Sticky Situations [Cugacon, Sama'el]

[Issima]

Directed to find her place by Aponi's side, Issima did not hesitate to obey. The strength in Sam's voice promised that he would make it alright, even if the blue man didn't see things the same way. And so, dripping wet, Issima hurried to slide past the retreating Akalak, into the stall where a very agitated Aponi rocked. Her hands went to the long, graceful arch of his neck immediately, stroking up through his coat in the way he liked it best. "Aponi," she breathed, her voice falling low. A conversation meant only for the Drykas and her horse. As the two men began the awkward discourse that must follow, she was absorbed in her mount. For a moment her only focus was to calm him, to quiet his agitated snickers before he hurt himself. Once he had bent to nudge her with his beautiful head, and whinnied in a tone that was more recognizable, she began the task of searching every inch of his strong frame. Something had caused his initial distress, and if it was a wound or something of the sort, she had to find it. The sooner she could tell the danger, the sooner she could find a way to help him. With her own heart hammering in her chest, Issima began to calm down herself as well. Aponi so near was always a comfort, and she had come to depend upon and trust Sama'el of the Watch very much. His presence in the musky, animal scented place did much to chase away her fear. She just made a point to not look at the dead body on the floor so very close by.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el went pale as a ghost, but steeled himself against any other reaction that might be deemed weak. The Akalak respected strength, and he supposed it was a good thing that this one mistook Issima for his woman rather than a possible soon-to-be in-law, though it wasn't unheard of to marry two cousins; chances were they would get along and all Drykas children learned to share. He nodded, turned his head to Issima, asked after her in Pavi. "Issima, are you unhurt?" But she was engrossed in caring for her Strider, which was a natural thing, especially after a trauma that had upset both her and the horse. When she didn't respond other than to croon to Aponi, he released his grip on the hilt of his scimitar, glad he did not have to do violence upon an Akalak in Riverfall. In Common, he continued: "Then you have my thanks for protecting her. I regret that death was necessary. Will you need help with his body?" He was not sure how such things were handled here; homicide and interment were not experiences he had undergone in his few brief visits to the city of the blue men. But the fact of the matter remained: they owed this Cugacon a debt of gratitude. "I am Sama'el of the Sapphire Clan and the Drykas Watch," he said, putting out his hand to clasp wrists with Issima's savior. He knew he never should have left her here alone, but Kavala was a Drykas in need as well, and Issima had been so keen to experience this place that was not Endrykas.

[Cugacon]

Cugacon understood well enough the question that the Drykas posed to the girl. Being on the plains so much, he had fairly frequent contact with the horse people. And though the young woman made no reply, he assumed the man was satisfied with his explanation. His deep green eyes were watchful still, but he merely shook his head at the man’s question to him. Accepting the proffered arm, Cugacon clasped it readily, having no more wish for conflict than Sama’el.

“I’m glad that I was here to stop him.” He nodded towards the dead Cerulean. “His death is of no consequence. His kind are a blight. But I will let my father know and he will see to it that the body is disposed of.”

His eyes turned back to the Drykas. “Well met, Sama’el. Those who walk in peace are always welcome in Riverfall. I’m sure you realize, though, not every soul who walks here is to be trusted. It’s not an entirely safe city.” Cuga’s head turned back over his shoulder, but he could not see the girl as she was still within the stall, soothing the horse, who had quieted completely. “You should take care to see that she does not roam about alone, especially after dark. Females are precious. You should keep her close.”

His unspoken rebuke hovered between them, but the Akalak was not bothered - even if the Drykas took offense. Briefly his eyes dropped to the gash in his thigh, and he thought of Kavala.

“Do you need an escort to wherever you are quartered?” He asked, serious and polite as always, but obviously ready to be on his own way. No Drykas worth his salt – especially a watchman – would need someone to hold his hand. But it seemed a courteous way to get his point across.

[Issima]

It was better that Issima wasn't paying much attention to the discourse between the men. The insinuation dropped by the Akalak would have infuriated her, especially in her frazzled state. But how could someone outside the Drykas possibly understand the task and privilege of caring for a strider? How could they comprehend that neglecting Aponi in his need would have been the worst sort of treachery, and akin to ignoring a child of her own womb who called her name in distress? He couldn't. And though she very much regretted the events of the night, Issima could not regret her best attempts at coming to Aponi's aide. In fact, it was Aponi who drove her from the stall again. She'd rather have hidden there until all the blue men were gone. "Sam," Issima said, peeking out just as the two clasped hands. "I think..." At the sound of her voice both heads had swirled around to regard her, and when Issima met Cuga's glance her speech stalled for a moment. She lifted her chin a little, refused to be afraid (especially with her protector so near) and finished her sentence. "I think it's a snake bite." She may have to spend an hour explaining, in clear detail, exactly why she had left her room at all. She might have to revisit every ugly detail about the encounter that had left her pretty face, among other things, bruised. But that was later, and it could not stand in the way of getting help for her strider. Sam would understand that. Still pointedly ignoring the corpse on the floor, Issima slid her gaze back to her apparent savior. Sam had clasped his hand in a gesture of acceptance, and so he could not possibly mean her harm. That put a new spin on the blood flowing from more than one part of his body. Blood shed to protect her honor. But why? "You're bleeding," she observed, stating the obvious. She frowned, brow furrowing as her gaze flickered from the nasty bite mark, which oozed impressively, to the worse injury across his thigh. "I'm... Thank you." Aponi made a noise behind her, Issima glanced after him, and then turned imploring eyes towards Sam. He could fix this, right?

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam nodded his acceptance. If Cugacon's father, likely influential if he had a full-grown son, was going to tend to smoothing over whatever mess the Cerulean's death might cause, then he himself could let it go in favor of beginning their voyage north. He stiffened slightly at the implied insult, but only because it was true. He should have made her return to Endrykas with him, and if he was ever going to become an Ankal, he would have to learn how to impress upon those who followed him the wisdom of his words. Or, you know, he would have to become wise. He relaxed a bit then, eyes dropping to Cugacon's wounds. "No, we are quartered here," he said, "but..." He looked to Issima then, cursing under his breath. That she told him of Aponi's condition rather than dealing with it herself told him that she required he tend to her steed, but part of him -- a jumpy part -- didn't want to let her out of her sight long enough to deal with it, which meant Cugacon had to stay, but then he was bleeding too. He nodded to her, then to Cugacon: "I will take care of the horse's bite before the venom can spread, and then I will bind up your wounds so you can get better treatment without losing too much blood. If you can just apply pressure..." As he passed Issima to get into Aponi's stall, he put his hands around her slender arms so he could kiss her hard on the cheek, his heart gladdened at her relative safety. But it was a brief intimacy, and then his hands were upon Aponi, his voice lower than normal, but rumbling reassuringly. "If it's a snake bite, I'll have to cut him to draw out the poison, and we don't have a lot in the way of bandages, so I might have to cauterize it with fire. You'll need to keep him from rearing up, and I'll make it as painless as possible. Can you keep him calm? And... watch out for snakes?"

[Cugacon]

It was clear the man’s attention was occupied with the horse and his woman. “That’s alright.” Cugacon replied steadily. “This isn’t bad. I can have it seen to elsewhere.” His gaze went to the young woman. “You’re more than welcome – I’m only sorry you have had to endure this.” He nodded at the dead Cerulean. “I love my city, and I would have our visitors fall in love with it as well.” He shrugged, matter-of-factly. “I wish you well – you and your horse. I’ll leave you to his care.”

As the man was already in the stall and obviously expecting the girl to join him, Cuga made no more fuss about the matter. With a nod in her direction, he turned and slipped from the stable, needing to get to the Oathmaster's Tower and report what had happened - and see to the disposal of the body.

[Baku]

Thou has written, and thou has completed, so I award thee the following.... Issima - +5 Observation, +5 Rhetoric, +2 Running, +1 Animal Husbandry, Lore - Putting on the Brave Face, Discovering Feelings, Necessity of Breaking a Promise, Intimidating Encounters With Locals, First Encounters: Cerulean, Virtue and Innocence Threatened, Sheltered Life Unsheltered, Panic Taking Over, Those You Can Depend On, Effects of Dead Bodies on the Constitution, Trusting in Sama’el, Calming Your Strider, The Importance for Caring for One’s Strider, Cugacon - +5 Observation, +1 Running, +1 Tactics, +1 Stealth, +1 Hand to Hand, +1 Lakan, +1 Animal Husbandry, +4 Rhetoric, Lore - Keeping Appointments Despite Appearance, Answering to the Sounds of Distress, Tapping into Wysar’s Gift, Seeking Other Entrances, Cerulean: The Evils of Fallen Akalak, Close and Confined Quarter Battle, The Not-So-Calm After Battle, Inabilities of Calming a Bonded Strider, The Pain of a Horse’s Kick, Keeping Things Direct, Sama’el of the Sapphire Clan, Coming to an Understanding, Departing on a Good Note, Sama’el - +5 Observation, +2 Leadership, +5 Rhetoric, +1 Running, +1 Animal Husbandry Lore - Delivering Mares, Instinctive Actions, Surveying Quickly, Mentally Preparing for Probabilities, The Fear for Others, Covering up Shows Weak Emotion, Things Necessary for Ankal, Taking Care of a Snake Bite Additional Notes: Things that go bump on a dark and stormy night. Nicely played out everyone. Simple inquiries of all parties involved would be made by the guard and Council, but overall matters would be cleared up within a bell or two after inquiries and everyone would be free to go on their way. As Cugacon made no claim in the intervention of Issima’s attack, she is free and clear of any debt that might have been owed to Riverfall for such an act, as is Sama’el, who acted as her husband subsequently. The snake bite and caretaking of it for Aponi is non-debilitating for the most part, and should heal without any detrimental effects giving time and proper care. Even quicker if a healer such as Kavala tends to the injury.