505-06-25/26 The Legend of Ovelia Paggion

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Log: Ovelia's Test
IC Date:	25-26 June 505
Players:	Khalani, Mathis, Meliana, Natalia
NPCs:	Ovelia Paggion, Baxter
Location:	Paggion Baronial Home - Amphorae

Contents 1 Prologue: Ovelia Charisma Paggion 2 Hide and Seek: Meliana's Story 3 A Sister's Love: Natalia's Path 4 Days of Future Past: Khalani's Path 5 Cut Scene: Story Convergence Point 6 Final Exam: The Paggion Female Trial 6.1 Into the Rabbit Hole 6.2 The Results 7 Interlude: In the Capture Room 8 Semi-Happy Reunions

Prologue: Ovelia Charisma Paggion

The story of the Lighthouse begins with the tale of Ovelia Paggion, a Lady of Amphorae from before the Barrier was risen. She was the middle daughter of the Baron, and as such had more freedom than her older brother. In those days, the trade between Tyr and Draught was strong, and Ovelia, being the adventurous type that wanted to travel and see Ikol, had fallen for the Captain of one of the ships that visited Amphorae's port of Haven, the 'Cornucopia' by the name of Athurn Aznable.

Fearing that his daughter would never be seen again, the Baron forbade Ovelia from seeing the Captain. And made sure she was under guard every time that the Horn of Plenty came into port. That didn't stop Ovelia from sneaking away from her father to rendevous in private with her beloved. In those days, the use of herbs wasn't as widespread as it is now on Draught, and the inevitable happened - Ovelia became pregnant. Fearful that her father would banish Athurn from Draught entirely, she made plans to use the lighthouse on the northern coast as a meeting place, where Ovelia would board the Horn of Plenty and she can be with her true love.

The night of the meeting, there was a terrible storm. 'Cornucopia' had a brave captain, and he was willing to risk the passage through the smaller islands to get to his love. However, Providence had other plans. Ovelia could only watch in horror as the flare of the lighthouse illuminated the Horn of Plenty as it was smashed against the rocks and sucked it underneath the surface, never to return.

Distraught, the young woman threw herself off of the railing of the lighthouse into the ocean below, so that she could always be with her love. But Providence can sometimes turn a blind eye. Legend has it that the girl landed on the rocks instead.. and in her dying breath, cursed Providence, her father and the loss of her true love and child - and as she died, she was reborn.

On stormy nights, a creature is seen near the lighthouse, a terrible, ugly, wicked Sea Hag. She is an old witch, seeking out young lovers to murder when they come too close to the Lighthouse, which was abandoned after the Barrier was risen for a smaller, more modern one. The remains of the Horn of Plenty and her crew were never discovered, and some legends even have it that the couple actually did meet and were whisked away to Tyr to live happily ever after. That's generally the story told to children, at least.

There is a curse on the Paggion family, and every female must suffer through it. Talks of walking nightmares and horrors that have driven some of them mad.

Hide and Seek: Meliana's Story

Late night at the Amphorae manor brings in a fog from the northern coast. It's thick, nearly impossible to see through, rolling over the Baronial home, and the sentinels at night have to switch to their bullseye lanterns to cut through the darkness. Not that this matters to the residents. Mathis, having snuck into Khalani's room, is snuggled up comfortably with her, and the other girls are all asleep.

Outside of Meliana's room, there's a small thump as something bounces by the room, and then the scampering of clawed feet. Happy yipping follows soon after, as a young girl giggles. "Bring it back, Baxter!" she says cheerfully, her voice muffled through the door as someone is playing outside.

Meliana was sound asleep, dreaming of sugar plums. Literally. That thump wakes her up. It takes her a moment, then, groggily she puts on her slippers and robe, and heads for the door. She knows all the dogs on the estate. Maybe she can help the girl get the dog back. Or, at the very least, tell her to be quiet and not wake up Khalani.

As Meliana opens the door to the suite, she will find that the doorknob is chilled to the touch. Not that youngsters would pay attention to such things. The door opens into the hallway, and there's a golden retriever puppy standing in front of her door, tail wagging happily to and fro, holding a small yellow ball in his mouth.

From down the hallways, a little girl, perhaps a little older than Meliana approaches, wearing a nightgown and a robe. Her redish-brown hair bobs in combed little ringlets. As she notices the other girl, she comes to a halt. "Oh, I didn't mean for him to wake you!" she exclaims, lifting her hands to her mouth worriedly. Her pale blue eyes reflect a small, embarassed smile as she offers a curtsey. "Hello, m'lady. My name is Ovelia. Who are you? I am sorry, I am new around here."

Meliana, of course, doesn't notice the temperature of the doorknob. The sight of the puppy makes her smile immediately, and she stoops down to pet it. "Its okay. I like puppies." Meliana pauses, then tips her head. "You're new here? We didn't hire any new staff..." UGH. What if she came with that awful Cardiff woman! "My name is Meliana. I live here."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not staff!" Ovelia says with a giggle. "I'm the niece of someone that works here." the young girl says to Meliana, "And this is Baxter, he's my puppy." she says in confirmation of the dog. Whistling for the pup, it trots back over to the girl. "We were just getting in some play time before I finally put him to bed. Do you like to play.. would you like to?" she asks, lowering her hands. There's something about her dress, her outfit. It is very conservative, and even a little noble in apperance.

"I was exploring when I first got here, and I found this neat little tunnel." she says, her voice a whisper, as if someone else can hear them. "It's very neat, and I don't think anyone else knows about it." the young girl says, rocking on her heels for a moment's thought. "But I think I can trust you with that secret, right?"

As IF! Meliana knows about all the hiding places...if there is a tunnel, she knows about it. "I was sleeping, but I'm awake now. I guess we can play." Meliana takes a step closer to the girl. "Your dress is very pretty. Who made it for you?" Because all girls know the name of their tailor! "A tunnel? I...I would probably know about any tunnels."

"I don't know.." Ovelia says, a little lit in her voice. Daring her new friend, perhaps? "This one looked like it had not been open in a very long time. It's in the main reading room, downstairs. Lots of room down there to play fetch with Baxter, too." the young girl says as she folds her hands behind her dress, holding the little ball in her hands.

"My mother made my dress." she says, beaming with pride. "She is a very good seamstress. I can ask her to make one for you?" the young girl suggests. "But she's far away from here." she says, seeming almost sad about the idea. "And she is ill, which is why I was sent here. Anyway, let's go play!"

Meliana frowns a little. "I'm sorry your mother is sick. My mother got sick too. And then she died. But I was really little, and I don't remember it. So my mommy can't make me dresses." Something about this seems to bother the girl suddenly. How sad, not to have a dress made by your mother. She pauses a moment, then tries to shrug it off. "I'm sure your mother will be fine though. Lets go play!"

"I'm sorry your mommy died." Ovelia says this, sounding utterly sincere as she lowers her head. "It is really sad to lose a love, isn't it?" she asks, sounding very melancholy. Then as Meliana shrugs and the young girl smiles as she looks up with a warming smile. "Come on, we have to be very quiet though, we don't want to wake up anyone."

There's a secret little wink between the two girls as Ovelia turns to head down the hallway, she moves her hands to the front. Baxter tails along next to his mistress, ears flopping happily as he tags along. The young girl smiles warmly as she heads down the stairs, following them slowly and easily, before she moves, and sits on the banister, daringly riding it down. "Woo!"

Meliana tips her head. "My daddy died too. Natty says we're orphans." When her new friend runs off, however, she follows, giggling quietly. She's never really been one to be kept down for long. She, however, doesn't slide down the bannister. Meliana just laughs and races down the stairs.

Baxter bounds along beside Meliana, yipping just a couple of times as he follows the bounding and sliding girls down the stairs. Towards the bottom steps, he takes a tumble, rolling down the last few stairs. But he bounces back from it, cheerfully wagging his tail as he lands on his paws again.

Ovelia finishes sliding down the banister, landing on the floor, her dress flaring around her for a moment as she raises her arms in a victory pose, the young girl smiling widely as she does so, before she turns to her new friend, and she frowns a little.

"My daddy died when I was young in an accident." Ovelia admits. Sometimes it's a Paggion trait. Hopefully Mathis won't be cursed with it. "He was attempting to mix two drugs to make a new one, and the gasses got to him." she says with a quiet sigh. "Anyway, we're almost there, come on." she says with a giggle, heading towards the master room.

"I'm sorry your daddy died. Mine died in an accident too." If Meliana thinks anything odd of this, she doesn't say it. "We don't know what he was doing. The lab just...blew up!" She stoops to pet the puppy, laughing, then runs to follow her friend. "Okay!"

Baxter only allows Meliana the quickest touch, he is very cool, for something very vibrant and full of life. He nuzzles her hand with a cold and wet feeling nose before he bounds off after his young mistress, the happy little tail wagging, as if wagging his whole butt as the young girl enters the master room.

Looking around, Ovelia's eyes lay on the potrait of the first Baron of Amphorae. Tysam Paggion was not an imposing fellow, but he was smart enough to build the plantations and establish the Healing College. The young girl looks at the side of the potrait and reaching into the side of the frame, and there's a small click, as the potrait opens along the edge of the frame, swinging open like a door. It's definetly not something that Meliana has seen before.

"Here we are. This takes us all the way to Haven, it was an old escape tunnel in case of attack." Ovelia says lightly as she walks over to Meliana, and looks towards the door, where there is a small lantern waiting. "Tell me, Meliana Paggion - does Khalani really love you?" she asks, her hand reaching to touch her friend's shoulder. The touch is very cold.

Meliana's mouth falls open as the girl opens that panel. She never knew that was there! What a GREAT hiding place!! "Ooooh. It goes all the way to Haven? Why didn't we know about i..." It is then that her friend's words sink in. "I thought you didn't know who I was? You know both me and my sister?"

The young woman smiles, and before Meliana's eyes, she grows, and becomes an older teen. If Meliana ever paid attention to the portraits of the family, she will recognize the matured Ovelia Paggion and her faithful pet, Baxter from their official painting. "I know all of the Paggions, my dear Meliana. You will be very safe, but I need to make sure that your sisters are worthy of the prize for my game. Rest well."

And with that, she reaches up, tapping the young girl on the forehead. "Sleep well, my cousin." she says, rendering her unsconscious, hopefully.

Meliana's mouth falls open, and she is about to respond when the tap comes. Her eyes flutter closed, and down she goes.

The sea hag, this beautiful young spirit, sweeps her arms around the child and lifts her up. "Come Baxter." she says with a smile. "I have hope for this generation. Maybe finally, my dear puppy, we can rest." There's a small melancholy smile as she lifts the girl and the two head into the tunnel, leaving the potrait slightly open.

Her own unearthly glow leads the way, leaving the lantern behind for the remaining Paggions to come to the rescue of their loves. As she enters the small chamber, a good thirty minutes later, she is laid on a fine bed, all around her is an anctient treasure. Nearby, there is a second bed set up, but that guest has not arrived yet.

A Sister's Love: Natalia's Path

Early morning in the Barional Manor. A thick fog hangs over the lands, having come in from the northern seas. As the staff awakens, breakfast is put on the pots, breads are baked, and the young Lady Baronet is roused from her sleep before the Baroness. Why?

Because when they first checked on Khalani, she was sleeping comfortably with her Baron to Be, and they were too adorable to interupt.

"Breakfast is almost ready, Lady Natalia. Do you want me to rouse Meliana and Shala?" the servant, an older woman asks, after she looks in for a moment.

Natalia rises from her bed slowly, sleepily. She hasn't slept well the past several nights, and being roused /first/ raises her after fewer hours than she'd like. "Hnn?" she asks, confused at the question, and briefly taken back to a year ago. "Yes, do," she replies. "And send Viola in to help me with my dress." No, wait. Viola moved on to the healer's college, didn't she? "Wait, why didn't you rouse Khalani for this?"

There's a small cough. "The Baroness did not want to be disturbed, m'lady." the maid says as she steps back, "I will go awaken the others. I'm sure she and Master Cardiff will be down for breakfast." And there's your answer, Natalia.

Natalia rolls her eyes at the answer, then nods her head. "Alright," she says faintly as she slips out of her bed. "See to it Shala's dressed before she comes to table," she asks as she makes her way towards her armoire. No Viola. Sigh. "And please send in one of the newer maids to assist me dressing, please? I'll be down shortly."

"Of course." The maid disappears for a little bit. As she does so, there comes a shriek from downstairs, and a large crashing noise as something is dropped in the master chamber of the suite.

The shriek draws a curious expression from Natlaia, and she sighs and rubs at her face. "The things I do for you, sister," she says as she reaches for a thin summer robe and pulls it about her. without even grabbing her shoes, the girl slips out of her bedroom, the billowing folds of her robe flapping about her while she quick-steps in the direction of the scream and crash.

As Natalia goes down the stairs, she may be cursing the fact that Khalani did not wake up first to come down the stairs respond to the situation. In the master room of the manor, a young maid is standing in shock, staring at a wall next to the portrait of Ovelia Paggion, one of the early, pre -barrier Ladies of Amphorae.

Written on the wall next to the potrait is the following, in what appears to be blood, small trails of red coming off of it.</font color="blue">

Meliana was here,
but then she went into the rabbit hole.

Next to the potrait, there seems to be a map pasted there, pointing to a location north of the Baronial Home - near Haven.

Natalia makes her way down the stairs quickly, furrowing her brow at the girl. "What's the matter with you?" she asks as she nears, "Khalani's trying t--" her eyes fall on the bloody writing, and she stares at it for a long, long moment. Then, she turns and quickly rushes up the stairs, taking them two at a time as she runs for Meliana's room.

When Natalia arrives in Meliana's room, her fear is confirmed. The bed is unmade, proof that Meliana was there at one time, but is no longer there. If this is one of Meliana's ideas of a prank on a sister, it's a poor one - especially since there's no sign of her nightgown or robe, either.

Natalia tears the covers off the bed anyways, frustration and fears quickly amounting to upset. "Meli?" she asks, worried. Quickly, she turns away, rushing down the hall. Spotting a maid, she quickly orders, "Wake Khalani and rouse the guard." And then she rushes past, right back down the stairs into the main hall.

Bare-footed and in naught but a short gown and untied robe, she flies out through the front doors, not even slowing as she makes her way towards the giant oak. "Meliana?" she calls up as she passes, but she doesn't even slow there as she rushes towards the stables. "Providence, let her be here," she whispers as she rushes towards the side-entrance. She hops as she steps on a stone, but it doesn't slow her more than a bit as she pushes into the stables. "Meli?" she calls out loudly, then glances towards the stable-boy, hopefully.

As the maids and others go to work on Natalia's orders, the young woman will find the travelling slow through the thick pea-soup fog. She arrives at the stables, and Michael shakes his head at Natalia. It's a wonderful view, considering that she's in her nightie, but Michael is so not staring.

Up in the hayloft, however, there comes a small humming noise, as if a young woman is singing. Maybe Meliana snuck in before Micahel arrived. "...well, then again, m'lady..."

Natalia slows and narrows her eyes up at the loft, then points up at the loft. "Is she up there?" she asks him, pulling her robe closed a bit. Her heart's elevated in pace, but she's got some dignity left, at least. "Go fetch her, and send her down immediately. I don't care if you have to throw her into the hay," she orders him. "Now!"

Michael blanches at the order, and as he gets to the ladder, he pauses, suddenly. The young man turns back to Natalia, and those usually vibrant green eyes of his are a pale blue. When he speaks, a young woman's voice passes over his lips, like spun honey. "M'dear Natalia, you are going the wrong way, cousin. You should be heading north for our game."

Natalia stares at Michael, incredulously. "What are you, daft?" she asks him, furrowing her brow in complete misunderstanding. "I said go get my sister!"

"Foolish girl, thinking your barking will get you what you want in life. I had to whip my dog to get him to obey now and again." Michael responds, a soft blue glow enveloping him. "The game is to the north, cousin. Not here. Now go away."

Natalia blinks, as the glow begins to enfold Michael. Her eyes widen, and she takes a step back. And then? Well, she does what all good almost twelve year olds do. She screams! Long, loud, and piercing, Natalia turns and flees from the horrible vision, rushing back towards the house with all due haste.

Days of Future Past: Khalani's Path

Early morning in the Baronial home. It's quite foggy outside, as Khalani gets a rather pleasant wake up call, as Mathis climbs up in against her, kissing at her neck and jaw. "Lani, beloved... good morning." he chuckles softly. "Your room is rather girly." Well, duh. He's not complaining about being in a girly room, though as he continues to try to wake her up.

A lovely addition to the dream Khalani's been having.. to have her sweetie crawling into bed with her. The room is girly, most of the bedrooms in the home are.. something about four sisters. A soft little sound as she wakes up a little. "Morning love." She rolls over to be able to snuggle in closer, sleepy still. "Early."

One would have expected Mat to still be in his nightclothes as he was slipping into bed. Instead, the young man is fully dressed, ready to take on the day as he leans in to kiss her lips, hand pulling through that lovely red hair. "I was going to get an early start to the day, and head up to the lighthouse to see if I can find another way in." Always, terribly the curious sort. Kissing her again, he starts to pin her down, reluctant to leave her side, especially if she's encouraging by snuggling sooner. "You look rather chipper, my love."

A softly disappointed sound from Khalani's sleepy self at the mention of getting an early start to the day, and running away to lighthouses. "Stay.. leave after breakfast. Feels damp.. wait for the sun to burn the fog off." She leans up to kiss him, slowly waking up as she coaxes. "Sleepy, comfortable. Stay..."

"Would you perfer I make you damp?" Mathis says, teasing in lit, confident in tone. Gather had changed the young man, and those changes are starting to make their way more and more apparent as he kisses her again, hands reaching to the sides of her nightgown. "I could find a good number of reasons to stay, but I'd rather see what your list says." His voice has a slightly taunting lit as he works down her neck, to her ear. "I love you."

And of course, Mathis decides to stay. Lifting her nightgown, the two spend the very early morning hours in the pleaseant company of each other, taking another room off of the list. Time passes, and while Lani is cleaning up in the bath, when she emerges to get dressed, Mathis isn't around. Of course, she's protecting her modesty, as a young maid knocks at the door. "Do you need assistance getting dressed for your ride, Your Excellency?"

A towel wrapped around Khalani and a towel to make the attempt at drying her hair in the humidity of the foggy morning there's a pause. "I'm going riding?" She considers a moment, trying to think back to what was on her schedule for the morning. "I thought I'd only just considered that.." her words are quiet.. to herself. "Yes please. A hand would be welcome, thank you." Her shoulder is about 99% healed, every so often, she moves in a way that she regrets.

"Master Cardiff said that you would be joining him?" A young woman, with pale blue eyes and red ringlets enters the room. Knowing Khalani's family history, the two could be related. "He has already left for the lighthouse, he told me to tell you." the young woman bows her head. "I would suggest some riding britches and a loose blouse, that way you don't have to rely on one shoulder over the other.

Khalani's expression clears as she works out which bit of her morning was a dream, and which bit was reality in terms of conversation. "Of course.. yes. Good." She rolls her eyes with a softly irritated noise. "He could have waited for breakfast.. or for me. I don't take /that/ long to get ready." Which, considering how long she lingered in the bath, is a patent lie at the moment, but that's neither here nor there. "I've a split skirt that should work nicely. I can still ride properly, but it's a bit more modest when I dismount.. although I think it might be dirty. Britches would work. Blouse certainly.. I can't ride in a tight bodice."

Mathis being a patient person? Really, love, do you not know your husband to be by now? "Oh, he seems to be quite the adventorous one. A good match?" the young handmaiden says as she moves to the closet and finds a good pair of light suede pants, and a blouse, along with a pair of riding boots.

Bringing the outfit back to Khalani, she sets down the clothes. "I don't think you'll need my help to get dressed?" she asks, smiling polietly. "Your sisters seem to be out and about this morning, as well." she offers. "I saw them heading north - perhaps they will meet you at the beach?" So that seems to be out at the moment.

In the distance, a bell tower starts to ring, from the direction of Haven.

A soft hrmph from Khalani at the mention of her sisters already being gone out and about. "No, this should be fine. Thank you. All three of them?" She nods after a moment, there'd been metnion of Natalia taking the younger two on a ride. "Perhaps. I'll meet thme on the way I'm certain. He is rather adventurous, yes. A very good match." There's a smile, that warm smile that comes about when she speaks of Mathis. A glance towards the window at the sound of the bells, and then Khalani goes back to getting herself dressed.

Despite the sun being good and up now, the fog has not dissipated. The weather is more proper for late October, not mid-June. "Oh, I am sure he will make you a good husband." the young handmaiden says as she heads towards the door. Standing at it for a moment. "Hopefully, you are willing to do anything for him and Amphorae." the redheaded girl says cyrptically before she shuts the door after passing through it.

After as much time as Khalani's spent with Ravelle.. odd comments and questions start to just seem commonplace. There's a soft sound from the young Baroness, probably agreement, and then she's alone to get dressed. This is how she ended up kidnapped willingly by a demon too.. it was presented as something on the edge of reasonable, and Khalani doesnt think twice. Similarly, she doesnt think twice about everyone having left without her. It's within the realms, if only barely, and she's willing to accept it. It doesnt take her long to get dressed, not with everything laid out for her at this point. She emerges from her room, with a few things she intends to take with her. Most notably one of her sketchbooks.

Cut Scene: Story Convergence Point

As Khalani comes out of her room, she may make a note that things are awful quiet in the house. Not just because the sisters are gone, but there seems to be no activity what so all in the place. That may not be the biggest shock however. As she steps out of her clean and nice room, the rest of the Manor is in a complete state of disrepair. Carpets are molded and stained, some areas dry-rotted from where they have been exposed to open holes in the roof.

Columns lay across the floor, broken plasters scattered here and there, paintings that have been ripped through and tossed aside calously. In the middle of the floor, there is a body, merely bones, a rusted sword laying near his outstretched hand. All of the fingers seem to be intact, if she looks. A trail of dried blood stains the carpet from where he fell, trailing back to the stairwell.

If Khalani tries to return to her door, she will find the door locked shut, unable to be open, the handle breaking off in her hands.

In the distance, the bell from Haven continues to toll.

That's when the door downstairs opens. A panicked and scared Natalia runs into the main room.. and she is greeted with more destruction. Armor, bodies, broken weapons strewn around. Colors of Amphorae are mixed with colors of Destine, and the occassional crest of Ethos. A terrible battle has taken place in this home, sometime in the past. The main doors slam shut behind Natalia, locking her in to the Manor Home as well.

And the bell tolls again.

Final Exam: The Paggion Female Trial

Khalani nearly falls over as she opens the door to her room. The sight. The smell. The.. nightmare. That's what it has to be. Nightmare. This cannot be real. Her home cannot fall to ruin in hours. It's just not possible. There's a strangled squeak first and then she, like her sister, reacts in the way of girls all over. She screams. Horror and fear and disbelief.. and a vague hope that it will wake her up. She steps back, fumbling with the handle to the door to her room, and it denies her entry. Nightmare. Clearly.

But it has, Khalani. As she screams, noone comes rushing to her aid, noone is there to wake her up from this terrible dream. Instead, the smells rise in her nostrils, death mixed with mold. After she's done screaming, the bell tolls again, and a new sound arises. The slamming of a door downstairs.

And there is the noise of a ball bouncing somewhere down the hallway - in the master bedroom, with the small yapping of a puppy on occassion.

The lack of people just makes it all the more of a nightmare. This isnt happening. Some tiny portion of her brain is utterly and totally convinced of this fact. This is only a bad dream. She went back to sleep this morning, and this is the nightmare she's having. She finally gets enough of a grip on herself to stop screaming.. and if she's stuck in her nightmare.. without being able to wake herself up.. she might as well explore. A little. She startles at the sound of the door slamming downstairs, half jumping out of her skin with a squeak. Then.. a ball.. a ball? She creeps down the revolting hallway, in that direction. Puppy yapping isnt so unusual, the household has dogs, it actually feels almost normal.

The floorboards creak and groan under the girl's feet. As Khalani approaches, the floor glowers it's protests, as if they have not been transvered in decades. The door to the Master Bedroom is open, knocked off it's hinges, and Khalani will have to step over it in order to get into the room.

Entering the room, it's opened to the elements, the windows smashed out from the balcony and bay, glass scattered across the floor, allowing the fog to flow into the room freely. Stepping in, there's a crunch under Khalani's boot. When she looks down, she'll have realized that she's stepped on the skeletal remains of a hand. While it is noting but bones, the faded vest of colored leather with Amphorae crest ripped asunder gives away who it is, along with the finaly made sword that lays near his body.

On the bed, there is a second set of remains, a small dagger in her hands. Nearby, lies a last body, an infant. Standing in front of a large portrait of the first Baron of Amphorae is a young girl with red ringlets and pale blue eyes, bouncing a ball while a young dog yips nearby, waiting for her to throw it so they can play fetch.

And she's singing quietly to herself.

A navy lad came here last night,

With sailing he was weary,
A navy lad came here last night,
When the moon shone bright and clearly.


She went upstairs to make the bed,
And she made it soft and easy.
She's pulled her petticoats o'er her head,
Crying, Sailor, are you ready?


They had not been an hour in bed,
An hour but and a quarter,
When the drums came beating up the town,
And every beat got shorter.


Now Bonny lass, I must leave you,
If ever I come this road again
I will come in and see you.


She's ta'en her gown out o'er her arms,
And followed him through Haven.
She's grown so full she could not bow,
And he left her in Amphorae.


It's when will you come back again,
To be your baby's daddy?
When cockle shells grow silver bells

It's when I'll come and wed you.

She glances up towards the Baroness, and she stops bouncing her ball to curtsey to her polietly. "Baroness Amphorae, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. You disappeared on me, and we must now make up your test, so you get to have a guest."

Climbing and clambouring, Khalani is starting to understand why her dream nudged her into trousers. She's at least a reasonably active person, reasonably. She climbs over the door, into the bedroom and there's a fresh scream that catches in her throat. She knows that vest very well, the sword only confirming her worst fears. "Nightmare.. nightmare.. nightmare..." It's almost a mantra, under her breath, trying to use it to soothe herself.. failing by how her hands shake, and the way the mantra catches in her throat. She bends, picking up that sword. Too big for him, and miles too big for her.. but she carries it anyhow. "Dis.. disappeared? Who are you? What.. what's going on? What.. what test?" She looks at the red haired girl, the blue eyes, nearly seeing herself in that reflection.

"Oh, my manners, I thought you would know me!" Ovelia smiles polietly, and gestures to a dirty corner, where a table sits, with a fresh pot of tea, steam rising off of it. "Please join me?" she asks, and curtseys again. "My name is Ovelia Charisma Paggion, Lady of Amphorae. And this is the test that all Ladies of Amphorae must take, Khalani Grace. Your father's passing unfortnately did not give me the chance to catch you at a proper time."

A small melancholy smile from the ghost. "My apologies, but he did raise a fine daughter." she says, as she starts towards the table. "Come, Baxter." she says with a smile. "As far as a test?" She giggles girlishly, before she loses that smile entirely. "What you see now is Amphorae - or rather, Destine, fifty years from now. Shortly after the birth of your first child, Isolde launched an attack, killing Catelyn, and then you and your husband. She now rules all of Draught under her iron fist. Your lad was wise to give Catelyn his Unity Coin, but in the end, Isolde took by force, because she found you weak." she says as she sits down to sip her tea. "If you do not pass your test, this could be your future, Your Excellency."

"I wished the confirmation of you speaking your own name." Khalani follows the ghost woman a few steps, warily. "This is not how Isolde would attack. It is too direct. Too forceful. She does not have that sort of mind. She can't do anything simply if there is a devious, scheming manipulative way to go about it. There would not be battle. It's too quick." She takes a few more wary steps towards the tea party as she shares her thoughts upon her fellow Baroness.

"Opprotunity favors the bold, Excellency. After she secured Athar, and the alliance of the damned.. but that's not here or there. This is neither here nor there. As I said, only one possibilty, cousin." Taking a seat, the girl smiles again, and gestures to a second seat. There are three place settings, total, the fourth taken by a large stuffed animal. "I assure you that Mathis and Meliana are both quite safe."

Yes, both of them. Ovelia frowns, tapping her finger to her chin. "Baxter. Our other guest is taking too long. Do go fetch her, my dear puppy?" She says, reaching down to ruffle her puppy, who bounds out of the room, yipping all the way.

Racing down the stairs, he sniffs around, starting to seek out Natalia, yipping happily the whole way in summons.

"Of course they are." Khalani still hasnt taken a seat, she's watching the puppy go bounding out, looking back to the girl at the tea table. "Shala and Natalia? They are safe as well. Who is our other guest? Baroness Destine?" That would make this nightmare complete, to Khalani's mind. To dream of Isolde directly.. not jsut taking over her barony. "Bold, yes. Purposeful." She stands next to the table. "Tell me of yourself.."

"Shala is too young for this. She will have her time and role." Ovelia patiently explains, as she closes her eyes, and takes on her older form, closer to Khalani's age - if not just a bit older. "As for Lady Natalia, I am fortunate she agreed to come with you on this trip, Excellency, for it is her time, and it is only fitting that you two should walk together. You are very close."

Lifting her tea, she takes a small sip. "Do you take cream or sweet honey with your tea?" she asks. "Believe me, I am not poisioning, I need you to be at full strength, mentally and physically." She now looks a lot more like the woman that tended to Khalani this morning. "What would you like to know of me. What is myth and what is true? I am the seahag of Haven.. a despicable name. But I am also caretaker of the Paggion legacy. In all my years, I have yet to pass it down."

"Honey." Khalani slowly slides into one of the seats at the tea party. Even with the assurances of a lack of poisoning, she's a child of Draught and not easily soothed on that front. "What of your child? Caretaker?" She settles the sword across her lap, much as she's had various Guardians do while sitting and speaking with her. "Yes. Natalia and I are close, even with occaisional battles."

Natalia comes to a complete halt as she enters the ruined home. "What?" she asks, furrowing her brow in disbelief. Like Khalani before her, she suddenly becomes quite convinced that this is a dream. Glancing around the ruined home and trying to reassure herself, Natalia toes aside a helmet with her bare foot, then pulls her thin robe even further around herself. "I am so not dressed for this," she mumbles to herself, absently, as she stands on the entry rug and stares at the destruction.

"Sibling squabblings are not bad now and again. I miss my brothers and sisters." Ovelia admits, settling her hand over her stomach. "Providence blessed me with not having my baby with me here." she admits, pouring a cup of tea and passing over the honey so that Khalani can test it herself and add as much as she wishes.

"I have no illusions that I am alive, cousin. I know I am very much dead, and merely stuck between worlds. Until someone passes the Paggion Test." she says quietly.

Downstairs, as Natalia is toeing around the wreckage, there's a loud barking as a fully grown Golden Retriever comes down the stairs, charging headlong at the young woman. He stops just short, and after burying his cold snout against her for a moment and snuffling in her scent sharply, barks in approval and with his teeth, grabs the front of her robe to try to tug her along.

"I have no illusions that you are alive either, Lady Ovelia." Khalani reaches for the tea and the honey both. She startles a little, at the barking from downstairs and turns her head, the tea splashing a little into the saucer. "How many have taken the Test? Why has no one passed?" A nightmare.. she is trying to repeat that in her own mind.. only a dream.. only a dream.

Natalia backs up as the dog rushes in her direction, pushing back against the door. "N-n-nice dog," she says, staring at him worriedly. She reaches down to gently try and push his nose away, but then the dog grabs her robe and she yelps. "Hey! You'll rip that!" she scolds the creature, batting at its nose. Oh the absurdity; a girl trying to maintain her simple dignity in the midst of chaos. So not dressed for this.

Baxter growls as he's batted, and the dog snarls, barking loudly at the young Paggion woman, and trying to herd her towards the stairs with snarls and barks.

Up in the bedroom, Ovelia sighs, and closes her eyes. "Your sister is proving why so many have failed. Easily scared, impetious. Shall we go see her before she ends her test before it ever starts?" she asks, rising, and smiles.

"Besides, I would rather doubt that you would want her to see..." A gesture around the Master Bedroom, and the remains of Mathis, Khalani, and their child. "...shall we, Your Excellency?"

Natalia shudders at the dog, then steps around him into the hall. She glances back, as if to reassure herself that the creature is not actually going to bite her bottomside, then makes her way past the bodies and the suits of armor. She tries to pick her way without stepping on anything untowards, but keeps moving lest the dog decides to bite. Soon, she reaches the stairs, and slowly starts to climb, keeping one hand on the banister as she makes her way wide-eyed towards the second floor.

A smooth standing, Khalani grips the sword in her lap. What she's goign to do with it, who knows, but she's not leaving it behind. She is not thinking about the bodies in the room. They arent real. It's part of the dream. Her own dark psyche coughing up in her dreams. This also gets her out of drinking the tea. "Let us go and find Natalia, yes." She moves to follow the ghostly woman, out towards the hallway, and to be able to see her sister.

"You can think this as a dream, if you wish. Indeed, if you fail, it will be nothing but that. You can fail anytime you wish and awaken, safe in sound in your own bed." Ovelia promises as she leads her way out into the hallway. It's only a short walk as they meet Natalia at the base of the second floor. The ghostly woman with pale blue eyes and red hair smiles polietly. "Cousin, how nice to join us. I do apologize for the fright, but you were heading the wrong way for the Test."

She looks towards Baxter, who makes his way back to his Mistress's side, and settles on his haunches. "Now that you're together, are you ready to start your test?"

Natalia stares up at the woman at the top of the stairs, slowing as she nears. She swallows and takes a step back down, terror rising yet again. But then Khalani comes into view, and Natalia lets out a soft whimper as the terror begins to grip her anew. What if this isn't a dream? She rushes up the stairs and hugs her sister, squealing out, "Khalani, she took Meli. She's got Meli. I don't know where Meli is."

Khalani holds the sword out of the way.. Mathis' sword.. as she holds her sister close. "It's.. okay Natty. It's okay. It's just a dream. I'm not sure how we're together in a dream, but it's just a dream. Meli's fine.. she's asleep in her bed. She's fine." Denial.. not just a river in Egypt. "We'll wake up when we wake up.. it's just a bad dream." Convincing herself, or convincing her younger sister.. jury is out.

Sure that Khalani will bring Natalia to speed, Ovelia smiles. "I will see you two at the end, then." She's sure that they will be the one to end the curse. If not.. well, Meliana and Shala are not too far behind.

The young woman closes her eyes. "Excellency, your sister can show you where your path begins. Good fortune." she says, as she fades out of existance, leaving only blue sparkles behind as she dissipates.

It's just a dream. Khalani said it's just a dream. But Khalani sure does not /feel/ like a dream. Reason wars with need, and need wars with logic, and logic wars with absurdity. Slowly, Natalia nods her head, trying to will herself to accept that it's just a dream. "What's going on?" she begs her sister quietly. "What was she talking about, a test?"

A very slow deep breath as Khalani centres herself a moment. "I'm not certain.. She's.. a ghost. The first Lady of Amphorae and we need to pass some sort of Test for her to rest. I think." Sword in one hand, Natalia's hand in the other, she starts moving a little. "Let's.. find you some clothes. I know it's a dream, but .. we need to find you some clothes. And then.. I thik we have to go north. do you know where wer'e suppose to go? What she meant about path?"

Natalia follows Khalani willingly. Clothes sound like a /very/ good idea, to her. "I ... I don't ..." she thinks back while they walk towards the bedrooms. "There was a map. On the wall in the main hall, there was a map nex to a portrait of Ove--oh providence, /Ovelia/." She shakes her head and reaches up to rub her face with her empty hand. Focus. "Ovelia. There was blood next to her portrait, that said she took Meliana, and she 'went into the rabbit hole'. And a map that poitned north of the house, to a place near Haven. I don't know where, Lani."

The door to Natalia's room seems to be able to be opened, and as a matter of fact, seems to be a little open at the moment. Her room is as torn up as the rest, but at least the armoire seems to be intact.

Khalani is the eldest, and at the moment, that's crystal clear. She steers Natalia into her room, ignoring the destruction and pointing her at the armoire. "Breeches if you have them, Natty. We're going to get grubby, and we're going to be climbing, I'm sure. of it." She nods a little. "That's why there's a map. We'll go to where the map shows. I really wish one of us dreamed a whole lot less complex sort of things. Or both of us. What was outside like? Empty like the house?"

"It ... I don't know," Natalia says, stripping her robe off as she pulls open the armoire. She ain't got nothing Khalani hasn't seen, and she's too damned terrified to really care if Khalani sees it again, so off comes the nightgown too as she looks inside. Breaches. No, Natalia isn't much for breaches. "Michael was in the stables. I thought Meliana had gone there, again, to hide from Tabatha. But then he just made strange faces at me and started sounding like ..." her. She shudders and pulls on a pair of bloomers, then grabs a shirt and a heavy riding skirt. It's the best she can do. Stockings and boots, and Natalia moves to her bed to start pulling those on as well. "It was really foggy out there."

While Natalia is dressing, there comes a noise from downstairs. It sounds.. like an infant, starting to cry, wailing for food. Or fear. Or some combonation of the two.

Khalani reaches to grab a sweater for herself, and one for Natalia too. It's going to be cool outside, and they're certainly travelling. "Micheal was there? Perhaps there's still horses there. If were' travell..." And then there's that child's cry and Khalani's moving. Not far.. not out of Natalia's sight, but towards the door of the bedroom, to try and see through the destruction as to what's going on below.

Natalia pulls on her boots quickly, ties them off, then settles down. It's been a /long/ time since she's worn boots, and they don't quite fit her right. She works her toes, then wrinkles her nose and grabs the sweater, then follows Khalani towards the door. "What was it?" she asks curiously.

She can't really see from here, but the noise is definetly coming from downstairs, an infant crying. Fear, frustration, hunger, it's really hard to tell. He or she is just crying and crying in despair.

"I.. it sounds like a baby." Khalani looks to see Natalia close with her and then the pair of them can head out, to go find the source of the crying. "Ovelia.. she said this was the future. As it could be. I think." She starts down the stairs. She's still got the sword, it's too big for her and too heavy for her, but she's not letting that stop her.

Natalia follows Khalani out towards the stairs, then reaches for her sister's hand. Natalia may /act/ the more mature, from time to time, but it's just an act. Khalani is so definitely the big sister, and Natalia is terrified of this whole affair. "The /future/?" she asks, stressing it as she makes her way towards the first floor. She doesn't respond to the baby. It's so much easier to pretend it's not there, right now. "Why are we here?"

Besides the eerie crying of the baby, there is nothing else, just the scattered bodies - Baronial Guard, Duchy Guard, Isolde's troops... they are all scattered and laying about. The final stand of the Paggion was ferocious.

"I've no idea why we're here, Natty." Khalani admits softly. "I'm just.. trying to work through the dream.. dreams sort of work that way.. you follow along.. and eventually you do something to wake up." She looks around, trying to find the source of the crying.. following her ears as best she can. "That's what she said.. After I'd lost to Isolde. But this doesnt seem like Isolde's work." She's got Natalia's hand in hers, she's willing to keep that link, so they don't get separated.

Natalia's not looking for a link; she's looking for serious moral support. She follows her sister along through the house, glancing to and fro among the dead. Terror is slowly giving way to irrationality, but that makes the whole thing much easier to cope with. "I ... I guess if Dorian became the Duke, it could make sense. Maybe she tried to revolt, and ... I don't know, she seems the type to use poison not armies."

There's the occassional crunch underfoot as one of the girls step on a dropped weapon or piece or armor.. or someone's bone. The two make it downstairs, and as they do so, they pass by a vicious pool of brown and black liquid, globed on the floor. It makes a small spluttering noise, as if it's choking something. Rounding into the reception area, on the floor there is a child, no more than a year old, screaming out for its mother or father or just to be held. Blood cover his hands and he is reaching towards the portrait of Ovelia. Written next to the potrait is the following:

Meliana was here...
...but she fell down the rabbit hole...

Down below that, written in fresher blood, perhaps the child's itself, is a new message.

Mathis too.

Next to the messages is a map. As the girls approach, the infant turned. Where there should be a face, there is a masive blank space, in the shape of a human head. He cries out again, holding out his arms in a 'hold me gesture' to....

...Natalia.

Khalani is trying not to think about what she's stepping on, while being silently grateful that both of them are wearing boots. The child's cry and it's face as it turns to look at her can't help but make her gasp, taking a step back and tugging Natalia with her. "This is .. just a dream. This is just a dream." She watches the child, as if she can't take her eyes off him. Even in the face of the bloody message, the map.. she can't tear her eyes away from the screaming child.

The baby seems to be intent on otherwise, especially as Natalia ignores it. The little creature claws at the young woman piteously.. but where he claws, his fingernail start to leave little tears in her dress. Apparently, he has bite. She can keep on ignoring it though as it screams.

The Map.. is an arrow. Just an arrow.

It's pointing towards the potrait of Baron Tysam, the first baron of Amphorae.

Another deep breath, slowly.. in and out.. and Khalani's got just enough maternal instinct stirring to not be able to stand a baby's cry. Even a bizarre, probably demonic baby. She tucks the sword somewhere handy upon her person and bends to pull the child away from scratching at Natalia, picking the screaming child up. It might not seem it in her current realtions with her two younger sisters, but Lani had over a decade of taking care of younger siblings, and she's competant in settling a child upon her hip. "What does the map say, Natty?"

Natalia starts and turns to glance down at the baby as it tears at her riding skirt. She skitters away, then glances towards Khalani while she lifts the child. "It ..." she stares at the child, now; the great faceless creature that it is, then shudders. "Tysam," she mumbles quietly. "It points to Tysam. I don't know what it means."

The infant does not claw at Khalani, apparently having a favorable reaction for the moment as the two try to puzzle out the map, the potrait of the First Baron hanging there on the wall, only slightly damaged in the last battle.

Khalani bounces the child on her hip absently as she comes over to the portraits and the map. "Perhaps there's.. something on the painting? Behind the painting? Where was he from? Do you remember?" She has hopes that her studious sister has a better memory for Amphorae history than the more hedonistic elder sister. She's looking away from the child, to be able to look at things.. which also means she's not looking at the faceless visage.. not looking.. the child feels like a child.. at least enough for her to pretend.

Natalia tears her eyes away from the baby, shuddering in revulsion. "Behind?" she asks, furrowign her brow as she tries to process her sister's questions. She reaches up for the painting, to try and lift it from the wall and see if there's anything behind it. "He was from Haven," she says absently as she searches for more clues. "Born and raised there, before Amphorae was divided into a Barony."

Ah. When Natalia reaches for the painting, her fingers trip over a switch, and the painting clicks, and opens up on the side, swinging wide. A tunnel that not even Meliana had discovered in the past. At the base of the entrace is a bullseye lantern. The 'infant' has fallen silent for now, apparently content with Khalani holding it.

"Everytime I blink.. I hear about Haven.. I think about Haven.. I think we're going to Haven. Because if my subsconscious klonks me any harder over the head with the idea of going to Haven, I'm not going to be asleep and dreaming, I'm going to be out cold." Khalani's voice is dry, her comments out to herself, the mulitverse as a whole. "Secret tunnel. Wonderful. If this leads to the morgue in Gateway castle, I will .. just /know/ I'm in one of my own dreams, and that I will be saying hello to Philip soon." She shifts the child on her hip, settles the sword across her back, somehow, and looks down at the shoe. "Natalia. Either I can go first, or you can carry the child." She's decided the child is coming.. goodness only knows why, but it is.

"I'll take him," Natalia says. How she knows it's a him is utterly unthinkable, but she turns to gently take the babe out of Khalani's arms and put him on her own hip instead. "I'll carry the lamp, too, if you'll light it." She doesn't look at the shoe. She'll just panic again. "We're going to be okay, right?" she asks quietly.

The babe moves over to Natalia's hip, and his little bloody hands cling to her, as he makes a gentle cooing noise. The lantern, fortunately, has flint and wick with it, so that it can be lit.

"Everythign will be okay." Khalani assures Natalia with confidence found somewhere. She crouches down to light up the lantern, taking a few tries at it as her shaking hands belie her calm demeanor. Light. Warm light. She passes the lantern to Natalia, watching her sister with the babe. "You're okay with both of them? You don't want me to take one so you have a hand free?" She won't but she's alright with that. A step or two closer to the tunnel, to peer into it while she's got the lantern.

Natalia shifts the baby on her hip, then gently reaches down to wipe his little hands off with her blouse. She's bloody, now, but at least he'll be somewhat cleaner. "I can manage them both," she says after a moment, before leaning down to kiss the child atop its head. "Mamma's here," she mumbles softly to the babe, then looks to Khalani, somewhat emboldened now. "You need your hands for other things. I'll light the way."

Into the Rabbit Hole

The light flickers down the tunnel, disappearing down a slope in the distance. Off at the end of the tunnel, there are two echoes. The first is clang of the bell, the Haven bell, summoning forth. The second is what sounds like something pounding against wood.

Khalani passes off the lantern to Natalia and takes the sword into her hands. It's too big, it's too heavy for her to wield effectively.. it's too big and heavy for the trained and taller Mathis, but Khalani seems not to be paying that a bit of mind. She'll cross that bridge when and if she gets to it. For now the unlikely trio start down into the blakcness of the tunnel. Off away from the destruction that is the baronial home, towards Haven and that tolling bell.

Natalia follwos Khalani down the stairs, holding the lantern high as she can while also supporting the baby on her hip. "What is that bell, anyhow?" she asks at just above a whisper, leaning towards Khalani.

As the two women start down the tunnel, the tunnel goes from rock as they leave the baronial home and surrounding lands and becomes more spongy. It's like walking in mud at first as boots stick and sluck through the mud, echoing around the tunnel, as the light continues to lead the way.

Off in the distance, a small flash crosses through the field of light, a flicker of red, before it disappears again.

"I dont' know.. It sounds a bit like the bell on the shore, to warn ships. But I'd of thought us too far from the shore. Of course, it's a dream. We could walk anywhere.. although the mud speaks to going somewhere near water." Khalani is none too keen on the slogging, and she starts at the flash, the flicker of red, stopping short. She looks around, trying to see what it was.

Natalia follows along, though she slows considerably when the tunnel turns to mud. "Ick," she manages to grumble out, then hisses faintly. She's going to have blisters, tomorrow, in this dream world. Mental note: buy new boots. These don't fit anymore. Lost in the thoughts of boots, Natalia almost doesn't notice Khalani stopping, but at the last instant she pulls up short and jerks the latnern high over Khalani's shoulder. "What is it?" she asks, taking a step back and glancing down at the baby to see if he's alrigth.

The good news is that the spongy ground gives back to solid. The bad? It leads into ankle deep water, and seems to be getting deeper as they continue on. That light jerks and bounces around, the jerky movement jostles the child, but he doesn't seem to take it so bad as the light reflects what's ahead in the tunnel.

>._.< >._.< >._.< >._.< >._.< >._.< >._.<>._.< >._.< >._.< >._.<>._.<

Rats.

Water. Great. Khalani wades through the water, trying not to think about how quickly the level of water is rising upon her legs. When you are as tiny as Khalani, it doesnt take long before the water is high, but she's not thinking about that. Instead she's looking at the pattern ahead in the tunnel. A squint as she tries to make it what it's made of, before she starts ahead to look closer. "I'm not sure what it is.. some sort of decoration I think."

Natalia follows Khalani into the water as well. Some part of her wishes he were not carrying the lantern so she could at least hike her skirt up to her knees. Some /other/ part of her is wishing she hadn't chosen to wear hose. Ick! Most of her, though, is trying to figure out what's reflecting dimly in the light of her lantern. And then it hits her. "Lani, I don't think that's a decoration," she says, trepidation in her voice. Clutching the child closer, she slows and tries to turn the lantern to get a better view. "I ... think those are rats."

Natalia's right. As her light passes over the rats, yet again, the rats this time are disturbed by the light and now they charge outwards, skittering and squeak, racing by Khalani and Natalia. Hopefully, neither young woman will be bitten.

One little bit of movement and Khalani's composure cracks to show her still the teen girl she certainly is. She screams as rats come skittering over to bite at them. It's a moment or two before she's using both hands with the sword to bang at them, as if the sword was a broom, shooing them and trying to squish some. Technique? Not even a tiny little bit of it. She'd make any of her weapon teachers weep with frustration at the moment.

Khalani's scream startles Natalia, and she starts to stumble backwards through the muddy water, sloshing towards the muddy bank! She clutches the baby close, doing everything she can to keep hold of baby and lantern. If she has to drop one, it's going to be the lantern, but that would so not be a good idea right now.

Those master swordsmen may be cringing, but the argument against the results? Just not there. Khalani cleaves right through several rats, smacking away others, using the same dumb luck that Mathis had against the Kraken.

With Khalani's defense so faultless for the most part, Natalia shouldn't had to retreat fall, not many rats get through, and in the end, they avoid the girl because of the whole bright light and sword slicing thing.

Die, vile rats!

"Ew. Ew. EWWWW!" Khalani is still swinging the sword somewhat and splashing and generally squirming in that absolutely disgusted way, as if she's just had worms put down her back. "EWWWW!" It might have been effective, but it was revolting. She is not a combatant, she's a noblewoman and that shines through clear as the lanternlight at the moment. "Are you alright Natalia?" She's only half turning to look, making sure there's no more rats coming at them. A final shudder at the grossness, also reminds her that the last bit of shoulder healing hasnt entirely happened yet. Those were movements that were quite distinctly not recommended by the healer. At least it's only a dream.

Natalia is quite willing to echo her sister's cries of ew ew ew, except that it might upset the babe, so instead she clutches the child up to her breast and rocks him gently. "Shhh, shhh," she mumbles out quietly, watching as the rats die in bulk. She shudders, horrified and revolted by the sight. But when Khalani turns, she offers a half-nod of agreement. "We're fine," she mumbles out quietly. "Just fine."

With the rats dying in bulk, no they don't leave behind any rupees, Natalia. Instead, the pathway is cleared, and ready for the three to carry on. The baby leans against Natalia, cooing gently as he does so. No attempts at sucking at least. No mouth.

Off in the distance, the sound of falling water can be heard.

Khalani takes a deep breath, and immediately regrets it with the tang of blood and dead rats in the air. She picks her way carefully, continuing on. She's quiet, glancing back now and then to make sure that Natalia and the little one are alright, finding their footing alright in the muck. "We'll be alright. We're goign to be okay."

"This must be what going insane feels like," Natalia notes, doing her best to skirt the carnage as she follows Khalani along deeper into the tunnel. She keeps the baby up high, now, away from the water. With the lantern and the child, her arms are getting tired, but she just makes a soft chuffing noise and forces herself to carry on. "Are we almost there?"

The sisters and baby carry on through the rat kill, the blood heading downstream as they do so. The path continues on a long distance, as the two walk, the sound of flowing water become more apparent as the water raises, becoming waist deep as the two finally come to a ledge. In the darkness, it's a straight drop, no other way to go. The water tumbles over the edge, disappearing into the darkness, somewhere below.

Rather than have to say 'I don't know' yet again, Khalani goes with optimistic. "Yes, I think so." She tells Natalia, while trying desperately to ignore the upcoming sound of water. She doesnt want to think about it, until they are waist deep and Khalani is struggling with each step, not only because the water's deep, but the growing fear that she's decides she's going to just pretend doenst exist. Which is working about as well as one might expect. "Oh.. come /on/." Khalani rails against the universe, and her own psyche. "This is.. a nightmare. Of course it is. That's the point. It's a nightmare."

Before they even reach the falls, Natalia has to call ahead to her sister. "Lani, I can't carry the baby and the lantern in water this deep." She's already got the baby up on her breast, but he's heavy, and she's only got one arm to hold him with. "Help?" she asks quietly. Assuming Lani does help, and they do indeed reach the Cliffs Of Despair (because really, what else would they be named?), Natalia doesn't even look over the edge. She just holds herself against the side wall of the passage, cursing herself for wearing a white blouse, and cursing herself for wearing stockings, and generally cursing the universe. Inwardly. Outwardly, she's just watching Khalani. She doesn't even want to know what her sister's seen. It can't be good. She'll just wait right here, and let Khalani find the answer.

Before they even reach the falls, Natalia has to call ahead to her sister. "Lani, I can't carry the baby and the lantern in water this deep." She's already got the baby up on her breast, but he's heavy, and she's only got one arm to hold him with. "Help?" she asks quietly. Assuming Lani does help, and they do indeed reach the Cliffs Of Despair (because really, what else would they be named?), Natalia doesn't even look over the edge. She just holds herself against the side wall of the passage, cursing herself for wearing a white blouse, and cursing herself for wearing stockings, and generally cursing the universe. Inwardly. Outwardly, she's just watching Khalani. She doesn't even want to know what her sister's seen. It can't be good. She'll just wait right here, and let Khalani find the answer.

And Khalani wanted to know why no Paggion lady has never passed the tests. Clearly, they would have to be part-Guardian, just to make it this far. And now, here, at the edge of the abyss, they are left with a choice. To stop here, turn back around, and wait. Or.. take the leap.

Khalani returns quickly to Natalia at the request for help, taking lantern or babe.. whichever Natalia would prefer to give up. She returns back to her sister again, after having looked. "Natalia. You have to trust me. Do you trust me?" It's a good thing she is a damn damn good liar. "I'm going down there.. and you can come with me.. or you can stay here by yourself. I know neither are good options, but .. it's a dream. It's only a dream. Just remember that."

Nataila stares at Khalani for a long moment, as she wraps the babe with her other arm and clutches him close. "Going down where?" she asks unhappily, already not liking where Khalani seems to be going with this. She's wet, she's cold, she's got a baby in her arms, and she's /still/ sick with worry for Meliana. "This can't just be a dream, Khalani. It's too real. It's going too long. And we're both here, and I don't think you're a figment of my imagination and I'm not one of yours. Khalani, where's Meliana?" She's starting to cry now. No, she is /not/ the hero of this tale; she's not even the hero's cute damsel in distress. She's just a lost and terrified girl who's desperately worried for her sister.

At this point, as the two girls stand at the edge of the abyss, something appears before them. There's a twinkling of light, and before them both, standing over the abyss, is Ovelia, her dress flowing out around her, feet gently peeking out - barefoot, like Lani. Her pale blue eyes smile for the two, before she speaks.

"...you have to go no further, if you wish. Say the word, and I will wake you up. And you will be fine. Mathis will be right by your side, Khalani, Meliana will be in her room. And this will have all been just one horrible dream, easily forgotten." And repeated by Meliana. And then Shala, should Meliana fail. "Decide. Simply say 'awaken'.. and all will be fine, my cousins."

"Natalia." Khalani's voice is firm. "This is a dream. Because if this is a dream, I can cope with this. I cannot cope with this being reality, and I have to cope. We're dreaming together. It's a nightmare and everything is going to be okay when we wake up." She is presenting this as fact. Plain, undeniable fact. Just as if she was giving facts from a textbook, not to be argued with. "There is a waterfall we need to either jump down or climb down. I will take the child, he's heavy if we're going to be climbing." She glances to the vision of the early Baroness flickering over the abyss and then back to Natalia. "See? She is even /telling/ us this is a dream."

Natalia stares at Khalani. She doesn't even give acknowledgement to the dead baroness. Like her sister, Natalia follows the course of denial. Slowly, numbly, she nods her head at Khalani, then asks, "But if this is a dream, why don't we just ... wake up?" she asks of Khalani. She shudders, then inches a step closer to the edge; closer to the abyss. She hesitates, there, then shudders and clutches the baby closer, holding its head against her neck softly. Looking back to Khalani with eyes full of terror, Natalia hesitates. "I don't think I can do it," she mumbles out quietly through her tears.

Ovelia looks between the two women. "It will be like a dream, you would have failed. But noone will have known. There will be other Ladies of Paggion. They can have this same nightmare. Sisters.. daughters..."

"Just say the word, and you will never have this dream again."

"If you want to wake up, Natalia, you need only say that you wish to, and it will be over. I.. I'm stubborn. I want to see it through to the end." Khalani rests a hand on her sister's shoulder. "I'm scared to death, and stubborn enough to be dating a Guardian. I.. have to see it through. I'd never forgive myself for letting myself wake up too early.. I just can't. You don't need to come with me. You can wake up. It's okay... you're going to be fine Natty. It's okay."

The younger paggion kisses the baby's forehead again, then nods her head to Khalani, almost completely lacking in actual sensation as she does so. "I'll take the baby," she mumbles out to Khalani quietly. "Just ... just show me the way to go," she asks her sister quietly. "We gotta get Meli back." No, this isn't a dream in her head. A waking nightmare, maybe, but not a dream. It's way passed that now.

Ovelia remains standing there, then float backwards, just a little, to see whether or not the girls decide to go forth, or if they will decide to 'wake up', pale unblinking blue eyes watching the two with just a hint of passion.

"I'll get Meli back." Khalani eyes her sister for long moments. "I can do this if you need me to. Do you want me to carry the baby? I know he's heavy." They're going down together it would seem.

Natalia clutches the baby just a bit closer and gives a shake of her head. "I've got him," she promises her sister quietly. "Just go slow," she asks quietly. Since she's not looking over the cliff, saying it's easy. We'll see how she does when they're actually trying to climb this thing! "And keep the light," Natalia adds as an afterthought.

Ovelia looks to the two women, and then floats all the way back to the wall. It's their decision to make and to commit to now. She looks impassive on their decision, waiting to be told they want to wake up. They all have in the past, at some point.

For all her emphatic words and strong comments, Khalani's not in a whole lot of /rush/ to be getting herself over that waterfall. Natalia's very obviously scared to death of the very idea, and Khalani's just as scared even if she's not showing it nearly as much. "I'll go slow. I promise. I'll.. go first. With the lantern. So you can see where to step." She's not scared of heights, per se, but it's a heck of a climb. And nothing else gives her reason to procrastinate, so she starts down. Carefully. Lantern and sword are coming along with her, somehow.

Making her way towards the edge at a snail's pace, Natalia leans forward just enough to peer over. With a wince, the Baronet flinches back from the edge, and huddles up against the wall once again. "Baby baby baby," she mumbles out to the child, clutching him close even as her tears continue to stream down her face. "We gotta do this, baby boy," she mumbles to him softly, then hedges towards the lip once more. She swallows, clutches the baby close with one hand and murmurs, "Hang onto momma," before she lets the other hand go free of him so she can use it to support herself on the climb down. She hesitates a moment longer, and then starts inching her way after her sister.

As the two girls actually start down the path, Ovelia is paying attention to her. And it's really Natalia she is paying attention to. When the young girl slips, the Lady of Amphorae watches to see exactly what she does before there is any reaction - if there will be at all. Khalani seems to be doing well on the climb - but then again, this isn't her final exam, is it?

Natalia makes her way slowly after Khalani, but a sudden change in the water's flow--or perhaps just a dead rat carcass underfoot? Whatever the case, Natalia loses her footing, and her handhold, and she slips. And she screams. But even as she screams, the girl tries to twist in the air, clutching the baby to her chest and keeping herself beneath it. It's only a dream. It's only a dream. The falling part is where you wake up, right? Why, then, is she still screaming, and still falling?

It's not even a thought, Khalani leaves off one of her hand holds to reach out towards her sister as the pair slip above her, and then start falling past her. Her fingers clutch at the girl, trying to catch an edge of her clothing, or even better, catch upon her arm to keep her from falling. Even if that sends both of them down, she's trying to break that fall.

The Results

Khalani's desperate grab clutches the girl's sleeve for just a moment before the brilliant burst of pain in her shoulder send her falling as well. Surely, both girls are doomed at this point? Tumbling they go into the inky abyss -- which suddenly slows and halts. The two women are back at the very top, the ground is flat beneath their feet, and the flood is gone - it is just a tunnel, after all.

Ovelia sets them both gently down. "Y-you did it." she says, astonished. "After.. so many generations.. countless women. You passed." Looking towards Natalia, she smiles, serenly. "Thank you for protecting my son, Lady Natalia." With a small wave of her hand, she takes back her infant, the child taking on more human features, as the young woman nuzzles her blue-eyed son close. "You will be a great mother when your time comes." In the baby's place, Natalia is holding a large key.

Turning to Khalani. "And you.. you will.. you are a great Baroness, Khalani Paggion. You have made a wise decision in your life, and you care deeply for your sisters and family, now and in the future. What you saw today will never come to pass, if you shall always remember that." Moving aside, she gestures towards the tunnel and the large door at the end of it. "You will find your beloved and sister behind that door." she says. "I.. I am proud to call you both cousin.. thank you.." And with that, the first Lady of Amphorae starts to fade away.

Pain. Sharp searing pain. That shoulder is going to be the bane of her existnce soon.. as is that water coming... and then it isnt. She's not wet. No water. No.. there's just a tunnel. And Ovelia. Khalani blinks a few times. Even if she still clings to this being a dream, she's surprised. "Thank you.. what.. Be well Lady Amphorae." It's almost whispered at the end, watching the ghostly form slip away. Demons. Vampires. Ghosts. Fears. At some point, Khalani is going to collapse in a heap of hysterical. Just not quite yet. Group rate on therapy. The whole family. She looks towards Natalia, to see how her sister's coping and beyond, to that door.

Before she leaves, Ovelia considers for a moment. "In my day.. I was a healer.." she admits, and her fading hand reaches out, caressing across, and then through Khalani's shoulder. Her touch is cold, not frostbite cold, but it's chiling enough to numb the pain and speed up the healing process. And now.. she vanishes completely. Will she ever return? Perhaps.

The elder two sisters find themselves.. not falling.. but a tunnel. Firm ground beneath their feet, dry and safe. The baby has been given back to his ghostly mother, a key given to Natalia in his stead. A door waits at the far end of the tunnel, apparently the link back to reality, waking up, family. Some combination of all of that, dpending on what state of denial one might be in. The pain that was seeping across Khalani's face, lingering from the abuse she's been giving her shoulder is gone. Touched away with a chill ghostly touch.. and they're alone. Khalani and Natalia are alone in that tunnel.

Natalia gasps in surprise as her feet touch solid ground. She's soaking wet; she's dripping, and her heart is racing a thousand beats a minute. The baby is taken from her without complaint; not because she gives it up willingly, but because she's too stock-scared to protest. And when Ovelia fades away, Natalia just slowly sinks to her knees, clutching the key close to her stomach. "Ohgoddess," she mumbles out.

Interlude: In the Capture Room

Meliana was spirited away last night, into a room somewhere. When she awakens, there is two finely made beds, she is one of them, and passed out in the other one is a familiar young man. Mathis Cardiff. Around them is several crates, marked with the seal of Tyr.

As Meliana starts to come around, she'll also notice that Ovelia is here. "Good morning, m'dear. I am sorry I took you early, but it was the only way to get your sister to participate. I brought you someone to keep you entertained in the meantime." she offers by way of truce. "That way he could not interfere either." She smiles. "He put up a fight, I admit."

As Meliana awakens, she stretches and yawns..rubbing her eyes. What a strange dream that wa...oh crap. Where the heck is she?! Slowly, she sits up, pressing herself closer to the headboard. She considers the woman before her, looking her over, and just nods, slightly once. But doesn't speak. She barely glances at the other bed, then returns her gaze to this woman, eyes wide.

Ovelia smiles. "You'll find breakfast over there on the table. Now, I need to get to work, so you behave while I'm gone." she winks at her young cousin, as she closes her pale blue eye and disappears into a sparkle of blue and white flakes.

This leaves her alone with Mathis, who looks like he's finally starting to come to. The side of his face is brusied where he took a tumble off of something, and he gives a low groan, reaching for a sword that is no longer on his back. "Wh.. what.. where..?"

Odd, isn't it, that the woman left right at Mathis woke? Can she turn herself into Mathis just like she turned herself into a little girl?? Meliana says not a word. She sits there, pressed just as close to the headboard as she can, tears welling in her eyes.

"Meliana?" Mathis asks, finally getting his eyes to focus as he moves to sit up on the bed. "..where are we? What happened? I was in the woods, and these wolves attacked..." he ughs. "I took a fall off my horse, and I woke up here. "Are you okay?" he asks, moving to rise off the bed, a slow movement, considering the pain he feels.

"I don't know." Her normally boisterous voice is a thin whisper. Her bottom lip starts to quiver. "But..you're her. How do I know you aren't her? She took me last night. You took me last night."

"I took you?" Mathis asks, obviously confused. "Are you daft. I had just gotten up to go check out the beach so that we can have some family time there. Did you fall on your head or something?" he asks, looking towards the young girl, and noticing her tears, his expression softens as he comes over to sit on the bed next to her. "..who was she? And why did she take you.. or me?"

"I don't know. She looks like one of the pictures in the hall..." Meliana moves away from him, still unsure, scooting to the other edge of the bed. "She was a little girl..and she woke me up..and she was here..and then she left..and then you woke up. Are you her? I don't want to play the game any more. She had a puppy..."

"..and I would be a little girl, why?" Mathis asks, frowning. "I'm not her. I'm not sure how I can prove that to you.. let's see. Ask me anything." he offers her up a smile, reaching up to touch the bruise on the side of his face. "Ow." he mutters.

Meliana sits quietly for a moment, then barely, slooowly, reaches out a hand to touch his. It is warm. Like a regular person. Once she feels the heat, the girl literally just throws herself at him, scrambling to be closer.

His hands, even with the gloves on, are warm. He feels that touch for just a moment, and he starts to look over in confusion before he finds his arms filled with little girl. The young man considers for a moment, and then hugs her back, closing his eyes to rock her gently a couple of times. "It's going to be okay. Do you know why we're here?" he asks her. "Where's Lani.. and the others?"

Meliana shakes her head no. "I don't know. She asked me, when she took me, how much Khalani really loved me....then she just..I fell asleep. And I woke up here." She nestles her little head under his chin, arms wrapped around him like she'll never let go.

"We're bait." Mathis puts that together. "She took two things that Khalani truly cares about to bring her here. Why?" he asks, absently, lifting his chin so that Meliana can rest there, and his hand absently pats her back, reassuring. "Well, if we're here.. might as well explore a little. Have you tried to find a door yet?" he asks her, looking around, and seeing only boxes for the most part. "Tyr? She.. couldn't have taken us to Tyr..."

"No. I just woke up a minute before you.." Her little tummy grumbles. But now that she's with you, the tears have abated and she's sitting a little taller. She just needed a little reassurance, was all! "I haven't looked yet. I can climb the boxes. I'll look high, you look low."

"Ah.. well, food first." Mathis says, sniffing the air. "I smell something good. Let's eat, and then we'll find a way out of here, okay?" he asks, giving her one last pat before releasing you with a smile. "We're going to get out of here - or Khalani and the others will find us. I know this." There's a wink as he moves to rise once she' out of his lap.

"I'm not hungry." Meliana rises and walks across the bed. She jumps from the edge onto the nearest box, intending to start climbing. "Besides...anything we find here could be poisoned." Leave it to a a Draught girl to remember this fact. "Help me look. I wonder what is in the boxes."

"Okay, point. You and Lani think alike. I have a couple of snickerdoodles. I know they're not poisioned." Mathis says, taking out the small package. "Want them?" he asks, as he hands them over, moving towards the boxes. "One way to find out." Taking out his small pocket dagger, he starts to working on the box, he pries off some of the boards, and below it are.. dull brown coins. The young man studies them for a moment. To someone off-isle, they look like coppers, by but he's seeking the design.

Meliana shakes her head. "No. We should save them. What if we end up being here a few days? If we eat the cookies now, then we don't have anything to eat later." Someone has been doing waaaaay too much story reading!! When the box is pryed open, she jumps from box to box to get to him, however many is needed, fearlessly balancing. Peering inside the box..."What are those?"

"I heard your tummy growl." Mathis points out, none too diplomatically. "You hold onto them." he says, as he studies the coins. "Iron clads. From Tyr. Their form of money. This one box is a fortune, Meliana." he says, awe on his face. "I've never seen this much money in all my life." Of course, he is a commoner.

"No. You keep them." Meliana is NOT taking the cookies. As long as HE holds them, they have a chance of making it. She can SAY she won't eat them, but if she actually has them, they are so gone. "You keep your own business. My tummy is mine." Pondering at the one box, she turns and hops a few crates over, balancing with her toes in some cases. "Come open this one!!"

Mathis grins, pocketting the cookies for the moment. "I have a fruit pie, too. Apple, I think." with that, he heads over to open the next box that Meliana wants open, but not before he sticks a few of the coins in his pocket, just to prove they were here. Walking over, he leans down to open the box. Inside is a finely made Sextant with a note:

Baron Amphorae,

With kindest regards on your birthdate.

His Majesty, King of Tyr

Meliana peers down into this box.....and reaches out to lift the note and read it. "Oooooh. Its so pretty..." She passes the note to you, then reaches in to move the dials, a bit of awe on her little face.

Mathis looks at the note. "Baron of Amphorae? You don't know if your father knew the King of Tyr, did you?" he asks, studying the note again as he places it with the sextant again. "You have an interest in sailing?" he asks curiously. "Khalani gets seasick so easily."

"I don't know. I've never been. But I like standing and watching the sea and pretending.." Meliana's cheeks blush at that, sure she sounds stupid, and she looks away. "I don't know who daddy knew. Do you think all these boxes are filled?" Forget getting out! Lets look at the treasure!!

"I thought we were looking for some way out, Meliana." Mathis tries to bring her back to earth. "We can find our way back here, but we need to get out of here." the young man says this not quite firmly, but the suggestion is clearly there as the boy moves from the crate to start trying to find a door or some way out of here.

DOH! You're killin' her man! Meliana take a deep breath and lets it out slowly, then turns to start climbing up higher on the crates. Higher and higher. "Alright...but we're gonna look like idiots if there is something in the crates to help us out...like a hammer, or a pry bar..." Yes..she's trying to plant the idea. She wants to know what is in the boxes!!

"We need something to open before we can open it!" Mathis calls out in mild irritation as the girl starts up the boxes. Going over, he opens one up. This one contains dishes - fine china, marked with the design of the new coat of arms of the just created Barony of Amphorae, the now-familiar mortar and pestle. "This won't help." he mutters, closing that box to continue on.

Oh. That's it. That tone of irritation just does her in. Meliana turns when she gets to the top, where he can't reach her. She stares at him, and HMPHS loudly. "I AM looking. Why are you getting mad at ME?"

"I'm not mad at you." Mathis says, sighing as he sits down on the box. "I'm not seeing anything that can help us, and we need to get out of here.. and I know that Natalia is probably worried sick about you, and you probably want her here far more than me."

"If you aren't mad at me, then don't snap at me." A frown creases her face, little brows all furrowed up. She is such a tender-hearted child that even that little bit of a change in tone effects her. Now, perhaps, he sees why she fled the kitchen. At least she'll be easy to punish, when it really comes time to.

"I didn't mean to snap at you. Sorry.. but Natalia did tell me what you said the other day." Mathis looks up at her, and gestures for her to come back down. "About you not wanting me in the study. Your father's study. Please come down, I want to talk to you about it." he says quietly, encouragingly.

Meliana stares at him. That was a /secret/. Between her and Natalia. Natalia /told/? "I don't want to talk about it. It is daddy's study. Not mine, or Natalia's, or Khalani's or anyone's."

"It's the study of the Baron or Baroness of Amphorae, no matter who that may be. How would you feel if Ovelia had told your father that could not be his room?" Mathis asks her sensibly as he looks up towards the young girl. "I'm not mad at you, but you have to know that times will change, Meliana."

"But that isn't for you to decide. Why are /you/ telling me that you can go in there, when Natalia promised me you wouldn't? See? You said you wouldn't be baron and take over everything, and you already are. And your mommy took over our kitchen. You're taking over the whole house and running the family and telling us what to do!"

"She should have asked me that first, don't you think?" Mathis asks, looking towards Meliana. "And you didn't ask me either." he points out. "You just demand. And assume I will listen." he frowns faintly. "I will tell you the same thing I told Natalia. The study is Khalani's. She is the Baroness. I am her partner as the Baron, and if I want to visit her there, I will. But I do not want it as my office. I travel. A lot. Actually..." he considers for a moment. "Once we're Baron and Baroness.. I was hoping that if I needed to travel beyond the barrier, that I could talk Khalani into letting you come with me.. for diplomatic training." he shrugs.

"No. She shouldn't have asked /you/ first. Khalani should have asked US first! She should have asked /us/ if you could be in the house, or in the study, or if we cared if your mother visited. Khalani isn't even asking us. She's just letting you and your family walk in and tell us and our people what to do!"

"I didn't ask my mother to visit. And I didn't want her to visit." Mathis admits. "I wanted this trip to be a chance for you and I and Shala to meet and talk and learn more about each other." he says, shoulders shrinking down. "And she sent you a letter saying I was coming with her to visit, Meliana. She's the Baroness. You have to remember that. But she's your sister and she loves you very much.. and.. I want to be your brother. Not just Khalani's husband, or the Baron. I want to be there when you want me to be there, Meliana."

"Yeah. I know. She's the baroness. That is why she left us behind. And then she came back and took Natalia, and left us all alone again." Meliana turns away and starts climbing through the boxes again, deciding to look for a way out.

"She talks about you all the time. And we're bringing you back with us. All of us." Mathis sighs. "She didn't want you girls to be exposed to the mess of Gateway before you were ready. It's really a mess sometimes." he admits as he starts to open another box. "...when we were talking, I agreed that I would have my own study built. And that I wasn't going to close the door so noone could visit. That Khalani or Natalia or Shala.. or you can visit me anytime that you want, when I am home." the young man says as he cracks the box open. "Oooooh."

"She left us right after daddy died. Then she took Natalia away from us. And since she talks about us, it that is supposed to make it okay?" Meliana goes on, climbing over the other side of the crates and going down the back. "You're nice enough. But I've only known you a few days."

"I can accept that. But we're alone here. Now's the time to ask me anything you want." Mathis says, taking a small orb out of the box. "..well." he says with a grin.

"I don't want to ask you anything." Now she's pouting and irritated.

"You wanted a way out." Setting the expensive looking shell back down gently. "Don't hit this box." Mathis says, before he goes back over to sit on one of the beds, lowering his head and drawing in a deep breath. "I'm sorry I'm messing up your life, Meliana. And I know you may not like me. But I'm not trying to take over. Khalani is the head of the household. Natalia is in charge of you and your sister. I.. I just want you to know that I'll be there if you ever choose that you need me for anything, Meliana."

Finally, Meliana peeks her head over one of the boxes. (is she finding anything good back here behind these crates??) "Then stop pushing. It feels like you keep pushing and pushing and pushing. I only known you a few days. I'm not a little puppy dog. I can't just change cause you and Lani say I have to. You have to give me time to make up my mind if I like you or not."

"I'm not pushing, nor am I the one making demands." Mathis responds to her. The young man leans back on the bed, and reaching into his pocket, he takes out a small object and lifts it to his lips, blowing into it and plucking at it, making a small tune. Lowering the device, he shrugs. "I'm worried. I don't want you thinking that I'm aloof, or.. worst case, that I'll be like you were told I'd be like."

Meliana doesn't answer this. Instead, she is busy. She climbs across the boxes, all the way over to this tube. "What is this?? C'mere."

That's what he thought. Mathis considers not answering her for a moment, before he rises to his feet to go over to the crates. Leaning over them, he lays down on his stomach next to the girl and peers. "I saw one of those.. when that Tyrean ship visited Gateway.. they had it on their ship.. it's some kind of weapon. A ballista?"

Currently, outside the large door behind which Mathis and Meliana is supposedly behind, Khalani and Natalia are standing in the tunnelway that connects the Baronial home with Haven. Natalia is holding the key to the door, and Ovelia just healed Khalani's shoulder.

On the other side of the door, Mathis considers. "You know, I bet we can blow the door open with that." He says, considering the ballista.

Meliana looks at Mathis. "Are you crazy? For one thing, we haven't found a door. For another, again, daddy died in an explosion. If it comes to that in a few days, fine. But we've only been here a few hours." Yeah. She's looking at Mathis as if he's sprouted another head from his shoulders.

"You're as soggy a sock as your sister." Mathis grins, rocking back on the boxes. "Just saying, if it comes to that." the young man shrugs his shoulders a he looks over at Meliana, then swings over to hop down from the box. "So, what box do we want to open next? I'd suggest one of them has food, but.." he pulls out the iron-clad and looks at the date stamped on it. "45 AG - that would make it... roughly.. 450 years old?"

Khalani crouches down to gather Natalia up against her. "It's okay.. It's okay Natty. No more cliff. It's okay." She's keeping it together for the moment. "There's a door.. let's go find Meli and Mat. They're on the other side." She's got no proof, only the word of a ghost, but she's hoping.

Semi-Happy Reunions

Leaning against Khalani, the Baronet takes her slow time in recovering her strength. She's not a hero. Whoever told Ovelia that was silly. She is, however, a Paggion, and that means she recovers, eventually. Finally, she reaches up to hug Khalani, then gives a nod of her head. "Okay," she manages to mumble out. "Okay, let's go get Meli." She uses Khalani's help to get back to her feet, then slowly makes her way to the door. Key? Lock. Lock? Key! Numbly, Natalia turns the key in the lock, and tries to open the door.

"Soggy sock? Because I know explosions kill people?" Meliana questions him, then shakes her head. What is /with/ these teenager people? Have they all lost their minds? "Yeah..that math is about right. I don't know that I'd want to eat food that had been sitting around so long." She makes a bit of a face. Like she makes when greens are put on her plate.

"Just because something happened in an explosion doesn't make all explosions bad, Meliana. But I understand your position." Mathis says with a shake of his head as he grins. "Me either, me either." Then, the two hear a loud click, and the young man rises as he backs up. "Meliana, get behind me. Just in case." And while his sword is missing, the young Guardian lad draws his dagger and spins it around, bringing it into a defensive position. "I won't let anything hurt you, lass."

Outside, the lock clicks, and the door comes open, the light of a pair of hurricane lamps illuminating several boxes with the sigil of Tyr burned into the side of them. And as it comes wider, there is the sight of a young man standing there, protectively in front of a younger girl.

Khalani helps Natalia up, and watches the fumbling with the key into the lock.. she fairly holds her breath as the door opens. She's got Mat's sword, surely they can face whatever's on the other side. The glow of the lamps.. the boxes.. and people. Most importantly the right people. Khalani lets her breath out all at once, nearly slumping with relief at seeing her sister and her best beloved. Mat's sword is no longer missing. Meliana's no longer missing. "Are you two alright?"

Screw asking if they're alright, Natalia rushes in in a flurry, wet soggy skirts and all, past Mathis, to skid to her knees and fall into a massive embrace of Meliana. "Meli!" she squeaks out, crying yet again. "Oh Meli, oh, you're safe." Hugging Meliana tight, Natalia crushes the girl to her.

Mathis was just about to charge down the person behind the door, when he recognizes the redhead that his best beloved immediately. For a moment, he wonders if this was the ghost playing another trick, but as Natalia fairly shoves by him, he decides.. no, they're real. "Hey." he says quietly to Khalani, resheathing his dagger as the young man steps to the side to let the sisters reunite.

Meliana doesn't step all the way behind the boy. She stays close to a crate so she can scramble up if she has to. But then, she hears voices. THOSE voices! "Natty!!" She squeals, yells, whatever....and then charges her sister.

Khalani too, is waiting for the shoe to drop, for the next trick or challenge, or.. something, just standing in the doorway a moment or two longer. Natalia's glomming all over Meliana, Khalani's free to come and offer Mathis his sword back. There's tears starting in her eyes and she's either laughing or crying.. it's hard to pinpoint it right at the moment.

Accepting the sword with his right hand, there's only two fingers and a thumb. Enough proof, Khalani? Shifting the blade around, he shoves it back into its sheath. "Took you long enough." he quips to her quietly, before he offers his arms to his best beloved. He doesn't mention that she looks like she went through hell in a handbasket. "Thanks for coming to the rescue."

Khalani rests her head on Mathis' shoulder, she's just going to quietly take a moment and fall apart now. Kthxbye. It's a few moments before she's pulled herself together to mutter dryly at him, tears still in her voice, battling with the edge of sarcasm. "We'll work on getting our speed up next time. Damn your sword is heavy, love." The conversation is.. inane really. There should be emotional reunions, declarations of undying love.. something that would fit into a romance novel script somewhere.. not yet. Lani's still trying to hold it together, even if barely.

They'll get there sooner or later, "I think I saw a jewel encrusted blade in one of these boxes, Khalani. Easier for me to carry that?" Mathis asks, his hand resting on the back of her neck as relief bumrushes his system. There will be time for declarations and love, and the whole nine yards, but for the moment, quiping seems to be the call. "It's okay, we're safe. We're all safe." he knows her tone of voice - it's the same disbelieveing tone of surviving combat that he carried after Vox's death. The difference was - he had noone to wrap his arms around and cry upon. He carried on alone, and he refuses to let Khalani suffer the same.

"A.. what?" Khalani leans back a little, the words before 'It's okay' finally starting to sink in. She looks around, finally making note of the boxes for what they are.. boxes. Shipping boxes. Crates and boxes. "Jewel encrusted blade? From.. Tyr?" She squints at the crate. "What.. the... where /are/ we?"

"Far as I can tell.. Tyr. But that can't be right. I was near the lighthouse when I was attack." Hence the bruise under the young man's eye. Mathis considers as he pulls back for a moment, however, as he moves to Khalani's side, holding her close to him. "I.. you remember you said in the legend, a Tyr ship was lost? I think we have found it, and it was gifts for the Baron of Amphorae. So far we've found a sextant, plates with the Amphorae crest on them.. and iron-clads." Taking one out, he offers the brown coin to Khalani, stamped with the date: 45 AG. One iron-clad is one platinum, for the record.

"We're in /Tyr/!?" Khalani got that out of Mathis' words, and she's not buying that. "No.. these boxes are from Tyr, but we're.. in Amphorae. On the coast somewhere? At home? Still asleep?" She'd really love for this to be part of her thoughts that its a dream, that she's going to wake up in her own bed, preferably not alone.. and have a helluva story to share at breakfast. It's becoming less and less likely as time wears on. She takes the coin, examining it herself.

She looks over, trying to keep an ear out for Natalia and Meliana.. making sure they're both still alright, and within earshot. She might be a little protective at the moment.

Mathis seems to be listening, just as much, truth be told. "I don't think any of this stuff is going anywhere for a bit, Khalani. Maybe we can all just go home and relax." he says, leaning on her for a moment. "But before we do.. I.. well. I need to ask something."

Khalani looks to Mat as he notes that he has a question for her. There's a little nod and then a flicker of a barely there smile for him. "Nothing that'll make me cry.." she cautions him, and then stands up on tip toe to see around to where Meliana is and then back to Mat, waiting on the question. "You told Meli you carry cookies, didnt you?"

"I'll ask later." Mathi chuckles, kissing her on the cheek, before he tugs Khalani gently along, reaching into his side pouch to take out the two snickerdoodles. "You can have them both, dear." he says with a smile as he hands them over.

Meliana reaches out and takes the pouch. But, before she scarfs down those cookies, which is what she wants to do, she offers them to everyone else first, extending the pack to each person in turn. "You want some?"

Khalani isn't, it would seem, about to let go of Mathis' hand anytime soon. "No.. I'm okay Meli. You have them. I'm not hungry." She looks around at where they are. "So.. how /do/ we get home. Anyone know? Do we have to go exploring?"

"No thanks, Meliana." Mathis smiles. And then he notices Natalia passed out on one of the beds. "Back the way you two came, I guess." he admits quietly. With that, he goes over, since he's still at full strength, and letting go of Khalani's hand just long enough, he moves and picks Natalia up, cradling her against him. "Come on, we'll figure it out." Over the corner, behind some crates is a staircase.

"I don't think going back the way we came is.. effective. I'd rather not go back down that tunnel." The added notion of perhaps, even just maybe having to face any one of the things they did on the way in, on the way out.. not going there. Khalani is willing to go first, to look up the stairs, to find out where it goes to. Hopefully somewhere good. Like the manor house.

"Alright, I guess we're taking the stairs. Lead the way, Lani. Meliana, I want you between her and I, just in case I need to set Natalia down. We ready?" Mathis asks, adjusting Natalia' weight in his arms. And they go up the stairs, to come out at the lighthouse. It may be a long trip back, but at least they can get a carriage at this point.