"The Wrath of Messala" Log Date: 11/11, 11/12/00 Log Cast: Jonhus, Faanshi, Sumai, Asha, Delilah Log Intro: Faanshi's one close friend amongst the kshatri, the young seeress Delilah of the Clan Messala, has left Atesh-Gah to be given tutoring at the home vara of the Clan. But not without trepidation has the girl gone, for she has admitted to Faanshi that she has seen visions of herself in peril connected with this selfsame journey. The shudra healer has missed her young friend greatly, for rare indeed are her friends within Atesh-Gah, but she has at any rate striven to go about her regular appointed duties -- both those given her by the ones she serves, and those she has taken on out of the compassion of her healer's heart. She still goes into Bordertown to help those who need her healing, and on this particular night, it is that very part of Haven where Faanshi is about to get evidence that Delilah's visions were disturbingly on target.... *===========================< In Character Time >===========================* Time of day: Night (Duskside) Date on Aether: Saturday, May 18, 3907. Year on Earth: 1507 A.D. Phase of the Moon: Waxing Crescent Season: Spring Weather: Rain Temperature: Cool *==========================================================================* Fairway Corner - Haven Though the street is paved, the stones are a little less even here, at the place known as "Fairway Corner." Cracks run together underfoot like meticulous tracery, as if formed by an artist and not the haphazard elements of time, weather, and wear. The buildings are small, wooden structures sporting little decoration save for the odd painted wall or bright, paper lantern. Here and there, nestled between these unremarkable homes are glimpses of greenery. A few vegetable gardens struggle for life within the city, some overgrown while others are faithfully tended. As for the residents, they prefer to remain inconspicuous, and what little activity there is takes place in the shadows and alleyways, away from prying eyes. Contents: Jonhus Obvious exits: Rickity Shack Cottage Streets Garden Archway With his horrible burns, the former hound named Jonhus seems to fit right into Bordertown. He walks swift behind a small form, a large box in his bad arm and his good arm ready to draw and strike with his large sword. His eyes, small and black as sin, are filled with madness and contentment. It's not exactly safe for a delicate little thing like Faanshi to be treading the streets of Bordertown -- but then again, it never really has been in the time she's spent doing it so far, and so far it's never stopped her. Besides, a young Mongrel mother with a baby on the way and late besides can't necessarily be assured of calling upon the healer she's asked to help her with the birth at convenient hours of the day. And so, new herbal teas delivered off to the mother-to-be, the young shudra is making her way back towards Atesh-Gah. At her side the big dog who accompanies her wherever she goes trots alertly at her side, keeping his playfulness at a minimum for once -- this is, after all, Bordertown, and it's dark out! Jonhus sidles out of the shadows infront of the halfbreed, sneering at her. He may be tall, but she is half-Varati. Yet he had a huge sword and his eyes shine with madness. Jonhus Wearing old armor and carrying a blood-stained sword, Jonhus appears to be what he is; a merciless fighter who has seen many battles. He is bald and horribly burnt on his right side, his mouth scarred into a ugly sneer. The figure leaping into her path is enough to make Faanshi come to a skidding halt -- and enough to make Kosha begin to growl at the abrupt and threatening obstacle in their path. _Ushas--_ It would be difficult enough to read Faanshi's expression during daylight hours with that black veil of hers in the way; in the ill-lit streets of the poorest section of Haven, the best that can be seen is a widening of the big liquid eyes above the veil. A more distinct signal of her shock and alarm is the breathiness of the soft voice that blurts out, "N-Namaste', Imphadi... I did not..." The appearance of this particular Imphadi, however, makes Faanshi's words die in her throat. The man snarls, his burnt eye and his good eye glaring up at the girl with sheer haterid. "Shut up, you dumb whore." He says, glaring. "If it wasn't for the fact that only half of your heritage was Varati, I'd kill you." He says, mad eyes dancing. "But I have need of you, little bitch. Deliver this package" He lifts the box " and this message to Sumai of Messala: I have his little whore, and unless he grants me my request, I will rape his bitch." He says roughly. "Leave any messages at the eastern beach." He says. "And Hurry, mongrel's whore, or else I will kill her and let the scavengers fight over her rotting remains." Kosha's snarls grow louder within his throat, his hackles rising, and the only thing keeping him from leaping being that this man has not yet made any actual threatening motions at the healer. But the hound does edge forward, fangs bared, while Faanshi goes still as death at his side. Her thoughts shoot in jolts of fire behind her eyes: who is this man? Who does he have? Why does he know the Imphadi Warlord Sumai-- And then her heart stops for a fraction of an instant, as comprehension dawns. The little seeress, the young Imphadi, had had a seeing. _Sweet Holy Mother, it's come true-- "I," she croaks, involuntarily clutching her basket of herbs to her breast, "I-I shall convey your message..." There is a sound of steel as the man draws his sword, eyes on the hound who snarls. He adjusts his feet. "Get your fucking dog away from me before I slice him into thousands of parts, bitch." HE says, preparing to put action to word. He sets the package down, a eager gleam in his mad eyes. "Kosha... Kosha, be at peace," Faanshi rasps, as firmly as she can, eyes flickering to the drawn blade. "_Sit_!" And the hound, roused by the threat he can almost smell off this strange wild-eyed man, only grudgingly obeys the healer; the growl still rumbles in his throat. "Do... do not hurt him, Imphadi, I beg you...!" Striving to speak as clearly as she can, striving to keep the stammer out of her voice, Faanshi nevertheless can't quite keep a note of dread from coloring her words. Mad eyes, black as the sins they must have seen commited, stare at the girl with contempt and a hint of lust. "Go bitch." HE says softly, turning and quickly disappearing into an ally [Horrified and deeply worried for Delilah's welfare, Faanshi hastens back to Atesh-Gah, to seek out Sumai of Messala and tell him what has befallen his ward. Soon enough, she is admitted into the Clan's opulent suite with the wrapped package the mad Mongrel has bidden her take to the Warlord...] The hour is a late one, and assuredly not one at which the men of Messala entrusted with keeping watch in the Clan's suite in Atesh-Gah could generally expect a visitor. But still a visitor does arrive: the shudra Faanshi, an agitation and urgency out of character for her distinct in each and every one of her movements. Soft-spoken and humble as always, her gaze kept averted from the eyes of the Messala men as always, the maiden nevertheless pleads with uncommon clarity to be permitted to speak with the Warlord... about the young Imphada Delilah. "I beg of you, her life is at stake, Imphadi!" Accustomed to the young healer's generally timid behavior, the guard who questions her is impressed enough to grudgingly consent to going to disturb Sumai's evening repose, bringing with him the word: "It is the halfbreed healer, Sirdar; she begs leave to address you and speaks of the life of the Imphada Delilah being at risk." A deep, rumbling hrm rises from his bier where the huge Warlord rests his massive frame this time of night. The jangle of chains wakes him easil as he looks to the doorway with hard, olive-brown eyes while his hand rests on the axe that he often carries with him. Slowly sitting himself up in the bed the man leaves the covers draped on himself absently while he watches the doorway. "Urgent." Sumai's marvelously volumnous voice reflects while he considers the man in the doorway before he says to you. "Very well, see the child inside." he commands of the man while he continues to sit tall and passive on the edge of his bed side. The guardsman bows deeply, turning to open the door and permit the anxious-eyed shudra just outside to enter the chamber. Faanshi can rarely be said to stride, long though her legs may be; tonight, however, appears to be an exception. Gingerly bearing within her arms a strangely gaudily wrapped box she carries as if there might be an asp within, she crosses the room in a few long, swift steps before dropping quickly to her knees not far from where the big Warlord awaits. "Forgive my disturbance of you at this hour, Imphadi," she implores, voice lifted up for once out of a whisper with the anxiety that propels her, "but I could not chance leaving this to wait until morning...!" The massive expanse dominates the chamber even without armor or weapon in hand while he watchs you enter the chamber with such poignance and purpose. Sumai, however, does not waver in the least as he watchs you carry teh package as though it bears some manner of poisonous serpent or spring loaded trap designed to kill. Huge, leathery paw flexes absently on the knee shrouded beneath the coverlette that he uses despite the incredible heat of the chamber. "Speak then, child of Khalida, lest your tongue not finds the necessary words." he says in n easy, roiling voice that is full of confidence, command and complete calm. His eyes, though, stay on the package as though it has been brought here to kill him specifically. You would be, after all, the perfect assassin. Faanshi cautiously sets the package down before her, looking relieved to be rid of its weight -- at least if the slight lessening of tension in her frame is any indication. Being addressed as she is gives her a fraction of a second's pause, for no trueborn daughter of Khalida is she... but that's not important, not now. Faanshi draws in a breath and then lets it out, trying her best to keep as much of her composure as she can. Her heart is still racing, but at least she's had a bit of time to get her breath back in the minutes it took her to return to Atesh-Gah. "While I was in Bordertown tonight, Imphadi," she replies, voice still hoarse but clear, "a man leapt out of the shadows at me... and demanded that I bring you this box. He also said that he has your..." Only now does Faanshi pause, swallowing hard behind her veil. "He used words unfit for the ears of honorable men, Imphadi. But he said that unless you grant him his request, he will..." Now that she is actually having to put words to the dire threat she has been ordered to relay, the healer's gentle heart clenches in her breast. But she makes herself continue, regardless. "He will... violate the one he captures, and I fear that he has the Imphada Delilah." Listening to your words for a moment the huge man considers you for the moment with hard, olive-brown eyes for a moment while he considers you kneeling on the floor before. Sumai's chest makes a roiling noise like distant thunder coming to in the sky before he speaks, "Open it." he says to you as one huge, calloused hand motioning to the small box that has been sent to him in a gift. Or, so it would seem in any case. The Warlord of the Lion Rampant seems entirely at ease with this concept with no sense of urgency to him at the moment. A keen thoughtfulness seems to rest upon him like a hawk watching a mouse traipse along a field. "Yes, Imphadi..." It makes perfect sense to Faanshi; even if there's something dangerous within this parcel, she is a healer. If it hurts her, she can likely fix the damage. And at any rate, it is proper that she should take any possible hurt, rather than the Warlord himself. Still, though, she cannot deny a surge of apprehension as she applies herself to unwrapping the package. Off comes the gaudy cloth in which it is covered. Up, with a bit of effort from the halfbreed's sungolden hands, comes the heavy lid. No hidden dart or poisonous viper leaps out to intercept her, but what does arise from within is a stench of undeniable death. And Faanshi, getting a full view of the contents of the box, makes a noise in reaction that can only be described as a sharp gasp of horror. "Sweet Holy Mother--" Any assassin or conspirator who might think to recruit Faanshi for nefarious purposes surely cannot have chosen her for her ability to deceive. From the way she almost curls into a ball right there where she kneels, as if she might retch in reaction, it is obvious she had no idea what was contained inside the box. Though she does not actually retch, her voice comes out of her greatly strained, as she croaks, "It... is a head, Imphadi...!" Standing up slowly from the bier the huge Messala Warlord allows the thin draping to leave his frame while one, padded leathery foot to tip the package over and roll the head out in the floor. The emotionless face that the man maintains doesn't even twitch as he looks at it, "Boccob." the huge voice pronounces as the somewhat decayed head rolls a foot or two out. "A young guardsman on the last caravan that was sent to Messala." the huge man explains in an absent fashion. His frame is naked, as you have roused him from sleep, and he seems entirely unashamed of this fact and uncaring. "There is nothing holy here, Faanshi. Finish your message he commands you in an even, unfazed tone of voice. "The... man who gave me the box... demanded that messages be brought to him to the eastern beach," Faanshi rasps, eyes clenched against the sight of the head that's rolled out of the opened parcel. "He did not... specify what his request was... but said that if I did not hurry, he would _kill_ her..." Inside the box, as well, can be glimpsed a veil last seen upon the young seeress -- but at this Faanshi cannot make herself look. "Messages brought by you or messages brought by myself?" Sumai asks you in a simplistic manner as he moves to the chest he maintains near the side of the room. Opening it with a creak the huge Warlord draws out some linen clothing as he begins to dress himself swiftly, but meticulously. "Answer quickly so I can decide what to do precisely." the Master of Messala says tto the young Khalida shudra as he slips a linen shirts over his torso and tucks it beneath his similar bracing on his legs. "He did not specify, Imphadi," is the girl's immediate reply. She remains where she is, on her knees, and keeps her eyes closed. "Either who should bring messages... or where upon the beach they should be left. But I saw his face... it was burned. Scarred. And he had no hair." "Intriguing. Not a very thoughtful terrorist is he?" Sumai says to you as he moves to the stand where his oiled, mail and plate armor rests for the time. Beginning to shunt on the leather boots for the moment. Quickly followed by the mailed leggings that he wears on his lower body while he dictates a momentary order to you. "Then you will come with me and we shall both make our way to this beach." the basso voice commands as he begins to strap plate to his shins and boots, working up to the steel cod piece that he wears. "As you command, Imphadi." Faanshi sounds frightened -- her gentle voice is still hoarse and strained. But she replies without hesitation, bobbing her head once in acknowledgement. "Do you wish me to retrieve Kosha from the kennels...? He saw the man... as did I!" Hearing the jinglings of armor and accoutrements that go along with it, Faanshi lifts her head just enough to open her eyes and gauge the Warlord's location, though she must strive to avert her gaze from the grisly delivery upon the floor. "Inform the guards outside to rouse the other men of my guard and summon a shdura to clean that little present from the chamber." Sumai explains to you in calm, easy tones of voice that are confident and assured of themselves and may serve to instill similar feelings in you. He's seen thousands of dead men and more than a few women too boot. This is truly grisly, but it is not nearly so harsh as seeing death fresh and spraying about you in a free form fashion. "You may stand outside if you prefer Faanshi, we shall retrieve your hound as we leave the citadel." he explains to you assuredly. Faanshi is not entirely a stranger to death -- she, too, has seen dead bodies. But she has seen far fewer ones than the massive man who heads the Messala Clan, and she is far less sanguine about the evidence of such than the seasoned kshatri; moreover, her healer's heart cannot help but revolt at death, regardless. Still... she rises to her feet, enough to bow in acknowledgement. Indeed, she seems to gain composure from the easy command exhibited by Sumai, and her voice steadies somewhat as she answers, "It shall be done, Imphadi, at once...!" What her own preferences might be are irrelevant. Orders have been issued, and she will carry them out. In moments she's out the door, with word to the guardsman who had admitted her that his comrades must be roused... and word to the shudra chambers in the suite that the Warlord commands someone to come and remove the remains of Boccob therein. Sumai retreats through the navy drapes to the Messala suite halls. Sumai has left. You retreat through the navy drapes to the Messala suite halls. Messala Suite - Atesh-Gah - Haven(#1895RAJh) A spacious suite, set aside for visitors from Clan Messala. It is decorated in the clan colors, silver and navy, with the walls decorated with Messala's symbol, a rampant Lion. The parlor and lounge leads out to the main complex of Atesh-Gah. The seating, surrounding a fireplace, consists of a long navy couch, and two chairs trimmed in silver. A dining area sits to one side of the fire, a small table with seating for four, and an equally small kitchen is situated just off from this. The room is divided by a thick, rich drapery, behind which lie the resting area for servants and concubines. Cushions and divans are provided for the servants' resting when they are not serving their superiors. A small door leads into the master bedroom, where the the most pre-eminent guest sleeps. It has a fireplace of its own, and two large, stuffed chairs before it. The bed is canopied, done up in silver and blue, with drapes about it for privacy. Contents: Sumai Asha Obvious exits: Keegan's Chambers Sumai's Lair Out Ariving from within his private sanctum the Warlrod of the clan comes in the middle of the night in his glittering, plate and mail armor. His five best guardsmen await him outside his chambers and the shudra chamber had been summoned to 'clean up a mess' in the huge man's chamber. Beginning to thunder through the halls the men wear heavy armor and bear their heavy weapons and mvoe with stern faces that seem to offer little insult. Perhaps, it may be heard, that Delilah's veil had been found with the head of one of SUmai's dead warriors. Her silks of Clan Khalida's hues muted by the stark black sari and veil she has taken to wearing as of late, the halfbreed healer Faanshi stands out somewhat against the navy and silver of the guardsmen rousing up from sleep to join their Warlord in the situation now brewing. But her only truly obvious signs of presence are the hues of her clothing, for once she relays the messages through the suite that she has been commanded to carry, she waits for the men by the exit out into Atesh-Gah at large. If she is tired due to the late hour, she shows no sign of it. This is not the first time she's had to stay awake until late into the night -- though it is seldom that she's had to do so, at least thus far, with someone's life at stake. Asha kneels and bows respectfully to the Imphadi Warlord before moving towards his chambers to help clean the mess. Sumai's eyes flicker to the shudra, older than many and more accepting of her role than the same number, as she begins to move by him. "Leave that to the others, Asha, come with us." he commands in his thunderous, powerful voice without breaking step or faltering in the least fashion. "Be quick in moving and do not get left behind." he says in the unforgiving, neutral voice that he wields like a whip against those he commands beneath him. Sumai steps out of the Suite. Sumai has left. [And soon...] Night has come to the beach, and with it the multitude of unique sounds, both usual and unusual. The waves toss agianst the shore, the white foam sometimes brushing at the bowl of human skin, making the flies and other insects buzz around before settling in place. From behind a rocky outcrop, there shines a dim light, almost unnoticable. Yet not unnoticabe is the sounds of screaming, and of furious curses, the most obvious sound of a madman and his victim and prisoner. There's not much one could do to hide the sound of six large, heavily armored Varati men travelling the beach with the rasping mail and their clunking plate. Screaming and rabid swearing are, perhaps, some of these few things. Each has a weapon in hand, five carry armed crossbows loaded with savage flesh cutter bolts ready to let fly and the largest of them, in glittering half-plate, weaves between croppings and sand with quick long strides. Weapon clapping at his back while he moves with long powerful thrusts of his leg making for a quick walking pace to him and a mild jog to many others besides. His hand motions out and points to his left and two men disappear into the dark night in silence compared to their loud master. Making his way towards the sounds of screaming and arguing without a word is the Master of Messala and the heat rolling off of him is palpable, causing shimmering tracers to trail behind him noticably. It is not often that Faanshi has to fetch Kosha from the kennels twice in one day -- and not often, either, that she comes and gets him again shortly after dropping him off. Even more seldom an occurrence is his beloved mistress' accompanying a cadre of armed men through the city streets. All of this is enough for the dog to be in a state of high agitation, sometimes running ahead of Faanshi and sometimes circling behind, but always coming back to his place at her heels. Only slightly less agitated than her hound is the healer maiden, who eschews her usual unobtrusive movements to put forth the longest strides her legs can produce in order to keep up with the men of Messala. Keeping to a place behind the armed men until ordered otherwise, the halfbreed grimaces behind her veil at the stench of death here in this place, unmuted and indeed aggravated by the heat that begins to radiate from the Warlord. Asha scurries along behind Faanshi and Sumai, her veil wrapped protectively tight around her dark features, only her eyes visible. "BITCH!" The word is yelled by a deep, pain-filled voice before the body of a young women goes flying over the rocky outcrops, her thin silver skirt and dark flesh torn as they scrape agianst the jagged tops. Behind her, a trail of black-red blood flows, the seeress's cheek split by the force of the blow delivered by the tall, mad-eyed mongrel who jumps after, his huge sword held high as he prepares to stab the girl as soon as she lands. But, even as she lands with a bone-breaking crunch, she rolls with broken grace, dodging the blade. The man lands where she had origionally been, his sword stabbbign into the ground that her head had recently vacated. Jutting out of the man's burnt right side is a thick stick, sharpened carefully. Delilah helplessely continues her roll, hiting the pile that contains the remains of her guards. Delilah Delilah's body is clothed in a skirt of thin silver gauze that barely hides her lower half while a thin blouse of the same material (but blue) does even less to hide her blossoming body from men's eyes. Perhaps the clearest, and most horrifying, indication of her clan is the transparent veil with a rearing lion embroidered on it with much care. Under the veil, her face is a bloody mess, her large eyes marred by two black eyes, her bold nose bent at an odd angle that suggests it is broken, and her lips are chapped and busted. Her hair, once a mass of black waves, is a tangled knot on the top of her head. Pile of flesh While the pile of flesh that sits on the beach is old, it is still a sickening sight. Slightly warm, the pile is made up of various parts of a man, all seeped in blackish blood, flies buzzying around and landing on the gore, their wings, legs, and bodies stained red. Under the filthy gore, human skin has been stretched and stiffened into the general shape of a bowl, the arms and legs filled with blood and other bodily fluids. On the very top of the pile lays what appears to be a heart, black as the sin commited. The huge voice of Sumai says in an indifferent tone, "Set." and with just the briefest pause before he speaks again the three remaining guards drop to one knee and draw the heavy crossbows to bear. "Fire." and then the barbed quarrels whip forth flying past the huge frame of the master of Messala even as the war axe finds its way from the monster's back and the weapon sling falls to the stone and sand beneath him. Spinning the wicked thing in one hand as a small girl spins a baton Sumai's irises flare with a orange-red light as he focuses enough heat on the mongrel's face to burn him savagely and raise blisters were his flesh not so scarred already. The heat emitted from the Warlord is akin to that of the worst desert on the worst day pours from him though he seems not to notice. Asha shrieks and collapses to the sand in a huddle of navy cloth as the crossbow bolts streak away and the eerie magical heat bursts forth from the Imphadi Warlord. "Ushas--" By contrast to the older shudra, Faanshi's attention is seized by the girl who's flung over the rocks. It is arguably foolish. And it certainly brings her closer to the foul pile of the _rest_ of the remains of the guardsman Boccob. But nevertheless the halfbreed bursts into motion, around the side of the guards and to the side of the missiles they launch at the man who's evidently mad enough to try to challenge a Warlord of the Varati by capturing a girl under his protection. Kosha bays, breaking into a run just behind Faanshi. And as she closes the distance between her and the young seeress, the halfbreed's senses come afire with the pain of the blow Delilah's captor has dealt her. Sungolden hands reach forth for the young girl, and Faanshi urges her quickly, "Come, Delilah, let me get you out of here...!" The pitiful girl coughs up blood, trying to see whats happening and failing, her eyes closed due to the black eyes. Instead, she pushes herself off the ground, her hair a tangled mess like the rest of her. Although her 'veil' is soaked in blood, the lion mounting a woman is still clear. She shakes her head, groaning as she tries to force over-abused muscles to work. She speaks, but the words are incorherant and only cause the fresh scaps over her lips to crack and bleed. So she does the simplest thing and reaches forward with her right arm to try and use her friend for support. Her left arm is bent at a unnatural angle, and bone sticks out. Meanwhile, Her attacker screams as his flesh is torn and burnt. The last thing his mad mind tells him to do is Jump. As he dies, he does so, his body flying towards the two by the pile, the innocent shudra born of sin, and the young seeress who he hates beyond belief... The panzerhand on Sumai's left hand, shaped like a roaring lion that spouts the barbed and serrated fingers whips out like a viper striking its prey. Wrenching the man's neck with the monstrous paw, holding the not insignificant man off the ground with one arm a deep growl rumbles from within his chest for a moment before a sickening *CRACK* can be heard to those within a few yards. The mongrel's body falls limply to the ground with shafts buried in it and its neck twisted like a piece of limp linen. "Asha, serve your mistress." the Warlord's thrumming voice commands as he looks at the shudra and the seeress from behind the helm. Fortunately for Delilah, there are two healers on hand, not just one. The blow the crazed one had dealt Delilah is only the first of the assaults of agony that blaze into Faanshi's senses; the rest of the damage flares up hard right behind it, making the halfbreed have to bite back an involuntary groan of agonized reaction. Just behind her, the searing agony that is the death knell of Delilah's captor strikes her like a crossbow bolt to the back and brings hot tears to her eyes... but she doesn't need to see to place her hands upon the girl. Aether flares in a surge of a different kind of power from that of the Warlord's. Sumai's fire has destroyed. Hers, however, heals. Though she is blinded by her own tears, her hands tell her that the bone in Delilah's arm must be set before it can be mended -- and thus, her fingers move to push the bone back in to where it belongs. It is not a pretty task, and it cannot help but add pain atop the pain that already racks Delilah's system, but immediately in its wake Faanshi pours her magic into the broken girl. Asha whimpers and stumbles to her feet. Luckilly for her she can only feel pain when she's touching the sufferer. "Y-yes Imphadi Warlord." She stumbles towards Delilah and Faanshi, running. Delilah crys out in agony as her bone is re-set and as the healing magic flows through her body, mending internal and external damamge caused by a madman. Before the eyes of all present, The pitiful, broken features of Delilah twist and contort, her eyes opening as her blackeyes and bruises melt, and smoky eyes snap open, filled with pain, anger, and fear. Her nose, broken and slashed, is abruptly whole. Later, Delilah will wish that the healing magics could make her nose smaller, and her lips bigger, but for now, the seeress cannot help but marvel as her body is mended. As she blinks back tears that never flowed from her eyes, she gazes up at her friend, her veil still soaked in the blood of both her and her guardsman, who laid his life down for her. "Jonhus?" She whispers through rapidly healing lips, her tone giving a person little doubt who she speaks of. She shakes her head as her world starts to spin and fog, her magic choosing that time to strike. Looking at his soldiers for a moment Sumai says to them in a calm, simple tone of voice. "Gather your bolts and pile this pathetic beast on his creation." the basso rumble says to them as he looks at each of them for but a moment before he looks back to the minor operation. The men get to the task, moving forward and ripping the flesh cutter quarrels out of the man messily before they pick him up and place him on the hideous altar to destruction that he has built. "It is time for an impromptu sacrifice." the Warlord of Messala explains. The two men that Sumai sent off earlier circle around the far cropping now and begins moving towards the three women while their master waits for everything to fall into place. Asha kneels over her mistress, closing her eyes, her megre talents able to do little beside Faanshi's, but maybe she can take some of the pain onto herself... "It is Faanshi, Delilah. Faanshi," rasps the halfbreed in black and blue, red and gold. Most of her power goes into strengthening the shattered bone she's had to move back into place -- along with a good deal of her physical strength as well. But the rest of her magic swirls through the young limb, bidding flesh to repair itself, skin to grow whole; it spills down over the young seeress to lap through her and smooth away the rest of her pains. When Asha's own smaller power joins it, Faanshi shoots a tear-filled glance to the other woman and then adds gently, "And Asha. We're here...!" Delilah's body spasm, her magic carressing her mind and leaving, like the touch of a comforting hand. It does what Faanshi had been unable to do fully. Delilah slowly relaxes, no tears mixing with blood on her newly-restored face. "Faanshi..!" she moans, "It hurts..!" She then breaths deeply, exhaling slowly, helping out the healing effort as best she can by lowering the rate of her heart-beat and speeding her immune system, stopping her odd exercise just short of a trance. "What happened..?" She speaks through gritted teeth, "Last thing i remember is stabbing him and.." She gasps as the pain in her throat eases, not finoishing her sentance. Her eyes are filled with a mixture of shock, fury, and pain, the emotions caused by nothing physical. "Pick them up if they can't walk." the Warlord commands easily as he looks at the three. If you meet these criteria then you get picked up, most likely whether you wished it or not, and carried away from the scene. Even as he speaks the glittering, silver-clad man turns and begins to summon his flame again to set alight the morbid altar that has be created beforehand. Supporting it as the mongrels clothes catch light slowly and then the fire begins to grow proportionally and exponentially while Sumai watches it from just a few yards away. Considerably too near the Empyrean territory for his liking and not wishing to worry about Hounds in this situation he makes certain everything is burning well before he turns and begins making his way around the croppings. Asha places an arm around Faanshi, both to support her as she likely needs it, and perhaps to convey something of the awe she feels at the halfbreed woman's talent. She remains, charateristically, silent. Faanshi begins to murmur a reply to Delilah, but then the shadow of one of the Messala guardsmen looms over the two shudra and the seeress. What words the halfbreed had been about to utter modulate into a small gasp of startlement; then she yields the young girl to the guardsman's grasp, murmuring huskily, "Carry her gently, Imphadi, I beg..." And then there's an arm around her, and a second guardsman advancing upon her and the older healer. To both Asha and Sumai's warrior Faanshi swiftly breathes, "I can walk... thank you..." She does seem to rise with a bit of effort, considering the amount of power she's poured forth, but she does seem to have enough strength to make it to her feet. And she starts moving in the wake of the man now bearing Delilah, hoping it will save her having to be carried herself. This means she must pull away from Asha -- but even as she does, she steals a bemused glance at the woman. This is not the first time the other shudra has voluntarily touched her. But it startles her now, nevertheless. Asha looks down, calmly, and gets to her own feet. Delilah is taken by the guard, her body limp but strong. Her clothing, sinful by Varati standards, hangs in tattered remains and covers her body, hiding it from men's eyes as best material that borders on transparent can. Travelling away from the newly made bonfire quickly the huge man that leads the clan sparkles for a few moments until he passes into the shadows of the shadows of an outcropping to be followed by the two men who are not busy with the three women. Strides carry him evenly and rapidly across the stoney beach and towards the main walkway of the street. From there Sumai intends, certainly, to head back to Atesh-Gah before he can be located in the area and linked to any ongoings firmly. He says only, of Faanshi, "If she falls behind carry her regardless of her wishes." in a deep voice to his warriors. If the Warlord has announced that Faanshi will be carried if she falls behind, it seems therefore to Faanshi that she must simply not fall behind. Kosha, still greatly agitated by the brief but brutal encounter, practically leaps upon the halfbreed maiden in his anxiety -- but three soft whistles sound breathlessly behind Faanshi's black veil, just loudly enough to make the hound's ears twitch and get him to settle into place at her heels as she hastens to follow the Warlord and his men away from the scene. There is no change in the stride with which she moves; it's the same long-legged, limber pace she'd used to get here. If it costs her any effort to keep that pace, such a thing cannot be read from her veiled countenance... not in the gloom of night, especially. [With Delilah successfully recovered, the Messala party -- and the halfbreed healer who accompanies them -- returns to Atesh-Gah. And shortly...] You open the lion-emblazoned door, and step through. Messala Suite - Atesh-Gah - Haven(#1895RAJh) A spacious suite, set aside for visitors from Clan Messala. It is decorated in the clan colors, silver and navy, with the walls decorated with Messala's symbol, a rampant Lion. The parlor and lounge leads out to the main complex of Atesh-Gah. The seating, surrounding a fireplace, consists of a long navy couch, and two chairs trimmed in silver. A dining area sits to one side of the fire, a small table with seating for four, and an equally small kitchen is situated just off from this. The room is divided by a thick, rich drapery, behind which lie the resting area for servants and concubines. Cushions and divans are provided for the servants' resting when they are not serving their superiors. A small door leads into the master bedroom, where the the most pre-eminent guest sleeps. It has a fireplace of its own, and two large, stuffed chairs before it. The bed is canopied, done up in silver and blue, with drapes about it for privacy. Contents: Sumai Delilah Asha Obvious exits: Keegan's Chambers Sumai's Lair Out Leading the miniature platoon of soldiers sweeps back into the suite which is relatively quiet, despite the fact that the group swept out of here just a bit more than a hour or two ago. "To her chamber." Sumai commands the soldier and Asha as well, as she is the girl's shudra. "Get her out of those ganika clothes and dress her properly, Asha." comes a command for the loyal shudra of Messala as Sumai, himself lifts the helm from atop his head and stands patiently in the main hall for a moment and speaks again t before anyone can get to fully moving. "This night never happened you do not speak of it to anyone. If you do, I shall kill you myself. Most unpleasantly." Asha bows and murmurs. "Yes Imphadi Warlord." As she is carried to her chamber, Delilah stirrs, shakign her head slightly. She had fallen asleep on the way back, and it has done a world of good. Delilah had not cried one tear when she had been forced to watch as a madman tore apart the dead body of her guard, she had not cried when he had torn her clothing off, just to replace them with those.. dirty... gauzes. But as she is taken to a room she had prayed with all her heart to see, a few tears softly snake down the soft cheeks of the girl, leaving a smear of blood and dirt in their wake. "What happened to that mad animal?" she asks loud enough for all to hear. While said firmly, her words neverless are soft, spoken with a steel most men are not use to hearing from women. It takes some minutes' time, but not too terribly many minutes, before the warrior Akhmed reaches the suite to rejoin his Sirdar and the rest of his brethren. As he arrives, however, he is not alone. The shudra that serves Clan Khalida has accompanied him, though she is moving now with an ever so slightly slower step than had propelled her upon the beach and all the way back through the city. She says nothing as she steps into the front room of the suite, leaving it to the guardsman to stride in and announce, "The half--" Akhmed catches himself, a momentary strange look flashing across his face, before he continues with a swift obesiance to his Clan leader, "The healer's hound is attended, Sirdar. She requested leave to come ask if her further service is required." At the door, as he speaks, Faanshi waits with a shudra's stance, eyes closed as she steals an opportunity to converse her strength. "Very well Ahkmed, go back to your wives now. You have served well this evening." Sumai explains to the much smaller, but brutally grizzled and harsh soldier that has served by the Master's side for nearly a decade now. Sumai turns his olive-brown eyes to Faanshi for the moment and purses his lips before looking to Delilah. The guardsman who carries her answer in a quiet, oily tone of voice that is smooth and whispery, "He is dead." the huge Messala who is responsible for leadership, "Ah, Faanshi. Good. You may go to Delilah's chamber and help dress her and bathe her if you wish, but first I must tell you that you would be best served not to speak of this. For any reason, never mention it to anyone to protect yourself and me." he commanding voice says as he looks down on her. Asha bustles through the doorway to Delilah's chambers after the guards, already preparing fresh clothes for her Mistress. "Imphadas, Mistress would be best pleased if you would leave us now." she murmurs. "Kindly ask the women to heat water for her bath, a thousand favors. Namaste." Delilah is taken into her chamber, and set down on her bed. The warrior, whose name is never spoken, leaves as soon as his duty is done. Oily voice and all disappearing into the halls. "It shall be as you command, Imphadi," Faanshi speaks up then, bowing to the Warlord deeply, inwardly commanding her weary body to keep moving for a little while longer. And then she peeks after the departing women, considering. Does she truly have the right to go and take away a duty that belongs to Delilah's own shudra? But no... lending aid is not the same thing as taking away, she thinks. Snapping her attention back, she appends lowly, "And thank you... I know that your women will attend her well... but it will ease my heart to see her safe and settled with my own eyes...!" "I understand, child. Go to her chamber and help with the duty, when you are done you may sleep with my shudra this evening." Sumai says to her in an easy and permissory fashion whiel he examines the younger healer for a moment. Pinching his lips thoughtfully he simply nods once and then turns away to make his way from the public halls to his own private chambers while the women do the better part of the work rather than the filthy underside that he is part of. Delilah sits up in her bed, wincing slightly as she stretches newly-healed muscles. She watches as the guard leaves, glad he had only said a few words. His oily voice was very unpleasent. Not as reassuring and pleasent as a bass rumble.. "How did Sumai know where I was?" She asks her shudra, covering her body with a blanket to the shoulders. She savagely tears off the veil, not caring that she must drop a corner of the blanket to do so. Asha says "Shudra Faanshi brought a message." She murmurs, taking the hot water jug from another shudra and commencing to fill the small bath. "You will feel better after you have bathed and slept, Mistress." Surely this once Imphada Delilah will not refuse her assistance?" An unexpected boon, that last offer of Sumai's -- and one which Faanshi has to admit sounds unbelievably welcome. It is hardly a great distance back to the Royal Wing and to the room she shares with the scribe Zarima, but truth be told, sleeping in the company of shudra who at least have the impetus of their Warlord's own behavior to be sympathetic to her sounds infinitely preferable than sleeping in the same room with a kshatri girl who takes every opportunity she can to subtly dig at her. And for all that she is refusing to display it before the eyes of anyone of the Clan Messala -- even its Warlord -- she is tired enough to bring a slight scratching fuzziness to the edge of her thoughts. Just a little longer to stay on her feet, though... Thus does the shudra who conveyed Jonhus' dire threat to the Warlord appear on soft feet at the door of Delilah's chamber, calling in anxiously, "Imphada...? May I serve further, this night...?" The young Seeress blinks, having not seen Faanshi in the hall. "You may serve, Faanshi, by callign me by my name and getting some rest.." She says, knowing just how tired her friend must be. "Asha is more than able to serve me." She says, wishing she had the stregnth to see Sumai. She has much to talk with him about, and her small brush with evil has made her all the more aware of certain things. She is well -- she certainly sounds better. Faanshi sketches a bow to the girl in the bed, but even as she does the relief in leaf-green eyes might perchance be glimped. "As you wish," she murmurs softly. "I will be within the suite tonight... call me, if you need me. Please. Rest well.. and praise Ushas you are safe...!" With that gentle benediction then does Faanshi vanish from Delilah's doorway, as quietly as she'd come, and retreat at last to sorely needed slumber. [End log.]