Kothos (prime)/Shelter From the Poison Rain

The downpour followed him from the Harbor to the Landing, only the air between the drops was far more frigid, early spring still within winter's claws. Chilled as it was, the bracing weather was sobering to Kothos's mood, following an afternoon of revelations and confusion. He pulled the hood of his cassock up over his face and coal-black curls, then set out the postern gate, homeward bound..

Every step toward the Vipershroud brought a flush of exhilaration to the priest, the cold mist turned into steamy fog, the grey overcast skies into white fog dappled with golden sun. This sensation, of returning home again, made every trip worth its time and effort. The verdant green and close humidity spoke the same affectionate language to Rusalka. The large serpent had Kothos stop long enough for her to slip up onto a nearby cypress branch, making her own way through the canopy. He often encouraged her to explore and socialize past the Temple walls, these past two weeks, in order not to have the serpent disturb his young resident. Reynai was still struggling with the horrors she'd been exposed to, still refusing to have her eyesight restored- but, despite that, she was showing some resilience, particularly in her attempted clandestine adventure this morning. Yet another reason to enjoy coming back home, the conversation that was to be had...

When he crossed the outer courtyard to the Temple's teakwood door, Sister Nock was waiting for him.

"She's sleeping again, and I did see some signs of her having some stressful dreams- nothing as bad as what you told me of, or poor Komel..."

Brother Blud nodded, pulling his hood back and untangling the garment from his long hair.

"Maybe this time she'll tell me what she sees, when she slumbers...my track record for people with night terrors is not looking very good, is it?"

The healer's dark eyes narrowed in response. Nock had little patience for pessimism, a rather amazing trait for the Head Nurse of the Children of Ivas ward. "I don't mean to be flippant about it, Rosario." He leaned on her shoulder and she relented, taking his hand in her own. "I'm trying."

Use of her true name and the little tremble in his voice won him a little more empathy. Nock gave his fingers a squeeze, and continued.

"You are kind-hearted, and unlike most men, you have a modicum of patience. Now stop making it all about you, Kothos. Go to Reynai. Wait her out, just like you had to with Xanthium."

He grinned back at her, and then left her side, moving toward his quarters.

"Rosario, if I stopped being a bumbling idiot, you and all your staff would fall head over heels for me, and then who would do all the work around here?" Her mouth pulled back into the familiar scowl once more, and he ducked about the corridor before his teasing got him a descriptor far and away from kind-hearted.

The yellow pine door swung inside the small chamber, and he stepped quietly within. His room no longer looked like his room, and for good reason. From his writing desk, the window sill and the bed's headboard were several globes of incandescent light, magical devices he'd picked up from Akenna and Raelee. The magister had stared at him with those unnerving eyes of hers, when he had explained what he wanted.

"She cannot see, Kothos. What is the point in my giving her a light?" The wizard, standing, was barely taller than Kothos seated next to her, handing him the teacup he'd given her at the start of the conversation. No matter her diminutive size, her tone was as forthright as a poker.

"Because I wish to tell her that the orbs are at her side, shining over her, Magister. She takes comfort in knowing the shadows are banished, no matter that she cannot witness their dispersal."

Raelee's stare got even more concentrated, but she finally made a little huff of acknowledgement, and stepped up to stand on her chair. With a few economic movements, she separated one of the orbs from the laboratory ceiling. Regaining the floor, she handed it to him with another cool stare.

"This is not necessary, but neither is my continuing to argue it. Take it."

That same orb now hung over the head of Reynai's bed, and he sat under it, just beside the sleeping child. She shifted and stirred in response, a tiny hand reaching out to adjust her bandana back over her barren sockets. He tried not to wince at the vulnerable gesture, and instead gently took her other hand, tapping it twice upon her index finger's second knuckle, their little gesture of confirming that yes, it's me. She shivered, despite the close heat of the swamp, and sat up shakily, leaning into his outstretched arm.

"You're back. Did you get hurt? Did...anyone get hurt?"

"No, darling. I'm well, Kiyna is fine, Delindra is well- her sister might have a bit of a headache, but she'll be all right. Many of them asked after you, of course."

She smiled, gratifying him immensely. He fished Kiyna's gift out of his cassock pocket, placing the patchwork rag doll in the crook of Reynai's elbow. She sighed in relief, hugging the doll and him with sleepy affection. He let her settle against him for a long few moments, stroking her tangled hair and telling her a little of the day's exposition. He carefully spoke of the Lord of Jackals, so she would know what it was she had been facing, and gleefully detailed the Nalfein's ocean dunking and his swim amongst sharks. She clutched him tightly, gasping with surprise and wonder when he told her Greth was all right, and back in his bar. He reached down to her chin, pulling up her sweet, sightless face toward him.

"I'll take you to him, soon, he'll be happy to have you visit, Reynai. But before we talk much further on such plans, you and I need to have a conversation. I know what you did today."

Her face blanched between his palms, her small hands turning the doll over and over in nervous tension. He dropped one hand from her head down to grip her fingers once more, giving them a reassuring squeeze.

'I'm sorry! I-" she stopped with that, casting about for the words that would express what he could already guess at. All the lethargy from her interrupted nap was gone, the girl had stiffened in his grip, becoming an embodiment of apprehension. He held on to her, remembering Sister Nock's advice of patience. He ran his fingers through her hair again, and down over her shoulders, as he had learned to do with Xanthium, when she awoke from her apparition-haunted dreams. She flinched and sniffled, fighting off flickers of hysteria, and he waited, not letting her go.

"It's all right, Reynai. I know you had to. If you'd asked me, I would have taken you to see Talinvor myself."

She twitched again, and mumbled softly against the silk folds of his cassock. "I promised, I'm sorry- please, I'm so sorry."

"I understand, shh, it's all right. He helped you, and you promised him you'd give him whatever message it was you sent. I'm not angry with you, darling. You've been through enough already without me giving you grief. The better we know one another, I hope you'll find that you can tell me about moments like this, and we can work together to resolve them."

She sniffed again, still not quite relaxing, though the next breath against his chest was measured, calmer. "I would go so far to say that I'm proud of the fact that you somehow thought you could sneak out and back in on an Ivasian. We invented that operation, you know. Actually, you don't- and you're not old enough for me to explain further."

She gave a single, tremulous chirp of a chuckle, and Kothos veritably soared with hopeful victory. When had he heard her laugh, before? Ever? Point for the pretty priest, indeed.

"However, proud or not, I feel like my understanding and kind response is worth a little something in return, don't you, sweet girl?"

He barely stifled his own laughter at the expression curling her nose as she tried to parse that. He hugged her once more, leaning them both back against the headboard as he posed his next questing query.

"Reynai. Talinvor is going to come here, soon, and he's going to free you from the nightmares, hopefully for good. And when he accomplishes this, I want you to consider letting us heal your eyes. I'll be here, so you have help from me and your poppet, both."

"...I don't...I can't...the...shadow, Kothos. It's going to be waiting, oh, no, the shadow!"

"Shhh." Brother Blud hoped he hadn't been too clumsy once more, and gave the girl another reassuring caress, smoothing down the bandana across her brow. "We'll take as long as you need. I will be here, holding your hand, for every part of this, for you. Me, and all the friends you've made. And never before you're ready."

She still shifted restlessly against him, but he felt at least some of the tension slough away. He decided to let the offer simmer for a while longer, and move on to another question.

"And before Talinvor arrives, my girl. I want you to tell me more about you, before all of this happened."

"It's all still so dark, though. Like it was too long ago, a dream." She shuddered again as she spoke, whispering barely enough to be heard. Still, he decided to test the trust he'd earned a little more, for both of their sakes.

"Reynai, tell me about your mother..."

She exhaled heavily, all signs of titters or smiles gone. She was quiet after, for so long he wondered if she'd fallen back asleep- it wouldn't be the first time, during their discussions. He could keep waiting, if need be- perhaps time for another story. He had dug one out of the Mist Harbor library that he was sure she would like, about a dark, fractured crystal, a race of wise mystics and a cursed castle. His attention immediately shifted and sharpened at the return of her soft whisper.

"Papa died when the krolvin came. Mother had to take care of me, she was tired all the time, and sad. She loved me, though she said I was a lot of work..."

"Of course she loved you, poppet. My brother raised me by himself, too- and he used to say the same thing about me. He took care of me when I was sad."

"Just like you take care of me."

"Mm. Not very much work though, my girl. I look forward to when we can sit and talk together, like this, and know more about you."

Reynai got a ghost of a smile again, and finally took a long, cleansing breath. She murmured a few more quiet apologies, and soon she was deep in slumber once more, tucked under his arm. Well, he considered, it's better than panic, indeed. The only problem was whenever Reynai was asleep on him, he couldn't keep his own eyes open for more than half a bell...