"Healing... and Farewell"

Log Date:
	1/24/02

Log Cast:
	Tyler, Faanshi, Asusena, Salmalin

Log Intro:
	Faanshi, in the last many days, has grown less and less sure of her
place within Atesh-Gah and within Haven. The mistress she once served has
returned to the heart of the Varati kingdom, to reign on high with Khalid
Atar her husband... and the Pasha who speaks for the Varati in their place
in Haven has shown no interest in a mere halfbreed shudra speaking to the
Sylvans on his behalf. From past experience with herself, the young healer
knows that if she were ordered point-blank to remain within the embassy of
the Children of Fire and resume a shudra's more traditional duties, she
would obey that order.
	But Faanshi has also come to realize that her soul would never be
truly happy, if she did.
	She is reluctant to abandon the poor and the hungry of Bordertown,
for there is always someone who needs her healing. And yet, Faanshi knows
that even the poorest Mongrels of Haven are not entirely without aid, for
there are healers in Delphi who will look after them.
	She is even more reluctant to abandon the small number of friends
she has in Haven... for she does have some friends left, living friends who
have not been taken from her by misfortune or illness or attack. 
	And she is especially reluctant to abandon Salmalin al'Sar, the
kshatri man who has served with her at Thalia's command as Voice to the
Sylvans... but who has been liberated from that duty by Thalia's own order.
And who, much to Faanshi's amazement and dismay, has professed that he has
fallen in love with her. The shudra cannot say that she would find the
notion of a life with Salmalin displeasing...
	But it is too soon. Memories of the first two men she has loved
and lost are too raw within her... and moreover, he is kshatri. For all
that he is an unconventional kshatri indeed, he _is_ still kshatri. And
she is not at all sure whether the recent restlessness that has come upon
her, insisting that for the good of her own heart and soul she needs to 
leave a city which has brought her so much pain and despair, is quite
enough for her to fly in the face of all Varati ways and bind herself to
a kshatri man.
	And so, she has decided to leave Haven. But before she goes, it
seems that Salmalin is not quite yet done needing her... and she must, at
any rate, let him know what is in her heart before she leaves the city
altogether....

*===========================< In Character Time >==========================* 
             Time of day:  Night (Dawnside)
          Date on Aether:  Saturday, July 29, 3909. 
           Year on Earth:  1509 A.D. 
       Phase of the Moon:  Waxing Gibbous 
                  Season:  Summer 
                 Weather:  Clear Skies 
             Temperature:  Hot 
*==========================================================================*

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:
Salmalin
Asusena(#1741PJOXcemq$)
Tyler(#1315PJcem$)
Obvious exits:
Cottage <C>  Streets <E,SW>  Garden Archway <S>

How in the world does this woman always end up naked? And why does Tyler 
  always have to fight the completely uncharacteristic urge to protect her 
  from it? Horizontal creases of thought slash through his bronzed brow. There 
  is a momentary pause. He then slings off the weapon-bearing bandolier and 
  drops it to the cobbles. From there, he tears off his vest and haphazardly 
  tugs the shirt from his back. "Take this, Sena," commands Tyler, his 
  expression hardening into a grim mask that will stand for no argument. The 
  articles of clothing are flung through the air toward the tiger-turned-woman 
  in a ruffled flurry. He slowly bends to scoop his belt of blades up and 
  slides it over his bare skin. "/Go,/ Jack!" snaps the mongrel in violent 
  tones, not even turning toward the two shadows that have halted in the 
  distance, uncertain. Besides the pair of shadows, there are three figures 
  caught in the dying, orange glow from a nearby door left ajar. Tyler stands 
  tall and resolute, eyes cast toward Salmalin, who lies stricken by tooth and 
  blade, bleeding in silence. The third figure is a gleaming, naked woman, 
  striped from head to toe in the pattern of a tiger. "We're leaving--" Now 
  he's talking to Asusena again. "--one less pureblood to worry about if you 
  ask me."

Faanshi being out and about in the middle of the night is no unusual 
  occurrence. There is always a family who needs her, a pregnant mother, a son 
  who's been jumped by thieves... and tonight is no exception. But the shudra 
  maiden had not planned on coming around a corner to find a scene of obvious 
  violence before her... her magic roaring into life in reply to the man lying 
  torn and bleeding upon the pavement... and the voice of the Mongrel Tyler 
  casting out words of contempt for one of pure blood.
There is no preamble to her arrival. Just a quiet voice calling out with 
  uncharacteristic authority, "It is fortunate, therefore, that I was passing. 
  Beside even if you do not care for this pureblood, Tyler, he is my friend. 
  And by the Holy Hawk of Heaven I will heal him!"
And then Faanshi is simply _there_, darting on sandaled feet up from behind 
  the man on his feet and the woman in a state of rather alarming total 
  undress. At any other time, the maiden might gasp in shock. Not now. Not 
  when Salmalin al'Sar needs her help. Kosha is at her side as always, and he 
  lets out a loud distraught whine as his mistress hurls herself forth out of 
  the shadows towards the injured man.

What a statement. Asusena lets the shirt fall, her dark eyes following its arc 
  with a dully disinterested glare until it flops upon the stones. Slowly, her 
  eyes lift, their dark gleam murderous as it finally takes in Tyler. Coldly 
  in control, Asusena growls, "I... am pureblood," and cocks her head to the 
  side. Want to make something of it... mutt? As for the clothing, as for the 
  'command', as for the startled shudra suddenly on the scene... Sena could be 
  no more unmoved than were she literally chiseled from marble. A flicker of 
  emotion moves over her features, as fickle as hope for a poverty-stricken 
  mongrel: there and gone again. Disgust? She looks down toward Salmalin and 
  Faanshi, and then slowly stoops to pick up the swordbelt that holds her 
  falcare, one hand swiping a stray lock of unruly hair behind one ear. 
  Without looking toward Tyler, Sena begins to walk away, striding as though 
  clothed, but rather gloriously naked. She moves as though she is still the 
  tigress, deadly and threatening, not a thing to trifle with.

A moan. It is soft and accompanied by a wet cough. Half of Salmalin's face is 
  covered in his own blood as it has started to pool. His shoulder has been 
  ripped as if by the teeth of some large beast. It does not help as well that 
  there is a blade sticking angrily from the wound. It has been pushed in 
  further by the man's fall to the ground. Pale against the dark of blood his 
  lips move, first in silence and then words are formed, ".. T-tyler.. you.. 
  you.. owe.. apology.. Asu-susena." Tears well up in his eyes as he tries to 
  move. At the sound of Faanshi's voice he smiles slightly and then he coughs 
  again and lays unmoving on the stone once more.

"You're about as 'pure' as /I/ am, Asusena," resounds Tyler's indignant cry, 
  "and it's high time you realized that!" He swipes his shunned clothing from 
  the cobblestones with an angry fist. "/You/ bit this bastard -- not me!" 
  Faanshi and Salmalin forgotten, the mongrel's gaze fervently tries to 
  penetrate the distance and darkness that envelopes the feline form of the 
  lone Varati. "You're a bitch, too," he belatedly adds by way of a sulky 
  grumble. After offering a sober stare and a quietly passionate counter, "I 
  don't owe her anything, pal -- don't let that crush you got on the kitty-cat 
  blind you of the fact that Virgil /saved/ your ass from her," Tyler starts 
  stalking off in the direction opposite Asusena's chosen route, joining his 
  companions down the road.

Faanshi does not know what is going on. She does not _want_ to know -- for all 
  that the angry words hurled back and forth sizzle through her hearing. Her 
  attention, however, is entirely upon Salmalin as she hurls herself to her 
  knees at his side, Kosha hot on her heels. Down goes her basket to the 
  cobblestones. Her hands dart to the blade that had been rammed into 
  Salmalin's form, pulling it out and flinging it aside in a gesture of 
  vehement distaste. Only when it is out of the way does she pull Salmalin up 
  into her arms and unleash the tide of her aether, uninterested in finesse at 
  the moment, not when her highest priority is keeping him from losing his 
  life's blood.
Only when her contact has been made does she actually _look_ at the man who 
  was once the Voice to the Sylvans. And with eyes gone hot and overbright, 
  even as she pours her power into him, Faanshi murmurs unhappily to the man 
  she's healing, "Aie, merciful Ushas... Salmalin, how will you remain whole 
  when I am gone?"

As the aether starts to pour into Salmalin he lets out a surprised gasp. His 
  body arches and then slumps down again. Long, ragged breathes. Still pale, 
  the Varati man blinks open his eyes to find Faanshi above him. Surprise and 
  fear mingle in his features. She was not supposed to be here. She was not 
  supposed to find out. ".. going.. somewhere?" He asks when he is able to 
  speak. His thoughts are clouded, his body weak. No. His good arm reaches up 
  to try and still Faanshi. Can he stop her? "Stop.." he croaks out. "Do.. 
  not.. waste.." Eyes tighten shut as he tries to concentrate.

"I am leaving Haven, Salmalin." The words rise up to meet the ears of the 
  Varati man seemingly from somewhere within the wellspring of Faanshi's 
  power... and they do not sound particularly happy. Perhaps this is due to 
  the condition of the man she holds... but then again, perhaps not entirely. 
  That seeking arm can certainly make contact with her; however, it seems to 
  have no impact upon the deep-running current of power that washes inexorably 
  through Salmalin's system and seeks to close up rent flesh, leaving it clean 
  and whole. "And do not worry. I have power and to spare, and I am not in the 
  mood to see you bleed to death, this night."
Next to her, very softly, Kosha whines. And cranes his head forward, hoping 
  perhaps that that seeking hand might be looking to scritch him... but even 
  the dog seems to realize, probably not.

A shake of the head is his answer. Those tightly shut eyes open and seek 
  Faanshi's out in the sea of stars that swim before them. Salmalin lets his 
  hand fall away. "You are.. beautiful when you're angry," he whispers, flakes 
  of dried blood falling away from his lips. A smile. Small and begging 
  forgiveness. A fit of coughing wipes away the playful mood. As he lays there 
  in her arms he cannot help but think it is his fault. "Why are you leaving?"

Men have told her she is beautiful before -- but one has yet to have done so 
  in connection to an angry mood, since such moods are infrequent for this 
  gentle maiden. And now, even as Salmalin utters that hoarse compliment, the 
  halfbreed lets out a soft sigh. The wounds have closed, inexorably bidden by 
  her power; she has paid it very little conscious attention, past the need to 
  will it to _happen_. So too does she pay little attention to the blood that 
  has now stained her clothing... for she has grown accustomed to them. But in 
  many ways she is _still_ not accustomed to Salmalin al'Sar. She pauses for a 
  moment now, her power's surge drifting down at last, studying his face and 
  wondering to herself if that is anxiety she sees upon his features in the 
  darkness. "I do not think," she says softly, "that this is a thing to be 
  discussed in the middle of the street. You need to get to a bed, and you 
  need to rest."

Salmalin moves his shoulder slowly, as if testing the reality of the healing. 
  Despite the lack of a wound his movements are stiff and he seeks to protect 
  his shoulder from further pain as he lifts himself up. He looks around for 
  the four people who had been there previously. An empty street. They are in 
  the middle of the street. It had all been real, painfully so and perhaps 
  that is what causes him to say, "I made a mess of things again. Didn't I?" 
  Looking away he just shakes his head. "Once again I am in your debt, 
  Faanshi. All I do is burden you with problems and offer nothing in return.. 
  You are right.. it is not my place to ask you such questions."

That _isn't_ what she said, and nor is it what Faanshi meant. The halfbreed 
  maiden sighs behind her veil, very softly, even as she applies herself to 
  making absolutely certain Salmalin will not fall down as long as he feels 
  like getting up. Dainty though her hands may be, they grip a shoulder and an 
  arm with surety, and as Kosha gives a few hopeful, encouraging wags of his 
  tail, the healer entreats tiredly, "I beg of you, Salmalin, please do not 
  speak of debts or places... not now, not tonight." Why is it she always has 
  so much trouble explaining to people that she heals because she simply feels 
  it is the right thing to do, not because she seeks debts or payments? "I 
  would merely recommend that if you wish to converse with me, we do it as I 
  escort you to a place where you can rest, because injuries like those will 
  demand much sleep." A pause, and then she adds tinily, "I would have thought 
  that you would be pleased, since I intend to attempt to... find myself."

It is with some effort that Salmalin stands on his own feet, seeking not to 
  use Faanshi as a crutch. For a while he does not move. The ground moves 
  enough for the both of them and he struggles to stop it as he did when he 
  was drinking. Swaying this way and that he finally feels confident enough to 
  walk. "I did not mean..." But it does not matter. Looking around once more 
  he starts in the direction of the docks, taking the healer's advice. With 
  her at his side it does not seem so difficult to move. "Find yourself?" he 
  asks suddenly. She said that, he thinks. "A journey.. to.." His words trail 
  off and the next couple of steps are made without discussion. Silence and 
  then, "I will miss you."

"And I, you." That is all Faanshi says for a few moments, even as she and 
  Kosha fall in to escort the young Varati to... wherever it is he intends to 
  go, this night. That he does not head back for Atesh-Gah does not seem to 
  surprise her, nor does Faanshi comment upon it. Instead, as the two of them 
  make their way through the darkened streets, she says at last, "Everyone 
  says I must be one thing or the other. I must be shudra and serve, or I must 
  be honored because of a gift I carry in my hands that I did not choose to 
  have. I must be Varati, and strong and stoic, or I must be Sylvan and free. 
  Everyone says that I must be happy, but no one will tell me _how_, and no 
  one seems to want me to be _Faanshi_, and I do not even know what _Faanshi_ 
  is." A few moments more... and she walks on, in silence, until at last she 
  finishes, "I think I have finally decided it is time for me to find out."

Salmalin opens his mouth and then closes it quickly. As light starts to 
  brighten the day he becomes more aware of the people starting to stir. He 
  should be concerned, but there is no image to uphold, no honor to protect 
  anymore. His thoughts drift back to what Faanshi has said. "I wanted you to 
  be Faanshi.. at least I thought I did. Everyone has their different version 
  of you in their mind. I suppose it is ultimately up to you which version you 
  truly are." They drift closer to their destination, passing by the darkened 
  establishments yet to open their doors to the world. "But that is not for me 
  to say. I am glad you have decided to go out on your own and I want to wish 
  you well. I will pray for your well being."

"Thank you...!" This, Faanshi _does_ mean, and she breathes it with utmost 
  earnestness. Then, quite softly, the halfbreed maiden asks, "May I... write 
  to you? It would ease my heart to know that someone in Haven misses me...!

A shake of Salmalin's head brings him to look at Faanshi curiously, "Of course 
  you can write to me. I would love to hear from you and know what great 
  adventures you are having." He smiles and adds, "And I am sure more than 
  just myself will miss you."

[This was Faanshi's last scene before the game was shut down on 2/14/02...
 and accordingly, never finished. But it may be presumed that Faanshi left
 Haven not long after this encounter with Salmalin, bidding those closest to
 her a quiet farewell as she set out to try to find some solace for her
 battered soul. End log... and a grand cycle of roleplay.]