Reunion in the Gardens

The rest of the day is cold and damp, with flurries falling lightly in the wind-less day. The gardens are more comfortable, with their magics, though a few flurries may still reach down to dust the foliage. Amidst the paths and greenery, a lone mul'niessa sits upon a bench before a collection of rose bushes nearly ever in bloom. They current hold her attention, or at least her facing, as eyes and thoughts may be focused elsewhere.

"Roses never die, stranger?" Behind Aya stood a very thoroughly cloaked and wrapped up figure. One garbed in long cloak and bandages - and with their horns and glaive covered, red ribbons. They also seemed to carry a large satchel over their shoulder. "Ever in bloom."

Aya startles at the unexpected voice behind her, head and eyes whirling towards. Her lack of notice prior is her own concern, and not due to any efforts by the stranger, per se. A blink as she eyes the scaled one for a moment before the abrupt tension abates. "Peace on your nest. These, here, are in bloom more than not. They are protected, while so many others are not."

"A peaceful nest," Aelwyn responds in kind with a bow of his head. "Protected?" Then there's a widening of his teeth into a macabre grin of sorts. "This one can see that, under such tight watchful eyes." Meanwhile, he begins to unload the satchel from around his shoulders. "Is she the gardener?"

Another mul'niessa graces the gardens after a moment. One dressed largely in black with various spots of red as accent. This brings out the pure darkness of his skin, and the bright redness of his eyes. His long black hair swings behind him in a braid falling nearly to his knees, and he seems to be looking for something... or someone. Catching sight of Aya, he smiles in a flash of white teeth. "Aya!" He calls out, and moves toward her. "I have been so worried about you after the other night."

Aya frowns at the response, or her interpretation of the Makari's implications. Her? A protector? She shakes her head. "Not by me, but by the magics. I-" Her words halt and her head snaps around abruptly at hearing her name. No, not just that: it is the voice calling it. Then the bearer of said voice as she spies him, blinking anew. "Daed?!"

He need not trouble himself with moving to her any longer. She is upright from the bench and over and adjacent one in a single bound, then darting to him at preternatural speed. All in rush to grapple him. In the affectionate manner, that is, as she embraces him in a hug, head upon its appointed place against his chest. "Where WERE you?! I sought you everywhere! I.."

Aelwyn tilts his head as the newcomer calls out to Aya, then he tilts his head at the scene. Leaning his spear against his side, he tilts his head at the embracing couple; but he has no urge to move on and rush to interrupt the reunion. Instead, he simply pulls the satchel back over his shoulder and the scarf back over his face, curiously watching from the sidelines.

Daed as he's been identified, embraces Aya gently, holding her with fondness and yet no small amount of amusement. "I knew better than to be in the house while you were off hunting demons. I admit I did not expect them to burn it down... I have been staying at an inn in the city. Little no-name place where no one would expect me to be." He rubs her back. "Did you... Get the demon you were after?"

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+15: (17)+15: 32
GAME: Aelwyn rolls sense motive: (5)+1: 6
GAME: Aya rolls sense motive: (10)+19: 29

The words are reassuring; a comfort to Aya. Almost as much as his presence, into which she leans. The prior tension and vacant melancholy before that all evaporate with a content sigh as she leans heavily into him. "Handsome, well-dressed, AND smart," she coos with an edge of affectionate jab. "Obviously why I favor you."

The wry mirth fades after with a less-content exhale. "No. It sent lackeys, but never appeared. It must have gone to the house, instead..." Now she lifts her head to him, eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry. I never imagined it would go there..."

She has not forgotten of the sith dragoon, nor does she wholly ignore him. Merely heavily distracted by matters at hand, or in hand.

Well, that explained plenty of things. Aelwyn tilts his head the other way. A protector indeed - but then he has to take a look down at himself, pulling away at the tarp like cloak he was wearing. Handsome and smart yes, well-dressed... The Dragoon picks up his head up, looking around the garden in case these two wanted to be more in private. Perhaps no room for yet another horned demon.

Daed chuckles. "You flatterer. Do not worry yourself so much. I am well, you are well. There is little more we can ask for than that." He traces the edge of her face and then motions to the other who stands nearby. "Is this one of your friends? You have been keeping me cooped up in the house so much I have not had a chance to meet anyone new in ages."

It's a gentle poke back at her and he smiles to Aelwyn, sketching a half-bow. "Peace on your nest! You may call me Daed, any friend of Aya's is one I would like to know."

Aya's grin may leave little room in her cheeks for anything, though his touch is made an exception. Another blink at the reminder that, yes, other beings exist and she turns back towards Aelwyn while not fully releasing Daed. "Forgive me, " she offers to the Makari, cheeks now coloring briefly. "I am Aya, this is Daed." She then explains to Daed, "We'd only just met."

Aelwyn turns his head over the pair, and then bows his head in kind. "Nest in peace," The ruddy sith-makar responds in kind. "This barely traded a word with Silverbraid until now," The draconian explains with a gesture with his hand. "Aelwyn, a Dragoon." He introduces himself in turn, with yet another bow of his head. A toothy 'grin' appears on his blunt snout. "A day of roses, it seems; not one for graves." He gestures at his satchel, "This should return to his task at hand."

Daed sketches another bow to Aelwyn. "No need to depart on my behalf. The gardens are more than large enough to share." He glances down at Aya with a warm smile. "Though I can not say that I would object to some alone time with Aya."

Aya dips in a deep nod to Aelwyn. "Well met. Do not let us drive you off, nor keep you. The gardens are most pleasant today." Now. Daed's comment to her causes one brow to lift, drawing the lipcorner below it also upward. "I would hope you would not..." Another (mostly) edgeless barb.

Aelwyn tips his head and it was easy to see his amusement spreading across his face. "His behalf? This would have not," He gestures with his hand again, making a circular gesture with it. "But now? It seems as if this garden would not be able to contain them." The hand moves to rest down on his hip. "So it seems only appropriate that this one leaves them to conquer the garden on their own terms." The draconian tips his head forward, picking up his satchel and glaive alike.

The mul'niessa man bows his head to Aelwyn once more. Ever polite. "As you will then." He turns his attention on Aya then, offering her a warm look. "I have been doing some research on more advanced magics. Did you know that in order to appear as someone else all you really need is a little bit of their body? Fascinating."

"Should it not contain us," Aya informs Aelwyn with a lingering half-grin, "we shall take ourselves elsewhere. Safe travels." She then turns her focus, head, and eyes upwards to Daed. Before she can inquire of Daed's newly-claimed residence in that regard, his comment of magic draws some surprise. Both brows arch.

"Is that so? That could have been useful in our trap, or one in the future. You have my word that I would only borrow a tiny part of you." A hand is lifted with thumb and forefinger nearly touching, for scale.

"Hmmh, but sometimes the sweetest lie amidst the flowers." Aelwyn responds, but he bows his head in kind, "Silverbraid," Then towards her companion not lost, "Daed." The talk about magic makes him tilt his head just a touch. "Hmmh, too many people with too many faces in this city..." He rumbles quietly by himself, before starting to walk away from the pair, eyes already looking out across the garden.

There's laughter from behind Aelwyn as the sith-makar departs, the laughter is an easy light thing, and Daed's eyes are twinkling when it fades. "Just that little bit? It might take more." He pulls his hair over his shoulder and waggles the braid at her cheerfully. "You could start with the hair, at least that will grow back."

Aya looses a light laugh to join Daed's. "As I said, smart. I will consider it." The waggling of braid provokes a bemused snort and she reaches back for her own to grasp it similarly and waggle it back at him. "Mine, however, remains mine." She smirks. "None want you using magic to walk about as me. One is enough for the city. The world."

Daed lifts his head slightly, red eyes scanning the gardens idly and pulling the woman still half in hi arms a little closer. "I would not mind another of you, were that other not evil." He says gently. "Now come here and give me another hug, it feels like forever since we were alone..."

GAME: Aya rolls sense motive: (1)+19: 20 (EPIC FAIL)

Aya is delighted to see him; that was never in question. She also wanted to slap him silly for the frantic night(s) of fretting and searching. There are, fortunately, ways to impart both affection and a touch of aggression. She need not be asked nor told twice and promptly steps to embrace him again. "You could not handle another of me," the jab is very blunted by her snuggling, "and I am not inclined to share." The last note is rather firm.

GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23

There's a flash of movement from Daed, his hand flickering near her face and suddenly there's a dagger pressed against her neck. Not plunging in as it could, but drawing a thin line of blood. There's sudden fury on his features. "Now he chooses to fight me. Seems the boy does love you as much as you love him." The laugh that comes out of Daed's mouth is NOT his own.

Where are Aya's vaunted keen senses and sharp reflexes now? Smothered in relief and contentment, of course, with a healthy sprinkling of pleasant anticipation. It isn't until after the sting at her neck that she even realizes something is wrong. The fury she sees in his eyes only adds to her blossoming confusion.

Then he speaks.. and realization dawns, with her eyes widening to be filled by it.

She takes a half-step back, as much as she might. Finally, threat overrides distraction and her face twists into a mask of rage... among other. "Release him!" she demands.

"Because you demand it?" The demon in the mul'neissa mocks her. "What are you going to do? Pummel this lovely body of his into submission. I'd like to see that." It's not talking like Daed at all anymore. None of his careful articulation or care. The voice that comes out of his throat isn't his anymore. "Step back from my knife any further and I'll cut his throat instead. He's deep enough in despair I think he might _let_ me."

Aya didn't follow her demand with a threat for that very reason: there is none she can make, and both (or all three) of them know it. Her motion halts abruptly. She no longer attempts to move away, though neither is she as eager to rest up against him as she was before. Aya is not going to risk Daechir further. All may be well aware of that, as well.

"What do you want?" is her new demand. Better to ask than imagine, though it isn't hard for her to do, at least in general terms. All has seemed it seeks to torment her. It may be unwilling or unable to end her. Whether this is boon or bane is highly debatable even for herself. Regardless, she has little choice, other than attempt to deny it some joy; deny it view torment in her tone and posture.

GAME: Aya rolls bluff: (11)+12: 23

The demon runs its free hand over Daed's chest. "Thought we'd show off our newest toy. Such a pretty thing isn't it? Shame she just intends to use it for fuel. Won't his father be surprised when he shows up ready to be a part of the family?" It smiles and eyes Aya. "Don't you love us Aya? Why so distant? You're going to hurt poor Daechir's feelings."

She? In addition to the 'we.' Aya's eyes narrow at the rest. "He is -not- fuel. His father is leashed by his own hands. And -Daechir-," she notes harshly, stepping close to jab a finger at his chest. Just not nearly as forcefully as she might wish to were the situation different. "Daechir is far stronger than that, far smarter. He knows himself more than some random flesh-rider, and he knows me more than anyone."

"Indeed a shame then." The demon says, flipping Daed's braid behind him and removing the knife from her throat. A flicker of his fingers and its gone again. Like one of the small magic tricks that Daed was so fond of. "Well. We just came to gloat. As ordered. Now I've got to dash off and bring him back to the boss." He lifts a few fingers in farewell.

Aya's pointing finger unpoints, the rest of her hand moving to Daechir's chest. There it grabs a handful of double-buttoned, expertly-embroidered material. She locks eyes with him. "What makes you believe that I would allow you to do that?" She isn't about to simply allow him to walk away. Whether she can actually enforce that wish may be another matter entirely.

Red eyes drop to her hands. "Careful honey, these are the only clothes we have left." He lifts a hand and shoos her back. "Can't have you damaging the goods before I can get them there." He leans into her a little. "You can come with if you want, but you won't be having a very good time."

"Or he'll be unclothed? The horror." It would be wry, amusing, entertaining, any other time. Now Aya's return retort of empty threats is rather hollow, as her thoughts are clashing beneath it. She cannot abandon him. She -won't- abandon him. The thought of turning this fiend, its superior, their superior, and any other thing present not-Daechir into extraplanar paste is also more than enticing. And yet, the last time she willingly accompanied a fiend...

What if she is not strong enough, alone? What aid would she be to him? Give herself up for him? Yes. Without any guarantee for him? No. With a grimace, she releases his shirt.

"I will see you again soon enough."

"Me, possibly." The demon wearing Daed backs up, hands up and smiling. "Lover-boy? Unlikely." A laugh here and the demon turns Daechir around, walking for the exit of the gardens. Under it's breath as it walks away, almost unheard comes the demon's voice yet again. "I can see why she left this hell-hole."

Soon after that, they are gone.

-End