Darkest Night (Van, closed)

[Khiara]

Khiara picked up the cup, nursing it for a moment as the drykas reached out to her. Wincing slightly as the woman's thumb touched her face, the vantha remembered the fall. It had been lucky she hadn't cracked open her skull. Looking at Kashik's hand as she withdrew it, Khiara saw the scars.

Sitting silently for a moment, the brunette finally sipped the juice. It was nice, refreshing, and sat better than a heavy meal. Glancing at the other woman, Khiara lowered the cup.

"How did you get the scars on your palms?" She asked quietly, trying to turn the conversation away from her gloomy situation.

[Kashik]

Kashik blinked, having mostly forgotten the scars were even there, and put both of her hands palm-up on the table. "Oh, these?" she said, wincing a little as she remembered receiving them. "Unfortunately, becoming a wizard isn't exactly a painless process. The ritual is... well, it's not pretty. But it was necessary for me to be able to learn to manipulate the wind."

She glanced around the tavern to be sure no on was looking directly at them at that moment, and then turned a little more towards Khiara to shield her actions from the room. She laid her hands in her lap and closed her eyes, calling forth the Djed that lay within her body. As she did, she cupped her hands and, ever so slowly, formed a small ball of Res in the middle. It flowed from her palms like liquid, though it hovered as a bit of black gas, like oily smoke given sentience.

Bright eyes opened and she stared down at it, tilting her head as she observed the way it flowed and twisted within her palms. "The practice is called Reimancy," she murmured, glancing up at Khiara with a smile. "I spend some of my own energy, and I can control an element. Well, if you're better at it you can control more than one, but all I can do right now is wind." She ducked her head just a little and gently blew on the ball of Res, at the same time using what power she had to transform it into a gentle breeze.

Both the girls' hair ruffled just a bit as the wind puffed upward, and Kashik giggled and rubbed her hands together. "Not much more than a party trick for now, but it has it's uses," she laughed.

[Vanator]

Vanator clambered through the inn's large doorway, lugging Khiara's saddle and gear. With a nod from the barkeep, the Drykas dropped his load in a corner near the stairway to the rooms. Making his way back to the corner table, Van heard Kashik's unabashed laugh and saw her grin at Khiara, who no longer wore the strained lines of despair on her soft olive face. Approaching the table, Van donned a subdued grin. "Performing your party tricks again my dear?" He joked, leaning down to kiss Kashik. He was suddenly aware that displaying his affections in front of Khiara may make her uncomfortable, but the Drykas couple was newly married, and Vanator's mind was largely occupied with Kashik and nurturing their young relationship, especially after their first fight. He quickly changed the subject, turning his gaze to the Vantha. Her eyes had taken on a more lavender hue, indicating she had calmed somewhat. "I brought your things Khiara," he stated, turning his eyes back to Kashik for a moment, "and if you would show us where her room is Kash, we can put this young lady to bed and let her get some sleep."

[Khiara]

Khiara watched Kashik's demonstration with some fascination, closing her eyes against the breeze as it sailed past them. Opening them slowly, she put something in place in her mind, looking at the drykas woman with something of awe.

"It was you." She said softly, remembering the breeze that had pushed back at her the other day, perhaps being the one thing that had stopped her before Kashik physically ripped her away. Breaking her gaze, the girl turned to see Vanator approaching, her eyes a calm lavender now. Looking at her stuff, the young vantha smiled a little.

"Thank you, Vanator." She said, turning her gaze to the table as they kissed. It wasn't jealousy that averted her eyes, it was pain. The young woman felt incomparable to the beautiful wife of Vanator. It was right for them. Closing her eyes briefly, Khiara beat back the grief that threatened. It was late, she was tired and just wanted to disappear.

[Kashik]

Kashik smiled softly at the other woman's comment, and simply nodded. "Of course it was," she whispered. She had used every power available to her to save Khiara's life that day, even spending some wisp of her soul to do so. Hadn't even thought about it - had just done it, and would do it again if she'd been offered the chance to think things through. Doubts she could deal with, and would. Letting Khiara throw herself off a cliff would have haunted her the rest of her days. "I told you, sweetling, I'm right where I'm supposed to be. And so are you," she murmured.

And then Vanator was there, with his golden smile and the deep voice that still sent shivers of pleasure down her spine, and her grin reformed as she turned her face up to kiss him in greeting. "Yes, of course. You're exhausted, I'm sorry, keeping you up and babbling on," she said with a shake of her head as she rose to her feet. "Come," she said, taking both of Khiara's hands in hers and pulling her gently to her feet. "I'll show you the room. Van, will you carry her things just a bit farther?" she asked, brows rising just a smidge as she slipped an arm around Khiara's waist to guide her down the hall to the extra room she'd rented her - several doors down from their own, just to be safe and spare her any from overhearing anything that might transpire between the newlyweds.

[Vanator]

Van stepped back, allowing Khaira to stand and the two women to make their way towards the rooms. The Drykas man suddenly felt the third wheel, Kashik having taken over ministering to their depressed friend. Kashik's compassion for the woman moved her husband. Perhaps it was better his wife comforted Khiara, women understood each other. Besides, there was still the lingering kiss fresh in his mind, the emotional night Khiara had left Endrykas and Van thought he would never see her again. There was still something unfinished that could not be finished between he and the Vanthan girl. Scooping up the northerner's belongings, Vanator carried them down the hall behind his wife and his friend, depositing them in Khiara's room. He embraced the Vanthan, as did Kashik, both wishing her a peaceful night and ensuring that they were nearby if she needed them. With another encouraging word that Vsenri was in good hands, the Drykas couple bid good evening to Khiara and made their way to their own room. There was still some making up to be done after their fight outside Santuary. OOCI thought this would wrap it up for us

[Baku]

Thou has written, and thou has completed, so I award thee the following.... Khiara: +5 Observation, +1 Drinking, +5 Rhetoric, Lore: Unbearable Situations(The Possibility of losing links to the past), Questioning Your Own Life, Drowning One’s Sorrows(1 Bourbon, 1 Scotch, 1 Beer), Greeted by Someone Unexpected, Avoiding Van’s Touch, Turning His Words Back At Him(Then Back at Yourself Again), Being Convinced of Low Self-Worth, To the Emotional Breaking Point, Letting it All Out, Burying Feelings, Following Van’s Lead, Conflicting Reasons For Being With Van, Van Makes Me Swoon, Acknowledging the Need For Help, Modesty From Fear, Finding A Little Relief, Finding Wisdom in Van’s Words, Wondering How Kashik Will Take Things(Is there going to be a cat fight?), Whew No Catfight, Modest and Apologetic Approach to Van’s Wife, Kashik’s Palms: Whoa Cool Scars, The Risks of Reimancy, Giving Thanks to Vanator and Kashik Vanator: +5 Observation, +5 Rhetoric, Lore: Taking a Wife’s Advice, The Memory of Almost Lovers, Observing Sorrow, Attempts to Console, Khiara’s Change(Van: “Akela, Kavala, now Khiara. Yeesh! What’s With these women changing? It’s all so political!), Taking Responsibility(The Women Were Right, It’s Always the Man’s Fault), Revealing How Khiara Helped, Giving the Sis Mad Props, Making a Move(She’s Already Got Some Liquor In Her After All), De Women: Van Loves Them All, Explaining What Could Be, Classic Pick Up Lines, Empathizing With Khiara, Seeing the Good in Khiara, Being Unaware of the Future but Remaining Optimistic, Sleep Sounds Like A Good Idea, Exit Stage Left(Got to let Kash and Khi have their Girl Talk), Maybe Calling My Wife’s Reimancy “Party Tricks” Might Not Be a Good Idea in the Future, When I Suggested Putting Khiara to Bed I Wasn’t Suggesting a Threesome(Well, Maybe a Little) Kashik: +4 Observation, +1 Drinking, +5 Rhetoric, +1 Reimancy Lore: Being Prepared to Deter Akalak Advances(Just Have to Make Sure I Don’t Rack Up a Debt), Van’s Been Gone a While: May as Well Get Fit Shaced, Excited Greetings(I’m not talking in a slur, am I?), Reassuring Khiara, The Direct Approach With Khiara: Drink and let me look at your body(for wounds you pervs), Explaining the Risks of Reimancy, Making Khiara Feel Welcomed, Showing Khiara to Bed Additional Notes: A nice start to a budding family I foress. Vanator gets another one to love, Kashik gets a Gal Pal, Khiara get’s the best of both worlds and learns that she can live again. Nice stuff you three, hopefully we’ll see more in the future and it can become sort of like Three’s Company.