The sun was low on the horizon as Lady Crofte made her way up the stairs of Raubahn's Salute at the southern end of the Goblet. Clad in a soot black dress with glossy heels and matching gloves, she held a long and bound object under one arm. As she reached the mid-point landing the man she was to meet was found standing along the railing admiring the vew. His ears twitched at the click of her heels as she approached, but he did not turn. She waited a moment before clearing her throat softly to garner his attention.
"Ahhhh, Ms Crofte. Thank you for coming to meet me tonight..." His smile widened as he watched her. "You look lovely tonight..." She smiled at his compliment, but her eyes trailed away from him to the surrounding view for a moment. The cliff side nearly glowed orange in the setting sunlight. "Thank you.", she said at length. "I have brought the item as discussed, as well as Natalie's words on the matter." There were many things she could have said to lighten the somber mood which was settling around them, but she had not the heart to try this evening.
C'kayah let his eyes follow hers around, his mouth opening to speak. Her words registered, and his smile faded. "Of course", he said. "Thank you for bringing them." An awkward silence followed as she searched for the right words to say. Finally at a loss she merely nodded and stammered "Ah... yes, well. We should probably take care of business first then." He nodded in agreement. "What... what words did she leave for me?"
She carefully handed over the item she carried to the man. It had been carefully wrapped and bound in cloth so as to avoid being nicked or scraped. He received it and raised his eyebrows at its telltale shape and weight. Tucking it under his arm his attention returned to her as she retrieved a small and folded parchment from the gil purse that hung at her hip. She slowly unfolded it and held it up to read under her glasses to read before him.
"My sword I give to C'kayah Tia, my first and deepest love. I had always begged you to take up the sword for your own protection, though you never had a blade worthy of the name. My sword, nameless and plain as it is, has served me through untold trials. Somehow I am sure, even if I lay broken on some battlefield, it does not. May you... " Her voice cracked with emotion and she paused to compose herself. "May you wield it for the right reasons."
C'kayah listened, his face growing grave. "Gods", he murmured. "She meant it, didn't she...?" Coatleque slowly lowered the paper and began to fold it once more. "One thing she was not, in my experience, was a liar." The man held the wrapped sword in his hands, looking thoughtful at the walls past her ear. "Gods...", he repeated. Placing the parchment back into her purse, she turned to his side and slowly walked towards the benches along the railing. She took a seat and her gaze fell upon him once more. "I am sorry for this. It should not have happened."
"Yet neither of us are surprised. She never took much care with her own safety."
"You knew her longer and better than I."
"I didn't think I did, toward the end", he murmured. "But perhaps I was too hard on her."
"Were you? I do not know why you parted, though I have heard her side of it vaguely. I would think being tortured is a hard thing to put behind you."
C'kayah shook his head. "Right now, I'm not sure why we parted, either." She tilted her head slightly. "Other than the conflict of interest between your professions?" To this thought he turned away and looked out over the canyon. "There was less than you'd imagine.", he said. "For what it is worth, I pray our own mutual understanding does not end in the same manner.", she replied before looking awkwardly at the ground.
The man turned back to her, his eyes sorrowful. "Natalie and mine were based on love", he said. "Our understanding developed from that. Yours and mine, Coatleque, has a more practical foundation."
"All the more reason to be sure you do not cross mine path.", she interjected.
C'kayah watched her, his gaze hardening. "I took your threats at face value when you first issued them", he said coolly. "You don't have to remind me at every turn." She started at this and blinked. It was painfully obvious that her attempt at casual conversation had failed. Death seemed an almost daily part of her life as a Sultansworn. While it was always a hard thing to deal with, she had never quite gotten the role of comforter down correctly.
"T'was not my intention to threaten you here and now. I do apologize if my meaning was lost. I simply meant we do not have the same bond to consider before we act.", she said with a sigh. "I... will leave you if you wish, before I cast an even darker gloom upon your heart." Here nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "We don't", he agreed. "Forgive me. The things you brought me have left me shaken. You'll have to excuse me, I do want to be alone for a time."
She nodded respectfully. "I understand. Perhaps when your head has cleared you can tell me what you know of the name 'Redgrave'. Good eve to you, Master C'kayah. May Menphina comfort you this night." C'kayah managed to smile at her. "Mainly what I heard from Natalie's lips. But alright. We'll talk soon. Menphina bless your footsteps." He watched her as she walked away, then turned, lost in thought.
"Ahhhh, Ms Crofte. Thank you for coming to meet me tonight..." His smile widened as he watched her. "You look lovely tonight..." She smiled at his compliment, but her eyes trailed away from him to the surrounding view for a moment. The cliff side nearly glowed orange in the setting sunlight. "Thank you.", she said at length. "I have brought the item as discussed, as well as Natalie's words on the matter." There were many things she could have said to lighten the somber mood which was settling around them, but she had not the heart to try this evening.
C'kayah let his eyes follow hers around, his mouth opening to speak. Her words registered, and his smile faded. "Of course", he said. "Thank you for bringing them." An awkward silence followed as she searched for the right words to say. Finally at a loss she merely nodded and stammered "Ah... yes, well. We should probably take care of business first then." He nodded in agreement. "What... what words did she leave for me?"
She carefully handed over the item she carried to the man. It had been carefully wrapped and bound in cloth so as to avoid being nicked or scraped. He received it and raised his eyebrows at its telltale shape and weight. Tucking it under his arm his attention returned to her as she retrieved a small and folded parchment from the gil purse that hung at her hip. She slowly unfolded it and held it up to read under her glasses to read before him.
"My sword I give to C'kayah Tia, my first and deepest love. I had always begged you to take up the sword for your own protection, though you never had a blade worthy of the name. My sword, nameless and plain as it is, has served me through untold trials. Somehow I am sure, even if I lay broken on some battlefield, it does not. May you... " Her voice cracked with emotion and she paused to compose herself. "May you wield it for the right reasons."
C'kayah listened, his face growing grave. "Gods", he murmured. "She meant it, didn't she...?" Coatleque slowly lowered the paper and began to fold it once more. "One thing she was not, in my experience, was a liar." The man held the wrapped sword in his hands, looking thoughtful at the walls past her ear. "Gods...", he repeated. Placing the parchment back into her purse, she turned to his side and slowly walked towards the benches along the railing. She took a seat and her gaze fell upon him once more. "I am sorry for this. It should not have happened."
"Yet neither of us are surprised. She never took much care with her own safety."
"You knew her longer and better than I."
"I didn't think I did, toward the end", he murmured. "But perhaps I was too hard on her."
"Were you? I do not know why you parted, though I have heard her side of it vaguely. I would think being tortured is a hard thing to put behind you."
C'kayah shook his head. "Right now, I'm not sure why we parted, either." She tilted her head slightly. "Other than the conflict of interest between your professions?" To this thought he turned away and looked out over the canyon. "There was less than you'd imagine.", he said. "For what it is worth, I pray our own mutual understanding does not end in the same manner.", she replied before looking awkwardly at the ground.
The man turned back to her, his eyes sorrowful. "Natalie and mine were based on love", he said. "Our understanding developed from that. Yours and mine, Coatleque, has a more practical foundation."
"All the more reason to be sure you do not cross mine path.", she interjected.
C'kayah watched her, his gaze hardening. "I took your threats at face value when you first issued them", he said coolly. "You don't have to remind me at every turn." She started at this and blinked. It was painfully obvious that her attempt at casual conversation had failed. Death seemed an almost daily part of her life as a Sultansworn. While it was always a hard thing to deal with, she had never quite gotten the role of comforter down correctly.
"T'was not my intention to threaten you here and now. I do apologize if my meaning was lost. I simply meant we do not have the same bond to consider before we act.", she said with a sigh. "I... will leave you if you wish, before I cast an even darker gloom upon your heart." Here nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "We don't", he agreed. "Forgive me. The things you brought me have left me shaken. You'll have to excuse me, I do want to be alone for a time."
She nodded respectfully. "I understand. Perhaps when your head has cleared you can tell me what you know of the name 'Redgrave'. Good eve to you, Master C'kayah. May Menphina comfort you this night." C'kayah managed to smile at her. "Mainly what I heard from Natalie's lips. But alright. We'll talk soon. Menphina bless your footsteps." He watched her as she walked away, then turned, lost in thought.
