Next time? Invitation Only. (Lorden & Orin)

by **Lorden Ladis** on March 24th, 2015, 1:49 am

1st of Spring, 515 AV

“I hope so,” Devi replied to his question, in an honest whisper. Lorden raised an eyebrow, as he gazed on at the brunet's visage. The look that was on Devi's face, was hardly convincing. Of course, it wasn't Devi's job to console the knight, and neither of them could know what they didn't know.

“I appreciate that your concern right now must be to hear what information Orin has to offer but you should be aware that head wounds are unusual injuries. As far as I can tell the danger is minor but there can be side effects – memory loss for one. I’ve known patients wh-“ the woman continued, causing a ruffle to cross the face, of the man that she was addressing. Who was she to assume his wants or motives?

"I'm worried about him, as a person, Devi. But it's my job, as a knight, to worry about the city," he said, locking eyes with the woman, and trying to translate a feeling of genuine concern through his gaze.

Lorden shuffled back away from his female companion's face with a sigh, as Orin all but commanded the doctor, that was treating him, to be nice to his two 'savors'.

People would think what they would think... Bah, she probably meant nothing by her words, anyway.

"But no drinks either with one name or two names. See, drinking is bad. Drinking killed my dad. So I don’t do it, much," the cook continued; his words elicited a pang of sympathy-derived-embarrassment in the knight that watched his lips mouth sloppily. Lorden felt bad for the cook, the concussed man didn't know what he was saying, what was coming out of his mouth, or just what he was admitting for all the world to hear. Thank Tyveth their places weren't swapped, right now.

“I... Uhh...,” Lorden's musing about the cook's current state, were interrupted by Devi's sudden stumbling outburst. The knight looked over the medically-incline brunet, with tired worry in his azure eyes; however, his attention was quickly draw back to Orin's cot, as he began all but panicking.

”Lorden Knight and Devi Doctor get to stay,” -The knight watched with apprehensive eyes, as the cook struggled against the doctor- “I can’t, I can’t be alone or the bad man will come for me. I need them here. Don’t make them leave. Please don’t make them leave.” as Orin spoke, the knight that watched him's eye twitched.

“Of course we won’t leave. You don’t need to worry,” as Devi moved to pat Orin, Lorden's opinion of her grew yet more. Sure she might not be comfortable with the knight's, but she seemed to be a good person.

Increased respect for the healer aside, Lorden couldn't help but grit his teeth.

"“He has a point. If the man we met tonight is guilty of what he is accused then he may try to silence any word against him. We should ensure the infirmary is warded against any intrusion,” the knight slipped his hand down to his sword, as Devi moved back away from Orin's bedside, and whirled over to face him once more.

"Normally I'd alert the other knights... but even if the other party-goers, or the Squire that was there haven't already, I don't think it's a good idea to leave him...," -Lorden trailed his whispering voice, and gestured to the distraught cook- "I could leave you my sword while I went... but no, I'm not going anywhere. You'll be under my protection for the night, I don't know who, or how dangerous this man is, or even where he is right now," the twenty-year old promised and attempted to explain.

"We'll wait for him to come to his senses, and then I'll sort all this out," the knight lightened his features, with an authoritative and hopefully comforting-smile, as he spoke. His words aside, Lorden was worried that Orin might not remember enough of anything, to help him sort the current mess out. And that, that would make things a lot more complicated.

by **Orin Fenix** on March 24th, 2015, 11:09 am

Orin reached up and grasped Devi's hand, squeezing it. Her fierce and passionate need to help those in need was shining through and it might have been the most beautiful sight Orin had ever seen. Well, maybe not that but in his current state Orin couldn't think of a better example. He smiled beatifically up at her. "Rak'keli hersekf couldn't do better at my side. And don't tell her I said this but you're probably a lot more approachable." Orin was a firm believer in compliments and he didn't think the goddess would mind. If she was even listening. Orin doubted it. She had much more important matters to pay attention to than one cook with a little bump on the head.

Glancing down to Lorden, Orin's smile broadened. Or deepened. No it got real wide. What's the...oh yeah! Wider Orin was extremely pleased that his mental facilities appeared to be returning in at least some capacity. That felt right and Orin's flailing spirit dredged up some more energy from somewhere. The night wasn't over quite yet.

But Orin had been watching Lorden and that was the important event of note. Orin vaguely saw the doctor rushing out of the room, stopping to reassure and calm a few patients that seemed unusually agitated. Orin felt terrible, realizing that his own appearance and actions had probably been what stirred them up. Under normal circumstances, Orin would've tried to get up and apologize to each and every one of them personally. Unfortunately he wasn't sure that his legs would even support him. His bed felt so nice and soft, soft and nice. Orin stroked it with his free hand, feeling its texture between his fingers and underneath his palm. It was like sinking into those white clouds Orin had seen earlier. Orin just hoped these ones didn't turn into storm clouds. Or sheep, that wouldn't be fun. Orin didn't like sheep. The feeling seemed to be mutual. Orin stayed away from sheep after that ram had done its best to kill him. They smelled funny and were stupid and were ill tempered. They probably think the same thing of me That set Orin's thoughts to vividly imagining a flock of Orins being shepherded by a sheep. But that didn't make any sense because a flock of Orins wouldn't produce anything useful to a sheep. Orin didn't produce milk or fur or wool. And sheep didn't eat meat. Unless they did it in secret away from their human overseers. Maybe the sheep were planning an uprising and were faking the idiocy to lull the humans into complacency. Stranger events had come to pass.

Orin realized he had once again gotten distracted from his first order of business, looking at Lorden. The man stood, a sentinal against the darkness out there. He was holding a vigil throughout the night keeping evil at bay. It was as if a scene from a fable or a fairy tale had come to life. "Thank you Knight-man. You are a credit to the Order. Doing a bang-up job all around. I will be sure to put in a good word with your superiors. Assuming they'd listen to me of course. Which I doubt."

But this was all for Orin's benefit and that confused Orin because he knew he hadn't done anything of note to deserve this treatment. And his friends looked like they were at odds again if their whispered conference earlier had been anything to go by. Orin had to patch everything up between them. "Don't fight over me friends, please. I'm not worth it." Orin closed his eyes then, spent. He wasn't saying that to be self-pitying. It was nothing but the honest truth. Orin wasn't worth all this bother and trouble anyway. And these two would leave come morning and everything would go back to normal.

OOCOperating under the assumption that the doctor went to get the healer. Feel free to do anything necessary to get him to do that or simply react accordingly.

by **Devi** on March 27th, 2015, 11:39 pm

Devi was relieved when Lorden agreed that he’d watch over Orin that night. That said, she had quite forgotten about the other squires that has been present during the evening. One of them would surely report the incident. They would think to send someone to the bathhouse, surely? Either way, Devi found the man’s presence comforting. She found herself wondering if he was as tired as she was. She hadn’t slept all that well the evening before. In fact... She thought about it some more and realised she’d barely napped the night before. What had promised to be a long night’s rest had been abruptly interrupted by Marius the trader with severe burns the like of which she was quite happy not to question.

A yawn escaped from her as though her body was determined to remind her just how much it needed to sleep. Her mind, as per usual, ignored it and shook her senses awake again. An idle thought wandered through her head as she thought about what Lorden had said about Orin coming to his senses.

“Chamayo Tonic would help. Orin I mean. If he’s confused or if he doesn’t remember all that much after he’s well again.”

The return of the older doctor cut short her musings. “Let’s see his head wound healed first before dosing him up with everything in the cabinets shall we?”

Devi rolled her eyes behind his back before stifling another yawn. She noticed that a woman had followed the doctor back into the room. She saw a beautiful, swirling mark on the woman’s cheek and tilted her head at it. It was a mark of the goddess Rak’keli, she realised. Devi didn’t often come across Healers in her day to day. Generally if they had arrived then she could be of much more use elsewhere. The woman smiled at Orin, her presence very calming. Laying her hands gently on his head the woman closed her eyes, her face shifting into one of concentration. After a while Orin ceased fidgeting so much and seemed to settle.

The woman opened her eyes, looking tired but nonetheless pleased with her work. The doctor moved to fill the space she vacated quickly, bringing with him a cup of liquid whose scent she felt sure she recognised. Iskyny Tea... He’ll sleep better than the dead tonight. At the mental prompt Devi felt her body preparing another yawn. She swallowed against it stubbornly but nonetheless turned to Lorden.

“I have a feeling our new friend will be sleeping deeply fairly soon. Once he is I would be happy to report to the Knighthood, should you wish assistance or relief. Just say the word.” The yawn she had been holding in slipped out, “Assuming of course I stay awake long enough to hear it.”

Thinking about it a little more, Devi didn’t think she’d slept well the night before last either. I really need an assistant. Or to move apartments. Or both.

by **Lorden Ladis** on March 28th, 2015, 5:18 am

1st of Spring, 515 AV

"Thank you Knight-man. You are a credit to the Order. Doing a bang-up job all around. I will be sure to put in a good word with your superiors. Assuming they'd listen to me of course. Which I doubt," as Orin spoke innocently, and with honest sincerity lacing his every syllable, Lorden couldn't help but smile, as a warm flame flared up in his own tired heart, before it spread its comforting heat throughout the entirety of his being.

"Don't worry about me, mate. Just try and get all yer' pieces back together for me, eh?" the twenty year old said, as he simultaneously took a step, and approached the side of the cook's bed, before patting him on the shoulder.

Warm-hearted people, were the knight's Achilles' heel. Something about their attitudes, the lack of negativity, it just set his nerves to ease. Needless to say, Lorden was surprisingly content in the current situation, if a bit concerned and cautious, for obvious reasons.

The knight offered one last sincere smile to Orin, before he allowed his hand to slip from the man's shoulder. With alert ears, the swordsman turned to face the yawning brunet, who was standing behind him.

“Chamayo Tonic would help. Orin I mean. If he’s confused or if he doesn't remember all that much after he’s well again,” the girl proclaimed, a bit tiredly. Her companion, was about to respond, and admit that he trusted her judgement, before the doctor, that had scampered off only a bit earlier, returned with an obviously snide remark accompanying him.

The knight, all but ignored the snappish doctor, however, as his blue eyes instead drifted to the woman that trailed, and soon passed the older man by. There was something about the woman's face, it was so serene, so calmly neutral; a shimmering, wave-less ocean came to Lorden's mind, as he gazed upon the healer's visage.

Lorden's look of interest, quickly changed to one that proclaimed a bit of confusion, as the girl, that he was starring on, lay her hands upon Orin's brow, before quickly withdrawing from his side, only a small cluster of ticks later.

Odd...

Lorden reached his right hand up, and rubbed his eyes for a tick. By the time, that the man opened his drooping eyelids, he was met with the sight of Devi's face starring on at him, from a foot or two back.

“I have a feeling our new friend will be sleeping deeply fairly soon. Once he is I would be happy to report to the Knighthood, should you wish assistance or relief. Just say the word,” the woman said, her words causing a thankful glow to form in Lorden's own sparkling orbs. The knight wanted to tell the brunet, that she should go home and sleep, that she had done more than enough, yet, he knew what she offered was more practical.

Knights were trained to work autonomously, and in a somewhat self-reliant fashion, yet, they were still expected to operate within the system, nonetheless. The man knew, that it was past-time for his superiors to be alerted, if they didn't know already. In his current state, Lorden feared that he risked falling asleep, should he sit down. He was hardly in a position to protect anyone, promises aside.

"Thank you, Devi," -Lorden sighed, and glanced around- "To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if there were knights getting massages here, at this very moment. Still... if you could alert my comrades, that one of their brothers is in need of their presence, well, I'd appreciate it beyond words."

Lorden was about to hold his tongue, before another thought drifted into his tired, and half-functioning mind.

"If they ask, just say that you're acting under the orders of Ser Lorden Ladis, and that it's a matter that requires their immediate attentions'," the man added, with a slow blink.

by **Orin Fenix** on March 28th, 2015, 5:16 pm

Orin let his head fall back onto the soft bed he was lying on. He’d felt as if he’d gone through an entire workout in the time since he’d left the party until now. Most of it had been mental, but his limbs felt heavy as well. In fact, everything felt wrung out and Orin wasn’t entirely sure where it was all coming from. It’s not like he’d actually done anything that strenuous. Being carried wasn’t usually supposed to be hard on the one being held, at least, Orin didn’t think it was. The irritable man from Soothing Waters had come back and had once again brushed off Devi. Orin was going to give the man a piece of his mind when what Devi had actually talked about managed to filter into his brain. Orin couldn’t sleep, not quite yet. He had important information. He knew that. If only he could clearly remember the information that he was supposed to be relaying. Then Orin could sleep.

He was about to express his frustration at the situation when a woman took up all of his attention. Her eyes seemed to fill Orin’s entire range of vision and he found himself caught in her gaze. Her serenity filtered through him as she laid her hands upon him. However, Orin wasn’t so entranced that he couldn’t assert himself at least a little bit. ”Not sleep, not yet. Later, I will I swear. Priskil desert my side if I lie.” The woman gave the most miniscule nod Orin had ever seen and he wasn’t even sure if he was imagining it or not.

Then, suddenly, everything changed. There was light, burning away the fog around Orin’s mind. In its place it left searing heat for the briefest of moments before easing into a chill that soothed Orin’s aches. It was like a lance piercing into the heart of all that was wrong with Orin now. He gasped, his entire body stiffening, and he clutched at the woman, unable to look away or do anything as his body turned into a battleground between light and dark, hot and cold, pain and relief. It could’ve taken ticks, or bells, or even days and Orin would’ve been transfixed. After that indeterminate amount of time, the agony gave one final push, before giving up and letting Orin be bathed in a soothing presence. It seemed to examine him for a moment before letting him out of its grasp. Orin fell back, drained. It seemed as if half of the energy had come from outside, but just as much had been his own body’s work as if fought off Orin’s numerous injuries. Unfortunately, while the pain had receded to the lightest of headaches, Orin was left with an uncomfortably acute memory of everything that had happened since he’d hit his head.

”Oh gods above, did I, really, I mean, please don’t, I didn’t mean, not that, you guys if you could just I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t, although of course I totally understand if you have too…” Orin was babbling incoherently, cheeks a furious crimson as he realized that he’d humiliated himself in front of not just a knight of the Syliran Order but an uncommonly pretty beauty who also had a sharp mind. Of course he was embarrassed. Anyone would be, in his place. Still there were a few orders of business that Orin absolutely had to attend to before he could bury himself in the covers and hopefully never have to speak or even think of this incident ever again. Orin didn’t even know if he could bring himself to face the world after this. Turning his attention to the healer and her assistant, Orin tried to still his wild tongue at least enough to make himself understood. ”Thank you for saving me. Both of you. Ah, if you don’t mind me asking, what happened to me, injury wise I mean, and is there anything I should be looking out for, future symptoms and I guess what do I do if I encounter this in someone else or if I hit my head again or something.” Orin prayed fervently that he wouldn’t but the way his life had been working recently chances are he’d have to deal with a similar situation sooner rather than later.

The healer smiled and then dismissed the assistant to go check on the other patients. ”You had what we call a concussion. It’s can range in severity, based on how hard you hit your head.. Yours, I’m afraid, was particularly bad. Generally, you want to check the person for coherency. Do they know who they are, where they are, what year it is, things of that nature. Check to see if their pupils are dilating or not. Just look at their eyes in changing light. Typically, if they complain of dizziness, nausea, or are incoherent then those are all bad signs. Either bring them to a healer, or, if they can’t be moved fetch a healer. Whatever happens, do not let them fall asleep. If they do, wake them up periodically. I managed to heal the worst of it, but you’ll have some headaches and a few dizzy spells for a while yet, I’m afraid.” Orin squeezed her hand in thanks. He had come incredibly close to death tonight and he was lucky that he’d been in a place where he could get assistance. If he’d fallen in his room, Orin probably wouldn’t have made it, seeing as he lived alone. ”I can never repay you for my life. But, here’s your payment for the session.” Orin counted out ten golden mizas and held them out to the healer. It was the least he could do. She took them and stood up in a swirl of skirts, giving a respectful nod to both Lorden and Devi. She might have stopped to whisper to one or both, but Orin wasn’t paying attention. He had far more important matters on his mind.

Turning to Lorder, Orin levered himself upright. ”That man at the party. He did assassinate someone and that paper was the proof. If I were him I’d dispose of it but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw the contents. And there was someone else with him, a woman. At the murder I mean. They assaulted a knight to escape. Hopefully there’s a report somewhere.” That duty dispatched, Orin realized he was suddenly alone with people who he’d made some incredibly ridiculous comments around. ”Thank you, both of you. I’d probably be dead if it wasn’t for you. However, I’d ah, appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone else what I said while I was....loopy. Not that any of it wasn’t true I mean, Lorden you are a true knight and Devi you’re a wonderful doctor. And, everything else I said. Just, maybe, well, keep it a secret between us three?” Orin was nearly pleading at the end there. He didn’t want them to think he was an idiot although after tonight that’s likely the only impression they could possibly get of him. Still, Orin figured that it wouldn’t be fair of them to use his concussed state to make judgements of him as a person.

Realizing that he was holding both of them up from departing, Orin blushed again. ”Devi, get some sleep. You look exhausted. You too Lorden, carrying me can’t have been easy. I’ll be safe enough here. The healers will raise a racket if anyone unexpected shows and I can defend myself.” Orin twitched aside a corner of the blanket to reveal the daggers strapped to his side. He was speaking bravely but if push came to shove Orin didn’t know how he would fare in a fight for his life. He was getting better but he was still slightly wounded and he didn’t think he could stand up to a trained assassin. Still, Orin had already put everyone through quite a bit of trouble tonight. He didn’t want to cause any more for anyone else.

by **Devi** on March 29th, 2015, 9:42 pm

Devi felt the corners of her lips twitching into a smirk as she watched Orin’s expression change from confused and disoriented to completely self-aware. His eyes spun for a few moments, taking in every detail of his surroundings before coming to rest on herself and Lorden. As his cheeks flared to a shade of red even she would rarely achieve he began babbling almost incoherently. However she gathered that his general desire was that the interesting conversations they’d shared that evening remain between them.

“Your secrets are safe with us Orin.”

Devi listened to the healer’s explanation of Orin’s injury with rapt attention. The very serene woman spoke in detail about concussions, mentioning even that the chef’s had been particularly severe. Devi was glad at least that she had taken the right action in insisting Orin be brought here. The woman seemed aware of her attention but nonetheless went on to describe the kind of actions one should take when such an injury arose.

Devi made a mental note to look out for nausea and dizziness, as well as to check the pupils to see if they were responding correctly. She was more than a little gratified that her instinct to ask Orin questions to check how aware he was proved to be a positive diagnostic step. That said, the questions were probably unnecessary towards the end. Concussed Orin was not a subtle creature.

Once the healer had been paid and it was clear Orin had no further questions for her she nodded her head at him and retreated. However the chef’s expression appeared to harden and he turned abruptly towards Lorden. He described how the man who had fled Sayana’s party earlier in the evening had killed someone and that the paper he’d found had explained the details of the act, as well as the man’s accomplice. Devi simultaneously felt sick and oddly amused. Sick because she’d been in the presence of someone who had killed for the mere sake of a contract. That she had attempted to make pleasant conversation with him. Strangely amused because the man had to have been either the unluckiest or the most ignorant of hired killers. Were she a killer in another life she felt certain that she would trust a good memory over an incriminating written document of her crime any day.

She shook her head. Orin was telling her to go home. She should. She would have stayed all night if it was needed but she could see that he was right, for the most part.

“I’m still going to report it. You can’t defend yourself if you’re asleep.” She yawned but shook herself again, driving some energy into her limbs. “Orin you need to rest, not worry about intruders in the night. If you’re warded then no one will try anything and any trouble that does find its gaze on you will realise the difficulty and move on, without disturbing the doctors here or the other patients.”

She turned to Lorden and held a light smile on her face as she spoke to him as well. “If you are still willing I think you should remain for the time being. Even your presence may be enough to deter trouble. I will report this as we intended and I’ll ensure they send relief for you as soon as may be.”

Devi had a patented glare ready for just such an occasion. Often she found people were so surprised to be ordered around by a little, supposedly unassuming woman that they did what she asked almost without questioning why.

by **Lorden Ladis** on March 29th, 2015, 10:54 pm

1st of Spring, 515 AV

The knight watched with a bit of confusion, as Orin seemed to come instantly to life, albeit in an incoherent, babbling, state. Still, soon enough, the cook was straight-enough in the head, to ask how he should go about caring for himself.

This was good. Cutthroats and Assassins were to cut down without impunity. And now Orin could help him find one.

Lorden waited eagerly to step forward, now wide-awake, as the healer described to the cook, what a concussion was, in response to his question. As soon as Orin began to slid up in the bed that he was affixed to, after paying the healer, Lorden stretched his legs, and stepped up to the man.

”That man at the party. He did assassinate someone and that paper was the proof. If I were him I’d dispose of it but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one who saw the contents. And there was someone else with him, a woman. At the murder I mean. They assaulted a knight to escape. Hopefully there’s a report somewhere,” the knight listened with a gritting of his teeth, as the injured man, both confirmed his inferences, and made them more than educated-guesses that were based on concussed mutterings.

"More than one murderer, in the city? And you say they attacked a knight and lived..." Lorden's bubbling aggravation began to show on his face. Indeed, there would be no impunity. Now that a fellow knight, who would surely come forward, had been drawn into the mix of crimes.

Biting his lip, the knight listened as Orin expressed a desire for confidentiality, when it came to his earlier mutterings, and as Devi confirmed that neither she nor he would divulge the cook's 'secrets'.

"Thank you Orin." -Lorden patted the man on the shoulder, gently, as to show that he was only angered by the situation, not him- "I won't tell a soul, anything beyond what you said about the murder."

Backing away from the healed man's bedside, the knight began to muse, as he starred at Orin. However, Lorden didn't get to think to long on what actions he'd take, as he was soon told to go home, by the same man that he looked at.

Lorden pursed his lips, thinking, as Devi began to speak.

“I’m still going to report it. You can’t defend yourself if you’re asleep,” - the girl said yawning - “Orin you need to rest, not worry about intruders in the night. If you’re warded then no one will try anything and any trouble that does find its gaze on you will realize the difficulty and move on, without disturbing the doctors here or the other patients.”

Devi turned to Lorden kindly-yet-assertively, eliciting the tired raising of one of the knight's eyebrow.

“If you are still willing I think you should remain for the time being. Even your presence may be enough to deter trouble. I will report this as we intended and I’ll ensure they send relief for you as soon as may be.”

"I did say that I would, didn't I?" -Lorden lowered his brow with a tired sigh- "I'm not so worried about the doctors, if they can't be bothered to keep a patient from being murdered then petch them. And if they would do something, then they're good people, and their conscious should reward them... Still, I don't want anyone to get hurt. If you'll alert the knights, as soon as you can, Devi. Then I will stay by his side," the knight declared. He wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. Still, it didn't bother the man too much; this was a matter of his duty, and of his word.

by **Nivel** on April 8th, 2015, 8:24 pm

Devi :

Lorden Ladis :

Orin Fenix :

Additional Comments: If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to message me.

Closed Next time? Invitation Only. (Lorden & Orin)