Eating Crow

[Vexako]

"Guards, huh?" Ko twisted his upper body as if checking the street for any such law enforcement officers. He chuckled and turned back to Soneya. He didn't react to her holding his arm, though he did wink down at her.

He studied her as she spoke, his evaluation of her making adjustments as he considered this sudden change of behavior. Was she so unused to being paid attention and harmless flirtation that she was so willing to give up what had seemed like her tightly held beliefs? Or was that a ploy like he was winding, playing an innocent girl in order to lure men in towards whatever game she had playing?

Whatever the case, it seemed fun. The game was back on. Maybe.

"Here I thought you were a sheltered little flower, eh? Y'take strays in often?" The corners of his mouth were quirked up, softening the teasing tone in his voice. Still smiling, he retracted his arm from her gently, though shortly after he bowed and proffered it properly in some-or-other Eyropan court style. Still half-bowing, he lifted his head slightly to look at her.

"Even we ragamuffins've got t'treat a lady right, eh?"

[Soneya]

Blushing furiously, Soneya attempted a half-smile. “I sort of do. I have a soft spot for people who could use a little help or just a little kindness,” she said, all of a sudden realising though that she may have stepped on a couple of toes by saying this. He didn’t seem to be the kind to easily admit that he might need something, but then, maybe she was mistaken. She didn’t even know the guy. “And then there’s my inability to say no to people who are nice to me.”

As soon as the words were out, she knew she probably shouldn’t have said them, but there it was. She should have just kept her mouth shut and just smiled and nodded instead of blurting out things that could potentially be used against her.

But he wasn’t going to hurt her, was he? They may have just met and he may be quite ragged, but he had been nothing but kind to her, so why should she doubt that he was going to continue down that line?

When he offered his arm to her in all the gentlemanly fashion that was required for such an act, Soneya felt a huge smile spread over her face. All too glad to do so, she accepted his offer and linked her arm in his. “And might I say, you’re doing a fabulous job at it.”

Seeing that she was still the native Marnian and he the visitor, she, instead of Ko leading her, lead him through the cities of Marn, heading towards Memorial Garden, where hopefully they would find a bit of peace and quiet in the beautiful patch of greenery. The garden may not be terribly big but it did the trick for sending Soneya off into feeling as though she was somewhere else. And when there weren’t too many people around, it was a rather nice space to just be on your own for a bit.

“This is my refuge,” Soneya said by means of introduction when they reached their destination, or their first destination at least. “Whenever I just need to get away, I come here. It’s not terribly much but it’s soothing.” Smiling briefly at him, she ignored the sadder thoughts that threatened to push their way to the forefront. Instead she nudged Ko. “What would you like to see of the city?”

[Vexako]

He chuckled, his voice low and knowing. He strolled through the city avenues with her on his arm, unconcerned with the looks they drew. Ko was used to receiving stares, though normally they were for other reasons than those he assumed were the cause of these.

The flowers were nice, he had to admit, but he had seen better. There were memorial gardens throughout the Mediterraneus coastline commemorating the great and terrible acts of the Changer's War that this little thing would shrivel in comparison. The genuine warmth in Soneya's voice held his tongue, and instead he nodded and murmured, "I can see why."

If he'd been more confident of his progress with her, Ko would have asked to see where she lived. Not quite yet. He looked down at her, rubbing along his jaw and chin with his free hand in thought. Once he had it, he grinned wolfishly at her. "Take me someplace you've never been."

[Soneya]

“Somewhere I’ve never been before?” Soneya was tempted for a moment to lie and say she’d been everywhere and that he should choose a different destination, but she couldn’t. Especially not after a shiver ran down her spine and visibly gave her goosebumps. She vainly tried to play it over by pushing a few strands of stray hair out of her face and behind her ear.

“Well I guess there is one place I haven’t been to before,” she finally said after a few more moments of hesitation. Nothing bad could come of it, right? It was just overly exaggerated in the rumours. Nothing really bad was going to be out there. Still, he hesitated a few moments longer before she continued. “The old castle ruins in the historical district. I’ve never been to them. They’re rumoured to have a dark aura about them, dark magic, strong magic... It just puts me on edge. I’m not sure I want to go there to be completely honest.”

Now that she had said it, described the ruins even just a tiny bit, the old dread came back. She had figured she’d be over this by now, but no. Her parents’ wild stories were still getting to her and she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to set foot in that area. “And there are a lot of bad people running about that area,” she added weakly, hoping that would seem more plausible a reason not wanting to go there than silly rumours and legends about an old castle. Castle ruins even, the thing wasn’t even completely standing anymore.

[Vexako]

Oh, now they were getting somewhere. He gently disentangled himself from her arm, and gave the most ostentatious, flourishing bow he knew how to give. He put his hand on the hilt of his cutlass as he rose, rattling it towards her. "I've had me share of tussels. And should an adventure go sour I've had me share of runnin', too." He grinned, unselfconscious at the confession of sometimes-cowardice. "An' it is an adventure you're lookin' for, right?" He dragged out the last word like any giddy child might looking to play games.

"I'll protect ye, dear lady." He bowed again, and offered her his arm for a second time. "Shall we?"

[Soneya]

Soneya couldn’t help it. She simply couldn’t. As much as she felt embarrassed by the way he was suddenly bowing to her, it was incredibly endearing, and she started giggling helplessly. She could feel the blush rising in her cheeks, both because he was bowing to her in an almost ridiculous – but also very lovely – way and because she felt embarrassed by her own reaction. She was acting like a silly little girl! But she had never had this kind of attention before.

However, at the mention of adventure, Soneya sobered a little again and cleared her throat, looking at Ko with a frown covering her forehead. She wasn’t quite sure whether she should really do this, whether she could really count on him to protect her. Not for the first time she realised just how very helpless she was, still was. It was infuriating in a way, but somehow she didn’t manage to escape that cage of hers.

“Well, I guess…,” Soneya whispered, almost inaudible even to her own ears as she looked down onto the dusty ground, trying to make up her mind. Her heart had started to beat rather rapidly at the thought of going to the ruins, or even just entering that part of town, but she couldn’t deny that her curiosity had started to burn stronger every time she heard mentions of the ruins.

Looking back up at Ko as he offered his arm to her once again, she waited for a few more seconds, before taking up his arm and leading the way towards the historical part of town, the area reserved for magic-users and vagabonds.

“You promise you won’t leave my side?” Heck, if he was offering to protect her, why not take advantage of it? No matter how incredibly silly the question sounded when asked out loud. She was out of her depths, and she would be leaving everything familiar behind her, thus she could feel her own feistyness – if that was even what she could call it – dwindling with every step they took. In order to take her mind off of this fact, she resorted back to asking Ko about his life. Maybe that would keep her distracted from the fact that they were nearing the border to the ruins-district at a quick pace., almost too quick for her liking but she fought the urge of pulling back.

“So you’ve had your share of fights, huh? What would you say was the most impressive one you’ve been a part of? Or the best reason ever for having gotten into one?”

[Metarie]

The temperature was pleasant and the sun shone softly upon the area. The Memorial Gardens covered several acres within the city, offering a cultivated green space with paved paths and trees, for a variety of activities. As the pair walked and talked, they would come upon the lake situated within the Gardens. The paved path led to a stone pavilion with a rounded top and many columns.

Perhaps it was the time of day, but the only occupant was a woman. Sunlight played in strands of auburn hair that fell in waves to the woman’s shoulders. She wore a fitted tunic top, leggings, and boots. The quality of the fabrics were obvious, even from the distance. Her position allowed them a view of her profile as she looked at the water. Her figure was not thick, but willowy and feminine. She appeared to be deep in thought as she stood near the water’s edge.

[Vexako]

A clump of hair dangled over one eye as Ko inclined his head, showing a somewhat sobered expression as he responded to Soneya's question. "Promise. Cross my heart, I'll wrestle a plainsman afore I let either one o' us take a bleeder."

Words spoken too soon. They passed the pond as they walked, and even as Soneya asked her question Ko's eyes had wandered. Another ripe set of curves, and a mane thick enough to grab fistfulls of, if Ko was any judge of things. He was. He also had made progress with an impressionable young woman who might yet promise him a bed. Whether or not she was in it, well, didn't mean he couldn't round up more women on another day.

Memory served a bitter reminder what happened to the man who scorned a woman. Even if most days Pethenas' memory served only to give him cause to drink, it was also a steady guide on how not to act with a woman who was showin' sweet. His glance at the bodacious woman by the water lasted only a few seconds. Long enough to remember later, should he chance her company again while he was alone.

"I uh," he said, turning his gaze back down to the little flower before him. "Ain't never a good reason, but there was a time I got so drunk as t'think me own packmule was lookin' at me wrong."

Ko pulled a longsuffering sort of expression, and thumped himself on the chest as if in grief. "Th' mule won."

[Soneya]

Soneya laughed out loud as Ko’s easy manner. He was refreshing, very much so. Lately, she had only had dealings with guards, her parents and other maids, and frankly, it was starting to be tiring to always hear the same things, accusations, complaints, gossip. It just got so old. And Ko was... well, he was a breath of fresh air and she thoroughly enjoyed it. Her headache had receded into the far back of her head and she could actually start taking advantage of the time spent outside. There was still the worry of her parents going to throw a hissy fit about her disobedience since they still didn’t understand that she was a grown woman, but that thought had also been pushed to the background.

What mattered was the here and now. And that involved Ko.

“That must have been one impressive mule,” she replied with a smile, shaking her head as she bumped into him in a playful manner. “I hope you held on to that one.”
Almost, but only almost, she opened her mouth to thank him for keeping her company, but she didn’t. She only hoped their time together would continue the way it was now. The playful and easy banter was lighting her mood quite a lot.

Soneya barely glanced at the woman at the pond, not registering the fact that she might be alluring to Ko, nor did she notice that he was looking at her. To the young woman, life was swell at that very moment, and the man on whose arm she was currently hanging had promised not to let anything harm her. It was almost like a fairy tale!

[Metarie]

Several months had passed with no word. Once a month, Ree came to the pond and opened herself up to the Astral, searching, always searching, but never finding the same connection that occurred so long ago. Lucien was gone, simply disappeared, as if he never existed. On one hand, she searched in the hope of never making the connection. On the other, she still felt the loss deep within her gut. She would give it one year. One year, and then, she would search in earnest to annul the contract.

Ree was so engrossed in the search that the couple’s conversation initially failed to alert her of their presence. Normally, she would have noticed someone’s approach. Using her skills in a public place, even though she was registered and approved to use magic within the City limits, could cause misunderstandings. She picked this time of day because the area near the pond was often underpopulated.

The comment about taking a bleeder caught her attention, causing her to turn and look at the pair. Being a doctor and healer for almost 70 years cued one in to certain phrases. It was inevitable. For the span of a few heartbeats, one might think her look was unfocused or perhaps even hyper-focused on the pair. The man’s assessing look did not register, but what did register was very, very interesting. He held something similar within him to another patient she had had almost a year ago. What was also interesting was the way the thing seemed to contract and re-expand.

Within the look, Ree’s eyes were a dark green and her pupils were wide. Golden flecks might seem to shimmer within the green of her eyes and the sunlight might seem to gild her form as well. Ree blinked and the effect was gone, replaced by an easy grace and a kind smile.

“Miss Soneya, a pleasure to see you.” Ree had never assessed Soneya with her less-than-mundane skills because the woman and her family were Puradynes. Ree was glad the interruption occurred, though. Now, she finally understood why Soneya experienced chronic headaches. A breakthrough!

The breakthrough resulted in a smile that was unintentionally brighter, and by circumstance, directed at the man. Because she did not know him, Ree greeted him more formally, though. Clasping her hands, arms straight, she bowed slightly from her waist, hair falling around her face as she did so.

“Doctor Metarie Sehkhara, at your service." When she straightened, she ran a hand through her hair and pushed it back from her face. The gesture revealed a few things - pointed ears, which were quickly covered again by the fall of hair back in place and what looked like a tattoo on the inside of the woman's wrist.

"We're you injured? I can help. ” The context of timing for the mule incident had been lost in the discoveries revealed by her magic-sensitive assessment.

[Vexako]

"They're all impressive," Ko muttered, lifting his hand to rub at the back of his neck. He would've said more, launched into another story about that selfsame mule, when the woman he'd initially dismissed took notice of them in return. Well stripe him up his backside and down his front, the two women knew each other.

That. . .was probably not a good thing. Ko knew how these situations played out, and they was never running 'round in his favor, not when he hadn't even the time to gauge who was who and who thought what. The long years of not looking at people -- finally behind him this past year after he'd got himself a real magic user to strip the curse off him, costing him all the money he'd managed to save -- remained with him, and he managed to not stare at the red-haired beauty. He wanted to, sure. But wooing sometimes paid off playing a woman against another, and sometimes it turned into cats-in-the-bag with him as either mouse or hapless dog. Right then, he'd no intention of landing either part. Later, though. . .

He pulled his lips down in a grievous sort of frown. "Aye, by a mule, though that's three or so years past now," he shrugged, the frown quirking up into a grin as if he just couldn't suppress it any longer. "Y'can call me Ko, everyone does, 'cept the ones what don't want a piece o' me, and them folks be usin' words I'll not repeat afore ladies."

[Soneya]

“Doctor Sehkhara! I didn’t realise it was you,” Soneya exclaimed, blushing furiously at having previously dismissed the woman. It was quite simply not a good way to behave, especially after the doctor had taken care of her so many times already, always with an incredible amount of patience and kindness. “Good day to you,” she finally added, remembering her manners.

Just as she was about to introduce Ko, the doctor – true to style – asked if anyone needed help. Soneya almost had to smile. Had she been the one overhearing something about someone getting hurt, she would probably have done something similar. Maybe the young girl should consider a career in medicine after all, especially since she seemed to have a penchant for this kind of thing, and then maybe she would actually be able to help people rather than picking up strays or forcing her help upon people who didn’t actually need it.

Laughing at Ko’s joke, Soneya tried to sober quickly, still red, feeling as though she should behave a little less like a teenager in front of the Doctor. After all, the latter was a woman of respect, and Soneya didn’t want to have word out that she was acting like a silly goose while dangling off the arm of a dashing young man, even if he was a little scruffy. Though apparently Metarie also thought that he was rather handsome, considering the smile that covered her face. Surprisingly enough, Soneya almost felt a pang of jealousy, not feeling inclined t to share his company.

[Metarie]

Ree chuckled at Soneya's response.

"Do I really look that different when not in uniform?" To the both, she said, "Please, call me Metarie. I am off duty today."

She eyed the pair appreciatively. Both were good-looking. Alas, they were on a date and she was interrupting.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your date. I won't keep you. Miss Soneya, my next shift is in two days. I think I have figured out why you get those headaches. Would you come see me?"

Ree clasped her hands before her. Maybe she should invite them to her house for a bottle of wine? She waited through the awkward silence. Would they take their leave?

[Vexako]

Ko watched the two women, his thoughts hidden behind a genial expression. "Real regular, eh?" he said, looking at Soneya. "Mebbe you should ask t'be looked at sooner'n later."

[Soneya]

At the word date, Soneya blushed furiously, her cheeks reviving the deep-red colour they had acquired at her embarrassment of not recognising Doctor Sehkhara. She really, really had not meant any disrespect, she just hadn’t recognised her. Well, she actually hadn’t properly looked at the woman in the first place, not considering it might be someone she knew, as she had been too focused on Ko.

Her fingers began to slip away from the man’s arm as she desperately searched for a way to hide her embarrassment or to just simply vanish into the depths of the earth. Though the doctor’s word struck a cord. “Really? You think you found the source?” She couldn’t quite believe it, wasn’t sure if she should either, but the woman seemed so sure. Then again, how many times had she been examined? How many times had she had trouble without anyone realising and her not telling? Headaches were such an integral part of her life in the meantime that she didn’t think there could be an explanation for it, even less a cure.

Looking up at Ko briefly at his words, she wondered if it was just a means to get rid of her again, his tone was difficult to analyse. So it was basically up to her to decide what was going to happen next and she was uncomfortable making these kinds of decisions. They never seemed to be the right choice.

Soneya looked from one to the other, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, she really wanted to stay with Ko but on the other hand she also really wanted to know what Metarie had to say about her condition. “Do you think maybe you could tell me now? I mean, I know it’s your day off but...” The young woman shrugged helplessly, once again letting her eyes wander between the two. “Would you stay?” Her voice was small and shy but the words tumbled out before she could stop them at the same time as her hand reached up again to wrap around his arm, though she didn’t finish the movement, unsure of whether he wanted to stay linked to her or not.