"Unexpected Gratitude"

Log Date:
	2/1, 2/2/01

Log Cast:
	Gabriel, Faanshi

Log Intro:
	These days it is not in the slightest uncommon for Faanshi to come
across wounded individuals in Bordertown who need her aid -- but rare is it
indeed for her to encounter _Empyreans_ there. Summoned out into the 
Mongrel quarter of the city by a desperate father who needs her to save his 
daughters, Faanshi accomplished two healings only to be waylain for a third 
-- by none other than Tyler, the gladiator who not too terribly long ago 
tried to offer her flowers. Tyler frantically led Faanshi to the site of an 
ambush he and the Empyrean he serves had just undergone, where the Empyrean in 
question lay broken and in agony.
	Horrified, Faanshi immediately applied herself to trying to mend
the Son of Air's ruined wing, a daunting task for which she'd had almost no
prior practice save the mending of an owl graisha's much smaller pinions.
Somehow she managed to pull it off... but collapsed shortly thereafter,
leaving the dazed Empyrean and his Mongrel companion to try to figure out
what to do with her.
	And what they decided was to take her as quickly as possible to
shelter... though their definition of shelter meant a place in Haven Faanshi
has never before entered: the Palladium.

*===========================< In Character Time >===========================* 
             Time of day:  Morning
          Date on Aether:  Saturday, October 15, 3907. 
           Year on Earth:  1507 A.D. 
       Phase of the Moon:  Waxing Gibbous 
                  Season:  Fall 
                 Weather:  Clouds 
             Temperature:  Cool 
*==========================================================================*

Fortunately for Gabriel and the mongrel gladiator-turned-bodyguard (although 
  that stint had been less successful than his appearances in the arena), the 
  trek back from Bordertown was uneventful. Tyler carried Faanshi, and Gabriel 
  coaxed Kosha along, and the two reached the Palladium without incident. It 
  is also fortunate that the darkness hid them, for surely some eyebrows would 
  have been raised (if not voices) were anyone to discover the identity of 
  Tyler's precious 'burden.' But Gabriel is still friendly enough with some of 
  the Guards that he managed to concoct a plausible story and get them into 
  the safety of the embassy, and thus into House Augustus.
It's later, now. Tyler's since vanished -- to wash up, return to his own home, 
  or maybe regale some comrades with his exploits -- and the place is quiet. 
  But for Kosha's reassuring pants, as he lies on the bed beside Faanshi. 
  She'd been set down carefully on Gabriel's luxurious, hand-me-down 
  four-poster, with a pillow propped comfortably beneath her head, and the 
  only article of clothing removed was the veil. Gabriel was just too curious. 
  He's sitting nearby, in a low-backed chair drawn up beside the bed, and he's 
  absently stroking Kosha's fur while watching over his curious young 'charge.'

One could not ask for a more vigilant guard than the dog. Kosha is either very 
  well-trained -- or bears enough love for this fragile female in black that 
  her welfare trumps lesser concerns such as The Need to Go Outside, or The 
  Need to Eat Something, Preferably Involving Meat. Only the Need to Have His 
  Ears Scritched seems to be enough to distract the hound's attention from the 
  bed; for hours now, the creature's waited patiently by his mistress, 
  sometimes dozing lightly himself. But now, apparently having decided that 
  Gabriel is a friend, he permits the Empyrean's attentions. Because, after 
  all, mmmmm skitches mmmmm.
As for the girl... the black veil's removal necessitated delving under the top 
  portion of her equally black sari, where the delicate chain had gone around 
  behind her head. The catch of the chain is found easily enough -- though 
  curious hands and eyes might also note the ebon hair under the sari. Or 
  something that feels subtly off about the ears, if that is not pre-empted by 
  her face. She is certainly darker than an Empyrean, though not as dark as 
  many if not most Varati in Haven; her features are delicate of line, and in 
  slumber, they are not exactly tranquil. A small furrow creases her sungolden 
  brow.
The removal of the veil has allowed one other thing, as well. Each time she's 
  begun to toss her head and murmur fretfully in her sleep, the dog has 
  promptly licked her face. And as if sensing Kosha's presence, she's settled 
  down again, comforted exactly like a small child with her favorite puppy.

At some point during the vigil, a House servant had entered, looking both wary 
  and curious as he set down a tray of refreshments near the bed. It had 
  included dog-refreshments, as well -- some leftover scraps from cena -- 
  dinner -- such as chunks of veal and fish and other equally delectable 
  meat-smelling things. Gabriel had dismissed the servant with barely a glance 
  and a nod -- he was engrossed in removing Faanshi's veil at the time -- and 
  the curly-headed youth had slipped back out, wide-eyed and eager to spread 
  the gossip about the strange 'waif' the Aegian had brought home.
Now, as he sits beside the bed and strokes the dog's fur, Gabriel remembers 
  the food, and he reaches over to pluck up some tasty chunk of veal from the 
  tray. "Here, boy," he urges quietly, reaching out to cup his palm beneath 
  the dog's nose. Yet his eyes remain fixed on Faanshi's golden-skinned face, 
  searching for any signs of wakefulness.

Ooooo. FOOD. That smells good! Kosha's head lifts, and with an eager little 
  yurf he practically inhales the veal out of the Empyrean's hand. Quite 
  clearly, this lifts Gabriel considerably in the hound's estimation, for 
  Kosha's tail starts thumping lightly against the bed as he waits hopefully 
  for more. That magnificent plume also happens to brush repeatedly against 
  the maiden's nearest ankle, which provokes a faint crinkling of Faanshi's 
  features. But it's when impulse and hunger finally persuade Kosha off the 
  bed -- he might be a vigilant guard, but he's also a shameless beggar -- and 
  it shifts beneath his considerable weight that Faanshi does in fact jolt 
  into the beginnings of awareness. Green eyes flash open, casting a wild and 
  disoriented glance about the room.

A soft chuckle was drawn from Gabriel's throat at the hound's reaction, and 
  he'd proceeded to feed him another morsel, forgetting, momentarily, his 
  self-appointed duty to watch over his young 'savior.' As Kosha jumps off the 
  bed, he's ready with another strip of meat, and he holds it before the 
  mongrel's nose while scritching his ears with his other hand. He'd meant to 
  watch for the first sign that Faanshi was awakening, but his best intentions 
  are thwarted by a long-buried boyish enthusiasm for dogs.

Gabriel
        Perfect posture, rigid grace, poised power. Gabriel Augustin is both 
  nobleman and soldier, although he bears neither weapons nor armor, and his 
  voice varies from the smooth inflection of a patrician to the terse, gruff 
  commands of a Praetor. Broad shoulders, lean hips, and a toned physique 
  allude to his military training, and the wings that slope upward from his 
  back are battered and strong, off-white in color -- a shade less than 
  perfect.
        His face is that of a nobleman, though, with a straight nose, firm 
  jaw, and high, angular cheekbones. Sandy-gold hair, worn longer than a 
  soldier's, has a tendency to fall forward and shade his eyes, which are 
  undoubtedly his most expressive feature. A vivid, clear, blue-green -- with 
  a hint of a cat-like slant -- they can range from glitteringly lethal to the 
  cool, calm placidity of a mountain lake.
        He wears plain garb, for his station -- a simple linen chiton bearing 
  the purple 'clavus' of an Aegian, draped pallium, and leather caligae. His 
  only piece of jewelry is a silver ring upon his left hand, which bears the 
  House's seal. And while his manner is typically sedate and reserved, there 
  is a sense that he is always watching, carefully; perhaps a holdover from 
  Praetorian training -- a need to remain alert, wary, and ready for any 
  eventuality.

Though she does not actually voice the inevitable "Where am I?", still that 
  question is foremost in Faanshi's eyes and expression as she sits bolt 
  upright. All that she does utter is a little breathless gasp of shock -- and 
  hard on the heels of that she must lift a hand to her brow, staving off a 
  distressing tilting of the room. That in turn is dismissed by the 
  realization that her face is... bare. A second little gasp escapes her and 
  once more her gaze flashes about the room. Her veil -- where is her veil?
Kosha, in the meantime, starts at Faanshi's signs of life. The second meat 
  morsel happily scarfed up out of Gabriel's hand, the dog swivels his head 
  about and begins to wag his tail harder.

The gasp intrudes upon Gabriel's focus of the dog, and he lifts his head to 
  find that Faanshi is sitting up and suddenly wide awake. He smiles, but it's 
  an uncertain one, and he gives one last absent pat to Kosha before wiping 
  the vestiges of dog slobber off on his chiton. He still hasn't changed from 
  his ambush in Bordertown, anyway, and he's looking rather rumpled and dusty 
  -- his wings still bear traces of soot and blood. Nonetheless, his manners 
  are courtly. He inclines his head and observes, "Don't worry. You're in the 
  Palladium. I brought you here. I'll take you back to Atesh-Gah as soon as 
  you like, but I... wanted to thank you, first."

Recollection strikes -- not only of the occurrences of the night before, but 
  of the first time she'd seen this particular Empyrean. Granted, the Children 
  of Air are common enough in Haven, but few indeed are the ones of them who 
  have actually spoken before to Faanshi, and admired her dog to boot. The 
  halfbreed's head, half-bared by the sari that's slipped down in the midst of 
  her slumber, swivels about to note the proudly winged figure beside the bed 
  -- and then her gaze immediately, modestly drops. "It is my duty and honor 
  to heal, dominus," she murmurs. "Your wing... it functions?"

"Aye, it does." Gabriel flares his wings out to demonstrate, and gingerly 
  spreads the right one to its full breadth. It's fully healed, but there's 
  still a vestigial ache that only time will mend. "Thank you," he says again, 
  his voice one of quiet sincerity. "Tyche must have led Tyler to you. You 
  have... an amazing gift. It felt -- I felt..." He pauses, fumbling for 
  words, and finally gives up on finding the right way to express his 
  gratitude. Instead, he asks, "Is there any way I can repay you?"

Tyler. Oh yes, Tyler. The girl's complexion is dusky enough that the blush 
  that darkens her cheeks is not necessarily easily detectable -- but it 
  doesn't need to be. Her expression is almost ridiculously easy to read, and 
  it broadcasts a surge of consternation at the mention of the Mongrel's name. 
  But then again... it could also be in reaction to the notion of payment, or 
  the praise of her power, for her posture seems to shrink in on itself in 
  embarrassment. "I-It would not be proper, dominus, for me to accept payment 
  -- I-I am but a shudra, my needs are small--"
Is this the same girl who so serenely and confidently poured forth a deep 
  golden river of power into the restoration of the Aegian's wing? It must be 
  her, surely. That's definitely her dog wagging his tail at top speed at the 
  sound of her voice.

"You also saved my life," Gabriel quietly asserts. "I could have died out 
  there. If someone else came along, I'd have been an easy target. I was a 
  fool for going out there with so little preparation and protection, and I 
  paid for that. But maybe the gods favor fools, because Tyler brought you to 
  me, and I'm not dead in a gutter in Bordertown with my throat slit." He 
  exhales a ragged sigh and looks down to run his hand along Kosha's back, 
  because it's easier to watch the dog than this green-eyed healer. "Let me do 
  something for you," he asks. "Surely there's something I can offer -- some 
  way of repaying you? Name it, and if it's within my power, it's yours."

It is an odd feeling indeed, having a _man_ offering her anything within his 
  power. Faanshi's immediate surroundings have stabilized, the brief wave of 
  dizziness that hit her upon her sitting up long past, but still there 
  lingers a feeling that her world is still somehow tilted. The young healer 
  wraps her arms about herself in unconscious reaction -- and she, too, 
  watches Kosha. He is her anchor, the one familiar thing in this strange 
  chamber. "If... if you would consider doing something for someone in need, 
  dominus," she says then, greatly hesitant, as though she fears she speaks 
  out of turn, "I... I would be content..."

An awkward smile curves Gabriel's mouth -- one which holds relief, for finally 
  here is the chance to do something concrete that he might balance against 
  the gift of his own life. It won't be enough, but it's something. "Forget, 
  for a moment, that I am an Empyrean, and that you are... a Varati." He'd 
  hesitated then, for there are enough clues that he's uncertain of her real 
  ancestry; but she's Varati by definition if not by birth. "Forget that I'm 
  an Aegian and you are a shudra. I owe you a debt, and I will repay it. Who 
  is it that's in need? What do you want me to do?" His voice is insistent 
  without being demanding, and there is no sense of resentment in him; he 
  doesn't blame her for being the one to save his life. He watches her 
  steadily as he waits for her answer.

Clues indeed -- and another one comes in the way the girl goes very still at 
  how she is identified. But she offers no clarification as to the nature of 
  her blood, one way or another. It is, at any rate, immaterial when she has 
  been given a chance to see that someone gets aid. _Who_, in particular? 
  Faanshi pulls in a sigh, well aware that even with this man's help she could 
  not soothe away the hunger and illness and cold and pain that plague 
  practically everyone in Bordertown and no small number of denizens of Haven 
  outside it.
Then the answer comes, with surprising ease, and she does not need to think 
  any farther than the reason she'd left Atesh-Gah to begin with the night 
  before. "There is a man named Micah in Bordertown... his roof fell in on his 
  home... on his two little girls. He will need help to rebuild it... if you 
  could, dominus, if you would consider..." And she looks up, still visibly, 
  achingly shy of gaze, but it seems that concern for others is enough to pull 
  her attention upward to face the man before her.

Blue-green eyes, the color of turquoise -- with the faintest cat-like slant at 
  the corners -- blink in surprise, and Gabriel finds a whimsical, bemused 
  smile curving his mouth. He had expected that she would ask for something 
  for herself, and the fact that she does not is cause for reflection and 
  re-evaluation. After a moment, he nods. "I'll help him," is his simple 
  reply. "If you tell me where he may be found." His eyes narrow and the smile 
  flees his lips as he asks, "His girls... are they all right? Did you heal 
  them?"

"Magda and Losie are all right now," is Faanshi's reply -- which does not 
  directly answer the Aegian's question, at least not the second one. But it 
  doesn't really need to. For just a fraction of an instant as she makes that 
  simple proclamation, the acute bashfulness of her features eases -- and 
  allows through a glimmer of the same peaceful serenity with which she'd 
  stepped up to the task of repairing the wing now as functional as its mate. 
  But evidently she's still too timid to look a man in the eye for long, for 
  her summer-hued gaze once more modestly averts itself as she goes on, "The 
  Imphadi Micah lives in the northern part of Bordertown. H-he makes boots."

"Boots," Gabriel echoes. The bemused smile still resides on his lips, and 
  something about her bashful demeanor and lowered gaze prompts him to add, "I 
  never thought I could sit and speak to a Varati like this. I never thought I 
  could be indebted to one. But here we are, and the debt is no burden on my 
  heart the way I thought it would be. I will help your friend, dom--" He cuts 
  off, then cants his head to the side and pronounces uncertainly, "imphada. 
  But I think the balance is still uneven, so if you ever need anything else 
  of me, you have only to ask. And I give you my promise I will try to fulfill 
  it."

Is she blushing again? Given her overall behavior, such would hardly be 
  surprising, and the healer's expression certainly seems to suggest her 
  cheeks are heating beneath their sungolden skin. "My needs are small," she 
  murmurs again, "and Clan Kha--th-the Clan I serve fulfills them." Evidently 
  she is bound and determined to accept nothing on her own behalf, but she 
  also solemnly and respectfully inclines her head while she appends, "But you 
  honor me with your promise and I thank you--!"

[And with that, the grateful Aegian offers sustenance to the shy young woman
 who has saved his life -- and enough privacy so that she can eat without
 curious eyes upon her. The pledge to help her Mongrel acquaintances made, 
 he also sees his savior discretely back to Atesh-Gah. End log.]