IceAndWave/PeopleTalkingAboutPeople

People Talking About People

In which past events are discussed, future journeys planned, and a war is initiated...

The 26th Day of Resplendent Wood, Realm Year 763

Asura's chambers in the Iceflower Palace are the same as every time Cassia and Venia have seen them, large piles of cushions on the floor and small tables with hors d'oeuvres and small glasses of various drinks on them. Already seated when the pair are ushered in by Solace she smiles, "Welcome back from the wilderness."

Venia smiles graciously, nodding to her. "It is good to be back. I have once again reminded myself why I prefer the comforts of home."

Cassia walks in at Venia's side, taking a seat near to Asura on the cushions, curling her feet under her, "It is nice to be home again." She says softly with a smile

Asura raises a small glass, then looks around a little puzzled, "Where's Sian? I heard he arrived in Tideholme a couple of days ago, albeit alone, and was wondering where you were."

"We split after our foray out to Broken Back. He personal business to attend to, and we had assumed he would actually be a little later... Ah, well."

"Never mind. So..." she smiles conspiratorially, "What were our cousins from the Blessed Isle doing in a tiny town that barely shows up on a map?"

Without emotion, Venia says, "Eventually, burning it to the ground."

Cassia doesn't look happy at this, quite angry even, "All of it."

"Really?" she frowns, "I know that the Legions can sometimes get a little... over-enthusiastic, but travelling almost a thousand miles across the Inland Sea to burn down an almost anonymous town seems strange, even for them."

"That would be after they discovered and handled one of the Empress' research projects," Venia notes.

"Discovered? Surely they already knew what was there?"

Cassia says, "The general said he was there to investigate and retrive what they found, not that they knew what was there."

"Ahh..." Asura nods, "And secrecy demanded that the town be razed when they were done. So... what did they find?"

"To continue dancing around the subject, a small army within the shadowland." Venia continues, "To be honest, I'm not sure how to define what we found..."

Cassia looks slightly haunted as all the memories come back, crystal clear. "It was horrible."

"The horrors of the Dead are not unknown to me, I have visited Bulwark a few times." Asura shudders and looks at Cassia, "But what was so terrible, dear Cassia?"

"There were people in tanks filled with a green ...goo. They seemed to be in such pain, their faces were all twisted up .. and they were wired in some how." She curls up a little tighter as she speaks.

"Alive?" Asura pales.

Venia shrugs, "Went in that way, didn't stay that way."

"It sounds horrible. And you said that the Empress was involved?"

"She seems to have traded slaves for the result of said experiments."

"Ah. Interesting. How many people know about all this?"

"Hard to say. The top tier of those at the mission, Sian, and ourselves."

"And who was there from the Blessed Isle, then?" Asura smiles wryly, "Honestly, Venia, getting information from you has gotten no easier."

"I don't know all of them. My older brother, a monk who rarely showed... what was the other woman's name?"

"Thea," Cassia interjects.

"Your brother? That must have been a surprise." Asura stretches her legs out, "I wonder why they sent him?"

"He's a rather good legionnaire."

"That's probably it," she nods again, "Was everything taken away by your brother then?"

"Essentially."

"Well... the mere fact that it happened is interesting in itself, and..." She is interrupted by Solace coming in and whispering at some length into her ear. Asura's expression changes, and she gestures sharply. "Sorry, where was I? Ah... that the Empress has been involved with the forces of the Underworld is both interesting and, to be quite honest, disturbing. But I'm glad I know."

Venia nods. "I'm sure that this will be worthwhile, considering the likelyhood of such forces stepping up their efforts now."

"Yes. As I said before, there are changes coming - and now I have an idea of where they're coming from, too... We may yet ride this storm," Asura leans back on her cushions.

---

The 14th Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

It has been a few days since Sian returned to Tideholme after his unscheduled disappearance. After asking a few questions of a few people Cassia (at Asura's and Venia's seperate direction) was able to determine that he had left the kingdom on an ice-runner headed straight into the Fell itself.

His recent return with a companion has sparked a degree of interest and gossip amongst those who make it a point of interest of watching the movers and shakers (or those with the potential to become so) of Tideholme.

A companion? Great. Still, maybe he has interesting stories to tell... Cassia picks herself up off her bed and slips out of the room in the Palace she was working in, drifting past the guards like a pale spirit then out to the Inn Sian normally stays in.

Cassia treats the inn keeper to smile as she asks for Sian's room, thanking him as she is directed upstairs, knocking softly on the door. "Sian, can I come in?"

Sian opens the door slightly after a moment. "Oh, Cassia. Sure... come in." He opens it wider.

Cassia steps inside, "Where have yo- ... Is she OK?"

"Depends on what you mean." He gestures. "Aia, this is Cassia. Cassia, Aia."

Aia looks up, a puzzled frown on her face and her ears fold back a little, "Hello?"

Cassia smiles in greeting, "Hello Aia." She looks a bit puzzled though... Cat ears?

Sian notices this. "God-blooded."

"...Oh."

Aia smiles a little wanly, "My mother," and wiggles her ears illustratively before returning to reading her book.

"Oh. Cool," she smiles at the ears. "So she's why you were racing into the Fell. I wanted to follow, but I'd never have caught up..." she says, a bit upset.

Sian shrugs slightly. "I didn't really have time to delay."

Cassia nods and pouts a little.

"Was there something you wanted?" He is immune to poutyness, it seems.

"I just wanted to see how you were. It's been so quiet while you've been away."

"Hrm. I thought Asura would have been keeping you busy."

"That doesn't help when there is nothing to actually do."

"Mmm. Well, I'm afraid I can't entertain you... I've got other things on my mind. And places I will eventually need to be."

Cassia looks up at the prospect of travel, "When is 'eventually'?"

"I don't know yet. And the places I am going will be just as boring as here."

"They'll be different though."

"They'll be colder."

"Will they involve sailing?"

"Probably not."

"Then I can cope with the cold. Please Sian."

Sian sighs. "Cassia, I really don't think you'll be any better off."

---

The 24th Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

In her rented suite Venia sits on the bed surrounded by sheafs of paper, each with a scribbled note that represents the extent of her information gathering regarding the operations of V'Neef Gosul. Most of the information was easy to come by, but some tantalising fragments suggest that his dealings with the criminals of the area go deeper than would normally be the case.

Sian, apart from his impromptu visit from Cassia, has been spending a lot of time with Aia, generally catching up. Aia seems changed by her experience in the Fell, less prone to outbursts of emotion, as if she left part of herself there.

The city, and the kingdom, is alive with visitors, travellers and merchants, the brief Northern summer finally kicking in as the Season of Fire begins.

Sian and Aia are talking about inconsequentalities when there is a knock at the door, and Venia's muffled voice makes her presence known.

Sian gives Aia's hand a squeeze as he stands, wandering over and opening the door slightly. "Yes?"

"I'd like to talk with you, if I may."

"Is it important?" He doesn't sound irritable, just a bit tired.

"Depends entirely on your definition. I do think that substantially altering the face of Tideholme counts."

"Tideholme is not my home, but come in if you think it is that important." He steps back.

Venia thinks a moment then steps in. "I'd appeal to your conscience, but it would be a bit hypocritical." She waves to Aia.

"Mmm. Aia, I'd like you to meet Cynis Venia. And vice versa."

Venia bows a bit. "I doubt he's mentioned me much, I am generally unremarkable. I did hear just a bit about you, though. Nice to meet you."

Aia looks at Venia and smiles slightly, her eyes thin, "Sian - you were keeping interesting company while I was away."

"I think they were keeping me." Though supposedly a joke, the way he looks at Venia says otherwise.

Venia smiles just a bit. "You could say that, if you were inclined to hyperbole. I think it was something of a mix."

"Mmm. Perhaps." He sits on the bed, unconsciously taking Aia's hand as he gestures to a chair with the other one. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I need your help with something. It is not a huge favor... a medium-sized something.

Sian lifts his eyebrows, indicating she should continue.

"Gosul. I want to get rid of him. I have some evidence that he's rather more criminal than he appears, but... I have no way to verify it."

"And?"

"I'd like you to verify it. I can trust you, you have the skills, and..." She rubs an arm a bit nervously. "There isn't anybody else."

"I am sure that Cassia is better qualified than me at this sort of thing."

"Cassia is not as good with words, and I am not sure I would put her in that position. She is not far from Gosul's tastes."

"Mmf. Where have you been getting your information from thus far?"

Aia looks at Venia and Sian with a puzzled expression, and then stands up, "I think I need a bath." She kisses Sian softly, "Join me when you're done here?"

"Legwork. Some literally." Venia sits, the slit in her dress displaying said asset. She pulls a sheet of paper out with names and folds it, tossing it over.

The catgirl disappears into the bathroom, after a quick glance at the leg. Sian nods to Aia, releasing her hand only reluctantly, before turning back to Venia and taking the note. He scans the list carefully. "So what do you think I can do that you yourself cannot?"

"You may not have noticed, but my own personal dealings are somewhat... calculating. I am simply not familiar with the area enough to create an appropriate facade, and when working from the cuff, so to speak, I am not nearly as effective." Venia sighs, "This is not the Realm. I cannot buy an appropriate name and identity, I cannot fabricate one, and Cynis Venia, the old school friend of Asura is unlikely to be taken into consideration for criminal dealings.

Sian brushes his hair back as he thinks. "If he does do what you think he does, and is as smart as I know he is, then the only real way of knowing would be to check out his personal records. Talking to his contacts will only go so far."

"That comes after. I am being very careful here... And would prefer not to go to take such a risk until I know there's something to find."

"So you want me to risk myself on something you're not even sure is true?"

"It's not a large risk for you..." She does lose a bit of the smile, though.

"Hrm." Sian looks at the list again, and considers. "Fine. But don't expect much. Just tell me what you want to find out."

"If these are just rumors to discredit him, well, as much as you can discredit Gosul, or if I can leverage that into a legal way to get rid of him." Venia shrugs, "I'd rather not... you know."

"Mm. I'll do what I can."

"Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me." She sighs. "You'd imagine it'd be easier to get rid of a rapist and pederast, but times have changed."

"Places have changed, more like it. This isn't the Realm... none of your agencies watching each other."

Venia waves her hand. "Close enough. Nobody like him would last long against concerted effort, but nobody has the power to run such against him, or apparently is worried enough to actually do so."

"Yet you are?"

"No, of course not. I'm just stupid enough not to worry about that." She smiles again.

Sian doesn't really smile, though he makes an effort to. "Meet me back here tomorrow, then, and we can get started."

"Will do. Know a cheap place to stay?"

"The palace. I'm sure Asura won't begrudge you a few night's stay. Or if not, Descant can probably do me a favor and get you a room here."

Venia ponders this. "I suppose I might as well talk to her now, and avoid trouble later anyway..."

"Mhmm. Good plan."

Venia nods. "See you tomorrow, then? All done?"

"All done."

Venia nods and stands. "I'd say it was nice seeing you, but under these circumstances, I'd be lying. While I appreciate your help, I hate to have to ask."

"Mhmm. Then I will see you later." His tone is rather tired.

Venia makes sure to close the door behind her, heading off with a fairly purposeful stride.

Sian joins Aia in the bath, as promised, and as usual they spend a long silent time together.