Chapter Twenty-Five: Proper Introductions
Araphel sensed so much more behind those words in Bronwe's simple gaze. But before he could even be sure of the great well of bitterness and grief behind those cornflower-blue eyes, the she-elf's expression closed, and he couldn't read anything but her facial expression. Still, her words rang true, and somewhere deep inside him, he knew there was more there than she would admit. "Thank you, my lady." He could think of nothing else to say, but that did not stop him from wishing there was something else.
He could read too much. She turned away abruptly, busying herself with the things in her briefcase. When she had her emotions under control, Bronwe straightened and handed both of them a plastic card. "This is your new ID. You'll need it to get out of here." She looked at Kaylee, "If you start to feel light-headed or short of breath, push the red button on your band..." She paused, leaned over and moved the band higher up on Kaylee's arm, "There... it should help."
Kaylee started, then glanced at the band. "Oh...thanks." Miss Mason, as Araphel had called her, must have been referring to her total lack of coherency when they had gotten to this forsaken planet. "Where are we going, Miss Mason?" she asked curiously, hoping the answer was somewhere along the lines of a safe place.
Bronwe paused, obviously not willing to admit too much. "Someplace safe," she finally admitted, muttering under her breath, "I hope."
Araphel was sure only he heard the last part of her sentence, and that it hadn't been a mistake, either. He and Kaylee were placing Bronwe in danger somehow. Shkena had better get them out of there soon and the quicker the better, in his opinion.
Taking a deep breath, Bronwe collected her briefcase, checked the incinerator and turned to face them. They were both looking at her with such trust, it made her cringe internally. She was going to let them down. She just knew it. There was no safe place on Tresmar. She of all people should know that.
"Right," she began, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt, "Don't look anyone in the eye, don't look interested, and do not speak unless spoken to... Any questions?"
Kaylee knew she was going to get in trouble for opening her mouth again, but she took the risk, "Are you sure we won't get any weird looks because of our clothes?" She gestured to her mud-spattered and puppy-pawprinted shirt and leggings, clenching her ID in her hand nervously. She didn't need another run-in with the Tenwin Loony Bin.
"No, I'm not sure," Bronwe all but snapped, "but I didn't have time to get you a new wardrobe. That's why we're going -" she caught herself, and forced herself to calm, "I hope we aren't outside very long. With any luck, there will be very few people out at this hour."
Kaylee smartly bit back a PMS comment. The woman was on edge, and she didn't need to exacerbate the situation. Resolutely, she sealed her mouth and vowed not to open it until Araphel told her she could. Or he said something stupid.
Bronwe gripped the briefcase so tightly her knuckles turned white. Now was not the time to get upset. If she couldn't think clearly, she was going to get them all killed. Steeling herself, she muttered to herself, "Die all, die merrily," and stepped towards the door, glancing around once more to make sure they'd left nothing behind.
The threesome stepped outside, into night air so thick it could have been sliced with a dull knife. The air was oppressive, and Araphel found himself wanting to hold his breath against the weight of death it carried. A foul breeze toyed with his dark hair, and the elf closed his eyes, pushing his uneasiness aside.
Bronwe noticed Araphel's reaction, "Awful, is it not? Do not worry, we are going above the cloud cover soon enough." She then pulled what looked like a cell phone out of her pocket and pushed a button. Without warning, a red craft swooped down and hovered in front of them. "This is our ride. Hop in."
Kaylee's eyes darted back and forth between Araphel and Miss Mason. There was something going on there. The two of them were talking over her, as if they sensed things she couldn't. Or things that she didn't understand. It was beginning to grind her nerves, as it had been going on ever since the lady had revealed herself, but she gritted her teeth and crammed her tall frame into the back of the red hovercar-thing, while Araphel sat up front.
Bronwe got in the driver's seat and spoke to the dash. "Home." Instantly, the transport rose up from the curb and angled up and joined the myriad of like vehicles in the air.
Visibility outside wasn't too great, but that didn't stop Kaylee from pressing her face up against the window and trying to catch a glimpse of everything going on above and below Miss Mason's hovercar-thing. Rows and rows of different vehicles streaked past in invisible lanes that sometimes swerved very close to their own zone of air, and the Scout held her breath as the car zoomed in and out of traffic.
Leaning back in her seat, Bronwe let her head fall against the headrest and closed her eyes. So far, so good. She had a hundred questions for this elf sitting next to her, but she didn't know where to begin, and she didn't have the energy to concentrate. She could tell the instant the craft cleared the clouds. The light from the sun was brighter, and the air was less oppressive, noticeable even in the filtered air of the cabin.
Araphel straightened in his seat as the soft glow of the moon reached his skin. He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a small sigh, reveling in the small comfort of moonlight. He wanted to know more about the strange elf beside him, but now was not the time for questions. Indeed, now was not the time for anything but sitting here and welcoming the slight comfort of nature back into his soul.
A silence stretched between the three in the craft - it wasn't comfortable, and it wasn't awkward, it was just...quiet. At length, the vehicle slowed and stopped at the base of a building that seemed to climb up indefinitely. Bronwe's eyes opened and she touched a button on the dash, causing both doors to open like a Delorean, "This is it, last stop, everybody out."
Araphel and Kaylee hopped out, their eyes trailing up and up, to where the building was lost in a haze. "You live here?" Kaylee asked in a whisper. Her respect for this woman had risen a notch. "It's too high...way too high..." The Scout glanced down at what qualified as ground for the moment quickly, drawing a deep breath to settle her stomach.
Bronwe nodded. "Top floor," she murmured distractedly, "Get your passes out, you're going to need them soon."
Kaylee hadn't relinquished her grip on her card, instead tightening it until she began to lose feeling in her ring and pinky fingers.
Araphel followed Bronwe though a set of doors, then down a nondescript hall where the she-elf halted.
Standing in front of the scanner, Bronwe hit the number 'three' then waved her card in front of it, motioning for them to do likewise. After the wall had checked all three ID cards, there was a humming sound, and what looked like a pair of binoculars came out of the wall at eye level. Bronwe looked in it, catching her breath slightly when the red light blinked.
She then straightened and put her right hand out in front of her, apparently feeling her way along the hall to the slot in the wall that opened, indicating a lift.
The Healer noticed Bronwe's blind movements, and hurried to follow, lest she need any assistance. Kaylee tailed him warily, her eyes getting wider every second. The three of them stepped onto yet another platform with a rail, and Araphel glanced suddenly at Kaylee, who had a look of foreboding on her face.
Looking straight ahead, Bronwe's hand trailed up the one wall and pushed the top button without hesitation. As the platform started upwards, she said calmly, "Keep an eye out for red triangles - they show up every fifteen floors. Every time you see one, you will need to press the red button on your arm." It was obvious she couldn't see, but Kaylee found it a little unnerving that Bronwe's gaze seemed to be focused on her left ear.
Kaylee dropped into a half-crouch as the platform gained speed, keeping her finger near the glowing red button, pressing it as the floors flashed by at an ever-increasing velocity. The building had to end, she consoled herself, holding her breath against the dizzy feeling that was twisting inside her.
Araphel was not at all bothered by the speed or the sudden air pressure changes as they streaked upward. Rather, he was busy wondering what exactly Shkena intended to do with them on this world, or who she would have them find. Unless they had found them already . . .? He snuck a sideways glance at Bronwe, who he was positive couldn't see him anyway. There were things that remained to be explained.
Bronwe waited more or less patiently for her sight to return, blinking as the world came slowly back into focus. One of these days, she was going to go ballistic and smash that retinal scanner to pieces. One of these days... A slight movement by her waist caused her to turn, noticing for the first time the child's apparent discomfort with their situation. She looked puzzled, "Are you all right, child?"
Normally, were Kaylee feeling a bit healthier, she would have protested the use of the term 'child,' but she was concentrating on keeping her mouth shut so that whatever was in her empty stomach didn't return for a second visit. She settled for nodding really fast and pressing the red button again as another red triangle whizzed by.
"She does not like heights," Araphel observed to Bronwe.
Oh," Bronwe had never considered that possibility. "Well, it makes you feel any better, we are almost there."
"That is well," Araphel murmured, eager to see the abode of this modern she-elf. And then perhaps he could ask her some of his questions.
The lift slowed rapidly and then stopped, the door opening silently into a hall with doors at regular intervals along it. Bronwe stepped into the corridor and moved aside for her guests to follow.
Araphel looked down the length of the hallway, flinching slightly at the sterile feeling of the place. He could not live in such accommodations; he had no idea how Bronwe did.
Without waiting for the lift door to close, Bronwe spun on her heel and walked quickly to the door at the end of the hall and punched several buttons with strange runes on them and another pair of strange binoculars slid out from the wall. Steeling herself once more, she looked in, her breath catching involuntarily as the red light blinked again. The latch of the door released and it swung inwards.
Araphel placed a steadying hand on the she-elf's shoulder as Bronwe attempted to walk through the doorway. However, she hadn't taken into consideration the fact that Kaylee wasn't quite with it and nearly tripped over the girl.
After all had recovered, to some degree, from blindness, surprise, and motion sickness, they ventured into Bronwe's home.
Making sure she didn't walk into the girl again, Bronwe closed the door and locked it. She then started moving around the room, deposited her briefcase on a chair and finally stopped in front of what looked like a TV. Placing her palm on a pad, she waited until the contraption told her, "You have one message," before flopping down in a chair. "Please," she said to the room at large, "make yourselves comfortable."
Kaylee was so grateful to be somewhat standing on a surface that wasn't moving that she simply committed herself to falling on the floor in a heap, reveling in the feeling of carpet beneath her. There was some small measure of comfort left in this austere world.
The Healer, on the other hand, found himself entranced. Had he not known for a solid fact that he was on the top floor of an immense building, he would have thought that Bronwe's home was situated in the middle of the forest. Each window looked out into lush foliage and underbrush, where every now and again the silhouette of a bird could be seen sweeping through the night air.
The walls were a mellow green color, soothing on the eyes, just as the furniture, with all its sleek lines was soothing on the body. The elf seated himself in a chair, relaxing for the very first time since he had arrived on Tresmar.
For her part, Bronwe was simply relieved they had made it thus far without getting caught. Closing her eyes, she tried to think of the next step in her plan, but her head ached and her eyes stung. Sighing, she decided there was nothing to be done for the moment and waited for her sight to return.
Araphel regarded his hostess with a calculating stare reserved for only one type of person: his patients. "Bronwe, I am a healer, may I?"
Bronwe started - lost in thought as she was, she had forgotten she was not alone. Turning to look in his direction, she tried to wave him off, "Do not trouble yourself, I will be well...soon enough."
The Healer would not be deterred. "It is no trouble to do what I love doing," he said as he rose from his seat to stand behind her chair. Placing a hand on either side of Bronwe's head, Araphel sensed her pain and her temporary blindness. Gathering the nearly non-existent elements of life around him, he gently quelled the angry hurt that Bronwe felt. Removing his hands, Araphel resumed his seat. "It was not so hard."
It was the strangest thing she had ever experienced: the aches felt as though they had, literally, been pulled out the top of her head. Blinking experimentally, she realized she could see and think clearly again. She turned to look at Araphel in wonder, staring at him for the space of several heartbeats. Still stunned, she managed a soft, "Thank you."
Araphel inclined his head ever so slightly. "You are most welcome." He regarded her silently for a moment, before turning to look at Kaylee, who was still in a heap on the floor. "Kaylee?" he called at last, sensing no movement save breathing from the girl. "There are no windows, you have no cause to be frightened."
At that, the Scout's head slowly rose. "There aren't?" She chanced a quick look around, then pulled herself into a sitting position. She opened her mouth to say something, then stopped, too tired to care about it. With a contented sigh, she curled herself into a ball on the rug and slipped off to sleep.
"Would she be more comfortable on a bed?" Bronwe asked, uncertain whether she should be concerned or not.
The Healer shrugged, dismissing the problem. "Your bed is better put to your use. She is accustomed to sleeping upon the hard ground, and your soft floor is a luxury to her. But if you happen to have a blanket you could spare...?"
Bronwe stood, "Of course," and she walked silently down the hall. Pulling a soft blanket out of a drawer and collecting a pillow she came back into the sitting room. "Will these do?"
"Perfectly," Araphel replied, taking the bedding. He gently lifted Kaylee's head and slipped the pillow beneath it, then spread the blanket over her lightly. She didn't even stir. "She'll be asleep until morning, I would think. She used up much energy trying to free herself from that straightjacket." He smiled slightly in memory.
Grimacing a little, Bronwe looked up and said softly, "I am sorry about that."
He glanced at her oddly. "Sorry for doing what you believed at the time to be right? My lady, you have no need to be. You behaved in a manner that is perfectly understandable."
Bronwe wasn't sure how to deal with this ever-patient, ever-forgiving elf, so she changed the subject completely. "Where are my manners?" she smiled, albeit a little forced, "Are you hungry, Mr...?" It was then she realized she knew neither of their names.
"Araphel. Simply Araphel. And yes, if it is not too much trouble to ask of you. Kaylee," and he indicated the sleeping form on the floor, "and I have not eaten since we left our world."
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Araphel," she said, "I am Bronwe, as you have already gathered. If you will excuse me a moment?" she turned quickly and walked into what served as her kitchen, opening cupboards and pulling out various goods. A few short minutes later, she reemerged with two small, covered plates and two short glasses of electric blue liquid. "I cannot believe they fed you nothing when you were in Tenwin!" she remarked to Araphel as she arranged the meal on a little table, "I had thought them better than that, the Neanderthals."
"It is not to say that they did not try, but Kaylee and I are adverse to eating anything unidentifiable in dangerous places," Araphel said. "Mychal's cooking is bad enough."
Nodding seriously, Bronwe answered, "That is likely good advice to anyone." Who is Mychal? she wondered, and why are they used to being in dangerous places? So many questions. She didn't know where to start, so, she didn't. Sitting down at the table she motioned for Araphel to join her.
He settled himself in the chair indicated, but did not eat as he watched Bronwe. There was something about her, something that piqued his curiosity. Who was this she-elf that she gave him this feeling?
"She is the Peacekeeper."
Araphel leaped to his feet and spun all in the same moment at the strange voice behind him. Standing there and glowing slightly was a tall, bronze-skinned man, muscles rippling beneath supple skin. "Who are you?" he asked, stance wary.
The man laughed, a sound like the thunder of a summer storm. "I am Austus, husband of Shkena. I congratulate you, Healer. I couldn't have planned you a more suitable revenge then the one you brought upon yourself, with the assistance of Bronwe."
Understanding lit in the elf's eyes. "You brought us here to find the Peacekeeper. But you knew that something like this would happen, did you not? Why do you go out of your way to torment those who serve you?"
Austus tsked. "You insulted my wife, as did the Scout. Revenge is a fickle thing, Master Elf. And you found more than you ever bargained for." His smug smile said everything Araphel needed to know.
If elves were prone to heart attacks, Bronwe was certain she would have had one. As it was, she had been waiting for her guest to uncover his plate when... Bronwe had jumped to her feet at the first sign of the stranger and had backed up until her heels hit the wall, her eyes wide. There was a strange man in her home. In her home. It was official: she was insane. First, she had seen a horse, then she had broken two loonies out of the nut-house, and now she was sharing in their hallucinations. And what had they said? Scout? Peacekeeper? Yep, she was definitely insane.
Austus smiled broadly at Bronwe, heedless of her terror. "There is no need to worry, my dear. You have been selected to accompany these two and a few others on a very important quest. But first, you're going to need this," and he dug into a pocket of his billowing robe to present the trembling elf with a necklace.
The paralyzing fear melted away in light of Austus' smile, but not the surreal feeling of insanity. Holding out her hand uncertainly, Bronwe accepted the necklace, noting with detachment that it resembled Araphel's although the center of hers was a deep, raspberry red. Since he was a figment of her imagination, Bronwe felt quite comfortable arguing with the strange, glowing man, "A quest? I am sorry, you will have to choose someone else. I cannot simply leave. I have responsibilities here that I am unable to abandon." Then she tried to return the necklace. Maybe if she gave it back, he'd leave and she could go back to being the sane one in the flat.
Austus took one step backwards from Bronwe. "You hold the necklace; the task is sealed within you. Try as you might, you cannot refuse the call of the quest. And as for your responsibilities, there is no need to worry about them until you return." He folded his arms as if proud of himself.
Araphel seized the opportunity to ask, "Are you now going to send us back? Mychal and Firar will be wondering as to our absence."
The tall demigod's smile grew sly. "If I recall correctly, they were more concerned with finding Firar's stash of supplies than discovering your whereabouts. Such as it is, you cannot return without all the members of your party being gathered. And the horse is not with you. Find the animal, and you may return."
The Healer got the feeling that Austus had made up the rule about finding the horse just to imprison them long on Tresmar, but there was not a thing he could do about it as Austus faded from view, chuckling all the while.
Bronwe had not moved from against the wall the whole time Austus was in the room, nor did she move now. She merely stood looking somewhat shell-shocked, her hand still extended to return the pendant.
"There is always one more thing we must do, isn't there?" Araphel demanded softly to himself. He turned to ask Bronwe a question, but it died on his lips as he saw the stunned expression on her face. "I am sorry, I forgot to mention the sudden appearance of spectral figures in connection with the two of us." He guided her to a chair and made her sit.
Bronwe turned to look up at Araphel and said softly, "Why did you not mention that you were contagious?"
"Contagious?" His brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "I do not understand. We harbor no illness that would be a threat..."
She raised her eyebrows slightly, "You do not consider mental illness and hallucinations a threat?" She thought for a moment, then murmured to herself, "I wonder if Tenwin accepts walk-ins..."
"My lady, you must believe me. Your continued doubt will only create problems for yourself in the very near future, once we find that blasted horse!" Araphel spoke earnestly, knowing that Bronwe would only hurt herself with her continued denial. "We are who we say we are."
"Oh no!" Bronwe started showing signs of returning to normal, or at least...the new normal, "I said I would get you out, and I will do my best, but I am not going back for a horse."
"But..." Araphel was momentarily at a loss for words. "We must! We cannot get back without it!" He didn't know about Bronwe, but he was not staying on this nature-forsaken world any longer than he had to. "There must be a way."
Bronwe sighed wearily. "Araphel, I am sorry," she said, sounding both apologetic and tired, "but if your horse did not fall off a sidewalk and plummet to the ground, then he was either shot by the authorities, or is now on someone's dinner table. I suggest you have something to eat yourself, and then get some rest. We will be leaving here in the morning."
The Healer bit down on the question, 'Who would want to eat a horse?' and instead said, "Austus would not let our venue of return die. The animal is alive somewhere. It is just a matter of where."
Quickly losing patience, Bronwe stood up so she could address him at eye-level. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to find the two of you?" she asked sharply, "And how many favors I had to pull in, how many bribes I had to give to get you out? I am running out of resources, and I doubt I have sufficient pull to even find, let alone rescue a long-extinct animal."
A sleepy voice interrupted their not-so-quiet argument. "Don't you have some kind of news broadcast you could watch to find out about it?" Kaylee demanded, raising her tousled head from her pillow. "They may have someone you can contact with information." A yawn interrupted the last word.
Bronwe spun around to look at the girl, having forgotten about her completely. She blinked. "I have no such devices in my home, I find them disruptive. They are everywhere else in my life, this is my place of rest..." She paused, thinking, "But, you may have an idea." Looking down at Kaylee, she inquired, "Are you certain you are comfortable there? I have a bed, if you would prefer..."
"Are you kidding? You've got a carpet. I'm ducky. Now, could we resume this little altercation between the two of you in the morning? Or at least in the next room?" Kaylee's half-lidded eyes blinked wearily and she yawned again, releasing herself to dreams as soon as she finished her last sentence.
Bronwe turned to look at Araphel, "It is up to you. Would you like to eat and rest," one side of her mouth twitched upwards in the hint of a smile, "or would you prefer to continue this...conversation?"
"I do not think our conversation was leading to any meritable conclusion," he admitted. "Your first suggestion sounds better."
Nodding, Bronwe motioned for him to be seated again at the table. "After you." She was not very hungry, but she would sit with him if he was.
He sat in the chair he had previously occupied, then uncovered the plate Bronwe had given him. His eyes widened and his stomach clenched in revulsion as he saw more of the nondescript pellets that the Tenwin facility had had. "Not to sound ungrateful or rude, Bronwe, but does your world not have any other form of sustenance?"
She looked at him oddly for a moment, considering. "You really are telling the truth?" she asked, seemingly at random.
Araphel refrained from rolling his eyes, a trait he was quickly picking up from Kaylee. "Yes, I am." On impulse and judging from the faraway look in her eyes, he continued, "The world where we are going is untouched by all these...machinations. There are trees, grass, animals, and free people who do what they wish. It is nothing like here."
Bronwe smiled slightly, "It sounds beautiful," the smile faded, as she closed off her emotions again, "but it will not last. It was like that here, once, thousands of years ago. Over-population and lack of proper management exhausted the planet's natural resources; urbanization, pollution and chemical wars made the surface uninhabitable. Now, the only life is in the sky, and it will only last another two hundred years...maybe three. We are as good as dead," she said bitterly, finishing with, "and I am not going with you."
Araphel laughed strangely, sipping the drink she had given him and choosing not to comment on its high saline content. "I regret to inform you that you now have no choice in the matter."
Choosing not to argue this matter further, she instead commented on his facial expression, "You do not care for the drink, Master Elf?"
"It is...different," he allowed, setting it aside. "But I will not complain. Rather, I would be interested to see if what Kaylee mentioned is a possibility."
She sighed and gave up, "Your horse. Right. If you will follow me?" She rose from the table and walked down a short hall to what appeared to be her bedroom. There, in the corner, was another terminal like the one in the sitting room. Motioning for him to take a seat in the opposite corner, she stood in front of the screen and placed her hand on the pad once more.
Araphel jumped slightly as the console spoke, "You have one message."
Bronwe pressed a blue circle and a talking head appeared, "Mason, if you're watching this message, then you're still alive, and I hope you have guests. You should thank whatever luck you live by that you blend in so well. Leroy is waiting for his Rhodron, and I would like to thank you for the wine. I have never tasted better. ... oh, I don't know if you're interested, but the animal was captured by Health Services, and is slotted for slaughter and experimentation tomorrow afternoon. Chrishom, out." The screen went blank.
Stepping back, Bronwe sighed, "Well, that answers one question..." She turned to Araphel. "Do you truly need the horse?" for all the world hoping his answer had changed in the last two minutes.
"I am afraid we truly do," he replied seriously. "With all luck, perhaps someone has captured it and is using it as an exhibit to gain wealth."
She shook her head, "Did you not hear what he said? The animal is to be killed and used for experiments tomorrow afternoon. I am sorry."
Indeed, he had quite forgotten, an unnatural slip for him. Araphel cursed his luck. And a few other things. "We must find it. Have you no other connections that could help?"
"I am not certain." In truth, Bronwe thought this entire horse-related escapade was doomed to failure, but then, when had her opinion ever mattered? "Why do you not try to get some rest? Perhaps an answer will present itself in the morning."
Araphel sighed in temporary resignation. "Perhaps you're right. There is little that can be done right now."
Pleased that he was being reasonable, she nodded to the bed, "I hope it is to your liking. Do you require a sleeping aid?" she asked, her hand hovering over a small chest of drawers.
He cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her, as if to say, 'No, do you?' and replied, "No thank you to both, my lady. The floor will indeed be sufficient for me as well. I do not require anything more this evening."
Accepting the fact that neither guest would be making use of her bed, she crossed to a cupboard and extracted a pillow and blanket, "If you will not use the bed, please, there is a reclining chair in the sitting room..." she paused in re-crossing the room, "And, if for any reason, you need me in the next four hours," holding the bedding in one hand, she reached into the second drawer in the chest and handed him a silver cylinder similar to the one the guards had used on the Scout in Tenwin, "you will need this."
That brought forth no less than half a dozen questions in Araphel's mind, but he pushed them aside, accepting the items. He simply nodded, followed her out into the sitting room, removed his boots, and made himself comfortable in the indicated chair. Moments before he drifted off, he said quietly, "Until morning, Bronwe."
[A/N: Again, many thanks to DrewMarigold for her continued support and portrayal of Bronwe.]