Child of My Body

[tuo]

Calan made a motion for silence along with a sharp look. "Let us see if we can obtain some privacy before you choose to rant about the issue? Unless you can stay calm enough to try and aid me in thinking of a way to handle her."

[Kender Bard]

"I can do both," Fausta replied tersely. She rose and walked over to one of the priests, stopping him with a touch on the shoulder. "My father and I require a private prayer room."

The Taedean bowed his head politely and beckoned. Following, Fausta was led to a small room, barely large enough for two people, though comfortable despite the cramped quarters. The divan was plush, there was the soothing scent of sandalwood in the air of the room, and a statuette of Taed rested on a shelf opposite of the divan. There were also some handkerchiefs. Presumably for crying into. Fausta took a seat on the divan, scooting over so there would be room for Calan as well, though the two would still be sitting quite closely.

[tuo]

Keeping his senses sharp for possible eavesdropping, Calan stepped into the small room and remained standing. After a moment of examining the inside of the room to the best of his ability without being obvious about it, he spoke. "If she cared so little about you, why would she waste her time haunting you then child? Did you do anything else to have caused her to have any strong feelings one way or the other?" He asked in a low voice.

[Kender Bard]

"She wasn't there for me," Fausta replied with a derisive sneer. "She clearly had no idea where anyone was or what had happened. Being severely lacking in knowledge, she probably went to the palace, found it in Saul's hands, and began roaming around the city, looking for Shyamal. Physical obstacles are clearly no barrier to a spirit. So when she found me..." She shrugged. "She figured I would know. Now the only reason she cares about me is hatred. I killed her precious son."

She gave him a defiant look. "Only one man ever cared for me in my whole life, after a fashion, and my brother murdered him. So I killed him for it. Story of my life, essentially. Though in hindsight, I don't suppose Bastion really cared for me, but he showed more interest in my abilities and who I was than anyone else."

She paused. That wasn't true...

"...Until... Cloak I suppose. And you..." She suddenly lowered her gaze, feeling strangely demure.

[tuo]

Calan was silent for a few moments, observing her critically before choosing to speak. "You are skilled and have the passion and discipline to use that skill..usually." His face twists a little at that before continuing. "Only a fool wouldn't care about those useful to themselves after all, it helps encourage loyalty even if your care is hollow."

[Kender Bard]

Fausta lifted her gaze again and the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "I don't think your words are hollow," she said in a low, quiet voice meant for his ears only. "You called me your child... to my actual mother." That clearly amused her. "Is that how you've come to think of me?" She held his gaze intently and her next words were spoken even softer but with an almost raw honesty to them. "Of all the men who've claimed my guardianship, you are the one it pleases me most to think of as... a father."

[tuo]

For a brief moment, a look of surprise flickers across Calan's face before he smooths it over with a contemplative expression. "I think.." He began after a few moments. "That after we deal with this loose thread, we will have to converse about this in greater detail." It seemed like he might drop the subject there but quietly added a few more words. "Though I believe I do not think less of you for your words just now."

[Kender Bard]

Something tense and tight within Fausta unknotted at those words and she resisted the urge to sigh.

And Cloak... Did she view her as a mother? Cloak had been the only thing like a mother in Fausta's life so it was difficult to make comparisons. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that though Cloak could be very harsh and unforgiving, she was also fussy and very conscious of the wellbeing of the family. Yes, I suppose she has made for a passable mother as well.

Having a true family was... nice.

"Where do we go from here, then?" she asked Calan. "Do we... pray for the Forces to remove her?"

[tuo]

Calan thought about that for several moments before making an annoyed sound. "I'd prefer it if we could handle this problem without begging to the Forces, but I don't know of any method to banish a spirit without them. The question is which Force is most likely to give enough of a damn to consider it."

[Kender Bard]

Well it was a long shot, really. Fausta doubted that the Forces would heed their prayers. She was just out of ideas as well. "Do you think the Thuothians may know?" she suddenly asked. They knew almost everything, after all. It was just a matter of getting that information from them.

[tuo]

Calan gave a nod as he opened the door of the private prayer room. "Do you know the fastest route between here and the Thouthian wing?" He asked, mentally preparing himself for outrunning the spirit should it be waiting for them.

[Kender Bard]

"It's just a sprint in a straight line," Fausta assured Calan. Bracing herself at the entrance way to the Taedeans, she rant across the temple, tearing past priests and citizens to reach the shelter of the Thouthian wing. There was no incident--perhaps Rajani was going to simply bide her time. "There, see?"

[tuo]

Calan raised an eyebrow before nodding. When he set out of the Taedean wing, he did not run or sprint but instead moved at a hurried walk even while straining his senses for any hint of Rajani to appear to force a less dignified movement.

[Kender Bard]

Once both were safely gathered in the wing of Thuoth, Fausta moved to Calan's side and asked softly, "Do you know how to deal with them?" She had murky memories of long hours spent in the temple but she'd never really interacted too much with the priests outside of Bastion and his... associates.

[tuo]

"I have some experience in dealing with them." Calan responded evenly before glancing at Fausta. "Say or do nothing that will give them knowledge they do not require in exchange for what we need. Understand?" He finished while peering down at her.