By the time Lilac, Umeko, and assorted bunnies return to the rail station platform, the engines have been hitched. Big, shaggy wolves are currently making a lot of noise at the first, their yelling and banging on metal parts reverberating through the station. The engine they're at work on is built much like they are… big, solid, and ugly. A Rughrat catcher on the front has been modified to look like it must catch creatures a lot bigger than Rughrats, and even with the polishing the Titanians try to do, there are permanent stains, scratches, and dents along the body of the engine. It looks built to more or less ignore the damage, with thick bolts and a beefy front end.
On a separate track, another engine is backed to its string of cars, attached to the ones that the group had tickets for. This one is much sleeker and much, much cleaner. Brass shines from its fittings, and vine and leafwork wiggles its way along its sides. Its stack chuffs in neat little puffs. A plaque on the side is inscribed with "Magical Fairy Princess".
"Isn't she beautiful?" Xander asks as he rushes to the edge of the platform to ogle the Magical Fairy Princess.
"That is the silliest machine I have ever seen," Lilac remarks as the Magical Fairy Princess pulls up to the station. "I can't even imagine that traveling through Sylvania. If gloom could talk, I bet it would gnash its teeth and wail!" She shakes her head, her cowl swaying with the motion.
"I didn't know you were into fairy princesses, Xander," Anisa says, stifling a giggle with her kimono's sleeve. "It is kind of pretty though."
"Except for the name, I suppose that it is," Umeko comments as she peers at the odd machine.
"Well, magical princesses are… probably rich, too," Xander rationalizes. "Are you saying you wouldn't want to be a magical princess, Anisa?" he asks the doe, waggling his eyebrows. "Think of all the stuffed animals you could have then."
"Hmm. I think Xander wishes to be the consort of a magical princess with comments such as those," the Kiriga comments dryly, looking terribly amused by it all. She does, though, spare a look around at who else is boarding the train and if any look … out of place.
"I used to want to be a princess when I was little," Anisa says, coming to a halt near the platform's edge, "but they have to do all that protocol and stuff."
Lilac pauses, taking in the train one more time, then just shakes her head again. "I must be too Sylvanian to appreciate it," she decides. Upon heading forward again, she also takes a moment to look around for odd persons, and also to sniff the air, fully expecting a trap at this point – but too polite to tell the others why.
Ding ding! Ding ding! A series of bells ring at various points down the length of the train. Tall figures dressed in smart blue coats wave white-gloved hands, then raise signs. Something on them is written in Bosch, but when flipped around, more familiar words can be seen printed in Rephidim Standard. "All aboard". With people crowding around, the conductors are a bit hard to see, but when the group is close enough, it become apparent… they're Savanites. More of them are trotting along the length of the train, silently loading baggage and checking tickets.
Umeko's lips draw back in a smile as she spots the Savanites. She can't help herself and signs a simple greeting to them before retrieving her ticket from where she placed it in her kimono earlier. "Time to go," she tells the others.
Anisa steps off the platform an into the train, pulling her ticket from her sleeve as well. "Spotties? I didn't even know they had those in Sylvania."
"Used to be that Savanites couldn't set foot in Chronotopia," Xander tells Umeko. "And… well, technically they still can't if they're slaves."
"I think the Kurai lands took in a bunch, but I can't quite remember when or why," the bardess tells Anisa distractedly, her nose all a twitch.
Kin frowns momentarily at Xander. "Are there still some that are slaves?" she asks.
The conductor that the flow of the crowd funnels the group to seems quite surprised when he catches Umeko's signing, and he reflexively returns the greeting, then thinks to sign a moment later, "Welcome aboard" after checking her ticket and touching the bill of his cap. He repeats the movement (sans signing) with each passenger, ushering them into the train cars or pointing them to the appropriate cars when there's a mix-up.
Once inside the train, Anisa leads the way back to the group's berth. "Really? That's kind of odd," she says to Lilac. "You'd think they wouldn't like the weather up here"
"Yeah, I don't know! I agree completely, too, but there must be a special reason why," Lilac chats back at Anisa. As they go, the human woman peeks into every room and looks down every corridor, sniffing all the way.
"The Gallisans keep slaves," Xander notes.
Umeko's lips twitch into a frown again. "The Gallisans I meet won't have them for long," the Kiriga mutters as she watches the conductor pass. She then just follows the others to their berth.
As for why Savanites would be working on the Trans-Nordikan Railroad, Xander just shrugs and suggests, "Maybe they like the uniforms?"
Filing a few cars down the narrow, centralized corridor, the Lapis plus reptile and human find their accommodations, with their luggage piled up where they had left them, untouched. The shuffling of feet outside soon subsides, and before long the train lurches, announcing its departure with the blast of a whistle.
"Gallisans call them servants, Ummy, but I've heard they can be just as bad as slaves. I'm sure some are treated well, but you'll not hear me saying anything better about Gallisans." When the train begins up, Lilac hurries to the window, pushing it open and then sticking her head out. "Hey, we're moving! This is more fun than I thought!"
Umeko settles down into her seat and wraps her tail around so that it rests in her Lapi. Head tilted slightly to the side, she watches the landscape outside start to move as the train lurches forward. "How long will the trip take?" she asks.
Anisa plops down in one of the berth's chair – more of a leap up, actually, as it was obviously built for people taller. "Whew! This this is a chore to walk in. Keeps me warm, though." The doe leans back, swinging her legs back and forth.
The bardess can feel a breeze on her face when she sticks her head out the window, even though the train is still moving slowly to get up to speed. People lining the platform are waving at departing friends and loved ones, some of them jogging along the platform until it ends.
Xander sits next to Umeko, and suggests to Anisa, "You might want to change then before we get to Sylvania. No reason to look upper-crust there."
Lilac has to keep a hand on her head to prevent her hood from flying off from the breeze, but she seems to be enjoying it. "It's like flying or running on all fours, but with less work, and more available food," she remarks, her voice elevated to speak over the commotion.
"Alas no gathering of the military to see us off this time," Umeko comments absently. "No loved ones to see us off, either."
"You're taking all your friends with you, Umeko!" Xander declares with a grin. "Well, almost all of them!"
"I'll change later. Let me enjoy these a bit longer," the white doe replies, wrapping the kimono around her with an absently pleased smile.
It isn't long before the train pulls out of the station, with the Titanian engine taking the lead and shrinking on the tracks ahead. Both engines make their way through sections of Blitzheim, but now details are easy to miss except for the profile of the city itself. Without being so close now, Great Gretchen's bell is less harsh on Lapine ears when it tolls.
Umeko's tail flicks and the tip arcs up, then lands into Xander's lap lightly. "I suppose that I am," the Kiriga comments. "And do please allow Anisa her moment to feel like a woman. It will be one of the very few I expect we will have for the foreseeable future."
Gibson, who's been quiet up till now, settles back into his bunk and bounces a little on it to test how cushy it is. "Well, this is a good deal more plush than guarding caravans, that's for sure."
"GONG," Lilac echoes, when the bells resound. "GONG! Good bye, Chronotopia! Maybe I'll be back some day!" Lilac waves to nothing in particular, undoubtedly cheered up by having the wind in her face and an exciting machine to ride on. The back of her cloak wriggles; her tail trying to shake free with excitement.
The fire mage plays with the tip of Umeko's tail idly, and wonders out loud, "Did anyone see what time the dining car opens? Or do we want to eat in our cabin and avoid mingling?"
"Either option is fine with me. While we are on a mission … we should try to enjoy what we can. It will be difficult sooner than we would like, I am certain," Umeko comments as she finally sits back and rests the back of her head against the wall.
There's a knocking at the door to the berth.
"Enter?" Umeko calls out to the door, her attention shifting to it.
Ducking her head back inside, Lilac says, "Maybe I should stay here, at least during the busy hours. I don'-" she pauses at the knocking, freezing as she stares at the door expectantly.
"I say we mingle," Anisa says, leaning forward to place her paws on the edge of the chair, still swinging her legs. "I haven't had a chance just to let loose and chat with people since we left Rephidim. We should enjoy our downtime – or at least I plan to." The doe's ears instinctively swivel in the direction of the knock.
The door slides open to reveal a Savanite woman dressed in blue coat, cap, and long skirt. She's wheeling a small cart draped in white cloth, upon which sits some packages and a bowl of assorted fruits, with a bottle nested in the middle. A slate hangs from her hip by some cords, and she picks it up, presenting it. It reads, "Care package delivery," and the Savanite holds up the bowl.
Likely surprising yet another Savanite today, Umeko signs, "Care package? Is this customary for travelers or did someone send us something?" She spares a curious glance to her companions.
Anisa's nose wiggles as she leans forward to survey the fruit – and the bottle. "What is it?"
Lilac's brow furrows, then narrows a bit. She eyes the assorted treats, licking her lips hungrily, but also uttering a ominous sounding, "hmmmmm."
"Who sent it?" Xander asks the porter.
The Savanite does indeed look a bit surprised, though not overly. She lets her slate down and signs in return. "We bring care packages as a service, but they are ordered by other parties, miss. People like to make their friends and family feel less homesick. The sender should be on the attached tag."
The porter picks up her slate again at Xander's question, and repeats the last sentence she had signed. "Sender on attached tag, sir."
"It should be on the tag," Umeko tells Xander. She reaches into her kimono and draws out a few shekels, then presses them into the Savanite's hand. "Thank you," she then signs to her.
Xander searches for the tag.
The mage finds it. The inside is printed, "With my compliments – H.V."
"It's from someone with the initials H.V.," Xander reports.
"Hagan Vandringar," Umeko tells Xander. To the Savanite she now signs, "Do you know when this was sent? Was it left for a particular group to appear, or was it ordered recently?"
"Oh Dagh," Anisa says, leaping from her chair and eying the bowl cautiously. "That means he knows we're here! Dagh blast it all!"
The cheetah shakes her head apologetically. "I am sorry, miss. I just bring the packages. They can be ordered in advance… when did you purchase your tickets?"
"Hold on," Xander tells Anisa. "He left well before us. This must have been prearranged with the Railroad. We can ask the porter."
"Only three hours before departure," Umeko signs, "Is there any way we can find out when it was left?"
"H.V.? Well V could be Vandringar, but I don't remember his first name. I, I … really hate to say this, but I don't think we should eat it." She glances at Anisa, then blinks at her. "You're surprised? I mean, you did talk to his sister, and you're a very unusual pair, you know? And you were all worried I would get us in trouble!"
The Savanite nods. "If miss wishes, I will go back and check the ledger and schedule." She glances at the other passengers, her brow knitting. "Is miss and her companions upset?"
"Surprised. We did not know the sender knew we were here yet," Umeko signs, "It is nothing for you to worry about. If you could check the ledger that would be grand. I would like to know if it was just a standing request, or was placed more recently."
Gibson seems to be studying the bowl itself, frowning. He reaches into it and picks up the bottle, reading the label. "Sylvanian red… looks expensive. For what it's worth, I don't think it's tampered with. The rails put these care packages together themselves on the spot, so it's pretty unlikely he could have loaded any of this. Not that I feel inclined to taste it." His face looks uncharacteristically sour.
Head tilting, Lilac studies the basket with interest. "It could be poisoned," she whispers aside to Gibson, quietly, "but I don't think Vandringer is that obvious. Plus, it has his name on it! Assassinating passengers on a major transport is much too reckless. It could be completely fine, in fact, I'd wager that's more likely than poison, at least obvious kill-you-dead poisons, maybe not sleeping poisons. Putting us to sleep would let his agent nab Anisa's pendant, or kidnap us. Hmm, or it could even be something else, magic maybe, or like the mirrors Hakuu used … "
"Or it is just a game to him. Entertainment," Umeko has to point out.
The Savanite bows a little at the waist toward Umeko. "Yes, miss. I'll look into it after my deliveries are complete."
"Thank you," Umeko signs again. To the others, she offers, "If you wish, I will taste it and you can observe if there are any … side effects."
Anisa snatches the bottle from her brother's paw, and studies it angrily. "Don't be dumb, Kin – there's no reason for us to risk ourselves if we don't have to." She sighs, and plops back into her chair. "Too bad too, this is a good year."
The black Lapi snorts. "I wouldn't put it past him. Some kind of head game, maybe. Well, I don't doubt now that he expects to meet us in Sylvania." He gives Umeko a concerned look. "I like wine as much as the next man, but I don't know if I like it so much that I'd roll the dice."
"Wait, hmm." Lilac leans forward, then holds out her hand for the bottle. "And, maybe it's a clue, to see how smart we are, for his own amusement. Why would he get us Sylvanian red, and not Chronotopian, or Gallisan?"
Thinking of something, Umeko then asks Gibson, "Is there any food for carnivores in it or is it all for Lapis? I do not believe Vandringar saw me … return to normal. So … if the order was standing, he may not have included something for a carnivore."
At Umeko's question, the black buck digs in the bowl. "Apples, pala, cloudmelon, popberries (deflated), xocolatl, sweet biscuits… well, there's nothing meaty in here."
Gibson looks up and shrugs his broad shoulders. "Is it anything you would still enjoy? Looks like it's all desserts."
Meanwhile, Lilac wiggles her hand towards Anisa, trying to get the bottle.
"Any I would enjoy, but … my guess is it was a standing order. The porter should be able to tell us in a bit for certain. Lilac's suggestion has merit, though, on it being a clue. Does the wine state where it was bottled on the label?" Umeko asks next.
Anisa sniffs the bottle a few times, then rolls it into Lilac's hand. "All the more reason for us to go to the dining cart, so we can get some safe food."
After receiving the bottle, Lilac holds it up to the light and begins inspecting it using her eyes and nose. "Sylvania makes good wine," she says distractedly, "but Gallis makes better. The choice of wine is very odd, in this context, I think. And red too, like blood? Isn't white wine for fruits? Hmmmmm."
Xander hmms. "He sent us 'just desserts' then?" he asks Gibson.
"White is for fish and vegetables," Anisa says, smoothing her ears back. "Dessert wines can be red or white – its all about the sweetness."
"Hey, where is that wine from, Lilac?" Xander asks after hearing the bard's musing. "We'll have to ask if he specified a particular brand or vintage."
"I'm thinking," Lilac answers Xander. "I'm no expert on wines, you know, but I do get around. I try not to drink much, because I'm afraid I might be a mean drunk, if you know what I mean." Her head tilts, and then she points a finger at the label. "Lukov and Sons, Vinters, Misty Moors, Sylvania. It's a small town, if I remember right – nothing special except it makes good wine. It's a ways from Justininople."
Umeko reaches over and takes the card from Xander. She tilts it this way and that, looking to see if there could be hidden writing on the card, to even indention's from the pressure of a quill.
Gibson groans a little at Xander's earlier remark. "I hope not. It's bad enough to deal with a lunatic without him being cornball as well."
The card seems to be quite ordinary, the handwriting somewhat messy though still written in a formal style.
"I wonder if he wrote the card himself, or if it was part of the instructions. Anisa, have you seen his handwriting before?" the Kiriga asks.
Anisa leaps from her seat, and goes to take a look at the card. "I can't remember, lemme take a look… "
Umeko twirls the card in her hand, then offers it to Anisa.
Lilac's nail taps against the bottle, then she lowers it and tries to remove the cork. "Misty Moors isn't somewhere I've been, but it is pretty well off, as far as towns go. In fact, it's really rather peaceful, as far as Sylvanian towns go. Good trade, no monster attacks in recent memory – you know, peaceful. Because the land's not too swampy, they can grow grapes and such."
After looking at the card, Anisa shakes her head. "Doesn't ring a bell. I don't think it's neat enough to be his handwriting, anyway. He strikes me as the kind of guy that embellishes quite a bit."
"I am not about to allow paranoia to ruin what may be a pleasant trip. From my few encounters with Vandringar, I would guess this is merely his 'invitation' welcoming us to the next round of our 'game'. Perhaps this is his was of congratulating us for winning the first round," Umeko suggests.
"Or maybe he wants us to go to Misty Moore," Lilac offers as she struggles with the cork.
A look of worry crosses Anisa's face, but she doesn't say a word as she replaces the card to the basket. Instead, she just tightens the belt on her kimono. "Should we wait for the porter to come back before we go to the dining cart?"
Squeak… pop! The cork comes out with some coaxing, thankfully not requiring a corkscrew. The scent is rich and somewhat sweet. It is indeed a fine vintage. There's another knock at the door.
"Which would make me think it's the last place we should go. I cannot imagine why he would invite us to a town that is actually important to the matter at hand," Umeko comments. Again she says to the door, "Enter."
"Well, it's not blood, anyway," the bardess says as she sniffs at the uncorked bottle. When Umeko says "enter," she quickly puts the bottle down and adjusts her hood to make sure her ears are hidden.
The door slides open, and the familiar Savanite porter peeks in. Her fingers say, "Hello, miss. I checked the ledger. The order was for Snowshoe and Associates, categorized for advanced booking a couple weeks prior. The order specified a treat basket and extra was paid for us to select a quality bottle of Sylvanian wine."
Anisa watches the Savanite, brow furrowing. "What'd she say, Kin?"
The Savanite gives Anisa an apologetic look, and picks up her slate to begin hastily writing.
"It was ordered a few weeks ago for Snowshoe and associates with extra paid for the train company to select a fine wine. So, that confirms my suspicion he was expecting us and left this in wait … and that the wine's origin is irrelevant," Umeko translates for the group in the cabin. "It also means that it is probably safe."
"Maybe he's just saying, 'I know where you're going,' to scare us off? Or, maybe he's, I don't know, messing with us in some other way – or maybe with me? Not that he's ever shown the least bit of a hint that he knew I existed," the bardess says, giving the wine another look.
The cheetah is apparently a speedy writer as well as a speedy runner, and more or less finishes repeating what she signed on the slate by the time Umeko is finished speaking. She adds more words. "Will there be anything else?"
"Yes, can you direct us to the dining car?" Umeko inquires politely.
"Weeks ago?" Anisa's ears swivel backwards. "He sent it weeks ago? Did WE even know we were coming here weeks ago? Dagh everything!" The doe throws her paws up in frustration, then grabs the bottle from Lilac's grasp. "To Bosch with that antlered freak!" She glares at the bottle… then throws it back for a huge, slurpy swig.
Gibson rubs his head, looking flummoxed. The Savanite looks slightly alarmed, but keeps her composure, and simply nods at Umeko and leans back from the door to point down the corridor, caboose-ward.
In a glum voice, Lilac says, "I hate staring at food I can't eat," as she watches the suspect cart longingly. She looks even more glum when Anisa chugs the bottle.
"She doesn't like travel. It makes her nervous," Umeko tries to lie to the Savanite and smooth the situation over. "Thank you again. Can you be reached if we need anything later?"
Bubbles gurgle up to the end of the bottle when Anisa takes that pull. It's not the traditional way of sampling such drink, but it is a very fine wine indeed, robust with a sweet hint that doesn't overpower.
The Savanite nods, taking all this as gracefully as she can manage with a slightly frizzy tail, and she signs, "Yes, miss. If you require service, ring the bell and I or another attendant will come see to you."
After several large draws from the wine, Anisa finally pulls it from her lips, wiping her mouth with a paw, staining the normally snow white fur red. She slams the bottle on to one of the berth's counter tops, but not hard enough to break it. "Let's hit the dining cart. I need to unwind or I'm going to punch something."
"I guess I'll go too. Staying here and staring at this cart will drive me insane, and I am eating for two. I just hope the little one doesn't have our appetite," says Lilac. She takes a moment to smooth out her clothes, adjusting things to make sure the right bits are covered, then she nods to Umeko to lead on.
"Anisa scares me sometimes," Xander mutters.
The dining car is a walk through several premier coaches to reach, but it takes a minimum of hallway jockeying with well-dressed folks to get to. Small tables are placed along the windows, set with lacquered wooden flatware and tea candles in glass globes. The countryside crawls by, the gray of it encroaching on the warmth of the coach, but at least in here the colors are bright and the food smells tasty. More Savanites serve here with printed menus they can show their guests, while a Gallee quartet provide musical accompaniment to the dining. It's soft and understated, allowing conversation to flow, even letting snippets of it travel to the Lapi's (and Lilac's) sensitive ears.
Wholly unsurprising anyone, Lilac's taken advantage of a free meal. One may wonder just where all that food goes, for surely the woman's too thin to actually contain it all. For someone who looks like a waif, she eats enough to satisfy the largest of decadent Khattan princes. And while she eats, she listens. Her ears twitch under her hood, but beyond that, she largely keeps to herself and her food.
Umeko, for her part, can't help but talk a bit with the wait staff in sign, even if it is just pleasantries. She eats lightly, content to watch the goings-on in the dining room, having never been on a train trip before. She makes careful note of the species present, though, and if their attire reveals their professions.
"Have you ever tried Nordikan wines or cuisine before, Umeko?" Xander asks the Kiriga while perusing a menu. "For that matter… have you, Anisa? I don't think Amazonian food counts."
Anisa uses the opportunity to relax for a bit, slowly letting her anger slip away as she makes smalltalk with a few of her fellow passengers – the fact that she's a little bit buzzed from the wine certainly helps. The social butterfly that she is, she has no trouble mingling, and brightens up greatly when someone makes a note of her kimono.
"I have not, nor anything similar as the wine of my homeland is made from rice," Umeko tells Xander. "We do not import much food or drink, we tend to export it as an exotic taste of the Jadai islands. Can you recommend anything?"
Anisa shakes her head at Xander. "I don't think I have. Does it have any meat in it?"
"Business and pleasure this time? How does that work?" asks a Rhian of his dining companion, a bearded human man in a fine suit. The man leans forward, steepling his fingers. "Yes yes, my good man. There's been stories of treasure coming out of the swamplands south of Justininople. Fellows getting lucky and coming across crumbled old places that sank and returning with gold coins and cups. Good for the pockets, and a spot of treasure hunting could be good sport." The Rhian whuffles. "Dangerous, isn't it?" The human just scoffs and waves a gloved hand dismissively.
"Well, they wouldn't have given us the menus with meat on them," Xander points out to Anisa. "Ummm… let's see… they do a lot with yams I know… "
"Have you ever tried eating meat, Xander?" Umeko asks the Lapi absently as her attention shifts to the discussion about recent treasure finds. "You might like it."
The fire mage suggests one of the dishes with 'wild port' to Umeko. "You'd enjoy hunting Sylvanian hogs, I think. You have to use a fifty-pound spear… "
"Errr… like it?" Xander asks. "I'd get sick. Trust me on that. You'd be amazed at the things you get dared to try when you're a cook at a magic restaurant."
The meal tonight broiled shikkan stuffed with young potatoes, and for the vegetarian set a baked quiche-like dish served in a deep pan with chilled vegetable chips. Drinks are offered from port to champagne to sherry to wine and everything in between. Smoke begins to gather at the roof of the car as people take pipes after their meals. Anisa and Umeko get more than a few comments about how exotic and beautiful their kimono are, with several women asking how they might get some of their own.
"I got a wrap in the Bazaar that the cook had accidentally dropped some Bromthen ham in once," Anisa says, setting her ears back. "I was sick for three days."
Evidently Lilac has no plans to follow Umeko's advice about 'acting civilized' or feigning nobility; but then, when one spend half their time as a beast, can it be so surprising? "I wrove gwud fewd," Lilac remarks as she gnaws on some broiled shikkan. Her butt wiggles a little – apparently, her tail can't resist a good meal either.
"Dreadful business, isn't it?" says a Kujaku, tail neatly folded at the moment so he can fit the long feathers behind him in his chair. "That soup between Sylvania and Gallis? Who would want to claim that territory?" Another Kujaku across from him, this one wearing robes with the sigil of water on them, shakes his head. "Gallis sure does. They've been dumping chevaliers into it non-stop. We're looking at a plan of systematic drainage by now, but… there's worse problems than just the bogs. Not everyone comes back out, and we don't know why."
Xander nudges Lilac, and whispers to her, "Hear about any big projects to drain swampland? I didn't think the Gallisans would hire Mages for that, so who else could afford it?"
"You should perhaps try raw fish. Your digestive track my find it more palatable," Umeko suggests as she takes up Xander's suggestion of wild port as a wine option. Turning her attention away from her friends for a few minutes, she discusses with the interested women on the finger points of Jadai fashion, down to how to recognize quality make from poor (it all has to do with the stitch pattern). Their conversation closes with Umeko giving them names of some tailors on Jadai along with how to contact them.
"I can think of why," murmurs Lilac between bites. She pulls over a roll, then proceeds to try and butter it with one hand, while using a fork in the other.
"Somehow, I doubt it," Anisa says to Kin. She takes a plate of the quiche, and munches on it while sipping a glass of wine, joining in on Kin's conversation with the women.
Xander focuses a bit on the Kujakus, and then remembers that he's a mage as well… so it wouldn't be at all suspicious for him to simply go greet his fellow practitioner (even if from an unrelated Sphere) and find out why he's traveling to Sylvania. "I'll be right back," he tells Gibson and Lilac, then gets up to go over to the table of feathered finery.
"Do not flirt with them," Umeko tells Xander quietly. She doesn't even know if they're male or female…
"Fire and Water generally don't mix like that, except in the kitchen," Xander notes, and gives Umeko a wink before heading off.
Dessert comes in the form of a light custard with a glaze of sherry that the Savanite chef ignites. Blue flame dances around the custard until its fuel runs out, leaving the surface of the custard dark and caramelized. The show that accompanies dessert goes more or less ignored by the patrons… it's a mystery, but the mystery isn't to find a killer, it's which of the kittens is going to find out she's actually a princess. (Don't worry, the runners-up turn out to be duchesses.) Xander is greeted warmly by the Kujaku mage, happy enough to 'talk shop', though his companion seems to have no magical inclination.
"I love Kujakus, don't you," Lilac asks Gibson as she takes a pause from eating. "I love Korvs, they're so funny. Well, except the dead one that haunts my dreams, and the one that killed us, but, um … Nevermind!" Blushing Lilac returns to eating, her ears searching for any useful information – especially about monsters, or old castles and dead Korvs.
Feeling a bit playful (and perhaps a bit tipsy), Umeko nudges Anisa and whispers to her, "You might be able to sneak into the contest and win the tiara. You are about their height… "
Anisa's ears blush a crimson red – even deeper than usual, thanks to their already flushed color thanks to the wine. "But I'm not a Khatta, or a kitten! Besides," she says, taking another sip of her drink, "I think the white one is gonna win."
"Two shekels says it is the black one," Umeko wagers with Anisa. "Black is more fitting for Sylvania."
"White is the color of purity though – clean like snow," Anisa says, a mostly serious look on her face. She almost seems like she's actually paying attention to the play.
"I think I'm going to work on deeper plays than this one." Lilac puts her glass of water down – she insisted on water – and leans back a little. "I think I'd like to sing opera, like the great opera singer did. I wonder if I'm really meant to be a bard, I haven't really barded much at all lately, and I used to play all the time when we first met. I wonder what's wrong with me?" Lilac shakes her head, then starts munching on another roll.
"But black is the symbol of the void, the great nothingness that encompasses all. It is the pinnacle of wisdom," Umeko counters, sounding serious. "Maybe the black and white one will win… "
"But she's kinda… fat!" Anisa whispers to Kin, seeming somewhat scandalized. "I still think the white one will win. Her hair is the prut- er, prit… prettiest!"
"Well, I cannot argue that white hair is pretty," Umeko agrees, "Hmmm. This train as built by a girl named Eve, correct? What color was she? Do you know?"
Anisa takes another sip of wine. "No clue. I think her dad was gray."
Lilac finishes her roll, glances at Umeko and Anisa, then purses her lips before frowning. "I should try and have more fun," she tells herself.
"Grey? That sounds rather indecisive of him. He should have picked a better color to be," Umeko says, trying to sound serious about it.
Anisa grins, but doesn't say anything – just another sip of wine.
Xander keeps one ear turned towards his friends while he chats with the Water Mage, trying to get any news about Sylvania – including whatever job the mage may be going there to perform.
Glancing at Gibson, Lilac says, "I think I'm just uncertain of my destiny. Before, when we were far from here, it seemed easier to be free. Now, the closer we get to the castle, I, well, I feel a sense of dread and constriction, like all of what I was afraid of is coming back again. I ran from Sylvania, and now I'm going back. Back to whatever did this to me. Back to who knows what."
By the end of the play, only the Snowshoe party is still in the dining car, along with the Gallisan quartet who are obliged to remain there, though they look a bit bored. It comes down to who the Majykal Candystriped Frostingwand selects to be its new owner. The black kitten and the white kitten each try to grasp it, but alas, the wand only shoots colored streamers of paper and decrees them to be duchesses. It is the black/white mixed kitten that has a tiara descend from the ceiling via wire suspended by a stick held by a Savanite porter.
Gibson leans closer to Lilac to murmur back. "Nobody's really sure of their destiny, Lilac. Best we can be sure of is what we want it to be, and try to shape it that way. I never really would've guessed I'd be doing this right now, but… in a way, I feel like it suits me."
Anisa's ears wilt. "Dagh, I was sure it'd be the white one… " She sighs, and takes a deep swig from her glass, polishing it off. "Well, I guess the party's over. Should we head back?"
"The unity of opposites. Purity with darkness. Aha, that is most appropriate for the victor," Umeko declares as she nods sagely. She finishes off her glass of wine, then nods. "I think it is time to retire for the evening. All too soon must we march back into the abyss and face the demons of the unknown," she comments.
Smiling a little, Lilac pats Gibson on the cheek and says, "Then I'm happy for you, and to help you. I'm glad you're here, too." She then smiles a little more, and adds, "I think, for me, my life is holding its breath, waiting to see what comes from the castle."
Waddling back to the sleeping car, the group finds that being tipsy helps the trip pass more quickly. The sun is setting, but it's not the only reason the landscape looks progressively more subdued. The forests are thick, with reaching branches, and shadows are cast long. Fitful rain patters at the windows in on-again off-again little showers. The train passes small villages huddled around hills, the lights from their windows motes of warmth in an increasingly gloomy countryside.
"I learned a bit from that water mage," Xander notes when people are more or less awake. "Gallis is making a serious effort to clean up the territory it's taken. They're starting to bring in mages to see if they're effective at draining the swamps. He even said I could get into the project – for burning away vegetation."
"I assume you told them no?" Umeko asks Xander, though she continues to look out the window, "But if you wish, you can leave my employ and tend to that."
Anisa sleepily dozes in a chair, itself being big enough for her to curl up in, her kimono making an excellent makeshift blanket.
"He wasn't offering a job, just said they'd likely hire me," Xander says. "I mentioned it in case we need an excuse to be in that territory."
Lilac, who didn't drink at all but still looks sleepy from all the food, plops down on her bunk and yawns cavernously. After wiping her eyes, she says, "I hope you said no. If we lose the natural barrier, it's only a matter of time before they can just march right through our country. Well, my country. I may not be on great terms with it, but it's still my homeland, even if I've forgotten."
"Even a home with problems is a home and holds a special place in your heart," Umeko mutters a bit sleepily. She reaches down the neck of her kimono and draws out the pendant the Burning Sands gave her. Rubbing it between her fingers she lets out a quiet sigh.
Xander notes, "Why is everyone so melancholy?"
"I guess if I can't go home, at least I can help protect it," says Lilac. She flops back on the bed and, after yawning again, rolls on to her side and curls into a ball. "And I always have you guys, right?"
Soon, more lights appear, seen when the train takes a bend in the track toward shadows hunkered amidst the treeline, man-made shapes jagged in silhouette. The Princess rattles into dense woods, the trunks of trees seeming to be so close that one could touch them from the windows, the darkness beyond them seeming as deep as the ocean. When the train emerges, it's gliding between buildings that are set shoulder to shoulder, tall and skinny, with lanterns hung over posts to illuminate them. Gargoyles leer from the eves, their wings letting water trickle away from the churches and business they're built over.
"Just sleepy thoughts, Xander. We ride into the twilight of the world so it cannot be helped that that we reflect on the same in our minds," Umeko comments to the Lapi.
The sun has set completely by the time the Princess glides into its station, and with a whoosh of steam grinds to a halt. People quickly disembark with the help of porters and conductors, and hurry off, seeming to have little desire to linger on the streets after dark, even in the country's capital.
Groggily, Anisa wakes fully, and stretches with a buck toothed yawn. "Buh, here already? Dagh, I forgot to change."
Gibson smacks his lips and rubs an eye, trying to ignore the wine aftertaste in his mouth, and soon hefts himself up to gather bags.
Lifting her head from where she had been lightly dozing, Lilac blinks blearily at the dim light cast by the lanterns. "Well, looks like I'm back," she says quietly. Sitting up, she rubs at her eyes to clear them. "At least this is a much better return than my leaving was a departure. Much." She lets her hands fall, and looks to her companions, adding, "We should go soon. It's not all that safe to be out at night."
"And I believe we have arrived," Umeko says as she slowly sits up. She reaches for a long case that has rested beneath her seat the entire trip. Latches are thrown and the case opened. Nestled safely inside are two immaculate swords inlaid with intricate detail. As she draws out the katana, she says almost reverently, "It is time that you live up to your name; may you bring Sunlight Through Storm in these lands." She stands and the sword finds its place in her obi. The shorter one soon follows as she comments, "And may you bring the Grey Clouds to your enemies."
"Why is that," Anisa asks Lilac, sauntering over to her trunk. "Are there a lot of muggers here or something? Degenerate Kavi?"
Yawning and stretching, Xander gets up and asks, "Do we want to check into an inn, or will we be moving on right away?"
"Monsters," answers the bardess, quite seriously. "The capitol is safer than most, but they're there. The undead. and, um, other things – people too."
"Given the hour, I would ask that we find an inn," Umeko comments as she closes her sword case and fetches the trunk holding her spare clothing next. Around her shoulders she sweeps on her cloak.
"I've never been here before, so do you know of any good places to stay, Lilac?" Xander asks the girl.
Gibson straightens out his doublet, and pats at his breeches. When he lifts one of his bags, it can be seen that his skedat shell is affixed to his forearm. "Should we look in on Abbot Werner? It might not be as comfy as an inn, but I think he'd put us up for the night at the missionary."
Anisa blinks, seeming to wake up much faster now. "Monsters… just like, in the streets and stuff?" She picks one side of her trunk up, popping out a pair of wheels on the opposite side. "Don't they have patrols or anything?"
"That would be fine with me, Gibson," Umeko tells the larger Lapi.
"I imagine the Gallisans have displaced a lot of the so-called 'monster' types, and most of them ended up here," Xander speculates, then slips behind Anisa and whispers to her, "Like vampire Eeee, ready to swoop down for a little free snack… " And then he nips her neck!
"Maybe. Its been a while since I was last here, and the better places might ask too many questions. Sylvanians aren't very trusting of strangers, especially weird or hooded strangers," Lilac answers Xander. She nods to Gibson, then glances at Anisa. "Yes, there's guards, but they don't always catch them all. I hate to say this, but, do you think guards could stop me? Anyway, I think Gibson has the best idea. It's not safe for me to be on the streets, either. They might want to look too closely."
Anisa jumps a little – and slaps Xander right in the mouth with a backhand! "Xander, STOP! That's not even funny!" The doe stomps her foot indignantly, and starts to disembark the train, ears set back.
Xander rubs his cheek, and laughs. "Well, at least she's wide awake now!"
The big buck gives Xander a somewhat disapproving look, then lifts his bag to his shoulder. "Alright then, let's hurry. I got some directions before we came, I think I can get us there quickly."
"Hey, Anisa? Anisa, be careful," Lilac calls after the doe. She grabs her bag and hurries after the doe.
Xander picks up his own gear, and offers to help Umeko with some of hers.
"I will keep guard. No monster would dare test me, of that I am certain," Umeko says with a bit of confidence as she offers her clothing trunk and empty sword case to Xander. She trails after the group, watching the surroundings cautiously.
The directions Gibson received from Mossmettle must have been good, because the group soon finds themselves at the mission. It seems a quaint word to describe the building as a mere mission… it's solidly built of stone with an arched doorway and thick wooden doors. Stone cogs decorate each of the cardinal faces of a belfry, and through it can be seen the bell itself, apparently made of thick glass, cracked in places despite the striker area being plated with metal. Gibson pounds on the door with his fist, then shifts his weight from side to side waiting for it to be answered. It doesn't take long… the door creaks open to let a slice of dim light out into the street. "Come in," comes a voice.
Umeko remains outside until last, content to keep watch until everyone else has entered.
Anisa hurries in behind her brother, her fur frazzled out due the the atmosphere of the night time.
"This… is an inn?" Xander asks, looking to Lilac to see if he should be worried.
"Is this okay? I mean, can I, you know, enter this place, Gibson?" The bardess hesitates at the doorway, eying it as if it might attack her. "I've never actually tried to enter a holy place before, I just assumed I wouldn't be, well … welcome." She blinks at Xander's question, momentarily surprised out of her worry. "A inn? Oh no, this is a church, it's where our contact is."
"Contact?" Xander asks, then just shakes his head. "Never mind. Just tell me where to stand and if I need to be blindfolded or anything."
"Just people on our side and working against Vandringar, Xander. Nothing more than that," Umeko tells the Lapi to try and calm him. "They will aid us in these lands."
Inside, racks of candles provide most of the illumination here, six pews facing a larger sculpture of the gear seen over the belfry. A Skeek in brown robes is already headed down the aisle and turning off toward a side passage. Stained glass windows are arrayed near the tops of the side walls, all decorated with clockwork in vivid red and gold. Gibson pats Lilac on the back encouragingly. "I think you should be alright… "
"Ummmmmm, okay. But if I burst into flames, you better put me out!" Hesitantly, Lilac inches forward, then suddenly thrusts her hand through the doorway and cringes away, shielding her eyes.
Nothing happens except for the sound of Lilac's footfall on stone floor. No flames, no divine lightning. Gibson trots to hurry after the departing Skeek.
Dropping her trunk near one of the pews, Anisa hurries behind Gibson. "C'mon you guys!"
Laying his burdens down next to Anisa's trunk, Xander still seems wary.
After peeking through her fingers, then wriggling her hand, Lilac lets out a sigh of relief. "Well, at least I'm not unholy." She shrugs a little, then hurries inside, leaving her stuff with the others'.
Last to Enter, Umeko closes the heavy wooden door and replaces the wooden door bar into its slats. She now walks forward between the rows of pews. The candlelight reflects oddly off her gold scales; a myriad of pinpoint of light and shadow. "It is no more scary than the jaw we climbed down in the beast lands. Do not become unnerved so early in our journey," she reminds the group.
The procession ends after a short walk in a moderately sized chamber filled with desks. Lumps of wax fill candle holders on each, but they desks are otherwise empty right now. The walls are lined with bookshelves, well-stocked. A older Skreek is here, dressed much like the other except for a shawl with the gear symbol stitched on the trailing ends. He looks up when Gibson arrives, and says, "Ahh… you must have brought my inkwells from Chronotopia." Gibson nods, and replies, "Only four inkwells, Abbot. And a red quill." The Skreek looks at the group appraisingly.
The Skeek that led the way retreats through the door and closes it behind him.
"Inkwells?" Anisa's nose wiggles curiously. "We don't have any- oh… oh yeah."
"Err, that must make me the quill?" Xander whispers to Umeko.
Umeko returns the Skreek's look with an impassive, though not unkind, look. "It would," she tells Xander.
Lilac lowers her gaze when the Skeek looks her way, avoiding it. "I'm an ink well, too," she says, then adds quickly, " … but I can leave if you want."
The Skreek gestures at some stools, sitting at one of the desks himself. "Well, thank you for bringing my shipment, such as it is. What can we do for you? Do you need lodging?"
Xander sits down and lowers his ears, trying to not look guilty of anything. He's probably having a flashback to being called into some Dean's office while he was an apprentice.
Umeko moves to the closest unused stool and settles herself down upon it lightly. "That would be most kind for a start," Umeko finally says, voice tone formal and melodic. "As well as some information, should you have it. The heart of the beast, Vandringar, entered these lands some days back. Have there been any unusual reports coming from the forgotten places and dark marshes as of late? Well, more unusual that is typical for these lands, of course."
Anisa takes a seat in one of the stools as well, smoothing out her now ruffled kimono.
Lilac remains standing, possibly waiting to be dismissed at any time. It's clear being in a holy house makes her nervous, despite the lack of divine wrath. She fidgets, rubbing her arm and looking everywhere but towards the priests.
The abbot nods his head, lowering his voice unnecessarily. "We got word of his arrival a week or two ago, gave us a start. We expected him to be have an entourage marching through here, but his party was small, and there was little fanfare. He didn't stay long… took on supplies and then almost immediately headed south."
"Do you of know that which he seeks? If you do not, then I can tell you a little. He seeks the lost town and castle of the Raveness of legend. We have reason to believe that another of the spheres of the ancient world resides there. A sphere which can remove things from the physical world, perhaps. A sphere with the power of the void itself," Umeko explains. "We also have reason to believe our friend has been in contact with this sphere before and can attest to its power," she adds and waves her hand towards Lilac.
The bardess winces a little, but nods her head slightly. "Yes," she agrees, speaking quietly, "it can do more than just remove things from sight. We think it can hollow a person, and from the emptiness make something … else." She closes her eyes, then slowly pushes back her hood, then unfurls her wings from beneath her cloak.
The Skreek's face is hollow and haggard, looking even more worried as he hears this. "He'd be headed in the right direction, then. We had some shadows tail him as long as they could. Mossmettle gave me some information about the other one you recovered… we're prepared to lock this one away, should you recover it." He turns to Lilac to listen, then looks momentarily taken aback when her cloak is shouldered aside to let those black wings out. "I… I see." He rubs his chin, tugging a short beard.
"We also have reason to believe the Raveness had a group called the Midnight Murder that bore similar markings as our ally here," Umeko continues. "But that is the extent of what we know. Is there more you could tell us about the Raveness? Even things that seem trivial may have greater meaning."
Lilac reaches back and rubs at the base of her left wing, the appendage sore from being hidden so long. "I think there's more, um, people, like me. The legends speak of creatures who fought for the Raveness, creatures who I think have the same abilities I do, from the same source. The Midnight Murder, like Ummy says. They might still exist out there, somewhere, in a fashion. We know people disappear around the castle."
Anisa just remains silent, listening in on the conversation with her paws folded up in her sleeves.
The abbot nods, grinding his chisel teeth together a little. "The rumors persist more around where the village of Rookery was. There's still some settlements further out… Rookery itself hasn't been heard from in years. Treasure hunters have gone around the area, turning up bits and pieces to sell… at least, the ones that've come back out. Some don't come back, and none of the ones that have claim to have seen Rookery itself. These pieces that come out… " He turns to a bookshelf and clears some books away, revealing a small hidden nook from which he takes a gilded carafe. "It cost us a pretty penny to get this particular piece, we had to dip into our… side fund, but we felt it was important to get an example." He sets the carafe down on the desk. There's a crest on the side, a shield over crosshatched wings. The shield has two crowns, and below them a curled talon.
Lilac's ears suddenly shoot up, the woman starting forward. "Tha- … That's the Pieksvaldt coat of arms," she says in a hushed tone. Her hand reaches out, hesitantly. "It's so weird to see it in reality, so weird to think it's more than a dream, even with all we've seen and done … "
"It is possible the entire Rockery still exists," Umeko says as she leans forward and looks over the carafe set before them. "From a … dream, we saw that the Raveness used the orb of void to remove her town from the world to protect it from the swamps. In this dream the void required the sacrifice of a living person to fuel it. I suspect it may be possible the entire town still exists, somehow in a shadowy world that parallels ours. Perhaps it solidifies in ours now and then and that is when they take one of these … treasure seekers," the Kiriga theorizes.
"To… recharge it?" Xander asks, a bit timidly.
"It was found in the swamps," says Abbot Werner. He nods grimly at Umeko. "Yes, you've hit on my suspicion exactly. According to the one that sold us that carafe, it was found in the mud, but all we had to do was rinse it off. If Castle Pieksvaldt collapsed, there's no possibly way the carafe should have been found in that condition. It's as though it hadn't aged or suffered any weathering at all. Like it was set out there."
Letting her hand fall, Lilac continues to stare at the artifact as if not quite certain it's actually real. Her brow narrows, head tilting. "I think the Raveness still exists – I think she's still hiding from the Necromancer Wars. But, I don't know in what state she still exists, if anyone's still really alive at all anymore. They may be ghosts, or, worse than ghosts. The orb, we saw it feed on … someone … and if it had kept doing that all this time, how could anyone be left? Unless … " the bardess blinks, her eyes then widening, " … unless they leave to claim more souls to fuel it."
"That is my guess. I do not remember much from that dream past the point I offered myself as the sacrifice to spare another," Umeko tells Xander. "I do remember that they said once you enter the Rookery, you may never leave it."
"But, I left it, didn't I?" Lilac shakes her head, frowning. "Or, she did. Or she and I are the same person, or … I don't know. I seem to have a connection with a certain person who once lived there, she used to come to me in my dreams, show me things, but she's been silent lately."
Werner's expression is anxious, disturbed. "Rumors of the Midnight Murder have always abounded, at least in that region, but there were always reasons to assume it was more mundane causes. But all of this… " He gestures at Lilac. "… And your appearance would be consistent with certain things. There are some people in the region around Rookery that are taking these rumors more seriously."
Ears perking again, Lilac asks, "My appearance is consistent with certain things? Have you heard anything about someone looking like me, or, a Dame Eiswein Riesling?"
"What is happening in the region around the Rookery, then? What will we face if we travel there?" Umeko asks rather matter-of-factly. "Has anyone collected a map, perhaps, noting disappearance patterns around that area?"
"I imagine it's the center of the swamp-draining attempts," Xander offers.
The abbot shakes his head. "Nothing so organized, but there are… hunters. There are always hunters, some that claim success, some that actually come out with dead monsters, but nothing we've really been able to identify as one of the Murder. We've heard of a hunter there that went into the swamp and never came out… normally we'd assume she died, but other hunters claim to have seen her alive and well, with… " He glances at Lilac again. "With… tails on her belt."
"What is the name of this hunter?" Umeko inquires.
Paling, Lilac reflexively reaches to grab her tail and clutch it. "T-tails? Like mine? H-how can that be, there only seemed to be a few of the Murder, and … " The woman blinks, looking down at her own tail, " … and then there's me. Maybe there's … more, humans like me, that didn't … fair so well."
"They could be tails from other creatures," Xander notes.
At the name Lilac supplies, the abbot can only shrug helplessly. "Not off the top of my head, and I know a considerable bit of history. If she served the Raveness, her name would have been lost with Castle Pieksvaldt." He turns to Umeko. "The other hunters call her Von Horne, I don't know her first name. Supposedly she's from the villages there."
"Species?" Umeko inquires next. Rather direct, this one.
Lilac nods a little to Xander, frowning. "It could be," she agrees. Then, looking to the abbot, she asks, "Have you ever heard the name Lisandra Dragomir? I, well, I don't remember very much, not as much as I should, especially about what happened to me, how I came to be like this, and the time after. I, um, may have been in that area."
"Korv," answers Werner. To Lilac, he shakes his head. "I'm sorry, I don't."
Ears wilting, Lilac nods a little. "Thank you anyway," she says.
"Thank you. It is possible that she is now one of the Murder herself and hunts those that escape, perhaps," Umeko comments and looks to Lilac. "And to further along in Lilac's questions, which are about herself, have you heard anything of a town called Pyrewood?"
"Oh, yes, that was my town," Lilac says, nodding. "I haven't been back since, well, this," she gestures at herself, "happened to me. I fled Sylvania years ago."
The priest seems to have to rack his brains a bit. "Yes… yes, I think I've heard of it. Small logging town, sleepy. Struggling like the others."
"Anything recent or unusual?" Umeko asks next.
"That sounds like it! Has- … Sorry, go on Ummy," says the bardess.
Werner shakes his head. "Not of late."
"No news is good news, right?" Xander asks.
"Not in Sylvania," Lilac responds.
Umeko nods again. Tilting her head towards Lilac, she now asks, "This is a question for you, Lilac. Do you wish to visit your home before we seek out the Rookery? Will you be of clear enough mind regarding its fate if we do not go there first?"
"I … " The human woman looks down, then frowns at her feet, mantling her wings around her arms as she fidgets uncomfortably. "If I go home, then they'll see me like this. And not just like this, but the other problems I have. They won't welcome me. Shape-shifters aren't welcome anywhere, and my town is especially suspicious. It's called Pyrewood because the wood was used to burn bodies during the Necromancer Wars – and monsters from the forest." She glances at Umeko, and adds, "And, you shouldn't worry about me. My going home isn't as important as stopping Vandringar."
"Just like Hakuu wishing to turn me into an ancient serpent was not yours, but you attended to that with me. Your concerns are ours. And no one is going to burn you while I live," Umeko asserts.
"Thank you Ummy, but it's not me I'm afraid for, at least not like that. Having to run from my own town would hurt, but it would be worse if we were pushed to fight back. You know my control over my other form only goes so far – what if they hurt you? What if I hurt them? I don't think I could stand that, and my family would know something different about me, I can't wear this cloak forever," the human explains.
"Being hurt goes with my line of work," Umeko reminds Lilac. "But as you like. I recommend that we all retire and rest well. We wake early and leave to locate the closest inhabited town near the Rookery. We use it as our base for further exploration."
The abbot nods, and rises from his desk to put the carafe back in its hiding place. "I'll see to it some of the monks prepare a place for you to sleep, and I'll try to compile more information to send with you in the morning."
"Let me know if you need to be warmed up to sleep, Umeko," Xander says.
"Think about if you had to hurt your father Ummy, I know how much you care about him. Think about if he said you were a disgrace," Lilac says, head tilting. "That's the pain I'm afraid of. But yes, I think you're right. We're all tired, and I think I might sleep more soundly in a holy place. Just being able to enter here makes me feel more hopeful, like somehow, a higher power is okay with me."
"I am certain I will be warm enough when I sleep because you will be bedding with me, Xander," Umeko comments to the Lapi … and can't help but flash him a predatory smile.
"Err… so long as the monks allow it, I guess," Xander says, smiling back and wondering what he's gotten into.
"If you don't mind, I think I'll stay up a little later. Maybe I could help you, Father? I think I need a priest, if just to calm my nerves," says the bardess, who mantles her wings.
One particular voice has been missing from this conversation – but now it makes itself known, albeit not in the normal way. It's a testament to Anisa's balance that she's able to keep herself upright as she sits – asleep – in her stool, occasionally letting small snores escape her lips. Guess that wine did get to her after all.
