At last, she thought. One more task I can put behind me.
Ciel strode into Stillglade Fane's primary chamber with a sense of renewed calm which had all but been a stranger to her since she first returned nearly a cycle past. In those moments of confusion, she hadn't imagined a task like this, but E-Sumi-Yan saw fit to punish her transgressions in unique ways, even if the Padjal, himself, hadn't seen it that way. Finally she could enter his presence and provide him with an accomplishment rather than uncertainty.
She sat in silence, off to one side of the small footbridge, the trickle of water through the chamber only helped to settle her mind even more. It was a welcoming sound. They were whispering their welcome, and their pleasure at seeing her task fulfilled. Too often it seemed that same sound grated on her nerves like stones grinding together, harsh and condemning.
The other Conjurers sitting before E-Sumi-Yan eventually dispersed, his lecture done for now, and the boyish figure looked to the songstress expectantly. She knew that unspoken invitation, and she knew that he already knew why she had come to this very place she so often tried to avoid.
Ciel rose from her resting place and approached the center of the platform where her old mentor waited. From her belt, she took a small bag and poured the object within onto the palm of her hand - a single shimmering sphere, which hovered just an ilm or so above her hand. E-Sumi-Yan greeted her, then, with a genuine smile and extended a hand to take the artifact from her.
"I knew we had chosen the right person for the task," he offered amicably.
Ciel withdraw her hand to her side, yet kept her eyes on him, "You knew more than that." This caused the Padjal to tilt his horned head to one side in askance, but she continued. "You knew full well who had the Conjurer's Orb all along, and that is why you left his fate up to me rather than place an amount of gil on his head."
E-Sumi-Yan handed the orb off to another Conjurer with a few quietly spoken words and watch as it was carried off to be placed somewhere secure. More secure than it had been before. And then he turned back to Ciel with the same knowing smile, still saying nothing.
"You little imp, you were testing me!" The volume at which she spoke failed to match the severity of her anger over the matter, though this was anything but strange for the songstress. And especially within the hallowed walls of the Fane, she dared not raise her voice.
At length E-Sumi-Yan bowed his head, but the innocent, child-like smile remained, "I could have done exactly that and sent anyone after the thief with gil as a lure, certainly... but that would have bespoke ill of our guild. And I knew of no one else who would have handled such a delicate matter with such steadfastness, and without a drop of blood shed. Your friendship with that person made no difference to me. You are still very much a Conjurer, Ciel."
The songstress's cheeks flushed with anger. E-Sumi-Yan had not only used her by dangling her own debt in front of her, but he still meant to draw her back into the guild and having her take on the task of finding the orb was all to try and prove, to herself if no one else, that she was meant to be there.
"And the Elementals are pleased by this, as you have no doubt heard," E-Sumi continued, seemingly unconcerned by the woman's mood. "You have afforded yourself more time in retrieving the Berunda's remains, but only another moon at most. Take too much more time, and you know what may befall you next time you set foot in the Shroud."
Ciel's head angled downward, causing her face to all but vanish beneath the brim of her hat. "After that, will you leave me in peace?"
The Padjal's smile faded. All too easily he understood that there would be no changing the woman's mind, try as he might to convince her otherwise. "You have my word... would that your own demons could do the same, milady."
No more words came from her. Even the bow she offered in her own dismissal was a stiff one, a gesture born of necessity and grudging respect more than one of gratitude. The songstress didn't even bother to wait for his acknowledgment before she turned to leave the chamber.
Ciel strode into Stillglade Fane's primary chamber with a sense of renewed calm which had all but been a stranger to her since she first returned nearly a cycle past. In those moments of confusion, she hadn't imagined a task like this, but E-Sumi-Yan saw fit to punish her transgressions in unique ways, even if the Padjal, himself, hadn't seen it that way. Finally she could enter his presence and provide him with an accomplishment rather than uncertainty.
She sat in silence, off to one side of the small footbridge, the trickle of water through the chamber only helped to settle her mind even more. It was a welcoming sound. They were whispering their welcome, and their pleasure at seeing her task fulfilled. Too often it seemed that same sound grated on her nerves like stones grinding together, harsh and condemning.
The other Conjurers sitting before E-Sumi-Yan eventually dispersed, his lecture done for now, and the boyish figure looked to the songstress expectantly. She knew that unspoken invitation, and she knew that he already knew why she had come to this very place she so often tried to avoid.
Ciel rose from her resting place and approached the center of the platform where her old mentor waited. From her belt, she took a small bag and poured the object within onto the palm of her hand - a single shimmering sphere, which hovered just an ilm or so above her hand. E-Sumi-Yan greeted her, then, with a genuine smile and extended a hand to take the artifact from her.
"I knew we had chosen the right person for the task," he offered amicably.
Ciel withdraw her hand to her side, yet kept her eyes on him, "You knew more than that." This caused the Padjal to tilt his horned head to one side in askance, but she continued. "You knew full well who had the Conjurer's Orb all along, and that is why you left his fate up to me rather than place an amount of gil on his head."
E-Sumi-Yan handed the orb off to another Conjurer with a few quietly spoken words and watch as it was carried off to be placed somewhere secure. More secure than it had been before. And then he turned back to Ciel with the same knowing smile, still saying nothing.
"You little imp, you were testing me!" The volume at which she spoke failed to match the severity of her anger over the matter, though this was anything but strange for the songstress. And especially within the hallowed walls of the Fane, she dared not raise her voice.
At length E-Sumi-Yan bowed his head, but the innocent, child-like smile remained, "I could have done exactly that and sent anyone after the thief with gil as a lure, certainly... but that would have bespoke ill of our guild. And I knew of no one else who would have handled such a delicate matter with such steadfastness, and without a drop of blood shed. Your friendship with that person made no difference to me. You are still very much a Conjurer, Ciel."
The songstress's cheeks flushed with anger. E-Sumi-Yan had not only used her by dangling her own debt in front of her, but he still meant to draw her back into the guild and having her take on the task of finding the orb was all to try and prove, to herself if no one else, that she was meant to be there.
"And the Elementals are pleased by this, as you have no doubt heard," E-Sumi continued, seemingly unconcerned by the woman's mood. "You have afforded yourself more time in retrieving the Berunda's remains, but only another moon at most. Take too much more time, and you know what may befall you next time you set foot in the Shroud."
Ciel's head angled downward, causing her face to all but vanish beneath the brim of her hat. "After that, will you leave me in peace?"
The Padjal's smile faded. All too easily he understood that there would be no changing the woman's mind, try as he might to convince her otherwise. "You have my word... would that your own demons could do the same, milady."
No more words came from her. Even the bow she offered in her own dismissal was a stiff one, a gesture born of necessity and grudging respect more than one of gratitude. The songstress didn't even bother to wait for his acknowledgment before she turned to leave the chamber.
