Completed A Guided Tour(Shiress)

[Richard Burke]

Winter 38, 512

It was a normal winter morning when Richard stepped out of bed and did some stretches, the fires had all burned down to embers, and the winter chill was fighting its way in. No matter though, the soon would soon be up, and it would warm the city. The only unusual part was that Richard, instead of going for a walk, decided to write a letter, well more of a note, an invitation really, to the woman he had found near death outside the city gates. The creature that had attacked her seemed to be a zith, but no one had been able to track it down. Thats not what this note was about, however.

Richard took the small note, it simply said 'Shiress, if you would, join me at the Rearing Stallion this evening. I will be there as soon as my training is over." Richard re-read the note many times, making sure it was in order, and made sense, before dropping it off at a courier office with a few silver mizas, he told them it was urgent, and to be delievered at the twelfth bell of the day to the address given on the note.

Then Richard continued on his way to the temple, but today his mind wasnt on the gods, it was thinking of more earthly matters, no today the gods would just have to live without the thoughts, and prayers from the squire in Syliras. He hardly noticed the time as he went from the temple, to training.

[Shiress]

Shiress sat outside the bathing pool pulling her hairbrush through her long damp hair. A large towel draped around her and a small piece of parchment lay in her lap. Her mind far away in a pondering thought. She slumped slightly as she glanced down at the parchment that read ''Shiress, if you would, join me at the Rearing Stallion this evening. I will be there as soon as my training is over. Richard" A simple invitation enough, but to Shiress it was a bigger accomplishment than just a visit to the Rearing Stallion. Her short stay in Syliras had been an occasional walk or more of a limp between the bath house and Travelers Row. The few people she knew were the very ones responsible for saving her life, aside from the old Konti in the registration office at Travelers Row, who simply smirks at Shiress and leaves the room when she sees her peaking around the corner. She undoubtedly has caught on to Shiress and her cookie snatching. She pulled the towel from the side of her leg revealing a long, closed gash in her skin. She ran her fingers across it's bumpy surface, it was painless but very sensitive. She thought about Richard and how much he gave of himself to help her, but she just couldn't step out into this new world yet and she hoped he would forgive her for the lack of confidence she had in herself. She pulled the towel back over her leg "Not right now, Richard, I just can't" she whispered to herself as she stood and turned toward the entrance of the dressing room, only to be blocked by a tall, thin figure. Shiress stood staring into a plump, dark skinned bosom. She took a step backwards as her eyes ran from the chest, up a slender neck and into a stern, beautiful face. "Min!" she said with a startled tone as she pulled the parchment behind her back.

[Min]

It had been two weeks since the girl had been brought to the Soothing Waters – the girl named Shiress. She had very nearly lost her life, from the severe wounds caused by a Zith. Shiress had been lucky, and it had been something of a sobering and eye opening experience for Min, in terms of her growth as a healer. Since that day, she had taken it upon herself to keep a close watch on Shiress – both as a healer, and bit by bit, as a concerned friend. Shiress was very quiet, in part because of the trauma her body had been through – and her mind. Being attacked in such a way was hard on both aspects of the whole that was one person. But Min was quite satisfied with the physical progress that was occurring with the injuries. She always made sure to check on the girl each day, when she came to the spa for her wounds to be dressed. And twice she had invited Shiress to her own spartan quarters at the Travelers Row, to share an evening meal . They had talked, sharing some personal information and tales of their respective homes. Both were strangers to this city, and in that they found some common ground. On this day, Min had been seeing to patients for several hours. During the cold of winter, she was finding, the residents of the city were especially prone to respiratory track illness, and so she had treated a lot of coughs and sore throats. There were a few other minor injuries – mostly work related – and a child with a high fever that was a bit troublesome. But nothing had been really out of the ordinary and she was now done, for a while. Stepping out from the examining rooms, she spotted her friend and charge just getting up from the pool edge, tenderly and slowly, but it was something of a minor miracle nonetheless. Min walked over, to ask Shiress how she was faring and see if she was ready to have her wounds tended to. She saw the paper in the girl’s hand – a paper which was quickly hidden behind the girl’s back as soon as Shiress noticed the healer, which was right as she literally bumped into Min. Even the one word that escaped her lips – the healer’s name – indicated that she had been taken by surprise – caught in some reverie or other, Min assumed. She also wondered if it had anything to do with the paper. She knew Shiress had not been in Syliras before – the girl had no friends or family here – and came with no possessions beyond the very minimal amount of items needed to survive in the wilderness – and not very well or for very long at that. So, what was this she held? Min gave the girl a small smile – the Myrian was not one to gush, ever. “How are you, Shiress? How are your legs? Is everything alright?” If the girl wished to talk, Min would listen. If not, she would not press her to reveal what put that troubled look in her eyes.

[Shiress]

"I, I have" started Shiress, but stopped short. "Im fine" she replied finally with a sigh. "The pain is much less, but I can not say the same about the dark dreams that fill my head while I sleep" she backed away and sat on the lounge just outside the dressing room. I wake up every morning with so many goals to regain my life and enjoy my freedom" she continued "But by night fall, I lack the confidence I need to actually reach them, it's like Im terrified without feeling fear. Does that make sense to you Min?" asked Shiress "The truth is" she added "Richard has invited me to The Rearing Stallion tonight" "I owe him my company, I owe him my life actually" she said as she dropped her head. "I don't want to see anyone, talk to anyone Min" She sat gently rubbing the wound on her leg. "I have left enslavement to only loose my freedom to myself" she mumbled. "Will you go and tell him that pain has taken me and that I wont be able to come, Min?" she said as she stood to walk away

[Min]

Min reached out a hand to stay the girl from leaving, shaking her head slightly. “No, I will not do this, Shiress.” She motioned for the girl to sit again, and Shiress did so. Min did not detect any defiance or anger in the girl’s expression, only sadness, and fear. Fear generally, not of Min herself, or so the healer hoped. “You have almost died,” she said in a quiet tone. “You were sacred – very deep. But you must go on. Go on with life. You can not hide from life. There is a debt to Richard, yes. But you do not owe a debt to see him. You must go anyway. For you – not for him. The more you hide – the more you lose – your freedom. Fear will become your master. You are not a slave any longer, Shiress. Push away the darkness. Work hard, to live again. Go see Richard. Let him make you smile. Be happy with him. You must. You can not hide.” Her words were inadequate, but she hoped that Shiress understood them nonetheless. It was not uncommon for Min to see patients that recovered in body, but their spirits were so damaged by the trauma of their experience that they stayed immersed in a well of darkness. Then often enough, their physical health deteriorated too – in a sick downward spiral. It could even lead to the ultimate end that had been her goal to avoid originally – death. Each person was different, but she personally felt like the best thing to do in such situations was to get the patient moving – literally and mentally and emotionally. Where the mind drew back in an effort to protect itself, sometimes it needed a gentle shove to get out there and discover life was not as horrible as that trauma had painted it to be. Shiress had been mauled in a horrible way, by a horrible creature. But all of her life did not have to be thus – her mind just needed to be coaxed back into the light of hope and looking to the future. Min rested her hand on the girl’s shoulder, and she gave her a more encouraging smile. “You go, with Richard. You will be safe. He is a good man. He will protect you.” And Min was quite sure of this, based on what she had seen of Richard, and how he had seemed so very concerned for Shiress. He was her savior, literally – as well as the good doctor. But Min preferred not to think about Orion Michaels.

[Shiress]

Shiress felt somewhat intimidated by the towering Myrian, but comforted by her words. She knew she spoke the truth, she knew she had to step out into her new found freedom and not cower beside it.

She started to say a dozen things, but the look from Min stopped each one before her breath could form the words. Shiress couldn't help but feel a little more confident now, reassurance from Min would build confidence in a stone, if the stone listened.

Shiress stood pulling Min's hand from her shoulder and holding it in front of her. "Thank you, Min" she said "you really are a healer, a healer of many wounds" Shiress smiled and dropped Min's hand as she stepped inside the dressing room

Shiress turned before pulling the door shut "my heart didn't stop 15 days ago and I never really gave it much thought, no more than a thankfulness for good healers, but now...I fear a smile" She said with a shake of her head and a chuckle, then pulled the door closed

[Shiress]

Shiress stepped inside her small room and pulled the door shut behind her. She placed her hairbrush and soap on a small table and walked to her bed. A long, emerald green cotton dress lay sprawled across the top. The chest was softly embellished in small green colored jewels, the sleeves were long and thin. The length of the dress was form fitting with a slit that ran up from the hem of the dress.

She bit her bottom lip as she tried to find the audacity she needed to wear such a dress. Glancing away from the dress she remembered Min's words "The more you hide – the more you lose – your freedom. Fear will become your master. You are not a slave any longer, Shiress. Push away the darkness. Work hard, to live again. Go see Richard. Let him make you smile. Be happy with him. You must. You can not hide.”

Shiress felt a small smile pressing the corners of her lips, her bright green eyes wide in a wondering gaze. She shifted on one foot back toward the dress "OK, Min! Here I go" she whispered with raised eyebrows. Her robe dropped to the floor as she slipped the dress over her head. It was a perfect fit, as if it were made for her by her own measurements. She pulled her arms out in front of her, the sleeves of the dress formed a point just over the back of her hands. She thought it a bit much for a casual meal at the rearing Stallion, but what of it! She felt beautiful. She smiled childishly as she twirled around. To be in a dress again filled her with immense joy. A joy she had longed to feel again. A joy that made her feel like a woman- a free woman.

Shiress sat down on her bed pulling her sack to her lap. She jumbled through it's contents and pulled out a gold band and placed it on her index finger. This gold band meant everything to Shiress. It was the only memory of her Zeltiva life that she could actually touch and feel. It was a gift from her parents for her 14th birthday and just 12 days later her family was taken from her as was her freedom. She jerked away from the miserable memory not wanting to lurk in the darkness of her past anymore. She would fight this every moment if she had to. She was free now and wouldn't let her memory enslave her again by injecting her mind with venomous thoughts.

She pulled her shoes on. Ran her slender fingers through her long hair, grabbed her pouch and with a deep breath through an emerging smile made her way to the door.

She stepped through the doorway of Travelers Way and onto the streets of Syliras. The very busy streets. There were people everywhere and in every direction. She immediately felt intimidated and towered by the figures hustling past her. The last time she was amongst such a crowd, she was the center of horrible ridicule and mocking having stole a single slice of bread from her masters table.

Her heart pounded as she moved through the street. "Why is this so hard" she pondered as she watched the forth coming wave of people. No one even noticed her, but she felt the stare of hidden faces and unheard laughter mocking her, taking her back to Sunberth. She could almost feel the chains again being placed around her small wrist. "Stop, Shiress!" she screeched out loud causing a few people to stop abruptly and stare at her. Thinking quickly, she through her hand up as if she were attempting to gain the attention of a friend ahead in the crowd..."Ha, It worked!" she chuckled.

She stepped up to the doorway of the Rearing Stallion. Just as she reached the door it flung open and a patron came stomping out causing Shiress to dart out of the way. She caught the door just before it closed and stepped inside the dimly lit room...

[Richard Burke]

Richard's day had been uneventful, his morning prayer ritual replenished his soul, the quiet contemplation of your actions brought everything into perspective, and while he never asked the gods for anything, he knew that they could hear his prasies, and thoughts- well, he hoped they could anyway. His walk had been brisk and refreshing, the morning air filled his lungs, fresh and clean, it was a little reward he felt, for the protection of the city, and those that dwelled within.

Training started early, spars inbetween lessons, inbetween more spars, he sparred half a dozen other squires, he wasnt the best one, but he won a few matches, the lessons on history were his favorite, and he found the ones on tactics and strategy interesting and he tried to take them to heart. 10 or so bells later, he was done for the day, and he was sore, dirty, and tired- but he had plans, so he breathed in the thick, stuffy air of the city, and went to his room in the barracks in the second district, he brushed most of the dirt, and dry blood out of his hair, and off his clothes. He didnt have time to go to the bath house today.

Richard made his way to the Rearing Stallion, hoping that his favorite table by the fire was unused. He opened the door and found that his favorite table was open, so Richard swiftly sat down, and ordered his favorite pale ale, and two meals to be placed when his guest would arrive, he watched the door open each time, hoping that it was Shiress, and time was disappointed, he waited for almost a bell, before Shiress stepped in.

She was wearing a beautiful dress, one that most people wouldnt wear, but it fit her well, and it looked good on her. Richard was stunned speechless for almost a full chime, before he waved her over, hoping that she had spotted him. He almost felt bad that he had put almost no effort into his appreance, and she had taken time to meet him. He took a long drink of his ale, to give him a litte confidence.

[Shiress]

Shiress scanned the crowd for a familiar face. She caught a glimpse of a waving hand and followed it down to a face. "Richard" she said through a smile. She moved and swayed through the sea of bodies and tables with quite a few "Im sorry" and "excuse me" said on the way. Her smile broadened as she approached the table where the man responsible for saving her life sat. The man who had whispered gentle, caring words to her as he carried her broken body into Syliras. The man who sat beside her resting his hand on her shoulder as she lingered between this life and the next. She felt a closeness to him, a bond that she had never felt before. When he talked to her the world around her faded away along with her insecurity and fears. Richard meant more to her than he would ever know. Before she knew herself what she was doing she had moved close to him and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. She had caught herself too late. She moved slowly away stunned by her own action. Her face turned a brilliant red as she bit her bottom lip. She turned away from him with a look of self reproof hidden from his sight. "Hi Richard" she said as she took her seat tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. she glanced to her lap and then to her surroundings, looking childishly from one table to the next and then back to Richard. "Im sorry I took so long to come. I-I got lost in conversation with Min" she said in a half truth. "I was so.." she started to speak but stopped and smiled looking away. "Thank you for your invitation, Richard, it really means a lot to me"..

[Richard Burke]

Richard watched the beautiful Shiress walk towards the table, she looked out of place in the dingy, and dirty tavern, in her clean, and new looking dress. He was quite stunned by it, and her smile as she waded through the crowd of drunken tavern patrons. Richard could feel a smile on his own face as she approached, he was glad she had decided to come.

She had come a long way since they had first met, almost 15 days ago, when he had found her near death, and abandoned in the Bronze Woods. He hated to think it, but he would probably never be able to find the foul creature that had harmed the so far, gentle Shiress, he would never bring this up with her, deciding that it was better to leave the details of the attack a mystery- otherwise Richard would burn down the entire Bronze Forest in pursuit.

Richard saw Shiress move close, but the soft kiss she planted on his cheeck came as a shock, had his face not been so covered in dirt from training, the redness would have shown through. He smiled warmly, it was a pleasant surprise, he had to admit.

"I'm glad you could make it," he said, as their food arrived, another hearty winter dish, with some sort of meat, and vegitables, all blended togather, and then heated over a fire for hours until they were mush. He viciously attacked the food, and in between bites he politely spoke, "I thought I would see how everything was, if youre at home here." Richard knew how stifling and bland the city could be, day in and day out. "And, if you had time, I could show you some of the best places in the city, tonight." more ale was placed on the table for the pair.