[Shinyama Pavilion] It's About Control (Elhaym)

[Julian]

Spring, Day 67, 511 AV OOCClick the picture for a larger view if you like! What am I doing here? Ahead, Julian could already see the Pavilion as he crossed the bridge to the Shinyama peak, the evening lanterns already lit as the magenta-stained sky grew more violet by the minute. Without being surrounded by the tall buildings and warm lights of the Plaza, the unbridled high winds of the Misty Peaks assailed Julian without mercy, tugging at his hair and piercing his clothing with a harsh chill. It was almost as if karma was punishing him. Two nights ago, Elhaym Furuma had told Julian that he could find her at the Shinyama Pavilion. It had not be strictly said, but it had been implied that Julian would seek her out the next day. It had, hadn't it? He wasn't quite sure he could remember - but regardless, he'd spent the rest of that day stone drunk, and next night deathly hungover. He hadn't been in a state to go anywhere. He did, however, get in plenty of self loathing and had time to reflect upon the many reasons he'd given up drinking to begin with. He was fairly certain, at least, that he'd be cured of his desire to drink at least for the next few days. As he neared the edge of the peak, completing his trek across the bridge, Julian cast an ineffectual glance into the dark, mist-filled chasm below. He was not afraid of heights: Julian was from Syliras. It had never occurred to him to be afraid of heights. But staring down into that swirling blackness, something entirely new gripped him just then. A seed, a spark of something appeared at the back of his mind - then suddenly an all-consuming, harrowing fear possessed his entire body as he was certain that blackness down below was about to suck out his very soul. And then he was across, and the entire ordeal was forgotten. Pausing at the summit of Shinyama peak, Julian stood there frozen, reflecting on the abyss he'd just stared into. It was like a beast lurking down there, stalking all around the city, waiting to be fed. How could... anyone... live in a city... surrounded by THAT? Nearby, a quiet snicker drew him out of his reverie. Julian turned and looked over, watching a pair of young citygoers in blue and violet garb speak between each other in Lhavitian. Tourists, they must have been saying to each other. Scratching the back of his head, Julian could only offer a sheepish smile to explain himself. Sighing and sweeping back his hair, Julian moved on, swallowing his mild embarrassment. It was fully dark by the time Julian reached the actual Shinyama Pavilion. He stared up in awe at the building as he drew closer, the tall structure lit by a sequence of torches and lit braziers. Like so many other buildings in Lhavit, it looked more like a grand monument or a work of art. Even after over a month spent in the city, he had not gotten tired of it. "Pardon me," Julian called out to a man in full Shinya attire walking toward the building. He wasn't sure whether he should actually go inside. He feared he'd violate some odd custom or law if he did so. The guard turned to him and raised both his eyebrows, catching the musician off guard for a reason he couldn't quite place. "Ah... I'm looking for Elhaym Furuma?" The Shinya stared at him quietly. "Or... maybe it's Furuma Elhaym? She's an Acolyte. Can you find her?" For a few painful seconds, the Shinya continued to stare unhelpfully at Julian. The moment grew frustrating and annoying, and though Julian knew the problem was probably a communication barrier, it felt more like the guard was make this more awkward than it had to be on purpose. Finally, he said something like, "Kamsa, chin-gu Furuma," then with a final nod, headed into the Pavilion. Entirely confused about whatever had just happened, Julian folded his arms and leaned against a lantern post. Whether the Shinya guard had agreed to help, or had just left him dumbfounded in the street was anyone's guess. It felt like a safe bet to wait here, perhaps twenty minutes at most, before he'd give up and go inside the building to search for Elhaym himself. With the delicate breeze still playing at the loose strands of hair around his face, Julian distracted himself staring down the Shinyama streets, and studying the architecture. It was an undoubtedly beautiful city, despite its odd customs and infuriating local language. He knew he was going to miss it when he left.

[Elhaym]

"A man has arrived, asking for Elhaym. Is she expecting visitors today Dian Udasai?"

"No." He answered curtly, leveling his gaze with the blue clad Shinya before him. He was not so happy with being pulled away from his classes for something so trivial, much less this one. Typically Dian Kota would administer Elhaym Furuma's ongoing training in the many forms of meditation, but today he had been tasked with it, and for good reason. Despite, with the way he had been instructed to handle the session, perhaps an unwelcome and unknown distraction would be beneficial. The Shinya could only guess as to what Uduasai was thinking, as his face betrayed nothing. His shock was only mildly held back when the instructor doubled back on his word.

"Send him. Tell him not to speak unless spoken to, and to wait at my side. I'll have no one bungling my work this night."

With a sharp bow, the messenger retreated to inform the foreigner that he was summoned to one of the many small courtyards within the Shinyama Pavilion. Udasai stood motionless for a moment, a hard face contemplating his task. With a barely audible sigh, he turned back and walked through the slatted doorway into the torch-lit courtyard. Calmly, he waited. It would only be a few minutes for the guest to arrive - he didn't have far to walk, after all - and Udasai stood scheming how to turn this interruption into something beneficial to his efforts. It was only a short way through the spacious grand lobby of the Pavilion and down one of the simple hallways to this courtyard. Udasai absently hoped the wooden floors had been properly waxed recently; if Elhaym's guest remarked anything of the Pavilion but a bastion of discipline and neatness, there would be Acolytes to suffer for it. This one especially.

***

"Dian Udasai, he comes."

Udasai did not shift from his position, standing near the entrance of the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back. He was a tall man with a hard edged face, eyes that spoke of command and mouth that surely screamed it. His Shinya uniform seemed pressed to perfection, not a visible thread in disarray. He didn't turn to Julian, simple motioned for him to stand beside him. As Julian stepped through those doors, the true breadth of what Elhaym called her 'studies' would be made known to him. They would not seem like studies at all.

The courtyard wasn't large, lit by small crystal vases that produced a dazzling array of multicolored lights that shifted about in a manner that could make one who wasn't used to it's stomach uneasy. Once the colors were gotten over, the forms of several large wooden logs shooting up from the rocky soil could be made out, forming a zig zagging pattern that grew taller with each step. At the last and tallest, Elhaym stood. Well, stood wasn't exactly the word. Posed as if frozen in dance, she was perched on one leg with the other leg bent at the knee and pressing against the other with her hands clasped in front of her as if in prayer. Odd enough on its own, yet stranger still she was covered in what appeared to be mud. In fact, she was dripping wet from head to toe. Up there on that pole at least twenty feet in the air, she remained motionless and frozen. Her eyes were open and not glazed over, but she did not seem to notice his presence.

"Welcome to Shinyama Pavilion." Udasai said, turning to meet Elhaym's guest, now his guest. His eyes did not seem to probe, but he somehow carried an air of sizing Julian up. "Elhaym is occupied at the moment, as you well can see. She is meditating."

Though Udasai said it as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, it was hard to believe that someone could be meditating in such a way. Most people visioned meditation as sitting cross legged on the ground with their eyes closed, deep in thought. Obviously, this wasn't always the case. Udasai took it upon himself to explain further as a courtesy, half knowing that someone foreign to Lhavit may not understand.

"Meditation is a tool, much like a blade. Or a fist. It must be mastered so as to be called upon when needed, in times of peace... or extreme duress. Your friend has at times struggled with her anger. We are breaking her."

As if his last word had been a command, two unseen figured emerged from the shadows. They were clad as Elhaym, albeit free of mud and water. Acolytes just as she, yet they had a different task than studying meditation. One carried a small pale of water, which he launched into the air. The water sloshed across Elhaym's unwavering form, but her eyes did not flinch. The second wave came in the form of a clump of dirt, seemingly lifted from the ground by nothing at all and thrown across her soaked clothes and skin. If Julian were to have been watching closely, this time he would detect the tightening of her jaws and the flinch of her eyes. The Acolyte who had thrown the loose dirt with his projection was perspiring, apparently having drawn on his abilities greatly even so young in the night.

"She does well. I believe had we done this the first week she was among us, I would have two unconscious Acolytes and perhaps a black eye myself. Elhaym is a hard woman from what I have seen, though she is lacking in many regards. Truly an interesting student, however."

Udasai moved without warning, striding to one of the large mounds of dirt that were scattered about the courtyard. With his arms clasped behind his back, he turned to Julian even as a mass of loose dirty four or five times larger than what the Acolyte had managed suddenly shifted and sprayed upwards and across Elhaym's body. His left arm was limp with the release of his astral self, but he had a firm hold with his other and he appeared to suffer no ill effect from his effort.

"Go on. She must learn. If you can shake her resolve, her lesson will be done for the day. I suppose it would be to your benefit, unless you would like to spend the next four bells watching. Though I must say, she will probably not be pleased with her punishment for failure."

Udasai nodded as if his offer were perfectly reasonable, sweeping an arm across the entire courtyard. Several clumps of dirt and pales of water were stacked about, as well as scattered tools and odds and ends. He could use anything he wished to try and force her from her perch by rousing her anger short of climbing up and pushing her off physically, though that was unspoken. He assumed the foreigner had enough sense to know that. He was also interested in what reaction this man would have to Elhaym's odd regimen; he had never seen Elhaym with any man who was not Shinya, and generally outside of her study it was only Kota. Interesting, indeed.

[Julian]

Thank the gods that the man who returned to speak to Julian actually spoke Common. He had a mild inkling that the first Shinya guard he accosted spoke Common as well, but there was no point in wondering, now. There was a particular, militant air to this place. The musician did not feel like he belonged here, and he was sure these Shinya could sense it. It made him entirely uneasy as he followed the messenger to the courtyard, intimidated by how clean and... controlled the place looked. This was certainly not the Shooting Star he'd come to be so familiar with. Once in the courtyard, he spotted Udasai, who motioned for Julian to stand next to him. The musician obeyed the command, more out of bewilderment and politeness than any sort of beckoning to do so. He was far more distracted by that image of Elhaym, standing in some bizarre pose on top of a tall pole. Was this what her training consisted of? His mind went back to their scuffle in the Lhavitian alleyway weeks before. How would an exercise like this help her there? And clearly it hadn't. Though she did a number on those thugs - even killed one - it had been Julian's knife and hypnotism to end it. That was unfair though. Who could win a three-on-one, even with all this... pole balancing. Not even this older man, Julian would bet, even if his scowl did seem like the sort that would stop any young thief in his tracks. The Shinya certainly weren't the Syliran Knights, but there were similarities. The atmosphere was another world entirely - the bright crystal lamps sent lights in all directions, mimicking the twilight as the art in Lhavit so often did. But the people... they were just as wooden and rigid, if not more so, and it put Julian on edge. Still uncomfortable, Julian swallowed, listening to Udasai spout his metaphorical wisdom. He folded his arms impatiently. The musician didn't really believe in any of what he was saying. Anger was anger, self control was self control. Julian had varying amounts of both, sometimes too much, or too little. Meditation helped, but it wasn't a... blade or a fist. It was just concentration. The same he required in hypnotism, or playing his music. But Julian listened, politely, keeping a straight face. The expression he wore was mostly stoic, but traced with minor skepticism and a touch more of impatience. This was... nonsense. He watched the two acolytes closely, wincing only slightly as one tossed water on her, the other dirt. Seeing the use of magic like that, which he wasn't altogether accustomed to, made him much more nervous. He didn't like magic, or any force really that he didn't entirely understand. Julian maintained his composure however, clearing out his mouth again with another dry swallow. This was not his idea of an early evening activity. Udasai's spectacle did finally break Julian's apathetic facade. That display of power made him visibly nervous. He unfolded his arms, his lips parting in tamed astonishment. As he was addressed, however, he quickly had to shake it off, wiping back his hair and reassembling himself. This was the one of the oddest things he had ever done. "Me?" he finally spoke, having kept quiet until now. Mostly, he had been too stunned or uncomfortable to say anything. Now he was being asked to... what? Sling mud and water at a woman he had only just met? They did share something most people did not - they had killed in tandem. But that... that didn't really mean anything. His gray-blue eyes slid off Udasai and honed on the woman, the Shinya Acolyte Elhaym. "I... don't think that I shou... Gods, really?" Four bells? What a pain. Julian didn't have time for this, but he didn't have time to wait, either. There was no way this could end well. Julian could leave and wait, and by all rights he should have. Something told him that Udasai was watching to see what exactly Julian did - for his sake and for Elhaym's. Honestly, who was he to judge the musician? This wasn't Julian's league. His interest in this woman was fading fast. He was beginning to think he'd gotten the wrong idea about her. Still, this was no conquest he was about to shy away from. "Well, Elhaym," Julian opened, rolling up his sleeves as he began walking toward one of the mounds of dirt. "I'm not really sure what to make of this." Udasai's watchful eye was making this far more awkward that it needed to be. Julian's forearms now exposed, he stooped to dig his hands into the dirt. Ugh, this was ridiculous. He formed a loose ball of it in his hand, glancing up at Elhaym. "This is not what I had mind at all. You might have warned me." He straightened, reading his arm. "Slinging dirt at young women is something I'd really rather not do." He let it fly, hurling it toward Elhaym's midsection. Only up in the air about twenty feet, it wasn't an altogether difficult target to hit. "But..." He leaned over and packed another ball of dirt. This one was a little firmer. He looked up at Elhaym again. "I suppose I've done worse." He threw it again. Looking down at the dirt, he suspected Udasai was getting bored with this tactic. Not that he had the right to think anything. Still, Julian was a guest at the Shinyama Pavilion. He could at least avoid humiliating himself under the watch of all these eyes. Spotting a pail of water and a trowel, Julian made his way over to them. "I didn't tell you, Elhaym, but you remind me of someone." After returning the pail to the mound of dirt, Julian used the trowel to begin shoveling dirt into it. After he'd put in enough, he stirred it to even out its consistency. "I feel like a boy doing this. Playing in the orphanage yard in Syliras." Taking the pail in both hands, the musician hesitated. This was so unsavory! Sighing helplessly, he tossed the pail's contents - a splash of thick, muddied water - up toward Elhaym's rigid form. Julian didn't actually want Elhaym to fall. She would probably hold it against him if she did. And Udasai would hold it against her. A tingling frustration was growing in the musician however - from the bizarreness of the situation, what he was being coerced into doing, and something... something else he wasn't quite sure of. "I met her there, when I was young, but she was adopted out to a loving family. I learned much later that things weren't as happy for her they seemed. Suffice to say, she had to remain strong and persevere. Compose herself, and keep going." Digging the trowel into the dirt, Julian sent another spray of dirt at her. "She wasn't Shinya. She didn't have your training. But she showed me a lot about myself. What my flaws were. I eventually made her my wife." But with his hair tied back, Julian's neck was exposed. He bore no mark of Cheva. The story was unfinished. He wouldn't offer an ending. Throwing the trowel in the dirt. The musician sighed and hesitated. "When you helped me realize what I had done... I was grateful. Perhaps I didn't come here hoping for a fighting lesson. Maybe all I really want is guidance. I don't have hers anymore." He leaned down and packed one more ball of dirt. So he was uncreative! Udasai could take it up with the gods. Julian wasn't here to impress anyone. "I don't have anyone." Julian turned again and threw his last ball of dirt. It was packed tightly enough to have the impact of a rock, or he might guess. He aimed for her foot, or her calf, perhaps to knock her leg off balance. He missed wildly. "It's better off that way," Julian growled. What a terrible, self-centered rant. Dusting off his hands, he sighed as shot a resentful glance to Udasai. Shaking his head, the musician headed back toward the courtyard's exit. There was no reason to stay here. OOCYou can stop Julian here, or you can assume he exited the Pavilion. Whichev.

[Elhaym]

Elhaym was there, but she was not. The world was cast in black darker than the finest ebony cloth Lhavit could offer. Yet the darkness did have a border. On the edge of the border a storm raged. A storm of swirling dust and sand, rain and lightning. It attacked her haven, tearing the blackness asunder and consuming it. It was the greatest of challenges to beat it back, to stymie it when it advanced. The storm gained ground. The darkness ebbed.

A silvery droplet of water tore through the blackness above and fell in slow motion, glistening softly from a light that the dark swallowed. It impacted, and delicate white ripples expanded outwards into the ocean of darkness. Yet she heard his words, every statement rippling the black until it was as unsteady and chaotic as the storms outside. The storm grew. It seemed empowered by Julian's words, until Elhaym had only the smallest of footholds in her mind to protect her from what was occurring around her. The final droplet exploded around her, signalling Julian's parting words. The storm found her, and she was torn from her waking slumber.

Elhaym yelped as she toppled backwards, a whirlwind of limbs seeking a hold to prevent her fall. The vibration through her arms signaled success as she hung from the pole, a small enough victory amidst defeat. Before she thought of anything else, she cried out.

"Julian, wait!"

But he was already gone. Only Udasai and the two Acolytes stood there. Watching. With a grunt, she wrapped her legs around the pole and began shimmying down slowly. Oh gods, her legs. She wasn't sure she could stand when she got to the bottom. Upon footfall, her fears were confirmed. She helplessly fell to her knees. The two Acolytes moved to help, but a firm hand flowed in front of each. Udasai simply shook his head, and placed his hands behind his back once again.

Elhaym's hands were already flowing in a series of gestures she had learned from the Sanim. It was easy at this point to submit, and that made the process faster. If she could have put it into words, she may have said it was if a riverbed devoid of water for a thousand years suddenly roared with the force of the most powerful currents water could bring. Her body went aflame, djed pulsing through the gateways inside her flesh and giving new life to what was too exhausted to move. The Flux was made for combat, and in the best of times took your body to heights untold of. In the worst of times, it helped you stand when you were sure you could only crawl.

Elhaym stood, what was once dull in her eyes taking on a vivid color. Her muscles twitched beneath her sodden and mud-caked robes, but she took no notice. Striding purposefully towards the door, she stopped only a few feet short of Udasai and bowed.

"I did all I could Dian." She said between clasped hands and a bowed head. The other two Acolytes stared, likely unaware that she was harnessing the Flux. Udasai was aware.

"You did well, Acolyte. You're excused for now… that young man. A friend of yours?"

Elhaym leveled her eyes with his as the unspoken question touched her ears. Udasai was closely knit with Kota, so it would have been unfair to snap at him. Yet it annoyed her, and she could barely keep the irritation from her voice. After so long in the blackness and with life pulsing through her veins, it felt like her emotions were a battering ram.

"We fought tooth and nail side by side, Dian. He is not a warrior, but we both fought. That is all."

"Of course. Don't worry about the mess you leave behind. These two enjoyed their task today a little too much, I think."

A grin parted her lips, and the sound of the Acolytes stammering accompanied her exit. Her clothes were sodden and dirty, and she was sure her face and hair were caked in now drying mud. Bare feet left a trail that garnered several bewildered stares, but no one said a word. Only the bravest of fools would leave behind such a mess without being told they were except from cleaning it. It didn't take Elhaym long to find herself hopping down the wide stairway leading to the grand doors of the Pavilion. The flux beat inside her like a second heartbeat, and every pulse signaled the need for to expend more djed. It kept her on her feet, but that was all. She couldn't have done much more with what she knew.

"Julian!" She shouted, picking out his retreating form by the hair pulled behind his head. "You came just to throw mud at me? I knew you were a bit of an ass, but you didn't have to prove it so thoroughly."

Quickly she stepped towards him. Her head lolled back on her neck occasionally as she walked and her muscles twitched throughout. Even her eyes appeared slightly glazed over. Despite the oddities, her speech was clear and her mind sharp.

"I heard what you said… about guidance. What is it that you would need my guidance for?"

A sudden heat overtook her, and she stopped. Shaking her head back and forth, Elhaym centered her gaze on Julian. She couldn't hold on to the Flux much longer. She'd have to sit down soon… and probably wouldn't get up for a while.

Mod NoteI have received permission from Kelpie to use The Flux despite the modded thread where Elhaym learns it's use being unfinished. The actual learning has taken place in the thread.

[Julian]

Julian wasn't sure whether he was surprised or not that Elhaym had come running after him. He had already made his way back out into the Shinyama street, started on his way back toward the bridge to Zintia. When he heard his name called out, the musician paused and turned, making out the mud-covered woman making her way toward him. He shifted his weight onto the other foot and pocketed one hand, watching her as he waited for her to catch up. A bit of a ass? Julian raised a quizzical eyebrow. Cheeky. The musician looked her up and down. Her hair, face, and uniform were positively wretched with soil and muddy stains. Beyond that, she looked exhausted beyond words - it couldn't just be from running and getting knocked from her pole. Unless she'd been doing it longer than he thought. Still, Julian felt a little guilty that she had come after him in public looking like that. Sighing, he reached into a pocket with two fingers, scouting around for a moment before drawing out a white handkerchief. It felt a little insubstantial as he offered it to her, but at least she could clean off her face. "Hell, Elhaym, what was I supposed to do?" Julian shot a glance back at the towering Shinyama Pavilion. That entire ordeal had just been petching bizarre. "I won't pretend to understand your training, or whatever it is that was. I shouldn't have played along. I certainly don't appreciate being tested." The musician looked down, running his fingers through his hair and placing it behind his ear. "I don't know why I said what I did. I was... frustrated." His hand fell, but hovered at his chest. Through his shirt and vest, he rubbed at his Lacun mark thoughtfully. "I don't need some old man dealing the truth to me in metaphors. He wasn't there when I became a murderer." Sighing again, Julian shook his head. "I left Syliras and came to Lhavit because my wife is dead and I have nothing left. And now I have to face this shyke alone and... and I got the wrong idea about you. I've wasted your time." Oh, he wasn't going to let her keep the handkerchief. He didn't put his hand out, but he wasn't leaving until she gave it back. "I'm sorry. A strong, beautiful woman shows an inkling of concern for my well-being and I act half my age. I'm an imbecile. Just forget it."

[Elhaym]

Elhaym staggered as Julian spoke, but it wasn't his words that made her footing precarious. Her body felt hot, as if she were boiling inside. Julian's words registered only on the exterior of her mind while she slowly tapered off the pulses of djed running through her system. She didn't know how to make them dissipate; weening was her only option at her skill level. She dreaded the final release. It wouldn't be pleasant.

Gingerly she took the small cloth from his hand, trying to focus on his words as much as ebbing the tide in her body. She could feel her posture sag as the euphoria of well being left her. Well, she had dug the holes to place those pillars in as well as set them into place before her actual lesson began. She was tired, very tired. She would normally be crawling into a pallet for a few hours rest now. In a matter of seconds the cloth was filthy, but at least her face was clear of mud. His rambling seemed fueled by irritation which she assumed stemmed from his own actions, but his snippy words concerning her training rubbed her the wrong way.

"If I'm so strong and beautiful, why don't you sit your ass down and let me talk for a minute before you run away again. Feh..." She muttered, stumbling with visible difficulty towards a stone bench that wrapped in a semi circle around a large flowering tree. Oddly she ambled past the bench, instead falling to her knees at the base of the large tree and turning to press her back against it. Her mouth worked soundlessly. She had released control of the djed in her body and was allowing it to run it's course. Her muscles hummed and burned, threatening to vibrate off the bone. Through gritting teeth and squinting eyes she turned to look at Julian.

"I don't even know where to start with you, Julian. Everyone has loss and only fools face it alone. You're trying to run away from me… why? Oh, I'm sorry. Should I have thrown my arms around you and kissed your neck? Is that what you wanted?" She near growled, finally unclenching her jaws. Her words were sharp, but she was hurting and she was in no mood to coddle.

"Is that it? Gods, I thought you were different… I really did. I killed a man just like you did. I told you the God's truth the night before last about how I felt. I thought we could help each other. If you can trust a man with the details of murder, what else is there to hide?"

Elhaym tilted her head back against the tree, letting her legs go limp and folding her hands across her lap. Gods, she could sleep right here.

"And as far as that old man testing you, guard your tongue! You know nothing about the Shinya. Maybe he wasn't there when you killed, but those hands have probably taken more than handful of lives and wiped away twice as many tears as you. My teachers are wise, and even if you don't understand why they're doing what they're doing, if you want to claim my friendship you have to try!"

She knew that the whole scene must have seemed odd. In truth it was one of the most extreme exercises she had taken part of since coming here in the Winter, and likely the last thing she would have wanted to be doing when he showed up. But he had. If he wanted to know her, he would have to accept her for what she was. After a silence that threatened awkwardness, she began speaking again in a softer tone.

"I had nothing once. No family, no future. Typical bullshyke everyone cries about. It never got better until I did something about it Julian. Until I opened myself up to the hurt, faced it, embraced it. These people made me do that Julian, and I'm alive now. I can see that you hurt, It's written on your face… I know the pain. I know pain all too well." That last sentiment caused her to shake her head back and forth, muttering incoherently beneath her breath for a moment.

"I don't know what you wanted from me Julian, but I can guess. My heart isn't yours to take, but theres room for you here somewhere. I wouldn't have approached you if I didn't think you were worth the effort… there was a time I had no friends Julian. I don't those days back, I need… I need people. People to surround myself that can keep me right. I don't want to lose sight of what I am, and just become a weapon… do you understand?" She said, looking up at him. She couldn't say why she felt an attachment to him. Maybe it was the fact that they had killed, and he had saved her life (and perhaps she his) after all. He was a tornado of emotions though, and she just couldn't seem to understand what this Julian was all about.

"Dammit, sit down… this is hurting my neck and I can't get up. Oh, take your stupid handkerchief and leave if you want. I've said my peace."

[Julian]

Let me talk for a minute before you run away again. Julian shuddered. He could simply get over this if she weren't so much Liara, in all these small ways. It made him incredibly uncomfortable that she seemed distracted by her own exhaustion. She was weathering it just to talk to him. And why? He felt so vile. So pitied. Pathetic. Did he have no self respect? Was he even attracted to this girl, or did... Did he just want Elhaym to be her...? Gods, did he have issues. He wasn't even sure what he was feeling. It was something, certainly, but it was so beyond the veil that all he could make out was a vague silhouette. As Elhaym moved toward the bench and the flowering tree, Julian walked with her, even if it felt like walking in sludge. She thought she was better than he was. How dare she talk to him that way? Julian kept silent, kept his complaints to himself. Her words stung, yes, they cut him, but he bore it. In fact, he wouldn't have minded at all if she had embraced him, and kissed him. Actually, that wasn't exactly how she had worded it. He noticed that her suggestion seemed oddly specific. Julian felt as though he should have helped Elhaym onto the bench, but she didn't seem to want his help. So he let her sit herself down, and he listened to her talk. He was mildly surprised she had so much to say on his behalf. The musician wasn't sure whether he should be flattered that she cared or insulted that she thought she knew anything. In all honesty, Julian wasn't exactly sure what he wanted from Elhaym either. He wasn't entirely certain it was her heart he was after. Maybe he just wanted her to want something from him. That was why he didn't leave. He did as she asked, sitting on the stone bench. Leaning to the side, he propped himself up on his arm. Elhaym looked weak - as if she were about to pass out. Should he help her? Bring her back to the Shinyama Pavilion? Elhaym gave this air that she knew how to handle herself. Julian was beginning to suspect that she wasn't as strong as she wanted to make herself look. After she was done speaking, he drew his handkerchief back from her hand and flicked the dirt off of it. This was going to need a few washes. Mulling over her words, he inhaled deeply, and then sighed. "I get that. Surrounding yourself with friends to keep yourself sane. To pour yourself into something, give yourself an identity, but still remain more than the sum of your parts. To put your life together after having nothing. I know that struggle, Elhaym, I've been there." He squeezed the handkerchief tightly in his hand, then set it lifelessly next to him on the bench. "It sounds selfish for me to say that my pain is different," he told her lowly. "But it is. I didn't start with nothing. I had everything. Money, family, security. Then I lost it. My parents died and my fortune was sucked away and I was abandoned by the one person I thought could care. I was an orphan. So I built my life from nothing. I poured myself into music, learned the cello. I made friends. I got married. I even had children. ...Almost." He laughed softly - a brief, bitter noise. "And then they died, she died. My music lost out to a bottle. I rebuilt my life from scratch and lost it again." Julian glanced over at Elhaym by her tree. Was she even awake anymore? "So yes, I suppose I'm a little confused. I don't even know who I am anymore. I don't want your heart, Elhaym. My wife died because of me. I think I just see you and... you're so much like she was. Not a fighter, but... inuitive? I think I just want you to be her. I want her not to have died." He looked away, appearing a little ashamed. "But you're not. And I'm just... acting like a fool."

[Elhaym]

Elhaym feigned rubbing her temples to mask reddened cheeks when he remarked that he wasn't interested in her the way she had thought. Oh, her head must have swollen up twice it's size to actually blurt that sentiment out. Luckily he continued on smoothly, and she lowered her hands back down and tilted her head back. However feigned the action may have been, fatigue washed over her body. She would have been fine if she had just let Julian go, and recovered for a few minutes back at the Pavilion. However strong her body was, the Flux cared nothing for your strength. It would take the strongest man or woman and bend them until they broke. Perhaps she had overgiven, though her skill was so dismal that at this point it was hard to tell. The effect was all the same; her jaw went slack and her eyes rolled up behind closed eyelids before Julian even finished speaking.

***

Dian Hamado Kota—though everyone just called him Dian Kota—wasn't pleased. He knew Elhaym, knew her well. Ever since the Sanim had made what he considered the mistake of showing her the path to the Flux, she had cast away the dangers involved in using it. From what Udasai had said, she had drawn from it heavily just to leave the Pavilion. Oh, her leaving to chase after another man didn't bother him so much. They both knew where the other's heart lay. Still, he worried that sometimes she tried too hard to be a pillar of strength. She did not have to be. She was only a student.

Walking calmly along the wide roads running up to the Pavilion, he caught sight of a man he had only heard a description of carrying his heart in his hands. He paused and adjusted the blue robes he wore, clasping his hands behind his back in much the same stance as Udasai had. Somehow, he never came off quite as intimidating. He was younger and with a youthful face unmarred by wrinkles. Dark eyes watched the fellow carrying Elhaym as he approached and nearly walked right past him.

"Julian?" He asked, a voice surprisingly deep for a man who many women would called beautiful. His lips curled into a pleasant smile. "I've heard much about you. I am Kota Hamado. Just Kota, please. If I may?"

He held out his hands, obviously wishing to carry Elhaym for himself. He trusted the man to an extent because she did, but he would not trust her with anyone else longer than he had to. She was too important to him in too many ways.

Once he held her in front of him—with surprising ease as he was not a particularly large man—he nodded at Julian to follow him.

"I'd like to speak with you for a time, if you are not busy. I've seen her do this before, and she will likely be very confused when she wakes. It would be good for her if you were there."

It was not quite an order, but it seemed more than a suggestion. Kota did not think badly enough of civilians to order them around for no reason, but he did want to talk to this Julian. What kind of man interested Elhaym so? Perhaps they could be friends. She had not spoken twice to anyone she did not have to save the small smattering of Acolytes she trusted. Well, there was that one odd storyteller. Maybe she had more friends than he knew? Something to consider.

He walked calmly and without missing a step while gently cradling her head against his chest. Her breath came dutifully, her body absorbed in sleep so deep he wasn't sure a thunderstorm would wake her. A theory he did not intend to test; the clouds were gathering above. The air slowly filled with the scent of a storm to come.

"I hear you play the cello in the city. I have not had much time in the last years to practice, but I do play a bit myself. The violin, that is."

He avoided the typical questions someone else in an awkward situation may have asked. How have you been? Do you like it here in Lhavit? Elhaym had spoken to him about Julian's reaction to the incident a few weeks past, and he did not intend to drudge those memories up if he could. Instead, he focused on the present. They stood at the beginnings of the long stairway leading to the Shinyama Monastary.

"I suppose if you are busy, you don't have to come. I've finished with my students for the day... no, no, it was an ethics class. Not everything is as you probably saw with Udasai. In any case, my offer stands. There will be hot tea and food can be prepared if you wish. I do owe you after all, for at least carrying her as far as you did. She is troublesome at times."

Kota's tone was so formal that it was painfully obvious it was not his native language. It seemed speaking casually was beyond him. A slight smile spread once again, indicating his hopes.

[Julian]

Their conversation went relatively unnoticed by the passing Lhavitians, Julian upon the circular stone bench and Elhaym against the tree in the center. Neither of them quite fit into the scenery: Julian didn't bother with the local dresscodes, donned in some dark green affair trimmed with white and gold, finished with an emerald silk vest. The Acolyte, well, she was dressed like an Acolyte, which wasn't so uncommon on the Shinyama peak. Covered head to toe in mud and dirt, however, she stood out nearly just as much as Julian did. But Lhavit's twilight darkness was kind to them, and while their forms were painted softly by the street lights and the continuous glow of the city, they were given their relative privacy. After Julian was finished talking, the silence grew awkward again. Eventually becoming impatient, he finally turned to Elhaym to get his reply. She did not look conscious. "Elhaym?" Julian called to her cautiously, after a momentary pause. It was quite clear she had passed out. Her head hung off to the side at an awkward angle and her mouth was left ajar. Aside from that, she did look quite comfortable in her spot against the tree. Julian's form sank with a befuddled sigh. Now what was he supposed to do with her? For some reason, his first thought was carrying her all the way back to his room at the Shooting Star Inn, but that was both impractical and... quite honestly a little creepy. The most practical thing to do would be bringing her back to the Shinyama Pavilion. The thought made him uneasy. Showing his face around there again, after storming out the way he did, was not something he was looking forward to. Julian also worried that Elhaym herself might face repercussions if they saw the state she had worked herself into. The musician had made the mistake of assuming the warrior knew her own limits, and while she acted ill, try not to be over-concerned for her well-being. He was disappointed that she was more helpless than he first assumed. I thought you were different, too, he thought bitterly, his mind drifting back to that scathing remark. Getting up from his bench, Julian leaned over and placed his hand on her shoulder. He shook her gently, trying to wake her up, but her head just lolled on her shoulders as if it were attached by a string. She was most certainly out cold. Julian straightened with a sigh, and shook his head, but put on a smirk. "Oh good. I finally talk to someone about my problems, and she falls asleep." Julian glanced around awkwardly, wondering if he should ask a passerby for help. He could just leave her there, and let the city take care of her, but that would be downright cold. Taking her Shinyama Pavilion seemed to be the only solution that made sense. Hesitantly, Julian knelt down next to her again, slipping an arm around her back. After glancing at the state of her legs, flat on the ground, he cleared his throat. "Pardon me, Miss Furuma. I swear I'm only doing this for your own good." He slipped his hand under the backs of her knees, propping up her legs so he could get a better grip on her. "I wouldn't ordinarily mind this sort of closeness, but I do prefer women to be conscious when I touch them." Julian spoke to the unconscious woman more for his own comfort than hers. He was a little annoyed that helping her meant getting himself nice and covered in the same water and mud that stained her clothing. It wasn't as if silk were expensive, or anything. The moisture bled through his clothes and felt cold on his skin, but he did his best to ignore it. After he was sure that he had a firm hold on her, he attempted to straighten his leg and push himself up. He didn't get far, and Elhaym's body fumbled a bit in his arms. "Oh," he remarked to himself, raising an eyebrow at her. "You know, you're a lot heavier than you look." Julian didn't know enough about physical wellness or fitness to be aware of the fact that muscle was heavier than fat. Nevertheless, he corrected his grip on her and tried again, this time reaching his feet much easier. Good thing he was only carrying her as far as the Shinyama Pavilion. He wasn't exactly struggling to carry her, but he doubted he could make it all the way back to Surya Plaza without needing to stop for a break. He pressed into the Shinyama streets, trying to ignore whatever odd looks he might attract. It wasn't long before Julian was surprised to hear his name called by a man's voice he didn't recognize. He paused and glanced over his shoulder, confused. He answered Kota's friendly smile with a stern, incredulous look that demanded, do I know you? "Oh, you're Kota," Julian replied in turn, taking an extra moment to scrupulously study the man's face. Like others of his ilk, he wore the same gentle features as any Lhavitian. Since arriving in the city, which the native Syliran had never seen before, Julian had decided that the men who lived here actually seemed to look like him, not the other way around. It had certainly been educational to explore this previously unconsidered portion of his ethnic background. Either way, they were handsome, and Julian didn't mind admitting he found them pleasing to look at. Narcissism at its worst, he thought jokingly with an inward smile. "Yes, of course." As he transferred the unconscious woman to Kota's arms, thus giving him the joy of dirtying his own clothes with Udasai's "training," Julian had a moment to digest what Kota had said to explain how he knew his name. Odd, he speculated, I've barely heard anything about you. Best keep thoughts like that to himself. That sort of territorial jealousy was there, at the bottom of his throat, but it was primal and Julian mostly ignored it. He wasn't interested in any romantic venture with this woman, even if it bothered him slightly to look into the eyes of the man who was. An entirely unrelated sting of jealousy struck him to see that Kota carried Elhaym without any struggle at all. He took his frustration out on the clumps of wet dirt that hung on his clothing. Julian wasn't interested in making this situation any more awkward than it had to be, so he followed Kota's insistence and fell into pace next to him. He continued to brush himself off as the man spoke. "Aside from this odd predicament, I'm not altogether busy," Julian answered flatly, his eyes briefly flicking toward Elhaym's form. The way Kota held her, she looked like she was where she belonged. The musician was a bit envious of both of them. "I'm not sure what happened to her. She will be all right, I hope? Is Udasai's training that exhausting?" Julian rolled his shoulder, still recovering from carrying the muscled woman. He wasn't weak by any standard, but he wasn't used to any sort of physical strain. Julian pocketed his hands as he inhaled the scent of imminent rainfall. "Yes, I do," he answered cordially, again intrigued that Kota knew anything about Julian, when all he knew of Kota was a once-mentioned name. "I'm not really all that good with the instrument, but I try. I'm always looking to improve. I'd be interested to hear you on the violin. I personally struggle with any musical instrument that isn't at least half as large as I am." He flashed a brief smile. Kota's tone was practiced; friendly but curt. His assertion of polite conversation was a little unnerving. Julian found it hard to be sure whether Kota's friendliness was genuine, or cautious probing. Probably some of both. The precarious conundrum of a man who trusts his lover, but not the men she associates with. "That's a relief," the musician chuckled softly - somewhat forced - at Kota's mention of Udasai's display. "And yes, I have time to spare. I won't be needed at the Shooting Star for at least another two bells. It would be my pleasure to join you for tea. I don't actually know Elhaym very well, I'm not sure how much comfort I can offer. You may have heard that I'm new to Lhavit, and it would be good to make your acquaintances. I haven't established many connections yet, here in the city." He found an opportunity here to insert his question. Why hadn't she told me anything about you? It was a conceited wonder, and it probably meant nothing. Either way, the conversation was still easy and polite, and Julian would leave Kota the honor of intensifying any dramatic tension between them. "What... what exactly has she told you about me?"

[Elhaym]

The first fat raindrops began to fall as Kota ascended the first steps of the winding stairwell to the Monastery. It looked in the near distance, a juggernaut of a structure that looked as much a fortress as any monastery. Kota shook his head, letting a small hint of disgust cross his features. He bundled Elhaym closer to him, and in her sleep she groaned and placed a hand against his chest. The grimace faded into a smile. Turning his attention back to Julian, he nodded towards the stairs.

"We should hurry. I don't want her to get soaked on top of everything else."

Kota stepped lightly, but the burden of his lover wasn't as manageable while climbing. After a chime of brisk movement, he turned back to Julian to answer the question he had voiced before they started moving. He realized it might seem as though he were putting it off. Well, perhaps he had. Just a bit. Elhaym had spoken at length of what she remembered from their first encounter, as well as tidbits of their meeting. She hadn't been as forthcoming about what she had said as she was with his words, but Kota suspected she was slightly embarrassed by them when he finally pulled them out of her. In truth he had been proud.

"Well, in her own words… you are a flamboyant ninny who complains too much and needs to stay away from the sauce. Very colorful, eh?" he said with a grin. It faded to seriousness when he began speaking again. "She felt deeply the effects of what she had done. The Shinya are warriors in practice, but we do not kill often. It's my personal opinion mind you, that she needed someone to talk to. Of course, the Shinya were here for her. But who better to talk to than the man who was there when it happened? I think it was a matter of comfort, really. How could we really tell her everything was alright when we weren't there? The way it sounded, you saved her life Julian."

Kota closed his eyes, sighing as his legs worked their way up the stone stairwell. If only he had been there… but he could not be everywhere at once. She was not a child to be watched or to have her hand held at all times. "Thank you for protecting her." Yet the words carried a tinge of sadness that spoke clearly his wishes that he could have been the one to save her.

A few chimes passed as they made their way into the inner courtyards of the Monastery. The rain would not abide a casual sprinkle for long, and the sky threatened to unleash it's fury at any moment. It was a relief as they passed through two large wooden doors into the cool corridors of stone.

Flanked now by several younger men and women garbed in blue, Kota and Julian snaked through the hallways and up several smaller flights of stairs. The interior was well lit with prismatic crystal vases containing small fires, and their light made what would have been reminiscent of a dreary Syliran corridor into a scene of beauty. Kota stopped at a large nondescript wooden door, nodding at one of the younger men. He opened the door quickly, ushering Kota and his guest inside.

"Welcome to my home. And Elhaym's." Kota added as he looked over his shoulder. The younger men and women were apparently servants. The door was closed behind Julian and they set to work lighting small fires and preparing a pot of tea. Kota dissapeared into a largish chamber as he informed Julian he was to make himself at home.

To think that Elhaym lived here was a bit odd. Rather than stone, the floors were gleaming wooden planks polished to a mirror finish. A small table level with Julian's knees was set to the side and surrounded by small pillows. It was spacious, perhaps even more so because the space was not filled with junk. Everything was crisp and clean, yet it wasn't as sterile as the Pavilion had been. Here and there were remnants of life; a pipe and pouch of tabac, a cluttered writing desk, and of course a violin propped against a wall in the corner next to a particularly plump pillow on the ground. Double doors leading to what appeared to be a balcony sat on the far side of the room, and above them three swords were mounted against the wall with some sort of inscription mounted just above them. It was strange, but it was home.

Kota emerged from what could only have been their bedroom, striding purposefully towards Julian. Oddly he no longer wore his Shinya attire, but an outfit that would have been far more at home on the body of a wealthy Syliran merchant. Eastern cut black slacks fell over the top of polished boots that shone almost as much as the flooring they stepped upon. He wore a snug fitting red coat embroidered with gold along the cuffs and collar.

"Elhaym thinks my clothes are boring, so she has me wear... this. I can't say I would have ever bought it on my own, but there is a certain appeal I suppose." He said, absently tugging at his sleeve. "Oh. Your coat."

"Tatuo, come! My guest's coat has been sullied. Have it cleaned with all haste. Go!" Kota yelled in a surprising tone of command, a man ordering his servants. A young woman rushed to Julian's side, offering to take his coat and any other garments he wished cleaned in a meek tone with downcast eyes.

"I'm sorry about that. In any case, come, come." Kota said, walking a few steps through a narrow archway into a previously unseen room. Several eastern style chairs were arranged inside with thick padding, a low table centered in the middle.

"Elhaym insisted that if she had friends over she wouldn't make them sit on the floor." He muttered, taking a place awkwardly in one of the chairs. He wiggled uncomfortably, obviously preferring the typical Lhavitian seating arrangement. As they sat, another servant bustled into the room with a tray. He offered Kota his tea with a bow before turning to Julian. Any amount of honey or sugar was available on it's surface for him to request, and when he had been served the young man left. Kota tried to be a good host, fielding any comments or questions Julian undoubtedly had. He was still not sure where he stood with the man. He wasn't a jealous person per say, but he had mannerisms and an aura about him that bordered on raising the hairs on his neck. As if an afterthought, Kota eventually brought the subject back to Elhaym.

"She'll be fine, in case you wondered. She just needs to rest for a while. She tries to be steel, but even steel can bend and break. Do you know why Elhaym is here in Lhavit Julian?"