."

Eyes wide, Aia breathes, "What is it?"

"Just stay there."

She nods, and shrinks into the tub, the water no longer feeling quite so warm.

Sian watches with a grave expression as the thing is chased by the guards. They run down the street, one of them pausing to be sick upon seeing the leg, before rounding the corner to continue chasing the creature.

Sian leans out to watch them go, then turns back to Aia. "They were right... there is something in the city." He sinks back into the bath, and puts his arms around her for comfort.

Aia shudders, "Hold me..."

Sian pulls her to his chest and kisses her on the shoulder gently. "I'll protect you. Just remember that."

Aia purrs softly, "I will. Thank you."

Sian finds himself calming. "Aia... back in Osikuthe's court, you were ready to..." He pauses. "You know, with me. Have you had to do that before?"

Aia smiles and leans back, "Have sex? I was at Osikuthe's court for almost 10 years. Yes, she gave me to guests or members of her court."

Sian coughs a little at her lack of subtlety. "You didn't mind?"

Aia shrugs, "Yes, I did. It was safer to do as I was told, though." She shudders, "I saw what happened to those who tried to disobey."

Sian rubs her stomach slowly. "You didn't enjoy it?"

She purrs louder, snuggling back, "Sometimes. Her guests were better than her subjects."

"Mmm." He considers for a while, still idly rubbing her.

Aia giggles, "I can tell you like me. I can feel it."

"Oh." He sounds somewhat nonplussed. "You can feel it?"

Aia wiggles back against Sian, sat between his legs, still giggling.

Sian goes red. "Oh, yes, that." He coughs.

She keeps laughing, but stops wiggling, "It's OK. Feels nice." She turns around in the bath, wrapping her legs around him and smiles, "On any other day, I would be pleased to welcome you into me."

"But today?"

Aia sighs, "I'm sore from all the walking we did. Plus those Syndics... they were scary."

"Fair enough." He smiles and leans forward, initiating a proper kiss. "Truth be told, I just want to sleep."

Aia leans into the kiss, purring louder.

Sian grins after a bit. "Though this isn't so bad." Then pulls her back in.

Aia's tail wraps around his waist as the kissing continues and the water grows cold.

Sian draws back, feeling somewhat more relaxed. "Water's cold... time to sleep. I'll grab the couch, you can have the bed, okay?"

Aia smiles, "We can share. I trust you," and slides out of the tub.

Sian hadn't considered this, strangely. He drains the water and wanders out after her, scooping her up as he goes and depositing her in said fluffy bed. It's fluffy! Also rather expensive. "My one indulgence."

Aia rolls around, unselfconsciously sexy, "Mmm... feels nice..."

Sian sighs. "My urge to sleep is quickly being overcome with lust, girl, so you'd better stop that." He kisses her lightly.

She smiles and nods, snuggling into his arms, "Goodnight, Sian."

"Night, Aia." Wondering how he got her, but not really caring, he slowly falls into contented sleep.