The Winding Stair: Suhuy and His "Guests"Index | Time Under Chaos | Game Logs | The Winding Stair: Suhuy and His "Guests" (Continued from Breakfast with the Logrus) And then they found themselves in a room with a black and white checkered floor, and an op art design on the ceiling that hurt the eyes to look at. The walls seemed to be composed of strange patterns in black and white that were almost as painful. "Lord Suhuy," said Torren. "Perhaps you might ... tone it down." Suhuy looked at his guests in astonishment. Tear narrowed her eyes and stared at the geometric décor. It took her a moment to adjust to the sensory input. The patterns made her mind burn, but she rather enjoyed the sensation. Somehow, her host had created a world like the inside of her head; all physics and equation taken architectural form. She nervously stepped away from him, maintaining a respectful distance from Amba and Helena. She began to explore the room in a tight circle, "It's beautiful, Master Suhuy." The first thing Amba noticed was not the designs, but the lack of Despil's hands on her shoulders. Though she had not known the reason for his possessiveness, having him there took her mind, if only for a moment, off the fact that Lord Torren held Helena similarly. She had no illusions that the reasons were the same, nor even necessarily selfless, but just that someone was there. She looked over at her friend wistfully for a moment, finally at that point noting the patterns—quite similar to the display they had been subjected to at Lord Despil's. She took a similar tack to relieve the pain of Lord Suhuy's interior decoration, as the pattern in her eyes matched that of the surroundings. "Where are we?" [Amba] asked, once she could see again. Helena, not able to adjust her eyes, bore the full brunt of the visual assault and battery and only did a quick scan of the room and people present before focusing her entire attention on Suhuy. She had found from past experience that if she concentrated on the Logrus Master she could block out the surroundings, more-or-less. She noted that her request had not been fulfilled. The vividness of the patternings did, however, fade slightly—at least in Helena's eyes, although not to Tear and Amba who had made their own adjustments. Tasha's eyes had shifted without conscious thought to adjust to the odd geometric patterns on the walls and ceiling. "Despil will take a message to your mother," said Suhuy. "A rather graphic one, I think. But I have learned in the past that your mother is a woman who needs to be told things firmly if she is not just to circumvent them. Two such devious parents—I don't refer to my Lord Ishtar, of course, but what's in the blood, what's in the bone. It must make all that business of growing up rather trying. Helena colored. "I should like to hear your theories on nature versus nurture sometime, milord." "Certainly," said Suhuy. "I'll even show you a tidy selection of the academic papers your sister and you have spawned." Spawned? That particular word choice brought to mind a rather graphic image for Helena. Why couldn't he have said something like...generated? "Thank you, milord. I would...enjoy that," she replied, though it was said without a convincing amount of conviction. Of course, that word choice brought to mind different things for Amba, and she looked at Suhuy sharply, almost biting her tongue in her effort to hold it. Amba did indeed recognize this as one of the disadvantages of family... or family that you cared about, in any case. Recognizing the words as not her own, she shivered at the memory, moving over to where Helena and Lord Torren stood. Taking Helena's hand, she offered silent support. Helena squeezed Amba's hand and smiled at her. She was all right, only annoyed at Suhuy's blatant dismissal of her mother. "As for where we are ... " [Suhuy] looked around with a smile of simple pleasure. "I like to refer to it as my parlour." The geometric patterns suddenly reminding her of a spider's web, brought to Tasha's mind a childhood poem: "Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly, "'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I have many curious things to show you when you are there." "Oh no, no," said the Fly, "to ask me is in vain; For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again." Odd, Tasha had never thought of herself as a fly, but she found herself tensing at the implication. Tear walked over to Tasha and placed a hand on her shoulder. A strange smile had blossomed on her lips, her violet eyes glimmering with wonder. Distractedly, she squeezed Tasha's shoulder. "You okay?" Tasha looked at Tear and gave her a weak smile, "Yes, though I think I asked you the same thing?" She gave her friend an evaluating look-over. She didn't seem to have suffered too greatly from the terrifying few moments earlier. Tasha was still a bit shaken up by the events, and also feeling a little guilty at having put her friend into danger. But then again... How had Despil, Amba, Helena and the other man come to be arriving there at that particular moment? And how had they known Tear had been in any danger? And more, why did Tasha believe them? She had so many questions; she wondered if Suhuy would be able to answer any of them. "Me?" Tear asked. "I. Don't know. I feel like my heart wants to leap out of my chest. I should be terrified. But I'm not. Is that strange?" She slid her hand into Tasha's and smiled up at her. "We'll be okay," she said with amazing conviction. Tear rested her head against Tasha's arm, yawning loudly. Excited she might be, but her body still felt like lead. She wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. But rest would have to wait until she had her answers. With profound patience, she waited for Suhuy to allow them to sit. He waved a hand that was either the casting of some arcane spell that had no discernible immediate effect or an invitation to sit, perch or whatever. Torren glanced at the girls, and then took a seat on a stiff backed chair to one side of the fire. Taking Suhuy's gesture as permission to sit, and seeing that Torren had, Tasha went over to what looked like a sofa of some sort, though by its size it seemed that it must have been made for children. But it looked soft, and after what they had just been through... soft seemed very desirable. When Tasha sat, it was as if she were going down a very long way and her knees were raised up to her chin. She stretched her legs out in front of her, which did make it more comfortable, but from this position she was looking up at everyone. Helena's gaze turned from Suhuy to focus inward, momentarily shutting out the parlour and people in it. Amba looked at Helena, her gaze concerned, but said nothing, merely squeezing her friend's hand lightly in support. Then Amba recognized the look—it was Helena's I'm-focusing-on-doing-something-arcane expression. Not really knowing what to expect, [Amba] looked over to Lord Torren to see how he was taking things—if he seemed perturbed, or even concerned at all about the situation in which they found themselves. He looked grave, but gave them a nod of encouragement. Clearly this was an outcome he was content with—or at least, prepared to endure. The door of a closet swung open at one side of the room. It seemed to be full of clothes... To one side, they seemed to lean rather heavily towards flowers and spangles. The other side were pantomime costumes—such as one end of a pantomime cow, and the other end of a pantomime horse. Tear paused for a moment and smiled when she caught sight of the pantomime costumes. A sly grin grew on her face, but she didn't approach the closet. Instead, she made a mental note of her host's rather intriguing and whimsical tastes and to ask him if she might borrow the bovine outfit later. She sat down as near to Suhuy as possible, gazing up at him appraisingly. Suhuy smiled at Helena. Helena stopped what she was doing, met his gaze, and exhaled slowly. Suhuy was in one of his provoking moods this morning. She knew from past experience that retaliating didn't work—he always won. Novelty might work, however, as she'd found that it often served as a strong distraction for the man. She supposed it came of having lived as long as he had. "Solitaire here assayed the Logrus in a dream," Helena stated as she walked toward the closet of clothes. "Can you explain this to us, Lord Suhuy?" Tasha looked at her friend, wondering why she had been made the center of attention again. However, she had been curious about that very thing herself and looked at Suhuy to see if he could shed some light on the strange event. "Yes," Tear said aloud. She shifted in her chair uncomfortably. If people were going to talk about her, then she would be involved in the discussion. "Everyone carries on about. My Dark Dream. That it isn't usual. And well, you appeared in my dreams many times before it. Are they linked somehow? "And the Logrus is in pain. Why hasn't someone healed it yet?!" "It wasn't a dream," said Suhuy. "At least, not a random dream. You were dreaming a memory. A memory of the Logrus and, it seems, me—which I do find a little flattering. You see, Tear, when you were a baby, your mother offered you as a living sacrifice to the Logrus, in return for your father's life." He spread some honey on a piece of toast. "Mandor decided you should be told the truth when you were old enough. After this morning, I can think of no better time." "I can," said Torren with quiet force. "And I can think of a lot of better ways to break the news too." Though, having been told the news earlier, Amba was not exactly surprised by what Lord Suhuy said, she was surprised by the fact that he had said it. Her eyes became quite a bit larger as she took in a breath and tried to look anywhere but at Tear. She had to agree with Lord Torren—that was badly done, and she didn't want to see what effect it had on the Baroness. Tasha gasped, her eyes growing not only wider but considerably yellower. Sitting in the low seat, as she was, couldn't easily scramble out of it, but she did lean forward in Tear's direction, her gaze filled with concern. Helena paused outside the closet door and looked at Solitaire over her shoulder, her expression inscrutable. Tear's head snapped back like she'd been physically slapped. Her tiny mouth opened and closed, an audible intake of breath echoing from her like a death-rattle. Her hands knotted tightly as she stared at Suhuy; violet eyes darkening as if stained with ink. "That's. That's not possible," she said in a cracked voice. "My mother died defending me. She died from the poisoning. Why would everyone lie about that?" The young woman shivered and clutched her stomach. The white and black room began to spin and bile began to burn the back of her throat. In the back of her mind, the Truth began to creep out of the darkness, filling her mind with its vileness. She reached for some water, but her hand felt distant and removed, not responding properly to her commands. When she'd finally met her Nightmare, she'd known he would tell her the Truth. But never had she imagined that it would be so cruel. "I think. I think I'm going to be sick," Tear whispered. Lost in her own memories, Amba had sympathetically crossed much of the distance to Tear before she even realized it. When she did however, their own recent conflict made her hesitate, just for a moment. But her own experiences pushed her past this response, as she knelt next to Solitaire. "Close your eyes," she whispered, soothingly. "Take deep breaths." She picked up the glass that the woman had reached for, bringing it to her hand and closing the hand around it, making sure she was steady. She looked at her closely, studying her pupils to make sure she wasn't going into shock, her own expression one of sympathy and shared sorrow, rather than pity. "Just breathe," she said encouragingly. Tear's now black eyes turned on Amba. She cringed away for a split second, her head swimming loosely on her narrow shoulders. But the tone of the voice cut through the nausea and confusion. A wan smile formed on her lips, so innocent and desperate for help, any help at all. In that moment, the previous struggle slipped into the back of her mind; filed away under 'unimportant.' She nodded shakily, trying to breathe as instructed, closing her eyes. After seven frantic gasps, her breathing began to return to normal. When her eyes opened again, they'd returned to their normal coloration. Thank you, she mouthed; unable to form the words just yet. Why would everyone lie about that? Solitaire had asked. Because everyone has ulterior motives, parents more than most, Helena thought in reply. Welcome to reality. She glanced briefly at her own father—burningly curious as to what Torren's part was in all this, since she was already thinking about ulterior motives. She'd corner him later and maybe she'd get something more out of him. Maybe. Helena shook her head and walked into the closet. "Solitaire." It was Torren who spoke, his voice gentle. He had not moved from his seat at the table, but he was watching the young Baronness closely. "Tear...I was there. At least, I was one of those who found you. The others were Suhuy and Mandor. Suhuy had the strength to walk into the heart of the Logrus and lift you up and bring you back to us. But I was there...and I saw—the aftermath at least. You may have questions...and I will do my best to answer them." Suhuy gave a snort. "What more does she need to know?" After what happened to Despil, and Suhuy's formidable reputation otherwise, Amba was trying her best to be respectful and hold her peace. But the little man was not making it easy for her to do so. Looking away from him, she still looked encouragingly at Tear, trying to make sure she was—if not ok, then at the least functional. Tear nodded that she had would be okay, whispering another thanks. She sipped some water and then set the glass down. She couldn't look up from the table; perhaps it was for the best. From Amba's angle, she could see the fury beginning to flourish in her eyes. She bit into her lip harshly, drawing blood and using the pain to focus her words, her thoughts. Standing, Amba gave Tear room, wrapping the now-absent Despil's cloak around her tighter as she did so. She stood there for a moment in silence, then seeing that Tear was as recovered as she was going to be after such news, silently made her way to the closet, going inside after casting one last look towards the assembled guests. "For a moment," Tear said coldly. "I shall pretend what you say is true. That my mother tried to kill me. And I do remember Suhuy picking me up. Just as I recall the Logrus...cradling me. But. The rest. I need to know the rest of it. "Why didn't I die that day? And why did you stop me from going back to the Logrus?" "I don't know why you didn't die," said Torren frankly. "Many adults do. Many more run mad. Even those of us who survive best are pushed closer to the line of madness." He was silent a moment—clearly recalling his own experiences. Then he gave his head a little shake. "Many people—myself and Suhuy among them, have speculated why you survived. But none of us knows. It was, however, agreed that you should be kept away from the Logrus until we had reached some sort of understanding as to what had happened. A brief visit to Chaos was...dangerous—although perhaps necessary in the light of your heritage. Visiting the Logrus was a thousand times more hazardous." "Hardly," said Suhuy mildly. "I was there." Inside the closet Amba found Helena pulling on a garishly-patterned dress, white with large magenta flowers. She handed Amba a similar dress in blues and greens. "To match your eyes," Helena said wryly in a low voice. "That is, unless you want the horse costume. You all right?" Amba took the dress with some trepidation. "I must say that Lord Suhuy has very...interesting tastes," she said. "Between this and his abundance of empathy, one wonders why he's alone," she said, her tone matching Helena's. She took the cloak off, hanging it in place of the dress as she looked at the dress. "I don't suppose he has any...Nevermind. I'm not really sure I'd like to see what his ideas of womens' underwear might consist of," she said, rolling her eyes. She tried to smile, but failed as she turned away from Helena. Sighing she said, "I guess I never really dealt with the fact that I was lied to all of my life, much like Solitaire." Closing her eyes, she continued, "But at least I was able to find out in my own way. She didn't have a choice, and I can't figure out for the life of me whether..." she took a deep breath, then continued in an even softer tone, "Whether that bastard is that oblivious or that malicious." "Oblivious, I believe," Helena replied. "Despite what's gone on before, just remember that you have family now." She slid her arm around Amba's waist and hugged her. "I'll see you back in the room." Back in the room, Tasha was wondering the same thing, as she stared, wide-eyed at Lord Suhuy. How callous to just drop something like that, as if it were merely side conversation. Care for some toast? Oh, and your mother tried to sacrifice you. Would you like some jam or butter with that toast? Tasha looked at Suhuy, "So you do not believe that Tear was in any danger from visiting the Logrus this morning? Is that what you mean?" She looked only slightly relieved, as she still felt guilty at putting her friend in danger to begin with, though her mother had warned her.... "My mother! Does she know? Is that why she said we shouldn't come?" Tasha asked. Tear leaned back in her chair, her hands resting on its arms to keep herself stead. She'd lived with Mandor for the last ten years, so she was no stranger to callousness. Even so, she'd only begun to understand the depth of this betrayal. Her entire life had been a lie; an illusion of smoke and mirrors. The familiar ground beneath her feet had ceased to exist. If she slipped even a little, she'd be lost forever. She focused on the broken pieces of memory and the information she'd been provided here, trying to piece them together with cold logic. In logic, she could find the stability she desperately required. "She obviously knew," Tear said. "You could see it in her eyes last night." She turned to Suhuy, "Just how many people know about my—past?" "Very few," said Suhuy. "And even fewer that it was you, Baroness. At all events, we were most anxious to keep the news from the Head of your House." Torren smiled grimly. Tear's head snapped up, her eyes flashing at Suhuy. "Why? Exactly what am I to all of you? I have the Princess Fiona sending me gifts, Mandor treats me better than his daughter, and now I find out I'm some dirty little secret. Oh, and let's not forget my mother tried to kill me." An insane edge rang in her voice and her fingertips began to flicker with a black aura; a hiss of white noise hovering in the air. She closed her eyes and the noise faded a moment later. Her body shivered uncontrollable, forcing her to repeat Amba's breathing technique. After a few greedy gulps of air, she tried to speak again. "What part of my life has been real? Has everything. Just been some elaborate. Ruse?" "You have been surrounded most your life by people who have done all within their not-inconsiderable powers to ensure you grew up stable, trained and protected," said Suhuy. "Really, I don't think you've done so badly out of it. And I'm surprised Mandor has the patience for such a whining little pity-me around him." "I think, Lord Suhuy, you should make allowances for the shock she's undergone," said Torren mildly. "You were somewhat harsh in breaking the news to her." Tear frowned and lowered her head. She pinched her earlobe until the skin turn dead white; but the pain helped her focus, prevented the tears that threatened to return. She would not have that. Not here. Not now. What good would sorrow do her now? They'd done nothing more than make her see what she should have known all along. "Thank you, Lord Torren," she said in hollow voice. "But Master Suhuy is correct. I've been. Blessed. To have such. Understanding people around me. Helping me. I should count myself lucky." She reached out for some toast and numbly began to butter one side with methodical precision. Helena returned from the closet, barefoot and attired in a brightly-patterned dress, Torren's cloak draped over her arm. She stole a glance at Tear as she talked, then silently padded over to her stepfather and leaned up against his chair. He reached out an arm and drew her closer to him, next to his chair and still within the circle of his protection. Tear met Helena's glance and offered an apologetic smile. When Helena sat with her father, a flash of envy burned in her eyes. She pushed it away and began to butter another piece of toast. Helena watched Tear briefly, then turned to Torren. "There's still a lot to the story that hasn't been told," Helena noted. "It was said that Solitaire was sacrificed to the Logrus. If it was me, I'd want to know exactly what that meant and what it entailed. There's also a dire aftermath that's been mentioned but not elaborated upon. And there are doubtless more questions that Solitaire has. "Father, would it be inappropriate for me to suggest Tasha and Amba come back with me to Ishtarways so that you and Lord Suhuy can talk to Solitaire in private? I can take us back by trump. "That is, if that's what Solitaire would like to do?" Helena looked back over at the young woman. Tasha shook her head, trying to find her voice after being stunned by the revelations and the sudden turn of the morning's events. "I couldn't possibly leave Tear. She's my guest. I'm responsible. I... My mother would flay me alive!" She wrung her hands in distress at the thought of abandoning her friend here in what to her was still unfriendly circumstances. But then again, what if Tear no longer considered her a friend after all that had just happened, Nervously she asked, "Tear? That is... Unless you want me to go?" Amba had silently come back into the room by this point and took her seat, watching Tear for her answer. Tear's eyes drifted between the three women, a hollow expression etched upon her face. Eventually, her amethyst gaze settled on Helena, as if seeing her for the first time. She gave a polite nodded and then straightened up in her chair. "Helena's right," she said. "This is something I should face alone. I've already put you three at risk." Tasha unfolded herself from the strange seat and went to Tear's side, "No, you haven't. It's I... I brought you to see the Logrus. I am so sorry!" She took Tasha's hands and wrapped her fingers around them affectionately. With a sister's love, Tear kissed her nervous friend on the cheek. "I'll be okay, Tasha. Your mother is probably worried sick about you. And I've caused you enough grief for one day. Please. Tell her the fault was entirely mine. I don't want you getting into trouble over this. "Go with Helena and Amba. I still have to bring you three to Amber, remember? So, it's not like this is goodbye. And when we get to my house in Five Corners, we can have tea and éclairs and forget this ever happen, alright? I'm safe as houses here. They protected me this long. I doubt they're going to change their minds now." Tasha reluctantly agreed, but her eyes still held concern and a wariness, she murmured softly, "Be careful, Tear." Before she answered more loudly, and with a touch more confidence, "I will be ready to accompany you to Amber, and I greatly look forward to meeting your... Friend... Tanstafl." She gave Tear a smile. Tear glanced up at Amba and Helena, her cheeks darkening with embarrassment. "I'm sorry if I hurt either of you. I. I didn't know what I was doing. Thank you for stopping me. You took a great risk to do so. And I'm grateful. I hope. You'll let me make it up to you both." "There's nothing for you to make up," Amba said, managing to lace her words with enough sarcasm as she briefly glanced unabashedly at Lord Suhuy, while still maintaining the sympathetic meaning for her words to Tear. Helena put a quiet hand on Amba's shoulder. [Amba]"Find out what you need to know, but no matter what, remember that it doesn't define who you are—only you can do that." "Those are wise words," Helena said. "Solitaire, I agree with Amba—there is no debt here. I hope you find the answers you're seeking." Tear smiled at the pair, a glimmer of hope returning to her dead eyes. "Nonetheless, I owe you. Thank you both. For your words and your...patience. I hope to see you soon and that you will stay in my home when we go to Amber. I think. We all have much to talk about." And with that, the young girl retreated back into herself, waiting for Torren and Suhuy to peel back another layer of her soul, as one would peel an onion skin. Torren's eyes unfocussed for a moment, and Helena felt his arm on her tighten slightly. Then he turned to look at her. "Trump home," he said. "Your mother has taken the carriage to SawallWays. She may be some time." He loosened his arm, releasing her. "Yes, father. Actually, I'm going to need to borrow your trump--I don't have mine on me." Torren flipped his hand and produced a trump, which he handed to Helena face down. She took the card and kissed Torren's cheek, then returned his cloak to him and walked over to Amba, trump in hand. "Lord Suhuy, it's been an experience as always to see you again," Helena commented as she gave her previous teacher a guarded smile. She turned to Tasha and held her hand out to her. "Would you do me the honor of visiting Ishtarways?" With reluctance to leave Tear, Tasha joined Helena, offering a shy smile, "You do me the honor of the invitation." Then quickly, she turned to Lord Suhuy, "Thank you for breakfast." Though she hadn't had a chance to eat anything that had been offered but her desire for food had been quenched by the adrenaline rush from the conflict. She knew she'd be hungry later. "Lord Torren..." She nodded to him in farewell, as well, but with a slight pleading in her eyes, that he continue to look out for Tear. He nodded gravely. Suhuy seemed more intent on spooning honey into his porridge to notice, but he waved a vaguely affirmative dismissal in their direction. And then they were trumping through to Ishtarways ... Split to: Ishtarways - Tasha, Amba, and Helena and The Bitter Truth - Tear, Suhuy, and Torren |
