"The Worry of a Friend"

Log Date:
	9/20, 9/23/00

Log Cast:
	Faanshi, Delilah

Log Intro:
	Much to her consternation, Faanshi has managed to get herself ill.
Thanks to the cruel winter that has lashed over Haven as well as her own
desperate desire to try to fulfill the command of the Maharani to find the
Sylvans who violated the ritual of Invoking the Flame, the shudra healer
has weakened the inherent defenses of her own considerable magic enough that
she fell prey to a winter fever -- but thanks to a friendly Sylvan sailor,
Sunset Tide, she was also able to recover in a safe, warm refuge. 
	Now, though, the halfbreed has returned to Atesh-Gah and reported
into the Kaimakam Amipal Chandrima, of the Agni-Haidar, to explain where
she's been and what she plans to do next. To her surprise, she has not been
punished for the misfortune that befell her, and the Lion of Fire has even
supported her tentative plan to go to Delphi in search of counsel from the
Sylvan healer Starsong, there. 
	But as it happens, one other, gifted with a magic that gave her a
premonition of Faanshi's little crisis, is waiting for her....

*===========================< In Character Time >===========================* 
             Time of day:  Afternoon 
          Date on Aether:  Thursday, February 15, 3907. 
           Year on Earth:  1507 A.D. 
       Phase of the Moon:  Waning Crescent 
                  Season:  Waning Winter 
                 Weather:  Clouds 
             Temperature:  Chilly 
*==========================================================================*

It is not as if she's just been liberated from prison -- but the dejected set 
  of Faanshi's shoulders suggests that very happening. The maiden moves as 
  humbly and stoically past the young janizar who had admitted her into 
  Amipal's presence, and only when she has put some distance between herself 
  and the suite of the Kaimakam does the halfbreed healer pause to rub the 
  back of her hand across her teary eyes. Ushas. She deserved to have been 
  beaten, reporting failure as she had to the Imphadi. Why he refrained from 
  punishing her she does not know... but by the Holy Mother, she is grateful 
  for a chance to postpone the wrath of the Maharani falling upon the heads of 
  possibly innocent Sylvans a while longer. Thinking that she will go to 
  Delphi as soon as possible, Faanshi hastens with as much speed as she can 
  manage and still maintain proper decorum, heading for the entrance foyer. 
  Never mind the winter or the fact that she has not, as of yet, acquired the 
  woolen clothes that the Sylvan sailor who took care of her recommended. Some 
  things come before her own comfort.

The door to one of the guests rooms bursts open, and a figure, brightly clad 
  in silks, darts out. To someone who hasn't seen her in a while, Delilah 
  looks taller and less sickly. Restraining herself from crying with relief, 
  the young seeress skids to a stop not a arms legnth away from the shudra. 
  "Faanshi!" the girl cries, "You're Ok!" She says, relief obvious on her face 
  as she stops.

Delilah
Clothed as she is in silk garments of bright, clashing colors, Delilah makes 
  for a sight-blinding image. But over her eyes are clear viels, viels that do 
  not hide her smokey eyes, which shift color, beign sometimes gray, and 
  sometimes black. Caught up in a plain, but elegant braid, Dark hair, the 
  color of the nigth falls down to her back. She is small and diminuative for 
  her race, and her figure is that of a pre-pubesent girl.

Wha--? Faanshi starts, as Delilah appears seemingly out of nowhere before her. 
  Shaken as she is by her interview with the Kaimakam, it takes the healer 
  maid a few moments to rally her wits; then she clasps her hands at her 
  breast, bowing over them for the young seeress. "I am... well enough now, 
  Imphada," she murmurs. There are tears in her green eyes, and those eyes 
  look tired around the edges regardless, but aye, Faanshi is here and she is 
  on her feet.

Delilah looks very relieved. "I had a vision.. A dove, half-fire half-forest 
  falling into a blackness.." she says, smokey eyes filled with worry. "I told 
  the Kaimakam about the vision, but I do not think he believed me." She says, 
  "What happened to you? Where did you go?" The young girl asks with 
  rapid-fire speed. For a moment, she has dropped her childish mask (the one 
  she uses when not stressed or relaxed) and appears almost like a woman.

Delilah's obvious concern is almost as bemusing to the halfbreed as Amipal's 
  simple query after her health had been, and Faanshi cannot help but stare 
  with crinkled brow down at the younger girl for a moment, trying to figure 
  out if this kshatri girl had in fact been as worried as she seems. "I was... 
  ill," she murmurs huskily, still not liking to admit to it, even if this 
  maiden is far less daunting a personage than Amipal Chandrima.

Delilah looks relieved if anything "I was afraid the fall meant death.." She 
  shakes her head, getting her mind back on track. Ran'd always said that the 
  quickest road to consumption was obsessing over visions. "I take it you just 
  came from an interview with the Kaimakam?" she looks closer at the 
  half-breed's face. She may be the size of a child, But Delilah is not far 
  from womanhood, "Is that what as gotten you lookign like you're world is 
  about to crash?" She asks, sympathizing.

Sympathy is alien to Faanshi as well, and once again she has to rub a 
  sungolden hand across her eyes to try to clear her vision, still not 
  entirely sure that she's not dreaming. "I... I had to speak with him, yes, 
  Imphada," she breathes once she manages to find her voice. "I... am under 
  orders from the Maharani."

That vision, on top of the one Delilah'd fail to report and had cost many 
  lives, had driven home Faanshi's situation. "What are the orders?" She asks, 
  firmly. "Are they to spred yourself so thin healing others that you almost 
  die?" she asks. "Does she know that the more and more you strain your magic 
  the more and more likely you are to be consumed?"

Thalia might or might not be aware of such a thing. Faanshi assuredly is, but 
  she hasn't bothered to point this out to her mistress. For one thing, it 
  isn't relevant; she has been healing frostbitten and nearly dead Mongrels in 
  this brutal winter because it simply needed doing, not because the Maharani 
  ordered it. For another thing, though she isn't about to admit this, she has 
  her doubts that her mistress is concerned as to the state of her magic. All 
  she says is a soft and hollow, "I am bidden to find the Sylvans that 
  violated the ritual of Invoking the Flame, Imphada." But she averts her gaze 
  as she says it, awareness of her failure and her weakness sitting like a 
  lead weight within her belly.

Delilah looks at the halfbreed. "She wants you to hunt down your own kind?" 
  she asks, softly. Thousands of visions beat at the yougn seeress's mind, yet 
  she dare not try and sort through them. "If a Varati affiliated with 
  Atesh-Gah kills any Sylvan, it would mean war." she says, not needing her 
  magic to tell her this.

Faanshi has spent many sleepless nights as of late pondering this very 
  frightening possibility -- and she doesn't need magic to tell her that it 
  might happen, either. Still, duty demands that she stick to the orders she 
  has been given. Closing her eyes, trying to marshal the fragile strength she 
  regained while Sunset Tide gave her shelter and refuge, she whispers, 
  "The... Maharani's person was violated. The ritual was broken. Sh-she wishes 
  to see that those responsible... are lawfully punished. I am to find them." 
  With an effort, she makes herself look up, though she cannot bring herself 
  to smile -- and even if she had, it would be hidden behind her veil 
  regardless. "Thank you... for your concern, Imphada," she concludes in soft 
  and humble tones. She is troubled, but this at least she means with a whole 
  heart.

"Faanshi?" The young seeress asks, "If you need to talk, I'm here for you." 
  She says, her eyes just as troubled as Faanshi's. She too will hav emany 
  sleeples nights, praying that the Amir-Al not curse her with another vision 
  of what might be. "But you must do what feel right, Faanshi." she says, "I 
  have faith in your judgment, whatever they may be." She says, thinkign this 
  is not the greetign she'd planned for the woman who had saved her life, in a 
  way.

It's nice to know that _someone_, at least, trusts her judgement. Seldom 
  enough does Faanshi hear this within the walls of Atesh-Gah that she stares 
  down with a gaze turned limpid at the young girl before her, feeling a great 
  desire to give in to that offer -- but along with it, a great regret and 
  conviction that she cannot indulge in such a thing as soothing conversation. 
  Not right now. Not when she must turn everything she has towards fulfilling 
  the orders of the Kaimakam, for she is sure he will not give her another 
  chance. Moreover, Faanshi can see at least a hint of the young woman Delilah 
  will eventually become in her bearing -- and that only affirms for her that 
  this is a kshatri girl who speaks to her. A shudra has no place unburdening 
  her heart to a kshatri, in the world as Faanshi understands it. As gently as 
  she can manage, she tries to explain this, saying softly, "You... honor me 
  with your concern, Imphada... but I am unworthy of it."

Delilah sighs and shakes her head with a wave of dark hair. It is saddening 
  that one should see the world so. Her smokey eyes are filled with regret. 
  "You need to go to bed. But as I doubt you are going to do that, what are 
  you going ot do?" She asks, curious.

No, the shudra girl isn't about to go to bed. For one thing, it's afternoon, 
  and for another thing, she cannot permit herself the luxury of sleep at the 
  moment -- or at any rate, the luxury of letting herself lie down. Sleep is 
  often a chancy thing for the halfbreed healer. She pulls in a breath beneath 
  her veil, momentarily debating with herself, and deciding she is willing 
  enough to answer that much. "I have to go to Delphi," is her reply, "and 
  there are certain Sylvans I must locate... to do as the Kaimakam has 
  commanded me."

At the mention of Delphi, the girl frowns. "Why Delphi?" Delilah asks, "Surely 
  you do not mean to join those candala." She says, with the temper commonly 
  found in her clan. She ignores the part about Sylvans, and vows to herself 
  to search the Aether for a vision about this situation.

Faanshi closes her eyes, the only sign she permits herself of any dismay at 
  the contempt the Varati generally show those who dwell out in the city. She 
  offers no protest to that attitude -- but still, it troubles her. With her 
  eyes closed, she murmurs tonelessly, "No, Imphada..." And never mind that 
  the place strikes fear into her gentle heart, thanks to a certain old 
  arch-magus who turned his temper and his power against her when they could 
  not find a reconciliation between his chosen ways and hers. That memory 
  keeps Faanshi's eyes closed and even squeezes them a little tighter, calling 
  up a lump in her throat which she must swallow before she is able to 
  continue, "There is a Sylvan I must question there, for my search."

Delilah nods. reasonable. "Please be careful, Faanshi." she says, "I'd come 
  too, but... Well, its just not safe for me." She fidgets, smoothign her 
  silks and toying with a lock of hair nervously. She may not know that 
  Arch-Magus, but she knows how Delphi works. Or she thinks she does..

For that matter, Faanshi is not entirely convinced that Delphi is safe for 
  _her_, either. But it is where one of the small number of Sylvans of her 
  personal acquaintance might be found... and a Sylvan of her personal 
  acquaintance upon whom she has not yet called for aid in fulfilling her 
  mission. She says none of this, however. She _does_ open her eyes, her gaze 
  gentling further at the concern in the young seer's voice. "I will be 
  careful," she pledges, inclining her head.

Delilah is still nervous, and acts extremely adult-like. It seems she's 
  dropped her childish mask, letting her true self be seen. "I am confidant 
  that you will be." She says, almost to herself. "Listen; if you EVER need 
  someone to talk to.." She trails off, shaking her head. Faanshi said she 
  didn't want to; its no use stressing the point. Atar knows the woman has 
  confidence issues without a littel girl forcing her to do something.

Confidence issues, to say the least. At least with Delilah, Faanshi actually 
  seems brave enough to let herself look up, simply because she is far more at 
  ease with children than she is with adults. Still... there's a hint of fear 
  lurking in those leaf-green eyes, fear she does not allow into her voice, 
  but which could to a young girl's active mind and perhaps even her active 
  magic be seen as part of the reason why a powerful healer has driven herself 
  into illness. "I will remember," she breathes, not without gratitude, as she 
  inclines her head.

While her mind is active to say the least, Delilah's magic is now, at the 
  moment, inactive and held in check with firm control. She smiles and gives 
  the shudra a hug, before taking a few steps back. "And PLEASE be careful! 
  You're irreplacable both magic-wise and personality-wise."

It's not exactly difficult to startle Faanshi, skittish as her nerves tend to 
  be. But as ways to startle Faanshi go, actual voluntary physical contact 
  provokes in her the most powerful reactions. As Delilah wraps her young arms 
  about her, the halfbreed girl goes still in utter astonishment, and only 
  after a moment of blank shock does she permit herself to gingerly hug the 
  little seer in reply. Her eyes visibly well over with moisture at the words 
  the girl says to her, and she is at a complete loss as to how to even come 
  close to answering that. With an effort she manages to croak out, "Y-you 
  honor me...!"

Delilah just smiles. "If it wasn't for you, Imphada, I would be dead or 
  worse." She says solidly. "It is no honor for friends to show affection!" 
  she says brightly. Her smokey eyes seem to shift from gray to black, almost 
  like the smoke they resemble as she smile.

Emotion courses through Faanshi anew as Delilah names her friend, and she is 
  just tired enough, her strength still just enough lacking from the illness 
  that befell her, that she is moved without realizing it to give the younger 
  girl another and more confident hug. "Thank you," she breathes, still 
  groping for proper words. "Th-thank you!"

Delilah returns the hug happily. Maybe there IS hope for Faanshi's 
  self-confidance.. "No need, Faanshi!" she reasurres the woman. "You'd better 
  get to Delphi before somethign else happens." she nudges the shudra with her 
  words.

A good servant is more than adept at taking a hint and a dismissal -- and as a 
  matter of pure survival, Faanshi has learned to be a good servant. She pulls 
  back with just a bit of reluctance, comforted despite herself by Delilah's 
  freely, innocently offered regard; the green eyes above her veil have grown 
  a little lighter as a result of it. Once again inclining her head, the 
  halfbreed maiden murmurs, "Yes... I should. Namaste', Imphada." And to her 
  nod, she adds a gentle little bow.

Delilah giggles and, when her stomach starts to complain, grins ruefully. 
  "Namaste, Imphada" she says.

With that, then, Faanshi backs soft-footedly away... and only when she turns 
  away from the young seer does she brace herself anew against the task to 
  which she has been set. Oh, aye, she must go to Delphi, and Starsong or no 
  Starsong, the very prospect of that is one of Faanshi's many fears. Soon 
  enough, though, she has vanished down the hall, to prepare herself to face 
  it.

[End log.]