Salticiel and beyond

[Sareth]

"Rose!" Brad exclaimed, jerking the door open. He practically dragged Sister Rose through the door. "This is going to work, isn't it?" he asked the moment the door was closed. "Everyone will think she's dead, so she'll be safe and we can... I mean, all of us can relax and just travel together, right?"

[Graybeard]

"Everyone will think she's dead, so she'll be safe and we can... I mean, all of us can relax and just travel together, right?"

Sister Rose had to turn away slightly before answering; the hope shining in Brad's face was too much to take straight on, and certainly too much to risk shattering. But there is so much to do... "That's the way we hope it'll work out," she said, "but we're not quite ready for a nice, relaxed trip --" you weren't really thinking "honeymoon," were you? -- "yet. First, we have to finish the charade, so that other elf does think she's dead. That's going to be -- uncomfortable for a little while yet, and it'll require both Maduin's make-up skills, some acting on our parts, and being in town a little longer. Then Argus and I still have a mission to do, so we'll have to travel back southwest to do that. We'll need to make sure to create a false trail for the other elf to follow, because we certainly don't want her following us there. We can't risk having her around when Lillith wakes up. That could be bad, very bad, for everybody, not just Lillith." She looked from face to face just to make sure the point was clear; from Argus' and Brad's expressions, she'd gotten through.

"Then our mission will take us back north," she continued. "If all goes well and we're sure -- absolutely sure -- the elf is off our trail, we'll stop by -- Kenny's home town on the way." She wasn't so convinced of the privacy of the rooms as to say "Snamish" directly. "Drusia thinks that might be a good place for Lillith to settle, and she may well be right. The opportunity to be in a peaceful, happy place, surrounded by her own kind -- and a safe place -- well, we should look into it."

Rose was going to say more, but she noticed something.

As Rose understood it, the drug that had been injected into Lillith was supposed to leave her in a completely unresponsive, death-like state. There should be no signs of life that a casual observer could see. Even her breathing should be reduced to the bare minimum to keep her alive. Certainly all brain function, other than what was required to maintain her in her coma, should be stopped.

Yet Rose was all but certain that, at the mention of a "peaceful, happy place," Lillith's face had relaxed into just the tiniest hint of a smile.

[Drannin]

Argus nodded at Rose's words. So far, it all sounded good to him. Perhaps with his magic, he'd be able to help make a more convincing trail... it bore thinking about. Rose looked over at Lillith, seeming concerned. As far as Argus could tell, his daughter (still getting used to that concept) was in a deep, deathlike sleep. As for Harker...

Harker was sitting quietly in the corner of the room, whittling away like mad on a piece of wood. There was a certain desperation in his intense stare. Argus was worried; what had gotten into Harker? This was so unlike him... Argus resolved to have a word with his familiar later, in private.

He coughed. "So. What should we be doing right now to continue the charade?" He continued to give Harker a worried glance from the corner of his eye.

[Graybeard]

"So. What should we be doing right now to continue the charade?"

"That's a very good question," Sister Rose replied. "Drusia thinks we should put Lillith in a coffin and parade her conspicuously around town, so the townsfolk get a good look at her and can tell stories. But she doesn't understand our church's practices. We'd usually not put the remains of a deceased relative into the coffin until after some rites are done at the temple. Doing anything else would come across as so weird that it would be likely to attract the wrong kind of attention. And we definitely do not want to have a Rite of Luminosita's Peace -- call it a funeral if you like, same difference -- performed on someone who is not actually dead. Even the not-very-sharp priest in this town would find something amiss. Unless ..."

Rose stared off into space for a moment, made a decision. "Argus, I know you don't think very highly of our church, but would you be willing to go with me to call on Father Thaddeus? I have an idea."

[Drannin]

Argus blinked, and glanced over at Harker in concern. The familiar felt Argus' gaze, looked up, and gestured impatiently. Get lost, I'm fine, the gesture said. Which was clear evidence that things were NOT fine. However, Argus knew his familiar. Harker wouldn't say a word until he was good and ready. Best to give him a chance to think things over and calm down a little bit from whatever was bothering him.

Argus looked back at Rose and nodded. "Sure thing. Whatever you need me for."

[Sareth]

"What... do you want me to do?" Brad looked down at Lillith a moment, then back to Rose. "I want to help. If there is anything I can do, anything at all, just tell me." Brad's face was eager to please and enthusiastic.

[Drusia]

"This isn't oil-based, so it won't block your pores or get greasy, but you'll still want to use a good cleanser before you go to bed at night," he explained as he worked. "And try to avoid massive quantities of water, because it will wash off. I do have that hat from Lorenzel I picked out for Lillith. The low brim should cover your ears perfectly. You know, I'm thinking maybe a nice, dark russet for the hair."

"That would be lovely," I tell him. Hm. Darker skin tone, dark red hair. "While I'm thinking about it," I tell him, "I wanted to thank you for last night. That spell... it brought me together again with someone very important to me."

I smile, thinking about her. "I know it was just a dream, but even that is more of her than I've been able to see for a very long time. I was wondering, perhaps when we're somewhat less busy, could you teach it to me? I'd like... to see her again."

-- Drusia

[Graybeard]

Sister Rose smiled gently at her cousin. "Just stay here and keep her safe. Maduin may need some help in a few minutes. Do what you can. And ..." She started to say "be a gentleman," but caught herself; knowing Brad, that wouldn't be necessary, and it would be a bit -- condescending. So: "Pray for her. She still needs it. Let's go, Argus."

As they walked toward the temple, she explained her thinking. "I think, if we talk to the priest at the Orthodox church, we can probably get him to help us, not by making a show of Lillith's 'body' but by getting her out of town. The Orthodox people don't like presiding over funerals of people outside the faith. Our best chance of getting a coffin is to get him to give us one so that he doesn't have to do a service he'd find distasteful."

They walked a little longer in silence, then Rose changed the subject. "What's bothering Harker? I've never seen him quite like that before."

[Porcelain Fish]

[OOC: Just going to leap-frog the mundane details so we can move right along./OOC]

Maduin smiled in satisfaction as he ran a few fingers through the dark red locks. Her hair had taken the color surprisingly well. It wasn't streaky or clumpy, looked natural, and the color didn't come away on his hands. Coppery highlights kept it from looking too dark, and the tone kept it from appearing brassy . He handed Druisa a mirror, watching over her shoulder as she gave her new appearance a thorough review.

"Quite a good job if I do say so myself," Maduin said with relish as he combed her hair back over one sharply pointed ear. "Even I wouldn't recognize you if I hadn't just done it myself." He turned away and began cleaning up. "Come back after I've finished with Lillith and I'll teach you that spell."

[Drannin]

Argus looked troubled. "I don't know, Rose. I've never seen Harker like that in all the years I've known him. He'll get alarmed, yes. Concerned, sure. But I've never seen him genuinely afraid before. Let alone the raw terror that was oozing off of him earlier." Argus shifted uncomfortably. "Right now I'm giving him a chance to be alone and calm down. Later, I'll have a word with him, see what's what. I just have no idea what could have happened..."