Here, Have Some Unwanted Responsibility [Plot]

[Darastrix]

After passing through New Anarlina and finding that Priestess Sunflower was absent, Nagi and Crawford moved on to Maelstrom. Crawford had decided that he would worry with her once he'd delivered Acqua's ring. If nothing else, it was a more economical use of their time and energy, and they both wanted to return to Khelek as soon as they could.

They arrived at the Sanderson home in the early afternoon, Nagi standing a bit to the side and behind Crawford while maintaining a shield at their backs. Crawford, sealed letter in hand, rapped sharply at the door. With any luck, this would go as smoothly as the delivery to Amaro had.

[Northen Light36]

"I'll get it!"

"No, I will!"

"No running in the house. I'm not healing you if you get hurt."

"Oh be quiet, Lillian."

"Don't talk to your sister like that," Mat called over his shoulder as he went to the front door. "Forces, the time you girls waste arguing." He opened the door and eyed the two men as he asked, "Hello. Can I help you?"

Letha and Lillian peered out from behind their father, while Bas - who considered such things beneath her - tried not to appear as though she was listening in and just happened to be in the hallway.

[Darastrix]

"I need to speak with Lady Acqua Sanderson on a matter of some importance," Crawford stated, and held up the letter so that Amaro's seal was visible. "I carry a letter from her brother to verify what I have to tell her." He glanced briefly at the children and did not say more. He'd leave it up to the parents as to what to tell them.

Nagi managed to look only mildly surprised when Mat answered the door. He remembered seeing him before; he'd been among those who'd come to Khelek to slay Dispator.

[Northen Light36]

Mat frowned just slightly as his eyes lingered on Nagi and a memory clicked into place. "Must be quite important if to bring the Prince and Regent of Khelek all the way here. Come in." He glanced over his shoulder, "Bas, love, go tell your mother there's someone to see her. And find something for you and your siblings to do."

"I want to know what's going on," Bas protested, eyeing their guests. Nobility visiting rarely meant anything good, after all. Well, unless it was Luminious.

"Later, Bastet," Mat replied.

"Fine," Bas sighed, catching the warning in her father's tone. "Come on you two, let's get Muma." She picked up Lillian and took Letha's hand, leading them upstairs.

"Acqua will be down in a minute," Mat assured the two men, leading them into the sitting room.

Acqua confirmed her husband's words, appearing in the doorway shortly afterwards with Pixie at her heels as usual. With the faintest hint of wariness (not at all surprising for a thief confronted by a random visit from nobility), she asked, "You were looking for me, gentlemen?"

[Darastrix]

"Yes," Crawford replied, "though not on any matters of state. I'm here at the request of Lady Etaf." he held the letter out to her. "I've also visited your brother for the same reason. He's written to vouch for us."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua took the letter, checking the seal with a quick but careful glance before opening it and reading the letter. When she'd finished, she took a deep breath and sat down next to Mat. "Well, love, looks like you're not going to be alone in this," she murmured, passing him the letter and picking up Pixie.

"I was chosen by Soahc," Mat murmured, showing his ring as he read the letter and brought Acqua time to slip into a conversation with Pixie.

Forces, Pix, I don't know what to say. I can't say no, of course, but the children... She stroked the cat's long fur silently.

~The children will be fine, you know that. You have friends to keep them safe and Bas, Pas and Aries are no longer kittens. You're not afraid for them, you're afraid for you.~ Pixie's tone was blunt, but sympathetic. ~There's no shame in that, Kit. You're still healing. But sometimes part of healing is getting back on your feet again.~

Can I? Pix... I don't know...

~I do. And the Lady does. She wouldn't have chosen you otherwise.~ Pixie stood up and nuzzled Acqua's chin. ~Time to find your claws again, Kit. You'll feel better when you do.~

I hope you're right. She looked up at Crawford and Nagi and managed a slight smile. "I accept, of course."

[Darastrix]

Crawford and Nagi had stood by quietly while Acqua read the letter and decided whether to take up the burden. Nagi twisted his own ring around his finger and wondered if anyone might refuse, and what would happen if they did. Would another be chosen, or would the ring just have no one to wear it? He hoped they wouldn’t have to find out.

At her acceptance, Crawford drew one of the last two rings out of his pocket and held it out to her. “Then this is yours.” Just one more to go and then back to Khelek. Thank goodness.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua took the ring and just looked at it for a moment. I can do this...

~Yes,~ Pixie agreed. ~You can.~

Acqua slid the ring onto her finger and looked at it.

[Kender Bard]

The ring shifted in color, taking on a deep blue hue with a double nebula featured in the ring.

As the ring attuned itself to Acqua, Etaf's voice whispered into Crawford's mind softly. Sunflower has moved. Your target is now in Ilyamen, seeking Lord Edward so that she might give a ring to him as well.

An interesting side effect was that although Etaf was speaking to Crawford, Acqua could hear a faint echo of the Lady's voice in her own mind as well, as if she were a Mind listening in on the conversation.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua breathed in sharply in surprise at that. "I heard that," she whispered.

Mat blinked and looked at his wife. "What?"

Acqua looked at Crawford with a hint of uncertainity. "Was that... Etaf?" Some part of her was certain that yes, of course it had been, but it was like the whispers of memories that stirred themselves on Spirit Night, if Echo or Alethia spoke of things beyond the veil. Dim and only vaguely remembered, like a dream she'd had a long time ago.

[Darastrix]

Crawford raised his brows at that, but nodded. "It was." He looked down at his own ring. "Perhaps that's how these rings work, to allow us all to hear her at once." Well, he had no way of finding out whether Talon and Amaro had heard the same thing, and he wasn't actually curious enough to ask Schuldig to find out.

At Nagi's puzzled look he added, "It seems we need to go to Haven next. The priestess is also a ring-bearer."

[Northen Light36]

"Perhaps," agreed Acqua, eying her ring thoughtfully for a moment. "Do you need any help? I know Ilyamen reasonably well."

"Understatement of the year," Mat remarked with a laugh.

[Darastrix]

"Thank you, no," Crawford replied. "I don't believe it will be necessary. She's taking a ring to Lord Cross, their Leader. That will make her rather easy to find."