AtTheEyeOfTheStormIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | At the Eye of the Storm The moment the door closed behind them, Tear yanked her arm away from Goran. She began to stalk down the hall; her shoulders rolled forward in anger. Regrettably, her short legs diminished her ability to remain too far ahead of Goran. "A child!" she hissed. "That snippy, little whoremonger has the audacity to call me a child? Dismiss me will she? And Vikund. Laughing at me. Like I'm some freakish amusement." Goran winced as he thought he heard the sound of breaking glass behind the closed door, but he did not slow in his pursuit of Tear. Petra could deal with Vikund any way she wanted. Goran had no worries about how well his boss could handle herself in a fight. Tear, however, could well blow up the ship if allowed to wander freely in a state like this. He pulled up short as he saw her turn. She stopped and whirred around on her heel. With a thrusting finger, she jabbed Goran in the chest accusingly. "And let's not even begin to discuss what the hell you're doing here after you'd been /shot/ yesterday. Or were you? Was that a lie too?" She didn't give him a chance to answer and turned away again. Candles and lamps blazed with incandescent light as she walked by them, only to return to normal once the wake of her anger had passed. If this were not unsettling enough, Goran could see Tear's shadow dragging behind her like a whipped puppy… except she didn't have wings… and yet her shadow did. The effect was somewhat disconcerting and made Goran pause briefly before trotting to catch up. He avoided stepping on the shadow as he drew up beside her and took her elbow firmly. The darkness in her eyes flared as he grabbed her arm; Tear's skin felt fever hot beneath his fingers. That she didn't tear his flesh from his bones was more a testament to her self-control than their friendship at that moment. The Logrus sang in her ears, deafening reason and restraint. And she was tired of holding it back. "Come on. This way," he said in a tone meant to stabilize without patronizing. He steered her into a smaller hallway to the right, one that was less likely to be frequented by vulnerable guests. Only when they were alone did he answer her question. "No. It wasn't a lie. I can explain it. But not here," he said, guiding her to the left now down another corridor. "I have some business down on the dock. Come with me?" This sounded more like a request than his previous comments, but it still didn't quite make it to that level. "Sure," Tear snorted, staring up at him. "I've been led around by the nose my entire life. Why stop now?" He shot her a withering look. With that, Tear turned away and took two steps before coming to a halt. She slumped forward and a hollow sigh shuddered through her tiny body. "I. I'm sorry, Goran," she said in a pained tone. "This isn't your fault. I shouldn't be taking this out on you. I don't even know what this is." She glanced over her shoulder, the violet having returned to her eyes. A weak smile lightened her tired features, as her hand reached out for him, hopeful. He did more than she had hoped. His arm went around her opposite shoulder and he drew her into a brotherly hug. "It's okay, ''mali ptica'' (little bird). I have strong shoulders," he said, smiling down at her gently. "Thank you, bratski lisica," Tear said sadly, resting her head against his chest. "I think my wings are broken. I need somewhere to land." He hugged her. When he let her go and continued speaking, it was in Russo. Tear understood it, but very few others in Amber did, so it was common for Goran to use the language when he did not wish to be overheard. "And as for this," he waved his hand dismissively in the general direction of Petra's office. "This is not your fault, little one. It is Vikund's. He should've known better. He does know better. It's as if he wanted to cause trouble." "Zmija (Snake)," he muttered under his breath as he began to lead her toward a set of narrow stairs at the end of the hallway. Tear shrugged faintly, unable to follow his gaze or make a retort. She took his hand and allowed him to lead her through the ship. "He did," she said after a moment. "Wanted to make trouble. I mean. He's testing me, I think. Hurting me to make me stronger. Making me mature faster." Goran merely snorted contemptuously at that. At the bottom of the steps, she paused and tugged on his hand. Gazing up into his eyes, she struggled to say something, yet lacked the courage. A dozen emotions passed across her pale face before settling on fearful resolve; the need to know undermined by her dread of the answer she already knew. "Those two," she said. "They're involved, aren't they? That's why everyone was shocked he brought me here. And why she obviously hates me. He's been lying to me all along. Hasn't he?" Goran met her gaze, then sighed heavily. His shoulders sagged as he hung his head. "Yes," he said simply "Why am I not surprised?" Tear said with a sad shrug. "If my own mother tried to murder me as a babe, why should the man I love be true to me?" "What?!" Goran gasped incredulously, stopping in his tracks. Tear's violet eyes dimmed, but were not extinguished by the oily swirls within them. "It's okay, Goran. I've always suspected, but I knew when I saw that… woman. She was wearing one of the same pendants he gave me. The Tear of the Singers. It's beside my bed. To help me sleep and escape my nightmares. Sweet dreams, he told me. Heh. Yeah right." She reached up and snaked her fingers into her hair, pulling so harshly that she must have torn some of it from the roots. "How could I. Be so stupid? To trust the Master's pet? He was just. Distracting me. Coddling me. My entire life's been a ruse. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." She punctuated each pronouncement with another harsh yank. "Stop this, Tear! Just stop," Goran ordered, grasping her wrists so tightly he feared he might break them. But she continued. "He wanted me to know," she growled. "That's why he was laughing." The pregnant shadows around them began to spawn and multiply, filling the stairwell with murky offspring. As Tear sheds all over the carpet, Goran recognizes the 'we are opening for business in 5 minutes minutes' bell. Meaning they are about to open the pier to allow the evening's guests onboard. From around them, they can hear a new flurry of activity as the musicians stop their rehearsal, and people begin to move to their stations for the evening. There is very little chance of getting Tear back to the docks without being seen by arriving guests. Goran cursed violently in Srebijan, still grasping Tear's wrists. The gas lights in the hallway were flickering wildly and he could feel the current running through her hands, sending a tingling sensation up his own arms. He shook her to try to break through her rage. "You're wrong, Tear!" he nearly shouted, locking his gaze on her face. "Dead wrong. You're not stupid. You're brilliant. You don't need Vikund. Good riddance to him." He shook her again, more gently this time. "Don't let him bring you to this. You're stronger than that." The shadows dissipated so abruptly, it made Tear squint from the harsh change in lighting. She appeared to wither under Goran's gaze, her violet eyes now wide with shock. But he'd gained the effect he wished; she'd snapped back into focus. The magic singing in her ears and bleeding through her skin faded like the echo after a thunderclap, while an uneasy silence filled the resulting emptiness. She stared up at him blankly for several heartbeats. Another. Another. And then a timid smile dispelled the anger on her rounded face. "Wow," she said. "I don't think I've ever seen you mad at me. It's sort of. Scary. "But. I'm glad you did." She reached up to hold his face in her hands, "Thank you, bratski lisica." Goran's faint smile at her recovery was quickly overtaken by a wrinkled brow of urgency. "You're welcome. Look, we have a problem," he began rapidly. "The bell that just rang means guests will begin arriving any minute. Which means I can't get you back to the dock without you being seen. I could hustle you off under a cloak, which might attract attention, or one other way, which might work or might not. If you don't care about being seen, we'll do one of the two. I don't like the idea of sending you home alone, but apparently, it's the person that attacks you that I should worry about." He tried to smile again, but failed. Tear snorted at that and her ears darkened a pleasant crimson. "I can handle myself," she said. "I found that out yesterday." "Or... I could hustle you up to my quarters and send some of the library books up to you. You'd have to stay the whole night by yourself, but I could escort you home in the morning. It's probably safer, but likely to be boring. Unless Petra finds out you're still here, then it would be quite exciting, to say the least. "What'll it be?" he asked, looking into her eyes intently to communicate how quickly this decision must be made. Tear shook her head. "I need off this boat. And be as far away from that woman as possible." Her lips curled back in feral disgust as she said the name. "But not to worry. About me being seen, I mean. I can hide in plain sight." She checked that they were alone still and then closed her eyes. The umbrageous static danced around her fingertips once more, spreading over her body as if it were a bizarre Jacob's ladder. "Solitaire Muto Corpus Aura," she whispered. The nimbus of shadow sank into her flesh, darkening it to an alluring tan. Her musculature began to harden and her chest expanded, providing her with the sensual build of an Atlantean female. Finally, her face began to shift and melt like tallow, reforming into a perfect match for the Queen's own exotic Aura. Only the eyes were wrong; remaining a dark violet. "This should do to get me off the boat unnoticed, don't you think?" Tear said in Aura's voice. Goran blinked at the transformation. "Heh. Yeah. Unless we run into Aura," he deadpanned, though Tear could tell he was impressed at her skill. He started to lead her to a door on the right. Before opening it though, he held out a hand to stop her. He was quiet for a moment, as if concentrating on something, then he nodded and opened the door. The door opened onto an alcove near the grand staircase outside the lounge. The alcove was completely empty of people. "Keep your eyes low," Goran whispered as he led Tear along the edge of the foyer, skirting the guests who were beginning to arrive and the greeters who were there to meet them. He glanced into the lounge as they passed and decided that now would be a good time for a busboy to slip on a wet spot behind the bar and drop a tray of champagne glasses. There was a resounding crash of glass from behind the bar. It sounded like the crystal. Goran winced slightly as he used the diversion to hustle Tear past the busy entrance to the lounge and to the deck outside for the final push to the gangplank. "I'm gonna get docked for that one," he muttered wryly under his breath. "Don't worry," Tear snorted as she followed him. "I'm rich." She kept her head low as they passed the crowds; focused on keeping her balance in this new body. The dress simply did not fit her anymore, Aura's busty frame spilling out of it everywhere. At least it provided Tear the illusion of belonging here. She stumbled once, but quickly righted herself before running into someone. Goran grasped her shoulders to steady her as she stumbled, his hands gentle and comforting now that she had calmed. Walking abreast as they were made the going a little slower on the busy deck, but it also kept his body as a shield between the crowd and Not-Quite-Aura. Despite the awkwardness and turned heads, they were able to free themselves from the throng without incident. Tear scurried down the gangplank and onto the dock. She sought some shadows as soon as she could, desperate to be away from staring eyes. Once they were alone, the girl appeared to deflate; her skin hanging loosely and melting away to reveal the young girl hidden beneath the fleshy disguise. She slumped against some crates and fought for breath. Goran politely averted his gaze during her transition, acting as a lookout against prying eyes. When she was done, he turned back to her, looking her over apprisingly and with more than a little concern. "Are you okay?" he asked gently. "As okay as I'm going to get today," Tear said, brushing her hair back. She gave a puppy whine. "As okay. As I'll ever be." Almost instantly, she snarled at herself and yanked harshly on her ear. "Stop it. Just stop it, you simpering fool." She straightened up, a dark resolve clouding her pale features. "I'm fine," she said, the words heavy with frost. "Thank you, Master Goran." "Oh, cut it out! This is me, remember?" Goran groaned with a pained expression. "Save the venom for Vikund. I just want to get you home safe." Tear frowned and lowered her eyes. "I'll be fine, Goran," she said. "I've caused you enough trouble. With your boss. Thank you. For everything. But I should go. I'm suddenly very. Tired." "Don't worry about me. I can handle it," he replied firmly. Tear shook her head, "No. You say you can. But. You deal with things. You don't handle them." Sadness pulled at the corners of her mouth. She touched his chest lightly and raised herself up to kiss his cheek. "Goodbye. My friend." He took hold of her hand as she touched his chest and leaned down a bit so she could reach his cheek. When she pulled away though, he took her other hand and did not release her. Tear could see the worry in his eyes as he gazed down at her, holding her hands before him just a tad too tightly. "I'll come by to check on you in the morning," he stated, leaving no room for discussion. "Tell the Hairball I said to be kind to you tonight." Tear snorted faintly, but finally managed a smile. He released one hand and led Tear to the street. Conveniently, a carriage was passing just then and he flagged it down. "Take this lady to Barrow Square in Five Corners. Don't deviate, no matter what she tells you," he ordered the driver, handing him a coin. Tear climbed up into the carriage, pausing just before she disappeared inside. She turned her head to say something, but bit her lip instead. A thin smile began to form, her violet eyes hopeful, if only for a moment. "You really are a butthead," she said. "But you're my butthead. Thank you." She gave a faint laugh and then disappeared into the dark interior of the carriage. It carried her into the night and soon Goran was alone amongst the crowds of Amber Dock. |
