A Reunion of the Righteous {Dire}

[Rugs]

Patrol duty.

Of all the things there were for that needed to be handled, Kvothe had been stuck on patrol duty. And in Demas, no less. He'd carry out the blasted patrol as well as he did any of his duties, but for a Sword of Diligence to be put on patrol in Demas, the capital city, of all places... Well it was nearly insulting.

Bet it's cause Bors is still upset with me, he mulled sullenly as he walked through the crowded street. His superior had been upset with him for a while now, ever since he'd killed that Cathar. And why should he be? Doing that was what ultimately lead to the breakthrough to find where Iri was, and Kvothe hadn't shirked any of his duties since. But still, Bors disapproved. He didn't say much about it, but Kvothe had known the man for years. He could see it in the way Bors looked at him now.

Or in how he gave him assignments like this.

"Whatever," he muttered under his breath. "Let them keep thinking that. I did what was right." Some of the orange that seemed to perpetually lurk around the edges of his hazel irises darkened for a moment. His presence in the Mythos changed; ever since Iri got taken by his brother, there'd been a quiet heat to, from fires of anger that always lurked much closer to the surface. But it was always subtle, contained. For an instant though, it grew, and then he shook his head, forcing the anger back down and the orange back to the barely-noticeable ring around his eyes. There were several hours yet left to go, and working himself into a sour mood would only make the patrol take longer.

At least it wasn't all bad. Cloudless skies reigned above and the winter's grip was continuing to loosen on the plains. It was starting to warm now; not enough to be hot, but it wasn't cold by any stretch of the word. Perfect weather; he couldn't have asked for any better.

He certainly looked the part today, too. He wore new armor that was lighter than his set for battle and more suited for things like this. The set was composed of chain and some plate over key areas, both a brilliant white with gold trim, and treated leather protected the rest of him. To top it off, a dark gold cloak hung from his shoulders, with the Mythics' emblem emblazoned in white on the back. For once Talio, one of his swords, rested in its sheath on from his hip, rather the from behind his back, where he usually kept it. His face was clean shaven as always, and his hair had been neatened up. He looked nice.

After a while, he found himself meandering toward one of the marketplaces that dotted the massive city. There wasn't anything he had to do in the marketplace, per se, but he floated on anyway, keeping an ear open to the shifts and ripples in the Mythos.

There wasn't much to feel, though, beyond the usual waves that came from so many crammed into one place. Or rather, there wasn't at first. Kvothe stopped suddenly, looking around. Fas, his familiar, stopped a few steps ahead of him and glanced back. Something had caught his attention. A familiar presence, one he'd not felt in a while...

There. He spied a shock of flowing raven hair through the crowd. And that presence. Could it be? What would she be doing here?

He started off in the direction of the woman, easing through the people until he came to a small clearing behind her.

"Rhiss," he called to her. "Rhiss, is that you?"

[Dire Wolf]

It was such a nice day. Ly couldn't help but smile at the warmth of the sun on her skin and the cool breeze that toyed with her hair. Originally she had come to Aiaru seeking refuge within the Stellar Mythics and their lonely tower. The wonderful blue smoke called to her as well, and the mythics were the only ones that had it. She simply couldn't stand by and watch the innocent suffer at the hands of the Mythics and the Unum alike.

The unum were a Dark Side cult of sorts, and the mythics seemed to be the only ones who had the rights to sell and mine etherium. Ly wasn't entirely sure, but she suspected that their only care was retaining those proprietary rights. Besides, the raven haired woman had enough of war and fighting. MOre than enough for many lifetimes.

Even so, she wore chainmail over her white low cut top, which showed perhaps a bit too much of her assets. Ly didn't care, though. Her attire was light and freeing, even if it was a little tight and low cut. Personal preference was what mattered, after all. The chainmail ringlets were hardly a full shirt, though (they stopped just below her breast), but they were adequate protection from a slash. Her midsection would be saved from disembowelment, should she miss a parry. Her hair was worn up and tied into something of a bun, bu a few strands escaped their bindings to the front of her face as she worked.

Her brilliant green eyes traced her hands as they hovered above a woman's punctured belly, a warm blue glow emanating from their center. What looked like the socket for a third, bloody eye interrupted the skin just above her belly button. She'd been stabbed in a mugging. The stench of blood and feces permeated the room, and seemed to cling to the back of the Master's tongue. Though her nose was powerful enough to make even the slightest odor unbearable. It was wonderful to be an Aphithiri.

Ly had worked to save the woman for hours, doing her best to mend the internal and the external wounds with her power in the Force. To no avail. The woman had been too far gone when she'd been brought to Lyssah, and her healing were still too weak. With With a heavy, mournful sigh the former Jedi Master slipped into the hurting woman's mind to block the overwhelming pain, and ease her passing.

No matter how hard Ly tried, she left death in her wake. Even when she refused to outright kill someone without absolutely having to. "I'm so sorry," she whispered to the corpse... not able to even look at it. It escaped her why she insisted on keeping her mind within a person's as they expired. Something about the shift from something to nothing at all made her want to weep, even in the rare case of the process being peaceful.

With a sniffle in her nose, and tears in her eyes, Ly walked into the next room and broke the news to the dead woman's family. When that was done, she found that her little clinic was nearly unbearable. The woman locked up (after the family had left) the building and walked off down the downtrodden district of Demas. Ly hated this world, but she wouldn't let herself depart it. Aiaru was hurting, and needed her help... no matter how badly she wanted to be gone.

It was then that she sensed someone approaching, albeit their presence was faint amongst the crush of people in the city. It was a familiar signature, one that she'd- "Rhiss! Rhiss, is that you?!" Lyssah winced at the use of her old title, the one that the galaxy knew her as. Few people on this world (thankfully) knew about the exorbitant bounty on her head, but that was like to change. She turned to see Kvothe, the man who'd helped her slay the hutt and begin her real trouble with bounties.

"Its been too long, my friend," she said with a hollow smile. "Something told me that I'd find you here eventually."

[Rugs]

{Short post!}


It is her.

Strands of green as dark and earthy as the tattoos on his face threaded through Kvothe's eyes as she spoke to him. For the first time in a while, the thin ring of orange around his eyes faded, and though some of his hidden anger's heat faded from his presence, it did not vanish completely.

"Rhissai," he said, smiling truly, "you're right. It has been too long." Last time he'd seen her was after they'd killed Korintha that Hutt. Back when Kvothe had been sent away from Aiaru by Bors in an attempt to ease some of the strain that so many seemed to think had been building up on him. That particular adventure, with Rhissai and Krae and Eva had been a bit messy at times, but they got through it. Somehow.

"Honestly, I thought our paths might have parted for good. Never thought I'd find you hear, of all the places in the Galaxy." He glanced at her in whole as he put his unarmored hand to his side, pushing his gold cloak back over one and resting his hand casually on Talio's pommel. "You look like you can expecting some action." He sighed softly. "I hope your stay on Aiaru hasn't been too troubled. This is a good world--a very good world--but I am saddened to say we have a current crop of issues to work through."

He smiled and turned, motioning for her to walk with him. "So what brings you here, anyway? Anything I can assist you with?"

[Dire Wolf]

(short post)

It wasn't that she didn't care about meeting Kvothe, quite the opposite in fact. He had saved her life back on Nal Hutta, when she'd been impaled and had to be practically carried out of the collapsing palace. She just took the death of a person she vowed to fix personally, even if there was little to nothing that could be done. Though part of her wanted to laugh when he said that his world was a very good one. That may have been true at the time, but nothing could be further from the truth as she stood there.

"Yes. I thought that our path's were split for good as well. Life seems to have treated you well while we were split." Those brilliant green eyes darted up and down his form, examining him for any new maladies that may have cropped up. It was a habit that was hard to break.

After finding none, at least that were easy to see, she met his eyes once more. Lys had fought with the man before her, bled with him (and on him), and damn near died with him. She would fight with him through hell and back if need be.

"I came here planning on joining the mythics. Now," she sighed heavily, "now I just do what I can with a little clinic a few blocks down the road. Its nothing much, but I've saved a few lives that would be dead if I didn't set up shop. You'd be surprised what kind of mice come out to play when you're away, Kvothe."

[Rugs]

"Yes. I thought that our paths were split for good as well. Life seems to have treated you well while we were split."

Does it? Kvothe felt a sort of resentment rise up within at that. Not at Rhissai--she'd done nothing to deserve it--but at the things he'd had to go through since his return to Aiaru. At life. He'd been beaten near to death again by his elder brother, had one of his closest friends stolen from his protection, had the memories of some traitor of a dead girl forced into his head, not to mention the way the flashbacks came in seemingly-random attacks. And now, to top it all off, some of his own comrades in the Order looked at him strangely. As if he wasn't the man he'd always been.

He was still healthy, strong and able-bodied. He lacked nothing he needed to live comfortably, and could sleep without having to worry about where his next meal might come from. It was more than some could say. Even on Aiaru. Even in Demas. Kvothe knew this.

But had life treated him well? No. It seemed it'd only spit in his eye, over and over. Story of my life.

Of course, the only outward sign he gave to Rhissai was a brief flick of his eyes to her and a light shrug. "I suppose it has. Could always be worse." He noticed her looking him up and down and for a moment wondered what it was she was doing. It had the look of an inspection, though could really say? When she finished, apparently satisfied, she met his gaze again.

"I came here planning on joining the mythics.

If seeing her on Aiaru hadn't been enough of a surprise, that certainly was. Kvothe felt his brows trying to climb off the top of his forehead when she said it.

"Now I just do what I can with a little clinic a few blocks down the road. Its nothing much, but I've saved a few lives that would be dead if I didn't set up shop. You'd be surprised what kind of mice come out to play when you're away, Kvothe."

He nodded somberly at that, even sighed slightly. "I know. Aiaru is good to her people, but... sometimes her people are not good to each other. Still, we do our best to protect our citizens. The cities' police forces keep the streets clear for the most part, but as you've probably seen, it's just not possible to stop everything." He glanced to her from the corner of an eye. "To keep the mice in check." It was true; Aiaru still had some of the same problems that any civilized world would.

"It's part of the reason I'm here today." Kvothe motioned with his gloved hand to his attire. "Patrolling. Not something I normally do; I'm usually dealing with more dangerous vermin, but," he shrugged, held his hands palm-up for a moment, "here I am." With that duty in mind, he let his eyes sweep the area around them, let his senses flow out to touch the people that moved about. It was hard to sense anything in the crush of people that filled the streets between Demas' towering skyscrapers, but all seemed well.

"You have a clinic, though?" he went on, looking to her. "You haven't had any trouble with it, have you? Six moons, had I known you were here, I would have made sure you had access to whatever you needed." Threads of green wove through his eyes as he chuckled softly. "It reminds me of something one of the Light's Guide would do, truly.

And forgive me for so many questions, but do you still seek to join us? You... rather surprised me when you mentioned that."

[Dire Wolf]

"...it's just not possible to stop everything."

"Of course not," she understood perfectly, "I was a Jedi for the better part of six decades, you know." So it was more like five decades, but what did that matter any more? Her fall and the indiscretions leading up to her separation from the Order were ancient history. Sometimes she wondered if the only person alive to remember her fall was herself... though if she didn't, no one would. She liked to think that not forgiving herself for those atrocities was what kept her from falling again. Guilt was a powerful tool, after all... though obviously not powerful enough to get involved with a Sith Lord.

She didn't like thinking about that one.

Lys watched as his brow rise at her admission. Did he think that she just landed on Aiaru on a whim? No, every move that she made in the game that was life was made with a purpose. She left the Jedi to keep from falling. An oxymoron if there ever was one, but war's horror could break anyone at any time. Jedi included. The hutt was killed not only for retribution of the helpless, but to also help throw the Sith off of her trail. She just didn't count on that Dark Jedi Master's arrival, or the destruction of his palace and his rival hutts blaming her because of some primitive fear of the moon.

The decision to Onderon came after a revelation, one that involved her helping people rather than killing them. That Sith finding her, torturing her, and having a misplaced faith in those Force blocking little creatures was not in her plans, however. As for Ambria, well, that was an attempt to throw the Sith from her trail yet again. It was likely that she'd still be there, if Jace hadn't found her. And Aiaru, that was another attempt to hide.

Sometimes purpose is subject to change, though, in this case hiding turned into helping. Which was about when Kvothe started asking about her little clinic in the projects, or what passed for the projects in Demas anyways. As if on cue, of course. Had it been a perfect world she would have taken him up on his offer for supplies, but it wasn't. Faaaar from it. The real kicker was that he asked her if she still wanted to join the mythics.

Lys hoped to avoid that one.

Her lips spread thin in a closed lip smile, "Thanks, Kvothe, but no. If the mythics supplied me I may as well be one in the Unum's eyes," sad as it was... it was more beneficial for her to stay neutral. "And not especially. At first I had trouble learning medicines, but the holonet and a wonderful assistant have helped me in that arena. A few gangs have taken interest in me as well, but that's nothing I can't handle."

There was a long silence between her remarks. Saying no wasn't an easy thing, after all... not for her. It really didn't help that a huge part of her didn't want to say no. It wanted to throw caution to the wind and dive head first into the fray that was the Aiaru civil war. Which was what it seemed to be. That was the part of her that she feared the most. People weren't supposed to like battle, like fighting and killing. It was supposed to be abhorrent. There was just something about seeing the life drain from a person's eyes though, especially after a solid boot to the chin.

"Kvothe... as much as I'd like to, I can't. Its not my fight, and... I've seen too much killing and death to be apart of it. Both sides have their merits I suppose, and both their flaws." Ly felt like she was stabbing kvothe in the back.

[Rugs]

Rhissai spoke as they continued their walk, and Kvothe listened. It saddened him that she turned the chance to join down, but he could not force her to do anything. He'd fought alongside Rhissai through what many people would call a suicide mission; charging headlong into a Hutt's stronghold was certainly the near the height of foolishness. But they'd done it, and they couldn't have done it without Rhissai. Especially with that demon waiting at the end for us. He felt shivers running down his spine even now, months after the fact.

"I understand," he said softly. Some of the green had faded from his hazel eyes as he looked over at her. "You'll continue to do what you feel is right, and if I can ever help you in any way, all you need to do is ask. I at least owe you that much, right?" He grinned slightly at her. "As a sister-in-arms?"

As they walked on, he glanced around again. They were in the one of the poorer areas of Demas, though it wasn't bad off, compared to some places in the Galaxy. Kvothe had seen the residences of the poor on Nar Shadaa, had heard of the squalor that many people on Metellos lived in. Compared to those places, this place was a paradise. Still, poverty's wounds were still visible to the trained eye, and though Demas as a city was remarkably safe, they were in one of the more dangerous areas of town.

"Truth be told, Rhiss," he went on, idly brushing his cloak back on one side to bare the hilt of his sword, "things are only going to get worse. The people on the streets talk as though a war has already begun, but they don't know the truth of things." A group of children ran by them, flocking to travelling merchant's cart that was stacked with all sorts of doodads from Aiaru's other cities.

"What's been going on now, it hasn't been a war. Just skirmishes; the drizzle before the storm arrives in truth." It was a truth, but not a complete one. There had been a true battle, the first of what Kvothe knew would be many. Few outside the two vying orders knew of it though; it had taken place far to the north, on the far edge of the Itzli mountains. "But something is coming. I can feel it. They're planning something. And unless I... Unless we can stop them, I-"

His gaze passed over an open doorway, where a mother was talking to a child. The only warning he had was a feeling of something swelling within his mind.

"Now Celena, remember to be home early tonight." Mother's voice was warm and smooth, like honey. "Your father and I want to take you out tonight. It's a special night, you know."

Celena smiled back at her mother. "I know, Mom. It is my birthday. I'll be home on time. Promise."

Her mother smiled. "Good. Now run along, you. Go play. And tell Marn your father and I say hello."

"Sure thing!" Celenea was already running off into the streets of Roua, the canyon city. "Bye mom!" She turned back and waved over her shoulder as she ran. Then she turned around and began to sprint, loving the feel of the warm summer air as it blew through her fur....

Kvothe leaned heavily against a wall, one arm outstretched to support himself. He was breathing hard, and could feel a light sweat on his forehead. How long had it lasted?

"I... I thought they were..."

He pushed himself to stand upright, looked around with eyes that were stained with fearful yellow. Several people had stopped going about their business to look at him, curious as to what was going on. He looked to Rhiss. Gods. Of all the times to have one of the attacks... Mythos only knew what the woman must have been thinking.

"I'm...." Kvothe shook his head, trying to steady his voice. "I'm sorry about that. It happens sometimes. When I'm not expecting it." He desperately found himself wanting to avoid having to explain it to her.

"Shall we keep going, then?"

[Dire Wolf]

"I understand. You'll continue to do what you feel is right, and if I can ever help you in any way, all you need to do is ask. I at least owe you that much, right?"

"As a sister-in-arms?"

Lys didn't need to see the green drain from his eyes in order to notice that he was more than a little disappointed. How could he not be? Not only had she proven herself to be a capable warrior more than once, but she had also been through hell with him. Had circumstances been different, she'd go through hell with him again. "Of course, Kvothe. Though something tells me that you'll need a bit more help than me."Call it a guess. Call it epic foreshadowing. The tone that carried Lys' voice to Kvothe was anything but serious, however.

"Truth be told, Rhiss, things are only going to get worse. The people on the streets talk as though a war has already begun, but they don't know the truth of things.

"What's been going on now, it hasn't been a war. Just skirmishes; the drizzle before the storm arrives in truth. But something is coming. I can feel it. They're planning something. And unless I... Unless we can stop them, I-"

Lys was about to prattle on with a "sweet summer child -- what do you know of war?" speech when Kvothe practically collapsed into the wall. The woman was instantly at his side, her palm to his sweaty forehead. "What the hell was that, Kvothe," she asked with those eyes closed. He wouldn't have felt her entrance, or her slithering around to find the source of the disturbance. With luck though, she could find it and fix it. She had sensed something odd from him, like he was seeing a vision... only it was from someone else. Of someone else. It was hard to explain. "No matter. I can fix it."

[Rugs]

Frell. She wasn't just going to let it pass unanswered. Honestly, he'd known that Rhiss would likely say something about it. Had it been wrong to hope, though?

Her concern wasn't the cause for his worrying, though. He could just wave a normal person off, dismiss the attack with a lie and continue along his way. Things might not be so easy with Rhissai; not with her being as perceptive as she was. Not to mention her telepathy prowess, the thought of which made a chill roll down his spine.

"What the hell was that, Kvothe?"

"Nothing," he muttered. Mythos help him, people were starting to stare. "It just... happens sometimes." He nodded once, trying to project an air of confidence--not an easy thing to do when he'd just been held up only by a wall and his forehead was slick with sweat. "It's nothing to wo-"

"No matter. I can fix it."

Mythos no. No, no, no. Thing strands of yellow appeared through his eyes when she said that. It wasn't just the thought of a telepath rummaging around in his mind that caused it, though that played no small part even if Rhiss was a friend. No, if she went in and dug around, she might find the cause of the memories. She might see the moment when he'd killed Celena, and in doing so had unknowingly set off her memorias spiritus ultim. And now he was stuck with her. Every memory she'd had, every image she'd ever seen and bit of knowledge she'd gained was there in his mind somewhere. Not that he could access it willingly, nor could he stop it when it decided to bubble to the surface.

Receiving them had been his punishment, carrying them his penance.

And while he was not ashamed of what he'd done in that cell, he didn't need yet another person jumping on his back over it.

"No, no," he said, stepping back from her and shaking his head slightly. "It's nothing to worry about. I... I don't like it, but it's been helpful. And it's not harmful to me, so... I'll just leave it alone. Besides," he wished his chuckle didn't sound so forced and nervous, "you know I don't deal with telepathy well. Just the thought of it has my all nervous. Not that I don't trust you, it's just..." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't help it."

Kvothe held no illusions that he didn't look strange. He didn't care. He turned around and cleared his throat, straightening his cloak and standing more upright to get back some of the air of composure he'd lsot. "Well, that's all," he said firmly to the people that'd stopped to look, "go back to your business." They did. Some gave him sidelong looks and others muttered under their breaths, but they went.

Kvothe just sighed and looked back to Rhiss over his shoulder. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to worry you."

[Dire Wolf]

Ly furrowed her brow as she slipped into his mind, slithering through its deep recesses in search of the cause of his disturbance. Just when she felt as if she was about to stumble upon it, fear roared in his mind. It was a primal fear, almost illogical. While it felt as if there was something he was trying to hide from her, she withdrew at his thought, and was well out by the time that he spoke. It wouldn't be terribly hard to find out what was wrong and fix it, maybe, but if he didn't want help she wouldn't give it. That, and some secrets should stay secrets.

"I'm sorry, Kvothe," she put her hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. Her tone was a sisterly one, "I wouldn't hurt a brother in arms. Much," she gave him a little smile and released his shoulder. She supposed it wasn't all that surprising that he didn't trust her yet; they'd met once, and while he saved her life.... they'd known each other for but a few days total. "B-," the woman was cut off by the clangor of steel on steel just ahead of them, on the road. Her senses found it hard to find the individuals in the small press of people that had gathered around, but once they were found they were fairly easy to see.

One was desperate, alone, and wounded. The other two were angry, and hell bent on ending the life of the first presence. After giving a glance at kvothe, she gathered the Force in her legs... and sprung forward into a second story ledge on a building. A female was fighting two men, ad not doing too terribly... or wouldn't be if she hadn't been wounded. Her twin axes flashed so fast that the two may as well have had a rain of blades falling upon them, and for a minute she was actually pushing them back.

Then she glanced at Lys, those brilliant green eyes brighter than anything she'd ever seen. Well, almost brighter. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the details of her face, and the short black hair that was a mop on her head. Lyssah almost fell off of the ledge.

It was her sister, Reilara.

No sooner did she recognize her, than her sister glanced back at Kvothe before turning her attention back to the two men just as a blade skimmed across her thigh, and another across her chest. She crumpled to the ground, dropping the pair of murderous axes along the way, and stuck both her hands in the air. "Mercy... Please...."

[Rugs]

Kvothe looked back to Rhissai and nodded as she laid a hand on her shoulder. It wasn't that he didn't trust her--he'd trusted her with his life on Nal Hutta, just as she had he with hers--but there were things he didn't want her to know. The last thing he wanted now was another person breathing down his neck because of a choice he'd made for the greater good.

But there was no changing the abilities she had, however. Trust her or no, he didn't want anyone touching him with telepathy; it'd caused him enough pain for a lifetime already.

"I know," he said softly. "It's just something I think is better left alone." He smiled a little bit. Something in her tone made him think of a sibling, of an older sister. He wondered if she knew she was doing that, or if it was coming naturally.

She started to say something else, but a sound in the distance drew the attention of both of them. Kvothe's head whipped around to look in the direction it came from. It was the sounds of steel clanging on steel. Something was clearly going on. Kvothe glanced at Rhissai for a moment, and then rushed over to the disturbance, hand on the sword hanging at his hip.

Passers-by had stopped and gathered around the fighting parties. Their bodies formed a circle of a press around the fight, but as Kvothe moved to them, shouting for them to make way, they parted. Well, once they saw his armor and cloak. What he saw when he got to the edge of the clearing made him pause.

Two men were attacking a lone woman, but she wasn't doing poorly. Not by a long shot. She wielded two hatchets, and she wielded them like she knew a thing or two about what she was doing. For a moment she pushed the men back, and then, as he stepped into the clearing, she glanced back at him. His breath caught in his throat.

She was beautiful.

"Six moons..." he muttered, his attention momentarily lost in those brilliant green eyes.

Then the world snapped back to reality. The two she fought took advantage and struck, their blades biting her twice. She crumpled to the ground. Kvothe growled lowly.

His cloak fluttered lightly behind him as his power in the Mythos flared and sent ripples of wind out through the air around them. He knew Rhiss had gone up above to watch, but he didn't glance at her as Talio left its sheath.

"By the authority of the Tower," he called to them, "I demand you both cease this immediately!" Not that he gave them an option. He held his free hand up and wove the Mythos around them. Cords of energy ripped the blades from their hands, and the air around them coagulated and thickened. They struggled to move, but they wouldn't be able to.

Kvothe stepped forward, and put himself between the wounded woman and her attackers. "You are both being placed under arrest. You will be turned over to the city of Demas and dealt with accordingly. He snorted derisively. "I hope it was worth it for you."

He glanced back at the woman behind him. And found himself trying not to look at her face or figure too much; leering would be rude, and profoundly unprofessional, given current circumstances. But she was beautiful. "Are you alright, miss? I... I can take you to get attention once these two are handed to the city's security force."

[Dire Wolf]

Ly almost smiled when she saw that the two men almost had her sister killed. Reilara was a blight on her homeworld and now obviously the galaxy. Though something stopped them. Her attention turned to the lightly armored man with a cloak streaming behind him, and her palm met her forehead. Kvothe. It didn't take much for him to have the two subdued and arrested, nor did it take long for him to turn and offer aid to the witch.

Lyssah dropped to the ground and slithered her way through the crowd, lightsaber drawn. It didn't take long for her to breach the circle before her white blade flared to life, and the tip to point at her 'crippled' form. "Kvothe, this woman is not what you think. If you're not going to believe me on any other subject, believe me here. My sister is not to be trifled with. She may not be a Force user, but she is sensitive to it and very, very good with her axes. Let me kill what's left of her." She turned her attention to Reilara, who glared at her with her head turned in a way that kvothe couldn't see. "What happened? Daddy finally kick you out?"

The woman only shook her head, softened her look, and turned back to Kvothe. "I'm Elia St-" Ly cut her off. She was becoming Rhissai, the spirit of justice, "Don't lie to him. Your name is Reilara archria, and you've been envious of me and my powers since I first went back home." "Elia," she continued, not heeding her righteous sister. "Please, messere, that woman would kill me for something I didn't do... I just didn't want to get violated by these men is all. I don't think I can walk without help, but I'm fine... now that you're here."

Elia smiled a little shyly at Kvothe, hoping that he would 'save' her from Rhissai. Men were quick to believe two things about women: the first that she is weak, and the second is that she's interested in him.

[Rugs]

Kvothe turned his attention to Rhissai when he felt her draw near. "Ah there you a-" he started. Her visage cut him off though. She had a look he knew well. How could he not? He'd worn it many a time. It was a look of business. It was a look of danger.

He glanced back over his shoulder to the wounded woman that was laying on the ground, then looked warily at the brigands that he still held with his invisible chains. Why would Rhissai, of all people, be so upset to see this woman?

Kvothe instinctively shifted to put himself between the woman on the ground and Rhissai, great thunderhead of righteous indignation that she'd turned to. She spoke, and the venom in her voice and on her words was astounding. Where had the woman who'd been seeing to attending the ailing gone?

Are they sisters? He turns his head back to Elia, still mindful that an angry Rhissai stood behind them with a lightsaber bared. They did sorta share some features, eyes especially; though if Kvothe had thought the green of Rhissai's eyes had been vibrant, this woman was something else entirely. And her face... It was stunning, simply put. Rhissai wasn't a bad looking woman--far, far from it--but the woman that lay on the ground now made Kvothe's breath catch in his throat. Just looking at her made his mind wander to inappro-

Stay on business, Kvothe. He shook his head slightly. Now isn't the time.

Fas sat on his haunches at Kvothe's heel, looking back over his shoulder to watch the woman curiously with his large amber eyes. Kvothe watched the back and forth between the two with a sigh. He slide Talio back into its sheath; there wasn't any need for it out now.

When it was finally finished, Kvothe looked at Rhissai. Then to Elia, or Reilara, or whatever her name really was. Sighing, he scratched the back of his head and slide his hand down the back of his neck. At least this patrol wasn't turning out to be as boring as he feared it would. But what to do? He did trust Rhissai, but he didn't see any reason to just let her kill this woman. He glanced at her again. That face was still as beautiful as it had been a few moments ago.

Mythos, I can be careful around her. No need to worry too much.

"Alight..." he started slowly, turning back to face the people that had gather around to watch. "Go on! Get! Back to your own business! Show's over here!"

Turning to Rhissai, he spoke again. "Thank you for your concern, Rhissai. I truly appreciate it. But this woman needs help. She was just attacked by two thugs, and I'm not letting you kill her in the middle of the street." He cast a glance around to be sure the crowd was clearing, and, placing a hand on one of Rhissai's shoulders, spoke quietly enough for only her. "I will be careful, though. I promise. But she needs care now."

He nodded at her reassuringly, then turned to face Elia. "Now, I can take you to get cared for as soon as some security comes t-"

"Demas security! Make way!" At the sound, Kvothe turned around to see a group of men in the pristine uniforms of the Demas Security Force. Stun batons hung from one side of their hips, blaster pistols from the other. Their leader, a slightly pudgy man with a graying fringe of hair around his head and thick mustaches, stepped forward and bowed his head slihglty at Kvothe. "We got word of the trouble these two caused. We thank you for your assistance, Master Sword. We will take them into custody now."

Kvothe nodded slightly to them. "As you will, officers. Glad I could help." On seeing the officers produce cuffs of their own, he gave a wave of his hand and released the men from his hold.

As the officers truged off with the prisoners in tow, Kvothe looked back to Elia. "Well, like I was saying, I can get you somewhere you can be cared for, now that those fools have been dealt with. You said you can't walk on your own." He crouched down next to her, looking at the gash one of the swords left behind in her thigh. "Are you able to stand without much difficulty?"

[Dire Wolf]

"Then let me kill her in that alley over there."

Rhissai's look hardened as she gazed at the woman who had been the reason for so much suffering on her homeworld, and no doubt the galaxy while she'd been at large. The point of her blade did not move, even as Kvothe said that he wouldn't let justice find the woman. After a few moments, her blade lowered and dissolved to nothing... though White Fang never left her hand. Rhiss' entire body was tense, and she either didn't notice or didn't care about the portly men who burst through the crowd and took the two criminals away. A few moments later she heaved a sigh, and relaxed the grip of her saber. "I'm no kinslayer, sister.

"Kvothe, don't trust her. She looks pretty, and she's batting a few lashes at you now... but I'd be surprised if you live to week's end." Lyssah didn't move her gaze as she spoke to Kvothe, and her sweet sister never did meet hers. Instead she played weak and wounded to a man who she believed had fallen pray to her wiles. In all actuality, he hadn't... hopefully... he was just doing his duty. She hoped. If not, then he was setting himself up for alot of broken things, heart included.

Either way, she watched in some form of disgust as he crouched next to her, and Reilara actually managed to look weak. "I think I might need some help with that," the woman said with a grunt as she moved into something of a sitting position. "Oh please, Reilara. A woman who knows how to use axes like that wouldn't fall apart at a few little cuts. You can stand just fine."

"Shutup. You always were the one who was better than me. People thought that anyways. You were more recognized, skilled, and loved. Even after you'd left for thirty years. You think you know me because of a few fights we had three or four decades ago. Just shutup... I've had enough of your arrogance for one lifetime. I'm not Reilara, either. Elia. You changed your name too, if I remember right."

"Because I am more skilled than you, Reilara."

The woman's look turned from weak and into a glare. Her face clenched and curled into a snarl, and her 'good' hand clenched into an open fist. "Don't call me that. And you're only better because of the F-"

"-because you apparently fall apart after a superficial cut or two. You've not changed," she turned to Kvothe, "watch her. I think that I'll only anger that wounded little thing if I stay."

[Rugs]

Kvothe called the two hatchets two his hands with a sigh as Rhissai continued to show her distaste for this woman. Her sister, apparently. Kvothe could understand sibling disputes--he could understand them better than almost anyone else out there--but he had a role to fill for the time being. If the woman needed help, he'd help her, and being around Rhissai again had helped to calm his paranoia about every stranger he met being an enemy with a knife pressed to his back. Well, so had meeting that Rakesh fellow a few days back. Either way, he was enjoying the calm, and he'd rather not go back to fretting over the Unum every waking moment.

Perhaps that was a bad thing.

Whether it was or it wasn't, he'd at least help this Elia woman. Take her to get healed, maybe let the healers at the Tower take care of her. And then.... well, then he'd find something to do with her. Can't let such a beauty get stranded out here in the stre-

Kvothe shook his head, forcing that thought away. Mythos! If this hadn't been a problem before, why now? She was pretty, though. More than pretty...

Six moons, Kvothe, get yourself together, he silently chided as he put the hatchets into a free loop at his hip.

It seemed Elia would need his help to move. Rhissai doubted it, but he didn't want to stir further trouble, so he'd do it.

As he crouched down, he heard Elia say something that made him stop.

" You always were the one who was better than me. People thought that anyways. You were more recognized, skilled, and loved."

The words resonated with him. Strangely so. He looked between Rhissai and Elia, thinking of his own brother.

"Still jealous of me, are you, Ishar?" Vorian's voice echoed in his head, cold and mocking just as it always was. "I can't blame you. I've always been better. Smarter, faster, stronger. And when we were young, I remember the young ladies of the Tower had eyes for me more than they ever did for you."

Kvothe bit a growl down and stamped the thought out. No. He would not bring his problems with Vorian into this. Rhissai didn't even know of Vorian, and now wasn't the time to bring it up.

"I will, Rhissai," he said when she implored him to be careful around Elia. "I promise you that. But please, I do not want an altercation between the two of you. Today, I'm here to keep the quiet." He reached to hook an arm under Elia's legs and braced another behind her back before he lifted her off the ground, standing up with her held against his chestplate. "And to help those that need it." Mythos, but her face was suddenly so close to his. Bussiness, Kvothe.

He gave a respectful nod to Rhissai. Her concern for him meant a great deal to him--more than anything, it meant she cared--but he was a grown man. He could make his own decisions, but he'd take her warnings into account.

"It was good to see you again. I regret that our time was cut short, but I'll come to see you again when I get the chance. But now, I need to get her to have her injuries treated."

[Dire Wolf]

Elia couldn't help but smile a little bit as she was scooped up by Kvothe, one arm supporting her back while the other holds her up at the knees. The woman sighed heavily as she leaned her head up against the white plate of the man that had 'saved her. "Thank you. For everything. My sister is a... volatile... woman," she turned those eyes up to the mythic, "that's why they exiled her. She was too unpredictable."

Her good arm wrapped around the back of his shoulder then, and she hiked herself up within his grasp. It couldn't have been fun marching around with about one hundred and thirty pounds of woman. She supported herself a little, but most of the woman's weight was still being held up by the armored man. "On my homeworld... I am... was... one of the few," she paused for a second, searching for the right word, "Force Sensitive people. The Jedi wouldn't take me, and I'm no Sith..."

The woman looked up at him again, "would you train me? How to use the Force, I mean." She allowed a little smile to slowly form at her lips and gradually reveal those pearly white teeth.

[Rugs]

Kvothe stood in place for a moment, adjusting the injured woman lightly in his arms. She had some weight to her, sure, but she wasn't too bad. Not for just walking her to get some treatment, anyway. Still, the arm she put around him to lessen a bit of the weight was appreciated, and he started to walk.

"Come on, Fas." His familiar stood up and stretched, kneading the ground beneath with his claws. Then he scampered after Kvothe and fell in beside him.

"Thank you. For everything. My sister is a... volatile... woman."

Kvothe looked down at her when she spoke. Those eyes... A man could drown in those green pools and never come back out.

"that's why they exiled her. She was too unpredictable."

Kvothe nearly tripped over his own feet when she said that. Rhissai? Exiled? It was hard to see the woman he knew being exiled from anything. She was a strong, just woman. But people could change. He didn't even know how old Rhissai was, but he knew she was older than he. People change. It was something he'd seen far too much of, with the Unum on the rise.

"Think nothing of it," he said as they passed out of the marketplace. The answer was more to her thanks then what she said about Rhissai. He wasn't sure what to think about that.

"On my homeworld... I am... was... one of the few Force Sensitive people. The Jedi wouldn't take me, and I'm no Sith..."

Kvothe nodded slightly. She was Mythos sensitive. He could feel it faintly in her, though her ability seemed untapped. Raw.

"Would you train me? How to use the Force, I mean."

He shifted her slightly in his arm, both to make it a bit more comfortable and to have something to do while he considered her question. The motion gently pressed her a little closer to him, but he didn't mind so much. What to say...? There were tons of people at the Tower that could train her. He, on the other hand, had never seriously trained anyone...

"I see," he said, cloak swirling around his feet as he stopped in an intersection to look around and head off in a new direction. They were leaving the poor area of the Demas, and the great, towering buildings of the city of Demas proper loomed ahead of them. "I'd felt that you could touch the.... the Force, the Winds, the Mythos--all names for the same thing." He looked down at her and felt his lips curl in a subtle smile when he saw her smiling up at her.

What do you have to lose, Kvothe?

"If you come back with me to the Tower, then I can train you. As best I can, anyway."

As he walked on, his mind turned to other things. He wondered more things about her. He wondered which claims that had been made and thrown back and forth between the two sisters was true. And then another thought struck.

"You know," Kvothe started, adjusting her slightly in his arms, "you're a pretty woman. I'm not ashamed to admit that." He glanced down at her as he spoke. "I can't imagine that you might be alone... You dno't have anyone that I could send word to to let them know that you're alright, do you?

[Dire Wolf]

That smile only grew at his answer. The arms that were wrapped around for nothing more than support squeezed him then, and she rested her head against the unyielding white chest plate. Those bright green eyes danced around as she thought about the possibilities.

His odd question had her looking up at his face once again, and quirking a brow. She was pretty? And did she have anyone to send word to? Her brow furrowed for a moment, and the woman thought that she detected another meaning behind the question. Either way, though, she glanced up and shook her head lightly. "Not really. I'm just kind of floating around. I'm actually used to people trying to take money like that... I'm not used to my past coming up and distracting me like that, though."

After a few moments, the woman smirked a little bit, "you don't have anyone that you're training, do you? I'd hate to take away from someone else's time. And my sister... she will probably try and kill me every chance she gets..."

[Rugs]

Kvothe could feel himself blushing nearly as soon as the words left his mouth. Mythos, could I be any more blatant? He sighed inwardly and wanted to shake his head. His heart belonged to Alindra; he'd given it to her, back on Ruusan.

How has she been, anyway? As he walked with Elia in his arms, his gaze turned skyward. It's been so long... And he hadn't felt much of anything from the feather he gave her. Did she still even have it?

She's light years away, a part of him thought. She'll never even know...

Kvothe shook his head and cleared those thoughts away. There wasn't any point in thinking about that. Not when he was on duty. He didn't even really know her...

"Not really. I'm just kind of floating around. I'm actually used to people trying to take money like that... I'm not used to my past coming up and distracting me like that, though."

His heart beat just a little faster in his chest. She was alone. No one else to protect her, not even her own sister. No one else to claim her...

Mythos help me I'm a fool sometimes, he silently groused. He didn't even want to think of what Bors would say if he knew how he was acting. Not that he hadn't been getting enough grief from his commander already...

"No, there's not anyone I'm training." As he spoke, they came into one of the more well-to-do areas of Demas. The streets were clean and smooth, the skyline was filled with alabaster buildings that arced and curved over head, and punctuated with skyscrapers that clawed high like long, thin fingers that grasped for the heavens. It was like most areas of Demas.

"So it'd just be me and you." Another silly choice of words. Threads of dusky maroon snaked through his eyes. Come on... "Once we get you into the Tower and all that."

He adjusted her in his arms again as he walked, ignoring how much he liked holding her against him. Or how he found himself wishing he wasn't armored so he could feel the warmth of her against him.

"Once you're in we'll get you settled in--find you a place to stay and all that. And then I can start to teach you, if you still want me to."

Two turns down two streets had him arriving at a medical center. It wasn't a full hospital, but for Elia's injuries, it would prove to be sufficient.

"And don't worry about Rhissai," he muttered reassuringly before he stepped inside, "she trusts me."

[Dire Wolf]

Elia curled up against the man's larger frame as he carried her, that black hair shielding her face from view. A little smile curled around her lips from behind that raven veil, even as the warm liquid slowly trickled down her thigh and her chest. Occasionally the blood would seep into some of her drab clothing, but they were superficial wounds at best.

She quirked a brow at his words, namely the slightly awkward response that he threw in after he answered her question. Once again, she looked up at him, "just me..." the woman trailed off as she saw the massive towers and sky scrapers. She hadn't exactly been all over the galaxy. For the most part, the woman kept to the more rural and unpopulated planets, some of the more logical places for a runaway to go. Her homeworld had no such towers, the only thing come close were the tall towers of the Archria bastion in the capital city.

They were beautiful. Those green eyes stared up at the gigantic fingers in wonder as they seemed to nearly grasp the very clouds from the skies. The reflections from the thick windows seemed to actually make them part of the sky themselves, or at least make them look above it at the very least. "Its... beautiful." Kvothe's worlds fell on deaf ears as she gazed up into the sky, those glittering eyes full of genuine wonder.

That spell seemed to break once he stopped just before entering the clinic and said something about not worrying about Rhissai. Good. Elia allowed the traces of a smirk to tug at her lips, especially when he said that she trusted him. Even better. Perhaps Kvothe could even convince her sweet sister that she'd turned over a new leaf...

"She's an obstinate one, Kvothe," the woman replied as she entered the clinic. After a brief exchange, a wheel chair was brought up and she was placed on it. Within moments they whisked her away to a room. Elia was sure to offer Kvothe a single glance back as they did so, and maybe even the traces of a smile.

The doctors was quick to attend to her wounds, one of which was moderately close to the femoral artery. After kindly old man had her all healed up, the man walked off to go look at a few computer diagnostics... forgetting to close the door behind him. With a simple wag of her finger, the door swung shut with nothing but a 'click' to prove that it had been secured.