Completed Want to Turn Back? Feel Free.

[Melenna]

He was thanking her? If the Konti wasn't so focused on keeping her feet straight, she would have smiled. She thought him kind simply for refraining from making any comments regarding her hygiene—she must have smelled like something between fetid sweat and salted mold. What she did manage to do was cup one hand around the small man on her shoulder and tilt her head towards him until the delicate flesh of her cheek gently touched him. It was the best embrace she could manage for a creature his size and was something like coddling a soft, tiny bunny.

“I'll get us there safely and soon, I promise.” Melpomene's hand fell back down to grab her skirt, steeling herself for the cold of the street before stepping out. The cool air slapped against her once warming face, and her bare feet cringed against the biting chill of the street. She could scarcely believe that she had made it so far from the slavers—in all honesty, she didn't remember most of what happened. It felt like something of a dream, and part of her still expected to wake up back at the enclosure.

No! I'm not going back there, not ever. Either we make it out of this or I will perish. But though the Konti's thoughts were bold, her body was much weaker. She ghosted down the street, feet soft and trembling with each step. Fear took up even more of her energy and kept her searching the shadows for would-be captors. It was only the Pycon's presence on her shoulder, the steady, sonorous tones of his song that calmed the beat of her heart and kept her far enough from exhaustion to listen to directions. When he talked, she tried to imagine his home, which he mentioned containing a bed her size. What a neat little place it must be,[I] she thought, [I]if it belongs to someone like him. Maybe he'll even have a fresh water basin...

[Delos]

Delos had been extremely surprised, and more than a little embarrassed when Melpomene had touched him to her cheek. It had been... unexpected, not unpleasant just a little surprising. It had brought to mind his little misadventure in that brothel a month or two back, that had been unpleasant. The concept of a prostitute had been foreign to Delos' mind at that point, he could honestly say he wished it still was.

The small Pycon could feel the Konti shiver slightly as they headed out into the cold night. It was honestly very difficult for him to feel sensations like heat and cold unless they were in their extremes, something told him that he was not missing much. This would not take too long, the reason he had chosen this establishment initially had been because it was within comfortable walking distance for him. Even in her less that stellar shape Melpomene should have no problem getting there.

As she walked Delos kept on the look out for guards, a ready explanation on his clay lips. He also took the opportunity to figure out how to correctly phrase his offer, just hearing about the Black Sun was enough to send most people into abject paranoia. It didn't take but a few minutes to come to the bend, beyond which his house was located.

"Turn here, the eighth door on the left is my humble abode. Its not much, but after what you've been through it should be relaxing. Also you will need to wait for me to unlock the door as well." Delos instructed.

He resolved also to tell her at the door of his plan, it would give her time to consider her options at least. Considering that he blocked the door using reimancy it would prove an interesting little chat.

[Melenna]

Melpomene nodded at the Pycon's instruction, following the curve of the road and keeping track of houses. The simple mental task required more concentration than she thought it would, knitting her brows as she counted down from eight. Or was it six? Ah well, he'd stop her sooner or later. Her mind was still back at the tavern, and yet another part of it remained with her fellow slaves. None of them were former slaves, most young parents or adventurers just wending their way into the world. The elderly tended to just be killed during raids, and few children survived the difficult journey across Mizahar.

What will become of them now? The Konti sighed, already knowing the answer and yet still she asked it. They'd be sold into servitude to some wealthy follower of Rysol and no one from their homeland would ever see them again. She felt guilty at the thought, feeling heavier at the notion that she should escape alone when she might have taken some with her. At the same time, however, she knew that the sweet balm of escape was not quite hers—if anything, the anticipation was worse than before. She'd once hoped to find a kind master and now the only outcomes were to suffer at the hands of guards and slavers again or to find her way home.

Her bubble of thought popped suddenly as she abruptly stopped, realizing that she was a few more than eight houses from the corner. She whispered her apologies and turned back, stopping in front of the proper door and waiting for what Delos would do next. She simply assumed that he had some metal key for any ordinary door, and would either hand it over or insist on opening it himself.

[Delos]

Delos would have said something when she walked past his door, however he too was rather deep in thought. His were focused on how best to get Amelia on board with his plan, it would take some work after all. He suspected that her immediate response would be to claim the Konti for herself, given her very perverse and cruel nature he doubted that Melpomene would enjoy whatever the torturess would have in mind. Given that this was Amelia it would probably involve whips, mind games, and other things to slowly mold the Konti into her plaything.

That was not a fate that the Scholar would wish on anyone, most certainly not the Konti. So he would have to argue that Melpomene would better serve her if she possessed some semblance of freedom, as well as the promise of being sent home at some point. As an interrogator she would certainly see the use in having a Konti in her debt.

He was shaken from his thoughts by Melpomene's quiet apology and he noticed that they were well past his house. Really that was probably his fault, he hadn't been paying close attention to their surroundings either. The Konti retraced her steps to his door, which he recognized immediately. She stopped and he allowed himself a slight sigh, this would be the moment of truth.

"Before you set me down there is something I need to tell you that I probably should have informed you of back at the tavern." The Scholar paused, continuing when he saw that he had her attention.

"The friend I mentioned earlier, the one that might be able to help you out? She is an Agent of the Black Sun. My employer actually." Delos said flatly, his tone carefully neutral.

"If you want to turn back because of that then go ahead, I would not blame you. No matter what you chose please place me on the ground at your feet, I need to unlock the door." The Scholar finished.

What she did now was totally up to her, this was really her last chance to turn back. If she chose to walk inside then she would be taking a 50/50 chance that she would be either enslaved by a member of the feared Black Sun, or forced to work for said Agent. If Melpomene chose to walk away then she would probably be captured by the Ebonstryfe. Either option looked pretty bad, with one giving a slight chance of freedom with a large chance of becoming a plaything to a Black Sun Agent, and the other guaranteeing slavery.

[Melenna]

Who is the father of chaos?
Who is the darkest of black?
Who is the sin that whispers?
Who is the betrayer of all?

He is Rhysol.

Melpomene didn't move as an old melody played in her mind, didn't speak after Delos made his confession. It was impossible for her not to know what the Black Sun was—the very mark was branded on her hand. Well, at least half of it was. Perhaps it was because slaves were undeserving of the full symbol, and it was meant only in mockery, a permanent reminder of who it was that controlled her life now. It was almost fitting in a way, as she was a servant to Avalis and bore Her mark, but it was no longer the sign that dominated her fate. Avalis was not a goddess of power or action. She was a seer, a peaceful deity that sought neither the blaring day or endless night.

To understand Avalis, Mepomene felt that one had to understand Chavena. The experiences, the thoughts, dreams, and hopes of that which was living contained both good and evil. It wasn't just a chavi's owner that formed good and bad, but the outwardly occurring aspects of life that fell on both sides and sometimes neither. One couldn't change Chavena to reflect desires for good or evil; it simply was, and that had to be accepted if one was to bear its visions. To feel the pain of possibility and be able to let it go, to house oneself in clarity and base action on wisdom rather than instinct—that perhaps, was what Avalis embodied.

“Hold to what is present
It too freely passes by
Our future mayn't be pleasant
It is up to us to try.”

The Konti didn't quite break into song, but her voice took on a heavy rhythm, softening her voice and making it melodic. Something about speaking the words out loud reassured her. Avalis couldn't deliver her from her plight, but she would always be able to find peace in those teachings, those songs taught when she was only a few years old. Even if she was a slave, they couldn't take those memories from her, and certainly couldn't take the beauty of Chavena.

Carefully, Melpomene untangled Delos from her hair, setting him lightly on the ground before kneeling down herself. Her face was contorted by sadness, but it was not of the desperate kind. “I... must admit, I thought a parting between us would be more bitter. You have been kind to me, and whatever your past holds, I can't forget what you did.” Melpomene bowed her head, and tears threatened to come. She was bruised and bleeding, violated and lost, and her only hope did not express despair at her fate.

And why should he? They were barely acquaintances—she knew nothing of his past or his motives, having only sensed the music within. She couldn't expect to hide in his home forever, and simply being with him at all put him at risk. The choice before her required clarity and logic, not wailing woes and impossible dreams. So she reigned her emotions in, bit back the pain and the cold and transcended petty wounds.

Or rather, she wished that she was capable of that.

As it was, her hands were burning, her stomach was noodling through her innards, and the endless filth on her body made her skin crawl. Before her, there was only darkness or darkness. She was a creature of despair with only the last shreds of character keeping her from breaking. It made her eyes wide and dark as she stared down at Delos, her voice quiet and deathly calm. “There is another way, you know. There always is. You could end me or I could end myself—aren't you curious about what lies at the bottom of this wicked lake?”

But instead of looking down (or around, as it were), Melpomene craned her neck upwards, pondering the sky. It seemed she was searching for something inside or outside of herself, looking to the universe rather than the small Pycon to give her an answer. In the end, base instinct won over transcendent thought, and all she desired was a place to lay her weary head. If correspondence with the Black Sun would win her a bed for an evening, then so be it.

“Please, let me stay with you tonight. No matter what may happen, I have already lost everything. For now... for now, I do not want to be alone.”

[Delos]

Delos had been more than a little disturbed when Melpomene suggested ending it all, sadness biting at his core. He could certainly not help in that regard and would probably do what he could to restrain her from doing it herself. Death was so finite, where as life, no matter how terrible it seemed was full of possibilities. Her despair was clear to anyone with the eyes to see it, the Konti had clearly reached near the end of her rope as it were.

The Pycon scholar perked up slightly though when she asked to stay the night at least, which sent a wave of relief washing over him. He doubted that his conscious would be able to take her wandering the streets to be picked up by slavers again. He bowed slightly again.

"Thank you for place trust in me, I will do everything I can to live up to it. Now for the door." Delos said, turning away from the Konti and facing his door.

The Pycon knew that Ravok could be a dangerous place to leave one's door unlocked, unfortunately he lacked to ability to use conventional keys. He had developed a system of blocking his door though and worked just as well in his opinion. It involved a couple of stone slabs he placed near the door and earth manipulation.

The young Pycon focused res into his hand, feeling the drain on his Djed as he did. When he gathered enough he willed the translucent liquid to pool under the door and slid inside of his house. It didn't take long for the res to make contact with the stone slab blocking the door, he continued to move the res past the slab, willing attraction for the stone at the same time. The sound of stone grinding against wood sounded out as he used his res to move the slab from the door way.

When the Pycon Scholar was satisfied with the results he released his hold on the slab and dispelled the res. The little exercise had taken a bit out of him but his task finished, Delos turned back to his companion.

"You can open the door now, my home is not much but it is yours for as long as you need it." The young scholar said calmly.

[Melenna]

Melpomene remained patiently on her knees as she watched Delos work his magic. She was too tired to fully appreciate the wonder of it, to question what it was that made the heavy grating sound or how Delos was able to manipulate something much larger than himself. All she was capable of was relief when the Pycon welcomed her to his home. She nodded and the smallest thread of hope returned to her eyes, standing her back up on her feet.

“Thank you, a thousand thanks for this, Delos—my tiny hero, my light in the darkest swell of night.” She couldn't help the gushing, for she realized that while the fellow seemed unshakably placid, he had a kind heart. Even if pity or worry wasn't prevalent in his voice, even if he couldn't promise rescue, his concern showed in his actions. He was opening his home to a stranger (and one that was more than a little desperate), allowing her the chance to rob him or otherwise run him into trouble with the authorities.

Delos hadn't asked her to pick him up again, but she bent down to do just that, hoping to catch him in her delicate curve of fingers. She figured that she might as well take him the rest of the way, save him some time and settle them both in some place comfortable. After all, whatever magic he'd worked seemed to slow the tune of his song down and she could only guess that he was starting to feel tired as she was. So she pushed the door open and lightly closed it behind her, feeling a chill run down her spine as she shut the rest of Ravok out.

All was quiet—and dark. Melpomene could make out various shapes of furniture, but there was no fire burning, and basically nothing else except a chest, a chair, empty tables, and a bed. She took it in with slight disappointment, having hoped at least for another glass of water. Her eyes then focused on the bed and she made straight for it, seating herself on the large cushion.

[Delos]

Delos was more than a little surprised by her declaration of gratitude towards him. Hero? The little Scholar was many things but hero certainly did not fit into that category. If anything he was a coward most of the time, running from most conflicts and ignoring the oppression that surrounded him. If he truly was a hero then what was he doing in a place such as Ravok?

Melpomene stooped down and gently picked him up in the curve of her hands. The Pycon was not complaining, his little exertion always left him feeling a little drained. The Konti quickly made a bee line for the bed as soon as she noticed it in the dark. Delos was actually rather grateful that it was dark, his house was not exactly clean or well kept up. In fact the only reason he owned the small house was because he thought owning property would look better on his application for citizenship.

His companion sat down on the small bed, her features near indiscernible in the darkness of the room. Delos knew that she would probably need to bathe and get her wounds checked sometime soon.

"Before you decide to rest your head, and I decided to rest mine I should inform you of something. The chest in the corner over there has about one hundred gold mizes, feel free to take five or ten of them to get a bath, heal your wounds, and definitely get some new clothes." Delos said his voice more than a little weary.

He was not too concerned about being robbed by Melpomene, from what he had seen of her she seemed a trustworthy sort. Just scared and alone in a frightening city, Delos could certainly relate to that.

"Now then I suggest we both get some rest, there will be a long day ahead of both of us tomorrow." The Pycon stated, his mind already straying back to Amelia.

It would certainly be an interesting day at work tomorrow.

[Melenna]

“Yes, you are right.” Melpomene gently set Delos down near the edge of the bed, quite near to the pillow. She wasn't sure where he normally slept or if he slept at all, but she knew that at the very least, he should be somewhere he wouldn't get squished. As for her—she'd gone long enough without sleep and the softness of the bed, the feathered pillow and thick covers already had her nearly crooning in delight. How long had it been since she had felt the plush of a bed, had the privacy of a room?

The Konti stood only to pull the covers of the bed back and slip herself inside. She didn't bother to undress or do anything about her filthy body, for there was nothing to be done about them and Delos didn't seem to mind. Silently, her body slipped between bed and blankets, some of her joints creaking as they finally came to rest. Melpomene ended up on her side, curled up like a ball with her hands against her chest. The wounds still itched (as did most of her grimy skin), but it was only a matter of time before the momentum of her weariness crashed her into oblivion.

In those last minutes before unconsciousness, Melpomene smiled. Given different circumstances, her visit to Delos' bed may have been romantic. Of course, he'd have to be a wee bit taller and she a wee bit cleaner, but the thought amused her nonetheless. The White Isle was populated almost entirely of females, and before her capture, she had seen so little of men. To further the race, a Konti almost always had to leave the island and find a mate. Such an idea had filled her with curiosity from a very small age, making her imagine what it must be like to journey to the mainland to meet a promising male.

She had imagined someone gentle, someone whose sweet words bordered poetry. Perhaps she was destined for a bard or some local musician—they'd fall in love immediately, of course, because he would be so handsome and she so beautiful. As she had come to find out, such things were purely superficial. It didn't matter if a man looked half decent or if he couldn't carry a tune; what mattered at the end of the day was how many bruises she had, mentally as well as physically.

So Melpomene cherished what was left of her time with Delos. It wasn't a matter of attraction or pleasure, but the simple satisfaction of being comfortable.

[Delos]

It was a common misconception about the Pycon that they did not sleep, one Delos was sure had perpetuated due to their artificial nature. It was not sleep in the way that most of the larger races thought of sleep, it was more of a restful state in which any of the days exertions were recovered from. If the young scholar were forced to put it into terms that would apply to the larger races he would call it more of a meditative state.

It did not normally last long, about an hour, two at the most and it was easier for Pycon to go without sleep than other more organic races. Delos was engaging in it far more often than he normally would have as of late. It was useful as it gave him time for reflection on the days activities as his mind was still relatively lucid. It also let him recover from any Djed drain that he endured.

The young scholar did not normally rest on the bed, it was too arduous a climb to be worth any minor comfort the bed provided. Still it was nice that Melpomene had possessed the courtesy to place him near the pillow
she had practically passed out on. He didn't blame her, considering what she had been through.

The Konti looked peaceful in her rest, hopefully she would have many more peaceful nights. Delos allowed himself to fall into a restful state, when he recovered in about an hour he would probably look over his mother's field journal. He needed advice on this matter, maybe his mother had written something that could help.