Ishtarways - Tasha, Amba, Helena and TearIndex | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | Ishtarways - Tasha, Amba, Helena and Tear Continued from Outside on the patio, small birds suddenly took flight as the air began to sparkle like the mist of a waterfall. The air became like quicksilver, rippling and undulating, before finally tearing open to form an archway. Beyond it, a room of white and black tiles could be seen; its harsh light bleeding out into the pristine beauty of the garden. Two figures stepped through hand in hand; a mousy woman and a tall handsome man. The woman glanced about nervously, as if the gentle gardens were an illusion and dangers lurked behind every rosebush, every hedge. After a cursory examination of her surroundings, she licked her dry lips and then sighed with relief. "It's beautiful, Lord Torren," Tear said, glancing up at her host. "Thank you," said Torren. "But a lot of this has been conceived and carried out by my wife, the Princess Fiona. Indeed, I must see ... " He frowned for a moment - and when he spoke again, his voice was edged with a strange emotion. "Why don't you join my daughter and the others? They're over there ... " He indicated where the three of them were sitting together. Tear regarded him with some concern, but did not press the issue. Some secrets were best left alone for one day. Enough of them had been revealed for a lifetime. "Thank you," she said softly and sought out the girls and perhaps some sense of peace. After a brief walk, Tear saw the three sitting comfortably, talking. A nervous smile darkened her pale features. As pleasantly as they'd parted ways, she still felt uneasy being in the presence of Helena and Amba. She'd never been in a fight, per say, and certainly not one where such violence had been involved. She touched her cheek, remembering slick, choking thing that Amba had struck her with. A faint rush of revulsion chilled her. But she pushed it down. She'd suffered far worse things in the last hour. A little violence did not seem so bad in comparison. And in truth, they'd saved Tear from herself at risk to their own lives. Tear nodded to herself. They were friends, no matter what had happened. Why be afraid of them? She stepped closer and waved her hand in a timid motion. "Hi," she said, her voice croaking unexpectedly. Hearing Tear's voice, surprised, Tasha looked out through the patio doors into the garden. Seeing her approaching, she went forward to greet her, "Tear! Are you all right?" Tear smiled warmly at her friend, reaching out to hug her. She trembled in Tasha's arms for a moment, her skin like a tight drum reverberating to some unheard rhythm. "I'm fine," she said softly, stepping back. With an unsteady hand, she brushed a bang out of her eyes. "Everything is fine now." After releasing her from the hug, Tasha kept her eye on Tear, wondering if she really were fine. She offered her a reassuring smile. Tear's voice hung in the air like pale fog, but faded when she managed a faint smile. "It's all been explained to me. And. Well. It's the past. Nothing I can do about that. But I would like to thank you three. You probably. Saved my life today." Figuring Solitaire might want some space after all that had happened, Helena relocated to the loveseat to sit next to Amba, giving Solitaire a chair to herself. Amba unconsciously made room for Helena as she sat, her attention on the returning woman. She tried to discern her state, waiting for her answer to Tasha. Tear shifted her barefoot on the smooth floor, "May I join you?" "Please do," Helena said, smiling gently. "Tasha asked for a more substantial breakfast than tea, so that should be arriving shortly. Did my father follow you through?" Tear sat down, breathing a sigh of relief. She almost sank into her seat, her body still running on little more than poisonous adrenaline. "Thank you again. And yes, Mistress. He brought us both through." She shifted in her chair. "I believe he mentioned something about your mother. Needing to talk to her privately. I'm not sure where he went after we parted company." Helena nodded as she fingered the trump of her mother. If Torren was off to see her, he'd see that Despil was all right, too. She hid the trump in a pocket of her dress. "Just Helena, Solitaire. No need for titles." "Helena. Yes. Then please call me, Tear," Tear said. "After this morning. I think we're beyond. Titles." Her violet eyes followed Helena's hand to the trump; her eyebrow rising slightly. Her attention shifted as someone knocked. Another knock sounded on the door and breakfast arrived, wheeled in by several servants--platters of eggs, cuts of steak and ham and sausages, fresh fruit, juice and water, pie, and more kinds of muffins and scones. Helena let the servants leave after the delivery, telling them they'd serve themselves. Pleasant chaos then ensued for a few moments as the girls helped themselves to the food and resettled to eat. "You know, I hate that parlour," Helena admitted, smiling over a plate of ham and eggs and apple pie. "I could never manage to eat in there." Tasha had helped herself to an embarrassingly large portion, but she only blushed slightly as she agreed with Helena, "The walls, I think. It makes your head swim and turns your stomach. Though thankfully, the effect doesn't last once you leave." She added tucking into the food on the plate which was balanced precariously on her knees. Tear remained quiet, glancing back at the patio where she'd arrived. With a sad shrug, she picked up an orange and began to peel it with excessive precision. Once complete, she set the perfect one-piece peel down on her bread plate. Her eyes closed happily as she began to eat the orange. "I wished we had had some way to keep in contact with you after leaving you like that," Tasha said after swallowing a mouthful. She looked carefully at Tear, still worried about her friend having had such a shock that morning, "I should have thought about it before we left you there, though I guess with Lord Torren you weren't completely alone...." Tear blinked at Tasha, caught off-guard by this comment. "I'm sorry," she said. "No one's really needed to contact me before. And since I never leave Amber." She shrugged. "I can contact people in their mind. But only in the same Shadow. Not really useful, I suppose." She nibbled on another piece of orange, her eyes drifting over to Fiona's trump. "I wish I could call home. They must be worried. But I think Vikund is the only one that could. Contact me. And he's busy, I'll bet." Helena watched Solitaire as her eyes strayed to the trump in Helena's pocket. She looked down at her plate, appearing to consider a matter, then looked back up again. "This is not public knowledge, and although I don't believe it's a huge deal, I was asked to keep quiet about it, so I'll ask you three to do the same. I have a trump of Mandor should you want to use it, Tear, and I believe he'd agree with my decision to offer it to you, considering the circumstances of the morning." "I have one as well," Tear admitted, her cheeks darkening. "He gave it to me for my eleventh birthday. But thank you, Mistr… Helena." She smiled wanly. "I just. I don't know if I can talk to him right now. My entire life has been. An experiment, it turns out. And he was a part of it. I'd always wondered why he picked me. I'd thought maybe he thought I was special. Well. I guess I was. But not in the way I'd hoped." Tear popped another piece of orange into her mouth; chewing it fully before speaking again. "I just don't think I could deal with him right now. I wish I had a trump of Tanstaafl. I could use his humor right about now." Her eyes flickered with apology. "I'm sorry. I'm not being much of a guest right now. After you've been so compassionate." "What would make you feel better?" Helena asked, sensing a need in Solitaire that she wasn't sure how to fill. "Do you wish time alone? If so, the gardens are peaceful and you'll be perfectly safe here at Ishtarways. Would distractions suit better? If so, I'm sure between the four of us we can come up with any number of amusing stories. Are you tired? A room where you can rest can be provided. What do you need?" Tasha nodded at each of Helena's suggestions and offered a smile, and murmured at the suggestions of a story. It would be interesting to hear what type of tales the other women might offer for distractions. She only knew the folk tales from the shadow in which she had been raised. Tear blinked at Helena, her lips moving soundlessly, like a lost doe caught by a group of hounds. But then the fear and confusion drained from her face, and a tender smile blossomed in its place. She sniffed and wiped the wetness from her eyes. "You're so sweet," she said. "I. Misjudged you completely. I'm so sorry." Helena's eyebrows went up in surprise, wondering what Solitaire had thought of her previously. She had apologized for her outburst at dinner. [Tear] reached over and took Helena's hand. Her fingers brushed over the woman's wrist with a gentle intimacy. A sigh of relief escaped her, "Good. The wound is gone. I was so scared I'd hurt you terribly." Tear linked her fingers with Helena and smiled up at her. "I think I need exactly this. Friends. Just someone that understands. Maybe not what. Happened. But understands that it did. And accepts it and just treats me as they normally would. Just like anyone else. We can finish breakfast and get you three packed and on our way to Amber. And tonight, I'll take you for dinner in Five Corners. Start fresh from this moment. Just friends enjoying one another's company." She looked about the table, "Can? Can we do that?" Tasha smiled and nodded. The dinner of the previous evening, and certainly the odd events of the morning had created an odd bond between them; a shared secret, though Tasha wished it hadn't been at the expense of Tear. "I think we were already doing that and just waiting for you to catch up with us," Helena said mildly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Dinner sounds lovely, but it may be trumped by whatever Lord Sawall has planned," she continued, thinking of Mandor. "If not the first night we're there, then surely the next. Thank you for the invitation." "You're welcome," Tear said, returning the smile. "I'm sure. I'll be punished when I get back. By now someone has told the Master what happened. So. We may be separated by default. But I'll make sure my Auntie reserves us a room at her restaurant for the night following." "Yes, I supose we will need to see what awaits us in Amber, but I think it would be lovely to go out to dinner," Tasha agreed. "Please, tell us more about this Five Corners?" Tear tilted her head and smiled wistfully. "Five Corners has been my home all my life. Amber City is enormous and so varied. I've been there for twenty years and still haven't seen all of its wonders. But Five Corners remains the most beautiful of all. They call it Five Corners because the five main roads that run through the city converge there. And as such, all the best aspects of Amber unite there too. Amberites and Chaosians and Rebmans and Shadow Dwellers all make it their home. Adding their uniqueness to the mix. There's music and food and art from throughout the Multiverse. I love it. I miss it. If you are to move to Amber, you might wish to find an apartment there. My manor has an old guesthouse in the back. Maybe you can stay there. If Master Mandor doesn't have a place arranged for you already." Tasha's eyes brightened at the description, "It sounds lovely! I don't know about what arrangements may have been made on my behalf, but... if I have a choice, I would be delighted to take you up on your offer." Tear finished her last piece of orange and dabbed her lips with a napkin. "Now," Tear said softly. "I wish to be honest with you. I knew nothing of any of this. Of you. Before yesterday. So, please believe me. Whatever is awaiting you in Amber. I had nothing to do with it." Helena settled her gaze on Solitaire and her eyes narrowed. "What do you know about what awaits us in Amber?" she asked, just as softly as Tear had done. Tear shrugged and let out a mournful sigh. "I do not know. Not for certain anyway. But the King. Merlin. Has a taste for women, amongst other things. The more exotic the better. From the snippets I heard this morning and common knowledge. I think I may be escorting you to Amber to become. Distractions. Master Mandor does nothing without it serving a purpose. So. Be on your guard." She folded her hands in her lap and attempted a smile. It failed on her lips, waning like an autumn sunset. Tasha's mouth made a small "o" but she couldn't find any words to fit the surprise she was feeling. Perhaps she had misunderstood. Finally she managed to say, "I am going to Amber to study...?" But it sounded more like a question than an assertion, even to her own ears. Amba listened in silence, content to watch the others as they discussed. Looking up at Helena, she asked, "Would your own father use you that way?" After a pause, her eyes widened. "Oh!" she said. Then again, softer she said, "Oh. "You're a distraction. Thinking that he wouldn't use you that way, we wouldn't think..." She stopped, looking down. Helena glanced quickly over at Amber sitting next to her. "Interesting angle," she commented to her quietly. She took Amba's hand in her own and looked back up. "I'm sure there will be courses there for you to study, Tasha. Didn't Tear mention last night that she was in school?" "Oh yes," Tear said quickly, trying to support Helena's words. "Hendrake University. I'm sure I can introduce you to all the right instructors. Show you around the campus. I still attend part-time. To be a chirurgeon. And finish up my second doctorate. So, I'm certain I can help you adjust to school life." She touched Tasha's arm reassuringly. "Don't worry. We'll make sure your life in Amber is a happy one." Her violet eyes drifted to Helena's and Amba's hand. A wistful smile warmed her features. "Are you two. Together?" Helena didn't blink. "We're friends. Close. Friends. So you're studying to become a doctor, specializing in surgery? You might consider training here at Ishtarways when it's time for your residency. You won't find better medical facilities anywhere else in Chaos." For her part, Amba held silent, her hand still in Helena's. If one were very discerning, one might make out that her hand reflexively tightened just a bit in it's hold on her friend. But other than that, she gave no indication that Tear's question, nor Helena's answer, had been heard at all. Tear smiled softly at Helena's answer, her eyes flickering with violet acceptance. She cast a pleased glance over at Amba before moving on to Helena's other statement. "I'd like to learn more about Chaosian medicine, that's true. I'm researching Elemental Grafting right now, but the literature in Amber is rather limited. And then you have to include all the variables to account for shapeshifting. But. I have other training and research to conduct first." A breath whistled over her white teeth and she fell quiet for a moment. After a sip of water, Tear asked, "So. Do you need any help in packing? Or Preparing?" Helena glanced over at Amba and then back to Tear and Tasha. "Thank you, but we're fine. I'm sure Tasha has packing and arrangements to take care of, too. Why don't we meet back together at Orangesky toward the end of the day? We can either meet here or at Minobeeways, either is agreeable. Or someplace else entirely if that suits better. Tasha?" Tasha gave a rueful smile, "I'm sure my mother has all my packing completed -- and probably sent on ahead of me, if I know her. But I suppose I should speak with her - and father - before leaving." She almost shuddered thinking about what her mother would say if she knew she had taken Tear to the Logrus; but then again, knowing her mother, she would already know of the nearly disastrous visit. "I would offer to show you Minobeeways since you were so gracious to show me your home, so perhaps we could meet there at the turning of orangesky?" Tasha added. Helena nodded. "We'll be there." Tear smiled faintly, allowing her companions to make their arrangements for meeting later on. In truth, she felt rather nimbus and woolly-headed after the light breakfast. Too much had happened already and the day had only begun. She did not look forward to dealing with Tasha's mother; the woman that had discovered her mother's body. But until she returned to Amber, she would remain a guest and act appropriately. "I shall contact Master Mandor," she added to the conversation. "Find out where and when he wishes to receive you all. I suppose someone might wish to contact Master Jurt as well, wherever he might be. Can you arrange for that Helena?" "I'll do that," she promised. "I have a trump for him still, I think." (EOT)
|
