RtA Log - Sister With Shells!
Characters: Kiernan, Maggie, Quinlan, Amethyst
Location: Lonely Beach - Amber Countryside
The lonely beach can be a lonely place, should one wish company. But when one doesn't wish company? It's a great place to be. Kiernan is here. Does this mean he wishes solitude? Perhaps. Perhaps not. None the less, he is here. Walking along the beach. Or, at least, he was. About halfway down the beach, he turns to face the surf. He sinks down to the sand and settles there, cross-legged, looking out into the waves. He doesn't have his long staff today, just the sword belted to his waist. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, and his chin in his upturned palms. When he's in the city, he can often be found here. Looking out to the sea.
The lonely beach can be a lonely place indeed. Or a balm to rattled nerves. Maggie walks along the beach coming from over there and heading elsewhere. She has her head lowered and every now and then she scuffs her feet and bends to pick something up. Sometimes she digs a hole in the sand with her toe and puts the thing into it, covering it again and sometimes she tucks whatever it is into a net bag she carries. Her wandering takes her from the tideline up to the warmer sand and down again. As one point, she looks up and spots the man sitting there. A smile begins and she angles his way, "Morning, Kier. Didn't expect to see anyone on this beach. How are you?"
Kiernan often seeks the beach and the sea for their ability to ease rattled nerves. This day is no exception to that rule. A few moments before he hears his sister's voice, Kiernan's head tilts slightly to one side, and then the other, as he picks up the sounds of someone walking on the beach. He turns his head and watches her for a few seconds. Then his eyes go forward again, back to the water. There they stay until Maggie gets closer and speaks to him. "Aye, 'tis morning," he agrees. "I am... alive, more or less. How are you?" He turns to look to her. He's a good bit more somber than the last time she'd seen him, but there is a smile hovering at the edges of his mouth. It just hasn't quite come into view yet.
Maggie lifts a brow at that greeting and the smile shifts a bit. Reaching him she shifts her net bag a little to one side and the hush of organic matter sliding one against the other comes from it. Kneeling, she settles the bag on the sand and shells can be seen through the mesh, "Okay, Kier. Out with it. What's wrong?" As she speaks, one hand comes to rest on his shoulder and she looks at him with concern in her eyes.
If that shifted smile is noticed, Kiernan doesn't comment upon it. His eyes travel back out to the sea, until the sound of the organic matter in that bag reaches his ears. He watches it, and her, as she knees. When he sees the shells, that hovering smile turns into an actual smile, if a small one. At least it's genuine. The smile fades with the comments and question, and he looks over to his sister, a deep sadness visible for a moment before it's shuttered away. He shakes his head and looks back to the sea. "Sometimes, life isn't so great," he finally manages. That white chalice mark is visible, there on his neck so near to where her hand is on his shoulder. "I'm okay, Maggie. Recovering, more or less. Just.. bad days and good. Most tend to be somewhere in between."
Maggie shrugs, "Life is like that, yes." Her finger lifts to lightly touch the chalice mark as her brow continues to rise, "What the hell has been going on, Kier? This is new. Unless you just hid it while we were out and about." Such a bright, almost flippant way to refer to those days. Her hand falls away again, though when she notes the smile the shells give him, she settles farther on the beach, "Tell you what. You tell me what's going on and I'll tell you what the shells are for. Bet you can't guess..." Ah, sisters. They all tease their older brothers. It is a universal law.
Sisters teasing is indeed a universal law. Brothers wouldn't know what to do without it, though. Kiernan is no exception to that. He turns his head, and his eyes, back to her again as she touches that mark. "Oh. I got that in my second trip to Lyonesse. I'm a Companion to the Graal, though I've not yet figured out just what that means." He takes a deep breath, holds it for a moment, and releases it slowly. She'd probably notice, given the way she's looking at him at the very least, that his skin has paled just a touch with her words. He glances to the shells for a moment, and then back to the sea. He shakes his head. "I'm not sure I want to know what the shells are for. Rebman bras, maybe?" The lips twitch with amusement.
Maggie lifts a brow again as she notes the palor of his skin. "Hmm." Nodding at the explaination of the mark, she shifts the shells in their net. She seems to be seeking something in their depths though her gaze only flickers lower every now and then, "Nah. That's too easy." More softly, she adds, "But. None of that tells me why you lost your smile, Kier. Even in the depths of that Nogitsune's lair you could smile. What happened?" As she speaks, she spies the shell she wanted. It is a lovely thing, curling about itself as deep, rose pink eases toward salmon then to cream. It has pure white frills along the edges. "There is it." Digging it out of the net, she holds it out on her fingertips. "This is for you."
Kiernan seems to be continuing with those deep, slow, measured breaths. In, hold, out. Slow. Steady. The paleness of his skin fades back to simply fair, after awhile, though doesn't quite reach the same color it had been before. It's still just a hair paler than normal. Almost like when he gets seasick, only without the green. He turns his eyes back to Maggie, and he tilts his head curiously. "Too easy?" He sounds a bit confused, but more curious than not. He breathes out a soft sigh as she comments on smiles and asks what happened. He looks away again, for a moment, then back to her. He lifts his chin from his hands, and straightens up from his foreward lean. He lifts his left hand, the one not on the side she's sitting on, and raises it up to rest on the center of his chest, over his heart. "It's broken." If he'd used his right hand, she might not have been able to see that the nail beds are pale too. Not quite to white, but not a great color either. But with his left hand? No, there's no hiding it. The nails are facing her, afterall.
Maggie watches the breathing and the adjustments. Tilting her head, she seems about to comment on one thing and maybe put the shell on Kiernan's head when something catches her eyes. The shell is settled on his knee and, instead of drawing her hand back, she lifts it to touch one fingernail. The touch increases in pressure, then slips away. Watching to see if the color returns quickly or not, she hmmms. Looking up at his eyes, she searches them, "Okay. Who broke your heart and why the hell haven't you had it fixed yet?" Physical? Emotional? Phisical takes precidence, "And whom do I go smack around?"
When the shell is settled to his knee, Kiernan remembers she'd been holding it out for him. Whoops. He doesn't immediately lower his left hand, because of Maggie's touch to the nail there. The color is white when she lifts her finger, and fades only slowly back to the pale color it had been before. Kiernan's eyes fall to that and he sighs softly. He lowers his hand down then, and closes his fingers around the shell, just holding it for a moment. He lifts it then, turning his hand over so the shell rests on his palm. "It's beautiful," he says, looking back to his sister. He shakes his head to her question. "You don't get to smack anybody around. Ryika doesn't get to, either." Thus eliminates her as the one for breakings. "It's been this way since I woke up in Arden. Since Before."
Maggie nods once, her smile softening as he takes the shell finally, "It reminded me of you." Then, one hand extending, she touches his shoulder again. Her voice is quiet, concern in her eyes quite evident, "Why haven't you asked Amy or Celeste to fix it, Kier? A broken heart is nothing to sneeze at." Sometimes literally. "They could fix it for you, I am sure of it. Or, I could take you to a high-tech Shadow and we could have it fixed there. Though that can be messy."
Kiernan's skin shades to pink at the compliment, the blush evident against the paleness of his skin. The only part that doesn't go pink is that white chalice mark, and it stands out all the more because of it. He lays his head to the side, and rests his cheek on her hand on his shoulder. "Amy can't. I asked her a few days ago. Or.. that might have been closer to a week ago. I can't remember. And..." He takes a deep breath and lifts his head to look away again. Despite the measured breathing, Kiernan's skin starts to pale out again. "I'm afraid, Maggie," he whispers. "Celeste offered, before, but.." The words trail off and Kiernan closes his eyes. He shifts, legs uncurling so he can draw his knees up. He rests his forehead on them and wraps his arms around them. The shell is still clasped in his left hand, knuckles almost white around it. "But when she.. she wants to do something to my energies." He shudders softly, both visible to her, and easily felt.
Maggie leaves her hand on his shoulder, the touch comforting and warm. Listening, she nods, "Ah. I thought that Amy was the best." Well. To her, Amy is capable of anything. Watching him go paler, Maggie's brow furrows and her eyes continue to search his face. "She did? And you didn't take her up on it? Kiernan..." Listening, she mistakes his fear, "Oh. Well. Celeste is good too, Kier. She won't hurt you." And then she hears it. The phrase that haunts her these days. 'Do something to my energies'. Her hand squeezes a little more and she nods slowly, "Ah. Right. Well... I don't blame you for being afraid, actually. But... A Mandrake doesn't eat energy, Kier. They..." And then she pauses, "I don't actually know what they do with it... Let's ask Quinlan."
The tension that had filled him slowly starts to subside a little. Despite not knowing each other well, it seems that Kiernan takes comfort in his sister's presence. He takes a few deep breathes, and turns his head to the side so he can look at Maggie again. "I was okay, until she said she wanted to mess with my energies. Magic being used on me just.." He shudders softly. "I don't know what they do with it either. She said she wanted to change it to force my body to heal itself. I want it healed, I just.." His breath catches and he squeezes his eyes closed, visibly in sudden pain. The visible nail beds are white, now. Even the color of his lips is washed out nearly to white.
Maggie reaches her free hand into her pocket, fingers fishing for her deck of cards. It is slim when compared to some others he may have seen. Her gaze drops as she lifts her hand from his shoulder to fish through the cards. "Yeah, I hear you. I discovered that I can use magic. Sort of. I need to train it so I don't..." Looking up at the catch in his breath, she can see the pain in him, "Kiernan!?" Panic touches her voice and she almost fumbles the cards, "Shit. Squeeze my hand and breath." Are there medicines for this sort of thing? She does not know. "Are you okay?" Dumb question but at least she has a trump in her hand. Where it should be Chase, Amy or Celeste, it is Quin's. Sliding closer, she hooks her shell net to her belt and slides an arm around the man's shoulders, "Keep breathing."
Kiernan keeps his eyes squeezed shut for another few moments, just.. breathing. Slowly, the pained look subsides, though he keeps breathing. Slowly in, held for a moment, slowly out. "I'm okay, Maggie," he finally manages. He reaches out and catches her arm. "Stop, I'm okay. You don't need to call anybody." He leans against her though, there's no mistake about it, and he's trembling faintly. He drops the shell to his lap and digs into a pocket for a bottle of medicine. There's still pain to be seen in the lines around his eyes, but he appears perfectly calm, now. And he keeps breathing. It's just not working well enough and he's still pale and washed out. He lifts his hand from her arm and opens the bottle to dump one of the pills out and onto his palm. The pill gets lifted to his mouth, then the bottle closed and dropped to his lap too. He makes the most awful face, but doesn't spit it out. It looks like he wants to be sick. He lifts his hand back to Maggie's arm, just in case she's still thinking of calling on whoever's card she's picked.
Maggie frowns as he catches her arm and makes that rediculous claim. "Bull shit." Then again, she does watch him while he takes the pill. While he does so she shifts the card to her distant hand, still holding it poised to make the call. "Don't be stubborn with your health, Kiernan. I don't want to lose the brother I just found. That'd be tragic." She does let him lean against her, the arm behind him tightening to hold him against her, "Now, hush. We can at least call Quin and ask him about the energy thing. Knowledge is power and he's the smartest mage I know." Seems she is brooking no argument there. Though she adds, "And I can give him his shell. So hush."
RPG: Maggie studies a Trump.
The trump call is placed. A cosmic ping might sound just before an etherial voice calls: Paging Mage Quinlan. Quinlan to the Red-Haired courtesy phone, please.
The image of Quinlan is, not entirely to anyone's surprise, in a nice warm pub. Surrounded by appetizers and notebooks. "Hello?"
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie is sitting on a beach somewhere with a very pale Kiernan leaning against her. She looks worried, harried and sort of upset, "Quin? It's Maggie."
The image of Quinlan nods. "I see you. Looks like you two aren't doing so well. What's up?"
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan is caught off guard by the cursing from Maggie, and he actually looks like he wants to laugh. The laugh waring with the nastiness of the pill still dissolving under his tongue. He snorts out a soft breath at her comments about stubborn, but he doesn't argue. Instead, he closes his eyes and leans into her, resting his head against her shoulder. He smiles at something she's said. "I don't want to be lost either," he admits." He smiles at something else said. "Fine fine. I'll hush." And then they're in the call. Almost before Kiernan even realizes it. "Hey, Quin. Two days in a row, who'd have thought?" Already his color is improving.
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie smiles at Quinlan and for his sake, "Hey. I'm okay. Kiernan just went all pale and interesting on me. Well. Not on me. At me. You know... He says he has a broken heart. I thought he meant emotionally until I saw his nails and his lips. The nails are all white and his lips decided that color was in season. Uh. Celeste said she can fix it, but we need to know what a Mandrake means when they say they want to manipulate energy. You can probably imagine why that's concerning."
The image of Quinlan blinks. "Uh. Yeah, I can," he agrees. "They're sometimes not the *brightest* House in Amber, but the energy they manipulate is life energy. Um. Think of it as chi, I guess. I'm only just barely starting my study into what it is Mandrakes actually *do*, and they'll probably explain it better. But basically that's what they work with - the energy of living things, of life itself. They can do all kinds of things with it, it's what makes most of them really good healers."
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan listens quietly, but frowns up at Maggie. His color appears to be just about back to normal, now. "I did mean emotionally," he points out. He nods about the question at the end. Definitely concerning. He nods to what Quinlan says, but still doesn't look overly convinced.
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie also listens to Quinlan, but drops a flicker of a frown Kiernan's way, "Oh." Then back to Quinlan, "Uh. Yeah, but that's... A bit on the scary side, Quin. How do you know that when a Mandrake takes energy it is manipulated in a positive way and then returned? Rather than munched on like some kind of glittery snackage? Kier and I are a hair sick of being used as reuseable batteries."
The image of Quinlan thinks this over. "I'd normally say, talk to a Mandrake you trust," he says. "Is Amy a doctor? You seem to like her well enough?"
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan glances up to Maggie and a hint of a smile is offered to her. Kneeling, she's taller than he is when he's sitting. He looks back to Quinlan and nods his agreement with his sister. Being munched on sucks. He nods again. "Aye, Amy's a doctor. She said she can't do what Celeste can do, though."
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie listens and shrugs slightly, though the movement is one sided, "I can ask her. She's been busy, though." Licking her lips slightly, she nods to Kiernan once, then to Quinlan, "I can send her a note. Thing is... Kiernan needs his heart fixed sooner rather than later and... I trust Amy. I hardly know Celeste, though she's been very good to Merrisol. Do you trust her, Quin?"
The image of Quinlan nods. "True enough, I think. Celeste's done some weird stuff, or so rumor hints - she tends to be higher up on the classified status rankage than I am. But if she worries you then ask Amy to go with you. Amy can watch what she does, and if Celeste does something you don't like she's able to both challenge Celeste as a Mandrake, and take the problem to Random afterward."
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan nods slowly. "Amy I trust. I'd let her do.. whatever it is Celeste wants to do and not worry about it, but.." He shrugs a little bit. Bonding on something like that Lyonesse trip does that. He thinks about that for a moment, and then shrugs a bit. "If she does something we don't like, it's still done. Still happened, you know? I want it fixed, but I'm not sure I'm going to survive the experience. I'd trust you, Quin. And Amy. I don't know anybody else well enough to trust them that far, though."
The image of Quinlan smiles slightly. "In this case, you want someone you can trust who can face Celeste down if something goes weird. Amy is a better choice than I am both for that and that she'd *see* if something's going weird, where I would have to guess. Ask her to go with you and I think that she will."
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie nods finally, as though it is decided, "A'right. Thanks, Quin. I'll try her trump again. Really appreciate you taking the time." Her smile is quick and warm for the squishy mage cousin yonder. Glancing down at Kiernan briefly, she adds, "Okay?" Since it is his choice really.
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan listens quietly, and then nods slowly. "Okay, Quin. That's a good idea. Thank you," he says. He looks up to Maggie and nods. "Okay. Oh. Don't forget his shell." He actually grins at that.
The image of Quinlan smiles a bit. "For what it's worth I don't think Celeste will screw you over. She's not particularly polite, but she *is* a dragon. They're not exactly known for courtesy anyway. But there are also much bigger, nastier predators in Amber than she is, and she knows it. She isn't likely to risk setting them after her just to mess with you, unless you've been getting up to a lot of political stuff I don't know about."
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie grins at Kiernan, then one hand slips out of the trump's frame, "Oh, right." She glances down, then up, down, then up again. Finally, she laughs, "I don't do politics, Quin. A really foxy dude was kind enough to warn me off during our first conversation or so. Smart guy." Finally, she draws her hand back up into view. Opening it, she holds a shell on her hand. It is smoothly arched, with a fillagree on the edges. The color eases from a auburn-brown toward chocolate on one side and tan on the other. The fillagrees are varigated red and brown with tiny white spots throughout. "This is yours, Quin."
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan laughs softly at that and shakes his head. "Me? Political stuff?" In truth, there's really nothing about Kiernan related in any political circles. "I don't know the first thing about politics." He pauses for a moment. "Do I want to know what's bigger and nastier than a dragon?" He watches Maggie with her shells and then looks back to Quinlan. "She gave me one too," he says. He lifts one from his lap and holds it up for Quinlan to see. It's a lovely thing, curling about itself as a deep, rose pink eases toward salmon then to cream. It has pure white frills along the edges.
The image of Quinlan smiles. "When you've handled making sure Kiernan doesn't die, I'm warming up at the Crown and Rose lately," he says. "You two should be fine. Celeste doesn't make minions, and I don't think she bothers with people that don't play in political circles."
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie chuckles, "All right. Thanks, Quin. I'll see if I can roust Amy and Celeste. Or Kiernan will." Such steel in her light and airy tone. "I'll bring you your shell." Since that is as good an excuse as any for seeing a favored cousin. "Talk to you later, okay?"
To the image of Quinlan, Kiernan considers that, and then smiles and nods. "I could do with something to eat," he admits. He looks up at Maggie, dark brows raised every so slightly at her. Innocent! He's innocent! His expression screams that.
The image of Quinlan grins. "All right. I'll be here. Take care, guys."
To the image of Quinlan, Maggie is not fooled! "You too, Quin." She lifts the hand with the shell in it and covers the card, breaking the contact on the words, "Let me see if I can find..."
Kiernan offers a nod to Quinlan. "You too, Quin," he says. He glances over to Maggie and smiles to her. He's in a much better mood than he had been when she'd found him. He leans his head against her shoulder and closes his eyes. "Man. Hungry and sleepy." Pause. "Think I'm hungrier than sleepy, though."
Maggie turns her attention away from the Trump, and the contact ends.
RPG: The Trump contact ends.
RPG: Maggie studies a Trump.
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie is sitting on a beach. Kiernan is leaning his head against her shoulder. The beach is quiet with only the sounds of surf and gulls for counterpoint, "Amy? It's Maggie."
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan opens his eyes as the trump contact washes over him too. He wrinkles his nose. "Does that ever get any less unpleasant?" Kiernan holds in one hand a shell, a lovely thing that curls about itself. It's deep rose pink that eases toward salmon and then cream with pure white frills along the edges. He lowers it, and his hand to his lap, now.
The image of Amethyst is seated in the salon at house mandrake. She blinks, and looks up, as she feels a trump call. "Hello? Oh, hi. Kiernan and Maggie? What's going on?"
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan doesn't answer the question immediately, leting Maggie do the talking for now. He remains quiet for now.
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie inhales a bit, then tilts her head a bit, "You know about Kiernan's heart thing, I hear?" Pausing for an instant, she lifts a hand to scratch at one eyebrow before moving on, "I was wondering if you would do me a favor, Amy? See... Celeste said she would fix it for him by manipulating his energies so his body heals itself. But, neither of us is all that keen on energy manipulation but we both trust you. Would you mind going with him to see Celeste? Just to be sure that nothing happens that shouldn't happen?"
The image of Amethyst pauses as she listens. "I know - it's something most Mandrakes would see, I think. I don't know what Celeste can do. I'm okay certainly with going with Kiernan, yes. Actually, it might help me learn how to do that too."
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie nods, her smile clearly relieved, "Thanks, Amy. It isn't that I don't trust Celeste... It is that I trust you more. I'll let you go, though. Kiernan can give you a call to set up a time once he's talked with Celeste. I owe you one, Amy." She glances down at Kiernan then back up. "Oh, hey. How are you? Haven't seen you since we got back. Then I'll let you go. Promise."
The image of Amethyst chuckles softly. "i am not in a rush, if you want to talk. I am a bit befuddled, but otherwise well. How about you?"
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie smiles at her cousin but then shrugs, "Okay. Befuddled? Anything I can do? Or, if you are up for it, we can all go meet Quin at the Crown and Rose. He is good for un-befuddling people." She pauses a moment, considering, "I'm okay. A hair nervous. I'm going with Kerf to meet his mom in a few days."
The image of Amethyst blinks and then she smiles. "Oh, well, lucky you. That sounds quite exciting. I wouldn't mind chatting with you and Quin, but I don't think I want to be someplace where just anyone can talk to us."
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan seems to have fallen asleep. At least, that's what the deep breathing and closed eyes would seem to indicate. That, and he's more or less limp where he's leaned against Maggie.
The image of Amethyst glances a bit down and then back over, almost as if looking at 2 people. Then she raises a hand and waves at whoever she can see. "Hey, Dirk. What's up today?"
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie pauses, considering Amy's caveat. "Okay. Well. I need to see to Kiernan but can see if Quin's up for a meeting after that. Where would you like to meet?" Lifting a brow, Maggie almost glances over her shoulder, then realizes what must be happening. She smiles, "Say hello from me, please?"
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan must not have been sleeping very deeply, because his eyes come open again. "Dirk?" he asks sleepily. "Say hi for me too, please." He looks up at Maggie. "I'm okay."
The image of Amethyst grins and nods. "Maggie says hi, Dirk. And so does Kiernan." She then looks back to the trump. "I don't mind where, maybe grab a room at the Crown? Just some place where we can be private, even if in public."
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie chuckles down at Kiernan, "Sure you are, bro." There is affection in her tone, though the worry in her eyes is clear. Nodding back to Amy, she adds, "Not a problem. Want me to trump Quin, or would you like to? And when would you be available to see Celeste with Kiernan?" Seems she isn't letting go of the notion that sooner is better.
The image of Amethyst looks a little bit surprised and then she chuckles. "Dirk says to ask Kiernan if he liked his mouse?" She then says, "If you can trump Quin that would be great. And for seeing Celeste, tell me when. I'll make myself available."
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan smiles a bit, and then nods to what Amy had said, about a room at the Crown. He looks back up to Maggie and she gets that smile too. "No really, I am." For the moment, at least. And normally, a good share of the time. He doesn't seem to mind that Maggie's not letting go of the seeing Celeste part, either. Kiernan pauses and blinks, tilting his head. "I do like my mouse, actually. Can you ask him if the mouse has a name? She's cute." He shifts his cloak aside so a pocket in his tunic can be seen. There, a little crystaline, mouse shaped nose can be seen. He nods about Celeste.
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie nods, "Will do. When do you want to gather, Amy?" She blinks then and glances down at Kier, "A mouse?" Her surprise is such that the connection is almost broken though she looks back in time, "Um. Wow. I should turn this over to Kiernan so I can call Quin if you want to talk sooner rather than later."
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan considers things. Whatever it is, he gets distracted and chuckles at Maggie's surprise. Then he looks to Amy, and back to Maggie. "Why don't we all just meet at the Crown? Quin already invited us to join him."
The image of Amethyst thinks about that. "Whenever you, Kiernan and Quinlan are ready." She then looks at Dirk. "He says it likes it a lot. Does the mouse have a name? She's cute."
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie nods to Amy, "A'right. Lets meet there then. Er. When Dirk's had time to answer Kier's question, anyway..."
To the image of Amethyst, Kiernan nods. The little crystaline mouse twitches her whiskers, and then disappears back into the pocket.
To the image of Amethyst, Maggie considers, "Um... You could bring the name there? Yeah. Meet you there, Amy. Talk soon." Covering the card, Maggie cuts the communication.
Maggie turns her attention away from the Trump, and the contact ends.
RPG: The Trump contact ends.