Sorrel & Silvia - the ship sails

A stephena/wixspartan co-production

Sorrel profanes this holy shrine

Sorrel clambers wearily up the steps of Selune's temple, the mysterious drow longbow in her hand. She is searching for a priest to cleanse whatever residue of Lolth's service may remain in the weapon when an acolyte rushes up. "Reverend sister, I have a letter for you," he says.

Sorrel almost walks past. Being ordained still feels like it happened to someone else. But the acolyte grasps her elbow and thrusts the paper into her hand. She reads it carefully.

"My dearest Sorrel, we have much to speak about and when I asked for you I was informed you had left for a mission with the Lord Jaezred. I implore you once you are free of duty to come to the Fort, or send a messenger if you are unable to.

Something has changed within me, I am newly aware of several important details too great to be shared in a short missive such as this.

Yours

Silvia

P.S. I have also missed your company, I have asked Coll for a bottle of wine to be kept to one side for us when you arrive"

Sorrel sinks to the cushions and stares into the distance for a long time. Finally she rises.

"Bad news?" the acolyte asks nervously. Rumours of Darkfire's Wrath have been greatly exaggerated to new arrivals.

"Good news, bad news, who can say?" she smiles faintly, turns and heads for the door. "The wine is good news though, right? Word of advice. Next time you read someone's mail, make sure you seal it with exactly the same wax, don't smear the ink and, if you do, wash your hands."

She pats his face and heads for the door, deciding to walk to Fort Ettin. She has a lot of thinking to do.

Two blushing pilgrims

By the time she arrives she is no wiser. She finds the bar busy but not too raucous, walks up to Coll and bows her head respectfully. "Sorrel Darkfire, at your service and your family's," she begins.

Coll interrupts. "Ah, Sorrel, I'll go fetch Silvia."

He nods at an empty table with a single candle and quickly heads out of the hall.

Sorrel looks down at her blood and dirt encrusted armour, smeared in demon ichor and dust from the abyss then covered in a fine layer of Kantas mud.

"Foxy," she says wryly, and sits, strangely nervous. "You literally just faced down servants of Lolth," she tells herself sternly. "This is Silvia. Your adrenal glands are out of whack."

Silvia steps into the hall in a dress for the first time since she came to Kantas and Sorrel’s adrenal glands go into meltdown. It's not exactly high fashion but it's a lovely crimson dress that almost hits the floor. Her hair is tied back neatly and she appears to be smiling with only a hint of sadness as she steps in.

Sorrel notices immediately the lack of thread over her knuckles, instead replaced by the cuff of the dress looped over each middle finger.

Silvia spots Sorrel and beams before striding over. She looks awkward walking in a dress

Sorrel stands instinctively, then hovers, uncertainly. She hardly recognises Silvia.

"Well Sorrel, you look exactly like I last saw you. A woman who looks like she has just finished a job. What job? Best not ask if you want to keep your life. Please my dear sit down sit down, Coll has been very nice and put a candle on the table we may as well use it."

Sorrel smiles and sits, watching Silvia intently. She is exactly the same and yet entirely different. This, however, does not sound like a good opening gambit even to Sorrel. She fishes around for greetings and remembers normal people saying things like.... wait, that's it...

"Thank you Silvia. You look nice. Have you done something... with... your hair?"

Sorrel blushes. She might as well have said she carried a watermelon.

Silvia chuckles and takes the opposite seat "I have in fact, although barely. Turns out growing up in a rural town teaches you useful skills but doesn't teach you the latest way courtly ladies tie their hair."

Coll comes over with the bottle of wine and two glasses, places them down and hurries back to serving the bar. Silvia smiles faintly as he leaves. "I thought you may enjoy some wine with our discussion."

Sorrel's long walk has eased most of the Thorian brandy out of her system. Water would be wiser, her fencing master screams in her head. She doesn't listen.

"I would... thank you...."

Not for the first time Sorrel wished she had just a fraction of the eloquence of even the idiot street busking bards instead of an adolescent level of mumbled avoidance.

Silvia carefully pours two glasses and grips one by the stem, seemingly unused to it. "How is the Lord Jaezred?"

Sorrel wrinkles her brow carefully. "Silvia, I can answer that question in a number of ways, all of them true, some of them a whole lot longer than others," she purses her lips. "He's lost everything he ever had and isn't sure if he will get what he wants in return. And he was killed three times. But overall, I would say good."

Silvia frowns “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise it was all that serious”

Her smile fails to return “I need to tell you about something but before I do promise me you won’t go and kill the two individuals I’m about to name”

Sorrel sighs. "That's like saying 'you have to promise you won't laugh,'" she rolls her eyes. "I could promise I wouldn't laugh, you'd tell me something funny and I'd laugh, but I wouldn't mean to, it would just happen. A natural reaction to the situation. It's like that except with killing."

“Sorrel please…”

Sorrel takes a sip and feels the delicate vintage tease her tongue. "But anyway, isn't it more fun if there's jeopardy?"

“I’m trying to forget the fact I’ve fallen for a murderer”

"Look, I wouldn't say I'm a good person but if I show up at your door you've done something to bring me there," Sorrel shrugs. "It’s never personal.”

She reflects for a second. “Well, not anymore. Those days are behind me now and they're all dead. Basically, I mean well. I just do bad things by accident. And, admittedly, sometimes because I'm paid to.”

She thinks about it. “And once or twice to avoid an awkward pause in the conversation but is that really murder?"

Palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss

Sorrel realises there's no good answer to that, so keeps talking. "I was born good at four things. I can stay silently in the shadows until I know everything about you. I can move so fast I'll have three arrows in your throat before you notice me. And I will keep my promises beyond death."

“That’s three”

"Right. And fourth, if I take you to bed I will make you forget you're mortal if only for one night. I always forget that one." She smiles. “Well, I don't, but I'm trying to be demure....”

Silvia looks at her wine rapidly, like she wants to be literally anywhere else. Sorrel watches as she blushes red. It complements the dress well. “I was about to talk about the reason I don’t have the thread on my knuckles and almost got disintegrated by a wizard but ok…”

Sorrel leans back. "I didn't want to ask, but c'mon... remember the shadows one?"

“You’ll find out anyway?”

Sorrel hesitates.

“Wait hang on do you already know??”

"Not everything. But if someone is important to me, I like to know they're alive."

“And I’m important to you? Don’t answer actually I just remembered the ‘I will march into hell and kill several demons’ speech”

A brief flash of irritation crosses Sorrel’s face. "Silvia, I don't have a... what do they call it? Alliterative mind? I'm not good with metaphors. I don't write poetry. If I say I will climb the highest mountain, I'm not about to burst into song, I'm stuffing pitons into the backpack.”

She indicates the filth on her armour. “I mean, look at me. I did just march into Hell. To be fair, I only killed one demon but that was for Lord Jaezred. Imagine what I'd do for you. Don’t call it a speech.... honestly..."

Silvia sips the wine, as if to avoid having to reply to her and actually voice her feelings for once, after a full minute of silence she speaks up again "So I've met him. The snake. His name is Kurtz and well... as much as I hate him for everything it turns out I owe him a fair amount and not everything bad that has happened to me is his fault so. I don't know Sorrel this is all very complicated"

Sorrel's eyebrows nearly hit the roof. "OK, wait, back up. I was so poorly informed on this that I may need to revisit my sources and renegotiate. You know his name?"

"I know his form too, a shadow dragon locked in darkness. Poetic really, and terrifying in person"

Sorrel is a little less peeved. "OK, so, they gave me some correct intel. I gather they have blindsight which makes sneaking up tricky... but then, it sounds like this may be one of the people you don't want me to kill?"

Silvia looks at Sorrel with a tired look "Sorrel he could probably kill me with a flick of his claw don't get yourself killed over a stupid desire to help me of all people"

Sorrel reaches out and takes Silvia's right hand, looking at the skin where the thread used to be, then places it softly back on the table. "We were talking about thread, and wizards and me not killing. Tell me what's been going on with you Silvia..."

Silvia tries and fails not to blush again "Well, it's a long story Sorrel but to summarise I was taken to see Kurtz, he explained a lot. It turns out that his contract with me was less optimal then he actually wanted, and he seemed to genuinely care about me, although I'm not sure if that's because he genuinely likes me or he needs me for something. We renegotiated, he took away the bloodlust, the lost control. I want to hate him Sorrel but do you know how freeing it feels after so long of having to chain myself every night in fear of killing someone again? No offence..."

Sorrel rolls her eyes again.

"And then we have the book,” Silvia continues, not noticing. “Apparently Kurtz' intentions are good but he's been thwarted by the theft of a book. And now comes the wizard. He goes by Veridian Pentaghast and well, he happens to live in the fort as it turns out. And he's terrifyingly powerful from what I have been told and felt when I confronted him in person to ask questions. I've found myself in a situation Sorrel and I don't know what to do."

She slumps on the table before realising there are still other people around and sitting up sharply. “But I can manage this by myself Sorrel, I can weather this storm. I promise I’ll be ok for you.”

Pilgrim lips used in prayer

Sorrel gives a wry smile. "Do I know how freeing it feels after so long of having to chain myself every night in fear of killing someone again? Has the new bond stolen your memory as well as your knuckle thread? And sweet Silvia, you may be changed, but I am not. Whether or not you can manage being the storm-tossed ship in the raging storm of warring powers..."

Sorrel pauses, impressed. "Nice metaphor… Maybe I do have some poetry in me after all... Anyway. You are not alone in this. I have never met a mage who isn't vulnerable to the old one-two of the silence spell and ensnaring strike. Well, rarely. It's a timing issue, usually."

She outlines mage killing strategies described in a few of the tactical assault books in the House library, then realises from Silvia’s face that this is not what she wants to discuss.

"But look, that's not important," She takes Silvia's hands. "You are happier and lovelier and more peaceful than I have ever seen you and your happiness makes me happy. So leaving aside the saving of my life, leaving aside the saving of my soul, leaving aside the debt beyond death and leaving aside any of the stuff that makes you blush so adorably, I'm in this too like it or not. I have been trying to work out the counter to the disintegrate since poor old Faust and I have some research to do..."

Silvia smiles at Sorrel. "Guess I really am not getting rid of you"

Sorrel hesitates, puts Silvia’s hands down and picks them up again. "Listen to me - I am serious and this is not poetry," she says urgently. "I am a disaster. Cute, smart but bad news. All my lovers but one are dead. I am desperate and unpredictable even to myself. I am completely closed off, especially to myself, and I have spectacular PTSD. I have the kind of feelings for you that make me want to run away and to urge you save yourself. Make of that what you will. I mean, run away as you’re thinking about it. It is genuinely in your own best interests. But whatever happens - whatever happens - I am beside you in this if you need me."

Silvia looks down at her hands in Sorrel's and then up with a serious expression straight into her eyes. For the first time the sadness and weight is gone, replaced with sincerity and passion "I'm not running anywhere, I'm staying right here with you for as long as you'll let me Sorrel because I love you and if you haven't realised that by now you're a fool"

"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of," Sorrel's face twists with joy and despair. "Silvia, I really am bad news. I have been in love once and it scarred me so badly I push away all affection. Sport sex, hopeless relationships, damaged goods. I have been drawn to you since we met, and I have fought it every step of the way. I am terrified of you, in all honesty. And please take that as a compliment. I have no idea what we're doing."

She pours more wine. "You do form some very self destructive bonds, Silvia," Sorrel sighs. “I’m not sure which is riskier – being possessed by a shadow dragon or falling in love with me.”

As Sorrel puts the bottle down, Silvia grabs her hands again, leans in, and kisses her. Sorrel fights her own desires for a heart beat then kisses her back. She finds tears streaming down her cheek and half sobs, half laughs. "I hope you know what you're doing, Silvia, because I have no fucking idea."

Silvia leans back and smiles "I may be making most of this up but that's better then nothing right?" She suddenly looks panicked and blushes "I... I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry, that was, uh. Sorrel I didn't mean to, I mean I did but uh, hey this wine is real good"

She almost downs the entire glass and stares at literally everything except Sorrel as she places it back down

Sorrel takes Silvia's hands again as the light slowly dawns. "Silvia, how old did you say you were?"

"Um, twenty four? ....why?"

"And how old were you when you acquired your dark companion?"

"Sixteen"

Sorrel lets out a long breath, looks down at the table and back up. "You have not had a lover before, you beautiful girl, have you?"

Silvia blushes and snatches back her hands, folding them in front of her and burying her face in them. There is a very muffled "...No"

Sorrel's takes the bridge of her nose between finger and thumb as she thinks. "OK. I see."

She looks up and watches Silvia's face and body move in the candle light - sees, as if for the first time, the innocence and the hope in every slight graceful move of her perfect form. Her eyes drift across the ceiling to where she knows the moon will be and she raises an eyebrow at the Goddess. She feels sure that the moon that shines on lovers and rogues, dreamers and devils alike is smiling now.

Then have my lips the sin that they have took

Silvia peeks out of her arms "I still haven't paid for the wine, I should go do that, just stand up and not fall over from embarrassment..."

She takes a second then shakily walks over to the bar

Sorrel watches her go. For once in her life - perhaps for the first time ever - she is going to have to go very very slowly and do everything she can to avoid doing any harm. She looks back up at the goddess. "Are you teaching me a lesson?" she whispers.

Silvia comes back with a key and puts it on the table between them as she sits down "Room, yours, just for tonight, it's too late for you to go back to Daring Heights now. It's one of the really nice suites but um, if it's ok I won't join you. Need some time with my... thoughts" She blushes heavily, leans in for a quick kiss and hurries off.

Sorrel tries not to laugh. Her whole 'this why we should take time before sleeping together' speech... Sorrel Darkfire actually using that line... it wasn't needed. She scratches her head. This morning she thought the 66th layer of the Abyss was the weirdest thing she'd done in Kantas. Still...

She picks up the key, uncertain of the etiquette, then wanders towards the suite, elated, confused, terrified, and hungry? Was she hungry?

As she makes her way upstairs very slowly, she thinks, if the light cavalry boys of the Flaming Fist could see me now... And she can hear the lads from Garosh Blackhand’s Death’s Head Assault Unit laughing in the back of her mind.

She casts her gaze back up to where the moon is hiding. “I hope you know what you’re doing, my lady.”