The Crystal of Urisen (Closed)

Rienna smiled and nodded, the calm the healing had caused still on her. She really did love helping people. It gave her the feeling that she was useful, and joy that she could heal someone of their pain. Rienna looked up at Rand's face and smiled as he thanked her. She had met his eyes for a second, and they had danced with what was almost like a flame, but she attributed it to the fact he was from the fire kingdom.

"Yes, I suppose we should go..." Rienna said, then frowned. "I have no idea where we are though. And where were we heading when I woke?" Her hand drifted to the Fragment suspended under her shirt, and sighed. She needed to get the rest of Urisen back before Niriko could try to corrupt the crystal. She would have to meditate with the Fragment later, to see where Niriko was headed.

Rand was thoroughly distressed now. Despite his best efforts he couldn't shake the feelings that had settled over him. Blast it all. He turned and went over to the saddle, tightening straps, securing bags, doing anything that would keep his mind occupied and hopefully settle him. It didn't work. Instead he decided to reply to her.

"We were currently heading to Ishida. Perhaps from there I'd show you Flaermar, if you're up for it." He considered that for a moment, his back to her. He shrugged and rotated around partially, his gaze falling on her. "Wherever you want to go, that is where we will be heading... unless it puts you in danger. Couldn't have that now." A smile graced his lips... and he was absolutely stunned to realize he meant that last part. What was wrong with him today? He needed some sleep.

He cast an appraising eye over Firebrand. He was looking in dire straights right now. The poor animal. It saddened Rand, the hardships that he had put his mount through. He really cared about the animal, and decided he'd need to let it rest some soon. Gently he moved up to the horse's face and stroked his neck. "It'll be okay, boy. Just a little longer." He whispered. Firebrand whinnied.

"We need to find a town soon, get some rest." He called, not looking back to Rienna. "Firebrand here needs to rest." He paused and considered something. "I could use some as well."

Rienna stopped and took a good look at the poor horse. "No, let's wait a little longer," she said, reaching into a pocket and pulling out a sugar cube, which she fed to the horse. "You're a beautiful animal.." She gently stroked the horse's head, and then sighed. "Let's get to some town... Firebrand needs to be fed too." She mounted him with the ease of years of practice, and smiled down at Rand. "You're slow."

Rienna took the reins to the horse and waited as Rand mounted behind her. She handed them to him, and motioned for them to get a move on.

Rand chuckled slightly. She treated Firebrand with some kindness. That certainly earned her some points in his book. Rand patted the horse's neck once more--ruffling the black fur a bit as he did so--then swung up behind her.

"You know," He said to her, "It's not just any woman that I let hold me reins. You should feel rather special just now." He flashed her a playful smile, then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him. "Wouldn't want you to fall." He said, a little bit more in her ear than he had intended. "Try not to hit me again." He added, a laugh in his voice.

Finally, he settled on saying, "Lead on." Then resumed his quiet state.

He tried to contact Kasei then, but she seemed to want little to do with him at the moment. Oh well. Her loss. Rand turned his attention back to the moment at hand.... which consisted a great deal of the smell of the woman's hair in front of him and... well... her in general.

Rienna tensed as Rand pulled her back against him. She wasn't used to that kind of contact. She did laugh when he mentioned her nearly hitting him, though she did so guiltily. She got a firm grip on the reins and started Firebrand off in a walk. She didn't know if they were going the right direction, but if she could find a road then they would be able to find a village. She paid attention to the path they were on, but was also aware of the very male presence behind her. He had almost a sulphuric scent to him, which she guessed came from living in Flaermar.

Rienna mentally shook her head to clear it. She had to focus on finding Niriko, and getting the rest of Urisen back. Her hand crept to the Fragment and held it, though she didn't realize she was doing so.

Soon they reached a road, which led to a small village called Kelsworth. She led the horse to a small stable and dismounted, and moved back so Rand could do the same. Attached to the stable was a small unnamed inn. Rienna went inside and reached for the small store of money she carried on her. She requested two rooms and baths, as well as a clean outfit to wear until she could wash her's.

Rand tried very hard to keep his mind from the girl sitting in front of him throughout the trip. He had moderate success.

As they came into Kelsworth, Rand sighed contentedly. He needed a good bath and a long rest. After Rienna dismounted, Rand followed suite. He pulled out some coins and dropped them in the sleepy stable hand's hand. The young man, perhaps fifteen years old, looked shocked at the amount of gold in his palm. "I care dearly for this horse, boy. I expect him to be well cared for." The boy nodded quickly and muttered a brief affirmative. Satisfied, Rand followed Rienna into to small inn.

He came up behind her as she was requesting the rooms, baths, and clothing. She was going to pay, but before she could Rand pulled out a handful of coins and dropped them on to the counter. It was perhaps a good bit more than was required, but the man working the counter seemed to get the message that exemplary service would be very much rewarded.

He was about to say something to Rienna when he saw that there was a bar of sorts included with this inn. Ah, most certainly the best type of inn... the ones that served some good alcohol.

He turned to Rienna. "I'll be in the bar over there, should you require my assistance." He gave a brief nod, as if bowing, then moved off.

The bar was not large. It wasn't a large town. However, it was relatively well packed, and several of the customers were quite rowdy. Rand didn't care. he got to the counter and ordered a drink by saying, "Strongest you got." The barkeep nodded then went to get whatever it was was strongest. Rand, for his part, tried to ignore the rabble around him. He was a man on the mission.

The barkeep came back with a glass of something and Rand quickly downed it, not caring what it was nor what it tasted like. It didn't have a bad taste though. Rather rich and smooth, while still managing to burn while it went down. Nothing like Fire Water, of course, but it would do. "More." Rand said. The barkeep cast a dubious eye on Rand, who then grabbed many more coins and scattered them over the counter. The rest of the night the barkeep got Rand pretty much anything he asked for.

Rienna had nodded in return and followed a maid upstairs to her room. She took the one on the left, since it had a balcony, and took the clothes that were handed to her. Soon the water for her bath was carried up, and she undressed and slid into the hot water, grinning as it relaxed away the tension she had been holding since Rand had gotten on the horse behind her. After soaking a while, she washed her hair twice, then the rest of her, and got out and dried off and put on the borrowed clothes. She made a face as she slipped the cotton dress over her head. She didn't like dresses much.

Once finished dressing, Rienna picked up the brush the maid had brought with her and pulled it through her hair, which was curling as it dried. She ran the brush through and gave up on smoothing the curls, and decided to head downstairs to let Rand know he could take a bath if he wanted.

Rienna descended the stairs, looking around at the inn curiously. It was different from the ones she had been in in the capital. She followed the sound of voices and entered the bar. It had been a long time since they had arrived, and she was hungry. She entered the bar and spotted Rand, skirting a table of drunk men who were leering at her. As she walked by, one of the men grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. "Look boys, a pretty girl is here all alone," he said. Rienna jerked her arm free, and stiffly told them she was meeting someone. The man grabbed her again, jerking her towards himself. "Rand!" she yelled, trying to free her arm once again.

Rand was quite enjoying himself. He had even made a friend. He and another man whose name Rand could not quite recall at the moment had been drinking for the past.... half hour? hour? two hours? It all rather flowed together for Rand. All he knew is that he was quite happy, as has been hinted at above.

However, that all changed with one simple word. "Rand!" It took Rand a moment to realize that there was panic in the voice, but he easily recognized it as Rienna's voice. He looked around, about to call for her to come join him, when his eyes settled on the scene before him. It took him another moment to recognize that she was in trouble.

We will take this moment to point out Rand was a little tipsy.

That did not stop him, however, from moving from happy drunk to scary drunk. He tossed his glass onto the bar and moved over to the man that was so rudely keeping Rienna from where Rand thought she aught to be... and Rand had to say that Rienna looked like she'd rather be anywhere else as well.

The man had now forcefully pulled Rienna to him despite her struggling. Had Rand been sober, he'd have noticed that the man was quite a bit larger than he was. However, this didn't stop Rand.

"Excuse me." Rand said, though it was anything but polite. His voice is best personified by ice that was burning far beyond the temperature of any Earthly fire. "She's with me. I suggest you let her go."

The other man was also drunk, but also noticed that Rand didn't look to be that big in comparison to himself, and plus the man had four or five friends the same size as him. He wasn't too concerned. "We're havin' fun buddy. Beat it."

This did not make Rand happy. "Let her go." Rand said, his voice once more chilling the bones of any rational individual in the area. Surprisingly, the man did so. He then punched Rand full on in the face. Rand wouldn't lie. It hurt. He spun to the ground, hitting it hard.

The big man grabbed Rienna again then turned to his friends. "Take care of this loser." They proceeded to do so. Rand felt four sets of heavy feet collide with his sides, as well as four equally heavy sets of fists hitting him on occasion. It was becoming a rapidly less and less comfortable situation.

Rand had had enough. Not only was he now in pain, but Rienna was in danger as well. Rage boiled uncontrollably out of Rand, and his eyes appeared to burst into flames, dancing chaotically below the charcoal grays.

As the next fist came at him Rand deflected it using a small shield. His assailant was shocked, but not as much as he was when Rand brought his fist down to shatter the man's forearm. Next, he rotated his body and swiped the legs out from under the man. He hit the ground hard as Rand jumped up, taking advantage of the lag in the assault that had followed Rand's counterattack.

However, the lag didn't last long. One man jumped at Rand, and Rand quickly and efficiently flipped his opponent onto a table, shattering it. A second man rushed Rand, but he was quickly done away with by a powerful telekinetic blast to the gut. The last of the friends looked around nervously. Rand had turned his sights onto him, and he was starting to be afraid. However, he didn't have much time to reflect on this. Rand was upon him before the man knew what was happening. One quick but powerful punch to the gut and a monstrously strong swing at his face and Rand's opponent was down.

The friend who had been thrown through the table was up and charging now. Rand didn't want to waste any more time and blasted the man across the tavern with another powerful burst of telekinetic power. The only one left was the original rude, massive man.

He finally let Rienna go as Rand came towards him. The flames behind Rand's eyes burned so brightly it seemed like his eyes must catch fire any minute now. The man opened up with a wide and strong punch, which Rand ducked under. It became quickly obvious that his opponent was strong, but not well trained. While he was down there anyway, Rand punched the man's kneecap, shattering it, and his opponent fell to the ground, howling in pain. Next, Rand slammed the man in the face with his fist. There wasn't much the large, drunken man could do. He fell backwards.

Just as he was struggling upwards again, Rand drew his sword, twirling it briefly before slashing the man across the chest. The attack was quick, but deep. It was definitely fatal.

Rand stood over the man for a moment, watching as he died. After some time, he looked up at the barkeep who seemed quite scared. Rand sheathed his sword and moved over to the counter. He was staggering, his strength quickly leaving his body. He was so exhausted.

When he reached the counter, he pulled out his purse and emptied it onto the surface before the barkeep. "For the trouble." Rand said. It was a substantial amount.

Rand wasn't really sure what happened after that. At that moment, all strength left him and he fell to his knees, his body falling over and only keeping from hitting the ground because of the counter face catching him. As his consciousness began to slip, Rand was aware of his body sliding down to the floor.

Rienna had run out of the way as soon as the disgusting man had released her, and was shaking badly. She wrapped her arms around herself, wincing at a bruise that was forming on her forearm, and watched the rest of the fight in a state bordering shock. When it was over, and Rand collapsed, she was jolted from her shock. She went over to where he lay on the floor, unconscious, and checked his pulse. She hadn't realized his magic was so strong, but he had still overdone it. She took a deep breath and got to her feet.

Donning the air of command that was her birthright, Rienna ordered a few strong men to carry Rand up into his room. She sent the maid off for a bowl of water and a cloth, and directed them men to place Rand on the bed. Once they left, and the water and cloth brought, along with some food, Rienna shooed everyone out and washed off Rand's face with the cloth, and began to check him for injuries, which she healed as she found them. She got to her feet, waited for her balance to return, and went to his feet. She pulled his shoes off and laid a blanket over him, and curled up in a chair to eat and wait for him to awaken.

There was a delay in her response, and he was about to repeat himself when she spoke up, “I have been summoned to Ishida… How do you know my name?” She kept her tone casual and even, but he could feel her eyes watching him intently. A grin split his grim face as he silently applauded her skill and control in conversation. Her cunning was as sharp as any of his blades, something he had often forgotten in her cheerful presence, and she had quickly jumped on his mistake. Razor sharp...

"I..."

"Oh dear now, caught in a lie. Better think quick." Aes chuckled.

"I...I had mistaken you for someone I knew once, but...you seemed to respond to the name, so I assumed...I mean it seemed logical"

"Perhaps you should get her to teach you her speech-craft."

" 'Talk is cheap, it's actions that can only speak'. I do not exist for words...and stay out of my thoughts. I didn't say that openly to you"

Hmph...

Tuuli arched a brow skyward as he began to stammer out a response. He certainly stumbled a couple times for a true reason, she thought curiously, and how many girls named Tuuli could there be? Maybe she was being presumptuous, but he seemed to be hiding something…

“Good guessing skills you have there, then. And may I have your name, and to where you are heading?” her mind churned out more cunning questions to ask this curious man, her eyes boring into his back.

“Do you normally interrogate your traveling companions, princess?” the voice of the Wind God inquired with a tone that reminded Tuuli as something akin to amusement.

She blushed a deep crimson as she realized how rude she must have sounded with her blatant grilling of the poor man. With a soft hiss, her face wilted and she rueful amended, “Sorry if I seem to be asking a lot of questions… Trust doesn’t come easy for one such as myself.”

"No, it certainly wouldn't", he mumbled quietly.

Then he spoke up, "Do not trouble yourself on my account. To answer your question: I am headed to Ishida as well. You might say I have been summoned there, though it feels more like something pushing", he laughed lightly as if he had made a joke.

Pulling the meat from the fire he put one piece on a cloth, then carried it over to her. Leaning over to hand it to her with a smile, "You may call me Vidar if you must...Be careful, it's hot." Pulling his stone out of the fire with a branch, he built the fire back up before sitting down near her. As he waited for his portion to cool a bit, he considered what he should say to her. He could not bring up anything of her past life yet, and he found it difficult to form another topic in her presence.

Consciousness came slowly to Rand. The first thing he was aware of was an intense aching all over his body. He'd done this before, so he recognized the signs. His body had had all of its strength sapped, and it obviously wasn't too pleased with this. The next thing he was aware of was Kasei's screaming echoing inside his head.

Are you mad!?! You could have killed yourself! All for one pretty little face that doesn't even care for you! Not like I do! She could never care for you like I do! The ranting continued for a while while Rand tried to block it out. He was getting a headache.

Rand coughed once, then replied, abruptly cutting her off. I didn't die, did I? Besides, this was an important step. She'll trust me now.

Liar!

Kasei, beloved, I DON'T have to take this... Kasei wasn't too happy about this, but she seemed to let it slide, resigning herself to simply simmering in anger--and jealousy--for a while.

It took a while for Rand to feel like opening his eyes. They felt weighed down horribly by the affairs of life. However, after some time, he forced them open and looked around. His gaze rested eventually on Rienna, sitting across the room in a chair.

Rand sat up... or tried to. It didn't go as smoothly as he anticipated. His body didn't want to move and exploded in pain as he sat up. It was a long process, but finally he was sitting, his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands.

Without looking up, he said, "You sat up for me?" He had no idea how long it had been.

Tuuli smiled warmly at Vidar before staring down at her meal. The meat looked so tender, her mouth practically watered for a taste, but she heeded his warning. It took great patience for her not to just sink her teeth into its sizzling flesh, though. She guessed that she had learned at least something from the priests at Shaeji's Temple.

Smiling fondly at the memories of the gentle worshipers, she sighed lightly and finally gazed back over to her companion resting beside her.

"He is trustworthy of our secret, princess, if you wish to enlighten him."

Tuuli gazed back down at the food in her lap at Shaeji's knowing words; He could read her like a book. "Something like a god perhaps?" she finally gave her thoughts voice, her fingers fiddling with the cloth that the venison rested upon.

Rienna was just about to fall into a light doze when she heard movement from the bed, indicating Rand was waking. She raised her head from her hand, unaware that it had left a red print on her chin from leaning on it, and watched as Rand struggled to sit up. "Yes, I did," she said in answer to his question. She rubbed her chin slightly, trying to make the red spot go away, and uncurled her legs before getting to her feet, stretching as she did so. "I healed you the best I could, but I could only do so much." She crossed over to the bed and grabbed his arm, checking a wound she had bound. Her hands glowed a gentle green color as she checked him for any infections or missed injuries.

Rienna let go of Rand's arm, content that he would be okay. She stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed. "You'll be okay, just sore." She laughed at the expression that crossed his face, and ran her hand over her face, brushing loose hairs from her eyes.

Rand felt horrible. His wounds weren't really all that bad, but he was drained. He had definitely overdone it in the magic department. Now that he was sitting, his head was becoming foggy. It was hard to think coherently. However, despite all this, he became all too aware of her presence as she sat next to him. He relaxed as she took his hand, content with knowing that at least he was not physically injured. For some inexplicable reason, he trusted her in healing matters explicitly. Odd.

His thoughts began to drift a bit as his disjointed mind tried to keep itself together. It wasn't working too well, so he let his mind succumb slightly to the ever-thickening smog that relentlessly pushed in on him. As he felt her remove her her hand from his he looked over.

In his defense, he didn't plan it. He didn't think about it. The way she brushed her hair from her face... well.... she was beautiful. But... there was an allurement.... something about her..... or maybe he was just delirious from his weakened state. He still couldn't think coherently and felt like he was on the verge of passing out. Given all this, he hardly realized that he leaned over and kissed her gently, briefly on the lips.

Kasei exploded in his head.

Rienna jumped back like a scalded cat, her hand on her lips. She tripped over her own feet as she moved away, much to her embarrassment, and ended up sitting on the floor with a confused expression on her face. She stared at Rand, her face turning as red, no, redder, than her hair. Rand had kissed her. KISSED HER! She stared at him, and finally climbed back to her feet, still staring.

"R-Rand!" Rienna managed to get out, stuttering. "You-You! You KISSED ME!" Her face turned another shade of red as she covered it with her hands, unsure what to do.

Her soft smile warmed his heart, and the troubles of the world seemed distant. For too long he had traveled in a quiet gloom. He had forgotten how it felt to be at peace.

"A god?"

"Careful, she's on to us."

"She is very cunning, though I don't see how she could know."

"It doesn't matter, she MUST not know of me"

"An oath rather", he lied to her.

"A half-truth? Perhaps you aren't so useless at lying."

"Nice. You know what, you can just..."

"Wait, there is more at play here. She couldn't have known about me."

"You just figure that out?"

"Stow it meatsack. She has some connection to my kin. Find out what it is."

Einar started to say something then stopped "Meatsack? Really?"

"Such a beautiful imagination you have. The gods summoning people for some quest, like tales I heard as a youth in Derga...Is there more to the tale? Perhaps a good fireside story?", he said flashing a smile and leaning in, resting his weight on his hand. In his head he could hear Aes laughing, "You amuse me."

A little annoyed with his reaction to her words, Tuuli leaned toward him as well and narrowed her white eyes until their glow was reduced to slits. “ ‘Tis more than mere fancy, Vidar,” her velvet voice was laced with thorns as she used both index fingers to rest at the corners of her unusual eyes. “I have firsthand experience. I know the touch of a god better than any commoner, I’d imagine. So please—” her hands then cupped his face without warning, her warm palms instantly tingling strangely at the prickly feel of his unshaven jaw, “—tell me what god has chosen you to assist in the protection of Urisen's Crystal.”

Stunned by her sudden shift in demenor, he was unable to move, and felt cornered. Fight or flight kicked in, but he could no more run from her then he could attack her. Then when she grabbed him, he melted under her touch. He had been devoid of human contact for years, and he was emotionally overloaded by the sensation on top of his earlier revelation of Tuuli's survival, and their painful reuniting. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Get her off!"

"..."

"Get rid of the witch now!"

"I..."

Aes was screaming in his mind, but the sound became muted and distant until he was barely aware of it. In his mind he saw a burning building. Bodies littered the ground. He was covered in blood and the ground was slick with it. Somewhere inside there was a scream.

"Not again..."

At his odd words and pained tone, not to mention the way his eyes seemed to be peering far away—as if seeing something only he could—Tuuli’s brow creased with concern. "What again? I don't understand..." she whispered to him as she shifted herself closer to him, instinctively trying to comfort this man with her closeness. Could he possibly have the ability to peer into the future? Was he reliving a traumatic event? Her hands never left his face as she bit down hard on her lower lip. Had she caused him pain with her accusations? The utter grief and dread in his voice had tugged at her heartstrings and now she felt completely helpless.

"How women can be so full of fiery rage one moment, then a mess of motherly instincts the next intrigues even I."

"Shut up," she muttered aloud to Shaeji without notice, her full attention on the zoned-out man before her.

Slowly the image faded, and was replaced by Tuuli's face. She stared intently into his eyes, a look of concern on her face. With a sudden jolt he tried to break away from her, but her hands held him steady. Looking into her eyes his sense of panic left him, leaving him feeling drained. He smiled softly, and gently rested a hand on hers.

"Aes..."

"You'll pay for that meatsack"

Tuuli blinked blankly for a fraction of a second at Vidar, but then his voice finally penetrated the haze of concern and her eyes widened in understanding.

"The Earth God," she said simply, her head slowly moving up and down in a nod before she continued with, "And I am Shaeji's Chosen."

A thumb tenderly rubbed over his chin before she regrettably pulled her hands away, the warmth of his hand upon hers and the curious tingling from his roughened face carrying with them even as they folded in her lap.

"So our meeting was destined. You'd think the gods would have brought up that little detail by now."

A gentle wind tugged playfully at their hair and clothes, but otherwise the Wind God remained silent.

"Shaeji?" he asked Aes, but Aes remained silent.

At first he thought that Aes' silence was due to his anger with Einnar, but he did not get that impression from him, rather it was one of contemplation. Like he was too busy sorting something out to respond. His eyes closed in a long blink as she rubbed his chin with her thumb, absorbing the sensation of her soft skin against his stubble.

"So our meeting was destined. You'd think the gods would have brought up that little detail by now." she said, as if addressing someone else. A soft wind played through the clearing, and after a moment's hesitation, his eyes lit up.

"Wind."

A small smile quirked her lips and she nodded. "Indeed. But what happened to you before you decided to tell me the truth? Were you having an epiphany?" instantly she was back to prying for answers, the ever-constant curiosity that had never died even after the death of her innocence those years ago. Even now she thought herself a completely different person after the terrible fire, not realizing that she still retained a handfull of her earlier childish traits.