• Warm Welcomes from the Looking Glass • {a log}

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

A certain amount of care was taken with Mallia after the others had left and Airtia was left there with the fallen drow. Simply because she was unconscious did not mean that things were safe, she had taken note of what was in that blood and - truth be told - she had a small itch to have a deeper taste. But she wouldn't. Airtia ha removed the coverings from the bed and, minding the injuries to the Drow, lifted her up in steady arms. Tyger was still there but he was off to the corner watching a moment before placing remaining clothes over the blood. The bed wasn't far away and Airtia laid her so there would be less pressure against the now patched up wound. Her hands and arms had spots of blood on them now but that was a trifle thing. Once that was done she stepped off to the side and leaned against the wall. One foot propped up her arms were crossed and her silver eyes were set upon the unconscious one.

It was some time before the Drowess woke, having taken a great toll on herself by casting when she was in her weakened state. Physical strength and stamina in such things were not necessarily her strong points, more her mental capabilities and grace were what she was known for among her subjects. Half growling in her groan she carefully rolled to her right side, immediately regretting putting strain on her body as it quickly reminded her of the hole in her left side. Her senses were foggy at best and she felt as if waking from a rather vivid dream. Still it didn't take long for her to realize she was not where she should have been. The sheets on the bed felt different then the spider silk sheets that adorned her own resting place within her palace. The note of alarm in her senses snapped the others back to a more alert state, as the Drowess slowed moved to sit upright, blinking rapidly to get used to the stinging brightness of the room.

It was bright as Airtia had not thought to dim them - she hadn't seen a reason to make the other more comfortable than giving her a place to rest that wasn't the hard floor and her own blood. The sheets were cotton and mixed satin and the color was neutral Earth tones of tan and a muted green. In the time it had taken for the Drow to wake up Tyger had gotten the blood off the floor and the cloth had been disposed of. How? Suffice it to say it was no longer there - and neither was the cat, but Airtia was still against the wall. When she saw the other start to move the right corner of her mouth moved in a ghost smile. "I would nae move tae much iffen I were ye...." Smooth and steady tone that held it's manner of authority that was always there unless she worked to push it down. now was not one of those times. "Ye will only bleed on the sheets."

A moment passed before the Drowess's sapphire eyes adjusted to the room's light. How should would have preferred the low burning candles of her room to this. Call her old fashioned... candles were still her favored source of light in comparison to some of the younger generations fascination with electricity. Devoid of her clothing wasn't much of a concern for her, but the removal of her weapons, specifically her whip was definitely a point of concern. "Why would you care one bit if I bled on your sheets or not, surfacer?" she groaned again as she made it to be able to prop herself up about halfway from a upright sitting position. "Why did you help me?" her tone was weak but still held a tone of warning in her words, even after she noticed the much cleaner bandage that wrapped around her abdomen. In her mind she felt the concern of what this female would want from her... no one would help another and expect nothing in return for it... no one in their right mind that is.

Especially if that person happened to be Airtia. Though she may not say outright what payment would be or what she expected there was always something and she always collected when the time was right for her. "Personally I don't care," the truth of that was heard in the nonchalant way she said it, "but the Keeper o' this place will and it will be interesting tae see what 'appens tae the one who nae only broke intae a room but made a mess o it as well." She sounded amused. As though such a thing would really be something she wanted to see for her own reasons. "Per'aps it tis that I 'ave helped ye fer the same reason." Her weight shifted as she eased from the wall, the foot that was against it coming down to touch the floor as silent movements carried her over to one of the lights. She had observed the way the Drow responded to the light, clearly she wasn't like some of those she had seen in her travels. A hand lifted to one of the three lights in the room and it went out, darkening the room by a bit. "Tell me yer name."

The annoyance from being found by three pale skinned surfacers, their apparent knowledge of her kin's language, and worse still... being accused of being an Eilistraeen weighed heavily on the Drowess's mind. Still, the amusement of her Hostess's blatant honesty pulled slightly at one corner of her dark lips. "Why would I possibly give you my name when polite etiquette requires that the Hostess gives her name first." she purred cynically in her silken voice, only a slight strain in her words from the wound in her left side, the manner of her vocal control was something she had centuries of practice to enjoy. "I am not worried of this 'Keeper'... they would do well in knowing a stranger's survival instincts... especially one of Ilythiiri birth. I could have done much... -much- worse."

"Then we shall converse without names." Others may have been more hospitable, complete with telling the Drow their name, where they were and what has happened, but Airtia was not that forthcoming. She wasn't that pale - though in comparison she was - for her tone appeared darker at times then others. Still, the tip of her ears remained hidden. Her posture was perfect and relaxed with one arm crossed over her waist and the other partial bent at her side. The twin daggers were there at the sides of her leather pants as they always were and her focus was steady. "Drow." Short and heightened with the pause she gave afterwards. "Ye are a far way from the Underdark and further from yer blood." She did not mean the blood in her body, she was referring to the properties of the blood and the source of the power she had felt in it. Of course, she didn't explain that.

Setting her jaw firmly in place, the thought came to her mind mirrored in her sapphire eyes for barely a second... "To follow the lines of diplomacy and subtlety or take the challenge and have a bit of fun?" Considering how things had taken place thus far since her run in with the human law officers, she was wanting something to entertain her. "Really? And to think I thought trees and a blazing day star was common in the more exotic regions of the UnderDark..." she snapped back haughtily before continuing. "Where am I? Its apparent I am not in the rival’s city, nor my own. This place wreaks of elven perfume.... and... wet dog." her memory snapping to the odd scent of a lycan having been nearby. Being one to sense the aura of another gave her a slight edge, fixating on quarry that was of a stronger magical nature to sate her addiction to raw arcane energy. Picking out one of a shifting blood was easy... figuring out what they shifted into, and their age was another story though. She felt safe in assuming the sense was of a lycan as they were most common.

"Iffen it were I," she started to say with a small lift and fall of her shoulders, "I would go fer the challenge." So the Drow had a sense of humor, that was good and it was something needed when working in an unknown situation to keep oneself calm and collected. "Ye want answers, as do I. Already 'aving answered one o' yers at the start tis only right that ye answer mine by giving yer name." She took a step and two towards the rooms door. "Then we can proceed in this conversation." She wasn't going to comment on what the place was. The Drow was correct in thinking that the place was elven - even subtle features of furniture may say so to those who knew, like the sheet colors - and wet dog was true. No need to vindicate it yet. "Until ye do this room will be all ye know." No need for her to try going out the window, unlike before it was warded by one of her Wards and would not let anyone out unless they could pick through the complex design.

She couldn't help but smile this time. Having not realized her own murmured words mirrored her thoughts, it had simply proven this female was the type she preferred... strong and unforgiving. Oh how she was pleased to take the challenge. "Ilhar... " was all she replied, her sideways glance peered to the pale woman, by her own standards she was pale... though the Drowess had seen far paler ones. Vampires and their typical melancholy demeanor among the worst. "Now... your name, jalil. Since we are in introductions." she purred smoothly, amused by the woman's accent and less then subtle threats. If only she knew... if only she knew...

Airtia's bemused smirk was hidden as she made a partial turn towards the door. That wasn't the Drow's real name but a title, but if she wanted to go that route she would be allowed. People earned their titles and she would give her that much even if she did not give the full respect afforded to those who have earned it. When she had turned to the door Airtia took care to drag her middle and forefinger along the wood as she turned back around to face that one going by the name Ilhar. "Sedai." Back to face her again there was the ghost of a smile on her lips. "That tis what ye may call me, Ilhar." Now that some give had been made she motioned to the small dresser in the room by the bed. It only had two drawers and they were not of considerable size. "Ye are at in Inn called Tel'Ranaemyn." It was Elvish for Wandering Hills.. she might know that. "Iffen ye feel the need tae dress, they are there."

Wandering Hills... the name was so calming it almost made her gag. These elven names were always so quaint. At least the rivvil had a bit more of an amusing imagination with their names of places. "Sedai... where is this Inn at? I recognize nothing of this area, nor of any of the surrounding area I saw when I was on top of the horse's stables." she spoke evenly, neutral of emotion except the expected need of her curiosity to be sated. She didn't move yet, nor did she desire to dress... though her anger at not knowing where her whip was, was something that simmered just below her calm exterior. Keeping the rather uncomfortable sheet pulled up to just below her exposed chest, the Drowess tried to move again, sitting up a bit more after some effort. It didn't help with her mood though, only adding to how uncomfortable she was. This was not the situation she would desire to be in.

She could have been fully nude and Airtia would not have batted an eye at being uncomfortable or awkward. She was comfortable in her own skin and sexuality and would walk around nude if it came to it, the dark red bodice she wore was short and tight upon her own chest and didn't pull fully together. It was the three silver spikes that held it in place. "As I told ye, ye are a long way from yer Underdark. This tis the land of Rhy'din. I would say it varies from yer in in a few ways." Possibly because her own surface world would not be the same as the world she may see outside this Inn. But the clothes she had come in spoke that she knew of modern things so one could never know. "Considering your qualities mundane practice was used in caring fer yer wound." only her clothes were in the dresser. If she looked for her whip there, it would not be found as it wasn't anywhere in this immediate room. "There are various creators in this Inn and at the moment ye are an intruder."

This wasn't good by any means. Alice really did just fall through the looking glass. Pursing her lips slightly together, she turned her focus inward, just enough to find that which was her Goddess. What should have been a reverberating current of chaos was nothing more then a whisper in reply to her reach, which only irritated her more. "Rather an intruding Drow then a coddling surfacer to contend with. You seem to have some bare knowledge of who I am... who you have gone into an unknown -elven- establishment right through the front doors if you were me?" her question was barely that, more a rhetorical expression of her haughty demeanor in both her poor posture and verbal expression. She was growing tired Sedai... even her it was likely due to her weakened state effecting her patience.

[Airtia S. Cauthon]

Airtia stood besides the door, it would not take much at the moment for her to open it up and slip through, something she was planning to do soon. The Ilhar looked tired, in her eyes, and after what she had been through and the information being given it wasn't without cause. "I would do, what I would do, depending on what it tis that I as going tae do." It may have seemed a bit round about in answering but it was an answer that didn't give much away at first, but to a trained ear it said alot about her as a person. The wisp of a smile was still there and her hand closed around the knob. "I suggest that ye get more rest tae build up yer strength b'fore venturing out o' the room..."

Mallia smiled to herself, her respect had grown by the pale woman's response if not only slightly. She did not seem like the typical pathetic surfacer that annoyed her more refined Drow tastes. The slightest mischief entered her voice as she spoke even if she was fighting the appearance of exhaustion. "Then we understand each other. Perhaps I will have a look around if naut for the sake of being stuck in an elven brothel." her words were every bit as intentional with their slight provocation as they were in her melancholy tone. Both of her hands laid against the soft mattress enough to help slide her further down into the sheets, even if the strain to her side cause her to hiss verbally in protest. Rest was unavoidable at this point. The wound had taken a greater toll then she had thought initially.

"The land holds delights o' varying taste." There would be no warning from this one about who to avoid or how the Drow should act for Airtia, simply, saw no need for them. And if there wasn't a need then there was no reason for her to waste her time. A soft click was heard as she turned the knob of the door and even as she did so the few dim lights in the room went down even more. This was perhaps done as a courtesy as she knew how Drow felt about light. As the door widened the lights grew dimmer until they were out completely. "When ye are ready tae leave the door will be opened fer ye. Until then." That was all she was going to say and she began her way out. Still, she did not turn her back to the other woman, but instead took smooth backwards steps . She didn't doubt that she would see the other again.

Mallia fell into what could be considered a sleep for a Drow, though to most elves it was simply called Reverie. If it was for the entire amount of time she typically fell into this deep meditative state or not she was not sure, but one thing was for sure, the night's crisp air greeted her when she roused. Looking to the window from where her less then graceful entrance was made into the tavern, the night's light was an odd clearness to it. Slipping form the sheets of the bed slowly, each movement was one of pain and soreness that she did not appreciate.

[the rest is found . . . here]