Back to Sanctuary

[Northen Light36]

"Careful with her."

"I am," Mat replied, but he shifted his grip on Pixie to better avoid bumping her broken leg. As irritating as his wife's hovering was, he knew the bonded and their companions tended to be over protective of their partners when one was injuried. "How are your ribs?" he added, noting how pale Acqua looked. A good deal of that was not having seen much of the sun in months, but he knew pain was playing a role too.

"Sore, but not too bad," Acqua replied as they crossed the border into the sanctuary. Which is when both thieves got a surprise.

"By which, you mean you're hurting like hell, but being brave," Echo commented as she shimmered into existance next to her former partners. "Kitten, you're a brave idiot. Hello Mat."

"Echo!" Acqua and Mat both greeted their friend in surprise.

"Forces... What are you doing here?" Mat added. "Not that it's not good to see you..."

"It's Spirit Night, silly," Echo laughed. "Not that Taed wasn't considering calling it off, but he decided to make an exception for the loved one's of Choosen who were in the Santuary." She considered Acqua and Pixie for a moment then called up to the angels, "Any healers up there?"

[Kender Bard]

One of the angels lazily spiraled down. She was tall and lithe, dark of skin but with light, silvery hair. Her wings and robes were mostly white but speckled with black as if someone had flicked ink all over her. "I can heal. Who needs assistance?"

[Northen Light36]

"Acqua and Pixie do," Echo replied, bowing politely to the angel.

"I ran into a demon on my way here," Acqua explained. "I think I've cracked a rib or two and my companion's leg is broken." She glanced at Pixie with far more concern then she had for herself.

[Kender Bard]

The angel reached for Pixie, laying hands gently on the cat's broken leg. A comforting warmth suffused through Pixie's body as she did so. The angel looked at Acqua and ordered, "Lift up your top, please."

[Northen Light36]

Pixie purred and closed her eyes in pleasure at the warmth and the absence of pain. ~Thank you.~

Acqua nodded and did as she was told, prompting Echo to hiss in sympathetic pain at the sight of the long gash and the dark bruising.

"Hope that demon looks worse then you," the spirit commented.

"It does," Acqua replied with a chuckle.

[Kender Bard]

"Good," the angel told Acqua approvingly as she moved to lay hands on her next. "You are one of the Chosen. Your greatest role is yet to come, so you must tread carefully, but for every demon you take out, that's one less enemy we angels will be struggling against on the battle day."

[Northen Light36]

Echo and Mat exchanged resigned looks as Acqua lit up a little in pleasure at the praise. She's always so hungry for approval, Echo thought slightly sadly. Not as desperate for it as she used to be, thankfully. And her loyalty isn't so easily won... But it'll always be her weakness. I hope those around her are aware of how easily they could break her. "Impressive, Kitten," she said outloud. "Nice to see you almost at your best."

"Almost?" Acqua asked, resisting the urge to flinch when the angel first touched her side, then sighed in relief as the healing began. "Thank you," she added to the angel.

"Yes, almost," Echo replied, smiling. "If you were at your best, you wouldn't have gotten hurt at all."

"I'd like to see you do better," Acqua replied, recognising the teasing for what it was and sticking her tounge out at her friend.

"And now you prove why I named you Kitten rather then Cat," Echo mock sighed. "Such a child."

Once Acqua had been healed and the angel thanked, the trio (plus cat) wandered through the sanctuary, chatting about anything and nothing just as they'd done on quiet nights when all three were alive. After an hour or so, when Echo deemed Acqua was properly relaxed, she playfully poked her with a cold finger. "You're shivering. Go on, go inside and warm up. There are others who no doubt want to see their little sister while they have a chance tonight and I'm keeping you from them. Shoo."

Acqua gave Echo a puzzled look. Others? she thought, wondering at the pural. Alethia and Vortai? But I'm not Vortai's little sister... She didn't question Echo though, knowing her friend always chose her words with care. Slipping inside, the soft murmur of voices drew her into a small study area of Etaf's tree and she gasped.

Amaro, Vortai and another spirit Acqua recognised from paintings as Thom Melissian, looked over and welcomed her with a smile.

"I wondered if you'd make it back tonight," Thom's voice seemed a little more... noble in it's pattens and tones, but otherwise he sounded almost identical to Amaro. "I've been wanting to met you, again, little sister."

Acqua blinked. "What... Again?" Even as she spoke, something stirred within her memory, then faded before she could get a good look again.

"You wouldn't remember," Thom told her, amused. "Or not clearly, anyway. It's not important either. However, after my father paid you a visit, I thought I should at least say hello... And, well, death gives one a good deal of time to grow up and reconsider one's beliefs." He walked over and made Acqua shiver with a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You and Vortai may not have the Melissan eyes and hair, or the actual bloodline in your case, but you have the family spirit, Acqua Melissan. That's what counts and I'm proud to acknowledge both my baby siblings. Look after Amaro for us, all right?"

"I promise," Acqua whispered, tearing up a bit.

"Good," Vortai replied, grinning. "And nice job with that demon, sis. I'm proud of you."

"We both are," Thom added. He glanced between Acqua and Amaro and added, "You two show those demons just what it means to face the Melissan family. We'll be watching."

With that, both ghostly teens vanished, leaving Acqua and Amaro alone for the moment. Without saying a word, Amaro shifted so Acqua could squeeze into the seat next to him. With Acqua snuggled into his side, he held her and murmured, "Good to have you home, little sister. I'm glad you got to see them."

"Me too," Acqua whispered. The night was almost getting to be too much for her, in a happy way. She closed her eyes, content to just rest her head against Amaro's chest and listen to his heartbeat. "Love you."

"Love you too," Amaro murmured.

[Kender Bard]

"Acqua," Alethia called out as she descended down into the room from the ceiling, slowly. She had considered doing so silently, but she'd gotten her fill of startling people this Spirit Night.

[Northen Light36]

Acqua opened her eyes and turned her head to look up at her sister, though she remained snuggled into her brother's arms. There was a hint of tears on her face from the previous visit and her smile was a little shaky, but still welcoming. "Sister..."

"Hello Alethia," Amaro greeted, tightening his grip on Acqua just a fraction. He knew the young woman still hurt more over her sister's death then almost any other loss in her life and suspected she'd be feeling sensative tonight.

"Busy night tonight," Acqua murmured, reaching up to wipe at her damp eyes.

[Kender Bard]

"Spirit Nights tend to be that way," Alethia agreed, coming to hover in front of Acqua with a wistful smile. "Especially this year. We're all pushed into one spot."

[Northen Light36]

"I'd forgotten it was Spirit Night until Echo showed up," Acqua admited ruefully. "How are you sis?" She smiled. "I assume you've already seen Talon and your kids?"

"We've missed you," Amaro added.

[Kender Bard]

"I've missed you both too," Alethia replied. "And yes, I've spoken with my family already. And I know you two have been visited already." She smiled gently. "No scary visits this year. The angels wouldn't put up with it."

[Northen Light36]

Acqua and Amaro both exchanged a look. The worry had crossed their mind. "Good to know," Acqua murmured. "How's Talon?" she asked. She'd been concerned about her brother, but she wasn't sure if he wanted to see her yet.

[Kender Bard]

"He'll be all right," Alethia replied with an upward glance. "He's very worried. My poor Talon... Life has been hard on him the past decade. He never used to worry so much." She lowered her eyes to the pair again. "But it's been hard on everyone. And now is a time worth worrying about." She sighed. "But I have faith. The Forces are working hard. This will all resolve itself and then things can finally begin to return to normal."

[Northen Light36]

"I hope so," Acqua replied, sighing. Then she forced herself to smile. "But worrying can wait for now. We get so little time together. How have you been? I've been trying to look after the boys for you."

Amaro snorted, relaxing and ruffling Acqua's hair. "It's not us who needs looking after."

"Hey, I killed a demon on the way here," Acqua couldn't resist bragging.