Between Love and Fire

[Kender Bard]

Rajani paused in the room where Nissar was, hesitating. Irrational fear swelled in her for a moment. For all her dealing and posturing, she didn't really want to die. She wanted to live on, to see the fruits of her labor bear out. More than that, she wanted to savor life a little longer. Like good health, it was an easy treasure to take for granted.

Drawing in a wavering breath, she stepped further into the room and looked at the servants. "Leave us," she ordered. The servants hesitated, looking to their greater master for confirmation.

[tuo]

Nissar frowns before giving a curt nod to the servants. Once they are gone he beckons to her. "What troubles you wife? Your mind is clouded.."

[Kender Bard]

Rajani waited until all the servants had departed from the room. Then she slowly turned about and closed the door, leaning so her forehead rested against the wood a moment.

She let go of the door handles and faced Nissar again, approaching him cautiously, head bowed. When she stood before him, trembling, she responded quietly, "I fear I have not much time left to live, my husband."

There was a faint shiver in the air itself, as though a disturbance of some kind approached.

[tuo]

Nissar rose smoothly, curious as to why Rajani believes this. "What has happened? I heard of no plots against either of us capable of succeeding." He reaches out to scan her mind as he approached her.

[Kender Bard]

Clear as a picture was the memory of her talk with Taed.

I made a deal...

But the details of that deal are shrouded, hidden from Nissar's ability to reach and read. As Rajani never barred her mind to Nissar, and was poor at trying, it was more than a little unusual.

The air shivered again and then Efil was simply there, looking as angry as the moment she had left them before. "Taed has told me he removed his protection!" She reached out and snatched Rajani by the wrist, reaching to Nissar with her other hand to do the same.

The Force's hand struck an unseen barrier and she pulled back abruptly with surprise. Rajani laughed weakly. Efil narrowed her eyes knowingly and glanced upwardly. "So that's what he departed for..."

[tuo]

Nissar's eyes widen when Efil appears. "What is the meaning of this?" He asks in a demanding voice while staring daggers at Efil. "What deal did you make Rajani?"

[Kender Bard]

Rajani lifted her head proudly. "I made a deal to spare your life," she said to Nissar.

Efil shook her head, casting the priestess a dirty look. "Why? Why spare the life of a man who would sooner see you killed if it meant furthering his ambitions?"

Here, Rajani's pride and grace failed and she lowered her head again, a strange mixture of guilt and pain flashing over her face. "I... I believe, as I have often told him, that Nissar will be the one who manages to finally purge Morilanta of evil. Long have the priests of Evil spoken that we would dilute the curse that has burned in our breasts since the dawn of days. That day must be nigh. Nissar will sacrifice his soul and take with him, on his death, all of the darkness that infects us all."

Reverently, she went on, "And then my son shall rise, glorious in the new day, and bring Morilanta to a light that was won with blood, tears, and pain. We shall earn our sun. And I know, to the core of my soul, that this is true." She lifted her eyes, now filled with tears as she gazed with open adoration at Nissar. "What other man, what other sign, would be such a herald as the fact that the high priestess of Evil feels love? I love Nissar; and even though he could never love me back, it is because of that very fact that I love him."

She laughed but it was a pitiful sound, a choking cry thinly gilded with mocked happiness. "Do what you will to me, Prolonger of Pain. I am damned whether I live or no."

[tuo]

Nissar's face twists into a grim smile. "I could never have chosen a better High Priestess or wife as you Rajani." He bows his head to Rajani. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten, our son will continue to lead our people into greatness."

He turns his gaze to Efil and his smile falls back into a neutral expression. "I have no intention of challenging your right to her Force Efil, as I will not challenge your right to my own soul when Taed finally abandons me."

[Kender Bard]

"Remember that well, for your time will come," Efil reminded Nissar with a frown. Rajani reached out towards her husband with a trembling hand, a whimper escaping her; she didn't want to die! She didn't want to leave him!

Efil pulled her away before she could touch him. She turned, as though to walk away with Rajani, but then hesitated and glared at Nissar. She would spare Rajani the naked, ugly truth of her untrue faith as a token of compassion, for she was moved that Love could so move even the most depraved of souls.

Efil tilted her head slightly, as though listening to a far-off voice, and she smirked at what her dark brother whispered to her.

As Rajani suddenly faded from view, and Efil partially - as though standing in an unseen portal partway - she said to him, "I will watch you with interest, Nissar. Your wife gave what she viewed as precious away so that you might live a while longer in your wretchedness. Will you betray that as you watch your son grow...

...and realize that she gave Taed permission to allow me to fill his heart with Love?"

Then she was gone, and Rajani with her. There was the faintest whiff of brimstone on the air.

[tuo]

Nissar stood in stunned silence for several moments before moving again, touching his signs together to contact his guards and Rajani's lackey's. ~High Priestess Rajani has passed beyond this world. Prepare for her funeral immediantly.~ He strides out of the throne room, opening the doors with his mind and goes straight to Shyamal's room.

[Kender Bard]

Shyamal was where Rajani had left him, though the child was somewhat more tuckered out and was mostly just laying on the floor sucking his thumb and pushing his toys about idly. Spotting Nissar, he sat up and smiled brightly at him. "Daddy!"

He put his arms up, hopeful to be lifted up telekineticly as the child could not, in his short memory, remember his father ever actually holding him.

[tuo]

Nissar looks down at Shyamal, thoughts and emotions running through his mind. He was still stunned over what has happened despite his composure but it was starting to wear off.

He exerted his power to lift his son up telekineticly before doing something he never did before and moved him into his arms. "How go your studies son?"

[Kender Bard]

Shyamal visibly started but was pleased and clung to his father tightly as he would his mother. He struggled to verbalize enough to answer, having a vague understanding of what he wanted to know.

"I do good," he replied and touched his forehead and neck to indicate he had mastered the understanding that one needed to touch themselves in certain places to make special things happen. He nestled closely and gave a small yawn. "Get toy." He pointed towards one of the baubles on the floor; his current tutor lavished gifts on the young heir, no doubt hoping to foster a sense of friendship between the two while Shyamal was still at such a young age.

[tuo]

Nissar looked at the bauble pointed to by Shyamal before looking upon his son. "Why do you have so many toys?"

[Kender Bard]

"Um, people gimme," Shyamal replied. If he'd been more able, he would have rattled off a small list. Most of them were just visitors to the temple who would pass on a gift through Rajani, wishing well on the child. Rajani, of course, would see these individuals as good standing in the temple and pass on the toys to her son. If they were good of course; plenty were simply thrown away for not being good enough quality for her precious boy.

But that still left quite a bit for Shyamal and he delighted in spreading them all around his room so he could look upon his bounty whenever he wanted.