It's been a hectic several months. Intense training followed by wild parties and diplomats… but things have finally started to settle down. The routine isn't like Leeta remembers it, but it bears some resemblance to it. She still finds herself running papers and fetching things for her 'master' the Captain-Astromancer – but she also spends quite a bit of time training with the guards of the Temple and spying around. Today is one of the more mundane days, and Leeta is bringing a bucket of water for Tahir.

Leeta walks along at a brisk pace, smoothly carrying the bucket without the slightest splash. She heads for Tahir's office, slipping through the corridors as the day winds down. Mentally she runs through a few of her latest exercises, and otherwise daydreams.

Another Savanite running errands rushes down the hall and bumps against Leeta's shoulder, causing her to almost lose her grip on the bucket. Luckily her trained hands keep hold and barely even cause a splash.

Suppressing a small bark, the fire-haired Savanite dances back from the one that crashed into her. Keeping a careful grip on the bucket, Leeta reaches out with her other hand to steady the other cheetah. She looks to see just who she bumped into.

The other Cheetah doesn't even bother looking back, although it must have been obvious that he collided with the other Savanite. He continues along his merry way as though nothing happened, zipping around a corner and out of sight.

{He could have at least signed sorry,} Leeta thinks, frowning after the disappearing cheetah. She puts the bucket down and dashes after him. Her feet pound the floor as she rounds the corner. {I've got enough time to see what colour his collar is, so I at least know which branch to be mad at.}

There he is! A spotted tail pops into a side office for one of the nearby Inquisitors… it looks like Inquisitor Farrel's office – a huffy poodle who is rumored to have bought his position.

Leeta clenches her hands. Rude slaves are somewhat suspicious, but also fairly typical for angry masters. She takes a few steps forward while listening intently for any voice from the office.

The Savanite's sensitive ears pick up the sounds of shuffling paper and then the harsh scraping of a soapy scrubbrush being applied to the stones on the floor. She can only hear one person in the office for now… perhaps the Inquisitor has gone home for the day. It is a bit late after all.

Firemane listens a moment longer, not exactly sure why. {I guess I'm still feeling a little paranoid. This is pretty normal, and that might have been me a year ago.} Turning, she walks back to collect her bucket, and get on with her errand. She glances back one last time at the corner, trying to hear something unexpected just in case.

Just more scrubbing. The scent of perfumed soap tickles Leeta's nostrils.

She wrinkles her nose, {Poodles} then darts back to her bucket. It is where she left it, the hallways being fairly quiet before the night shift takes over. Leeta takes it up and hurries towards Tahir's office, watching her path a little more carefully now.

There are no more hurrying servants. The only noise seems to be the sound of the humming Jupani guard outside of Tahir's door.

Leeta waves at the guard as she comes up to the door. A moment later she remembers to bow her head, just as she pushes through the door. She closes it behind her, then moves across the office to the concealed entrance for Tahir's room. She gives a quick look around for spies and lurkers, before opening the secret entrance to the private quarters.

If there's anyone in the office, they're invisible, very quiet, and odorless… Leeta's keen senses pick up nothing except the continued humming of the guard outside.

The Savanite heads into the bedroom with her bucket sloshing beside her and tail bouncing behind her.

Tahir is normally fairly tidy about putting his uniform away at the end of the day… but this time he's strewn his clothes across the floor in a neat little trail towards the bed. Two gold pauldrons are over here, looking like a pair of golden spiky tortoses taking a nap, and his robe is crumpled in a heap at the foot of the bed… apparently much like its former wearer who is lying dazed on his back on the bed. His thin shirt is plastered with sweat.

Leeta puts the bucket down and quickly moves into Tahir's view. "Are you okay?" she signs, as she checks him over.

The Savanite carefully examines the human; it didn't seem that hot today. She hesitates, then barks quietly, trying to prompt a reaction.

"I'm just tired. These past few days have been quite interesting," the human replies finally, as if waking up from a sleep. "Rephidim is getting a new Ambassador from Babel."

"I brought your water. Are you sure you want to drink that much?" Leeta points, "The old Ambassador was the one we met at that party a month or so ago? What happened to her?"

Tahir sits up and itches at his sides. "She was… encouraged to resign. She damaged Temple property and was asked to pay reparations in the amount of four gold. When she wasn't able to pay for it in cash we asked for some of her property in exchange … and when the time came to collect the property it… um… they had vanished."

"They?" Leeta signs, watching Tahir as she picks up his robes. She gathers the astromancer's clothes into a bundle and drops it by the door.

The human rolls over on his stomach. "Eight Savanites. They were the Ambassador's servants and it had been arranged as an alternate payment." His lips purse a bit. "I… uh… was nervous about telling you about it, Leeta. It's a bit of a sticky subject after all."

The red-maned Savanite nods, her hands motionless for a moment. "Well… yes… I don't like it, but things aren't going to change anytime soon. At least they'd be a little better off here. What was the Temple planning to do with them?"

"I'm not sure." Tahir shrugs. "Sell them, take them on as Temple servants… I hear they're looking for a chaperone for Rhys." A small smirk plays across the human's lips after the latter comment.

Leeta smiles as she looks around the room for something else to do. She rotates her collar against her neck, then signs, "That last option wouldn't be a bad idea. I haven't seen Rhys since the party. He was a little… negative there. What has he been up to since?"

"Not much. I think he's bored… " Tahir's voice lowers to a whisper. "Rumor has it that he's even been sneaking out of the Temple from time to time."

"Without an escourt? That's kind of dangerous!" The cheetah leans in as the human whispers, kneeling beside his bed. "Any idea where? Do you want me to try following him? I'd love a break in the routine."

The human shakes his head wearily, dipping a ladle into the bucket of water and slurping noisily. "No idea. He's been awful reclusive as of late though… "

"Well… I still think it would be good to find out what he's up to, especially if he's still feeling resentful over Tarsus. Can you spare me for an afternoon? I'm supposed to watch both of you, and he's in a lot more danger if he is sneaking outside," Leeta signs, once Tahir looks in her direction again.

"I can spare you… and I'll envy your break in routine." Tahir rolls his eyes. "I've been spending day in and day out scolding little bats, going over reports from the Arch Inquisitrix Esther, and generally hob-nobbing. I wouldn't mind it so much if they'd have given me something that doesn't weigh thirty pounds to wear."

"Esther… I remember her. She's an Arch Inquisitrix now? Did she say anything about me?" Leeta signs with a small flick of her ears. "What's in the reports?"

"Oh… apparently the ambassador's slaves were 'devoured by monsters'. It seemed awfully convenient that it happened the very day we were to pick up the slaves." He leans back against the headboard of his bed. "The Arch Inquisitrix went to investigate and found signs of a planned escape. I also learned quite a bit about the politics of Babel during the whole ordeal… Remind me to never ever visit there."

The red-maned Savanite nods. "I will. The Ambassador planned for her slaves to sneak off?" Leeta wrinkles her muzzle, dropping her hands for a moment. She dips a bit of water up, then continues, "I kind of wish there were a few planned Temple sneak-offs, but what happened with the bats?"

"We have no hard evidence to prove it… although the Inquisitrix is convinced that the Ambassador had a hand in it somehow. The ground had been treated with something to throw off the scent… and then the insane Zerda claiming to be an evil spirit showed up. All in all it was a mess." Tahir wipes a hand across his face. "The Ambassador's replacement is going to arrive any day… and just so the present Ambassador couldn't accuse the Temple of any abuse we never committed, we had a Babelite observe the whole thing secretly. His report was not favorable."

"It sounds like a mess. Anything else I should know about? The Templars don't gossip at all, and with training and chores I get so out of touch," Leeta signs, then folds her arms and leans against them on the bed.

"You get out more than I do, Leeta. I'm confined to these two rooms most of the time," Tahir says somberly. "But no… unless you want to know the details about the Ambassador's role in the Babelite war or about the Ambassador's replacement."

"I don't think I'd be able to do much with that information. Is any of it stuff that might get you or I killed?" Leeta looks up.

Tahir shakes his head. "Goodness no. Most of it is widely known gossip. The Babelites do like to brag."

The cheetah looks relieved, "Oh, that's good then. Well… I am a little curious. What did the old ambassador do, and who is the new one?"

"Welll… " Tahir folds his arms behind his head. "She apparently instigated the attack of the Plaguebringers against Rephidim, healed the Sabaoth… and then killed him during a revoloution. What made the Babelite observer so confused was that the doer of all these deeds acted like a… well… a shivering fawn when the Temple came to investigate. It just didn't seem to fit the image we were presented with."

Leeta blinks in surprise, "It doesn't; you're right. She sounds really manipulative… or just way out of her depth I guess. What is her replacement like?"

The human smiles widely. "Erin. He's been described as… a… um… very delicate man with a 'pretty' face, if you catch my drift."

"Is that some kind way of saying he's really ugly, and has one of those huge bat noses?" The Savanite looks puzzled, then realization dawns. "Oh! Oh! I know what you mean… ah… Oh… well… that still sounds like an improvement."

"I DON'T think Ambassador Fauntleroy will be much of a bother," Tahir says, smirking.

"Fawnter… Fountain… Fowler… I don't think I can sign that." Leeta fiddles with her fingers, "Well, I don't think he'll be a problem either." She pauses, rubbing her fingertips together. "I guess I should run your clothes down to the laundry, then take a look around for Rhys, or just look for a good opportunity to follow him sometime in the next couple days. Is there anything you'd like me to do before that?"

Tahir scoots forward a bit, casting a blearly look at the giant gold pauldrons that are part of his uniform. "Any chance you could give me a shoulder rub? I'm apparently not as strong as I used to be."

Leeta sits up and makes a spinning motion,"Sure, just turn around." She positions herself beside the bed.

"I'll tell you all about my day and see if you can read it through your back." She grins.

The human does as instructed. His ponytail – which is normally kept in a neat little braid – has become somewhat of a scraggly mess as well. "It's strange… I've had to become an expert in politics for cultures I know nothing about. I've the body of a child, the mind of two people… and they expect so much from me so quickly. I really hope things slow down… "

Leeta pushes her hands up and down the human's back, working into his muscles and pressing them outwards in small circles from his spine. She reaches one hand around Tahir so he can see, and twists it to awkwardly sign, "I help you when can." Then the cheetah returns to working the massage.

"Leeta… why didn't you choose to go be with your sister? You're a slave here, and you could have been so much more." The human's voice sounds tired.

Fire-Mane signs, "Because I love you," against Tahir's back without thinking. She realizes, then moves so he can see her hands. "Because you're my friend, because you'll need a friend and I know what it's like when you're alone with no one to help or trust. Because I'm happy here, some of my family is here and maybe I can still do some good. My sister would never trust the Temple to deal fairly with her, but I think she will knowing I'm here."

"Could you imagine having to deal with me as Ambassador Princess Fire-Mane?" Leeta grins.

"Gah… " The human starts to chuckle. "You'd probably end up whacking me over the head with your mandolin after five minutes of dealing with the frustration that comes with diplomacy."

"Yes, I think it would get very ugly, especially considering how tense it seems to make you." Leeta stretches out her fingers, looking for a moment at the door. "I do wonder sometimes, Tahir… I might have been even more than that. I beat my sister, they wanted me as Priest-Queen… but I want to be here. I would have had to leave everything I care about, for that, and I would never be able to relax and be an equal with my friends."

"From what little I hear about things in the Savan… you'd have beaten everyone there senseless with your mandolin as well. Although I must say that Third-Vision seems quite good at diplomacy herself. I would very much hate to find myself going against her on the barganing table." The human's eyes droop a bit under Leeta's hands. Apparently she's having an effect.

The Savanite keeps up the massage, pushing up against the muscles, then down again on the sides, "I'd like to hear about the Savan. I don't want to keep you up though, so I'll ask you about it tomorrow. For the moment I think you should relax, so I can get the tension out."

"Mmm-hmmm," Tahir responds, looking ready to fall asleep in the Savanite's arms.

Leeta keeps up her massage until he does.