Of Jewels and Flowers and Queens and Land - A PSL for a new sort of Queen

[chicklet]

 Here there be spoilers a plenty. And CW warnings like whoa. This is a crossover between Final Fantasy and Black Jewels. YIPES! So figure on every CW you can imagine being present. 

Spoilers also for Final Fantasy. And Black Jewels. Like a lot of spoilers. You have been warned. 

And now, onto the Realms who await their new Queen. And the males about to rally around her... 

Comments

[ancientflower]

More words and places and names she just didn't comprehend. But now that she knew for a fact that she wasn't where she was supposed to be, as frustrating as that may be, she was at least able to relax with that fact firmly in place in her mind. Since there wasn't much she could do, then all that was left was to rely on these people and their Queen to help clear up some questions and maybe send her back?

The touch brought her from her thoughts and Aerith was able to smile and give the hand on her arm a little pat of her own. "Please, just Aerith is fine. If you all can help me find answers then we'll call it even." Her smile widened a touch, confident. "My friends are alive, don't you worry about that. I'd know if they weren't."

[the_blood]

The woman nodded. "We will do all we can. Take my horse," she added to the man.

"Lady, I cannot leave you on your own to return home, horseless. We will escort you home first and then..."

"That was not a suggestion, Prince."

He winced at the steel in the older woman's tone, and looked like he was about to argue then his eyes glazed for a moment and his lips curled into a small slow smile. "As the Lady wishes."

All the women immediately looked suspicious.

[ancientflower]

"A horse? Wait, you aren't leaving yourself high and dry are you?" Aerith didn't know enough about the man to be suspicious or not, she was kind of sus about them all in fairness. However, if she was going to be leaving with him, Aerith shrugged and jerked a thumb over her shoulder in his direction.

"And I can't just hitch a ride with him? Why do I need my own whatever-that-thing-is? Horse you said? I don't even know what one is to use it! You may as well keep it." It was, Aerith thought, perfectly logical. Now. If they were going to hand her a chocobo...? She'd always wanted to ride one of those!

[the_blood]

The sound of hoofbeats on snow was her answer as two men pulled up on horseback. "We will escort the ladies home," the larger man said. He had a gruff voice and looked like a born fighter.

The older woman narrowed her eyes. "I don't know why I even bother arguing with any of you. Fine, they're here, so you can take my horse. Off with you.

The man grinned and bowed. "I live to serve." He offered an arm to Aerith. "If it helps, I didn't take a horse here, I walked. She will ride double with Elendill, and be escorted safely home. And you and I shall ride to Eyota. It is not far from here by horseback, even on the longest night."

[ancientflower]

"Well I didn't know that!" Aerith stage whispered at him, huffing but not actually angry at all. Especially when she caught site of the actual horse. The arm offered was completely forgotten as well as the people around her as Aerith walked over, her boots crunching through the snow and her face showing nothing but wonder and awe. A hand lifted with a slight jangle of her bangles as she offered her hand for the great beast to take in her scent.

"Oh you are beautiful." She breathed, delighted at the warm huff of breath from the horse when it snuffled at her hand. And when they were friends, Aerith gently touched it's nose and smoothed her hand along that long, broad head. "So beautiful. And you're going to be able to carry the two of us, hm? Such a strong beast too."

[the_blood]

The horse huffed into her hands, welcoming her. The man who had offered to accompany her mounted up then offered her a hand down. "She'll get us there just fine. And the Silver Twins are apparently quit adept at tending to horses," he added with a hint of wry humour. Like someone still trying to get used to something very odd.

[ancientflower]

"I have no idea who that is!" Aerith laughed, somehow put at ease by the horse. Enough that she bent to set the glass down and then reached up and grabbed ahold of the man's hand. When she was pulled up in front of him there was no hesitation, nor any concern over the fact she wore a skirt! Nor was there a hesitation when she grabbed at the saddle, not wanting to hurt the poor thing. She was tempted to hug her around the neck but didn't want to hamper her movements.

"Does she go fast?" Aerith asked, the trace of eagerness in her voice hard to deny.

She should have had her mind on battle, not riding strange beasts with strange men!

[the_blood]

He chuckled. "She can. I've got you, though, I won't let you fall off. We will have to detour slightly to make the bridge though," he warned her. He kept a good grip on her as the horse charged away at his slight nudge. He kept them to a fairly even pace, not the fastest the horse could go - this wasn't an emergency - but above a trot for sure. "As to who the Silver Twins are... I'm not sure where to even begin explaining..." he added, though the wind probably took most of his volume.

It wouldn't take long before she'd be able to hear the sound of the river up ahead.

[ancientflower]

Aerith's laughter rang out brightly as the horse was spurred into movement. The heavy feeling of those majestic legs eating up the distance and caring not in the slightest for the snow in its way was so thrilling for Aerith. The wind in her hair and the sounds around her, the huff of the horses breathing and power within it's every movement... Of course she should have known this wasn't her world. It felt so different!

She did hear some of what was said behind her, but most was lost and she didn't bother to reply for the same reason.

As for the river, it was the scent on the breeze that alerted her more than the sound, though as they got closer that rushing sound was hard to ignore.

Aerith was a woman who had lived her entire life under a plate, trapped within a walled in city of metal. This world outside was beautiful, even if it wasn't her own.

[the_blood]

The river was large and fast. She could see the far shore from the near one, but it wasn't something most people could cross without the bridge. Thankfully the bridge was sturdy enough. He did slow the horse going over the wood and stone construction, though. Once over they picked up speed again for nearly a half hour before he slowed the horse to a trot, and then to a walk. "The Queen has agreed to meet with us, despite the late hour," he said, relief in his voice. "They will meet us at The Lady's Pleasure."

[ancientflower]

The river was amazing and she truly wished they could stop. She'd leaned to the side to peer down at it as best she could... but once they were over the bridge it was gone, and she sighed.

They rode on and Aerith took everything in around her. At one point closing her eyes and tilting her head to breath in the scents and stretch out her senses, delicately feeling for the lifes blood of the planet to see if it was anything like her own... But before she could truly reach, the man's voice spoke behind her and jolted her from her near daze. A shake of her head and Aerith glanced over her shoulder. "... And how did you do that? I never heard you call anyone?"

[the_blood]

"I... called Grey on a Spear thread..." he said slowly, as if confused. As if somehow she was the one who wasn't making sense.

[ancientflower]

Oh it definitely wasn't her who wasn't making sense! So she shifted and turned a bit more so she wasn't straining her neck and brought a hand up to point at herself.

"Heya! I'm Aerith. I don't belong on this world so please don't look at me like I've lost my mind, I really haven't! Nothing about this world feels like my own. So you..." She poked at his arm lightly. "Have a bit of sympathy for the homeless!"

[the_blood]

"I... I appologize, Lady," he said, sounding like he meant it. "I... just... Well, even Landens understand that the Blood can speak to each other on the psychic webs. And your psychic scent may be odd, but I can tell for certain that you are no Landen...." the word Landen was said with a slight sneer, but there was a weird hesitation in it too, like someone who was new to sneering at them, whoever they were... or like someone who always sneered and was reassessing. Or trying to.

They were coming close to a small village now. The buildings were in good repair, though in many cases "repair" was the operative word as parts of roofs and walls didn't always match. All the windows were shuttered against the cold.

The roads were cobble at best, packed dirt at worst. He pulled them up to the main street, past the repaired homes. This was a wider road with good even cobbles that were cleared of ice, though some snow stuck stubbornly. The buildings to either side of this road were very different. They all looked newer, or at least repaired with the same materials as the original. Or close enough as to not stand out. Also they seemed to be more businesses. There was one that by the images on the sign seemed to be a music store, except it had a low fence around a front yard, like it was for keeping animals in.

Speaking of animals, as they got to one of the very few businesses that seemed open - there as light coming from the windows and smoke from the chimney - two small dogs came racing up to the horse. They both stopped clear of where the horse stopped. They could have been littermates, probably were, they each had a wide blaze of silvery fur down their nose, one wider than the other.

The man slid from the saddle, helping her down gently, before throwing the reins to one of the dogs. Both dogs gave a short gruff noise before heading off, leading the horse down the road. He turned towards the open business. The sign read "THE LADY'S PLEASURE". Two more of the small dogs stood in the doorway. One was brown and white and wore a collar with an amethyst jewel in it. The other was a patchwork of all sorts of colours, a real hodgepodge. He looked shy and unsure. Just looking at the female she was clearly the bossy sort. Both dogs stared at Aerith.

Her escort looked sheepish. "That's something you'd have to ask her, or the Queen...." he said to the dogs, as if answering a question. "May we please en..." before he could finish the question the dogs stepped politely aside. He coughed. "After you, Lady," he said to Aerith.

If she went inside she'd be created with comfortable warmth, more than should be coming from the small fireplace. It was an inn or tavern, or some mix thereof, full of tables. One of those tables was full of people. Nearly all of them looked like everyone else she'd met so far; skin that was dark from either tanned or natural colouring, dark hair, dark eyes that were usually brown, though there were a few greens. All of them were of similar build. Except for one of the two women present. She looked nothing like anyone else here.

The woman wasn't exactly pretty, leaning more towards plain, except for the freckles all over her pale face. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't lean like everyone else seemed to be here, either. Her eyes were hazel and her sunset red hair was pulled back from her face. One man stood to either side of her, watching Aerith intently. They didn't look related, though they did both have green eyes. Different shades, though.

"May the Darkness embrace you both," the woman said, saying the words as though they were greeting. Or ritual.

[ancientflower]

"I had hoped you'd tell me your name... Or do I give you one of my own?" She huffed and turned back to face forward. This time she crossed her arms. She was frustrated for several reasons now. The expectation that she should know what was going on and the strange things that were being told to her, and the weird looks she kept getting because she didn't. She had no idea what a 'Landen' was but she hadn't liked that look either. Aerith kept it to herself for now and just fell quiet and observed.

They entered a village, quaint and run down but with personality. And when they stopped she let him help her down and took a moment to straighten herself up, her skirt, her jacket and then her hair. Straightening up just in time to watch the reins be thrown to the dogs and the dogs take the horse away. A puzzled look followed. Another aimed at the man. Was he talking to...? When the dogs moved aside, she shot him a look but turned to the dogs with a nod. "Thank you." She thanked them politely and stepped into the building.

Aerith stepped inside and took everything in with a glance.

No, she was definitely not in Midgar anymore.

The woman who spoke caught her attention and Aerith tilted her head, unsure of what to say or why they were such fans of 'darkness'. But she held up a hand and gave them a small wave. "Hello. I think there's been a huge mistake."

Swapping to Cassie's journal, because she has icons.

[lady_cassidy]

The comment about the name had gotten a hunt of a flush and a mumbled "I'm Prince Hikaeda..."


At her huge mistake comment, one of the men in the tavern muttered "Like thinking someone was going to steal all our bloodied rum...?"

The darker skinned woman glared at him sharply.

"It was a complicated web to interpret from the sound of it," the paler woman said to the others before turning to Aerith again. "It seems that there was, and I appologize for what trouble it may have caused you, sister. I am Cassie, will you join us? Hopefully we can figure out how to help you. Lord Marcus was kind enough to open the Lady's Pleasure for this meeting, so that you did not have to deal with an overcrowded meeting room."

The other woman had a look on her face like she was being snarky, but said nothing. Cassidy glanced at her anyway, lips twitching like she was fighting a smile.

[ancientflower]

Aerith had the oddest sensation that she should turn around and walk away. Without quite knowing why, she actually found herself taking a step closer to Hikaeda, for no other reason than he was the one she had just spent the last hour with and so felt a little more comfortable with.

However she also knew she was probably being silly. They could try and hurt her if they wanted, but she wasn't without means to protect herself.

Idly she reached for the bangles on her wrist and stroked her thumb across one of the slightly glowing stones buried within before sighing. A nod and she moved closer to find a seat.

"I'm all ears." Aerith said once she'd sat, hands in her lap and eyes on Cassie, since it seemed that none of the others appeared to be happy with her presence. And that was fine, Aerith wasn't at all happy to be where she was. She was happier when she had been outside on that horse, running through the beautiful landscapes.

[lady_cassidy]

One of the men moved to pull a seat out for her at the far side of the table. At a look from Cassidy, he relented and pulled one closer to where the redhead stood. Cassidy sat when one of the men pulled a chair for her, before he took the seat between Cassidy and the chair pulled for Aerith. The others followed suit. One man went to pull a chair for the other woman. She snarled and he backed off.

"Perhaps it would be best to start with introductions. This," she nodded to the green eyed man between her and Aerith, "Is Prince Jared Blaed Greyhaven, though most call him Grey generally. He is my First Escort, as well as doing me the honor of being mu husband. This," she nodded to the other green haired man who was sitting on her other side, between her and the other woman, "is the Master of the Guard's second in command, Ranon. Warlord Prince of Shalador. Beside him is the Court's Black Widow, Shira." The people mentioned inclined their heads in turn. Then she nodded to each of the other men at the table. "Princes Archerr and Shado, an Spere, as well as lord Cayle." Again each nodded in turn. Other than Grey and Ranon,thy all had dark brown eyes.

"And if we are using titles," Grey said, a hint of growl in her voice, "This is Lady Cassidy, Queen of the Territory of Shalador Nehele."

"Cassie is fine, Grey."

"Are you going to swear at me?" he asked, and it sounded almost smug.

"I'm thinking about it," she said, eye eyes dancing.

Hikaeda joined the others at the other end of the table, so as to not desert Aerith.

[ancientflower]

Aerith spared the angry woman a look and held her bangle just a little tighter. She managed to keep her expression somewhat neutral though, but her guard was up. She felt tense. But she listened... and knew there was no way she was going to remember all of those names and titles.

"My name is Aerith." She said again. And then, because they were doing titles, she decided that she could give the only one she had. "Ancient. The last of the Cetra."

[lady_cassidy]

They all exchanged confused looks, confirming that none of them recognized her title.

"Ancient?" Grey asked, head tilting slightly. "Is that like Draca perhaps?"

"Draca?" Cassie asked, clearly surprised.

"Can you think of anyone who better fits that title?" he responded with a bit of a grin.

Cassidy shook her head. "If you're going to call her ancient, I want to be far away when you do. Like a whole other realm away." She looked to Aerith. "Could you explain what you mean so Grey doesn't get himself killed?" She said it lightly enough to indicate it was mostly a joke...

[ancientflower]

"I'll go one better." Aerith replied softly, looking around the table for a moment before her gaze moved back to Cassie and Gray. "I'm no 'Draca' or anything else you can think to come up with. I don't belong in this world, you see? This isn't my Planet. This isn't my sky and this isn't my soil. I'm not sure what kind of magic you used to do it, but when you tried to catch whoever it was you were after, you caught me instead. So..." And while her tone was as gentle and kind as could be, there was a slight hardness to her voice with her next words. "How about you all stop trying to work out who I am in terms of what you know? I'm Aerith. That's who I am and who I'll always be."

She didn't want to be rude, really she didn't. But it couldn't be helped when she felt like she was almost being mocked and having to justify herself. It wasn't as if she had deliberately walked into their town and thrown her weight around. She'd been pulled into the world against her will! She really shouldn't have had to justify her own existence at all.

And... she was feeling very out numbered.

Out numbered and very alone.

She wished Cloud was beside her. Or Tifa. Or any of the others. But she had to do this on her own as much as she possibly could. And that meant standing up for herself first and foremost.

Sorry about the inconsistent spelling.

[lady_cassidy]

Shira, the other woman, leaned back. "Y'know, I like her," she said, her eyes dancing.

Cassidy nodded, clearly agreeing, but her voice wand face were more serious. "I will need to speak to those involved with the spell to find out exactly what was done to bring you here. I assure you I will get to the bottom of this, Aerith."

"Lady Cassidy...." Hikeadea began.

"That was not a suggestion, Prince," Cassidy said firmly. Then she softened slightly. "I will have the Steward send a message arranging a meeting time."

"I could just..." Hikaeda offered, but stopped when he saw her look.

"Protocol dictates that the Steward sent the request. You are welcome to tell them as well if you wish, but Protocol will be followed."

"Is there no flexibility in Protocol in a case like this?" Spere asked.


"Ordinarily, yes. But the Protocol instructors have requested a firmer hand until Protocol is understood as instinctively here as it is in Kaleer. Then the exceptions can be considered."

The males around the table nodded.

"Besides, no one enjoys being the one to tell the others that the Queen is *****ed off," Shira drawled.

"That too," Cassie acknowledged with a twitch of her lips. She focused on Aerith again. "Alright, you are Aerith, we aren't asking you to be anything else. We are just trying to understand so we know how best to help."

[ancientflower]

Aerith could feel a headache coming on. She sat back in her seat and brought a hand up to rub her eyes and then her temple in a slow circle.

She was tired. She was tired and she was dirty and she hadn't even had the chance to heal herself from her wounds from battle. And having to deal with all of this? What was going on, she had no idea. What a 'steward' was or protocols she couldn't even guess but she was half tempted to just burn the tavern down and walk away. But she also knew that was the headache talking. Aerith wasn't the type to do something like that where it could have a chance of hurting someone.

While they talked around her, Aerith had closed her eyes and tried to focus on easing the pain in her head away with a little covert healing spell... Though soon enough she was addressed again and slowly she opened her eyes to look at Cassidy.

"No offence, but I'll believe that when I see it." She answered quietly. "All I know is that I understand nothing any of you say. And no one is bothering to explain. And if that's the case, then I don't need to be here." Her hand dropped from her temple and she straightened herself up as she spoke next. "If you'd like to help, then a room would be nice. Before I arrived I was in the middle of a battle. I would really like to lay down."

[lady_cassidy]

"A battle?" Shira asked. "Do you require a healing brew?"

"One of the ladies attempted to offer her when she arrived, she did not drink it."

Shira snorted. "Would you, in a strange place?"

Cassie sighed. "I am willing to explain if you tell me what you do not understand. But without context I do not know what it is that is confusing," she said quietly.

[ancientflower]

Aerith shook her head at the question. "It's nothing I can't heal myself..." And then she trailed off, remembering the strange drink that had been offered to her without any word of explanation. No, she hadn't drank it. And for good reason.

"Then explain what you are planning on doing with me." Aerith turned her attention from Shira to Cassidy. "I can't even begin to understand half of the things you're all saying around me, but you can at least tell me that much?" And that's all she wanted. Aerith just wanted to know where she stood. What they planned to do with her now that they knew what a big mistake they'd made... and maybe how they were going to send her back?

[lady_cassidy]

"I honestly don't know. Hard to have a plan when we're on as shaky ground as you are. We will do our best for you and to help you, but honestly, I don't know what we can do," she admitted. "We hold no ill will to you, I can promise you that. And we will do our best to aid you."

"Within limits" nearly every male growled some variant of that.

Cassidy sighed. "Within reasonable limits where reasonable limits are set by the Queen and her Healer."

So many pairs of eyes glaring at Cassidy at that. And at least one person muttering questions about Cassidy's idea of reasonable...

[ancientflower]

Aerith was even less reassured. And so she scooted her seat back.

"Then if that's the case... If you are going to hold me prisoner there isn't much I can do. But if you aren't... I'd like to go now. I'll find my own way." Because she just didn't understand what 'shaky ground' meant. She didn't like the idea of the ability to help her being limited. And she really didn't like how disagreeable people were being when it was their fault she was stuck in a strange world away from her friends and family.

[lady_cassidy]

"You aren't a prisoner," Cassidy said, seeming alarmed now. "But you don't know this people. Or this Realm."

"I hate to sound like an ***," Ranon began, "But it isn't safe to go wandering alone. This Realm is still recovering from war, and everyone is on high alert. We are bracketed by mountains to one side, but our Territory does not have the best relations yet with the Territories we border on the other sides."

"You sound like Theran," Shira said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Like I said, an ***," he said with a wink. Then he shook his head and got serious again. "Look, Lady Aertih, Lady Cassidy wants to help you. ****s fire, so do the rest of us, but we can't do what we can't do!"

[ancientflower]

"And I don't expect any of you to do anything you can't do." Aerith replied not unkindly, but there was a stubborn set to her jaw and her bright green eyes. "But if your hands are tied on what you can and can't do then I would do better on my own."

To her it seemed reasonable enough. Why be more of a bother and a burden on these people than she needed to? She could find a way to get home on her own easily enough and it wasn't as if she couldn't defend herself. She was no SOLDIER but she could wield magic enough to give most creatures a bad day.

"I've heard nothing of hope from any of you right now. Just talk off red tape and seemingly passing me from pillar to post. And I'm telling you right now, if that's what is going to happen, I will cause the biggest stink you have ever seen. If you think war is bad, you haven't seen me when I'm annoyed." Which is to say, she was like a grumpy kitten and not frightening at all. But what she lacked in intimidation she more than made up for in her unending ability to be a menace.

[lady_cassidy]

*Stop being a hissy cat!" a young female voice demanded at the same time that the female dog started snarling. *Lady Cassidy didn't bring you but she's trying to help! And if she doesn't know how to help you, then finding someone who does makes sense!"

The female dog jumped up at Aerith, landing on the air at eye level with the woman, still snarling. "This is their sleeping time, but they are awake to help you. You need healing and sleep and then you will listen and ask questions and they will try to help. But it is sleeping time now, not bickering time!"

Cassidy put her hands over her face, like somehow that would make this all go away.

[ancientflower]

The voice that spoke to Aerith didn't come from any around her and seemed to resonate within her head. She went to ask, but then a dog started snarling and Aerith's eyes widened. Even more when it jumped at her.

But then Aerith jumped back, kicking back the chair to get away from the angry canine she threw up a Barrier between herself and it, the shimmering wall of magic strong enough to deflect any attack coming her way. She hoped. "Someone get this crazy animal away!" Animals liked her. She liked them. Aerith had no idea how to handle it when an animal went crazy on her and tried to attack her.

[lady_cassidy]

Vae stood on the air where she had landed. *I am clearly not attacking you, but if you keep being a stubborn sheep I will nip you!"

"How about we all just get some rest for tonight and discuss things tomorrow?" Grey asked, looked like he as trying very hard not to laugh.

[ancientflower]

"You nip me, missy, and I'll set your tail on fire!" And she would do it, gladly, because she didn't appreciate anyone or anything baring their fangs at her.

And no one was coming to her defence. Which was all the proof Aerith needed that she was really on her own here. So with that in mind, she dismissed the Barrier and in it's place she held her Mythril Rod before her. Now with it out and her standing she did as she had planned earlier and cast Cura upon herself, a warm, green and sparkling glow surrounded her and all of her wounds and bruises seemed to vanish in moments. It couldn't fix the smudges of dirt but it would do.

"... Yes. I think I'm done here."

[lady_cassidy]

Magic shields went up around everyone except her as soon as the rod appeared and everyone tensed.

*You are stubborn sheep! Why would you turn away from help?!*

"It... It's okay, Vae," Cassie said in a shaky whisper.

"I say if she wants to be an idiot and leave, let her," Spere said, shaking his head. "She's so sure she knows better than us, then all we can do is let her go. Let's get Cassidy and Shira back to the Residence. Cassidy was supposed to be resting tonight."

"That's right!" Grey said. "You promised you'd rest."

"I was resting!" she protested, then shook her head. "We can't just send her odd and let her get herself hurt!"

"You can't save everyone, Cassie," Ranon said softly. "This is just like when we split... Those who wanted someone else to rule could not also be taken care of by you. If she wants to leave, she's an adult. She can leave. You can't protect people who don't want your protection."

Cassidy swallowed hard, looked like she might crumble at any moment.

"Grey, the the Queen home, we can take care of whatever needs to be seen to here."

[ancientflower]

Oh... Oh now she was getting angry.

"Protection? There's a snarling dog in my face and not a one of you are doing anything to help so I help myself and suddenly I'm the bad guy? I want to know why I've been pulled away from my world and my friends and I am told you might be able to do something and I'm terrible for daring to ask? I want to go and see if I can do for myself, so I'm not a burden, and you talk about me like I'm ungrateful? And worse, you all talk over me like I'm not even here!"

And oh how she hated that... Aerith was breathing harder now, clutching her stave to her chest. She wasn't using it as a weapon. Anyone with eyes could see she was using it as defence, to make her feel safe. If she dared to hug it with both of her arms she might have.

Because she was scared. For the first time since she was seven years old she knew real fear... And Aerith was doing anything in her power to try and make that go away.

"I just want to go home..." She whispered then... before a wave of dizziness made her sway, and in another moment her legs crumbled under her and she slipped to the ground in a dead faint.

[kiss_kiss]

When she came to, she would be on a soft bed that smelled like herbs and cool air. The room itself was also on the cooler side, though she was tucked in warmly enough. She wasn't alone in the room.

If or when she wound up looking around, she would discover that she was near the edge of a canopied bed large enough that five people could have slept in it and not noticed each other during the night. She was the bed's only occupant at the moment, however. The room was in proportion to the bed, which is to say it was quite large. The deep crimson carpet and pale gold walls went well with the crimson and gold silk sheets of the bed, though the black comforter over her was more well worn and clearly from another room.

On either side of the bed were night tables. At the foot of the bed was a wide footlocker with cushions on it so it could double as a seat. There was a card table between the footlocker and nice but easily movable dining chair. Against the wall nearest the door was a long low dresser.

At the dresser stood a woman who seemed to be working with a mortar and pestle. She looked to be in her mid thirties, or maybe older. Her face was lined subtly. Her white blond hair was short and gelled up into what looked like frosted peaks of ice above her head. She wore a large threadbare grey sweater over a darker grey shirt, and long pants that matched the undershirt. The pants were flowy and loose, but didn't quite hide the fact that the legs seemed significantly thinner under them than the rest of the frame. Over the shirts, the woman wore a grey jeweled pendant that flashed as she moved. Beside here were two crutches, the kind made with supports that wrapped around the arms to help the user of the hands were too weak.

Laying near the woman, just clear of being underfoot were what looked like puppies. Large puppies. A closer look, if Aerith could tell such things, might show her that they were in fact wolf puppies.

"No," the woman said, her voice tart, "She cannot go on walkies, go pester KaeAskavi or the horses. Or better yet..." her lips curved in a wicked smile, "Go pester Kharry."

The wolf pups whined but left the room. Through the closed door. Without bothering to open it first.

The woman turned, moving carefully, and leaned back against the dresser, a steaming mug in her hand. "Welcome back to the land of the living," she said, eyeing her through the steam. "Beale is having breakfast sent up for you." She sipped from the mug of coffee she held. "Dramatic type, are you?"