An Interview with the Ashfiend

[Glenn]

It was somewhat strange how these things worked out. By all rights, by every bit of logic that Glenn Burnie posessed, he should have gone straight to Calomel on this. They were starting to spar once or twice a week now. Glenn had a desk in the makeshift government headquarters. Hell, they had just gone questing for a magical shield, of all things, a few days before.

The mapmaker had been wary, however. He was still very used to doing things on his own, without asking for permission or even assistance. Unfortunately, that hadn't quite been completely possible on this occasion. He needed to find out where Ashfiend was. That meant talking to Rhaena. That meant Rhaena wanted to come. That meant that Glenn would try his usual tactic of bluffing her into NOT coming. That, of course, meant he'd fail utterly. And that meant that he was very much worried about her well-being.

That worry and a rather foolish offer of a free question, any question, for his teacher, meant that Ariane had quite easily discovered what was going on. It hadn't taken much explanation of the mapmaker's martial limitations and the weak points of his fairly non-existant plan if things were to go sour("I get hit by pain magic, you run") to have Ariane invited along as well. She would watch over Rhaena because really, against the Fiend, Glenn simply could not.

So now, what was intended to be a lone man's attempt to seek out answers from Teron was to include three people.

The thought of how this had alerady gotten out of hand made Glenn sigh as he stepped out the back door of the Dagger and headed towards the near end of the lake, the meeting place for this little expedition. There was no sword upon his side (an offering to Ariane signifying that yes, he did not mean to be a fool hero today), but then there rarely was even when facing down such horrors.

The one consolation prize to Rhaena coming along, now that she would likely be well looked after, was the bluff itself. He had requested that she not wear her veils so that Teron would not know the girl if he encountered her later. That hadn't stopped her from coming, but at least now, finally, he'd have some idea what she looked like.

[Jirai]

Rhaena

Glenn should have learned by now that his attempts to trick the girl into something were rarely successful. In fact, such attempts had backfired horribly, both times he had tried. And here came the current backfire, in the girl cautiously approaching the meeting place.

She was dressed sensibly today, trousers tucked into boots, a plain shirt with an embroidered vest. All finely made, of course, but far more practical that her usual skirts. And, as per her agreement, no veil.

Long hair was braided back tightly, there was nothing to hide the green and bronze scaling scattered about her face, edging her cheek and lining her jaw. Nor the small ridge that ran up her forhead to dissapear into her hair. Nor those oddly shaped eyes, the same metallic color as her bronzed hair.

This did not make her comfortable, that much was clear. But still, jaw jutted forward stubbornly as she approached. She had made her decision.

[Glenn]

Well, he knew that walk. And veil or no, he knew the jut of that chin. And yes, he could have at least guessed at that determined look to her eyes, even if they, themselves were novel. Oh, he could see why she hid herself behind the veil, with such noticable markings, of course. This however, was Glenn. Ask Ariane about some of the things he had seen sometime, Rhaena. Yes, there was a strong distrust of magic, but it apparently didn't transfer to her so far. Why would it now?

He couldn't help but look her up and down as she approached. His eyes TRIED to look innocent, as if they were minding their own businses, but really, he had been wondering for a good deal of time... hadn't he? It was all he could do to keep a pleasant smile from escaping, really it was, but then that was nothing new when he was around her as of late.

Still, his voice was cool and focused, and after a few moments, he managed to get his expression that way as well. "Good morning, Rhaena. I expect Ariane will be along shortly and then we can get going." A half clench of his hand, but he did not instinctively reach for hers.

[Carnath-Emory]

As if summoned, there she is: a black blotch rounding that distant, shallow hill, some shape of dark hair and fluttering coat-tails, and a glitter of half-hidden steel by side of the saddle. The beast she rides is a magnificent thing: there is no mistaking it for a nobleblood's fancy; this is no pony made for prancing and dressage and paved city streets. Some six foot tall at the withers, and built broadly with it, this is clearly a breed made for war and horror, it is clearly too much horse for a woman Ariane's size --

And it's approached them at a fine clip, heavy hooves doing damage to dry earth and grass. If there's any surprise in her at all, it's for what accompanies Glenn Burnie this morning, for it's one thing to anticipate the girl unveiled, and another entirely to see what those veils had been hiding for so long. It says much of Ariane's prejudices that she would rather scales than mentalism, so that there is a lingering gaze for the girl, and some slight tilt of the head - and nothing more than that at all.

It suits her well enough to rest back in that saddle, and to wait.

[Jirai]

Rhaena

Let him look. She had expected that, of course. After he spoke, though, some of the nervousness faded from her eyes.

"Good morning, Glenn." She returned the greeting carefully, stopping near - but not too near - the mapmaker. There was a nod for his comment about Ariane, and her arms folded uncomfortably. It seemed that they would not have long to wait, though, for the swordswoman approached swiftly. There was a nod returned to the woman, and a murmured greeting for her as well. "Good morning, Miss Emory."

[Glenn]

A nod and a tight smile to Ariane. He couldn't (and wouldn't) even begin to tell her how relieved he was she was there with them. "Alright, few ground rules. One, I'll do the talking when it comes to the Ashfiend. Two, keep to your promise, Rhaena. Nothing to connect you to the person in the veils, including the power he may or may not have noticed her using at the Baker farm, so yes, keep to your promise THIS TIME. If he insists on knowing who you are, I'll come up with a name and a story that you almost assuredly won't like. Three, we're absolutely not there to fight or anger him. I've picked my questions carefully and I'm going to err on the side of caution, so there aren't many of them. I know all three of us have reasons to want revenge either for ourselves or for those we care about, but not today."

There, that was mainly for Rhaena. Ariane would do her job and she would do it well. There was no doubt for that. Still, he had made it general enough so that he wouldn't have to see a nasty look from the girl, who was now quite capable of making any nasty looks seen by all. "Rhaena, how close is he? Will we need horses or should we go on foot?" He had two in the stables borrowed from Esraeux. They would allow for a quicker escape, but that hardly mattered if he was fairly close to their end of the lake.

[Jirai]

Rhaena

Oh, she was quite capable now, and wasn't that a wonderful thing? Still, all that the mapmaker would receive from the girl was a slight frown - but she did nod to his words. "I keep my promises." There, feeling better now, Glenn?

At his next question the girl was glancing away, eyes unfocusing slightly as she tried to assess the distance. Direction was easy - distance more difficult to determine while still keeping her promises. It would be easy for them to see when she found what she sought. Briefly, expressions would ripple across her face, mirroring a hatred and anger that were not her own. It would be but a moment before she controlled that reaction, though, remembering that she had no veil to hide such things today.

[Carnath-Emory]

"Different eyes for different occasions," a man had once said to her, and here is some similar thing: not eyes, but modes of existence. She is a quiet thing here, who's kept to her saddle all this time, and slouched slightly back in it as they begin to speak at length. A hand has brushed now and then through the beast's tousled mane, has checked the secure fastening of glittering things to her thighs; there beneath this light, summer coat, murderous things are lurking.

She is content to watch, best of all: Glenn Burnie says nothing that is not familiar, nothing surprising at all, but there are interesting things in the gazes exchanged between the pair, in the minutae of glance and feature and posture. That is how you learn a person, by devouring the things they say without speaking words at all, and --

You could mistake Rhaena's distant gaze for a squinting assessment, at first, utterly mundane. You really could, until her features become strange in a way that scales alone couldn't render them, and then ... Why, then you've no choice at all but to guess at what she does, to imagine a mind that travels miles.

To Ariane's surprise ... it interests.

[Glenn]

"Hey!" Concern rushed over Glenn's face as a hand went towards Rhaena's shoulder, not thinking for a moment what might happen if she was feeling that rage and hatred, if she was channeling it, then and there. What if his shield didn't hold? No matter. That she might be thusly (permanently) infected was his greatest fear in this, even greater than her ending up like Alastir. Yes, he would take an addled Rhaena over an outright evil one, if he had to so choose. He'd rather stab himself in the eye than make such a choice, but life was never quite that easy in Myrken Wood, was it?. "Stop, ok? I'll get the horses and we'll go. Don't scan for him again unless you think we're going in wrong direction."

[Jirai]

Rhaena

There is a twist of her shoulders, a step and a turn that takes her back just before his hand might settle on her shoulder. He might not be concerned about that shield holding, might not be thinking of such things, but she was both. Bronzed eyes were refocusing on the mapmaker, attention tearing away from her search.

"I am fine, Glenn." The girl insisted. "It's not like I haven't done this before." But she was not resuming the search, it seemed, acquiescing readily enough to his request.

Of course, seeming is not always reality, and there is some small thread of her awareness elsewhere.

[Glenn]

Despite the tone of her voice, his look showed very little but concern. The world is a little different when you can't hide behind that veil all the time, isn't it Rhaena? Though in some ways Glenn felt more comfortable, strangely enough. He was USED to having some idea what she was feeling, even if not thinking. He had felt particularly.. empty? no, but certainly lacking something ever since she put a stop to that. Best to keep yourself focused, Glenn. "I'll go get the horses." He jogged off (for that's how he generally got between places these days), leaving the two women together, not even thinking how uncomfortable THAT might be.

[Jirai]

Rhaena

Oh, quite different. Her dislike for going without the veil was not entirely due to her own appearance. Of course, there were advantages and disadvantages to both ways. And speaking of advantages, he might see a small smile before he went for the horses.

This left the girl alone with Ariane, but fortunately the older woman did not seem much inclined to talk. And so she waited quietly for the mapmaker and the horses.

[Carnath-Emory]

Isn't that convenient?

And of course, Glenn Burnie cannot know why this might cause them some difficulty, some slight unease -- unless Rhaena has detailed the incident to him. Ariane Emory would wager good against the likelihood of that. But as it happens, they find a peaceful enough accord: there are many places for the swordswoman to turn her gaze which do not include the Olwak girl in their scope, and Rhaena for her part is apparently happy to hold her tongue for a while.


Doesn't this bode wonderfully for their journey?

[Glenn]

As it so happened, there was an incident with a drow and... well, no need to go into detail, but yes, Glenn had some idea why Ariane might not think highly of Rhaena. Whether he processed such a thing was another story. They were both important to him. It was a moment of temporary blindness to see that two people close to him might be so at odds. Still, maybe he should have let Rhaena know that something had slipped. Maybe he should have asked Ariane to get the horses. Maybe it was a very good thing that he was jogging...

For he was back quite soon, the two loaned horses with him. The one chosen for Rhaena would be quite tame. Of course the one chosen for glenn would be fairly tame as well, but thar's hardly the point. There was little more to be said. They'd get on their horses and ride, rather uneventfully, getting closer and closer to the Ashfiend by the moment. It was strange, one did not usually ride TOWARDS deathfrost.

[Jirai]

Rhaena

Even without the veil, the girl is quite capable of -not- meeting Ariane's eyes. Of course, this is assisted by the swordswoman - she herself seeming to have similar ideas.

She sat the horse a bit awkwardly - clearly, riding was not her strong suit. But she -liked- horses, especially nice, small, calm ones. Ariane's was more than a little intimidating, even just to look at.

So they rode closer, and the nearer they drew to her goal the more taciturn and withdrawn the girl would become. And more nervous. In fact, even without her speaking, it would probably be possible for her companions to judge their approach simply by watching the girl. Though she would certainly inform them when they were drawing too near.