Later that evening…
Antimony idled by the table near her inn room's bed. In her hand, she fiddled with a small, bone-carved figure. On the table there rested a strangely headless doll. She frowned at the doll in thought. Not long after this scene began, a knock sounded from the door shortly before it opened.
"Hello!" Came a small voice from near the floor.
Looking up, relief briefly flashed across Antimony's features before she turned and headed to the door, opening it with an uncertain smile. She remembered to look down this time and caught sight of Ulanan.
The lalafell was, as expected, basically a big bump in the entrance. She looked up and smiled. "Hello. How are you today?"
Antimony’s own smile remained for several seconds before it fell to the same thoughtful frown she'd been wearing just prior. "I... am not entirely certain, Ulanan. Though, I suppose I'm glad you're here."
"Something happened?"Â
"Mm," Antimony replied and stepped back, gesturing for Ulanan to make herself at home - or at least as at home as one can make themselves in an inn room. "That... Well." She remembered suddenly the object she held in her hand and spun around, hastening to the bed where a small box sat and placing it inside.
Ulanan closed the door behind her, stepping forward into the room. "Work woes?" she asked.
Antimony shut the box carefully and gave it a considering look before she turned back around to Ulanan. Her forehead wrinkled with sudden worry. "No, it's not that. Well, at least it appears unrelated, but..." She pursed her lips, tail swishing behind her, and then made for the table she'd stood at before. She took the headless doll in one hand and proceeded to show it to Ulanan. "Does this look familiar to you?"
The lalafell got closer to take a look. She squinted at the doll, extending one hand towards it. "It doesn't. What's so special about it?"
"Well." She paused, frowned at the thing and shook it for no apparent reason. "Did not Megiddo purchase one that looked like this? On Pearl Lane, that night we ran into him while I was investigating."
"I can't say I was paying attention. Maybe?" One hand tapped against her chin. "Even then, I'm sure there are lots of dolls like the one he got."
Antimony frowned at that, her ears swiveling around as though searching for some sound. "Perhaps, but..." She grimaced, hesitated again, and then finally, "Well, there's nothing for it. Something did happen, Ulanan, but I don't want you fretting. I'm just... concerned about certain implications."
She frowned. "I will fret anyway. So tell me."
Antimony sighed, "I know you will." Her ears twitched; her tail followed suit. The fingers that held the headless doll fidgeted. "The details are not entirely relevant, so... Well. Miss Loughree had arrested me. I think. I'm not entirely--I mean, I was in a cell and it was--!" She coughed, cleared her throat, but only for half a second before rushing forward: "This doll appeared out of nowhere, but when Miss Loughree picked it up, it... it exploded! As though demon-possessed! Except... I do not think it was a demon."
Ulanan did not seem surprised in any shape or form about Antimony being in jail. She extended her left hand, with the palm facing upwards. "It exploded? With fire and sparks?"
For a moment, Antimony looked as though she were about to be ill as she recalled those dreadful minutes in jail. "... No. In needles. They... Well, it was not a pleasant surprise for Miss Loughree."
Ulanan shook her still raised hand. "May I see it?"
Antimony's tail shivered and she looked around the inn room as though expecting something before settling her gaze back on Ulanan. "Hm? Ah, yes. Of... of course." She held the doll out to the lalafell. Frowned. "Megiddo, he... only a few days before the... incident, I ran into him on the streets. He showed me a doll that... well, it was identical to the one I saw in jail, when it was whole. He'd fashioned it to look like a miqo'te."
Ulanan took the doll with one hand and examined it. Mostly by poking and looking inside the hole where the head was. "What did he say? About the doll."
"Oh, nothing particularly, erm, incriminating," she coughed, one ear flicking. "It was a pleasante enough conversation. He said it was for his granddaughter."
She looked down at the doll on her hand. She looked unsure. "Next time you see him, ask him if he gave her the doll."Â
"Do you... I suppose it's too much to hope that he simply misplaced it?" Once again, Antimony looked worried.
A vicious knocking shakes the door, but aborts quickly. After a moment of silence, it's replaced by a much more timid knocking.Â
Antimony blinked, looked up sharply, and then just looked confused. "Who..?" She headed towards the door. Ulanan turns to look at the door for a moment before returning her eyes to Antimony.
"Were you expecting someone?"
"No, but... Ah, perhaps it's just the cleaning lady." Opening the door, her ears cocked to one side as she peered out.
When the door opened, Loughree flinched heavily, like a cat ready to bolt. Her ears stood up tall and swiveled, eyes wide taking Antimony in. She didn’t speak, just looks around. Very quickly she was looking over Antimony's shoulders, and when she saw Ulanan, she flinched again. She remained, though. The lalafell raised one hand in greeting. She didn't say anything, but added a smile for a greater friendly effect.
For a moment, Antimony was silent as she looked across at Loughree. Then, with her tail twitching, she let out a faint, "Oh. Hello?"
Flinching again when Antimny spoke, Lou looked suddenly to the side said, "I wanted...". She looksed back, examining Antimony's room again. "Is everything okay?"
Antimony frowned, took a hesitant step back from the door, continuing to hold it open. "Ah, well..." She glanced back at Ulanan. "... Yes? May I, ah, ask what you're... well."
Ulanan walked closer, stopping once she was slightly behind Antimony. She kept quiet.
Loughree spat out, "I wanted to apologize. I wasn't going to arrest you or that man, for real. I was just trying to squeeze a bribe out of the situation."
Blinking, Antimony pursed her lips. "Well. That's... rather forward. At least you're apologizing, I suppose."
Ulanan realized she was holding the headless doll and decided to carefully hide it behind her back with both hands. "It's a very important step!"
Standing awkwardly still for another moment, Loughree spoke carefully, "Where did that man go? You know. The one who... helped me."
Furrowing her brow, Antimony seemed to weigh something in her mind before speaking, "Against my better judgment, he left."
Ulanan was confused. "There was a man?" she asked Antimony.
Starting, Antimony blinked down at Ulanan. "Eh? Oh, yes! Mi... Mitari. You met him. A very sweet young man."
Ulanan lips became a circle. "Oh! Yes."
Lourghree's ears twitched. "I see." And then she stepped forward into the doorway, pushing a hand against the door to hold it open. "What do you know?"
A slight frown returned to Antimony’s face, more curious or confused than concerned though. "Know? About what?" Ulanan said nothing.
Seeming to struggle with something inwardly, Loughree ducked her head. Her eyes flicked about the room. "About." Her head snapped up, ears swiveling in search of some distant sound. Finally she growled, "About what happened! The cells! That... doll!"
"Uhm." Antimony took a step back. "I don't... think I know much more than you, I'm afraid."
Ulanan tilted her head to a side. "This doll, you mean?" she said, and held the doll out between her hands.
Loughree dropped into a square stance, gaze focusing on Ulanan fiercely and ears standing on end. Her tail puffed up to double its normal size, and in a moment, her sword was in her hand. "YOU TOOK IT!"
The lalafell remained static. "I was examining it. It still has some needles inside."
"I, ah..." Antimony's own tail shivered and she held both hands up in a soothing gesture. "I have to ask you to put your weapon away!"
Loughree snapped at Antimony, "Why! I think having my weapon out is a perfect idea ever since a got a NEEDLE in my fucking eye!â€
"It's perfectly harmless now," Antimony countered anxiously, eyeing the sword in the other miqo'te's hand. "Please, just calm down."
Ulanan spoke as normally as she could, which was quite normal. "Calm down. We are not your enemy." She added a nod to her words. "I was just examining it."
Loughree spoke, at once guardingly and warningly. "What do you know?"
Antimony sighed, gave Loughree a careful look. "Could you please just put your weapon away. It's not... well, it's rather hard to hold any kind of conversation like that."
"With the looming threat of your sword cutting our heads. Yes, quite hard indeed!" Ulanan said.
With a huff, Loughree complied, sheathing her sword but keeping her hand on it. Her shield remained on her arm, though.
Antimony's ears, which had been pressed back nervously, relaxed away from her head as Loughree sheathed her sword. She ventured a small smile. "There. That's better. Now... ah." She hesitated. "I'm sorry to say, but my answer is still the same. I don't know much more than you, I'm sure."
The lalafell pointed one finger to the doll. "There are too many people who could prepare a doll to work like this one did. Any thaumaturge could have done it easily."
Scowling, Loughree bit, "You're lying. You're lying to me."
"I am not," Antimony huffed, and folded her arms.
"Why do you think Antimony knows anything more than you do?"
"I didn't expect this from you," Loughree muttered. Her hand flexed on the hilt of the sword. "He won't get me. He can't hurt me. If he leaves me alone, I'll leave you alone. Deal?"
Antimony blinked and then stilled. "I'm unsure... why you would tell me this, and not 'him'," she said slowly.
"He who? Mitari? I don't think he's smart enough to make this..." Ulanan pondered, looking at the doll.
Frowning sharply, Antimony shook her head. "No, it couldn't possibly be Mitari."
Loughree shook her head, "Idiots! Why would I blame the person who pulled the needle out of my eye?"
"I was correcting Ulanan," Antimony said, frown not moving. "But truly, I don't think threatening me will do you any good. I..." She licked her lips and then sighed. "I've no control over whoever did this."
Ulanan pouted. "Why so mysterious? If we 'know' who 'he' is, then use his name. It will be less confusing."
Barks at Ulanan, "Don't mock me! Megiddo! Grandfather!"
Well, that got Antimony's attention. Her eyes widened, her ears twitched, and her tail fluffed out slightly behind her in surprise. "Grand...father?" She blinked. "But..."
Ulanan threw her head back and then frowned. "See? That was clarifying."
Loughree looked up to Antimony, her agression plain. But as she blinked at the woman, watching her, her expression softened, if only a modicum. "... You didn't know."
Antimony remained silent for some time, looking troubled at a thought. Eventually, she simply stated, "No. I did not." Ulanan added nothing to that.
Turns her glare on Ulanan, "And you didn't either?"
"I discovered this development just a few moments before you appeared on this door," Ulanan said after a moment.
Throwing one last look down the hallway, Loughree stepped into the inn room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it. In the same motion, she dropped her shield, and it thudded loudly to the ground.
Despite her earlier ease, Antimony frowned uncertainly as Loughree let herself fully in. "I... am sorry that happened to you, Miss Loughree."
Ulanan followed the shield's trajectory and its collision with the ground. She was not impressed by it, and quickly returned here yes to the Brass Blade.
Eyes on the floor, Loughree asked neutrally -- her voice no longer threatening or demanding at all -- "Why did you take the doll?"
Looking briefly down at Ulanan, Antimony pressed her lips together. She hesitated a moment before, "I... thought I recognized it and wanted it on hand."
Ulanan simply looked between the two Miqo'te women.
Loughree cursed under her breath. She covered her face with her hands and slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.
For a moment, Antimony stood still, tail swinging indecisively. Then, whatever she had been considering seemed to resolve itself, for she nodded and turned to make for the sink across the room and filled a nearby glass with water.
Ulanan felt awkward. What was the social norm for crying people? She quickly remembered. "Why did he do this?" Apparently, she quickly forgot, too. Glass of water in hand, Antimony returned to Loughree and slowly knelt before her.
Loughree was quiet for a few moments, just hiding her face. When Ulanan spoke, she said, "It's... complicated. Stupid. You don't know anything? Nothing at all?"
"I'm not sure what you expect us to know, Miss Loughree," Antimony replied, doing her best to keep her tone calm, soothing. She held the glass in front of Loughree. "Here. Take a moment."
“I'm afraid we don't. I'm sorry." Ulanan said.
Keeping one hand over her eye, she reached out with the other and took the water, muttering a "Thank you," and then saying, "I don't know. I thought... It would've been convenient."
Watching Loughree for a moment, Antimony nodded slowly. "I understand." A pause. "Ah, it's just... I don't quite know what I can do for you now, Miss Loughree." She frowned at a thought and then added with some disbelief, "Granddaughter."
She held the water in one armored hand, but just held it. He lay her head back against the door, hand on her face, and said, "If I could just sit here for a minute. I haven't been sleeping since... This isn't the first time this has happened."
Antimony's ears twitched and she managed a soft smile to the other woman. "Alright. Though, I don't think you have anything to worry about here."
"Take your time. Would you like me to lend you my room? I reckon it will be more comfortable than the Blades' barracks, and you can sleep without worry there."
"It doesn't matter where I sleep," Loughree groaned. "He'll find me when I'm alone, and that's when... It doesn't matter if I'm home, or at an inn, or even apparently how far I go. He'll find me."
"Try not to work yourself up," Antimony soothed, placing a hand on Loughree's shoulder. Her features are also worried, though, expression directed inward. "Perhaps... Ah, if I had thought to ask him earlier..." She sighed.
"There's no sense in worrying about what could have been done." Ulanan interjected. She looked at Loughree. "The Quicksand is filled with adventurers and mercenaries. Your gradnfather would be a fool to strike you here without preparation. You should be able to be safe here for at least a day."
Looking through the fingers of her gauntlet with one teary, blood-shot eye, Loughree gave Antimony a suspicious glare for a moment. Then she hid her face again, muttering to Ulanan, "I'm not betting my life on it." And then, to Antimony, "Ask who? What?"
"I don't think you'd have to. You will be safe here for a time." Then Antimony paused, catching the other miqo'te's final questions. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "Megiddo, of course."
Ulanan folded her arms.
Lifting her head from the door and dropped her hand from her gaze, Loughree growled, "What?"
Her ears shifted back somewhat as Antimony echoed, "What?"
Ulanan grimaced at the ensuing confusion. "We met a man named Megiddo. A duskwight" she explained. "In Pearl Lane, when he was buying a doll from one of the merchants. He said it was for his granddaughter." A hand raised, gesturing to Antimony. "That's why she thought she had seen the doll before."
The Brass Blade seemed to spasm, knocking the glass of water off her lap and to the floor. She pulls her shield up to chest-level, both hands on it. A stream of tears that had been contained behind her eyepatch broke loose in a torrent down her cheek. She leveled Ulanan with a fierce glare, "You said you didn't know anything!" And then she turned that glare on Antimony, "That's what you said!"
"I didn't!" Antimony exclaimed, leaning back slightly from the violent explosion on Lough's part. Her tail sweeps anxiously behind her. "I mean--I didn't know that... I had no way of knowing it was related until... well."
"When a Duskwight speaks of family, you imagine other duskwights." Ulanan started. "We didn't know until you mentioned him by name just a moment ago."
"Bullshit!" Loughree barked, pushing herself to her feet, "You're lying! What do you know!"
"We are not lying," Antimony stated firmly and got to her feet as well, crossing her arms. Her tail gave away her nerves, but she kept her posture stubborn. "You see that we've only helped you here."
Ulanan kept her arms folded, but was otherwise relaxed. "I'm sorry, but it's true. There's nothing else we can tell you about him because we don't know.."
Trembling where she stood, Loughree's face scrunched up in anger, showing her teeth to Ulanan, "That's shit!" She took a few breaths, shouted at Antimony, "It's shit!" A deep growl began in her chest, build for a brief moment, and when it broke free, the tall Miqote threw her shiled at the legs of a table across the room, far past Antimony and Ulanan. There was a loud crash of metal and wood. Loughree threw her hands over her face and fell back against the door, dropping to the floor again. She wailed, "I just want to be left alone!"
Antimony flinched as the shield crashed past them and, most likely, caused some serious damage to her room that she didn't want to think about paying for just yet. At least it hadn't been aimed at her head, or Ulanan's. Something in Loughree's tone caused her ears to twitch and she leaned forward and slightly to one side so that she could look at Loughree's profile, swallowed once, and then said with a reasonable smile, "As I said, you're welcome to stay here for the time. No one will hurt you."
"I can keep watch." Ulanan offered. "And if I see him, I will have some very stern words with him."
Loughree sat wordlessly with her hands clutching at her head, hiding her face from view. Her tail was puffed up so it was wider than her leg, and it shivered when Ulanan spoke. Loughree laughed and said, "Yes, tell him that he's being rude and I'm sure he'll apologize and just go away!"
"It has worked before," Antimony mused to herself, humorless. She shook her head. "Regardless, I've every confidence you will be alright in this room, at least for now." She let her expression soften, and she bent down to set a hand on Loughree's shoulder. "It will give you a chance to sleep, and with sleep you will feel better."
Ulanan said nothing more. She just frowned and gave a passive-agressive disapproving gaze to the floor.
Not reacting to Antimony's hand on her shoulder in any meaningful way, Loughree hummed, "Only if I trust you."
"You've no reason not to," Antimony replied in a measured tone. "I, ah, apologize for the incident at the fountain earlier."
Loughree hummed and let her hands fall into her lap again. "Whatever. If he wanted to run off with me I'd have gone with him, too. Sorry I put you in a cell and then almost died in front of you. I bet that was annoying."
Ulanan nodded sagely.
Pushing out a rather weak chuckle, Antimony gave Loughree's shoulder a soft pat. "It seems you've recovered at least, which is encouraging. Now, do you wish to stay here for now? I will get us all some food if so."
Loughree frowned at Ulanan, "Only if she doesn't try to pick any fights with me this time."
Ulanan smiled. "I won't."
"I don't know if I trust you," Lou muttered, before averting her gaze to the door. "Alright, I'll stay here. One night. But don't think I'm just going to let you be charitable. I'll pay you back."
"Good," Antimony straightened with a short, matter-of-fact nod. "The food will simply go on my tab for now, so don't worry." She cast a brief, apologetic smile at Ulanan. "You don't need to stay, if you don't wish, once I've returned." Then she slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind her.
Lou, who had been leaning against the door, scooted out of its way rather pathetically.
"What can you tell me about your grandfather?" Ulanan asked once Antimony was out of the room.
Watching the door close, Lou turned her gaze back to Ulanan and frowned at her. Her one exposed eye narrowed in suspicion, and she said, "Why?"
"I am curious about what kind of person would try to murder his own family." the lalafell answered flatly.
Scoffing, Loughree stood up. "It's a family tradition." She looked around, and balked at the sight of the mess she made. Cursing, she knelt to pick up the glass of water she'd thrown down.
Antimony idled by the table near her inn room's bed. In her hand, she fiddled with a small, bone-carved figure. On the table there rested a strangely headless doll. She frowned at the doll in thought. Not long after this scene began, a knock sounded from the door shortly before it opened.
"Hello!" Came a small voice from near the floor.
Looking up, relief briefly flashed across Antimony's features before she turned and headed to the door, opening it with an uncertain smile. She remembered to look down this time and caught sight of Ulanan.
The lalafell was, as expected, basically a big bump in the entrance. She looked up and smiled. "Hello. How are you today?"
Antimony’s own smile remained for several seconds before it fell to the same thoughtful frown she'd been wearing just prior. "I... am not entirely certain, Ulanan. Though, I suppose I'm glad you're here."
"Something happened?"Â
"Mm," Antimony replied and stepped back, gesturing for Ulanan to make herself at home - or at least as at home as one can make themselves in an inn room. "That... Well." She remembered suddenly the object she held in her hand and spun around, hastening to the bed where a small box sat and placing it inside.
Ulanan closed the door behind her, stepping forward into the room. "Work woes?" she asked.
Antimony shut the box carefully and gave it a considering look before she turned back around to Ulanan. Her forehead wrinkled with sudden worry. "No, it's not that. Well, at least it appears unrelated, but..." She pursed her lips, tail swishing behind her, and then made for the table she'd stood at before. She took the headless doll in one hand and proceeded to show it to Ulanan. "Does this look familiar to you?"
The lalafell got closer to take a look. She squinted at the doll, extending one hand towards it. "It doesn't. What's so special about it?"
"Well." She paused, frowned at the thing and shook it for no apparent reason. "Did not Megiddo purchase one that looked like this? On Pearl Lane, that night we ran into him while I was investigating."
"I can't say I was paying attention. Maybe?" One hand tapped against her chin. "Even then, I'm sure there are lots of dolls like the one he got."
Antimony frowned at that, her ears swiveling around as though searching for some sound. "Perhaps, but..." She grimaced, hesitated again, and then finally, "Well, there's nothing for it. Something did happen, Ulanan, but I don't want you fretting. I'm just... concerned about certain implications."
She frowned. "I will fret anyway. So tell me."
Antimony sighed, "I know you will." Her ears twitched; her tail followed suit. The fingers that held the headless doll fidgeted. "The details are not entirely relevant, so... Well. Miss Loughree had arrested me. I think. I'm not entirely--I mean, I was in a cell and it was--!" She coughed, cleared her throat, but only for half a second before rushing forward: "This doll appeared out of nowhere, but when Miss Loughree picked it up, it... it exploded! As though demon-possessed! Except... I do not think it was a demon."
Ulanan did not seem surprised in any shape or form about Antimony being in jail. She extended her left hand, with the palm facing upwards. "It exploded? With fire and sparks?"
For a moment, Antimony looked as though she were about to be ill as she recalled those dreadful minutes in jail. "... No. In needles. They... Well, it was not a pleasant surprise for Miss Loughree."
Ulanan shook her still raised hand. "May I see it?"
Antimony's tail shivered and she looked around the inn room as though expecting something before settling her gaze back on Ulanan. "Hm? Ah, yes. Of... of course." She held the doll out to the lalafell. Frowned. "Megiddo, he... only a few days before the... incident, I ran into him on the streets. He showed me a doll that... well, it was identical to the one I saw in jail, when it was whole. He'd fashioned it to look like a miqo'te."
Ulanan took the doll with one hand and examined it. Mostly by poking and looking inside the hole where the head was. "What did he say? About the doll."
"Oh, nothing particularly, erm, incriminating," she coughed, one ear flicking. "It was a pleasante enough conversation. He said it was for his granddaughter."
She looked down at the doll on her hand. She looked unsure. "Next time you see him, ask him if he gave her the doll."Â
"Do you... I suppose it's too much to hope that he simply misplaced it?" Once again, Antimony looked worried.
A vicious knocking shakes the door, but aborts quickly. After a moment of silence, it's replaced by a much more timid knocking.Â
Antimony blinked, looked up sharply, and then just looked confused. "Who..?" She headed towards the door. Ulanan turns to look at the door for a moment before returning her eyes to Antimony.
"Were you expecting someone?"
"No, but... Ah, perhaps it's just the cleaning lady." Opening the door, her ears cocked to one side as she peered out.
When the door opened, Loughree flinched heavily, like a cat ready to bolt. Her ears stood up tall and swiveled, eyes wide taking Antimony in. She didn’t speak, just looks around. Very quickly she was looking over Antimony's shoulders, and when she saw Ulanan, she flinched again. She remained, though. The lalafell raised one hand in greeting. She didn't say anything, but added a smile for a greater friendly effect.
For a moment, Antimony was silent as she looked across at Loughree. Then, with her tail twitching, she let out a faint, "Oh. Hello?"
Flinching again when Antimny spoke, Lou looked suddenly to the side said, "I wanted...". She looksed back, examining Antimony's room again. "Is everything okay?"
Antimony frowned, took a hesitant step back from the door, continuing to hold it open. "Ah, well..." She glanced back at Ulanan. "... Yes? May I, ah, ask what you're... well."
Ulanan walked closer, stopping once she was slightly behind Antimony. She kept quiet.
Loughree spat out, "I wanted to apologize. I wasn't going to arrest you or that man, for real. I was just trying to squeeze a bribe out of the situation."
Blinking, Antimony pursed her lips. "Well. That's... rather forward. At least you're apologizing, I suppose."
Ulanan realized she was holding the headless doll and decided to carefully hide it behind her back with both hands. "It's a very important step!"
Standing awkwardly still for another moment, Loughree spoke carefully, "Where did that man go? You know. The one who... helped me."
Furrowing her brow, Antimony seemed to weigh something in her mind before speaking, "Against my better judgment, he left."
Ulanan was confused. "There was a man?" she asked Antimony.
Starting, Antimony blinked down at Ulanan. "Eh? Oh, yes! Mi... Mitari. You met him. A very sweet young man."
Ulanan lips became a circle. "Oh! Yes."
Lourghree's ears twitched. "I see." And then she stepped forward into the doorway, pushing a hand against the door to hold it open. "What do you know?"
A slight frown returned to Antimony’s face, more curious or confused than concerned though. "Know? About what?" Ulanan said nothing.
Seeming to struggle with something inwardly, Loughree ducked her head. Her eyes flicked about the room. "About." Her head snapped up, ears swiveling in search of some distant sound. Finally she growled, "About what happened! The cells! That... doll!"
"Uhm." Antimony took a step back. "I don't... think I know much more than you, I'm afraid."
Ulanan tilted her head to a side. "This doll, you mean?" she said, and held the doll out between her hands.
Loughree dropped into a square stance, gaze focusing on Ulanan fiercely and ears standing on end. Her tail puffed up to double its normal size, and in a moment, her sword was in her hand. "YOU TOOK IT!"
The lalafell remained static. "I was examining it. It still has some needles inside."
"I, ah..." Antimony's own tail shivered and she held both hands up in a soothing gesture. "I have to ask you to put your weapon away!"
Loughree snapped at Antimony, "Why! I think having my weapon out is a perfect idea ever since a got a NEEDLE in my fucking eye!â€
"It's perfectly harmless now," Antimony countered anxiously, eyeing the sword in the other miqo'te's hand. "Please, just calm down."
Ulanan spoke as normally as she could, which was quite normal. "Calm down. We are not your enemy." She added a nod to her words. "I was just examining it."
Loughree spoke, at once guardingly and warningly. "What do you know?"
Antimony sighed, gave Loughree a careful look. "Could you please just put your weapon away. It's not... well, it's rather hard to hold any kind of conversation like that."
"With the looming threat of your sword cutting our heads. Yes, quite hard indeed!" Ulanan said.
With a huff, Loughree complied, sheathing her sword but keeping her hand on it. Her shield remained on her arm, though.
Antimony's ears, which had been pressed back nervously, relaxed away from her head as Loughree sheathed her sword. She ventured a small smile. "There. That's better. Now... ah." She hesitated. "I'm sorry to say, but my answer is still the same. I don't know much more than you, I'm sure."
The lalafell pointed one finger to the doll. "There are too many people who could prepare a doll to work like this one did. Any thaumaturge could have done it easily."
Scowling, Loughree bit, "You're lying. You're lying to me."
"I am not," Antimony huffed, and folded her arms.
"Why do you think Antimony knows anything more than you do?"
"I didn't expect this from you," Loughree muttered. Her hand flexed on the hilt of the sword. "He won't get me. He can't hurt me. If he leaves me alone, I'll leave you alone. Deal?"
Antimony blinked and then stilled. "I'm unsure... why you would tell me this, and not 'him'," she said slowly.
"He who? Mitari? I don't think he's smart enough to make this..." Ulanan pondered, looking at the doll.
Frowning sharply, Antimony shook her head. "No, it couldn't possibly be Mitari."
Loughree shook her head, "Idiots! Why would I blame the person who pulled the needle out of my eye?"
"I was correcting Ulanan," Antimony said, frown not moving. "But truly, I don't think threatening me will do you any good. I..." She licked her lips and then sighed. "I've no control over whoever did this."
Ulanan pouted. "Why so mysterious? If we 'know' who 'he' is, then use his name. It will be less confusing."
Barks at Ulanan, "Don't mock me! Megiddo! Grandfather!"
Well, that got Antimony's attention. Her eyes widened, her ears twitched, and her tail fluffed out slightly behind her in surprise. "Grand...father?" She blinked. "But..."
Ulanan threw her head back and then frowned. "See? That was clarifying."
Loughree looked up to Antimony, her agression plain. But as she blinked at the woman, watching her, her expression softened, if only a modicum. "... You didn't know."
Antimony remained silent for some time, looking troubled at a thought. Eventually, she simply stated, "No. I did not." Ulanan added nothing to that.
Turns her glare on Ulanan, "And you didn't either?"
"I discovered this development just a few moments before you appeared on this door," Ulanan said after a moment.
Throwing one last look down the hallway, Loughree stepped into the inn room and shut the door behind her, leaning against it. In the same motion, she dropped her shield, and it thudded loudly to the ground.
Despite her earlier ease, Antimony frowned uncertainly as Loughree let herself fully in. "I... am sorry that happened to you, Miss Loughree."
Ulanan followed the shield's trajectory and its collision with the ground. She was not impressed by it, and quickly returned here yes to the Brass Blade.
Eyes on the floor, Loughree asked neutrally -- her voice no longer threatening or demanding at all -- "Why did you take the doll?"
Looking briefly down at Ulanan, Antimony pressed her lips together. She hesitated a moment before, "I... thought I recognized it and wanted it on hand."
Ulanan simply looked between the two Miqo'te women.
Loughree cursed under her breath. She covered her face with her hands and slid down the door until she was sitting on the floor.
For a moment, Antimony stood still, tail swinging indecisively. Then, whatever she had been considering seemed to resolve itself, for she nodded and turned to make for the sink across the room and filled a nearby glass with water.
Ulanan felt awkward. What was the social norm for crying people? She quickly remembered. "Why did he do this?" Apparently, she quickly forgot, too. Glass of water in hand, Antimony returned to Loughree and slowly knelt before her.
Loughree was quiet for a few moments, just hiding her face. When Ulanan spoke, she said, "It's... complicated. Stupid. You don't know anything? Nothing at all?"
"I'm not sure what you expect us to know, Miss Loughree," Antimony replied, doing her best to keep her tone calm, soothing. She held the glass in front of Loughree. "Here. Take a moment."
“I'm afraid we don't. I'm sorry." Ulanan said.
Keeping one hand over her eye, she reached out with the other and took the water, muttering a "Thank you," and then saying, "I don't know. I thought... It would've been convenient."
Watching Loughree for a moment, Antimony nodded slowly. "I understand." A pause. "Ah, it's just... I don't quite know what I can do for you now, Miss Loughree." She frowned at a thought and then added with some disbelief, "Granddaughter."
She held the water in one armored hand, but just held it. He lay her head back against the door, hand on her face, and said, "If I could just sit here for a minute. I haven't been sleeping since... This isn't the first time this has happened."
Antimony's ears twitched and she managed a soft smile to the other woman. "Alright. Though, I don't think you have anything to worry about here."
"Take your time. Would you like me to lend you my room? I reckon it will be more comfortable than the Blades' barracks, and you can sleep without worry there."
"It doesn't matter where I sleep," Loughree groaned. "He'll find me when I'm alone, and that's when... It doesn't matter if I'm home, or at an inn, or even apparently how far I go. He'll find me."
"Try not to work yourself up," Antimony soothed, placing a hand on Loughree's shoulder. Her features are also worried, though, expression directed inward. "Perhaps... Ah, if I had thought to ask him earlier..." She sighed.
"There's no sense in worrying about what could have been done." Ulanan interjected. She looked at Loughree. "The Quicksand is filled with adventurers and mercenaries. Your gradnfather would be a fool to strike you here without preparation. You should be able to be safe here for at least a day."
Looking through the fingers of her gauntlet with one teary, blood-shot eye, Loughree gave Antimony a suspicious glare for a moment. Then she hid her face again, muttering to Ulanan, "I'm not betting my life on it." And then, to Antimony, "Ask who? What?"
"I don't think you'd have to. You will be safe here for a time." Then Antimony paused, catching the other miqo'te's final questions. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "Megiddo, of course."
Ulanan folded her arms.
Lifting her head from the door and dropped her hand from her gaze, Loughree growled, "What?"
Her ears shifted back somewhat as Antimony echoed, "What?"
Ulanan grimaced at the ensuing confusion. "We met a man named Megiddo. A duskwight" she explained. "In Pearl Lane, when he was buying a doll from one of the merchants. He said it was for his granddaughter." A hand raised, gesturing to Antimony. "That's why she thought she had seen the doll before."
The Brass Blade seemed to spasm, knocking the glass of water off her lap and to the floor. She pulls her shield up to chest-level, both hands on it. A stream of tears that had been contained behind her eyepatch broke loose in a torrent down her cheek. She leveled Ulanan with a fierce glare, "You said you didn't know anything!" And then she turned that glare on Antimony, "That's what you said!"
"I didn't!" Antimony exclaimed, leaning back slightly from the violent explosion on Lough's part. Her tail sweeps anxiously behind her. "I mean--I didn't know that... I had no way of knowing it was related until... well."
"When a Duskwight speaks of family, you imagine other duskwights." Ulanan started. "We didn't know until you mentioned him by name just a moment ago."
"Bullshit!" Loughree barked, pushing herself to her feet, "You're lying! What do you know!"
"We are not lying," Antimony stated firmly and got to her feet as well, crossing her arms. Her tail gave away her nerves, but she kept her posture stubborn. "You see that we've only helped you here."
Ulanan kept her arms folded, but was otherwise relaxed. "I'm sorry, but it's true. There's nothing else we can tell you about him because we don't know.."
Trembling where she stood, Loughree's face scrunched up in anger, showing her teeth to Ulanan, "That's shit!" She took a few breaths, shouted at Antimony, "It's shit!" A deep growl began in her chest, build for a brief moment, and when it broke free, the tall Miqote threw her shiled at the legs of a table across the room, far past Antimony and Ulanan. There was a loud crash of metal and wood. Loughree threw her hands over her face and fell back against the door, dropping to the floor again. She wailed, "I just want to be left alone!"
Antimony flinched as the shield crashed past them and, most likely, caused some serious damage to her room that she didn't want to think about paying for just yet. At least it hadn't been aimed at her head, or Ulanan's. Something in Loughree's tone caused her ears to twitch and she leaned forward and slightly to one side so that she could look at Loughree's profile, swallowed once, and then said with a reasonable smile, "As I said, you're welcome to stay here for the time. No one will hurt you."
"I can keep watch." Ulanan offered. "And if I see him, I will have some very stern words with him."
Loughree sat wordlessly with her hands clutching at her head, hiding her face from view. Her tail was puffed up so it was wider than her leg, and it shivered when Ulanan spoke. Loughree laughed and said, "Yes, tell him that he's being rude and I'm sure he'll apologize and just go away!"
"It has worked before," Antimony mused to herself, humorless. She shook her head. "Regardless, I've every confidence you will be alright in this room, at least for now." She let her expression soften, and she bent down to set a hand on Loughree's shoulder. "It will give you a chance to sleep, and with sleep you will feel better."
Ulanan said nothing more. She just frowned and gave a passive-agressive disapproving gaze to the floor.
Not reacting to Antimony's hand on her shoulder in any meaningful way, Loughree hummed, "Only if I trust you."
"You've no reason not to," Antimony replied in a measured tone. "I, ah, apologize for the incident at the fountain earlier."
Loughree hummed and let her hands fall into her lap again. "Whatever. If he wanted to run off with me I'd have gone with him, too. Sorry I put you in a cell and then almost died in front of you. I bet that was annoying."
Ulanan nodded sagely.
Pushing out a rather weak chuckle, Antimony gave Loughree's shoulder a soft pat. "It seems you've recovered at least, which is encouraging. Now, do you wish to stay here for now? I will get us all some food if so."
Loughree frowned at Ulanan, "Only if she doesn't try to pick any fights with me this time."
Ulanan smiled. "I won't."
"I don't know if I trust you," Lou muttered, before averting her gaze to the door. "Alright, I'll stay here. One night. But don't think I'm just going to let you be charitable. I'll pay you back."
"Good," Antimony straightened with a short, matter-of-fact nod. "The food will simply go on my tab for now, so don't worry." She cast a brief, apologetic smile at Ulanan. "You don't need to stay, if you don't wish, once I've returned." Then she slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind her.
Lou, who had been leaning against the door, scooted out of its way rather pathetically.
"What can you tell me about your grandfather?" Ulanan asked once Antimony was out of the room.
Watching the door close, Lou turned her gaze back to Ulanan and frowned at her. Her one exposed eye narrowed in suspicion, and she said, "Why?"
"I am curious about what kind of person would try to murder his own family." the lalafell answered flatly.
Scoffing, Loughree stood up. "It's a family tradition." She looked around, and balked at the sight of the mess she made. Cursing, she knelt to pick up the glass of water she'd thrown down.
![[Image: AntiThalSig.png]](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/179079766/AntiThalSig.png)
"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."
Hipparion Tribe (Sagolii)Â - Â Antimony Jhanhi's Wiki
