"-ie? Arie!"
The ringing in her ear subsided. She blinked at Jess who was desperately clinging to her belt. In part to keep her from tipping over, but mostly; Arie suspected, because the little girl was afraid. Of the fire, the mob. Arie forced herself to smile at Jess patting her head.
"Let's get back to the castle. I think we all need to rest."
Those big eyes watched her with concern. Relief soon replaced the concern as Arie took the little girl's hand. She could still feel Avery's eyes on her back. The other three were only too happy to on. And Arie did not miss the not-so-subtle loosening of Lerant and Neal's shoulders once they made it past the gate. Arie wished she could relax so easily, but Avery's words still echoed in the back of her mind. Had that attack been a happenstance, she wondered. Convenient that they had found her once she was far enough from the clinic and the castle. Those people were the ones trying to get people out of the clinic so what were they doing roaming the city?
"What happened?"
Arie looked up to see her maternal grandfather, Lord Imrah staring down at the group. There was concern and fury in equal measures in those eyes. His eyes easily took in the bruise already swelling her face. Not even the night would hide it. But she noted he saw the soot that coated their clothes. It would not have surprised her to learn Avery's magic had been seen even at this distance.
"We had a disagreement with some of the family members of those being treated in the clinic." No need to have him making it worse than it already was.
"That must be some disagreement. We could see flames from here. Then a blue-green fire of a Gift devoured it." He had Seen Arie's Gift so he knew full well that that had been her. Then he looked to Kel and Neal. "I expect a report."
The two knights nodded.
"The people involved were not likely in their right mind." Arie intervened. She could all but feel Avery's disapproval radiating off of him from behind her.
Her grandfather's eyes softened. "Regardless. I still need to know what happened." They were dismissed.
As they walked towards their rooms Kel asked, "Do you wish to speak to the prisoner tonight?"
Arie felt another wave of exhaustion. As much as she wanted to find answers, she had used up too much Gift to be affective.
"Arie, you can't seriously be considerin this! You ain't a fool. That magic was too much after how hard you've been workin." Avery hissed indigant that Kel would even suggest so a thing. "You're draggin as is."
"No, I hadn't planned to tonight." Arie snarled at him. His tone grating at her nerves. "Tomorrow morning. First thing." She continued leaving the rest of them behind. It took no small amount of self-control not to stomp her way back to the room. Jess squeezed her hand. Arie looked at how pale the girl's face had become. Her little hands were bone white from how hard she gripped Arie's hand.
"You were very brave."
Jess dropped her eyes to the floor and shook her head no. "Didn't do anything." The rest of her sentence was mumbled. Arie patted the girl's head like her own mother used to do for her.
"You don't have to anything. This is trouble adults created. It is okay to be afraid of what happened."
Jess shook her head violently as Arie opened the door to their room. She ushered Jess to the washroom where Nadia had apparently just finished drawing a bath.
"What were you afraid of?"
Jess looked towards the door. Then she mumbled, "Avery."
That surprised Arie. She thought Avery had endeared himself to the child the few moments they had met. He was usually good at charming people. At the very least he was charming when he wasn't throwing around massive fireballs. "Was it the fire?"
Again, she shook her head no. "He reminds me of him." Ark. That was right, Jess had a front row seat to that man's madness. With him tinkering around inside her head. Arie felt her face twist in disgust. But how did Avery fit that, she wondered. He had barely spent time around Jess. That didn't mean the girl's instincts weren't correct.
"How so?"
She shrugged not quite sure how to explain what was in her head. "Okay. Can you show me?" Arie held out her hand to Jess. The little girl by now knew what Arie was asking after having seen her work in the clinic for so long. She shook her head no. And Arie didn't blame her for not being okay with having someone else looking into her mind. Though she did promise herself she would slug Ark as hard as she could for this. "Alright," Arie soothed her. "I won't make you, nor will I make you be around Avery."
"If I may, Lady Arie?"
Arie looked at Nadia and resisted the urge to say, 'just Arie'.
"The young miss can stay with me. She would be safe, and the other maids would be delighted to have someone adorable around."
Arie looked to Jess. "Do you want to? I promised that you could stay with me, but with Avery around I am not sure that's a good idea. That boy doesn't listen to me and will likely be hovering no matter what I do."
Jess looked between Naida and Arie. Then nodded. "I'll do it."
With that settled Arie asked, "Are you going to need Nadia's help with your bath?"
The girl's face flushed as she looked at her hands and soot covered clothes. "I can do it." She told Arie quietly.
"Alright, we will be in the room."
Arie and Nadia left the washroom and closed the door behind them. While they waited Arie pulled her hidden blades out and began cleaning them. The shy maid watching with fascination as Arie meticulously cleaned not just the blade, but also their sheathes.
"Why so many?"
Arie smiled. "My mentor is a bit paranoid."
"You mean your father? The man with all the scars."
"Yeah. Twitchy."
"If it's not to forward of me to ask, how come you never refer to him as your father?"
"Cause he's not my birth father. Just the man who took up the job cause he was sweet on my mother."
"Lady Anna?"
Arie nodded.
"Some of the older maids talk about her. They say was very kind."
"Yes." Her voice was unnaturally cold which stopped any further questions. Soon enough Jess came out with wet hair and wearing a simple cotton shift. Nadia smiled and offered to help brush the girl's hair after getting another bath running for Arie. By the time Arie finished with her own bath Naida had left and Jess was fast asleep on her cot. She got into her own bed noted Kel wasn't back. Perhaps she was still reporting to Lord Imrah. Soon enough even that thought was chased away by exhaustion as she descended into the God of Dream's Realm.
The next morning Arie was shaken awake by Kel. Jess was still asleep in the cot while Nadia was standing in the corner with a small plate of sandwiches.
"I figured we could go while Jess slept. The prisons are not a place for a child. Then Nadia could stay with Jess while we do that."
Arie could only agree with this assessment. Prisons often held echoes from so many deaths that happened within their stone walls. They were also filled with desperate and hurt people. Not something she wanted to expose the girl to. So, she dressed quickly and quietly taking a sandwich to go. Lady Kel followed her quietly. Outside Lerant was leaning against the wall looking like he hadn't slept a wink last night.
"You should rest." Arie told him softly.
He grinned. "Would you take your own advice?"
Arie snorted, but allowed the young man to lead the way. They met up with Sir Raoul, and Twitchy at the gate. The tall lord gestured for them to take the passage along the wall. Just in case there were more people who would take issue with her. Sir Raoul led the way to a stone building a about halfway down the curtain wall that seemed to be carved into the cliffside. Before the door leading down was even opened Arie felt the cold dread of death. Unlike normally where it punched her it now felt like a blanket that was instead trying to smother her. So many deaths after so long a period of time had left even the stone stained with the feeling. Once they entered the sounds and smells assaulted the senses. The smell of mold, piss, rot, and unwashed humans.
People screamed and howled from their cells. It was all Arie could do not to curl her lip with distaste. She hated this place. The desperation of all these people was enough to choke her, but it wasn't too long before Raoul stopped at one of the cells. This one had only a bundle of rags curled up in the corner. As the gate's lock grated open Arie felt a sudden surge. That feeling of death was far stronger here.
"No!" She shoved past Raoul who cursed and shouted for her to wait. She went to the bundle of rags and ripped back the moldy blanket that was heavier than it should have been. The thing was stiff with a drying brown substance. The redheaded man was dead. Had been for a few hours. Arie slammed her fist into the stone as she screamed her rage.