Not long after they had sat down, there was movement among the keepers of the inn. The attendant summoned the priest, and an old man appeared at one of the doorways, robed in black and appearing wane. As though he expected something to happen, he cast his gaze to the inn's open doors, taking solace in the shining sunlight, and then turned his gaze on the two women sitting in the inn before him. He did not approach immediately.
But long seconds later, he ventured in a weary voice, "K'airos?"
The young woman shifted her weight on the seat and turned her head to the man, facing him. "Yes?" she replied hastily, out of instinct.
Antimony turned from where she'd been speaking to the innkeeper about an order of fruit, brow furrowing at the robed figure approaching K'airos. Leaving the counter, she stepped back towards the table to rest one hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Who are you?"
"I apologize," the man raised one hand to the two women as he stepped over. "I am one of the priests from the Church of Saint Adama Landama. I know D'aijeen; your sister, correct?"
K'airos ears dropped, angled backwards. "Yeah. That's correct." she answered in a low tone. She paused a moment. "I'm afraid she won't help the church anymore. She...passed away, recently."
Antimony pulled in a breath, pursing her lips. Could they not get one day's peace? "If you don't mind, sir, we would prefer to mourn in private."
"I do apologize. Believe me. If there's anyone who knows mourning, it is myself. You can tell from the smell what Drybone is known for, and guess from that what I do for a living. However. I do need to ask." He asked emphatically, though in as courteous a tone he could manage. "Are you absolutely certain that D'aijeen has expired? Beyond all doubt?"
"What...kind of question is that?" K'airos shifted her weight again, and crossed her arms. Her tail raised in a straight line behind her.
Antimony's hand tightened on K'airos's shoulder, green eyes falling shut. "A very inconsiderate one," she spoke stiffly.
"I would not ask if I did not need to. Perhaps a more approachable question. When did this happen? Please, it is more important than you realize."
"Three days ago, in Vesper Bay." she replied stiffly. She looked up at the man, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Why is this so important?"
"Because she was here. Or, so I believed she was." The old man spoke slowly, carefully. "Yesterday. Perhaps I was mistaken. But... she is a very recognizable girl, even in the state she was in."
Antimony's eyes snapped open and she spoke firmly, "That is quite simply impossible."
K'airos stood up, almost throwing her chair backwards into the floor. Luckily, the furniture recovered it's balance and simply smashed it's front legs loudly against the floor while she spoke up. "What? Where? In what state she was in?"
Antimony took a sharp step back before leaning towards her daughter, "Airos, the man must be mistaken. Do not..."
"If I am mistaken you will have to explain it." He lifted his hand once more, placating, but also asserting. "A thin, small miqo'te with green hair who looks at me with recognition? I know of no others. Her state was quite... dire. She had the most terrible wound to her neck, and her body was badly burned."
K'airos shook once, looking away and rubbing the back of her head with both hands. She walked in a small circle next to the table, her breathing fast and uneven. "Where is she now?" she asked, ignoring her mother.
Ears and tail shivering, Antimony shook her head and made to step around Airos. "No, you were either too far into your cups or you are utterly mistaken. I will not endure this prodding. You should leave."
The man gave Antimony a look over, one that was not without pity, but did not seem to soften either. The he looked at Nomikos. "She is no longer here. A man brought her here, himself covered in burns. However. D'aijeen, in her condition, should not have been alive. I'm afraid something terrible must have gotten inside of her. When we attempted to ... do as we must, the man who brought her here took her and fled."
K'airos grabbed her mother's arm, gripping it with both hands. "Where? In which direction? Do you know?"
"A man--" Antimony felt as though all the strength was about to give out in her legs, and she clung to K'airos with one shaking hand. "This can't be. The voidsent was gone... Ulanan saw it.."
"Let's not move too quickly." The old priest said. "We should speak. You say D'aijeen died three days ago? How did this happen? When I saw her, her neck was nearly severed and her chest burned through. She should not have been able to lift her head, yet she seemed little more than uncomfortable."
The young Miqo'te had trouble finding the words to explain it. She sat down, her tail lowered, not raised, along with her ears. "She was possessed by a voidsent and started a fight." she managed. "Then someone...someone..." She gestured at her own neck, rubbing it with the tip of her fingers. She ran out of words.
Antimony pulled K'airos close. "We saw her die. It... was as you described." She did everything in her power to keep her voice steady, for K'airos.
"Then there's no other way for me to interpret what I've seen." The old man sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "The man carried her away from town. We did not see where they went. However, the man later returned without her, this time carrying an injured man from one of the local Miqo'te tribes, whom we treated for a concussion."
K'airos leant at the table, placing both arms on it and resting her forehead against her open hands. "The man that carrier her away. What did he look like?" she asked.
Brow knitting in confusing, Antimony turned her face towards K'airos's hair. She remained silent for the moment, processing.
"A man with red hair, his body brutalized, especially at the second meeting. At some point between or meetings, he was cut and burned, but did not appear to be in pain. We had to force him to accept treatment. The man he carried back, the one with the concussion; I believe the fought. But the second man would not tell us what happened either. However." The old man faced both Antimony and K'airos squarely, speaking in a leveled, deliberate tone. "The man who protected D'aijeen was also the walking dead. I have no doubt of this."
K'airos looked at Antimony. Her eyes were wet. "We need to tell Ulanan and the Roegadyn lady about this."
"Red..." The color drained from Antimony's face, and her eyes went to her daughter. "K'ile was in Ul'dah not a few weeks past," she breathed. She wavered on her feet then. "I... yes. We do.."
The old man's brows knit. "Do you know this dead man?"
K'airos shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe. But K'ile isn't the only red-haired man in Thanalan." She sighed, her breath steading itself. "Did the other man, the concussed one, say which tribe he belonged to?"
K'airos was right. It was silly to think it was such a coincidence. But then who else would be with her daughter... Feeling faint, Antimony dropped heavily into the closest chair, though she kept one hand on K'airos. "If Aijeen is... is it even her or just her body..?"
"Huntresses from the Hipparion Tribe retrieved the concussed man." The old priest looked down at Antimony. "I cannot answer that question. I am sorry."
K'airos looked up to the man. "That's our tribe!" she exclaimed, and dropped her head for a moment. "Or...former tribe. Do you know where they are?" She recovered, though, and looked up at her mother, feeling the need to explain. "They will know more."
Letting out a shaking breath, Antimony curled her tail against her legs. "They'll... Airos, they can't... we will send word to Ulanan."
"I'm sorry. I didn't ask where they'd gone. Nor do I know what has become of the walking dead; either D'aijeen or the man protecting her." He shook his head. "We did everything we could. But they fled and fought with inhuman tenacity."
K'airos dropped her head into her hands again. "This is awful!" she whined, moving her palms to the sides of her face. "Thank you for telling us this." she sighed, after a moment.
Antimony pet her daughter's back comfortingly, though she did not look comforted herself. She could not bring herself to thank the priest, not for news such as this. Instead she just bowed her head in silence.
"I regret that I cannot give anything more. I wish that all I can do is confirm my own fears, and offered renewed ones to you."
The old man took a step back. "I think I will give you some room. However, let me know if you choose to take any action."
"And what good would that do?" Antimony murmured wearily.
K'airos, on the other hand, just nodded sadly.
"I understand how you feel, but this affects us all."
"She is not your child. If you know of nothing else..."
K'airos sniffed. "I'm a Brass Blade. I'll let the captain know about this, and he will tell you anything we find out." she said.
The old man's face curved into a dark frown. "I knew D'aijeen for some time. All are my children. Remember that." He turned away then, walking out of the room.
Antimony's shoulders slumped and she dropped her head to her hands as the man stepped away.
"This is awful!" K'airos whined again. "We should..." she paused, took a breath, and continued. "We must tell Ulanan at once."
"Airos, your job..." Curling her fingers against her face, Antimony shuddered and then straightened. "I will write her a letter. We..."
"It lasts a week." K'airos said, crossing her arms over the table and burying her face on them. She spoke again, but it came incredibly muffled.
Leaning forward, Antimony curled an arm around her daughter's shoulders, pulling herself close. She wanted to tell K'airos not to worry, that everything would be just fine, but she had no way of knowing that was true. It felt too much like lying at this point. She felt ill at the thought. "I will protect you," she murmured. "You have nothing to fear. Ulanan and that woman will... they will be able to resolve this."
K'airos let out a muffled whine, and then nodded.
[10/31/2014 9:40:51 PM] Kyle: And Megiddo kills three people just off-screen.
[10/31/2014 9:41:20 PM] Ildur: And finally Qion'li raises them for the lulz.
But long seconds later, he ventured in a weary voice, "K'airos?"
The young woman shifted her weight on the seat and turned her head to the man, facing him. "Yes?" she replied hastily, out of instinct.
Antimony turned from where she'd been speaking to the innkeeper about an order of fruit, brow furrowing at the robed figure approaching K'airos. Leaving the counter, she stepped back towards the table to rest one hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Who are you?"
"I apologize," the man raised one hand to the two women as he stepped over. "I am one of the priests from the Church of Saint Adama Landama. I know D'aijeen; your sister, correct?"
K'airos ears dropped, angled backwards. "Yeah. That's correct." she answered in a low tone. She paused a moment. "I'm afraid she won't help the church anymore. She...passed away, recently."
Antimony pulled in a breath, pursing her lips. Could they not get one day's peace? "If you don't mind, sir, we would prefer to mourn in private."
"I do apologize. Believe me. If there's anyone who knows mourning, it is myself. You can tell from the smell what Drybone is known for, and guess from that what I do for a living. However. I do need to ask." He asked emphatically, though in as courteous a tone he could manage. "Are you absolutely certain that D'aijeen has expired? Beyond all doubt?"
"What...kind of question is that?" K'airos shifted her weight again, and crossed her arms. Her tail raised in a straight line behind her.
Antimony's hand tightened on K'airos's shoulder, green eyes falling shut. "A very inconsiderate one," she spoke stiffly.
"I would not ask if I did not need to. Perhaps a more approachable question. When did this happen? Please, it is more important than you realize."
"Three days ago, in Vesper Bay." she replied stiffly. She looked up at the man, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Why is this so important?"
"Because she was here. Or, so I believed she was." The old man spoke slowly, carefully. "Yesterday. Perhaps I was mistaken. But... she is a very recognizable girl, even in the state she was in."
Antimony's eyes snapped open and she spoke firmly, "That is quite simply impossible."
K'airos stood up, almost throwing her chair backwards into the floor. Luckily, the furniture recovered it's balance and simply smashed it's front legs loudly against the floor while she spoke up. "What? Where? In what state she was in?"
Antimony took a sharp step back before leaning towards her daughter, "Airos, the man must be mistaken. Do not..."
"If I am mistaken you will have to explain it." He lifted his hand once more, placating, but also asserting. "A thin, small miqo'te with green hair who looks at me with recognition? I know of no others. Her state was quite... dire. She had the most terrible wound to her neck, and her body was badly burned."
K'airos shook once, looking away and rubbing the back of her head with both hands. She walked in a small circle next to the table, her breathing fast and uneven. "Where is she now?" she asked, ignoring her mother.
Ears and tail shivering, Antimony shook her head and made to step around Airos. "No, you were either too far into your cups or you are utterly mistaken. I will not endure this prodding. You should leave."
The man gave Antimony a look over, one that was not without pity, but did not seem to soften either. The he looked at Nomikos. "She is no longer here. A man brought her here, himself covered in burns. However. D'aijeen, in her condition, should not have been alive. I'm afraid something terrible must have gotten inside of her. When we attempted to ... do as we must, the man who brought her here took her and fled."
K'airos grabbed her mother's arm, gripping it with both hands. "Where? In which direction? Do you know?"
"A man--" Antimony felt as though all the strength was about to give out in her legs, and she clung to K'airos with one shaking hand. "This can't be. The voidsent was gone... Ulanan saw it.."
"Let's not move too quickly." The old priest said. "We should speak. You say D'aijeen died three days ago? How did this happen? When I saw her, her neck was nearly severed and her chest burned through. She should not have been able to lift her head, yet she seemed little more than uncomfortable."
The young Miqo'te had trouble finding the words to explain it. She sat down, her tail lowered, not raised, along with her ears. "She was possessed by a voidsent and started a fight." she managed. "Then someone...someone..." She gestured at her own neck, rubbing it with the tip of her fingers. She ran out of words.
Antimony pulled K'airos close. "We saw her die. It... was as you described." She did everything in her power to keep her voice steady, for K'airos.
"Then there's no other way for me to interpret what I've seen." The old man sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "The man carried her away from town. We did not see where they went. However, the man later returned without her, this time carrying an injured man from one of the local Miqo'te tribes, whom we treated for a concussion."
K'airos leant at the table, placing both arms on it and resting her forehead against her open hands. "The man that carrier her away. What did he look like?" she asked.
Brow knitting in confusing, Antimony turned her face towards K'airos's hair. She remained silent for the moment, processing.
"A man with red hair, his body brutalized, especially at the second meeting. At some point between or meetings, he was cut and burned, but did not appear to be in pain. We had to force him to accept treatment. The man he carried back, the one with the concussion; I believe the fought. But the second man would not tell us what happened either. However." The old man faced both Antimony and K'airos squarely, speaking in a leveled, deliberate tone. "The man who protected D'aijeen was also the walking dead. I have no doubt of this."
K'airos looked at Antimony. Her eyes were wet. "We need to tell Ulanan and the Roegadyn lady about this."
"Red..." The color drained from Antimony's face, and her eyes went to her daughter. "K'ile was in Ul'dah not a few weeks past," she breathed. She wavered on her feet then. "I... yes. We do.."
The old man's brows knit. "Do you know this dead man?"
K'airos shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe. But K'ile isn't the only red-haired man in Thanalan." She sighed, her breath steading itself. "Did the other man, the concussed one, say which tribe he belonged to?"
K'airos was right. It was silly to think it was such a coincidence. But then who else would be with her daughter... Feeling faint, Antimony dropped heavily into the closest chair, though she kept one hand on K'airos. "If Aijeen is... is it even her or just her body..?"
"Huntresses from the Hipparion Tribe retrieved the concussed man." The old priest looked down at Antimony. "I cannot answer that question. I am sorry."
K'airos looked up to the man. "That's our tribe!" she exclaimed, and dropped her head for a moment. "Or...former tribe. Do you know where they are?" She recovered, though, and looked up at her mother, feeling the need to explain. "They will know more."
Letting out a shaking breath, Antimony curled her tail against her legs. "They'll... Airos, they can't... we will send word to Ulanan."
"I'm sorry. I didn't ask where they'd gone. Nor do I know what has become of the walking dead; either D'aijeen or the man protecting her." He shook his head. "We did everything we could. But they fled and fought with inhuman tenacity."
K'airos dropped her head into her hands again. "This is awful!" she whined, moving her palms to the sides of her face. "Thank you for telling us this." she sighed, after a moment.
Antimony pet her daughter's back comfortingly, though she did not look comforted herself. She could not bring herself to thank the priest, not for news such as this. Instead she just bowed her head in silence.
"I regret that I cannot give anything more. I wish that all I can do is confirm my own fears, and offered renewed ones to you."
The old man took a step back. "I think I will give you some room. However, let me know if you choose to take any action."
"And what good would that do?" Antimony murmured wearily.
K'airos, on the other hand, just nodded sadly.
"I understand how you feel, but this affects us all."
"She is not your child. If you know of nothing else..."
K'airos sniffed. "I'm a Brass Blade. I'll let the captain know about this, and he will tell you anything we find out." she said.
The old man's face curved into a dark frown. "I knew D'aijeen for some time. All are my children. Remember that." He turned away then, walking out of the room.
Antimony's shoulders slumped and she dropped her head to her hands as the man stepped away.
"This is awful!" K'airos whined again. "We should..." she paused, took a breath, and continued. "We must tell Ulanan at once."
"Airos, your job..." Curling her fingers against her face, Antimony shuddered and then straightened. "I will write her a letter. We..."
"It lasts a week." K'airos said, crossing her arms over the table and burying her face on them. She spoke again, but it came incredibly muffled.
Leaning forward, Antimony curled an arm around her daughter's shoulders, pulling herself close. She wanted to tell K'airos not to worry, that everything would be just fine, but she had no way of knowing that was true. It felt too much like lying at this point. She felt ill at the thought. "I will protect you," she murmured. "You have nothing to fear. Ulanan and that woman will... they will be able to resolve this."
K'airos let out a muffled whine, and then nodded.
[10/31/2014 9:40:51 PM] Kyle: And Megiddo kills three people just off-screen.
[10/31/2014 9:41:20 PM] Ildur: And finally Qion'li raises them for the lulz.
![[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
