* * * * *

Dazrath did not sleep well. His dreams were uneasy, and followed a similar theme to the events of the past day. He dreamt that he had lost the lion’s share of his coin in a gambling den, his cards trumped in every way conceivable by a smooth-clothed cardshark—who he had played in the first place because he thought he could get something big out of the game. He’d then left the den with next to nothing, barely two coins to rub together, and been pickpocketed by a veiled whore who he inexplicably knew to have only been on the game for a tenday. He’d known what she was doing, had known it was happening but been powerless to prevent it. Despite having been caught 'unawares', when he looked more closely at the whore and tried to pull away her covering, he found it was the young lady Bianca who had robbed from him. It all inspired a horrible feeling, and one that roused him awake.

The assassin was still lying in the store room, but he felt stiff. The guards had had the good grace to set out a makeshift bed, but it was hard and ugly. He recalled however that they had treated his bruises, fed him, and even bandaged his head.

“Settle down,” spoke a grave voice in the hollow darkness, no doubt belonging to a watching guard. “Morning’s not far off, and Master Zephir will want to speak to you again soon.”

Bianca De'Amionette With the last ounce of her strength from this very long and eventful day Bianca dipped the end of a quill into ink, and with neat scripture began to write upon a piece of parchment. Lengthy tendrils were luminous in the firelight, lids half cast over her green gray eyes, fatigue beginning to show itself...

Dearest Guardian,

Many things have come about upon this very day, some joyous and others sorrowful. I am extremely glad to inform you that I am with child and am also newly engaged to be wed. My husband to be is Donovan Konvarc'h, the grand Advisor of the Noble House. So there is no need to worry about my well being or my health for I am as always well taken care of. The not so pleasant news is that the House Dilsynia was targeted by an assassin, though thank God for giving our House Wizard the strength to defeat and capture him. The House Wizard was injured - so I must ask you for assistance in one way, to send someone of healing expertise to tend to the House Wizard.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Bianca De'Amionette

Bianca De'Amionette Bianca signed her lovely scriptured signature, a sigh heaving from her chest. Her tiresome eyes searched through Donovan's privy chamber, looking for her lover in the darkness. In her mind she wondered if he was still angry with her for disobeying his orders. Knowing the ink must be dry, she folded the parchment and quickly poured wax and pressed down the emblem stamp of the House Dilsynia to seal it. Fluidly she raised from the desk and motioned to a door to where an awaited messenger stood, Bianca giving him orders to swiftly deliver it to the Painting Company that employed her. After wishing the messenger Gods Speed and a goodnight she closed the chamber door quietly and locked it, making her way over to Donovan's bed.

Donovan Konvarc'h: Donovan lay in the bed, pillows delicately propped under his head. He watched as she returned to him, and slid an arm out to curl fondly around her lower waist. Her form was pliant, her smell and touch scintillating. Of course he knew what she had been up to, indeed they had just discussed it. “You’re definitely feeling better now. And, always kind thoughts. Tidus would be glad of a companion, eventually perhaps, even if he wouldn’t admit it; someone to help him with . . . his herbs,” there was a telling gleam in his brown eyes, a small knowing smile on his lips.

Bianca De'Amionette She lovingly placed a kiss at the edge of his smile, lashes tickling at his cheek as they fluttered, her eyes closing, body soaking in his warmth. "I do hope that sickness that ailed me earlier today will keep away - if not be prepared to quickly get that amazing herbal tea from Tidus!" she declared, in her mind hoping that their dear friend was indeed alright. "Since Tidus himself is indisposed a little helping hand with the medical matters of the house will not do him any harm." grogginess slurred in her créme like voice, a hand resting against Donovan's chest.


Donovan Konvarc'h: Donovan laughed and playfully wrestled her into the bed, lifting up the covers and bearing her form inside. His body spooned her form, “I’m quite prepared to play the doctor,” he breathed into her ear, “but you must be a willing patient. You must listen to my instructions, my directions, and remain ever attentive.” Perhaps it was a slight dig at her leaving her bed and approaching the store room yesterday, or maybe not. It was unclear. Donovan imparted the words in such an innocent, yet deliberately teasing manner. He gently brushed aside her long raven locks and settled his lips upon her neck, sucking at her tenderly.

Bianca De'Amionette Her giggling filled the dark chamber as her husband to be became rather playful. Blush burned her cheeks with his whispered words, a thrill rushing through her - oh every time he touched her it was as exhilarating as the very first time! "Oh, this patient will obey.." she could barely find the volume in her voice to speak. It was as if she was melting into the bed as she felt his lips suckling on the skin of her neck, one hand lifting to comb her fingers through his raven hair. "And what would the Doctors demands be?" her voice slipped past her lush pink lips.


Donovan Konvarc'h: She was succumbing to him, or playing along, and it filled his virile loins with pleasure. There was a rush of heat and urgency, a decided swelling of his member. He knew, however, the importance of remaining earnest, and assumed the mantle and pseudo-role of doctor. “Simple,” he declared, his syllables breathed amid moments of lip- and tongue-stimulation and intensifying passions, amid irresistible sensations. “You need someone strong to take care of you, to arouse you to health and fill you with pleasure.”

Bianca De'Amionette A shudder went racked her body, quite quickly her nipples perking behind her chemise in arousal. "Oh.." indeed she was melting, melting from everything he said to her, melting from his touch - she felt helpless and powerless. "I need someone strong to care for me with how weak you make me feel.. 'Doctor'.." Bianca moved her hands to the sides of his face, moving his head to where her mouth could find his to kiss him as passionately as he made her feel. The fire crackled in the hearth, Bianca not too sure if the heat that grasped her was from the strong fire or from her own arousal.

Donovan Konvarc'h: The doctor administered Bianca, at length, his penetrating remedy with an intent to subdue and control her fever. By coming together they would both find relief, and slip beyond to cooler shores of love.

The sun was blocked out from the sleeping figures of Donovan and Bianca who's bodies were entwined comfortably with one another. The shades of the tall windows were closed, only small streaks of light sneaking in from the sides, dust swells dancing in the air. Birds sung in their early afternoon song, the fire in the hearth nothing but a sinder. A yawn came from Bianca, body suddenly shifting beneath the sheets, arms and legs lengthening out in a stretch. Nostrils took in a whiff of air, sheets smelling of their recent love making - oh, it indeed was an amazing medicine! Curing all the stress and worry from the previous days events. Without making a sound she turned to Donovan, deep in slumber, her head craning down to place a kiss upon his brow. From beneath the sheets she came, glorious and beautiful in her nudity, feet pressing down onto the floor, limbs once again stretching out the stiffness from sleep. A small rumble came from her stomach, a growl of hunger, a smile appearing on her face "The baby must be hungry" Bianca though, a hand rubbing her stomach adoringly. She walked to where she had placed her chamber robe, wrapping the comfortable blue fabric around her body and tying it tight. Hands found the curtains as she gently pulled them halfway open, allowing some sunlight to leak into the room. There were no shadows outside that her eyes could see, so she knew it must be the afternoon hours, possibly around noon.

Suddenly a gentle wrapping came from the door, the raven haired goddess crossing the room and undoing the locks, peaking her face out.

"Yes?" Bianca said quietly.

"I have a response for your letter from last night, Lady Bianca." it was the familiar voice of the messenger from the evening that just passed. Her brows raised in curiousity, wondering how the boy could have covered such immense distance so quickly!

"That is great news, but may I ask how did you get it to the company so quickly?"

"I used a messenger hawk, Lady Bianca. He returned just a few moments ago with a response." and with that he lifted his hand that was adorned with the familiar wax emblem of her Guardian's company. The messenger boy handed her the parchment, bowing and stepping back, Bianca thanking him gratefully and closing the door. Her back leaned against the wooden surface, hands ripping open the parchment instantly. Eyes scanned the response and by the end they widened, "Donovan!" she shouted, excitement tinting her voice.

Donovan was roused awake as his expectant raven-haired lover opened the curtains, somewhere amid that progressive moment when light filtered into the otherwise dark sanctity of his room. The advisor liked the dark. He found he could only sleep when no light invaded. Maybe it was a psychological thing: subconsciously perhaps, the darkness swam over his problems and unwaveringly blanketed them, easing his mind.

Last night he had slept soundly. As he came too he found fewer worries on his mind. But he had been eased not necessarily by sleep, by the assurance of darkness, but by the embrace and love of his betrothed, Bianca. It was still hard to believe that Bianca was pregnant, with his child!

Donovan looked rough, but the lovemaking and deep sleep had inspired that. His hair was dishevelled, stubble had formed on his chin, and there was a general smell of masculinity and sweat surrounding him. His voice was rougher, too. Hearing the boy come and go, he asked, “What is it, my love? A response? Already?”

His slumber was deep and barren of any vision or dream. It was probably the most relaxing he had done for some time, which his body and mind were relishing. While he lay behind a curtain on his modest cot, one could scarcely tell if he was alive, but it wasn't meant to last. The mage's peaceful visage contorted slightly into a frown and where it mattered, in his mind, not all was quiet.

He was at his mentor's home as he remembered it from those early years when he was foisted onto the old man because his father couldn't stand the sight of him or what he stood for. But here he flourished, learning quickly and always eager for more. In this particular instance he was tasked with identifying and labeling each and every container of herb in the man's home, which he had yet to number half of. The walls were shelves in every available area and often two or three jars deep. Tidus had finished a list of fifty of the unlabeled containers when he glanced out the cottage window and there his master and friend was returning, "I've returned." said the old man Zephir was what everyone called him. With that the weary mage woke still dizzy and tired but slightly bolstered with hope. Hope in that his interpretation of his dream was accurate.

Dilysnia's housekeeper had been out for several days. Rumor had it she was visiting family, but, the other servants asked, what family does Megora Nerith have? The few who needed to know, however, knew she was visiting a former servant of Dilysnia's. A girl by the name of Jenny. After having spent a week with her friend, and young daughter, the Maid came back to find /her/ house in shambles, with an assasin locked up in the stables, and the house Mage injured.

After boxing a younger maid's ears for making the comment, "The assasin's eyes are more slanted then yours, Meg." She made her way up into the Mage's living quarters, and knocked on the door. "Open up, Master Tidus. It's Megora. I'll make a compress for that wound." While the Maid was no magic-user, her abilities with herbal remedies were unsurpassed. It was Megora that the servants went to for their ills, and she had brought more then one commoner baby into the world in the servant quarters.

Tidus managed to make his way to the door without knocking any of his mortars, pestles, or jars of this or that over. Opening the door slightly he definitely looked as tired as he was, "Ahh Megora, you really don't have to..." he moved and a shot of pain passed through his shoulder and arm which was enough to sway him, "perhaps I spoke too soon... come in..." he stumbled off back to his bed and shakily poured a cup of tea he had on a stool used as a stand next to his cot. It helped clear his mind and get rid of the shaky feeling that emanated from his core.

Looking up through the small folding wall which was just thin enough to see shapes he sighed, "Never did I think I would be the target... Donovan, or Cerise, or her brother... but never me." he leaned back, "But... I suppose things are coming to a close as they should." he said knowing full well that everything wasn't over, at least on yet but one could hope, couldn't they?

Megora slid inside the door as Tidus winced, and began laying out her own pouches of herbs. Borrowing one of his clean mortar and pestles, she began to make the herbs into a paste. "Well, I imagine with you done off, things would be easier for whoever, what with your hocus pocus, and such. Anywho, hope your decent!" With that, Megora walks around the folding wall, and commands, "Sit." Seating herself , she reaches for the injured portion of the body.

A carriage carried on through the bends and turns of the thickly wooded areas, horses muscular legs holding a steady gallop. From a distant view the carriage could appear to be a fire fly drifting to and fro in the black darkness. The driver sat, back straight and hands steady, body bundled up to provide warmth against the cold that always crept out in the forrest. Two guards accompied the young driver, both of them slouched over, close to a doze. On the inside of the cabin the candles flickered inside of their small glass encasements, one seat holding a gray haired man dressed well in noble attire. Head bobbed back and forth with the movement of the carriage, a snore sounding from his nose and throat. On the opposite side of the carriage was a petite figure sleeping on her side, knees slightly tucked up toward her chest, a black traveling cloak covering her. Gold threads that were abundently sown through the midnight fabric in fine designs glimmering in the candlelight. Long curled lashes perched on the creme skin, tension builting in her brow as the dreams in her mind turned horrid - a nightmare.
************

Haste footfalls thudded loud in the infant blonde girls ears, as loud as the heart that raced rapidly beneath her small, flat chest. Thorns from the bare thickets snagging and yanking on the white fabric of her nightgown, the strength of one of her older brothers arms around her extremly protective. The infant girl looked up to her two brothers, taking in the similarities of the twins, both sets of eyes drowned in fear. Barks and howls of the hounds echoing eerily through the thick darkness that didn't seem to move as their bodies dashed frantically through the woods. Blonde manes of the boys tangled with twigs and leafs, "Do you think we will make it to the church?" asked one twin to the other which held their little sister. They were positively sure that they were running in the right direction, the moon hiding itself behind thick cloud cover. A hundred yards further, the howls got louder, snapping of angry jaws coming closer. And then a swift arrow worked as a silent killer, suddenly launching it's sharp front into the back of thw twin that didn't hold the infant girl. It lodged so far into his back he ceased in running, body falling face first toward the forrest's floor. "Lucius!" shouted Marius, panic powerfully shaking his body as he watched his brother fall to his death. The deadly arrow horribly protruding the front of his chest, blood staining the white fabric of his shirt. Marius dare not stop running for he had a duty, a promise to his captured father that he would safely hide in the church - proclaim santuary! As arrows swished past him and his sisters tiny quivering body he picked up his feet higher, gracefully like an elk leaping over fallen logs and declines. The small blonde infant began to sob against her older brothers heaving chest, "Analicia do not fret darling" he almost wheezed, not sounding believable, "we shall be fine, Father Abbeh will protect us from the bad men!". With any enegry his body could fathom, he continued to force his way through the dark wilderness until the trees began to clear. "FATHER ABBEH!" roared the handsome young boy, catching himself as his labored lungs were empty, pain burning in his legs. Little Analicia cried aloud as arrows whizzed by and stuck into the ground around them. "FATHER ABBEH! SANCTUARY!! SANCTUARY!" Marius bellowed rushing toward the stone steps of the church. Large wooden doors swung open, a middle aged man in the garb of a priest standing in shock. The hounds poured from the forrest behind the young boy and his sister, magistrate men following in tow, devilish intent flaring in their eyes. Father Abbeh rushed down the stone steps, and in mid motion Marius recieved the first dreaded stab in his upper back, an arrow ripping through his shoulder muscle. His body staggered but he continued forward, shielding Analicia with his body, "THEY CLAIM SANCTUARY!" called the priest desperately to the magistrate men but it didn't phase them. Another arrow followed their aim to Marius's back, one, two, and then finally three. Analicia was thrown into the priest's arms as Marius's body failed him, crumbling down onto the church's cool stone stairway.

******

Lids opened wide as Analicia suddenly woke from the harsh grasps of her nightmare. Her one hand clamped down over her mouth to muffle the scream that threatened to fill the isnide of the carriage. Ocean blue eyes looked across to her company hoping she didn't wake him, "Was I screaming in my sleep again?" Analicia thought to herself as she tried to calm the hieving of her chest. Voices of the carriage driver and the guards were faint from the inside of the carriage, Analicia pulled her body up to a seated position, hands smoothing out of the wrinkles in her dress and cloak. Before it had gotten dark she had been informed that they would arrive at their destination within the time span of nine hours. If she was guessing right they should be at this House Dilsynia very, very soon - and oh, stretching her legs and standing would feel amazing! Her imagination worked it's wonders as she worked to picture her new home for the next nine months or more.

Tidus sat up as she came around the curtain the separated his bed from where he practiced his trade. He was indeed decent, and had taken the habit of sleeping in a pair gray pants of an oriental design after a few late night calls that required his immediate attention. As Megora settled in her seat he lifted his good arm to peal the old bandages off his wound revealing the damage, approximately an inch long that was still soft from the salve he had placed on it before he passed out. He used the opposite side of the bandage he wiped off any of the remaining salve and tossed the old in a bowl not far from his bed leaving his slightly blood stained skin. He pressed around the edge slightly and hissed softly, "Don't think the worst is over... hopefully I'll heal soon. i'm going to have to tend to Bianca... the girl's going to over stretch herself too thin and she'll lose the child." he sighed, "And I've to figure out what to do with the man in the barn... I don't know weather to turn him over to the authorities or do away with him here..." he shook his head slowly and scratched his head again with his good hand.

Frowns down at the wound, and stands from the cot to get a basin of water, and her collection of herbs. Pulling a sweet smelling bandage from the pouches, she dips it in the water, and begins cleaning out Tidus' wound. She pauses to pinch it as well, "No puss. You're lucky."

Megora leans over, her usually colored dark crimson hair is, suprisingly, unbound, and falls about Tidus' arm and lap as she applies the paste to his arm. "Leave Mistress Bianca to me. Foolish girl, you get married before you tell people about the baby. Pretty soon there will be talk about town that House Dilysnia's Painter moonlights in the brothel." Her words are not full of malice, they simply lack tact. "But, as I said, leave her to me. Magic is not good for an unborn babe. Makes for odd children." The paste, a pain reliever, and antiseptic, is applied to his arm, and Megora expertly wraps his arm with a bandage. "As for the assasin, well, it would take people with money to hire one of those. Only people with money are merchants, and nobles. I wouldn't turn him into the authorities."

Tidus gave a slight shudder as her hair fell forward against his arm. Strangely his voice left him and his words were mixed in his mind but finally he collected himself and gave a soft chuckle. "Miss Nerith, why does everything that I do have to be magic?" he glanced about to shelves in his room, "Most of what I do is application of herbs, many of which you would be familiar with and still many more that you may not." Turning his head to look at what she was doing he caught the waft of the scent of her hair and quickly turned his head the opposite way.

The mage continued, "I tried to keep Bianca's condition a secret, I was willing to let the house staff continue thinking she had caught some sort of malady. However when, inevitably, she had the child they would likely think that I bewitched her and it was mine." he laughed and shook his head, "Oh that sounds even more ridiculous when I say it out loud." finally his laughter subsided and he sat there watching the woman work, "You truly are talented, my lady. Now I feel slightly bad, it seems that I have been taking part of your job from you." he said while looking over the bandage nodding slowly in approval. "Very good work, I mean to say thank you for tending me. Seems the pain is gone as well, I thank you for that as well."

"Because that is what you do." Megora responds in a matter-of-fact way. "We are what we do, Master Zephir." Laughter dances in her almond-shaped eyes, "You did not think I was an accomplished healer, because I am a maid. Maids clean, they do not wrap wounds. I assumed you only knew how to do magic, because that is what a Mage does. They make magic."

Looping a silky strand of hair behind her ear, she grinned at this, "They way she has been mooning about him since she arrived, and the way he looks at her? No, I do not think anyone with half a brain would think that. But, most don't have a half, or even a quarter. In that case, she is obviously carrying your child, and the two of you have bewitched him together to think it is his!" Giving Tidus a wide smile, and a wink, she stands up from his bed, "I should go change." She glanced down at her plain dark blue peasantry dress over a roughly spun chemise. "Call on me if you are in need again." With that, Megora headed for the door.

pyrial_concord: Tidus sat up more and moved part of the divder so he could see the door, "Say, speaking of, I never called for you anyhow what brought you up here?" he touched lightly at the bandages nodding at the skillfulness, "Not that I am ungreatful, just curious."

natrila_greyflame: Megora pauses at the door, "Do you really think that anything that happens in this house is a secret?" Her lips twitch up into a grin. "I heard you were injured, I came up."

pyrial_concord: He laughed, "Secret, no... not necissarily accurate, but definately not a secret." his laughter settled into a smirk, "I likely could have tended myself besides I thought you were out visiting... oh what was it?" he looked up at the ceiling for a moment, "Oh yes, family."

natrila_greyflame: "I was. I came home today." Megora steps back into the room, and heads back towards the cot. "You are awfully chatty. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were lonely, Master Mage."

pyrial_concord: He looked down for a moment and smirked, "Yes well, I usually don't talk to many outside of Donovan, and he's been buisy with... other things. Other than that I usually only hear problems. So that usually leaves myself to talk to and if one does that too often folks will think you're a few bricks shy."

natrila_greyflame: Megora sat down again on the cot, "Just do awful things to the people that say the rubbish, and they'll keep their mouths shut."
pyrial_concord: He smirked and shook his head slowly, "Unfortunately that will make it very difficult to do my job. Though some of the younger servants need a good swift swat upside the head." shrugging a little he watched the woman a moment, "but I can see why the girls all scurry off when they hear you comming."

natrila_greyflame: Megora's lips curve up into a grin, "What makes me laugh is the majority of them are twice my size!"

pyrial_concord: Tidus laughed a little, "Apparently it's wild look in your eye that unnerves the gentile giants." he chuckled softly, "When I first go here I thought they were talking a bout a large beast of a woman. Like one of the barbarian sort, I'm sure you've heard stories about them."

natrila_greyflame: The petite half-Moot'jlanese maid smirks at this, "All I do is make sure they do their jobs, and keep their mouths shut about the house's affairs. Thats all I ask, really."

pyrial_concord: Tidus nodded, "Sounds quite fair to me." he began to study her features curiously now noticing that she didn't seem to come from the same stock as vast majority of this location. She stood out about as much as he did being of more squared build than the local inhabitance.

natrila_greyflame: Megora's skin is a pale olive, her eyes hazel, and her unusual silky hair with it's dark crimson coloring. Indeed, it would be difficult to find another woman that looks like Megora. "I expected an old man with a beard." She admits with a grin.

pyrial_concord: Smiling a little noticing her uniqueness ne laughed, "You would have been spot on if my master had come instead of me but sadly, you'll just have to do with myself and what few skills I possess." fidgeting with the edge of his blanket he tilted his head to one side changing the subject a bit, "Where is it you are from? I'm realizing you don't look like most around here?"

natrila_greyflame: "I was born in this house." Megora shrugs softly, "My mother was a forginer, a Moot'jlanese."

pyrial_concord: He blinked, "OH? I see it now... yes." he smiled, "Perhaps I'm going to have to vacation there sometimes. I've only been through there in passing, but if you're any example I might just go there to watch the people go about there buisness."

natrila_greyflame: "So will I. I've never been there before. I hear it's quite dry, and hot." Megora shrugged softly, "I am not like them. I am a Varien with a unusual face, is all."

pyrial_concord: Frowning slightly, "So... then what happened to your parents?" he knew it was a rather personal question and that he likely wouldn't get an answer from this woman who was uncannily like himself when it came to speaking of her past as far as he knew.

natrila_greyflame: "Dead." Megora shrugs yet again. "It happened a long time ago."

pyrial_concord: He winced and shook his head scolding himself, "I'm sorry I should never have asked." he reached out and patted one of her hands, "Forgive me, for one so schooled I can be quite the bumbler."
natrila_greyflame: "S'alright." Megora gives Tidus a small smile, "They passed when I was young, and I was never close to my mother." She stands, "Well, I ought to go."