TheKeresNightOut[continued from Night Falls Around Us] The lower levels offered many passages and corners in which to find solitude. But they also offered confusion and misdirection – even for Gillian’s photographic memory. By the time she’d found a staircase back to the upper floors, Raina had caught up to her. Apart from the distance whispers of campus life, they remained wholly and utterly alone. Or so it would appear. Gillian turned at the sound of someone following her. "Raina. Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't want anyone to think they had to follow me. I just..." She struggled to find the right words but when they didn't materialize she threw up her hands. "I don't know what I 'just'. Too much has happened and I have too many thoughts and emotions all jumbled and I can't make sense of any of it." "You don't have to make sense of it. It's all so overwhelming," Raina smiled gently. She wandered to the staircase, selected the second step from the bottom and sat close to the wall. She patted the space on the step next to her. "Come sit and let yourself breathe for a moment." Gillian's shoulders slumped. She plopped down next to Raina and scanned the darkness around them. "Ginger?" Gillian could sense her familiar somewhere nearby – emotions of worry and aggravation passing through their connection. The emotions changed abruptly – first fear and then feline contentment. The young willworker felt the growing urge to purr. If memory served, either Ginger had fallen asleep or she’d entrapped someone into petting her. She turned to Raina, her eyes wide. "I don't think we're alone down here," she whispered. Raina, who had been prepared to comfort rather than defend, looked startled. She glanced at Gillian, then peered into the darkness nervously. "How do you know?" she whispered back. "Ginger. I think she found someone to pet her. Let me see if I can see who..." Gillian's expression turned distracted as she focused inward on the link, reaching for a face or a name in Ginger's mind. It took a moment – but soon enough – a vertigo-inducing switch of perception washed over Gillian. A strong, male hand pet stroked ‘her’ back, while her face remained pressed into a warm chest. She glanced up and could see Gillian and Raina at the end of the corridor. At witnessing her body, Gillian felt the connection snap like a sharply pulled string. Gillian startled beside Raina. She turned her head in their direction, though she still couldn't see them in the darkness. A young man with brown hair and dark blue eyes stepped from the shadows. Ginger lounged in his arms, her blissful purr soon audible to the girls. He cautiously approached, a rueful expression on his face. Raina was struck by the bindings on his arm – not unlike the type she used for her legs while dancing. “Forgive me,” he said. “I am Lakan of the Janosh-El. I do not mean to intrude. But I find myself quite lost. And is this ubasti yours by chance? She promised to lead me from here, but… she has not spoken since I picked her up.” Ginger pawed his hand, “Continue!” Yet another male waylaid by her Highness. "I think the ubasti would contest who belonged to whom, but yes, we're bound. Her name is Ginger and my name is Gillian Talbot. And this is my friend Raina..." Gillian looked helplessly at Raina--making small talk with strange men was not her forte. Ginger yawned, stretched, and slumped in Lakan’s arms. He resumed scratching her neck, offering Gillian a stricken glance when her Highness wasn’t paying attention. Nor was it Raina's, but at least her father, the merchant, had given her some instruction in this regard. "I'm not sure if we can lead you either. It is a rather confusing structure, isn't it?" she giggled, "I'm Raina Baronson." The tiny brunette cocked her head as she gazed up at him. "Have I seen you before? Perhaps in the theatrical department?" she asked. “Ladies Talbot and Baronson. It is my fortunate pleasure to make your acquaintance,” he replied. His blue gaze settled on Raina. “And to your question. No. I am not a troubadour. However, I did notice you in the alchemic department this afternoon. I doubt you saw me, though.” He busied himself with petting Ginger. Raina looked thoughtful, trying to place his face as Gillian spoke. The Barbarian. Now she recalled. As she’d passed by the First-year auditorium, she’d observed Professor Advocat dressing down a young man – Lakan. He’d called the boy an ‘ignorant barbarian.’ The class gleefully savored this moment of Schadenfreude. The young man had taken the insult with silent reserve. "Are you a student here?" Gillian inquired. "I can take Ginger for you if you like." Lakan grateful relinquished his ward into Gillian’s custody. It took some effort, however; Ginger snagging his sleeve and yowling most pathetically. Gillian gathered the cat onto her lap and kissed the top of her familiar's head. "Shhh." "Bu-bu-but... warm. And those arms..." Ginger whined. “Yes,” he said with great pride. “My people tasked me with learning the arcane arts. The Cunning Ways have no place in this modern world. So we must adapt.” He scratched the back of his head, laughing at himself. “Although, I fear my sense of direction has not adapted well just yet.” "Cunning Ways? What are those?" Gillian asked curiously, missing anything else he might have said after it. “I believe you would refer to them as ‘hedge magic,’ in Amber,” he explained, dropping his gaze reverently. “Through the use of Namings, the Janosh-El call upon the spirits of nature to assist us. For many generations, this magic has served us well, for our peoples remained sequestered from other Shadows. That… that is the term, I believe. Yes?" Raina nodded, encouraging him to continue. “But after the Fall, we discovered our world connected to a realm called Kashfa. And since that time many things have… changed.” A deep pain passed over his features. His hand went to the wrappings on his arm, scratching unconsciously. Raina nodded again. Her father had spoken of this frequently. The realignment of shadows after the Fall caused much disruption in the trade routes and not all of the new associations were positive. Many were downright deadly. "There has been much unpleasantness, yes," Raina said sympathetically. "How were you affected, Lakan? If you don't mind me asking." Lakan’s face paled and a lump formed in his throat. He opened his mouth to speak, but finally stepped back. “I should not burden two ladies of station with such grim matters. The Janosh-El have suffered unpleasantness before. We shall survive this. I am sure of it.” But certainty never reached his pained eyes. "Forgive me for having disturbed your peace, Lady Raina. Lady Gillian. I should not have spoken so freely," he promptly added. His eyes darted toward the stairwell and potential escape. Gillian tightened her grip on Ginger. "We're sorry," she said in a small voice. "We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. The way out is up the stairs, yes." Raina blushed, realizing her error. Glancing at the floor, then back at Lakan, she said, "That was callous of me to be so forward. I am sorry, Lakan. Please, I... I wish you well." Lakan shook his head and offered a rueful smile. “No. It is I who should apologize. Your concern is… refreshing. But I would not wish our first meeting to be sullied by dark words. Nor our second, if you will permit. “You must understand, Ladies Gillian and Raina, that you are the first Amberites to even speak to me in a pleasant fashion. It would be selfish of me to intrude further.” He bowed his head, bound arms across his chest. “May your Names forever mean Peace." With a soft smile, he began toward the stairs. Gillian moved closer to Raina to allow him to pass. Given the chance, Raina probably would have voluntarily entered the Dark Hour right now. She didn’t know if to apologize, cry, protest, or all three. Instead, she just stood there and allowed Lakan to pass. The young man dipped his head and then ran up the stairs, leaving the girls to the basement’s tomblike quiet. A moment passed. “I think that went well,” Ginger chimed. Gillian gave Ginger a look before turning back to Raina. "It's all right. You didn't know," she said softly. "How could you have?" "No, I should have known better," Raina replied, not ready to let herself off the hook. "Father's first rule is to place yourself in the culture of your audience. I was too forward. That spooked him." She sighed, "I guess I've gotten too used to speaking with Joao." A little smile brightened her features as she finally let it go. "What about you? Are you all right now? You ran out so quickly," Raina asked sympathetically. Gillian's mouth drew into a thin line and she looked away. "It's been an eventful day. I'll be all right. I...just needed a moment. I want to go look at something in my room, and then I'll be back, okay?" Ginger yawned and slumped in Gillain’s arms, “She needs to check on her unmentionables. I mean what with the way Joao and Cole were ogling them, it must be driving her batty.” "I wish it were that simple," Gillian replied soberly, not in the mood to spar with her familiar. She nodded to Raina and left for her room. [Gillian continued in Reflections] |
