Louree busied herself with cleaning up the mess she made as best she could. She had destroyed a table in the corner with her shield, so she now stacked slivers of wood on her shield, which sat on the floor. A pile of sticks was near it. She knelt, sagging pathetically, and her movements were slow and clumsy.
Antimony entered her room with a short, polite knock first, pushing the door open with one shoulder. In her hands was a broad platter with a small loaf of bread, three small halves of what looks like some kind of gourd steaming hot, and yes - olives. She flashed an uncertain smile at Loughree's back. "I hope you like pumpkin... It, ah, seems to have been today's special."
Ulanan watched the young Miqo'te's cleaning antics with great attention, expecting her to throw a tantrum and sharp wooden bits everywhere. She barely paid Antimony's entrance any attention.
Lou flinched heavily when Anti entered the room, her tail still fluffed up wider than her leg suddenly sticking straight out behind her. She only lost a few splinters of wood as she turned back to look at Antimony, seeming to be half-expecting some kind of monster. When it's only Anti, though, she quickly tried to finish her cleaning. "I... yes. I'm almost done."
Her brow furrowing, Antimony moved to set the platter down on the small nightstand at the foot of the bed to her left. "You don't... well, the staff here could have handled it."
"I didn't want to be rude," Loughree answered, her tone clipped and fast. She pushed the wood out of the way and stood with a slight sway.
Worry flashed in Antimony's eyes. "Sit. And eat. Ah..." She glanced towards Ulanan. "There isn't much in the way of chairs now, but the bed will do."
"Cleaning is a course to comfort the consciousness." Ulanan nodded sagely. "And eating eases the inculpation!"
Loughree turned to look at the food wearily, pausing for a moment. She then walked over to the door and pushed on it, making sure its locked and testing the strength of the knob.
Antimony turned slightly to follow Loughree's movements, pressing her lips together as the miqo'te checked the door. "You're safe here," she reiterated. Ulanan did not add anything to that.
"I've thought that before. Just hedging my bets." Loughree turned from the door quickly, and as she walked over towards the bed, she began to un-fasten the various bindings that hold her gauntlets in place. I don't know how armor works.
Antimony stood awkwardly to one side for several seconds before moving to pick up a small plate on the tray and holding it towards Ulanan. It's piled with olives. She forces a smile. "I thought you might appreciate these."
"I do! Thank you." she smiled, taking a few steps forward and taking the plate.
Loughree snagged an olive of the plate and pops it in her mouth as she walks around Ulanan. Her gauntlets come off her hands and fall near the pile of ood off to the side. She speaks around the olive in her teeth, "I don't know why you're taking care of me."
Attention pulled from Ulanan and the olives, Antimony looked up to Loughree and blinked. "Why wouldn't I? You're in need, and, ah... I can't help but feel a little responsible.."
"What?" She looked over her shoulder, "The only reason you're involved is because I was busy arresting you when someone tried to off me. How does that make you responsible?"
Ulanan pondered about that but found no good answer. So she chose to munch on some olives instead. Antimony winced. "Well, if it is Megiddo, I... ah. But regardless, it's... not as though I hold anything against you."
"You don't owe me anything either. As far as you can tell I'm just some crooked Blade and a hiseous mess besides."
Antimony frowned suddenly, looked away, and huffed. "That is hardly the point. You should be a bit more grateful if, as you say, I should have no reason to do this."
"We are not expecting you to repay us in any shape or form, if that is what worries you,†Ulanan stated.
Loughree spun to face the others, "I'm not ungrateful. Altruism is suspicious. I am going to repay you whether you like it or not, somehow."
Antimony's expression softened slightly and she gestured towards the platter. "The first thing you can do for me is eat. It will help, I assure you."
Ulanan nodded. "Start by accepting our altruism, then! There's no better reward for the kind than to see their kindness accepted.â€
Uttering a somewhat unconvinced huff, Loughree sat on the bed and began the process of removing her greaves. "I'll eat in a second. Not if I'm the only person eating, though."
"I'm eating." Ulanan declared, raising her plate of olives at chin level and taking some with her free hand.
"You're not eating it." Lou managed her greaves from her feet and then carried the heavy things over to lay next to her gauntlets.
"It... I'm waiting for you to be ready. That's... well, it's polite," Antimony huffed.
"I, on the other hand, have no manners!" And four more olives went into Ulanan’s mouth.
"Different people have different manners. I was raised in the woods, so I guess I don't get it." She finally walked over and looked down at the plates of food Antimony brought in.
"Then we can affirm that each one of us is being polite in their own unique way."
"How else to ensure you get your--ah, just eat it!" She hesitated and then sighed, "Please," before moving to pick up one of the pumpkin halves and a spoon.
Loughree grabbed herself some pumpkin and a spoon, sat on the bed, and went to town.
Ulanan waited, watching Loughree go to town. After a moment, she frowned, for the Miqo'te woman did not go to town at all! She tried to strike a conversation, though: "So how did a woods-woman end in the Brass Blades?"
Antimony paused at Ulanan's question, spoon stuck in her mouth. Her ears tilted towards Loughree.
Pausing long enough to swallow what's in her mouth, Lou stabbed the spoon into the pumpkin and straightened her posture. She answered, "I grew up in the Shroud. I didn't like my life there. When the Calamity killed everyone I decided it was a good time to relocate. And I wanted to get very far away from Grandfather. I ran."
Antimony frowned as she swallowed a bite of pumkin. "Grandfather. Why--" Her frown deepened. "I don't understand why he would... try to kill you."
"Maybe he did not take it kindly that she would run away from him. Such is the logic of cruel men," Ulanan suggested.
"Megiddo isn't cruel," Antimony protested and then looked very uncomfortable, either at her assertion, or the situation, or something else.
Loughree looked sideways at Antimony, and said gravely, "And how would you know if he's cruel or not?"
Hovering her spoon over her pumpkin, Antimony blinked towards Loughree. "I... well, he's never... except for the one time--but he didn't actually...! Ah..."
Ulanan looked down to her almost empty plate of olives, shaking her head. "Antimony isn't very good at judging old men in the street, as you can see." She chuckled. At this, Antimony frowned, unsure if she should feel offended.
Lou's tail shivered, her gaze remaining on Antimony. "He killed my mother. She was a good woman. He killed lots of my family, actually. And lots and lots of strangers."
Antimony stilled, even her tail ceasing its slow swaying, and went very quiet for a time. Her eyes shifted down to the gourd in her hand, discomfort evident in her expression. "I... am sorry. I didn't intend to--that is to say, I... did not know."
Dropping her gaze to Ulanan, she said, "I don't know why he's after me. I'm supposed to be safe in Ul'dah. It's been years. He isn't supposed to know I'm here."
Antimony's ears drooped suddenly, her eyes shifting guiltily towards Ulanan. The lalafell raised one olive between two fingers. "The important thing is that he found you. What will you do?"
"I don't know," she answered, taking the spoon and carving into the pumpkin. "Get rid of him somehow. I can't run again. I have... roots in Ul'dah."
"Get rid of..." Antimony's ears hung lower; she rolled her spoon between her fingers. "I... still don't understand why he - or you - would... do any of this."
Snapping her gaze to Antimony, Loughree shouted, "I'm not doing anything! I ahve to protect myself! I have mouths to feed who are counting on me! What am I supposed to do!?"
"Sometimes the past catches up to you and tries to butcher you. And for no good reason,†Ulanan said to Antimony.
Flinching, Antimony shook her head hastily, "That's not what I--I did not mean you were..." She looks up towards the ceiling, tail flicking as the lines in her face deepened with distress. "I don't understand how family could hurt one another in such a way."
Going back to her pumpkin with angry motions, Loughree muttered, "You must have a really nice family, then."
Antimony's fingers curled tense around her pumpkin, gaze locked away from Loughree. "That... is not a reason," she uttered lowly.
Ulanan walked over the table and left her empty plate on it. Looking at Loughree, she said: "I imagine you have discarded telling the authorities about this?"
"I am the authorities. Do you have any idea how humiliating it would be to ask Lamandu or the Flames for help? They can't do a damn thing."
The lalafell frowned. "Then who can?"
"It is not humiliating to ask for help," Antimony said firmly. "Perhaps there... if someone could talk to him..." She sighed and shook her head.
Ignoring Antimony for the moment, Loughree grudgingly considers Ulanan. "Nobody I know of. I can't afford to hire anyone..."
"I'm sure a solution will present itself sooner or later."
Loughree frowned and put her food aside, "That's comforting," but of course she meant this sarcasticly. She rose and turned her back on the two, pulling at the buckles on her chainmail to make it fall slack.
"There's..." Antimony worried at her food a bit, looking uncomfortable, and then, "It... would be better to simply rest tonight. We, ah, can't do anything from here." She hesitated a moment and then, "You... mentioned you have... mouths to feed. May I ask...?"
"You can ask," Loughree said as she knelt near the bed. She began to shirk her chain-mail over her head, an obviously laborious task with all this heavy metal in one single piece.
Antimony frowned, ears laying flat briefly. "Well." Her tail twitched. "Who are you referring to? Are children involved? Would Me--would he go after...?"
Throwing her chainmail down heavily, Loughree answered tonelessly, "Yes." As she stood full again, posture rigid.
At this, Antimony's eyes widened, her eyes darting towards the door. "What! N--where?? I should--they should be taken some place safe!"
Ulanan kept quiet.
"I already did!" Loughree shouted without looking behind her. She crossed her arms over her stomach and glared at the wall, silencing herself to mutter, "I sent her away It was the first thing I did. She didn't understand. I couldn't tell her that..."
Brow furrowing in a mix of worry, confusion, and empathy, Antimony pressed her lips together into a tight line. Her tail shook behind her in agitation. "Children," she breathed. "He would really...?" Shaking her head furiously, she set her food back down on the platter. "I... am sorry. I told you to try and rest. This... does not help." Ulanan failed at words.
Looking at the bed, Loughree said, "Someone was going to watch...?"
"I will."
Antimony nodded at Ulanan's words. "You will not be harmed here."
"I won't rest too long, so you don't have to watch for too long."
"Don't worry about it. Take whatever time you need. Right, Antimony?" Ulanan followed this with a smile.
"Of course," Antimony agreed solemnly, features pulled into a slight frown.
Loughree lowered herself to her knees. "Alright
"You may, ah, use the bed," Antimony offered after a moment.
"I'm not sleeping in your bed."
Ulanan blinked once. "Will you accept at least some blankets?"
Antimony blinked as well, off-put. "... Oh. Well, it's not my bed; it belongs to the Quicksand. But... ah, yes! You can borrow a blanket. And a pillow."
Loughree took hold of the blanket on the bed and pulled it towards herself, observing, "This blanket smells like the guy who pulled the needle out of my eye," as she wrapped herself up in it, covering her head and much of her face as well as her body before flopping over on her side.
Antimony winced. "Ah, yes, well... You did... he was injured, so I helped him as well."
Ulanan smirked briefly and once she was done with that she took Antimony's sleeve and pulled her. "Don't chit chat when she's about to rest. Out we go!"
Her voice muffled by the blanket, Loughree said quickly, "Antimony needs to stay in here with me. I can't be left alone."
Ulanan just stated: "I shall be right outside the door," before turning around and leaving the room.
Antimony blinked, took a step as though to follow Ulanan before processing Loughree's words and kind of wobbling between actions for a second. Finally she settled back into place and turned a concerned look on Loughree's back.
Lou added after Ulanan left, "Just because you don't see him come in doesn't mean he isn't here. Don't leave me alone."
Clasping her hands together, Antimony sighed. "I understand. I won't leave." She crossed the room to the table then, with its myriad papers, and settled into the chair.
Loughree didn't respond. Her puffed-out tail had been thinning down for awhile and was now it's typical degree of fuziness. It lifted and fell as Loughree lay in silence on the floor, undled up as though it were frigidly cold. Antimony did not have much she could think of to say, but did have much to think about. She maintained an uneasy silence. That fuzzy blonde tail continued to swing up and down even after Loughree fell asleep.
Antimony entered her room with a short, polite knock first, pushing the door open with one shoulder. In her hands was a broad platter with a small loaf of bread, three small halves of what looks like some kind of gourd steaming hot, and yes - olives. She flashed an uncertain smile at Loughree's back. "I hope you like pumpkin... It, ah, seems to have been today's special."
Ulanan watched the young Miqo'te's cleaning antics with great attention, expecting her to throw a tantrum and sharp wooden bits everywhere. She barely paid Antimony's entrance any attention.
Lou flinched heavily when Anti entered the room, her tail still fluffed up wider than her leg suddenly sticking straight out behind her. She only lost a few splinters of wood as she turned back to look at Antimony, seeming to be half-expecting some kind of monster. When it's only Anti, though, she quickly tried to finish her cleaning. "I... yes. I'm almost done."
Her brow furrowing, Antimony moved to set the platter down on the small nightstand at the foot of the bed to her left. "You don't... well, the staff here could have handled it."
"I didn't want to be rude," Loughree answered, her tone clipped and fast. She pushed the wood out of the way and stood with a slight sway.
Worry flashed in Antimony's eyes. "Sit. And eat. Ah..." She glanced towards Ulanan. "There isn't much in the way of chairs now, but the bed will do."
"Cleaning is a course to comfort the consciousness." Ulanan nodded sagely. "And eating eases the inculpation!"
Loughree turned to look at the food wearily, pausing for a moment. She then walked over to the door and pushed on it, making sure its locked and testing the strength of the knob.
Antimony turned slightly to follow Loughree's movements, pressing her lips together as the miqo'te checked the door. "You're safe here," she reiterated. Ulanan did not add anything to that.
"I've thought that before. Just hedging my bets." Loughree turned from the door quickly, and as she walked over towards the bed, she began to un-fasten the various bindings that hold her gauntlets in place. I don't know how armor works.
Antimony stood awkwardly to one side for several seconds before moving to pick up a small plate on the tray and holding it towards Ulanan. It's piled with olives. She forces a smile. "I thought you might appreciate these."
"I do! Thank you." she smiled, taking a few steps forward and taking the plate.
Loughree snagged an olive of the plate and pops it in her mouth as she walks around Ulanan. Her gauntlets come off her hands and fall near the pile of ood off to the side. She speaks around the olive in her teeth, "I don't know why you're taking care of me."
Attention pulled from Ulanan and the olives, Antimony looked up to Loughree and blinked. "Why wouldn't I? You're in need, and, ah... I can't help but feel a little responsible.."
"What?" She looked over her shoulder, "The only reason you're involved is because I was busy arresting you when someone tried to off me. How does that make you responsible?"
Ulanan pondered about that but found no good answer. So she chose to munch on some olives instead. Antimony winced. "Well, if it is Megiddo, I... ah. But regardless, it's... not as though I hold anything against you."
"You don't owe me anything either. As far as you can tell I'm just some crooked Blade and a hiseous mess besides."
Antimony frowned suddenly, looked away, and huffed. "That is hardly the point. You should be a bit more grateful if, as you say, I should have no reason to do this."
"We are not expecting you to repay us in any shape or form, if that is what worries you,†Ulanan stated.
Loughree spun to face the others, "I'm not ungrateful. Altruism is suspicious. I am going to repay you whether you like it or not, somehow."
Antimony's expression softened slightly and she gestured towards the platter. "The first thing you can do for me is eat. It will help, I assure you."
Ulanan nodded. "Start by accepting our altruism, then! There's no better reward for the kind than to see their kindness accepted.â€
Uttering a somewhat unconvinced huff, Loughree sat on the bed and began the process of removing her greaves. "I'll eat in a second. Not if I'm the only person eating, though."
"I'm eating." Ulanan declared, raising her plate of olives at chin level and taking some with her free hand.
"You're not eating it." Lou managed her greaves from her feet and then carried the heavy things over to lay next to her gauntlets.
"It... I'm waiting for you to be ready. That's... well, it's polite," Antimony huffed.
"I, on the other hand, have no manners!" And four more olives went into Ulanan’s mouth.
"Different people have different manners. I was raised in the woods, so I guess I don't get it." She finally walked over and looked down at the plates of food Antimony brought in.
"Then we can affirm that each one of us is being polite in their own unique way."
"How else to ensure you get your--ah, just eat it!" She hesitated and then sighed, "Please," before moving to pick up one of the pumpkin halves and a spoon.
Loughree grabbed herself some pumpkin and a spoon, sat on the bed, and went to town.
Ulanan waited, watching Loughree go to town. After a moment, she frowned, for the Miqo'te woman did not go to town at all! She tried to strike a conversation, though: "So how did a woods-woman end in the Brass Blades?"
Antimony paused at Ulanan's question, spoon stuck in her mouth. Her ears tilted towards Loughree.
Pausing long enough to swallow what's in her mouth, Lou stabbed the spoon into the pumpkin and straightened her posture. She answered, "I grew up in the Shroud. I didn't like my life there. When the Calamity killed everyone I decided it was a good time to relocate. And I wanted to get very far away from Grandfather. I ran."
Antimony frowned as she swallowed a bite of pumkin. "Grandfather. Why--" Her frown deepened. "I don't understand why he would... try to kill you."
"Maybe he did not take it kindly that she would run away from him. Such is the logic of cruel men," Ulanan suggested.
"Megiddo isn't cruel," Antimony protested and then looked very uncomfortable, either at her assertion, or the situation, or something else.
Loughree looked sideways at Antimony, and said gravely, "And how would you know if he's cruel or not?"
Hovering her spoon over her pumpkin, Antimony blinked towards Loughree. "I... well, he's never... except for the one time--but he didn't actually...! Ah..."
Ulanan looked down to her almost empty plate of olives, shaking her head. "Antimony isn't very good at judging old men in the street, as you can see." She chuckled. At this, Antimony frowned, unsure if she should feel offended.
Lou's tail shivered, her gaze remaining on Antimony. "He killed my mother. She was a good woman. He killed lots of my family, actually. And lots and lots of strangers."
Antimony stilled, even her tail ceasing its slow swaying, and went very quiet for a time. Her eyes shifted down to the gourd in her hand, discomfort evident in her expression. "I... am sorry. I didn't intend to--that is to say, I... did not know."
Dropping her gaze to Ulanan, she said, "I don't know why he's after me. I'm supposed to be safe in Ul'dah. It's been years. He isn't supposed to know I'm here."
Antimony's ears drooped suddenly, her eyes shifting guiltily towards Ulanan. The lalafell raised one olive between two fingers. "The important thing is that he found you. What will you do?"
"I don't know," she answered, taking the spoon and carving into the pumpkin. "Get rid of him somehow. I can't run again. I have... roots in Ul'dah."
"Get rid of..." Antimony's ears hung lower; she rolled her spoon between her fingers. "I... still don't understand why he - or you - would... do any of this."
Snapping her gaze to Antimony, Loughree shouted, "I'm not doing anything! I ahve to protect myself! I have mouths to feed who are counting on me! What am I supposed to do!?"
"Sometimes the past catches up to you and tries to butcher you. And for no good reason,†Ulanan said to Antimony.
Flinching, Antimony shook her head hastily, "That's not what I--I did not mean you were..." She looks up towards the ceiling, tail flicking as the lines in her face deepened with distress. "I don't understand how family could hurt one another in such a way."
Going back to her pumpkin with angry motions, Loughree muttered, "You must have a really nice family, then."
Antimony's fingers curled tense around her pumpkin, gaze locked away from Loughree. "That... is not a reason," she uttered lowly.
Ulanan walked over the table and left her empty plate on it. Looking at Loughree, she said: "I imagine you have discarded telling the authorities about this?"
"I am the authorities. Do you have any idea how humiliating it would be to ask Lamandu or the Flames for help? They can't do a damn thing."
The lalafell frowned. "Then who can?"
"It is not humiliating to ask for help," Antimony said firmly. "Perhaps there... if someone could talk to him..." She sighed and shook her head.
Ignoring Antimony for the moment, Loughree grudgingly considers Ulanan. "Nobody I know of. I can't afford to hire anyone..."
"I'm sure a solution will present itself sooner or later."
Loughree frowned and put her food aside, "That's comforting," but of course she meant this sarcasticly. She rose and turned her back on the two, pulling at the buckles on her chainmail to make it fall slack.
"There's..." Antimony worried at her food a bit, looking uncomfortable, and then, "It... would be better to simply rest tonight. We, ah, can't do anything from here." She hesitated a moment and then, "You... mentioned you have... mouths to feed. May I ask...?"
"You can ask," Loughree said as she knelt near the bed. She began to shirk her chain-mail over her head, an obviously laborious task with all this heavy metal in one single piece.
Antimony frowned, ears laying flat briefly. "Well." Her tail twitched. "Who are you referring to? Are children involved? Would Me--would he go after...?"
Throwing her chainmail down heavily, Loughree answered tonelessly, "Yes." As she stood full again, posture rigid.
At this, Antimony's eyes widened, her eyes darting towards the door. "What! N--where?? I should--they should be taken some place safe!"
Ulanan kept quiet.
"I already did!" Loughree shouted without looking behind her. She crossed her arms over her stomach and glared at the wall, silencing herself to mutter, "I sent her away It was the first thing I did. She didn't understand. I couldn't tell her that..."
Brow furrowing in a mix of worry, confusion, and empathy, Antimony pressed her lips together into a tight line. Her tail shook behind her in agitation. "Children," she breathed. "He would really...?" Shaking her head furiously, she set her food back down on the platter. "I... am sorry. I told you to try and rest. This... does not help." Ulanan failed at words.
Looking at the bed, Loughree said, "Someone was going to watch...?"
"I will."
Antimony nodded at Ulanan's words. "You will not be harmed here."
"I won't rest too long, so you don't have to watch for too long."
"Don't worry about it. Take whatever time you need. Right, Antimony?" Ulanan followed this with a smile.
"Of course," Antimony agreed solemnly, features pulled into a slight frown.
Loughree lowered herself to her knees. "Alright
"You may, ah, use the bed," Antimony offered after a moment.
"I'm not sleeping in your bed."
Ulanan blinked once. "Will you accept at least some blankets?"
Antimony blinked as well, off-put. "... Oh. Well, it's not my bed; it belongs to the Quicksand. But... ah, yes! You can borrow a blanket. And a pillow."
Loughree took hold of the blanket on the bed and pulled it towards herself, observing, "This blanket smells like the guy who pulled the needle out of my eye," as she wrapped herself up in it, covering her head and much of her face as well as her body before flopping over on her side.
Antimony winced. "Ah, yes, well... You did... he was injured, so I helped him as well."
Ulanan smirked briefly and once she was done with that she took Antimony's sleeve and pulled her. "Don't chit chat when she's about to rest. Out we go!"
Her voice muffled by the blanket, Loughree said quickly, "Antimony needs to stay in here with me. I can't be left alone."
Ulanan just stated: "I shall be right outside the door," before turning around and leaving the room.
Antimony blinked, took a step as though to follow Ulanan before processing Loughree's words and kind of wobbling between actions for a second. Finally she settled back into place and turned a concerned look on Loughree's back.
Lou added after Ulanan left, "Just because you don't see him come in doesn't mean he isn't here. Don't leave me alone."
Clasping her hands together, Antimony sighed. "I understand. I won't leave." She crossed the room to the table then, with its myriad papers, and settled into the chair.
Loughree didn't respond. Her puffed-out tail had been thinning down for awhile and was now it's typical degree of fuziness. It lifted and fell as Loughree lay in silence on the floor, undled up as though it were frigidly cold. Antimony did not have much she could think of to say, but did have much to think about. She maintained an uneasy silence. That fuzzy blonde tail continued to swing up and down even after Loughree fell asleep.
"Song dogs barking at the break of dawn, lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm; and these streets, quiet as a sleeping army, send their battered dreams to heaven."
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