Closed After Hours

[Aidara]

Timestamp: 22nd Fall, 512 AV
Where: The Dreaming Lady
Who: Aidara and Chemar

Yawning and stretching, Addy pushed herself away from her desk. There was a soft clack as her chair collided with the wall behind her, but the exhausted woman was not concerned. Papers were shuffled one final time and placed back into their proper piles on her desk; the far left was those things that needed her urgent attention, the middle pile was that of requests for more or different products to be stocked/supplied/or sold at Market, and the far right pile was what Addy mentally labeled "Eagle shyt" and wholly tried to avoid.

With Keah and Micquel both gone for the evening, Addy carefully extinguished the sconces in her office and shut the door behind her. There was only one bed occupied: An Endal who had gotten into a disagreement with his lover, coming to the Infirmary with a badly burned arm and hand. While his injury wasn't dire, there were extra beds available and Addy had found herself unable to deny his plea for a place to sleep.

Stepping loudly enough to wake the Endal from his slumber, Addy approached with a smile, holding out her hands to him. Knowing what she wanted, the man lifted his arm into her grasp. The bandages and ointments were carefully checked and replaced where necessary, to keep the burned skin moisturized and protected from infection until the skin began to heal.

"Just another day with the bandage and you should be okay." Moving to the cabinet that was sunken into the stone wall, Addy pulled out a cup and a small pre-packaged amount of herbs. These she tipped into the cup, filling it to brimming with water before handing it carefully to the prostrate man. "Drink this. All of it. It'll take away some of the pain and stinging as well as help you sleep." A smile and a reassuring pat on the shoulder as the Endal stared grimly at the awful-tasting medicine Addy just subjected him too, the woman left the man to his peace and started towards the door.

"And be more careful next time. Smile and say "Yes you're beautiful", "No I'm not hungry, you can have my fruit" and you won't have burning braziers thrown at your face." A lifted hand in farewell and a lingering chuckle was all the healer left for her patient as she disappeared down the hallway. However, instead of turning left and then angling towards the Aeries, Addy instead bared left and then right into the Courtyard of the Sky. She had a different destination in mind.

The corridors were rather empty; it was late enough that most had retired to their rooms or had scurried away beneath the city to indulge their darkest desires at the Weather. Just the thought of the loud music and people gave Addy a headache. No, she would have a more relaxing evening tonight. Her first thought had been the baths, but she quickly changed her mind. The water was never the best at this hour, especially after all the Avora finished their tasks and mucked up the pools. The Drudges left to serve in the later hours were the dumbest of the dumb. So no, the Common baths would not be relaxing at all.

The healers destination now was that of a little more class. She'd heard many great things about the place, but had never had the time to indulge. Prior to frequenting the Inclement Weather, Addy had been innocent to the world of drugs and alcohol for the most part. Delving into the deeper, darker sides of Wind Reach had opened up a whole new world that the woman hadn't even known existed. Before, the Dreaming Lady and its hallucinogens had been a scary concept... However, now with enough recreational drug use under her belt now, Addy was excited for the experience. If only Sira and Sai would lighten up and live a little; she still hadn't been able to convince her bondmate or twin to try drugs. Too dangerous, they said. Pfft.

Night had almost completely fallen by the time Addy arrived in the Lady's corridor, and was dismayed to see the lights dim as a woman stepped out and shut the door behind her.

"Wait, no! Am I too late?"

[Chemar Tisserand]

The pads of her fingertips had scarcely lifted from the glass pane of the door when she heard the soft, disappointed voice. The delicate, glass tears that were woven into her hair chimed softly as she lowered her head to glance over her shoulder, gold rimmed eyes seeing clearly in the darkened hallway. "Aidara, is it?" She'd seen and even spoken to the beautiful Inarta through her friendship with Sai, as well as knowing she'd partaken of her sister's talents at the Dreaming Lady. " Too late for what? A walk?" Most days for Chemar were a series of dreams, not her own, strung together in a strange hodge podge of unrelated perspectives. By the time she'd finished her day and left the Lady behind it usually took her most of the night to regain her own grasp of what she called reality, but if Aidara sought a walk with her she would happily oblige, having never had the pleasure of guiding her. The first walk with a new dreamer was like an addiction for a dreamwalker, a chance to briefly live a life not their own, to move outside the restraints of their own imaginings and be surprised. The unexpected was an irresistible delicacy to someone who could, when invited, open the very essence of a person and sift through it like pages in a book. No matter how long a day had been, Chemar would never turn away the undiscovered. Without a word, she slipped the cool metal key back into it's lock, so familiar with its placement that until the tumblers were engaged by her turning, metal did not so much as graze metal. "It is never too late." She splayed her long fingers on the door and gently pushed it open. "Please come in, and we will see what I can do for you." Not missing a beat, her voice slipped back into the soft, saturated tone she used to put her clients at ease, a honey soaked lilt that reached out to pull Aidara through her door. "Would you prefer to just relax in the baths, or have a massage? Whatever you wish." Leading the way, Chemar re-entered the front room, immediately stepping out of her shoes as though they'd stuck fast to the floor. She padded from lantern to lantern, relighting them until they stood in a soothing amber glow, after which she turned to Aidara and smiled. "Your wish is my command, what would you like?"

[Aidara]

All the stress that had been building over the past few days seemed to condense between her shoulders. All at once, while Addy waited for Chemar to respond, the muscles in her neck began to spasm. “Addy, please.” Choking down a gasp it was all she could manage to say, tired fingers flashed to cup at the painful spot and attempting to incline her head toward the tiny Dreamwalker. Everyone knew who Chemar was, so there was hardly any need for a proper introduction even though the two women had only met in passing.

“You… are delicious. How could I turn down a massage?” Stepping lightly down the hallway once the initial flash of pain subsided, Addy waited a few steps behind Chemar as she unlocked the door. “I really, really can’t thank you enough. I’d been waiting all day. This was just the soonest I could get away… here, let me help.”

Moving swiftly from one light to another, the two women soon had the shadows dancing away from the soft, warm light. Dimples danced in her cheeks as Addy lifted the still burning stick to her lips, a soft puff of air extinguishing the tiny flame. “Oh, don’t give me that kind of power.” Always appreciative of beauty, no matter what form it came in, Addy let her gaze linger on the resplendent woman for a moment before casting it about the room. “I’ve never been here before,” she mused out loud before laughing and wrinkling her nose, “though I expect you know that already.”

A quick peek down each of the spokes that lead from the parlor told the little healer absolutely nothing, though she tried her best to look like she knew what each meant, tapping her chin as if making a hard decision. The little act allowed her gaze to wander further, only belatedly noting that Chemar had left her shoes at the door. “Oh!” Stooping to unlace her own knee-high boots, it took a good handful of chimes before Addy was able to step out of them and place them carefully beside the others. “I’m sorry! I will just put these here..."

Turning to cast another glance around the room, Addy finally sighed and turned back to Chemar. " I give up, I have no idea what is going on… I have heard so many others talking about the Dreaming Lady, I just wanted to see it for myself.” Another self-conscious wrinkle of her nose and Addy propped a hand on her hip, tilting her head to the side so that her auburn hair fell down over her shoulder, partially obscuring her face.

“You choose?” It was a plea matched with a winsome smile and perhaps just the faintest hint of a pout.

[Chemar Tisserand]

"Addy..." The name was whispered under her breath even as it left Addy's lips, as though Chemar was committing it to memory, but by the smile that curled the Inarta's lips, she may just have liked the sound of it. The gasp of pain did not go unnoticed, and though no attention was called to it the dreamer tried to focus on the point of origin, making a mental note. Delicious The hairs stood at the back of her neck, what an unusual choice of words. She had yet to be called that, many other words, some proper, but most slang, came to mind, but 'delicious' was by far, one of the most pleasant. As Addy began to remove her boots, there was a passing thought to stop her, but in reality, more comfort could be found without them, so a passive silence held Chemar's tongue and she watched. After a few moments of letting her guest look around, taking in all that the Lady might offer her, Chemar finally moved back to her side and without so much as a whisper, gently slipped her hand into Addy's free one, letting her warm fingers scissor into the healer's cool grasp. "A massage first, then a walk." Any choice had been relinquished once her beautiful patron had surrendered herself to the lady dreamer, and now she was in Chemar's capable hands. The short trek to the spa was filled with a few moments of Chemar assessing Addy's movement; searching out any areas that needed her attention. She also took note of her clothing and anything that might hinder her ability to give her client comfort. When they reached the table, she casually swept her hand across a soft towel catching it between her fingers, and as though it was a gift, she held it out sweetly to Addy. "Please, put this on." A lift of her chin directed Addy to the privacy of the privacy wall. "I will be waiting here." Her movement started even before Addy took the towel, and by the time she began to move to undress, Chemar had already chosen three delicate bottles from the shelf and was carefully pouring the contents of each into a smaller amber vial, taking time to draw a deep breath of each before adding them to her mixture. The spiced smell of cinnamon wafted into the air as Chemar opened the first vial adding warmth without heat, next, the aroma of a fresh but not too biting mint joined in, threading through the savory notes to weave a sensory mesh of hot and cool. The last addition was something foreign, a fragrance that softened the other two, binding them into something entirely new. With the tip of her finger stopping the flow, Chemar tipped the bottle to leave a thin wash of the mixture on her skin. With her thumb, she moved it slowly across the pad of her finger, watching the way it coated her pale skin, testing it to see that the mixture was right. Full lips curled into a soft smile and she nodded. The bottle was gently placed on a narrow counter and Chemar bent to open a lower, locked cabinet, using a very small key that hung hidden amidst a curtain of beads surrounding her waist. From the cabinet was taken a small green bottle and two opaque glass cups that perfectly matched. Using her teeth to dislodge the cork, the dreamer poured and inch of the liquid from the bottle into each glass before return the bottle to the locked cabinet. "Whenever you're ready." Her statement held no urgency, only the invitation to return. While she waited, Chemar gathered her long fall of tangled red into a thick tail and looped it through itself into a rope the ran down the center of the back, then she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

[Aidara]

A pleasant tingle rushed up her arm and across her shoulders as Chemar took her hand; the gesture was unexpected and Addy couldn’t help but flash the other woman a dimpled smile. The step she took closer to Chemar was more out of habit than anything else. Though personal space didn’t matter much to Addy, she knew it was valued by others, though Chemar’s easy touch shattered those boundaries.

“A walk. I like the sound of that.” The dreamwalker met no resistance with the small woman, Addy easily keeping pace as she was drawn through the different rooms. “Or maybe a stroll. Lets take a stroll while you mosey on through my head.” Wrinkling her nose and letting out a bubble of laughter, Addy squeezed Chemars hand, completely unaware of the woman’s assessing gaze as her own flitted over the new scenery. Though Addy tended to strut when she knew someone was watching, her more natural gate was a rolling swish of her hips that, should she become aware of it, was even more enticing than her intentional wiggle. Something about the Dreamwalker instantly put the little healer at ease, relaxed further in just the few chimes she had been there than she had been in weeks. There was a slight limp to this relaxed gate that Addy probably didn’t even notice anymore, a favoring of her left hip, and her free hand rubbing absently at her lower back.

They approached the table and Addy turned to Chemar just as she whisked the towel towards her. Another laugh escaped, the healer taking the soft cloth with a wobbled curtsey. “Why, thank you. I have to say this is a first.” Taking a step or two to the side so that Chemar could look away if she chose, Addy ignored the privacy screen and began to undress where she stood. “I’m usually just asked to take my clothes off, not put things back on.” Fingers slipped beneath the waist of her bryda, tugging with a shimmy of her hips until they fell and pooled at her feet. Her shirt was quick to follow, up and over her head before it was dropped to the floor as well. “But I suppose this is business. Shame.”

Carelessly holding the towel to the front of her, though it did little to cover her nudity, Addy slid up next to Chemar as she prepped her station, cocking a hip so that it rested against the table, her head tilted as she observed. “Should I put my hair up as well?” Using her free hand, Addy hoisted herself up onto the table, inhaling deeply and sighing as the spicy aroma finally reached her. “Oh, goddess…” With a groan, the little woman prostrated herself and closed her eyes. Something about the warm, inviting smell of cinnamon voided all of the remaining energy Addy had gathered around her to keep her going throughout the day, borrowed energy that she would pay for later when exhaustion hit.

“I’m most definitely ready.” And it was true. All the aches and pains of the days and seasons that had been slowly building upon the woman began to creep in, assuaging her with discomfort. Coupled with the fact that a beautiful woman was about to soothe all those aches and pains…. Another groan and Addy opened one eye, found Chemar’s gaze and tossed her a smirk. Despite the flirty, outgoing attitude, Addy’s voice was strained when she spoke, as if she still didn’t want to let down her guard. “If this goes well, you might have to come see me when I have the energy.”

[Chemar Tisserand]

The dreamwalker's eyes opened when she heard Addy recline on the table, and an enigmatic smile curled her lips at the healer's suggestion.

“If this goes well, you might have to come see me when I have the energy.” The idea itself held an enchanting appeal, but for the most part, Chemar was and always had been hesitant to enter into situations that called for her vulnerability. The investment she'd come to offer within the scope of her walks had grown so that there was little left to offer up that she did not protect like a fierce warrior. But that was not to be worried about now, clearly, from the limp she had overlooked, to the weary sound of her usually lilting voice, Addy was in need of someone to care for her, relax her, and entertain her. In that, Chemar excelled...

"I will mist certainly keep your offer in mind." She smiled at Addy, then carefully brushed a gentle palm across the healer's eyes, guiding them shut. "But for now, you are my charge, and you are to relax." She placed only three or four drops of the oil in the center of her palm before pressing her hands together. With her breath, she warmed the oil and then encircled Addy's ankle with her graceful hands. Taking care to include each muscle, Chemar worked her way along her leg, sinking the pads of her thumbs into sift flesh. In a whispered tone, she leaned over to speak. "If I hurt you, please speak, that is not my intent." Working along her leg, Chemar was able to find the muscle that had added the slight limp to an otherwise perfect gait, and took to making it relax, working the knot until it had disappeared entirely.

The oil still served as a thin film upon her hands when she began work on the other leg. The smell of cinnamon wafted throughout the room, of all her oils, it was her favorite. Chemar's hands looked pale against the healer's skin, she watched as her thumbs left behind a flush of color with every pass of their movement. As she reached the other hip she withdrew her touch and rubbed her palms together to rid them of the last of the oil.

The deepening breath expelled by Addy was a sign that she was on the brink of sleep. So as not to startle her, Chemar bent over to whisper in the ear of her guest. With a light touch on her shoulders, the words flowed like honey from the walker's lips. "Turn over love. Then you may sleep." When greeted by the opening of sleep filled eyes, Chemar shifted the towel and helped Addy roll onto her stomach. When she settled, the towel was folded and draped across her narrow hips, leaving her back exposed. As though she lifted strands of treasure, Chemar gathered the long tail of Addy's hair and coiled it at the base of her neck. Using the same breath warmed oil, flattened palms were pressed into the small of the healer's back. Chemar held them there for several beats of her heart, letting the slight pressure drive away any tension she felt beneath her hands. She leaned into arms and used her own body as weight, nearly pressing herself onto Aidara's back, but the pads of her thumbs were the only actual contact made as she began to work small circles along either side of the slight valley along Addy's spine. The muscles beneath the dreamer's touch could be felt as they released their tension and Chemar smiled when a long happy sigh escaped Addy's full lips.

"You need to see me more often." She felt the oil cool a bit, but with a warm expulsion of breath onto Addy's skin, it was remedied. "This is too much tension for any one to carry." Chemar followed the crescent shaped curves of bare shoulder blades, searching out any knots, and eliminating them. "Do you dream Addy?" Already, she was considering the next leg of their adventure...

[Aidara]

It only took a few chimes for Addy to decide that Sira needed to learn how to massage, amazed at how easily it was to relax beneath Chemar’s hands. Each gentle brush of the woman’s hands against her skin sent a wave of pleasure coursing through the healer as she felt the tension melt away. “I don’t think that this could possibly hurt…” Her words were breathed, the little woman already sent adrift in a sea of warmth, comfort, and cinnamon; idle thoughts were the only ones that stuck for more than a few moments, the most prominent of those whispering that Addy would no longer be able to catch a whiff of cinnamon without returning to this moment.

Attempting to keep her groans of pleasure to a minimum as Chemar worked her way up her legs, Addy let her thoughts drift further away from what usually plagued her from day to day. The things that she kept tucked away at the back of her mind, in what she envisioned as boxes in order to keep them locked away. Different pleasures were the first to come forth, memories that Addy hadn’t necessarily banished but rather forgot. Her first sweet, the first time she kissed a man, the first time she kissed a woman, both accented with shivers as Chemar reached her hips. A slow smile spread over her face as she continued to drift, remembering another first: when a boy had stolen her away from her bendi and into a dark alcove.

From there, her thoughts drifted to Sai and their many firsts and fights. The twins had been inseparable, even into their adult years. Multitudes of images flickered quickly through Addy’s dozing mind’s eye, reliving the many brawls and bouts of mischief in a matter of ticks, the flood of pictures ending suddenly when the little healer seemed to remember that her sister was gone. A sob threatened then, at the same time that Chemar’s warm breath brushed her ear, urging her to turn over.

Using this blessed distraction to cover the fresh pain that Addy had inadvertently uncovered, she shot the beautiful Dreamwalker a bleary smile before burying her face in the crook of her arm. The pain was temporarily assuaged as those wonderful fingers urged the stress and strain from her body, distracting Addy enough that she was able to shove the unpleasant things back into the boxes where they belonged.

Each press of Chemar’s fingers released a bit more stress, the loss of slowly flooding the woman with relief; so much so, that the only way her body seemed able to cope was to drift steadily towards sleep. Everything was easier to deal with while sleeping. Brilliant as she was at her craft, Chemar caught Addy just on the brink of falling into her sleep, posing the question that left the woman silent for quite a few chimes as she turned it over in her head.

“I try not too” Came the whisper, finally. “It’s hard enough as it is to deal with the day, let alone reliving it all during the night. Sleep is a reprieve, not a time for recapping what I would rather forget.” Sighing and groaning as the other woman’s fingers found a particularly tense knot in her back, Addy turned her face so that she could catch a glimpse of Chemar’s face before she responded again. Would she be upset with such a view on the dreams she must hold dear?

“The last dream I had, I envisioned my sister dying horribly… where ever she may be.” There was a bitter note there though it wasn’t hard to place why. Addy never was very good at hiding her emotions and there was some part of her that hated Sai for leaving her like she did. “After that, I have worked myself until I am too tired to dream.”

[Chemar Tisserand]

After that, I have worked myself until I am too tired to dream. Sai. Since the day that her friend disappeared, Chemar had felt a hole within her life. She could not imagine the depth of grief that Addy must face without her sister. Gentle hands continued to drive the knots from the little healer's body even as knots of sadness twisted in Chemar's stomach, she had buried thoughts of Sai so deep within her psyche that to think about her now actually took effort. As her thumbs followed the center of Addy' back Chemar spoke softly.

"I will help you with the nightmares, we will figure them out together." She leaned close to Addy's ear and continued. "She left us both." Sai had been Chemar's oldest...and only...real friend. Her ability to let people into her life was stunted, driven to failure by the vast investment of herself when she walked. Her fear was such that it made her feel if she gave of herself in both worlds, there would be nothing left. That she would become a hollow glass, incapable of giving of herself anywhere; Thus, she chose to give all of her dream self, withholding nothing. Sai had been one of a few, who had managed to sneak past her defenses in waking life. The Endal had known Chemar nearly as well as she knew herself. But this was Addy, her client and acquaintance, so thoughts of Sai were once more stuffed away. "We will find a way for you to sleep at night without driving yourself so hard that your body has no other choice." She smiled a sweet half smile even though Addy would not see. "After all, there are so many other things worth doing...besides sleep. Don't you agree?"

When she could find no more knots to work, Chemar leaned over Addy, her hands softly hovering on her shoulders. "We're done here. Now you will soak, let the warm water relax you even more." Making sure the towel was secured into itself, she curled her hand gently around Addy's waist and guided her to stand. Smiling when they stood face to face at the relaxed, almost drugged expression in the healer's eyes, and the slight part to her lips. Chemar led her to the hot bath at the center of the room, and helped her to slip in, knowing that the thin layer of water that would exist between Addy's skin and the side of the bath would feel like silk on her body. A long sigh was confirmation. She set the discarded towel next to the lip of the bath as a cushion that would support Addy's head. "Relax here. I will prepare a chamber for your dream." With her client safely in the bath, Chemar retrieved the two small glasses she's poured upon arrival, and handed one to her friend. With a lyrical clink, she grinned and then brought the glass to her lips. "To sweet dreams. I will be back shortly."

Chemar left the room for a brief time after drawing the tangy liquid into her mouth and feeling the slight sting as she swallowed. She used the time away to make sure the nearest chamber was ready for Addy, taking in the sweet smell of the mountain, and feeling the magic it held as it began to work into her system. Ready.

She returned to the spa, ready to lead Addy into a dream.

[Aidara]

The silence that endured between the women was neither awkward nor sleepy, but rather thoughtful and introspective. Though Addy hadn’t intended her statement to do so, mention of Sai sent she and Chemar both on a mental landslide as the more painful memories bounced and skittered across their consciousness until they managed to lasso the emotion, the loss, and tie it back down. It might have been a coincidence that the Dreamwalker as well as the Healer both buried their pain; perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence that brought them together at last.

Since her bonding with Catabasis, Sai had become more and more of a mystery to her twin and, more specifically in the recent years, Addy had been left on the outside of most of her sisters life. Sure, the brass, tough as nails Flightleader was never more than a cry away from jumping to her sisters defense, but her disappearance had brought the realization of just how far apart they had grown crashing down onto Addy’s head. It was probably a blessing that the little woman had been blissfully unaware of just how close Chemar and Sairque had become. Jealousy, especially that spurred by the deepest of hurts, was the ugliest of all.

Thus, Addy was thrown by her cryptic comment regarding her sister, frowning into her arms as the Dreamwalker’s fingers continued to work their magic. Sai had most certainly left her twin, as the pain of only possessing half a soul was something that Addy couldn’t bury no matter how hard she tried, but how had she left this woman? Sure she was a Flightleader and important to the city, but…

The breath she had drawn to pose inquiry was driven sharply from her lungs as Chemar found and drove a stubborn knot from between her shoulders. The initial pain and instant relief of the stress that had gathered there momentarily drove the nagging thought from her mind. Instead, the appreciative groan that replaced the question filled the comfortably warm room.

It was a blissfully delirious haze that cradled Addy when Chemar finally drew her upright, the hand supporting her weight receiving an appreciative murmur matched with a giggle as the healers languid muscles initially refused to support her weight; Chemar had done her job almost too well. That dimpled smile that had been so forced before stretched lazily across her lips now, her own arm sliding lightly over the taller woman’s shoulders, the warm palm of her hand resting on the nape of her neck. It was only a quick kiss on the side of her mouth, parted lips burning in stark contrast to the Walkers cooler ones; it meant little more than a show of appreciation for Addy, who never stopped to consider what it might mean to those on the receiving end.

Like a cool sheath, the water folded around Addy’s skin as she slid into the pool up to her chin, the smoothed edge gently cupping her neck as she laid her head back onto the stone. “Mmmm, that will not be difficult.” Hardly noticing when Chemar slipped the drink into her hand, Addy drifted off into a half-doze, vaguely aware of her surroundings while floating in the warm, half-consciousness of complete relaxation.

When Chemar returned, Addy had pushed herself out of the pool, balanced on the edge with only her feet dangling into the water. A sheepish smile was offered, the now empty glass tilted in another silent toast. “I didn’t think it would be proper to fall asleep before I even got to the proper room.” Tucking her feet up beneath her, Addy pushed herself to her feet and turned to follow the Dreamwalker into the next room, the towel hung low on her hips, her gait, void of the uneven pressure, a languid stroll that she didn’t even attempt to match to Chemars longer stride.

Laying wherever the woman directed, Addy felt a flutter of nerves in the pit of her stomach. “Is this really as addicting as they say?” Of course she had heard things; it was word of mouth that had brought Addy here in the first place. But along with all of the good, there were always the whispers of the bad. As rough as the last year had been, Addy did not want to be trapped within her own head.

Feeling the tension build back up, her muscles too relax to tense, the eyelid of her left eye instead decided to twitch, marring half of her vision into a fluttering blur. “I…” Perhaps it was the wine, or the suddenly uncovered memories of her sister, but Addy felt doubt start to creep in. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, the little woman spoke quickly, before she was able to change her mind. “Lets do this.”

OOCI didn’t want to assume too much, so feel free to control any of Addy’s actions that you need to in order to keep the thread moving forward ☺ I don’t mind at all

[Chemar Tisserand]

Upon her return, she paused for a moment to look at Addy, lazily sweeping her feet through the shallow water as she sat perched on the edge of the spa. In spite of their vast differences, she was struck by just how much the little healer brought forth a rush of memories about Sai. She is not Sai. Chemar had to repeat the phrase over in her head so a not to let any of her anger and pain she held concerning the 'monkey' seep into her time with Addy.

But she did remind her.

With the past sufficiently shrugged off, Chemar approached Addy and took her hand. "It gets very dark in the tunnel." With a quick glance at the healer, she revealed for the first time one of the effects of her mountain. Inexplicably, the gold rings that surrounded the deep green of Chemar's eyes almost seemed to glow, most hypnotically; an effect of the mountain's magic, or perhaps it was from years of living in the darkness, regardless, if gave the dreamer a mystical quality.

Chemar took the lead through the ever darkening corridor, leading Addy carefully by their joined hands until finally they reached the first dreaming chamber. The glowing veins that lined the walls put the dreamer at ease as she guided Addy to the comfortable pallet.

Is this really as addicting as they say? A lazy smile curled Chemar's lips as she hovered over Addy, lowering her head to the soft pillow at the head of the pallet. Her red hair created a long veil on either side of Addy's cheeks, making an intimate chamber that existed between the two women. "Walking with me... yes. The effects of the mountain...no." She teased Addy to put her at ease, cutting through the formality, straight to the heart of what would reach the sensual healer.
"There is nothing in the dreaming world that can hurt you in your waking life. I promise." Chemar instantly squelched the nagging reminder of the crack in her truth. In all other instances, those words had been true and she continually tried to dismiss her walk with Kovac as a freakish anomaly. "I am here to take care of you." Her voice still retained the rich quality of warm honey when she spoke. Like a caring friend or gentle lover, Chemar brushed a long strand of hair from Addy's cheek and smiled softly. "Don't be afraid."

The slight twitch in the healer's lovely face betrayed her hesitation, and Chemar felt an instant desire to protect her, something connected her to Addy, and it felt almost as though by protecting her she would safeguard herself. She leaned close, lightly brushing her lips against the soft curve of Addy's ear to whisper her to sleep. "In this world, I am your warrior. You are safe with me."

As Addy felt asleep, she carefully wound a strand of the healer's hair around her finger, this would be her key. The trace of her waking life that would lead the dreamer to find her. Chemar placed her other hand on Addy's shoulder and closed her eyes, letting the mountain take her.

Within a few moments, she was surrounded by the unending fields of Chavi. Countless strands of glowing energy that reached for her, each one vying for her attention. Chemar walked amidst the tangle of lives, searching for Addy. Unconsciously she drew small circle in the air as though twisting that strand of red hair. Where are you, little healer?

The motion of her hand became more graceful as she walked, slowly looping through the light soaked atmosphere.

Ahhhhh. She felt it before she saw it, the warm fluid coil. A languid glance at her hand revealed a strand of brilliant golden green snaking it's way along her arm. She gathered Addy's Chavi, letting it coil around her waist as well, releasing her mind into the healer's subconscious. There you are, beautiful girl.

OOCOKay, from here, you just start out your dream, and I will take it from there. xoxox So much fun!