Log Date: 10/24/96, and subsequent days
Log Cast:
	Tamber, Rhianna
Log Intro:
	Singer Rhianna Turlough and Sorter Tamber al-Acorrin have been,
in recent years, suffering their own private versions of grief: Rhianna
due to the loss of her husband Michael, and Tamber for a complex tangle
of sorrows he has only lately realized he hasn't conquered as well as he'd
like. It is almost natural, then, that these two, who have been friends
for quite some time, should eventually draw together to discuss these
sorrows....

----------
Tamber saunters into the room, glancing about.

Rhianna looks up from the datapad in her hand as she hears the door to the 
  lounge open.
Her face breaks into a grin as she sees who has entered and waves him over, 
  "Tamber!"
Rhianna looks at you for a moment.

Tamber blinks, and then beams at you. "Rhianna, my dear. I am so pleased to 
  see you." He readily joins you, and his eyebrows rise as he takes in your 
  physical state. 'Oh, my word... the Ranges are not treating you kindly 
  again, I can see..."

Rhianna
   Brilliant gray eyes are the first thing you notice about this charming 
  young woman. Eyes that may change from a soft dove gray to the cold steely 
  color of iron depending on her moods, which may shift in a moment without 
  notice. She wears her long fiery-red hair up in intricate braids, so as not 
  to impede her sight or motion. A few whispy locks, however, often escape her 
  best tries to tame them and curl softly at the nape of her neck. She moves 
  with grace and conservation of motion, her trim Singer's body more than 
  capable of dealing with anything the Ranges throw at her. A bright flash of 
  gold draws your eye to a golden ring suspended from a chain around her neck. 
   A sleeveless emberald green tunic made of some soft material clings to 
  Rhianna's lithe form, its hem brushes just above her knees. Skin-hugging 
  black pants go down to a soft shoe on one leg and a cast on the other.
   Despite her injuries, Rhianna seems to be in a fairly good mood.   Her 
  right leg is in a cast that starts just above her knee and extends down to 
  her foot. Her head has a large lump near the right temple and there is a 
  cast over the lower part of her left arm and most of her hand, allowing her 
  broken wrist to heal. The cast extends over where one of her fingers, should 
  be, but isn't. There is a short row of stitches on her temple.

Rhianna grins wryly, "The Ranges giveth and the Ranges taketh away." She 
  chuckles, "It's not as bad as it looks though, I should be out and about in 
  a couple of weeks."

Tamber folds himself into a chair nearby, and smiles warmly. "I am thrilled to 
  hear it; I have missed Sorting for you, my dear."

Rhianna's eyes widen, "Did you get the greens I brought in?" She looks a bit 
  cross, "I knew I shouldn't have left before I made sure they got to you."

Tamber inclines his head sagely. "I did indeed, and to Tuning they have gone. 
  I have requested an octave and a chord of three from the lot."

Rhianna visibly relaxes back into her chair, "Good. I know green is cheap 
  right now, but every little bit counts."

The Sorter nods affably. "Indeed it does." He chuckles a little. "I yet count 
  myself fortunate that I have built up savings over the years, and can live 
  upon them when the work is slow. And I need not, furthermore, break my 
  limbs."
Tamber gives you a little half-bow. "I salute you and your entire profession, 
  for taking such risks, my dear!"

Rhianna chuckles, "I'm afraid my credits leave me almost as soon as I get 
  them." She smiles, "I don't know about others of my profession, but I sing 
  not for the credits, but for the singing itself."

Tamber's eyes lighten. "Truer words were never spoken, except perhaps by 
  Kevlan Sharr; he and Bernadette are home, by the by."

Rhianna smiles warmly, "Wonderful news. I'm sure that I'll have a chance to 
  catch up with them since I won't be going back to the Ranges for some time."

Tamber nods, evenly enough, though there seems to be -- to empathic senses -- 
  a hint of worry on the edge of his otherwise calm demeanor. "I am sure you 
  will," he replies. "And I shall be having lunch with Kevlan, tomorrow, 
  myself...."

Rhianna raises an eyebrow and studies your face for a moment, but decides to 
  let what ever she had been considering pass, for the moment. She turns the 
  subject to other matters, "I've recently had a letter from Michael's mother. 
  It seems I'm to have a visitor at Shankill in the next few weeks."

Tamber's eyes glitter with interest. "She wishes to see you?"

Rhianna smiles sweetly, "She always wishes to see me and scolds me for not 
  visiting more often, but she isn't the one who'll be visiting. It seems that 
  Michael's nephew has begun traveling and wants to see me."

Tamber considers, perhaps trying to recollect what if anything he knows of 
  Michael's kin; finally he says gallantly, "I hope that it will be a pleasant 
  visit for you both."

Rhianna chuckles, "I hope so too, Jonathan was always a very animated young 
  man. He also mentioned bringing along a dear friend of mine."

Tamber quirks an inquiring brow.

Rhianna smiles, "There are many things that occurred on Zevi, other than 
  Michael's death, while I was there." She frowns at that, "Most were almost 
  as tragic." After a short pause she continues, "But one of the results of my 
  time there was that I aquired a ward, Ambrose."

Tamber's expression grows somewhat more solemn, as he listens, but his green 
  gaze continues to reflect utter interest in your story.

Rhianna explains a bit further, "His parents were very good to me, after 
  Michael died." She runs her hand through her long hair, "Because of this I 
  easily passed for a Zevite and they claimed me as a long-lost relative." She 
  sighs as if picking her words carefully, "Suffice it to say that his parents 
  were found to be sympathetic to the Conlon cause and were executed as 
  traitors."
Rhianna grimaces, "I was able to save young Ambrose and I've made sure he has 
  a future that doesn't inclued civil wars and unneedful deaths."

Tamber breathes in a soft gasp, then nods, and murmurs, "You have done the 
  right thing, then."

Rhianna smiles sadly, "I feel that I have. I just wish his parents could have 
  seen the wonderful young man thier little boy has grown to be."

Tamber's mouth flickers a bit in a returned smile; there is the faintest 
  flicker in his attention that speaks of something like understanding of loss.

Rhianna pulls herself away from her unpleasant memories, "I've not seen either 
  of the boys for a few years now, I'm looking forward to thier tales of space 
  faring adventure." She smiles, looking a bit more like her old self.

Tamber allows a slight chuckle. "Truly, the galaxy is vast, and may their 
  tales be vivid ones."

Rhianna chuckles, "I'm sure they will be, vivid and just a bit exaggerated."

Tamber's eyes twinkle.
You say "And what of your own tales of spacefaring, my dear? The last I saw of 
  you, it was before the Passover."

Rhianna chews thoughtfully on her lower lip, "I spent Passover on Shankill, 
  meditating on the past, present and future." She half-smiles, "It was not a 
  pleasant vacation."

A ripple of regret and sympathy, from the Sorter. "I do wish I had known; I'd 
  have made a point to keep you company."

Rhianna sighs deeply, "I think I would have enjoyed that." She shrugs, 
  "Nevertheless, it was really something I should have done some time ago 
  instead of hiding in the Ranges trying to forget."

Tamber leans forward, to gently pat your knee.

Rhianna takes your hand as you do so and looks into your face, "And you 
  Tamber? How have you fared?"

Tamber's smile falters, ever so slightly. "I..." Knowing better than to try to 
  dissemble to you, he murmurs very softly, "I have been... working out my own 
  difficulties."

Rhianna pats your hand before releasing it and nods ever so slightly. "If I 
  can help..." she offers quietly.

Tamber's eyes soften, perhaps gratefully. "It helps immeasurably to have..." 
  He pauses, perhaps considering his words. "... to have someone with whom to 
  talk."

Rhianna smiles, "I would be happy to share your company, any time you wish it."

Tamber half-smiles. "I have not been... a social man, as of late. I have even 
  startled my fellow Sorters."

Rhianna nods knowingly, "Please don't allow yourself to become too turned in."

Ruefully, Tamber shrugs, just a bit. "I... do try. Though, as I do frequently 
  remind Jerrik, I shan't abandon my friends, for all that I seem to have lost 
  my taste for romantic liasions..." He trails off, eyes slightly distant; 
  again comes that flicker of something like hurt, within him.

Rhianna hmms to herself then smiles a bit as she reaches into the carisac on 
  the sofa beside her, "I have something here to help what ails ye and me."

Tamber lifts an eyebrow. "I daresay you could not fit me a young man with 
  Galahad's divine shoulders into that, my dear," he says dryly.

Rhianna chuckles delightfully as she pulls a clear bottle full of an amber 
  colored liquid from the pack, "Not quite." she agrees, "This, my friend, is 
  called Absinthe." She lifts the bottle, "Be a dear and get a couple of 
  glasses for me?"

Both of Tamber's eyebrows go up, but he does rise and head to the catering 
  unit.

Guild Family Den
The main lounge is a very comfortable place. You can almost always find Guild 
  members relaxing in here. Scattered groupings of chairs and sofas create 
  conversational areas. There is a catering unit off to one side and a holovid 
  screen for entertainment. Overhead a crystal chandelier twists and sings 
  almost hypnotically. The walls are painted a shimmering light blue, and a 
  darker blue carpet muffles the sounds of footsteps. There are a few plants 
  scattered about that are cared for by Guild members with a green thumb. 
Contents:
  Tamber, standing before the catering unit 
  Rhianna, sitting on one of the soft couches
  Catering Unit 
  DataPad Vendor
Obvious Commands ("." for list):
  .leave  .couch  .table  .dispose  .browse  .order
Obvious Exits:
  Lift

Tamber sits down on one of the soft couches.
Tamber returns, then, with a couple of glasses. "What manner of drink would 
  this be, then?" he asks, brow arched.

Rhianna smiles warmly as she pours, "This drink is from Michael's homeworld. 
  It is triple-brewed from apples and several different spices. Each brewing 
  is different and contains different ingrediants." She hands you a glass, "It 
  is usually drank at special occassions; weddings, funerals and the like."

Tamber leans back where he has sat, and sniffs delicately at the concoction, 
  smiling a bit at the aroma. "To what, then, should we drink now?"

Rhianna lifts her glass solemnly, "To memories, both happy and nought, of love 
  and lost love."

Tamber's green gaze turns wistful. In respectful salute, he mirrors the toast, 
  then leans back to sip at the amber stuff.

Aria wanders in from the lift area.
Aria has arrived.

Rhianna sips at her own drink then sighs deeply at the remembered taste, "I 
  love this stuff. Michael's brother, Robin, sent me a case of it when Conlon 
  won its independance."

Aria marches over to the catering unit.

Tamber takes his time with the drink, as if pondering each swallow. After one, 
  he smiles, quietly. "Intriguing," he remarks. Then, he glances up from the 
  couch at where he sits, as Aria's arrival catches his eye.

Aria tosses off a wave to Rhianna and Tamber as she crosses to the catering 
  unit.
Aria spins the menufax around to display the drink selections.
Aria peruses the selection of drinks, and orders a frozen strawberry daquiri.
Aria sits down on one of the soft couches.
Aria relaxes back in her seat and sips at her drink, "Ahh...what a day.."

Tamber inclines his head to his superior, greeting her simply, "Good lady."

Rhianna smiles at Aria, "Mine's not been the greatest either."

Aria grins, "Oh...I don't know whether I should be glad or dismayed by that.."

Rhianna chuckels a bit as she waves her bandaged hand, "Well, I'm not so sure 
  about that myself."

Aria shakes her head as she looks at Rhianna's hand, "Cutter accident?"

Rhianna chuckles, "The missing finger was the cutter...the broken wrist and 
  leg were from trying to climb back to my sled with a missing finger."

Aria shakes her head sadly, "So I guess you won't have anything for me for a 
  little while?"

Tamber puts in, mock sternly, "Dear lady, I have already put in a claim on 
  Rhianna's sorts." He winks at Aria, apparently at ease now.

Rhianna smiles, "Krellin said it'll be a couple of weeks before I can go back 
  out."

Aria chuckles and sips her drink slowly, "Ah..well in that case I defer to you 
  my colleague...", she grimaces, "Give me more time for the paperwork."

Rhianna grins, "Oh the curse of a civilized society."

Tamber's eyes sparkle a little more. "I do not envy you your position, Aria."

Aria chuckles wickedly, "Watch out...your name got put up for department 
  second...and I'm still deciding on that.."

As innocent as -- well, Kevlan Sharr -- in expression, Tamber replies 
  smoothly, "Why, dear lady, whatever have I done to warrant such?" (If 
  Rhianna is paying attention, she might well note with her othersense that 
  the redheaded Sorter has quite abruptly relaxed, and in fact seems to have 
  become suffused with a warm humor.)

Aria chuckles, "You are a Sorter with many years experience my dear 
  Tamber...Feyr was also suggested..."

Rhianna smiles warmly and refills Tamber's drink, "You are one of the best."

Tamber inclines his head, and flutters his eyelashes at both of you. "You are 
  both too kind -- ah, thank you, Rhianna dear. An excellent drink, this..."

Rhianna fills in, "Absinthe. I thought you'd like it."

Tamber grins and resumes looking at that second glass of Absinthe you've 
  poured him, which you've just reidentified.

Rhianna smiles warmly, "I had a feeling this drink would be acceptable to your 
  refined tastes."

Tamber, after Aria takes her leave, returns his attention to you and sips at 
  the second glass, slowly. "Absinthe," he repeats, savoring the sound. "Thank 
  you, my dear, for introducing it..."
Tamber's face shifts ever so subtly as he speaks; it's almost as if a veil 
  across it is delicately nudged aside, leaving him ever so slightly more 
  readable, just a hair more fathomable than is normal for him. "Quite... 
  potent," he adds. "You said that there are apples, and spices, in it...?"

Rhianna chuckles softly as she sips at her own drink, "I've never been able to 
  charm the true recipe from any of the brewers. I do know it begins with 
  apples and some spices, then is brewed a second and third time, each time 
  with different spices."

The Sorter smiles, vividly, with his green eyes. "A mystery! How delightful."
Tamber cradles the glass reverently in his deft fingers, and for a few 
  moments, stares entranced into the amber contents.

Rhianna takes a close look at you and smiles widely, "Why, Tamber, I do 
  believe the you are starting to relax a bit." She shakes her head in a mock 
  scolding, "You really should take better care of yourself."

Tamber blinks, then looks up again. His mouth quirks wryly. "Will you play 
  medic for me, then, my dear?" he parries. Then his gaze turns slightly 
  introspective, as he adds, smile still playing slightly about his mouth, "I 
  do feel... very good."

With a smile still on her face she answers your question, "A medic I am not, 
  only a friend who is concerned about you."

Tamber's face actually softens at that, and you can feel, more palpably than 
  usual, a wave of embarrassment mingled with gratitude from him. "Those words 
  are... a balm to my soul," he murmurs confidingly, after another sip from 
  his glass. His eyes go oddly full.

Rhianna raises an eyebrow questioningly.

Tamber shakes his head a little, then smiles ruefully. "I... I'm sorry, my 
  dear. I should take my time with this concoction of yours."

Rhianna shrugs slightly in response, "It's quite all right, really. The first 
  time Michael introduced this to me was on our first duet in the Ranges." She 
  smiles fondly at the thought, "I was so drunk that when I passed out I 
  didn't stir, not even the usual dawn.." she pinkens a little, 
  "..urges...were able to rouse me that morning."

Tamber actually blushes, ever so faintly. "Drunk," he says thoughtfully. Then 
  he laughs, a silken sound. "From what I am told, you must have been very 
  intoxicated indeed."

Rhianna chuckles, "Well, we spent the better part of the night drinking and 
  talking." Her grin is a bit mischievous, "After that Michael always managed 
  to stow a bottle onto his sled when we went a-singing."

Again, Tamber's eyes turn strangely full. "I'm sure it was wondrous," he says 
  gamely.

Rhianna's eyes are a bit distant as she remembers, "I always loved singing, 
  credits where just a nice bonus to the experience." Her lips twitch to a wry 
  smile, "Michael used to say he was the second love in my life, behind cold 
  white crystal." She shrugs and the smile slowly fades, "I didn't want to 
  sing anymore after he died, it's taken me a long time to find joy in it 
  again."

Tamber does not speak, as he sips slowly at the rest of his glass; his eyes 
  remain brimming with a tangle of something, something that seems to swirl on 
  the edge of empathic senses as well.

Rhianna drinks deeply before commenting again, this time she seems very 
  introspective, "I once had two men in my life who loved me very much." She 
  inhales deeply, almost to calm herself, "I don't think I really appreciated 
  that until I lost them both."

Tamber murmurs, wistfully, "I.... understand more than I can express..."

Rhianna sighs and sits in silence, mulling over her memories as she fills her 
  glass once again.

Tamber breathes, "I... too... have been in the place you describe, my dear..." 
  He blinks rapidly, then, and rubs at his eyes.

Rhianna cocks her head slightly to the right and watches your face. She studys 
  you for a moment then nods, "Yes, I believe you have. And your memories are 
  as painful for you as mine are for me."

Tamber blinks at you, then, owlishly, and seeming rather surprised. "Long 
  ago," he murmurs huskily. "Very long ago, my dear."

Rhianna says "But in your memories, it is as fresh as if it were yesterday." 
  She smiles a bit, "I'm can't read thoughts, but I know that very intense 
  memories remain intense for a very long time.""

Tamber murmurs, "I... I am... broadcasting that clearly to you?"

Rhianna nods slowly, "I can feel a bit of your pain, so I know it's still 
  pretty strong for you. I also think that if you hadn't tied yourself up in 
  such a worry knot that I'd never have felt it at all."

Tamber looks down into the remnants of amber liquid in his glass. "I have 
  been..." He blushes again, just a bit. "Been quite... gnarled, verily."

Rhianna nods and fills your glass once again, "Would you like to talk about it 
  a bit? I've found at times that sharing a pain makes it lessen."

Tamber protests, "I... I did try to talk, my dear, with Kaylin... but... yet, 
  it remains..."

Rhianna looks troubled, "Many things in the past continue to keep us victims 
  for a very long time. I may be able to help you distance yourself from it, 
  sort of like padding your emotions, but I can not erase that pain entirely, 
  only time and your own healing can do that."

"Oh, my dear, believe me, I do remember when you helped Kevlan..." A flicker 
  of suppressed... well, not quite pain. But definite wistfulness. Tamber 
  smiles, onesidedly. "And I do know that these things take time and time to 
  heal..."

Rhianna answers his onesided smile with one of her own, "Yet it is nice to 
  have a bit of help? Something that will make getting to sleep at night a 
  comfort and not a chore?"

Tamber's face softens into something that suspiciously resembles... yearning. 
  "Someone to help me sleep... oh, my dear..." He presses his glass to his 
  forehead for a moment, as if trying to cool -- or perhaps heat -- his skin. 
  And you can sense, all at once, a brief flash: Tamber is horribly, horribly 
  lonely.

Rhianna is startled by the depths of the emotions she feels and, without 
  thinking, reaches out and touches your arm, letting you know with that touch 
  and her mind that there is someone with whome he can share.

Tamber looks down at the glass, then at you, and breathes, "My dear... wh... 
  what _have_ you had me drink? I..."

Rhianna chews on her lower lip a bit before answering, "I really want to help 
  you, else I'd not have offered the Absinthe. I knew it would help you 
  relax." She chuckles softly, "You'd have to be in the throes of rigor mortis 
  for this stuff not to relax you."

Tamber abruptly chuckles, slurrily. "Relaxed...? My dear, I think... that is 
  an understatement!"

Rhianna grins widely, "Good! My plan worked." She teases a little, "In all the 
  rumors this is the part which usually goes, 'And the evil Crystal Singer 
  seduces the unsuspecting lad.' I have a feeling, however that I just don't 
  have the shoulders for that."

Tamber's strangely full eyes blink at you over the rim of his glass, and he 
  murmurs wistfully, "Shoulders... ah, by the First Ones, why must the lad be 
  wedded, and hetero, and remind me of..." He trails off.

Rhianna's eyes widen as she begins to piece different snippets together, 
  "Remind you of?" She nudges a bit, hoping to get him to open up to her.

To your 'nudge', Tamber might seem strangely pliant, tender; either the drink 
  has gone straight to his head, or the sore spot in his psyche around which 
  he now verbally dances is extremely tender, or both. His green eyes glimmer, 
  damply. "Such a lovely man," he breathes. "Forty years, and I still have not 
  been able to..." Again, he trails off, pressing his eyes shut for a moment.

Rhianna nods slowly and gently touches your arm again. Very gently she draws 
  a little of the pain she feels from you into herself, "Who was he?"

Tamber takes from his glass an unsteady sip that turns into a long draught. 
  "Mirrik," he whispers, "Mirrik... never another Singer like him, ever..."

Rhianna's forehead furrows as she searches her memory for any mention of this 
  Singer, "What happened?"

Tamber fixes you with a most sorrowful expression which makes him seem, oddly 
  enough, like a bereft young boy. "The bane of all Singers... a mach storm. I 
  could not be there to save him... a-any more than I could be there to save 
  Kevlan... ah, confound it!" The Sorter is starting to weep, and the glass in 
  his hands is shaking. He finishes in visible bemusement, "Rhianna, my 
  dear... am... am I drunk?"

Rhianna chuckles softly and takes the drink from you. She then shifts and 
  wraps her arms and mind around you in a friendly comforting hug, "Yes, dear 
  Tamber, I believe you ar." She pauses, "And it's quite all right."

"How... extraordinary," Tamber mumbles, voice slurred. He allows himself to 
  be embraced; somewhat awkwardly, he lifts an arm to curl it around you in 
  return, and leans his spinning head against you. "Most potent.... potent 
  brew..."

Rhianna smiles to herself, "Just the medicine for all that ails ye."

Tamber whispers mournfully, "I... thought I'd conquered it... why does he 
  still haunt me....?"

Rhianna sighs deeply before answering, "You can never completely conquer the 
  emptiness you feel after loosing a loved one." Her tone too, is mournful, 
  "That's why we have friends, to ease that lonely emptiness a bit."
Rhianna adds, "And that's why we have memories, to help remember to wonderous 
  times we shared."

Tamber lifts his head and attempts to smile. "Truly marvelous friends," he 
  mumbles. "I have truly marvelous friends..."

Rhianna smiles and sits back a bit, "As do I." She sits for a moment, lost in 
  her own memories, "Tamber, I..I need to tell someone how Michael died."

Tamber blinks a time or two at you, then nods, slowly and solemnly, sitting up 
  from his unsteady hug.

Rhianna half fills her glass with the bright amber liquid and drains it in two 
  long draughts before speaking, "We were on Zevi...Michael's brother was in 
  charge of the Conlon revolutionary forces. Michael was his second."

Tamber leans sideways against the couch's back, fumbling for a moment at it as 
  though grateful for its support. He studies your face as you speak; his own 
  keeps its oddly wistful, open expression, as he listens.

Rhianna stares at the empty glass in her hands as she twirls it absently back 
  and forth, "Because of my red hair and my.." she is at a loss for words but 
  just points to her head, "extra sense, I volunteered for some recon." She 
  sighs deeply, "I know Guild members aren't supposed to become involved with 
  the doings of other worlds, especially if it means we might be found out." 
  Her voice takes on a haunted tone, "But it was so important to Michael. And 
  his people were suffering so much."

Tamber murmurs, his usually crisp accent softened by the drink, "You could not 
  help but feel for them, my dear..."

Rhianna ducks her head, allowing her hair to fall forward and veil her face a 
  bit, "They had become my family too." She takes a deep breath before 
  continuing, but you can see her hands shake a bit, "I was away from the city 
  when...when the Zevites put forth one final, all out attack..." her words 
  trail away. She sets the glass down and clasps her hands together so hard 
  that the knuckles whiten.

Tamber awkwardly clasps your knee, and mumbles after a moment, "I... I know, 
  my dear, what it is to live in a place of horror and strife...." He then 
  blinks at himself, as though startled by his own words. Hastily, he closes 
  his mouth, and reverts to patting at your knee.

Rhianna has obviously drawn into her own memories and though she softens a bit 
  at, not so much your words as your intentions, she seems to be seeing 
  someother place and time, "Michael had been in charge of the city's 
  defense." A deep shuddering sigh escapes her thin frame, "Somehow he managed 
  to keep his tenuous hold on life until I made it to him." Tears are now 
  falling from her face to make small dark spots on the carpeting, 
  "He...he..." her voice falters, "his last breath was my name."

Tamber just stares at you a bit, tears glimmering visibly in his eyes.

Rhianna stands suddenly and a bit unsteadily. She shakes her head and her hair 
  almost completely escapes her braids. She paces a bit unsteadily on her 
  casted foot, her voice now tinged with as much anger as grief, "Damnit all! 
  He said he'd never leave me." Her voice catches, "He said he was worried 
  about me, being away from the protection of the city." She turns and angrily 
  brushes her hair from her eyes, "He wasn't supposed to be the one who died."
A sudden flare, perhaps even unconscious, of empathy from the Sorter, as he 
  sits there watching you, his expression pained.

Rhianna takes a deep breath and wipes the tears from her reddened cheeks, "If 
  he hadn't left me, I'd not have been so fardling stupid to run off that 
  night..." her gray eyes looks haunted and perhaps even a little frightened, 
  "That patrol wouldn't have cornered me..." For just an instant a complete 
  look of terror crosses her face, angrily she shakes her head, dispelling the 
  memories then sinks back to her seat. Her words are a mere whisper, "He 
  shoudn't have left me."

Tamber dazedly watches you. For once, his glib tongue seems tied, for he 
  doesn't speak. But his emotions are raw and present in his green eyes, 
  starkly commiserating.
Tamber finally breathes, almost to himself, "Strife-ridden streets, a 
  hellhole, the poor broken one in need of rescue... First Ones, no, he should 
  not have left..." He starts to tremble.

Rhianna curls up awkwardly, seemingly deflated of all her anger, "I wanted to 
  die as well, for a very long time." she shudders slightly, "I almost did 
  too, but the crystal called me back."

Tamber does not answer you immediately; nor does the pained expression on his 
  fine-lined features ebb.

The tautness along Rhianna's form finally begins to loosen as her body finally 
  begins to feel the affects of the potent drink. Her breathing becomes 
  easier, and she sighs deeply, "I couldn't cry when he died." Tears slide 
  down her smooth cheeks, "It would not be becoming of an officer in the 
  Conlon forces."

Tamber snaps his attention back to you, all at once. "Wh.... what, my dear?"

Rhianna looks up sadly, "I didn't cry for Michael the night he died. I gave 
  orders on how his...body was to be treated." She almost sneers, "I made 
  certain the Guild's secret was safe." A slight lift of her shoulders, "Then 
  I left to rejoin my unit. We were in the middle of a mission that ultimately 
  lead to the end of the war." Her eyes darken once again, "Only I didn't make 
  it back to them..."

Tamber's hands fidget a moment, as though he isn't sure what to do with them. 
  They drop at last to his lap, as he seems to drink in your words at the same 
  rate he'd drunk the Absinthe.

Rhianna rests her chin on the knee that she'd drawn up and absently plays with 
  the ring on her necklace, "So much has happened since then."

Tamber licks his lips a moment, then stammers, "I... I do not know what to 
  say, dear girl..." This seems to baffle him immensely, and his brow furrows 
  under his red hairline.

Rhianna looks up and chuckles a bit wryly, "That's okay. You don't need to say 
  anything," she gives you a half-smile, "Words may escape you, but I know you 
  care and that's what counts." She leans over and kisses you on the cheek, 
  "Thank you."

Tamber smiles vaguely, and awkwardly hugs you, once more.

Rhianna stands up from her couch.
Rhianna stands and stretches slightly, picking up the nearly empty bottle as 
  she does so, "I think it is time we both headed for our rooms to sleep this 
  Absinthe off."

Tamber sits up, a little, and murmurs, "A... capital idea, dear girl... I... 
  am having problems seeing. Extraordinary..."

Rhianna chuckles and awkwardly helps you from the couch, "I'll lead you back 
  then." She smiles, "We'll have to go slow anyway, I'm not running any races 
  with this cast."

Tamber blushes, but allows a smile, and allows you to help him to his feet... 
  and back to his room.

[End log.]