The Missionary

by T-SilverWolf

Kathrine Stoneriver is a young priestess in service to Chauntea who's fallen into a portal, taking her on a whirlwind tour of the multi-verse. Along the way she makes a new friend who has a secret and holds a relic that can give someone anything they want, even godhood. Yet the people she's stolen it from not only want it back, but know her secret and won't stop until it's silenced

10. Volume 3: All Hands on Deck: Chapter 4

The Missionary

Volume 3 Chapter 4

:AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hey hey, hope you're enjoying this story. I apologize for the lack of updates, real life financial stresses have been cropping up stealing my time.

PLEASE, if you enjoy the story, send me an email! Send me a PM! If you think I could improve, write a review! It takes nothing but a few seconds and I -do- read each and every one of them!

I'd like to thank Alonsis and Syrus both, deeply, for believing in me and keeping me motivated even if you don't know how. :) Seriously, you guys rock. And a huge thank you to all those readers out there who've been reading this, whether you comment or not. I'm just happy to know someone out there thinks something I do is worth investing -their- time in too.

:END AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Kathrine stood a few feet away from the hatch hugging her arms over her chest and casting a nervous glance back as a soft breeze prickled the goosebumps across her thighs making her shiver involuntarily. The soft velveteen fabric brushed her skin barely managing to keep her comfortable much less warm and despite the fact that no one paid attention to her, she could imagine their eyes on her mostly bare legs and the subtle pushup effect the blouse had on her chest. They'd be trying to figure out how it worked, maybe, or if what was displayed was as good looking without the blouse. Meanwhile the slight heel on her boots forced her to stand in a slightly awkward manner that forced her calves to take most of her weight to keep her balanced yet in so doing, it made her legs look longer. It was absurd to be so conflicted but when she'd seen it in the mirror she couldn't deny it, some part of her liked how she looked. Of course every other part of her was screaming that she was probably in danger and needed to stop being so damned friendly.

She rubbed at the billowing sleeves of her blouse which stopped just at her elbows, making her way across the ships deck toward the rear cabin. A couple dozen paces away gaunt men with brown spotted skin and yellowish eyes were training atop grass mats that took up most of the deck's mid section. Punches, kicks, throws and disabling moves were all practiced with an ethereal kind of grace that not even she could have mastered in a life time, yet something in their natural grace spoke of millennium of hardship that made such training not only necessary but wholly prized. It was a strange ballet of violence she couldn't quite get her mind around.

Her gaze never left the training men as she walked towards them keenly aware of how little it would take one of them to overpower her. She was ready to jump ship if necessary. . . Wasn't she? She glanced towards the endless plane of black water while still keeping the men at the edge of her vision. She wasn't.

The gaunt brown, skinned men didn't even spare her a glance when she approached. Throwing punches or tumbling with the blows, they were too wrapped up in their training to give her the slightest bit of attention which was both a relief and a concern. Not so much that she was potentially in danger but the innumerable possibilities of what it was that they were training to fight. What was it that could inspire such a need to fight?

Kathrine continued past them with a slight turn to ensure she wasn't being followed. For several steps she didn't turn her gaze from the men, acutely aware of the wind running its fingers through her hair and the scents of the bath oils she'd used. In her state of hyper awareness she was prepared for most anything despite being without her equipment or even spell reagents, she could still run away or out think any potential adversary.

What she couldn't do, however was split her attention to what was going on in front of her and behind. She felt something warm and muscular in front of her a moment before she tripped over it. In a flurry of fabric and feathers she tumbled forward, planted her hands in front of herself to keep from falling and tucked into a roll by reflex, spinning around to see the noble face of the sphinx right in front of her staring at her like she was a few arrows short of a full quiver. She forced a sheepish smile suddenly more aware of her vulnerability at his eye level. "Oops~ So- sorry."

The human face of the massive creature mixed irritation with a subtle kind of amusement Kathrine could barely make out, looking at her with sharp brown eyes for a moment before he looked her over. He turned his weight slowly with only the light plodding of his massive paws announcing the move at all until he rolled his shoulders back arching his wings and resettling them more comfortably against his long body. She couldn't quite bring herself to stand up in his presence, instead sitting on her knees with her legs clenched tight, prepared to duck away if necessary. He smiled a little exposing a long pair of canines, speaking in a gentle but deep growl full of baritone almost beyond any human's ability to reproduce. "I am lighter than what I'm made of and more of me is hidden than seen. . ." His gaze lingered on her face with that same carnal smile for nearly a full beat as it began to dawn on her just what he was saying.

She opened her mouth about to ask for clarification but stopped herself. It was a simple enough riddle, air, but she was more curious why he would ask her unprompted. Unless he planned to eat her if she wasn't quick enough. No, that wasn't right. They didn't usually do that but you could quickly loose their respect and interest if you weren't sharp enough. Kathrine swallowed and sucked in a breath through clenched teeth. He'd been ready to ask her a riddle before allowing her on board but she'd preempted him with one of her own that felt somehow appropriate to her situation; neck deep in water she'd asked him something fairly simple with an answer relating to salt or ice. Kat blinked. Ice. He was answering her riddle with one. Her lips subconsciously pulled up in a smirk.

Clever. Alright. . . She licked her lips. "You seized me and yet I fled." She began even as her voice cracked. Mere inches away from those sharp canines she could imagine her reflection in their sheen and while she could smell the faint scent of honeyed wine on his breath she couldn't bring herself to believe that'd been all he had to eat or drink. Why else would he refer to her as morsel? "You s- see me flee and cannot hold me tight. Yet you press me into your hand and then your fist is empty. . ." That was all there was too it, right? She quickly ran it over in her mind. It sounded right.

"Hmph." The sphinx glanced up to the side in thought and slowly started to turn away from her as he contemplated the answer. With a slight nod of approval she was dismissed and he plodded on towards the front of the ship with his tail swishing behind him lazily.

Kat sat there for a moment longer not sure whether she should relax or be more concerned. If he wasn't the ship's captain, who had it within their power to either enslave or otherwise coax a sphinx to be part of their crew? Was she some kind of towering intellect that could subdue him or maybe someone so strong she'd earned his respect by defending someone he cared about. Was she herself a sphinx? She bit into her lower lip as images ran through her mind at lightning speed; a brain in a jar was supplanted by a sphinx draped in glittering gold with an eye patch which further gave way to a troll woman with a whip she'd use to beat her crew into submission. Maybe that was it. . .

Slowly she stood up to the aching protest of her legs, dusting her knees off she looked to the cabin and drew in a breath. It stood about as tall as a house, shaped with a slight rearward cant with intricate silver etchings that looked semi-draconic in nature; protections versus scrying and elements so far as Kat could tell. There were others but the essence was lost in the obscure nature of the runes which had been used leaving Kat only to guess at the true intent of them. The single distinguishing feature was an ornate door in the center framed with flowing scroll work that was rounded with recessed trim and further inlaid by brilliantly polished silver which shone softly in the perpetually dusky sky.

With no visible knob, Kat didn't know what to make of it as she approached but a couple feet away the door opened inward slowly on a rather simple room with plenty of plush red carpeting under a pair of knee high tables decorated in simple golden cloths that draped down the corners and ended in blue tassles. Atop one table was an empty bowl filled with what looked like mead or some other drink and the other an open book in a language she couldn't even begin to make sense of. On the right side of the cabin a pair of drums had been stuffed into the corner near a rather long body pillow which wrapped around the corner to form a kind of couch not meant for any human body. Several small sketches had been carved into the wood walls with a very sharp, very fine instrument in breathtaking detail. Some depicted simple things like a flower and others more complex subjects such as a pair of boots cocked out from an upturned perspective as though the viewer was looking down. All the sketches seemed to have been of rather mundane items but they were perfect in almost every way almost as though they existed in their own tiny place and time.

Kathrine glanced around again, finding a small hallway to the right side opposite the 'couch' and a cleverly hidden door almost directly infront of her. She took a breath, held her hand up ready to knock. But before she could, it creaked softly and slowly swept inward into another simple room no bigger than a storage closet and decorated almost as spartan. There was a simple door infront of her decorated by a swirling pattering of gold dust that made concentric circles in the soft wood, perpetually feeding from the top to the bottom and glittering down the cutouts only to cycle back up to the top eventually. She glanced around the room, whispering. "Um. . . Hello?"

There was no reply.

She took a step into the antechamber, towards the door and moved to knock again. As before, the new door swept inward to another room slightly larger than her room at the World Serpent. Perhaps fifteen paces on a side, the room was proportioned oddly considering the size of the cabin itself it technically couldn't have existed but as her gaze swept over the casual opulence of the room, the concept gradually began to fade away as a trivial notion in light of everything she'd already seen. The room was draped in rich navy blue silk stitched with gold fillagree and lace that veiled tiny windows looking out on the endless sea of darkness. Flickering candlelight played over the buttresses which had been decorated with webs of glittering crystals that reflected the light back into the room lighting it to feel like a summer's day. Smells of pork and freshly steamed vegetables filled her nose along with a subtle hint of exotic spice from some forgotten corner of an unknown plane. It was heady and musky but wholly enticing. Kathrine closed her eyes taking the smell in.

"Hello there!" A woman's voice snapped her out of her moment. Kat's eyes shot open to see a large dining table not two feet from her piled high with pristine plates topped with thick pork stakes and vegetables; potatoes, beets, carrots. . . Her mouth began watering. The table hadn't been there a moment before, or had it? She didn't recall it being there. Slowly she looked up a little, trying to ignore the growling in her empty stomach.

Her feet were propped up on the edge of the table, slender boots with high heels, gold toe caps and supple leather that stopped just above her well shaped, decidedly human, knees. Her thighs were thick with muscle, powerful in ways that blurred the line between strength training and running and barely contained in dark brown silk with a lace seam up each side that allowed fleeting glimpses of her sun kissed skin. Around her slender waist, a half-tied sash held her dark blue coat closed, just barely concealing a ruffled white blouse that only served to accentuate her full bust. The collar of her coat hung open at either side of her neck proudly displaying the finer curves of her throat and the subtle feminine lines that lead up it to her smooth sculpted jaw. Her lips were perhaps her most striking feature, perfectly formed, turned upward slightly in a smirk and pouted in a coy display that didn't belie the strength of her intense crystal blue eyes. Those same eyes that were looking Kathrine over with every bit as much curiosity and, she was sure, thinly veiled interest. The woman's hands were intertwined behind her head in a lazy manner that also served to keep her black hair from draping down her shoulders.

They looked at one another for a moment but Kathrine could feel the lingering gaze of the woman still roaming her form even despite her eyes not leaving Kat's own. It was almost as though this woman could unravel anything she saw and break it down to its essence with no more effort than Kat used to brush her hair. It was unnerving and frightening. At some level it was exhilarating but she was too tired and hungry to really get beyond the recognition of it. Kathrine swallowed, forcing her voice out around the lump in her throat. "H- Hello. . . Um. . . I was here to see the captain, I guess?"

"Ah, of course, of course!" The woman nodded lightly as she smiled. "I've heard she can be a bit welcoming if the company's right and isn't terribly easy to anger, infact some might call her pleasant to deal with!"

Kathrine had to smile at that just a little.

"But then I've also heard she's a raving psychopath who's only out for riches and glory." The woman's bright eyes rolled in a theatrical display of irritation before she smiled a bit more warmly. "So now I have to wonder which is true and how I should introduce you, hm?" Her gloved hands slipped from behind her head dragging long strands of her hair to drape down her shoulders behind her ears. She steepled her fingers in front of her resting her elbows on armrests of her chair and gave Kathrine another, much more thorough look over.

Kat fidgeted under the woman's gaze, hugging her elbows over her chest as she bit into her lower lip. "Um. . . Kat- Kathrine. Kathrine Stoneriver, a priestess in service to the Earthmother, Chauntea." She swallowed trying to subconsciously pull herself in to herself to hide from the woman's scrutiny. It wasn't exactly a leer but something about it just felt strange and set the fine hairs on her neck on end. Maybe it wasn't even intentional but with nowhere to hide, those intense eyes carried something much more than Kathrine had ever seen in another person in her life. It was confidence, an air of superiority that was deserved but not expressed.

This woman was powerful in ways Kat couldn't comprehend, yet she was somehow as normal as she was. Her skin bristled with goosebumps suddenly as they locked gazes again and the woman offered a warm smile.

"Well, miss Stoneriver, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance and have the blessings of the Grain Goddess aboard my humble little ship." She didn't sit quite upright but a subtle shift in her posture made her seem somehow more attentive if that were possible. Her supple pink tinted lips pulled up in a slight grin, pursing just enough to pout forward as though they could somehow discern whatever secrets Kat was hiding that the woman's eyes hadn't seen. For some reason all Kat could think of was fine wine glazing the ridge of them with a light sheen. . . And what that might taste like.

Kat swallowed and looked away. "I- I'd really like to thank you for coming to my rescue, uh. . . C- Captain?"

"Bree." She clasped her hands together infront of her chin still watching Kathrine. "There's no need for formalities here, miss Stoneriver, consider yourself my personal guest."

Uh, maybe I'm reading too far into this. Kat stammered softly. Focus. Come on. Focus. She hauled herself upright and let her hands come back to her sides, subconsciously smoothing at the pleats in her dress. With a voice she didn't quite recognize as her own she lowered her head in supplication. "I'm very grateful for your hospitality and if there's any-" Loaded statement. Too loaded. Try something else. "-cleaning or cooking or medical requirements you or your crew require, I'd be more than pleased to-"

"Miss Stoneriver." Bree's voice chipped away at Kat's wavering resolve. It was patient and warm, a melody of tones young laced with the wisdom of age and a subtle kind of force that could demand the attention of everyone in the room with nothing more than a whisper. Kat's gaze shifted to the woman's lips once more as they formed that slightly pouted smile. "You are a guest here. I ask only that you don't try to incite a mutiny with your infinite charms, I have enough problems keeping boredom at bay without wondering whether or not my crew is going to suddenly break into song at the mere sound of your voice." There was a moment of silence. "Miss Stoneriver?"

"Huh- uh. . . Y- Yeah. Sorry. Um. . ."

"What color are my eyes."

Kathrine looked to her but her eyes had closed. She swallowed. "I'm sorry?"

"My eyes. What color are they?"

"Uh. . . B- Blueish."

"Ah, good, you do pay attention." Bree shifted forward a bit more and slipped her feet off the table. With a motion of her hand she indicated the chair across from her at the opposite end of the table. A large plate of ham and vegetables sat still steaming where Kat was pretty sure there'd been only empty space a few moments before. Of course, it was entirely possible she wasn't paying attention. "Please! You look famished, dear. I'll not have you suffer when I can be a good host." The woman smiled brightly.

"Um. . . M- May I ask you something?"

"Of course, miss Stoneriver."

"Why'd you help me? How'd you find me?"

Bree casually pulled her gloves off and set them to the side before looking up at Kat. "And why am I offering to feed you, why did my doctor do such a beautiful job with your hair and clothe you?" She smiled warmly. "I can appreciate a little mystery in life miss Stoneriver, I surely hope you can as well! Let's say that we had a mutual friend who's no longer with us and leave it at that." She motioned to the table again, saying nothing. It was as much an invitation as a command, Kat was sure.

Kathrine licked her lips eyeing the food warily. Did she trust this woman enough to take that leap of faith that there wasn't some greater plan at work, or was she really exposing herself to much more danger by being on this ship in the first place? She looked to the smiling woman, considering her words carefully. "Mutual friend, huh? I've had a lot of friends, miss Bree and I think they'd have mentioned someone as um. . . As special as you."

Special. That sounds about right, doesn't it?

The woman leaned back in her chair with a catch all smile that didn't fade in the least as she looked at Kat. Her head tilted slightly to the right and it was at that moment Kathrine really noticed how her sharp features had been smoothed by time along with the very faint wrinkles at the edge of her eyes. It was a sign of wisdom and advancing age but she didn't look much older than Kat in many respects. At a wild guess, the woman was probably around thirty something. But her body looked every bit as firm as Kat's own, probably more so. Which brought many more questions to Kat's mind. Who was this woman that could command a sphinx and fly a floating ship across the planes? Was she an angel or a human of mixed blood? Whatever she was, special was beginning to feel like a poor adjective.

Bree chuckled a soft musical sound. "No, I suppose not. I would be surprised if you exchanged more than a few words with this individual but I assure you, miss Stoneriver, I have nothing but the best of intentions for you. After what you've been through, don't you think you deserve a break from it all?" Before Kat could even raise a breath of objection the woman held up a slender finger to silence her. "Speaking in the broadest of terms, miss Stoneriver. I know you didn't wind up here of your own accord and I'll not send you back out there if I can avoid it."

It was just a subtle thing; a twinge in the back of her mind so fleeting Kat wasn't sure if it was real or not. Something was distinctly off about everything in front of her, it wasn't necessarily malevolent but it definitely wasn't right. Experimentally she took a step forward and touched the table. The wood was an ultra fine grain that may as well have been polished marble. She eyed the table and the candelabras at either end, watching the light dance at the end of the wick she couldn't help but reach out for the flame. It was warm. What was she not seeing here?

The woman's bright eyes tracked her every movement with a look of patient amusement like her mentor had used when she was teaching Kathrine something new. Just before Kat reached out to touch the candle itself, Bree spoke in that same soft purr of a voice she'd used for her invitation. "I surely hope you're not going to do this to everything, miss Stoneriver, you'll catch a sickness sooner rather than later. Many things come from across the planes, not all of them seen by the naked eye, hm? Until you get used to the way things work on my ship, it might be better if you leave well enough alone."

Kat glanced up at her but didn't so much as acknowledge her when she touched the candle. To no surprise it was smooth and waxy. It was normal. Just like the table or the fire. Still that nagging suspicion itched at the back of her mind telling her she was missing something rather obvious. All the while Bree's gaze never left her face but her smile didn't fade in the least either, even when Kat ran her hand over the top of the flame to test the warmth again.

"I see, you have a thing for fire, is that it?"

"Uh. . . N- No."

"I should hope not! I don't think your patron would be too pleased with you. . . But with people, I can never quite tell what drives them~" She chuckled lightly. "Well, aside from petty things like gold and riches or those silly ambitions we pursue, hm?"

Kathrine stood somber for just a moment. Silly ambitions. Was trying to redeem someone's soul a 'silly ambition'? She shouldn't have let it get to her, she knew better. But who in the nine hells was this woman to judge anyone? The superiority in her voice said she thought she was in control and in a position to do exactly that. The hairs on Kat's neck bristled as she forced a tight smile of her own. "Context not withstanding, one's 'silly ambitions' can be another's personal mission, huh?"

"Of course! And, gods bless them, those who take on personal missions out of thought for someone other then themselves should be given every opportunity to make their dreams a reality. In a perfect world. But too often we squander our lives looking for that one piece of shiny treasure worth looking for. What's the sense in that if you only have a hand full of days to live, hm?" She flashed another perfect smile. "I don't see many flies concerning themselves with gold and trinkets and they lead perfectly fulfilling lives."

"If I can say so, it sounds like someone has a guilty conscience."

Bree turned her head down just slightly to look up at Kathrine under the thin veil of her bangs, watching her for a moment as her smile turned into a little smirk. Those pale eyes flashed with good natured challenge and a subtle warmth that crept into her voice at its own pace. "In my years I've seen many things, good priestess, I've watched men fall to their knees in sight of otherwise boring magical trinkets and sell their very souls for a taste of power they could hold for only a few years."

Despite herself Kat flinched.

The woman leaned back in her chair giving Kat another once over with that same air of superiority. Just as Kat opened her mouth to speak, Bree shook her head softly. "My apologies, miss Stoneriver, I didn't mean to upset you. I can imagine in your life you've seen many similar cases. . . Perhaps some even close to your heart, hm? It's unfortunate, but with our collective faith in the gods, we can stand firm in resolve that they'll guide us rather than our material desires."

"Uh. . ."

"You disagree?"

"No, I. . . I'm just trying to understand what brought this up."

Bree shrugged lightly. "I don't have many human visitors, dear. Conversation here involves word games and riddles, rumors about sexually ambiguous demon kin and their taste in fashion and, or cooking. None of the particulars I shall mention here for fear of making your already glowing skin a shade lighter." She smiled warmly.

Kat fidgeted slightly and stole a glance at the chair next to her. Her legs were beginning to ache from all the time she'd spent on her feet but she couldn't give in just yet, not with that itch at the back of her mind. Something wasn't right here, but what? Abruptly she looked to the woman across from her. "So that um. . . Kind of makes me wonder. . . Uh. . . are you human?"

"What do you think, dear?"

"I learned long ago not to assume things, miss Bree." She shot back without hesitation.

Bree smirked and pressed her thumbs together lightly, glancing towards the ceiling. "If I were less secure in myself, miss Stoneriver, I'd probably be offended by that." Her bright eyes flashed with a tiny bit of annoyance but her voice was casually neutral. "I'm about as human as you are, my dear. Perhaps more so in the larger scheme of things." She looked to Kat. "But I still see doubt in your eyes. Would you like to see me bleed, dear or shall we move on to more interesting topics?"

Kathrine swallowed. "Like what?"

"Oh, you know. . . Where you came from, why you became a priest." The woman's gaze settled on Kat's face again as though she were the only person in the multiverse. For just a moment, she may well have been as nothing but naked curiosity swam in the woman's blue eyes. It was unnerving at first, humbling and more than a little disarming to think that someone who clearly had so much power at her finger tips would honestly care anything about Kat. It was in that moment of sincere interest that Kathrine found perhaps the only thing she could bargain with. Information.

"Well, um. . ." Kat pursed her lips, glanced at the chair and sighed before she slid into it. The crushed velvet was comfortable and warm against the backs of her legs, inviting her to sit back . She didn't hesitate long. She closed her eyes for just a moment and sighed out her body's aches over the last how many ever hours. It'd been constant go go go with no chance to really catch her breath but now she was being allowed exactly what she'd forgotten even existed. When she opened her eyes she saw Bree smiling warmly, seemingly content with herself. Kat smiled a little uneasily in return. "I um. . . I became a priest because I'd always revered my Lady and I saw an opportunity to serve Her more in a tribe, to bring Her name to a group of lizard folk and kobolds. . . They were peaceful people trying to find a home to call their own, you see."

Bree simply listened, smiling all the while with a look of contented interest. "I see, and you didn't have any problems integrating with them? How'd you get past their old gods?"

"Well-" Kat looked at the food in front of her, trying to silence the gnawing ache in the pit of her stomach. "Um. . . M- May I?"

"Please." The woman's tone almost sounded pleading. "I don't want to think the effort was wasted on a guest who chose to go hungry instead. Would you like some wine, dear?"

"Uh. . ." She did. She knew she did. It wouldn't hurt. One glass. . . Just one this time. "N-. . ." Just. One. "NothanksI'mfine." The words ran together faster than she could force them out.

"Are you certain? It's no trouble."

"No, really. . . I. . ." Kathrine looked to her, licking her lips. "I. . . we have a history."

"Ah, say no more!" The woman smiled softly, reassuringly. There was no judgment in those eyes, just a soft warmth that helped to soothe Kat's nerves. "Perhaps something else?"

"Water would be great?"

"Certainly! But do go on, dear. How'd you subvert Semuanya?"

Kathrine blinked at the mention of the Lizardfolk's deity. "Y- You're familiar?"

"You might say I have an interest in obscure lore, yes." She smiled as she stood up, idly smoothing out her coat. Kat, despite her wariness found herself looking over the woman.

She stood a little taller than Kathrine, her curves were flowing; a tight core and a gentle hourglass shape with long legs. When she turned Kat got a glimpse of her in profile; it was beautiful. The heels forced her back to arch just slightly, further accentuating her distinct mix of femininity and commanding presence that made Kat almost subconsciously loose herself. She wanted to be held- lied to- told it was all going to be okay. And she wanted someone like Bree to do it. She was just like Jezebel. . . She could command Kat with the subtlest of looks yet unlike Jezebel, she wasn't going to. Was she?

"Miss Stoneriver. . ."

"H- Huh?" Kat blinked. "Sorry?"

"Do go on?" Bree reached up into a small net hanging from the rafters and pulled out a green bottle along with a pair of glasses. Her long flowing hair was draped down between her shoulders stopping just at her mid back. A flash of a thought splintered Kat's concentration with an image of the flowing mane draped down either side of the woman's face, how it would accent her lips- giving nothing away in those beautiful eyes. She'd be a hair's breadth away and. . .

Bree looked at her.

Kat looked away.

A subtle smirk tugged at Bree's lips as she approached the table, setting the glasses down and pulling the cork on the bottle. She filled both glasses and picked up one before placing it on the left side of the plate and then on the right. She swapped it back and forth in front of Kat a couple of times, playfully smiling now when Kat looked up at her before depositing it on the right side of her plate. The woman stood in front of her looking down at her with a patient, almost motherly smile. She leaned forward and with a very gentle movement, she brushed Kat's bangs out of her face, sliding them behind her ears. The simple touch of her lavender scented hands set Kat's heart fluttering in her chest. "It's fine, dear. . ." The woman whispered a sultry coo.

"Sorry." Kat closed her eyes and sighed.

"You are a terribly interesting girl, my good priestess. . ."

When Kat opened her eyes the woman was sitting across from her at the end of the table sipping from her own glass of water with a light smile. Her gaze roamed Kathrine's face unabashedly once more before she leaned back and propped her feet up on the table again. "Um. . ." She swallowed, still looking for her voice. "I'm. . . Sorry, it's. . . It's ah-"

"No need to apologize, dear. Unlike our good doctor, I have no ambiguity about me." She smiled. "Quite frankly, I think the concept is hilarious. Only small minds such as ours could be so narrow to shun one who expressed themselves in a different way than most." She rolled her eyes theatrically for effect. "Now! Eat up and let's hear more of your story, dear." With that, Kat was sure, the matter was dropped.

"Uh. . . I-" She took a deep breath and tore off a piece of the ham steak with her fingers. "Well, it wasn't exactly a successful 'conversion' in the classical sense, but I learned a lot about their way of life and their deity. I'd like to think they learned to appreciate the Earthmother too but I can't say for sure. I um. . . I know I learned to appreciate a new deity during my time. But uh. . ." She shrugged lamely, unsure of how to continue.

"Semuanya? You don't exactly strike me as a wanton pragmatist.

"No, no. . . Um. . . His name is Meriadar." Kat licked her lips.

Bree tilted her head just slightly, a coy little smile pulling at her pouted lips. "This is new to me, who, pray tell is Meriadar, dear?"

"He's a deity of peace and developing peaceful relations between neighbors. He's a humanoid deity. . . So um, a lot of peace seeking monstrous races pray to Him as do others who just want to find peace within adverse conditions."

The woman's smile lit up the room for just a fraction of a second, leaving Kat to wonder if she was already getting more comfortable than she should have been. But so what? "That is an ambition worth pursuing. So you were born to this tribe?"

"No, no. . . I was born in a village called Eveningstar. Um, it's in-"

"Cormyr, obviously." She smiled.

"That's right, um. . . About a day's travel or so west of Arabel."

"Ah yes, I've been there! At least in a book." Her laugh was melodic and somewhat infectious. Despite her best attempt to the contrary, Kat wanted to laugh along with her. Her shoulders relaxed slowly as she watched the woman's movements. So graceful and patient, as though the world around her didn't matter- no, it was the world around them. She was taking Kathrine into it because she was interested in her and for however long that lasted, she'd be allowed to be part of it. In those warm glances, Kat felt nothing but welcomed. "Yet you're out cohabitating with natural enemies of your mother state. I can't imagine that went well."

"I. . . I don't-" I don't want to talk about it. She looked to Bree. I-. . . Don't- "It ended in the village- the monstrous one getting razed. But they were later given a small bit of asylum in the city walls so it wasn't. . . a total loss."

The woman nodded sympathetically with a soft smile. "Then by all means, sweet priestess, praises to your guiding principals and benevolent spirit."

"I. . . Really didn't have much to do with that-"

"I disagree! Consider the alternative. They'd have been crushed outright without being given so much as a chance to know your goddess. All in all, I'd say you've done your patron's work, dear. Farms or not, planting a seed of an idea sometimes bears fruit over the long term, hm?"

Kathrine ate in silence for a long moment. She had run out of things to say, really. Or ways to justify her failures.

The woman watched her all the while, smiling an odd little smile that spoke not only of years experience but of the patience brought with it. Kat couldn't help but wonder just how old she was or how many children she might've had. All the different possible life stories that this woman had seen and what brought her to this point now. Was she maybe thinking the same thing?

Around a mouth full of ham, Kat whispered. "That doesn't change the way things ended."

"Nothing ever does, miss Stoneriver. But! If you dwell on the past forever, what're you truly gaining? Surely not new insights for what's to come. No, no, you're merely reliving what cannot be changed. And if I may say so, you're much too beautiful to have worry lines gained in such a manner."

Kat scoffed despite herself. "Beautiful like a bulls rear end. Even that tiefling says so."

"Yes but he also says I'm an old crone who'd do better reading nursery rhymes to slaadi children than what I do. But as you have noticed, I am quite the opposite." She winked as Kat felt heat warm her cheeks. "No, dear, if anyone's opinion of your beauty should be measured, it should be your own and only your own. Tell me, do you really feel that way or are you just not feeling particularly. . . Self indulgent?"

"Um. . ."

"Be honest."

Kat took a big bite of her ham, chewing over her possible responses. The one ready on her tongue didn't quite feel right. She'd been told plenty of times she was attractive but what did she feel? She looked at the table thoughtfully.

"Oh dear, this isn't a question of which is right or wrong. Though I may have a hand in trying to convince you of a right answer. . ." Her smile was genuine.

"Um. . . I don't-. . .really know." She shrugged and took another bite. "I'm pretty amazing but I don't know if 'beautiful' falls into that. At all."

"Amazing, hm? Alright, we'll start with that." Bree leaned back in her chair with a casual smile, watching as Kat finished her meal. She waited until the food and water were all gone before she spoke again. "Miss Stoneriver, I've a proposition for you. . . Where on our way to a business meeting but after that, I've no problem dropping you off wherever you please."

But. . .

The woman smiled softly. "I want you to enjoy yourself and consider what it is, exactly, that means the most to you. Maybe indulge me once in a while with a story or something else now and then. Or you're welcome to leave whenever you like.

"S- Something else? Like. . . Like what?"

"Oh you know, the usual. Her smile didn't falter in the least as she withdrew her feet from the table. "If you can cook or sew, I'm sure your domestic skills would be helpful! I'm getting lazy in my age, dear, and an extra set of hands never hurts. Quite the opposite, usually."

Kat swallowed, nodding. "Um. . . Sure. I used to mend my brother's clothes all the time. Though I'm not a very good cook, I couldn't make anything that tasted nearly as good as that ham, for example." For some strange reason she felt the heat on her cheeks warm a degree. It wasn't like she had to impress this woman but it still felt as though she should have been able to at least do the basic things she'd been taught to. "I uh. . . I can help, though?"

Bree smiled softly. "That'd be appreciated. Now! Let me show you to your quarters, dear. After a few hours' sleep I'll show you around and we'll speak of the future, how's that sound?"

"Um. . . I really don't mean to sound disingenuous but I'd like to have my equipment. . . And uh. . ." She trailed off looking at the table with a frown, lips pursed slightly. "I sincerely apriciate everything you've done for me, miss Bree but I'm really. . . kind of out of my depth here."

"Oh I find that hard to believe. In no time at all you've made a good impression on just about everyone who matters here, you've certainly piqued my curiosity." She smiled. "That, my good woman, is definitely a rare thing. So! Until you choose to forsake the invitation, my home is yours to do with as you see fit. My food is yours, my drink? You're welcome to whatever suits your fancy. We even have water from the river Styx if you felt particularly adventurous. Vaius is seeing to your belongings, they'll be dried out and you'll have them when you wake up." Kat opened her mouth to object but Bree was already rising out of her chair. "You have my word, miss Stoneriver, despite his heritage and. . . proclivities. . . he's a man of respect and honor. You'll never convince Nyx of it, but that's the price you pay, hm?"

"Um. . ."

The woman smiled lightly. "You say that a lot, dear. Do I make you nervous?"

After a moment Kat forced herself to nod. "A bit, yeah."

"Well! That'll never do. . . Come, come!" In a simple movement she gestured Kat forward, turning on her heel away from the table towards the back of the cabin. She stopped at a wall panel that didn't look like anything out of the ordinary and pressed on a small section of it near the upper right corner. As she did the door gracefully rotated inwards on a silent track revealing an expansive room framed in glittering silver polished to a mirror's shine. The frame itself was a kind of half dome shape that would have rounded out the end of the ship and between the large slats were mirror panels roughly half Kathrine's height that reflected other portions of the room in its entirety. The mirror on mirror effect made dozens of endlessly cascading reflections throughout the room making it seem both absolutely cavernous and giving Kat a case of vertigo as she tried to make sense of the construction. The only thing keeping her grounded was the thick plush carpet laid out across the floor and the larger than normal four post bed in the middle of the room a dozen or so feet away.

Kat had to close her eyes for a moment when Bree closed the door behind them, completing the illusion of a kind of oversized geode with endless hallways branching off in every direction. When she opened them she was already more accustomed to the room, able to tell up from down and even get a rough feel for the actual size of the semi-circular room. It was eccentric, perhaps in the extreme, but it somehow fit the woman's personality. Perhaps vein without being intentionally arrogant.

Situated to the right of the entrance was a simple marble pedestal with a black velvet pillow nestling a red crystal about the size of Kat's finger. At a glance it may have been a ruby or something similar but she couldn't be sure. Just beyond the pedestal her reflection looked back at her with glassy, curious but uncertain eyes through a thin layer of dust that coated the entire room. Though there was no smell of must or telltale allusions to just how long it'd been since anyone used the room, it looked to have been a year or more.

Bree stepped towards the bed, placing her hands on her hips with a soft 'hmph' before she patted the thick comforter down sending a soft plume of dust particles into the air. Kathrine looked up, noticing the hole in the ceiling above the bed that looked out on the open sky. She couldn't help but smile to herself. It definitely suited what she knew of the woman.

After a couple of moments Bree turned to look at Kat with a warm smile. Her bright blue eyes shifted upwards for a second or two and she smirked, nodding to herself. "I think this'll do nicely, don't you? Make it as homely as you like. . . My home is your home."

"Y- You sure?"

"I am!"

"Well. . . um. . . thanks."

"I have some things to do, but if you need anything just give a knock on the door, alright? I'll be around." She stepped around Kathrine but Kat took her hand before she could slip past. The woman looked to her, eyes flashing bright with annoyance, or perhaps warmth though she didn't make any movement to cease her forward momentum. "Hm?"

"I um. . . I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. . . I uh. . . I didn't-" Bree put a finger to her lips with a soft smile.

"In that dress, you can get away with just about anything with me." She pulled her hand free gently and winked. In the next moment she was at the wall panel pressing the door back outward into the dining area. "Sleep well miss Stoneriver, we'll talk more when you're awake."

"O- Okay. . ." She took a deep breath as the door closed, glancing around. The only thing reflected in the mirrors was her and the bed. She stared at her reflection from both sides; scrawny arms, wide hips, thick legs. . . she wasn't 'fat' but she needed to loose a few pounds, maybe. . . She made a face at her reflection. What did she know anyway.

As she slipped off the high heel boots and crawled into bed she began to wonder if she had made some huge mistake in doing all this. The alternative was drowning, granted, but what did she truly know about this woman? Maybe it was her time in Arabel that'd left her somewhat skeptical of anyone's presumably good intentions but perhaps she was just growing wise to the world. Perhaps. . .

She never remembered falling asleep.

Some time later a soft spoken voice tickled her ear. Riding the fine line between being barely aware and gone to the world she heard it. The voice was familiar yet new. A woman. . . But who? She should have known. "When we get there, the girl will get dropped off. I don't want her getting hurt." After a few seconds. "Besides, this isn't her fight. We've come too far now to worry about collateral damage. Find a safe place for her and drop her off, I'll take care of the relic."