Blood from Stone [AU]

[Coquette Blacquin]

"I... I suppose... there are times when I have... Well, before the ritual Gold did, I was nonfunctional, so I suppose I need whatever that was again. I--" 

The ritual Gold did? How did I manage to forget about that?

[Shannon zi'Marass]

''...what ritual, Cin?'' Shannon asks slowly.

[Coquette Blacquin]

"He did... something to me. I wasn't functional, I was jumping at shadows, almost got us both killed. We did something and it fixed it, it was... I was... better. Stable. I.."

She presses her fingertips to her temples. "But he betrayed me, later. He chased power and forgot about being good. And I was alone for so long, and.. and I forgot what it was we did. And... Now I need.. Helene was working on a ritual for me, something to do with, there's something wrong with my mind. Perhaps that's what's hiding behind the lock in my mind? Memories about the ritual, about what was wrong with me?" Gods, am I crazy? Please don't let me be crazy.

[Shannon zi'Marass]

''That is... very possible. I know a method of doing that myself- it's a common trick among the Nyrian nobility, a method of self-hypnosis or meditation that- Sorry. It locks away memories, so you can't reveal them under torture. Or, well, not as easily. An expert at the technique can even use it to lie under Truthing, though that is very, very hard.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

"How does one unlock it?"

[Shannon zi'Marass]

''Well, the method I know involves using a passphrase. For instance, I normally lock my memories of, ah, my less savory enterprises away before going to the Lantern. With repetition, it goes faster, so it only takes me four or five hours to do. And then afterwards, I have a spot hidden away in my office where I will leave a note with a phrase that will unlock the memories while I sleep that night. Different methods have different ways I'm sure.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

"A phrase -- a sentence? In another language?" Bhí Gold cert faoi na--

[Shannon zi'Marass]

''It could be, yes, if it's the same method. I mostly use silly nonsense phrases, things I would never hear in life.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette frowns. "When he was trying to kill me, he said, Bhí Gold cert faoi na, before I cut him off."

[Shannon zi'Marass]

Literally, I rather hope. ''That... that could well be it. Gold is not a common name, and metal rarely has opinions so... Especially in celestial. It would be rare enough to serve as a passphrase. But at the same time... 'Gold was aright about the-' A rather... egocentric thing to use for someone else's passphrase.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

"He... he was egocentric. We had fought, some, before the ritual. Can you say, Gold was right about Olocaryn? Or, Gold was right about Ozymandias? He was, and that's the sort of petty thing he'd use."

[Shannon zi'Marass]

''Not right now,'' Shannon says firmly. ''We have no idea what memories could be in that palace. We need plenty of time to recover, some calming tonics and potions, your family around you, the works. Just in case.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

Coquette flinches. "Alright," she says quietly. "Alright. But soon. I don't... I need to know what's in it."

[Shannon zi'Marass]

Still atop Coquette, Shannon offers a warm smile and presses a kiss to her lips. Soft, gentle, brief. ''We will. Soon. End of the week at most, I should think, to make sure Jaina is done fussing over Will.''

[Coquette Blacquin]

She winces again. "Jaina is going to be furious," she sighs.