From: Kathryn Alicia Don (KathrynAlicia_at_netscape.net)
Date: Fri Jan 16 2004 - 03:31:22 GMT
((First thing in the door after arriving back at the inn. If anyone decided to eavesdrop please do as they weren't being secretive or anything.))
"Kessie-"
"You don't mind if I call you that right, because I'm calling you it anyways. A change of name can be quite liberating, let me assure you. Like a breath of fresh air-"
"We should talk a bit while we prepare for a proper evening. I don't know about you, but cleanliness is a blessing of the passions and I deserve all the blessings I can get. A good hot bath is in order. My tab."
Not giving her much time to argue Siri made sure that the woman's fresh clothes were with her before hustling her down to the bathing area where they could speak somewhat privately in a warm room with several heated tubs all lined in rows. Pithy little linen sheets cornered off each room, but as they did no good for conversation, much less privacy Siri flipped it up so the two could talk.
"You need to talk," Siri said, pulling off her high boots. "Go on sister, I'm listening."
Kestrel watched Siri, though less guarded. Who can say if this is a trap, she thought. "Kestrel was not my orginal name its my new one."
"Ahhh, so you do know the trick. Siri's not mine either. In fact I'm wondering how Andre knew to call me that." Siri says, peeling off her gloves.
"He seems like the sort to pick up on anything. everything started a long time ago but it seems like yesterday at times." She leans back and seems to look off into the distance
"How old were you when you were taken?"
"Thats just it. I wasn't taken. This may seem to take the long route but it will explain things. You see Nightwind has been a part of my life for almost my entire life."
"Unfortantly when disaster struck he was off traing as he had joined the city watch. He was training and I was accused of murder. And found guilty despite the messed up investigation"
Siri shook her head. "Whoa there, back up the caravan. When did you become a slave?"
"I'm getting there. I was about 13 or so when this all happened. Equal to 13 human years that is." She sighs
"Oh, ok. Sorry about that." Siri side stepped a bit behind the flap of cloth to remove the rest of her clothes. At least she had some modicrum of modesty.
"You see there was a corrupt official he had done the murder but paid the guard to taint the evidence and bribed the judge to find me guilty. The official then sold me to a man." Kestrel finally decides to prepare for a bath in the section wanting to relax badly
Siri stepped back out with her back tand into her tub quickly, only giving a moment to look at the horrid mess of scars over her back and shoulders and lower body. She stepped into the water with a content sigh and glanced back Kestrel's way. "So Nightwind rescued you I take it?"
"Mmm. To an extent. I was used as a pleasure slave at that tender age. And only attempted escape once. The...punishment...I recieved was severe enough to prevent any future attemptd. Nightwind found me after my second master freed me. That one was very kind. He let me work with his creatures and never laid a hand on me for any reason. A lady of the night took me in and guarded me. Nightwind came along and nearly got skinned by her. Luckily I recognized him. we had changed over the years. He is far quieter. And more subdued than he used to be. Its as if whatever he faced took some of the sparkle out of life, but then he uncovered the corruption in our home. That must have been hard."
"Kessie I'm confused. How did he know you from long ago? Was he a part of one of your owner's household or something like that? Are the two of you related? Or married? What do you mean your home? Was he a slave too?"
"No. We grew up together and he tracked me through the paper trail and then by rumor. It took him until I had been free for two years to find me." Now Kestrel's back is revealed. There are whip marks but not as bad as Siri's back and on her right shoulder is a brand that marks her as a runaway slave.
"So he must love you very much." Siri said with a smile, seemingly completely unphased by anything said as of yet and instead looking very much like a rangy cat relaxing in her tub.
"I don't know it seems he has taken a shine to you." Kestrel smiles teasingly "And he had a crush nothing more."
Siri laughs. "My dear, I'm not in the market for a love at all, but if I was he'd be quite the catch I'm sure. I've always been fond of those who have the good sense to hold their tongue until it is the right moment to say what should be said. I just shoot off at the mouth moving faster than a speeding stallion and usually regret it in the end."
"-And will go to Deaths Kingdom and back if it is needed to protect those he loves. Then you complement him. You can show him that life isn't that bad. Besides he never gives me or any other female the gallant treatment as he did you." Kestrel slips into the warm water with a soft teasing laugh.
"Trust me, he'd be better off without me. I've enough trouble to write my own epic." Siri began to scrub at her arm in annoyance.
"He needs trouble. It keeps him out of trouble."
Siri sighs, the slightest edge of warning rising in her voice. "How about we put it this way. I wouldn't know what to do with the fellow. Most men scare the wits out of me, only instead of being smart like you and shying away I get mouthy and attack them back, even if they meant no harm."
Kestrel laughs "Good. My shying is bad and makes them want to come closer and play comforter."
"You deserve to be comforted. And you have a guardian that would skewer one for having a mere gleam of trouble in his eye. Why do you worry still?"
"He has paid little heed to me lately besides I like that archer. He doesn't scare me."
"You like Trystan?" Siri nearly giggled, but stopped reminding herself of how annoying she found it when other women did so. It was a terribly girlish thing to do and Siri was far past the age of being a twittering fool. "How very sweet! You should have him court you then."
Kestrel smiled. "Maybe I will if he is so inclined." She tosses her hair.
"Then incline him! It's not so hard. Bat those big eyes of yours at him and ask him to take his dinner with you. Even I've had to be charming enough at times to know that."
She blushed. "Alright if you do the same with Nightwind. Distract my watchdog for me."
"I'll distract your watchdog, though I'm not anything near romanticly inclined Kessie. Don't expect that or you'll be sorely disappointed. I take it on your good word that he's a good man and have seen that he has a good heart. But I have my reasons for not wanting him near."
"Like a certain husband who doesn't know the meaning of thw words 'Go away'?"
Siri grinned a viscious little grin. "Go away?" Siri shook her head. "He couldn't get the meaning of a knife in his gut either."
"You actually did a gut wound and he survived?!" Kestrel looked shocked at his surviving that.
Siri began ticking off tasks on her fingers as she recounted them."I've pushed him down stairs. I've poisoned him. I've slit his throat. I've hustled him off a balcony. I've strangled him, I've gouged his eyes. Did he get the point? No.. He has very loyal guards, a healer on retainer and a large stock of last chance salves." Siri tilted her head to the side, trying to ease her shoulder under the water.
"Sheesh. Try destroying all the salves first?"
"Not without setting a large fire. And I was never really alone long enough to get that done. I had guards posted at all times after I got the idea to start doing the same to myself. I just couldn't stand the thought of making a baby for that demon."
"A child? Is the child with him?"
Siri's chin jutted out defiantly. "I never had any children Kessie. That was the point of trying to do myself in. I was never successful but we never did have children either. I wasn't ever pregnant that I recalled. A healthy dose of mistletoe makes sure of that." She lied, but it was the nice thing to do. Kestrel had the look of a softer heart than Siri allowed to show, though the thoughts did plague on occasion of all the what could have beens..
"Ah. You need a child with all that maternal instinct you have."
"I probably can't have them now dearie. I'm a little worn down for that kind of thing. Besides, we've got our little team now. They count, yes?"
Kestrel smiles softly to herself "Miracles still happen" Thens she rises and dresses again.
"Miracles my arse. We're just too tenacious a lot to give up on each other and I really love the arguing.."
"Miracles happen if you look for them Siri. They really do."
Siri yawned and stretched. "Then I believe that someone will drop a castle complete with 100 foot battlements straight on top of Gavin's head right now! There. That's miracle enough for one night. Shall we go dine? Or should I say shall I go intervene so you may dine?"
Kestrel grins "Nightwind will be easy for you. You already have his complete attention."
"Bah. You imagine much. But dinner it is anyways." Siri shook out her hair, letting it become a hapless mess of red curls before redressing. "Oh, by the way. I'm Serena."
"Kestrel is my only name for now. I dropped the other one since I was nowhere near that same person."
"No problem Kessie."
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.7 : Fri Jan 16 2004 - 03:31:32 GMT