There's music in the distance. It seems to get closer and louder, but as it turns out it's just consciousness fading in. Tactile sensation comes next… the feel of cool stone and loose pebbles digging into soft skin, and the feel of wind.

"Uunnngh," Lilac groans, sounding as worn as she feels. For a moment, she just wants to lie where she is. Sore all over, and a little bruised. Tired, too, as if she had ran a marathon. Once consciousness firmly establishes itself, and she is fully awake, she whimpers, "Not again."

The world wobbles into focus, the fuzz on the edges sharpening. It's dark out, the sky a slice only a scant shade lighter than the black buildings on either side. Empty crates and barrels are here and there, and tufts of grass sprout through cracks in the stone under Lilac. Behind her, the alley opens out into a slow street, the few pedestrians on it not bothering to look up as they trudge past. Lantern light filters from some of the buildings across the way, and faint music comes from one of the ones nearby.

With a ragged sigh, Lilac pushes herself up on to her knees. "I'm still alive," she breathes. Her tone is tired, but upbeat; the voice of someone trying to convince themselves of a truth. Squinting, she tries to adjust her eyes to the light. One of her many strange 'gifts' is the ability to see well at night. An alley … in Jadai? Am I still in Jadai? And what about … She lifts a hand and covers her mouth in shock, eyes widening. Lady Umeko! And those men! Of course, and that explains … Looking down at herself, she shudders.

A few pebbles and bits of alley debris cling to Lilac's body, but she otherwise seems to be unmarked and unhurt.

"Just sore," she tells herself. Just sore, she tries to believe, trying to ignore all the possibilities of what waking up, naked, in an alley, after a fight with drunken men could mean. "Clothes. I need clothes." She pushes herself to standing, and peers around in the dark. This isn't the first time this has happened – it's how she arrived in Jadai, in fact.

There doesn't seem to be much to wear in the alley, unless Lilac wants to try crates and barrels on for size. A crack of light opens in one of the buildings, the music getting louder as a door swings open, throwing a square of warm yellow glow across the alley and on the opposite wall.

Lilac quickly pushes herself against a wall, trying to stick to the shadows. She knows her vision is better than most, but she's not about to take chances. Explaining why she's naked in an alley to people who don't understand her is something she'd rather not go through. Instead, she inches towards the door, and tries to see what's beyond the light.

There's thumping inside, and the smell of food, and of cleavers chopping away. When Lilac peers around the corner, she can see an elderly Kiriga gathering up a barrel of trash to wrestle to the door and out of the kitchen.

Do I ask for help, or try to steal some clothes? Lilac has had to do both, with various degrees of success. How do I get in to these situations? She decides crying won't help – even if she wants to. She sniffs, holds it in, and peeks her head around the corner. "Ma'am?"

"Hmm?" The old Kiriga looks up, squinting at the door, pausing and nearly falling into her heavy barrel of garbage. She holds the rim with her bony hands, and hisses, "Che ss'ik?"

"Do, do you speak Standard? I woke up. Woke up, in the alley, I mean, and … " the human woman slides enough of herself so that her bare shoulder shows.

The old woman nods. "Ssstandard," she says in a high, creaky voice. She takes her paws off the barrel, glances over her shoulder once, then moves around it, still watching Lilac warily. "What jou want? Jou wake up alley?"

Oh thank the Gods. Lilac breathes a sigh of relief, so glad to have sound someone who speaks Standard. Someone who mostly speaks Standard, that is, but she may as well be a poet to the woman's ears. "These men … they … did something to me, and they, they left me in the alley. Naked." She waves at her bare shoulder, ears canting back as her cheeks darken with embarrassment.

The old Kiriga takes a few hesitant steps closer, coming into better focus in the light. She's wearing baggy clothes of rough-looking material under a well-used and stained apron, her gray hair done up into a bun with a simple stick of wood. "Men? Jou rob?" Her Standard seems to be as rough as her garb. She cranes her head to peer around the edge of the door as if to make sure nobody else is lurking in the alley, then beckons.

Lilac folds her arms over herself, stepping inside. All the light makes her especially self-conscious. At least, in the dark, she could feel concealed. "Um, yes. I think so," she agrees, nervously.

Once it's apparent the state Lilac is in, the old woman clucks her tongue, looking more sympathetic, though she also doesn't bother concealing a curious look. "Come," she says, shutting the door behind Lilac. She scoots the trash barrel aside, admitting Lilac into a medium sized kitchen where chopped meat is sizzling away on a stove, and several cages sit, filled with creatures more or less oblivious to their impending fates. The Kiriga hustles Lilac into a corner with a chair, then sticks her head through a curtained door and yells some things in shrill Imperial. Apparently satisfied, she returns to Lilac, giving her a not unkind look. "Bring cloth. Jou hurt? Want get guards come?"

"No, not hurt … " Not on the outside, I don't think. The human woman takes a moment to look herself over again, anyway. She may be able to see in the dark, but that doesn't allow for much in the way of colors. "Guards?" She blinks; didn't she say she'd get the guards for Umeko? Did I? What happened to us? Oh Umeko, I'm sorry. The notion that Umeko herself may have thrown her out crosses her mind, but she hesitates on that – Lady Umeko doesn't seem the sort to leave a servant naked in an alley. "No, no guards. I … No, please. I just need some clothing."

The cook nods sympathetically, and a few moments later a younger Kiriga arrives, the same color as the cook but with black hair. She's carrying a bundle of the same rough cloth, shaking a pair of baggy trousers and blouse out. She gives Lilac a similar curious look, but proffers the garments, the old woman chattering at her and both of them shrugging.

Lilac stands up and gratefully accepts the clothing, bowing to the women quickly. Quick, because she wants to get dressed as quickly as possible. This may happen far more frequently than the woman wants, but she's far from used to it. Like a recurring nightmare, these sorts of things continue to infect her life. She throws on the blouse, first, letting it hang down and cover her as she steps into the trousers. "Thank you," she tells the two women, bowing again once dressed. "Thank you so much."

The two Kiriga look on with concern, the older scratching her wrist and clasping her hands together, the younger holding her hands together at her waist. "Jou going be aright?" the cook asks. "No hurt? No guard?"

"No, no guard. I'm … I'm fine." How can I explain what happened? What did happen? Lilac takes a moment to rub at her head and face, wondering if she took a serious blow to the head. "I just need to … " What do I need to do? She frowns, and has another moment where she feels on the verge of sobbing.

No bumps, lumps, or bruises seem to rise or twinge under the human's hands. The younger Kiriga looks uncertain, but the older one seems to sense Lilac's distress, and reaches out to pat her. "Jou safe," she says in that thin voice of hers. "Where jou from? Where home?"

"Far away," Lilac says in a small voice. "I'm a bard – I play music. I … travel." My flute is with my clothes, back in Umeko's mansion, Lilac realizes. She bites her lip, holding back her tears, and rocks slowly. I wonder if she's all right? There was shouting, and then she kicked that man and … The human closes her eyes, remembering what happened. She ran inside, and then it's all darkness. One of the men must have struck her when she went inside. "I … I should go … "

The old Kiriga looks confused. The young one too, though probably because she doesn't seem to understand what's being said. "Where jou go?"

Where do I go? What should I do? I need my flute back, I can't make money without it … Not the way I'm good at. The idea of being a barmaid seems far less horrid in comparison to the rest of what has happened, but it's still not a job Lilac ever liked. If she gives up on her flute, she may give up on her dream, and if she does that … I must get my flute back. I must find out what happened to Lady Umeko. She rises, and bows again. "I must find my … my employer. She may know what to do."

The cook and her helper exchange glances and a few words in Imperial, but just shrug again. This doesn't seem to be something that happens every day, and the clothes Lilac is wearing are pretty worn and probably no great loss. They shuffle back to make room for the young woman.

"Thank you, again," Lilac says, bowing. She heads for the door, the pauses to bow again. "Thank you!" And with that, she races into the darkness.

It takes a second or two for Lilac's eyes to adjust, but they do so quickly enough to see the old cook's head peering out the door for a moment, then ducking back and closing it. The bardess is outside and on the street again.

I should find Umeko first. She may be nearby. Lilac doubts the noblewoman would be with her. She is a noble, after all, and more important than her. Did they realize who she was? Hurt her more? Kill her? As mad as she was at the noble, she didn't really hate her. She was just irritated by Umeko's insistence she followed her plan, and that the noble seemed to be using her without much in the way of concern. Annoyed, yes, but she didn't want her dead. And, she did help the two servants … I hope she's okay … Sniffing, Lilac tries to pick up Umeko's scent.

It's a jumble of scents out here, cooking food, passers by, rainwater, draft animal manure, smoke, and the faintly sweet scent of pala fruit clinging to Lilac's own hair. Umeko's scent isn't among them. The street seems to be a small one, with a few shops and restaurants along it, like the one Lilac came out of.

I'm lost, too! Lilac's ears lay back, and she suddenly has the urge to howl out her frustrations. Resisting that urge, she decides to stop and think. I don't know where I am, and I can't smell Umeko. I'd better just start looking around. Maybe I can find a familiar scent.

The scents are muddled and confusing, but the medley is familiar… exotic food, spices, and the mingled odors of travelers. It's evident Lilac is still in the entertainment district Umeko brought her to. It might take a bit of stumbling around, but the Blushed Pala is bound to be here somewhere. Knowing this, the general direction of the Tsurugi manor could be determined as well, so getting back there might not be so difficult. One scent stands out as familiar and a little disconcerting to Lilac. It's dry and reptilian, mixed also with the scent of strong drink, the clinging perfume of pala, and weapon oils: the Shiga mercenary.

Lilac suddenly halts when she catches wind of the Shiga. An impotent rage, mixed with fear and revulsion, overtakes her, like a kick in the stomach. She leans against a nearby wall as she tries to calm down and think. What should I do, she thinks to herself in panic. A part of her wants to claw his eyes out, while another wants to run and hide, and a third wants to just break down and weep. As it is, she tries to keep track of his scent – maybe she can at least follow him, and decide how to handle the whole issue as she sees what he's up to.

A moment's rest along the street doesn't earn a second glance at the simply-dressed young woman from any of the passers-by, and when she's ready to carry on, the scent trail, repugnant though it may be, is clear and waiting for her. It couldn't be more than an hour old, and fortunately leads down mostly side streets where there are fewer people to mix the trail up. The further she travels along it, the more the buildings change.

Trying to keep to the shadows and remain unobtrusive, Lilac follows after the trail. She's used her superior sense of smell to find people before, but never like this. It reminds her of prey tracking the hunter. This is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy, she repeats in her head as she follows. A part of her, the rational part that had been keeping quiet until now, tells her that her life has been crazy ever since she left home. It's just worse now, she sighs inside. I can't go home like this. Trying to put her mind off her situation, Lilac takes in the surrounding structures.

The gambling halls, teahouses, restaurants, and other diversions are giving way to shops and markets, and what looks like an occasional public building. The trail leads past a few affluent looking abodes, the area looking more residential every minute. This area looks slightly familiar… yes, this other street leads back to Tsuguri manor. The Shiga's scent doesn't lead that way, however, splitting off in the opposite direction.

Lilac pauses at the intersection. She could return to the manor now, and look for Umeko – but what then? What if Lady Umeko is furious with me, for not contacting the guards? What if she is hurt, or … Lilac doesn't want to think about all the possibilities that come to mind, so she pushes them out of her head. No, I can't go back. I have nothing! If I could find the mercenaries, then I could tell Lady Umeko, or … or her parents where they are. Then I would be useful, and then, maybe, they'll tolerate me. With that in mind, and her possessions, standing, and possibly her life in the balance, Lilac follows after the scent trail.

The square is left behind, and the trail grows stronger, sharper. The buildings become less dense, more opulent, with sculpted shrubs or rock gardens spaced here and there, and more varied landscaping. The scent is very distinct now, as if the Shiga were right under her nose… ah, that figure up ahead. A person of less heightened senses wouldn't be able to see the blob against the dusk, but Lilac's sharp eyes can pick up the hunched and bulky figure plodding away from her, scaly tail dragging from under a cloak, and a heavy mace swinging from a belt hook.

He could have hit me with that, but I might not have woken up at all … Lilac eyes the mace with impotent anger. There's nothing she could do to him, she thinks, and, as other cultures have shown, very little she can have done to him on her own. Making up for those facts are people's charity, which has helped her before, as it has today. Lilac decides to remain well back from him, and keep to the shadows. She also mantles her wings, just in case he should look back. After all, her wings are fairly distinctive paired with her human silhouette.

The winged woman is soon able to find a comfortable distance to follow from, allowing her to study the lizard without risk of detection. His head is smooth, and his snout long and narrow, the bridge arcing up to form a sloping plane over flat skull with beady eyes. With his back to her, it's hard to tell what he's wearing besides the cloak and the belt, but the mace swings free, the weapon looking crude but effective: a shaped stone head on stout wooden shaft. Before long, the road ends at a tall wooden gate embedded in a high, thick wall. A stone plaque reads something in Imperial in foot-high characters. The reptile stops at the gate, looking up at the wall and shouting, "Oy!"

I wonder where this is? Didn't Lady Umeko say he was working for someone? The moments before the fight seem hazy now, and not just because she's been trying to subconsciously forget the whole affair. If he goes inside, I doubt I can rush through the door in time. Maybe I can find another way in, or … I don't know. Lilac waits in the shadows, wondering what the reptile's next move will be – and if she can take advantage somehow. The thought of getting near him makes her want to shudder, though.

A peephole slides open in the gate, and hard eyes peer out. "You're back," says an equally hard voice from behind the gate in Standard, without the curious Imperial accent. "Yes," hisses the lizard. "Open up."

"I thought you were spending the night in town," says the gatekeeper.

Those eyes shift back and forth in the peephole, and he adds, "Where are the others?"

Standard? Foreigners? Oh, perhaps there are more mercenaries … The idea of more mercenaries makes Lilac actually shiver. She perks her ears, listening intently. Knowing where the others are could make all the difference.

The Shiga snorts. "We got into a row at one of the public houses. Beckham made trouble with a local, and a fight broke out with some Kiriga. Bit off more than we could chew, and I slipped away. They're probably all arrested by now."

"What, just one?" asks the gatekeeper, incredulous. The Shiga grimaces, glancing over his shoulder self-consciously but having no hope of spotting Lilac. "Listen, they have some fierce warriors in Jashin, and she had a pet… animal of some sort. Some kind of monstrous freak, she set it on Mooch and it tore him up pretty good."

The eyes through the peephole narrow. "You're saying six men got thrashed in a bar fight with one Jadai woman and her fuff'nar?"

The Shiga's answer just creates more questions: If they were arrested, why would I be in the gutter … ? Did they run off with me? She thinks on that and decides they must have won – or that something happened to have the servants drop her in the gutter. Still, being abandoned is better than other alternatives, Lilac admits, if sadly. Her consideration of the mercenary's escape is derailed, however, when she thinks on what the man added: a pet. A pet? Lady Umeko had a pet? She ponders all that she remembers, and definitely doesn't recall any sort of pet, monstrous or otherwise. She even considers they may mean her, but she knows full well that she can't fight her way out of a barrel. He must be lying, he decides, making up stories because Lady Umeko hurt them.

The Shiga rocks back on his feet, looking exasperated. "Listen, you weren't there. She fought like a horrib, and the monster wasn't like anything I've ever seen. It was the size of a man and black as night. Took a chunk out of one of the Skreeks. Tsssss… why am I even bothering? Just open the Dagh-blasted gate."

"You idiots," sneers the gatekeeper. "Probably all just drunk and out of your minds on Dragon's Tears. Well, serves you all right. Don't expect Master Hakuu to bail anybody out, we're lucky he paid us a good sum in advance." The lizard sneers back, long nose scrunching up. "I couldn't care less. I'm here, and there's plenty more of us. Let me in."

He's probably drunk, too. And cowardly. Lilac doesn't believe he stuck around at all, but she does think something terrible must have happened to his friends. That sort of lie always comes back to haunt you, she thinks. Then again, she muses, he may just be dumb. Thinking the man is dumb is a petty salve to Lilac's hurt, and she can't draw much from it. Either way, he still scares her.

The gatekeeper sounds almost smug. "Can't. Master Hakuu doesn't let this gate be opened at night. One of his guardsman is glaring at me right now." The reptile sputters. "Am I supposed to just sleep out here?"

MASTER HAKUU?! Lilac almost squeaks, covering her mouth so fast it makes her face sting. THAT was who Lady Umeko said they were working for! No wonder they're making up stories, or not coming back! They must have realized what they did, and ran. They probably dumped me in an alley during that, or … The human woman shivers again, pushing that line of thought out of her head.

"Fine, fine," says the voice behind the door. "The servant's entrance is locked too, from the inside. They're all asleep now, though. I can let you in from there." The lizard nods and begins trudging around the outer wall, and the peephole slides shut.

Letting her hands slip from her mouth, Lilac stalks after the lizard. If Master Hakuu is connected to this, maybe this was all intentional? Maybe he was trying to make Lady Umeko look bad, or, oh, maybe he is up to something and is trying to sweeten his deal by making Lady Umeko look like a poor wife. Lady Umeko, Lilac's one-time boss; Lilac thinks her very brave for what she tried to do. A bit pushy, but she's not all that different from other nobles Lilac has met. She hopes Lady Umeko is okay, as she follows along.

The walk is a long one, about which the lizard bitterly complains to himself, leading past tall trees that stretch above the compound's tall, thick walls. It eventually leads to an area of Dromodon carts and empty bins, ruts worn into the dirt road from numerous wheels. A pair of double doors, smaller than the massive gate but wide enough to admit cargo, are sunk deep into the thick outer wall here, and it's by these that the lizard waits impatiently, still grousing.

Well this is better, anyway. Lilac wants to sigh, but she keeps it back. Here, at least, she may be able to get inside. She wonders why she even decided to try this in the first place, the night before the fight. Now she has a reason, but then … Then, I wanted money, I need money, but … I wanted to help Lady Umeko, too. I wanted to hear her story, and I felt for her. Even if, … even if she seemed to be using me. She eyes the guard, wondering just how smart she is.

At length, there's the sound of wood dragging on wood, the bar behind the door is hauled aside, and with a creak the heavy doors open. The lizard quickly stalks inside, shouldering past someone, and then their muttered argument continues. The door shuts behind them with a boom, and the bar drags across again with a clunk.

Well, there goes that idea, Lilac thinks as the door closes and locks. She stares at the door for a long moment, debating returning with nothing, or even fleeing and trying to find enough money to pay her way off the island. Then, her ears flick as she suddenly remembers an important detail: I can fly! Flying, as it turns out, is a side effect of the events that gave Lilac her odd ears, tail, and, of course, wings. As useful as they may be, Lilac remains uncertain of them, and often forgets she doesn't need to walk everywhere. With a shrug, she unfurls her wings, then takes for the sky above the wall.

With the loft of her wings, the once formidable wall goes from obstacle to invitingly broad perch. Seen from above, it's evidently several feet thick, but not wide enough to allow guards to patrol along it, thankfully. The compound stretches away from Lilac. Several low buildings huddle around the servant's entrance, one having the look of a stable from the open portion of it. Across the compound from it sits a larger building, this one with lights in it, and men wearing what Lilac recognizes as Hakuu's crest occasionally come and go from it… guardsmen by the looks of them. Between these two areas is a curious sight: a series of tents set up in the outer courtyard. Lilac's just in time to see the Shiga retreat into one of them.

This Master Hakuu must be a man of significant influence! All of this, and mercenaries too! Including Umeko's home, this is the largest estate Lilac has ever been to. The sheer sprawl of it makes her wonder how anyone could gain such a thing, much less take care of it all, or pay for it. Dazzled, she flies across the grounds with her gaze darting from one structure to the next. It's almost enough to make her forget her situation, but not quite – catching a glimpse of the Shiga reminds her why she's here. Turning her eyes to more important matters, she searches the grounds for items of suspect: clues to why the mercenaries are here, some hint of artwork, or a convenient upper story window or terrace she can use to enter the main structure.

Flying over the courtyard allows the young woman to see past a tree-break, and the crown jewel of the estate hoves into view. The artist's home makes it evident Hakuu is not one to starve for his work. The manor sits high on a foundation of irregular stones, overlooking a carefully maintained garden. Unlike the Tsuguri's stately, quiet landscape of flowers and ponds, Hakuu's garden is a riot of exotic plants and statues. It has a certain disturbing beauty, but it doesn't look like a place to relax, but rather to showcase thorny specimens and grimacing sculpture. The manor looks surprisingly traditional from the outside, if large. It's several floors high, and the terraces around it are patrolled by house guards, presenting blank screens for its outer walls and a slick-looking roof of tiled ceramic.

From higher above, the building looks to have a square footprint, and the roof gives way in the center to a couple of upper sundecks and an inner courtyard far below.

Guards. Well, I didn't think this would be easy … Lilac eyes the guards, already thinking of what she would say if she were caught. She mulls over the layout, and something inside her whispers where to stand, and how to hide and stalk. I could land in the garden. There are some statues there – maybe those are Master Hakuu's works? Then again, he also has mercenaries. Why would an artist have mercenaries? After thinking on it a moment, Lilac eyes the inner sundecks. I could land there – and that garden is really creepy. Maybe Lady Umeko is right about this guy being weird. She eyes the interior areas, seeing if any guards patrol there.

A few passes overhead, and nobody seems to come out onto the sundecks.

Deciding she'd better set down before her fear keeps her in the sky all night, Lilac begins her descent. She first aims for the roof above one of the upper sundecks, attempting to land there so she can be sure the coast is clear. After that, she'll hop down and see about getting inside. If I had chosen to be a thief, I might actually have some money, a stray thought chides her.

The bardess' wings carry her to the eaves above the deck, where she can get a closer look. Thankfully, the slope isn't too great because the overlapping ceramic roofing tiles are a bit slick. From where she perches, the sundeck is easier to take in; a series of large smooth boulders is spaced irregularly around, oddly offset by equally randomly scattered pillows. Large parasols, some open, some closed, shade several different spots, and one boulder in the center has been sheared in half to make a level surface for refreshments. A nearby can has palm frond fans collected in it. Screens separating the deck from the interior of the manor stand open, allowing a view of the darkened confines… and the occasional lantern moving around within. Patrols there don't seem to be as numerous, at least.

I wonder if all nobles in Jadai have so many guards and soldiers, Lilac ponders. She doesn't think so, but she really can't be sure. She does think it's particularly odd that an artist would have private soldiers, though. I need something undeniable. Something I can tell Lady Umeko, or, if it comes to it, her parents. Lady Umeko can't be dead, though. She just can't! Biting her lip, Lilac scans her surroundings.

Once she's certain of the layout, Lilac hops off the roof and glides down onto the deck. From there, she quickly retreats to a better hiding place, keeping to the shadows and against whatever wall she can find. She also mantles her wings, a strange reflex she's had ever since she got them. The ebon wings help her blend into the night, like a cloak of shadow. It's handy, but peculiar in how much of a habit it feels like. Let's see … She scans the grounds, then spots the northern area. That seemed large from above, so, if I were an artist, I'd want room. Maybe that's his studio? Inching along, Lilac sneaks towards the north, looking for a way in.

Prowling north takes Lilac up a hall and through several chambers. The place seems as much a museum as a home, each room littered with both places to lounge and art objects. They all differ wildly in style, so they're more likely to be part of a collection rather than Hakuu's own work, whatever that may be. Lilac turns a corner and finds herself faced with a curtain of fine, translucent cloth of varying shades of pink and lavender. Hanging above it is a glass bell, and nearby is a stairwell up and down.

There's a lot of art in here, but I wonder if any of it is Master Hakuu's work. Lilac eyes the various pieces as she sneaks through the reptile's home, wondering who made them, and what, if anything, they're supposed to mean. When she reaches the curtain, she pauses to examine it – and its bell. Is this some sort of trap? She peers at the bell, then the curtain, trying to see if they're connected somehow.

On closer inspection, the bell appears to be attached to a string, which disappears through a hole in the ceiling. Abruptly, the string begins jerking, and the bell wags. Ding-a-ling-ling! Behind the translucent curtain, the light shining through flickers as a flurry of activity begins, accompanied by a medley of female voices chattering in Imperial.

The human woman's ears suddenly shoot up as the bell is rung. Quickly, she looks around for something to hide behind!

It means travelling a ways back down the hall, but a clustered display of tall grimacing ritual masks from Xenea look to fit the bill.

Lilac hurries back towards the masks, figuring she can always return. She considered running up or down the stairs, but, without knowing what lies below or above, and which way the women may go, she can't trust those routes. She hugs her wings about herself, and scoots behind a mask display.

The curtains are thrown aside, and billow in the wake of a bronze-polished Kiriga woman bearing a platter of cups and kettle, the whole affair rattling as she rushes through. Her gait is strange, hurried but oddly mincing and awkward. It's difficult to see much else about her from this distance and in her rush, but Lilac can tell she took the stairs up, her footsteps pattering along the wood and the scent of hot mateh and xocholatl trailing after her.

Lilac remains hidden for a moment, just in case someone else exits. She takes the waiting time to think on what she just saw: Is she walking funny, or am I just imagining it? It's not as if I'm even familiar with the people of this island, yet. Still, something about the woman's walk gnaws at Lilac. Lady Umeko told her that Master Hakuu may use her as art, which suddenly makes Lilac think of Master Hakuu's oddly sanded and painted scales. She shivers, and tries to keep her mind on the task at hand. She went upstairs, so Master Hakuu's residence might be up there. But, then, his work may be downstairs. Oh, where do I go? What would I do if I were Master Hakuu? Given Lady Umeko's description of the man, the answer comes to Lilac's mind almost instantly. I'd want to work high above, surrounded by beauty – and looking down on others. That sounds like him. Carefully, Lilac edges out of hiding and cautiously heads for the stairs up. Curious, though, she stops at the curtain and tries to peek at what is inside, just in case it might be useful.

Parting the curtain allows Umeko to see into a room lit with a multitude of oil lamps. The room is large and lushly furnished, spaced with beds, pillows, and the like. Off in a corner is a wooden bar laden with bottled drinks. Sitting quietly now are more Kirigai women, but they hardly seem to be relaxing in the luxury. They sit perched anxiously on pillows, ears perked as if to listen attentively to the silence. Straps of colorful Zolk are wrapped over their hips and thighs, and more is bound tightly around their hands and feet, which look abnormally small. Most curious of all, blank, featureless masks cover their long reptilian faces like shells, open at the bottom so their jaws can open and speak. The porcelain masks are polished to a mirror-like shine, but don't appear to allow vision.

Lilac's horrified expression reflects off one of the masks, making it seem like a distorted version of her own face is staring back at her. When she realizes the Kirigai women are all unable to see, Lilac ponders what it all means. No one has seen Master Hakuu's art … She stares at the mask that reflects her, eyes widening. Even his servants! This, this is awful, but … it's not enough. Not enough, to repay Lady Umeko. I need more. The human woman ponders stealing one of the masks as an example that she was here, but decides she'd best do that on the way out. A little voice warns her reflections would be bad for hiding.

None of the Kirigai seem to notice Lilac, though their ears swivel around a bit uncertainly.

Just to be sure, Lilac peers around for a mask she could steal handily. If she's in a hurry, it may be best if she knows where to get one. Or, else, gets one now and hides it so she can sneak out with it later.

There don't seem to be any handy lying around, unfortunately. They're all being worn. There look to be some chambers further in beyond other curtains.

I'll look in the far chambers later. Stalking through a crowded room, even with people wearing masks, is just too risky. Lilac backs away from the curtain, the eyes the stairway up. As she carefully climbs upward, she keeps her nose sniffing and ears perked for early warnings that someone may be coming.

There's nothing to impede Lilac's progress up the stairs. When she reaches the top, she can see the Kiriga from before hasn't gone far yet with that odd gait of hers. The Zolk binding her thighs comes to just above her knees, making walking quite difficult, and her tiny feet don't allow great balance, though she does admirably, especially considering she's wearing one of those blinder masks. The platter is held in one hand still, while the other, oddly, holds a piece of crystal… a lens?

Puzzled by the lens, Lilac remains back. The woman may be blinded, but she may also have some means to peek so that she can follow a select path – a path potentially shown by the lens. This is the strangest home I have ever been in, the human woman admits to herself. She keeps to the shadows, watching to see what the other woman does with that crystal.

The lens gets held up, and faces down the new hall that the servant girl hurries down. It ends in a door, which the Kiriga stops at, wobbling slightly.

Definitely the strangest house I've ever heard of, Lilac confirms. She keeps to the shadows, waiting to see what the woman does. If I need that lens to get further, maybe I can figure out how to 'borrow' it, she muses in the meantime.

The Kiriga at the door takes in a deep breath. She seems more pausing to steel herself than anything, and with the hand holding the crystal she pushes the door open. It doesn't sound latched, it just swings away, and the girl hobbles through, closing it quietly behind her.

Puzzled by the peculiar approach, Lilac hesitantly sneaks forward. She hopes the crystal isn't related to some sort of bizarre security. Some sort of artsy security, I bet. That sounds like him. Hmmp. Artsy security. Just in case, she begins looking around to try and spot anything that may connect to the odd crystal.

The door is richly carved from hardwood, but there doesn't seem to be any particularly outstanding features. The door's handle seems to have a mechanism for shutting and locking, but it's left open.

Edging forward, Lilac carefully tries to nudge the door open and peek inside. She hopes Master Hakuu is the sort of man who, along with his love of the aesthetic, also appreciates doors that do not squeak.

The door must be superbly balanced. It doesn't squeak in the least, and swings open gently as far as Lilac cares to push it. It seems a rarity in a place where most doors are either curtains or sliding screens.

This has to be it – Master Hakuu's private chambers, the human woman thinks. Despite her fear, Lilac can't help but feel curious. What could an Imperial Artist make that could be so special, that only the ruling class would be allowed to see it? It's time to find out. The woman tilts her head, and peeks inside …

The chamber is disturbing. The floor and ceiling are black lacquer with inlaid lotus blossoms, and a low circular tea table sits in the exact center. Light comes from three lamps held aloft by Kirigai women, the first Lilac has seen in the house that are not masked. But these don't need masks, for their eyes are just glass beads, their bodies stuffed and lacquered like bizarre hunting trophies. The chamber wall wraps around in a circle made of sixteen facets, and each face is a framed floor-to-ceiling mirror that makes the room seem boundless.

The rattling of teacups and kettle mask any noise that might have come from the door, the servant mincing her way into the chamber, holding the lens out in front of her. She moves in the hesitant manner of the blind, but she does seem to avoid running into the 'lamps' somehow, finding her way to the table.

The hair on Lilac's neck rises, the woman's hackles raising at the first sight she takes in: the stuffed woman. At first, she assumes they're alive, and is about to pull away from the opening when the full realization of what they are sinks in. Like an airship wreck, Lilac can only stare into the room with the numb horror of the shocked.

Seated to one side of the table is a figure in a flowing, multi-layered crimson kimono with a matching crimson wig. The painted face is familiar though – Master Hakuu the Artist. He does nothing to acknowledge the presence of the servant, keeping his attention on his guest across the table.

Master Hakuu! The artist now holds a level of horror for the human woman. Anyone that could have a living, sentient person stuffed for a piece of furniture could never be right in the head, the woman believes. Art or no, she finds the idea disturbing and twisted. The sheer weirdness of it all roots Lilac, and even if she didn't need to stay and watch, she likely would have anyway. Who is that with him?

The other spot is occupied by, of all things, a Cervani. A stag, and a big one at that, his antlers tall, broad shouldered and with fitness evident even under an immaculately tailored suit cut in the nobleman's style of Chronotopia. A swordsman's cloak hangs off one shoulder, and his handsome face is matched by a Cervani head crafted from steel and topping a cane of ebon. He breaks off something he was saying in accented Imperial, and says, in Standard, "Can we speak with her here?"

Hakuu turns to notice the servant finally, and replies in his own accented Standard, "She isss of no concern, my friend. Even if she understood us, she hass no tongue to speak of it."

What? The question echoes in Lilac's mind as she blinks down at the giant Cervani man. Of all the types of people in the world, a Cervani was not high on the list of races she expected to be here. He's almost as odd to this place as she is. He also speaks Standard … Is he the mercenary leader? A foreign trader? The woman also asks herself if she's mad to remain, and a part of her urges her to flee – that nothing could be worth what this man would do to her if she was found. She has no tongue?! The artist's house goes from bizarre to horrifying; a house of horrors Lilac had hardly expected. She stands and listens, largely because she can't will herself to move.

"I require perfection in all that surrounds me," Hakuu explains. "And this one's voice had a very slight alto tremor to it that I found grating."

He's more horrible than Lady Umeko described! The reality of that thought shocks Lilac anew; he seemed quite horrid already, after all. Now he seems like a monster.

"Ah, very good then, Master Hakuu. If we may, let us keep with this one for the rest of the night, then." says the stag. He resumes speaking the reptilian language, and indicates some scrolls spread out on the table, along with some open books. The blind maiden sets her platter down, and holds her lens close to the tray, taking up the kettle and filling two cups. The scent of gourmet mateh grows stronger.

Lilac's ears flick as the two men switch back to Imperial. She has the urge to think less than polite thoughts about their sudden switch, but she can't manage the vigor for it. The whole room fills her with a sense of crawling dread that makes anger difficult.

Angry though she may be, the snaky-sounding syllables are unrelenting and impenetrable.

Since nothing else occurs to shock her for the time being, Lilac manages some control over herself. She decides to get a peek at those papers, stepping on her tiptoes and trying to look over the Chronotopian's shoulder.

Edging a little further into the room, the task seems daunting. Getting that close would likely mean being spotted by one of the men, especially with all the mirrored walls.

Her fear of the men overriding her curiosity, Lilac decides to withdraw. I've seen enough. I have. I … I don't want to get caught by that man! She backs away from the door, then hurries for the stairs. I'll see if I can get one of the masks to prove I was here, or … something … and then I'm leaving. I have to get out of here! Ears laying back as she leaves, she can't help but feel the whole place closing around her.

Nothing impedes Lilac as she flees down the hall and stairs, and she soon finds herself back at the plush 'harem' room. The Kirigai women still perch attentively on their pillows, seemingly oblivious to the luxury around them.

Taking a deep breath, Lilac tests the curtain with a hand. She pushes it slowly away, checking the reactions of those within.

None of them respond.

That none of the women responds only serves to make the whole place feel creepier than it is. A pang of guilt suddenly hits Lilac as she steps inside. What if Master Hakuu – no! – Hakuu hurts them for what I steal? She pauses, looking at the women, and yet not wanting to look at any one of them too long. I wish I could help them, but I can't. The least I can do it not make this worse for them. She backs out, now. She decides to just steal one of Hakuu's smaller pieces of art, to spite him.