Blood from Stone [AU]

[Tethras Clan]

"The reasons why I spoke to her then and there were... not great ones. The idea that someone you love came so close to being taken like that was... unsettling.  I was already off balance because of the case and the aftermath and..." She sighs, rubbing her face with her free hand. "I have two manners of approach. Well, three of late. I can treat someone professionally: fellow guard, polite distance or danger. I can treat them as a wounded animal or a child, a victim. Or a lover. She is obviously not the last and I thought... she has been coddled for two years and her progress was so slight she attempted to... do as she did. So I treated her as if she were a cadet. I expected her to burst into tears or perhaps, hopefully, slap me. I had no idea she could teleport."

[Carver Amell]

"Me neither," he admits. "Please, next time, talk to me first? Liz is... she's a lot more fragile than she looks."

[Tethras Clan]

"I know. I should have then. Beth too, I suspect. I still think Liz needed to be slapped with the consequences of staying weak but... I know I did not handle that well at all." She swallows. "How may I atone?"

[Carver Amell]

"Fuck if I know," he says, his voice low in volume to avoid carrying to the twins. "Pray she gets better, I guess. Maybe Vangal-- no, probably, Vangal likes you better than me. Maybe he'll listen to you."

He sighs then, closing his eyes. "I can't hold it against you. If she'd come to harm, maybe, but Liz is... complicated. Just do better next time. Alright?"

[Tethras Clan]

"I promise," she says softly. "And yes, I'll make prayers and offerings to Vangal, Astea and Bastion. But... if I can help, with this or... gods. I care about you a great deal, Carver and-" She cuts off, scowling darkly. "Coward. I love you Carver and if I can help with any of this, just ask." A flicker of a dark-haired woman, smiling proudly, comes to mind. Seli would be proud, she thinks wryly, trying not to panic about her admission. I said it first this time. And without without coaxing.

[Carver Amell]

Carver is quiet for a long moment. Finally, he takes a deep breath, and says back, "I love you, Aveline Vallen. I don't know how to describe what you are to me, other than special, important. I feel like I'm at a crossroads and... and I don't know what shape I want my life to take. But I want you in it."

[Tethras Clan]

Aveline shivers a little bit, the romantic part of her that she keeps carefully hidden and armoured deeply touched by his words. "Okay," she whispers softly. She has to take a moment after that single word of agreement to be able to muster any more. "I- we... after theres a plan. And things are... settled, at least mostly, we.. we should talk. About... roads. And labels. But for now... Okay."

[GamesMaster]

Liz is much calmer having slept; she's a bit anxious about going home, but overall, she seems calmer, more in control of herself. Which is good, because as Don reminds Beth, she needs to check on Brianne. 

As they head to the inn where the catfolk should be recovering, Liz plucks at Beth's arm, diverts her down a side alley nearby. Sure enough, there's Brianne, slamming a Kender against a wall, snarling at him with her full fangs. "I don't care," she hisses, as they enter the mouth of the alley. "Where's the goods?"

[Bethany]

"Gods above," Beth groans, then draws herself up to her full five feet and eight inches. Shrugging her shoulder to push her cloak out of the way, she rests a hand on the handle of the matte black club on her belt and heads into the alley. "Ahem." She doesn't bother to make the sound, instead saying the word distinctly. 

[GamesMaster]

Brianne hisses once more, dropping the Kender as she turns to glare at-- she starts, blinking. "Beth?" she asks, hesitantly.

[Bethany]

"Mmmh." The human glances around the alleyway, expression bland. "Curious as to hear how you explain this... event."

[GamesMaster]

"I need it," she hisses, eyes narrowing. "You have no right!" 

The kender, meanwhile, sees his chance and makes a break for it, racing away down the other side of the alleyway. For a moment, Brianne turns, ready to give chase -- but she wobbles, bracing against the wall, and he gets away.

[Bethany]

"Damnit Bri, you don't need-" Seeing her start to fall, Beth rushes into the alley to help stabilize the catfolk. "Did you eat today? Or last night?"

[GamesMaster]

"I... no. I was throwing up," she hisses. "I need it."

Her fur is slightly damp, her muscles tense, twitching, her breathing too fast. The damp fur is the worrying part -- catfolk don't tend to sweat much, though merikos are of course all over the map in that regard.

[Bethany]

"No, you don't," Beth repeats just as strongly. "If you're having withdraw, there are tonics you can take to reduce that, help you ease down. I know I left you some, did you bother to take any?" Or did you already use the full stock I left? That should have been enough for a week but...