In the last of the vivisection laboratories of the Bone College, with heavy, metal detailed doors between them and the screams coming from other rooms in that stone corridor, Kaionne sat peacefully in a simple wooden chair while Arlwynna forced herself to stop adjusting the metal tools laid out on the stone slab before her.
They're straight, the student told herself firmly. They're perfectly straight. Okay. Okay.
"The female will wait patiently until you are satisfied with all that surrounds you," Kaionne soothed, innocently smoothing her hands over her well-worn brown dress. "If the Master Inquisitor can only touch the Beyond when the Great Pool within him is still, how much more still must we then be?"
Arlwynna smiled weakly, but took the hint. Taking a deep breath, she placed both hands on the stone slab, with all its various instruments, and bowed her head.
Oh, gracious and most wise ancestor, please watch over me as I try to bring you honor by succeeding in this test. Still my heart with your cool composure, and weight my swirling thoughts with your vast knowledge. Guide me toward the work that I looked over and prepared, and I will renew your spirit with pride.
Pharen breathed in the prayer like a sweet perfume, and manifested himself immediately. Once present, he cast his gaze over all the various instruments spread out on the slab with a disdain that welled up from long years of superiority.
Nervous about correctly using this filthy array, or merely about having to touch it? he asked, safe in the knowledge that she wouldn't actually hear him in order to take offense. Why these coupled monsters decided to teach you the most brutal, disgusting method of divination extant is beyond me.
The shadows on the other side of the room slowly undulated, as though they a thick, dark liquid instead of a natural response to a partial blockage of the light thrown off by the two chandeliers in the room.
"Thank you for trying," Arlwynna said, turning over her shoulder to look at Kaionne, who looked up at her. "I do feel a tiny bit better."
"Proceed when you feel at your most calm," Kaionne replied knowingly. "This one has not scheduled any other tests after yours, and the Beyond is long past any hours or schedules at all. This one tells you this because it is clear that the Beyond is here, and will guide toward that which is best, if a peaceful heart will allow it."
I repent me of that 'monstrous' comment, Pharen sighed with rolled eyes. That werewoman always knows, without doubt, when I am near, which speaks to a degree of skill you don't yet have. But you will; I'll see to that.
Arlwynna turned back to the stone table and looked over the small stone brazier, the flint stones, the small metal offering plate, the knife, the tongs, the poker, the ceremonial cloth, the pan of ashes, and the pan of still-bloody entrails. Quietly and with reverently closed eyes, she bowed to the table, then righted herself and used the flint stones to spark a flame in the small brazier under the offering plate. Once the flame had caught the bit of paper and wood shavings, she reached her right hand forward to take a pinch of ashes. With a small bow, she sprinkled them over the tongs in order to ceremonially bless them. She then used the tongs to arrange the entrails- first the intestines, then the lungs, then finally the heart- on the offering plate. Each placement of the entrails was interrupted by a small bow and a sprinkling of ashes over the tongs, so the entire process took some time. Beyond the dark skinned half Shadar-kai and her attentive tutor, Pharen slowly paced from one side of the examination room to the other.
Dowsing rods. The examination of leaves. The charting of star placements, or the measuring of sea tides, or even the casting of lots- no, they decide to teach you how to read the innards of some poor man or beast. Which man or beast has died for the pleasure, I know not- but... that's the cost, isn't it? Death- the highest possible cost for any of our arts. Perhaps that's why. Perhaps that's that madman's reasoning... I suppose I should stop calling him a madman...
Another phantasmal presence watched intently as Arlwynna used the ceremonial tongs to move each of the entrails from their pan to the offering plate- all except for the liver. Knowing both that the young woman was still nervous, and that those nerves were causing her to make small errors, the spirit was much less surprised than Pharen was to hear the sharp clatter of metal on stone a few moments later.
By Tel'Seldarine, girl, Pharen exclaimed, more out of soreness at his own jumping at the sound than anything else. It annoyed him that the jumpiness he'd always had in life seemed to have followed him into the grave. Metal near a flame gets hot, doesn't it?
In the shadows, the presence sighed within itself at Pharen's short temper- another facet of him that absolutely hadn't changed one bit.
"Sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" Arlwynna whispered frantically as she gathered up the plate and the tongs. "I hope I haven't damaged them; I am so sorry."
Not that sorry, Pharen frowned, still stung by his annoyance at himself. Don't humiliate yourself so completely in front of a werewoman.
Lady Kaionne is a Shifter, Lord Pharen, Miye corrected sharply, stepping forward from her corner. The shadows there wavered, and the candles in the room flickered briefly, as though a stiff wind had tried to put them all out. Your handmaiden wonders at the quickness with which Questioner Seyashen's disappointment at your disrespect for the lady seems to have been forgotten.
The Elven spirit, profoundly surprised, turned and stared at what once was the victim of his lust and abuse.
Miye.
The Shadar-kai spirit crossed her arms over her chest. A tenderness that had never before attended his tone when he spoke her name rang real, but strange at the same time, causing quite the disturbance within her.
Kaionne got up and helped Arlwynna clean up the ashes and blood that had gotten onto the ground without saying a word, but moved so slowly that Arlwynna herself had to slow down in order to move around her without causing more of a mess. When Kaionne had put everything close to her in its proper place, she put the entrails that Arlwynna had already placed on the altar back in the blood pan very delicately, so that the blood wouldn't splash.
"Now, dear pup of Dhamaina," she said once she'd turned back around from the table. "The female has with her, maybe, a few sprigs of lavender. They were sent here by the Tiefling herb woman."
"Daiirdra," Arlwynna sighed as she began to reset the instruments, a trace of misplaced emotion in her voice. "Always so thoughtful."
"She is, and her own cub will be like unto her," Kaionne soothed as she rooted through the few worn pouches at her waist. "When that little one comes, this one believes it will be good for her to walk with you. Ah, here- is this not the work of blessed hands?"
As soon as the blooming stems gave their fragrance to the room, Arlwynna's face relaxed. She took a deep breath, savoring the scent without even thinking about it, and sighed deeply.
"I'm really very sorry," she repeated again, her voice very small.
"This one is not sure what you are apologizing for," Kaionne replied, her tone perfectly even. "We have just arrived, and you have very newly struck this flame- how can anything be wrong? Now, I will use your fire to heat a bit of water. Will it not be pleasant, before we set to work, to take tea?"
Arlwynna opened her eyes and looked over to Kaionne, who had stepped forward with a waterskin and a small metal cup in order to do exactly as she'd said she would do.
Oh, blessed ancestor, I thank you for your workings, the Shadar-kai thought, still with a tinge of tired sadness. Truly it is your will that I learn composure, for you have sent me these needful roots- and an amazingly resourceful teacher; I can't imagine where she stuffed that cup- anyway, I thank you. More than these, I thank you for the second chance that I am receiving. I beg you, weight my flighty thoughts with your calm wisdom, and I will bring you honor. And extra offerings, for the embarrassment!
Your handmaiden hopes that you are proud of her offspring, Miye smiled gently. She stepped back, crossed her arms, and leaned on the wall in the corner. Again, the candles flickered in response. Others are so critical of we Shadar-kai, and of Drow, but truly, Dhamaina and her Tardagh brought this girl up with such tenderness.
Pharen only nodded in agreement. Despite the fact that he'd managed to swallow the shock that Miye had not only manifested herself anywhere near him, but had spoken to him, he found nothing at all to say to her.
Kaionne cut the lavender stems, but then backed away from the table, leaving Arlwynna to properly cut, separate, and grind the flowers themselves. The process was so thoroughly ingrained in her being that she finished it long before she realized that she had, and came to herself only just in time to realize that there really was only one cup.
"Had you wanted some, Grand Torturer?" she offered somewhat guiltily. "I can-"
Kaionne smiled gratefully. "No, no; this one will drink only water- look, here it is. Come, let us gather closely, as the old wise ones of my pack did. Sometimes they took tea, sometimes a bit of gruel, and sometimes even warmed wine with spiced rum, but never did we perform any ceremony without first chasing the chill from our spirits together, for all of our workings were performed outdoors, and always it was very cold."
And, the Shifter, whose long, multilayered dress billowed out around her when she sat on the floor, looked up and waited for the dark skinned Shadar-kai to do the same. Arlwynna's simple sage green dress, cinched in by the mottled bodice that she wore to do cauldron work, sank straight down with her, putting an unintended cushion between her and the cold stone floor. Kaionne shifted herself so that both of them could observe the stone slab, so when Arlwynna looked up at it through the steam of the tea, her eyes widened, then lowered to the cup almost immediately.
What made me think to put the utensils so close to the brazier like that? And the liver is supposed to be on the same plate with the lungs and the heart- perhaps I separated them and forgot to put them back together?
After this contemplation, Arlwynna patted a few of the pockets and pouches that were at her waist, and came up with a bit of mugwort. Grinding it only between her fingers, she sprinkled it into the tea carefully, and then looked over at her tutor with a small smile.
"Thank you for this; I didn't know that about Shifter mages. They have it right- I should perhaps have taken more time to truly focus, and tea is always helpful. I often take tea near my ancestor's shrine, but... I didn't, today. I don't know that I've fully pleased him, lately."
I hope this isn't about the armorer again, Pharen groaned, forgetting his shame and embarrassment for the moment. I have never been angry about that armorer, girl.
"The voice of the Beyond is heard quite clearly here, as well you know," Kaionne replied calmly. "This one believes that if your ancestor were displeased, he would take advantage of how easily he may use others to communicate with you."
Your handmaiden hopes you will forgive her for believing that you may need to give a more gracious sign of your continued favor, if it is that these aberrant affections have not displeased you, Miye suggested. Her tone was firm, but absolutely free of the venom that it would have carried in life.
Pharen, who noticed the absence immediately, bit his lips and nodded his head slowly.
You're right, but for this: you are not my handmaiden.
And it was Miye's turn to be surprised.
I will take hold of the Tiefling or the ma- the Halfling, rather, and tell her to have a go at that Cormite armorer, Pharen continued firmly, but as soon as he'd said it, his face twisted very slightly. Although... here, she'll get some sort of education and community. These people are not ideal tutors, but the Phoenix has changed for the worse, and the Cormite college would never have what they would likely consider to be twice the enemy in their classes, so... perhaps that woman should come to her, wouldn't you say?
Miye stared at him, utterly confused. Seyashen had warned her that perhaps Pharen may have changed slightly, but she hadn't expected to be spoken to as though she were more than his property, even in death.
Without saying anything else to each other, Kaionne and Arlwynna finished their respective drinks. Kaionne arose first, then offered a hand down to Arlwynna, who took it only out of politeness. Kaionne collected the cup, folded the dregs of mugwort and lavender into a small cloth that she tucked into another pouch, then seated herself in her chair again. Arlwynna smiled gratefully, and turned to the table to fix her positioning errors.
Now, she thought to herself. Let's try this again.
Ah, Pharen said quietly, taking Miye's silence as anger. Well, excuse me, I really must...
He turned away from Miye to pay attention to the proceedings, but Miye's gaze was pinned only to him.
Arlwynna moved the utensils, placed the entrails properly, and blessed them all with ash. She then took up the ceremonial knife, blessed and cleaned it, then cut into the liver. As she did, she noted the way the blood flowed, its color, the amount of fat in the liver itself, and any strange spots in either the fat or the meat. When she had finished with the slicing, she spoke her findings aloud to Kaionne, who made no sound, but nodded from time to time.
You see how proficient she is with even this wicked, archaic method of divination, Pharen breathed to Miye without looking back at her. It's all your blood. She looks like a dark Elf- but practices her worship, and this sort of witchery, like a true Shadovar. I know not what to make of it.
I less than you, Miye answered, a fragile smirk pulling at her lips. You know that Dhamaina and Tardagh could not find anyone willing to educate her. So all that this child has done to improve her natural talent, she has done with nothing but their love... and her perception of your guidance.
"This was well done," Kaionne commended at the end of Arlwynna's declaration of findings. "Congratulations on your first solo practical study- next time, we will work with the entrails of a freshly executed inmate."
"Oh, fresh?" Arlwynna smiled somewhat uncomfortably. "So I suppose it'll be an early morning practical?"
"Very likely, yes," Kaionne replied. "The fact that the specimen will be hanged without stoning or burning is very useful for us, so this one made arrangements to have the body be brought straight here so soon as the rope hangs completely taut. Prepare yourself; you will have to do a reading for the Grand Inquisitor."
"Oh my!" Arlwynna squealed, putting her hands to her face in spite of herself.
"Don't fear," Kaionne smiled. "He prefers to do it himself because the Beyond will tell him whether or not even he is making a mistake when he helps you to read into their hands. Remember, it is not truly the future itself we see when we divine; it is instead the signs that the Beyond leave behind them as they move with the All toward the various possibilities, perceived and unperceived. Many of the realities in which we believe so firmly are only their quietest echoes."
I can't make out the teaching but for the nonsense it's couched in, Pharen complained as he watched Arlwynna and Kaionne clean up the table together.
Don't dismiss her words as nonsense only because you do not understand them, Miye admonished. Pharen gave a quiet scoff, but nodded his agreement after a few seconds.
"Should I expect it in a week or so? I was going to make a trip to Cormyr, to pick up some fresh blooms that I just can't get to grow around here," Arlwynna admitted sheepishly.
Lady Kaionne believes in the Great Tree cosmology, Miye reminded. It's natural for her to refer to the planes, those that inhabit them, and the gods themselves as "the All." Death sorts one into a different phase of this All, one that is closer to the gods, who are themselves close enough to the future to relay it, albeit unreliably, to their followers. That said, however, the future itself doesn't exist until it is collectively constructed by the All- it can be said that the gods begin to construct the future, and we dead who follow most closely are, to some extent, gossiping about what we see the gods doing as we ourselves look upon and interact with the future's threshold.
Kaionne smiled at Arlwynna as though she had just let her in on a conspiracy. "Bring back your blooms to Us," she suggested slyly. "Although it is commonly said that We are interested only in death, in truth, We are always delighted to encourage and celebrate growth- of all kinds. Nothing to fear."
Arlwynna blushed, making her beautiful cheeks the color of perfectly ripe black cherries.
That's not unique to tree people, Pharen reasoned. There's a divination theory stating that the reason many soothsayers, prophets, and fortune tellers disagree with each other is because there is no single future for them to sense or see, but instead an unfathomable web of unfinished planar pathways that all spring into existence as soon as the necessary choices and actions in the past are made or taken- oh, what's the name of that-
The Divergent Paths theory, Miye supplied without missing a beat. Shadar-kai also hold this same knowledge. We call it 'carving the world-
-with your deeds,' Pharen finished, somewhat annoyed with himself for not realizing the similarities between the three beliefs more readily. Why didn't I-
I don't think you knew how to understand it, Miye said gently. You could barely understand anyone but yourself, back then. Even those few that you considered your allies or equals.
"If I can gather them, I'll certainly bring them," Arlwynna finally managed. "It... is about time that I really, really tried."
Pharen looked from Miye to Arlwynna, surprised and pleased at the same time.
Don't mistake her, Miye advised, understanding Pharen's reaction. She believes that, based on the happenings here, you've given your approval and support to her purpose, without her having to ask you about it again.
Pharen looked back at Miye with a sorrow in his gaze that confused her. Will you ever be able to forgive me, someday?
Kaionne reached out and took Arlwynna's hands, which were still trembling just slightly due to high emotions and nerves. After giving a gentle pat, the Shifter floated out of the room as though she were ethereal, her lovely train whispering as it moved over the stone of the floor.
Please don't ask me that, Miye replied very quietly, looking away from Pharen. The gods- I'm not sure whose, yours or mine- have pinned you to this plane to serve as a guide to your great granddaughter. I cannot demand a greater penance of you than they, but neither can I pretend that this service is sufficient for me to absolve the wrong you did me, or the pain you caused.
Left alone in the room, Arlwynna trailed her hand along the cool stone table, and looked at the burn mark across her first two fingers.
Was there any actual divination done here? Pharen asked, attempting to cover up the fact that Miye's words had been like a hot sword through living flesh.
No, Miye said, grateful for the change of subject. Those organs were all from various vivisection subjects. A true reading would require that they all come from the same purified animal... or person... granted the location.
Gods, the place should burn to the ground, Pharen complained, almost out of habit.
It... did, Miye replied as she looked across the room at him. You can't mean that you, of all people, don't remember that.
The two looked at each other for a few moments, all the words that could not yet be said smoldering in the shadows between them. Beyond them, Arlwynna stopped staring at her hand and began putting all of the utensils away.
I'm off to the market, Pharen stated flatly, vainly attempting to cover his raw emotions with a businesslike tone. I like to check her shop before she gets there, these days.
Miye held Pharen's gaze until he broke it himself. I'll watch over her until she makes it to you, and then I will return to Lord Seyashen. Whom you may want to thank, when you get a chance.
I will, the Eladrin spirit said as he allowed himself to dissipate into the air. And, thank you.
Arlwynna closed the wicker basket that held all the utensils and turned to leave the room. As she stepped toward the door, all of the candles blew out completely, as though a gale of wind had somehow come through. Arlwynna looked over her shoulder and smiled, then turned and left the room completely, headed down the hall, up the stairs, and toward the large metal reinforced wood door that would put her on the street to her shop.
