Out with Riva

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

As we walked down to Mont Nuit I could feel the giddiness settling into something more managable, something that wouldn't make me look like such a dazed little boy who'd just been deflowered. "Have you gotten some of your marque inked yet?" I asked curiously, turning to look at her.

[Riva Carle (R)]

"No, not yet," I admitted. "I know I should… but it's going to hurt, I just know it will and.. it scares me." I hadn't told anyone else why I hadn't rescheduled my appointment yet. "I had made arrangements to get started, but then I met this guy and had to tell him his sister was alive and I can't get up the nerve to make another appointment.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

With a look of sympathy, I said, "It's going to hurt whether you do it sooner or later- and the sooner you get it done, the sooner it's over with and you get to spend a day sitting around if you want. No one bugs you for a couple days after it gets done because everyone knows it hurts. I wish I could say I knew a way for it to not hurt, but I don't. How did the guy take the news that his sister wasn't dead? I should think he was suprised and a little disbelieving. I would be- but then again, I never had any siblings."

[Riva Carle (R)]

"He was surprised, he's never even met her. I took him back to Gentian and spent time with him and finally found out she's even in the City. He'll find her, I know it," I told him.

I looked over at him, wondering if he was going to ask what else had happened between Rannan and I.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

I resolutely steered the conversation away from the fact that she had taken a patron back to Gentian and done what adepts and patrons have been doing since the beginnings of the Houses. I knew how hot her blood burned. "Well, I hope he finds her," I said noncommittally as I walked, chaining the dismayed part of myself up for the time being. There was nothing I could do about it, so I would just have to live with it.

"Who are you going to in order to get inked? Any ideas?"

[Riva Carle (R)]

I smiled, the wave of emotions coming off him unmistakable. I stopped and pulled his mouth to mine, kissing him deeply, opening myself to him and letting my thoughts brush his.

"It's not the same with anyone else," I whispered.

I took his hand again and started walking.

"I don't know who'll I'll see for my marque. I don't want to see anyone. I wish I could just save up all the money and give it to Octavier and he would let me go without it."

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

"I know what you mean," I whispered back as I took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"You could always get a very small area done at a time until you got used to the pain," I replied gently to her wish. "You could always go and get it done now and I could be there with you, so you wouldn't be so scared, if you wanted."

[Riva Carle (R)]

I was torn, I loved the idea of him being there with me, but I didn't want to ruin our time together, and I didn't want the pain.

"My money is back at Gentian," I told him, squeezing his hand tighter and moving closer to hi,. "and I don't even know if I could get in to be done. I'm sure they are all booked up." My excuses sounded weak, even to me.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Seeing the fear in her I didn't really have the heart to push her. "It's your decision- maybe Octavier will forget and you won't have to do it until the last minute. Still, I doubt they'll let you leave the house until it's done, and you can't really get a whole marque done at once- that would hurt a lot." Smiling, I kissed her cheek softly. "Besides, I'll be there with you whenever you go, just not in person. It won't hurt that bad, and once it's over you'll forget how much it hurt."

[Riva Carle (R)]

I laid my head against his arm, it made it a little difficult to walk but I needed to touch him as much as possible.

"Octavier is mildly less disgusted by me now that I'm a proper adept. He would probably love for me to start my marque so he can mark it's progress as much as I will," I told him. "Who did yours? I want the same person."

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Cocking my head sideways, I said, "Which part? The top and bottom were done by two different people, both of them good- then again, I know very little about the process. I was just interested in getting the ink on my skin so I could be free."

[Riva Carle (R)]

I looked up at him and scowled.

"You make some things difficult," I told him. "The top part, that's more recent and it's what gave you your freedom to find me. "

Suddenly my head whipped around and I looked at a woman who was walking down the side walk across the street from us. I watched her go, feeling ice form in my veins and I pressed closer to Aleron.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

I was about to reply to her question when I noticed her head whipped around and I saw her looking at a woman on the other side of the street- Riva's features transformed into something very like fear, though not immediate or consciously realized. Running a hand through her hair I tried to soothe her a little. "More voices?" I asked calmly, trying to let some of my cool-headedness seep into her.

[Riva Carle (R)]

"Screams," I answered, my voice so soft to be almost unheard. I started trembling, trying to press closer to him. The woman, seemingly unaware of my staring, slipped into a shop and out of sight. I could still feel her though, like frozen nails twisting my spine and scratching at my insides.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

It was like she was trying to burrow into my skin to escape, so I did the next best thing- I whisked her out of sight of that woman, whoever she was, and turned her to face me, catching her gaze. "Focus, Riva," I said softly. "Tell me what's wrong."

[Riva Carle (R)]

His gaze shattered the ice that had been taking over everything inside me. I sobbed and buried my head against his chest, pressing to him, drawing strength from his warmth and solid presences.

Slowly, the trembling stopped, but I couldn't move away from him.

"That woman, she's all made up of screams and death," I told him.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Wrapping my arms around her I began to sway back and forth slightly. "I'm sorry," I said quietly as I rocked her. "I guess things like this are why you don't leave your House much. I'm sorry I couldn't keep it out."

[Riva Carle (R)]

I wrapped my arms around him, feeling his calm, levelness fill me and give me balance.

"You help, you do. If you weren't here I would have curled up on the walk and cried. Or run for the nearest hidey hole," I told him.

I drew a shuddering breath.

"I need something to drink."

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Giving her another worried look-over I gazed into her eyes. She seemed to be calming, so I gave her a brief squeeze and then took her hand again. "A drink it is then- do you have an opinion as to where?"

[Riva Carle (R)]

"Somewhere with lots of people, too many to pick out individual thoughts," I told him, twining my fingers with his and smiling, albeit softly, at him.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Nodding in aquescence I began to lead her along a side street. "Well, now where we go depends on what you want to drink," I said with a smile as soft as hers. "Personally, I think brushing minds with someone made of screams and death requires something stronger than tea, don't you think?"

[Riva Carle (R)]

"Yes," I said, nodding. "I've seen enough tea for today. I want something stronger."

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

My smile turned sympathetic. "I understand completely, and I think I know just the place."

Turning to her I raised an amused brow and grinned slightly, my look a little mischevious. "Have you ever been drunk before? Or drank anything stronger than wine?"

[Riva Carle (R)]

"No," I said, grinning at his look. "I have hardly even had wine."

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Laughing lightly I replied, "We'll have to take care of that someday. Unless, of course, you don't want to- I just think it's something everyone should do in their life."

[Riva Carle (R)]

Laughing, I darted to the side, pulling him with me into an alleyway. I pressed my back to the wall and brought him tight against me.

"You just want to get me drunk so you can take advantage of me," I said, kissing him deeply.

He was like the sun, chasing away my darkness, giving me hope and helping me grow stronger. I don't know how I had made it so long in my life without him.

[Aleron Carle(Retired)]

Eyes flashing with mischief and a little desire at having her body so close to me I said, "Well, maybe a little bit.." and then pressed my lips back to hers before stepping away and taking her hand again. "Come on, let's get you that drink, so I can learn how much alcohol you can handle for future reference."

[Riva Carle (R)]

Part of me wanted to pull him back against me, but I let him lead me out.

"Yes, my dear guide and corruptor," I said, laughing.