Two steps forward, one step back|Skyheort | Talen'

[Northen Light36]

Acqua glances nervously over her shoulder as she makes her way out of the Veatherfall house. She loves her siblings, and Acqua's lapping up the attention her kidnapping brought her, but even so, Acqua can't help but want some fresh air.

Finding a quiet spot in the garden, and making sure it's not easily visible from the house, Acqua settles back to enjoy the warm morning.

[adris]

A bird affinity beast, seagull to be specific, flew over the horizon holding a large envelope. Looking about trying to find the house that was described to him he did a couple swift looping motions as he didn't want to get the wrong address. Being satisfied he landed in front of the door to the house and gave a polite yet audible knock.

"Package delivery for occupant, a Miss Acqua."

He took that part just by looking at the lettering on the package itself. It was a little big for just a letter, and the beast remembered that he was tipped quite well for agreeing to make this delivery swiftly enough. He didn't refuse such generosity, especially since there haven't been far too many outgoing messages from Ronduin recently.

[Northen Light36]

Having caught sight of the beast's arrival, Acqua was listening in curiousity. "I'm Acqua," she calls, heading back up the path to meet the Beast. "A pakage? From who?" she adds. The only person she can think of who even might send her something is Vortai. Feeling a sudden surge of loss at the absence of her 'twin', Acqua pushes the thought to the back of her mind.

[adris]

The seagull affinity held the package out to her, smiling that he has yet another mission completed successfully. At least it wasn't one of those annoying times where he got the wrong house and had to go about interrogating the entire city until he found the correct one.

"Well here you go. All I know about the sender is he is a paying customer and an acquaintance of yours from Ronduin. Its against my policies to put my associates under some sort of inquisition."

Last thing he wanted was for his customers to go somewhere else, he could only imagine what would happen if the mind types began expanding and setting up service shacks in the various cities. Put couriers like him out of business, maybe he would petition a motion against mind-type shops being erected in Ronduin.

[Northen Light36]

"all right," Acqua agreed, trying to think of who she knew from Ronduin as she took the package. Mat? Maybe, but why would he be sending her a package? And besides, the Thieves Guild had been giving her the cold shoulder ever since she'd backtalked Echo in the matter of helping the Queen. Thanking the messenger, Acqua takes the package inside and sits down to open it.

[adris]

The courier flew off, no longer being needed, although he would probably go somewhere to stay for the night. When the package was emptied there would be two objects within it. The first was a very familiar weapon, the dagger that Burak used on her often, the one that belonged to her at first, still stained from the last use during the episode. The other was a letter, which read shortly and simply.

I hope you have taken to your new name that I cut into your stomach. I hope it has scarred, an uneducated street rat would need a reminder of what her name is. If you need to reopen the wounds though I have sent you a gift you could use, I believe it belongs to you anyway. I would let you take your name and leave but I feel we havn't finished your lessons yet, interrupted by those thugs that came to our door when we were having such an enjoyable time. I hope to see you soon, there is so much left for you to learn.

-With all sincerity

[Northen Light36]

Seeing the dagger and reading the letter, Acqua goes white with shock and fear. A second later, her stomach reacts to both the smell of the blood on the dagger and her fear, causing Acqua to begin vomiting on the floor.

~Alethia!~ Faith calls, entering the room and seeing Acqua in such a state.

[Kender Bard]

Alethia hurries as fast as she can in the room, which was still impressive. Unlike her last third term with Spice, she was much lighter on her feet this time around, a fact that she was thankful for. Spotting Acqua, Alethia has to swallow back some of her own rising nausea but slips quickly into mothering mode. She goes to fetch a cup and fills it with the last of her healing water for the day, a dose she was intending to give to her that night and sets it where Acqua can grab it at her leisure. Then she simply rubs her back and waits for Acqua to calm down at her own pace. "Shh..."

[Northen Light36]

~Easy kitten... Easy now...~ It's difficult for Faith to remain calm with the smells assulting her sensitive nose, but she manages. ~Calm now kitten... Shh... You need to calm down. You're making yourself ill, silly kit...~

Between Alethia and Faith's soothing words, Acqua does manage to at least get her stomach under control, though she's shivering in fear. "I-I'm okay," she whispers, after drinking the water. "I'm sorry sis... I'll clean up..."

~After that scene Kitten?~ Faith scolds, letting Alethia 'hear' her as well. ~I think we need to know what terrified you so much.~ Acqua takes a long time to respond, then she points silently to the package.

[Kender Bard]

Alethia glances at the package. She could clean later. "You're going to go back to bed, miss- AH!" Alethia had given a little shriek of fright and dropped the package once she saw what was within. Holding a hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Efil's Graces, where the hell did that come from, Acqua?"

[Northen Light36]

Acqua flinched when Alethia yelled, half curlling into a defensive ball before getting her reactions back under control. "I was in the garden and a messenger came up... He said he had a package for me from Ronduin... I thought it might be from one of my old guild friends, so I brought it inside to open... And that was in it." Shivering, Acqua silently wishes that Amaro and Talon weren't at work. She'd feel safer, for her and Alethia, if either of her brothers were home.

[Kender Bard]

Alethia's mind raced. "Acqua, I want you to go back to your current room. Brace the door as best as you can and make sure nothing can get in without at least you knowing about it." Meanwhile she started to hunt for some of Talon's spare daggers to arm herself with.

[Northen Light36]

"Alethia..." Acqua starts to protest softly, her eyes bright with worry, but then trails off. She knows Alethia isn't in any condition to defend either of them, should something happen, but then, neither's Acqua. At least Alethia isn't likely to burst into tears if Burak comes, Acqua thinks, hating her fear and weakness. After a second, she simply nods her agreement to Alethia's orders and lightly touches Alethia's arm.

"Letha, be careful," she whispers, the use of her baby-name for Alethia making the words childish, but still heartfelt. With that she goes to lock herself in her room as ordered then huggles in a corner, deliberately making herself as small and unnoticable as possible while letting her watch both the door and the window.

[Kender Bard]

Alethia finds the dagger and then goes to the front door, waiting tensely. Not content to sit, she starts to prowl her room. Spice was luckily napping in his room, so she quietly does what she can to secure his room as well before continuing her patrol, pausing only to clean up the kitchen.

"Faith, go get the boys," she bids the cat.

[Northen Light36]

~Of course~ Faith promises, slipping outside quickly and heading into the mountains, hoping she's heading in the right direction. The boys' scent, even as well as she knows it, is hours old now and there's the distraction of worrying about what might be out here that would see her as a meal.

By the time she manages to track Amaro and Talon down the pads of her feet are red and swollen. Still, she purrs in pleasure at having completed her task. "Faith?" Amaro asks in surprise, spotting the cat. "What are you doing up here furball?" he adds after a glance around to insure that he and Talon are alone.

~Alethia and Kitten need you,~ Faith replies simply, springing up onto Talon's shoulder.