Closed Half-forgotten strangers

[Iskessah]

19th Fall, 513 Valerius Nitrozian. Iskessah had never expected to seek out the man she met briefly last year, yet here she was at the doorstep of the Nitrozian mansion, about to call on him like they were old friends. She wondered if he had even remembered his offer to teach her. Under usual circumstances, she would never have acknowledged any need for a teacher, but learning cryptography on her own was a slow and frustrating process. It couldn't hurt to pick up a few tricks from someone more practiced in the art. ...Besides, Joshry's mother was still missing, and they had not made any progress decoding the message she had left behind. It wasn't that Iskessah felt any obligation to help Joshry or Angela...she just hated seeing a project unfinished, that was all. The sooner Joshry found his mother, the sooner Iskessah would be able to focus on new interests. In the past, her primary goal was to keep a low profile, remain unnoticed so that no one would take an interest in her and possibly endanger her life. But she had been away from Ravok for a year, had tasted freedom, and realized that even after she had been freed from her cage, she was still living as a slave. She was Dhani, and even if she did not reveal herself, she would still act like it. She would rather die than let her soul be enslaved again. And so, with her broad-brimmed hat set firmly on her head, she rapped sharply on the front door with her knuckles. The house was large, so she made sure her knock was loud, so it would carry far enough for someone to hear. About fifteen ticks later, the door opened. A dark skinned girl looked at Iskessah with disdain and some confusion. She said nothing, so Iskessah declared, "I am here to sssee Valeriusss. Bring me to him." The slave girl wrinkled her nose at Iskessah. "Wait here," she said, before closing the door in Iskessah's face. It seemed Iskessah had little choice but to stand on the doorstep until the girl returned.

[Valerius Nitrozian]

Tuuli went straight to her master. After she had knocked on the door, and he had given her permission to enter, she curtsied and then she informed him, „Master, there is a woman at your doorstep. She has a terrible lisp, and she demands to see you.“ Valerius who had just been sitting at his desk, going through his notes for the KRI, turned to face his slave and furrowed his brow. „I don’t know any women with a terrible lisp“, he told her. „She’s probably a beggar and wants money. Threaten her with the Ebonstryfe and tell her to go away.“ „As you wish, master“, Tuuli replied and walked to the door, but before she had left the room, Valerius interrupted her. He dimly remembered that he had met a woman with a terrible lisp and a certain interest in cryptography at the KRI a couple of seasons ago. Was it her? What did she want from him? „No, Tuuli“, he decided. „Don’t send her away, but bring her to me. You may still threaten her with the Ebonstryfe though so that she behaves. And tell her to take her shoes off. I don’t want my precious carpet to get dirty.“ Tuuli nodded and went back downstairs, to the door of the Nitrozian Estate. „I’ll take you to Master Valerius“, she informed Iskessah. „If you have come to harm him, think about it again. The Ebonstryfe isn’t far. And take your shoes off. Master Valerius doesn’t want you to ruin his carpet.“[/b] If Isskessah complied, Tuuli would proceed to take her to Valerius‘ suite that was probably more luxurious than anything the Dhani had ever seen before, with a fireplace, a large fireplace, a desk by the window and a table in the center of the room. The Nitrozian was still sitting behind the desk. His appearance was impeccable, as always. „Master, your visitor is here“, Tuuli announced and gestured for Isskessah to step forward. Valerius turned around and frowned very lightly before he asked, „Why are you here? Did anything happen? I haven’t seen you since that day in the KRI, Miss …“ He waited for her to remind him of her name. Since they had only met once, many days ago, he had forgotten what she was called. „Tuuli, you can go“, he told his slave.

[Iskessah]

Iskessah was perfectly willing to remove her boots. Not that she expected to have to shift, but the less clothing in the way, the easier it was to accomplish quickly. She glanced around the room and noted the fireplace with approval, but the rest did not impress her overmuch. A glance at Valerius and she couldn't believe she had ever been nervous of him. Of course, a year ago she had been afraid of anything in Ravok that might reveal her nature, assuming that exposure would spell her doom, one way or another. Now, she knew better. She had seen more of the world, and while she still wanted to avoid her secret leaking out, it was more an inconvenience than "doom". Taking this boy at face value, he was rather scrawny-looking, a scholar at best, his only real power in the chance that others more powerful would protect him. She almost felt sorry for him, in a way. When he mentioned not seeing her around, she had to chuckle. Her tone was smug as she explained, "No, I have been, away. Do you remember when Ravok attempted to march on your hated enemy? I went along." Since he had not yet offered her a seat, she sat down on the edge of the table,, casually and silently taunting his sense of propriety. "If I recall, you had an interessst in cryptography, and at the time. you were willing to teach. I wondered if that offer might ssstill be on the table." Almost as an after thought she added, "You can call me Iskessah, if you need a name that badly."